Tip Tuesday: Central Florida Greenway

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

As airline prices continue to soar, more and more guests are driving to Walt Disney World. For those along the East Coast coming down I-95, the turn onto I-4 west is a welcome sight -- that is until they get into Orlando itself.

If you've never driven I-4 through downtown Orlando, it can be a mess, especially during the morning and evening drive times. Also, there are plenty of wrecks, just read the Orlando Sentinel Web page sometime.

There is an alternative to I-4, though. It's called the Central Florida Greenway, or toll route 417. It begins near Sanford and runs nearly to Walt Disney World. It's about 15 miles longer than using I-4, but much less hectic. Guests who fly into Orlando International Airport and use Disney's Magical Express have seen the Greenway first-hand. It's the route Disney uses to get guests to and from the parks.

It is a toll road, and I'm sure some will avoid it just because they don't want to pay the tolls, which (as of this post) is about $6 (one-way) from I-4 to World Center Drive. In my opinion, it's well worth the $6 and the extra 15 miles.

Why? First and foremost, you bypass downtown Orlando which can be a madhouse. There are points on I-4 where the speed limit goes down to 55, yet drivers are whizzing all around you doing 80 on bumpy concrete roads. The Greenway is nicely paved with far-less traffic. On our last trip to WDW, we decided to try the Greenway and our drive was pleasant and stress-free. There are far fewer exits to worry about merging traffic. The only "annoyance" were the toll booths.

There is a way to avoid stopping for the tolls, however. It's called the SunPass. With the SunPass, you can drive right past the toll booths and maintain your speed, for the most part. There are two versions of the SunPass -- the portable transponder and the SunPass Mini. You can purchase either version at drug stores or online. The big difference between the portable and the mini is price and use.

The portable (as its name implies) can be used in any car. This would be the best option if you fly into Orlando and rent a car frequently, or drive different cars to WDW. The portable costs $25 + a required $10 initial balance.

The Mini is a sticker that you put on your car windshield. This is a good option if you always drive the same car to WDW each time. The Mini only costs $4.99 + the $10 required initial balance.

So depending on how and what your drive to/in Orlando, the portable or the Mini will be a great option. Best of all, you can reload your balance online. So before that next trip, just load up your pass and off you go!

Before my next drive to WDW, I will be getting a SunPass and taking the Greenway again.

Until next time -- I hope you have a happy and safe drive to Walt Disney World!

Tip Tuesday: Club Cool

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

Right now it's hotter than hot all up and down the East Coast and this includes Walt Disney World. In a previous post, I talked about ways to get free cold water at the parks.

You might not be aware of a small store in Epcot where you can get free samples of Coke products from around the world. That's right! Free!

It's called Club Cool, and it's one of the best ways to stay cool in Epcot. You won't find it on a park map, though. Club Cool is located next to the Fountain View Ice Cream shop near the Epcot Character Spot.

Club Cool, sponsored by Coca-Cola (obviously), is a great way to stay cool, especially during these warmer months. Guests can walk right in and sample different Coke products from different countries around the world.

Currently the different flavors available are:

• Krest Ginger Ale (from Mozambique)


• Fanta Kolita (from Costa Rica)


• Beverly (from Italy)


• Vegeta Beta (from Japan)


• Kinley Lemon (from Israel)


• Lift Apple (from Mexico)


• Smart Watermelon (from China)


• Mezzo Mix (from Germany)

My kids and I make it a point to stop by Club Cool several times a day when we're in Epcot (and just about anytime we're passing during the summer). Each of the flavors is pretty unique. My personal favorite flavor is the Fanta from Costa Rica (my younger son also likes this one). My oldest son loves the Smart Watermelon while my daughter is a fan of the Mezzo Mix.

A bit of etiquette: Please don't just stand at a particular drink kiosk taking drink after drink after drink, especially if it's crowded. After sampling about three flavors, please make sure to let others have a chance to try some. You can go back and sample more.

From time to time, some flavors do run out. The last time I was at Epcot, the Mezzo Mix was out for several days. There are other items available for purchase here including frozen Cokes and various Cola-Cola merchandise.

WDW experts know that there are some flavors at Club Cool that are more "preferred" than others (Beverly, I'm talking about you...), but for the most part, every flavor is pretty good.

I'm a fan of Randy Pauch's Last Lecture (a must read book for any Imagineering fan), so I'm going to talk about the elephant in the room now -- and that's the Beverly drink from Italy. I'm not going to sugar coat it (actually it would be better with more sugar), it's a very bitter drink and I personally greatly dislike it. It's not at all what you'd expect from a soft drink. That being said, I know of some people who actually like Beverly.

So, here's a fun joke to pull on your friends, especially those who are WDW rookies. Take them to Club Cool and have them sample all the other flavors while singing the praises of the BEST one of all -- Beverly! Be sure to have a camera ready to get a shot of the look on their face when they discover what Beverly really tastes like.

What is your favorite flavor and have you braved the Beverly? Leave a comment and be sure to take our poll on the right side of this page!

Tip Tuesday: Stormalong Bay

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

On my most recent trip to Walt Disney World, my family and I stayed at the Beach Club. One of the reasons we wanted to stay at the Beach Club was Stormalong Bay - and was it ever worth it!

Stormalong Bay is a huge pool shared by the Beach Club and Yacht Club. It is the largest resort pool on property and could be considered a mini water park in its own right. What makes this pool even more unique is the bottom, which is covered with sand. With about 750,000 gallons of water, Stormalong Bay is the largest sand-bottom pool in the world (as of this post).

Stormalong Bay is a perfect pool for families, especially families with younger children. Aside from one small deep section, the pool is no deeper than 5 feet and in most places is only three feet deep (or less). In the center of the section in front of the Yacht Club is a large sand island (see above). Kids will flock to this section to play in the sand. The entire section is very shallow so younger children will be able to enjoy the water without getting in too deep.

Disney also has several lifeguards posted all through the pool who keep a close eye on what's going on to ensure guests are safe. Other cast members put on scheduled events throughout the day including karaoke, water volleyball and more.

Stormalong Bay provides plenty of thrills for older kids as well. The pool features one of the largest and longest water slides of any Disney resort -- about 150 feet! It's all part of a huge shipwreck on the north shore of Crescent Lake, visible from all the way over at the Boardwalk. It's clear this is a very popular feature based on the lines that form in the middle of the day.

Adults wishing to enjoy some relaxing time will find their niche at Stormalong Bay as well. Located near the middle of the pool area and in front of the Ship Shape Health Club are several hot tubs. These are especially nice after a long day running through the parks.

If you're interested in enjoying Stormalong Bay, you'll have to stay at the Yacht or Beach Clubs. Most times, resort guests can "pool-hop," meaning they can visit other resort pools as they wish. The only exception to this is Stormalong Bay. Cast members at the entrances will ask to see your room key (Key to the World card) to verify you are a current resort guest at the Yacht or Beach Clubs.

Oh, and remember that a pool isn't just for the daytime. Stormalong Bay (in the summer) is open until around 11 p.m., which is perfect for a nighttime swim. In fact, evening is a great time to enjoy the pool (it's lighted) because there are generally fewer people.

Concerned about swimming during those cooler winter months? Don't be. The water is heated. Of course you might not want to get out, but what's life without a little chill here and there.

Is it worth the expense of staying at the Yacht or Beach Clubs just to enjoy Stormalong Bay?

In my opinion - you bet! Especially during the hot summer months! There are several other benefits to staying at the Yacht/Beach Club besides Stormalong Bay. In fact, the Beach Club now is my favorite Disney resort -- over the Polynesian and Grand Floridian.

I'll write more about the benefits of the Beach Club in a future post.

Until next time -- enjoy Stormalong Bay! The water's perfect!

Tip Tuesday: Winter Summerland

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

As the days get hotter and hotter, many of us are looking for things to do in the evenings when the weather's a bit (and only a bit) cooler.

One fantastic evening activity at Walt Disney World is miniature golf.

Disney has two courses: Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland. Fantasia Gardens is located next to the Swan resort while Winter Summerland, appropriately, is located next to Blizzard Beach.

Recently my family and I had the chance to play a round at Winter Summerland.

I was pleasantly surprised with Winter Summerland. There are two courses, winter and summer (obviously). We played the winter course, which featured various winter scenes, some of which featured different classic Disney characters.

Like everything at Walt Disney World, there's a story to Winter Summerland:

Late one moonlit Christmas Eve, as Santa was flying over Florida on his way back to the North Pole, he glanced down and could not believe what he saw. Santa found snow in a place that is usually hot. After surveying the strange location, he decided to build a vacation destination for his off-duty elves -- a Winter Summerland.

The only thing Winter Summerland lacked was a golf course. So the elves divided into two camps, one that enjoyed the warm Florida sun and another that preferred the snow and cold of the North Pole. In this Winter Summerland, the elves built two distinctly different 18-hole golf experiences -- a summer course and a winter course.

There are plenty of interactive elements, such as the squirting snowman (see above) that will squirt players if they step on a certain unmarked spot, which just happens to be very close to the hole. Other elements include special pop-up characters if a player putts their ball through a special opening. One particularly neat effect is hole #14 (The North Hole). If a player can putt their ball into a special opening at the base of the North Pole, the ball will be transported up through the poll and drop onto the green below.

Winter Summerland also features Santa's "Winterbago," a converted travel trailer that houses the starter booth, and small snack and gift shops. For a great photo opportunity guests can sit behind the reigns of Santa's sleigh or gather in front of the "surfing" Santa statue, an elf-made tribute to jolly old St. Nick.

Throughout both the summer and winter courses, Disney has added special Santa-themed touches. Both courses come together at the end at Santa's lodge, complete with Christmas tree and Santa making his way up (or down) the chimney.

Another nice part about both Winter Summerland and Fantasia Gardens is the cost, especially for Annual Passholders. Adults (ages 10 and up) cost around $12 for 18 holes, while children (ages 3-9) cost around $10. Annual Passholders get a 50% discount (at least they did as of this post -- be sure to ask). There may be additional discounts (AAA, DVC, etc.), so be sure to ask when you arrive.

My family and I had a fantastic time at Winter Summerland. It was nice to be able to do something fun together for an hour or so in the evening without the hustle and bustle of watching a nighttime event, such as Illuminations.

Give Fantasia Gardens and Winter Summerland a try during your next trip -- it's worth the effort!

July 4th events at WDW

Guests celebrating the Fourth of July at Walt Disney World Resort will have a choice of fireworks shows plus other patriotic treats – including appearances by “Benjamin Franklin” and “Betsy Ross.”

The spirit of the Fourth of July is up in the air after dark, and three Disney parks will be making a bang, with Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios presenting special pyrotechnics and Epcot adding a patriotic "tag" to its famous “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” spectacular.

Here's what's in store on July 4 (entertainment and park hours are subject to change without notice):

Magic Kingdom – “Celebrate America Fireworks” will fill the sky at 9 p.m. After the fireworks, guests can enjoy Disney’s “Main Street Electrical Parade” of lights, music and magic at 10 p.m. and midnight. Park hours are 8 a.m.-1 a.m.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Special fireworks set to a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack will be presented at 9:50 p.m., providing guests with a bonus nighttime entertainment extravaganza to complement “Fantasmic!” (which will be at 9 and 10:30 p.m.). Park hours are 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Epcot – “IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth,” which features dazzling special effects, colorful lasers, brilliant fireworks and fiery torches all choreographed to a musical score, becomes even more dynamic on July 4 as the normal show is supplemented with a patriotic finale. The performance begins at 10 p.m. Earlier in the day, guests will be treated to the Voices of Liberty 4th of July Concert – featuring an expanded cast of singers plus the Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps and Disney characters – at 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m. on the America Gardens Theatre stage. In addition, Betsy Ross will be engaging guests inside The American Adventure with storytelling, while Ben Franklin will be making appearances on the promenade near the attraction. Park hours are 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Guests can enjoy all the regular attractions and shows from 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Tip Tuesday: Quick exit out of the Haunted Mansion's stretching room

Welcome foolish mortals, to another Tip Tuesday. I am your host, your ghost... ok. Enough with the Haunted Mansion bit. Besides, Master Gracey does it best.

I'm back from Walt Disney World with many new tips for you.

This tip is short, sweet and to the point - and will help your beat a few lines, especially during busy times (like now).

When you enter the stretching room - you are surrounded by a series of portraits. After you hear the ghost host's spiel about having no windows and no doors, etc. (actually there are two doors), you eventually empty out into the loading area for the doom buggies.

As you enter that load area from the stretching room, it can feel like a stampede of cattle. That is, unless you're first out of the gate. So where's the gate?

It's pretty simple -- look for the portrait of the young woman holding the parasol (seen above). As the photo stretches, she is seen standing on a wire above a snapping crocodile. If you stand directly UNDER this photo, you will be standing right at the door that will open at the conclusion of the stretching room scene. This applies for both stretching rooms in the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion.

Just look for the portrait, stand under it (and away from the walls) and you can pretty much guarantee you will beat the throng trying to stampede to the load area.

Now for less crowded times, I always encourage guests to try to stick around after everyone has left to hear the eerie whispers. It's a neat effect. For peak times of the year -- don't bother. You won't hear it with all the gabble of talking guests. Just move on to the doom buggies.

One more bit of trivia. In Disneyland, the stretching rooms are actually cleverly disguised elevators transporting guests to a lower floor. In Walt Disney World, the floor doesn't move - the ceiling raises.

Tip Tuesday: Watch the weather

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

I decided to stick with the water theme and talk about a facet of trip to Walt Disney World that many of us hope not to see, but should expect, especially this time of year: rain.

It's safe to say that there will most likely be at least one rainy afternoon during a week-long trip to WDW in the summer. Florida sees more thunderstorms than most anywhere else in the nation. Now this doesn't mean your summer trip is a sure washout. Far from it. Florida rain is similar to tropical showers -- splash and dash. It will rain (sometimes VERY heavily) and then 15-30 minutes later the sun is out, jacking up the already humid weather to just plain muggy.

There are several tips to keep in mind when preparing for the rain. First is keeping dry. There are a few options here. The first is the good 'ol poncho. It's fairly easy to carry. It will keep your torso dry, but your shoes and lower legs will be soaked. The downsides are that ponchos don't breathe, so you will sweat up a storm until you can get it off and then you have to deal with a wet poncho after the sun returns.

The second option is an umbrella. You will stay pretty dry (aside from your shoes, maybe) and there's no worry about seating. The major downside is an umbrella is a pain to carry around all day, especially while riding attractions.

The third option is to run for it! Obviously you don't have to worry about keeping up with anything, but you're also running the risk of getting soaked to the bone. This is where the true theme park commandos display their skills at dash-and-cover. While this maneuver may have originated with the army (dash to a new spot to find cover and fire at the enemy), at WDW, this term takes on an entirely new meaning: Dash to a new place to find cover from the rain.

Whichever option you decide, it's best to know what's going to happen ahead of time. That means keeping up with the forecast and local radars.

These days most people have some sort of web enabled phone. Here are a few must-save links to have on hand while in the parks.

National Weather Service:

• Mobile site: http://mobile.weather.gov/ (just enter "34747" for the Kissimmee zip code) or go to this link.
• Mobile radar: http://mobile.weather.gov/radarhr.php?radar=kmlb
• Full site (Melbourne, FL): http://srh.noaa.gov/mlb
• Full radar: http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=mlb

Weather Channel:

• Mobile site: http://m.weather.com (again, use "34747" for the Kissimmee zip code), or go to this link. Radar links are embedded.
• Full site (WDW): http://www.weather.com/weather/today/The+Walt+Disney+World+Resort+FL+USFL0615?lswe=disney%20world&from=searchbox_localwx. Radar links are embedded.

It's also important to check the forecast before you leave for your trip. You should most especially check the tropical forecast well ahead of time for any trips between June and November. I highly encourage visiting the National Hurricane Center (NHC) at least a week ahead of time to see if any tropical weather may affect your trip. If it does appear that tropical weather might impact your trip, you should consult your travel agent to see what your options are. Disney has posted a hurricane FAQ on their Web site. It's a very good idea to read this to see how Disney handles a hurricane and what their policies are for rebooking, should that become necessary.

I'll probably do another post specifically about hurricanes at WDW, so look for that in a future Tip Tuesday.

Also, a bit of a programming note: There will not be a Tip Tuesday next week.

Until next time, keep the magic in your heart and hope that the sun is shining!

World of Color should replace Fantasmic at DHS

Last night (or early this morning depending on where you live), Disney held a special live premiere for the new World of Color show at Disney's California Adventure.

I joined about 9,700 people in watching the live premiere via Ustream.

I have to admit, I had my doubts about World of Color. I thought it was a souped-up version of the Fountain of Nations at Epcot. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

I haven't seen something so visually stunning since the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Yes, World of Color was that amazing. I have to admit it, World of Color is Disney's best nighttime spectacular, even over Illuminations. I know some of you will disagree, but I have to tell you, I'm that impressed with World of Color.

The combination of colored dancing water (that is far superior to anything else I've ever seen, especially given that the water can be projected in varying directions and intensities), stunning music and familiar scenes from Disney movies helps World of Color set the bar very high.

As I watched the live show (which I could watch again and again), I kept thinking, "Oh, we have GOT to get this to Florida!" I then thought about where World of Color could be located. I kept coming back to the Fantasmic theater at DHS. I know there are some die-hard Fantasmic fans out there, who will disagree, but I think it's time Disney scrapped Fantasmic at DHS and bring in World of Color.

Think about it, the DHS version of Fantasmic already is widely considered to be inferior to the Disneyland version. Further, it's clear Disney isn't as enamored with the show since it's not running every night anymore.

I personally, would rather see Fantasmic be retired or sent to a foreign park and World of Color come to DHS. Frankly, DHS has a much better venue than DCA for the show. With that huge theatre, more people could get a good view and not have to stand all over the place creating traffic flow problems.

I'm not sure what the viewing capacity is for World of Color at DCA, but it can't be as big as the DHS Fantasmic theater.

What are your thoughts? Did you see the World of Color premiere? Should World of Color replace Fantasmic at DHS? Is there a better place for World of Color?

Tip Tuesday: The Fountain of Nations

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

This week, let's head back to Epcot for another installment of "take your time."

There is so much to see and do at Epcot, that sometimes the most obvious things can be overlooked, especially by guests racing to grab a FastPass for Soarin' or Test Track.

Some of the more impressive presentations at Epcot don't have a FastPass machine, a big standby line or even a queue for that matter.

With this in mind, let's take a look at one of the more impressive performances that takes place every 15 minutes right in front of Spaceship Earth.

I'm talking about the Fountain of Nations, which has a long history that embodies the spirit of Epcot from day one. It's also the largest fountain at Walt Disney World, holding more than 150,000 gallons of water.

With the new World of Color water show about to officially debut over at Disney's California Adventure, I thought I'd take a look at one of the attractions that pioneered water shows.

Of course, Epcot (actually EPCOT Center back then) was dedicated in October 1982. Near the end of that month, cast members from each of the World Showcase pavilions (and representing their host country) brought a one-gallon container of water from their host country and poured it into the then-called Communicore Fountain.

Over the years the fountain at the center of Innoventions Plaza has been known as the Communicore Fountain, the World Fellowship Fountain, the Fountain of World Friendship and more. Today it is most commonly referred to as the Fountain of Nations.

As I mentioned before, every 15 minutes, there is a special water show set to music. You'll probably recognize a few tunes including clips from the Rocketeer soundtrack. The fountain is made up of more than 200 nozzles that can shoot more than 50 gallons of water as high as 150 feet. The computer controlled water ballet has water dancing all over the fountain area, timed and choreographed to the music.

On some days, the water doesn't get quite as high, especially windy days. Even so, you'll want to see how the wind is blowing so you don't get wet while watching this presentation.

I encourage you to see the show both during the day and at night. There are more than 1,000 lights to illuminate the water show at night. It's a great sight and well worth watching.

As you watch, just remember what this fountain represents -- how all nations of the world can come together to be one.

Could Disney "benefit" from the oil spill?

No doubt, you're aware of the gigantic oil spill currently running rampant in the Gulf of Mexico. As I write this post, oil is washing ashore along the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama coasts. The oil is expected to make it to the western beaches of Florida any day now. There already are some reports of oil washing ashore along the Florida panhandle beaches.

As I was reading some news coverage about the oil spill, I happened to read one quote from a vacationer who said he was leaving Pensacola Beach and heading for Orlando.

This led me to wonder if this was going to become a common occurrence; people originally planning to go to the beach instead head for the Orlando parks (including Walt Disney World) because they don't want to deal with the oil on the shore and in the water.

I think it's a distinct possibility, especially as the summer progresses and as more reports come in of oil washing onto Florida beaches. Further, if some long-range projections end up coming true, the east coast beaches also could be affected, possibly driving even more vacationers inland to Florida's theme park capital.

If this holds true, Disney and other Orlando-area theme parks could see an extra bump in summer attendance thanks to the oil spill.

What does this mean for Disney fans already planning to experience Summer Nightastic and, maybe, take a trip to Hogwarts as well?

Be ready for even larger crowds.

What do you think? Will the oil spill's impact on Florida beaches mean more business for Disney?