Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1277

Disney’s Pop Century to Test Only Providing MagicBands to Guests

By Rikki Niblett

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©Disney

Beginning today (November 14), guests arriving at Disney’s Pop Century Resort will be be issued only a MagicBand for use throughout their stay at the Walt Disney World Resort, further testing the MyMagic+ process.

The testing procedure will work the same way it previously had. Guests will continue to be able to engage in MyMagic+ testing in the same manner as other resort guests. If guests did not customize and receive MagicBands prior to their vacation, they will be provided at check in. The MagicBand will give guests access to all hotel and park activities, such as touch to pay, touch to enter, PhotoPass, and FastPass+.

If a guest would prefer, a RF-enabled Key To The World card can be issued instead. It will work in the same way the MagicBand would. It will not allow guests to obtain Legacy FASTPASS tickets because the magnetic strip on the back will be inactive. Guests who wish to use FastPass+ may do so using the My Disney Experience app, visiting Guest Relations, or stopping at a MyMagic+ kiosk.

As a reminder, this is currently in the testing phase at Disney’s Pop Century; however, if the test goes well, I expect it will make its way to the other resorts.

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10 New Features of the Reimagined Disney Magic and Reviews of Each

By Tammy Whiting

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Did you hear the Disney Magic was just “reimagined”? They recently dragged me off I recently returned from the inaugural sailing of the new Disney Magic, and (spoiler alert!) I loved it. Since I had also spent 12 wonderful nights on the Magic this summer before she went to dry dock, I had a very recent experience to compare the “old” Magic to the “new” Magic. So, let me tell you my impressions (and reviews) of the new Magic (and her new features)!

[Shameless plug: Check out our new Disney Cruise Line coverage, with more than 300 pages and 400 photos! - Len]

1. AquaDunk – The AquaDunk is by far my favorite addition. I’m not a big fan of body slides, but it’s a complete rush. It lasts all of 7 seconds and yet somehow feels like you fall for at least 7 minutes. Some critics of the AquaDuck on the Disney Dream and Fantasy felt like it was too tame. Not so with the AquaDunk. You step into a vertical tube with water pouring down your back and a Plexiglas door closes around you. After you give the thumbs up signal that you’re ready, Huey, Duey and Louie count you down, then the floor drops out from under you and you fall. And fall and fall and fall! Oh, and twist through a tube that goes out over the ocean, which is more than 100 feet below you. The wait was short on my sailing, but it certainly could be long during a hot afternoon at sea. Ride first thing in the morning or during the evening shows. If you’re onboard during a port day, the line should be short, as well!

2. Kids’ Clubs – While Vibe (the teen club) and Edge (the tweeners club) appear pretty much unchanged, the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab are almost unrecognizable. And they are amazing! The Lab and adjoining hallway to the Club are almost identical to the similar spaces on the Dream and Fantasy. It’s a nautical theme with light colored wood and leather chairs. There are video games, computer consoles, tables for arts and crafts, and more. It looks great. The Club is designed in that hub and spoke pattern that Disney loves so much. The “hub” is a huge bright open space with a huge video screen and wall of giant library books on one side. The spokes consist of Pixie Hollow, Andy’s Room, Mickey Mouse’s Clubhouse and the Avengers Academy. Pixie Hollow is a forest-themed dress-up and play area with computer games, costumes, and an activity table. It’s very similar to Pixie Hollow on the Dream and Fantasy, and as cute as it is, seemed to hold the least appeal of the area to the children playing. Andy’s Room is a show stopper. It’s set up like a giant bed with a circular Slinky Dog slide (yes adults will fit, don’t ask how I know this) off the top, and giant toys like Mr. Potato Head underneath. Mickey Mouse’s Clubhouse is a Mickey-themed activity room with a giant screen on one side and game consoles lining another. Right next door is the wonderful Avengers Academy. The Avengers Academy has Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, and a life-size Iron Man suit! Talk about curbside appeal! The large video screen has an enthralling interactive Iron Man game among other things. This room is a Marvel fan’s dream. When the Magic and Wonder were introduced, the kid’s club areas were revolutionary. But it was time for an update. And this update is excellent.

3. Cabanas – I never realized I disliked Topsiders until I stepped inside Cabanas on the Dream for the first time (a friend of mine wisely says that “Comparison is the root of all discontent”!). Topsiders was your typical, stand in a line, wait for the family in front of you to take 4 hours to decide between garlic mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese, kind of buffet (I jest, I jest…). So painful! Cabanas is set up with several food stations, each serving something different. Visit only the stations you want and bypass those you don’t. I was beyond excited when I heard they were putting Cabanas on the Magic! I was confused, wondering how it could possibly fit in Topsiders’ smallish space, but I was excited! Well, Disney expanded the old Topsiders’ space to turn it into Cabanas and it feels huge. It’s also 100 times more functional and 100 times more awesome.

4. Carioca’s – I know some people loved Parrot Cay, but it was always my least favorite of the three main dining rooms on the Magic. It was really showing its age and the once bright colors were faded and dull. It was also a lot more casual than the other restaurants, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but not somewhere you wanted to end up on, say, formal night. Carioca’s is a great replacement. It’s bright and festive yet could feel elegant at the same time. Themed like a Brazilian restaurant, there are beautiful colorful lanterns hanging from the ceiling. One thing I really liked is that they attempted to hide the buffet stand which is used at breakfast and lunch but unnecessary at dinner. In Carioca’s there was a curtain with a nighttime panorama of Rio De Janeiro pulled down at dinner to cover the unneeded buffet stand. Not a perfect solution, but I appreciated the effort! The new menu is delicious. I loved the empanada appetizer and there’s nothing wrong with an entrée that includes meat on a stick.

5. New Staterooms – The stateroom reimagining is a touchy subject with some people, especially those who didn’t have a working toilet on the first sailing. It does seem like the Magic has some unresolved plumbing issues and needed more time in dry dock to finish with the staterooms, but the good news is that Disney seems to be working hard to fix these issues. Recent passengers are reporting lots of ongoing work. Let me be clear here. The Magic has had plumbing issues for a while. The reimagination didn’t make the staterooms worse. They just haven’t fixed it all yet. Disney is still trying to fix the issues. The good news is that the things they did change in the staterooms are great! The new bed is sooooooo comfortable. The bedding is soft and plush, and they finally threw out (and hopefully burned) those awful blue polyester bedspreads. They added more, greatly needed, outlets, and a more powerful hairdryer if the built in one in the bathroom doesn’t float your boat. The beds are 18 inches off the ground now, making storing luggage underneath much easier. The couch and curtains are updated and more attractive as well. Temporary problems aside, the staterooms are better.

6. AquaLab – The Mickey pool area and accompanying slide were completely redone and replaced with an 1800 square foot water playground. The most obvious difference is the Twist and Spout, a 3-story spiral waterslide. It’s a long and slow slide compared to the AquaDunk, but it’s quite fun and perfect for kids too short for the AquaDunk! Yes, I tried it! Right next to the slide is the water play area and pool. Water sprays from all directions, including above when the hanging buckets fill periodically and dump their contents. When I say water is spraying everywhere, I mean it. I walked by once without paying attention and ended up wet. Right next door is a Plexiglas-enclosed splash area made for the 3 and under crowd. The ground is soft and spongy and perfect for the little ones. The whole area is packed with visual appeal. Good luck trying to drag your children out of there.

7. It’s a Small World Nursery – The nursery formerly known as Flounders was a fine, if not spectacular, place to leave the little ones. The Fantasy and Dream improved on it with It’s a Small World Nursery and the Magic basically copied it. Which isn’t a bad thing. The nurseries on the Fantasy and Dream are adorable, and now the Magic can say the same. It’s a bright, colorful, inviting space.

8. Night Clubs – The night clubs were all redone for the better. Studio Sea was a family club whose décor of giant filmstrips was in desperate need of changing. It’s now called D Lounge and is brighter, more modern, and so much more inviting. The adult nightclub area is no longer called Beat Street. It’s now called After Hours. I really liked Diversions, but O’Gills has proven so popular on the Fantasy, I can understand why they felt the need to put in on the Magic and take up the biggest space for it. As a side note, I was amused this summer when we were trying to find a family game to play in Diversions and every board game we picked up was missing pieces. I understand pieces disappear, but is it really that hard to put new games in regularly? How much do board games cost again? I’m happy to report that there are brand new games in O’Gills! Your need to play scrabble with (live) friends will not go unfulfilled. Keys is a much smaller club with comfortable chairs and better spaces for small groups to sit and talk. I can attest to how inviting that is because we were there for hours doing exactly that. Fathoms is also an improvement over Rockin’ Bar D to me. There are booths along the back of the wall which are super comfortable and semi-private. The décor and gorgeous fiber-optic light fixtures are very hip and perfect for variety acts, and the dance club it becomes later at night. Count me disappointed, however, that the reimagined Magic doesn’t have some version of Skyline. Love, love, love those spaces on the Dream and Fantasy!

9. New Atrium – Disney redesigned the atrium of the Magic, to mixed reviews from me. I like that they took out one of the staircases. They really didn’t need it, and its removal makes the space feel a lot bigger. They also changed the carpet, and changed the chandelier from a beautiful Chihuly sculpture to a much smaller chandelier. That I don’t love. The new chandelier is very pretty, but the former chandelier was beyond pretty. It was gorgeous. The new chandelier does seem to fit the space a little more, it just doesn’t blow me away. Having said that, overall I do like the new atrium. The carpet is beautiful and the new added space is welcome.

10. Animator’s Palate – When Animator’s Palate was introduced people were amazed. When I first experienced it, I was amazed. I remember that when I told people I’d been on a Disney cruise, Animator’s was the first thing they asked about. It was that cool! Over time it lost some of its appeal. It looked a little worn and the “show” didn’t really hold anyone’s attention who had seen it before. But, the first time I visited the new Animator’s on the Fantasy (and saw the new Animation Magic show), it was like the first time I experienced Animator’s Palate on the Magic. I was blown away when my drawing came to life on the screen. That is what Animator’s should be. It should blow you away. The new Animator’s on the Magic didn’t blow me away yet, but it looks much better. The screens are updated and easy to see. The sketches on the wall included new and clever drawings like the one shown on the right. The chairs are more comfortable, the dinnerware is adorable. The new Drawn to the Magic show on the Magic was okay, but it was really just an update of the original Animator’s show. The good news is that Disney does plan to do Animation Magic on the Magic. The bad news is that currently they are only planning on doing it on 7-night or longer cruises. Hopefully Disney will rethink that decision!

So do you have any questions? Any areas I didn’t cover that you’re wondering about?

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Observations From Disneyland: November 11, 2013 – Christmas At Disneyland

By Guy Selga Jr.

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Guy here with another Observations post, and jeez do I have a lot to show you. This update includes almost 40 pictures! Why? Because Christmas has been unleashed upon Disneyland, and there are a ton of decorations to go over. Here you can see Sleeping Beauty Castle with its Christmas gear. The only things that haven’t been added yet are the icicles. The icicles look good at night all lit up, but during the day they kind of look like plastic wrap.

The Christmas tree was added to Town Square on Sunday night!

Many more pictures after the jump:

Another look at Town Square’s tree.

A closer look.

EXTREME CLOSEUP

Before I continue down Main Street, I’ll loop back to the Mickey & Friends Tram loading area. Santa Mater now greets guests as they enter.

Tow-riffic. It’s a pun. Next!

Back at Disneyland’s entrance, giant snow flakes have replaced the giant character pumpkins.

Attraction poster for the Jingle Cruise! Attraction posters are some of my favorite forms of Disney theme park art, so it’s great to see a temporary holiday overlay get such a classy poster.

The Dapper Dans were out on their 4-person-bicycle. I love this thing!

The greatest Disney attraction in the world also got some holiday decorations! As if the Main Street Omnibus couldn’t get any better. It just did!

Not only is the Omnibus decorated, but so are the other Main Street Vehicles!

Main Street Magic Shop

Crystal Arcade

The recently opened Market House celebrates its first Christmas with a couple of trees. Here is the one near the front door. This tree features a bunch of ornaments that look like oranges, which I guess is supposed to be a tribute to Orange County. I really have no idea.

The Palm Parlor with its decorations.

The planter around the Partners statue has some nice poinsettias. Looks good!

The Golden Horseshoe got some nice garland for the holidays. I’m super bummed because my picture of the trees inside turned out all blurry. The trees are decorated with horseshoes! It’s fabulous! I’ll show you next week.

This Santa Mickey popcorn bucket can be yours for $12. Or do what I do and wait a couple of years and buy one at a yard sale for 25 cents.

Critter Country’s sign decorated with an apple/pine cone wreath.

I’ve always enjoyed the decorations at the Splash Mountain entrance. I’m not sure why a tree is being hung sideways, but I like it.

While I was in Critter Country I stopped by Hungry Bear Restaurant for lunch. The holiday beverage cups are now being used. I believe this is the first year for this design.

What did I eat today? Today I ate the delicious Fried Green Tomato Sandwich from Hungry Bear. I’ve done a video review about this already (which you can see here), and I think it’s one of the best quick service dining entrees in the entire resort.

Fans were pleasantly surprised last week when the Frozen meet and greet opened in Fantasyland. Near the top of the doorway Disney added a nice Olaf animatronic. He says different phrases and makes comments about the people waiting in line. It’s a nice touch! I posted video of the Olaf animatronic here.

“it’s a small world” has reopened with its holiday overlay. There’s not much to say about it that many others haven’t already said. It’s really just a spectacular attraction during the holidays that must be seen.

The facade comes alive at night when thousands of Christmas lights are lit on the attraction’s facade. I’ll be adding video of that to our YouTube channel later this week. If you can’t make it out to Disneyland to see IASW Holiday, I posted a full ride through video on our channel.

The area in front of “it’s a small world” has a series of wreaths decorated to represent each country in the attraction.

We’re still not done with Christmas decorations! Even Mickey’s Toon Town gets in on the act.

Toon Town City Hall

Downtown Toon Town

Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

My favorite detail about the Car Toon Spin decorations in the Santa Roger near the top.

Goofy’s Playhouse

Mickey’s House

Finally, the Big Thunder Ranch Jamboree area has been transformed in to Jingle Jangle Jamboree. In it you’ll find live performances by Billy Hill and the Hillbillies, games, crafts, and…

…a chance to meet Santa! I can’t top that so I’m going to end it here. That’s all for this week!

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Holiday Gifts for the Disney Traveler

By Erin Foster

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If the music playing in my local grocery store is any indication, the holidays are right around the corner. (What the heck is a calling bird, anyway?) And that means lots of folks will be taking a family trip to the Disney parks or giving a Disney trip as a holiday gift.

Stuff their stockings with gum, because they won’t find it at Disney World.

In addition to the big “Ta Daaaa” of Disney trip gift, there are many smaller items that can serve as an adjunct tangible under-the-tree present to enhance the vacation and make you a hero to the Disney travelers in your life. You might also consider using some of these items as part of a scavenger hunt surprise trip reveal or combining several of the smaller items into a Mickey-tastic gift basket.

Any of the things below would make a great gift for someone planning a Disney vacation.

Happy shopping …

Luggage: You’re going to need a suitcase or two for almost every Disney vacation. My go-to travel bags are from the LL Bean Quickload Luggage collection, mostly because their soft sides are quite forgiving when I have to squeeze in just one more souvenir. But there are plenty of options if you’re looking for Disney-themed suitcases or totes.
Disney Gift Cards: Disney gift cards can be used to pay for everything from your hotel room to a cupcake. They’re accepted at the vast majority of resort, retail, and restaurant locations at Walt Disney World (as well as at other Disney related locations). A little mad money would surely be appreciated.
An iTunes gift card: Use it to purchase Disney films or movies to get in the mood for your visit.

Travel size toiletries in luxury brands let your loved ones pamper on the go.

A power strip: There are never enough outlets in the hotel rooms. A power strip is a modern day travel necessity.
A portable phone charger: Much like a power strip for your room, an ancillary charger for your cell phone is a must-have. With Wifi in the parks, you’re going to be using your phone non-stop to check Lines, update your FastPass+ reservations, and Instagram photos of Mickey to your friends. Mophie and Zagg are popular brands, but there are many others.
Gum: You can’t buy it at Walt Disney World or Orlando International Airport. A few packs of a favorite chew makes a great stocking stuffer.
A Mist & Sip water bottle: I have to give a shout out to my friend Michelle for introducing me to this nifty device. It’s a water bottle, plus a cooling mister. Fill it with free ice water at any Disney quick service restaurant for fast refreshment.
A travel childproofing kit: If you’re traveling with little ones, a simple safety kit can make your hotel room a better place for your child. Outlet covers and the like will help make sure that the exploration of a new environment doesn’t turn dangerous.
Soft headphones : Soft headphones make it much more comfortable for mom or dad to watch a movie on the iPad while the kiddos are falling asleep – since they’ll inevitably fall asleep as well.

A compact power strip can make hotel room life more comfortable.

A travel size personal care kit : A care package of travel-sized containers of favorite toiletries brands makes a useful gift.
Trading pins: A starter pack of trading pins can serve as an introduction to an in-park trading hobby. Bonus points if you can score some cheap on eBay.
Memory cards: You can never have enough memory for photos of your family having fun.
A cooling scarf or bandana: It’s hot out there. Give a tool to keep the cool.
A pocket umbrella: Rain is all but inevitable at Walt Disney World. To keep dry, I find that umbrellas work better than ponchos: they’re less messy when wet and more useful in other real-world locations.
Slingbox: The television situation at Walt Disney World has gotten better in recent years, but it’s still not exactly what you’ll find at home. If you can’t fall asleep without Steven Colbert, then a Slingbox can be a lifeline. Plug it in at home and watch all your favorite shows on your laptop while on vacation.
Personalized tee shirts: If you’ve got a big group heading to WDW, a custom tees for the gang can help build excitement, as well as provide practical help finding each other in the parks.
Sunglasses: Protect your eyes and look cool in the Florida sun.
Costumes: Lots of little ones like to dress up as pirates or princesses, particularly for a character dining experience. An eye patch or princess dress makes a great gift for a child, and buying in advance will likely save quite a bit of money over getting one at the parks.
A specialty camera: Sure you’ve got a camera on your phone, plus maybe a point-and-shoot or even a DSLR, but there are lots of fun specialty cameras that can make your vacation shots even more entertaining. Try a water-safe camera in the pool or on the slide at Blizzard Beach, a Go-Pro for taking action shots from the front of Expedition Everest, or place a time lapse camera on your resort balcony for a look at what happens at the hotel while you’re out at the parks.

And of course we can’t forget:

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World : Don’t leave home without it.

Are you going on a Disney vacation this winter? What would you like to get to go with it? Let us know in the comments below.

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Thanksgiving and Christmas Dining Options at Walt Disney World

By Rikki Niblett

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©Disney

With Thanksgiving just a little over two short weeks away (and six weeks til Christmas), Disney has announced via the Disney Parks Blog where guests can celebrate with Thanksgiving and Christmas dining at Walt Disney World for those who are looking to have more traditional type meals during the two festive Holidays.

Here is the full list of where you will be able to dine if you’ll be in the parks for either of these two Holidays.

Thanksgiving

 

Magic Kingdom

Tony’s Town Square (lunch and dinner)
Liberty Tree Tavern (lunch and dinner)


Epcot

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (lunch and dinner)
Biergarten (lunch and dinner)
Coral Reef (lunch and dinner)
Le Cellier (lunch and dinner)
Rose and Crown (lunch and dinner)
Sunshine Seasons (all day menu)
Tutto Italia (special selections)
Via Napoli (special selections)


Disney’s Hollywood Studios

50s Prime Time Cafe (lunch and dinner)
Hollywood and Vine (lunch and dinner)


Disney’s Animal Kingdom


 Tusker House Restaurant (lunch and dinner)


Downtown Disney

Fulton’s Crab House (special prix fixe menu)
Portobello (special prix fixe menu)
Raglan Road (special prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner)
Wolfgang Puck Cafe (special prix fixe menu)


Resorts

Disney’s All Star Resorts: Intermission Food Court (lunch and dinner), World Premiere Food Court (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: Jiko – The Cooking Place (dinner), Sanaa (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Beach Club:  Cape May Cafe (dinner)
Disney’s BoardWalk:  Flying Fish Cafe (dinner), Kouzzina (dinner)
Disney’s Caribbean Beach:  Shutters (dinner)
Disney’s Contemporary Resort:  California Grill (dinner), Chef Mickey’s (dinner), The Wave (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort:  Mickey’s Backyard BBQ (at 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.), Trails End Restaurant (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort:  Citricos (three dinner seatings), Grand Floridian Cafe (lunch and dinner), Narcoosee’s (dinner)
Disney’s Old Key West Resort: Olivia’s Cafe (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Polynesian Resort:  Kona Cafe (lunch and dinner), ‘Ohana (dinner)
Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside:  Boatwright’s Dining Hall (dinner)
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort:  The Turf Club (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge:  Artist Point (dinner), Whispering Canyon Cafe (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Yacht Club: Captain’s Grille (lunch and dinner), Yachtsman Steakhouse (dinner)

 

 

©Disney

Christmas Day

 

Magic Kingdom

The Diamond Horseshoe (dinner)
Tangaroa Terrace/Tortuga Tavern (dinner buffet)


Epcot

Biergarten (special offerings)
Le Cellier (special menu)


Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Hollywood and Vine (lunch and two dinner seatings)

 

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Tusker House (special offerings)

 

Downtown Disney

Fulton’s Crab House (prix fixe menu)
Portobello (prix fixe menu)

 

Resorts

Disney’s Beach Club: Cape May Cafe (special offerings)
Disney’s BoardWalk:  Flying Fish Cafe (prix fixe four course meal)
Disney’s Contemporary Resort:  The Wave (special menu), Chef Mickey’s (brunch)
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort:  Mickey’s Backyard BBQ (at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.); Trail’s End Restaurant (lunch and dinner)
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort: Citricos (two seatings at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., plus a Christmas Day seating in the private Chef’s Domain serving a four course meal)
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge:  Whispering Canyon Cafe (dinner)
Disney’s Yacht Club:  Captain’s Grille (buffet), Yachtsman Steakhouse (special menu)

 

For guests who are looking to grabbing an Advanced Dining Reservation, either go online to www.disneyworld.com/dine or call (407) WDW-DINE right now, because if these restaurants aren’t already booked up, they will be soon.

If you will be in Walt Disney World for New Year’s, take a look at some of the dining options that have already been announced that are serving up celebratory offerings.

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Ask Jim Hill Ep 14 – Jim’s Favorite Live Entertainment At Walt Disney World

By Guy Selga Jr.

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In this week’s episode Jim gets asked what his favorite live entertainment at Walt Disney World is. Jim also shares some interesting tidbits about the history of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.

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

If you would like to download an audio version of Ask Jim Hill, Episodes 1 – 9 are now available on iTunes.

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Tickets almost sold out for Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Gingerbread House Workshops at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney

By Seth Kubersky

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Tickets went on sale yesterday (November 11, 2013) for this year’s Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen Gingerbread House Workshops at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney, and seats are already almost completely sold out. Spots for the December 15 and 21 worshops are gone, but you can still purchase tickets for the first session on December 14.

Here’s how Ralph Brennan’s describes this popular seasonal activity:

The workshop kicks off with the induction of all participants as ‘chefs for the day’ with artfully self-designed chef’s hats. Next, Chef Darrin Finkel leads an interactive demonstration on the proper assembly of gingerbread houses. Next, the good stuff…Decorating your gingerbread house with several handfuls of Holiday candy personally procured by Santa’s elves. Finally, in the spirit of the season and in recognition of the participants’ hard work, Santa will pay a surprise visit and hand out commemorative gifts to all attendees.

Tickets for the Jazz Kitchen Gingerbread. House workshops cost $48 ($51.84 after taxes and fees, and can be purchased online here. That price covered two participate, and includes gingerbread house and candy, 1 chef’s hat, 2 jingle bells, unlimited sodas, and 2 seats; additional participants sharing the same house are $12.96 each.

 

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Observations from the Magic Kingdom: November 10, 2013

By Morgan Crutchfield

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Date: Sunday, November 10, 2013

Touring Plans Crowd Calendar Level: 7

Weather: Sunny and warm with highs in the low 80′s, low 60′s at night

So maybe it wasn’t the best idea to voluntarily hit the Kingdom on a 7/10 crowd calendar day, but Christmas decorations went up this week, and I was dying to see it all. I actually started at the Grand Floridian to get some pictures of its gingerbread house. The two-story Victorian cookie mansion is a holiday favorite of mine, and even though it doesn’t officially open for business until the 16th, it’s already finished. Here’s a picture of under construction earlier this week, as well as the finished product.

Stats will be available later in the season as to how much sugar, flour, fondant, and other baking materials were used, and the numbers are always impressive. The tree is not in the lobby yet, so there’s at least one more holiday marker to look forward to. In the meantime, the characters adorning the candy windows this year are gorgeous. Here’s candy Tink.

A short monorail ride later and I was in the Magic Kingdom. Because there were so many people, it was impossible to get a good shot of the courtyard, so here’s one from just a few days ago. I wouldn’t want to leave you hanging. The Mickey Christmas ornament-shaped flower arrangement is pretty awesome.

Inside the gates (and back in real time), it was a stunner of a day. Love that sky.

I arrived just in time for the last Main Street Trolley Show. The shows run just three times between nine and noon. If you haven’t seen one, make sure that you do. The holiday version, the Holly Jolly Trolley, is my favorite, but they’re all really wonderful.

After the Trolley Show, I headed down Main Street to New Fantasyland for a Be Our Guest lunch using FastPass+. If you have an active resort reservation, you can use FP+ to skip the line at Be Our Guest. Go to this link: https://beourguestlunch.disney.go.com/ and enter all the requested information. Although when this service launched you had to order at the time that you made your FP+ reservation, there’s now an option for simply skipping the line without pre-ordering, which I did. Given that the line at around 12:45 was nearly back to Gaston’s, it was a lifesaver. I waited about ten minutes to order and had a fantastic meal of potato leek soup and the croque monsieur. That soup is, hands down, the best soup on property. The sandwich is delicious too. If you can’t get dinner reservations for Be Our Guest, I really do recommend lunch (see the Be Our Guest Lunch Menu). It’s less expensive and just as good. I was excited to see the Christmas decorations that had been added to BOG, and while they could have been more extensive, they were nonetheless beautiful.

After lunch I had another FP+ reservation for the Jungle Cruise. In case you haven’t heard, it’s received a holiday overlay and is now the Jingle Cruise. Having heard mixed reviews, I was really excited to give it a try. The sign has been changed with a really fun candy cane North Pole “i,” which set the right tone with me big time.

The queue has been decorated (not too many photo spoilers!), and the Cast Members have special khaki Santa hats!

While there’s not much decoration during the actual cruise, skippers have fun holiday jokes they can choose to add to their spiels, and there are a couple of fun surprises. I recommend this one big time, even if you have to go standby.

Once out of Jingle Cruise, I headed to Pirates of the Caribbean. I’ve heard lately that a lot of things are missing from the ride, and I was able to confirm. Not sure if’ it’s a maintenance/refurbishment issue, or if permanent changes are coming, but the mist curtain Davy Jones was not operating, only one mermaid pool was functioning, and animatronic favorites like the man with the pile of hats were missing completely. Even a friend who isn’t at Disney all the time noticed that things were awry. We exited Pirates to the level 7 crowds that Touring Plans had told us would be present. While I’m never averse to skipping rides altogether, I can imagine it was a bit of a frustrating experience for many families who weren’t expecting those kinds of crowd levels in the beginning of November. It was apparent as I navigated toward Main Street Bakery for some coffee that afternoon frustration was creeping in.

As I waited in the bakery for my drink, I noticed a neat thing outside. Among the most magical things about the Kingdom, in my opinion, are the vignettes that pop up as people go about their day. I took this shot of two of the Dapper Dans speaking to some guests as they waited for their showtime, and the contrast of their stripes and hats with the modern convenience of my coffee stop made me smile.

After my refuel, I moseyed to the Cinderella Castle forecourt to see the lighting of the dream lights, which also began this week. There’s a nightly ceremony at 6:15 (Cinderella’s Holiday Wish) with Mickey and Friends, The Fairy Godmother, and Cinderella and Charming that you really don’t want to miss. It’s only about a 10 minute show but it’s so worth it. And, when it’s over, you get this:

I left after the lighting for some Sunday Night football at ESPN Club. In all, it was a really great day. Coming soon from me: a post from Animal Kingdom. Until then, keep it magical, everyone.

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Observations from the Universal Orlando Resort: November 8, 2013 (CityWalk and Islands of Adventure Construction)

By Seth Kubersky

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After a much-needed five day break from the Universal Orlando Resort, on Friday afternoon (November 8, 2013) I ventured to UOR to make my first post-Halloween observations. And since we are talking about the same swiftly-expanding resort that built Transformers and Springfield USA in a matter of months, there are already noticeable new construction changes in both CityWalk and Islands of Adventure since Derek Burgan’s observations earlier in the week.

Let’s start with an exciting new signal of progress: white smoke emerging from the Red Oven Pizza Bakery smokestack.

White smoke? We must have a new pope in CityWalk!

Inside, staff members were preparing for an employees-only test service.

Rumor holds the quick-service restaurant may open for business as soon as Tuesday, November 12.

Also in CityWalk, the facade of the new restaurant that is replacing Latin Quarter has been covered in construction tarps, and should soon start receiving detailing.

Do I detect a Spanish Mission style beneath the tarps?

The table-service eatery’s future named was whispered to be “Don Quixote,” but Screamscape recently reported that It will be called “Antojitos,” which is a type of Mexican tapas.

Inside Islands of Adventure, one place where there isn’t much visible progress is the new Starbucks in Port of Entry.

After riding Transformers multiple times during Halloween, I was overdue for a spin on its spiritual predecessor, the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride. Fortunately, this 25 minute posted wait was one of the longest I saw this day, as the resort was at 3 out of 10 on our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendar.

I may be hallucinating, but I believe the prop photo in the darkroom (seen in Spidey’s express queue) has changed poses. Can anyone confirm?

Over in Toon Lagoon, the minimal wait time (5 minutes) tempts a few idio…er, guests…into braving Bilge Rat Barges, despite the crisp weather.

Wicked children with quarters are always waiting at the ready to soak them for their foolishness!

Ripsaw Falls also had a few drenched takers.

Next we visit Jurassic Park for the first sign of the new E-Ticket attraction being readied for the expansion plot behind Thunder Falls Terrace.

That orange flag is a construction survey marker that may herald the return of King Kong.

The River Adventure is also rumored to receive some TLC before Jurassic World is released in 2015.

Here’s another look at the new Jurassic Park carnival games…

…and a video of the Egg Nursery, which is a high-tech variation on the old-fashioned “duck pond” game.

The games themselves are very well themed (by Bob’s Space Racers of Daytona Beach, which also built the games in Universal Studios Florida’s Springfield and Disney California Adventure‘s Paradise Pier). But the prizes are disappointingly garish and generic.

Crabs? Ducks???

Where are the freakin’ dinosaurs???

Thankfully, a Universal manager assured me that themed prizes should be on their way shortly.

Break time! And there’s nowhere better than The Watering Hole, where annual passholders can get happy hour drink discounts from 3 to 5 p.m. daily.

Double-sized mixed drinks for $6.50. Cheapskate lushes rejoice!

Next stop: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (original edition).

Yup, still pretty (especially when you crop out the show building to the right).

So, where are all the people that aren’t in the rest of the park?

Oh, here they are!

Even on a slow day, Hogsmeade’s narrow streets feel crowded.

But looks can be deceiving. This is the entire queue for Olivander’s Wand Shop!

Welcome to Opposite Day at Universal Orlando, where the kiddie coaster has a 40 minute queue…

…and the signature E-ticket is practically a walk-on.

Hey, I’m not complaining!

I’m impressed by the continual improvements being made to Forbidden Journey, both in ride movement and projection clarity. Plus, all the effects (including the dragon’s movement) appeared operational.

For a fascinating look at what the attraction might have been, check out this recent post by Orlando United’s HateToFly.

Outside the Wizarding World, construction continues on the Hogwarts Express train station and surrounding area.

Now that Jurassic Park’s games are open, expect these to go away in the near future.

Some of the games seem almost abandoned already.

The Seuss Landing trolley train ride is being refurbished until November 23. No Seuss for you!

Some smart Seussian sayings on the construction walls:

Hey, it beats quotes about dreams misattributed to Uncle Walt…

Finally, here is a parting look at the remanents of CityWalk’s Endangered Species store, soon to become a Starbucks.

 

 

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The Other Side of MagicBands

By Daisy Lauren

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When I reviewed MyMagic+ about a month ago, my article was all sunshine and rainbows, but comments were mixed. I felt awful for folks who had such a bad experience but couldn’t relate as ours worked flawlessly. Well, my friends, I have seen the other side, and in the interest of balanced reporting I want to share what we’ve been through. All told, I would estimate we spent 3+ hours with Guest Relations and MagicBand cast members on the first day of our visit.

This is how it feels to spend two hours in Guest Relations!

First, let me share a little background. My parents and sisters live in Florida but several hours away and had decided to take a year off annual passes, meaning they hadn’t visited in a while. When they decided to stay on property this weekend they were told about the MagicBand changes but were unable to book anything in advance because they were looking to purchase Florida resident annual passes, which cannot be sold over the phone. Of course, as testing has expanded there are fewer FastPass+ options are available the morning of arrival. Lesson 1: If you are unable to purchase tickets in advance it might not be worth using FastPass+.

I talked to my parents about maybe just sticking with paper FASTPASS tickets this trip, but since they’ve done it all at Disney, the MagicBands were a novelty and something they really wanted to try (I could relate! ). Keeping this in mind, I visited a MyMagic+ kiosk prior to their arrival to plea my case and ask if I could use MyMagic+ with them. The cast member told me it was no problem and for my parents to just send me an invitation over the My Magic Experience website. When I logged in to accept their invite on my phone it looked like it had worked, but oddly I couldn’t see my Mom. I assumed this was just because maybe she hadn’t entered an email address, but this was a very wrong assumption and should have been the first red flag  Lesson 2: If something doesn’t look right on My Magic Experience – it isn’t right. Make sure you call and get it figured out in advance!

Fast forward to their day of arrival. I decided I’d miss all the fun of buying passes during the early morning rush and show up fashionably late. (Side note – it’s always bonkers to buy tickets in the morning. These lines are the longest you’ll see all day during a time when attraction lines are at their shortest. Morning ticket purchases are definitely not Touring Plans approved!) After waiting in the line, buying annual passes, and having them associated with their MagicBands, they headed for the park gates. When my mom tried to use her MagicBand, it wouldn’t work, and the cast member trying to help happened to call her by my name while trying to assist. That is when they figured out that MY annual pass had somehow been tied to my Mom’s MagicBand, and they were sent to Guest Relations. Lesson 3: DO NOT send invitations to folks who are not staying on Disney property. The system is only designed to accommodate guests staying at a Disney Resort. (We’ve been told this will expand in the future.)

Indy was having a better day than we were…

At Guest Relations it took nearly an hour to pull apart what had happened. When my family sent me an invitation and I accepted it, the system added me to the party of four in their rooms. Since the system didn’t understand I was an additional guest, it decided to replace my Mom and add all of my account information to her MagicBand. Apparently, this was a completely new situation to the Guest Relations cast at the Studios because it took nearly another hour to figure out how to get her a new MagicBand and then set them up with FastPass+ options for that evening. But still, my family had nothing but praise for all the cast who helped them that morning. I think their patience helped them get FastPass+ for everything they had wanted, even the things that showed unavailable (and some extras!). Lesson 4: Pack your patience. This is still a test, and being kind will always get you further!

After spending this crazy amount of time at Guest Relations, they decided they wanted to just leave and start fresh later in the day. I think they needed a nap, too, after getting up at 4am to drive down thinking they were going to make rope drop! We made a plan to meet at Magic Kingdom for some fun! We all arrived and were able to get in without any issue. Then we headed to a MyMagic+ kiosk to get me setup with FASTPSSes that matched my parents. (They’d been told this wouldn’t be a problem earlier in the day.) When we arrived and explained our situation, the cast member told us that the system was meant for parties traveling together, that he could make no guarantee that I could be accommodated, but that he would get a Guest Relations cast member for me to speak with. I have to admit, I had that “here we go again” feeling, but they were very understanding and assured us they wouldn’t break up our travel party. The cast member grabbed my dad’s MagicBand to match us up. That is when we were informed that ALL their FastPass+ reservations were NOT for the day we were there but the day prior. The Guest Relations cast member earlier in the day had booked the wrong date in error. Lesson 5: Check those dates – make extra sure what you’ve booked is correct because it is difficult to change at the last minute. 

By this point Disney had more than egg on its face!

At this point my family said to forget it; they would use the old FASTPASS system. They explained that it was 4pm and they hadn’t been on a single ride and detailed all the time they’d spent at Guest Relations. Up to now the cast member hadn’t heard the whole story and assured us that he’d fix it. He came back with their MagicBands programmed with five free rides on anything and brought me three front of the line passes. It was the best he could do, and we were thrilled to finally have a chance to go play! I used paper FASTPASSes for a couple of rides, so it lined up for us to experience everything together. For the first time all day and after hours waiting – things finally worked!!!! Lesson 6: Just when things look bad, fate steps in to see you through. This is Disney… there has to be a happy ending!  

And I wish that was the ending… but there was one final sad note. There is no way, no how, to get someone without a MagicBand into a parade or fireworks FastPass+ viewing area. So after a ton of fun riding rides, snacking, and taking family photos… I got booted. Sure, my entire family could have given up their spots to hang out with me, but I insisted they go because I know what an awesome view they’d be missing. Earlier in the day we’d talked about just paying the $25 a day to add me to their room reservation, but Guest Relations at the Studios assured them we could stay together. I guess we did.. mostly. But it seems like we would have had a much better visit had I just paid the “ransom” to get on their reservation. Lesson 7: If it really matters that you spent time with your local friends, it might be better to pay the fee and add them to your room reservation, even if they don’t stay with you.

I hope by sharing our experience we can save someone some trouble. It was the worst day I’ve had at Disney in a long, long time, and I certainly felt second class next to “on property” guests. I’m sure they will get all the bugs out of this system in the coming months, and I personally can’t wait! It was great when it worked, but now that I’ve experienced the challenges first hand, I understand some of those frustrated comments on my first article. I’m curious if the general opinion is improving or if other folks are having experiences like mine. Please let us know in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you! I’ll also do my best to answer any questions anyone might have. Please keep in mind I can only speak to my experiences as it seems I get conflicting information even when I ask questions in the park. I’m happy to offer my opinions, though! As always, thanks for reading!

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