Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Page 2

Measuring Up At WDW

Many of the rides at Walt Disney World have minimal height requirements for safety reasons. It is one of the most asked questions we get. I will attempt to give you an accurate idea of how to measure up in the parks.

Magic Kingdom…

Space Mountain®…44″ Splash Mountain®…40″ Big Thunder Mountain Railroad®…40″ Stitch’s Great Escape…38″ Tomorrowland Indy Speedway…52″ to ride alone

EPCOT Center

Test Track®…40″ Soarin’®…40″ Mission: Space®…44″

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster®…48″ Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™…40″ Star Tours® – The Adventure Continues…40″

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest – Legend of The Forbidden Mountain®…44″ Kali River Rapids®…38″ Dinosaur…40″ Primeval Whirl®…48″

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon

Humunga Kowabunga…48″

Disney’s Blizzard Beach

Slush Gusher…48″ Downhill Double Dipper…48″ Summit Plummet…48″

Keep in mind that Disney Cast Members are not very forgiving for an inch or two! So, I would recommend following these guidelines very closely to avoid any issues.

Thanks for reading and have a Blessed and Magical Day, my friends!!

TCM’s GMR

The addition of Turner Classic Movies sponsorship of The Great Movie Ride could be a fabulous partnership at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to putting new scenes together to both update the ride and keep the classic feel of the ride! And, IF memory serves correctly, TCM still has a partnership with MGM…hmmmm!

I am curious if there are going to be any changes to the facade of the theater, with the demolition of the Sorcerer Mickey Hat, to enhance the view as we walk up Hollywood Blvd.

Now to see what OTHER news will come out of DHS!

In the end, I think we all win!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers…and a Magical Weekend to you all!!

When, Oh When WDW, Will You Tell Us?

With the announcements that Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be closing The Legend of Jack Sparrow, and possibly moving the Sorcerer’s Hat, one question is still left unanswered…

WHAT’S COMING TO THE STUDIOS!?

The short answer is: We Don’t Know! The Walt Disney company has not shared any plans for new attractions, major refurbishments, or anything else. We know that some studio elite toured the park over the past few months. We assume that there will be an expansion to Pixar Place and possibly the addition of something Star Wars related. And, how could we forget, the rumor of a name change to Disney’s Hollywood Adventure? Keep in mind that nothing has been confirmed, or denied, by Disney!

This tactic, while potentially wise, drives Disney fans, like myself, a bit crazy! And, if I had to guess, nothing major will be announced until Spring at the earliest. But, I suspect any BIG news will have to wait until D23 next August. Wow! That’s a long time!

For now, we will just have to sit back and take a wait and see stance. So, until next time, may you have a Blessed and Magical Day, my friends!!

This JUST In…Arendelle is coming to the Norway Pavilion and MORE

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman, Tom Staggs, announced today that Frozen will indeed be moving into the Norway Pavilion with a target opening in early 2016. The new attraction will be replacing Maelstrom, the popular attraction currently occupying the space where Arendelle will be taking up residence.

The attraction will present the looks and music made popular in Disney’s record-breaking hit, Frozen! And, there will also be, what is being called, a royal greeting area where Anna and Elsa will greet park guests! There is no word, yet, on how this may affect the meet and greet currently taking place at The Magic Kingdom.

The Frozen Summer Fun attractions are also being extended at Disney’s Hollywood Studios…well, some of them anyway. the Sing-along is set to continue and Wandering Oaken’s is going to be moved to a new location closer to the same area. It will have a larger play area, and will have real snow!

Finally, the holiday season at The Magic Kingdom will take on a bit of a different feel and Queen Elsa will transform Cinderella’s Castle into a real Ice Palace in the evenings. And, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf will join the queen in the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade during the party.

Cinderella's Castle Ice Palace — Cinderella’s Castle
Ice Palace

Disney Dining Plan…Snack Time at WDW!

We all keep our eyes open for it! We hope and pray it happens! Sometimes it comes in time! And, sometime it doesn’t! Some pay for it! Some catch a break and get it when it is offered free! What is it, you ask? The Disney Dining Plan offered with your Walt Disney World Vacation Package!

One of the most popular plans is the Plus Dining option! With this plan you get one quick service meal, one sit-down meal, and one snack per night, for the entire length of your stay. We’ll talk about quick service and sit-down meals another time. For this article, let’s look at the Snack portion of the deal!

Did you know that there are many snacks that can be a meal? And, some are even large enough to share between two our three people. Let’s look a a few ideas, shall we?

Toluca Legs Turkey Company Sunset Blvd. Disney's Hollywood Studio — Toluca Legs Turkey Company
Sunset Blvd.
Disney’s Hollywood Studio

Turkey Legs are popular at The Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios! They are considered a snack when on DDP, and easily shared by more than one person. They can be messy, but also filling.

Another idea are Chili Cheese Fries at Pecos Bills in The Magic Kingdom! And, talk about YUMMY!! Well worth it, if you are in the area!

Many of the items on the Yak and Yeti Counter in Disney’s Animal Kingdom are considered snacks. Try the Egg Roll or Chicken Fried Rice to keep you going!

If you are attending the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, many of the samplings at the World Showcase kiosks are able to be purchased as a snack. So, you can give your mouth an international experience all in one day!

And, finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mentioning a very wise use of snack credits might be to get a taste of the world famous Walt Disney World Popcorn!! It’s filling, satisfying, and the smell fills up the parks! Easily shared, and delicious, too!

Magic Kingdom Popcorn Cart — Magic Kingdom
Popcorn Cart

These are just a few ideas, I’m sure there are many other! Please add your thoughts below in the Comments section! And, as always, have a Blessed and Magical weekend, my friends!

The Tasty Treats at WDW!

Okay, so there is NO way I could eat all of the treats at Walt Disney World! There are just too many to choose from sometimes. But, I have had a few that have really stood out! So, I am going to share a few of those with you!

Starring Rolls Disney's Hollywood Studios Butterfinger Cupcake — Starring Rolls
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Butterfinger Cupcake

First up, is the absolutely delicious and very rich Butterfinger Cupcake served at Starring Rolls in Disney’s Hollywood Studios! The cupcake was moist and soft while the topping had the taste and crunch of a Butterfinger candy bar. It was quite a mix of flavors on the tongue! It is a very rich cupcake and could easily be shared by two or three people.

Cinnamon-Roll-Main Street Bakery — Cinnamon Roll Main Street Bakery The Magic Kingdom

Next, is the Cinnamon Roll at The Magic Kingdom! The roll is gooey and fresh! The taste of cinnamon is nice and strong, for a true cinnamon lover! And, the icing completely covers the roll and even consumes the plate! The only one I have had, to date, is the one from the Main Street Bakery (now a Starbucks). It is my understanding that you now must go to Gaston’s Tavern and that the icing is a different flavor. I must get this on my next visit!

The No Way Jose', Beaches and Cream Disney's Beach Club Resort — The No Way Jose’, Beaches and Cream
Disney’s Beach Club Resort

And, one more, just because it is my current FAVORITE treat! It is a bit pricey, but OOOOOHHHHH So Good!! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, the No Way Jose’! This wonderful creation of Ice Cream perfected is found only at Beaches and Cream, at Disney’s Beach Club Resort! If you LOVE Peanut Butter, (and I do!), you will love this huge sundae! You may want to plan on it being one of you meals! Keep in mind, however, that Beaches and Cream now requires an ADR for sit-down service!

There are many, many, MANY more treats to talk about! Such as: Disney Parks Popcorn, Mickey Ice Cream Bars, Mickey Krispy Treats, and anything from the Goofy Candy Co., but that is for another time!

Please feel free to share some of your favorites in the comments section below! And, as always, have a Blessed and Magical day, my friends!!

The Fall of an Idol at WDW

Is it true? How can this happen? I can’t believe it!

American Idol Experience Theater

As you may have heard, the American Idol Experience is closing on August 31, 2014! It had been slated to originally close sometime after the holiday season, but that has changed. And, while there has been no “official” word from Disney as to what will be replacing this attraction, there have been a few rumors flying around. Let’s take a look at a few of those, and see if we can maybe come up with some other ideas of our own, shall we?

The first rumor comes as no great surprise to anyone. Star Wars! However, it seems that anything having to do with more Star Wars in the parks may be more than a few years away. It does, however, make perfect sense given the somewhat close proximity to Star Wars: The Adventure Continues attraction!

Rumor number two seems to have a bit more rubber on the road. The Frozen Sing-Along may possibly be moving into this venue. And, with the popularity of Frozen around the world, it makes sense to move IF it is a larger theater with a much larger capacity. Or, if it can move more people in a shorter amount of time. I only hope that Disney takes a little time to really make this theater shine inside and out! Let’s face it, Frozen is HUGE! And, I believe it has some longevity to it! Enough to sink a little time, money, and effort into making this a show worthy of any attraction at Walt Disney World.

So, what do you think, friends? Are there ideas that haven’t been considered? Tell us what they are! Share with everyone by sharing in the comments below!

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

MyMagic+ Update!

There are some updates involving Magicbands, Fastpass Plus, and other enhancements that I wanted to take a look at today. I’ll also try to give a few strategies with these changes. Some that you may have heard elsewhere, and some that may be new thinking.

First, you may have heard about the new Check-In Bypass being tested at some of the resorts. This test, and probable add-o to the Magicband, will allow you to make use of the Online Check-In system and when you arrive at your resort, you will be texted or emailed a room number. You can then proceed to your room, scan your Magicband, and enter your room without visiting the Check-In desk at your resort. I am curious to hear input from those who have done this to see what THAT experience was like, and how they made the transition! I am also curious to know how you know where to go to find your room, especially at the larger resorts like Port Orleans – Riverside! If you have taken part in this test and would be willing to share input, please email me at threestrandswdw@outlook.com! I’ll pass the information along!

There has been a change in the tiered rides at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios! At EPCOT, in addition to Test Track, Soarin’, Maelstrom, and Illuminations! Reflections of Earth, you can now choose Living With The Land in Tier One! At DHS, We add The Great Movie Ride to the Tier One list along with Toy Story Mania, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster, Beauty And The Beast, and Fantasmic! However, another recent change allows you to select additional Fastpass Plus reservations once you have used your initial three selections! This will let you choose any Tier One ride for a first, or even second, ride! This is a significant move toward feeling like the ‘Classic’ Fastpasses.

Finally, it is rumored that you can now order specially designed Magicbands for your WDW vacation. A few of the designs I have seen are Star Wars and Frozen. I suspect this is just a first look idea, and there will be many more variations becoming available as the use of Magicbands becomes more the norm! Not sure what type of design I would want to wear..hmmm!

One side note from MyMagic+, Disney has recently announced that the Wilderness Lodge, Silver Creek Springs Pool, will be closed for a lengthy refurbishment from Sep 3 – November 27, 2014. Alternatives offered at this time are: the leisure pool at The Villas At Wilderness Lodge, the Meadow Swimming Pool at Ft. Wilderness, or the Main Pool at the Contemporary Resort. Complimentary transportation is scheduled to be available for you during that time. I’ll add this to the Refurb Page of this blog!

As always, thanks for reading! May you have a very Blessed and Magical weekend, my friends!! Keep dreaming!

DDP – Quick-Service Dining

We hear about it all the time! Is it free? Do I pay extra? What does it include? In this short series, we will look at each dining plan that is offered at Walt Disney World. We will attempt to get into the details about what is included and how it affects your costs, if you pay to include it on your Magic Your Way package.

Today, we look at Quick-Service Dining!

Quick-Service (or Counter) Service locations are generally places you can eat at on the run, without an Advanced Dining Reservation (ADR), and there may or may not be seating areas provided. The Disney Dining Plan offers a package that includes two quick-service meals and one snack per night of your stay. It also includes a resort-refillable mug usable at your resort food court and can be refilled as often as you like! One thing to remember about the mug is that it is RFID equipped, just sit it under the spout of the drink you desire and press the button, the display will tell you everything you need to know after that.

Your quick-service breakfast is one entree or complete combo meal and a single-serving, non-alcoholic beverage. For lunch and dinner just add a dessert! You also get one snack credit that can be used for Mickey Bars, Ice Cream, bottles of soda or water, or anything that has the official DDP logo next to it (see above).

When you check into your Walt Disney World Resort, you will receive a total number of entitlements according to the length of stay and type of meal package in which you are participating. Keep an eye on those entitlements, your receipts will show your balance, because many people end up with extras at the end of a trip, and it can be a bit overwhelming to use them all in a few short hours before your vacation ends!

A few examples of quick-service (counter-service) restaurants in the parks are: Flame Tree BBQ in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Sunshine Seasons or Tangerine Cafe in EPCOT, Starring Rolls at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Pecos Bills at The Magic Kingdom. Downtown Disney, soon to be Disney Springs, has some good offerings in this area, as well. You can try Wolfgang Puck’s Express, or (my fav) Earl Of Sandwich!

The added cost to your package, if you purchase the Quick-Service Dining Plan is $41.99 per adult per night and $16.03 per child per night ages 3 – 9. Look at the eating habits of your family, and check the menus out online at http://www.disneyworld.com to see if this would be a benefit to your trip.

The Quick-Service Dining package is often giving at Value level resorts, if a free dining or special package rate is announced by Disney. These meals are really good for those who don’t want to be strapped to a dining schedule and just want to grab on the run. And, many of these locations do offer significant seating areas in shade or air conditioning, if you need time to just chill and recover before moving on to the next attraction.

One more thing, your entitlements are connected to your MagicBands, so make sure all is well before you leave the check-in desk at your resort.

I hope this is helpful for you all, and I’ll be back soon with a look at the Plus Dining Package! For now, have a Blessed and Magical evening, my friend!

Under The Lights

The ambiance Walt Disney World, during the day, is always exciting to see for the first time on each trip. At night, however, it becomes an extraordinarily different and quite beautiful place to be, especially in the parks!

Main Street U.S.A. lends itself well to the beauty of transformation as day becomes night. The lights on Main Street line the buildings and provide eye-popping glimpses at the detail created by WDW Imagineers. The view from the train station gives you a view that includes Cinderella’s Castle framed by the lighting of the buildings. And, the reverse view can be equally pleasing!

One of my favorite places to be in the evening is World Showcase at EPCOT! The lighting is not over-powering at all! It also provides a somewhat romantic setting, if you are wanting to impress your sweetheart with your timing. Throw in a nice romantic setting along the promenade, at say Spice Road Table, and you can’t lose! Top that off with Illuminations! and you may have just fallen in love all over again!

Disney’s Hollywood Studio offers a whole different scene with it’s evening lighting. For the most part, is holds up to the glamour of the Lights of Hollywood! A lot of neon and bright lights are reminiscent of the flavor of the old movie capital of the world! The main part of this lighting is found on Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd.

So, take a trip for two to the Vacation Kingdom, slow down a little and take in the scenery, and reconnect with the love of your life!

Have a Blessed and Magical Day!!