Last weekend I had the pleasure of cheering for some of my friends as they ran in the Royal Family 5k and the Princess Half Marathon. The mornings were early, but watching them achieve their running goals was totally worth it. I have cheered for other races at Disney World as well so I thought I’d take this week’s post to help out some of our readers who might be wondering how it all works.

You need to wake up really, really early. I got up at about 5:30 for the 5k race and 3:30 a.m. for the half marathon. Yup, that’s dedication and love. The races start early so they are over or mostly over before the parks open in the morning. If the runners are up and ready to go that early, the spectators must be too. I find the best way to make my way to the race site is to take the Disney provided bus from my resort. There are always “sponsored” resorts during Run Disney weekends and those provide buses to bring runners and spectators to the race site. I usually head out with my friends who are also running since the buses stop running shortly before the race begins. You can usually drive your own car and park, but you must do so early before they close the roads for the race. It is a good idea to check on the parking procedure for each race since you were not able to self park on site for the Expedition Everest Challenge last year.

Along with making transportation as easy as possible, I also like to be there before the race begins to feel the excitement and energy before the event begins! This way I get to visit with my friends and wish them luck before they head off to their corrals. After they make their way to the start, I like to find my spot to cheer. Since folks can only cheer from certain areas along the course, space can be limited. You may want to head to your desired area pretty early to get a good place along the rope so your runners can see you. During this 5k we could only watch from around the finish line so we got our spot and stayed there throughout the event. However, for the half marathon we moved around a few times so we could see our friends multiple times throughout their 13.1 miles. After hanging out before the start in the Epcot parking lot, we made our way to Main Street in the Magic Kingdom. We waited for all of our runners to pass before making our way back to Epcot where we hung out around the bus stop which was approximately mile 12 on the course. Since we were cheering for about 20 people we were usually in the same spot for a while before moving on.

Yes, I knew 20 people running this race so how did we track them all? Run Disney provides runner tracking via the chip in their bibs, but it isn’t always the most reliable way to keep tabs on your friends and family. Sometimes we keep in touch with people with texting, but that isn’t always convenient for the runners. We have found the best way to know where our people are along the course is to use an app called Find My Friends. I didn’t have it on my phone, but several in my group did. We were sure to have each of our runners connected to the app so we could know where they were along the route. It worked really well and we always knew when someone was approaching so we could be ready with their signs.

Of course we cheered for our loved ones along the way, but we also yelled for anyone passing by. We had signs made up for each of our people, but also had some generic ones to encourage everyone taking on this feat. I couldn’t believe how many people yelled “thank you!” to us as they went by. Getting out there to cheer really means a lot to the runners whether they know you or not.

Run Disney does provide special opportunities for spectators with their Chear Squad packages. There are different categories within the Chear Squad packages which included different amenities such as access to reserved seating, a T-shirt, food and beverage service, etc. These benefits can come with a hefty price tag depending on which options you select. I don’t see myself ever springing for one of these packages in the future but you may think they are a great deal.

As far as logistical items like food and bathrooms Disney has got that covered for spectators. There is a concession stand set up at the start/finish of the race with drink s and some food options. On the morning of the half marathon the coffee stand outside the main gate of Epcot as well as at the Ticket and Transportation Center were open, but had long lines. Casey’s Corner was open on Main Street and was serving various breakfast items, but most importantly they had coffee. You certainly can find something to eat even before the sun comes up! As for bathrooms, there are porta-potties set up in the Epcot parking lot, but regular bathrooms are easy to find as well. The regular park bathrooms are open to guests who are cheering so you won’t have to worry about finding a place to go if you’d rather skip the porta-potty.

I had a really great time yelling and ringing my cow bell as my friends ran by us! If you love someone who participates in Run Disney events, I encourage you to get out there and support them! Who knows you may even catch the running fever from the excitement surrounding the runDisney events! It happened to me and I’m planning to try my hand at the Princess Half Marathon next year! Watching my friends accomplish half marathons and various RunDisney races has really inspired me to try it myself. So keep an eye our next year for a blog post from a runner’s perspective!

Do you have any other tips for runDisney spectators? Please share them in the comments!

Cheering for a Run Disney Race is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Dance party in Epcot, photo by Doug Uhlig

This year I’ll be spending New Year’s Eve in Disney World for the first time, and I couldn’t be more excited! I’ve always wanted to experience this holiday in Disney World, and this year is my big chance. I’ve heard all sorts of things about this occasion in the parks from crazy crowds to awesome fireworks, and I’m pumped to experience it for myself. Being the Touring Planner I am I’ve done a bit of research into my options for the day and night, and I encourage you to do the same if you intend to spend the end of 2012 at Disney World.

As we’ve previously posted on this blog, each park seems to have its own special offerings for the holiday. To briefly recap: the Magic Kingdom will have both Wishes! and Fantasy in the Sky fireworks to enjoy. Epcot will offer dance parties in various countries throughout World Showcase and a special version of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth at 7:00 and 11:42. This is also one of the few times throughout the year guests can enjoy a fireworks display at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with Mulch, Sweat, and Shears providing the live soundtrack. If you’d rather avoid crowded park, there are several other options around Disney World property, as well. Check out the link above for more details.

So what are my plans to best enjoy this festive time of year in Disney World? You can bet my friends and I have thought about this and planned it out as best we can since we are all Touring Planners at heart. Our agenda really begins the night before New Year’s Eve since Fantasy in the Sky will also be shown at Magic Kingdom on December 30. My friends and I will try to see this fireworks show that night to avoid Magic Kingdom on New Year’s Eve. We have booked an ADR at the Polynesian that evening so that we will have easy access to the Magic Kingdom. If it is possible to view the fireworks from the beach, we will probably go with that option to stay clear of the crazy crowds in the park.

As for December 31, we will be spending that day in Epcot for a whole host of reasons: it will handle the crowds best, New Year’s IllumiNations is something I’m dying to see, the entertainment around World Showcase, there is alcohol (let’s be honest!), and Epcot is our favorite park. After discussing the logistics with my friends, we booked one night at the Swan so we could have easy access to our park of choice. The biggest advantage here is being able to walk back to our room in the wee hours of the night after the festivities have ended. I’m sure we’ll be grateful to be able to stroll home rather than wait for a bus or sit in traffic getting out of the parking lot. We picked the Swan because it provided the cheapest way to stay in the Epcot resort area.

Since we probably won’t make our way into Epcot until the evening, I may try to visit another park early in the morning just to see what the craziness is all about. I think I could handle the Magic Kingdom early in the morning but will be less enthused when the park is busting at the seams with people. When things get too crazy it will be my cue to head back to my resort and hang out with my friends until we head into Epcot for the night. Please keep in mind the Magic Kingdom will often have phased closings during this busy time of year. If you intend to spend your holiday there, you will want to get there as early as possible and stay until the fireworks have been shown.

As you might imagine, I’m thrilled to ring in the new year with some of my dear friends with a little Disney magic. Since this is my first New Year’s Eve in Disney World, I’d love to hear any advice from you veterans! Please let me hear your tips in the comments. No matter where you’ll be spending New Year’s Eve, I hope the new year brings you all health and happiness!

My First New Year’s Eve In Disney World is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

It’s that time of year again. While many of us are running around trying to buy last minute gifts and planning our Christmas dinners, thousands of people are completing the last minute details before they make their way to Disney World to celebrate this festive time of year and perhaps ring in the New Year. The biggest crowds of the year can be found during the weeks around Christmas and New Years when the Magic Kingdom often experiences phased closures and it can be difficult to make your way around the parks. Fear not! I am here this week to offer some great advce on how to cope with this chaotic time of year. To make your holiday vacation enjoyable you must be proactive. Here are some ideas to get your prepared:

Photo by Heather Winfield

Get there early: If you plan to tour a Disney park during this time of year it is very important to arrive at the gate well before the scheduled opening time. We preach about rope drop all of the time here at TouringPlans.com, but it is especially good advice during the holiday rush. We recommend arriving at the parks at least an hour before the scheduled opening. Being among the first guests into the park will allow you to get several attractions done before queues stretch out for hours. Heading straight to headliner attractions like Space Mountain or Soarin’ first thing in the morning may be your only shot at getting a FASTPASS or riding without a huge line. When I visited Disney World during President’s Day last year (the second busiest time in the parks) my family was completely overwhelmed by the crowds when we strolled into the Magic Kingdom at around 2 p.m. It was our arrival day so it couldn’t be helped, but it set them into a panic. They were very pleasantly surprised when we got to the parks early on the remaining days and found everything to be much more manageable.

Touring Plans: Of course, we also recommend the use of our touring plans. You may print them out to carry them with you throughout your park adventures, or you can access them on your smartphone via our app, Lines. If you aren’t familiar with our plans they are designed to save you up to four hours of waiting in line per day in a Disney theme park. They are helpful at all times of year, but especially when huge amounts of people descend on the Orlando area at the end of December each year. The plans instruct users on which attractions to see in the most efficient order so they can maximize their time having fun and minimize their time standing around in line. There are tons of plans to chose from to suit your touring style, the ages of folks in your family,or the amount of time you intend to spend in the parks. You can even customize plans to best serve your group! No one in your family wants to ride the Tower of Terror? No problem! You can simply take it out of the running. You get the idea.

Crowd calendar: An excellent tool to use along with with touring plans is our Crowd Calendar. Our statisticians have spent countless hours crunching numbers to predict the crowd levels at each Disney park throughout the year. They also recommend which is the best park to visit on any given day. The Crowd Calendar lists each day between December 22-January 1st this year as a 10 out of 10. Yikes! However you can visit the Per-Park Crowd Calendar to figure out which is predicted to have the fewest people visiting each day during this busy time of year. The levels are still very high, but there are some slight differences which may sway you to head to one park over another.

Be flexible: If you see that the third day of your trip is the best day to visit the Magic Kingdom, go on that day. If the wait for Expedition Everest is long, grab a FASTPASS or use the single rider line. In the same vein, try to eat lunch or dinner at an off time instead of during the rush. It will be much easier to grab food at 11 a.m. than it will be at noon. Plus, if you got there at 7 you’ll probably be ready for lunch at 11 anyhow.

Visit the road less traveled: When my family arrived on that crowded February day there was no way I was going to have them get in line for Peter Pan’s Flight which was most likely a two hour wait. Instead, we headed for attractions like the Tiki Room and the Country Bear Jamboree. I knew the kids would enjoy these shows and we wouldn’t have to wait. We did the less popular attractions late in the day and saved Fantasyland for the day we arrived early. Perhaps you haven’t been to Tom Sawyer Island in a while? Christmas break is a perfect time to check it out. Or maybe you’d like to see all the movies in World Showcase. Go for it. If you’re willing to avoid headliner attractions, you’ll also avoid massive queues.

Take a break: Many of our Touring Plans recommend taking a midday break and I couldn’t agree more. Even during times when crowds aren’t overwhelming, it is nice to get off your feet for a couple of hours and relax. This couldn’t be more true when there are wall to wall people everywhere you go. Getting out of there for a little while each afternoon may help you regroup after a hectic morning of trying to do your favorite attractions with 30,000 other people. Be aware, though, this strategy may be difficult when visiting certain parks. Epcot almost never has capacity closures, but the Magic Kingdom does. Be sure you’ll be able to get back into the park of your choice if you leave before you decide to head back to your resort for a nap.

Eat outside of the parks: While you’re thinking about taking a break, you may also consider enjoying meals outside of the parks. They are almost always less crowded whether you are looking for counter service or table service. If you are looking for a full service experience I still highly recommend making ADRs and planning in advance, but these reservations should be easier to snag than ones inside one of the main gates. The Epcot resort area offers lots of yummy table service options (there are a little lacking in the counter service department) and you can easily walk to them from the International Gateway. From other parks you should consider your transportation options to various resorts. If it will take you too long to take a bus to your desired location, you may reconsider your choice and opt for something closer.

Bring snacks: Who wants to wait in a 15 minute line to buy a bottle of water and some popcorn? If you bring your own drinks and snacks, it is one less line to deal with while you’re in the parks. You and your family can find a place to sit for a few minutes while you rehydrate instead of battling it out just to buy your sustenance. You may not want to haul around dinner all day, but a few snacks tucked into a backpack is easy to carry around and will probably keep everyone in your group happy.

Pack your patience: This may be the most important tip I can give. Knowing the parks are going to be packed and preparing yourself for those conditions may be half the battle. If you go in ready to take on the crowds and ready to have a good time anyway, you’ll already have a leg up on the family who didn’t prepare for their trip at all. People are going to bump into you, it is going to be tough to get around in some areas, there are going to be lines for the bathroom. If you go in with a positive attitude, you’ll be able to have a great time instead of grumbling about how you never want to visit Disney World ever again.

These are just a few ways to help you cope with crowds during this busy time of year. Since I will be visiting between Christmas and New Years for the first time this year I’d love to hear some of your ideas too! Please leave them in the comments and you just might help out some of our readers!

Coping with Holiday Crowds at Disney World is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

On my last trip my friend and I found ourselves hungry for a real meal rather than little tastes around World Showcase during the Food & Wine Festival. We didn’t have a reservation anywhere, so what were we to do? Perhaps we could have snagged one in Epcot, but it was very busy with the festival, and we wanted a break from the crowds. We decided to try our luck at one of the Epcot area resorts instead of staying in the park and trying to figure out our best option there. We came up with a game plan: see what the wait was like at Beaches & Cream, and if that was crazy we’d head to that one restaurant at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort where no one ever goes. Well, Beaches & Cream had over an hour wait, so we headed to the Yacht Club instead. It turns out that place no one ever dines at is called the Captain’s Grille, and it just might be a great hidden gem among Disney World’s table service dining.

As I mentioned, this restaurant is located at the Yacht Club, which is an easy walk from Epcot’s International Gateway. I really like to take the occasional break from the theme park madness and take a stroll around this area, and finding a great place to eat just makes it all the better. If you aren’t up for the walk, you can instead take the Friendship Boat from the International Gateway to the Yacht and Beach Club stop near the lighthouse. The boat ride is often slow, but it can be very relaxing. Since the Captain’s Grille is in the Yacht Club, you can imagine what it might look like. The resort’s nautical theme continues into the eatery, where you might feel as though you’re dining in one of New England’s sailing clubs. The restaurant is tucked just off the lobby, so you can enjoy the atmosphere while you wait to be seated.

You shouldn’t have to wait long, though! We arrived and asked how long the wait would be for two, and the cast member told us it would be under five minutes! She handed us a pager, and we found some comfy seats in the lobby where we hung out until it was our turn. It wound up being a little longer than predicted, but it still wasn’t bad for a walk up seating at all. Soon enough we were brought inside and sat down for a lovely meal.

Our server was prompt, friendly, and very knowledgeable about the menu. It seemed like he explained every single dish to us, so that might have been a bit of overkill, but he was very nice. I was glad he explained their prix fixe dinner menu because it wound up being a pretty darn good deal (especially for Disney dining). For a $27.99 we were able to select an appetizer, entree, and dessert. There are plenty of places on property where you can’t get an entree for $27.99! You are not able to pick from the entire menu for this option, but there were three choices for appetizers, about four entrees, and three desserts. Best of all, you can get all of this for one table service credit if you are using the Disney Dining Plan.

We weren’t sure we wanted to eat that much, but after thinking about it we decided it was too good of a deal to pass up. We both opted for a crab cake appetizer and both enjoyed it quite a bit. My dining companion doesn’t even like fish very much but thought he’d give it a try since it was all part of the package. He wound up really liking the dish! Crab is among my favorite things to eat, so I was excited to try it, and I wasn’t disappointed. There was lots of crab and very little filler, and the corn salad it was served with was also quite good. I had a tough time picking between a few of the entrees, but in the end we both ended up selecting the pork medallions. It was basically roasted pork loin served with a bit of pork belly that had been slowly cooked until super tender, along with carrots and other root veggies. I wasn’t completely sold on the dish when I ordered it, but it turned out to really tasty. It was hearty without weighing me down and just yummy. I also really liked that the restaurant seemed to be keeping its menu in season with this autumn inspired entree. For dessert I opted for homemade gelato, which was good but nothing to write home about. My friend got the bananas foster cheesecake and liked it a lot.

I couldn’t believe we got all that for that price (less our Tables in Wonderland discount)! I wasn’t sure what to expect from our dinner here, but I was really glad we gave the Captain’s Grille a try. We wound up having a great meal with a minimal wait for a good value. I’m not sure why it is off so many people’s radar, but it never seems to be somewhere anyone talks about. I will definitely keep this one in mind for the next time my friends and I are looking for a last minute dining option. I’d definitely return there for dinner if I were using the Disney Dining Plan. as well.

Have you dined at the Captain’s Grille? What did you like it as much as I did? Let me hear about your experiences in the comments!

Disney Dining Discovery: Captain’s Grille is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Whether you plan to spend hundreds of dollars at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival this year, or just $20, it is always a good idea to have a handle on the money leaving your wallet. The festival can be a very expensive activity if you don’t keep and eye on your spending. However, with a bit of planning and a little will power you can certainly have a good time without taking out a loan from the bank. With that in mind, I thought I’d take a look at ways to keep yourself in check while enjoying the yummy fun at this year’s festival.

You’ll want to set a budget and stick to it. A great and easy way to stay within your budget is to buy a gift card with your set amount. Once the money is gone, it’s gone; you can just wander around Epcot for the rest of the afternoon with your friends and family. It can be tempting to purchase another card once you’ve run out of funds, but you’ll have to stick to your guns and resist the temptation. You can use the same method by using cash, but I find it much easier to use a gift card for each transaction rather than fumbling with change.

You may want to do a bit of research to figure out your budget. There are a ton of online resources where you can check out the booths’ menu before heading out to the festival. Of course the best place to view them is here on touringplans.com! We list the prices for each item at each booth so you’ll be able to figure out how much you think you might spend. For example, if after looking at the menus you really want to try the coq au vin in France ($5.50), a 12 oz. Radeberger Pilsner from Germany ($6.75), the warm chocolate lava cake with Baileys ganache in Ireland ($3.25), and a grilled beef skewer from Argentina ($5.00). You would be able to do so for $20.50. If that sounds reasonable to you, go ahead and buy your gift card for that amount or maybe even round it out to $25 in case you find something a little extra along the way. Of course, you can always try to find some cheaper options too or limit yourself to fewer dishes.

A great way to get more bang for the buck is to share with your friends or family. Perhaps you and your spouse have looked at the menus and and you only narrow your choices down to six treats that you just had to try. Well, you could share each plate to get a taste and spend less money. Now you’ll only be buying six items instead of twelve! This method has worked out really well for friends and I in the past.

Now I know wine, beer, and cocktails are part of the show at the Food and Wine Festival, but if you are worried about your budget, I’d be sure to be mindful of how much you’re drinking. Not only are these libations pricey, the more you drink, the less concerned you become about your spending. If you are tipsy you’ll be more inclined to pull out your credit card and buy a round for all of your friends.

You may be interested in some of the demonstrations, tastings, and parties offered at this time time of year. If you can afford to attend, go for it! But if you have champagne dreams on beer budget, there are several more reasonably priced events for you. You don’t have to go to the Party for the Senses ($145 per person), you could try a mixology seminar for $14 instead.

There are plenty of free events throughout the festival as well. The Eat to the Beat concert series takes place throughout the festival and features popular bands from the 80s and 90s.  The acts perform three times daily in the American Gardens Theater at the American Adventure. There is usually plenty of seating, but if you get shut out of the theater, you can always just hang out in the pavilion and listen while munching on a lobster roll (they’re really good). Celebrity meet and greets are also free if you’re into that sort of thing. Since the festival is sponsored by HGTV many of their TV personalities will appear to sign autographs and chat with guests; some of them will also give lectures and demonstrations. Most of the celebrity chefs who appear will give demonstrations at a cost, but many of them also have meet and greet sessions as well.

Yes, the Food and Wine Festival can be very expensive. If you aren’t paying attention it is easy to drop a pile of money in a few hours, but it is possible to do it on a budget too. I hope these tips helped you to see how you could head out to Epcot this fall without blowing through your rent money in one afternoon! What are some of your favorite tips for keeping your budget under control at the Food and Wine Festival? Let me hear them in the comments!

Enjoying The Food And Wine Festival On a Budget is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

This week you’ll probably see a lot of blog posts around the Disney community about Epcot as we gear up for the 30th anniversary of this amazing park. Today I’d like to take a look at Epcot since it is my favorite park, but it may not be the angle you’re expecting. I’m a relative newcomer to Disney World fandom. I hadn’t been to Florida between the ages of 4 and 22 so I don’t remember a lot of the things some of the die hard Epcot miss. I know a fair amount about the history of Epcot, but I’m not an expert on the subject by any means. So, instead, I’ll be writing all about what makes this my favorite park today and I’ll throw in some tips for touring too. There is something majestic about this park for me. So what makes Epcot so special?

Atmosphere: Although Horizons is gone I still feel a sense of “if we can dream it, we can do it” around Epcot. I’m not sure if it’s the architecture or the music in Future World, but I always feel uplifted when I walk through the main gates. Over in World Showcase, I just adore the celebration of culture brought to life through the designs of the imagineers. As an added bonus the gardens in Epcot are some of my favorites anywhere.

Attractions: There are some really great headliners here, but I also really appreciate some of the less popular attractions too. Sure, I love to ride Soarin’, but I don’t always love getting there for park opening to get a Fastpass. I go to Disney World so often that I’m just as happy riding Living with the Land without having to wait in a huge queue. I also like to be reminded of how revolutionary this park was with a journey through time on Spaceship Earth. While, I’m not as in love with the current version, I still have a soft spot for the smell of Rome burning. And in World Showcase I’ll take in the American Adventure for a good cry. Epcot is so much more than Test Track, so take advantage of all it has to offer!

Entertainment: The live entertainment options seem to be endless at Epcot. Almost every where you turn you might stumble upon a band, an acting troupe, or an amazing a cappella group. I could make and afternoon of wandering around listening to the likes of Off Kilter in Canada, the Voices of Liberty at the American Adventure, and watching all of the other acts around the World Showcase Lagoon. Be sure to grab a Times Guide when you head into the park or consult Lines for performance times each day.

Food: Epcot is my favorite park to eat in Disney World. There is a ton of variety for every taste and budget. Want a really great table service meal? There are plenty of choices around World Showcase for your dining enjoyment. Want a quick bite before running off to the next attraction? You’re covered there too. Maybe you’d like to sample snacks from all over the world? This is the place to do it. Not only do I love to eat in Epcot, I like to relax with a nice glass of the drink of the day. I can lounge in Cava del Tequila or roam around with a German beer and pretzel and be really, really happy.

World Showcase: If I’m really being specific I’d have to say World Showcase is my favorite place to hang out in all of Disney World. It just feels like home to me. I’m usually taking things at a relaxed pace when I’m there and just enjoying my time with my friends and taking it all in. I rarely do the same things in two visits here, but I always have a great time. The range of activities available in this area is sure to please any traveler. Everything from shopping to dining, attractions to shows are available here to give a glimpse into life around the world. I just can’t seem to get enough of it.

IllumiNations: Oh, IllumiNations. This is by far my favorite night time spectacular in all the parks. The combination of beautiful music, fireworks and effects, and story move me every single time I see the show. It never gets old for me and I’ve been know to get a little teary while watching it on occasion (especially during the holiday tag). I could watch it every night of my vacation and be a very happy camper. I have a lot of great memories of watching Illuminations with great friends at the end of a great day that I wouldn’t trade for anything.

I think what I love most about Epcot is that that I can tour at with gusto or just relax and take it all in here. I have just as much fun getting there for park opening and take on a Touring Plan or getting there in the afternoon and wandering around with a beer in my hand without doing a single ride. It seems Epcot can be what you make of it depending on how you approach it. First time visitors will enjoy running around from attraction to attraction and veterans can stop and smell the roses and both enjoy their experience. I like being able to personalize my Disney experience and I think there’s a lot of value in that.

Now that I’ve gushed about Epcot,how do you feel about it? Is Epcot your favorite too? Or maybe you long for vintage Epcot? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments!

A special thanks goes to Don Sullivan for providing this week’s photos! 

What Makes Epcot So Special? is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

I had heard about Disney Floral and Gifts a few times over the years, but didn’t have an opportunity to use their services until last month. What is Disney Floral, you ask? Well, it is allows folks to send arrangements, gift baskets, and other goodies for any occasion. These special deliveries can be made all over Disney property for a fee. If you are sending something to a Disney Resort they can usually set it a guest’s room if they are not present when the delivery is made so they are surprised when they arrive from the airport or come back from a long day in the parks.

I decided to give this service a try for the first time when two of my friends got engaged during their trip to Disney World in August. I wanted to send them a little something to say congratulations and this seemed like my best option.  Since they were celebrating an engagement I really wanted to send a bottle of champagne and a little something with Disney flair to go along with it. As you might imagine these friends are also big Disney fans so it was definitely appropriate to send something with a Mickey theme for their special occasion.

I did a quick search online and found the phone number listed as (407) WDW-GIFT and gave them a call. I spoke to the very friendly woman who answered. She pointed me toward their website which displayed all of their gift options. I told her I’d have a look and call back so I wouldn’t keep her on the phone which I’m sure she appreciated. So if you would like to send a loved one a gift in their room I’d suggest going to disneyflorist.com first to pick it out. They have all sorts of ways of gifts to celebrate everything from birthdays, to first trips to Disney World, to graduations and weddings. As I said I was looking for something appropriate for an engagement so I settled on a bottle of champagne with some other sweet treats. If you were unsure about the selection online or wanted to customize your order, I’m sure someone would be happy to help if you called.

It didn’t take me long to make my selection so I called back only about 10 minutes later. I was able to find a bottle of champagne along with some sweet treats, champagne glasses, and a picture of Mickey and Minnie offering their congratulations. I thought this option was perfect for my friends so I called back and got started on ordering it. The process couldn’t have been simpler! During the second phone call I gave the floral cast member all my billing information along with where my friends were staying and we were on our way. I let her know which basket I had picked and she asked me a few questions in order to get everything just right. I was also able to send a personalized message along with the gift which she was happy to pass on to the happy couple. After a few minutes on the phone, I was all set and I just waited to here they had received their present! Keep in mind, you may also skip the phone call and order most of their products online. Since it was my first experience with Disney Floral and I wasn’t sure how it all worked I opted to talk to someone in person.

Later that day the basket was delivered to their resort, but they had to receive it in person since there was alcohol involved. Since they weren’t in their room when they tried to deliver it a message was left for them that they had a package at the desk for them to pick up. Soon enough I heard they had gotten it and I was glad that everything went off without a hitch!

This service isn’t the cheapest, but I thought they did a great job. The people I spoke to were very friendly and helpful both times I called. My friends received their gift in a very timely fashion and they enjoyed their goodies. There are all kinds of gift options from flowers to chocolates to plush toys so you’ll be sure to find something to suit anyone who’s trip you’d like to enhance. I hope if you try Disney’s Floral department you have as great a success as I did!

Disney Floral and Gifts is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

When I went to Disney World with my family a few months ago, all of the planning was geared around the kids. I don’t always include character meals in my itinerary, but with young kids in tow it seemed like a no brainer.  After picking a resort, the family left most of the planning up to me. As I pondered where to take them, one place stuck out for me. There are tons of places where guests can have a good meal and interact with their favorite Disney characters, but Tusker House was one of the first things that can to mind for several reasons:

I knew we would be spending time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom since the girls are little veternarians in training. My nephew is nuts about Mickey Mouse and Tusker House is one of the only character dining experiences featuring the man himself. Since my family hadn’t been to Disney World in a long time, and some hadn’t been at all, I wanted to show them Disney cuisine is more than just cheeseburgers and fries. We opted for lunch here since that’s what best fit into our schedule and they had recently added characters to the midday meal. So was our meal a success?

When we arrived we waited a while to be seated since we had checked in late and it was a busy day in the parks.  We were honestly thinking about bailing when our pager finally lit up.  We weren’t thinking of leaving simply because we were impatient, but because my family had to get back to the resort by a certain time to pick up their Disney’s Magical Express bus back to the airport. If you wind up waiting a while you could grab a drink and relax by the nearby Dawa Bar. Guests should be aware the waiting area is outside so on rainy or hot days it may not be the most comfortable experience.

While you’re waiting you have the opportunity for your first character interaction of your meal.  Donald Duck is outside ready to take pictures with anyone who will be dining there. He wasn’t busy and the photographers were practically begging for people to hop in line to meet Donald so feel free to take your time with him. My nephew was the only one interested in meeting Donald, so he went up and played with him for a few minutes while we took pictures.  There is a Photopass photographer on hand to take pictures as well.

Eventually we were seated and when I let our server know we were in a bit of a rush he was great about it. Since this is a buffet it’s easy to make a fairly quick meal out of your experience. Our server quickly took drink orders and explained the buffet and allowed us to head right over to the food. I really love the food at the Tusker House since they offer something unique. If you like Boma or Sanaa I’m sure you’ll find something to please your palate here too.

Since the restaurant is in Animal Kingdom’s Africa there is plenty of African influence in the menu. There are several dishes prepared with curries and other spices you might not expect to find in a Disney theme park. I realize these kinds of choices aren’t for everyone, but I really love it and I encourage you to give it a try. There is a great variety here including a carving station as well as a good selection of fish dishes. Stews and hearty salads are also a specialty here. And of course there is plenty of dessert to go around. If the kids in your family aren’t adventurous eaters there is an area with typical kid friendly foods like mac and cheese available for people of all ages. Many of my vegetarian friends are pleased with the wide variety of items they can eat on this buffet.

While I really like the food here the main event is obviously the character interaction. Mickey, Daisy, and Goofy make the rounds to tables to greet kids of all ages. Even though we were rushing we still got to see these lovable guys during a couple of their rotations. My nieces and nephews loved their time spent with these furry friends and it was a blast to watch them give them hugs and giggle with them. My nephew got so excited about seeing Mickey he threw his head back and whacked it on a chair. It was an oddly adorable moment.

Although we were rushed since we were trying to get back to the resort so my family could catch their Disney’s Magical Express bus, I really liked our experience at the Tusker House. The character visits were more than adequate since we saw most of them multiple times. The food was excellent and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Service was friendly and quick. What more could we ask for in a Disney character meal? I’m sure I will return here again in the near future.

There are a few odds and ends about Tusker House guests should know before they make their Advanced Dining Reservations. First of all a credit card is required to make this reservation. If your party does not show up for their seating a $10 per person charge will be applied if your ADR is not canceled more that 24 hours in advance. This location will cost you one table service credit on Disney’s Dining Plan. If you would prefer to have breakfast with the characters that option is also available here. If you’d like to try the unique flavors at Tusker House but would really rather not dine with Mickey, dinner is offered without characters.

How about you? Have you had lunch at Tusker House? Tell me about your experience in the comments!

Tusker House Lunch is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

If you’ve been reading the TouringPlans.com Blog over the last few months you may have noticed I was planning my very first trip to Disneyland. This week I’m here to report my trip to have been a great success! All of that planning paid off and I had a wonderful time in California. There is so much to say about my first trip west, but I’ll try to keep it within reason. So without further ado here is an overview of my trip:

First thing was first and I had to purchase my park ticket. I opted to buy the Premier Pass since I will make good use of it on both coasts. A great perk of being an annual passholder at the Disneyland Resort is discounts on nearly everything! I was able to get a percentage off on food as well as merchandise in almost every location throughout the resort. This was one of the difference between Disneyland and Disney World I really enjoyed, as you might imagine. I also really appreciated cast members asking if I had an annual pass every time I paid for something whereas I always have to ask for my discount in applicable locations in Florida.

Once I had my ticket I was off and running to the parks! It was so much fun exploring the original Disney park at Disneyland and their latest creation at Disney’s California Adventure (DCA). If you haven’t had the chance to visit the West Coast Disney parks I highly recommend it. Disneyland allowed me to see Walt’s original vision and experience attractions we don’t have in the East. I loved the charm here thought everything was just gorgeous (tiny, but gorgeous). Obviously, the star of the Show at DCA is the newly opened Cars Land. Any parks fan will love what the imangineers have created here. Not only did I marvel and their newest effort, but it made me really excited for future projects. Both parks have a lot to offer any fan and I hope I get to return again in the next few years.

As a Disney World regular I spent a lot of time being confused while I was in California parks. It felt really strange to have Pirates of the Caribbean next to the Haunted Mansion. I was equally turned around every time I couldn’t find a bathroom or wanted to buy a bottle of water. It took a couple days for me to get my bearings, but even then I was still out of sorts from not knowing where everything was. I suppose this is how most Disney parks visitors feel the first time they visit! So if you are a Disney World vet heading west any time soon brace yourself for confusion.

I was also pleased with my stay at Paradise Pier. I wasn’t sure what to expect since the resort was bought by Disney and renovated rather than built from the ground up. The hotel wasn’t amazing, but it was nice and I was glad to have stayed there. On the other hand, the off property options are good here too. While I have only stayed off property a couple of times in Florida, I really wouldn’t mind doing so again in California. There are a ton of options within walking distance to the main gates of the parks. Something to suit every taste and budget is available in Anaheim and you’ll be sure to find something to fit your needs. I was really impressed with the ability to walk almost anywhere rather than taking the buses or monorail in Disney World.

I found the food offerings at Disneyland to be a mixed bag of some really yummy meals, and some not so great ones. On the whole, the counter services restaurants at The Disneyland Resort are impressive with tasty offerings served with real plates and silverware. Table service meals were a bit more hit or miss for me during my trip. I was really disappointed in Carthay Circle where I had bad service and mediocre food for a high price. I had a nice (and huge) lunch and Cafe Orleans and would certainly return there on future trips. The Blue Bayou was fun and I’m glad I got to go, but I’m not sure if I’m in a hurry to go back.

There are certainly differences between Disneyland and Disney World and perhaps I’ll explore them in some future blog posts, but I loved my time spent in any Disney park. I must admit, though, Disney World still feels like home to me even though I really enjoyed my time at Disneyland. I found myself calling Disney World “home” during conversation with friends while we walked around the parks. I’m not sure if was just because I am so familiar with Disney World, or I missed Epcot (my favorite), or what but I just didn’t feel the same way in California as I do in Florida. That’s not to say I had a bad time or disliked Disneyland, it is just a different animal.

I’m not sure when I’ll get back to Disneyland, but I certainly look forward to it when I do! I’m also really looking forward to going back “home” to Disney World next month. How about you? Have you recently made your first trip to Disneyland? Share your impressions and experiences with me in the comments!

A Disney Vet’s First Trip to Disneyland is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Tomorrow is the big day when I shove off for my first ever visit to Disneyland! I’ve done plenty of research and planning, and even arranged some last minute details. I think my bags are packed and I’m ready to go, but with going to a new place I’m not as confident in my preparations as I am when I go to Disney World. I’m sure I’ll be just fine, but there’s always that anticipation of going to a new place, especially since I’ll be flying by myself and meeting friends there. Well, what were some of the items on my to-do list before taking off? I thought I’d share some of them this week for people who might be in a similar situation.

Park hours for Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure are only made available about 45 days out. Being a Disney World regular this baffles me since the Florida park hours are posted about six months in advance. So with only a few weeks left before my trip I finally got to see what time I could start touring each morning. Since I am a Touring Planner and this is my first trip, I’ll probably be up for rope drop most mornings. It really helps to be coming from east to west in this case, since I’ll be wide awake at the crack of dawn anyhow.

The parks will open at 8 a.m. on each day of my visit, but I’ll be spending most of my nights at Disney’s Paradise Pier, so I’ll be able to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hour being offered for the summer. Similar to what is offered at Disney World, both parks will be open an hour early each morning for resort guests. However, Disneyland also offers early entry on select morning to their annual passholders. To take advantage of this offering guests must register online to attend. Not all of the attractions are open for the Extra Magic Hour, but I’m sure I’ll love getting a jump on things early in the morning before the crowds get crazy.

Speaking of getting a jump on things and managing crowds, I have downloaded the Disneyland edition of Lines for my phone. I’m really looking forward to putting it to good use on my first trip. If you aren’t familiar with our app, you’re really missing out. Our staff has worked hard to collect data to accurately predict wait times at both Disney World and Disneyland. This is a wonderful tool to have at your disposal when touring any of the parks. You can also access our Touring Plans right on your phone so you don’t have to carry around a printed copy. Pretty nifty, huh?

Of course, packing is at the forefront with my trip right around the corner. I’m a notorious over-packer, so I’ll be checking one bag and carrying on another. It will be filled with many of the items I usually take with me to Disney World, but I’ve been told  to be sure I have a long sleeved shirt or sweater for the evenings since the temperature can drop into the 60s. I don’t know why people were telling me this as if it was something to worry about; those temperatures sound delightful to me. Otherwise, I’ll have my running shoes for days in the parks, along with flip flops for hanging out around the resort, and a pair of nicer shoes for my dinner at Club 33. Shorts and skirts with light tops will be the name of the game for the daytime with the ability to layer them with a long sleeve shirt if needed. Basics like band-aids and toiletries will also be packed away in my checked bag so I don’t have to worry about the size of bottles and all that jazz. All of this good stuff will be packed into my obnoxiously colored suitcase so I can pick it off the baggage carousel with ease.

In a similar vein, I’m bringing a bigger carry on than usual so I can bring plenty with me to entertain my for 5 hours on an airplane. Hopefully I’ll get some sleep during my flight, though since I’ll be getting up at about 3:30 to make an hour trip to the airport. This particular bag also has a bunch of little pockets and such inside, so that should help to keep me organized at 5 am after my hour long drive to the airport. It will take everything I have just to find my gate by then!

Once I arrive at LAX I’m sure I’ll take a few minutes to get my bearings before finding my suitcase and really being on my way to Disneyland. I’ve opted to try the Super Shuttle to get to the Best Western where I’ll be staying for my first night. I’ve heard some mixed reviews on this service, but the price really can’t be beat. I’m paying just $16 to get to me my hotel! Disney also offers a shuttle service to their resorts for folks who may be going that route. In addition, taxis and hired cars are always available, but will come with a bigger price tag.

I’ll be sure to report back about my trip when I return. If you are heading west this weekend for the D23 event, keep an eye out for me in the parks, and I hope you all have a wonderful time!

How about you? What are some things you do to prepare shortly before you head off to Disneyland? Let me hear your suggestions in the comments!

A Disney World Vet in Disneyland: Last Minute Details is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.