January 2014 – threestrandswdw

Nighttime

I think if there is one thing that really stands out about how Walt Disney World completes the show each and every day, it has to be the NIGHTTIME!

After a long day at any of the four theme parks of Walt Disney World, are you ready to sit back, relax, and enjoy a command performance level closing to the days show? Well, if you are, you’re in the right place! With the exception of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (due to be corrected at some point in the “near” future), there are three nighttime spectaculars that put the exclamation point on your day!

Wishes! Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World — Wishes!
Magic Kingdom
Walt Disney World

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, we get to see what Sorcerer Mickey is up to, or rather up against, in the high energy pyrotechnic and water screen presentation of Fantasmic! Located in the Amphitheater on Sunset Boulevard, the spectacular show weaves a story that will delight into your evening. The finale is a nice ride down memory lane that involves many of the beloved Disney Characters to delight kids of all ages. Including, us older kids!!

EPCOT offers Illuminations! This offering can be seen from just about anywhere around the Promenade that borders World Showcase Lagoon. There are a lot of pyrotechnics and a globe that glows in the middle. It is a fabulous presentation and the music is quite beautiful, too. If you haven’t seen Illuminations! you must take time on your next trip. One small hint: Many of the restaurants that are around the lagoon have seating areas to watch. IF you can get an ADR in the 7:00PM range, and are willing to wait a few minutes, you may get a table with a view.

Finally, The Magic Kingdom has a number if things to offer after the sun goes down. First, is The Main Street Electrical Parade. This is the classic Disney parade with a lot of lights and so many of the Disney characters that we have all grown to love and adore! It starts at Town Square and makes it way down Main Street U.S.A through Liberty Square and finishes at Frontierland. Good seats can be had all along the route, but you can head to Frontierland for the little ones to get a closer view!

Second at The Magic Kingdom is Celebrate The Magic. Cinderella’s Castle is lit up with an array of projected images and a soundtrack to augment what you see on the Castle. There are a lot of Disney enhanced colors and images, as well as clips from some of Disney’s most beloved movies. It is a short show, but it is a nice lead in to what comes next.

And, that it Wishes! Wishes! is the nighttime fireworks display that The Magic Kingdom presents every night on one form or another. There are some night in the fall that park guests can only see if they purchase a separate party admission. Those are Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, both which have special Wishes! presentations with tie-ins to those holidays. There are many places around the hub to view Wishes!, as well as places along Main St. U.S.A. and the train platform at Town Square. You can see most of it from Tomorrowland, a view I got this past December. The music is played in all areas that have any kind of view.

I need your help!! Please pass this blog on to anyone you think might enjoy it! And, if you have anything you would like help with, just let me know and I’ll do my best to get answers for you!

As always, have a Blessed and Magical day!!

Maps

Well, half way through the ABCs of Disney! This topic is courtesy of one of my daughters, so thank you daughter!

We use them everywhere we go! Although, today we use our smartphones to look at them, and GPS has it’s good points. But, when at Walt Disney World, it the old-fashioned type. You have to unfold it, and find the legend to know what is where! For the adults, this brings back memories. For you kids, this may be something completely alien to them and Stitch isn’t even around! When entering one of the Theme Parks, grab a MAP!

Every park, resort, walkway, and even Downtown Disney has a guide map to help you find your way around. In the theme parks, you can find the attractions you want to see most, plan the best route to get there, and pick out a place to grab a snack along the way. At Downtown Disney, you can look at the map to find your way to the little nooks of The Marketplace or the grand entertainment venues of The West Side!

I stayed at one resort this last trip, and visited the one next to it! Apparently they LOVE maps at Disney World. There was a map at every building area and a few other places along the way to help keep you from getting lost. Or, was it so you could find a place to get lost for a bit in the story? Both Art of Animation and Pop Century have maps all around the resorts. And, as I recall, so did Port Orleans – Riverside when we were there a few years back!

The Guide Maps are really nice souvenirs to collect and they are FREE! So, the next time you’re in a park, at a resort, or at Downtown Disney grab one for your scrapbook, or whatever you have to keep it in, and allow it to feed your memories. After all, isn’t that what a trip to Walt Disney World is all about?

Until next time, my friends, have a Blessed and Magical Day!!

Lighting

I’m sure we have all heard the expression, “As different as night and day”! Well, at Walt Disney World it really is more than an expression, that’s the truth. And, the reason it is true? LIGHTING!

The structures all around Walt Disney World have unique characteristics. The attention to detail, as discussed in our January 21 post, Details (http://wp.me/s23hiG-details), just pops as you look around at the color, architecture, and perspective. But, there’s just a bit more to this detail and that is the different personality the parks, resorts, even Downtown Disney take on at night. The reason for that personality change? Lighting!

Think of Cinderella’s Castle during the day. The beautiful colors, the shape of the spires, the contract against the Florida sky and you stand there looking at it in awe of it’s beauty. Now, see it at night! The castle is just one of the examples of how lighting affects the appearance! Especially at Christmas time!

Or, Spaceship Earth at EPCOT as it changes from a giant silver, shiny ball to a multi-colored accent that is the icon of this, my favorite, park!

Spaceship Earth EPCOT — Spaceship Earth
EPCOT

Even in the resorts, lighting plays a part in the atmosphere of your surroundings. At Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, the iconic figures that adorn the property have a beautiful and impressive look to them. At night, the take on a whole different look that makes you stop and just soak it in! These pictures give you just a taste of what I mean.

Simba by Day! Art of Animation Resort — Simba by Day!
Art of Animation Resort

Even the building in the background looks a little different!

As you can see, lighting is as much a part of the show as the cast members. Next time you are in a park, resort, or at Downtown Disney, take a look around at how special the feel is where you are! I think you’ll know it when you feel it!

Until next time, I wish you a Blessed and Magical Day, my friends!

Rumor Has It for January 29, 2014

Rumor has it that there will soon be Magicbands available for off-site guests to purchase. While the exact price hasn’t been announced, it is believed that the cost will be under $15. We shall see!

Rumor has it that the food areas of the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival will be called Outdoor Kitchens. I have seen this in more than one place, so I think this may be more than just a rumor…hehe!

Rumor has it that there are pictures floating around of the interior of The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Let’s hope it gets finished soon so someone can ride the thing and tell us what it was like! ( see http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/fantasyland/news/28jan2014-photos—disney-provides-a-sneak-peek-at-some-interior-details-from-the-seven-dwarfs-mine-train-coaster.htm for more)

Finally, Rumor has it that you can save money on Walt Disney World vacations for the Spring and Early Summer. Contact your favorite Disney Authorized Travel Planner for details!

That’s it for now..have a Blessed and Magical Day, my friends!!

Thanks for reading!

Kids

Today, we look at the fun you can have at Walt Disney World as a KID! Sure, I mean the kids we bring to the parks. But, I am also talking about the kids WE become when we get there! So, follow along, kiddies!

We all know what inspired Walt Disney to put together these fabulous parks, the love of his children. Walt said that there ought to be someplace that Parents and Kids can go to have fun together! That is what inspired him to build Disneyland, and ultimately choose Florida for the location of his greatest achievement!

I love looking at Disney World through the eyes of my kids. They each have a little different perspective and impression of their experience. One will see the princesses and feel like she’s among real royalty! (Which she is!) Another will really take to the thrill rides, over and over and over! And, the third chooses to enjoy what he wants to enjoy and not do what he doesn’t want to do. But, they all enjoy something about Disney World that is unique to each of them, and that is what I believe is meant to happen on vacation.

I, however, look at the parks through the eyes of a little boy grown tall! I get such a feel of amazement every time I walk up to The Magic Kingdom for the first time every trip. I can literally feel the weight of the world leave my body and the joy of that place taking it’s place! To see the reveal of Cinderella’s Castle as I walk in from the train station and around the bend to Main St. USA, I hear myself sigh with glee! I am home!

So, I urge you, friends, to take time to see the wonder of the Walt Disney World Resort through the eyes of your kids. And, don’t forget to allow yourself to refocus your eyes and be a bit of a kid yourself. You ARE on vacation, right? You just might make some long lasting memories!

Until next time, may you have a Blessed and Magical Day!

AP Holder Rejoice!!

It appears that there will be some limited testing of My Magic + services are coming soon for Annual Passholders. Passholders will be chosen at random to make their selections. As with other admission media, passholders will be limited to three selections per park, per day. But, they can make selections for seven days over a consecutive 60 day period.

There will be a discount card offered to participants that must be accompanied by a photo id to use at participating vendors. Also, if you get a gold card, your parking will be included. If, however, you get a black card, no parking will be included.

There’s still a lot to figure out with this testing and no date has been officially announced!

Jammitors!

Every now and then I like to take a look at some of the ‘minor’ entertainment offerings around the parks. In this case, I would like to introduce you to The Jamminators! They wander around Future World at EPCOT and make beautiful music…with trash cans, lids, and other janitorial type equipment. Think STOMP in the concrete!

The Jammitors are very entertaining and fun. They have a complete act, most of which involves percussive beats with the tools of their trade. If you look at the daily guide upon entrance to EPCOT, it will tell you the times they will be playing, but the location isn’t always known. Give them a minute or two of your time and you will be energized to continue with your touring.

Here’s a sample from Travels By Rick YouTube channel http://youtu.be/DCxBWdWVsdc Enjoy!!

And as always, have a Blessed and Magical Day!

Imagination

Walt Disney had a vision of how he wanted to entertain early in his life and it continued right up to his death. The greatest tool I think he possessed was his IMAGINATION. And, as shown by the pavilion of the same name at EPCOT, all of us are encouraged to use OUR imaginations to move forward with progress.

In it’s original production, was hosted by Dreamfinder and Figment! The ride attraction had Dreamfinder on a dirigible type aircraft collecting various elements of imagination. And, one of the results is the creation of Figment! A cute little dragon with two tiny wings, eyes big and yellow, horns of a steer, a lovable fellow, with a touch of childish delight. And, I remember the Image Works part of the Imagination pavilion! It was fun and inventive and I was able to be the kid I was never able to be growing up! It was one of the most special places on the property for me.

Today, Disney’s Imagineers continue to combine imagination with engineering to create and develop new experiences within Disney Parks worldwide. And, more often than not, they develop the new, fun, and unique attractions that keep us coming back for more.

Finally, I think that one of Walt’s goals may have been to allow us to give ourselves permission to let our own imaginations loose when we are at Walt Disney World. He wanted to encourage the use of our imaginations to see where we could go with our thoughts and creations. I believe he accomplished that goal.

Until next time, my friends, have a Blessed and Magical Day. And, let you imaginations loose!

From Attractions: The Show on Fastpass Plus!

At about 19 minutes into this video is the best explanation I have seen about how Fastpass Plus works! And, I thought it was important to share with all of the recent changes!

▶ Attractions – The Show – Jan. 23, 2014 – Otronicon, FastPass+ Q&A, plus latest news – YouTube.

Hopping

You only have 4 days to get as much magic in as you possibly can, and you’re not sure how to pull off everything you want to do. One possible solution is what is called HOPPING!

You will hear people debating whether to Park Hop or not. It is a basic question to ask during your initial planning for your visit to Walt Disney World. My advice is that it depends on how many days you are going to be able to squeeze out. If you can devote at least 7 days (or more) to your park days, you may not want to use the Park Hopping option to your admissions. If you have 5 days or less, Park Hopping may make better sense for you to get in all the rides, attractions, and fireworks that you have on your must do list.

How does Park Hopping work? First order of business is to determine how many days you are committing to your trip to The World. Then map out what attractions, rides, fireworks, and even restaurants you are wanting to make sure you get to see. If Park Hopping will allow you to fit more of these items completed, then you need only pay $59 per person for the entire time of your visit. Yes, even if you decide to hop on the 7 days or more, it is still only $59 for the entire length of your admissions!

Granted, this is my suggestion, and others may use different strategies. But, having a plan and knowing how you want to accomplish your goals makes for a smoother visit to THE Vacation Kingdom!

Have a Blessed, Warm, and Magical day, my friends!!