Animal Kingdom Overview

Ah, Animal Kingdom.  My favorite park.  My home park.  During my College Program (oh, you didn’t know I participated in the Disney College Program?  Let me remind you again!) I worked at the Animal Kingdom as a main entrance merchandise cast member which included working in the gift shop right outside of the park, the gift cart opposite the shop, the cart next to Guest Relations, Locker Rental, the PhotoPass gift shop, and stroller and ECV rentals.  Okay, I’m going to get on my soap box for a quick second.  I loved my experience with the Disney College Program.  I’ve heard the horror stories.  I’ve heard them all.   I get it, your coworker’s daughter hated her program because she got paid minimum wage and, gasp, had to actually work.  I’ve heard it and I don’t care.  I knew what I was signing up for.  I willingly and happily signed up to be cheap labor and nothing more than a number to an international Fortune 100 company.  I was realistic about what my experience would be and understood my days would be long and pay would be low.  But you know what?  Most internships don’t pay anything and I got to work at Disney freaking World, a lifelong dream of mine.  I loved playing with bubble guns and light sabers and watching children’s’ faces light up.  I loved receiving strollers from parents at the end of the day and listening to their child’s stories about their favorite character and favorite rides.  I loved being part of the magic.  As a human being, I had some of my most rewarding experiences when Make a Wish children wanted to hug me because they were so grateful for their experience.  As a professional, I learned my most important soft skills like interpersonal communication, customer service, and conflict resolution.  And as a girl who grew up on princess movies and fairytales, I geeked out when I had to drive an ECV through the parade route and the entire crowd cheered me on as I princess waved.  Don’t come for my internship experience; I will make it rain pixie dust all over your negative ass.  Airplane Ass mic drop. *Gets down from soap box.  Okay, sorry, I’m done….maybe.  I make no promises. 

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Animal Kingdom opened on Earth Day (April 22) in 1998.  It is the largest theme park in the world but actually has the smallest amount of people space of all 4 of the Disney World theme parks.  The safari is just that big.  It is the 6th most visited theme park in the world and is dedicated to the natural environment and animal conservation, a cause near and dear to Walt Disney himself.  Unlike in the other parks, you won’t find any plastic straws, lids, or balloons.  Everything used in the Animal Kingdom is biodegradable.  It was recently announced that the other parks will be similarly following suit in the coming years.  There are also no nighttime fireworks as the sound would be upsetting to the animals that live there and up until just a few years ago, there was no nighttime activity at all.  Just a heads up, this park can only be reached by car or bus.  There is no other transportation option such as monorail or boat.

The theme of the park is separated into 3 parts, each of which is honored at the park’s entrance: What was, what is, and what never will be.  Check out Dinoland and Dinosaur for the “what was” portion of the park.  “What is” can be found throughout the park in the form of animal trails, the safari, and animal conservation efforts.  “What never will be” can now be experienced in the new Pandora land.  Wanting guests to experience a true adventure, Joe Rhodes, the head Imagineer of the park, did not print park maps for the first few weeks of the park opening.  He wanted guests to truly experience what an adventure would feel like.  As you can imagine, guests did not enjoy this and after many complaints of being lost, maps were made and are still used today. 

The park is built in the shape of a……..WHEEL! Yes, a wheel, built around the Tree of Life, the park’s main icon.  At the bottom of the wheel, heading towards the Tree of Life, you walk through an area called the Oasis.  This area definitely gets you in the mindset that you are leaving Orlando and entering the Animal Kingdom.  The Oasis features multiple animal exhibits that allows guests to see some smaller animals like wallabies, swans, and macaws. 

As you walk out of the Oasis you come upon Discover Island featuring the beautiful Tree of Life, a 145ft sculpture of a baobab tree.  The Tree has 325 carvings of animals, both living and extinct and houses the 3D show It’s Tough to be a Bug.  With over 1,000 leaves placed on the tree, it really is a beautiful sight and is my personal favorite park icon.  Discovery Island is the central hub of the park/wheel and houses a few more animal exhibits as well as the park’s largest gift shops.  The area is named after the former location of a wildlife observation area near the Magic Kingdom which has recently been announced to become a new resort.  At night, projections light up the Tree of Life and if you’re a big Up fan, you can meet Russell and Doug from the movie just under the right side of the Tree.  Discovery Island is also home to the Flame Tree BBQ which offers the not-to-be-missed pulled pork nachos. 

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As you move to the right of wheel, you’ll come upon Dinoland.  Dinoland is made up of two parts: The Dino Institute which houses Dinosaur, a thrilling ride back in time to the Cretaceous period based on the 2000 movie of the same name, and Chester & Hester’s Dinorama, a roadside carnival type area featuring familiar carnival games and attractions.  The story behind this area is The Dino Institute moved in and bought up all the surrounding land, homes, and businesses but Chester & Hester wouldn’t sell their land to the Institute.  Dinorama is supposed to look a little tattered and beat up; it is a roadside carnival after all.  Don’t worry about getting FastPasses for any of the attractions in this area; the other areas of the park typically are more popular and have more traffic.  Just above Dinoland sits the Theater in the Wild which features a Finding Nemo live show.  Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of the show but if you’ve got young kids or are in desperate need of a break from the Florida heat, this is a great option.

Moving up the wheel, you begin to make your way to Asia, the first expansion to the park after its opening.  This area opened shortly after the park’s initial opening in 1999.  The Asia section of the park is based off of a fictional Anandapur village which features the Forbidden Mountain of Expedition Everest, my favorite ride on Disney World property.  Here you’ll narrowly escape being captured by the Yeti himself (although fun fact, the Yeti used to swing his arm but he’s so heavy that his swinging was pulling the entire ride off its foundation).  Depending on the time of day you’re heading to the Animal Kingdom, you may want to grab a FastPass for this attraction.  Or if you can separate from your group during the ride, the single rider option is a great way to skip a long wait time.  In Asia you will also find the Kali River Rapids attraction (prepare to get completely drenched), Up! A Great Bird Adventure bird show, the Maharajah Jungle Trek (great for seeing Tigers not found on the Safari), and the seating area for the amazing nighttime show Rivers of Light.  My favorite Quick Service restaurant in the Animal Kingdom is located in Asia: Yak & Yeti.  But don’t confuse the quick service with the full service location of the same name right next door!

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To the left of Asia sits Africa, the largest section of the park based off of the fictional Harambe village.  I love this part of the park from the food to the music and entertainment.  Here you’ll find the Kilimanjaro Safari Adventure that takes guests on a 20 minute ride through the Safari and showcases some of your favorite wild animals.  Grab a FastPass for this one; the lines get can gnarly.  Once you’re done with your safari ride, head over to the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail where once again, you can see some amazing animals not featured on the safari.  In this portion of the park, you will also find the Festival of the Lion King, the greatest show on property.  It’s amazing, beautiful, breathtaking, and emotional; it’s everything.  Whatever you do, do not miss this show.  Depending on the time of year, the show runs either every half hour or every hour.  Your whole family will love it and it is air conditioned!  Finally, you’ll find the train station for Rafiki’s Planet Watch here in Africa.

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The Wildlife Express Train takes you a little north to Rafiki’s Planet Watch, a behind the scenes look at Disney’s conservation and animal research efforts.  Rafiki’s Planet Watch also offers a petting zoo, called Affection Station, and the Habitat Habit exhibit where you can see adorable Cotton Top Tamarins.  Just a quick heads up, the Affection Station is closed until spring 2019, although no reason has been given. 

Heading back into the wheel, below Africa, sits Pandora, the newest addition to the park which opened in May of 2017.  But first, a little background information on what lived in this area previously.  Before Pandora land began its construction journey in 2014, Camp Minnie Mickey lived in its place.  The Festival of the Lion King used to be housed here before its logical move to Africa.  You were also able to meet some of your favorite characters like Mickie, Minnie, and Pocahontas.  Remember how I mentioned the original theme of the park was to include “what never was?”  Well Camp Minnie Mickey certainly doesn’t make sense in that theme concept now does it?  Originally this area was meant to be called Beasty Kingdom, a land devoted to creatures of legend and mythology such as unicorns and dragons.  Have you ever seen the Dueling Dragons roller coaster at Universal Studios?  That was supposed to be the main attraction for this land as well as a maze and a boat ride through the scenes of Fantasia.  Due to budgeting and timeline constraints, Beastly Kingdom never materialized and Camp Minnie Mickey was put as a filler for park opening.  The plan was to have Beastly Kingdom open at a later date but with the money draining Euro Disney causing issues, it was scrapped altogether.  Cue the Pandora land in 2017!

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This area is inspired by the James Cameron film of the same name and features the floating mountains, plants, and wildlife shown in the movie.  This new land saw the addition of two new attractions to the park, Avatar Flights of Passage and the Na’Vi River Journey.  You are going to need a FastPass for Flights of Passage but beware they’re tough to come by for reasoning mentioned in a preview post.  Therefore, if you are not able to score a FastPass, get to the park about 30 minutes prior to park opening.  It’s the only way to avoid that insane wait time.  I recently visited in September and got to the park right at opening and still had to wait an hour.  It’s absolutely worth it but I don’t know that I’d wait more than that.  The Na’Vi River Journey truthfully feels like the forgotten stepsister of this area, like they blew their budget on everything else and went, “oh shit, we forgot about the boat ride.”  It’s fine, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not Flights of Passage and it is certainly not worth more than a 10 minute wait.  What is worth a wait is the new quick-service location, Satu’li Canteen and the bar right outside of it.  The food is delicious and the drinks are even better.  Originally considered a “half-day” park, the Animal Kingdom saw a 2 million person attendance jump with the opening of Avatar.  Although truthfully, I’d still argue you can conquer the park in a half day.  The exception to that rule is the Rivers of Light nighttime show.  It’s a light and water show that conveys the message of being one with our world.  It’s beautiful and I adore the message.  With all the new things at Animal Kingdom, we spent the morning and early afternoon in the park, went back to our hotel and took a nap, had dinner at Boma (right next door to the park at the Animal Kingdom Lodge), and went back to the park for the show.  I highly recommend this plan of action for the park!

As with any “zoo” type attraction, Animal Kingdom is not without controversy.  It saw protests on its opening day from animal activity groups and just 3 years ago was ranked #10 on the Worst Place for Elephants list.  Despite the controversy, Disney is doing great things for animals.  Just 10 years after its opening, 8 white rhinos were born, a nearly extinct species, in addition to 7 elephant calves and 11 giraffes. 

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Quick fun fact about the park before we wrap up!  Animal Kingdom is the only park with doors on its restrooms (all other park restrooms can be accessed without going through any kind of door).  This is because in the unlikely event of an animal escape, guests can go into the bathroom and the lock the doors for safety.

*Quick soap box moment: I love this park so much.  It’s perfect for every group at Disney World.  Kids and parents will love it.  It’s got the smallest amount of people space so your knees won’t be throbbing like after a day at Epcot.  If I could start and end my Disney World vacations here, I probably would.  Just kidding, I could never do that.

Hollywood Studios Overview

Ah, Hollywood Studios.  What a park.  Or shell of park.  The sign really should read “Coming Soon Studios” or “The Land of Forgotten Attractions” instead of Hollywood Studios but we’ll get to all of that in a bit.  For now, let’s kick this post off with a little history lesson on how the park came to stand today.

The original concept for Hollywood Studios was created…by accident.  No, really.   Two of the Imagineers working on Epcot had initially created two pavilions (remember Future World is made up into pavilions), the first called Wonders of Life (which did open as a pavilion during park opening but today serves as the Festival Center operating seasonally) and the Great Movie pavilion featuring the Great Movie Ride that ultimately opened at Hollywood Studios on its grand opening day.  The CEO at the time, Michael Eisner asked the Imagineers if they could instead create an entire theme park built around the concepts of the two pavilions. 

Original Park Ariel View, 1989

Opening Day, 1989

Opening on May 1, 1989, Hollywood Studios original name was MGM Studios based on a licensing agreement with the MGM Company.  The reason for this important relationship was Hollywood Studios was initially created to be both a theme park and a working production studio, just like the studios in Hollywood, California.  The park would be dedicated to film, television, music, and theater, while creating its own media.  Today it looks quite different than it did opening day, but it still is the 9th most visited theme park in the world.

Opening Day, 1989

First, let’s quickly address the name change.  Hollywood Studios received its present name in 2008, after the relationship with MGM Studios finally ended.  The MGM Studios relationship was tumultuous from the beginning, so many Disney historians believed this partnership wasn’t built to last.  During the first few years of the agreement, both companies threw lawsuits each other’s way over regarding activities both companies were engaging in outside of the agreement (MGM was building a theme park in Las Vegas, Disney was producing media outside of MGM, etc).  Additionally, throughout the 2000s, all production capabilities were removed from the park. 

I do want to note that in 2015, Disney CEO Bob Iger hinted at yet another name change for the park after an adorable interaction with a child audience member.  Seriously, it’s so cute to watch a child pull a “big secret” out of a Fortune 100 CEO.  Despite this apparent slip up of the CEO seemingly spilling the beans, the company rejected the name change rumor once and for all in February 2018.  But who really knows.  Anyway, from here on out, I will refer to the park as Hollywood Studios, regardless of the timeline, just to keep things easy and less confusing. 

On opening day, Hollywood Studios started out with just two attractions: The Studio Backlot Tour and the Great Movie Ride.  The Backlot Tour took park guests through the working studios located on park property.  The Great Movie Ride was a movie themed ride taking guests through film history and featured some of the most well-known, classic films ever made.  The park remained this way for 5 years until 1994 when Sunset Boulevard was created featuring The Hollywood Tower Hotel and the Streets of America were created to alleviate the congestion caused by the growing attendance numbers.  The park’s attraction list continued to grow from there.

The park’s original icon (like the castle at Magic Kingdom) was the Earful Tower, a water tower featuring the famous Mickey Ears Hat.  This served as the park’s icon from 1989-2001 when the Sorcerer’s Hat from Fantasia (in conjunction with the release of Fantasia 2000) was placed in the main area of the park.  Removed in 2015, the hat was quite controversial amongst Disney purists.  I personally liked it.  Today, there’s a lot of debate over the park’s icon.  Some say it’s Chinese Theater at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, an exact replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles.  Others will say it’s the Hollywood Tower Hotel attraction.  I don’t really lean one way or the other for a few reasons.  The first is that the Chinese Theater has been at the park since its opening so it could have been the park icon all this time but it wasn’t; the Earful Tower was (there was also some contractual issues with the usage of the Chinese Theater as the icon which is a main reason behind the Sorcerer’s Hat being built but I won’t dive into that).  On the other hand, with the Tower of Terror attraction in Disneyland’s California Adventure receiving a Guardians of the Galaxy overhaul just last year, I am not 100% convinced that the Hollywood Studios version won’t receive the same treatment once Star Wars land is complete and the licensing agreement the Twilight Zone ends.  Bring back the Earful Tower! Okay, okay, I’m moving on.

As I mentioned above, all production capabilities were shut down in the 2000s including the animation unit in 2004 and the former soundstage in 2007.  I distinctly remember seeing these parts of the park as a child and thinking how cool it was to be a part of the making of media.  I saw quite a few young stars while riding the Backlot Tour filming Disney Channel shows.  As the park moved away from the production side of things, they had many exhibits featuring real props from famous movies like the getaway car from 101 Dalmatians.  I do miss this version of Hollywood Studios as I loved how different from any other theme park it truly was.  But alas, change must come!

In the 2010s, all studio-like attractions were also completely phased out of the park including a Drew Carey show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire (I came in 7th place once, tooting my own horn here), the American Idol experience, a Captain Jack Sparrow themed attraction, and most notably, the Studio Backlot Tour.  I know that without any backlot to tour the attraction didn’t make any sense and yes, it was outdated but ask any Disney purist and they’ll most likely tell you that this one still hurts.  And that’s not the only closing that hurts.  In 2016, the Streets of America closed meaning that last of the Osborne Lights spectacle was put on.  The Earful Tower was also removed in 2016.  These two removals still have me a little bitter.  Finally, in 2016, the Lights, Motor, Action! Stunt Show closed down.  I personally enjoyed this show, although I found it a little long.  It never quite landed with guests as Hollywood Studios.  It was brought over from Disneyland Paris where it was, and still is, a huge hit.  But as the Disney Company will tell you, different things translate different in each country’s parks.  To round off the sad closings, the final nail in the coffin to the old Hollywood Studios came in 2017, with the closing of the Great Movie Ride, the last original piece of the park.  It is scheduled to be replaced by Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.  Look, I’m super excited about the railway, I am.  I just think it could have been erected elsewhere in the park.

Before we move onto the park today, I do want to pay a quick tribute to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.  Of all the closings at Hollywood Studios over the years (and the parks in general actually), this one upsets me the most.  In the very early 90s the Osborne family (no not those Osbornes) of Little Rock, Arkansas decorated their home at Christmas with an absurd amount of lights, adding more every year.  By 1993, the family was putting up over 3 million lights.  This of course drew national attention and several cities reached out to the family to host the display in their own towns but Disney won out.  For almost 10 years, the Osborne Lights danced in the Streets of America in Hollywood Studios.  And just like the original, Disney’s version grew and grew.  During its last year in 2015, Disney put up over 10 miles of lights requiring 800,000 watts of electricity to light.  It was truly an incredible sight to see; one that still gives me chills thinking about it.  The lights were solid except for every 7 minutes when they would dance to a famous Christmas song.  Fake snow, or as I call it Snowpe (it’s literally soap), fell down from the sky creating an incredible winter wonderland.  I miss it dearly and I will forever hold out hope that they will bring it back.  Maybe, possibly, PLEASE DISNEY!

Okay, okay, enough backstory and bitter Katherine.  Let’s get to the park today!  And while I may seem bitter and sad about the old Hollywood Studios, I am excited for what’s coming!  Fun fact: Hollywood Studios shares a “sister park” in Disneyland Paris; I’ve been and it’s very similar with a few additional attractions.  So let’s talk about the shape of the park.  Guess what, it’s not a wheel!  When it was originally created, it was actually in the shape of a hidden Mickey Mouse.  Unfortunately, after much expansion and construction it’s now more like a fat t-ish shape (or will be once Star Wars is done). 

When you first walk into the park, you walk down Hollywood Boulevard, created similarly to Main Street USA, featuring shops and stands.  At the very end of Hollywood Blvd, you see an exact replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the original located in Los Angeles.  Also at the end and on your right side is the Brown Derby, an exact replica of a restaurant in Los Angeles by the same name.  If you take the only true right off of Hollywood Blvd, you will find yourself of Sunset Boulevard, inspired by the street in Los Angeles of the same name.  This area features iconic attractions like the Tower of Terror (one of my favorite attractions) inspired by the Twilight Zone and Aerosmith’s Rockin’ Roller Coaster.  Here you’ll also find some of the parks best entertainment offerings: Beauty & the Beast Live on Stage and the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater featuring Fantasmic!, a nighttime water and lights show with Sorcerer Mickey.   You’ll want to FastPass either Tower of Terror or Rockin’ Roller Coaster based on your preferences and timing.  If you get to the park early in the day, you won’t need either.  Both attraction start getting busier as the day goes on, although Tower of Terror’s wait times tend to fluctuate more than Rockin’ Roller Coaster’s.  That being said, Rockin’ Roller Coaster does have a single rider line option if that’s something you and your family are able to do.  Additionally, if there’s two showings of Fantasmic!, always try for the second showing as it’s a little easier to get your preferred seat.  If you do chose the first showing, make sure to get there at least 30-45 minutes (err towards 45) prior to show time to get a good seat.  No one likes standing at these kinds of things, am I right? 

Behind Sunset Boulevard and northeast of the Chinese Theater is Animation Courtyard.  This area has also seen some changes over the years.  As it stands, today you can see two shows, Disney Junior Live on Stage and the Voyage of the Little Mermaid.  Animation Courtyard also houses Start Wars Launch Bay where you can meet some of your favorite Star Wars characters, Kylo Ren, BB8, and Chewie.  Finally, this area houses One Man’s Dream, a timeline look through Walt Disney’s life including a short video narrated by the legendary Julie Andrews.  This area always makes me a little emotional because I look up to Walt so much.  Now I know you may not feel the same as me so if I can entice you into this area, it’ll be by letting you know that they always have 3D models of what’s coming next to the parks around the world.  Right now, you can see a partial 3D model of the new Stars Wars Land.  It looks AWESOME.

If you take the first left off of Hollywood Boulevard, you’ll find yourself at Echo Lake, an area designed to mimic the “California Crazy” architecture of the Hollywood Golden Age.  This section of the park is actually quite large and if I had to guess, the structure of this area will change slightly with the opening of Star Wars Land next summer.  As it stands, this area contains the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular Show (although I do believe this will either get the ax or get an upgrade after Star Wars Land opens), Star Tours, Star Wars Jedi Training (perfect for your kiddo!), the Hyperion Theater featuring a Frozen sing along (yeah, I’m over it too and so is everyone else), and the ABC Sound Studio offering a short film called Star Wars: Path of the Jedi (I’m assuming this will also change with the new opening of Star Wars Land).  Food wise, you’ll find a number of very popular options: Hollywood & Vine (buffet), 50’s Prime Time Café (a favorite of mine, don’t miss the fried chicken), ABC Commissary (a great quick service option), and the Sci-Fi Dine in Theater.  I’ve never eaten at the Sci-Fi due to the fact that I come from a family of 3 and it’s built for even number groups but I have heard great things about it!

If you continue through Echo Lake towards the back, you’ll come across Grand Avenue, inspired by Grand Avenue in Los Angeles.  There’s not a whole lot going on here these days; this area used to lead you to the Streets of America, the Light, Motor, Action Stunt Show, and the Backlot Tour.  Originally, this area was supposed to be Muppet Studios but after Jim Henson’s death, the overall deal fell through.  It does house Muppet Vision 3D, however, the only Muppet attraction to make it from the plans.  You’ll also find Mama Melrose’s Italian restaurant (it’s just okay in my opinion) and PizzeRizzo, a seasonally operating quick service location serving, you guessed it, pizza. 

Finally, the last piece of the park towards the back is the new Toy Story Land, which opened this past summer.  While it wasn’t as big as I was hoping or expecting, I will still very pleased with how it turned out.  The entrance for guest favorite Toy Story Midway Mania was moved to the back of its building location and now is placed within the new land.  We also saw the addition of the Slinky Dog Dash, a family friendly roller coaster type ride (get the back seats, it feels like an actual slinky!), and the Alien Swirling Saucers, similar to a Mater/Cars themed ride in Disneyland’s California Adventure.  The overall theming for the new land gives the illusion that you are in Andy’s back yard.  While small, this new land certainly packs a punch in its offerings.  All three attractions are great (although you should really FastPass SlinkyDog and Midway Mania if you can) and I loved the new quick service area serving homemade PopTarts (delicious!) and a Grown Up Lemonade (and yes, you can get it at 8am).  Due to the new land being, well, new, I highly suggest getting there right at park opening, and if you can, lining up before park opening.  This will minimize your wait times and allow you to enjoy the land more before the crowds (and Florida heat) kick in.

COMING SOON!  Star Wars Land is set to open in summer 2019 and I cannot wait.  We don’t have a ton of information other than an overall glimpse into what’s to come.  We know there will be two main attractions and full size Millennium Falcon that guests can experience.  We also know that there will be a Star Wars themed hotel that guests can stay in and experience what it’s like to be a Jedi.  This hotel will have a direct connection to Star Wars Land and Hollywood Studios.  Pricing and booking information hasn’t been released yet but the rumor mill is saying one night will cost you upwards of $1,000.  Start saving your pennies, folks!

Did I miss anything you love about Hollywood Studios?  Let me know!  I’d love to hear it!

Epcot Overview

Epcot, the 2nd of the 4 Disney World theme parks and the 7th most visited theme park in the world, opened 12 years to the day after Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1982.  The park’s theme and concepts are loosely based off of Walt’s idea to create a Utopian style city, titled the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, or Epcot.  While riding the Tomorrowland People Mover in Magic Kingdom, you can actually see a 3D model of Walt’s concept; it’s quite incredible.  Before getting into the park as it stands today, I want to give you a brief overview of Walt’s dream for Epcot, as it will really help you understand how the park came to be.

Epcot was always meant to be a real working city.  In fact, Epcot was the main driving force behind the creation of Disney World itself.  Walt wanted Epcot to be built first but investors wanted a replica of Disneyland.  So Walt built the Magic Kingdom in the hopes of appeasing his investors and getting them on board in the future for his real idea for Disney World.

Epcot was to be built in somewhat of a wheel shape (yes, Walt certainly liked his wheels).  In the center would city a large commercial area filled with laboratories, corporations, and businesses.  A hotel would sit in the center and would be the only residence type building in the city center.    Surrounding the hotel would be restaurants and shops featuring cuisines and items from around the world (World Showcase sound familiar?).  The green belt, the circle around the city center would house city services, schools, churches, and stadiums and would be the true separation between work and residence life. 

The next circle out would feature a low-density residential area with single-family homes.  Homes would be built in the style of a flower petal, with houses being built on the “petals” and the center of the “flower” offering green spaces for families to gather.  The final circle in the wheel would offer a high-density housing area full of apartments. 

There would be no driving allowed on the main ground level in Epcot.  Roads for cars would be built underneath for visitors to travel through as well as parking for weekend pleasure trips (here’s where you see some of the concepts of the utilidoors in the Magic Kingdom!).  All parts of the “wheel” would be connected by monorail and People Mover (similar to what was created in Magic Kingdom).    There would be no need for cars in the day-to-day life in Epcot and streets above ground would be reserved for pedestrian traffic.

Epcot would also offer a Disney Airport called the Airport of Tomorrow.  Fun fact, this was partially built but has only ever been used for high-level members of the company and country such as Presidents and Roy Disney.  While the airstrip is still in tact, it is rarely ever used and never materialized into the full service airport Walt had envisioned. 

Within Epcot, no one would own their property, but instead rent it at fair market value.  Walt wanted ultimate control over all the properties so that he could update the entire city when he wanted to be filled with the latest and greatest technologies (he loved innovation and was obsessed with new technology).  All citizens living in Epcot would work in Epcot at one of the city’s companies in the center and everyone would have to hold a job.  There would be no retirees living in Epcot. 

Unfortunately, Walt’s dream of Epcot never came to fruition.  When Walt died, the company decided they didn’t want to run a city without his guidance.  For today’s version of Epcot, they used many of his concepts and ideas to create a park dedicated to world culture and technology.  Fun fact: Singapore is often cited as a real-life Epcot although I cannot confirm if this is true or not.  If you’ve been, let me know!

So now that you have a backstory on how Epcot came to be, let’s take a look at the park as it stands today!  Separated into two main parts, Epcot is more than twice the size of Magic Kingdom and is dedicated overall to the celebration of human achievement.  The first section upon entry (the main entrance, there is a smaller entrance in towards the back of the park from the Boardwalk/ Epcot resort area) is considered Future World, an interactive exploration of technology and science.  The second part of Epcot is the World’s Showcase, featuring 11 countries and their food, cultures, and cuisines. 

A quick note: in 2016, it was announced that Epcot will go through a major overhaul, similar to what Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios have all experienced.  So far, only two major follow up announcements have been made: a new Ratatouille ride and Guardians of the Galaxy ride are both in the works.  My guess is that once the major construction of Star Wars land at Hollywood Studios is complete, we will hear a bigger announcement regarding Epcot.  In preparation for these big changes, there are many smaller attractions within Future World that have been closed or temporarily re imagined.

Epcot is often referred to as the “adult park” and in many cases this is true.  As a child, Epcot was my least favorite park to visit and my parents’ favorite.  But as I’ve gotten older, I have come to see just how awesome Epcot really is, although a major part of that is mostly likely due to be being over the legal drinking age.

So let’s focus on Future World first, as this is actually the part of the park that opens first.  The World Showcase opens two hours after Future World does on any given day, although they both close at the same time.  When first walking into the park and Future World, you see Spaceship Earth, the main icon of the park.  No, it’s not a golf ball.  It’s actually a geodesic sphere structure containing a slow ride through history by the same name inside.  Heads up, this attraction is closing for renovations within the year. 

Walking past the sphere you enter an open circular area with different pavilions branching off into, you guessed, a wheel style.   To the southwest direction, you will find Mission: Space, a simulations ride designed to allow you to experience what it feels like to go to space.  This area is also the future home of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Ratatouille rides.  Moving up the wheel, you’ll come across the Festival Center, formerly the Wonders of Life Pavilion.  The Center is only open seasonally, most notably for the Food & Wine and Flower & Garden Festivals.

Experiencing the Festival Center Food & Wine Festival Offerings!

Just above the Festival Center sits Test Track, an attraction that allows you to design your own car and test it out.  Since its renovation in 2012, the lines for Test Track have become consistently long, longer than I would ever wait for the ride.  Now you can FastPass Test Track but be warned that if you FastPass Test Track, you won’t be able to FastPass any of the other big attractions like Soarin.    Since Test Track has a single rider line (I’ve never spent more than 20 minutes in this line), my recommendation is that if you can split up your group, take the single rider option here and FastPass Soarin. 

Next up around the wheel (and to the right of the sphere), you’ll find Imagination!  This pavilion contains Journey into the Imagination with Figment.  Unless you’re a Disney regular who loves Figment, feel free to skip this one.  While Figment is a beloved character for Disney purists, this version of his attraction is not.  Feel free to Google the history of this ride if you’re interested in learning more. 

Below the Imagination pavilion sits The Land, a pavilion featuring some of my favorite things: Soarin and Living with the Land.  Soarin is a flight simulation attraction taking guests on a highflying adventure over 6 continents.  It’s one of my favorite attractions.  I highly recommend using a FastPass for this ride as the wait times can get quite long very early in the day (and never really comes back down).  Living with the Land is a slow boat ride through the greenhouses at Epcot where guests can learn all about the innovative ways Disney is learning to grow food sustainably.   Finally, this pavilion houses one of my favorite quick-service locations, Sunshine Seasons.  The food found in this location is mostly from the greenhouses found in Living with the Land.  Super cool!

The last pavilion is Future World is the Seas, containing the Seas with Nemo & Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, and an aquarium like area that guests can explore and learn about the sea life living there.  The Nemo & Friends ride is built very similarly to the Ariel and Haunted Mansion rides in the Magic Kingdom.

As you exit this side of the park and head back into Future World center, check out some of the indoor buildings.  Here you can meet many of your favorite characters including Minnie and Goofy.  There is also a rotating character meet and greet currently featuring Baymax from Big Hero Six and the characters from Inside Out.

As you leave the Future World wheel, you’ll find yourself heading towards yet another wheel, the World Showcase.  11 countries are featured in the showcase with room for 8 more, though you won’t notice that kind of extra space as it’s hidden quite well from view.  The original pavilions featured during park opening in 1982 were the United States of America, Japan, France, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, China, Germany, and Italy.  Morocco and Norway were added later, 1984 and 1988 respectively.  In 1982, Israel, Spain, and Equatorial Africa were all announced as coming soon, but obviously never made it.  Over the years, I have heard so many rumors of other pavilions being built, especially Brazil.  But as far as I know from my connections at Disney, there are no current plans to build any more pavilions in the near future.  Now, that could all change with a more comprehensive Epcot overhaul announcement but we’ll have to wait and see!

Each country contains themed architecture, landscapes, attractions, shops, and restaurants reflective of the culture it represents.  The exception to this is the Frozen ride in Norway.   Disney purists like myself will talk your ear off about how inappropriate this ride is to the World Showcase and how much of a tragedy it is that its predecessor, Maelstrom, was closed.  I’ll spare you my diatribe on this topic and instead direct you to Google (or my contact page) if you’re truly interested in the topic.

Epcot, while not my favorite park, is the park where I can spend most of my time.  I love going from country to country trying new food and drinking all the delicious beverages.  I could spend all day shopping in the various stores.  Pro tip: if you are planning to drink around the world (which I highly recommend doing), start in Canada.  Never start in Mexico.  Ever.  That’s an amateur mistake.  Why shouldn’t you start in Mexico?  Well, Mexico has margaritas.  After a full day of drinking all kinds of alcoholic beverages, you should END with tequila, not START with tequila. 

I adore the World Showcase, especially now that I’ve gotten older and can truly appreciate the meaning behind everything.  Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, the fireworks show in the center of the showcase displaying a show of cultural unity makes me cry.  Every single time.  I especially cried this past trip knowing I may never see Illuminations again as it’s been announced it will be ending in the coming months. 

What should you see and do in the World Showcase?  Well, that is of course, entirely up to you!  But if you’re in need of recommendations, here are a few of my favorites:

Mexico Pavilion

• Grand Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros

  • A great place to take a relaxing break from the unforgiving Florida sun (or rain)

• San Angel Inn Restaurant

• Cantina de San Angel

  • The empanadas are my favorite!

• Choza de Margarita

  • Do not pass by without stopping for a margarita

Norway Pavilion

• Kringla Bakeri og Kafe

  • Stop by for the school bread and puff pastries

China Pavilion

• Don’t forget to meet Mulan!  You won’t find her anywhere else on Disney World property

Germany Pavilion

• Karamell-Kuche

  • I stop here at least 4 times while in Epcot.  Their caramel marshmallow rolls are TO DIE FOR.  Seriously, I LOVE THEM.

• Weinkeller

  • Stop here for a tasting of real German wines, some of my favorite kinds of wine.  You can also sample beer as well if that’s more your speed.

• Miniature Train and Village

  • I love trains and have since my childhood. This small train village doesn’t disappoint.

Italy Pavilion

• Via Napoli

  • A full service restaurant that serves the best pizza

• Tutto Gusto

  • Stop by to sample delicious Italian wines

American Adventure

View from the World Showcase

• Check out what’s going on at the America Gardens Theater!  I’ve seen Boyz II Men, Hanson, and En Vogue perform as well as seen Neil Patrick Harris and Blair Underwood lead the audience through the biblical story of Christmas.

• Don’t forget to buy a classic funnel cake from this area.

Japan Pavilion

• Mitsukoshi Department Store

  • I buy some of my favorite international candies and goodies here.  It’s one of my favorite shops on Disney World property

• Garden House

  • Sake!!

Morocco Pavilion

• Look, I won’t lie to you; Morocco is where I go to get a good buzz on.  They use a heavy hand to pour their drinks and I’m never mad about it.  I also find it’s one of the best themed pavilions and most fun to explore.

• Don’t forget to meet Jasmine and Aladdin in this pavilion.

France Pavilion

• If you know me at all, you know I don’t have much to say about Paris.  But I do love Disney’s pavilion version of Paris.

• France Kiosk

  • Do not skip the Grand Marnier Orange Slush

• L’Artisan des Glaces

  • The famous macaron ice cream sandwich!

United Kingdom Pavilion

• This pavilion has a special spot in my heart since I studied abroad in London during college.

• Rose & Crown Pub

  • Buy a traditional UK beverage like a Guinness or my personal favorite, Strongbow

• The Tea Caddy

  • I can buy my favorite UK candies here.

Canada Pavilion

• You must try the famous Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup Poutine.  It’s insane.  Or just try the soup.  It’s also delicious.  You can also buy a croissant doughnut at the same location. For those of you living outside the northeast (where these have become quite common), this is a must try.

Epcot also puts on two big festivals every year: Food & Wine in the Fall and Flower & Garden in the Spring.  They are two of my favorite times to visit Epcot, especially Food & Wine.  Disney adds almost 20 new food carts full of new cultural cuisines to try.  It’s a food and beverage lover’s paradise.  But I’ll save the festivals for a different post since this one is already quite long!

What’s your favorite part of Epcot?  I’d love to hear about it!

Magic Kingdom Overview

Magic Kingdom, the most visited theme park in the world, is the original of the Disney World theme parks, opening on October 1, 1971, concurrently with Disney’s Polynesian Resort and Contemporary Resort.  It is based off of Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California with Cinderella’s Castle at the center instead of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.  Walt Disney was inspired to create Cinderella’s Castle for Disney World after falling in love with the Neuschwanstein Castle in southern Germany.  Magic Kingdom was built to be a larger, improved version of Disneyland.  Unfortunately, Walt passed before its completion. His brother, Roy Disney, opened the park in his place.

Magic Kingdom technically sits on what would be the second story of the grounds.  On what would be considered the first floor is the utilidors, the complex set of tunnels that are housed underneath the park.  These were built after Walt Disney, at Disneyland, saw a cast member from Frontierland walking through Tomorrowland, destroying the theming illusion Walt had wanted to create.  With the utilidors, cast members and VIP guests, can easily maneuver unseen through the parks and pop up in their respective locations.  It also houses a barber shop, cafeteria, and other cast member amenities.  The company had originally wanted to place utilidors under all the parks but due to zoning restrictions, they weren’t able to do so (it was not a financial decision, despite much reporting).  Epcot houses a partial set of utilidors, the only set the company managed to get up before construction was shut down by local government officials. 

Because the park sits above ground, the trash system is quite impressive, believe it or not (not where you thought I was going with that, right?). Many of Magic Kingdom’s trash cans (placed every 50 ft after they studied guests’ trash habits) are actually connected to another underground tunnel system designed specifically for the trash. When guests drop their trash into the cans, it goes directly to a different part of the park (in the back) that separates trash by item. So if a guest didn’t recycle a water bottle, it will still be recycled. Walt was very much into taking care of the environment and this is something that allows his legacy to be carried on. Cool, right?

Guests can access the park directly via the resort bus transportation system or taxi/rideshare drop-off points.  Guests staying at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, and Fort Wilderness, can access the park via boat or monorail, where available.  Guests with cars must park at the Transportation and Ticket Center, about a mile away and across the Seven Seas Lagoon.  From here, guests must transfer to the park either via monorail or boat. 

The Magic Kingdom is built as a wheel, with Cinderella’s Castle sitting in the center and the lands branching off.  When walking up to the castle, the first “land” you are exploring is Main Street U.S.A. built to reflect early 20th century, small town America, and the kind of town Walt experienced growing up and idealized.  The street leading up to the castle is a forced perspective; the castle itself is actually very small.  See, when buildings reach a certain height, they are required by Florida state law to have blinking lights on them to alert airplanes of their presence.  Walt didn’t want anything to destroy the illusion of the magic of the park.  So they created a small castle and built Main Street U.S.A. as a forced perspective.  The second stories on the buildings are shorter than the first and the third stories are shorter than the second, thus creating the illusion that you are walking towards a large castle.  Main Street U.S.A. is full of shops and restaurants to experience from The Main Street Emporium housing all kinds of Disney merchandise, to The Plaza Restaurant serving a delicious PB&J milkshake, to a working barber shop providing haircuts for free for guests.  If you notice a distinctly sweet smell while walking down the street, it’s not the shops baked goods you smell although they certainly smell heavenly on their own.  It’s the smell of baked goods and sugar being pumped through the street vents, drawing you into the stores.  You should definitely stop into the Main Street Bakery for a cake pop; you won’t regret it.  You will also find tributes to key people involved in the creation of the Magic Kingdom and Disney World.  Their names are cleverly disguised as company names in the windows of the street.

Directly to the left once you exit Main Street U.S.A. is the bridge to Adventureland, a land honoring the adventure that is exploring other lands.  You will see influences of other cultures all over the world.  Here you’ll find classic attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean, Enchanted Tikki Room, and the Swiss Family Treehouse.  This is also the land where you’ll find the famous Dole Whip!  Do not miss this classic treat.  Tortuga Tavern, a seasonal quick service, is also located in this land.  It’s my favorite quick service restaurant in Magic Kingdom.  It’s only open during peak season though, so if it’s open during your trip, make sure to stop by.

Right above Adventureland on the “wheel” is Frontierland, inspired by Walt’s love of cowboys and the “Old West.”  Frontierland features two of the “mountains:” Splash Mountain, classic log flume ride and Big Thunder Mountain, a roller coaster type ride.  During peak seasons, using a FastPass for Big Thunder Mountain is usually a good idea.  Tom Sawyer’s Island sits right across from the mountains and is accessible by a quick boat ride.  This island attraction is great for the outdoor adventure kids who like running around and exploring.  Frontierland also houses the Country Bear Jamboree but for the love of modern day America, skip this one. 

Moving around the wheel brings you to Liberty Square next, a tribute to colonial America, and an exclusive land to Disney World.  Liberty Square houses the Liberty Square Riverboat, featuring a half mile boat ride around the Rivers of America, the Hall of Presidents, a cute outdoor Muppet show, and the Haunted Mansion. It also has one of my favorite stores, the Christmas store!  Disney ornaments are my favorite Christmas tree decorations.  They’re beautifully done and I try and pick up a new one every year.  Liberty Square is also home to Sleepy Hollow Treats featuring the famous waffle ice cream sandwich treats!

Next up is Fantasyland, including New Fantasyland and Storybook Circus.  Fantasyland is set up carnival style and features some of the most classic rides in Disney history including Cinderella’s Carousel and it’s a Small World.   Originally in Storybook Circus’ place was Toontown, opened in 1988 as Mickey’s Birthdayland to celebrate the 60th birthday of Mickey Mouse.  This area was closed in 2012 and reimagined as Storybook Circus.  It houses many of the original concepts in new forms such as a child’s water play area and a Goofy themed mini coaster.  New Fantasyland also opened in 2012, the largest expansion any of the parks had seen to date.  A new Snow White themed coaster was built, a Beauty and the Beast themed story time attraction was added, as well as a ride featuring Ariel, a near exact replica of the Disneyland version.  The Snow White themed coaster, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has some of the best animatronics I’ve ever seen and always has a very high wait time.  If you can get a FastPass for this attraction, do it!  Be Our Guest restaurant also opened in conjunction with New Fantasyland; you can find my thoughts on this restaurant in my dining post.  If you’re walking through this area, make sure to stop and pick up a LeFou’s Brew from Gaston’s Tavern.  It’s amazing and a must buy for me every visit.  You can also find many of your favorite Disney characters throughout all of Fantasyland and Storybook Circus including Winnie the Pooh, Ariel, Rapunzel, and Daisy Duck, just to name a few.

And last up on the Magic Kingdom wheel is Tomorrowland, my personal favorite land.  I find myself always spending the most amount of time in this land.  Originally built to the theme of an Intergalactic city imagined from the 1950s, today the theme works like a working city of space.  Space Mountain, an in-the-dark roller coaster, Tomorrowland Speedway, Astro Orbiter, and the People Mover, an easy ride around the land, serve as the transportation of this city.  Depending on the time of the year, you’ll most likely need FastPass for Space Mountain if you don’t feel like waiting.  Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor serves at the city’s entertainment and is one of my personal favorite attractions; it’s hilarious.  Buzz Lightyear’s themed ride acts as the city’s law enforcement center.  Finally, the Carousel of Progress, a Walt Disney original, acts as the city’s cultural center and historic preservation.  Within Tomorrowland there are a few quick service options, including Cosmic Rays, a smoothie stand, and a place directly under the Astro Orbiter where you can purchase an iconic Disney Turkey Leg.  Fun fact, Cosmic Rays the largest quick service location in Tomorrowland is the second busiest quick service food location in the world (the actual world, not Disney World).

At night, you watch a beautiful castle projection show and a fireworks show, each put on every night. It really is an amazing way to end a classic, Disney day.  Magic Kingdom is the heart and soul of the Disney World resort.  While it’s not my personal favorite park out of the 4, it is my favorite for connecting to the rich history the Disney company offers and some of Walt’s own personal creations.  Make it your first stop on your Disney adventure.

Disney Overview

Welcome to my Disney overview!  I’m so excited to walk you through all things Disney World.  But first: a little backstory on my history with Disney.  My first trip to Disney World was at the age of 7.  It was my Grandmother’s dream to go to Disney and unfortunately she never made it.  So my Dad made it a goal to take me to live out his mom’s unaccomplished wish.  My parents scrapped together everything they could to take me.  And truthfully, it was kind of a disaster.  Our trip was in the dead of February, snow season in the Northeast.  In the middle of an ice storm, we headed to the Philadelphia International Airport before the sun was even out.  Long story short, it took three planes, two airport stops, and almost 12 hours to finally make it to Disney World.  We lost a whole day.  Despite the disastrous start, I truly loved it.  And my parents did too.  We wound up visiting 4 more times throughout my childhood and into my teen years.  While visiting after graduating high school, my Dad started up a conversation with one of the young cast members.  It was in that brief conversation that I learned about the Disney College Program, an internship for college students looking to gain work experience with the Walt Disney Company.  Four years later, I participated in the 2012 Fall Disney College Program.  I’ve been back a few times since then and witnessed a lot of changes; some I love, some aren’t my favorite.  Still, it’s truly my second home and happy place.  (I have also visited Disneyland in California and Disneyland Paris in France.  Since I’ve only been a passive visitor to both, I will not claim to have intimate knowledge of those parks like I do of Disney World.)  Now, onto the good stuff!

Opening Day!

Disney World opened in October of 1971, 16 years after Disneyland opened in California.  Walt Disney died before the opening of Disney World, so he never walked it himself.  But he had a huge hand in its conception.  In the early 1960s, Walt Disney used a handful of dummy corporations to acquire over 30,000 acres of land outside of Orlando.  Some of the names of these dummy corporations, like Ayefour Corporation and Latin-American Development and Management company can be seen in the windows of the stores on Main Street U.S.A. in Magic Kingdom.  Other names of dummy corporations, like Reedy Creek Ranch Corporation, were repurposed.  Today, Reedy Creek is the name of the Fire Department located on Disney World property.  Roy Disney, Walt’s brother and the business brain behind the Disney Empire, opened the first theme park, the Magic Kingdom, which is very similar to Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom and has been mirrored at other Disney resorts around the world.  It is the first and the classic.  The four remaining theme parks, Epcot, MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios), and Animal Kingdom opened in 1982, 1989, and 1998 respectively.

Today, Disney World houses 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 27 themed resorts, nine non-Disney hotels, multiple golf courses, a camping resort, entertainment venues, and shopping centers including Disney Springs, formerly Downtown Disney.  Disney World hosts guests from all over the world, including its Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members who have the opportunity to stay at specific DVC resorts and are eligible for special discounts.  These special discounts are also extended to annual passholders.

I exclusively use Disney World’s website when booking my vacation.  I know there are other sites but prefer to book direct so assume that everything I talk about from here on out is done by using their website.  When planning your vacation to Disney World, it’s important to understand your timelines.  Disney World reservations open up on their website 6 months in advance of the start day of your vacation.  Depending on the time of the year, some resorts will book up quicker than others, especially if you’re looking at the holiday season.  Something else to be aware of: resort blocks open up at different times.  So if you’re browsing your options and see Pop Century available and then a week later, it’s no longer available, this means they sold the specific block of rooms that was open.

When you book your vacation, your account is automatically assigned a Magic Band for each person in your party.  You can customize your colors and names 90 days out.  Be aware that Magic Bands are complimentary for guests staying at a Disney hotel.  All other guests must purchase their Magic Band or will receive cards as their tickets.  Magic Bands are an incredible piece of technology.  In the style of a bracelet, everything for your vacation is linked to it.  You use this Magic Band to access your room, utilize your Disney Dining Plan, and use scheduled FastPasses.  You can also link your credit card so that you do not have to carry anything other than your band to the parks.  Fun fact, I was working at Disney World when they first began the rollouts of the Magic Bands.  Disney spent over $1 billion on this piece of technology and its implementation around the resort.  They had no idea if it was going to work since it had never been done before.  Lucky for them, it’s been a huge success.

It is imperative that you make dining reservations prior to your visit.  Walk ins to full service restaurants are rarely accepted at the top restaurants, especially during peak seasons and peak dinner hours.  Dining reservations also open up at the 6 month mark of your start date.  This can get frustrating if you’re looking to book some of the top restaurants.  Because it is 6 months out from the start of your vacation, you can book your entire vacation’s dining experiences at once, even if your last day isn’t within 6 months.  This means that if someone’s vacation started just one day before you, they’ve had access to the reservation system longer than you have.  Plan ahead and have plan b’s if you don’t immediately get your first choices.  And keep checking! Cancellations happen all the time meaning you’re never truly locked out.

FastPass is a system by Disney to help guests plan their days in the parks and skip most of the lines for a particular ride.  Reservations for FastPass open up 90 days prior to the start day of your vacation.  The reservation system works similarly to dining reservations in that some people may have had access to the reservation system longer than you have.  Top attractions book out fast so it’s important that you book as closely to the minute of your 90 day mark as you can.  Guests can reserve 3 FastPasses per day, per park.  This means all 3 FastPasses must be booked in the same park; you can’t split them between multiple parks.  In the old days, you could get just about as many FastPasses per day as you wanted.  Truthfully, I miss the old FastPass system.  It allowed for more spontaneous adventures and it was almost like a game trying to figure out how to get as many as you could in a day.  But you can still have a lot of success with the new system.  Fun fact: Disney did not actually implement the original FastPass system for guest benefit, as they advertise it (and as I said above).  It was a security tool designed to better control crowds in specific areas of the park.  With FastPass, they can better gauge and direct how many people are in which parts of the parks.  As guests, we just benefit from it.  Crowd control is actually something Disney is experts at but not something we often think about.  Their crowd control expertise is sought after by companies around the world.  TSA actually consults with Disney often when discussing airport crowd control, although let’s be real.  They haven’t been as good at it as Disney, am I right?

Complimentary transportation is provided through a variety of means throughout the property, depending on your location. Buses are provided for every Disney resort to and from the parks as well as to Disney Springs and the two water parks. Each park offers park to park transportation for those park hopping. Certain resorts also offer boat and monorail transportation, detailed a bit more in my resort post. Recently, Disney began partnering with Lyft to provide guests with the Minnie Van option picking up guests at their hotel and dropping them off wherever they would like to go. This option is more expensive than traditional Lyfts and Ubers, which are also available.

Throughout my Disney series, I go into each piece of the park in detail.  Hotels, dining, individual parks, and additional offerings all have their own posts.  So if you’re looking for more in depth information about each piece of Disney World, make your way back to the Disney Series homepage and get started!

Where to Stay

Now that you’ve officially decided to plan a vacation to Disney World it’s time to decide where to stay.  As you start to look into all of your options, you feel extremely overwhelmed.  Trust me; this is a totally normal feeling.  Between the 27 hotels on Disney property in addition to the hundreds of hotels in the surrounding areas, there’s a lot to choose from.  Even if you’ve been to Disney World before, stick around!  You may learn a thing or two about the differences between all of the resorts.

First, I will briefly address off-property resorts.  Frankly, I’m not a fan.  This is 100% a personal preference but speaking from a lot of experience, you’re better off staying on property.  You may receive a cheaper price on your room on the outset (although I would argue that Disney’s value resorts are the same price, if not cheaper, than many of the hotels off-property) but you’re losing out in the long run.  And here’s why:

• When staying off-property you are not eligible for the Disney Dining Plan, something I am a huge advocate for.

• You will not receive a complimentary magic band which links all tickets, dining experiences, credit cards, and FastPasses together.  If you would like to utilize this technology, you must purchase a band at one of the parks.

• You are not eligible to participate in Disney’s Extra Magic Hours where the theme parks open early or stay open late for Disney Resort guests.

• Guests staying on property can book their FastPass experiences 60 days in advance.  If you are not staying on property, you can book 30 days in advance.  By then, most of the top attractions will be booked.

• While many off-property resorts do offer transportation to Disney, they are not as frequent or reliable (and sometimes not included in your cost).  At Disney, there are free buses that run at a minimum every 20 minutes.  During peak hours (park open and close) they run closer to every 10 minutes.  They take you directly to the parks and have a streamlined bus stop close to the entrance.  Off-property buses are stuck walking farther and waiting with everyone staying off-property, regardless of hotel.  It’s a jumbled mess after a fireworks show or big event. 

• For those guests staying at some resorts (including those surrounding the Magic Kingdom, Port Orleans, etc.), you also have the opportunity to utilize other forms of transportation (depending on your location) such as boat or monorail.

• Disney has also recently introduced the Minnie Van service through Lyft offering hotel guests a quick, individual way to get to the parks.  Operated similar to Uber and Lyft, families can feel confident in their experience knowing they are being taken around property by a Disney Cast Member.

• You are not privy to the same level of customer service offered by Disney World cast members.  Cast Members go through rigorous training in customer service and guest interactions.  It is our top priority.  You are #1 during your stay on Disney property.  That’s not to say you won’t receive great service elsewhere, but it’s not prioritized the same way and I have not experienced the same level of consistency. 

There are a few exceptions to these rules; the hotels at Disney Springs Resort Area do enable guests to enjoy some (not all) of these perks.  These hotels at Disney Springs are the Best Western, Hilton, Doubletree, Holiday Inn, B Resort, and the Wyndham.  Staying at one of these hotels enables you to experience Extra Magic Hours and 60 day FastPass booking.  Currently, these perks are only guaranteed through December 2019.

Look, you can stay off-property and still have a magical vacation. I’m simply here to tell you that I believe you can have the best, most magical, full Disney experience by staying on-property.  If you disagree, well I’m sorry to stay this is where we part on this post.  Head over to some of my other posts for other great Disney content! For those of you still with me and staying on-property: moving on!

Here’s a list of all of Disney’s Resorts by level:

Value Resorts

• All Star Music

• All Star Movies

• All Star Sports

• Pop Century

• Art of Animation

• Fort Wilderness Campsites

Moderate Resorts

• Caribbean Beach

• Coronado Springs

• The Cabins at Fort Wilderness

• Port Orleans Riverside

• Port Orleans French Quarter

Deluxe Resorts

• Animal Kingdom Lodge

• Beach Club

• Boardwalk

• Contemporary

• Grand Floridian

• Polynesian

• Wilderness Lodge

• Yacht Club

• Swan & Dolphin*

• Star Wars Hotel*

(Swan & Dolphin are part of the Boardwalk Resort area at EPCOT.  They are not technically owned by Disney but are operated as if they are.  Guests experience all the perks and amenities that other Disney resorts experience. Star Wars Hotel is coming soon in conjunction with the opening of Star Wars Land at Hollywood Studios.)

Deluxe Villas

• Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas

• Bay Lake at Contemporary

• Boulder Ridge & Copper Creek at Wilderness Lodge

• Beach Club Villas

• Boardwalk Villas

• Villas at Grand Floridian

• Old Key West

• Polynesian Villas & Bungalows

• Saratoga Springs & Treehouse Villas

• Rivera Resort (Coming Soon)

I’ll kick off the Disney Resort piece of this post by letting you know that I have physically visited to every single resort on property.  I have also stayed on at least one of each level of resort:

Value Resorts

• All Star Music

• All Star Movies

• Pop Century

Moderate Resorts

• Caribbean Beach

• Port Orleans French Quarter

Deluxe Resorts

• Contemporary

Deluxe Villa Resorts

• Saratoga Springs

Different levels?  What does that mean?  Disney World breaks their hotels into four different levels: Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Deluxe Villas.  For the purpose of this post, I will group the Deluxe and Deluxe Villas together because the Deluxe Villas (with the exception of Saratoga Springs/ Treehouse Villas and Old Key West) are located on the property of the Deluxe Resorts.

As you’re probably guessing, the Value resorts are the cheapest option and costs go up from there.  And you’re right!  But cost isn’t the only difference.  The rooms are slightly larger the higher the level but truthfully, there’s not much of a difference in what’s inside the rooms.  The main difference between the levels of resorts is the property and its offerings.  A Value Resort has more rooms that are closer together, a basic main pool with one or two smaller pools, and a food court.  Moderate Resorts offer more space between rooms and buildings, a nicer main pool, a food court, at least one full service restaurant, and often a café and resort activities such as bike or boat rentals.  Deluxe Resorts include higher quality of everything in the lower levels (such as nicer pools with slides) plus additional full service restaurants (and typically a character dining experience), additional resort activities such as parasailing, closer proximity to the parks or Disney Springs, and added transportation options such as boats and monorails.  Some Deluxe resorts have special offerings too.  For example, the Polynesian offers as Child Daycare for parents looking for an adult night out and the Animal Kingdom Lodge houses animals right outside your room.

Let’s talk about price.  The 2018 hotel price range per night for each level is below.  If you’d like a specific breakdown for each resort and each time of the year, please follow this link. 

Value Resort

• Art of Animation (suite style)  - $127-$519

• All other Value Resorts - $97-216

Moderate Resort

• Fort Wilderness Campground - $75-189 (depending on the camper hookup you are looking for)

• Fort Wilderness Cabins (suite style) - $364-568

• All other Moderate Resorts - $364-568

Deluxe Resorts

• All Deluxe Resorts - $359-1213

As you can see, prices greatly vary.  You will spend more for peak times including holidays and special events, weekend stays as opposed to weekday stays, how many people are staying in your room, and what kind of room you would like.  Rooms closer to the main building with a pool view will cost more than rooms with no view towards the back of the hotel property.

Now that we’ve gone over price, how do you know which hotel is right for you?  There’s no right answer for this question.  Anyone can enjoy any hotel.  The best choice for you comes down to your budget, the time of year you’re traveling, and the experience you’re hoping to have.  I am going to run through some example scenarios of what works best for different situations.

1.)    A couple (or small family) is spending a long weekend Disney World, approximately 4 days.  They want to cover as much of Disney World as they can.  They don’t come here often (or they’re first timers) and want to see as much as they can in their short window frame.  They have a smaller budget and want to get the most out of their money.

• They should stay at a Value Resort.  They will most likely spend most of their time at the parks seeing everything.  They will not spend much time at their hotel and therefore, they do not need all of the upgraded hotel amenities. 

2.)    A family with young children (ages 3-6) is visiting Walt Disney World for 7 days.  They are spending approximately half of each day in a theme park.  The young ones need breaks during the day for naps and rest.  The parents would like to experience some of the fine dining options around the resort and the kids love spending time by the pool.  The family has been saving for a long time and their budget is unlimited. 

• This family should take advantage of a Deluxe Resort, such as the Grand Floridian.  Deluxe resorts offer the dining options that will satisfy the parents with upgraded pools and features the kids will love.  Since the family will spend a decent amount of time at the resort, spending money on a Deluxe resort makes sense.

3.)    An older couple is visiting Disney World.  They have been a few times before but still enjoy spending time in the parks.  They want a healthy balance of hotel amenities and park time.  They enjoy nice dinners but nothing overly fancy.  They enjoy taking long, scenic walks.  Their budget is within the middle range.

• The couple should stay at a Moderate resort, such as Port Orleans Riverside.  A moderate resort would offer them plenty of scenic walking space and casual, but nice dining options.  Since their time will be balanced between hotel and park, the moderate resort offers a great middle ground for their stay.

Here are some overall thoughts on which hotel to choose for your family:

• If you have the money, the upgraded resorts are beautiful options with closer proximity to the parks and greater amenities.  If you’ve got it, go for it.  I’ve never said no to a nicer hotel, have you?

• That being said, if you plan on spending all your times in the parks, you’re best use of money is a Value Resort.  There’s no point in spending more money on something you won’t use.

• If you’ve got a big family or a lot of people in your party, I highly recommend looking into the Villas, Cabins, or Art of Animation. These hotels offer multiple room setups that are made for larger groups.

• If you prefer a quieter, more relaxing vacation experience the Moderate and Deluxe Resorts may be a better option for you.  Although, I’m not sure you’ve 100% chosen the right place for your vacation in general.  As anyone with Disney World experience will tell you, it’s not the most relaxing place.

All this being said, you can have a great experience at any Disney World hotel.  Their offerings, customer service, and experiences are truly world class.  If you’d like to chat about what would work for you and your family, drop me a line over at my contact page.  I’d love to help!

To Eat or Not to Eat

The world of Disney Dining is huge and complex.  There are more than 400 places to purchase food within the resort, including 90 full service restaurants, over 30 of which are located within the parks themselves.  This number includes both full service and quick service restaurants.  For those of you not 100% familiar with the terms, the difference is this:

• Full service restaurant – a traditional sit down restaurant with hosts, servers, etc.

• Quick service restaurant – a counter style service such as a McDonalds or Chipotle where you place your order with a cashier, receive your food, and find a nearby table.

• Signature Dining – you’ll also see me mention this a few times.  Signature Dining is a table service meal (or buffet style) that is either considered very fine dining (such as some of the restaurants at the Grand Floridian hotel), a dinner show (such as the Hoop Dee Doo Revue), or a Character Dining Experience

I will also use the term “snack” a lot and it’s pretty much what it sounds like.  Snacks include items such as popcorn, candy apples, cake pops, etc. 

Cake Pops using Snack Credits!

Arguably and truthfully, there are too many restaurants on Disney property, especially at the newly reimagined Disney Springs: an issue that Disney is actually facing now and struggling with.  Disney World is consistently offering dining discounts in an effort to fill all their restaurants, something that is especially tough to do in the off seasons.  This brings me to the Disney Dining Plan.  It’s a polarizing offering at the resort, one that has many fans and many critics.  Truthfully, there aren’t many people that fall in the middle of this debate.  But with so many dining discounts being offered recently at the parks, I am finding more and more that it is a worthy option when booking your vacation package.

Quick reminder (or heads up) for those of you who read my “where to stay” post: The Disney Dining Plan is only available for those staying at a Walt Disney World resort.  For those of you staying of-property, feel free to skip down this post a bit.

So what is the Disney Dining Plan?  The DDP is a prepaid meal plan that gives guests a certain amount of “credits” to be redeemed at participating dining locations around the Walt Disney World resort (very few restaurants do not participate). 

There are three tiers to choose from that are outlined below.  The pricing listed is for 2018.  Disney has released 2019 Dining Plan pricing but there weren’t many changes.  Adult costs stayed the same while children’s pricing went up slightly.  For all table service meals, tax is included but tip is not.  Certain credits can be combined for other options and while the plans say you get A, B, and C per person, per day, the credits are actually just a lump sum and you can use them however you like (i.e. all your quick service credits in one day).  It’s confusing, I know.  Stay with me!

The famous Dole Whip! You can use a Snack Credit for this too!

• Quick Service

  • Offers 2 quick service meals and 2 snacks per person, per day plus one refillable mug that can be used at your resort (and some locations around the water parks)

  • Each quick service meal includes one entree and one beverage (including alcohol where available)

  • One quick service credit can be substituted for 3 snack purchases in a single transaction

  • $52.50 per adult, $21.74 per child, 3 & under are free

• Table Service/ Standard  (the most used, traditional meal plan)

  • Offers 1 counter service, 1 table service, and 2 snacks per person, per day plus one refillable mug that can be used at your resort (and some locations around the water parks)

  • 2 table service credits can be combined for 1 signature meal, 1 dinner show, 1 pizza delivery, or room service

  • $75.49 per adult, $25.75 per child, 3 & under are free

• Deluxe Dining Plan

• 3 meals that can be used at your choice of quick service or table service locations and 2 snacks per person, per day plus one refillable mug that can be used at your resort (and some locations around the water parks)

• $116.25 per adult, $39.99 per child, 3 & under are free

• Overall, I really do not recommend this meal plan unless you have an unlimited budget and plan on doing mostly character dining, dinner shows, and fine dining.  If this is the case, you can combine credits and make the most out of this option.  Otherwise, this is just way too much food.

The Disney Tourist Blog averages that meals at Disney World cost the following per person

• Table service: $45 per person

• Quick service: $21 per person

• Snack: $3-5

So as I mentioned above, the Disney Dining Plan has a lot of fans and critics.  You can call me a fan but as with anything else, it is not right for everyone.  Here’s a quick breakdown of some winners and losers on the meal plan:

• Vegetarians lose, every time

  • Sorry veggie lovers but vegetarian meals, like salads and pastas cost less and therefore, you don’t come out ahead spending $75 per day

• Drinkers win

  • Alcoholic beverages cost an average of $10 at Disney World.  So if you’re someone who enjoys a drink or two at dinner, this is a great way to save money.

• Festival attendees win

  • Festivals like Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival or Flower and Garden Festival accept snack credits on most of the food offerings which is a great way to use a snack credit on something that typically costs more than the snack credit is worth

• Water drinkers lose

  • If you are planning to use snack credits on water or a last minute bag of pretzels for the plane, this is not the plan for you.

And some overall, general information about the Dining Plan

• When using snack credits, you should aim to purchase items worth $5 or more.  Anything less than $5 is costing you money

• Critics will argue that meal plan costs have gone up but here’s the thing: so have menu prices. 

• Pre-planning is the name of the game with the Dining Plan.  Compare prices at restaurants you are interested in, pick your snack credits ahead of time, and make sure you are making the most of your money.  Last minute decisions don’t benefit you on the Dining Plan.

• Heads up, it’s a lot of food. My mom calls it the “Make it Stop Plan” because of how much food you get on it.  But again, you want to get as much as you can for your money.

• It’s convenient.  You pay for the meal plan with your resort and ticket package so by the time you get to Disney, you don’t have to think about spending money on food.  It’s a great way to help with those who struggle with budgeting.

Again, the meal plan isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay.  I’m just here to say that I like it because it takes some of the stress out of my vacation and helps me budget and plan, something I am a big proponent of.  But enough about the Dining Plan, there are plenty of other blogs who detail it too.  On to the good stuff: food and alcohol!

There are hundreds of dining options to choose from; there is truly something for everyone.  For a complete list of every food option on property with updated menus, click here.  As you can see, they’ve done a lot of the work for me here so I won’t expand too much here. 

I’ve already explained Quick Service, Full Service, and Signature Dining but these can be broken down even further.  I will just expand a bit on the different types (a bit more than above) and throw in some of my favorite as well as some tips and tricks:.

The delicious Night Blossom!

• Quick Service

  • There are a few different kinds of quick services, although they don’t have individual names.  For example, Sunshine Seasons Food Court in Epcot’s Future World is a large food court style eating area with 3 different food windows and a large seating area.  Conversely, Storybook Treats in Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland sells strictly ice cream treats. 

  • Magic Kingdom Favorites

    • Aloha Isle – Dole Whips are a MUST when visiting Disney World.  They can also be purchased Disney’s Polynesian Resort

    • Casey’s Corner – the best hotdog on property

    • Gaston’s Tavern – do NOT miss Lefou’s Brew

    • Sleepy Hollow – the waffle treats here are divine

    • Torguga Tavern – the only open this quick service location during peak times throughout the year but it still is one of my favorites              

  • Epcot Favorites

    • Karamell-Kuche – okay, it’s more like a store than a quick service establishment but you will never find a caramel treat like they make them here

    • La Cava del Tequila – the #1 spot for margaritas

    • L’Artisan des Glaces – Macaron ice cream sandwiches!

  • Hollywood Studios Favorites

    • Woody’s Lunch Box (New!) – the Raspberry Lunch Box Tart is the best pop tart you’ll ever try.  I also love their Grown-Up’s lemonade; they even serve it when the park opens!  Breakfast of champions, am I right?

  • Animal Kingdom Favorites

    • Anandapur Ice Cream Truck – They make ice cream floats with whatever soda you choose.  For me, I love an Orange Soda Float

    • Flame Tree BBQ – don’t skip the pulled pork nachos

    • Yak & Yeti Local Food Cafes – I love their Honey Glazed Tempura Chicken 

    • Pongu Pongu – I love both the Mo’ara Magarita and Night Blossom. 

• Full Service

  • As I mentioned above, full service can include regular dining meals, signature meals at more expensive locations, character dining experiences, and dinner shows. 

  • All full service dining experiences can be reserved through the Disney World website 6 months out from the date you intend to visit.  Beware; some of the more popular restaurants require booking 6 months out down to the minute such as Be Our Guest and Le Cellier.  If you miss this tiny window, don’t give up just yet.  Check the website regularly for cancellations and check out the restaurant the day off for any last minute cancellations.

  • Disclaimer:  Disney World is constantly moving chefs around and the servers are always changing (a topic worthy of its own post; maybe one day).  Menus are also consistently changing and being updated.  For example, my first experience at the Turf Club at Saratoga Springs was absolutely fabulous.  I made it my “favorite” restaurant after that one experience.  Two years later, I finally went back and I had a completely different experience, though it still lands on my top places.   Consistency can be tough to find.  That being said, here are some of my hits and misses:

  • Epcot

    • Via Napoli – some of the best pizza I’ve ever had…and I’m from New Jersey which makes me extremely qualified to judge

  • Hollywood Studios

    • 50’s Prime Time Café – the best fried chicken on property

  • Animal Kingdom Lodge

    • Boma – I stop here EVERY visit.  I love it here.

  • Coronado Springs

    • Maya Grill – the service here is outstanding! And so is their fried ice cream

  • Fort Wilderness Resort

    • Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue – it’s a great dinner show with great food

  • Grand Floridian

    • 1900 Park Fare – my favorite breakfast buffet; they even have gummy bears for breakfast!  Here you’ll meet Mary Poppins, the Alice and Wonderland Folks, as well as Tigger and a few others

  • Contemporary

    • Chef Mickey’s – if you’re dead set on a character dinner, this gets my vote. The selection is larger than other of your other options.

  • Old Key West

    • Olivia’s Café – get the key lime pie, trust me.

  • Polynesian

    • Ohana – I love the family style meal and the bread pudding is legendary.

    • Kona Café – the food is some of my favorite on property

  • Saratoga Springs

    • Turf Club – classic dining experience that’s great for adults

  • You’ll also notice that most of my favorites are located at resorts.  I find that many of the in-park restaurants are a little underwhelming.  Here are some of my places to avoid besides Be Our Guest (my opinion only, experiences may vary, folks!):

    • Be Our Guest – I know this one is extremely popular and I’ve heard many people have had amazing experiences.  I personally found it overrated and overpriced.  The cast member experience was one of the worst I’ve had.

    • Cinderella’s Royal Table – wait in line for the regular Princess meet and greets and get dinners somewhere else

    • Tony’s Town Square – once you’ve had real Italian, it’s hard to settle for anything less

    • The Crystal Palace – breakfast buffet is okay but the lunch and dinner are underwhelming

    • Biergarten – I love the concept of long table, family style seating but the food just wasn’t that great

    • Hollywood & Vine – similar to the Crystal Palace, breakfast is fine but lunch and dinner are MEH

    • Mama Melrose – similar to Tony’s, mediocre Italian food

    • Jiko – was not overly impressed.  With this being a finer dining experience, I expected more

 Disney also runs special events throughout the year ranging from food festivals to special dessert and fireworks shows.  I’ll be honest, I’ve never done the dessert shows but I‘ve heard mixed reviews.  Some people rave about it and others think you don’t get as much as you should for the money.  I’m not against them; I’m just always full from my other favorite treats around the parks to even bother.  But what I have participated in and what ultimately keeps me coming back are Epcot’s two main festivals: the Food & Wine Festivals and the Flower & Garden Festival.

• Food & Wine Festival

  • My absolute favorite thing.  Starting in late August, the Food & Wine Festival runs through early November, arguably the best time to visit Disney World.  Kids are back in school and the holidays haven’t started yet.  In addition to the permanent countries that offer food and wine specialties in Epcot’s World Showcase, Disney adds approximately 30 more temporary food and drink carts serving up small portions of items native to the corresponding country.  The countries change from year to year as well as the offerings.  Disney posts the menu about 6 months in advance.  If you ever have a chance to visit during Food & Wine, I highly recommend it.

• Flower & Garden Festival

  • I also love the Flower & Garden Festival.  Disney’s incredible horticulture department brings out some of the most beautiful Disney topiaries, flowers, and even a butterfly garden.  Epcot also brings out a number of additional food and beverage carts similar to Food & Wine Festival.  I always refer to it as a mini Food & Wine.  While it is during a busier time of the year (Spring time is big for families with children on spring break), you will still find it quieter than the holiday and summer seasons.

 One thing I didn’t cover, and won’t really touch on, is the dining options at Disney Springs, formerly Downtown Disney.  There are tons of new restaurants to try in Disney Springs with more opening every month.  I have heard great things about Chef Art’s Homecoming, specifically.  But the reason I don’t talk about them is because, frankly, I’m not a fan of the Downtown Disney revamp that took place a few years ago.  It feels more like a fancy, outdoor outlet mall rather than the Disney themed shopping experience it used to be.  Of course, that’s a personal preference and I’m happy to answer any specific questions you may have about it.

 Now, I know you’ve been hit with a lot of information and I know it’s overwhelming.  Walt Disney World has really stepped up its food game in the last five or so years to become a true foodie destination.  If you have a favorite food destination at Disney World or an experience that’s different than mine, I’d love to hear it.  And as always, if you have any questions, I’m here to help!  Drop me a line over at the contact page.

 Misc. FAQs

 Are character dining experiences worth it?

• EH.  Kind of.  Maybe.  Depends.  Sensing a theme on my Disney posts?  I enjoy character dining, I do.  But not all experiences are worth it.  You pay more to meet them.  Be aware, they only stop at your table for a minute or two to take some pictures and sign autographs.  You do not have unlimited access to them.  They are also typically buffet style meals and not all Disney buffets are created equally.  If you or your child loves a character dearly, it may be worth it.  For example, I adore Eeyore but he only does meet and greets at the Crystal Palace and in the parks on special ticketed events.  I’m not a huge fan of the Crystal Palace but I will eat breakfast there because I want to meet Eeyore.  See how this works?  Breakfast buffets are pretty standard across the parks so it’s not a big deal where you go.  For dinner, I only really recommend Chef Mickey’s, in total honesty.

·         For a complete list of all Disney Character experiences click here!