Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
Pictures: New features coming to Disney Magic
Disney Cruise Line announced several changes coming to the line's oldest ship when it undergoes renovation in September 2013.
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Disney Magic changes
Renderings of the changes and new additions to the Disney Magic cruise ship coming in fall 2013.
(courtesy of http://www.orlandosentinel.com )
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Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Mickey and Minnie Mouse Pose as a Couple at Animal Kingdom
Adventurers Outpost in Disney's Animal Kingdom is currently the only place at the Walt Disney World Resort where Mickey and Minnie will regularly appear together as a couple.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
DISNEY Tops the 2013 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards
Enough talk about drifting cruise ships with overflowing toilets -- that's cruising's rare dark side. On the other hand, how about a four-story waterslide, lots of kids' programming and a private island?
Decked out with these spiffy amenities, Disney's newest cruise ships took top honors at the 2013 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards, the website announced Wednesday.
"Disney has done a great job at expanding without losing what makes it unique: characters and Disney-style entertainment," says Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor of CruiseCritic.com, a popular website for cruising aficionados. "You can have multigenerational groups because they're providing something for every generation."
The Disney Fantasy trounced the competition in the best large ship category, winning for best overall ship, best cabins, best entertainment, best public rooms and best service. The Fantasy's maiden voyage was in March of last year.
The Disney Dream, which first sailed in 2011, won for best shore excursions in the large ship category. Large ships carry at least 2,000 passengers.
While the Cruise Critic website boasts more than 100,000 reviews, this year's winners are culled from the thousands of reviews posted in 2012. While anyone can join the website to discuss the ins and outs of cruising, Brown promises that staffers vetting the reviews and veteran cruisers can spot phonies or industry plants. It helps that every ship has had a Cruise Critic staffer sailing on it at some point. "Cruise travel is so much more complicated than a hotel stay and we have (reviewing) guidelines," she says.
Disney has fine dining and tours for adults
The new Disney ships feature almost Michelin-level fine dining, elegant on-board spa services, and adult-only tours, says Brown. The "fantastic kids program" is spread over almost an entire deck of space and includes animation projects, princess and hero dress up, Disney movies, outdoor fun and other activities. The children are divided by age to ensure toddlers and teens have different activities.
In other best large ship wins, the Celebrity Reflection won for best dining, and Celebrity Eclipse won for best value for money. The Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas won for best for fitness and best for embarkation.
"Celebrity has most the interesting, beautiful and fun ships in cruising for an adult and the Reflection is the newest," launching last October, says Brown. The ship is known for its food, the spa has become pretty and there's an actual lawn on the top deck, which attracts birds in the middle of the ocean, she says.
In the midsized ship category (1,200 to 1,999 passengers), Holland America's ms Noordam won for best overall ship while sister ship ms Westerdam won for best for fitness and best shore excursions. Oceania's Marina won for best cabins, best dining and best public rooms. (The "ms" in the Holland America ship names stands for "motor ship.") The Thomson Dream won for best service and best entertainment, the Norwegian Spirit won for best value for money and Celebrity Summit won best for embarkation.
In the small ship category (1,199 passengers or fewer), the Azamara Quest won for best overall ship, best for fitness and best for service while the Azamara Journey won for best value for money. The Crystal Serenity took the prize for best dining and best entertainment while the Crystal Symphony won for best public rooms. The Seabourn Odyssey won for best cabins, Regent Seven Seas' Seven Seas Navigator took best shore excursions and Windstar's Wind Surf won for best for embarkation. (CNN)
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
The Grand Opening of Disney's New Fantasyland
Bill Burke has traveled to Walt Disney World more than 60 times in the past few years. He has written 2 books about his addiction, and has amassed an admirable collection of used hotel room key cards. In December 2012 he traveled to Walt Disney World to see what's new and what's next at the resort.
Orlando, Florida
Bill Burke
I went here to: Cover the grand opening of the New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom, catch the Christmas version of the Wishes fireworks and see if I could spot any celebrities among the Mouseketeers.
I stayed at: The new Art of Animation resort. I stayed in the Cars wing, which is themed around the Pixar film. I felt like I was in the movie, actually staying at the Cozy Cone Motel. Maybe it was the neon that blazes to life after dark or the traffic cone lamps in my room, but I actually felt like I was staying in a small motel somewhere on Route 66. Well played, Imagineers, well played.
The best thing I ate was: The Tonga Toast at the Kona Cafe in the Polynesian resort. It's the breakfast of theme park champions -- a massive slab of sourdough bread stuffed with bananas, deep fried, covered in cinnamon sugar and bathed in syrup. My friend Walt actually ate 2 orders of Tonga Toast that morning. He is my hero.
When I travel here, I always eat at: Raglan Road at Downtown Disney. This Irish pub/restaurant may not be the small, dark, neighborhood haunt you find in parts of Ireland, but it certainly has all of the charm. A bit loud with high ceilings and the ability to seat many tourists, Raglan Road has it where it counts: The Irish bistro-style cuisine by master chef Kevin Dundon is astoundingly good and the live Irish music and step dancers make you wish the night would never end.
I wish I hadn't: Eaten at the Art of Animation food court. Don't get me wrong, it's probably the best food court on Disney property, but my choice of supermarket-grade sushi, a bag of chips and 3 milks cost more than the chili-marinated flat-iron steak I had planned to order at The Wave restaurant earlier that night.
Be sure to pack: Your phone charger. If I had, I wouldn't have crossed up my reservations and missed out on dinner at The Wave. The lingering taste of barbecue chips crossed with sushi will forever remind me of this basic packing tip.
Don't miss: The Be Our Guest restaurant in the New Fantasyland. Sure, the food is good, but the theming and creativity of the design will make you swear you just stepped into a scene from Beauty and the Beast. Watch for the snow falling outside the windows in the grand ballroom.
Next time I will definitely: Spend part of an afternoon soaking up the atmosphere in the New Fantasyland. Groves of shade trees and low rock walls in the shadow of Beast's castle make for a perfect people-watching spot.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Roller-coaster Review from "My Dreams of Disney" by Mike Ellis
As a roller coaster fan, I’ll admit that I grew up a self-proclaimed roller coaster CHICKEN! In fact, it wasn’t until I went to a theme park in Virginia that I became a fan. But that’s another story for another time.
Over the years, I have become a huge fan of the roller coaster genre, and Walt Disney World, in my opinion, has some of the best roller coasters on the planet. A lot of my friends will disagree with me, saying that this roller coaster, or that roller coaster is better, but to me, there is a whole lot more than how many loops a roller coaster can do, or how far the drop is. To me, what sets the roller coasters at Walt Disney World apart from all of the others is the theming that the Disney Imagineers put into planning the attraction. I believe that Disney spends more time on the theme of an attraction than any other “theme” park in the world, and it is the theme of their lands, attractions, shows, and other things that really sets the parks apart from all of the others. Now, after all of that build-up, I am going to give you my rankings for my favorite roller coaster rides at Walt Disney World.
Over the years, I have become a huge fan of the roller coaster genre, and Walt Disney World, in my opinion, has some of the best roller coasters on the planet. A lot of my friends will disagree with me, saying that this roller coaster, or that roller coaster is better, but to me, there is a whole lot more than how many loops a roller coaster can do, or how far the drop is. To me, what sets the roller coasters at Walt Disney World apart from all of the others is the theming that the Disney Imagineers put into planning the attraction. I believe that Disney spends more time on the theme of an attraction than any other “theme” park in the world, and it is the theme of their lands, attractions, shows, and other things that really sets the parks apart from all of the others. Now, after all of that build-up, I am going to give you my rankings for my favorite roller coaster rides at Walt Disney World.
I know what you are thinking. I am absolutely insane by including The Barnstormer in my listing of my favorite coasters. I have now lost the two readers that come to Chip & Company to read my material. I can’t be serious.
However, my friends, I am serious. The Barnstormer was the very first roller coaster that my daughter Sophie ever rode, and the moment she got on that coaster, she was addicted. There is not a single roller coaster that my daughter will NOT ride. My wife and I enjoyed it too! It was a quick ride, certainly, but when we went that first year, the park wasn’t very busy, and Sophie wanted to ride it again, and again, and again, and again, so we ended up riding that thing probably eight times in a row. You know why we did? Because there was no line. We walked off, turned around, and walked right back on. It was fun. It was quick. It provided excitement for us. It was great.
Today, we don’t ride The Barnstormer as much, simply because Sophie has moved on to many other fun and challenging rides, but I have a soft spot in my heart for those days when Sophie was excited beyond compare by the simple joys of that roller coaster. With the closing of Mickey’s Toontown Fair, I’m not certain what the future holds for The Barnstormer. I hope it stays to be enjoyed for generations to come.
However, my friends, I am serious. The Barnstormer was the very first roller coaster that my daughter Sophie ever rode, and the moment she got on that coaster, she was addicted. There is not a single roller coaster that my daughter will NOT ride. My wife and I enjoyed it too! It was a quick ride, certainly, but when we went that first year, the park wasn’t very busy, and Sophie wanted to ride it again, and again, and again, and again, so we ended up riding that thing probably eight times in a row. You know why we did? Because there was no line. We walked off, turned around, and walked right back on. It was fun. It was quick. It provided excitement for us. It was great.
Today, we don’t ride The Barnstormer as much, simply because Sophie has moved on to many other fun and challenging rides, but I have a soft spot in my heart for those days when Sophie was excited beyond compare by the simple joys of that roller coaster. With the closing of Mickey’s Toontown Fair, I’m not certain what the future holds for The Barnstormer. I hope it stays to be enjoyed for generations to come.
When we first wanted to ride Primeval Whirl, it continually amazed us that you had to be 48” tall in order to ride this roller coaster. For the first two years, Sophie wasn’t tall enough to ride it, but in year three, she was. The Whirl is not your typical roller coaster, in fact, I’m not sure if it should be classified as a roller coaster at all. But for our discussion, that’s what I’m calling it.
The Whirl is a fun ride because it takes you fast through some turns, dips, climbs, all sorts of things that spin you around and almost make it seem like you are going to fall right off the edge of the structure. In fact, in some ways Primeval Whirl may have more thrills than some of the other coasters because it is a completely different experience. The circular car really makes a difference, especially when it is turning you around this way and that as you make one of the 90 degree turns on the track.
The Primeval Whirl is located in Animal Kingdom at DinoLand U.S.A.
The Whirl is a fun ride because it takes you fast through some turns, dips, climbs, all sorts of things that spin you around and almost make it seem like you are going to fall right off the edge of the structure. In fact, in some ways Primeval Whirl may have more thrills than some of the other coasters because it is a completely different experience. The circular car really makes a difference, especially when it is turning you around this way and that as you make one of the 90 degree turns on the track.
The Primeval Whirl is located in Animal Kingdom at DinoLand U.S.A.
Space Mountain is a ride that I enjoy, but I haven’t ridden it for a few years. The first time I rode it I kept trying to anticipate which way the coaster was going to turn, and since night vision isn’t my thing, I was anticipating completely wrong! By the end of the ride I had a headache from the jarring. However, I did ride Space Mountain again after that, and when I decided that the key was to just go with the flow, I really enjoyed the ride.
Sophie isn’t a big fan of it because it is in the dark, but she has told us that she is going to try it again when we go in June. However, while the appeal to Space Mountain is that it is in the dark, I feel like it takes away something from the ride. We haven’t ridden it since it was renovated, so I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with the ride. Space Mountain is the signature attraction in Tomorrowland, located in the Magic Kingdom.
Sophie isn’t a big fan of it because it is in the dark, but she has told us that she is going to try it again when we go in June. However, while the appeal to Space Mountain is that it is in the dark, I feel like it takes away something from the ride. We haven’t ridden it since it was renovated, so I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with the ride. Space Mountain is the signature attraction in Tomorrowland, located in the Magic Kingdom.
Expedition Everest is one of those rides that I, for whatever reason, never seemed to ride – until this past June. Then we all rode it, and I liked it! For me the most gut-wrenching part (I say that literally) was when we rode backwards down the track. I did feel like the speed of the coaster was a little slower than I would have liked. But I liked the coaster, and will ride it again. Last time I was in the very back of the train, so this year I’ll see what it’s like at a different location!
For me, I really like the mountain. Additionally, the Disney Imagineers have done a great job in theming this attraction. In so many ways, the theming of an attraction also helps to make the wait in line seem shorter because you can look around and see all the little details of the ride.
Expedition Everest is located in Animal Kingdom, not far from the Kali River Rapids.
For me, I really like the mountain. Additionally, the Disney Imagineers have done a great job in theming this attraction. In so many ways, the theming of an attraction also helps to make the wait in line seem shorter because you can look around and see all the little details of the ride.
Expedition Everest is located in Animal Kingdom, not far from the Kali River Rapids.
I absolutely LOVE Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It is one of my favorite roller coasters anywhere, not just at Disney World. There is so much to experience with BTMR that it is easy to ride it over and over again just to pick out the things you missed before.
Have you ever ridden it at night? If you haven’t you absolutely must experience that at least once. It introduces a totally different dynamic into the ride.
Have you seen the dancers dancing above the saloon? If you haven’t, look for it. BTMR is one of those attractions that delivers – over and over again!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is located in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom.
Have you ever ridden it at night? If you haven’t you absolutely must experience that at least once. It introduces a totally different dynamic into the ride.
Have you seen the dancers dancing above the saloon? If you haven’t, look for it. BTMR is one of those attractions that delivers – over and over again!
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is located in Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom.
I wonder where I have been all my life – six years in a row we have gone to Disney for at least one day, and in the previous five years, I never rode the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. How stupid have I been?!
Last June I made the distinct decision that I was going to ride this roller coaster, and when we were atDisney’s Hollywood Studios we did just that. We had a Fastpass for it, so we walked right on. In fact, we walked in the queue so quickly that I didn’t even pay attention to the limo leaving with the previous group of riders. You know what? That was better, because I had NO IDEA how quickly that limo was going to take off!
The initial start is from 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, immediately propelled into the dark with the music of Aerosmith blasting in your ears! The ride contains a corkscrew, a loop-de-loop, and several high speed turns, all with the music playing. The ride is in the dark, but there are several neon signs to look at, so it really is cool! The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster immediately became my favorite roller coaster anywhere, not just at Disney World!
Last June I made the distinct decision that I was going to ride this roller coaster, and when we were atDisney’s Hollywood Studios we did just that. We had a Fastpass for it, so we walked right on. In fact, we walked in the queue so quickly that I didn’t even pay attention to the limo leaving with the previous group of riders. You know what? That was better, because I had NO IDEA how quickly that limo was going to take off!
The initial start is from 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, immediately propelled into the dark with the music of Aerosmith blasting in your ears! The ride contains a corkscrew, a loop-de-loop, and several high speed turns, all with the music playing. The ride is in the dark, but there are several neon signs to look at, so it really is cool! The Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster immediately became my favorite roller coaster anywhere, not just at Disney World!
But tell me, what are your favorite roller coasters at Walt Disney World? How do they compare in your eyes with roller coasters at other theme parks? Tell me in the comments below, and thanks
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