Five Ways You Must Not Be at Disney World

Posted on December 5, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

You know I love a good list. Most of the time I’m preaching to the choir when I make lists like this. You’re probably here because you love a Disney vacation as much as I do. Many of you could teach me a thing or two about Disney travel. Just in case you’ve stumbled upon this post today and you’ve not yet enjoyed that first trip to Walt Disney World or if your friends and family accuse you of being a grumpy jerk, this post may be for you.

Five Ways You Must Not Be at Disney World

1. Don’t Be In a Hurry – This one’s my biggest downfall. I was born in a hurry. I want to get from points A to B in as little time as possible. Always. Allowing yourself to be rushed is a big problem at Walt Disney World. Crowds will not part for you, lines will not shorten, and running after rope-drop has been banned. There are actually Cast Members in Magic Kingdom who escort the first park guests to rides and attractions after park opening. There is no walking quickly as these Cast Members, by their own admission, specialize in “mosey”. If you’re using Disney transportation, busses seemingly go slower if you’re trying to get somewhere quickly. Over-planning is the biggest cause of this first item on today’s list. Underestimating how long it takes to get somewhere is also common. Attempting to squeeze just one more ride into the plan often results in being tardy for an important event – I’m guilty!

2. Don’t Be Unprepared – We all need to make like a good Boy Scout and be prepared for the Florida sun and heat, sudden rain showers, hunger and thirst, and coping with allergies. But we also need to be prepared for unanticipated vacation-happiness-killers like high prices, long waits, major crowds, closed or broken rides, and changes in plans. Flexibility is a virtue anytime, but on a Disney vacation, it’s an invaluable skill! One last thought before I move on – ALL kinds of people vacation at Walt Disney World, including not-so-nice and dishonest ones. There’s no magic bubble of protectiveness around your stuff. Do not leave valuables unattended in a stroller and watch your bags, backpacks, and purses. Being the victim of a crime will never be a fun or happy vacation memory. Oh, and use that in-room safe at your resort when leaving anything important behind in your room.

3. Don’t Be Uncomfortable – There might not be a way to avoid being at least a little uncomfortable some of the time, but there are things you can do before and during your trip that will make a huge difference! Low hanging fruit here: Wear sunscreen, comfortable clothing and shoes, bring pain-relievers and snacks, and drink plenty of water. Food for thought – if you are not used to walking long distances, you might consider using the weeks/months leading up to your vacation to get ready for the major amount of walking required to see and do all the great activities Walt Disney World has to offer. In October, we took it easy during our Disney vacation and still averaged over 8 miles of walking each day. I’ll confess I wore really cute sandals on our first day there. I’ve always subscribed to the old adage “it’s far better to look good than feel good”. Well, I’m an idiot. Don’t do as I do, do as I say. Please – protect your feet with sensible and comfortable shoes!

4. Don’t Be Distracted – Sounds silly to mention this one, doesn’t it? There are a million awesome sights and sounds in the World! Distractions are part of the fun, right? I’m actually talking about being so distracted by your cell phone that you miss the amazing Disney details. So distracted working out the logistics of making that next FastPass on time that you don’t realize your child has wandered off (or is touching the bottom of the person in front of them in line. Repeatedly). The kind of distracted that allows you ram people in the backs of their legs with your stroller. For best Disney vacation results – pay attention to your travel party as well as what’s going on around you.

5. Don’t Be THAT Guy (or THOSE people) – If you insist on doing any of the following, expect to be reviled by your fellow Disney guests:

Hold your iPad up over your head to film parades and shows so the people behind you cannot see.
Use flash photography in dark rides like Pirates of the Caribbean or Spaceship Earth.
Walk three or four side-by-side and block anyone who may need to pass you.
Leave your trash behind on tables at counter service restaurants.
Stop or hang out in the middle of busy, crowded walkways.
Cut in line.
Stand by and pretend not to notice while your children misbehave.
Yell, scream, chant, cheer, or act in any other unnecessarily loud and disruptive manner.
Change your baby’s diaper in any dining area – especially on the table.

If there’s a time to be a friendly, patient, polite, prepared, glass-half-full kind of person, it’s at Walt Disney World. The point of going, after all, is to soak up that Disney magic and have some pure, old-fashioned fun.

Disney World’s Resort Loop Pub Crawl – Mizner’s Lounge

Posted on December 4, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

When we find ourselves with a few minutes to spare before a dinner reservation in the Magic Kingdom resort area, we like to choose a spot along the monorail route to enjoy an adult beverage and relax for a while. Once in a while we hit more than one lounge in a single day, so we call this habit the Resort Loop Pub Crawl (others call it the Monorail Bar Crawl). Recently we found ourselves with a good 30 minutes we could use for just such an endeavor and chose Mizner’s Lounge at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

We decided on Mizner’s for three reasons: Our dinner reservation was at Citricos (also at the Grand Floridian), we’d never been to Mizner’s before, and the awesome Grand Floridian Lobby Society Orchestra (long name, amazing sound) plays literally just outside of Mizner’s doorway. We’d gone back to our room at Bay Lake Tower to clean up after a busy day that started with rope-drop at the Studios and ended with an afternoon in the Magic Kingdom. By the time we boarded the monorail in the Contemporary, we were more than ready to sit down and be still for a few minutes. We arrived to find Mizner’s only about half-full and were able to find a table for two by a window.

Like everything in the Grand Floridian, Mizner’s is open, airy and bright with an upscale, fancy-feeling atmosphere. Seats are available in well-cushioned chairs at the bar and in big, comfortable club chairs at tables situated throughout the lounge’s interior. We were starving, but resisted ordering a snack from Mizner’s very tempting menu to save our empty stomachs for the delights at Citricos (review here). We chose a Cabernet from the impressive (and expensive) beverage menu and settled back to enjoy our glasses of wine and listen to the Orchestra play some of our favorite Disney tunes.

As far as Disney lounges go, Mizner’s was more family friendly than most and had a hushed, subdued crowd. Like us, the other guests appeared to be there for relaxation and quiet conversation. Maybe Mizner’s is livelier later in the evening, but for a place to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail, it was perfect.

What’s your favorite lounge on the resort loop?

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Yak and Yeti

Posted on December 3, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

I’m not a big fan of fast food or counter-service restaurants at home. When I’m not on vacation, I probably don’t eat at a fast food place once a month. I like to cook and I try to avoid fried and processed foods. I like to think we save money by not eating out much. I also figure if we eat well most of the time, we earn the right to splurge a bit (or a lot) when we go to Disney World.

I’m not the person who can tell you where on Disney property to find the best hamburger or pizza. I’ve only eaten one Disney World hamburger (Olivia’s Duval Street Burger at Old Key West and it was spectacular). Anytime I’ve tried pizza, I’ve been remarkably disappointed. Pizza and hamburgers aside, there are some mighty good counter-service eateries to be found at Disney World. You just have to know where they are.

Let’s talk Animal Kingdom. Personally, I’m hoping for the addition of more counter-service choices as the park expands. In October, Raymond and I found ourselves there and in dire need of a late, but not too heavy, lunch. Normally, we’re Flame Tree Barbeque fans, but I’d heard that Yak & Yeti had a quick-service counter serving a variety of Pan-Asian menu items that were both tasty and inexpensive (relatively speaking, of course). We had FastPasses for Expedition Everest, so grabbing a bite in the park’s Asia section was convenient.

As with everything in Animal Kingdom, the Yak & Yeti’s exterior is full of fun and interesting details. Unlike most restaurants at Walt Disney World which are either table service OR counter service, the Yak & Yeti is both. Inside is a sit down restaurant, outside is a quick-service counter.

Because it was so late in the day, we skipped the main menu items and ordered from the “Sides” section. We each ordered the Chicken Fried Rice ($3.99 ea.) and we got an order of two eggrolls ($5.49) to share. To wash it down, we added two Safari Ambers ($7.00 ea.).

Nearby, we found a covered seating area filled with large tables and soon found ourselves sitting with a friendly family from Alabama. It was warm out, but the shade and cold beer helped a lot. Too much food! Can you believe it? I ate only half of the rice and my eggroll and was full. The food was good, the beer refreshing. Not gourmet or fancy, but our meal at Yak & Yeti was satisfying and tasty.

Have you tried the Yak & Yeti? What did you think? For more pictures and full menu information, visit the Yak & Yeti website here.

Disney’s Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post

Posted on December 2, 2014 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

I know I’ve complained occasionally about the whole Frozen-ization of Walt Disney World. Not everything is bad, though, or unnecessary. One new Frozen-themed addition in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is nothing short of brilliant. Of course adding a shop based on Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post from the movie was an obvious and easy choice, but even I have to admit…for something that seemingly came together in a hurry, Oaken’s shop is very well done, the details are adorable, and the selection of Frozen merchandise is very welcome indeed.

Back in May, we could barely find anything Frozen to buy! We chased rumors and ran around from shop to shop in every park where we thought we might score pins or a sweatshirt. Finally, we ended up with two Olaf pins (the only Frozen pins we could find) and an extra-large child’s hoodie for Megan. I was excited to wander into Wandering Oaken’s and will freely admit, I was charmed.

Before you enter the store, the exterior details make you feel as if you are definitely in Norway! The snowy trees and landscape are fun! Inside, Oaken’s is much more than a place to shop! A blue-lit winter wonderland, compete with snowy play area (“Frozen Snowground”), take up a great deal of space at one end of the building. There are plenty of excellent photo ops and a Disney photographer is on hand. As you move from the play area to the store, the lighting changes and you’ll begin to notice more great details. There is plenty of Frozen merchandise here! I may or may not have purchased a few early Christmas gifts while I was there. Mostly, we just wandered around and enjoyed the immersion in those amazing Disney details. The sauna absolutely cracked me up!!! Oaken’s is not far from Toy Story Midway Mania, so if you’re headed over to Pixar Place, don’t miss the opportunity to pop in an take a look around. On a hot day, it’s a great place to cool off!