Tag Archives: WDW

At WDW? No FastPass? Please Stand By!

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Magic Kingdom's Big Thunder Mountain RailroadEven if you’ve mastered all the tricks of the new FastPass+ system, I’ll bet there will come a day when you will want to experience a ride or attraction and will need to use the standby line.  I know!  That’s the way it used to be all the time!  I think some of us have been so spoiled by the entire FastPass convenience, we’ve come to believe that a 20 minute wait is practically torture – a vacation-ruining waste of time!  I, for one, don’t fall into that category.  I’m so much more patient and tolerant of waiting when I’m in the Disney Bubble – sometimes, I’m willing to step into line for one of my favorite attractions even if the posted wait is 45 minutes!

Luckily for all of us, those geniuses of Disney Imagineering have come a long way with theEntrance for Toy Story Midway Mania entertainment value of the standby line.  Once just a holding pen with little to see or do as you and your party snaked around and around chain barriers and handrails like cattle, the introduction of a well designed standby line has changed overall ride experiences exponentially.

Today I want to highlight three examples of what I consider excellence in queue creativity.  I chose these three attractions based on their ability to provide samples of the following categories –

  • Existing ride successfully refurbished to provide a vastly better standby experience
  • Brand new ride with a wildly entertaining standby line
  • Not-so-new ride with an original, well-themed queue

Existing Ride:

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – Refurbished in 2012 to add a new interactive queue:  I just got to experience this highly touted standby experience myself in May and I thought it was absolutely wonderful!  So wonderful, in fact, the line moved too fast for me to fully enjoy all the cool features and activities.  I’ll share a few pictures, but you’ve just got to experience it for yourself.  Seriously – if the wait is 30 minutes, you’ll have a ball!Interactive Queue for Big Thunder Mountain RailroadInteractive elements for Big Thunder Mountain Queue

Brand New Ride:

Ariel in Fantasyland / Magic KingdomUnder the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid – New Fantasyland attraction, Opened December, 2012.  From the craggy rocks along the “shore” to the seashells, starfish, and many other tiny details on the outside of the Little Mermaid queue to the really awesome treasures and cute blue crabs that move in and out of different scenes.  Again, this ride moved too fast for me to catch all the interesting things to see and do!  Since the Clammobiles are continuously loading, this line moves fast.  Do not waste a FastPass on this one!Outside Queue / Under the SeaTreasures in the Queue for Under the Sea

Not-so-New with Originally GREAT queue: 

You know what I’m going to pick, don’t you?  Expedition Everest!  We were lucky enough to be at Expedition EverestAnimal Kingdom during this ride’s soft-opening back in the Spring of 2006.  So, EE’s 8 years old now and still boasts one of the (if not THE) most amazing, clever, spectacularly detailed queues in the World!!!  We fell in love at first wait and still try to use the standby line at the Forbidden Mountain whenever time allows.  To me, Expedition Everest set the bar for every new attraction that followed.  This is Disney Imagineering at its finest.

Okay, it’s your turn – which ride would you nominate in each category?Expedition Everest Queue Yeti MuseumExpedition Everest Train Platform Gear   

 

WDW in October – What we Plan

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Epcot in SummerJust 52 days from now, Raymond and I will be off on our dream vacation – solo, alone, sans kids, as a couple – and pretty stoked about it (in case you were wondering).  Yes, indeed, we’re celebrating quite a few things at our house this year – Raymond and I both have milestone birthdays, our 25th wedding anniversary is this fall, and, after the first year, we’ve adapted (admirably, in my opinion) to our empty-nested-ness.  Time for a well deserved sort of second honeymoon!

Trying not to break my own Walt Disney World vacation planning rules, we’ve tried to strike the perfect balance between over- and under-planning.  Usually, when we hit the World as a Epcot's World Showcasefamily, we rope-drop, park-hop and squeeze as many rides, attractions, and experiences into each day as possible.  I’ve always been a little envious of those travelers who have the luxury of not planning blocks of time between parks and FastPass+ appointments.  I’ve wanted to try being one of these UN-planners and now is my opportunity!  I’ve also asked a bunch of you guys out there on social media and really tried to take your excellent advice to heart (see Safari Mike’s Food & Wine Festival tips here).  On 3 of our 7 nights there, we have no ADRs – this is unprecedented UN-planning!

DVC Resort Bay Lake Tower / Walt Disney WorldI’ve divided our plans into three categories –

  1.  Must Do – Includes special events we’ve pre-paid for and some plans we’re super excited about – all are things we have never experienced before,
  2. It’s on the Agenda – the things we’d love to fit in if at all possible, and
  3. If We Get to It – the rest of our plans that we hope we get to, but we will be okay if we have to pass.

Let’s get on with the plans…

Must Do –

  • Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – We’ve heard so many positive reviews and comments about this seasonal bash, we can’t pass up the chance to see what all the Epcot's France Pavilion / Monsieur Paulhubbub’s about.  I’m working on a couple of semi-costumed looks for the big event.
  • Italian Food & Wine Pairing – Gosh, there’s nothing about the sound of that we don’t love!  Available at Via Napoli, Italy Pavilion, 1:30 – 3:30 pm on Thursdays during the Festival.
  • French Regional Lunch – This takes place at the French Pavilion’s Monsieur Paul (Fridays and Sundays during the Festival) from Noon – 3:30 and includes 4 courses (highlighting a specific region of France) and information on the wine pairings from a visiting winery representative.
  • Dinner at California Grill – We haven’t eaten at this restaurant (Contemporary Resort) since it’s extensive refurbishment in 2013.  This is our official Anniversary Dinner Celebration.
  • Massage for Two at the Senses Spa (Grand Floridian Resort) – It sounds romantic and relaxing – just the ticket for a trip like this one!
  • Tutto Gusto in Epcot's ItalyEpcot After Hours Wind Down – This sounds like the perfect way to end an evening (especially during Food & Wine).  We’ve got FastPass+ for special seating at Illuminations before we head on over to Tutto Gusto (Italy Pavilion) for a late night snack and wine flight.
  • FastPass+ for Meeting Talking Mickey Mouse – Why not?  We haven’t seen the Big Cheese in this new high-tech version and I’m a big advocate of at least one character meet-n-greet on every Disney vacation.  I picked this one.
  • Dinner at Sanaa – This is on the evening of our fist day.  We have to visit Animal Kingdom Lodge (unbreakable tradition for every trip) and have yet to try Sanaa after hearing its praises sung repeatedly.  Now’s the perfect time!

It’s on the Agenda –

  • Dinner at Citrico’s (Grand Floridian Resort)- We’ve never been before, so we made an ADR.Festival of Fantasy Parade  If something interferes with this, we won’t be heartbroken – it was just something new to try that sounded good.  Since it’s on the monorail loop, it’s an easy ride back to the Contemporary (we’re staying at Bay Lake Tower).
  • Dinner at Be Our Guest – If there’s anyway possible to make this into a lunch, we’re doing that instead.  I’ve not heard the food’s all that great, but getting inside for a look around was on my Disney New Year’s Resolutions list and I’m running out of time to get that accomplished.
  • FastPass+ for the Festival of Fantasy Parade.  We loved this parade when we saw it for the first time in May and would like to see it from the special FP+ area this time.
  • Trying a certain 10 of the 66 special dishes at the Food & Wine Festival booths.  I let Raymond pick these by himself for two reasons:  First of all, I chose all our FastPasses without asking for his input and second, Raymond’s a more discriminating diner than I am – Let’s face it; if it’s food, I’ll eat it.  Pretty much everything sounds good to me!  It’s “All in WDW” had the list Raymond used to make his selections here.  I’ll share our 10 foods in another post (coming soon) and write up a review on each when we get back.

Schofferhoffer Grapefruit BeerIf We Get to It –

  • The rest of the FastPasses I selected.  I did pick some in each park, but if we don’t get to them all, no big deal.  One day for Epcot, I was somehow allowed to only choose two, probably because the first one is for 6:00 pm.  We’re taking it easy, ride-wise.
  • Specialty beers and adult beverages around the World Showcase.  We know those will be available and would like to sample a few.
  •  The Kiss Goodnight in the Magic Kingdom.  That would require us to make it to park closing and beyond, but it’s been recommended and we’re going to do our best to be there Cinderella Castle at Nightfor it one night.
  • Electric Water Pageant – We haven’t seen it in a few years and I love this perky little show on the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.  Hopefully, we’ll get back to Bay Lake Tower early enough one evening to catch at least some of the pageant.

I’d like to give a BIG Shout Out to the Mighty Men of Mouse – the podcast that gives back!  In exchange for an iTunes review, the hosts of this show (Russ Shuttlesworth, Kip Springfield, and Dutch Lombrowski) will give you “Three Good Minutes” on their show, discussing a topic of your choosing.  I emailed the Mighty Men recently, having finally decided on a topic (I left a review back in January) and requested ideas for our October vacation.  Thank you, Mighty Men of Mouse (Episode 167)!  Many of your suggestions were incorporated in the plans detailed in this post.

As always, I’d love to hear from you!  Anything you think we should add, change, skip?  What Must-do’s have you planned for your next trip to Walt Disney World?

Walt Disney World – Great Places to Take a Break

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Resing along Sunset Blvd in Disney's Hollywood StudiosSometimes when you’re at Walt Disney World, you just need to sit a spell.  You know, take a load off, rest your feet, relax for a minute.  It’s a good time to enjoy a snack, maybe engage in a little of the primo people watching Walt Disney World affords.  I mean, c’mon, in my daily life I never get the chance to watch folks go by from all over the world – it’s fun!

Here are my most favorite places in the whole Walt Disney World to enjoy a few quiet moments:

Magic Kingdom – Over in Fantasyland, by the Tangled bathrooms – shoot, that doesn’t Fantasyland / Rapunzel's Towersound very appealing, does it?  But you know where I’m talking about, don’t you?  Right past It’s a Small World, in the Tangled rest area, you’ll find seating with charging stations (cleverly hidden in faux tree stumps) and a great view of Rapunzel’s tower, the floating lanterns, and, yes, there’s excellent people watching as folks pass along the path between Fantasyland and Liberty Square.  The handy restroom is just a bonus.

Animal Kingdom – Back behind the Flame Tree Barbeque, above the Discovery River, there’s an excellent seating area with a terrific view of Expedition Everest!  Enjoy lunch or simply sit and rest for a while – it’s usually quiet in the morning or between lunch time and park closing.  Like most of the best places to take five, there are great Disney details to soak up!

Resting in Epcot's Italy PavilionEpcot – There are many excellent places to take a break in Epcot!  For some reason, one of my absolute favorite spots is in Italy.  I love the buildings, the view of the Venetian gondolas on the water, the perfectly aged look of each detail, the very excellent statues – sit along the sides of the Doge’s Palace where the benches are shaded under the palace’s arches.  If you want to snag a glass of wine from the pavilion’s nearby wine shop – it makes the relaxing even more…well, relaxing!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – This is my favorite place to sit on a cloudy or even a rainy day – Taking a Breat in Disney's Hollywood Studiosdown by Echo Lake, the tables by Min and Bill’s Dockside Diner are the place to rest.  Why I like them so much is purely due to my own happy memories of having a snack or a cold beer and being so happy about being on vacation at Walt Disney World – are there more scenic places to sit at the Studios, sure, but that’s my favorite.  Another good option is anywhere along Sunset Blvd. – especially along the end closest to Hollywood Blvd.  Resting there ups your changes of running into a spontaneous performance by the incredible Streetmosphere actors.

Bay Lake Boat Transportation / Disney's Contemporary ResortOutside the Parks – When I really want to rest and have a few quiet moments of tranquility, I catch a boat and it’s not just any boat.  I want to boat that leaves from the Contemporary’s boat dock (or you can catch one at the Magic Kingdom) and travels over Bay Lake to Fort Wilderness.  I just get on the boat and ride.  Maybe catch a power nap if I’m really beat.  The view is incredible and the experience is a nice change from the busy atmosphere of the parks.

Where are your favorite places to take a break?  What makes them special to you?

New Closures at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

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Planes at Disney's Hollywood StudiosAs with each of Walt Disney World’s parks, Disney’s Hollywood Studios garners its fair share of rumors and debate – especially lately with the not-yet-finalized Star Wars expansion plans in the works, the announced closure of the American Idol Experience, and just last week – the announced closure (August 17th) of the American Film Institute Showcase and Shop.  Rumors continue to swirl about other closures ahead and, while that makes me a little sad for what will be lost, I’m completely thrilled that the Studios will be getting some long overdue attention – and not just with Star Wars – I’m really hoping Disney will be adding more new and different experiences.  Old rides and attractions did not receive necessary updates – Many have gone virtually unchanged for 25 The Showcase Shop / Disney's Hollywood Studiosyears!  My hope is that these worn, tired, and outdated experiences, even if they’re completely replaced, will allow the Studios to reach its potential as a full day park.  I even heard a rumor this week that the park might receive a completely different name…we’ll see, won’t we?

Saying Goodbye

If you’ve ever been on the Studios Backlot Tour, you’ve been in the American Film Institute Showcase – a collection of easily recognizable props from famous movies.  As you exited the exhibit, you’d pass through a shop selling movie memorabilia and props.  The shop had some very cool merchandise which was Disney's Hollywood Studios - Catastrophe Canyoncompletely different than in most other Walt Disney World retail stores.  Sadly, it was one of my favorite parts of the Backlot Tour!  I’m extra pleased in light of the closure of the exhibit and shop that we took the time for one last Backlot Tour while we were at Walt Disney World in May.  On that tour, we notice right away that no volunteers were chosen for the Pearl Harbor filming demonstration at the beginning of the tour – that was another of my favorite parts of the experience.  Once, many years ago, Raymond and I completely shocked our children by volunteering to be in the show – our few moments as deckhands in Pearl Harbor remains one of our happiest Disney memories to this day.Volunteering for the Studios Backlot Tour

Certainly, the Studios Backlot Tour is a perfect example of an attraction that could have, should have been updated over the years.  Instead of being updated, it slowly lost its magic over time.  After showing mostly the same special effects (like Catastrophe Canyon) and prop types (especially in the abandoned vehicle graveyard), elements of the tour were removed or diminished.  As with most of the Studios, the Backlot has been in need of a change for a long time.

Superman's CapeGoodbye original Studios Backlot Tour – We’re really looking forward to what’s coming next!

Are you a fan of the Studios Backlot Tour?  What are/were your favorite parts of this attraction?Scene Drawing from E.T.

Sound of Music Puppets