Where to…experience winter year round in WDW

I experienced a bit of snow today while walking outside which inspired me to post about the huge blizzard in Disney.  Walt Disney World does not usually receive much snow during the year besides the fake snow on Main Street and in Hollywood Studios during the Christmas season. Frozen spectaculars have added snow to Florida but these events do not occur all of the time. The only place to experience snow and ice year round on WDW property is at Blizzard Beach, one of Disney’s two water parks.

Blizzard Beach is open most of the year, except for when the temperature gets too low or severe thunderstorms are predicted.  Blizzard Beach closes for refurbishment during the winter season (ironically) because most would rather spend their days at the theme parks than on water slides in 60 degree weather.  I have not visited Blizzard Beach in a few trips, due to the colder weather, but hope to make it back soon!

At the entrance of the park, the snowman family provides a great backdrop for photos with children.  Unfortunately, I don’t have the photo on my computer, but my sister and I have an awesome photo pretending to be cold next to the snowmen.  In Tike’s Peak, children can cross a pool while balancing on glaciers and trying not to fall in.  Different slides and areas are meant for different age groups or adventure seekers.  The Family Raft Ride is one of my personal favorites, but beware the climb to the top includes over 100 steps!  These steps can get a bit warm during the height of the summer.  Blizzard Beach has toboggan racers, tube slides, non tube slides, and the huge Summit Plummit which will also measure your speed as you fly down it.

In my opinion, Blizzard Beach is the superior water park in terms of rides and also activities for children.  Blizzard Beach does not have a wave pool as Typhoon Lagoon does, but I almost always visit Blizzard Beach over Typhoon Lagoon.

Where to…Drink Free Soda Samples

In Epcot, past Spaceship Earth, off to the left, is Club Cool.  Many do not know about this club because it is tucked into a quiet location and most visitors are running off to ride Soarin’ and Test Track in the opposite direction.  My cousins first showed me Club Cool years ago.  It is a fantastic place to stop for a shot sized cup of soda, especially in the hot summer days.  And, the samples are free!

Some quick pointers to know about visiting Club Cool:

• Club Cool has soda flavors from a variety of countries around the world.  Try the Beverly (which is from Italy) first.  You will probably find another flavor that you enjoy more, but definitely taste this one to start.
• The floor is usually sticky from spilled soda, so be careful when you are walking around.
• Don’t fall in love with a soda flavor because you won’t be able to purchase it from the store inside.  Yes, they sell tons of Coca-Cola merchandise, but the store does not sell any of the soda you are able to sample.  This is one of the items Disney needs to fix in Club Cool.
• You can visit multiple times in a trip or even in a day and try a different flavor each time.  Or you can just go back for your favorite flavor.
• The appearance of Club Cool has changed over the years.  A polar bear and lots of ice used to be on the exterior, but was replaced with a more modern look.
• Some of the machines have slightly different varieties of the flavors so make sure to check out a few of them so you don’t miss out on any flavors!

 

Where to…begin planning!

So you have decided that you are going to plan a trip to Walt Disney World.  One person out of the family or group usually gets designated as “The Planner” of the trip and sometimes it can be overwhelming to try to create the perfect trip.  If it is your first trip or your fifteenth, you should keep “DREAM” in mind when planning a vacation.

D stands for Decisions.  Walt Disney World vacations include many decisions in the planning process, especially if it is your first trip and you would like everything to run smoothly.  If you have trouble making decisions, then you might need to start the planning process a year in advance.  You will need to decide on transportation, meals, hotel, rides, and more.   After you decide on these things though (and make sure everyone is in agreement) then you can move on to…

R which is Reservations.  Book the resort or hotel reservation first, especially if you are staying onsite.  Transportation is next, depending on the form of transportation.  If you are driving, you are fine.  If flying though, watch the flights and book when you can get the best deal, which might not be until after you start booking dining reservations.  Then once it gets closer (usually 180 days before the trip begins), you will be able to book Advanced Dining Reservations on WDW property.  After, you can make Fastpass+ Reservations if you choose to do so.

E is for Experiences. Disney is great with coming up with a wide range of experiences for both children and adults.  You could have your child have their first haircut at the Barber Shop on Main Street in Magic Kingdom or you could go on a Behind the Scenes Tour as a whole family.  You could even go Parasailing at the Contemporary!  Experiences also need reservations usually, although the timeline for booking greatly depends on the time of year and the event.  Look into special experiences ahead of time to see if there is anything you might be interested in doing.

A is for Arrange.  While planning, do not forget to arrange your plans day by day or park by park so that you can remember everything.  Organization is super important, especially if you have a lot of Advanced Dining Reservations or Fastpass+ Reservations that you do not want to miss.  Keep everything in a Disney themed folder or binder from the Decision phase all the way until the trip is over.

M is for Magic.  Even though planning can be tiring and stressful, especially when coordinating a big group, remember to keep the Disney Magic alive!  Try to sprinkle bits of the Disney Magic before the trip with your family such as watching Disney movies, playing Disney music, or even making a Disney sticker countdown calendar.  And enjoy the trip once it begins because it will be amazing.  No trip/trip planning time can be problem free but get over the bumps and move on.  Have a magical vacation and remember to relax by eating a Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar!

I am participating in the Mickey Monday linkup again so please visit http://www.rungeekrundisney.com/2014/11/appetizers-of-walt-disney-world-mickey.html and www.adventuresbykatie.com to read other Disney posts!

Where to…find great views of other parks

Disney’s California Grill restaurant at the Contemporary Resort has an outdoor walkway which provides great views of Magic Kingdom and other parts of Walt Disney World property.  Although the sun was a little blinding while we ate until they lowered the blinds in the restaurant, we did enjoy seeing the sunset behind the Castle.  You can also see the Magic Kingdom fireworks from this restaurant, but I have not done that yet.  I enjoy watching them in the park.

The top of the Family Raft Ride at Blizzard Beach water park also provides nice panoramic views of the surrounding parks, however, you have to climb up about a hundred steps.  And, you don’t have much time to take a photo before you have to get on the ride.  If you go for Early Extra Magic Hours most people go to the larger rides and so the Family Raft Ride has no crowd.  If you have a waterproof case for your phone or camera, you might be able to take photos before the raft ride but otherwise it would be hard to bring a phone or camera up there.

 

As you are climbing the hill on Expedition Everest, you can see the Tree of Life on one side and on the other side can see a few other parks.  I was able to quickly snap a photo of the Tree of Life but did not have time to get any photos of the other side, so I will have to try again next time.  Everest is the highest mountain in Walt Disney World and therefore your best chance of getting a good photo of a lot of WDW property is from this roller coaster ride.  But enjoy the view especially if it is your first time riding, before trying to take a photo.

When the doors open when you are dropping on the Tower of Terror, you can see the Mouse Ear Tower, but the doors shut too quickly as you drop to be able to get a picture.  I would recommend just enjoying the ride because it is hard enough to stay in your seat, nevertheless attempt to take a photo!

The easiest, non moving spot to see a large part of Magic Kingdom from and take photos is the California Grill restaurant, but if you want to see another park from a high vantage point, then you might have to try one of the other options above.

 

 

Where to…sail on a cruise around the world

I talked about the Disney Cruise Line on Monday, but today I will discuss a different type of cruise.  A couple of other more negative names for this post could be Where to…find a song to get stuck in your head for the rest of the day or Where to…find a headache quickly, but I prefer to be more positive because I greatly enjoy this ride.  Called “the happiest cruise that ever sailed,” It’s a Small World will bring you through different regions and countries of the world without needing a passport.

The first version of this attraction was at the New York’s World Fair from 1964 to 1965.  It then went to Disneyland and later on, Walt Disney World opened a version of it in 1971.  It’s a Small World is one of the staple Fantasyland rides, and it is hard to think that Disneyland opened without it because it had not been thought of yet!  This ride is extremely detailed with many dolls, costumes, and scenery along the ride.  I never know in which direction to look when I am on this ride.  Make sure you look up because sometimes some of the coolest sets are right above you!  The Disneyland version of the ride is part outdoors and the boarding area for the Disneyland Paris version is also outdoors.  However, in Walt Disney World the entire ride is inside.
It’s a Small World usually has the shortest waits late at night or first thing in the morning.  Mid-day is the worst time to try to take the cruise because park goers are starting to get tired from walking and want to go on something that is relaxing.  Please do not take flash photography while on this ride because it is really evident and distracts from the beautiful layout of the ride.  My favorite scene of this ride would have to be the last one where goodbye is said in many languages.  See how many languages you can identify next time you ride!

One of the coolest things to see is when the hour changes, the clock and the dolls in the boarding area come alive.  Try to time it so that you can see the clock’s hourly routine while boarding or while waiting in line.  And lastly, if you come off this ride and still don’t know the lyrics of the song after listening to them for ten minutes, then you might need to ride it a second time!

 

Where to…take a nap (or not take one)

In the Parks:
Believe it or not, I have seen people napping in the parks on benches.  Yes, I know you are tired but unless you are a child in a stroller, it is not acceptable to nap in the parks (unless maybe you are there for a 24 hour event).  If you suddenly are SO tired that you need a power nap, go into an attraction where it is very dark and you can nap without being noticed.  My suggestions include the Hall of Presidents and the Carousel of Progress in Magic Kingdom, the American Adventure in Epcot(even though I love this show, I have noticed people nod off), Muppet 3D in Hollywood Studios, and It’s Tough to be a Bug in Animal Kingdom.  Now, if you are not completely exhausted, you will not be able to fall asleep during Muppet 3D or It’s Tough to be a Bug because of the loud noises.  But, Epcot and Magic Kingdom have the most options for naps because they are the most tiring parks.  PLEASE do not sleep just anywhere unless you are in a stroller! 

Outside of the Parks:
I fall asleep really easily and so I usually take a nap on the bus to the parks or back from the parks if it was a long day.  I would not advise doing this unless you have a trustworthy friend to wake you up when it is your stop to get off.  Do not fall asleep so you are leaning on a stranger’s shoulder either-they will not appreciate it.  Yes, it’s a small world, but not that small.  If you are at your resort, taking a nap in the room or by the pool is perfectly acceptable.  Napping in the main lobby though is not advised.  Everyone will see you when they walk in the door first thing to their Disney vacation.  They will be exhausted before their trip has even begun!  For the sake of others, please take the elevator up to your room or walk to the poolside to take a nap!

Or just sleep a lot the week before your vacation and then the week after and spend as many hours as possibly during your vacation in the parks with little sleep!

And it is my Mom’s birthday today so Happy Birthday Mom!

Where to…find the fastest rides

Which Walt Disney World ride do you think is the fastest?  Rock’n’Roller Coaster? Nope.  Space Mountain? Nope.  Test Track? Correct!

Test Track in Epcot is the fastest ride in a Walt Disney World park.  Your car can reach speeds of 65mph.  Test Track feels slower than Rock’n’Roller Coaster (in Hollywood Studios) because you make your way up to 65mph on the outside ramp gradually.  Whereas on Rock’n’Roller Coaster, you go from a standstill to 60mph in a few seconds.  On both rides, your hair will get in your face, but the photo on Rock’n’Roller Coaster usually has a better photo.

To compare the two rides a little, I am going to focus on categories of pre-ride theming, scare factor, and ride elements.

Pre-Ride Theming
Test Track: The new version of Test Track has you design a car to test to see how well it does in certain situations.  While I enjoyed the old zig zag line that never seemed to end in the old Test Track version, the updated pre-ride is more interesting.
Rock’n’Roller Coaster: The coaster wins this category in my mind due to the great entrance into the air conditioned building.  Rock’n’Roller Coaster also has a bead door upon entering which if you have been on the ride, you know what I am talking about because kids constantly like to touch it so that it makes a lot of noise.  And of course, Rock’n’Roller Coaster has the pre-show video with Aerosmith where Aerosmith gives us all backstage passes to the ride.

Scare Factor:
Test Track: The new Test Track has darker lighting than the old one and you can’t see the track ahead of the car most of the time.  I would not say it is scary because of anything that happens on the ride course, but being that you don’t know what is coming up, little kids could get a little frightened.
Rock’n’Roller Coaster: Once you enter the garage, the scare factor increases.  One of my friends and my sister started freaking out when they saw how fast the limo goes in the beginning.  The ride is smooth after the start but is in the dark.  I think the scariest thing is watching the limo go off if you have not been on the ride before so if you are bringing your kids on for the first time, try to not let them watch that happen too many times!

Ride Elements:
Test Track: Test Track has many quick stops, turns, and bumps along the course.  If you have back or neck problems, definitely do not do either of these rides but especially Test Track.
Rock’n’Roller Coaster:  The coaster goes upside down twice and is a regular roller coaster with drops and twists but it is a smoother ride than Test Track because there are no sudden changes.

I prefer Rock’n’Roller Coaster over Test Track even though Test Track does go faster.  Hopefully I compared the rides with enough details to help you decide whether you will ride one of these speedy rides on your next trip!

Where to…avoid crowds (during parades and fireworks)

Midway through the afternoon, you might think about heading over to the Polynesian for your dinner reservation at Kona Cafe.  But you decide to quickly fit in a ride on Space Mountain because your Fastpass time has just begun and then you will run to the monorail to make it to the reservation on time.  The one thing you forgot to think about was the crowds on Main Street in Magic Kingdom for the parade! This same situation could also happen during the fireworks.

Magic Kingdom is the only park where parades and fireworks really cause a traffic block.  Unfortunately, the traffic block cuts off the entire pathway into and out of the park.  During the afternoon parade, which is the Festival of Fantasy parade, the rest of the park is still very crowded.  But during the Magic Kingdom Electrical parade at night and during fireworks, Magic Kingdom is much less crowded other than on Main Street and in the central Hub area.

No matter what time of day it is if you need to get down Main Street, walk through the shops on the sides of Main Street.  Most of these shops are connected to one another and provide for a much faster way to get up and down Main Street.  

Frontierland is an interesting land.  During the fireworks show, Wishes, Frontierland is usually not crowded.  Riding Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at night when Wishes is going on is amazing!  The rides provide a great view of the fireworks and you can usually ride one of the rides twice during the show.  While the Electrical Parade is going on though, it is very difficult to get to Frontierland.  The easiest way to get there is probably through Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.  Frontierland also is a little more crowded during the Electrical Parade because it usually has two show times.  And the parade ends in Frontierland which causes many people to rush towards the closest attractions.

If you don’t like crowds, then leave the park either right before or right after the fireworks OR leave during the fireworks through the shops on Main Street.  During the fireworks, you could relax in any of the other lands and attractions in Magic Kingdom and avoid the main rush of people around Main Street.

Also, Happy Anniversary to my parents today!  They got engaged and honeymooned in Walt Disney World years ago.

 

Where to…take great Christmas card photos

Trying to get a good Christmas card photo is challenging and doing so in Walt Disney World is especially challenging.  You and your family are essentially competing against every other guest in the park or resort for the perfect picture.  A picture in front of Cinderella’s Castle is classic but unless you are there for the breakfast early in the morning, I can guarantee that you will have other guests in the background of your photo.  If you don’t mind having random people in the background because you love the Castle, then go for it!  But I have a few suggestions for nice backgrounds where you can take a photo with less people in it AND add your own Disney touches to the photo.

 

Off of Main Street USA: So the photo above was obviously not the version we sent out to family and friends wishing them a Merry Christmas, but I thought it was a fun photo.  The side streets off of Main Street USA are usually not crowded and especially not crowded in the morning when the park first opens.  During the afternoon, guests are tired and rest on the seats while having a snack from the bakery but right when the park opens, everyone is running to their favorite ride.  We went to one of the side streets first thing when we arrived at Magic Kingdom.  The extremely decorated stores or even this pretty window behind my sister and I provide a nice background.  The final version of this picture has my sister and I peeking out from the balloons with our Mickey Ears on.  The background does not scream Disney but from our hats and balloons, anyone can tell we were in WDW and having a great time.

At Resorts: This might be a given but resorts are generally much less crowded than the parks but have Christmas decorations up as early as the third week in November.  We took some photos at the Boardwalk Resort because we thought the decorations there were especially well done.  Each resort has a different theme and therefore different decorations.  If you wanted a really impressive Christmas card you could go to a bunch of the resorts and take photos in front of decorations at each of them.  Photos at resorts don’t scream Disney which you might want or not want.  You could all wear Disney t-shirts or Disney hats to show your love of Mickey.  The veranda outside of Narcoossee’s at the Grand Floridian takes great photos with the Contemporary Resort and even the Castle in the background if you walk far enough around the restaurant.

At the Osborne Family Spectacle of  Dancing Lights:  I posted last week about how this is a must see annual tradition in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  We arrived at the spectacle towards the middle of the night so it was crowded.  However, if you are one of the last to leave the park or stay during Extra Magic Hours, I would think this area of the park would be less crowded and then you could take a good holiday or Christmas photo.  I like this photo of my sister and I however it definitely would have been better if there were less strangers around us!

Please comment below if there is a certain spot where you like to take “Christmas card” photos in WDW!

Where to…souvenir shop

Whether you are buying souvenirs for yourself on a Disney vacation or buying them for others, it can sometimes be difficult to find the perfect souvenir.  If you are looking for a souvenir for yourself, you are trying to pick one or two items to remind you of all of the memories and great times on the trip.  If you are looking for a souvenir for a friend or family member back home, you are trying to find something that they will like and use.

Many of the Disney stores have similar merchandise items.  If you are looking to bring back Mickey ears or an autograph book, you will have no problem finding these items in every park and multiple stores in each park.  If you want something different however, you will have to look in specific stores in Downtown Disney or in the stores I highlight below.

 For one stop souvenir shopping: The World of Disney store in Downtown Disney is the most comprehensive store and they will even ship items to the resort you are staying at or back home to save having to carry things around.   This store is great for those who only want to look in one place for souvenirs and want to do all their souvenir shopping at once.  Disney Visa Card holders do get a discount here as well once you spend a certain amount.  The World of Disney store can be very intimidating if you have not been there before and it is easy to get lost.  The store can also be noisy and crowded, especially when it is storming outside.  If you go into the store with family, pick a time and meeting place to meet up within the store.  You might think that you would just call a family member or text them but I have had trouble reaching my parents and sister when they were shopping and couldn’t hear their phones ring.

 For character focused shopping: If you like a character or the person that you are shopping for does, your best bet is to see if the character has an attraction or ride associated with them.  If the character does, then it is extremely likely that a gift shop will be located at the ride exit and will have items related to that character.  I thought this shirt below was a funny gift for someone who likes Dory and I did not see it the rest of the trip after exiting the Seas with Nemo and Friends.  If you see something that you like and it is not a classic Walt Disney World souvenir (like ears or pens or pins), then purchase it where you notice it because you might not find it again.

 

    For unique or different souvenirs: Maybe you have visited Walt Disney World every few years or the person you are buying for goes there more often than you do.  If this is the case, then you know right away that you are not going to buy a “I Got Soaked on Splash Mountain” t-shirt or a Disney scrapbooking kit.  For different souvenirs, I would definitely recommend visiting stores in Downtown Disney such as Tren-D.  I have also found that the stores on the main level of the Contemporary Resort which I believe is the Concourse (you can see the monorail right above you) have great options for souvenirs.  One of the stores has nicer shirts and swimsuits which I had not seen in other stores on the trip.  The other resort store which is a good place to stop is the main store on the Boardwalk.  You have to go through the lobby, down some stairs and then to the left I believe to get there.  Both the Contemporary and Boardwalk stores are way less crowded and less noisy than the Downtown Disney shopping atmosphere.

For non Disney souvenirs: Why would you want a non Disney souvenir? Well maybe you wouldn’t but maybe someone you are buying a gift for is not as big of a Disney fan as you are.  The ESPN store on the Boardwalk has sports related items which are good for sports fans.  Downtown Disney has many shops where Mickey is more subtle on their items, such as soaps with a little hidden Mickey or socks with only the Mickey outline.  Or you could just get the non Disney fan a Cirque du Soleil magnet.

Souvenir shopping is fun but can be challenging, especially when shopping for other people.  Don’t spend too much time shopping though otherwise you will miss out on experiencing your trip to Walt Disney World!