My personal story of Life at
Disney World. by Bruce Elliott |
| I offer this blog as a guide
for those of you who wish to learn a little bit more about Disney
World in order to make it a more perfect holiday for when you travel
to the Magic Kingdom. I do not suggest that I know everything
there is, nor have I done everything available but I have been there
a time or two and I know how to make our holiday a little more fun.
You can take what information you like to help plan your trip or
just read it for simple fun. Planning for Disney is half the
fun, the rest is going there. |
2010-05-07 - This is
the greatest deal. You should go
in the last week of August, most American children have gone back to
school so the Parks are left to Canadians and wait line are almost
non existent.
Choose from two deals that give you most
of your meals for FREE!
Buy a 5-night/6-day Magic Your Way package that includes a room
at a select Disney Resort hotel and theme park tickets and get a
FREE dining plan for stays most nights August 15 through October 2,
2010. With the strong Canadian dollar, now is a great time to make
your Disney dream vacation come true! The choice is yours:
FREE Disney Dining Plan
Purchase this 5-night/6-day Magic Your Way room and
ticket package at select Disney Moderate, Disney
Deluxe and Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts and
save US$689 for a family
of 4.
For example: Just US$77 per person per day
in a standard room at a select Disney Moderate
Resort for a family of 4; that's a total
package price of US$1,843 for stays
most nights 8/15/10-9/30/10.
Learn about the Disney Dining
Plan.
Or
FREE Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan
Purchase this 5-night/6-day Magic Your Way room and
ticket package at select
Disney Value Resorts
and save US$529 for a family of 4.
For example: Just US$60 per person per day
in a standard room at a select Disney Value
Resort for a family of 4; that's a total
package price of US$1,440 for stays
most nights 8/15/10-9/30/10.
Learn about the Disney
Quick-Service
Dining Plan.
Price based on 2 adults, one junior and one child. Number of
rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Savings based on
non-discounted price for the same package. Tickets are for
one theme park per day and must be used within 14 days of
first use. See Important
Details. Book through August 14, 2010.
Check Availability
|
2010-03-11
For Vacationers Looking To Do
Disney Again ... For The First Time
 LAKE
BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- You've splashed on Splash
Mountain, had your topsy "turvied" on Rock 'n'
Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith and sat
howling and bug-eyed during "It's Tough to be a
Bug." So you figure you know Walt Disney World
Resort -- every nook, cranny and spinning teacup
... right? Or maybe your vacation "cup of tea"
needs to be sweetened a different way?
Here are a "Disney Dozen" experiences that go
beyond "doing the E Tickets" during a Walt
Disney World vacation .
Ride in the cab of a Walt Disney World
monorail -- Groups of up to four people can
be accommodated up front with the operator on
each train, giving guests a "flight deck" view
of the ride and a chance to watch the operator
in action on one of the sleek monorails. Guests
should express their interest to a Cast Member
at the monorail station. There's no charge for
the experience.
(After the accident when a crew member lost his
life they cancelled for a time this experience.
I do not know if it is still available.)
Let the kids play with their food --
Themed table-service restaurants throughout
Epcot offer kid desserts designed to be a
creative exercise for young guests. Youngsters
can order delights such as strawberry shortsnake,
a classic shortcake cut into an "S" with sliced
berries for scales, a whole strawberry for the
head, M&Ms for eyes and fruit leather for the
tongue. All of the kid desserts are priced under
$3.
Pop THE question -- You want to ask
her to marry you, and you'd like it to be a
special moment. Engagement event packages --
nine different magic-moment options -- can be
arranged through the Magic Kingdom Engagement
Office. The "moments" start at $295 and all
include an exclusive private romantic setting,
Cinderella glass slipper, a bouquet of red
roses, sparkling cider or champagne and
chocolate truffles. For information, call
407/824-5130.
Get a bird's-eye view of the Kingdom
-- Soar above Bay Lake and see what the Magic
Kingdom looks like from open air by means of a
parasailing adventure. There are no age
restrictions, but there's a 115-pound minimum
weight and 300-pound maximum. Single rides are
$80 and tandems (a party of two at the same
time) are $ 120. It's among the daring fun
offered by Sammy Duvall's Water Sports Center at
the Contemporary Resort marina. The former
world-champion water-skier also offers
water-skiing, wakeboarding, knee-boarding and
tubing. Reservations are recommended by calling
407/939-0754.
Let the kids "play pirate"-- A pirate
cruise just for children ages 3 to 10 sails
Seven Seas Lagoon in search of buried treasure
Mondays and Thursdays. Kids don buccaneer
bandanas and enjoy special snacks during the
two-hour adventure that departs Disney's Grand
Floridian Resort & Spa at 10:30 a.m. Cost is $15
per child. For reservations, call 407/WDW-DINE
(939-3463).
Sail away for a new view of Disney "night
magic" -- "IllumiNations Cruises" to Epcot
World Showcase Lagoon and "A Moonlight Cruise"
on Seven Seas Lagoon near the Magic Kingdom
provide guests with a whole new visual
perspective on two of the premier Walt Disney
World nighttime spectacles -- Epcot's "IllumiNations
2000: Reflections of Earth" and Magic Kingdom's
"Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks. Private
departures on pontoon boats accommodate up to 12
guests. Cost is $120 for the private group. The
very-popular cruises can be booked up to 90 days
in advance by calling 407/939-7529 (WDW-PLAY).
Go on a scavenger hunt in the Magic
Kingdom -- "Family Magic" is the one Disney
guided tour designed for the entire family.
Groups set off on a Magic Kingdom scavenger
hunt, looking for clues . . . and at the finish
of the two-hour adventure, they are treated to a
special Disney Character meet and greet. "Family
Magic" is offered daily, at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.
Cost is $25 general, $15 ages 3-9 ($20 ages 3-9
beginning Oct. 1). Participants must have a
valid Magic Kingdom admission ticket.
Information and reservations: 407/939-8687 (WDW-TOUR).
Tour the architectural wonders of Walt
Disney World Resort -- Art and architectural
buffs have not one but two opportunities to feed
their passion at the Vacation Kingdom. Hidden
Treasures of World Showcase reveals the "whys"
of 11 international ports of call at Epcot --
the art, architecture, history and cultures.
Disney s Architecture reveals how architects and
imagineers create eye-catching and unusual
buildings using basic design concepts, detailed
storylines and painstaking attention to detail,
and studies how many architectural concepts are
echoed throughout the resort. Each tour is 3 1/2
hours long. Hidden Treasures is offered Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday at 9 a.m. Disney's
Architecture is offered Monday, Wednesday and
Friday at 2 p.m. Each is $49 (Hidden Treasures
requires a valid Epcot ticket as well).
Participants must be at least 16 years of age.
Reservations: 407/939-8687 (WDW-TOUR).
Have your cake and fireworks, too --
The Magic Kingdom by night is part of the
spectacular view from California Grill on the
15th floor of Disney's Contemporary Resort. On
evenings when "Fantasy in the Sky" fireworks are
presented, the show music fills the restaurant
and color fills the nighttime sky outside the
wall of windows. But the treat is hardly just
for the eyes: California Grill has a reputation
as one of the finest restaurants in the state of
Florida. Priority seating arrangements:
407/939-3463 (WDW-DINE).
Let your lead foot have some legal fun
-- What fun's horsepower at 55 mph? But how
about 600 horses and speeds well over 100 mph?
Guests 18 years old and up can get behind the
wheel of the type of cars that run in the NASCAR
"cup series" at the Richard Petty Driving
Experience. And if you're a little timid about
getting behind the wheel, then how about a
highspeed ride that simulates drafting and
passing? The one-mile tri-oval Walt Disney World
Speedway is the place for this high-speed fun.
Information: 1-800-BE PETTY.
Draw on the expertise of Disney animators
-- Fans of Disney animation can go Inside
Animation during a 2 1/2 hour tour that includes
a look at the history of the subject and a
chance to paint a cell. Participants meet an
animator and learn about pencil tests and
storyboards. The tour is offered Tuesday through
Friday at 9 a.m. Guests must be at least 16
years of age. Cost is $49. Reservations are
available by calling 407/939-8687 (WDW-TOUR).
Take home some fish stories that are true
-- Disney waterways are a haven for largemouth
bass -- including trophy-size fish in the
14-pound range. And the best way to go casting
for them doesn't require packing your gear. In
fact, you don't need a fishing license or even
bass fishing experience to catch a memory.
Two-hour bass tours aboard pontoon boats
captained by experienced fishing guides can be
arranged for parties of up to five people. When
the boat arrives at the dock, it's fully stocked
with fishing equipment and refreshments -- plus
a camera that the guide will use to capture the
memories for the trip home. Cost is $ 160 for
the party (one to five people). Reservations:
407/939-7529 (WDW-PLAY). |
|
|
| 2010-03-11 - This is
interesting -
General public discounts of 25%-45% off room rates
are now available at the Walt Disney
World resorts for stays through 8/14/10. |
| 2010-03-11 - I borrowed this
article from MSN:
|
| 2014-02-14 - Canadian
Residents can get a 25% discount right now on Disney Cruise Lines.
Check here:
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers/canada-residents-save-25-percent/ |
| 2010-02-14 - If you would
like to make customized maps of the Disney World Parks in advance of
your trip here is a really neat website. You go in and pick
your must see attractions and then send them to Disney and they will
send you full colour printed maps for you to use on your trip.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/myVacation/customizedMaps/index?id=CustomizedMapsSampleMapsPage&bhcp=1
But if you would just like to
print them out yourself try this web site:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/index.htm
|
| 2009-12-14 - I recently
learned of something really great for families of 5 or 6.
There are very few affordable spots in Disney World for a family of
5 to stay. The most affordable rooms that I have found for 5
are Fort Wilderness Cabins and the Family Suites at the All Star
Music Resort. The cabins are a little further out and would
take a little while getting anywhere but they also have full
kitchens and outdoor grill. The Music Resort offers a separate
room with a double bed, a pull out couch for two and twin chairs
that pull out into beds. They are not recommended for children
over 9 I believe. This room is not as themed as the Cabins but
they are in prime locations (read - near the pool) and have
kitchenettes, two bathrooms. They are really two rooms put
into one. The cost was about 190.00 per night which is way
more affordable than other rooms that allow 5 or 6 such as the two
bedroom suite in a Disney Villa which will cost you 325.00 to 800.00
a night. Another great one for up to 8 in a party is the
Disney Treehouse Villas which is part of Saratoga Springs Resort.
They have been all reworked with new beds, furniture and a flat
screen tv in every room. They have there own ferry to downtown
disney and Disney West Side which leaves every 20 minutes. |
| 2009-10-15 - Watch out for
cell phone or data transfer costs on your phone. You need to contact
your carrier before you go down to Disney and they will sell you a
travel package that will handle those outrageous costs associated
with roaming. Our bill for the 4 day holiday was $159.00.
If I had called Rogers they said that I could have bought a special
travel package and there would not have been roaming charges which
are usually about 1.25 per minute. Or if your carrier does not
offer that service make sure that you turn your phone off so it is
not constantly pulling down information and charging you for it.
Stop your email program from checking your email every 15 minutes,
make it a manual check. The new iphone push makes things so
automated and the charges rack up. I think that each text
message is $1.25. The way to keep everyone updated on your
trip is to take your pictures and download them onto your computer
at night and then upload them to Facebook. You dont have to
crop or fix the pictures just load them up and let everyone see how
much fun you are having. |
| 2009-10-15 - Not So Scary
Halloween 2009 - these specialty nights are great if you are just
into the rides. The kids got on Splash Mountain twice, Thunder
Mountarin twice, Buzz Lightyear twice all without lining up.
The rides are almost empty. It costs 55.00 and you get at
least 5 hours of park time. We wasted an hour and a half
having dinner in the park when we should have eaten first then gone
to the park at 7:00. Also we went to the park at 6 and we were
able to walk right in even though we were supposed to wait till 7. |
| 2009-10-15 - The fastest ride
in Disney is the Tower of Terror drop. It goes 90 miles an
hour. Test track is number 2 at 65 mph. The buses are
number 3 at 50 mph, yes the bus. They are listed as an
attraction ride for tax purposes. |
| 2009-10-15 - there is going
to be a new adults only park to replace Pleasure Island in the
future. I promised that I would not speak of it yet. It
is so big a plan that it will not be ready until 2016. But you
heard it here first. |
| 2009-10-15 - Disney is
doing a one billion dollar upgrade to the Magic Kingdom. They
are going to be ripping out everything from the Dumbo ride to the
Barnstormer in Toon town. All of Toon Town will be wiped out
and the area will be replaced by a new area catering to kids - Pixie
Hollow and a Beauty and the Beast Castle and an indoor Dumbo ride.
It is the biggest expansion in disney parks. I understand that
the 100 Leagues under the sea will be torn up and used for the Ariel
ride in the new area. Construction will begin soon and be done
by 2012. |
| 2009-10-15 - Mission to Mars.
If you would like a fun ride without scaring the heck out of you try
this ride in Epcot but take the less intense side. The ride is
a spinning ride and many people get messed up on the ride. If
you take the less intense side they do not spin it. If you do
not like closed spaces do not take this ride. You sit in a
pilots style chair and the panel closes down on you and you are in
a fairly confined space. The ride is not hard but it is pretty
neat. When it is done you go out into an area where you can
play a computer game on a big wall. You can also send a neat
postcard by email with your picture on it. If you want a much
more exciting ride go on the regular ride. It is a lot of fun
if you are so inclined. |
| 2009-10-15 - Spaceship Earth
is a great ride with great animatronics that look real. It is
a short ride that shows the progress of earth and the march of time
toward the future. You learn a little something and get a neat
ride in a cold environment. The line is long but moves very
fast as the cars are in constant motion. It is in the big golf
ball as you come in. You can send an email to your friends at
the end of the ride. |
| 2009-10-15 - We watched the
fireworks one night from the top of the Contemporary Resort.
At dinner time we finished our meal then headed out to the viewing
stand on the right - there are two. The one on the right is
less crowded and if you go out to the end you can see perfectly.
It was so great, seeing all the fireworks and hearing the music
piped in behind us. When we returned the desserts were all out
on the table waiting for us. The food was fantastic and our
server Jenny made us feel really special. The highlight of the
night was the Firecracker Sauce that was on the California roll
sushi. It was so tasty and it had scallops in the sauce.
The filets were coated with a fantastic sauce and cooked so
perfectly. I had the best scallops with Gnocchi. The
desserts were so good. I dont think that they would make a bad
dessert. I sent the kids up to watch the sushi being made.
All the chefs work in an open kitchen and there are at least 20 of
them all working together. The kids saw a smoked eel being
peeled and they rushed back to the table. Where else are they
going to get that kind of experience? The whole meal was a
true fine dining experience and we had a ball. |
| 2009-10-15 - Portobello
Restaurant was really a fun time. The food was great.
The bread was accompanied by fine olive oil and a baked whole garlic
bud. We asked for butter as well and they happily provided it.
The bread was crusty and chewy. We had wanted to order the 48
oz porterhouse but not enough people ordered it so it has been
replaced by a T-Bone. I had the Sambuca Shrimp and I really
enjoyed it. It was flambed at the table, the potato under the
shrimp was slightly stuck to the cast iron pan and soaked in the oil
and then the sambuca. The shrimp were perfect and the dish was
great. The Caesar Salad was really good, but for Grand Bend
people, not as good as Erryns at F.I.N.E. but what is? The
Mozzarella Stuffed Rice Balls were really tasty but I needed a
little salt to bring out all the flavours. The Farfalle with
chicken needed a little salt as well but was very tasty. I had
the Shrimp with Black Linguini and I really enjoyed it. It was
in a seafood sauce that was very tasty and perhaps even healthy.
Certainly healthier than the cream sauces. The Filet was
pronounced the best steak our guest had ever had. The roasted
garlic whipped potatoes were ordered as a side and it was also very
good. The Tiramisu Martini was very good, as they say dessert
in a glass. We passed on dessert and went down to Giaradellis.
We were so full that nobody ate all their ice cream. |
| 2009-10-15 -
The balloon ride was great. It costs $16.00 for
adults. It lasts 10 minutes. It is a helium
balloon not a hot air balloon. It is safely tethered
and cannot come free. You go up and get a great view
of the area. You can see the mountain in Animal
Kingdom, the castle in Magic Kingdom and the big golf ball
at Epcot. You can catch the ride beside Wetzel
Pretzels & Hagen Daz booth in Disney West side. It is
expensive for 10 minutes, but hey, its a once in a lifetime
event. You can walk around in the circular basket and
it has netting all around so you are completely safe. |
  |
|
| 2009-10-08 - Rainforest Cafe
is offering a $10.00 discount that anyone can use. Just click
below and go to the page that provides you with a coupon and present
the coupon at your diner at Animal Kingdom or Downtown Disney.
http://www.rainforestcafe.com/ |
2009-10-08 - We did this and
got free admission for the birthday girl and 6 fast passes for all
of the people in the birthday girls party. It was beyond
cool!!!!!
-
Can I
still get free admission to
a US Disney theme park on my
birthday?
You can
get free admission to one of
the theme parks of Walt
Disney World® Resort or
Disneyland® Resort
on your birthday through
December 31, 2009. See the
Free on Your Birthday page
for terms and details.
|
2009-10-08 - This offer is
really cool. Volunteer your services to a participating
charity and receive a free one day park pass at Disney. This
offer is available to Canadians.
Give a Day, Get a Disney Day -
- Receive free admission*
to one of the theme parks of
the Walt Disney World®
Resort or Disneyland®
Resort when you sign up and
complete a day of volunteer
service with a participating
organization.
- You must sign up for
eligible volunteer
opportunities for the “Give
a Day. Get a Disney Day.”
program through this site.
Participation in volunteer
activities outside of this
sign up process does not
qualify for a free ticket.
- Ticket quantities for
this program are limited.
- One ticket per person,
regardless of the number or
hours of volunteer service
completed.
- The program begins
January 1, 2010 and
continues until tickets are
distributed or December 15,
2010, whichever occurs
first.
- Eligible volunteer
opportunities are located in
the United States, including
Puerto Rico, or Canada only
and you must have a
residence in the United
States, Puerto Rico or
Canada to sign up.
- You must be at least 18
years of age to sign up, and
you may sign-up up to a
maximum of 8 additional
members of your same
household. Children must be
at least 6 years of age to
volunteer under this program
and receive a theme park
ticket. Children ages 6-17
must be accompanied by an
adult when volunteering.
Other age restrictions may
apply to certain eligible
volunteer opportunities.
|
| 2009-09-19 - Karate -
you can attend an international martial arts festival when you are
at Disney. It is held in the Disney Sports Centre and it is a
true competition. It is truly spectacular watching the many
different types of Martial Arts. Our only problem was that
they left the forms to the end and there were so many kids in each
category that our kids sat on the maps for 8 hours and there was no
provision for food or drink. We were separated from them up in
the stands. We do not recommend this experience but that is
just our opinion. |
| 2009-09-19 - If you
have a food allergy make sure that you mention it to the server or
when you make your priority seating. You will then see what
Disney is all about. The waiter will go into the kitchen
report your allergy to the chef and they will make up your dinner
separately on sterile equipment that will protect you from the
allergen. They will do their very best to make your dining
experience incident free. They work very hard at protecting
you. The chef will actually come out to your table to tell you
what they plan to do to protect you and he will discuss briefly your
exact allergy and will offer suggestions on your menu for dinner etc.
or they will offer to modify your dinner so that your dining
experience is the best that it can be. |
| 2009-09-19 - Lobster is
hard to find on the property if that is your desire. Fultons
Crab House is one place, that is obvious. It used to be
available at Captn Jacks but since they brought in the dining plan
it became prohibitively expensive for the restaurant to offer it.
So it is only really available at Narcoosee's at the Grand Floridian
Resort. You can get a pre cracked 1.5 lb main lobster. I
really enjoyed it. |
| 2009-09-19 - In my
opinion the best sandwich shop on the property is at Downtown
Disney. It is called the Earl of Sandwich. The sandwich
was invented by a guy who was playing poker and he did not want to
leave the table so he ordered his servants to cut some meat and some
bread and put it together so that he could hold it in one hand.
The man was the Earl of Sandwich and his ancestor/heir has opened
this restaurant in Disney. I highly recommend the steak/roast
beef and brie sandwich and their soups are unbelievably good.
I highly recommend this spot. They make each and every
sandwich to order on fresh bread. They also have fresh fruit
and deserts. They are pretty standard, their focus is on the
sandwiches. We went there again this trip and were not
disappointed. They take the dining plan as a counter meal. |
| 2009-09-19 - Apparently
the best steak house on the property is at the Swan Resort. It
is called Shula's Steak House. It is too expensive for us.
I understand that it is 300.00 for two in us money. I had
booked reservations and cancelled when I found out how much it cost.
Just wanted you to know if that is your kind of thing. The
steak is supposed to be the best, the creamed spinach is wonderful.
I just dont get creaming spinach but that is just me. |
2009-09-19 - Ice Cream
- three places of note for great ice cream. At the end of Main
Street USA just before the traffic circle in front of the Castle in
Magic Kingdom turn right and you have a wonderful ice cream sundae
shop. This is across the street from Casey's Hot Dog
shop. I believe that you can use your snack on the Dining Plan
here for ice cream. Then take it outside and sit in the sun
and enjoy. This spot is also the best to watch the fireworks
from. You have a seat at a railing with a parkette in front of
you. Tinkerbell passes almost right over you to start the fun. The other is anywhere there is an ice cream cart -
get the mickey ears on a stick covered in chocolate. It is by
far the favourite treat in the park and they sell millions of them.
The third is in the Beach Club resort. They have a little shop
called Beaches and Cream. It has the best treat I have ever
seen. It is a little copy of an actual kitchen sink and it is
filled with ice cream and each and every topping that they have.
If you order this the lights come down and the treat is delivered
with special music playing with sparklers in the ice cream. If
you happen to be a family of 3 or 4 you will immediately realize
that you made a mistake, cause it feeds 8, and want to back out of the place but don't,
stay and enjoy and wait cause someone else is just about to order it
too. It is really huge and really funny.
Ice Cream Creations
Hand scooped ice cream:
Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Mint Chocolate
Chip, Coffee, Butter Pecan, Orange Sherbet,
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt and Fat-free No Sugar
Added Vanilla
Kitchen Sink - Eight
Scoops of Ice Cream served with all the Toppings
in the house and a whole can of Whipped Cream
$21.99
Ice Cream Cup or Sugar Cone
- Single Scoop $2.69; Double Scoop $3.99
Waffle Cone Single Scoop $2.99; Double
Scoop $4.39
Old-Fashioned Sundae - Choice of one
of the following toppings: Marshmallow,
Strawberry, Pineapple, Peanut Butter, Hot Fudge,
Butterscotch, or Chocolate Syrup topped with
Whipped Cream, Toasted Almonds and A Cherry. Two
Scoops ($5.99) or 3 Scoops of ice cream ($7.99);
Extra Toppings $.99 each
Classic Banana Split - ripe banana,
three scoops or ice cream (vanilla, chocolate,
strawberry), pineapple, strawberry and
marshmallow topping, finished off with hot
fudge, butterscotch, toasted almonds, whipped
cream and a cherry $7.99
Strawberry Shortcake - Slice of Angel
Food Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream, Strawberry
Topping, Whipped Cream, Rainbow Sprinkles and a
Cherry $5.99
Milkshakes & Malts - your choice of
ice cream topped with whipped cream, sprinkles
and a cherry $4.99
|
|
|
2009-09-19 - The
Boardwalk is a large area of great entertainment, a little for
everyone. It is on the water side of the Boardwalk Inn Resort
and looks out to the Beach Club Resort across the water. It is
a great place to stay as you can catch a ferry to the International
Entrance of Epcot or go the other way to the Swan and Dolphin Resort
where they have some of the best restaurants on the property.
|
 BOARDWALK
ENTERTAINMENT
-- Disney's BoardWalk
is home to a wide range of activities that differs from day
to day. Seasonally, you will find midway games, jugglers,
entertainers, hand wax molds, food vendors, magic shows.
Surrey bike-riding along the Boardwalk is a popular past
time. At night, the night clubs and restaurants spring to
life. For more details on the various venues scattered
around the BoardWalk and in the entire Epcot Resort Area,
follow the links below:
The Buskers are really great, mimes, magic acts and they all
play to the crowd as it gathers around them. We have
enjoyed them a lot. We also like to shop here but more
for candy, pastries and DD got her hair braided with
coloured strings here. I have seen guys draw funny
portraits and we have had great dinners here in Flying Fish
- have the steak it melts in your mouth. They have
just opened a new restaurant here based on mediteranean food
but it looked a little strange for our family.
 Atlantic
Dance is open five nights a week. Tuesday through
Saturday there's a DJ Dance Party with open requests.
Closed Sunday and Monday. Open 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Call
407-939-2444 for more information. There's NO cover
charge and you must be 21 to enter. 407-939-2444.
Boardwalk Buskers
are an assortment of live entertainers who perform 6:30
- 10:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturdays outdoors on the
BoardWalk. From sword swallowers and jugglers to
magicians and strolling musicians! For more information
on Disney's BoardWalk live entertainment, visit
Steve Soares' WDW Entertainment Website.
ESPN Club features 100 screens -- there are even
TVs in the bathrooms! -- with all of the latest sporting
events. There are regularly scheduled Trivia Nights and
Sports Talk Live! shows, with
live ESPN sports hosts bringing celebrity interviews,
game analysis and sports trivia contests. They also
feature NFL Playoff games, up to the Super Bowl. On the
menu, you'll find the usual suspects: sandwiches,
burgers and fries, plus, a variety of salads.
Call 407-939-1177 for more information.
Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf -- Fantasia
Gardens is 18 holes of whimsical miniature golf for the
whole family, with a dancing hippo and xylophone stairs.
Or, if you're looking for a more challenging experience,
there's Disney's Fairways -- 18 holes that will test
your skill a bit more with hazards, traps and roughs.
The complex is open 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (may vary
according to season). A round of golf costs $10.65
(including tax) for adults, $8.52 (including tax) for
children 3-9.
Discount of 50% off for Annual Passholder and up to
three guests at Disney's Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf
Course.
Jellyrolls -- A sing-along bar, with dueling
piano players who take requests. Weekends can be SRO, so
try to get there no later than 9! Jellyrolls is open
from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly. There's a $10 cover
charge, but no drink minimum. Must be 21. And tell Ray
we said HI!
Midway Games -- located along the main BoardWalk.
Games of chance, with stuffed animals and prizes.
Surrey Bike Rental
--
One of the favorite activities for families and groups
is renting these pretty, fringed surrey bikes on
the BoardWalk. You can pedal your way around Crescent
Lake, over to the Yacht and Beach Club, or the
Swan/Dolphin. (Surrey bikes are not allowed on the
walkway to Epcot's World Showcase.) Rentals are
available on the Boardwalk itself, until 10:30 p.m.
every night.
The Yard Arcade -- located next to the ESPN Club.
This gameroom has an urban playground theme and features
the latest in sports-themed video games. And so you
don't miss a minute of the latest sports action, the
audio for the games being televised next door is piped
in.
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Waterskiing, Wakeboarding & Parasailing
Great instructions and lessons with world champion
Sammy Duvall and his instructors.
Waterskiing
Includes instructors, boat, and equipment.
Water Skiing
- ˝ HOUR $80.00/
Walk-ups only
- Hourly $140.00/
up to 5 guests
- PREMIUM $165.00/
Min. 2 hours, includes pick-up
- Also, they now offer Personal
Watercraft or “wave-runners” at the Contemporary
Resort.
Parasailing
Flights can reach an altitude of 450 feet and last
up to 10 minutes. Solo flyers must weigh a minimum
of 100 pounds. Children under 14 years old must be
accompanied by an adult.
Parasailing
-
Single Flight :
Regular- $90.00 per flight (8-10 minutes at
450 feet)
Premium- $ 112.50 per flight (10-12 minutes
at 600 feet)
-
Tandem Flight:
Regular- $140.00 per flight (8-10 minutes at
450 feet)
Premium- $162.50 per flight (10-12 minutes
at 600 feet)
Personal
Watercraft or “wave-runners” at Disney's
Contemporary Resort
- GUIDED TOURS $100.00/ Up to 3
guests
- FREE RIDE $100.00/ Up to 3
guests
- $65.00/ Walk-up ˝ hr.
Marina
Rentals
Mercury Marine WaterMouse boats, sailboats, Pontoon
boats, canopy boats, pedal boats, row boats, and
canoes are available to rent at the following Disney
Resort Hotels:
Disney's Beach Club Resort
Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort
Disney's Contemporary Resort
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Disney's Polynesian Resort
Disney's Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Disney's Yacht Club Resort
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Disney's Old Key West Resort
Downtown Disney Marketplace
Cost - To
be determined by which craft is rented.
Reservations - Not required. |
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2009-09-19 - Epcot and boats
- want a really cool experience? Then have your birthday on
the water on a pontoon boat for 12 with cake and drinks while you
pull into the lake where the fireworks are. You sit just under
the international bridge in the boat with an unubstructed view.
A once in a lifetime experience. They also have a old Muskoka
type boat that you can rent to boot around the lake first then go
watch the fireworks. I have not been able to get this rented
so you really have to be exactly 90 days out, know the exact phone
number for the boat rentals to call, and call at exactly the moment
they open or forget it.
Want to see Epcot's IllumiNations: Reflections
of Earth spectacular in style? Consider renting the
Breathless from the Yacht and Beach Club
Marina or a Pontoon boat from either the YC/BC
Marina or the Boardwalk Marina!
ILLUMINATIONS CRUISES
 Breathless
(shown above and to the right) is the motor boat
named after the Dick Tracy character. It is a 24-foot
ChrisCraft reproduction of a 1930 runabout powered
by MerCruiser 350 cubic inch engine, reaching speeds of
50 mph! It has bench seats and can accommodate 6 guests
maximum. The boat is not covered.
Cost for Breathless for IllumiNations starts at
$275 (plus tax) for up to 6 guests and includes a
driver.
NOTE: You can also ride on the Breathless during the
day. Excursions depart from the marina daily 2:30 -
5:50 p.m. The price is $95 per 30 minutes.
Pontoon Boats -- Another option for an
IllumiNations cruise is to rent a pontoon boat. The 21
foot long boat will accommodate a maximum of 10 guests.
The pontoon has a canopy, is roomier, and has some drink
holders. When you rent either a pontoon or The
Breathless, it belongs to your party for the show;
meaning the only people there will be the ones you've
invited! The price for a pontoon IllumiNations Cruise
starts at $275 + tax, for a maximum of 10 people. Cost
includes a driver. Food and beverage items are available
through Yacht Club Private Dining at 407-934-3160. You
may not bring your own food or beverages on board.
RESERVATIONS for all cruises are made by calling 407-WDW-PLAY,
between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., up to 90 days in advance.
You must provide a credit card to hold the
reservation. You must cancel at least 24 hours in
advance or your card will be charged.
NOTE: The cruise has gotten very popular, so be sure to
call ahead for the reservation.
Deb's Mini-Review: Boats sit under the
International Gateway bridge for viewing
IllumiNations, but not right next to each other, so
you feel like you're having a private viewing.
Sitting in Breathless, you have a wonderful view of
the water fountains, laser ball, and fireworks. From
what I can remember, there is a partial view of
France (behind you on the right) and the UK (on your
left). There are also partial views of Mexico,
Germany, Italy, China and the US. Canada and Japan
are not visible. The pontoon sits out a bit further
and so you have a slightly better view.
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2009-09-19 - Surfing - Ok,
here is a cool tip that very few people know about - In Typhoon Lagoon you can rent the entire
wave pool
for yourself and 11 more people for 2 hours first thing in the
morning. They supply a teacher, surf boards, on land training
and in the water supervision, life guards etc. You get the
help you need to get up and surf. The waves are set to max for
your experience and it is one of the best kept secrets. If you
are going with a group and are willing to get up and going early you
can have a great time. It is 150.00 split between 12.
Now, you do have to leave the park at the end or produce your
tickets and stay for the day. But the 150.00 does not include
staying all day. But heck if you have learned to surf, then
off you go to a park and have fun.
|
Description: This is a wonderful way to get a
taste of surfing. Craig Carroll's Coco Beach Surfing
School is fun and is held at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon
Water Park. You must be 8 years of age or older and
a
very
good swimmer.
Two instructors are available at each class.
Days and Times:
Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from
7:30 am to 10:00 am.
Directions:
Surfing lessons are held at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon
Water Park.
Cost:
$135.00 per person tax is included however admission
into Typhoon Lagoon after class is completed is an
extra charge.
Reservations: Reservations can be made by
calling 1 407 WDW-PLAY. |
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| 2009-09-19 - Bass Fishing -
We went bass fishing on the lake in front of the Contemporary and
Polynesian. Our guide was really fantastic, she was
professional fisher who competed professionally. For the
money, I think about 260.00 you can take up to 5 people.
They supply all equipment, a drink, bait fish etc. We were out
for about 2 hours. We caught a lot of fish, it was catch and
release. |
| 2009-09-19 - Bippidi Boppidi
Boutique - This is a great treat for little girls, and now boys too!.
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/tours-and-experiences/bibbidi-bobbidi-boutique/
This is a salon in the main Disney Downtown Shopping store.
The hair dressers are really friendly. They do a great job of
making each little girl feel and look special. Parents can go
in and sit and watch the performance on a couch in the middle of the
room. This makes the little ones feel comfortable and they
allow you time to take pictures. One tip - when you register
at your hotel or when you see a photographer in a park get them to
take picture of your group then get the Photopass card. When
you go to the salon there is a photographer that will take all the
pictures that you want and just zap them onto your account.
You can then buy all your pictures when you get home or even before
you leave. I suggest that you wait till you get home then you
can go online and edit your pictures with their
backgrounds/foreground. The photographers are all over the
park and they use the most famous features in the background and
they are very experienced and friendly. The disk at the end
costs about 120.00. If you are daring you can wait till just
before your eligibility period expires and they drop the price in
half. The Salon offers a wide range of products. You can
buy a plan that gives you the gown, the big hair, the slippers etc
for a huge amount of money, or you can just get colour, extensions
or look like a rock star. They have expanded their offerings.
Their menu just expanded as I read this week. |
| 2009-09-14 - Crystal Palace
is going to close for rehab in January and February 2010 - They are
definitely going down for rehab 1st week of Jan, rehabing kitchen
and front of house. Contractors have already been measuring dinning
room area for updates. Estimated time for rehab has been anywhere
from 6-10 weeks. This info comes from people working there.
the Characters are going to go back to Liberty Tree Tavern while the
rehab is underway. No word yet if the characters will stay at
Liberty Tree after that. |
| 2009-09-14 - If you want
seafood I have heard mixed reviews about Fultons Crab House at
Downtown Disney. For years everyone said do not go there.
Too Too Expensive, poor service and cold food. We went on our
honeymoon and we had a great experience there. Lobster, King Crab
Legs, Steak and any combination of the above. We have not gone
back due to the reviews that we have read for years. Then on
this last
trip we spoke to a lady that goes to Disney 6 or 8 times a
year. They go to Fultons each and every time. They love
it. The kids actually saved their own money this time so that
the family would not miss their trip to Fulton's. It is not on
the dining plan and it is very pricey but it might be worth a trip
on the next visit after listening to the review from this lady on
the bus. Talk to the friendly people on the busses, they often
have the best tips for fun. |
| 2009-09-14 - Landry
restaurants have 4 spots on Disney Properties: Rainforest
Downtown Disney, Rainforest Animal Kingdom, Yak & Yeti and T-Rex - 3
are great and deserve a visit but one was too pricey and not very
showy. The themeing in T-Rex is a miss. It really
disappoints if you have been to Rainforest Cafe. It seems to
be a poorer cousin rather than a brother. If you have not been
to Rainforest Cafe and you have little ones then now is the time to
go. The food is great and plentiful. The temperature in
the restaurant is very chilly, watch out if you are damp and/or
sweating cause you could get sick like we did. Don't have the
Paella, i did not see any evidence of saffron. Do order the
Volcano for desert if you like chocolate, brownies and ice cream.
Yak & Yeti is not traditional American Chinese food with red
candy sauce.
But it is more like traditional Chinese ethnic food or Thai.
The dim sum basket gives you a sample of the quality. It is
very good, not great but very good. I recommend it if you like
good Chinese traditional style food. I read that you should avoid
the Vietnamese Pao as it is not very good. Everything on our
table was very good and we enjoyed it a lot. Service was very
good. The non alchoholic drinks were a treat. |
| 2009-09-14 - 3d Movies - I
really enjoy the 3d movie inside the Tree of Life in Animal Kingdom
- Bugs Life. It has great little thrills that keep your
attention all the way to the end of the movie. My most
favourite now is Philarmagic in Magic Kingdom. It is really
well done and it is on the 150 foot screen that bends around half of
the theatre. It has the most characters at one time in one
place on the movie in the history of Disney. It is really
cute. The glasses that they give you work wonderfully.
The glasses do not fold down and that was done so that people would
not take them with them when they left cause it would cost too much
if they couldn't reuse the glasses. The 3d Muppet Movie in
Disney Studios is more for little kids but it too is fun. |
| 2009-09-13 - We usually stay
at the Disney Vacation Club resorts cause we are members. We
own a time share for 55 years. We will pass it down to our
kids. They will only have to pay the maintenance fee annually.
We have stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, Disney Cruise,
Disney Institute Tree House Villas, Polynesian, All Star Sports,
Contemporary, Animal Kingdom Villas, Old Key West, Carribean Beach
Resort and most often Saratoga Springs. We like Saratoga
Springs because it is close to Downtown Disney and it is our home
resort and it is not as popular as the others so we don't have any
trouble making reservations late. |
| 2009-09-13 - The Disney
Vacation Club Villas are really nice. If you are not a member
it is between $325 for a single room to thousands a night for the 3
bedroom villas. The Beach Club Resort has a sandy bottom pool,
a fast deep short lazy river and a large little guys and girls pool.
The Boardwalk Resort has a neat pool with a large slide. You
look out on a lake with a large boardwalk for you to walk on.
You can walk over to a special entrance to the back of Epcot called
the International Gate. There is almost nobody there so you
enter really quickly. You enter in between England and France.
It is such a wonderful entrance. You can also reach the
entrance from Yachtsman Resort, Swan and Dolphin and the Beach Club
by ferry. How wonderful is that? You can spend a lot of
money for a bigger room but you have to decide if it is really worth
it. You are only going to be in your room to sleep and change
to go out for the evening. Nobody stays in their rooms for
long. Out to the pool if you are bored and out to Downtown
Disney for shopping at night. Don't hang around the room for
any reason, get out and do something, go somewhere. So why
spend the money for the room. The pools are not very exciting
at the Value resorts but geez the price is really great for a place
to put your head on a pillow. If you are willing to put out a
little extra money I recommend the moderate resorts just for the
pool features like a slide. But, if you want to be really in
the wow factor the first time you walk into the Deluxe Animal
Kingdom Lodge you will look up and say wow with your jaw dropped.
It is just that beautiful. And when you get up in the morning,
throw back the curtain and look out the window into the Savanah (and
only in Savanah class rooms!) you will share your coffee on your
balcony with the most beautiful site of giraffe and other animals up
close having their breakfast. It is the most wonderful
learning experience for the little ones. It is just plain
wondrous for the adults. Don't stay at the Contemporary Resort
unless you want the convenience of being able to take the monorail
to the parks. The idea behind the resort is that it was the
most modern resort of its day and it is a lot of concrete but not
really a lot of ambience. All balconies look out to the main
concourse and you see the monorail coming in and out of the hotel.
Each end of the concourse is a glass window. It is neat but
the other resorts have so much more themeing and I recommend them
more. The Polynesian has |
| 2009-09-13 - The moderate
resorts are really great too. We stayed at the Carribean Beach Club.
The rooms are great because they all open up to the outside rather
than a hallway. It was a really nice quiet resort and we would stay
there again. The feature pool has a really nice slide and is
nicely shaped. The counter service area has good food but is
limited and you have to line up for the particular type of food that
you wanted. The burgers were good. The salads were quite
large and tasty. There is a lot of walking to get to the main
pool and dining area but it is so peaceful and quiet that you really
do relax while walking to the pool. I hear that they have
upgraded all of the rooms and the beds are pirate ships and the
furniture has been changed as well. It will be fun to try the
resort again. The walking is quite calming. There are
bus stops all over the resort to allow you to get to the parks.
You dont have to go back to the main house to get a bus. The
rooms open out to the sidewalk and they are really nice looking
buildings. The main pool was so much fun and the kids love it.
It has bikes that 2 or 4 can rent to ride around the lake. The
little boats can be rented by kids to drive around the lake.
They are not fast but the kids love them. It is worth a stay
to get away from the craziness of the parks and stay the night in a
relaxing room.
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| 2009-09-13 - The deluxe
Resorts always have great regular sit down restaurants as well as
Fine Dining Restaurants. In the Wilderness Inn they have a fun
fun place especially for young kids called Whispering Canyon Cafe. All the servers work hard
to make it fun. Our server for two experiences was Candy.
She was beyond great. The food is served family style to the lazy susan in the middle of the table. Huge unlimited quantities of
Smoked Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, Oven-roasted Chicken, Beef Brisket,
Mashed Potatoes, Cowboy Beans, and Corn on the Cob Mixed Greens
Salad with Apple Vinaigrette, Coleslaw, and Fresh-baked Cornbread.
When you ask for ketchup they make a big deal of it. They yell
who has the ketchup and the table with the 15 bottles of ketchup on
it deliver it to the next family that wants the ketchup. They
bring it all together with bottles under every arm. It is
really fun. Then if you ask for butter they will go and get
huge quantities of butter and yell as they deliver it saying "Lisa
wants the butter". When the next unsuspecting family wants the
ketchup you had better be ready with the ketchup or you will get
really embarrassed. The food is really really good. Then
at Animal Kingdom Lodge is another fun restaurant. More for
what is available and the ambience than the servers. The food
is based on traditional African food. They have Potatoes with
Afritude, Durban Spiced Roasted Chicken, Malabu Pepper Steak,
Grilled Seafood, Wood Roasted Meats, Bobotie - lamb and beef quiche
with onions, raisins and bread, Vegetable Skewers, Chicken Pepper
Pot, Coconut Curried Chicken Soup, Curried Coconut Seafood Stew,
Couscous Marrakesh. They do a fantastic selection of deserts
and crispy breads with things like hummus. Dont be frightened
off by the names of the foods, they also have prime rib and other
things. The favourite things this time were the roast beef and
the macaroni and cheese. The carrot and ginger soup is always
the best smoothest and creamiest thing on the menu. |
| 2009-09-13 - Dinner at Epcot
- If you want to have really great aged Angus steak then you want to
go to the Canada Pavilion. If you want to go there you have to
book exactly 180 days away from your trip. Use this calculator
-
http://pscalculator.net/pscalc.php - and it will tell you
exactly the day that you need to call to make all of your weeks
reservations. Priority seating means that when you arrive at
the podium at the restaurant you will get the very next seat that
comes available that suits your needs. Our favourites in Epcot
are the Italian, Canadian, French and British Pub. I would
love to go to the Chinese but nobody else will. The German is
a nice self serve buffet with the German Ompapa band but it isn't
our cup of beer! We were going to go to the Japanese
restaurant - Tempani - but bailed until next time. I
understand that Coral Reef is great but we haven't been there since
our honeymoon and cannot really remember the food. If you want
to read the menus go to
http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm - these are pretty close to
what is being served. Be careful at the Chinese because they
have a take out counter service meal but that is not the main dining
room. The really good restaurant with Dim Sum and all the
traditional Chinese is the Restaurant inside the Pavilion.
From all accounts it is really good traditional Chinese food. All the staff in the restaurants are from the country of
the Pavilion. In France we ordered in French and practiced our
French with the server. It made her day. Then she
practiced her English with us. It was fun. In Italy they
have a really nice restaurant with traditional Italian dishes.
Outside the British pub is a fish and chips stand that is really
great. Very reasonable prices. Banger and Mash, fish and
chips, kidney pie etc are served inside the restaurant. France has
great Filet, Escargot (one time it was the best I ever had, the next
time not so much). French Onion soup is good too.
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| 2009-09-10 - Disney Magic
Kingdom - this everyone's favourite park. That might be an
exaggeration but this is what it is all about. The best rides
depend on how old you are. The best restaurants is based on
the same. Crystal Palace has Pooh Bear and Piglet and great
buffet food. Spaced out over the hour each of the characters come to each
table and allow pictures to be taken. You will get every
character to your table during your meal. The timing is
fantastic.
The Castle is fantastic
for little girls because all the Princesses come to your table for
pictures. Make sure the person with the camera sits on the
inside. They will pose toward you with each child and you get
the picture of a lifetime. I know that I did. It is just
the best time. The breakfast is really good all you can eat
table served. Sometimes the princes come along as well.
If you remember their actual names rather than Prince Charming etc
they get a real charge out of that. To get a morning seating
you have to call the dining reservation line exactly 180 days out and
exactly at 7 in the morning. Dont be inpolite but be straight
forward when you get through to the reservation agent. Say
"Good Morning reservations for breakfast at the castle on 15
September at 10:00 am. Then wait and she will bring up the
booking page and try to grab you a spot. It is hard to get
because there are 100-700 booking agents and all of them are talking
to people who want those reservations. If she gets you a spot
then she will get the information from you. You may have to
try this on several days. They have changed the rules so on
the first day of your holiday minus 180 days out you can book your
all the holiday meals for the entire week of your holidays.
That is a recent change. I dont know if that works for the
Castle breakfast though. My secret for getting that
reservation is to get a atomic clock on the computer to show me the
time in Orlando then I call and listen to the message that plays at
6:30 that tells you when the reservations opens. When you call
at 7 and you get that message you hang up immediately and hit
redial. When the message changes you are into the
reservations. Time is of the essence to please your little
girl. Speak clearly and do not make nice conversation cause.
Tonys Town Square is a good Italian restaurant but the
ambiance is weak. I love going to Liberty Tree Tavern.
It used to have Minnie and characters but they were pulled last
year. They may come back cause they have not been filling up.
The food is a lovely break from all the fast food and fancy food.
It is just like a great Thanksgiving meal served to the table.
All you can eat. Big glasses of pop. Roasted turkey
breast, carved beef, and smoked pork loin, with mashed potatoes,
seasonal vegetables, herb bread stuffing, and Macaroni and Cheese.
It is great. The best hot dog in the parks is at the end of
Main Street called Casey's - great condiments to pile on. This
is a great surprise - Tomorrow Land Noodle Station. It is
worth a visit for the following for lunch. Don't be late or it
turns into a dinner location and they shut down.
Chicken Noodle Bowl - with broth $7.99
Vegetable Noodle Bowl - with Tofu $6.99
Six Piece Chicken Breast Nuggets - with
french fries or apple slices $6.89
Eight Piece Chicken Breast Nuggets - with
french fries or apple slices) $7.69
Orange Chicken - with Steamed Rice $7.99
Beef and Broccoli - with Steamed Rice
$7.99 (Personal favourite)
Caesar Salad - with chicken $7.19
Tofu - with Steamed Rice $7.59
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2009-09-10 - Disney Studios
is not my favourite park. It is fun once but not for days in a
row. The shows are great.
Sunset Boulevard
was the first expansion to Disney's Hollywood
Studios, opening in July 1994. The visual focal
point of Sunset Boulevard is
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, a thrill ride
based on the classic
television series. Located nearby is
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring
Aerosmith, an indoor
roller coaster in the dark with three
inversions and a high-speed launch.
Sunset Boulevard
has two outdoor amphitheatres for live stage shows.
The covered Theater of the Stars hosts
Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, a stage
show featuring highlights of the
film. The open-air
Hollywood Hills Amphitheatre is the home of
Fantasmic!, a nighttime show featuring
Mickey Mouse and many other Disney characters in a
story filled with fireworks, lasers and water
effects. A special treat for
Fantasmic is to ask when you register at the front
desk of your Disney Resort if you can get the dinner
package. You can get it from Disney by
telephone I believe. You pick your Restaurant
for dinner from about four good restaurants, they
change a little from time to time, and you tell them
you want the Fantasmic Dinner Package. When
you have dinner they give you a pass for an unmarked
gate. To get into Fantasmic you usually wait
in a long line for an hour and sit and wait in the
stands for an hour before the show begins.
This way you arrive a half hour before the show.
You get let in at the gate and walk a short distance
to the seats. A whole wedge of the stands is
reserved for the package diners. Your seats
are fantastic and you are not bored waiting.
It is a great show and should not be missed.
Beauty and the Beast is a great show. .
Star Tours is a
motion simulator ride set in the
Star Wars universe, and is a duplicate of
the original attraction at
Disneyland.
Jedi Training Academy, a live-action stage show,
invites children to become "padawan
learners" and receive "lightsaber training" from
a Jedi master. Lastly, the live-action
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
re-enacts various scenes from
Raiders of the Lost Ark while illustrating
how movie stunts are performed. Added in 2005,
the
Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
is a behind-the-scenes look at how vehicle action
sequences are created for films, and was adapted
from a similar show at
Walt Disney Studios Park. It is a great
show and fits in a lot of people. A lot of the
above was copied from another page.
What is the Fantasmic! Dining
Experience?
The Fantasmic! Dining Experience
includes dinner at one of the
participating Disney's Hollywood Studios
restaurants and reserved seating in the
Fantasmic! amphitheater. As of this
writing, only Brown Derby,
Mama Melrose, and Hollywood &
Vine are participating.
This means that instead of waiting in
line for 60-90 minutes outside the
theater, you can walk right up to the
theater 30-45 minutes before show time,
(no waiting in line!) and still have a
seat.
Is there a charge for the package?
There is no additional charge for
the package itself. However, the
package, which includes the Fantasmic!
seating pass, MUST be guaranteed at
the time of booking with a credit card,
and a $10 cancellation fee applies if
not cancelled at least 48 hours
beforehand.
As of June 2009, you may order from the
Brown Derby or Mama Melrose a la carte
menu.
Hollywood & Vine
$26.99 adult/$13.99 child
(3-9) not including admission, tax, and
gratuity (no characters). All you care
to eat buffet. Choose from a number of
selections including; oven-roasted Prime
Rib, Citrus Baked Chicken, Pan-seared
Salmon, and Stir-Fry Noodles with
Sesame. Also includes fresh salads and
build your own ice cream/dessert bar.
Adult beverages NOT included.
Child's meal includes beverage.
All packages include a special pass for
seating at that night's Fantasmic! and
dinner at the restaurant chosen.
Report to your restaurant 10 minutes
before your Fantasmic! Dining Experience
Reservation, and you'll receive your
special Fantasmic! seating pass at that
time. Theme park admission is NOT
included.
Can I Use the Magic Your Way Dining
Plan with the Fantasmic Dining
Experience?
Yes, a the Magic Your Way Dining Plan
can be used to purchase a Fantasmic
Dining Experience. You can also get the
Fantasmic Dining Experience if you have
the Magic Your Way Premium Package
or the Platinum Package.
Hollywood & Vine and Mama Melrose's
Ristorante Italiano both count as one
Table Service meal for the Dining Plan,
while the Brown Derby counts as a
Signature experience, or two Table
Service meals.
When you call to make a reservation,
your credit card number will be taken,
but the charge won't be put through
(unless you are a no-show, or do not
cancel at least 48 hours before your
dining date). You will pay with your
Magic Your Way Dining Plan when you
dine, just as you would for any meal.
Do I have a reserved seat?
No, only the section itself is reserved
for those with the Dining Experience.
Within the reserved section, seating is
on a first come-first served basis, so
if you want your choice of seats, you
should arrive early.
How do I book the Fantasmic! Dining
Experience?
You can book the package now for dates
180 days in advance by calling
1-407-WDW-DINE.
|
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| 2009-09-10 - Fast pass -
sometimes when you visit the parks the most popular rides have long
line ups. I have waited an hour and a half to ride Buzz
Lightyear and that is insane. What I should have done is go
get a FastPass and walk past the line later in the day. Here
is how it works: when you get to the park one of you takes all
the park passes and goes to the most popular ride that all of you
want to ride. Go to the little yellow Fast Pass wickets that
are usually beside the entrance of the ride and put in your park
pass. It will dispense a ticket with a time on it later in the
day, usually gives you an hour window. When you return during
that time you walk past all the riders waiting in line and go almost
to the front of the line. You wait for a little bit and get on
the ride almost immediately. It is so cool walking past all
those hot bored people. Be humble though cause they will walk
past you on one of the other rides on the park so no gloating.
Here are the tips. We go on some rides where a couple of us do
not ride. We give those fast pass tickets to the people who
want to ride so they can go in twice. In Epcot get to Soaring
right away cause by 10:00 the fastpass is set to 5:00 pm. Or
you can go to Test Track. In Magic Kingdom you would want to
go to Big Thunder Mountain or Splash Mountain or Space Mountain
where the line ups are huge. In Disney Studios go to Rocking
Roller Coaster or Tower of Terror. Lots of people dont ride
Tower of Terror so I dont think the line ups are that long. In
Animal Kingdom go immediately to Asia and get on the Everest
roller coaster. You can only hold one fast pass per time zone.
You have to wait till the first time has started before you can get
another one. So if it says that you can return at 1 then at 1:01 you
can get an additional fastpass. That is the only way that you
can have two at a time. |
| 2009-09-01 - My best deal
ever was to get a value resort, park tickets and dining plan all in
one plan. Disney needs to fill its parks with people in slow
periods so they offer a special deal where they throw in the Dining
Plan. What a deal. Look for this at the end of August,
Sept - Oct. It is also hurricane season so book wisely.
We have only had to leave and run for home once even though we have
travelled there in hurricane season several times. Value
resorts are great, a little boring, not a great feature restaurant but more
than adequate rooms. The value resort pool does not have a slide. But
if you can catch a great cheap flight on Spirit, catch one of these
free dining deals for 5 or 7 nights you can truly have an
inexpensive holiday at Disney. It is between 1200.00 and
1400.00 for 5 nights all inclusive. All you have to do then to
make your holiday inexpensive is stay away from the shopping.
See below to control that cost. |
| 2009-09-01 - A quick tip to
save a bundle of money. Months before your trip go onto
Disneyshopping.com. Go to the sale area and look for
inexpensive trinkets. You can get specialty hats made up, get
group t-shirts, get hoodies, get coverups for the pool. There
are some really fabulous deals. I suggest that you get a bunch
of things and take them down with you. When you leave for the
day put one of the trinkets out so that the kids find them when they
get home. They will be getting some of the stuff that they are
looking at all day and you are not spending the huge amount of money
that they want you to spend. |
| 2009-08-30 - I always try to
find something different for us to do on each trip so it all remains
comfortable yet new and exciting to go to Disney. For example
on this trip we are going to go up in the balloon that is teathered
to the dock at downtown Disney. It goes up about 400 feet.
It is circular and you can walk around and get perfect pictures.
We are also going to try a new restaurant called Portobellos Yacht
Club. It has fine dining Italian food. For the non
Italian food eaters they have a 48 oz Porterhouse that the two boys
can share. Always check the menu for the restaurants so that
there is something that everyone can enjoy before you book.
Use this website to check out what each restaurant has to offer
http://allears.net/menu/menus.htm |
| 2009-08-30 - We are going to
go to one of the neatest restaurants in the Magic Kingdom for
Thanksgiving dinner, pot roast, ham, Stouffers macaroni and cheese,
mashed potatos, pop and desert. The Liberty Tree Tavern is a
price fixed all inclusive all you can eat restaurant. It is
table service not buffet. It used
to be a Character Meal but that was cancelled. The rumour is
that the characters will return some time in the future because they
lost so much business. The reason that I like this restaurant
is because it is just like home cooked food. After you have
eaten fries and pretzels and burgers for a long time while on
holiday, or eaten really fancy food in all the finest deluxe
restaurants it is just nice to come back for food that you have at
home. Dinner was fantastic. They knew exactly how much
food to put on our table. We only asked for more macaroni and
we were all stuffed. That amazed us.
Update: We had a great meal
on Not So Scary Halloween night - our server was a ghoul and he kept
bothering the boys who sat on the outside of the table. The
boys loved it and we had the best time. However - and it is a
big one - we wasted a lot of time at dinner, an hour and a half.
That cut into the rides and we missed most of the parade. My
suggestion is to eat before the 7:00 start time. Also, we went
into the park at 6:00 or a little before. That gave us an
extra hour.
The best restaurant in the Magic
Kingdom for little ones is arguably the Castle. It is great for little girls
because the Princesses all come to your table for a small visit and
picture. Sit on the inside and put the kids on the outside and
get every picture that you can - we still treasure them. Also,
try to go to the Crystal Palace for pictures with Pooh Bear.
It is also fantastic food, a buffet. The flank steak is fantastic and
the sundae bar is a treat. Take a brownie or treat and use it
for a base then add ice cream and toppings. I use the cherry
cobbler. You will love the food. You can get McDonald
fries on the walk from Pirates of the Carribean to Splash Mountain
if you must have those kinds of fries. They are in a little
shack at the side of the walkway but Why Would You? McDonalds
is also available in Epcot as you turn to the right to go to the
Canadian Pavillion on the right in a little pale coloured
building at the end of the entrance walk way from the future worlds
after you turn right into the Nations area. |
| 2009-08-30 - Tickets
are another surprise when you get to Disney. Are you aware of
the price to get into the parks? Are you aware that there are
many different levels of tickets. Do you know the difference
between Park Hopper Pass and a One Park Per Day Pass. It will
pay to learn the difference. I do not like going to different
parks in one day but my best friend hits two or three parks every
day he is there, and he is there three times a year. It all
depends on your level of energy, plans to rest on your holiday or
the demands of your children. Park Hopper Tickets cost the
most and are great if you are going to several different parks and
want to go to Disney Quest, water parks, Sports and do it every day.
Park Hoppers do not expire at the end of your holiday I believe so
you can use it the next time you go down there. Or you can get
a single park pass that is much less expensive. The more days
you buy the less expensive it is per day at the end. You can
get these tickets as well as non expire tickets but that raises the
price. What I suggest is that you buy the most days you can
and make it non expire, then in a couple of years when you come back
you can still use those tickets.
It can get very pricey if
you do not plan out your trip. It you are going for two weeks
you will find it cheaper each and every day so buy the 10 day ticket
- it is like an extra 2.00 a day at 10 days. Something silly
like that. What we do is this. I get every point that I
can on Air Miles. I buy all my gas at Shell with a BMO Mosaic
card with Air Miles. I use my air miles card at the pump and
the Mosaic card so that I get air miles twice each time. Then
I buy my 7 day Disney Park passes from Air Miles as a reward.
I buy the one park a day pass rather than the "Park Hopper Pass"
because going to more than one park a day is more than a parent
should be asked to do. I then go to the park customer service
window at the first day we go into a park. It is the service
wicket not the ticket wicket. I ask to up grade the tickets I
got from Air Miles and make the tickets so that they never expire.
It costs about $117.00 for a 7 day pass. Then we use the
tickets for two trips to disney so your next trip the tickets are
free. The 7 day pass is only about 2250 points for an adult.
Now if you plan before you go to Disney what parks you are going to
go to and what waterparks you are going to go to then you can
conserve your tickets. For a seven day trip we plan on staying
at the hotel at the pool on the first day. You get used to the
heat and have fun swimming on the first day. Then pick a park
to go to the second day. Then go to Typhoon Lagoon the third
day cause it is so much fun in the wave pool. Then on the
fourth day go to Downtown Disney shopping and then back to the pool.
Then pick another park to go to on the fifth day. Then on the
sixth day go to the Magic Kingdom and finish with a bang. Then
on the seventh day you are usually in the pool in the morning and
then packing for the trip home, then on the plane. That way
you have used 3 park days and paid cash for the water park.
You will be too exhausted and wont be rested at all when you get
home if you go to a park each day. You walk about 40,000 steps
in each park, we have measured it. If you must buy your
tickets, do it in advance from home. It will save you the
taxes on the sale if you buy them online and have them sent to
Ontario. Plus you can buy them in advance and spread out the
cost of the trip by buying months ahead of the trip. |
| 2009-08-30 - One of the
restaurants that we are going to go to is a fine dining restaurant
that we have been to before - The California Grill. It is very
fancy dancy and yet is very fun. The food is absolutely
spectacular, sushi, fish, meats and sauces. It is all
the best of everything. It is also at the top of the
Contemporary resort. What we have done is plan our dinner on a
night when the fireworks are on. You can check on
www.disney.com for timetables
that tell what day and time the fireworks happen. We also
found out when the fireworks for the Not So Scary Halloween party is
on because they are the very best that I have ever seen. At
the end of dinner you can go out on the roof walkway and listen to
the music that is piped out to the guests and watch spectacular
fireworks from one of the best locations on the property. Narcossee's at the Grand Floridian offers the same thing from water
level.
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/hours.htm |
| 2009-08-30 - Do you want to
make your holiday in Disney affordable? The largest expense
that stops people from traveling is the cost of getting there.
I suggest Spirit Air out of Detroit. I do not pay more than
$60.00 a flight per person each way. That may surprise you,
but would you be more surprised that I have bought tickets for $0.35
each way to Orlando? It is true. Go to
www.spiritair.com and sign up
for the $9.00 fare club. This will allow you to save $9.00 or
up to $100.00 per flight depending on the sale. It handles
everyone in your flight party. Then sign up for the email
specials. They will email you whenever a great sale is
available for booking. You have to move quickly and be ready
to fly on weekdays to get the best deals. I have seen deals to
California, Vegas, Columbia and Orlando that you simply would not
believe. One time they offered us $1.35 to fly -
so with taxes it was about $20.00 to fly both ways. We get the
7:35 flight 801 in the morning. We leave here at 3:30 in the
morning and fly straight through to Orlando. We get to the
border early before any lines and drive straight to the airport.
We park right at the airport in the parking by the terminal.
Sure it costs $100.00 a week but we are on the flight quickly and
when we get home we can walk out to the car and drive right away
without having to wait for shuttles. How much is your stress
level worth. I think that we park on level 4 or 5 and
find the walkway that takes you right over to the terminal then find
a parking spot nearby. We get in to Orlando at 10:00 am and
get right into our limo and we are at the pool by 11:00.
Prices have been a little more pricey these days. They still
have deals but they focus less on Detroit than Fort Lauderdale.
Today I used a $35.00 off coupon and brought the price down in
January to $73.00 each way. If you fly on a Tuesday or
Wednesday you can bring the price down to $43.00. |
| 2009-08-19 - We are planning
for our next holiday. The four of us are going this fall
for a little 4 day holiday. We are taking our DS's (Disney
Son) friend with
us to give them all a real treat. He will be a great balance
between the two kids, he gets along with both. The kids will
love showing him Disney World and experiencing it through his fresh
eyes. It will be fun for all. |
| 2009-08-19 - Just learned
that the fireworks display at Epcot is ending on August 30th and
will be replaced by a new show. It was time for this to end.
It cost $17,000 a night to run this show. It will be
interesting to see what takes its place. Just learned that
answer -
The Show Will Be Closed on August 30,
2009 and will replaced by DisneySea Symphony (Formerly from Tokyo
DisneySea from 2001-2004) Which Shows on September 30, 2009. |
| 2009-08-19- Within ten
days of leaving for Disney go to
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/myVacation/index?id=MyVacationIndexPage
and check in before you leave.
If you do this you can just walk up to the counter and they will
give you your keys, show you where your room is on a map and off you
go. Also I suggest that you get Express Check Out. This
allows you to just leave from your room if you dont want to go up to
the main entrance to leave. If you have your own car or limo
then they can pick you up at the entrance to your part of the
resort. This saves you time, tip money and effort. If
you have to drag your bags up to the front part of the hotel to
leave you will be hot and sweaty for the ride back to the airport.
Take a limo and have them pick you up at the nearest curb to your
room. |
| 2009-08-19 - Speaking of Limo
- I highly recommend Happy Limo in Orlando for your ride to the
resort and back to the airport. You can find them at
http://www.happylimo.com/
They can take you to the Disney cruise line as well. We once
did a trip from the airport to the cruise, then when we returned
they took us to the disney resort, then they picked us up and took
us back to the airport.
They cost about $150.00 plus tip to the Disney resorts. Here
are the advantages: When you arrive at the airport they are
waiting for you at the bottom of the baggage claim escalator.
They wait with you until your bags arrive. They gather up your
bags and your passengers and take you to a covered drive through
where the car is waiting. He will run the air conditioner
while he loads up the bags. It is so easy and stress free.
You pick the level of comfort or size of car depending on your party
size. I recommend the SUV for 5 people. It is so clean
and comfortable. They will take you directly to your hotel
quickly. If you wish to stop for half an hour and pick up
groceries that can be arranged. That will save you money.
On the way back they will pick you up at your hotel and deliver you
back to the airport. They have never missed one of our return
trips. It is safe and comfortable and dependable. You
are expected to tip 20 percent, we give a little more. This
trip we are using a Stretch Lincoln Limo just for the fun of it.
I will let you know what we think. It is about 50.00 more in
total. Fun is fun! Here are the alternatives: You
can take a cab - they are available outside. They tend to be a
little messy, not as cool and we find that the drivers spend most of
the trip talking on their cell phones. It is unnerving.
Mears have vans that they use to drive you to the resorts but they
are uncomfortable. The Magical Express is fine. They
have tv screens that show you what to expect in the parks.
They greet you at the escalator and gather you into the appropriate
bus. The ride can be fine but the biggest problem is your
bags. They may not arrive in your room until 11:00 at night.
They get taken from the plane to a truck and are delivered to the
resorts. From there they are taken to the rooms but you should
not count on them being there when you need them on arrival day.
In all cases take a bathing suit and plan on being dressed for the
pool on your arrival day. If your room is not ready, not
cleaned up yet, you can spend your day at the pool. For the
little bit of extra money, it is highly recommended that you use
Happy Limo and your bags arrive with you in comfort and your holiday
begins stress free. |
| 2009-08-19 - We fly Spirit
Air out of Detroit for many reasons. One of them being that
when our limo takes us back to the Orlando airport for the flight out we
drop our bags at the curbside check in. For $2.00 per bag and
a small tip you get rid of your bags as soon as you get to the
airport. No waiting in long lines to check in. I will
discuss Spirit Air in greater detail another time. |
| 2009-08-19 - We went to the
Ragland Road Irish Pub on Disneys West Side - more or less
Pleasure Island - and had a good dinner. We booked 180 days in
advance and when we got to the desk there was lots of room in the
main area of the dining room where the entertainment would be
happening. We booked for a time when the entertainment would
be performing. They have a couple of guys who play Irish music
and accompany the Celtic dancer. We were 5 and that seemed to
create a problem for them. We waited a long time while many
walk ups were taken first. It was frustrating. Finally
we were seated in a booth with no view of the entertainment, dark
and no view of anything in fact. I immediately asked to be
moved so that we could see the entertainment. She said that
she would ask at the podium and see if we could be moved. She
said that we could move to the side of the room to watch the
entertainment when our dinner was done. They did not come
back. Our waiter was great and very enthusiastic but he did
not offer to move us. So we ordered but I was still perturbed.
I finally asked to see the manager. Once I explained what had
happened he said that they always try to seat those who want to see
the entertainment in the main part of the room. I told him
that I had gone to the washroom and had seen 8 different tables that
we could have been seated at with little rearrangement. He
immediately said that he would see what could be done. Our
food arrived while he was away. The entertainment came on and
left while we could not see. He returned with several staff
members and they picked up our drinks and food and moved us to great
seats. We got a new waiter who was also wonderful. I
asked for the first server to be sent over and tipped him and I
tipped the new server as well. We saw the entertainment and
enjoyed our dinner and our Irish experience. I would say that
they bent over backwards once we spoke to the manager. The
food was good and the drinks plentiful. Unfortunately the
Celtic dancer was only on for a couple of minutes (one song) an hour and it was
hardly worth the effort. The guitar players were very good. |
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