Thursday, March 28, 2019

Say goodbye to smoking, wide strollers, wagons and loose ice at WDW, Disneyland

The Disney community is a buzz today after Disney announced some significant policy changes affecting Walt Disney World and Disneyland.  In short smoking is out at all parks.  Wide strollers and stroller wagons will not be permitted along with loose ice cubes.

Let's take a deeper dive into each of these policy changes, most of which take effect May 1.

First - no smoking at all in the parks.  This should have happened years ago.   There is nothing less magical than wading through a cloud of smoke.  For me, those smoking areas were especially bad in Adventureland near the Aloha Isle and in between Tomorrowland and New Fantasyland.  It didn't matter how much Disney tried to put these smoking areas in "out of the way" areas, the smell was incredibly pervasive and awful.  As we approached these areas, we took a huge deep breath and hustled through trying not to breathe until we got into clear air again. 

I understand smokers will not be happy about this at all.  Perhaps this will be the incentive you need to quit.  I've lost relatives to smoking, so I am no fan of this awful vice (or vaping for that matter - and this new rule applies to vaping as well).

Smoking has not been banned from the entire property (personally, I wouldn't have a problem with that, but that's another discussion).  Disney will create designated smoking areas outside each park and Disney Springs. 

Next up:  strollers and wagons.  Oh now we really get into the fun stuff.  Having watched my family grow up at the parks, I've personally had to deal with the stroller issue countless times.  That being said, I've never had to use a super triple mongo wide stroller.  The new rule says strollers have to be no wider than 31 inches no longer than 52 inches.  Think about this a minute.  Most main doorway openings are about 32 inches wide (that's the ADA requirement).  If your stroller is so wide, you can't get it through a normal door, it's probably too wide anyway, so the 31" rule shouldn't really impact too many people.  I can't see many parents with super wide strollers stopping at every door to unload the kids (and all the other stuff packed in a stroller), break/fold it down so you can get it through the door and then get everything back in and on their way.  So, the simple way to put this is, if your stroller can easily (not barely) fit through a normal door, you're fine at least as far as the width goes. 

Now for the length.  Folks, Disney is giving you 52 inches.  That's four FEET plus four inches long.  I know some of the triple child strollers can get pretty long, but again, let's get back to common sense.  Some of the hallways and queue lines at Disney can be somewhat narrow (and there's a reason for that - these often are for one way traffic, not two way, so they don't need to be super wide) and so trying to turn a hugely long stroller is like trying to turn around a tractor trailer in your driveway.  Not going to happen.  If you've got a bigger family, use more than one stroller.  That's how we did it with three kids about four years apart in age.  In the end the flexibility probably is easier. 

As for the wagons, I'm totally blown away by this.  Why would you need to have a wagon at Disney?  What are you doing, moving in???  The only time I could even think about needing a wagon at Disney would be if I was doing some huge video production (i.e. a multi-camera recording of Illuminations or something like that) and needed to bring in a lot of gear.  Of course, that would never fly at Disney, so this really is a moot point.  Just don't.  If you think you need a wagon to bring everything into the parks, you're bringing in too much.  I get it with small kids needing diapers, bottles, and all that, truly I do, so bring a good backpack (and a good stroller with storage).

Finally ice.  This one had me puzzled for a bit until I read some online comments from folks who had some good insight.  This applies ONLY to loose ice in things like coolers.  Ice cubes in small plastic bags (i.e. ziplocs) are still allowed - Disney clarified this on their blog.  Of course, Disney will always work with anyone with medical needs.  The main reason for this is the coolers.  Once again, we have a new rule probably as a result of guests behaving badly.  Guests coming in with coolers full of ice were dumping that ice out, causing slip hazards and other messes, not to mention sneaking in prohibited items (such as alcohol) that was hidden in the loose ice.  Coolers are still allowed - just use freezer packs instead.  That also helps security to more easily search the coolers to check for things that should be there, like the booze.

I know that some are already saying they're never going back because Disney is laying down these rules.  That's your choice.  For me, and many, many, many guests, these rules are making the guest experience better.

Thank you Disney!

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Significant changes coming to Epcot


(Disney news release)

In this artist rendering, a new play pavilion in development at Epcot will include first-of-their-kind experiences devoted to playful fun, inviting guests into an innovative city bursting with interactive experiences and hands-on activities. Friends and family will interact with favorite Disney characters in an energetic metropolis unlike anything ever seen before at Epcot. The as-yet-unnamed space will debut to guests in time for the Walt Disney World 50th anniversary. (Disney)


Today, Disney announced several new enhancements for Epcot, including a new play pavilion, a reimagined main entrance and an Experience Center showcasing the park’s future. These are the latest additions to a robust lineup of new projects already announced for the park.
“Epcot has always been, and always will be, an optimistic celebration of the real world that is brought to life through the magic of Disney,” said George A. Kalogridis, president, Walt Disney World Resort. “The exciting plans we have on the horizon will honor Epcot’s rich legacy of creativity and innovation while continuing to exceed the expectations of our guests for decades to come.”
The new pavilion in development will include first-of-their-kind experiences devoted to playful fun, inviting guests into an innovative, interactive city bursting with games and hands-on activities. Friends and family will interact with favorite Disney characters in an energetic metropolis unlike anything ever seen before at Epcot. The as-yet-unnamed space will come to life under the vast dome of the pavilion previously known as Wonders of Life (more recently the Festival Center) and will debut to guests in time for the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary.
“This innovative, new pavilion is beyond anything we’ve ever created and is completely unique to Epcot,” said Zach Riddley, portfolio executive, Walt Disney Imagineering. “Built on the power of play, it introduces an immersive and interactive ‘city’ where you can explore, create and interact with some of your favorite Disney characters. This is an experience worthy of our bold vision for Epcot – and another signature element of our transformation.”
Two more exciting new projects were also revealed today:
  • Changes are coming to the Epcot main entrance, where the plaza will welcome guests with new pathways, sweeping green spaces and a newly reimagined fountain. This new design will pay homage to the original park entrance with fresh takes on classic elements. As part of this new entry experience, Leave A Legacy photos will move into a beautiful setting just outside the park’s gateway. Additional significant redevelopment will begin between Spaceship Earth and World Showcase Promenade; more details about the transformation of this area will be announced at a later date.
  • Guests will be able to visualize the exciting plans for Epcot when doors open later this year on a new Experience Center in the Odyssey Events Pavilion. They will discover engaging and interactive exhibits that showcase the relentless innovation, energy and excitement driving the future of the park all throughout this unprecedented period of transformation.

In this artist rendering, a new entrance plaza in development at Epcot will greet guests with new pathways, sweeping green spaces and a reimagined fountain. This design will pay homage to the original park entrance with fresh takes on classic elements. (Disney)
 
“Epcot is beloved for its focus on imagination, innovation, fun, food and family,” said Kalogridis. “It’s a timeless place where the real is made fantastic through the magic of Disney. It has a very bright future ahead and the best part is that we’ve only just begun to dream.”
These new announcements join other projects already underway as part of the Epcot evolution. Larger-than-life Super Heroes will descend upon the park with the opening of a Guardians of the Galaxy-themed attraction. This new experience will be one of the longest enclosed roller coasters in the world and feature a brand-new ride system when it also opens in time for the Walt Disney World Resort 50th anniversary.
Other exciting new developments underway at Epcot include:
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction in the France pavilion, patterned after the number-one family attraction at Disneyland Paris
  • “Beauty and the Beast” sing-along in the France pavilion, showing in addition to the pavilion’s current film, Impressions de France
  • Circle-Vision 360 film for the China pavilion and updated O Canada! 360-degree show
  • Signature Dining experience inspired by the natural beauty of Japan
  • Space-themed table-service restaurant adjacent to Mission: SPACE, inviting guests to travel high above the earth for an unforgettable dining experience
  • Epcot Forever, a 2019 limited-time nighttime experience over World Showcase Lagoon set to classic Epcot tunes, followed by an all-new nighttime spectacular debuting in 2020

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