Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1237

10 Amazing Itinerary Choices for 2015 Disney Cruise Line Sailings

By Tammy Whiting

Well they did it!  Disney Cruise Line finally put us out of our misery and ended the wait!  The rest of the 2015 itineraries are out!  Oh, wait!  No, they’re not.  After all of the hoopla Disney only announced through the summer of 2015.  Come on, Disney!  The good news is, aside from the standard 7-night Caribbean and 3- or 4-night Bahamian cruises (which are excellent if you haven’t tried one) there are some really exciting options out there.  I had a hard time choosing which one (or ones truth be told) I wanted to do most!  Here are some of the highlights for me.

1. Norway – No one ever accused Disney of missing marketing opportunities.  Anyone heard of a little movie called “Frozen”?  It did alright.  After announcing Norway itineraries with Adventures by Disney, Disney Cruise Line has followed that up with the first ever sailings through the Norway Fjords on the Disney Magic!  Can you even imagine how awesome and gorgeous?  There are both 7- and 9-night options.  With stops at Stavanger, Alesund, Bergen, and Geiranger (all in Norway), this new itinerary is going to be amazing!  I can’t wait to see what wonderful excursions Disney has in store!

2. Iceland – That’s right, Disney is visiting Iceland too!  On a great 11-night itinerary that sails to Norway as well!  After departing Copenhagen, Denmark, and visiting the Norwegian ports of Oslo, Kristiansand, and Stavanger, the Magic makes two stops in Iceland in Akureyri and Reykjavik.  The Reykjavik stop even includes a somewhat rare thing for Disney Cruise Line – an overnight in a port!  That’s an amazing opportunity.  And if that weren’t enough, there’s a stop in the Faroe Islands before ending in Dover, United Kingdom.  Not too shabby, right?

3. Baltic – After a several year absence, Disney is finally returning to the Baltic.  The highlights of the Baltic cruises are the Northern capital cities like St. Petersburg, Russia; Berlin, Germany; Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; and Stockholm, Sweden.  The last time Disney sailed the Baltic they sailed out of Dover, England, but this time on the 7-night sailings Disney is sailing roundtrip out of Copenhagen, so that’s a great opportunity to spend some time there before or after your Baltic cruise.  The 12-night sailings overnight in St. Petersburg and are roundtrip out of Dover.  That’s a long list of great ports.

4. Mediterranean – After the success of the Med cruises last summer, and considering how well they’ve been selling this summer, it’s no great shocker that Disney is returning.  One big difference is that all of the 2015 sailings in the Med are shorter 5 or 7 night sailings.  Not great if you wanted to relax on a longer cruise, but really great if you want to pair it with a land vacation.  You’ll have more time to explore Europe and because the 2015 Med itineraries are shorter, the prices are better.  I didn’t say outright cheap, but better.  Compare those babies to the 12-nighters and you’ll see what I mean.

5. Transatlantic – I am loving the Transatlantic itinerary this time.  So far only the Eastbound crossing has been announced, but it’s a great one.  This 15-night sailing leaves Port Canaveral on May 15th and guess where the first port is?  New York, New York!  I’ve sailed Disney out of New York before and let me tell you, there are not many cruise experiences cooler than sailing past the Statue of Liberty.  It’s awesome.  Then it’s off to Canada for a stop in St. Johns, Newfoundland.  Up next is Reykjavik and then Oslo, before ending with an overnight in Copenhagen!  I mean seriously?  Was there a bad or even so-so port in that list?  No.

6. Dover to Barcelona –This is another repositioning cruise.  The bad thing about one-way cruises?  One-way airfare.  The good thing?  Extra time to visit the starting AND ending city which in this case would be Dover and Barcelona, Spain.  Ports along the way are Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; and Gibraltar, United Kingdom.  Here’s a good tip for one-way air.  Buy a roundtrip ticket into London or Barcelona, whichever is less.  Then buy a one way flight within Europe.  Flights between European cities can be very cheap.  We found some for $100 last summer from Barcelona to London.

7. Alaska – Alaska isn’t new, but it’s still one of Disney’s best itineraries.  Our Alaskan cruise was absolutely in our top two itineraries.  The day we spent sailing through Tracy Arm was one of my favorite days ever on a cruise ship.  We lined up our deck chairs and didn’t leave our spot all day, except to bring food back!  And the food was an excellent barbeque on deck.  Almost every day of the trip was spent with beautiful landscapes on all sides of the ship.  We saw whales, eagles, seals, so much wildlife!  Kayaking in Ketchikan was one of our favorite excursions we’ve ever done.  The pools onboard were the perfect temperature and I wish we’d discovered that earlier in the cruise.  I seriously cannot recommend an Alaskan sailing enough.  If airfare into Vancouver is scaring you, look at flying into Seattle.  There are lots of options to get to Vancouver from there.

8. Panama Canal – Sailing through the Panama Canal has got to be a highlight for anyone.  Until the expansion project is complete, Disney only has one ship that will fit through the canal – the Disney Wonder.  The canal crossing is May 1st – 15th which is tough for those with kids in school, but think of the experience!  The 2015 crossing sails out of Miami and stops in Cozumel, Mexico; Cartagena, Columbia; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  It ends in beautiful San Diego, California!  This is a great itinerary and while it does involve one way flights, we’re talking all within the continental U.S.  Airlines here are much more reasonable on one-way flights.  Gone are the days where you could get a roundtrip ticket cheaper than a one-way flight.

9. Double Dips – Disney also has some double-dip cruises on the Dream in 2015!  What’s a double dip you ask?  Double dips are sailings where you don’t stop at Castaway Cay once – you get to go twice!  Yay!  If you’ve been to Castaway Cay before you know there’s no such thing as too much time there.  In fact, I’d be happy with a cruise that only stopped there multiple times.  It’s truly an amazing stop.  We’ve done an itinerary on the Magic that stopped at Castaway Cay twice and loved it.  There are six of these 5-night sailings on the Dream in the summer of 2015.  If you are on the fence about which Bahamian cruise to pick, pick this one.

10. San Diego to Vancouver – One more repositioning cruise for you!  San Diego to Vancouver, British Columbia.  This sailing is a 5-night sailing leaving on May 20th and it only has one stop!  But my word, what a great stop.  San Francisco!!  Wouldn’t you love to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge?  I know I would.  And a chance to spend a day in San Francisco at the Walt Disney Family Museum, Fisherman’s wharf, Alcatraz, etc.?  There are just so many places to visit in San Francisco.  Follow up your exciting day there with two days at sea and cap off your sailing with a few days in Vancouver.  You won’t be disappointed!

Oh my word!  How will we ever pick?  Did you decide on one?

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Disney California Adventure Videos: Mariachi Divas and World of Color

By Seth Kubersky

Watch these videos and see World of Color in a whole new way. (images by Seth Kubersky)

Just as Walt famously said that the Disney empire “all started with a mouse,” the magic of Touring Plans all started with a book — namely, the Unofficial Guide. As co-author (with Bob Sehlinger and Len Testa) of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, I’m proud to announce that preliminary work is complete on the 2015 edition of our Anaheim guidebook, which will make its way to store shelves in plenty of time for the resort’s upcoming 60th anniversary. Naturally, we’ll continue to refine the text right up until the time it is sent to the printers later this year, and we’ll be bringing you details on the changes made to the tome as its publication approaches in the fall. But for now, I wanted to share a tiny taste of a couple of the changes coming to the Unofficial Guide, via a few fun Disney California Adventure videos — featuring the Mariachi Divas and World of Color — that I recorded during my most recent visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.

Mariachi Divas

The Mariachi Divas are one of my favorite under-the-radar entertainment diversions found at Disney California Adventure, but until now they’ve be unjustly under-represented in the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland. We’ve rectified that with an an expanded entry on this fabulously festive singing group.

Here’s a preview of our updated 2015 guidebook information on the Mariachi Divas:

The Mariachi Divas is a fabulous all-female mariachi musical group that plays sets in the Pacific Wharf area, walking between the seating areas of the counter service restaurants. They are probably the only multiple Grammy Award winning recording artists (most recently Best Regional Mexican Album of 2014) with a regular theme park gig. We particularly enjoy the Divas’ rendition of “it’s a small world.”

Because a picture is worth a thousand words — and a video is worth a million — here is a recent recording highlighting few of my favorite selections from one of their performances:

 

 

World of Color Time Lapse & Slow-Motion

Since its debut in 2010, World of Color has become (along with Cars Land) one of the most popular elements of Disney California Adventure’s rebirth. We’ve included an in-depth entry for World of Color in the Unofficial Guide for several editions now, but the 2015 book boasts the most comprehensive coverage yet, including updated information on dining packages, preferred viewing sections, and the “Winter Dreams” seasonal variation featuring Frozen.

While Fantasmic! is still my personal favorite Disneyand day-ending spectacular, World of Color continues to grow on me, as I seem to see and appreciate new aspects of the production with each viewing. In that spirit, here are two videos demonstrating dramatically different takes on the famous fountain show.

First, here’s a fascinating time-lapse video that condenses the entire 24 minute presentation down to just 100 seconds:

 

 

Finally, I shot this World of Color slow-motion footage with my iPhone 5S at 120 frames per second, then edited it on my iPad using Pinnacle Studio. I find the slow-mo falling of the water spray almost hypnotic, and the flame bursts during the Pirates of the Caribbean segment are especially surreal viewed in Matrix-like “bullet time.”

The audio has also been time-stretched and pitch shifted, creating odd warbling artifacts that could charitably be called “the most annoying sound in the world.” So I strongly recommend turning your volume down before pressing play, lest all the stray dogs in your neighborhood come calling:

 

 

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Disney Money Saving Tips from Liners

By Laurel Stewart

As we write our updates for the 2015 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World, I find myself reaching out to Liners for their best quotes and tips.  First, you many ask yourself, “what’s a Liner?” Well, you know Lines? The highest rated Disney free or paid app on iTunes or Google Play? The one that comes with your TouringPlans subscription? In it is a feature called Chat. Subscribers can even access it on their desktop computers by going to http://m.touringplans.com and logging in. It’s a lively unstructured discussion of all things Disney, and there are some pretty knowledgeable users online who can answer all kinds of questions in 255 characters or less. This week I asked, “What are your Disney money saving tips?”

 

A preview of the conversations you’re missing

 

Disney Money Saving Tips from Liners

I started doing clothing swaps with friends to stock up my warm weather wardrobe for nothing! We also made a Disney Jar that we put all of our loose change in to save up spending money. Sharing meals was a big money saver, too.

2:09pm on 4/15/14 by rootye

For us, the Disney Visa Premier works like a charm. With 2% back on any dining or Disney purchase (including travel), we more than cover the annual fee. It also builds into a very nice “rewards” gift card that we bring to cover food, souvenirs, etc.

2:50pm on 4/15/14 by boomeg

We toss our change into a giant vase in the living room. I finally turned it all in. $1200!! Paid for our flights!!

2:53pm on 4/15/14 by sillnora

Be realistic with your budget. I’ve found that I need to have an “ideal budget” then multiply it by 2 to make sure we save enough for the trip we want.

3:02pm on 4/15/14 by cori.mizell

It’s much easier to save money for your 2nd (or 12th) trip because you now know that a trip to WDW is worth the money, and you also know what meals, experiences, souvenirs and extras you will want to splurge on or skip.

3:37pm on 4/15/14 by sallyepp

I leave my not-Disney-appreciative husband at home. Money saved on ticket = $403. Whining free trip = priceless

4:36pm on 4/15/14 by Plutosmypal

This is just a tiny percentage of the great ideas posted in Chat. Our Liners are smart AND funny! Check it out. Anyone can read, but you have to be a subscriber to post.

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SATURDAY SIX: Six Outrageous Food Items at Walt Disney World

By Derek Burgan

This week’s SATURDAY SIX covers Top Six Outrageous Food Items at Walt Disney World. Regular readers of this column know that we like our theme park food, and the more outrageous it is, the better. While Disney has its fair share of fine dining (Victoria & Albert’s, California Grill, and Jiko among others), it also has many food items that would make your cholesterol and blood sugar rise just by looking at them. Today we are going to look at six of our favorites…

# 6 – The Doh-Bar (Cookes of Dublin)

Downtown Disney is our first stop, and while Raglan Road is the critics’ darling, Cookes of Dublin next door has one of our favorite snacks on property, the ‘Doh bar.’ Picture this: a Snickers bar is dipped into donut batter, deep fried, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar. Basically, a work of art that ranks somewhere in between Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and Michaelangelo’s David.

The ‘Doh bar” – Donut Battered Snickers

In fact, Cookes of Dublin has several snacks (see the menu) that make our heart skip a beat (granted, that may actually be palpitations). Double Dipped Onion Rings? Garlic and Parmesan Skinny Chips? Mini Irish Style Battered Sausages? Someone call Weight Watchers, we’re gonna need more points this week.

Double Dipped Onion Rings? “We have to go back!” – Jack, LOST

# 5 – Tie-Dye Cheesecake (Everything POP)

Over at Disney’s Pop Century Resort‘s food court (Everything POP) we find the next item on our list, Tie-Die Cheesecake. The cheesecake itself is tasty, but the weird colors do play a trick on your brain, not unlike the purple and green ketchups that Heinz created in the ’90s,

Tie-Dye Cheesecake

# 4 – Gourmet Apple (Various Locations)

Just as cupcakes seem to have taken over the dessert world outside of theme parks, insanely elaborate candy apples have exploded within both Disney and Universal. Throughout Disney property you’ll find some of the most amazingly themed Gourmet Apples that have so much detail (and sugar) in them that they can be considered a work of art as much as food. Each month new candy apples are added to the mix, so there is always a reason to stop by and see the latest creation.

The ears on this Sorcerer’s Mickey Gourmet Apple were made out of marshmallows.

Gourmet Apples can be found at the following locations: Magic Kingdom (Main Street Confectionery, Big Top Treats), Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Sweet Spells), Disney’s BoardWalk Inn (Seashore Sweets), and Downtown Disney (Goofy’s Candy Company, Candy Cauldron)

# 3 – Chocolate Extinction (T-REX Cafe)

Everything about T-REX Cafe is larger than life, and this dessert is no exception. Here’s how it is billed:

A gigantic portion of chocolate fudge cake served with ice cream, whipped topping drizzled with fudge and caramel sauces and sprinkled with Butterfinger crumbs. Enough for four!

They had us at Butterfinger crumbs. In fact, we might have ordered a side of steamed vegetables with our entree if they sprinkled with pieces of Kit Kat. The Chocolate Extinction itself is impressive, and you get a show when it is served, as in the middle of everything is a container of dry ice that provides a great smoke effect. There are several large portions of the fudge cake, and the Butterfinger crumbs sprinkled liberally around the plate were as good as advertised.

The Chocolate Extinction at T-REX Cafe. Picture does not do it justice.

# 2 – The King Cupcake (Everything POP)

Returning to the Everything POP food court at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, we find a cupcake that just may change your life. Dedicated to the “King” Elvis Presley, this cupcake contains all the elements Elvis used in his favorite sandwich, combined with a chocolate cupcake. Inside the cupcake is a dollop of banana custard, while on top of the cupcake is peanut butter icing, candied bacon, and chocolate drizzle. Trust us: Piggylicious at Flower & Garden Festival is a fad cupcake, but the King Cupcake is the real deal.

The only cupcake fit for a King

# 1 – The Kitchen Sink (Beaches and Cream Soda Shop)

One of my favorite things to do with friends and family who rarely go to WDW is take them to Beaches & Cream Soda Shop (at Disney’s Beach Club) to experience the Kitchen Sink. Served in a replica sink, this dessert includes 8 scoops of ice cream and every single topping in the house, along with a full can of whipped cream (complete ingredients below). It is a great experience for young and old, as the servers at the restaurant make a big deal when serving this confectionery behemoth.

Ladies and Gentleman, start your engines….

“How did this piece of fruit get in here?”

About halfway through eating The Kitchen Sink, the various ingredients all begin to combine into one ice cream soup (it also may be sentient, but by this point we were in a sugar coma). Finishing the Kitchen Sink gives one a feeling of accomplishment that I can only assume runners of a Disney marathon feel. Kindred spirits.

Are you ready for the full list of ingredients? Here it is, thanks to the Disney Parks Blog:

½ cup fudge topping, warmed
½ cup butterscotch topping, warmed
½ cup peanut butter topping, warmed
1 medium banana, sliced in 1/2 –inch slices
1 cinnamon spice cupcake (2 ½ x 1 ¼-inch), quartered
1 angel food cupcake (3 x 1 ½-inch), quartered
2 4-oz. scoops vanilla ice cream
2 4-oz. scoops chocolate ice cream
2 4-oz. scoops strawberry ice cream
1 4-oz. scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 4-oz. scoop coffee ice cream
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
¼ cup marshmallow crème
¼ cup strawberry topping
¼ cup pineapple topping
1 14-oz can dairy whipped topping
1 brownie (6-inch x 6-inch), quartered
1 regular-sized (2 ounce) candy bar, quartered
4 chocolate cookies with cream filling
1 tablespoon sliced toasted almonds
1 tablespoon dark and white chocolate shavings
1 tablespoon chocolate cookies with cream filling, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped jellied orange slices (approximately 2 large slices)
1 tablespoon milk chocolate chip morsels
1 tablespoon peanut butter chip morsels
1 tablespoon chocolate sprinkles
1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles
½ cup drained maraschino cherries

 

Popcorn from the Magic Kingdom

If you like theme park food as much as we do, prepare your saliva glands for the following articles:

Six Outrageous Food Items at Universal
Top Six Food Options in Fast Food Blvd.
Six More Outrageous Food Items at Universal
Six Iconic Snacks of the Magic Kingdom
Six Favorite Snacks at Universal’s Mardi Gras
Six Favorite Snacks at Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights

So there you have it: Six Outrageous Food Items at Walt Disney World. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six, where we are going to look at things we’d like to see change at Universal Orlando Resort. If you had fun, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles or, for your listening pleasure, check out Pardon the Pixie Dust podcast.

Special thanks to Disney Blogger Extraordinaire Morgan Crutchfield and Brandon Glover for their assistance with this article.

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In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of April 18, 2014

By Rikki Niblett

In Case You Missed It!

Have you been busy dying eggs and eating the ears off chocolate bunnies? Here’s what you missed this week!

In Case You Missed It – Disney News and Rumors

Easter is this weekend and one of my favorite things that Walt Disney World used to do was televise their Easter Day Parade? There was nothing like waking up with Joan London and Alan Thicke as they shared commentary about all the Easter happenings. Today, I have for you the 1990 parade. Unfortunately there are a few pieces missing, but it’s still fun to watch! (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 Part 6, Part 7, Part 8) It’s also a nice reminder of when these parades weren’t super over produced and we actually got to watch the parade! If anyone else has any of these old parades, you should totally post them on YouTube. I’m always looking for these videos around Easter. I miss this parade so much!

Parents Magazine had a great article about the “Top 5 Things To Do With Preschoolers at Walt Disney World.” There were some great suggestions for parents to consider.

Have you ever noticed that a lot of things related to Disney revolve around birds? There are birds everywhere in many of Disney’s films and in the theme parks. Find out more. (My favorite birds…the seagulls from Finding Nemo.  Mine!)

Imagineer Jason Surrell has been sharing blog posts about the creation of Star Tours on the official Star Wars Blog.  Recently he discussed how the Star Tours attraction’s plot was created and how the attraction’s film footage was shot. Both stories are great history lessons on this classic attraction.

Are you getting excited about the new Four Seasons opening on Walt Disney World property this summer? Here’s “5 Reasons to Get Excited.”

Trip Advisor took a survey to find out the most family friendly hotels in the country and two Walt Disney World hotels made the list! Which two? Read on to find out!

Ooh! This sounds right up my alley! Aboard the Disney Fantasy is a new dessert experience called Remy Presents Pompidou’s Patisseries Dessert Experience. It’s five courses of desserts and coffee. Let’s hope they roll this out to the Disney Dream too! Sounds incredible.

Mary Poppins is such a delightful movie, one featuring fantasy and imagination. But of course, there was some reality in how it was filmed. Thanks to Disney Insider we actually got to see some of the movie making magic as they shared some fantastic photos showing the details.  It’s interesting to see how Walt Disney actually created this fantastic masterpiece.

This week on Dancing With The Stars, the performers danced to songs with Disney flair. If you didn’t see it earlier, catch it now.

In Case We Missed It

What did we miss? Send your idea attached to this cute Mickey/Easter Bunny combo plush and send both to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.

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2014 Grand Floridian Easter Eggs

By Daisy Lauren

One of the things I love most about writing for Touring Plans is that it encourages me to go out and see things I would have skipped in the past.  If you can believe it this is the third annual Easter Egg display at the Grand Floridian, but the first year I’ve stopped by for a visit.  I have each and every one of you to thank, because the display is incredible!  I couldn’t think of a better way to wish everyone a happy Easter and to share some photos!  First the lovely Briar Rose:

And on the reverse side of the princess is her Prince Phillip.  Can you believe each of these eggs is between 16 – 20 inches tall and weighs over 9 pounds even though they are hollow?  Also, in frame you can see a non-Disney themed egg.  There are eighteen eggs on display this year so I couldn’t feature all of them.  Though I focused on the Disney eggs there are others that are more traditional or themed after famous works of art.  They are all exquisite!

Another famous princess with her very own egg is Cinderella.  Nineteen cast members spent three weeks creating these eggs and were given complete artistic freedom.  If you were given an egg what character would you put on it?  Personally, I always think Wall-E doesn’t get enough play.  (Not to mention painting EVE on a egg is about the limit of my artistic ability!)

And the reverse side features the Fairy Godmother with Lady Tremaine and her daughters tucked on the side.  The painted background and custom made base on this egg were really impressive!

The most popular egg while I was there featured Elsa from the new Disney movie Frozen.  I suppose if it’s a 4 hour wait to meet her in person a photo with an egg is the next best thing!

Okay, I don’t know where this little guys is from but is he not just the cutest?  Is he from a Disney movie and I just can’t place him?  Let me know in the comments below if you recognize him.  Also, note on the far right that is yet another egg in frame with expertly piped icing!

Here is a wide look at three eggs together.  It’s pretty incredible that everything you see here is edible.  Just goes to show what some modeling chocolate, fondant, sculpted sugar, royal icing, and Disney Magic can create!

This one has to be my absolute favorite of the bunch.  Not only does it feature Lady and the Tramp but check out the base!  Yep – they created a candy bowl of pasta for this egg to rest upon.  The painting was so vivid on this egg.  It’s amazing to think everything was created with edible paint!

And finally, the lovely Rapunzel with Flynn climbing her hair.  The painting was so beautiful on this egg but even more impressive was all the detail in the base and around the egg.  It’s tough to see but the magic golden flower from the movie is sprouting from the top!

Here’s the final image I’ll leave you with.  I laughed out loud when I saw this one!  But doesn’t Maximus deserve his close up too?  What a great scene for them to choose for the egg!  It was nice to see some humor when most featured strictly iconic scenes from films.

I hope all of you have enjoyed touring the 2014 Grand Floridian Easter Eggs with me and that you all have a wonderful Easter!  Let me know what you’re hoping to find in your Easter basket in the comments below.  As always thanks so much for reading and commenting!

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Even More TouringPlans Content in 2014

By Laurel Stewart

Original Flavor Unofficial Guide

It started with a book. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. Then TouringPlans.com came online in 2001 covering Walt Disney World and, later, Disneyland. Last year, TouringPlans launched Universal Orlando and Disney Cruise Line.

This year, we want to bring even more trip planning content to you. We are sending researchers out to Disney destinations over the globe, and we’ll need your help deciding the best content to cover. Over the next few months, we’ll be introducing our team, some of whom you already know from the blog, some who prefer to spend time behind the scenes. They will tell you about where we’re sending them, a little bit about their travel parties, and ask what you want to know about planning your own trips there. Nearly everyone (sorry, Morgan!) is going somewhere he or she has never been before. We’ve got whole families, couples, and friends traveling together.

You can even share the experience with us. We’ll be hosting meets everywhere we’re visiting on October 12 and would love to see you. Can’t make it to Tokyo or Paris? Follow us on Twitter (@TouringPlans #Everywhere) that day for photos and videos from your old and new favorite Disney parks, resorts, and ships.

So what are we covering?

United States – Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, Disney’s Hilton Head Resort, and Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa; with new hotels, restaurants, and money-saving tips whether you drive or fly.

Asia – Tokyo Disneyland Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort; including how to navigate everything from buying park tickets to the trains to the parks.

Europe – Disneyland Resort Paris; including the DLRP travel packages, hotel reviews, and how to get the best airfare to France.

Disney Cruise Line – all four Disney Cruise Line ships, Magic (7-night Southern Caribbean from San Juan), Wonder (6-night Western Caribbean from Miami), Dream (4-night Bahamas from Port Canaveral), and Fantasy (7-night Western Caribbean with Falmouth, Jamaica, from Port Canaveral); with new Port Adventures and kids’ activities coverage.

As always, our trips are booked with our own money at rates available to the general public.

Stayed tuned to find out who got Hong Kong and who got South Carolina! (Actually, I got Hilton Head, and I’m pretty happy about it.)

Brian is so excited that he made this fab video:

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Magic Kingdom FastPass+ Parade and Fireworks Viewing Tips and Observations

By Seth Kubersky

Get a VIP view with FastPass+ parade and fireworks viewing areas at the Magic Kingdom (photos by Seth Kubersky)

Welcome to the future of fireworks and parades at Walt Disney World! In recent weeks, as the final rollout of FastPass+ has concluded in the Disney World parks, I’ve been sharing my experiences using the system as an Annual Passholder at Epcot, as well as at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Since my last post, FastPass+ has been fully implemented for all Disney World guests, including day-guests not staying on Disney property, and I’ve finally had the opportunity to experience one of the most controversial aspects of the new system. Without further ado, here are my FastPass+ parade and fireworks viewing tips, based on my personal observations at the Magic Kingdom.

 

Festival of Fantasy FastPass+ Parade Viewing

When the features of FastPass+ were first announced, the private reserved viewing areas for parades and other spectaculars were the aspect I was most skeptical (even cynical) about. Personally, such performances are usually very low on my priority list during a park visit for several reasons. Most of the parades had grown quite stale to me from years of over-exposure, I have an aversion to spending valuable touring time staking out a spot of asphalt just to get a good view, and I can’t abide being crammed like sardines in the crowd that accompanies the procession. So I would normally use that time to take advantage of marginally shorter queues at my favorite attractions. If I did want to see a parade, I’d typically walk up a minute or so before it started, and make do with a partial view blocked by the sea of shoulder-sitting small-fries in front of me. With a limit (soon to be lifted) of only 3 FastPass+ reservations per day, I couldn’t see myself “wasting” one on something like a parade when Space and Splash are beckoning.

This is currently the closest you can get to Anna and Elsa from Frozen without a mult-hour wait for their meet & greet.

 

But with the debut of Festival of Fantasy, Disney has turned my thinking around. As we’ve previously said, the Magic Kingdom’s new parade is one of the best they’ve done in decades, and it’s a welcome replacement for the previous mothball-worthy daytime production. My first viewing of Festival of Fantasy on opening day was from in front of The Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square, and while I was duly impressed by the costumes and floats, I found the cramped quarters just as frustratingly claustrophobic as always.

This was my view the first time I saw Festival of Fantasy without FastPass+. Note the sea of sweaty bodies on all sides.

Then, a few weeks later, I returned to the Magic Kingdom, this time with a FastPass+ for Festival of Fantasy securely attached to my shiny new MagicBand.

A panoramic picture of the FastPass+ parade viewing area.

 

Despite my previous skepticism, the experience was vastly more enjoyable this time around. The parade viewing area is on the inner north side of the central hub, directly facing Cinderella’s castle, and extends approximately from the Liberty Square bridge to the passage towards Tomorrowland. That’s about 150 degrees worth prime real estate, reserved exclusively for a maximum of 350 people (according to cast members staffing the area).

Plenty of room to move around in the hub’s FastPass+ section.

Entering the viewing area was fairly painless, thanks to a small army of tablet-wielding FastPass+ parade facilitators, and once inside I found all the elbow room I could wish for. The typical Disney World parade experience involves standing in a 1-foot-square spot of asphalt for at least a half-hour, unable to shift more than a few inches in any direction without nudging your neighbors. Inside the FastPass+ parade viewing area, the opposite is true; I could walk freely around the viewing area without restriction, or even sit on the ground and stretch out my legs along the curb.

I’ve heard some people report that the FastPass+ parade section is “too close” to get good photographs, which may be true if you are trying to get a wide-angle shot encompasing multiple floats. But I found it to be a fantastic location for capturing details of the cavalcade’s characters, thanks to the freedom to follow the floats as they cross in front of the castle.

 

Several signature moments, including the steampunk-styled dragon’s dramatic fire breathing, appeared to be timed for optimal viewing from the FastPass+ parade area.

 

 

Main Street Electrical Parade FastPass+ Viewing

A few days later, I was back at the Magic Kingdom to relive one of my childhood favorites, the Main Street Electrical Parade. The FastPass+ viewing procedures for MSEP are identical to those for Festival of Fantasy, and I found the experience equally enjoyable. The vintage float designs do tend to look a little better with some distance, but I felt that was outweighed by the lack of crowding, and the ability to walk up only minutes before the parade arrived, which permitted me to take a couple laps on the PeopleMover prior to the parade.

 

 

Wishes and Celebrate the Magic FastPass+ Fireworks Viewing

Finally, the experience of watching Wishes — the Magic Kingdom’s signature fireworks show — from the FastPass+ viewing area was perhaps my most magical moment of all. The Wishes FastPass+ area is located on the northeast side of the central hub, near an area known as the “rose garden.” While everyone else is standing on cement, you will be able to stretch out on a grassy lawn, which can feel like your own personal patch of heaven after a day of plodding around the park. One young guest in the crowd I attended with said it was like “a picnic with fireworks,” and I heartily concur.

Guests relaxing in the grass at the Wishes FastPass+ fireworks viewing area.

As a two-for-one bonus, the FastPass+ fireworks viewing area opens early enough for you to catch Celebrate the Magic, the video projection show staged on the surface of Cinderella Castle fifteen minutes before each fireworks performance.

The one disadvantage of the Magic Kingdom’s FastPass+ fireworks area is that it is off-center, so the fireworks don’t appear directly above the iconic landmark like you see in television commercials. But I still thought it looked quite beautiful even from an angle, and managed to capture some surprisingly good shots of the spectacle with my iPhone.

Hey, where did the castle go?

If you can’t secure a FastPass+ for Wishes, be aware that (at least on the night I attended) a nearby section of pathway leading to the former Swan Boat docks was accessible to anyone, providing almost the same view — minus the grass to sit on.

With all the construction currently occurring on the hub, this area may well be closed off, but it’s worth asking a FastPass+ cast member if you are allowed to watch from there.

 

Final FastPass+ Parade and Fireworks Tips and Observations

Most of the buzz about FastPass+ has revolved around using it for attractions, but I think parade and fireworks viewing may turn out to be the program’s “killer app,” or at least a “sleeper hit.” Using FastPass+ for E-Ticket rides is certainly a great convenience, but by arriving at rope drop and following a good touring plan, you can have nearly the same experience without it. FastPass+ parade and fireworks viewing areas, on the other hand, afford a luxurious VIP-style treatment that ordinary guests can’t have (at least without dropping a boatload of money on an exclusive party). If you are only visiting the Magic Kingdom for one day, and want to experience as many of the “mountains” and other classic rides as possible, I would not necessarily recommend using one of your 3 advance reservations on a viewing area. But if you are here for an extended vacation (or are a local passholder like myself) and don’t need to cram every roller-coaster into a single day, then I strongly suggest you try spending one of your FastPass+ slots on an exclusive viewing area.

A few final tips:

On-site resort guests can book FastPass+ reservations 60 days before their hotel stay begins, and Annual Passholders and day-guests with pre-purchased tickets can book 30 days out. But viewing areas for the parades and fireworks often don’t become available through My Disney Experience until a month or less in advance. For example, at the time of this writing, FastPass+ reservations for Festival of Fantasy are offered through April 30, but not in May or June. I recommend making your FastPass+ reservations for your preferred attractions as soon as you are allowed. Then keep checking back with the app or website, and switch to a parade or firework viewing area as soon as that option becomes available.
There is often only one daily performance of Festival of Fantasy, and it is very popular due to its newness. Wishes and Main Street Electrical Parade more often have multiple showings nightly, with lower attendance for the later performances. Therefore, if you must pick only one FastPass+ viewing expereince, Festival of Fantasy is probably your best value.
Your FastPass+ return window for the parade will begin 15 minutes before step-off time, but the parade won’t actually arrive at the viewing area until ten minutes or so after the scheduled start time. There’s no need to stake out a spot in advance, so feel free to stroll into the FastPass+ parade viewing area just as the parade officially begins.
On the other hand, viewing Celebrate the Magic is an unadvertised bonus included with Wishes FastPass+ reservations, so you will want to arrive at least 15 minutes before the fireworks start.

Now about that FastPass+ viewing area for Kiss Goodnight…

 

Have you had a chance to try FastPass+ parade or fireworks viewing at Walt Disney World yet? Please share your experiences in the comments below!

 

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Tours of Epcot: Behind The Seeds

By Daisy Lauren

Do you love Living With The Land at Epcot? I don’t know what it is about this quiet, little boat ride that holds my attention. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s one of the few attractions that still feels like the Epcot from my childhood. The Behind The Seeds Tour at Epcot offers guests the chance to walk through the greenhouses seen on the boat ride and take a closer look. While just taking a stroll through this location is worth the price of admission, the tour offers some great “edutainment” about the future of gardening. 

To sign up you simply need to purchase tickets at the desk in the Soarin’ boarding area. We’ve done the first tour of the day in the past for fear they would sell out. However, this time we showed up just 30 minutes before the last tour of the day and were able to join with no issue. Then we just had to meet back by the desk five minutes before our tour time. The below information contains lots of spoilers about the tour. If you’d like to be surprised, you might want to scroll down to the bottom past the numbered sections.

The tour begins when your guide whisks you to a backstage location to explain the tour rules. First, guests are encouraged to ask as many questions as they can. Your tour guide is normally an intern here on the college program with a shocking amount of botany knowledge. I was very impressed with our guide and the frequent questions she was able to answer! Rule number two is that photography is not only allowed, it’s encouraged! I was excited about that one because I often get lectures on tours because they see my big camera coming. It was nice to be welcomed despite the fact that we were in backstage areas. The final rule is the most important: do not touch any plants. This one seemed obvious to me, but what I hadn’t thought of the reason they make this request. In the greenhouse they have exotic plants from all over the world that many people have never been exposed to, and likely will never be exposed to again. The Behind The Seeds Tour at Epcot is not a great time to find out you’re wildly allergic to some rare plant! So that no touching request is just as much to protect you as it is the plants.

1) After the rules are out of the way you’re off to your first stop: Pests. In this room we learned about the pests that frequent the area and the different methods to dispose of them. Of course, at Epcot they’re using natural ways to defend the plants. In this case, that means releasing various bugs into the greenhouse that are beneficial to the plants but deadly to the pests. We learned about the program to breed beneficial insects at Epcot and were able to see lots of the bugs up close. (Some were even passed around.) If anyone in your party is very afraid of bugs, this might be a tough part of the tour. But they are very small, and you’re only in there for a few minutes. 

2) Next we headed to the biotechnology lab. In this area there was a very interesting lecture on plant cloning. Looking into the lab, there were hundreds of little tubes full of plants. The area is very sterile, and guests are only allowed to view it through glass. Apologies for the photo: the glare on the glass was terrible. I learned that this is where they make those little plants that sprout in clear gel that are for sale in the various gift shops all over property!

3) After that was my favorite part of the tour, the hydroponics house. When you’re riding the Living With The Land ride, this is one of the last areas you enter where the plants are hanging from the ceiling with exposed roots. While we were in this area our guide explained the benefits of hydroponics in detail and described ways you could use the technique at home. I might consider it, too, because the cucumber we sampled in this area tasted amazing! If you’ve ever wondered why Disney vegetables just taste better, it’s because lots of them are grown in this greenhouse. I have the take-home informational sheet on building your own hydroponic garden; if anyone is interested in seeing it, please leave me a comment below. This is normally the part of the tour where lady bugs are released, but that didn’t happen on my most recent tour. I asked why and was told that’s just something they do when kids are on the tour. Now, I do have the attention span of a 5 year old (squirrel!), but I really felt the tour lost something without this addition. 

 

4) Then we moved along to the string house. I’m not sure if that’s the technical name, but that’s what I have in my notes. This house shows various techniques for maximizing space by vertical growing. Remember the huge tomato tree from the Living With The Land boat ride? In the string house they explain how that was possible and show lots of other plants achieving amazing results with this technique. Have you ever wondered what they do with those freakishly large veggies they grow? There isn’t much use in the restaurants for a twenty pound turnip!, so those are packed up and shipped off to Animal Kingdom. It turns out that the animals think they are delicious!

5) The next part of the tour is all about aquaculture and takes you through those red houses with all the fish. I have to say this part of the tour was the most disappointing because we didn’t have any children in our party. In the past we’ve fed the fish, and I was ready to get video of the frenzy for you guys. Unfortunately, this is another “kids only” part of the tour. With only a group of adults we had a quick lecture about fish breeding and methods they have used to assure that their fish can’t breed with wild populations if one ever found its way to the wild. (All drains lead to the ocean, you know.)

6) Last was the temperate house, which mimics desert like conditions. This is the most beautiful and exotic of all the houses. Here we learned about amazing plants from all over the world. For example, the miracle berry is so sweet that it makes everything taste great for hours after you eat it. Our tour guide used the example that it made menthol cough drops taste like jolly ranchers! This amazing plant is being used to help chemotherapy patients eat more food after their treatments. That is just one of the plants we learned about but it gives you an idea of the amazing breadth of knowledge we hand in our tour guide! 

After that, the tour is over, and you’ll wonder how an hour went by so quickly! Though, I’ve had this tour take up to 1.5 hours, depending on the guide. Not bad for just $20 per adult and $16 per child. Your typical Disney discounts are honored for DVC, passholders, and the like. Unlike some other tours I’ve been on, this one seems to only have groups of about ten people on the tour at once. I’m not sure if that’s by plan or just because it isn’t as popular as other tours. At the time of writing tours depart daily at 10:30am, 11:15am, 12:45pm, 1:30pm, 2:15pm, 3:00pm, 3:45pm, and 4:30pm. Of course, these things to change often, and it is always best to check before you arrive. 

In conclusion, this is a fun tour, especially if you’ve been to Disney World several times and you’re very familiar with Living With The Land. Not that it won’t be fun for first timers – I just think you appreciate it more when you’ve looked into the greenhouse “from the outside” for a while. I will admit I enjoyed it much more with kids in the party. The adults only theme was a little dry for me, but still worth doing. Of course, your mileage may vary since I’m just a big kid anyway!

What do you think? Have you tried this tour? Do you agree with my review? Was your experience different? What tours would you like to see next? Please let us know in the comment below. As always, thanks so much for reading!

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Disney is Looking For a Million Dollar Arm

By Rikki Niblett

©Disney

Do you have a Million Dollar Arm? That’s what Disney is looking for in this new contest. If you can throw a 100-mph fastball, you could potentially win $1 million.

How? Well, to promote Disney’s upcoming movie, Million Dollar Arm, on April 25-26 Walt Disney Studios is holding a competition where contestants will have three chances to throw the fastest strike they can.

Participants can attempt the feat at one of three locations. Guests can test their arms at Downtown Disney at Disneyland (California) and at ESPN Wide World of Sports at Walt Disney World (Florida) from 7:00 a.m-6:00 p.m. local time. In New York, the competition will take place at the Tribeca Family Festival on April 26, from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. All who participate in the contest get complimentary tickets for themselves and a guest to attend an advance screening of Million Dollar Arm at a nearby AMC Theatre.

The top three eligible contestants who throw the fastest strike at each of the three locations will then compete in the finals in California. They, along with a guest, will be flown to Hollywood for the movie’s premiere, which takes place on May 6. The finalists will be treated like VIPs, getting the opportunity to meet the stars of the movies, Major League baseball players, and other celebrities. During the final competition, if any of the nine finalists throws a 100-mph (or higher) strike during their three attempts, he could potentially win the $1 million.

To compete, you will need a valid U.S. ID, as well as a completed and signed registration form and release. Also, participants must be at least 18 years old and cannot have any prior professional baseball experience.

The official rules for the contest can be found here.

Do you have what it takes to throw the fastest pitch?

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