Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1162
December 2, 2014
Disney Planning Beyond Meals and FastPass+
By Kevin Bastos
Seasoned Walt Disney World travelers will try to impress upon friends and family who are planning first time and first-in-a-long-time trips to the Most Structured Vacation Destination on Earth the need to be on top of dining and FastPass+ reservations. It’s sound advice and will go a long way toward a pleasant trip. But have you thought about the other things you should do before you board your plane, train, or automobile to Florida? Luckily, there is a gap between the 180 day dining window opening and the 30 (day guest) or 60 (onsite guest) FastPass+ window that you can fill to your Type-A heart’s desire….
Check Disney Store to get some seasonal apparel
Buy seasonal apparel. As teachers, we usually travel to Disney World during the summer months, and most of our packing includes shopping for summer travel. But outside that time of year, finding little items like sunscreen, bathing suits, or even shorts and t-shirts might be a little more difficult. Locating other items at a reasonable price like cooling items may be only available online. Instead, as soon as you make your meal reservations, start locating toiletries, swimming attire, sunscreen, and other necessaries.
Book and check transportation rates. In the months leading up to your trip, check and re-check rates. Airlines have wonderful habits of modifying rates. We always book Southwest, and if the rates drop, we re-book our trip – and gain a few extra dollars back. Over the last year, we even put enough credit back into our account to nearly pay for another round trip to Florida. Keep examining and checking out – you never can tell.
Check for seasonal events and situational opportunities. After you’ve been to Disney World a few times, it’s easy to get into a rut. Don’t! Almost through the entire year, Disney offers some limited engagement of events, opportunities, shows, characters, rides, and the like. Make sure to check for any upcoming events. We approach all of our trips with “What can we ONLY do here? Or now?” If you’re choosing between two items, try to find the one that may be ending soon.
Time to break in your Disney World Shoes!
Start to break in your Disney World shoes. You need a pair that fits well – and built for walking. But don’t have a new pair packed in your suitcase. Some of the best shoes I’ve worn gave me blisters the first few days. And some of the shoes I thought liked the best before my trips have ended up not fitting well. I can remember hearing advice that the most important things you can spend money on are shoes and a bed. Because most of your life will be spent in one of those two places. It applies even more for your Disney trip – because you might do more walking over a day than you do on any other. My days can easily supersede 15,000 steps – and you may be moving even more.
Begin a regular exercise program. Epcot itself is over a mile just around the world showcase. Estimates vary – and I am certain I have seen the worst – but some people estimated eight to ten miles per day. When we stayed at the Beach Club, we walked to and from Hollywood Studios each time we went (with one exception to try out the boats). The round trip there is three miles itself (including to our room). We probably aren’t the norm. Most of our neighbors probably think of us as the ‘chunky walkers.’ If you aren’t in a walking lifestyle – it might not be a bad idea to begin walking a few miles each day just to start building some stamina for the upcoming treks.
Check on special needs. Our daughter has a life-threatening tree nut allergy. Disney has always been relatively good at communicating about that. However, she’s also allergic to coconuts – and most cast members aren’t as excellent at checking on coconut oils. It took me three calls to finally confirm that my beloved Mickey Bars did, in fact, contain coconut oil, and would be dangerous for her. Most ‘mainstream’ allergens – peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and the like are easy to confirm. However, a quick call to the restaurant to confirm one way or another on questionable items goes a long way.
Start building your personal touring plan
Research, research, research. I love the Unofficial Guide – but it can be overwhelming. It covers wide swaths of information, but can overwhelm. If it’s too much, read through information on blogs, other books, and message boards. Stay particularly aware of multitudes of new information, as well. Disney World will continually announce new shows, events, times, locations, characters, and closures. When new events announce, determine whether or not you want to add or change plans to fit your new ideas.
Build a touring plan. I love the touring plans app, but of course, I am terrifyingly prejudiced. I also supplement by reading multiple other touring suggestions. It seems that nearly any blogger online has a best suggestion. All of them are great, and multitudes have working options. I like taking other ideas and inserting them into the touring plans app with my own set of modifications – adding, deleting, and subtracting to fit our own interests. The touring plans app also can be set to suggest fast passes for your upcoming trip, too. Especially for a first time visitor – or an only time visit – this can make your day. I know that many other options are out there – but the personalized nature of the touring plans allows you to modify based on the day, and your personal interests, as well. Insert your reservations and tentative meal plans, and the program puts together best case scenarios for reservations.
Decide on snacks or other meals. So much discussion always covers table service meals – and markedly less discusses counter service restaurants and snack credits. It’s easy to choose larger meals – but take time to select a few more unusual meals on your trip. Get outside of the old burger, fries, nuggets, and turkey sandwich meals. Most of the parks have a few outside of the regular paces meals. Take time to check them out. Yes, even Hollywood Studios has a few options, too. Have you ever tried the Grilled Vegetable Sandwich at Backlot Express? Nice change of pace. How about the sausagee at Min & Bill’s? These more exclusive meals can redeem an otherwise dull experience. Snacks provide even more options. Although we continually find ourselves ordering one of the many ice cream sandwiches, we are also not immune to seasonal offerings at timely events.
Holiday ornaments on sale? Those will fit under the tree nicely!
Plan starts of each day – and down-time. The first two to three hours can make the biggest difference in the amount of ground that you and your family see. While many theories exist of best possible practice to cover Disney World, you need to choose a plan to effectively manage your time. I, for one, still can’t believe that it’s a better idea to get to Test Track first and then Soarin’, but to each their own. Planning a breakfast – in the hotel, on the bus, or with early reservations – and then sticking to that plan – can make serious impact on the rest of your day.
Hit up your local Disney store or disneystore.com. You almost never can tell when a great deal will pop onto either one. We still have a few great mugs that we spent under two dollars on each one – two coffee cups, and one mug for water. We love locating matching shirts and building our trip wardrobe. We even scored some great Disney pullovers for only $15 for our ‘cold weather’ trip upcoming. Picking up a few things can very easily help to build a wardrobe for your trip – and packing gets a little easier.
Plan your outfits for the trip. Check on your sizes. Especially if you are wearing ‘out of season’ clothes. A few pounds may have changed the wear. In addition, if you aren’t planning on wearing those clothes until the trip, put them in the suitcase. We love wearing outfits connected to the park – and matching together. We are that kind of a crazy Disney family.
Start to pack your carry-on or toiletries bag. This follows your locating of seasonal items – but we always try to keep a bag packed with first aid – and another with the daily necessaries. Usually, you won’t need to extensively refresh, but a few months before is a great time to hit up the disposable razors, the travel size shampoos, and check to make certain your band-aid supply is full. You can also check for sales on any of these items, too. A vacation can be a great way to get away from stress – even if I don’t think Disney is the best idea for a ‘vacation.’ It’s more of an excursion – one that you might need a few days to recover from afterward.
Plan to do nothing for a little while when you return. Just getting laundry done can be stressful. But a delayed flight, weather emergency, or even just lost luggage can throw off the next few days. That doesn’t even get into the relative exhaustion that you’ll feel when you return from a trip. We try to not even call anyone on the phone those days. Just relax. Look over your stuff. Write a reflection. Don’t plan much of anything else.
Check your password on mydisneyexperience.com. Multiple times. Even if you’re pretty certain, it can’t hurt to go ahead and check in – just to make sure everything is settled. You don’t need any extra stress at midnight. Have a plan – and a back-up. It’s not a bad idea to put some of your highest demand attractions toward the middle or end of the trip if you are staying at a Disney resort. That way, you could push an Anna & Elsa reservation – or the elusive Mine Train booking to day 67 instead of day 60. Slots will be more plentiful, and probably more desirable, as well.
Keep everything together – and start making a list of things you will need to organize before your trip, too. While much of your stuff can be pretty organized – it never hurts to plan some time to get back on-task, too. And remember – you’re going to Disney World in just TWO MONTHS!
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Decoding Disney World Name Tags
Disney World Name Tag
My most exciting moment becoming a Cast Member was receiving my Walt Disney World name tag. I had been taught since I was little to seek out those white ovals for help and I was proud to wear one myself. You will probably see hundreds of these name tags during your vacation and it turns out there’s a lot you can learn from pausing to take a look.
Let’s start with the basics. A Walt Disney World nametag will always be placed on a Cast Member’s top left side, over the heart. The name is featured prominently in center, with the Cast Member’s hometown listed below. Cast Members love meeting people from our hometowns, so make sure to say hi if you see a familiar place.
Learning and Training
When a Cast Member is being trained, a red ribbon that reads “Earning My Ears” will be attached to their name tag. They will have a trainer with them; the trainers wear Jiminy Cricket pins over their nametag. Be extra kind to these Cast Members—they’re still learning.
Some Cast Members’ name tags will have a college or university name in place of the home town. That means the Cast Member is either a current or former participant of one of the Disney College and Internship Program. If you’re visiting in the January or August, it’s likely that the College Program student you’re meeting is brand new to their job. While they have gone through plenty of training in their position, they may not be an expert on all things Disney. Some College Program participants have never even been to Disney World before starting their programs. When interacting with College Program Cast Members, remember that they are there to learn and might not be familiar with past policies or all departments.
Skills and Awards
Cast Members at Disney World come from all of the world. Language pins are available in over 50 languages. Cast Members wearing the language pins elect to take a short test proving their fluency in the language in order to earn the pin on their name tag. I have seen Cast Members with four language pins attached to their name tags. Guests from around the world are likely to encounter Cast Members who speak their language, so feel free to start a conversation if you see your language on their pin.
A Disney World name tag with 1-year service pin.
When Cast Members have worked for the Disney Company for over a year, they receive a pin celebrating their years of service. This pin is placed on the top right section of the name tag. The Steamboat Willy pin signifies one year of service. Pins with a character and year number are given at other milestone years. If you want to talk to an experience Cast Member, look out for those service pins.
Every once and awhile, you may spot a name tag with the reverse of the usual color scheme: a blue oval tag with white letters. Cast Members with blue name tags are winners of the Walt Disney Legacy Award. These Cast Members are nominated by their fellow Cast Members to be honored for outstanding service to Guests and dedicated to Disney magic. (Ed. – I met a Legacy Award Cast Member on my last trip – big shout out to Mike at Top of the World Lounge!)
Bonus Secret
Switching between costumes or running late to work can lead to forgotten name tags—even Cast Members are only human. Instead of spending the day nameless, Cast Members get a temporary replacement name tag. These name tags are usually a gender neutral name—Chris, Pat, or Alex are common ones—with the hometown of Orlando, FL. So if you spot one of these generic name tags, you may be encountering a Cast Member undercover for the day.
Disney World name tags are a great way to get a lot of information about a Cast Member with just a quick look. Next time you meet a Cast Member, see what you can learn from their name tag.
• • • • •
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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The New United Kingdom Band Has Officially Debuted at Epcot
©Disney
The fourth and final new World Showcase act quietly debuted this weekend in the United Kingdom pavilion at Epcot. The Celtic folk band hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, is called The Paul McKenna Band. Their music is very light and traditional, featuring a guitar, flute, drum, and violin.
The band can be found playing in the United Kingdom courtyard with show times at 11:00 a.m., 11:50 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:40 p.m., 2:35 p.m., 3:35 p.m. and 4:50 p.m.
Fans of The British Revolution need not fret, because that band will continue playing in the United Kingdom pavilion, as well.
The other entertainment acts that have debuted this fall are: the Canadian Lumberjack Show, which debuted in early October; the Italian flag-throwing troupe called Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro, which debuted in the middle of October; and B’net Al Houwariyate, which began performing in the beginning of November.
The Paul McKenna Band seems as though it is a great new addition to the park and fits in with the pavilion quite well.
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The New United Kingdom Band Has Officially Debuted at Epcot 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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Disney World Crowd Report – November 23 to 29, 2014
Thanksgiving week at Walt Disney World was very busy – even busier than expected. The graph of our average wait time index shows large crowds on Sunday and Monday, a dip on Tuesday (thanks to severe weather) and a return to holiday crowds for the remainder of the week. We under-predicted the crowds during the first part of the week but generally were accurate the second half.
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
5
8
We expected moderate ’5′s and ’6′s but saw ’7′s and ’8′s on Sunday. Epcot especially hit levels much higher than years past for the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
Epcot
3
8
Hollywood Studios
6
7
Animal Kingdom
5
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
9
10
Crowds increased on Monday as expected but ended up a little higher than we predicted. The average posted time at Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin was 51 minutes (predicted 43) and Space Mountain averaged 78 minutes, a clear ’10′ out of ’10′ on our scale.
Epcot
7
9
Hollywood Studios
6
10
Animal Kingdom
7
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
8
3
Tuesday’s crowd was affected greatly by a severe weather storm in and around Orlando. It was enough to push Magic Kingdom wait times 7 points lower on our scale than the day before and Animal Kingdom 4 points lower.
Epcot
8
9
Hollywood Studios
8
8
Animal Kingdom
9
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
8
7
Although sever weather was still present on Wednesday we didn’t see the same affect. The Studio still reached the highest point on our scale thanks to average posted waits like 79 at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (predicted 45) and 101 at Toy Story Midway Mania (predicted 77).
Epcot
7
9
Hollywood Studios
7
10
Animal Kingdom
9
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
9
10
With the rough weather passing through by Thursday, Thanksgiving crowds returned to the parks. We saw average posted waits like 90 at Peter Pan’s Flight (predicted 74), 99 at Soarin’ (predicted 100), 97 at Toy Story Midway Mania (predicted 73) and 53 minutes at Expedition Everest (predicted 51).
Epcot
8
10
Hollywood Studios
6
9
Animal Kingdom
10
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
9
9
Black Friday crowds looked similar to Thanksgiving Day with very high wait times across all four parks. Our prediction of 93 minutes at Test Track only missed by 1 minute (92) and our 22 at Great Movie Ride was low by only 3 minutes (25).
Epcot
8
10
Hollywood Studios
7
10
Animal Kingdom
8
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
8
Every year it surprises me how quickly the Thanksgiving crowds fade and this year is no exception. Our models told us that crowds would shrink a couple points on Saturday and they certainly did, as you can tell from the ’7′s and ’8′s.
Epcot
7
8
Hollywood Studios
6
6
Animal Kingdom
7
7
What to Expect This Week
November 30 to December 6, 2014
How Crowded is Disney World?
Thanksgiving crowds will continue to fade sharply although we expect December crowds to remain steady, if not above average. Incidentally, the next two week period is one of our favorite times to visit the parks. Holiday decorations are up, the mood is festive and temperatures are cool. Add in an effective touring plan and you have a recipe for a great vacation.
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 – November 23 to 29, 2014 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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Disneyland Resort Crowd Report – November 23 to 29, 2014
As you can see on our weekly graph of wait times, we correctly predicted the shape of crowd flow last week and pretty much nailed the crowd levels as well. Overall, crowds were slightly higher than we predicted. Thanksgiving Day itself was the least crowded of the week, presumably since more guests chose to celebrate with their families at home rather than hit the parks.
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
7
8
A busy Sunday before Thanksgiving at both parks. At Disneyland Park several attractions topped out at the maximum average wait on our scale. Like Mickey’s House at 31 minutes, Peter Pan’s Flight at 44 and Haunted Mansion at 38.
Disney California Adventure
8
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
9
10
Double ’10′s made last Monday the most crowded day we’ve seen at Disneyland Resort since July 4th. Guests at Disney California Adventure saw average waits like 40 minutes at Mickey’s Fun Wheel (swinging).
Disney California Adventure
9
10
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
9
10
Another very busy day at both parks on Tuesday. All major attractions resort-wide had double-digit average posted times. In fact, none averaged less than 20 minutes.
Disney California Adventure
9
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
8
8
As we approach Thanksgiving Day crowds started to lower slightly with level ’8′s at both parks on Wednesday. An ’8′ is still a very busy day however, with average waits like 32 minutes at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (as predicted) and 44 minutes at Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (predicted 35).
Disney California Adventure
8
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
6
8
Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving Day ranks high on the list of crowded holidays at the parks but you can see why it doesn’t beat out Christmas and Easter with a level ’4′ at Disney California Adventure. Although to be fair, Tuesday’s crowd would compete with the busiest of days on the calendar.
Disney California Adventure
5
4
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
7
9
Guests recovering from the previous day’s meal headed to the parks in slightly larger numbers than expected on Friday. Many attractions averaged a posted wait higher than 50 minutes: Space Mountain (62, predicted 54), Splash Mountain (54, predicted 47) and Indiana Jones Adventure (55, predicted 46).
Disney California Adventure
7
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
7
9
Saturday’s crowd was similar to Thursday with a higher level at Disneyland Park than Disney California Adventure. Guests who chose DCA on Saturday saw average wait times 10 to 15 minutes lower than Disneyland Park.
Disney California Adventure
6
6
What to Expect This Week
November 30 to December 6, 2014
How Crowded is Disneyland Resort?
Now that Thanksgiving has passed we expect relatively moderate crowds around Disneyland Resort in the weeks to come. Guests can expect the headline attractions to average 20 to 30 minute waits, at times peaking to 50 or 60 minutes.
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 – November 23 to 29, 2014 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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December 1, 2014
25 Drinks of Christmas Countdown – Day 1: Shark Attack at Chez Alcatraz
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 ONE: Shark Attack at Chez Alcatraz (Universal Studios Florida)
Shark Attack at Chez Alcatraz in Universal Studios Florida. (photo by Brandon Glover)
Available at Chez Alcatraz in the San Francisco area of Universal Studios Florida, the Shark Attack is visually one of the coolest drinks on property. Located mere steps away from the photo-op with the world’s most famous great white shark, this drink perfectly gets across the creepiness of seeing blood mixing with water that scared us all in Jaws. Ingredients: Malibu Coconut Rum, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice, dash of Grenadine.
The “blood” effect added into the Shark Attack. (photo by Brandon Glover)
After getting your Shark Attack, have a toast to “Bruce” himself.
Photo by Brandon Glover
Looks like Bruce ate our 2014 copy of the Unofficial Guide, time to get the 2015 edition!
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
Interested in theme park drinks? Then do we have a eBook for you! The Walt Disney World Bars and Lounges eGuide by Brian McNichols. Over 250 pages and containing well over 400 photos, this eGuide takes you through EVERY bar and lounge on WDW property (trust me, Brian has the kidneys problems to prove it!) Also included? Recipes for some of your favorite WDW drinks. Ratings, descriptions, and photos for each of the 70+ bars and lounges. Talk about the perfect Christmas present!
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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November 30, 2014
DVC Merry Member Mixer Brings Holiday Cheer
The trees and garland are up all over Epcot. The holiday music wafts through the air as you enter the gates. It’s a balmy 85 degrees. Feels like…winter?
Even with the heat, many families were standing in line in their holiday finery and heavy winter sweaters for the first DVC Merry Member Mixer of the year. Located at the World Showplace between Canada and the United Kingdom, this event is held during the holiday season for DVC members and their guests. It is a tradition for many families to enjoy holiday cheer at this free event.
Snow falls at the entrance to the Merry Member Mixer. (Photo by Julia Mascardo)
I brought my personal self-described expert on all things holiday-related (my four-year-old daughter), and into the winter wonderland we went.
As you enter through the snow, make sure you are nice to Santa’s elves standing outside. One had the naughty list, and one had the nice list – I didn’t look to see which list I ended on, but my daughter was assured she made the nice list….so far.
When you get inside, each person is given a raffle ticket that has a treat voucher attached to it. From there, you can enjoy any of the activities at your own leisure.
Dance Party: Hosted by a festive-looking DJ with the help from some wacky elves, this dance party also has games for children, such as hula hoop challenges and a challenging game of Simon Says.
Character Meet and Greets: Mickey and Minnie and some of their pals are there all dressed up for the season. On the day we attended, there were three stations – one with Mickey and Minnie, one with Chip and Dale, and one with Lilo and Stitch. PhotoPass photographers are on hand to take pictures, and then you can download them for free from My Disney Experience.
Everyone’s favorite mice are on hand in holiday finery. (Photo by Julia Mascardo)
Merchandise for Sale: In years past, there have been a wide variety of holiday offerings and DVC merchandise for sale. This year, there was a limited amount of holiday offerings, and aside from the pins for sale, I did not see any DVC-exclusive merchandise. The pins available for sale are two DVC member-exclusive pins, an Annual Passholder pin, and two limited release pins (available at this event before they went on sale to the general public).
Pins include DVC and Annual Passholder offerings. (Photo by Julia Mascardo)
Holiday Crafts: Located near the back (away from the stage) is the kids’ craft areas. There are several offerings to make your own ornament or items to color and decorate. If you’re running short on time, you can pick up a craft or two and take them with you.
Food and Drink: Unlimited offerings of apple cider, ice water, and hot chocolate are available, and your voucher gets you one “coated crisped rice treat”.
Here’s a few tips to make the most of your visit:
If you know that you want to meet Mickey and Minnie, that needs to be your first stop once you enter the World Showplace. Once you receive your vouchers for your free treat and entry into the drawing for the DVC gift basket, proceed right to the line for Mickey and Minnie. (You can fill out your prize drawing slips while you wait in line and drop them off on your way out. The drawing happens after the end of the event, so there’s no rush to get the slips into the hopper.) Lines for them will be longer than any other character, and they will shut the lines early.
Once you’ve finished with Mickey and Minnie, if you want to do other character meet and greets, proceed to whichever line is shortest, perhaps grabbing your free food and drink on the way.
At that point, stop by the merchandise area if you want to purchase limited edition pins or other holiday items, stop by the kids’ craft area, grab some drink (and your free treat if you haven’t already), and enjoy the fun on the dance floor. There are some neat prizes for the kids on the dance floor in games like hula hoop contests or Simon Says, so if you have kids and don’t feel the need for character meet and greets, those are a lot of fun.
On your way out, make sure to drop your raffle ticket into the hopper for a chance to win a DVC gift basket and then stop at the exit to get your free ornament. This year’s ornament is a train, and one is available per family. It is a great collectible, and you can’t beat the (lack of) price.
The 2014 DVC Merry Member Mixer ornament. (Photo by Julia Mascardo)
Merry Member Mixers are scheduled from 3 to 5 PM in the World Showplace (located between Canada and the United Kingdom). Dates for this year are:
Monday, November 24, 2014
Monday, December 1, 2014
Monday, December 15, 2014
Monday, December 22, 2014
A valid theme park ticket is required for admission to Epcot, and you need a DVC member card to bring in up to 6 guests, but no advance reservations are required.
The World Showplace is all decked out for the holidays. (Photo by Julia Mascardo)
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Thanksgiving on the Disney Wonder and Castaway Cay
Let’s clear something up right away. If you’re caught up on the TouringPlans blog, or follow us on Twitter, you already know that the Bloom family won Thanksgiving. We’re all just battling for second place at this point.
This Thanksgiving, Len Testa and I were on a 5-night Western Caribbean Disney cruise on the Wonder. To be honest, cruising wasn’t my first choice for celebrating. My intent was always to spend the holiday in Palm Springs. Unfortunately, no one else in the family was keen on it, and airfare to California from North Carolina never dropped to within my comfort level. So with two weeks to spare, and having eliminated a few other options, I found restricted rates* on the Wonder for the 23rd to the 28th. This met my needs of warm weather, not having to cook, and price, so after finding favorable airfare, I booked it.
The atrium of the DCL Wonder decked out for Christmas in November. Photo – Laurel Stewart
So how is Thanksgiving on the cruise ship? Well, like it is pretty much everywhere else these days, Thanksgiving is swallowed by Christmas. Disney Cruise Line began their “Very Merrytime Sailings” the first week of November, much as Magic Kingdom had its first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party pretty much as soon as the Halloween decorations came down. Wow, Merrytime. I just now got that.
From the loop of Christmas music playing in the Miami port before we boarded, to the tree-lighting ceremony the first night, this was a Christmas cruise that happened to include Thanksgiving. Did I mind? Not really. Crowds were light on the ship and the cruise was very relaxing. We spent Thanksgiving day on Castaway Cay, which was nice. It meant we were able to run the Castaway Cay 5K as our traditional Turkey Trot.
Disney decorates Castaway Cay for the holidays. Photo – Laurel Stewart
The weather in the Caribbean was pleasant. Our five night itinerary had 2 stops – Castaway Cay and Cozumel – and two sea days. We caught the tail end of the weather that pounded the Northeast on Wednesday. It was windy enough that Disney drained the pools to keep the water from sloshing up on the deck. The wind and rain lasted right up until we docked (slightly late) at Castaway Cay on Thursday. Then everything cleared up. It was still very windy, and all the port excursions on the island were canceled that day. Serenity Bay, the adult beach, which has no breakwater, was particularly breezy, and I’ve never seen so few people there. When we arrived after the race, there weren’t more than 7 or 8 people out on the sand. By lunch time, maybe 20 guests were at Air BBQ to enjoy the freshly grilled meal.
After lunch, Len and I headed to the family beach to enjoy some time in water without worrying about being dragged out to sea by the current. Our big discovery on the island is that Disney has added two new flavors to its soft serve line up. In addition to the usual chocolate-vanilla and strawberry-banana machines, Cookie’s 2 switched the strawberry for pineapple, and Cookie’s BBQ subbed blueberry.
After swimming, we headed back to the ship to freshen up. All afternoon, on the ship, football games were broadcast on both the Funnel Vision screen on the pool deck and in Diversions. Other than the games, the only thing we noticed out of the ordinary was that Pinocchio’s Pizzeria was serving soft pretzels (both cinnamon sugar and regular salted) during the games, something we didn’t see any other time during the cruise. By the way, they were great. I hope they’re a permanent addition to the menu. We were hoping to see the characters dressed as pilgrims that night, but didn’t. That was a little disappointing because it would have been a good photo op.
So here’s the question, you’re all asking – what does Disney Cruise Line serve on Thanksgiving? Each of the main dining rooms served the same menu, which replaced the usual last night of the cruise menu. Here it is:
Appetizers:
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Potted Chicken Liver Paté
Virginia Ham and White Cheddar Croquettes
Thanksgiving Seafood Sampler (Marinated Shrimp, Alaskan King Crab, and Smoked Salmon with Cocktail Sauce, Aioli, and Lemon)
Soups and Salads:
Pumpkin Soup with Creole Lobster
Harvest Corn Chowder
Baby Gem Lettuce Salad
Carrot, Yellow and Red Beet Salad
Entrees:
Bacon-wrapped Chesapeake Bay Cod
Veal Loin topped with Crab and Béarnaise Sauce
Pumpkin and Mascarpone Ravioli
Governor Bradford’s Roasted Turkey with Stuffing, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables and Cranberry Sauce
Standing Rib Roast
Vegetarian Entrees:
Pumpkin Curry with Brown Lentils and Apples with Basmati Rice
Pretzel and Cashew Crusted Tofu with Sweet Onion Chutney
Lighter Entrees:
Honey-glazed Duck Breast
Sirloin Steak
Roasted Chicken Breast
Baked Salmon
Desserts:
Apple Pie a la Mode
Pilgrim’s Pumpkin Cheesecake
American Peanut Butter Fudge Pie
Thanksgiving Thursday Sundae (Rocky Road, Whipped Cream, Walnuts, and Chocolate Sauce)
Bread Service:
Cornbread with Chive Sour Cream Dip
Specialty Cocktails:
Pumpkin Spice- Vodka, Kahlua, Bailey’s, Cream, Cinnamon, and Pumpkin Syrup
Rock Gobler – Jack Daniel’s Chambord, Amaretto, and Cranberry Juice
Turkey’s Trot – Pina Colada mix, Mango Puree, Pumpkin Syrup, Grapefruit and Pineapple Juice (non-alcoholic)
As you can see, this is a basic cruise menu with some turkey and a few items that have been renamed for the evening. I’m still unclear on what made the seafood sampler “Thanksgiving.” I guess people on cruises are always thankful for crab legs. How did it taste? Well, we ate at Palo that night. We had done dinner and brunch earlier in the cruise and asked if anything special was planned for Palo. The staff considered it, but it turned out that so few people booked Palo dinner that night that your Thanksgiving option was for them to bring up something from the downstairs kitchen and reheat it. We opted not to try that and stuck to the regular Palo menu. Thanksgiving night (and Christmas and New Year’s Eve nights too, according to our server) tends to be very lightly booked for adult dining. The reasoning is that apparently some families like to be together on Thanksgiving. Unfettered by that sentiment, Len and I thoroughly enjoyed our quiet meal. In fact, we never ate in the main dining room the entire cruise and chose room service and snacks from the pool deck the other nights we didn’t eat at Palo.
Cruising was a great way to celebrate Thanksgiving for us. It was absolutely stress free and relaxing. But I’m still holding out for Palm Springs next year, Len.
If you’re considering a Thanksgiving cruise for 2015, your choices are:
Disney Magic – 4-night Bahamas – November 25 – 29, 2015 ( departs Miami) – on Castaway Cay on Thanksgiving Day
Disney Wonder – 7-night Caribbean – November 20 – 27, 2015 (departs Galveston) – at sea on Thanksgiving Day
Disney Dream – 4-night Bahamas- November 23 – 27, 2015 (departs Port Canaveral) – at sea on Thanksgiving Day
Disney Fantasy – 7 night Eastern Caribbean (departs Port Canaveral) – at sea on Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving falls on November 26 in 2015. All itineraries are subject to change.
Have you ever spent a holiday on Disney Cruise Line? What did you think?
*Restricted rates are categories IGT (inside), OGT (outside), and VGT (verandah) sold at a discount at the last minute to fill otherwise unbooked staterooms. They are non-refundable, non-transferable, and must be paid in full at the time of booking. You are assigned a stateroom in the category booked usually around five days before sailing. If you are flexible and can travel on short-ish notice, we love these discounts.
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Enjoying Disney World While Pregnant
While five months pregnant with our baby girl, my husband and I decided to celebrate with a “baby moon” at Walt Disney World in July 2013. I was nervous at first, but quickly realized there are so many ways to enjoy Disney with a baby bump!
Note: Make sure you check with your doctor before embarking on your Disney vacation. Ask about any restrictions and advice they may have. Your health and safety comes first!
Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!
I can’t stress this one enough. Florida, especially in the Summer, is HOT (well, hot for this Minnesota native), so it is imperative to make sure you’re drinking enough water. Whenever you see a water fountain, take a drink! Carry a water bottle with you at all times. Ask your wonderful husband or partner to “spring” (pun intended) for a cold bottle of water available all around the parks. Getting enough H2O is crucial for you and your little one.
Take your time
Listen to your body. This is not a time to push hard all day as you normally would. If your feet or back ache, take a rest. Disney World is awesome for people watching, so take advantage of those benches, walls and quick service seating. If you’re sitting close to a food cart, grab a yummy snack, such as popcorn or a Mickey bar. You’re on vacation, after all! There is no rush to see and do everything. Think of it this way, missing out on a few experiences this trip will give you the excuse to come back again.
Enjoy a Siesta (Yes, here I go talking about siestas again)
Growing a human is hard work! I remember being completely exhausted after walking around for only a few hours in the hot sun. Michael (the husband) knew that if I wanted to be lucid for the fireworks (my favorite part!), I would have to leave the parks to rest. So every afternoon, we would retreat back to Port Orleans – French Quarter for a few hours. We would cool off, I would nap and we would head back to the parks that evening. Seriously, please take the time to nap. Your body will thank you!
Head over to Downtown Disney for some “retail therapy”
The Disney Springs renovation will be completed before you know it! Take advantage of the amazing shopping opportunities and purchase an adorable outfit for your future Mickey or Minnie. There are great places to eat too, particularly if you’re eating for two. After catching a flick at the AMC Movie Theatre (Big Hero 6 anyone?), you can satisfy the ice cream and pickle cravings by stopping at Ghiradelli or Haagen-Dazs – but BYOP (bring your own pickle).
Cool off on the attractions
There are so many baby bump-friendly attractions to cool down on. My favorite was the Carousel of Progress. It was the perfect length of time to rest and bask in the heavenly air conditioning. (Insider’s Tip: Sit in the back so you have something to lean your head on!) Other honorable mentions include Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth and Mickey’s PhiharMagic. That was really Magic Kingdom heavy, wasn’t it? Comment on your favorite pregnancy-approved attractions from the other parks! Also, consider purchasing a cooling mist fan. It’s essentially a spray bottle with a fan at the spout. It will definitely come in handy while waiting in line outdoors!
Lounge by the pool
Make sure you pack that maternity swimsuit! We had only bought a three-day park hopper, so our last day was spent at the pool. We sat in the shade and read, enjoyed a swim, relaxed in the hot tub (feet ONLY all you mommies to be!) and listened to the relaxing sound of Jazz music playing through the overhead speakers. Oh, and if you stay at French Quarter like we did, don’t forget to grab a beignet or two. The baby (and your stomach) will beg you for more!
Take a trip around the world!
We made good use of Epcot while we were there. Though limited on some attractions, such as Soarin’ and Test Track, there is much to see and do when you have 12 countries to explore. We ate pizza at Via Napoli and had a romantic dinner at Les Chefs de France. (I was obviously pregnant as all I focused on was the food!) Epcot was a life saver because I never once felt deprived of the thrill attractions. Each country had plenty to keep me busy.
Fireworks
IllumiNations, Wishes, Fantasmic. Nothing compares to a day ending in a show of fireworks, especially during this holiday season. I tear up every time I watch IllumiNations. Being with child during this trip, I was downright sobbing. Silly hormones. Get there early, find a seat and cozy up to your partner while enjoying the exciting and romantic thrills of the fireworks. Mom tested, belly approved.
Enjoy the atmosphere
The biggest reason I go to Disney World is the atmosphere. There was no better feeling than the moment I walked into Magic Kingdom. Those familiar butterflies fluttered in my stomach (competing with the baby kicks of course) as I inhaled the scent of sweet delicacies featured along Main Street, U.S.A., and witnessed the true majesty that is Cinderella Castle. Appreciating my surroundings erased my pregnancy jitters and allowed me to live in the moment at the happiest place on earth.
Every woman is a Princess at Disney
Just because you’re a mommy/to-be doesn’t mean you don’t deserve to be treated like royalty. Don’t hesitate to spoil yourself a little. Book a pedicure (let’s face it, we can’t exactly do it ourselves at 7-8 months along) or massage at one of the spas on Disney property. Buy yourself a special pair of Mickey earrings. Splurge on a fancy dinner with the love of your life. This is an incredibly special time in your life. Enjoy it at Walt Disney World.
Have you traveled to Disney while pregnant? What tips do you have for us? Share them in the comments!
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November 29, 2014
New Lines App Feature Adds Attractions to Park Touring Plans
By Len Testa
Now you can add an attraction to your Disney and Universal touring plans while reading the ride’s description in our Lines mobile app.
We’ve updated the attraction pages to show whether the attraction is already included in a touring plan. A new button on the page allows you to add the attraction to a touring plan:
On the next screen, you’ll choose whether to add the attraction to an existing touring plan or new plan. If the attraction is already a part of a plan, you’ll have the option to add or subtract multiple rides:
Another new feature shows our rating of the attraction, and asks for your rating after you’ve been on:
These new features should make it easier to create touring plans in Lines.
The next set of Lines updates will include these features:
“Evaluate” a plan without changing the order of the steps. This is already part of our desktop touring plan software.
Move steps up or down within a plan. Currently available on the desktop but not mobile, you’ll be able to swap rides around your plan using your phone or tablet.
These features should be available within a couple of weeks.
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