Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1236
April 24, 2014
Planning for My First Disney Cruise
By David Davies
Disney Dream Lobby
Photo courtesy of Scott Sanders
I have never been on a cruise. I’m not into casinos, bingo, cheesy musicals, hypnotists, art auctions, or shopping in third-world tourist traps. Thus most cruise ships and itineraries don’t catch my fancy. Disney Cruise Line seemed different, and doing the programming to enliven our Disney Cruise Line product heightened my interest in sailing with Mickey.
My wife and I discussed taking a DCL cruise once our child was old enough to enjoy the kids’ activities, and that time has come. Conveniently enough, we’ll be sailing for TouringPlans.com on a 4-Night Bahamanian Cruise on the Disney Dream in October 2014, when my son will be about 3½ years old. Our family of three will fit fine in the smallest on-board room (Category 11C, baby!), and I’m confident we’ll find plenty to do to fill four days.
My main challenge – and most of what I’ll blog about – is getting to and from Port Canaveral in a way that works well with our schedules while minimizing costs and hassles. One recurring wrinkle in my planning is that I need to have my son in a car seat in any non-bus vehicle in which he might ride; that makes renting a car, hiring a town car, riding in a cab, etc. more burdensome. Ironically, so far I’ve found the logistics of our family trip to Tokyo in 2012 to be simpler than those for this DCL trip!
I hope you’ll join with me as I analyze my transportation options and make rational decisions based on my group’s preferences and the cost impacts of our decisions. I start with a brief overview of some travel decisions I need to make. In subsequent blog posts I’ll look at TouringPlans.com tools and consult you, Dear Readers, for assistance.
The Joy of Air Travel
Decision 1: Fly or Drive?
I live 800 miles away from Port Canaveral, and that’s a full day’s drive of about 11 hours each way. Flying would take less time, and that’s potentially important to minimize the time my family is away from work and school. Alas, since Len has yet to pull the trigger on a TouringPlans.com Gulfstream G650 (no Club 33 membership, either!), I have to fly commercial, which has its own time-consuming hassles: after dealing with driving to the airport, parking, security, and local transportation (whether it be mass transit or a rental car) in Florida, that’s at least a half-a-day each way.
I have to compare driving costs to three plane tickets, thee port transfers, etc., plus any hassles related to my kid’s car seat.
Decision 2: When to Arrive at the Port?
We recommend getting on the ship either early or late to avoid the worst crowds. Never having been on a cruise ship, I’d enjoy having all the time I can on the boat. However, I will not know my boarding time until I do online check-in 75 days before sailing, and I would have to use something other than Disney transportation to arrive in time to take advantage of that. Plus, I’m concerned that hauling around a “day bag” of stuff on the ship would be annoying.
Decision 3: When to Arrive and Leave?
I do not plan to arrive in Central Florida much before the cruise. We recommend arriving the day before the ship sails. That seems reasonable, but it adds an extra hotel night in unfamiliar turf for me. Plus, I’d have one fewer stopover if I flew in on the day my cruise departed and went directly to the port.
After the cruise, it’d be easiest to head straight to the airport and fly home on Thursday, but I may stick around through the weekend and visit Walt Disney World. While fun (I’d get to experience the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train for the first time!), spending time at Disney World would involve significant extra costs (hotel, food, and park tickets) for only a couple of days.
Decision 4: Where to Stay Before the Cruise?
Assuming I arrive the day before the cruise, I could stay near the airport, at Disney World, or near Port Canaveral. I don’t think I’ll spend the night at Disney World the night before the cruise since that would involve extra travel in the wrong direction. My preferences for the other locations will vary based on the sort of transportation I’m taking to the port.
Decision 5: How to Get to the Port?I have three options here: Disney transportation, a private car service, or a car I drive. Using Disney transfers is straightforward but inflexible. A private car service is flexible but expensive. A rental car is flexible and affordable but time-consuming to deal with (especially since I have a kid who needs a car seat). If I opt to drive to Florida, this is a moot question, although I would need to decide where to park during the cruise.
What Now?
Look for future blog posts that walk through the above decisions, hopefully culminating in a comprehensive travel plan that works best for my family. Ultimately I’ll start worrying about what to do on the cruise (although I cannot reserve any cruise experiences until July: I have a reservation reminder set for that!), but first I need to get to the port!
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Disney Cruise Line Tips from our Research
Hit the pools when people are ashore to avoid crowds
This month Len Testa and I are heading on our next cruises, back to back 3 and 4-night Bahamas itineraries on the Dream. Two years ago after the Fantasy debuted, we began to toss around the idea of expanding our DCL coverage and the result has been our DCL subscription on TouringPlans which we brought online last fall and the Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line, which we co-wrote with Erin Foster.
Between our theme park research, not living in Florida, the cost of fares, and needing to work around school schedules, we’re not able to cruise as much as we’d like (unlike the lady in front of us on the last cruise who checked into her 70th cruise), so each time is still special. (I can’t say that about every trip to Walt Disney World anymore.) However, even though I haven’t cruised 70 times, I feel like I’m really getting the hang of cruising Disney. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way.
Our Best Disney Cruise Line Tips
Pack a LIGHT carry-on if you’re checking into your cruise before 1:30 when the cabins are ready. A big bag gets heavier and heavier as you’re waiting to be able to drop it off.
It’s OK to skip some meals. Ask yourself, “do I eat a restaurant meal 3 times a day, every day, for days at a time?” Whether it’s just to give your stomach or schedule a rest, there’s no harm in skipping a meal here or there. If you skip your dinner rotation, there are plenty of choices out there – TopSiders (Wonder) or Cabanas (all other ships) generally serve dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 each night, and you can show up any time. The quick service restaurants on the pool deck serve until late in the evening – we started referring to Casa Del Tires as “that Italian place on deck 11). And room service is available 24 hours a day. Adults have antipasto options in the evening at the Cove Cafe, and on the Dream and Fantasy, Vista Cafe has the same offerings for the whole family.
It’s also OK to skip some shows. Having dinner on your rotation in the main dining rooms and seeing the evening stage show will take a nearly three hour block of your evening. This is time that can be spend enjoying the pools or spa with far lower crowds than you’ll encounter in the afternoons. Subscribers should read our entertainment reviews to prioritize which shows they think will be worth their while.
Don’t head straight up deck to the buffet as soon as it opens on embarkation day. It’s crowded and loud. Not at all a relaxing way to start your vacation. Instead, check your Personal Navigator, for the other restaurant that will be serving lunch that day. On the Dream and Fantasy, that will be Enchanted Garden (in our opinion the most attractive of all the main dining rooms). On the Magic, it’s Carioca’s, and on the Wonder, it’s Parrot Cay.
Explore the ship. I find something new that I didn’t notice each time, and the details in the decor of the ships are fantastic.
If you were unable to secure Palo or Remy reservations before embarkation or tried and the online system said they were sold out, check when you board. Tables are held back for just this reason, and we’ve always been able to add them.
There is nothing unique about any of the shopping experiences in the Caribbean. The same store proliferate each port.
Special dining request? Give the kitchen a day’s notice, and you can get just about anything.
Check your charge statement from time to time on a longer cruise – you may be surprised at how much you’ve spent onboard.
I’m just as happy in a category 11 cabin as a category 4. Concierge is still on the list to review – we’ve needed to do a lot of cruising in the last year to review the ships and ports, and that up charge just hasn’t been in the cards yet.
The adult entertainment in the evenings (after 10 pm in Fathoms (Magic), Wavebands (Wonder), Evolution (Dream), and The Tube (Fantasy) is cheesy, but fun. Go in with your buddies and plan to have a good time.
I really want to be Castaway Club Platinum. Why? I don’t know – because I tend to book last minute the longer reservation window for experiences doesn’t apply to most of my cruises. But the complimentary dinner is Palo will be welcome. As will be the priority check in and boarding (with the concierge guests) at the port. This loyalty level was so in reach that I booked back to back 3 and 4 night cruises on the Dream while onboard last week to knock out my 9th and 10th cruises in one fell swoop.
I prefer Palo brunch to Remy brunch. I prefer Remy dinner to Palo dinner. The only one of those I don’t feel the need to book again any time soon is Remy brunch, which was good, but not worth the $50 charge.
Take the stairs when you can. It’s good for you.
The pool decks at night are beautiful, but can be really windy – bring a jacket. Speaking of the elements – bring waterproof shoes to Castaway Cay and if you’re there in the winter, an umbrella – it does rain in the Bahamas.
What are your best Disney Cruise Line tips? When’s your next cruise? Talk about it in the comments.
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April 23, 2014
2014 Star Wars Weekends Celebrity Lineup Announced and More
One of the highlights of Star Wars Weekends is the ability to meet the Star Wars stars of the screen and TV. It is always a hodgepodge of celebrities that make an appearance at this popular event, ranging from stars of the original saga, all the way to the celebrities who lend their talents to the more recent offerings.
This year brings a wide range of celebs to the five Star Wars Weekends, which are scheduled to take place Fridays through Sundays, May 16 to June 15. Many favorites are returning (like Peter Mayhew, Warwick Davis, Ray Park, and Billy Dee Williams), and a few new additions have been added to the schedule (such as John Ratzenberger, Mark Hamill, and some voice actors from the upcoming Star Wars Rebels series). Here is a full list of who you can expect to see and when:
Weekend I:May 16-18
Ahmed Best: Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace; Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones; Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Peter Mayhew: Chewbacca (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith; Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope; Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi; Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Vanessa Marshall: Hera Syndulla (Star Wars Rebels)
Weekend II: May 23-25
Warwick Davis: Wicket W. Warrick (Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi); Wald (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace)
Jeremy Bulloch: Boba Fett (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi); Capt. Jeremoch Colton (Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith)
Tiya Sircar: Sabine Wren (Star Wars Rebels)
Weekend III: May 30-June 1
Ray Park: Darth Maul (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace)
John Ratzenberger: Major Bren Derlin (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back)
Taylor Gray: Ezra Bridger (Star Wars Rebels)
Weekend IV: June 6-8
Mark Hamill: Luke Skywalker (Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope; Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi); Darth Bane (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) (Keep in mind that originally, it was stated that Mark Hamill will not be participating in the autograph sessions. This may have changed, but it is something to keep in mind in case he does not.)
Ray Park: Darth Maul (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace)
Billy Dee Williams: Lando Calrissian (Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Episode - VI Return of the Jedi)
Taylor Gray: Ezra Bridger (Star Wars Rebels)
Weekend V: June 13-15
Dee Bradley Baker: Captain Rex/the Clones, Bossk and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Cat Taber: Padmé Amidala and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Tom Kane: Yoda, the series’ narrator and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Matt Lanter: Anakin Skywalker and several additional characters (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Steve Blum: Zeb Orrelios (Star Wars Rebels)
In order to meet any of the celebrities during the Weekends, keep in mind that Disney will be utilizing FASTPASS tickets. Guests will need to arrive early to obtain a FASTPASS, because only a limited number are available per celebrity. FASTPASS tickets and wristbands can be obtained at the main entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, to the right of the turnstiles. Each guest must be present to receive a FASTPASS ticket. You may not obtain FASTPASS tickets for other members of your party. Your FASTPASS will indicate your autograph return time. When it’s time to return to meet the celebrity, you must proceed to the Celebrity Autograph location, found in Echo Lake, and you must show your FASTPASS wristband and present your FASTPASS ticket.
Once all the FASTPASS bands have been distributed for the day, stand-by tickets may be issued, but do keep in mind that those do not guarantee you the chance to meet the celebrity. Also, keep in mind that during Star Wars Weekends celebrities are subject to change.
In addition, returning this year for their Star Wars Weekends hosting duties will be James Arnold Taylor (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Ashley Eckstein (Star Wars: The Clone Wars). These two will serve as your masters of ceremonies during each and every weekend and will be there to host some of the fantastic shows that occur during the event.
In other Star Wars Weekends news, Disney has also released the new Feel the Force Premium VIP Package. Those who are willing to partake may buy this special package, which grants them the right to a reserved premium viewing area for both the Legends of the Force: Star Wars Celebrity Motorcade and the Symphony in the Stars fireworks. Both offer guests exclusive dining experiences – during the motorcade beverages and snacks will be provided and during the fireworks, there will be a Star Wars-themed dessert party. You will also receive a souvenir Disney PhotoPass card, as well as a few complimentary Star Wars photos.
The cost for this package is $54 for adults and $32 for children ages 3-9. For more information on the VIP Package, please click here.
Star Wars Weekends is included in your Disney’s Hollywood Studios admission. The excitement is in the air. Can you feel it?
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2014 Star Wars Weekends Celebrity Lineup Announced and More is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
PotterWatch: Knight Bus, Madam Puddifoot, and Interactive Wand Rumors
Harry Potter’s Knight Bus has arrived at Diagon Alley, along with tales of a new interactive wand experience in the Wizarding World.
What a difference a week makes in the Wizarding World! When last we PotterWatched, visible exterior progress on Universal Orlando‘s Harry Potter expansions seemed to have slowed. But Easter is all about rebirth, and in recent days several important new elements of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade have sprung to life. Plus, we have some tantalizing new information on the interactive wand experience that has internet rumor mills buzzing.
Knight Bus
The big news was the arrival of the iconic Knight Bus in front of Diagon Alley’s London Waterfront on April 11.
The three-story purple bus is surprisingly tall (and purple!) in person.
We can confirm that actors have recently been cast to portray both the bus driver, who will interact with guests outside the bus, and the Jamaican-accented shrunken head hanging from the rearview mirror (a remotely-controlled animatronic puppet).
Unfortunately, guests will not get to step aboard the bus. And don’t be surprised if Universal employees outside the Harry Potter attractions refuse to acknowledge the existence of the bus — it is supposed to be invisible to Muggles, after all!
London Waterfront and Diagon Alley Construction
Here are some Easter Weekend images updating progress on the London Waterfront area in Universal Studios Florida, which will conceal Diagon Alley.
This facade stands in for the bookstore briefly glimpsed in the films that sits next to the Leaky Cauldron.
These pillars will support a gateway leading to the London Waterfront.
These embankments will eventually sport authentic-looking London lampposts.
This is how the lamppost attachments looked on 4/20…
…and this is what they looked like the very next day.
The forested berm that will hide backstage areas is growing by leaps and bounds.
The glass roof over the bridge that runs above Diagon Alley is almost finished being installed.
Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop Facade Appears
The window facade in Hogsmeade Village that had been devoted to Wiseacres Wizarding Supplies has, almost overnight, been converted to represent Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop.
Wiseacres will reappear in Diagon Alley as the gift shop at the exit to the Gringotts attraction.
Zonko’s Window Update
Nearby in Hogsmeade, the windows of the former Zonko’s store have been rearranged.
The “puking pastilles” statue has been removed, the animated chess board has been repositioned, and additional fireworks have appeared.
This development seems to indicate that Zonko’s will remain memorialized in Hogsmeade as a window facade, though its interior is being swallowed up by Honeydukes.
Hogwarts Express Hogsmeade Station
Just outside of Hogsmeade Village, details are rapidly being applied to the Hogwarts Express train station, as more of the structure has been stripped of scaffolding.
Interactive Wand Rumors and More
The hottest topic on message boards and fansites recently has been the new interactive wands rumored to be in development for the Wizarding World. First mentioned by Theme Park Insider’s Rober Niles nearly a year ago, and most recently expanded upon by Ken Storey of Central Florida Top 5, these next-generation wands are said to integrate MEMS gyroscopic sensors (as seen in iPhones and Wii remotes) with Microsoft Kinect-style cameras to allow users to “cast spells” that trigger special effects hidden througout the parks’ Harry Potter-themed areas. For an idea of this type of technology’s entertainment potential, check out this patent from Creative Kingdoms LLC (creators of the MagiQuest attractions found in Great Wolf Lodge resorts), who were rumored to be working on such a project with Universal as far back as the Wizarding World’s first phase.
After consulting with highly-placed sources, we can confirm that Storey’s reports are essentially correct in most major details. Issues such a price and operating capacity are still being determined, but Universal is working towards having the interactive wand program ready in time for Diagon Alley’s grand opening, if not shortly thereafter. In fact, windows in Hogsmeade have already been undergoing after-hours upgrades for some time now, as the previous and following photos hint at.
The window with the shrieking mandrake was recently modified…
…as was the one displaying Quidditch equipment.
Obviously there are big question marks about how much this will cost, and how Universal cast members will facilitate guests’ use of the interactive wands, but we will confirm more details for you as they become available.
By the way, based on online chatter and backed by multiple back-channel sources, it’s looking more and more likely that the grand opening of Diagon Alley will happen on — or within a few days of — June 18, 2014. That just happens to be the fourth anniversary of the opening of the original Wizarding World, which would make for nice bit of magical symmetry. NBC’s Today Show was scheduled for a live broadcast from Universal Orlando — which is rumored to include an official opening date announcement — on Friday, April 25, but that was canceled without explanation as this article was being written.
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Epcot After Hours Wind Down – Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar Review
By Daisy Lauren
On just the third night of the new Epcot After Hours Wind Down event I was lucky enough to grab a table at Tutto Gusto. Since this event is still so new and I wasn’t able to find any information before we arrived for our reservation so I’m exited to share our experience with you! If you haven’t heard about it yet, the Epcot After Hours Wind Down is a new experience where guests are invited to stay in the park two hours after closing to enjoy a snack and drink at one of four restaurants. The cost is $35 per person and while advance reservations are highly recommended, the crowds were minimal the night we went. I’d heard rumors about rides staying open late but this turned out to be 100% false. For the premium price you get to see a completely empty Epcot and enjoy a quiet walk out of the park.
Of course, before I whisk you away to Tutto Gusto I should give you a quick look at Illuminations! One of the main benefits of this after hours party is that you don’t have to worry about positioning yourself to get out of the park post fireworks. We settled into a spot in Germany that we likely wouldn’t have chosen if we knew we’d be fighting the crowds on our way out to the parking lot.
Immediately following the fireworks we headed for Tutto Gusto and were greeted at the podium. When we checked in we were given wristbands and immediately shown to our table. We only counted ten other patrons in the restaurant besides our party! In talking to other guests in the park during the day it seemed like nobody had heard about it yet. Spoiler alert: get your reservations now! This event is fabulous and I can see the day coming where it sells out nightly.
As we were seated we were given a special event menu listing six different options. They included: All Bubbles Flight, Elegant Reds Flight, Piemonte Hills Flight, Seafood Flight, Vegetarian Flight, and Sweet Dreams Flight. I’m working on getting the menus uploaded for you but in the meantime I’ll detail the three flights that we tried. Also, unlike other locations for the Wind Down, in Italy you are able to get other food items from their cold foods case. The kitchens do close during these events so if you’re looking for a full meal you’ll likely be disappointed.
And now what you’ve all been waiting for – let’s talk about the food! I’ll start with the course I ordered which was the All Bubbles. Now, while the menu is very clear and even has pictures I just saw the name and immediately decided I wanted this course. The wine was delicious and the snack was.. interesting. The food included: parmigiano reggiano cheese, la tur, and olive di cerignola. So basically I had big hunks of cheese with bread and olives. I would have been delighted with this at lunch time but it was a bit much at 10pm at night and I ended up boxing up most of it to bring home. The quality and taste were excellent, though! One warning, the olives do have pits so it’s tough to eat them and look terribly ladylike. While we noshed on our snacks our server was very attentive and offered us several other items to go with our meal. I’m not sure if they have the same capabilities in the other Wind Down locations but adding a cappuccino was lovely! We didn’t feel rushed at all as we talked and enjoyed our time.
Next up is the Seafood course which we all agreed looked the best of the items we ordered. This was a mix of shrimp, squid, octopus, potato, celery, red onion, capers, lemon, and extra virgin olive oil all over a bed of lettuce. Of everything that we had at the table this was the only one that could be considered a late night, light dinner. I had a bite and if I went back this is the course I would order. If you’re torn between this and dessert we saw several people celebrating birthdays that received a free dessert during this after hours event. Ironically, there were only about five tables seated and two had cake delivered. I’m not suggesting that you fake a birthday to satisfy your sweet tooth but if those are available I would assume other desserts are available for order. We didn’t find out because our third flight took care of that for us!
Our third and final flight was the Sweet Dreams. It was divine but quite a sugar rush between the desserts and sweet wine. I would recommend that it should be shared. What you’re looking at is a mocha, chocolate, and a strawberry dessert. Between the three I couldn’t pick a favorite. This was the perfect end to a day at Epcot especially if you’ve already had a larger meal in World Showcase. Somewhere between this dessert and a few of the wine samples I lost my gumption to go take long exposure night photos of the World Showcase. Originally, my plan had been to scarf down my snack and then go take photos. But as the name indicates, when we left Tuttu Gusto I was completely relaxed and ready for a quiet stroll out to the car. I’ve been in Epcot hundreds of times but this was the most empty I’ve ever seen it… and the most magical. Sounds like a pretty good deal for $35, huh? My answer to that question is pretty obvious. We already have Spice Road Table booked for next weekend! 
So what do you think? Will you be trying the Epcot Wind Down Event? Do you have any questions about our experience? Let me know in the comments below. I’m always happy to hear from you! As always thanks so much for reading.
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Epcot After Hours Wind Down – Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar Review is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
April 22, 2014
Disney Tourist Manners, How Bad Is It? Part 2
By Erin Foster
A while back, I wrote a post about the relative offense of various theme park etiquette infractions. How bad is it to stop in a walkway, skip the tip, or decorate your door? Since that post, I’ve been back to Walt Disney World a few times and have noticed more things that might, or might not be breaches of civilized behavior.
The wildlife in the parks are living things, not themed attractions. Let them be.
As before, my caveats apply: With any opinion-based topic, there is bound to be a substantial gray area. What slightly miffs one person might absolutely horrify another. In the interest of promoting discussion, here are some possible theme park infractions and my personal assessment of their level of severity.
I’m going to rank items on a scale of 1-5.
1 = Perfectly fine. No bother at all.
2 = Mildly annoying.
3 = Pretty yucky.
4 = Bad. This is really no way to behave.
5 = Really super bad. Just stop now, you’re embarrassing yourself and those around you.
Wearing Pajamas to the food court
What’s the issue?: You just woke up and need your coffee. I roll out of bed at home to get my brew, why not do it on vacation?
My rating?: 1 if you’re under the age of 8. 3 if you’re under the age of 18. 4-5 if you’re an adult.
My rationale?: I’ve got no problem with little kids in their PJs in the food court for an evening snack. I’m somewhat less tolerant of the packs of teenage girls that head to breakfast wearing PJ bottoms and a tank top during cheerleading competition season. While Disney may feel like home, it is not actually your house. It takes about a second to throw on some jeans, but I give teens a moderate pass because they’re still learning the ropes. However, on several occasions, I’ve encountered adult men in their 40s, 50s, and 60s in the resort food courts wearing pajamas. Be a grown-up and put on some actual clothes.
Saving seats at the pool
What’s the issue?: You’re going to want a prime pool-side chaise later. Better mark our territory by leaving some towels and personal items on the chairs we want.
My rating?: 2-4 depending on the time of year and the duration of the hold.
My rationale?: It’s not really a big deal if one member of your party heads down to stake out a spot and the others follow down within half an hour or so, particularly if it’s not during peak swim season. However, leaving personal items on chairs and then heading out to the parks for several hours is just plain rude.
Grown man headed to the food court in his PJs.
Saving a spot on an attraction queue
What’s the issue?: The line is long and we don’t all want to wait. I’ll just hold the spot while the rest of the family chills out elsewhere.
My rating?: Usually a 4.
My rationale?: It’s one thing if you’re in a two-hour queue and a youngster needs a brief restroom break. You can apologize to your neighbors and pop out and back for just a second. Anything other than this is a big no-no in my book. Most queues are configured such that in order for someone to get to a friend in line, you have to squeeze past potentially hundreds of other people, bumping elbows and stepping on toes the whole way. But more importantly, not waiting with your group misrepresents the number of guests in line to both cast members and other guests, making projected wait times inaccurate. Also, it displays an unseemly sense of entitlement.
Taking the pen, soap, notepad, or plastic dry cleaning bag from your hotel room
What’s the issue?: It’s in the room that I paid for, doesn’t that make it mine?
My rating?: 1.
My rationale?: If it’s a disposable item in the room, yes it is yours. Moreover, if you really like a particular disposable item in your room, the yummy smelling shampoo for example, then you can feel free to ask your housekeeper for a few extra as a souvenir. Nine times out of ten, they’ll say yes.
Taking the Bible from your hotel room
What’s the issue?: Taking the Bible? It’s not disposable and it’s not mine, isn’t that a big time sin?
My rating?: 1.
My rationale?: Bibles are in hotel rooms due to a missionary effort by the Gideon organization, aimed at providing access to the word of God to all who want it. The Bibles are there to provide comfort to those in need. If you fall into that category, for whatever reason, and feel that keeping the Bible will help your spirit, then feel free to keep it. No questions asked.
If you really need it, feel free to take it.
Taking a towel animal from your hotel room
What’s the issue?: Those towel animals are sooooo cute. I want to enjoy them at home as well as at my hotel.
My rating?: 1.
My rationale?: I’ve spoken with a number of housekeepers and housekeeping managers at Walt Disney World. Every one has said that the decorated towel animals are yours to keep, if you desire. These are the ones that are held together with rubber bands, chenille stems, or tape, and decorated with stickers and the like. The classic three-towel Mickey shape you might find on your bed is just a nice arrangement of towels, leave those in the room.
Wearing your backpack while waiting in an attraction queue
What’s the issue?: I gotta take my valuables with me on the ride, what’s the problem?
My rating?: 3.
My rationale?: I’m not one who travels light. I tend to tote a large backpack in the parks, filled with enough rain ponchos and water bottles to survive anywhere on the flood-to-drought spectrum for at least a week. That’s fine, except when said backpack becomes a weapon. If you’re in tight quarters at Disney World, such as a narrow attraction queue, be aware that anyone behind you is in the line is a potential target for blunt force trauma. Move slowly, and if things are particularly close, take off the backpack and carry it in your hands for a while.
Keep your stuff contained as much as possible.
Sitting in the middle of the row
What’s the issue?: The best view is in the middle. That’s where I want to sit.
My rating?: 4
My rationale?: The best view may indeed be from the middle of the row, but clearly not everyone can sit there. If you absolutely MUST sit there (and I’m not sure why this would be the case), then stand in the aisle and let an appropriate number of people into the row until it’s half way full. If you park yourself in the middle at the outset, you’re posing a tripping hazard for other guests.
Not being ready at the security bag check
What’s the issue?: Everyone must have their bags inspected before entering the parks. It’s no surprise that you need to have thing ready to be searched.
My rating? 3-4
My rationale?: It’s no surprise that you need to have thing ready to be searched. Do everything you can to keep the line behind you moving. This means having your zippers unzipped, taking bags out of strollers, moving bulky items away from the bottom of the bag. Don’t make the guard’s job more challenging than it need to be, and don’t waste other guests’ time.
Messing with the wildlife
What’s the issue?: Those lizards, bunnies, squirrels, and ducks are adorable. Why can’t I play with them?
My rating: 5
My rationale: Disney can be a confusing place, with the line between real and imaginary easily blurred. But there are actual wild creatures inhabiting the parks. You’re on their turf, they’re not on yours. Don’t try to catch them, pick them up, or otherwise manhandle the wildlife. It’s really just cruel.
Leaving personal items in the resort halls or on the balconies
What’s the issue?: A view of your stuff interrupts other guests’ views of the resort themeing and decor.
My rating: 2-3
My rationale: I get it. You want to dry your swimsuit on the balcony or recharge your ECV in the hall so that it’s not in your way when you’re taking a shower or walking around the room. Makes sense, except that when it’s not in your way, it is in someone else’s way. I’ve paid a lot of money to get away from the clutter in my own house, I don’t want to go on vacation and encounter other people’s clutter. If you can keep it in your own space, please do so.
OK folks, it’s discussion time. Am I just a curmudgeon? Let me know (nicely) what I got wrong. What would you rank differently? Are there other park infractions that merit ranking? Tell us what’s on your mind.
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History of the Walt Disney World Marathon
The medals have changed…a bit (1994 vs. 2013) Image credit: Disney Parks Blog.
January 2015 will mark the 22nd running of the Walt Disney World Marathon, the flagship event of the runDisney endurance event series, which includes eight race weekends spread across both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Since its inception in 1994, the race has grown tremendously, both in participants (from 5,588 to a total of 24,000*) and duration, with 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon distance races offered on consecutive days – along with a variety of additional endurance challenges.
Although next year’s event is sure to sell out quickly (regular registration opens today, April 22, at noon Eastern, visit this page to sign up), you may be surprised to hear that these events were not always as popular as they are today. In fact, in 2011, registrations were at such a low number (under 50 percent by the summer of 2010) that Disney announced a special “Marathon Monday” incentive, which would give all 26.2 finishers free admission to the Disney parks – a perk that has not resurfaced since, much to the chagrin of many runDisney participants!
Still, WDW Marathon Weekend is a big draw, and along some of the changes already mentioned above, has been quite a wild ride over its more than two decades of existence. Let’s take a walk run down memory lane here now and reminisce:
1994 – Sunday, January 16th – the first running of the Walt Disney World Marathon! This race took participants through all (three!) theme parks. Additionally, Alevtina Naumova of Russa, sets the (still-standing) women’s course record at 2:34:47.
1995 – Leonid Shvestov, of Russia, sets the (still-standing) course record at 2:11:50. Additionally, the course was changed to include mileage through Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park. Another perk of the 1995 WDW Marathon? Race Organizers were given 75 spots to the Centennial Running of the Boston Marathon – 22 to the all age-group winners, and the remaining issued randomly to finishers (there was no elite division for the 1995 running).
1996 – marked the first year that race results are measured with electronic timing.
(Image credit: )
1998 - the 5th anniversary of the WDW Marathon and Inaugural Donald Half Marathon takes place, as well as a corporate relay option, in addition the full marathon. For the next eight years, the half marathon will take place on the same day as the marathon. The theme of the race that year was “Herculean Entertainment,” though the costs were quite the opposite ($50 for the full marathon, and $25 for the half).
1999 - following the first opening of a new Disney Park since 1989, the course was re-designed to include time in the new Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
2003 – the 10th anniversary of the WDW Marathon and the first year a local resident, Bea Marie Alitieri, of Clermont won the women’s marathon with a time of 2:53:10.
2006 - marked a big change in WDW Marathon Weekend, when the half and full marathons were separated into Saturday and Sunday…an action that spurred the inaugural Goofy “Race and a Half” Challenge, which involved running both the half and full marathons, two days in a row.
2010 - marked the largest participant field (55,000) as well as one of the coldest temperatures on record (the race began in the low-30′s). Additionally, this year marked the introduction of new “more magic” options including a Pre-race Pasta Party and a Post Race Celebration at Epcot.
2011 - this was the year of “Marathon Monday” – and also marked the first time that participants were able to vote for the medal design. Additionally, Fredison Costa beats fellow Brazilian Adriano Bastos in the marathon, ending Bastos’ eight-marathon winning streak which he began in 2003.
2012 - the first (and last) running of the Walt Disney World Chip and Dale Marathon Relay took place this year. Additionally, this year was the 15th anniversary running of the Donald Half Marathon.
2013 – the 20th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Marathon – this year, the course was changed to include a lap around the Walt Disney World Speedway, and some mileage at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. 95 “Perfect” Marathon runners were also honored, having completed the race 20 consecutive times. Additionally, this was the first year that women outnumbered men in the marathon (57 percent).
2014 – the introduction of the Inaugural 10K and Dopey Challenge (5K, 10K, 13.1 and 26.2), as well as capacity reductions (in response to crowding concerns), the additions of more race corrals, and gender-specific sizing for participant shirts.
2015 – will mark the 10th anniversary of the Goofy Challenge, and (of course) features an updated medal, which was announced shortly before early registration for 2015 began.
With more than two decades of miles and memories, the Walt Disney World Marathon continues to inspire and attract a variety of participants from all corners of the globe. As the runDisney brand expands its offerings, it’s interesting to see what the future holds for this race weekend.
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Have you ever participated in the WDW Marathon? What did we miss in our retrospective? Share your stories and memories with us in the comments.
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* 24,000 runners were registered for the 2014 Walt Disney World Marathon; more than 55,000 participated in weekend race events.
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April 21, 2014
Walt Disney World Newsworthy Notes – 4/21/14
A few minor new Walt Disney World newsworthy mentions, as well as a few in-park tests have cropped up over the past few days that I wanted you all to be aware of. Here’s the dirt:
For those who are fans of Anna and Elsa from Frozen and want to meet the sisters, you now must do so at the Magic Kingdom’s Princess Fairytale Hall in Fantasyland. The duo arrived to the new meet and greet area on Sunday. If you can snag one, you can FastPass+ this attraction. (Make sure to choose the Anna and Elsa meet, not the Cinderella and Rapunzel meet. If you want to meet Cinderella and Rapunzel, you will need to use a separate FastPass+ reservation.) Also, as a note, the Frozen meet and greet opportunity at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion has now closed. Do not head there to meet the two princesses. (Well, queen and princess.)
If you will be in Disney’s Animal Kingdom over the next couple of weeks, you may be able to run into Professor Parker Woodson from the Dino Institute and her pet velociraptor, V. This experience has guests coming into contact with the raptor in a show as the two roam the streets. V, being a dinosaur, does not meet with guests, but you can enjoy the show. Showtimes are expected to take place every half hour at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. in Dinoland U.S.A. The test is rumored to run until May 3. To see a video of a bit of the show, check it out here.
Speaking of tests, another test will be taking place at the Magic Kingdom. This test will involve the charging of cell phones for free! Cell phone charging lockers will be available in Tomorrowland at both Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe and in the Tomorrowland Light and Power Company (the gift shop for Space Mountain). Here’s how the service is expected to work: You swipe a credit or debit card, which will begin the service. Keep in mind that this is done only for identification purposes; your card will not be charged. A chamber door will pop open, and you then connect your smart phone to a charger. There will be options for various different phone models, including iPhone, Android, Windows, and BlackBerry. Guests then close the chamber door, which will then lock, and you are free to go do whatever you want. When you return, if the door is lit up green, it means that your phone is done charging. To remove the phone, you must swipe your credit or debit card again. Guests may only charge one phone at a time, and it is for phones only; tablets will not fit. This test officially rolls out on April 25 and will supposedly continue on until mid-summer.
Finally, two summer refurbishments were announced. The first is It’s Tough To Be a Bug at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, which will be closed for a little over a month, from July 7 – August 11, reopening on August 12. The second attraction that will see a brief refurb will be Carousel of Progress at the Magic Kingdom, which will be closed from August 25 – September 4, reopening on September 5.
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Walt Disney World Crowd Report – April 13 to 19, 2014
We received a lot of questions about this year’s Easter crowd level predictions, most of them doubting the crowds could be that low on Easter weekend. We stuck by our estimates however knowing that Easter crowds are lighter when it occurs in late April, and it turns out that we were right. In fact, thanks to a storm on Friday the crowds were actually lower that expected heading into the Easter weekend. We correctly predicted that the peak crowds around Easter would occur mid-week, not on the Holiday weekend itself. Easter will not occur late in April again until 2019.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up each day last week.
Crowd Report, April 13-19. 2014
The Walt Disney World Crowd Report
April 13 to April 19, 2014
Sunday’s crowds were the lowest we would see between Sunday and Friday last week. Magic Kingdom was a ’7′ as predicted even though it hosted Extra Magic Hour morning, Extra Magic Hour evening (until 3:00am), two daytime parades, two evening parades and Wishes. No other park was more crowded than Magic Kingdom on Sunday with Epcot and Animal Kingdom reaching a level ’6′ on our scale (predicted ’8′s at both parks). The Studios was also less crowded than expected with average wait times only reaching a level ’3′ (we predicted ’5′).
True Easter-week crowds rolled in on Monday with park level crowds reaching levels ’9′, ’8′, ’7′ and ’6′ at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and The Studios, respectively. Resort-wide we predicted a level ’9′ but those park levels we observed translate to one level lower, a resort-wide ’8′. Our predictions were all within two index levels including one level too low at Magic Kingdom, one too high at Epcot and two levels too high at both The Studios and Animal Kingdom.
Again on Tuesday our resort-wide prediction of ’9′ proved one level too high. Only Epcot reached a crowd level ’9′ on our scale, as predicted with the other parks coming in one or two levels lower than expected. At Magic Kingdom we saw a crowd level ’7′ with average wait times such as 54 minutes at Space Mountain (predicted 80) and 66 minutes at Peter Pan’s Flight (predicted 76). The Studios was a ’7′, only slightly lower than expected with average wait times of 66 minutes at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (predicted 81) and 46 minutes at Tower of Terror (predicted 66). Our prediction for Toy Story Mania was pretty close at 104 minutes (we predicted 101).
The number of the day on Wednesday was ’9′. We predicted a resort-wide ’9′, a ’9′ at the Magic Kingdom and a ’9′ at Epcot. All proved accurate. We predicted a ’9′ for the Studios and an ’8′ for Animal Kingdom but the wait times we observed translated to the reverse, an ’8′ at The Studios and a ’9′ at Animal Kingdom. Wednesday’s resort-wide wait times were as high as any other day throughout the 2014 Spring Break Season. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad averaged 75 minutes, Spaceship Earth 38 minutes, Great Movie Ride 23 minutes and Primeval Whirl averaged 33 minutes, all within their respective highest ranges.
Crowded parks continued on Thursday including a crowd level ’10′ at Epcot thanks to a 120 minute average wait time at Soarin’ and a 28 minute average at Mission: SPACE (Green). Even Spaceship Earth hit an average wait time of 37 minutes, the highest average wait time that attraction has seen since New Year’s Eve. Conversely, The Studios and Animal Kingdom which we predicted would be a level ’8′ underwhelmed and came in at a level ’6′. Toy Story Mania averaged 85 minutes which is about average for the year while Expedition Everest averaged 36 minutes, slightly higher than average.
Friday surprised us with lower crowds than expected. Our attraction models thought that Easter week crowds would continue through Saturday and they may have if not for an afternoon storm on Friday. As a result, wait times were quite low including a paltry 75 minute average wait at Toy Story Mania. Overall, the resort was a level ’6′ and only Epcot reached a level higher than that, a level ’7′.
Lower than expected crowds continued on Saturday with a resort-wide ’5′, two levels lower than predicted. We saw ’6′s at Magic Kingdom (as predicted), Epcot (predicted ’8′) and Animal Kingdom (predicted ’7′). The Studios was three levels lower than predicted coming in at a level ’3′.
What to Expect This Week
April 20 to April 26, 2014
Late April and Early 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 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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Walt Disney World Crowd Report – April 13 to 19, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
In the Parks with Morgan – Respite at the Tri-Circle-D Ranch
While I will always be a huge fan of the parks, there are times that even I need a break from the crowds and the noise (the 5th of July and January 2 come to mind). There are several places on property that I’ve found that get me back to zen, and I thought I’d share one of my favorites. Just past Pioneer Hall (that place where they do the Hoop De Doo Musical Revue) at Fort Wilderness (not the Wilderness Lodge) there’s a series of barns and paddocks that make up the Tri-Circle-D Ranch. The ranch is home to the horses of Walt Disney World including the Main Street Trolley horses, all the horses that pull the various carriages and wagons around property, and even the Cinderella Carriage ponies. And, in a happy turn of events, you can visit these gorgeous animals free of charge daily from 8 a.m. to around dusk. The ranch officially closes at 3:30 p.m., but there are often ranch hands in the open barns until well after that caring for the animals.
There are a couple of ways to get to the ranch, my favorite being to walk the trail from Wilderness Lodge. My good friend Krissy Murphy wrote a blog post about this particular trail here and if you have the time to take this trail for a great walk or run, I recommend it. You can also park at Fort Wilderness and take a bus from the stop near the parking lot to the Pioneer Hall stop. The bus routes can be a little confusing around those parts, so just ask a bus driver if you’re not sure where you’re going to end up. Or, if you’re up for a water adventure, take a boat to Fort Wilderness from Magic Kingdom, Wilderness Lodge, or the Contemporary. If you find yourself hungry when you get there, Trail’s End has a really fantastic “camp food” buffet for a reasonable price.
Once you get to Pioneer Hall, take the path around the building (you’ll see and hear the ranch) and stop by the paddocks to say hello to the Shetland ponies, famous for pulling Cinderella’s Carriage. They are often out in the paddocks romping around. Just a quick etiquette note – there are signs posted all around the ranch asking you not to pet the horses. While it is incredibly tempting (those ponies stick their noses right out there!), it’s best to wait for a ranch hand to give you permission. Too much petting can overwhelm the horses and occasionally fingers look just like carrots.
If you can make it past the ponies, head toward the barn. Upon entering, you’ll find to your right a small room full of Disney memorabilia with pictures of Walt Disney and the Disney horses as well as a fantastic set of tack including a stunning show saddle. Across the barn from the room is a scale model of the Dragon Calliope, the horse-drawn musical instrument that Walt Disney purchased for the Mickey Mouse Club Circus Parade at Disneyland Park in the 1950s.
The Main Barn Entrance
The mini-museum inside the barn
The Dragon Calliope
I love to see all of the photos and often spend a while reading, but my most favorite thing at the Tri-Circle-D is visiting the horses. The ranch houses between 80 and 90 horses at any given time and employs around 30 Cast Members specially trained to work in the AZA accredited Animal Programs department, the same department that oversees care for the animals at Animal Kingdom and The Seas. Cast Members are happy to share the horse’s stories with you like that of Jacob, the rare black Clydesdale who plays Merida’s horse Angus in Magic Kingdom events.
If you have a moment next time you’re on property, stop by to say hello to the residents of the Tri-Circle-D. It’s a really neat experience for kids, who may not have a chance to be this close to such gorgeous animals otherwise. The Ranch also offers trail rides, carriage rides, and wagon rides, with more information here. And if you can’t get enough of the Disney horses, don’t worry – a couple of years pulling trolleys can get a little boring for a horse, so Disney adopts their animals out. The adoption process is long and intense, but who wouldn’t want to own a Disney horse?
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