Maelstrom to Close -- Frozen Attraction On Its Way

As has already been reported by various news outfits, Walt Disney World recently released a statement saying that Maelstrom, the semi-popular viking boat road located in Norway at Epcot's World Showcase, will be closing in the coming weeks. Ride closures are always met with mixed reactions and when it comes to Walt Disney World, you don't have to look too far back for a relevant example.

Just a few years ago, the legacy Snow White's Scary Adventures ride at the Magic Kingdom closed down and has since been replaced with the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which has quickly earned it's way into the short list of most popular rides at the Magic Kingdom (some of which is likely due to it's newness). However, when the original announcement about the closing of the legacy ride came out, many of the purists were outraged. Few brands have the connection to our childhood that Disney does, so when you see an attraction like Snow White or Maelstrom close down, perhaps a little bit of your childhood goes with it.

What's most interesting is that they're replacing it with a Frozen based ride. There is no argument that Frozen has become one the biggest Disney hits of all time (likely it's biggest based on sales, but I'll bet Cinderella and co have a different view on that), but for a new attraction based on it to be announced within essentially a year of the actual movie coming out is astounding. I guess it speaks to how big of a hit it really has been for Disney.

Look, I loved the ride on Maelstrom when I was kid (save the 5 minute movie at the end), but Epcot desperately needs more attractions to help lessen the wait at Soarin and Test Track. Something Frozen themed seems like the perfect antidote and while we'll miss Maelstrom, we'll always have the memories to look back on as we're waiting in what's sure to be a very long line to be whisked away to Arendelle.

Anyways, what do you think, is this a good move for Disney?

Walt Disney World Review - Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

As the first Walt Disney World property we ever stayed at as a family, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge will always hold a special place in our hearts. Part of that is because my then 3 year old daughter came running up to me from across the lobby and jumped into my arms (the perfect way to start a Walt Disney World vacation), but the majesty of having live safari animals wandering around the resort really can't be described.

The Good
The best reason to stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is if you love animals. Being able to drink your morning coffee and watch giraffes wander by isn't something most of us can do just about anywhere else. And when you don't have a lot of animals near you (which does happen), there are a handful of really nice viewing spots that provide over-sized rocking chairs and a great change of scenery in which to enjoy the view.

From a cost standpoint, in comparison to some of the other Magic Kingdom and Epcot area resorts, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge also offers some savings, without "downgrading". The pool was very nice and the onsite restaurants provide good variety whether you're there with the family or just your spouse.

Lobby of Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Bad
The biggest downside of staying at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is that you are pretty far from the other parks. If you don't mind the bus rides, then it's less of an issue. But for us, a twenty minute bus ride back from the Magic Kingdom at the end of the night always seemed a lot longer than it was. Plus, you're not on the monorail or anything, so if the kids want to ride it, you have to go somewhat out of your way (either by going to the Magic Kingdom, a Magic Kingdom area resort, Epcot, or the Ticket and Transportation Center)to do so.

The other downside is that as much as the animals are billed as the main reason to stay at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, there are a several times a day where you don't really see much (which is logical, they are migratory animals, so they move around throughout the day). If you're expecting to see a giraffe every time you pull open the shade, you will be let down.

The Verdict
If you've got an animal lover in your family, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge will make your Walt Disney World experience extra magical. The rooms are nicely appointed and available in a variety of configurations, so being able to find a room to fit your needs is pretty easy.

And if you don't mind the bus rides, you can take advantage of all the "staying on Disney property" benefits a bit more reasonably than at Bay Lake or some of the other properties. I recommend staying here though for us, our preference is still to be closer to Magic Kingdom or Epcot. I hope this helps in your vacation planning, have a magical day!

For you Disney Trivia nuts out there...

I thought I knew a lot about Disney, but this video (courtesy of the Huffington Post) even taught me a few things. Really, it was just too good not to share. Enjoy!

Check out the video to learn some mind-blowing facts you may not have known about the happiest company on Earth (and one about Tom & Jerry, who were created by Hanna-Barbera; the video notes the mistake). 

For example, did you know there are two Disney parks, still standing, totally abandoned with cobwebs collecting? Or did you know that Donald Duck's middle name is Fauntleroy?

For more weird Disney facts, watch the video!

What Makes It All Worth It

I started this blog awhile back as a way to help others get the most out of the visit to Walt Disney World and I hope that you've found the info contained herein helpful. I'm excited to share that one of my readers recently got back from Walt Disney World and was kind of enough to send me the following note and picture:

Two happy princesses.

Just got back from Walt Disney World~~ I followed all of your suggestions and everything went smooth as ice. I want to thank you so much for making my trip very organized and stress free. My granddaughter was able to meet and get autographs of all the princesses except for Elsa (Frozen). I could not tell you her favorite because every time she got their autograph she was just in AWWWW about seeing them in person. That made the whole trip so worth it.  And Fastpasses are the way to go!! I was shocked to see how many people did not have Fastpasses at all.  We were able to see everything that we wanted.  We had a wonderful trip.. Hope to go again…….

It's great to see that there are so many others out there that love Walt Disney World the way I do, and that light up when their kids interact with Mickey, Minnie, Cinderella and all the rest. I'm glad they had a wonderful experience and like them, I hope to "go again" soon myself.

That's why Walt Disney World is the Happiest Place on Earth!

Disney Vacation: How to help your kids remember their first visit

I'll be the first to admit it, ours kids are spoiled when it comes to Walt Disney World. We love some Mickey Mouse by all accounts, as this year's Disney vacation was the third year in a row we've gone.

My oldest (now 7), has been to Walt Disney World four times and my youngest (almost 4), has been three times. And while there are varying opinions on when the right age is to take your children on a Disney vacation to meet Mickey Mouse for the first time, I've found a way to somewhat safeguard against younger children forgetting their visits.

The first time we took our oldest to Walt Disney World, she was 3 1/2. We did a long weekend piggybacked off of a conference that I was in Orlando for and while she was tall enough to ride everything we wanted to go on with her (she is tall for her age), we had concerns that she wouldn't remember much of her first Disney vacation. So, when we got back, I decided to make a photo book to recap her first visit to Walt Disney World.

I saw that you could make a Disney photo book through the Disney Photopass service, but it was awfully expensive. So I searched around and found Shutterfly*. I uploaded a bunch of pictures and put them in a logical order.

What's really fun though is that it's turned into one of her favorite books because each time we read it, we make up a story to go along with the pictures. Whether Mickey Mouse is the hero or Cinderella finds her glass slipper, it always ends up sparking her memory to talk about what she remembers from that visit, which is great.

More importantly, having the photo book allows her to look back at that trip anytime she wants and because of that, she remembers meeting Cinderella, going on Space Mountain, hugging Mickey Mouse, and everything else that we did on her first Disney vacation.

So, when we decided to take our youngest to meet Mickey Mouse for the first time (about 2 years old at the time), we weren't concerned with her remembering the trip because we made a Disney photo book for both of them when we got back and like her sister, she remembers much of that trip as well (despite being so little).

The Disney photo book has become a cherished souvenir because the kids never know which pictures I'm going to choose and with us purchasing the Disney Memory Maker this year, I had even more pictures to select from.

Going to Walt Disney World is a significant investment and when you spend that kind of money on a vacation, you want your kids to remember it. For us, creating photo books has become a great way to remember those magical Disney moments over and over again.

* - there are a variety of photo services that can do this, I just happen to like Shutterfly.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort | Disney Resort Review

One of the newest Disney Vacation Club properties at Disney World is Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Bay Lake Tower provides modern, upscale amenities mixed with a little bit of Disney flair, at a location that can’t be beat.

The Good

Bay Lake Tower at Sunrise

Location, location, location. At Bay Lake Tower, you’re walking distance to the Magic Kingdom, so forget fighting crowds for spots on the bus or monorail at the end of the night. Bay Lake Tower is also attached to Disney’s Contemporary Resort, so you have direct access to the monorail too.

Plus, you’ve got access to impressive resort pools at both hotels, so the kids will never get bored. Finally, you can get great views of the fireworks from several locations and they pipe in the music, so you can enjoy the end of night fireworks, without the crowds…

The Bad

What Bay Lake Tower makes up for in modern elegance, it somewhat sacrifices in Disney stuff. You could put Bay Lake Tower in downtown NYC and people probably wouldn’t know it had anything to do with Disney. Not that that’s a bad thing, but if you’re staying on Disney property and want a “themed” room, there are better options.

In addition, while being connected to the Contemporary Resort is a bonus (especially with the monorail stop there), you're also dependent on the shops, market, and restaurants at the Contemporary Resort for all of those needs (there is no "onsite" shopping directly at Bay Lake Tower -- it's all at the Contemporary Resort, which is connected via a covered walkway).

Finally, it is on the higher end price-wise, so if you’re trying to Disney more cost effectively, there are better options out there.

The Verdict

Despite a few shortcomings, this is our favorite Disney resort to stay at. With two young kids, being able to put the kids in the stroller in the hotel room and not have them get out until you’re at an attraction, is unbeatable.

Staying here also limits the need to take bus rides (which is also a bit of a pain when lugging around a large stroller or if you’re on a schedule) and makes it even easier to go back and take naps during the day (since it’s a quick walk or monorail ride back from the Magic Kingdom and Epcot).

Though it’s pricey, you can get a little bit better deal by going to DISBoards.com and posting a request for a specific room type and week (as opposed to booking direct through the Disney website). Just make sure you get everything in writing and trust the person you're renting DVC points from (there is a rating system and you should sign a contract).

If you like being on the monorail and watching the fireworks from your balcony, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort is for you.

Disney Princesses - Make Disney Princess Greetings Extra Magical

Do you have a young Disney Princess (or multiple Disney Princesses) in your household? I do -- I have two, so I feel your pain...

Our closet... Full of Disney Princess dresses...

From Disney Princess tea party sets and dolls to bed sheets and dresses, our house is littered with Disney Princess merchandise. And it doesn't matter if it's Princess Aurora or Cinderella, Rapunzel or Snow White, it doesn't bother me one bit. You know why -- because my little Disney Princesses believe the Disney Princesses they see and meet are real, and are worth looking up to, and the Disney Princesses at Walt Disney World have lived up to that expectation.

But, I'm not going to write a blog about whether Princess Aurora is a good or bad role model for a young woman, that's up to each parent to decide.

For those that do believe in the magic though, I know that nothing makes your Walt Disney World vacation more magical then watching your children interact with Rapunzel, Princess Aurora, and all the Disney characters they know and love.

Therefore, I'm excited to share three tips I learned to make your Disney Princess meeting at Walt Disney World, extra magical :

1. Princess Jasmine -- If your princess favors Jasmine, you'll find her in Agrabah (in Adventureland) at the Magic Kingdom. But, if you want to make that visit extra special, here's something we learned on our last trip. If you are the first person in line to meet Jasmine that day, she'll offer to take you to the front of the line and ride the Aladdin ride together. How much more magical could it be -- riding on a magic carpet with Princess Jasmine at Walt Disney World! So, what's the best way to do this? First, I recommend looking at the park schedule to understand exactly when the Magic Kingdom opens (make sure there are no magic hours or anything). Then, be at the front gates about 45 - 60 minutes before the park opens (I know that sucks, but it'll be worth it). If you can be one of the first through the gates, sprint to Adventureland and locate the shop right next to the Aladdin ride. The greeting area for Princess Jasmine and Aladdin are just to the side of the shop (look for the ropes). Simply get in line and wait for them to arrive (generally they start visiting at 9 am). The host should ask if you want to ride with her, but if they don't, be sure to ask -- your princess will love it.



A magical visit with Princess Tiana

2. Princess Tiana -- This one isn't as big a secret as the others (IMO), but Princess Tiana doesn't draw the same crowds as Princess Jasmine / Cinderella / Belle / etc., so while the Disney website shows her as being available almost all day, it seems like she isn't out there quite as much. That said, she's one of our favorite Disney Princesses to meet because she generally takes time to genuinely talk with the kids more so than some of the others. You'll find her near Liberty Square in the gazebo. If you can make your way to being one of her last visitors of the session, you'll get even more time to talk gumbo with her. Again, not as much of a secret, but definitely a great experience for all the little Princess Tiana fans out there.
3. Princess Belle -- Even if your Disney Princess is a tad scared of Beast, she'll definitely enjoy meeting Princess Belle on the "Enchanted Tales with Belle" attraction at the Magic Kingdom. And while this interactive experience allows all the kids (that want to) to interact directly with Belle, there is a way to take the magic up a notch. For those not familiar, the Enchanted Tales with Belle attraction allows guests to help re-tell the story of how Belle and Beast met, with the children acting out all the parts (except Belle). Of course, the most desirable role is that of Beast, since he interacts the most with Belle. So, how does your Disney Princess get to be Beast? It's actually pretty easy. The last staging area before you begin is where the Cast Member hands out parts for the reenactment. One of the first parts offered up (usually) is that of Beast, so if your child can find themselves a spot in the front near the middle, when the Cast Member says "We need someone who can roar", make sure your little one roars the loudest and you're in. Even if you don't get the Beast part, there's not a "bad" part in the attraction, but as you can see from the video below, it is pretty magical for a young Princess to dance with Belle.

Video from my view as one of Belle's guards

So there you have it, three extra magical experiences with some of our favorite Disney Princesses. But what about Princess Aurora, Rapunzel, and the others? Well, I could say that Princess Aurora is sleeping or Rapunzel is locked in her tower, but fortunately, you just need to stroll over to Princess Fairytale Hall to find them (and maybe Fastpass em!).

And as for your Disney Princess, remember that she'll have a great time whether you're able to make this extra magic come through or not.

Like all of my Disney World blogs, I hope that this has been helpful. If you have a Disney question, I’m happy to help. Feel free to shoot me your question on Twitter (I’m @jonmkee) or via email (jonmkee at gmail dot com). Have a magical day!