Bob Sehlinger's Blog, page 1281
October 31, 2013
10 Disney Cruise Line Secrets
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Everyone loves a good secret, right? Of, course as soon as enough people tell it, it’s no longer a secret. Hear that, Disney Vacation Club? So if you’ve been on a Disney cruise or have been researching for a while, there may not be any great surprises here. But here are 10 of my favorite “not so well known” tips. If you’ve got any others, definitely add them in the comments!
1. All Rooms Are Not Created Equal – While there are three basic room types – inside, oceanview, and verandah, each room type has several options. On the Magic and Wonder there are rooms with obstructed portholes that are classified (and priced) as inside rooms because of the obstruction! An oceanview room for an inside price! On the Dream and Fantasy category 8A’s are like mini-suites in some cases! A mini-suite for an oceanview price! Some of the category 5E’s on the Dream and Fantasy have ginormous verandahs! On the classic ships, 7A’s are classified as a Navigator’s Verandah which should mean the verandahs are enclosed with a circular cut out window. Some of them are actually regular verandahs with slight obstructions so they were reclassified into a cheaper category. Some of the concierge staterooms have huge bump out verandahs unlike their concierge neighbors. There are some “hidden” gems out there. Find them before you go all willy-nilly and book the first thing you see!
2. Room Service has Secret Food – Secret, I tell you! Or just food that isn’t listed. That’s a kind of secret, right? And it’s not just any food. It’s not like secret vegetables or something. It’s Mickey Premium Bars!! Room service has unlimited, FREE included in the price of your cruise, Mickey Bars! They’ll bring them anytime, day or night. Another item not listed but available on many cruises is the Mickey Mouse-shaped Rice Krispie treat (with the ears dipped in chocolate). Score! Room service closes around 1 am the last night of your cruise, but go crazy before then! One great tip out there in the Disney community is to order two Big Island Cookies from room service and put your Mickey Bar in between to create the most awesome ice cream sandwich known to man. While the chocolaty goodness is “free” (I’m talking money, not calories), tips are appreciated for the servers!
3. There are Free Souvenirs – There are. And I’m not talking about taking extra paper napkins with Mickey heads on them for your scrapbook, not that there’s anything wrong with that. I’m talking a really cute souvenir. Pick out something that would be cute to have character autographs on, like a picture matte for your favorite cruise photo, a T-shirt, or a pillowcase. Bring it on the cruise and drop it off at Guest Services the first day with a Sharpie pen. At the end of the cruise you’ll get it back covered in character autographs! If you put several different colors of Sharpies in with your item, you’ll get several colors of autographs. It really is a great, one of a kind souvenir.
4. Some Popular Reservations are Held Back – Don’t despair if your life’s goal is to eat at Remy (on the Dream or Fantasy) and it was completely full when you tried to make a reservation. Disney holds back some reservations that you can secure once you board. Now, if you are planning to do this, you should try to board the ship as early as possible. When you are given your first Personal Navigator as you check in at the terminal, look for the location for dining changes. Go there right away. It often says they won’t open until 1:30 to make changes, but it’s usually open long before that (like immediately when people start boarding!). Go and see if you can snag something! They can help with Remy and Palo, as well as take requests for the Main Dining Rooms. Likewise, whereas Disney doesn’t typically hold excursion spots back, don’t give up. People do change their minds and cancel. Check at the Port Adventures desk to see if you have any options.
5. Guests Love to Decorate Their Doors – All of the doors to staterooms, besides concierge, are metal, which means they’re the perfect place for decorative magnets! And if you’ve never been onboard, you may be stunned by the number of people who decorate their doors. In fact, your kiddos may be sad your door is not decorated if you didn’t plan ahead! Magnets are easy to make yourself. There are all kinds of free designs out there to print. Print directly on to magnet paper and then cut them out, or print on cardstock and then attach magnets to the back. Be fun, be creative, be magical! Disney is finally getting in this game as well since I saw some door magnets for sale in the gift shop onboard on my last cruise in September.
6. Some Onboard Activities Should be Booked Before They Are Even Announced – There are some activities onboard that require booking once you are actually onboard. Things like wine tastings, beer tastings, mixology classes, chocolate tastings, and tea with Disney friends. They aren’t held on the first day of the cruise, and won’t usually show up in the schedule until the day they actually do take place. The thing is, though, by that time they’re usually full! The repeat cruisers, and those in the know because they’ve done their research (pat yourself on the back right now because you are placing yourself in the second category by reading the Touring Plans Blog), book them before others even know they’re coming. So after you board, go to Guest Services and inquire what activities will be taking place on your cruise. If any appeal to you (some have a small cost associated with them), sign up, right then and there!
7. The Menus are Not Restrictive –When you get your first glimpse of a menu in one of the main dining rooms onboard, you may be completely overwhelmed with choices! There are so many wonderful choices! Well this is not Top Chef. You’re not going to offend anyone by mixing it up a little. If you want the steak, but don’t want the sweet potatoes that come with it, ask for the twice baked potato instead (a much better choice if you ask me by the way)! If you can’t decide between the surf and the turf, get them both! If your 4-year-old wants the shrimp off the adult menu, order it. If your 18-year-old *cough* my son *cough* wants the pizza and fries from the kids menu, he can get it. Every. Single. Night. The kids menu isn’t just for kids. How else do you think I get Mickey Premium Bars from the kids menu most nights for dessert? If I’m not too full from ordering them from room service that is. Yes, I like Mickey Bars. Don’t judge.
8. The Nightly Shows Are Shown on Your Stateroom TV – Are you worried your little one won’t sit quietly through the amazing nighttime shows but you don’t want to miss them? Do you want to put on your PJ’s at 7:30 and not come out of your room until morning? Well, never fear, one of the channels on your stateroom TV broadcasts a recording of the show every night. Of course, they’re better in person (isn’t everything?), but it’s better than completely missing them, don’t you think?
9. You Can Use the Locker Room Showers Anytime – Has your bathroom been taken over by teenagers when you’re trying to get ready in the morning? Never fear, there are other options. The showers in the locker rooms in the Spa and Fitness Center areas are open and available for you to use.
10. Late Dining with Kids Isn’t as Bad as You Fear – Thanks to something called Play and Dine, you don’t have to worry about squirming, tired children making it through a late dinner seating. About 30-45 minutes into late dining, the kid’s club counselors will come pick up children who wish to participate and take them to the kids’ clubs. That way the parents can enjoy some time with them at dinner and then still have a nice quiet dinner themselves after the kiddos are gone. Just let your server know so they can bring the kids’ meals out quickly.
So do you have any tips or secrets to share with us? Do you know about the 5K? That the food is better on the adult beach at Castaway Cay? Give us your secrets!
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October 30, 2013
New Soda Flavors Have Arrived at Club Cool in Epcot
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©Disney
Are you a fan of Club Cool, a place where guests can go to sample Coca-Cola products from countries around the world? If so, then the next time you visit this location in Epcot’s Future World, you’ll have a few new flavors of soda to try.
Seven new tastes are now offered. Beverly, the Italian aperitif that was previously found there, remains. (So will the popular game of getting unsuspecting people to drink this bitter tasting beverage.)
The new flavors are:
Fanta Pineapple – Fanta debuted in Europe in the 1940s and was introduced in the U.S.A. in 1960s. It’s now available in more than 90 flavors. This option is caffeine-free and has a sweet pineapple taste.
VegitaBeta (Japan) – combines apricot and passion fruit flavors
Fanta Melon Frosty (Thailand) – a melon-flavored soda that is the number one seller here
Bibo (South Africa) – a fruit-flavored juice drink
Sparberry (Africa) – raspberry cream-flavored soda
Guarana Kuat (Brazil) – flavored after the guarana berry
Inca Kola (Peru) – offers a sweet, almost bubblegum-like taste
It sounds like these are interesting flavors, so make sure to enjoy your complimentary cup of refreshing goodness on your next trip! You may just find a new favorite!
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Video: Thor: Treasures of Asgard Opens At Disneyland
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Thor: Treasures of Asgard opens at Disneyland this Friday, but we now have video of the full experience. The attraction is basically a meet and greet culminating in an encounter with Thor himself. The queue features actual props from the two Thor movies, and trust me when I say that you will have plenty of time to look at these items. Thor: Treasures of Asgard has to be the slowest moving queue in all of Disneyland Resort. During the preview I attended there were fewer than 100 people ahead of me in line, but it still managed to take about an hour and a half.
After waiting, guests are transported to Asgard by Odin via something called the Bifrost. After entering Asgard Thor gives a brief introduction and then invites someone from the crowd to try to lift his hammer. Overall, this is nice new meet and greet that Marvel fans should enjoy. The Thor meet and greet character looked great and had comical interactions with each person in the crowd. On the plus side, nothing of value was lost with its addition. Thor: Treasures of Asgard replaced one of the last remaining original Innoventions exhibits, “St. Joseph Hospital’s Healthy University,” which featured mostly broken or empty displays for the last few years.
Thor: Treasures of Asgard is located in Tomorrowland on the second level of Innoventions.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Strollers at Disney World
By Erin Foster
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You’ve got kids. You’ve got kid stuff. And you’re taking it all to Walt Disney World for a magical fun-filled vacation. Sounds great, but how do you maneuver all those kids and all that stuff all over four gigantic theme parks, your hotel, and maybe an airport or two? With a stroller, of course. Here’s the complete stroller scoop to get you started on your planning.
Do I really need to use a stroller at Walt Disney World?
If you’ve got a child age six or under, chances are you’re going to want access to a stroller at some point during your Disney vacation. Your seven or eight year old might even find himself asking for some stroller time.
Typical Walt Disney World double rental stroller
But my child hasn’t used a stroller at home in years, why would he need one at Disney World?
Many guests have worn pedometers during their Disney vacations. Factoring in theme parks, resorts, and entertainment areas, they typically find that they’ve walked somewhere between seven and twelve miles EVERY DAY of their Disney vacation. Just one lap around the World Showcase area of Epcot is almost a mile. Do that several days in a row and you’re going to end up tired. Now imagine walking that much with the tiny legs of a kindergartener, in 90 degree heat.
Another reason to consider using a stroller is the safety factor. Let’s face it, Walt Disney World can be a crowded place, particularly during high intensity times like park closing or during the fireworks. Even if you’re holding a child’s hand, it’s quite possible to lose him in the melee. To avoid separation, or having your child get accidentally stepped on by another guest, it may be easier to keep him in the confines of a stroller where you’re in charge of the direction and pace of movement.
Additionally, some children simply become overwhelmed by the constant stimulation at Disney World. A stroller can be a safe haven – a contained environment where a child can go to temporarily regroup and decompress.
Should I bring my own stroller or rent one at Disney World?
This is a personal decision, and I’ll talk you through some of the factors you may want to consider, but in general I recommend that guests bring their own strollers rather than rent from Walt Disney World.
Why’s that?
The first factor is pricing. The Walt Disney World rental strollers currently (autumn 2013) cost:
$15 for a single day, single stroller rental
$31 for a single day, double stroller rental
$13 per day for a length of stay (multi-day) single stroller rental
$27 per day for a length of stay (multi-day) double stroller rental
Do the math and you’ll find that renting a double stroller for a week will cost $189.00. Run a quick search on Amazon.com for “double umbrella stroller” and you’ll find dozens of models for sale for less than half that price. Even if you leave the stroller at Walt Disney World and never use it again, you’re still coming out ahead financially.
Typical Walt Disney World single rental stroller
How does length-of-stay pricing work?
On the first day of your visit, stop by any of the stroller rental stands at the theme parks. Let them know how long you’ll be visiting Walt Disney World, and they’ll charge you the discounted length-of-stay rate. You will also be given a receipt which shows that you’ve paid for your entire visit. Any time you need a stroller during the rest of your vacation, go up to one of the stroller rental stands and show them the receipt. They’ll give you a stroller at no additional charge.
What else should I know about the Disney rental strollers?
They are incredibly sturdy, but not very comfortable.
The Disney strollers are made of hard plastic. The seating area has no padding or cushioning of any kind. The Disney strollers do not recline, so if you you’re planning to have your child nap in the stroller, then he’ll have to do so bolt upright.
The double strollers have no physical divider between the spaces for each child. It’s a bench-style seat rather than a separated bucket-style seat of most non-commercial doubles. This means that two children sharing the stroller will inevitably be touching each other. Hot, sweaty, exhausted siblings touching each other – need I say more.
There are also no conveniences on the stroller for mom and dad – no cup holders, no bag hooks, no storage bins. It’s basically a kid-shaped wheelbarrow.
But I can use the rentals everywhere at Disney World, right?
Sorry, no. The Walt Disney World rental strollers can only be used at the theme parks and Downtown Disney.
You cannot use the Disney rental strollers at the water parks or at any of the Disney resort hotels. And if you plan to have your only stroller be a Disney rental, this also means that you won’t have stroller access at the airport or any of the Disney World parking areas either.
When deciding what type of stroller you’ll need, consider whether your child might nap in the stroller
Are their weight limits for the Disney strollers?
There are posted recommendations for the Disney strollers that the capacity of a single rental is 50 lbs. and the capacity of a double rental is 100 lbs. These are really guidelines rather than rules. I’ve never seen a child weighed at a rental station – there are no scales. As long as your child fits comfortably in the rental, you can assume that it’s OK.
Are the Disney rental strollers appropriate for small babies?
Not really. Again, the rental strollers have unpadded, bench-style seating. They’re meant for a child who can sit up on his own for an extended period of time.
Also, the Disney stroller restraint system is just a simple lap belt, not a three or five point harness like you’d find on a personal stroller. You have to be sure that your child won’t slip out of the belt either inadvertently or intentionally. If you have a child under the age of about 10-12 months, or a child who’s in escapologist mode, then the Disney strollers are really not for you.
Hmmm, are there any other alternatives?
Of course you can bring your own stroller with you to the parks (I’ll get to that in more detail in a second), but if you want/need to rent in the Disney area, there are independent vendors in the area who can help you out.
Who are these vendors?
There are dozens of baby supply rental vendors in the Orlando area. However, Disney recently gave preferential status to three of these vendors:
Kingdom Strollers: (407) 271-5301
Magic Strollers: (866) 866-6177
Orlando Stroller Rentals: (800) 281-0884
The preferential status allows these vendors to pick up and drop off strollers at the Bell Services area or front desk of the Disney hotels, without the guest needing to be present. This is a BIG convenience factor for guests. You’re welcome to use other vendors, but you’ll need to be present to both receive and return items to them.
What is the quality of the outside rental strollers like?
Touring Plans did a comparison of the service and quality of outside stroller rentals. Feel free to check it out.
There are stroller parking zones in multiple areas at all the Disney theme parks
How does outside rental vendor pricing compare to the Disney pricing?
The outside vendors have a wider array of options available, so it’s a bit of an apples to oranges situation, but generally you’ll find that the outside vendor pricing is lower than the Disney stroller rental pricing. And as a big added bonus, you can use the outside vendor rentals anywhere – at your hotel, at other area theme parks, etc.
You mentioned that you recommend guests bring their own stroller. Why is that specifically?
Several reasons:
No incremental costs.
Child familiarity with the stroller (comfort factor).
Adult familiarity with the stroller (ease of folding, etc.)
Availability of convenience factors such as cup holders, storage areas, etc.
You absolutely need to have a stroller at your resort. Imagine carrying a sleeping child from a bus to your room after you’ve been walking for 10 hours in the Florida sun. It’s not pretty.
The lack of storage space in the Disney rentals means you’ll be carrying your diaper bag at least some of the time. Give your back a break.
If I bring my own stroller, is there a size or style that works better than others?
This is a subjective topic. The right stroller for your Disney vacation will depend on the age/size of your children, the number of children you have, the number of adults in your party, your child’s nap habits, the outdoor temperature in Florida, what you’re used to, and any number of other factors.
Depending on your family’s situation, the right Disney stroller could be a single umbrella, a sit n’ stand, a convertible with car seat attachment, a double jogger, or just about anything in between.
The only publicized rule is that Disney does not permit strollers larger than 36″ x 52″ (92 x 132 cm) to enter the parks. That being said, in many hundreds of Disney parks visits, I have never seen a cast member measure a stroller entering the parks. Also, now that the old entrance turnstiles/gates have been replaced by the open post MyMagic+ entrance system, it’s even less obvious if you happen to have a larger stroller.
The introduction of RFID scanners at all the parks also included the elimination of turnstiles and gates. Strollers enter the same way as everyone else
My child is old enough that we don’t actually own a stroller any more, but I think he might need one at Disney. Are rentals my only option?
You may find that it’s actually cheaper to buy a “disposable” stroller rather than rent from either Disney or one of the outside vendors. Make a quick trip to Target or Walmart and you’ll find a basic umbrella-style stroller for less than $25. This obviously won’t be a high-end model, but it may be just the thing you need to stave off the whining for two or three days. At the end of your trip, you can just leave it in you room or at the park, or you can bring it home to donate it. If you don’t want to deal with bringing the throwaway stroller to Orlando yourself, you could arrange for a mail order vendor like Amazon to ship it directly to your resort.
Is there anything one step up from that?
Many of the Disney hotel and theme park gift shops sell a moderate quality Kolcraft umbrella stroller for about $60. These strollers recline, have cup holders, and are more sturdy than a $20 Walmart stroller. Remember, a Disney single stroller 7-day length-of-stay stroller rental would cost $91. Again, if even if you discard this stroller at the end of your visit, you’ll still come out ahead financially.
Can I reserve a stroller in advance, or is it first come, first served? Are they likely to run out of rental strollers?
Disney rental stroller can neither be reserved nor paid for in advance of your visit. While Disney does have LOTS of strollers, on very rare occasion, they have temporarily run out of rentals. If you’d like to have guaranteed stroller access, then either bring your own or rent from an outside vendor.
Basic Kolcraft umbrella strollers are sold in the WDW parks and resorts for approximately $60
If I rent a stroller, either through Disney or another vendor, how do I know which one is mine? Don’t they all look alike?
Many strollers do look alike. When renting from either Disney or an outside vendor, they will give you a large card imprinted with your family name which you will place in a transparent pocket on the stroller. This identifies it as yours. Additionally, many guests try to (temporarily) personalize their strollers so that they can easily recognize them in the sea of buggys. Typically this takes the form of a balloon, bandana, or ribbon tied to the stroller handle.
If I use a Park Hopper ticket and move to a different theme park during the day, do I have to pay for a stroller again?
You only have to pay for Disney stroller rental at one theme park per day. If you park hop, just remove your family’s name placard from the stroller and take that, and your rental receipt, to your second park of the day. At the second park, show the receipt and they’ll hook you up with a new stroller.
I prefer a wagon, can I bring that?
No. Disney does not allow you to bring wagons into the parks.
If I use my own stroller, can I bring it onto Disney transportation?
Yes. But HOW you bring it onto Disney transportation depends on your mode of travel. Take a look at our guide to Disney monorails, buses, and boats to see how you’ll need to handle your stroller on each form of transportation.
One thing in particular to note is that you’ll always need to fold your stroller when riding on a Disney bus.
Yikes, isn’t that a pain?
Sure, maybe a little. But you’d also have to fold your stroller if you were driving to the parks. It’s all just part of having small children.
You must fold your stroller to bring it onto a Disney bus
You generally don’t have to fold your stroller when you’re taking the monorail or several types of Disney water transport. This played a factor in my Disney trips when my daughters were stroller age. We often chose to spend a bit more money and stay at a hotel on the monorail line simply because getting to and from the Magic Kingdom and Epcot was so much easier when we didn’t have to fold the strollers.
With any stroller you use at Walt Disney World, be sure that you do know how to fold it. You may find that your double jogging stroller works perfectly well when you’re tooling around the parks, but if you can’t break it down to get on your hotel bus, you’re going to have a problem.
However, in my experience, the guests at Disney are generally quite kind and helpful. If you’re struggling with getting a stroller, kids, and associated gear onto a bus yourself, another guest will often pitch in to give you a hand. Almost everyone has been in your shoes and will be happy to assist.
Are the rental strollers the same at each of the theme parks?
There use to be differences in the strollers at the four Disney theme parks. You may find an odd outlier now and then, but the rental strollers are now generally the same throughout Walt Disney World.
I’m staying at one of the Epcot area resorts. Can I rent a stroller at the International Gateway entrance to Epcot?
Yes. There is a rental area at the International Gateway.
You can roll your stroller onto the monorail without folding it
Can I bring my stroller in the lines for rides?
Usually not. There are stroller parking lots scattered throughout the theme parks, you’ll need leave your stroller there and walk a few yards to each attraction.
The primary exception to this is for guests with mobility challenges. If your child can not walk, or has a related medical issue, you can stop by the park guest relations office and they will give you a “Stroller Used as Wheelchair” tag. This allows you bring your stroller into any line or waiting area in which a wheelchair or ECV would be permitted.
I have an expensive stroller. I’m worried about it getting stolen, can I bring a lock for it?
No. Stroller locks are not permitted at Walt Disney World.
There are a few urban legends about strollers being stolen at Walt Disney World, but I have never personally heard about this actually happening. While having your stroller stolen is highly unlikely, it is a near certainty that your stroller will be moved at some point during your stay. There are cast members assigned to keep order at each of the stroller parking lots in the theme parks. As guests enter and leave the area, the cast will straighten the rows and make sure that all spaces are filled in. If you don’t see your stroller exactly where you left it, just look nearby and you’re bound to see it. This is where some easy personalization, like a balloon tied to the stroller handle, can make spotting your wheels much easier.
And of course, you do want to be sensible about leaving valuables in your stroller when you’ve left it to go on some rides. Don’t leave anything in your stroller that is valuable or irreplaceable. This means you should take your wallet and cameras with you on the attractions. That being said, most guests do end up leaving some items in their strollers when they’re on the rides. You’ll routinely see diaper bags, snacks, jackets, and other personal items left in strollers in the lots. I did this dozens of times myself and never had anything other than a cookie taken out of my stroller – and that was done by a crafty squirrel.
Stroller parking area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, near Toy Story Mania. Cast members will rearrange stroller to keep the area organized
Are there any actual rides that I can bring my stroller on?
Generally not. The one exception I can think of is the Disney railroad in the Magic Kingdom. Personal strollers may be brought on board if they are completely folded.
What about restaurants? Can I bring my stroller inside while we dine?
Generally not, but exceptions can be made in some circumstances. Large double strollers can be a fire hazard and are usually not allowed into restaurants in the theme parks. The Disney rental strollers are virtually never allowed in table service restaurants in the parks.
However, if you have a small personal stroller and your child has fallen asleep in it during your meal reservation time, cast members will sometimes take pity on you and allow the stroller inside, particularly if you have a newborn or tiny infant who would be physically incapable of sitting in a high chair even if her were awake. If you’re in this situation, it never hurts to ask nicely. In my personal experience and observation, the quick service restaurants and the restaurants in the resorts tend to be somewhat more lenient on this topic, but that’s just what I’ve seen.
If you have a child sleeping in a stroller, look for quick service restaurants with outdoor seating as an easy option.
Can I bring my stroller into the gift shops at Walt Disney World?
Usually yes. You might encounter a few shops here and there that will ask you to leave your stroller outside, but for the most part you’re OK to shop with a stroller.
What can you tell me about the stroller rental situation at Downtown Disney?
Only single strollers are available for rent at Downtown Disney, no doubles.
There’s no need to leave a deposit when renting a stroller at the theme parks, but when you rent at Downtown Disney, you have to leave a $100 deposit, which is returned to you when you leave.
Even restaurants have stroller parking areas. This one is outside the Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club resort
I have two young children, am I better off with a double stroller or two singles?
Truly this is a matter of personal preference. However, there are some things you may want to think about as you make your decision:
How heavy will a double stroller be when loaded down with two kids and all their stuff? Can the adults in our party push this comfortably? In the heat?
Are the adults in our party capable of folding a double stroller and lifting it onto a bus? Will one of them have to do this while also holding a child?
Will the children be napping in the stroller? Are they able to do this when sitting right next to their sibling?
Do the children have the same interests or will they want to go off in different directions to explore different areas of the parks?
Will one child or adult have more stamina than the other and want to stay at the park longer?
Is it better to bring my front-to-back or side-to-side double stroller with me to Walt Disney World?
Yet again, it’s a personal preference thing. I’ve seen it work both ways. The only thing to be aware of is that side-to-side doubles can be more challenging to get through doorways and through narrow aisles of merchandise. If you think you’ll be doing a lot of shopping with your stroller, and you have the option, then a front-to-back double might make more sense. That being said, I used a side-to-side double MacLaren and had no issues with this at all.
I think we want to bring a double stroller, but I’m not totally sure. Any ideas?
During a few Disney trips, my family used stroller connector clips. The clips basically convert two single umbrella-style strollers into a temporary double stroller. Popular brands are Munchkin Stroller Links or Prince Lionheart Stroller Connectors.
The connectors allow the children to separate when two adults are available to push, but one parent can push them in a pinch. These are not perfect; they work best if the two strollers are identical and the children in the strollers weigh approximately the same, but they can be a lifesaver in some situations.
Stroller parking zone at the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland area
I have a young child and a slightly older child, any ideas for me?
If you have a baby or toddler, and a preschooler or kindergartener, your best bet may be a sit-and-stand-style stroller. This allows the older child to get a break from some of the walking, while saving face by avoiding the baby stigma of a standard stroller.
A solution that could work for you if you’re in this situation and you’re down to just a single stroller at home, is to borrow or purchase a “buggy board.” This is a platform on wheels which clips onto a standard stroller – effectively making it a sit-and-stand. If you’re running an Amazon search, “kiddie board,” “buggy board,” and “stroller board” will bring up options to consider. Bear in mind that if you’re using the Disney buses, you’ll have to unclip the buggy board before folding the stroller to take it on the bus, so be sure that you’re able to do this with facility.
Back in the day, when I had three kids under age five, I would occasionally clip a buggy board to the back of a double stroller, allowing me to push three kids at once. This would be a tough haul for a long Disney trip, but it could be a stopgap for a situation where a second adult is temporarily unavailable, such as Dad being in charge of three kids for several hours while Mom is at a conference at one of the hotels.
What about front packs or backpack style carriers, would those be a better option for transporting my baby?
There may be some time where you’ll want to employ a front or back carrier as an adjunct to a stroller, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be happy with this as your only method of baby transport, if for no other reason that your comfort when carrying a child non-stop in the heat.
Back carriers are particularly problematic because they tend to be large, you’ll have to take them off for every ride in the parks, and there’s not a convenient place to put the pack down when you’re on the attractions.
Front carriers can be helpful with keeping a baby contained while on the attractions. I often “wore” my children in a Baby Bjorn front carrier when we were on rides like Kilimanjaro Safari or Pirates of the Caribbean. I felt like they were more secure this way rather than having me simply hold them on my lap.
You can’t see it, but there’s a buggy board clipped to the back of one of those strollers. With three small kids, this was our method of choice for many years of Disney visits.
How do I know when my child is ready to stop using a stroller at Walt Disney World?
Obviously this will be a personal call, but some kids will really only be ready to totally give up stroller time at Disney when they get physically too large to sit in a stroller comfortably. However, I can tell you that it may be harder for Mom and Dad to give up the stroller than it is for the kids. I still miss the days when I could employ a stroller as a sherpa for in-park purchases, snacks, umbrellas, and so on. I have a dear friend who will occasionally rent a stroller, even though her children are teens, just to have a place to store her stuff in the parks. She could get a locker, but then she’s have to go all the way to the park entrance to grab her poncho when it starts to rain.
What happens to my stroller when it rains? Won’t everything get wet?
There are frequent flash thunderstorms in Orlando. During the rainy season, it does make sense to keep your stroller covered. If you have your own stroller, or are renting from an outside vendor, you can get a dedicated plastic cover for your model. If you’re renting from Disney, try using a poncho as temporary cover while you’re off on the rides.
You seem pretty anti Disney rental. Are there circumstances when you would recommend that I use a Disney rental stroller?
The Disney rental strollers can be a good fallback if you’re out in the parks late for one or two nights with an elementary age child. Picture a first or second grader who is well out of stroller use at home. He may be fine walking around the parks during the day. But if you’re planning to close down the Magic Kingdom on a night when it closes at 1:00 a.m., then your child simply may not be able to make it. In this case, renting a stroller for the evening could be a good sanity-saving measure. However, if you think you’ll need the stroller at multiple times during your vacation, then many of the other options will make more financial sense.
Anything else I should be thinking about?
It never hurts to throw a towel in your stroller while you’re at Walt Disney World. This can be used to clean up spills, serve as a blanket or sunshield, or pad the seat of a Disney rental.
So what have your experiences with strollers at Disney world? Do you rent or bring your own? How old were your kids when you stopped using strollers at the parks? Do you have a preferred stroller configuration when traveling with multiple children? Let us know in the comments below.
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October 29, 2013
Ask Jim Hill Ep 12 – Does Disney Listen To Feedback From Social Media?
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On this episode, Jim Hill and Len Testa answer a viewer question about Disney and social media. Does Disney listen to its fans? If so, to what extent? Also, another viewer asks if a large scale DCA-style expansion is possible in Walt Disney World.
If you missed last week’s episode you can see it here:
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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Former Imagineer Tony Baxter to receive Main Street Window at Disneyland on November 1
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Tony Baxter at D23 (Image courtesy Disney)
Imagineer Tony Baxter, the creative mind behind iconic Disneyland attractions like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain, and the Indiana Jones Adventure may have retired from the Walt Disney company earlier this year, but his presence in the parks is far from forgotten. That will be permanently assured this week, as a window above Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A., honoring Tony Baxter will be unveiled this Friday, November 1.
As reported by the Orange County Register, Baxter is scheduled appear in Disneyland park this Friday morning for an 8:30 a.m. unveiling ceremony, which was originally announced at August’s D23 Expo. Anyone with a valid park ticket may attend; the park officially opens at 9 a.m. that day, but the turnstiles will open at 8 a.m. to accommodate those attending the ceremony.
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Afternoon Abominations: Halloween Horror Nights 23 Unmasking the Horror (Resident Evil, An American Werewolf in London, and Evil Dead)
By Derek Burgan
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We’re continuing our review of the Unmasking the Horror tour, a lights on tour of Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) houses. Our Morning Menace tour included La Llorona, The Walking Dead: No Safe Haven, and The Cabin in the Woods. After a brief lunch, our tour picked up at 2:30PM for Afternoon Abominations and our first stop would be at Resident Evil: Escape From Raccoon City.
Throughout the tour we were shown little details that we never saw the night before when we toured all the houses as part of HHN. It is either too dark or we just didn’t have enough time to see everything with all the action going on around us. For example, in the opening room to Resident Evil, we never noticed this tribute to the Nightmare of Elm St. franchise that is off to the side.
This particular street leads the nation in nightmares. A close second is SR 535 in Orlando.
Remember, you can click on any photo to see the full size original.
As wrestling fans, we were surprised to see an emergency exit plan for TNA Impact still on the soundstage’s walls. TNA stopped taping its television show on this soundstage back in March (although it is returning to tape some shows in November), but what stood out the most was this exit plan used TNA’s six sided ring as the centerpiece, a ring they haven’t used since 2010. However, that actually makes total sense knowing how TNA runs its business.
Emergency evacuation plan for TNA wrestling. Trust me, if you’ve ever sat through one of their tapings you’ll want to know where the exits are about halfway through.
Capcom makes the game Resident Evil, and this Aruka’s signage was a shout out to another character from their game library as it is Saruka spelled backwards. Saruka is from the popular Street Fighter series of games.
Resident Evil: Escape From Raccoon City
We’ve mentioned before that Universal Creative likes to repurpose elements from previous HHN events. This room had a picture of “Samuel Meetz,” a character from the Leave it to Cleaver haunted house in 2009. The person playing Meetz for this photo is actually Mike Aiello, Creative Director at Universal and the man behind many projects we have seen over the years including the Frog Choir at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and the Cinematic Spectacular nighttime show.
Fun cameo by Universal Creative Director Mike Aiello
Resident Evil: Escape From Raccoon City
One of the coolest rooms in any of the houses at HHN 23 was the “paused” room within Resident Evil. This room took the concept of pausing a video game and brought it to life in spectacular fashion. It was a “wow” moment at night, but during the tour we got to see the nuts and bolts behind how they created this impressive effect.
A closer look reveals how Universal created the “Game Paused” room, a big hit among gaming and HHN fans.
There was a good amount of street graffiti that Universal created for this experience, this piece was one of my favorites.
In a little known fact, street artist Banksy stopped by HHN before traveling to New York.
As we exited the house we were shown another show prop that we had no idea existed until the tour, that being a reference to the Spirit Seekers from the Legendary Truth. For those that don’t know, the Legendary Truth is an insanely immersive online and in-park interactive experience that Universal has set up for hardcore HHN fans. As part of HHN 20, the Spirit Seekers were part of a storyline for the Legendary Truth: The Wyandot Estate haunted house with the end result being they were never heard from again.
Legendary Truth fans be on the lookout for this tribute to the Spirit Seekers.
Our next house would be the one pretty much everyone in our group was looking forward to the most, An American Werewolf in London. Our tour guide Meg did a fantastic job filling us in on many of the details that we didn’t pick up on during our HHN walk through the night before, including pointing out it’s the only house in which you don’t encounter a scareactor through the first two rooms. This lack of interaction actually built up the suspense, much like the shark not working ended up making Jaws a much better film. The anticipation of finally seeing the wolves paid off big time. However, our first stop though would be inside The Slaughtered Lamb pub.
It begins. An American Werewolf in London
Fans of the movie may remember why one of these darts is in the wall.
The attention to detail is so amazing that when John Landis, the director of An American Werewolf in London, toured the house he saw a hat in the bar area and remarked, “why is that hat black? It should be brown.” Universal quickly brought in a brown hat.
In a graveyard scene, our tour guide Meg pointed out tributes to King Kong and Jaws. This had been used last year at HHN in a streetmosphere scene, but they worked perfect here. One of my favorite parts of the tour.
Kongrontation: RIP
Jaws: RIP
Jaw dropping moment.
Seeing the werewolf puppets up close was something else.
Did you know that Woody Woodpecker is the official icon character of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure? Strange but true.
We were led through several recreations of scenes from the Werewolf movie, including seeing a great “trick” in which the hinges of a door were on the same side as the door knob, allowing a scareactor to freak a guest out. One of the most stunning rooms to take in was the “transformation” scene. This is the only room in any of the HHN houses in which Universal shuts down both the entrance and exit while the actors inside are changing roles (I believe it’s 45 minutes on/45 minutes off). You’ll notice a lot of 70s references throughout the room.
The transformation room.
Our next section went through a wonderful recreation of the London underground. But the highlight was this guy..
An American Werewolf in London
Our next scene was an adult movie theater playing “See You Next Wednesday.” That’s right, a recreation of a adult movie theater within a theme park. Hide your snowflake’s eyes!
In the movie theater there were some repurposed characters from The Thing house in 2011.
Not sure if this was a shot from the tour or actual footage of movie goers who just realized Disney’s Planes 2 has been green lit.
Right outside the movie theater was a wonderful tribute to The Usher character. The Usher the HHN 19 icon character
Note the arm of The Usher holding his flashlight…
Nearing the end of the house we ended up in Piccadilly Circus.
Some of the characters in this bus were used in Alice Cooper’s Welcome to my Nightmare house at HHN 22
Get out your sonic screwdriver.
While we were told in no uncertain terms throughout the tour that there would be no touching of the werewolf puppets, we were allowed to take pictures with the last one on our way out of the house.
Who needs a silver bullet when you have The Guide?
Overall I would say the tour of the Werewolf house alone was worth the money of the tour. But we still had one more house left. Evil Dead. Not the good Evil Dead, the remake from earlier this year. This was the house that had me the most confused during our walkthrough during HHN, but the tour cleared up all the questions I had and actually made me want to revisit the house again to see the story unfold.
Gigantic pages from the book of the dead kick off your entry into the house
In the Evil Dead house, you keep circling back to the same room, much like they do in the movie. We did get to pass through the bathroom, kitchen, and other rooms of the cabin as well.
If you look close you’ll see the tape keeping the lid shut.
This is what my kitchen would look like if my girlfriend was gone for a week or more.
The basement was filled with dead stuffed animals. Actually one of the creepiest things in any of the houses.
“Klaatu barada nikto!”
While I enjoyed the tour of Evil Dead because it clued me to into some of the story that I didn’t quite get during my original walk though, I still think it was the weakest of the tour. If I had one suggestions to make to Universal it would be capping off this section of the tour with An American Werewolf in London because walking out of that house you are completely blown away.
Overall the Unmasking the Horror tour was the best tour I have taken at any theme park and I’m pencilling myself in for repeating this experience every year going forward and am kicking myself for not doing one until now. I’m sure it helps having a good tour guide, and I can’t say enough good words about our guide Meg. She was there with a ton of information and answered every question we had. Seeing the props with the lights on is one thing, but getting the behind the scenes info and seeing how the entire HHN operation works takes this tour to another level. Highest recommendation possible for horror fans and theme park junkies like myself.
For more info on Unmasking the Horror tours or other RIP tours, visit HalloweenHorrorNights.com.
Special thanks to Universal NOW!’s Brandon Glover for his assistance with this article.
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Get to Know the Epcot Kidcot Fun Stops
By Erin Foster
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So you’re walking through the World Showcase at Epcot and you see these tables with kids sitting there, just sitting and coloring and being chill. What’s happened? You’ve entered the Kidcot zone.
Uh, What’s a Kidcot?
Kidcot is a made-up word that’s supposed to promote the idea that Epcot is fun for kids.
When my kids were small, they quite liked the World Showcase. My oldest daughter now wants to study international relations, due, in no small part, to her fascination with visiting the countries of Epcot when she was younger. However, there is the perception in some circles that the World Showcase is not enticing to children because there are few rides in this area. The Kidcot Fun Stops are meant to serve as a way to coax a reluctant child through the Showcase loop.
So what happens at a Kidcot Fun Stop?
The Fun Stops are really just tables, one for each of the 11 World Showcase countries, staffed by natives of the represented lands. The tables are stocked with stick-puppets (currently your choice of Duffy the Disney Bear or Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb) and markers. Kids (or adults, but mostly kids) can sit at the tables for as long as they like and color the puppet.
That’s it?
I know it doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, but truly sometimes hanging out and coloring for a while is exactly the kind of break you need, particularly if you’d decided to skip the afternoon nap. And having the international cast members at the tables is often entertaining. My teen daughters like to practice their French language skills with the Kidcot cast at the France pavilion – especially les beaux hommes. Oooh, la, la. 
In addition to chatting with you, the cast at the tables will give you some rudimentary language instruction in their native tongue (hello, goodbye, numbers, food words, etc.). And they’ll write on the back of your puppet if you want them to, usually something like “hello” in their language. The cast members manning the desks also have an ink stamper with a cute image and the name of their country. They’ll stamp the stick or back of your puppet, or they’ll stamp your World Showcase Passport.
Children interacting with a cast member at the Norway Kidcot Fun Stop.
What’s a World Showcase Passport?
It’s a toy booklet designed to look like a passport. Kids can collect stamps at the Fun Stops, much like they would at passport control at a border crossing.
Is there a charge for that?
There’s no charge for the stick puppets, the coloring, or the interaction with the cast members.
There is a charge for the Passports. They come in a packet with an Epcot button (like the birthday buttons, not like a trading pin) and some postage-style, non-functional stamps. The packet retails for about $10.
So the Passport sort of makes the Fun Stops into a “scavenger hunt” type activity?
Kind of. Although you don’t need the Passport to do so, many kids do like the hunt/acquisition aspect of the Fun Stops. They have stamps! Lets collect them all!
Where can I get a Passport?
They’re sold in many of the shops throughout Epcot. They’ll almost always have them at Mouse Gear and at the World Traveler shop next to the International Gateway. The Passport packets are often hard to spot in the stores, so if you’re looking, you may want to ask. On the other hand, if you’re trying to avoid spending $10 on a paper booklet, then it’s relatively easy to do so.
Duffy with a ‘stache.
What kind of markers are at the Fun Stops?
There has been a partnership with Sharpie that made that the default market at the Fun Stops. I’m all but obsessed with Sharpies, but sometimes the permanent mark factor can be an issue with small kids. In my most recent Disney visit, I saw washable markers at several of the Fun Stops. If you prefer those, ask the cast member at the table.
Where exactly are the Fun Stops?
Many of the Fun Stops are inside shops, and all have some sort of cover from the sun. Here’s the list of where to find the Stops:
Mexico: Just inside the pavilion building, near Animales Fantasticos
Norway: Inside the The Puffin’s Roost shop
China: Next to the exit of the Reflections of China attraction
Germany: Inside the Volkunst, near the oh-so-enticing Steiff bear and Harbio gummy displays
Italy: In an outdoor alcove near La Bottega Italiana
American Adventure: Outdoors, on the porch-like area next to Heritage Manor Gifts
Japan: In the Bijutsu-kan Gallery. If you exit the Mitsukoshi store near the sake and candy section, you’ll pass by it.
Morocco: At the Marketplace in the Medina
France: At Souvenirs de France shop.
UK: At The Toy Soldier shop.
Canada: In a covered area at the exit of O Canada.
Epcot Passport pack. Get your passport stamped at the Kidcot Fun Stops.
Since so many of the Fun Stops are inside stores, I’m worried that my kids will be in “gimme” mode if we undertake this activity.
You know, it seems like that would be a problem, but in many hours of observation, I just haven’t seen that happen. Typically kids get pretty focused on their own projects and tend to tune everything out including, believe it or not, Disney merchandise. But of course you know your child best. If she’s having a Veruca Salt day, then you may want to choose another time to participate.
But if YOU want to shop while your kid colors, then I’ve got your back. You can’t leave you kids alone at the Fun Stops, but you can step a few feet away and look at lovely wares. That’s how I ended up with my first bottle of Laila.
Is there a particular age limit for the Fun Stops?
Nope. This is open to everyone, young and old. That being said, you’ll probably be most successful here with kids between the ages of about three (able to make directed marks with a pen and not freak if they “mess up”) and about 10 (before they get “too cool” for coloring).
Learn a bit of Italian at the Italy pavilion Fun Stop.
Are there particular hours of the Fun Stops?
Theoretically they’re open from 11:00 a.m. until park closing (that’s what the Times Guide says anyway), but in my experience the tables are not staffed immediately at 11:00 and they may close a bit early if they don’t have any “customers.”
Is there anything similar at the other parks?
There’s not really an art project equivalent anywhere else, but there are plenty of scavenger hunt type activities at other Walt Disney World locations. Right there in the same area of Epcot, there’s the Agent P. World Showcase Adventure in which kids use special devices (pre-programmed cell phones) to unlock clues and hunt for bad guys.
At the Animal Kingdom, kids can participate in the Wilderness Explorers game, collecting stickers related to their animal knowledge and exploration of the park.
And at the Magic Kingdom, you have the choice of two interactive activities: Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom or Pirates Adventure.
These are all ways to get your kids doing something at least moderately active in the parks and can be a nice change of pace from passively sitting on rides all day.
So Fun Folks, are you fans of the Kidcot Fun Stops? Do your kids like the puppets? Have you had any particularly good cast member interactions at the Fun Stops? Let us know in the comments below.
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October 28, 2013
The Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge To Open
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I love a good meal, and it appears that I will have a brand new location for getting a quick and delicious bite at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! A brand new lounge area is opening up on the patio of The Hollywood Brown Derby. Dining at the Lounge will be on a first come, first served basis, so no Advanced Dining Reservations will be accepted.
The menu consists of small bites. These include options like Artisinal Cheeses, Brown Derby Sliders, Duck Confit Tacos, Prince Edward Island Mussels, Charcuterie Board for two, and Brown Derby Shrimp Cocktail. Beverages will include beers, wines, and cocktails. Guests may also order from the full Brown Derby menu, upon request.
The Disney Dining Plan will not be accepted here; however, the Tables in Wonderland card will.
The Lounge is scheduled to be open Monday – Friday from 11:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. The lounge officially opens on Wednesday, October 30.
The restaurant is based off The Brown Derby, a longstanding Hollywood landmark in California that is famous for the creation of the Cobb Salad.
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DisneyQuest to Hold Halloween Party
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For guests who are not able to get into the already sold out Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom for Halloween night, I have another option you may want to consider.
At DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park, found at Downtown Disney West Side, a ghoulish good time is expected during a special Halloween Party that will take place from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. on Halloween.
Guests will be able to enjoy the DisneyQuest games and attractions plus food, two DJ dance parties, trick or treating, games, costume contests, Disney character greetings, Halloween photo backdrops, and even more family fun!
The cost for advance tickets is $45 for ages 3 & up in advance or $54 for day-of-event tickets. Tickets can be purchased by calling 407-W-DISNEY or by visiting the DisneyQuest box office.
For more information about the party, click here.
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