Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1175

Thanksgiving Day Options at Walt Disney World

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

For those looking to celebrate Thanksgiving at Walt Disney World, there will be more than 30 different dining choices throughout the different Walt Disney World parks and resorts.

Disney will be offering both lunch and dinner options at many different locations. They will include:

Magic Kingdom

Be Our Guest Restaurant
Tony’s Town Square

Epcot

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Biergarten
Coral Reef
Le Cellier Steakhouse
Rose and Crown Dining Hall
Sunshine Seasons

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Hollywood and Vine
The Hollywood Brown Derby

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tusker House

Disney Resorts

Various resorts will offer dining options, including Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Kidani Village. A full list of resort restaurants that will be serving Thanksgiving hasn’t been announced at the moment. The post will be updated as more information is released.

To make reservations, call (407) WDW-DINE.

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Details About Big Hero 6 Meet and Greet Opportunities

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

Who else is looking forward to hugging Baymax from the upcoming Big Hero 6? Well beginning at some point this Fall, you’ll have the chance to do so on both coasts!

For guests who are headed to Walt Disney World, 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. From there you’ll make your way to Hiro’s garage workshop to meet both Hiro Hamada and Bamax.

Unfortunately, this means that we will no longer be able to head to Sugar Rush; we’ll be losing the meet and greet for Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope. Their meet and greet officially closes on October 24. (Guests looking to at least see Ralph or Vanellope will still be able to find them in the “Mickey’s Boo-To-You Parade” and the “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade” this year.)

In Disneyland, guests should make their way to Tomorrowland’s Starcade, where you’ll be able to visit Hiro’s robotics workshop and see both Hiro and Baymax. Guests will also be able to see an extended sneak peek of the upcoming film Big Hero 6 in the Magic Eye Theater. (Where Captain EO could previously be found.)

The only detail we now need to wait for is the opening date, as it hasn’t been announced for either Walt Disney World or Disneyland. The only information we have is mid-November. Big Hero 6 rolls into theaters on November 7.

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Extra touches for Celebrations at Walt Disney World

By Amy Farkas

Once Upon A Time there was a glorious celebration filled with love, laughter, and pixie dust. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to create such a memory for yourself or someone you love? Not every celebration can be fairy tale like, but when at Disney the sky is the limit. No matter what you are celebrating, they have options for you. Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Graduations, and everything in between can be reason for some extra pixie dust on your vacation.

Celebrations Buttons

Courtesy Disney

You’ve probably seen other guests wearing these 3” buttons before. Not being a person who wants to draw attention to myself, I am always a little hesitant about announcing to the world it’s my birthday or anniversary, but it certainly has its perks. The buttons can be picked up at your resort upon check in, or at any vacation planning booth or guest services location within the four parks. These buttons are FREE for the asking and can be personalized. There are currently nine choices available: anniversary, … happily ever after, 1st visit, birthday, family reunion, I’m celebrating…, my magical triumph, just engaged, and just married.

You can receive and wear the buttons 6 months prior to an event, such as your birthday, and up to 6 months after. So, if traveling to WDW two months after your birthday, you can still get a button and proudly wear it around the parks as you have a late celebration of the event.

When wearing the buttons, expect to receive comments from cast members and other guests. I have even heard of free deserts and the like being given to the celebrating individual at sit down restaurants. For example, my friend and her husband proudly wore their Anniversary buttons at Beaches and Cream and received a free sundae along with Congratulations. I, however, have worn my birthday button and not received anything. I would warn button wearers, not to expect free perks, but they are always a nice surprise if they happen.

In Room Celebrations

In Room Romance Package – Picture by Disney

As mentioned above, be sure to tell the cast member at check in that you have an occasion to celebrate. When we went for our 10th anniversary, we not only got the buttons to wear in the parks, but on the day of our anniversary we returned to find our room had an extra surprise inside. We received, free of charge, balloons and a picture of Pooh & Friends (my favorite at that time) that was autographed by the characters. Again, this sort of pixie dust is random and shouldn’t be expected. But, be sure to inform the front desk. You never know what you might find in your room.

If your child is celebrating a birthday while you are visiting, you can request a special birthday phone call from a character. Wouldn’t your child love to have Mickey call them on the morning of their birthday? I know I would!

You can also take in room celebrations into your own hands and contact Disney Floral and Gifts. They provide a wide array of items that can be delivered to your room, such as balloons, confetti, flowers, candles, chocolates, banners, and small gifts. They have packages available for Romance, Birthdays, Princesses, Pirates, Triumph, DVC, and even holidays. At Christmas time, you can order a small tree that is already decorated. Imagine waking up on Christmas morning at Walt Disney World with presents that magically appeared under an in room tree. Disney Floral and Gifts can be reached at 407-939-4438 or you can order online at http://www.disneyfloralandgifts.com/home.html.

Celebration Cakes

Who doesn’t love cake? And what celebration is complete without eating some? Just because you are on vacation, should not be reason to forgo this important part of any celebration. Disney has several different methods for you to have your cake and eat it too. You can call the Disney cake specialists at 407-827-2253 to order up something delicious. Your order can be placed no more than 4 weeks in advance and no less than 72 hours in advance.

Mini cake from the Grand Floridian – courtesy Disney Food Blog

But first off, what kinds of cakes are available? There are several choices, from your basic “supermarket style” cake to fancy fondant covered cakes. Some cakes only have availability at certain locations, so be sure to check with the cake specialists before getting your heart set on something. However, here is a basic primer of all the order ahead cakes:

 Basic Custom Cakes – These range in size from 8” (serving 8 people) to full sheet cakes (serving 100 people), and are available for your dining reservations at most restaurants.
Mickey Mouse Cakes – These big Mickey heads are white or chocolate cake with chocolate filling and chocolate ganache with a screen printed face. They feed 10-12 people and can have a small personalized message on the serving plate.
Fancy Fondant Covered and Mini Cakes – Let your imagination run wild. These custom cakes are beautifully decorated but are only made at limited locations: the bakeries of the Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Boardwalk, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Yacht & Beach Club. They can be delivered to some Magic Kingdom and Epcot restaurants, or can be personally picked up at the Boardwalk Bakery only.

If ordering a special occasion cake for a restaurant reservation inside of the Magic Kingdom, you can contact wdw.magickingdomcakes@disney.com instead of calling the phone number above. If ordering a cake for a reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table (CRT), you can contact wdw.crt.special.events@disney.com.

Cinderella’s Royal Table Special Events

In addition to the specialty cakes above, you can order a chocolate slipper or crown ($12.50 each) to be presented during your meal at Cinderella’s Royal Table. The slipper is your choice of white or dark chocolate, filled with chocolate mousse and presented with fresh berries. The plate can be personalized with up to four words. It typically serves one person. The crown is available in white chocolate only, but also is filled with chocolate mousse and presented with fresh berries, with a plate that can be personalized.

Another option for your celebration while at CRT is the “Her Royal Highness” package. It will make any girl feel like royalty. It includes a princess balloon featuring six of the Disney Princesses. Shortly after arrival, a Royal Attendant will present a 3” tiara adorned with crystals, which signifies being crowned princess for a day. You may upgrade the tiara to a 5” version for an additional cost. The celebration will conclude with an extraordinary cake prepared by Cinderella’s Royal Chefs. It is a 6” round cake, available in chocolate or vanilla, with one of your favorite Princesses on top. It also can be personalized with up to four words. The entire package is $90.00 plus tax and an 18% gratuity.

If you are looking for a true fairytale ending to your meal, you can also order an engraved glass slipper from CRT. The cost is $65.00 plus tax and gratuity. I envision this option as part of an engagement but, I’m just a romantic at heart, so who am I to say.

Engagements

Speaking of engagements, if you are planning on popping the question while at Disney World, you may want to check out this article by fellow TouringPlans blogger Erin Foster: 101 Ways to Propose at Disney World. If you still need some help in planning the big event, call Disney Fairytale Engagements at 321-939-4610. They can help you plan and execute all of the necessary details.

– Courtesy Disney

Special Ear Hats

Buying and wearing an ear hat is as normal as breathing when in Disney World. And why just make them ordinary Mickey ears? If it’s your birthday, they’ve got a hat for that. Just married? Yep, hats for that too! Instead of just sporting a 3” button on your shirt, proudly display your celebration on top your head for the world to see.

 

Other Special Experiences

Perhaps buttons, flowers, ear hats and cakes just aren’t for you. There are many more options to choose from; more than I could possibly tell you about in one sitting. Instead, I will give you a small spattering of ideas for your next celebration.

 Wishes, Illuminations, or Pirates and Pals Cruise
Signature Dining such as Victoria & Albert’s or the California Grill
Professional Portrait Sessions
Richard Petty Driving Experience
La Nouba
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique / Pirate’s League
Behind the Scenes Tours
Spa Experiences

Was your Disney World celebration sprinkled with lots of pixie dust?  Tell us about your celebration experience below.

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Daisy Lauren’s Best Week Ever: October 16, 2014 at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

By Daisy Lauren

Hi everyone! Welcome to the best week ever! While you’ll normally find me covering all the latest news at  Walt Disney World, this week I had the amazing opportunity to visit Disney’s Vero Beach Resort as part of TouringPlans #Everywhere. This resort was one of a very few Disney locations I hadn’t visited and I was excited to check it out.

Vero Beach is a very easy drive from the Orlando International Airport. We clocked it at just shy of two hours. We could have been there a little sooner but noticed that Disney routes you around some of the less desirable parts of Vero Beach. In any case we were checked through the guard gates in just a matter of minutes and ready to start our fabulous beach weekend. Want to see more? Please click to keep reading!

After walking through the front door, the first thing you’ll see is a beautiful four story lobby. Much like a cruise ship, it gives the impression that the resort is larger than it really is. Actually, I equate a visit to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort with a cruise. Without a car you’re pretty much locked into what the resort offers and that’s standard activities, the pool, the spa, and the beach. At check-in Gail was one of the nicest cast members I’ve ever encountered! Since it isn’t as busy here she was able to take a bit of time with us and we appreciated her help very much.

Below is what the main building looks like from the outside. This gives you an idea of what you can expect from the resort. You’re right on the water and the beachy theme carries throughout the property.

Of course, that extended right into our room! This is a one bedroom suite which retails for roughly $300 a night this time of year. We were able to comfortably share this room with another couple without any trouble. The room had everything that you would expect from a DVC property, but we all remarked how uncomfortable the beds were. I was the only one without a sore back on our last day.

Unlike some other Disney resorts, the buildings are nice and spread out in Vero Beach. They aren’t so far apart that you can’t comfortably walk to get around, but the buildings don’t feel like they’re right on top of each other. Wide sidewalks navigate you all through the property. (Though, keep your eyes peeled, one night a big crab scared me to death!)

Here is another look at those wide paths through the resort. On the right of the below photo is the pool and on the left is the beach. It’s just that simple to get around the property! Hanging on the right is something that looks like a sheet, but it’s a Halloween decoration. The 9 hole miniature gold course was decorated for the holiday, but more on that later!

Hidden around the resort are tiny hints of Disney. For my money, there wasn’t enough of a Disney connection at the resort. At check-in I asked where I could meet Disney characters and was told they were only there on Thursday nights for a character dinner. What Disney resort doesn’t have ANY characters? I was very disappointed at the lost opportunity. With such a small resort Goofy could easily play with guests on the pool deck or Donald could play shuffle board. How sad that the only chance is once a week and at a charge.

But then, they do have this view! We’ll visit the beach a little later but I couldn’t resist throwing in a photo early. Look at that bright, blue sky! One tip that I wish I would have thought of was to bring a kite. I saw several people flying kites during our stay and it looked like tons of fun.

Below is a look at the pool, which was large but often crowded during the heat of the day. We found that swimming after dark was best for cutting down on sunburn and crowds. However, the slide does close before the rest of the pool so be sure to check the hours on your resort guide to avoid disappointment. Speaking of disappointment, remember that you are on the beach and can’t expect people to be in too much of a hurry. I waited after sunrise for the pool to open because I was hoping for great photos. When it didn’t open at the posted time a cast member informed me that they weren’t ready and didn’t know when the pool would open. That was par for the course on this trip, but it wasn’t a lack of service. It was just people moving on “beach time”.

For the little ones there’s a pirate ship splash zone and a small playground. There were also tons of activities for kids, you can click on the photo below right for the full Saturday schedule. There are also kids clubs offered but from what I was able to gather they sounded pricey and seasonal. While I was there I didn’t see any groups of kids out with counselors, but rather kids with their parents participating in various activities. I was instructed to call (772) 234-2116 for more information when I had specific dates and ages in mind. 

 

Taking a look at the schedule, we decided to skip most of it as it was heavily geared towards kids. However, we were excited to try the Campfire Sing-A-Long. I’m a big fan of the one at the Wilderness Lodge Camp Ground so I thought I’d love this one too. Unfortunately, at Vero participation is mandatory so we didn’t enjoy it as much. I suppose I’d rather pay for my s’mores than sing and dance! Not to mention it was very crowded. We ended up leaving without a s’more because it wasn’t worth fighting the crowd.

Other amenities included a small game room and gym. The arcade worked on rechargeable cards like many others in the Disney universe. The gym was rather small and a bit outdated, but that seemed fitting as I only say a few people use it the entire weekend.

 

By the pool you can also find Bleachers, a walk up bar and quick service restaurant. The menu looked really tasty and we wanted to try it, but they were only open from 11am – 5pm when the sun was at it’s most brutal. Without any indoor seating we had to skip it. Our only purchase there was a dole whip, because who can pass on one of those in any weather?

Also near the pool, is a 9 hole miniature golf course where DVC members can play for just $2 per person. We were impressed with the course and it was what we’d expect if we were paying for on an 18 hole course. Since it was also by the DJ for the pool we got to listen to fun music and enjoy the sea breeze. Overall, it’s the best $2 I can remember spending in a while!

 

I added the below photo just out of tradition. I’m always hunting one of these whenever I visit a new Disney resort. It’s fun to see all the far off destinations and the direction listed. Also, take note of the orange light in front of the sign. All lights around the resort are this dim, yellow color. This is to protect hatching sea turtles that could confuse bright lights with the moon they should be swimming towards. It takes a bit of adjusting, but after a few days you’ll wish they’d use these lights everywhere. They cast such a soft, pleasant light in the evening!

Back at the check-in building there are just a few more amenities offered at the resort. Sad as this may be, we spent a lot of time in the below area. Here there are several TVs setup with Xbox games. At no cost DVC members can rent games and play in this comfy room. Since it wasn’t very busy there was also no time limit. This made for a great activity during the sunny hours.

You’ll also find a spa at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. I’m not much of a spa girl but the folks I was traveling with get frequent treatments. They confirmed that the prices were very high and decided to skip it themselves. You can find a price list here and decide if you think it’s worth it. The area did seem very nice and the staff was extremely friendly, but I was happy just grabbing some lotion to take home.

Also in the main building is a small gift shop. Here you can find a very limited convenience store type of food selection but the prices were outrageous! A twelve pack of bottled water that was just a few dollars up the road was marked $16.95 in this store. A bottled tea was $3.99 when it was less than $2 just a mile away. I think most people will be driving to reach the resort so please stop along the way and grab snacks or drinks you think you’ll want. Waiting until you reach the hotel is a pricey mistake. Of course, you can also find a limited selection of Vero Beach branded merchandise and standard Disney swag.

On the second floor of the main building you’ll find The Green Cabin Room. They have an indoor bar space that serves the standard Disney drink menu. Inside you’ll find large, comfortable chairs and an upscale decor. We had lunch here the first day and while they seemed a little short staffed, our meal was perfect and we left happy.

 

However, the bigger appeal of this space is the deck seating outside. The view is amazing and even in the heat it was comfortable in the sea breeze. Late one night we snuck up here for a drink and to watch the moon rise. It was too dark for photos to turn out but it was the most magical park of the trip. I highly recommend a visit to this patio!

Your other food options on property are Shutters (pictured below) on Sonya’s. While we didn’t try Sonya’s during our trip we enjoyed two meals at Shutters and they were beyond excellent. I could never include everything here but please let me know if you’d like to see a Menu Monday about Shutters and I’ll be sure to get on it soon! If nothing else, be sure to ask for Matt as your server. He was the only thing even better than the food!

Before we wrap this up I wanted to share a few photos from the beach. Look at the clear, blue water. It was an incredible couple of days at this beautiful resort. I will warn you that beach rentals go fast so be sure to check the day before if you’d like something. We didn’t realize and stopped by after brunch hoping to secure a cabana hood and were told they were fully committed for everything the entire day! My hubby was so disappointed that we decided to splurge and rent him a jet ski. When we stopped back by the beach rental folks told us they were just for show and none of them had any gas. So the moral of the story is plan ahead with beach rentals and don’t get your hopes set on anything.

But then, jet skis aren’t what we’re here for. We’re here for the ultimate, relaxing, sleepy weekend. Disney’s Vero Beach Resort delivers on that ten fold. These rocking chairs at sunrise will be my happy spot for the next several months, I’m sure.

And since we’re talking about sunrise, here’s a little video for you before the sun peeked out from underneath the clouds. There were just a handful of people spread out along the beach. I can’t believe so many sleepy people missed this sunrise!

And then, all at once, the sun appeared to start another beautiful day at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort!

That’s everything for this week! Please join us next week when we’ll be back to our regular Walt Disney World coverage. Do you have any questions about Vero Beach? Have you ever visited here? What did you think? Please let us know in the comments below and as always thank you for reading and commenting!

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Daisy Lauren’s Best Week Ever: October 16, 2014 at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Street Performers at Disney Hollywood Studios

By Amy Farkas

Visiting Hollywood Studios but not a fan of the amusement rides? I’ve got a solution for you: Live actors mingling with guests throughout the park. Yes, walking (and even driving) about; interacting with you. We make it a point every visit to seek them out and enjoy their shenanigans, um I mean, their shows.

Just your average Citizen. – Courtesy of Disney

The Citizens of Hollywood

The Citizens of Hollywood, or Streetmosphere characters as they are otherwise known, are characters that perform every day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You can usually find them on Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards. The characters range from aspiring actors to directors and even to police officers. They perform a variety of skits that generally have us rolling with laughter and are a great source of family-friendly entertainment. The skits are always different because the crowd they are interacting with constantly changes.

A Brief History:     Streetmosphere has been a part of Hollywood Studios since its opening day in May 1989. The entire idea of Streetmosphere was created by C. McNair Wilson, who would later become an Imagineer at Disney. Wilson was one of the directors of a street theater company, SAK Theatre, which performed at renaissance festivals throughout the country. In 1982 Disney Imagineers asked the group to perform in the Italy pavilion in Epcot. They were quickly extended to performing in the United Kingdom pavilion and then Future World. By 1985, they were performing 45 shows-a-day in Epcot in four different locations. That year they were brought into the plans for the upcoming Hollywood Studios Park as part of the planned 2-hour Backstage Tour show. Once Disney decided to go in another direction, Wilson still was inspired to make SAK part of this expansion. Wilson presented a collection of 40 characters that would make the guests feel like they were actually in Hollywood. The Disney executives were won over and presented Wilson with a budget for 23 characters.

In the beginning, Streetmosphere had 20 characters and 32 actors who were commissioned to become Citizens of Hollywood from 1947.   Wilson urged them to never break character, no matter what. Guests overwhelmingly loved the Streetmosphere characters. In fact, many park guests that were seasonal pass holders (A pass that allows unlimited park visits during the slow times of the year) were upgrading to Annual Passes. Their popularity has kept them as a park constant over the twenty five years of Hollywood Studios operation. The characters may change, but the entertainment value is still the same; a wildly hilarious time.

More cowbell! – Courtesy of Disney

Mulch Sweat n’ Shears

While the Citizens of Hollywood are patrolling the front of the park, over on the Streets of America you will find the hottest 5 member band on Disney property; Mulch Sweat n’ Shears. Mulch is a family of landscapers who also happen to be an amazing cover band. They consist of: Morris Mulch, band manager and front man (occasionally Mia Mulch is filling in); Axe Mulch, guitar; Sticks Mulch, drums; Buzz Sweat, Keyboards; and Hedge Shears, bass. Their story is that they snuck onto Disney property with the hopes of landing a big record deal and becoming famous. Mulch’s shows are always entertaining and filled with rock anthems we all know and love, such as Jump, 1985, and Another One Bites the Dust. They are very interactive with the crowd, even pulling some members into the act! I’m always torn between wanting to be up front playing cowbell with them and being my shy self, dancing behind my husband.

The Lowdown:     Mulch Sweat n’ Shears first appeared in Hollywood Studios on October 8, 2004 and just celebrated their 10th anniversary of making guests happy. They perform their 30 minute show seven days a week. When not located on the Streets of America with their truck, you can find them on the stage in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat. Regular special event performances are on the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve, where you can find them rocking out along to the fireworks show and stage pyrotechnics. It has been my past experience that these night time shows do get crowded, so plan on getting there early if you want to get a spot close to the stage.

Mulch has also performed at special events such as ESPN weekend, Star Wars weekends, Rock N’ Glow, the Rock your Summer Side event, and most recently the Frozen Summer Fun promotion. They have gone on stage under the names of Scare Supply (for the Monster’s University Homecoming), Bernie Briquette and Brimstone (Villains Unleashed), and The Icemen of the North (Frozen Summer Fun). No matter what the name, it is still one rockin’ good time!

At the time of print, the Disney website shows Mulch performing at 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, & 7:30pm daily.  Be sure to check your time guide for that day’s performance times because you don’t want to miss it!

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Official Opening Date for Trattoria al Forno Announced

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

Kouzzina recently closed at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and in its place is the upcoming Trattoria al Forno. Today, the Disney Parks Blog announced the official opening date for the Italian restaurant — December 18. The restaurant will offer both breakfast, which will be served from 7:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., and dinner, which will be served from 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.

Menu items for dinner will include dishes like specialty pizzas (like Broccoli Rabe with Fennel Sausage or Truffle Cream with Asiago, Pecorino, and Fontina); pasta (like Linguine alla Vongole or Polpetta Gigante, a giant meatball with ricotta cannelloni and marinara); entrees (including things like Pork Chop Milanese or Shrimp with Garlic, Capers and Anchovy Butter, with Polenta); and dessert (like Bembolini served with dark chocolate and vanilla gelato or Tiramisu).

Guests may begin to make reservations beginning October 21.

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Canada Place: Vancouver Cruise Terminal Basics

By Kristi Fredericks

This summer fellow Touring Plans blogger Erin Foster and I were lucky enough to take a Disney Cruise to Alaska aboard the Disney Wonder with our families. We enjoyed some incredible Port Adventures like dog sledding, the White Pass and Yukon Railroad and viewing the Misty Fjords National Monument by float plane. Before my family and I set off on our trip of a lifetime, we spent a night at the Fairmont Waterfront hotel and a lovely evening exploring parts of Vancouver. After a good night’s rest, it was time to get up, get ready and head over to Canada Place – the Vancouver cruise terminal. In case you find yourself at the Vancouver cruise terminal about to embark on an amazing Disney Cruise to Alaska, here’s everything you’ll need to know.

Because we were staying at the Fairmont Waterfront, the cruise terminal was conveniently located just across the street. After bell services picked up our luggage to be transported to the ship, we set off on the less than five minute walk to the cruise terminal. As we made our way there, we passed the parking area and bus drop off zone.

Within minutes we were inside the cruise terminal. It was very quiet and it seemed like we were a few of the first people to arrive. The first thing we came upon was a souvenir shop where you could purchase some last minute Canadian merchandise as well as binoculars if you thought you might want them for wildlife spotting in Alaska.

Next up was customs and security. Sorry folks, they have a strict no photo policy. But just imagine a typical airport security area. Customs was very quick and efficient and we were through in a matter of minutes after a quick glance at our passports. Security took a bit longer, but it was extremely organized and the staff was very polite. Just like the airport, be prepared to remove your shoes, jackets and things from your pockets. About 20 minutes later, we were finished with customs and security and on our way to check in for our cruise. When we arrived at check-in, the line was almost non-existent. We were able to walk right up to the counter. Because we had all of our paperwork with us and in order, the entire check-in process took about three minutes. If you haven’t cruised with Disney before, it will take a little longer as they take photos of everyone in your traveling party. We were able to skip that part of the procedure and just use our photos from our last cruise.

Now that we were checked in and assigned a group number (group 2!) for boarding, we moved on to get our kids set up for the youth activities. I had preregistered both of my boys online to make the process simpler at the cruise terminal and again it paid off. In less than five minutes, my kiddos were being fitted with their Disney Cruise Line kid’s club bands. These bands look exactly like Disney World’s MagicBands with a cute little Captain Mickey on it.

Once we had completed all of our business, we still had about 30 minutes until boarding was to begin. Disney has thought of everything, so of course, they had some things set up to help us pass the time. There were backdrops set up if you wanted to take a pre-cruise photo with your family.

They also had character meet and greets. Captain Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse were on hand while we were there.

And for adults who just wanted to sit back and relax, there were lots of folding chairs set up and cast members were handing out copies of that day’s Personal Navigator. What is a Personal Navigator, you ask? It is your daily schedule of everything that will be happening on the ship. There were also restrooms available.

Time passed quickly and soon it was time for our group number two to board the ship!

Overall, I felt that everything at the Vancouver cruise terminal went very smoothly and effortlessly. If you have ever sailed out of Port Canaveral, you can probably tell by my photos that the Vancouver cruise terminal is not nearly as glamorous. Although it was very no-frills, I was extremely pleased with the entire experience.

For more information about Disney Cruise Line, be sure to check out all of the coverage here at TouringPlans or consider purchasing The Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line.

Have you ever sailed out of the Vancouver cruise terminal – Canada Place? Do you have any other helpful hints for fellow readers? We would love to hear from you!

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This Ain’t Disney World! – Planning a first visit to Universal Orlando

By Kevin Bastos

The scenery may be beautiful, but the line is VERY long.

On our first visit to ‘the other Orlando park,’ my oldest daughter and I attended a viewing of Universal’s Horror Make-up Show. During the show, the volunteer, a nice woman ended up covered in red-dyed corn syrup. The hosts threw a towel out to the woman and called after, “That’ll be $14.50!” We all laughed, but knew it wasn’t exactly distant from the truth. Certainly, we knew most of the major differences between Disney World and Universal Studios. We weren’t, however, expecting to encounter such a myriad of differences between the two parks. Hopefully, some quick research, a planned touring plans itinerary, and this article can help you get a quick overview of what to expect at your first visit to Universal Orlando Resort.

The parks are over a small area. Really small. If you could walk through a few buildings, you could easily get back and forth between the parks. We could see Dr. Doom from our window at Loews Royal Pacific Resort. You can also take Hogwart’s Express between the two parks at any time, too. I’d avoid going during the surge of the middle of the day, but make certain to go both directions, so board at Hogsmeade Station, as well. Each ride is a bit different. The walk wasn’t quick, but it was awfully close.

Don’t, however, mistake close for convenient. I could see the park, but our walk to the entrance was about fifteen minutes each day along a winding path that seemed to close back over itself. We ended up walking to and from the parks every day, but getting through Universal can’t always be done quickly.

The queue and exit line for every ride can be pretty long, if they are needed or not. The line to get onto Dragon Challenge at Islands of Adventure is filled with beautiful pieces, the Triwizard Cup, banners for each champion, and VERY few people. Most of the occasions we were on the ride, it was essentially a walk-on. The theming was much better than I had expected, but the walk was LONG. The wait may have been longer for Flight of the Hippogriff than it was for Dragon Challenge. The queue for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey was long, as well. It was filled with stations throughout Hogwarts, talking paintings, and myriads of setup. Perhaps the rides were purposefully trying to delay our boarding, but on multiple occasions, I wondered why I STILL had to walk through tons of labyrinthian mazes to get on the Seuss High in the Sky Trolley ride. The exit for Ripsaw Falls, I felt like I had mistakenly gotten back in line for another ride. Even the pathway between our hotel and Islands of Adventure I felt like it had carved out a purposefully winding path to throw off our pace. Each day, my pedometer on my iphone killed its battery. I never had an accurate step count, but I was well above 15,000 steps.

Everything at Universal is more current. And that makes it quickly more dated. I love Peter Pan. It’s old, silly, and a lot of fun. But it has a simple timelessness. Universal – in its comparatively short history – has already cycled through quite a few of the original rides – either completely re-building, re-themeing, re-planning, or removing. In a few places, the ride has gone through multiple iterations. Kongstruction has been (more than) rumored to be re-born again in the park. But many rides are still chugging along even though their probable life has expired. Men in Black Alien Attack still operates – probably past its expiration date. The parallel ride at Disney World, Buzz Lightyear, while fun, has been lapped by its own competitor, Toy Story Midway Mania. Nevertheless, Buzz should still be one of your top priorities at Disney World in fast passes or early rides. The park finally demolished Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride in 1998 (cue bands of outraged fans – link to Disneyland page) and updated the ride into something they believed could be more timeless, and have instead outraged old fans – and created something probably more juvenile.

Universal, however, has been forced to create and destroy rides much more quickly. The park is still in its relative infancy, but by creating something at the front end of technology, when that technology fades, the ride or show seems pretty tired. The Twister…Ride It Out now seems like a poor afterthought, aging quickly through its fifteen years of shows. The cow on the trip wire that clumsily finds its way back to the left not out of the range of view of many front line audience typifies the age of the ride. Back to the Future, Hanna Barbera, Jimmy Neutron, Earthquake, and Jaws have all been replaced by new rides. Seeing current versions of Men in Black, Shrek 4-D, and E.T. Adventure, suggests that further remodeling is more than likely on the horizon.

It all gets a round of applause. Seriously. When exiting the ride, we’re cheered into applause by people assisting you in getting off the ride. After Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott’s I joined in. pretty easily. After Revenge of the Mummy, I felt ecstatic. That was an incredible ride. The twenty of us clapped it out. At the exit, clapping begins from the people working, and erupted into cheers from the riders. On Flight of the Hippogriff, I joined in with the kids. Nobody, but nobody has a tougher job than the guy standing outside of Twister who leads the cheers in that gift shop. Man, I raise my hat to you, dude. That is the toughest sell of any guy in any theme park.

My youngest gets chosen to SEE THE ROCK! in Disaster!

The acting is better, the dancing is worse, and the material is probably out of your comfort zone. Universal’s Horror make-up show is a wonderful example. Do I think that this person was really a famous make-up artist? Of course not. Did I buy the performance? Absolutely. Even the acting in Beetljuice’s Graveyard Mashup show was very good. Did any of my kids know any of the films that they were based on? Absolutely not. But they had a pretty good time. We all felt  like we had to go and watch the Mummy when we returned. Plenty of kudos to the kids on the Beetlejuice stage. They were pouring their heart and soul into a pretty good performance of material that might have been written by someone semi-literate. They put it out there. We even went AGAIN to the performance of Disaster! to enjoy a second time. Was it because my nine-year old was desperate to be chosen to be in the show? Absolutely. Was she disappointed when her younger sister was chosen? Probably. She did a great job of holding it in, though. AND we were enchanted by two very different performances of the same material by two different hosts. Both men were probably encouraged to ad-lib (perhaps more that a little) in each show – embracing themselves, and their real joy for the stage performance was evident. Nearly every time I saw a show, I had a real feeling that the actors had been encouraged to interact with the audience and love the material. Even though the exit lines left more than a little to be desired.

Universal seems understaffed. Disney usually has twice as many people working as really needed, but during our visit, Universal seemed to have only about half as many employees as were needed. At the end of the Disaster! tram ride, two poor people ran up and down the train, desperately unlocking gates, and trying to scurry people out of the ride to load a new set of folks who were getting ready to enter the tram. On Ripsaw Falls, after we entered the train, one poor man ran to the train, quickly flipping through directions, and bending in half to point at his toes – displaying how we should maneuver in and out of the car. He then ran to the log behind us, and repeated the process. The restaurants are also understaffed. In line for Three Broomsticks, we had a reservation for 9:30 am. We hopped in line, and our staffer jumped us ahead of a number of people waiting. We looked at the people in line, and one look on their faces told us they also had reservations. We asked the people in the queue if they had reservations. They did. I reached out, and asked the waiting patrons who had a reservation, and took over for the person who had moved back into the last room. We pulled every person who stated their group had a reservation ahead of us. Did all of them have reservations? Probably not. I know that at least some of them did. When the woman returned, she saw what we were doing, and then recollected that she had told many guests to wait – even with reservations – but had moved us ahead. She seemed frustrated, and left. The other employee at the front end thanked me for helping out. “No problem!” I cheerily replied. But this didn’t seem like an isolated event. While our meal at Mythos was brilliant, the restaurant was half empty. We planned our trip only ten days in advance, so the only reservation was at 4:45, but when we exited, many of the tables remained empty. Due to a rainstorm, tons of people ended up in the lobby, but none of them could be seated.

Author enjoys a waffle sandwich in Springfield

Our experiences at many of the fast food restaurants was far worse. Our first lunch, we ate at Thunder Falls Terrace – a restaurant with a menu much like Flame Tree Barbecue at Animal Kingdom. It did have air conditioning, and a view of the Jurassic Park River Adventure, but after that, the advantages ended. We waited a terrifyingly long time to check out – again understaffed. One person flipped back and forth between the main dishes and sides, and the cashier also was trying to fill drinks and take money while a manager attempted to fix the soda machine, politely informing us after we had paid and ordered, that we might not be able to get the iced tea we ordered. We also ate at Louie’s restaurant in Universal – where we ordered four meals between the five of us, and spent almost as much time and money as we did at Mythos – and had a much poorer experience. Again, staffing issues and speed ground the service to a halt. Thankfully, we also ate at the Springfield Dining Fast Food Boulevard area RIGHT when it opened. Our careful planning and darting from place to place only ground to a halt when I ordered a Duff beer and asked to be photographed with the bottle – that could not leave the counter. A few people moved ahead of us, and the cashiers were swamped. Great ideas – and good food here – make certain to get the chicken sandwich – but plan ahead. Consider carefully before going anywhere.

Stuff may close early, or never be open. After getting off the water rides, I walked over to Wimpy’s – not on a Tuesday – and found that ‘seasonally open’ might be interpreted as ‘never.’ The same might apply for Green Eggs and Ham. Blondie’s is open. And at the end of the last day, I went to poke my nose in and see a Dagwood – to discover it was only open for lunch. Be prepared. Much of the park may close – especially in lighter seasons – before the park fully closes.

Forbidden Journey is one of MANY simulator rides at Universal

Getting around in the parks is much easier. Instead of a wagon wheel, it’s all on a big circle around a lake. Even after a few visits, I find myself finding new nooks and crannies hidden around each park. At Universal Orlando, both parks are set up around big circles of the lake. You have to traverse through each land to get to the next, and if you keep going, you’ll eventually come across the next simulator.

It’s all about the simulators. Well, maybe not all. Certainly many. Universal has two fully immersive simulators – one in each park. Spider-Man is the classic ride, but Transformers has built a beautiful ride, as well. Both are terrifyingly similar. Built fifteen years apart, I had hoped that Transformers would be a differing experience. It has different thrills – and I could see why some would pick one over the other, but an oldster like me would probably prefer the classic Spider-Man. It also has the re-built Simpsons ride that is a great single family simulator, and Despicable Me – and immersive theater simulator. Right across the street is the over the hill – er – other theater simulator, Shrek. It has two Harry Potter simulators – one in each park. Escape from Gringott’s is the tamer of the two rides – even though from the exterior it wouldn’t seem like it. It takes the roller coaster ride thrills of the Mummy, and adds a 3D/4D experience – along with the quick turns through the mine. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey is an INTENSE simulator ride surrounded by a standard ride, too. My seven-year old was terrified – and her father may have needed to hold back, as well. Even Disaster! ends with a simulation of an earthquake hitting your subway car, too.

 

The Mummy Ride thrills, but you need to lock your stuff behind.

Many of the rides require you to use a locker. Whether you want to or not. Revenge of the Mummy, Rip Ride Rockit, Men in Black, Harry Potter, Gringott’s, Incredible Hulk, and Dragon Challenge all require you to use a locker. They are provided free of charge outside the ride, but you may not ride unless you put all of your items within the locker. Hulk makes a lot of sense. Harry Potter does, as well. Gringott’s is probably overly cautious – but I understand. Men in Black? Really? Now, I am certain there is a reason for it. I know I don’t have to pay – but even at the most extreme of the turning, it seems a little more than serious overkill. In reality, the worst thing about the lockers may be the retrieval of your items from your locker. As a group of five, we were well acquainted with the fact that only one person needed to return to the locker. However, many of the people there that day forgot. PLEASE, people. All seven of you do not need to stand in front of the bank of lockers and converse while I am trying to get my stuff out. That brings me to my next point.

Fewer families. Fewer older people. WAY more freely moving teens. I am a high school teacher. I love my job. I love being around high school students. They are bright and hard-working. But they are desperate for guidance. Universal Studios has a much higher percentage of people that are ‘off the leash,’ so to speak. The park has far greater numbers of ‘middle aged’ people. Everywhere from about ten or so to around fifty. Far fewer families of young people, and far fewer older people, too. At the end of the Super Bowl, no one ever looks into the camera and yells, “I’m going to Universal Studios Florida!” Even with all the Harry Potter openings, it still plays second banana. You will encounter far fewer screaming babies, far fewer crying children, and almost no grandparents with grandchildren in tow. You will, however, encounter many, many, many more groups of teens. They aren’t bad eggs, but I did hear many more discussions that I wished I had turned my ear from a moment or two sooner. The park targets an older audience, and as a result, the thrills are greater.

You get the Universal Express pass, but need to keep it DRY! Ravenclaw lanyards available for $8.99 in August.

The rides are much more intense. Expedition Everest and Space Mountain are outstanding thrill rides. Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster and Test Track offer high speeds. But no ride at Disney World can compare to the intensity of any of the high thrill rides at Universal Studios. At each park, it’s easy to compare and lay adjacent many of the rides. Universal doesn’t always have an iconic ride, but each one turns up the level. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is cute and bounces. The Cat in the Hat twists and turns. Take the warning seriously. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin squirts. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish drenches. Aerosmith thrills. Revenge of the Mummy terrifies. Well, okay. That may be closer in thrills. But in different ways. If Disney goes to ten on intensity, Universal most certainly goes to eleven. Most things that Disney has, Universal probably has, as well.

Most of what you want at Universal may come with a la carte pricing. Extra hours? Skip the line? Transportation to the parks? All available. Some of it for a fee. Or a tip. But some of it is much better, too. My wife’s first question about the new Sapphire Falls hotel for 2016? Does it include Universal Express Unlimited? No? Then we won’t stay there. Because when my kids want to ride Revenge of the Mummy for the eighth time that day, we don’t want to wait. Yes, kids. Eight. It is available for purchase – $89 each. When I add that price to my ticket – it’s nearly the same cost. PLUS, I can use it EIGHT TIMES on ONE ride. Transfer from the airport? Wifi in my rooms? Pet fee? Admission to Blue Man Group? City Walk after dark? All available. But sometimes there is a fee. Many items are cheaper. Like the PhotoConnect card. Available for $70 instead of the $150 cheapest rate at Disney World. It includes print-out of one or

Meal at Mythos. Good food. Great service. Best value in Orlando theme parks.

two ride pictures. However, Disney World photographers appear at nearly every turn. Universal photographers are far more scant. Outside of the ride photos, we found only two during our trip. It’s also good for only three days, instead of the trip duration. In addition, remember those required lockers? What’s the ONLY place you’d WANT to get a locker? Right. The water rides. Guess what? The lockers are available there. For a small hourly fee.

You don’t really need a reservation for a restaurant. Except Mythos. Frankly, you should get a reservation for Mythos. It’s a little old, and in a section of the park that screams for some updates. But the service is quite excellent, the food is very good. The value beats the pants off of nearly everything that any theme park anywhere can offer. Some places have better service. Some have cheaper prices. Others have nicer ambiance. Mythos offers all of them.

The ambiance is spectacular. But not quite finished. When I walked around Lowes Royal Pacific Hotel, the look of it impressed me. Palm trees grew around the outside covering almost everything. Perhaps I looked at it through too harsh of a lens. But so many occasions, I thought, “You went this far… Couldn’t you have just covered THAT up, too?” We love Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Probably more than we should. We spend two days there over a week. The Streets of America section looks woefully put together. Especially compared to much of the rest of the park, many of the buildings seem drab – or too dull to be in a theme park. Universal doesn’t have this problem. From top to bottom, many of

Spectacular restroom here. But complete the theme all the way to the top!

the buildings are dressed with flyers, announcements, and lights screaming advertisements from phony restaurants, pawnbrokers, and bookstores. The dressing incorporates shops, rides, and even restrooms. One of my favorite locations inside the area was the restroom on the back side of the park adjacent to the Revenge of the Mummy ride. It reminded me more of the Godfather film than the Louie’s restaurant. The labels were posted with tiles, and I had the feeling while looking from the outside that the film had been built here. Then I looked to the right. The theming just seemed to end at a line in the building. What could have been easy to cover with a few more buildings, or cover with some brick had just ended there. Certainly Universal looks more spectacular. But I wanted them to go JUST a bit further. Inside Diagon Alley is spectacular, however. The design of that section of the park immersed me there. I couldn’t see out – and I felt like while there, it was perfect. But outside of the area, I could see the Dragon peeking out in a few spots over the buildings. When winding around the back side of the park near Fear Factor and Men in Black, while queueing to enter Diagon Alley, I could see the ‘back’ side of a few pieces of the dress for a few of the buildings there. Please, Universal. you’ve set my bar SO high – just keep it going a BIT more.

The employees are proud and honest. I love Disney World. perhaps more than a sane person should. Frankly, I am badly addicted to the place. I love the service. I love how nearly every employee treats me. While Universal employees are a little rougher around the edges – I can appreciate their true candor and honesty. One of my favorite moments at the park was when a lanyard I was wearing swung around to show a Mickey Mouse sticker. A worker outside of the London section announced to me, “WHO IS THAT? You can’t wear HIM here!” He then leaned into me and said, “You know I’m kidding, right? I love the guy, too. When I’m not here, I go there.” Entertainers are well-trained and enjoy their jobs. I ended up chatting with a military veteran whom I thanked for his service, and I found out that he had been working for Universal for over ten years. He told me he loved his job. If you see the guy out in Diagon Alley hawking liquid cereal, make certain you thank him, as well. When Ripsaw Falls went down, the kids dressed up in Canadian Mounty uniforms all came to the front of the ride to greet us, and remind us to stop by later in the day when the ride would be running, again. The actor behind the Mystic Fountain entertained our kids so much that they begged us to return for another round. When my fourteen year old was chosen to have her wand picked – she was on the verge of tears. Of course, we went a second time. But Rachel could not catch a break, so instead she went into the shop. Wearing her Hufflepuff shirt, the Ollivander’s member asked about her birthday, and looking once at the wand with the skull, she told us that it looked outside of her set. Unflustered, she grabbed another wand, and put it in her hands to describe what a Hufflepuff was. She then confessed that although they weren’t supposed to tell, she was a proud Hufflepuff, as well. After being taunted by her older sister (a Slytherin, of course) with one too many Hufflepuff jokes, it was exactly what my little girl needed. And Universal sold the wand. The scoopers at Florean Fortescue’s all recommended their favorite ice creams proudly (salted caramel blondie), and guided us away from their less favorite (chocolate chili). While my youngest ran through If I Ran the Zoo, an employee told her how to get each activity to run, and told the rest of us stories about the rides across the lake. The guide in the Our server at Mythos, Chad, knew the menu, and proudly described our choices, and suggested items, as well. I got the feeling that they’d all chanted together about maintaining their standing as best theme park restaurant before they came out to see us. Every person at the Pacific greeted us with an “Aloha!” and when my thirteen-year old wanted to order off the kids’ menu at lunch, our server responded, “We’re all kids at heart, right?”

You should absolutely go to check it out. Soon. The place is a spectacular vacation. Even for the young, and young at heart. A few of the rides may turn your stomach. Certainly the pricing is different. The crowds are different. The experience is different Many of the things that Disney has mastered, Universal is playing catch-up. But Universal has learned to compliment the Disney vacation instead of replace or supersede it. Universal may never replace Disney World at the end of a Super Bowl victory, but it certainly can be a place to add to your trip.

 

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A Guide to Walt Disney World Attraction Vehicles and Seating: Epcot

By Erin Foster

We recently brought you guides to the ride and attraction seating situation at the Magic Kingdom and at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Next up is our guide to the attraction seating at Epcot.

Keep those hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times …

FUTURE WORLD

Captain EO, Imagination Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: Several dozen.
Seating capacity per vehicle: NA. Show-style attraction. More than 100 guests per show.
Seating surface: Lightly padded chair with armrest.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater
Height requirement: None
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users may ride directly into the theater. Some of the special effects can only be experienced when seated in the attraction chairs. Guests wanting the full attraction experience may want to transfer to the standard seating if possible.

The Circle of Life, Land Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: Several dozen.
Seating capacity per vehicle: NA. Show-style attraction. More than 100 guests per show.
Seating surface: Padded chair with armrests.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater.
Height requirement: None
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users may ride directly into the theater.

Ellen’s Energy Adventure, Universe of Energy Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: Approximately 10
Seating capacity per vehicle: Approximately 100. Up to six vehicles per show.
Seating surface: Hard bench with back.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Small step (less than 12″) up into ride vehicle.
Height requirement: None.
Note 1: There is a wheelchair capable vehicle. Wheelchair users may ride onto vehicle. ECV users must transfer to a standard wheelchair.
Note 2: This is a long attraction – about 45 minutes total. For about 35 minutes, there is no opportunity to leave the ride vehicle or to access a restroom.

Journey Into Imagination, Imagination Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: 3-4. Typical capacity is three guests in the front row, four guests in the back row. This may vary slightly depending on the number of small children or the size of the adults.
Seating capacity per vehicle: 7
Seating surface: Hard bench with back
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Small step up (less than 12″) from a moving walkway onto a moving vehicle.
Height requirement: None
Notes: There is a wheelchair capable vehicle. Wheelchair and ECV users may remain seated and ride into the vehicle.

Living with the Land, Land Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: 3-5, depending on size. Four average-size adults is a typical load per row.
Seating capacity per vehicle: Approximately 20 guests per boat.
Seating surface: Hard bench with back.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Moderate step down (about 12″) into boat.
Height requirement: None
Notes: There is a wheelchair capable boat. ECV users must transfer to a standard wheelchair.

Mission Space, Mission Space Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: 4
Seating capacity per vehicle: 4 guests per vehicle. 10 vehicles per spinner. 4 spinners total.
Seating surface: Lightly padded chair with armrests.
Saftey restraints: Over the head padded shoulder restraints.
Boarding procedure: Small step up (less than 12″) into ride vehicle.
Posted warnings: Standard motion sickness, pregnancy, and heart/back/neck warnings.
Height requirement: 44″
Note 1: There are two version of this attraction, green and orange. The orange version is more intense, with rapid centrifugal force added to the standard motion simulator of the green version. Motion sickness bags are standard equipment with both versions. Use of motion sickness bags is not uncommon in the orange version.
Note 2: The ride vehicle closes around guests somewhat like a clamshell. This poses claustrophia issues for some guests.
Note 3: Wheelchair and ECV users must transfer to the ride vehicle on their own. Cast members can provide a special transfer assistance device.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Seas Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: 2-3, depending on size.
Seating capacity per vehicle: One row per vehicle, 2-3 people depending on size. Standard capacity is two guests per vehicle. Cast members will usually allow two adults plus a small child, or one adult plus two small children, to ride in one vehicle. Larger adults may wish to ride alone.
Seating surface: Hard bench with back
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Small step up (less than 12″) from a moving walking to a moving vehicle.
Height requirement: None
Notes: There is a wheelchair capable boat. ECV users must transfer to a standard wheelchair.

Soarin’, Land Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: Varies, approximately 10.
Seating capacity per vehicle: Approximately 90 guests per flight.
Seating surface: Flexible fabric seat with back and armrests.
Safety restraints: Fabric lap belt for each individual guest.
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater, sit on attraction vehicle.
Height requirement: 40″
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users must transfer to the ride vehicle on their own. Guests with a fear of heights may experience difficulty. Guests with severe motion sickness issues may experience difficulty. Motion sickness is not an issue for most guests.

Spaceship Earth

Seating capacity per row: 2
Seating capacity per vehicle: 4
Seating surface: Hard bench with back
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Small step up (less than 12″) from a moving walkway onto a moving vehicle.
Height requirement: None
Note 1: Wheelchair and ECV users must transfer to the ride vehicle on their own.
Note 2: The vehicle slowly rotates and moves backwards during the second half of the ride. A very small number of guests with motion sensitivity find this problematic.
Note 3: During the second half of the ride there is an interactive element. There is one ride controller per row (two per vehicle). If you have children with competition or control issues, you may want to seat them in separate rows so each can control their own interactive experience.

Sum of All Thrills, Innoventions

Seating capacity per row: 2
Seating capacity per vehicle: 2
Seating surface: Hard bucket. Divider between guest’s legs.
Safety restraints: Ride vehicle encloses guests.
Boarding procedure: Walk up about one flight of stairs. Sit down on ride vehicle.
Posted warnings: Standard motion sickness, pregnancy, and heart/back/neck warnings.
Height requirement: Guests must be 48″ to ride. Guests must be 54″ to design a ride with inversion elements.
Note 1: The ride vehicle fully surrounds guests. May be problematic for guests with claustrophobia issues.
Note 2: Wheelchair and ECV users must transfer to the ride vehicle on their own.
Note 3: This is an interactive experience. Guests watch a brief training video and then design their own simulated roller coaster ride. You have a great deal of control over how intense you want the experience to be. Motion issues range from mild to extremely intense based on your design. If having a mild experience is important to you, ask for cast member feedback on your design before boarding.
Note 4: Both guests in the vehicle experience the same simulation. You must cooperate with your companion when designing your simulation. This may be an issue for families with children with competition or control issues.
Note 5: Larger guests may find the seating uncomfortably tight or impossible.

© Raytheon/Disney

Test Track

Seating capacity per row: 3
Seating capacity per vehicle: 6
Seating surface: Hard bucket seat with back.
Saftey restraints: Center seat in each row has a fabric lap belt. The outer seats have fabric lap/shoulder belts.
Boarding procedure: Small step up (less than 12″) over a wall, then moderate step down (about 12″) into the vehicle.
Posted warnings: Standard motion sickness, pregnancy, and heart/back/neck warnings.
Height requirement: 40″
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users must transfer to the standard ride vehicle on their own. There is a transfer practice vehicle available to assess guest fit and ability to board.

Turtle Talk with Crush

Seating capacity per row: Varies. Approximately 6-12 per row.
Seating capacity per vehicle: NA. Show-style attraction. About 100 guests per show.
Seating surface: Hard bench with no back. Children are invited to sit on the carpeted floor at the front of the room.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater.
Height requirement: None
Note 1: Wheelchair and ECV users may ride directly into the theater.
Note 2: The bench height varies. The first few rows are close to the ground. Rows further back are closer to standard seat height. Adult guests in the first few rows may be somewhat hunched over when seated. Guests with back or knee issues may prefer the rows at the rear which may be easier to stand up from.

WORLD SHOWCASE

The American Adventure, America Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: More than a dozen
Seating capacity per vehicle: NA. Show-style attraction. More than 100 guests per show.
Seating surface: Padded chair with back and armrests.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater.
Height requirement: None
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users may ride directly into the theater.

Gran Fiesta Tour, Mexico Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: 3-4, depending on size
Seating capacity per vehicle: Approximately
Seating surface: Hard bench with back.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Moderate step (about 12″) down to enter the boat.
Height requirement: None
Notes: There is a wheelchair capable vehicle. ECV users must transfer to a standard wheelchair.

Impressions of France, France Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: More than a dozen.
Seating capacity per vehicle: NA. Show-style attraction. More than 100 guests per show.
Seating surface: Lightly padded chair with back and armrests.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater.
Height requirement: None
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users may ride directly into the theater.

O Canada!, Canada Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: More than a dozen.
Seating capacity per vehicle: NA. Show-style attraction. More than 100 guests per show.
Seating surface: None. Guests remain standing throughout the duration of the attraction. There are railings to lean upon, but guests may not sit on the rails.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater.
Height requirement: None
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users may ride directly into the theater.

Reflections of China, China Pavilion

Seating capacity per row: More than a dozen.
Seating capacity per vehicle: NA. Show-style attraction. More than 100 guests per show.
Seating surface: None. Guests remain standing throughout the duration of the attraction. There are railings to lean upon, but guests may not sit on the rails.
Safety restraints: None
Boarding procedure: Walk into theater.
Height requirement: None
Notes: Wheelchair and ECV users may ride directly into the theater.

Be sure to check out our related articles about Attraction Vehicles in the Magic Kingdom, Attraction Vehicles at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney Transportation Vehicles, and Touring with Odd Numbers of Family Members.

And stay tuned for an upcoming post about the attraction vehicles at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

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A Guide to Walt Disney World Attraction Vehicles and Seating: Epcot is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Disney World Planning Challenges: Managing Your Disney Morning

By Sarah Graffam

Time is precious on any vacation, and a Disney World vacation in particular can create the feeling that time is passing at a far quicker pace than in everyday life. With so much Disney fun waiting each day (and the feeling that time flies at the World unlikely to abate), who wants to spend a lot of time getting ready in the morning. Whether your goal is to be at the parks at opening or to eke out a bit more sleep before you start your day, getting up and out of your room efficiently will help maximize your vacation time. And the rewards for your efforts can be significant.

Whether you need to get your entire family up and out the door or just yourself, there are several steps you can take to smooth the morning routine. These steps will not only save time but make the morning (and the people getting ready) more relaxed so that you can leave the room happy, stress-free, and ready for fun. This article highlights specific tips for your morning as well as TouringPlans tools and information that can extend the benefits of a calm morning to the rest of your day.

Getting a Head Start—The Night Before

Photo by Sarah Graffam

After a busy day at the parks, your motivation to get ready for the next day can be extremely low, but try to fight the urge to immediately collapse into bed. Even 5 minutes of preparation the night before can pay off by saving time and hassle in the morning. Here are some steps you can take the night before to get a head start for the morning:

Prep your park bag. Before dropping your bag in exhaustion, take a few moments to refresh it for the next day. Empty out any receipts, souvenirs, and park maps. Toss and replace or replenish supplies such as sunscreen and hand sanitizer. Ensure your sunglasses, your camera, and anything else you normally carry is back in your bag and ready to go in the morning.
Gather the essentials. Have everyone in your party deposit the items that are essential to your departure in the morning in a central spot where they can be easily found. Such items can include park bags, MagicBands, tickets, hats, autograph books and pens, and pin lanyards. This step can save you from a last-minute scramble that spoils the mood right as you go out the door.
Set out clothes for everyone. Lay out the next day’s clothes for yourself and kids so that it’s a no-brainer to get dressed. This way, kids can at least start to get ready by themselves even if the adults are busy with their own preparations. It also means that early risers can get ready without turning on as many lights or making as much noise so that others can catch a few more minutes of shut-eye.
Decide on a bedtime. Whether your night is winding down early or you’ve been partying with Mickey late into the night, consider the next day’s plans when deciding on a target bedtime. If your plan is to be at park opening the next day, it’s sensible to get to bed at an earlier hour, sticking close to your normal bed time at home—especially with kids. If you took advantage of evening extra magic hours, a more relaxed plan for the following day is probably the best move.
Be ready with a touring plan. Before your trip, choose from one of our many step by step touring plans for each park. A touring plan will turn your efficient morning into an efficient day by showing you the best order to experience attractions so that you avoid long waits in line.

Determining a Wake-Up Time

With a bit of evening prep eliminating some basic tasks from your morning routine, your last step before getting some sleep is to decide on a time to wake up and to set the alarm.

Gather park essentials like these the night before (Photo by Sarah Graffam)

Work backwards. If your plan is to get to a park at a specific time the next day, a good strategy when deciding on the time for your alarm is to work backward from the time you need to be at the point of transportation—whether it be the parking lot or your car, the monorail station, the bus stop, or the boat dock. Unless you have a car, be sure to account for the 15-20 minutes you may need to wait for your transportation to arrive. Our family’s rule of thumb is for the alarm to go off 1.5-2 hours before we need to be at the point of transport.


Consider commuting times. The hotels section of the TouringPlans.com website shows commuting times to the parks from Disney resorts using resort transportation. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for each resort to see the times. If you own a copy of our 2015 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World , there is an excellent chart of “Door-to Door Commuting Times to and from the Disney Resorts and Parks in Your Car Versus the Disney Transportation System” on pages 398-399.


Set a backup alarm. Setting a backup alarm is a must. There is no worse feeling than waking up to find that your day will be starting much later than planned because your alarm failed to go off.
Plan for no plan. Even if your plan is not to have a plan the next day, you may want to set an alarm for the latest possible time you’d like to get up. This way, at least you will be conscious at some point that you are relaxing in Disney World.

Getting Up and Out in the Morning

Decide on a wake-up order. While setting your alarm the previous night, you should also decide on a wake-up/getting ready order. This step is more important when children are involved. If adults get up first, they may be able to enjoy some peace while they get ready before the kids are awake. If kids wake up at the same time as the adults, let them relax a bit longer in bed reading or watching TV while the adults get ready.
Have a shower strategy. To avoid some of the morning rush in the bathroom, one strategy is to have everyone or at least some people bathe the night before; this tactic may be especially appealing if you’re visiting during the hotter months of the year. Even if the adults shower in the morning, the nighttime showering approach is helpful for kids. For girls with long hair, braiding their hair before bed after they shower can save even more time in the morning. For boys, a baseball cap or, of course, Mickey ears work wonders to hide bed head after sleeping on wet hair.
Consider breakfast options. Some quick breakfast strategies are to have breakfast items already in the room (such as cereal, granola bars, yogurt, pastries, nuts, or fruit) or to have the adult who is ready first venture out to obtain breakfast and bring it back to the room. This way, you can eat breakfast either in your room or on the way to the car/bus/boat/monorail. Another option is for everyone to have breakfast at your resort’s quick service restaurant; after leaving the room, plan enough time to wait in line, sit and eat, and then walk to transportation. If you’ve opted for an unhurried sit down breakfast, your timeline for getting ready can be based on your reservation time.
Plan time for sunscreen. For many people, applying daily sunscreen may not be a big deal, but one unhappy night up with a child suffering from a severe sunburn has made me a sunscreen stickler. As a result, my children now consider a run for the hills when they see me with a bottle of sunscreen. Seriously, though, applying sunscreen (and staying hydrated) is crucial when you are outside for much of the day, so plan time to get sunscreen on those kiddos (and yourself). If not in the room, apply sunscreen at the bus stop or when waiting for park opening.

And Finally … Reaping the Rewards

Once you’ve taken these steps to manage your morning routine, you will enjoy some definite benefits that will improve your overall vacation experience:

Magic Kingdom Welcome Show (Photo by Sarah Graffam)

First and foremost, the strategies in this article can allow for a less hurried pace throughout your Disney vacation no matter what time you start your day. And everyone in your party will be in better mood if they have gotten enough sleep, have had a good breakfast, and were able to get ready for the day without much effort.
Enjoying the less busy hours in the parks can make a huge difference in term of your fun on vacation. There is no doubt that being among the first to get to the parks gives you a leg up on the vast majority of Disney guests. Indeed, arriving at the parks at “rope drop” is key to many of our touring plans and backed by years of data showing much shorter wait times early in the park day.
Part and parcel of enjoying short morning lines is the chance to experience some of the more popular experiences at Disney World. Even if you have a FastPass+ for experiences such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom or Test Track at Epcot later in the day, you can ride them more than once by using standby lines in the morning.
When kids (and adults) have a less hectic morning, they will likely have more stamina in the parks. As a result, you may be able to stretch your time in the parks before a break is needed.
Making it to breakfast at one of the parks is another benefit of following a morning routine. Having breakfast with Winnie the Pooh and friends at Magic Kingdom’s Crystal Palace or with the princesses at Epcot’s Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is a great start to the day.
Even when your plan involves just lounging at the pool, enjoying Disney World’s resorts and dining, or approaching the day with no plan at all, an easy exit from the room will enhance a relaxed pace.
I have saved my favorite benefit for last … seeing Magic Kingdom’s Welcome Show when the park opens. A “Good Morning” routine will ensure that you will arrive in plenty of time to sing along.

What are your biggest morning challenges at Disney World? Have you experienced benefits from an efficient morning routine? Can you share any other strategies that have worked to get you and your family up and out in the morning?

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Disney World Planning Challenges: Managing Your Disney Morning is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.