Guest editorial from my friend Lisa, who just visited Disneyland with her spouse and daughter.
MISCELLANEOUS IMPRESSIONS OF DISNEY
All Star Movies is a motel-style value Disney resort at $61/night. Although some panned it on the web, the rooms were as nice if not nicer than some high dollar hotel chains with fun decorations and good soundproofing. Many of the rooms had toys in the windows. It turns out that housekeeping puts any toys that guests purchase in the window. Even though it’s a marketing ploy, it was kind of sweet and cheerful (ie. a happy little girl/boy is staying here). The resort is perfect for small kids with oversized versions of Disney movie characters and a large star shaped pool with Fantasia Mickey spouting streams of water. There’s an efficient if uninspired food court and a pool-side bar for Mom & Dad. The staff was friendly and truly try to give guests a good experience. Requests to housekeeping were handled within minutes. Even though the resort was to capacity, it didn’t feel crowded. The only draw back to the entire experience and one of the main reasons for staying here was that the bus service which turned out to be very deficient. Returning to the park after a mid day break cost 2.5 hours round-trip in transportation. The main pool is also not quite suited to preschoolers as the only shallow areas are right along the edge of the pool.
Magic Kingdom really seemed magical once. It may be a function of one’s age or the park’s age, but it seems less so now. The park is showing wear with rotted wood, chipped paint, rusted metal, etc. Several main rides were closed for renovation. Some of the rides were not functioning properly: Aladdin’s camel wasn’t spitting, our Dumbo was broken, features in rides were not lit, etc. Many of the rides were outdated by today’s political and technical standards. The notable exception was Buzz Lightyear where riders reposition their space ships to shoot aliens with laser guns and see their scores automatically increment. Many of the rides in Disney are literally and figuratively dark. It was hard to see much in the Pirates of Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. A lot of rides have portions that will frighten small children and are also very loud. To control wait times, Disney created the Fast Past option allows riders to make one reservation at a time for popular rides. While it’s nice to hop right on a ride with a reservation, the wait is extended on a Fast Pass ride without a reservation. Wait times probably average out for the most part. The crowds by noon were thick by noon and lines were long. It was hot and humid in mid-September. Some of the lines had no air flow and were stifling.
Emily was poker faced for most of the day, hid her face during Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion and finally asked to go to the resort pool. Her favorites: Mickey shaped ice-cream, train rides, Pooh Bear’s Adventure, Jungle Cruise.
Epcot is really unappealing on the surface. The front of the park, the science park, looks like a convention center with concrete buildings, conventional landscaping and no color. It seems like a larger version of Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland complete with Jack Horkheimer music piped through loudspeakers. There are few rides and many are inappropriate for children due to excess motion and/or noise (irregardless of the height requirement). But on second look, it is like an extensive children’s science museum and there are things that engage kids of all ages. Because it is not so flashy and crowded, it is possible to move at a more leisurely pace and actually enjoy the experience. There are interactive video games and experiments for all ages and a huge aquarium. There are also some education rides and shows.
Miscellaneous humorous observations: the Land ride through hydroponic domes where organic gardening and genetic engineering aren’t mentioned, an animated show on nutrition sponsored by Nestle where singing candy bars say it’s alright to eat sweets in moderation, a film where Disney condemns Las Vegas for over-development, etc. Disney also covertly hawks Segways, Sony automated pets and heads-up displays. About 75% of the parks is purchasing opportunities. Most rides let out directly into a gift shop.
The World Showcase behind the science park is mainly a dining and retail venue with occasional performances. It is very similar in appearance to Las Vegas’s newer casinos with faux architecture. But it is pleasant and a relief from the frenzied pace of the rest of Disney. We watched an Italian carnival performance while Emily colored a mask. We ate decent Mexican fast food along the lake while Emily chased birds with tortilla chips. It is also a lot easier to meet Disney characters here. Emily was the only child in a crowd of older men meeting Jasmine from Mulan. There are even a few rides and films. The Maelstrom in Norway was Disney at its best: a trip to Valhalla, hell and back in a Viking ship.
Emily enjoyed Epcot a million times better than Magic Kingdom. Her picks: riding in the front of the monorail with the pilot, meeting Disney characters, watching dolphins at the aquarium, playing interactive video games with floor pads, sampling sodas from around the world.
Summary: We’ve gone on other vacations with the “real thing” that we enjoyed as much if not more and paid the same if not less. $55 admission adds up quickly and doesn’t always feel like a good value. There was a sameness about the parks that reduced any desire to return to the parks or see Universal or Animal Kingdom. If we did anything differently, it might be to stay at a resort with a nicer pool and hang there for awhile. We also might consider renting a car to avoid the Disney bus system. At least if we’re waiting in lines, we’re seated in a temperature controlled environment.
Tips: A collapsible stroller is necessary because you will walk many miles and wait in line even when you aren’t in the park. Prepare for terrible dehydration and bring a refillable water bottle for the few water fountains. A soft cooler with food and ziplock bags filled with ice saves a lot of money on food and is convenient. The park gets really clogged before and during parades. Saturday seems to bring a lot of local traffic.
MISCELLANEOUS IMPRESSIONS OF DISNEY
All Star Movies is a motel-style value Disney resort at $61/night. Although some panned it on the web, the rooms were as nice if not nicer than some high dollar hotel chains with fun decorations and good soundproofing. Many of the rooms had toys in the windows. It turns out that housekeeping puts any toys that guests purchase in the window. Even though it’s a marketing ploy, it was kind of sweet and cheerful (ie. a happy little girl/boy is staying here). The resort is perfect for small kids with oversized versions of Disney movie characters and a large star shaped pool with Fantasia Mickey spouting streams of water. There’s an efficient if uninspired food court and a pool-side bar for Mom & Dad. The staff was friendly and truly try to give guests a good experience. Requests to housekeeping were handled within minutes. Even though the resort was to capacity, it didn’t feel crowded. The only draw back to the entire experience and one of the main reasons for staying here was that the bus service which turned out to be very deficient. Returning to the park after a mid day break cost 2.5 hours round-trip in transportation. The main pool is also not quite suited to preschoolers as the only shallow areas are right along the edge of the pool.
Magic Kingdom really seemed magical once. It may be a function of one’s age or the park’s age, but it seems less so now. The park is showing wear with rotted wood, chipped paint, rusted metal, etc. Several main rides were closed for renovation. Some of the rides were not functioning properly: Aladdin’s camel wasn’t spitting, our Dumbo was broken, features in rides were not lit, etc. Many of the rides were outdated by today’s political and technical standards. The notable exception was Buzz Lightyear where riders reposition their space ships to shoot aliens with laser guns and see their scores automatically increment. Many of the rides in Disney are literally and figuratively dark. It was hard to see much in the Pirates of Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. A lot of rides have portions that will frighten small children and are also very loud. To control wait times, Disney created the Fast Past option allows riders to make one reservation at a time for popular rides. While it’s nice to hop right on a ride with a reservation, the wait is extended on a Fast Pass ride without a reservation. Wait times probably average out for the most part. The crowds by noon were thick by noon and lines were long. It was hot and humid in mid-September. Some of the lines had no air flow and were stifling.
Emily was poker faced for most of the day, hid her face during Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion and finally asked to go to the resort pool. Her favorites: Mickey shaped ice-cream, train rides, Pooh Bear’s Adventure, Jungle Cruise.
Epcot is really unappealing on the surface. The front of the park, the science park, looks like a convention center with concrete buildings, conventional landscaping and no color. It seems like a larger version of Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland complete with Jack Horkheimer music piped through loudspeakers. There are few rides and many are inappropriate for children due to excess motion and/or noise (irregardless of the height requirement). But on second look, it is like an extensive children’s science museum and there are things that engage kids of all ages. Because it is not so flashy and crowded, it is possible to move at a more leisurely pace and actually enjoy the experience. There are interactive video games and experiments for all ages and a huge aquarium. There are also some education rides and shows.
Miscellaneous humorous observations: the Land ride through hydroponic domes where organic gardening and genetic engineering aren’t mentioned, an animated show on nutrition sponsored by Nestle where singing candy bars say it’s alright to eat sweets in moderation, a film where Disney condemns Las Vegas for over-development, etc. Disney also covertly hawks Segways, Sony automated pets and heads-up displays. About 75% of the parks is purchasing opportunities. Most rides let out directly into a gift shop.
The World Showcase behind the science park is mainly a dining and retail venue with occasional performances. It is very similar in appearance to Las Vegas’s newer casinos with faux architecture. But it is pleasant and a relief from the frenzied pace of the rest of Disney. We watched an Italian carnival performance while Emily colored a mask. We ate decent Mexican fast food along the lake while Emily chased birds with tortilla chips. It is also a lot easier to meet Disney characters here. Emily was the only child in a crowd of older men meeting Jasmine from Mulan. There are even a few rides and films. The Maelstrom in Norway was Disney at its best: a trip to Valhalla, hell and back in a Viking ship.
Emily enjoyed Epcot a million times better than Magic Kingdom. Her picks: riding in the front of the monorail with the pilot, meeting Disney characters, watching dolphins at the aquarium, playing interactive video games with floor pads, sampling sodas from around the world.
Summary: We’ve gone on other vacations with the “real thing” that we enjoyed as much if not more and paid the same if not less. $55 admission adds up quickly and doesn’t always feel like a good value. There was a sameness about the parks that reduced any desire to return to the parks or see Universal or Animal Kingdom. If we did anything differently, it might be to stay at a resort with a nicer pool and hang there for awhile. We also might consider renting a car to avoid the Disney bus system. At least if we’re waiting in lines, we’re seated in a temperature controlled environment.
Tips: A collapsible stroller is necessary because you will walk many miles and wait in line even when you aren’t in the park. Prepare for terrible dehydration and bring a refillable water bottle for the few water fountains. A soft cooler with food and ziplock bags filled with ice saves a lot of money on food and is convenient. The park gets really clogged before and during parades. Saturday seems to bring a lot of local traffic.
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