Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1257

February 1, 2014

SATURDAY SIX: Six Things We Wish Theme Park Fans Would Stop Complaining About

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This week’s SATURDAY SIX looks at Six Things We Wish Theme Park Fans Would Stop Complaining About. It’s hard to believe that in a land full of fantastical theme parks, luxurious hotels, and wonderful memories filled with pixie dust that people could have anything to complain about. But they do. In fact, after a thorough investigation the Saturday Six staff has compiled a list of 548,321 complaints, and that’s just in the Florida parks. Today we’re going to look at the six of most prevalent complaints and say “STAHP!”

If you thought Talking Mickey was a hit, wait till Barista Mickey makes his debut….

# 6 – “They are building too many Starbucks”

Out of nowhere, Starbucks has seemed to have taken over the theme park world in Florida. The first step in theme park world domination for the coffee brand? The beloved Main Street Bakery at the Magic Kingdom. Starbucks then moved over to Epcot and replaced the Fountain View Cafe, complete with a hidden Communicore logo to appease the hardcore fans. Two more Starbucks are coming to Downtown Disney, and it is rumored that locations will be opening up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, as well. Not to be outdone, the Starbucks location over at Universal’s CityWalk is moving from its second floor No-Man’s-Land location down onto the ground level, and Island of Adventure’s Arctic Express has been converted into a Starbucks, as well.

What’s going here? The answer is simple. People love Starbucks. Period. The Starbucks brand is strong enough that it can charge a premium price for a drink you can get almost anywhere else cheaper, and have people lining up for it. While the Main Street Bakery certainly wasn’t hurting for business before, it’s easy to see how successful the ones at Downtown Disney and Universal will be compared to what they are replacing. The new Starbucks locations are in prime real estate and will be all but printing money.

If these Starbucks locations were McDonald’s, you could make a case that there are better restaurants all over either property. If the locations were Dunkin’ Donuts you could make a case that there are better bakeries around. But no one at Disney or Universal is doing a better job than Starbucks at making good coffee and, as far as we know, the world didn’t end when the first Grande Latte went out.

Wilderness Explorers

# 5 – “Animal Kingdom is a half day park”

Poor Animal Kingdom. The biggest (by far) theme park in Florida is saddled with the complaint that it’s only a half day park. Disney chairman Tom Staggs recently said the upcoming Avatar expansion will make the park a “true full day, must-see experience.” Sorry, Tom, we disagree as we think Animal Kingdom is already a full day experience, and a great one at that.

Are there as many attractions as there are at the Magic Kingdom? No, but it offers an experience that no other Disney or Universal park can offer. It has one of the greatest E-Tickets of all in Expedition Everest. It has a park icon in the Tree of Life that has something new to notice each time you look at it. It has two of the best shows on Disney property with Finding Nemo – the Musical and Festival of the Lion King. It has more carnival games than all the other WDW parks put together. Okay, so maybe that last part isn’t so great, but one thing Animal Kingdom does has in spades is animals. Duh.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of our favorite rides in any park, and how can you not love the Flights of Wonder show? Both give guests a unique look at live animals, but nothing can compare to walking the actual trails in Africa and Asia. Some may enjoy going from attraction to attraction and standing in queues, but we enjoy the relaxing, set-our-own-pace treks throughout Animal Kingdom. The new Wilderness Explorers interactive experience is one of the best value-added additions we’ve seen at any park.

Next time you go to Animal Kingdom, leave your pre-conceived notions about a “half day park” at the front gates and enjoy a day at a theme park you can’t get anywhere else in Orlando.

Exhaustive research shows only 32% of readers will understand this reference.

# 4 – “The size of shops at Hogsmeade Village are too small”

People have complaining about the size of the stores in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Hogsmeade Village since the first day it was open. To those people we ask, have you seen the Potter movies? The former tagline for Universal Studios was “ride the movies,” and while these stores aren’t rides, they are delivering the goods on guests being able to experience exactly what they saw on film.

We get it, this is ‘Murica and are used to Walmart, Costco, and a bigger-is-better mentality. That isn’t Harry Potter. Authenticity is the number one goal at the WWOHP, and it nails it. Instead of focusing on the size of the shops, look around at all the insanely intricate details in the store windows. Look at the products at Dervish and Banges or Honeydukes and see how perfectly they tie in with the Potter books and films. Universal recreated Hogsmeade Village, it feels real, and they look to take it to the next level with the opening of Diagon Alley this summer. If you’re not a Potter fan, we can understand the frustration, but just know that Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions isn’t MouseGear at Epcot, Magical Menagerie isn’t Big Top Souvenirs at the Magic Kingdom, and Borgin and Burkes won’t be Villains in Vogue at Hollywood Studios. We’re all better off for it.

# 3 – “There’s nothing for kids to do at Universal”

We’re not sure if the belief that “Universal has nothing for kids” comes from Disney super-serving the young child demographic or how much Universal is associated with their non-kid friendly thrill rides such as the Revenge of the Mummy or Incredible Hulk coasters. Regardless, there is a lot of stuff for kids to do at both of Universal’s parks.

At Islands of Adventure kids have Seuss Landing, one of the most whimsical places in all of Orlando, that is completely immersive. Over in Marvel Superhero Island they will be able to meet Spider-Man, Captain America, and other Marvel Comics characters for photos and autographs. Meanwhile, Camp Jurassic in Jurassic Park is – for our money – the greatest play area in any theme park and has the only ride at Disney and Universal where you must have a youngster with you to get on (Pteranodon Flyers).

Over at Universal Studios Florida we can say just one word: Minions. Between the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem attraction and the Despicable Me character party zone, kids are going to flip out seeing and interacting with Gru, his three daughters, and of course minions. There’s more Despicable Me in the Superstar Parade, as well (along with other characters, including those form Spongebob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, and the movie Hop). Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone has several elaborately themed attractions and play areas for the kids, including a Curious George “ball room” that you’ll have to drag your kids out of. One area that many guests don’t know about is the play area inside A Day in the Park with Barney, and it has several amazing interactive elements for the younger set. Depending on your child’s height, thee are attractions such as E.T. Adventure and MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack to enjoy.

# 2 – “The Yeti is broke”

Who cares? Seriously. Who cares? The Yeti is a victim of the Disney Hype Machine. Well before Expedition Everest opened we were all inundated with reports of how amazing the Yeti animatronic was going to be. The Travel Channel still plays the Animal Kingdom video from before Everest opens, and the hype for the Yeti dwarfs even what Universal is doing for the upcoming Hogwarts Express attraction. Positioned under a tarp, viewers aren’t even shown the Yeti, only given promises about how ming-blowing it would be.

Not long after its debut, the Yeti stopped working, and the whining began. Never has so much been made out of so little. Guests only see the Yeti for a second during a very thrilling ride. Because of the obsession with the malfunctioning Yeti, the jaw-dropping theming of the Everest attraction is almost never brought up. The Everest coaster is a crowning achievement in Disney rides. It is one of the – if not THE – most picturesque attractions in WDW. You can take amazing shots from all over Animal Kingdom. The queue is among the best on Disney property. The ride itself is one of the most thrilling you can have in a Disney park and shows what Walt Disney Imagineering is capable of when they are let loose. But all anyone talks about is “the broken Yeti.”

Stop it.

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth

# 1 – “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth needs to be changed”

We know what you are thinking. Faithful readers of the Saturday Six will remember that the staleness of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is one of our very own complaints. However, the readers have spoken, and to quote the great Joe Perry in the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster pre-show, “C’mon, you know how we feel about our fans.” So now we are going to flip-flop play Devil’s Advocate and make the case for keeping this iconic nighttime spectacular just the way it is.

Let’s face it, if IllumiNations ever changes we’ll never get anything like it again. We’re not overwhelmed with characters or forced-in product placements (we’re looking in your direction World of Color). It is the very definition of a spectacle using over the top fireworks, lasers, neon lights, and a stirring musical soundtrack to deliver its story. Yes, the story may actually be more incomprehensible than the plots for The Matrix sequels, but along with the pyrotechnic ballyhoo there is the large globe doing whatever it is that it does. We don’t know exactly why the glove unfolds like a flower, but that flower brings with it one of the most show stopping finales we know of. IllumiNations is not by any means perfect, but you just know if Disney changed this show, the globe would be replaced by a giant Duffy the Disney Bear head, the music would be the Frozen soundtrack as sung by Demi Lovato, and the narration would be done by Whoopi Goldberg.

Don’t you dare change a thing Disney. Don’t you dare.

So there you have it: Six Things We Wish Theme Park Fans Would Stop Complaining About See you next weekend for the latest edition of the Saturday Six, where we’ll be looking at some theme park complaints we believe people need to shut up about.. 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, Master of Photography Tom Bricker, Photoshop Wizard Matthew Cleary, and Universal NOW!’s Brandon Glover for their assistance with this article.

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Published on February 01, 2014 06:00

January 31, 2014

In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of January 31, 2014

By TouringPlans.com

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What’s In Your Bag?

By Daisy Lauren

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New Frozen Backpack available at disneystore.com

Anyone that knows me might find it funny that I’m tackling the subject of what to bring for a day in the parks. When I’m heading just up the street to Disney World I normally travel very light in an attempt to skip the bag line. (Unless I’m carrying my camera bag – but that is a whole different article!) However, when I travel all the way to Disneyland I turn into an Eagle Scout, ready for any possible situation! I don’t want to have our trip interrupted by any little thing that comes up. So today I’m sharing my long perfected list of everything that you might need.

Park tickets, ID, Cash, and Credit Cards

It’s implied that you won’t get far without these items but I included them anyway to cover the basics. It’s a good idea to clean out your wallet before you leave home and only bring the essentials to the park with you. That way you won’t lose everything if it goes missing. Besides, why bring cards you can’t use at Disney?

Cell Phone

Especially with the My Disney Experience App it’s becoming more important to have your phone with you in the parks. Who am I kidding? I never go anywhere without my cell phone! That brings me to another thing that is always good to have on hand – Ziploc bags. They are good for 1,000 purposes. In this case, that purpose is keeping your cell phone dry on water rides or downpours.

Sunscreen

Even on a cloudy day sunscreen is very important. Nothing will ruin the rest of your trip like a nasty sunburn. Applying regularly throughout the day is just as important. My favorite kind to bring to Disney are sunscreen sticks. You get all the protection without risking an extra liquid in your bag that could potentially become a sticky mess.

Water Bottle

Personally, I’m not a big fan of bringing water bottles. You can get free ice water at any counter service restaurant so I guess I don’t see the sense in carrying a bottle. But then I’m used to drinking the smelly, Florida water! If you aren’t it might be a good idea to bring filtered water bottles or flavor packs to add taste.

Snacks

Anytime I’m really going to Disney as a “tourist” I pack snacks. They’re the perfect use of space as they save money and leave me extra room in my bag as they are eaten! Some good ideas are: jerky, goldfish crackers, nuts, granola bars, and dried fruit. Another added bonus… it keeps my husband occupied in long lines!

Band-Aids

I have recently started leaving the Band-aids at home. They are offered for free at the first aid stations so the one time I’ve needed one I just stopped in and asked. In their place I now bring moleskin and a small pair of scissors. If you haven’t heard of moleskin it’s a thick, adhesive backed bandage type material. It’s a life saver if you find yourself with a blister but still need to walk for a few more days!

Trading Pins

I used to wear a lanyard, but lately I’ve had a camera around my neck! In place of it I just throw a few pins in my pack. I was never one to trade much more than that anyway and it’s much lighter (and cooler!) than wearing a full lanyard.

Autograph Books & Pens

This is another one that I don’t bring anymore. I have several completely blank autograph books that I really meant to get filled up at some point. The pens still have a place in my bag, though! If I’m heading to Disneyland I bring some neat pens that are highlighters on one side. It’s handy to be able to highlight the times guide with a rough plan.

Change

More specifically, I mean quarters and pennies! I’m a big fan of pressed pennies. They are a cheap and unique souvenir. I tend to start collecting change when we book our vacation so I have quite a bit saved up by the time we leave.

Ponchos

When I say ponchos I mean the dollar store variety. Normally, they are two for a dollar. In my opinion that makes them disposable! They come in tiny packages and the quality is just good enough to last one storm. If you are visiting during a cooler time it might make sense to get a good waterproof jacket instead. I’m a huge fan of Columbia and have had great luck with this jacket. I was able to get it at a fraction of the price at our local outlet here in Orlando.

Camera

Even if I’m not traveling with the full “rig” I always have a camera with me. In most cases a mirrorless but I’ve also carried a small point & shoot. However, take a look at the quality on your small camera and make sure it’s better than the camera on your phone. These days your phone might be just as good so there is no sense adding the extra weight to your pack.

Pain Reliever

I could extend this to the whole medicine cabinet because I normally bring treatment for upset tummies, gas, allergies, and other ailments. However, I think the pain reliever is the most important as muscles tend to ache after a couple days of steady walking. I normally forget messing around with the travel size and just throw a bottle in my bag. The little 10 count travel size always runs out at the worst time!

Hand Sanitizer

Not necessarily in the bag, but likely hanging off in a cute holder is this little trick. Let’s face it – it’s a dirty, dirty world out there. Especially if I’m grabbing a snack out of my bag it’s nice to be able to clean up while I’m at it. Plus this hand sanitizer is available it yummy flavors! Just think how dirty those menus are at the restaurant. All the more reason to use this stuff liberally!

Chapstick

This is a miserable thing to forget during a long day at the parks! Chapped lips are almost as bad as a sunburn. Bonus points for a lip balm that includes SPF!

Schedules / ADRs

Most guests can now access this information in the My Disney Experience App but it’s ssssslllllooooowwww. Did I mention it’s slow? I still bring printed copies of anything important with me to the parks. Better safe than stuck waiting!

Tissues

The argument could be made that napkins are available for free all throughout the parks but for my delicate nose, tissues are required. Even on my light packing days I normally have some with me. They also come in handy if you get caught in a bathroom stall that has run out of potty paper. (Yucky – but it happens!)

Gum

I’m sure anyone reading here knows that gum isn’t sold on Disney property or at the Orlando airport. If you want it while you’re here and don’t want to trek off property somewhere to get it, then plan to bring it with you.

Flashlight

I know it might seem a little overboard but I find this very handy in the parks! I carry a tiny but super bright key chain that I use all the time. You’d be surprised how often a little light is needed when touring after dark.

Wet Wipes

Whenever I’m traveling I normally have a small pack of these in my bag. They are great in the parks to cleanup after super messy snacks like turkey legs or funnel cakes (that sugar gets on everything). But they also serve double duty removing makeup in the evenings. Wet wipes are a versatile and worth lugging around.

Luggage Tag

Finally, I always keep a luggage tag on my bag when I’m traveling. I include all my personal information and also my cell phone number. So far I haven’t lost my bag at Disney but I always fear it could happen. Hopefully, if it ever happened someone would send some pixie dust my way and return my bag since the info is clearly marked on it!

So now that I’ve shown you what’s in my bag I want to know – what’s in yours? Do you have a great idea I should add to my list? Please let me know in the comments below and as always thanks so much for reading!

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Published on January 31, 2014 03:00

January 30, 2014

Disney Vacation Club To Offer New “Membership Magic” Perks

By Rikki Niblett

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©Disney

Today, Disney launched its new program for Disney Vacation Club members called “Membership Magic” – an unprecedented batch of membership enhancements, exclusive experiences, and special offers. Among the new additional perks are Walt Disney World experiences created for DVC members, discounts, a new online location for exclusive merchandise, and more.

Among the new perks are a new or better discounts for certain Annual Pass purchases. Starting on February 6 and lasting through April 30, DVC members can save off the regular price of three different Disney Annual Passes. They are:

Walt Disney World Premium Annual Pass

This pass offers unlimited park hopping at all four Walt Disney World Theme Parks, two Water Parks, DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park, Disney’s Oak Trail Golf Course, parking, and no blackout dates. The discounted cost is $484. This is a savings of $245 off the regular price.

Disneyland Resort Deluxe Annual Passport

This pass offers 315-days worth of park hopping at the two Disneyland Resort Theme Parks. The discounted cost is $429. This is a savings of $70 off the regular price.

Disney Premier Annual Passport

This pass offers unlimited Park hopping at both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Theme Parks with parking, no blackout dates, and more. The discounted cost is $849. This is a savings of $130 off the regular price. (This is also the first time ever that this pass has been available for a discount.)

For those who may already have an Annual Pass that expires soon, here’s a money saving tip: if you purchase a brand new discounted pass by April 30, 2014, you’ll receive a voucher that you then simply have to redeem by January 31, 2015. Voila! Yay for saving money!

For more information about the new changes for Disney Vacation Club holders, including a few new experiences that will only be available for members (like member nights at Splitsville Luxury Lanes, fishing tournaments, and spa nights), make sure to visit the new DVC Membership webpage.

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Published on January 30, 2014 12:55

International Guests May Now Utilize Resort Airline Check In

By Rikki Niblett

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Walt Disney World attracts a ton of international travelers each and every day. Previously, those staying at the resort hotels were unable to participate in the popular Resort Airline Check-In process. However, that appears to be changing, as now international guests will be able to participate in this program. The roll out started earlier this week.

For those who are unaware, the Resort Airline Check In Service is a complimentary service that allows Disney Resort Hotel guests utilizing Orlando International Airport (MCO) to check in for their flights, collect their boarding passes, and even check their bags at the hotel’s Airline Check-In desk. Then, once you arrive at the airport, you can bypass the airport check-in desk and head straight to the security lines.

The resorts will be rolling out this process for international travelers in stages, which are scheduled from now until the middle of March. The dates for the roll out at Walt Disney World hotels are:

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – currently offering
Disney’s Contemporary Resort – currently offering
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground – currently offering
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – currently offering
Disney’s Polynesian Resort -currently offering
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge – currently offering
Disney’s BoardWalk Resort – February 3
Disney’s Old Key West Resort – February 3
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa – February 3
Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts – February 3
Disney’s Pop Century Resort – February 10
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – February 17
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort – February 17
Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – February 24
Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort – March 3
Disney’s All-Star Music Resort – March 10
Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort – March 10
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort – March 17

Participating airlines include:

Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
AirTran Airways
Delta Air Lines
JetBlue Airways
Southwest Airlines
United Airlines
US Airways

As with domestic flights, international guests must check in at the Resort Airline Check-In desk on their departure date, no less than three hours prior to their flight. Guests with a flight departure time earlier than 8 a.m. must check in at the airport. In addition, to check in guests must have a valid government-issued I.D. and either their MagicBand or Key To The World card.

If you are flying with an airline that charges for baggage fees, you must pay those prior to checking in at the resort. To do so, guests may either contact the airline directly or contact the Baggage Airline Guest Services at 407-284-1231 between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. to pay any applicable fees. Guests will be unable to make these payments at the Front Desk, Concierge, or Resort Airline Check-In desks.

Keep in mind that due to certain airport regulations, some guests may be required to check in at the airport and may not be able to use the service.

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Published on January 30, 2014 12:18

My Updated Experiences with Offsite Annual Passholder FastPass+

By Seth Kubersky

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Disney World offsite Annual Passholder FastPass+ updated

One of the kiosks that offsite Annual Passholder FastPass+ users must use.

Last week’s post documenting my first experiences as an offsite Annual Passholder FastPass+ user sparked a sizable reaction, with almost 50 comments so far. Since then, FastPass+ has replaced paper “legacy” Fastpass at all four Walt Disney World parks, and Rikki Niblett revealed plans to test a MyMagic+ program for offsite Annual Passholders in the coming months.

In the meantime, there are still plenty of questions surrounding the FastPass+ program as it applies to those not staying in an onsite resort hotel. I’ve spent some more time testing the FastPass+ service and talking to cast members who work with it, and I’m here to report back my first-hand experience with some of the questions raised by our readers.

Note that the following is strictly from the perspective of a local Annual Passholder who has not stayed onsite since FastPass+ testing began, and has not been selected for any beta testing programs. If you previously stayed onsite and still have a MagicBand linked to your admission media, or are otherwise already eligible to use the My Disney Experience app and website to make advance FastPass+ reservations, your mileage will vary.

How busy are the FastPass+ kiosks?

It varies widely. The lines at some, like the Fantasyland kiosks at Mickey’s PhilharMagic, are epic. Others seem to be largely deserted.

I received assistance from this FastPass+ cast member inside Magic Kingdom’s Town Square Theater with almost no waiting.

Heritage House near The Hall of Presidents is my favorite FastPass+ service area: indoors, air conditioned, and utterly empty every time I’ve visited.

Are all FastPass+ kiosks the same?

Not quite. The permanent kisoks can be used by guests without cast member assistance, but the touch screens are very touchy. The mobile tablets carried by cast members staffing the kiosks can be quicker than self-service, and rumors suggest they may be able to circumvent certain system restrictions (at the cast member’s discretion).

A few FastPass+ locations — notably Sid Cahuenga’s former memorabilia shop at the entrance of Disney’s Hollywood Studios — only have standard iPads running My Disney Experience without RFID scanners, and are only useful to MagicBanded guests eligible to book through the app.

Can offsite guests edit their FastPass+ reservations with the My Disney Experience app (after making them at a kiosk)?

No. You can view your reservations in the app’s My Plans tab if you have linked your account to your admission media, but you can’t change it.

Former home of WDW’s coolest store, now a second-rate FastPass+ service center.

Can offsite guests view their friends’ & family’s FastPass+ reservations in My Disney Experience?

No. I visited with a group of friends, two of whom were staying onsite with Magic Bands, the rest offsite. Those onsite could see each other in My Disney Experience, but not any of the offsites, and the offsites could only see themselves.

Can you make FastPass+ reservations for multiple people at the same time, or does each guest have to use their own kiosk?

No. Just scan all of the group’s passes on a kiosk before selecting reservations, and all the guest’s FastPass+ times will be the same.

Six guests, a mix of onsite and off, bound together with shared FastPass+ times.

Can you change both the time and attraction on an existing FastPass+?

Yes, but you have to change the attraction first, and then the time.

Can you make FastPass+ reservations from a kiosk in one theme park for attractions in another?

Probably not. We’ve had a handful of reports of guests being able to make Animal Kingdom ride reservations from a Magic Kingdom kiosk (for example), but this doesn’t seem to be the rule. Every FastPass+ cast member I spoke to denied that this was doable.

Can you use FastPass+ for parades and fireworks?

Maybe. The FastPass+ flyer distributed at Magic Kingdom specifically mentions reserved viewing areas for Wishes and Main Street Electrical Parade as options, but I was not offered them on any of my visits. This likely will vary with season, day of week, and performance schedules.

Can you use FastPass+ for lunch at Be Our Guest?

Probably not. Be Our Guest lunch service is not listed on the FastPass+ flyer as an option, and it was not offered on any of my visits. If it is offered, it would likely sell out quickly, like its neighbor Enchanted Tales with Belle.

Can you park hop by rescheduling an unused FastPass+ from one park at a kiosk in another?

Again, probably not. I made three FastPass+ reservations in Magic Kingdom, used two of them, then traveled to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The kiosk at the tip board would display my Magic Kingdom reservations, but would not allow me to edit them. Every FastPass+ cast member reiterated that park hopping is not possible, even though we’ve heard scattered reports of guests able to do it. Note that once the Annual Passholder FastPass+ program is implemented, you will still be limited to 3 reservations per day in one park only.

The DHS FastPass+ kiosk refusing to edit my Magic Kingdom reservations.

Should I book a night on-property just to use MyMagic+?

Probably not. Currently, Annual Passholders who have stayed onsite during a MyMagic+ test can continue to use My Disney Experience to make FastPass+ reservations on an unlimited number of days out of the next 60. But when the new Annual Passholder FastPass+ program rolls out in the coming months, users will only be able to hold FastPass+ reservations on 7 days out of the next 60 (calculated on a rolling basis).

In the future, Annual Passholders who have a upcoming resort reservation will be able to book FastPass+ for 7 days, or however long their hotel stay is, whichever is longer. So unless you plan on visiting the parks frequently over the next few months, don’t pay to stay overnight at All-Stars or such solely for benefits that will change soon.

In case you were wondering what MyMagic+ is really all about…

Please share your experiences with FastPass+ as an offsite Annual Passholder in the comments below. And if you have further questions about how the service operates, send them to us, and we’ll continue to test it for you.

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Published on January 30, 2014 03:00

January 29, 2014

The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! January 2014 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store

By Derek Burgan

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Ah, the first photo report of the Disney Outlet Store for the new year. 2014 is going to be a interesting and fun time for me in the Disney Universe. I recently received my first Magic Band, followed by making my first FastPass+ reservations, and will be taking my first ever Disney Cruise in October. But first we shall be making our monthly pilgrimage to the Mecca of unsalable merchandise. It has been a chilly winter so far, even for us Floridians, so before our trek we’re going to warm up with some hot chocolate in our Spaceship Earth mug and strap on our Captain America battle helmet to brave the elements outside.

Please remember to click on any picture to see it in full size.

It’s always a good day when special event merchandise shows up at the outlets and this trip was a bonanza as items form Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party hit the shelves.

Various pieces of merchandise from the 2013 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

The exclusive merchandise at the Christmas party was one of the highlights of the event, but I like it even more at 75% off retail.

Originally $32.95, this MVMCP shirt is now $7.99

Classic Mickey x-mas shirt ($9.99)

Not so classic Mike Wazowski ($9.99)

My eyes lit up seeing a piece from Mickey’s Merry Christmas Village. I recently wrote a post about starting my Grinch Christmas Village collection and the same company (Dept 56) makes the Mickey pieces as well. Unfortunately there was only one item available, but it does include a rare appearance by Mickey’s nephews Morty and Ferdie.

($14.99)

Mickey Gingerbread Cookie Mix ($5.99)
Not pictured, Donald Duck holiday fruitcake mix

People put a lot of things into their coffee including regular milk, almond milk, creamer, and half-and-half but people drinking out of this mug prefer cyanide. ($5.99)

There were some really strange writing pads out this month. I mean really strange. Don’t believe me, well here’s the first one.

This one has many characters on it including Pete’s Dragon(?!)

This one made me think of the Disney Hipsters podcast

You never know what you’ll find at the outlet. Assuming this was was sold either at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or the gift shop for It’s a Small World. ($3.99)

I remember when these stylized versions of the Disney Princesses came out and was wondering who the audience was. Apparently there wasn’t one.

Ariel actually had a whole bunch of clothes on the racks.

The stylized villains weren’t spared. This Cruella shirt was originally $36.95 and is now $14.99.

Another Cruella shirt. ($18.99)

I’m guessing this Cavern Club shirt was sold at the UK Pavilion in Epcot. I loved seeing it because it reminded me of my incredible tour of the Hard Rock Cafe in Universal CityWalk. If you are a fan of music, and especially if you are a fan of the Beatles, stop reading this immediately and head on over to the Hard Rock. Trust me, it’s worth it.

($14.99)

Another World Showcase shirt. ($16.99)

These “sound activated light up shirts” apparently bombed at the parks. They are already marked down to $9.99. I’ve seen the kiosks selling similar shirts at every single mall and they also sell them at Universal CityWalk and – for some reason unknown to mankind – the gift shop for MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack. I always had a sneaking suspicion that they didn’t work nearly as well under normal conditions.

I tested this shirt by yelling “WHO WOULD WEAR THIS?!” directly into it, but nothing happened. Maybe it uses AAA batteries (not included).

This Pirates of the Caribbean outfit was really cool. I would have killed for one when I was growing up. It also included a hat and dreadlocks.

Was $64.95, now $29.95

This shirt was either from Pirates of the Caribbean, the American Adventure pavilion in Epcot, or 12 Years a Slave. It didn’t say which one. ($12.99)

($16.99)

Presented without commentary ($4.99)

Disney’s DVC Aulani key rings and magnets ($4.99)

Okay, who is actually buying this? Napkins with fake wine stains on them? Really? Really?!

These napkins were originally $21.95 at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. If you bought them at this price PLEASE send me an email. It would be like talking to someone who invested in the XFL. ($7.99)

A California Adventure Duffy the Bear. We can thank Guy Selga Jr for stuff like this making it to Orlando.

Speaking of California merch, here is a Mad T Party vinylmation set. Recently, I did an article on Disney obsessions that I just don’t understand. This set is single-handedly moving “vinylmation” higher up the list. Don’t get cocky

This was from a Fantasia series of vinylmation. I recently reviewed the movie Fantasia for the Creepy Kingdom podcast and realized it just may be the weirdest movie I have ever seen. The mushroom that is contained in this vinylmation set is – what I would consider - wildly racist character from the film.

This one is for Krissy Murphy, Morgan Crutchfield and all the other runDisney folk

And you thought the new Cubs mascot was bad.

You can not make a case for this being made.

R2MK down to $59.99

Very cute Mickey and Minnue piece ($49.95)

Time to close it out. They had these pens available at the counter. I probably should be ashamed I have no idea if it is for Mexico or Italy. So we are going to say “adios” or “ciao.”

One last thing before we go though. I really like the touch of people at the registers adding a Mickey head to the receipts. A very nice touch and – for me – that is what I consider the Disney Difference.

There are actually two Disney outlet stores in Orlando. Both are in Orlando Premium Outlet shopping complexes, and they are called Disney’s Character Warehouse, presumably because The Land Of Misfit Toys was already trademarked. There is one Character Warehouse located on International Drive close to Universal Studios (4951 International Dr, Orlando, FL 3281), and the other is on Vineland Avenue, right across I-4 near the exits to Disney World (8200 Vineland Ave, Orlando, FL 3282). For this edition of MMM, we went to the location near Universal.

Previous editions of Magic, Memories & Merch: July 2013, August 2013, September 2013, October 2013, November 2013, December 2013.

If you liked what you read here, you may enjoy THE SATURDAY SIX articles every week on the TouringPlans.com blog, as well as the Pardon the Pixie Dust podcas t.

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The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! January 2014 Photo Report of the Disney Outlet Store is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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Published on January 29, 2014 03:00

January 28, 2014

Ask Jim Hill Ep 23 – How Does Disney Measure An Attraction’s Popularity?

By Guy Selga Jr.

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In this episode of Ask Jim Hill, Len Testa and Jim Hill answer a viewer question about how Disney measures the popularity of attractions in its parks.

New episodes are posted every Tuesday, so be sure to subscribe on YouTube!

If you have a question about Disney or Universal history, you can submit it to AskJimHill@TouringPlans.com, and he may answer it on the air!

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Ask Jim Hill Ep 23 – How Does Disney Measure An Attraction’s Popularity? is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

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Published on January 28, 2014 10:03

Observations From Disneyland: January 27, 2014

By Guy Selga Jr.

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Hi, and welcome to another Observations post. Before I jump into my trip on January 27, I want to look back at the prior night. I mentioned previously that Fantasmic! is currently down for refurbishment, and because of that the Mark Twain Riverboat is running later than usual. Not only do you get to take some fantastic nighttime rides on the Mark Twain, but you can also view the fireworks from the boat when it is docked. It’s a great place to catch the fireworks and avoid the insanity of Main Street during fireworks time. And, I mean, come on, you’re on a giant steam boat watching fireworks. How cool is that?

So if you see a Disney blogger sitting quietly on the Mark Twain at night, it’s probably me.

More pictures after the jump:

Back to January 27, I started the day like all Disney fans should: by taking a ride on the Monorail! On Monday I started my monthly process of updating our vast Disney dining menu database. Being the only Disneyland researcher, it is my responsibility to keep hundreds of menu items updated. Luckily for you, I won’t bore you with any of that in this post. Instead you get to look at pretty pictures.

Passing the main entrance of DCA.

The Monorail offers up some great views of the park.

The exterior of Space Mountain isn’t looking so hot right now. The dome has been getting dirtier each week, and now it’s at the point where it looks kind of disgusting. The scaffolding at the top of of the mountain started appearing last Friday, so hopefully that means some work will be done soon.

Over on the west side of the park, the Sailing Ship Columbia is slowly starting to emerge from its refurbishment. It will reopen on February 15.

The always entertaining Bootstrappers perform in New Orleans Square. These guys are great; it’s just too bad that most people miss them because they don’t perform on weekends.

Princess Tiana taking a stroll through New Orleans Square.

Splash Mountain is closed for about a month for refurbishment. I didn’t think they were going to do anything major, but it sounds like there’s a lot of work going on inside. At various points around the mountain you can hear heavy equipment running inside the ride.

It looks like they’re prepping for some work on the exterior.

What did I eat today? I decided to keep it light and eat one of these Oreo caramel apples (it’s healthy because it’s fruit!).

Just kidding! In reality I ate a chicken bowl from Lucky Fortune Cookery in DCA. I think this is one of the most underrated quick service restaurants in both parks. The meals are made fresh, taste great, and even though the price has gone up in the past year, I still feel like I’m getting a good value for my money.

That’s all for this time!

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Published on January 28, 2014 09:00

How to Make FastPass+ Reservations

By Erin Foster

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Disney veterans have been bombarded for months with information and speculation about Disney’s new FastPass+ program. We’ve covered most of the frequently asked questions about FastPass+ and those magical MagicBands, but what we haven’t done is walk you through EXACTLY how to go about making your FastPass+ reservations. New FastPass+ users, pull up a seat.

There are three primary ways to make FP+ reservations: in-advance at home on a computer, in-advance or same-day on your smartphone or tablet, or same-day at in-park kiosks. Currently, the in-advance options are primarily available to guests with both reservations at a Walt Disney World resort hotel AND tickets purchased prior to your arrival at the parks (some annual pass holders are in the mix and more AP holders will be added in the coming weeks). Again, please note that you will only be able to make FP+ reservations if you have park tickets of some sort. Unfortunately, guests without an annual pass and staying off-site cannot currently make advance FP+ reservations. If you fall into this category, you’re limited to making same FP+ reservations at in-park kiosks.

HOW TO MAKE FASTPASS+ RESERVATIONS ON YOUR HOME COMPUTER

1. The first step in making FastPass+ reservations is to create an account with DisneyWorld.com. (If you already have an account, go ahead and log in, skipping this step.)

To make a FastPass+ reservation on a computer, you must have a Disney online account.

You’ll know you were successful in creating an account when “Sign In or Create an Account” changes to “Welcome, [Your Name].”

2. After you’ve logged in, hover over the “My Disney Experience” tab at the top of the page. This is your main portal for managing all aspects of FastPass+.

My Disney Experience is Your Key to FastPass+

3. Before getting started, make sure you link your park tickets to your My Disney Experience account. If you’ve purchased a room/ticket package from Disney, this may have already been done for you. You can manually link tickets purchased from an outside vendor or previously purchased no-expire tickets. Link tickets via the My Reservations tab.

To link your park tickets. First click on My Reservations.

Then select Link Tickets.

Note that Will Call ticket codes and older tickets can be added.

If Disney hasn’t linked your resort reservation for you, then do this now by selecting the Resort Reservation or Vacation Package button.

4. If you’ve purchased tickets for a party, you can add friends and family members to your account so that you can manage FP+ reservations for a group. Manage this through the “My Family & Friends” link.

Here’s where you can add other members of your traveling party so that you can make FP+ reservations together.

You add family members by clicking the Add A Guest button near the top right. Once you’ve added a guest, you can customize their profile with their birthday, a character icon and other information. To do this, click the Edit box next to their name.

You manage the FP+ selections for a group, but first you have to add them to your account with the Add Guest feature.

5. Now you’re all set up and can start making FastPass+ selections! Scroll down until you get to the “FastPass+ tab in the “Plan and Manage” section.

6. Choose a date for which you want to make FP+ selections. You can scroll through the dates using the arrows, or you can move more quickly by clicking on the tiny calendar icon. Please note: You can only make FP+ selections up to the the number of ticket days you have linked to your account. For example, if you have a 5-day Park Hopper, you will only be allowed to make 5 days worth of FP+ selections. These do not have to be consecutive days. Annual pass holders can make FP+ reservations only until the expire date of the AP.

7. Select the members of your party for whom you want to make FP+ reservations. You’ll note that in the photo below, not all of my family members are eligible for MyMagic or FP+ reservations. That’s because they are not traveling with me during this particular trip and do not have currently have tickets in the system. This is a good check/balance area to make sure that you’ve properly entered everyone who is supposed to be entered. If you can’t select them, something is wrong.

Also note that you can elect to make your FP+ reservations for individual party members, for the entire group, or for a subset of the group. This allows mom to take big brother on Space Mountain while dad takes little sis on Small World. Choose Select All at the top right of the page if you want everyone to go on the same rides.

8. Choose a park for which you want to make FP+ selections. Remember, you can only get FP+ reservations at one park each day.

For demonstration purposes, I’m selecting Animal Kingdom (mostly because all the FP+ options fit in one screen shot).

9. Check out the list of attractions for which FP+ are available and make up to three selections. Remember, a key difference between the old FastPass system and FastPass+ is that at Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios certain combinations of FP+ attractions are not available. You’ll see this during the selection process.

10. The system will give you four sample FP+ allocation profiles. Sometimes these are listed at Option A, B, C, D and sometimes as Option A, B, C and “Best Match.” “Best Match” groups your FP+ choices in a relatively short time period, which is often good, but it does not take many other factors into consideration, such as the time you’re planning to arrive at the park, rest/nap needs of your party, non-table-service lunch plans, touring plan optimization, etc. You can pretty much just pretend “Best Match” = Option D.

Option A

Option B

Option C

Best Match?

As a starting point, choose whichever of the sample profiles comes closest to making sense. Don’t worry if none of them come particularly close. You can do lots of tweaking later. I’ll choose Option A, because I’m planning a morning visit to the Animal Kingdom.

11. Fine tune your results. After you’ve selected one of the sample FP+ plans, you can make changes.

You can change either your attraction selection, or the time of your attraction.

Change the attraction or change the time.

Let’s say I want to change the time, because Kali River Rapids before lunch is just too much wet. You can choose to make the change for some or all of the members of your party.

You’re then presented with time alternatives, assuming that there are any available. Remember, at this point you’re still not locked into a change. If you don’t see a more favorable FP+ available, you can still stick with what you have by clicking Cancel.

Select an alternate time.

Changes are not official until you click DONE on the Confirm Your Changes page.

12. WOOOO HOOOOO! You’ve confirmed your changes and you’re all set!

13. But … but … but … I want to change my FastPass+ selections AGAIN.

Hey, no worries, you can keep on making changes up to your arrival and even while you’re in the parks. One of the benefits of the FP+ system is that it’s amazingly flexible.

To make a change while you’re still home at your computer, go back to My Disney Experience and select My Itinerary.

Then select Modify FastPass+. Feel free to tweak as often as you like.

CHANGING FASTPASS+ RESERVATIONS IN THE PARKS

If you need to make changes to your FastPass+ reservations while you’re in the parks, you’ll probably be doing this at an in-park kiosk (they seem to keep popping up in random places, ask a cast member for locations) or on your portable smartphone or tablet. I’m an Apple girl, so I do this with my iPhone and iPad. I know there are versions of the below instructions for Android and other devices, which I assume are quite similar.

1. To make/change FP+ reservations on a personal device, first download the My Disney Experience app onto your phone or tablet. Here’s the app in the iTunes store. (Bear in mind that as above, you must have a Disney account and be logged in to make any of the magic happen.)

2. Once you’ve got the app installed, open it up and you’ll see the welcoming map page. Click on the little menu stripes on the top left.

3. Select Manage and Plan FastPass+.

You may get a little warning screen. If you do, select Get started with FastPass+ service.

From there, select the date, the members of your party for whom you want to select/change FP+, then the attraction, time, and so on much like above. It’s quite easy to add or modify your FP+ selections while you’re on the go.

Disney new folks – Does it seem easy or intimidating to make your FastPass+ selections? Did you get the hang of it quickly? Did you run into any particular glitches or points of confusion? Let us know in the comments below.

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