Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1153
December 30, 2014
Universal Orlando Resort Crowd Report – December 21 to 27, 2014
Universal Orlando Resort Crowd levels were lower than expected last week, continuing the trend over the last few months. December 24th crowds were particularly low compared to what we have seen in years past.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week on the TouringPlans.com Universal Orlando Resort Crowd Report:
Universal Orlando Resort Crowd Levels – Daily Breakdown
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
9
6
The ‘6’s at both Universal parks were lower than expected thanks to average wait times like 23 minutes at Men in Black (predicted 28) and 77 minutes at Despicable Me.
Islands of Adventure
8
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
10
9
Monday’s crowds matched more closely the level that we expect to see on the days leading up to the Christmas Holiday but still not quite at the ’10’ and ‘9’ levels we predicted.
Islands of Adventure
9
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
10
9
The Studios saw wait times like 38 minutes at Revenge of the Mummy and 47 minutes at Rip Ride Rockit on Tuesday while Islands of Adventure had average waits like 69 minutes at Spider-Man and 51 at Hulk Coaster.
Islands of Adventure
9
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
9
5
Wow! A surprisingly low crowd at both parks on Wednesday, Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is considered a holiday for the purposes of developing our models for wait time prediction. In that regard, wait times like 20 minutes at Rip Ride Rockit and 7 minutes at Dragon Challenge are among the least crowded holidays of the year.
Islands of Adventure
7
4
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
10
9
Christmas Day was similarly quiet at Islands of Adventure but more in line with historical trends at Universal Studios. The Simpsons Ride hit 33 minutes (predicted 25).
Islands of Adventure
9
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
10
10
The first level ’10’ of the week came at The Studios on Friday. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem average 116 minutes (predicted 112).
Islands of Adventure
9
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
10
10
Saturday was by far, the busiest day of last week at both parks and likely a sign of what is to come this week. Wait times hit a level ’10’ at nearly all attractions.
Islands of Adventure
9
10
What to Expect This Week
December 28, 2014 to January 3, 2015
How Crowded is Universal Orlando Resort?
This week will undoubtedly be the busiest week of the year at Universal parks. Wait times at popular attractions will reach 2 hours for much of the day.
To see Universal Orlando Resort Crowd predictions for the days of your vacation, check the Crowd Calendar.
To get details about our predictions of future crowds or details about crowds in the past check out the Crowd Calendar and select “Jump to Date” on the left margin.
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Universal Orlando Resort Crowd Report – December 21 to 27, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Walt Disney World Newsworthy Notes 12/30/14
The year is almost over, and I’m back again with one more newsworthy update for 2014! There are quite a few things that guests should know about the Walt Disney World Resort for the beginning of the new year, so I’m here to share everything with you. Ready to get to it? Let’s go!
Back a few months ago, (October to be exact), we found out that Island Supply shop would be closing in Adventureland for a new concept. Many in the Disney community were hopeful…would we be getting a shop featuring some of the great Adventureland-themed merchandise sold at the Marketplace Co-Op? Well, I have your answer, and the answer is, “No.” The shop will reopen on January 8 as Island Supply by Sunglass Hut. That means you can purchase high-end sunglasses and other products offered by this new operating participant. In addition, another store selling similar merchandise will open on January 4 at Typhoon Lagoon: Sal’s Shades by Sunglass Hut.
Two of Epcot’s Innoventions exhibits will close in the beginning of January. The first is the THINK Exhibit by IBM. This exhibit in Innoventions East allowed guests to take part in three unique experiences that allowed them to engage in a conversation about how we can improve the way we live and work. This exhibit will close January 1. Also closing in Innoventions East is the Test the Limits Lab. Here guests can “test” products to make sure they are safe for consumers by shattering a TV screen, dropping a safe, and more. It will close on January 6. There is no word on whether anything will be replacing either of these two exhibits.
Creature Comforts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom will close on January 5. The shop is expected to be converted into a new Starbucks location, though an official announcement has not yet been made. The location is scheduled to open late spring or early summer 2015.
Also at Animal Kingdom, Kali River Rapids will see two refurbishments. One is the traditional winter refurbishment from January 20 through February 2, reopening on February 3. The second is just a three day refurbishment, from March 10 through 13, reopening March 14.
Four refurbishments are taking place at the Magic Kingdom. The first is Dream Along With Mickey, which will be down from April 13 through May 20, with performances continuing on May 21. The second is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which will just see a brief refurbishment from March 4-7, reopening March 8. Third will be the Jungle Cruise which will see a refurbishment from April 13 through May 8, reopening May 9. The final is Liberty Tree Tavern, which will see a very lengthy refurbishment from July 6 through November 22, reopening November 23.
The IllumiNations Sparkling Dessert Party returns in January and February on select Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at Epcot’s Showcase Plaza. There guests may enjoy sweets such as traditional Moroccan baklava, Italian tiramisu, French chocolate ganache tarts and more. The cost is $49 for adults and $29 for children ages 3-9. For reservations, call 407-WDW-DINE.
That’s it! What do you think?
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Walt Disney World Newsworthy Notes 12/30/14 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney World Crowd Report – December 21 to 27, 2014
Christmas crowds at Walt Disney World are not hard to predict. Imagine long lines all day at even the most minor attractions, crowded restaurants and over-packed buses. But it is significantly more difficult to predict which park will be more crowded than the others and we did that with great success last week.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week:
Walt Disney World Resort Crowd Levels – Daily Breakdown
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
7
6
Crowds between mid-December and Christmas go through a short-lived transition. Pre-Christmas crowds are light while Christmas crowds are extreme. In between are the ‘6’s and ‘7’s that we saw Sunday.
Epcot
9
7
Hollywood Studios
7
6
Animal Kingdom
7
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
8
8
Monday’s crowds matched what we predicted except at Animal Kingdom where wait times came in a couple points higher. DINOSAUR averaged 51 minutes (predicted 37) while our prediction of 52 minutes at Expedition Everest matched what we observed.
Epcot
10
10
Hollywood Studios
8
8
Animal Kingdom
7
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
9
7
Epcot hit the maximum level on our scale more often than the other parks last week, including on Tuesday. Soarin’ averaged 105 minutes as predicted while Magic Kingdom saw the lowest relative waits like 48 minutes at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Epcot
10
10
Hollywood Studios
9
8
Animal Kingdom
8
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
10
8
Wednesday, Christmas Eve, was the biggest surprise of the week. Wait times stayed at least one level lower than expected at each park. The level ‘5’ at Animal Kingdom will prove to be the lowest park level of the week.
Epcot
9
8
Hollywood Studios
8
7
Animal Kingdom
9
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
10
10
A clean sweep of accurate park-level predictions on Christmas Day Thursday. The Studios and Animal Kingdom saw wait times 10 to 15 minutes lower at the Super Headliners compared to the other parks.
Epcot
10
10
Hollywood Studios
8
8
Animal Kingdom
8
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
10
9
Friday, like Wednesday, saw wait times come in a little lower than history would suggest, although not by much. Animal Kingdom saw the lowest average wait times, like 44 minutes at Kilimanjaro Safaris (predicted 48).
Epcot
9
9
Hollywood Studios
8
8
Animal Kingdom
9
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
10
10
Magic Kingdom had the highest wait times on Saturday as predicted although The Studios wait times were slightly lower than expected. Space Mountain averaged 92 minutes (predicted 93), Test Track 92 (predicted 96), Toy Story Midway Mania 94 (as predicted) and Kilimanjaro Safaris averaged 46 minutes (predicted 45).
Epcot
9
9
Hollywood Studios
10
8
Animal Kingdom
8
8
What to Expect This Week
December 28, 2014 to January 3, 2015
How Crowded is Walt Disney World?
Christmas crowds have been extreme as expected but slightly lower than history would suggest. We don’t expect this to continue however. Next week will be the busiest week of the year.
To see Walt Disney World Crowd predictions for the days of your vacation, check the Crowd Calendar.
To get details about our predictions of future crowds or details about crowds in the past check out the Crowd Calendar and select “Jump to Date” on the left margin.
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Disney World Crowd Report – December 21 to 27, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disneyland Resort Crowd Report – December 21 to 27, 2014
Last week our resort level predictions matched what we saw every day, that is why we don’t see a blue line on the Overall Crowd Level Chart. Our park level predictions hit the mark most days as well with none missing by more than one index level. Both parks saw days with average wait times that hit a level ’10’ on our scale.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week on the TouringPlans.com Disneyland Resort Crowd Report:
Disneyland Resort Crowd Levels – Daily Breakdown
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
9
9
Sunday’s average wait times were 53 minutes at Indiana Jones Adventure (predicted 51) and 100 minutes at Radiator Springs Racers (predicted 99) which helped our park level predictions match what we observed.
Disney California Adventure
8
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
10
10
Another day of perfect predictions at both parks on Monday. Every attraction at Disneyland Park hit a level ’10’ on our scale including Mr Toad’s Wild Ride (34 minutes) and Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin (48 minutes).
Disney California Adventure
9
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
10
10
Tuesday’s crowds matched what we saw on Monday, both in the wait times and the success of our predictions. its a small world averaged 39 minutes, as high an average as you’ll ever see at that attraction.
Disney California Adventure
9
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
9
8
Wednesday was the only day where our predictions missed at both parks although they only missed by one level.
Disney California Adventure
7
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
10
10
Christmas Day on Thursday brought another ’10’ at Disneyland Park and a ‘9’ at Disney California Adventure just like Monday and Tuesday.
Disney California Adventure
9
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
10
10
Friday’s crowds were slightly larger at Disney California Adventure thanks to average wait times like 145 minutes at Radiator Springs Racers (predicted 115).
Disney California Adventure
9
10
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
10
10
More large crowds on Saturday at both parks. Wait times at Disneyland park averaged 67 minutes at Matterhorn Bobsleds (predicted 70) and 35 at Gadget’s Go Coaster (predicted 40).
Disney California Adventure
9
10
What to Expect This Week
December 28, 2014 to January 3, 2015
How Crowded is Disneyland Resort?
The first week of the Christmas Holiday break is over and next week will bring the most crowded week of the year, by far. Guests need to arrive early use Fastpass and follow a good touring plan religiously.
To see Disneyland Resort Crowd predictions for the days of your vacation, check the Crowd Calendar.
To get details about our predictions of future crowds or details about crowds in the past check out the Crowd Calendar and select “Jump to Date” on the left margin.
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Disneyland Resort Crowd Report – December 21 to 27, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney World Reading List: Books for Before, During, and After Your Vacation
Great Disney World vacations have three stages: anticipation, enjoyment, and fond (or wistful!) memories. Books are the perfect way to attune yourself with all three stages. Whether you’re getting excited for a trip, looking for deeper understanding of the parks’ themes and design, or ready to spend some time reading about Disney history, there are books to widen your world.
Here are some books to get you excited, keep you entertained, and tell you more — before, during, and after your Walt Disney World vacation.
Since the World Began is a wonderful “get ready to go” book for your Disney vacation.
Anticipation: Planning and Building Excitement.
On the way to Disney World, you’re getting revved up. You’re making plans. You want to know what to see and where to go; you want to be reminded of favorite spots you’ve loved in the past.
First, get the current details on the parks well before even arrive. Grab a guidebook for the nitty-gritty planning work. Even seasoned travelers can use a reference guide for trip planning — I always have The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World on hand. I use it for quick reference on recommended touring plans, height requirements, dining options, and resort maps. Even though I visit Disney World multiple times a year, I still need to get specifics down pat.
But for something bright, colorful, and pleasing for all ages, try Since the World Began: Walt Disney World – The First 25 Years, by Jeff Kurtti. Yes, Cinderella Castle is in her forties now, making this book just a tad dated. But you can often find it used, or even at your local library, and it’s a nice introduction to Disney World that the whole family can have fun flipping through. Coffee table-sized and lavishly illustrated, it’s a perfect let’s-get-ready, excitement building type of read. (Amazon, BN.com)
In a similar vein, there are a number of Walt Disney World photo retrospectives that Disney has released over the years, many of them from the 70s and 80s. Keep your eyes open at your local thrift stores — these beauties, often hardcovers, can often be picked up cheaply and are a fun way to relive old memories and learn more about some of Disney World’s long-lost spots.
Enjoyment: Getting More From Your Trip.
While you’re there, you want to stay in that Disney bubble. Whether you’re in the parks or lounging by the pool, spending your spare time with a thriller isn’t exactly indulging the fantasylands all around you. Keep it Disney with books for touring and for relaxing.
These slim editions slip into the smallest theme park bag.
For an enhanced experience in the parks, take along the Imagineering Field Guides. Tall and slim, these richly illustrated little books are designed to be slipped into a purse or backpack. Although outdated in some places — the Magic Kingdom edition still contains Toontown instead of New Fantasyland — the Imagineering Field Guides are your personal tour guides through the art, inspiration, and history of the Florida parks. You’ll find one for each of the Walt Disney World parks, as well as for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. (Amazon, BN.com)
For another sharp look at the Magic Kingdom, try Aaron Wallace’s The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom. Wallace devotes a chapter to every land in the Magic Kingdom, then digs deep into the culture and lore behind every attraction in the land. He devotes six pages to The Country Bear Jamboree alone. As a vacation read, it’s heavier than your standard airport novel, but adds remarkably to the theme park experience. We’re still waiting for the guides to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, Aaron! (Amazon, BN.com)
What about a good read during some resort time? In It’s Kind of A Cute Story, long-time Disney artist and Imagineer Rolly Crump will tell you some Walt stories you’ve never heard before, plus reveal an intimate look at an artist’s life in the Walt Disney Studios and WED Enterprises. It’s not all pixie dust and rainbows in Crump’s story, but with a warm, personable, and friendly voice, he reveals more about the inner workings of Disney in these pages than any other book I’ve found on the subject. (Amazon, BN.com)
Memories: How Did They Do That, Anyway?
And after your vacation, curiosity sets in. All those attractions, parks, resorts, a castle in the middle of Central Florida… how did all of that happen? Delve deeper into Disney history. Congratulations — you’re becoming a super fan!
For a look at the man who dreamed it all up, start with a Walt Disney biography. Although there are quite a few on the market, many Disney historians point to the official bio as the best one on the shelves. Bob Thomas’ Walt Disney: An American Original was sanctioned by The Walt Disney Company and is published by their own Disney Editions. You can even find it on sale around Walt Disney World. (Amazon, BN.com)
Designing Disney explores the how and why of Disney parks and resorts.
Once you’ve scratched the surface of Walt’s life story, explore his motivations and his hopes for Disney World. Walt and the Promise of Progress City will take you on a journey through Disney Company history and Walt’s fascination with urban planning. By the time he was planning the Florida Project, Walt was more interested in solving great problems of society, specifically those of our decaying cities, through the technology he and his team at WED Enterprises had spearheaded in attractions development. Sam Gennawey’s book is a detailed look at how Walt’s attentions turned towards mass transit, the needs of urban dwellers, and balancing fantasy with reality to create a new kind of city. (Amazon.)
Now get down to the design and building of the parks with John Hench, who went from studio sketch artist to senior Vice President of Imagineering in a sixty-five year career with The Walt Disney Company. Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show shares artwork, sketches, and stories about what truly sets Disney theme parks apart: attention to detail. Whether it’s the reason behind the placement of Disneyland’s Snow White wishing well, or the real definition of the color white, this book will give theme park fans the nuts-and-bolts details on the how and why of Walt Disney World and Disneyland. (Amazon, BN.com)
Bonus: Young Adult Reads.
Business in the Young Adult publishing world is blooming, and happily we have a few authors on the scene who are just as Disney-obsessed as we are.
While at Disney World, look for the Ridley Pearson series Kingdom Keepers. This adventure series, published by Disney Editions, follows a group of kids as they fight off villains throughout the Disney Parks and onboard Disney Cruise Line ships. Fairly easy reads, they should satisfy middle-grade readers and up who are looking for some fantasy set in the parks. A nice bonus: the action and adventure keep boys interested too! (Amazon, BN.com)
Kate Abbott’s Disneylanders
For Young Adult that crosses over into light adult reading, look for Kate Abbott’s Disneylanders, a coming-of-age summer story set at (you guessed it) Disneyland. Full of Disney trivia and nods to the things Disney fans love (the chapter titles are especially clever: “Sympathetic Vibrations,” “My Siestas Are Getting Shorter and Shorter”), Disneylanders takes readers right into the park. (Amazon, BN.com)
For the East Coast, we have Gaby Triana’s Summer of Yesterday. This teen read involves Fort Wilderness, breaking into River Country after dark, and a little time travel back to 1982 — perfect for settling down in a beach chair and remembering your own swims in that suspiciously pea-green lagoon. Triana obviously knows Fort Wilderness: her descriptions of the cabin loops, The Settlement, and Bay Lake are spot-on. I can hear the recorded spiel to Whoop ‘n Holler Hollow now. (Amazon, BN.com)
These are just a few titles in a growing library of Disney and theme park-related books. Whether they’re authorized by Disney or not, histories, memoirs, thrillers, and Disney College Program diaries are being published to satisfy a growing fan base. What’s on your Disney World reading list?
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Disney World Reading List: Books for Before, During, and After Your Vacation is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
December 29, 2014
Menu Monday: Boys in the Castle
By KimT
Cinderella Castle – Frozen
If you are a parent of all boys, the question of whether or not to attend ‘princess’ events at Walt Disney World may not have an obvious answer. I am the mother of two boys, and the only princess items in our house are a wand and a tiara I bought for my Halloween costume, plus the Frozen DVD. In our house, ‘princess’ toys would be turned into makeshift weapons. On my family’s most recent trip to Disney World, I decided that I wanted to have dinner with Cinderella. So I got up early on the first day I was eligible to make dining reservation and was lucky enough to get a time I wanted for Cinderella’s Royal Table (CRT). My next step was telling my two boys and husband that we were going to have dinner at Cinderella Castle. I was not sure what sort of response I would get; however, I was more than pleased. My boys were ecstatic! The news was greeted by cheers and animated jumping up and down. I suppose I could have predicted this enthusiasm. Who would not be excited about eating dinner in this truly iconic Disney symbol? After all, it is the symbol you see at the beginning of every Disney movie (including the future Star Wars movies). It is the piece of architecture in the Magic Kingdom that makes you stop in your tracks and realize you really are at Disney World. Everyone pauses to take a photo in front of Cinderella Castle.
Cinderella Castle Photo Shoot
The night of our scheduled dinner finally arrived. After checking in with the outdoor reservation desk we entered the foyer of the castle and stood behind velvet ropes waiting to meet Cinderella, herself. Dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table includes a photo with Cinderella. The photo session goes quickly and is a little rushed, so you don’t actually get much time to talk with her. My boys were a little star struck with Cinderella, so they forgot all of the questions they had been planning to ask her about the castle. After photos, you wait for the hostess to call for the Lord or Lady of your party and to escort you upstairs to dinner. Once you are seated at your table in the dining room, there is a lot going on – princesses visiting tables, wands, swords, special birthday cakes being delivered (this is an extra, but more details later). Plus there are the decorations of the castle itself – flags, stained glass windows, stone archways and columns. My boys had been longing to see what the inside of this place looked like. They were fully entertained and sat absorbing everything surrounding them. It was hard to focus on the menu to decide what to eat for dinner. While they were watching everything going on, our waitress quietly slipped a sword to each boy. She also gave them wishing stars. All boys receive a plastic sword “engraved” with the letters CRT. All girls receive a wand. All children receive sparkling wishing stars.
CRT Swords
Cinderella’s Royal Table Ceiling – Flags and Coats of Arms
The highlight of the evening was having all of the princesses visit our table while we ate. The night we were there, so were Snow White, Aurora (from Sleeping Beauty), Ariel, and Jasmine. I wondered what each princess would talk about with my boys. Jasmine was probably the best. She asked the boys if they were good princes or mischievous monkeys. She asked them how they were enjoying their visit, and then she made both of them stand and pose in her signature stance with crossed arms for an excellent photo opportunity. My boys loved all of the attention from the princesses.
Jasmine at Cinderella’s Royal Table
Cinderella’s Royal Table Wishing Star
Towards the end of our meal the wishing ceremony took place. Lights sparkle around the room, and all the children are asked to hold their wishing stars and to make a wish.
As for the food, it is secondary to the surroundings and entertainment. I did enjoy the all courses of my meal, which was a pleasant surprise because I have read mixed reviews about the food at CRT. One of my boys is a Disney adult at 10 years old, so he ordered off the adult menu. He eats as much as an adult, especially after a full day of walking, so he was happy with steak and shrimp from the adult menu. My younger son is still on the children’s menu, and he was pleased to have the chicken nuggets. They do have better options than chicken nuggets on the children’s menu, such as beef tenderloin, chicken pot pie, or roasted chicken. Dinner for both children and adults includes an appetizer, an entrée, and a dessert.
For my family of high energy boys, this character meal was definitely worth it. All day in the park, they ran from one ride to another, not taking the time to meet any characters. This character meal gave us a chance to stop and to savor one of things that makes Disney so special – the characters. I really feel that the experience added a lot to our trip. It was definitely one of the highlights of our vacation.
So if you think your boys might be open to a dinner to Cinderella’s Royal Table, go for it. There is so much going on they will be entertained. Since our visit to CRT, each time we see the castle, our boys point to a window in the middle and say, “We ate right there.” I imagine I will be reminded of our experience a year from now when I see the castle at the beginning of the next Star Wars movie (due out in December 2015).
Extra Notes about Dinner at CRT:
Reservations can be made 180 days in advance. If you are staying on Disney property, you can make reservations for your whole stay, starting 180 days from your first night. Reservations for CRT are highly recommended.
As mentioned earlier, for special occasions, you can order a special dessert to be delivered to your table. This is an extra upgrade, of course. For children there is “Her Royal Highness” package, which includes a princess-themed cake. I am not sure if the boys would go for this, but it is fun to watch others receive the fancy cake. If you are interested in this upgrade, first make your reservations, and then send an email to wdw.crt.special.events@disney.com.
CRT is one of the more expensive options at the Magic Kingdom. If you are using the Disney Dining Plan, CRT requires two table service credits per person (although that includes the gratuity, which is unusual).
There are only a few Disney table service meals that automatically include a gratuity in the price (most are dinner shows). CRT is one of those restaurants. We used the Disney Dining Plan, and I was slightly confused after dinner because I was waiting for the waitress to have me fill in the tip amount. Nope, that was already included.
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Menu Monday: Boys in the Castle is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Menu Monday: ESPN Club
©Disney
Recently my boys and I returned from another fun-filled adventure in Disney World. Being huge sports fans, one of our family’s favorite spots during every Disney World trip is ESPN Club. We love the wide selection of games to watch and foods to eat that this restaurant has to offer. ESPN Club is very unique and the perfect place to take a break and watch the big game during your vacation. If you have a sports lover in your traveling group, please read on for all of the details.
ESPN Club’s biggest fan!
The ESPN Club offers dining, entertainment and shopping in its three distinct areas: Sports Central, The Sidelines and The Yard. Sports Central features over 100 video monitors with global satellite feeds showing every sporting event imaginable. The space is filled with dozens of tables and booths and is adorned with fascinating sports memorabilia. You won’t miss a play with the 108 square-foot video wall, screens at the booths and TVs above each restroom stall. Off to one side is an actual television and radio studio where shows like Mike & Mike in the Morning, Sports Reporters and Up Close have been broadcast. They even interview celebrity athletes occasionally. When we were there in June, the radio announcer was doing a sports trivia game and my youngest son won a limited edition ESPN pin and was able to have his photo taken in the booth. ESPN Club now has a fan for life! The Sidelines area features another 40 plus video monitors and a full service walk-up bar. A great place to wrap up your visit to ESPN Club is in The Yard which includes a shop filled with authentic ESPN merchandise and a video game arcade.
©Disney
Generally, ESPN Club does not accept reservations. However, they do have something called VIP Premium Club Seats. Fans can now make advance reservations for a space for the duration of any game playing on the big screen at Sports Central. These VIP Premium Club Seats include all of the food and beverage orders up to the cost of the seat. There are additional charges for orders exceeding the cost of each individual guest’s admission. as well as tax and gratuity. Advance reservations can be made by calling 407-WDW-DINE up to 180 days prior to your visit. When we were visiting in October the pricing was $55 per adult and $30 per child (subject to change).
On a warm October evening after a full day of touring Epcot, my boys and I headed out of the International Gateway to make the short stroll to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. Along the way we enjoyed the warm breeze off of Crescent Lake and the beautiful sights as the twinkling lights started to come on along the BoardWalk.
After the leisurely walk, we arrived at ESPN Club to find the place nearly empty. We were quickly seated in a comfortable booth surrounded by sports memorabilia and our very own TV.
Because the restaurant was almost deserted, we took our time to review the vast amount of menu selections. We finally decided on some appetizers, a kid’s cheeseburger and drinks. What we love most about ESPN Club is the atmosphere and varied menu; what we aren’t thrilled about are the inconsistencies in both service and quality. When this place is on, it can be spectacular; when it isn’t, it can be dreadful. Our experiences in June of this year were so positive that we made a point of visiting twice during our stay. We were hoping for a repeat performance on this trip, but I was feeling a bit apprehensive due to the emptiness of the restaurant just an hour before Monday Night Football was to begin. A few moments later our server came to take our drink order. We had met up with my parents for this meal, and my mom and I decided to try a couple of cocktails. She went with a traditional margarita, and I ordered the Long Island Iced Tea. Despite the emptiness of the restaurant, our server seemed rushed and said that she would return to take our food order. Several minutes later, she came back to drop off our drinks and take our order. She definitely was without our anticipated Disney pixie dust and was quite rude when I asked about getting some toppings of tomato and onion on my son’s cheeseburger. Even my boys noticed the server’s less-than-stellar attitude and commented on it. I always like to give everyone the benefit-of-the-doubt, because you just never know what people are going through in their personal lives, so I just let the abruptness pass. My mom and I tried our cocktails and thought them to be underwhelming. Soon enough our food was delivered. My dad had ordered a bowl of chili, my mom had picked chili fries, my oldest son and I had planned to split boneless wings and fries, and my youngest son had chosen the kid’s cheeseburger.
Despite the rough start, our server’s attitude had improved, and the food was delicious. My parents found the chili to be just the right amount of spicy, our wings were covered in a yummy sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, and my youngest son’s cheeseburger was prepared perfectly and even included the toppings I had requested. My favorite part of the meal by far was the French fries. French fries are my favorite food and in my opinion, these are the best ones on Disney property. I am not a fan of the “healthy” skin-on variety that are now being served at all of the counter service locations. If I want to eat a junk food like French fries, I’m not concerned about the illusion of it being healthy. (I know it isn’t healthy; no one needs to disguise it with the skin. 
) These wonderful potatoes were crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and served with three fun dipping sauces: barbecue, ranch, and honey mustard. They reminded me of the tasty fries served on the Disney Cruise Line. After we finished up our dinner, my boys wanted to take a look at the shop and play a couple of video games before heading back to the parks for the night.
All-in-all, we enjoyed our visit to ESPN Club and plan to return again in the future!
Have you tried ESPN Club? What was your experience like? Please leave a comment!
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December 28, 2014
Hollywood Studios AtMousePhere: The Music of Sunset Boulevard
By Claire Nat
If you enjoy big bands, jazz, and swing, then taking a walk down Sunset Boulevard is a must for your Walt Disney World trip. In my last AtMousePhere post on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood Studios, I discussed how unique that area of the park is compared to anything in Magic Kindgom, since that park keeps the music true to its theme.
On Sunset Boulevard, the music once again follows the Magic Kingdom concept and stays true to its theme. I love wandering around Sunset Boulevard to see all the details that highlight the 1930s and 1940s. And best of all, the music doesn’t disappoint. My grandfather probably did cartwheels strolling down this street back in 1995 because it would have made him feel so young!
Although The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is looming in the distance, the music actually stays pretty upbeat until you draw closer to the menacing hotel. Then the atmosphere takes on a more ominous tone.
Sidenote: Even though Rock’n’Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is in the Sunet Boulevard area, the music as you enter the courtyard is incredibly different to the themed music outside the arch. There isn’t much to say about this area, except that it plays a lot of Aerosmith!
Let’s sample some of the song offerings in the area, shall we?
“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” by the Andrews Sisters
This is a staple of music that came out of World War II. The tempo really gets the feet moving down the path, and the harmonies of the Andrews Sisters are so tight that you couldn’t push a needle through them. This is as upbeat as they come!
Stop and listen to this fantastic music!
“Sing Sing Sing” by Benny Goodman
Benny Goodman was dubbed “The King of Swing,” and this piece was one of his most successful and mainstream. If you see a movie based in the ’30s or ’40s, chances are high that “Sing Sing Sing” was a piece you heard!
Goodman has multiple tracks on the Sunset Boulevard loop, including “Let’s Dance,” “Don’t Be That Way,” and “These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You).” Any fan of his work would be right at home on this street!
“In the Mood” by Glenn Miller
Another piece that has withstood the test of time and popularized by Miller and his famous Orchestra can be found on Sunset Boulevard. More of his music from his short career can be found here, including “Moonlight Serenade,” “Jukebox Saturday Night,” and “Pennsylvania 6-5000.”
“I’m Getting Sentimental (Over You)” by Tommy Dorsey
This piece is much more melancholy and would fit right in closer to the Tower of Terror. The trombone solo can really soften any bright mood and turn it on its head. “Song of India” is another great Tommy Dorsey piece.
“Sleepy Lagoon” by Harry James
The title says it all – it’s a sleepy piece! If you could hear the area music over the crowds of voices after Fantsmic!, this would be a lovely piece to listen to as you walk out of the park.
“Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” by Duke Ellington
It’s a shame that there aren’t more Ellington pieces showcased on Sunset Boulevard. The swing of the piece can liven up any trip past the shops and food kiosks on your way to two great attractions.
All in all, these pieces succeed in putting guests in the right mood as they head to their next destination. Instead of using movie music, they use source music to bring nostalgia to parkgoers of all ages.
Do you have any songs that you wish were played on Sunset Boulevard? Would you rather hear a different style of music as you head to the Rock’n’Roller Coaster? Is this the best music in Hollywood Studios? Comment below!
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Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar 2015
New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, which means 2015 will soon be upon us. Let’s take a quick look at the 2015 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar.
Disney World is a crowded place that attracts 50 million visitors per year, and 2015 will be no different. Below is the touringplans.com crowd calendar donut (until we find a better name) that shows the hot spots and low zones for Disney World crowds since 2010. There are three things we notice from the graphic right away: the extreme crowds of Christmas and Thanksgiving; the extreme crowds at Easter that fluctuate yearly depending on when Easter falls; and the low crowds of early September. But there are a lot of other little tidbits of information, as well; let’s take a closer look.
Walt Disney World Crowds Since 2010
Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar 2015 – by month
January
The New Year’s rush should fade by Monday, January 5, quickly followed by crowded resorts during Marathon Weekend. We expect January to be a good month for visiting the parks in 2015 if you don’t mind the risk of cooler temperatures. Martin Luther King Jr. day is January’s only bump in crowds after New Year’s Day. Notice how January’s crowds have been slowly building over the years. We expect that trend to continue in 2015.
February
Mardi Gras and Presidents Day fall back to back in 2015, so watch out for major crowds that week. Avoid Magic Kingdom on Super Bowl Monday (after the big game) unless you want to see the parade. Any other time in February is manageable but busy.
March
Easter falls in early April in 2015, so March crowds will be influenced primarily by school breaks. There is enough variation in school schedules next year to make every week fairly busy throughout March. Early March is less crowded than late March.
April
Avoid the Easter crowds the first week of April, and you should find busy but manageable crowds the rest of the month. As we can see, the later in April you visit, the lighter the crowds become.
May
May crowds were light in 2014, but we expect slightly more moderate crowds in 2015. Memorial Day weekend is busy but not nearly as busy as most holidays – a good choice for a family trip if you want to minimize days off school. Star Wars Weekends highlight the event schedule in May and June, so watch out for bottlenecks at Disney Hollywood Studios on weekends.
June
As we see from the graphic, summer crowds are steady year in and year out, no matter the year. June 2015 will be hot, humid, and busy every day.
July
July 2015 will be like all other Julys: really hot, really humid, and very busy, especially around July 4th. Later in the month is less busy, but plan for large crowds every day. Extended hours in the summer allow for more options with your planning, so take advantage.
August
Think of August as two halves – early August with busy summer crowds and late August with smaller, fall-like crowds. If you plan to visit in August, the later the better.
September
Our favorite month for low crowds, if you can stand the heat. Crowds during the first two weeks of September 2014 were some of the lowest we’ve ever seen. Will 2015 be the same? Let’s hope so. What is clear is that September has the best, lightest crowds every year, by far.
October
Festive in a Not-So-Scary way, October is one of our favorite choices, too, but like January it has grown in popularity since 2010. October 2015 will bring steady crowds like we saw in 2014, but if you can avoid weekends, you will enjoy less crowded parks.
November
Thanksgiving crowds are among the busiest of the year, but we expect them to last only from the Tuesday before the big day until the Monday after in 2015. Other than that, November is a good time to visit, for crowds and weather.
December
Like August, December 2015 can be split into two groups. The moderate crowds of early December and the full-blown, five-alarm Christmas craziness of December 24 to January 2. Both halves of December are cool, festive, and worth doing, but not without a solid plan.
Happy Touring in 2015!
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December 27, 2014
SATURDAY SIX: Six Reasons We’ll Never Forget 2014 (No Matter How Hard We Try)
By Derek Burgan
This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six Reasons We’ll Never Forget 2014 (No Matter How Hard We Try). With this being the last edition of the SATURDAY SIX for 2014 we thought that we would spend a little time looking back at some of the most memorable moments of the year. Now we already covered some of the great things that happened during the year, and some of the worst as well, so today let’s look at six theme park stories that fall into a different area. Events that are almost hard to believe they actually existed, but we promise they all happened. And let’s kick it off with…
# 6 – The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train rap video
There is no truth the rumor that the dwarfs are wearing sunglasses because of the glare coming off the Mine Train’s final show scene. (photo via Disney Parks
There are music videos, and there are music videos. This is the latter. Coming off one of the strangest commercials of all time for FastPass+, Walt Disney World outdid themselves with a commercial for the soon-to-open Seven Dwarfs Mine Train attraction. We admit to watching this commercial on a non-stop loop after we first saw it, laughing harder each time. I mean, let’s be honest, when you think of the Seven Dwarfs, who doesn’t think of rap music?!
“Excuse me miss, might I ask for your phone number and directions to the Barnstormer?”
Here’s hoping Disney goes back to this well for future attractions. When Frozen comes to Epcot can we see an Ice, Ice Baby remix? When Star Wars rolls in to Hollywood Studios, how about we turn Gangsta’s Paradise into Jedi’s Paradise? Send us an email Mr. Iger, we have plenty of ideas.
# 5 – Professor Parker Woodson and her amazing velociraptor at Animal Kingdom
This one is still hard to believe, even seeing pictures. Back in April, a test was done at the Animal Kingdom that brought a new walk-around character in Professor Parker Woodson and her velociraptor “Val.” The dinosaur itself was a huge puppet, controlled by a person wearing a black bodysuit underneath. If you had the perfect vantage point, this character actually looked impressive. However, if you were standing an inch to either side, it looked, well, ridiculous. It certainly doesn’t help that both Disney and Universal have had dinosaur characters roaming their parks before, and much more impressively to boot. To be fair, “Val” joins Divine, Bamboo, and Mowgli in Animal Kingdom’s long standing tradition of meet-and-greet characters apparently designed to scare kids.
If dinosaurs hadn’t already been extinct, there’s a good chance they may have died of embarrassment seeing this. (photo by Attractions Magazine)
Bamboo, Animal Kingdom’s nominee for strangest walk-around character of 2013. (photo by Brandon Glover)
# 4 – Blank: A Vinylmation Love Story
With apologies to any fans of the film, Blank: A Vinylmation Love Story is a 37-minute film that feels longer than the entire Hobbit trilogy. Having a film with no dialogue can be a challenge, even a short one, but we have certainly seen Pixar deliver the goods in that area with some tremendous pieces, including the clever For the Birds and Presto. Let’s not forget the incredible Paperman short that played before Wreck-It-Ralph that wowed us all. Blank goes almost 40 minutes, and while the set design is fantastic, the actual characters and story just don’t connect like a good Disney film should. We would love to see this movie attacked with an editing machete, reducing everything down to a tight 5-minute story. Maybe then there would be something, but as it is, we found Blank: A Vinylmation Love Story to be a bit more creepy than romantic.
Are we are missing is two tubs and we’d have the first Vinylmation Cialas ad. (Blank: A Vinylmation Love Story is copyright Disney Interactive Studios)
# 3 – Guests who treat Walt Disney World like it’s the Gathering of the Juggalos
Is it just us, or are guests at WDW becoming just a little bit selfish? We’re used to guests just standing in the middle of congested walkways. We’re used to guests saving seats at pools. We’re used to guests not being at the bag check and taking flash photos during dark rides. We’ve all seen breaches of theme park etiquette here and there over the years, but it seems lately that the trickle of selfish behavior is growing into a larger problem of entitlement. Do people need to be told not to use fountains at the parks as their personal foot baths? Attractions are starting to have debris just thrown about in their queues (not that Disney is without blame here, as garbage cans have been filled past capacity many times). Using an iPad to take a photo in the park is a poor choice for a camera, but using an iPad to film a show in a darkened theater is a distraction to everyone around you.
What happened to common sense? What happened to treating these parks, and each other, with respect? Do guests need to be publicly shamed into behaving with courtesy? We can be better. We have to be better, because these parks – and all the people in them who work too hard for too little – deserve it.
Well, there’s no sign that says not to put your feet in the fountain, right? (photo via the Twitter machine)
This picture is either from a frat house after a kegger, or the smoking area near Big Thunder Mountain in the Magic Kingdom. (photo by Johnathen Hopkins)
# 2 – Fires in New Fantasyland
At the start of this year, we were at the Magic Kingdom when a small fire broke out on top of the Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid. Later, in November, another blaze started on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. In both instances, no one was hurt and both rides resumed operation during the night. However, both did cause a social media uproar, disproportionate to their effect on the parks. On a fantastic episode of the Disney Dish with Jim Hill and Len Testa, the boys covered the history of fires at Walt Disney World and speculated that the reason we hear about them more now is the availability of smart phones to take pictures/video along with instant access to the outside world. There have been many fires in WDW, most of which we don’t hear about, and yet our theme park routine has continued on uninterrupted over the years. Long story short, Disney has an tremendous response team, and for the most part we as a whole are making a mountain out of a molehill when these stories develop.
That said, it’s still fun to be on Twitter when these stories break.
Everyone forgets the eighth dwarf, Smokey. (photo via Sam Fritz @redsox730)
Related link: Check out this fascinating page on the history of Monorail accidents and mishaps at Walt Disney World.
# 1 – #SaveMaelstrom
We covered the story of Maelstrom being converted over to a Frozen based attraction in our look at the biggest “Turkeys” of the year, but one thing we didn’t talk about is the rise of the #SaveMaelstrom movement. Just as Twitter and Facebook were instrumental in getting the New Fantasyland fire stories blown out of proportion, the social media tools were used effectively in uniting the entire community in a common goal. People from around the world got to pay their last respects to Maelstrom, and many also took a photo of themselves “occupying” the front of the attraction. It was a bit of much needed levity in a story which had very few bright spots (and let’s be clear, almost everyone wants a Frozen ride, they just didn’t want it replacing one of the only attractions in World Showcase). In the Marvel Universe, we are Groot, but in the theme park universe, we are #SaveMaelstrom.
Everyday heroes walk among us. #SaveMaelstrom
YOU SHALL NOT PASS! #SaveMaelstrom
How long before you miss Spirit of Norwary film? (photo by Matt Cleary and Brandon Glover)
So there you have it: Six Reasons We’ll Never Forget 2014 (No Matter How Hard We Try). See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we take a look ahead at the theme park world 2015! (This time, we promise!) 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 Reasons We’ll Never Forget 2014 (No Matter How Hard We Try,) you may also enjoy:
Six Things We Wish Theme Park Fans Would Stop Complaining About
Six Easter Eggs of the Universal Orlando Resort
Six Surprises of the Disney Cruise Line
Six Takeaways from Disney’s Villains Unleashed
Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover, photo-manipulator extraordinaire Matthew Cleary, 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. Also, we’d like to send a thank you to Attractions Magazine, our all time favorite theme park magazine. Did you know that Attractions were the first people CRAZY enough to let me write a theme park based article? It’s true, and here’s the proof!
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SATURDAY SIX: Six Reasons We’ll Never Forget 2014 (No Matter How Hard We Try) 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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