Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1180
October 3, 2014
Disney Parks Potential: Why The Incredibles Needs A Bigger Presence In Walt Disney World
Ever feel like some of your favorite Disney characters are underrepresented at Walt Disney World or Disneyland? Me, too! That’s why I’m starting a new series of articles here at TouringPlans Blog called “Disney Parks Potential,” where I’ll take a look at one Disney character or franchise that I feel isn’t being used to its Disney Parks potential (That’s where the name comes from!). From there, I’ll share my ideas on how I think Disney can best integrate these characters into one or more of the parks, which will then probably secure me a sweet job as a Walt Disney Imagineer if all goes according to plan. But enough about my unlikely career goals. Let’s get into my first Disney Parks Potential selection, which is The Incredibles.
Outside of merchandise, character meet and greets and a dance party in Tomorrowland, The Incredibles really don’t have much of a presence in Walt Disney World. For a Pixar film that many would argue is the best of the bunch, this seems like a huge missed opportunity. The need for more of The Incredibles in Disney World is even greater considering that Disney isn’t allowed to utilize Marvel superheroes within the park due to the previous licensing agreement with Universal before Disney acquired Marvel in 2009. Hopefully we’ll get new attractions sooner rather than later now that a much requested sequel to the original film has been announced, but for now my ideas will have to suffice.
So what are my ideas, and where do I want to place them? I have two attractions in mind, and they’d both be located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Why Hollywood Studios? Because I think superheroes fit there better than the other three parks and because Hollywood Studios lacks a certain element that each of the others possess (I’ll go into this more later). My first idea is a moving 3D attraction similar to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Outside of Star Tours, Disney hasn’t really embraced moving 3D ride technology like Universal, so I think this potential Incredibles attraction could address a missing dynamic within the parks. Superhero parallels aside, there are scenes in the film that just beg to be translated into a thrilling attraction and make you feel like you’re saving the day like the previously mentioned Spider-Man. For instance, the scene where Dash runs on water for the first time would be an exhilarating experience. Just think if Imagineers could make park guests feel like they were also traveling at super speed. That’s the kind of attraction I want to see. As for the location of the attraction within Hollywood Studios, I have a few possibilities in mind. The first is Streets of America, which is located at the rear of the park. Besides the holiday season when they have The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, I think that area is underutilized and frankly kind of a waste of valuable space, which could definitely use a facelift. With the recent announcement that the Studio Backlot Tour is closing, that space will be available as well. My final proposed location would be in Pixar Place because I always thought it was weird to call an area Pixar Place when it only has one Pixar franchise (Toy Story).
This is a great ride. Take note, Disney.
My second idea for how to integrate The Incredibles into Hollywood Studios is an interactive park-wide “game” such as Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom, Phineas and Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure, and Wilderness Explorers. Hollywood Studios is the only park that doesn’t have an interactive game. Taking the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom as a basis for the idea, The Incredibles game would have park guests become the newest members of the “Supers” with Edna Mode acting as your Merlin to guide guests on how to play. Utilizing a variety of superpowers through the use of a provided device, players would have to go around the park stopping supervillains and saving citizens at interactive kiosks. Disney’s always been about making dreams come true and being a superhero is definitely a dream that kids everywhere have had at one point or another. Couple that with the lack of a park wide interactive experience and I think this is a no brainer.
That’s the end of our first Disney Parks Potential article but be sure to check back for further entries very soon. Until then, leave a comment about how great The Incredibles is or just say hello. Thanks for reading!
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Disney Parks Potential: Why The Incredibles Needs A Bigger Presence In Walt Disney World is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Friday Face Off – Universal Orlando Water Rides
By Kevin Bastos
Splash Mountain Exhilaration
When touring through any amusement park, but especially on a hot day, jumping into the line of a water ride can be a refreshing way to exhilarate the senses, cool down, and experience a different ride, too. For the seasoned Disney World guest, it’s easy to take a ride on Splash Mountain, Kali River Rapids, or just let the kids run and splash through the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station. Making the transition to Universal Orlando‘s water rides brings a great variety, too. But before hopping onto one of the rides, make certain you know exactly what the ride will bring to your family. As we experienced, the Universal Orlando water rides bring quite a few surprises.
Universal Orlando created itself, I think, as either a great complement to a visit to Disney World, or a unique alternative to Disney World. This certainly extends to Universal Orlando water rides. While natural comparisons can be drawn between the two resorts and their water rides, Universal offers a completely different experience. I’ll assume that if you’re reading this article, you have some familiarity with Disney’s rides but less experience at Universal.
The most natural comparison between the two parks is probably Splash Mountain to Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls. Both are very good rides, in their own right. Both capture a relatively obscure cartoon and turn them into enjoyable water rides. They both tell a story that probably doesn’t make too much sense to many riders. Even after a few re-rides, I’d guess that most riders would have difficulty really telling the entirety of the story. Both are beautiful expansions of the traditional ‘log flume’ ride. Nearly any other amusement park would swoon to have a ride with even half the capability of either of these rides.
Splash Mountain, however, is an immersive wonderland. From start to finish, and throughout the ride queue, as well, guests transport themselves into the film – that most of us have probably never seen. The animatronic characters, immersive set-up, beautiful scenery, and music that plays throughout all transport riders into the scene. Outside of one or two moments, it infallibly works. The negative moments? When Brer Rabbit hops behind the fence and is re-set, he appears visible behind the fence. The climb up the last hill seems scantily populated. A few Brer Bear animatronic characters appear a bit bent at the fabric. And Brer Frog is not in the movie (not that anyone has seen it): he’s just a creation for the ride. But outside of my criticisms, the ride is nearly perfect, with two dips into water and one long dive at the end. Although the water explodes over the drop, most riders get wet but stay fairly dry, too.
Wearing ponchos – necessarily – and keeping our kids’ digital footprint small, too.
The set-up of Ripsaw is excellent. I love the Mount Rushmore homage outside. The outfits on the team members may also be some of my favorite of any Universal employees. On our first day at Universal, the ride was closed, but employees were still cheerily greeting people out front. And although it suffers still from the Universal ‘maze of labyrinthian queue line,’ it at least wandered by some fun stuff. There is even a YouTube video walking through the line; that video is over eight minutes long! When we visited in August, we spent time in the queue. It’s unfortunate that many people skip this section, or walk quickly by it. But the ride – everyone sees. Ripsaw Falls felt incomplete in the beginning sections of the ride. It starts by plunging you into total darkness, and small segments of the ride are quickly illuminated, then darkened again. But even in those areas, obvious stairwells, EXIT signs, and metal banisters line the peeks. The similarities are uncanny between it and Splash Mountain. They opened about ten years between, and Universal certainly used Splash Mountain as a template. The ride sits above the falls area. It entered and exited outside, and even had a false drop or two before climbing to the end of the ride. But while in Splash Mountain the characters play banjos, sing along, and ride on the water, most of the characters on Ripsaw Falls are stagnant – either standing open-mouthed while dialog plays over riders , or slight movements repeated over and over. Many of the statuesque characters sat outside of the normal layout and turn of the ride. Did anyone else also notice the multitudes of ‘don’t stand up warnings’ throughout the ride? Of course, this came well after being nearly sewn into the cockpit at the start of the ride. Splash Mountain has the traditional hallowed-out log, while Ripsaw Falls has that and a bar that latches in front of you to hold you on the ride. Perhaps it may be a bit too cautious in its set-up.
During the ride, I missed many of the jokes surrounding me, as well. I had to either turn awkwardly up, or look behind me as I rode to catch many of the jokes as they moved. But even as I passed, characters grinned giddily while announcements rang from visible speakers sitting behind Dudley. Halfway through the ride, these scenes finally seemed to come to life. What had been empty halls were filled with characters, in-jokes, and humorous statements. The crossing and then double-crossing sign was one of my favorites. Why did it take this long for the ride to finally wake up? Unfortunately, I felt that most of the ride’s feel had been clearly set at that point. The attraction continued to improve as we rode. The climb up the hill into the water curtain was fantastic – without spoiling, I wish that it hadn’t stopped halfway. I know of at least one member of our party who continued to scream like a crazed person, expecting the water to pour down. I wish that it had a greater impact, but here – and after so many harsh impacts at Universal – the set-up may have been enough. The end of the ride was clearly better on Ripsaw. We got drenched – as any good Universal ride would. The acceleration down the fall – and the quick rise and drop again – got us good. Much more exhilarating that Splash Mountain. Designed for water – and excitement. The drop – and the rise at the end were superior to Splash Mountain, but that’s the only place I thought was clearly better.
Kali River Rapids has always been a major disappointment to me. On our first trip, I stayed behind with our youngest, and after my wife and two older daughter departed, she told me it wasn’t worth it at all. I’m not certain if it tried to be too educational – in line with Animal Kingdom’s desires to be environmentally conscious. Disney World offers complimentary lockers to riders, and a hatch aboard each boat to stow more valuables below a plastic sheen. While the ride may offer a bit of a break on a hot day, it falls under Disney’s wishes to let guests ‘feel’ exhilarated, instead of really soaking them.
This isn’t the case on Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges. At all. More than certainly, this ride is the greatest water ride in Orlando. While certainly, I haven’t been on all of them, this may be the best river rapids ride ever. Our second ride, I’m unashamed to say that we wore ponchos. The couple across from us started laughing – The ride offers a pod in the center to protect your belongings from the water, and you should take advantage of it. Right from the start, the pace quickens and moves the raft quickly along the water, bouncing along to splash nearly every forward side. It slides by a great splash through a marooned boat, drenching half of the people in every boat that floats by. For most rides (I’m talking to YOU, Kali!), this would be it. The water slows down, but only to saunter around The Olive to allow other guests to squirt any guests who may have escaped dry. The path narrows, and the boat hits the side, starting the turning boat into another pipe pouring water down onto riders again. It doesn’t have a ton of water splashing out, but because the boat turns, it gets a bunch of people, again. The boat enters a cave to see an octopus, pushing riders below another waterfall. The story continues here – and it really is beautifully themed, as well. If you’re a Popeye person, you might remember the old movie with the octopus, or just some cartoons from youth, but then it’s off to the boat wash – where EVERYONE should get wet again. Bluto, above the slow rise, sprays every boat as they saunter by. I think that this was the point where that couple from across the boat that laughed at us initially had second thoughts. “When does this END!?” he screamed. Of course, we’re only about halfway done here. The ride careens off the boat wash, through sprays from the side, and more of Popeye eating his spinach, defeating Bluto, and all with sprays of water from the sides. This beauty of a ride must be experienced.
Universal has a propensity to really soak riders, and that is not what everyone wants. Each person seeks each ride differently. For my nickel, on a water ride, I generally love to get soaked. Universal’s offering, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and Disney World’s Magic Carpets of Aladdin – or perhaps Dumbo – all seem the same from the outside. All are flying carousel rides suspended over water. But while Dumbo is just for decoration, Aladdin spins by a camel who spits a small stream of water onto riders. One Fish, Two Fish, alternately has a plan of spinning and riding with water flying all over the ride. From what I’ve heard, if guests follow the directions given, you can miss the water. From what I experienced with a seven-year-old pilot, you get soaked. I don’t know if she purposely ignored the directions, or if we couldn’t hear them, but I do remember begging her to go up – and her purposely flying the other direction. The last refrain, either way you’re guessing. The ride itself has multiple water elements, up, down, and all over. We hit all of them, I think. For a hot day, at a park built in Florida, the ride should get you wet. We certainly did. On Aladdin, my daughters always flew us over the water – so we never hit a drop.
I think that Universal has beautifully fit its rides around the existing Disney World ones. While I certainly prefer some of the Universal Orlando rides, they are compacted into a tiny area. The Toon Lagoon – featuring all of the water rides – is a great idea, but it also compacts all of the rides of that nature into a small spot, especially when the Jurassic Park River Adventure sits right next to the exit. In short, neither experience is perfect. Both parks have a set of expectations, and neither completely disappoints. I do wish that Universal would offer a few more rides that could offer less in the way of drenching. Or even that Disney World could offer some experiences that would really soak me. However, both offer a perfect set of opportunities for the savvy, prepared, and adventure seeking vacationer.
Let us know in the comments which ride you prefer. Splash Mountain or Ripsaw Falls? Bilge Rat Barges or Kali River Rapids?
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Friday Face Off – Universal Orlando Water Rides is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
October 2, 2014
Time out for Adults: Magic Kingdom
By Amy Farkas
Magic Kingdom crowds got you down? Tired of the heat, the sweat running down your back, and the ever present “other people?” Don’t throw a two-year-old’s temper tantrum. Take a time out.
All of the Disney parks are designed to hold massive amounts of people, with the Magic Kingdom alone reportedly able to hold about 100,000 guests at a time. The iconic Cinderella Castle draws people within the gates by the bus load, and with this kind of popularity, it is easy to get consumed by the crowd, which at times can be less than magical.
My number one piece of advice to any Disney traveler is to do your research. Utilizing a Magic Kingdom Touring Plan will alleviate most of your run-ins with the crowds. Couple the pre-trip planning with the Lines app in park, and you have set yourself up for a most Magical time. However, even with the pixie dust floating about, the hot humid Florida weather and crowds of people can wear even the most even tempered adult down. When this happens, instead of leaving the park, try one of my favorite spots in Magic Kingdom to gather my wits: Main Street, U.S.A.
Singing lessons at Disney? Courtesy of UnknownMagicWithinDisneyWorld
You are probably asking yourself about now if I am crazy or if I find it soothing to run into another family every five feet because they have stopped to take the iconic “castle picture.” Neither, my friends. My spot on Main Street is never full, is shady, and is soothing to the ears. As you head down Main Street towards the castle, you will find a little “side street” shooting off to the right. At the end of this barren street are a few tables and chairs. While the crowds rush by on Main Street, it is a nice place to relax with a cool beverage and regain your composure. All while you listen to piano, singing, and dance lessons that are filtering down from above.
As with the rest of Main Street, the windows above this time out spot bear the names of the fantastical companies within. Look up, listen, and relax. You will thank me for it.
Watching the Liberty Belle cruise by. Copyright Disney
Second on my list of time out spots is Tom Sawyer Island. This island is accessible by rafts departing from near Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It ranks an overall 3 on the TouringPlans Attraction Rating page for Magic Kingdom, with young adults giving it a 3, adults 3.5, and seniors 3.5, as well. Once on the island, you can venture away from other park guests as you explore the trails and caves (pure heaven for a girl who loves nature!). And once the exploring is done, be sure to claim a rocking chair and watch the Liberty Belle cruise on by. It feels like you have traveled back to a simpler time where turkey leg vendors, double strollers, and FastPass+ driven mobs of theme park guests didn’t exist.
Time out spot number three is high in the sky in Adventureland. Yes, the Swiss Family Treehouse. The Treehouse does require the use of stairs and is not wheelchair or scooter accessible. It received a rating of 3 on the TouringPlans site, with young adults giving it a 3.5 and adults and seniors ranking it at a 3. I recommend utilizing this time out spot in the evening. It is simply magical to peek out of the tree branches at Cinderella Castle aglow in light. Romantic even, don’t you think? Even in the daytime.
To finish out my favorite time out spots I present The Hall of Presidents and Carousel of Progress. Now, don’t get me wrong. Both are wonderful attractions, and I thoroughly enjoy the show of both. In fact both rank pretty high on TouringPlans amongst young adults, adults, and seniors, alike. The Hall of Presidents gets a 4, 4, and 4.5, respectively, with an overall rating of 3.5 when factoring in younger ages. The Carousel of Progress got 4s across the board, with an overall rating of 3.
However, when simply looking for a place to escape the heat and crowds, you can’t go wrong with either. Air conditioned theaters offer a break from the hot Florida sun. Padded theater seating gives my weary legs a break. And low crowd levels make it the perfect spot to “chill out.” In fact, the crowds are usually so low that you can stay seated for another round without anyone noticing. Not that I am endorsing this behavior, but I’m just saying it could be the extra-long time out you so desperately needed.
Do you have another spot where you like to take a time out while visiting Magic Kingdom? I’d love to hear about it!
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Time out for Adults: Magic Kingdom is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney’s Newest (Adorable) Collectible Craze: Tsum Tsums!
By Katie McNair
Even the Tsum Tsums tags are adorable!
Have you heard about the newest Disney collecting craze? No? Let me tell you what they are: A series of collectible plushies (stuffed animals), drawn from a wildly popular mobile game in Japan, featuring Disney characters. These plush toys are called Tsum Tsums, which means “stack, stack” in Japanese, from the game’s objectives, and is pronounced “tsoom tsoom” (which basically sounds like zoom zoom). The toys are designed to be stacked up in a pyramid shape, much like the objective of the game.
Clear as mud, right? Let’s take a closer look…
Here’s my first Tsum Tsums:
Donald Duck, Stitch, The White Rabbit, and Chip mini Tsum Tsums!
Did I mention that they are adorable?? They come in three sizes, mini, medium, and large, and Disney is struggling with the difficulty of keeping them on the shelves, as they are becoming just as popular here as in Japan. The prices are $4.95 for mini, $12.95 for medium, and $24.95 for large.
Here’s the Tsum Tsums stacked! They are 3.5″ long, and cost $4.95.
They are sold online, which for now is your best bet if you want to actually purchase one, and at Once Upon a Toy at Downtown Disney. In addition, Disney has recently added new items to the online shop decorated with Tsum Tsums, including t-shirts, mugs, lamps, and tote bags. (Ed. – There were also many at the NYC Times Square Disney Store when I was there last month. Also Tsum Tsum backwards is “Must Must.” Mind = blown, right?)
However, due to their popularity, the Downtown Disney store only has them in medium and large, and even then, with limited characters available. When asked about when they would be receiving more, the staff didn’t have a firm answer, but simply that it would be awhile.
The (very limited) wall of Tsum Tsums at Once Upon a Toy.
The Tsum Tsums came out in Japan in 2013 and have so many more options that hopefully will come to our stores soon. If you are interested in seeing what we may eventually get here (and want to feel jealous), check out the Japanese Disney store’s Tsum Tsum page.
This medium Minnie Mouse Tsum Tsum is $12.95 and is 11 inches long.
The game that made the Tsum Tsums popular is available now in the United States on both the App store for Apple products and the Google Play store for Android devices, though you will need an account from Line (another app) to save your game information. The LINE app basically gives you free calls and messages, though I didn’t actually try to use them app. I downloaded the app, created an account, and then deleted the app once I was started in the game.
Universal Orlando Photo Connect Presale Prices Changing October 6
Presale prices for Universal Orlando’s Photo Connect service change on 10/5.
If you’ve got a trip planned to Universal Orlando, and are planning to purchase their Photo Connect image capture services, the time to buy is now, as Photo Connect presale prices will change starting Monday, October 6, 2014.
Amazing Pictures, the vendor that provides Photo Connect, didn’t say what the new prices will be when they made the announcement via its Facebook page, but it is safe to assume they will be going up. If you want to save some money, you can get a discount off the in-park package price by ordering Photo Connect online here.
If you prepurchase your Photo Connect package online — which can range from a single day’s worth of unlimited digital photos for $39.95 or 3 days for $49.95, to a 14-day package for $89.99 — it won’t begin expiring until you activate it upon visiting the parks.
[UPDATE: Photo Connect has just announced that the 3-day presale price will increase to $59.95, and the annual Passholder package will jump from $49.95 to $89.95.]
In other recent Photo Connect news, Universal has added automated Star Card kiosks to the exits of Mummy, MIB, and Hulk, so you can register your photos without waiting in line. Photo Connect team members are still available to help find and edit your photos if you don’t want to use the self-service stations.
We’re big fans of Photo Connect, especially the year-long Star Card for Annual Passholders. However, as some Lines Chat users have noted, Photo Connect photographers are not ubiquitous throughout Universal property the way Disney’s PhotoPass cast members are. You certainly should not leave your camera at home with the expectation that Photo Connect will be able to capture all your vacation memories.
For the record, here is where you can find Photo Connect locations throughout Universal’s two parks:
Universal Studios Florida Photo Connect Locations
Park entrance
Meet and greet near Shrek 4-D exit
SpongeBob shop in KidZone
Transformers meet and greet
E.T. shop
MIB on-ride photo
Simpsons couch gag
Revenge of the Mummy on-ride photo
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit on-ride photo
Gringotts queue photo
Islands of Adventure Photo Connect Locations
Park entrance
Incredible Hulk on-ride photo
Spider-Man queue photo
Spider-Man meet and greet
Ripsaw Falls on-ride photo
Jurassic Park photo op
Jurassic Park River Adventure on-ride photo
Forbidden Journey on-ride photo
Seuss Trolley queue photo
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Universal Orlando Photo Connect Presale Prices Changing October 6 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Daisy Lauren’s Best Week Ever: October 2, 2014
By Daisy Lauren
Hi, Everyone! Welcome to the Best Week Ever here at Walt Disney World! This week we’re stopping by the Disney’s Hollywood Studios to say goodbye to the Backlot Tour. Next, we’ll stop by Epcot for the last day of Off Kilter and some more Food and Wine fun. Lastly, we’ll stop in the Magic Kingdom to ride the Astro Orbiter on the first day it reopens. Who is ready for an awesome week? Let’s go!
Bright and early on September 27, I set out to ride the Backlot Tour. Upon first arriving it looked like any normal day, the crowds didn’t seem to know they were experiencing an attraction on the last day. The queue was short and the area was eerily quiet compared to that madness at Toy Story Mania next door.
I asked to wait for the next showing of the pre-show so I could get the best view to film. The cast members were happy to allow me to wait and I dashed into the next showing to line up my shot. Then something odd happened, they started doing the pre-show without any audience participation. For those unfamiliar, the idea is that this area shows you how Hollywood films effects. They choose people from the line to suit up in rain gear and get soaked in this tank. Then they show what was filmed with effects, just like the movies. Only, they didn’t pick anyone and just started firing off the effects at random. I didn’t film because I thought they were just stalling! It was pretty confusing. If I’m honest, I haven’t been near this attraction in years but I was sure they still had audience participation for the pre-show. If you’re wondering what it used to look like you can find videos here.
I did film my entire ride through on the last day in HD video. However, I didn’t upload it because it’s just a sad 14 minutes. The Backlot Tour is such a shadow of what it once was. I always try to stay positive about everything at Disney, but I’m happy to see this ride close. I hope that bigger and better things will come in it’s place. If anyone would like to see the video please let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to upload it. Here’s a taste of what I think was the best part of the ride anymore, the prop house that houses the queue:
Here’s my last view as I was leaving. I wonder if these ride vehicles will find new life as parking trams? I asked a cast member and they said they normally were only running two trams on the tour daily these days. She mentioned that they planned to run three on the last afternoon because they anticipated crowds, but I also saw on Twitter that one had broken down! Even still, the line didn’t look like it ever got very long on the last day.
One ride that never has a short line is Toy Story Mania! As I was walking by on my way back to the front I noticed that toy soldiers were playing with guests in the very long line. Everyone seemed to be having such a good time. It’s nice that Disney makes an effort to keep this long line enjoyable.
Back near the Sorcerer’s Hat I spotted Donald with only a few people in line for him. I thought for sure you guys would like to see him! 
When it was my turn I had a little trouble with my camera and Donald put on a show of how frustrated he was with me. Everyone in line behind me got a big laugh and I got this great photo! Maybe I should have camera trouble more often!
I also spotted some amazing tape art, someone is really talented! I’ve seen photos posted online of other characters but this is the first time I’ve spotted a Frozen character in person. They should offer classes on this! I have no idea where I would use that skill in life but I’d totally pay to learn.
As I was leaving the Studios I popped into the shops looking for anything new to report. The only thing I noticed that I hadn’t seen before are these awesome sunglasses. I’ve seen Minnie Mouse and princess glasses before but I hadn’t seen these. I love the big Goofy ears. At $19.95 they’re a bit pricey but perfect for the Goofy fan in your life.
The storm clouds were starting to loom so I headed to Downtown Disney to check on progress and see a movie. As you can see, the parking garage is starting to look more like an actual parking garage! Could it be possible that this might still make a Christmas opening date? That would be amazing because the parking situation is bleak at best. When I left around 2pm several people were fighting over my parking spot.
Speaking of movies, I stopped by the AMC Dine In Theater. I know this isn’t something exclusive to Disney so I wasn’t sure if anyone would be interested in more information about it? Would you let me know in the comments below if you’d like to see more?
September 27th also marked the last day for several shows around the World Showcase at Epcot. You can read all about them in Seth’s excellent post here. The only one he didn’t cover was Off Kilter so I had planned to stop by on the last day and take some video. I was never really a fan of the band just because they’re so loud. I’d walked by while they were performing and seen small crowds so imagine my surprise when I was faced with the below on their last day!
I was totally shocked. I decided to stick around for the next show assuming the huge crowd would move along, but they didn’t! The mass of people cheered and watched as one at a time guests got on stage to take photos with the band. Apparently, the guys decided to skip their break to take photos with fans. How incredibly nice of them to do that!
After squirming and scooting this was as close as I managed to get with nearly an hour until the next show. With people pressing in at every direction and a gentle rain starting to fall.. I gave up. Getting out of the crowd was almost as difficult as getting into it. There were several managers and Disney security guards managing the crowd. I can’t imagine what the last show was like!
I consoled myself with a potato and leek waffle with braised beef from Belgium for $4.25. I know this looks repulsive. It just proves how amazing this tastes if I can get past the nasty appearance. Last year, I almost chucked this in the trash without even taking a bite. It sounded delicious on the menu but I had to work myself up to actually eating after getting to see it. Once I did I was in love, and the rest is history!
The Odyssey pavilion is once again open for Food and Wine Festival. I love the trend of using this building. I loved this place as a kid and it’s a shame to see it sitting there empty. As you can see it’s being used as a craft beers center and all those comfy seats have been removed since the World Cup. Still, it’s a nice air conditioned space even if seating isn’t available. We didn’t try the snacks offered here but are looking forward to it!
Since I’d missed Off Kilter I wanted to make sure I stopped by to see Christopher Cross. Here is some footage of his show. I also asked about the VIP Illuminations area for the Chase Lounge wristbands.I was told if you are facing the American Gardens Theater it is directly to the left. We still haven’t tried it but I’ll report back when we do. This is the time of year we’re at Epcot several times a week! 
We made one last stop food at desserts and champagne for the dessert trio: passion fruit coconut creamsicle, blueberry lime cheesecake roll, and chocolate espresso opera cake. This really seemed like a steal at $4! May favorite was the cheesecake but my hubby loved the chocolate cake. The passion fruit dessert gave me the giggles. It was so tart that it tickled my cheeks, but we both loved it and I’m sure we’ll have it again.
One last shopping stop at Mouse Gear before heading out for the night, to visit Chef Duffy. At $30 I think he’s too expensive right now. But I’ll see him when he heads to the outlet in a few months! 
Heading over to the Magic Kingdom, I noticed that the awning has finally been installed on the boat dock directly in front of the entrance plaza. The guests boarding these boats must be thrilled to have some shade back!
Looking out at the construction from Tomorrowland there is still a long ways to go with the hub expansion. However, they are really making progress. I can’t wait for this to be complete! As a side note, Disney is doing a great job hiding all this work. If you don’t go looking for it you could easily miss lots of what is going on behind walls.
The reason I’d stopped by the Magic Kingdom was to ride the recently refurbished Astro Orbiter. This is something I always ride by myself so I didn’t think anything of it when the cast member told me to share a rocket with my hubby. Below is a look at the ride vehicle. While signs say these will accommodate 2-3 Earthlings, these two Earthlings found it to be a very tight fit!
Actually, a bit of lap seating was required to make it work. So make sure you know whoever you’re riding with very, very well. Here is your chance to ride on the first day it reopened:
As we exited we noticed that it seemed so much more pleasant and open. It looks like they have moved all the stroller parking over by the Carousel of Progress. Only wheelchairs are at the ride exit now. It isn’t something you’d really notice unless someone pointed it out but it really improves the flow of the area tremendously.
One last catch at the Magic Kingdom was this Zero popcorn bucket from The Nightmare Before Christmas. This is one of my favorite movies and I immediately jumped in line the second I spotted it! Since it was about 5pm in the evening I was concerned it might have just been for guests attending the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, but they were happy to sell me one without an event ticket. If you’d like to find one they are just inside the Magic Kingdom at the popcorn cart near City Hall. Cost is $13.50 with regular popcorn and $15 with caramel corn.
That’s everything for this week. Now let’s see what you can expect if you’re visiting next week.
Crowd Calendar: Crowd levels are going to start to sneak back up especially on the weekends and especially at Epcot. If you’re looking forward to the Food and Wine Festival try to stop by on weekdays for the best experience.
Weather: Could it be?? Could we finally see highs in the low 80′s? And low’s in the low 60′s? It’s too wonderful to be believed.. but I hope it lasts!
Remember: While I link to videos on my YouTube “channel” here, it’s just so I have a place to link my videos. For all the latest and greatest videos be sure to subscribe to the Touring Plans Channel. All the cool kids are doing it!!
Here’s my top tip for this week: Don’t forget, if you are attending the Halloween party your tickets are good starting at 4pm. Make sure you take advantage of those extra 3 hours in the park!
Do you have any news I missed or any requests for coverage next week? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below, and thanks so much for reading! I’m wishing all of you the Best Week Ever, until next time!
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Daisy Lauren’s Best Week Ever: October 2, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
October 1, 2014
Universal Orlando Crowd Report – September 21 to 27, 2014
Last week, no park reached wait times higher than a level ’4′ on our scale and most days stayed around a ’2′ or ’3′. That means posted wait times averaged 10 to 30 minutes at most attractions. September is low season at Universal Orlando so even the new Harry Potter attractions weren’t enough to push wait times to average levels for the year. Escape to Gringotts saw average waits in the range of 15 to 20 minutes some days, their lowest level since the attraction opened. Larger crowds are likely on their way however as we progress deeper into the fall season and approach Thanksgiving in November.
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
2
3
Low waits across the resort on Sunday despite the Early Park Admission at Universal Studios beginning at 7:00 am. only a few attractions hit average posted times high enough to reach a level ’4′on our scale and none of our predictions missed by more than a few minutes.
Islands of Adventure
3
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
3
2
Monday’s crowds were about the same as Sunday’s if not slightly lower. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem was the only headliner with substantial wait times. Rip Ride Rockit averaged a mere 15 minutes while over at Islands of Adventure we saw averages like 21 minutes (predicted 29) at Forbidden Journey.
Islands of Adventure
4
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
2
Even lower waits on Tuesday, including 17 minutes at Spider-Man (predicted 26) and 13 at The Incredible Hulk Coaster. Disaster! hit 16 minutes (predicted 15) and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem averaged 38 minutes (predicted 39).
Islands of Adventure
2
1
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
2
2
The newness of an attraction at Universal Orlando seems to be a strong predictor of its wait time, more than other properties. Wait times at Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (21), Despicable Me (37) and Transformers (27) dwarfed those at E.T. (10), Men In Black (11) and Revenge of the Mummy (8).
Islands of Adventure
2
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
3
4
As the weekend approaches we see wait times start to slide upwards across both parks. Predictions did better at The Studios although we only missed by 7 or 8 minutes at most Islands of Adventure attractions: The Cat in the Hat (7 minutes, predicted 15); One Fish, Two Fish (7 minutes, predicted 12).
Islands of Adventure
5
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
3
4
Solid predictions again on Friday with none missing by more than a few minutes. At The Studios, only Despicable Me and Transformers reached average waits above the 20 minute mark.
Islands of Adventure
3
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Universal Studios
4
4
Third day in a row for The Studios to reach a level ’4′ on our scale and the sixth day of the week with a level below ’3′ at Islands of Adventure.
Islands of Adventure
4
2
What to Expect This Week
September 28 to October 4, 2014
How Crowded is Universal Orlando Resort?
October is busier than September but still offers guests of Universal Orlando a great chance to tour the parks in a relaxed fashion. Wait times are below average, the weather is warm but not as hot as a few weeks prior and the Halloween Horror Nights brings a festive atmosphere to the resort.
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 Crowd Report – September 21 to 27, 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 – September 21 to 27, 2014
Last week, crowds at Disneyland Resort hit levels on our scale a point or two higher than the previous few weeks. Predictably, weekend crowds hit higher levels than weekday crowds, a trend that is quite noticeable in the Fall season. Crowds at Disneyland Park stayed higher than Disney California Adventure each day last week.
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
4
6
Haunted Mansion (42 minutes, predicted 19) and Alice in Wonderland (39, predicted 24) led the way with higher than expected wait times on Sunday. Other than those two, most attractions were within expected ranges. For example, Indiana Jones averaged 37 minutes (predicted 34).
Disney California Adventure
4
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
6
Same crowds on Monday as we saw on Sunday although the higher than expected wait times were driven by different attractions. Pirates of the Caribbean hit an average posted time of 17 minutes (predicted 7) while Space Mountain averaged 38 (predicted 29).
Disney California Adventure
3
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
3
6
Third day in a row at a level ’6′ for Disneyland Park while wait times at Disney California Adventure stayed low again. Toy Story Midway Mania averaged 25 minutes (predicted 30) and Radiator Springs saw an average posted time of 44, very low for that attraction.
Disney California Adventure
2
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
2
3
First sign of relief on Wednesday with wait times like 18 minutes at Jungle Cruise and 22 minutes at Soarin’ Over California.
Disney California Adventure
2
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
3
4
Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean were the only headliners to average a posted wait above a level ’5′ on our scale Thursday while all the Paradise Pier attractions stayed at a level ’1′.
Disney California Adventure
4
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
3
4
Disneyland hosted Mickey’s Halloween Party on Friday but wait times during the day never peaked above a level ’6′ for most attractions. The only exception was Peter Pan’s Flight at a level ’8′ (39 minutes, predicted 29).
Disney California Adventure
3
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Disneyland Park
4
8
Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Mickey’s House, Mr Toad’s Wild Ride, Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion hit a ’10′ out of ’10′ on our scale, more than enough to push the park wide crowd level four levels higher than history would suggest.
Disney California Adventure
4
4
What to Expect This Week
September 28 to October 4, 2014
How Crowded is Disneyland Resort?
October crowds are busier than September crowds but still offer a great opportunity for moderate touring. As we saw last week, crowds can be significant if you arrive unprepared. Arrive with a touring plan in hand and crowds will feel minimal.
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 – September 21 to 27, 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 – September 21 to 27, 2014
A strange week for crowds across Walt Disney World last week, with some parks swinging as much of 5 index points depending on the day. We’re not sure whether the big swings were due to actual increases in crowdedness or anomalies in wait times. Most notable were skewed wait times at Maelstrom and Backlot Tour, and surrounding or related attractions. None-the-less, it is clear that the low crowds of September have passed and Fall crowds have arrived.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week on the Touringplans.com Disney World Crowd Report:
Walt Disney World Resort Crowd Levels – Daily Breakdown
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
3
1
Typically, when Magic Kingdom hosts an evening hard ticket event like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, we see very low crowds during the day. This was the case on both Sunday and Tuesday this week. Meanwhile crowds were heaviest at The Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Epcot
4
3
Hollywood Studios
3
6
Animal Kingdom
4
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
6
Equally as predictable is the bounceback crowd after the Magic Kingdom hosts a party, especially after a weekend party. Peter Pan’s Flight averaged 48 minutes on Monday (predicted 54) which was double the previous day.
Epcot
4
3
Hollywood Studios
2
2
Animal Kingdom
4
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
1
1
Crowds didn’t peak at the other parks as much on Tuesday as they did on Sunday. We did see a 30 minute average wait at Kali River Rapids (predicted 21) and 67 minutes at Toy Story Mania (predicted 57) however.
Epcot
6
3
Hollywood Studios
2
3
Animal Kingdom
3
4
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
4
3
Wednesday had the most similar crowds at all for parks that we saw all week. Animal Kingdom was the best choice as predicted.
Epcot
5
5
Hollywood Studios
2
4
Animal Kingdom
2
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
6
Thursday’s low crowds at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom were enough to push the resort-wide index down two points from predicted and only Magic Kingdom broke above the middle point on our scale.
Epcot
5
5
Hollywood Studios
5
3
Animal Kingdom
4
2
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
3
3
Crowds at all parks except Magic Kingdom flipped around relative to our predictions on Friday. We saw a ridiculously high average wait of 31 minutes at Great Movie Ride which puts it at a solid ’10′ on our scale. Not sure if that attraction is experiencing capacity issues or just an increase related to the closure of Backlot Tour.
Epcot
6
3
Hollywood Studios
3
6
Animal Kingdom
4
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
6
The Studios surprised us for the second day in a row on Saturday. We have never recorded a level ’8′ at the Studios in October so it likely that the index is reflecting some unique occurrences at that park. Technical issues at Tower of Terror pushed wait times to the extremely high level of 113 minutes (predicted 63), on average. Also, Great Movie Ride hit 28 (predicted 11).
Epcot
6
4
Hollywood Studios
4
8
Animal Kingdom
4
5
What to Expect This Week
September 28 to October 4, 2014
The Crowd Report
Savvy guests to Walt Disney World can make educated choices on which park to visit each day in October. A two-day plan for Magic Kingdom works great on two days where the park hosts an evening Halloween Party. Crowds will be low and touring will be relaxed. In the evening, hop to Epcot or the Studios for your evening entertainment.
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 – September 21 to 27, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney Rolls Out New Frozen Holiday Premium Package at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
©Disney
Who else is surprised? A brand new premium package is being rolled out at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the Holiday Season called the Frozen Holiday Premium Package. With the overwhelming success of the Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package, it was a no-brainer that a similar package would be rolled out for the Holiday Season.
This special package includes reserved seating for a performance of the “For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration,” reserved viewing of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, a Frozen-themed dessert party, a holiday-themed lithograph, and a Frozen pin.
The package is available for select dates:
November 7 – 19
November 21 – December 9
December 11 – January 4
The package costs $89 for adults (ages 10 and up) and $59 per child (ages 3-9), plus tax. (Gratuity is also included in the price.) Also Disney’s Hollywood Studios admission is required but is not included in the price of the Premium Package.
To book this package, call (407) 939-1854.
• Facebook • Twitter • Google Plus • Pinterest • Print
Disney Rolls Out New Frozen Holiday Premium Package at Disney’s Hollywood Studios 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
