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Catch “Blank – A Vinylmation Love Story” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

By Rikki Niblett

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©Disney

Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a fun event planned to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year. “Blank – A Vinylmation Love Story” will premiere at the Premiere Theater found on the Streets of America from February 14 – 17.

The film is brought to life by Disney Interactive and shares the story of a blank Vinylmation who is in search of his lost soulmate. Through the use of stop motion animation, “Blank” is an epic adventure in miniature scale, a completely original, heartwarming love story. The film lasts about 40 minutes. Showtimes are 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 5:30 p.m.

In addition, there will be a special showing for Disney Annual Passholders on February 14 and 16 at 10 a.m. In addition, DVC members can take part in a private presentation on February 15 and 17 at 10 a.m. A valid Annual Pass or Disney Vacation Club Member ID card must be shown at the entrance of the theater.

You can visit here to see a short preview of the movie.

The screening is included in your Disney’s Hollywood Studios park admission.

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Universal Orlando CityWalk Antojitos Review

By Seth Kubersky

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Our Antojitos review is in, as Universal Orlando CityWalk’s newest restaurant opens its doors.

After months of construction and speculation, and a week of soft-opening service, Antojitos Authentic Mexican restaurant officially opened to the public on February 5, 2014, as the newest dining upgrade in Universal Orlando’s ongoing CityWalk overhaul. I was among the few journalists invited to taste-test the menu last month, and since the first public seating I’ve dined there three times, including the grand opening media party. While I haven’t yet eaten everything on the menu, I have sampled enough to provide this preliminary Antojitos review, which we’ll refine as the restaurant finds its rhythm.

Atmosphere

As you’ll instantly notice from the photographs, Universal’s replacement for the former Latin Quarter restaurant isn’t some sedate hacienda.

Antojitos’ facade features a working bell tower (listen for it to ring every hour on the hour, beginning at the nightly 5 p.m. opening) topped by a weather vane representation of “The Dude,” the restaurant’s sombrero-wearing, bicycle-riding mascot.

If you want an alfresco aperitif, a VW microbus has been converted into a full-service bar, which serves the elaborately tiled sheltered patio.

To be polite, the “Spanish Mission meets Mexico City graffiti” tie-dyed exterior is eye-poppingly intense, and the visuals are equally extreme on the inside.

 

 

Polished concrete, reclaimed hardwood, and recycled steel cables compete with neon signage and spray-painted stencils, evoking an energetic urban environment.

The open first floor is dominated by a four-sided bar on one end…

…and an elevated stage on the other.

It also features a wall-length open kitchen with a handful of stools if you wish to dine counter-side.

Don’t miss the luchador-themed kewpie doll art installation near the restrooms!

On Wednesday through Sunday nights, complimentary custom-painted masks are offered to all patrons.

It’s a festive space, but unless you snag one of the barrel-shaped booths it’s far from intimate… …

…especially once the resident mariachi band starts singing from their eclectic setlist.

And when the band isn’t on, a soundtrack starring Spanish covers of 80′s and 90′s pop may propel you back to your high school prom en español.

The servers even get in on the retro act with their jean jacket uniforms.

For a quieter meal, consider the second floor’s cozy private dining room…

…or a seat with a view on the covered balcony if it’s balmy.

Overall, Antojitos has an upbeat, energetic atmosphere that’s perfect for hanging out with friends or multi-generational families, but wouldn’t be my first choice for a romantic rendezvous or business meeting. It should provide a good transitional zone to unwind after a day of overstimulation in the theme parks, and a perfect pre-party spot before heading into Mardi Gras or Halloween events.

Drinks

Antojitos takes their tequila seriously, with a list of over 200 types, and rare labels (at up to $90 per shot!) secured behind chicken-wire cages.

Universal hired an international tequila expert to educate their staff, so don’t be afraid to ask if you don’t understand the difference between reposado and añejo. They’ll serve salt and lime with your shot upon request, but the preferred way to imbibe tequila is by sipping slowly from a wide-mouthed glass.

There’s also an extensive selection of custom margaritas and other cocktails, all made with fresh-squeezed juices instead of pre-packaged mixes.

 

Sriracha Muchacha was hands-down my favorite margarita. Made with spicy sriracha sauce and roasted red peppers, it gives Cava de Tequila’s Jalapeno margarita a run for its money as Orlando’s best burning booze.

The Horse You Rode In On is like a tequila-based Dark & Stormy; a silky smooth and not too strong…at least until you discover the powerful brandy-soaked cherry hiding in the bottom!

Antorita is a top-shelf on-the-rocks margarita, and an excellent example of the genre, with a well-balanced blend of sweet, sour, and salty, thanks to fresh lime and nectar juice.

The mojito is also well-made if a bit weak, with freshly muddled mint an a stick of sugar cane for style points.

Handsome George was my second-favorite cocktail, thanks to the smokey/spicy mezcal. Beware, this one packs a punch.

If you aren’t into alcohol, Antojitos serves the greatest soft drink known to man: Mexican Coke, made with real sugar instead of corn syrup.

For dessert, the Highway to Heaven is pretty much lives up to its name, with an ambrosial blend of coffee liqueur, cocoa, and cream.

 

Appetizers

Antojitos literally translates as “little cravings” and means the Mexican equivalent of Spanish tapas, or small plates. So it makes sense that appetizers are the heart and soul of the menu, and your best bet when ordering. In my four visits, I’ve yet to taste a starter here that wasn’t superb, so if you stick to the first half of the menu you’ll be well fed.

Tip: don’t be afraid to order one or two dishes at a time, as your server should be happy to put in multiple orders for you.

Every visit starts with a complimentary basket of house-made tortilla chips and salsa.

The chips are lightly salted and fantastic when still warm. The salsa isn’t as spicy or chunky as some, and I’m not crazy about the green olives in it, but it does taste incredibly fresh.

If you have a group, start out with the tableside guacamole for a small show with your supper. They use two whole avocados in their dip, so you’ll have plenty to share.

 

You’ll get a quick lesson in guac-making, and can make special requests (like no olives). I ordered mine medium-spicy and it barely had a kick, so be sure to let your server know if you like it hot.

Esquites Asados is roasted corn-off-the-cob with queso fresco and mayo, served in a small cast iron casserole. I’ve eaten this on every visit so far, and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon!

Tamaltso Fritos take the typical tamale cornmeal stuffing and turns it into a fried ball. The fritters are fine, but I liked the slightly spicy dipping aioli even better.

Seafood Cocktail contains cooked medium shrimp and bay scallops in a slightly spicy tomato-based cocktail sauce. It wasn’t bad, but I’d much rather see an authentic citrus-cured ceviche, or at least something with a little more bite and bigger shellfish.

Pozole is a traditional pork-flavored soup. I’m used to it being more soupy, but Antojitos’ version is thickened with hominy giving it a much heavier texture. The flavor, however, is spot on, with just the right amount of rich smokiness to the stew.

 

The Empanada trio include beef, chicken, and mushroom fillings, each paired with an appropriate dipping sauce; the mushroom and mole are my favorites, but all are tasty (if a tad small).

 

Entrees

While I’ve been very pleased with all the appetizers at Antojitos, the entrees have been a bit more hit or miss. Portion sizes should be adequate for all but the most American-sized appetites, but are only a moderately good value considering the $15-$20 price range. Flavors are still fresh, but seem a little more familiar than the starters, and I had issues with overdone proteins on a couple samples.

During my first visit I tasted the Guajillo Chicken, which had a flavorful pepper-rubbed skin but slightly dry meat; the jalapeño cornbread was the standout component, as were many of the other starch side dishes.

The enchiladas and tacos are all variations on the same fillings and sauces. Inside, I loved the pork carnitas, and thought the duck tasty but too heavy with rendered fat; the chicken and shrimp were both disappointingly bland and too sweet.

The mole sauce was acceptable but not as heavy on the cocoa as I’d like, while the verde heat level is too toned down (presumably to accommodate American palates).

However, the black beans and seasoned rice served on the side is absolutely stellar.

By the way, all of the above items are served on the restaurant’s ground floor. The second level, or “Antojitos Up”, has a separate kitchen and its own slightly more expensive menu with some unique entees.

The bacon wrapped shrimp I sampled, while flavorful, was a bit rubbery and tough, though the tough was worth trying for the polenta-like corn pudding.

The single best dish of opening night was the carne asada coffee rubbed ribeye, which was cooked a perfect medium-rare and hand-carved for the media by Chef Steve Jayson himself. This is one of the best steaks I’ve ever had at a theme park resort, and a bargain at $28.

 

Dessert

 

Save room for sweets, because the dessert offerings here are almost as enticing as the appetizers.

The churros are exactly what you’ll find inside the parks, but the coffee creme brûlée they are served with is a winner.

Banana Bread pudding and molten de leche cake are both solid (if unspectacular), but the sour cream ice cream served with the later is tart, tangy, and terrifically addictive.

 

Final Thoughts

Antojitos is a welcome addition to Universal CityWalk’s line-up, and should please anyone craving creative interpretations of Mexican classics. For those who only know Taco Bell, Antojitos will be a revelation, and it compares favorably in price and quality with the area’s better ethnic restaurants. You’re likely to find me seated at the bar with salsa, starters, and a strong drink or three!

 

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Photo Gallery: Disneyland Cultivating The Magic Tour Part 1 (Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, & New Orleans Square)

By Seth Kubersky

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Most guests at Disneyland Park are trying to cram as many attractions into their day as possible (and luckily we have an app for that), but repeat visitors who are looking to slow down and smell the flowers should really consider the Disneyland Cultivating the Magic Tour.

While not as popular as the often sold-out Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour, nor as family-oriented as the Discover the Magic Tour, the Disneyland Cultivating the Magic Tour is reasonably priced ($50, Annual Pass and Disney Visa discounts available) and highly recommended to anyone with thumbs the slightest shade of green.

As an added bonus, you’ll get a front-of-the-line access to a trio of attractions, and receive a couple cool souvenirs, which I’ll describe in the second part of this series. I already considered myself well versed in Disneyland’s horticultural history, but I took the tour for the first time late last year and came away with a wealth of new knowledge.

Here’s a photographic recreation of my recent Cultivating the Magic Tour experience, along with a selection of the fascinating facts I picked during our exploration of the Happiest Plants on Earth.

Main Street, U.S.A.

Our group is about to begin our Disneyland Cultivating the Magic Tour Adventure (photos by Seth Kubersky)

Like all tours in Disneyland Park, we began by checking in on Main Street, U.S.A., at the tour pavilion just inside the left-hand entry tunnel, where we met our guide Karen from Bakersfield, California. She quickly proved to be every bit as friendly, knoweldgeable, and articulate as you’d expect a Disneyland VIP tour guide to be.

We started with the famous Mickey Mouse floral in front of the train station, which is created with over 3600 flowers.The scrolls bordering Mickey’s head are changed out up to 9 times annually, and use up to 10,000 flowers.

Our stroll up Main Street, U.S.A., started with a primer on Bill and Jack Evans, a pair of brothers who essentially invented themed landscaping in American theme parks. Starting with the design of of Walt’s personal backyard railroad in 1952, Bill Evans had a hand in the greenery at every Disney park through Animal Kingdom.

 

A constant challenge is trees outgrowing the careful scale created by Main Street, U.S.A.’s forced perspective buildings. The trees currently near the train station were moved there from further up the street when they outgrew their original spots.

Likewise, the original Chinese evergreen elms on the Hub had to be removed after 27 years. The current ones were planted in 2005.

My visit coincided with Christmas time, so there were over 20,000 poinsettias planted around the resort.

Adventureland

Next we entered Adventureland, an exemplar of Bill Evans’ efforts to contrast civilized vs. uncivilized space.

The beautiful bromeliad, relative to the pineapple.

We jumped aboard a private Jungle Cruise boat. Instead of the usual comic skipper spiel, our guide pointed out some of the natural wonders in this opening day attraction.

7 different types of bamboo form the backbone of Disneyland’s jungles. They can grow up to 12″ per day!

The “mangrove” trees are actually the exposed roots of full-grown orange and walnut trees that were replanted upside down.

The Dominguez Palm is a large Canary Island date palm named after the family that originally owned the property upon which Disneyland was built.

The Dominguez Palm towers in the background.

New Orleans Square

New Orleans Square was the first new land added to the park after opening.

This enormous rubber tree was transplanted here by Evans, and still had an old gas pipe entwined in its roots.

The gardening becomes less cheerful as you approach the Haunted Mansion, and no blooming flowers are used on the attraction’s grounds except funereal lilies. Here we got our second rock-star ride access of the day at the uber-popular Haunted Mansion Holiday.

The tall trees at the Mansion’s exit are Italian cypress.

Next door in Critter Country, the grass on Splash Mountain is trimmed shorter the higher up Chickapin Hill it grows to maintain the sense of scale.

A mountain-shaped tree cleverly hides the view of the Matterhorn from New Orleans Square.

Can you spot the Matterhorn in the middle of this picture?

Finally, this pot of rosemary marks the transition between New Orleans Square and Frontierland, which will be the subject of the next part in this series.

Frontierland railing on the left, New Orleans on the right.

 

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Photo Gallery: Disneyland Cultivating The Magic Tour Part 1 (Main Street, U.S.A., Adventureland, & New Orleans Square) is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

SATURDAY SIX: Six “Secrets” of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Hogsmeade Village

By Derek Burgan

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This week’s SATURDAY SIX looks at Six “Secrets” of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Hogsmeade Village. When Islands of Adventure opened The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP) in 2010, Universal established a new gold standard in theme park immersion. Walking into Hogsmeade Village is the closest anyone can come to stepping into the pages of J.K. Rowling’s book series. Filled with magic and surprises, Universal’s Wizarding World contains many secrets that not every guest knows about – even the ones who have been several times. Today we’re going to look at six of our favorites.

Please remember to click on any picture to see the full size version.

# 6 – Muggles can get their mail postmarked from Hogsmeade

Next to Ollivanders is the Owl Post, and outside of that is a manned Owl Post station where you can mail letters and get them marked with an actual Hogsmeade stamp. We all have friends and family who can’t make it down to Orlando, and this is one of the cheapest souvenirs you can get for them. It can also be a unique Wizarding World item to have waiting for you once you return home from vacation, so consider mailing something to yourself.

There is stationary you can buy in Hogsmeade Village to write your letter, or you can just bring your own. You’re also responsible for your own postage. Once you are ready, take your mail to the witch or wizard manning the station, and he or she will stamp your envelope and hand it off to Errol, Pigwidgeon, or the next owl up for delivery.

Pumpkin Fizz

# 5 – Pumpkin Fizz at the Three Broomsticks

There are a lot of popular drinks within Hogsmeade, including Butterbeer, Pumpkin Juice, and Hog’s Head Ale, but one drink not everyone knows about is Pumpkin Fizz. Pumpkin Fizz is very similar to Pumpkin Juice except that it is carbonated and does not come in the great bottle that the juice variety does. However, just as I prefer frozen Butterbeer to the regular version, I much prefer Pumpkin Fizz over Pumpkin Juice, and to get it you need to stroll into the Three Broomsticks or the Hog’s Head Pub, as it is not available at any of the outdoor carts.

 

Fire Whiskey is in the tap at the bottom left of this picture and has several bottles on the shelves. Other drinks include Knotgras Mead, Daisyroot Draught, Ocky Rot, and White Rat Whiskey.

# 4 – Fire Whiskey in the Hog’s Head

Speaking of the Hog’s Head, this small bar is one of my favorite stops in the Wizarding World. I think it’s the best place to get Butterbeer (as the carts outside seem to always have much longer lines), and the little details throughout are amazing to take in. Besides the huge Hog’s Head animatronic, you’ll see shrunken heads from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (along with a great sign that reads “Management will not take responsibility if you lose your head”), hear a witch complaining if you stand near the staircase, and behind the bar there are a whole bunch of Potter Universe themed bottles.

One of these bottles is for Fire Whiskey, one of the drinks many guests hope is realized once Diagon Alley opens later in 2014. Mentioned in several of the Potter books, Firewhiskey - as it written in Potter cannon – is an alcoholic drink that is prohibited to underaged wizards and witches (although Harry Potter drank some in memory to “Mad Eye” Moody.)

Stop into the Public Conveniences to listen to Moaning Myrtle’s woes

# 3 – Moaning Myrtle in the bathrooms

This is one of the all time great details in any theme park. Moaning Myrtle, the school girl who died at Hogwarts in 1943 and continued to haunt the lavatories as a ghost, can also be found in the WWoHP. That’s right, head into the “Public Conveniences,” and you can her Myrtle herself talking to guests.

Speaking of details, signs for Public Conveniences instead of Restrooms and Pram Parking instead of Stroller Parking are the cherry on top of the sundae of the level of detail that is throughout Hogsmeade Village. After you’ve ridden Forbidden Journey, Dragon Challenge, and Flight of the Hippogriff, spend some time window shopping in Hogsmeade and see all the amazing details. You don’t have to be a huge fan to appreciate all the work put into these windows, but if you are a fan of the books or movies, you will be blown away.

Yes, it’s real and it’s spectacular.

# 2 – The Hogwarts Castle tour

With Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Universal Creative accomplished the impossible. Forget about the Kuka-arm-based ride that seamlessly transitions between film and real sets. Forget about a brand new story that involves the characters from the movies we all love (imagine if Star Tours opened in 1987 with a new story featuring Han Solo and Luke Skywalker or if Star Tours: The Adventure Continues had new footage with Obi-Wan and Anakin.) Forget about everything that makes this one of the greatest E-Ticket attractions ever made. What makes Forbidden Journey special is the fact it is the first queue made in the history of theme parks that guests want to spend more time in.

There’s nothing quite like seeing two portraits arguing with each other while you are waiting in line

There hasn’t been a time through the queue where I haven’t been told by other guests that I can pass by them because they want to spend more time in a room to take pictures or sit and watch and the musion technology scenes with Dumbledore and the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. The queue is filled with rooms and settings we all love from the books and films, including Dumbledore’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts class room, and the Gryffindor common room. Universal found a way to make the moving portraits from the movies work in a real world setting and used them brilliantly to tell the story of the ride and show people what they are about to experience.

What many guests don’t know is that Universal offers a Hogwarts castle tour where you can walk the queue at your own pace and take as many pictures you want without people constantly moving around you. The tour skips the outdoor greenhouse and keeps you inside the entire time. This is the perfect way for people who love to take a lot of pictures and want to get the full story, as often you are walking threw the rooms too fast to get the full experience. There are a free times when Universal shuts down the castle tour line (ironically, when the ride is at its busiest, which makes absolutely no sense at all), so be sure to ask the team members at the beginning of the queue if you can go through the castle tour line. Just remember, you will not be able to ride Forbidden Journey if you walk through the castle tour line. You will have to go back through the stand by queue for that.

Rowena Ravenclaw

# 1 – The Four Founders of Hogwarts

Mentioned repeatedly in the books but never seen in the movies were the four founders of Hogwarts: Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. In one of my favorite rooms of the Forbidden Journey queue, you are surrounded by hundreds of portraits, and four of them are having a conversation with each other. Those four are the founders of Hogwarts, and – true to fashion – Salazar Slytherin is beside himself that muggles are being allowed into the castle, while the others try to talk some sense into him.

The Chocolate Frog, surely one of the most popular pieces of merchandise being sold in Hogsmeade, also contains a special “witches and wizards” card, similar to the one Harry Potter received in the very first movie. Opening a chocolate frog will reveal one of five cards featuring the four founders and Dumbledore (who was added into the rotation in 2013). To top it off, three of the founders are pictured with the items that Tom Riddle (Voldemort) used as Horcruxes in the Potter series (Godric is pictured with the sword of Gryffindor). Talk about over delivering to your audience!

So there you have it: Six “Secrets” of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Hogsmeade Village. See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six. 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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SATURDAY SIX: Six “Secrets” of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Hogsmeade Village

By Derek Burgan

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This week’s SATURDAY SIX looks at Six “Secrets” of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Hogsmeade Village. When Islands of Adventure opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP) in 2010 they established a new gold standard in theme park immersion. Walking into Hogsmeade Village is the closest anyone can come to stepping into the pages of JK Rowling’s book series. Filled with magic and surprises, Universal’s Wizarding World contains many secrets that not every guest knows about – even the ones who have been several times. Today we’re going to look at six of our favorites.

Please remember to click on any picture to see the full size version.

# 6 – Muggles can get their mail postmarked from Hogsmeade

Next to Ollivanders is the Owl Post, and outside of that is a manned Owl Post station where you can mail letters and get them marked with an actual Hogsmeade stamp. We all have friends and family who can’t make it down to Orlando and this is one of the cheapest souvenirs you can get for them. It can also be a unique Wizarding World item to have waiting for you once you return home from vacation, so consider mailing something to yourself.

There is stationary you can buy in Hogsmeade Village to write your letter, or you can just bring your own. You’re also responsible for your own postage. Once you are ready, take your mail to the witch or wizard manning the station and they will stamp your envelope and hand it off to Errol, Pigwidgeon, or the next owl up for delivery.

Pumpkin Fizz

# 5 – Pumpkin Fizz at the Three Broomsticks

There are a lot of popular drinks within Hogsmeade including Butterbeer, Pumpkin Juice, and Hog’s Head Ale, but one drink not everyone knows about is Pumpkin Fizz.   Pumpkin Fizz is very similar to Pumpkin Juice except that t is carbonated and does not come in the great bottle that the juice variety does. However, just as I prefer frozen Butterbeer to the regular version, I much prefer Pumpkin Fizz over Pumpkin Juice and to get it you need to stroll into the Three Broomsticks or the Hog’s Head pub as it is not available at any of the outdoor carts.

 

Fire Whiskey is in the tap at the bottom left of this picture and has several bottles on the shelves. Other drinks include Knotgras Mead, Daisyroot Draught, Ocky Rot, and White Rat Whiskey.

# 4 – Fire Whiskey in the Hog’s Head

Speaking of the Hog’s Head, this small bar is one of my favorite stops in the Wizarding World.  I think it’s the best place to get Butterbeer (as the carts outside seem to always have much longer lines) and the little details throughout are amazing to take in. Besides the huge Hog’s Head animatronic, you’ll see shrunken heads from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (along with a great sign that reads “Management will not take responsibility if you lose your head”), hear a witch complaining if you stand near the staircase, and behind the bar there are a whole bunch of Potter Universe themed bottles.

One of these bottles is for Fire Whiskey, one of the drinks many guests hope is realized once Diagon Alley opens later in 2014. Mentioned in several of the Potter books, Firewhiskey - as it written in Potter cannon – is an alcoholic drink  that is prohibited to underaged wizards and witches (although Harry Potter drank some in memory to “Mad Eye” Moody.)

Stop into the Public Conveniences to listen to Moaning Myrtle’s woes

# 3 – Moaning Myrtle in the bathrooms

This is one of the all time great details in any theme park. Moaning Myrtle, the school girl who died at Hogwarts in 1943 and continued to haunt the lavatories as a ghost, can also be found in the WWoHP. That’s right, head into the “Public Conveniences” and you can her Myrtle herself talking to guests.

Speaking of details, signs for Public Conveniences instead of Restrooms and Pram Parking instead of Stroller Parking are the cherry on top of the sundae of the level of detail that is throughout Hogsmeade village. After you’ve ridden Forbidden Journey, Dragon Challenge, and Flight of the Hippogriff, spend some time window shopping in Hogsmeade and see all the amazing details. You don’t have to be a huge fan to appreciate all the work put into these windows but if you are a fan of the books or movies you will be blown away.

Yes, it’s real and it’s spectacular.

# 2 – The Hogwarts Castle tour

With Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey Universal Creative accomplished the impossible. Forget about the Kuka-arm-based ride that seamlessly transitions between film and real sets. Forget about a brand new story that involves the characters from the movies we all love (imagine if Star Tours opened in 1987 with a new story featuring Han Solo and Luke Skywalker or if Star Tours: The Adventure Continues had new footage with Obi-Wan and Anakin.) Forget about everything that makes this one of the greatest E-Ticket attractions ever made, what makes Forbidden Journey special is the fact it is the first queue made in the history of theme parks that guests want to spend more time in.

There’s nothing quite like seeing two portraits arguing with each other while you are waiting in line

There hasn’t been a time through the ride where I haven’t been told by another guest that I can pass them because they wanted to spend more time in a room to take pictures or sit and watch and the musion technology scenes with Dumbledore and the trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. The queue is filled with rooms and settings we all love from the books and films including Dumbledore’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts class room, and the Gryffindor common room. Universal found a way to make the moving portraits from the movies work in a real world setting and used them brilliantly to tell the story of the ride and show people what they are about to experience.

What many guests don’t know is that Universal offers a Hogwarts castle tour where you can walk the queue at your own pace and take as many pictures you want without people constantly moving around you. The tour skips the outdoor greenhouse and keeps you inside the entire time. This is the perfect way for people who love to take a lot of pictures and want to get the full story, as often you are walking threw the rooms too fast to get the full experience. There are a free times when Universal shuts down the castle tour line (ironically when the ride is at its busiest, which makes absolutely no sense at all), so be sure to ask the team members at the beginning of the queue if you can go through the castle tour line. Just remember, you will not be able to ride Forbidden Journey if you walk through the castle tour line. you will have to go back through the stand by queue for that.

Rowena Ravenclaw

# 1 – The Four Founders of Hogwarts

Mentioned repeatedly in the books but never seen in the movies were the four founders of Hogwarts (Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin.)  In one of my favorite rooms of the Forbidden Journey queue you are surrounded by hundreds of portraits and four of them are having a conversation with each other.  Those four are the founders of Hogwarts and true to fashion, Salazar Slytherin is besides himself that muggles are being allowed into the castle while the others try to talk some sense into him.

The Chocolate Frog, surely one of the most popular pieces of merchandise being sold in Hogsmeade, also contains a special “witches and wizards) card, similar to how Harry Potter received one in the very first movie. Opening a chocolate frog will reveal one of five cards featuring the four founders and Dumbledore (who was added into the rotation in 2013.) To top it off, three of the founders are pictured with the items that Tom Riddle (Voldermort) used as Horcruxes in the Potter series (Godric is pictured with the sword of Gryffindor.) Talk about over delivering to your audience.

So there you have it: Six “Secrets” of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Hogsmeade Village See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six.  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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In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of February 7, 2014

By TouringPlans.com

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It’s the time of the week! Time to share the best Disney News and Rumors! Which one was most interesting to you?

In Case You Missed It – Disney News and Rumors

Disney released its first quarter fiscal results this week, and things are coming up roses for the company. I came across two interesting articles that explain the results. The first is from Variety, which takes a look at the impact that Frozen and Thor had on earnings. The second is from the Orlando Sentinel, which details the theme park side of the coin.

Theme parks around the country are busy preparing their parks for the busy summer season. Of course, one of the most popular attractions that people flock to are roller coasters. USA Today lists the “Top Five New Coasters for 2014.” Guess which two Orlando-based theme parks made the list?

If you’ve ever been to Disneyland, specifically in Frontierland, you’ve likely come across a petrified tree stump. The story goes that Walt bought the stump for his wife Lilian to celebrate their wedding anniversary after seeing it in Colorado Springs. She then donated it to Disneyland for display. (Because, really, where else are you going to put a petrified tree?) This article details how the stump was procured. It’s interesting how these fossils and artifacts were just up for the taking at one point in time.

One of the most popular chips that were found around everyone’s Super Bowl parties were likely Doritos. (I may be munching on some now, leftover from the big game.) Did you know that, according to rumors, these chips were actually conceived at Disneyland? What do you think? Real or rumor?

Speaking of the Super Bowl, did you ever wonder the history of where the famous “I’m Going To Disney World!” commercial came from? Phil Simms (the original creator of the spot) shed a little light on how it all went down. There’s also video of both Phil Simms and the newest Super Bowl MVP, Malcolm Smith, shouting the proclamation.

I told you last time about the series of articles about Charlie Ridgeway? Well, this week’s final article is all about his experiences opening up Walt Disney World. It’s a fantastic glimpse at the company, including how that famous Life Magazine cover came to be. Plus he discusses the opening of Epcot and how they broadcast via the brand new satellite technology. There are also quite a few more fun tidbits in this final posting!

Have you ever dreamed of working for Disney on the Disney Cruise Line. This article details what it’s really like performing in the Broadway-caliber shows that can be seen on-board the ship.

I love when the Destination America channel runs Disney Week, and it’s back again this year! The channel will play all the great television specials that we love, as well as a new one called “Walt Disney World Resort Hotels.” The fun starts March 3 and runs until March 7. Here’s a look at some of the shows that will be broadcast.

Valentine’s Day is one week away (this is your notice, ladies and gentlemen!) Spoonful has a few fun suggestions on how to enhance this year’s celebration. These include fun Valentine’s Day card printables (my choice – the Muppet ones), sweet treats (like these Minnie’s Polka-Dot Cookies), and more!

Wanna rock the Elsa look? Check out this Disney Style video which shows the best way to apply your makeup to pull it all off.

In Case We Missed It

What did we miss? Send your idea attached to this awesome Spaceship Earth mug (seriously…what a cool mug!) and send both to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line.

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Observations from the Universal Orlando Resort: February 3, 2014 (Royal Pacific, Tchoup Chop, New Merchandise and more)

By Derek Burgan

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A lot is going on at the Universal Orlando Resort this year. Seth Kubersky wrote a great Complete Guide to Mardi Gras 2014 and continues to update us all on the upcoming Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley with his PotterWatch series of articles. The new Mexican restaurant Antojitos had its grand opening on February 5, and major work continues on CityWalk to get the other new restaurants up and running by summer. This past week I spent some time on property, and here’s a quick snapshot of what I experienced.

As a reminder, click on any picture to see it in full size.

Signage in CityWalk is going through a lot of changes. All references to Katie’s Candy Company, TCBY and Cigarz is gone. There are Antojitos signs popping up here and there, but still plenty of empty spots that will be filled down the road.

The temporary construction walls that are set up by the old Studio Store and Galaxy Bar are also now completely filled with posters teasing the upcoming revamped Studios Store, Hot Dog Hall of Fame, Vivo Italian Kitchen, and CowFish.

The temporary Studio Store set up in CityWalk is always a ghost town when I’m there and has never had more than one other person in it during the times I visited. There was an employee standing outside, presumably to encourage people to come into the store. It can’t help that there is no Potter merchandise in the store, as all of that has been moved to separate stand in the middle of CityWalk.

A new Uni-Mini has popped up in the stores. Unlike the great looking Cat in the Hat and Despicable Me themed Uni-Minis, this T-Rex mini is just a T-Rex head on the standard bear-like Uni-Mini mold. Transformers based Uni-Minis should be showing up very soon, and there are strong rumors that a Frank the Pug based one will be arriving shortly for the MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack attraction. If these are also just pasted onto a standard Uni-Mini mold, I may lose my mind. Price is $12.95

All the great Uni-Minis you could make out of the Spongebob Squarepants characters and the one on the bottom left of this photo is the one we get.

This new Bellatrix Lestrange shirt ($28.95) is hopefully just the beginning of Potter-themed products focusing on “the bad guys.” I’m very excited for Knockturn Alley, and the addition of a whole slew of merchandise themed to the Dark Arts.

This Mirror of Erised photo frame ($39.95) isn’t new, but it’s a good indication of the level of quality in Potter themed products.

Speaking of Potter, signage has popped up on the London Waterfront facades, including the newest for the Wyndham Theatre. I think they all look great.

I had lunch at Louie’s Italian Restaurant and got a ‘Murica Lunch with cheese pizza, strawberry cheesecake, and Miller Lite Draft beer.

We got evac’d off Revenge of the Mummy and were given this Attraction Admission Pass. It is good for any attraction except for Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and Pteranodon Flyers.

These new distressed Duff Beer shirts have just arrived in Springfield and are already one of my favorite pieces of clothing.

These tents and temporary stage literally showed up overnight and will be used for the Mardi Gras events.

One of these tents is going to be selling Twisted Taters, one of the best snacks at Universal

There’s very little mention of the Universal Classic Monsters outside of the Monster’s Cafe and the Beetlejuice Graveyard Revue, but there was a great pressed penny machine in the main USF store that had penny designs for Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Werewolf. These are gone and have been replaced with a machine featuring new Despicable Me designs. With Parkscope.net reporting a permit being filed to change the old Amity bathrooms in front of Diagon Alley, will we soon be losing the gray Jaws-themed pressed penny machine there, as well? Between this and the possibility of Uni-Minis going into the Disney Vinylmation style, I may just ball up into the fetal position and cry myself to sleep.

Goodnight, sweet prince.

Over in Islands of Adventure, at the Jurassic Park River Adventure gift shop there were a whole bunch of new Jurassic Park themed playsets. Average price was around $20, and they replaced all the guns, which were a popular seller in the store. Rumor has it that Steven Spielberg himself saw how many guns they were selling and wanted them replaced. I hadn’t really paid attention before, but there are actually a lot of Transformers themed guns as well sold at the Supply Vault gift shop and the main USF store.

At Mythos they have playing the great sound effect of a troll under the bridge for a while now, much more consistently than they have in the past.

I stayed at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort and was in a Club Level room. The Club Lounge, itself, is a room on the 7th floor. It has large flat screen TVs and sitting areas on opposite ends of the room, with one set aside as an area for small children (complete with table and chairs designed for them.) There is also a TV and two computers in the middle of the room.

The club lounge is open from 7:00AM – 9:30PM and offers various food selections throughout the day. Continental Breakfast (7:00AM – 10:00AM), Afternoon Snacks (12:00PM-3:00PM), Royal Relaxation (4:30PM – 6:30PM) and Something Sweet (8:00PM – 9:00PM). I read a lot of threads on Disney and Universal message boards, and a question that seems to pop up any time club lounges are discussed is: “How much food is there?” I personally think there are enough selections to replace several meals, but your mileage may vary.

Starbucks coffee is served all day in the lounge, and milk and juice are available in the morning, Coke products (in cans) are available all day. At night bottles of beer and glasses of wine are complimentary, with a $5 charge for other alcohol drinks.

Some of the Continental Breakfast selections in the club lounge

Some of the Something Sweet selections

While at the Royal Pacific I decided to finally check out Emeril’s Tchoup Chop restaurant on the ground floor. I’ll be writing up a full review soon, but I was impressed by the atmosphere inside and the food itself. High marks for great presentation, and the dessert selection may be the best on property. That’s saying something.

Inside of the Tchoup Chop

Iron Skillet Edamame

Sushi

A selection of Tchoup Chop desserts

We were sharing all the desserts and this one never even made it to me, it was that good.

One thing I was surprised to find is the large selection of craft beers that Tchoup Chop carries. Now it’s going to be hard to choose between this restaurant and Jake’s American Bar when it’s time to get my drink on.

More pics and a review coming shortly, but Tchoup Chop is an excellent place to go to dinner, especially on a date night or a night out with friends. The desserts, themselves, are worth going way out of your way for. They were incredible.

We had a quick night cap at Antojitos, which at the time was doing a soft opening. We tried about 12 different types of drinks, and all ranged from very good to great, with the side benefit of being reasonably priced for a theme park setting. The theming within the restaurant is crazy and has to be seen to be believed.

You are not having a fever dream.

One thing I love was a guy working on personalized lucha masks by the front door. These were very popular with kids – so popular that the lines were too long for me to wait for my own. I hope this stays and isn’t just an opening week thing.

While I was in CityWalk I stopped by one of my favorite stores, PIQ. It’s almost impossible to describe PIQ as the collection of merchandise within is so unique. This week I picked up a turtle made out of recycled flip flops that are found on coastlines and waterways. There was other animals too including elephants, giraffes, and rhinos. Each one had a trademark mini flip flop on the bottom of it.

 

Not the small flip flop at the top of the of the picture.

The animals are made by company called Ocean Sole and are just the type of interesting product you’ll find in PIQ that you can’t find anywhere else. Unfortunately PIQ has a “no pictures” policy, which is absolutely ridiculous and if the merchandise wasn’t so good I probably would stop going completely to take a stand on how absurd I think that is in 2014.

That’s it for this trip. Definitely glad I finally tried Tchoup Chop, and now I need to book a reservation at the Emeril’s in CityWalk. Employees across the board were amazing, with several superstars including Michael at Jurassic Outfitters in IOA and Natalie working the front desk check in at the Royal Pacific. I would probably go postal within my first week of having to deal with most theme park guests, and I’m constantly surprised at how friendly and helpful most of the employees at UOR are on a daily basis.

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In the Parks with Morgan: Downtown Disney

By Morgan Crutchfield

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Hey everyone! With all kinds of construction going on as the Disney Springs renovations continue, I wanted to show you Downtown Disney this week so that you can get a feel for how to navigate it best. I’ll start with parking because with two huge parking structures underway, it’s kind of a disaster. A majority of the West Side parking has been closed, leaving only a couple of lots on either end of the parking row open, some at Marketplace and some at West Side. Valet is available in front of Cirque and is a great option if you happen to have Tables in Wonderland, which makes it free if you display a dining receipt. It’s $15 otherwise, which is a little steep given that you’re likely going in to spend money anyway.

On this day I took the boat over from Saratoga Springs after having a really delicious ten dollar flatbread at The Artist’s Palate. Try the Caprese. It’s warm and buttery, crispy and rich with a hint of acid. Fresh and not too filling.

The ride on the boat from the dock at Saratoga (located just past the tennis courts and down by the golf course pro shop) is short and pleasant. The boat drops off on the West Side just behind House of Blues, where you can walk up the dock into the shopping area, or stay closer to the water and bypass the crowds on the walkway.

The view from the boat

Pleasure Island and the bridge to it are now completely closed. There are more construction walls than not, and while it doesn’t increase the congestion on the West Side to a significant degree, it gets to be a pretty big pain as you head into the Marketplace. A pedestrian walkway that travels past the Characters in Flight balloon and sticks close to water has been added. It leads from the balloon to the space between Paradiso 37 and Raglan Road, is wide enough to not be too crowded, is nicely lit at night, and features large concept art murals of what’s coming for Disney Springs.

The new West Side Starbucks location approaching the pedestrian walkway

The pedestrian walkway that connects Downtown Disney’s West Side to The Marketplace

Walkway outlet between Raglan and Paradiso. Notice the removal of the Apricot Lane and Curl stores behind the construction walls.

Raglan Road has expanded its shop and added some really pretty new merchandise including handwoven Irish throws and a line of cooking products from Ireland. The space is a lot easier to get around in now and the new fixtures and decorations are pretty charming.

The walkway from Raglan past Portobello and Fulton’s Crab House is full of construction walls, as well, with even more added to the middle of the path the day after I took this shot.

In front of T-REX. This area was incredibly congested during the evening hours with lines stretching out of the restaurant and people trying to get by.

Once I made it past the congestion by the World of Disney/LEGO Store junction, I headed to Team Mickey to see it on its last day of opening. The store is now closed and the building will become a Marketplace co-op. I can’t say that I’ll miss it much, but I do hope they bring back the customizable Louisville Slugger baseball bats.

 

Crowds were built up around 365 Days of Christmas and Goofy’s Candy Company, so I went back to World of Disney to check out their construction walls and look for a bracelet I’ve been stalking for a few weeks. This particular wall is up because they’re adding a Starbucks to the front of the store.

 

If you’ve not ever stopped to take a moment to look UP in World of Disney, be sure to. There are some incredible character vignettes hanging from the ceiling that a lot of people don’t take time to note.

Construction walls aren’t the only evidence of major changes at Downtown Disney. Out in the lagoon there are barges and floats indicating some pretty big changes are coming.

I’ll be sure to keep you posted as more changes come around, but be sure to work all these altered walkways and the resulting crowd bottlenecks into your patience plan if you come downtown. Until next time, keep it magical! ~M

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A Trip Around The World: Morocco

By Daisy Lauren

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Welcome to our grand tour of Morocco in Epcot’s World Showcase! I can’t believe we’ve already visited Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, and Japan! I will start off by saying Morocco was the most fun to research. It isn’t a land I really spend a lot of time in, and I loved stopping to really take a look around. I can’t wait to show you what I discovered! Let’s start with a nice scenic shot from the World Showcase Lagoon. The white building on the water is the new Spice Road Table restaurant!

When you first enter Morocco from Japan, you’ll see this beautiful sign. I can’t think of another land that has something so beautiful with the name of their country (or kingdom)! Maybe that’s because King Hassan II was actually involved with the creation of the pavilion. The government also sponsors the land rather than allowing corporate sponsors.

Next is the small stage where you can catch Mo’Rockin. This is a fun group that plays rock and roll music with an Arabian beat. Plus there’s a belly dancer! Sorry guys – I was there too early in the day to get those photos for you!

If you keep moving on, you’ll see Moroccan Style. This is a neat display that talks about Moroccan life and culture. It’s a small building but worth a few minutes to look through. When you walk through the doors below, they don’t look too special. But when you look at the light streaming through the glass doors once you get inside, it’s beautiful!

This is the first display you’ll see when you walk through the doors. There’s more to see on your right and left. I didn’t include all of it, so there will be some surprises when you tour Morocco!

One last thing about this little building, though. Take a look at this amazing ceiling and the light fixtures. There are details like this through the entire land. I can’t say enough about the beauty of Morocco. I don’t know why it took me so long to slow down and take a look.

Once you exit Moroccan Style, you’ll enter the main courtyard in Morocco. To your right is Tangerine Cafe, but we’ll talk about that later. The tall tower is a reproduction of the Koutoubia Minaret in Marrakesh. It’s the largest mosque in this city.

As you enter the courtyard, you’ll see this lovely fountain and citrus trees native to Northern Africa. In the background you’ll see the arch which leads back to way more Morocco than you may have guessed was there!

Speaking of that arch – take a look at the intricate mosaic on the wall. This is a replica of Bab Boujeloud. It was painstakingly constructed by Moroccan craftsmen much like many of the details throughout this pavilion.

Once you pass through this archway you enter the bazaar. Now – I should pause here to tell you if I ever go to the real Morocco, I may never find my way out! I got so turned around back in this area… but I was also enchanted! There was something so magical about wondering around on a quiet morning and really getting lost!

I took tons of photos like the one below. There are several pretty little shops all hidden in the walkways. They sell beautiful clothing, jewelry, ceramics, vases, rugs, lanterns, rose water, fez hats, and lots more. They look similar, so I’m not including several of the images, but I encourage you to go looking for all these shopping spots!

All the tangled paths lead to this large outdoor market where they sell a little bit of everything. It’s so pretty in there! I do wonder about the roof, though. It must be covered in clear plexiglass or something so they don’t get washed away in our summer downpours. (I’m going to have to check next time I’m there in the rain!)

Also tucked in the pathways is a fountain inspired by the Nejjarine fountain in Fes. Again, take a look at that amazing mosaic work!

I wondered around on the paths a little while longer and came to Restaurant Marrakesh. I haven’t eaten here in a really long time, and I’m going to make point to go there soon. I don’t know if I’ve bragged on Morocco enough – but the people that work in this pavilion are so nice and helpful. Sometimes when I walk up with my big camera people look at me like a creep, but everyone here was so helpful!

They even opened up the dining room and let me take a photo while the restaurant was closed! Take a look at this! Don’t you just want to hop on a plane now to come try it? I can tell you the last time I was there, the food was outstanding. Oddly, unlike other pavilion restaurants, I noticed they have their own website while I was researching. How cool is that?

After leaving the restaurant, I walked into this area and loved the view! This is what it looks like in the bazaar area of Morocco. Lots of winding paths and doors to find surprises!

Like this one! Tucked in one of the doors is the meet and greet area for Aladdin. It’s really pretty and indoors – a much better location to meet this character than the spot in Magic Kingdom. (Forgive the glass glare – I was shooting through a locked door)

One store that did stand out was Casablanca Carpets, marked with a giant wooden camel! Carpets, clothing, and fez hats all under one roof. Only in Morocco!

Here is a quick view inside the store. There’s a lot more to see, but much like the rest of Morocco, there is just too much to really show everything.

Just next door is this really beautiful open area. I think the thing I loved most about Morocco is that there was true “dead space.” Every inch isn’t crammed with things to buy or eat. There’s room to get lost and find some peace. I hope anyone that is looking for a quiet moment will seek out this land on your next trip.

Heading back out onto the main walkway by World Showcase Lagoon, you’ll come to the one part of this pavilion I already knew I loved. The Tangerine Cafe is one of the best quick service locations in all of Walt Disney World.

Here is a quick view inside the restaurant where you order. There’s also limited indoor seating available. I’ve never had anything bad from this place. I normally get the vegetable platter; the falafel is great!

Here is a look at the quiet seating area outside. I really prefer sitting out here. Isn’t it pretty? If you continued past here, you’d run into a large restroom. But that isn’t all… because now the newest construction in Epcot is just across the street.

Heading all the way back to the entrance of Morocco and looking toward the waterside you’ll now see this new building. This is the Juice Bar, which doesn’t actually seem to serve juice! It does have some interesting looking ice cream that I’m planning on trying.

Next door you’ll find a spot to get Henna tattoos and more shopping. But these shops are small, with only a tiny bit of what is offered throughout the land. Make sure you save some time to explore the other shops in addition to this little one.

Next on the tour is what all the fuss has been about lately, Spice Road Table! I know everyone has already seen this sign, but I just couldn’t help myself! Look at that crisp, blue sky!

Here’s what the patio seating area looks like. It’s beautiful… but hot! It was only 80 degrees the day I was there, and I wouldn’t have wanted to sit on the patio. I wonder how successful this will be in the blistering heat of the summer? I predict this will end up getting enclosed in the future.

Just inside the door is the unique light fixture. It’s surrounded by rich, dark wood and features the same craftsmanship you see throughout the rest of the land.

Here is a look inside the dining room. Again, everyone was so helpful and willing to let me take photos. More than in any other land, I just felt welcomed. I have been waiting to try Spice Road Table until the all the hubbub had passed, but I think I’ll be getting in there soon and spending more time in Morocco!

And with that we have seen everything in Morocco, but I wanted to leave you with one parting shot as we walk away.

I hope that you’re more excited about Morocco after reading this. I know I am! The people were amazing, and I learned a lot about this exotic part of Epcot. Do you have any extra information that you’d like to add? Please let me know in the comments below – I always love to hear from you! Thank you very much for reading and please join me next time for a fabulous tour of France!

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What Are The Differences Between the Disney Dream and Fantasy?

By Laurel Stewart

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TouringPlans is happy to  announce that pre-orders are available for the Unofficial Guide to the Disney Cruise Line, written by Len Testa, Erin Foster, and Laurel Stewart. We also encourage anyone planning a cruise to subscribe to our Disney Cruise Line content. 

Which Ship Should I Choose, the Disney Dream or the Disney Fantasy?

 

Whatever ship you choose, Castaway Cay is a must.

This month, I’m happy to be returning to the Disney Fantasy for the first time since 2012. It seems impossible that it’s been nearly 2 years since the last time I sailed that ship. One of the questions about Disney Cruise Line that we get here at TouringPlans is, “What are the differences between the Disney Dream and Fantasy?” The following is a partly scientific, somewhat arbitrary comparison of the two ships.

On the surface, the ships are nearly identical, with just some difference in theming. But there are some big differences to consider when booking your cruise.

Let’s start with the draws, where the offerings on both ships are identical:

Staterooms
Atrium – only difference is theme
Kids’ clubs
Main dining rooms (except Animator’s Palate)
Cove Cafe
Senses Spa
Staff – both ships have incredible Cast Members who are dedicated to making sure your cruise is enjoyable

Differences Between the Disney Dream and Fantasy
Cruise Length and Cost

Photo by Chad Klotzle. Want pyramids?

First there are the itineraries. The Fantasy alternates between 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises. The Dream does mostly 3- and 4-night Bahamas sailings (with the very rare 5 night from time to time). If you want to see an island that’s not Nassau, the Fantasy is your only choice. If your heart is set on Nassau, you’re on the Dream. Happily, both ships dock at Castaway Cay – the best island you’ll ever visit in our opinion. A longer cruise allows for more themed nights, though most cruises include the ubiquitous Pirate Night.

Making two stops at Castaway Cay is always our preference, but we are big fans of the number of days at sea you get on a 7-night cruise if you have the time to spend. You may wonder why we ranked the Eastern over the Western. In our opinion, having the extra day at sea and visiting the less-crowded ports of St. Maarten and St. Thomas beats the pyramids of Mexico or getting to see Falmouth, Jamaica. If you’re looking for a more active vacation, swap the second and third rankings

Here is how we rank the itineraries:

5-night Bahamas with 2 stops at Castaway Cay – the ne plus ultra of itineraries – Dream
7-night Eastern Caribbean – Fantasy
7-night Western Caribbean – Fantasy
4-night Bahamas – Dream
3-night Bahamas – Dream

Cost is another factor. Not only is a shorter cruise less expensive than a longer one, but the Fantasy tends not to get as many special deals at the Dream. In general, on a per-night basis the Fantasy will cost more than the Dream even before discounting. Our fare tracker is a great way to compare prices on Disney cruises. If cost is a concern, go with the Dream.

The Dream and Fantasy for Adults

Theming is the main difference between the two lounge areas on the Dream and Fantasy

The adult areas have some interesting differences. The lounge area on the Dream is called the District and has Pink, Skyline, 687 sports bar, and Evolution. The hub is the District lounge. On the Fantasy, it’s Europa with Ooh La La, Skyline, O’Gill’s, and The Tube. Its hub is La Piazza.  Skyline is our favorite bar on any of the ships after Meridian (mentioned later), but The Tube is way better themed than Evolution. We prefer Pink to Ooh La La, and the hubs are usually not very happening to the point that we have no strong feelings either way. Other than a slight greenish tint, O’Gill’s  is indistinguishable from 687.

Remy, Palo, and Meridian (the fabulous bar between the two restaurants) are identical on the two ships, though the Dream gets the edge for having the best bartender on any DCL ship, the wonderful Alexandra.

The Dream wins the lounge category by a nose because we like the less literal theming of the District over Europa (with exception of the whimsical Tube, because we’re always suckers for whimsy around here).

Here are our bar rankings:

Skyline (Fantasy) (on the basis of the drink menu)
Meridian (Dream)
Skyline (Dream)
Pink (Dream)
Meridian (Fantasy)
The Tube (Fantasy)
O’Gill’s/687 (tie)
District Lounge (Dream)
La Piazza (Fantasy)

 

Pools

The adult pool on the Dream and Fantasy is peaceful at night

The Dream and Fantasy have identical toddler, family, and adult pools, and both have Nemo’s Reef splash areas for the youngest minnows. Both have the AquaDuck though the length of the cruises means typically shorter queues to ride on the Fantasy. The Fantasy adds Satellite Falls to the adult area on the forward 11 Deck, a welcome addition to the adults-only area. And everyone can enjoy the Fantasy’s AquaLab all-ages splash area. Fantasy wins the pools category hands down.

Entertainment

It’s no secret that we at TouringPlans have coal where our hearts should be and would rather spend an evening at the spa than watching the live entertainment onboard. With that in mind, please take our rankings of the stage shows onboard with a grain of salt:

Wishes (Fantasy)
Believe (both)
Aladdin (Fantasy)
Villains Tonight (Dream)
Golden Mickeys (Dream)

Extras on the Fantasy

The Fantasy adds Muppets to the Midship Detective Agency

Dining on the ships is nearly identical from the main dining rooms to adult dining. The only difference is that the Fantasy has Animation Magic, which we think is super cool.

The kids’ areas are identical though the Fantasy has the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (Pirates’ League on Pirate night) for parents who want to spend more money on their cruises.

While both ships have interactive art (something sorely missing on the Magic and Wonder), the Fantasy has additional story lines in the Midship Detective Agency to keep you occupied over the longer cruise, including one with the Muppets.

Final Thoughts

So what is our final recommendation? If you’re unsure if cruising is for you or have a limited amount of time or money, book a 4-night cruise on the Dream. If you have a little more time to spend or want to see the latest and greatest of cruise ship tech, take the Fantasy. Either will be fabulous.

What say you? Disagree with our rankings? Let us know in the comments below.

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