I remember first hearing that every domestic Disney Park was getting a Starbucks and being over-joyed. There had been countless mornings spent opening a dozen tiny creamer packets (and even more sugars) in an attempt to make cheap Nescafe drinkable. Every one of these mornings I remember asking out loud, “Why isn’t there Starbucks at Disney?” No, Starbucks isn’t the best coffee, nor is it my favorite. But it’s accessible and drinkable and no coffee drinker is ever going to tell you that it is worse than Nescafe.

Slowly I started to hear and read comments from people who weren’t happy about the change. Those opposed to Starbucks taking over Main Street bakery have been especially vocal the last few days during the soft (and now official) opening of the location. There are many reasons: they don’t want to see corporate logos on Main Street, they miss the old Main Street Bakery, the Bakery was a family tradition, they miss the seating area, and they just don’t like Starbucks. All of those are absolutely valid reasons to dislike something. I totally get it. But many commenters (not all, but a lot we’ve seen) are incredibly angry…even threatening to not come back to Disney. I just want to offer a counter-argument to those opposed to the new bakery.

Corporate Logos

At first I too was put off a bit about Starbucks being on Main Street. It seemed to not quite fit. But then I really thought about it. Looking around Main Street there are several corporate logos. Edy’s at Plaza Ice Cream, Kodak at Town Square Theatre, Coca-Cola…everywhere. Suddenly that mermaid didn’t seem so out of place. Corporate logos have always been a part of Disney, even when Walt was around. Even one of the most iconic Disney treats, Dole Whip, actually has the sponsor’s name right there in the name. I remember being a kid and actually being able to get entire McDonald’s meals in McDonald’s packaging in Disneyland. Those locations would probably still be serving McDonald’s today were it not for the backlash against McDonald’s for serving unhealthy food.

Missing the Old Bakery

I’ve seen several comments the last few days about how Starbucks isn’t a real bakery and therefore Main Street Bakery is no longer a real bakery. Honestly…I don’t think the old Bakery was really a bakery either. There weren’t bakers in the back making fresh croissants and muffins. To my knowledge all of those were brought in from an outside location and heated up. Yes, even the Cinnamon Rolls.

One of the biggest complaints I’ve heard is about the Cinnamon Rolls being gone from the bakery. Trust me, I understand the hearbreak of a favorite menu item being taken away. The thing is…they are still available in the park…they’re served at Gaston’s Tavern in New Fantasyland. Is it weird to get a favorite food item at a different location? Sure. But when I think of the Sunday Roast from Rose & Crown at Epcot or the Prime Rib French Dip from Turf Club at Saratoga Springs or any other beloved meal that has been taken away…I would give anything for someone to say, “We don’t serve that here anymore, but here is a location where you can get it.” The Cinnamon Rolls aren’t gone, and they could have been. I would think fans would be happy that they are still available and didn’t go the way of Figaro Fries.

Also a quick touring tip…if you really want a Cinnamon Roll for breakfast they are now in a perfect location. At rope drop you can run and hit the extremely popular New Fantasyland attractions and then eat all without backtracking or wasting precious early morning moments on Main Street.

Family Tradition

Every time someone tells me about their family tradition I get a bit choked up. Seriously. Growing up I had so many traditions with my parents, many that I have passed on to my kids. Unfortunately, some traditions were taken away from us. As a kid we always rode Submarine Voyage (at Disneyland) as the last ride of the night. I have so many happy memories with my parents, often as the only family in the last sub of the night, reciting the narration and giggling at the ridiculous sea serpent. I have never cried harder in a theme park than I did when a Cast Member told me the ride was closed permanently. It was devastating. Like they had taken all those wonderful memories away from me. Except they didn’t. I still had those memories. And my parents and I made a new last ride tradition.

There are many things I have lost over the years…making scary faces while going through the Matterhorn on the Skyway, singing along to California Bears in Country Bear Vacation Hoedown, eating a hot dog in a pretzel bun while waiting for the parade…they were all traditions Disney took away. But I love all the new traditions, too. If they hadn’t closed Submarine Voyage I may never have realized the beauty of riding Mad Tea Party at night while fireworks burst overhead. I would never have seen my mom pretend to blow away every time we go through the Blustery Day scene on Winnie the Pooh. It is absolutely awful when Disney takes traditions away…but it is also wonderful to try different things and create new traditions.

Seating Area

In the new Main Street Bakery the seating area has been removed to create space for a second queue to double capacity to meet demand. A lot of people are upset that there is no place for them to sit now. Honestly, I don’t think I ever found a place to sit in the old bakery. There weren’t that many tables, and it was always crowded. I often sat outside with a gorgeous castle view or went over to the Casey’s Corner indoor seating area (which is open even when the restaurant isn’t and not crowded at all in the morning) to watch cartoons while I ate. The seating area in addition to being crowded was noisy and not very comfortable. I had no problem today getting my drink and heading off to my next Magic Kingdom destination. I didn’t notice the seating area was gone at all except that I got my beverage twice as fast as I would have otherwise.

Just Don’t Like It

Again, I completely understand that people may not care for Starbucks. However, I don’t think that’s enough of a reason for a lot of the hate I have seen from people on the internet for the new bakery. There are plenty of things at Disney that I don’t like. I’m a regular iced tea drinker…but I hate Gold Peak. When I’m in the parks I either settle for it and drink it anyway, or I have something else. No one is forced to go to Main Street Bakery. If you don’t like it, don’t go. Is that disappointing if you loved the old bakery but hate Starbucks? Absolutely. But that’s no reason to start a petition against Starbucks or comment on blog posts saying the world is going to end. There will still be locations in Magic Kingdom serving other coffee and it’s only a short monorail ride to resorts offering coffee, pastries, and other breakfast options.

In conclusion, change is always tough. Sometimes it’s for the better, sometimes it’s not, but it’s inevitable. There are always multiple sides to everything and there will always be someone who likes the changes (I guarantee there is someone out there who says Stitch’s Great Escape is his favorite ride). To everyone who hates the new Starbucks, I feel for you, I’ve been there. But, please, don’t let it ruin your day or your vacation. Create a new tradition, find a new seat, visit a new breakfast location…it’s not the end of the world.

My Response to the Starbucks on Main Street Nay-Sayers is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

When I found out several months ago that my aunt was visiting Walt Disney World for the first time ever with a friend, I was so excited to help them plan! I immediately sent her a copy of the Unofficial Guide, made sure she had a TouringPlans subscription, and told her I was available any time to help plan things. There were a few phone conversations about park hoppers and car rentals…but then she said she was all set. I should have known better.

The night before she arrived I asked her where they were going there first day and what plans they had. She then informed me they had made no plans: they were going to sleep in and then show up at Epcot whenever and just wing it. WHAT?! No. You can’t say something like that to me. My JOB is planning and Disney World. You can’t just tell me you’re going to show up and wing it. She hadn’t even looked at the Unofficial Guide I sent her.

Immediately I rescheduled my whole day and instructed her to meet me at the Epcot turnstiles at 8:30am. I was going to last-minute plan their vacation to make sure they saw everything they wanted.

When we met up the next morning and she saw there was already a large crowd at the turnstiles, my aunt clearly regretted her decision to not plan anything. I told her not to worry and began to put things together. I started by asking what her “must-do’s” were for Epcot and suggested a few of my own, as well. I made a Touring Plan on my phone and got it ready for the day about to begin. I then went through the other 3 parks and made plans for the following few days based on what they really wanted to see. In less than 30 minutes we had basic plans ready to go for all 4 parks.

As soon as the turnstiles opened we headed in and began checking things off the list. Soarin’ FASTPASS, Test Track (where I designed the most fuel-inefficient monster of a car ever),  Mission: SPACE, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, and Journey into Imagination…by 11:00 we had finished all of Future World. The only ride we hadn’t done was Ellen’s Energy Adventure, and I told them to save that for if they had time later that day. It was so great to see the parks through the eyes of people who had never been to Epcot. They both really enjoyed everything.

The only major new thing we noticed in Future World was all the construction going on in the Land Pavilion. One of the escalators is completely walled off, and the buzz seems to be that it could take up to six months to be fixed. To help with the flow of traffic, the emergency exit doors near Soarin’ (by the bathrooms) are open, and there is a pathway that winds around backstage and takes guests back into the park near Imagination. I’m not sure if this actually helps with crowd flow, but it was neat to see a little bit of backstage and convenient to not have to go all the way upstairs just to then go right back down the hill.

Before we left Future World my aunt wanted to take a look around Mouse Gear. While we were there I noticed a few new items. They had some really great attraction poster magnets with original artwork from Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, it’s a small world, and Tropical Serenade. They were really good looking and only $4.95 each (very cheap in Disney-prices). They also had a few new phone cases for iPhones, including one that featured Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. There also were 3D Marvel cases with Iron Man, Thor, and Spider-Man.

We then headed into World Showcase. At this point a lot of my worries about their having a great experience at Epcot had melted away. They had the rest of the day to explore World Showcase, and that was plenty of time to enjoy everything. After riding Gran Fiesta Tour and Maelstrom we decided to split up for the rest of the day. The Advanced Dining Reservation System was down, so I couldn’t make them any dining reservations. But I left them with instructions to try to get a walk-in at Via Napoli and if that failed to eat in the bar at Tutto Gusto. I reminded them that IllumiNations was at 9, told them to call if they had questions, and then headed off to find some lunch for myself.

After browsing menus in my Lines app on my phone, I settled on Liberty Inn in the American Adventure Pavilion. I had only tried one thing on the menu there previously and wanted to try something new. When we walked in I noticed that in the dining room there was a fancy table set up with a table cloth, silverware, and flowers. I was curious what it was doing in a counter service dining room and decided to ask a Cast Member. The Cast Member told us that was a special table set up for the family of the day and then asked if we wanted to be that family! I was so excited! She instructed us to go ahead to the register and order and then she would help us out.

As soon as we ordered and paid the same Cast Member came to us, said we didn’t have to wait for our food, and led us to the fancy table. After we were seated she left and returned shortly with our drinks…in real glasses! It felt so silly to be served like in a real restaurant at Liberty Inn that we couldn’t stop giggling. It was so much fun.

When our food came out it was brought on real plates under fancy silver domes! It was like something out of a movie. It was so odd to see normal counter service food being served like we were at some fancy French restaurant in a movie. I had ordered the grilled chicken flatbread with bacon, cheese, and red pepper aioli. I wasn’t expecting too much after my previous experiences here, but I was pleasantly surprised! The chicken was juicy, and the toppings were all very flavorful. It was a delicious sandwich that I will definitely have again.

After a few texts to make sure my aunt was all settled (they did get into Via Napoli and had a lovely lunch) we ended our day at Epcot.

Observations from Epcot: June 12, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Last week I stopped by Magic Kingdom to check out a few new things. I actually got there early and made it on time for Rope Drop! I was worried the Welcome Show would be cancelled due to rain…it is definitely hurricane season here in Central Florida! Luckily, the show went on as planned, and I got the full opening experience. Once the park opened, instead of joining the rush to Space Mountain or Peter Pan, we hung around Main Street and waited for the Trolley Show so we could see the new summer version that had begun as part of a summertime Limited Time Magic.

The summer version of the Trolley Show is all new! I was nervous I wouldn’t like it as much as the original (I had been really disappointed with the spring version), but I was pleasantly surprised. There was more dancing than usual, and the music was really upbeat and fun. I always think the show is a fun addition to Main Street’s atmosphere, and the fresh songs and patriotic costumes definitely get me in the mood for summer fun.

After the show we headed off to do a lap of the park. While in Frontierland we stopped in the Frontierland Trading Post (where they sell pins and Vinylmation) and noticed something new. The store has been doing Vinylmation trading for a while, but they had added a Park Starz trading box! The box is just to trade the Park Starz Vinyls, which were previously not tradable in store. This news should make collectors who have been struggling to finish their sets (ahem…like me) very happy. This also seems to be a good sign for Vinylmation fans in general. Since Disney has been eliminating trading in so many locations across property, it’s nice to see the addition of some different experiences.

After a quick loop on the Walt Disney World Railroad, we popped into Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe to try their new beverage…a Root Beer Slush. The drink is served on its own for $3.99 or in a souvenir Lone Ranger boot for $8.99 (the boot is also available with a regular fountain beverage for $7.79). The souvenir boot is made of plastic but is pretty cool looking. I was pleased to see Disney finally getting away from the standard brown mug they being sold everywhere with different stickers on it. The drink itself was good but very sweet. While it seemed nice at first on a hot day, it eventually got to be too sweet, and I just wanted to dump it and find some water.

While in Liberty Square I really thought about the “Counting House” that was recently added. This is really just a booth set up for people to apply for a Disney Visa card. I know that obviously the land can’t be perfectly themed and we have to make allowances for modern conveniences, but Liberty Square doesn’t even have an actual bathroom due to theming…yet we can hock credit cards? I know it’s a silly complaint but it just seems so ridiculous right there in front of Haunted Mansion.

In New Fantasyland we saw that they finally permanently opened the walkway that goes from Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid to Storybook Circus. They also took down some walls and added a stroller area across from the Little Mermaid entrance. The crowd flow seemed much better in this area despite the summer crowds. Instead of there being a giant traffic jam in a dead end full of strollers, there was a pathway for people and strollers were kept out of the way.

There was a big storm rolling in so we decided to end another relaxing morning in Magic Kingdom.

Observations from Magic Kingdom: June 6, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Yesterday the new interactive game Wilderness Explorers opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. The game is based on the Boy Scout-esque troop Russell is a member of in the movie Up. The main objective of the game is to travel around the park with your game book earning “badges” (stickers) for completing activities to eventually become a Senior Explorer. The 31 activity stations are scattered throughout the park, including animal trails and Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

We arrived at Animal Kingdom just after noon and headed to the main sign up station on the bridge between The Oasis and The Tree of Life. The Cast Members were very enthusiastic and eager to explain the game and help walk us through getting our first badge: learning the Wilderness Explorer call. We were given a Wilderness Explorer Handbook, which included a membership card, instructions, map, and pages for each of the badges we would earn with directions and activities. We also could see a framed set of all the “badges” we could earn, although ours would be in sticker form affixed on the appropriate page of our books.

We took a moment to assemble a game plan to earn all the badges by consulting the map for activity locations. We also soon figured out the pages of the book go more-or-less in order for a clockwise trip around the park and decided to tackle it that way. Each stop is marked by the Wilderness Explorer logo, a sign showing the badge earned at that station, and a Troop Leader or Badge Guide holding a bright orange satchel (also featuring the logo of the badge for that station).

The game had many different types of activities. Some were simple and just required you to listen to something and write down a code word or find answers to questions on a billboard. Some stations were more interactive and had guests completing a puzzle, going on a scavenger hunt, or learning something specific about a different culture. I really wasn’t expecting to learn too much in a game designed for children, but I was pleasantly surprised. All of the Cast Members were incredibly knowledgeable and more than willing to take time to talk with us and answer all of our questions.

I also noticed Cast tailoring the activities based on the guest’s age and level of interest. For example (contains minor spoilers), to earn the Tiger Badge in Maharajah Jungle Trek we had to find the word “deforestation” and tell it to the Troop Leader. When we got up to her, there was a little bit of a line, so we heard her interact with a two kids in front of us. The Troop Leader asked the first girl if she knew what “deforestation” meant. The girl shrugged and very obviously just wanted her sticker. The Troop Leader patiently explained to her what the word meant, gave her the sticker and moved on to a boy who was about 10. She asked the boy if he knew why tigers had stripes. He gave a very detailed answer indicating he knew quite a bit about tigers. She asked him several more questions until she stumped him and could teach him something new. He was obviously delighted, got his sticker, and went on. Now it was our turn. As adults she talked to us about practical things we could do at home or through other organizations to help tigers and preserve their homes. All of this was the same Cast Member giving out the same badge, but she made sure each guest got the best experience possible. So many of the Cast did small things like this to truly make the game spectacular.

Another thing that I particularly like about the game is how much of the park we were “forced” to explore. I’m a huge Animal Kingdom fan, really enjoy the animal trails and exhibits, and often spend time looking around…yet this game took us to areas even I had never seen. I also picked up and used a bird spotting guide for the first time ever in one of the aviaries. We climbed through The Boneyard in DinoLand U.S.A. petted goats in Conservation Station, wandered through the exit trails of It’s Tough to Be a Bug, and even had a scavenger hunt through the Expedition Everest queue! It is clear this game is designed to get guests to visit areas of the park they normally wouldn’t, and it worked.

All in all it took us about 5 hours to complete everything. This, however, included a table service lunch break, and we did spend more time than is necessary chatting with the Troop Leaders at some stations. We also took things slow and spent time looking at things not related to the game. At the end of the game there is no big prize or anything…just the souvenir Wilderness Explorers Handbook with all your stickers and notes from playing.

A couple of tips for playing. One of the badges requires you to ride the Kilimanjaro Safari (or at least go through the queue). I recommend getting a FASTPASS before getting the badges in the nearby Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and Rafiki’s Planet Watch so that you don’t waste too much time in line. Second, I know this seems like common sense, but make sure you read everything on the page for each badge. We did more backtracking than we had to because we didn’t fully read what we needed to do…and we had trouble finding some stations because we didn’t realize there was a detailed description right there on the page. Also, work the game in to whatever else you want to do in the park. Nothing is time dependent, and it is all spread out, so as you go around the park you can also experience attractions, see shows, or do anything else you want. Finally, although you can complete the game in one day, you don’t have to. Do it over multiple days, or even multiple trips. It is meant to enhance your enjoyment of the park, not wear you out or keep you from other things you want to do.

In comparison to other interactive games like Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom or Pirate’s Adventure Treasure of the Seven Seas, Wilderness Explorers truly stands out. The other games are standalone experiences that have nothing to do with the areas they are in. Wilderness Explorers is a supplement to the park. It helps highlight often overlooked aspects that make Animal Kingdom such a unique place. I highly recommend this game for guests of all ages, whether they are first timers or veteran park goers.

Wilderness Explorers Opens At Animal Kingdom is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

This week a new ice cream shop, L’Artisan des Glaces, opened in Epcot. The shop features artisan ice cream and sorbets that can be served in a cup or cone or even topped with alcohol! I stopped by yesterday to try it out.

The shop is decorated with old country-style milk bottles, cows, and other things associated with ice cream ingredients…it reminded me of what I would find in my grandmother’s kitchen, but more upscale. They even had a fantastic chandelier made out of milk bottles!

I was surprised at how open the shop was. I remember that when Boulangerie  Patisserie was in that location it always felt so cramped and crowded. While there isn’t much room for a queue (just like before it goes out the door), once you are inside there is plenty of space to move around. It’s a very nice change.

There are 2 registers for ordering. Scoops cost $3.99 for one or $6.10 for 2. If you want rum, Grand Marnier, or Whipped Cream Vodka poured over 2 scoops, it costs $11.50.

I opted for the alcoholic version (solely for research purposes of course). I got Profiterole and Coco-White Chocolate Ice Cream topped with Whipped Cream Vodka. After ordering I was directed to one of 2 serving stations for them to put together my creation. I was pleased with how quick and efficient the process was, although it wasn’t too crowded, so it’s possible that crowds may slow things down.

I was very impressed with my dessert. The ice cream was fantastic…the profiterole one had chunks of chocolate-covered cookie pieces in it that were divine, and the Coco-White Chocolate had fresh shaved coconut mixed in. The vodka paired with the ice cream much better than I expected, especially after the disappointing Dole Whip with Rum at Flower & Garden Festival.

L’Artisan des Glaces is a fantastic addition to World Showcase. I foresee many trips here for myself in the upcoming summer months.

New L’Artisan des Glaces Ice Cream Parlor Opens In Epcot’s France is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Even though I usually visit Disney parks I decided to spend a day over at Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando Resort. We arrived just after rope drop and headed straight for Spider-Man. Okay, I know that most people head straight for Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but since there is early entry for hotel guests and we weren’t there first thing when the park opened, we knew it would already be packed and decided to skip it. Spider-Man, however, is always a must do for me, especially since last year’s update with digital projectors.

I had heard that Spider-Man added a fourth Stan Lee cameo, and I was anxious to find it. Honestly I can’t even tell you which one was new since I hadn’t spotted all the other ones before…but on this ride I found all four appearances! You can spot him driving the dump truck that almost hits you near the beginning of the ride, and then 3 other times he is a person on the streets you can see in the background of the scene. Looking for this hidden bonus made riding an attraction I love even more engaging.

We had about an hour to kill before our 11:00am reservation for lunch at Mythos and spent most of it wandering around the park looking at details and taking photos. Islands of Adventure is so beautiful and detailed…it’s a great place to explore!

We also made the one stop that I always have to make in the park, we got Butterbeer! Even though we were on our way to eat, there is always room for Wizarding World’s delicious signature drink. The carts all had ridiculously long lines, but we walked right into the Hog’s Head, and there was no wait at all.

It was now time for lunch, and we were the very first table seated for at Mythos. The restaurant is gorgeous inside and offers a spectacular view of the park. The decor and view alone would make it worth a trip, but the food and prices make it an even bigger hit! I know my view of low prices is a bit skewed since I spend so much time in theme parks, but entrees were all under $20.

I ordered Shrimp Cocktail and Mythos Beef Medallions. The Shrimp Cocktail was okay. It was over-seasoned and a disappointing portion for $9.99. However, the Beef Medallions were amazing! They were perfectly cooked and delicious. The mashed potatoes that came with them were also fantastic. This was one of the best meals I have ever had inside a theme park and it was only $16.99! On top of the reasonable prices, as a Premier Annual Passholder I also received 15% off of the bill.

I was apprehensive about wasting time at a table service restaurant during our short day in the park, but from the time we walked in the door to the time we walked out it was less than 30 minutes. We didn’t feel rushed at all; it was just very efficient service, and they in no way sacrificed quality for speed.

After lunch it was time to hit the water rides! We specifically chose Islands of Adventure because we wanted to go on all the water rides to get soaked. We even came prepared and wore bathing suits under shorts and shirts so we could stay comfortable. It was a very crowded day, and lines were long (close to an hour for everything), but since we only planned to do 3 attractions, we didn’t mind the wait.

First we headed to Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. The posted wait was 60 minutes, but we only waited about 20. I had never waited in the queue for Bluto’s and enjoyed looking at all the details and little scenes they had set up. It wasn’t anything fancy or interactive, but as a Popeye fan I really enjoyed it.

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls had a bit of a longer wait, but just like at Bluto’s I had a great time exploring the queue. I’m not sure guests who didn’t watch the show would appreciate the wait as much, but we had a great time! And, as always, the ride was fun, and we were soaked!

Last was Jurassic Park River Adventure. The ride recently reopened after a refurbishment, and I was anxious to check it out. I was stunned at how great some of the dinosaurs looked. Many had completely new skins and had obviously had work done so they were moving much better. There were still a couple that looked rough, and I got the feeling the ride rushed to reopen due to crowds and they weren’t quite finished…the T-Rex at the end was even missing an arm and had a giant hole where it should have been! Overall, though, the ride looked really good, and I’m hoping they will fix the last few things soon.

After Jurassic Park we had a little while longer to spend in the park and decided to explore Camp Jurassic. I had never spent any time in this area and assumed it was just a children’s play area. While it is a play area, it is amazingly detailed. We found so many great things to do! There was a giant cavern with waterfalls and lights, hidden climbing areas that went all the way to the top level of the area, net bridges, water guns…it was fantastic! We ran around for over an hour, got lost several times, and had a blast. I highly recommend visiting Camp Jurassic and looking around whether with or without kids.

Observations from Islands of Adventure: May 23, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

A few days ago I heard from some friends over at Disney Hipsters that there were laser effects working on DINOSAUR that had been broken for years. I also heard from a friend that the bird at the top of Expedition Everest near the broken track was working. I decided it was time for a trip to Animal Kingdom to see for myself.

On the way I stopped at Disney’s Pop Century Resort to collect the new breakfast menu. Since Animal Kingdom didn’t have any breakfast dishes I haven’t tried I decided to eat at Pop. It was my first time eating breakfast there! I ordered a Ham and Cheese Omelet with a Biscuit. My boyfriend, Tom, who was with me, got a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel.

My omelet was very good. I expected a counter service location to be a bit skimpy with the toppings, but there was a ton of ham and cheese. It was a big portion as well and very filling. I was especially surprised at how good the biscuit was. It was fresh, soft, and delicious!

I had high hopes for the Bagel sandwich, but they were quickly dashed. The bagel was hard and dry, it had obviously been sitting out for quite some time. The eggs were really runny and the bacon was cold…it was very disappointing. Maybe if it was first thing when the food court opened I would be willing to try the bagel again, but I would have to see it being made and know it was fresh.

We made it to Animal Kingdom just after Rope Drop. Our first stop was Adventurers Outpost. When I was there last week they only had one of the two rooms operational and I wanted to see if the other one was ready yet. It was! There was no line and we walked right in. We got to go into that room to meet Mickey and Minnie this time. The room was just about identical except that it was a mirror image. Even the photos in the small waiting area were the same as in the other room.

After a quick detour to get FASTPASSes for Expedition Everest we headed to Dinosaur. Tom (who knows much more about Disney World’s past than I do) explained that there were laser effects during the time travel portions at the beginning and end of the ride when it first opened in 1998. Shortly after the ride opened they were no longer used and have been gone ever since.

The ride began and there they were! Green laser-like lights illuminating the fog as we went through the red-lit “toaster” section to travel back in time. It wasn’t a particularly fancy effect, but I really appreciated that I couldn’t see the forest through the fog like usual…it really added to the time travel element not being able to see the destination before you actually get there.  There were similar green lasers at the end of the drop after the Carnotaurus, again in the “toaster” section. These seemed to serve less of a function but still looked cool.

There was a lot of talk on twitter after photos and video were posted about whether these were the original lasers or new ones. Some people say it is the original…but it isn’t the complete effect, some lasers are still turned off so it looks different. Others are saying these are new lasers all together. Honestly? I don’t care whether they are new or old. What I care about is that someone is doing work on the ride. Some imagineers took the time to either fix or add something in an attraction that has several broken elements. Hopefully this leads to fixing other broken effects and other attractions. Anytime maintenance that has been long-overlooked is being done I am a happy fan.

On the way to Everest we stopped at Royal Anadapur Tea Company. It was a really hot day and I wanted to get my favorite in-park treat: Frozen Chai. The Frozen Chai is like a creamy smoothie and is perfect for cooling off. If you haven’t ever had Chai tea, it tastes a bit like a pumpkin pie with lots of whipped cream…it’s very good. I highly recommend it! It’s a bit expensive but worth it.

After seeing the Dinosaur lasers we were feeling pretty amped about Expedition Everest. I haven’t seen the bird work since the first time I rode back in the fall of 2010! Since we had time to kill while finishing our drinks we spent a while slowly looking through the queue. The queue at Expedition Everest is one of my favorites. There is so much detail and so many things to look at! There was a family in front of us discussing the artifacts found destroyed by the Yeti having a heated discussion about whether or not all those and the photos were real…they were so into it! Sadly, the bird (and of course the Yeti) were not working, but I remain optimistic that one by one things will be fixed.

It was starting to rain pretty heavily at this point so we decided to head out, but not without making a quick stop at Camp Minnie-Mickey. I knew Mickey and Minnie were gone (there was even a sign at the entrance to Camp directing people to Adventurers Outpost to meet them) and I wanted to verify their replacements. As I had heard Pocahontas and Baloo with King Louie occupied to two vacated meet locations and their old meet spots on the trail between Africa and Asia were empty. I wanted to stop for pictures but the rain was coming down really hard and the lines were long and outdoors so I’ll have to go back another day.

Observations from Disney’s Animal Kingdom: May 21, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

We’re getting ready to stay up for a full 24 hours in Magic Kingdom for Monstrous Summer on May 24, 2013, and we want you to join us! I plan on being in the parks all day and will be roaming around handing out stickers, subscriptions, and water bottles…but there will be some scheduled meets as well.

Meet #1: Bi-Coastal Opposite Day Photo Opp: 1:00pm – The Partners Statue in the Hub: Disneyland has a small castle, Magic Kingdom has a big castle; Disneyland has a male researcher, Disney World has a female researcher; and if those researchers both want to have meets in front of their respective castles, why not make them full on opposites? Since Guy is having a meet in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle in the middle of the night at 1am, I’m having my meet at Cinderella Castle in the afternoon at 1pm! That way we can have two opposite pictures from opposite coasts to commemorate the day. Guests who come to this meet at Magic Kingdom will get a 3 month extension to their TouringPlans subscriptions, and there will be other giveaways.

Meet #2: 2nd Annual Babycakes NYC Midnight Sugar Rush Meet: 12:00 Midnight – Tomorrowland Terrace Seating Area: Last year at midnight we met and had some delicious treats from the BabyCakes NYC bakery located in Downtown Disney, and we are doing the same again. Join us for some yummy baked goods full of sugar to help you stay awake for the final 6 hours in the park. Please RSVP on Facebook so we know how many goodies we need.

Meet #3: Delirious Frontierland Hoedown: Time TBA – In front of Country Bear Jamboree: My favorite event at last year’s One More Disney Day was the 4:00am Frontierland Hoedown. Watching dozens of Disney fans do the Hokey Pokey after being awake for almost 24 hours was hilarious and a ton of fun. We’re hoping this dance party will happen again, and whatever the latest time is, that’s when we will be there. Be sure to watch @TouringPlans on Twitter for confirmation of the time for this event.

See you there!

Pull An All-Nighter With TouringPlans at Walt Disney World On May 24 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

After a morning at Disney’s Animal Kingdom checking out the new Adventurers Outpost meet and greet, I went to spend the day at Magic Kingdom.

First thing we saw upon arriving was that the Citizens of Main Street were out and about, and I wanted to get my picture with the Mayor. He was just wandering around chatting with people and had no problem stopping for a quick picture…he even commented on how much he loved standing next to a gorgeous red head…that mayor is quite the charmer! Even though they aren’t a major attraction, I really enjoy the Citizens of Main Street. They add so much to the ambiance and theming of the land and make it seem more authentic.

I was anxious to get to Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor because I heard they added in a few things from the upcoming Monsters University movie. The queue and pre-show were completely unchanged. Even the actual show had very little done. The Marty Wazowski set had a Monsters University backdrop, and he made a comment about wanting to grow up to attend Monsters University, but that was all. The only other significant thing I noticed was that we got Buddy Boyle’s box trick instead of his mind-reading act. The box trick set he does has always been an option for the show but is rarely used since it is much more complicated for the actors than the mind reading. I’ve heard a few other people mention they have gotten this set recently, so it may be used more often now that Disney made some adjustments.

Next I headed back to Adventureland to see if A Pirate’s Adventure Treasures of the Seven Seas was testing. I had played 2 of the 5 maps before and wanted to try the rest. Luckily they were open, and I got to play. Last time I reviewed the game I was really disappointed and wasn’t a huge fan. I quickly learned that when I played before I got the two raids with the least exciting effects. The new maps I played were very impressive! Many times I gasped or laughed out loud at things that were happening, and I had a wonderful time. I even re-played the two I had done before and discovered that some of the effects hadn’t been working before and that’s why they weren’t as good. They were still the 2 least interesting, but I enjoyed the game much more this time around.

While playing the game I stopped to get a drink in Tortuga Tavern and noticed they had a new collectible mug. It is the same brown mug with stickers used at Gaston’s Tavern, Pinocchio Village Haus, and Sleepy Hollow, but this one has Pirates of the Caribbean stickers on it. Instead of having its own fancy signature drink topped with foam, this mug is available with a beverage of your choice. I asked the Cast Member if it was possible to get the beloved non-alcoholic Sangria in the mug, and she looked at me like I was crazy. She finally said, “Um, we don’t serve Sangria.” Much to my surprise, Tortuga Tavern got rid of this fan-favorite and now only has regular fountain beverages.

It had been awhile since I had seen the new interactive queue at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, so I headed over. The posted wait was only 20 minutes, but I still had time to walk past and get a quick look at things. There were a few signs and details that were new since the last time I had been there about a month ago. Many of these included hidden Disney references, including some to other attractions, old movies, and Imagineers. I almost wished the line had been longer so that we could have spent more time looking at everything. Not only is this queue now full of things to blow up and play with, but there are tons of interesting things to read and look at. I really love this queue, which used to be one of the most unbearable in the park.

By this time I was getting hungry and stopped in to Pecos Bill’s for dinner. First thing I noticed there was that they got rid of the self-serve touch-screen ordering kiosks. I really enjoyed ordering at these stations and was surprised to see them gone. There were also several menu changes. The Chilled Chicken Wrap was removed and replaced with a Deluxe Chicken Sandwich. There is also a new Southwest Chicken Salad replacing the regular Chicken Caesar Salad. You can see a full updated menu with prices here.

I ordered the Steak and Pork Platter since I still hadn’t tried it (it’s been there for several months now) and the new Deluxe Chicken Sandwich. I was nervous about the Steak and Pork since this is a Disney World Counter Service…I mean, how good can counter service steak be? The answer to that question is, “not very.” The steak was mediocre, and the chimichurri on top didn’t do anything to help it. However, everything else on the plate was delicious. I was pleasantly surprised by how flavorful the pork was, and the corn was fresh and well cooked. My favorite part of the meal was the gigantic piece of cornbread. It was moist and sweet and closer to cake than bread…I loved it! Even though the steak was just okay, I would order this meal again just for everything else that came with it.

The Deluxe Chicken Sandwich I didn’t like quite as much. All of the individual pieces of this dish were fresh and very good, but somehow it just didn’t work as a whole. Chicken, Bacon, Arugula, Bruschetta, and Chipotle Ranch all on Ciabatta Bread is a lot. I tried to figure out which topping I would delete to make everything go together better, but I just couldn’t decide. Overall my decision would just be to order something else despite nothing being really wrong with the sandwich.

As I walked around I noticed the fly problem wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been the Saturday before. There were still more flies than usual, but they weren’t nearly as annoying. Cast Members seemed much more aware of the problem, as well. Liberty Tree Tavern had its doors closed, and the Cast Member actually told us it was because they had received so many complaints from guests about flies in the restaurant. Luckily this awareness seems to have led to some action being taken since the problem is getting better. Hopefully we will see them all go soon, but at least they won’t be nearly as bothersome in the meantime.

While walking past Mad Tea Party I struck up a conversation with a Cast Member about the refurbishment currently being done. Apparently the turntable and cups have all been repainted. They also redid the queue and added a FastPass+ entrance and some switchbacks to hold more people. There will also now be a teacup out front for guests to try out and use to pose for pictures with like they have at Disneyland’s attraction. Mad Tea Party is scheduled to reopen later this month.

In Tomorrowland I took a quick spin on the PeopleMover, and when I passed over the Club 626 Dance Party I noticed that Chip and Dale were in different outfits. Normally they wear green space vests, but today they had on blue outfits. It’s a small difference that probably doesn’t matter to many people, but they new costumes looked great, and it was good to see an update.

After a few more rides and a showing of Celebrate the Magic, I headed out of the park and ended another great day in Magic Kingdom.

Observations from Magic Kingdom: May 16, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

On May 24, 2013, Disney Parks will host a Monstrous Summer 24-hour event at Magic Kingdom in Orlando and Disneyland and Disney California Adventure in Anaheim. Just like at One More Disney Day last year, there will be special t-shirts and other merchandise available for the event. We were sent a picture of some of the items that will be available.

The button in the picture below is supposedly the free button all guests will receive upon entering the park (while supplies last, just like those given out for other special events). The special desserts pictured will likely be available for the rest of the summer but will debut on May 24. We don’t have any information about pricing or sizing of the merchandise but will provide updates as we know more.

Sneak Peek At Monstrous Summer Merchandise For May 24, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.