Random Tips for First Time Travelers

Well, I survived the first week of "back to school."  On one hand, I think I  got a lot more done now that my kids are back at school.  On the other hand, this first week seemed pretty hectic with work.   Not that having a lot of work to do is a bad thing.  It just makes me want my vacation that much more. ;-)

One of the things I absolutely LOVE is being asked to help plan a Disney vacation. One of my college friends happens to be on Facebook.  She posted on Thursday, "Help!  I think I'm going to Disney World on Oct. 1."

She booked her family for 10 day trip (she has 3 days where she's at a conference in the middle) for Free Dining at Pop Century. It's the first time she's been there since 1989 and neither her kids nor her spouse have been there ever.

I LOVE helping this type of vacation traveler!  Rookies are so much fun to help! Not that we veterans are like old dogs, but someone who's never been is so much fun to guide along the way.

So, in honor of Janet's family trip in less than a month, here are my random tips for first time travelers to WDW:

1. Don't be a park commando.
No matter how long you have, you'll never see it all.  I've been to Disney nearly 20 times and I still haven't done everything there is to do there.

2. Make a list of "must do's."
This goes along with #1.  Use a guidebook.  Look on the internet. Watch a video.  Do what works best and find out what each person in your party really wants to see and do.  Then make sure you hit everything on that list.  Anything else after that is gravy and just make the experience that much more fun.

3.  It's not just about the rides.
Disney is not just about rides.  There's so much more to it than that.  Not only are there shows, but it's the whole immersive experience.  Yes, I will say it; you should live and breathe the Disney Magic while you are there. 

4.  Look for those small things that can be so easily overlooked.
Pressed penny machines are everyone.  In the parks and on the property. Sword in the Stone? Jedi Academy? DeVine? Mulch, Sweat & Shears? Sum of All Thrills?  The Jammitors?  If you haven't experienced all of these things, you are missing out on some pieces that make up the experience!

5. Make Dining Reservations
There have been times where I have planned the rest of my vacation around my dining reservations. Even if you aren't doing that, you'll want to take time to make some reservations.  Walk-up reservations can be hard to get in many table service restaurants.  Some of the most popular placed won't even take walk-ups. I understand wanting to be on vacation and not be "scheduled", but if dining is important to you, then take the needed steps to enjoy it.

6. Take a break.
This goes along with #1, too.  We always go out in the morning, come back to the resort for a pool and rest break and then we might go out again in the evening.  It's a great way to manage everyone's stamina, especially in the hotter months of the year.

7. Pack outfits for kids
When my kids were younger, I'd pack outfits in large ziploc bags.  Then in the morning, when it was time to get dressed, we'd just pull out one bag and go for it.  So much easier than picking out a shirt and shorts and arguing about it.

8. Use that camera
Not just for the scrapbook.  Take a picture of the kids each day before you head out to the parks. That way, if by some strange chance you do get separated and the Cast Members ask you, "What was Johnny wearing?", you can pull out that digital camera and show them rather than go, "Huh?"

9. Get a Passpouch
Don't mess with fanny packs.  And unless you really need to carry a lot of crap with you, leave it in your room. Disney has security outside each of its parks.  If you have a camera bag, diaper bag, backpack...any kind of bag, you have to go through security before you even reach the turnstiles.

We all have something similar to the Passpouch that Passporter offers.  It's goes around your neck, has space for your ID, room key, cash, and a pen. Hands-free so you don't leave it on a ride. Love it.  Won't travel without it.

10.  Get a water bottle strap
We have several.  You can wear it over the shoulder and across the body.  Instead of hauling a bag to carry a beverage for each person in your party, give everyone a strap and they can carry their own water, soda, whatever. 

Bonus: With a water bottle strap and a Passpouch, you can skip security and go through the "Guests with no Bags" entrance.

Well, I hope this has been helpful.  

Could It Be...Disney Finds A Way To Do Italian?

Disney and Italian food? 

I've never been a fan of Disney's attempts at Italian.

Tony's Town Square in Magic Kingdom: 
To me, the menu seems limited and uninspiring. Is it a cute environment?  Sure.  But why should I pay Disney prices for what is basic Italian that I could get at a chain restaurant?

Tutto Italia has some interesting items, but frankly, I'm not interested in spending $24 for what is essentially a vegetarian pasta.  Oh, and that's the lunch price.

But the new Via Napoli is raising eyebrows all over the place.  Today, the Disney Parks Blog released some details on the menu and to me, it just sounds like a breath of fresh air.

Here's a snippet:
Appetizers: Sicilian eggplant with olives and raisins; salad of lettuce, fagiolini (string beans), fennel and tomatoes; arancini (fried saffron risotto balls) with meat ragù, mozzarella and pomodoro sauce; corn-crusted fried calamari; and minestrone with basil pesto. Or share a plate of arancini, mozzarella, calamari, portobella mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes).
Main course salads: Manzo (filet of beef) with greens, red onion, gorgonzola, apple and cucumber with a red wine-mustard vinaigrette; chopped salad with lemon chicken, greens, cantaloupe, cucumber, red pepper, green beans, onions, almonds and pasta crisps with honey-citrus vinaigrette; calamari with arugula, carrots and fennel with orange vinaigrette.
Pastas: candele (long, tube-shaped pasta) with sausage ragù; linguine with seafood; malfadine (ribbon pasta) with guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon) and pomodoro sauce; lasagna verde.
Piatti alla Parmigiana: (dishes topped with Parmesan and mozzarella gratinée): veal, chicken and eggplant.
Wood-fired pizzas: made with caputo flour imported from Southern Italy, San Marzano tomatoes, handmade mozzarella and water from a local spring just like in Italy’s Campania region – 10-inch, 20-inch or 1/2 meter to share: a dozen choices, from a simple pizza Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil to carciofi with artichoke, potato, pecorino cheese, prosciutto and cantaloupe.
Sweets: tiramisù, zeppole di ricotta (ricotta cheese-fried dough, whipped cream and chocolate sauce); apple cake with almond sorbetti; gelatie; and vanilla gelato with almond cookies and amarena cherries.
 *~*~*~*
Can I just say that I'm highly interested in how cantaloupe tastes on a pizza?  I never in a million years would have tried that!

And the risotto balls just sound divine ~ but I love rice, too.

I'm particularly interested in the chopped salad ~ minus the onions.  Follow me long enough and you'll soon find that onions don't exist is my world.  Ick on all fronts.

Here's the other news:  Via Napoli opens next month!  August 2010!  No firm date yet, but keep following and I'll share as soon as I know. 

I can't wait to try this place...

New Online Dining Reservation System on disneyworld.com

It never fails, does it?  Here I am talking about food...again.

But this is some pretty cool news.

In case you didn't know, advanced dining reservations (ADRs) can be made online at disneyworld.com.  The cool part is there is a new version in beta that is live right now.

Here are a few of the high points:

1.  I can search all restaurants on any given day.
Love this function!  There's nothing more sucky than having to search each restaurant individually if the first choice is not available.  Plus, it tells me all the available times within the search window for my party size.

2. Larger search window.
Previously, it would only search an hour on either side of the time you wanted.  So if I wanted lunch at 12 noon, it would search 11am-1pm for that date and specific restaurant.  Now it searches two hours on either side.  Love it.

3.  A few more search parameters are available.
I can search by specific location (resort or theme park) or by cuisine/dining experience.  I could search this way before, but the new setup is much more user friendly.

The only downside I've seen so far is that you can't search a range of dates like before.  This was handy if one of those hard-to-get ADRs (Le Cellier, Crystal Palace, etc.) is on the must-have list.  Since it's in beta, I'm hoping that people request that functionality be reinstated.

So check it out and let me know what you think.

Rumor: Le Cellier to become Signature Restaurant

I always seem to come back to food.  I can't help it; dining at Disney is part of my vacation.

This rumor hit a couple of discussion boards in the last few days.

It seems that the staff at Le Cellier has been told they will re-categorize as a Signature restaurant as early as fall of 2010 or early 2011.

What does that mean for the average Disney vacationer?

The obvious one is an increase in price.  Given the huge following Le Cellier seems to have, this might make it easier for those who've yet to experience it to acquire that oh-so-hard-to-get ADR.  But it will set you back a bit more, either in cash or in dining credits.

Le Cellier will probably re-vamp its menu to make it more unique.  This would put it in line with other Signature locations which tend to offer a more specialized menu.

Given that Signature locations tend to be more intimate and quiet, it's also possible that seating would be shifted around to accommodate fewer tables and that a Resort Casual dress code would be put in place.

What do I think?  I think it's not just possible, but highly probable.

Le Cellier is very popular.  Demand for seats at this restaurant vastly outweigh supply.  Make it a Signature and raise the prices will make Disney more money and probably not affect demand significantly.

Don't worry about having fewer one credit choices at Epcot.  We have those two new restaurants coming online shortly.  Well, one new and one refreshed option.   Cantina de San Angel will open later this year with more space, especially for outdoor dining.  And the new restaurant in the Italy pavilion, Via Napoli Pizzeria, will certainly draw in crowds with its pizza.

Stay tuned!  We'll see how this all plays out.