Stupid Disney and Their Deals

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon May 15, 2017 3:49 pm

There are spoilers for a fireworks show...?

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon May 15, 2017 4:23 pm

I never really got into whatever story they were trying to tell. I just see things explode and I'm happy. That said the villain themed one I went and paid extra for was pretty f'n cool.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Mon May 15, 2017 5:22 pm

Isgrimnur wrote:There are spoilers for a fireworks show...?

For my Disney fanatic daughter? You better believe it.

soulbringer · Post by **soulbringer** » Mon May 15, 2017 7:43 pm

Make sure you have a good view of the castle with the new Fireworks show. There is a heavy projection presence even more than with wishes. We love watching the Fireworks from the Top of the World Lounge we get access to with our DVC membership but this new show really needs to be seen from mainstreet to really be appreciated.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Tue May 30, 2017 9:55 am

Wife and I are going to try and get a peak at the new Pandora on Saturday. I'm not sure if we will or not. There were reports of people waiting 6 hours just to get into the Pandora area this weekend.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 30, 2017 11:52 am

I must be the only one who has zero interest in Pandora. It was a cool movie and all, but I don't think it warrants a world being created like Star Wars or Harry Potter.

Cortilian · Post by **Cortilian** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:06 pm

msteelers wrote:Wife and I are going to try and get a peak at the new Pandora on Saturday. I'm not sure if we will or not. There were reports of people waiting 6 hours just to get into the Pandora area this weekend.

Can confirm 1st hand the line was 4 hours to enter the Pandora area over the weekend (didn't wiat in the line). Went and at Moroccan at EPCOT.

BTW, when Star Wars land opens it will be nothing compared to this. OMG.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:07 pm

We have no interest in Pandora as a family, but we will be at Disney in 7 days, so I figure if we can go at night, since we have access as hotel guests, then maybe we will go and see it late at night one night.

We are staying at Coronado Springs, which is close to Animal Kingdom, so it should be a quick bus ride over.

Otherwise Animal Kingdom is only a 1/2 day park for us most years anyway.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:08 pm

I love the Moroccan pavilion. The food is great there.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:24 pm

RMC wrote:We have no interest in Pandora as a family, but we will be at Disney in 7 days, so I figure if we can go at night, since we have access as hotel guests, then maybe we will go and see it late at night one night.

We are staying at Coronado Springs, which is close to Animal Kingdom, so it should be a quick bus ride over.

Otherwise Animal Kingdom is only a 1/2 day park for us most years anyway.

We totally skipped the park our last visit. I just loath that park for some reason. It seems like it's a billion miles to get anywhere and it seems hotter than the other parks. I wish they would focus on Epcot. That place needs to TLC ASAP. Outside of the World Showcase it's a pretty sad rundown place.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:32 pm

I'm in the "not getting the Avatar/Pandora love" camp. My whole family pretty much has zero interest in this, which is fine with me. We'll do our half day and then go somewhere else.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:38 pm

So anyone used this service?

It would be 150 bucks for my family.

Disney Linky

Express Transportation Option
Spend even more time enjoying all 4 theme parks when you add Express Transportation to your Park Hopper Option!
Experience More Magic Than Ever
Now you can breeze between all 4 theme parks with fast, nonstop service that drops you inside the main gates—and closer to the magic—so you can start playing right away.
If you have tickets with the Park Hopper Option (or a Walt Disney World annual pass), adding Express Transportation is a great way to pack even more fun into your day. We’ll take you directly to the drop-off location inside the theme park you want to visit next—with no waiting to reenter at the gate.
No matter which theme park you’re in, when you’re ready to enjoy any of the others, just make your way to our Express Transportation check-in location, where a Cast Member will escort you to your vehicle.
Express Transportation service:
• departs approximately every 30 minutes.
• is available each day from 10:00 AM until park closing.*
• travels directly between each of the theme parks—with no other stops along the way.
• lets you off inside the main gate, so you’re in the middle of fun from the moment you arrive!
• gives you unlimited transfers between all 4 theme parks—for as long as your Express Transportation ticket is valid.
Check-In Locations
• Magic Kingdom park: near the exit of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Epcot: the east side of Spaceship Earth
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: the courtyard in front of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom park: near the entrance to Dawa Bar
Ticket Pricing and Information
Express Transportation tickets are available to Guests holding valid theme park admission with the Park Hopper Option and to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders.
Price per Guest (Ages 3+)
• Single-day ticket: $19
Valid for date of purchase only
• Multi-day ticket: $29
Valid for up to 7 consecutive days beginning on date of purchase
Where to Buy Express Transportation Tickets
• All 4 theme park ticket windows and Guest Relations
• Disney Springs ticket window
• Disney Resort hotel concierge locations
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel ticket desks
• Kiosks at Express Transportation check-in locations

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:44 pm

That must be new as I've never heard of it before. Honestly I don't hop parks all that much, so I don't think I would find use for it. If you plan on hopping a lot it sounds like it *might* be worth it.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Tue May 30, 2017 12:59 pm

Octavious wrote:
RMC wrote:We have no interest in Pandora as a family, but we will be at Disney in 7 days, so I figure if we can go at night, since we have access as hotel guests, then maybe we will go and see it late at night one night.

We are staying at Coronado Springs, which is close to Animal Kingdom, so it should be a quick bus ride over.

Otherwise Animal Kingdom is only a 1/2 day park for us most years anyway.
We totally skipped the park our last visit. I just loath that park for some reason. It seems like it's a billion miles to get anywhere and it seems hotter than the other parks. I wish they would focus on Epcot. That place needs to TLC ASAP. Outside of the World Showcase it's a pretty sad rundown place.

I like some of the rides, there. Dinosaur and the roller coaster are fun. And seeing the animals on the safari is a cool ride as well. The kids enjoy all three of these rides. But after that, there is not really anything else to see or do honestly. So Pandora if it is not packed, might actually make it worthwhile.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Tue May 30, 2017 1:01 pm

Octavious wrote:That must be new as I've never heard of it before. Honestly I don't hop parks all that much, so I don't think I would find use for it. If you plan on hopping a lot it sounds like it *might* be worth it.

Yeah, the more I think about it, the price seems high for what you are getting. I guess we only really bounce to other parks to see the night shows, and honestly we almost always go to the hotel first and then back out. So park to park, I am not sure it is worth it...

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 30, 2017 1:09 pm

AK is really the only park that is a PITA to get to and that's not even really a PITA. I don't think I would pony up the money for that if it were me. For example to get from Epcot to Hollywood you can take a boat. Which is quite fun. Epcot and MK you can take the monorail, which again I think is fun. Only one you have to take a bus is AK. Because it sucks.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Tue May 30, 2017 1:43 pm

Animal Kingdom doesn't suck, it's just not a place you can spend all day at. It's a half day park*. You get there in the morning, do the safari, walk the paths to see the animals, go on Everest, see some of the other shows, and then go back to your hotel or another park before the heat of the day kicks in. Or you get there late afternoon and do the animal stuff before it gets dark.

Now Epcot... Epcot is terrible unless you are going for either the food and wine or flower and garden festivals.

* This is before Pandora at least.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 30, 2017 3:05 pm

Wow no, I could spend every day for the rest of my life in Epcot. It has beer, food and shows. What else do I need?

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Tue May 30, 2017 3:20 pm

Octavious wrote:Wow no, I could spend every day for the rest of my life in Epcot. It has beer, food and shows. What else do I need?

I like Epcot, but it is my second favorite park right now. Magic Kingdom still has my heart, mostly because my kids light up when they walk into the park. The wife and I like Epcot a lot, but you have to admit it is starting to show it's age a little.

Hollywood studio's will be awesome once Star Wars and Toy Story Land get implemented, but right now it is a 1/2 day park. And of course Animal Kingdom is a 1/2 day park, not sure if Pandora is going to change my mind or not on that.

We have the water park tickets as well, so I am sure we will spend a 1/2 day at a water park, as my wife and kids love the water parks. I hate them, but I do whatever my kids want when on vacation.

soulbringer · Post by **soulbringer** » Tue May 30, 2017 5:14 pm

The express bus is about 6 months old. It is well worth it if you park hop frequently throughout the week. Not having to wait in line and go through bag check, walk from the parking lot or bus stop makes it worth it to us. As far as Pandora goes, We got into a DVC preview last month. It is a beautiful area, very well themed and the Flight of Avatar is one of the best rides Ive ever been on. That said, if you are familiar with the old Camp Mickey and Minnie area where Festival of the Lion King was, you know that is not a very big area at all. They did not expand upon the size of the area at all, so once you experience Pandora, unless you have a fast pass for one of the rides there is really nothing to do.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Tue May 30, 2017 11:33 pm

Honestly when I look back I wonder why I even bother with the park hopper. It's usually like this on a 7 day trip. Magic Kingdom 2 days, Epcot 4 days (Yes I have issues) 1/2 Hollywood no Animal Kingdom and probably Epcot for another half day.

In two days you should easily clear MK unless it's really really busy. Before they changed the fast pass I did every single ride in a day in peak season. I don't like the new fast pass.

Hollywood off-season I cleared almost every decent ride in half a day without trying. Seriously Star Wars can't come fast enough. Epcot I just like to wander and hit the restaurants and stores. And drink... A lot.

I can see the benefit of the park hopper if you want to split say Hollywood and AK in a day, but the bus thing seems like a waste unless you have money to burn.

Punisher · Post by **Punisher** » Wed May 31, 2017 12:36 am

Add me to the not a big fan of Pandora land. Just don't get it. It was a decent movie, but not theme park worthy in my opinion..
Definitely waiting for Star Wars land, but damn, I think you will need to camp out to get in..

Cortilian · Post by **Cortilian** » Wed May 31, 2017 5:30 am

RMC wrote:So anyone used this service?

It would be 150 bucks for my family.

Disney Linky

Express Transportation Option
Spend even more time enjoying all 4 theme parks when you add Express Transportation to your Park Hopper Option!
Experience More Magic Than Ever
Now you can breeze between all 4 theme parks with fast, nonstop service that drops you inside the main gates—and closer to the magic—so you can start playing right away.
If you have tickets with the Park Hopper Option (or a Walt Disney World annual pass), adding Express Transportation is a great way to pack even more fun into your day. We’ll take you directly to the drop-off location inside the theme park you want to visit next—with no waiting to reenter at the gate.
No matter which theme park you’re in, when you’re ready to enjoy any of the others, just make your way to our Express Transportation check-in location, where a Cast Member will escort you to your vehicle.
Express Transportation service:
• departs approximately every 30 minutes.
• is available each day from 10:00 AM until park closing.*
• travels directly between each of the theme parks—with no other stops along the way.
• lets you off inside the main gate, so you’re in the middle of fun from the moment you arrive!
• gives you unlimited transfers between all 4 theme parks—for as long as your Express Transportation ticket is valid.
Check-In Locations
• Magic Kingdom park: near the exit of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Epcot: the east side of Spaceship Earth
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: the courtyard in front of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom park: near the entrance to Dawa Bar
Ticket Pricing and Information
Express Transportation tickets are available to Guests holding valid theme park admission with the Park Hopper Option and to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders.
Price per Guest (Ages 3+)
• Single-day ticket: $19
Valid for date of purchase only
• Multi-day ticket: $29
Valid for up to 7 consecutive days beginning on date of purchase
Where to Buy Express Transportation Tickets
• All 4 theme park ticket windows and Guest Relations
• Disney Springs ticket window
• Disney Resort hotel concierge locations
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel ticket desks
• Kiosks at Express Transportation check-in locations

That is a new thing. Our guide was talking about it when we took the behind the scenes tour earlier this year. It seemed pretty useful if you needed to park hop and/or were handicapped. They pick you up inside the park you are leaving and drop you off at a special area at the park you are going to and get express entry. We almost never park hop. Heck we rarely stay in a park more than half a day because we live here. But if you were coming on vacation and had a schedule to keep or mobility issues and an extra hundie or two isn't a budget buster it's not bad deal.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Wed May 31, 2017 9:35 am

Ah I didn't even consider little kids with strollers with bags and stuff. I could see it being useful in that instance. I don't miss the stroller days.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Sun Aug 20, 2017 6:50 pm

WDW Vacation, day 1. Left my phone on the Magic Express Shuttlebus from the airport to the resorts. It went on more rides than I did...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Jag · Post by **Jag** » Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:36 am

hentzau wrote:WDW Vacation, day 1. Left my phone on the Magic Express Shuttlebus from the airport to the resorts. It went on more rides than I did...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hope you get it back. You are also lucky that it's cooled off a bit here. Was a brutally hot week last week.

soulbringer · Post by **soulbringer** » Sat Mar 09, 2019 4:40 pm

For all you Disney and Star Wars people. Im sure you have seen the news already but here it is again. Opening phase I Aug 29th. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/desti ... axys-edge/

Our annual fall trip is in Oct for Food and Wine festival. Dont think Im gonna venture over until Fall 2020 but if anyone wants to wait in line starting at the Florida Border or your house if your live in Florida have at it.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Sat Mar 09, 2019 4:46 pm

Nope nope nope. Can't afford another trip already. Stupid Disney...

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Sat Mar 09, 2019 8:58 pm

Disney should build a timeshare based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 1:29 pm

We just got back from a 3-day Disney vacation last week. Between mine and my brother's families, we had 5 adults (two couples and mom) and 7 kids ages 13, 9, two 8 (his twins), two 5 (my twins), and 4. We did the "park hopper" thing which allowed us to enter one part or the other (Disneyland or Cali Adventures), but we couldn't jump back and forth between the two. That would have been an extra $50/day/person.

We did Disney the first day, and my Wonder Twins were complaining about being bored 20 minutes in. It was a "slow" day, which meant 60 minute waits for rides instead of 2-3 hours. That wears on the patience of 5 year olds pretty quickly. California Adventures on day two fared much better. Partly because they enjoyed the constant Pixar branding more than Disney, and partly because the rides themselves were just better. We took a vote on which park to do on Day 3. Mrs. Skinypupy really wanted to go back to Disney, but she was voted down 11-1. I could tell she was very disappointed, but we still had fun at Cali Adventures.

A couple quick thoughts:

- We tried to do the whole Fast Pass thing, but I was disappointed to find that even if you basically ran to the kiosk the moment you had a slot available, you could usually only get a pass for 3-4 hours later. By early afternoon, fast passes for every ride were gone, and you had no choice but to just stand in line.
- They've done a remarkable job at revamping California Adventures. I remember being very underwhelmed when we went there 12? years ago, but the Pixar branding helped a ton, and the rides there are very fun. The Guardians of the Galaxy and Incredicoaster are both a blast. We waited 2.5 hours for Guardians on the last day, which is the longest I've ever waited for a ride. Speaking of Guardians, they do a funny Peter Quill/Gamorra "dance off" in front of the ride every hour or so. The woman in the Gamorra outfit was a 100% dead ringer for the real thing. Like, it was eerie.
- All the Disneyland rides are so underwhelming. Even my kids were bored with them, the only one they really liked was Star Tours, which got a fun new trilogy revamp.
- They were renovating the castle, so it basically had a giant dropcloth in front of it...with a picture of the castle on it. It also meant you had to walk all the way around the castle to get to the other side, instead of just walking through it. That was annoying. Space Mountain was also closed, which sucked.
- Disney staff are amazing. Every company should model their customer service.
- Disney food is so wildly disappointing. Partly because it's just not that great, and partly because of what I paid for it.

Overall, everyone had a great time but I'm not sure that I'm really itching to do it again any time soon. Maybe 5 years after the Star Wars thing opens, but it's tough to justify the ridiculous investment required.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Mon Mar 11, 2019 6:19 pm

Based on the last time I was there, Disney has really made a mess of fast pass and the regular wait time. It may be me, but it seems like since they started to allow people to book their fast passes months out, and have increased the number they are handing out, that the wait times for standby has skyrocketed. They've kind of wrecked the casual "hey, let's jump on the Mine Train while we wait for our fast pass for Splash Mountain" because the wait times are so much longer it seems.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Sun Sep 08, 2019 7:41 am

Yesterday the wife and I made an impromptu trip over to Hollywood Studios to check out Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge which recently opened. We noticed that the wait times were unusually low. When Pandora opened at Animal Kingdom we made a special trip just to check out the new rides. We ended up waiting 4 hours to see Flights of Passage, and over 2 hours to see the River Journey ride. So what was the wait time for Smuggler's Run?

50 minutes the first time we rode it. 30 minutes the second time.

I've been reading articles about how Galaxy's Edge has been a bust out at Disneyland. And after seeing the version at Disney World, I don't understand why. This is the most immersive area of any theme park I've ever been to. It really does feel like you have stepped into a galaxy far, far away. The characters walk around and interact with you. No long lines to meet your heroes. Storm Troopers standing on towers watching over the crowd. I passed by Rey casually having a conversation with four women. Kylo Ren walks through the area asking people if they had any information on the Resistance. Even the employees "don't know" they are cast members. They are all "residents" of this planet. That led to some pretty odd interactions. At one point we were accused of making up the word cow.

But the best part is Smuggler's Run. My enthusiasm for Star Wars took a big hit after Last Jedi. I've found it harder to enjoy the franchise since that movie came out. But man, walking into the Millenium Falcon and sitting in the cockpit was something else. The ride has six people, each with a different job. There are two pilots, two gunners, and two engineers. If you go, try and be the pilot. You get to actually fly the damn ship. We were the gunners and the engineers on our two rides. All you do with those roles are press buttons, but even that was incredible. I had a giant goofy grin on my face every second of that ride.

I don't know why the area is not more popular. Pandora has been ridiculously busy ever since it opened, and the ride is rarely less than 2 hours when we are there. Maybe we just happened to go on a day where crowds were down across the board. School's back and the entire eastern seaboard just had a hurricane move through. Whatever the reason though, I highly recommend Galaxy's Edge. They crushed it. It's the best expansion at Disney World that I can think of. And in terms of immersion I think it's better than even the Harry Potter stuff at Universal.

naednek · Post by **naednek** » Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:14 am

in disneyland's case, i think it's because they overhyped how long the "expected" lines were going to be and scared people off.

RMC · Post by **RMC** » Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:17 am

They are not offering any decent packages. We were annual passholders last year, and the costs have gone up, and what you get has gone way down.

We might even fly down this year and go to Universal. Hoepfully they will bring the prices or have some decent packages next year.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Sun Sep 08, 2019 2:49 pm

Castaway Cay might have a few upcoming bargains.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 10:51 am

I spent Saturday hopping around WDW. We're Annual Pass holders, so we're there often. But this trip was nice because most everything we did was brand new to us.

I had a birthday recently, and as a present my wife bought me the "build your own lightsaber" experience that's open in the new Galaxy's Edge area at Hollywood Studios. It's expensive, but incredible and worth it IMO. The storyline and the experience is top notch. And picking what color lightsaber to go with is surprisingly challenging. You can do blue, green, red, or violet. I went with green, but of course you can purchase additional crystals to change the color of your lightsaber. I would definitely recommend this to any fans of Star Wars. Just try and make your reservation towards the end of the day. The lightsabers are big, bulky, and awkward to carry around the park.

The other big thing we did was take the new Disney Skyliner, the gondola system that connects some of the resorts to both Epcot and Hollywood Studios. We started at Hollywood Studios and took it to Caribbean Beach, which is their main "hub". From there we took it to Epcot, and eventually all the way back to Hollywood Studios where our car was parked.

I'll start by saying that I had zero interest in this when it was announced. I assumed it would be slow and not at all convenient unless you were staying in the resorts attached to the system. Man, I was totally wrong. These things are fast. It was really convenient to get from Hollywood Studios to Epcot, taking about 30 minutes in total. That's about how long it takes if you are using the buses, but much nicer. You get a great view, it's really comfortable, and you're not sitting around waiting at all. Overall, I like it a lot more than the monorail. Hopefully it's a success and they are able to expand it out to add other parks and resorts.

It drops you off outside of the back entrance to Epcot, out by the countries. We then walked to the Yacht Club resort and ate at this small lounge next to the Yachtsman, which is a fantastic steakhouse inside the resort. This lounge shares a kitchen with the Yachtsman, so the food is incredible. We had prime rib sliders and a cheese & charcuterie board that was incredible. The drinks were great too.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 11:59 am

RMC wrote: ↑Sun Sep 08, 2019 11:17 am They are not offering any decent packages. We were annual passholders last year, and the costs have gone up, and what you get has gone way down.

We might even fly down this year and go to Universal. Hoepfully they will bring the prices or have some decent packages next year.

I've told my wife I'm done with the place. Over the last 10 years it's just gone from expensive to OMFG expensive. And like you said I feel like you get less and less. One good example is that they did some special "event" where they let people pay even more to get into the park early. This in turn made that particular park super duper busy that day. And the what used to be handy crowd calendars didn't account for it. With all the changes to fast passes and just how they manage things in general it's much much much harder to organize and avoid crowds. Meh... I had my fun. I'm sure I'll go once to see Star Wars, but I'm not exactly dying to see it.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 12:06 pm

My wife backed out of a plot to go see the rat next year when estimated costs kept spiraling upward. That and it's highly likely my 3 year old daughter won't remember much if any of it. I can only hope than in a few more years, their attention would latch on to a more affordable IP.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 1:03 pm

Last year we went all out and did a Disney cruise and spent two days at Universal while in Orlando. We sort of knocked out two birds at once (Disney and Harry Potter). The good thing about the cruise is that it was long enough that our kids are guaranteed* to remember it whereas a one-day Disney trip might be forgettable.

I have to give them props for the cruise. It was well done.

*not a guarantee

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Mon Nov 25, 2019 1:18 pm

FWIW, I was taken to Disneyland when I was about four or five. I remember a grand total of about three seconds of it, and that is just me in a stroller with Mickey walking up.