Category — w. Most Recent Stuff
Next Week (November 16 through November 24, 2013) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: NOVEMBER 16 TO NOVEMBER 24, 2013
The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.
November 15, 2013 No Comments
Quick Update on the Meet-Up, 2nd FastPass+ Test, and More
QUICK UPDATE ON THE MEET UP
Well, the big joint fan meet up with Steve from MilitaryDisneyTips.com has come and gone, and I am just beat!
I lost count, but Steve, the writer/webmaster of MilitaryDisneyTips.com (right, with the hat) thinks that more than forty of you visited with us.
Hundreds more dropped by virtually on Facebook and Twitter!
This site exists to help, and all the time you folks write your appreciation–see the “puffery” on the lower left for just a tiny sample.
But taking time out of your Disney vacation to come see and thank a balding old guy…well you take my breath away with gratitude!
The couple above ruined their honeymoon by coming to visit!
The “Glow with the Show” hats were gone within moments–the little girl got the second to last.
We’ll be announcing the winners of the hats from the virtual part of the meet up on Twitter and Facebook shortly.
The meet-up started by the hat shop, and there were four people waiting before we’d even begun!
Then a neat surprise–Josh from easyWDW.com and Lisa rolled up!
I’d spent much of Monday afternoon with Josh scheming over some stuff, so I was a little star-struck to see him twice in one Disney World visit!
We all wandered closer to the flagpole for the retreat, then returned to the meet-up spot.
After it formally ended–and we are pretty formal here, you know–Josh and Lisa treated us to Fastpasses for the Jungle Cruise, re-themed as the Jingle Cruise this holiday season. I laughed like a seven year old…
Josh and Lisa then peeled off, and Steve and I wandered the park, keeping people posted where we were and continuing to meet throughout the evening!
More details and photos will be out later, but thanks to all who came, to Allison and Leah from Destinations in Florida for their help and support, and most of all to Steve! You rock, man…
TEST NUMBER TWO OF FASTPASS+
I’d done my first test of the new FastPass+/MagicBands system in September, focusing on rides. (Report of that test here.)
On this visit, my focus was on testing FastPass+ at character greetings…
…parades…
…and fireworks.
I have a lot more thinking to do before I can turn these experiences into recommendations, so stay tuned…
FIRST STAY AT THE VILLAS AT DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA
I began this visit at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and ended it at the Wilderness Lodge. I’ll be updating the reviews of each soon.
But the real prize of this visit was several nights in a two-bedroom villa at the brand new Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
I’ll be publishing a full review shortly, and in the meantime, Denise and I are working on floor plans. When the full set is out, these will be the most accurate floor plans for these villas ever published!
OK that’s it for now, off to the airport. I’ll be putting up more on all this soon, and thanks again to all of you who stopped by!
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November 14, 2013 7 Comments
The Meet-up is Today!
YOURFIRSTVISIT.NET AND MILITARYDISNEYTIPS.COM JOINT MEET UP TODAY!!!
The first-ever yourfirstvisit.net and MilitaryDisneyTips.com joint fan meet up is today!
Meet us from 4.30-5.30p in the northeast corner of the Magic Kingdom’s Town Square, interrupted by the 5p Flag Retreat.
Steve Bell of MilitaryDisneyTips.com and I will be
- Meeting and greeting our fan(s)
- Giving away the new “Glow with the Show” mouse ear hats to the first five fans that show up (if we hit that many…), and
- Watching the Retreat together.
Steve will have a white shirt on, I’ll have a red shirt on, and we’ll likely both be wearing mouse ears and carrying a bag with more! Look for us between the candy (“Main Street Confectionery”) and hat (“The Chapeau”) shops!
Afterwards, Steve and I will be wandering around the Magic Kingdom, mostly together, and then having a nightcap, likely at the Wilderness Lodge. We will tweet and update on Facebook where we are, and we’d love to meet you later in the evening as well, if you can’t make the 4.30-5.30 meet up.
We’ll be also be giving “Glow with the Show” ears away to randomly selected people who join the meet-up virtually by re-tweeting our tweets or commenting on our Facebook posts.
(On Twitter, Steve is @MilitaryDisney and Dave is @yourfirstvisit. On Facebook, Dave is here and Steve here.)
To RSVP for the meet-up–not that you need to, we aren’t all that formal–click here. And for why I partner with Steve, see this.
Don’t miss it! The first ever fan meet up for either of us! In the northeast corner of the Magic Kingdom’s Town Square, 4.30 to 5.30p, Wednesday November 13!
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November 13, 2013 No Comments
Veterans Day 2013
(This is mostly a repeat from last year, as all my favorite vets have stayed the same…)
On this Veterans Day, just a note to thank all of those who have put their lives at risk so that the rest of us can be free.
My favorite veteran is my dad, career Navy–that’s him above during the Korean War.
Next favorite is my wife’s dad–that’s him above, on the right, during World War II. That hand was wounded on Tarawa.
After him, my next favorite is my sister’s husband, who served with the riverine Navy in Vietnam.
And another favorite is Steve (above) from MilitaryDisneyTips.com, a retired Air Force First Shirt who does a great job keeping military families up to date on great Disney World deals and other important info.
Steve and I will be meeting our fan(s) at the Magic Kingdom on Wednesday.
And all the millions of the rest of you are my favorites too! Thank you for your service, and God bless! Wherever you are, and whatever you do, my gratitude goes with you.
LINKS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
- Military Families at Walt Disney World
- Deals and Discounts
- Shades of Green
- Other Resources for Military Families
November 11, 2013 No Comments
yourfirstvisit.net and MilitaryDisneyTips.com Meet Up is Wednesday!
Steve Bell of MilitaryDisneyTips.com and I will be meeting our fan(s) this Wednesday, 11/13, from 4.30 to 5.30p at the Magic Kingdom!
We picked this time and location for the Retreat at 5p–and Disney is enhancing the retreat this week as part of its Veterans Day salute. The location is marked on the map above–click it to enlarge it.
I scouted out the specific spot yesterday–we expect that while our meet is on, it won’t be quite so crowded.
The first five people to shake our hands (both of us!) will get one of Disney’s new “Glow in the Show” hats, seen in a pile in the image above from my room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
We’ll also be giving out such hats to a few randomly selected people who during the meet-up re-tweet our tweets or comment on our Facebook posts!
Here’s hoping you can make it!
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
November 10, 2013 2 Comments
Next Week (November 9 Through November 17, 2013) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: NOVEMBER 9 TO NOVEMBER 17, 2013
The material below details operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic.
November 8, 2013 2 Comments
