Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1144

Add a Little Romance To Your Disney Valentine’s Day

Aaaaaah. It’s almost Valentine’s Day again. That ever so romantic day where millions of people in love buy each other roses, chocolates, and mushy cards. But what do you do when you are spending the day in the most magical place on Earth? You celebrate Disney style of course.

I know you are thinking this is probably full of Mickey ears, parades and fireworks right? Well, it could be. Or you could plan for some truly romantic Disney magic to encompass the day. Here are my top picks for romance in Disney.

Pirate’s Passion ©Disney

Order flowers, chocolates, champagne, or even a tiara to be delivered to your resort room. Disney Floral and Gifts has it all! Call 407.939.4438 or order online at disneyfloralandgifts.com. I suggest the Pirate’s Passion. Hint hint if you are reading honey!!
Book a massage for your sweetheart at one of Disney’s eight spas. Or be adventurous and try a couple’s massage offered at Mandara Spa at the Dolphin or Senses at either the Grand Floridian or Saratoga Springs. Call 407-WDW-SPAS to make reservations.
Treat her like a princess when you dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table. There are several special event packages you can choose from, but my favorite is ordering the chocolate slipper. If eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table seems too childish, other locations include the Grand Floridian’s table-service restaurants (Citricos, 1900 Park Fare, Grand Floridian Café, Narcoosee’s, Victoria and Albert’s) or during afternoon tea at the Garden View Lounge. The slipper must be ordered in advance by contacting crt.special.events@disney.com.
Splurge for dinner at one of Disney’s Signature restaurants such as Victoria and Albert’s or the California Grill. (Ed. – Book far in advance if you wish to dine at any restaurant on Valentine’s Day. There is currently no availability for parties of 2 at any signature restaurant on Valentine’s night.)
Looking for some fireworks in your evening? Take your sweetie on a Wishes or Illuminations cruise. The fresh night air, your own private cruise, inspiring pyrotechnics: what girl wouldn’t swoon?
More of a land lubber? Got an equestrian side to you? How about a horse drawn carriage ride at either the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds or Port Orleans French Quarter. When my husband surprised me with this one year I almost cried.
Kiss everywhere. I recommend kissing in every country in Epcot. Take selfies or ask someone else to take photos for you. Flowers die, but you can remember the romance a lot longer with pictures.

Snogging in England

This list is nowhere near complete of all the romance to be found in the Disney parks. For more ideas, check out a few other TouringPlans blogs on the subject by Stacey Lantz and Lisa Gilmore. Whatever you choose to do I’m sure the day will be filled with pixie dust simply because you are together in the most magical place in the world.

Did your sweetheart do something romantic for you while in the parks? Share your romance story below.

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Published on February 01, 2015 05:00

Add a little romance to your Disney Valentine’s day

By Amy Farkas

Aaaaaah. It’s almost Valentine’s Day again. That ever so romantic day where millions of people in love buy each other roses, chocolates, and mushy cards. But what do you do when you are spending the day in the most magical place on Earth? You celebrate Disney style of course.

I know you are thinking this is probably full of Mickey ears, parades and fireworks right? Well, it could be. Or you could plan for some truly romantic Disney magic to encompass the day. Here are my top picks for romance in Disney.

Pirate’s Passion ©Disney

Order flowers, chocolates, champagne, or even a tiara to be delivered to your resort room. Disney Floral and Gifts has it all! Call 407.939.4438 or order online at disneyfloralandgifts.com. I suggest the Pirate’s Passion. Hint hint if you are reading honey!!
Book a massage for your sweetheart at one of Disney’s eight spas. Or be adventurous and try a couple’s massage offered at Mandara Spa at the Dolphin or Senses at either the Grand Floridian or Saratoga Springs. Call 407-WDW-SPAS to make reservations.
Treat her like a princess when you dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table. There are several special event packages you can choose from, but my favorite is ordering the chocolate slipper. If eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table seems too childish, other locations include the Grand Floridian’s table-service restaurants (Citricos, 1900 Park Fare, Grand Floridian Café, Narcoosee’s, Victoria and Albert’s) or during afternoon tea at the Garden View Lounge. The slipper must be ordered in advance by contacting crt.special.events@disney.com.
Splurge for dinner at one of Disney’s Signature restaurants such as Victoria and Albert’s or the California Grill. (Ed. – Book far in advance if you wish to dine at any restaurant on Valentine’s Day. There is currently no availability for parties of 2 at any signature restaurant on Valentine’s night.)
Looking for some fireworks in your evening? Take your sweetie on a Wishes or Illuminations cruise. The fresh night air, your own private cruise, inspiring pyrotechnics: what girl wouldn’t swoon?
More of a land lubber? Got an equestrian side to you? How about a horse drawn carriage ride at either the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds or Port Orleans French Quarter. When my husband surprised me with this one year I almost cried.
Kiss everywhere. I recommend kissing in every country in Epcot. Take selfies or ask someone else to take photos for you. Flowers die, but you can remember the romance a lot longer with pictures.

Snogging in England

This list is nowhere near complete of all the romance to be found in the Disney parks. For more ideas, check out a few other TouringPlans blogs on the subject by Stacey Lantz and Lisa Gilmore. Whatever you choose to do I’m sure the day will be filled with pixie dust simply because you are together in the most magical place in the world.

Did your sweetheart do something romantic for you while in the parks? Share your romance story below.

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Add a little romance to your Disney Valentine’s day is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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Published on February 01, 2015 05:00

The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! January 2015 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store

By Derek Burgan

It’s January and that means we are in a whole new year. It’s going to be hard to top 2014. We had Disney Imagineers with 9 foot shovels in Animal Kingdom. We had a commercial with featured both the Seven Dwarfs and rap music (which, by the way, wasn’t even the weirdest commercial Disney did last year). It was a year we discovered that the Pop Century Resort offered a sandwich that used Pop Tarts as the bread. It was a year that we lost Push the talking trashcan, the Giggle Gang, and Camp Minnie Mickey, but gained a whole lot of Anna and Elsa. What will 2015 bring? Well, looks like just more Anna and Elsa, but here’s hoping for another 12 months of unforgettable moments, magical memories, and merchandise people don’t want to buy, speaking of which….

Enough jibber jabber! Who is ready to hit the Outlets? Remember that clicking on any picture will open a full size version of it (don’t say we didn’t warn you).

Now, some readers of this column may remember last month that I vowed to “hang it up” if Disney released a Steamboat Duffy Bear. Well, Disney called my bluff.

“Your move Derek.” – Disney Consumer Products Division

However, I have consulted with my attorneys at Belichick & Brady LLC and they tell me that I have the wiggle room to get out of this oral contract. This is not technically “Steamboat Duffy,” as that doll would be completely in black and white (like the Steamboat Minnie plush). This is “Duffy as Steamboat Willie.” Completely different.

With that legalese out of the way, let’s head to our next item. This Disney rain poncho accessory for Duffy is actually a pretty good idea.

There is no truth the rumor that Duffy needs the poncho because if water touches his skin he melts like the Wicked Witch of the West.

I’m not as sold on this Sully costume for Duffy.

Let’s take a quick step outside the store. This advertisement for discount WDW tickets for Floridians was the first time I had ever seen the Tower of Terror used as the DHS park icon instead of The Sorcerer’s Hat (which is somehow coming down slower than the Berlin Wall). I was informed afterwards by Morgan Crutchfield of DVCCentral that this photo had been used years ago by Disney in a series of wallpapers for your computer.

Here is one of the neat props outside the store, Donald Duck’s desk.

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Okay, time to head back into the store. I really liked these Mickey and Minnie Mouse shirts. Originally $21.95 each, these were reduced down to $9.99. So, I picked up one of the Mickey ones to put in my shopping basket…

AND THEN I SAW THE BACK! Who’s idea is this?! Whoever it is, Donald Trump is ready to see you in the boardroom. I seriously need someone to explain this shirt to me. Are Mickey and Minnie pushing themselves through you to come out the other side? Like a chestburster from the movie Alien?

This is not a drill people. I ALMOST BOUGHT THIS. Always, ALWAYS examine everything thing – BOTH FRONT AND BACK – before buying it.

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Here’s a shirt for the runDisney Expedition Everest Challenge back in May of last year. Guests had to run 5K last year to get one at the original price of $21.95 during the race. I gingerly walked about 10 feet to get mine at the reduced price of $9.99. I was carefully balancing a lemonade and camera at the time, but please, don’t call me a hero.

Here’s the back of the shirt. I would have gone with “They said it couldn’t be done, but YETI did it!” That’s right, what Mr. Deeds is to Hallmark cards I am to runDisney catchphrases. After all, I am a two time runDisney medal winner.

While Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster won the 2014 award for Most Bad Shirts for a WDW Attraction, Expedition Everest is staking its claim on the 2015 throne. However, if this shirt is cleverly mocking the fact that the Yeti doesn’t move, then it actually becomes of the greatest shirts I have ever seen. Originally $24.95, now $12.99.

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Our boy Gaston had a big month, especially with his push-up challenge video going viral, but you can get his t-shirt for $9.99 (originally $21.95).

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pil·lage verb

rob (a place) using violence, especially in wartime.

plun·der verb

steal goods from (a place or person), typically using force and in a time of war or civil disorder.

Please note this shirt is only available in young children’s sizes.

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Looks like someone may have found a box from the 1980s that had a bunch of merchandise from when they tried to make Mickey “cool” and “hip” back then. Originally $24.95, now $12.99.

Who remembers Mousercise?

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A lot of Disney “nerd” merchandise hit the Outlets, including this shirt. Originally $32.95, now $14.99.

And these pants… Originally $36.95, now $14.99.

And these boxer shorts. Originally $19.95, now $9.99. Clearly the only thing that makes a person a nerd is that they where glasses. I actually had a meta-moment when I questioned why Pluto, a dog, would need to wear glasses, somehow forgetting THEY ARE ALL ANIMALS.

These “Hipster” pieces have made their way from the Marketplace Co-Op at Downtown Disney to here.

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I am not a fan of all of this soccer shirt, except for the fact that it uses Spaceship Earth as the soccer ball. I would imagine these would have had to come out around the time the World Cup was going on. I’m not exactly sure, because the last full soccer game I watched was in The Big Green. Originally $21.95, now $10.99.

Like I needed another reason not to like soccer.

Same logo on a drawstring bag. Originally $19.95, now $9.99.

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More 2014 Disney Cruise Line merchandise appearing, including this tank top. Originally $21.95, now $7.99.

Sun’s Out. Gun’s Out.

And this great photo album. I picked this one up. When I went on my first Disney Cruise last year, I took a big gamble on not getting many 2014 branded items, hoping they show up at the Outlets. Almost every single one that I wanted has made it to shore, but I would always recommend that if you see something in the parks, at your resort, or on a Disney Cruise that you really want, buy it.

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With Christmas now in the rear view mirror, new ornaments have hit the Outlets. On small items like this, the discount price tag covers up the original tag, so all I can tell you is that they have been reduced to $8.99.

These Minnie and Mickey ornaments were originally $14.95, now $4.99.

The 2014 branded ornaments were also $4.99 each.

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I wanted to get these Animal Kingdom-inspired stockings for my boys The Disney Hipsters, but figured they would be a little too tacky for their good taste and aesthetics. So I got them for Safari Mike of JamboEveryone, as I already know he has a Duffy bear in his house. $14.99 each.

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This Boo to You thing (what would you call it?) is interesting. It’s made in layers, so it has a bit of depth you don’t see in many Disney pieces. I like that it has the Haunted Mansion sign on the front gates, but that looks more like Hogwarts Castle in the back. Originally $34.95, now $9.99.

Here’s a picture from the back to see the “3-D” effect.

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I bought this set of DHS postcards and promptly mailed one with the hat to Matt Hotchberg of Studios Central. All I wrote on it was “U MAD BRO?” Originally $9.99, reduced to $3.99. I was at the World of Disney store later in the day at Downtown Disney and they had postcard sets for the other three parks, but no new DHS version.

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If you are new to Disney social media or websites you may see grown adults write the term “tooth pick holder” for shot glasses and think all of us have lost our minds, but here’s proof that this is an actual term.

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More tooth pick holders for the Yacht Club. Very rare to see merchandise from this resort.

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Glassware featuring that soccer design.

And coffee mugs.

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Last month we saw monorail t-shirts and hats. This month the monorail spiel coffee mug has arrived.

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Four different Cars Land designs, all of which looked real sharp.

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Alright, let’s look at some plush, including this bizarre Minnie Mouse waring a hat of Minnie Mouse. I’m gonna chalk this one up to the Things I’ll Never Understand list.

And a Mickey version. I was just going to go into a rant about how Mickey would probably want to wear a hat with Minnie on it and vice versa and then realized I don’t have the strength. It’s been a long month.

These articulated Mickey Mouse figures were originally $7.95, marked down to $4.99. You can move his arms and head.

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Always good to see Muppets merchandise, and if you read my report from Downtown Disney, you may get the hint that more is on its way…

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I’m a big fan of the Animator’s Collection series of dolls. I’ve bought more than my fair share for the kids in our family.

Did not expect to see Anna and Elsa in with the rest though. While the others were dropped down to $13.99, Anna and Elsa only came down to $17.99 (from $29.95).

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These Alice in Wonderland-inspired glasses were originally $34.95, reduced to $14.99.

Minnie Mouse photo frame.

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Disney Popcorn made our list of the Top Six Iconic Snacks at the Magic Kingdom, and you can own its smell for just $3.99 (originally $5.95).

These pens are just weird, right? The only thing I would write with them is my suicide note.

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This a weird one. And maybe you guys can help me narrow down where it originally came from. It’s a foam mace that looks like it came from the gift shop of Medieval Times. Not sure of the original price, but it has been reduced to $8.99 and then again down to $4.99. Does Disney have a Renaissance Faire that I’m not aware of? This is definitely something I would have begged my parents to get me as a kid, but thankfully at least we had Pirates of the Caribbean guns that weren’t painted blue or orange.

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Here’s another strange Alice in Wonderland piece that’s hard to describe how weird it is, even with a picture. The tray this cup comes with is just plain odd.

But nothing is as odd as this Mad Hatter hat. Not the good Matt Hatter, the Johnny Depp one. Kids today might not even realize that there was a time when you saw Johnny Depp’s name on a film you knew you had to watch it because you were going to see something special. Now when you see Depp’s name advertised it almost works as a warning sign. I was on the Johnny Depp bandwagon from Day One, but I’ve long since tapped out. Hard to explain how heartbreaking it was to see Depp become the worst part of the recent Kevin Smith film Tusk (which I would still recommend, on weirdness alone), but it would be like finding out Walt Disney World fell behind Fun Spot USA in terms of quality. Just unimaginable.

There are actually two Disney outlet stores in Orlando. Both are in Orlando Premium Outlet shopping complexes, and they are called Disney’s Character Warehouse, presumably because The Land Of Misfit Toys was already trademarked. There is one Character Warehouse located on International Drive close to Universal Studios (4951 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819), and the other is on Vineland Avenue, right across I-4 near the exits to Disney World (8200 Vineland Ave, Orlando, FL 32821). For this edition of MMM, we went to the location near Universal.

I get a lot of questions about this, so we’ll answer them here. You can order any item from the Disney Outlet Stores by calling the WDW Merchandise Guest Services (877-560-6477) There is a catch though, if the item is still available they will charge you full retail price for it, plus shipping. The Outlet Stores themselves do not ship merchandise.

Previous editions of Magic, Memories and Merch: July 2013, August 2013, September 2013, October 2013, November 2013, December 2013, January 2014, February 2014, March 2014, April 2014, May 2014, June 2014, July 2014, August 2014, and September 2014, October 2014, November 2014 and December 2015.

If you liked what you read here, you may enjoy THE SATURDAY SIX articles every week on the TouringPlans.com blog, the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast, and you can follow your humble author on Twitter (@derekbugan).

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Published on January 31, 2015 07:00

SATURDAY SIX: Six of our Favorite WDW Snacks Outside of the Theme Parks

By Derek Burgan

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six of our Favorite WDW Snacks Outside of the Theme Parks. Let’s get this out of the way: we love theme park snacks. We think you know we love theme park snacks, but did you know that there are just as many great treats – if not more – outside of the parks? Today, in part one of planned 27 part series, we’re looking at six of our favorite WDW treats available at the Disney resorts, water parks, and Downtown Disney, starting with…

# 6 – Zebra Domes (Animal Kingdom Lodge)

Zebra Domes from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Zebra Domes are synonymous with the Animal Kingdom Lodge and one of its signature restaurants, Boma. Thankfully, these tasty treats are also available elsewhere at AKL including The Mara and Johari Treasures at Kidani Village. The base of a Zebra Dome is a small layer of cake with a dollop of Amarula liqueur mousse on top of it. The Dome is then coated with white chocolate, while dark chocolate is used to create the zebra stripes. Run, don’t walk. to try this one on your next WDW vacation.

Zebra Dome at Boma. (photo by Lindsay DuBose)

Zebra Domes at Johari Treasures in Kidani Village.

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# 5 – Oreo Bon Bons (Disney’s Beach Club)

Another cult favorite in the Disney fan community is the Oreo Bon Bons at the Beach Club Marketplace. The foundation of the bon bons is an Oreo cookie, and on top of that is a cookies-and-cream flavored mousse. The mousse is then covered in chocolate, with even more chocolate on top. Even better? Zebra Domes come in a pack of four while Oreo Bon Bons come packaged as a six pack. The more the merrier!

Oreo Bon Bons from Beach Club Marketplace. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Believe it or not, it tastes even better than it looks. (photo by Brandon Glover)

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# 4 – Truffle Fries (Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Club)

After trying the Oreo Bon Bons at Beach Club, head over next door to the Yacht Club and make sure you try the Truffle Fries at Crew’s Cup Lounge. House cut french fries that have been soaked in truffle oil and topped with Parmesan cheese? Hard to top that. Wait, did we mention the incredible roasted shallot mayonnaise dipping sauce? These are – hands down – the best french fries on Disney property. Period.

Truffle Fries at Crew’s Cup Lounge. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Run, don’t walk, to the Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Club. (photo by Brandon Glover)

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# 3 – Fried Macaroni & Cheese Bites (Disney’s BoardWalk)

Taking a stroll along Disney’s BoardWalk area is one of the more enjoyable things to do at WDW, and no trip is complete without a stop at the BoardWalk To Go kiosk. Filled with fried goodness including mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, and foot long corn dogs, here is where you can find Fried Macaroni & Cheese Bites. The crunchy fried coating mixed with the warm mac & cheese inside produce a terrific flavor, and the small size makes them easy to eat while walking around and enjoying the trip back through time. For me, the BoardWalk overall is one of Disney’s biggest triumphs in overall resort theming. While you’re there, step on into to the Belle Vue lounge and just soak in the atmosphere.

Fried Macaroni & Cheese Bites. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Fried Foods, American’s gift to the world. USA! USA! USA! (photo by Brandon Glover)

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# 2 – Mini Donuts (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon)

There are many reasons to check out Disney’s fantastic water parks, but for us the two biggest reasons are the Sand Pail ice cream bucket (which we’ll cover in a future article) and the mini-donuts! These donuts are so addicting that it’s actually good they are only at the water parks, because if they were at Epcot or the Magic Kingdom we would be buying larger pants in a matter of weeks. You can get the donuts sprinkled with powdered sugar or cinnamon, and there are several dipping sauces as well to make it that much easier to go straight into a diabetic coma.

Mini-Donuts. Good enough to justify getting one of the Premium Annual Passes or the Water Park Fun and More option. (photo by Tom Bricker of the Disney Tourist Blog.

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# 1 – Dalkey Duo (Raglan Road)

Many guests have been avoiding Downtown Disney for the last few months years because of various reasons, but I promise you it is worth making a day trip there, if only to experience the Dalkey Duo at Raglan Road. Perfectly battered cocktail sausages served on rows of forks with a Dalkey mustard dipping sauce. The Dalkey Duo has it all, great taste and served with style. We are suckers for presentation, and this forrest of sausages has us entranced. Grab a pint of your favorite draught beer (better yet, get a beer flight) and enjoy the Dalkey Duo while Downtown Disney continues its conversion into Disney Springs.

Raglan Road’s Dalkey Duo. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Dalkey Duo’s beer battered sausages. (photo by Brandon Glover)

Dalkey mustard and extra sausages. (photo by Brandon Glover)

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Have a favorite WDW snack outside of the theme parks? Let us know in the comments so we can get to some more research!

So there you have it: Six of our Favorite WDW Snacks Outside of the Theme Parks. Clearly this is part one of 25 part series. See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast. You can also catch Your Humble Author’s attempt to make 1,000,000 typos on Twitter: @derekburgan

If you enjoyed this list, you may also enjoy:

Six Outrageous Food Items at Walt Disney World

Six Reasons We Love Be Our Guest Restaurant

Disney Dining: ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Disney Dining: Splitsville at Downtown Disney

Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover, Disney Photo Icon Tom Bricker, and Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. Be sure to also check out Brandon on The Park Blogger podcast with co-hosts Aengus Mackenzie and Brian Carey, while Bricker can be seen killing it on the great site Travel Caffeine.

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Published on January 31, 2015 04:00

In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of January 30, 2015

By Rikki Niblett

Cape Canaveral Dining: Preacher Bar

By Natalie Reinert

Port Canaveral is rapidly becoming one of the state’s most bustling cruise terminals. And that’s been good news for the nearby towns of Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach — at least, where food is concerned.

Eclectic decor and rich jewel tones light up an unassuming strip mall location at Preacher’s Bar in Cape Canaveral.

The chain restaurants are always available — if you really want to eat at Denny’s on the night before your Disney Cruise, you can. But if you’re ready to begin the serious eating before you even roll up to the buffet at Cabanas, new local establishments are setting up shop within just a few miles of the port, and they are ready to feed you well. For an eclectic Cape Canaveral dining experience, try Preacher Bar.

Kelsey’s Pizzeria has long been a local mainstay, serving up pizza and Italian dishes to Brevard County residents for more than 30 years. But with at their new Cape Canaveral restaurant, Preacher Bar, they’re diversifying, with a smart Americana menu that hits all the foodie buzzwords. Start with crisp applewood bacon served with a spicy chili-garlic sauce, then cool the tastebuds with a crispy take on the traditional club sandwich, and finish, of course, with Key Lime Pie. (You’re in Florida, after all.)

We visited Preacher Bar on a quiet happy hour afternoon, too late for lunch, too early for dinner. The dining room is smaller than it looks, but seats plenty, thanks to large high-top tables that could allow for some communal sharing without feeling crowded as the night wears on. The walls, ceilings, and bar are all fair game for the eclectic artwork, which leans toward sparkling jewel-tone stained glass lanterns and Mexican-inspired artwork like painted sugar skulls. You’re definitely not just in a strip mall anymore.

An extensive bottled and draft menu backs up a full wine list and bar with craft cocktails.

Starting with drinks? You are in a bar, after all. The extensive beer menu features craft and standard beers on draft and in bottle, or you can order a signature cocktail. We went with the Hemingway ($8), a martini of spiced rum, ginger, pineapple, vodka, and fresh lime juice, plus a Raspberry Mojito ($8).

The mojito was crisp and refreshing, a wonderful drink for a hot day. The Hemingway was sweet with a hint of spice from the ginger and the spiced rum — an ideal boat drink if you want to feel that tropical vacation vibe, without tasting too fruity.

Flip the LP-jacket of some classic (or not-so-classic) record and the menu is on the back. Creative starteres range from $4 – $10 and suit every sort of taste, with veggies (Goat Cheese Stuffed Zucchini, $9), nachos (Pulled Pork Nachos, $9), and tempura shrimp (Hell Fire Shrimp, $10).

We went with Bacon in a Basket ($6, premium cuts of marinated applewood and chili garlic bacon); Triple Crab Cakes ($10, crab, shrimp, icelandic cod cake, ginger slaw, and sriracha aioli), and Baked Brie Cheese with Kahlua and Candied Pecans ($10, baked brie cheese with honey, olive oil, Kahlua, and candied pecans garnished with fresh herbs).

Preacher Bar Appetizers - Natalie Reinert

Starters from Preacher Bar: Bacon, Baked Brie, Crab Cakes

Of these three, we’d all be hard-pressed to decide what was best. Every dish did its own little thing. The bacon dipped in the sriracha-tasting sauce was the perfect blend of sweet, salt, and spice (be warned, it was very spicy!). The baked brie came with plenty of butter crackers for spreading. Scooping a section of warm brie, drizzled with honey, olive oil, and just a touch of Kahlua and herbs, then spreading it on the cracker and adding a few pecans, was another great mixture of sweet and salt — choose this if you’re not into burning your mouth.

As for the triple crab cakes — I am a self-designated crab cake connoisseur, and these were the best crab cakes I’d ever had. The table agreed — the blend of fish, shrimp, crab, and crisp slaw, without a bread crumb to be found, made for a light, fresh crab cake with just a touch of creaminess from the slaw. Dipped in the drizzle of sriracha aioli, the flavor combinations were spot-on.

For a main course, diners can go down a few paths. There are house soups and salads, including a Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese salad ($12.50); there are burgers with fries, there are sandwiches with chips, there are entrees, and then there are 10” brick oven pizzas ($10-$15). Since Kelsey’s Pizzeria is a Cape Canaveral institution, and the two restaurants share a kitchen, it’s probably safe to say the pizzas will be delicious.

We went with a few meatier choices: the Preacher Burger ($10.50, with applewood bacon, tillamook cheddar, grilled onions, and bbq sauce), the Clucking Club-Bana ($11, fried chicken cutlet with aged cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, tomato, red onions, pesta, and chipotle mayo, on ciabatta bread), and the Mahi-Mahi Taco ($8.50 for one, blackened mahi mahi, ginger slaw, avocado-cilnatro cream, mango relish, and fries).

Preacher Bar Entrees – Clucking Club-bana, the Mahi Mahi taco, Preacher Burger

The Preacher Burger was ordered medium rare and came out pink in the middle, with a nice char on the outside. The burger itself was a nice thickness–not so thick you couldn’t get a bite of the thing, not so thin it would cook in thirty seconds and leave you with gray nothing in the middle. The meat was seasoned, so that it would have been delicious and flavorful even without the toppings. A big tub of barbecue sauce accompanied the burger and its large helping of fat, crispy fries.

The Clucking Club-Bana is the Preacher Bar’s take on the club sandwich. A pounded flat chicken cutlet, breaded and fried, is the perfect salty center of this club, with a flavor that is lightened with a delicate, spicy mayo and fresh red tomatoes. Addicted to salt and sweet? This is your sandwich. The ciabatta bread is good enough to eat on its own. The crispy chips on the side aren’t as fun as fries, but it makes this a great lunch or lighter choice for supper.

If you’ve ever had a fish taco and it came with fried cod or something in the middle, please stop believing you’ve had a fish taco and come try one like the offering here. The Mahi Mahi Taco is a thick chunk of blackened mahi fillet, nestled in ginger slaw, sweet mango, and creamy avocado dressing, wrapped in a grilled flour tortilla with substantial thickness and crunch. There’s something about wedding those chargrilled flavors in the fish with the tangy slaw, the sweet fruit, and the fresh cream, that just works.

You can finish off with a dessert if you’re not full yet — there is Grand Marnier Chocolate Cake ($5) on the menu alongside flan ($4.50) and tiramisu ($5), or go Floridian and order Key Lime Pie supplied from nearby Florida Key Lime Company ($5).

Preacher Bar sits between Kelsey’s Pizzeria and a Subway on A1A, about a mile south of Port Canaveral.

Preacher Bar is the kind of restaurant that makes me happy to be a local, because I need to come back again and again. (After all, I haven’t tried the Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese yet). The vibe, like most beach establishments, is casual enough that the whole family can enjoy, but it’s definitely an upscale experience in terms of dining and decor. They do offer live music on some evenings, but during our visit, the mix of music was kept low enough that no one had to shout, and was pretty eclectic — think Stevie Wonder followed by Passion Pit.

Preacher Bar is located at 8699 Astronaut Blvd (that’s A1A), about a mile south of Port Canaveral. You’ll see it on the west side of the road in a small strip mall that also houses Kelsey’s Pizzeria and a Subway.

For more information, you can find them on Yelp.

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Published on January 30, 2015 03:00

Meet Unofficial Guide Authors in Celebration March 9 and 11

By Laurel Stewart

Event flyer

Authors of the Unofficial Guide series, including TouringPlans’ own Seth Kubersky, Laurel Stewart, and Len Testa will be at the West Osceola Library in Celebration, Florida, March 9 for a Q&A with aspiring writers. Bob Sehlinger (UG to WDW, Disneyland, WDW for Kids, and Las Vegas) and Liliane Opsomer (UG to WDW with Kids) will attend as well. Seth and Laurel will also be at a meet and greet at the library March 11. Both events are at 7PM. The library is at 305 Campus St., Celebration, FL 34747.

We look forward to seeing you!

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Published on January 29, 2015 14:00

How Stateroom Category Affects the Price of Your Disney Cruise

By Laurel Stewart

You’ve decided on the ship and itinerary you want – now it’s time to get the best price on your Disney Cruise. There are two factors you can control when booking your cruise to keep costs down. First is your dates – and we looked at that yesterday if you want a refresher. Second is your stateroom category. Some people have strong feelings about their staterooms, right down to wanting to book the exact same one from cruise to cruise. Others take the approach of “it’s where I’m sleeping so who cares – I’ll take what’s cheapest.” But whatever your preference, your choice can have a big (or surprisingly not so big) impact on the price of your cruise.

Click the image to see it full size.

Disney Cruise Line pricing per cabin on a 7-night cruise.

If you’re not already familiar with the different stateroom categories on Disney Cruise Line jump to the section that explains the differences before looking too closely at the price chart.

Disney Cruise Line Pricing per Stateroom Category

For this article, I looked at the pricing for my median 7-night cruise, which happily still had all the categories available (except category R, concierge royal suites). Pricing is for two adults. If you’re seriously looking at the royal suites – call me, I can squeeze into a full size suitcase if I need to. Seriously, these suites (which do sell out) will run you in the high 4 figures for a 3-night cruise on the Dream up to well over $20,000 for a 7-night on the Fantasy during a slow season. At this time, it’s $22,000 for two adults for the least expensive December cruise, but most sailings are sold out. I don’t even want to think what the Christmas and New Year’s fares are.

What’s remarkable is the steady slope of the line (until you reach the concierge level). This tells us that Disney is very consistent in its pricing across the categories. This is interesting because there isn’t the same amount of staterooms in each category. The vast majority are verandah staterooms, but in this case a larger supply doesn’t equal a lower price. Disney seems to have just the right amount of each type of staterooms to meet guest’s demands.

A category 4A (the most expensive non-concierge stateroom) will average about a third more expensive than the least expensive cabin. For this you get 130 more square feet of space (for reference a room at Pop Century is 260 square feet). You also get a view. This seems pretty fair to me.

I haven’t had the pleasure of cruising in a suite (December, get here NOW), but a reader was kind enough to let me see hers on my last cruise. Sorry I wasn’t able to get photos, but take my word for it that one bedroom was a SWEET SUITE. I can’t afford it any time other than early December (we got it for 2 people for 4 nights for just under $3300), but I can tell you it’s head and shoulders over the regular staterooms. When you see the room, you understand the price difference. Not that they’re bad – I’ll cruise in any type of cabin I can – but this was really nice. And you’ll get a great photo tour of it in 10 months. The only stateroom type that perplexes me is the OOV on the Dream and Fantasy. In this case, you’re truly only paying for the perks of staying concierge (86% more in fact) without getting an upgraded room.

Just the facts:

Inside staterooms (category 10 & 11):

Average – $2955
Low – $2909 (11C)
High – $3007 (10A)
Difference between 11C and 10A – 3%

Outside staterooms (category 8 & 9):

Average – $3097
Low – $3021 (9D)
High – $3189 (8A)
Difference between 9D and 8A – 5%
Difference between average inside and average outside – 5%

Verandah staterooms (category 4 to 7):

Average – $3597
Low – $3217 (7A)
High – $3903 (4A)
Difference between 7A and 4A – 21%
Difference between average outside and average verandah – 16%

Concierge staterooms (category OOV, OOT, OOR):

Price $7263 (OOV), $10609 (OOT)
Difference between OOV and 4A – 86% higher
Difference between OOV and OOT – 46% higher

Across all categories:

Difference between 11C and 4A – 32% higher
Difference between 11C and OOV – 245% higher
Difference between 11C and OOT – 359% higher

Disney Cruise Line Stateroom Categories

All stateroom categories are pleasant and functional. And this isn’t the Titanic – other than the folks in the concierge rooms, everyone receives the same level of service no matter which category they’ve booked. I can honestly say I’m happy in any of them, and was really pleasantly surprised how much I like my outside deck 2 staterooms the last time I cruised on the Dream and Wonder. The perspective being that close to the water is really nice.

Virtual porthole on the Disney Fantasy

Inside staterooms

These are category 10 and 11, with 10 being the Deluxe Inside that is slightly larger and includes the split (sink and toilet, and sink and shower) bath that Disney pioneered. They’re found on most decks, but are only about 12% of the total guest cabins on the ships. On the Dream and Fantasy, they include the “virtual porthole” – a round screen over the bed that shows guests a view of the outside with the occasional animation.

Outside (Oceanview) staterooms

These are category 8 and 9. They are found on the lower decks where it is impossible to have a verandah, but do offer a porthole view of the ocean. Deluxe Outside staterooms (category 8 on the Dream and Fantasy) offer the same square footage of category 5, 6, and 7 verandah staterooms. All outside staterooms have split baths. These are found on all nearly all decks. 16% of guest staterooms are oceanview.

Verandah staterooms

These are category 7 to 4, with 4 being the larger Deluxe Family Verandah stateroom. Verandah staterooms offer an outside balcony off your cabin. These are found on deck 5 and higher. 72% of guest staterooms have a verandah.

What’s behind this sign? Something magical. And very expensive.

Concierge staterooms

Concierge staterooms offer perks like priority check-in and booking windows, and, on the Dream and Fantasy, a dedicated lounge with snacks during the day. Think of it as similar to club level at a resort. Tammy Whiting wrote an excellent article on her Disney Cruise Line concierge experience that you should read as soon as you’re done reading this. Concierge level offers different types of rooms depending on the ship:

Magic and Wonder:

OOT – One bedroom concierge

OOS – Two bedroom concierge

OOR – Royal suite (there are only 2 of these per ship – the Walt and Roy suites)

Dream and Fantasy:

OOV – Concierge Family verandah – this is a 4A floorplan on the concierge level

OOT – One bedroom concierge (can connect to a OOV for a two bedroom)

OOR – Royal suite

(Click these images to view them full size)

Magic and Wonder

Dream and Fantasy

If you enjoy reading about Disney Cruises or want to try out our tools like the Fare Tracker, please consider subscribing to TouringPlans or buy the latest edition of the Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line by Len Testa, Erin Foster, and myself. If you’d like to see more analysis of the Disney Cruise Line, please let us know in the comments. Your feedback helps us improve our content.

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Published on January 29, 2015 08:00

Construction Starting to Take Shape at Flamingo Crossings

By Julia Mascardo

As we noted back in October (Flamingo Crossings Project Finally Moving Forward?), work on the Flamingo Crossings project at the western end of Walt Disney World is well underway. Currently under construction are two large hotel buildings: one for the SpringHill Suites Orlando (with 248 suites) and the other for the TownePlace Suites (with 250 suites and studios). The area across the street from these hotels is fully prepared for development, with paved roads, traffic lights, and sidewalks. There is still no word when the retail development will begin, however. The hotels are scheduled to open in early 2016. Flamingo Crossings is located in the area just west of State Road 429 near Western Way, to the west of Walt Disney World property.

Work progresses at the site of TownePlace Suites at Flamingo Crossings. When completed, there will be 250 suites and studios in this building. (Photo by Julia Mascardo)

The intersection of Flamingo Crossings Boulevard and Western Way currently is a four-way stop with next to no traffic, but traffic lights, multiple lanes, and designated crosswalks predict more activity in the future. (Photo by Julia Mascardo)

At the main entrance for the hotel complex, work progresses on the SpringHill Suites (left) and TownePlace Suites (right). (Photo by Julia Mascardo)

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Published on January 29, 2015 07:54

Daisy Lauren’s Best Week Ever: January 29, 2015

By Daisy Lauren

Hi, Everyone! Welcome to the Best Week Ever here at Walt Disney World. This week we’ll be visiting Magic Kingdom to see how things are looking, stopping by Downtown Disney for some shopping, and finishing up at Animal Kingdom. The weather has been just beautiful for two weekends in a row and I can’t wait to share it with you.

It isn’t often I’m stopped in my tracks on the way into the park, but this weekend it happened! Check out that photo on the left. It isn’t edited at all, it was really that bright and beautiful here last weekend. We’ve had the most amazing weather lately! Pretty soon the bone melting heat and daily monsoons will return, but for now it’s perfection. Ready to head to the Magic Kingdom? Click to read more!

Now, you might be asking yourself why I would include photos with a bunch of construction walls. Frankly, these are the most flattering angles! There’s a ton of work going at the parks these days. Personally, I think it’s a very good thing. All the parks have needed some love and they’re sure getting it all of the sudden! (Remember, you can click on any photo to see it larger)

However, just because there’s lots of construction going on it doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to see! Just walking through the castle I snapped a photo of this column along the Cinderella mosaic. There are so many beautiful details all over the parks. I try to focus on these and how great the parks will look in the next few years rather than focusing on the construction and mess. Yep, the partners statue is still inside a green box on Main Street. I thought you guys would rather see this!

What’s a visit to Magic Kingdom without a few dark rides? I stopped by Peter Pan’s Flight to check out the new interactive queue elements. The posted wait time at just a few minutes after 9am was 50 minutes! I knew there was just no way that was the case, so I hopped in the line. I was off to Neverland in just 25 minutes. The new interactive queue elements are a little fickle. Unfortunately, I wasn’t standing in the right spot at the right time to get video. Overall, I don’t think I’d bother waiting just to see the queue. Of course, if you have to wait anyway then it’s a nice addition to what was a cramped, outdoor line.

Over in New Fantasyland, I stopped by to see if I could catch Gaston but my timing was off. I was hoping it might still be possible to catch the face character that has gone so viral. If you don’t know what I’m talking about then you have to watch this and this. Oh my, I just had to stop writing to go watch those again! This guy might be the best face character of all time! Has anyone out these met him? I hope you’ll share in the comments below if you have!

Below is another view of the castle and crane. Even though the crane looms overhead the castle is just beautiful. Now that Cinderella’s Royal Table is closed, those windows were so serene. I never noticed how much movement you could see from the ground until now. Over in Adventureland more scaffolding has appeared across from the Swiss Family Treehouse. A few of these have popped up around the park and it looks they’re just painting and cleaning up a bit.

Were you following along this weekend on Twitter? I was live tweeting from the park and taking requests on our site account: @TouringPlans. Nobody requested Pirates of the Caribbean but I snuck in a ride anyway! Be sure to follow us if you’d like to play along next weekend. Let me know in the comments below which park you think we should visit! (So far Epcot is winning!)

Ladies, just in time for Valentine’s Day a very cute infinity scarf has shown up in the parks. The red spots are actually roses and the material is light enough to wear in the spring. It’s a little pricey at $24.95, but I may have to get this one. If you’d like to call to order one for yourself the barcode is: 400008 599474.

So, what’s that smell? (Hint: it’s not roses.) All the water has been drained from the Tomorrowland side of Magic Kingdom and it’s pretty stinky. I have no sense of smell, so for me to catch it you know it’s bad. I’m hoping this is a sign that they’re almost done with the hub changes on this side of the park. Maybe they’re giving it one good scrubbing before refilling everything?

I stopped in Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe to visit everyone’s favorite alien. While in line I noticed this really fun cup for sale. I’m excited to see some merchandise showing up that’s exclusive to lands or even restaurants. It took a great amount of restraint to not come home with a rocket ship cup!

Now, if we’re being honest, food choices are not the greatest in the Magic Kingdom. I couldn’t think of anything I wanted so I just grabbed some chicken tenders to justify visiting Sonny Eclipse. Just one problem, he’s under refurbishment too! I know this isn’t something that’s posted out there so I wanted to let everyone know. I’ll be sure to report when he’s back in action.

One more thing I noticed on my way out was that the Jingle Cruise poster was still hanging among the classic posters. I think this might be the last Christmas decoration that still lingering in the parks.

I decided it was time to head over to Downtown Disney to do a little shopping, but that meant resisting the most appealing sign in all of Walt Disney World. Below left is the sign that I have so much trouble walking by and you can find it as you exit the monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center. As you can see, it says you can just walk another 20ft and hop a monorail to Epcot. The other two options lead back to the real world so I’m always tempted to just walk across! Below right is one of the cool, new things I found at Downtown Disney this weekend. It was made of some kind of metal and looked very retro. It retails for $16.95 if you’d like to add it to your collection. Barcode: 400008 818599

It seems Dooney & Bourke is finally keeping up with demand. Below left you can see lots of handbags left over from the marathon. Though not pictured, I also saw all styles of Haunted Mansion bags this weekend. It seems Pandora is still learning that lesson as I haven’t been able to find hardly any of the Disney charms in the last two weeks. Below right is a beautiful shirt I found in Trend D. It retails for $39.95 and looked like it ran big, just in case you decide to order one. Barcode: 400008 767408

There wasn’t much more to report from Downtown Disney so I decided to wrap up at Animal Kingdom this week. I waited for a while to get a photo of this sign and did manage to get one without anyone posing. But when I got home this one was my favorite. I think it’s too far away to recognize these cutie bugs, so I’m going to share it! How adorable are they??

The trend continues at Animal Kingdom, just look at those walls! It was very noticeable around the park that walkways are reduced as the walls close in. It wasn’t even terribly crowded and it was very difficult maneuver around people. Animal Kingdom seems to quietly have more construction going on that any other park and nobody is asking why. What do you think is going on?

I stopped for a bit to watch the macaws fly. I totally recommend this on your next visit. It’s amazing to see so many of these birds together. But I’ll warn you, they aren’t even a tiny bit afraid of people. The bird all the way to the right in the photo below (with blue wings), he flew smack into me about a second after I took this photo! No damage done, but scared the bejeezus out of me!

Of course, I had to shop a little. This was the first time I’ve seen the below line of Minnie merchandise. I thought it was really pretty! Let me know if anyone would like pricing and ordering information for any of the below.

Walls up all over the park make it tough to see what they are up to along the water. I found this one spot to peek. I’m sure this has something to do with the upcoming Rivers of Light, but right now it just looks like construction walls and heavy equipment.

Lines were very long all over Animal Kingdom with all E Tickets being at least an hour. I stopped by Expedition Everest and watched a few trains fall to their doom. Since the weather was so nice I decided to see if I could spot a few animals before heading home for the day.

And boy did I! The tigers were wide awake and stalking around. I took way too many photos but this was my favorite because she seems to be looking right at my camera.

Over on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, I noticed some new residents. In the enclosure with the meerkats there are now Zebras! It seems like a odd pairing, but everyone seemed to be getting along. Everyone, that is, with the exception of a woman that was fighting with the poor cast member in the area. She was insistent that these were in fact lemurs and she knew because she’s an expert on lemurs. Remember to be extra nice to all the wonderful people working in the parks, they are saints!

The last stop along the trail was for Gorillas. This guy was having all kind of fun with this stick and seemed to respond as the crowd whooped in approval. I noticed that all the surveillance cameras in the area were turned around on the crowd and not on the animals. Can you imagine how funny we must have looked? I bet the people that work there have so much fun watching the humans go nuts because a gorilla picks up a stick!

And lastly, Frozen has invaded over at Animal Kingdom. I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this before but this has been here at least 6 weeks. If you’re looking for some Frozen goodies in Animal Kingdom this is where you’ll want to head. It’s along the way to Africa from the front of the park. However, a better selection can be found at any other park.

That’s everything for this week. Now let’s see what you can expect if you’re visiting next week.

Crowd Calendar: More quiet days are ahead, crowds will be very light.

Weather: It looks like we might keep the nice weather going for another week! Plan to dress in layers as it can get chilly once the sun goes down.

Remember: Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is closing on Monday for a month long refurbishment. Don’t miss your last chance to ride!

Here’s my top tip for this week: Patience is key at Animal Kingdom. If you’re in an exhibit don’t run where the crowd is running. I have the best luck photographing the animals by heading to where there isn’t a crowd and just waiting quietly. They never stay in the same spot very long anyway!

Do you have any news I missed or any requests for coverage next week? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, and thanks so much for reading! I’m wishing all of you the Best Week Ever, until next time!

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