Tag Archives: Disney World Travel Tips

Memory Maker – Nailed It!

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Finally!  After several tries (other reviews here and here), we figured out how to best utilize Memory Maker.  The results of our group effort on our last Disney World vacation were our best yet!  We came home with a huge number of pictures and the vast majority of them were great.img_0679

Memory Maker – Nailed It!

I believe it was the combination of learning from prior mistakes, Disney photographer improvement, and teamwork that resulted in our success.  We came home with well over 150 good photos (many of them excellent).

I’ve summarized our tips for best results…

Have a plan – As a group of seven, we wanted to get lots of pictures without wasting precious vacation time.  Teamwork helped!  We worked together to find photo ops with short lines that would result in pictures that were both fun and quintessentially Disney.img_0676

Maximize character meet & greet opportunities – Schedule at least one character meet up with a FastPass, if possible.  We highly recommend the Character Spot in Epcot.  You won’t know which characters will be there, but no matter what (or who), there will be excellent photo ops.  Throughout your vacation, watch for characters and get in line if the wait will be fairly short.  Don’t forget about the Star Wars Launch Bay in Disney’s Hollywood Studios for pictures with Chewbacca and Kylo Ren.img_0674

Link Magic Bands, then ask for help – It may look like you’re all linked correctly in My Disney Experience, but we found that not to be the case.  Megan and I were the ones who had our Magic Bands scanned by the photographers most of the time and several of her band’s pictures were missing from my photos.  We took advantage of a Photo Pass kiosk to get help while we were at Disney World, then I still had to call for more help after we got home.  This is inconvenient, but worth the effort! (The Cast Member who helped is at the kiosk admitted that this is a well-known, common problem.)img_0667

Learn where and when ride photos will be taken – If you’re experiencing an attraction for the first time, it’s hard to know where pics will be snapped.  Ask a Cast Member before you board or check out the pictures from your first ride and use subsequent rides to strike a pose, smile and wave, or be clever in your own way.img_0668img_0675

Stop early and often – Just say YES when you see a photographer with a short or no line, no matter where they are.  Early in the day when you’re still fresh and looking good is a great time to stop for just a few seconds.  Photographers will be in lots of places other than in front of each park’s icon, so keep an eye out.  Some of our favorite pictures from this trip were taken just as we were exiting Kilimanjaro Safaris.img_0671

Ask about Magic Shots – Photographers won’t always tell you when they can add a little extra magic to your pictures and it never hurts to ask.  Maybe it’s our imagination, but the abundance of Magic Shots seems to be ever increasing.  Personally, I loved meeting Sebastian in Fantasyland this time.img_0673img_0669

img_0677Ham it up!  Have fun, be silly, let your inner child out to play.  You’re at Walt Disney World!  Don’t ruin family photos by being the stuffy one who is merely suffering through.  There’s no better place to have a great time – be sure to let it show!  Maybe you wouldn’t want your work friends back home to see you acting foolish with a Disney princess, I get that, but your family will cherish the memories and will love looking back through pictures even more if you relax and embrace the unique type of fun a Disney vacation offers.  If you’re anti-Disney, I can’t help you, but you could at least try not to ruin pictures with your crabbiness.img_0672img_0680

Overall, we’ve seen a big improvement in the quality of pictures taken by Disney photographers.  They snap more candid shots than they used to and have gotten really good at lining a group up and taking several clever shots quickly.  If you’re on the fence about investing in Memory Maker, hopefully these tips will help you decide. Oh, and the videos that are included with rides like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Tower of Terror are wonderful!

Have you had success with Memory Maker?  Where were your favorite pictures taken?

Things People Do at Disney World That Bug Me.

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I’m not normally a very detail-oriented person.  I don’t usually take much notice of stuff going on around me. Thanks to having had Megan and Joseph to raise, I can shut out just about anything when I need to (love you guys!). So, when I’m on vacation, it takes a lot to break into my consciousness and become noticed. I’m focusing so much on having fun and checking out Disney magic, looking for Hidden Mickeys, listening to background music, etc. I people-watch in the most casual way and rarely notice negatives about strangers. I consider this a good thing! Walt Disney World offers some of the best people-watching to be found anywhere. However, if you want to bug me at Disney World, there are a few sure-fire ways to make it onto my radar!

Things People Do at Disney World That Bug Me.Walt Disney World Summer Crowd

  1. Ignore Your Kids – I’m not talking about the run-of-the-mill ignoring bad behavior or whining, I’m talking about refusing to interact with you kids when they’re being good, are excited by the wonders of Disney World, and want to share it with you in the only way they can – by making excited exclamations and asking questions. Pay attention! They’re only young once! Put that cell phone, camera or tablet away connect with your offspring! While you’re doing that, please keep them from touching me (see #4).Tomorrowland-Crowds
  2. Completely Disregard Every Other Guest – You are not alone. We are all at Walt Disney World to have fun and yes, we all paid the price of admission, same as you. You alone have not earned the right to litter, walk, sit, or stand right in the middle of crowded locations, jump to the front of the line, or generally disrupt others with your drama, cheers, chants, or domestic disputes.  If you don’t play well with others, Disney World is not the ideal vacation destination for you.RM-Photographer-DHS
  3. Take Out a Cast Member – There’s a right way to complain about a problem. If you’ve had bad service, have been short-changed, overcharged, or been the victim of unusually bad circumstances, you should complain…the right way. What you should not do is lose your temper and vent your spleen on a Cast Member who neither caused your distress nor can do nothing to fix the situation. To lodge a legitimate complaint, see this. Otherwise, remember you chose to vacation with thousands upon thousands of other people and manage your anger!  You only end up making yourself a horrible spectacle to those around you.RM-Festival-Of-Fantasy-Mime-From-Tangled
  4. Enter My Space – I have a small personal bubble. If I know you and I like you, I’m comfortable with you standing close enough beside me for our arms to actually touch. But, when a large tank-top-wearing sweaty guy presses his hairy arm against me, I’m bugged. A lot. Or when a kid behind me in line touches the back of me in any way, I’m irritated. Why can’t this kids parents keep him from touching my butt? I don’t think allowing me to have, and remain alone in, my little area should be that big of a deal.RM-Mizner's-Lounge
  5. Smack When You Chew – I’m certain I have Misophonia (a.k.a. selective sound sensitivity syndrome). I didn’t know it was even a thing until recently, but I do know that for my entire life, certain sounds drive me absolutely crazy. Smacking your food, popping a gum-bubble with every chew, slurping a beverage…are you familiar with how irritating this can be? Are you a fellow Misophonia sufferer? I can almost not even be in the same room with a person consuming a bowl of cereal. I know it’s me, not you, but that doesn’t make me less creeped out by those sounds you’re making.

How about YOU?  What do people do that bugs you on a Disney vacation?

 

At Disney World? Take Five! Best Places to Relax

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Sometimes, in spite of our best plans and intentions, we want to go, go, go! to see and do all there is at Walt Disney World, but reality kicks in. Be it in the form of a run-of-the-mill meltdown, overheating, overeating, too little sleep, sore feet – the list is long – something interferes with our momentum. ‘S Okay though! Disney World knows and Disney World understands! We need options! No matter the situation – you can cool off, calm down, take a load off, or nap!

At Disney World? Take Five! Best Places to Relax

In the Parks…RM-Hall-of-Presidents

Hall of Presidents – While I love this attraction, I get that it is definitely thrill-less. Let Morgan Freeman’s narration lull you into a state of relaxation. Little ones (and you) can easily nap during this nearly 23-minute show in Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square. The seats are comfy!RM-Ellen-and-Bill-Nye

Ellen’s Energy Adventure – Rumor has it that this outdated and underappreciated attraction is on the chopping block in the near future, so take advantage while you can of this glorious 40-minutes of air-conditioned prime napping opportunity! I’m not kidding – yours truly has snoozed (often involuntarily) on every visit. Once Ellen’s gone, we’ll have to take 5 at Epcot in the France Pavilion’s movie theater and chill during Impressions de France for 18 minutes of calming music and scenery.RM-Voyage-of-the-Little-Mermaid

Voyage of the Little Mermaid – This 17-minute show in Disney’s Hollywood Studios seems a lot longer when you’re in the theater. It’s wonderfully dark and cool, the story’s familiar and without anything unexpected. Tired feet, full belly, cranky offspring – no matter the ailment, Ariel and her adventures are soothing.

Finding Nemo The Musical – A whopping 40-minutes long, this attraction in Disney’s Animal Kingdom provides a wonderful opportunity to escape from what is arguably Disney’s hottest park. While this show does revisit Nemo’s familiar story, it does so in a unique way, by adding musical numbers. Details here. I’ve not been a huge fan, but certainly appreciate the prime rest and relaxation opportunity afforded in this little oasis set between Asia and Dinoland U.S.A.

Outside the Parks…Disney-Friendship-Boat

Take the Boat!  If transportation from points A to B by water is an option, choose it! Go from Magic Kingdom to Wilderness Lodge, grab the boat from Disney’s Hollywood Studios to the Epcot area, set sail from Disney Springs to and from the Port Orleans resorts…doesn’t matter where you’re going, a boat-ride is the ultimate in relaxation!  Personally, I’ll hop aboard the Liberty Belle in Magic Kingdom just for the scenery and to escape from the crowds.

Now it’s your turn! What is your most favorite place to take 5 at Walt Disney World?

 

 

Disney Dining – 50’s Prime Time Café

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50's-Prime-Time-Cafe-MenuLet’s be honest – Disney’s Hollywood Studios is our least favorite park restaurant-wise.  The counter service options leave a lot to be desired and table service dining is generally underwhelming.  A couple of exceptions being the Hollywood Brown Derby’s patio dining and 50’s Prime Time Café.  One is perfect for some delish snacks or light meal and a glass of wine, the other is great for some classic American comfort food in an awesome mid-century setting.

Raymond and I recently enjoyed lunch at the 50’s Prime Time Café (we hadn’t been there in years) and were tickled by the kitschy décor, the 1950’s TV show clips, the funky service, and the home-cooked-meal menu.  For one table-service credit on the Disney Dining Plan, Prime Time’s a great choice for families and those of us old enough to appreciate the nostalgia.

Disney Dining – 50’s Prime Time Café50's-Prime-Time-Cafe-Christmas-Tree

We arrived a few minutes before our reservation, checked in at the podium and were free to roam around the waiting area.  Because it was the week between Christmas and New Year, the crowds were extreme and finding a place to sit was impossible.  Raymond found a quiet corner to stand in and I wondered around taking in the adorable seasonal decorations and homey atmosphere.  We didn’t wait long before we were called to be seated.50's-Prime-Time-Cafe-Wall-Decorations

If you haven’t heard about 50’s Prime Time Café, it is one of the unique Disney restaurants that creates a total immersion experience.  You are propelled back into a typical home in the 1950’s – complete with a grown-up (your server) making sure you mind your manners, eat your veggies, and have a good time.  50's-Prime-Time-Cafe-WaitressI couldn’t stop looking around!  I kept spotting things I grew up with either in our house or at an aunt’s, uncles, or grandparents’.  On my previous visit, I did not take the time to appreciate the carefully curated artifacts!50's-Prime-Time-Decor

The menu mainly consists of plain old American fare – popular dishes once the mainstay of those long-ago dinners where the entire family gathered around the dinner table together and talked to each other.  Back in the days when kids were called in from playing outdoors to wash up and dinner hit the table promptly at 6:00 pm.  No smart phones or cable TV…just hearty food prepared without benefit of a microwave oven.  Hard to imagine isn’t it?50's-Prime-Time-Dining-Room

Raymond and I decided to share an appetizer and entrée so we’d have more room for the dinner reservation we had that evening.  We chose the “Fried Herb and Garlic Cheese served with Raspberry Sauce, Grapes, and Apples” for $8.99 and “A Sampling of Mom’s Favorite Recipes -Golden-fried Chicken, Fork Tender Pot Roast, and Traditional Meatloaf with all the fixings” for $21.99.  50's-Prime-Time-Fried-CheeseThe appetizer was just okay…we ate it, but probably wouldn’t order it again.  I’m guessing it was the raspberry sauce which struck me as very artificial tasting.  The entrée was excellent!  50's-Prime-Time-EntreeThis place knows how to make fried chicken, pot roast, and meatloaf!  They all tasted exactly the way we wanted them to.  The veggies were great too (and I got all the green beans!)!

We think 50’s Prime Time Café is a great place for a hearty meal.  If you have meat-and-potatoes fans in your family, they’re sure to find something enjoyable on the menu and if you grew up in or just after the 1950’s, you’ll feel right at home.  It’s a fun time-travel experience for everyone!

What’s your pick for best table service restaurant at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?  Have you eaten at 50’s Prime Time Café?  What did you think?