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Showing posts from June, 2012

Ears the News with Richard

FASTPASS is now available for Dumbo. FASTPASS tickets are available at the entrance to Mickey's Philharmagic.  Standby guests will enter the queue area, and when available, will use the Big Top interactive indoor queue area.  FASTPASS guests will head directly to the ride, passing by the indoor queue area. Disney's Phineas and Ferb Agent P's World Showcase Adventure officially opened to guests on 6/23/2012. Guests will be available to go on missions in Mexico, Norway, Germany, Japan, France and the United Kingdom. Sign up locations are located in Norway, Italy, the International Gateway and the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.  Operating hours are 11:00 AM to 8:15 PM. Disney has indicated that additional missions and countries will be added later this year.   Tony Horton, creator of P90X, is back at Walt Disney World this September with a 4 day fitness course. The course will cost $2100 per guest and will include a stay at Disney's Co

Picture of the Day

A must do part of any Walt Disney World vacation is taking a stroll through the countries of World Showcase at Epcot!  Here we make a stop in the Germany Pavilion.  What is your favorite country to visit at World Showcase?

5 Ways to Speed Up the Online Check-in Process For Your Disney Cruise

Online check-in at Walt Disney World and online check-in for your Disney Cruise are two very different things.   At Disney World, some people elect not to use online check-in at all.   In fact, Richard recently wrote a blog for online check-in at Disney World which should help you decide if online check-in at Disney World is right for you.   Online check-in for your Disney Cruise however, is definitely for you.   Obviously, Disney can’t force everyone to do it, since even in this day and age there are still those who avoid the internet like the plague.   I’m looking at you, Grandmom.   But lets face it, if Grandmom is avoiding learning how to use a computer, she’s certainly not reading blogs.   Even mine.   So the vast majority of people will do it, and indeed, should do it.   Among other things, it gives you a chance to make sure your names are spelled correctly, and to double check your birthdates and other travel details.   Remy Anyone? Most importantly for you though,

Kingdom Konsultant's Top 10 Favorite Rides

If someone were to ask “What are your top 10 favorite rides in all of Walt Disney World?” would you be able to answer?    I could immediately start listing my “must-dos,” but my list quickly would go well above 10.   Who can really choose a favorite?!   I made my list and soon came to the realization that I could not condense it any more.   Staring at my list repeatedly, I concluded that I needed some input.   I conducted a highly  unscientific poll of some of my fellow agents at Kingdom Konsultant Travel.   After reading everyone’s lists, I was ecstatic to finally have a finished “favorites” list.   I am pleased to share with you the Kingdom Konsultant Travel’s Top 10 Favorite Rides!   Let the countdown begin! 10.   it’s a small world "It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears . . . .” well you know the rest.   And if you don’t, you will be humming it all day after taking this nostalgic boat-ride.   This ride offers over 300 brightly-colored costumed dol

Welcome to Main Street U.S.A.!

Horse drawn trolleys, jitneys and even an old fire engine make their way up and down the street lined with Victorian style buildings.   Happy, upbeat instrumental music plays and the sweet smells from the Confectionery travel through the air.   Guests are greeted by smiling faces of Cast Members, some holding huge bouquets of balloons, others ready and waiting to take your family photo with a picturesque Cinderella Castle in the distant background.   The Dapper Dans quartet is singing a medley of classic Disney songs while Mayor Weaver and Chief Smokey Miller, citizens of Main Street, mingle with guests.   You are in the heart of the Magic Kingdom, the gateway to where dreams come true and memories are made.   You are walking right down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A.! I like to refer to Walt Disney World as my “home away from home”, and Main Street is like the welcoming front porch.   The sights, the sounds, the smells – it’s like returning to a childhood home in which the best

Ears the News with Richard

Walt Disney World will once again have special fireworks for the 4 th of July. Magic Kingdom ’s “ Disney's Celebrate America ! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky" on July 3 7/3/2012 and 7/4/2012 at 9:00 PM. Disney’s Hollywood Studios will present "Rockin' 4th of July Celebration", with live rock and roll from Mulch, Sweat and Shears at 9:45 PM on 7/4/2012 and  Fantasmic! at 9:00 PM .   "The Heartbeat of Freedom" finale to Illuminations at Epcot will go off at 10:00 PM . There will be no fireworks at Downtown Disney or Animal Kingdom. Agent P's World Showcase Adventure is now in soft opening with limited guest testing.  There has been no word on the full official opening date yet, but if you are in Epcot and want to try it, keep an eye out at the sign-up locations for any testing. This is replacing the Kim Possible Adventure that closed on 5/17/2012 . Guests will find that the equipment as well as many of the effects to be the same but ther

Kilamanjaro Baby!

If you have been wondering about staying in a club level room at the Animal Kingdom Lodge but are unsure if it’s worth the money, in my opinion the answer to that question is a resounding yes! If you love the convenience of walking out of your hotel room and into the lounge in the morning to get your hot coffee or perhaps a nice mocha latte and a Danish ,or coming in from the parks and sitting down and enjoying a nice glass of wine and some appetizers, or the convenience of having the staff on duty to help with any last minute dining reservations or perhaps purchasing Cirque du Soleil tickets, then definitely! Deluxe accommodations, and a wonderful staff to help make your vacation as stress free as possible, are well worth the money. Many of us, myself included, really need to unwind a bit when we go away. This is why I personally will spend the extra money to stay on the club level in the deluxe hotels on Disney property.   From the well-appointed furnishings, to the views, th

A Taste of Polynesia at 'Ohana

When asked to write a blog about my favorite restaurant at Walt Disney World, my first reaction was to write about ‘Ohana, located in the Great Ceremonial House of the Polynesian Resort.  I have to say, there are many, many fine dining establishments located throughout the Walt Disney World Property and picking a favorite is very hard.    Aloha and welcome to ‘Ohana.  You’ve just entered the Polynesian-inspired restaurant with stone tikis, woodcarvings and South Seas décor.   ‘Ohana is the Hawaiian word for “family,” which is quite fitting since you will be served “family-style.”   If you are not hungry when you get there, you will be shortly after you start to smell the aroma of the meats being cooked over an open 18-foot oak fire pit.   Your server or “Cousin” will greet you like part of their family and bring you over to grab some delicious Hawaiian pineapple-coconut bread.  You’ll then be seated so that you can start your dining experience.  This is an “All-You-Care-To