WDW Daily News

Question-and-answer sessions featuring Marvel’s Guardian of the Galaxy standouts Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), Karen Gillan (Nebula) and Michael Rooker (Yondu), “Firefly” headliners Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk,“Doctor Who” stars Matt Smith and Karen Gillan, David Boreanaz (“Bones,” “Angel”), Whoopi Goldberg (“Star Trek: TNG,” Ghost), Christopher Lloyd (Back To The Future, “Taxi”), James Marsters (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “Caprica”), Sean Astin (LOTR, Rudy), John Carpenter (Director, Halloween), Eliza Dushku (“Buffy,” “Angel”) and other celebrities top the robust programming schedule at Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, Thursday through Sunday, June 19-22 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Most programming is included as part of the standard event admission.

Some of the highlights of the more than 125 scheduled panels are:

• Interactive Q&A sessions with the Guardians trio of Bautista, Gillan and Rooker (Sat., 5:15 p.m.); “Firefly” tandem of Fillion and Tudyk (Sat., 3 p.m.); “Doctor Who” pair of Smith and Gillan (*paid event, Sat 10 a.m.), and “How to Survive a Killer TV Show” with Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies and Scott Wilson (Sun., noon).

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Wizard World Philly Comic Con is next Weekend June 19-22.  Let us know if you are heading there.

Wizard World has announced that WWE® Superstars John Cena®, Batista™ and Bray Wyatt™, WWE® Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino™ and WWE® Diva Paige™ are scheduled to greet fans, sign autographs and pose for photo ops at its biggest and longest running event, Wizard World Chicago Comic Con on August 21-22-23 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.

Cena will appear on Thursday, Aug. 21, from 3:30-7:30 p.m.; Bray Wyatt and Paige will attend on Friday, Aug. 22, from 3:30-6:30 p.m.; Sammartino is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 23 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.; and Batista is slated for Saturday from 2-5:15 p.m., followed by a Guardians of the Galaxy panel at 5:15 p.m. Tickets for all events are extremely limited.

Cena, Batista and Sammartino are also scheduled to attend next weekend’s Philadelphia Comic Con, along with WWE® Divas The Bella Twins™.

GET YOUR CHICAGO COMIC CON TICKETS HERE!
GET YOUR WWE PLATINUM VIP TICKETS HERE!

Have you gotten sick of Disney yet? I have been asked this question many times by a variety of different people since we have moved to Orlando. Now that I work at Walt Disney World, I definitely hear this question frequently. Honestly, I am not sick of the parks at all; I could spend every hour of every day in the parks and not get sick of them. However, this is because I always do something different when I visit the parks as a guest. I do not have to experience every attraction every time I visit a particular park. Sometimes, we don’t even go on any of the rides because we are just visiting for a walk or a meal.

Living so close to the parks allows us to enjoy a casual stroll through all of the resorts as well as the parks. There is no need to rush, so we never get sick of anything that WDW has to offer. The key is to visit the out of the way places and just take in the ambiance. So many people just rush through all of the carefully constructed themed areas just to run onto rides. Living so close has given us a new appreciation for slowing down on our visits to the parks. I know that this type of touring is not always possible during a once in a life time trip, but if you have the opportunity, take some time (excuse the cliché) to smell the roses.

Now, you might wonder if I am still covered in pixie dust because I just recently became a cast member. I am sure that being new still makes my every day work exciting, but I have to say that possessing a love for the parks and everything that WDW stands for makes me a better cast member. I truly care about the brand that I am representing, and I want to extend to each guest the high level of service that only Disney can provide. People are always shocked when I tell them that I work at Disney full time, and I also visit the parks on the days when I am not working. Talk to me in ten years, but I don’t see myself slowing down anytime soon. Having a broad knowledge of the parks and resorts really helps me to answer any question that a guest may have. I have learned so much about Disney as a company during my short tenure as a cast member; I can’t wait to see what I will learn when I am with the company for many more years.

As a cast member, I have come to understand that WDW is not just about rides or cramming in as many experiences into one day as you can. Yes, it is important to have a productive day as a guest, but a trip to WDW is so much more than that. You have the opportunity to make memories that you simply cannot make anywhere else. We (cast members) all go out of our way to free you from your worries and help you to leave the world of reality behind. Where else can you suspend reality and escape into a magical world? I know this is definitely the ideal that we try to meet as cast members, but I work with so many people who go above and beyond in order to assist guests in having wonderful experiences. These types of interactions help me to stay fresh and not become sick of being in our parks.

Overall, reflecting back on our first eight months as Florida residents, we have had our highs and lows. We have missed family, but we have also made new friends. We have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of living so close to Walt Disney World. So, when people look at me and wonder how I can visit the parks so often both for work and for play, I just smile and know that I am truly living my dreams. Sick of Disney? Never! Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

For those of us who were used to visiting Walt Disney World and utilizing FASTPASS (FP), the change from FASTPASS to FastPass+ (FP+) was something that I wasn’t looking forward to.

I was someone who upon entry into the theme parks, would grab my wife and daughters’ tickets and head to an attraction’s FASTPASS machine while the rest of the family headed to a different ride to get in line.  I would then race back and meet them in line with FASTPASS in hand for another ride.  Then as soon as we had the ability to obtain another FASTPASS I collected all their tickets and made a run to another attraction to get another FASTPASS for us all.  That was the strategy/plan at every park, everyday, every trip.  That system worked for us.  We knew how to utilize FASTPASS and always marveled at how many people would look at their park maps and read about FASTPASS, but think they either had to pay for it, or simply didn’t understand how to use it.

Enter FP+.  I can say that my first thoughts about this were negative ones.  Magic Kingdom has so many rides, yet I could only reserve three FP+ per day?  What about at Epcot?  I Love Soarin’ and Test Track, but I can’t FP+ both of those?  And I am an Annual Passholder who loves to Park Hop.  No more getting FP+ at separate parks in the day?  These were all issues I was concerned about, and I wasn’t sure whether or not I would ever be able to tour the parks the same way with this new system.  To me, it seemed Disney was penalizing those who knew how to use the old FP system to maximize their times at the parks.  The new FP+ System was something that, once promoted, would provide easier access to rides for more people, although not the best news for me, it is actually best for Disney and it’s guests.

Since FP+’s inception, we have taken several trips to Walt Disney World, and I have to say I love FP+.  Honestly, there is nothing better than knowing that you will be able to meet Anna and Elsa without waiting for 5 hours in line.  There is a great feeling knowing that you do not have to line up 2 hours before a parade only to get pushed around, stepped on, or your personal space invaded by the last minute parade crashers. With FP+ you could select a FP+ for one of the parades and have a spot in a reserved area, avoiding most of those issues.  Another example is that you do not have to run at rope drop to get to Soarin’ or Test Track because you have a reserved FP+ time already.  If you have ever been to Disney California Adventure and experienced Radiator Springs Racers, you would love the option of FP+…trust me!

Disney did a wonderful job getting feedback about FP+ and Magic Bands (which I will discuss in a later blog) and tweaking the FP+ program to allow for maximum fun for everyone.  Take for example the three FP+ limit.  Disney recognized that many guests might reserve their FP+ for rides/parades for later in the day, thus not allowing use for early morning or afternoon of FP+.  Conversely, if guests used their three FP+ options in the morning they were done for the rest of the day and night.  After obtaining feedback Disney correctly updated their system and now once guests have uses their three FP+’s they can head to a kiosk and obtain a fourth FP+.  After the use of the fourth FP+, they can head back to a kiosk and get a fifth and so on.  That is something that traditional FASTPASS users love, and I can say that on the Rock Your Disney Side Day we ended up getting to our 8th FP+!!

Disney addressed the Annual Pass situation by allowing guests to schedule their first three FP+ at one park and then after those have been used, guests can head to a different park and go to a kiosk and obtain a fourth FP+ for the day..  The only thing I would like to see is Disney expand that option for Annual Passholders and allow them to simply choose three FP+ in one day regardless of the park.  For example, as a family who loves to park hop, it would be great to have the opportunity to reserve, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at say 10:00 am at Magic Kingdom, Soarin’ at noon at Epcot, and Toy Story Midway Mania at 3:00 pm at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  That would be a nice perk for Annual Passholders and truly make best use of Park Hopping and FP+. (Disney, if you are reading, kick that around 🙂

My guess is Disney will continue to get feedback and tweak the FP+ system to maximize things for their guests. After all, ultimately Disney wants their guests to have the best experience possible to ensure repeat visits.  The FP+ system is a great step in that direction.  As a friend of mine told me the other day, there was nothing better than telling his daughter that she will get to meet Anna and Elsa on her birthday!  No five hour waits (I know you still may wait anywhere from 15-45 minutes even with FP+) for them.  When a parent has the ability to make sure their child will be able to see their favorite character or ride their favorite attraction or see their favorite parade or show, that goes a long way for a family vacation.  There are very few other vacations destinations that can provide such a guarantee.

In my view Disney has succeeded with FP+, and I am excited to see how it evolves as the years go by.  Let us know on twitter your thoughts of FP+

In 2011 I wrote an article about my Walt Disney World Bucket List, a list of things I dreamed of doing. I thought it might be fun to revisit that list, 3 years later. Here is the list:

1. Take the Behind the Seeds Tour at The Land Pavilion in EPCOT.

2. See Nemo and Friends at Animal Kingdom.

3. Visit all the Resorts on the monorail route during the holidays.

4. Take the new Wild Africa Trek adventure.
5. Stay in the Castle Suite.

6. Get a ‘makeover’ at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

7. Take a carriage ride…..

8. Take a Fireworks Cruise….

9. See The Little Mermaid at Hollywood Studios.

10. Visit the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

11. Have a conversation with Marty Sklar.

12. Become a Cast Member…

I am pleased to report that I can mark off 3 of the activities, numbers 1, 2, and 9. I thoroughly enjoyed all three and might just leave them on there to do again. But then that won’t leave any room for new things!!! Some of the items listed are real stretches I am thinking of replacing with things that might be more reasonable….like replacing number 11 with riding the new roller coaster in Fantasy Land. Although I would love to talk to Marty Sklar, riding Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride seems more realistic and I can read his book which would be almost like talking to him! I can replace number six since adults can’t get a makeover there anymore. How about replacing it with Flights of Wonder?

With Walt Disney World changing all the time, there are always things to add to a bucket list. And now with our relocation on the horizon I will have even more opportunities to achieve my dreams, maybe even number 12.

Everyone should have a WDW bucket list. What will you put on yours? That favorite attraction from your childhood or the one you need to get up the nerve to ride? A favorite show? A favorite character to meet and greet? A dream hotel to experience? Whatever it is, it will be magical when you can mark it off your list and will help ensure you do the things that you most want to do at Walt Disney World. So get started on your list today!!

Memorial Day marks the official beginning of summer. But its significance is much more than that. It is a day set aside to honor and remember the men and women who have died serving in the United States Armed Forces. Its origins date back to the Civil War where Union and Confederate soldiers were honored. By the 20th century the honor was extended to all Americans who had died in service to our Country. Service to one’s country is a great calling and high honor. To give the ultimate sacrifice for one’s country is bravery exemplified. Let us remember those that have fallen in service and give thanks for their service. At the same time, let’s thank our service men and women that continue to serve so that we can enjoy the freedoms that make our Country great.

For service members planning a summer vacation, there are discounts available for Walt Disney World trips including lodging and tickets. There is even a resort dedicated to US Military members and their families. It is the only Armed Forces Recreation Center in the continental United States, offering resort accommodations and friendly service in the midst of Walt Disney World. They take pride in serving those who serve. Since the resort is a Walt Disney World partner, guests can purchase theme park tickets, take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at the theme parks and use complimentary Shades of Green buses to get around. Check out the Shades of Green web page for more information, http://www.shadesofgreen.org.

Opening in 1994, Shades of Green is designed with service members in mind, providing much needed R&R. There are 586 over sized rooms with many meeting ADA standards. Like other Disney resorts, it is a destination in itself with lush tropical gardens, pools and a variety of restaurants. Affordability, first class accommodations, enthusiasm and enhancing moral are part of the resort mission statement. If you meet the specific eligibility requirements, you and your guests will enjoy sharing the magic at this exclusive resort.
There are other web sites devoted to military discounts and Disney information. Just be sure to double check all the fine print and make sure you know what you are buying. For example http://www.militarydisneytips.com has information on everything from discounts to when to go with an overview of Shades of Green thrown in. Some of the information is free and some is in the form of an information booklet for a fee. The Walt Disney web site also has military discount information and a link to the Shades of Green page.
Patriotism and serving ones country was important to Walt Disney and to the company he founded. He once said: “Actually, if you could see close in my eyes, the American flag is waving in both of them and up my spine is glowing this red, white, and blue stripe.”

I recently read another article about some confirmed and rumored changes coming to Disney World. It seems that every day you can hear something new about this ever evolving destination. One of the items I have been following closely is the revitalization project of the former Pleasure Island complex.

In its heyday, Pleasure Island was the place to go for night life while visiting the Orlando vacation corridor. Numerous clubs with varying themes offered an array of dancing and entertainment options. Restaurants dotted the area and a smattering of boutique shops made for a great night.

There was a lot of planning that went into the original Pleasure Island. Opening in 1989, as with all Disney undertakings, PI had a back story. Each building was part of the story and throughout the property, there were plaques erected to detail the building’s “history” and how it played into the grander scheme of this over the top adult playground.

Sadly, most or all of the plaques have been lost over the years due to closures, demolition or repurposing of the structures there. I’m not sure what the new “story” is for what is to become the new Disney Springs, but out of respect for my old stomping grounds, I thought I would share the text of the original Pleasure Island Story.

I was lucky to be a part of the opening at Pleasure Island. I celebrated my birthday there each year as well as many other occasions. It was cutting edge, a carnival, a place where you could really let go and meet up with locals and tourists alike, all in the name of pure FUN! My many thanks and appreciation to Joe Rohde and his team of imagineers, artists and fellow revelers for creating this sadly missed place to play.

PLEASURE ISLAND (entrance plaque on the bridge by the ticket booths)

Founded 1911

An unverifiable, anecdotal, purely subjective, theoretical alleged purported history. Also, ersatz. A living monument to “the wise fool, the mad visionary, the scoundrel, the scalawag, and the seeker of enjoyment.” Merriweather Adam Pleasure, who purchased the island in 1911. Pleasure’s profitable canvas manufacturing/sail fabricating empire, founded on this site, provided him with the capital to indulge his lifelong interest in the exotic, the experimental, and the unexplainable. Known as the Grand Funmeister, Pleasure disappeared during his 1941 circumnavigation of the Antarctic. His sons, Henry and Stewart, took over the island and the Pleasure enterprises. Their mismanagement led to bankruptcy in 1955; Hurricane Connie hit that same year, and Pleasure Island was abandoned. In 1987, Archaeologists uncovered the site and its remains, and a large scale reclamation project was begun. In 1989, the new Pleasure Island was re-opened and dedicated to the legacy of Merriweather Adam Pleasure: “Fun for all, and All for fun!”

I strongly recommend you take some time and get to know the Disney Cast Members – you will be amazed at what you learn! We have made many friends over the years and still keep in touch. Waiting in the cue, enjoying a meal at your favorite restaurant, boarding Disney Transportation or checking in to your villa – they all have a story to tell.

Even more so, make sure you thank them for all they do to make your experience magical! If you have really received some pixie dust for an extra magical experience, please take a few moments and go to Guest Relations and tell them about it. They will get the information to the Cast Member and their supervisor so they can be recognized for their special efforts. We have even seen people hand out pre made, homemade, thank you notes to cast members they felt had gone above and beyond – what a great idea!

Two special Cast Members gave us that ‘extra’ pixie dust on a number of different occasions. Concierge Nancy at Port Orleans made one of our first trips home extra magical at every turn. We watched our young daughters wishes come true over and over again for 8 days. And ‘Cousin Richard’ at the 50’s Primetime Café has made us laugh until our stomachs hurt on two separate trips home. We will always cherish one special moment discussing riding the bus, and making sure it had clean windows, with him one evening during dinner (only a handful may get that reference – but still funny every time). I believe he even called ‘Mom’ over to the table to see if that was the bus she rode….

The important thing to remember is, although you are on vacation – maybe even a once in a lifetime vacation – don’t forget to discover all the amazing Cast Members trying to help you have an incredibly magical time. The tips and tricks they bring to the conversation can be priceless – like where the best seats are on Soarin’ (and then making sure you get those seats, just because you asked!). They are a wealth of knowledge and insight into making your experience just a bit better. ‘Do you trust me?’ disneydad1972@gmail.com

When you are preparing for a trip to WDW, there is so much planning that has to take place in order to get the most out of your vacation. Many people feel that they have to plan every moment of each day in order to have fun. After many trips to the World, I have finally learned that it is necessary to take some time out of everyday to enjoy some spontaneous fun. Take a break from all of the fast pass + planning, and just do something low key. For example, take a boat ride on the Seven Seas Lagoon. This is an immensely relaxing way to spend time on your vacation. There are lots of other fun boat rides too. You can tour Bay Lake by riding from the Contemporary to Fort Wilderness or to Wilderness Lodge. Remember, you are on vacation, and you should take some time to unwind and just enjoy the time that you get to spend with your family!

Another way to relax is to visit any of the resorts that surround the Magic Kingdom. All of these resorts are beautiful, and you can spend hours just walking around and exploring what each resort has to offer. I have spent many enjoyable hours just sitting in the lobby of the Grand Floridian listening to the piano or to the band. In addition, the Contemporary Resort offers some beautiful views of WDW property, and who doesn’t love watching the monorail drive through the building? Also, the Polynesian Resort offers gorgeous views as well as relaxing music to help you wind down after a long day at the parks. Wilderness Lodge has a grand lobby that has so much history as well as many hidden Mickeys to explore. If you want to feel like you are far away from civilization, head over to Animal Kingdom Lodge and enjoy all of the animals that can be found on the savannah. At night, they even offer night vision goggles that allow you to see the animals. The Boardwalk Inn also offers a great deal of entertainment. You can enjoy the placid water views or just walk around the shops.
If you have already toured the resorts, take some time to refuel by the pool. Just take some time to relax and enjoy the amenities at your resort. All Disney resorts should be explored because each one is so full of rich details and theming. Remember, you don’t have to spend every minute of your vacation in the parks in order to enjoy yourself!

If you are looking for relaxing ways to enjoy the parks, you can always take in some of the live entertainment that is offered on a daily basis throughout all four parks. I always enjoy the Dapper Dans as well as the Main Street Philharmonic when I am visiting Magic Kingdom. The Citizens of Hollywood also put on amazing shows at Hollywood Studios! They interact with the guests and are just so funny! They add to the ambiance of the Studios, and I never get sick of seeing what new shows they come up with next. In Epcot and Animal Kingdom, there are lots of opportunities to enjoy live music as well as fun characters who hang out in the parks. Basically, there is so much to do at WDW, there should never be a reason for you not to be enjoying your vacation.

So, next time you visit the world, make an effort to spend less time planning and more time enjoying spontaneous magical moments with your family! That is what vacation is all about. Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!