It was a little more than a year ago that Disney brought Phineas and Ferb to Disney’s Hollywood Studios as a meet and greet. Generally well accepted by crowds, one thing was clearly missing: their pet, Perry the Platypus, a.k.a. Agent P. Oh sure, he’s in the meet and greet, but as a prop attached to the background behind Phineas and Ferb – not as an active character. Ever since, folks have been wondering where else these characters, especially Perry, might show up. That was until Disney announced that Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure would be appearing in Epcot’s World Showcase.

As more information was released, we learned that the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure would be going away. It’s a little hard to see Kim leave the parks, but the truth is that Kim Possible went off the air five years ago in 2007 – the same year that Phineas and Ferb first appeared on the Disney Channel. I’m a huge fan of both series, but I can see that it’s time for things to change – progress is after all a part of the foundation on which Epcot was built.

This past weekend I had an opportunity to test out Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure in the Japan Pavilion. I knew there had been some playtesting already, so I made it clear to my wife, Cheryl, and our friend, Lori, that I wanted to check out the starting kiosks to see if we could play. We were lucky enough to find some cast members dressed in regulation Organization Without a Cool Acronym (OWCA) uniforms (minus the hats) over by the Italy Pavilion Field Station, and we were asked to wait to play.
After hanging out at the cart for a few minutes while waiting for a test to begin, we were escorted by a cast member to get our FONE (Field Operative Notification Equipment, the acronym FONE is pronounced the same as the word phone). At the station they asked which of the 3 of us was in charge – me, of course, so I provided my pass. The cast member assigned us the code name “Agent T” (for Todd). After its programming, our FONE referred to us this way for the duration of gameplay.

The FONE itself is a slightly newer (and thankfully cleaner looking) feature phone than the prior Kimmunicators, and in a similar manner is still affixed with a tracking tag. They still work the same was as before – the topmost left and right buttons guide you through the game. There are some multiple-choice questions related to tasks you are assigned where you have to hit other keys as well.

The game starts by introducing us to Major Monogram, the head of the OWCA, and Carl, his intern. After walking us through how to properly use our FONE, we found out that, as I mentioned above, our assignment was in Japan: “Mission: Japan – Robo Rumpus.” And in the next few screens we get to see Dr. Doofenshmirtz, Phineas, Ferb, and Candace.

From there the story plays out in much the same way as every episode of Phineas and Ferb. Doof has an “inator” he’s created in order to help him carry out current scheme. Meanwhile it seems Phineas, Ferb, and Candace are having an adventure of their own. These events converge, and, along with the help of Agent P, Doofenshmirtz’s plot is foiled. When we returned our FONE to the drop box at the end of the adventure, we were asked by a cast member for some comments: what we liked, what we didn’t like, and whether anything broken along the way.

The game is essentially the same as it was for Kim Possible, only the story elements have changed to reflect the changeover to Phineas and Ferb as you can tell from above. My feeling is that there is still probably a bit too much clicking and criss-crossing required to achieve the goal. A more linear progression might make for smoother gameplay. There are some game elements that are still not easily found from the directions provided, such as the wind chimes in Japan.

In concept art we had seen Agent P placed in various spots, like inside a lamp or swinging between buildings. And in a video provided on the Disney Parks Blog, we saw Professor Dementor, who was in the clock tower in the Germany Pavilion, replaced with Doofenshmirtz. However, lacking were any changes to the interactive elements of the game, at least as far as the Japan Pavilion was concerned. And two of these, the lantern and the waterfall, did not function correctly (the waterfall actually stalled the FONE app).

Overall I had fun playing this game, despite what I said above. Being a fan of the television show probably helped with this. I’m certain this game is not for everyone, and the same was true for Kim Possible. This attraction is designed for fans of both Phineas and Ferb and World Showcase, and is a fantastic group or family activity. I’m really glad that Disney is trying to keep this attraction fresh by giving it a new overlay. This is a smart move by Disney, and I suspect it’s something we’ll see happen again a few years from now.

What about you? Are you excited to become an OWCA agent? Do you like Phineas and Ferb? Will you miss Kim Possible? Aren’t you a little young to be playing with a FONE?

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Without a doubt there is excitement for myself and my wife, Cheryl, every time we book a vacation for ourselves with Disney Cruise Lines. It’s very exciting and something we try to do now at least once, if not twice a year. In a prior article I discussed our Anniversary cruise last year and eating at Remy. We also took a second cruise on the Disney Dream to celebrate my birthday in October, and we again wanted to do something special. It was decided that since we had been to Remy on the last cruise, this time around we would go to Palo.

Existing on the Magic, Wonder, Dream and Fantasy, Palo is the staple fine dining restaurant of the Disney Cruise Lines vessels. Palo takes its name from the poles gondoliers use to push and pull boats around the canals of Venice, Italy. Both the cuisine and the design of the restaurant draws heavily on Northern Italian influences. Beautiful artwork of Venice adorns the walls of the restaurant. which is laid out in a way that no seat is a bad seat for an ocean view – with slightly raised booths along one side, and tables along the windows. Outdoor seating is also available. You should take care to look up as you walk into this restaurants as it has one of the most gorgeous hand blown glass chandeliers you will ever see.

The restaurant is for Adults only, and costs $20 per guest for either Dinner or Brunch. It’s important to note that, like Remy, it has a dress code that will require men to wear dress trousers and dress shirt or jacket. Women will need to wear a dress or pant suit. Anything less will not be permitted. As with most fine dining establishments, jackets can be provided for men at the front of the restaurant should they need them.

As a quick comparison between Remy and Palo, I feel that Remy is closer to fine dining while Palo is a bit more upscale. If anything I felt that the wait staff at Palo is a bit stronger and more attentive. While I loved every bite of food I had at Remy, Palo to me is just a more gladdening experience because it’s more of the sort of food that I enjoy. It was also much more accommodating and understanding to Cheryl’s dietary needs – her meal was very well thought out.

Cheryl and I scheduled an early meal on my birthday which happened to be a day we were at Castaway Cay. The reason for this is the view provided at Palo of the ocean, and I wanted to take advantage of that view by getting to dine while watching the Dream set sail from the island. The meal starts off with an excellent assortment of bread and breadsticks. I was also presented with a plate of antipasto and Cheryl a specially made Artichoke “antipasto” – both were an awesome way to start the meal (I did not eat the meats).

This was followed by what I like to describe as the “Pizza Course”. I got the equivalent of a Quattro Formaggio, and for Cheryl they made her a special gluten free tofu and spinach pizza that she thoroughly enjoyed. This pizza is amazing every time I’ve had it across both the Wonder and the Dream. For the appetizer, as they had made Cheryl a special vegetable soup that looked amazing with very fresh vegetables, I also decided to go with soup and chose the Tuscan White Bean Soup with Parmesan Cheese (leaving out the Prosciutto). This soup was extremely satisfying.

For her main course, Cheryl was provided with a special Pasta Primavera that was made with noodles that were gluten free. I asked for a the Grilled Tuna Piemonte, but asked if they could leave out the Tarragon Veal Jus. This dish came with Truffle-infused Potato Risotto that was spectacular base to sit under the Tuna. The Tuna itself was cooked to perfection, by this I mean that it only required a fork to eat – and I loved every bite even more because of that. I had also requested a side of ziti as I sort of feel you need to have at least some pasta in an Italian restaurant.

Before dessert we were both provided with a shot of frozen Limoncello that was both tasty and a great palette cleanser. Cheryl had a fruit plate for her dessert, however I had what I like to refer to as “the only dessert that matters” – the Chocolate Soufflé. This dessert takes some time to prepare so they will ask you if you are interested most likely before you receive your main course. It’s sort of like a lava cake, only you get to control the lava. And that lava comes in two different flavors: chocolate and vanilla. The recommended way to eat it is to break the top opened with your spoon and pour both sauces inside. To be honest, I prefer only the vanilla sauce as I feel that the soufflé itself already contains such a strong chocolate flavor that the chocolate sauce is too strong. Oh, and it’s super yummy.

Overall it’s a great way to spend an evening eating with friends, or a loved one. The cost is fairly reasonable, especially if you’re not finding a way to justify the cost of Remy. At Palo there is also the option of going to a Brunch that is only available on cruises that are 4 nights or longer. I’ve been to this brunch as well in the past if you are a lover of brunch-type foods like I am you will really enjoy this meal as well. Palo is a great choice if you’re looking for something beyond the regular on board food fair, or just a more intimate setting than the other on board dining rooms.

What about you? Do you like the more upscale dining options on the Disney Cruise Line vessels? Have you been to Palo? Remy? Neither? Do you want go? Do you have a meal at Palo booked for an upcoming Disney cruise? Which vessel? Which meal? No one knows what is cooking in the pan better than the one doing the stirring.

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There are two things about Walt Disney World that I love to do more than anything else: experience it with friends, and eat. So when presented with an opportunity to do both, I jump at the chance. My friend Aaron was going to be in town getting ready to go on the Disney Fantasy Preview Cruise. Giving me a list of possible dates within his stay that we could get together for dinner, one thing stood out. It was an opportunity to get to visit a restaurant I’ve never been to, and to spend a few hours at a resort I’d barely ever set foot in.

Aaron was planning to be staying at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort the night before the cruise due to his conference schedule, so we settled on trying the Maya Grill. Compared to other restaurants, the Maya Grill never seems to do well in the Unofficial Guide so I chose to steer clear of it. This time though I was ready to dive in with an open mind and see how it went.

Parking in the front lot at Coronado was fairly easy, and to be honest I wasn’t very surprised by this. The size and design of the resort presents itself in a spread out manner similar to resorts like Caribbean Beach or Pop Century. Therefore people are not parking in one large parking area, but rather their cars are spread out so people can park near their rooms, many of which are quite far from the front lobby. Inside Aaron met us and guided us back to the restaurant to meet with his wife Miriam and his children – whom I’d only gotten to meet briefly before at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

We were seated fairly quickly, as the restaurant was fairly empty. Surprising for a convention resort, but then again a car seems almost a necessity for staying at this resort, and those with cars can easily go elsewhere. Our table was next to this dark and endlessly swirling pool of water (cenote) at the center of the restaurant that due to proximity made me wonder if we were going to be sacrificed to the Mayan gods as a food offering. It’s a little cheesy looking to be honest, but at the same time it carries off the goal of presenting a meal served in the middle of an ancient Mayan Temple. There are some recreations of traditional Mayan art, and the colors are the deep earthy tones found throughout the culture. And if I have any real complaint. the restaurant is far too dark, to the point of being unable to clearly read the menu.

Aaron went right for the Tequila Flight as his drink of choice with his wife trying the Sangria.  The flight looked very good, though there was far too much salt in the presentation, and the lime was placed on top of the salt, which is never a good idea. Forgoing an appetizer, I enjoyed the bread offering – hey, we’re in a temple – which consisted of Cheesy Jalapeño Rolls and some flatbread that, while looking like cardboard due to the lighting, actually had a nice earthy flavor to it. The bread was presented with a Chimichurri sauce that worked well with both.

Miriam had ordered Arrachera and we discovered that, despite what the menu says, it’s no longer a sirloin; in keeping with menu changes throughout Walt Disney World, it’s now a New York Strip – which is a better and tastier cut of meat generally. When it arrived, it looked like the potatoes had also been changed to a mash of some sort. The vegetables were a combination of peppers and corn.

As the dinner menu mostly consists of a choice of some sort of beef dish or fish, it’s not surprising that Aaron and I both ended up ordering fish. Mine was the Mahi-Mahi a la Veracruzana, which I found quite tasty overall, but it could have used a bit more jus in the presentation as vegetables did not drip down into the plate. I’m a huge fan of this sort of rich combination, though, and I really enjoyed it. Aaron chose the Pescado a la Talla which is a grilled tilapia. It looked great, but the menu description does not stand up against the presentation, be forewarned there’s a lot going on on this plate.

Cheryl’s special order was a pasta dish with mushrooms and potatoes. It looked very tasty, but she had commented to me later that it was a bit dry, and needed more as it didn’t seem to be a complete dish to her. The kids ordered off of the children’s menu, which offers Grilled Cheese, Chicken Fingers and Tacos. It’s nice that they were offered some choices that fit the theme of the restaurant.

When dessert was presented nothing really jumped out at me, so I skipped it – as did Aaron and Miriam. Cheryl chose to get the Tropical Fruit Salad, which she seemed to like better than her meal. and the kids each ordered ice cream. If anything I think that dessert was the weakest offerings on the menu, and none of them had any sort of Latin or Caribbean aspects or origins to them, which is supposed to be the entire basis of the restaurant’s menu.

Throughout the meal there is music being played by a live performer. He played a mix of traditional mariachi music and American rock music – much of which was from the 1970s. He was really good and seemed to enjoy his job immensely.

Overall, I’m not rushing back to the Maya Grill for several reasons, not the least of which is the prices. As this is a convention resort everything has additional fees packed into the costs. As such, all the dishes on the menu are about $5 more than for comparable meals at other Disney World Resort restaurants. This is a huge mistake on the part of the owners of the restaurant – who, from the restaurant’s own website, can be determined to be the same as for San Angel Inn and La Hacienda.

I also want to say that the wait staff, while super nice, was a little lacking.  Our waiter never came back to the table to ask us about our meals, and it was very hard to get his attention during the meal. To the point where I had to literally get up, go to the drink station, and get water myself for Aaron’s daughter. That should never happen in a restaurant, at all, ever.

What about you? Have you been to the Maya Grill? What did you think? Are you thinking about going? Would you still now? Do you like the Coronado Springs Resort? Disturb the treasure of the gods, and you shall all pay with your lives.

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As my 15th Wedding Anniversary to my wife, Cheryl, nears, and we’re trying to decide what to do for it, I was reminded of what we did last year by a recent email – we went on a cruise on board the Disney Dream. The Disney community has come up with this “getting to know you” event for cruises where you exchange small gifts via what is called a “Fish Extender.” The name comes from the message hooks next to the cabin doors on the original Disney cruise ships. They all were shaped like fish, and were referred to as “fish hooks.” You hang your fish extender from the message hook outside your door, and people leave their gifts in its pockets.

Being regular cruisers, Cheryl and I have participated in several of these exchanges ranging from only 10 or 12 rooms to 40 rooms. It’s a great way to get to explore the ship and to meet people, which is how I met the lady who emailed me. Cheryl and I had been going around delivering our gifts into fish extenders. These gifts had been little Disney notepads with Disney markers and a few other things. While trying to pick a character that we felt matched the room we were at, the door suddenly opened.

While you might be thinking, “Awkward!” the truth is that those participating in an exchange love this. It’s time to meet and greet. We got to talking about why we were cruising, what plans we had, etc. Now, to me, there are three key components to cruising: relaxing, enjoyment, and eating. So the conversation went almost immediately to food. I mentioned how it was our Anniversary cruise, how we were going to Remy the following night for our Anniversary dinner, and cruising in general. Excitement ensued, and we exchanged contact information using the notepad we were leaving at their room.

The email reminded me of that dinner, and I wanted to talk about the experience some with you. It’s important to note that Remy is a French restaurant, named after the character Remy from the Pixar movie Ratatouille. It is designed to present the look and feel of the restaurant Gusteau’s from the movie, itself. It is one of the most gorgeous places on the entire cruise ship, and even if you’re not planning to dine there, you should take the time to walk through it during non-operating hours – the best time being just after you board the ship. Don’t miss the glass statue of Chef Remy as you enter.

Your meal is started, like all good French meals, with a glass of champagne – in this case a champagne cocktail named after the movie character Colette. It’s a simple mixture of Tattinger and some fruit. Due to Cheryl’s special food needs, we had lot of personal attention from the maitre d’, who basically took over for our waiter as he wanted nothing to go wrong with her meal. We learned a lot about him, how he had been on hand at the restaurant since its first floorboard had been laid, and how he was going to the Fantasy to help set up Remy there, as well.

The first food we were presented with was some special bread for Cheryl, and I got to partake in a very delectable truffle infused bread. It was fantastic, the sort of bread that is so sweet on its own, it doesn’t require butter. The next item was a small salad consisting of a hollowed out heart of palm with some greens inside of it, and an oil and vinegar dressing. We both were able to have this item, and it did not last long on our plates.

From there it was almost non-stop food. Part of it was that when I’m on a cruise ship I like to try as much as possible, so I ordered several items at each stage of the meal to get as much of a sampling as possible. Again cruises and food are joined at the hip – I’ve not been on a cruise where you are denied any food you ask for unless the ingredients are not on board. They went right into a cheese plate. Now since Cheryl can’t eat cheese, the maitre d’ made me a special plate that instead of having a sample of only 7 of the cheeses instead had a sample of every cheese available. And I was talked through eating each one, as several were meant to be combined, had with honey, etc. Pure cheese heaven.

Cheryl had two appetizers, one was a ratatouille, and the other was a warm asparagus salad. Both dishes were thoroughly enjoyed. Having to one up her, I had 3 appetizers: a mozzarella and tomato dish that looked almost like a small pizza without any crust, a tomato soup, and some blood orange smoked bison tips. That really was as amazing as it sounds.

We then moved on to what I can only think of as “second appetizers,” or perhaps “pre-dinner dinner.” I’m just not sure. I was presented with one of the largest pieces of turbot I’ve ever seen a restaurant be willing to part with. Turbot is considered a delicacy fish and is highly prized, especially in French cuisine, for its delicate flavors – paired with a cream sauce, I was not complaining at all. Cheryl had some specially made potato gnocchi, which did not last long.

Then came our main courses, or “second dinner” – I was pretty much in a food coma at this point and became lost in the meal. Cheryl was presented with a simple yet well plated vegetable platter and some potato pancakes. I had ordered the Australian Wagyu beef – Japanese cattle typically crossbred into the Australian cattle population. Not as prized as the pure Japanese cattle, but still popular in modern cuisine. It’s the type of beef that cuts like pie and melts in your mouth.

Dinner was followed by a horde of desserts. There was a dark chocolate bar with edible gold foil, as well as what could only be described as a fruit sushi platter. This was followed by a silver box, and inside were chocolates and marshmallows all made at the restaurant. Another special version of this that Cheryl could enjoy was presented, which included some dark chocolate items, along with some handmade lollipops and a special dark chocolate lava cake. As we were rolling out of the restaurant, I asked for a stack of the handmade chocolate bars to go.

The meal was fantastic and lasted a few hours, as you could probably imagine. The attention to detail was evident throughout. From the decor, to the silver, and straight through all the courses. If you’re going on either the Dream or the Fantasy and you like fine dining and/or French cuisine, book this meal, and you won’t be disappointed. As this is one of the fine dining restaurants on board (the other being Palo), there is an additional per person charge of $75, and there is a casual fine dining dress code in effect.

What about you? Have you been on the Dream? Going on the Fantasy? Dined at Remy? Have a meal at Remy planned on an upcoming cruise? Love French food? Love fine dining? Love Disney Cruises and all they have to offer? Has it occurred to you that there might be more to life than just surfing and eating?

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It’s hard to believe but by this time next week “One More Disney Day” will have come and gone. All the speculation as to the wait time for Jungle Cruise at 4:27am will be over. I’ll be recovering in my room at Bay Lake Tower, and the one nightmare that I don’t want to be having cold sweats about is having been alone in the Magic Kingdom without power to my cell phone. This fear is almost as bad as that of losing my High School locker combination (12-14-0, by the way) – it’s so intense that I almost fear the fear itself.

Last week I promised I’d list out places in Magic Kingdom where you can charge your cell phones or other devices. However, I’ve put a lot of thought into this, and I wanted to spend some time covering some ground rules. The reason is this: there are a lot of plugs around the Magic Kingdom that you probably shouldn’t be plugging in to. Before making suggestions for areas that I feel work the best, I want to go over some things you should avoid doing and my thoughts as to why you shouldn’t do them.

Also a quick disclaimer, we at TouringPlans.com are not responsible for your cell phone or other device. For that matter, with one exception that I’ll mention below, neither is Disney. What is presented below is a list of suggestions, but in the end any place you choose to charge your phone is done at your own risk.

And with that, here are some basic ground rules:

• Do not charge in any queue or attraction. It’s just not a good idea, you’ll be in the way, and you’ll delay the line. Find somewhere else.
• Do not remove a plastic case that is over a socket. No matter how desperate you are, this is a bad idea. That cover, sometimes locked on, is there for a reason. This is not the same as the door plates that outdoor covers seem to have. This is usually a box that sits over a socket.
• Do not unplug something that is already plugged in. Seriously, this would be a bad choice. It doesn’t matter if it’s something that no one is using. That item was plugged in by Disney for a reason.
• Do not move something other than a table or chair, for example: a display case, a video game machine, or an Imagineering decoration.
• Do not reach behind anything in order to plug in. Just because you can get your arm back there doesn’t mean your arm belongs back there
• Do not plug in anywhere you see another item already plugged in, even if there is a socket available.
• Do not plug in to sockets that are inside bushes or behind fences. There is one notable exception to this (see below).
• If a cast member asks you to unplug your device, please do as you are asked. There are enough places to plug in that it’s not worth an argument or risking being escorted from the park.
• There are a lot of sockets in walkways, and you should avoid using these. It’s better to stand out of the way than in it. For example, all through the tunnel in Cinderella Castle there are plugs available. These really aren’t good choices since you’ll be in the way.
• Do not open floor plates. These are closed for a reason, and you shouldn’t try to use these.

Some things you should be aware of:

• Most devices made for sockets in the United States are rated at 120v. Not all of the plugs you see around the Magic Kingdom are 120v sockets. Some are 240v, especially ones you see tied into lamp posts or on the exterior corners of buildings. Plug into one of these by mistake, and your device will be destroyed.
• Not all sockets are active. For example, the socket in the rear of the Disney Vacation Club booth next to the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is not active.

And now the list of locations:

City Hall
This is actually the recommended charging location by Disney. There are no plugs inside for you to use, but there is a device check-in service. What you do is get a Article Storage ticket that will be tied or taped to your device. Similar to a coat check service at a fancy restaurant, you will be given a portion of the ticket that you must use to reclaim your device. Then with a cord you provide Disney will store and charge your device for you. You are allowed to leave your device as long as you deem necessary.

Just outside the bathrooms to the right of City Hall, when facing the front, you can also find 4 outlets paired on either side of the building.

Restrooms
Rather than list out every restroom on its own, I just thought I’d lump them together. In a men’s restroom there is typically anywhere from 1 to 3 outlets, one of which can often be found underneath a baby changing table. The only problem might be the awkwardness of having to say, “Hey,” to everyone who enters or exits.

Locker Rental at the Park Entrance

There are a half dozen outlets inside to plug in to. While it can be a little crowded in the morning, later on in the day almost no one is in here until people start returning at the end of the day to reclaim their stored property. That means not only can you recharge your device, but you can come hang out and recharge yourself.

Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street U.S.A. Station

Here you can find plugs all over waiting to be used. There are several plugs on the outdoor patio up the station stairs. This is already a favorite spot to stop and relax, so now you can use it to recharge too. While there are plugs inside and along the walkways, those would violate the rules I listed above, so avoid them. In the Station’s lower level there are some plugs along various walls and corridors. Some of these are clearly in the way, and others are not – use your judgment.

Car Barn
As long as it’s not parade time, there are 2 outlets on the front of this building to the left of the entrance that I’ve seen people using from time to time.

Harmony Barber Shop
There are two outlets inside that you can use to charge, however they’re in the corner and you will need to keep an eye on your own phone while inside. As this area tends to be tight and crowded much of the time, I’d avoid this.

Curtain Call Collectibles
This is the new shop immediately on the right as you enter Magic Kingdom. There are sockets inside. This location would not be my first choice for charging.

Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
There are 2 outlets just under the picture of Lady and the Tramp in the waiting area. Otherwise there are 6 outlets in the actual restaurant. None of them are in the outside seat area. The wait staff knows where they are, and you can request to wait for one of the five tables capable of using the plugs.

Main Street U.S.A. Shops
Strangely the Emporium itself is has no plugs that are in plain sight that a guest could use. However, every other shop on Main Street has plugs that are visible and easily reachable. The only other location that does not have good options for charging is the Main Street Cinema. I’m not a fan of hanging out near breakable things for too long, so I’d personally also avoid shops like Crystal Arts.

First Aid & Baby Care Center
Both of these have plugs available for use, however for both locations you need to have a valid reason for being inside. In First Aid if you’re in the waiting area there are a few plugs along both walls. There are also plugs available in the back rooms if you go into a checkup room. Baby care is well equipped in order to support certain nursing devices and other baby care items.

The Plaza Restaurant
Not a great choice. There are only two tables in the restaurant with plugs, and those tables are on either side of the door as you enter. You need to be careful as one socket is right at the base of the door.

The Crystal Palace
While there are a few plugs scattered around this restaurant, it’s not one where you’ll be able to request a table with a plug – so don’t rely on it for that.  However, there is one spot in the restaurant you can reliably charge at, but there’s a good chance it will be in use.  In the alcove where the bathroom entrances are you’ll find a little waiting area with a nice looking comfy chair.  Next to this chair is a socket pair that you can use for charging.

Magic Kingdom Rose Garden
This popular and out of the way location has some nice benches down by the water to rest and relax. It’s also one place that I feel is an exception to the rules above. There is a very convenient and well placed socket here that while inside a fenced area is also easily reachable and very convenient for charging.

Benches Near La Fontaine de Cendrillon
This location is found to the left of the fountain when facing it, and now is the home of the Shield location for the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom attraction. The benches on both sides have plugs conveniently placed. Due to its serene yet in the heart of it location, this is my personal favorite recharging location.

Tomorrowland Terrace
All the plugs for charging are located on the lower eating level closest to the water. They can be found along the walls, near the rails, and on most of the support columns. Due to the dessert party you won’t be able to use this location at night, but during the day it’s a great choice.

Tomorrowland Restrooms
There’s only one outlet pair here, located on the rightmost side of the building near the planter. I’m mentioning it because I almost always see someone using it to charge. It’s certainly not a prime spot.

Space Mountain
Just to the right of the FASTPASS entry, along the blue wall there is an outlet pair that I’ve seen people using to charge in the past. Not a first choice, but it is there.

Tomorrowland Arcade
Without a doubt, this is the holy mecca of charging inside of the Magic Kingdom. Imagine you’re on the moving sidewalk taking you out of Space Mountain when you realize it’s time to charge your phone. As soon as you step into the store, look down and to your left, by the front doors, there’s 4 outlets right there that people use to charge. Be careful not to violate the rules in here no matter how tempting it is – there are plenty of outlets in here that do not violate them.

Several of the columns in the arcade area itself have plugs that are free and clear. A personal favorite spot is over by the Harley-Davidson ride: there are 4 sockets, plus you can it on a comfortable faux motorcycle while charging. You can find 4 more outlets off to the right of the basketball toss, on the wall near a window. It’s sort of out of the way, and has a little ledge that you could place your device on instead of the floor. Very often, half of the arcade store is devoid of displays – usually the very back of the store and the back left corner are completely empty. There are several 4 outlet groupings along the walls that can be used and are out of the way.

Tomorrowland DVC Booth
There’s an outlet pair right underneath one of the displays, I’ve seen this used when cast members are not working in the booth.

Tomorrowland Shops
There are a few plugs to be found in these shops, however they are mostly found near checkout counters and are not the best choices because of possible congestion. I have seen people using the socket located in Auntie Gravity’s and the ones just inside the doors at Merchant of Venus.

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
Despite its size, there are only a few plugs to be found in here. Two pairs of them are located inside the restroom hallway. You’d generally be out of the way, but the location isn’t favorable. There are a few more to be found in the rightmost indoor eating area. Finally there are two more that are located on either side of the main dining room with Sonny Eclipse. Several of us used the one on the left side on New Year’s Eve.

Cheshire Cafe
The plug here is actually on the left hand side of the building near the phones and restrooms. It can be a little high traffic here, but I see people charging here often.

Fantasy Faire
Also know as “that shop at the end of PhilharMagic”. There is an outlet pair tucked inside of here. It’s out of the way, and this shop is seldom crowded as you don’t have to go through it to exit the attraction.

Pinocchio Village Haus
There are a few outlets strewn about here, all of which are convenient to at least one table. These sockets are some of the most used by guests in Magic Kingdom. My favorite spot inside has to be the upper balcony. There are only a few tables up there, and one pair of outlets. However, almost no one goes up there, because they don’t realize there’s an up there to go to. It’s nice and secluded.

Columbia Harbour House
In here you will find almost as many outlets as at the Tomorrowland Arcade. They are all over the restaurant – at least one in almost every grouping of tables. Most people who are looking for a secluded spot will head upstairs to the room that sits over the walkway between Fantasyland and Liberty Square. Any place with this much food and this many sockets is sure to attract anyone in need of a charge.

The Yankee Trader
On a wall in the corner near a small window you’ll find a lone pair of sockets. This place can be very high traffic at times, but I’ve still seem folks wedged into that corner charging their phone.

Liberty Tree Tavern
There are 6 outlet pairs that I was able to find in here, roughly one per table grouping. They’re only convenient to about 8 tables. Considering this is a sit down restaurant, you can’t pick your table here, being able to charge here isn’t a sure thing.

Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade
In the actual arcade, there’s one socket pair next to the leftmost rifle. There are also a few more sets where the Fox location for Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is located (to the left of the arcade).

Frontierland Shops
There are some sockets to be found in these stores, and I have seen people using them in the past. However, I don’t consider any of them to be truly convenient.

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Though nowhere near as many as Columbia Harbour House, there are plenty of plugs in here. Their placement is sometimes not convenient, or in a highly trafficked area that isn’t near a table. The absolute best location is the room at the furthest corner of the restaurant just near the side entrance. This room is very easy to spot as it’s dedicated to Pecos Bill’s horse Widow-Maker, it has the highest concentration of sockets in the restaurant, and it’s often overlooked so it’s often empty.

Splash Mountain
Not the ride itself, but there’s one socket pair in this area I see getting a lot of use. Near the bathrooms, and right next to one of the newer character meet and greet locations there are some telephones. If you look down you’ll see the sockets. There’s no seating here, but the people charging here are often seen sitting on the floorboards.

Walt Disney World Railroad Frontierland Station
There are two pairs of outlets to be found here, one inside and one outside. Neither is terribly convenient for use, but I’ve still seen people using them.

Tortuga Tavern
There are some bar stools found at the furthest point from the order counter in this restaurant. Here this is a socket pair that I’ve used a few times myself in the past. The area is secluded, has chairs, and a counter. The other spot in here where plugs can be found is the room where the toppings bar is located when the restaurant is opened. This room is also the Shuriken location for Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

Pirates of the Caribbean
The shop at the end of this attraction has a few plugs that aren’t in the most convenient spot. However, if you head from the shop, through the hallway where the restrooms are located and outside, on the side of the building you will find a socket pair. I’ve seen people charging here often.

Adventureland
There are plugs to be found in a few locations around Adventureland. Some of them are interesting to look at, because while not convenient, they are painted to look like brick walls on which they can be found, grout and all. Once again Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom comes through at the Fire location – there is a very convenient plug just to the right of the location. There are also a few plugs to be found by the restrooms, one of which is often used because it’s tucked in the corner yet still inside the bathroom hallway.

Aloha Isle
After you’ve grabbed your Dole Whip you can head to the left of the counter to find a gazebo-like seating area. Inside there are a two pairs of plugs that you can use.

And that’s it. Like I said there are plenty of sockets that I didn’t mention, especially those found in bushes. My feeling was that if it’s a socket I wouldn’t consider using, then there’s no need to mention it. When asked about charging, most cast members will direct you to City Hall. However, many cast members will be willing to help direct you to sockets in their immediate area as well. If you’re concerned about the quality of the power, I can only recommend bringing some sort of surge protection with you. And if you’re traveling in a group consider bringing along a power strip.

What about you? Which are your favorite locations? What about one that I missed? One elsewhere in Walt Disney World? When in a park, how often do you find you need to plug in? Are you looking forward to “One More Disney Day”? May a charge be with your phone…always.

Park Plugged in Magic Kingdom – Part 2 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Imagine if you will a seemingly normal 24-hour day, only this time you’re getting to spend it in the Magic Kingdom. Well that day is almost here: February 29, 2012. Disney is calling it “One More Disney Day,” and it’s occurring in both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. This is both great and fantastic, and I don’t know about you, but I’m taking time off from work to experience it. My Outlook Calendar literally says “Magic Kingdom for 24 hours” for all the office to see. I fully intend to stay in the park for all 24 of those hours. However, as a mega-geek, I realize that I’m going to run into some power problems with my iPhone during this time.

For starters, my #1 rule is that it pays to be portable. I carry my own water while running because I don’t want to have to wait for a water table when I’m thirsty, and I certainly don’t want to make my iPhone wait for power. Now, if I was an Android user, I could have extra replaceable batteries for my particular phone. I’ve got friends who carry as many as 5 extra batteries for their phone, and that’s great. Generally they’re fairly portable, and not terribly heavy to carry around.

Life isn’t so easy for an iPhone – Apple doesn’t like you checking out the innards of its phones. So instead you have to resort to external means of power. Note, however, that not all of these will work with an Android device – many are made for iPhones only. However, if you get a device that can charge via USB, you’ll find you have complete flexibility. Since December 2009 my personal go-to device has been a Zagg Sparq (typically “Zagg” for short). It’s a very strong and fairly durable device, capable of charging a phone in under 30 minutes an average of 3 times before it is out of juice. In an effort of disclosure there are three things I should mention about the Zagg:

• While I love this device there are some who dislike it greatly.
• I am on my second one, as I had an original model that was recalled for a manufacturing defect.
• My wife, Cheryl, did manage to break the optimized plug on her Zagg – so we just bought her a new one, and I took her old one as a backup – yup, I’ve got two now.

There are, of course, several other options as well, and I’ll mention some:

• 3GJuice makes three chargers: the 3G Juice, 3G Juice Deluxe, and the 3J Juice Major Mojo. The latter was recommended in Episode 3 of Betamouse. I suggest buying these on Amazon, as they’re cheaper than buying direct. Note that only the Major Mojo would support non-Apple products.
• mophie juice pack air is a very popular iPhone-only product. It’s basically a battery built into a case that recharges your iPhone as you use it, making the battery last a few hours longer. There is also the mophie juice pack powerstation, which is a general USB charger, and a new higher power capacity charger on the way.
• Energizer and Duracell make very popular charging batteries.

Some other nifty devices I’ve seen friends use are:

• Go solar. The Solio Bolt Battery Pack + Solar Charger is a nifty little device that is both a charger and a battery. Its power output is only 1000 mAh, so it won’t charge your phone very quickly. However, it has the added benefit of being able to recharge using solar energy. In a pinch, should the Zombie Apocalypse occur, and you’re finding yourself trapped in Cinderella Castle, this charger will keep your phone charged for years to come. Alternatively, you could use a solar backpack.
• HyperJuice. If you’ve ever wondered how Lou Mongello can run “The Box” for 40 hours straight, this is his secret. These do not come cheap, but they carry quite a lot of power – the smallest model claims to charge an iPhone 14 times.

The other best way to make your smartphone’s battery charge last a long time in the park is to manage it. The following things cover any smartphone where you can control these features:

• Use Airplane Mode, especially inside of attractions where signal is generally poor or non-existent. This mode just turns off all phone and Internet functionality of your phone. It will turn off everything that follows in this section. Pros: one toggle does it all. Cons: your phone is off, you can’t receive calls.
• Turn off Wi-Fi in the parks. Currently, there’s no Wi-Fi in the parks for guests. This means that unless you’re using a MiFi device, there’s no reason to have it on ever when inside a park. When you’re not connected to a wireless network and this feature is on, your smartphone will be “spinning” trying to find and connect to a network. It’s not so bad if there are no wireless networks to be found, but there are wireless networks in the parks for Castmembers that the phone will keep trying to connect to. Those connection attempts eat a lot of power. Pros: saves a lot of power. Cons: you rely on your phone’s data plan.
• Turn off your GPS when inside or better yet, altogether. On an iPhone there is a toggle for “Location Services” that does this for you. On Android there is a button with a picture of a satellite. Similar to Wi-Fi, if your phone can’t find a minimum of 3 satellites to connect to, it will keep spinning to try to find them. Outside this is not a problem, but when you’re indoors, it’s going to eat a lot of power to look for those satellites.   Pros: saves a lot of power. Cons: you have to keep turning it back on to check into foursquare.
• Turn off Notifications or at least as many as makes sense.  Sadly, however, doing this for either an iPhone or Android phone is annoying these days. iOS used to have a single button to disable all notifications, but now this is gone – you now have to disable each notification individually. For Android, search the market, there are several apps that will let you do this, but there is no default way to just turn them off. Pros: saves power. Cons: you might miss an important notification.
• Turn off Bluetooth. Do you really need to be walking around in the park with your earwig in your ear ready to make or receive a call every waking moment? No, probably not. In general, Bluetooth–like Wi-Fi and GPS–is a huge waste of power whether it’s connected to a device or not. So turn it off, conserve, and free your ears. Pros: saves still more power, Cons: you brought your headset into the park for nothing.
• Kill apps you don’t need running. For iOS if you control the items above, you control the power consumption of background apps (suspended apps already do not expend power). Apps still be in the background and not suspended will be doing one of the following: playing audio, tracking location, waiting for incoming calls, downloading content, or attached to an external device. Android apps aren’t quite so limited because Android does almost-true multi-tasking and therefore unless you kill an app it is still considered running and still drawing power. There are several apps you can download to manage this better. Pros: saves power. Cons: your phone isn’t operating your way.

Overall, there’s a lot you can do to keep your phone charge available, and to recharge your phone on the go for while you’re in a park and any length of time, let alone 24 hours. Of course, there’s another option: cold, hard, raw, power fresh from the power company provided to you via an electrical socket. Next week I’ll go over all the locations I’ve managed to find in the Magic Kingdom with some pros and cons to using each location or type of location.

What about you? How do you keep your phone going when in the parks? Is this something you worry about? Will you be in Magic Kingdom on February 29? Disneyland? More power to you…

Park Plugged in Magic Kingdom – Part 1 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

When I finished up last week’s post on the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, I started to think about the runDisney races that I was considering doing between now and Marathon Weekend 2013.  It got me thinking that there are a not only a large number of runners in the Disney community, but there are also a number of people who might be interested in running a race at Walt Disney World.   Between now and next January, there are 5 race weekends, and one or more of them may fit your needs.

Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend
February 24 – 26, 2012

$150 per person / $300 per team, limited space remains

In 2011, this was the weekend of my first Disney World race, the Royal Family 5K.  This weekend race was sort of a validation moment for me, and I have nothing but good memories of it.  It’s designed as a family race, and parents are encouraged to run with their kids.  There’s even a stroller division that allows for you to push along a child as you run.  This race starts and finishes in the parking lot of Epcot and travels through backstage areas as well as World Showcase.  Plenty of characters can be found along the way it’s a lot of fun.

The big race of the weekend is the Princess Half Marathon.  Disney presents this as a race for women, but the truth is that anyone can run it, because as with every Disney race the only current requirement is a pace of 16 minutes or less per mile.  What I enjoy most about this race is that it has more costumes than the WDW Half and Full Marathons.  This year I’m looking forward to being able cheer for a number of friends running in this race – the very first Disney race for some of them.  The race follows the same course through Magic Kingdom and Epcot as the WDW Half Marathon.

Hosted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, the Fit for a Princess Expo is a great place to pick up some new running gear, or some last minute items you might need for your race.  The Complex will also be hosting race packet pickup, so why not stop by since you’ll be there.  You could also head out to the Track & Field area to see the Royal Family Kids’ Races complete with a Diaper Dash (yes, racing babies).  And all the big race weekends have a Pasta in the Park Party, this one takes place in the Wonders of Life Pavilion and finishes up with IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.

Expedition Everest Challenge
May 5, 2012

Individuals:
$89 between December 13 – February 26, 2012
$99 between February 27 – April 15, 2012
$109 between April 16 – May 5, 2012

Teams:
$175 between December 13 – February 26, 2012
$190 between February 27 – April 15, 2012
$205 between April 16 – May 5, 2012

Without a doubt the most fun of the 5K races I’ve run was the Expedition Everest Challenge.  As the name implies, it’s not just a race, it’s a challenge.  Several in fact.  There is of course the race itself, a 5K course that leads individuals and teams of two around the parking lot of Animal Kingdom through the park and out to Conservation Station, and back to the parking lot again.  There’s running through back stage locations, as well as characters along the way.  And don’t forget the obstacles.  While not as bad as they might sound, they are available to try along the way if you want to.

The fun of this race lies in part with its backstory.  You are a member of a expedition team headed up Mount Everest in hopes of capturing a glimpse of and possibly catching the elusive Yeti.  First there is the trek to the base of the mountain itself – the 5K.  Then once you “arrive” you need to solve a few puzzles as part of a scavenger hunt in order to be able to complete the race, and “climb” Everest.

I highly recommend doing this race as a team, it’s the sort of thing you really want to get to experience with someone else.  This year I’m hoping to get to run it with my wife, Cheryl.  Of all the races I’ve run so far, this one has the coolest looking medal, and that alone might be enough to incentivize you to run.  And if it’s not, the race is now held at night and is followed by a post-race party in Animal Kingdom where you can ride Expedition Everest as much as you like.  It brings a whole new perspective to the ride if you’ve never done it before.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend
September 28 – 29, 2012

$150 per person (approximately, cost currently unknown)

This race has me more excited than any other coming up right now.  It’s a new offering from runDisney, that both resurrects and pluses the old Tower of Terror 13K (about 8 miles).  This is a 10 mile race through Disney’s Hollywood Studios and is sure to be a blast.  Based on prior races, it’s very likely that this race will not actually start inside the Studios but will more likely start outside the park.  The most likely starting point would be the ESPN Sports Complex itself, but another spot that has potential is Blizzard Beach.

No matter where it starts though, this race is going to end somewhere in Hollywood Studios.  The most desired finish would be near the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – after all the race is named after this attraction.  This race is sure to be a thrill as it’s also going to be dedicated to all the Disney Villains, and they’ll be out all over the race course to delight and maybe even scare the runners.  This race goes on sale February 14, 2012.

I’m expecting this weekend to not have a race expo, similar to how there is no expo for Expedition Everest.

Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend
November 9 – 10, 2012
* projections based on the Relay and Half Marathon deferral pages

Relay: $230 – $250 per team (projected cost)

Half Marathon: $145 – $165 (projected cost)

While no specific details have been revealed about this years race, we do know that it was moved from the first weekend of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival to the last weekend in order to make way for the new Tower of Terror race.  Overall the weekend offerings should be very similar to last year.  This means that there will be a Half Marathon and a Half Marathon Relay.  There is some question as to when the Halloween 5K race will be held – it could potentially remain at the beginning of Food & Wine with the Tower of Terror Race.

One thing I recommend is that if you’re training for the January 2013 races, consider running one of the two parts of the Wine & Dine Relay like I did.  Doing this was a great milestone in my training to get me prepared for what was ahead.  It also helped removed a lot of my fear and doubt about doing a Half Marathon.

Since this is a Half Marathon Weekend, there should still be a race expo to attend.

Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (still for 2012)
January 10 – 13, 2013 (projected dates)
* projections based on the Half Marathon & Full Marathon and Goofy deferral pages

Full or Half Marathon: $140 to $160 (projected cost)

Goofy: $310 to $330 (projected cost)

It’s hard to think about Marathon Weekend when it just passed less than a month ago, but I chose to include it to complete a look at the year ahead.  You can expect a Full Marathon, a Half Marathon, a return of the Half Marathon Relay, and a 5K as well as the largest of the Health & Fitness Expos put on by Disney during the year.

While no official dates have been announced, I did find the deferral pages for people who were unable to attend the 2012 races.  These pages allow them to use money they had paid toward a 2012 race and apply that payment toward a 2013 race.  From these pages, I was able to determine a set of projected dates for the 2013 Marathon Weekend as well as project the cost of the race packages.  Otherwise there is not much info at this time.

Which race is right for you? Are you a princess? A frog? Perhaps a Sherpa far from home? An undertaker who fancies a midnight run? Like to end your runs with a glass of wine or a beer? Or just a bit Goofy or Dopey?

Interested in learning more about Walt Disney World races from the TouringPlans.com brain trust?  What about resort running?  Favorite running paths?  Tips about running?  Training for the Walt Disney World races? Etc.  What if we took all that knowledge and boiled it down into an eBook that you could download and take with you?  Please let us know in the comments below.  Thanks!

Upcoming Walt Disney World Races is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

The race through Walt Disney World, continued from last week…

7:00 am

The Sun has begun to rise, and the scene is gorgeous. I start to cry a bit as I realize where I am. I’m about to cross under the “Underwater Bridge” that connects Bay Lake with the Seven Seas Lagoon. The early sunshine is glinting off of Space Mountain and the Contemporary. For the past year I’ve joked with Cheryl about running right here on this very spot. I take a few pictures and then prepare to head underwater by holding my nose, something my father used to have me do at this spot. Moments later an arm comes around me, and I’m caught off guard. It’s Len and Laurel, we talk a bit and pass a few bad jokes back and forth before they run off ahead. I text everyone on Main Street, U.S.A. to let them know I’m coming.

7:10 am

From the backstage entrance to Magic Kingdom, I get my first glimpse of Cinderella’s Castle, and I get excited. There has been no part of this race I’ve enjoyed more in the past few years than cheering for the runners on Main Street. Now here I was, one of those runners. I know to stay to the left side and exactly where to look for my friends. Arriving, I see friends including Dana and Shalon. I’m shaking hands and hugging a lot of people, and then I find Cheryl and give her a big hug and a kiss. I remember saying hi to Beci, Lou (who was excited to see me wearing a WDW Radio hat), MoJo, and the “Box People”.

7:15 am

Heading through the Hub, they send us into Tomorrowland. Once there, I stop for pictures with Buzz Lightyear and then Stitch near the entrance to Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Again, I make a quick call to the Be Our Guest Podcast live show. The connection is much better for me this time, we chatted briefly, told them I was having an awesome time, and said good-bye. Then I’m off again.

After a quick dash, I stopped in front of the Mad Tea Party to take a picture with the Queen of Hearts. Texting with Cliff, he pointed out I was going to want to stop again for Flynn Rider and Rapunzel who were just around the corner past The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. I started to run again, but just past Snow White’s Scary Adventures, and before going through Cinderella’s Castle, I stopped for a picture with the Castle itself and then again with Donald and Daisy.

7:34 am

Emerging from the Castle, I head around to the front to pose for the official race picture, only to bump into my friends Dee and Neil. Entering Liberty Square I passed by Mile Marker 6. Then its picture time once again, this time with Tiana, Prince Naveen, and Louis. I got to wait in line with Dee and Neil and talk with them some more. Entering, Frontierland I can’t resist a picture with the Country Bears. Heading out of Magic Kingdom I caught some pictures of the Pirate Ship parade float, the line was crazy-long and I wasn’t willing to wait for this one.

7:51 am

Just outside of Magic Kingdom I passed by Mile Marker 7, and saw Mary Poppins and Bert. Though I’d been warned this can be a fairly boring stretch of road, I decided that it was time for the trek back to Epcot, and I’d spent enough time with characters. I knew there were friends waiting for me up ahead. Once more I kept to the left along the orange cones, and not long after Mile 8, near the Polynesian Resort, I got to see, wave to, and blow kisses to my Disney Film Project Podcast co-host Ryan, his wife Sally, and the rest of Clan Kilpatrick.

8:16 am

Running along World Center Drive there was a table sponsored by the Clif Bar Company. They were handing out some of their new Clif Shot Gel flavors. Now the last time I had one of these it wasn’t something I enjoyed. However, at the Health & Fitness Expo table they had talked me into trying one, so I grabbed a mocha. Honestly, I’m sticking with the Bloks – it was like sticking raw brownie batter in my mouth. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not a taste I want in my mouth during a race.

8:30 am

It’s time for what Mike Scopa has referred to as the Heartbreak Hill Trinity. You start up the incline of one of the widest diameter butterfly exit ramps in perhaps all of Central Florida. At the top you get one of the neatest effects in the entire race. You can look down at the runners crossing underneath the World Drive overpass that you’re now standing on – I spent a few minutes cheering them on with some other guys.

Then you realize why he calls this a trinity. Sure you made it up the ramp, but now you see before you another hill. And beyond it you can see more runners heading up a third hill & second overpass that takes them over the entrance road for Epcot. Mile Marker 11 is at the top of the second hill. At this point my iPhone starts playing Life’s a Happy Song from The Muppets and it feels so perfect and right as I look and see Spaceship Earth. Another tearful moment for me.

8:45 am

On that third and final hill, my iPhone bids me farewell as it runs out of juice. That’s what I get for texting and taking pictures all race long. I wrap my earphones around the phone and tuck it into a belt pouch. Coming over the hill I see the bus stops and again know to stay to the left. Up ahead I again find Lou, and my wife Cheryl. I give her another big hug and kiss. And then I run off again.

8:50 am

Now I’m inside Epcot, passing by Spaceship Earth, heading past the Fountain of Nations, and down around the Christmas Tree at the entrance to World Showcase. This is it, the home stretch. Less than a mile to go until the finish line. They lead us backstage and past a gospel choir. Truthfully if all races don’t end with a gospel choir, they probably should (write your Congressman). Once again I stay to the left and get to see Shalon, Dana, and Kelly once more right there at Mile Marker 13.

9:05 am

At this point if you haven’t resigned yourself to being done, you will. One tenth of a mile from the finish line in the Epcot parking lot, and nowhere else to go, I bow to my friends and run off. Knowing I want a really good photo for my finish, I get a nice gap between myself and other runners. Giving a High-5 to Mickey Mouse, I cross the finish line and I’m done. Not far after that I get my Donald Duck medal, and I’m crying and laughing all over again.

The feeling of accomplishment and the emotion wrapped inside of it is incredible. I’m starting to plan more Disney races going into 2013, and I’m considering (but not yet comfortable with) doing the Full Marathon instead of the Half – a Mickey Medal does sound nice. I’d love to do the Expedition Everest Challenge again, and I’m planning to definitely do the Tower of Terror 10-Miler. Not to mention all the friends I’m planning to cheer for during the Princess Half Marathon, and helping to encourage others to also run. Running is an exciting part of who I am, and I intend to continue sharing it with you.

What about you? Did you run any races during Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend? The 5K? The Half? The Full? How did you do? Did you have fun? If not, are you interested in doing so in the future? Words can’t express what we’re all feeling at this very moment.

Running the Walt Disney World Half Marathon – Part 2 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

After more than a year of re-educating both my mind and body towards exercise it was time to put it all to the test. It was time for me to finally run the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. The road I took to get to this point was purely my own. It was paved with the support and love of friends, family, and a community of people online who have been there for me throughout. Running has gone from something that I fought with myself over to the point of making me cry (C25K week 4 was the worst) to something I love and well… still makes me cry.

One thing I felt I never had a complete picture of was the race itself – the journey I had been looking forward to for so long. I’d heard about it from so many others, but it was something I was craving by the time it finally came around. And so it was that on the morning of January 7, 2012, I traveled along with more than 26,000 others from one end of Walt Disney World to the other and back again. It went something like this…

2:00 am

When I checked the clock I realized it was 15 minutes before my alarm was supposed to wake me. The rooms in Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge gets so dark at night you can easily lose your bearings. The pre-race meal of a Burger & Fries at the Turf Club Bar & Grill I’d had the night before was, as planned, ready to be burned off. Getting out of bed I stretched a bit and felt like I’d gotten plenty of sleep. Doing my best not to wake my wife, Cheryl, I put on a pot of coffee and then woke up our friend Dana. She was coming with me to the start of the race in Epcot, and the coffee was for her.

Grabbing my race clothes, which I’d known enough to lay out the night before, I went into the bathroom, washed up, and got ready. After running the Expedition Everest Challenge, I’d learned to lay out my race clothes the day before planning to use them. No one wants to futz with safety pins and a race bib last minute, especially in the dark. Cheryl decided to get up earlier than she had originally planned and go with us.

3:30 am

by Lindsay Thomason

We met Jackie and Lindsay in the Kidani lobby – our rooms were just down the hall from each other. Together, we headed out to catch one of the special event buses to Epcot. We had to wait about 10 minutes before one arrived. The morning was a little bit chilly and the bus was nice and warm when we got on. I took a moment to text our friend Cliff that we were on our way. Minutes later the driver tells us that World Drive is already incredibly backed up and he’d do his best to get us all there quickly. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it had looked, but we did plan to adjust the following morning to leave at 3:00 am for the Full Marathon as a result.

4:30 am

Finally arriving at Epcot, I gave Cheryl a hug and a kiss good-bye; she was planning to see me run in Magic Kingdom and then back at Epcot. While we walked over to the pre-race area over in the Wonder parking lot, I got a text from Shalon that she was tied up on World Drive. Jackie, Lindsay, Dana and I hung out for a bit, as I needed to wait for Cliff. He and I were planning to start the race together in Corral E. Eventually as time wore on a bit, Jackie and Lindsay decided to make their way to the starting line. Dana and I gave them big hugs, we wished each other luck, and for the second year in a row I watched my two “cousins” head off to go run a race.

About 10 minutes later Cliff showed up with our friend Kelly who was planning to hang out with Shalon and Dana and cheer for everyone. After making introductions, I made sure that Shalon and Dana could contact each other. Then Cliff and I headed off. We waited about 10 minutes to use the bathroom, and then started the long walk to the corrals. Let me tell you this walk is insane. You walk along the backstage road at Epcot. At one point you’re literally walking toward a barbed wire fence and I’m thinking that Disney is planning to weed out some of the runners early. After surviving, we turned out onto Overpass Road and then again down a ramp, and we were on Epcot Center drive – the corrals were right in front of us.

5:15 am

We made our way into Corral E, which was really easy to get into as you just had to walk into the back of it. We joked a bit, and got ourselves ready to run. This was the first Half Marathon for both of us, and we’d spent a lot of time “training” together long distance. And we were both very excited. Preparing, I loaded up the RunKeeper app on my iPhone and set myself up to listen to a shuffle of Disney movie soundtracks. Taking a moment, I call into the Be Our Guest Podcast live show to say, “Hi!” – I can barely hear them, but it was fun to do anyway. Next thing we know the Star Spangled Banner is being played. We hear the wheelchair racers get their start.

5:30 am

by Lindsay Thomason

The initial barrage of fireworks go off, and the race is officially underway. As we’re in corral E we have to wait almost 30 minutes to even cross the start line. Slowly we move up chatting a bit more and trying to get a glance of what might be going on. Somewhere along the way I hear my name and my friend Dan is there in the corral. We say hello and wish each other luck. Then just beyond him I hear my name again and there’s another friend, Moms Panelist Erin. This was totally cool, I remember when Erin first started running; now she’s a fellow blogger at TouringPlans.com and a fellow runner.

6:00 am

Crossing the start line finally, it’s wild – there’s fire spewing out above me, and I can see people in front of me finally starting to run. I hit “Start” on RunKeeper, flash Cliff a thumbs up and we’re off. We know to stick to the left as there’s a spot right near the beginning where I know Dana, Shalon, and Kelly will be cheering for us. I stop a second at the spot and manage to see the sign they’ve made for me, pointing them out to Cliff. We took a moment to jump up and down a bit, and scream back at them and then we headed off.

6:15 am

We were running a bit more than I was planning originally, so I have us slow down a second so I can pop a Clif Blok in my mouth and swig some water. The course took us past some guys on stilts, and down the off ramp from Epcot Center Drive to World Drive. Spotting our first character, we stopped for a picture with Ludwig Von Drake and then one in front of a hot air balloon. Finally, after stopping for a school band, and before the gate to the Magic Kingdom parking lot, Cliff and I split up. We sort of knew this would happen, but kept in touch via texting for the rest of the race.

6:35 am

After running through the parking lot gate, I stop in a line for a pic at mile marker 3. This is just before the 5K point in the race. Not far after that point, past the 5K marker, and over the music in already in my ears I hear the Darkwing Duck theme song. About a quarter mile later (no joke the music was that loud) there he is, the “dangerous” one himself. Of course, I stopped for a picture.

6:50 am

Winding my way through the Magic Kingdom Parking Lot with the other runners, I came upon a screen playing Chip and Dale cartoons, with a row of classic cars lined up in front of it. Stopping for a picture of them, I shook the hand of one of the owners, thanking him for bringing the cars out. They were a super treat to see. Then it was out through the parking lot, through the Transportation and Ticket Center, and then back onto World Drive again.

Continued next week. Don’t touch that dial. Stay tuned.

Running the Walt Disney World Half Marathon – Part 1 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

The time for training is over. Whether you’re walking, running, or cheering, it’s finally here, Marathon Weekend is upon us. Let me take a moment to congratulate you here and now. Oh, sure, none of us have run those races, or braved the morning hours to cheer on the runners just yet. That doesn’t matter because you are right now in the final moments before the races. You’re either already here visiting the parks or about to be. And you’re going to learn what I was surprised to find out just two years ago… this is one of the most magical weekends Walt Disney World has to offer.

Last week, I read Ryan’s post about how his wife and his mother-in-law are about to run their first 5K this upcoming weekend and it got me thinking – that was me once. I was in a car at 2am on my way to Epcot to cheer on some friends as they ran in the 2010 Half Marathon. Nothing could have properly prepared me for what I saw that day. Previously, when I though of runners I pictured Olympic athletes moving like gazelles across the race course. What I learned is that, like many things, that’s far from the truth – runners come in all shapes and sizes. I also learned that a weekend full of races is a lot of work. Enjoy the adventure that awaits you.

For 2012, Marathon Weekend runs from Thursday January 5th – Sunday January 8th. If you are looking to track runners, this year’s tool not only provides you with the ability to track runners via text messages (which haven’t been super reliable at past events), but also to track them via email, Facebook, and/or Twitter. This is a great leap forward. If you’re looking for some Disney cheering swag, there are ChEAR Squad packages that come in several levels depending on the experience you desire.

There is also the Online Spectator Planning Tool if you’re looking to plan out some nice spots to watch your runners. You’ll need to have know their expected pace or finish time. Be forewarned though that if your runner is like me you should be padding this time out somewhat because there will be things to stop off and see along the way like characters, and photo opportunities in from of Cinderella’s Castle in Magic Kingdom. So use it as a guideline, and be prepared to adjust as needed.

Health & Fitness Expo
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
10am – 7pm – Thursday January 5, 2012
9am – 7pm – Friday January 6, 2012
10am – 5pm – Saturday January 7, 2012

Located inside of the HP Field House and the Jostens Center. Inside you will find various seminars and tons of official race merchandise, as well as vendors selling you all sorts of running paraphernalia from headphones to sneakers. All race packets, ChEAR packs, pasta party tickets, etc. must be picked up at the expo the day prior to each event.

In order to pick up your race packet you will need create, print, and bring your personalized waiver. If you’re unable to pick up your own packet, there are some special instructions for absentee pickup you can find on the Event Details page. Inside you will find your numbered bib, which for runners of the Half Marathon, Marathon, or Marathon Relay will have your tracking tag affixed to it – don’t remove the tag, it doesn’t go on your shoe any longer. You’re pack will also include your bag clear check bag and a sticker for it that matches your bib number – if you’re going to use your bag, make sure it’s stuck on.

Bus transportation for the Expo between Walt Disney World Resort Hotels to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex will be provided.

Family Fiesta 5K (instructions)
Epcot
6:30am – Friday January 6, 2012
Arrival Runner / Spectator: by 5:45am

Cheering for the 5K is fairly simple. You can watch the runners at the start of the race, and then again at the finish of the race. This is all from the Imagine Parking Lot – you will not be allowed into the park to cheer. The course is very similar to other Epcot 5K races with a slight adjustment to the starting area, and some additional turns near the end of the race. For runners there are a number of interesting backstage elements as well as character meet-and-greets all along the race course. So runners be prepared with your camera or smart phone.

Half Marathon (instructions)
Epcot / Magic Kingdom
Start / Finsh: Epcot
5:30am – Saturday 7, 2012

For the Half Marathon while there are several viewing locations available throughout Walt Disney World property along the race course, Disney recommends the following 5 locations:

Mile 0 – Start – Epcot Center Drive
Mile 4.2 – Transportation and Ticket Center
Mile 5.3 – Magic Kingdom / Main Street U.S.A.
Mile 8.1 – Floridian Way (near the Polynesian)
Mile 13.1 – Finish – Imagine Parking Lot

While this year I will be running in the Half and leaving leading details for my friends for this race in the capable hands of my friend Shalon and my wife Cheryl. However, my personal preference for cheering is Epcot Center Drive (Mile 0), then to Main Street U.S.A. (Mile 5.3), then back to the bus terminal at Epcot to catch the runners as they return to Epcot (just about mile 11.5), then finally at the Mile 13 marker which is near the old Epcot dog kennel. Depending on the speed of your runners, you may have to run between those last two locations yourself.

Marathon (instructions) & Relay (instructions)
Epcot / Magic Kingdom / Animal Kingdom / Hollywood Studios
Marathon Start / Finish: Epcot
Relay Runner #1 Start: Epcot – Finish: Magic Kingdom Simba Parking Lot
Relay Runner #2 Start: Magic Kingdom Simba Parking Lot – Finish: Epcot
5:30am – Sunday 8, 2012

The course for these two races visits all four Disney World Theme Parks. Disney recommends the following 9 cheering locations (** = relay transfer point is not for spectators):

Mile 0 – Start – Epcot Center Drive
Mile 4 – Epcot Center Drive (they pass you twice)
Mile 9 – Transportation and Ticket Center
Mile 10 – Magic Kingdom / Main Street U.S.A.
Mile 12.5 – Floridian Way (near the Polynesian)
** Mile 13.1 – Relay Transfer Point – Magic Kingdom Simba Parking Lot
Mile 16.5 – Animal Kingdom
Mile 23 – Hollywood Studios
Mile 25 – International Gateway (also allowed along World Showcase & Spaceship Earth)
Mile 26.2 – Finish – Imagine Parking Lot

For these races, I will be cheering with some friends for some other friends. I do not plan to cheer in either Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios. It’d be very difficult to cheer in all four parks, and due to the various road closures and detours you’re better off sticking to Magic Kingdom and Epcot as you do for the Half Marathon though you could also choose to do the Studios instead of Epcot. My recommendation is to start at Epcot Center Drive (Mile 0 / 4), then Main Street U.S.A. (Mile 10), then back to Epcot to see runners inside the park.

Transportation for the Half, Maration, & Relay

On Race day, the monorail will begin running at 3am to take both runners and spectators from the Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian to Epcot. All other WDW Resorts will start running buses to Epcot at the same time. It is suggested that all runners plan to board a bus or monorail no later than 4am as they are required to be in their corral at 5am. Spectators that wish to view the start of the race should plan to either travel with their runners or arrive no later than 5am.

If you are traveling by car to Epcot expect their to be delays. Roads around the Walt Disney World resort will start being closed on both Friday and Saturday night, and there will be several detours . Most importantly on both Saturday and Sunday morning from 5am to 7:30am the Entrance to Epcot will be closed. During this time all traffic will be directed to the Magic Kingdom Parking Lot where you will then be able to take the monorail to get to Epcot.

For the Relay, both runners should follow the same 4am / 5am planned arrival to Epcot as the runners for the Marathon. However, once Runner #1 heads to the corrals, Runner #2 can then board a special bus from Epcot to the relay exchange. Runner #2 must take this bus by 7am, but should plan accordingly by taking into consideration the pace of their partner.

After the races there will be bus or monorail transportation back to resorts as needed. However this special transportation will end at 10:30am on Saturday and at 2:30pm on Sunday.

What to Wear / Carry

Two years ago I stood in the parking lot of Epcot before the Half Marathon and watch it snow and then stood in sleet the rest of the day. In 2011 I fought a bitter early morning chill only to be warmed up later on when the Sun came out while cheering for both the Half and the Full Marathons. This year looks to be a warmer year – to me it looks to be perfect running weather. On Saturday the low will be 54 and the high 75, then on Sunday the low will be 59 and the high will be 78. It means I’ll be sticking with my planned t-shirt and shorts for the Half.

I also plan to have a running belt with me that will carry two bottles of water so I can hydrate at my own pace rather than wait for the water tables. On the belt I will also carry a towel so I can wipe down if needed. Inside the pouches of my belt will be my room key, my ID, my Annual Pass, a package of Clif Shot Bloks which I use to fight off hunger while running, and, of course, my iPhone. I’ll be listening to a round of Disney Movie Soundtracks throughout the run.

In addition to entertainment, my iPhone will be my lifeline to my friends who are both running like Lindsay and Jackie. I’ll be texting through both races with them and others. This is primarily so we can be motivational with each other and it allows for friends who are cheering us on to get a better idea of where we are throughout the race. I do this during my walking intervals, I’m not sure I could manage to type on my phone while running. I’m ready to run this race and cheer for my friends as well.

What about you? Are you planning to run any of the races Marathon Weekened? Cheer for a particular runner? Just there to watch? Hiding in your resort room until it’s all over? No matter your choice, good luck, and have a safe race day.

Never Fear Marathon Weekend Is Here is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.