A Story of Misplaced Anger

Posted on December 21, 2023 by Michael Luongo

Walt Disney World is the happiest place on earth. It is only called that because it is entirely true. There are 4 theme parks and millions of visitors each year. It is an amazing destination full of awe and wonder. But that doesn’t mean it is all magic all the time. There are certainly times when things get stressful and families snap at each other.

Setting the Stage

We were at Magic Kingdom on Saturday in early October of 2006. We were there all day and we had tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party. The temperature was above average for the time of the year. It was very, very crowded. It was early afternoon and we had Fast Passes (remember those) for Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. The standby wait time wasn’t too bad. It was probably about 40 minutes. As we entered the Fast Pass return queue, we noticed the standby line seemed pretty long. It also looked to be moving pretty slow. Even the line we were in was moving slower than it should have been. So it was a little annoying. At least for us it was a little annoying. It was apparently much more annoying for people in the stand by line who probably ended up waiting over an hour and a good 20 minutes over the posted wait time. We would soon find out it was about to push one woman over her breaking point.

Just Why

After almost 10 minutes to get through the Fast Pass return queue, we made it to the ride entrance. The attendant was a college aged girl. She stopped a woman and her children who were next in the standby line to allow more Fast Pass holders through. The woman then erupted on the attendant. She just started screaming at her that she had been waiting too long, the Fast Pass system is unfair and she should not have been stopped. I mean the woman was really screaming at her. The poor attendant was just trying to get her to calm down while another attendant was calling for help, I suppose. As I walked by this woman I told her to stop yelling at the attendant, as she is only doing her best and should not be the target of her rage. The woman only paused briefly to look at me as my wife quickly ushered me away.

The morale of this short story is to always remember Walt Disney World is a magical place and we must all do our part to keep it that way.

Park Hopping Adventure

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Michael Luongo

On my last trip to Walt Disney World, something unexpected happened. We didn’t plan for it ahead of time. It kind of just happened. But it was really fun and I’m actually really proud of it. We went to three different parks in the same day, and even had time to swim at the resort. This was our 3rd day at Walt Disney World. We were staying at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort. We were only able to get around so easily because of the resort’s great transportation options and location in close proximity to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. We had park reservations at EPCOT and began the day there.

Park 1: EPCOT

We started the day by taking a Friendship Boat from Boardwalk to EPCOT. When you take a boat to EPCOT, you enter the park at International Gateway, where the Disney Skyliner is. This gets you into the park between France and England. We were in EPCOT the night before exploring the World Showcase, so we went over to Journey into Imagination with Figment. We continued on to SeaBase, the aquarium in World Nature. We were on our way then to an early lunch at Space 220. We didn’t really have a plan for the rest of the day. We then saw we were able to get a Lightning Lane reservation for TRON Lightcycle/Run. Because of the ease of travel to Magic Kingdom from EPCOT on the monorail, we decided to head over there after lunch. Well, we rode Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind before we left.

Park 2: Magic Kingdom

We took the monorail to Magic Kingdom, and headed directly over to TRON. We breezed through the Lightning Lane. It was our first time on TRON so we were really excited. The queue onto the ride is great at building anticipation. The ride is amazing, though unusually short for Walt Disney World. When we got out, we didn’t have any more reservations for rides or dining. It was really hot at almost 100 degrees. We then came up with the plan for the rest of the night. We would go back to the resort for pool time and a light dinner. Then we would go to Hollywood Studios for Fantasmic.

Park 3: Hollywood Studios

We had never gone to a park so late that we were just going for a night time show. But we thought it was a good idea. We didn’t have to take time out of our next day at Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic, which left more time for rides. So we got to Hollywood Studios a little before 8 pm for the 9 pm show. We went right to Fantasmic and got in early, and got great seats. We watched it in awe (as usual) and headed back to Boardwalk as we started the day, on a Friendship Boat.

Should you buy Disney Genie Plus???

Posted on April 7, 2023 by Michael Luongo

Walt Disney World is certainly a popular vacation destination. There are four distinct parks, including Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. No other vacation involves so much planning and offers such a diverse list of activities. Every vacation to Walt Disney World is unique on its own. Being so popular (and so amazing), means that the cost of the vacation is expensive. And that is just the start. It goes up from expensive to pretty much astronomical. Therefore, budget decisions must be made. Things to decide on include resorts, dining, souvenirs, and other extras. Then there is Disney Genie Plus. It costs can vary by day, but expect about $15 per person per day, which can easily add up to a major expense. Disney Genie Plus allows users to make reservations (the old Fast Pass) for some rides throughout the day. So The question remains, should you purchase Disney Genie Plus.

The Definitive Answer to the Question

The simple answer is YES. You need Disney Genie Plus. They way to think about Disney Genie Plus is that however it works out, it is really amazing to skip major lines on at least some attractions. It actually makes a big difference (especially for the kids) to get on a ride without a long wait. It makes for a nice break from the lines and makes them more bearable when you get back in one.

But the complicated answer is you don’t need it every day. Disney Genie Plus works best at Magic Kingdom. Because there are so many rides, you can get the most amount of reservations. The other parks have much more limited options, and it becomes less valuable. Animal Kingdom really has the least benefit and it can probably be avoided. Especially if you can get there early and rope drop. Hollywood Studios is so busy and the reservations go so fast, it is also a struggle to use Disney Genie Plus. But even if it only gets you a few rides, it can make a difference as Hollywood Studios usually has the longest waits. EPCOT is the second best park for using Disney Genie Plus. There are surprisingly a large amount of quality rides to book and they are some pretty great ones (Soarin’, Frozen Ever After, Test Track).

It’s All a Matter of Preference

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Michael Luongo

Walt Disney World is a massive resort destination for family fun. There are four distinct parks, including Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and EPCOT. Each park has its own unique theme and feel. EPCOT is actually an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. The theme here is clear throughout EPCOT, with a focus on science, planet Earth and Space. Hollywood Studios, especially with the new additions of Star Wars: Galaxy Edge and Toy Story Land, is where the movies come alive. Animal Kingdom is a combination of a zoo and a theme park. Magic Kingdom is the “happiest place on Earth”. By itself, it is home to six different lands that bring wonder and joy to children and adults.

It is important to remember when planning a vacation to Walt Disney World that there are no wrong answers. There are so many different things to do that every trip to Disney World can be unique. So when planning your next vacation, always consider your own preference and what your family likes to do. While there are some attractions that are universally beloved (or despised), most people have widely varying opinions. Don’t rely too heavily on reviews and other sources. Make sure you experience everything once for yourself. Within my own family, we have many disputes between our favorite rides. We even disagree on which parks we like best.

Consider also why you are taking this vacation. Most likely it is to build family memories and provide an amazing experience for your children. So think about what they like to do. We have a child that absolutely loves animals. We therefore like to spend more time at Animal Kingdom than we normally would.

All Things Beauty and the Beast

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Michael Luongo

Walt Disney World is home to the most beloved characters in the world. Heroes, villains, animals, princesses, toys, the list goes on and on. Walt Disney World certainly maximizes the appeal of these characters in rides, shows, performances and greetings. One movie that certainly has left its mark on Walt Disney World is Beauty and the Beast. There are attractions in 3 of the 4 parks, with the exception being Animal Kingdom.

Hollywood Studios

Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage is a professional production of the beloved movie. It runs about 20 to 25 minutes and contains all the classic songs and scenes. It is really wonderful. The show is played in a covered theatre on Sunset Boulevard. Showtimes are usually every hour, so there are plenty of chances to catch it. I highly recommend this show as it really is dazzling.

Magic Kingdom

Located in Fantasy Land, Be Our Guest is an amazing dining experience. It is a signature (think expensive) restaurant with a prefix menu. Patrons are able to dine inside Beast’s Castle and meet Beast. Walt Disney World unsurprisingly built the castle exquisitely to the finest detail. There are performance aspects to the dinner, and you can even take a look at the rose in the glass. The menu is expensive and the food is definitely high end, so this might not be for everyone. I’m not much of an eater myself, but for the experience alone we needed to try.

EPCOT

Located in (where else) France, there is an underappreciated attraction called Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along. We really only stumbled upon it one day to get out of the rain. Again, it shouldn’t surprise me that even a small show tucked away in EPCOT contains Disney magic to delight fans. I won’t give anything away, but you should definitely seek out a time to see this show.

Why I love Tommorrowland Transit Authority People Mover

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Michael Luongo

Magic Kingdom is the happiest place on earth. It really is. Thrill rides, beloved characters and iconic attractions bring back adoring guests year after year. Theming at Walt Disney World, and especially within Magic Kingdom, is something that helps Disney World rise above other amusement parks. Other Disney parks come close, but nothing quite catches this phenomenon like Magic Kingdom. Tomorrowland just feels different than Fantasyland and Fronteirland. It really is amazing. Magic Kingdom is the best.

There are so many rides in Magic Kingdom, that it wouldn’t be possible to experience them all in one day. Especially with little children, there is a certain limit of how much can be done. Little ones don’t do very well waiting in lines. Although Disney designs most rides to accommodate even the smallest guests, the thrill rides to have a minimum height requirement. And that leaves families scrambling sometimes trying to decide what to do. Here I will pitch one of my favorite attractions, Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover.

The People Mover is an elevated open air tram that travels around Tomorrowland in basically a tour of the attractions. The ride is slow moving and relaxing, but does sometimes seem to be cruising a little faster. It winds its way through rides like Space Mountain and is narrated with fun facts. Guests can get fun views of Magic Kingdom as they wind their way through Tomorrowland.

Vacations to Walt Disney World are about making family memories. Most rides and shows can be experienced by almost everyone in the family. Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover can truly be enjoyed by everybody. The ride is entertaining, long and enjoyable. The wait is never too long. The trams allow families to sit facing each other so they can really connect and converse. It is calm enough for people who don’t want a thrill, while also being fun enough for kids seeking a ride. I can’t describe the joy I feel while zooming around Tomorrowland with my favorite people.

An Adults Only Trip to Walt Disney World

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Michael Luongo

For the first time in our adult lives, my wife and I traveled to Walt Disney World without our children. The 2 of us celebrated her 40th birthday on a 3 night vacation. Our thoughts before our vacation had us wondering what it would be like in Disney World without kids. Would there be enough to do? Would it be as fun or as magical? Would we miss them? Would they be mad at us? Well, all our questions were answered rather quickly. We had an amazing vacation. While it was certainly very different without our children, it was an experience every Disney Dad should enjoy.

We knew that we were not planning a usual vacation to Walt Disney World. We did not want to rush to make it to every ride. We wanted a relaxing pace so we could take in every magical moment. We also planned for a lot of time at EPCOT. We wanted to navigate World Showcase without the attention being on our children. We also wanted to see Fantasmic (finally) as it had been closed for almost 3 years because of the Covid19 pandemic. We added the park hopper option and made park pass reservations. We chose Magic Kingdom for our arrival day, because it was open late and we were staying at Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort. The second day we started at Hollywood Studios and ended at EPCOT. We reversed that plan for the third and final day, starting at EPCOT and moving to Hollywood Studios.

One of the things we attempted that we had never done before on a family Disney vacation, was to have a nice dinner. We made late reservations at California Grill inside of the Contemporary. We had a wonderful day at Magic Kingdom. We rode Splash Mountain (one last time before the new theme). We returned to our resort to grab a drink and watched the fireworks from our hotel room balcony. That was something we didn’t plan in advance but gave it a try when we realized we could. And it was so worth it. It was an experience we never considered, but it was so magical to have a private view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks. We played the accompanying music on the hotel TV and we felt like rock stars. California Grill was amazing and we lucked out with a table at the window with a wonderful view of Magic Kingdom.

The second day at Hollywood Studios we planned for a short stay there. We wanted to get to EPCOT right at 2 when park hopping opened. We watched Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream inside the Walt Disney Presents museum. It was a great show that we were never able to get to with kids. We had a few drinks at Oga’s Cantina and saw Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage. The wait for Tower of Terror never got low enough for us to get in line. There was so much we wanted to experience without having to get on the thrill rides to appease the kids. Another first for us, we took a Friendship Boat to EPCOT. It might be the slowest way to make the trip, but it was so cool. And the boat operators entertain with jokes that imitate Jungle Cruise.

EPCOT without kids was awesome. We did get Lightning Lane reservations for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind twice. That ride is so much fun. We got to enjoy so much of what makes EPCOT unique and fantastic. We stayed until 11pm with extended hours and headed right back the next day at 8:30 for park open. We stayed until almost 5 pm and then finally headed over to Hollywood Studios. This time we took the Skyliner to Carribean Beach from EPCOT and hopped on the other line to Hollywood Studios.

Our night at Hollywood Studios included a Lightning Lane reservation at Rise of the Resistance, drinks at BaseLine Tap House, and a late 9:30 showing of Fantasmic.

Visiting Walt Disney World with only your spouse is so easy. It’s so much quicker to decide on where to go or what to eat. Many decisions become cumbersome when traveling with kids. It becomes even more slow when the extended family comes along. But with just 2 people that are so familiar and comfortable together, we traversed effortlessly through the parks. We were able to do so much in just three days, we both felt like we were there for a week.

Attraction Profile: Walt Disney World Railroad

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Michael Luongo

Walt Disney World Railroad had been closed for over 4 years. It was inoperable while construction was in progress on Tron: Lightcycle/ Run. But as of December 2022, it has finally reopened. Because of this extended closure, there are many people who have never enjoyed a ride on the rails. Additionally, there will be many who are totally unaware of this attraction. Don’t let this experience be forgotten.

The Walt Disney World Railroad is unique in that it is an attraction, but is also a mode of transportation. There are three train stations around Magic Kingdom. The first one is at the park entrance. The next two are in Frontierland and Fantasyland. The train only operates in one direction in that order. It can be a quick way to get around if the timing is right. It is also a relaxing way around the park and a nice break.

The Walt Disney World Railroad is a scenic ride that provides an opportunity to see some interesting views of Magic Kingdom. During the construction update, imagineers added a tunnel through Tron Lightcycle/Run. Similar to Tomorrowland’s People Mover, Disney World guests will feel the magic when riding the Railroad. It is such a simple attraction that would be completely ordinary at other amusement parks. But, at Walt Disney World, that indescribable feeling of joy and wonder is perfectly captured.

Magic Kingdom Fireworks are Totally Worth It

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Michael Luongo

There are some things that Walt Disney World does better than anybody else. There are 4 distinct and amazing amusement parks and 2 water parks. Planning vacations to Walt Disney World takes months and it never stops. There are always more decisions to be made and choices to be considered. And in the end, not all plans are carried out. Sometimes it is a ride that just doesn’t make it into the day. And sometimes days fizzle out and the night time spectaculars get skipped. But here is why you maybe shouldn’t skip Magic Kingdom Fireworks.

I understand why the plans for catching the Magic Kingdom fireworks can get scrapped. Days at Walt Disney World can be long. Very long. The fireworks are pretty late in the day and sometimes people just get too tired. The idea of the fireworks can itself also be very daunting. There is going to be a large crowd. It is going to be nuts trying to leave. You have to find a spot and stay there in the crowd waiting for the show. I get that some people won’t want to do that. It’s much easier to duck out before the fiireworks, and beat the rush to the resort. And it’s just fireworks. Everyone has seen them before. But you haven’t experienced the Disney magic of this night time spectacular.

Walt Disney World usually changes the Magic Kingdom fireworks annually. There is a theme that often accompanies the ongoing theme throughout Walt Disney World. And every year they seem to get more and more advanced. Unsurprisingly, the current theme celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World.

Magic Kingdom fireworks are an event. It is amazing Disney World can produce them night after night. The fireworks are beautiful over the backdrop of Magic Kingdom. Cinderella’s Castle is lit up with movie scenes, characters and synchronized lights. The excitement of the crowd creates a shared experience of wonder and joy. Any feelings of angst or worry are melted away. The excitement will carry your family all the way back to the resort and beyond. And of course, your children will absolutely love the fireworks and will talk about them with such exuberance, you will be so glad you stuck it out. Well until they inevitably fall asleep on the way back.

Check the Park Hours

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Michael Luongo

Planning your Walt Disney World vacation is fun, exciting, and deeply involved. There are so manybthings to consider that some important details can get overlooked. This is easy to do when thinking about dining reservations and which new attractions might be available. And it seems that the Disney Park Reservation is going to be hanging around for quite some time. Walt Disney World executives enjoy the benefits of forecasting guest attendance. So there is one important detail that is often overlooked during the planning phase that can really hurt your plans. You have to confirm the park hours.

Walt Disney World maintains fairly consistent park hours. They don’t change much during the season. So you can check the weeks before the hours are released during your vacation and get a good idea of what the hours will be while you are there. You then would want to plan on going to parks that are open the longest each day of your trip.

Another important thing to check is if there are any special events during your vacation. These occur mostly at Magic Kingdom and include Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. On those select nights, Magic Kingdom closes early (usually 7pm). So you don’t want to be at Magic Kingdom that day if you are not attending the event.

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