Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1217
June 25, 2014
10 Points of Comparison between Cruise Loyalty Programs
I spend a lot of time talking about Disney Cruise Line and my deep abiding love for it. Disney, like all major cruise lines, has a loyalty program for repeat guests called the Castaway Club. These programs are all somewhat similar, but they all are different as well. So, let’s compare! There are lots of cruise lines out there, but I’ll stick to five of the biggest players in the American market like Disney, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Norwegian and Carnival. And, here are 10 things you may be wondering about these cruise lines’ loyalty programs.
1. What Are The Loyalty Programs Called? – Perhaps not surprisingly, every cruise line takes great pride in their loyalty program and calls it something different. Repeat guests on Disney Cruise Line for example, are called Castaway Club Members. On Royal Caribbean it’s the Crown and Anchor Society. On Holland America they are members of the Mariner Society, and on Norwegian it’s called Latitudes Rewards. Carnival calls it their VIFP program. Otherwise known as a Very Important Fun Person. See what they did there? Who doesn’t want to be a very important fun person?
2. How Do I Become A Member? – The standard way is by sailing. With Disney you are automatically registered after your first sailing. Disney will send you a card with your membership number on it after your first sailing (but don’t worry if it doesn’t come in the mail, you can call and get the number). After you have sailed Royal Caribbean, just take your sailing date and ship name and register online. You can also register while onboard your first cruise with Royal Caribbean. On Carnival you can actually register before you ever step foot on a ship and take advantage of some discounts for members. With Holland America, you are automatically enrolled after the first time you sail with Holland America, but you will also be enrolled when you make your first booking if you’ve previously sailed on a line that they have a relationship with – Princess, Cunard, Seabourn, Carnival or Costa. Finally, Norwegian will let you register with Latitudes as soon as you have made a booking, but you will not receive any membership benefits until you have completed your first sailing.
3. What Do Levels Of Membership Mean? – All cruise lines have different levels or tiers of membership. Basically, the more you sail, the higher your level and the higher your level, the more benefits you will receive. Disney currently has three levels of membership – Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Royal Caribbean has a whopping six levels – Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Diamond Plus and the Pinnacle Club. Holland America has five – Star Mariner, 2 Star Mariner, 3 Star Mariner and so on, and Norwegian has four levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Carnival also has five levels – Blue, Red, Gold, Platinum and Diamond.
4. Do You Change Levels Based On Number of Sailings Or Number Of Days Onboard? – That depends on the cruise line. On Disney your level is based on the number of sailings you’ve completed. A 12-night Mediterranean cruise counts the same as a 2-night cruise to nowhere (much to the chagrin of guests who prefer the longer cruises). On Carnival it’s calculated by days spent on a cruise, not by number of sailings. After you’ve spent one day on a cruise you are at the second level. To achieve the highest level you must spend 200 days on a cruise! Holland America bases their membership levels on days onboard but there are some other ways to advance which are listed below in #5. Royal Caribbean and Norwegian also both base it on number of nights sailed with other ways to advance listed below as well. FYI, when a cruise line says days onboard, it actually refers to the number of nights you are sailing. For instance, on a 7-night cruise you are onboard the ship for portions of eight days, but it counts as seven days onboard.
5. Are There Any Other Ways To Change Levels? – On Disney? No. Nor on Carnival. But the other cruise lines all have additional ways to advance, which is good considering how many nights you would have to sail to reach their highest level if that was the only option! 700 nights on Royal Caribbean anyone? While that would not be a bad thing in practice, it would be very bad for your wallet. On Royal Caribbean you can earn double points by booking a suite. With Holland America you can earn more points based on purchases made onboard and dining at the specialty restaurants onboard. There are also extra bonuses for sailing in suites and purchases of over $300 onboard. With Norwegian you can earn bonus points by booking a suite and booking nine months or more in advance. You can also earn bonus points when you book a Latitudes Insider Offer which means you are already a member and taking advantage of the special offers for members. It’s the circle of life…
6. Are There Discounts On Cruises Once You Are A Member? – Yes! There are different ways to get them, and various restrictions, but once you’ve sailed you can get a discount on your next cruise. For Disney the trick is to book your next cruise while you’re onboard. As long as you’re sailing within 18 months and aren’t sailing on a blackout date, you’ll pay a reduced deposit, get 10% off the cruise fare and an onboard credit. Carnival has discounts on sailings just for members as well as special offers like 2-category upgrades. The highest-level member can also take advantage of a 3rd and 4th guest sails free offer. Here’s a tip for Carnival – make sure you compare their loyalty program offers to offers available to everyone. They’re not always that great of a deal. With Norwegian you can purchase a future sailing certificate onboard for sailings of six nights are longer and you’ll get an onboard credit for the cruise you are on. Holland America offers half off (and even complimentary fares for certain levels of membership) on the 3rd and 4th guests in a room on select sailings for Mariner Society members as well as special offers on select sailings. Royal Caribbean offers a reduced deposit and onboard credit when you buy a NextCruise Certificate for a future cruise onboard. There are also some special rates for members on select sailings as well as discounted upgrades on select sailings for higher level members. In the best benefit available, Crown Anchor Society members can even earn free cruises! It’s only available to the highest levels but it doesn’t get much better than free!
7. What Are The Benefits Between Sailings? – Disney’s Castaway Club members who have sailed more than five times usually get an early booking advantage for new itineraries. With the way Disney’s prices can shoot up the first day, that’s a big advantage! Once booked, if paid in full, they also get to book onboard activities earlier than guests who have never sailed before. Carnival, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean cruise lines send out a newsletter of sorts to members. Holland America’s Mariner Society members and Royal Caribbean’s Crown and Anchor Society members get advance notice of sales and new itineraries. Mariner Society members also get priority booking for excursions once they reach certain tiers. Higher-level Crown and Anchor members get priority waitlisted for excursions and spa reservations.
8. What Are The Benefits Onboard? – There’s no way to list all of these, but here are some highlights! Castaway Club members on Disney cruises will get a welcome gift in their room usually consisting of a bag of some kind with some other small gifts. Higher levels will get additional freebies like complimentary meals at the specialty restaurants, shopping discounts, and additional small gifts. There will also be a reception for higher-level members with free alcohol and snacks. Royal Caribbean has a Welcome Back Party for all levels of members on longer cruises. They also give a booklet containing discounts to loyalty program members. Higher levels receive pins and other welcome gifts, as well as concierge lounge access and priority seating at shows. Carnival has a reception for higher levels on longer cruises as well, and there are also some gifts given out to higher level members. The highest level has a great perk – unlimited complimentary wash and fold service for laundry! Woohoo! No more taking home dirty clothes! Holland America has a champagne brunch for all members as well as a welcome gift. There are also some shopping discounts and specialty restaurant discounts for higher levels. The two highest levels also get complimentary laundry and pressing. Man, I love that perk! Norwegian’s Latitudes members of all levels get shopping discounts, internet discounts, a pin and a cocktail party on most ships. Higher levels get priority tenders, a welcome gift, discounted laundry and concierge service.
9. Any Other Miscellaneous Perks? - Disney usually sends its members car magnets after the first time they sail or when they change levels, and lately they’ve sent collectable lithographs as well following each sailing of a Castaway Club member. Holland America has a 15% discount for most levels of membership at ShopHollandAmerica.com and a free subscription to Travel + Leisure magazine or Food & Wine magazine for the highest levels. Most membership programs have dedicated website areas for members as well as a dedicated phone line. It’s good to be a member!
10. Do The Programs Ever Change? – Absolutely. Sometimes to the detriment of loyal cruisers! Cruise lines periodically restructure their programs (usually making it harder to reach the higher levels) and sometimes people lose the higher level they had once achieved. To their credit, most cruise lines try to grandfather loyal cruisers in or give them an easy way to catch up. For the record, if I had to guess, I’d say a restructuring is coming for Disney. Probably to a similar system to all the other cruise lines where levels are based on nights onboard as opposed to number of sailings.
So did I leave any important differences out? What do you like or dislike about the loyalty programs?
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June 24, 2014
Walt Disney World Newsworthy Notes – 6/24/14
It’s been almost a month since we’ve had some Newsworthy Notes, but today, I’ve compiled quite a list that I wanted to share with you all since some of these updates may potentially impact your vacations to Walt Disney World. Let’s dive right in!
There are a couple of refurbishments coming down the pipeline. The first is that Disney’s Wilderness Lodge feature pool, known as the Silver Creek Springs Pool, will be closed for a couple of months; the refurbishment will last from September 3 through November 27, reopening on November 28. During the refurbishment, guests will be able to use Disney’s Contemporary Resort pool or Disney’s Ft. Wilderness pool, as well as the Wilderness Lodge Villas pool. If guests would prefer, however, Disney will be offering complimentary water park tickets, much like they are doing over at Disney’s Polynesian Resort during the pool refurbishment. Guests, can receive one free admission to Blizzard Beach Water Park, per member of their party. It does appear that you will have to ask for this perk. It does not seem as though it is being suggested freely, but it is available.
I also have of good authority that Cinderella’s Royal Table will see a two month refurbishment. The restaurant at the Magic Kingdom should be slated to be closed from January 5 through March 6, reopening on March 7.
The Garden View Tea Room at Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort will be closed for refurbishment from June 30 until August 29. During the refurb work, the My Disney Girl’s Perfectly Princess Tea Party and the Afternoon Tea will be held inside Cítricos.
Also of note, a couple of shops will see work being done. First, the LA Prop shop at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is currently under refurbishment and a very lengthy refurbishment it is. The shop, found on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Boulevard, will be closed until February 28. Rumors are indicating that this will be the location of the all new Starbucks location at the Studios. (In my opinion, this is the best spot to put the Starbucks in anyway…it means Starring Rolls gets to stay!)
In addition, the Yankee Trader store found in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom will soon be under refurbishment. The shop will be closed from July 7 – September 30, reopening on October 1. It is rumored that it will changed over into a Haunted Mansion gift shop, which will supposedly feature an on-ride photo pickup location, as well as Haunted Mansion merchandise.
Moving along to other news, the Child Activity Centers have increased in price. The new cost is $15, per hour, with a two hour minimum. Locations include: Club Disney at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Cub’s Den at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Sandcastle Club at Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Simba’s Cubhouse at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
MagicBands are now available for purchase (cost is $12.95, plus tax) at the Vacation Planning windows found around the Walt Disney World Resort. These windows are where guests can purchase tickets for the four theme parks. When a guest buys a MagicBand (do keep in mind that valid ticket entitlement required), the Vacation Planning Cast Member will then immediately associate the guest’s ticket entitlements to the MagicBand in place of an RF-enabled ticket.
Snow White has apparently moved again. I recently reported that she moved to Center Street on Main Street U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom, but it appears that she will now be greeting guests on the front porch of the Town Square Theater; meeting near the entrance of the Tinker Bell meet and greet and the Mickey Mouse meet and greet.
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Favorite Quiet Spots in Disney World Parks
By Bob Whitten
September, the best time to find peace and quiet.
Where do you go to get away from it all (when you’re getting away from it all) at Walt Disney World? In particular, where do you go for a little respite from the crowds and chaos? Unless you visit during an especially slow time of year, it’s unlikely you’re truly going to get away from much of anything. People are everywhere. Hope is not lost, however, as the intrepid Disney adventurer is not without options.
Some have an inherent fear of slowing down, of taking a break in the middle of a busy, Touring-Planned afternoon. We don’t want to miss anything. While understandable, the concern is at best misguided, and at worst a recipe for a miserable day. Regardless of whether it’s your first time, or your thousandth, no matter how hale and hardy you may be, it’s a good idea to take some time every so often to recharge your batteries, and I’m not just talking about the ones for your gadgets. Your traveling party will thank you, and you will thank you. Of course, if you thank yourself loudly enough in public, it may just give you that extra personal space you’ve been looking for.
Please welcome Bob Whitten to the TouringPlans blog team. Bob lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with his wife and won us over with the sentence “There are, of course, those who oppose all things serial in nature, whether killers, commas, or cables,” which showed the proper use of the word “there,” an understanding of the Oxford comma, and, most importantly, a sense of humor.
What Makes for a Good Quiet Place
There are only a handful of criteria I consider when seeking out a temporary sanctuary. First, it obviously has to be at least a little quiet. If I can’t hear myself think, that means either I’m not thinking or the place is too loud. Either option is disturbing. Again, odds are you’re not going to find complete isolation, even on the slowest times of the year, so don’t fret if your favorite quiet spot is suddenly invaded by other peace-seekers. More than likely, they’re just as afraid of you as you are of them. Maybe that’s bears, but that’s fine, I hear they like the quiet too, except for our fine ursine friends at the Jamboree. Second, there should be seating. It’s good to sit down. You will be walking and walking, and when you’re not walking, you’ll be standing. Any chance you have to rest your feet you should take. Sometimes, it’s not enough to just get off your feet, say by dangling them from your seat in Soarin’; sometimes, it’s good to consciously rest them. Third, I prefer locations that offer some shelter from the Florida sun. It’s not easy resting and simultaneously overheating. That may be fine for some folks and I tip my cap to them, but I’m not a hot-weather person in the first place, despite having lived my whole life in the South.
One of the keys to finding some quiet is to search it out when others are not. Learn to operate slightly out of sync with the throngs, and you will find some otherwise crowded places relatively spartan by comparison.
Favorite Quiet Spots in Disney World
Magic Kingdom
Time for a hard-earned funnel cake.
Sleepy Hollow is a name that practically screams peace and quiet, well, maybe not scream, so much as beckon with the scent of fried dough and cinnamon, which is even better. Nestled just outside the entrance to Liberty Square, Sleepy Hollow may not have places where you can actually indulge in nap time, but there are a few picnic tables under a relatively shaded patio where most likely the only thing that will bother you will be a seagull or two. We rarely encounter much of a crowd, but with only a handful of tables, even when the place is at full capacity there really aren’t very many people around.
Seating at Cheshire Cafe is limited, as it is at Sleepy Hollow, and that’s a good thing if you get there early enough to snag a table. Despite being situated near the Carousel and across from Cosmic Ray’s, it still feels relatively remote. This is especially true in the morning. This is an excellent spot to grab a coffee after your first round of attractions, while everyone else is still waiting to experience Peter Pan’s Flight.
We often visit Walt Disney World in the Fall, which means seasonal hours for several counter service locations in the park. The Golden Oak Outpost is often closed in the evenings during slower times of year. Once it shuts down for the day, the concourse near Golden Oak Outpost tends to be nothing more than a conveyance to and from Adventureland to Frontierland. There is a limited amount of seating along the concourse, so if you can snag a seat, you should have some quiet.
There is a spot down a little cul-de-sac on Main Street with a table or two that is almost always taken, but if you’re fortunate enough to arrive at a time of tabletop transition, you may find yourself quite alone, even on the busiest of days. As there is nothing to do or see, the only people you’ll encounter are people waiting for you to vacate so they too can enjoy a respite from the mass mania of Main Street. You can try avoiding eye contact, as they silently plead with you to surrender your sanctuary, but I can’t promise it won’t make for an awkward moment or two. I also can’t promise it won’t feel like it lasts much longer than that.
No man’s an island, and this island has few of them–women too.
The combination of the time it takes to get to Tom Sawyer Island and the little there is to do once you arrive generally leaves this attraction looking downright desolate relative to the rest of the park. This makes it a good spot for quiet. It may be the only place in Walt Disney World where you actually can get away from it all. There aren’t too many places to sit down and relax, but spots can be found.
We’ve only been here at night, but at that time at least, the second floor of Columbia Harbour House rarely has very many people. As an added bonus, if you can snare a window seat overlooking the Fantasyland-Liberty Square concourse, you can enjoy a little people-watching along with your tasty chocolate cake or cobbler.
Epcot
As a rule the Land Pavilion is pretty hopping, as anyone who’s ever waited in line for Soarin’ will tell you. But as you venture toward Sunshine Seasons you’ll find seating squirreled safely enough away from the tumult that affords you a decent place to gather yourself if you time it properly. We have eaten here at Christmas time and while I wouldn’t say we found peace and quiet, it was remote enough to afford us a small measure of seclusion. Try to grab one of the back tables along the edge. It’s rare to find this much seclusion in the parks, and you’ll do well to take advantage of it.
There is a somewhat hidden path from Test Track in Future World to the Mexico Pavilion in World Shawcase which runs along the exterior of the long closed Odyssey restaurant. Although it fails my shade criterion, there are a few seats and the location isn’t very crowded. This is also where you’ll find restrooms and the Baby Care Center. (Ed. – note that the Odyssey is current hosting guests viewing World Cup action. Things will calm back down after the finals.)
There is a small mostly hidden seating area outside the Japan Pavilion’s Katsura Grill. Because of the pagoda obscuring the view of World Showcase Lagoon, this place tends to be uncrowded. Due to the small number of tables here, you may find yourself standing during your quiet time. It’s peaceful, but not quite at the top of my list. Something about the way it is set up actually seems antithetical to resting there, but it can be done.
Victoria Gardens in front of the Canada Pavilion, and the waterfall-flanked walkway leading to O Canada! offer more tranquillity by way of flowers and trees and the always relaxing rush of water. This location fails two of my criteria, as there is no seating or escape from the sun, and I suppose if you throw in the roar of the waterfall, it fails all three. Nevertheless, it’s still possible to find relief. Sometimes, not just the crowds, but the parks themselves can be loud. There is always something vying for your attention and it is all good fun. Here, however, you will find none of that. Here, you’ll have a chance to get back to nature–as long as you stay behind the railing.
At the very back of the Morocco Pavilion, before the gift shop, there is a vast expanse of shady, quiet space. There’s nowhere to sit, but at least it’s cool and relatively quiet.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Flametree BBQ is almost always crammed with people, which is appropriate since cramming is my favorite pastime at Flametree—whether it be BBQ or chicken or ribs or pretty much anything they put in front of me. It may seem antithetical to peace and quiet, but it can be found. If you arrive early enough, there are a few highly coveted spots right next to the water with a great view of Expedition Everest. (Ed. – try to avoid sitting under the trees here – I have one word: “birds.”)
Not only the lion sleeps in the jungle.
While it’s difficult to argue that any attraction is overlooked, the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and Maharaja Jungle Trek are definitely not as popular as they should be. This is a fun, relaxing part of Animal Kingdom that many people rush through in a quixotic attempt to tick off items on an imaginary checklist (or a very real Touring Plan) to quantify their visit to the park. You may notice the animals are spending their time chilling out. Granted, they probably don’t have FastPass+ reservations to Kali River Rapids, but perhaps we should take a cue from them nevertheless.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The seating in front of the ABC Commissary is a good place to sit and watch people; the best view is directly across from the back side of the soon-to-be-defunct American Idol Experience. There you will find stalwart cast members panhandling for volunteers to audition for the experience of singing in front of tens of people. Thanks to the Commissary building and a few well-placed umbrellas, the seating area is also fairly well-protected from that relentless pain in the neck otherwise known as the sun.
The Writer’s Stop at Hollywood Studios
The Writer’s Stop used to be one of my two favorites places in all Walt Disney World for a little peace and quiet. With the removal of the front seating area, my feelings for it have diminished somewhat. If you can manage to get a seat, you can enjoy a nice cup of coffee and the iconic carrot cake cookie in relative peace. There is, however, a fine line between having a slight selection of seating that creates an intimate setting and so few that getting a seat takes on the qualities of a dark, dystopian piece of fiction. Sadly, if you want to sit and rest here these days, you’ll probably have to go Mad Max on someone. (Not that I endorse such behavior.)
Final Thoughts
The problem with any of these suggestions is that invariably, and in particular on the busiest days of the year, quiet spots will be hard to come by. The key is to take advantage of the quiet when it comes and, more importantly, not to rely on others or the perfect conditions to attain it. There are any number of tricks you can practice to get a little quiet, even if you can’t get a little privacy. You may not get large blocks of quiet, but if you pick your spots, it can help. I’m definitely one who cherishes his quiet time. I’d like to say I use that time to collect my thoughts, but there’s really not much external evidence for such braggadocio.
Sometimes, it’s worth it to linger in the parks after closing or during late night events, adding quiet times when you could be back in the peace of your own room. Quiet, however, comes in many forms. Sometimes, quiet is needed just to get a break from the craziness of the parks. But sometimes, quiet is a moment taken to reflect on the magic that permeates a magical place with loved ones. There have been a few times when my wife and I have shared a special moment on the bus back to our resort, or sitting in Pinocchio’s Village Haus late at night, amid the ruin of cups and trays. Those are probably the times I recall most fondly, not the number of times we’ve experienced Soarin’ or sailed with Captain Jack Sparrow. They are the shared quiet in chaos when we are acutely aware of the place and the moment.
There are many other quiet spots in Walt Disney World. What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments below.
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Potty Talk: Hidden Restrooms of Disney World
Avoiding long lines at Walt Disney World attractions is without question one of the best ways to ensure a successful vacation. So consider another way you can cut your time in line—knowing about the World’s hidden restrooms. Restrooms are seldom top of mind when planning a trip to Walt Disney World, but some knowledge about “where to go when you gotta go” can save valuable time and just might make that bathroom break more of an actual break than just another wait in line.
A word about the criteria for “hidden”: some of the highlighted restrooms are indeed hard to spot, but others are more “hidden in plain sight.” Once you “see” them, you’ll be forever thankful as you duck in while the crowds hurry by.
We’re delighted to add Sarah Graffam to our blogging team. Sarah is a DVC member who travels with her husband and two sons. Her next Disney trip is to Aulani, the lucky woman.
Walt Disney World Hidden Restrooms
Magic Kingdom
Starting your day with a stop in a restroom near the park entrance will let you enjoy the relatively short morning lines for attractions uninterrupted. So first up in Magic Kingdom are the bathrooms adjacent to City Hall just as you start down Main Street, U.S.A. These roomy bathrooms are often bypassed by people rushing to their first attraction, though they can get crowded later on.
There is also a stop before you get inside the park. It’s to the right of Guest Relations (where you buy your tickets). The Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) also has restrooms if you need to hit them before boarding a ferry or monorail to Magic Kingdom.
If you make your way down Main Street and then realize you really should have found a restroom first thing, hang a left at Casey’s Corner. The restrooms between Casey’s Corner and the Crystal Palace are at one of the busiest intersections in Magic Kingdom but go unnoticed by many throughout the day.
A restroom can be found upstairs at the Columbia Harbour House
In Adventureland, you might want a bathroom break after being surrounded by all that water while experiencing Pirates of the Caribbean. You’ll find one of the most hidden bathrooms in Magic Kingdom in the gift shop to the left as you exit the attraction.
The restrooms in restaurants can be very busy, but one exception can be found upstairs at Columbia Harbour House.
Another surprisingly less busy restroom is between Space Mountain and Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.
Epcot
Epcot also has some convenient restrooms to visit at the start of the day. Before the turnstiles to the right side of the entrance, you will find some usually quiet restrooms. In fact, you pass right by them if you are walking from the buses.
Once you enter the park, look for the restrooms just after walking under Spaceship Earth. Restrooms flank the ball here, giving two good options depending on which way you’re heading in the park. Or watch which way most people are heading, and go to the bathrooms on the opposite side.
Some usually vacant restrooms are inside the same building as the Character Spot, facing the Land side. You can also access them from the Fountain View Starbucks.
Epcot’s Odyssey Center is used for special events, but the restrooms are open (photo by Tom Bricker)
The Land Pavilion has one of the most overcrowded restrooms in Epcot, located just outside of Soarin’. For this reason, one of my favorite restrooms in Epcot is on the upper level of the pavilion just around the corner from the Garden Grill restaurant. I have often been just one of a few people in this restroom when there is a huge line downstairs.
Other good restroom options in Future World are in Innoventions East across and down the hall from Sum of All Thrills, to the right behind Journey Into Imagination With Figment, and in the Odyssey Center, which is a great stop before you make your way from Future World into World Showcase.
When you get to World Showcase, the challenge of finding an uncrowded restroom definitely ratchets up. Restrooms in World Showcase often have only a couple of stalls, are located in busy restaurants, or both. The new multi-stalled restrooms in the American Adventure Pavilion indicate that Disney is aware of this shortcoming.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
“Glass blocks.” That is what a cast member recently said when I asked for the closest restrooms (and I knew exactly what he meant!). These restrooms, which have glass blocks recessed into their outside wall, are left of the Great Movie Ride, just behind the theater for the American Idol Experience and down a small set of stairs. The stairs seem to make them one of those “hidden in plain sight” restrooms, despite their convenience to the central plaza area.
A bit closer to the park entrance are the restrooms just inside the entrance of the Hollywood Brown Derby. These restrooms are easily overlooked in the morning rush and are especially quiet before the restaurant opens.
Another restroom that is very quiet, though mostly during the morning hours, is in the hallway connecting Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater and ABC Commissary. A door to the right of the Sci-Fi entrance provides quick access.
If you are at the end of Streets of America when a Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show hasn’t just let out, there is a spacious and often empty restroom at the entrance to the show.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Unless a show has just let out, some of the best off-the-beaten-path restrooms in Disney’s Animal Kingdom are located close to the exit for Finding Nemo—The Musical. If you are facing the building, they are up the walkway on the right side.
Take advantage of the restrooms at the Finding Nemo – The Musical exit
Although escaping the crowds can be a challenge in DinoLand U.S.A., the restrooms at the end of the walkway near Primeval Whirl are large enough to handle the crowds. Bonus: after experiencing DINOSAUR, you can reach these bathrooms via the Cretaceous Trail.
Many guests don’t make it back to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, but if you do, you will find a large and generally line-free restroom at Conservation Station.
This completes my roundup of hidden restrooms at Walt Disney World. I would love to know of any other restrooms you have found to offer short or no lines—World Showcase in particular seems to be lacking in this area. In the meantime, good luck avoiding restroom lines so that you can maximize your efforts at a much more crucial (and fun) task—avoiding long lines at the attractions.
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June 23, 2014
Fourth of July Festivities for Walt Disney World
©Disney
While I will be celebrating this year’s Fourth of July with a box of sparklers in my backyard, Walt Disney World is getting ready to put on a fantastic show for guests who visit during the patriotic holiday.
At the Magic Kingdom, the festivities kick off on July 3, with a two day celebration. Both days, the Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade will run at 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Each night will then culminates in the “Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” fireworks extravaganza. The show will take place on both July 3 and July 4 at 9:00 p.m. After the fireworks, there will be two performances of the Main Street Electrical Parade, one at 10:00 p.m. and one at 12:00 a.m. The Magic Kingdom will be open from 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. both days.
Epcot will offer tons of fun activities to help celebrate the occasion. First, guests will be able to meet their favorite Disney characters dressed in patriotic attire outside of the American Adventure.
If music is more your cup of tea, there will certainly be plenty of options to choose from at the park. Make sure you check out the Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps, who will be performing at 1:00 p.m., 2:15 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 4:45 p.m. You also won’t want to miss the stunningly talented Voices of Liberty who will have performances at the America Gardens Theatre at 12:30 p.m., 1:45 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. Voices of Liberty will then move inside to the American Adventure Rotunda for performances at 4:15 p.m., and 5:00 p.m. If you are a fan of the band Boston, you won’t want to miss the tribute band, Don’t Look Back, performing for the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series. The band will hold performances at 5:15 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:45 p.m., and 9:00 p.m. The evening will end with a bang as IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is shown at 10 p.m. The show will feature a special “Heartbeat of Freedom” tag at the end. Epcot will be open from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests will be able to take part in the “Rockin’ 4th of July Celebration.” The festivities kick off with a DJ playing beginning at 6:00 p.m., as well as Mulch, Sweat, and Shears, who will perform at 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. The evening will end with a rock and roll inspired fireworks spectacular at 10:15 p.m. There will also be a showing of Fantasmic! at 11:00 p.m. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is open from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open from 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., but will feature no special Fourth of July festivities.
Fourth of July is a fun experience no matter where you are, but Disney goes all out to celebrate America’s birthday.
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Disney’s Hollywood Studios Invites Guests To Rock Your Summer Side
©Disney
While I myself was on summer vacay last week (not to a Disney destination…unfortunately), Disney introduced an all new dance party for you to experience while you are visiting the Walt Disney World Resort on your summer vacation. The party, which takes place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is called “Rock Your Summer Side.”
During this event, guests have the opportunity to dance along to both a DJ spinning hot tunes, as well as to a live band called The Hollywood Rockers (otherwise known as Mulch, Sweat, and Shears). Guests may also meet and dance with their favorite Disney characters, who are dressed for summer fun. Finally, guests can take a photo with a giant postcard backdrop.
The action all takes place at the Sorcerer’s Hat Stage nightly from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Guests will be able to rock their summer side until August 22.
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Disney World Crowd Report – June 15 to 21, 2014
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Two weeks ago on the Crowd Report we saw that the extension of the school year for some districts lowered the crowds levels across the resort. It appears that this past week may be the final week where we see that phenomenon. Crowds were one or two levels lower than expected this week but that was almost exclusively due to lower than expected wait times at Disney Hollywood Studios.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week:
Walt Disney World Resort Crowd Levels – Daily Breakdown
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
6
No surprises on Father’s Day Sunday. All four parks came in within one of our predicted crowd levels and all were either a ‘6’ or a ‘5’. Star Wars Weekends brought higher wait times to the Studios than pervious weekends, including a 29-minute average wait at Star Tours. Despite hosting Extra Magic Hour evening until 2:00 am, Magic Kingdom stayed at a relatively calm level ‘6’ during the day with only Space Mountain (51 mins), Splash Mountain (56 mins) and Peter Pan’s Flight (46 mins) reaching an average posted wait time above 40 minutes.
Epcot
5
6
Hollywood Studios
5
5
Animal Kingdom
6
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
7
7
Crowds at Disney Hollywood Studios have surprised us throughout May and June and continued to surprise us this week. A 10:00 pm closing plus Evening Extra Magic Hours until midnight would suggest a park crowd level around ‘8’ but attractions like Toy Story Mania (75 minutes), Tower of Terror (46) and Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster (53) had average wait times well below what history would suggest (predicted 102, 64 and 73 minutes, respectively). The phenomenon continues to focus only at The Studios. We saw ‘7’s and ‘6’s at the other three parks, as expected.
Epcot
6
6
Hollywood Studios
8
4
Animal Kingdom
7
7
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
8
7
Another very slow day at The Studios on Tuesday. Toy Story Mania averaged 69 minutes (predicted 99), Tower of Terror 37 minutes (predicted 64) and Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster averaged 53 minutes (predicted 70). Meanwhile, Animal Kingdom was very crowded with all attractions reaching a level ‘8’ or higher on our scale with the only exception of Expedition Everest (averaged 36 minutes, a level ‘6’).
Epcot
8
7
Hollywood Studios
8
4
Animal Kingdom
7
9
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
8
7
Wednesday’s crowds were the lowest of week, especially for Epcot. Soarin’ averaged 79 minutes which is only a ‘6’ on our scale and Test Track hit an average of 67 minutes, twenty minutes lower than expected. Overall, our predictions hit the mark again with Disney Hollywood Studios as the only exception, again.
Epcot
6
5
Hollywood Studios
8
5
Animal Kingdom
8
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
7
7
Again on Thursday we saw low crowds at The Studios. Toy Story Mania averaged only 69 minutes, very low for a Thursday in June with a park closing of 10:00 pm. Our prediction of ‘7’ for Magic Kingdom and Epcot looked good though, even though Magic Kingdom hosted Extra Magic Hour morning and remained open until 1:00 am.
Epcot
7
7
Hollywood Studios
8
4
Animal Kingdom
7
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
7
6
Slightly lower crowds on Friday with no park hitting a level above ‘6’. We will be interested to see how wait times look at The Studios over the next few weekends now that Star Wars Weekends have concluded. Will they return to stable levels compared to history or will it continue to surprise us with low wait times.
Epcot
7
6
Hollywood Studios
7
5
Animal Kingdom
7
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
5
Saturday’s wait times were slightly lower than predicted across the resort although Epcot was a ‘5’ as predicted. Any park seemed to be a good choice on Saturday. Disney Hollywoods Studios reached a level ‘4’ which was lower than expected but similar to Saturdays during Star Wars Weekends in May and June.
Epcot
5
5
Hollywood Studios
6
4
Animal Kingdom
7
5
What to Expect This Week
June 22 to 28, 2014
How Crowded is Disney World?
Summer season is upon us so you can expect the parks to be crowded, hot and rainy in the afternoon. Park hours are long however so you have lots of time to visit in the morning, take a midday break and return in the evening for a full day of touring.
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 15 to 21, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Observations: June 17, 2014: A Magical Evening
By Daisy Lauren
I hope you’re ready for a magical evening, because earlier this week the rain finally stopped, and I couldn’t wait to get back to the Magic Kingdom! Before we get started I wanted to remind everyone that the new monorail schedule goes into effect in just a few days. Be sure to check it out.
Actually, maybe the monorails not being around isn’t such a bad thing because it took me almost 40 minutes to get from the parking lot over to the Magic Kingdom gates. I can’t complain, because I did end up in the most magical place on Earth, but I would’ve liked to have been there earlier than 8pm! In any case, you can see this time of year I had plenty of sunlight left to take photos for you. 
It wasn’t terribly crowded, and I wandered up Main Street taking it all in. I have a question for you: if you don’t have kids, what do you do when you buy a balloon? I’ve been tempted to get one before, but without a stroller to tie it to, I’m not entirely sure what to do with it on rides. I can’t be the only person without kids who has been tempted. What gives?
Okay, last one, I promise. But take a look at that castle! Everyone was already saving spots on Main Street for the parade. I didn’t have to worry about that because I had a FastPass+ for the Main Street Electrical Parade in about an hour. I made a point of walking right through the castle to cash in my first FastPass+ of the night.
Stepping into Fantasyland without it raining was such a treat! I hadn’t seen this park dry in several weeks, so it was pretty exciting to not need a poncho. Of course, my first stop was the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It’s been impossible to get FastPass+ for this ride since it officially opened, so I wanted to see how long the line was. At just a little after 8pm the posted wait was 65 minutes, which isn’t terrible. However, I wasn’t interested in waiting when I had a FastPass+ for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh! (Ed. – I’ve always found the honey-covered Pooh at the end of the attraction to be the thing of nightmares. It would only be worse for me if he were wearing clown make up.)
The ride was great, as always, and I still had a little time to kill before heading back for the parade. I decided to head over towards Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Normally I’d check the wait time on my phone before heading over, but I was very close by, and with the crowd level I couldn’t imagine the wait being too long.
In the end, I was right. The posted wait time was 15 minutes but I ended up waiting a little less than that before taking a spin on Dumbo. I thought all of you might like to ride along with me! Remember, my “channel” on Youtube is just to link to my blogs, but for all the latest (including a FULL Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride through), check out the Touring Plans YouTube Page.
After this, I went looking for a snack to take to the parade viewing. I had planned to use my parade spot for Celebrate the Magic and Wishes, so I didn’t want to go without a snack. I stopped at Big Top Treats to see what they had. It looks like most of the special treats introduced during the 24-hour party are still being sold!
I also noticed these. I’m not sure if they are new, but I didn’t remember seeing them before. How yummy do those candy Dumbos look?
I didn’t find anything in Big Top Treats that I couldn’t live without, so I ended up at Cheshire Cafe. For just $3.99 I scored a Raspberry Lemonade Slush, which was a nice cold treat on a hot night. I liked it much more than the regular Lemonade Slush I’ve gotten in the past. One note of caution: there are no trash cans in the parade viewing area that I could find. I was stuck with this cup for quite a while!
For anyone debating if FastPass+ is worth it for Main Street Electrical Parade you might want to take a look at my article on that subject. Here is the view from that area. Pretty amazing for not having to arrive more than a few minutes before the parade!
I noticed just as the parade started they did take down the ropes marking the FastPass+ area, but many cast members were on hand to boot people out that tried to sneak in. I love this spot for photos. I wonder who caught that kiss that Tink blew?
Of course, it wouldn’t be the parade without a picture of the big cheese himself!
I wanted to give you another view zoomed out of how the floats look with the castle in the background. I have to tell you, I think this is the best use of a FastPass+ in the park. I’ve been keeping an eye out, and I’m normally able to book the parade same day.
I love Cinderella in this parade. It seems like every time I watch it, I end up with 20 photos of her. But this time I managed to capture one I like. What do you think?
I couldn’t help including the pirate ship, too. (I spared you Pete’s Dragon!) I can’t say enough good things about this view of the parade. I think it’s actually better standing toward the back. I’m not normally one to get into the mess on Main Street, but this is worth it.
Here is a quick video of the parade finale so you can get an idea what it looks like going by.
After the parade I held my spot, but people rushed in from all sides filling in the space. I had a moment where I thought I’d just leave because it wasn’t worth being stuck in the crowd. But I kept telling myself it was just 15 minutes until Celebrate the Magic. Pretty soon the show started, and I forgot all about the mass of humanity all around me. Here’s the best part:
Wishes was next and just 5 minutes away, so I pulled out my GoPro and my head strap. It sort of looks like I’m wearing a miners helmet when I wear that thing! But it was so crowded, and I wanted to get video of the full show for you. It was way too cramped to use my larger camera. But when I got home I noticed the video gradually kept tilting to the right. It was pretty funny and made the video unusable. Note to everyone considering a GoPro head strap: be sure you can hold your head up straight! 
After Wishes I was in a hurry to get to The Haunted Mansion since I only had 20 minutes left on my FastPass+ window. When I arrived I noticed it wasn’t running. I looked at my phone and, sure enough, they’d emailed my quite a while before letting me know that I could use my FastPass+ at a few other locations as a replacement. Can anyone guess from the photo below what I picked?
That’s right: Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid! I know a lot of people hate on this ride but I visit every time I’m there. I hope they redo ours like the one in Disneyland! The below is the new scene I’m trying to get a decent photo of. I love this part of the movie, but the ride scene has really bad lighting. One of these days I’ll get a really good one!
Next the heat was really getting to me, so I stopped off at Gaston’s Tavern for an ice water. Pro tip: lots of places give small cups for the free water, but here you’ll always get a big cup! Even though it was only about 10:30 pm, the place was empty!
I decided to stop by a FastPass+ kiosk and see about getting a 4th FastPass. The choices were pretty limited, and most of the rides remaining didn’t have any wait at all. I decided to get The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh again just because the line was still long and it’s a ride I always enjoy. (It also allowed me to check the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train line again, which was still over an hour.)
I included the below photo just because I can’t decide if I like it. What do you guys think? It’s at an odd angle because someone was sitting in front of me. I either love it or hate it… but I’m not quite sure which.
Afterwards, I started towards Tomorrowland. It was that time of night when I’m drawn to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. As I walked up I was struck by two things. 1) I remembered that the ride is down for refurbishment until August 5. 2) I realized #1 because the Astro Orbiter is GONE! I understand it’s under refurbishment… but for it to just not be there was wild. That along with the construction walls make the land look really sad.
I checked the wait time for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and it read 20 minutes. As light as the crowds were, I just didn’t believe this wait time, so I hopped in line. Sure enough, it was only a 5 minute wait.
After this, it was getting close to 11pm, and I decided with it being a school night that I should head home. But when I got to the hub the second parade had started and it was difficult to exit. I mean, I tried to do the responsible thing, right? You guys are my witnesses! After making an effort to exit, I spun on my heels and went back to Mickey’s PhilharMagic. My favorite seats for this show are all the way in the back in the middle. From there you can really see everything!
Once the show was over, I didn’t have any excuse to not start the long walk back to my car. I stopped along the way to take a look at the construction walls all along Main Street. I can’t remember a summer that the park has been so torn up. They are trying to make it look nice, but I’m so ready for there to be no construction in Magic Kingdom!
Ok, I had no excuse to not walk out… but there’s always time for shopping, right? I miss the Main Street Cinema, but I do like the artsy store that replaced it.
After a slow, slow walk and sticking my nose in several stores, it was really time to leave. I said goodnight to the train station and hopped a ferry boat back to reality.
I hope you enjoyed coming with me to the Magic Kingdom! Is there anything you’d like to see next time? What do you think is the best FastPass+? Which one of those sweet treats above would you like to try? Let us know the answers to these or anything else in the comments below. As always thanks so much for reading!
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Observations: June 17, 2014 A Magical Evening
By Daisy Lauren
I hope you’re ready for a magical evening, because earlier this week the rain finally stopped and I couldn’t wait to get back to the Magic Kingdom! Before we get started I wanted to remind everyone that the new monorail schedule goes into effect in just a few days. Be sure to check it out.
Actually, maybe the monorails not being around isn’t such a bad thing because it took me almost 40 minutes to get from the parking lot over to the Magic Kingdom gates. I can’t complain because I did end up in the most magical place on Earth, but I would’ve liked to have been there earlier than 8pm! In any case you can see this time of year I had plenty of sunlight left to take photos for you.
It wasn’t terribly crowded and I wandered up Main Street taking it all in. I have a question for you, if you don’t have kids what do you do when you buy a balloon? I’ve been tempted to get one before but without a stroller to tie it to I’m not entirely sure what to do with it on rides. I can’t be the only person without kids that has been tempted. What gives?
Okay, last one, I promise. But take a look at that castle! Everyone was already saving spots on Main Street for the parade. I didn’t have to worry about that because I had a FastPass+ for the Main Street Electrical Parade in about an hour. I made a point of walking right through the castle to cash in my first FastPass+ of the night.
Stepping into Fantasyland without it raining was such a treat! I hadn’t seen this park dry in several weeks so it was pretty exciting to not need a poncho. Of course, my first stop was the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It’s been impossible to get FastPass+ for this ride since it officially opened so I wanted to see how long the line was. At just a little after 8pm the posted wait was 65min, which isn’t terrible. However, I wasn’t interested in waiting when I had a FastPass+ for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh! (Ed. – I’ve always found the honey-covered Pooh at the end of the attraction to be the thing of nightmares. It would only be worse for me if he was wearing clown make up.)
The ride was great, as always, and I still had a little time to kill before heading back for the parade. I decided to head over towards Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Normally I’d check the wait time on my phone before heading over but I was very close by and with the crowd level I couldn’t imagine the wait being too long.
In the end, I was right. The posted wait time was 15min but I ended up waiting a little less than that before taking a spin on Dumbo. I thought all of you might like to ride along with me! Remember, my “channel” on Youtube is just to link to my blogs but for all the latest (including a FULL Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride through) check out the Touring Plans YouTube Page.
After this I went looking for a snack to take to the parade viewing. I had planned to use my parade spot for Celebrate the Magic and Wishes so I didn’t want to go without a snack. I stopped into Big Top Souvenirs to see what they had. It looks like most of the special treats introduced during the 24hr party are still being sold!
I also noticed these. I’n not sure if they are new, but I didn’t remember seeing them before. How yummy do those candy Dumbos look?
I didn’t find anything in Big Top Souvenirs that I couldn’t live without so I ended up at Cheshire Cafe. For just $3.99 I scored a Raspberry Lemonade Slush which was a nice cold treat on a hot night. I liked it much more than the regular Lemonade Slush I’ve gotten in the past. One word of caution, there are no trash cans in the parade viewing area that I could find. I was stuck with this cup for quite a while!
For anyone debating if FastPass+ is worth it for Main Street Electrical Parade you might want to take a look at my article on that subject. Here is the view from that area. Pretty amazing for not having to arrive more than a few minutes before the parade!
I noticed just as the parade started they did take down the ropes marking the FastPass+ area, but many cast members were on hand to boot people out that tried to sneak in. I love this spot for photos. I wonder who caught that kiss that Tink blew?
Of course, it wouldn’t be the parade without a picture of the big cheese himself!
I wanted to give you another view zoomed out of how the floats look with the castle in the background. I have to tell you, I think this is the best use of a FastPass+ in the park. I’ve been keeping an eye out and I’m normally able to book the parade same day.
I love Cinderella in this parade. It seems like every time I watch it I end up with 20 photos of her. But this time I managed to capture one I like. What do you think?
I couldn’t help including the pirate ship too. (I spared you Pete’s Dragon!) I can’t say enough good things about this view of the parade. I think it’s actually better standing toward the back. I’m not normally one to get into the mess on Main Street but this is worth it.
Here is a quick video of the parade finale so you can get an idea what it looks like going by.
After the parade I held my spot but people rushed in from all sides filling in the space. I had a moment where I thought I’d just leave, that is wasn’t worth being stuck in the crowd. But I kept telling myself it was just 15min until Celebrate the Magic. Pretty soon the show started and I forgot all about the mass of humanity all around me. Here’s the best part:
Wishes was next and just 5min away so I pulled out my GoPro and my head strap. It sort of looks like I’m wearing a miners helmet when I wear that thing! But it was so crowded and I wanted to get video of the full show for you. It was way too cramped to use my larger camera. But when I got home I noticed the video gradually kept tilting to the right. It was pretty funny and made the video unusable. Note to everyone considering a GoPro head strap: be sure you can hold your head up straight!
After Wishes I was in a hurry to get to The Haunted Mansion since I only had 20min left on my FastPass+ window. When I arrived I noticed it wasn’t running. I looked at my phone and sure enough they’d emailed my quite a while before letting me know that I could use my FastPass+ at a few other locations as a replacement. Can anyone guess from the photo below where I picked?
That’s right: Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid! I know a lot of people hate on this ride but I visit every time I’m there. I hope they redo ours like the one in Disneyland! The below is the new scene I’m trying to get a decent photo of. I love this part of the movie but the ride scene has really bad lighting. One of these days I’ll get a really good one!
Next the heat was really getting to me so I stopped off at Gaston’s Tavern for an ice water. Pro tip: lots of places give small cups for the free water but here you’ll always get a big cup! Even though it was only about 10:30pm the place was empty!
I decided to stop by a FastPass+ kiosk and see about getting a 4th FastPass. The choices were pretty limited and most of the rides remaining didn’t have any wait at all. I decided to get The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh again just because the line was still long and it’s a ride I always enjoy. (It also allowed me to check the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train line again which was still over an hour.)
I included the below photo just because I can’t decide if I like it. What do you guys think? It’s at an odd angle because someone was sitting in front of me. I either love it or hate it… but I’m not quite sure which.
Afterwards, I started towards Tomorrowland. It was that time of night when I’m drawn to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. As I walked up I was struck by two things. 1) I remembered that the ride is down for refurbishment until August 5th. 2) I realized #1 because the Astro Orbiter is GONE! I understand it’s under refurbishment… but for it to just not be there was wild. That along with the construction walls make the land look really sad.
I checked the wait time for Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and it read 20min. As light as the crowds were I just didn’t believe this wait time so I hopped in line. Sure enough it was only a 5min wait.
After this is was getting close to 11pm and I decided with it being a school night I should head home. But when I got to the hub the second parade had started and it was difficult to exit. I mean, I tried to do the responsible thing, right? You guys are my witnesses! After making an effort to exit I spun on my heels and went back to Mickey’s PhilharMagic. My favorite seats for this show are all the way in the back in the middle. From there you can really see everything!
Once the show was over I didn’t have any excuse to not start the long walk back to my car. I stopped along the way to take a look at the construction walls all along Main Street. I can’t remember a summer that the park has been so torn up. They are trying to make it look nice, but I’m so ready for there to be no construction in Magic Kingdom!
Ok, I had no excuse to not walk out… but there’s always time for shopping, right? I miss the Main Street Cinema but I do like the artsy store that replaced it.
After a slow, slow walk and sticking my nose in several stores it was really time to leave. I said goodnight to the train station and hopped a ferry boat back to reality.
I hope you enjoyed coming with me to the Magic Kingdom! Is there anything you’d like to see next time? What do you think is the best FastPass+? Which one of those sweet treats above would you like to try? Let us know the answers to these or anything else in the comments below. As always thanks so much for reading!
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Observations: June 17, 2014 A Magical Evening is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
FastPass+ Is Lowering Your Wait at Popular Disney World Rides
By Len Testa
In April we took at look at How FastPass+ Is Affecting Your Wait In Line At Disney World. We saw a small increase in standby wait times for secondary attractions like Spaceship Earth and Pirates of the Caribbean, and a small drop in standby wait times for super-headliners like Space Mountain and Expedition Everest.
Here’s an update, using 278,000 wait times from Walt Disney World between February 1 and June 19, 2014:
Attractions shown in green have seen their average standby wait time decrease with the introduction of Fastpass+. Attractions in orange have seen an increase. For the attractions in white, we don’t have a 95% confidence level on the change in standby waits, so we can’t yet conclude anything about them (the confidence level is 89.25% for Kilimanjaro Safaris and 73.82% for Kali River Rapids).
Our analysis takes into account the approximately 8% increase in Disney World attendance since the beginning of 2012. We also took into account that some holidays, such as Easter, fall on different days each year. Our analysis compares holidays to each other, instead of simply comparing calendar dates across years. See below for more details on both topics.
Fastpass+ Is Distributing Guests More Evenly Around the Park
Take a look at the attractions whose waits have dropped with FastPass+, and you’ll see mostly headliner attractions. Most of the attractions whose waits have increased slightly are secondary rides, like Living with the Land, Jungle Cruise, and Maelstrom. We think that more people are aware of these attractions now, because they’re being offered in My Disney Experience, and that’s helping Disney move crowds around the park.
Another interesting observation is that 3 of the 4 attractions with the biggest increase in wait times are high-capacity ride: Spaceship Earth and Haunted Mansion have continuous-loading ride systems that handle more than 2,000 guests per hour, while Pirates of the Caribbean can serve more than 2,500/hour when it’s running at top speed. It makes sense for Disney to dedicate a big chunk of these rides’ capacities to FastPass+, simply because they’ll be able to handle so many people per hour.
Adjusting for Increased Attendance
Walt Disney World attendance increased about 2.2% in 2012, another 3.3% in 2013, and we estimate it’s up about 3% in 2014 – or a bit above 8% since the beginning of 2012. To put that in perspective, if the average wait at Soarin’ was 60 minutes at the beginning of 2012, it’d be about 65 minutes adjusted for 2014′s higher crowds. When we’re looking at the impact of FastPass+ on standby wait times, the first thing we have to do is factor out the higher attendance.
For this analysis we’re comparing standby wait times from February 1 through June 7, 2014, with data from the same months in 2012 and 2013. To factor out the 8% increase in attendance from 2012 to 2014, we’ve increased 2012′s wait times by 8%. To factor out the 3.3% increase in attendance from 2013 to 2014, we’ve increased 2013′s wait times by 3.3%. (Disney doesn’t release official attendance figures, but even if our estimate of attendance increases is off by 1-2%, the results don’t change significantly.)
Adjusting for Movable Holidays
For each attraction, we’re comparing the average wait on each day between 10 am and 5 pm. And to make things as equal as possible, we try to match the wait times from 2014′s holidays with the same holidays in 2012 and 2013. So while Presidents’ Day was on February 20 in 2012, February 18 in 2013, and February 17 this year, we compare all of the wait times from all Presidents’ Days together. We do the same for other holidays, the Disney World Marathon days, other events, and then everything left over.
The t-test: How To Compare Before and After FastPass+
Suppose we flip a coin 10 times. You’d expect it to land on heads about 5 times and tails about 5 times. But we wouldn’t be surprised if it came up heads 6 times and tails 4 because of simple random chance. And if we flipped the same coin 1,000 times, we’d expect it to turn up heads about 500 times and tails 500 times, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was 501 heads and 499 tails, or 499 heads and 501 tails, or anything around there.
But what if the coin came up heads 600 times and tails 400? If it’s a fair coin, what are the chances that we’d see that kind of difference from the 500 heads/500 tails average we expect?
A common way that statisticians answer these questions is with a t-test. A t-test measures two groups and tells you how likely it is that that the groups are really different. In our case, the two groups are these:
Posted standby wait times before FastPass+
Posted standby wait times after FastPass+
In the example above, there’s less than a 1% chance that 1,000 flips of a fair coin will result in 600 or more heads. So if that happens, you can be pretty confident that you’re not dealing with a fair coin.
In the chart above, the column labeled “Pr > |t|” is the probability that the result we’re seeing is due to random chance. So for Space Mountain, the odds of you seeing a 13.2-minute drop in wait times due to random chance is less than 0.01%. In other words, we’re more than 99.99% confident the result isn’t due to random chance.
For more information on FastPass+ and how to optimize your use of FastPass+ check out our FastPass+ Tips Page.
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FastPass+ Is Lowering Your Wait at Popular Disney World Rides is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
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