Magic Kingdom – Wait Here Not There

Posted on July 9, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed here are my own (as if you didn’t already know that). I’m crazy about Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and it’s probably my favorite park, followed closely by Animal Kingdom. Don’t get me wrong – there’s plenty of fun to be had in Epcot and what’s currently left of the Studios, but Magic Kingdom holds the most happy memories and has so much entertainment to offer me when I’m there. When I daydream about being at Walt Disney World, I’m almost always in Magic Kingdom.

It won’t be long before we’ll be selecting FastPasses for our next visit to the World and that got me thinking about how I’ll be weighing the pros and cons of different attractions – including the entertainment value of specific ride queues. This is just me now, but I’m much more willing to wait in some queues than I am in others solely based on the quality of the wait. If we start in Adventureland and work our way around the park, land by land, here are my recommendations for:

Magic Kingdom – Wait Here Not There

Adventureland – Wait for Pirates of the Caribbean not Jungle Cruise. Yes, if we are strictly speaking Adventureland attractions, I’d much rather FastPass Jungle Cruise and wait for Pirates. The queue for Pirates is cool and dark with excellent mood-setting elements – it’s actually an excellent place to cool off on a hot day and let your face rest from the pressure of your sunglasses on your nose. The wait for Jungle Cruise is hot and has less to enjoy. Personally, I find it somewhat frustrating although I do enjoy the announcements.

Frontierland – Wait for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad not Splash Mountain. Big Thunder’s queue is interesting with loads of interactive elements to enjoy – in fact, I enjoy it so much, I sometimes wish the line were moving a tiny bit slower. Splash Mountain’s queue, while possessing some cute features (like the adorable bird houses) is not nearly as interesting.

Liberty Square – Save your FastPasses! Haunted Mansion is the only attraction that will ever have a significant wait and the queue (unless the day is super hot and humid) is great! Check out all the interactive components, search for the Bride’s Ring on the ground (embedded in the pavement) as you move along. Pay attention to the excellent (and plentiful) Disney details. If heat and humidity are factors – cool off in the Hall of Presidents during the day and save Haunted Mansion for after the sun goes down.

Fantasyland – Hmmmm…This is the toughest one! Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is going to have the longest wait – maybe for the entire park. That being said, it also has an excellent, highly entertaining and interactive queue. Peter Pan’s queue has just been “plussed” and is worth waiting for.If you have little ones, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has a very kid-pleasing wait. Personally, I’d burn a FastPass on Dumbo if it’s a must-ride attraction. I hate the wait for Dumbo so much, I’ve never made it to the ride. (You can read the story here.) Based solely on time-savings, excluding Dumbo, the FastPass would have to go to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Tomorrowland – Remember that FastPass I told you NOT to use in Liberty Square? I’d use it here for Space Mountain. While the queue is dark and cool, it’s also a snooze-fest. Even though it was one of the first attractions I can remember that got a few interactive parts added to the queue, they’re not all that interesting. Once you reach the top of the upward climb to the boarding area, the queue reverts to old school back and forth, metal-partitioned, waiting. And waiting….and….you get the idea.

Your turn to weigh in! Where would you select FastPasses in Magic Kingdom – and where would you stand in line?

5 MORE Ways to be Irritating at WDW

Posted on July 8, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: I’m joking. This post is for entertainment purposes only and should in no way be misinterpreted as containing advice I’d actually like you to take. This information is directed at the rude, uncouth, coarse, and inconsiderate among the general population – none of those people read this blog.

Many of you will remember this post where I helped readers here at Living a Disney Life learn how to be irritating at Walt Disney World. So well received and, based on my last couple of visits to the World, well heeded. You were listening and you are beasts at being annoying! So proud of you. You deserve a little something special. After mastering the first set of annoyances, I will unlock for you the next steps necessary for you to master the program and reach your full irritation potential! Today I give to you…

5 MORE Ways to be Irritating at WDW

1. Sit in the Middle. You won’t be sorry! It is SO annoying! Have your camera ready to capture the wide variety of dirty looks you will receive. After those Cast Members in Mickey’s PhilharMagic (or any and all other movies and shows) tell you to move all the way to the end of the row before sitting down, stop in the middle – the best seats are right there and you paid the same as everyone else to be there. You deserve the best seats in the house! If anyone dares to say something to you or suggest that you get up and move, respond with complete silence. Pretend you don’t speak English! Sitting in the middle of ride queues, on railings, on stairs…it’s all good. And irritating. Do it!

2. Feed the Birds. I’ll let you in on a little secret – the birds at Walt Disney World are no where near aggressive enough! The really – I’m talking seriously dangerous – aggressive birds are at Sea World. Those winged devils will dive-bomb your head and smash into you to make you drop the fish you just paid a fortune for (not for you to eat, but to feed to the sea critters) and then they’ll actually laugh as they gobble your expensive fish up off the ground. Disney birds are tame! They love people and merely want to make friends – Like Snow White and her band of helpful woodland creatures, go ahead and be buddies with your new feathered friends. Especially in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion at the Cantina de San Angel…those birds are the best!

3. Get that Perfect Picture – No Matter What! Everyone understands how crucial your Disney vacation photos are and you’ve paid big bucks to be here – make the most of it! Line your little ones up for that perfect shot in front of Cinderella Castle – who cares if it’s in the middle of the walkway or how long it takes – everyone else will either stop or go around. No worries! These are your vacation pictures! Make sure every single person in your party of 15 gets an individual photo with every character!

4. Never EVER Walk in a Straight Line. You are on vacation! Mosey, meander, zig, zag, and don’t neglect the ever-important diagonal walking! Didn’t they tell you to pay close attention to all those Disney details? While you’re getting from points A to B, look up, look right and left – for sure, look down at your cell phone – that My Disney Experience app needs your attention! At all times.

5. Personal Space? Nah! Look around you – Disney World is one über-crowded place full of happy people having fun! This is not the time or the place to worry about getting too close to your neighbor. If you leave too much space between you and another guest, someone else might slip in there and cut in line! Go ahead, we’re all friends in a Disney park, move on in there and aggressively guard your place in every queue. Or for parade viewing. Or during a character meet-and-greet. ‘S okay! ‘Cause I said so.

Bonus suggestion: You’re going to be hot and sweaty at Walt Disney World during most months of the year. Here’s a great way to save time and money while being incredibly irritating at the same time – forego personal hygiene until you get home! (Oh, and don’t forget #5!)

Disney’s Magic in Norway – Hiking to Pulpit Rock

Posted on July 7, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

The evening before reaching the port of Stavanger, Norway, we received a note in our stateroom:

“Dear Guests,

Thank you for booking the SV05 Hike to Pulpit Rock in Stavanger. As you are aware, this is an ACTIVE Hiking tour and we want to remind you to keep hydrated and please ensure you have all the appropriate outerwear and shoes to participate in this port adventure. Thanks so much and have a great Hike!

Kind Regards, Port Adventures Team / Disney Magic”

Interesting! Our first warning from Disney Cruise Line that we’d booked an ACTIVE tour! We thought it was funny…until…

Disney’s Magic in Norway – Hiking to Pulpit Rock

Remember, I tried to book interesting, action-packed port adventures. After being criticized by my offspring for some “boring” excursions on the 2011 Wonder-in-Alaska cruise, I was NOT booking anything remotely mild. To kick things off, I booked a full day’s activity – an 8-hour tour that started with a motor coach ride to a ferry, ferry ride to more motor coach action, and finally, a 4-5 hour hike up to the world famous Pulpit Rock (and back down again). This hike was not for wimps! The stateroom warning card was proof!!! It was not a cheap undertaking, this port adventure, but if I booked through Disney Cruise Line, I knew I was paying for peace of mind – if we returned later than the all-aboard time, the ship would not leave without us!

If I remember correctly, we were to meet sometime around 8:15 am in Fathoms. We got up early, bundled in layers and hiking shoes, and hit the Cabana’s Buffet for breakfast. We were really excited and ready to go on time. Once the ship had been cleared for all-ashore, we headed out with the other members of our tour group to meet our guide, Paul. Paul was kind, easy going, and very welcoming as he ushered us along the pier to our very comfortable motor coach. We’d packed the new backpack we’d received as a Castaway Club gift with trail mix, nuts, granola bars, and water. We’d actually brought the snacks with us from home, having read that we’d have a long day ahead of us and would want the extra food.

By 10:00 am, we’d reached the starting point for our hike. In the parking lot, Paul distributed our box lunches (included with the excursion and he took this responsibility very seriously) – these were large-ish Styrofoam containers holding an unwrapped sandwich, apple, candy bar, and bottle of water. There was absolutely no way we could carry these with us, so we left them in our seats on the bus – hoping they’d keep until we returned. At around 10:15, we started the hike to Pulpit Rock – it was around 52-degrees out and overcast.

Paul was very clear with his pre-adventure warning – it would take us the same amount of time to reach Pulpit Rock as it would to hike back down. The goal was to reach the plateau by noon (or so) and begin the trip back down by 12:40 pm at the latest. No pressure! Personally, I was feeling ultra confident at this point – my family is in excellent shape! We would have absolutely no problem making the hike in the allotted time period – Paul would need to worry about those other families, not mine! THEN we started the hike – walking up a wide, gravel path…and it felt like we were walking straight up! (See elevation map a the top of the page.)

I was out of breath immediately. Surely this was due to the fact that I was carrying the full backpack, right? Or maybe it was the altitude in Norway (Louisiana is extremely flat and mostly at sea level). Raymond took a turn carrying the snacks. Megan and I were walking together and, for a short time, we could see Raymond and Joseph ahead of us. They were getting farther and farther away, then we lost them completely.

After the gravel path ended, the real work began. We were on an extremely rocky, sometimes very narrow upward path. The rocks were of an amazing variety of shapes, sizes and texture. Some were slippery where water ran in streams between the stones. It was like climbing up an endless flight of stairs – where each individual stair was of a different height and angle. The only way to take in our surroundings was to stop completely for a look around – otherwise, all we did was watch our feet to make sure we stepped carefully! Every time we stopped, the view took our breath away…or maybe it was the climb. No matter, we were working hard and had amazing things to see.

Occasionally, we’d get a break in a valley with a wooden walkway or on a flat plateau, but ever mindful of the time constraint, we pushed onward and upward. We couldn’t help but notice when the path became extremely narrow along the edge of a cliff – one wrong step and…

After an hour and a half, we were nearing Pulpit Rock – Megan and I were feeling a great sense of accomplishment. Coming so close to the edge of disaster over and over completely desensitized us…when we reached the incredible Pulpit Rock, we were able to walk right up to the edge and have a seat! Unfazed by the danger of falling, we were euphoric! We’d made it and the final destination was worth every bit of the effort it had taken to get there!

Sure, we were happy, but also really thirsty and starving! It was time to find Raymond and Joseph and, more importantly, the backpack. We had about 50 minutes to relax and enjoy the views before we had to head back down.

Now, logic would dictate that going up would be harder than going down – not so in Norway! The trip back down to the bus was, to me, more difficult than the climb. The rocks were slippery and I fell onto my bottom more than once. I counted myself lucky – I was well-padded and didn’t suffer anything worse than a little hurt pride. By the time I reached the busses, the rest of my family had been waiting a little while. All of us were happy with our first day in Norway. (Some of us might have been a bit sore the next day.)

We made the reverse trip to the port – back on the bus, the ferry, and the bus again before bidding Paul goodbye. The next day would bring a new and completely different adventure – Sea Kayaking in Alesund, Norway.

Thanks for following along! Watch this adventure’s YouTube video here.

Links to the other parts of this trip report:

Disney’s Magic in Norway – At Sea Day

Posted on July 6, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

The first full day of our cruise would be spent at sea – between Copenhagen, Denmark and our first port in Norway (Stavanger). This might sound a bit disappointing since logically, after sailing away, you’d think we’d be ready to see and explore more exciting locations. This day at sea could not have been more welcome – or FUN!

Disney’s Magic in Norway – At Sea Day

When the day began, we only had two solid plans on our family agenda: Private Mixology with some friends from the cruise’s Facebook group and Formal Night. On days like this, it goes without saying that Raymond and I, early risers, will do our best not to disturb Megan and Joseph on our way out the door. Up until our Mixology session, we were all free to do whatever we liked. Raymond and I chose to hit the buffet in Cabana’s for breakfast and see who we could find out and about before attending the reception for Gold and Platinum Castaway Club Members. We happened to run into Captain America! Let me just say that he’s exactly as he appears in the movies! He was very hero-esque and incredibly tall. This would be our first cruise as Gold level members and we had no idea what to expect at the reception. We were very glad we checked it out!

If I heard correctly, there were over 600 Gold and Platinum Castaway Club members on this particular cruise. This would explain why the reception was being held in both Fathoms and O’Gill’s at the same time. We arrived promptly at 10:30 and were greeted with a cocktail and invited to take a seat. We found a table for two to the right of the stage and a cast member offered us a shrimp cocktail…yes, please! The guests in O’Gill’s that could not see the stage would watch the presentation via television. Commodore Tom Forberg and (I am embarrassed to say I cannot remember his name) the Chief Operating Officer of Disney Cruise Line were the featured presenters at this gathering and they were GREAT! This presentation made us huge fans of the Commodore and we were so glad we attended the reception! Special events like these are part of the reason so many people keep sailing with Disney Cruise Line over and over again. Captain Mickey was even available post-reception for a photo.

There’s a small gift shop in this section of the ship that always has unique, destination-specific items – different than what can be found in the main shops. We ducked in and found a cap for Joseph and ear-warmers for Megan that were both made in Norway. (You’ll see Megan and Joseph wearing these in many of our photos.)

Remembering the very strict warning we gave Megan and Joseph about NOT attending the Mixology lesson on an empty stomach, we decided on Lumiere’s for lunch. We weren’t particularly hungry, but we knew there would be fantastic light options on the menu. I was hoping to find my favorite appetizer of all Disney Cruise Line offerings – the Chilled Mango Soup. We rarely get to enjoy a quiet, relatively kid-free meal in Lumiere’s, so it’s become a habit to try to enjoy lunch there if we can. The service is always excellent, as is the food! YES – the soup was on the menu! Raymond ordered a salad and the halibut main course, I ordered the Chilled Mango Soup and a Lemon Chicken Salad that sounded light and refreshing. We took our time and enjoyed the beautiful atmosphere. Soon it would be time to meet in Keys. As it turned out, we ran into Megan and Joseph while we were walking around after lunch, so we headed to Keys together where we would learn all about the art of mixing cocktails. Megan mentioned that she’d found out that the Marvel characters were on board and she was determined to get pictures with them – checking her Navigator app, she was busy making plans. We told her that’d we’d seen the Cap and he did not disappoint.

Linda Walker, a very kind Facebook group member from Great Britain, was nice enough to organize and book the private group session and greeted each group with a gift (a book on cocktails) as we entered Keys. I’d been particularly excited to meet Linda at the initial Facebook group gathering the day before since she’s a very loyal listener to The Disney Exchange Podcast – I knew her from social media but hadn’t met her face-to-face until this cruise.

We found a table by the window and prepared to learn all about cocktails. Admittedly, we generally drink beer or wine, so we didn’t know much about mixology, but were eager to learn. Our instructor, Fletcher, was engaging, knowledgeable, and very entertaining! Just a weird happenstance – we discovered that none of us (in our family) like Mojitos…not even a little bit. But, we did enjoy the rest of the cocktails we blended and sampled.

Once the class was over, Megan, Joseph and I stayed to visit more with Linda. Raymond said he was going to the cabin, but he was actually going to play a joke on Megan! I’ll tell you about it in a minute.

Realizing how late it was getting and that we’d all have to get ready for formal night, we reluctantly headed to our stateroom. We had time to relax and watch some Mickey Mouse cartoons on TV for a few minutes before we put on our formalwear and headed to the Captain’s Reception. Dinner would be in Carioca’s – my least favorite choice for Formal Night, but the menu would make up for that. You’ll see in the pictures that many guests did not dress up – we know that’s going to be the case, but we still go all out. (If you’re curious why we always dress up for formal night, I explain in this post.) Dinner was delicious, but the dinner conversation was hilarious. With impeccable timing, Raymond asks Megan when she was planning to squeeze in a Marvel character meet-and-greet. She excitedly shares her plans and mentions which characters will be appearing at different times…that’s when Raymond mentions what he did earlier that afternoon after the Mixology session was over…and shows Megan the pictures he has on his phone. Oh, the look on Megan’s face was priceless!!! After dinner, we were off to the theater for Twice Charmed. We’d seen this show before, but it’s entertaining and lots of fun. Knowing we had a big day the next day, starting early in the morning, we didn’t stay up too late. Tomorrow we’d have our first BIG adventure in Stavanger, Norway and we could not WAIT!