Category — q. Reviews

WALT DISNEY WORLD’S WISHES

Wishes is a 12 minute or so fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom.

 It combines fireworks, music, narration, colors and images projected onto Cinderella Castle, and, weather permitting, live performers, into a spectacle and a spectacular show.

Narrated by the Blue Fairy and Jiminy Crickit, the show has the theme of believing in the power of wishes, and of good triumphing over evil.

I have never met anyone who does not love the show, and it is listed as a favorite on this site’s Comprehensive Guide to Rides. [Read more →]

THE 2011 EDITION OF THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

The crew behind a lot of landmark resources for Walt Disney World travel–including among others TouringPlans.com, Lines, the famous crowd calendar, and The Color Companion to Walt Disney World–released in late August the latest edition of their venerable tome, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2011.

More details will follow in the review below, but here’s the short version: first time family visitors tempted to buy a guidebook should choose The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2011. [Read more →]

This is the third page of this review.  For the first page, see this, and for the second page, see this.

MORE ON BAY LAKE TOWER AT DISNEY’S CONTEMPORARY RESORT

According to Walt Disney World’s website,  “Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort…has been designed to complement the fabled styling of the classic Disney’s Contemporary Resort building and promises to deliver some of the most dramatic views available anywhere at Walt Disney World Resort.”

Bay Lake Tower opened in August 2009 as part of the new generation of Disney Vacation Club resorts.

Like Kidani Village at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, which also opened in 2009,  it features larger kitchen/living/dining rooms in its one and two bedroom villas, allowing both for one more person in occupancy, and a much more livable space, even when the fold-out beds in this area are opened.

(See the first and second pages of this review for floorplans.) [Read more →]

Note: this parade has been replaced by the Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun parade.

THE BLOCK PARTY BASH PARADE

The afternoon parade at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Block Party Bash, opened in March 2008.

The Pixar-themed parade includes tributes to Toy Story, Monsters, Inc, A Bugs Life, and The Incredibles.

Two principles guided its design–very tall, and very active.  Because the floats are so tall, your kids don’t need to be in the front to see them.  But because the parade is so active, they’ll want to be in the front anyway, to join in the fun. [Read more →]

To return to the first page of this material, click here.

MORE ON BAY LAKE TOWER AT DISNEY’S CONTEMPORARY RESORT

There are currently 8 official Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World.

However, I have come to count them as ten.

Ten because two of the resorts–Saratoga Springs and the Animal Kingdom Villas–have two very different areas.

In order of their appropriateness for first time family visitors to Walt Disney World, they are:

1. The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
2. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Jambo House
3. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas–Kidani Village
4.  Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
5. The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
6. Disney’s Beach Club Villas
7. Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
8. Disney’s Old Key West Resort
9. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, main resort
10. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, Treehouse Villas area.

These resorts are available to anyone to reserve through the regular Walt Disney World website or resort reservations phone number at 407-939-7675.

They also are available to the general public at great discounts through renting points from a Disney Vacation Club member.

ROOMS AT BAY LAKE TOWER [Read more →]

MICKEY’S JAMMIN’ JUNGLE PARADE

This parade had its final run on 5/31/2014.  No word on any possible replacement.

The afternoon parade at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade, opened in 2001.

The animal-themed parade includes Mickey, Minnie, and Donald, animal puppets, stilt walkers, and strolling Disney characters.

The strolling characters, in keeping with the theme, are all animals, ranging from Chip and Dale to more bears than you remember Disney having.

A distinctive approach to float and costume design makes this the most visually unique of the Disney afternoon parades.

The parade vehicles are mostly not very high, so getting your kids close to the front pays off. [Read more →]