Archive for September, 2009

Jack Frost nip…..well, OK, maybe Jack isn’t doing much nipping in Florida, but the Christmas spirit is alive and well at Walt Disney World.  We thought we’d expand upon our fav5 posts about Christmas activities with a week of entries devoted to this special time of year.

So, on the subject of chestnuts; I am one of many regular visitors who look forward to greeting Richard each time I stay at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.  He has been a fixture there for many years and, let’s be honest, no one looks better is plus fours and spats!  During the holiday season, his signature pastel costume is replaced with Christmas Red to match the thousands of poinsettias that grace the resort’s grounds, and each afternoon, he takes his place outside the main entrance, offering complimentary hot chestnuts to the guests.

Chestnuts! So perfectly in keeping with the Victorian theme; so unexpected.  It’s a warm and welcoming scene right out of the storybook setting that is the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

It’s the most amazingly-themed restaurant in all of Walt Disney World.  It may be the most amazingly-themed restaurant on earth.  Guests enter the building and walk around the corner and straight into a summer evening at the drive-in.

Taillights glow from rows of cars lined up under the stars.  Vehicles sporting sleek fins and cool paint jobs in vintage colors like candy apple red, metal flake silver and Metropolitan turquoise, invite diners to slide in and enjoy film clips from old sci-fi movies.  Window speakers hanging on posts, a “snack bar” at the back, and the famous on-screen intermission clock with dancing food, add to the authenticity.  Smaller parties can expect to find “hitchhikers” seated with them in their cars.

Making advance dining reservations will help ensure your seating in one of the parked cars rather than tables at the back of the room

Review: It’s the most amazingly-themed restaurant in all of Walt Disney World.  It may be the most amazingly-themed restaurant on earth.  It boasts the worst table-service food in all of Walt Disney World.  It may be the worst table-service food on earth.  Having said this, I return to the Sci-Fi Dine-in at least once a year.  Admittedly, this is a sentimental favorite of mine, but few would not be delighted by the ambiance of this one-of-a-kind restaurant.

I had the good fortune to visit for the first time  during pre-internet days and was unprepared for the incredible sight of the twilit theater, but even those who know what to expect will be happily surprised.

Consider lunch or dessert here, rather than dinner, for two reasons.  Firstly, the effect is more dramatic coming in from the sunny day to the nighttime atmosphere.  Secondly, you will be kicking yourself if you pay too much for the meal; even a good burger doesn’t usually cost $12.00.  Plan on taking advantage of the less-expensive lunch menu, or enjoying a hot-fudge sundae or one of their “out of this world” specialty drinks.

Menus
lunch
dinner
dessert

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Lunch 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Dinner 4:00 p.m. to park closing

Assistive listening devices available

Park admission required

Sail up and over London and into a fantasy! Board a flying vessel for this simple and charming dark ride based on Disney’s animated film, Peter Pan.  Tinker Bell sends you on your way to share an adventure with Peter Pan and the Darling family as they confront Captain Hook and Mr. Smee.

The gaily decorated pirate boats are suspended from the ceiling to provide a gentle soaring sensation as you float through the moonlit night visiting Never Land, Mermaid Lagoon, the Lost Boys’ camp, and Skull Rock.

Look for Hidden Mickeys in the moon over the city and on the tree trunk at the entrance.

This hugely popular ride draws long lines very early in the day.  Plan on using FastPasses or making it one of your first stops.

Peter Pan’s Flight

Magic Kingdom

Approximately 3 minutes

Not wheelchair accessible

Handheld captioning device available

Park admission required

For many years, I’ve attended the Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World.  It is always a pleasant, and sometimes quite memorable, evening; one I look forward to each holiday season.  Unwilling to stand in line for two or three hours for anything, I take advantage of the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package.

The package has certainly changed through the years.  At one time, guests could choose to dine after the performance rather than before, making it a far more relaxed evening.  Then, for a time, reservations could be made much closer to show time, rather than what amounts to the middle of the afternoon.  Pricing was pretty much in line with the regular menu prices; participants confirmed their reservations earlier in the day at the hotel and were given a badge to wear.

As the years went by, the prices increased, of course, and the badge turned into a wrist band that needed to be obtained while waiting in line for the show.  With the advent of the dining plan, guests were allowed to exchange one table service point for the package.  In 2008, I noticed a considerable increase in cost, but in 2009, the changes are really breathtaking.  It will now cost more than $55.00 for an adult to have dinner at the Garden Grill, while the price for dinner at Teppan Edo and the other Tier 3 restaurants will be a staggering $75.00.  Now, I enjoy both the Garden Grill and Teppan Edo, but that seems excessive for the basic food served there.  Yes, they’ve thrown in an appetizer, but guests are paying dearly for it, and a couple of the venues are buffet- or family-style meals.

A decision has clearly been made that the mere one-hour wait in line for package participants is now worth $15.00, plus the cost of the most expensive menu items, whether you order them or not.  If you’re on the dining plan, you’ll now need to use two table service points.

I do understand that the company is in business to make money.  I realize that the popularity of this event, much like a reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table, makes it a candidate for a price increase.   I know that good practices dictate charging whatever the traffic will bear.  But, at some point, the consumer does speak, and this year, I’m speaking loudly:  I won’t be attending the Candlelight Processional.  Will I miss it?  Certainly! I have many wonderful memories of this event.  But, I’ve planned a new “tradition” for 2009.  For that same $75.00, or probably a good deal less, I can have an exceptional meal at Hollywood Brown Derby, or save considerably by dining at one of the other restaurants in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, then join the fun at the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  I’ll enjoy the choral performances found elsewhere in the parks and resorts, make a point this year to attend the tree-lighting ceremony at EPCOT, and take advantage of the many holiday events that help to make the season bright.

One thing we can rely upon is Disney’s sensitivity to guest trends.  If there is a sufficient drop in participation, they will reevaluate the program.  If the majority of guests embrace the changes, we can be certain we’ll see those prices continue to rise.

 

Tucked away at Camp Minnie-Mickey in Disney’s Animal Kingdom is perhaps the best stage show at the Walt Disney World Resort, Festival of the Lion King.  Filled with color and excitement, unforgettable music, audience interaction, dance, acrobatics, puppetry, even stiltwalking; this lavish production has it all.

 

Larger-than-life animated figures of the animal characters, brilliantly-costumed singers, dancers, and gymnasts provide non-stop entertainment.  The audience is treated to quiet, mesmerizing performances, then caught up in the sweeping pageantry of a joyous African celebration.  It is everything that great theater should be:  engaging, inspiring, moving.

 

The air-conditioned theater-in-the-round seats more than 1000 guests.  Perfect for all ages, this is a very popular attraction and the lines can be long.  We suggest arriving at the park early and attending the first show of the day.

 

Festival of the Lion King

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Several performances daily – check Times Guide for show times

30 minutes

Wheelchair accessible

Assistive listening devices available

Park admission required

 

One way to make a day at the Magic Kingdom extra special is to score a FastPass for your entire party.  How?  You simply have to find the paintbrush.

Each day, from one to five brushes are hidden on Tom Sawyer Island.  The finder’s fee for success is a FastPass, valid for everyone in your group.   Plan to be at the park when it opens and in line to hop on the first raft that’s heading from Frontierland over to the island.

Periodically, there are rumors that the brushes are no longer being hidden, so you might ask if there are any to be found that day.

We suggest befriending the cast member piloting the raft.  He may be willing to reveal a helpful clue.  It’s best to split up to explore the wilderness as you’ll want to cover as much ground as possible before the crowds arrive.

Tom Sawyer Island is a fascinating area that many guests never take the time to discover.  With a fort and forests, tunnels and caves, a bouncy bridge, and winding trails, it’s a relaxing respite from the crowds across the river.  The porch of Aunt Polly’s is the perfect place to enjoy a cool lemonade or an Apple Pie Sundae.   Even if you never find a hidden paintbrush, your island adventure will be worthwhile.

Tom Sawyer Island

Magic Kingdom

Not wheelchair accessible

Park admission required

The dates have been announced for the 17^th annual EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival.  From March 3 through May 16, 2010, EPCOT will once again come into full bloom.  Whether you’re a fan of the Flower Power concerts which feature music from the time of peace and love, or you enjoy the gardening advice from celebrity guest speakers, the Festival months are a great time to visit Walt Disney World.

There are wonderful demonstrations, seminars, and exhibits, and the park is bursting with more than 30 million blossoms.  Future World and the World Showcase are transformed with spectacular topiary, expansive flowering carpets, floating floral islands, bonsai installations, and exquisite gardens.

Visit the lovely fragrance garden at the France Pavilion to learn more about the connection between posy and perfume.  And, don’t miss Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden where hundreds of beautiful creatures fly free.

We’re planting the seeds early for a 2010 visit to Walt Disney World.  Let us help make those vacation plans grow!

Disney Cruise Line is going to Alaska!  Beginning May 3, 2011, Disney will offer 7-day Alaskan cruises on the Disney Wonder.  Departing from Vancouver, the ship will visit Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan, on its round-trip voyage.   With a number of cruise lines pulling out of Alaska in the next few years, this is exciting news for those who have always wanted to experience the wonders of Alaska from the best possible vantage point.

There is also an exciting 15-night Panama Canal itinerary scheduled to depart Ft. Lauderdale on January 6, 2011 with calls at Castaway Cay, Aruba, Costa Rica, Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta, and Cabo San Lucas before arriving in Los Angeles.

During the summers of 2010 and 2011, guests can board the Disney Magic to cruise the Mediterranean for 10 or 11 nights.  Northern and Southern European voyages are also being offered during 2010.  With many cruises to the Bahamas, and both Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries, there’s never been a better time to plan an amazing Disney Cruise Line vacation.

There are children who visit Walt Disney World and depart utterly convinced that the monorail is one of the major attractions.  Disney’s amazing monorail system is only one of many modes of transportation around the property, but it’s surely the most interesting.

Twelve Mark VI six-car trains transport up to 364 guests each, over more than 14 miles of track on three lines, at speeds of 15 to 40 mph.  The Resort Line travels in a circuit around the Seven Seas Lagoon with stops at the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Ticket and Transportation Center, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.  The Express Line ferries passengers between the Magic Kingdom and the Ticket and Transportation Center, while the EPCOT Line provides service between the Ticket and Transportation Center and EPCOT.  Guests staying at the “monorail” resorts near the Magic Kingdom can hop on the monorail directly from their hotels, and travel around the Resort Line or change trains at the Ticket and Transportation Center to get to EPCOT.

Each train is named according to the color of its stripe:  Monorail Red, Monorail Silver, Monorail Purple, etc.  The stripes on Lime and Coral have “deltas” along their length to distinguish them from Green and Pink.

Elaborate safety systems ensure that trains remain a specified distance from each other, and a train will be brought to a stop until the one ahead has moved away.  There are emergency evacuation plans for every eventuality, and the Reedy Creek Fire Department even has a fire truck which is specially designed for monorail rescue.  There are also custom tow-tractors to move trains from the beam.

Although pre-recorded commentary about upcoming stops, passing landmarks, and special events is narrated by a different cast member, the famous phrase, “Please stand clear of the doors…..” still features the original voice of Jack Wagner.

Carrying more than 50 million passengers each year, the Walt Disney World monorail is one its most recognizable symbols.

If asked to select their single favorite attraction at Walt Disney World, the choice of millions would be the Haunted Mansion.  It’s a source of endless fascination for aficionados of Disney theming – every ride through the dark passageways seems to reveal some previously unnoticed detail.

There are puns galore, from the graveyard epitaphs to the “Doombuggies” that ferry guests past the 999 happy haunts. The ride is accompanied by a spooky soundtrack with music, monologue, and eerie noises.

Featuring carefully crafted cobwebs, meticulously designed props, dozens of Hidden Mickeys, and a number of classic special effects; the ride is a visual feast.  The exterior is a wondrous recreation of an 18^th-century estate, looming over the Rivers of America and complete with spectacular architectural details – a leaded-glass conservatory, gables and gargoyles, stone balustrades and balconies.

Lovers of trivia might be interested to learn that only two of the more than 100 audioanimatronic figures represent the living.  Caretaker Dick O’Dell and his little dog walk the grounds while the rest of the residents “hover” nearby.

Although the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland has a true elevator, the “stretching room” in Walt Disney World only gives the illusion that it’s moving from floor to floor.  For guests staying at the Magic Kingdom resorts, the mournful sound of the howling dog can often be heard early in the morning, drifting across the Seven Seas Lagoon.

The original version of this attraction is found in Disneyland, but there are also Haunted Mansions at Tokyo Disney and at Disneyland Paris, where it is known as Phantom Manor, giving foolish mortals around the world an opportunity to be there when the grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize.

 

The Haunted Mansion

Magic Kingdom

8 minutes

Guests must transfer from wheelchair to the ride vehicle

Park admission required