Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1228
May 16, 2014
Where to Get Wet at Walt Disney World
By Erin Foster
Summer is on its way to Orlando and that means Disney World is on its way to sizzling temperatures. Often the best way to beat the heat is to give it a good soaking (or at least a mild spritz). If you want to tame the searing sun by getting wet, here’s how to make that happen.
Your hotel pool is the perfect place to cool off.
YOUR HOTEL POOL
Every Walt Disney World resort has outdoor pools for guest use. Some of these are basic rectangular puddles, while others include elaborate themeing, slides, waterfalls, or interactive play zones. If you’re visiting Walt Disney World in the winter, you may find that you can skip pool time completely. But even the most stalwart aquaphobe will want to at least dip their toes during a summer visit.
For the complete scoop, take a look at our four part series covering every aspect of the Disney pool situation.
Get to Know the Disney Pools: General Overview
Get to Know the Disney Pools: Value Resort Pools. Covers the pools at the All Star Movies, All Star Music, All Star Sports, Art of Animation and Pop Century resorts.
Get to Know the Disney Pools: Moderate Resort Pools. Covers the pools at the Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Fort Wilderness, Port Orleans French Quarter, and Port Orleans Riverside resorts.
Get to Know the Disney Pools: Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resort Pools. Covers the pools at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Contemporary (and Bay Lake Tower), Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge, and Yacht Club resorts.
When planning your summer WDW visit, remember that most Disney World resorts do not allow “pool hopping” which means that all your swimming will take place at your own hotel. If special water features are important to you, choose your lodging accordingly.
THE BEACH
You can usually wade in the lakes without any problems.
No, Disney World is not located on the ocean, there is no way to get into the sea without driving for an hour or so. However, several of the Disney resort hotels do have sandy lakefront areas which provide a decidedly beachy vibe. You can’t go for a swim in the lake (seriously, don’t try it), but you can generally wade in up to your ankles or sit at the water’s edge and build a sand castle without anyone bothering you. Sometimes just this little splash of water is enough to cool you off.
The resorts with beach areas include:
Beach Club
Caribbean Beach Resort
Contemporary
Coronado Springs
Fort Wilderness
Grand Floridian
Polynesian
Wilderness Lodge
Yacht Club
If you do end up walking on the sand with wet feet, remember to rinse them off at the poolside showers before heading back to your room. Your mousekeeper will thank you.
THE WATER PARKS: TYPHOON LAGOON and BLIZZARD BEACH
The water parks have many activities families can do together.
Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are the perfect place to have fun while getting soaked. Activities range from floating in a lazy river to plummeting down a near-vertical 12-story-tall water slide. There are dedicated areas for preschoolers and elementary age children, quick service dining, and even luxe cabana rentals.
Here are a few tips to help you get the best water park experience:
The pavement at the water parks can get extremely hot during the summer. Water shoes or slippers are a must.
MagicBands are fully waterproof. There’s no need to take yours off while you’re enjoying the fun.
Beach towels are available for purchase. Bath-size towels can be rented.
You cannot bring glass containers or alcohol into the water parks. (Alcohol is available for purchase there.) Other outside food/beverages are permitted. Keep your hydration costs down by bringing your own bottled water with you.
To maximize your time on the attractions, consult one of our Water Park Touring Plans. But remember that’s it’s perfectly OK to chillax in the wave pool for an hour or three.
Sunscreen! Sunscreen! Sunscreen! And since you will be getting wet, make sure to get a version made for swim or sport. Sunscreen is sold at the gift shops at the Disney resorts and at the water parks, but it will almost certainly be cheaper if you buy it elsewhere.
If you’re thinking of heading to a water park, check out more information on the Water Park Fun & More theme park admission add-on, as well as general water park ticketing information.
RIDES and ATTRACTIONS
You’ll going to get wet on Splash Mountain.
Several theme park attractions have a water element that can help cool you off. These include:
Splash Mountain, Magic Kingdom. If you’re sitting in the first few rows of the flume, you’re likely to get a good soaking. Guests seated further back may avoid the full shower, but you’re unlikely to emerge completely dry.
Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Magic Kingdom. The camel near the ride’s main sign spits water periodically. While you’re on the ride, another camel spits at the flying carpets. You can mostly avoid this by steering your carpet up and down.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Magic Kingdom. A quick spritz during the movie.
Pirates of the Caribbean, Magic Kingdom. Guests seated near the front of the boat may get slightly damp from the one minor drop. Everyone else will remain dry.
Stitch’s Great Escape, Magic Kingdom. A quick spritz during the performance.
Kali River Rapids, Animal Kingdom. Getting wet is pretty much the main attraction here. EVERYONE will get wet (not damp, wet) and at least two or three guests in every boat will become fully drenched.
It’s Tough to Be a Bug, Animal Kingdom. A quick spritz during the movie.
Fantasmic, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Guests seated in the first few rows will get damp from the fountain screen spray. The more windy the weather, the damper they’ll be.
Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A very light rain happens in the theater. Everyone gets ever so slightly damp.
Muppet Vision 3D, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. A quick spritz during the performance.
FOUNTAINS, SPRAYERS, and COOLING STATIONS
The Casey Junior water play area is a recent addition to the Magic Kingdom.
Liquid Layer, Epcot. Located on the walkway between Future World and World Showcase. During hot weather, small kids will BEG to run through the spray. Expect them to get soaked.
Cool Zone, Epcot. Located near Test Track. When the weather is hot, this Coca-Cola sales location turns on large misting fans that provide a cool, damp breeze.
Casey Junior Splash n’ Soak Station, Magic Kingdom. Located near the big top in New Fantasyland, this interactive water play area will get small kids soaked to the skin.
Tiki Statues, Magic Kingdom. Located near the Jungle Cruise entrance, giant Tiki totems spray passersby.
Cool Zone, Magic Kingdom. Located in Tomorrowland, this Coca-Cola sales location turns on large misting fans that provide a cool, damp breeze.
Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This playground attraction has a minor water feature where kids can get wet.
Cool Zone, Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Located near the entrance to the Backlot Tour, this Coca-Cola sales location turns on large misting fans that provide a cool, damp breeze.
Play Fountain, Downtown Disney Marketplace. Located near the Hanes Build-A-Tee store. As you get off the buses at the Marketplace stop, there is an interactive water feature where kids can splash.
Please note that many of these wet zones are turned off when the weather is cold. If you’re touring in the winter you might not know they’re there, but during the summer they can be a godsend.
WATER SPORTS
You can waterski right in the middle of Bay Lake.
Several resorts offer water sports that will get you wet. Some of your options include:
Sea Raycer rentals (sometimes affectionately called “mouse boats”). These two-man boats aren’t designed for water play, but if you drive yours in the wake of a larger vessel, it’s easy to create a nice spray feature for yourself. Currently Sea Rayers are available at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, Fort Wilderness, Yacht Club and Boardwalk resorts. Please note that Caribbean Beach, Old Key West, and Port Orleans are no longer offer water craft rentals.
Water skiing. Offered by the Sammy Duvall Watersports Center at the Contemporary. You’re not allowed to swim in the Disney lakes, but I can say that I was fully immersed in Bay Lake when I tried this activity. Wakeboarding and tubing may also be available.
Personal watercraft rentals. Also available at the Contemporary. This is Disney’s version of a JetSki.
YOUR ROOM SHOWER
We’ve said many times that most Disney vacations benefit from a mid-day nap break. When the temperatures are brutal, a mid-day shower can be as refreshing as a nap. Sometimes getting cleaned up is the best thing you can do to improve your mood (and the mood of your family members). Don’t forget the kiddos in your plan – throw them in the bath and you’ll all be much more relaxed.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
During the summer months, it’s all but certain to rain at some point during the afternoon. These brief heavy showers send most guests scrambling for cover under sticky plastic ponchos. Ewwwww.
As an alternative, you can decide to embrace the rain and go out there to get soaked. Splash in the puddles, waddle with the ducks, or sing “Singing in the Rain.” Whatever you do, you’re likely to have wide areas of the park to yourself as everyone else runs for cover. Think of the fun photo opportunities!
Of course if you decide to do this, you’ll be much more comfortable afterwards if you’ve got a change of clothing stashed in a locker, or if you’re headed back to the room to change anyway.
Did I forget anything? Are there more places to get soaked at Disney World? What are your strategies? Let us know in the comments below.
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May 15, 2014
New Patagonia Marketplace to Debut at 2014 Epcot Food and Wine Festival
©Disney
We are currently in the final days of the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, so our attention now immediately turns to Epcot’s other yearly festival, the incredible Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.
The festival is a celebration of wonderful delicacies from around the globe. This year will be the 19th annual event, and it is scheduled to open earlier than ever, beginning on Friday, September 19, lasting through Monday, November 10 – an unprecedented 53 days.
As is always the case during these events, quite a few brand new experiences will be introduced with this year’s Festival.
First we’ll start with the Marketplace Booths, which are one of the most popular features of this event. An all new booth will debut called the Patagonia Marketplace, showcasing items from both Argentina and Chile. Dishes will include fresh, sustainable roasted Verlasso salmon, quinoa salad and arugula chimichurri. Also, the Florida Local Marketplace will be renamed the Farm Fresh Marketplace and will serve local flavors, like the new and delicious-sounding “Bacon and Eggs” dish featuring applewood-smoked, pepper-coated bacon, sweet corn, potatoes, Hollandaise, and pickled jalapeños. Other booths will see brand new menu items, including the Brazil Marketplace, which will serve Moqueca de Pescado, a fresh tilapia dish featuring coconut lime sauce and steamed rice.
There will be 25 Marketplace Booths in total found around the World Showcase Promenade this year.
A multitude of new events will be introduced for the 2014 event. The first is the new and complimentary Back to Basics weekend series, which will take place at the Festival Center. It will feature guest presenters who will share tips and tricks of the pros. Also debuting will be a dinner showcasing Walt Disney’s culinary predilections; a foodie “Boot Camp Series”, which will include an interactive experience featuring challenges to hone your “inner chef;”and a Friday morning celebrity chef nosh-and-chat cookbook event called “Food for Thought.” Guests also won’t want to miss experiencing a new event called, “Sunday Mornings with…” which will feature a plated brunch starring an acclaimed pastry chef or baker who will be crafting three favorite desserts for sampling.
Another of the big draws for this event are the acclaimed chefs who will be on hand, showcasing their skills at the culinary demos, as well as at the premium events. Some of the renowned celebrities for this year’s festivities will include:
Warren Brown
Rock Harper
Jennifer Hill Booker
Erika Davis
Paula DaSilva
Gale Gand
Dana Herbert
Jamie Deen
Jerome Brown
Dean Max
“Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro
Allen Susser
Duskie Estes
John Stewart
For those who are curious, the special hard ticketed events that take place during the Festival (like Party for the Senses and signature dinners) will go on sale at some point this summer and I’ll be sure to keep you posted when!
It’s already shaping up to be a very exciting Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Oh and make sure to look for me at the Farm Fresh Marketplace, as I’ll be first in line for that “bacon and eggs” dish!
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Tinker Bell Moving to Town Square Theater at the Magic Kingdom
Are you a Tinker Bell fan? Well, get ready to meet the popular fairy in an all new location at the Magic Kingdom. Starting Tuesday, May 20, Tink will be moving from Adventureland to the Town Square Theater, located on Main Street U.S.A.
When entering the new Garden Theater guests will be transported to Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook via an equally magical portal, which will “shrink” guests down to the size of a fairy. When guests enter the space they will see a beautiful, natural setting filled with some of Tink’s personal treasures.
The best part about this new meet and greet location is that FastPass+ will be available in addition to the the usual standby line. Tinker Bell’s previous meet and greet in Adventureland was standby-only.
An unfortunate change that comes along with this change of venue is that Tinker Bell will be meeting guests solo. When Tink met in Adventureland she was always joined by another fairy friend such as Silvermist, Rosetta, Terrance, or her sister Periwinkle. It is unclear at this time if there will be an opportunity to meet any of the other Disney Fairies at another location, but they will definitely not be appearing in Town Square Theater with Tinker Bell.
Tink’s new location is in the former home of the Disney Princesses, who moved to Princess Fairytale Hall once it opened in September 2013. Magician (talking) Mickey Mouse will continue to meet guests at Town Square Theater. (His meet is located next door to Tinker Bell’s new Garden Theater.)
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Disney Vacation Club (DVC) 101: What is DVC?
Welcome Home!
This is the first of a series of articles on Disney Vacation Club (DVC). It’s a first draft for new content on the site. Starting off on the blog lets us get your feedback right away so we can fine-tune our articles.
While it’s hyperbole to call DVC “Disney’s Best Kept Secret,” the program may be difficult to understand if you try to wade your way through Disney’s marketing-speak and get to what it really is.
Strictly speaking, DVC is a timeshare program operated by Disney that allows members to book accommodations at the Deluxe Villa resorts at Walt Disney World, as well as The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa, and three non-theme park locations. The DVC Resorts are:
Old Key West
Boardwalk Villas
Beach Club Villas
Wilderness Lodge Villas
Saratoga Springs Resort and the Treehouse Villas
Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House and Kidani Village
Bay Lake Tower
Grand Floridian Villas
Villas at Disney’s Polynesian Resort (under construction)
Grand California Villas at Disneyland
Vero Beach Resort (FL)
Hilton Head Island Resort (SC)
Aulani Resort and Spa on Oahu in Hawaii
Treehouses come with full kitchens, a spectacular master bath, and a free teenager!
DVC resorts are typically villa-style. Accommodations range from studios, which are most like a typical hotel room with a single room and kitchenette (sink, microwave, and coffee maker), to one-, two-, and three bedroom units with full kitchens and living rooms.
DVC also allows members the option to trade out into other programs such as using membership to book Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, other non-DVC Disney resorts, or into other timeshare programs like Club Cordial and RCI (Resort Condominiums International, a division of Wyndham). This merits its own article and won’t be covered here.
What Are DVC Members Purchasing?
Traditional timeshares were sold as weeks at a specific resort. When Disney got into the timeshare business, it used a different model. Members purchase points at a home resort, which are used to make reservations at that resort. For instance, if I wanted to book a one bedroom at my home resort of Saratoga Springs tomorrow night, it would “cost” me 31 points. If I wanted a three-bedroom Grand Villa at Bay Lake Tower with a Lake View, it would run 101 points. The point cost is determined by the resort booked (a one bedroom at Old Key West is fewer points than a one bedroom at the Grand Floridian Villas), the size of the room, whether you’ve booked a weekday or a weekend, and the time of year booked, called the season (Christmas to New Years and Easter are the most expensive, the months of January, September, and the first half of December are the least). The cost of each point depends on:
The home resort you purchase
Whether you buy directly from Disney or resale
When you purchase the points
Points are sold as a contract. This is kind of tricky to wrap your head ahead so hopefully I can explain it well. Each resort has a contract end date, and your points are valid through the end of the contract. For instance, Beach Club Villas, which were first sold in 2002, have an end date of 2042. If I bought in 2000 or just yesterday, my contract still ends in 2042. The number of points I purchase is the amount of points I’m allotted per year.
So if I bought yesterday, I’m not getting as much use out of the contract…the price must be lower, right?
Nope. Disney raises the prices of everything else each year, did you really think DVC points would be different? Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas is currently offered by Disney at $155/point. When it first came on the market in 2006, I paid around $95/point.
Do I have to use all my points in one year? What if I need more points?
Disney Vacation Club allows for “banking” and “borrowing.” If I won’t need all my points this year (fat chance in my case), I can bank them to next year. If I need more points this year, I can borrow from next year. This is pretty flexible and you can combine banking and borrowing to maximize the number of points you can use at one time. If my yearly number of point available is 150 and I planned ahead, I could have banked my 2013 points and borrowed my 2015 points to give me 450 points available to use in 2014.
What is a Home Resort?
Your home resort is the resort at which you own your points. You can use your points at any of the DVC resorts, but there are different rules for booking. I have contracts at Saratoga Springs and Animal Kingdom Lodge. Those are my home resorts. This means that I can book at those resorts up to 11 months out. Last month, when I booked at the Grand Floridian Villas to attend a wedding, I was only able to book 7 months from my check in. When booking 11 months out, you can only use home resort points. I could not combine my Saratoga Springs points with my Animal Kingdom points to book a week in a Grand Villa at 11 months out. I’d have to book what I could with the Animal Kingdom points at 11 months out and then use the Saratoga Springs points for the rest of the reservation at the 7 month mark. Or I could borrow Animal Kingdom points from next year to fill in the difference.
What is “Use Year?”
Besides home resort, another term you’ll hear when purchasing a contract is “use year” (and that’s “use” like the noun, not the verb – “The use of external video lighting is prohibited”). Use year means when your points are allotted to you. It’s actually kind of a misnomer, because it’s really “use month.” For instance, both of my contracts have a use year of October. That means my 2014 points are available for bookings with a check in of October 1, 2014, or later (unless I borrow them for earlier use). Because there are rules about when you can bank your points and what happens to your points if you have to cancel a reservation, people may want to think about what use year they pick (if purchasing from Disney).
Are there any other costs beside the purchase price?
Yes. Because this is a real estate transaction, there are closing costs. Most important to keep in mind when considering your purchase, though, is the cost of yearly dues. DVC members are charged a year fee per point (the amount depends on the home resort) in addition to what they paid up front. The fees on the 330 points I own were around $1500 this year.
That’s a lot of information
Yep, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg. We will follow up with articles on the economics of DVC, direct vs. resale purchases, what it means to “rent points,” and share what our readers have to say about DVC. If there’s anything you’d like us to cover, ask in the comments.
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Summer Vacation Schedules
By Steve Bloom
The crowd levels at the Disney theme parks are highly correlated with school schedules. Most school systems have similar national holidays, but other breaks can very significantly. For the past few years I have been doing a blog post talking about spring break. Since Easter moves around the calendar year to year spring break dates can change significantly. Summer break is less variable year to year, but there is variation between school districts. The general recommendation for a summer trip is to go early or late to avoid the highest crowds. I’m here to help quantify what early and late summer means. Traditionally summer break is between Memorial Day and Labor Day, but most schools are only out a portion of this three month span.
Below is a chart showing the percent of students in school, between June 1 and October 1, 2014. We compute a different statistic for Disney World and Disneyland; weighting the data base on schools’ population and location.
Percent of students in school
Most schools are on break between the end of June, and the middle of August. If your child’s school schedule differs from the overall trend you can avoid the peak summer crowds.
Just a reminder that school schedules is just one component that goes into the Touring Plans Crowd Calendars. Disney has their tactics to bump up attendance. There are hotel discounts for both early and late summer. For early summer there is the 24-hour Rock Your Disney Side event on May 23, and Hollywood Studios has Star Wars Weekends May 16 – June 15, 2014.
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Going to Disney Solo
By Daisy Lauren
It can feel this scary to go to Disney alone!
When I was recently approached about heading to Los Angeles for a business I trip all I heard in my head was, “You’re going to Disneyland!” I couldn’t wait to tell my hubby and get our flights booked. You can imagine how deflated I was when the dates fell over a period that he couldn’t join me. At first, I was sad that I would be so close to Disneyland and not visiting the happiest place on Earth. Then I realized, I visit Disney World several times a month all by myself. Why not do the same for the west coast? I figured if I thought twice about doing Disney on my own then most of you would too. So with that in mind here are the best things about traveling alone on your next Disney vacation and why you should give it a try!
What to ride next? Anything I want! Often when traveling with friends and family compromises have to be made to keep everyone happy. When you’re on your own there’s a very short list of people to keep content! Want to ride something that your family hates? No problem! Want to sleep in or stay out late? Sounds great! In my case, that means a lot of time taking photos with no pressure to go faster because someone it bored.
Single rider lines are the only lines. Several of the most popular attractions host single rider lines to help fill single seats left open by odd sized groups. When traveling with a group you have to make the choice to split up to save time using these lines. However, when it’s just you there’s no reason not to take advantage of these time saving queues!
The speed of one. If you’ve never been to Disney on your own I can’t tell you how much faster you can move through crowds by yourself! One of the biggest challenges when navigating the parks is keeping your party together. Imagine just being able to breeze along without having to worry if you’ve lost someone! I can scurry through the parks twice as fast when it’s just me. Or would you rather mosey? There is nobody to hurry you along when you’re there alone.
Sleep? I don’t need no stinkin’ sleep! My hubby is a napper, and a person that likes to sleep in late, and a person that likes to go to bed early. Me, on the other hand, would skip a night or two of sleep if it meant more Disney. I’m excited to get to Disneyland before opening without the battle and stay until the stars come out. Similarly, I’ve decided to try one of the off property hotels that are walking distance to Disneyland. My other half always wants to stay on property but I’m not so picky and happy to save the cost difference! Since there’s no need to compromise with myself these were all easy decisions.
One word: Shopping! Ladies, did you hear that? It’s the sound of slowly browsing through every shop on Disney property. If that alone isn’t enough to get you to try a solo trip I don’t know what will! :)
One is the cheapest number. Okay, and the loneliest. But on a positive note one admission ticket is cheaper than two or more. It’s a great time to try tours or other experiences that the rest of your party might not enjoy as much as you would. Look for those things that your normal traveling party would never do and go for it! When else will you get another chance to do it any cheaper?
Make some new friends. You might not want to be “that person” but I’ve made great friends just from striking up a conversation in the parks. If you’re shy then chatting with cast members is a great place to start. They’re all very welcoming and helpful. I still correspond with a cast member I made friends with when visiting Disneyland Paris. The love of Disney is universal so don’t be scared to meet someone knew when you’re one your own.
Share with a friend. This is where you guys come in! I’m very thankful to be able to share my Disney World experiences with you guys. It motivates me to go out on my own on a night I might have spent on the couch. I have to admit, it helped me decide to tackle Disneyland on my own because I knew I could share it with you! So I can tell you from experience, sharing your trip with others will help you have an even better time!
Have you even tried visiting Disney by yourself? Would you ever try a solo trip? Do you have another reason it’s great to travel alone that I didn’t include above? I hope you’ll share with us in the comments below! As always thanks so much for reading!
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May 14, 2014
Disney World Crowd Report – May 4 to 10, 2014
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Overall the crowds we observed in the parks edged slightly higher than expected last week. Especially on Sunday when a three day stretch of heavy rain finally came to an end. Guests who stayed in to wait out the bad weather took full advantage of Sunday’s blue skies. Our predictions for the rest of week also tended to be on the low side although not significantly.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week:
Disney World Resort Crowd Levels – Daily Breakdown
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
7
Our underprediciton on Sunday is less due to a poor estimate of crowds than to a break in the weather. The three days previous were washed out for most of the day, keeping guests anxiously waiting out the storms. Once the clouds cleared on Sunday, the crowds poured in and wait times went up.
Epcot
3
5
Hollywood Studios
2
6
Animal Kingdom
5
8
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
6
Our predictions hit the mark at all four parks on Monday. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom were the only two parks to hit above average wait times.
Epcot
4
4
Hollywood Studios
3
3
Animal Kingdom
6
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
6
Wait times on Tuesday fell in line with predictions as well with no park missing the mark by more than one index level. The Studios was a particularly good choice with Toy Story Mania reaching an average posted wait of only 52 minutes, the only attraction in the park that averaged above 40. The Great Movie ride at a 7 minute average was a walk-on all day.
Epcot
3
4
Hollywood Studios
2
1
Animal Kingdom
5
4
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
3
4
The resort-wide crowd level ’3′ as predicted on Wednesday brought low wait times across all parks. No core attraction at the Magic Kingdom averaged a posted wait higher than 44 minutes. Even the perennial 3-hour wait to meet Anna & Elsa dipped below 180 minutes for a time.
Epcot
2
3
Hollywood Studios
2
1
Animal Kingdom
4
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
3
5
Crowds at the Kingdoms (Magic and Animal) peaked higher than our predictions on Thursday. Mostly due to higher than expected waits at Pirates of the Caribbean (21 minutes, predicted 10) and Kilimanjaro Safaris (46 minutes, predicted 20). Jungle Cruise and Kali River Rapids also had higher average wait times than we predicted.
Epcot
2
3
Hollywood Studios
2
1
Animal Kingdom
4
6
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
5
6
Epcot was the surprise of the day on Friday. We had predicted a crowd level ’3′ but wait times at Soarin’ (75 minutes) and Spaceship Earth (21 minutes) pushed the park wide number three index points higher. Test Track had an average posted wait time of 71 minutes however, which was actually lower than the 83 minutes we predicted.
Epcot
3
6
Hollywood Studios
2
2
Animal Kingdom
4
5
(Click to view overall details for this day)
WHAT WE
THOUGHT
WHAT WE
SAW
ANALYSIS
Magic Kingdom
6
5
With the exception of Primeval Whirl, every attraction at Animal Kingdom came in with average posted times higher than predicted on Saturday. The warm weather pushed Kali River Rapids wait times (52 minute average) much higher than predicted (33 minutes). Wait times were moderate for a Saturday as predicted elsewhere around the resort however, with no other park missing by more than one index level.
Epcot
3
5
Hollywood Studios
3
4
Animal Kingdom
4
7
What to Expect This Week
April 26 to May 3, 2014
May is a great time to visit Walt Disney World if you are not fond of crowds, especially early May. We don’t expect crowds to rise significantly above average until late May. Watch out for Star Wars Weekends and Memorial Day, otherwise touring is generally relaxed. Note that Magic Kingdom is open for 24 hours on May 23.
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 – May 4 to 10, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley Media Preview To Be Held June 17-20
Breaking news! A friendly FedEx owl from Universal Orlando dropped off a parcel this morning containing an invitation to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley media preview, scheduled for June 17-20. Here’s a look at the lovely package, which included tickets for the Hogwarts Express and a “gold” bar from Gringotts bank:
The Diagon Alley media preview being held June 17-20 implies that the official grand opening may occur on Friday, June 20th (since they would want media present to capture the crazy crowds) or immediately after. But the invitation does not explicitly say “grand opening,” so it is possible Universal could pull a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and keep the public out for some time after the press. Keep an eye on our PotterWatch series for more information as it becomes available!
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Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley Media Preview To Be Held June 17-20 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley media preview to be held June 17-20
Breaking news! A friendly FedEx owl from Universal Orlando dropped off a parcel this morning containing an invitation to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley media preview, scheduled for June 17-20. Here’s a look at the lovely package, which included tickets for the Hogwarts Express and a “gold” bar from Gringotts bank:
The Diagon Alley media preview being held June 17-20 implies that the official grand opening may occur on Friday, June 20th (since they would want media present to capture the crazy crowds) or immediately after. But the invitation does not explicitly say “grand opening,” so it is possible Universal could pull a Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and keep the public out for some time after the press. Keep an eye on our PotterWatch series for more information as it becomes available!
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Wizarding World of Harry Potter Diagon Alley media preview to be held June 17-20 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney’s Polynesian Resort Guests to Receive Blizzard Beach Tickets During Pool Rehab
©Disney
I’ve previously mentioned that Disney’s Polynesian Resort’s Nanea Volcano Pool and Slide will be closing for a lengthy refurbishment starting at the end of July. To make up for this matter, Disney has started informing guests staying at this resort that while the feature pool is closed, they will receive one free admission to Blizzard Beach Water Park, per member of their party. In addition, transportation will also be provided to a dedicated check-in location, where Polynesian Resort guests will receive their tickets and towels at the water park, themed after a ski resort on the meltdown.
For guests staying at the resort who do not wish to visit Blizzard Beach, the Polynesian’s quiet pool will remain open for guests to visit.
While official dates have not yet been announced for this refurbishment work of the Volcano Pool, the rumored closure date appears to be sometime around July 28. It is rumored that during the refurbishment work, the volcano will be removed and that a hot tub will be included, alongside additional work.
The pool refurbishment is just another step in the full-on rehab of Disney’s Polynesian Resort that is currently taking place. Currently, Captain Cook’s, a quick service dining location, is closed until sometime in July; the Polynesian’s lobby is being re-worked, with the removal of the large waterfall; and the children’s activity center will reopen on June 17 and will now be known as Club Disney, instead of The Neverland Club. In 2015, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto lounge will be added, plus, work is being done to add Disney Vacation Club units to the resort and the resort will be reverting back to it’s original name, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
The pool’s rehab work is expected to continue until early 2015.
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Disney’s Polynesian Resort Guests to Receive Blizzard Beach Tickets During Pool Rehab 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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