Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Movies on the beach

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

I just returned from another trip to Walt Disney World and have some new tips to share.

This week, we'll talk about another of those often overlooked free experiences at the various Disney resorts -- movie night.

At most resorts, cast members will put up some sort of screen and projector and play Disney movies beginning around dusk. These are completely free to attend and it's a lot of fun - just check your resort information sheet you received in your check-in packet to see what movies are playing and when. At most resorts, movies are playing nearly every night.

Most of the time, movies are shown at a beach or pool area. For instance, the Yacht & Beach Clubs and the Boardwalk share a movie location -- the beach area at Crescent Lake. The Grand Floridian and Polynesian share a location as well -- the beach area in between both resorts near the Grand Floridian pool. The Fort Wilderness campground has the location with probably the biggest screen -- it's shaped, appropriately, like a campfire circle complete with wooden benches.

Just remember that these movies play at night, and depending on when you're visiting Walt Disney World, it can get cool once the sun goes down, especially during the winter months -- so you may want a blanket or jacket. Also keep in mind that it can get a bit buggy in the evening, depending on which resort you're staying at.

If you do plan to catch an outdoor movie showing, you'll want to be in place at least 15-20 minutes ahead of time to get a good seat. Sometimes cast members will start playing trailers a bit early so that the feature presentation begins at the scheduled start time.

The night we watched a movie -- Cars was playing. It was fun to watch some of the "coming soon" trailers for movies that already have come and gone to the theaters.

I've said before that there's so much more to Walt Disney World than just the parks, and the outdoor movie series is just another example, so give it a try!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Electrical Water Pageant

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

It's the oldest nighttime experience at Walt Disney World and it doesn't even require a park ticket to enjoy - in fact it's not even in the parks!

Of course, I'm talking about the Electrical Water Pageant, which first premiered October 26, 1971 (thought it was not available on opening day, Oct. 1, 1971).

The Water Pageant, originally created to celebrate the dedication of the Polynesian Luau, can be seen nightly (weather permitting) along the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake. It usually begins it's performances around 9 p.m., unless there are fireworks set for the same time at the Magic Kingdom. In that case, the Water Pageant will begin about 20 minutes later.





The Water Pageant consists of 14 small barges, each containing two sets of lights arranged to form different shapes and set to music from Disney songs from The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan (among others). Most include some simple form of animation.






The first four displays create a sea serpent breathing fire, followed by a whale spouting water, a turtle taking a drink from the water, an octopus waving his arms, three jumping dolphins, a dinosaur chomping on some greenery, a crocodile and finally King Triton being in his chariot being led by four seahorses.












After these 14 barges complete scene one, all the barges change to display either the United States flag or a set of stars, while playing patriotic music.



In total, the Electrical Water Pageant runs less than 10 minutes. The first performance usually begins in front of the Grand Floridan Resort around 9 p.m. The best place to watch is by the dock near Narcoosee's (if you have an ADR at Narcoosee's for that time - it's a great vantage point). Following the Grand Floridian, the pageant moves to the Polynesian at around 9:15, the Wilderness Lodge around 9:40, Fort Wilderness around 9:50 and the Contemporary (Bay Lake side) a little after 10 p.m. If there Magic Kingdom is still open around 10:20, the Water Pageant will have a final performance in front of the main gate.



These are general times. Check with the concierge desk or guest services at any of the Magic Kingdom area resorts for specific times the day you plan to see the pageant.



While it's a simple show, especially considering all the advances lately in audio-animatronics, the Electrical Water Pageant is a nostalgic reminder of the origins of Walt Disney World and one evening activity not to be missed.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Looking to get wet?

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

Well the temperatures in Florida again are topping 90+ degrees each day, so I thought I'd take a moment to help you find ways to get wet order to cool off a bit (of course, being summer, mother nature might just help out with a few showers, but I'm going to focus on Disney-made splash-action.

Of course, the most obvious "get wet" places are the two water parks, Blizzard Beach and typhoon Lagoon. Being water parks, getting wet is the whole point, so I'm going to skip over these.

So let's start at the parks... I'll rank each opportunity into one of three categories: soaked, a bit wet and sprinkles.





Magic Kingdom:
At the Magic Kingdom, the #1 get-wet spot has to be Splash Mountain (wet to soaked). Depending on how your log takes the 40-foot drop and where you're sitting, you could get a good dousing of water. Actually, there are several mini-drops along the way which can get you fairly wet as well. Splash Mountain is a very popular attraction, especially in the warmer months, so you'll want to think about using FastPass.





In Adventureland, there are two opportunities to get wet. The first is the Magic Carpets of Aladdin (wet to sprinkles). As you fly around Agrabah, there is a gold camel facing into the attraction. At certain times, the camel will spit water at passing carpets. If you happen to be at the right height at the right time, you could get a good splash. There's another camel that spits at passers by near the sign to the attraction.



The other location is the tiki statues (wet to sprinkles) in between the Magic Carpets of Aladdin and the Jungle Cruise. Like the spitting camels, the tiki statues occasionally spit water onto those standing nearby. This is a popular attraction with young children.


Speaking of the Jungle Cruise (sprinkles), there is a small opportunity to get a bit wet as you pass by the backside of water. If you don't know what I'm talking about, take a cruise and you'll find out quickly.


Staying in Adventureland, Pirates of the Caribbean (sprinkles) features a short drop in pitch blackness where some guests sitting on the sides might get a bit splashed.


(Note: with the demise of Mickey's Toontown Fair, the Magic Kingdom lost a kids water play zone at Donald's Boat (wet to soaked), where kids could play in water fountains.)



Epcot
There aren't many get-wet opportunities in Epcot, and only one is associated with an attraction. The attraction with the greatest possibility is Malestrom (wet to sprinkles) in the Norway pavilion. This attraction features a decent flume-style drop with a splash at the end. Some guests, mostly on the sides, might get somewhat splashed.


The other get-wet spot is across from the Kim Possible sign up location along the walkway between Future World and World Showcase (wet to soaked). This is a typical water spot where kids can jump and run through spraying water, similar to what was at Donald's Boat at the Magic Kingdom. Depending on how much you play in the water, you can get a good soaking here.


A third get-wet spot is at the upper level outside of the Imagination pavilion (wet to sprinkles). The location features a series of dancing waters. Depending on where you stand, you can get fairly wet, if you want to.





Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios probably is the park that's hardest to get wet in as there are very few opportunities to do so. About the only option is the Backlot Tour (wet to sprinkles), and it really depends on where you end up standing or sitting.


In the opening portion of the Backlot Tour, Disney recreates a scene from the movie Pearl Harbor, in which a few selected guests don waterproof outfits and are subsequently drenched in a torrent of water. While the selected guests stay dry, you might not. During the scene, there are a few water explosions. Depending on where you're standing, you might just get a pretty decent splash.




Later on, you'll enter Catastrophe Canyon to witness a disaster scene. As part of the action, another torrent of water comes raging in front of your tram. While you won't really get all that wet, those sitting on the left side might get a few good splashes.


That's about it for Hollywood Studios when it comes to getting wet. But I've saved the biggest for last...



Animal Kingdom
When it comes to getting wet at the theme parks, there's one attraction that soaks them all: Kali River Rapids (soaked to flat-out drenched). If there's one place where you're pretty much guaranteed to get wet, it's here. It's also the only get-wet location in Animal Kingdom.



At Kali River Rapids, guests are launched on 12-person rafts into the turbulent Chakarandi River for a wild, wet ride through a jungle habitat jeopardized by illegal logging. Along the way, the waters get wilder and wilder, culminating in a brief, but drenching drop. Depending on where you are when you go down that drop, you could literally get soaked through to your underwear. If you're facing backwards when you go down, get ready because you're in trouble. Don't worry, everyone else will still get pretty wet.


But wait, there's more... the parks aren't the only place to get wet.


Each Disney resort has an outstanding pool (some have more than one) which offer lots of opportunities to take a dip and cool off. My personal favorite is Stormalong Bay at the Beach/Yacht Club (see photo at the top of this post). Another great pool is at the Polynesian Resort.


There's even an opportunity to get a little wet at Downtown Disney. Keep an eye on the huge Stitch statue at the East end of the World of Disney Store. At times, he will spit water on passers by.


So there you go. If you're in the mood to get a little wet, here are some great options to do so!


Stay cool out there and don't forget the sunscreen and water!!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Off Kilter

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

In my continuing series on hidden treasures at Walt Disney World, I want to head over to the Canada pavilion at Epcot to highlight another wonderful hidden treasure that all-too-many people walk right past and don't take the time to enjoy.

I'm talking about Off Kilter. No, not me (though some say I've been a little off-kilter for a while...), rather the excellent band called Off Kilter.

Off Kilter was created in 1997 by Jamie Holton and Mark Weldon. Holton is a singer and bagpipe player from Ormond Beach, FL. When he was 11, he took an interest in the bagpipe and by the time he was 16, Holton was playing at major Highland games and bagpipe competitions around the world.

Mark Weldon hails from Cork County, Ireland where he toured with many bands before coming to the U.S. Weldon plays the drums and bass guitar.

When he was 20, Holton began to work at Downtown Disney when he and Weldon got the idea to form Off Kilter as a Celtic rock band. Disney approved the idea and the band has been playing at Epcot ever since.

Also in the band are drummer Scott Zymowski, keyboard player Tony Escapa and lead guitarist Randy Holbrook.

Off Kilter's music is a fun toe-tapping mashup of traditional Celtic bagpipe music and good old-fashioned rock-and-roll. The end result are songs you can't help but bob your head, tap your toes, smile and laugh to. There is quite a bit of audience interaction and it's all live. These guys really do know how to have fun and their songs are just another example of what World Showcase really is all about - live performances.

Off Kilter usually plays in the afternoons and early evenings most days at a stage just south of the main Canada pavilion, near the entrance to the old Millennium Village. Be sure to check the daily times guide for performance times. Most shows run around 30 minutes.

If you want to get a sneak peek at Off Kilter, be sure to check out their website at http://www1.offkilter.net/ and click on the "music" links. You can hear a few samples of different songs from different albums. Speaking of albums, this is another opportunity to take home some of the great music you hear at Walt Disney World. Off Kilter has produced (as of this writing) five albums you can purchase. My personal favorite is the live album - it's the most fun and is the best example of what Off Kilter really is like.

Here's a bit of video from the folks at Orlando Attractions Magazine.


The next time you're in Epcot's World Showcase, be sure to take the time to enjoy the Celtic rock of Off Kilter.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Duffy the Bear



Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!



This week, we're going to meet a character who recently "returned" to Walt Disney World from Tokyo Disney Sea, where he was just as big as Mickey Mouse, maybe bigger!



Meet Duffy the Bear!



Long-time Walt Disney World veterans may recognize a similar stuffed bear that was available for years called the Disney Bear. A while ago, the Disney Bear left the American parks and was "adopted" by Tokyo Disney Sea and given an entirely new persona and backstory.



Now, according to story, Duffy was made by Minnie Mouse and given to Mickey Mouse as a companion as Mickey was preparing to sail around the globe. Mickey and Duffy went on many voyages and everytime they returned home Mickey and Duffy would tell Minnie all about their adventures. Mickey and Duffy traveled to Japan (Tokyo Disney Sea) and were meeting guests there for quite a while. In fact, while Duffy was at Tokyo Disney Sea, he developed such a huge following that when new bear designs or new outfits for Duffy were introduced, guests would line up for hours to purchase the new items. Don't believe me? See this post from AllEars.net contributor Jack Spence. In October 2010, Mickey decided to bring Duffy home.






Of course, in Disney fashion, Duffy himself had to have a special location to meet and greet all his new friends when he returned to the United States. Duffy, of course, is a world traveler, so he had to be located in Epcot's World Showcase. Now Duffy has a special gazebo located near the Mexico pavilion where he meets new friends every day. Be sure to check a times guide for specific appearance times.






But Duffy is more than just a meet-and-greet character. Duffy can come home with you (parents, be warned that this little stuffed guy is very cute and cuddly and is sure to be a hit with younger guests). In addition, Duffy can be dressed in several different outfits, representing several countries located in World Showcase (he's wearing his Mexican and Chinese outfits above), various holidays and, naturally, his sailor's outfit. More outfits and costumes are planned for Duffy in the future.



Furthermore, Duffy's presence at Epcot is even wider than meet-and-greets and a plush toy. Duffy has replaced the masks at each Kidcot station in World Showcase.



The next time you're at Epcot, be sure to stop by and say hi to Mickey's best bear -- Duffy! It's one more reason Epcot is perfect for kids of all ages -- young and old.

DisneyDaddy featured on WDBJ mornin' show

I had the pleasure of joining Bob Grebe and the folks from WDBJ's morning show to talk about the Southern Living article and to share a few tips about Walt Disney World.

Watch some highlights for yourself!

 

 

 

 

Friday, May 27, 2011

Disney Interactive announces new Disney Universe game in development




Disney Interactive Studios announced today that Disney Universe, a fast-paced multiplayer action adventure game, is currently in development for PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii™ and Windows PC/MAC. In Disney Universe, players will experience non-stop action through a mix-up of worlds inspired by both animated and live action films from Disney, including titles from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. Players will suit-up as iconic Disney and Disney•Pixar characters and embark on adventures to power up their hero, battle powerful adversaries and master challenging puzzles to save the universe. Disney Universe is slated for release in fall 2011.

“Disney Universe is a vast treasure chest of Disney properties with memorable characters, places and experiences that gamers, as well as Disney fans will enjoy,” said Adam Sussman, senior vice president of publishing, Disney Interactive Media Group. “The fast-paced, frenetic gameplay combined with wacky humor and hilarious situations make Disney Universe the perfect game to play with family and friends.”

In Disney Universe, players can select from more than 40 classic and contemporary Disney character costumes, including Alice (“Alice in Wonderland”), Mike (“Monsters, Inc.”), TRON (“TRON: Legacy”) and Stitch (“Lilo & Stitch”) to explore six different worlds inspired by legendary Disney and Disney•Pixar films. Each world will allow players to experience objectives and missions that follow Disney and Disney•Pixar movie storylines. Players will select a character-based costume, with each costume offering a specific tool that changes and grows in power as players adventure through the game. Disney Universe offers frenetic gameplay, multiplayer with up to three friends and slapstick humor that will appeal to players of all ages.

The fun will continue on with plans for Disney Universe to be an expanding universe post-launch with items for download and new content available. Additional worlds, costumes, and more will be available for purchase, giving Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 system owners an ever-evolving gameplay experience.

Please visit http://www.disneyuniverse.com/ for more information.






Release dates, product names, and/or visuals shown are of product currently in development and may be subject to change. Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox LIVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Tip Tuesday: Driving to Walt Disney World

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

With airfares continuing to skyrocket, I thought I'd share a few tips this week about driving to Walt Disney World. My family and I usually drive to WDW (about 12 hours one-way), mostly because it's far less expensive (even with the recent jump in gas prices) than flying. Five airline tickets can be quite a pill to swallow.

Driving to Walt Disney World presents it's own special opportunities and challenges. In previous posts, I talked about driving around Walt Disney World and about how to take advantage of the Central Florida Greenway to avoid driving on I-4 through Orlando.

This week, I want to talk more about the though process when considering driving versus flying and what kind of time frame you should think about when planning your drive.

To Drive or not to Drive, that is the question
When considering how to get to Walt Disney World, there are several factors to consider when thinking about driving versus flying.

Some of the things to keep in mind when considering flying are:


  • Airline fares - how much is each ticket and how many tickets do you need?

  • All those fun fees - you're going to want to take some clothes to wear, so just how much will those bags cost you?

  • Airport destination - can you fly into Orlando International Airport (MCO) and, thus take advantage of Disney's Magical Express? If not...

  • Airport transfers - if you're not flying into MCO (because of a cheaper rate into another airport) then you'll have to find some way to get from the airport (Tampa, Sanford, Daytona Beach, Melbourne, etc.) to Walt Disney World, which leads to...

  • Car Rental rates - most people decide to rent a car if they're flying into an airport other than MCO. You'll need to factor in the costs for car rentals

  • Departure and Arrival times: Depending on when you can arrive (and, later, depart), you might be able to get an extra half-day in your trip. Also keep in mind the time required to get to the airport, go through security and collect bags at your destination.

Some of the things to keep in mind when considering driving are:



  • Mileage - You're hitting the road and you're going to be covering a lot of miles -- most likely hundreds of miles, if not more than a thousand, and that means you'll need a lot of...

  • Gas - Gas prices are about a predictable as Charlie Sheen's career right now. Prices continue to fluctuate greatly. You need to know how large your car's gas tank is, what your car's average mileage per gallon is, and then calculate how much gas you'll need to get to WDW and back.

  • Time - it's no surprise that driving takes longer than flying. Do you have enough time to drive or will driving eat too much into your available time?

  • What's along the way - I strongly encourage stopping along the way. You want to get to WDW safely, and that means taking a few opportunities to rest and stretch. A drive to WDW can turn into a family road trip adventure. Are there some fun places to stop along the way? No, this isn't National Lampoon's Vacation, but it might be a chance to see a few sights.

When you boil it all down it comes to one key decision: Time vs. Money. It's probably going to be cheaper to drive, but it's going to be faster to fly. Which is more valuable to you? Time or Money? Which can you afford to spend more of?


For me, and my family of five, we usually drive from Virginia. Here's the calculation that led me to decide to drive: Flying to WDW (MCO) costs as low as $225 (round-trip) per person out of our regional airport. Right now rates are much higher ($300+), but I'll go with the lowest amount here. Flying into MCO means we can use Disney's Magical Express and not incur any transportation costs. Total cost: About $1400.


We do have a low-cost airline that flys into Sanford. Those rates are about $49 a person one-way (about $99 one-way once you add in all the fees), but then there's transportation costs to consider (like renting a car). Total cost: $1200+


It's about 750 miles, or 12-hours drive time to Walt Disney World from the house (according to online mapping pages). Given that the car's gas tank can hold 20 gallons of gas and gets about 20 miles to the gallon, one tankful of gas is equal to about 400 miles of driving, which means I need two complete tankfuls of gas to drive one-way. Adding in an extra tank of gas for safety, the round-trip total is five tankfuls or 100 gallons of gas. As of this writing, gas is running around $3.55 a gallon for a total of $355 in gas.


When we drive to WDW, we like to break up the trip into two days. We usually leave on day one and drive at least half way (depending on when we can leave - sometimes it's not until late afternoon). Then we get up early the next morning and complete the drive. I like doing this so that when we get to WDW, it's no later than 1 p.m., and often much earlier. Also, I'm not dead tired from driving for 12 hours and can enjoy the first day in the parks. We do the same thing on the return trip. We leave WDW in the late afternoon and drive about half way. This gives us a good half-day at the parks before we have to head home. So, adding in the cost of two overnight hotel stays of about $100 each -- that's an additional $200 to the drive costs.


Adding in the cost of wear and tear is a bit of a guess. I found a AAA source that indicated the maintenance costs for a minivan was around 6-cents a mile (not including gas). So I'll use that number for argument's sake. 750 miles x $.06 = $45 each way ($90 round-trip)


Grand totals:
--- Flying: $1200-$1400
--- Driving: $645


Of course, I haven't factored in time yet. To put it simply, flying to WDW takes around 7-9 hours from the time I leave the house to the time I arrive at my resort, depending on layovers and Magical Express.


Driving can take as little as 12 hours if I go non-stop. More often it takes about 18-20 hours depending on how far we go before we stop for the night on travel day 1.


So the real question is -- how much is 10-12 extra hours at WDW worth? For me, it's not worth upwards of $700 or more. For others, it might be, especially if the drive time is much longer.


So there you go -- some of the factors you need to consider when determining how you're going to get to Walt Disney World. There is no right or wrong approach. It just depends on your priorities at the time.


No matter which way you go -- by air or by road, please do so safely!

Friday, May 20, 2011

DisneyDaddy featured in Southern Living Magazine


In the June 2011 edition of Southern Living Magazine, yours truly and good friend Lou Mongello from the WDW Radio Show and Celebrations Magazine are among five Disney experts providing tips for those visiting Walt Disney World in an article celebrating the 40th anniversary of WDW.

While I knew this issue was coming out today, it's still a big thrill to see the article finally in print. I'm especially thankful to Southern Living Magazine reporter Elizabeth Passarella and the staff at Southern Living.

To read the article, just pick up the June 2011 edition of the magazine, or go to the Disney section of Southern Living Magazine.


UPDATE (5/23/11): Several folks have commented about the "never pay for parking" tip. I did not provide this tip, nor do I support this tip. Parking at Downtown Disney and then trying to get to the parks is a bad idea and is incredibly time-consuming, mostly because you have to transfer at a resort. Second, you're trying to cheat the system. It's not worth the hassle. Just pay for parking.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Tip Tuesday: The Animation Academy


Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

This week, I want to showcase a hidden treasure at Disney's Hollywood Studios -- the Animation Academy. This is located in the animation building on the upper level towards the exit to the Art of Disney store.

There are two ways to get to the Animation Academy. The first is the go through the main entrance and watch the Magic of Disney Animation presentation. Afterward, you will go into the huge postshow area where you can meet-and-greet several characters. The other way is to go into the Art of Disney Animation store (to the left of the entrance to the Magic of Disney Animation), go through the store and just walk into the museum beyond.


It's very likely the doors will be closed when you arrive at the entrance to the Academy. If you can, go ahead and sit (or stand) as close to the doors as possible. I'll explain why in a minute. In the meantime, watch the monitors and try to guess which characters are being drawn. It's a good way to pass the time.

There are several presentations each day, so be sure to check a times guide for specific show times. The experience runs around 30 minutes and only around 35 guests can participate in each show, so you'll want to make sure you're as close to the entrance as possible when the doors open.



Once you make it inside, take a seat at a drawing table. You will see a sheet of drawing paper and a pencil (with no eraser) waiting for you. After a few brief introductions, the castmember will ask the audience which character they would like to draw. Usually the artist doesn't draw the same character twice in a row (expect, perhaps, Mickey Mouse in different looks).



My daughter and I went to two back-to-back sessions. In the first session, we (tried) to draw Flynn Ryder. I have to say this was very difficult. I have a completely new appreciation for just how difficult and overwhelming it must be to put together a hand-drawn cartoon short, to say nothing about an animated feature film!


For the second session, my daughter requested to draw Mickey Mouse. The castmember (Corbie), was very patient and took her time explaining each drawing motion and how to make each line. What makes this experience so great is that you get to personally try your hand (literally) at being an animator. At the end, you have a great keepsake - your drawing! Best of all, it's free.



Here's my attempt at drawing Mickey Mouse, but, alas, it's nothing like...


... a trained artist! Corbie was very nice and gave my daughter her drawing!


I highly recommend giving the Animation Academy -- it's a lot of fun, it's something way too many guests walk right by.

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