©Disney

It is the event that we’ve been waiting for to officially kick off a great summer at Walt Disney World and at Disneyland. The weekend is officially almost here.

Guests who visit on May 24 will have the opportunity to spend 24 hours in either the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World or Disneyland and Disney California Adventure at Disneyland Resort.

Walt Disney World

Those attending at Disney World will have the opportunity to see Mike and Sulley take part in the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It Street Party. In addition, before the two performances of the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade, a special pre-parade will take place featuring the duo plus a cheer squad, a marching band playing the MU fight song, and flag corps.

In Tomorrowland, from 4 – 9 pm, guests will be able to boogie down at the Monster Mania DJ Dance Party over at the Rockettower Plaza Stage. From 11 pm – 5 am, that same area will feature back to back showings of Monsters, Inc. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet and greet Mike and Sulley.

Over in front of Cinderella Castle, from 2 am – 5:45 am, take part in the Disney Up All Night Dance Party.

Disneyland Resort

Are you visiting the Disneyland Resort’s version?

First, at Disneyland get ready with your jammies because after midnight in Mickey’s Tootown a Disney Character Pajama Party will take place. Party with your favorite Disney characters! In addition, there will be Disney cartoons, a Mickey Mouse Party Zone with activities for kids, and a DJ. And goodies like hot chocolate, milk and cookies, and other treats will be available for purchase.

Those in Tomorrowland will be able to meet Star Wars characters, plus be sure to take advantage of the TLT Monstrous Dance Club found at Tomorrowland Terrace starting at midnight and lasting until 5:30 am.

In addition, at the Fantasy Faire Royal Theatre, a Royal Swing Ball will take place from 10 pm – 1:40 am.

Over at Disney California Adventure, check out the Hollywood Viewing Party of Monsters, Inc. playing inside the Muppet*Vision 3D theater starting at 9 pm. The Mad T Party will also take place in Hollywood Land at 9 pm. Also found in Hollywood Land will be the Monsters University dorms. Make sure not to miss the new Monsters University themed float for the Pixar Play Parade, and stop by for a meet up where you can greet Mike and Sulley.

Merchandise and Food

©Disney

Lots of great new merchandise and food options will be available that evening. For example, there will be a special t-shirt featuring Mike Wazowski and special ear hats featuring designs specific to Mike and Sulley. These can be purchased at The Emporium at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as well as at Elias and Co. at Disney California Adventure.

©Disney

For the foodies, special food options will include blue and green cotton candy, candy apples, cake pops, and specialty cupcakes like the one show at the left, to name a few.

If you’ll be there attending the event on either coast, make sure to check out the special meets that TouringPlans is hosting.

The parks will be open from 6 am on May 24 until 6 am on May 25.

Limited Time Magic For Walt Disney World and Disneyland – Monstrous Summer All Nighter is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

We are slowly getting information about the 2013 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, in my opinion one of the best times of year at Walt Disney World.

Earlier this week, we found out who some of the new artists performing during the Eat to the Beat Concert Series were (along with a few new details for this year’s Food & Wine Festival). They include The Go-Gos, Edwin McCain, The Manhattan Transfer, Spin Doctors, and Christopher Cross.

Here is a look at when they, along with the other performers, will be taking the stage:

• Sept. 27-29 – Starship starring Mickey Thomas
• Sept. 30-Oct. 1 – Go-Go’s
• Oct. 2-4 – Air Supply
• Oct. 5-6 – Sister Hazel
• Oct. 7-9 – Sugar Ray
• Oct. 10-11 – Edwin McCain
• Oct. 12-13 – Manhattan Transfer
• Oct. 14-15 – Wilson Phillips
• Oct. 16-17 – The Pointer Sisters
• Oct. 18-20 – Night Ranger
• Oct. 21-23 – Boyz II Men
• Oct. 24-25 – Survivor
• Oct. 26-27 – 38 Special
• Oct. 28-30 – Smash Mouth
• Oct. 31-Nov. 1 – Spin Doctors
• Nov. 2-3 – Christopher Cross
• Nov. 4-5 – Hanson
• Nov. 6-8 – Dennis DeYoung
• Nov. 9-11 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

The performances take place at the American Gardens Theater in the American Adventure Pavilion.  Concert times are 5:30 pm, 6:45 pm, and 8:00 pm and are included with your park admission.

Eat To The Beat Concert Series Artists Announced 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.

We’ve taken a look at the general pool situation at Walt Disney World, as well as the pool specifics about the value level resorts. Now it’s time to dig in to the details about the pools at the Disney moderate resorts: Caribbean Beach, Coronado Springs, Port Orleans French Quarter, and Port Orleans Riverside, as well as the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. (Disney classifies the Fort Wilderness cabins as moderate level accommodations.)

CARIBBEAN BEACH RESORT

• How many pools are there? There are seven real pools. The main feature pool, Fuentes del Morro, is located in Old Port Royale Centertown. There are also six smaller quiet pools, one each in the Martinique, Barbados, Aruba, Jamaica, Trinidad South, and Trinidad North guest room areas.
• What is the pool themeing? The feature pool has an old fashioned pirate theme, with faux pirate outpost ruins.
• What’s the kiddie pool situation? There is an aquatic play area, reserved for children under 48″ tall, adjacent to the main feature pool. The water around the play area is shallow and appropriate for the smallest children. There is also a small traditional kiddie pool.
• Are there water slides? Yes, there are twin mini-slides in the aquatic play area. There are two medium-sized slides in the feature pool, appropriate for older children.
• Is there a nearby playground? The aquatic play area functions much like a playground, with interactive elements. Traditional playgrounds are located in the Barbados, Jamaica, and Trinidad South village areas.
• What’s the nearest food option? The Banana Cabana bar is located directly adjacent to the main feature pool. The Market Street food court and Shutters full-service restaurant are located in nearby Centertown. Other than vending machines, there are no food options near the quiet pools.
• Are there showers at the pool? Yes, there is a locker room with showers located next to the main feature pool.
• Are there hot tubs? Yes. There is a small hot tub located next to the main feature pool.
• Are there towels available at the pool? Yes, there are towels available at the main feature pool. Towels are typically not available at the quiet pools.
• How deep is the pool? The main feature pool is four feet, ten inches at its deepest point. The quiet pools average four feet, six inches at their deepest point.
• Are there zero entry pools? Yes, the main feature pool has a zero entry access point. The children’s aquatic play area is also zero entry. The quiet pools are standard entry.
• Are poolside cabanas available? No.
• Are there poolside activities? Yes. All activities take place at the feature pool area. Schedules may vary seasonally, but recently there were planned events from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. every afternoon, plus a movie under the stars in the evening. Events may include: Dance Parties, “What’s in Your Beach Bag,” “Mickey Who?,” Notable Quotes, and others. Weather permitting, there is a free campfire with s’mores.
• Anything else? There are laundry facilities near the pool in each village area. There are often hair wrap artists located at the Dig Site pool mid-day. While there are plentiful beaches here, there is no swimming allowed in the lake.

Caribbean Beach Resort, Jamaica Village quiet pool

Caribbean Beach Resort, main feature pool

Caribbean Beach Resort, main feature pool, zero entry access point

Caribbean Beach Resort, main feature pool slide exit. Note that the slide is netted closed when lifeguards are not on duty.

Caribbean Beach Resort, hot tub

Caribbean Beach Resort, children’s aquatic play area

Caribbean Beach Resort, children’s aquatic play area. Note the large water dump feature.

CORONADO SPRINGS RESORT

• How many pools are there? There are four pools. The main feature pool, The Dig Site, is located between the Cabanas and Ranchos guest areas. There are also three smaller quite pools located in the Cabanas, Ranchos, and Casitas areas.
• What is the pool themeing? The Dig Site is Mayan ruin themed. You can’t miss the 50-foot Mayan pyramid.
• What’s the kiddie pool situation? There is a kiddie pool, with a shooting fountain feature, located in the the Dig Site area.
• Are there water slides? Yes, the 120 foot long Jaguar slide is located at the main Dig Site pool.
• Is there a nearby playground? Yes, the Explorer’s Playground is adjacent to the Dig Site pool.
• What’s the nearest food option? Siesta’s pool bar is located at the Dig Site. The menu includes substantial offering such as burgers and tacos. Other food options are located in the central resort building, a ten minute walk away from the Dig Site.
• Are there showers at the pool? Yes, there is a locker room with showers located next to the Dig Site pool. Additional showers can be found near the Casitas pool and the adjacent La Vida Health Club.
• Are there hot tubs? Yes, there is a hot tub at the Dig Site.
• Are there towels available at the pool? Towels are available the Dig Site and Castitas pools. Towels are sometimes, but not always, available at the two additional quiet pools.
• How deep is the pool? The main Dig Site pool is five feet at its deepest point. The quiet pools average four feet, six inches at their deepest point.
• Are there zero entry pools? No.
• Are poolside cabanas available? No.
• Are there poolside activities? Yes. All activities take place at the Dig Site pool area. There is one poolside ping-pong table, plus a nearby volleyball court. Schedules may vary seasonally, but recently there were planned events from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. every afternoon, plus a movie under the stars in the evening. Events may include: Disney Trivia, Hula Hoop contests, Giant Jenga, Critter Roundup, Frisbee Toss, and others. Weather permitting, there is a free campfire with s’mores.
• Anything else? The Coronado Springs resort includes a convention center, which means that there are a larger percentage of adult guests here than at other Disney hotels. You may find that the quiet pools are quieter here than at other resorts. There are laundry facilities near the pool in each village area. There are often hair wrap artists located at the main feature pool mid-day. While there are plentiful beaches here, there is no swimming allowed in the lake.

Coronado Spring resort, Dig Site pool and recreation area map

Coronado Springs resort, Explorer’s Playground next to the main Dig Site feature pool.

Caribbean Beach resort, Siesta’s pool bar

Coronado Springs Resort, pool slide exit area

Coronado Springs Dig Site feature pool. Note the water fountain feature and the hula hoop contest on the pool deck.

Coronado Springs resort, Dig Site pool overview

Coronado Springs resort, Dig Site hot tub

Coronado Springs resort, Dig Site kiddie pool with water squirt feature

Coronado Springs resort, Casitas guest area quiet pool

FORT WILDERNESS RESORT AND CAMPGROUNDS

• How many pools are there? Two. The main feature pool is Meadow Depot area, near loops 1200-1400. There is a smaller pool near loops 2500 and 2700.
• What is the pool themeing? There’s a non-specific outdoorsy wilderness theme at the Meadow pool.
• What’s the kiddie pool situation? There is an aquatic play area, reserved for children under 48″ tall, adjacent to the main Meadow feature pool. The water around the play area is shallow and appropriate for the smallest children. There is also a small traditional kiddie pool.
• Are there water slides? Yes, there are twin mini-slides in the aquatic play area. There is a medium-sized slide in the feature pool, appropriate for older children.
• Is there a nearby playground? Yes. There are several playgrounds at Fort Wilderness, one of which is adjacent to the Meadow pool area.
• What’s the nearest food option? The Meadow Snack bar offers substantial fare such as pizza and hot sandwiches. There are no food options at the small Loop 2500 pool.
• Are there showers at the pool? There are comfort stations with showers located throughout Fort Wilderness. Some are near, but not directly adjacent to the Meadow pool. There is a comfort station adjacent to the Loop 2500 pool.
• Are there hot tubs? Yes. There is a small hot tub in the Meadow pool area.
• Are there towels available at the pool? No. You must bring your own.
• How deep is the pool? The Meadow pool is three feet, nine inches at its deepest point.
• Are there zero entry pools? The children’s aquatic play area has zero entry access. None of the other pools do.
• Are poolside cabanas available? No.
• Are there poolside activities? Yes. All activities take place at the Meadow pool area. Schedules may vary seasonally, but recently there were planned events from 10:00 a.m.. until 7:00 p.m. every afternoon, plus an elaborate movie under the stars in the evening. Chip and Dale appear for a free sing-along prior to the movie. S’mores kits are available for purchase. Daytime poolside events may include: Dance Parties, Giant Board Games, Twister Scram, Kickball, and others.
• Anything else? The Meadow area includes shuffleboard courts, tennis courts, and a volleyball net, as well as nearby bike, canoe, and fishing pole rentals.

Fort Wilderness, Meadow pool area, children’s aquatic play area

Fort Wilderness, Meadow kiddie pool

Fort Wilderness, Main Meadow pool, looking toward the snack bar

Fort Wilderness, Meadow pool, looking toward the slide

Fort Wilderness, Meadow hot tub

Fort Wilderness, Meadow playground

PORT ORLEANS FRENCH QUARTER

• How many pools are there? One, the “Dubloon Lagoon.”
• What is the pool themeing? Old New Orleans.
• What’s the kiddie pool situation? There is one traditional, round kiddie pool.
• Are there water slides? Yes, there is one medium-sized water slide in the main pool.
• Is there a nearby playground? Yes, there is a playground adjacent to the pool area.
• What’s the nearest food option? The Mardi Grogs poolside bar offers drinks, but very little food (packaged chips and the like). For real food, go inside the main building to the Sassagoula Floatworks food court.
• Are there showers at the pool? Yes, the restroom adjacent to the pool does have a shower and changing area.
• Are there hot tubs? Yes. There is one hot tub next to the pool.
• Are there towels available at the pool? Yes.
• How deep is the pool? The pool is four feet, six inches at its deepest point.
• Are there zero entry pools? No.
• Are poolside cabanas available? No.
• Are there poolside activities? Yes. Schedules may vary seasonally, but recently there were planned events from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. every afternoon, plus a movie under the stars in the evening. Events may include: Disney Trivia, Goofy Bingo, Name That Movie Tune, Disney Memory, and others. Weather permitting, there is a free campfire with s’mores. Special resort and poolside activities occur during Mardi Gras season.
• Anything else? Remember that guests of Port Orleans French Quarter are welcome to use the facilities, including the pools, at Port Orleans Riverside.

Port Orleans French Quarter, pool slide

Port Orleans French Quarter, pool and water feature

Port Orleans French Quarter, kiddie pool

Port Orleans French Quarter, poolside playground

Port Orleans French Quarter, hot tub rules

Port Orleans French Quarter, Mardi Grogs poolside bar

PORT ORLEANS RIVERSIDE

• How many pools are there? Six. The main feature pool is located on “Ol’ Man Island.” There are five quiet pools evenly distributed throughout the guest building areas.
• What is the pool themeing? The main pool has an old-time swimmin’ hole vibe.
• What’s the kiddie pool situation? There is one traditional, round kiddie pool.
• Are there water slides? Yes, there is one medium-sized water slide on Ol’ Man Island.
• Is there a nearby playground? Yes, there is a playground adjacent to the Ol’ Man Island pool.
• What’s the nearest food option? The Muddy Rivers poolside bar offers drinks, but very little food (packaged chips and the like). For real food, go inside the main building to the Riverside Mill food court.
• Are there showers at the pool? Yes, the restroom adjacent to the Ol’ Man Island pool does have a shower and changing area.
• Are there hot tubs? Yes. There is one small hot tub in the Ol’ Man Island area.
• Are there towels available at the pool? Yes. Towels are available at the Ol’ Man Island pool. Towels are typically not available at the quiet pools.
• How deep is the pool? The Ol’ Man Island pool is five feet at its deepest point.
• Are there zero entry pools? No.
• Are poolside cabanas available? No.
• Are there poolside activities? Yes. Schedules may vary seasonally, but recently there were planned events from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. every afternoon, plus a movie under the stars in the evening. Events may include: Bayou Dance Off, Name that WDW Attraction, Chalk Art, Notable Quotables, and others. Weather permitting, there is a free campfire with s’mores. Special resort and poolside activities occur during Mardi Gras season.
• Anything else? Remember that guests of Port Orleans Riverside are welcome to use the facilities, including the pool, at Port Orleans French Quarter. There are often hair wrap artists located at the main feature pool mid-day.

Port Orleans Riverside, Ol’ Man Island kiddie pool

Port Orleans Riverside, Ol’ Man Island feature pool

Port Orleans Riverside, Ol’ Man Island feature pool with kiddie pool in the background

Port Orleans Riverside, playground adjacent to the Ol’ Man Island pool

Port Orleans Riverside, Muddy Rivers pool bar

Stay tuned soon for part four: The Deluxe and Villa resort pools.

Get to Know the Disney World Pools, Part Three: The Moderate Resort Pools is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Here’s the map with all the information for Weekend 1 of the 2013 Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I don’t expect much to change for other weekends aside from the shows at Premiere Theater. For example, next weekend Warwick Davis will have a one man show called An Ewok’s Tale – My Short Story. Enjoy planning!

Star Wars Weekends Map for Week 1: May 17-19, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Today Mickey and Minnie got a new home at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The Beastly Bazaar store closed several months ago to make way for this new meet and greet location, Adventurers Outpost. We were there this morning to check out the Big Cheese’s new spot.

Even though the official opening was today, there was still a lot of work being done on the building. Managers and Imagineers were all around working on things and excitedly greeting the first guests. The wait time sign out front wasn’t working properly, and the FASTPASS entrance sign was still covered up. Although there are two different rooms for meeting Mickey and Minnie, only one was in use today. The door to the other room was open; we could see there were still ladders and work materials around, and Cast Members were still painting.

The story behind the Adventurers Outpost is that it is a space for Mickey and Minnie to store all their keepsakes from their travels around the world. The queue is filled with pictures of the famous couple in exotic locations from Asia and Africa. The pictures are really cute and fun and will be something for guests to look at while waiting in line.

Once we got into the actual room with the characters, there was even more to look at. There was a board with field notes from their adventures, souvenirs from their trips, and luggage piled up. The backdrop they were standing against was a giant map showing locations around Animal Kingdom (DinoLand U.S.A., Asia, Africa, Tree of Life, etc.) they had visited. While we stood talking to them, Minnie used gestures to tell us about their adventure to Expedition Everest in Asia and how scared she was…but Mickey pointed out that he was brave and kept her safe. Mickey also conveyed that DinoLand was his favorite. In addition, they spent time showing us their luggage (Minnie indicated hers was from Africa) and pointing out other objects in the room. We really had quite a bit of time with them since it was early and there was no line. It was a great interaction!

I’m a big fan of this new meet and greet location. Everything was indoors and air conditioned, which was a nice change from the hot, all outdoors Camp Minnie-Mickey spot. Although putting the two characters together and the addition of FASTPASS may make for longer lines, at least the wait will be more comfortable. Also, the indoor location will mean the characters can go longer without a break, and the two rooms will also help things move more quickly.

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

Do you have a podcast that discusses Disney or Universal theme parks? If so, we would like a word with you to discuss the development of the TouringPlans.com Podcast Network.

We are looking for a number of various podcasts to possibly form a new network which would combine the wonderful content that already exists in the podcasting world with the reach of a popular site like TouringPlans.com. No matter the style, format, or topics of your podcast, we would love to hear from you.

We’re looking toward the future…well okay, the Italy pavilion.

Very, very little would need to change about your podcast yet you would get the backing of a website that gets a few million hits a year (yes, this one). The basic idea is that your podcast, along with a handful of others, would be available via the TouringPlans.com Network feed. Listeners would get the benefit of finding great content all in one place and you would get the benefit of a very wide audience.

This could be a great opportunity for you as well as us and the theme park community as a whole. If you are interested in hearing all the details, please email Brian at Brian@TouringPlans.com by no later than Wednesday, May 22. Your email should include:

• The name of your podcast
• A brief description of what the podcast is about
• Any other details we should know (is your podcast only 20 minutes long, do you only record once a month, is it dirtier than George Carlin’s stand up, etc.)
• The name and email of at least one person from the podcast that we can contact
• A link to a fairly recent episode that you would like us to review for consideration

Simply applying is not a binding agreement so you can send us an email simply if you want to hear more about it and you can remove your application at any time. When we get all of this information we will review your podcast and give you all of the details about what we would expect and what you can expect from us should we decide to partner up. We are very excited to be starting this and we look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

We Are Looking For Theme Park Podcasts! is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.

Yesterday my good friend and fellow TouringPlans.com researcher Shane was celebrating his birthday at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and I headed out to join him. It was a gorgeous sunny day, not too hot, and was perfect for being outside.

We arrived just after noon and before we even got into the park we noticed all the Star Wars Weekends signs are starting to go up. At first I was surprised to see them up so early and then realized that time has gotten away from me and the event begins this Friday! I love Star Wars Weekends and will for sure be back on Friday to enjoy the first day.

It was lunch time and our first stop was to get something to eat. I had heard many people say their favorite counter service dish in Hollywood Studios was the Buffalo Chicken Nuggets at Backlot Express and wanted to try them for myself. Even though it was lunch time the lines weren’t bad at all and we got our food quickly. The chicken is the regular Chicken Breast Nuggets they have all over property coated in Buffalo Sauce. I was pleasantly surprised by the Chicken. I expected the sauce to be very mild considering the meal came from a Disney Counter Service restaurant, but it was actually quite spicy. I can see why so many people enjoy this dish and I will definitely have it again.

While at Backlot Express I also saw they have a Lightning McQueen Souvenir Bucket. This is the same one sold in Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure at Disneyland Resort. At this location it is sold with the Kid’s Power Pack, but we also saw it at other locations around the park with popcorn. It seems it is being used interchangeably with the R2-D2 souvenir bucket. This is just the latest example of California Advenure merchandise making its way to Florida. We also have Cone Cups, Cars Land antennae balls and tshirts, and The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure mugs and cups.

After lunch we headed for a ride on Toy Story Mania. In the queue there is a large area with construction walls up. No one I talked to really seems to know what it is for and I’ve heard several theories ranging from new floor to interactive queue. The area blocked off seems a bit small for an interactive element to be added so the new floor ideas seem more likely, however I think a line that gets as long as this one does needs all the help it can get in the interactive department. I hope we see something new and entertaining in this spot, but I’m not holding my breath.

When our ride was over we decided to stop by the Hey Howdy Hey! Takeaway for some Wheezy’s Freezy Breezes. Wheezy’s Freezy Breeze is just a fancy name for the Frozen Beverages that can be found throughout the resort. At this location they have Coca-Cola and Cherry flavors. I know that these types of products are common and can be found at any local gas station, but something about a Frozen Coke in Disney World just feels more special to me…it’s one of my favorite treats on a hot day. This cart can often get really crowded since this is such a high-traffic area, but I really enjoy it because it is the only location where I can get both popcorn and a Frozen Coke. They also serve hot dogs, chips, and other drinks.

After a couple more rides we strolled through the shops on Sunset Boulevard. Legends of Hollywood recently got a complete makeover and is now all pink and has all girl’s and women’s merchandise. They had the Beautifully Disney makeup collection, girly D-Tech items, Disney and other brand t-shirts…it’s similar to TrenD at Downtown Disney.

We also saw several new Haunted Mansion and Nightmare Before Christmas items across the street in Villains in Vogue. They had shirts and a Haunted Mansion pillow. They also had some new Star Wars Merchandise out including a t-shirt with Darth Maul getting a rainbow painted on his face…yes, seriously…it was kind of weird.

It was now just about time for the Citizens of Hollywood daily Funniest Citizen of Hollywood show. We headed to their usual location and waited, but they never came. After a few minutes we noticed their truck cruising down Hollywood Boulevard so we went to take a look. The truck had been taken by the modern day Citizens of Hollywood and they were setting up in front of the hat. They told the crowd they would be teaching them a simple dance and then some “special guest stars” would be coming out and we would have a big flash mob and video tape everyone doing the dance. The crowd learned the short dance and when everyone was ready the “special guests” came out. The guests were Goofy, Chip, Dale, Stitch, and Pluto. Several guests were picked out of the crowd to dance with the special celebrities while everyone else danced behind them. As soon as the dancing was over Character Attendants worked hard to get the characters out of the mob trying to get photos with them and they headed backstage and that was the end of that.

We spoke to 2 different Cast Members who said that this was a new event that had just started the day before and that the Funniest Citizen Competition had been cancelled. As big fans of the Citizens of Hollywood our entire party was really upset by this! Since we were headed out we stopped by Guest Relations to confirm the change. The Cast Member there also said at first that the change was permanent and Funniest Citizen was cancelled but said she would call the stage manager to double check. The stage manager told her that the Funniest Citizen Competition would still happen but the time was moved up from 3:30 to 3:00pm since there is no longer a parade.

Observations from Disney’s Hollywood Studios: May 13, 2013 is a post from the TouringPlans.com Blog. Signup for a premium subscription today! Or get news via Email, Twitter, & Facebook.