Frozen!

So, unless you've been under a rock, in outer space, with blinders and headphones on, you've heard at least a little something about Frozen.  From the music, to the characters, Frozen has taken not only the US, but the world by storm.  It is the highest grossing movie in Disney history, and is still setting records for merchandise and media.

The characters are mainstays at Disney on both coasts, and are now going to be staples on Disney Cruise line.

But....does Disney stop there?  Why, of course not, silly!!   According to my friends over at Chip and Co. (www.chipandco.com), Disney is expanding a section of Epcot to include a Frozen attraction.

Here is what is being said from Disney:

Documents have been filed for Epcot’s Frozen Expansion. The new “Frozen” attraction will be located between Norway and Mexico. It will be taking over the old Maelstrom ride and then some. The new documents were prepared for the South Florida Water Management District and the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
It will be quite the expansion, it includes a 13,000 square foot building which will house the main attraction.




I definitely found myself drawn into the whole Frozen trend, and I, for one, can't wait.  Honestly, I think this is going to be the biggest thing for Disney World since the most recent Fantasyland expansion!

Wishing you a Magical Week,

Jason

Maximizing your meal plan at Disney World

I get asked a lot about how to maximize your meal plan while at Disney.  There are quite a few ways that I've seen to make the most out of your 2 meals...assuming you aren't doing the Deluxe Dining.

One way is to manage your reservations.  Routinely, I've made breakfast reservations late at various restaurants so that your two meals can bridge the entire day with just supplements from snacks.  Truth be told, this is the spirit in which the meal plan was formed.  For example, make a late morning reservation at Chef Mickey's or Akershaus...say 11:00 or so...and you'll be good until your quick service dinner.

One of the best things about Disney...well all of central Florida's main attractions, really...is the affordability of the food.  Even if you did have to purchase a meal here and there to supplement, you won't be spending an arm and a leg to do it.  One way that my family takes advantage of this is the purchase the big breakfast plate at breakfast time.  It usually comes with 2 eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, 2 pancakes, and a drink.  We will share one or two of those for the whole family, and it will only cost us about $20.  Keep in mind we don't do that often...but when we do, it helps us slide through the day just fine.

Snacks are also quite useful.  I don't know anyone who gets to the end of their trip and doesn't have leftover snacks.  Use those snacks up getting fruit, or other carry-along type foods at the food court/resort shop before hitting the parks.  Then manage your reservations appropriately, and you'll be fine.

If none of those options appeals to you, you can always bring your own food.  If you are driving, there is a Sam's Club near the resorts, as well as various big box stores like Target and Walmart.  The best thing for Sam's is that if you are a member, you can Click-And-Pull an order and it'll be ready as you pass by.  That makes for a stress free arrival at the resort.

The Garden Grocer (www.gardengrocer.com) is an online service that will deliver certain groceries directly to the resorts.  You can even purchase a Styrofoam cooler to keep the perishables cool.  They'll deliver and the resort will bring it to your room.  You can also order non-perishables direct from Amazon.com or any other online retailer and have them shipped direct to your resort.  The resort will keep packages for you for 2 weeks prior to your arrival.  I mention Amazon directly because if, like us, you are an Amazon Prime member, you can take advantage of that free shipping and have the items you need already at your

resort!  Save money, time, and ......  your sanity!!

**(I would also like to point out that I am not getting compensated by any company I list.  This is merely an informational blog that provides travelers with ways to help their trip be fantastic.  I'm sure there are many other businesses, online entities, and other options that I've not listed here that will be great for your trip.  I use these, so I list these.  If you have any other ideas, please comment or message me.  I will be more than happy to use them as well.)

There are many ways to maximize your meal plan.  We so often think of 3 meals a day being the amount we need when, with just a little planning, you can make the two magical meals that Disney gives you last through your entire day!

Have a Magical Week!!

Whats New at Disney?

So, I'm going to start to post some information that I get through the official channels about what is new and what's happening at Disney for those who are interested.  All of the info will be public, but if you would like more information, message me and I'll see what I can find out.

New Restaurants at Disney Springs
In the one of the first of many new re-design elements for the former Downtown Disney are at Walt Disney World, Disney has announced new restaurants going in that will add to the new allure of the reimagined area.  Masaharu Morimoto, otherwise known as Iron Chef Morimoto from Iron Chef America, is opening a restaurant called Morimoto Asia, featuring cuisine from across the continent.  Also opening will be a seafood restaurant featuring an extensive raw bar, to be called The BOATHOUSE.  Both restaurants will be opening in 2015





Sorcerer Hat to be removed from Hollywood Studios
In a stunning move...at least for this Disney Super Freak...Disney will be removing the iconic Mickey Sorcerer Hat from the middle of the plaza in Hollywood Studios.  There is no word yet as to what will take it's place.  I've even seen a mock up with Olaf from Frozen front and center.  I'll keep you posted on that one.

I'm sad to see it go.  I remember when Hollywood Studios first opened...it was called MGM Studios.  I even have a pin from back then!  The Sorcerer hat was the icon that everyone looked to.  I know, I know...growth is good...and with Disney's desire to continually reimagine everything to better the guest, I'm in no doubt that this move will prove to be great too...but I, for one, will shed a tear.





That's all for now...check back and I'll be sure to keep you updated!

Disney Parks and the SmartPhone....a Match Made in Heaven!

So, very few of us, especially those who travel, do so without some form of SmartPhone or tablet in tow.  From iPhones to iPads, Google Tablets to Galaxys, the smart technology available to help our daily lives is prolific in almost every facet of our existence.  Is that such a good thing?  That remains to be seen...but as a practical matter, the smart technology can help you in so pretty spectacular ways.

Today, I'm going to talk briefly....VERY briefly....on the smart technology available to you for your next Disney vacation, whether that is to one of the parks, a cruise, or Aulani Resort.

First off, let's talk a bit about the actual technology.  I am certainly no techno-wizard (my friend Matt is who I use for all my tech questions....and he's a fellow Disney Super Freak too!!), but you can't help but become familiar with certain technologies that are available through your every day life.  I will not touch much on any one piece of technology, as there are too many to go into.  I'll just refer to them by their generic names of SmartPhone, Tablet, Laptop, etc.


For any of these technologies to perform, there must be a certain amount of familiarity with the functionality of each one...but I'm no expert, so I won't be touching much on that.  I'll ask you to refer to your specific item's manual for that. BUT...and this is a big but....the basic building block for all of the smart technologies is the application.  There are many available, but how do you know which ones are good, and which ones are best...and which ones you don't want to bother with.

The short answer is...you don't!  It's a basic trial-and-error situation, and, like most things in life, I find that this is one of the better ways to navigate.  To accomplish this, it basically boils down to what you are willing to do to try something.  Many of the apps are free, but some are paid.  Are the paid ones worth the cost?  Maybe...maybe not.  Others who have purchased can give you some insight through reviews and the like, but, unfortunately, there is no substitute for just getting in there and figuring things out on your own.

At this point, I feel it's necessary to state that I am in no way affiliated with any of the apps I'm going to share, nor do I get any benefit from recommending them.  I am just going to list the ones I've used (through that handy dandy trial and error again) and whether or not I think they will help you in your Disney travels.



  My favorite app, hands down, is the Undercover Tourist App, available on both iOS and Android platforms.  This app features both a free and paid version of the app, and is available for not only Disney, but other attractions as well.  The features I find most helpful with this app are the crowd calendar, reservation organizer, wait times, and, most importantly, the friend finder.  Their website (www.undercovertourist.com) has a plethora of fantastic information, a great blog, and links to helpful tools as well as the apps available.  My recommendation is to purchase the paid app...the functionality is much more abundant on the paid version, and, in my opinion, very worth the cost.

As far as free apps go, there are many available.  WDW Wait Times, Tink's Favorites, WDW Ride Tracker, and many others can provide you with information that will help you with your trip, as well as to help organize your visit once in the parks.  A simple search on any device will show you the apps available.

For Disney World, the most important application to get currently is the My Disney Experience app.  With the inclusion of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags in tickets as well as the MyMagic wristbands, this app is a true MUST HAVE for anyone going to Disney.  You can track all aspects of your trip with this app, from FastPass selections to dining reservation, from ride times, to maps, from menus to transportation schedules.  You can even use this app to make changes and manage your entire vacation from one place.  It's available for the iOS devices as well as Android and available from the app stores.

Recently, Disney Cruise Lines began to offer their own app to use onboard their vessels.  This app, much like the My Disney Experience app, allows the user to manage most aspects of their cruise vacation directly from their smart device, and includes such things as daily schedules, menus, excursions, ship information, and communications.  It's free and available, again, for iOS as well as Android through the app stores.

I know I've only touched on a few basic ones.  There are many more out there.  Please feel free to comment and let me know which ones you like best.  I'd love to get them and review them on future blog posts. 

For now, have a magical week! 

-Jason