Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1279
November 7, 2013
Deck The Halls: Celebrating the Holiday Season at Walt Disney World
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©Disney
Get ready to build your snowman (maybe shaped like Olaf from Frozen), warm up the hot chocolate, get out the holly, and hang the tinsel, because the Holiday Season at Walt Disney World is official here and they are ready to celebrate!
The Holiday Season officially kicked off this week with more festive goodies scheduled to make their debut later on this month. Here’s a look at what you can expect to partake in at your favorite theme parks in the way of seasonal cheer.
At the Magic Kingdom, the Castle Dream Lights began early this week. The lights turn on each night during the Cinderella’s Holiday Wish show (usually around 6:15 p.m., but check your Times Guide to make sure). During the show, the castle is transformed into an icy wonderland that is simply breathtaking. Pictures honestly do not do this experience justice. You have to see it to actually believe it.
Also found at the Magic Kingdom is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This hard ticketed event will run for 19 nights throughout the months of November and December, with the first party kicking off on November 8. The parties include lively stage shows, spectacular fireworks in the form of Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Season, a unique holiday parade called Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, dance parties, Disney characters dressed in the Holiday garb, as well as complimentary cookies and hot cocoa, and snow flurries on Main Street, U.S.A. Party nights are:
November 8, 11, 14, 15, 17, 21, 22
December 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20
New for the park this year is the Jingle Cruise, which debuts on November 8 and runs through the Holiday season. In this overlay of the classic Jungle Cruise attraction, the skippers have taken over and have infused a little festive spirit into the attraction by decorating the attraction queue and boathouse, creating new punny jokes, and even changing the names of the boats. It’s going to be a jingly good time.
At Epcot, guests will be able to enjoy the classic experience of the Candlelight Processional. This beautiful show includes seasonal music while a celebrity narrator (hello, Neil Patrick Harris!) reads the Christmas Story accompanied by a mass choir performing seasonal melodies alongside a 50-piece live orchestra. The show is performed nightly starting on November 29 and running until December 30 at the America Gardens Theatre, with showtimes on most nights of 5:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
©Disney
Celebrity narrators include:
Nov. 29 – Dec. 1 - Gary Sinise
Dec. 2-3 – Neil Patrick Harris
Dec. 4-5 – Ashley Judd
Dec. 6-7 – Whoopi Goldberg
Dec. 8-10 – Sigourney Weaver
Dec. 11-13 – Dennis Haysbert
Dec. 14-16 – James Denton
Dec. 17-19 – Edward James Olmos
Dec. 20-22 – Trace Adkins
Dec. 23-25 – Steven Curtis Chapman
Dec. 26-28 – Blair Underwood
Dec. 29-30 – Amy Grant
Guests also enjoy experiencing the Holidays Around The World, where guests get to experience the festivities that occur in the different countries that are found in World Showcase. It’s always interesting to hear the stories of how other places celebrate the Holidays. You also don’t want to miss IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, because not only do you get to enjoy the already fabulous show, but at the end there is a special Holiday Tag that will blow you away and likely make you cry a few tears. Both of these events kick off on November 29.
©Disney
Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney puts on an event that goes beyond anything Clark Griswold could have imagined. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is your neighborhood’s holiday display on steroids. The experience involves millions of dancing lights and animated displays that are synchronized to holiday tunes amidst snowfall. New this year, the Glow With The Show ears will interact with the magic of the show. The Osborne Lights begin November 8 and run through January 5.
©Disney
For guests traveling to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you won’t want to miss the Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade. The safari trucks have been Holiday-fied, and Mickey and his pals rejoice in traditional holiday music with a world beat twist.
Of course, the Disney Resort Hotels get in on the fun, too! Each resort has its own unique decorations, including a humongous gingerbread house that’s found at the Grand Floridian and a chocolate carousel that’s located at Disney’s Beach Club. Also, don’t miss visiting Fort Wilderness to see what some of the guests have put up for others to enjoy!
At Downtown Disney, guests can partake in the Festival of the Seasons from November 15 – December 29. Festivities include live entertainment, holiday carolers, a lively street party, plus photo ops with Santa and Santa Goofy.
It really is the most wonderful time to be in Walt Disney World. So, grab a glass of eggnog (or better yet, an eggnog latte from Starbucks at either the Magic Kingdom or Epcot) and get ready to celebrate the magic of the season.
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Announcing Disney World Crowd Calendar 4
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Today we’re launching a new version of our Disney World Crowd Calendar.
The new Crowd Calendar is still based on attraction wait times and still uses a 1 to 10 scale, where 1 means small crowds and 10 means large crowds.
Most of the changes are behind the scenes to improve the accuracy of our analysis of past crowds and of future crowd level predictions.
The changes you’ll see will make the calendar easier to use and understand:
Each park’s crowd level on the same page. You’ll see the crowd levels for all of Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom all on the same page, along with each park’s schedule and Extra Magic Hours. We’ve reduced the number of clicks needed to find information.
Explanations of how holidays and special events affect crowds. We’ve always listed important special events and holidays on the crowd calendar and now we’ve added descriptions of how they affect the parks. You can see those descriptions on our Crowd Levels page.
More 4′s, 5′s, and 6′s; Fewer 1′s and 10′s. The previous crowd calendar took all the days in our database and assigned a crowd level of 1 to the least-busy 10%, a crowd level of 2 to the next-slowest 10%, 3 to the next-slowest 10%, and so on. The busiest 10% got a crowd level of 10. This relative ranking idea is great for comparing days, but it means that minor bumps in waits sometimes meant big jumps in crowd levels. For example, the difference between a crowd level of 2 and a 9 at The Barnstormer was about 10 minutes in line. Instead, with the new calendar, a minor bump in wait times will mean a minor bump in the crowd level too.
No decimal points. Based on reader feedback, the calendar now uses only whole numbers. Thus, you’ll see Magic Kingdom crowd level predictions of 1, 5, or 7, but not 1.4, 5.3 or 7.8. It’s simpler and easier to read.
No “7-Day Rule.” Since the very first crowd calendar, we’ve always tried to recommend each park at least one day per week, so that families visiting during that week would know the best day to visit each park. Unfortunately, there were times where special events and holidays forced us to recommend a park when it wasn’t the best day for everyone. Feedback from readers showed that some folks found the 7-day rule more confusing than helpful, so we designed a new calendar that doesn’t require it.
An attraction’s average posted wait between 10 am and 5 pm now corresponds to its crowd level. The old crowd calendar used the attraction’s highest wait time at any point in the day. Using the average wait time during the busiest hours of the day will tend to smooth out the ups and downs to give a fairer look at crowds at that attraction throughout the day.
“Best Park” and “Park to Avoid” labels are not needed. It’s easy to see which park to pick, so the labels aren’t needed. The best park to visit on any one day is the park with lowest crowd level number. Avoid the park with the highest crowd level number. Our Park Recommendations page has been updated to help you decide which park to visit using the new calendar.
One happy side effect of these new changes is that the new Crowd Calendar’s predicted crowd levels don’t change as often as the old calendar’s. Thus, if you’re using our popular Crowd Tracker tool to keep an eye on crowds for your vacation dates, you’ll receive far fewer emails.
Finally, we’ve made it easier for you to see how our predictions performed. The main crowd calendar page now shows yesterday’s predicted and observed crowds, in easy-to-read charts and text.
That covers the changes. Check out the new Disney World Crowd Calendar now, or keep reading below for answers to frequently asked Disney World Crowd Calendar questions and more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What if the crowd levels for my trip have changed?
A: The numbers have changed, but the crowds sizes are probably the same. Since we are matching the crowd levels to the distribution, some of the old ’1′s will become ’2′s, ’3′s or ’4′s, and some of the old ’10′s will become ’8′s or ’9′s. Now comes the strange part: both numbers are predicting the same crowd level, just using a different scale. Think of it like converting from centimeters to inches. Both numbers represent the same length but use a different scale.
If this sounds confusing, you can check the wait times to see exactly what Crowd Calendar 4 is predicting. Doing it this way means the crowd levels relate better to how the crowds feel in the parks.
Q: I don’t get it, I thought the old calendar was based on wait times, too?
A: Both the old and new calendars are based on wait times, but there is a subtle difference in what the 1-10 numbers mean. Let’s look at a comparison.
Old Calendar vs. New Calendar
Crowd Calendar 2
Crowd Calendar 4
A rating of crowd levels between 1 and 10 based on attraction wait times
An index of crowd levels between 1 and 10 based on attraction wait times
Example: A day at Animal Kingdom has a rating of ’4′. That means wait times are expected to be higher than 40% of all days
Example: A day at Animal Kingdom has an index of ’4′. That means the average wait time for Kilimanjaro Safaris is expected to be 20 to 24 minutes
Another Example: Magic Kingdom has a rating of ’10′. That means that wait times are expected to be in the highest 10% of all days
Another Example: A day at Magic Kingdom has an index of ’10′. That means that the average wait time at Space Mountain is expected to be more than 92 minutes
Park Recommendations are listed on each day of the calendar
No park recommendations are needed. The park that has the lowest crowd level that day is your best park. For more on using Crowd Calendar 4 for park recommendations click here
All the possible days are sorted into the 10 index levels from ’1′ through ’10′. The bottom 10% in ’1′, the next 10% in ’2′, an so on
All possible days are sorted into the 10 index levels from ’1′ through ’10′ depending on the average wait time we predict for that day
That last row is important. The fact is, most days throughout the year have average crowds. I guess that’s why they call it ‘average.’ Our old calendar forced the days to spread out among the 10 index levels. This new calendar doesn’t do that, so you’ll notice that we have a lot more ’4′s, ’5′s and ’6′s and a lot fewer ’1′s and ’10′s. We think this is an improvement because it better reflects the distribution of crowds throughout the year. Plus, with our tables of wait times you can easily compare between days yourself. Just check out the wait times for the day of your visit here.
Q: Can I still see the old calendar?
A: Yes, the old Disney World Crowd Calendar is still available, although we won’t be updating it going forward.
Q: What happened to Crowd Calendar 3?
A: We’re always working to improve the Crowd Calendar, even if some of our ideas don’t make the cut. We had developed and tested a Crowd Calendar 3 internally, but Crowd Calendar 4 quickly took its place. Crowd Calendar 3 will have to stay in the vault along with the location of Jimmy Hoffa and the recipe for KFC.
Q: What about the other Crowd Calendars for Disneyland and Universal Orlando?
A: Crowd Calendar 4 for Walt Disney World is a big step. We’re working hard to apply these new ideas to our other calendars. Stay tuned for changes to the Disneyland and Universal Orlando calendars in the coming months.
Q: OK, so how do I use this new calendar to plan my trip?
A: That’s the good news: the same way you did before. There’s no reason to use the calendar any differently than you have in the past. High crowd numbers are bad, and low crowd numbers are good. Veteran users of the calendar may notice that crowd levels ’6′ and ’7′ are a little busier than before. We suggest you pick a day from the past when you were in the parks and check out the historical crowd levels – these levels have been updated to reflect our new methodology. Check out this example of how Crowd Calendar 4 relates to wait times for Buzz Lightyear in the Magic Kingdom. Notice how more days fall into the crowd levels 3 through 7 as compared to crowd levels 1 and 2, and 8 through 10.
Buzz Lightyear Distribution of Crowd Levels
We’ve got wait-time forecasts for every Magic Kingdom attraction, all Epcot attractions, every Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction, and every Animal Kingdom attraction.
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November 6, 2013
A Few New Details About the 2014 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival
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A little over a month ago, we gave you a first look at what guests can expect for the 2014 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which is scheduled to run from March 5 – May 18, 2014. A few new small details have spilled out about some more of the fun that can be expected for the upcoming festivities.
First off, Kermit The Frog and Miss Piggy will make their grand debut in topiary form at this year’s event. This will be done to promote the upcoming movie Muppets Most Wanted, which comes out March 21, 2014. The lovable duo will be found in the World Showcase display.
Another topiary making its way to the Festival is a brand new Timon, who will join his buddy Pumbaa in the Outpost section of World Showcase (between China and Germany).
As previously announced, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy will grace the front entrance garden, as they venture on a butterfly hunt. This year, there will be a new added twist: the topiaries will have a new, computer-generated look where Goofy’s butterfly net will prove useless as topiary butterflies light up on the back of his floral garb. Also, a topiary bee buzzes on an exasperated Donald’s head. In addition, the front garden will feature a real waterfall, as well as a pond with water lilies.
Returning this year, the gardens will be illuminated when the sun goes down. This was really a sight to see, as it added a whole new dimension to the Festival last year.
Also returning for the second year, the Marketplace Booths will offer up delectable treats and beverages. A few new delicious options will find their way to the menus. At the Smokehouse Barbeque booth, guests can try a barbeque chicken leg or the Piggylicious Bacon Cupcakes (mmmm….). Of course, some dishes will be returning, like the watermelon salad that will be able to be picked up at the Florida Fresh Marketplace.
Two new acts have been released for this year’s Flower Power Concert Series. The new artists include Gary Lewis and the Playboys (“This Diamond Ring”) will perform from March 14-16, and The Alan Parsons Live Project (“Eye in the Sky”) will be there from May 16-18.
Hard to believe, but the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival is only a few short months away. It’s already looking like it’s shaping up to be another stellar event.
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Ring in the New Year at Walt Disney World With Delicious Dining
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©Disney
Are you thinking about New Year’s Eve yet? Well, I bet now you are!
If you will be in Walt Disney World during the New Year festivities this year, Disney has recently released that a few restaurants will help guests celebrate 2014 with style. Guests can choose from over a dozen different restaurants, each one offering special dining experiences with featuring showcase menus.
Restaurants include:
Magic Kingdom:
The Tomorrowland Terrace will feature a New Year’s Eve fireworks dinner and dessert party
Epcot:
At the Germany Pavilion, Biergarten is offering both lunch and dinner options
La Hacienda de San Angel in Mexico is showcasing a special New Year’s Eve dinner
Canada’s Le Cellier Steakhouse will see three different seatings
Recently refurbished, Monsieur Paul in France will offer seatings throughout the entire day
Resorts:
At Disney’s BoardWalk, enjoy dining at the Flying Fish Cafe
Guests who dine at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa can choose from Citricos, Victoria & Albert’s and Narcoossee’s
At, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, California Grill will be the place to go to ring in the New Year. For New Year’s Day, be sure to check out Chef Mickey’s for brunch
Boma – Flavors of Africa, found at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, will offer up a New Year’s Day breakfast
At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, guests can have a special lunch or dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe
If you would like to experience one of these special New Year’s offerings, be sure to call (407) WDW-DINE to schedule your reservation.
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TouringPlans Site Maintenance Thursday 12 AM-6 AM
By Len Testa
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We’re doing maintenance on the site very early on the morning of Thursday, November 7, from 12 midnight to 6 AM Eastern Standard Time. The maintenance starts an hour after Disneyland closes, so this shouldn’t affect anyone in the parks.
Touring plan optimizations won’t be available during this time. The rest of the site may have slower response times, too.
We’ll post an update once the maintenance is done.
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Top 5 Tips For Preparing For a runDisney Nighttime Race
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Although it might FEEL like nighttime when the alarm goes off for most of the races on the runDisney calendar (3 AM wakeup call, anyone?!), there are currently two Walt Disney World events that turn traditional race convention on its head and start hours after the sun has gone down: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler and the Wine & Dine Half Marathon.
Care to drop in?
Both events are highly themed, feature world-class entertainment on course and end in spectacular after-parties that are sure to make the run worth every mile…but for those who train during the daylight hours, or are more accustomed to early morning races, adjusting to the idea of a race beginning at 10 PM can be a bit of a challenge…especially when it’s taking place at one of the most fun places on Earth!
Having had run both of these events – and with one just days away, I thought I’d share some of the lessons I’ve learned firsthand about getting to the starting line rested and ready to run. Some of the tips are “common sense” ones – but others are ones you may not have thought of, and one – well, let’s just say I learned it the hard way, so you won’t have to. As always, I welcome your feedback, tips and questions in the “comments” sections below so you can be sure that you’re in the best shape you can be before conquering your next race!
TIP #1: Relax
Okay, this one might sound like a “duh” tip, but hear me out…you’re at Walt Disney World. Whether it’s your 1st trip or your 100th, it’s likely that you’re excited and want to experience all the magic you can on your trip. You might reason that the race doesn’t start until 10 PM, so you have all day to spend at a theme park with your family, then change clothes and throw down some miles, right? Well…maybe – but probably not! If at all possible, I recommend scheduling an “easy” day – this could mean enjoying the pool at the resort, enjoying a brunch at your favorite WDW restaurant, or maybe even some light shopping at Downtown Disney. Basically, do what you can to take it easy. And if your schedule allows, consider visiting the race expo the day before, so you don’t have to worry about walking around and tiring your legs – they’ll thank you halfway through the race!
Platter full of cupcakes before a race? Probably not the best idea.
TIP #2: Have YOUR Nutrition Plan Figured Out
If you are a seasoned racer, you probably have your “standard race morning” routine down to a “T” – wake up, drink coffee, eat toast, hit the restrooms then head to the start. Well, with nighttime races…it’s a bit different! Unless you are nocturnal, you’ve probably been up for a few hours (if not all day) before it’s time to get ready for the race. With race transportation starting in the early evening (approximately 7 PM) you need to figure out the best way to fuel your day and night.
Tara Gidus, the official runDisney Nutritionist shared some great tips in the runDisney blog last year – but in general, find out what foods work best for you, and by all means, don’t go into the race at either extreme: hungry or full! I’ve found that a late afternoon lunch of mostly carbohydrates and then a snack as we headed into the corrals worked well for me – and be sure to eat right after you cross the finish line, too…save the adventurous eating choices for later!
TIP #3: Bring a Change of Clothes
When you run, your body heats up – and after running 10 or 13.1 miles, your body needs time to adjust back – so whether that means packing some clothes with your spectators to hand to you before entering the after-party, or stuffing some items into your checked bag, take the time to pick out some items that will allow you to feel your most comfortable after the race.
After the Tower of Terror 10-Miler, I changed into a lightweight pullover since it was still warm, but I didn’t want to be wearing wet clothing. After the Wine & Dine Half last year, I was very glad that I brought a full change of clothes – including a hoodie – because the temps had dropped significantly and I wanted to stay at the party as long as I could! I also brought a second pair of shoes – you could pack comfy sneakers, or even flip-flops if that’s what your feet crave!
TIP #4: Scope Out Your Race Logistics
Both the Tower of Terror 10-Miler and the Wine & Dine Half Marathon are “smaller” scale events that utilize a select few 
resorts as “hosts” for their events, which means they offer race (and expo) transportation (see this link for more details). Check at your front desk to find out exactly where the bus drop-off / pick-up are ahead of time, to alleviate any confusion on race day. If you are not staying at one of those resorts, are staying off property or are local, you will need to figure out your best option for transportation to the event – and doing this beforehand will definitely save you a headache!
In addition to transportation logistics, you may want to scout out meeting places for your friends and family. Often, race finish areas are hectic, and with many people using their cellphones, you may not be able to reach your loved ones as quickly as you like.
Running as Mad Madam Mim, Wine & Dine Half 2012.
TIP #5: Have FUN!
After your details are worked out, don’t lose sight of the fact of why you are doing this race in the first place: to have fun! Running through Disney is an incredible experience, and with these special “after hours” events, you’re creating memories that will last a lifetime so be sure to savor it all – whether that means running in costume, beating a PR or just enjoying the race with friends and family.
—
Have you ever run a nighttime race? Will I see YOU at the 2013 Wine & Dine Half Marathon?
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November 5, 2013
Ask Jim Hill Ep 13 – Post Bob Iger Era Expectations At Disney
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On this episode, Jim Hill and Len Testa answer a viewer question about their expectations for the next head of the Walt Disney Company after Bob Iger retires in mid-2016.
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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Observations from the Universal Orlando Resort: November 3, 2013 (Character Breakfast, Red Oven Pizza, Jurassic Park Games, and more)
By Derek Burgan
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This past Sunday I made the trip up to Orlando for a day at the Universal Orlando Resort. The first stop was at Jake’s American Bar at the Royal Pacific Resort for the on-site hotel character breakfast. This would be my first ever character breakfast, and we were drawn to it because of the characters from Despicable Me. It’s safe to say that meeting Gru and a Minion was pretty special to the youngsters in our party. Some bunny characters from the movie Hop made an appearance, as well.
I’ll be doing a full review of the experience later this week for the TouringPlans blog, but here’s some quick info. The on-site character breakfast takes place every Sunday from 8 AM to noon at the Royal Pacific. The price is $26.99 for adults and $14.99 for children. The food was amazing, and every table got a ton of time with all the characters. For more info you can call 407-503-3463 or go to the Open Table website and make an online reservation.
The choices of food include a full continental breakfast for everyone, along with one plated selection for each guest. I’ll go over all the options in the full review, but here’s a look at the first pass at the continental breakfast section by my girlfriend and myself. See if you can figure out which plate was hers and which one was from the guy who has tried to eat a three pound slice of cake, twice.
Getting fruit at a buffet is like going to an IMAX theater to see a documentary.
While the family enjoyed the incredible pool at the Royal Pacific, I walked over to the parks and CityWalk in order to report back to you – Dear Reader – the latest goings on at UOR. As Seth Kubersky reported earlier this week, the new Red Oven Pizza Bakery (which replaces the old Pastamore quick service location) is looking like it’s ready to open relatively shortly.
Also in CityWalk, a lot more construction is going on in the area that used to be Latin Quarter. This venue is next to Jimmy Buffett’s Margarittaville. It is rumored that the new venue will be named Don Quixote’s and offer Mexican fare.
The future home of Don Quixote’s?
Once going into Islands of Adenture, I discovered that the TNA wrestling taping schedule is already on the new park maps. Pretty quick turnaround since the news of TNA returning to Universal Studios just broke over the past few days. TNA won’t be returning to its old home, The Impact Zone, as that area still has remnants of Halloween Horror Nights inside of it. In fact, TNA fans may want to check out this article on a lights-on tour of the haunted houses in Soundstage 22 to see an interesting picture from TNA’s past.
The biggest news inside IOA is the official opening of the Jurassic Park midway games. This area has caused quite a controversy on social media and Universal podcasts, with the vast majority of people against the new games.
Jurassic Park Midway Games
I’m actually a big fan of midway games at Universal, especially the new themed ones in Universal Studios Florida at Springfield USA. They are fun, look great, and many of them have exclusive merchandise you can’t buy in any of the stores. During Halloween Horror Nights there were new midway games set up across from Monsters Cafe, and they had Minion plush dolls themed to vampires and mummies. Over in Springfield you can win Sideshow Bob or Spider-Pig plush, two characters you can’t buy anywhere else in the park.
However, the merchandise you can win at the new games in Jurassic Park includes maybe one dinosaur related item, while all the rest are fish, elephants, sharks, cats, parrots, and basically every thing you can think of but a dinosaur. Mind boggling. Instead of a parrot, why not a pterodactyl? Instead of a snake, why not a T-Rex? I just don’t get it.
Nothing says Jurassic Park like a penguin and a toucan.
The games, themselves, are well themed, and one of the more interesting ones – the InGen Egg Nursery – lets you pick out a dinosaur egg to be “scanned.” Pretty elaborate stuff for a midway game, and kids seemed to be drawn to this
Dinosaur Eggs from the InGen Egg Nursery
As you can see, the theming was there but the prizes seemed to belong more at Six Flags than the new direction Universal is heading in with the perfectly themed merch you see for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Duff Gardens, and Despicable Me.
While I was in the Jurassic Park section of IOA, I stepped into the Discovery Center to grab a picture of something that most guests miss. Downstairs, amidst all the interactive exhibits, is a small homage the original Jurassic Park film (one of my all time favorite movies and one I feel still holds up to this day).
Does this Barbasol can hold 15 specimens of viable dinosaur embryos? Only Dennis Nedry knows and thanks to a Dilophosaurus, he ain’t talking.
I believe November 3 was the start of the new Universal Dining Plan Quick Service option at the parks, and there were pamphlets all around IOA along with several stands such as the one below. The price for the Quick Service plan is $18.99 for an adult and $12.99 for children 3-9. This entitles each guest to one counter service meal (one entree and a non-alcoholic beverage), two snacks (for adults, children get one snack), and one non-alcoholic beverage.
Universal Dining Plan Quick Service
After leaving Jurassic Park, I made a stop by Toon Lagoon and finally stepped into Wossamotta U to see what Universal charges for people to charge their phones. The price is $5 for 30 minutes and $10 for an hour. You can also go online in this small area with rates starting at $0.50 a minute, which is actually a deal compared to the $0.75 a minute Royal Caribbean was charging on my cruise last month.
Prices for internet usage and cell phone charging in Toon Lagoon
There is a small gift store in this shop selling mostly bags and cell phone related products (like cases), but it does contain one of my favorite pieces of merch in either park, these 2-D inspired bags. At $85 and $115 they are a bit pricey, but I think they look fantastic.
2-D bag ($85)
2-D bag ($115)
Since we’re technically in the fall in Florida, some of the beverage locations were offering hot cocoa for $2.49 a cup. Considering it still felt extremely warm outside, I’m not sure how many of these they are selling right now.
It’s 75 degrees in Florida, that means parkas and hot cocoa time.
They were also offering a 2 for $5 deal on churros & pretzels.
Like Disney, Universal has its “Christmas all year long” stores, but the holiday decorations are now starting top pop up in the main gift stores, as well.
Over at Universal Studios Florida, the last HHN event was the night before, and almost all of the set pieces were still in place, including the tank. If you want to know the significance of the crows sitting on top of the tank, check out this article covering the Morning Menace Unmasking the Horror tour.
I’m not sure where I read it earlier this week, but I saw a post somewhere that said Universal had gotten rid of almost all of its Jaws merchandise. There used to be a cart over by Chez Alcatraz selling Jaws merch, but that is now selling Despicable Me branded items. The Jaws stuff has been moved all the way up to the front of the park by the exit at the That’s A Wrap store.
I firmly believe Universal would make a killing with exclusive Jaws, King Kong, and Back to the Future related merchandise.
The bathrooms over by the old home of Jaws (and right in front of the new Diagon Alley construction) still have some of my favorite Jaws collectibles in the form of pressed pennies.
Jaws pressed pennies
Speaking of Diagon Alley, construction is humming along, and brickwork and windows have started to show up in the London waterfront facades.
And the actual Diagon Alley behind the facades are starting to develop nicely, as well.
Leaving the theme parks, I walked over to the to see the nice tribute they had for Lou Reed in the lobby.
Lou Reed tribute at the Hard Rock Hotel
While at the Hard Rock I had to head downstairs to Emack & Bolio’s Marketplace to make sure they were still selling the King Donut. Sure enough they were, and it actually seems even bigger than before.
There are donuts and then there are donuts. The King Donut is the latter.
On my way out of the Hard Rock I noticed something I had never paid attention to before. There is a set of pay phones on the ground floor, and all around them on the wall are pictures of various music acts in front of those very same phones.
Call Me Maybe
Among the musical acts mugging for the camera was none other than blogger extraordinaire Morgan Crutchfield’s favorite band, Nickelback.
We’re gonna end this article on a BANG!
That’s it for this snapshot of the Universal Orlando Resort. I’ll be back soon with a review of the character breakfast, but while you’re waiting feel free to check out previous editions of The Saturday Six or The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! Feel free to stop by on Twitter and tweet me (@derekburgan) with any Universal questions, comments, or rants.
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Observations from the Universal Orlando Resort: November 3, 2013 (Character Breakfast, Red Oven Pizza, Jurassic Park Games, and more) is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.
Disney World Community Hall FAQ
By Erin Foster
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Did you know that there are places at Walt Disney World where you can paint pottery, play Monopoly, shoot some pool, borrow a movie, get in some Wii time, or just kick back and, you know, relax? All that and more happens at the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Community Halls.
Examples of art projects you can make at a Community Hall
Where are the Community Halls located?
At Walt Disney World, the Community Halls are located at:
Animal Kingdom Lodge (Kidani)
Bay Lake Tower
Boardwalk Villas
Old Key West
Saratoga Springs
There are also Community Halls at the DVC facilities at Aulani, Hilton Head and Vero Beach, but I’ll be talking specifically about WDW.
What do the Community Halls look like?
Picture a basement rec room or the hang out center at your local YMCA, only cleaner and brighter. I mean this description in the best possible sense, the Community Halls have a low-key, make-your-own-fun vibe that just says “old-fashioned Americana vacation.” They’re the polar opposite of the candy-colored perpetual motion of the theme parks.
Why would I want to visit a Community Hall?
They’re a great place to change the pace of your vacation. If you or your child is in stimulation overload mode, a Community Hall is a nice place to chill out for a while. They’re also a resource if you’re planning to spend a day without venturing into the parks. The Community Halls can also be a refuge on a rainy day, or an air-conditioned break during a steamy afternoon at the pool.
Some families will use the Community Halls as a hang out space for older children and one parent while the baby naps in the hotel room during the afternoon with the other parent.
TV and computers at the Bay Lake Tower Community Hall
What’s available at the Community Halls?
The exact components of the Community Halls vary slightly from resort to resort, but generally you’ll find:
A large collection of classic board games: Sorry, Monopoly, Battleship, Trivial Pursuit, checkers, Life, Clue, playing cards, or similar.
One or more large activity tables such as ping-pong, pool, or foosball.
TVs for viewing or gaming. Systems may include Wii, PSP, XBox, or others.
Several hundred DVDs available to borrow.
Art supplies such as paper, crayons, markers, glue, scissors.
More intensive craft projects such as pottery painting, tie-dye, jewelery making, or sand art.
A small supply of novels and magazines for guests to take one/leave one.
Building toys such as blocks, Legos, or Bristle blocks.
Occasional organized activities such as Bingo or trivia games.
Helpful cast members.
Air hockey at the Boardwalk Community Hall
Who can use the Community Halls?
While the Community Halls are designed for Disney Vacation Club members, they’re quite lenient about who can use these centers. If you’re staying at any of the resorts with a Community Hall, feel free to use the hall, even if you’re not a DVC member. This means, for example, that anyone staying in either section of the Animal Kingdom Lodge could use the Kidani Community Hall, including DVC members, those renting points, Villas guests paying cash, and even guests in standard non-villa rooms.
The only somewhat restrictive Community Hall is at Bay Lake Tower, You’ll need a BLT room key or MagicBand to get into both the building and the Hall, which makes it difficult for guests of the main Contemporary resort to use the facility.
I’m a DVC member, but I’m not staying at one of the resorts with a Community Hall, can I use one anyway?
Sure. Bay Lake Tower can be a problem, but DVC members can use any of the other Halls at any time with no issue. So if, for example, you’re a DVC member staying at the Beach Club Villas, feel free to stroll over to the Boardwalk Community Hall if you’re in the mood for a family Scrabble tournament.
Hang out and play a board game
I’m not a DVC member and I’m not staying at a DVC resort, but my kids need some down time, can I use a Community Hall?
Not officially, but again, with the exception of BLT, they’re not too strict about checking resort IDs. If you’re not staying there, it might be somewhat inconvenient for you to shlep over to Saratoga Springs just to play foosball. But if you’re at the Yacht Club and your child is dying to do a craft project, then head over to the nearby Boardwalk Community Hall. If you ask nicely, they’re unlikely to turn you away.
Are there specific hours for the Community Halls?
Each of the Community Halls will have its own posted hours. Generally the Halls will be open from at least mid-morning until 9:00 p.m., but this can vary. Check with the front desk of the hotel for specifics. For some of the more elaborate craft projects, there will be a specific schedule of events. You can always pop into a Community Hall for board games or coloring, but something like Tie-Dye will only be available at certain times. The schedule will be posted at the Hall, or you can call the front desk to inquire.
Is there a fee to use the Community Halls?
For the most part, no. There’s no charge to hang out there, play games, watch TV, etc. There will be a nominal charge for the larger craft projects.
There may be a nominal fee for craft projects
Are the Community Halls crowded?
Generally not. However, if there’s a stretch of particularly bad weather, more folks may show up.
How is the Community Hall different from the Children’s Activity Centers?
The Children’s Activity Centers have some of the same characteristics as the Community Halls. Both have games, art projects, video games, and movies. However, the Children’s Activity Centers are fee-based, drop-off babysitting centers for children ages 3-12. The Activity Centers are usually only open in the evenings, from about 4:00 p.m. until about midnight. The Community Halls are open to all ages, for longer hours, and parental supervision is required. There are helpful cast members at the Community Halls, but they’re not there to babysit your children.
Animal Kingdom Lodge is the only WDW resort that has both a Community Hall and a Children’s Activity Center.
I’ve paid a zillion dollars to take my kids to Disney World. Should we really be wasting our time at place like Community Hall?
Open tables for art
I get it. You can play checkers at home, why waste time doing it here when Mickey Mouse is just a monorail away?
If this your first Disney trip, or if you’ll only be at Walt Disney World for three or four days, then something like this might not be on your agenda. But if you’re theme park veterans or spending a substantial amount of time on site, then a Community Hall might be just what the doctor ordered – a chance to step back from the mayhem and enjoy spending time with your family without all the hubbub of home life spinning around you. Sounds pretty good to me.
Have you ever spent time at a Walt Disney World Community Hall? Did you enjoy it? Is this something that you’d consider making part of your Disney vacation? Let us know in the comments below.
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November 4, 2013
Walt Disney World Tests New FastPass+ Configuration at Epcot
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According to the website kennythepirate.com, Walt Disney World is testing a new method for allocating FastPass+ reservations for Epcot.
With this new trial, guests will still be able to reserve three FastPass+ options. Through the new method that’s being tested currently during the months of November and December, guests will now have to choose ONE attraction from a list of mostly headliners and TWO attractions from a list of more secondary options. This is similar to what we’d heard FastPass+ was originally going to be like, where guests choose a couple of attractions from Column A and a couple of attractions from Column B.
The attractions are as follows:
Column A (Choose ONE preference)
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth (select dates only)
Maelstrom
Epcot Character Spot
Soarin’
Test Track
Column B (Choose TWO preferences)
Captain EO
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
Living with the Land
Mission Space
Spaceship Earth
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush
If you have already made your FastPass+ reservations for these dates at Epcot, DO NOT change them. Otherwise, you will have to use this new method for choosing your options.
Please keep In mind that this is a test.
For more information about the new FastPass+ system, please read Erin Foster’s great article explaining everything about how the process works.
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