Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1169
November 7, 2014
First Look at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
The Castle lights are a highlight of the party. Photo – Laurel Stewart
The fine print: my ticket to this party was courtesy of Disney and WDWToday. I had already purchased a ticket, which I was able to pass on to the lovely Daisy Lauren, so there should be lots of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party coverage from TouringPlans this week.
Despite the fact that you’ll be still writing “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party” on your checks for a few more weeks, the first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the holiday season was last night, November 7, at Magic Kingdom. TouringPlans is here to give you a look at what to expect if you’re thinking of going this year.
As always, while the official start time is 7:00PM, guests with party tickets are allowed to enter the park and get wrist banded at 4:00. This allows Disney to help spread out the exiting day guests and entering party guests in addition to giving party guests a few extra hours in the parks. Try not to arrive right at 4 or right at 7 to avoid crowds.
What Does Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Admission Get Me?
Special holiday entertainment that day guests won’t see until the week before Christmas.
Free cocoa and cookies. How do they taste? Instant and boxed respectively, but what are you going to do?
Lower crowds – Disney limits the number of guests in the parks during the party, so things are less crowded (theoretically).
Character meet and greets with a holiday theme.
Santa ends the parade. Photo – Laurel Stewart
Highlights of the Party
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade runs twice nightly. It starts in Frontierland and goes through the hub down Main Street. In my opinion, I think it runs a little long, and I’m not sure how much I care that Wreck-It Ralph and Vanelope have their own float. Mickey and Minnie start up the parade, followed by Elsa, Anna, and Olaf. Snow White and Cinderella rate their own floats, but the rest of the princesses are grouped together. Toy Story gets its own float. There are marching toy soldiers and Santa too. Even for the first and more crowded viewing, things weren’t too bad in Frontierland. If you have to watch the 8:15 parade, this is the place to do it. Unless, you want to see….
A Frozen Holiday Wish - the castle lighting, which is done by Elsa this year and we covered earlier in the week happens at 6:15 and 8:00. The 6:15 will be packed with both day guests and party-goers. I would recommend seeing this during its later show on a non-party night and just enjoying it from a distance during the party if you can.
Holiday Wishes - the nightly fireworks show, goes off at 9:30. Sadly, there’s only one shot at seeing this. With the construction walls that are up in the hub right now, your viewing choices are limited. You can be boxed in in front of the castle or boxed in on Main Street. Or you can watch them off center from Fantasyland. I chose Fantasyland and regretted it. It’s worth it to take the time to find a spot on Main Street and watch Wishes and Celebrate the Magic (9:15) from the correct vantage point. Otherwise don’t bother with other locations, just take the time to enjoy some attractions.
Jingle Cruise – the party is the seasonal opening of the Jungle Cruise holiday overlay. I wish I could speak to it, but I hardly made it over to Adventureland during the party. I did see it last year, and was underwhelmed at the lack of Christmas lights on it.
Jack Skellington at the Christmas Party. ©Disney
Character Meet and Greets – this is the time to get your photo with your favorite characters in their Christmas garb. The big draws are the Seven Dwarfs (by the archway into New Fantasyland) and Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws (in the back of Storybook Circus), who is new this year. For my money, Jack is the one worth waiting for. Why? Because he talks! Despite the make up, Jack is still a face character, which makes him more fun to interact with than the Dwarfs. I would not waste time lining up for both because you could be out a good two hours between them. Pick one. Disney will close the lines before the party ends. Don’t wait until the last minutes of the party to try to get a photo if it’s important to you.
Questions About Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Where can I eat? One of the logistical problems of the hard ticket parties is trying to find a place to eat. Not all dining locations will be open and some close by 9:00. Do not show up hungry. You’ll be in line with day guests who are also trying to find something to eat, and it isn’t pretty. I grabbed a bite a Pecos Bill’s before the early parade, and that worked well. I asked at Be Our Guest how late they were serving for people with reservations and was told 8:00. Crystal Palace (which is used as a snack location from 9 – 11) and Liberty Tree Tavern were not serving dinner.
MagicBand via Marc Lorenzo (@marcmantoo)
What can I buy? Limited edition merchandise is available only during the party. This includes a MVMMB (Mickey’s Very Merry Magic Band ™Me), a pin, and a t-shirt. The Magic Band is cute, but $30!
What is the schedule?
4:00 – Guests can come into the park with their party admission
6:15 – Frozen Holiday Wish with day guests
7:00 – Party begins and park closes for day guests
7:30 – Celebrate the Season castle forecourt show
7:45 – A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas
8:00 – Frozen Holiday Wish
8:15 – Parade
8:45 – A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas
9:15 – Celebrate the Magic castle projection show
9:30 – Holiday Wishes Fireworks
9:55 – A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas
10:05 – Celebrate the Season
10:30 – Parade
10:50 – A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas
11:20 – Celebrate the Season
11:45 – A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas
Is it weird celebrating Christmas the first week of November?
Yes? But really, if you’re in the Magic Kingdom this month, you’ve already accepted that the holidays have started. If you’re not nonplussed by seeing Main Street, U.S.A. all Christmased up, then you’ll be fine.
How about the crowds?
The first party was sold out. Main Street was completely clogged with people between 6 and 7:30 as people were entering and leaving the party. There were lines at all the snack locations and at most quick service locations early in the evening. TouringPlans recommends going to the party on a weeknight early in the season to get the lowest crowds for your buck. If you can stick it out, the crowd really starts to thin after the second parade.
Is it worth it?
That’s a tough one. The ticket price isn’t cheap, but if you’re going to Walt Disney World, you’ve already plunked down a fair amount of change. Let’s put it this way, you could skip two character meals and buy the tickets, and I say you’d come out ahead. My personal taste is that I prefer the Halloween party, and if I had to pick only one I’d choose it over the Christmas party. But if you haven’t done the Christmas party before, try it out.
My Recommendations
Normally at TouringPlans, we’re all about rope drop and getting places early. This isn’t the time for it though. Yes, you’re paying a premium for the ticket, but the overlap while the day guests are in the park and party guests are arriving is pretty unpleasant. I would get a big late lunch at a monorail resort before entering the park around 5PM. Then, decide if you want a photo with the Dwarfs or Jack and get in line by 6:30. There will be people ahead of you already, but the lines move fairly quickly. Enjoy some rides that don’t have long waits, like Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean. Avoid Fantasyland until the day guests are out. Enjoy more rides until 9:00. Then find a place on Main Street to watch the fireworks. After the fireworks, catch some more rides and photo opportunities. Watch the second parade from Frontierland. The only attraction with much of a wait during the party is Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Ride it late. Most of all, have a Very Merry Party!
Highlights from the party map:
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Disney’s PhotoPass Introduces New Animated Magic Shots
It seems like every time I turn around, there’s yet another change taking place with Disney’s PhotoPass and Memory Maker. The most recent development announced today are animated Magic Shots.
These build on the existing Magic Shots. (You know, the photographs that Disney’s PhotoPass photographers can take that incorporate digital characters into the photo with you.) The new additions of these characters now appear in animated form, via a video clip. Here is a sample of what they look like:
These special Magic Shots are currently only available in four different locations; just make sure to ask you Disney PhotoPass photographer for them. At the Epcot, you’ll be able to get them done behind Spaceship Earth and at the Norway Pavilion. At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, head to Hollywood Boulevard and at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you’ll be able to get an animated Magic Shot on the bridge near Expedition Everest.
These animated Magic Shots can then be downloaded by those who have purchased the Memory Maker package. Additional animated Magic Shots will be added along the way (including some holiday ones at the Magic Kingdom.)
Other recent developments for Disney’s PhotoPass include on-ride videos and the on-ride photos that appear automatically in your My Disney Experience account thanks to MagicBands.
Are any of these new perks for Disney’s PhotoPass causing you to think about purchasing Memory Maker?
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In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of November 7, 2014
We are so excited here in our house! You see, today is opening day for Big Hero 6! My hubby has been anxiously awaiting this film. Honestly, I think he’s more excited than I am. (Anytime we came across a Big Hero 6 preview when catching up on our DVRed shows, he’d always go back to watch it.) So, you know where we’ll be this evening! Who else is excited to finally meet the squishy Baymax via the big screen?
This week, check out the Marvel special that aired on ABC, find out just how many Elsa dresses have been sold in the past year, and so much more!
In Case You Missed It – Disney and Universal Orlando News and Rumors
I’m sure you heard about the fire on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. If not, it was caused by a stray firework, and you can read all about it here.
Every time you go to Disney parks, you see little girls dressed as Elsa, and I’m sure that during Halloween you saw quite a few on your doorsteps. But just how many Elsa dresses have been sold? The “Reader’s Digest” version is: a lot. (Find out the actual number by reading the article.)
Wow! Did you catch the special show from this week on ABC, “Marvel: 75 Years, From Pulp to Pop”? It was an introspective look at the company’s past and what makes it so great now. If you are a fan of Marvel, this is a can’t-miss special. (So, if you did miss it…go watch it…now…I’ll wait for you to come back.)
Speaking of Marvel’s huge reign over what seems like everything, Guardians of the Galaxy has been doing gang-busters, and it has recently taken over the number two spot for worldwide box office take for 2014, overtaking Maleficent.
Another fantastic trailer was released for Into the Woods! The musical theater geek in me just squeeed…in case you were wondering what that high pitch noise was.
That’s a wrap! On filming that is for Star Wars VII. Or should I say Star Wars: The Force Awaken? The new title was released this week, and people began speculating everywhere. So that makes me curious as to your thoughts?
Speaking of huge news: There’s going to be a Toy Story 4! And it’s going to be directed by John Lasseter. Just wow! This news intrigues me a lot. I do wonder where the story will go. In addition, Entertainment Weekly took a look at Pixar’s Top 12 Moments, and those really show you how incredible Pixar is at telling a good story.
This week, the Disney Movies Anywhere app launched in the Google Play store. See what this means for Disney and what it could mean in the future for other companies and just why it maybe isn’t a big deal, according to the author of the article. (Do you have the app downloaded to your devices already?)
So, while Halloween has already ended, the Universal Orlando Resort is already gearing up for the 25th anniversary of its popular Halloween Horror Nights event, and it’s going to be a doozy. What are your thoughts, and what would you like to see for the 25th year?
In Case We Missed It
What did we miss? Attach your ideas to an copy of Maleficent (which was released this week) and send them to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.
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Disneyland Announces Fantasmic! FASTPASS Viewing Options and Dining Packages
The time honored tradition of camping out 3 hours for a Fantasmic! viewing spot is now a little less necessary. Disneyland has announced that Fantasmic! will get a FASTPASS-only viewing area starting December 12. Disney also made it clear that there will still be a stand-by viewing area for those who want to keep it old school, but it’s unclear large or how good that viewing section will be. FastPass tickets will be distributed on Big Thunder Trail (that’s the path to the left of Big Thunder Mountain) and will be distributed until they run out or 1 hour before showtime. Even with a FASTPASS in hand, I’d still recommend that you get in line for the reserved section a bit early. If it’s anything like World of Color’s FASTPASS line in DCA, it is safe to assume that it will be very long and take a good amount of time to get through.
It wouldn’t be a Disney “Nighttime Spectacular” without dinner packages, so they have also announced a variety dining options that will get you FASTPASSes for the show.
Blue Bayou Restaurant “Fantasmic!” Dinner Dining Package
Includes one 3-course meal (starter, entrée, beverage and dessert)
Includes a “Fantasmic!” FASTPASS
Includes “Fantasmic!”-themed souvenir
Dinner beginning at 4 p.m.
Pricing:
$61.00 – Adult
$23.00 – Children (ages 3-9)
Tax and gratuity not included
River Belle Terrace “Fantasmic!” Dinner Dining Package The dates on which “Fantasmic!” is showing, River Belle Terrace will transform into a table-service dining location available exclusively to guests who have purchased the “Fantasmic!” dining package. River Belle Terrace will be open for breakfast until 2 p.m. each day.
Includes one 3-course meal (starter, entrée, beverage and dessert)
Includes a Fantasmic FASTPASS
Dinner beginning at 3 p.m.
Pricing:
$41.99 – Adult
$21.99 – Children (ages 3-9)
Tax and gratuity not included
Hungry Bear Restaurant “Fantasmic!” Show Dessert Party
Includes sweet dessert selection and beverages
Includes a “Fantasmic!” FASTPASS
Includes live entertainment
Begins 90 minutes prior to show time
Pricing:
$29.99 – Adult/Children
Tax and gratuity included
Aladdin’s Oasis “Fantasmic!” On-The-Go
Includes one grab & go mealIncludes a “Fantasmic!” FASTPASS
Adult options are served with salad with choice of dressing, dinner roll, beverage and dessert:
Herb marinated chicken with seasonal vegetables
Lasagna Bolognese
Vegetarian Lasagna
Child options are served with seasonal vegetables, fresh fruit, dinner roll, beverage and Mickey cookie:
Kids chicken
Kids pasta
Kids macaroni and cheese
Pick-up times: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Pricing:
$19.99 – Adult
$13.99 – Children (ages 3-9)
Tax not included
You won’t have to wait long if any of these options appeal to you. Starting November 12 they can be booked via Disneyland.com or calling Disneyland’s dining line at 714-781-3463.
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Jingle Cruise Debuts Today at the Magic Kingdom
Today marks the start of the Jingle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland. This holiday overlay of the Jungle Cruise sees the Skippers who are clearly homesick during the festive holiday season, so they decided to create their own festive fun with homemade decorations, gifts, and more.
The Jingle Cruise began last year and has grown exponentially this year. In addition to the dock area being decorated and the boats being renamed with fun holiday themes, this year, many of the show scenes have been decorated too, like the gorilla camp, the temple, and even Ginger and Smiley. (It would appear some supplies didn’t quite make it to their correct locations.) Of course, the jokes are just as corny, with fun, holiday-inspired laughs included too.
The fun Jingle Cruise overlay will last through the holiday season. (Now…if we could only get a few other fun holiday overlays at Walt Disney World too…that would be great.)
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Meet the Characters from Big Hero 6 Beginning This Weekend
©Disney
Yay! It’s here! Big Hero 6 arrives in theaters today! (And you can bet I’ll be seeing it tonight.) I’ve heard such great things about this movie, so you can bet that the next time I’m down in Walt Disney World, I’ll want to give Baymax a huge hug. (Look how squishy he looks!)
The good news is that I won’t have to wait long to meet both Baymax and Hiro Hamada and neither will you! You see, beginning today, guests will have the opportunity to meet the pair at Walt Disney World.
To meet the two, you’ll need to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where inside The Magic of Disney Animation, you’ll be able to tour the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology’s lab. Guests will meet the two in Hiro’s garage workshop. (The two are located where the former Wreck-It Ralph meet and greet was.)
At Disneyland, guests should also begin to be able to meet Hiro and Baymax by simply heading to to Tomorrowland’s Starcade, where you’ll be able to visit Hiro’s robotics workshop. In addition, The Magic Eye Theater will be showing an extended sneak peek of the Big Hero 6. (Where Captain EO was previously shown.)
Who else will be lining up like me to meet these two?
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Planning a High School Field Trip to Walt Disney World
Mickey’s excited to meet his new high school friends!
In high school, I went on two school trips to Walt Disney World. I had an amazing time with my friends, and the memories have stayed with me to this day. Looking back on the entire experience as an adult, I have endless praise for my teachers, who planned the entire trip from start to finish. They chose to spend their entire Spring Break with 60 high school students. They deserve a medal.
I have spent this past week researching and speaking with different educators on how to organize a school trip to Walt Disney World. Although it’s impossible to fit in every detail, here are some highlights to consider when planning your own Walt Disney World field trip.
First Steps
Planning a school trip to Walt Disney World should begin at least a year in advance. While it would be much easier to hire a touring company to plan and execute the vacation, it might be very expensive. Planning your own trip is not only more cost effective, but gives you complete control over the vacation as a whole. Look into the events you want to attend and the places you want to go. Estimate expenses to determine the total cost for each student. From there, secure a total group number by requesting a small deposit from each student. In addition, have each student fill out field trip and medical request forms. Dot those i’s and cross those t’s!
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
While it may be faster (depending on where you live) to take a plane, transporting 60+ kids via air is not wallet-friendly, no matter which way you look at it. Consider alternative modes of transportation. In my case, we took two coach buses from Minnesota to Florida. We booked the bus company very early on and requested four bus drivers. That way one could drive while the other slept, and no one was ever overworked. Not only was a bus cheaper, but we then had a vehicle to move us around within Florida. Note: You will have to pay for the bus drivers’ meals and hotel rooms, so be sure to factor that into the budget.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, it takes about 30 hours to get from Minnesota to Florida. When you’re creative and tired enough, the floor of a bus can be quite a comfortable make-shift bed. Trust me.
A value resort would be an affordable option when staying on site.
Hotel Accommodations
As my group went over Spring Break, a block of rooms were booked a year in advance. When selecting a hotel, consider the location. How close is it to the parks? Is it in a safe area? Would it be cheaper to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort? To save on food expenses, try to find a hotel with a continental breakfast. Closer to trip time, have a sign up sheet so students can write down who they would like to room with.
Disney Youth Programs
Fellow TouringPlans blogger Kim T. gave a great overview of Disney’s Youth Education Series. These accredited programs teach lessons already established in the classroom back home and are further reinforced through in-park experiences.
I traveled with members of our music department, so we attended two workshops: “You’re Instrumental,” and “DisneySings.” Both workshops were taught by respected and experienced instructors and (without spoiling anything) included a surprise or two full of magic! In addition to these (and other) workshops, students are even given the opportunity to perform on stage at the Magic Kingdom or march in special parades. These programs are well received by the students and make them feel like part of the Disney family.
Through Disney Youth Programs educators can receive group discounts for both the workshops and park tickets. This includes park hopper passes, as well. If you would like an article on Disney Youth Programs, let me know in the comments!
Mo’ Money, Mo’…..Organizing
You can’t deny that money matters when planning a trip to Walt Disney World. Vacations can be spendy, and a school trip is no exception. That’s why the kids at my high school used fundraisers to raise their own money. Not only did it lessen the financial load, but paying for a vacation themselves gave the kids a sense of responsibility and a solid work ethic. If your school plans on doing several fundraisers, an installment payment plan may be the right choice for you. Once final payments have been collected, use a school credit card or designated bank account to pay for all the expenses.
Question: But Angela, what about when we go out to eat as an entire group? How do we allocate the money?
Answer: Good question! Our group ate one meal together every day. If it was at a restaurant, a teacher would arrange the meal in advance with the restaurant manager. They would work out 3-4 entrees the kids could choose from and a set price for each student. If a student ordered any additional items, they would be responsible for covering the remaining cost.
One last housekeeping detail before moving on: be sure the students have enough of their own money for separate meals, souvenirs, and other miscellaneous details.
Itinerary
A full itinerary is the way to go when it comes to those youngins. Working with children, I notice that when they get naughty, it’s most likely because they are bored. Thankfully, it’s darn near impossible to get bored at Disney World. It’s the perfect place to run those kids ragged so they sleep the sleep of angels upon returning to the hotel.
When writing out your itinerary, make sure you allow plenty of time for travel. If you’re rushing to get to your destination with that many students, things may be overlooked and problems could arise. Also, give your kids enough time to enjoy the parks. Back in my day (before FastPass+), a 90 minute wait was standard for popular attractions such as the Tower of Terror and Expedition Everest. We needed the extra time to enjoy as many attractions as we could.
Looking back at my old trip itineraries (yes, I’m a hoarder when it comes to my Disney paraphernalia), I saw that our park visits were centered around parades and shows. We were a bunch of musical junkies, so were sure to attend the Festival of the Lion King and Finding Nemo – The Musical while visiting Animal Kingdom. While at Magic Kingdom, we would arrive several hours before Wishes! We would meet and watch the fireworks show as a group before leaving the park. Our teachers did a superb job making sure we saw the best side of each park.
Chaperones
There’s always the question of how many chaperones to bring on a school trip. When it comes to high school students, a 1:10 ratio (or less if you can spin it!) seems to be the way to go. If possible, see if a nurse or doctor is willing to accompany your group should anyone fall ill or get hurt. When selecting chaperones, pick adults that are good at managing kids and who will be firm (when necessary) and consistent regarding the rules. Don’t be afraid to send those chaperones on a night time patrol of the hallways. It will prevent students from trying to sneak out of their rooms in the middle of the night (yes, this happens) and will result in a safe and enjoyable trip.
The Safety (and Rules) Dance
When traveling with this many students, safety is key. Rules and expectations play a huge factor in ensuring a safe and worry-free vacation. Make sure your students have the rules down pat to avoid any mishaps or scary situations. Below are a few rules I remember from my own trip:
Do not leave the parks on your own.
Explore parks in groups of 4 or more.
Never invite outside guests inside your hotel room.
The door must be propped open if both boys and girls are in one room.
Take care of yourself: hydrate and get enough rest.
Before the students explore the parks on their own, designate a check-in location. Twice a day at a time of your choosing, have them stop by so you know all is well. It’s a good way to keep track of them and gives them a security point if they need help from a chaperone. Attractions stall and lines get long, so make sure they have your cell phone number to let you know if they’re running a minute or two behind.
Consequences are real and should be enforced when needed. On my school trip, failure to respect and follow the rules resulted in either a phone call home or a permanent spot next to a chaperone for the remainder of the trip. However, the fear of God was instilled in us by both our parents and teachers, so my friends and I didn’t step a toe out of line!
We’re All in This Together (Name that Disney Channel Original Movie!)
When planning a school field trip, the goal to accomplish should be a safe trip full of community building and bonding. It’s an opportunity for the students to make memories and bring them back home. As an educator, it takes a lot of time to plan this kind of adventure, but I promise you it will mean the world to your students. On my school trips, I was never once scared or anxious. I knew I was well taken care of and safe at all times. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and is something I will always remember fondly.
What other tips do you have for those planning a field trip to a Disney park? Share them in the comments!
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Travel Warnings Issued for Nassau
By Erin Foster
The U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas has issued a Security Awareness memo for the holiday season 2014, advising U.S. citizens traveling to the Bahamas to “be aware of their surroundings and remain on heightened alert to avoid being the victims of crime.” This is the fourth memo on this topic issued during calendar 2014. The Canadian government posted similar warnings earlier this fall.
Nassau Harbor
Other than Castaway Cay, Nassau is the most visited port for Disney Cruise Line.
The Embassy memo goes on to state, “Three armed robberies of U.S. citizens have occurred in daylight hours in heavily frequented tourist areas.” Other reports include notes about sexual assaults perpetrated by unregulated jet ski operators on Paradise Island. The advisory mentions monitoring local news stations for updates and maintaining a high level of vigilance when out and about.
The Nassau Guardian newspaper denies the credibility of the Embassy reports, claiming that the local police were unaware of some of the alleged crimes.
The Atlantis resort, site of many of the DCL Nassau port adventures, has increased their security in recent weeks.
We’ve never had any problems in Nassau, but as with any travel, caution is recommended. If you’re on a three or four night cruise and relaxation is a key vacation component for you, you may want to consider remaining on board your ship during the Nassau port stop. (We’ve recommended this prior to any warnings.) The ship’s amenities cannot all be experienced during a brief sailing. Staying on the ship may allow you to more time to visit the spa, participate in the children’s programming, or stuff yourself at the buffet. Remember that many activities on board are included in the cost of your sailing, so staying on board can be an easy way to economize.
If you plan to explore Nassau, be cognizant of your surroundings and interact with only reputable excursion operators. You may also want to consider letting family remaining on board or guest relations cast members know of your on shore plans.
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Christmas Shopping at Walt Disney World
By Daisy Lauren
Hello, my dears! Who is ready for some Christmas shopping at Walt Disney World? As promised, I’m here to take you on a tour of some of the beautiful Christmas merchandise currently for sale around the parks. For starters, there is no way I could ever feature everything here. But if you have any questions or something specific you’d like me to research please let me know in the comments. You know I’m always happy to go hunting for you! 
Our tour begins at Disney’s Days of Christmas in Downtown Disney. This spot still proves to be the absolute best spot to find everything for the holidays. With the exception of Christmas clothing this is the place to go! Want to see what they had? Click to read more!
New at Walt Disney World this year is a retro line of Christmas merchandise that I’ve been calling “swell.” I’m not sure if I read that somewhere or if I made it up, but it seems to fit! These new ornaments from the line retail for $19.95 each. They’re big and beautiful (and expensive)! I’ll be showing from from the “swell” lineup an little later.
Heading back to other Christmas merchandise, these cute stocking looked new to me. At $26.95 the price didn’t seem too bad, and I love the Donald Duck with his grumpy face! There are other Christmas stockings with more characters, and even villains. However, these seemed to be the nicest ones in the shop.
When I say I can’t feature everything, it’s because of walls like this. Can you imagine, this is just the Tinker Bell section!! Many other films and characters have entire walls devoted to them. (Note in the bottom right hand side of this photo there are Tinker Bell stockings!)
Here are just a couple of ornaments featured on that wall. The one on the right is much, much larger than the one on the left but it’s only a dollar more at $18.95. Sometimes I wonder how Disney decides on the prices of these things. In general, each ornament is no less than $16.95, with prices topping out at $19.95. Limited pre-packaged groups of ornaments are offered at a reduced rate.
Exception include the hat and shoe ornaments that retail for $23.95 each (!!!!) unless purchased in groups of three for $54.95. That still makes them a little over $18 each with the “discount.” Maybe I just don’t get it. but these seem very overpriced for decorations that aren’t even that cute. Don’t forget you’re able to click on any photo to see a larger version.
At $17.95 I’d much rather have one of these princess ornaments with the poofy dresses. I took a wider angle shot in order to fit more of them in here, but they are really lovely up close. The faces are really well done on these, so I think they are worth the extra price. How pretty would a tree be covered in these?
If fluffy dresses aren’t your thing, there are still gobs of princesses for you! At the same $17.95 you can pick up a fully sculpted princess. And these are just the tip of the iceberg. There are tons and tons of princess ornaments available for you to choose from. Further, I noticed some of the princesses are available with their prince. As an example there is a Beauty and the Beast sculpted ornament for $19.95.
The below figure also looked new to me. At $49.95 I’m not sure how I feel about it. I always have a weakness for the classic characters, but it seems a little overpriced. Of course, I wouldn’t feel that way if I were on vacation! 
Oh, so many ornaments… I wish I could show you every single one! Just know that if you have a favorite character, you are very likely to find it in this shop. There are walls and walls of beautiful ornaments. It’s like a party in there. I could spend all day! Below are just some of the Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto section.
But don’t think they left out current Disney classics! I don’t remember seeing these in years past, and the price makes me think they are new. At $19.95 (ouch!), they aren’t cheap, but they’re worth it to have a little Disney on your tree.
For some reason Lightning McQueen is only $17.95. Maybe he came out last year? And Mickey with Duffy is a total bargain at just $16.95! I’ll take a dozen. (How many consecutive weeks is that sneaking Duffy into posts? Subliminally I shall make you love him.)
This rack of ornaments also caught my eye because they almost looked handmade. The price varies widely from $16.95 – $19.95 on the various designs, but they felt really well-made. On the right you can see a few Mickey Santa hats sneaking into frame. They must have had 200 of these ready for the holidays.
A last couple ornaments that caught my eye were this amazing ball of sparkles on the left and the simple one on the right. The faith, trust, and pixie dust ornament was the cheapest I found in the entire store at $14.95. There were several other cute painted designs in the same size and shape near or at the same price.
Now, let’s get back to the “swell” merchandise! On the left is a really cute tin. I had to flip it over to figure out it’s filled with peppermint bark. Yum! At $15.95 it’s a good thing to bring back to that person who doesn’t decorate for Christmas. On the right are little souvenir tins of coffee for the same price.
Earlier I mentioned pre-packaged ornament sets, and this was what I was talking about. At $36.95 for four ornaments, this isn’t a bad deal when you compare it with the other prices in the store. These are a little smaller than the individual ones featured, but they’re still quite large and would stand out on a tree. The set would also be easy to break up for gifts.
Next let’s stop into the new Co-op to see more of the “swell” merchandise. While this was available in the Disney’s Days of Christmas it wasn’t as crowded at the Co-op. Beside I thought you’d enjoy a change of scenery! Below left is a big, tile coaster. Actually, it’s large enough that I think you could use it as a trivet. At $12.95 I’m pretty sure I’m going to end up with one of these! On the right you’ll see mug and plate set ($24.95) and a mug ($14.95). They’re both very nice. I can already tell I’m going to end up with too much from this set!
These little, teeny plates are also available for $9.95. I’m not sure what they’re for? They aren’t really large enough to serve on or display anything? They were small enough that they comfortably fit in my hand. In any case, they are adorable! If they weren’t seasona,l I was thinking that I’d like one to keep jewelry on at night.
For $24.95 you can also bring home a Mickey and Minnie spreader set (left) or a festive pot holder or oven mitt for just $12.95. While I like the pattern on these, I wish the characters were a little bit more prominently displayed. You can also see a matching apron hanging to the left but I missed the price tag on it! 
Also in this set is a huge table runner for $69.99. How cute would this be at a Christmas party? Also hiding in the bottom left is a throw for $74.95.
If you’re looking for the cutest mantle hanger ever, look no further. For just $29.95 you can bring this cutie on the left home. It’s sparkly in person, and the photo doesn’t do it justice! Below right are the Christmas retro plush for $16.95. If you look close you can also see some Christmas cards on the rack behind them.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios nutcrackers have taken over! These range in price from $14.95 all the way up to $300 for the huge ones on top. Some of them looked as large at three feet tall! I haven’t seen a better selection of these anywhere else, so if you’re in the market head to the Studios! They’ve taken an entire shop as you enter the park and converted it to Christmas for all your holiday shopping needs.
They also have a great selection of the new “swell” merchandise. This was the only spot so far I’ve seen the stockings or light up candles. The candles were $14.95 and lit up with glittery colors. They were very pretty, and I imagine would have photographed better at night.
You can also celebrate the holidays with your car! Antenna toppers are not only available, they’re on sale! Probably because most people don’t have antennas anymore. Am I the only one who misses them just because I don’t have anywhere to put these little Disney balls anymore? Below right is Christmas Duffy for $19.95. If you like him be sure to pick him up! Halloween Duffy seems to have sold out before the holiday even passed.
Lastly, let’s head to Mouse Gear in Epcot for some ugly Christmas sweaters! Okay, that isn’t true. They aren’t ugly, and they’re only sweaters by loose definition. These are incredibly light, and you can tell designed with Florida weather in mind. Nobody is staying warm in one of these. At $44.95 I had hoped for a little more.
Of course, we do a better job with t-shirts! These range from $36.95 up to $54.95 and all feature very cute designs. Which one do you like best?
That completes our shopping tour for now. Is there anything I missed that you’d like to see? What was your favorite item? Do you like the new “swell” collection? Let us know in the comments below and as always thanks so much for reading and commenting!
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November 6, 2014
Epcot’s Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro Full Show Video
New Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro show in Epcot's Italy (photos & video by Seth Kubersky).
Welcome to Italy, fabled home of the Roman empire, pasta and pizza,…and flag tossing? Following the firing of numerous fan-favorite entertainment acts around World Showcase, Epcot has been debuting new shows, with Italy's Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro being among the most recent additions to the park's lineup. Daisy Lauren recently shared a brief preview of the show in her recent Best Week Ever, and I caught up with them during the Food and Wine Festival's final week to capture this Sbandieratori Di Sansepolcro full show video:
Unfortunately, this new flag-waving act didn't fare any better in my estimation than it did in Daisy's. As a fan of drum and flag corps, I was really looking forward to this show. But while there were a few impressive tricks, overall I was deeply disappointed with this troupe's poor performance quality.
While the lead performer (who executes an amazing foot-juggling solo) was excellent, the rest of the group was sloppy, unenthusiastic, and shockingly unprofessional, chatting casually with each other during the show.
While the show I witnessed gathered and retained a slightly larger audience than when Daisy saw them, it seemed singnficantly smaller than what the Ziti Sisters used to attract. Without some serious improvements to show quality, I can't see it lasting very long.
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