Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1148
January 19, 2015
Custom MagicBand Covers – A Primer
By Len Testa
I knew that custom MagicBands were going to be a ‘thing’ about two minutes after asking for one in purple and learning they don’t come in that color. Y’all are a creative bunch, of course, and sites like Pinterest are full of Magic Band bedazzling, from sparkles and nail polish to fabric and plastic jewels.
But honestly, my DIY skills are limited. I’d probably end up with a glittered house cat and smeared nail polish on the kitchen table. Fortunately, a couple of companies have started making custom vinyl stickers to decorate your MagicBand, for around $5 to $8 each. And for the last couple of months, I’ve been testing them to see how they hold up under heavy use. It turns out they’re great. Read on for more.
Tracy and Matt Davis came up with the idea for custom MagicBand stickers when their daughter asked for a purple MagicBand and was told they didn’t exist. (Note to Disney: might want to look into this ‘purple’ thing.) And apparently they jumped in to the idea with both feet, purchasing a $50,000 custom vinyl printer in late 2014 to launch their business. Today they produce designs ranging from Halloween and Christmas holidays, birthdays and celebrations, to the flags of different countries.
The best part is that you can upload custom graphics to the site to create your own Magic Band design. You’ll notice a custom TouringPlans-branded band in some of our photos, and that’s where those came from. Custom-design bands cost around $2 more than standard bands. Besides graphics, you can choose the background colors, font, and add text in multiple colors.
Run by former TouringPlans staffer Morgan Crutchfield, DVCCentral’s MagicBand cover designs include Disney princesses, monograms, and birthday and wedding stickers. My favorite are the In the Parks transportation themes, including retro-style monorail, bus, and steam train designs.
Applying the Stickers
I ordered sample stickers from both companies and they arrived in standard business envelopes, with clear instructions for applying them. I had a bit of trouble pulling the first set of MagicYourBand stickers off the paper backing they come on. According to Matt Davis, this was the result of their sticker cutting process being off by a tiny fraction of an inch. I was able to peel them off with my fingernail after about a minute of trying, though, and a second batch Matt sent later in the week were scored perfectly. The DVCCentral decals peeled off easily.
Both the MagicYourBand and DVCCentral decals come in two pieces, which are applied to either side of the Mickey-shaped imprint in the middle of your MagicBand. (The custom MagicYourBands designs span the Mickey logo but don’t interfere with the RFID chip working.)
One of the two-piece MagicYourBand stickers has small, circle cut-outs, and this sticker is designed to go over the snap-on holes in your MagicBand’s band. The DVCCentral decals don’t have holes. This isn’t a problem for adult-size bands, but you’ll need to push the MagicBand’s fasteners through the sticker on kid-size bands. Either sticker can be applied on either side of your MagicBand.
Hit the Showers!
I had two concerns when testing these stickers: how they’d hold up in day-to-day use, and whether they’d stay stuck on the Magic Band through Florida’s rainy and humid environment.
The Touringplans Environmental Test Lab
I wore each of my decorated Magic Bands around the house and office for a week, doing everything from washing dishes to outdoor woodworking, and spent a week in Walt Disney World with them. None of the stickers peeled, tore, or got scratched. They looked as good at the end of the week as they did at the start.
I also exposed each set of stickers to a week of direct sunlight to check for fading, and all of them came out fine.
The more amazing thing is that they both survived a month in my shower, which I did to simulate Florida’s wet summer weather. The colors are still vibrant, the edges are still stuck fast, and I’m convinced that all of them would last through even the longest Disney vacation. In fact, after seeing how well these decals stick, I’d love to know what’s in the glue, because I never want to touch it. Ever.
Recommendations
As surprised as I was by how well the decals stuck, I was also surprised that a couple of people in the parks asked me where I got the “special” Magic Bands. I recommended they check out these two sites for their next trip.
I’m comfortable making that recommendation to you, too. MagicBand decals are inexpensive, attractive, they work like they’re supposed to, and they’re strong enough to stick through your entire trip. It’s a cheap, fun, way to customize part of your trip. I’ll be ordering more.
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January 18, 2015
A Magic Kingdom Scavenger Hunt
Cinderella Castle
One of the most magical things about Disney World is that there is something to see everywhere you look! But just how much do you actually stop and look? If you’re up for a challenge, I have one for you. Whether you consider yourself a Magic Kingdom Master, or you would just like something extra fun to do at the park, I invite you to try this Magic Kingdom Scavenger Hunt!
I have photos of 15 things that you may or may not have noticed at the Magic Kingdom park and it’s up to you to find them. Don’t worry if you get stuck, there is a hint for each one. Also, to make things a little more interesting, especially if you’re the competitive type, finding each item is worth a certain number of points. The higher the points, the harder it may be to locate. For those of you aiming high, a perfect score is exactly 30 points.
So there are two ways you can use this Magic Kingdom Scavenger Hunt. First of all, you take this scavenger hunt to the Magic Kingdom yourself and see how many of the following you can find. It’s an interesting way to pass the time when you’re waiting in line or when the park is crowded, and is sure to make you appreciate the little Disney touches. It’s also a fun activity for the kids. Another way to use this scavenger hunt is to take a guess from home on where to find the following and see how many points you can win! If you get stumped, there is an answer key at the end of the post, so don’t scroll too far if you want to avoid spoilers.
Are you ready? Let’s start!
15. At which attraction’s queue can you find this Wheel of Peril? (2 Points)
Hint: Whoever would be brave enough to risk a ride on the Wheel of Peril is probably a little goofy!
I doubt there’s much of a wait to try this out…
14. Where in the Magic Kingdom can you find this note left by Mickey Mouse? (2 Points)
Hint: This little scene can be found behind a pane of glass and isn’t too far from Cinderella Castle.
That’s one brave mouse!
13. Where can you find these exotic broken tiles? (1 Point)
Hint: Watch out for the spitting camels!
Even pavement is interesting at Disney World!
12. Any idea for where to find this ship’s wheel while at the Magic Kingdom? (3 Points)
Hint: The ship’s wheel is somewhere in both Liberty Square and Fantasyland. Are you confused yet?
I’m ready to sail the Seven Seas!
11. Where in the park can you find this unique water fountain? (1 Point)
Hint: This wrecked fountain is not part of our world…
Probably the coolest water fountain ever.
10. Do you know where this little Magic Kingdom bird can be found? (2 Points)
Hint: He loves the sunshine and the trees!
He’s so cute!
9. How good of a tracker are you? See if you can guess which area of the Magic Kingdom bears this footprint! (2 Points)
Hint: It’s home to both the old and the new!
A mysterious paw print…
8. Donald looks especially cranky here. Does anyone have any idea why or where? (1 Point)
Hint: This attraction had tendency to “pop” right off the screen!
Donald is not having a magical day, is he?
7. Where you can find this wall while at the Magic Kingdom? (3 Points)
Hint: The lines of people along this wall have been known to be very long this past year.
Is that a Hidden Mickey I see?
6. What object at the Magic Kingdom bears this sweet plaque? (3 Points)
Hint: This is where you make a wish, but I’m not talking about a star.
Your wishes will help the dreams of children come true…
5. Just where you can you find this Magic Kingdom resident? ( 1 Point)
Hint: You may have to turn a corner to find this sporting gentleman.
Hello, there!
4. Where in the Magic Kingdom can you wish upon a star day or night? ( 3 Points)
Hint: Make sure to wash your hands! Mother knows best!
Hmm… Where could it be?
3.Where should you look to find these perfectly royal chandeliers? (2 Points)
Hint: This particular hall is fit for a princess, don’t you think?
I want one of these for my bedroom!
2. Where you can find this cannon at the Magic Kingdom? (1 Point)
Hint: A certain Sparrow has been known to call this particular attraction home!
Looks exciting!
1. So this last item on the Magic Kingdom Scavenger Hunt is my favorite and it’s a little different than the others. Instead of finding what’s in this picture, can you find where this photo was taken? (3 Points)
Hint: You will have to think high to find this place, but you’re often welcomed in by the ringing of a bell.
A Tangled Tower among the flowers…
So that concludes this Magic Kingdom Scavenger Hunt! Are you planning on taking this scavenger hunt to the park or did you try it from home? If you think you know every inch of the Magic Kingdom and tried from home, be sure to leave a comment so I know your score! However, if you’re planning on trying out this scavenger hunt at the park, you probably want to skip the the next paragraph as it contains the answers. I would suggest skipping the comments for now too!
Answers: 15. The queue for the Barnstormer. 14. The window of Sir Mickey’s store. 13. Adventureland pavement surrounding the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. 12. The second floor of Columbia Harbor House. 11. In the queue for Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid. 10. Sunshine Tree Terrace in Adventureland. 9. Storybook Circus pavement. 8. The gift shop at Mickey’s Philharmagic in Fantasyland. 7. In the queue for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. 6. Cinderella Wishing Well found to right of Cinderella Castle 5. Casey outside of Casey’s Corner on Main Street, USA. 4. The ceiling of the Tangled bathrooms. 3. The ceiling in a hallway of Princess Fairytale Hall. 2. Queue for Pirates of the Caribbean. 1. Second-floor window of Columbia Harbour House facing the Tangled tower.
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January 17, 2015
Cinderella Sneak Peek Taking Place at Disneyâs Hollywood Studios
©Disney
Are you looking forward to the upcoming live-action version of Cinderella? Well guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will soon get two chances to participate in unique experiences that relate back to the film.
The first starts today. At the ABC Sound Studio (the former location of Sounds Dangerous, for those of you who remember that attraction), guests will be able to catch a special preview of the film. The experience will take place every 30 minutes, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and it will contain several clips from the movie, plus more. Overall, the preview will last approximately 10 minutes.
Clearly the ABC Sound Studio has become upcoming Disney movie sneak peek central, because previously the location has recently shown previews of The Lone Ranger, Maleficent, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
The Cinderella sneak peek will be presented until March 21.
I did mention that there will be one additional Cinderella experience that guests will be able to take part in. For that, Guests will be able to head to the Streets of America and will be able to take photos with Cinderella’s gorgeous golden coach, which is featured in the movie. The coach will be available for guests to see from February 1 until April 11.
Cinderella hits theaters on March 13.
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SATURDAY SIX: Six Reasons We Love Disneyâs Port Orleans French Quarter
By Derek Burgan
This weekâs  SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six Reasons We Love Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter. Regular readers of the Saturday Six know how much we enjoy staying onsite at the Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World, and while Disney is challenged to  compete with some the amenities that Universal can offer its guests, where it does shine is the overall amount and unique hotels on property. Universal has a total of four onsite hotels (soon to be five with the opening of Sapphire Falls in 2016) while Disney has five value resorts alone, not to mention all the moderate, deluxe, and DVC resorts on property. Today we are going to look at our absolute favorite moderate: Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter.
Port Orleans French Quarter.
Disney’s Port Orleans is broken up into two sections: French Quarter, and Riverside, the latter of which is the much larger of the two resorts. While Riverside certainly has its fans (in fact we’d probably consider it our extremely close second favorite moderate,) we prefer Port Orleans (POFQ) and here are six reason why, starting with…
# 6 -Â Sassagoula Float Works and Food Factory
French Quarter doesn’t have a table service restaurant (although Riverside’s Boatwright’s Dining Hall is a short walk away,) but it does have a fantastic counter service with the Sassagoula Float Works. Set up like a mall food court, there are several different stations offering Louisiana-inspired dishes such as Po’Boys, Jambalaya, Gumbo, and Beignets. For lunch you can not go wrong with one of the various Po’Boys (our favorites were the pork and beef versions) along with a side of bean salad or house-made chips. As we wrote about in our review of the Fantasy Fare food truck, Disney makes surprisingly good chips. For dinner you gotta go with the Jambalaya or Pot Roast, and any time of the day is good for an order of beignets. Made fresh-to-order and covered in powdered sugar, these beignets are one of the best treats at WDW.
Pork Po’Boy with bean salad from Sassagoula Float Works and Food Factory.
Beignets at Sassagoula Float Works and Food Factory.
Don’t worry, they have burgers and fries too at the Sassagoula Float Works and Food Factory.
Sassagoula Float Works and Food Factory at Port Orleans French Quarter.
# 5 – Boat Transportation to Downtown Disney
I’ll be upfront and say I am not the biggest fan of Disney’s bus transportation. In fact, one of my biggest tips for people traveling down to WDW is to rent a car, even if they are staying onsite. However, I am in love with just about every other form of Disney transportation including the friendship boats at Epcot, the monorail, and the Walt Disney World Railroad at Magic Kingdom. Another relaxing boat ride at WDW is the complimentary ferryboat from French Quarter to Downtown Disney.  While the Downtown Disney area is still under construction, there are still a lot of great reasons to go there. Bowling (or a meal) at Splitsville, drinks at Raglan Road, and shopping at the World of Disney store or the Marketplace Co-op, are just some of the highlights of the area. For most, the biggest problem with Downtown Disney is the parking situation, but if you’re at French Quarter, you can take a boat! Problem solved.
# 4 – Scat Cat’s Club
Since TouringPlans’ own Brian McNichols literally wrote the book on WDW’s bars and lounges, and we recently completed a series covering the  Top 25 Drinks at the theme park resorts, it’s fair to say we enjoy libations during our vacations. With live music and a tremendous beer selection, Scat Cat’s Club is a nice way to spend a part of your evening. What we especially enjoy is to look at the jazz memorabilia lining the walls. It was actually taking the incredible tour at Universal’s Hard Rock Cafe that the Saturday Six staff took a deeper appreciation for the history of American music, so it was fascinating to go from piece to piece adorning the walls.
Scat Cat’s Club at Port Orleans French Quarter.
Scat Cat’s Club at Port Orleans French Quarter.
Scat Cat’s Club at Port Orleans French Quarter.
# 3 – The Rooms
While several Disney moderate rooms seem to be on the bland side, French Quarter continues its wonderful resort-wide theming straight into the rooms themselves. The gorgeous cherry headboards and Mardi Gras-pastel bedspreads are what will first draw your eyes when attention when stepping into the room, but its the small details throughout – such as the two sinks and mirrors in the bathroom allowing multiple people to get ready at once – which make the rooms stand out.
Port Orleans French Quarter.
# 2 – The Doubloon Lagoon Area
Traveling with children, we find the pool experience starts to become a bigger factor in determining how much we enjoyed a particular resort. The Doubloon Lagoon, and its surrounding area, is among the best Disney has to offer in any of the 20 resorts on property. The walkway leading up to the pool has colorful gators right up front, as well as a dedicated playground for children 2-12 years old. There is a hot tub and pool side bar (Mardi Grogs) for the adults, but what the kids are going to love is the Doubloon Lagoon pool itself, filled with unique characters, water spraying features, and – more importantly – a slide.
Gators lead the way to the Doubloon Lagoon.
The fun gator theme continues in the Doubloon Lagoon itself.
The Doubloon Lagoon pool, complete with sea serpent water slide. (photo by Nick Exley)
Port Orleans French Quarter.
Dedicated children’s playground near the Doubloon Lagoon.
Mardi Grogs poolside bar.
# 1 – The Intimate Feel of the Resort
While French Quarter is far from a boutique hotel, it offers a much more intimate experience than many of WDW’s sprawling resorts, including it’s neighbor Riverside. We’ve often found ourselves walking around the wonderfully themed property with barely a soul in sight, making the experience that much more special. The landscaping takes you completely out of central Florida, and that combined with the old fashioned iron lampposts and wrought-iron filigree around the buildings makes you feel like you are in New Orleans, something which a resort like Saratoga Springs just does not accomplish on anywhere near a level of success. While the entire resort is beautiful, the bursts of Mardi Gras colors in specific areas (such as Doubloon Lagoon and the Sassagoula Float Works) really pop thanks to the understated nature of everything else.  If you are used to staying at a value resort on Disney property and are considering making the jump to a hotel with more amenities, take a chance on French Quarter, we promise you won’t regret it.
Port Orleans French Quarter.
Port Orleans French Quarter.
Port Orleans French Quarter.
Port Orleans French Quarter.
HONORABLE MENTION: The POFQ Pressed Penny Machine
Come on, Mickey as the trumpet player leading the band? Donald Duck with the trombone? Only the missing POFQ logo keeps these from being an A pressed penny selection.
Port Orleans French Quarter pressed penny machine. (photo by The Schmoof)
DOUBLE SECRET HONORABLE MENTION: The Doorman
Kudos to the entire staff at French Quarter, as we have had tremendous experiences with Cast Members across the boards (check-in, Float Works, Mousekeeping,) but a highlight of every trip is seeing the colorfully dressed doorman, who always seems to be a great spirits. The doormen for French Quarter and Disney’s Grand Floridan seem to evoke a different time and place, and seeing them brings a smile to our face each and every time.
So there you have it: Six Reasons We Love Port Orleans French Quarter. 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.
If you enjoyed Six Reasons We Love Port Orleans French Quarter, you may also enjoy:
Six Reasons To Check Out Disney’s Pop Century Resort
Six “Secrets” of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
Six Reasons We Love Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Six “Secrets” of Universal’s Portofino Bay Hotel
Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover, Parkscope‘s Nick Exley, 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.
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January 16, 2015
Artists Announced for the Garden Rocks Concert Series for the 2015 Flower and Garden Festival
©Disney
Today is full of details about the Epcot special events. First, the dates were released for the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, and now we have the line-up of artists who will be performing during the Garden Rocks Concert Series for the 2015 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. (For those keeping score, the Garden Rocks Concert Series was previously called the Flower Power Concert Series. Since all the artists who are performing nowadays weren’t necessarily around during the 50s, 60s, and 70s, I guess Disney felt the “Flower Power” name didn’t really fit any more.)
Some of the artists performing at this year’s Garden Rocks Concert Series have previously played during the Eat to the Beat Concert Series during the Food & Wine Festival, including Taylor Dane and Starship, and some have been performing at the Flower Power Concert Series for years, such as Peter Noone and The Village People. This year’s list of artists is really an eclectic mix.Â
March 6-8: Gin Blossoms âHey Jealousyâ
March 13-15: Pablo Cruise âLove Will Find a Wayâ
March 20-22: En Vogue âFree Your Mindâ
March 27-29: Starship âWe Built This Cityâ
April 3-5: The Orchestra starring former members of ELO âEvil Womanâ
April 10-12: Village People âY.M.C.A.â
April 17-19: Jon Secada âJust Another Dayâ
April 24-26: The Guess Who âThese Eyesâ
May 1-3: Taylor Dayne âTell It to My Heartâ
May 8-10: Little River Band âLadyâ
May 15-17: Hermanâs Hermits starring Peter Noone âIâm Henry the VIII, I Amâ
Artists perform at the America Gardens Theatre on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with showtimes at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. These concerts are included with your park admission, and do keep in mind that the artists and schedule are subject to change without notice.
This year’s Epcot Flower &Â Garden Festival will take place from March 4 through May 17.
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2015 Celebration of Harry Potter Schedule and Autograph Session Information
Plan your Celebration of Harry Potter weekend with event schedules and autograph advice.
If Dani’s recent blog post about Universal Orlando‘s upcoming Celebration of Harry Potter event inspired you to attend, you’re probably looking for some hard information on the weekend-long fan convention kicking off at Universal Studios Florida on January 30th. Fear not, muggles, because we’ve found the full details on the Celebration of Harry Potter schedule and autograph session information to help you snag some face time with your favorite wizarding stars.
Celebration of Harry Potter Basic Information
The Celebration of Harry Potter, scheduled for January 30 through February 1, 2015, brings Harry Potter fans together with the actors and artists who helped create the blockbuster franchise. Similar to sci-fi and comic book conventions held around the country, the Celebration features panel discussions and question & answer sessions where guests can see some of the series’ stars in person, and possibly get an autograph. Confirmed participants in 2015 include Michael Gambon (Dumbledore), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley). Paul Harris, the choreographer who created “wand combat” for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, will also attend to lead popular masterclasses in wizard dueling.
The majority of presentations are free for all park attendees, and are held either on Music Plaza stage in Production Central, or the Fear Factor Live stadium. There is also a Celebration of Harry Potter Expo in Soundstage 33 (accessible from New York near Twister), where fans can get selected for a Hogwarts house by the Sorting Hat, sign up for the Pottermore website, and purchase limited edition memorabilia. Other fan-oriented events include photo meet-ups organized by house, kids’ dance and combat classes, and trivia contests.
In past years, Celebration events have been split between Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, but in 2015 all events will take place in USF. The Celebration currently takes place over only three days, but based on the response to the first few editions we can see Universal expanding its run, much like Disney’s Star Wars Weekends.
You can find more information at Universal Orlando’s Celebration of Harry Potter website.
2015 Celebration of Harry Potter Schedule
Celebration of Harry Potter events start on Friday evening 1/30, and run through Sunday 2/1. Here is the current schedule of event, subject to change:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 30
A Celebration of Harry Potter Expo (Soundstage 33) 9 am â 5 pm
Movie in the Park (Music Plaza) 2:30pm – 5:30pm
A Celebration of Harry Potter Opening Night Event (Music Plaza) 5:30pm – 6pm
SATURDAY, JANUARY 31
A Celebration of Harry Potter Expo (Soundstage 33) 9am – 5pm
Behind the Scenes: Harry PotterTM Film Talent Discussion (Music Plaza) 10am – 11am
Kidsâ Duelling Demonstration & Wand Masterclass with Paul Harris (Music Plaza) 11:30am – 12pm
Graphic Design for the Harry PotterTM Films with MinaLima (Fear Factor) 11:30am – 12:15pm
House Photo Meet-Up — Hufflepuff (Music Plaza) 12:30pm – 12:45pm
Kidsâ Harry Potter Film Trivia (Music Plaza) 2:30pm – 2:45pm
Kidsâ Dance Like a Beauxbatons & Battle Like a Durmstrang (Music Plaza) 3pm – 3:30pm
Illustration of Harry Potter with Kazu Kibuishi (Music Plaza) 4pm – 4:45pm
House Photo Meet-Up — Ravenclaw (Music Plaza) 4:45pm – 5pm
Duelling Demonstration & Wand Masterclass with Paul Harris (Music Plaza) 5:15pm – 6pm
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1
A Celebration of Harry Potter Expo (Soundstage 33) 9am – 5pm
Duelling Demonstration & Wand Masterclass with Paul Harris (Music Plaza)10am – 11am
Kidsâ Duelling Demonstration & Wand Masterclass with Paul Harris (Music Plaza) 11:30am – 12pm
Creating The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Fear Factor) 11:30am – 12:15pm
House Photo Meet-Up — Slytherin (Music Plaza) 12:30pm – 12:45pm
Kidsâ Dance Like a Beauxbatons & Battle Like a Durmstrang (Music Plaza) 2:30pm – 3pm
Kidsâ Harry Potter Film Trivia (Music Plaza) 3:15pm – 3:30pm
House Photo Meet-Up — Gryffindor (Music Plaza) 4:15pm – 4:30pm
Behind the Scenes: Harry Potter Film Talent Discussion (Music Plaza) 4:45pm – 5:30pm
You can download a PDF of the Celebration of Harry Potter schedule.
Celebration of Harry Potter Autograph Session Information
Autograph sessions with the Harry Potter film stars are held on Saturday 12/31 and Sunday 2/1 only. Three autograph sessions, with different talent at each session, are held simultaneously each day, and you can only attend one per day, so you won’t be able to get autographs from all the attending actors.
Autograph sessions require tickets, which are free but limited. Tickets are distributed each morning on a first-come/first-served basis near the Blue Man Group theater starting at 7:30 a.m. Autograph tickets are one per person, per day, and you must be present to claim one.
See Universal’s Celebration of Harry Potter autographs page for more information.
Celebration of Harry Potter Exclusive Evening Events
We generally advise against buying Universal Orlando vacation packages, but attending the Celebration of Harry Potter is one of the few times when it offers an advantage. Private after-hours parties inside the Wizarding World are only open to those purchasing exclusive (and expensive) vacation packages, which went on sale in August and swiftly sold out. (A limited number of packages were also made available to annual passholders, and are also sold out.)
The exclusive evening events are held after park closing inside the Wizarding World. Guests have access to all the attractions in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, including the Hogwarts Express train for transport between the parks. Light desserts and non-alocholic drinks are included. The parties are held on January 30 & 31; package holders can pick one night to attend, but not both. Note that the Harry Potter film stars are not scheduled to attend the evening events.
Celebration of Harry Potter Touring Advice
Celebration of Harry Potter package holders are afforded priority access to the expo and reserved viewing at the presentations, which can be a big boon. The expo can fill to capacity within an hour of opening, so if you don’t have a package visit first thing to avoid long waits. To attend limited-capacity events in Fear Factor Live, or get an optimal viewing spot at Music Plaza stage, plan to arrive a minimum of one hour before showtime.
If you planning to visit the parks during the Celebration but are not interested in the Potter events, fear not; while the parks will be crowded with robe-clad fans, their presence shouldn’t substantially impact wait times for most attractions outside the Wizarding Worlds.
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Dates Announced for the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Disney
It’s the tastiest time of the year…the dates for the 2015 Epcot International Food &Â Wine Festival have been announced. The fantastic fall event will take place for a grand total of 53 days from September 25 through November 16.
The Epcot Food &Â Wine Festival features such highlights as nearly 30 Marketplace Booths (featuring lots of yummy sweet and savory tapas-sized food and beverages options), the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, celebrity chef demonstrations, beverage seminars, signature dining experiences, and much, much more!
More details for the event will be released later this year, so Iâll be sure to let you know the info when they do! I cannot wait to once again enjoy the deliciousness that is this great annual event.
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In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors â Week of January 16, 2015
In Case You Missed It!
Whew! This week was full of a lot of interesting articles. There’s so much that we just need to dive right in! We’ve got movie news, Disney Cruise Line saving passengers from other cruise lines, the latest Universal rumor, and more!
In Case You Missed It – Disney and Universal Orlando News and Rumors
Yikes. Well, this one isn’t the best news. Disney’s Animal Kingdom made the list as one of the”10 worst zoos for elephants” in 2014.
Have you noticed that many of the arcades at Walt Disney World are no longer offering games where you can win prizes. This is potentially the reason behind the change. Bye bye claw machines.
That Disneyland measles outbreak just keeps getting worse. At last count, there were 22 people in the state of California who have reportedly come down with the disease after visiting the park and the number appears to be growing.
Wow. I cannot imagine! A gentleman fell off his Royal Caribbean ship, only to be rescued by the Disney Magic a few hours later. Read the whole scoop from CNN.
Uh…this one was a strange article…but alright. What animal would Disney Cruise Line be if it was a pet? I swear this ran as a legitimate article. Truth be told, it is kind of a fun way to compare the different cruise lines. Even if it is silly.
Did you know Mickey Mouse’s first comic strip debuted this week, 85 years ago? Incredible! Go Mickey!
Haha! The Simpsons did it again this week. This time it was a pretty darn good parody of Soarin’–Springfield style. I’ll admit…I laughed probably harder than I should have.
Disney received nine Oscar nominations for their various movies from 2014. Of course the big nomination is for Big Hero 6 for Best Animated Feature. What do you think will take home the Oscar?
Did you catch the newest Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer? This movie looks hauntingly good.
Disney has set the dates for four movies slated for 2016. They include The Jungle Book and Pete’s Dragon. (Who senses a theme?)
At this point, the theme park land is now expected to debut before the additional movies do. Avatar‘s sequels have been delayed; they now apparently won’t hit the screens until the end of 2017, at the earliest.
Over at Universal, they are clearly not resting on their laurels. The latest rumors indicate that a Star Trek attraction could be coming to the Universal Studios Florida, to replace Shrek 4-D. Would you like to see a Star Trek attraction or something else instead?
In Case We Missed It
What did we miss? Attach your ideas to this Disney mug warmer (hey…it’s freezing out and my coffee’s getting cold) and send them to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.
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In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of January 16, 2015 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
How to Experience an Empty Magic Kingdom
What do you think of when you think of Disney World? Castles? Princesses? Pirates? I sure do! But just like everyone else, I can also think of less magical things such as crowds, long lines, and wait times. Fortunately, Touring Plans can help cut down those long lines and wait times; but one thing that can’t be done is to remove the throngs of people entirely. That is, until now. Yes, in this post, I will explain how to experience an empty Magic Kingdom before the park opens up to the droves of guests. Read on!
I had the castle to myself!
The Secret
The Magic Kingdom opens most mornings at 9:00 AM, but the secret is that two park restaurants open even earlier, such as the Crystal Palace and Cinderella’s Royal Table. (Note: Cinderella’s Royal Table is currently closed for refurbishment but is expected to reopen in spring of 2015) If you are able to book an advance dining reservation before 9:00 AM, you will be able to walk through the empty park in order to check-in for your breakfast!
Now, before you get too excited, let me clarify a few things. For one, the shows and attractions at the Magic Kingdom do not open for anyone until the park opens at 9:00 AM; and many of the surrounding lands are roped off to guests who do have early morning reservations. Still, getting in early was one of the coolest experiences I have ever had at Disney World.
Getting In
When I first heard about this Disney World secret, I immediately booked an advance dining reservation at the Crystal Palace for my upcoming vacation dates. It took some checking and re-checking for several days, but I finally was able to grab a reservation at 8:20 AM. Score!
The morning of our reservation, my family and I were up extra early to make sure we had enough time to get from our resort at Port Orleans Riverside to the Magic Kingdom. Disney Buses begin transporting guests an hour before park opening, but it’s always wise to carve out enough time just in case you have to wait longer than planned or if there is a traffic delay.
A crowd-free walk down Main Street, USA!
When we arrived at the Magic Kingdom, I was a little nervous about how we were to get in. There was already a considerable crowd outside the gates. We asked a nearby Cast Member about how to enter the park for an early reservation, and he directed us to a designated line for early diners like ourselves. A few moments later, we were in!
Empty Park
Once we passed under Main Street Station, we were on Main Street, USA and there was no one around, except for maybe a small handful of guests taking pictures while waiting for their own reservation. I had to resist the urge to skip and dance, especially when we rounded the corner and saw Cinderella Castle at the end of an empty street, just like you would see in a Disney Commercial or a post card but never in reality.
My family and I instantly began taking pictures. How could you not? We also realized that we were walking down Main Street, USA and not dodging strollers are weaving through people. Do you know how rare that is? We also took the opportunity to really appreciate the details on Main Street, USA that we usually miss in the rush.
Brer Rabbit
We arrived earlier than expected and still had about a few minutes before we needed to check-in; and so instead of heading straight to the Crystal Palace, we set our sights on the hub, the center of the park and where the famous Partners statue of Walt and Mickey stands.
If you’ve been to Disney World before, you know that this area of the park is almost always crowded with people and cameras; but now, I had a chance to get that iconic shot of the statue and the castle without any strangers in it. My family and I also noticed that the PhotoPass photographers were already at work, happily taking photos for guests like us even though the park hadn’t opened.
We also took a minute to really look at the statuettes surrounding the hub. Usually guests pass them right by or it’s too crowded to reach them, but that wasn’t true today!
So at this point, we really needed to go check-in at the Crystal Palace; but on the way, we went to the Liberty Square bridge and got a view of the land from the ropes completely empty and ready for the day, as well as Adventureland.
The Restaurants
The Crystal Palace is one of my Dad’s favorite restaurants, and a breakfast here is somewhat of a family tradition. The restaurant offers a buffet of American-fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner along with characters from Winnie the Pooh.
The Crystal Palace
The restaurant itself is absolutely gorgeous and truly lives up to its name. It’s white with tons of windows and glass panes overhead, letting in lots of sunlight and adorned with Victorian-style touches. If you can, get a table next to the windows for a view of Cinderella Castle while you dine. Also, at the entrance, be sure to note the sweet topiaries of Winnie the Pooh and the gang.
Now my brother and I had a plan for today’s breakfast. Since our reservation was at 8:20 AM, we thought that if we could eat quickly, we could finish and be first in line when the park opened at 9:00 AM while our parents enjoyed a more leisurely pace at the restaurant. But more on that in a minute…
Besides Crystal Palace, Cinderella’s Royal Table was our other option for an early entry into the park. This restaurant also serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but with an array of Disney Princesses and inside Cinderella Castle. It’s one of my favorite dining experiences at Disney World, especially with a table overlooking Fantasyland. Although, if you’re on a budget, keep in mind that Cinderella’s Royal Table is more expensive than the Crystal Palace.
Cinderella Castle Interior
The Rush
Since the Crystal Palace is a buffet, we didn’t have to wait to order or to get our food. In fact, our waitress arrived as soon as we sat down, asked what we would like to drink and explained the character rotation, and then told us that we were free to attack the buffet!
After we had loaded our plates with Mickey Waffles and scrambled eggs and delicious fresh fruit and returned to our table, we only had to wait a minute or two before Piglet arrived to meet us. We always enjoy interacting with Tigger, Eeyore, and Pooh. After all, no one is too old for Winnie the Pooh, right? Still, my brother and I were keeping an eye on the time; and by the time 8:50 rolled around, and our plates scraped clean, our parents were more than willing to hang behind and make sure the waitress got the bill while he and I headed out the door and straight to Cinderella Castle.
Cinderella Castle Mosaic
When I was little, my favorite thing to do at the Magic Kingdom was to walk through the castle. Just knowing that I was inside of Cinderella’s home was truly magical for me; but since there are usually heavy stream of people going in and out whenever the breezeway is open, it’s hard to ever get a really good look.
But this morning, with the castle to ourselves, I had my chance! Did you know that the decorative columns inside the breezeway contain the birds and other animals from the film? It was also fun to study the mosaic, scene by scene, as it tells the story of Cinderella.
After a few more photos, we walked on through and were met by a rope being held by the Cast Members. A small crowd of guests, who apparently had the same idea as we did, were there too. Suddenly, the door to Castle Couture opened and out came Peter Pan and Wendy!
They waved hello to us, grabbed hands, and then took off running and skipping towards New Fantasyland! As they were leaving, I realized I needed a picture and snapped one quick.
Peter Pan and Wendy!
Our parents met up with us, just before the crowds came pouring down Main Street, and a few moments later the Cast Members calmly walked guests into Fantasyland. This is somewhat standard as to prevent a stampede; but once we reached the New Fantasyland turrets, guests were free to hurry towards their favorite attractions, which these days is the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.
So this is where my empty Magic Kingdom morning comes to an end, as the park certainly wasn’t empty anymore; but I wouldn’t say it was full either. The first hour of the day at the Magic Kingdom means short lines and nearly empty streets. I can easily do more in that first hour than most other times of the day. But here’s one more little secret, if you start at the rear of the park, it’s often still empty a little longer than others when the park opens!
Have you ever booked an early reservation at the Crystal Palace or Cinderella’s Royal Table? Did you enjoy your empty Magic Kingdom experience?
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Relocating to Florida: Part Two â New Surroundings, Schools and The Disney Distance
Welcome to Part Two of my relocation series! If you missed the beginning of this series where I interview fellow TouringPlans bloggers, Julia Mascardo and Natalie Reinert about weather and finances, read Part One to hear more about relocating to Florida.
Today, we’re going to discuss housing and living within close proximity to Walt Disney World. Let’s begin!
Housing
Buying property is some serious business, so take your time finding your own fairytale castle. First, decide what type of home you want. Do you fancy a condo? Apartment? House?
Also, decide what to do with your old home. Will you wait until your house sells before moving, or will you keep both your old house and new Florida property? Finding a new home is a big deal, so do your research and enjoy the exciting experience!
Julia:Â If youâre only staying a few months out of the year, it is probably better to just rent a vacation home so youâre not paying condo fees year-round. The other really good option is to buy a vacation home and rent it out for the months you arenât living there. (Thatâs if you can afford to own two houses, that is!)
One funny thing is that when you say youâre moving to Florida, everyone says that they will come down and visit â but in reality, people donât come down here as often as youâd think. I guess people just feel weird about mooching a place to stay when they are on vacation and you have to work. 
Below are three popular websites to help you with your home search. We’ve even used these when finding a home here in Minnesota. Just be sure to do a walk through. As we’ve learned, pictures can sometimes be deceiving!
Finding the Right Community
Consider spending some extended time in Florida before making any decisions about relocating. It’s one thing to visit twice a year and quite another to reside full time. On vacation, you’re isolated from the day to day traffic, homelessness, crime, temperament of the locals, etc. Spend some time in the areas you’re considering and get comfortable. Go to the grocery store, check out the parks, eat at a few restaurants.
If you know Florida residents in the community, talk with them about the area. If you don’t know anyone, scour the internet. City-data.com is a great resource to find information such as population demographics, crime statistics and even hospitals and colleges nearby.
Did you know anyone in the area already?
Natalie:Â I grew up here, so my family is nearby and I have quite a few friends and colleagues here.
Julia:Â We had some friends in the area, which is very helpful for getting settled. Because so many people are transplants, the area is very accepting for new people coming in.
For a more in-depth research opportunity, you can attend a police academy citizens course. This is an eight week experience where you can do drive alongs (including at night) with different officers and get the chance to really learn about the neighborhoods and community. It’s a lesser known option, but is a sure way to discover which areas are safe and which to avoid.
Julia: Iâve never heard of the citizenâs course, but it sounds like a neat program. Down here, it is pretty clear whatâs a good neighborhood and what is an area to avoid just by driving through, but the quirky thing is that the good neighborhood and the bad neighborhood are usually only a few blocks from each other. Everything is really mixed here.
What did you look for when finding a school for your children?
Natalie: I would say parents have to do the same thing in central Florida that they have to do in NYC – research the schools and buy/rent into the very best school district that they can. For some people this will be Lake Mary, or Windermere, or Bay Hill. We are going with Celebration.
Julia: My husband and I have a daughter (age 4), and part of the reason we left the DC area for Florida is because the schools in our area up north were one degree away from horrendous. The schools in Florida are incredibly hit or miss, and we did a lot of research on sites like GreatSchools and SchoolDigger before we moved.
Overall, Seminole County has the best average of schools. While there are some better and worse, it is hard to find a bad school in Seminole County, although the area with the most buzz is Lake Mary.
Orange County is a huge place, so youâve got exceptional schools and youâve got miserable schools. Like Natalie said, what youâll hear most often is people suggesting Winter Park, Dr. Phillips, and Windermere as the better areas and everything else going from okay to bad.
Moving on to Osceola County, it can vary wildly. Celebration isnât as awesome as it once was, but it still is good. When you get out towards areas like Poinciana, some of the schools decline in quality. Out towards Clermont, Lake County schools arenât bad. The only area where I would avoid like the plague is Polk County. I have never heard anyone say anything positive about the schools down there, and their test scores show a certainâ¦.lack of quality.
There are a variety of magnet school programs in the counties, and private schools are available as well. One nice benefit down here that we found is that voluntary Pre-K is free. If it ends up that the public school in your area that offers Pre-K is full, you get a voucher to send your child to private school for that year. We had our daughter in private school up north, and it was a massive savings to move down here with that. So far, the quality of education has also been exceptional.
On the off chance that a brick-and-mortar school doesnât work for our daughter as she gets older, Florida does a lot more with having good options for virtual education and online programs than is available up here at present.
Looking very long term, should our daughter decide to go to college, Florida has a greater number of really good in-state tuition options than Maryland, just because of the size of the state. If college is not where she wants to go, there are many more good options for trade schools in a variety of disciplines. Thereâs also good options for continuing education options for my husband and I. (And not just at Disney Institute, althoughâ¦.)
Natalie:Â While the overall rating of Florida schools is terrible (we all know this) and while the curriculum of the Florida schools is not as fast-paced as some northeastern schools, there are still plenty of excellent schools where students excel. I went to school for much of my education in Brevard County (the county to the east of Orlando) and had good experiences. I was even able to do dual enrollment starting in my junior year of high school and left high school with a yearâs worth of college credits. No complaints here. And yes, Florida does have an excellent state university system.
Julia: In the end, it all comes down to doing some research. Because schools are desirable, expect to pay a bit more for housing to get into a community with a better school system.
The Disney Distance
Is there a higher density of homes the closer you get to Walt Disney World?
Julia: Like almost everything in Florida, it is a big olâ it depends. On the north side of property (Winter Garden/Horizon West and Windermere, and even up into Dr. Phillips), there are some apartments and condos, but it is largely single-family homes.
If you head west out of property, once you get beyond the tourist bubble (Taking 192 out past 27), there is a lot of empty space with a few pop-up housing communities until you get back to civilization in Clermont.
Going south, youâll run into places like Reunion and other vacation home areas, and then places like Celebration and eventually Davenport, which are mostly single-family homes.
The only place where youâll see a lot of high-density apartment living near Disney is in the 192 Kissimmee corridor, and a lot of that is mixed in with hotels and tourist services. Now if you actually want rural land, you will have to go at least 15 minutes from Disney for that.
If you’re moving to be closer to Disney, how close should you live?
Natalie: When I lived five minutes away from the parks, I went constantly, and we loved it. When I moved to a rural area so that I could have horses at home, we lived 35 minutes away, we never went, and we were sad. However, we could still see the fireworks from the roof of my barn, in Polk City.
If people want to visit the parks for an hour after work here, a couple hours on Saturday there, they should really consider living in the western reaches of Orlando, as Julia is doing. There are options at every price point, including tons of apartments in Lake Buena Vista.
Julia: If youâre moving here because you really want to be close to Disney, youâd probably want to find a place about 15 or 20 minutes from any edge of property. Some people may live 30 minutes away, and some will live an hour or two away. Thereâs no magic location for where Disney folks live, but it does seem to be that the closer you are, the more likely youâll pop into the parks for a few minutes here or there in the evenings.
We live about five minutes from the back entrance to the Magic Kingdom. From this distance, we can both see and hear the fireworks at night (and if the weather is right, we can hear IllumiNations and any fireworks shows over at Hollywood Studios). I know that people in Celebration can often hear fireworks from the Studios.
Natalie: We are spending some time along the beach now, but we’re in the process of settling permanently in the Celebration area. Then we’ll go from weekly visits for much more frequent ones — a few hours at a park here, an evening at the Boardwalk there.
Moving
When you finally take the leap and buy a home, you’ll need to start making moving arrangements. Moving is physically demanding, so make sure you have plenty of help! You can request assistance from friends and family or hire a moving company. How far you’re traveling might determine your mode of transportation. Will you drive a moving truck or fly and have your belongings shipped? If you have a lot of things, it may take multiple trips back and forth to get everything. Hey, no one said relocating was a cake walk!
We’ve wrapped up Part Two. Do you have any tips to consider when buying property in Florida? Let me know in the comments, and stay tuned for Part Three where we’ll delve into the Florida difference and touring the parks as a local!
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Relocating to Florida: Part Two – New Surroundings, Schools and The Disney Distance 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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