‘Ohana – threestrandswdw

Planning 101 for WDW

When it come to planning a trip to Walt Disney World, there are some basics that I think everyone needs to consider as you prepare to make your reservations. Even the simplest of plans can be a benefit to getting the most out of your WDW Vacation! So, today, we will look at some of the basic things needed when getting ready to visit The Happiest Place On Earth!

When it comes to planning, there are several categories of the types of planners. Today, I’m going to attempt to boil it ALL down to a few basic ideas, that you can choose to build upon, or not, and still have a wonderful time on your vacation!

First, make sure you know what time of year you want to visit! This makes a difference because of crowd levels! For instance, if you are wanting to head to WDW during the week of Christmas to New Year’s, crowds will be very, VERY heavy. New Year’s Eve is typically one of, if not THE, busiest times of the year throughout Walt Disney World! And, particularly at The Magic Kingdom! If you go in with no plans, you may end up with no vacation.

Spring and Summer breaks can also be heavier times to visit. And, having a good crowd calendar for planning purposes can be invaluable. There are two that I recommend. One as at http://www.easywdw.com/category/calendar/ for a very well organized and up-to-date planning tool! And, it’s free! The other does cost a little bit of money, but it’s reasonable, and if you listen to WDWToday podcast, there is a discount code to help defray a bit of that cost. It is found at http://www.touringplans.com! I have used this one myself on the past few trips and find the numbers to be highly accurate and helpful. There is also a chat feature on the site to ask planning questions, if you need extra assistance in putting things together.

The next thing I think is important for any WDW trip is what do take in your luggage. There are a lot of packing list ideas available online. One of the best, that I have found, is at http://wdwprepschool.com/the-ultimate-disney-world-packing-list/. This is a very complete list, and you can tailor the list to fit your specific needs. But, it has some good suggestions of things you might not think about without the guidance! There is also a short weekly podcast, that I found recently, where there is discussion about some of these planning ideas. Give it a listen, it’s worth the time!

Finally, let’s talk about food! If you want to eat at WDW, especially at a more relaxed, sit-down type restaurant, you will truly want to know what your travel dates are before you get to the six-month mark! The reason is that at 180 days from the start of your visit to Walt Disney World, the reservations system opens up for you to make your dining plans. And, IF you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, you can use the 180 days plus 10 rule! That allows you to make your Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) up to 10 days into your vacation. And, that becomes very important if you want some of the harder to get reservations like Character Meals, or popular spots like ‘Ohana, or Be Our Guest!

These are the three basics I suggest to everyone going to Walt Disney World, anytime of the year! And, even though there are lower crowd times through the year, there are really no truly Low Seasons at WDW!

One more thing, if you don’t want to face the mountains of planning, may I suggest using an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner to help with the arrangements? Your specialized planner will take care of all of the details for you! You can be as involved as you wish, or just have them tell you when to leave and where to go once you get there! I can point you in that direction, if you need help. I have several friends who do a wonderful job assisting their clients!

Well, that’s it for now! Have a Blessed and Magical weekend, my friends! See you next time!

Food

Today in our ABCs of Walt Disney World, we talk about just about everyone’s favorite subject…FOOD!

When it comes to food around WDW, it’s everywhere! There are two primary categories of restaurant choices when in the World. You can choose from Counter/Quick Service locations or Sit-Down Restaurants. There are also what’s called Signature locations. These places boast some of the best menus, and some of the most expensive meals, on the property. Personally, it’s out of my budget, but if you can afford to take on this experience, go for it!

If you’re in a hurry, counter locations are typically quicker to grab a meal and take the least amount of time out of your park time. Most quick service have basic menus. Hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, drinks. There are some, however, that serve more adventurous fair. In the Magic Kingdom, Cosmic Rays offers some of the best fried chicken on property is served here. And, there’s a nice sized indoor sitting area, so getting a break from the weather can help refresh your crew for the next round of attractions. If your at EPCOT, you might want to try something like Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco. Unique flavors and atmosphere makes this experience worthwhile. There are many more in all the parks and something for every taste.

Now if you want something that takes a bit more time and introduces you to some more exciting meals, then the vast array of Sit-Down Venues offer quite a variety! World Showcase alone has a virtual smorgasbord. Each country has an offering the tempt all palettes! Add to that the various resorts, Downtown Disney, and all the parks and you could spend a few months just trying to taste something from each. And, don’t forget the character meals! They are all over the place! One of our favorites in EPCOT is Nine Dragons in the China Pavilion. Quiet, tasty, and very good service! Yachtsmen Steak at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is rumored to have some of the best meat dishes around Orlando. And, of course, ‘Ohana is possibly the hardest reservation to get! The Polynesian style cooking makes each meal delectable. Plan early for this one!!

If you want to treat your beloved to a very special evening, then you may want to consider one of the Signature locations. One I want to try is The California Grill at the top of the Contemporary Resort! This restaurant has just undergone a refurbishment that includes some of the menu items. It’s going to cost you, but there is one thing that could make it worth every penny…The View!! From the balcony of The California Grill you can see, and hear, Wishes! from The Magic Kingdom. This will impress your special someone!

There are many more offerings we could talk about, but that would take pages! Take a look at the Disney Food Blog website at http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/the-best-restaurants-series/ for more information and reviews.

Have a Blessed and Magical Day!!

Magical Day One 2013

This day couldn’t have been any better! I am blessed, and privileged, to share my birthday with two special people. My father, who passed this past February. And, Walter Elias Disney, who also happens to be one of my largest idols! I have loved everything Mr. Disney put his hands to ever since I was aware of the Disney name! And, today lent itself to remembering what a special man can do in the middle of swamp land.

My oldest Daughter and I ventured ahead of the rest of the family, as I had planned to drive to the Magic Kingdom and park as close as possible at the Transportation and Ticket Center. It was Extra Magic Hours, and we wanted to get a jump on the day, so off we went! The rest took the bus from the resort and arrived nearly an hour later. I got a great spot and requested help from my online Disney family to “remember where we parked”. It was a great beginning to what I knew would be a great day! Add to that the shirt, this same daughter, made for me by hand and I was feeling pretty good!

As we walked into The Magic Kingdom, I was blown away by the Christmas decorations that lined Main Street USA! The crews were busy setting up at the Town Square to begin taping the Very Merry Christmas Special. Note: I’m glad I didn’t plan on being at MK on December 6 and 7! The first attraction of this visit was Stitch’s Great Escape. Why? You may ask? Because I had never done it, that’s why! And, if the main attraction had some of the flair and comedic content as the preshow, it would be a pretty good attraction. As it is, I have no need to see that one again!

At that point, the rest of the family had caught up, so the Wife and Kids headed to Space Mountain, while me and my mother-in-law hit Tomorrowland Transit Authority (PeopleMover). I don’t do many thrill rides, but I am planning to do Space Mountain on our next MK day. The rest of the morning saw: Peter Pan’s Flight, Haunted Mansion, Under the Sea with Ariel, and Mickey’s Philharmagic. All very fun and classic Disney entertainment attractions.

It was time for lunch and my wife surprised me by suggestion Columbia Harbour House. The prices aren’t bad, for Disney food, and the quality of what they offer was really impressive! And, while most of the chicken and fish offerings are batter fried, I found them not to be too greasy. The atmosphere of the sit-down area is also impressive. Take some time to look around at the decor!

The rest of the day was a bit leisurely, a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat was very nice, indeed. It was a good follow-up to that filling meal. I really like the gentle movement around Tom Sawyer’s Island. At that point, we all kind of split up into three groups. The wife and girls headed to Big Thunder and road at least three times in he afternoon. Once on Fastpass+, and twice in stand-by. I’m told the longest wait was about 30 minutes. My mother-in-law and son went to the Hall of Presidents. And, I took another trip up Main Street USA to the Harmony Barber Shop. I got my haircut, which was enjoyable and a nice birthday present to myself!

Splash Mountain was down for nearly an hour when I got back to Frontierland, via the Walt Disney World Railroad. I love the train ride!! I walked over the Adventureland and took my first ride on Pirates of the Caribbean for this trip. To my surprise, all of the special effects were working (they were not on our last visit in 2012). I really enjoyed this ride! My family caught up with me after, and we all did it together. The wait times were only 10 minutes. Save your Fastpass+ selections unless you are travelling during a busy season. A ride on The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, a stop at Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room finished this part of Adventure for this family.

Shortly after this, Splash Mountain was back up and running, so we got up and ran for it! We had a Fastpass, and were able to extend the time. Again, all of the effects were operating as they should be, and the ride was more enjoyable than I remember. This is a Must Do, in my opinion!

It was now time for our Fastpass+ on The Jingle Cruise. This is Disney World’s Christmas overlay for the Jungle Cruise. We had Skipper Xander, and he was very good! You could tell he loves what he is doing and is an a career path that is in forward motion! The decorations around the boat dock are fitting to the theme of the ride, and the jokes are actually pretty funny. I’ve seen many people talk about how “little” was done, but I think it’s worth a visit!

The best part of our night was dinner at ‘Ohana in the Polynesian Resort! The service, and food arrival, was a little slow at first, but then once things started showing up at the table, it was like a feasting marathon. If you don’t like to eat, don’t like meat, and don’t like feeling part of the family, this may not be the place for you! But, trust me, you HAVE to try ‘Ohana just once to have it become an instant favorite. We were able to see the high flying fireworks from Holiday Wishes! but, that was all since there was a big forty year old tree in the way. It’s being moved to make room for the DVC expansion soon.

That ended our night, and that ends this report. I will be breaking things down more, once I go back to that place I call home, but really isn’t!

For now, have a blessed and magical day!

Next stop: Disney’s Hollywood Studios