After you’ve made sure to pack your MagicBands, walking shoes and your lucky Mickey Ears for your upcoming trip to the Disney Parks, just know, there may be an item in your luggage worth taking out. That’s right, starting June 30th Disney is now banning selfie sticks from their parks in general. Previously selfie sticks had been banned on select attractions within the Parks, but now they will be banned at the gate during the security check point. I have a feeling that this new rule will be met with a wide range of mixed emotions from those frustrated with the rule, to others being relieved to no longer be dodging or squirming around others using them. Either way, just something to be aware of before using any precious baggage space on something that may never make it out of the bag on your trip.
Month: June 2015
Own your own WORKING Cogsworth!
(photo courtesy Disney Parks blog)
Slated to arrive this September is an item I’ve actually wanted for YEARS now. A Cogsworth to go with my Lumiere. You see, many years ago I swear I had seen a Lumiere available to purchase online but after taking a day or two to decide where I would put him and if I truly needed him, he disappeared.In vain I asked around if anyone else had seen him, but the responses were lackluster and it seemed as though my spotting of Lumiere had been akin to spotting a ghost that never existed.
Fast forward to 2013 when Disney Parks released what I swear is a second go around of Lumiere, I snatched him up without a thought. Whether or not my initial beliefs that it had been released before were true or not, I didn’t care. He was mine! However, after taking him home I immediately started wishing that his other movie companions would soon become a reality as well. I found myself hoping for a fine china set complete with Mrs. Potts or perhaps a working Cogsworth to set on my bookshelves.
Well! It seems my wishes have come half true as the Disney Parks Blog just announced Cogsworth will be available for purchase this fall! According to their reveal, he is set to be the companion piece to Lumiere so I can only assume he’ll be similar in size. But the part I’m most excited about? He’s actually going to be a working clock!
(Very) Quick Overview of MagicBands
Prior to a friend’s recent trip to Walt Disney World, I was asked if there was anything else she needed to take care of before her vacation. Her traveling partner and herself had already booked their resort, flights, dining reservations and bought their tickets. It sounded like everything to her, until I asked about MagicBands. Instantly, she had questions mostly focusing on “if she really needed them” and if so, how to get them. Later she admitted that everything about it seemed so overwhelming that she just wanted to push it off as much as possible.
And that’s totally understandable.
The fact that the MagicBands are designed to take so much stress off of guests while they are visiting the parks can often have the unfortunate effect of stressing out a guest before that said visit. Therefore, today I am here to hopefully give you a very quick overview of the basics that you need to know.
What are Magicbands anyways?
Simply put, MagicBands are colorful bracelet type objects that EVERYONE going to Walt Disney World Resort gets for free. All of them have an RFID chip inside of them and it’s used for a multitude of functions. Basically, it allows you to attach your park ticket, Fastpasses, Disney resort room key, dining reservations and credit card information to it. Additionally, if you are using Magical Express to get from the airport to your Disney resort, you can attach your passes for that on it too. Simply put, the MagicBands are designed so that once you make it to your vacation, all the things you have to carry with you start disappearing.
How do I get them?
If you are staying on Disney property or are a passholder, you can select and customize your bands online up to 10 days before your trip. Otherwise when you arrive at an on-property resort, you’ll be given a standard one upon check-in. If on the other hand you are staying off property, you can receive your Magicband when you purchase your tickets.
Will I actually use them?
Let me answer with a resounding “yes!”. At the very least, with little to no effort put into these bands, you’ll have to at least use them to enter the parks. From there, it’s up to you.
They seem so plain, can I decorate them?
Again, the answer is yes. There are lots of sites out there actually revolving around these bands. You can buy all sorts of stickers/vinyl and other options for the bands to spice them up a bit. On top of that, feel free to add your own stickers and cover them with clear nail polish to seal them in. Another option to keep in mind is that Disney actually sells more unique ones online and in the parks. For instance, during the 2015 EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival I got myself a limited edition Magicband that made the Magicband readers glow in rainbow colors when used at a Fastpass line or when entering EPCOT. Plus it was super cute!
Anything else I should know?
I’d say after understanding the basics of the Magicbands, a whole new world seems to open (like what I did there? eh eh?). There’s the My Disney Experience tab you’ll find once you create a Disney account online. Then there’s a MyDisneyExperience app that let’s you do the same from your phone. And let’s not forget that this technology is relatively new. It’s yet to come to Disneyland but you can bet that’s probably only a matter of time.
So there you have it! As you can tell, there is a lot to these little guys but hopefully this will give you a good starting point to work off of. Expect to see more detailed articles about the MagicBands at a later time.
If you are interested in learning more about the technology behind the bands and just what a game changer they are to not only Walt Disney World but the future as well, here’s a great article featured in Wired all about it. It’s long but totally worth it!
Disney’s Zootopia
(photo courtesy Disney Insider Blog)
A few years ago when I was scavenging the internet for it’s deepest, darkest secrets (or more simply, for leaked Disney news) I stumbled across some concept art for Zootopia. It was still very much in the works and the only thing I really found was a few sketches of a fox with little to no information about said movie other than the title. Nonetheless, being that foxes were/are/and forever will be, my favorite animal, I was instantly excited. And since that day, every so often I would scour the internet hoping for more news of the upcoming movie. And today, that news has become it’s first trailer! Set to debut in March of 2016, I’d say the next year is looking pretty rewarding in terms of animated entertainment.
And as a small teaser for my readers, during these internet searches I ran across another movie in the works by Disney that I am SUPER excited for. Expect more on this soon!
Do I really need dining reservations?
A lot of times when I have friends come to me with questions on their upcoming trip to Disneyland or the Walt Disney World Resort, the same questions seem to pop up. When’s the best time to go to the parks? Where should I stay? What type of ticket packages should we buy? But the question that rarely pops up that I try to always take a poke at is dining. Many people just seem to (rightfully) assume that in a park that receives thousands of visitors a day, there’s bound to be food. And well, they are right. But there’s more to it than that.
For, while both Disney locations offer tons of quick service options, if you are looking to sit down and have a chance to escape yet another line (because the quick service lines can become akin to the attraction lines on many occasions) you’re best advised to make a Disney dining reservation. And they’re simple to get… as long as you plan ahead. Knowing this, I’ve made a short guide that will hopefully help you prepare for your next trip to Disney.
First up?
Location! Location! Location!
The first tip I like to give people when they decide to take on the daunting task of making a Disney dining reservation is to get a general itinerary of where you will be on certain days of your trips and to plan from there.
The next step is to map out what experience you are hoping to achieve while on your vacation. Is having a personal meeting one on one with the characters on your list? Think about a character dining experience. Want to experience the parks with little to no people in the pictures? Look for restaurants offering breakfast times before the park itself officially opens. Being able to know what you want out of your trip can be a big help in determining where to book your meal. Disney is great about offering all sorts of experiences so that your meal becomes more than just a stuff and run affair.
One thing I personally like to do when I travel to Walt Disney World, is book a breakfast or early lunch reservation at a resort along the monorail track that goes to Magic Kingom. This allows me to be able to park in the resort parking lot and after our fabulous meal, hop on the monorail and poof! We’re there!
Timing is Everything
Then, what may be the most important thing to remember, is booking your dining reservation as soon as possible. Although Disney treats reservations more like call-aheads (as in, if you make a reservation for 6:30pm, be prepared that as it’s prime dining time, you may still have to wait for a seat), there are people “calling” ahead as far as 60 days in advance for Disneyland and even 180 days on the dot for hard to get Walt Disney World reservations. So if you know where you might like to eat, go ahead and book it. While the online system does now ask for your credit card, you’ll only be charged a nominal fee if you cancel outside of their very fair cancellation window. Last time I checked, it was up to 24hours in advance.
Picking and Choosing
Finding choosing between the over 100 sit down restaurants at Walt Disney World and over 20 at Disneyland to be too hard to sort through? Well, here are some of my top picks for each location. While they aren’t for everyone, hopefully it’ll give you an idea of what’s out there and narrow down what exactly it is you are looking for in your reservation.
Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom
- Be Our Guest : Sounding exactly as you’d picture it, this hard to get into but quick to please location functions a quick service location for breakfast and lunch and as a table service location for dinner. However, despite having two quick service times, you can still make reservations for any one of these three meals. And if you book breakfast or lunch, you can even order you meal as far as 30 days in advance to ensure your meal is hot and ready for you once you arrive!
EPCOT
- Biergarten Restaurant: Playing off the theme of Oktoberfest, the restaurant is a chance to not only fill up and refresh yourself for the rest of the day but also a chance to enjoy a show as well. At the buffet you’ll be treated to traditional German dishes but also Disney staple buffet items like chicken nuggets.
Hollywood Studios
- Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano: Although I wish the menu were a tad bigger, this place has ambiance, fair prices and just straight up good food.
Animal Kingdom
- Tusker House Restaurant: Offers buffet style dining with a chance to meet characters as well.
Disneyland
Disneyland Park
- Blue Bayou: One of my all time favorites, this restaurant shares its location inside the same building as the Pirates of the Carribbean attraction. Because of this, the restaurant is dimly lit with string lights and large overhanging trees making you feel as though you are in the bayou itself. Oh, and the food is delish too.
California Adventure Park
- Carthay Circle Restaurant: This restaurant themed after the Carthay Circle Theatre which premiered Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 is a favorite among many guests. It boasts a lounge on the first floor with the restaurant being upstairs. It’s an elegant affair beckoning you to experience the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Enjoy!
And the last piece of advice I have to offer, is to enjoy it all! Although it’s tempting to rush through meals to make it to the next attraction, often times taking the time to sit down and actually let the parks soak in can make or break the day. A smiling cast member, great food and even sometimes just the decor of the restaurant can do wonders to remind you that hey! this is a vacation! So enjoy!
New Frozen ride details!
(image courtesy of Disney)
When Disney first announced it was going to be closing the Maelstrom attraction located in the Norway pavilion at EPCOT I was heartbroken. For my husband and I, that was probably near top of our “must-do” list whenever we went to Walt Disney World and definitely at the top if in EPCOT. Having gone on that ride together when we were dating, engaged and now married, there always seemed to be some quote from the ride we would find ourselves inserting into our conversations for the duration of our trips. It was a simple yet intriguing ride that never seemed to get old.
Therfore, I’ll admit there was a little bit of bitterness in my heart when I learned the Maelstrom was going to be replaced by a ride based on Disney’s Frozen. Or if I must, let’s say, my heart was frozen about the idea of Frozen? That joke getting too old? I agree. I’ll let it go. 😉
Nonetheless, I have no problem sharing today’s news and yes, even being excited for it. With a glimpse into what to expect next year when it opens, I’m crossing my fingers that Norway continues to be the venue my husband and I can’t live without visiting. I will say, I’m a little disappointed that the description from the Disney Parks blog makes the ride seem like it’s going to focus on visiting Arendelle instead of exploring Norway but I suppose that is to be expected. Either way, from the concept art provided by Disney, it seems there’s a chance they’ll be keeping the longships that the guests previously rode on which, if I’m correct, would make me very happy indeed.
More Tangled…coming to your home!
Big news today for fans of 2012’s hit Disney feature, Tangled! If you haven’t heard the latest excitement to hit the internet, then let me have the joy of letting you know that the amazing minds over at Disney have decided that Tangled is getting it’s very own television show. And what makes the news even more exciting is that not only will Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi be reprising their roles but music legend Alan Menken will also be on board to compose original music for the series. The only downer in all of this news? The series isn’t on schedule to debut until 2017. But that’s okay, because in the meantime I’m sure you all be watching the new Lion King spinoff, The Lion Guard which is set to air in the fall. Thank you Disney!
*takemetomainstreet first heard of the news posted above from the Disney Insider blog in their posted recently section
The Good Dinosaur teaser trailer
Well folks, it’s finally here! As of today you can finally watch the very first (teaser) trailer for Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur. And when I say finally it’s because as of two years ago, the film was actually supposed to have been released last year. Yep, you read the right, last year. As in May of 2014.
So how do I know that little detail? Well, for one, I’m a huge Disney/Pixar fan (big surprise huh?) but also, well, there’s Google. Just do a quick Google search and you’ll easily find plenty of articles outlining what exactly led to the scrapping of much of the original story forcing its debut delay. But for those who just want to know now! I’ll tell you the TL:DR version. Basically the original director of the movie was replaced, the composer changed and much of the plot of the movie reworked . Due to this, Pixar never released a film in 2014 but is slated to release two this year instead to make up for it.
That’s right, The Good Dinosaur is just mere months away from being released after this month’s Inside Out. Which means, one can probably only expect more trailers to be on their way shortly. While it’s too early to tell the finer details of what The Good Dinosaur will encompass, just seeing the two second shot of a boy on a dinosaur brings back fond details of Beany and Cecil, and for me, that’s nostalgia enough to watch it.
Take me to Main Street! 