Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1213
July 9, 2014
History of the Epcot Food & Wine Festival
By KimT
This year the Epcot Food & Wine Festival will run from September 19 to November 10.
When asked, what your favorite thing about travel is, people often respond with a single word answer – food. One way Disney has
answered this question is with the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The Food & Wine Festival is an annual event that has been taking place each fall since 1996. Disney showcases food and drinks at International Marketplaces, which represent the regular Epcot pavilion countries, additional countries, and specialty food and beverage categories, such as dessert, vegan, cheese, and beer. The Marketplaces serve snack sized plates and various (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) beverages. An Epcot admission give you access to the food and drinks, as well as the Eat to the Beat concerts. You must pay for the food and beverages, however, some items qualify as snacks on the Disney Dining Plan. Due to increased popularity, advanced reservations and additional fees are required for special events, culinary demonstrations, and wine seminars. As a result of the fees, these events are not as crowded as they have been in the past.
In the fall, Disney World crowds lessen a bit after school starts and until Thanksgiving. As a way to attract more visitors to Disney World during this time, Disney introduced the Food & Wine Festival. This year, the festival runs from September 19 to November 10, 2014. I would like to temp your palate and look back some of the highlights that have joined the festival over the years.
-1996-
Most food items were available for between $1 and $3. Epcot Admission was $42.
Julia Child was one of the guest chefs. It could be argued that Julia Child started turning Americans into foodies when she introduced them to French cooking with her famous books and television shows. How fitting that she was a premiere guest at the first Epcot Food & Wine Festival.
Argentina: Beef empanadas — Grilled Beef Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce — malbec wine
Of course a country that long held the record of “largest per capita consumption of beef” has had beef on the menu. Guests washed the succulent beef skewers down with an Argentinian malbec.
Greece: Spanakopita – Greek Salad with Pita Bread –various Greek wines
Poland: Kielbasa & Potato Pierogies with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream — Okocim beer
Kielbasa is the Polish word for sausage, but in the United States it refers to a smoked Polish sausage made with pork, garlic, and salt. Pierogies are a staple of any traditional Polish meal. They are similar to ravioli, but have a different variety of fillings, such as potato or sauerkraut (a new flavor at the festival in 2014).
Canada: Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup — Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce –Moosehead beer
Canada is a regular Epcot pavilion and has been part of the Food & Wine Festival since its inception. Canada serves a couple of the most popular menu items from its difficult to reserve restaurant, Le Cellier. During the Food & Wine Festival you can sample the cheddar soup and the mushroom filet – no reservations required.
-1997-
Australia: Grilled Lamb Chops — Shrimp on the Barbie with Pepper Berry Citrus Glaze — various Rosemount wines
New Zealand: Lamb Meatball with Spicy Tomato Chutney — Seared Scallops — Kim Crawford wines
-2002-
Most food items were available for between $1 and $4.50.
Eat to the Beat concert series introduced. This concert series has grown from six acts to twenty-two acts planned for 2014. In 2002, the acts were the Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Sister Sledge, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Fifth Dimension, and Chubby Checker. This year’s bands are from the 80s and 90s, including Rick Springfield, Boyz II Men, and Wilson Phillips.
Party for the Senses is a Saturday night party of tastings, drinks, and entertainment. Guests dress up for this grand party. Chefs serve small dishes and drinks at several stations. The food is artfully prepared on real plates (no paper). In 2002 the party was $79 per person for admission. Disney has added more food and better entertainment, such as performers from Cirque du Soleil, La Nouba. The cost has gone up as well. In 2013 party price started at $145 per person. Guests could purchase add-ons for reserved seating and specialty cocktails bringing the price up to as much as $285 per person.
California: Goat Cheese Polenta – Tomato and San Francisco Sourdough Bread Salad – California wines
Florida: Fresh Florida citrus – Poached Gulf Shrimp with Florida Greens and Citrus Vinaigrette
-2005-
Race for the Taste was 10K race that flowed through Disney Hollywood Studios and Epcot. The start was at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and the finish line was at Epcot. Runners got to sample selected items from the Food & Wine Festival at the post-race picnic before Epcot opened to the public for the day.
-2009-
Race to the Taste adds a 3K route for its last year.
-2010-
Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon
Disney replaced its morning 10K run with an evening half marathon. In true Disney style, the race starts with fireworks at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Runners travel through Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios, run through Disney’s Boardwalk and the Epcot resorts, with music and several Disney characters along the way. Runners finally reach the finish line at Epcot to receive their medal. The post-race party is one of the best. Several Epcot attractions are open, as are all of the food pavilions at the Food & Wine festival. The party runs until 4 am. Included in the race registration, is a complimentary beer, wine, or soda, plus typical post-race snacks, and a gift card ($10 in the past) to use towards food and beverage purchases.
-2011-
Hawaii: Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney – Mai Tais – Kona Brewing Company beer
HGTV
Celebrities from HGTV joined the Epcot Food & Wine Festival in 2011. They gave seminars on entertaining and decorating for the holidays.
Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog
Yes, a bog of cranberries. As you might imagine, it looks like a pool of cranberries. The bog is to educate visitors on the lifecycle and harvest of this popular fall fruit. The demo brings the food source a little closer to the table.
-2012-
Terra: Curry “Chick’n” – Chili Colorado with House-made Chips and Cashew Cheese – Chocolate Cake with Passion Fruit Sorbet and Coconut Foam – wine
Terra is an all vegan kiosk (no animal products).
Chase Lounge
Chase bank became a major sponsor of the Food & Wine festival and offered the Chase Lounge to Chase card holders. It is a VIP lounge with free soft drinks, phone recharging stations, and an air conditioned place to sit and to relax. Initially the lounge was located in the Festival Center in Future World. However, in 2013 the lounge moved to the third floor of the American Adventure pavilion. In 2013, Chase Disney Visa Cardholders received an additional perk. They were able to register a day earlier than the general public for the Food and Wine Special Events.
-2013-
Most food items were available for between $3 and $8.
Parisian Breakfast -
Les Chefs in the French Pavilion presented the Parisian breakfast in 2013. It featured fresh, baguettes, a selection of cheese, chocolate croissants, ham and gruyere sandwiches, sweet pastries, and mimosas!
-2014-
You can see how the Food & Wine Festival has grown over the years. Find out more about what the 2014 Food & Wine Festival will offer at Epcot Food & Wine Festival 2014. Are you excited for this year’s festival? Watch the TouringPlans blog for menu information as soon as we have it and don’t forget that reservations for seminars, tastings, and Party for the Senses will open in August.
I would like to give a shout out to the fantastic website, AllEars.net , for making the menus of several past Epcot Food & Wine Festivals available for all to view.
Please welcome Kim Turner to the TouringPlans blogging team. Kim is a web developer in her day job and loves vacation planning.
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Wild Africa Trek – An In-Depth Review of the VIP Backstage Tour at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
By John Kivus
Disney describes the Wild Africa Trek as “[a] privately guided VIP expedition offering close encounters with exotic African wildlife in their native habitat.” In other words, the Wild Africa Trek is a tour that builds upon the experience of Kilimanjaro Safaris by taking you to areas of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve that you may have seen on Kilimanjaro Safaris, but only from afar. This article takes an in-depth look at the Wild Africa Trek experience, details the cost associated with the tour, responds to possible FAQs from those considering the tour, and, ultimately, attempts to the answer the question: Is the Wild Africa Trek worth its cost?
Experience
Checking (and Strapping) In
Check-in for Animal Kingdom’s Wild Africa Trek takes place next to the entrance to Kilimanjaro Safaris. When you arrive, a cast member will verify your registration, inform you that there will be no restrooms available for the first two hours or so of the Trek, and subtly suggest that you take advantage of the the restrooms available around the corner before suiting up.
Elyssa shows some of the gear you wear on the Wild Africa Trek – © John Kivus
Once through the initial check-in, you’ll get a locker to store everything you cannot securely attach to your vest and/or harness. The “attached to the vest” restriction can be confusing with respect to cameras, but – according to the cast members with whom we talked – a camera strap that hangs around your neck will suffice. During this phase, cast members will also provide croakies for your glasses or sunglasses, a nametag, and a keepsake water bottle that clips to your vest.
After your belongings are secured in the locker, a cast member will fit you with a vest and harness. The harness fits snugly, through and around your legs. For this reason, and also probably because the trek includes walking across exposed bridges, Disney recommends that women do not wear skirts or dresses for the Wild Africa Trek. Based on her experience with the harness straps, my wife would also recommend that women do not wear very short shorts.
Once you are all strapped into your harness, you are weighed to verify compliance with the 300 lb weight limit (those of you who are scale-shy shouldn’t worry; there are no giant flashing numbers), provided a radio earpiece to hear the guides, and encouraged to take advantage of the available sunscreen and bug spray.
Starting the Tour
The first part of the tour involves walking through what our charming guides referred to as “some of the most dangerous animals in the wild:” homo sapiens. Basically, you walk from the Wild Africa Trek check-in location to the entrance of Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. On the Pangani Trail, you follow the same path as any guest, including winding through the aviary and quickly walking past the naked mole rats. Even with the additional and humorous insights provided by the Wild Africa Trek guides, this part of the tour might leave you wondering when the real tour is going to start. Thankfully, near the end of Pangani Trail, the fun really begins.
Over the River and Through the Woods
A hippopotamus expresses his boredom with our lettuce offerings – © John Kivus
Toward the end of the Pangani Trail, your guides lead you up into the woods. This is where the real Wild Africa Trek experience begins. After a brief trail walk, you arrive at an overlook that extends out above the hippopotamus pool. Your guide will clip you (via your harness) to a support railing that allows you to move up to the edge of the overlook without fear of falling into the hippos’ gaping maws. The primary guides provide some hippo insight, but the group is also joined by a “hippo expert”, who provides you with information about feeding habits and the hippos’ relationships with one another, and, most importantly, brings large quantities of lettuce to coax the hippos closer to the overlook.
Elyssa demonstrates her balance on the rope bridge – © John Kivus
Next comes the rope bridge across the crocodiles. Those who have experienced Kilimanjaro Safaris have driven under this bridge (really two bridges connected by a platform tower) and may have noticed cast members or Wild Africa Trek groups traversing it. The rope bridge is not particularly difficult to navigate, though it was a little more wobbly than I had expected and I appreciated the fact that I was clipped into a safety line. Every member of the group will go across the bridge individually, and you are free to stop along the way to take pictures (assuming you have the courage to let go of the railings).
Since the bridge takes you literally over the crocodiles (don’t fall!), it shouldn’t be much surprise that the next stop is to view the crocodiles a little more closely. Just as with the hippopotamus overlook, you are attached to a safety rail so that you can inch up to the edge, and you are joined by a crocodile expert with interesting tidbits of information. Now is a great time for pictures: apparently natural models, crocodiles will hold a given pose (such as showing off their jaws) for quite some time.
A crocodile poses for a photo – © John Kivus
Riding (and Stopping) in the Savannah
After you wave goodbye to the crocodiles, you’ll also say goodbye for to your vest, harness, and earpiece, and hello to back of a safari truck. The Wild Africa Trek vehicles are different from those on Kilimanjaro Safaris. Your vehicle for the Trek features benches along the outer edge of the bed of the truck, with a wide open area in the middle. This allows for everyone to face one another, and the guides, while riding through the Harambe Wildlife Reserve, and, more importantly, provides a nice empty space for everyone to stand when the truck stops. Yes, unlike Simba–1 on Kilimanjaro Safaris, this truck will stop, and your guides allow you to stand to get a better view of the animals on the reserve. If you are a photographer, this fact alone might make the Wild Africa Trek worth its price.
A pair of elephants relax by the water – © John Kivus
Other than the truck’s configuration and the opportunity to stop for several minutes at various places along the tour, what you see during the ride through the Harambe Wildlife Preserve is nearly identical to what you would experience on Kilimanjaro Safaris. This includes views of the springboks, giraffes, elephants, and other savannah animals. However, since you have so much more time, you hear much more information. Our guides were very knowledgeable and the other guests had great questions. For example, we learned that one of the giraffes was pregnant, and it appears that Disney’s Animal Kingdom (or Animal Kingdom Lodge) will have another baby giraffe sometime in 2015.
Elyssa taking advantage of the binoculars provided at the boma’s observation deck – © John Kivus
When you are about two thirds of the way through the traditional Kilimanjaro Safaris trail, near the flamingo pool, the Wild Africa Trek again diverges from the standard experience. It is at this point that you stop at a boma for a meal and more animal-viewing. Note that boma simply means an area for outdoor meals and parties, and you are not going all the way to Boma, the restaurant at Animal Kingdom Lodge. The boma on the Wild Africa Trek is a large, beautiful observation deck with views of substantial sections of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. The front of the observation deck, where there are tables and chairs, has fantastic views of the elephants, the flamingo pond, and the grasslands populated with many other animals; the rear of the observation deck provides a (binocular-assisted) view of the rock formation that the lions call home.
The first part of the meal you receive while at the boma – © John Kivus
The meal provided at the boma is specially prepared by the kitchen at Tusker House and differs depending on the time of day (i.e. breakfast for morning tours, lunch for afternoon tours.) For example, a breakfast meal includes brie, various fruits, and yogurt with granola, while lunch features items such as smoked meats, salmon roulade, and shrimp. If any of that sounded appetizing to you, then you are in for a treat on the Trek. The food is excellent, and, as our guides pointed out, the boma on the Wild Africa Trek is the only place at Walt Disney World to get these items. With classic Disney Magic touch, even the flower accompanying the meal is edible and tasty.
Finishing out the Tour
After relaxing at the boma, and taking in the views from both sides of the observation deck, it is time to pile back into the safari truck to finish the tour. As before, the truck travels a route similar to that of the Kilimanjaro Safaris ride vehicles, but it has the benefit of stopping and allowing you to stand and take pictures of the animals along the way.
A rhinoceros cools off in the mud – © John Kivus
The tour ends at the same place that Kilamonjaro Safaris concludes. At this time, the tour group and guides all must walk back to the lockers, where personal belongings were stored approximately three hours prior, and say your tearful goodbyes.
Cost
During most of the year, the Wild Africa Trek costs $201.29 per person. During peak times, however, the price tag jumps to $265.00. Peak times include: the weeks of Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Easter, and a period Disney defines as “spring break” (which changes from year to year and has not yet been set for 2015.) You must pay for your tour, in full, at the time of booking, and if you have to cancel, you must do so more than two days in advance if you wish to receive a refund. The tour takes place rain or shine, so it would be a good idea to pay attention to the weather forecast if the thought of experiencing the Wild Africa Trek in the rain does not appeal to you.
Through October 25 of this year (2014), Disney is offering a $50 discount, per person, on “afternoon” tours (i.e. tours that start at 11:30 AM or later.) At nearly 25% of the cost of the tour, this is a fairly substantial discount. Of course, if you are traveling in July or August, saving $50 per person might not be enough to make a three hour tour in the Florida heat (or afternoon thunderstorms) enjoyable.
At the time of publication, the cast members I spoke with informed me there is no current Annual Pass discount available for the Wild Africa Trek. When I booked my tour earlier this year, however, I received a discount of $50 per person that the cast member handling the booking attributed to my status as an Annual Passholder. Consequently, I encourage Annual Passholders to ask for any potential discounts when booking their tours.
Questions
How do I book a reservation for the Animal Kingdom’s Wild Africa Trek?
Reservations for the Wild Africa Trek made by calling (407) WDW-TOUR (i.e. (407) 939–8687.)
What should I wear on the Wild Africa Trek?
Sunscreen, bug spray, comfortable walking shoes (but they don’t have to be made for hiking – I did just fine in sneakers and my wife wore Converse), and breathable materials in temperature appropriate styles.
What should I not wear on the Wild Africa Trek?
Flip flops (or other shoes that could easily slide off), dresses, skirts, or any clothing that would be uncomfortable when you are in the vest and harness. Take a look at the harnesses used in mountain climbing and ropes courses to see where the straps of the harness hit the body, and do what you can to avoid chafing.
What are the physical demands associated with the Wild Africa Trek?
THE WALK: The total walking on the tour probably clocks in just under 2 miles (through the prohibition against non-vest-attached cellphones meant I didn’t get a precise calculation.) I would suggest taking a couple trips around Epcot’s World Showcase to gauge how comfortable you feel walking that distance over 90 minutes or so.
THE BRIDGE: As I noted above, the rope bridge is a little more wobbly than I anticipated it would be. Additionally, some boards are “missing” from the bridge which means that you have to step over sizable gaps (though I didn’t have a measuring tape with me, I would guess the largest gap was around 16–18 inches, and there is a safety net under the entire bridge which is visible through the gaps). Despite the wobbliness and the gaps, my wife Elyssa, who is not particularly fond of heights, and the rest of the our group had no real issues traversing the bridge. Ultimately, it comes down to your particular sense of balance and your comfort with being approximately two stories off the ground.
THE BATHROOMS: There are no restroom facilities for the first two hours or so of the tour. A cast member will most likely remind you of that fact before you are strapped in the harness, but it is probably a good idea to hit up the restrooms in Harambe Village before you check-in. There is a bathroom once you get to the boma about two thirds of the way through the Trek.
Should I bring my camera (smartphone or stand alone?)
Elyssa shows off the massive carabiner you use to hook onto the safety rails – © John Kivus
This depends on how much of the experience you want to capture. The guides will take pictures of the group and the animals frequently throughout the Trek, and I felt our particular guides did a good job of getting shots of each individual party within the overall group. After the tour, you receive access to a website that allows you to download the guides’ photos and a “greatest hits” set of photos from other tours. I probably would have been content had the guide photos been all I received.
I was happy, however, that I brought my own camera. It allowed me to take more candid shots of my wife enjoying the experience than the guides did. As noted earlier in the post, you do have to either attach your camera to your vest or hang it around your neck to be allowed to bring it. Though smartphone photographs would probably be sufficient to get the extra documentation you may want from your Wild Africa Trek experience, the requirement of attaching your phone to your vest might make it easier to go with a compact camera. I found it much easier to find a suitable camera strap for my camera than to find an iPhone case/strap that would keep my phone connected to my vest while I took pictures.
Does the Wild Africa Trek photo download include other Disney Photopass photos from the rest of my vacation?
No. In fact, you go to a special website – which appears to be separate from the Disney Photopass site – to download your images.
Is it Worth it?
The Wild Africa Trek is fantastic. Both my wife and I enjoyed it thoroughly, and, but for the cost associated with the Trek, would love to take the tour each and every time we go to Walt Disney World. Of course, in reality, the more than $200 per person price tag must be factored into the decision. Thankfully, Disney packs a lot into the Trek to justify the $200 cost, including: access to areas of Disney’s Animal Kingdom not available to regular guests, up-close encounters with animals not available through any other Disney attractions, a meal available only on the tour, full photographic documentation of the experience, and, of course, your awesome water bottle.
If you have never experienced the Wild Africa Trek, have at least a passing interest in animals, and think you might enjoy the experience described above, then the answer is simple: Yes. Go on the tour. If, however, you still have questions about whether you would enjoy three hours walking and driving mostly in the Florida sun, then you might have to think a little harder about whether this experience is right for you. The goal of this post is to provide enough detail for you to make a well-informed decision.
When my wife and I look back on our last few trips to Walt Disney World, it is the Wild Africa Trek that we list as our “Number One Highlight.” For us, the Wild Africa Trek was definitely worth its price tag.
After reading about the Wild Africa Trek, are you interested in going on the tour? What other Disney VIP tours have you been on? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Elephants cluster near a baobab tree – © John Kivus
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July 8, 2014
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages Now On Sale
©Disney
The Candlelight Processional, which takes place at Epcot’s America Gardens Theatre, is honestly one of the best parts of the holiday season. What is better than a celebrity narrator, a mass choir, and an orchestra performing a re-telling of the Christmas Story? To ensure that you get to see this fantastic show, which is extremely popular, Disney offers the Candlelight Processional Dining Package, and I bring good news! The package is now on sale!
This year’s Candlelight Processional takes place from November 28 through December 30. Showtimes are at 5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. nightly. (With the exception of December 7, which will only have showtimes at 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.) While most of the celebrity narrators haven’t yet been announced, we do know a few of them. The list currently includes:
November 28-29: Jodi Benson
November 30-December 2: TBD
December 3-4: TBD
December 5-6: Whoopi Goldberg
December 7-8: TBD
December 9-11: TBD
December 12-14: TBD
December 15-17: Sharon Stone (New)
December 18-20: Ana Gasteyer (New)
December 21-23: Marlee Matlin
December 24-25: TBD
December 26-27: TBD
December 28 – 30: Steven Curtis Chapman
Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are offered for both lunch and dinner. Guests can choose from the following restaurants:
Biergarten
Coral Reef Restaurant
La Hacienda de San Angel
Les Chefs de France
Nine Dragons Restaurant
Restaurant Marrakesh
Rose & Crown Dining Room
San Angel Inn Restaurante
Teppan Edo
The Garden Grill Restaurant
Tokyo Dining
Tutto Italia Restaurante
Via Napoli Restaurante e Pizzeria
The lunch option starts at $35, and the dinner option starts at $50. The package includes both your meal and a guaranteed seat for one showing of the Candlelight Processional.
To book this package, call (407) 939-3463 or visit the Candlelight Processional Dining Package page. For guests who do not wish to book the Candlelight Processional Dining Package, a standby line will be available for the show, however the only way to guarantee a seat is by booking the package.
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Magic Kingdom AtMousePhere: Main Street, U.S.A. Music
By Claire Nat
Have you ever tried to watch a movie without a soundtrack? I have watched behind-the-scenes documentaries of movies and TV shows where they show a dramatic scene or huge action sequence, and it sounds…well…dull. But once that soundtrack is inserted, with the ebbs and flows matching the feelings and actions on screen, suddenly the scene pops!
With this in mind, can you imagine walking down the streets of Magic Kingdom park in Walt Disney World without any of that music coming out of the speakers? Maybe you’ve never really paid attention to the atmospheric soundtrack, but that music subliminally creeps into your psyche and gears you up for wherever your feet take you!
If there was no music, the only thing you’d hear is the noisy people around you. And let’s be honest: anything that helps keep your mind off of the loud discussions, crying, or crabbiness surrounding you and keeps you in your “magic zone” is a welcome one!
Please welcome Claire Natsis to the TouringPlans blog team. Claire is currently enjoying her summer vacation from teaching in Colorado. You can read more from Claire at blurbmusings.blogspot.com.
In this first installment of a new series, I want you to imagine yourself in Town Square on a beautiful, sunny morning in Orlando, Florida, and you are about to walk down the strange-yet-wondrous turn-of-the-century street that leads to a beautiful fairy tale castle.
What kind of music do you hear?
Skipping is an appropriate method of movement down Main Street USA!
Have you noticed how fast-paced the music is as you walk down Main Street, U.S.A? This is because as tourists enter the Magic Kingdom, everyone (well, hopefully everyone) has had a good night’s rest, and are ready to take on the attractions of the park with gusto. The soundtrack heard strives to match that giddiness and excitement.
The tunes heard as you begin to meander down the street match the style that is emanated by the buildings surrounding you: the turn of the century. Ragtime was the popular American musical style of the time, characterized by syncopated and springy rhythms. If you think about it, “springy” is exactly what Cast Members want you to be as you walk down Main Street, U.S.A., to your first attraction. The lighter your step, the happier you are!
To what exactly are you listening?
You can find a pretty stellar list of Main Street tunes at ParkTunes.com, but a sample of the hits include the “Triplets” xylophone rag, “Old Timers Waltz Medley,” “Junkman Rag,” and “Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby.”
Now not all of the songs that you hear were composed during the early 1900s. Some songs composed later in the 20th century were arranged in the ragtime style to match the rest of the music loop. For example, many children’s ears have perked up when “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” comes on. This song was composed for the 1964 musical Hello, Dolly! but was popularized recently by the 2008 Disney/Pixar film WALL-E.
Another two that may be familiar to those well versed in live action Disney musicals are “Summer Magic” and “Flitterin’,” which were taken from the 1963 film Summer Magic starring Hayley Mills and Burl Ives. (Fun fact: the music of Summer Magic was composed by the Sherman brothers!)
And who could forget songs taken right out of the 1957 musical The Music Man: “Gary, Indiana” and “The Wells Fargo Wagon”?
Hello, Dolly!, Summer Magic, and The Music Man all take place at the turn of the century, placing these pieces of music perfectly on Main Street, U.S.A.
How do you feel?
It is likely in the morning that you have achieved peak excitement as you start to walk down this lovely red street. You may even feel the urge to swoon (i.e., faint) at the sight of Cinderella Castle up ahead. But the music surrounding you joyfully exclaims, “Pick up those feet and let’s get moving – you’ve got a wonderful day ahead!”
During the hot afternoon, the music encourages, “Keep up the enthusiasm, and don’t let that hot Florida sun bring you down!”
At the end of the day, the music might be a little softer, and the songs may have a slower tempo. However, the music tries to keep your exhausted feet from dragging themselves out of the park. Instead it urges, “Make your steps light, dwell on your day with happy reflection, and look forward to the day of magical excitement awaiting you tomorrow!”
Now whether that happy excitement follows you out to the bus stop and ferry dock is completely up to you…
VIDEO: Walking right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A.
Do you have a favorite piece of Main Street, U.S.A., music that I missed? Any catchy stories about walking down Main Street, U.S.A., that you’d like to share? Post them in the comments below!
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Seven Disney Souvenir Buying Mistakes
By Erin Foster
The 1,200 Vinylmation figurines staring at me from the shelves of my home office right now will tell you that I am a veteran Disney parks shopper. I truly understand the desire to troll the theme park shops for the perfect souvenir. But as satisfying as it can be to come home with just the right thing, there are plenty of pitfalls to Disney parks shopping. Here are seven potential Disney souvenir shopping mistakes and how you can avoid them.
Some Disney take-home items can be had for free.
1. Thinking that you have to pay for souvenirs.
Believe it or not, you can score many items for free at Walt Disney World. They practically throw Mickey stickers at kids during resort check in and there’s always a reason to grab a free celebration button. You can also get free bookmarks by participating in the Enchanted Tales with Belle attraction at the Magic Kingdom, free stick puppets at the Epcot Kidcot Fun Stops, or a lei at the Polynesian resort. These free items can go a long way toward scratching that “but I MUST bring something home” itch, with no additional outlay of cash.
And don’t forget that the best Disney souvenir is usually a memory. “Remember when Cousin Billy spilled his milk on Goofy’s shoe at Chef Mickeys?” “Remember when Baby Sally hugged Cinderella for the first time?” “Remember when we finally got Grandma to go on the Teacups and she actually had a blast?” Assuming that you’ve got a digital camera or a camera-equipped phone, these memories can all be captured gratis. Disney PhotoPass photographers will even take group shots using your camera, at no charge. Isn’t a photo of Mom wearing Mickey ears a better souvenir than a snow globe?
2. Buying things you won’t use at home.
Neon Mickey shirts are super cute, but will you really wear them at home?
I’ll admit that this is a trap that I’ve often fallen into. Everything looks SO CUTE when you’re in the parks. That “I Survived It’s a Small World” shirt is ADORABLE. I MUST HAVE IT. Well, guess what, I never wear themed tee shirts at home. Never. I’m not going to wear a Mickey tee to the mall; that’s not my style at home. I prefer tech gear for workouts. I even have perfect PJs and don’t sleep in tees. After donating more than a dozen Disney shirts during one trip to Goodwill, I finally realized that buying tee shirts in the parks is always going to be a waste of money for me, no matter how appealing they may look in Mouse Gear.
Your personal pitfall may be different. Do you not display tchochkes on your mantle? Then why are you buying Precious Moments Mickeys? Do you carry Coach and Fendi at home? Then why are you getting a Minnie print Dooney & Bourke bag? Is your kitchen filled with minimalist china tea cups? Then why are you buying a mug shaped like Spaceship Earth?
You get the idea … If you’re not going to use it at home, it shouldn’t be in your shopping basket at Disney World.
3. Buying non-consumable gifts for other people.
When you go away, there’s often someone back home helping you out. The neighbor kid waters your lawn just the right amount. The cat sitter spends some extra time with Fluffy. Your child’s teacher made a special learning packet so Junior wouldn’t fall behind in math. These people do deserve a special thank you. What they don’t deserve is a dust-gathering hunk of plastic. Just as you shouldn’t buy things you wouldn’t use at home, you shouldn’t buy souvenirs or gifts for people that they won’t use at home. Does the cat sitter want to wear a shirt advertising Disney World when she’s never been there herself? Does the teacher really need another coffee mug?
Epcot’s World Showcase countries are a great source of unique consumable souvenirs and gifts.
Frankly, it’s hard enough to self-analyze, there’s almost no way you’re going to get it right for someone else that you don’t know intimately. Therefore, your best bet for buying for others is to get something consumable – used up and thrown away. This may mean food like Chip & Dale pretzels or salt water taffy, but it could also mean Disney-themed pens, H2O lotion, or music CD that they can download and dispose of. Basically, stick to things that do not have to be worn or displayed and that can be used up in a finite amount of time.
Sticking to these rules doesn’t mean you have to be thoughtless. If you know that the teacher likes to kick back during her free periods, buy her a nice selection of exotic teas from World Showcase countries at Epcot, rather than getting the mug. You also don’t have to spend a lot of money to make this strategy work. Again, photos can be a great option. For your dog walker, make a sign (paper and markers) that says something like, “You’re the doggone greatest!” and take a photo of Goofy holding the sign. It’s cute, thoughtful, memorable, and free.
4. Paying full price when you don’t have to.
There are plenty of tips on saving money souvenirs. A few classics are: buy Disney-themed tees/toys at Walmart and give them to your kids during your trip, shop at the Disney discount outlets, or stock up on fun disposable items like glo-sticks at your local dollar store before leaving home.
Does your son’s math teacher really want another novelty mug?
These tricks do work, but you should also know that you don’t have to go the knock-off or remainder route to save some dough. Before buying any Disney-themed item in the parks, first take a look at the DisneyStore.com website. (Use your smartphone or tablet and the new free in-park WiFi system.) Disney Store online now carries many of the same clothing items, kitchenware, collectables, and memorabilia sold in the parks. While the items sold in the parks are rarely discounted, Disney Store online often has sales, markdowns, and coupons. If you spend $75 or more, shipping is generally free (with a code). I have often purchased my Vinylmation friends in the parks for full price, only to find out later that the EXACT SAME ITEM was simultaneously being sold online for 50% less. I now make a habit of checking Disney Store’s website before committing to an in-park purchase.
5. Buying items that you can’t easily transport home.
Before buying anything physically large (Cinderella Castle playset, area rug from the Morocco pavilion) or potentially breakable (Cinderella Castle again, glass kitchenware, statuaries) figure out how you’re going to get it home. Can you fit it in your suitcase? Do TSA regulations allow me to check this? Will I have to pay extra baggage fees with my airline? Is there room in the trunk? Do I have the physical stamina to carry this through the airport? Do I want to shlep this object along with three kids, two strollers, and six suitcases?
Disney does offer a few varieties of shipping services, but these tend to be expensive, particularly if you’re not a resident of the contiguous 48 US states. Even shipping rates to Canada can be exorbitant. You have to really decide if it’s worth it to pay $100 to get a $50 play castle back home to Toronto.
The play castle is AWESOME, but it can be a real pain to get home.
6. Not setting limits for a child (or yourself).
I’ve been known to get buyers amnesia while on vacation. I’ll buy that darling bracelet in the shop, only to realize once I’m back at the hotel that I’ve already gotten myself four darling items on earlier days of the trip. Wait, how much have I spent already? And of course it’s a real challenge for a small child to recognize how much money they’re spending during one day, or several days, of vacation.
The remedy to this is to create a strict souvenir budget AND STICK TO IT. This is easier said that done, I know. Some typical tips for managing your child’s souvenir budget include getting a dedicated Disney gift card for all souvenir purchases – once the card is empty you’re done shopping. Or keeping a running list of all desired items while touring the parks, then weeding the list and doing all purchasing on the last day.
Something that works for me is simply taking a photo of my register receipts. As I review and download my photos each evening, I’m reminded of how much I’ve already spent.
Bonus tip: Beware the MagicBand. Now that Disney has fully implemented MagicBands and the “Tap to Pay” system, it is almost ridiculously easy to buy things. For purchases under $50, you often don’t even have to sign anything. I’m not surprised that Disney reports that guest merchandise spending went up after most guests had MagicBands. If you feel that Tap to Pay makes buying too easy, remember that you’re not required to activate the charging capability of your Band. Sometimes making yourself use a gift card, credit card, or good old cash, can slow you down enough to derail impulse purchases.
7. Not taking advantage of membership discounts.
While MagicBands make paying easy, they don’t make getting discounts easy. For example, I am a Disney World annual pass holder. My pass is encoded into my MagicBand. Disney allows me to use this Band to enter the park and to pay for items, but it does not allow me to receive the 10% annual passholders’ merchandise discount without showing the register clerk my pass card and personal ID. The discount is not automatically factored into my purchase. Similarly, Disney and my MagicBand know that I’m a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) member, but they don’t automatically offer me a DVC discount when these are available.
The moral of the story is: If you have ANY Disney membership affiliation (cast member, DVC member, annual pass holder, D23 member, Disney Visa card holder, things not yet invented) or are a AAA auto club member, always carry your membership cards with you in the parks and ALWAYS ask about discounts. You may find that you save hundreds of dollars, just by asking.
If you want to read more about souvenir regret, check out Derek Burgan‘s monthly series The Magic, The Memories, and Merch!
Did I miss anything? What are your tips for smart souvenir buying at the Disney parks? Have you made any souvenir purchase mistakes that you later regretted? Let us know in the comments below.
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Seven Disney Souvenir Buying Mistakes is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
July 7, 2014
Disney World Crowd Report – June 29 to July 5, 2014
Last week, with the exception of July 4th at Magic Kingdom, crowds were lower than history would suggest during the first week of July, including a remarkably uncrowded Independence Day at Disney Hollywood Studios. Although Magic Kingdom and Epcot are showing wait times in line with historical averages, The Studios and Animal Kingdom are not. It may be time to discuss the possibility that Universal’s Harry Potter expansion is drawing guests away from the Disney parks. It may be that guests are visiting Magic Kingdom and Epcot at the same historical frequency but their park choices for further days are begin split between Disney and Universal at a more level ratio than usual. This doesn’t seem to be the case however because wait times are down at Universal parks as well, with the exception of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. So, it appears that the drop in crowds is more likely due to an overall reduction in attendance across Central Florida parks.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week on the 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
6
6
Low crowds at the three newer parks started off the week again on Sunday. Magic Kingdom, which hosted Extra Magic Hour morning, was the only park with an above average crowd. Epcot’s attractions hit both extremes with a ’10’ at Spaceship Earth (24 minutes) and a ‘1’ for Mission: Space (Green) (5 minutes).
Epcot
6
4
Hollywood Studios
6
3
Animal Kingdom
7
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
7
7
The last day of June brought a near repeat of the 29th with Magic Kingdom hitting the mark and the other three parks falling short of our predictions. Toy Story Mania averaged 73 minutes (‘4’ out of ’10’), Mission: Space (Orange) 15 minutes (‘1’ out of ’10’) and Expedition Everest 35 minutes (‘5’ out of ’10’).
Epcot
6
4
Hollywood Studios
7
4
Animal Kingdom
8
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
7
6
Tuesday’s predictions did much better with only The Studios missing by more than one level. Epcot’s Extra Magic Hour morning pushed the park level to one higher than predicted, the first time of the week where our prediction was low.
Epcot
6
7
Hollywood Studios
6
4
Animal Kingdom
7
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
7
5
July 2nd and 3rd are usually the days where we begin to see Independence Day crowds surge to the parks. However Wednesday’s crowds did not quite reach the levels that one would expect. The Magic Kingdom had the lowest crowd, with Space Mountain and Peter Pan’s Flight averaging only 50 minutes.
Epcot
7
6
Hollywood Studios
9
7
Animal Kingdom
9
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
8
6
Again on Thursday, no park hit higher than a level ‘6’, the lowest July 3rd crowd in 5 years. Those who took our advice and visited the Magic Kingdom on Thursday saw the same Fourth of July Fireworks on a day that reached a level ‘6’ rather July 4th itself when crowds reached a level ’10’.
Epcot
7
5
Hollywood Studios
8
6
Animal Kingdom
9
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
10
10
The resort-wide ‘6’ on this year’s Independence Day was the lowest since 2010 although the Magic Kingdom did hit a level ’10’ as expected. Shockingly, crowds at The Studios were among the lowest of the year, especially for a holiday. Toy Story Mania averaged 62 minutes while Great Movie Ride averaged only 8 minutes. If you visited the Magic Kingdom on July 3rd and The Studios on July 4th you saw some spectacular fireworks presentations with some the lowest holiday crowds we’ve ever recorded.
Epcot
9
9
Hollywood Studios
8
2
Animal Kingdom
6
3
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
4
Saturday’s crowds returned to normal except for Animal Kingdom which saw very low wait times including a 24 minute average at Expedition Everest and an 11 minute average at Kilimanjaro Safaris. If we learn one thing from this year’s July 4th holiday it would be to schedule yourself for Magic Kingdom on July 3rd, The Studios for July 4th and Animal Kingdom for July 5th. Perhaps we can all remember that for next year.
Epcot
6
5
Hollywood Studios
6
6
Animal Kingdom
7
3
What to Expect This Week
July 6 to 12, 2014
How Crowded is Disney World?
Our crowd predictions continue to be skewing higher than what we observe but we continue to expect summer crowds to remain steadily above average for the rest of July. With a bit of planning however, it appears that this summer may be a great time to visit with lower than expect crowds if July 4th crowds are an indication of what is to come.
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.
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Disney World Crowd Report – June 29 to July 5, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Unexpected Extras at Disney World Value Resorts
Nothing says cool like an interactive fountain surrounded by icebergs.
Part of the joy of staying on property at Walt Disney World resort hotels is the immersive theme of each resort hotel. And while you won’t find some of the amenities offered at Deluxe or some Moderate resorts at Value resorts, Value resorts do have some unique hidden gems just waiting to be found.
Here are some of my favorites extras you can find at Walt Disney World value resorts.
All-Star Movies At All-Star Movies, look for the vintage movie posters lining the front wall in World Premiere Food Court. All-Star Movies is also home to an “interactive fountain” water feature for kids near the Fantasia Pool (just look for the giant icebergs). Also in that area is a shallow wading pool area for the non-swimmer (and swim diaper) set.
And for fans of Disney Cruise Line, you can spot a Golden Mickey prop in the Cinema Hall building.
Direct from Disney Cruise Line, it’s The Golden Mickeys!
Over at All-Star Music, look up when you are in Maestro Mickey’s gift shop. The walls have all sorts of platinum record props.
A more subtle detail that I absolutely love about All-Star Music is the attention to landscaping that goes with the theme of each section. The Calypso buildings are surrounded by tropical foliage. In Jazz Inn, the area has a New Orleans theme, complete with a courtyard and fountain. When you get back into Country Fair, there are cacti completing the western theme. Also back in Country Fair, there is a small, shaded picnic area, perfect for people who want a quiet meal.
Moving on to All-Star Sports, while adults are busy checking in, the kids can enjoy a giant game of Connect Four in the lobby. (Okay, who am I kidding? I enjoy playing a game or two when I’m there!) Along the walls in Stadium Hall, there are two display cases for All-Star Sports Hall of Fame. When I visited recently, they had images of the male and female winner from this year’s Marathon Weekend, but the digital displays in there allow them to be changed out periodically.
And while the All-Star Resorts have a variety of sculptures of different characters located around the hotels, my favorite is at All-Star Sports where a very frustrated “Donald QuackEnroe” is up against his nephews in a game of….tennis?
On a recent trip to Pop Century, I noticed a sign in the lobby advertising a Shadow Box Tour at 3:00 PM. With so many unique items squeezed into each of the shadow boxes along the timeline that stretches across the lobby, this is a great way to spend some time beating the afternoon heat. Also in the lobby area, there is a hopscotch board. Go ahead and give it a go. You know you want to!
Probably my favorite hidden gem at Pop Century is the outdoor game of Twister hidden back in the 1970s area. You won’t find it on the resort map, so you will need to do a bit of looking, but the bright color of its seating area makes it fairly easy to find. It has a weatherproof spinner and the traditional Twister mat, plus a seating area when it isn’t your turn to get twisted.
Although technically a Value Resort, Art of Animation has so many extra perks that it is a step beyond the other Value resorts.
Fillmore has a huge collection of bumper stickers.
You can easily spend an hour looking at the extensive decorations in the Cars section. All your friends from Radiator Springs are there, plus little touches for added interest. Make sure to check out the post cards in the window of the Cozy Cone Motel office and enjoy the humor of Fillmore’s extensive bumper sticker collection.
And one extra treat that I love about Value resorts is watching decorations or arrangements of stuffed animals in room windows. If you ever get a chance to wander a Value resort during mid to late December, you may even see some incredibly creative holiday displays! There’s a lot more hidden at the Value resorts that I haven’t even touched on, but don’t take my word for it – head on over and walk around to explore on your own. You’ll never know what you may find!
Speaking of Cars, make sure you also take a look at the central chandelier in the main Lobby area. Decorated with concept art, some images are signed by some famous Disney names. Hopefully new autographs will continue to be added over time.
One of the biggest surprises to me was the extensive Business Center resources at this resort. While most “business centers” at comparably priced hotels in Orlando include a web terminal and hopefully a printer, the Business Center at Art of Animation includes web terminals, a copy machine, and a fax machine. There is also a place to print out your boarding pass. More than Just a Pretty Face Aside from the visual appeal, Value resorts also offer a variety of activities including afternoon Pool Parties and evening Movies Under the Stars. Take a look at the activity board located near the main pool at each resort for a list of activities and times. Not on the list, but equally amusing are the 6:00 PM dance interludes at Pop (where everyone can do “The Hustle”) and Art of Animation (for a very spirited gathering for the “Chicken Dance”). Once you are all warmed up, take a brisk walk out on the jogging trails at these resorts. My favorite area is anywhere around Hourglass Lake with its beautiful views on one side and signs with trivia about time periods (for Pop Century) or Disney animation (for Art of Animation) on the other.
Please welcome Julia Mascardo to the TouringPlans blog team. Julia has editorial experience in everything from technical publications to cookbooks. You can also find her work at DisneyFoodBlog.com.
Check out more great theming in the gallery below:
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Things to Do Near Port Canaveral before Your Disney Cruise
By Thomas Cook
Cruising, especially Disney cruising, can be a vacation in itself, but what if you find yourself in the area a day or two before your cruise? Port Canaveral, the home for Disney’s remarkable ships: Dream, Fantasy and Magic is nearly an hour drive from Orlando International Airport so unless you live nearby, it’s a good idea to stay the night before your cruise somewhere between Orlando and Canaveral. Obviously, spending the extra day at Walt Disney World is a great option, but there are interesting diversions much closer to the port that can be relaxing or exciting as well as educational and surprising.
Disney’s Cruise Ship Fantasy passes by the fishing pier at Jetty Park.
In particular, there are 4 sites that are wonderful to visit, whether you have the whole family with you or if you’re kid-free. All have been popular attractions for many years and all will give you experiences that are quite different from the cruise you’ll be taking.
Considering that the four provide significantly different experiences, I have decided to list them based on distance from the Disney Cruise Line Terminal, rather than ranking them. The furthest is only a 30 minute drive, while the closest is literally right around the corner from the terminal.
The Brevard Zoo
The Brevard Zoo is an excellent smaller zoo. Situated on 75 acres, it has an impressive number of animal species, including giraffe, white rhino, cheetah, jaguar, wolf and kangaroo. The zoo calls itself “A small zoo that does big things”. In March, 2014, they opened a new exhibit – Meerkat Hamlet – with an adorable new colony of meerkats. That’s just one of the many exhibits and activities available at the zoo.
Vigilant meerkat on guard for any danger at the Brevard Zoo’s Meerkat Hamlet.
Admission to the zoo is $16 for adults, $15 for seniors and $12 for children 2-12 in age.
The zoo sports several themed areas based on Africa, Asia, Australia, South America and Florida. They also have a play area and petting zoo. These areas are included with admission. Other activities include giraffe feeding ($2), lorikeet and cockatiel feeding ($1), the Cape to Cairo Express train ride (10 minute rides are $3 per person), guided kayaking tours through the Africa area ($6 per person); self-guided paddle boat rides through the wetlands in the Wild Florida area ($15 for a four-person boat for 30 minutes), a rhino encounter (20 minute encounters are $15 per person) and Treetop Trek adventures which include tightropes, crab walks, jungle bridges, nets and zip lines. The Treetop Trek is available at different skill, age and fitness levels ($22-65 per person depending on trek course).
I like the feel of the place. There are larger, more natural habitats for many of the animals so you don’t see as many cages as you might expect in a smaller zoo. The Florida native animal area is particularly nice and a great place to explore Florida’s wildlife up-close. The habitats for the white rhino, giraffe and cheetah get you as close to the animals as in any big zoo. The facility is organized as a hub with the different environments radiating out from the center. This makes it fairly easy to navigate.
A white rhino resting at the Brevard Zoo.
The zoo has a standard snack bar with basic lunch items in the center and a nice gift shop. It also has plenty of volunteers around to help people learn about the animals and is stroller and wheelchair-friendly.
The Brevard Zoo is open daily from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Located only 28 miles from Port Canaveral; its address is 8225 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne, FL 32940. The zoo is pretty easy to find, as it’s just a ¼ mile east of Interstate 95 on Wickham Road, though the sign for the zoo is partly hidden. I know I have driven past it without noticing the sign. The phone is 321.254.9453 and the website is brevardzoo.org.
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
The Kennedy Space Center is the obvious choice for an entertaining and educational day in the part of Florida known as the Space Coast. It’s one of the largest tourist destinations in Florida and for many people it probably does not require much of an introduction. Other than the beaches, Kennedy Space Center reaps the highest attendance numbers on central Florida’s Atlantic coast. Founded in 1967, the visitor complex, which is now operated separately from the Kennedy space launch complex, is older than Walt Disney World.
The entrance to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex with the Rocket Garden in the back.
When you get Port Canaveral, you’ll observe a heavily built-up light industrial area, yet traveling the 20 miles to Kennedy Space Center you’ll pass through areas that have never been developed, a situation nearly unique on the coast of Florida. The Space Center rests on 309 square miles of federal land, comprised of Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore. Nature seems comfortable living side by side with some of our most advanced activities.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is located away from the main Space Center area including the launch pads which are still in use. The complex is comprised of a several buildings which house exhibits, simulator attractions, IMAX movie theaters, counter-service restaurants and gift shops. Everything in the complex is included in admission ($50 for adults, $40 for children 3-11 in age – parking is $10).
There are two IMAX movies currently running – Hubble 3D and Space Station 3D. Both are excellent; though the screens on which they are presented are showing their age. The complex also houses a rocket garden which showcases many rockets to view close up. There are interesting exhibits on the role of robots in exploration, the early years of space exploration including the Mercury missions and stunning photographs from the Hubble Space Telescope. The Space Shuttle Atlantis and Shuttle Launch Experience is the complex’s latest production with a state-of-the-art flight simulator that recreates a shuttle launch. In a nod to popular culture, it also has an Angry Birds Space encounter. You can also meet and speak directly with an astronaut, do hands-on simulation work and learn about the Space Center’s current space flight activities and launches.
Also included with admission is a bus tour of the space center on which you’ll get close to the launch sites for all the shuttle and Apollo space flights, as well as the massive Vehicle Assembly Building, built originally to house and assemble the giant Saturn V rockets for the Apollo moon missions. The bus ultimately drops guests off at the Apollo/Saturn V Center, which is dedicated to the moon landings.
The Vehicle Assembly Building and Flight Control Center at Kennedy Space Center.
The space center offers other guided bus tours for an additional fee as well as their popular Lunch with an Astronaut and the Astronaut Training Experience.
Bus tours: The Launch Control Center tour includes a visit to the control room where many Space Shuttle launches were supervised; Cape Canaveral: Then and Now Tour is where visitors explore the beginnings of the space program by seeing the sites for the Mercury and Gemini launches in the 1950s and 1960s as well as take a look into what the Space Center is currently launching; and the Explore Tour gives visitors access to locations such as the launch countdown clock, active launch pads and the Shuttle Landing Facility. Each of these is $25 for adults, $19 for children.
The Astronaut Training Experience is where visitors can train and then explore what it feels like to launch and pilot a space shuttle mission. It’s $175 per person and lasts much of the day.
Lunch with an Astronaut is a truly interesting experience. This is likely the only place in the world where an average person can easily interact with someone who has been in space. The cost is $30 for adults and $16 for children.
I recently attended Lunch with an Astronaut. The hall in which we met had room for about 180. On the Monday I attended, there were less than 60 guests.
I was honored to meet Dr. Sam Durrance, an astrophysicist who flew on two Space Shuttle missions as payload specialist. He was engaging, both when he stopped by tables to meet us as well as during his talk, which included a video of his work in space. His second shuttle mission lasted 17 days, the longest mission out of the 135 flown. One of the stories Dr. Durrance shared was about experiencing the Shuttle Twang. Before launch, the shuttle was attached to the pad by 8 explosive bolts. Once the engines fired an offset thrust caused the Shuttle to pitch over and within about six seconds flexed back upright. Once this happened the Shuttle took off. It’s something barely noticeable by viewers, but is a dramatic point for the astronauts.
The food was pretty good. The entrees were grilled chicken, salmon and tilapia with lemongrass scallion oil and mac & cheese with mornay sauce. Mornay is a form of béchamel and the offering was much lighter and less creamy than seemed right for mac & cheese. Because mac & cheese is a common offering for kids, I asked 5 of the kids at the lunch and none of them liked it very much. Other than that, everything else was appetizing, if a bit bland. The chicken was juicy and the fish had a nice texture.
The experience lasted for over an hour. Apart from the astronaut’s presentation, he spoke to people while they ate and took several questions afterwards. At the end, he posed for photos with all the guests. I consider it to be well worth the money.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is open daily at 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Located only 20 miles from Port Canaveral, just put in Kennedy Space Center, FL 32899 in your GPS. Driving directions are available on their website. The phone is 866.737.5235 and the helpful website is www.kennedyspacecenter.com.
Cocoa Village
Cocoa Village is the restored and well-maintained downtown area of the town of Cocoa. To avoid confusion, Cocoa Beach is the world-famous city and beach whereas the town of Cocoa is on the mainland across the Indian River from Cocoa Beach. Comprising of over 80 merchants and restaurants in a six by four block area, Cocoa Village has something for everyone.
Signs showing a selection of shops in Cocoa Village.
Located about 12 miles south of Port Canaveral, Cocoa Village is a quick drive away. There’s no admission and a good amount of free street parking. There are also several parking lots. When people arrive, they immediately are welcomed to the area by tree-shaded streets lined with flower-decked brightly-painted store fronts. There’s a nice park for the kids, views of the river and Merritt Island, historic buildings and an ambiance that says “Southern charm”.
The village is the home of the Florida Historical Society and the Cocoa Village Playhouse which has critically-acclaimed theatre productions from September through June, many of them family-friendly. There are also several antique shops, craft shops and even a magic shop. The clothing shops include both vintage and new fashions as well as shoes and accessories. To go with your new attire, you can grab a massage and get your hair and nails done to look your best for your cruise. Top your day off with a great meal at one of the several restaurants ranging from up-scale to funky, Thai-style to Florida fresh caught seafood.
Depending on the time of the year, there are several events held in the village. The Central Florida Car Show is in April, the Sip and Stroll in February and arts and craft fairs are held in March, May, October and December. All events are popular and load the village with even more fun activities. The Sip and Stoll is an event with a cover charge (in 2014 it was $25 at the event, $20 if purchased beforehand) where attendees get a commemorative wine glass and shopping bag and can wander through the village sampling wines, tasting snacks and checking out special deals at each store.
Cocoa Village’s Taylor Park and playground.
The village always seems to be bustling with people. It’s mostly locals, which makes it nice for the person visiting the area, since the merchants really enjoy seeing new faces. The irony is that many tourists drive past it on their way to the super touristy Ron Jon Surf Shop at the beach. Take my advice. Your day is much better spent in the village.
The Historic Cocoa Village Merchants’ Association address is 1 Oleander St, Ste 2, Cocoa, FL 32922. It’s located right off of West King Road (SR 520) just before the bridge to Merritt Island. The website lists shops and restaurants in the village as well as a map: visitcocoavillage.com.
Jetty Park
Is there fun right around the corner from a cruise ship terminal? You bet! Jetty Park is a great place to sample the beautiful white sands of the Florida Atlantic coast. A favorite with locals, it can be busy on weekends, but what really makes it great is the weekdays are quiet because Cocoa and Daytona beaches are where all the tourists go.
Jetty Park provides fun in the surf as well as great views of Disney’s cruise ships.
Jetty Park has three specific parts. First is the beach. Because it’s on the south side of the jetty, generally the surf is calmer, which is nice for the little ones. The beach is staffed by lifeguards. Second is the pier on the jetty which shoots out from the beach. The 1200 foot pier is a terrific place to fish and as a bonus, the best place to watch cruise ships and the Navy’s Trident ballistic missile submarines head to sea. The jetty marks the southern shore of the Canaveral Ship Channel so ships pass within a few hundred feet of it. The third part is the Jetty Park Campground. More on that later.
Admission to Jetty Park is $10 per carload.
The beach is similar to others in the area – dazzling white sand, blue water and the fun of shell collecting. In the center of the park is a large shop and snack bar. The snack bar serves up sandwiches, burgers and rather tasty fish tacos. The shop has all the basic needs. Beachgoers can also rent chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, paddle boards and boogie boards. Aspiring anglers can even rent poles and tackle. On the pier, a fishing license isn’t needed which makes fishing an even better idea. Knowledgeable locals are willing to give you tips on how to land a big one. Near the concessions area is a nice playground as well.
Other cruises call Port Canaveral home besides the Disney Cruise Line, so ships pass by Jetty Park almost every day of the year. The park is also a great place to watch rocket launches from Kennedy Space Center and manatees, sea turtles and even dolphins are common sights in the channel along the jetty.
Disney’s Cruise Ship Fantasy passes by the fishing pier at Jetty Park.
Camping the night before your cruise is probably thinking a bit too far outside the box, but it’s worth mentioning the campground for one reason: Cabins. Along with 150 campsites available for anything from a tent to a giant motorhome, the campground has added eight basic cabins to rent for only $83.25 per night. They are small, 15 by 12 feet with a porch, outdoor grill, double bed, bunk bed and bathroom with sink and toilet. Cabin guests use the campground shower facilities. On the other hand, they are in great shape, comfy and not that much different in size to the onboard cabin you’ll be calling home. Food and any basic supplies can be purchased at the camp store, plus the campground has WIFI.
Jetty Park is open around the clock because of the fishing pier. The address is 400 Jetty Road, Cape Canaveral, Florida 32920. It’s only a couple miles from the Disney cruise ship port. The port area is well marked for directions to both locations. The phone is 321. 783.7111, and the website is jettyparkbeachandcampground.com.
All in all, there are really multiple days of activities to do near Port Canaveral, even if you ignore the Orlando area. I hope the next time you’re on the Space Coast you’ll check out one or more of these places and tell me how your experience went.
TouringPlans is delighted to welcome Tom Cook to the blogging team. Tom lives in Central Florida and has published many magazine articles on Florida history as well as Orlando’s Historic Haunts, available from Amazon.
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Things to Do Near Port Canaveral before Your Disney Cruise is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
July 6, 2014
PotterWatch: Hogwarts Express and Diagon Alley Soft Openings
Regular guests get their first look at the Universal’s newest Wizarding World during the first day of Diagon Alley soft openings (photos by Seth Kubersky)
Nearly a month after construction walls came down around Universal Studios Florida‘s London waterfront, PotterWatch finally paid off this past week, as regular guests were finally allowed to experience Universal Orlando‘s new Harry Potter attractions in advance of the expansion’s July 8 official opening. Hogwarts Express began “technical rehearsals” on July 1, and the first Diagon Alley soft openings started on July 3.
While the Gringotts ride is not available during these previews, all shops, restaurants, and shows in Diagon Alley should be open to guests on a daily basis until the grand opening on July 8.
As congested as these photos may appear, this is nothing compared to how busy Diagon Alley will be once opening day officially arrives. With minimal queues to enter the area, and posted standby waits at Hogwarts Express of 30 minutes or less, this is an ideal time to experience Diagon Alley without the crushing crowds that are surely coming right around the corner.
Check out these front-line photos from July 3, documenting the first few hours after ordinary visitors were first allowed to experience the new Wizarding World:
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Disney World’s Electrical Water Pageant: The Original Light Show
By Scott Wurzel
When Disney Imagineer Bob Jani looked out over Seven Seas Lagoon at night he saw a black gulf, void of interest. It was late 1971 and Magic Kingdom, Polynesian Resort, and Contemporary Resort opened soon. The lifeless lagoon, formed from draining the swamp that dominated the land Magic Kingdom occupies, would presently be filled by ferries and water attractions, including a water ski show. But something was missing. His mind turned to his hometown of Los Angeles, where any body of water reflected myriad lights every night. Somewhere this need to fill the dark with twinkling lights sparked the idea of the Electrical Water Pageant: a train of barges sporting colorful animated lights.
The final float in the aquatic scene.
A brochure given to guests in the Summer of 1972 entices the guest to “watch porpoises leap . . . seals play . . . even a sea monster breathe fire!” Guests were directed to see the Pageant nightly 9:00 PM through 10:00 PM along Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon, advice that is still good today. The whimsical attraction’s appeal eventually inspired the Main Street Electrical Parade — even copping the song “Baroque Hoedown” as its theme.
Today the Pageant is one thousand feet long and features 25-foot tall screens on fourteen barges. The show is split into two parts: an aquatic theme featuring King Triton and various sea creatures followed by a patriotic salute. Total time, nose to tail, is about ten minutes.
Electrical Water Pageant Times and Locations
Due to the nature of the show, the times are approximate for all but the first stop, with later shows tending to have accumulating delays of several minutes. I tried to make sense of the path of the barges on a map, but geographically the order does not make sense. If anyone knows the reason for the strange order, please let me know.
The Electrical Water Pageant from the beach at Polynesian Village Resort
9:00 PM Polynesian Village Resort
Viewing locations are from the beach behind the Volcano Pool and along the boat pier. When the new cabins over the water open, there will be a view from the rooms. When the Nanea Volcano Pool closes in late July, beach viewing might be blocked.
This is one of my favorite spots to view the Pageant because it floats by instead of staying stationary like some of the other places. It’s also much closer to you here than in any of the other locations. But the popularity of the pool and beach means it’s often crowded. In the summer months with long days, the sky is still dark blue, which can enhance any photos you take. Despite that, if you are taking photos of the floats, this probably is not the best location since the combination of low light and moving subjects is technically challenging.
View of Narcoossee’s during the Electrical Water Pageant showing the viewing verandah.
9:15 PM Grand Floridian Resort
The viewing location at Grand Floridian is a hike from the monorail and main entrances. There also isn’t a good place to sit down, as the primary viewing location is from the boat pier and the beach. The Pageant is stationary here, going through its stages without moving. This somewhat ruins the feel of the show since motion is implied by the figures of the sea serpent and Neptune’s chariot. This is a good location if you are dining at Narcoossee’s since you can leave your table and watch from the verandah in the back of the restaurant.
9:30 PM Wilderness Lodge
Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness Resort are both good locations to see the Pageant if you happen to already be over there for dinner or lodging. These are the only two locations not on the Monorail Loop, and it is probably not worth the trip out there just for the ten minute show. See the show from the beach or either boat launch. You can get some interesting pictures of the Pageant in the background of the Fire Rock Geyser, but it isn’t the best location for viewing.
9:45 PM Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
Viewable from the near the volleyball area and the Fort Wilderness Marina. With the winding roads and large area of this resort, this is only a convenient location if you are staying at the resort or campgrounds.
The portion of the Pageant displaying the Stars and Stripes. From Contemporary Resort beach.
10:10 PM Contemporary Resort
The best viewing area here is the beach. You can also see it from the boat pier, but it isn’t at an ideal angle. Because of the later time and remoteness of the Contemporary beach, this is one of the best places to view the Pageant if you want to do so privately. For these reasons, and because this is another location the boats are stationary, this is the ideal place to take photos of the show. Arrive early, grab a drink “to go” at The Wave bar, and enjoy.
10:35 PM Magic Kingdom
Viewable from the front of Magic Kingdom outside of the bag check. This is the least reliable location to view the Pageant. The official site mentions it only runs during Extra Magic Hours, but I have personally seen it during late summer park hours. There is not a great place to stand and watch, and on a busy night there will be a lot of pressure to keep moving anywhere near the front gate. However, it is a pleasant background to park egress if you can time it right. You’ll also see it if you correctly time a ferry ride back to the Transportation and Ticket Center.
Note that if Magic Kingdom has 9:00 PM fireworks, the Pageant will be delayed 10 to 20 minutes at all locations.
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