Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1247
March 10, 2014
A Trip Around The World: Canada
By Daisy Lauren
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This is it! The grand finale we’ve all been waiting for, Canada! I have to tell you guys I’m a little sad to see it end, but I’m so excited to show you the Canada pavilion! If you haven’t been able to join us until now, why not take a look at Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, and the United Kingdom? You can take a world tour and still be home in time for dinner! (Anyone who caught that obscure Muppets reference, please leave a comment. We should really be best friends.)
I always like to start with a wide shot of the land, but if you were leaving the United Kingdom and heading towards Canada, the view wouldn’t be quite so glamorous. You’d come to the park entrance to the old Millennium Village. This area hasn’t been open to the average guest since 2001, and it’s now used mostly for convention space and private events. The photo below gives you a peek at what it looks like inside today.
In the photo below you’ll see a large gate on the left. Behind that gate is the entrance to Millennium Village. To the left of this gate is a cart with merchandise for the UK. On the right is Espresso Coffee & Pastries, which I find a little bit confusing. The morning I was there, it wasn’t open before 11am. I wonder if people wondering through in the afternoons really want coffee that much? It seems like all the unique food offerings in the different countries would be far more tempting.
Continuing on towards Canada the first thing you’ll see is the Off Kilter stage. This is a fun, loud group that you should make time for on your next visit. The seating is limited, but there is a ton of standing room, and you can hear them from really far away! If you’d like a seat, plan to get there 20 minutes early to be safe.
Moving past the Off Kilter stage, you’ll come across one of the most fun photo opps in the park. Everyone should have a picture of herself poking her head through this thing! In the background you’ll see the Hotel Du Canada, which is modeled after Chateau Laurier in Ottawa.
Moving past the photo opp and beyond the stairs, you’ll see this outdoor cart selling some limited merchandise from the Canadian pavilion.
But let’s take a few steps back and look up that staircase. The Canada pavilion unites a lot of different structures! When you first head up the stairs, you will see a Native Indian Village, but on the right you can see just a bit of Hotel Du Canada sneaking into frame.
Up the stairs and on the left, the first thing you’ll come to is the Northwest Mercantile. The building looks like a cabin on a snowy mountain peak somewhere. Attached to the building are all the things you’d need for an outdoor expedition.
However, inside things are more pedestrian. Most of what I found were clothing items that either said “Canada” or had bears on them. There were also some interesting looking snacks and some Christmas decorations that were unique to the pavilion.
Next door on the right is the Trading Post. The outside of this building is amazing, with intricate paintings and even totem poles (pictured below).
Here is what the shop looks like inside. I can remember when this store used to boast some unique items, but now it is mostly plush. There were also some goofy hats and snacks. Check out the decor inside this shop, though. The paintings are gorgeous!
When you step outside you’ll see this totem pole. I purposely left a person in frame in the background so you can get an idea of how large these are. They are huge and impressive!
Past the Indian Village is a small staircase that will lead you to the below pathway. I did a great deal of reading and found conflicting information on which city this is supposed to be modeled after. However, it’s clear this is the French side of Canada. While this is a lovely and photogenic walkway, the doors don’t open, so it’s all just for show.
Here is another view down the same little path through Canada. It really is a lovely spot. This would be a great spot for some family photos. It’s worth mentioning that this area did once contain stores, but they have been closed for awhile and now just hold offices and storage.
Below is a close up image of the plaque on Hotel Du Canada. The building is pictured several times in this piece, but I want to show this neat sign up close. The Canadian National Hotels Group owns the Chateau Laurier, which inspired the building.
Once you walk through this French pathway, you’ll come to the below sign. Before you reach it, you’d never guess what the staircase looks like! So take a look at this sign and remember the civilized city street you just passed through.
And then you descend down this staircase and into the Rocky Mountains! It really feels like a completely different world after just walking a few feet.
At the bottom of the stairs, you’ll find O Canada! a 360 degree movie starring Martin Short. I was surprised how busy this film was around noon. I’m guessing it’s because Canada is the first country when guests start the world showcase in this direction. I’ve never seen a crowd for it later in the day, so it would be better to head there after lunch.
Here is what the indoor waiting area for the movie looks like. The films doesn’t provide any seating, so keep that in mind that your legs won’t get a break. (Except for this lovely waiting area with ample seating.)
Leaving O Canada! and heading to the other side of the pavilion you’ll be faced with this narrow bridge. It’s quite long and can be tight with two way traffic, but it’s such a neat perspective that you have to check it out! The morning I was there a group of kids was just running back and forth across this bridge, proclaiming it was the coolest thing they’d ever seen.
Even better, the below waterfall actually empties into the stream beside the bridge. It was a tough (and wet) angle to really show what that looked like on the bridge. You’ll have to check it out on your next visit! (Or I can go back and get some GoPro video to add. Let me know if anyone is interested.)
On the other side of the bridge, you emerge from the Rocky Mountains into the Victoria Gardens. These gardens were inspired by the Butchart Gardens in British Columbia. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Butchart, and I can tell you the real thing is a million times better! (Which says something, because this display is amazing!)
Also in the area is the infamous Le Cellier Steakhouse. Personally, I haven’t eaten here in quite awhile just because reservations are so hard to get. The cheddar cheese soup is to die for, but I’ve been able to get my fill during Food & Wine Festival. The day I visited for photos, there was a woman desperately trying to add an extra person to her reservation. It’s a good restaurant, but I tend to not try this hard for food.
Here is a look inside the dining room. It’s lovely in there, and I do miss the pillowy, soft pretzel bread they bring to the table at the start of every meal. A meal at Le Cellier makes you forget that you’re mere feet away from a bustling world of tourists. It’s a great meal if you can get it! 
Walking out of Le Cellier and out of the gardens, you emerge back on the World Showcase Lagoon with this lovely view behind you. Even if you don’t dine at Le Cellier, be sure that you walk through that arch to see the beautiful gardens and find that little path through the Rockies to O Canada! Even if you don’t stop for the show, it’s a fun path to explore.
Below is the view walking away from Canada. From here you can see three of the four unique landscapes we’ve explored. It is pretty amazing now much the Imagineers fit into this space!
If you head past the gardens and continue towards the World Showcase entrance, you’ll come across a DVC booth, but I just couldn’t end the series with that! So instead take a look at the beautiful photo below and remember that Flower & Garden Festival is here, and there’s lots more beauty to share from around the World Showcase.
With that we’ve come to the end of this series. Thanks so much to each and every one of you who has visited and spent some time with me. I’ve had so much fun sharing this with you! Do you have any ideas of what you’d like to see next? I’d love to hear your thoughts! I can’t wait to find my next adventure with you guys! Until then – thanks for reading!
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March 9, 2014
Walt Disney World Crowd Report – March 2 to March 8, 2014
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Last week we saw higher crowds earlier in the week and lower crowds later, including a storm-filled Thursday that kept many guests from venturing to the parks. Our predictions stayed within expected error ranges all week. We are preparing for an update to the calendar in reaction to some park hour changes, Fastpass + and some improvements in our statistical models. Watch for the update early in the week. To be notified if the calendar changes for your dates of your travel use the Crowd Tracker.
Let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up day-to-day last week.
The Crowd Report for March 2-8, 2014
The Walt Disney World Crowd Report
March 2, 2014 to March 8, 2014
Crowds came in slightly higher than expected at Epcot (a ’6′, predicted ’5′), The Studios (a ’6′, predicted ’5′) and Animal Kingdom (an ’8′, predicted ’6′). Our prediction of a level ’7′ at Magic Kingdom was correct with most attractions hitting our targets within 3 to 10 minutes. For example, Peter Pan’s Flight’s average posted time was 62 minutes, we predicted 63. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin had an average posted time of 34 minutes, we predicted 38.
The observed crowds on Monday were very similar to Sunday. Slightly higher than predicted at The Studios and Animal Kingdom while slightly lower at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Warm weather pushed the wait time higher at Animal Kingdom’s Kali River Rapids which had an average posted time of 42 minutes, we predicted 12. However, our predictions at Dinosaur, Expedition Everest and Primeval Whirl were all within a few minutes of what we observed.
Resort-wide, our prediction of a level ’6′ on Tuesday was accurate however the two Kingdoms were both two levels higher than expected. We saw a surprisingly high level ’8′ at Magic Kingdom and a level ’7′ at Animal Kingdom. The higher wait times at Magic Kingdom were spread out fairly evenly amongst the attractions. We saw average posted times of 62 minutes at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (predicted 46), 37 at Pirates of the Caribbean (predicted 27) and 36 at Haunted Mansion (predicted 26).
Once again our attraction predictions on Wednesday were solid across the resort. The only exceptions were at Epcot this time where we missed by two (a ’7′, predicted ’5′) thanks to high average waits at Spaceship Earth (20 minutes, predicted 13) and Mission: Space (33 minutes, predicted 10). We did well at Magic Kingdom on Wednesday with only two attractions missing by more than 10 minutes.
Storms that prompted a tornado watch at Orlando International Airport on Thursday also kept crowds very low around Walt Disney World. Magic Kingdom only reached a level ’2′ on Thursday, despite hosted Extra Magic Hour morning. Epcot was the only park that had a crowd level higher than we predicted but even that park only reached a level ’4′. Storms seem to affect Animal Kingdom more than any other park likely because the popular attractions are exposed to inclement weather. Despite reaching levels as high as ’7′ earlier in the week, Animal Kingdom was a ’1′ on Thursday.
Perhaps the most significant effect of Thursday’s storms was the influx of guests to the parks on Friday. Resort-wide, our prediction of ’4′ ended up two levels too low. The Studios crowds did match our prediction at a level ’4′ but Epcot and Animal Kingdom came in at a level ’6′ despite our prediction of ’4′. Magic Kingdom wasn’t too bad at a level ’7′, one higher than predicted, within our expected error.
Saturday we had the resort-wide number right but it was a result of a mismatch at Epcot and The Studios. We under-predicted Epcot by two (predicted ’4′, was a ’6′) and over-predicted The Studios by three (predicted ’6′, was a ’3′) which is surprising given that The Studios hosted Extra Magic Hour morning on Saturday.
What to Expect This Week
March 9 to 15, 2014
The start of spring break is upon us and crowds around Walt Disney World will increase accordingly. We still like March as a time of year to visit however. The weather is nice and although crowds are larger than January and February they are easily manageable with a good touring plan.
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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Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Reopening March 17
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Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopening is set for March 17 (photo by Seth Kubersky)
The wildest ride in the wilderness will ride again a little sooner than expected, as the Disney Parks Blog has announced Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopening on March 17. The iconic Frontierland E-Ticket has been down since January 2013 for an epically extended refurbishment, but will resume delighting Disneyland riders ahead of the previously-published April return.
The revamped ride will sport a brand new track (following the same course as the original), rebuilt Rainbow Ridge buildings (again, reconstructed to resemble the rotted originals), and new lighting and sound effects. Most notably, the beloved dynamite-chewing goat is rumored to feature an explosive new digital projection found on the roller-coaster’s third lift hill, formerly the site of an unconvincing earthquake effect.
Cast Members have already been invited to experience the refurbished Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Annual Passholders who want to get an sneak peek can participate in Passholder previews during regular park hours on March 13-16. FastPass and standby lines will both be offered; a valid Annual Pass is required, and blackout dates apply.
If you can’t wait that long, here is a glimpse of the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad making a test run, recorded in late February through a convenient knothole in the construction fence:
And here is an official video with selected point of view on-ride footage:
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Run the World: Art of Animation and Pop Century Jogging Trails
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Whether you’re in town for a runDisney race, for business travel, or a family vacation, you can always be sure to find a great place to log some miles when you’re visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. There are plenty of places on property, from the rugged beauty of the Fort Wilderness Trails, to the bridges and bayous of Port Orleans, and many, many more.
While it may not be the first place that guests think of when it comes to picturesque running routes, the Art of Animation and Pop Century properties are actually an excellent option for a jaunt – not only are there wide walkways and “larger than life” statues, but the sparkling Hourglass Lake and “Generation Gap” bridge make for a fun change of scenery.
Both Art of Animation and Pop Century resorts are laid out in a cluster formation, so using the Pop Century jogging map as a guide, 1-mile routes are easily crafted from a variety of starting points. Adding in connecting sidewalks, and varying paths between buildings, extra mileage on either side of Hourglass Lake can create longer runs, and crossing over the Generation Gap bridge and “mirroring” paths, mileage is easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled, depending on mileage desired.
At both Art of Animation and Pop Century, water fountains and restrooms are easily accessible in the resort lobbies, and if you’re staying at either of these resorts, towels can be picked up by the themed swimming pools after your running workout.
There are so many fun things to look at while you’re on your run, you might lose track of your miles!
Before you set off on your own journey through animation and/or time, here are a few tips for a successful run:
Share the road! While you are welcome to jog the trails of the resort, be sure to yield to other pedestrians and watch out for service vehicles.
Be seen! While paths are lit in the early morning hours and after sun-down, guests and cast members may not be expecting a runner, especially around the corners of buildings, or near parking lots.
Listen to the land! Okay, well, not quite the land…but breathe in your surroundings and enjoy background music and the sounds of the resort – running unplugged will not only further immerse you in the run, but help you stay alert.
With these points in mind (and perhaps a camera in hand) you’ll be on your way to a magical run through these themed value resorts. Have a great run!
—
What’s your favorite place to run at Walt Disney World? Which resort should we run next?
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March 8, 2014
SATURDAY SIX: Six “Secrets” of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
By Derek Burgan
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Animation Hall’s Chandelier
This week’s SATURDAY SIX covers Six “Secrets” of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. Originally conceived to be the second half of Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Art of Animation opened in May of 2012 and was centered around four of Disney’s most popular animated movies: The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Cars. Labeled a value resort but containing theming that even Disney’s deluxe hotels have a hard time competing with, “AoA” brought with it a completely new experience for guests from check-in to dining to everything else. This is my favorite Disney hotel, and I have stayed in all four wings. The staff of the Saturday Six has put together six “secrets” of the resort that you should check out on your next stay…
# 6 – Signed Sketches on Animation Hall’s Chandelier
A Cars sketch by the director of Cars, John Lasseter
Your Art of Animation experience begins in Animation Hall. This is the main check in lobby and also connects to the Ink & Paint Shop (the resort’s gift shop), Pixel Play Arcade, and Landscape of Flavors (the food court). At the end of the lobby and in front of the Ink & Paint Shop is an amazing structure that looks like it is exploding with drawings. If you look closely, four of these drawings have a little something special – signatures. There is a Cars sketch by John Lasseter, a drawing of the turtle Crush by Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton, a picture of Ariel and Prince Eric signed by Little Mermaid co-directors John Musker and Ron Clements, and a drawing of Ariel, herself, that is signed by her voice actor, Jodie Benson.
Ariel sketch signed by Jodi Benson
# 5 – BabyCakes NYC in Landscape of Flavors
There was some very surprising news this week when it was announced that BabyCakes NYC, Pollo Campero and Bodie’s All American would be leaving their home in Downtown Disney. A special-diet-friendly bakery, BabyCakes NYC was the one place on property where vegans or guests with food allergies could have great tasting desserts like the rest of us. Despite losing its counter service location next to T-REX, BabyCakes NYC items will continue to be available in select Disney resorts, including Art of Animation at Landscape of Flavors.
BabyCakes NYC in Landscape of Flavors
Another little secret of Landscape of Flavors? This is the only food court on property where you get real plates and actual silverware. It may not sound like much, but in a vacation filled with paper cups and disposable plates and utensils, having the real deal feels special. It will take us another article altogether to go over the unique food items available (see the breakfast menu and the lunch/dinner menu), including the popular surf & surf burger and Tandoori Portuguese sausage.
# 4 – Hidden Mickeys Everywhere
It wouldn’t be Disney without Hidden Mickeys, and they are pretty much everywhere: Animation Hall… Landscape of Flavors… various decorations outside… the carpets inside the main buildings… throughout the rooms…well, you get the idea. Not only are there Hidden Mickeys, but there are also several hidden Lightning McQueens. Keep your eyes open in Landscape of Flavors and along the outside of the Cars buildings to spot these.
Hidden Mickey in a fish
Hidden Mickey on the map of Carburetor County
# 3 – Generation Gap Bridge to Pop Century
We mentioned above that Art of Animation was originally going to be the second half of Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Pop Century has wings that are themed to the 1990s, 1980s, 1970s, 1960s and 1950s. A second half of Pop Century was going to be themed around the 1900s through the 1940s. Good luck with that one! Regardless, Art of Animation’s replacement of the now-jettisoned “Legendary Years” of Pop Century allows AoA guests to walk across Generation Gap Bridge and experience some of the cool things that Pop has to offer. I love walking through the Pop Century lobby and seeing all the various toys, magazine covers, and other items from the latter half of the twentieth century. It’s a true blast from the past seeing things like the Sega Dreamcast and 8-track tapes. There are plenty of photo-ops outside with the larger-than-life props and a food court that has some interesting items, including tie-dye cheesecake and The King Cupcake.
Generation Gap Bridge leading to Pop Century
What is The King Cupcake? I’m glad you asked. In honor of “the King” Elvis Pressley, The King cupcake contains several of his favorite foods in one snack. You have a chocolate cake cupcake that is “filled” with banana custard inside, has peanut butter icing, is drizzled with chocolate, and has candied bacon sprinkled on top. An unbelievable snack, and I only put the quotes around filled because I have had several of these, and at best I’ve had what would be considered a small dollop.
The King Cupcake
# 2 – The Details Within the Cars Area
Let me state up front that I will never learn my lesson. Just as I stayed on-site for years at Universal before trying the Royal Pacific Resort, I had been to AoA several times before finally trying out the Cars wing. In fact, I had stayed at Little Mermaid and Finding Nemo wings several times. I finally broke down and booked a family suite at Cars, and I have to admit, I don’t think I’ll be going back to the others. The theming in all of the resort’s suites is off the charts, but I really like how well the Cars brand works within a hotel environment. My favorite parts of the room include the dressers that resemble auto mechanic tool chests and a fold out couch that looks like the back seat of a classic automobile.
The recreation of Radiator Springs may not completely match the jaw-dropping Cars Land out in Disneyland, but you know what? It’s pretty good. And at night all the neon comes on at the Cozy Cone and Sarge’s Surplus Hut, and several of the cars, themselves, have lighting elements. There are great photo ops with every main character from the movie, and the Cozy Cone pool is fantastic. The Big Blue pool gets all the attention (see #1 below), and the Little Mermaid’s pool is generally packed, but the Cozy Cone pool is generally much quieter and has free cabanas in the shape of Cozy Cones! The theming around this entire pool area has to be seen to be believed, from the hilarious “Knights of Combustion” signs to the incredible faux postcards in the window of the Cozy Cone.
The Cozy Cone
One of the many postcards in the window of the Cozy Cone
# 1 – The Big Blue Pool is the Largest Pool on Disney Property and It Plays Music Underwater
People who go on vacation with their families know one thing: no matter how many parks you go to, no matter how many ADRs you book at the best restaurants, no matter how many toys and t-shirts you buy in the gift shops, the one thing your kids are probably going to want to do more than anything else is play in the pool. The main pool of AoA is The Big Blue, and it is elaborately themed to Findng Nemo. This is the biggest pool on Disney property, and that’s saying something. There are always activities going on for the kids throughout the day, as well as a separate spray yard and a reef-themed play area. The whole area is bonkers, in a good way, and we haven’t even mentioned one of the neatest tricks up Disney’s sleeve….this pool plays music underwater. Throughout the pool there are speakers underwater that play Finding Nemo music along with dialog from characters such as Crush. Personally I like to grab a drink at the Drop Off (the cleverly named pool-side bar) and play a game of ping pong while the little ones enjoy the pool.
The Big Blue
So there you have it: Six “Secrets” of the Art of Animation Resort. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six, where we will look at Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival. 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 Universal NOW!’s Brandon Glover for their assistance with this article.
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Disneyland Resort’s Downtown Disney Starbucks Opens March 10
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Attention caffeine cravers: the new Disneyland Resort Downtown Disney Starbucks will officially open on Monday, March 10, 2014. The Anaheim resort’s newest Starbucks franchise joins the ones at Market House on Main Street, U.S.A. and Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe on Buena Vista Street. You can read the details on the Disney Parks blog.
Here are a couple photos of the shop under construction late last month:
All photos by Seth Kubersky
The new Downtown Disney Starbucks occupies the same location between Sunglass Icon and World of Disney that Blink by Wet Seal and Anne Geddes formerly occupied. If fact, the history of this storefront lives on in the irregularly-updated maps found around the area. These three maps were all photographed on the same day:
Past…
Present…
Future!
As a final friendly reminder, if you don’t require a fancy seasonal frappachino and just want a basic cup of joe, the La Brea Bakery take-out counter closer to the park entrance brews Starbucks beans, and will probably be less crowded during the morning rope-drop rush.
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March 7, 2014
In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of March 7, 2014
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In Case You Missed It!
Come on…admit it, this week you were likely trying to figure out what your (mine is “Ruari Nicheems”). Here is some interesting content you may have missed thanks to all the name mispronouncing fun. Let me know your favorite in the comments!
In Case You Missed It – Disney News and Rumors
First up, this week I found four different and interesting history articles:
Did you know that at one point, Epcot was going to have an Equatorial Africa Pavilion? It was quite far along in development, which allows us the chance to find out more in this fantastic and in-depth article that takes a look at what would have been included in the area, as well as showing some wonderful pieces of some of the models that were built.
I love this so very much! Here are 18 Rarely Seen Color Photographs of Disneyland…my favorite is the one with Walt sitting around his apartment with his family.
Here’s another article that when I found it, I devoured it! It’s all about the Monsanto House of the Future that was previously located at Disneyland. Such a weird thing to stand alone, but so neat that it was once found in Tomorrowland.
Interested in the story of how Star Tours (and eventually the whole Star Wars galaxy) ended up at Disney? Part one in this multi-part article by Imagineer Jason Surrell talks about how Disney (namely Michael Eisner) got George Lucas on board in creating attractions for the House of Mouse.
Floyd Norman is a former animator for the Walt Disney Company and has his own blog where he likes to share stories and musings. I found one about a lunch with Roy E. Disney fascinating and I wanted to share it with you. I love getting the chance to learn things about the company from the people who lived it.
Have you ever wondered what the magic number is for booking a flight? How many days out you should wait? We seem to now have an answer, according to The Huffington Post. What is it? You’ll just have to read to find out.
Thanks to Frozen‘s success, iTunes Radio has released a station called “Frozen Radio.” Not only does it play songs from the hit film, but other songs from Disney/Pixar animated movies! This is so much fun! I am in love!
Frozen passes huge milestones this past weekend. First, of course, it wins the Oscar for Best Animated Film and Best Original Song. But that very same day, the movie crossed over the $1 Billion mark worldwide. It is only the second animated feature to do so, behind…Toy Story 3.
Everyone is doing a cover of “Let It Go”…even Jimmy Fallon. It’s been everywhere this week, but in case you missed it, check out this fun-tastic version of the song, in a way that only Jimmy would do…with the use of classroom instruments, The Roots, and Idina Menzel herself. (Or is that Adele Dazeem?)
Speaking of the Late Night circuit…this week on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Gonzo the Great appeared to promote Muppets Most Wanted. It’s a fun little interview, found in two parts. Check out part one and part two. Gotta love Gonzo!
But that’s not all, because lately it seems like The Muppets have been everywhere promoting their upcoming movie. They have been in a countless number of commercials, from car ads, to Lipton tea…but I have to say, my favorite ad that I’ve seen is this one for Subway. I just love the Swedish Chef!
In Case We Missed It
What did we miss? Send your idea attached to this wicked awesome Muppets tumbler and send both to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.
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Full MyMagic+ Rollout Expected For Annual Passholders Soon
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©Disney
Good news, Annual Passholders!
The full MyMagic+ rollout, including receiving your MagicBands, as well as having the ability to make FastPass+ reservations ahead of time via the My Disney Experience app or website, is expected to take place by mid-March 2014.
Annual Passholders should soon be receiving information that they may customize and order their MagicBands via the My Disney Experience platform.
If you are a bit antsy to get the ball rolling on your order (like me) and you haven’t yet received an email letting you know it’s available to you, make sure to check in your My Disney Experience account. You see, when I logged in to my account, a message popped up that I could now create and order my MagicBand.
I quickly went through the prompts, and now my MagicBand is in the process of being made and shipped to me as I write!
Keep in mind that this is being rolled out in phases, so if you are a Passholder, you may not yet have the ability to order your band, at least at this exact moment. (For example, I had the ability to order my MagicBand, but my husband does not just yet.) Just know that it is coming and that you’ll be able to do so soon!
MagicBands should be delivered to Passholders who have customized and ordered them by the end of March.
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In the Parks with Morgan: A Flower & Garden Primer
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Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival is an 11-week event that transforms the park into a showcase of spring. With nearly 100 custom-grown topiaries, 11 outdoor kitchens with original snacks and beverages, gardening and design workshops and presentations, and specialty gardens, the festival is a vacation in itself. Flower & Garden is ongoing during normal park hours from March 5 through May 18 this year and, excepting some specialty offerings, is included with the price of admission to the park. The Festival Center, where you’ll find all the information you need to enjoy the event, is located between Ellen’s Energy Adventure and Mission: SPACE and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Be sure to stop into the Festival Center for continuous shows of “The Making of The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival” in the HGTV Theater, gardening pointers, and your copy of the Festival Guide as well as your Festival Passport.
Epcot is in bloom as Flower & Garden opens this week.
There are some general tips for Flower & Garden that will help you plan your trip no matter what you plan to see and do there. First, stock up on Disney gift cards. They can be used at all of the kiosks and shops and are really convenient if you’re trying to stay on a budget or don’t want to carry cash. Disney gift cards can be purchased at a discount at retailers like Target (using your REDcard and stacking pharmacy discounts you can get up to 10% off!), Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesalers. Second, go on a weekday if it’s possible. Local traffic increases significantly on weekends and can make seeing all you want to see a bit difficult. Third, take sunscreen and don’t forget to hydrate. Sunscreen and water may seem like intuitive things to put on a list of recommendations, but the Florida sun can be particularly potent and so can the drinks at the outdoor kitchens. You want to fully enjoy the festival and sunburns and hangovers are not the way to do it.
Hydrate before trying this tequila flight in the Mexico Pavilion
Last, use the Touring Plans resources and the official website to make a plan for seeing all the festivities. While the festival may seem like an adults-only venture at first glance, don’t count it out if you have kids. Epcot’s teams have made sure there’s plenty of fun with Cars and pixie-themed gardens, a Monsters University playground, and special kids’ activities throughout the park that keep the event in line with the park’s family focus, and the outdoor kitchen offerings have some fun treats like Japan’s Frushi (fruit sushi) that are great tries for those testing out their taste buds.
“Frushi”, or fruit sushi, at the Japan outdoor kitchen. Frushi is a soy dessert wrap, coconut rice and fruit with fresh whipped cream and raspberry sauce.
WHEN TO GO
Flower & Garden has two schedules that you may want to keep in mind while you’re planning. The first is the schedule of Home and Garden Television (HGTV) Celebrity Presentations. The second set of scheduled events is the Flower Power Concert Series. Concerts are held Friday through Sunday at 5:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. at the America Gardens Theatre. For more information on presentations and performers, check out Rikki’s post.
WHERE TO STAY
Any resort hotel on Walt Disney World property (or good neighbor hotel) is a great pick, but the BoardWalk Inn, Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan, and Dolphin are all within walking distance of Epcot.
WHAT’S NEW OR NOTABLE THIS YEAR?
Computer generation brings the topiaries’ face features to life in a newly detailed way and the front entrance garden is where this new style will really shine. Also new to the entrance garden this year are a water fountain and lily pond.
Eleven “Outdoor Kitchen” food kiosks in World Showcase feature garden and farm-fresh foods for the second year. This year’s new kitchen, “Urban Eats,” offers sustainably farmed food, much of which is grown in Epcot’s own Land pavilion. The Urban Eats menu includes Eggplant Scallop with Romesco Sauce, Ghost Pepper-Dusted Tilapia, Winter Melon Salad, Mango Chutney, Vegan Red and White Wines, and gluten-free beer. For a full listing of all the Outdoor Kitchen menus, check out the official page here.
“Hummingbirds at Home”, a new exhibit presented by the National Audubon Society, allows guests to walk through live hummingbird gardens and get tips on how to attract these magnificent birds to their own yards.
Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House is once again home to thousands of butterflies fluttering around special fairy topiaries (below) and gardens made just for attracting the winged creatures.
The Rosetta topiary in the Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House
Mike and Sulley’s Monstrous Garden features a Monsters University themed playground specially built for the festival’s kid guests.
Illuminated gardens and nearly 100 topiaries decorate the Epcot grounds for this year’s Festival.
WHAT ARE THE MUST-DO’S?
Try Frushi (pictured above) is one of the best snacks on property any time of year. It’s fruit sushi – a soy wrap around fresh fruit and coconut rice. You’ll find it at “Hanami,” the Japan Pavilion’s Outdoor Kitchen. While you’re there, be sure to try the Kung Fu Punch as well. It’s the punch that punches back.
Get a passport at the Festival Center. Each Outdoor Kitchen and specialty garden has a themed stamp to add to your pages and the final product is a fun souvenir. It also helps you keep track of favorite sights and snacks.
Two stamped pages of last year’s Flower & Garden Passport
Taste the Dole Whip with Rum at Pineapple Promenade. Flower & Garden is the only time it’s served, and it’s a Disney Bucket List check-off.
Walk through the butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Rarely do you find nature so lovely and so close-up, and both are a peaceful break from the park when it’s bustling.
Walk slowly. The topiaries and gardens are incredible and there’s nothing like strolling around to see them all on a gorgeous day at Epcot. Or, if you can’t make it down, I’ll leave you with some photos that I hope will make up for it. Until next time, keep it magical. ~M
The Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto topiary in the courtyard in front of the tip board.
One of three Fantasia-themed sets at the entrance to World Showcase
The Muppets topiary, featuring Kermit and Miss Piggy, is new to Flower & Garden this year.
The topiaries are gorgeous, but be sure to take time to note the extra plantings around the park like these near the Imagination pavilion as well.
The Aurora and Phillip topiary dances under a gorgeous blooming tree near the France pavilion
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The American Idol Experience, Tips from a Mom
By Erin Foster
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During my most recent visit to Walt Disney World, my daughter Josie performed on stage at the American Idol Experience (AIE) at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (DHS). This was, as you might imagine, a fantastic experience – truly one of the most entertaining days we’ve had a Disney World, and for me that’s really saying something.
For those of you unfamiliar with the attraction, AIE is simulation of the American Idol television program. Park guests can audition with “casting directors” and “producers” to perform on stage on a set designed to look like the real American Idol auditorium, in a theater which holds about 1,000 people. Guests who pass several rounds of auditions are invited to perform in one of five or so daily shows. The winners of each of the daytime shows can compete in an evening show – the winner of which gets a “FastPass” to audition before a producer of the real American Idol TV program.
All three of my daughters take voice lessons and are members of several vocal groups, but Josie is the one with aspirations for pop solo performance. When we first visited AIE five years ago, then nine-year-old Josie immediately said, “I have to do that,” and really meant it – she counted the days until she would be old enough to be on stage at AIE.
If you’ve got a performer in your house with a yen to rock the crowd at Disney World, here are some tips you might find helpful in getting your star up on stage.
Try It Out BEFORE You’re Old Enough to Perform
We had long known that the minimum age to perform in AIE is 14 (Josie had done her research), but last year I happened to overhear my friend Wes mention that his eight-year-old daughter had auditioned. Confused, I asked him to explain and he said that while, yes, actual performers had to be 14, anyone could go through the first audition phase just for fun.
Armed with this tidbit of info, Josie insisted that we take her to try out for practice during a DHS when she was 13, which we did. The knowledge gained here ended up being incredibly helpful for her “real” audition a year later at age 14. Plus, just seeing the initial phase of the process made Jo much less nervous when it counted. Knowing what to expect took much of the edge off.
Confidence Plays a Big Role in Selection
Getting hints from a vocal coach before the show.
When Josie did her trial-run audition at age 13, she sang beautifully, but was pretty nervous. The “casting director” was extremely kind (all the cast members at AIE are), but also offered what turned out to be an incredibly helpful bit of constructive criticism: have confidence when you’re speaking, not just when you’re singing.
In the first audition room, prospective performers must sing a cappella 30 seconds of any song of their choice. In addition to this, the casting director will engage the applicant in brief conversation. The questions are softballs, things like, “Where are you from?” “What kind of music do you like?” “How long have you been singing?” There are no right answers, what they’re looking for is personality. Will you be engaging on stage?
During the interview part of the mock audition, Josie turned around several times, looking for encouragement or verification of information from me. The casting director told her that if she were to perform in the real show, she’d have to speak for herself in the audition room. Great advice!
Warm Up in Advance
There’s no prep area before the audition, so if you need to warm up, you’re going to have to do it on your own.
On the day of her real audition, we headed to DHS first thing in the morning. To prepare, Josie did a bunch of vocal exercises in the shower when she woke up and then did all sorts of scales and throat noises in the car on the way from Port Orleans to the park. I had not yet had any coffee and I kinda wanted to strangle her (’cause that’s the way moms of teenage girls may feel from time to time) for making so many interesting noises first thing in the morning, but she knew what she needed to do and stuck with it.
They do your hair and makeup for the stage.
Get There Early
The first AIE show typically runs at about noon (times vary). This means that in the first two hours of the park being open, they’ve got to find three competent singers to perform. (It takes about an hour to prep once you’re selected.) Just running the numbers, it’s clear that you’ll have less competition for the three slots on the first show than you will for, say, the 4:00pm show, when they’ve had more like six hours to find singers.
We arrived at DHS at rope drop and proceeded directly to the audition area, located near the ABC Commissary. They took Josie in to audition almost immediately.
An Adult Needs to Be Present if a Minor Auditions
Anyone under age 18 must have a parent or guardian with them during all parts of the audition process – that’s why I was in the room with Josie while she tried out. I watched a very disappointed 17-year-old get turned away from an audition because he was there with friends, not his family. Kids who are at DHS with a school group or similar should not expect to be able to try out.
If your child is chosen to move forward with the process, the accompanying parent or guardian could be occupied for quite some time, so plan accordingly.
Other Family Members Are Not Allowed in the Audition Process
While one parent needs to stay with an auditioning child, other family members are not allowed to be present during the audition. (The audition rooms are fairly small.) This was a bit of an issue for us because on this trip where Josie really auditioned, the only people in our party were me, Josie, and Jo’s twin sister Louisa. Despite the fact that Louisa was also a minor, they wouldn’t let her come into the audition room with us. She was required to wait outside. This wasn’t a huge problem, Louisa was a teen who had been to Disney World numerous times. She had a cell phone and was familiar with the park. But still, it wasn’t gobs of fun for her to be left alone for an indeterminate amount of time. A family with just one adult and younger children would have a real dilemma.
Pre-show blocking instruction from the stage manager.
Get Familiar with the Song List in Advance
For her a cappella song audition, Josie chose to sing Taylor Swift’s “Mean.” Your first audition song can be anything, “Happy Birthday” works as well as any pop/rock/country song at this stage of the game. “Mean” was a song she had performed at a show on stage at school, so she was fully prepped and nailed it in the audition room.
The casting director then engaged Jo in the “where are you from” chit chat. Having learned her lesson from the mock audition a year earlier, Josie looked the casting director in the eye, smiled, and answered in a loud clear voice, without seeking any support from me. This certainly played a role in the selection process. They simply can’t have shrinking violets on stage in a massive auditorium.
Right away, the casting director handed Josie a list of the approved show performance songs and asked her, “If you were to move forward, which two songs would you most like to sing from this list.” Jo had spent a looong time studying the list online and was immediately able to mention the two she had chosen in advance and practiced at home. Again, this showed her confidence and ability to think on her feet. (And honestly, Jo would be the first to admit that she is not particularly good at thinking on her feet in general, so advance preparation was key here.)
Be Aware of Age Appropriateness
The two songs from the list that Josie had practiced (over and over and over) at home were another Taylor Swift song “The Story of Us” and Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.” “Before He Cheats” was the song that Jo had worked on most at home, but the casting director wouldn’t even let her sing it for an audition because of the age inappropriate nature of the lyrics. (What, 14-year-olds aren’t supposed to sing about drinking whiskey and getting lucky?) She chose yet another Swift song, “Our Song,” instead. She was quite familiar with this one, but hadn’t really sung it much before.
Getting introduced by the host.
Be Able to Roll with the Punches
Josie did well enough at the first stage to be invited to move forward. We were shown into the “Coke Red Room” which is a lounge area stocked with iPods. The iPods are loaded with the tracks on the song list, both with vocals and the karaoke-like versions that are used during the actual show. Prospective performers can sit here and listen to the key and pacing of the AIE versions of the songs, which are not exactly like the radio versions of the songs.
At the Red Room, we quickly learned that “The Story of Us” (the second of the two songs she had prepared at home) was included on a fairly extensive list of songs that were currently unavailable for performance. This meant that both the songs that Josie had worked on in advance were off the table. Prospective performers are required to do two songs at the second audition round. Jo ended up working on Demi Lovato’s “This is Me” in the Red Room to get ready in addition to “Our Song” which she had selected a few minutes before. In addition to some songs randomly appearing on the in-house “no fly” list, others will be off limits because they’ve been used earlier in the day. (They do not allow the same song to be used in the show more than once in the same day). To be on the safe side, you may want to get comfortable with four or five of the approved show songs before auditioning.
In the Red Room, some prospective performers will just listen to the music while others will practice or vocalize to get a practical feel for this take on the song. There’s not a specific amount of time you’re allowed to spend here, but they do want to keep things moving. Jo spent about 20 minutes, which I think was on the long side of typical.
While Jo was rehearsing, I had to sign a bunch of waivers and legal paperwork. As bystander mom, I was a bit of a nervous mess at this point. I may have signed ownership of my house over to Disney. I really have no idea.
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Carrie Underwood “talks” to Josie, encouraging her to follow her dreams.
You Have to Be Able to Sing Without Hearing Yourself
The second audition is with a “producer” in what surely must have been a soundproof room. The producer asked Josie to sing her two songs into a microphone along with the show’s instrumental backing. Makes sense, right? OK, but the music is turned up to some ungodly decibel level such that when I was sitting literally four feet away from Josie, I could not even hear that she was speaking. If I hadn’t seen her mouth move, I would have had no idea she had even started. The producer must have been able to hear her through the mike via the headphones he was wearing.
I later asked Josie if she had been able to hear herself at that point and she said, “No way.” If this is something that will disorient you, you may want to practice at home singing with no auditory feedback. Perhaps record yourself singing while blasting music through noise-cancelling headphones and see what happens.
When Josie finished singing, the producer’s face was inscrutable, but after a moment he said, “Someone has a message for you,” and a video of Ryan Seacrest appeared saying, “Congratulations, you’re going to be on the show.” The producer told her that she sounded better on “Our Song” and that’s what she would be singing in the song. They choose, not you.
Practice Self Care
It was now just after 10:00 a.m. and Jose was told that she would be performing on the 12:15 show. We would have to be back at the theater at 11:05 for preparation and on-stage rehearsal. They really only wanted Josie and I to come back at 11:05 and I had to beg to get Louisa included in our “backstage pass.” She had already been left alone in the park for an hour and I didn’t want her to have to spend her entire morning by herself.
Josie had about an hour to kill, which I made her use to eat something, drink some warm tea, and take a lap around the park to shake off some nerves. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself and your family at this point. Depending on your audition time and your show placement, you may have anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to wait. Some performers may even choose to go back to the room and take a nap.
Singing her heart out under the bright lights.
Do Some Marketing
While Josie was sipping her tea, I tweeted some “vote for Jo” messages and emailed a few acquaintances we knew who were also vacationing at Disney World. Because there was a relatively short time before her performance, our friends couldn’t make it from the Magic Kingdom to DHS in time for the show, but performers in later shows may be able to rally a larger cheering section. You never know who will know someone touring the parks, so tell everyone and see what happens. A few votes may make a big difference.
Be Willing to Scrap Your Plans for the Rest of the Day
Not knowing whether Josie would actually pass the audition phase, I had made several FastPass+ ride reservations for the morning. While Josie was eating, I was able to use the My Disney Experience app on my iPhone to change some of these to afternoon slots.
If you are chosen to perform, you’re not going to have much say in the schedule. I was lucky to be able to switch our Toy Story FP+ time so there was no real impact, but if you’ve got something else you must do (dinner at the Royal Table, for example), you may want to audition on a different day.
Things Move Fast
When we returned to the AIE studio at 11:05, Josie had about an hour to meet with a vocal/movement coach for performance tips, get hair and makeup done, rehearse on stage, get blocking instructions from the stage manager, get wired to an electronic tracking device (for the spotlight), and generally become familiar with the staging process. The Disney cast members are extremely nice, but there’s not a lot of time for questions. You have to be on your game.
Post-show bonding with the judges.
Family Members Need to Give the Performer Some Space
I’m a mom, so it’s my usually job to give my kids lots of random advice. (They’ll likely ignore me, but it’s my job to advise.) AIE is a situation where Mom advice can not possibly help. Josie was already bombarded with information and new stimuli, clearly my typical mom intervention was going to do more harm than good. I had to bite my lip to stop from saying things like, “Sit up straighter on the stool,” and “Smile more, sweetie.” Doing so might have pushed her over the edge into deer-in-the-headlights territory. Let the professionals do their job.
Video Recording is Not Allowed
While AIE audience members are allowed to take as many non-flash photos as they like, video recording is prohibited. Especially since Josie’s dad and older sister were not with us on this trip, I really wanted to capture her performance on video. Despite admonitions, I attempted to record video of Jo’s on-stage rehearsal (I’m such a rebel) and was shot down big time by an audience police cast member. In retrospect, I now know that they watch the performers’ family members pretty carefully (they’re seated together in a special section of the audience), but they don’t really keep an eye on the camera behaviors of anyone else. If we’re ever in this situation again, I’ll have a conspirator sit elsewhere in the audience to try to get some covert film. Shhhh, don’t tell.
Personality REALLY Matters
Josie did a wonderful job on stage, but did not end up winning her show. The competitor who won was fairly pitchy (my toooootally unbiased opinion), but had an incredible personality. He performed a One Direction song in which added a rap and rewrote lyrics to be about visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios. He was animated and energetic and worked the audience within an inch of his life. He was just fun to watch. Here, as in many performing venues, interesting and engaging are as equally, if not more, important as good.
A photo with her adoring fans :-)
If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again
The gentleman that won Josie’s show told us that he had auditioned several times before making it onto the show, and had performed twice before he actually won. After performing and losing, he figured out just how much he need to amp up his performance style to win. We heard a similar story from an audience member who spoke to Josie after the show. She found this all extremely encouraging and will certainly use this information to give it another shot when she’s back down at Disney World in a few months.
Disney People are Nice People
Without fail, every person we encountered during this experience was friendly, kind, and enthusiastic (well, maybe not the video police guy, but I’m giving him a pass). This includes the “casting director” and “producer,” the vocal coach, the cosmetologist, the host, the judges (even the faux “Simon” judge), the other contestants, and the audience.
As a parent, you’re always worried about your child getting embarrassed or having her heart broken. And I confess that at a few points during the audition phase, my stomach was churning more watching her and waiting than it would have been if I had been auditioning myself. But at each step, I truly felt like everyone present wanted her to succeed as much as she, and I, did.
For Josie, I think her favorite part was after the show, when we were walking out of the theater. A group of girls stopped her on the “street” to gush about her performance. “You were so great!” “You should have won!” “We voted for you!” “Can we get a photo with you!” Jo was completely tickled by all the attention. It was a real star moment for a regular girl, one that I’m sure she’ll look back on fondly for quite some time.
I’m sure you can tell that I’m pretty proud of my kid for having the guts to get up on stage in front of all those strangers. More importantly, I was proud of her motivation set a goal and then research and practice enough to achieve that goal.
I have a lot of fantastic Disney memories. This one has taken place at the top of the list.
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