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Category Archives: Best things I love..
The Best Thing I Love about Disney World – Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin.
Did you know that after fourteen consecutive rides on Buzz Lightyear you can start to feel a bit woozy? It’s true. It’s also true that your trigger finger might get a little sore and you may start to halucinate that the rock formations in the second room look like naked people (okay, I swear one of them does. I’m not crazy. Imagineers get lonely too.). But it’s all worth it when you save the universe from the evil Emperor Zurg over and over again. You might even score 999,999 points and become a Galactic Hero. Oh yeah. And your high school shop teacher said you wouldn’t amount to anything. Ahem.
Buzz Lightyear is a simple attraction brilliantly executed. The queue can look really long but it moves pretty fast, so as long as you’re inside the building, you’ll be saving the universe in no time. The queue itself has a few fun things to keep you occupied, like a life-sized Buzz Lightyear telling you about your upcoming mission. It’s a good time for a photo op. Once on board your spaceship, you’ll shoot at targets as you ride through the attraction, attempting to keep Zurg and his minions from stealing all the batteries in the universe. This is one of those attractions you kind of hope gets stuck so you can sit there and pick off targets. There are two lasers on board, one for each guest, and a little wheel for the one who turns the ship. Decide ahead of time who will steer, or it could get ugly.
Even though there are only two lasers and therefore two seats, you can easily fit a small child in the middle. The attraction isn’t overly loud and doesn’t have a lot of flashing lights, so most people with sensory issues should be okay. Really, the loudest part of the ride is the queue. This attraction is fine for almost anyone, 9 months to 99. There aren’t a lot of surprise movements and the speed is slow, but not so slow that it’s boring.
There are lots of hints on how you can improve your score, so I’ll just leave you with my one rather obvious tip: Hold the trigger the entire time rather than shooting multiple times. Want more? You can get some real tips here.
Chris writes here and for Everything Walt Disney World.
The Best Thing I Love about Disney is…The Monorail Spiel
To me, there are no happier words spoken on Disney property than “Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas.”
It may seem odd but when I hear the unmistakable warning to “Please stand clear of the doors” when riding the monorail, I know I’m on home on Disney property. Over the years, the monorail spiel has been updated and new voices have replaced old favorites. With one exception. The “Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas” portion of the track, narrated by Jack Wagner, remains the original.
“Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas” is one of the best things I love about Disney.
Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You call follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer and Facebook.
The Best Thing I Love About Disney is… My Tables in Wonderland Membership
Annual Passholders and Florida residents are eligible to purchase a Tables in Wonderland (TiW) Membership (formerly Disney Dining Experience) at Walt Disney World. The annual membership fee seems steep at first glance. A Tables in Wonderland Membership will set Florida residents back $100 and Annual Passholders $75.
What do you get for your money? TiW members receive a 20% discount on food and beverage at participating restaurants and there are a lot of them. Most restaurants that participate are table-service restaurants but there are some quick-service locations that honor the TiW. You should keep in mind that an 18% gratuity is automatically added to your check when you use TiW and the discount is only valid for parties of ten or less. TiW is not accepted on some holidays.
Why do I love TiW so much? In a word, flexibility. Oh, and how can I forget savings? Unfortunately, the Disney dining plans just don’t work for my family but I’m never one to pay full price when a discount is available. What’s a girl to do? Purchase a TiW membership, of course. The standard Disney dining plan does not include appetizers or alcoholic beverages but TiW does. My husband appreciates both when on vacation so using TiW gives us savings, flexibility, and marital harmony. Everyone can order what they want from the menu without restrictions.
So what about that steep price? We often travel with my mom and my college-age stepson so for my family, TiW pays for itself in two or three days. Considering that as Annual Passholders we routinely spend 10+ days at WDW in any given year, the savings really do add up.
If you’re a Florida resident or an Annual Passholder, compare the TiW discount against the Disney dining plan. You may be surprised at which fits your family best.
Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You call follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer and Facebook.
The Best Thing I Love About Disney Is … Osborne Family Spectacle Of Dancing Lights
Disney purchased the equipment and rights to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights from Jennings Osborne, a Little Rock Arkansas businessman, in 1995. From then on it has been part of the Christmas Holidays at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
We had our first opportunity to see it in November of 2009. WOW!!! There are more than five million lights on the Streets of America and the display runs from November (starting November 7 in 2010) and runs until just after New Year’s Day.
It is shown every night at 6:00 PM and is generally very crowded. Have no fear though because the crowds ebb and flow so you will not always be shoulder to shoulder. The sheer quantity of lights when they are all turned on simultaneously is a shock to the senses (in a good way) and at intervals during the evening they are choreographed to Christmas music.
I have to admit, when they turned all of the lights on I could feel myself getting a little misty and I’m not a particularly emotional guy. The lights sequence on and off with the music and the effect is absolutely beautiful.
By the way, it snows here during the display!! If you have the opportunity to schedule a Walt Disney World visit while the display is running, please do it, you will not regret it!!
Ken
The Best Thing I Love About Disney Is … Restaurant Marrakesh
There is a restaurant in the Epcot World Showcase that has a very loyal following but has not yet reached the popularity level of Le Cellier and many of the others located there. We were there in November 2009 and at that point we became part of the loyal following.
Restaurant Marrakesh is a delight to both the palate and the senses. As many of you know, the King of Morocco sent his personal architect to Walt Disney World to make sure that everything was authentic in the pavilion. One more fact, the Morocco pavilion is the only one sponsored ay a country as opposed to commercial entities.
The restaurant is absolutely beautiful, the Cast Members are at or above the level of any other restaurant at Epcot, and the food is delicious. I have included a link to the menu here so you can see that the food is not really exotic and is not loaded with strange ingredients and spices.
There is also an authentic Moroccan musical ensemble with a G-rated Belly Dancer providing entertainment for dinner. Just a hint, if you have some youngsters who show an active interest in the dancer she just might (and again might not) ask them to join her. Do yourself a favor and make an ADR at Restaurant Marrakesh on your next visit, you will enjoy it!!
Ken