Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1270
December 9, 2013
New Tomorrowland Dance Party Introduced at the Magic Kingdom
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©Disney
A brand new dance party is scheduled to begin tonight (December 9) at the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom.
Called the Incredibles Super Dance Party, this new energetic celebration will feature characters from the hit Pixar movie, The Incredibles. Guests will be able to boogie down with Mr. Incredible, Mrs. Incredible, and Frozone.
The party is scheduled to take place on Monday’s Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Make sure to check a Times Guide for specific details.
With the introduction of this new party, Club 626, which featured Chip n’ Dale, Pluto, and Stitch, will officially be retired.
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Walt Disney World Crowd Report November 24 to 30, 2013 – Thanksgiving
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Like most Thanksgiving Holidays at Disney World, the final week of November 2013 proved to be a busy one. The resort hit a level ’7′ on Sunday, November 24 and remained at that level or higher until Saturday, November 30. We’ve seen busier Thanksgiving weeks in the past, but still this was a very busy week for Disney World guests. Inevitably we hear from guests who tour the parks during a crowd level ’8′ and say “Wow! I can’t imagine how crazy it must be during a 10!” If you visited Thanksgiving week we hope you used a touring plan and used Lines, our mobile app, to Optimize while in the parks. In general, our wait time predictions hit the mark with only a few exceptions. Most notably, our wait times models correctly predicted when wait times would start to surge (Sunday) from the influx of holiday guests and when they would begin to taper (Saturday). See below for our day-by-day Crowd Report of how the crowds looked Thanksgiving week.
The Walt Disney World Crowd Report
November 24 to 30, 2013
On Sunday we predicted Magic Kingdom, Epcot and The Studios to be a ’7′ on our scale with Animal Kingdom one level higher at an ’8′. Turns out that ’7′ was the lucky number at all parks except The Studios which came in one level lower, thanks to lower than expected wait times at Rock ‘n Roller Coaster. Sunday before Thanksgiving is historically when we see an influx of guests beginning their holiday vacation and this pattern continued again this year. Sunday was the first day the resort hit above a level ’6′ since Sunday, October 13.
On Monday, at the Magic Kingdom we were within a few minutes of correctly predicting the Mountains (65 mins at Big Thunder, 79 mins at Space Mountain, 48 mins at Splash Mountain) but we under-predicted the average posted wait times at other major attractions like Jungle Cruise (53 mins), Buzz Lightyear (59 mins) and Pirates of the Caribbean (35 mins). Those higher wait times pushed the park to a level ’9′, two higher than the ’7′ we predicted.
On Tuesday, the opposite occurred at the Magic Kingdom where wait times were lower than expected only hitting a ’5′ on our scale. However, the predicted ’7′ for Magic Kingdom was the lowest of the four parks so if you followed our recommendations you experienced the best day of the week to visit. The other three parks were predicted to be a level ’8′ which ended up accurate for Epcot but one too high at The Studios and Animal Kingdom which came in at a level ’7′.
All parks hit a level ’8′ or ’9′ on Wednesday. The only park where we missed was the Studios, where we predicted a level ’9′ but observed a level ’8′. Average posted waits between 10am and 5pm were 67 minutes at Space Mountain, 111 at Soarin’, 111 at Toy Story Mania and 52 at Expedition Everest. The cool weather kept the wait times low at the wet rides. Splash Mountain averaged 34 minutes and Kali River Rapids averaged 24 minutes.
Happy Thanksgiving! High wait times continued with all parks hitting a level ’7′ or higher. Animal Kingdom wait times were the biggest surprise with Kilimanjaro Safaris reaching a 74 minute average posted wait. Dinosaur also peaked higher than expected, hitting an average posted wait time of 43 minutes. The other Animal Kingdom attractions were within predicted ranges so it was those two attractions that pushed the park wide level to ’9′, up two from our predicted ’7′.
Black Friday! The only things more crowded than the retail outlets are the Theme Parks, although one level lower than we predicted. The predicted resort wide ’9′ ended up being one level too high thanks to lower than expected waits at Epcot and the Studios. Soarin’ and Test Track did average more than 100 minutes but we predicted 135 and 129 respectively. We also overshot the average wait at Tower of Terror by 15 minutes.
Our models correctly predicted that the wait times would start to lessen on Saturday. This was especially true at the Studios where we overshot by three index points. All three headliners came in 20 – 40% lower than expected. Tower of Terror averaged 44 minutes (predicted 81), Toy Story Mania averaged 87 minutes (predicted 114) and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster averaged 57 minutes (predicted 78). Across the resort the crowd levels hit ’6′ on our index, we predicted ’7′.
To see Walt Disney World Crowd predictions for the days of your vacation, check the Crowd Calendar.
The separately ticketed Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party continues on many nights at Magic Kingdom, which means savvy planners who don’t mind the shortened park hours can experience low wait times during the day.
To get details about our predictions of future crowds or details about crowds in the past check out the Crowd Calendar and select “Jump to Date” on the left margin.
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Top 10 Splurge Items at Disney World
By Erin Foster
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Here at Touring Plans, we’re all about finding ways to save money during Disney vacations. But we also know that once in a while it’s time to throw caution to the wind and splurge on something spectacular enough to turn the vacation into a celebration. Here are ten of our favorite ways to indulge at Walt Disney World. Bucket list anyone?
While you’re indulging at V&A’s, why not splurge a little more with the caviar add-on?
1. Victoria & Albert’s. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, a meal at V&A’s is simply one of the best dining experiences you’ll have any time, any where. And if the best meal in town isn’t enough for you, then you can bump it up a notch by trying the even more indulgent Chef’s Table or Queen Victoria room. Price: At least $150 per person, more if you’re including cocktails or wine, and more if you’re in one of the specialty rooms.
2. Backstage Magic Tour. This 7-hour tour takes you to backstage areas at all four WDW theme parks plus some centralized behind-the-scenes areas, and you’ll get a stick-to-your-ribs lunch at the Whispering Canyon Cafe to keep you fuelled up during your big adventure. For the Disney geek, this is the ultimate in education. Price: About $250 per person. Discounts may be available for DVC owners, annual pass holders or other special categories of guests. Be sure to ask.
3. VIP Tour Guide. Guests who want their hand held during every step of their Disney experience can hire a VIP tour guide to escort them through the parks. They’ll pick you up at your resort and take you exactly where you want to go at Walt Disney World. They’ll get you special viewing areas at parades and some shows, and they’ll use their detailed park knowledge to speed you through touring. Price: Prices vary, starting at $315 per hour for a group of up to 10 people. Six hour minimum.
All the Disney Dooney’s are luxury items, but the large weekender is the top of the line.
4. Grand Suite at the Grand Floridian. Concierge service in the poshest room at the poshest resort. Need I say more? Price: Prices start at about $2,400 per night in the off season, up to about $3,300 per night during the Christmas holiday season. You could pretend to rationalize this by thinking about this on a cost-per-person basis, but in my fantasy world, I’m staying there all by myself.
5. Disney themed Dooney & Bourke Weekender bag. Disney print Dooney & Bourke bags have been all the rage for several years now. I’ve outed several closet Disney geeks in my hometown when I spied them carrying the common Disney Dooney wristlet or crossbody bags. But the holy grail of this genre is the giant weekender tote, which is big enough to double as luggage. Price: $360.
6. Fireworks cruise on the Grand I. The Grand I is a 52-foot yacht which sails the waters of Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon. The epitome of style is to book the Grand to view the Wishes fireworks presentation at the Magic Kingdom. The show’s audio is piped to speakers on the boat. Price: $450 per hour, plus more for food and beverage.
7. Richard Petty Driving Experience, Experience of a Lifetime. Get behind the wheel of a genuine NASCAR race vehicle and cruise the track at the Walt Disney World Speedway at speeds of 120 to 140 mph. Price: Basic packages start at about $450, but the ultimate 50 lap race experience will run you about $2,600.
The Grand I yacht gives you a great view of Wishes from the water.
8. Saratoga Springs Senses Spa Getaway Package. The newly renovated Senses Spa is perfect place to escape the theme park buzz and dissolve into relaxation bliss. The Getaway Package includes three services, an 80-minute massage and body wrap, an 80-minute facial, and an 80-minute pedicure. Pure bliss. Price: $435, plus tip.
9. Platinum Dining Plan. Eat whatever you want at any Disney World restaurant, get the services of a personal itinerary planner, AND have access included to a Richard Petty experience, a fireworks cruise, a spa treatment, and much, much more. Price: About $250 per adult, per night of stay.
10. A Disney Wedding. The sky is the limit when you’re planning your custom Disney wedding. Want to have Minnie as your maid of honor? Want to come to the service in a horse-drawn carriage? Want to take over a theme park for the night? All this and more can happen at your Disney wedding, if you’re able to pay the bill. Price: How deep are your pockets?
Are these items on YOUR Disney to-do list? Have you done any of them? Do you want to do them again – and take me with you? Or does all this seem silly when you can spend your Disney time going on all the rides for just the cost of your admission ticket? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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December 8, 2013
A Trip Around The World: Norway
By Daisy Lauren
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Today we visit the Norway pavilion for a quick look at what makes this area so special. Like always, I like to start with a wide view of the land. You’ll notice from my photo below that this is one of the hottest lands in all of the World Showcase for one reason: princesses! The below photo was taken before 11am, but there are tons of people in line to the left waiting to meet the gals from the latest Disney movie, Frozen. On this right is the bustling restaurant, Akershus.
Getting back to the beginning you’ll know you’ve arrived in Norway when you see these rustic street lamps and tall trees. These are in stark contrast to the Mexico pavilion next door. The detail on these lights is unreal. I wonder if they replace the rope often to keep it looking so fresh?
Just beside the lights you’ll see these large panels. I’m not sure what the story is on these, and I came up empty after some quick Googling. There used to be behind a large Viking boat in front of them, but that has since been removed. Does anyone know what these represent?
Just beside these large panels are the restrooms with this neat sign to mark them.
Past the restrooms is the first beautiful sculpture in this land. I didn’t see a plaque marking what this represents, but after some research I discovered she is Grete Waitz, a world famous runner that passed away just a couple years ago.
Behind this statue is the Stave Church. The displays inside have recently been updated to include information about the movie, Frozen. Though there are banners advertising that this little spot is open to the public, there is almost never anyone inside. I encourage to you go tug on that door handle and check out this neat display!
Below is a close up photo of the detail all around the doors to enter this church. The woodworking details are stunning!
On the other side of the Stave Church and heading toward the main area in Norway, you’ll find a statue of a Viking. The Stave Church used to house an exhibit about Viking history which made sense. Regardless, the statue still fits in perfectly with the history of Norway and is a fitting lead-in to the land!
Just past the Stave Church you’ll come upon Kringla Bakeri og Kafe. If there is only one place that you stop and try around World Showcase – make this the one! They have amazing desserts, but I also recommend their warm sandwiches. I’ve never tried anything that wasn’t excellent here!!
The style of this is very distinct with a grassy roof and rustic appeal. It is very different from the buildings around it. You’ll notice that though all the buildings are different styles in Norway, they all fit together somehow.
Inside the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe there are many interesting details. It feels like an old hunting lodge in a way. Among the details are these elk antlers hanging on the wall in the seating area.
Interestingly, if you are closer to the restrooms you’ll notice the style starts drifting back from hunting lodge to Vikings with details like this coat of arms.
Exiting the bakery and heading back toward Maelstrom you’ll see the Puffin Roost on your left. The shops in this land are all connected, but some sales space has been lost to house the new princess meet and greet.
The main entrance is now a little further back in the land through The Fjording.
There are a couple different entrances down this way, but each leads you to the princess gear, warm weather clothing, perfume, and jewelry housed in these shops.
Below are a few of the lovely store windows just before you arrive at the Maelstrom ride.
Below is a view inside the strip of stores. This large troll is one of the most well known photo ops in the park. Even first thing in the morning I had to wait to get a shot of him all alone! 
Here is a peek inside the store looking at the Helly Hanson gear that famously comes from Norway. Take a close look to see the Viking details on the shop racks.
Down the hall but still connected is a very different shop. This is the area that connects to the princesses from Frozen (behind the red curtain). It sells everything that a little princess could want, in addition to other fare from the film.
Just outside these shops the next thing you’ll hit is the great ride, Maelstrom. While the below sign warns that you might get wet, I don’t think I ever have. Make sure you plan to stop in for a spin on this fun, little ride!
Here is the view of the entrance to the ride. Note that these wait times were for first thing in the morning. The line can get pretty long as the day stretches on. Plan to get there early or save a FASTPASS for it.
After you’re past the ride you’ll see one last destination before you’re finished with Norway. The first indication that you’re there is these banners:
The above banner and below sign mark the entrance to Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. Many, many little girls will be lined up to dine with their favorite princesses at this location. If you’d like to meet the princesses over a meal then it’s a very good idea to make your reservations in advance. You can do this through the My Magic Experience website or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.
Thank you for joining me on a little tour of Norway! I hope you saw your favorite things mentioned here. If I missed your favorite please leave it in the details below. I hope you’ll join me next time to take a stroll through China! As always, thanks for reading!
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December 7, 2013
SATURDAY SIX: Top Six Gift Shops at Universal Studios Florida
By Derek Burgan
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This week’s SATURDAY SIX looks at the Top Six Gift Shops at Universal Studios Florida. Until recently, gift shops were seen as a necessary evil at our favorite theme parks – annoyances that many people either dreaded being herded through or mocked the existence of outright. One of the best gags in The Simpsons Ride involves the alien Kodos saying, “Foolish Earthlings, don’t you know all rides must end near the gift shop?”
Thankfully, over the past several years gift shops at Universal have become better themed and well merchandised, and several have even started to incorporate interactive features for their guests. It’s almost unbelievable to say it, but just as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey became possibly the first attraction in the history of theme parks to have a queue guests wanted to spend more time in, gift stores themselves are becoming features of attractions that guests can look forward to experiencing. Here now, a look at 6 of the best gift shops at Universal Studios Florida.
“Thank you, come again!”
# 6 – Kwik-E-Mart
Despite the great joke mentioned above, the Simpsons Ride is one of the few attractions at USF that doesn’t exit into a gift shop. The Kwik-E-Mart, the ride’s merchandise location, is right next to the attraction and is filled with the high level of self-deprecating humor that is found throughout Springfield USA. Signs above the merchandise include sales pitches like, “Today’s merchandise at tomorrow’s prices!,” “These items won’t buy themselves!,” and “C’mon! If you owned a store we’d buy your junk!” There’s even a sign at the registers that has a call back to an episode of the Simpsons television show as it warns the cashiers not to take checks from various people including Chief Wiggum, Homer J Simpson, and Homer J Fong.
The walls and outside windows of the Kwik-E-Mart are laden with ads for fake products including Farmer Billy’s Choco-Bacon-Bars (“It’s like chocolate and bacon had a baby in your mouth!”) while the variety of actual Simpsons related products inside includes t-shirts, hats, plush, comic books and more.
Outside the store there is a photo-op available with Milhouse sitting on a bench and one of USF’s most hidden gems, the Simpsons pay phone. On the side of the Kwik-E-Mart closest to the Simpsons ride, there is pay phone mounted on a wall with the character Nelson next to it with a word balloon saying, “Answer the phone dingus…it’s for you.” Walking by this phone will trigger it to ring, and picking up the receiver will treat you to a gag line by one of the various Simpsons characters including Chief Wiggum, Moe Szyslak, and Bart Simpson.
With a pressed penny machine, the Big Pink donut, and lithographs of the hilarious attraction posters such as Captain Dinosaur’s Pirate Rip-Off (a jab at Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride), the Kwik-E-Mart is a must-do for any Simpsons fan.
It’s doubtful James Cameron would approve of a sonic screwdriver in the T2:3-D gift shop…
# 5 – Terminator 2: 3-D Gift Shop
The T2:3-D gift shop is teeming with an incredible amount of “geek” merchandise. Actual Terminator-themed items make up about 10% of what is sold in the store, and almost every other popular Sci-Fi or cult hit is represented throughout. Franchises including Dr. Who, Battlestar Galactica, and even Star Wars have products ranging from action figures to hoodies.
the T2:3-D store also fills the role of the Marvel comic store located in Island of Adventure’s Marvel Superhero Islandwith its wide variety of DC comic books to purchase, including Walking Dead graphic novels.
There are some very impressive Terminator props in the store as well, including a life-size T-800. If you’re the type of person who looks forward to the upcoming Daredevil series on Netflix, watched the Day of the Doctor simulcast, or knows who Hershel Greene is, you’re going to enjoy shopping in the T2:3-D gift shop.
# 4 – Super Silly Stuff
Super Silly Stuff is the gift store you exit into after riding Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. Everything Universal did for the Despicable Me attraction was perfect: the outside recreation of Gru’s house, the wonderful propaganda-style posters along the show building, and so many other details. The multiple pre-shows and the ride itself are fantastic and the Super Silly Stuff is a store loaded with great Despicable Me products to purchase.
I don’t want to spoil the attraction for anyone who hasn’t had an opportunity to ride it yet, but there is something that is key to the end of the ride that you can actually buy in the store, which I think is a great touch. There are the plushes available for all the main characters of the film, including Gru’s dog Kyle. You won’t be able to go one foot without running into a Minion-related product, whether it be t-shirts, plush, notebooks or bottles.
Despicable Me themed cookies
Just as the store has an item relating directly to the attraction, there are several products which will have great appeal to die-hard fans of the Despicable Me film. My favorite is the recreation of the Girl Scout cookies that Gru’s daughters sell to the villain Vector. That’s right, you can buy Choco Swirlies and Slam Jams, two types of cookies that only exist in the Despicable Me universe. Whether it’s getting a Butterbeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or a Duff Beer and Krusty Burger at Moe’s Tavern, Universal is delivering items straight out of our favorite movies and television shows.
For years it seemed theme park fans had to watch as merchandise became more and more generic but clearly Universal is going the other direction and almost over-delivering to its fan base with some really sharp and well thought out products.
# 3 – The Supply Vault
The Supply Vault is located at the end of Transformers: The Ride-3D. The atmosphere of this store is huge highlight for me. The cashiers are all N.E.S.T. soldiers, you have the entire military complex theme throughout, and you can hear the amazing Transformers music playing outside the building. As a fan of the Transformers growing up, the merchandise inside floored me. My favorite item is the exclusive Transformer figure Evac that you can only buy through Universal. Another must have item is the insane chocolate Allspark, a solid piece of chocolate that is very reminiscent of the Borg ship from Star Trek.
Transformers: Generation One shirt
One of the highlights of the Supply Vault for me is the mix of merchandise for both the new Michael Bay versions of the Transformers and the old 1980′s Generation One versions. While the new “realistic” version of Transformers is impressive to behold (and they help make the attraction itself amazing) there is something to be said for the old 2D animated Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron that we all fell in love with in the first place. T-shirts, hats, and toys are available. As a fan of pressed pennies, I was also very happy when a new penny machine arrived with some of the most intricate designs available in either park.
# 2 – E.T. Toy Closet
After riding the E.T. Adventure attraction, guests leave the show building and walk outside only to be steered right back in the Toy Closet gift shop (there are several large planters blocking your merchandise-free exit). At the Toy Closet you’ll find a whole bunch of E.T. shirts that range from classic movie tees to more contemporary apparel. One of my favorites is a tee that labels E.T. as “the original shuffler.”
Fans of Back to the Future: The Ride will find scale replicas of the DeLorean here (who knows why, but the more BTTF merchandise – or any old attraction merchandise for that matter – we can get in the park, the better.)
One of the photo ops available at the Toy Closet
But what really makes this gift store special are the two photo ops inside. Many guests used to zooming through gift shops without glancing at a single item might not even realize they are there. I’ve written about these photos in a previous Saturday Six looking at the top six Photo Connect experience at Universal. I believe they are two of the most well done photo ops in the part and all but justify buying the Photo Connect star package itself (let alone all the other pictures you get with it.)
One of the pictures simulates the experience of the E.T. attraction itself as you are get a chance to “ride a bike” with E.T. For anyone who has seen Spielberg’s film, Elliot riding on the bike with E.T. is going to evoke a good memory. The other photo takes another iconic moment of the film, E.T. being dressed up, and allows several guests to be able to take their picture with E.T. in the toy closet itself.
I don’t know what it is about the E.T. Adventure, but it is an experience I really enjoy. I’m not the biggest fan of the original movie and the wait to get an “interplanetary passport” at the beginning of the attraction drives me crazy, but once I walk into that indoor forest queue, I’m hooked. I love the queue, I love the ride, and I love this gift shop.
# 1 – Spongebob Storepants
Now THIS is a a gift shop. SpongeBob Storepants opened in May of 2012 and contains everything you could want in a gift store, despite the fact that SpongeBob himself has no attraction in the park (Squarepants and his pals are a part of the Superstar Parade.) As with the long-running SpongeBob cartoon series, the store caters to children but there is much for adults to enjoy as well. Similar to the Simpsons, the Spongebob brand has a very smart wit about it and can work on several levels. One of my favorite jokes in the store is a simple board that has the phrase “Who says you can’t buy happiness?” painted on it. Upon closer inspection, the board sells for $7,450.
The outside of the store sets the show with a facade that looks straight out of the cartoon. The exterior has what looks like large pieces of metal welded together and supported upon bamboo poles that sit in barrels or crates. A running theme throughout this store is Mr. Krabs and The Krusty Krab, so you’ll see posters showing Spongebob himself making some crabby patties or signs mocking Mr. Krabs’ crass commercialism.
At the front of the store is a dedicated meet n’ greet area where you can have you picture taken with characters such as SpongeBob, Patrick and Squidward. Once you pass that, the theming inside is bananas and almost transports you to Bikini Bottom itself. Like the Kwik-E-Mart there are tons of sight gags and jokes all around the building as well as representations of many of the houses you’ll see in the show. The largest of these houses is SpongeBob’s pineapple which you can actually enter and get your picture taken with Gary the snail.
There is so much to see and take in at SpongeBob Storepants its easy to forget it’s actually purpose: to sell you stuff. Tons of great SpongeBob merchandise here including a wonderful Build-A-SpongeBob toy. I recently wrote that guests should at least walk through Confisco Grille to see the incredible theming and SpongeBob Storepants is something similar. It’s worth a walk through this store even if you have no kids or have zero inclination to buy any merchandise. It’s an experience. If more gift shops were like this we’d be waiting for the rides to finish so we could hurry up and shop.
So there you have it: the top six gift shops at Universal Studios Florida. 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 Universal NOW!‘s Brandon Glover, @UORBuzz and Taylor Germain for their assistance with this article
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December 6, 2013
In Case You Missed It: Disney News and Rumors – Week of December 6, 2013
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In Case You Missed!
Did you start your Christmas shopping yet? Here’s the weekly Disney news and rumors wrap up of what you may have missed while you were browsing Amazon trying to figure out what to buy Aunt Susie. You know she’s just going to get you an ugly sweater…again.
In Case You Missed It – Disney News and Rumors
Looking for a fun new distraction for this Friday? I found the Merrier Card Maker which allows you (along with help from some Disney friends) to make a custom card to send to family and friends via social media outlets. With six easy steps, you too can create this fun little e-card and spread the Holiday cheer! (ChEAR?)
Want to do good with your shopping this holiday season? Lost among all the Amazon drone talk, was Amazon Smile, wherein Amazon will donate .5% of the price of your purchases to the charity of your choice. And how is this Disney-related? Charities include Make A Wish, Give Kids The World, and Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC).
Curious as to what The World of Pandora, (otherwise known as Avatarland) is set to hold? Well Yahoo Movies UK claims to have seen leaked blueprints and has a peek at what may be in store for this new land coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. While the blueprints aren’t there to be seen (darn!) it is an interesting peek at what could be coming in an area that won’t be open until 2017.
Cirque du Soleil will officially celebrate it’s 15th Anniversary on December 18 and one performer Alexander “Sasha” Daniltchenko hasn’t missed a day of work ever. Holy cow! Read more about his story in the Orlando Sentinel.
For those on Instagram, you now have one more entity to follow. This week, Star Wars jumped into the ring with it’s first photo, a Darth Vadar selfie, but they’ve included some other fun tidbits too. Take a peek at a vintage commercial, a look at the Star Destroyer model, the character of the week, plus more! I bet with the new movies coming out, this will be a great place to get new details!
Speaking of Instagram fun…Neil Patrick Harris has been at Walt Disney World this week performing during Candlelight Processional (someday…I will get to see NPH perform this!) and he’s been sharing some fun glimpses of his family’s vacation. This one is my favorites…gotta love a man in a manny pack. Why does this seem more like something Barney Stinson would try to pull off while in one of his “Challenge Accepted” bets?
Ever wonder where Disney got it’s inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle? The Huffington Post takes us on a photo journey over to Bavaria, Germany where we can get a glimpse of the Neuschwanstein Castle. You may see a familiar resemblance. Oh…and there’s also a slideshow photo tour on the page of some other real life places that Disney has mimicked in their movies too!
Feeling a bit crafty this Holiday season? Create your own fun ornaments for either your tree or to give to someone else to liven up their tree! Learn how to make with options that include easy versions of Mike Wazowski or a minion from Despicable Me! How cute would these be hanging from your tree?
Is there anything that isn’t made better by Disney? Not duct tape, which I was delighted find comes in licensed variations including Mickey, Minnie, Tinkerbell, and Phineas and Ferb.
This week, we celebrate what would have been Walt’s 112th birthday! Babble had a great slideshow of 23 Things You Didn’t Know About Walt Disney. The article has a bunch of tidbits, some well known, some not. (Like I actually didn’t know he met Lilian at work when she was one of his first employees. Can’t believe I never heard that before!) Happy Birthday Walt!
In Case We Missed It
What fun story did we not mentioned here this week that you think we should see too? Write your idea on a Williams Sonoma Star Wars Heros and Villians Cookie Cutter and send it to blog@touringplans.com with the words “In Case You Missed It” in the subject line. (PS: If you’re baking cookies…I will take one of those too….thank you!)
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More Details About Memory Maker at Walt Disney World
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Yesterday, I told you about a brand new photo package that will be available at Walt Disney World called Memory Maker. With it, guests will be able to enjoy unlimited downloads of digital photos that were taken during their stay at the Walt Disney World Resort.
We now have a few more details that we wanted to pass along to you.
First, if you decide to pre-purchase the Memory Maker, it will cost you $149.00, which is a savings of $50. (If you purchase the new service at select merchandise locations at Walt Disney World, it will cost $199.00) Once you purchase Memory Maker, you will be able to obtain any photos taken by PhotoPass photographers. Also included will be some candid shots, dining location photos, and attraction photos.
Here is a look at the video that explains in detail what Memory Maker offers.
The process of how it will work seems to be quite easy:
Link Memory Maker to your My Disney Experience account. If you did pre-purchase it online, keep in mind it may have been linked automatically.
Add people to your Family & Friends list, which will enable you to view and download any of their photos.
Take photos at any of the of Disney PhotoPass locations, as well as at select attraction and dining locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort. Each photo will need to be linked to your My Disney Experience account through your MagicBand, Memory Maker card, park admission ticket, or Disney PhotoPass card.
View and download your photos. Guests will be able to download any photos they want as soon as they are available in their My Disney Experience account, and photos can be downloaded as many times as you would like. Once you download the first photo, thereby redeeming your Memory Maker purchase, you will have 30 days in which to capture more photos. (This window includes adding any photos you would like from the Friends and Family you are connected with via My Disney Experience.) Photos remain in your account for 45 days after they are taken. An extension can be purchased on the Disney PhotoPass website.
One thing to note is that if you do in fact pre-purchase, any photos taken within a three day window from the date Memory Maker is purchased will not be included. Therefore, any photo taken outside your Memory Maker window must be purchased separately. Also, keep in mind that the purchase of Memory Maker is non-refundable.
What if you don’t want your family or friends you are connected with to be able to have access to your photos? You can restrict the access. Photo sharing is set one person at a time, so you will be able to control who is able to view the images linked to your My Disney Experience account. Keep in mind that anyone you allow to be able to view your photos will also be able to purchase any of the products offered by Disney PhotoPass using your Disney PhotoPass photos. To restrict others from viewing the photos in your account, you can set photo sharing permissions using the Family & Friends page that’s located in your profile.
As stated yesterday, this new system replaces the Disney’s PhotoPass+ system. If you have already purchased PhotoPass+ you can choose to keep it, or return it and purchase Memory Maker instead.
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Limited Time Magic Event For December 9 – 20
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©Disney
For this week’s Limited Time Magic event at Walt Disney World, Disney is once again offering one of their special tours. During this tour, called A Walk in the Park, guests will be able to partake in a walk through the Magic Kingdom with none other than the Vice President of the Magic Kingdom himself, Phil Holmes.
This unique tour is scheduled for:
Monday, December 9
Tuesday, December 10
Wednesday, December 11
Wednesday, December 18
Friday, December 20
Check in will begin at 7 a.m. and the tour will begin at 7:45 a.m. The tour is scheduled to last one hour and will have attendees learning about how the park still gains it’s inspiration from Walt Disney. There will be 25 guests selected each day.
Guests will have until 2:59 p.m. today (December 6) to sign up for a chance to win a slot into this event. For the tour, valid ID will be required at check-in, and each participant must be a US resident – at least 18 years old. Park admission will be provided, and no guests will be allowed. Selected participants will be assigned a tour date and time with no changes or substitutions allowed.
For more information or to sign up for the tour, please visit the Disney Parks Blog.
For those who choose to try to sign up, best of luck to you!
Over at Disneyland Resort, from December 9 – 15, guests are invited to come train and learn how to be one of Santa’s elves.
Here, guests will head over to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at Disney California Adventure. This area, found in Grizzly Peak, has become a new training ground for new recruits to join the team of Santa’s highly skilled elves. Guests are asked to take part in challenging tasks like the Jingle Bell Bridge, Stocking Stuffers and Present Tracking. They will also be able to get obtain an official elf name, learn the secret Elf Handshake, as well as take a photo flying in Santa’s sleigh!
Also at Disneyland, they are also offering a special tour. Here guests will be invited to tour Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure with an Imagineer. Guests will be able to learn about many of the area’s details, from the architecture, to the interior design, to the background music, to the Red Car Trolley. All of the pieces that help to bring the story of Walt Disney’s early years in California to life.
This tour will take place from December 9 – 13 and each day will include a group of 25 participants. Guests will have until 2:59 p.m. PST to enter. The same rules as listed above apply. To sign up for your chance to take part in this tour, visit the Disney Parks Blog.
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Observations from Epcot: December 2
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Date: December 2, 2013
Weather: High 73, low 61. 64 degrees at around 7 p.m.
Crowd Level: 3
Epcot’s holiday season is fully geared up this week and I decided to take a few hours last night to check out the park’s evening offerings at Holidays Around the World in World Showcase.
Though World Showcase has a whole lot of holiday, Future World is right in the mix with Fab 5 and Bambi-themed Christmas topiaries at the entrance and in the central walkway, a holiday soundtrack for the Fountain of Nations, and a gingerbread village at the Land Pavilion. Because I arrived in the early evening and wanted to get to the Candlelight Processional quickly, I bypassed the Land Pavilion. But I’ll be back. I did take a few minutes to snap some topiary pictures.
While I arrived at the park at about 4:30, a little hiccup with my Annual Pass put me through the gates at about 5:15. Candlelight Processional Shows are nightly at 5, 6:45, and 8:15 p.m., so I knew I’d missed the first one. I did a little shop wandering and finally saw the gift cards with special edition pins that the Parks Blog has been promoting for weeks but that have actually just been put out. The cards are $75 each and there are four pins to “collect”. Here are the Minnie and Mickey. These were available at the Pin Spot just in front of the Fountain of Nations.
Just inside World Showcase, I picked up my Holiday Passport. There may come a day when I don’t get a thrill out of picking these up and getting them stamped, but today is not that day. I only got one stamp this time around, but it’s pretty cute.
The passport has all kinds of great information including showtimes, merchandise offerings and locations, and food and beverage selections for each country. You can also find a shorter offerings summary in the guide brochure available all around the park and here.
I was working my way around the Showcase toward the America Pavilion because I figured I had time to kill. I went left when I reached entrance to World Showcase and walked past Mexico, the Outpost, and Norway. As I neared Germany, I noticed a line. A really, really long line. The end of the line was somewhere mid-Italy while as far as I could tell, the beginning was at the America Gardens Theatre. A kind guest near the end of the line confirmed it was the standby line for the 6:45 p.m. showing of Candlelight Processional.
Candlelight Processional has three showtimes each night at 5 p.m., 6:45 p.m., and 8:15 p.m. I knew that if the standby line was so massive at 5:40 p.m. when the first show hadn’t even ended, it was unlikely that I’d be getting a seat in second show, and possibly in the third. I found out that the likelihood of my seeing the show from the benches was even less when I walked to the America Pavilion and found that guests who had guaranteed seats because they’d purchased a dining package were lined up on the other side of the pavilion in an equally lengthy queue. While those purchasing dining packages do have the right to seats before those in standby, they must line up and wait as well. This differs from shows like Fantasmic where dining packages score you seats at specific shows in specific areas.
Because the narrator was Neil Patrick Harris (likely the reason for the massive crowds for the show – some narrators are much more popular than others), I really wanted to catch at least part of the show. I worked through my problem by going to the Christmas marketplace in the America Pavilion and obtaining a Cocoa Candy Cane (hot chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps) and a gingerbread man.
Here comes a treat tangent. This is the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. It’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s pepperminty, and it packs a little extra warmth on the tail end that makes everyone’s holiday merrier and brighter. This is, hands down, the best $6.50 (or in my case $13.00) you’ll spend in the parks this season. It’s that good. Mr. Gingerbread was nothing to scoff at either with his surprisingly soft ginger goodness, though I did find myself wondering how many Cocoa Candy Canes his decorator had before picking up the icing bag.
Back to the problem at hand. On the suggestion of a good friend, we huddled into the space behind the theatre ropes at about 6 p.m. to watch the show from there. No, we wouldn’t be sitting down, but according to Twitter the standby line had taken over Norway at that point, so we weren’t going to be sitting anyway. I was a little miffed at first because the view wasn’t so great, but as the show progressed, I thought it was actually a really neat place to watch from because the choir filed in all around us, making for a pretty awesome experience. I took lots of pictures but the show’s lighting and my lack of a bigger lens means they didn’t turn out so hot.
Our view with my friend the inconveniently-placed tree.
The show was wonderful and I would recommend either getting to the venue very early for the first show or getting a dining package around 3 p.m. and lining up around 4 p.m. if the narrator you want to see is wildly popular (Whoopi Goldberg, Trace Adkins, etc.). In any event, maybe swing by the lineup areas just to check before having dinner or getting a Cocoa Candy Cane.
After the show, I moseyed around to the France Pavilion to try the Chocolate Yule Log from the bakery. France has added some festive peppermint and snowflake decorations this year that are kitschy but nonetheless fun.
The Chocolate Christmas Log is offered in France’s bakery, Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie (pictured above). Because yule logs are pretty standard (cake plus some kind of cream rolled up and thusly named “log”) I was expecting a pretty tasty snack break in France. I was sadly disappointed when I was handed a box with what I like to term the “Christmas Brick”.
I’m not really a foodie given my mostly pedestrian palate, but I know this: yule logs should have neither mirengue poofy things, nor chocolate fins. They should be moist and sweet and, in this log’s case, chocolatey. The Yule Brick was none of these things. Pretty? Yes. Tasty? No. My friend ate one fork full, tossed the fork and declared, “I’m out.” I suggest skipping the Chocolate Christmas Log in France and subbing in another tasty treat.
Fear not – the night did not end on such a sad note. My Chocolate Christmas Log disappointment was lifted as I walked back to Future World via the main pathway and its fun snowflake topiaries. Nothing can be bad when twinkle lights abound.
I will be back soon to try the other treats and get a glimpse of the Future World gingerbread village. Until then, keep it magical.
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December 5, 2013
Disney’s New Memory Maker Photo Package Available Starting December 6
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Making memories. Making memories. Taking pictures is making memories.
I love that song, and it’s fitting for today because Walt Disney World is rolling out a brand new way of making memories with its Memory Maker package. Part of the MyMagic+ system, this new offering will allow guests to collect, view, download, and share all of their Walt Disney World vacation photos that are linked to My Disney Experience. This system will contain the exact same access to photographs that was once available with Disney’s PhotoPass+, with the main difference being that this system is all digital.
Memory Maker will allow for unlimited downloading of photographs from the My Disney Experience portal. Guests can do this starting from the date the photos were taken until their expiration, which will be 45 days later. Disney’s PhotoPass+ will no longer be sold now that this new evolutionary version is available.
It sure seems like this new system will be easy to use. While guests are getting their photographs taken by a Disney’s PhotoPass photographer, they will simply have to touch their MagicBand or Memory Maker card to a device the photographer uses. In addition, guests will be able to link on-ride attraction photos at the counter where they can currently be viewed. For a new perk, guests will be able to download photos in My Disney Experience that their friends and family have taken as long as they are “connected” through My Disney Experience.
Memory Maker can be purchased either online or by phone prior to arriving at the resort. It can be added to a vacation package or utilized as a stand alone purchase. The new system can also be purchased at some merchandise and Disney’s PhotoPass sales locations at all four Walt Disney World theme parks and at Downtown Disney. For each Memory Maker purchase, guests have 30 day window in which to take photographs.
Guests who have already purchased Disney’s PhotoPass+ will have the option to keep it, or they can return it and purchase Memory Maker instead.
No pricing information is currently known as of this initial posting, but we’ll keep you updated as more information gets released.
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