The First Rule of Conventions

Please welcome Sandy to Take The Monorail! Sandy has three kids and has been visiting both Walt Disney World and Disneyland for years. She attended the D23 Expo, a fan convention, this month with her kids and offers up her experiences here for you. We look forward to regular contributions from Sandy to help you plan the perfect Disney vacation.

I was so excited when I found out I was going to be able to attend the D23 Expo in Anaheim this year. My kids, ages 10, 10 & 12 were excited too - all their favorite Disney Channel stars were scheduled to be there. I made sure they knew this was serious business. We had to be there early! Even earlier than when doors open. Like super early. I wanted to be one of the first in line so that we could make sure we hit all the things we wanted to do. For me that meant getting into one of the presentations and hopefully seeing some celebrities. For the boys, that meant the Waffl-inator Challenge and video games. For my daughter, it was all about Teen Beach Movie.

So as luck would have it, we had a family emergency in the middle of the night. We didn't have to cancel, but my golden rule of getting there early quickly changed to Rule #2: Roll with the punches!

We arrived at the expo around 2:00 that afternoon. I had already seen the updates about Angelina Jolie making an appearance, so that was one celebrity sighting missed. I did, however, catch a glimpse of Joey Fatone with the Live Well Network. On the plus side, we didn't have to wait in any long lines to enter. On the negative side, I did miss out on the cool Disney Aulani bags they were giving away that morning.

We easily found the Disney Channel stage in the middle of everything.  As we waited for Bridget Mendler to perform, my 12-year-old decided to check out the video games at the Disney Interactive main stage.  While he was playing the new Disney Infinity game and watching a fan play Fantasia: Music Evolved, we were learning to dance with Radio Disney.  Then Bridget Mendler took the stage for 2 songs - Eye of the Hurricane and Ready or Not.  (Side note - she really impressed me by starting the song over when she admitted she messed up the lyrics.  I have seen much more seasoned artists handle that situation much worse, so I do appreciate her being so candid). Next up was the long line to meet the stars of Good Luck Charlie and get autographs.  Luckily my kids were happy to skip that and go check out the booths in the Collectors' Forum.

Really cool (and expensive) chess set at the D23 Store

We started out with the silent auction items which included ride vehicles from the park attractions as well as old displays from the stores.  My kids quickly got bored with this and wanted to check out the toys!  This was about the time my oldest decided he wanted to start a Vinylmation collection.  I'm still kicking myself for not letting him buy the $5 ones that he could have picked out.  Instead he bought some at Downtown Disney later in the week for more than double that price, and he didn't know what he was getting until he bought it and opened the box.  I can see how this little hobby could become expensive!  Lesson learned: know something about what you're looking to collect so you can take advantage of a deal when you see it!

After looking around the collectors and vendors we made our way back over to the Disney Channel stage for R5 and found a perfect spot right between that and the Ridemakerz booth.  I could let the boys wait their turn for the remote controlled cars, and let my daughter save her spot for the music.  Unfortunately, once the artists came out people flooded around us from all directions and completely blocked her view.  We ended up backing way up just so she could see.  After that it was time to line up to meet the stars of Teen Beach Movie.  This is the main reason my daughter was there.  She gladly found the end of the line all the way over on the other side of the convention center and was happy at the prospect of waiting until we found out that you actually needed a wrist band to be guaranteed to meet the stars.  They had all been given out by 1:00, before we had even arrived.  Turns out this is catastrophic to a 10-year-old who has told all her friends she is going to meet movie stars.

We needed to find something to get her mind off Teen Beach Movie quickly, so after grabbing a couple of free beach balls we made our way to the back of the building to see the displays for The Muppets and Marvel. They had some Learn To Draw activities and a huge chalk wall that was a lot of fun. Also in this section were free manicures if you wanted to stand in line, and you could meet some Disney artists.  The most impressive line was for the Disney Store. After checking out all the goodies in the Disney Consumer Products section the kids decided that they'd had enough, didn't want to wait in any more lines, and were ready to go home.

All in all the D23 Expo was a fun event despite it being a bit crowded.  It was a great warm-up for us since we were gearing up for the parks that week.  I've learned from our park trips that, even when you have a good plan, something can always happen to throw a wrench in it.  It's best to stay adaptable and make the most of your time.  It doesn't hurt that there are cool things to look at literally around every corner, so it's not hard to find a new distraction.  If, however, you are there for something specific, you may want to refer back to the first rule - get there early!

Making Musical History At The D23 Expo

Normally here at Take The Monorail, our posts focus on planning the perfect trip to Walt Disney World and not as much on Disney Fandom as a whole. Today, we are going to stray from our normal program to talk about an event coming up this weekend in the Disney fan community because it is so special and so noteworthy. But never fear! We will still relate it all back to your perfect trip. Bear with us.

This Saturday, August 10, 2013, two men will take the stage together for the first time at the D23 Expo in Anaheim. The two men are, by their own rights, living legends in the history of the Walt Disney Company. The first gentleman is Richard M. Sherman, who, along with his brother Robert B. Sherman, composed some of the most famous and well-loved songs from both Disney movies and Disney theme parks. He worked with Walt himself to tell some of our favorite stories, including Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks to name a few. He also wrote music that still plays today in some of the theme parks' cornerstone attractions: The Enchanted Tiki Room, it's a small world, and Carousel of Progress. And he's still working even today, most recently contributing the song "Make Way for Tomorrow" to Iron Man 2.

The second gentleman is eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken. He has scored and contributed songs to many of Disney's more recent films and projects, including Tangled, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid. This only scratches the surface, though. Among many other projects, he also has a 2012 Tony Award® for Newsies, plus many other Broadway credits including Disney's productions of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and the upcoming stage production of Aladdin: The New Musical.

Alone, each of these gentlemen is a powerhouse of musical talent. And this weekend, they will come together for the first time to perform a concert for fans attending the D23 Expo. Although they represent different eras in Disney history, they are also fast friends and colleagues. Menken remembers being welcomed to Disney by Sherman, who he had looked up to all his life. Sherman recalls hearing Menken's music in the musical Little Shop of Horrors and loving it right away, citing "Suddenly Seymour" as a particular favorite. It is certain that their warm friendship and mutual respect will brighten the stage.

They promise an evening of well-known classics, storytelling, and some surprise gems from their "Disney Songbook." The concert will begin with Sherman, then Menken will take over, and then both men will converse, play, sing, and share memories and stories with the audience. Although they have not been forthcoming about the exact contents of the set list, it seems certain that there will be plenty of songs for any Disney fan to sing along to. And they promise a few surprises and treats as well.

So if you are fortunate enough to be at the D23 Expo this weekend, be sure to include this once-in-a-lifetime concert event in your plans. For those of us who cannot be there, we can continue to enjoy both men's music in our home movie collection, in theaters, and in the Disney Parks. The next time you visit Walt Disney World, as you sail through it's a small world and take in Mary Blair's artistic vision and classic masterpiece, give the Sherman brother's song another listen. We hear it so often now that it is easy to miss how well-written, catchy and positive it is. The same goes for the Enchanted Tiki Room and it's calypso, fun theme song that will stay in your head long past leaving that tropical hideaway. As you sing along with any and all of your Disney favorites, take a moment to reflect on the people who created that piece of the Disney magic.

Ahoy There, Mateys! The Pirate's Adventure Game Approaches on the Starboard Side!

Captain Jack Sparrow has been making acquaintances all over the Caribbean, and now YOU get to work with the famous pirate as he takes on treasure hunts all over Adventureland.

On our visit to Florida last week, my traveling party had the fantastic opportunity to play test the newest interactive game at Walt Disney World. A Pirate’s Adventure: Treasure of the Seven Seas combines the interactions with statues and other realia in Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure with the key card idea in Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. After getting briefed in the Enlistment Quarters near Pecos Bill and obtaining a talisman (key card), you grab a map corresponding to your assigned mission and head out to find clues and defeat enemies throughout Adventure Land. (We were discouraged from taking pictures inside the Enlistment Quarters, so I am sorry I cannot show you what it looks like on the inside here.)

The Enlistment Quarters, sign still covered and doors shut for the day.

Photo by Elizabeth Caran

Only two adventures were running when we played, and our first was The Guardian’s Curse. One of our party then played through The King’s Ransom while the others carried on to other fun in the park. However, because we are the curious sort, we also checked out the maps for three other adventures: Heads You Lose, Haven Defense, and Blackbeard. Each adventure has a unique map to help you find hot spots that you will need to complete your particular adventure. Each adventure also has you seeking a different treasure for a different friend, enemy, or ally. 

Maps and Talisman

Photo by Elizabeth Caran

One of many game stations spread around Adventureland.

Photo by Jeff Smith

The stations for the game are small but detailed and very cool with moving parts and engaging details. Instructions are simple and the whole family can play. As you follow the directions on the map and at the various stations, you trigger actions on items around you, usually by placing your Talisman over a specified mark on the station. The stations are limited to Adventureland, so you won't have to travel too far. Each adventure really only takes about fifteen minutes, so in the time it takes you to move through a queue and ride an attraction, you can complete one or two adventures!

Our party listening to the story, watching the compass,

and awaiting our next instructions.

Photo by Jeff Smith

When we finished playing, we were asked how we liked the game, how easy the maps were to read (the maps are styled like treasure maps and have a similar look to the Sorcerer map), and whether we would play again. We were told that the maps are not final and very well may change before the final adventures are released. We also have no idea how close to release they are. There was one key station that appears on all the maps that is not yet functioning. I am hoping from the look of it that it will dispense some sort of token, dubloon, or other collectible to prove you completed that mission. 

Our whole party found it engaging and fun. The only thing I would want to add is a collectible element as I mentioned above. Coins or dubloons would be the perfect little souvenir, and let’s face it... people love free stuff. I believe the talismans are all the same and would imagine that they will not let you play the same adventure twice on the same talisman, although that is pure supposition on my part. We don’t know how long the play test will go on, and I know it is not every day, as we walked by on the weekend and the Enlistment Quarters were closed. We also saw that many people passed it by as the pirate tried to lure them in to try the game. So if you have a chance, be sure to seize the opportunity to play!

This post also appeared at mainstgazette.com and is cross-posted here for your convenience.

Staying In Style - Deluxe Resorts

Disney's Deluxe Resorts are the Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Polynesian Resort, Wilderness Lodge, Boardwalk Inn, Yacht Club Resort, Beach Club Resort, and Animal Kingdom Lodge. For the sake of consolidation, we'll also include the Villa Resorts in this post, which are part of Disney's timeshare program called the Disney Vacation Club. Villas offer larger accomodations that can include up to three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a full kitchen. These resorts are Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Boardwalk Villas, The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Disney's Beach Club Villas, Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas (Jambo House or Kidani Village), Disney's Old Key West, and Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. The latter three are resorts that are exclusively villas while the others are sort of extensions of Deluxe Resorts. All of these are Disney's highest priced resorts and you will find that they are highly themed and designed with luxury in mind. They boast extra amenities that range from prime locations (some are on the monorail line), fantastic pools (Yacht and Beach Club have a water park with a sandy-bottom pool and a tremendous slide), and two even have full-service spas.

As in our previous posts on the Value Resorts and Moderate Resorts, I will not cover basic amenities and room sizes for you. The official Disney site will give you a basic overview, and then AllEars.net can give you the finer details. If you prefer print, the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and the Passporter guide both have excellent resort overviews. Instead, let's once again look at the pros and cons of these resorts for families. Your "pro" may be my "con," so take them as the opinions they are and hopefully they will still help you decide if a Deluxe Resort is best for you.

Pros To Staying At A Deluxe Resort

• Location, Location, Location! - If you want a resort within walking distance of a park, it will be a Deluxe Resort. The Grand Floridian, Polynesian and Contemporary are all on the monorail providing easy access to both Magic Kingdom and Epcot. The Contemporary (and Bay Lake Towers) are within a fairly easy walk to Magic Kingdom as well and all the monorail resorts have rooms with views of the Magic Kingdom. Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Yacht Club are all an easy walk from World Showcase at Epcot. They are also a longer, but doable walk from Disney's Hollywood Studios and they have an active nightlife integrated into the area, including restaurants, nightclubs, and shops. The Animal Kingdom isn't so much close to the Animal Kingdom Park (although it's not far), but it also incorporates that park into it's theming, with wild animals literally strolling through your backyard.

• Room Size - These are the biggest rooms on property, and even in the standard room (as opposed to a Villa), you have ample space for storage, sleeping, and hanging out. They have balconies, which are often a lovely feature to have after the kids are asleep and you want to actually hold a conversation with your significant other.

• Bed Size - Queen-size beds are standard in the Deluxe resorts (as opposed to double beds in the Value Resorts). There are also rooms with King beds if you have an infant in a Pack and Play or if you decide to leave the kids with grandma and take a grown-ups only trip.

• Refrigerators and Kitchen Facilities - Mini-fridges are standard in Deluxe Resorts. Villas that are one, two, or three-bedroom have full kitchens and a washer/dryer set, while studio villas have a microwave and mini-fridge only.

• Architecture - I wasn't sure what else to call this, but basically, these resorts are the top-of-the-line in the design and theming end. The lobby at Wilderness Lodge will take your breath away. The opulence of the Grand Floridian is stunning. And walking into the Polynesian is just like you've left the beautiful state of Florida and stepped right into Hawaii. If you are going to Disney World to lose yourself in the fantasy and forget about the real world, a Deluxe Resort is a perfect place for that. Mind you, to be fair, the Moderates and Values also have an "other-worldly" quality that provide fabulous escape as well.

• Amazing Pools - So amazing, in fact, that some of them are marketed as water parks, and not without reason. Slides, freestyle shapes, zero-entry, and other gimmicks make these places worth your time outside the parks. If you decide to stay in a Deluxe Resort, make a strong effort to set aside some time to enjoy the pools.

• Interior Entrances - The Deluxe Resorts are the only level of resort that has a main entrance with interior access to all rooms. This is, in my opinion, the safest way to go. Although the main doors are by no means completely secure, they are visible to staff at all times and there are no dark corners for potential criminals to lurk in.

• Food Choices - The Deluxe Resorts have some of the best dining options on property and offer all types of choices, from snacks to quick service to upscale dining. Although all properties afford some dining choices that will ensure you won't starve, the Deluxe resorts offer restaurants that are unique enough to draw people to them from all over the Walt Disney World property. In fact, if you decide that a Deluxe resort is not in your budget, I highly recommend eating at one or two of their restaurants. The food and service will be excellent, and you will get a chance to poke around the lobby and grounds of these luxurious resorts.

Cons To Staying At A Deluxe Resort

• Cost - Standard room rates for these resorts can start as low as $240 and go up from there. Way up. At Christmas, the regular rate for a room at the Polynesian can soar to just under $900 a night. Old Key West is generally considered the least expensive Villa Resort, and those rooms (standard rate) range from a Studio for $295 in the least expensive season to almost $1700 per night for a three-bedroom during the holiday. Of course, there are often discounts and other specials that could save you some money on these rates, but this at least gives you an idea of where to place them in cost.

• Formality - Although the grand architecture and luxurious setting may please your adult sensibilities, your children might really prefer the whimsy of the Value Resorts. They are far more playful in tone than the stately Grand Floridian, which may remind them more of Aunt Nancy's house where they aren't allowed to sit on the furniture or touch anything.

So there are my pros and cons to the Deluxe resorts. What are yours? We love to hear from you in our comments!

Silly Shot: Choose Your Own Adventure

Jen H. enjoying a thrilling time on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority

This week's Silly Shot is a little bit different from the rest because it really doesn't focus on one location or even one park. Instead it features a way to turn normal attractions into thrilling ones. Just simply act like you are on a roller coaster! The pose works great for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, the Monorail, any of the transportation boats, even the parking trams!

Just have fun creating your own thrills!

Do you have a photo of you and your family creating your own adventure? Post them on Scrapping the Magic or on our Facebook page page!

Disney Pin Frames

Have you ever been at Disney and bought a few of the fabulous pins they were selling only to find yourself wondering what to do with them when you got home? If so, this is just the project for you! A Disney Pin Frame!

Pin frames are super quick & easy and are a great way to showcase some mementos of your vacation! They are also great for kids because they encourage a hobby and a way to relive their trip. In a future post we will talk all about pin collection and trading if you are not familiar with it, but for now we will just show you how to make the frames.

Supplies

- 12 x 12 Scrapbook Frame - These can be purchased at any craft store and come in two styles, standard frame or shadow box. I prefer to use the standard style, but either one will work. The only difference in the two is in most cases you would remove the glass from the standard style if you have really thick pins. I prefer to leave the glass off regardless of pin thickness to make it easier to add new pins when I get them. Some stores will carry frames that say Record/LP & Scrapbook frame, but you want to avoid using them because they are larger than 12 x 12.
- 12 x 12 Cork Tile- The cork tiles come in a 4-pack and can be found at most retailers that stock cork bulletin boards. I get my tiles at Target because they tend to be a bit cheaper than the craft stores.
- 12 x 12 Sheet of Scrapbook Paper - Here is where the project gets fun! There are thousands and thousands of choices on the market when it comes to scrapbook paper... solid, patterned, texture, you name it they make it. The one tip I would suggest is to pick a paper that is fairly simple in pattern or in a more muted color palette to avoid the pins getting lost in the background. This helps you to customize your project. For me, I only collect Stitch pins, so I went with a nice tropical background to fit my theme. The only limit you will have is the stock your local craft or scrapbook store carries. For a wider variety you could always try MouseMemories, an online store that specializes in Disney and vacation supplies. They will be more expensive than your local store, but if you really want a custom background they may be the better option.

Directions

1. Place the paper on top of the cork title. The paper will be a little bit larger than the title, so make sure you have it centered.
2. Remove the backs from the pins. I do recommend saving these in case you ever want to remove the pin to wear at a later date.
3. Push the pins through the paper into the cork title. Make sure you have the pin in the correct place because once you push it through the paper it will leave holes.
4. Place the paper and tile into the frame, put the back on the frame and you are finished! If you notice the pins are pushing oddly on the glass, it's best to remove the glass for a cleaner look and to avoid the glass cracking from the pressure.
   

Now, if you don't want to get fancy with a pin frame or if you have pins that you want to display but also wear, another options is to get a standard cork bulletin board and place your pins on that. With nothing covering the board you can easily take pins off to wear and put them back on the board when your trip is over without leaving holes in the paper.

To see other examples of Disney Pin Frames or to share your own, please visit our thread on Scrapping the Magic! We look forward to seeing what you come up with!

Silly Shots: A Queen is Named

Jen L. and Elizabeth cheer on Jen H. as she tries to
remove the sword from the stone.

Once upon a time there used to be a lovely little Sword in the Stone ceremony at the Magic Kingdom. While the sword pulling ceremony has gone the way of Mr. Toad, the stone has been left behind for some great photo ops.

Located in Fantasyland near Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, the sword sits buried in its stone waiting for the next great king or queen to pull it free. While the sword never will come out, the photos of people making attempts are always good for a smile.

A DiVine Discovery!

Disney has a way of introducing you and your family to fine arts without you realizing what's happening. I'm not just talking about the animation we've come to expect from both Disney and Pixar. Attractions like it's a small world are like stepping into a painting, much like Mary Poppins and crew do in the famous sidewalk chalk segment of the movie.

However, Disney also brings you performance art in many forms. Whether it's living statuary at Epcot or a full-scale production like Cirque de Soleil's La Nouba at Downtown Disney, there are many opportunities to let your children experience living art in many forms.

One of my personal favorite examples of this is the elusive DiVine at Disney's Animal Kingdom. She's usually around Africa at various times between 10 and 2, and although she's up to 16 feet tall, she's sometimes pretty hard to spot. Truthfully, the only way I noticed her the first time I saw her was the crowd of people who had gathered to watch her fluid movements. Disguised as -- wait for it -- a huge vine, she remains stationary for a good portion of her performance, tricking you into thinking you are looking at a really large vine. Or more often, tricking you into simply walking right by the huge vine.

But then she comes to life, and she swings and glides through the area, moving to interact with the crowd or the other nature around her. Some children, especially the under-four set, can be pretty frightened by her, as she doesn't fit into what they understand to be reality. A little encouragement can set this to right.

My daughter was four when she saw DiVine the first time and she was mesmerized. She did have some questions, though, as she didn't quite understand what she was seeing. She hasn't seen many people on stilts, and especially the way DiVine uses them. I encouraged her to just watch as much as possible, and then once DiVine started gliding away, we talked about her questions.

To prepare for writing this post, I shared some videos of her and other performance artists in this company (The Living Garden) with my five-year-old and three-year-old. Both were completely entranced. My daughter said, "She's so beautiful!"

And she really is.

Mickey Flower Pins

When I posted this project on Scrapping the Magic in early August, I never expected the response I would get about it. It has gone over so well I'm going to share it with you, the lovely readers of Take The Monorail.



Supplies

- Silk Flowers - Small, medium, and Large, the flatter the better. Mix and match the colors to coordinate with any outfit.
- Mickey Buttons by EK Success - These items can be found in most craft stores in the scrapbooking section.
- Mickey Rhinestones Stickers by EK Success - These can also be found in the scrapbooking section. You can also use loose rhinestones and glue them on.
- Pin
- Needle & Thread

Directions

1. Remove flowers from their stems
2. Stack the different sized flowers on top of each other starting with large at the bottom and working your way up to the smallest flower. You can use as many layers as you wish, just keep in mind you are going to want to sew through all the layers.
3. Take the buttons out of the package and remove the adhesive from the back and cut the thread from the button holes.
4. Sew the button on to the flower making sure to go through all the flowers.
5. Sew the pin onto the back of the flower.
6. Attach rhinestone sticker to the front of the button. If using loose rhinestone attach with a strong glue.

What's nice about this project is you can mix and match the colors. You can also making them smaller or larger based on what you like. Use a barrette instead of a pin to make a cute little hair accessory, or skip step number 5 and sew the flower directly on to a tote bag.

You'd be surprised how useful these cute flowers can be. Make identical flowers in bright colors for every female in the family. Then put them in hair or at the top of their shirts as a pin. Now you have a fabulous way to skim the crowd and ensure you have all members of your party in sight.

And if your children are old enough to work with a needle, use this craft to introduce them to sewing. Boys and girls alike need to know how to sew a button on, right? Here's a great way to teach them on something fun and colorful.

Check out our Mickey Flower pin thread on Scrapping the Magic to see some of the beautiful flowers that people have made and share your own!

Silly Shot: License And Registration, Please

This week's Silly Shot was sent in by a friend of Take The Monorail, Sandy Ezzell. This photo was taken at Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in Disneyland. While you can no longer find Mr. Toad or any of his cars in Walt Disney World, the concept of the shot is easy to duplicate at any photo location that involves a vehicle. We'll be featuring two of those spots in the coming weeks.

Do you have a photo of you and your family driving one of Mr. Toad's cars? Post them on Scrapping the Magic or on our Facebook page page!

For last week's Spot the Shot: Road Trip!, the correct answer was The Boneyard in Animal Kingdom! Great job in Spotting the Shot!

Kicking It Up A Notch: Moderate Resorts

Disney's Moderate Resorts are Port Orleans French Quarter, Port Orleans Riverside, Coronado Springs , and Caribbean Beach. These are priced in Disney's midrange, generally between $150 and $200 per night and up to $250 during high seasons. Discounts on these rooms can get as low as $110 or so. These prices are comparable to hotel rates in large cities around the country and you should find the amenities and grounds to meet your expectations for this price range.

As in our previous post on the Value Resorts (and in our future post on Deluxe Resorts) I will not cover basic amenities and room sizes for you. The official Disney site will give you a basic overview, and then AllEars.net can give you the finer details. If you prefer print, the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and the Passporter guide both have excellent resort overviews. Instead, let's once again look at the pros and cons of these resorts for families. Your "pro" may be my "con," so take them as the opinions they are and hopefully they will still help you decide if a Moderate Resort is best for you.

Pros To Staying At A Moderate Resort

• Cost - The Value Resorts are cheaper, but the Moderates give you a good amount of bang for your buck. Whether or not it's $50-$100 worth is a question only you can really answer, but the cost is reasonable for a resort of this caliber.


• Room Size - The rooms are spacious (though not over-sized by any stretch) and some have a trundle bed that allows you to sleep five in the room. The trundle is more of a cot and is designed for folks under five feet tall, so if your family of five include at least one smaller kid, this can be a huge benefit to these resorts. It's far cheaper to stay in one of these rooms than to have to get two rooms at the Value Resorts (with the exception of the Family Suites at All-Star Music).


• Bed Size - Queen-size beds are standard in the Moderates (as opposed to double beds in the Value Resorts). This is simply more comfortable when you are sharing a bed and gives siblings less reason to jab and kick each other during the evening. Not that it will deter them completely, of course...


• Refrigerators - Mini-fridges are standard in Moderate Resorts. If you don't use it for anything else, you will appreciate being able to use it for water. If you have an infant with you, it's a savior for your formula and you can also stash some milk and cheese in it for cereal and sandwiches respectively.


• Sprawling Landscapes - All of these resorts are pretty large and spread out. It is easy to find yourself in a building quite some distance from the main building and/or the main pool. Prepare to walk. At Coronado Springs, we were directly across the lake from the main pool. But you have to walk AROUND the lake... there is no bridge. Which reminds me... don't forget to bring your diaper bag when you walk all the way around the lake to the pool. It's a long walk back... trust me.


• Hot Tubs - Okay, maybe this isn't important to you, but it is to me. We really appreciate being able to soak in a hot tub after a day in the parks. One of us stays in the room with the sleeping kids while the other goes out to soak, and then we switch places. This is an amenity you will also get in the Deluxe resorts, but not in the Value category, so the Moderates are the cheapest way for you to have access to this feature.
  

Cons To Staying At A Moderate Resort

• Outside Hallways - Just like the Value Resorts, Moderates have you enter rooms from exterior hallways. This feels less secure to me and I'm not wild about people passing by the window to my room constantly. With napping children, add the noise factor of that in.


• Centrally Located Elevators - Here, I shall repeat exactly what I said about the Value Resorts: The elevators for each building are in the center. Your room, however, might not be. It might be just up from a stairwell, but if you have strollers... ugh. No fun. And if you request a room right by the elevator, you're going to get lots of foot traffic going right by your room. So add on even more walking around than you had before we started.


• Food Choice - The food in these resorts is hit or miss. Coronado Springs has a great food court, but reviews of their Table Service restaurant are lukewarm. I'm not crazy about the food court at Port Orleans French Quarter. Generally, none of the choices at these resorts are widely regarded as excellent experiences.

It should be noted that the cabins at Fort Wilderness Campground are also considered Moderates. They accommodate six people and start at $265 in low season. I tend to consider them more in the Deluxe category due to cost and the fact they include an equipped kitchen. They are really more of a category unto themselves, as their amenities and features are so different from the other Moderates. The pros and cons above do not necessarily relate to them.

As for which Moderate is the best, that point is widely contested. There are many fans of Port Orleans French Quarter because of it's intimate size and great pool. Some like Port Orleans Riverside for it's sprawling mansions and nifty piano bar. Others prefer the Caribbean Beach Resort's tropical feel. Personally, Coronado Springs is my favorite. The pool is fantastic and the grounds are gorgeous. I'm a big fan of the hammocks around the lake as well.

The pool at Port Orleans Riverside

Which Moderate Resort is your favorite? Do you have pros or cons to these resorts that I haven't mentioned? Please share them with us as a comment!

Spot the Shot: Road Trip!

It's time for another Spot the Shot! This photo was sent in by Ryan Wilson of the Main Street Gazette. Here his lovely wife Aileen is just waiting to leave on another great road trip!

Where in Walt Disney World is this jeep just waiting to leave on a new adventure? Leave your answer as a comment!

Do you have a photo of you and your family hanging out on the jeep? Post them on Scrapping the Magic or on our Facebook page page!

No Reservations

In general, you can take a trip down to Disney with very little advanced planning. There are those who would argue that your experience is better with planning, and that may be true, but it CAN be done. Last-minute trips happen all the time and are quite successful. However, the main issue you will most likely run into with a last-minute or casually planned trip is dining. Specifically, I'm referring to Table Service meals where you sit down, order food from a waitperson, and leave a tip at the end of the experience. And it's worth it to experience at least one of these restaurants while you are there. Disney knows how to do food. Some restaurants are quite exquisite and even the worst of the lot are still a worthwhile experience.

Disney does not take official "reservations." What I mean is they don't hold a specific table for you at a specific time. What they do instead is take a "Priority Seating" call, where you are essentially holding your place in line for a restaurant at a given time. This process is very similar in appearance to a reservation, but you do usually have to wait 5-10 minutes between the time you check in at the podium and when you are seated. This is similar to when you call Outback at home before you leave, holding your place in line so that by the time you get there, you only have a short wait for the next available table.

The catch here is that you make your call to hold your spot 90 days in advance. And on October 27, 2009, that window becomes even larger. You will be able to call 180 days before your checkin date. If you are "math-challenged" like myself, that's about six months in advance. If you are "planning-challenged" like myself, you will find this more than frustrating. While it's true that you are not REQUIRED to call 180 days in advance, you will find that thanks to offers of free dining and other incentives through the year, you will have trouble holding a spot in line at your top restaurant choices if you do not.

The Disney slang term for these "reservations that are not reservations" is ADR -- short for Advanced Dining Reservation. (See? They even call it a "reservation" just to confuse you.) The suggested strategy to ensure you get to eat where you want is to call exactly 90 days (or 180 starting on October 27) at 7am when the phone lines open with your list ready. This means that you are expected to have thought out which parks you will be in on which days of your trip and what food you might like to ingest on those days.

If you sense that I am biased against the large time frame that reservations are open, you are right. Personally, I am more of a spur-of-the-moment traveler. But I do understand not everyone is like that and I certainly can plan ahead when called upon to do it. If you feel strongly about where you'd like to eat and (most importantly) what time, here is how to prepare:

• Plan your days in general. - Where will you be on which day and which restaurants will be closest to you? You can also reverse this... choosing your restaurants, then planning where you will be around that. You need to take park hours into consideration when you do this, especially if you like to dine late and travel in the cooler months, as the parks close earlier. We'll discuss how to map out your days in a future post, if you are at a loss as to where to begin.
• Choose your restaurants and dining times, along with second choices. - Keep your plan open. When I call, I have a general time in mind such as "We'd like to get the earliest reservation available for lunch" or "We want to eat as close to 7:30 pm as possible." And if the only lunch reservation is at 2pm, know if you are willing to take it. The younger your kids, the less flexibility you might have. But remember, there are plenty of snacks around the World, so a late lunch is doable and frees you up to visit attractions while most people are eating a meal.
• Call Disney Dining (407-WDW-DINE) at 7am exactly 90 (or 180) days before your checkin date. - There is an online reservation system now, but I don't recommend using it; especially if this is your first or second trip. Talking to a person is far more flexible and they can "poke around" to look for times better than the online system. If you wish to explore online ADRs, the website is http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/restaurants/.
  
  
  Disney's online registration system - ©2009 Disney
  
  
• Remain flexible. - You can change your ADRs as time goes by, but it will be harder and harder to get exactly what you want. With Disney's frequent offers for free dining plans, more people are crowding into restaurants they normally wouldn't try, making it harder to come by exactly the time and place you want.

For those like me who really dislike planning so far in advance, TouringPlans.com has created a fabulous chart that tells you which restaurants book faster than others and which ones are likely to have priority seating available right up to when you are ready to eat. This way you can easily see that if you REALLY want to eat at Le Cellier in the Canada pavilion in Epcot (which I highly recommend doing), you want to plan that out. But maybe you can wait another month or so before mapping out the rest of your food experiences. I am hopeful they will update this chart once the 180-day window has been implemented for long enough to capture good data, but I still expect it will give you a generally accurate idea of where you need to book early even after they move to the 180-day window.

Table Service restaurants have always been a very special part of our trips to Disney. Although the ADR system can seem a bit much for a new traveler, the payoff is worth it. The ADR system has its flaws, but overall, it will help ensure you spend your time eating your meal and enjoying the restaurant rather than waiting in a lobby outside for your table. Bon appetite!

Silly Shots: You Say Potato, I Say Cute Kids

The 3rd vote getter in the Scrapping the Magic contest and the final in this series was a photo submitted by Brian MacGowen (bjmacgowan) illustrates the fun of posing with (and like) the figures found at the value resorts.


Posing with the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head figures at the Pop Century resort is a favorite thing by most of the guests. Brian and his family even upped the silliness of this shot by having the girls pose with the toys that inspired the oversized figures.

Have any photos of you or someone in your family posing with Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head? Share them with us on Scrapping the Magic or on our Facebook page page! Even if they are wearing their angry eyes, though I hope they will have on their smiley mouths instead!

Here To There And There To Here

The transportation system at Walt Disney World is vast and complex. When facing the daunting task of providing an overview that is simplistic and yet informative, it's hard to know where to begin and where to end. Therefore, please consider this post as an introduction to transportaion available at Disney. There are many, many, MANY details that will be covered in future posts. Some aspects of transportation are most relevant to resorts, some to parks, and some to off-site guests. Here, I'll merely introduce you to how you can get around and offer a few pointers on how NOT to get around.

At the center of the Walt Disney World Transportation is the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). You can think of this place as Disney's Grand Central Station. You can get almost anywhere from here, and its parking lot is actually the parking lot for The Magic Kingdom. You must take a monorail or ferry boat from here to get to the park itself. It is worth a mention that the TTC is not listed on the road signs as "Transportation and Ticket Center." Instead, it is posted as "Magic Kingdom Parking." April learned this the hard way trying to drive to the TTC one day.

As a guest, you have several options for getting around the Walt Disney World resort property. There are advantages and disadvantages to using any given mode at any given time. Definitions and general guidelines of each mode of conveyance are as follows:

• The Monorail - (You knew we had to start here, didn't you?!) The monorail is the easiest system to figure out because it really has very few stops. Monorails can only take you to Magic Kingdom, Epcot, the Contemporary Resort (connected to Bay Lake Towers), Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and the Transportation and Ticket Center. There are two routes for the monorail: one to Epcot and one to the Magic Kingdom. The second route with a stop at Magic Kingdom has two options: an Express that only stops at the TTC and the Magic Kingdom, and a Resort line that stops at Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Magic Kingdom, and Contemporary/Bay Lake Towers. This is a favorite for children. Many kids have told their parents after a week at Disney that the monorail was their favorite ride!
  
  
• Boats - There are waterways all throughout the resort and various boats can carry you various places. Not all waterways are connected though, so don't assume that because you see water you can get to another place where you've seen water. Detailing routes at this point would be a bit mind-boggling, but in general, every park except Animal Kingdom and (oddly enough) the water parks has a boat option to get there (but not from just anywhere in the park... see previous comment about waterways not connected). You can also get from some locations to Downtown Disney by boat. If you are prone to motion sickness or just don't like boats, choose your resort carefully. Sometimes, it's your only option for a particular park if you don't have a car with you.
  
  
• Buses - The fleet of buses that Disney operates daily is nothing short of spectacular in scope. They dart in and out of everywhere and there is no posted schedule because they adjust routes on the fly to send buses to deal with the largest crowds. For the most part, the bus system runs very well. A typical bus journey should take between 15 and 45 minutes depending on season, time of day, and distance between destinations. The note of caution I would extend is to avoid taking a bus to or from Downtown Disney if at all possible. Consistently, over the last three years, I have had a very long wait, ride, or both related to going to or coming from Downtown Disney. And when you are traveling with a young one, a 45 minute wait for a bus is not welcome at all. Nor are the long delays once on board.
  
  
• Cars (personal or rental) - Parking is free if you stay on site. Off site guests currently pay $12 a day for parking. All parks have a lot, although as I mentioned before, the Magic Kingdom lot is actually across a body of water. So if you park here, you have to ride a ferry over or (...wait for it...) take the monorail! The biggest advantage to driving a car is control... this gives you the most control over your schedule for coming and going. That said, there are accidents and traffic jams on Disney property as well, so nothing is a sure bet when it comes to travel time at Disney.
  
  
• Hoofing It - It's true you will do a lot of walking at Disney, but sometimes the extra walk is still worth it. You can walk from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom very easily. You can also walk from the Polynesian to the TTC. Most people don't realize that Disney's Hollywood Studios is within a reasonable walk from the Epcot resorts. It's a great way to avoid the crowded buses just after Fantasmic lets out. Just be sure that you are wearing good walking shoes that you have worn before.

All these options can be interchanged on a trip to maximize your time. Unfortunately, sometimes it is very difficult to know the best choice at the time you need to make it. The good news is, all choices will usually get you there. Don't hesitate to ask Cast Members to help you make the best decision about how to get from here to there or from there to here.

Silly Shots: But I Don't Wanna Leave!

The 2nd vote getter in the Scrapping the Magic contest was a photo submitted by Lori Burke (LoriLovesTigger) and is one of my personal favorites. In the photo pulling on Lori's leg is Mike Newell of WDW Today and MouseWorld Radio fame.

What's really nice about this photo op is that it an be done in any park, in any spot as long as there is an object attached to the ground. Just grab hold and have someone give you a tug! Congratulations Lori on winning 2nd place!

Have any photos of you or someone in your family having to be dragged out of the parks? Post your pictures of the mild tantrum on Scrapping the Magic or on our Facebook page page!

Cheaper Is Good! An Overview Of The Value Resorts

Pop Century and the All-Star Resorts are members of the category of resorts Disney defines as "Value Resorts." These are the least expensive of the Disney Resorts and their standard room rate is just around $80-100 per night. However, many times of the year, these rooms are discounted quite nicely and can be found for between $60 and $70 per night. This is a fabulous price for a Disney room and the resorts should not disappoint you as far as atmosphere, cleanliness and service.

There are many sites out there that describe the resorts for you in detail, so I will not endeavor to do so for you here. The official Disney site will give you a basic overview, and then sites like AllEars.net can help with even more honest details that don't have to toe the company line. If you prefer print, the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and the Passporter guide both have excellent resort overviews. Rather than repeat the information easily found in these fine sources, we'll break down some pros and cons for families. Because each family is different, your "pro" may be my "con," so feel free to shuffle them around. Regardless, this list should help you narrow down your choices.

Pros To Staying At A Value Resort

• Cost - These resorts are the cheapest on property.
• Fun Factor - Value resorts are packed with whimsy and fun. Younger kids will love the oversized objects that adorn the resorts. Older kids and adults will enjoy seeing familiar objects from their everyday worlds (past and present) blown up to a disproportionate size and the bright colors could cheer any mood.
• Sense of Community - Again, this depends on your style, but these resorts are often packed with families so it isn't hard to make new friends at the pool any given day. Great for the more social folks in the room.

Cons To Staying At A Value Resort

• No Refrigerators - This may not seem like a big deal, but mini-fridges are extra at these resorts. $10 a day. So if you want to save money by keeping your own water, milk, and string cheese in the room, you are doing it the old fashioned way... a cooler with ice, which will obviously need to be changed out often. Of course, there are ways around the cost of the fridge. Medical conditions get a pass for obvious reasons.
• Outside Hallways - I don't know about you, but I always feel more secure in a hotel where I enter my room from inside the building. It means there are more controlled entrances and exits to the whole facility. You might feel safer if you request a room up a floor (or two), but the issue then becomes dealing with the next "con" on our list...
• Centrally Located Elevators - The elevators for each building are in the center. Your room, however, might not be. It might be just up from a stairwell, but if you have strollers... ugh. No fun. And if you request a room right by the elevator, you're going to get lots of foot traffic going right by your room. So add on even more walking around than you had before we started.
• Smaller Beds - The Value resorts have double beds. For a family of four, this can be a bit cozy. There are some rooms with King beds, but these won't be of much interest to families of three or more, unless the third is an infant and you cosleep.
• Food Choices - All you have is a food court at each of these resorts. No table service meals at all. This may not matter to you, and the food courts are large with a lot of variety. You will not be lacking choices for food... rest assured.
• No Hot Tubs - You probably won't miss it too much, but it's really nice to be able to get a soak in after a long day of walking. This is one thing we liked to do after the kids were asleep in a moderate or deluxe... take turns going out for a swim/soak. The Value resorts do still have pools, however, so all is not lost.
• Buses - Pop Century buses are fine. They can get crowded, like all resort buses can. The issue with the All-Star buses is they serve all three resorts. I found this very tedious and time-consuming. Having a car would overcome this rather easily though. Parking is free for resort guests. If you know a car is not an option and you want to stay at the All-Star Resorts, I would throw my recommendation in with that of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World... choose Sports. It's the first to pick up (better chance of getting a seat) and first to drop off. (YAY, you're home!)

You'll notice that although I list more cons, in reality, those cons are minimal. And the single pro of low cost is often enough to overide those. Because the rooms are smaller, I think these resorts are more suited to families of three or families with older children who will spend more time in the parks. The Value choices are not geared as much for spending hours of lazing about the resort, although there is plenty to do should you choose to do so.

TIP: There are two prices for rooms at Value resorts: Standard and Preferred. To the best of my ability, I can only determine one difference between the two, and that is location of the rooms in relation to the main building. These are really large resorts, and if you expect to use the main building a great deal (food court, shopping, and bus stop), you may wish to pay the higher rate for Preferred. If you don't mind a little walking and/or you have a car on property, save your pennies and go with Standard.

Each room has the essentials, including a small table and two chairs. Pack and Plays are available upon request. The space in the room is used to its maximum potential, and we've always had enough room to unpack and feel at home. So although you won't get the luxury and scenery of the Moderate and Deluxe resorts, you can still expect a clean, comfortable stay. You also get all the perks of being onsite at Disney, including Extra Magic Hours allowing you to enjoy the parks a bit longer and package delivery to your resort for any souvenirs you may purchase.

It should be noted that All Star Music now offers Family Suites as well, and there are rumors of more of these being created at other Value resorts. They consist essentially of two rooms blended into one with a kitchenette added... a nice feature. The master suite has a flat screen tv. The price for these is a little more than double a standard room rate, and availability is very limited. They only sleep six, though, so unless the kitchenette is important to you, two adjoining rooms might do the trick for you instead.

Do you have pros or cons to these resorts that I haven't mentioned? Please share them with us as a comment!

Silly Shots: People Are Food, Not Friends

For July, Scrapping the Magic ran a photo contest asking people to submit their best Silly Shots. The top three shots will be featured on Take The Monorail during the month of August. I'd like to present you now with the number one vote getter, submitted by Beth Joyner (TeachluvsDisney)!

Located in The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epoct is this gem of a photo op. While fish may be friends, not food to Bruce, it doesn't look that same rule applies to humans. Congratulations Beth on winning the best Photo Op contest! Look for the 2nd place photo to be featured next week!

Have you or has someone in your family been a meal for Bruce? Post your pictures documenting the meal on Scrapping the Magic or on our Facebook page page!

As for last week's Spot the Shot: Pooh and Friends, the correct location is Downtown Disney near the Pooh Corner store.

Learning To Eat: The Basics Of Disney Dining

Disney takes the art of complicating your dining experience to a level you really cannot imagine if you are a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants traveler. But to be fair, they also manage to cause even the most prepared planner a certain amount of stress. The key to Disney Dining as an experience is to sort of close your eyes and leap. The good news is... the food at Disney is generally good, with a few notable exceptions. The bad news is... it can be rather expensive and you may be a little frustrated with their pseudo-reservation system.

In this post, I don't wish to really inundate you with the ins and outs of making reservations and how to find deals while dining at Disney. Instead, this post is meant to provide you with some ideas of what types of meals to seek out for your family, depending on their ages and needs. In future posts, we'll look at Advanced Dining Reservations and individual dining experiences and break it down even further.

There are three types of experiences as far as food goes. The simplest way I know to see it is to break it down as "snacks," "counter service," and "table service."

Snacks - Various single-item foods you can get at stands and kiosks around the park, as well as resort gift shops and snack bars. Examples of snacks offered include popcorn, turkey legs, ice cream bars, and various pieces of fruit. These are designed to be eaten "on the go" and stands like this rarely provide seating for you.

Counter Service - These restaurants are similar to fast food restaurants. You walk up to a cashier or, in some cases, a computer screen; place your order; and pay. Then you step up to another counter to collect your food on a tray and carry it off to a table to eat. In some of my favorite counter service restaurants, there is a fixin's bar along the way to add all sorts of tasty items to your burger or chicken sandwich.

Table Service - A real table with real waitstaff and a real bill at the end. Some are casual, some are comedic, some are more formal, and some are a combination. Some have buffets, some have menus, and some even have characters come out to wave and pose in pictures with you and your loved ones.

TIP: Touring Plans (@TouringPlans) recently Tweeted a great tip I've found very useful. Based on your eating habits and those of your child, you can probably split an adult counter service meal with your child. This will save you some money and should still be satisfying. Especially if you are also partaking in several of the snacks around The World as well during the day!

You will always find kids' selections at the Counter Service and Table Service establishments, and snacks are, by nature, very kid-friendly. Items like chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, and the trusty PB&J are often part of the menu, and if you are in a Table Service restaurant, they all CAN be if you just ask. Kids' meals come with drink and two "sides" which include items like grapes, apple slices, fries, carrot sticks, etc. You can double up, so if your kid is a future wine-drinker like mine and cannot possibly get enough grapes on his plate, you can ask for two sides of grapes rather than seeking out any sort of healthy, interesting variety.

So as you begin to plot your meals out and compare your hopes and desires to your budget and your length of stay, pay close attention to what your kids will be able to handle. When we went to Disney on our honeymoon, we ate nothing but sit down meals for four days. This was fine until about day four, when we thought we might actually have to roll back to our room at the Boardwalk from the restaurant in Mexico. We were so terribly miserable that we swore off eating for the rest of our stay at Disney. (And we stuck to it since we boarded the Disney Magic cruise ship the next day... which technically is no longer Disney!)

However, kids might not do as many Table Service restaurants as the adults in your party may want to. I wouldn't plan on more than one a day at the MOST. And remember, character meals count as Table Service. These meals are longer, require some patience on the part of your children, and keep you out of the parks where they quite possibly would rather be. That said, the downtime can be quite welcome and you do know your children's capabilities.


Here's a quick rundown of MY favorite Table Service restaurants in each park for kid-friendliness. This does not mean they have the best food, but they are fun for kids and therefore will be more fun for you.

Magic Kingdom - Crystal Palace (character meal with Tigger and Pooh, buffet)

Epcot - Chefs de France (casual French cafe setting where a little extra noise is hardly noticed)

Hollywood Studios - 50s Prime Time Cafe (great atmosphere and your kids might get the chance to laugh at you)

Animal Kingdom - Tusker House (character breakfast with the classic characters featuring Donald Duck. Buffet.)

So those are my favorites for Table Service with kids. What are yours and why?

Spot the Shot: Pooh and Friends

The first Friday of every month we will be bringing you a Spot the Shot photo. It's the same thing as a Silly Shot, except YOU tell us where it is!


Where in Walt Disney World can you find this fun little place where you can sit on a log with Pooh and the gang? Leave your answer as a comment!

Do you have a photo of you and your family hanging on the log? Post them on Scrapping the Magic or on our Facebook page page!