Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1152

January 3, 2015

SATURDAY SIX: Six Things We Can’t Wait to See in 2015

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six Things We Can’t Wait to See in 2015. It’s going to be impossible to forget the year that was 2014 (no matter how hard we try), but there are many things to look forward to in the coming twelve months. Today we are going to focus on the theme park resorts, but keep in mind that a lot is happening in general around Orlando, including the massive finally opening. There’s never been a better time to plan your next Florida vacation, but let’s look at six reasons you should be double checking those airline ticket prices more closely, starting with…

# 6 – The Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

The Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. (photo by Daisy Lauren)

I’ve got to hand it to Disney, the work they have done expanding DVC into the monorail resorts has been exceptional. The Villas at the Grand Floridian and Bay Lake Tower at The Contemporary are great accommodations, but the upcoming waterside Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Resort Village could be the new jewel of the DVC crown. Granted, it’s going to take us forever to save up in order to afford just one night at these Bungalows, but this was a brilliant idea.

These may be the only water side bungalows on Earth where you won’t be allowed to go anywhere near the water. (photo by Daisy Lauren)

# 5 – The Sorcerer’s Hat is Coming Down

Facade for the Great Movie Ride, the view you should have when walking down Hollywood Blvd. (photo by Tom Bricker of the Disney Tourist Blog.

Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead! – The Wizard of Oz

In a story almost too good to be true, the gigantic Sorcerer’s Hat is going to come down, starting in just a couple days! There are some guests who only know Disney Hollywood Studios with “the hat” in place, and in a way I feel sorry for them, just as I would have empathy for people whose first experience with Star Wars was The Phantom Menace. What Cousin Oliver was to the Brady Bunch, “the hat” was to DHS: an unneeded and unwanted addition that took away from what was special and unique. When Michael Eisner dedicated the park in 1989 and said, “We welcome you to a Hollywood that never was—and always will be,” he was referring to the feeling guests would get as they were transported to a different age when walking up Hollywood Blvd. Just as Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, USA evokes turn of the century middle America, Hollywood Boulevard projected a general feeling of stepping into classic Hollywood. That feeling ended in 2001, when a 100+ foot hat was plopped smack dab into the middle of everything.

~~Well known~~ ~~highly regarded~~ ~~talented graphic artist~~ Brian McNichols came up with concept art for a new DHS park icon to replace “the hat.”

# 4 – More Disney Springs

Ad for the upcoming Boathouse at Disney Springs. (photo by Daisy Lauren)

Don’t look now, but a lot has happened at Downtown Disney (the soon-to-be renamed Disney Springs) since you stopped coming because the parking situation made you question your sanity. Phase 1 of the parking garages opened, and while it hasn’t completely fixed the parking problem (especially since Disney just closed more lots), it has helped. The Food Truck Park finally opened, and was renamed Exposition Park. There is a lot more space to walk around in, including the new Inspiration Park in the Marketplace, that help reduce the overwhelming feeling of congestion. The new Starbucks are in place, the Marketplace Co-Op is fantastic, and you just get a feeling walking around that you are days or weeks away from the next thing opening up. 2015 is the year Downtown Disney/Disney Springs turns the corner and becomes worth going out of your way to check out.

# 3 – Clyde & Seamore’s Sea Lion High (SeaWorld)

Now with 100% less mimes.

SeaWorld has a lot going for it, including some of the best rides in Orlando, but for me the biggest highlight of every trip was the Clyde & Seamore Take Pirate Island show. After a 15 year run, Clyde & Seamore had their last show in August, with SeaWorld only saying at the time, “Stay tuned for more details.” With everything at SeaWorld being in flux right now – including their CEO agreeing to step down as their stock price plummeted – these were not comforting words. Thankfully, the team at Parkscope were able to discover some permits for a new show, one that is making its debut this Spring: Clyde & Seamore’s Sea Lion High. Here’s hoping for a return of “Sea Lions Tonite,” the riotously funny Sea Lion show that took place during SeaWorld’s Summer Nights promotion, and Clyde & Seamore’s Countdown to Christmas shows.

# 2 – Universal Studios Florida’s 25 Anniversary Celebration

The Garden of Allah Villas in Universal Studios Florida. (photo by Seth Kubersky)

June 7, 2015, will mark the Silver Anniversary of Universal Studios Florida, but as of this moment, it is unknown what Universal will do to celebrate this big occasion. There have long been rumors of the Gardens of Allah Villas to be converted over into a museum of sorts, celebrating Universal’s history. Other sources say a big change is coming to the Cinematic Spectacular nighttime show. Will Universal come out with a huge announcement, saying that Twister, San Francisco, and Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone areas of the park are gong to be completely redone into new concepts? Could we see a long awaited return of the Ghostbusters? There are a lot of questions, with very little solid answers, but we can be pretty sure Universal is going to do something special. The resort just completed an amazing transformation of CityWalk, adding seven new venues into the mix. Diagon Alley was a smash hit. Cabana Bay is the new gold standard for theme park value resorts. What could they possibly do to top all of that? I’m not sure, but I can’t wait to find out.

# 1 – Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto

It’s going to be just like this, except with 500 more bloggers. (Grog Grotto concept art via Disney Parks Blog)

Longtime readers of the SATURDAY SIX should know by now that we like our specialty drinks. Whether it’s an adult beverage like the Burnt Orange at Todd English’s bluezoo, the new Hot Butterbeer at Three Broomsticks, or paying tribute to an old friend with the Maelstrom Margarita at La Cava del Tequila (#NeverForget), if you see us at a theme park resort, we’ll probably have a drink in our hand. The only thing better than a good drink, is a good bar, and thankfully we are blessed with many of those including Dawa Bar at the Animal Kingdom, Rose & Crown at Epcot, and Moe’s Tavern at Universal. So when Disney announced they were bringing a new bar to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort we were ecstatic. Getting a Lapu Lapu or a Backscratcher at the Tambu Lounge is already one of favorite things to do on WDW property, but now we’re going to have a Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto? To quote professional wrestler Daniel Bryan, YES! YES! YES!

A highly themed bar filled with unique specialty drinks and, even better, some of the best themed souvenir mugs in any theme park resort (what can I say, I’m a sucker for theme park souvenir cups). Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto can’t get here soon enough!

An Uh Oa! from Disneyland’s Trader Sam’s. (photo by Tom Bricker)

HONORABLE MENTION: Kong

Ad for King Kong 360 at Universal Studios Hollywood.

While everything else on this list is guaranteed to happen in 2015, this is the one that we are hoping for based on a gut feeling more than anything else. Universal hasn’t even announced they are building a King Kong attraction, but if you’ve been following Seth Kubersky’s photo updates, you know they are building something BIG in Islands of Adventure. Other bloggers have taken photos high above via helicopter, and the entire area is looking a lot like the set-up Universal Studios Hollywood has for their King Kong 360 section of the Studio Tour. Universal has been surprising us in big ways over the past several years, and maybe – just maybe – we’re gonna see the return of ol’ Banana Breath himself before 2015 is up.

So there you have it: Six Things We Can’t Wait To See in 2015. See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’re gonna head into Universal for a bit. 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.

Word to your mutha.

If you enjoyed Six Things We Can’t Wait to See in 2015, you may also enjoy:

IN MEMORIAM: Six Things We Lost From the Theme Park World in 2014

Six Easter Eggs of the Universal Orlando Resort

Six Reasons To Go On a Disney Cruise

Six Takeaways from Disney’s Villains Unleashed

Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover, Best Week Ever’s Daisy Lauren, 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. Make sure you also check out Bricker’s own site, DisneyTouristBlog.com as it is filled with his top notch pictures along with razor sharp commentary.

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Published on January 03, 2015 04:00

January 2, 2015

Backstage Safari to Become Backstage Tales at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

For those who love taking part in the tours at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, there will be a brand new one available to enjoy, however, in order for this new tour to begin, we must say goodbye to another. “The Backstage Safari” tour will be retired effective February 27. In its place, an enhanced version of the tour called “Backstage Tales” will debut on March 1.

The “Backstage Tales” tour will give Guests the opportunity to take part in unique behind-the-scenes experiences. During the tour Guests will get a look at the innovative ways Disney is meeting challenges in areas such as conservation, animal nutrition and medicine, animal care and behavioral studies. The tour will give guests the chance to visit the Animal Nutrition Center and see how more than 3 tons of food are prepared and distributed each day; go behind the scenes and explore a backstage animal-housing area; tour the park’s state-of-the-art veterinary hospital, where they may have the opportunity to witness animals being treated; and stop by the Animal Programs Administration building and learn how Disney promotes global wildlife conservation, as well as showcasing they handle animal well-being.

The “Backstage Tales” Tour is available daily for Guests ages 12 and up will last from 7:30 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. The cost is $90 per person (plus tax). Guests can book the new tour now by calling (407) WDW-TOUR.

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Published on January 02, 2015 14:36

In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of January 2, 2015

By Rikki Niblett

The Sorcerer’s Hat To Be Removed Next Week

By Rikki Niblett

As you can see, The Sorcerer’s Hat was in a bit of disrepair here at the end.

It’s here! The date is finally here! We now know that The Sorcerer’s Hat at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will begin to be dismantled starting on January 7. The park icon’s removal won’t happen overnight; instead it will happen in phases. This work will also include other important enhancements for the area as well.

For years, the Hat has also served as a pin store location. The merchandise from this shop will be relocated to Sunset Ranch. So for those of you looking for pins, make sure to head to Sunset Boulevard.

The iconic Hat which is located at the end of Hollywood Boulevard in front of the Chinese Theatre at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was introduced in 2001 as a part of the “100 Years of Magic” celebration, honoring Walt Disney’s 100th birthday and was initially supposed to be temporary.

It was officially announced that The Sorcerer’s Hat would be removed back in October.

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Published on January 02, 2015 09:33

1989: A Disney World Album

By Savannah Sanders

Did you know that Disney World has a hit album of its own? The year 1989 was a big year for Disney World as guests enjoyed a number of new attractions, restaurants, and even new parks! In fact, a number of new sights and experiences that made their first appearance in 1989 are just as popular today as they were then. So let’s take a look at 1989: A Disney World Album to see what hits debuted at Disney World twenty-five years ago.

Typhoon Lagoon

Typhoon Lagoon

This Disney World water park opened on June 1, 1989 and has charmed guests for years with its scattered, windblown theme. The story behind the park is that a typhoon swept through and turned a tropical paradise upside down as evidenced by the leaning buildings, shipwrecks, and other odds and ends strewn about in a rather amusing fashion. The icon of the park is a shrimp boat, the “Miss Tilly,” which the storm left perched atop Mount Mayday. The centerpiece of the park, and probably its biggest claim to fame, is the Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool. It is one of the largest wave pools in the world releasing 6 foot waves every 90 seconds! In my opinion, this pool is worth a visit to Typhoon Lagoon alone. Believe me, once you’ve spent some time here, you will be ruined on any other wave pool anywhere else for life. Although, there is more to be enjoyed at Typhoon Lagoon, such as the thrilling Humunga Cowabunga slides, the relaxing Castaway Creek, the Crush n’ Gusher water coasters, and so much more. Typhoon Lagoon also is famous for Shark Reef, where guests have the opportunity to snorkel around a shipwreck with bonnethead and leopard sharks, stingrays, and schools of fish. What makes this experience even better? Your snorkeling equipment is free with the price of admission! While some guests prefer the incredible wintry theme and thrills of Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon’s laid back, tropical atmosphere and incredible surf pool makes it my favorite of Disney’s water parks.

Delta Dreamflight

This Magic Kingdom attraction first debuted in Tomorrowland in 1989, showcasing the history of flight and a possible look at what airline travel could be in the future. The finale was a simulated flight through the clouds, which was my personal favorite part and one of earliest Disney World memories. Does anyone else remember this? Delta Dreamflight closed and was replaced by an attraction known as Take Flight. Today, the space is now home to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

©Disney

Pleasure Island

Pleasure Island, a section of Downtown Disney geared more towards adults, first opened in 1989 and featured clubs, shops, and restaurants. In 2008, Disney decided to close the clubs at Pleasure Island; and now, Disney has unveiled their fresh, new vision for Downtown Disney known as Disney Springs. This remake looks to offer new shopping and dining opportunities for families visiting Disney World, but with a more cohesive theme; and if you’ve been to Downtown Disney lately, you have surely seen all of the construction! Personally, I’m glad Disney is remaking Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island with a more timeless style and a family-friendly focus and I’m optimistic about what we will see in this space soon.

©Disney

Hollywood Studios

On May 1, 1989, Disney World’s third theme park, MGM Studios, first opened its gates; but the park it was then was very different than the park we known today. For example, today, the park is known as Hollywood Studios and is home to several incredibly popular attractions, such as the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock n’ Roller Coaster, and Toy Story Midway Mania. However, back in 1989, there were very few attractions on those park maps, mainly The Great Movie Ride and the Studio Backlot Tour. The park recently celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year and is expected to undergo some changes in the near future, many of which are still under speculation but some have already been revealed. For example, Disney has announced that they will soon be removing the iconic Sorcerer’s Hat and that Turner Classic Movies will be the new sponsor for the Great Movie Ride. Some fans be alarmed by the changes, but change is nothing new when it comes to Hollywood Studios. You see, this park was probably Disney’s biggest hit of 1989 and hasn’t stopped changing and evolving throughout its twenty-five years, all while maintaining its popularity. What I hope to see in the park in the coming years? More Star Wars and more Pixar, please!

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant

This Italian-style restaurant, located on the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A, first opened as Tony’s Town Square in 1989 and was themed after the famous spaghetti and meatball scene from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. The movie plays on a television in the restaurant’s lobby for young guests, and the dining room contains references to the classic film. If you happen to be dining around the time for the park’s nightly Main Street Electrical Parade, request a table near the windows for a great view. While a request won’t guarantee the table or location that you want, it never hurts to ask and Disney usually does what they can to accommodate guests wishes.

Little Mermaid in the Festival of Fantasy Parade

The Little Mermaid

While Disney’s The Little Mermaid is a film, not an actual addition to Disney World, I had to include it because the film’s story and characters have become steady additions to the Disney World parks and resorts due to its successful release in 1989. In fact, The Little Mermaid deserves a lot of credit because many consider it to be the film which sparked the Disney Renaissance, an era of success that the company hadn’t experienced since the days of Walt Disney and which only encouraged growth and attendance for the Disney World Resort. So just where can you see Ariel and the gang at Disney World today? At Hollywood Studios, you can enjoy the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show and Ariel’s presence in Fantasmic. The Little Mermaid also has a scene in Mickey’s Philharmagic and has had a consistent presence in many park parades over the years, including in the Magic Kingdom’s newest parade, Festival of Fantasy. The Little Mermaid also has its own themed wing at the new Art of Animation Resort and its own statue outside the Disney’s Beach Club Villas and more. For example, years ago, the Magic Kingdom had a section of Fantasyland dedicated to Ariel and her friends called Ariel’s Grotto where guests could meet the popular mermaid. That section closed but New Fantasyland now has a Little Mermaid attraction, Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, housed inside of Prince Eric’s castle along with the new Ariel’s Grotto where, once again, you can still meet Ariel herself. It’s now one of my favorite parts of the Magic Kingdom! (Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid will be undergoing refurbishment from February 2, 2015 to March 6, 2015.)

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Star Tours Rex

I have a confession. I am a huge Star Wars nerd and therefore, Star Tours at Hollywood Studios is one of my most favorite attractions in all of Disney World; but it isn’t just important to me. In fact, since this motion simulator attraction first debuted at Disney World’s MGM Studios in 1989, it has been making big waves for the Disney Company and Disney World ever since, as well as serving as the launchpad for the annual Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood Studios. The attraction itself was the product of a partnership between George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, and Disney which paved the way for Disney purchasing Lucasfilm and the ability to create new Star Wars films in recent years. But let’s get back to the attraction itself, shall we? You see, the Star Tours of 1989 is not the Star Tours we know today. The first Star Tours focused on the original trilogy where guests were told they were taking a tour to Endor, only to have their inexperienced droid pilot, Rex, accidentally drop them in the middle of the battle to blow up the Death Star. This version closed in 2010, only to be reopened in 2011 as Star Tours – The Adventures Continue featuring a 3-D randomized experience with over 50 story combinations, featuring characters and locations from all six films. For those of you who still remember the original version, keep an eye open when waiting in the Star Tours queue for Rex, the old Star Tours pilot, who has been labeled defective!

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular

Another George Lucas addition to Disney World in 1989 was the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. This live show at Hollywood Studios is all about illustrating how action scenes and stunts are performed for movies with a focus on scenes from Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark. The show is both thrilling and amusing and proved to be a successful addition to the park in that it is still entertaining guests of all ages today. The show is also known for using guest volunteers, as long as they are over 18 years old. If you are an Indy fan, take some time to look around the area outside the show for nods and references to the Indiana Jones films.

Wonders of Life Pavilion

This Epcot pavilion first opened in October of 1989 with a focus on educating guests about health and the human body. A few of the attractions that belonged to this pavilion were Cranium Command, an amusing look at how different parts of the brain influence us; and Body Wars, a motion simulator attraction which illustrated how the human body defended itself from a splinter. Over the years, the Wonders of Life began operating only seasonally; but in recent years, the pavilion has served as extra space for special events, such as Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival, just minus the attractions.

As you can see, 1989 was truly a big year for Disney World producing a string of hits, many of which are still delighting guests twenty-five years later. Which of these 1989 attractions are your favorites? Do you remember the Wonders of Life pavilion, Delta Dreamflight, or the original version of Star Tours?

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Published on January 02, 2015 06:00

January 1, 2015

My 2015 Disney Resolutions

By Erin Foster

Touring Plans fearless leader Len Testa made a resolution for 2014 to eat no table service meals at Walt Disney World. That would never work for me because, c’mon guys, table service meals at Walt Disney World. To the best of my knowledge, he’s made good on his promise, and in the process has gotten more familiar with the many fantastic counter service dining options in the parks and resorts.

Len’s resolution got me thinking about my own Disney touring and whether I might be a rut or two of my own. Are there things I can do to tweak my habits that will provide me with a better experience for myself, or a better base of knowledge with which to help other guests? With the aim of stepping outside my Disney comfort zone, I’m making a few Disney World resolutions for 2015. Here goes …

My new priority.

Visit the Animal Kingdom during every trip.

I typically make 6-8 trips to Walt Disney World each year. Two of those are long visits of a week to ten days. During these trips I make point to pop over to the Animal Kingdom. But during my shorter 3-4 day trips, I skip the this park, prioritizing the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios over bonding with the animals. Because of this, I’m less facile with the nuances of the Animal Kingdom than I am with the other parks.

In 2015, I resolve to visit the Animal Kingdom every time I’m at Walt Disney World, even if that means (gasp) skipping Epcot.

Visit Walt Disney World without taking any photos.

When I visit Walt Disney World, I typically take several hundred photos every day, not of my family and friends, but of random “stuff” – merchandise, food, signage, etc. I do this is so that I’ll have fresh photos for blog posts like this one and as a back-up for my oh-so-fallible memory. Wait, how much does embroidering an ear hat cost? Ahh, I’ll look at the photo I took of the sign by the register. While my intent is good, I often find that I’m so focused on getting a photo of something, that I don’t actually see the big picture. I’m working so hard to capture an image that I forget to have fun.

In 2015, I resolve to take a trip to Walt Disney World and not take any photos. (Except as a reminder for where I parked my car, because without that I might never be able to leave :-))

I will not be buying these in 2015.

Stop paying for non-alcoholic drinks.

Lovely and talented Touring Plans blogger Alex Duncan recently wrote about saving money on beverages at the parks by getting free water at the counter service restaurants. Her posts made me realize just what an absurd amount of money I spend on bottled water and Diet Coke when I’m in Orlando. Because I’m (well) over 21, my resolution will not apply to adult drinks. As a grown-up lady, I may need occasional fortification beyond H2O.

More than just saving money myself, I want to do this a reminder that many Disney guests are extremely price sensitive. I hope this will make me more aware of all areas where minor tweaks can add up to big savings.

In 2015, I resolve to pay for no non-alcoholic beverages at Walt Disney World.

Finish my Disney World to-do list.

I’m been extremely fortunate and have been able to experience almost everything Disney World has to offer. There are, however, a few rather glaring loose ends I have to tie up. These are the WDW experiences that are easy to do, but I’ve just never gotten around to. This list includes:

Don’t mind if I do.

Ride Mission Space Orange. I’ve gone on Green several times, but have always been just too plain scared to try Orange. It’s time to put on my big girl pants and give it a try.
Stay at Fort Wilderness. I’ve been to Fort Wilderness countless times to meet friends, dine at the Hoop Dee Doo, take the Segway tour, visit the petting zoo, and tour the Christmas decorations, but I’ve never actually stayed at Fort Wilderness. It’s the last Disney World resort that I haven’t stayed at. The reasons behind this are practical. If I visit on my own, I typically go the budget route, staying at a value resort or using my DVC points on a studio. If I stay with my family, my three teenage daughters (and I) are much happier if we have more than one bathroom. When I’m with them, we stay in a larger villa, in a family suite, or in two rooms, depending on the circumstances. The Fort Wilderness cabin are spacious and lovely, but the one bathroom situation has been a stumbling block for us. I’m going to give that block a kick and make it happen in 2015.
Close down the Magic Kingdom. Early to bed, early to rise, is a my natural modus operandi. My lark-like circadian rhythm is great for rope drop or pre-dawn runDisney race starts, but it has prevented me from ever closing down the Magic Kingdom. I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve never seen the Kiss Goodnight or been shooed out of the park by the cleaning crew. This will change in 2015.

In 2015, I resolve to finish my Disney World to-do list.

What’s on your Disney to-do list? Do you have any Disney resolutions you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below.

P.S. I just read this list to my daughter and she literally laughed in my face when I mentioned the no-photos trip. Saying, “That is simply not possible. I’ve never even seen you with a camera out of your hand at Disney World.” Well, baby, in the immortal words of Barney Stinson, “Challenge accepted.” (Oh, and I almost put “Don’t buy any Vinylmations” on the list, but I knew that I’d never actually be able to follow through on that one. I do know my limits.)

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Published on January 01, 2015 07:00

Daisy Lauren’s Best Week Ever: January 1, 2015

By Daisy Lauren

Hi, Everyone! Welcome to a whole new year of the Best Week Ever here at Walt Disney World ! Or maybe it isn’t fair to just say Walt Disney World, since I received passes to Universal Orlando Resort this Christmas! This week I’m excited to share my first trip there in ages, show off the new Polynesian Resort lobby, stop by Disney’s Hollywood Studios to check out the Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special, and lastly pop in Epcot for some last minute holiday fun. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get going!

I’ve mentioned before that I love Universal, but some of the rides are too intense for me. (Maybe that’s why Cat In The Hat was my first stop!) When picking an admission ticket we normally end up choosing Disney just because there’s more we can do together. However, when passes are a gift there is no decision to be made, and I was just dying to see Diagon Alley! Click “read more” below for more on my first visit!

Diagon Alley is stunning and really puts New Fantasyland into perspective. I was completely lost in this area, just wandering around slack jawed. While my hubby rode Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, I did a little photo walk and was hoping I’d have lots to share. It ends up I was too amazed to take many decent photos but I’m really looking forward to sharing more of this area with you. I could do an entire post just on this area alone! Would you like to see that? Let me know in the comments! Below left is a statue just outside of Gringotts bank and below right is the dragon perched above breathing fire. I can’t tell you enough how impressed I was with Diagon Alley!

Next we rode another classic attraction that I’ve missed, the E.T. Adventure. I loved this ride as a kid and this was my first time riding since I got into photography. I was able to grab the below couple of shots my very first ride and I’m excited to have entire new rides to shoot. Once the crowds die down after the new year you can bet I’ll be heading back to Universal! Any requests for what you’d like to see there? Let me know in the comments below, I’m always excited to have your feedback.

But there’s a lot to share at Disney this week so let’s head over to the Polynesian Resort. The day I left for Christmas vacation I heard the walls were down in the lobby. Like everyone else I braced myself for the photos, but I decided to not judge it too much until I saw it in person myself. I loved the old lobby and I didn’t love the renderings of the new design, so I was prepared to be underwhelmed. Surprisingly, I really liked the new design when I visited this weekend. It feels much larger and the bright colors are pretty. Overall, I’m actually glad they made the change.

As many others have mentioned there is a “not so hidden Mickey” just as you enter the lobby (below left) and a teeny, tiny water feature in the center of the lobby (below right). In the renderings there’s a tiki figure on top of this small water feature that still hasn’t arrived in real life. I’ll wait to hold judgement until it’s complete but it seems like the little water feature could have just gone away. It’s such a minuscule tribute to what was once there! We’ll see if it really feels like it belongs there once the design is complete.

The best part of the new lobby is the little sitting areas all over. The space that was opened up by removing the planter and waterfall has been reused with great, open seating. We tried out lots of the chairs and everything is very comfortable, making this a nice gathering spot for hotel guests. Overall, I was totally wrong! This was a nice renovation for the hotel.

If photos aren’t your thing – here is a video from the upper story looking down. Extra bonus, you can see the Christmas tree!

One last update on construction at the Polynesian is the pool outside. While you can’t see behind the walls, you can see the volcano peeking up from behind. They’ve made such progress here. I can’t wait to see what the finished product looks like in 2015.

Speaking of 2015, the new merchandise has rolled out! I was worried that the new generic Walt Disney World merchandise was replacing dated items, but that certainly isn’t the case! Remember that you can always click on any of the photos to see larger images of all this new 2015 goodness.

a last few little merchandise goodies I noticed were these awesome pins that I had never seen in person before. At $11.95 each I resisted the urge to bring them home. Who knows? They might even end up at the outlet if I’m patient enough!

Moving over to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the new Starbucks is coming along and all the walls have been taken down outside! In the photo below right you can even see that Starbucks logo just waiting to be unwrapped! Personally, I’m hoping that it will be open by New Years Eve since I’m planning to celebrate the New Year here. If you’d like to see what Epcot was like last year you can read all about it here. I’ve never tried Hollywood Studios for New Year’s Eve, so I’m excited for 2015 and you can expect to hear all about it next week!

The entire reason we were at Hollywood Studios was to see the Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special. I loved the Comedy Warehouse on Pleasure Island and was very sad when it closed. It’s bittersweet for it to return for just a few precious days around the holidays. This year they put the show in the American Idol Theater and it filled that space more than American Idol ever did! We planned our visit around available FastPass+ times, but there was no need to do that. Arriving 20 minutes early would have assured we got a seat.

If you were never around to see the Comedy Warehouse in action, here is a taste of the improvisation they do. It’s lots of fun and a main reason we’re heading to this park on New Year’s Eve. Would you like to see more? Let me know in the comments below and I can film more to share! Everyone around us was talking about how much they missed the show and how it was a perfect fit for this now empty theater. Wow, it would be amazing if Disney actually listened!

One thing I always notice this time of year is people talking about the insane crowds at the parks. While it can be very busy, I think it’s manageable if you plan correctly. I wanted to share the below video as proof that the parks aren’t just overflowing with wall to wall people. We had some time to kill before the next Comedy Warehouse show, so we camped out on a bench to relax and this was my view. Not too crazy, is it? Was it this slow all over the park? Of course not! But the point is that you can make it look very crowded or completely empty based on what you show. Don’t believe all the photos on Twitter showing shoulder to shoulder crowds.

Of course, I couldn’t set still so I set out to see if there was anything new to share. Over on Sunset Blvd, I noticed a new Baymax candy apple to keep Olaf company. While it’s really simple it’s cute! Baymax drink cups are back in stock at the park but I haven’t seen any of the new Baymax balloons that have been reported at Disneyland.

I found a couple of small merchandise updates at the Studios. On the left are new 2015 ears that are only available in youth size. I might try to fit them for NYE, though! On the below right is the new 2015 Duffy bear and a new Pluto costume for Duffy. It’s really soft and includes his tail. I might need to add one of these to my Duffy’s wardrobe!

Our last updates this week are from Epcot, where I realized I don’t think I’ve shown you the front of the park? We’ve been going in at the International Gateway lately since we’re visiting all the Christmas displays in the countries, but the front entrance is lovely for the holidays too! While I get tired of seeing the same topiaries used over and over, I’m sure they look amazing to someone on their first visit!

Speaking of reused topiaries, haven’t these been here just about all year? In any case, they’re now dressed up for the holidays and make a very pretty photo opportunity as you enter the World Showcase. One less desirable feature already showing up all over Epcot are portalets! No really, there aren’t enough restrooms in the park for everyone so trailers of potties have started appearing in the park. They’re actually very nice and I recommend them if you’re going to hop in a 30 minutes line to use the bathroom on New Year’s Eve.

Preparation for the New Year’s Eve parties have started in the host countries around the world. China has my personal favorite, if you’d like to see it in action you can find my post from last year here. It’s amazing that one night a year Epcot turns into an absolute rave and people just accept that!

Getting back into the holiday spirit, this lovely gingerbread house is on display in the American Adventure. The stats on the display can be seen in the photo on the below right. I completely missed this on my first couple of visits this year. There is so much to see at Epcot for the holidays, I feel like I’ll never catch it all!

Below left, Steven Curtis Chapman was narrating the Candlelight Processional. Now, please do not confuse a good zoom lens with good seats! I haven’t camped out to see this show in several years. With all the dinner packages that are sold these days it’s just about impossible to even get in without waiting over an hour. I think we’ll break down and purchase a dining package next year, though. It’s been too long! On the below right is the storyteller from Morocco that taught us about holidays in that country. She was brand new this year, and I should have taken video! She was beautiful and animated, the photo just doesn’t do her justice!

I learned my lesson, and over in Germany decided to take video of Helga telling us about Christmas in her country! Despite it being just a few days after Christmas, I found that it was very easy to see the storytellers around the World Showcase. I only arrived 5 minutes early for each and was right up front.

Be sure to check back next week for all the New Year’s Eve fun at Walt Disney World! Plus, remember to tell me what you’d like to see from Universal. I’m excited to have something brand new to share here.

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

Crowd Calendar: It’s going to be very busy all the way until January 6th. Optimize those Touring Plans and be ready!

Weather: Can you believe we’re going to get back up into the mid 80’s this weekend? At least lows will still be in the 60’s. Pack your summer clothes!

Remember: January 5th the Cinderella’s Royal Table will be closing for a lengthy renovation. If you’d like to see all the latest renovation information check here.

Here’s my top tip for this week: If you’ll be visiting any park over the next few days, pack your patience. It’s also a good idea to pack a survival bag. If you haven’t experienced it, you might be surprised to find out that on a very busy day you could have to wait 30+ minutes for a drink or to use the bathroom. I always bring snacks, a water bottle, phone charger, and extra layers of clothing in case it get cold.

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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Published on January 01, 2015 03:00

December 31, 2014

Hour-by-Hour Look at Disney Park Crowd Levels – Revisited

By Steve Bloom

Earlier this year I wrote a blog post showing heat maps with hour-by-hour park crowd levels. My intention was to illustrate how the crowd levels fluctuate during the day, and we received requests to add these charts to the TouringPlans website.

Personally, I think the charts are most useful if they are customized to specific travel dates. Here is an example for my next trip in February.

February 16-20, 2015

If you mouse over the chart, each box will show the crowd level for each hour. Blue is a crowd level of 1, and red is a crowd level of 10. Do you find this type of chart useful? Would you like these charts as part of the Crowd Tracker or as part of the Dashboard?

The same type of heat charts can be used at the attraction level. The color is based on the attraction-specific crowd level, so a red Buzz Lightyear wait time is different from a red Space Mountain wait time. The hourly predicted posted wait times are available when you mouse over the boxes. Daily predicted wait times for attractions can be seen at the on the Wait Times pages of the TouringPlans website.

Magic Kingdom, February 16, 2015

Let us know if you find these charts useful and if you would like to see them added to the TouringPlans website.

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Published on December 31, 2014 09:00

Review: Animal Kingdom Lodge DVC Deluxe Studio Villa at Kidani Village

By Savannah Sanders

While Disney World offers a vast variety of different resorts to choose from for guests staying on property, the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Villas offer even more options and experiences, particularly when it comes to room sizes! During my last few trips to Disney World, I had the opportunity to enjoy stays at several different DVC Villas; but today, I’m zeroing in on Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge in this review of an Animal Kingdom Lodge DVC Deluxe Studio Villa at Kidani Village.

Kidani Village Lobby

First of all, the Disney Vacation Club is Disney’s own timeshare program where members purchase and use points for their vacation experiences. It can be difficult to understand, but Disney Vacation Club (DVC) 101: What is DVC? can help fill in the gaps. If you are not a Disney Vacation Club Member, the good news is that you can still stay at a DVC Resort! You can do so by booking through Disney, just as you would any other resort; however, other guests like to rent points from a 3rd party or directly from other members. If you chose the latter, we recommend that you go through a reputable third party or from a member you know personally (as opposed to a random person on the internet).

My family and I had never stayed at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge before. We had dropped by the resort in years past for a dinner at Boma and to do some exploring, but that was the extent of our experience. However, for many years, we had been hearing from others that Animal Kingdom Lodge was one of the best resorts at Disney World and a big favorite; and so when we got the opportunity to stay a week in a DVC Deluxe Studio Villa at the resort’s Kidani Village, we couldn’t turn down the chance to check it out for ourselves.

During our stay, I quickly learned that Animal Kingdom Lodge is different from other DVC Resorts in several ways. In addition to be right next door to Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, Animal Kingdom Lodge is also divided into two separate complexes: Jambo House and Kidani Village.

Jambo House was built first as a non-DVC resort. Part of the building was later converted to DVC villas. Because rooms were converted rather than purpose-built, the villas in Jambo House are slightly smaller than those at Kidani Village. Kidani Village was built as all DVC villas. Both resorts have studios, one- and two-bedroom villas, and three-bedroom grand villas, but the floor plans differ between the two resorts.

Now there are actually three different savannas at Animal Kingdom Lodge and different animals can be found in each one. However, Kidani Village only has access to two. Giraffes are the only animals that occupy all three. This leads me to the resort’s famed savanna views. A number of villas and standard rooms at both Jambo House and Kidani Village offer prime views of the different savannas, meaning your room balcony looks over the space where African wildlife are spending their day! It was also the type of view that my family enjoyed during our stay at Kidani Village; and while each type of villa at Animal Kingdom Lodge has a number of savanna view rooms, do be aware that you will probably pay a little extra for it.

Location

After arriving for check-in at Kidani Village, my family and I quickly discovered a few things that every guest staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge should know. For instance, the resort is more isolated from the rest of Disney World, which some guests enjoy, but others may not. Also, resort guests at Kidani Village park in a parking garage located underneath the resort. The section of the parking garage you’re assigned to corresponds to the section of the resort where your villa is located. For example, our family car was parked in the Pumbaa Section, and we took an elevator right down to it when we needed to use our car. Pretty cool, right?

Also, there is quite a bit of distance between Kidani Village and Jambo House. You can walk the distance if you prefer. It’s about half of a mile; although, Kidani Village does provide a van which shuttles guests between the two campuses throughout the day. Guests can also take Disney transportation buses between both resorts. Guests at Kidani Village who want to go to Jambo House take any theme park bus, which picks up and drops off at Jambo House before heading onto its final destination. To reverse the trip, take any Downtown Disney bus from Jambo House, which will pick up and drop off at Kidani before continuing its trip. This set-up is somewhat different from other DVC Resorts where the resort’s main building is only a few steps away.

Kidani Village Dining Options

Transportation between the two sections of Animal Kingdom lodge is an important consideration because Kidani Village does not have a quick service restaurant. There is a pool bar which will deliver selections from Sanaa, but for a snack or breakfast The Mara at Jambo House is your only choice. Kidney Village also home to Sanaa, a popular and delicious restaurant that serves lunch and dinner! The other full service restaurants at Animal Kingdom Lodge are Boma, a buffet that serves breakfast and dinner, and Jiko, the signature restaurant which is dinner-only, which are both at Jambo House.

Finding Your Way Around Kidani Village

We also learned that Kidani Village is arranged in the shape of two horseshoes with the lobby connecting them in the middle; and while Kidani Village’s lobby isn’t as jaw-dropping as that of the cavernous Jambo House, the thatched roof and wood beam architecture is still something worth seeing.

Kidani Village Lobby

For this trip, our Deluxe Villa was located at the far end of one of Kidani Village’s horseshoe shaped wings. This meant a long walk to get to our room from the lobby. This was probably the biggest downside to our stay at Kidani Village and was especially taxing after a long day at the parks. Fortunately, large windows could be found down the halls which offered different views of the savannas and the animals. It took us twice as long to reach our room at times because we kept stopping to see the zebras or ostriches that might be passing by!

Our Deluxe Villa Door

As we headed to our villa, we saw that each villa door was adorned with its own shield!

Living/Sleeping Space

Deluxe Villa’s are similar to standard resort rooms in that your space consists of a bedroom/living space and a bathroom. What makes Deluxe Villas more luxurious is the extra quality and space, plus a kitchenette!

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Villa

Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Deluxe Villas have queen-size beds only; and I must admit, ours was probably one of my favorite beds ever at Disney World. For one, it was very comfortable and the extra throw pillows were so soft, an added plus for those of us who like extra pillows! The design was what really impressed me though, particularly the intricately carved, dark wood headboard and frame, and the draped mosquito netting overhead. Also, the sconces on each side of the bed were perfect for reading in bed at night.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Living Space

The living space was very well done and made us feel right at home. As we had four people staying in this room, we used the convertible sofa at night; and while it wasn’t as comfortable as the bed, and sometimes a hassle to fold back the next morning, it still got the job done. However, do be aware that the sofa bed, when unfolded, does take up quite a bit of space.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Living Space

Another view of the couch and living space. The wood coffee table in front of the couch is actually two. They are sturdy and a great compliment to the room, but also lightweight so that they can be moved around easily for your convenience.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa

Across from the couch and queen-size bed was the dresser featuring a flat screen television and a DVD player. We loved the carved detailing of the dresser, plus there were carved Hidden Mickeys in the corners!

Animal Kingdom Lodge Wildlife Field Guide

The living space also had a small table and chairs; and when we first arrived, we found this free wildlife field guide laying there. It was fun to mark off what animals we saw throughout our stay, and to learn their actual names and facts about them. It’s still one of my favorite souvenirs.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa

Across from the bed was this beautiful carved, spacious armoire for extra storage. I loved being able to put our bulky suitcases out of sight.

Kitchenette

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Kitchenette

One of the biggest perks of a Deluxe Studio Villa is the kitchenette. Ours was located right across from the bathroom door in our villa’s entryway. Needless to say it could get a little crowded getting ready in the morning in this small space; but the luxury of a mini-fridge, an extra sink, a toaster, coffeemaker, microwave, and more was a big plus. We loved being able to store cold drinks and breakfast items for when we were on the go. We also appreciated being able to bring our leftovers back to our villa to enjoy for later. It actually saved us money being able to have food and drinks on hand so that we weren’t constantly running to the food court or the nearest snack cart all the time.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Kitchenette

Another view of the kitchenette…

Amenities

It’s important to note that staying in a DVC Villa is different than staying in a standard resort room in more ways than just room size and amenities. For instance, housekeeping and trash service is not offered every day of your visit if you are paying with DVC points. Let me explain. If you are staying seven nights or less and paid with points, you will receive towel and trash service on the fourth day; and if you are staying eight days or more, you will receive a full cleaning service on the fourth day. So this means you won’t get clean towels every night like you would in a standard resort room. However, you can pay extra for daily cleaning service.

If you are paying for your villa with cash instead of points, or you booked through Disney, you will still receive daily housekeeping.

Finally, Deluxe Studio Villas do not have a washers and dryers. Fortunately, Kidani Village does have a laundromat for guests planning on doing laundry during their stay.

Bathroom

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Bathroom

Our Kidani Village bathroom was beautiful and so spacious! I always appreciate counter space, especially when several people are sharing a bathroom. The layout of the bathroom was helpful as well. When standing at the sink, there was a door to the right and the left. The door to the right led into the space for the shower.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Bathroom

My family is always picky about shower heads at hotels and resorts; but if I remember correctly, this one met our approval.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Bathroom

A close-up of the shower tile. Isn’t it great how Disney carries the resort’s theme even into the bathrooms?

Animal Kingdom Lodge Deluxe Studio Villa Bathroom

The door to the left of the sink led into a another closed-off room which contained the toilet. The space was surprisingly large and we used it as a dressing room. Having a bathroom with three separate spaces allowed for three members of our family to be in the bathroom at the same time, which is more of a big deal than you know!

View

Kidani Village

The best part of our villa at Kidani Village wasn’t even the room itself, but rather the balcony with its savanna view. Few places on earth allow people the chance to enjoy their own private view of African wildlife just yards away from where they sleep, and the memories we made watching the animals together were priceless.

It also made getting up in the morning so much easier because we couldn’t wait to pull aside the curtain just to see who or what might be outside!

Now our balcony at Kidani Village wasn’t huge, but it did have enough space for the four of us to be out at one time, along with two chairs. From the railing we could see the resort on either side of us, but fortunately there were barriers so that we couldn’t see directly into the balcony of the villa next door and they couldn’t see us.

View from our Kidani Village Villa

Throughout our stay, we noticed that at different times of day Cast Members would drive through the savanna and put out leafy branches and other goodies to draw the animals into view. Cast Members do close down a section from time to time for clean-up, and they do a great job because we never encountered any bad smells coming from the savanna; but most of the time, there is always an animal or two to see.

The most common animal visitors we had during our stay were ostriches, zebras, and giraffes; and several times a day, a group of giraffes would come wandering down to our end of Kidani Village for the shade and whatever Cast Members had laid out for them. They were our favorites and the most fun to watch!

Ostrich at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village

While our balcony was close to the wildlife, it wasn’t too close. The resort itself is situated a safe distance from the animals and Disney has employed creative ways to keep a barrier between us and them. For example, in the bottom of the above picture, an almost invisible barrier has been constructed to make sure that no harm comes to guests or to the animals.

Giraffe at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village

Overall, our Deluxe Studio DVC Villa experience at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village was probably one of the best resort experiences we have ever had in regards to the quality and theme of our room, the excellent bathroom, and the incredible experience of having our own view of live African wildlife roaming freely just outside!

However, we did have a few complaints too, mainly that of distance. Kidani Village serves as a quiet retreat, which we appreciated, but the fact that it was a considerable distance from Jambo House and dining was a bit of a hindrance. While transportation was provided, it was still a hassle waiting for a bus or a van and dealing with a crowd of other guests also trying to get where they wanted to go. If I were to stay at a villa at Animal Kingdom Lodge again, I would prefer staying at Jambo House for this reason.

Secondly, Kidani Village’s long, lengthy layout meant that there was quite a distance between the lobby and our villa. The distance often felt even longer after a long day of walking at the parks. Now, we did have the convenience of our car being parked right below us; but when using Disney’s free transportation, we had a hike to contend with.

Even so, I would still recommend Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Kidani Village to others, just as long as they were aware that they would be more isolated than if they were staying at the Contemporary Resort or the Yacht and Beach Club.

Have you ever stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge? How about in a Deluxe Studio DVC Villa? Do you prefer Jambo House or Kidani Village?

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Published on December 31, 2014 08:00

The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! December 2014 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store

By Derek Burgan

It’s the last day of 2014 and forget about what a year it has been for theme park merchandise. There was The Good: Both Universal and Disney upped their game with the new Film Vault and Memento Mori stores. The Bad: There is an actual movie using nothing but Disney Vinylmation And The Ugly: Turns out the heavily anticipated Adventureland-themed gift shop in the Magic Kingdom will instead be a Sunglass Hut. Here’s to even better (and weirder) happenings in 2015.

Also, before we go on, be sure to check out our Year End “Best” of the Disney Outlet Store article.

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).

Our first item could be a foreshadowing of things to come. It’s rare to see Muppet related items at the Outlets. Especially based on the popular Kermit the Frog. Out in Disney California Adventure, Muppet*Vision 3D has been jettisoned for Frozen Fun, and rumors persist that the attraction could join the Studio Backlot Tour, American Idol Experience, and the Legend of Jack Sparrow in the recycling bin at Disney Hollywood Studios here in WDW. If that happens, expect the Outlets to be flooded with items featuring Beaker, Dr. Honeydew and the rest of the gang.

“It’s not easy being green…or being sold at half price.” Originally $24.95, now $12.99

Let’s continue with plush. Here is a Steamboat Minnie Mouse. I’m not a big fan of the black and white plush as it just looks weird to me. I like plush. I like the aesthetics of black and white artwork in general. Combined? Not so much.

Steamboat Minnie Mouse. If there’s ever a Steamboat Duffy I am hanging it up.

This Marie doll is the first piece of Aristocats merch I have ever seen at the Outlets. I could not figure out why it was called “floppy Marie.”

Marie plush.

As the only 2 Time runDisney medal winning blogger/podcaster (you can read my thrilling tale of triumph by CLICKING HERE. Spoiler Alert: You may want to have some tissues handy and readers have seen their heart swell bigger than the Grinch’s after returning the presents to Whoville) I was excited to see a runDisney-inspired Marathon Mickey Mouse Plush. I bought two of these, one for each of the hardware I proudly wear 24/7.

Remember that runDisney medal for your Vinylmation figures ?

I’m a huge fan of Finding Nemo and have bought every single small plush from that movie for the kids in my family, so it was with chagrin to see this Dory plush marked down to $9.99 (Originally $17.95.)

Finding Dory comes out June 17, 2016. A ruthless person could make a killing buying all these up at half price and selling them triple on opening day….

Here’s another version of plush I’m not the biggest fan of, although I like it much more than those weird swaddling Disney baby plush. I’m man enough to admit these need to be at least 25% “cuter.” Muppet Babies worked, this doesn’t.

Baby Donald plush.

Not that much Christmas related merch, but there was this Yoda. I’ve remarked many times how much awful Star Wars product there is, but if this doll’s candy can is supposed to be Yoda’s cane, I actually love it. Originally $16.95, now $11.99.

” Like to buy a cheap toy, you would, hmm? Hmmmmmm.”

Our next stop brings us to the exact moment where I knew I had completely lost my mind. I saw this Duffy bear, the very same Duffy who I dislike more than anything in the world (including Tombstone pizza and Hunt’s catsup) and, yet, I had to have it. I’m going to have to do some mental gymnastics to defend this one and I believe I have found my loophole. I’m going to count this as Epcot International Food & Wine Festival merchandise instead. Originally $30, now $9.99.

“3 ounces of oregano. A dash of paprika. And two cups of Derek’s soul.”

I believe this Santa Duffy was used in lieu of coal this year for naughty children around the world.

Santa Duffy.

A decent amount of Brave merchandise has been showing up lately, and the newest piece is this Merida plush.

Last month we saw the first price break in anything Frozen related, but it was only for weird Olaf dolls and iPhone 4 cases. Now here comes a decent looking Anna doll. Are we past the tipping point for Frozen merchandise at the parks and resorts? Time will tell, but if we have expect the Outlets to be swamped with items from Arendelle this Spring….

“For the first time in forever, Frozen merchandise is on sale…”

JACKPOT! Misery-like stalkers Regular readers of my work may remember I did an article spotlighting the merchandise available on the Disney Cruise Line. I was completely blown away. While I bought a whole bunch of stuff on my cruise, I made a calculated decision to hold off on anything branded “2014,” including this awesome hoodie, which originally was $54.95, marked down to $19.99! NOW IT’S MINE!

These DCL hats were original $24.95, now $6.99.

You know when you see pictures on your social media of gas being $1.99 in places like Virginia and Oklahoma? It’s almost too good to be true. That’s what it was like seeing these items here.

I’m not 100% sure what this exactly is, but I bought it anyway. I think it’s a rich man’s fanny pack. When I do my first merchandise report at the Four Seasons gift shop, I bet I’ll find these with gold lettering or something.

These gloves were originally $16.95, now $6.99. I passed on this because, coming from New Hampshire, I have literally not put on a coat in the 8 years I have lived in Florida. Gloves? It would take a blizzard.

Even though I don’t scrapbook, these DCL scrapbooks make me consider trying it out. They look sharp. Originally $29.95, now $11.99.

These shot glasses toothpick holders were originally $9.95, reduced to $3.99. I’ll drink pick my teeth to that!

These are the official glasses for the Derek Burgan Drinking Game. When I quote Princess Bride, take a shot. When I mention a prescription drug such as Cialis or Xanax, take two shots. When I write about Disney’s not going to take down the Sorcerer’s Hat days before they announce they are taking down the Sorcerer’s Hat? Drink till you pass out (at least that’s what I do.)

Even though I don’t drink coffee, I love this mug, and now it sits beautifully in my cupboard at home. Like all coffee mugs at the Outlets, this has been reduced to $5.99.

I love the pun on this cup. “Theme Perks.” They should re-use that for some sort of loyalty program for repeat visitors to WDW. Or at least the alternate Universe where Disney actually cares about repeat visitors. It also appears that this is a normal coffee cup blended into a large coffee cup right? Does anyone know the story behind that?

This is the exact time of thing at The Trophy Room in Downtown Disney’s Marketplace Co-Op, but instead that sports-themed store sells the exact same Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and Pittsburgh Steelers merchandise you can buy at your local Sports Authority. It will be a great mystery of the ages why that store isn’t used to sell merchandise not only featuring Disney characters with real teams, but merchandise based on any of the fake teams/characters in Disney movies over the years. An Adam Banks jersey from The Mighty Ducks? A Cool Runnings bobsled toy? Something based off Angels in the Outfield or any of the 100 Air Bud sequels?

Here’s a nifty Wilderness Lodge coffee mug.

One thing I do collect is souvenir cups, so I definitely got this Wilderness Lodge one. It will be added to The Hoard and will be pulled out if I need to do another Theme Park Ice Bucket Challenge video.

Let’s keep the Wilderness Lodge train going with this shirt, originally $24.95, now $12.99.

The “monorail spiel” t-shirt was originally $24.95, now $4.99.

Need a hat to go with the shirt? Originally $19.95, now $4.99. I personally think that the shirt is okay, the hat is a bad idea as someone would have to stare at you for a while to figure out what was going on. I do like the Mickey head bursting out of it though.

I know what you’re thinking. “How does Derek take such incredible photos? He truly has an eye for placing these discount items so that they are pleasing to my eye. Podcaster…blogger….two time runDisney medal winner… is there anything he can’t do?!” Here’s the truth though. Even though each Outlet Report contains about 40-50 pictures, I take well over 100. Many of them come out like the one below. I know you must be sitting at home, dreaming of the glitz and glamour of a being theme park blogger, but sometimes it’s not always as great as it seems.

There are usually 10 shots per trip to the Outlets where I can’t even remember what I was trying to shoot while looking at the picture.

I saw this I’ll Be Your Prince t-shirt a couple months ago at Downtown Disney’s The World of Disney store. I’ll be honest. I’m surprised to see it here half price because we all know plenty of awful couples who would wear this in public while performing PDAs to make the rest of us uncomfortable. Originally $24.95, now $12.99.

I really like the retro-style of this shirt. Originally $36.95, now $14.99.

This DCL Alaskan shirt was originally $34.95, now $13.99. One day I’ll understand why a long sleeve shirt you can only get aboard a cruise line ship had a MSRP that was $2 cheaper than a standard screen printed Disney t-shirt above.

Whaaaaaaaaaat?! Originally $24.95, now $12.99.

More Expedition Everest shirts hitting the Outlets. This one has THE YETI SNOWBOARDING. Originally $24.95, now $12.99 and I would do ANYTHING to have Joe Rhode in “Secret Santa” to be able to see his face opening this.

On the other hand, this Expedition Everest messenger bag is fantastic. Great details. Originally $39.95, now $19.99. I already have three other Disney messenger bags though and I have never left the house with one.

Here’s a cute 2014 Disney shirt. Reduced to $7.99. I like that all four characters are themed to a WDW park along with the park icons as well.

Very similar shirt here, although I’m not a fan of tie die shirts. I do enjoy Goofy’s pose though.

Disney pajama pants. Originally $34.95, now $12.99.

Disney 2014 boxer shorts. These were originally $19.95, now $7.99. I actually bought one of each. Is that TMI?

Here’s a great Mickey chef hat from this year’s Food & Wine Festival. Originally $19.95, now $7.95.

I would have also bought a Ratatouille version.

Here’s another 2014 Food & Wine Festival item. I think it’s a dishtowel? I need to start covering the Outlets with a person more domesticated to clue me in on what regular human beings use these items for. Originally $11.95, now $2.99. At that price you know I had to buy one.

More and more beach towels have been hitting the Outlets lately.

This is the first time I have seen a Space Mountain photo frame at the Outlets. Originally $16.95, now $9.99.

I love the Disney monorails, so here’s one of the few auto-stickers I actually like. Originally $7.95, now $2.99.

There is usually a decent amount of prints you can get at the Outlets, including this one featuring Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse through the years. Originally $39.95, now $19.99.

And then there is this one for super fans of Les Chefs de France. Also marked down to $19.99 from $39.95. Trying to wrap my mind around the audience for this one.

More 2014 branded stuff on it’s way out. Big fan of this Mary Blair-like artwork.

Here’s something else I saw during a run to Downtown Disney earlier this year, quite possibly the strangest Vinylmation set of all. And imagine what ground that covers. This is called the “Ink & Paint” collection. I don’t understand it at all and I’m gonna strike it up to getting too old for this type of stuff.

Meanwhile, back in July, I tweeted out a plea for someone to talk me out of buying this Park Starz Vinylmation set featuring the Country Bears. As I’ve said, I’m a HUGE fan of the Park Starz series of Vinylmation because the artists aren’t tied to that ridiculous Mickey mold, allowing them to create some amazing things. This set was originally $49.95, now $9.99. As you can imagine, I’m real glad I waited for this one.

Almost all of the 2014 WDW Halloween merch is gone, but you can still get this reusable bag.

I would have loved this Disney Racer Race Track as a kid. Originally $34.95, now $9.99. To be fair though, when I was a kid we didn’t have the amount of video games they have now and our toys were 1/100th as cool.

Let’s close with one of the weirdest items of the trip. I believe this is normal size golf ball and the trick is to get it to sit on the tee. I tried to do this for a little while to show you, Dear Reader, what it looked like on the tee, but as you can see I never succeeded. This was originally $29.95 and I’m not sure what it was reduced to because I was too upset at not being able to solve it.

Time to leave the Outlets!

Not just one, but TWO bags and a receipt so long even CVS can’t believe it.

While leaving the Outlets I came across this awesome kiosk selling “cartoon” bags. They used to sell these types of bags in Toon Lagoon at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and I love the look. At Universal these bags ranged between $85 and $115 each. I think on my next Outlet trip I’ll get the prices of these. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner right? I’m sure my girlfriend would love this as much as me. It’s just like Dooney & Bourke, right girls?

I love this. LOVE EM.

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.

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, and November 2014.

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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The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! December 2014 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.