Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1157
December 17, 2014
One-Day/Two-Parks; A Universal Orlando Trip Report
By Amy Farkas
The gate to the Studios.
…in which our intrepid couple travels outside the Disney bubble and lives to tell about it.
Step 1 – Transportation from Walt Disney World to Universal and Park Tickets
While planning for a particularly long vacation to Walt Disney World, my husband and I decided to squeeze in a day over at Universal Orlando Resort to try out a one-day / two-park touring plan of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Instantly we were faced with the question, “How do we get there?” We were planning on taking Disney’s Magical Express from the airport and would not have a car while on vacation. Would we dare to use the public transportation and hop a bus? We had seen a harrowing,(although hilarious) YouTube video of a British couple who took this route. It didn’t work out so well for them, and they splurged for a cab ride on the way back. Yes, busing was out of the question. We were on a time limit and didn’t have the three hours it took these poor folks just to get to the park. Well, with rental car and busing out of the question, that left us with a taxi.
We did our homework and priced up the fares using the Mears Transportation website. It didn’t seem too terrible, and this is really what we were leaning towards, until I read in the fine print that even if stuck in traffic, the meter is running. We wanted to be on the roadways during rush hour traffic. This probably was not a good plan either. Well, what to do? Do we just forget about Universal? No! Where there is a will, there is a way. And after more research we discovered that some of the travel agencies that sell tickets also sell transportation packages. Now we’re talking!
After checking into a few of these agencies (reading online forums and reviews by other travelers), we decided to use Dreams Unlimited Travel. We were familiar with the name, it had good online reviews by other users, and the pricing fit our budget. On their website we purchased two adult one-day/two-park tickets with transfers for $300. We really liked the convenience of a shuttle picking us up at our resort and bringing us back at a time we scheduled.
Step 2 – Picking a Touring Plan
Now the actual park time planning could begin. Since we only had one day to cover both parks, we wanted to be methodical about it. We started by printing off maps of each of the two parks: Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. Then we determined what the most important attractions to us were. Our main focus was to be covering every square inch of the Wizarding World. Attractions in other areas of the park were second fiddle. Next we logged onto TouringPlans.com to make our personalized Touring Plan.
Once there, we discovered that a One-Day/Two park Plan for Adult Off-Site Guests already existed. It had all of the required attractions and some extras that we could dump if we felt we were behind schedule. So, I printed it out and considered the planning done.
Months later, the vacation finally began. It was rocky from the beginning and only worsened with a serious health scare two days before our Universal adventure. After that the pace slowed. I wondered if we would be able to even get through the Wizarding World, let alone take in any other attraction we had planned. We decided to just use the Touring Plan as a guideline and not stick to it so intensely. I even logged in and created a personalized plan that just contained the rides we considered must dos. We would work from both sets of plans.
Step 3 – Checking Out the Universal Crowd Calendar
Based on the crowd report for the week, we planned our Universal day for Monday. On the Saturday before, I called and scheduled the pickup time for our pre-paid transportation with Mears. All reports said that we should get in line for park entry 30-45 minutes before gate opening. We also had to go to the will-call kiosks to pick up our tickets (there was not print at home or mailing option). Park opening for off-site guests was at 8am. We wanted to arrive at Universal by 7am, so we requested to be picked up at 6:30am. Mears had other ideas in mind. Transportation from our resort, Port Orleans Riverside, did not begin until 7:30am. At this point, I conceded defeat. I realized that no matter what effort we put forth, seeing it all in one day just wasn’t going to happen.
Step 4 – Off to Universal!
As promised, Mears picked us up at 7:30am on our Universal day. We were the only ones on the shuttle. At least we were the only ones, until we stopped at two other resorts to pick up guests. Somehow we managed to still make it to Universal just before 8am. After walking through CityWalk, stopping to use the restrooms, and stopping again to use the will call kiosks, we entered Universal Studios at about 8:20am. Earlier in our Disney vacation, we had experienced some health issues that we knew would slow us down and would keep us off some of the more intense attractions Universal is known for.
Step 5 – Universal Studios Florida and Diagon Alley
More than meets the eye!
Stops one and two on Part 1 of the Wizarding World Touring Plan were Despicable Me and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Based on the slower pace needed and the desire to stay off of really extreme thrill rides, we opted to skip both of these and headed straight for Transformers: The Ride – 3D. We got side tracked a bit when I spotted Bumblebee interacting with guests and had to meet him. The line was relatively short and well worth it. We then continued around the corner to the entrance of the ride. This early there really was no wait at all, just the time it took to walk through the long queue.
Who’s that peeking?
Next we took a short walk to Revenge of the Mummy. The longest part of this attraction was checking our backpack into one of the lockers. Ten minutes later and we were headed for the Diagon Alley Entrance. Be warned that if you are a complete Harry Potter nerd like I am, make time at this point to really take in your first looks at the London exterior of Diagon Alley. The touring plan didn’t mention this, but I HAD to knock on the door of number 12 Grimmauld Place and see Kreacher, and I HAD to stop and talk to the Knight Bus conductor. All in all, these didn’t really set us back any.
Home of the Butterbeer Ice Cream
After finally entering Diagon Alley, it was like the next hour moved in slow motion. We visited Ollivanders Wands, Borgin & Burkes, Weasleys’ Wizarding Wheezes, Magical Menagerie, and Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions shops. At this point it was 10:30. We were both starving because we hadn’t had breakfast. The breakfast menu at the Leaky Cauldron didn’t appeal to either of us, so we opted for some Butterbeer ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s ice cream parlor instead. As we ate, we continued to explore Diagon Alley, watching several people create magic with their wands. Once finished we decided to check the wait time for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. It was about an hour and a half. This was longer than we wanted to wait, so we decided to head over to Islands of Adventure and come back later if we had time.
We entered King’s Cross Station at about 11am. The wait time was 40 minutes, but what other option did we have? Riding the Hogwarts Express was a high priority, so we had to wait it out. Enter Part 2 of the Wizarding World Touring Plan.
Step 6 – Islands of Adventure and Hogsmeade Village
All Aboard!!!!
We arrived at Hogsmeade Station around noon. Stop one on the touring plan was Dragon Challenge, which we opted to skip because of intensity of the attraction. The plan then called for lunch at the Three Broomsticks. Since we had just had ice cream, we decided to wait for lunch and pressed on. Next up was Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, so we made our way through the crowded streets of Hogsmeade to the castle. The wait time was posted at 30 minutes, but it seemed to take forever before we boarded the ride. Forbidden Journey was a little more intense than we should have experienced that day, but it was well worth it.
By 1pm we were exiting Hogsmeade to explore the rest of Islands of Adventure. We moseyed through the Lost Continent, Seuss Landing, and the Port of Entry before stopping in Marvel Super Hero Island. Unfortunately, due to a health scare two days prior, we felt we should skip most of the rides here. This was really disappointing because the Marvel area is my favorite in Islands of Adventure. We did ride The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and stop to see a few X-men, such as Wolverine and Cyclops.
The Lost Continent
Next it was on through Toon Lagoon and Jurassic Park. We had planned on riding Jurassic Park River Adventure, but when the time came, neither one of us felt like getting wet. Instead we chose to park ourselves in some shade and watch the boats as they made their big splash and cruised on by us. This day was really making us feel old because of the pace and not being able to go on the rides we love.
Step 7 – Back to Diagon Alley, the Rest of Universal Studios and Lunch
It was a little after 2pm now, and we decided we better figure out what we were doing about food. Without exiting the parks and going into CityWalk, we felt pretty limited. My husband can really be a picky eater at times. We pored over the maps and narrowed it down to Leaky Cauldron or Classic Monsters Café, both back in Universal Studios. So we hopped back on the Hogwarts Express and headed back to Diagon Alley.
Once there, we went straight back to Gringotts to see if the line had dwindled. It was down to 30 minutes, so we opted to go on it before finding sustenance. The queue was very detailed, and taking it all in made the time move quickly. The ride itself, however, was disastrous. It broke down half way through, and we had to wait about 10 minutes before we got moving again. There were Express Passes waiting for us at the exit for the inconvenience.
On our way out of Diagon Alley we stepped into the Leaky Cauldron. There did not seem to be any place to sit, and the line for food was longer than we anticipated at mid-afternoon. Instead of placing an order, we did a quick tour of the premises and left. On to the Monsters Café!
Finally we found a place to sit and relax that was not crowded at all! The noise level was high thanks to the videos that were playing, but the menu was diverse enough to please both my husband and myself. We left feeling quite full and moving even slower than before (if that was possible). At this time we decided that even though it was only about 3pm, we had covered all the must dos we were going to and we might as well call Mears back and schedule our pickup time. The call had to be made 2 hours in advance, so we were hoping for 5pm. They didn’t have an opening until 6pm. Oh, well! We could ride a few more rides, then.
We decided to use our Express Pass on Despicable Me because we had skipped it in the morning. It was only a 3 minute wait. Next we headed across the street and experienced Shrek 4-D with about a 15 minute wait. Since we had so much time left, we decided to head back to MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack. The wait time was 40 minutes, about 20 minutes longer than either of us felt like waiting at this point in the day. I really think the Florida sun was getting to us. Instead we went back inside Diagon Alley to grab a few beverages from the Hopping Pot: Butterbeer and Lemon Fizz, which we sipped as we made our way back to the front of the park. We decided to exit and explore CityWalk instead of walking aimlessly around the park any longer.
Step 8 – CityWalk and Leaving Universal
Our exploration of CityWalk was humorous to say the least. We looked at one outside kiosk and went into the gift shop of Bubba Gump Shrimp. On this day, explorers we were not. We headed to the shuttle pickup area hoping to get on an earlier bus. Note to self: When Mears says you are on the 6pm shuttle, it means you are NOT getting on an earlier one. We sat in the shade, finished our drinks, and people-watched for an hour and a half.
In summary, were we successful in covering the two parks of Universal in one day and seeing it all using the touring plan? It really is hard to say. Yes, we finished with both parks long before park close, but we didn’t go on nearly as many rides as we had planned to. Rip Ride Rockit, Dragon Challenge, and The Incredible Hulk Coaster all had to be skipped because of the health issue. MEN IN BLACK, Universal’s Horror Make-Up Show, and Flight of the Hippogriff all were skipped because we were moving like snails and had to give up something. Do I think it could be successfully done? Certainly. Will I try it again? You can bet on it.
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One-Day/Two-Parks; A Universal Orlando Trip Report is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
December 16, 2014
Ring in the New Year at Walt Disney World
©Disney
The time is upon us when we are close to bidding yet another year goodbye. Those who are lucky enough to be in Walt Disney World on December 31 can bring in the year 2015 with style by celebrating the festive holiday at either the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Each park has different fun and exciting activities that will help everyone to celebrate good times. (Come on! Let’s celebrate! Kool and the Gang? Anybody?)
Let’s start at the Magic Kingdom, which will be offering New Year’s Eve fireworks on not one, but two nights! Guests can catch the special fireworks extravaganza, “Fantasy in the Sky” at 11:50 p.m. on both December 30 and 31. (Holiday Wishes will also be performed at 7:30 p.m.)
Over at Epcot, you’ll be able to celebrate in World Showcase, with bands, DJs, and more! Dance under flame effects and a smoke-billowing dragon in China; dance to a British blast to the past in United Kingdom; jam to Euro-pop and watch as lasers fly in Italy; on the America Gardens Stage, groove to a Latin band or party with a DJ; finally, enjoy a DJ and light show at the Future World Fountain Stage. The evening will wrap up with IllmiNations: Reflections of Earth. There will be two showings of the fantastic show: one at 6:00 p.m. and one at 11:40 p.m. The 11:40 p.m. showing will also feature a special tag and countdown to ring in the New Year.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests will dance the night away with both a DJ and Mulch, Sweat, and Shears. Finally, as midnight approaches, get ready as Mulch takes the stage and welcomes the new year with live music and fireworks! If you want to see fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, now is one of the few times you can do it! In addition, there will be three showings of Fantasmic!: one at 6:30 p.m., one at 8:00 p.m., and one at 10:00 p.m. (And as a reminder for those visiting during this busy time of year who want a reserved seating area for Fantasmic!, considering purchasing the Hollywood Taste To Go picnic meals.)
Speaking of dining, if you haven’t made Advanced Dining Reservations for New Year’s Eve, you may want to look into it now. I’m sure that prime times are not available, but if you don’t mind eating super early, you may still be in luck! (Of course, you can always try for the later times; cancellations can and do happen.)
In World Showcase, Biergarten in the Germany Pavilion is offering both lunch and dinner to guests; La Hacienda de San Angel located in the Mexico pavilion is offering dinner; Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada Pavilion has three scheduled seatings, and the France Pavilion’s Monsieur Paul is offering special set meals with seatings throughout the day and evening. For those who are out of luck on the dining reservations, you can always try stopping at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar in the Italy Pavilion or Len’s favorite stop, La Cava Del Tequila, which are both are offering smaller plates. Or there’s also the special dinner buffet that’s available at Epcot World ShowPlace. The special event, called “Fantasia 2014,” will feature decorated set pieces representing scenes and nostalgia from Disney’s classic feature films Fantasia and Fantasia 2000.
Those at Disney’s Hollywood Studios can try to enjoy a special buffet at Hollywood & Vine. Or you could try the Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge, which offers prime outdoor seating with wine, beer and cocktails, and a substantial menu.
Perhaps the best chance at dining for New Year’s Eve is at one of the Disney Resort hotels. Guests can choose from places like Flying Fish Café at Disney’s BoardWalk, Narcoosee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, The Wave…of American Flavors and California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Boma at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Trail’s End at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. All of them are offering fine dining experiences for guests looking to make dining reservations. For those who can’t get dining reservations, try the lounge at Cítricos at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, Crew’s Cup Lounge at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, and Victoria Falls Lounge at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
My best tip for New Year’s Eve, though, is to pack your patience. The parks will be crowded, lines will be long, and there will be horns blowing in every direction. (Disney typically hands out horns and noisemakers to guests on New Year’s Eve.) Have a fun time! And hello 2015 – I’m so glad to see you are on the horizon!
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25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown – Day 16: Fishy Green Ale at the Fountain of Fair Fortune
By Derek Burgan
The Christmas season is my absolute favorite time of the year. Growing up, one of the little things I loved most was getting an Advent calendar and counting down the days until Santa would be coming down the chimney. As I grew older, I had to leave Advent calendars in the rear view mirror,* but I still miss that daily countdown building anticipation to the big day. So, we’re going to start a virtual Advent calendar here at TouringPlans. For 2014, we are going to countdown our favorite drinks at Walt Disney World and the Universal Orlando Resort.
Criteria: Drinks can be alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Drinks can come from any venue on property as well as the Disney Cruise Line. Bonus points awarded for atmosphere where drink is served. Any drink with glow cubes is immediately disqualified. Ready? Let’s go!
DAY SIXTEEN: Fishy Green Ale at the Fountain of Fair Fortune
Fishy Green Ale. (photo by Brandon Glover)
One of the most unique and original drinks created for Diagon Alley earlier this summer was Fishy Green Ale. Like the original Butterbeer and then the Flaming Moe in Springfield, Universal has created a theme park signature drink that was like no other. The drink itself is green in color with a creamy mint taste along with some hints of cinnamon. At the bottom of the drink are plump blueberry “fish eggs.” The Fishy Green Ale comes with a bigger straw than the other drinks to be able to suck these “eggs” up and they almost explode in your mouth. The non-alcoholic Fishy Green Ale may not be for everyone, but those who enjoy it are going to love it.
Bobas in a Fishy Green Ale. (photo by elvenage™)
Fountain of Fair Fortune. (photo by Brandon Glover)
You know you have a good idea when your competitors immediately create their own version of what you have. After Butterbeer made its successful debut with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in 2010, it was only a matter of time before Disney countered with Red’s Apple Freeze in Disney’s California Adventure and LeFou’s Brew in New Fantasyland. While Fishy Green Ale is nowhere near the phenomenon that Butterbeer was (and still is), it was certainly interesting to see a very similar Buggy Brew show up at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party several months later.
Buggy Brew at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2014. (photo via Disney Parks Blog)
PREVIOUS DRINKS OF CHRISTMAS:
DAY ONE: Shark Attack at Chez Alcatraz
DAY TWO: Grand Marnier Slush at Epcot
DAY THREE: Flaming Moe at Moe’s Tavern
DAY FOUR: Sunken Treasure on the Disney Cruise Line
DAY FIVE: Mai Tai at Emeri’s Tchoup Chop
DAY SIX: Avocado Margarita at La Cava del Tequila
DAY SEVEN: Pumpkin Fizz at the Three Broomsticks
DAY EIGHT: Old Fashioned at Belle Vue Lounge
DAY NINE: PBR in a Paper Bay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
DAY TEN: Bay Lake Sunset at Top of the World Lounge
DAY ELEVEN: Tongue Tying Lemon Squash at the Leaky Cauldron
DAY TWELVE: Sugar Cane Mojito at Dawa Bar
DAY THIRTEEN: Pint of Guinness at Raglan Road
DAY FOURTEEN: Hog’s Head Brew at the Hog’s Head
DAY FIFTEEN: Burnt Orange at Todd English’s bluezoo
See you tomorrow for the next entry into the 25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown, where we are going to head into Epcot’s World Showcase. If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! and Saturday Six articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast. Your humble author can also be seen producing typos at an inhuman rate on Twitter: @derekburgan
Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover, elvenage™, 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.
*That is an absolutely lie. I still buy an advent calendar every year with chocolates in it, and I also buy an annual box of Christmas Crunch, but we’ll keep that between us.
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25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown – Day 16: Fishy Green Ale at the Fountain of Fair Fortune is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Video: 2014 Epcot Hanukkah Celebrations at the American Adventure
Celebrate the Festival of Lights with the 2014 Epcot Hanukkah show (photos and video by Seth Kubersky)
Whether you call him St. Nicholas, Father Christmas, or Pere Noel, there are plenty of opportunites at Walt Disney World to get up close and personal with Santa Claus, especially during Epcot‘s Holidays Around The World event. I love all of the extra seasonal entertainment Epcot adds to World Showcase each year, but as a “member of the tribe” I was especially excited to see the 2014 Epcot Hanukkah celebrations at the American Adventure pavilion.
This year, Epcot’s Hanukkah entertainment includes a storytelling show about the Festival of Lights, staged outside the American Adventure pavilion. This year’s Hanukkah show features new songs, and you can get a free “gelt” chocolate coin at the end!
Here is a video I recorded of local musical theater star Janine Klein performing in the 2014 Epcot Hanukkah show:
As an added bonus, I stopped inside the American Adventure pavilion to hear the always-excellent Voices of Liberty perform their holiday show in full Dickenisan garb. Here’s a video of the Voices performing their medley of Hanukkah songs:
I’ll be back soon with more video highlighting some other shows from Epcot’s 2014 Holidays Around The World. Until then, let us know your favorite seasonal festivity at Walt Disney World in the comments below!
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Video: 2014 Epcot Hanukkah Celebrations at the American Adventure is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Universal Orlando Crowd Report – December 7 to 13, 2014
For the second week in a row, as in many weeks this fall, Universal Orlando wait times were low, in the bottom third of our scale all week. No park hit a crowd level higher than ’4′ and that only happened one day. Guests to Universal Orlando Resort experienced another week of low wait times.
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
2
3
Despite being a weekend, no significant wait times to report at either park on Sunday. We saw average posted times like 10 minutes at E.T. Adventure (predicted 13), 17 at Rip Ride Rockit (predicted 14) and 18 minutes at The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man (predicted 14).
Islands of Adventure
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
3
More low numbers on Monday. Disaster averaged 20 minutes and Forbidden Journey, 13, both exactly as predicted.
Islands of Adventure
2
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
2
Tuesday’s crowd matched Wednesdays as the lowest of the week with average wait times of 13 minutes at Revenge of the Mummy (predicted 10) and 11 at Flight of the Hippogriff (predicted 12).
Islands of Adventure
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
2
More of the same on Wednesday with averages like 10 minutes at Men in Black (predicted 8) and 12 at Spider-Man (predicted 13).
Islands of Adventure
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
2
Thursdays crowds remained low like the rest of the week at both parks.
Islands of Adventure
2
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
2
Slight increases on Friday but not significantly enough to be noticeable at the parks. Spider-Man and Forbidden Journey both hit averages in the 20s for the first time all week.
Islands of Adventure
2
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
3
4
Saturday was the busiest day of the week by far but still lower than average, at a level ’4′ on our scale.
Islands of Adventure
2
4
What to Expect This Week
December 14 to 20, 2014
How Crowded is Universal Orlando Resort?
As low as the crowds have been this fall at Universal Orlando Resort, only one week remains before we see increased crowds for the Christmas Holiday period.
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 Crowd Report – December 7 to 13, 2014 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 7 to 13, 2014
Crowds at Walt Disney World stayed below average all week with only Saturday reaching a resort-wide level ’5′ on our scale. It seems that our recent adjustments to the crowd predictions are paying off. We saw all predictions come in within two index levels of what we observed except two last week.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week on the Touringplans.com Disney World Crowd Report:
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
3
2
Sunday’s crowds were mild at all parks with The Studios having the highest crowd level, as predicted. Magic Kingdom saw average posted waits like 26 minutes at Big Thunder Mountain railroad and 24 minutes at Pirates of the Caribbean, both level ’1′s on our scale.
Epcot
4
3
Hollywood Studios
6
5
Animal Kingdom
2
4
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
3
Monday’s predictions ended up a little high compared to what we observed at the parks. The level ’3′ at magic Kingdom ended up as the highest level of the four parks.
Epcot
5
2
Hollywood Studios
4
2
Animal Kingdom
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
2
3
Tuesday’s crowds were not much busier than Monday but our predictions did much better with none missing by more than one level. Extra Magic Hour morning at Epcot brought average posted waits like 11 minutes at Living with the Land and 58 minutes at Test Track (predicted 56).
Epcot
3
3
Hollywood Studios
2
2
Animal Kingdom
2
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
4
Another slow day resort-wide on Wednesday. Only Magic Kingdom, the most crowded park as predicted, managed a crowd level above ’2′. Average posted waits at Toy Story Mania and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster were 54 and 28 minutes respectively (predicted 66 and 29).
Epcot
3
1
Hollywood Studios
1
1
Animal Kingdom
3
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
3
1
Thursday’s wait times were the lowest resort-wide that we have seen since early September at Disney World. Averages like 8 minutes at Splash Mountain, 50 at Soarin’, 16 at Star Tours and 12 minutes at Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Epcot
3
1
Hollywood Studios
2
2
Animal Kingdom
2
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
3
2
Friday brought slight bumps in crowds at Epcot and The Studios compared to Thursday, as predicted. Test Track hit 66 minutes (predicted 61) and Tower of Terror averaged 31 minutes (predicted 29).
Epcot
4
5
Hollywood Studios
3
3
Animal Kingdom
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
6
Saturday’s predictions hit the mark except at Animal Kingdom where we saw one of our two misses by more than 2 index levels. The ’6′ at Magic Kingdom was in-line with larger crowds that we had observed on Saturdays in November and December, which prompted our recent update.
Epcot
5
4
Hollywood Studios
5
4
Animal Kingdom
3
6
What to Expect This Week
December 14 to 20, 2014
How Crowded is Disney World?
One more week of pre-Christmas crowds before the madness begins. Guests visiting this week should experience moderate crowds at worst while the festive atmosphere begins to crescendo towards the holidays.
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 7 to 13, 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 7 to 13, 2014
Last week, with the exception of Saturday, our predictions did well at both Disneyland Parks. Very well in fact. Most days the average wait times at both parks were within a few minutes of what we predicted. Saturday was a surprise however, with wait times soaring to levels normally reserved for holidays.
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
5
7
While we saw an influx of guests to Disneyland Park, Sunday’s crowd at Disney California Adventure dropped three levels lower than our prediction. Seeing a contrast between the two parks of this magnitude is rare. Pirates of the Caribbean averaged 26 minutes while California Screamin’ averaged 15.
Disney California Adventure
6
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
4
Monday’s crowd returned to levels in line with our predictions. Indiana Jones Adventure averaged 29 minutes while Tower of Terror averaged 19 minutes, both as predicted.
Disney California Adventure
3
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
4
Tuesday’s wait times came in with levels identical to Monday. Predictions hit the mark within a few minutes at all major attractions.
Disney California Adventure
3
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
3
5
Wednesday’s crowd was a little higher than expected at Disneyland Park while DCA’s wait times were within 5 minutes on average of what we predicted.
Disney California Adventure
2
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
3
5
Another level ’5′ at Disneyland Park on Thursday which included average wait times like 28 minutes at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and 25 at Nemo Submarine Voyage.
Disney California Adventure
3
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
2
Wait times dipped lower on Friday, to the lowest level of the week. Guests experienced average waits like 6 minutes at Dumbo and 5 at Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree.
Disney California Adventure
3
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
6
10
And then there was Saturday! Wait times skyrocketed on Saturday to levels that we haven’t seen since July 4th. Every major attraction at Disneyland park hit a level ’10′ on our scale.
Disney California Adventure
4
7
What to Expect This Week
December 14 to 20, 2014
How Crowded is Disneyland Resort?
Other than Saturday, we expect crowds to be manageable if not light next week. This may be the last week to experience reasonable crowds before the Christmas rush arrives.
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 7 to 13, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
December 15, 2014
25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown – Day 15: Burnt Orange at Todd English’s bluezoo
By Derek Burgan
The Christmas season is my absolute favorite time of the year. Growing up, one of the little things I loved most was getting an Advent calendar and counting down the days until Santa would be coming down the chimney. As I grew older, I had to leave Advent calendars in the rear view mirror,* but I still miss that daily countdown building anticipation to the big day. So, we’re going to start a virtual Advent calendar here at TouringPlans. For 2014, we are going to countdown our favorite drinks at Walt Disney World and the Universal Orlando Resort.
Criteria: Drinks can be alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Drinks can come from any venue on property as well as the Disney Cruise Line. Bonus points awarded for atmosphere where drink is served. Any drink with glow cubes is immediately disqualified. Ready? Let’s go!
DAY FIFTEEN: Burnt Ornage at Todd English’s bluezoo (Walt Disney World Dolphin)
Fire and Ice: Frost-bitten rum cider and a Burnt Orange at Todd English’s bluezoo. (photo by Brandon Glover)
One of the true best kept secrets at Walt Disney World are the bars and restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin hotels. Todd English’s bluezoo at the Dolphin has hands-down the most creative menu on property, specializing in unique drinks that taste as good as they look. Today we are going to spotlight the Burnt Orange. Ingredients: Herradura blanco tequila infused with brûléed orange and muddled with agave nectar, Grand Mariner, and orange juice. Topped with a flaming orange. The brûléed orange, that is spectacularly lit aflame, contains a special sugar created by the restaurant’s pastry chef, which then becomes part of the Burnt Orange’s flavor profile when drinking. The Burnt Orange is one drink worth going out of your way to try, but it is just one of the many headliners on the bluezoo bar menu.
Burnt orange at Todd English’s bluezoo. (photo by Brandon Glover)
Another recommendation is the new Frost-bitten rum cider. Created by bluezoo’s Gary Bruckner for the 2014 StarMixologist Competition, the presentation of this drink is exceptional as it is served with what appears to be a thin layer of ice on top. As a person who grew up in the icy winters of New Hampshire, seeing the liquid ice effect reminded me of what it was like to see a newly frozen pond or lake in the morning hours. There is coconut on the rim that also cleverly gives the look of the glass itself being frosted from the drink. Ingredients: Ron Zacapa rum, Ziegler’s apple cider (honey crisp blend), simple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters. The presentation is completed with the coconut garnish, a cinnamon apple slice, and a sprig of thyme.
“Smoke” coming off the Frost-bitten rum cider at Todd English’s bluezoo. (photo by Brandon Glover)
Note the coconut rim making the glass appear to be frosted. (photo by Brandon Glover)
Bourbon glazed pumpkin seeds, exclusively at Todd English’s bluezoo. (photo by Brandon Glover)
Todd English’s bluezoo is at the Walt Disney World Dolphin, a stone’s throw away from Epcot, Disney’s BoardWalk, and Hollywood Studios. One of the most stylish bars on property, bluezoo is highly regarded for its innovative drinks (created by world class mixologists) and its sophisticated menu items. The dreamy dining room is swathed in blues with iridescent bubbles suspended from the lights. The name is courtesy of chef Todd English’s young son, who saw an under-the-sea movie and said it looked like a “blue zoo.” With an open kitchen, raw bar, and “dancing fish” on a circular rotisserie, bluezoo’s atmosphere is second to none.
Todd English’s Bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Dolphin.
Todd English’s bluezoo. (photo by Brandon Glover)
Inside Bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Dolphin.
PREVIOUS DRINKS OF CHRISTMAS:
DAY ONE: Shark Attack at Chez Alcatraz
DAY TWO: Grand Marnier Slush at Epcot
DAY THREE: Flaming Moe at Moe’s Tavern
DAY FOUR: Sunken Treasure on the Disney Cruise Line
DAY FIVE: Mai Tai at Emeri’s Tchoup Chop
DAY SIX: Avocado Margarita at La Cava del Tequila
DAY SEVEN: Pumpkin Fizz at the Three Broomsticks
DAY EIGHT: Old Fashioned at Belle Vue Lounge
DAY NINE: PBR in a Paper Bay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
DAY TEN: Bay Lake Sunset at Top of the World Lounge
DAY ELEVEN: Tongue Tying Lemon Squash at the Leaky Cauldron
DAY TWELVE: Sugar Cane Mojito at Dawa Bar
DAY THIRTEEN: Pint of Guinness at Raglan Road
DAY FOURTEEN: Hog’s Head Brew at the Hog’s Head
See you tomorrow for the next entry into the 25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown, where we are going to head into Epcot’s World Showcase. If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! and Saturday Six articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast. Your humble author can also be seen producing typos at an inhuman rate on Twitter: @derekburgan
Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover 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.
*That is an absolutely lie. I still buy an advent calendar every year with chocolates in it, and I also buy an annual box of Christmas Crunch, but we’ll keep that between us.
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25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown – Day 15: Burnt Orange at Todd English’s bluezoo is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
December 14, 2014
Photos: Kongstruction Project 340 Progress Update
Construction — or as we say here, Kongstruction — for the officially unannounced (but increasingly obvious) Project 340 continues to advance at an amazing rate. As you can see below in my latest Kongstruction photo update, the framework for this new ride’s show building is beginning to loom large over the land of Jurassic Park at Islands of Adventure.
Kongstruction progress is full steam ahead at IOA’s Project 340 (photos by Seth Kubersky).
First, a few distance shots from the top of Camp Jurassic:
Next, a closer look from the Thunder Falls Terrace outdoor eating area:
Finally, Project 340 as it appears from Toon Lagoon:
(As always, all photos are taken from guest areas.)
For some interesting speculation on what exactly is being built, check out this thread at Orlando United.
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Photos: Kongstruction Project 340 Progress Update is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown – Day 14: Hog’s Head Brew at the Hog’s Head
By Derek Burgan
The Christmas season is my absolute favorite time of the year. Growing up, one of the little things I loved most was getting an Advent calendar and counting down the days until Santa would be coming down the chimney. As I grew older, I had to leave Advent calendars in the rear view mirror,* but I still miss that daily countdown building anticipation to the big day. So, we’re going to start a virtual Advent calendar here at TouringPlans. For 2014, we are going to countdown our favorite drinks at Walt Disney World and the Universal Orlando Resort.
Criteria: Drinks can be alcoholic or nonalcoholic. Drinks can come from any venue on property as well as the Disney Cruise Line. Bonus points awarded for atmosphere where drink is served. Any drink with glow cubes is immediately disqualified. Ready? Let’s go!
DAY FOURTEEN: Hog’s Head Ale at the Hog’s Head (Islands of Adventure)
Hog’s Head Ale.
Our latest entry comes from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade Village. Hog’s Head Brew is exclusively made for Universal by the Florida Beer Company. The brew is amber in color, with a slightly off-white head. The taste is surprisingly good for a theme park beer, with hints of a good Scottish ale while having a crisp taste. The Hog’s Head pub itself is ripped straight out of the pages of JK Rowling’s novels, and also played an important role in the film series as it was where the Hogwarts students formed Dumbledore’s Army in Order of the Phoenix.
The Hog’s Head is connected to The Three Broomsticks and also sells Butterbeer, making it a great alternative if the carts outside are swamped with muggles. There is a huge animatronic Hog’s Head behind the bar that is worth going out of your way to see, along with other Potter-themed details such as shrunken heads and bottles of Fire Whiskey. My personal favorite detail is the chalkboard with “yesterday’s specials” written down. However, my favorite part of Hog’s Head is that it starts selling alcohol LONG before any place else in Islands of Adventure, and there’s something special about standing on the bridge looking over at the majestic Hogwarts Castle with an ice cold Hog’s Head Brew in hand.
The Hog’s Head in Hogsmeade Village. (photo by Mike Sperduto)
Beers on tap at the Hog’s Head. (photo by Mike Sperduto)
The Hog’s Head.
#story
PREVIOUS DRINKS OF CHRISTMAS:
DAY ONE: Shark Attack at Chez Alcatraz
DAY TWO: Grand Marnier Slush at Epcot
DAY THREE: Flaming Moe at Moe’s Tavern
DAY FOUR: Sunken Treasure on the Disney Cruise Line
DAY FIVE: Mai Tai at Emeri’s Tchoup Chop
DAY SIX: Avocado Margarita at La Cava del Tequila
DAY SEVEN: Pumpkin Fizz at the Three Broomsticks
DAY EIGHT: Old Fashioned at Belle Vue Lounge
DAY NINE: PBR in a Paper Bay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort
DAY TEN: Bay Lake Sunset at Top of the World Lounge
DAY ELEVEN: Tongue Tying Lemon Squash at the Leaky Cauldron
DAY TWELVE: Sugar Cane Mojito at Dawa Bar
DAY THIRTEEN: Pint of Guinness at Raglan Road
See you tomorrow for the next entry into the 25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown, where we are going to head into Epcot’s World Showcase. If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! and Saturday Six articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast. Your humble author can also be seen producing typos at an inhuman rate on Twitter: @derekburgan
Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover, photo-wunderkind Mike Sperduto, 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.
*That is an absolutely lie. I still buy an advent calendar every year with chocolates in it, and I also buy an annual box of Christmas Crunch, but we’ll keep that between us.
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25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown – Day 14: Hog’s Head Brew at the Hog’s Head 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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