Planning For A Walt Disney World Trip, Stage 3 -I am at Walt Disney World. What Now? By Gil Pohl

Phase III of planning a trip to Walt Disney World is what I am going to do now?  The resort is so large that I find it impossible to just get up in the morning and start going.  I do need to plan ahead on what parks I will visit and the attractions that I have to see.  How do I decide what park to go to each day?

First, if you have taken my advice and had Ears of Experience book you into one of the many resorts at Walt Disney World, you should look to see if any parks have early Extra Magic Hours.  Extra Magic Hours is when one park opens early (or remains open late) only for those staying on Walt Disney World properties.  If there is an attraction that I know I must experience, I try to go to that park first and ride that ride first.

An example of this type of planning was on my 2008 trip to Animal Kingdom.  No one in the group that I was with had ridden Expedition Everest and we knew that this ride would have long lines all day.  We showed up for the early opening of Animal Kingdom and went directly to Expedition Everest.  We each got a “Fast Pass” for the ride.  A Fast Pass is a printed ticket that allows you to ride a popular ride at a later time without waiting in a long line. And best of all, they’re free. Then we rode the ride without using our Fast Pass, twice.  Once the line starting getting longer, we rode a third time using our Fast Pass.”  By combining Extra Magic Hours and the Fast Pass system, we where able to avoid the lines and experience this attraction three times; all before non-Disney guest where allowed into the park.

It should be noted that if you plan on getting a Fast Pass for any of the popular rides such as Expedition Everest, Toy Story Midway Mania, or Soarin’, get them as soon as you get to the park.  These attractions run out of Fast Passes early in the day.

I usually go to one Park in the morning and “Park Hop” to another in the evening.  I often will go to a park in the morning that does not have Extra Magic Hours and move to the park with evening Extra Magic Hours near closing time.  Again, making sure that during Extra Magic Hours I enjoy those rides that the lines would be to long to visit during the day.  When hopping between parks around noon time, I often return to my hotel room on the park to relax some before returning for an evening of fun.  This can be really important if you have small children with you.  Being able to return to your hotel room for a short rest period is just another benefit of staying on the World.

I guess the bottom line is, it does not matter if you are visiting during peak summer days or some of the slower times of the year, working with someone at Ears of Experience and doing a little advance planning just makes your Disney trip a little more Magical.

Discover the magic of Walt Disney World® Resorts and parks on a Walt Disney World® family vacation, and share the joy of Mickey Mouse and company with your kids. Let Ears of Experience plan the perfect Disney trip for you and your loved ones. Contact us today at 1-877-80MOUSE. We look forward to sending you on the magical vacation of a lifetime.

www.themouseexperts.com

 

Interractive games at Disney’s Soarin’

For those of you who dread waiting in lines at Disney, they have recently made it a little less painful in the queue at Soarin’.  Mid-way through the line, there are now five giant screens using Wii-based technology that allow you to play interractive games as a group. Sensors above the screens sense motion from the crowd in front of each screen. At the beginning of each game, you are given directions on how to move to make the game work. One game has your section leaning left or right, directing a large bird along a course. If you don’t lean the correct way, your bird will hit rocks, trees, etc. All five sections are competing against each other in this one.

We were in line for quite a while, so we got to play three or four different games. One game had us swatting at blobs of paint that were floating around the screen. When you hit one, it exploded and revealed part of a picture. When enough were hit, you could see the whole picture.

The game we played against the other sections was a balloon race to recover stolen gems. The balloon was controlled up and down by either waving your arms or holding them still.  It was really fun.

Waiting in line is still one of my least favorite things to do at Disney, but at least now the’ve done something to pass the time while having fun at the same time. This one might just be worth skipping the Fasspass. Well…..maybe.

Discover the magic of Walt Disney World® Resorts and parks on a Walt Disney World® family vacation, and share the joy of Mickey Mouse and company with your kids. Let Ears of Experience plan the perfect Disney trip for you and your loved ones. Contact us today at 1-877-80MOUSE. We look forward to sending you on the magical vacation of a lifetime.

www.themouseexperts.com

 

Soarin’ at EPCOT

I think I have a new favorite ride at Disney. If you have ever been to EPCOT and have riden Soarin’, you know exactly what I mean. The idea behind this ride is you are hang gliding over some popular sights of California, some of it high

Soarin', at EPCOT

up and some down very low. As the ride starts, you are raised up to face the giant screen. If you have ever been in an IMAX theater, this is the same concept. The screen is so big it feels like you are really there. Once you get into place, the movie starts and you don’t move again until its over and they lower you down. It just feels like you are moving. And to make it even more realistic, Disney has added extra touches to make it feel even more realistic. As you fly through a forest, you can smell evergreen trees.  When you fly over orange groves, you can smell oranges. There’s also a light breeze throughout the ride.

If you get motion sick easily or are afraid of heights, you might want to skip this ride. Even though you aren’t moving and you’re not very high off the ground, this ride gives the feeling that you are. It’s also a good ride to use the Fasspass system, as the lines can get pretty long.

The video below is of the entire ride, so if you have not been on the ride and do not want to spoil it, do not watch it. Otherwise, enjoy the video and don’t miss this ride at Disney!

Discover the magic of Walt Disney World® Resorts and parks on a Walt Disney World® family vacation, and share the joy of Mickey Mouse and company with your kids. Let Ears of Experience plan the perfect Disney trip for you and your loved ones. Contact us today at 1-877-80MOUSE. We look forward to sending you on the magical vacation of a lifetime.

www.themouseexperts.com

 

A 40 inch tall ‘giant’, by Gil Pohl.

I had to write and post this to the Blog.  My three year old granddaughter, Violet, called all exited on Saturday morning.  She was talking so fast I could not understand what she was saying, but from her tone I knew it was big news.  Her Mom got on the phone and told me that they measured Violet today and she is now 40” tall, and that when we go to Disney World she is going to be able to ride Splash Mountain.  She has been measuring herself every week since July wanting to be big enough to ride some of the rides she could not last time she was at the park.  I know grandpa will be doing some park hopping to get them all in.  She will love riding Soaring, Test Track, Big Thunder Mountain, and all the other rides open to a 40” tall granddaughter.

– Gil

 PS: Remember that Ears of Experience now has an Ask Gil page on their website where I will be happy to research any questions you have on attending a Disney Park.

http://www.themouseexperts.com

 

Epcot®, by Kid Expert Nattie, Age 10

Epcot is awesome!!!!! It’s based on the future, inventions, and countries around the world. Some people say it’s only for parents and that kids would get bored in the first 5 minutes but that’s not true. Epcot has fun for all ages. There are Kidcot Fun Stops, rides, and much, much, more. Different countries are placed in the World Showcase. Each country has natives from there that you can ask questions about anything there! You can decorate masks with markers at each country and when you are finished you can show off your style of imagination. Just remember, do a little at each country so you will have room!

Test Track, MISSION:Space, Soarin’, and Living with the Land are just some of the things that are available outside of the World Showcase. My dad and I personally like them all. My mom and sister aren’t too big on the whole “going on tough rides”. We recently found Living with the Land in the same building as Soarin’, which is really neat! There is a green house with bananas, ginger, asparagus, and more plants that we use every day. Most of the foods you eat at the restaurants in Epcot are grown in the green house in Living with the Land. If I had to sum Epcot into one sentence I would say, “Fun School!”

Written by our Kid Expert, Nattie. Check out more of what she has to say as well as more tips and tricks at her Kid’s Only Site.
http://www.themouseexperts.com

Discover the magic of Walt Disney World® Resort and parks on a Walt Disney World® family vacation and share the joy of Mickey Mouse and company with your kids. Let Ears of Experience plan the perfect Disney trip for you and your loved ones. Contact us today at 1-800-80MOUSE. We look forward to sending you on the magical vacation of a lifetime.