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!

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.

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.

Tip Tuesday: "Special" pins

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!
(Sadly, yet another on a Wednesday)

I've talked before about pin trading at Walt Disney World both for serious pin collectors and family-fun pin trading.

This week, I went to my #1 source when it comes to pins -- my wonderful wife, the DisneyMommy, who is a massive pin collector.

It's her style of pin collecting I find so wonderful and it is this concept I want to share with you. She collects pins that have special value. I'm not talking about limited release pins or pins for special events. I'm talking about pins that have special value to her.

For instance, the photo above is a page from her pin book with different resort pins. She collects pins from those resorts we have stayed at. No resort stay -- no pin. That's what make these pins special.

Another page has nothing but cutie pins. This is a thing between my wife and my daughter. They collect different pins featuring Disney characters in the cutie style. These pins aren't particularly valuable to traditional collectors, but to her, each pin has a special meaning because they are completing the collection together.

Another tip when it comes to special pins deals with special events. Like the resort pins, we try to collect pins from different special events (Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Epcot Flower & Garden festival, Osborne Spectacle of Lights, etc.). Again, the pins are a memento of the event itself. Where is the memory in collecting pins from special events you haven't actually attended?

So when you're thinking about collecting Disney pins, think about which pins are special to you.

It's all about remembering the magic.


Special thanks to the Box people and the DisneyMommy for this idea.

Tip Tuesday: PhotoBooks

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!
(yes, it's a Wednesday. Oh well.)

This week, Disney announced a new promotion where guests booking certain trips can receive free dining and a free PhotoBook.

I've talked at length about PhotoPass and the PhotoCD. This week, I want to talk about another great PhotoPass option -- the PhotoBook.

Building a PhotoBook is very easy -- it's all done online via the PhotoPass Web site. Books can come with several cover option, both hard and soft covers (like the one seen above). Books start at $79.95 for 20 pages. Additional pages can be added for $3.50 for two pages (must add two pages at a time).

To start, simply create an account on the PhotoPass site (if you don't have one already) add some photos from PhotoPass (and/or upload your own), and select PhotoBook. You'll begin by selecting your cover and then you'll need to choose a base theme (you have several themes to choose from).

Once you have a theme, you can start adding pictures from your account. Remember that you can use photos taken by PhotoPass photographers and your own photos that you can upload. Each page can hold anywhere from one to four photos, depending on how you want the page to look like. Each theme has a ton of different backgrounds to choose from, which means you can create several different themed sections. In addition, you can add text to your pages to add a little extra touch.

What makes the PhotoBook so great is that you don't have to be a scrapbooking whiz to create a wonderful keepsake. Yes, you could use a third-party book-building site like Shutterfly or Snapfish, but only at the official PhotoPass site can you use all these awesome Disney backgrounds.

The photobook is another great way to take advantage of all those PhotoPass pictures I keep reminding you to get... so start getting those photos together and keep making memories!

Tip Tuesday: Becoming "Royality" at Walt Disney World

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

In honor of the upcoming wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton, I thought I'd take a moment to share the story of how my daughter became a "Princess of Virginia," at least for an afternoon -- and it's an experience your little girl (or boy) can share as well!

I'm talking about the "My Disney Girl Perfectly Princess Tea Party" held most mornings (except Tuesday and Saturday) at the Grand Floridian Resort. This event, which starts at around 10:30 a.m., is a fairly exclusive opportunity for little girls to let their inner princess out a bit.

Bookings for this event are suggested 180 days in advance, and it can be a difficult booking because of the small guest list for each tea party. The event runs $250 for one adult and one child. Additional children can attend for an additional fee ($100-$150 a person depending on age). Yes, it's a bit expensive, but as you'll see, it's well worth it. Bookings must be made by phone by calling (407) WDW-DINE (939-3463). A credit card is required at the time of booking.

What makes this tea party such a royal event is, well, the royal treatment. My wife (the DisneyMommy) and my daughter attended this event in June 2007.

The tea party begins in the lobby of the Grand Floridian where guests check in and are invited to be seated in the lobby. At this point, I'm going to only be talking about what the little princesses do. Moms (and dads) become ladies/gentlemen in waiting and serve at the pleasure of the princess (and take lots of pictures!).

Princesses are not permitted to enter the tea party until they are first properly announced to those in attendance. "Welcome to the princess of Virginia!" After being properly announced, each princess is escorted to their table with their entourage (parents) following along. Waiting at the table is a very special friend -- a My Disney Girl Doll, dressed like Aurora. The doll is about the same size as an American Girl doll, as I believe some of the AG outfits may fit the My Disney Girl dolls. Disney does sell additional outfits for the My Disney Girl dolls at stores all across the property. I personally recommend the gift shop at the Grand Floridian (upstairs). They seem to have some of the best selection of doll clothes and accessories around.

The doll is yours to keep (which accounts for the cost), and the tea party is a wonderful way for your child to be introduced to her new doll. In addition to the doll, little princesses are presented with their own tiara, bracelet, special scrapbook page and "Best Friends" certificate.

I should note that little princes are welcome as well. Should a prince attend the tea party, they will be presented with a Disney Bear (similar to Duffy) and a princely crown instead.

Once all the royal guests are seated, the first special guest makes her appearance -- Rose Petal (see top photo). Rose Petal has a special story which she will tell. I won't spoil the story other than to say she has a special connection to the other special guest -- Aurora herself!

Both characters spend a lot of time with the little princesses (and princes) and there are plenty of opportunities for photos. Rose Petal leads the royal guests in some songs and a princess parade around the tea room.

As you can see, the Princess Tea Party pulls out all the stops. All guests (including children) enjoy tea or "special tea" (apple juice) on fine china. The food is pretty good as well with cucumber sandwiches (an English tradition), peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (for kids), biscuits, scones and other pastries.

And what's a tea party without cake! Naturally the royal guests (and their escorts) are treated to a special princess cake to top off the event.

The entire event runs about 90 minutes and is packed with activities. This isn't your typical "for kids" event with a few events and time to eat. There is a lot to do in that 90 minutes.

When you think about everything that you get, the doll, the tiara, bracelet, certificate, tea, cake and more - the $250 price tag for two people really isn't all that bad.

I highly recommend the My Disney Girl Perfectly Princess Tea Party for any little girl looking to have a little royal treatment time. It's a wonderful event and the doll has become one of my daughter's favorites.

De-valuing the Annual Pass

Disney has announced their new lineup of Annual Passholder discounts for Walt Disney World for the spring/summer:
35% off select Disney Deluxe Resort Villas
30% off select Disney Deluxe Resorts*
20% off select Disney Moderate Resorts
20% off select Disney Value Resorts

* - excludes the Polynesian and Wilderness Lodge resorts for travel dates June 3-Aug.13 and excludes the Animal Kingdom Lodge for travel dates June 3-June 14.

Here endeth the news portion of this post. Bring out the soapbox please.

Thank you.

I try to refrain from ranting and raving on this blog. I prefer to provide facts and useful information, not just opinion. Today, I beg your forgiveness as I share my own thoughts on this latest announcement.

While this might sound like a great deal, keep in mind that Disney recently announced their new spring/summer discounts for the general public, which also features 30% off select deluxe resorts and villas. What's even worse, the public discount for the Polynesian, Animal Kingdom and Wilderness lodges is 25%, yet there is no mention (on the official passholder Web site) of any reduced discounts for AP holders. It's just that the AP discount doesn't apply at all during the dates mentioned above.

So where's the added value of an annual pass? There really isn't one. Oh sure, there's a minor discount for moderate and value resorts, and a bit more off for villas, but to set the AP discount the same as the general public discount has drastically devalued the benefits of the annual pass.

I understand Disney wants to "wean" guests off discounts, but AP discounts aren't the place to do that. If anything, Disney has discouraged guests getting annual passes. Why get an AP if you can get the same room discount without one?

I hope this was just some poor planning and short-sighted thinking. If Disney thinks they can eventually return to the old normal of high rates and ticket prices, then they have made a critical misjudgement. Giving guests more for less is part of the "new normal" for this economy. Get used to it an move on.

OK, I'm done. I'll put the soapbox away for now.

Tip Tuesday: The windows on Main Street USA

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

It's generally accepted that Walt Disney considered Disneyland (and, later, Walt Disney World), to be living stories -- stories that guests could actually walk into and interact with. That was the genesis for Disneyland.

The opening credits to this living movie are the numerous windows that line Main Street USA in each Magic Kingdom/Disneyland park around the world. Each window pays tribute to the contributions of those who worked so hard to make the park a reality. There are different windows in each park, though windows dedicated to some key individuals can be found in all parks.

I can't begin to count the number of guests who hastily rush down Main Street USA, trying to get to the next attraction and don't take a moment to appreciate the special tributes to the Imagineers who turned a dream into reality.

At Walt Disney World, the beginning to the opening credits has to begin with the man who started it all: Walt Disney. High up atop the Main Street Train Station is a window dedicated to Walt Disney. The window reads, "Railroad Office, Keeping Dreams on Track. Walter E. Disney, Chief Engineer." This window pays tribute not only to Walt Disney, but also to Walt's love of trains. That's why there is a railroad at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

As you pass underneath the train station, you will see windows all over the place along Main Street USA.

Each window gives a bit of a hint about what contribution that person made to the creation of the park. For instance, the window seen above is a tribute to Walt Disney's long time friend Ub Iwerks. Iwerks was instrumental in developing new technologies for many different facts of the Disney company.

Perhaps my most favorite "window" isn't really a window at all, but a door. It's the Casting Agency door, which was dedicated to the cast members at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I seek this door out every time I'm on Main Street. It's one way to give a brief nod to Walt himself and pay tribute to the man who started it all.

Of course, there are a LOT of windows at Disneyland (more than 60) and Walt Disney World (more than 85) to try to see. Discovering the backstory for each window can be an even greater task. Fortunately, Disney has a resource for you.

Disney and D23 recently published a small book with brief stories about a few windows on Main Street USA in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. This book, "Windows on Main Street" can be found in many stories all over Disneyland and Walt Disney World and but scratches the surface on all the windows and tributes on Main Street.

The next time you start "walkin' right down the middle of Main Street USA," take a moment to look around and appreciate the tributes to the various Imagineers who used their own brand of pixie dust to make incredible magic a reality.

Tip Tuesday: Rope drop at the Magic Kingdom

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday! This week, I'll round out my series on what to do at rope drop at the parks. This week, we're heading to the Magic Kingdom!! First and foremost, you'll need to arrive at the Magic Kingdom turnstiles no later than 30 minutes before park opening. Every morning, Disney puts on a brief welcome show (see photo above) where a family of the day is chosen to help open the park. In order to get a good view of the welcome show, you'll want to be toward the middle of the main entrance plaza. However, if you're more interested in getting into the park, then make your way to either the left or right entrances and be ready to move (please don't run) when the ropes drop. Once you help Mickey count down from ten, the park will officially open and it's time for the big crush through the two tunnel entrances and down Main Street. So where do you go now? Well this depends on what you're interested in and who you're with. I'll try to boil your options down to three basic scenarios. Scenario 1: Time to Fly!!

The quintecential attraction for young children, riding Dumbo is a rite-of-passage. This also means that Dumbo is widly popular. The short flying elephant attraction can quickly generate queues of well over and hour by late morning. If you have young children who are dying to take their turn soaring into the skies on an elephant, you'll want to make your way straight to Dumbo once the park opens.

After your little one has soared through the sky on Dumbo, you'll want to head straight to another popular flying attraction -- Peter Pan's Flight. This is another attraction that is wildly popular and also quickly can generate a huge queue. Unless there is a short standby line, you should grab a FastPass and move on to other attractions, such as the carousel or it's a small world. When your FastPass window opens, you can return and enjoy a nighttime flight over London (I still love that scene!).

Scenario 2: The Thrill Seeker

There's something about racing along a roller coaster track feeling the wind race past. The Magic Kingdom has plenty of options for thrill seekers, most notably the Mountains of the Magic Kingdom (Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain). For the thrill seeker, the first destination after rope drop is Space Mountain. If you can do so quickly, grab a FastPass and then head straight into the standby line for your first launch from StarPort 77. After you return to Earth, make your way to Big Thunder Mountain in Frontierland.

While you're walking, take note of when you can get another FastPass. It will say so at the bottom of the FastPass ticket (see this previous post for more).

As you approach Big Thunder, glance to the left and see what the FastPass and standby lines are for Splash Mountain. Then glance ahead at the FastPass and standby lines for Big Thunder. Odds are, the standby lines will likely be fairly short (3o minutes or less). Here's where you have to do some thinking. Depending on when you can get another FastPass, enter the standby line that will take up the remaining amount of time until you can get another FastPass. For instance, if the current time is 8:30 a.m. and you can get another FastPass ticket at 9 a.m., you need to burn 30 minutes. See which line best matches how much time you have left to kill and go. Once you come off Splash Mountain or Big Thunder, grab a FastPass for the attraction that has the soonest FastPass time, even if it's for the attraction you just came off of.

Now head into the standby line for the other attraction (Splash or Big Thunder). Again, you shouldn't see a standby line longer than about 30 minutes or so. While you're waiting in the second standby line, again take a look at when you can pick up your third FastPass. When that window opens, grab a pass for whichever mountain you don't have one for yet. Now you'll have three FastPasses to use later in the day when the crowds are much higher.

Scenario 3: the no-FastPass Route

While many attractions at the Magic Kingdom have a FastPass option, just as many, if not more, do not. So while you may have the opportunity to bypass a long standby line with FastPasses for some attractions, there is no such option at many beloved attractions at the Magic Kingdom.

So the best way to get an early jump on those non-FastPass attractions is to head to them first. Chief among them, in my opinion, is the Haunted Mansion, especially since the new queue area opened a few weeks ago, making the Mansion particularly popular.

After rope drop, head straight down Main Street and veer to the left to enter Liberty Square. Make your way straight into the interactive queue for the Haunted Mansion, taking time to enjoy the different activities. After your return to the world of the living, head straight through Frontierland to the far entrance to Adventureland. It's time to greet some salty 'ol pirates at Pirates of the Caribbean, taking the right queue line (I think it's better).

Assuming you survive your journey and don't meet a pirate's end, you may want to cross over into Tomorrowland to pick up a FastPass for Space Mountain and then check out the queue for Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, the Tomorrowland Speedway or the Mad Hatter's Tea Party and enjoy the rest of your day!

Hopefully these tips will help you make the most of those precious few hours at park opening when the crowd levels are at their lowest.

Tip Tuesday: Rope drop at Animal Kingdom

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

This week, I'll continue my series on what to do at rope drop in each of the four parks at Walt Disney World. This week we'll brave the wilds at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Now some may think there's no real need for a rope drop plan at Animal Kingdom because not as many people go to Animal Kingdom as opposed to the other three parks.

Ahh, but you just might be wrong.

One key factor is that Animal Kingdom doesn't have as many major attractions (compared to the other three parks). This means the initial demand for those attractions will be high, despite lower overall crowds.

OK, enough pre-game analysis. Time for rope drop!

As you first make your way through the Oasis to Discovery Island, you have a big choice to make: left or right. This may sound like I'm being facetious, but I'm quite serious. You're pretty much deciding between the Kilimanjaro Safaris or Expedition Everest.

So which way do you go? To be honest, it's a decision that can go either way, and I'd say some of that depends on the weather. If it's raining, I would probably head left toward Africa and the Safaris. Why? The Safari vehicles are covered, while the Expedition Everest cars aren't. Depending on how hard it's raining, Everest might not even be running.

The weather also plays another key deciding factor: if the forecast calls for very hot temperatures later in the day then you definitely want to go to the Safaris. Why? The animals are much more active in the morning as opposed to during the heat of the afternoon.

If, however, you're not all that interested in seeing the animals (why are you at Animal Kingdom then?), then you should hang a right and head for Expedition Everest. Either way, you'll want to take a quick glance at the FastPass areas to see what the line looks like. If you can, grab a quick FastPass and then either go into the attraction or head to the opposite attraction and go into the standby line. If, however, the FastPass line is pretty long, you'll probably have a shorter wait going straight into the standby line and trying to get a FastPass afterward.

Don't forget about some of the other great attractions at Animal Kingdom, such as Finding Nemo the Musical and Dinosaur! These can be great attractions to take in while you're waiting for a FastPass window to open. The various walkways and paths also are great places for discovery.

Don't forget that you may be able to hold more than one FastPass at at time. I'll talk more about an alternate approach to rope drop in a future post. In the meantime, enjoy your adventure!