Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1252
February 19, 2014
Epcot International Food and Wine Festival Dates Announced
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©Disney
Well, we are just arriving to Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival (which takes place March 5 – May 18), but Disney has already announced the dates for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival that takes place during the fall.
This year will see an even earlier start to the Festival, giving guests an unprecedented total of 53 days! The 2014 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival will start one week earlier than normal, beginning on September 19 and lasting until November 10.
The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival features such highlights as Food & Wine Festival Marketplace Booths (mmm….delicious food and beverages), the Eat to the Beat Concert Series, celebrity chef demonstrations, signature dining experiences, and much, much more!
More details for the event will be released closer to summer, so I’ll be sure to let you know when they do!
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Universal Studios Florida Mardi Gras 2014 Parade Video and French Quarter Food Photo Gallery
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Opening night at Universal Studios Florida Mardi Gras 2014 (photos & video by Seth Kubersky)
Fat Tuesday may not arrive until March 4, according the the Catholic calendar, but Mardi Gras is already in full effect at Universal Studios Florida. Opening night on February 8 of Universal’s Mardi Gras 2014 celebration included a concert by American Idol star Daughtry, and the premiere of new Jules Verne-themed floats in the 2014 Mardi Gras Parade. Even intermittent rain didn’t diminish the considerable crowds who came out for Mardi Gras 2014‘s damp debut, though slick streets did ground the stiltwalkers.
Derek Burgan will be back in the coming weeks with a couple Mardi Gras-themed “Saturday Six” columns, but until then I wanted to bring you a virtual taste of the festivities.
First, a quick correction to our earlier Complete Guide to Mardi Gras. The original parade route map published on Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras Parade page was incorrect (it has since been fixed). The parade actually makes a loop, entering and exiting at Esoteric Gate near the Horror Make-Up Show. Here is the corrected map (click to enlarge; the Mardi Gras Parade route is the red dotted line):
Now, enjoy this complete video of Universal’s 2014 Mardi Gras Parade, shot on opening night from the Annual Passholder area outside Mel’s Drive-In:
Finally, here’s a photo gallery of some of the French Quarter food and drink available during event nights.
Annual Passholders can get their standard discount on items from the stands between 4 and 6 p.m. on nights the French Quarter is open, and you can add a 12-ounce beer to most entrees for only $3.
I tried the shrimp po boy. The fried shrimp were well seasoned but slightly small, and the remoulade lacked kick. The veggies tasted fresh, but I would have liked a crustier baguette.
Next time I’ll probably stick with the jambalaya or gumbo, which I’ve enjoyed in the past.
The muffuletta sandwich also looks tasty (as long as you like olives).
Red beans and rice and sausage sandwiches round out the creole menu.
Don’t forget: beignets for dessert!
Mardi Gras continues on Saturdays and select other nights through May 31.
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How FastPass+ Is Affecting Your Wait In Line At Disney World
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FastPass+ is having a minimal effect – so far – on lines at Walt Disney World. That’s according to our initial analysis of 330,000 standby wait times collected at Walt Disney World since FastPass+ went into effect in January. We compared those to 3.9 million standby wait times collected across Walt Disney World since 2009.
This is good news to families concerned that they’ll wait in line longer because of FastPass+’s various restrictions, and even better news to those who hoped standby lines would be shorter because of better guest distribution throughout the parks.
The results indicate FastPass+ is not causing significant changes to standby wait times:
Wait times are increasing less than 1 minute, on average, across all attractions at all parks
Super-headliner attractions have seen a small drop (under 1 minute) in standby waits
This indicates FastPass+’s impact on wait times is at the low end of Disney’s original estimates. Here’s the breakdown by park and ride type:
And Now, The Math
The challenge in doing this analysis is in attributing an increase or decrease that you observe, to a particular change in circumstances. If standby times go up, can we be sure that the increase is due to the new system? In reality, it may just be due to a general increase in attendance. So we must work some statistical magic to find the partial dependence of the new FastPass+ system as it relates to standby waits. That is, holding all other factors constant, we want to find the level of increase or decrease on the standby waits due only to FastPass+.
The most popular attractions that were part of the legacy FASTPASS system (the old one) experienced a small decrease in standby times when the new system took over. Meanwhile, the other attractions experienced a small increase in standby times. And we know that the changes are not due to fluctuations in attendance, weather or the economy, because we held those factors constant during this analysis.
This could indicate something about the new system. Here are a couple of theories as to why headliner standby waits are lower:
Fewer Repeat Riders Legacy FASTPASS made it easy for savvy guests to ride headliner attractions several times a day without waiting in the standby line. With FastPass+ the rules don’t allow it. So, it may be that FastPass+ is drawing a few hundred guests a day to the less popular attractions that might have otherwise experienced a second or third ride on a Super-Headliner. With less Fastpass users later in the day, that means that the Standby lines get a little bit shorter.
Better Crowd Distribution Guests have more attractions to choose from with FastPass+, and these attractions are spread throughout the parks. It’s possible that by moving guests to these other attractions, FastPass+ is more evenly spreading guests around attractions. This would explain the move of guests from headliner attraction lines, which are getting shorter, to lines at secondary attractions, which are increasing.
Again, this is a first look. Also, we’ve not yet studied how long the waits are to redeem FastPass+ reservations. Some folks are reporting very long lines here, sometimes exceeding the averages we saw with FASTPASS returns. We’re still working on measuring this.
The next big FastPass+ event will be when off-site guests can make FastPass+ reservations prior to entering the park sometime this spring. We’ll continue to monitor changes in standby waits during that time and provide updates along the way.
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February 18, 2014
Photo Gallery: Disneyland Cultivating the Magic Tour Part 2 (Frontierland, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland)
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Welcome back to the happiest horticulture on Earth, as we complete our in-depth photo essay on the Disneyland Cultivating the Magic tour. Hopefully you’ve already enjoyed part one of this series, in which we explored the fascinating flora found in Disneyland Park, from Main Street U.S.A. through Adventureland and New Orleans Square. In this second installment, we’ll examine the lovely landscaping in Frontierland, Fantasyland, and finally Tomorrowland.
Frontierland
We’ll start exactly where we left off, at the rosemary planter that separates Frontierland from New Orleans Square.
This metasequoia, or dawn redwood, has quite a history. Originally thought to be extinct, a living example was rediscovered in central China in 1941.
Four samples were taken, and one was presented to Bill Evans, who planted it here near the Stage Door Cafe.
Tom Sawyer Island, which was originally designed by Walt himself on a napkin, uses stand-ins for native species to simulate Missouri ecology in SoCal.
Evergreens are used to avoid a “dead” look during winter, and the African cape fig near the blacksmith shop was one of only two in North America at the time of its planting.
In Frontierland’s Mexican region near Rancho del Zocalo, look for the olive tree, and Bougainvillea vines on the awning that appear to be attacking the building.
Fantasyland
While passing through Princess Fantasy Faire from Frontierland to Fantasyland, be sure to stop and smell the pink camellias.
…and scan the castle moat for a turtle family of red eared sliders.
Disneyland’s horticultural artists are faced with the challenge of “how to landscape with whimsy?” In answering, they attempt to evoke animated images in foliage by using plants with bright, vivid colors, and pruning them into unnatural shapes.
Partair, meaning on the ground, is a European technique of forming greenery into geometrical shapes.
The area around Snow White’s Scary Adventures is planted with greyish-green leaves, and no bright flowers save for some dark red ones inspired by the witch’s poison apple.
This “Disneyland Rose” was officially named to commemorate the park’s 50th anniversary. It starts apricot and turns pink, with deep green leaves and a strong fragrance. You can find it growing near the Dumbo ride.
New Fantasyland has added stone castle walls to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, but Disneyland has long had this hedge wall.
Finally, we come to the highlight of the tour for me, a private cruise down the Storybook Land Canals to learn about the minature marvels growing along their shores.
The tiny gardens in this attraction rely on ancient Bonsai-inspired growing techniques, and stand-in species that resemble their larger cousins. Oriental sweet gums mimic London oaks in Peter Pan’s park; the Seven Dwarves’ “Black Forest” is made of Norfolk Island pines; and the Patchwork Quilt consists of 20 different varieties of succulents.
The topiaries outside it’s a small world were Disneyland’s first. Topiaries can take a quarter century to mature, but Bill Evans invented a “short order” system of stuffing fast-growing plants inside a wire frame.
Currently, it takes 7 to 10 years to grow each of these 16 hedge animals, which then have to be replaced every 10 to 15 years.
Not far from the Alice in Wonderland attractions you’ll find this peppermint rose, chosen because it looks like a white rose that the Queen’s cards have painted red.
The word “ALICE” is spelled out in frosted melon plants.
The multi-colored flowers planted outside Pixie Hollow represent Tinker Bell’s fairy friends.
Tomorrowland
Since Tomorrowland is primarily a land of concrete, we spent the least amount of time here, but there is still foliage of note to be found in the future.
Disneyland’s Matterhorn mountain, built in 1959, is planted with cool colors to enhance the icy theme and sense of scale.
A legacy of the 1998 overhaul of this land is the “agrifuture” idea of edible landscaping. You’ll find cabbage, avocado, rosemary, and other tasty herbs and vegetable in Tomorrowland’s flower beds.
These orange trees are a nod to Disneyland’s origins as a citrus grove.
Finally, our tour concluded with a couple parting gifts: an exclusive collector’s pin, and a packet of forget-me-not seeds to plant at home.
Many thanks to our guide Karen for a fantastic experience. If you have the slightest interest in Disneyland’s natural wonders, and are willing to take a couple hours away from the Indiana Jones Adventure (I hard choice, I know) then I can’t recommend the Cultivating The Magic Tour highly enough during your next visit.
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Case Study: FastPass+ Impact On Epcot Touring Plans
By Steve Bloom
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Many people are understandably concerned about how Disney’s new FastPass+ system is going to affect their Disney vacation. Some of the worries most frequently mentioned with the new system are:
Limit of three FastPass+ reservations per day
Not able to get multiple FastPass+ reservations for the same attraction
No ability to get FastPass+ reservations for all headliner attractions
Only getting FastPass+ reservations for one park per day.
Some of the benefits of the new system, such as the ability to select the time of the FastPass+ reservations – may not be as obvious. And not having to run around the park to get paper FASTPASS tickets will definitely save people time.
In many cases, however, using an optimized touring plan with FastPass+ will result in a touring plan that’s just as fast as one with the same attractions and legacy FASTPASS.
Given the way my family tours the parks, I assumed that Epcot would be the most negatively impacted by the new system. With Legacy FASTPASS we would acquire multiple FASTPASSes for Soarin’ and Test Track. Now we can only get one FastPass+ for Soarin’ or for Test Track, but not both.
To evaluate the impact of FastPass+, I’m going to compare touring plans for Epcot on the second Monday of June in 2013 and 2014. Both touring plans include the same attractions and optimize the use of the available FASTPASS/FastPass+ system. Since we would never use FASTPASS/FastPass+ in World Showcase, and since we take a casual touring approach in World Showcase, I’m going to allot a chunk of time for World Showcase. I’m also allotting 100 minutes for eating. For our family, FastPass+ will not affect our dining or touring World Showcase.
Here are the plans, showing the 2013 version first:
Is the 2013 plan better? The 2013 plan uses a “FASTPASS runner” to collect FASTPASS tickets. The runner is missing out on one ride on Test Track and some time in World Showcase.
The 2014 plan increases the overall standby time by 22 minutes, but the walking time is reduced by 12 minutes. That is only a 10 minute reduction of productive time. As the FASTPASS runner for our family, the trade-off of not running around the park and collecting FASTPASS tickets is worth the 10 minutes lost with FastPass+. Both plans allow for more than half the day to tour World Showcase, do other attractions, or just relax.
Here’s a summary of how the entire day’s time is spent in various activities:
I also compared other dates from 2013 and 2014 to see how they fared under the same scenario. On all days, all touring plans start at 9 am. The 2013 touring plans all followed the same itinerary, with wait times adjusted based on observed data. The 2014 plans were re-optimized for the given day’s predicted wait times.
The average time spent walking and waiting is 150 minutes for both the legacy FASTPASS system and FastPass+.
The first comparison is Easter Sunday 2013 and 2014. Easter was early in 2013 and occurred during the heart of spring break. This is not a fair comparison for FastPass+ but a subject of another blog post. The other day that FastPass+ was a clear winner was May 20, 2014. This was the only day that I selected that had morning Extra Magic Hours.
The May 21, 2013, touring plan suffered from on-site guest getting to the park early. On other dates, the 2013 plans has a slight advantage but does not include the time of the FASTPASS runner.
Now it’s your turn. Use our free computer-optimized touring plan software to see how FastPass+ will affect your vacation!
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February 17, 2014
Walt Disney World Crowd Report – February 9 to 15, 2014
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Other than Sunday at Animal Kingdom our predictions this week proved to be accurate. We correctly predicted the upshoot in wait times arriving Friday and Saturday. Crowds are greatly affected by weather this time of year either with warm temperatures bringing out local guests to the parks or with winter storms delaying the arrival of guests that fly in from feeder cities in the north, east, and central U.S. We’ll see what effect if any, the recent weather may have on vacationers traveling during the week of Presidents’ Day.
For now, let’s look at how the crowd levels stacked up day-to-day last week.
The Crowd Report
The Walt Disney World Crowd Report
February 9, 2014 to February 15, 2014
Sunday’s wait times at Animal Kingdom’s Dinosaur and Kilimanjaro Safaris were so high that they skewed the resort-wide crowd level to a ’6′. In reality, the rest of the resort was much closer to the level ’3′ we predicted. It is not clear why these two attractions hit their maximum average wait time (36 minutes at DINOSAUR, 64 minutes at Kilimanjaro Safaris) while all other attractions stayed near the middle of the scale, most notably Expedition Everest with an average posted time of 44 minutes.
Under-predictions at Animal Kingdom continued on Monday with attraction wait times exceeding our predictions by two to five levels. Again, our predictions for Expedition Everest were accurate but Dinosaur far exceeded what we expected. Resort-wide wait times were about average, at a level ’4′, one level higher than our prediction of ’3′. Other than Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom was the only park to reach as high as a ’5′ on Monday.
All predictions on Tuesday proved accurate within one index level. Resort-wide we saw the lowest crowds of the week at a level ’2′. The Studios had the lowest crowd as predicted with all attractions averaging their lowest posted times of the year. Toy Story Mania averaged a posted time of 49 minutes and Expedition Everest averaged only 11 minutes.
Predictions hit the mark again on Wednesday although two parks, Magic Kingdom and The Studios ended up over-predicted by two. A great day to visit any park, none reached a level above ’3′. The largest crowd was at Animal Kingdom which hosted Extra Magic Hour morning and reached a level ’3′.
Thursday’s crowds stayed at ’5′ or below as predicted, continuing the lull before the Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day crowds arrive. Magic Kingdom’s Extra Magic Hour morning brought in a crowd level ’5′ as expected with Space Mountain averaging a 43-minute posted time. The Studios had the lowest crowds, a level ’3′, with Star Tours averaging a posted time of 15 minutes and The Great Movie Ride averaging 14 minutes. Thursday was the last day of below average crowds before the weekend.
Valentine’s Day brought a level ’8′ at Magic Kingdom, two higher than the ’6′ we predicted. Surprisingly, it was Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion that had the highest relative wait times at 37 and 39 minutes respectively. Every year crowds on February 14th are less related to the celebration of Valentine’s Day than to its proximity to Presidents’ Day. When these two holidays coincide with Mardi Gras as well, expect crowds a lot higher the the resort-wide ’6′ this year.
Six was the number on Saturday as well, as predicted. Only Animal Kingdom was more crowded than a ’6′ but it reached only one level higher, a ’7′. At every other park and resort-wide, ’6′ was the number. Accurately predicting a level ’6′ at Magic Kingdom on Saturday was impressive given that the park had extended hours from 8:00am to 1:00am, a schedule normally reserved for the busiest of days.
What to Expect This Week
February 16 to 22, 2014
Mid-February marks an important transition in the Walt Disney World Crowd Calendar. Presidents’ Week crowds start to fade by Friday, but the resort then hosts the Princess Half Marathon. This then leads into Mardi Gras and eventually the busy Spring Break season.
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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Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Outdoor Kitchen Menus
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Disney
They’re here! The menu offerings for this year’s Epcot Flower and Garden Festival Outdoor Kitchens have been released! This year there are some fantastic new dishes, mixed in with some favorites from last year.
For those who don’t know, this is the Outdoor Kitchens’ second appearance at the Flower and Garden Festival. They were introduced last year under the name, “Garden Marketplace Kiosks.” These Kitchens serve up delicious, fresh food and beverages that gather their inspiration from springtime flavors.
Earlier, Disney told us which booths would be at the Festival. This year, a new booth known as Urban Farm Eats will debut, and it appears that the Intermission Cafe in the Festival Center is officially included in the fun. It will offer up quite a few tasty treats, too!
Here are the full menus for each of the Outdoor Kitchens:
Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico Pavilion) – this booth offers tapas that are spring light and cooked just right.
Tacos al pastor – Corn tortilla filled with achiote-marinated pork, garnished with grilled diced pineapple, onions and cilantro
Quesadilla de hongos con queso – Flour tortilla filled with mushrooms and cheese
Flan de chocolate Abuelita – Mexican chocolate custard
Tecate draft beer
White Mexican sangria
Franbuesa (raspberry) margarita on the rocks
Tequila flight – blanco, reposado and añejo
Dasani bottled water
Lotus House (China Pavilion) – try a garden-fresh take on spring-influenced flavors.
Beijing-style candied strawberries
Spring pancake with grilled chicken and green apple
Vegetable spring rolls
Popping bubble tea
Kung Fu Punch – Vodka and triple sec with mango and orange juice
South Sea Storm – Guava juice with light and dark rum
Plum wine
Tsing-Tao beer
Lychee aerated water
Florida Fresh (Germany Pavilion) – Savor fresh Florida ingredients that are grown and produced locally
Watermelon salad with pickled onions, BW Farm baby arugula, feta cheese and balsamic reduction
Shrimp and stone ground grits with andouille sausage, sweet corn, tomatoes and cilantro
Florida kumquat pie
Watermelon passion fruit slush featuring Simply Lemonade®
Hurricane Class 5 White Sangria featuring Simply Lemonade, Florida Orange Groves
Garda Italian Wine Blend, Quantum Leap Winery
Rogue Valley Pinot Noir, Quantum Leap Winery
Blonde Ale, Orlando Brewing Company
Cotton Mouth Belgian Style Witbier, Swamp Head Brewery
Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale, Florida Beer Company
Florida Avenue Blueberry, Cold Storage Craft Brewery
Beer Flight – Blonde Ale, Cotton Mouth Belgian Style Witbier, Feast of Flowers Farmhouse Ale and Florida Avenue Blueberry
Simply Orange
Primavera Kitchen (Italy Pavilion) - Sample some of this country’s many flavors.
Caprese – Fior di latte mozzarella, roasted peppers and olio verde
Three cheese manicotti – Egg pasta stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, tomato sauce and béchamel
Torta di ricotta – Lemon cheesecake with limoncello-marinated strawberries
Placido Pinot Grigio
Placido Chianti
Bosco del Merlo Prosecco
White peach bellini – Prosecco and white peach puree
Strawberry rossini – Prosecco and marinated strawberries
Frozen Italian primavera – Assorted fruit slushy with limoncello and vodka
Moretti Lager
Moretti La Rossa
The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews (American Adventure Pavilion) – Celebrate the truly American tradition of barbeque, paired with craft brews from across the country.
Pulled pig slider with cole slaw
Smoked beef brisket with collard greens and jalapeño corn bread
Smoked turkey “rib”
“Piggylicous” bacon cupcake with maple frosting and pretzel crunch featuring Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Bacon
Magic Hat #9, Magic Hat Brewing
Maduro, Cigar City Brewing
Fat Tire, New Belgium Brewing Company
Billy’s Chilies, Twisted Pine Brewing Company
Beer Flight – Magic Hat #9, Maduro, Fat Tire and Billy’s Chilies
The Original Rib Shack Red Wine
Hanami (Japan Pavilion) – enjoying delicate bites and refreshing beverages.
Frushi – Fresh pineapple, strawberries and melon, rolled with coconut rice, topped with raspberry sauce, sprinkled with toasted coconut and served with whipped cream on the side
Temaki hand roll – Sliced Panko fried chicken, curry sauce, rice and pickled julienne carrots wrapped with Nori
Hanami sushi – A flavorful combination of salmon, scallop and beef-topped rice balls served atop a shiso violet sauce
Japanese puffed rice cakes with green tea whipped cream and azuki
Kirin draft beer
Pinepple Paradise with Yuzu Slushie – Frozen blend of sweet sake, pineapple juice and crème, flavored with a hint of Yuzu citrus juice
Orange Mango Slushie – Frozen blend of Nigori sake, mango and orange juice
Taste of Marrakesh (Morocco Pavilion) – Discover the tastes on North African spices.
Lamb brewat roll with prunes and sesame
Harissa chicken kebab with couscous salad
Baghrir – Moroccan pancake with honey, almonds and argan oil
Mint iced tea
White sangria
Guerrouane red
Casa Beer
Desert Rose – Sparkling wine with pomegranate liqueur
Fleur de Lys (France Pavilion) – Indulge your senses in France’s most magnificent culinary masterpieces.
Gnocchi Parisien à la Provençal – Parisian-style dumplings with vegetables and mushrooms
Confit de canard, pommes de terre Sarladaise – Pulled duck confit with garlic and parsley potatoes
Macaron à la fleur d’ Oranger – Orange blossom macaron with white chocolate ganache
La Vie en Rose frozen slush – Vodka, Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liquor, and white and red cranberry juice
Kir Imperial – Sparkling wine, Chambord and black raspberry liquor
Rosé pamplemousse cocktail – Rosé wine mixed with natural grapefruit syrup
Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 – Fruity white beer with citrus notes
Buttercup Cottage (United Kingdom Pavilion) – Delight in afternoon tea offerings and fresh garden flavors.
Freshly baked potato and cheddar cheese biscuit with smoked salmon tartare
Field greens with Plant City strawberries, toasted almonds and Farmstead stilton
Pork and apple sausage roll with house-made piccalilli
Freshly baked lemon scones with berry preserves and crème fraÎche
Chilled rose blush lemonade featuring Simply Lemonade with Raspberry (nonalcoholic)
Twinings® Cold Brewed English Classic with lemon grass syrup
Berry tea cocktail – Twinings Cold Brewed Mixed Berry Tea with Florida Cane vodka and Plant City strawberry, flavored with raspberry and açaí syrup
Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvee
Deloach Pinot Noir
Pineapple Promenade (Canada Pavilion) – Enjoy all kinds of treats featuring juicy pineapples.
Pineapple soft serve
Pineapple soft serve with Myers’s dark rum
Pineapple soft serve with Parrot Bay coconut rum
Sweet potato cinnamon waffle with pineapple soft serve
Frozen desert violet lemonade featuring Simply Lemonade (nonalcoholic)
Tropical Mango Pale Ale, St. John Brewers
Once Upon a Vine’s The Lost Slipper Sauvignon Blanc
Urban Farm Eats – Taste treats from this booth’s all natural menu, with dishes that have been cultivated entirely from the soil.
Pickled beet salad with goat cheese cream, mizuna and pistachios
Land-grown eggplant “scallop” with romesco sauce and spaghetti squash
Ghost pepper-dusted tilapia with crisp winter melon slaw and mint oil featuring The Original Sauce Man’s Kick It Up Rub
Cucumber lemon spa water, finished with a sprig of fresh mint
The Vegan Vine Chardonnay
The Vegan Vine Cabernet Sauvignon
Redbridge Gluten-Free Sorghum Beer
Intermissions Cafe (Festival Center) – Pop inside to find all kinds of fine food and beverages.
Grapes
Fruit & cheese plate
Vegan trio
Southwest chicken wrap
Tuna salad with pita
Side salad
Asian tuna salad with noodles
Caprese Push-Pop – Tomato, mozzarella and balsamic
Hurricane Class 5 White Sangria, Florida Orange Groves
Garda Italian Wine Blend, Quantum Leap Winery
Rogue Valley Pinot Noir, Quantum Leap Winery
Martini Prosecco
Strongbow Cider, Bulmers Cider Company
SweetWater Blue, SweetWater Brewing Company
Overall, compared to last year’s offerings, I feel as though there are more fresh-flavored dishes this year. More items seem to involve fruits and vegetables, which makes sense, given that these are part of the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival. It does seem that many of the things I tried last year have been replaced by new items. (I will certainly miss the Angel Food Cake with macerated Florida Berries…I know, it’s just a fancy strawberry shortcake, but it was so yummy!) I guess that just means there’s more to try this year!
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Observations From the Magic Kingdom – February 10, 2014
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Hey, everyone! I have a ton of Magic Kingdom pictures for you today, so I’ll try to keep the commentary fairly short. I went to the Kingdom Monday for one of the first great weather days we’ve had in a while. It didn’t disappoint. I’ve been working on getting photos and stories at the parks lately that are hopefully either new to you or different perspectives on things you already love. So let’s see what’s been happening at the Magic Kingdom this week.
I started the day at the Grand Floridian to get some pictures of the (sort of) recently renovated pool area. This Alice In Wonderland themed splash pad is not only fun for kids, but is one of the funniest things on property to see when, after filling for several minutes, the Mad Hatter’s hat dumps a deluge down on the kids below. Even if they’re expecting it, it’s pretty funny.
It was an absolutely fantastic day at Walt Disney World on Monday and was possibly a bit more crowded than usual because of it, but bag check took just a few seconds, and I was in.
It’s still so exciting to see the banner gone from the courtyard and everything looking lovely.
This year they’ve decided to leave the crane up in order to get some maintenance done on Cinderella Castle. It’s a pain for pictures, but it’s pretty easily Photoshop-able if you have the skills (or a friend who does).
If I haven’t mentioned it before, I love the Main Street Trolley Show. Any season, any day, all the time. Their costumes are the best, and their show is an integral part of my Magic Kingdom experience.
Lots of work is going on in the Magic Kingdom, which means scrims (the coverings they put on the buildings) and construction walls everywhere, but hopefully some will be coming down soon to reveal a fresher MK. The construction of an outdoor seating area at Casey’s Corner is still well underway. I hope this new seating area is pretty.
I spent a good deal of time in Adventureland around the Tiki Room, one of my favorite attractions, and the Sunshine Tree Terrace that I also love. The architecture in this part of the park is so well themed, and I like knowing that the Enchanted Tiki Room was one of Walt’s favorites. The doors actually stay open for a minute or so after the theater empties out, so I got some fun pictures of the birds just hanging out. A good deal of the show is kind of dark, but man is it colorful when the sun shines in!
Over in Frontierland, Splash Mountain is down for refurbishment. I think it’s kind of cool to see what a ride looks like when it’s being maintained and I thought you might too.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was running full steam ahead with standby waits that weren’t bad at all. And what a great day for a ride!
Here’s a shot from the walkways in Frontierland, just to show what the crowds looked like.
I made my way around to my favorite area, Rapunzel’s village, to get some quality time with Pascal. Do you see him? Did you know that he and six others like him are hidden in the creek area of the village? I absolutely love this feature.
Sometimes I spend enough time getting pictures in the parks that I don’t get to ride too many rides but on this day I really wanted to try to get some pictures in “it’s a small world,” a second favorite of mine. They turned out to be some of the pictures I liked best from the day. First, a crowd shot. This is what IASW looks like with a fifteen minute posted wait. The wait time was actually about 12 from the time I got in line to the time I sat down.
Next, a view of the windows that look over IASW from inside Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant. I used to love eating there when I was a kid because I could eat my PBJ and watch the boats go by. If you haven’t tried it lately, maybe swing in. The new line of flatbreads is very good.
And now a picture from inside the ride. I used to dream of being a set dresser for this attraction. Doll clothes for work? Yes, please.
I found an interesting new angle of the carousel as I walked by. I love the spring flowers that are planted all over the Magic Kingdom, and these are no exception. With the focus on the horse, they look a little like a painting.
On my way back down Main Street, I spotted Scoop, the friendly reporter who has a ton of pins to trade, in front of the Emporium. New Hidden Mickey pins have been released to the Cast Members, and he was a hot commodity. Especially when it was announced it was “Canoodling Day” and he was pulled in for a hug.
I made one last stop to check for pins (I’m looking for the new Pascals) at Stroller Rental. Did you know there is a pin stroller that they’ll bring out if you ask? It’s a great resource if you’re looking for just a couple to finish those series you’ve been working on. Just remember – if stroller rentals is very busy, they may not have time to bring the pin stroller out, so try to visit at a slow time of day.
Just outside the train station, a custodial cast member was doing something pretty amazing. I love things like this and that these guys share their talent with us.
My way back to the Grand Floridian was by boat because of the weekday monorail closures. They’ve brought out some of the bigger boats, and I think it’s a cool opportunity to see the different vehicles on the lagoon.
I’ll leave you with this shot of the trolley going down Main Street. It’s a good way to say goodbye this time. Until next time, keep it magical. ~M
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Observations From the Magic Kingdom – February 10, 2014 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
February 16, 2014
10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About IGT, OGT, and VGT Fares on Disney Cruise Line
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A few years ago, Disney Cruise Line started something new for last minute travelers in search of a bargain. It offered non-refundable, restricted fares called IGT (Inside Guarantee), OGT (Oceanview Guarantee), and VGT (Verandah Guarantee). These fares used to be very rare and only offered during the slowest times of the year. Well, they’ve been increasing in regularity in the last year and are popping up even on what are traditionally the most popular times to sail, like Thanksgiving week. The more these fares appear, the more questions they seem to generate. So let me try to help by explaining what these fares are and maybe even what they aren’t.
1. Why Should I Care About These Fares? – Or, in other words, how big of a discount are we talking? – A pretty good one! As a general rule, opening day prices are about the cheapest Disney cruises get. Usually these rates take you back down to those opening-day prices for your sail date. Sometimes they are a little better, more often they are the same or more. If you didn’t get in on opening-day prices, these fares may be calling your name.
2. What the Heck do Those Acronyms Mean? – IGT, OGT and VGT. What do they mean? It means you save money and are picking a “general type” of stateroom, which prevents you from reserving specific staterooms or locations. If you choose IGT, for example, you are booking an inside stateroom in category 10 or 11, while OGT is an oceanview stateroom in category 8 or 9, and VGT is a stateroom with a verandah in category 4, 5, 6 or 7. You are not picking a specific room number, or a specific category like 7, 9, 4, etc. This means that if you desperately want an inside room with a split bathroom (found in categories 10 and up) and will be very disappointed if you don’t get it, then do not book an IGT fare because Disney may assign you a category 11 room without a split bathroom. You will have no input in that decision because you are paying less for the IGT fare and allowing Disney to select any category 10 or 11 stateroom for you. On the other hand, if you just want a verandah at a good price and could not care less where you are on the ship and how huge, small, or obstructed your verandah is, then booking a VGT is perfect.
3. When I Reserve One of These Fares, Can I Put Down a Deposit and Pay Off the Rest Later? – No. For these fares, payment is due in full when you book. Occasionally, the cast member you speak with at Disney Cruise Line when you make your reservation may let you hold it for an hour, but as a general rule there are no holds; you must fully commit at the time of booking.
4. I’m Already Booked, This is Better, Can I Rebook? – These rates are for new bookings only, you cannot modify existing bookings. You can rebook, but you must cancel your previous booking and pay the appropriate cancellation fees, assuming you are in the penalty period. Now this may not mean you’re out of luck! I’ve seen cases where people were able to come out a little ahead after cancelling, losing the cancellation fees, and rebooking with the new rate. If you see them for your cruise and aren’t attached to your room, you should definitely run the numbers or contact your travel agent to do it for you.
5. Can I Change Something After I Book? – Nope. No changes are allowed. You cannot change your sail date, passenger names, or anything else. Remember, Disney is charging you a lower fare in exchange for your giving up the normal flexibility you get when you pay a traditional (i.e., higher) fare. Now Disney isn’t heartless, and if you accidentally misspell a name, they’re usually going to let you fix it. Just be careful. The one exception to this “no flexibility” rule I’ve seen is that Disney will sometimes let you add someone to the room if there is availability. There are a couple of reasons for this exception. Reason number one – you aren’t changing the people in the stateroom, you’re just booking someone new. Technicality, I know. Reason number two (and I think we all understand this is perhaps the biggest reason) – your new reservation will cost more. Disney tends to look the other way when you make prohibited changes that increase its revenue.
6. Can I Make Requests? – You cannot put in requests for room location or category. The good news is you can still make all the normal requests like a specific dining rotation you would like, table for two, specific servers, etc. You can also still link your reservation to your travelling companions. And Disney pays attention to those links! I’ve seen two VGT rooms who were travelling together end up right next to each other on more than one occasion. There are no guarantees, but Disney likes happy cruisers!
7. When Will I Find Out My Room Number? – Room numbers are usually assigned about 30 days before the sail date. Usually. There are frequent exceptions to this one, but it’s a good rule of thumb. Sometimes you will find out by an updated email from Disney, but more often a room number will just appear in your online reservation. I usually start obsessively checking at the 35 day mark.
8. I Hate My Room Location. Am I Stuck? – Yes. You can’t make any changes at this point since you paid for a non-changeable room. And not to say I told you so, but you really shouldn’t have booked this if you wanted something specific. See Question 1 above. But all hope may not be lost. IF your sailing is not full, and IF you get to the terminal early, and IF there are still upgrades available when you check in, just like every other interested passenger, you may be able to get a discounted upgrade in the terminal. Booking one of these fares does not leave you ineligible for these great deals.
9. Wait. I Booked a GTY Room. Am I Under All of These Restrictions? – No! These Fares are Not the Same as GTY (Guarantee) Status Staterooms. Yes, the acronyms are similar, and, yes, this causes great confusion, but they are not the same! When a category gets close to full, Disney stops letting you pick a room number and your room assignment will say GTY. That means you are guaranteed whatever specific category (i.e. 9C, 7A, 4B) you booked – or better. As long as you are outside the penalty period, you can make whatever changes you like to GTY rooms: change names, drop someone, change sail date, cancel, etc. GTY rooms are NOT due in full at time of booking. If your room assignment comes and you don’t like it, assuming there is availability, you can pay to upgrade! Not the same! See?
10. How Do I Find These Rooms? – They’re easy to find, actually! When you go Disney’s website to look for prices, if a particular sailing is offering the rate, it will be the first option that shows up under each general category (e.g., inside, oceanview, verandah). It’s the first option because it’s the best price. Search the date you’re interested in and keep an eye on them. Or better yet, get a travel agent you trust and ask the agent to get all the information for you.
Do you have any other questions or tips about IGT, OGT and VGT? Have you tried them, and – if so – how did they work out for you?
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February 15, 2014
SATURDAY SIX: Six Reasons We Love Be Our Guest Restaurant
By Derek Burgan
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This week’s SATURDAY SIX looks at Six Reasons We Love Be Our Guest Restaurant. With the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train inching towards completion later this year, today we’re going to look at what can be considered the “E-Ticket” of New Fantasyland, Be Our Guest Restaurant. While the Magic Kingdom is the gold standard of the theme park world for meet and greets, dark rides, parades, night time spectaculars and even themed bathrooms, one area that we all agree needs some improvement is the quality dining. Be Our Guest not only starts to fill that void, but you could make a strong case that it is the best themed restaurant inside any theme park. The Beast’s castle “weenie” can be seen from far away and the closer you get the more impressive everything becomes.
Today we’re going to look at six reasons we love Be Our Guest and why it’s our favorite restaurant experience in WDW. We should add that this article represents the dinner experience, as the lunch experience can be quite different. Some would argue you can get much better value with the lunch menu, but we’ll save that debate for another day.
Please remember to click on any picture to see the full size version.
# 6 – The Beast
Our host for the evening is Beast himself, and throughout the night he does a walkthrough of the three dining rooms (always to a round of applause), and is afterward available for pictures at his study when you’re done with your meal. The design work on this character is impressive and watching him walk through the restaurant is fun. The photo-op at the end of the meal is a nice cherry on top of the sundae and like many of the recent Disney meet n’ greets, the setting for the picture is gorgeous.
# 5 – Pre-meal and Post-meal Ambience
To eat dinner at Be Our Guest you check in before the bridge and are handed an electronic pager, which you are asked to hold along the bridge area until it goes off. When the pager goes off, you approach the front of the castle and are met by a greeter. One member of the dining party is given a candelabra to hold as you’re led to your table. The tables themselves are decorated with napkins folded up to look like roses. Small touches like that go a long way toward an immersive experience, if you’re able to tear your eyes away from the building itself.
When guests are done eating for the evening, they are encouraged to check out the castle. This is also when you will have your opportunity to meet Beast. In one last surprise, guests will walk by two rows of suits of armor who appear to be having a conversation with each other…
# 4 – The Three Dining Rooms
There are three rooms you can dine in at Be Our Guest, and each of them are worth trying. The main dining room is a nearly exact replica of the ballroom where Belle and Beast had their dance from the large chandeliers, friendly cherubs in the ceiling mural, and wall of windows that give a glimpse of the “snow” outside. The main dining room is sure to be a hit with everyone in the family.
The West Wing is much darker in atmosphere, possibly too dark for some. The iconic painting of Beast in human form hangs in this room and during your meal you will experience the room changing as a thunderstorm approaches, with the painting transforming into the “slashed” version in the lightning. Of course there is the enchanted rose as well, whose petals fall off during your meal. The West Wing is the smallest of the dining areas, providing the most intimate experience of the three options.
The Enchanted Rose in the West Wing
Someone needs a hug…
The last room is the Rose Room room which has a gigantic music box with Belle and Beast on top, circling to a custom song. The walls of the room are covered with full-scale paintings of classic scenes from the film as well as new scenes that feature Belle and Beast. The entire restaurant is lavish and elegant, but is definitely family friendly and doesn’t make you feel underdressed wearing normal theme park attire.
“She glanced this way, I thought I saw, And when we touched she didn’t shutter at my paw…”
One of the many wonderful paintings adorning the walls.
# 3 – Alcohol in the Magic Kingdom
This may seem like a small deal to some, but for those of us who have spent countless hours planning a Disney vacation, got up early to enjoy the benefits of the Extra Magic Hour, have run into people who just stop in the middle in the road, and made sure our little princesses could meet all their favorite Disney princesses, well… sometimes you just need a drink. Until Be Our Guest, the stiffest drink in the Magic Kingdom was a Dole Whip float. Now during BOG dinner service there is a wide selection of beers and wines for adults to choose from. Thankfully the beer menu is themed towards France and Europe in general as it forced us away from beers such as Miller Lite or Corona and let us try Kronebourg 1664 (France. A lager with a noble history, characterized by its fine taste, golden hues and delicate bitterness from Strisselspalt, a French aroma hop from Alsace) and Hoegaarden Wit (Belgium. With an aroma of orange peel, coriander and spice, its characteristic taste is smooth and light-bodied with a subtle, spiced citrus flavor.)
# 2 – The Food
While definitely not value priced, the level of quality food at Be Our Guest blew us away, especially compared to other table service meals we have had in the Magic Kingdom (we’re looking in your direction Tony’s Town Square Restaurant.) With vegetarians and vegans in our party, it was good to see items on the menu they could actually order and not just try to make do with salads and side orders. The big hits for appetizers were the potato leek soup and the seasonal salad trio. The trio plate included three individual bowls with various salads made up of beets, raisins, tomatoes, watermelon, radish, and more.
The Seasonal Salad Trio gets the Mickey Check seal of approval
The entrees we ordered included Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops (with Seasonal Vegetables and Mushrooms served in Puff Pastry with a creamy Lobster Sauce), Layered Ratatouille (Oven-baked Zucchini, Eggplant, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, and Caramelized Onions sliced and layered on Quinoa served with a Bell Pepper Sauce) and the Grilled Strip Steak (with Garlic-Herb Butter and Pommes Frites.) The vegan in our party loved the ratatouille, saying it was full of flavor. The steak competes with any steak Disney serves outside of Le Cellier or Yachtsman steakhouse) but there could have been a couple more scallops on a plate promising “sautéed shrimp and scallop.”
Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops
Layered Ratatouille
Grilled Strip Steak with Pommes Frites
The only real negative from the main meal was the kid’s selections. We ordered the baked macaroni and cheese, but what came was just regular macaroni and cheese. The server made it seem like this was how the mac and cheese always came. They replaced it with the kid’s fish selection.
“Baked” mac and cheese
# 1 – The Grey Stuff
Unlike LeFou’s Brew, the Grey Stuff is the perfect marriage between Disney dining and the Beauty and the Beast source material, evoking the same feelings that Universal tapped into when they created Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, and – of course – Butterbeer. We’ve all heard the Be Our Guest song a thousand times and have had lines, “try the grey stuff it’s delicious, don’t believe me ask the dishes” drilled into our head. Now we can finally try the Grey Stuff.
The Grey Stuff
Turns out, the Grey Stuff IS delicious. When Be Our Guest Restaurant first opened, the Grey Stuff wasn’t on the menu, but instead was a special surprise for a few lucky guests. They would get a dollop of the dessert on a plate. Due to what must have been an unbelievable amount of complaints, the Grey Stuff was made available for purchase. It comes on what looks like a Milky Way or Snickers candy bar, but inside the chocolate shell is a great tasting brownie. The grey stuff itself is on top and can be described as like an Oreo cookie frosting. It’s really great and everyone at the table loved it. The Grey Stuff is also available during the lunch hours on the “Master’s Cupcake”.
In fact, the entire dessert experience at Be Our Guest is fun because a trolley is for presentation and description of the desserts. On our most recent trip there was a limited edition Red Velvet cupcake to honor Valentine’s Day (only sold in the month of February). Other selections included a triple chocolate cupcake, a strawberry cream cheese cupcake, a passion fruit cream puff and several other cream puff varieties, and the Grey Stuff. The server retrieved our selection from the cart and put it on a plate where they made a Mickey or Minnie shaped design out of chocolate and strawberry sauce. A wonderful presentation. Desserts are made fresh every four hours at Be Our Guest and you can tell.
“You can leave that here….”
Limited Red Velvet Cupcake at Be Our Guest
For our family, the experience of Be Our Guest couldn’t have been better and might have been the highlight of an already incredible day. From the gorgeous rock work and theming outside, to the elaborate details inside, to the food itself and the post-meal meeting with Beast, everything was fantastic. The server was fantastic and the ability to order the grey stuff greatly improved my personal experience (I went shortly after BOG opened and wasn’t one of the ones given the treat.) While not cheap by any means, I believe the atmosphere and food itself more than make up the cost.
One thing to note is that if you want to have dinner at BOG you need to start attempting to make a reservation ASAP. I tried fruitlessly over a month to book a reservation for a last-minute trip and it wasn’t until the day before my planned day at the Magic Kingdom when the heavens opened up and blogger extraordinaire Morgan Crutchfiield called me to let me know a reservation had become available and she had secured it on my behalf. While I was waiting at BOG to check in, the four parties in front of me were all trying to get walk-up reservations. Each were told that there was a minimum hour and a half wait. They would be given a pager and would need to stay on the bridge leading to the restaurant the entire time and were specifically told there were no guarantees they would even be seated. None of the four families took them up on the offer. I have heard many people say that most families on stand-by get into the restaurant in less than 30 minutes, but as a person who was traveling with a four and one year old, I’m not sure I would take that risk either. The restaurant does book day-of reservations with cancellations that have become available beginning during the lunch shift, however, so if you happen to have the time, see the cast members at the rock podium at the entrance to the bridge.
So there you have it: Six Reasons We Love Be Our Guest Restaurant. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six where we will look at Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration. 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 Morgan Crutchfield and Universal NOW!’s Brandon Glover for their assistance with this article.
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