Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1198

August 16, 2014

SATURDAY SIX: Six of Disney’s (Not So) Secret Plans for the Next 5 Years

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at Six of Disney’s (Not So) Secret Plans for the Next 5 Years. This past week The Unofficial Guide’s Disney Dish with Jim Hill podcast went over a lot of exciting possibilities for Walt Disney World’s near future. The show was the talk of the theme park world, and while it was loaded with a metric ton of information, scintillating rumors, and insider scoops, we’re going to count down the six biggest takeaways of this audio starting with…

# 6 – The Sorcerer’s Hat ain’t going anywhere…

Haters gonna hate. (photo by Matt Cleary and Brandon Glover)

The era of nightmares doesn’t seem to be coming to an end anytime soon over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Jim Hill says that despite the fact that many guests see the giant Sorcerer’s hat sitting in the middle of the park as the biggest eyesore since Cinderella Castle was turned into a giant pink birthday cake, it serves an important purpose to the park. More to the point, the stage below the ugly hat plays a vital roll in allowing DHS to hold various live shows and draw the crowds away from popular attractions such as Tower of Terror and Toy Story Midway Mania.

# 5 – Star Wars Land is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Tatooine Idol Experience, where you can sing Princess Leia’s “Life Day”, “Lapti Nek” from Jabba’s Palace or Weird Al’s “Yoda” (photo by Matt Cleary and Brandon Glover)

Disney Hollywood Studios? Funny you should mention that as the rumored Star Wars Land seems closer than ever to coming to fruition. The good news? It will be worth the wait! Are you familiar with a little place called Diagon Alley? Seems that Walt Disney Imagineering had a private tour of Universal’s newest land and immediately went back to their corporate overlords saying they need more money for the upcoming Star Wars projects in DHS. Why? Because as Len Testa said, Disney can’t just be as good as Potter, it has to be better. “Say goodbye to Echo Lake,” said Jim, “that’s Tatooine.” Look for a huge Star Wars presence, so much that it will become the clear identity of the parks.

A long stretch of the park from near the entrance all the way to Star Tours is going to become essentially a Star Wars corridor filled with retail and dining opportunities. Like the re-do of California Adventure several yeas ago, look for A, B, and C ticket attractions such as an X-Wing spinner ride (think the Dumbo ride crossed with the interactivity of Kang & Kodos Twirl ‘n’ Hurl.) The oft-maligned Sounds Dangerous building (which has been used for the Carbon Freeze Me experience during Star Wars Weekends) could become the permanent home of the Jedi Training Academy. Jim added that Disney might also have the answer to the Wizarding World’s interactive wands in the form of “The Force.”

What’s staying? Hollywood & Vine (thanks to its popular Play ‘n Dine character meals,) the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular (because Disney now owns the full rights to Indy after having purchased LucasFilm) and the American Idol Experience theater (which, as we just found out, will be closing at the end of this month, most likely to become the new home for the Frozen Sing-A-Long Celebration.)

# 4 – The Disney Vacation Club is expanding to other Disney resorts

All Star Music Villas, the only DVC rentals with weekend points that don’t reach double digits (photo by Matt Cleary)

The best kept secret in Walt Disney World right now is the fact that hotel occupancy rates have been dropping steadily over the years as The Mouse just plain simply over built. Since no new attractions will be opening any time soon to drive up attendance (and on-site hotel stays) there’re only two ways to fix the problem. The first option is lower prices (which for Disney is like asking a vegan to eat a meal consisting of milk-fed veal and BBQ baby back ribs) and the second option is to take rooms out of stock, which Disney has been quietly doing with various “refurbishments.” The super-secret third option? Convert rooms for people who are contractually obligated to stay. Who’s that again? Disney Vacation Club. In order to not only solve their resort occupancy problems, but also alleviate booking problems created by the Aulani debacle over at DVC, Disney will be taking high priced and possibly moderate rooms off line from their resorts (which we are currently seeing at the Polynesian) and converting them to Disney Vacation Club units, still an extremely hot commodity.

What’s after the Polynesian? The Wilderness Lodge will be seeing a DVC change out much like the Animal Kingdom Lodge where 300-400 rooms will be taken out of inventory and converted over to DVC units and possibly over-water units like the Poly’s. Talk of conversion of moderate rooms at Caribbean Beach is also on the table. These conversions will not only make regular hotel occupancy rates rise, but will also keep the gravy train that is DVC chugging along.

# 3 – The Osborne Lights could be changing its name to one based off a…. television show?

You think this is bad, wait till 2 Broke Girls sponsors the 50′s Prime Time Cafe. (photo by Matt Cleary and Brandon Glover)

Say it ain’t so Jim. Turns out that in the last several years Disney has fully acquired everything that has to do with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. So now they can do whatever they want, whenever they want and one of the things they may want to do is turn this beloved experience into a piece of corporate synergy with a reality television show on ABC Television. That’s right, The Great Christmas Light Fight could replace one of WDW’s best attractions.

This humble author, who watches more TV than any human being on Earth every should, doesn’t even remember The Great Christmas Light Fight from last December. However, the show was a success, drawing ABC’s biggest amount of viewers in its time slot in over 5 years along with drawing boffo numbers in the key Adults 18-49 demo. The series was renewed for a second season and ABC even ordered a Great Halloween Fright Fight special.

We can assume that a more sane mind will prevail and our favorite Osborne Lights will stay Osborne Lights but with Disney looking for any possible way to acquire every last Dollar Bill, Yen, Euro, and Brazilian Real in the world there will always be a slight chance that we see the purple cat changed over to a purple Duffy the Disney Bear and the hidden razorback into a hidden Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor.

# 2 – The Great Movie Ride is leaving, but not anytime soon….

This is a REAL photo. If you have enough money you eat inside the Wizard of Oz room at the Great Movie Ride. If you don’t have much money, you can pack your own lunch and dine with Your Humble Author at Stitch’s Great Escape. (photo courtesy of DisneyWeddings.com

Talk about a double whammy, not only is that Sorcerer’s Hat staying, but the gorgeous Great Movie Ride facade looks to be on the way out. This is where if you were Darth Vader you’d be yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Well, let’s look at the silver linings, shall we? I don’t want to say this ride hasn’t been updated in a while, but Ellen’s Energy Adventure called and just asked if its ever going to change. The last time the Great Movie Ride was updated George Bush was president. GEORGE BUSH SENIOR. So if Disney’s not going to change the Great Movie Ride, maybe it’s not so bad that it’s going away. Jim Hill added that its replacement would more than likely using the ride technology that everyone seems to be going gaga over in Disneyland Paris’ new Ratatouille attraction. That could be cool.

Fans of the Great Movie Ride can also breathe a sign of relief as the attraction isn’t going anywhere any time soon as it is already booked solid for private events for the next three years. Private events are held throughout Walt Disney World, but Disney Weddings takes it to the next level, offering guests the ability to book receptions in places such as the Living Seas pavilion and American Adventure Rotunda in Epcot along with the Great Movie Ride in Hollywood Studios. Not surprisingly, the ability to be able to make a toast while sitting in the room with The Wizard of Oz has great appeal. to the point where Disney is booked 150 dates in advance. No new bookings are being taken for the Great Movie Ride, and those who have dates in the future are being approached to possibly change to a different venue in order for Disney to be able to close down the attraction, but for right now it’s staying as is. WE ARE ALL IN YOUR DEBT BRIDES AND BRIDE-ZILLAS OF THE WORLD.

# 1 – A new Nighttime Spectacular is replacing IllumiNations at Epcot

Dedicated readers know that we at the SATURDAY SIX offices have a complicated history with Epcot’s nighttime spectacular. We have made the case both FOR and AGAINST this fireworks extravaganza changing. Our ears definitely perked up with Jim Hill said that Steven Davison, the man behind World of Color, has been working on new project that could replace Illuminations in just 18 months.

WHEW! And that’s just the TOP SIX newsworthy items. Do yourself a favor and click on your iTunes machine and SUBSCRIBE to The Unofficial Guid’s Disney Dish with Jim Hill podcast. If you haven’t heard this particular episode yet, what are you waiting for?! Click these links to listen right now or watch on YouTube. Follow host Len Testa and Jim Hill himself on Twitter as well as Jim’s website JimHillMedia.com.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I got inspired by seeing all the venues that you can rent out at Walt Disney World and searched – and searched, and searched, and searched – until I could find something within my budget. Turns out there is only one place on property that I can afford….

Dinoland U.S.A., literally the only thing both Disney and Universal fans can agree on (photo by Mike Sperduto)

So there you have it: the Six of Disney’s (Not So) Secret Plans for the Next 5 Years. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the SATURDAY SIX, where we are going to head back over to Universal (maybe.) If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles, or, for your listening pleasure, check out Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast.

Special thanks to Mike Sperduto, Morgan Crutchfield, Brian Hyde, Parkscope Joe, Matt Cleary, and crack staff photographer Brandon Glover for their invaluable assistance in this article. It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child and that it takes a nation of millions to hold us back, but it takes a group of some of the smartest, creative, and talented people I have ever met to come together and produce the SATURDAY SIX. I value each and every one of them with every fiber of my being. They are the talented ones; the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, while I am just the Phil Jackson who tells them what time to show up and let them do their thing. I couldn’t ask to be surrounded by a better group of people and I will never be able to truly thank them enough (well, except for Parkscope Joe, he usually ends up making me want to strangle him.)

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Published on August 16, 2014 03:00

August 15, 2014

New Ultimate Day VIP Tour Introduced for Epcot Food and Wine Festival

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

Disney has been introducing a lot of these special and select VIP tours frequently lately and it looks like they aren’t stopping any time soon. You see, for those who would like the ultimate day at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival, Disney announced that there is now a tour for that. “The Ultimate Day VIP Tour for the Epcot Food and Wine Festival” will allow you to do it all, thanks to your VIP tour guides.

The tour begins at a special VIP Lounge located at the Festival Center called the Wonder’s Retreat. Here guests will start their day with a flute of champagne and small bites. From there, they will get to experience popular attractions at Epcot, including Test Track, Soarin’, Spaceship Earth and The Seas with Nemo & Friends. After a brief break, guests will head back to the Wonder’s Retreat for a beverage tasting and a six-course tapas-style lunch.

Following lunch, guests will get private behind the scenes tour of the greenhouses at Living With The Land. Guests will then head to World Showcase, where Disney Chefs will give them an introduction to the Marketplace Booths, as well as a three-course tasting.

Guests will also receive VIP seating for that evening’s Eat to the Beat concert, as well as a special reserved location for Illuminations: Reflections of Earth.

This tour will take place on Thursdays and Sundays, lasts for six hours, and costs $399 per person, plus tax for those ages 21 and over. (Theme park admission is required and not included in the price.) To schedule this tour, call (407) WDW-TOUR.

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Published on August 15, 2014 12:34

In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of August 15, 2014

By Rikki Niblett

American Idol Experience to Close at the End of August

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

A few months ago, we learned that after five years, the American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios would be closing. The original indication was the attraction would have its final performances in January. That is not the case. It has been announced that the last shows will take place on Saturday, August 30, 2014.

The attraction, which is based on the real life hit Fox television show, has guests performing in front of a live audience. The audience then, much like on the show, votes on which performer was the best in their eyes. During the final performance of the evening, the winners from every prior show that day come back and perform in the finale. The finale winner receives a Golden Ticket, allowing special front-of-the-line access at any American Idol audition (if their age fell within the television show’s age restriction.)

Guests who have previously received a Dream Ticket will still have the ability to use those, as long as the American Idol TV show is still being produced and auditions are taking place.

The American Idol Experience debuted in 2009, and many of the performers on the American Idol TV show have actually previously auditioned and performed first on The American Idol Experience stage.

Disney has not announced its plans for the theater.

For those of you who will be down in Walt Disney World and who love this attraction, make sure you make a visit before the end of the month.

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Published on August 15, 2014 08:44

Review of Loews Loves Pets at Universal Orlando Resort

By Laurel Stewart

The goods. Photo – Laurel Stewart

Fact: I travel. A lot.

Fact: I like my pets more than I like most people.

Fact: Until my pets get opposable thumbs and learn to Face Time me while I travel, I will miss them terribly when I’m on the road.

With this mind, I decided on my last trip to Orlando that it was time to bring the dog along. Lucky for me, Loews Hotels, the company that runs the four onsite resorts at Universal, is pet friendly – a program called Loews Loves Pets. And, as this trip was especially to visit Universal and Diagon Alley, it seemed a natural fit to take advantage of this policy.

For this trip, Len Testa and I chose the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. We booked one of the room types that is available for the program, which at Portofino is Garden and Bay View rooms only. There was no part of making the reservation online that designated that we were bringing the dog, and Loews states that if you show up with your pet after having booked a non-pet friendly room type (such as a suite), you’ll be reassigned at checkin.

We arrived at the front desk dog in hand (literally – Rosie is a toy poodle and roughly the size of a shoe). After everyone oohed and aaahed over how cute she is, we began check-in. Loews gives guests a welcome pack for pets along with the paperwork explaining how everything works. We were given first floor room that conveniently had a direct ground-level walk out toward the dog walking area.

The pet area was away from the hotel and very pleasant. We only ran into a couple of other dogs while we were there.

Room service menu for pets. Photo – Laurel Stewart

The welcome pack was adorable. It included a baggie caddy, food and water bowls, and dog treats. The hotel also has pet food available through room service. (This is laughable as anyone knows dogs like people food far more than dog food.) For our trip, we also brought along a collar and leash (of course), Rosie’s bed, puppy training pads, and her favorite toy.

Here is a run down of what you need to know about Loews Loves Pets:

The nightly fee to participate is $50, which tops out at a total of $150, after 3 nights, that is to say the total charge is:

One night – $50
Two nights – $100
Three or more nights- $150

No more than two pets per room.
Housekeeping will not enter your room if the pet is inside – Loews gives you a door hanger to indicate a pet is in the room.
Bring a copy of your pet’s vaccinations with you. We weren’t asked for them, but this is S.O.P. any time you travel with an animal.
If your pet disturbs other guests, you may be asked to board the animal elsewhere (at your own expense).
Pets are not allowed in pools or restaurants (this does not include service animals).
Full details are listed on the Loews web site.

Rosie at Portofino Bay. You can tell this is staged because she usually wears a helmet. Photo – Len Testa

You probably have more questions about the program:

Q. Did your pet-friendly room smell?

A. Slightly. It did smell a bit of dog when we first came in, but the smell was unnoticeable after that.

Q. What about cats?

A. Loews does include cats in the program, but we chose not to bring the cat along.

Q. What if I have allergies? I’m allergic to dogs/cats and don’t want to stay in a room that has had one.

A. The hotel does do a deep clean between pet stays, but let the front desk know when you check in if you think you will have problems.

Q. Which Universal hotels participate?

A. Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, and Royal Pacific Resort. The moderately priced Cabana Bay Beach Resort does not allow pets. We were told that Loews did not believe guests would be willing to pay the $50/day additional fee for a room that can often be found for less that $100/night. We disagree and would have happily paid it, but what are you going to do?

Q. Anything else?

A. We were happy to stay on site where we could return to the room regularly to walk and play with the dog. This is a big benefit for guests versus having to drive back to an off site resort in the middle of the day.

Q. What are my options if staying on site at Walt Disney World instead?

A. Nearly none. There are pet-friendly camping loops at Fort Wilderness, but these are campsites only. Cabins are not included. Some Four Seasons locations are pet-friendly, but the newly opened Walt Disney World location is not one. Most Starwood (Westin/Sheraton) locations are pet-friendly, but the Swan and Dolphin are not. The only onsite option for boarding your pet is Best Friends Pet Resort, close to Fort Wilderness and the Port Orleans resorts.

Off site chains that are pet-frienldy:

Grand Bohemian Orlando and Bohemian Celebration
Red Roof Inn
Rosen Hotels (many locations around Orlando)

Q. So why didn’t you bring the cat?

A. So many reasons. When we travel, we have a pet sitter come by to watch Kitty (no, really, that’s her name). While dogs get attached to people, cats tend to get attached to places, and ours is most happy in her own spots in the house. Moreover, she really does not like being in a car. And further, no matter how much we brush Kitty, she leaves a trail of hair wherever she goes. We wouldn’t wish that on housekeeping, and frankly don’t want the inside of our car covered in it either.

Q. How did you experience compare to that at other pet-friendly resorts?

A. Very similar both in terms of fees and amenities. We recently took Rosie to the Bohemian Hotel in Savannah, which has locations in Celebration and Orlando and had a great experience. I look forward to trying out the Celebration location.

So how about you? Do you dream of bringing Fido or Fluffy along for your next central Florida vacation? Talk about it in the comments.

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Published on August 15, 2014 08:00

Google Glass as Your Disney World Vacation Companion

By Paige Perfect

We’ve seen a plethora of enhancements in technology at the Walt Disney World parks over the last few years. From physical media like MagicBands to apps like My Disney Experience, Disney has been implementing new technologies to make every guest’s experiences more seamless and enjoyable.

Of course, there’s technology that we can bring ourselves to make our trips better. Smart phones have become indispensable tools for a smooth and well organized vacation. With apps like Touring Plans’ mobile Lines app, not to mention the ability to Google nearly anything you could need to know about the parks, our smart phones give us access to whatever information we may need during our trips.

Beyond the necessary information like FastPass+ times and restaurant locations, there’s a lot somebody might wonder while wandering through the parks. When did Mission: Space open? What used to be where Stitch’s Great Escape now stands? When did Kilimanjaro Safaris remove the poacher story from the attraction?

For me, Google is a constant companion. The answer to nearly anything is only ever a few clicks away. Several months ago, I applied to be a Google Glass Explorer. A wearable Google device, Google Glass is still in beta testing and has yet to be released to the mass market. You can either wear attached to an admittedly goofy looking visor or on a pair of Google Glass glasses frames. I chose the latter to look a little less like Geordi or Cyclopes. I was accepted into the beta program and received my Google Glass shortly after.

Since it arrived, I’ve been dying to test it out at Walt Disney World. While the list of available apps (called “Glassware” on Google Glass) is still rather limited, there are several apps and features that I had imagined would come in handy during my next trip.

While there has been a lot of commentary on how Google Glass might just be further distracting users, I’ve actually found wearing Glass to be the opposite. The augmented reality is fairly unobtrusive, much less so than looking down at my phone to find information. If anything, Glass has allowed me to be more “in the moment”, rather than pausing to grab my camera or phone.

In July, my mom and I headed down to Disney to see what Google Glass has to offer as a Disney vacation companion.

Camera & Video

The Explorer Edition of Google Glass has a 5 megapixel camera and records 720p video. When it comes to cameras, these days 5 mp is just okay. In comparison, a Samsung Galaxy S4′s camera is 13mp and an iPhone 5′s camera is 8. However, Google Glass takes high dynamic range photos, which simply put means the colors of the photos look much more like what the human eye sees. The photos are vivid, and despite the lower resolution, they still look pretty great.

The greatest thing about the Glass’s camera, however, is the ease of access and how quickly you can snap a picture. There are two ways to take a photo with glass. You can either use the voice command, “OK Glass, take a picture,” or you can press the small button located on the top of the device. However, there is no zoom feature and no flash, so you’re sacrificing both of those aspects for speed.

It’s the speed that makes Glass’s camera so great on a Disney trip. There’s no fumbling to get a digital camera or a smart phone out. You can capture an unexpected character sighting, some custodial water art before it fades away, or the fireworks during Dream Along With Mickey, all without missing a beat.

Speaking of fireworks, I was stationed on Main Street when I did the Disney College Program. I would see hundreds of people gather to watch Wishes each night I worked. Every show—without fail—I could see at least a handful of people watching the fireworks through a tiny digital screen as they recorded the show on their device.

I’ll admit, I’m guilty of having done this in the past. I think most of us are guilty of this in some capacity; recording a concert, a birthday, or a recital without every taking our eyes of the screen and actually seeing it happen.

With Google Glass, this isn’t a problem. You either use the voice command “OK Glass, record a video,” or hold down the button on the top, and it begins taking a video. Again, Glass beats out any other device with how quickly you can start recording. The greatest part, however, is that you’re getting to watch the moment without the barrier of a screen. You are simultaneously in the moment and preserving it for later.

As Suzanne mentioned in the comments, I forgot to write about Glass’ ability to post photos directly to your social media like Facebook and Twitter. Combined with the speak-to-type feature, you can add descriptions to the photos as you upload them. I tested this feature only once (I don’t share too much on Twitter of Facebook) but it is an amazing feature if you’d like to let people back home see how your trip is going.

Itinerary

I am a devout Google Calendar user. Without it, I’d never make any of my appointments. Google Glass syncs with your Google account, so all of your calendar updates show up on glass. I decided to use this to keep my trip itinerary.

On my laptop, I entered my FASTPASS+ times and locations on Google Calendar before my trip. In the event page, I set it to send me a re

minder 10 minutes before my FASTPASS+ time was to begin. I didn’t make any dinner reservations on this trip, but the concept would have been the same.

For example, on the evening of our first day, my mom asked what our first FASTPASS+ time was for the next morning. Using Glass, I was able to pull up the answer without stopping as we made our way through Fantasyland. Glass’s display hovers in the upper right hand corner of your field of vision, so you’re able to glance up to find your information. I was able to see that our first FASTPASS+ the next day would be for Festival of the Lion King at 11:30.

Lists

I’m an avid pin trader & collector. I have a cork board at home with all my different sets on it, and a lanyard that I wear to the parks. Whenever I’m in the park, though, I can never remember which ones it is that I’m still missing. For example, I’ve been working on completing the two different alphabet sets for several years because I just can’t remember which ones are left to collect when my board is back at home.

Enter the Evernote app. Evernote is note taking app that helps you keep all of your notes organized, and can be accessed through your phone or computer. Evernote is also available as Glassware. Before my trip to Disney, I’d mostly been using it for my grocery shopping list. I decided to put it to better use to keep track of the missing pins I still needed. For the Alphabet sets, it was D, E and T for the letter set, J and X for the circle set. Whenever I approached a cast member to trade pins, I was able to pull up my Evernote pin list to see what it was I needed as I surveyed their lanyard.

Obviously, there are so many more uses for Glass’s Evernote glassware. I also used it to store a shopping list of souvenirs friends and family had asked me to bring back; a lollypop from the Confectionery for a friend’s son, the Tangled soundtrack for my sister, an art print for my roommate, etc. You can also create notes on the fly using Glass’s voice recognition. If something happens in the park you don’t want to forget, you’d be able to make a note of it as you continue to walk.

Field Trip

Field Trip is a nifty new Android app that gives you interesting information about your surroundings. Using your device’s GPS, it pulls up pertinent articles from a variety of sources about your current location. While visiting Disney’s Beach & Yacht Club, we walked to the beach to look across the bay at the BoardWalk. Field Trip recognized my location and gave me an article about the BoardWalk’s history. As you can see in the picture, I was able to read a brief history of the Boardwalk as we made our way to Beaches and Cream for a sundae.

Weather

Glass has a standard weather app that shows you the current temperature, the high and low for the day, and the chance of precipitation. You can also install Weather Alert, an app to warn you of approaching severe weather.

Photo Spots

Glass provides you with information about and directions to nearby popular photo spots. As I entered the Magic Kingdom, it told me how to get to Cinderella Castle to take a photo. While slightly unnecessary for the larger attractions, it did point out a few lesser known spots.

Nearby Attractions

Again, this feature is somewhat unnecessary considering if you’ve made it to Disney World property, you’re probably aware that there is more than one park…Nevertheless, it provided pertinent information and directions to each of the parks on property. It also pulled up results for other Orlando attractions such as SeaWorld and Universal Studios.

Final Thoughts

When you wear Glass out in public, you get a lot of questions and even more strange looks. One question I’m asked fairly often is “Is Google Glass worth it?” The Explorer Edition Google Glass will set you back $1,500, and while Google claims the market release will be around $400-$300, my answer is still “it’s not worth it yet.”

Glass has potential, but currently there is not enough Glassware. At this time, there are just enough applications to make it a fun travel companion, but it isn’t quite the indispensable tool my smartphone is. In fact, I left it in the room two out of our five days there and solely used my phone. That being said, I did miss having Glass after spending the first few days in the parks with it. Watching the Frozen Summer Fun sing-along show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I kept thinking “I wish I had the Glass with me so I could record this and still watch!”

Another reason Glass quite isn’t ready to be your go-to travel tool is the abysmal battery life. Entering the park at 10:00 AM and leaving by 3:00 PM, the battery was on its last legs at 6%. I hunted down the cellphone charging lockers in the Space Mountain gift shop earlier in the day, but Glass was too large to fit inside the phone-sized slots, and it wasn’t quite worth sacrificing the time to sit at an outlet to charge it.

All in all, I was very glad to have Google Glass during my trip, but it’s not something I would say greatly improved my Disney experience. Until there’s more Glassware, a better camera and an extended battery life, my smartphone will continue to be my go-to travel gadget.

Paige is a senior at Purdue University. This is her first article for the TouringPlans blog.

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Published on August 15, 2014 03:00

August 14, 2014

Universal Orlando Offers Celebration of Harry Potter in 2015

By Laurel Stewart

Hogwarts Express ©Universal

Universal Orlando announced a three day Harry Potter themed event today, the Celebration of Harry Potter, for January 30 to February 1, 2015. The fan event will offer appearances from actors of the Harry Potter films and an expo in addition to exclusive access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley for ticket holders.

Guests may choose from a package that includes:

Three nights in a Universal or Universal partner hotel
Three day park-to-park admission to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure
An evening dessert party in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley
Reserved seating for actor appearances and discussions
Early park admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (one hour)
Breakfast at Three Broomsticks
A welcome pack and commemorative merchandise

Annual Passholders may opt for a package that does not include park admission (but does include the hotel stay). The minimum stay for either package is three nights.

Guests who don’t wish to book the full packages may choose admission only, which will include actor appearances and the expo.

The event package for two adults starts at $555 for the partner hotel ($357 AP), $657 for Cabana Bay ($465 AP), and $855 for Royal Pacific Resort ($657 AP). Packages must be booked by phone at 1-888-343-8991 starting Thursday, August 21 at noon Eastern time.

The Universal Crowd Calendar has not yet been updated for this event. This year’s celebration of Harry Potter in late January had low overall park crowd levels, but many fans in the Wizarding World areas.

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Published on August 14, 2014 14:08

American Film Institute Showcase at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Close

By Rikki Niblett

The shop and exhibit located at the end of the Studios Backlot Tour, known as the American Film Institute Showcase and Shop, will be closing on August 17.

The walk-through exhibit features many iconic movie props and unique costumes from past and present day movies. The current showcase is called “The Best in Film: AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Movies,” and features items based off of AFI’s “Greatest” lists.

The shop that is connected to the exhibit features collectible merchandise (including items that had previously been found at Sid Cahuenga’s, which closed last year to make way for a MyMagic+ Service Center). Merchandise for sale includes things like autographs, movie props, and more. The merchandise and collectibles will not be relocated and will no longer be available at the park.

The Studios Backlot Tour will continue to operate as normal at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; however, guests will no longer exit through this exhibit area.

Disney has not officially announced anything specific that will be taking over the space, but the company claims to be working on finalizing a new concept for the next experience to take residence in the venue.

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Published on August 14, 2014 10:51

Disney Cruise Line Alaska Dog Sled Excursions: Compare/Contrast

By Erin Foster

Touring Plans blogger Kristi Fredericks and I were both on a recent Disney Cruise Line sailing to Alaska. During the Juneau port stop, we both chose dog-sled related excursions for our families. Kristi took the “Dog Sled Summer Camp” excursion with her husband and two sons, ages 8 and 11. I took the “Dog Sled on the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter” excursion with my husband and my 17 year old daughter. Here are the particulars to help you decide which type of experience might be right for you.

DOG SLED ON THE MENDENHALL GLACIER BY HELICOPTER

Price: $579.00 for all guests ages two and up. Guests under age two are free.
Any price add ons?: Guests whose weight (including clothing and gear) is greater than 250 pounds will encounter a fuel surcharge. There is an opportunity to purchase a professional photo at the end of your dog sled ride. Expect to pay about $20, cash only.
Time requirement: The total excursion time is about 2.5 to 3 hours.
Physical issues: There is a steep step up/down to get into the helicopter. The helicopter seating is tight. Guests with motion sickness or fear of heights issues may be bothered by sensations in the helicopter. Once on the glacier, you will be walking on level snow (“glacier boots”, which are fitted over your regular shoes, are required and provided free of charge). The dog sled ride is in an open vehicle, with no safety restraints, over mostly level snow. The vehicle shifts substantially during movement. Guests who wish to “mush” (drive/steer the sled) must stand on the back of the sled.
Age limits: None.
Other restrictions: Guests are not allowed to bring iPads or similar tablet-style devices on board the helicopter. Cell phones and cameras are allowed. No backpacks, purses, or camera bags are allowed on the helicopter. There is a storage locker at the heliport, free of charge.
Other important details?: Helicopter flight is strongly impacted by the weather. You excursion may be cancelled without much warning if adverse conditions arise. If you have sensitive eyes, I strongly suggest bringing sunglasses. I took mine off for a few photos and was nearly blinded by the bright sun reflected off the snow.

Erin’s experience with Dog Sled on the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter:

Our trip began with the signing of various waivers and a somewhat less than discrete inquiry about everyone’s weight, necessary information for balancing the helicopter seating. Once the formalities were out of the way, our group of about 15 boarded a small bus for a 15 minute ride to the Juneau heliport. Along the way, our driver pointed out the Alaska governor’s mansion (an easily accessible large white house close to the center of town) and other local points of interest, as well as several dozen bald eagles who were hovering over a nearby salmon hatchery. At the heliport, we watched a five minute safety video, had a last chance to visit a restroom (there are none on the glacier), and were fitted with over-the-shoe glacier boots which had a cleat-like bottom to prevent slipping.

The group was then divided in three helicopters and given specific seat assignments based on weight (families were kept together). We had headsets and microphones to better hear the pilot and our fellow passengers. The helicopter pilot took us on a 15 minute aerial tour of the Mendenhall Glacier, pointing out geologic features, wildlife, and describing the history of the area. We were free to ask as many questions as we liked and the pilot was quite knowledgable. I had been on a helicopter tour in Hawaii a few months earlier and found this to be an infinitely more interesting experience, mostly because the geography of the area was unlike anything I had ever imagined. Truly, I felt like I was visiting the ice planet Hoth. As we approached the glacial landing field, we could see that the only thing for many miles was the dog camp, which is indeed only accessible via helicopter.

On the glacier, our group was further divided into family units, with each family getting its own dog team, sled, and trainer/guide for an hour. Our guide, James, was charming and easy to talk with. We learned that the camp is home to 270 dogs and six puppies, about dozen trainers, and almost nothing else. The trainers live in tent-like structures six days a week during the summer, returning to town just once a week to shower and do laundry.

James introduced us to each of the dogs on our team and told us their age and personality. We learned about why each dog had her particular position in the pack, how they were trained and harnessed, and what their life was like. The dogs were extremely friendly and social; they loved hugs, pats, and all manner of positive reinforcement. Before going on the excursion, I had been worried that I might feel badly for working dogs such as these, but the pups clearly loved their job. As soon as they were clipped to the harness, they were ready to GO. James patiently answered all our questions about dog stamina, calorie intake, and daily habits, as well as describing the renowned Iditerod sled race, for which many of the dogs were being trained.

We then hopped on the sled for an approximately two mile circle around the camp and across the glacier. With four of us (me, my husband, my daughter, and James) on the sled, it couldn’t go as fast as it would while truly racing, but I was impressed with pace. We stopped a few times along the way so that we could take turns in the various sled positions, have more time to bond with the dogs and, of course, take about a billion photos. Dog sledding was unlike anything I had ever experienced before, and new experiences are almost always a good idea in my book.

As we waited for our return helicopter. We got to help socialize the on-site puppy litter, playing with them for about 10 minutes. My dog-cuddle-deprived daughter (we have no pets due to family allergies) was in absolute heaven. During the 15 minute helicopter ride back to town, we learned more about the natural elements of the area. Again, simply mind-blowing scenery. Then back on the bus for another 15 minute drive back to town. We had the option to be brought back to the ship directly or left in central Juneau to explore the town. We opted for the latter.

While this excursion was quite expensive, for us it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we couldn’t pass up.

Aerial view of Mendenhall Glacier.

Approaching the sled camp by air.

Dog houses and trainer tents.

Getting mushing instructions from our guide.

The view from the ride.

Bonding with the big dogs.

Puppy love.

Obligatory posed photo.

DOG SLED SUMMER CAMP

Price: $154 for persons 10 years old and above, $142 for children three to nine years old and is free for children two years old and younger
Any price add-ons?: There is an opportunity to purchase a professional photo at the end of your dog sled ride. Expect to pay about $20.
Time requirement: The total excursion time is about 2 to 2.5 hours.
Physical issues: This adventure is wheelchair accessible, however the wheelchair must be standard size, collapsible and you must be able to walk on gravel to transfer to the sled.
Age limits: none.

Kristi’s experience with Dog Sled Summer Camp:

Our group of about 30 guests started our excursion in two 15-person vans. For the next 30 minutes, we enjoyed a ride through the Gastineau Channel, past the AJ Gold Mine Site and into magnificent Sheep Creek Valley. The scenery was breathtaking and the ride itself was reminiscent of Kilimanjaro Safari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom with its bumps and ruggedness. All of my motion-sickness-prone family members hung in there just fine, but this rough ride is definitely something to keep in mind.

The Sheep Creek Summer Dog Camp is nestled in a valley below towering snow capped mountains. As we pulled in, we saw a multitude of brightly painted dog houses with dogs everywhere. They were in, out and on top of their individual homes barking and howling. We were quickly shuttled off the van, out of the inevitable Alaskan rain and into a tent where we were asked to fill out waivers. When the waivers were complete, we were divided into small groups and each assigned a guide. We were fortunate to have Austin Barr, the owner of LandCruiser Kennels who is currently assembling his own team for the Iditarod, as our guide. We headed out of the tent and into the rain following Austin to our specially designed wheeled sled that the dogs use for their summer training. These sleds reminded me of very large golf carts that would hold about six people each. We stood in the rain while we watched as the dogs were brought from their houses and harnessed. We got to pet each dog and hear a little bit about them as we made our way down the team to the sled.

In no time, we were off on our 15 minute journey through the amazing scenery which began with a souvenir photo being snapped of us. We all thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Our guide gave us lots of interesting facts and information about the dogs, sledding and the commands that are used as we made our way along the dirt trail. From time to time, we would stop for a few minutes to let the dogs take a break for rest and drinks. When we arrived back at the camp, we watch as Austin unhooked the dogs and gave them water. Once the dogs were cared for, we headed into another small tent for homemade cookies and hot chocolate. These cookies were a big hit and a pleasant surprise for my kids!

Austin guided us through several tents explaining in detail about the Iditarod, how the dogs are cared for and the equipment that is used. Each tent was filled with gear, photos and maps exhibiting dog sledding from the gold rush to today. Our last stop was a visit with the puppies. Our guide got one of the dogs out of the puppy area for us to play with and pet. Before we climbed in the van for the return ride back to the ship, we were given the opportunity to purchase our souvenir photo for $20 cash, which of course, we did.

To be honest, I was a little apprehensive about this Port Adventure. I’ve always grown up with dogs that have been treated as members of the family. I was concerned that I would be uncomfortable with the conditions that the dogs would be living in or the way that they were being treated. After visiting the summer camp and speaking with guides, it is obvious that these animals are well taken care of and loved. That being said, these dogs are not living the life my pets are accustomed to by any means. They stay outside in small houses, with short chains and pull sleds a few times per day. These are working dogs, but they seem to thrive on it. Overall, my family and I truly enjoyed this opportunity to get a taste of Alaska dog sledding.

Sled display.

Dog houses.

Getting harnessed.

View from the ride.

Bonding time with the sled dogs.

Typical dog greeting position.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

In addition to two dog sled activities we sampled in Juneau, other dog related options include the “Sled Dog Discover & Musher’s Camp” ($141 for ages 10 and up, $132 for kids ages 3-9), which is similar to the Summer Camp experience but includes slightly different terrain, and the “Dog Sled Adventure by Helicopter” ($579 for ages 10 and up, $429 for kids ages 2-9), which is similar to the Dog Sled on Mendenhall Glacier experience but takes place on the Norris Glacier. The “Disney Exclusive Dog Musher for a Day” ($729 for ages 10 and up, $529 for kids 5-9) excursion is longer than the other dog trips and includes a helicopter trip to Norris Glacier as well as more interactivity with the dogs (including grooming, feeding, and harnessing) and a tour of the camp facilities such as the cookhouse, living quarters, and veterinary clinic.

When evaluating which of these options are right for you, some things to consider are:

What price point am I comfortable with?
Do my party have any weight, age, or medical considerations which would pose concern?
How much of my day do I want to devote to the excursion?
Do members of my party have motion sickness issues or fear of heights issues which would contraindicate a helicopter trip?
Is experiencing sledding on snow important to you?
Is a particular type of interaction with the dogs important to you?
Alaska is perpetually rainy in the summer. How will I feel about getting wet during my excursion?
How disappointed will I be if my excursion is cancelled due to weather conditions?

OVERALL

Both Kristi and I loved our dog sled excursions. For my family, having an experience like this was one of the key reasons we chose Alaska as our vacation destination. My only regret is that my two younger daughters were away at camp and did not get to join us on the glacier with the doggies.

Have you done an Alaska dog sled experience? Is this something on your bucket list? Which type of dog interaction appeals more to you? Let us know in the comments below.

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Published on August 14, 2014 10:00

Avoiding Phobias in Disney World

By Maddi Higgins

Walt Disney World may be the most magical place on earth, but for those of us with intense phobias, a magical day can quickly turn terrifying when confronted with your greatest fear. With this in mind, I’ve selected some of the most commons fears and where guests may encounter them at Walt Disney World, starting with one close to my heart:

Spiders

Spiders are something I am very passionate about avoiding, so I am happy to provide you an in-depth analysis of where to steer clear.

“Look, Timmy, it’s your worst nightmare!”
Photo copyright Disney

Magic Kingdom

An animatronic tarantula is housed in a cage in the queue for Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom. The cage containing the animatronic occasionally lurches forward. The cage is pretty clearly labeled “tarantula”, so it’s easy to avoid; just don’t stand next to it while in line. There is also a red giant spider on the Jungle Cruise in the cave area. However, it’s so unrealistic-looking that even I’m not disturbed by it.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

If you want to avoid spiders on your trip, Animal Kingdom is where you’ll need to stay alert, starting at the entrance. Past the entrance touch points, you may spot a cast member holding an aquarium container surrounded. Do not approach, or do so with extreme caution. The container will likely be holding a huntsman spider or tarantula. Spiders feature heavily in It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, the most terrifying attraction in all of Walt Disney World and possibly the universe. A “friendly” tarantula in on screen for several minutes and black widows drop and dangle overhead. This attraction has been known to upset people of all ages with a fear of bugs. You may be better off skipping the show if you know you have issues with insects.

Real life tarantulas are on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail when you enter the research building. You won’t see them unless to approach the aquarium in which they are housed. I recommend just scurrying through the research building and onto the next part of the trail.

Snakes

Because Walt Disney World is in central Florida, seeing non-Disney snakes is always an option in any outdoor area. Luckily, most of the native snakes you’ll see are of the small green variety and are more afraid of you than you are of them.

Magic Kingdom

“Why did it have to be snakes?” Photo copyright Disney

Snakes are found a few times throughout the Jungle Cruise, though they are more silly-looking than realistic. At the Agrabah Bazaar near the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, toys snakes are sold.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The Great Movie Ride’s Indiana Jones section is filled with snakes. You’ll definitely want to keep your eyes closed—why did it have to be snakes?

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The risk of seeing wild snakes is comparably high Animal Kingdom where wildlife is so engrained in the theming. As far as fake snakes go, the entrance of Upcountry Landing, the area with the Baloo and Louie meet-and-greet, is constructed with wooden snakes.

Enclosed spaces
Magic Kingdom

While Space Mountain and Haunted Mansion are open-air vehicle, the tight quarters and darkness could make the severe claustrophobic uncomfortable.

Epcot

Mission Space is essentially a tiny box that has you and three other people strapped and locked inside. I’m not generally claustrophobic, but once I got stuck on the attraction, and I was starting to feel antsy.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

At Tower of Terror and Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, while these attractions do have larger capacity vehicles, they are enclosed spaces and sometimes plunge into complete darkness.

Heights

Disney will not be setting any records for the tallest attractions in the world, but some can still head a little further off the ground than desired.

Magic Kingdom

Two of the three mountain ranges, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain, involve high heights, with Splash Mountain featuring the classic “big drop.” Space Mountain, on the other hand, is so dark it’s impossible to know how high up you are. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and the Barnstormer with the Great Goofini are not particularly high compared to Big Thunder Mountain.

Epcot

Pictured: worst case scenario for acrophobics. Photo copyright Disney

The top row of Soarin’ lifts about forty feet off the ground, so if you’re nervous, you’ll want to choose the third row, which stays closer to the floor. Disney does warn that folks with a fear of flying or heights avoid this attraction.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Tower of Terror is rather self-explanatory: it’s a tall tower. It has “terror” in its name. Thirteen stories tall, to be exact. However, you only see the outside for a few seconds, so the dark is a bigger factor than the height.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

While I appreciate the gorgeous views of the Walt Disney World property from the top of Expedition Everest, those who would rather stay eight stories closer to the ground should steer clear. A surprisingly terrifying coaster for solid ground-seekers is Primeval Whirl. While it is only about four stories tall, the “wild mouse” coaster’s hairpin turns bring you a little too close to the edge for comfort.

What scares you in Walt Disney World? Where can you find spiders, snakes, enclosed spaces, or heights?

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