Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1168
November 11, 2014
Universal Orlando Resort Crowd Report – November 2 to 8, 2014
Last week was the slowest week at Universal Orlando Resort since early September. We saw crowd levels less than ’5′ all week at both parks. Our estimates were consistently a level or two too high which tells us that attendance may be down at the resort, a good sign for guests who want to visit in November without experiencing significant crowds.
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
5
3
Drastically lower wait times than expected on Sunday, at both parks although we did see some significant waits at certain attractions like 64 minutes at Flight of the Hippogriff and 55 minutes at Despicable Me.
Islands of Adventure
5
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
3
4
Similar wait times across the resort on Monday including 27 minutes at Rip Ride Rockit and 21 at Dudley Do Right’s Ripsaw Falls.
Islands of Adventure
4
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
5
4
Tuesdays wait times were more like Monday than Sunday, with wait times such as 16 minutes at The Simpsons Ride and 26 minutes at Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
Islands of Adventure
5
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
2
Wednesday was the only day of the week where our estimates hit the mark at both parks. Guests choosing to visit Universal Resort last week experienced low wait times no matter what day they chose.
Islands of Adventure
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
3
2
More ’2′s and ’1′s on Thursday with low wait times across both parks. Predictions did well again with none missing by more than 8 minutes at either park.
Islands of Adventure
3
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
3
2
Third day in a row of level ’2′ at Universal Studios and ’1′ at Islands of Adventure although we predicted higher waits at both parks. Our biggest over-prediction was 42 minutes at Flight of the Hippogriff – the actual average was only 9 minutes.
Islands of Adventure
4
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
4
4
Saturday brought the largest crowd at Universal Studios since Tuesday although at a level ’4′ the crowds were still quite manageable.
Islands of Adventure
4
2
What to Expect This Week
November 9 to November 15, 2014
How Crowded is Universal Orlando Resort?
November crowds at Universal Orlando Resort will be low to moderate until we reach the peak Thanksgiving week. Enjoy the low crowds at both parks any day of the week.
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 – November 2 to 8, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
10 Things to Know about Concierge Staterooms on Disney Cruise Line
Upgrading from your usual category stateroom is a dangerous game. You start off on your first cruise in an inside room thinking, “I’m just happy to be on the ship! How much time will I spend in my room anyway?” On your next cruise, you upgrade to an oceanview for one cruise and realize you can’t ever go back to a room where there are no real windows. Then, just once, you decide to splurge for a verandah—and now you never want the terrible inconvenience of walking up a few decks to be outside in the glorious ocean air. Well, let me tell you those upgrades were but a hop compared to the Grand Canyon jump that is concierge. After my recent sailing in a one-bedroom suite on the Dream (all the suites are “concierge” on Disney Cruise Line), I’m pretty sure I’m going to feel like I’m sailing in a closet in my oceanview stateroom on my upcoming Thanksgiving cruise!
Recently, I was lucky enough to split the cost of a one-bedroom suite on the Disney Dream with a friend on a 4-night, off-season cruise, and my cost wasn’t ridiculous. There are times when the additional cost has passed ridiculous and found full-blown disbelief. Price out the Roy Disney Suite on a longer summer cruise and you’ll be convinced there must be a typo or horrible glitch in the system. No one really pays that right? Actually they do. Concierge sells out all the time. There are reasons it costs more though. And for some people, it’s worth it.
1. Embarkation Day is Super Smooth – For those of you that are frustrated by picking arrival times to the port, you may like to know that concierge guests do not pick an arrival time, they can arrive at their leisure. Once there, they also have a separate check-in with minimal to no waits. After concierge guests check in, they are welcomed into a separate lounge reserved just for them while awaiting boarding. When the ship is cleared, before boarding numbers begin to be called, the concierge guests are led through a side door and up the gangway. When we boarded the Dream, we took our boarding picture quickly and were literally the first guests onboard the ship. The concierge guests gather in an empty lobby and are then escorted upstairs to the concierge lounge on Deck 12 by one of the concierge hosts. They are met there by some of the ship’s officers and the rest of the concierge team. There are snacks and drinks (both non-alcoholic and fully alcoholic), and the concierge hosts meet with each family to go over everything they have booked beforehand to see if they would like to add anything. It’s quite the luxurious way to start a cruise.
2. There’s a Concierge Lounge on the Dream and the Fantasy – The lounge on the Dream and the Fantasy is open from 7 am to 10 pm. There are snacks several times a day, a continental breakfast, fruit, unlimited canned sodas, specialty coffees, teas, and hot chocolate. A host is always in the lounge seemingly waiting for you to come in and ask for something. There’s no waiting in line at guest services for concierge guests since the concierge host in the lounge can print your bills, schedule tastings, just about anything guest services can do! There’s a cocktail reception every night with snacks and complimentary drinks. The lounge is a great place to unwind and feel pampered. Sadly, there isn’t a concierge lounge on the classic ships, and I say “sadly” because the lounge is quite the benefit. Instead, on the Magic and the Wonder, there is a concierge welcome reception held in one of the nightclubs.
3. Ability to Book Onboard Activities Early – Concierge guests’ booking window for onboard activities technically opens at the same time as Platinum Castaway Club Guests (those who have sailed more than 10 times before), but in reality, shore-side concierge grabs things before they are released online (What is shore-side concierge you ask? They are the superb staff guests have access to as soon as a concierge room is booked.) While this will still leave plenty of availability for most activities, it’s made it all but impossible for non-concierge guests to get one thing in very high demand – a cabana on Castaway Cay. Like it or not, if you want a cabana, sailing concierge is about the only way to mostly ensure that will happen. Even if you don’t want a cabana, sending the concierge team a list of all excursions, adult-only restaurant reservations, spa treatments, and anything else that you would like at approximately 125 days before your cruise, is greatly preferable to staying up until midnight and frantically booking everything yourself online when your booking window opens. Instead you can sleep and, in all likelihood, wake up to an email from shore-side concierge letting you know that everything is booked and taken care of.
4. Incredible Rooms – While the rooms vary between the Magic/Wonder and the Dream/Fantasy, all concierge rooms are nice. On the Magic and the Wonder, all concierge rooms are suites. On the Dream and the Fantasy, there is a category (Category V) where the room is basically the same size as the regular Category 4 – Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah – that sleeps up to 5. The decorations and colors are different, but the layout is the same. On all four ships, the suites however are like a whole new world. They’re beautiful and spacious. The size of the Category T – Concierge One Bedroom suite with Verandah – on the Dream had me grinning like a little girl. I think I said at least 10 times in the first hour, “Oh my word this is huge.” Our suite had two full bathrooms, a dining room, vanity with a bench seat, desk and 3 TVs. Three. The tub was bigger than the entire bathroom my tub was in on the Wonder. I cannot express enough how much room we had and how gorgeous the room was.
5. Concierge Sundeck – On the Dream and the Fantasy, Disney created a private sundeck with large, comfy lounge chairs. It’s accessible from Deck 13 with a concierge Key to the World card, or directly from the concierge lounge. It’s very quiet and chairs are plentiful. The only thing that would make it better would be a water feature, but for those whose main desire is just to lay out, the concierge sundeck is perfect.
6. More Free Internet – Lately Disney has been giving all staterooms 50mb of free data to use onboard as long as you sign up on the first day. If you are staying in concierge you will get an additional 100mb. If you are staying in one of the category R – Concierge Royal Suites, you will get unlimited internet. Pro tip: sign up right away for your free data when you are sailing DCL, but make sure immediately sign out so you don’t use it up at the embarkation port when you almost certainly still have good cell service!
7. Special Character Meets – On many sailings, there will be a special meet and greet with a “Disney Friend”. Characters have been known to pop in to other concierge receptions from time to time as well. Semi-private character meet and greets are nothing to sneeze at!
8. Special Dining Opportunities – Guests staying in concierge rooms with a dining table (all concierge rooms except category V on the Dream and the Fantasy) have the option of having dinner from any of the main dining rooms delivered to their room. If you feel like sitting in your room and eating dinner in your pj’s, but don’t want to miss out on, say, the pirate menu, here’s your chance! Guests staying in the Royal suites can even order Palo into their rooms! Chocolate Soufflé, in your room. I might never leave. Concierge guests can also order breakfast from room service on the last morning. For everyone else, room service closes at 1:30 am the last night.
9. Whole Other Level of Service – If you’ve been on a Disney cruise, you were probably amazed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the crew. Well I’m here to tell you, the concierge crew is a whole ‘nutha level (HNL as my family calls it). They will blow you away. Every time we stepped into the lounge they greeted us by name and sat down to talk to us. One took his time helping me figure out why I was blowing through my internet data. Another was worried we would be late for our parasailing excursion and called a golf cart to give us a ride to the meeting place. I could not be more impressed by them and their helpfulness.
10. Parting Gift – There aren’t any guarantees here, but let’s just say it would be unusual to disembark without a parting gift from the concierge team. We got a great Don “Ducky” Williams print that’s personalized for concierge guests.
If you have the means and you are asking if it’s worth it, do it. What’s worth it to one will not be to another, but if you can afford it, it’s absolutely worth a try. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Just remember, you run the risk of never wanting to sail again in a normal stateroom!
Have you sailed concierge? Was it worth it to you?
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10 Things to Know about Concierge Staterooms on Disney Cruise Line 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 – November 2 to 8, 2014
Our predictions did well again last week with wait times that peaked on Sunday and Saturday with a significant dip in between. Wait times were very low on Wednesday at both parks, the slowest day since early September.
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
6
Sunday was a big indication that Disney California Adventure wait times would be lower than expected last week. Despite hosting Early Entry, wait times came in 10 to 15 minutes lower than typical for a Sunday in November.
Disney California Adventure
7
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
4
Our predictions bounded back on Monday with both parks hitting the mark. Attraction wait times at both parks stayed within a few minutes of what we predicted.
Disney California Adventure
4
4
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
4
Another slow day at Disney California Adventure on Tuesday with wait times like 16 minutes at Soarin’ Over California (predicted 10) and 47 at Radiator Springs Racers (57).
Disney California Adventure
4
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
2
1
Wednesday brought the lowest crowds at each park since early September. The only significant wait times were at Alice in Wonderland (24 minutes, predicted 22) and Peter Pan’s Flight (28, predicted 29).
Disney California Adventure
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
3
4
Another crowd level ’1′ at Disney California Adventure on Thursday while Disneyland Park crowds rose a few points from the day before. Still, wait times were low like 5 minutes at Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and 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
4
3
Weekends in fall usually see larger crowds but Friday’s wait times stayed below average at both parks. We saw average posted times like 16 minutes at it’s a small world and 7 at California Screamin’.
Disney California Adventure
4
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
5
6
Saturday’s ’6′ at Disneyland Park matched the peak of the week that we saw on the previous Sunday. Still, wait times were manageable at both parks with average posted times that were within a few minutes of what we predicted.
Disney California Adventure
4
3
What to Expect This Week
November 9 to 15, 2014
How Crowded is Disneyland Park?
Beware of crowds surrounding the Avengers Half Marathon Weekend next weekend although we expect wait times at the parks to be stable.
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 2 to 8, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Honoring America’s Veterans: Flag Retreat Ceremony
By Amy Farkas
Visiting the Disney parks, Walt Disney World and Disneyland, is a quintessentially American experience. Even though the parks have expanded beyond the United States, and attract guests from around the world, they are still, to quote a popular attraction, “a tribute to all nations, but mostly America.”
When Walt Disney first dreamed of Disneyland, he knew the spirit of America had to be represented. “Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America… with hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to the world.” Even after 59 years, this quote is still true.
Walt at Disneyland’s opening day Flag Retreat. photo courtesy of Susan Emslie via Facebook
In this spirit, Disneyland and Walt Disney World have a daily Flag Retreat Ceremony. It generally takes place at dusk (5pm in WDW) at the flag in the center of Town Square. An honorary veteran(s) is/are chosen to participate from that day’s visiting guests. It is a very moving ceremony that has quite a large group of followers. The Disneyland Flag retreat even has its own Facebook page, which honors the ceremony, the veterans, and the resident guard in charge of lowering the flag.
My Flag Retreat Experience
This year I traveled to Walt Disney World fell over the Memorial Day holiday. My husband and I decorated our resort room’s window that morning with red, white, and blue and then headed over to Magic Kingdom dressed in our patriotic T-shirts. Our goal for the day was to thank as many veterans as we could identify.
As it was nearing 4pm, we made our way towards the train station to have a bird’s eye view of the Flag Retreat below in Town Square. Just before we reached the end of Main Street, a group was gathered watching the Dapper Dans. We stopped to listen a few minutes and noticed a veteran in a scooter near where we were standing. As the crowd started to break, we walked over and thanked him for his service and all that he had done for our country, and then proceeded to the train station for those coveted seats.
At this time of the day, as the sun beat down, all of the tables were empty so we chose one right in the middle of the platform near the railing. The view looked straight down Main Street with Cinderella Castle in the background, which allowed for excellent photo opportunities. The closer it got to time for the Flag Retreat, the more the crowd gathered below.
Just before 5pm Cast Members approached and asked us to step to the side as the Main Street Philharmonic band came up the steps and began the ceremony by playing “America the Beautiful.” They then marched back down the steps, and we were able to take our spots again.
It was then that I noticed him, the last veteran we had thanked. He had taken his place, on shaky legs, near the flag detail. He was the special guest that we were there to honor this day; the veteran chosen to take part in the Flag Retreat. The ceremony proceeded, we recited the Pledge, we sang our national anthem with hands on hearts, we watched solemnly as the flag was being lowered, and then watched it precisely folded into its triangle as the Dapper Dans lead us all in singing God Bless America. Then they turned, and handed the flag to “our veteran”.
Lowering the flag on Memorial Day 2013 at Magic Kingdom.
I welled up. “Our veteran”, whom we had shared a brief moment with as he sat in his scooter, was now standing proudly, saluting, and holding that beautiful folded flag, as we honored the true meaning of Memorial Day; the veterans whom sacrificed, the country they fought for, and all the possibilities of this nation.
I thought of my father, my grandfather, and all those that this day was meant for. We stood and watched then as the procession formed. The Walt Disney World guard detail and the honorary veteran of the day, along with Cast Members, other guests, and the Main Street Philharmonic band marched down Main Street towards the castle. I wondered if this was Walt’s intention 59 years ago when he started this touching ceremony at Disneyland. And to that I say, Thank You Walt.
You Tube: Flag Retreat at the Magic Kingdom as posted by UndercoverTourist
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Honoring America’s Veterans: Flag Retreat Ceremony 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 – November 2 to 8, 2014
Last week crowds peaked in the first half of the week and settled in the second half. Crowds spiked around special events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Epcot’s Food & Wine Half Marathon. Like the week before we witnessed some unexpected closures at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Great Movie Ride which may have affected wait times at Disney Hollywood Studios.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week on the 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
6
6
Disney Hollywood Studios saw wait times at two attractions exceed normal ranges for a Sunday in November. Great Movie Ride averaged a posted time of 30 minutes (predicted 19) while Toy Story Midway Mania averaged 93 minutes (predicted 69). Elsewhere around the resort wait times fell within a few minutes of what we predicted.
Epcot
6
5
Hollywood Studios
5
8
Animal Kingdom
7
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
7
Three of the four parks reached a crowd level ’7′ on our scale on Monday. Wait times at Epcot were the surprise of the day with rides like Living with the Land reaching an average posted time of 17 minutes (predicted 10), and Spaceship Earth reaching a 27-minute average (predicted 17), very high for those attractions.
Epcot
4
7
Hollywood Studios
5
7
Animal Kingdom
5
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
4
Tuesday brought a distinct contrast to Sunday and Monday with three parks hitting only a level ’4′. The average wait times at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror were both in the 30s.
Epcot
5
5
Hollywood Studios
6
4
Animal Kingdom
4
4
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
3
Wait times continued to stay lower on Wednesday than the earlier part of the week. We had our only crowd level ’1′ of the week at Animal Kingdom where all attractions had posted wait time averages less than 20 minutes.
Epcot
4
5
Hollywood Studios
5
5
Animal Kingdom
3
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
6
Extra Magic Hour morning at Magic Kingdom brought that park to a level ’6′, the highest of the day. Our predictions did well with all Magic Kingdom attractions coming within one or two points on our scale.
Epcot
5
5
Hollywood Studios
5
3
Animal Kingdom
4
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
4
3
Friday’s calendar included a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend and Jersey Week. Although, wait times stayed within normal ranges for early November including 59 minutes at Soarin’ (predicted 69) and 65 at Test Track (predicted 61).
Epcot
5
5
Hollywood Studios
5
6
Animal Kingdom
5
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
4
6
Weekends in the fall are usually the busiest day of the week but no park hit a level above ’6′ on our scale on Saturday, not as busy as Monday. Magic Kingdom wait times slid slightly higher than expected, 32 minutes at Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion (predicted 28).
Epcot
4
4
Hollywood Studios
6
6
Animal Kingdom
5
6
What to Expect This Week
November 9 to 15, 2014
How Crowded is Walt Disney World?
Mid-November brings moderate crowds across the resort. Once you manage your schedule around Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party schedule at Magic Kingdom, your itinerary becomes much easier to plan.
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 2 to 8, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
November 10, 2014
Additions and Subtractions To 2014′s A Christmas Fantasy Parade at Disneyland
A Christmas Fantasy Parade at Disneyland has seen dozens of changes in its 20-year run (yes, 20 years!), and this year is no different. The biggest change this year is the addition of Anna and Elsa from the movie Frozen. The parade’s theme song, which some describe as “classic” and others describe as “incredibly annoying,” remains the same. No matter how you feel about the parade, it is still very popular, and masses of people line up for their chance to see it. A Christmas Fantasy is currently scheduled for two performances on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and one performance Monday through Thursday. Check the times guide or our Lines app for showtimes.
Before continuing with the pictures we have HD video of a full recording of this year’s parade:
Changes:
Anna and Elsa from Frozen have taken over Mickey and Minnie’s old ice skating float. This is the same float that appears in the strangely titled Soundsational Pre Parade during non-Christmas months.
That means Mickey and Minnie have been moved to Mrs. Claus’ old parade float. Because of this, Mrs. Claus has been removed from the parade. They also threw Duffy on top of this float. This is now the only way to see Duffy in Disneyland Resort; earlier this year his meet and greet was permanently removed from Disney California Adventure.
The rollerskating snow flake girls have had their snow flakes removed. I guess it’s time to think of a different name for them.
Other Pictures:
The rest of the parade remains the same, including the opening float and toy soldiers.
Clarabelle leading her gang of bakers and gingerbread men.
Goofy and Pluto on the gingerbread house float.
The princess float. Have you ever noticed that Snow White always has to walk in Disney parades? Off the top of my head I can think of four parades where she walks while other princesses stand on a float: A Christmas Fantasy, Main Street Electrical Parade, Happiness is Here, and Festival of Fantasy. Are there any others?
Santa’s reindeer.
Santa Claus’ float. Did you know that if you watch the parade after Christmas you will see Santa out of his familiar red and white suit? He will instead be relaxing in a pajama robe.
And finally, Santa’s helpers.
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Additions and Subtractions To 2014′s A Christmas Fantasy Parade at Disneyland is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Menu Monday: Appetizers for Dinner at California Grill
Sunset over the Seven Seas Lagoon from California Grill — perhaps just as impressive as the Magic Kingdom fireworks view.
Since its opening, Disney’s Contemporary Resort has always featured fine dining on its 15th (top) floor. At one time, the space was the Top of the World restaurant which had entertainment and dancing. These days, it’s California Grill, and is at the top of many Disney diner’s lists. The restaurant is not just popular for its panoramic views of the Magic Kingdom, surrounding resorts, and the nightly fireworks show. California Grill’s menu features one of the more interesting selections at Disney World including some of the best sushi to be found at the resort, a notable wine list, and a show kitchen that gives the dining room a nice energy.
Very much in demand, California Grill can–and does–command some high prices for its meals. Entrees start at $35 (for the potato gnocchi) and quickly make the jump to $50 (for the bison tenderloin).
What we found while scanning the menu, though, was just what we had found at Carthay Circle a few months ago–the really interesting flavors seemed to be on the appetizer menu. As nice as roast chicken is, I make it all the time. And bison tenderloin sounds great, though hardly unique, but I’ve never seen bison “summer sausage chorizo” on a menu in my life. Before this night, that is. Reservations made, we spent the next six months getting very excited for an evening of drinks, fireworks, and an array of appetizers for dinner at California Grill.
When you’re setting off to California Grill for dinner, be ready for a few steps along the way. The first step is stopping off at the second floor check-in desk, where your reservation is confirmed and you are whisked up to the 15th floor in a dedicated elevator. The second step is checking in at the podium in the restaurant itself, where you pick up your buzzer to alert you that your table is ready. And the third step, depending on your thirst level, is either to go to the bar and let the talented bartenders work their magic, or head straight outside for the view.
We’d just had a drink downstairs, so we opted for the latter. It was a purple and orange dusk over the Seven Seas Lagoon, and I was almost sorry when the buzzer started leaping around.
After chatting with a friend over drinks, we ordered an array of appetizers. Our server was very patient as we took about half an hour to gab, get up and take pictures, walk on the observation deck, etc., before ordering anything, but he did wait until we ordered food to bring us the bread basket! Sourdough rolls and focaccia, with lavender butter, tided us over while we watched the flames leaping in the nearby show kitchen, and plate after plate of picture-perfect food was borne away by a seemingly endless supply of wait staff.
When our own food arrived, there was a minor delay while we hastened to clear enough space for all the plates. Once it was all spread before us, he gave us a grin. “I’m jealous. Those are good choices,” he said, before leaving us to it.
Heirloom Tomato BLT Flatbread: light and fresh.
I began with the Heirloom Tomato BLT Flatbread ($16.00) because it looked like it would get soggy if it wasn’t consumed immediately (and, yes, it will). Disney is pretty good at flatbreads, and the light lemon mayonnaise and fresh romaine really made this a summery little appetizer. But once I had gotten into the more savory dishes on the table, subsequent bites lost their appeal. I’d order this again with a white wine at the bar, not as part of a meal.
The Wood-roasted Mussels with house bacon, tomato broth, and hearth-baked brick bread very quickly became everyone’s focus. At $18.00, this was a steal; there were plenty of mussels to make a handsome meal for one person. The bread was rustic, flat and wood-charred, and soaked up the juices and gravy from the mussels beautifully. To our regret, once we had nothing left but a pile of shells, we discovered just how much broth was left. Next time, we’re saving bread for that curry-spiced soup underneath the mussels.
Looking rather pitiful next to the tower of mussels, the Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli in its pool of tomato-fennel broth ($15.00) seemed disappointing at first glance. Sure, it was a giant ravioli, but just one ravioli? One bite revealed that one ravioli was plenty. All that potent goat cheese within had more flavor than most people eat in a week. With just a little tomato broth to counter its pungency, this giant ravioli was perfectly balanced and delicious.
Mussels and Meatballs jostle for position on a crowded table.
With many of the dishes, the accompaniments were as outstanding as the main entree. The Three-Meat Signature Meatballs ($16.00) were no exception; the meatballs were fantastic, but the bed of piquillo pepper and parmesan grits they were served upon had us practically licking the plate. Rich, savory, creamy grits are hard to come by, and these were perfect.
California Grill’s 2014 reboot included adding house charcuterie to the menu. Inventively cured meats might seem like they’re for the adventurous eater only, but if you haven’t tried a charcuterie plate yet, let California Grill show you the way. The House-made Charcuterie ($18.00) is served chilled, on a wooden board, with a rack of thin crispy toast alongside. The Bison Summer Sausage Chorizo was my personal favorite, spicy, rich, and smoky. Other diners loved the duck liver pate best, “whipped light and airy” as the menu says, and outstanding with the thin toast. The Pork Belly Rillettes received “most unusual” for being shredded pork belly that was somehow whipped with duck confit and duck fat, turning it into a spread. Accompaniments were equally thoughtful: Orange-Honey Picnic Ham was accented with house-made pickles and dijon mustard; the Lamb Marguez sausages got a sweet kick with the Tomato-Harissa Jam.
The bold flavors of the charcuterie board and the Goat Cheese Ravioli were both pleasant surprises.
From the sea of dishes that covered our table, we ate until we couldn’t eat any more, looked at the dessert list with some regret, and abandoned our table in time to grab a good spot on the observation deck for Hallowishes. But my mind was more on the incredible meal I’d just had than the fireworks display–and on the final check.
For a family of three (two adults, and one ten-year-old with a pretty substantial appetite), the food-only check came in under $90. We’d spent a very long time at our table (it was a 7 PM reservation, and Hallowishes was at 9:45 PM), so even with a few drinks and a substantial tip for the wonderfully accommodating server, California Grill served us gourmet food in an incomparable location, including entertainment if you count the fireworks, for less than the average character dining buffet. It would have been much more expensive, and less interesting, if we’d gone for an entree each at about $40 a plate. And we were still too full to sample dessert! I blame the mussels.
If you add California Grill to your next Walt Disney World trip, check the sunset time for Orlando as well as that night’s fireworks show. Sunset and twilight over the Seven Seas Lagoon are every bit as enchanting as Wishes, (if not more so) and you can return to the restaurant’s observation deck with your receipt if your dinner ends before the fireworks begins. But don’t be surprised if your dinner spins out for much longer than you anticipated–indeed, we kind of wished ours never ended.
California Grill’s dinner menu changes seasonally, but most items are similar or slight variations to what is listed here at Touring Plans.
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My Favorite Disney World Treats That Don’t Have Ears
Walt Disney World is not only magical, it’s also delicious. Disney World offers dozens upon dozens of restaurants and snack stands throughout the parks and resorts to tempt your taste buds and to keep you full; but my favorite dish is anything sweet! Most guests visiting the Most Calorie Laden Place on Earth who have a sweet tooth like me, tend to gravitate towards the traditional Disney treats, like the Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars and Mickey-shaped Candied Apples and those giant Mickey lollipops. I know anything Mickey-shaped is hard to resist, but there’s a whole other world of delicious treats to be discovered at Disney World that don’t resemble everyone’s favorite mouse. So take a look at a few of my favorite Disney World treats that don’t have ears!
Zebra Domes
Zebra Domes
This treat is a creamy, savory sweet treat topped with chocolate stripes, just like a Zebra! Naturally, this dessert can be found at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma Restaurant as part of the dinner buffet. Boma is a popular dining destination for many guests and is priced around $35.99 per adult and $16.99 per child. If this doesn’t fit your budget, there is still a way you can enjoy delicious Zebra Domes. Animal Kingdom Lodge’s food court, The Mara, offers packaged Zebra Domes in the refrigerated section for $3.99!
Marshmallow Olaf
Marshmallow Olaf
I’m not sure how long this treat will last, but it makes my favorite list because it’s so cute! This treat consists of marshmallows, covered in white chocolate, all on a plastic Mickey straw for $4.99. The great thing is that, once you’ve eaten your Olaf, you get to keep the straw. It’s like a souvenir and a snack in one. I will warn you though that this treat is very very sweet, but everyone can use a sugar buzz when trekking the parks, especially when it’s so cute. Several locations around Disney World are currently offering Marshmallow Olafs, such as the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe at Epcot’s Norway pavilion, Magic Kingdom’s Main Street Confectionery, and Goofy’s Candy Company at Downtown Disney.
POG Juice/Jungle Juice
Jungle Juice
This sweet, tropical drink can only be found at a few locations at Disney World, but those who have had it can’t get enough! This juice is a combination of pineapple, orange, and guava and is known by different names at different locations. For example, at ‘Ohana’s Best Friends Breakfast at the Polynesian Resort, guests receive servings of POG Juice (Pineapple, Orange, and Guava) with their meal. However, at Animal Kingdom’s Donald’s Safari Breakfast at Tusker House, guests receive servings of the same drink, but there it’s called Jungle Juice. I recently discovered that this delicious refreshment is being sold at Animal Kingdom at Harambe Popcorn in the Africa section of the park. This means I don’t have to book a dining reservation to enjoy it! At this snack stand, Jungle Juice is served up as a slush, but it’s definitely the same juice. At times, the menu only shows Jungle Juice being sold in a large, souvenir cup for $11.99; but if you ask for a regular cup, it’s much cheaper.
Frozen Sunshine
Frozen Sunshine
Beaches and Cream is an old fashioned soda shop near the Beach Club’s Stormalong Bay Pool. This little restaurant is popular for its traditional burgers and ice cream creations, such as the famous Kitchen Sink. A favorite treat of mine here is a Frozen Sunshine. It’s a blend of Vanilla Ice Cream, Orange Sherbet, Seltzer, Whipped Cream, and Candied Orange Slices sprinkled across the top. Why do I love it? It’s the perfect way to cool off after exploring the Epcot resorts, and it’s an absolutely appropriate treat to enjoy when in Central Florida. The Frozen Sunshine is not on the to-go menu; but I have ordered it at the to-go counter before without a problem. Enjoy one yourself for $5.29.
Dole Whip Float
Dole Whip Float
Once a hidden favorite among Disney World regulars, the Dole Whip is about as much a secret as Disney Vacation Club. The lines for this frozen treat at Aloha Isle can extend down the Adventureland walkways, but it’s so worth it. A Dole Whip is orange, pineapple, or vanilla soft serve for $3.99 or a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan. My favorite is the pineapple soft serve. It’s frosty, creamy, and the perfect balance of tart and sweet. You can enjoy a Dole Whip by itself, or as a float for $4.99. I always order my Pineapple Dole Whip as a Pineapple Float, meaning it’s soft serve plus fresh pineapple juice. It’s perfection in cup! Be aware that there are only a few places where you get a Dole Whip at Disney World. If you’re near Magic Kingdom, those locations are Aloha Isle in the Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland and the new Pineapple Lanai at Disney’s Polynesian Resort, where you can splurge on a Dole Whip in a souvenir Tiki Bowl for $8.79 or a Tiki Sipper for $9.99. Pineapple Dole Whip (with or without a shot of rum) has been served at the food kiosks of the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival in the past, and currently at Tamu Tamu in Animal Kingdom. You can find the orange version of Dole Whip, the Citrus Swirl, at Sunshine Tree Terrace and at Aloha Isle.
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake
Strawberry Cupcake
Any trip to Disney World for isn’t complete without a visit to the Boardwalk Bakery. Why? Well, my absolute favorite cupcake at Disney World can be found here, the Strawberry Shortcake Cupcake. I admit, I’m kind of a cupcake snob, especially at Disney World. I don’t just want white cake and icing, and I don’t want something too sugary sweet. I want something unique and just the right balance of sweet, you know what I mean? This cupcake meets my criteria as it is light and moist with whipped, creamy icing that tastes like fresh strawberries. Also, this cupcake contains light and creamy filling as well and is topped with one big, juicy strawberry for $4.59. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Viking Chocolate Mousse
Viking Chocolate Mousse
So this post is about treats that don’t have mouse ears, but I never said Viking Horns! You can find this Viking-inspired treat at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe, found at Epcot’s Norway pavilion. What is it? This sweet creation is chocolate mousse covered with a thin layer ganache with cookie horns and a sprinkling of coconut for $4.19 or a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan. Yum!
Sand Pail Sundae
Sand Pail Sundae
At both Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, guests can splurge on a Sand Pail Sundae. It’s a plastic sand pail filled with chocolate and vanilla ice cream, sprinkles, pieces of waffle and cookie, whipped cream, and more! Once you’ve polished off this bucket of sweet goodness, you can wash out the pail and then play with in the sand at either water park. You can dig in (literally) at Typhoon Lagoon’s Happy Landings Ice Cream or Blizzard Beach’s Lottawatta Lodge for $9.99.
Croque Glaces
Croque Glaces
At L’Artisan des Glaces in Epcot’s France pavilion, you have to try the Croque Glaces, a pressed ice cream sandwich. Brioche is a light, fluffy roll which is cut in half and filled with your choice ice cream and sauce, such as raspberry or chocolate sauce. From there, your sandwich is put into a warm press which seals your ice cream inside. This process creates a warm, yet cold, sweet and creamy snack for a well-spent $6.10. My favorite combo? Vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. It’s so good!
Are any of these treats some of your favorites too? Which one would you like to try?
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November 8, 2014
Video: Cabana Bay Garden Bridge Now Open at Universal Orlando
Cabana Bay’s garden bridge is now open to pedestrians, and we’ve got the POV to prove it. (Photos and video by Seth Kubersky)
It seems like only yesterday that we were wondering when the new pedestrian walkway and garden bridge connecting the Cabana Bay Beach Resort with the rest of the Universal Orlando Resort would open. Well, wait now more, because it looks like The Cowfish wasn’t the only thing Universal quietly debuted this month.
The Cabana Bay garden bridge opened recently, and even though the walkway between the hotel and CityWalk isn’t yet fully landscaped, I wanted to capture the following POV video to give you a feel for this new path’s potential:
As you can see, the walk took me a little over 12 minutes at a moderate pace. That’s about the the same time as (or even a little less than) using the exitsting sidewalks on the opposite side of Hollywood Way, which you can see in this video I shot earlier in the year:
However, the new walk is much safer and more scenic — or at least it will be once certain portions look a little less like a construction zone.
Either way, the commuting time is within a couple minutes of a one-way trip on the resort’s efficient bus system, so the choice of transportation options comes down to personal preference.
As an added bonus, the new path provides some interesting views of the Sapphire Fall construction site, which is the next midpriced hotel set to open on Universal property. Right now, its mostly a pile of dirt, but it should soon become increasingly active.
Have you stayed at Cabana Bay and walked to the Universal parks? Share your experiences in the comments below!
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SATURDAY SIX: Six Surprises of the Disney Cruise Line
By Derek Burgan
This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six Surprises of the Disney Cruise Line. Several weeks ago we posted an article on Six Reasons To Go On a Disney Cruise, which covered the “big picture” of why you should consider setting sail with The Mouse, but this week we’ll take a look some of the smaller details that made a significant impact on my vacation. Leading up to the cruise, I had done a decent amount of research on TouringPlans, the Disney Cruise Line Blog, and reading Erin Foster’s numerous DCL posts on the blog, but once I stepped onto the deck of the Disney Wonder I still had one surprise after another. Here are my six favorite surprises of the trip (remember, you can click on any picture to see it in full size)…
# 6 – DCL Beer Mug Card
DCL Beer Mug.
I’m a big fan of souvenir glasses (and we covered several of options available in the photo reports of the DCL gift shops and Castaway Cay) so I was definitely drawn to the DCL Beer Mug. Aside from being a neat souvenir, the mug has two benefits that come along with it. The first benefit is the fact that each time you get a beer in the mug you are given a 22 oz serving, but only charged for 16 oz. Secondly, the mug itself has a good amount of weight to it, so it was a nice surprise to find out you don’t have to carry it around with you during the cruise. When you are done drinking, you hand the mug back to your server/bartender, and they will give you a card which you can then exchange for another mug when you are ready to drink again. This option became so handy and convenient throughout the trip, that I began to wish there was some practical way the theme parks could incorporate it into their day-to-day operations.
Back of DCL Beer Mug card.
DCL Beer Mug.
# 5 – The Art Gallery
Anyone who has read my updates this year covering the construction going on at Downtown Disney knows how much I love going to the Art of Disney store and browsing around. I am continually blown away at the wide variety of artwork Disney commissions, and how much of it most people will never see. So imagine my surprise when walking around the ship and stumbling onto a hallway that was, for all intents and purposes, a scaled down version of the Art of Disney store. Lining the walls were various pieces of art dedicated to princesses, Disney films, the Disney parks, and of course the Disney Cruise Line. There were four separate pieces based around Pixar’s Up, one of my favorite movies, so I was a very happy camper.
Mickey Mouse on Castaway Cay.
The closest I could get to replicating that Castaway Cay artwork.
# 4 – The Adults-Only Areas of the Cruise
We went on our first Disney Cruise having no kids in tow, and as I wrote before the cruise, one of the things we were worried about was that the ship would be overrun with children. While there were definitely a lot of children on the ship, Disney did a good job providing a lot of options for them so that they weren’t constantly milling around the common areas of the ship. We also were very surprised by the adults-only areas on both the ship as well as Castaway Cay. We had a fantastic cruise with Royal Caribbean last year, and they also had adults-only areas, but those areas were generally just as busy as the children’s areas because so many guests traveled without kids.
Quiet Cove pool.
The Quiet Cove adults pool always had lounge chairs available near the pool, even on sea days (when everyone is on the ship.) This was a stark contrast to our Royal Caribbean trip, where the adults pool would, at times, be jam packed and you’d all but have to “rope drop” it if you wanted to get a lounge chair. Not only was there a dedicated bar for the Quiet Cove, but there was also the Cove Cafe nearby. The Cove Cafe was sort of a gourmet coffee bar, but had a flat screen TV, magazines, and a large seating area to relax in. At Castaway Cay there is Serenity Bay, the adults-only beach area. We knew ahead of time that we wanted to do the Castaway Cay 5K along with exploring the island, so we had resigned ourselves to the fact that there wouldn’t be much available seating at Serenity Bay by the time we got there. Lo and behold there were still a ton of great areas available, along with hammocks. Maybe the biggest surprise of the whole trip was the large amount of waves on the Serenity Bay beach, as the family beaches had completely still water. Hands down, Serenity Bay is one of the best beach experiences we have ever had.
Lounge area of the Cove Cafe, and adults-only area on Deck 9.
Serenity Bay, the adults-only area of Castaway Cay.
# 3 – Room Service
I’ve never been a huge fan of room service while staying on-site at the theme park resorts, because generally the prices are so high they would make airport restaurants blush. However, room service on the Disney Cruise Line is free (aside from tipping the delivery person) so I had to try it out. The room service menu on the Wonder wasn’t particularly huge (especially compared to the one at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, which was larger than many full service restaurants I have been to) but everything we had ranged from good (the pizza), to very good (the french fries), to great (Mickey bar.) The ship’s restaurants serve the same type of shoestring fries that we often get inside the theme parks, but room service fries were steak fries. Major thumbs up. Len Testa, the Grand Poohbah himself, set a goal in 2014 not to eat at any WDW table service restaurants, and he has inspired my goal for my next cruise being to eat every single meal via room service.
Carbing up for my Castaway Cay 5K via room service. They asked “how many cookies would you like?” I wanted to respond, “all of them.”
A Mickey bar via DCL room service.
# 2 – The Disney Cruise Line Navigator app
I was not expecting much from the Disney Cruise Navigator App for my iPhone, as my experiences in the theme parks with both MyDisneyExerience and Universal’s apps have, at times, made me want to throw my phone into nearby wall out of frustration. I downloaded the DCL app earlier in the year, and once I typed in my sailing date, the app became a countdown clock to the cruise. That was neat and was a nice reminder of how close the cruise was. Once onboard the ship, the app became one of the best apps I have ever used, for anything. Very intuitive, and goes to a level of detail that was greatly appreciated. The app had pages dedicated pretty much to everything you would want to know on the ship in an easy-to-find format. Character experiences, movie times, live shows, ports of call, drinks of the day, and more would covered as you could literally go deck by deck throughout the ship. What I found very helpful was the fact that you could pull up the menu of any of the restaurants, for any day of the cruise, and see the entire menu.
# 1 – Retro Feel of the Ship
From bow to stern, the Wonder was like a trip back through time. We are so overwhelmed with marketing in our face in almost every aspect of our lives, that it was refreshing to be someplace that seemed out of another era. While I didn’t expect the ship to be tacky, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see tons of artwork pushing towards the latest movies or DVD releases and instead the ship was filled with art referencing Disney films and cartoons from the 1930s through the 1970s, several of which most guests probably have never heard of such as The Happiest Millionaire and The Island at the Top of the World. While the parks are becoming Frozen centric, the Wonder had drawings from Fantasia along with several of the classic Goofy and Donald Duck animated shorts over the years. Our stateroom had a fantastic map of Castaway Cay done in a retro style along with a picture of Walt Disney and his wife on a cruise ship in the 1930s. Everything was tasteful, beautiful, and evocative of another time and place. It was wonderful.
Character artwork from Disney’s The Happiest Millionaire and The Island at the Top of the World.
A restroom sign on the Disney Wonder.
Castaway Cay print in the Disney Wonder stateroom.
HONORABLE MENTION: Chocolates on Bed
Each night when we returned to our stateroom we would find the next day’s Navigator printed out along with a towel animal and some pieces of chocolate. In a great example of The Disney Difference, the chocolates were themed to Sleepy of the seven dwarfs. Just a fantastic touch.
Towel swan with chocolates.
“Sleepy” chocolates.
DOUBLE SECRET HONORABLE MENTION: The Wave Phones
The Wave phones are complimentary in each stateroom, and there were something I was looking forward to because my girlfriend and I had a hard time communicating with each other while taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. We thought the Wave phones would be great, allowing us to contact each other from any point on the ship. To my surprise, the phones were pretty much useless to us because we could not hear them (even at the loudest settings) or feel them vibrate. We ended up buying an internet package on the ship, which allowed us to communicate via iMessage on our iPhones, and stopped using the Wave phones on the second day of the cruise. I am going to leave open the possibility that I wasn’t using the Wave phones correctly, as my grasp on technology is still on the low end of the bell curve. I will be sure to talk to The Powers That Be at TouringPlans and request an immediate study on another cruise to test a pair of Wave phones so that I can give you, Dear Reader, the information you deserve!
Disney Cruise Line Wave Phones.
So there you have it: Six Surprises of the Disney Cruise Line. For those interested in even more DCL coverage, I will have my full write up of the Castaway Cay 5K later this week. Otherwise, we’ll see you next weekend for the latest edition of the SATURDAY SIX, where we are going to get back on land and take a look at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. 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.
Special thanks to crack staff photographer Brandon Glover and for his invaluable assistance to this article. Despite my poorly cropped photos, it was Brandon’s inspiration to at least try and frame the pictures in an interesting way. Another huge thank you to Laurel Stewart, the official Cat Lady of TouringPlans, who helped me figure out how to put a picture gallery in an article, something I have been pulling my hair out trying to do for over one year.
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