A Blog About Disney Stuff

Last week, Touring Plans boss mom Julia messaged me about our blog post plans for Thanksgiving. Between preparing for the mega-event of Derek’s Turkeys of the Year and an outlet report she suggested I pen a “thankful” list of things from Universal Orlando. This year has hit everyone hard to varying degrees, so I took up the suggestion of finding some good things to celebrate.

While I am spending my first Thanksgiving alone (but lots of Zoom calls) there are many not as lucky as I, who have put their souls into jobs only to have them ripped away due to the pandemic. If you are financially able to please consider donating to Orlando or Anaheim food banks. Additionally, I participated in a fundraiser last week where we raised money for Cast and Team Members in the Orlando area featuring Thrill Geek, Inside Universal, RetroWDW, Theme Park Bar, and more. You can watch our live stream here.

Team Members

The parks simply would not be what they are without the amazing Team Members. I am thankful for every single one of them during my vacations in January and September, from the bartenders at Endless Summer to haunted house operations, Kyle and Keith over at Bigfire Grill to Ryan at Hagrid, and bus drivers to enhanced cleaning crews. You all rock and make this resort as great as it is.

Today Cafe

I am, as the kids say, basic af. I like my coffee cold-brewed, food fresh, my beer craft made, and there’s only one place at Universal that offers that – Today Cafe. This counter-service restaurant replaced the Beverly Hills Boulangerie which served pastries, deli items, and store-brand coffee. The new menu that highlights fresh ingredients, healthy choices, delicious coffee, and a New York attitude. For those who rolled into Horror Nights late, the shop also served draft beer and wine on tap. I am thankful for all the amazing new options here, especially the incredible potato salad (I normally HATE potato salad).

Fall Halloween Event & Christmas

There was a time we did not know if the parks would celebrate Halloween or Christmas this year as attractions and entertainment were cut around Orlando. But then in September, something magical happened: Universal said they will be testing a Halloween event. After a rousing success, Universal continued the event through October by opening two haunted houses, offering exclusive food and beverage, trick or treating, and costumes. Then, miraculously, Universal quickly shared their plans for Christmas featuring socially distanced meet and greets, a Christmas walkthrough, and more. I am thankful for Universal taking a big risk in adding more experiences to the parks and keeping some of the holidays alive during this weird time.

The Brussels Sprouts at Bigfire Grille

Ok, this one is pretty simple but hear me out. The Brussels sprouts at Bigfire are, well, fire. The appetizer-sized dish features perfectly crispy sprouts, each leaf crunchy and seasoned perfectly. Accompanying the dish are shishito peppers and a toasted almond smear. The flavors and textures of this dish highlight how much I enjoy Bigfire: simple, but well-executed dishes.

Horror Make-Up Show

pic.twitter.com/rdxoXtDQ4I

— Summerbellies the snowman (@Summerbellies) November 21, 2020

If you know, you KNOW. Horror Make-Up Show is an institution, an annual passholder favorite, and easily the funniest show in the Orlando parks. What is billed as an insider’s look into make-up and practical special effects in movies quickly descends into madness as the two hosts play off each other and the audience. No two shows are ever alike and I always make the effort to watch at least once a trip.

(For those wondering, my list is: Robyn, Josh, Summer, then Bill as favs. But they are all amazing.)

You, The Readers

I am not here if you are not here, so thank you dear readers for reading our posts about the caloric content of a cupcake, outlet reports, body augmentation, and more. This column is always a fun challenge that I love surprising and delighting you all with. Now one of these days I will finally get the Touring Plans company card…

The post Giving Thanks at Universal Orlando appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Universal Orlando Resort, thanksgiving

Any doubts about whether crowds would visit Walt Disney World for Thanksgiving were dispelled today, as the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom saw posted wait time averages in the top 3 of the past month.  Hollywood Studios was equally busy, but wait times are lower because of ride capacity that was added a couple of weeks ago.

Many Walt Disney World computer systems experienced issues today, including My Disney Experience and park tapstiles. It’s safe to assume this was related to an Amazon Web Services outage in the eastern part of the U.S.

We received exactly 200 actual wait times today from our Lines app Liners – thank you all. Let’s do the numbers!

Animal Kingdom Wait Times

The average posted wait for Avatar Flight of Passage hit two hours today. That 120 minutes may seem like a lot, but at #99 it’s barely in the top 100 days of the past year for FoP (and that counts days lost to the shutdown).  In good news, the actual wait times we measured at Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safari were only half of the posted wait times.

Magic Kingdom Wait Times

Not only was the Magic Kingdom busy today, but the posted wait times were pretty close to actual waits in line we measured throughout the park.  There’s something to be said for truth in advertising.  One bright spot at the Magic Kingdom was that the average wait to get into Country Bear Jamboree – the world’s best ursine-based animatronic stage show with country and western music – was only 5 minutes.

Hollywood Studios Wait Times

The big thing we saw at the Studios today was that the posted wait time at Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run was underestimated by a fairly wide amount.  Smugglers Run’s average wait time today was 45 minutes. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 149% of the posted wait time – so that average posted of 45 minutes was an actual of almost 70 minutes.

Rise of the Resistance was running really well until the AWS outage just after 1 p.m., and that resulted in an hour-long delay in calling boarding groups.  Things resumed around 2:15 p.m. and seemed to run well for a bit before calling boarding groups slowed down from around 3 p.m. to just before 5 p.m.  Things look better as I’m writing this, though, so hopefully everyone who got a boarding group will get a chance to ride the best attraction Disney’s done in decades.

EPCOT Wait Times

Sure, EPCOT was crowded, but the Mexico pavilion’s Gran Fiesta Tour only had an average wait of 9 minutes.  My guess is that everyone was celebrating the birthday of La Cava’s tequila ambassador, Hilda, with margaritas and shots.

The post Crowds Ahoy! Walt Disney World Wait Times for Wednesday, November 25, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), wait times

One of my favorite scenes of any Star Wars film is
when Han Solo takes the Millennium Falcon into the asteroid field in
“The Empire Strikes Back” (celebrating its 40^th anniversary this
year, by the way). As a kid, I’d watch the Falcon gracefully dodge those
asteroids – avoiding TIE fighters at the same time – and dream of being
onboard the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.”

That dream came true last year with the debut of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. In this groundbreaking attraction, you walk those iconic curved hallways and then strap into the cockpit to take control of the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs.

I must’ve had some galactic dust in my eye the first time I entered
the Falcon – I’m sure that’s why my vision went all watery and
blurry for a moment, right? Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is an
amazing, immersive attraction that gives you a Star Wars experience like
never before. That’s why I’m so thrilled to share this latest video in our
“Ride & Learn” series, so you can take a virtual trip on this “bucket of
bolts” and discover some fun facts about the attraction along the way. Check it
out!

Still want to know more? Of course you do! Here are a few extra
fun facts about Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run:

• The Millennium Falcon, docked in the
  Black Spire Outpost spaceport inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, measures
  more than 100 feet long.
• Hondo Ohnaka, who leads you on your journey, is
  a fan-favorite miscreant from the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars:
  Rebels” animated television series. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
  marks the first time he’s been seen in any form other than an animated
  on-screen character.
• You enter the Falcon through an access
  hatch on its port side. As you explore the ship’s main hold, you may spot all
  sorts of iconic Star Wars items, including the helmet and remote Luke
  Skywalker used in his first lightsaber training! Keep an eye out for some Porg
  nests, too …
• Industrial Light & Magic (the visual
  effects division of Lucasfilm) collaborated with Walt Disney Imagineering to
  create the gaming platform and interactive media for the attraction.  
• If the Falcon
  sustains damage – such as smashing into obstacles or taking enemy fire –
  and is not properly repaired, the ship’s handling is affected and its hallways
  will show damage after you land.
• Disney Imagineers worked with Lucasfilm to
  ensure authenticity in every detail of the Millennium
  Falcon – down to the hoses, pipes, switches and even the stickers on the
  exterior hull. Imagineers visited Star
  Wars film productions in the United Kingdom to study Falcon sets and pored over archival Lucasfilm photographs of the
  ship.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this flight aboard the Millennium Falcon and maybe learned a little something along the way. Keep checking back with us here on the Disney Parks Blog for more #DisneyMagicMoments!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Filed Under: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort

Disney Springs has often been described as a glorified shopping mall — and when you get down to it, sometimes that’s what you’re looking for. This is especially true with the shopping crowds that come out on Black Friday. Although Disney Springs may not be the first location that comes to mind for shopping crowds, there are a decent number of people who come out for this shopping holiday. Here’s our tips if you plan to be among them.

Do arrive early for some stores — but not too early. 

There’s zero reason to show up before dawn to try and rope drop stores at Disney Springs. Posted hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., even on Black Friday. If you know of a particular retailer that you absolutely must be first in line for, then call the store directly to see if they will plan to open early. In general, as long as you are strolling into Disney Springs around 9:30, you will find almost all stores with no wait for Black Friday crowds. The exception to this tends to be World of Disney and the LEGO Store.

Don’t expect major discounts. 

Many stores actually exclude their Disney Springs locations from special deals and promotions. Verify with stores in advance if they will be participating in any sort of special Black Friday sales.

Do plan to park where you will shop the most.

Although selection of parking garages is a controversy of Disney Twitter legend, you’ll want to park based on what you where you want to shop. The Orange Garage is a great option if you intend to buy out everything at the Coca-Cola store, but if you’re buying, say, a 50 pound LEGO set, walking past the Lime Garage to get to the Orange Garage can feel like the ultimate walk of shame.

Don’t forget your annual pass, DVC membership card, Disney Visa, or anything else that might get you a discount (and don’t forget to ask if discounts are available).

Most shops are great about asking if you have various forms of cards that will provide a discount, but the biggest shopping day of the year is exhausting. Please help the cashiers out by having all cards that might provide a discount at the ready.

Do eat breakfast before you arrive.

Yes, there are a few places to grab breakfast at Disney Springs (most notably Starbucks, but also places like Earl of Sandwich and, in a pinch, a Rice Krispy treat at Goofy’s Candy Company is basically just a cereal bar, right?). Overall, breakfast offerings are slim, and lines there may be some of the longest you encounter all day.

Do follow COVID safety protocols.

These include social distancing, proper mask usage, making use of entrances and exits that are posted, and so on. By now we all know the drill, right?

Do take hydration breaks.

Yes, it is November. This is Florida. Stay hydrated.

Do pack your patience. 

There will be crowds. There will be lines. There will be some people who are providing a less-than-magical vibe. Let’s be excellent to each other so that everyone can have an enjoyable day.

Black Friday is still a fairly new experience for Disney Springs, with its first year offering the Black Friday experience being 2016. Want a blast from the past? Check out this article about the first year Disney Springs was open for Black Friday in 2016 — when they had a very special offering for that year only.

Are you planning to shop at Disney Springs on Black Friday or during the holiday season? What would you want on your wish list?

The post Do’s and Don’ts for Black Friday Shopping at Disney Springs appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Disney Springs, Walt Disney World (FL), Black Friday

It comes as no surprise that this week is a busy one at Walt Disney World. Every day we are in the parks to ensure our resources and tools are as up to date and as accurate as possible. We are seeing some of the largest crowds we’ve seen, though still at very limited capacity, since the parks reopened in July. Let’s look at the crowds, how wait times are shaking out, and some tips for how to navigate this busy time.

So far this week we’ve seen each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks have their busiest days of the past month. Every day we recap the day’s wait times and compare them again lots of other data. We also indicate what the actual wait times were when we’ve received such data that day.

With such a busy week, here are some tips for navigating it all.

1. Get to the parks for “rope drop”.
2. Take a midday break outside of the park, and come back for the final hour or two of operation.
3. Be prepared to be outside more, including in extended queues.
4. Be prepared to be stationary in order to eat or drink; no roaming around.
5. Talk to your family members, including kids, ahead of time to set expectations about masks, distancing, and other changes.
6. Mobile order your meals well in advance. The earlier in the day, the more time slots for pick up are available.
7. Take frequent breaks and hydrate.
8. Since FastPass+ is no longer available, use our Lines app to make a Touring Plan and to know which attractions to visit when.
9. Use our Disney restaurant ratings on our site and our Lines app to know the best places to eat.
10. If you’re trying to snag a last-minute dining reservation use our Reservation Finder – it’s free!

In the past we’ve talked about extended queues and how they spill into the parks. It can make the lines for popular rides seem endless (like The Haunted Mansion line shown above that extends into Frontierland). It’s just important to keep in mind that these lines extend so long because of social distancing.

In order to keep your stamina and your sanity, we highly recommend taking a break outside of the park. Our tips for park hopping alternatives can give you some pointers are how to change up your day so the grind of the busy theme parks doesn’t wear you down.

Most quick service restaurants and dining locations use mobile ordering through the MyDisneyExperience app. Make sure you’ve read our steps on how to use mobile ordering. Then, on the day of your park visit, get the exact timeslot you want by placing your order well in advance. As the day goes on the time slots book up and there can be a 45 minute to hour long wait for a time to pick up your order. Meaning, when you sign into the app to select an Arrival Time to pick up your order the available arrival times can be an hour or later past the current time.

Our site and Lines app collect real-time data constantly. We’re able to collect Disney’s posted wait times as well as measure expected wait times. Even though there’s never been a period like this at Disney before, the data repeatedly shows us how visiting any park at its opening will give you the ability to ride multiple attractions with minimum waits during the first hour. It also shows us that the last hour of operation is a good opportunity.

You can create your own Touring Plan, or use one of ours that is ready to go. You can also visit without a plan, but view Expected Wait Times in our app and know whether you should wait until later in the day to ride any particular ride.

Finally, the holidays wouldn’t be the holidays without some good eating. The bad news is most of the popular restaurants are already booked up for dining reservations. The good news is you can use our Reservation Finder for free. This tool will alert you when an opening at your preferred restaurant and timeslot becomes available so you can go snag that desired reservation.

Have you visited on a busy holiday before? What are some of your tips?

The post The Thanksgiving Crowds Are Here: Here’s How to Navigate This Busy Week appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com

Filed Under: Crowd Blog, Dos and Don’ts, In the Parks, Trip Planning, disney crowds, disney thanksgiving, disney wait times