Category — q. Reviews

For the first page of this review of Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort, see this.

DINING AT PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE

Dining at Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside is located in the main Sassagoula Steamship Company building. Here you’ll find a fun little bar, the River Roost Lounge, the table service restaurant Boatwright’s, and the quick service venue the Riverside Mill.

The River Roost is a charming bar, home to “Yehaa Bob” Jackson’s singing and comedy show most Wednesdays through Saturday evenings.

Sometimes you’ll find other entertainers here. It has a pretty sound menu, of which the Mardi Gras fritters are kinda required eating.

Next is Boatwright’s, a table service restaurant open for dinner.

It’s OK–not worth a special trip, but fine if you are already staying here. The review of Boatwright’s from our book The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2020:

The menu for Boatwright’s is here.

During breakfast and lunch, Boatwright’s also provides overflow seating for the next-door quick service, The Riverside Mill.

Next to Boatwright’s is the Riverside Mill, which used to be one of the weaker food courts at the moderates, with both a dull menu and too little space…

…although some will be intrigued by the water wheel meant to drive the “mill.”

The menu has gotten much more interesting lately, with more southern and southern-inspired offerings.  You can find the current menu here.

Note that as is becoming all too common at Disney World, the menu offers variants on standbys without offering the standby itself. So you’ll find on the posted menu here a Bayou Burger, a Baton Rouge Burger, a Swamp Burger, and a Surf and Turf Burger, but neither a simple cheeseburger nor a bacon cheeseburger. Never fear, though–just ask for the simpler standby made from a subset of the more complicated ingredients and almost all the time you’ll be able to get it.

On my last visit I have to admit I was impressed and surprised by the improvements in burger quality here–I eat a lot of Disney burgers, so should have a sound basis for judging them. The meat tasted handmade and robust, not flattened and formerly frozen.

The Baton Rouge Burger, with bacon and a fried green tomato on top, was my favorite…

…but chopped prime rib and especially the house-made pickles added a nice touch to the Bayou Burger.

Either is best with a side of fried green tomatoes.

The barbecued pork sandwich, in contrast, was a little dull, but tastes vary in barbecue so much that it might be right up your alley.

The proteins at the carving station are quite reliable, especially when it’s offering beef, although the side dishes are usually not hot enough–an endemic problem at such venues at Disney World.

Breakfast offerings are typical–I quite enjoyed my omelet.

THE POOLS AT DISNEY’S PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT

This review continues here. 

TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE RESORT

• Port Orleans Riverside: Overview and summary
• Theming and accommodations at Port Orleans Riverside
• A photo tour of a four person standard room in Port Orleans Riverside’s Magnolia Bend section
• A photo tour of a four person Royal Room in Port Orleans Riverside’s Magnolia Bend section
• A photo tour of a five person Murphy bed room Port Orleans Riverside’s Alligator Bayou section
• Amenities at Port Orleans Riverside
• Dining at Port Orleans Riverside
• The pools at Port Orleans Riverside
• The history of Port Orleans Riverside

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 150+ stays in them

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Mission: SPACE opened in Epcot’s Future World in 2003. Offering tight-fitting ride vehicles equipped with screens showing a film of a journey to Mars with systems that rotated them up and down and spun them in a centrifuge, it combined a breakthrough thrill ride into outer space with severe motion sickness potential and some really bad press.

The bad press came from a couple of deaths in the early days. Each was from a rider with pre-existing conditions, which, if known about, should have led the riders to exclude themselves from this ride.

As a result, Disney flooded the ride with warnings, and, in 2006, opened a version that left out the centrifuge. The original version was relabeled as the “Orange” side, and the new version the “Green” side. The Green side still has movement, but has next to no prospect of motion sickness, and without the centrifuge and the 2.5gs of acceleration that came from it, much less risk for those with pre-existing conditions.

The result was rides for almost everyone—the Orange version for thrill-seekers in good health with no propensity to motion sickness, and the Green side for nearly everyone else (there are still some health warnings even for the Green side).

In August of 2017 Disney added new films to both sides of Mission: SPACE. The Orange side still is the same mission to Mars, but with a better set of images—which may reduce the motion sickness potential. The Green Side got an entirely new film, of a mission around Earth.

The Earth mission takes off from Florida…

… flies around the world…

…and returns to Florida in a thunderstorm with some other complexities that I won’t give away.

The screen images in this post are all from the new Earth mission, which I had the chance to ride in late September.

Because of the different films, there are now in effect two different rides here using the same ride vehicles, but with much different degrees of motion sickness and other risks. This is great for those who want to do both rides, but the new Earth film is a bit of a letdown–the new visuals are just not that interesting. Soarin’ Around the World has a largely similar concept, to much better effect.

While my basic advice is that anyone with even the least concern about motion sickness or any health issues should ride the Green Earth version, and then do Orange Mars if they dare once they have a better sense of what they are getting into, they should do so knowing that the actual mission of the Mars side is more interesting.

Here’s the review of the new Mission: SPACE from The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2018 (yes, unlike some 800 page alternatives, our book is actually up-to-date enough to include it):

My co-author Josh also has a review of the Green Earth side here.

It’s also worth noting that while the Orange Mars side still has a minimum height of 44 inches, the Green Earth Side now has a minimum of 40 inches—although those between 40 inches and 44 inches will need to use a booster seat—and the ride might be little dull for them.

There are also fun and interesting games at the exit—which you can do without entering the ride system at all.

For those who can take it, the Orange Mars side is one of the best thrill rides at Disney World. The Green Earth side is more skippable. See it—but do so as a test of whether you think you can handle the Orange side…

Another option would be simply to buy a copy of Gray Malin’s Escape and hold the images in it really close to your eyes while putting a rocking chair through its paces…

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MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY 2017

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (“MNSSHP”) is a special, separately ticketed party that happens on certain nights every September, October and some years–like 2017– even early November at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.

At the party you will find un-crowded rides, a special parade (shown twice, at 8.30 and 11.15p), special fireworks at 10.15p, a Hocus Pocus show, trick-or-treating, a dance party…and a ton of guests in costumes!

I had a chance to see it again in late September 2017, and the scoop follows!

(See this for more on logistics–Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates, ticket prices, etc.)

NOT MUCH NEW FOR 2017 AT MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY

The 2017 party pretty much follows the pattern set in 2015 and continued last year. The most important change from 2015 was that the parades and fireworks are more spread out, and later.

This isn’t really thinning crowds in front of the Castle, mainly because the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular (photo above, and also at the top of the page), with its showtimes my date of 8.15p, 10.45p and midnight, is packing them in. (Later 2017 party dates have it at 7.40p, 8.35p, 10.45p, and midnight.) There’s more on this show later in this review.

The best approach to the Party remains the same–see rides until the fireworks and watch the second parade rather than the first.

But because of the crowds remaining after the 9.15 parade, it may be hard to get to the hub to see the fireworks from there. While HalloWishes, like all Magic Kingdom fireworks shows, is best seen from between the Castle and the Main Street railroad station, it does work really well from elsewhere in the park, because of things that happen in the finale that I’m not gonna spoil here.

So do rides until just before ten, find a good nearby fireworks spot, then see the characters and go trick or treating, see the 11.15p parade, and see the midnight Hocus Pocus show. A late night, but one that avoids the congestion around the Castle hub and Main Street.

COSTUMES AT MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY

Costumes are not required, and not everyone wear them. But even after the increased security that began in December 2015, they are still allowed at the party.

Above is the official Disney lingo (click it to enlarge it). Note that these guidelines are solely for the Halloween Party.  “Regular” attendance is subject to different rules, basically ruling out costumes for those 14 and older.

The most common costumes continue to be princess costumes and pirate costumes, and after that Star Wars costumes. Lots of Princess Leia hair, and more Rey than last year.  I also saw more Wilderness Explorers in 2017 than I’d noticed before.

And this group in Tomorrowland proved a Disney princess theme was not required!

THE PARADE, FIREWORKS, DANCE PARTY, HOCUS POCUS SHOW AND TRICK-OR-TREATS AT MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY

Besides most rides being open to short (or shorter) waits, MNSSHP has a special set of Halloween-themed activities (see above–click them to enlarge it).

For example, the parade–Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade–is seen only at MNSSHP.

It begins with a surprise–pay attention when the Cast members start to rope of the crosswalks (dampness on the streets may eliminate this first surprise).

Then a bunch of characters stroll by.

It then shifts to ducks and mice…

…then some pirates…

…more pirates…

…but then shortly shifts to my favorite part, Haunted-Mansion themed dancing gravediggers and ghouls.

More ghouls.

The gravedigger dance.

Soon comes candy…

…then the parade goes back to scary, ending with Disney villains!

There’s two showings of the parade, at 8.15p and 11.15p, with spectacular Halloween-themed fireworks between at 10.15p.

While the fireworks are best seen from in front of the Castle with the Main Street train station behind you, this will lead you into a wildly crowded section of the park.

Because of their spectacular finale the fireworks can be seen from elsewhere in the park–you’ll miss a little but gain a lot of comfort from avoiding the mobs in front of the Castle.

The Liberty Square and Cosmic Rays dance parties left two years ago but there’s still an outdoor Monsters-themed dance party at the thingy between Astro-Orbiter and Space Mountain.

Something I had not paid enough attention to until 2017 was fun audience interaction with characters from the Haunted Mansion.

It’s just outside the exit, so see it after your required Halloween visit to the ride.

You’ll also find lots of Halloween-themed merchandise.  Some is specific to the party (and may be sold out–see your brochure for locations) and the rest is generally available–including, somewhat jarringly, in the Christmas shop.

The Hocus Pocus show is quite popular.  The three sisters from the movie return…

…and call on hordes of Disney villains to help them stay.

The show includes strong songs and dances, the fun characters, and some spectacular effects. Those familiar with the movie need not get close to the stage (thought it can’t hurt), but if you haven’t seen it, the characters of the three sisters are much more apparent if you are closer to the stage.  This is pretty easy at the midnight show, not so easy at the earlier shows.

Character meet-n-greets are all over the place–with both common and unusual characters…

…and there’s also a ton of trick or treat locations, marked by lighted columns.

Get your trick-or-treat bag on the pathway that begins at the left of Town Square…

…and your first handful of candy, too.

But both the characters and trick-or-treating raise an issue.

STRATEGY AND RIDES AT MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY

All the major rides are open, and many minor rides as well. Most have very short waits–e.g. 10 minutes for Space Mountain. Typically, only Peter Pan and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had annoying waits.

The trick-or-treat spots and especially the character greetings, on the other hand, have pretty long lines, and the hub is packed all evening.

So the best approach is to skip the character greetings and trick-or-treats–or delay them until after the fireworks–and spend the first part of the evening on rides.

Do rides until just before the 10.15p fireworks show and watch it.

Now try trick-or-treating or character meets. Then see the second (11.15p) parade and the midnight Hocus Pocus show.

I struggle with whether or not this party is worth the money for first-time family visitors who may never return.

It’s quite expensive–more than $200, and even over $300 on some dates for a family of four.  And it’s just a five hour show (7p to midnight)–though Disney unofficially lets you in starting at 4p.

Yet the fireworks are the best Disney World offers, the parade is a hoot, the rides have short lines…and the costumes are fun!

My overall take is that for first-timers this time and money is better spent elsewhere, but that’s a really close call, and for sure I’d recommend it to returning visitors!

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In August 2017 Disney World announced the new Fantasmic! Dessert and VIP Viewing Experience offering. This “Experience” offers some nice snacks, a souvenir mug, and—at least on my visit to it in late September 2017, more on this point below—first come, first served seating in the “Dining Package” reserved area of the Fantasmic! amphitheater.

The cost, including tax, is $39 for those ten and older, and $19 for those aged three to nine.

Fantasmic! is an evening show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Combining a cast of more than 50 people, huge puppets, water effects, live action, projections, and a boat show (well, sorta), it touches on more or less every great Disney animated film through The Lion King and Pocahontas, with a few interludes with more recent characters.

I’ve seen it more than a dozen times, and while it is getting a little old—the projections, on water screens, are particularly in need of both technical and substantive updates—it is among my top five Disney World attractions, and on all of this site’s Disney World itineraries. There’s more on Fantasmic! here.

Two showings of Fantasmic! a night used to be fairly common, but with the introduction of the new evening show Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, one Fantasmic! show a night is now much more typical—so it’s not unusual for there to be more people who want to see Fantasmic! than there is capacity.

There’s now five ways to get a seat for Fantasmic!

• One is to use one of your pre-booked FastPass+, which on a one-day visit to the Studios is not a great use of FastPass+. The late timing of the show means you probably won’t be able to book any additional FastPass+ at the Studios that day. Also, Fantasmic! FastPass+ are Tier One FastPass+, and frankly on a one day visit your Tier One FastPass+ is better spent on Toy Story Mania or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. (Most of my itineraires have two visits to the Studios, partly for this reason, partly so that you can see both evening shows, and partly as prep for Toy Story Land and Star Wars.)
• Second is to keep looking for Fantasmic! as a 4th, 5th or whatever day-of FastPass+. This works most days, but comes with no guarantee of success.
• Third is to get in line for Fantasmic! really early—like more than an hour before show start. This works quite well, but this site isn’t really designed to tell you how to wait longer in line…
• Fourth is to purchase a Fantasmic! Dinner Package at The Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, or Hollywood and Vine. Traditionally the problem with this—other than cost—has been the choice of restaurants. The Brown Derby is terrific, but not exactly fun. Mama Melrose is pedestrian. Hollywood and Vine traditionally focused on the Disney Junior characters, which put it right in the wheelhouse of kids for whom Fantasmic! might be too scary (it has lots of villains, including large dragon and serpent puppets). Recently lunch and dinner at Hollywood and Vine has shifted to a more broadly appealing character line-up of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy, making it a more viable option. But at Hollywood and Vine lunch Fantasmic! package (after tax and tip) is around $63/39 per person, and the dinner package around $70/43. Mama Melrose is a bit less, and Brown Derby much more.

The Fantasmic! Dessert and VIP Viewing Experience presents potentially a money and time-saving fifth alternative–to the dining package in particular. At $39 for those ten and older, and $19 for those aged three to nine (tax included, no tip), it is cheaper than a dining package—although not by much–and it saves you the time you would otherwise spend at the sit-down restaurant.

The way it works is you make your reservations online here (or of course you can call 407 939-3463).

Then at the Studios you enter the FastPass+ line at Fantasmic! When you enter is a little screwball. Disney’s promotional material—and the paperwork I got from them—indicates that seating is in a dedicated part of the amphitheater “in the first couple of rows of the theater.”

“Dedicated” would seem to mean that you don’t need to arrive early to get good seats.

However, on our visit (I went with my imaginary internet friend Steve Bell of MilitaryDisneyTips.com), seating was first-come first served in the Dining Package area of the amphitheater. This matters if you want a specific location. Up close is best for viewing; mid-way gives you an adequate view and avoids the water spray you will get up close; toward the back is best for an easy exit. If there’s not a dedicated seating area on your visit, the earlier you arrive, the more seating choices you will have. If there is a dedicated seating area, then you will be up close, and will get misted.

We purposely got up close, as I’d sat pretty much everywhere at Fantasmic! except front and center in the first few rows. Can’t really complain about how close and centered our seats were. And the mist, frankly, was welcome, as it was a hot and humid night. On cooler nights, the mist would be a bug, not a feature.

Anyway, back to the process, a bit after you enter the FastPass+ line you’ll see a sign heading you off the line…

…and a kiosk off to the side.

Here you get a lanyard that identifies you to cast members further in as a possessor of this Experience, a drink in a special cup (we got blue margaritas), a small bottle of water, and a boxed set of desserts and savory snacks.

Then you go in and sit and drink and snack and wait for the show.

There was nothing special about the margarita—there’s also a non-alcoholic punch for the kids, and of course the water bottles—but the mug was fun. It has settings for fast and slow flashing, plus steady lights. The image is of the steady lights.

The snack box has both more and better food than I’d expected. The three cupcakey looking things are an apple crisp, cheesecake, and a chocolate cupcake. Each was delightful. The two chocolate-covered strawberries were large and perfectly ripened. The cheese cubes are typical, and in the cute little paper bag are some nice salty tortilla chips. The small jar—you are seeing its lid–includes a trail mix that was the only offering not particularly to my taste, but trail mix preferences do vary (my fave is M&Ms, peanuts, and golden raisins).

The menu (click it to enlarge it).

Here’s the full set of loot, with one exception There’s a knife-fork-spoon-napkin set up at the bottom of your bag, somewhat hidden by a printed “Fantasmic! Fun Facts” flyer. Some people might not find these, and hence complain about difficulties in eating the cupcakes in particular. Not that you would have this problem. Because you’ve been warned. But we got a little messy…

In total, while not what you’d call a healthy meal, there’s a fair amount of food here. If you had a heavy lunch, and a snack after, it might substitute for dinner—or come pretty close to doing so.

So for your $39/$19, you get a large and varied snack, a drink, a bottle of water, and a fun mug. (Kids get more kid-appropriate snacks, e.g. gummy bears.) In addition, you get as good a seat at Fantasmic! as you are willing to come early for, without using a FastPass+, and without the time and expense that a sit-down dining package dinner would cost. (The dining package saves you no time at Fantasmic! itself, as it also has first-come-first served seating in the dining package section.)

At this price, the Fantasmic! Dessert and VIP Viewing Experience is clearly not for everyone, and is an even worse deal for those whose dining earlier in the day makes the snacks largely superfluous. The drink is nice, but no one ever goes to the Studios yearning for a blue margarita.

That said, it is a legit approach to seeing Fantasmic! for those who can afford it, especially if the rest of their dining this day lets the snacks substitute for dinner.

There’s lots of good seats for Fantasmic!, but so long as the seats for this experience remain where they are, the seating location is hard to beat. You are near the center of the show, but can pick how close to the water you want to be. If the event does convert to dedicated seats by the water, you will get misted, but the vantage point from up close is really nice…

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RIVERS OF LIGHT DINNER PACKAGE AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

Rivers of Light is the new evening show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that debuted in February 2017. While it opened to mixed reviews, I think it a must-see.

Rivers of Light (full review here) takes place most nights. Early on, it saw some weeks where it showed only four nights a week (Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesday and Thursdays), but since the summer has been scheduled for every night, for one to three times a night.

On nights when it shows once, more have wanted to see it than it can accommodate. You can book an advance FastPass+ for it, but this means that you will be unlikely to be able to add 4th or following FastPass+ to your Animal Kingdom visit that day.

Another option—though more expensive—is to book a Rivers of Light Dining Package. This package, which is available at the character buffet Tusker House and the high-end dining venue Tiffins, gives you either a fun or exceptional meal—depending on which you pick—and seats in a dedicated seating area in the Rivers of Light viewing area.

The package costs one or two table service credits, depending on the restaurant, if you are on the dining plan. For cash, current pricing of the Rivers of Light package at Tusker House is $52 for adults and $ 32 for children at lunch or dinner, and breakfast is $39/24. Lunch or dinner at Tiffins is $67/26.

Note that the dedicated Rivers of Light viewing area does not have individually reserved spots. Seating here is first come, first served, and those who get the package most commonly are those who are really dedicated to seeing this show. As a result, the seating area fills up quickly, and you want to get to it no later than 30 minutes before show start.

Because I think Rivers of Light is a must see but that there are better ways to manage your FastPass+, I’ve added the Rivers of Light Dining Package at Tusker House to all of my itineraries. In every case it replaces a previously suggested sit-down character meal (most commonly the princess meal at Akershus, as Cinderella’s Royal Table is already in the itineraries) so there’s not much extra cost.

THE RIVERS OF LIGHT DINNER PACKAGE AT TUSKER HOUSE

Tusker House is a character buffet in the Africa section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Here’s the review from The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit:

Tusker House includes an interesting village market theming…

Multiple rooms to dine in…

…with fun art…

…and visits from Mickey…

…Donald…

..and Goofy and Daisy.

The buffet is extensive and includes a carving station (salmon and pork at my visit) of which my images were either terrible or off-putting. The online menu is here.

Here’s few other representative shots from our last meal here:

For many more images and details on the offerings, my co-author Josh has an extensive review with a comprehensive set of photos, all of which are better than mine, here.

THE RIVERS OF LIGHT DINNER PACKAGE AT TIFFINS

Tiffins opened in 2016 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as a “signature” fine dining venue.

A favorite among bloggers, it also appeals to normal people looking for fine dining and an interesting, imagination filled setting.

Here’s the review from The easy Guide:

The online menu is here.

The physical menu (click it to enlarge it) and some other shots, several in focus, from my last meal here:

You need to see Rivers of Light; you need to eat, and specifically you need to either dine well or eat with Mickey Mouse. Either way, a Rivers of Light dining package can be an effective way to both do that—at Tiffins or Tusker House.

Note that as Disney experiments with how frequently and at what times it will show Rivers of Light, the package is not available to book six months ahead like regular Disney dining—it’s been three months or so lately. Check your dates here.

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HOOP-DEE-DOO MUSICAL REVUE…REVIEW

The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a musical comedy dinner show that plays three times a night in Pioneer Hall in Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Simply put, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a hoot, and among the best experiences at Walt Disney World.

I’ve seen Hoop-Dee-Doo a half dozen times, most recently in July 2017. Not everyone is a fan; you can love Disney World and not find Hoop-Dee-Doo bearable; but if you love Hoop-Dee-Doo, you’ll find that you have exactly the right degree of silliness and child-like delight to enjoy everything else Walt Disney World has to offer.

For this reason it’s one of the quintessential Disney World experiences, and is included in all of my first-timer Disney World itineraries except the very shortest.

The best short description of the show at Hoop-Dee-Doo I’ve seen was in a history of the show published a few years ago on the D23 website: Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is a “goofball western vaudeville dinner show.”

Jim Korkis wrote about the history of Hoop-Dee-Doo for this site here. An excerpt:

The premise of the show is that a stagecoach of performers on their way to another engagement (and an actual stagecoach used to be positioned outside of Pioneer Hall to support that storyline) had broken down.

They come inside the dining hall to entertain while their stagecoach is being repaired and the guests enjoy an all-you-can-eat meal of fried chicken, ribs, strawberry shortcake and more between the corn-pone vaudeville acts. [Read more →]