Walt Disney World Fastpass Planning Part 2

Hi Disney friends,

In my last post, I spoke about what a fastpass is and how to prepare for the 60 day window to open. Today, I am going to break down each park in terms of what is available. I am not going to go through an exhaustive list of each ride/experience/show, but will look at the different tiers.

The way the tiered system works is that in three of the parks (EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom) there are 2 tiers of rides. (Magic Kingdom has so many rides compared to the other parks, that they do not have a tiered system.) When planning your fastpasses, you are allowed 1 ride from tier 1 and 2 from tier 2. Some people have tried to book 1 tier 1 ride and then when they finish that ride, try to book another tier 1 ride, but Mickey is not allowing that. To be able to ride another tier 1 ride, you must use up both tier 2 rides and then try to book another tier 1 ride, but in all honesty, tier 1 rides are pretty much always booked up the day you are in a park.

EPCOT has four rides/shows that are in tier 1. Those are Test Track, Soarin', Frozen Ever After, and Illuminations (the nighttime fireworks show.) I would hold off on using a Tier 1 for Illuminations for a couple of reasons. First, if that is one of your 3, you would not be able to fastpass any other rides until after you check in for the show. Secondly, there are places to see the show from all around EPCOT. A second thing to think about is the age of your children. If you have older children who have moved past Frozen, then I would use the tier 1 fastpass on either Test Track or Soarin.

Hollywood Studios has 2 rides and 2 shows part of the fastpass tier 1. The 2 rides are Rock n' Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith and Toy Story Midway Mania! The 2 shows are Beauty and Beast Live on Stage and Fantasmic (the nighttime show.) Again, I would not use a Tier 1 on either of the shows in my initial planning. If you have gotten the 3 fastpasses used from earlier in the day, then use one of the new fastpasses to go one of the shows (I would choose Fantasmic since there is only one show and there are multiple shows for Beauty and the Beast.)

Lastly is Animal Kingdom. There are only 2 tier 1 rides and they are both in Pandora. Flight of Passage (probably the most sought fastpass as of now) and Na'vi River Journey. With wait times pushing three hours for Flight of Passage, that is one that most people attempt to get.

The next post in this series will focus on how to plan for your fastpasses within the day. I hope I am helping you with a Disney vacation, but if you need more help, please contact me at brian.herndon@mousemadesimple.com.

Steamboat Willie from Fantasmic.

Walt Disney World Fastpass Planning - Part 1

Hi Disney friends,

I would first just like to start off by saying thank you to everyone who reads these posts, +1s them on GooglePlus, and passes along the information to friends. I hope that you are finding them informative and helpful. The reason that I started these blogs was to help people who are new to Disney or have not been in a few years to think through some of the issues with planning a magical vacation. I just hope I have not been too informative in that you would not need to use me as a travel agent (just joking--a little.)

The last few posts have centered around decisions that need to be made around the 180 day mark. The decision about where to stay and booking dining reservations take up a lot of time and requires quite a bit of work and thought. Once those two items are decided upon, then there is a bit of a break until the 60 day mark. A couple of things occur at the 60 day mark--this post is geared specifically to those parties that are staying on site. 

At the 60 day mark, you can go through on-line check in and set up room requests. The other thing that occurs is that you can select fastpasses for the first day of your stay through the end of your stay (assuming you are staying 7 days which is the longest you can book out--you can stay as long as you like.) Fastpasses are an opportunity to book a ride for a specific time during the day. The nice thing about this is that it allows you an opportunity to set up the rides around meals that you may have already booked.

Some of the logistics of fastpasses. First, you and those in your party can choose up to three rides (or shows) for a specific day and in a specific park. Once you have used up your original three passes, you would then be able to book an additional fastpass and once that one is used, you could then book another ride. The extra passes that you book could be in a different park, but the first three have to be in the same park. (To take advantage of booking in a different pass, you would need to purchase park hopper tickets--more on that in later posts.)

In terms of planning, about 10 days prior to your fastpass window you would need to begin to research which rides are available for fastpasses and decide on which rides you would want to fastpass. The next post will focus on what is available in the different parks.

Again, as a travel agent, my job in this process would be to plan the fastpasses for you or help you work through and learn the system yourself so that you feel comfortable booking the rides at your convenience. I do not just get you tickets and rooms, I am there to help you through the entire process. If you have any questions about any of the logistics of going to Walt Disney World (or taking a Disney Cruise or staying at Disney's Hilton Head Resort or Vero Beach Resort or enjoying an Adventures by Disney experience) please let me know by emailing me at brian.herndon@mousemadesimple.com.

Part of Pandora--home of the Flight of Passage--one of the most coveted Fastpass rides in the Animal Kingdom

Choosing a Walt Disney World Resort--Summary

Hi there Disney friends,

I hope the last few posts about choosing a Walt Disney World resort have been informative and helpful. No matter where you stay, you cannot go wrong if you are able stay on site. I feel that an on-site stay is better logistically for most people. I will admit that there are some off-site locations that are cheaper, but by the time you factor in paying to park and travel time, you would almost break even. In an earlier post, I listed 6 reasons to stay on site and I think they are still valid.

For many people, deciding on a place to stay at Walt Disney World can be overwhelming, but once you determine your budget, things begin to fall in place very quickly. (A quick side note about the value resorts (because of their price) do fill up relatively quickly for some of the busier times of the year (major holidays and special events.) The earlier you plan your vacation the better the selection of rooms there will be in all of the resorts. The budget for most people is the biggest item that drives their decision on where to stay.

Once you decide on your budget, then room size comes into play. One item to think of here is that within each category of rooms, there may be only one or two resorts that offer larger rooms that will hold more family members. One example is that of the three All-Star resorts, only All-Star Music has rooms that can sleep up six.

Once those decisions are in place, things like transportation issues, location with Walt Disney World, and theming become personal preference. Even within a specific resort, personal preference will occur. We have stayed at Saratoga Springs and prefer the Grandstand area, but others prefer Congress Park.

At the end of the day, you will need to make the best decision for your family. I would never want someone to be stressed about the logistics of a vacation, that they would not be able to enjoy time with family and friends. After all, that is the point of your time away from the stresses of home.

If you need help on determining which resort works best for you, please let me know and I will be honored to help you. Just drop me an e-mail at brian.herndon@mousemadesimple.com and I will be glad to help you have a magical vacation.

View of Grand Floridian from Polynesian

Choosing a Walt Disney World resort Part 5

Hi Disney friends,

I hope you had a great weekend and were able to relax some. I hope you and your family are doing well especially with the flu and other illnesses going around. If your family has been hit with the virus, I hope for a speedy recovery.

I have spent the last few posts focusing more on the logistics of deciding at which Walt Disney World resort to stay. When I am working with clients, we will work together to determine which resorts fit their budget first and then which rooms will meet their needs in terms of how many can sleep in the room (especially if the family has five or more people that need to be together.) Once we move beyond those needs, we look at where on site they would like to stay. In my last post about picking a resort, I mentioned the methods of transportation that are available at some of the different resorts. This post focuses more on personal preferences over budgetary or family needs.

Disney Imagineers have worked to create experiences at all of the resorts through the development of locations that do not just provide a place to stay, but a theme in which to become immersed. All resorts provide a different experience and if you are wanted to stay at more than just a hotel, then a Disney resorts provides you with a chance to expand your experience beyond just the park.

The value resorts tend to have more of a kids’ feel in terms of the theming. All Star Sports has oversized sports equipment that merge with the buildings. The main pool at All Star Music is in the shape of a guitar. These are just a couple of examples of the theming at these resorts.

For a more “grown-up” feel, the moderate resorts and up tend to have a more toned down feel to the theming. The resorts incorporate designs that are more appropriate for a location instead of a movie set. Wilderness Lodge makes you feel as if you have been transported to the northwest during the early 1900’s. Caribbean Beach buildings are reminiscent of the Bahamas.

 

Lobby at Wilderness Lodge

Another thing that goes with the theming is that when you are traveling from the parks back to your resort on the complimentary buses, the music that is used (as well as around the resort) immerses you in the theming of the resort. Classic pop songs will be with you as you travel to Pop Century. My personal favorite is Old Key West bus rides since they have Jimmy Buffet playing in the background.

 

Pool at Old Key West (along with Hidden Mickey)

No matter your taste, there is probably a theme that you would like to experience in one of the 25 different Walt Disney World resorts. If you have any questions, please let me know and I will be glad to help you decide on which resort is best for you. Just email me at brian.herndon@mousemadesimple.com and I will be glad to help you plan a Disney vacation.

Weekend Box Office Results (Don't Cry for Star Wars)

Good afternoon Disney friends,

Disney films are slowly sliding down the domestic box office lists with Coco still holding onto a top 20 spot with a gross of an excess of $1.5 mil which was good enough for number 19. The film also earned enough from the domestic and international box office to cross the $700 mil dollar mark which places the film into the top 100 films all-time for total gross. As mentioned last week, the film still has Japan to go which will continue to add to its total box office numbers (and it will continue to play in the United States and other worldwide markets.)

Star Wars: The Last Jedi grossed over $2.2 mil to place number 16 for the weekend. The film is $21 mil short of moving up from number 9 to 8 on the all time worldwide list.

A little historical background about the drop for SW:TLJ from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Right now the latest film in the saga is tracking just shy of 66% behind SW:TFA. It may look bad, but to put a little perspective on these numbers. During their initial releases, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back grossed a little over 68% of what Star Wars: A New Hope grossed and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones grossed about 65% of what Star Wars: The Phantom Menace grossed here in the states. With that in mind The Last Jedi is tracking right in line with the other second films in the other two trilogies. The biggest thing is the size of the numbers. When The Force Awakens opened, its gross was higher than the gross for the original release of the first three films (Episodes 4-6) combined. So do not worry, the films are not in trouble.

Have a great week.

Brian

Choosing a Walt Disney World Resort Part 4

Hi Disney friends,

This post will continue helping you decide upon which resort works for you. Now, I will admit that these last 2 are not as high priority as what your budget will allow, the size of the rooms, and where on property you may like to stay, but they may have a little to do with you decisions. The last two items that come into play when deciding on a resort will be transportation and theming (which will be the last post in the series.)

All resorts have bus transportation to the parks and Disney Springs (there are a few exceptions her such as the Bay Lake Tower does not provide bus service to Magic Kingdom since it is a short walk or you can use the monorail.) The only issue with buses that arises is the number of bus stops in a resort. The value resorts are large but they only have one bus stop, so depending on your room, you may have quite a bit of a walk to get to the bus loading location. Once you start getting to the moderate resorts, the larger resorts will have multiple bus stops. This means that in most cases, you will be a short walk to one of the bus loading locations. Buses also provide transportation from park to park. Buses do not run from Disney Springs to the parks until after 4:30 pm.

Other options for transportation are the boats that service select resorts/parks. Not all resorts have boat service and if they do, it is only to select locations on property. There is boat service to Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) from Port Orleans, Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs. A second boat route services EPCOT and Hollywood Studios from Yacht Club, Beach Club, Swan and Dolphin (on site but not a Disney property), and Boardwalk Inn and Villas. These resorts are also about a 15 minute walk from the same parks. The walk is a good option since you do not have to wait on a boat and can be done at your leisure. Lastly are the boats that service the Magic Kingdom resorts of Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary (including Bay Lake), and Wilderness Lodge (resort, campsites, and cabins.)

The most iconic of all of the types of transportation is the monorail. In terms of servicing resorts, the monorail provides one loop that provides transportation to the Magic Kingdom from Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian. This transportation system also can connect to a second line (through a transfer at the Ticket and Transportation Center) that provides transportation to EPCOT.

Disney has begun the Minnie Van service (mini vans colored like Minnie Mouse) which is accessed through the Lyft app. The service has not rolled out to all resorts and is mainly used for individuals trying to make it to a specific location for a reservation for meals. (The suggestion is to leave 90 minutes prior to a reservation if using the more traditional modes of transportation.)

Lastly, there is a service that is in the process of being built. The Disney Skyliner will provide a flyover service that will provide transportation to EPCOT, Disney’s Riviera Resort (under construction), Caribbean Beach Resort, Pop Century Resort, and Art of Animation.

Thank you for letting me share my love for Disney with you and if you have any questions you would like for me to answer specifically or would like help booking a Disney vacation, please let me know at brian.herndon@mousemadesimple.com.

Boat from Hollywood Studios to EPCOT 

Billboard for upcoming Skyliner

Monorail passing through Contemporary Resort

Bus wrapped for Thor: Ragnarok

Picture of Polynesian Resort from boat

Choosing a Walt Disney World Resort Part 3

Hi Disney friends,

The other when I began this series about picking your Walt Disney Resort, I mentioned that there are five things that you will need to think about when deciding on which of the over 25 resorts you would like to stay at. The first thing that you will need to decide first is what classification of resorts best meet your financial situation. Then you will need to decide on which resorts best meets the needs of your family in terms of the number of people that are in your family and which resorts will fit everyone comfortably.

If you are a family of four or four with a child under 3, then any of the resorts on property will meet your needs. However, if you are a larger family then you will need to start thinking of which resorts have either larger rooms or look into the suites. There are numerous rooms on site that sleep 5 plus a child under 3. These rooms tend to have either 2 beds or 1 bed and a pull out sofa plus a bed that pulls down under the TV. The bed that pulls down under the TV is not overly wide, but even for children who are long, the pull down provides plenty of length. I have not measured the pull down bed (under the TV) but I would estimate they are at least 6 feet long if not longer.

A second option for larger families are to choose a resort that has 1 or 2 bedroom suites. One issue when it comes to these rooms is that the cost does go up dramatically since these resorts tend to fall into the deluxe classification--but some of these will have a full kitchen if that is something you are looking for. (There are some in value and moderate, but the options are limited to one or two hotels per group.) One option is to stay at a value resort and try to get adjoining room or rooms that are nearby--this has one advantage--2 bathrooms.

Now in terms of location within the park, that again will be partially a function of your budget. Many of the highest priced resorts are close to the parks. One example is the Broadway Inn and Villas. This resort is within walking distance (15 minutes) of both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. The value resorts tend to be further away from the parks. Location will affect transportation times and I will address transportation in the next post.

As always, thank you for allowing me to share my love of Disney with you and I look forward to answering any of your questions that you have. Please email me at brian.herndon@mousemadesimple.com if you would like for me to help you plan a Disney vacation.

Entrance to the Boardwalk Inn and Villas