2013 Disney World Trip Report: Day 2, Part 1

Rise and shine!





Can I wake up every morning with this view? Please???

Animal Kingdom

We headed to Animal Kingdom in the morning. We got there a little after rope drop. We had to get there early because I had made all of our FP+ reservations for Epcot that afternoon. I really think that's the best way to handle park hopping with FP+ - go early to your first park and take advantage of low crowds, and use your FP+ options for your second park. We headed straight to Expedition Everest.





And then did it immediately again while there was still a 5 minute wait.

For some reason, I luck out with a front seat to EE almost every trip.



The views from the top of Expedition Everest are my favorite!









Crowds had been piling in, as there was already a half hour wait for the safari. We grabbed some fruit from the stand outside before getting in line. We had planned to go to breakfast at Rainforest Café after the safari, but we didn't get finished until 11:00 AM and figured that they had already begun serving lunch.









And then this guy got really close!



Really, really close!!!



Here's the new giraffe baby -



The new route doesn't seem to include as much elephant time as it did in the past.





After the safari, we ate lunch at Pizzafari. We just beat the lunch crowd. We were going to go to Festival of the Lion King afterwards, but just missed it, and decided to go back to the resort and were greeted by another animal...

2013 Disney World Trip Report: Day 1, Part 2

ESPN Club

Rachel I had done the unthinkable by going to Disney over fall break - skipping a home game! We knew we had a pretty good place to watch it, though.

So did everyone else. Check out the line outside!



ESPN Club at Disney's Boardwalk is the best place at Walt Disney World to watch football (or any sports game).  The restaurant has over 100 screens showing games on 35 different channels.  Even the bathrooms have televisions, so you never have to miss out on a minute of the game!



We got to watch a wedding party move from Sea Breeze Point down the Boardwalk.





It was about an hour wait. Most people were there to see the Florida v. LSU game, but there were a few other Clemson Tigers in line. They were of course playing the UF v. LSU game on the big screen, so we got one of the booths with a TV which they'll change to whatever game you want. They unfortunately removed the Homerun Hotdog from the menu, but they still offer it (well until they run out).

After ESPN Club, we went back to Hollywood Studios to use our FP+ reservations for Rockin' Rollercoaster and Toy Story Mania.

Magic Kingdom

They weren't having Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at the Magic Kingdom tonight, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to watch Wishes and the Main Street Electrical Parade. Apparently everyone else did, too. Magic Kingdom was PACKED!!!! We slowly crept up Main Street. Once we got past the congested crowd of people trying to leave and enter at the same time, we were able to find a good fireworks spot in the castle hub.



Of course, there was no room for me to set up a tripod, so I did a few handheld shots of Wishes with my camera and then took a few cell phone photos.



We hung out after Wishes and got a spot on the Castle hub curb for the Electrical Parade. It was annoying because I guess being a smaller person who looks easy to push out of the way, I was the go-to person to shove past when crossing the Castle hub. At first I was on one end of the family... and I moved to the other end.... and then I moved to the center. But no matter where I was, "Excuse me! Excuse me!" Little did these strangers passing me by know, they were only the umpteenth person to ask me to move.

We really lucked out with our position on the curb. About ten minutes before the parade was to start, these cast members came to block of a triangular spot on our left for FP+ viewing. All of the people who had been lined up for over half an hour for that spot then had to scoot back behind the rope. I thought that was seriously unfair and that the CMs should've set up the reserved FP+ viewing space as soon as Wishes ended and people started to find spots for Wishes. The people they made move had no idea that they were sitting in a FP+ viewing location and had to scramble to find new spots right before the show started. I would've been seriously peeved if that had happened to me (and was pretty peeved that it happened to other people).

On our right side, they came right before the parade started to set up the path for people to cross the street during the parade. Now, we had an idea this was going to happen there because of the obvious traffic pattern that was scooting me out of the way for people to pass every few seconds. My dad paid attention to the holes for the ropes on the ground and had positioned himself in the perfect spot so that he didn't have to move.

After those two ropes had come up, it was just my family of four and a woman and her daughter in between the two roped off sections.











After the parade, we tried to do a little shopping on Main Street, but it was just too crowded to be enjoyable. So we headed back to the Beach Club for the night.

2013 Disney World Trip Report: Day 1, Part 1

About a month before her birthday, Rachel texted me and told me that she thought she wanted to go to Walt Disney World to celebrate her birthday which is during fall break. That's all it took to get me planning! Within a week, we booked at the Beach Club Resort, I started making dining reservations (a painful process, due to the free dining package which had been offered during that time, but one which all worked out in the end!), and I ordered our Magic Bands!

The week before the trip was AWFUL for me! I pulled two all-nighters... not because I was procrastinating or being inefficient, but because that was how much work needed to be done and what was expected from me by my professor. So I absolutely worked up until the last possible minute... and I passed out in the car on the way down there!

I forget where we stopped, but it was about an hour outside of Disney. My dad booked a Marriott Courtyard for the night. We arrived around 11PM, but we had to get up early the next morning because I had made us early Cape May Café reservations... oops?

Beach Club Resort

We got to the Beach Club at 7:50 AM - right in time for our reservations! However, the guy manning the door really wanted us to check in first. He took us straight to the check-in desk. I had completed the online check-in, but for some reason none of our information saved!!! We had to redo everything.  We were also working with a CM who was "Earning Her Ears," and it was a little frustrating. There were several times when I wanted to ask if her supervisor could just do this. I think it was her first day on the job because she had no idea what she was doing, and her supervisor kept having to show her how to do things.

When my dad came back from parking, I went to check us in at Cape May, and we left him at the check-in desk when our buzzer went off for us to be seated.

Cape May Café was also a little rocky on the customer service. Our waitress just wasn't very "Disney," plus we had a really bad experience with Donald Duck. Rachel had been joking that she was going to ask Donald Duck to Mallard Ball (an ADPi event), so when Donald came to our fingers, she asked him to do Pi fingers. He shook his head no and was just really rude about it. And then he wouldn't pose with me and Rachel - just put his hands on his hips while we stood awkwardly behind. It was like he wanted us to take his picture, not a picture with us. We understand why Donald might not be able to do Pi fingers - they probably don't want the characters making hand signs that guests request because who knows - that could be a gang sign? Or maybe Donald's "girlfriend" was affiliated with another sorority, and he didn't feel right doing the Pi fingers. Either way, there was a cuter way to say no. We watched Donald circulate the room, and he'd just walk up to each table and stand there.... not wave to the kids, not make kisses or act duck-like. Clearly, Donald was having a very bad day.

But when Donald emerged from the room after his break, he was full of life, strutting around the restaurant and being typical silly Donald. I guess he just needed "coffee"?

Hey, Goofy!

Birthday cupcake and card!



This is caffeinated Donald... grumpy Donald would've never sat in the booth with us!



Our family (and all guests staying at the Beach Club Resort, as well as other select Disney Resorts during October) was given the opportunity to test Disney Magic Bands which are part of My Disney Experience.  If you're curious about Disney Magic Bands, My Disney Experience, and FastPass+, check out my review.  I have also written tutorials on how to link your existing reservations to My Disney Experience, how to customize your Magic Band through My Disney Experience, as well as a post on receiving your Magic Bands.

After breakfast, my dad and I tried to go to guest relations to get them to add our two annual passes to our Magic Bands and purchase two annual passes. However, since we can only purchase annual passes at the theme parks, the cast member suggested that it would be more efficient if we went to the parks to purchase passes and have our already purchased passes added.

Hello, beautiful!

Hollywood Studios

So we went to Hollywood Studios to purchase tickets. The line for guest relations was moving a little slowly... there was an obnoxious woman in front of us who got to the window, but needed her husband in order to do whatever needed to be done. I don't know where he had gone, but she stood at the window and waited five minutes for him to return. I guess I can understand that she didn't want to go all the way to the back of the line... but please, let someone pass you rather than hold the window up for five minutes doing nothing! I was shocked that the cast members let this happen.

There was a guy in line behind us who complained to the cast member manning the line about how his Magic Band was doing something wrong. It was the X time this had happened, and it was really frustrating. I'm guessing that Guest Relations has seen a lot of heated people with the implementation of Magic Bands and FastPass+.

The cast member at Guest Relations was great. She validated our two existing annual passes and told me that I could open the app up right now and add them to our Magic Bands. She then let us test each Magic Band to make sure that our ticket was working. For some reason, mine wasn't working at first, but then I deactivated my room key and reactivated it and it worked. Yay!

In the meantime, Rachel purchased a bottle of water and saved 10% with her annual pass!

Hollywood Studios here we come...





Unfortunately, FastPass+ (and FastPass) was already well distributed. I was able to get us FP+ reservations for Tower of Terror that morning, but I couldn't get Rockin' Rollercoaster and Toy Story Mania until that evening. For RnRC, regular FPs were being distributed for that afternoon, but for TSM, FPs had already been distributed into the evening. We were evil double-dippers and took advantage of the regular FPs being distributed for RnRC (I also just wanted to see if it worked to use our AP cards).



Trying to memorize this book, but we're still not remembering where we do and do not get discounts. I figure it's a good idea to go ahead and offer up the annual pass just in case the discount is available.



My Magic Band -



The My Disney Experience app gave my dad a difficult time. It quit on him three times before it would save that he read the terms of agreement.... so he'd have to go through and enter all of his information again. Each time, he said, "That's it! I'm done! I don't need this app!" And then a minute later, he would be back at it again.





The park was rather crowded and hot. We were able to ride Tower of Terror (FP+) and Rockin' Rollercoaster (naughty FP double-dip). Also saw the Little Mermaid for the first time in ages. Apparently that is the place to take your cranky kid when they are in need of an afternoon nap because I swear every child in there was being fussy. At one point, I couldn't even hear Ariel singing because so many children were screaming. Ariel was a spaz, though. She must've felt like she had to make up for her lack of feet with over-the-top upper body movement. Also, I had forgotten how they skip Ariel's entire time on land and fast forward to her becoming human. So weird.



Saw the Muppets. They always make me laugh. Then we went back to the resort for a break.

Beach Club Resort

Our room was finally ready!

We had purchased a water view room because that's all that was available. We had a view of the quiet pool, and we could also see a bit of the lagoon.





The room was actually in a great location. Though it was a bit of a hike from the bus stop, we could take the side exit and were a "hop, skip, and a jump away from Epcot."

Disney Magic Bands: Review

Hello, everyone!  Just back from a fabulous weekend getaway to Walt Disney World!  I wanted to do a Magic Band review separately from my regular trip report just because it's such a hot topic in the Disneysphere.

We stayed at the Beach Club Resort which was one of the resorts selected for October testing.  We booked through Travelocity, and knowing that BC had been selected for Magic Band testing, I immediately went online to Disneyworld.com and added our reservation to my MyDisneyExperience profile.  If you've booked at a Disney resort which is testing (or may soon be testing) Magic Bands through an online booking agent, I wrote a tutorial on how to link that reservation to your MyDisneyExperience account.

After linking that reservation, because the resort had already been selected for October Magic Band testing, I was immediately given the option of ordering and customizing our Magic Bands.  By "customizing" Magic Bands, I mean changing the color and the name written on each band.  If you do not customize your band, then it will be grey.  You also have a very short period of time between being told that you've been invited for testing (if you booked further in advance than we did, you'll receive an invitation to test Magic Bands) to customize your bands.  I also wrote a tutorial on how to customize your Magic Bands through MyDisneyExperience.

The bands seem to be overnighted, as we received ours the day after they shipped.  It's very important that if you booked through an online booking agent such as Travelocity, Expedia, Hotels, etc. that you change your shipping address from their office address to your own home address.  If not, your bands will be sent out into Neverland.  If you do not order your bands before the customization and shipping date, they will be grey, and you will get them when you check into the hotel.

Okay, now time for the fun part...

We decided this year that we would use annual passes.  We had already purchased two annual passes in the past few years to get room discounts which we just hadn't activated yet.  I was able to add one of those will call APs (the one purchased in 2012) to MyDisneyExperience, but I was unable to add the will call AP purchased in June 2011 to MyDisneyExperience.  And then we ended up waiting to purchase the other two APs when we got to WDW.

You cannot purchase annual passes at the resorts.  It must be done at a theme park.  So the morning we arrived, we went to guest relations at Hollywood Studios to purchase and activate our APs.  We had all APs added to our Magic Bands, but were also given a physical card.  You must show your annual pass card in order to get a discount - for some reason, even though the system knows that the ticket on your band is an AP, it will not automatically apply the discount.  I'm sure this could be something that is programmed to automatically add in the future which would speed up transactions.

For curiosity's sake, we did try getting FPs with our AP cards after entering the park with our Magic Bands.  It worked!  My guess is that the card is linked to both, and you could enter the park with either the Magic Band or the card, and it knows that you're in the park, so the annual pass is activated - not just the band or just the card.  I'm sure they could change this, and they might change it in the future.

Review time -

MAGIC BANDS

What we LOVED about Magic Bands:

The convenience and speed of transaction.  It's so nice not having to dig your wallet out of your bag to purchase something or to have to dig for your room key at the end of the day.  Really, the convenience has spoiled us!  I can't wait for them to add this to cruise ships and for competitors to start trying this out.  Disney is leading the future here, I'm convinced!

That the Magic Bands could be worn in the pool.  My sister and I usually go to the pool together with no pool bag - just cover-ups, towels, and a room key.  We'll hide our room key inside our cover-ups while we go swim.  Not anymore!!!!!  The fact that we can wear our Magic Bands in the pool and hot tub is awesome!!!

What needs improvement:

This was mainly a Food & Wine Festival issue, and it wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't spoiled by the convenience of Magic Bands.  Whenever I purchased an adult beverage from F&W, they asked to see my ID (understandable).  I then had to dig through my bag to find my wallet and hand them my ID - completely ruining the convenience of the Magic Band and slowing down the line.  I know I'm not the only young adult visiting F&W.  There are several solutions to this, and I don't know if it should be approached as a F&W solution or a Magic Band solution.  For example, F&W could issue wristbands confirming that young-looking guests are indeed the legal drinking age.  As for Magic Bands... they have my freaking FINGERPRINT - I think there's something that could be done to confirm that I'm legal.

People are still a little confused getting inside the park.... and it might be the lack of turnstiles that confuses them (really - it's so weird to see no turnstiles!).  But it's not clear when you should put your finger on the scanner.  I approached it as once the Mickey head lights up white, put your finger on the scanner, and then it will spin a white circle around your finger and then turn Mickey green.  However, my parents and others seemed to be waiting longer to start scanning their finger.  I think people could be getting in a lot faster if they just start scanning their finger sooner, but there aren't really clear instructions on how to do it.

FastPass+

What we LOVED about FastPass+:

It's awesome to not have to worry about being in the park early before the FastPasses run out.  I had good luck with making us FP+ reservations the night before (not so much the day of).

One day, we went to AK in the morning, and I made our FP+ reservations for Epcot that afternoon - something we would have never been able to do with regular FP.  We were able to benefit from the light crowds of getting to the park early while still getting FPs for another park.

What needs improvement:

It's annoying that Disney gives you different "options" and that you have to "change" them to get exactly what you want.  Why can't you just see all of the available times up front?  Disney is trying to get people to do certain things by not showing them everything available.  I guess that this might work in my favor for now, since I realize that all you have to do is click "change time" to see all of the available times for the attraction that day.

I'd really like the option to double or triple-up on FPs for one attraction... or just choose one or two FPs.  For example, for Epcot, I only really wanted to FP Soarin' and Test Track.  I would've loved to FP Soarin' twice.  But I had to choose three different FPs, so I got another FP that I ended up not using..... this is a WASTE because someone else might have wanted that FP, but I kept them from getting it.

It would be nice to be able to get FPs in different parks.  Maybe this is something they'll add later.

I found a GLITCH in the system:

Well, I think for it to be a true glitch, it has to work every time, and I don't know if it does or not because I only did it once.  Anyway, I somehow got FOUR FP+s for Magic Kingdom.... TWO for Space Mountain (attached as an image below).  How did this happen?  I was trying to change the times for FP+s because I made them for the afternoon, but Rachel wanted them earlier.  Well, at one point, there was a "system error" when I was trying to change the time for Space Mountain.  I shut the app down and opened it back up... and learned that I now had two Space Mountain FP times - one for the time I had, and one for the time I was changing it to.  The four FPs showed up on my MyDisneyExperience account, as well as my dad's.

My Disney Experience App

I don't think it's the most user-friendly.  I had a difficult time understanding where to see my FP+ reservations after I made them (under "My Reservations" or "Plans"), and I think there are a lot of redundancies.  However, that being said, I installed this app on my mother and my father's phones.  My dad was having a difficult time using the app... griping, griping, griping.  And then I look over at my MOM (who has all of 5 apps on her phone) who is quietly looking at our FP+ reservations... something that I hadn't even figured out how to do yet.  My non-techy sister was also really good with the app.  Though she didn't have it on her phone, she would take my phone or my mother's phone and look over the app.  This makes me wonder if it actually is very user-friendly... to the non-technology person and just overly simple to everyone else.  It's probably blatantly obvious and I was just overlooking everything.

Overall My Disney Experience

My initial concerns which were shut down after testing:

That the Magic Band would be uncomfortable.... not at all!  The Magic Bands are super lightweight and don't feel sticky on your skin.  I also kept mine a little loose so that it could slide around on my wrist and wouldn't be uncomfortably stuck.

That we wouldn't be able to get FP+ reservations unless we planned months in advance.... not true.  While I didn't have that much good luck with day-of FP+ options (disclaimer: this was at 10AM when regular FPs were also being quickly dispensed... TSM was already well into the evening, and I was able to make a FP+ reservation for TSM for that evening.  It was quite on-par with regular FP that day), I had good luck getting FP+ that I wanted when booking the night before.  The only point when this wasn't the case was the night before Epcot when the park had morning EMH - FP+ was distributed well into the afternoon, the first one available at 4:30PM.

That FastPass+ will make us all theme park commandos.... nah.  You're only making three FP+ reservations per day.  Will you know what park you're going to be in that day?  Probably.  Do you know what you would FP for that park that day?  Probably.

Final thoughts:

I loved having Magic Bands and FP+.  I'll admit - I was one of the original skeptics when the "rumor" first hit the Disneysphere.  But after my initial skepticism and a lot of the rumors proving to be false (that you would have to PAY for Magic Bands/FP+, that you got more FP+ options based on your resort tier, that the bands actually tap into your brain and play a continuous "it's a small world" inside your head.... okay, I made that one up), I became intrigued by the Magic Bands and all of the benefits they could bring to a Disney vacation.  Will I be nostalgic for the old FP system?  Heck yeah!  My poor dad didn't know what to do with himself, not having to run for FPs (he eased his anxiety by becoming huffy with people who were slow to scan their bands in the FP+ line... fellow Disney park-goers, my family is very sorry!).  But we're in the middle of PROGRESS here and this is awesome!

So I'm going to leave you with a quote by the man behind the mouse who started it all (and a man whose thoughts and ideals the Disneysphere continues to debate about 40+ years after his death):

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

 - Walt Disney

Disney Magic Bands: Receiving Your Magic Bands

It's been a while since I've last posted, and we're now less than two weeks out from our Disney vacation and Magic Band testing!

Our Magic Bands came the day after Disney shipped them - I was surprised by how quickly they appeared on our doorstep.




The bands are labeled on the box, and the name is printed inside of the band (I'm assuming for security issues).  There is also an ID printed inside of the band.  They are noted as non-transferable (just like Disney park tickets).



The grey band around the outside of the Magic Band can be removed to make it smaller to fit your wrist.  This is something I think I'll have to do, but I didn't want to make a permanent decision so soon.  Once the grey rubber is torn off, I don't think there is a way to reattach it.  However, I'm sure that Disney sells something to make the bands larger again.

You Are Living My Dream

When people find out about my current or past travels of living on the road, a lot of the time their response is, "you're living my dream!"  I am always flattered that someone would want to choose the lifestyle of traveling like I do.  Lately, I have been responding with, "you can do it too and live your OWN dream."  Most often, that is followed by, "I would if only..."

If only.

Those, "if only's" are choices. Choices we made in our life that we want to, or need to keep.  Maybe you bought a home that you feel you can't leave, or kids, or a marriage, or your job, or your pet... Those are all great reasons to stay put and not do anything different in your life (not that there is anything wrong with that life) except be envious by posts of other people living a life that is YOUR dream.  The question is, "do you really want to live your dream?"  If you do, what is preventing you from making the choices needed to pursue that dream?

The truth is, you don't have to buy that house, you don't have to have children or get married, you don't have to have a traditional 9-5 job in an office.  American culture wants you to spend your money on things to fill up the home you bought and throw away things that you are bored with.  All the while, you hope this will make you happy in your heart and fulfilled in your life.  It might give you a momentary sense of happiness but it fades and crashes fast and then has the opposite effect.  Over time it makes you feel overwhelmed and trapped.  The more space we have, the more we want to fill it with stuff.  

I know of several families with children who live on the road.  If you don't want to travel alone, you can do it with a partner.  I can't imagine traveling without my dog Max, but that is a choice and it limits what I can do.  I am ok with that.  

I own a home and rent it out when I live in the van.  There are several online companies that will help you find someone that will pay you to live in your home with all of your furnishings in place.  I come back a few months out of the year and each time I do, I get rid of things.  I sell or donate the ten years of stuff that I have collected in my garage.  A collection of emotional items (Grandparents furniture, photographs, art) to things I thought I needed.  It's a bigger rush to me to get rid of things now, as opposed to buying something new.  I put out a stack of plastic chairs that I had for parties (which I don't have anymore) out on the curb with a free sign on it.  I was so excited when someone picked it up.  It was giving them a new home instead of a landfill.  If I decide to have a party, B.Y.O.C (bring your own chair) will now be included on the invitation. I digress. 

Here's the thing.  YOU CAN live your dream...whatever that is.  It's all a matter of choices and planning.  Do the work.  Be persistent with your goals and do something to move closer to them every day.  I will leave you with a short clip of artist, Chuck Close on what he would tell his younger self.  

What I took away from this is:

1.) You can do anything

2.) Inspiration is for amateurs.  Professionals show up and do the work.

3.) Continue to do the work, even if you don't feel like it.  Eventually it will get you somewhere.

Time to live YOUR dream.