Category — q. Reviews

Updated Review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

by Dave

I’ve updated the review of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, based on our most recent stay here—our 13th here, out of 150+ stays in Disney World-owned rooms, villas, suites, studios, cabins and campsites—in January 2018. You can find the first page of the updated Wilderness Lodge review here.

I’d already done a fairly extensive update to the Wilderness Lodge review in the summer of 2017 after our stays in brand-new Copper Creek Studio and a Copper Creek One Bedroom Villa. The net effect of the Copper Creek development was to reduce capacity and add amenities—making what was already a great choice even better.

Our January stay was in a standard woods-view room in the main Wilderness Lodge. So it includes fresh pictures in the photo tour of a standard Wilderness Lodge room that begins here. As other rooms at Disney World have their theming thinned by recent refurbs, I appreciate the theming of these small but darling rooms even more.

This was also my first stay in a higher woods view room that had fireworks views after so many trees on this side were cleared for the Copper Creek Cascade Cabins.

The fireworks view was pretty good. The distance was about the same as that from the Polynesian Village, and the viewing angle was similar to that from the Grand Floridian (although on the opposite side, of course).

See the chart, which either does, or does not, fully explain both of these points (click it to enlarge it).

You’ll find a total of seven pages in the updated review of the Lodge itself:

There are also separate reviews on the site of the Copper Creek Villas and Boulder Ridge Villas.

Kelly, the long-time travel agent partner of this site, can book your Disney World vacation at the Wilderness Lodge or anywhere else. Contact her by using the form on this page.

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April 3, 2018 No Comments

Review: The Hall of Presidents in Magic Kingdom

by Dave

Hall of Presidents was one of the initial attractions in the Magic Kingdom. Always a show that combines a stirring narration, period images, and audio-animatronics of the U.S. presidents, it has been frequently updated, and came out of a major update in December 2017.

I had the chance to see it in January 2018, and thought a President’s Day review would be appropriate.

The short version is that new images and a new emphasis in the narrated story make it very much worth a visit, although it will continue to be enjoyed most by adults and patriotic Americans, and be dull for most kids.

REVIEW: HALL OF PRESIDENTS IN LIBERTY SQUARE AT MAGIC KINGDOM

Hall of Presidents was designed to be the East Coast counterpart to Disneyland’s groundbreaking Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, expanding the scope to all presidents and the history to the not just the Civil War but also the sweep of the American experiment.

The initial show was largely unchanged other than the addition of new presidents as they emerged until 1993, when a major update to the show, spurred by Columbia history professor Eric Forner, was implemented. In 2008-2009, the show closed for 8 months for a major upgrade to the audio and video systems, and Morgan Freeman became the narrator.

The Hall closed again in January 2017 for a major re-do of the show, re-opening about 11 months later. As always, the new president was added, with the traditional speaking part of the Oath of Office and a new brief homily about the American people.

More significantly, the script, narrator, and images have all largely changed. The theme, now, is a little less about America’s struggles and presidential responses—although that material is certainly there—and more about the importance and challenges of the office of the presidency itself. Washington still highlights the beginning, but his story is now less about the Revolutionary War and more about the limits that Washington by his actions imposed on the power of the presidency.

Andrew Jackson is out, and the major bits that follow are Lincoln (more narrowly focused, on the Gettysburg Address), Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, all of the presidents in a roll call, Washington again, and finally President Trump.

The new imagery and story work just fine, building on the traditions of this attraction while making it fresh and new. Those who loved the old Hall of Presidents won’t find much here to disappoint.

One new element is the presence of security guards in the performance space. Disney has not found it useful to say why they are here, but some have speculated that they are present to disincent roving bands of Franklin Pierce fans and their “We’re Number 14!” chants.

I’ve always enjoyed Hall of Presidents—while thinking that The American Adventure in Epcot covers much of the same terrain much more effectively and with a better pace. You won’t find Franklin Pierce in it, for example. Those on shorter visits might skip the Hall and see The American Adventure instead.

The show continues to be on the hour and half hour. Arrvie near show-time and you ought not to need to wait much. But do check on the schedule of The Muppets Present: Great Moments in American History… showing just outside, as it’s fun to see one, and then the other.

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February 19, 2018 4 Comments

Review: The Epcot International Festival of the Arts 2018

by Dave

Note: the Festival of the Arts will be returning in 2019, from January 18 through February 25.

Epcot’s International Festival of The Arts arrived in 2017 and returned for 2018. The 2018 Festival of the Arts is largely unchanged, except that most of its offerings (with the notable exception of the Broadway singers) happen all week long, rather than the Fridays through Mondays of 2017.

It began 1/12/18 and runs through 2/19/2018. I had the chance to see it last week, and here’s my report.

The Festival combines

Great, albeit pricey, dining
Dozens of kiosks with art to view and buy
Interactive opportunities to paint, be photographed into great art, and play with silly living statues
Seminars and other sessions
Music–some casual, some distinctive presentations from the Disney on Broadway team

Disney calls it a mix of “visual, culinary and performing arts inspired by cultures from all around the world…a global masterpiece.”

That’s a stretch, but with better food than past Food and Wine festivals, and better visual appeal than past Flower and Garden festivals, it is, by far, my favorite among all the Epcot festivals, and I highly recommend it for returning visitors.

First-timers will enjoy it as well, but will find that it adds crowds to Epcot’s World Showcase, especially on weekends

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS DINING

Dining opportunities are particularly concentrated at the entrance to the World Showcase, but are also found in the Odyssey Festival Showplace (between Test Track and Mexico—the Showplace is the centerpiece of the Festival) and scattered through the rest of World Showcase.

The Festival of the Arts offers the best dining of any Epcot Festival. Waits can be long as much food is prepared while you wait, and prices are also high. The value for money is also very high, and with many $7+ items available for a snack credit, the festival provides the single best argument in years for you to buy the Disney Dining Plan.

In 2018 I had a chance to try the Charcuterie Palette from the Masterpiece Kitchen…

…the Roast Pork Roulade from the Artist’s Table…

…and the deconstructed Reuben from Deconstructed Dish. All were terrific, and detailed reviews and more specific recommendations of the best dining of the Festival are on co-author Josh’s site easyWDW.com.

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS SHOWS AND GALLERIES

Art, fittingly, is everywhere at the Festival of the Arts.

In the Odyssey Festival Showplace, you’ll find Disney attraction posters from theme parks around the world. This is a let-down from last year’s exhibitions of the work of Herbert Ryman and Mary Blair, but those two set a very high standard…

Some of the posters.

More of them.

The posters are on both sides. One side has a little shop with books…

…and the other side has a little shop with festival merchandise.

I needed a hat…

All over World Showcase are tented kiosks offering mostly Disney-related art to browse through and buy:

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS INTERACTIVE OPPORTUNITIES

There’s lots of opportunities for simple play.

In front of the Future World stage you can find living statues that will mess with you and your kids (check the Times Guide for showings)…

There’s an opportunity to play with a paint-by numbers canvas on the way to Canada…

…and scattered through World Showcase are opportunities for you to join famous works.

More of these.

There’s also some Figment thingy that I paid no attention to, but is a bit of a variant on the Kidcot concept—buy a map and stickers, find Figment-themed picture frames and Figment within them, add the appropriate sticker to the map, and turn the map in for a prize.

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS SEMINARS AND SESSIONS

Also in the Odyssey Festival Center is The Animation Academy, an animation drawing class, where you learn to draw a Disney character under the tutelage of a real animator.

Some have reported that all will end up with a great drawing, but irl your results will vary.

My Winnie the Pooh from last year is above…

EPCOT INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS MUSIC

Music at the Festival includes both performances at the Future World stage (see your Times Guide for show times)…

…and a more interesting set of brief Broadway concerts in the evenings at the American Gardens Theater, at 5.30, 6.45 and 8p.

Presented by the Disney on Broadway team, the concerts showcase songs from Disney Broadway productions sung by Broadway stars.

I saw in 2017 Kerry Butler (who was Belle in Beauty and the Beast) and Kevin Massey (Tarzan) singing songs from Tarzan, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, and The Little Mermaid.

The schedule for the rest of the Festival:

February 2 to 5: Performers Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White doing songs from Tarzan, The Lion King, Aida, Aladdin and The Little Mermaid
February 9 to 12: Performers Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland doing songs from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Newsies and Frozen
February 16 to 19: Performers Ashley Brown and Josh Strickland doing songs from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Mary Poppins, Newsies and Frozen

Passholders and DVC owners can get priority seating, which you are supposed to do ahead of time. Pick up wristbands at the American Adventure.

Those with priority badges line up on the Japan side of the pavilion. There’s a stand-by line as well, on the Germany side.

As you can probably tell, I love this Festival!

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January 31, 2018 9 Comments

Review: Disney After Hours in 2018

by Dave

Update: Disney After Hours is returning for the summer of 2018.

What I used to say about Disney After Hours, after my 2016 and 2017 experiences with it, was that it is a separately-ticketed “opportunity to be in the Magic Kingdom with next to no one, and for three hours to ride the best rides (not all are open, but most are) with next to no waits.”

After my January 26, 2018 experience with Disney After Hours, I’d modify that a bit, to an “opportunity to be in the Magic Kingdom with very few other people ~~next to no one~~, and for three hours to ride the best rides (not all are open, but most are) with in most cases next to no waits (but expect minor waits at Peter Pan and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train).”

Above is Fantasyland in 2017.

And here’s about the same space at about the same time in 2018.

Remaining dates for Disney After Hours in early 2018 are

Tuesday January 30: 8 to 11p
Thursday February 8: 8 to 11p
Thursday February 15: 9p to 12MN
Thursday March 1: 9p to 12MN
Thursday March 8: 9p to 12MN

Those with the special tickets (buy them here for $89 to $119/person) are allowed in around 7p, and, after the event starts, are the only people permitted to ride the open rides.

Two things were different for 2018.

First, instead letting people in at the traditional 4p time, Magic Kingdom enforced much more sharply the 7p opening.
Second, more people attended than were at either of my prior visits.

Both of these have the effect of reducing the value of the event–although not enough to annoy me.

In general it’s good to plan out what you want to see in advance–all the major rides except those closed for refurb will be open, and most of the minor ones–and to plan your evening to go Adventureland–>Frontierland–>Liberty Square–>Tomorrowland–>Fantasyland.

You do it in this order because, as usual, the best approach to reducing waits is to figure out what most other people will be doing–which is starting their night in Fantasyland or Tomorrowland–and do the opposite.

This order also lets you put the Jungle Cruise at a time when other people will be riding–it’s the only ride where you want your ride vehicle full, as it’s more fun that way!

On my 2016 Disney After Hours I tried to see as many rides as I could, and on my 2017 experience of Disney After Hours I tried to mimic what the typical family would be able to do.

For 2018, I took a plan of seeing all the headliners, and then seeing how much time was left over for re-rides or other rides.

I began at Jungle Cruise, where I had to wait one boat. Above is the Jungle Cruise waiting area.

Then I walked on to Pirates of the Caribbean. Above is my boat and the boats ahead of me.

My last sight of the redhead in her current role…whom I first met in this role in Disneyland in the late 1960s.

Next was Big Thunder Mountain (Splash Mountain is having its usual January closure). A hundred or so people were ahead of me in line, but the ride loaded (using both sides) just about at our walking pace, so I had to wait for only a train or two to board.

Next was the Haunted Mansion, where I walked right into the ride.

I then got a free Mickey Bar and bottle of water in Liberty Square (your ticket includes free ice cream, popcorn, and drinks) and walked over to Tomorrowland.

There, I had to wait a couple of rocket ships at Space Mountain, but walked right on to Buzz Lightyear.

The worst waits at the event will be for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan. The later you ride these, the lower the waits will be. I got to them about mid-way through the event, and waited 17 minutes for Seven Dwarfs and 8 minutes for Peter Pan.

I completed all these headliners by 10.10 pm–so would have had 50 minutes left for Splash Mountain (once it re-opens), re-rides, or non-headliners. Instead, I left. Those who leave right when the event closes will find, as usual, that doing the same thing everyone else is doing will lead to lines at transportation. Leaving a few minutes before the end of the event, or half an hour after, will have an easier trip back to the parking lots, or, via shared buses, to their Disney hotel.

Disney After Hours is expensive, and with the reduction in time in the park before 7p, and the increased attendance, its value has gone down. But especially for returning visitors who know their way around Magic Kingdom and want to nail a lot of rides, it can be well worth it.

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January 29, 2018 5 Comments

The Pools at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

by Dave

For the first page of this review of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, click here.

THE POOLS AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort has two pools and a kids splash area.

The principal pool at the Grand Floridian, the Courtyard Pool, is among the accomodations buildings.

It’s the only principal pool at Disney World not aimed at kids, and is marketed by Disney as “tranquil.”

The Courtyard Pool at night.

There’s also a hot tub here…

…and a pool bar…

…with an extensive menu. See the current menu here.

On the far east side of the resort is a more kid-friendly pool/water play area. There’s an Alice in Wonderland-themed water play area here.

The play area at night…

…and also a second pool, the more kid-friendly the Beach Pool…

…with a slide…

…and another bar. The menu for the Beach Pool bar is here. I particularly recommend the Crab Cake Sandwich.

The Beach Pool in the evening.

The actual beach here.

A fire pit in the beach area is used for making S’mores in the evening.

Movies are shown on the nearby beach most evenings.

Most of the deluxe resorts have a better suite of pools than these, but they function perfectly adequately for a visit.

PAGES IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

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January 22, 2018 No Comments

Dining at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

by Dave

For the first page of this review of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, click here.

DINING AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort has the best adult dining of any single Disney resort, some fun options for kids, and easy access to even more great dining via the monrial at the Polynesian Village and Contemporary Resort.

All but one of the table service options is in the main building.

On the first floor is 1900 Park Fare, where at breakfast you can find Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh, and at dinner Cinderella and her homies–Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, Drizella, and the Fairy Godmother.

From our book, The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2019: