Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1172
October 24, 2014
“The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Close
©Disney
The lackluster attraction “The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is slated to close for good; its last day of operation is November 6.
The interactive attraction takes guests through different pirate adventures in a room designed like a pirate’s cave lair. The attraction was pretty poorly presented and included sections where guests were supposed to chant and stomp their feet, which seemed to be geared more towards very young children. The show also featured somewhat scary confrontations with skeletons, singing mermaids, and a Kraken, all utilizing state of the art technology.
Over the past year the attraction also featured an unusual queuing process where guests would obtain a paper ticket with a specific show time printed on it. Guests would then return about 10 minutes prior to the show time.
The walk-through show opened in December 2012, replacing the “Journey into Narnia: Prince Caspian” attraction. Currently there has been no announcement of what may be taking the place of “The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow” attraction.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
“The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Close is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of October 24, 2014
We are one week from Halloween! I’ve already bought my candy (um…I may need to buy more; I can’t say there’s much left). I have also got the pumpkin all ready to carve. There are so many options, but I think I want to try to one of these choices. (I really love the Tower of Terror one!)
Today, I bring you a ton of articles about upcoming movies, including ones about Big Hero 6 and the upcoming 2016 film Moana, plus more!
In Case You Missed It – Disney and Universal Orlando News and Rumors
Disney is a finalist for the “Innovation By Design” award for MyMagic+ from Fast Company. Congrats for the nomination!
For the upcoming Big Hero 6, Disney created a fantastic new rendering system, called Hyperion, which helped to create some of the fantastic lighting effects utilized in the movie. Read more about how this system came to fruition.
Wired shares a must-read article about both John Lasseter and the ride of Disney Animation over the past few years. It’s an incredibly interesting piece that shares stories of why the movies in the 2000s didn’t resonate with movie-goers, how John Lasseter grew into an animation genius, and more. Honestly, if you read any article at all this week, make sure this is the one you choose.
This week would have been Disney great Mary Blair’s 103rd birthday. To honor her, Comics Alliance shared an illustrated tribute to the legendary artist.
The 2016 Disney film Moana has officially been announced, and judging from this image and description, it looks to be a beautiful film. What are your initial thoughts on it, and do you think this movie, set around the South Pacific, will impact any of the parks or resorts?
So apparently Robert Redford is in negotiations for the Pete’s Dragon remake, according to Variety. This movie seems to be moving along much faster than I had originally thought.
Well, I’m sure you’ve seen it, but in case you hadn’t…the teaser trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron was leaked, and boy does it look ridiculously awesome. (P.S.: How haunting is that version of “I’ve Got No Strings”?)
In Case We Missed It
What did we miss? Attach your ideas to the classic Disney Halloween flick Hocus Pocus and send them to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of October 24, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disneyland Resort Crowd Report – October 12 to 18, 2014
Columbus Day Crowds led the way at Disneyland Resort last week, then crowds settled for the second half. We continue to see crowds focused on weekends and adjacent days while mid-week crowds remain around average levels, sometimes lower at Disney California Adventure.
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
7
Happy Touringplans #Everywhere Day! While our Disneyland guru Guy Selga (@GuySelga) head off to cover Tokyo Disneyland, Brian McNichols (@YesThatBrian) took his place to cover Disneyland Resort. Most of our wait time predictions hit the mark across both parks.
Disney California Adventure
7
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
6
8
Columbus Day crowds this year at Disneyland were two levels higher than history would suggest although most of our attraction level predictions were within normal ranges. We saw higher than usual waits at Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion.
Disney California Adventure
6
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
4
Big drop in crowds on Tuesday at both parks, as predicted. We still saw average wait times near 30 minutes for many popular attractions including Alice in Wonderland (27 minutes, predicted 24), Indiana Jones Adventure (25 minutes, predicted 29).
Disney California Adventure
5
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
6
Wednesday brought a slight bounce back at Disneyland while Disney California Adventure remained a ’5′. Dumbo was the surprise of the day with a 30 minute average (predicted 16).
Disney California Adventure
5
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
6
Thursday brought the lowest park crowd level of the week, a ’3′ at Disney California Adventure. That included an 11 minute average at California Screamin’ and 12 minutes at Grizzly River Run.
Disney California Adventure
4
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
5
5
Disneyland Park hosted Mickey’s Halloween Party on Friday but crowds remained at the middle point of our scale, as predicted. Meanwhile, Disney California Adventure saw the second day in a row at a level ’3′.
Disney California Adventure
5
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
7
8
Saturday’s crowds at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure were four levels apart, a rare event. This continues the Fall pattern of increased crowds on the weekend and lesser crowds during the week, especially the middle part of the week.
Disney California Adventure
6
4
What to Expect This Week
October 19 to 25, 2014
How Crowded is Disneyland Resort?
Next week is the last week before Halloween so we expect the festive atmosphere to intensify and crowds will remain steady.
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.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Disneyland Resort Crowd Report – October 12 to 18, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
How Much Do Toiletries and Sundries Cost at Disney?
By Erin Foster
Despite copious planning with packing lists, it’s all but inevitable that mishaps will occur when traveling. Little Billy gets a fever during your trip and you neglected to bring the Children’s Tylenol. You thought you husband was packing toothpaste and he thought you were, so now you have none. You accidentally left your sunscreen at the pool yesterday and are now about to be burned to a crisp by the thousand degree sun.
All of these problems are easy to solve at Walt Disney World and on Disney Cruise Line. (Disneyland’s close proximity to the external world makes access to replacement items less of an issue there.) The ship and hotel gift shops are well stocked, with most categories of personal care items represented. So while you won’t be totally left in the lurch in any of the above situations, you will likely pay a premium purchasing these personal care basics at a Disney location rather than at home. But how much of a premium will you be pay? Let’s investigate…
To figure out the Disney premium, I did spot checking of identical items at Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line (pricing is uniform for both) and then priced the exact same items at my local New York metro Target store. I did not consider special promotional pricing or coupons when reporting pricing here, nor did I consider tax in any equation.
Take the toothpaste example above; buying a travel size (.85 oz) tube of Crest at your WDW resort will cost $1.95, buying the same tube at Target will cost $1.49, a 23% difference. Obviously if you’ve plunked down thousands of dollars for a vacation and you need toothpaste, a 46 cent price difference is not going to dissuade you from making a purchase, but knowing the “vacation markup” can help inform your packing choices.
In some cases, the Disney markup is more reasonable. Dramamine, a true necessity for me when cruising, is priced at $5.95 at WDW/DCL and $5.29 at Target, a difference of just 11%.
In other instances, the Disney markup is considerably greater. An 8 oz. Coppertone Kids SPF 50 is $13.95 at WDW/DCL and $8.99 for a single bottle at my Target, a 35% increase. There were further economies at Target when purchasing multipacks, which would bring down the price per bottle even further. This five dollar difference probably won’t make or break your vacation. However, if you’ve got several items like that on your packing list, the cumulative price difference between bringing from home and buying on site might be enough to pay for the checked bag you’d need to get the standard-size sunscreen through TSA at the airport.
Overall, I found a wide variation on the mark up for individual items, with the average being about 36% in my sample survey.
Even if you’re generally OK with ignoring prices on vacation, there are a few areas where you may want to take a second look.
Diapers are an area of high markup with the potential to have a big hit to your bottom line. (Diapers — bottom, sorry.) Currently, a 12-count package of basic size 4 Huggies costs $8.95 at the Disney gift shops. The same diapers were $8.99 at Target, but for a 24-count package. That’s about a 100% increase. If you were to use coupons or purchase in bulk, the savings at home vs. Disney could be significantly greater. Over the course of a week-long vacation, the savings from non-Disney diaper purchases alone could be enough to fund several meals for the entire family.
Of course if you have an emergency need for diapers, you’re not going to worry about the price, but if you’re traveling with infants you’ll want to have other options rather than relying on Disney for your main diaper supply. Pack your own (again, you’ll easily recoup your costs, even if you have to check an extra bag), shop “off-campus” in Orlando, ship a box to yourself, or depending on your other vacation needs, use a service like GardenGrocer.com or TurnerDrug.com if you’re vacationing at Walt Disney World, or BabiesTravelLite.com if you’re cruising.
Another area with significant markup issues is single dose packets of common over-the-counter medicines. A paper packet of two 200 mg Advil tablets retails for $2.45 at Disney, while a 20 count bottle of an equivalent product (Advil liquigels) costs $5.95 at Disney and $3.99 at Target. Also of note, is that the Disney parks first aid centers will give you one or two packets of generic ibuprofen for free. Markups are similar for other single dose packets.
Choosing single dose packets clearly is a financial no-no, but there are sometimes instances where you may want the convenience of a small packet. I like to keep a dose or two each of Tylenol and Immodium in my purse or pocket whenever I travel. Of course I could purchase the econo-size bottle of Tylenol at Costco on the cheap and throw a few tablets in a ziploc, but sometimes this is messy. If you travel a lot and find single-dose packets helpful, try shopping for these in bulk at Staples or on Amazon.
Another great resource for travel-size and single dose packages is the website minimus.biz. The Advil packet that Disney sells for $2.45 is available on minimus for 61 cents. A travel size Crest toothpaste that’s $1.95 at Disney and $1.49 at Target is only 76 cents at minimus. Of course you’ll need to factor in shipping costs, but if you’re a frequent traveler it’s fairly easy to make the math work.
Only you can make the call about the right balance for your family about obsessively packing for every possible eventuality versus making do and buying on the fly when the need hits. You can get most of what you’ll absolutely need for toiletries and sundries at your Disney hotel, but you will be paying a premium to rely on the gift shop.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
How Much Do Toiletries and Sundries Cost at Disney? is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Universal Orlando Resort Crowd Report – October 12 to 18, 2014
Resort-wide crowds at Universal Orlando remained flat at a level ’4′ from Sunday through Thursday last week although Islands of Adventure consistently sees crowds one or two levels lower than its Universal Studios counterpart. Shortened park hours on days when Universal Studios hosts Halloween Horror Nights still seem to have little effect on average daytime waits. Crowds during the day are about the same whether a nighttime party is scheduled or not.
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
6
6
Wait times at Islands of Adventure lagged way behind those at Universal Studios on Sunday. We saw average waits like 9 minutes at Dragon Challenge (predicted 16) and 7 at Doctor Doom’s Fearfall (predicted 21).
Islands of Adventure
6
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
4
5
Early Park admission on Monday for resort guests and wait times remained near expected levels at both parks. E.T. Adventure averaged 17 minutes (predicted 16) while our prediction of 46 minutes for Forbidden Journey missed high by only 2 minutes. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit was a surprise with a mere 15 minutes average wait time (predicted 36).
Islands of Adventure
4
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
5
4
Slightly lower wait times than expected on Tuesday at both parks. Revenge of the Mummy averaged a 10 minute wait (predicted 13) while The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man averaged 22 (predicted 30).
Islands of Adventure
4
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
5
4
Another Early Park Admission day on Wednesday and wait times remained low. No real surprises at The Studios while at Islands of Adventure we saw an average wait time of 22 minutes at Spider-Man (predicted 31).
Islands of Adventure
5
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
5
5
Thursdays crowds were very close to predictions at both parks. With the exception of Despicable Me (64 minutes, predicted 44) every prediction we made on Thursday was within 8 minutes of what we observed.
Islands of Adventure
4
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
4
6
The Studios closed at 5pm to host Halloween Horror Nights for the second day in a row on Friday but crowds remained steady during the day. Average waits for Men In Black, Rip Ride Rockit and The Simpsons Ride were 10 to 15 minutes longer than predicted. Elsewhere, predictions missed by only a few minutes.
Islands of Adventure
4
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
6
6
Saturday’s crowds at ’6′ and ’5′ were similar to what we saw all week. No lines significantly longer than normal and none significantly shorter. Average wait times at Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, Ripsaw Falls and Dragon Challenge all matched our predictions exactly.
Islands of Adventure
6
5
What to Expect This Week
October 19 to 25, 2014
How Crowded is Universal Orlando Resort?
Next week is the final week before Halloween so we expect the festive theme to intensify although crowds will likely remain similar to what we saw last 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.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Universal Orlando Resort Crowd Report – October 12 to 18, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney World Crowd Report – October 12 to 18, 2014
Wait times were up last week resort-wide, especially at Disney Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Partially due to increased crowds and partially due to operational changes such as a temporary closing of Pirates of the Caribbean, the permanent closing of Backlot Tour and experiments with Fastpass Plus-only attractions. Animal Kingdom crowds came in at expected levels or lower all week so it is unlikely that attendance is up significantly.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week:
Walt Disney World Resort Crowd Levels – Daily Breakdown
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
8
Happy Touringplans #Everywhere Day! Touringplans.com employees travelled the globe to cover every Disney Destination and cruise ship worldwide on Sunday. At Walt Disney World, crowds came in higher than expected at every park except Animal Kingdom. Wait Times at Disney’s Hollywood Studios hit ’10′ out of ’10′ for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (74 minutes), Great Movie Ride (32) and Toy Story Midway Mania (80).
Epcot
5
6
Hollywood Studios
6
9
Animal Kingdom
7
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
4
4
Columbus Day ranks very low on the list of crowded holidays at the parks as evidenced by our correct prediction of the crowd level ’4′ at Magic Kingdom this year. The Studios had another day of high wait times which is less likely due to the holiday and more likely to the redistributions of crowds at that park. Despite the park wide level ’9′, Tower of Terror only had an average of 49 minutes (predicted 66).
Epcot
7
7
Hollywood Studios
4
9
Animal Kingdom
6
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
7
Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom was down for unscheduled maintenance on Tuesday and Thursday last week which may have pushed wait times a little higher at neighboring attractions like Jungle Cruise (53 minutes, predicted 40).
Epcot
5
5
Hollywood Studios
4
6
Animal Kingdom
6
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
6
It is rare to see three parks hit high crowd numbers while one park remains low but that’s what happened on Wednesday. Epcot and The Studios continue to average higher wait times that history would suggest while Animal Kingdom saw most attractions stay around 15 minutes on average.
Epcot
4
7
Hollywood Studios
5
7
Animal Kingdom
4
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
3
6
Magic Kingdom hosted a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party on Thursday but despite the shortened hours for daytime guests, wait times stayed above average. Similar to Tuesday, this was likely partially due to Pirates of the Caribbean’s temporary closure.
Epcot
6
7
Hollywood Studios
4
5
Animal Kingdom
5
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
4
4
Another Halloween party on Friday but this time crowds stayed below average as expected with wait times like 31 at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and 37 and Space Mountain and Splash Mountain.
Epcot
7
6
Hollywood Studios
6
8
Animal Kingdom
6
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
7
Saturdays predictions were the best of the week with each coming in within one index level of what we observed. The ’8′ at The Studios capped off a week of higher than usual wait times, mostly at Great Movie Ride, Toy Story Midway Mania and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.
Epcot
5
6
Hollywood Studios
7
8
Animal Kingdom
7
7
What to Expect This Week
October 19 to 25, 2014
How Crowded is Disney World?
Next week is the final week before Halloween arrives so we expect the festive feel of the parks to intensify. Crowds will be steady.
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.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Disney World Crowd Report – October 12 to 18, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
TouringPlans #Everywhere – Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort Review
©Disney
I can’t believe #Everywhere has come and gone. Our last few cruisers are off their ships and everyone is back on the clock. I hope everyone enjoyed all the live tweets from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Hong Kong, the DCL Magic, Wonder, Dream, and Fantasy, Aulani, Vero Beach, and my destination, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) property in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
So how was it? I can’t believe I didn’t go sooner and that it took “taking one for the team” to get me to check it out. Both my travel partner, Len Testa, and I were very happily surprised at how much we loved this resort. I’ll try to break down the review into logical sections, but first the small print – for all the #Everywhere trips, TouringPlans picked up the bill for lodging, transportation, and food. We booked at rates available to the public and didn’t receive any incentives from Disney or the travel agents we booked with beyond what anyone else would get. In the case of the three DVC resorts, those were all booked using my own points as opposed to booking with cash through Disney or renting through a 3rd party.
Location
The resort feels secluded, but not so much as in this publicity shot. Photo © Disney
The photos on the Disney site, make Hilton Head Resort look like it’s really secluded. This is clever cropping though. The resort is at Shelter Cove Marina, which is a fairly commercial site with moorage, restaurants, retail, condos, and other resorts. Disney’s resort is on the edge of this area with the actual marina on one side and undeveloped marshland on the other. The clever thing about how the resort is situated is that once you’re actually there, you do feel like the resort is on its own island. As a coastal town, Hilton Head has mostly mild weather; you can see the forecast and weather history at Weather Underground.
Size
Hilton Head is the smallest resort in the DVC line-up with 81 villas (21 of which are two bedroom lock-offs that can be booked as separate studios and one bedrooms). To put that in perspective, that’s fewer than in a single building at Pop Century. The largest DVC property, Saratoga Springs, has 828 villas (432 which can be divided, for a maximum of 1260).
Resort and area map for Hilton Head resort. © Disney
Rooms
We were in a studio for this trip, which was a bit of a change for me. I usually book one bedrooms, but by the time I decided that the points were worth it, there were none left. If you’ve been in any DVC unit, these will look familiar to you. Hilton Head was built in 1996 and has the same floor plans as other DVC resorts built around that time like Beach Club Villas and Boardwalk Villas. The studio kitchenette is a nice touch and the balcony is very deep. If you’re bring all your friends and family, there are five Grand Villas at Hilton Head. If you have trouble filling up all that space, email me laurel at touringplans dot com. I can be there in 5 1/2 hours.
A panorama of the Hilton Head studio room. Photo – Laurel Stewart
The Beach House
This is such a nice touch. Hilton Head has a beautiful beach, but Disney’s resort is inland. Disney has taken care of that with the Beach House 1.3 miles from the main resort (an easy bike ride, even easier drive with reserved, covered parking, and a not so easy and not at all recommended after dark walk). The Beach House has direct access to the beach, its own pool, a snack bar, restrooms and changing areas, and a nice club room inside with air conditioning for anyone who wants to get out of the heat. While beach access is 24 hours a day (you have to show resort ID to drive in and park), the house and pool itself was only open 10am to 6pm when we were there. Hours are longer in the summer. There is a shuttle that runs between the resort and the Beach House while it’s open.
Disney Feel
Need wine? A Dooney or a Vera? A Frozen tote bag or Disney iPhone case? Hilton Head has you covered. Photo – Laurel Stewart
One of my concerns about Hilton Head was that it wouldn’t feel very Disney. Boy was I wrong. This is absolutely a Disney resort, just on a smaller scale. As soon as we’d checked in and started roaming around, it felt just as familiar as any on site Walt Disney World resort. Here is a run down of things guests who have stayed at Walt Disney World might wonder about before booking Hilton Head:
Cast Members – no slacking off because of distance from the mother ship here (Hilton Head is under Orlando-based management, just as all the DVC properties and Disney Cruise Line are). Everyone was just as friendly and helpful as you’d expect.
Gift shop – yes, there is a small gift shop with souvenirs and a few groceries. There’s even some Hilton Head-specific merchandise here, including my favorite, a stuffed Shadow the dog (more on Shadow later).
Pool – there is a good-sized pool and splash area, more than adequate for the size of the resort with all the fun activities cast-member led activities you get at any Disney resort, like dance contests, trivia, and karaoke.
Resort TV – I was so pleased when we turned on the TV and got all my favorite Disney channels, like Company Clips, Adventures by Disney, the DVC channel (I call it the Casey channel), and Hilton Head Today channel (but no Stacy channel).
Food – it’s quick service only here and no dinner this time of year. Yes, you can get Mickey waffles for breakfast.
Looks familiar, right? Photo – Laurel Stewart
Characters – none. Maybe they have them for the weekly dinners that are scheduled during the summer, but not in the fall.
Bar – none. Neither at the main resort nor at the Beach House. This was kind of a bummer, because it would have fit in well, but given the size of the resort and the choices nearby, I get why there’s not one. The two quick service locations offer beer, wine, and premixed cocktails. The ABC nearby offers whole bottles of gin, which I prefer.
Outside movies – two nights a week while we were there.
Magic Band – nope, just regular room keys.
Pressed pennies – Yes! I was surprised and happy to see this.
Refillable mugs – yes, and they use the same system the mugs at Walt Disney World do. Prices are $9 for 1 day, $12 – 2 days, $15 – 3 days, $18 – length of stay.
Len and I had different opinions on which Walt Disney World resort Hilton Head most reminded us of. For me, it was Riverside – Alligator Bayou. There’s a Disney-rustic feel to the whole resort, which is broken up into 20 3 story buildings (no elevators except in building 11 – the one with check in and the parking garage. Len said Wilderness Lodge, but he’s wrong and I’m the one writing the article. There’s definitely been some Imagineering at the resort. I feel like I need to bring Jim Hill down to explain the significance of the all signage (which reminds me of the Main St. U.S.A. windows and the signage on Castaway Cay).
Food Options
Where else can you get a Mickey waffle with this view? Photo – Laurel Stewart
There is quick service breakfast and lunch at Tide Me Over, located by the pool. At the Beach House, there is a snack bar that serves lunch (including Dole Whip). For dining offsite, there are many restaurants within biking and walking distance of the resort, as well as groceries from Whole Foods, Kroger, Publix, and the Fresh Market. Whole Foods also has a hot food bar that’s a good choice for vegetarians, vegans, or anyone looking for lighter fare. The first night we ate at ELA’s Blu Water Grille at the marina, which was both our most expensive and most disappointing meal. Our last night, we hit up The Lucky Rooster, a 15 minute walk down 278 (William Hilton Parkway). This was fantastic, we recommend it to anyone looking for a fun place with an interesting menu. Disclaimer, while the service is super, the menu isn’t exactly child-friendly. This is more a place for adults to have a nice meal and a handcrafted cocktail or two. For family-friendly dining, try Guiseppi’s Pizza and Pasta in the same shopping center as the Whole Foods. It was quite good when we had lunch there, and resort guests get a 10% discount with the Key to the World card.
Recreation
It would have taken a whole week to try everything, and we were only there three nights. There are the pools of course, but there’s also bike rentals, playgrounds, shuffleboard (I won!), horse shoes, corn hole, billiards (I lost!), fishing, crabbing…. And that’s not to mention the guided excursions from nature walks to dolphin watching. We particularly liked renting the bikes to get around. The terrain is mostly flat and there are bike paths throughout the area. One thing to remember – Disney asks for their bike rentals that you not ride after dusk (which makes sense, there are areas without a lot of light due to local ordinances) or if you’ve been drinking (we’ll assume they figured that out the hard way). If you like active fun, Hilton Head is the place for you. And if you don’t, like I said, the beach is really nice.
Shadow outside the Live Oak Lodge. Photo – Len Testa
Shadow
I purposely did not do too much research on Hilton Head before I left because I like to be surprised, but even I knew about Shadow before I arrived. Shadow is a Golden Retriever who showed up at the resort as a puppy as it was under construction and never left. She (he? honestly I don’t remember) even has her own dog house at the main building and hours that you can meet her if you don’t see her walking around. She’s a great dog, very friendly and mellow. If you miss your own pets while you’re vacationing definitely check the resort schedule to see when you can meet Shadow.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a Disney Vacation Club member who lives within driving distance of Hilton Head, you have no excuse not to visit this resort. It’s everything you love about Walt Disney World without the hassle of being at Walt Disney World. If you’re not a DVC member, and can drive to South Carolina, consider renting points to check it out. Either way, be sure to pick up some groceries so you’re not depending on onsite dining or the local restaurants for all your meals, and if you have your own bikes and a rack for your car – bring those too.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
TouringPlans #Everywhere – Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort Review is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
New! FastPass+ Availability, Dashboard, Attraction Updates
By Len Testa
A few new updates for the site today should make it easier to plan your next Disney World trip:
You can see all of the FastPass+ times available for every attraction in every park, up to 30 days in advance
Your Trip Dashboard now includes links to the attractions available in the parks you’re visiting, and an easier-to-understand crowd rating
Each park’s Attractions page gets a cleaner, simpler layout, and only shows ratings for the age groups in your family
Details are below.
FastPass+ Availability
You’re now able to see all of the FastPass+ reservation times available for every attraction, every day, on a single page:
We’ve also added FastPass+ availability to each attraction, for easy reference. See the new text box on the right side of the page, highlighted in orange:
We’re using a party size of 1 right now, with other group sizes coming soon. FastPass+ availability is shown for up to 30 days in advance, and we’re working on 60.
Dashboard Updates
Your Trip Dashboard gets a more organized look, and easier navigation to each park’s attractions:
Each park’s crowd calendar rating gets a short text explanation of the crowd level
For each park you’re visiting each day, links to those parks’ attraction pages are now available. This makes it faster to find the right rides for your family.
Here’s a screen capture, with the new elements highlighted in orange.
Attractions Pages
Each park’s attractions page has been redesigned to make it easier to read, and easier to choose rides for your touring plans.
One big change is that you’ll only see ride ratings appropriate for your family’s ages. If you’re typical adults with only pre-school and grade-school children, then you don’t need to see attraction ratings for teens, young adults, or seniors – that information just clutters up the page. The new default settings only show what’s relevant to your family. (You can still see all of the ratings by clicking Show All Age Ratings.)
Each attraction’s information layout has been redesigned for easy reading, including the ride’s location, brief description, and best times to visit. If your family includes pre-school or grade-school children, we’ll also display the ride’s height requirements.
We’ve also made it easy to add a ride to your touring plan. Simply click the “Add to Plans” link to add an attraction to one of your touring plans.
Finally, you can rate each attraction from 1 to 5 stars, to easily remember your favorites.
Here’s a screen capture with the new layout:
These updates will be making their way to our Lines mobile app in a couple of weeks.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
New! FastPass+ Availability, Dashboard, Attraction Updates is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
October 23, 2014
“Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It!” Street Party Rolls Out Tomorrow at the Magic Kingdom
©Disney
The “Move It! Shake It! Dance & Play It!” Street Party, which was formerly known as the “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” Street Party, officially debuts tomorrow, Friday, October 24, at the Magic Kingdom.
The parade features giant gift boxes that make their way down Main Street U.S.A., towards the central hub, where the street party portion begins. During the fun, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy will dance and celebrate with guests. The show will feature a new song called “Party Up.” Guests will also get to have fun with Stitch and Phineas and Ferb. The finale ends with the “Play It” portion, where guests will get to vote for the final song that gets played.
The parade is presented several times a day. Guests should check either a Times Guide, our list of Magic Kingdom showtimes, or Lines for exact times.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
“Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It!” Street Party Rolls Out Tomorrow at the Magic Kingdom is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
TouringPlans #Everywhere: Disney Magic Observations from a DCL First-Timer
There’s nothing like your first look at your first Disney cruise ship! (Photos by Seth Kubersky)
As part of the fantastic TouringPlans #Everywhere project, I recently had the amazing opportunity to experience my very first Disney Cruise Line vacation aboard the Disney Magic, on an unusual 7-day itinerary out of Puerto Rico. While I’ve previously stayed on-site in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and traveled with some of Disney’s competitors in the cruising and all-inclusive resort industries, this was my initial experience as a guest of DCL. Overall, I have to say that I went in with sky-high expectations, almost all of which I can happily report were met or exceeded. But that’s not to say there weren’t a few surprises along the way. Here are a handful of Disney Magic observations and advice from this first-time (but hopefully not last-time) DCL cruiser that may may your vigin voyage a little smoother.
1. Arriving early is worth every penny.
When I initially learned that our sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, wouldn’t depart the dock on embarkation day until after 9 p.m., I considered flying into the island on the day of our departure. I’m now exceedingly glad I followed the advice I was given to arrive the day before, because it got our trip off to a much smoother start than it would have otherwise.
Power problems aside, Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton has much to recommend it.
Arriving a day early allowed us to spend an evening relaxing at the lovely Caribe Hilton hotel; though a bit rough around the edges by mainland luxury resort standards (repeated power outages left us carrying our luggage down eight flights of steps), the Mad Men-era architecture and gorgeous grounds with private beach more than made up for any wear and tear.
Just be sure to select a pre-cruise property with sufficient onsite ammenities to keep you entertained for the evening, because (as multiple friends who have lived in San Juan warned me) this is not a town you want to wander around after dark.
More importantly, the early arrival allowed us to request one of the first terminal arrival time slots on embarkation day. While I’d heard horror stories of afternoon arrivals facing a labyrinth of long check-in lines, we showed up shortly after noon and breezed through security, registration, and the obligatory character photos in the blink of an eye.
This DCL check-in line is nothing compared with what it will look like in mid-afternoon.
We even had plenty of time to shop in the fully-stocked liquor store thoughtfully provided inside the San Juan cruise terminal; I wish I’d known about it sooner, since the wine bottle prices were less than half what I’d paid in our hotel’s gift shop the night before.
We bought a giant bottle of Evian for $2 at the Puerto Rico cruise terminal. The best bargain of the trip!
Finally, those inital hours that we were aboard before the bulk of other passengers even arrived were a huge boon, allowing us to orient ourselves with the ship’s layout, explore the amazing kids’ clubhouses which would be off limits to adults later on, and (most crucially) book a sought-after brunch seating at Palo. Some of these things could have been handled during our sea day, but it was great to be able to clear them off our checklist early, so we could get to the hard-core relaxing quicker.
Embarkation afternoon is adults’ best opportunity to play in the kids’ Oceaneers Club.
2. Go easy on the Internet.
Not long ago, Disney Cruise Line ditched their pay-by-the-minute onboard internet pricing in favor of a more fair data metering system, but it is still far to easy to get yourself in trouble with excessive internet usage. Pricing ranges from an outrageous 25¢ per megabyte, up to a pricey but slightly more sane $89.95 for 1 gigabyte (the tier I selected). If you sign up on embarkation day, you can even get 50 MB absolutely free; however, that amount will only cover a couple quick email checks, and won’t even go that far if you aren’t cautious.
Connection speeds were stable while docked at shore, and sluggish but generally acceptable while at sea; it was sufficient for using Facebook and iMessage, though don’t bother trying to stream Netflix or upload to Youtube. But before I found my virtual sea-legs, I inadvertently burned through nearly 20% of my package (which the technical support folks at the ship’s internet cafe were happy to reset for me) within the first few hours. Eventually, I learned to mange my data consumption well enough to make that 1 GB package last a full week, despite incessant use of Twitter to document my trip.
Here are the settings I adjusted on my iPhone and iPad for most efficient data consumption; your mileage may vary on Android devices, which may have similar features under different names. Be sure to make these adjustments BEFORE logging into the ship’s WiFi network for the first time:
Airplane Mode ON
Bluetooth OFF
Personal Hotspot OFF
General: Background App Refresh OFF
Privacy: Location Services OFF
iCloud: Photo Stream OFF (your Photo Stream will be temporarily deleted, but will return when you reactivate it after your cruise)
iCloud: Automatic Backup OFF
iTunes: Automatic Downloads OFF (especially for Updates)
Mail, Contacts, Calendars: Fetch New Data/Push OFF (set to Manually), Download Remote Images OFF
Facebook: Video Auto-play OFF, Upload HD Video OFF
Also disable any automatic photo uploading in apps like Dropbox or Google+
Even if you don’t want to check messages or social media at all during your trip (not a bad idea at all, if you can get away with it), you should still download the free Disney Cruise Navigator App before leaving home. While it will cost you data to install once aboard, using the app via the on-board WiFi system is absolutely free, and it provides more detailed, updated information on ship activities than the printed Personal Navigator itineraries. You’ll soon be able to use the app for free messaging between passengers, not unlike the cordless Wave phones currently included in each stateroom.
3. Sit down for dinner.
On previous cruises with competing operators, my wife and I always selected flexible main dining times, which allowed us to eat our evening meal whenever we wanted without having to sit with the same strangers night after night. DCL doesn’t offer this option; if you want a table service dinner, you’ll have to arrive at a specified early or late seating time, and stick with the same assigned table-mates and wait-staff throughout your voyage.
While I was initially apprehensive, it turned out to be a excellent system. First, our 8:15 p.m. dining time gave us a bit of stability in our day, providing a reliable anchor to our evening after all the activity of our daytime adventures. This was important for us traveling as an adult couple, but would have been absolutely essential if cruising with a couple kids, or our extended family. The ability to go your separate ways during the day, but still always have a set time to reunite at night, is one of the biggest advantages of taking cruise vacation with a group.
Second, our dining companions and servers proved to be delightful company, and it was great to develop a relationship (however brief) with them over the course of the week. We shared a table with a German couple were much more experienced cruisers than us, and able to provide us with valuable insight about the ttrip. And while on previous trips I wasn’t always sure where my mandatory gratuity was going, we became so friendly with our hard-working wait staff (who are on duty every single day for months at a time, with only a few occasional hours off each week) that I happily increased their tips at the end of the voyage.
The buffets on the Disney Magic are great…
Third, while the variety and quality of food in the Cabanas buffet and quick-service locations around the pool deck was more than sufficient (easily better than what’s currently served inside WDW’s parks), the repast in the main dining rooms was certainly a cut above. While the mass preparation and presentation of the food prevents it from achieving fine-dining status, our dinners compared favorably in both flavor and appearance to upscale wedding banquet catering. It isn’t exactly Victoria & Albert’s (though Palo’s exquisite brunch came close), but I’d put I’d put DCL’s food alongside or above many popular WDW restaurants like Le Cellier and Be Our Guest. The only exception was the standard fare at Carioca’s, which we found disappintingly underseasoned and overcooked given the menu’s intriguiging South American flair.
…but the dining rooms are better.
Finally, as good as the food was in the main dining room, the atmosphere and entertainment was even better. We were lucky enough to experience Animator’s Palate three times in our rotation, and it quickly became one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. The meal-ending video and light show on our first night had a simiar emotional effect on me as a viewing of Fantasmic! or World of Color (albeit without the fireworks and fountains), while the audience-participation animation on our final night made for one of the most magical memories of any Disney trip I’ve been on.
Animator’s Palate = pure Disney magic.
I wish Disney would bring this restaurant concept to one of their resorts; it could be a huge hit at Disney Springs.
4. Don’t dismiss the adult entertainment.
I fully expected the nightly productions in Disney Magic’s main theatre to be first class, and I wasn’t disappointed. Twice Charmed and Disney Dreams were as good or better than anything on stage inside WDW (except perhaps Finding Nemo The Musical), and the other shows were solidly entertaining, with the exception of the excerable Villains Tonight (or as Laurel calls it, the Stitch’s Great Escape of DCL shows).
I expected this to be good…
What I didn’t anticipate was how much I’d enjoy the adults-only entertainers featured nightly in Fathoms, the main nightclub in the Magic’s “After Hours” area. I have a low tolerance for cheesy lounge entertainment, and expected some second-rate shtick similar to what I’ve seen on other cruise lines. Much to my surprise, while the late-night genres seemed generic, their execution was exceptional.
The best of the bunch was Buckets ‘n’ Boards, a talented duo that combines Stomp-style percussion and tap dancing with self-depreciating comedy worthy of Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. The pair performed 3 times during our trip, and each viewing was better than the last — don’t miss them if they happen to be on your cruise.
…but was happily surprised that these guys were great too.
On subsequent nights, I saw surprisingly superb shows by a stage hypnotist, a juggler, and a sleight-of-hand magician. Each had a fairly standard repertoire of tricks, but performed them expertly, with practiced patter and propulsive pacing that kept their audiences involved throughout their 45-minute sets.
Performers on the ships rotate regularly, but most are veterans of both DCL and the parks (you may recognize the juggler from his 5000+ appearances in DHS’s old Hunchback of Notre Dame preshow), and all know exactly how to strike the balance between Disney-clean and adult-inuendo; while you won’t hear any 4-letter words, the double entendres gently bend Mickey’s PG-13 boundaries.
5. Get off the boat.
Disney Cruise Lines does a better job of immersing you in a “Disney Bubble” of exceptionally attentive service than any of their stateside resorts currently do, distinctly reminding me of a stay in one of WDW’s top-tier hotels during the 1990s glory years. There so much to do (or, in the case of the wonderfully serene adult-only pool area, NOT do) on the boat, that you may be tempted to save on excursions and stay on board when in port.
As enticing as that may seem, it would be a mistake. The port adventures we experienced gave us eye-opening glimpses into the lives of others that I’d consider absolutely essential to the travel experience. Sure, it was amazing to explore an underwater sculpture museum (and see squid and octopi up close!) while snorkeling in Grenada; drive into a steaming volcanic field in St. Lucia; or zip-line through the rainforest canopy in St. Kitts. But even more important was the opportunity to see the homes, schools, and marketplaces where the real people who inhabit these islands live out their lives.
I’m glad I got to see this on my DCL Magic port adventures…
Our Disney-approved tour guides were refreshingly candid about the political and economic challenges that residents of these tropical paradises face, and it was educational (if occassionally uncomfortable) to experience a small taste of local life, as when we made a pit stop at a wash house were residents without home plumbing take showers and launder clothing. Even if you don’t want to spring for a guided port adventure (all of which were all a good value at under $100 per person), you can see quite bit of local color on foot, as long as you venture beyond the Duty Free diamond shops and tourist-trap bars that congragate around every cruise port; we enjoyed multi-hour self-guided walking tours of Barbados and Antigua (which I’ll share in an upcoming blog post) for less than $20 per person.
……but I’m glad I got to see this too.
While I never felt unsafe during our on-shore adventures, I think it is important when traveling to experience things outside my comfort zone, if only to make me more appreciative of my own lifestyle, which I too often take for granted. That’s a lesson that I didn’t expect to learn from a Disney cruise, but it’s one that will stick with me long after I stop feeling the boat’s motion rocking beneath my feet.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
TouringPlans #Everywhere: Disney Magic Observations from a DCL First-Timer is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Bob Sehlinger's Blog
- Bob Sehlinger's profile
- 30 followers
