Magical Express: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?

On MousePlanet, columnist Steve Russo published this article about Disney’s Magical Express. In it, he takes an article posted with arguments against the service and tries to present arguments against the author’s comments. As someone who has used the Magical Express with positive experiences, I wish to also counter a few of the arguments presented.

My Review of the Disney Dining Plan

As I mentioned in some of my earlier blog postings, my family decided to take advantage of the free dining plan Disney was offering during our trip. For this to happen, we had to check out and check back in as we arrived two days before the start of the free dining plan.

On Our Way…Now With a Place to Stay!

See that above? That is the extent of my rhyming ability! Sorry if it’s a bit corny, but Dr. Seuss I am not.

We can check off another step on our path to Disney. On Thursday, my parents and I went down to the travel agency and booked our trip! Though we were considering staying in a moderate resort, after getting estimates, we’ve decided to return to our usual stomping grounds.

That’s right—it’s back to Pop Century for us!

(Building in the 80s at Pop Century)

We are also trying the dining plan this go-round, so expect a review of that from me. Hopefully, they’ve ironed out the wrinkles and the confusion we’ve seen in the past years, when we were the annoyed customers behind the people who couldn’t figure out how to use the plan.

On Our Way…

I’m going to Walt Disney World in January!

And now you’re all heading for the door.

So, for those of you who are staying, here’s how the vacation plans are going:

My father, in true form, has already booked our flights to Orlando and back home. Once again, we’ll be flying JetBlue but won’t be leaving at the crack of dawn, as we usually do. While this means that your favorite non-morning person blogger gets to sleep late, it also means that there is a higher chance of the flight being delayed. It also means that we’ll lose more time in the parks, but it is only day one.

And Epcot does have evening Extra Magical Hours that day.

Where are we staying? We don’t know yet. Since we’re going at off-peak, it means the rates are lower. So we don’t have to stay in Pop Century and can upgrade, if we want. I’m pulling for Port Orleans, either the Riverside or French Quarter side. I don’t know what my parents are considering, but we can’t find anything on the Disney website past December 31, 2010.

What gives Disney?

Stay tuned for more vacation plans!

Orlando: More than Theme Parks!

I have been to Orlando many, many times. Of course, it’s only been to Disney. And then to Church (Vacation is no excuse to miss Mass!). But there’s more to Orlando than Sea World, Universal, Harry Potter and, of course, Disney World. And this episode, Sam is going to discover it!

Friday evening: Sam starts at her hotel, the Grand Bohemian, before going to Winter Park. It takes it’s name because wealthy northerners built their winter homes down there. Sam says it has many bars on the path and heads straight for one—the Wine Room. That’s our Sam! It’s a wine shop and a bar, with a wine tasting selection. Sam gets a prepaid card to try out her wines, which is dispensed in a high tech dispenser that looks more like it should be in Walt Disney World. Sam makes nice with some people in the store, getting free wine from them. They offer her food and she says she’s good…unless she’s passed out on the floor. Sam discovers more friendly people and ribs the men drinking beer. Sam continues to drinking until her card runs out.

Saturday morning: Downtown Orlando is an artist’s haven and Sam goes down to visit Charlie, a glass-blower. He offers lessons in the art and Sam takes one. Charlie has clearly watched the show before because he offers to teach her to make a pint glass. Sam says one common mistake people make is to touch the glass once it comes out of the oven—it’s glowing red, it’s that hot! Sam worries about touching the glass with a wet newspaper, which Charlie calls an old Italian tradition. Charlie says that the city has changed in the past ten years from just bars to “bars and other stuff.” As the continue to make the pint glass and Charlie offers to buy after they are done. I know Sam’s not going to pass that up! The finished product goes in a kiln and Sam takes up Charlie on his offer—once the glass has cooled down.

Coming up: Sam finds home.

Saturday afternoon: Sam heads out to the Winter Park Saturday Farmer’s Market. She hits the free samples, knowing to never turn down free food. She also talks to some of the locals. She also knows the secret to getting more—praise the vendors! She samples all over the place! As she hits landscaping, she goes back for another lap.

After that, Sam hits a shoe boutique, which Sam calls her “home.” Sam goes on a shoe shopping spree. Sam says she used to just have three pairs. I’m not a shoe-aholic, but I even have more than that! And my dad is still boggled. The owner says the residents love the theme parks but they also love having a small, quiet town. Sam makes her selections and leaves the store.

Coming up: Sam finds the heart and soul of Orlando.

Saturday evening: Sam heads back to the bars, with Charlie. He brings her to NV. By day, it’s a photography studio run by Stephanie. By night, it’s a popular bar. Sam says she had no idea there were people who lived in Orlando. The locals say they get that a lot. Sam gets to drink out of the glass she made with Charlie that morning.

Sunday morning: Sam hits Johnson’s for breakfast. It’s a soul food diner and a Orlando institution, according to Sam. The regulars and the staff welcome Sam to the diner. She meets Clarence Taylor, the third generation to own the diner. He says everyone comes there and you can find both Bentleys and shopping carts in their parking lot. Clarence says he can’t change the menu and if dishes don’t taste like how his mother made it, customers will tell him. Sam enjoys her meal and thanks Clarence.

Coming up: Sam gets a thrill.

Wow. It looks like Era hasn’t filmed a new commercial since the late 80s, early 90s the latest.

Sunday afternoon: Sam is all digested and heads to get a thrill, but not in the theme parks. She suits up, puts on a helmet and heads to a wind tunnel for indoor skydiving. Now that’s my idea of skydiving—no planes and jumping from heights involved. And there’s a mesh net, not hard ground, below!

And thus ends Sam’s trip to the “hidden” Orlando. Will I stray outside the walls of Disney World when I go in January? Considering I’ve never been to Universal, probably not. It’ll once again be Disney and Church. But maybe one day.

Exchange of the Episode:

“You know you’re at a wine bar.”

“But there’s still beer.” –Sam and a guy who was probably dragged to the Wine Room by his girlfriend/wife.

48 Days to Go: There Is Life Outside Disney

No, really, there is. Not that my family's found it, but we know it exists. We've had to venture out into the great world known as Orlando, Fl, for a few things. Okay, mostly for Mass, but we usually end up eating lunch out on the outside as well. Don't be afraid to venture outside of Disney's boundaries for a meal or two, if you can. I wouldn't advise taking a car service because those fares make DISNEY look like a bargain. But there is a rental car service on property if you don't bring your own car. My family's eaten at the Olive Garden and Sizzler down there. And the Sizzler was a real treat because honestly, they don't exist up here in New York anymore. I remember when I graduated kindergarten, half my class ended up celebrating there. But I digress...

So, get out. You'll need the stretch.

And the change of food.

Memories...

Last week, as we were cleaning out the basement in order to put in our new TV, we came across some old pictures. One was from almost ten years ago. It was of my family and some friends on Splash Mountain in Walt Disney World. The girls in the front (my sister and her friends) are screaming their heads off, my dad and I have our arms up in the air and our friend Jack looks like he's asleep in the back row.

I've admitted my love for Disney before but this discovery came at an interesting time--exactly one year since our last Disney trip. My family and I have been there so many times, we have everything down to a science. Allow me to share.

Hotels. There are two options: staying on property or staying off. If you want the full Disney experience, stay on property. Each resort has it's own unique theme and charm, providing a good fit for whatever suits your family. We have our favorite resorts to stay--lately, it's been Pop Century since it's an economy class. We book two rooms--one for my parents, one for my sister and I. It allows us to do that and stay for a long period of time. Each section is devoted to a decade from the last century (50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's) and decorated to match. For example, when we stayed in the 80's, our staircases were inside Rubik's Cubes. Pacman and the ghosts decorated the railings as well as sayings like "Radical!" There are three pools and a main center with a gift shop and cafeteria (complete with a grocery section).

Though I wouldn't mind a return to Fort Wilderness, a cabin setting. It's easy to fit a family or party of eight in there (a queen sized bed, bunk beds, a large Murphy bed, and the couch). It also has a kitchen, so you are not confined to park eating. While I'm not much of an outdoors girl, there's just something about the setting that I love. Even if you are walking around in the dark coming back from the pool trying to find which cabin is yours, illuminating the numbers with a small flashlight.

Dining: Walt Disney World has a dining plan. My family doesn't use it and usually get annoyed at the people who do when they are holding up the line. For a better idea, go to this website. However, it does require everyone (whether on the plan or not) to make reservations if there is a sit-down restaurant you want to eat at. Some of our favorites to reserve are: Chef Mickey's (a buffet complete with characters in the Contemporary Hotel), the Liberty Tree Tavern and Trail's End. The Liberty Tree Tavern is located in Liberty Square with a preset menu: delicious biscuits, a salad, chicken, ham and roast beef, mashed potatoes and vegetables with apple cobbler for dessert. Until next year, there are also characters. Trail's End is a buffet at Fort Wilderness. My family loves it for the ribs. I love it for the fried chicken and rice.

The window service options at Disney aren't bad either--I'd suggest Geppetto's in the Magic Kingdom, the Electric Umbrella in Epcot, the Backlot in Hollywoodland and the Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney. Each service area has the fallback of hamburgers (or cheeseburgers without the cheese), but the menus vary. You and your party can easily find whatever you want.

Transportation. If you stay on property, Disney provides transportation around the resort. Buses run from each hotel to the parks as well as Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. If you want to go to a different hotel for food, you'll have to either go to a park or Downtown Disney (and after the parks close, only Downtown Disney until 3 AM. I don't know if this will continue once Pleasure Island closes). You can also take the monorails to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot from the Ticket and Transportation Center. If you stay at the Polynesian Resort, the Contemporary or the Grand Floridian, a monorail runs through those hotels. There are also ferry services available as well. Of course, you can also bring a car and drive everywhere. Saves time at the end of the day when everyone rushes the buses/ferries/monorails.

The Parks. For these, each family is different. My family always goes to the Magic Kingdom first, fastpass Buzz Lightyear and go on the Wed-way People Mover. A relaxing start and allows you to scope out the wait times in Tomorrowland. If you go to Epcot, I suggest going to the World Showcase once it opens. It opens an hour after Future World, so everyone is online or waiting on fastpasses for those rides. There are no lines in the Showcase. Once you are finished going around the world in 80 minutes, everyone is heading toward the Showcase while you are going to the much shorter lines in Future World. Note though: Fastpass Soarin' immediately. It has a three-hour stand-by wait and the fastpasses are usually for 4 PM if you show up at 11 AM. Animal Kingdom is generally a half-day thing, so plan for a trip to Hollywoodland or the Magic Kingdom for the second half. Also, avoid the Magic Kingdom on the weekends. It's usually the most crowded then.

Miscellanous. My family loves a good game of mini-golf. Last year, we went to the Fantasia golf course. It's a great time and allows you to meet some nice families in the back-up for the holes. Never underestimate the importance of just relaxing and using the hotel pool. If you have a car, don't be afraid of leaving the property for dinner one night. There's a Sizzler and an Olive Garden nearby. If you are Catholic, there is a church just outside the property called the Shrine of Our Lady of the Universe. It's just tourists and masses are packed. Don't be afraid to explore.

If you have any more Disney related questions, don't be afraid to ask!