Monthly Archives: May 2014

Walt Disney World Vacation – 5 iPhone Apps You Can Use

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MM+ADRsA while back, I posted five resources you can use online to help you plan for a Walt Disney World vacation.  I also posted about a few of my favorite Disney books.  Now let’s talk about apps you can use not just for planning, but some of these can even make your trip more fun!

My Disney Experience – This is a must have for Walt Disney World travelers.  This is Disney’s app – a one-stop-resource for making the most of MyMagic+, FastPass+, Advance Dining Reservations, park tickets, Memory Maker (pictures), group member linking and more.  All of the plans, confirmation numbers FastPass+ ride times, etc. – portable and easy to access.  Additionally, you can make changes on the fly without having to wait in line at the park kiosks! – Unless you want that 4th or 5th FastPass – then you’ll have to wait at a kiosk.  But that’s another story for another day.

The DISBoards app – WDWInfo.com’s discussion boards at your fingertips!  Say I’m watching aDays to Go App particular thread for news, or waiting for the next installment of a trip report – I can subscribe to discussions via smartphone!  Email notifications make sure I don’t miss new posts.  If you’re involved with a cruise-meets page or watching for late-breaking news like the release of free dining and such, this is extremely convenient!

Days to Go – Yes, there are a number of countdown apps to choose from and 99-cents is the going rate, but I like Days to Go the best!  The app icon itself is RED and easy to spot.  Eight gorgeous photos are framed by nice, large letters/numbers which can be personalized for your enjoyment – What a way to get excited about vacation!!!

Beers and Ears – the WDW Beers app provides users with a comprehensive, alphabetized list of Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPAall the suds available in the World.  What’s not to love about that?  It’s invaluable information.  I’ll be checking this app for any and all available brewed refreshments as I travel around Epcot’s World Showcase, the Monorail Loop, the resorts and restaurants everywhere!  Decisions, decisions.

Disney Trivia – Take your pic – Mouse Trivia or Parks Trivia – They’re unofficial, but if you need something to fill hours of waiting, you can’t go wrong with some good old fashioned battle to the death family fun.  Waiting at the airport, riding in the car, waiting for luggage, or, my personal favorite, waiting for a table at a Disney restaurant – see who among you has the keenest knowledge of all things Disney!

What about you?  Which are your favorite apps for Disney lovers?

 

 

 

 

Voices of Liberty – Epcot’s Hidden Gem

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Epcot's Voices of LibertyAdvice about Epcot.  I like to dish out advice – one of the reasons I started my own blog probably.  I’ve got opinions in abundance and, on occasion, people take my advice and it works out great for them.  Really!  So today (not so different from any other if you’ve been here before), I’m dishing up some Epcot love in the form of this message:  Go see the Voices of Liberty.

I visited Walt Disney World many times before I saw a performance by the Voices of Liberty.  I didn’t even know they existed until 2012 when I read someone’s trip report on the DISboards and they were singing (pun intended) the praises of this amazing a cappella group in Epcot’s American Adventure pavilion.  Summer is swiftly approaching and the season is accompanied by a series of holidays that bring out our patriotic love of the good old U.S. of A.  Memorial Day?  Good time to see Voices of Liberty!  Flag Day?  Independence Day?  You betcha!

Okay, back to Epcot…

The Voices of Liberty are simply amazing!  These performers demonstrate an incredible amount of pure talent.  Dressed in early American clothing (seems to be a mix of time periods), there’s no doubt they absolutely love what they do – I’m guessing they consider their set a failure if there are any dry eyes in the Voices of Liberty, Epcot's American Adventurehouse.  Seriously – if you can hear them sing The Battle Hymn of the Republic or The Star Spangled Banner and manage not to get at least a little misty, you’re made of much sterner stuff than I.

The 8-person group performs every 45 minutes throughout the afternoon (subject to change without warning), so there’s no excuse not to take an opportunity to cool off inside the rotunda of The American Adventure pavilion.  The actual show only lasts 20 minutes.  If you’re able, the singers will encourage you to sit on the floor surrounding them as they stand in the very middle of the rotunda – which maximizes the acoustics to great effect!

Check your My Disney Experience app!  Or better yet, check the Epcot times guide upon arrival (I’m sorry to say, the app is still sometimes slow and glitchy) – old, young, and everyone in between will enjoy hearing the majestic harmonies of the Voices of Liberty!

Sample them on YouTube here (they’re much better in person!).

Have you seen a performance by The Voices of Liberty?  What did you think?

 

 

Star Tours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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DHS Imperial Speeder, JosephIn honor of May the 4th and 5th being Star Wars days – May the Forth Be With You and Revenge of the Fifth.  I’d like to take the opportunity to throw a little love toward the Star Wars area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, particularly the Star Tours attraction.

We really love the Star Wars section of the Studios, but I believe it’s kind of an underappreciated area of the park.  Yes, we first rush to Toy Story Midway Mania, then Rock’n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror – we may not make our way to Star Tours until much later in the day, but we WILL visit every time and, like many other places in Walt Disney World, I always notice something I’ve never noticed before.Megan in Star Wars Area

Before you even enter Star Tours, the Star Wars area has some pretty awesome photo props.  You don’t have to be a dyed-in-the-wookie Star Wars fan to appreciate the coolness of the environment here.

Then there’s the queue.  I consider myself a bit of a standby line aficionado – while I’m the most impatient person you will ever meet in my everyday life – when at Walt Disney World, I’m one of the most willing-to-wait people!  I’ve been known to regularly wait 40-45 minutes and, on occasion, wait up to 60 minutes for an attraction I love.  YES!  I do know how the DHS, Waiting for Star ToursFastPass system works AND I’m a rope-drop fan, but while on vacation, I’m living in the moment and meet the most amazing people on occasion if I choose the standby line.  (Hello to that super interesting lady from Canada and her son from the queue for Toy Story Midway Mania!)  Okay, back to the queue, sorry for the tangent….the wait for Star Tours is full of fun and interesting things to see and hear…

One can’t help but appreciate all the gems hidden in the Star Tours waiting area.  Seriously, Star Tours Queue, Disney's Hollywood Studiosthere’s some cool stuff – even for those of us who do not count ourselves among the Star Wars geeks’ inner circles.  Watch the baggage screening area – too funny!  Listen to the public address system’s announcements – you may hear one looking for Egroeg Sacul or Tom Morrow.  Don’t get the joke?  Holler at me and I’ll explain.  Do not forget to look closely at the shelves for a Muppet-related surprise.  The list goes on and on.  Look up, look down, but look closely!

Now for the actual ride – if you’re prone to motion sickness even a tiny bit, this attraction could trigger an episode.  Guests must be 40″ to ride – Personally, I think this ride is best for kids 9 and older that are experienced or “street smart” riders.  It doesn’t hurt if you’ve taken the time to introduce them to the joy and excitement of the Star Wars movies prior to this experience.

Star Wars Shopping at Walt Disney WorldThe best part – there are more than 50 possible ride sequences/endings!  Ride everyday for your entire vacation and the chances of having the same experience twice are practically nonexistent.  Who will be the Rebel Spy?  It’s pretty funny when you see the shock of a random stranger, but absolutely priceless when it’s a member of your own party.  In our case, during the last visit, Megan was the Rebel Spy – and has the t-shirt to prove it!

What do you think?  Star Wars area of the Studios and Star Tours – a must-do?

Star Wars Shopping at Disney's Hollywood Studios

 

 

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Flashback – Four for a Dollar

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Four for a Dollar at DHSOnce upon a time….there were Four for a Dollar…

Do you remember the incredibly entertaining a cappella quartet that used to open for the Beauty and the Beast show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?  These guys were fantastic!  If you happened to get to the theater early and were just enjoying the shade and a chance to rest your feet, you would be treated to one of those particularly magical Disney surprises that makes your visit to any Disney park extra special.

So, a guy would walk on stage and the audience members who hadn’t seen the act before were completely surprised by what happened next.  The Four for a Dollar performers would trick the audience into believing they were stage techs setting up and testing the sound system.  Dressed in a uniform of black shorts and shirts, they were funny, cute, and remarkably talented.  They made you laugh and drew you in…then blew you away with their singing!  Visitors of all ages adored Four for a Dollar and our family was no exception – we were absolutely Four for a Dollardelighted.  Unfortunately, the act was discontinued a few years ago (2008) after an outstanding 14-year run and, like many changes that Disney makes, this one has been a sore spot for many, many fans.  A Facebook page was active for a while (until last year) called “Bring Four 4 a Dollar Back to Walt Disney World”.  To this day, once I’m seated for Beauty and the Beast, this missing pre-show seems a big, glaring mistake.

Post Studios, the group continued to appear in the Orlando area by their non-Disney name, Return 2 Zero.  They performed once more at Walt Disney World last spring (as Return 2 Zero) at the American Adventure in Epcot.  I would have loved the opportunity to see them again.

About the Group:  Members Andrew White, Sammy Pawlak, Marshall Webb and Doug Teel began performing together in the early 1990’s and it’s was no surprise for me to read on their website that they’d won honors in the group and arrangement categories of national a cappella competitions.

Catch Four for a Dollar on YouTube here.

Visit the Return 2 Zero website here.

Did you ever get to see Four for a Dollar?  Did you love them as much as we did?