Category — q. Reviews

THE DISNEY SKYLINER—A TRANSPORTATION OPTION TO EPCOT AND DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

The Disney Skyliner, a new and groundbreaking (at least in theme park resort use) gondola transportation system, opened at Walt Disney World in late September 2019.

From a transfer station at the south end of Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, it offers lines to

…A shared station at Disney’s Pop Century and Art of Animation resorts,

…Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park, and,

…via a station that the north end of Caribbean Beach (closest to Aruba) shares with Disney’s Riviera Resort, to Epcot.

At every station except the Riviera/Caribbean Beach north station, guests must get off and re-board. So a trip from Pop Century to Disney’s Hollywood Studios means a trip to the southern Caribbean Beach station, then getting off and getting on the Studios line.

While not for everyone—and I’ll come back to that—for those it is suited to, it presents a fun alternative to the buses that folks would otherwise use to get among these various points, and is in particular a fun and easy way to get

• From these resorts to Hollywood Studios and Epcot
• From one to another of the pairs of resorts—e.g. for Pop Century guests to try out the yuca bowls at Caribbean Beach’s Spyglass Grill
• From Epcot to the Studios and vice versa, if the boats look backed up and you aren’t in the mood to walk.

CONDITIONS THAT SHOULD HAVE YOU AVOID THE DISNEY SKYLINER

The Skyliner cabins, while not tiny, are small, and (post COVID) you likely will share them with other parties.

While moving, the passive ventilation system in the cabins presents a substantial breeze, but if they stop—not uncommon—on a hot, humid, and breezeless day, discomfort can build.

The cabins swoop and sway in normal operation, and a breeze will yield even more swaying.

All boarding at the Riviera/Caribbean Beach north station requires entering the narrow door of a moving car—the car is moving very slowly, and the gap between the cabin and the stationary platform is very tight, but it is still a moving target. All other stations have a separate loading area where those who need the extra stability—and all ECV folks—can board a stationary car.

The system may stop, for brief or lengthy periods of time, for any number of reasons. If there is lightning in the area, it will close, with guests being required to exit the gondolas at the station Disney assigns. If this station is Caribbean Beach, Disney will add buses that duplicate the Skyliner routes, but this might not happen immediately, and the various buses may take time to arrive.

Those with claustrophobia, fear of heights, motion sickness, or any medical condition that might be exacerbated by either a lengthy stop with no real clarity as to what’s happening, or the possibility, on hot humid, and breezeless days, of stop-related heat buildup, especially if combined with a higher degree of anxiety, ought to avoid the Skyliner.

Those staying at one of the Skyliner resorts concerned about whether their personal conditions might yield a disappointing experience could try (depending on where they are staying) either the Caribbean Beach south to Riviera/Caribbean Beach north route, or the Pop Century/Art of Animation to Caribbean Beach south routes, as a low risk way to test how they will react to the system.

BUSES AND THE DISNEY SKYLINER

Buses run to Epcot and Hollywood Studios at the normal schedule when the Skyliner is not operating, and at a greatly reduced schedule when it is operating.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE DISNEY SKYLINER

Before the Skyliner opened, there was much speculation about future routes—for example, a western version was chatted about, connecting (perhaps) the All-Stars, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Epcot and Hollywood Studios via a Caribbean Beach-like hub at Coronado Springs. An eastern line connecting the Port Orleans resorts, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, with Disney Springs has also been talked about.

Note that there’s room at the south Caribbean Beach hub to add one more route, which could easily go east or north…

An expansion did not seem imminent even before COVID.  With COVID’s impact on Disney capital budgets, it seems even less likely.

The long-time travel agent partner of this site, Kelly B., can help you book your Disney World vacation in a Skyliner resort or anywhere else–contact her using the form below:

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Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is the first of two rides to open in Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios—the second, Rise of the Resistance, opened in December 2019.

Millennium Falcon is an interactive simulator ride. Six folks ride at a time in a spectacular imitation of the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit, each with simple tasks to complete—two pilots, each with slightly different jobs, two gunners, and two flight engineers.

You will see much advice that the best job is the pilot’s job, and the next best the flight engineer’s, and related advice that flights with good pilots are better than those with inept pilots.

All this advice is sound for those who take a sort of video game “maximize the score” mentality to the ride, but for those who don’t, none of this much matters.

If you wish to experience either a space ride or a Millennium Falcon ride, and don’t care how “well” your ship does overall, how much you control the outcome, or how well piloted it is, then you will still have fun on this ride. So take the whole debate over best jobs and best experiences with a grain of salt.

If on the other hand, you don’t care at all about either spaceship rides generally or the Millennium Falcon specifically, then frankly there is not a whole lot to this ride.

Flight of Passage in Pandora at the Animal Kingdom presents an interesting contrast. Flight of Passage has a distinctive ride system and an imitated breathtaking journey that is largely independent of the specific content of Avatar. To put it more simply, Flight of Passage is simply a truly great ride, independent of its theming.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is different. It wins—among those with whom it wins—by its specific recreation of the Falcon, but for those indifferent to space flight or the Falcon itself, it is just another ride.

The best comparator among other Disney World rides opened in the last decade (although this is somewhat unfair in a way I’ll come back to in the next paragraph) would be Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid in Fantasyland, a ride that charms major fans of the Little Mermaid, but has little to offer those for whom Little Mermaid is not central to their love of Disney.

The big contrast with Under the Sea is in the execution of the theme and setting of Smuggler’s Run, which is spectacular for Smuggler’s Run and so-so for Under the Sea.

Grown-ups can appreciate, celebrate, and be delighted by…

…The reification of human imagination and creativity into the physical setting of Galaxy’s Edge…

…The Millennium Falcon itself…

…The ride queue…

…The astonishing Hondo animatronic…

…and their experience on the ride.

Kids who are fans of the original trilogy will likely love it as well.

Have you ridden it yet? What did you think, and why?

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

THE ALLIGATOR BAYOU ROOMS AT PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE

Port Orleans Riverside has two areas and three distinct room types.

Its Magnolia Bend area has two room types, Royal Rooms and Standard Rooms, each sleeping four in two queen beds.

Its Alligator Bayou area rooms sleep five in two queen beds and one short (~66 inches long) Murphy bed.

These Alligator Bayou rooms are one of only two traditional moderate resort spaces that sleep 5 (non-Pirate rooms at Caribbean Beach are the other), and these rooms are as a result very important to families a little larger than average or families that work best with three sleeping spots

For families that don’t need the extra bed, these rooms have so-so theming (although it is warmer and more cheery after the latest refurb), are kind of ugly in spots–although your taste may vary–and are a bit thin on storage. Such families have better options.

REVIEW OF THE ALLIGATOR BAYOU ROOMS [Read more →]

MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY 2019

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 2019–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 9.15 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 mid-September 2019, and the scoop follows!

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

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2019 AT MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY

The 2019 party pretty much follows the pattern set in 2015 and continued since. The most important change over the period is that the first parade is later.  This limits a bit the crowds in the hub during the first part of the party. You will still see crowds everywhere–ride waits are low to very low but the paths are mobbed.

The big change for 2019 is a new fireworks and projection show, Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular, replacing the old Hallowishes. There is a lot to like with the new show, but I liked the Hallowishes finale much better, and, because of the projections, you really need to be in the hub–with 15,000 of your twitter followers–to see it at its best.

In 2018, three rides were “plussed” for the party” and Pirates of the Caribbean is much better plusse din 2019 than it was in 2018.  I don’t want to give anything away–just ride it and let me know what you think.

The Mad Tea Party gained a different soundtrack, lights, and spooky smoke effects, greatly increasing its popularity–except with me.

Pirates of the Caribbean gained some live characters…

Finally, the experience of Space Mountain really changes with a near blackout of the ride.

A big part of the fun of Space Mountain has been not being able to see what comes next–and a refurb a few years ago made the ride even darker (though not everyone is a fan). For the party, we have something different–a near black-out.  All lighting effects are turned off, objects formerly lit are now dark, there’s no stars in the sky.  All you can see is a few red dots here and there and some distant “EXIT” signs.

The effect is to make Space Mountain much more scary than before–as testified to by the quite louder screams, mostly of joy, you will hear while riding it. (Note that I did not ride Space Mountain this year, so my description is from last year.)

One reviewer innocent of analytical skill recently posed hat the plussing of these rides reduces crowds by pulling people into their lines. Hint: lengthening the lines of three rides by about ten minutes each is not enough to reduce the all-night pressure on the hub…

The best approach to the Party remains the same–skip the character meets, defer trick or treating until later, see rides until the fireworks, and watch the second parade rather than the first. If you do this will avoid crowds (except in the hub and around the parade route) and have a fun evening.

But because of the crowds remaining after the 9.15 parade, it will be hard to get to the hub to see the fireworks and projections from there. See my images later in this review to see how much the projections and such might appeal to you.  My advice is to make your way to the hub as soon as the first parade has passed through, a little before 10p.

So do rides until just before ten, find a fireworks spot in the hub and see them, then see the characters and go trick or treating, see the 11.15p parade, and see the midnight Hocus Pocus show. A late night.

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

Costumes are not required, and not everyone wears 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.

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 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 off 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…

…a pirate friend…

…more pirates…

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

More ghouls.

The gravedigger dance.

More from the Haunted Mansion.

Soon comes candy…

…and added in 2019 more Pixar fun:

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

There’s two showings of the parade, at 9.15p and 11.15p, with a Halloween-themed fireworks and projection show between at 10.15p.

The show is best seen from the hub, about halfway in.

Below are fireworks photos. Note the projections on the castle in particular.

Also offered are some entertainments.

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

New for 2019 you’ll find a Disney Descendants themed dance party in Cosmic Rays, which had a lot more energy than most prior parties in this space.

There’s a Disney Junior dance party in Storybook Circus…

…not much attended, at least during my visit to it.

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.

Although to be fair, it appeared that Santa Claus might have visited the party on holiday…I saw him in the Caribbean Beach bus line.

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, 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 easier 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.

Some more characters:

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 have 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 30 minutes or so before the 10.15p fireworks show, head to the hub then, 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–for a family of four, well over $300, and even over $400 on many dates. And it’s just a five hour show (7p to midnight)–though Disney unofficially lets you in starting at 4p.

Yet the fireworks, while not I think as good as prior shows, are among 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 March 2019, Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the far end of Sunset Boulevard—about as far from Galaxy’s Edge as it could get, which was probably part of the point, to spread crowds (if they ever do show up) a bit.

Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is in what had been the rarely-interesting Sunset Showcase building, set in a courtyard accessed through a gate just to the right of the entrance to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.

You wait for it outside, with umbrellas providing some relief from the elements. Since shows are continuous, you likely will need to wait at most 12-15 minutes, just until the next performance.

Frankly, I had low expectations for this ride, but it is a winner. Yes, you need to enjoy Cars to get much out of it.

But if you do—or someone in your family does, perhaps younger than you—then it is a solid attraction, with a great audio-animatronic of Lightning McQueen, fun racing scenes, more appearances by other good guys, a bad guy, and virtue triumphant.

The bench seats are about as uncomfortable as you’ll find at Disney World, but the duration of the show is not long enough for this to much matter.

Outside the building, Cruz Ramirez from the Cars franchise takes pictures with guests, and a DJ-led dance party is also intermittently scheduled outside in the courtyard.

Here’s the review from our fancy book.

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(For the first page of this review of the Waldorf Astoria Orlando, click here.)

AMENITIES AND DINING AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA ORLANDO

The Waldorf Astoria is deep in the Bonnet Creek Resort.

You access this area from Buena Vista Drive, just east of the old Caribbean Beach entrance, soon to become the Riviera entrance, then drive a while and turn right at the stop sign. In the image above, the intersection of the access road and Buena Vista–Chelonia Parkway–is marked in yellow, and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando is marked in red.

There’s both some standard Disney signage (albeit in a different color scheme)…

…and also a large sign indicating the entrance.

On the way to the Waldorf Astoria, you will pass sister resort Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, then their shared parking garage, and then come to the Waldorf Astoria, with a port cochere where you can valet.

Most amenities except the pools and one restaurant are just inside on the second floor, including the check-in area and other guest services.

There’s little lobby seating, but strong service and staffing suggest little is needed–and the adjacent lobby bar has plenty of seats.

The lobby bar also functions as a coffee shop in the morning.

I ate several times in this bar and quite enjoyed my crab cakes…

…and heirloom tomatoes.

There’s another more robust bar, Sir Harry’s, that I did not experience.

Also on this level is Bull and Bear, a classic expense-account steakhouse that is destination dining for many.

Across from the lobby bar are a couple of small shops, one a bit focused on sundries and the other on resort wear.  A classic Disney shop is in the next-door Hilton.

Downstairs on the way to the pool is the more family friendly Oscar’s, well known for its breakfast buffet, and there’s more dining at the pool and at the next-door Hilton. The full scoop on dining at the both the Waldorf Astoria and the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is here.

You’ll also find at the Waldorf Astoria a spa…

…and a nice workout room.

Outside, near the port cochere, is a stop for theme park buses. Buses here run too infrequently, and have too many stops, for me to be able to recommend them.

For example, in my May stay, Magic Kingdom buses left generally every thirty minutes (there were a few 60 minute intervals).  From Magic Kingdom half went on to Epcot, then to Hollywood Studios, and half went on to Animal Kingdom. Buses to the Studios could take 45 minutes.

Moreover as is the case with all non-Disney buses, Magic Kingdom buses dropped off at TTC, not the park itself.

Having a rental car, or using cabs, Uber or Lyft is a better option.

Theoretically one could walk out of the Bonnet Creek Resort, into the Disney resorts Caribbean Beach or Riviera, and board Disney’s Skyliner gondola system there. But it’s a long walk (two miles or more, unless someone punches a path through between Caribbean Beach’s Trinidad and Barbados, which would bring it down to about a mile), and the path ends on Chelonia–there’s no walking path on Buena Vista

The final amenity worth noting is the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club.

Including the additional amenities in the next door sister resort Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek–especially the Hilton’s pool complex and its lazy river, the Waldorf Astoria Orlando has as full a set of amenities as pretty much any non-Disney resort with similar perks.

The Waldorf Astoria’s own pool complex is less interesting, especially for families–the full overview of the Waldorf Astoria pool complex comes next!

THE POOL COMPLEX AT THE WALDORF ASTORIA ORLANDO

This review continues here.

MORE ON THE WALDORF ASTORIA ORLANDO

• Overview and summary
• Photo tour of a standard room
• Dining and amenities
• The pool complex

Kelly, the long-time travel agent partner of this site, can book your Disney World vacation at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando–or at any other Disney World hotel!  Contact her using the form below.

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 160+ stays in them

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