Tag Archives: Walt Disney World

Shortest, Strangest Visit to Walt Disney World

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Epcot-StatueWith just a couple of weeks to go and a whole lot to accomplish between now and then, I can already tell you that we’re about to make our shortest, strangest visit to Walt Disney World.  I almost can’t imagine how different it will be from all our other Disney vacations.  I’m beyond thrilled to finally get to combine two of my favorite things, running and Disney, but I’m murky on some of the details – for an obsessive planner like me, this is making me nervous.

I’ve been pouring over information about what to expect for my first runDisney events and, after exhaustive research, still feel like I’ll have to experience it to understand how it all works – I’m certain the 5k and Glass Slipper Challenge will be amazing experiences (even if I don’t dress like a princess).  I am a little concerned by how early I’ll have to go to bed to be up and ready to catch a bus to the race site each morning – I’ve never been a person who can get by on little sleep.  I tend to completely run down my battery everyday (surprised?) and need an 8-hour recharge to function!  I don’t want Raymond’s mini-vacation completely ruined by my race schedule – though he is and has always been my biggest fan for every event I’ve ever raced (and there have been dozens).  I know he’ll be there for me, same as always, but I want him to have a great time, too.RM-Running-Clothes

Here’s what’s the most difficult for me – I have no idea realistically what time I’ll be finished running, back to Bay Lake Tower, cleaned up and ready to do some Disney activities.  We have booked fastpasses each day and also at least one ADR (Advance Dining Reservation).  I know I’m supposed to try to rest my legs and feet as much as possible, so we wont be touring each park in our usually manner.  I’m counting on the fact that I’ve been a runner for 17+ years – hoping my legs will just do their thing without much complaining.  5k, 10k, half-marathon = 22.4 miles, spread out over three days.  Plus, I’m not concerned with race times, that’s the one big lesson I’ve learned in all my research – I’ll be concerned with having fun!

So, as I’ve done in the past, here are our plans for each day – see if you’d change anything and let me know if this all sounds do-able to you.

RM-7DMT-Train2Thursday (arrival day) – Magic Kingdom in the afternoon, FastPasses for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Space Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  Catching the monorail to the Polynesian Village Resort for dinner at Kona Café (first time for us!).

Friday (Princess 5k) – Epcot in the afternoon, FPs for Spaceship Earth, The Seas wit Nemo & Friends, and Soarin’.  Dinner at Le Cellier.  (See how I’m trying to minimize walking so far?)

Saturday (Enchanted 10k – I like that name, makes it sound easy!) – After Raymond and I had that fantastic experience with the massage for two at Senses back in October, he suggested I book another massage between the 10k and half-marathon to help reduce any pain and muscle tension.  Naturally, he volunteered to come with me and keep me company.  So we have an appointment in the early afternoon for another massage forRM-Grand-Floridian-Senses-Sign two and this time, we’re adding the reflexology session (hands and feet).  Then we plan to hit Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  We’ve got FPs for Tower of Terror, Star Tours, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.  Dinner at the Swan’s Il Mulino, which is another first for us.  I’ll need carbs, it’s Italian, we’ve been wanting to try it – this is working out well!

Sunday (Princess Half Marathon) – I’m pretty sure I’ll be starving after 13.1 miles, so we’ve booked an ADR at Yak & Yeti in Animal Kingdom to try the table service for lunch.  Since Animal Kingdom is so huge and requires a lot of walking, I thought it best to save it until after I was finished running all the events.  We’ve got FPs for Kilimanjaro Safari, Expedition Everest, and Dinosaur.  Our final dinner ADR is at the Yacht Club’s Yachtsman Steakhouse.  I want to compare it to our Le Cellier dinner and see which one we like best.  We’ve been to Le Cellier many times, but Yachtsman will be another first for this trip.

That’s it!  Does it sound doable?  Am I crazy?  Our dinner ADRs are all really early (around 6 pm each day) – I’m hoping to be asleep by 8-ish each evening.  What pitfalls exist in my plan?

 

 

Faux Flora at Walt Disney World

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RM-Swiss-Family-Robinson-TreeSome of the best magic at Walt Disney World is achieved with the careful cultivation and placement of thousands (and thousands!) of trees, shrubs, bushes, flowers, and topiaries.  I’ve heard staggering statistics on the army of gardeners and horticulturalists it takes to keep the World looking so beautiful.  Sometimes, Disney park designers and Imagineers come up with incredibly imaginative uses for trees and, out of necessity, those trees must be fake!  That’s what I want to talk about today.  Fake Trees – aka Faux Flora!  There are bunches of fake animals at Disney World, too, but I’ll save the faux fauna discussion for another day.

This is not an all-inclusive list of every artificial plant in every Disney park – I just want to talk about a few of my favorites ones.  Ready?RM-Swiss-Family-Robinson-SignRM-Swiss-Family-Robinson-Treehouse

Swiss Family Robinson Tree – This Adventureland marvel in Magic Kingdom gets overlooked a lot.  Probably because it is low-tech and, well, a bit boring.  The TREE though has been standing there since the park opened in 1971 looking pretty awesome!  Next time you pass by, at least check out the details of the artificial tree, even if you don’t want to climb the 116 steps to see how the Family Robinson lived.RM-Palm-Tree-Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland Palm Trees – They’re sharp-looking and don’t try to be something they’re not.  Perfect for Tomorrowland’s futuristic feel, these were steampunk before that was even a thing.RM-Tree-of-Life1

The Tree of Life – 50 feet wide and 145 feet tall, it’s more a work of art than just a fake tree.  This completely artificial plant plays an important role as the icon for Animal Kingdom.  Built using an oil rig for stable frame, this Animal Kingdom icon boasts over 300 animal carvings, 7891 end branches and more than 102,000 artificial leaves in 5 shades of green.  The tree’s roots shelter the theater for It’s Tough to be a Bug.  If I’m on vacation, I can often be found studying the minute details of the different animal carvings.RM-Baobab-Tree

Boabab Trees – You know these trees – they’re the upside-down-looking ones on Kilimanjaro Safari.  Admit it – the safari just wouldn’t be the same without them!THE DiVine at Animal Kingdom

DiVine – She gets a lot of flack.  I hear people dis this living but artificial figure in Animal Kingdom all the time.  I think she’s cool!  If you don’t know what I’m talking about – check out my DiVine-specific article here.  I haven’t seen her in a while, but make a point to look for her on every visit along the path between Asia and Africa.

Know about any faux flora I’ve left off my list?  What fake trees are your favorite at Disney World?

Disney World Things That Make Kids Cry

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TomorrowlandIn all the visits I’ve made to the four parks at Walt Disney World, there are a few attractions (rides and shows) that stand out to me as holding a special sort of power – the power to make kids cry!  Sure – we know that meeting characters can cause a fright, but I’m talking about seemingly kid-friendly stuff.  Check out my list and then comment with your own experiences and observations – this topic will certainly need to be revisited from time to time.  Especially since we’ve got a bunch of new attractions to look forward to with Pandora coming to Animal Kingdom and Start Wars Land in the future for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Disney World Things That Make Kids Cry

Fantasmic – If the wait alone doesn’t do it, some of the elements of the show have a considerable fear factor.  Any time there are villains involved, there’s the potential for unhappiness.  In the case of Fantasmic, I think it’s the mixture of big images projected on water, pyrotechnics, and live characters – lights, sound, and a lot of action!  After waiting for the show to start, I imagine some little ones are terribly disappointed – doesn’t help that it’s also probably past their bedtime.DungBrothers

It’s Tough to be a Bug – This one seems like it will be so much fun!  Beneath Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life where it’s cool and dark and the walls are plastered with fun insect movie posters, the wait for the show is deceiving.  This 3D experience is no Mickey’s PhilharMagic!  Even little ones who are not usually afraid of bugs find this show horrifying.  I’ve seen it enough time that when certain parts are about to happen, I think, “cue the crying!” and sure enough, parents are bee-lining for the door (see what I did there?).  Seriously, if you’re considering this attraction for children under the age of seven, consider letting them sit on your lap.  Trust me.IMG_6712

Dinosaur – Our daughter is 24 and still plugs her hears during this ride’s trip back in time in Animal Kingdom.  The idea that dinosaurs are all around you is scary enough – add jerky, unpredictable motion and loud noises and you’ve got the perfect combination for a major cry-fest.  This is one of those just-because-they’re-tall-enough-doesn’t-mean-they’re-ready attractions.wd015wdw201414779448368

Stitch’s Great Escape – This one made me cry.  Horrible doesn’t begin to describe what I thought of this Tomorrowland attraction in Magic Kingdom.  To say I hated it would be an understatement.  I’m a big fan of Lilo and Stitch, but this ride, formerly the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (1995-2003), uses major seat restraints to keep hapless guests in place while they’re tortured by Stitch’s antics.  This includes some periods of complete and total darkness.  I don’t know if Stitch still burps chili-dog breath in your face (I’ve heard that was gone), but I wanted out of that place so bad – I can only imagine what a 40″ tall (the minimum height requirement) child would go through in there!  This one may look fun, but I say keep walking!

What about YOU?  What attractions do you think should be added to the list?

Disney World – Construction Walls Everywhere

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RM-Animal-Kingdom-Construction-WallsIf you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World in the near future and you’ve been reading blogs, Disney fan sites, or message boards, you’ll have noticed something you may have found alarming – there are construction walls everywhere!  And cranes.  And closures.

It’s true.  I wish I could tell you the place looks picture perfect and is as bright, beautiful, and photogenic as seen on TV, but I’d be lying.  The Magic Kingdom’s hub is undergoing a major expansion which involves the use of construction walls seemingly everywhere.  Same goes for Animal Kingdom – major changes in progress.  Downtown Disney’s transformation into Disney Springs will be wonderful – when it’s finished…right now? Not so much.  As welcome and exciting as these changes are, they also result in vast seas of construction walls.  Things are going to really get shaken up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios when the addition of Star Wars Land gets underway.  If rumors are to be believed, Echo Lake, Dino Gertie, and Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner are all doomed.  Cue the walls!RM-Construction-Walls

Should this worry you?  Should you quickly cancel your plans and wait it out?  My advice would be absolutely not!  If you plan to vacation at Walt Disney World anytime during the next two to three years (or longer), you may not be seeing the parks at their picture-perfect best, but you’ll be visiting during an important time of major transformation!  And, there will still be an enormous number of attractions, shows, shops, restaurants, and resorts for you to enjoy.  You will also find plenty of places, construction-wall-free, to capture great vacation photographs.

In case you insist on being worried and you find you’ll be at Disney World in the near future, I’ve compiled a list of tips to help you cope with the current state of upheaval.

IMG_08921. Be Prepared!  What’s that saying, “forewarned is forearmed”?  That’s the purpose of this post!  If you know you’ll find things a bit unsettled, it’ll make it easier to accept.  Resign yourself to the fact that things don’t look like they do in the Disney vacation planning DVD or the commercials or travel shows you may have seen on TV.  It’s okay – looks aren’t everything.  It’s what’s on the inside that counts, right?  Rest assured – the heart of Disney is still beating strong!

2. Focus on What you CAN see and do!  I know I’m making it sound like the situation is dire, but I want you to have realistic expectations.  You’ll still find plenty of places virtually construction and closure-free!  For example:  Except for the attraction-formerly-known-as-Maelstrom in the Norway pavilion, Epcot’s World Showcase is not currently undergoing any major construction and is still one of the most gorgeous places at Walt IMG_0894Disney World.

3. Embrace the Walls!  If any company can make construction walls look interesting, it’s Disney.  Signs, sayings, pictures – cute, clever, and funny surprises can be found along the length of those barriers.  Consider turning the walls into one more Disney “thing” to be explored.

4. Get Creative With Your Camera!  Don’t fret over Cinderella Castle if there’s a construction crane in use that will appear in every picture.  This should not ruin your vacation!  There are plenty of other, albeit less famous, beautiful buildings and even other castles you can photograph to your heart’s content.  The Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom may be surrounded by walls, but you can still capture some very memorable and scenic park shots.

Fantasyland5. Secure Those Bragging Rights!  You will be able to say – I visited way back when.  I secured my bragging rights during the Fantasyland expansion  when Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was under construction – I remember what the park was like before, during, and now after the awesome addition to Magic Kingdom was made!  In 2014, I visited Animal Kingdom amid the vast expanse of construction walls – it’s okay!  I was THERE when they were adding the elements for the upcoming nighttime attractions and Pandora addition – and I’ll be excited to visit again both during the construction and when the transformation is complete!

Will you be at Walt Disney World soon?  What do you think about the changes?