Mickey Cartoons in Theaters at Disney World

Posted on September 5, 2022 by Michael Luongo

There are so many things to do in Walt Disney World and so much planning that goes along with it. Most likely, you are not highly anticipating watching cartoons in a movie theater. But you should be. There are a couple of spots to catch Mickey Mouse on the big screen in EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. These attractions should not be overlooked. Kids love seeing Mickey Mouse and there aren’t many attractions featuring this original Disney character. These theaters also provide a great place to sit in the A/C and cool off and relax.

Vacation Fun is located in Hollywood Studios behind Echo Lake near Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! It is an original short played in a cute theater. The animation is a throw back to older Mickey Mouse cartoons and not the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse style. The story is funny and kids and adults love it. There are also fun photo spots on the way out of the theater.

Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival is one of my favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World. It is so underrated. It is located in EPCOT behind Journey into Imagination with Figment next to the Land in World Nature. The presentation usually includes 3 short films. The second two films are selected from several different options that rotate through performances. The first film is always a Mickey Mouse short. And it is so good. The first time we saw it we were blown away. We never expected it to be so great. The film is in 3D and the effects are top of the line. It is hilarious and so much fun. We make sure to catch this show every time we are in EPCOT.

The most essential Disney World Accessory

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Michael Luongo

There are some simple ways to save money on a Walt Disney World vacation. The easiest way is to bring a reusable water bottle. There are so many other great benefits as well.

Walt Disney World charges a lot for single use water bottles. They can cost up to $4 each. On a family vacation this certainly adds up. It could be hundreds of dollars on this expense alone. Because of this, people end up drinking less water. This leads to hunger, and more snacks at even greater expense. In the Florida heat, especially for travellers from cooler climates, water intake should be increased. Combined with lots of walking, this can create an unhealthy scenario. Dehydration can have many unfortunate side effects that include things like increased motion sickness and exhaustion. These are obviously especially troublesome on a Walt Disney World Vacation.

I have found that bringing reusable water bottles has certainly helped us increase our water intake. It is so much easier to quench your thirst without having to stop and buy water. Walt Disney World is adding filtered water bubblers. But in the meantime, we refill at water fountains or in bathroom sinks. We usually start the day by filling the bottles with ice in the morning before heading to the parks. This gives us cold water most of the day.

And one final point, Walt Disney World sells reusable water bottles. They make for great souvenirs after returning home. And we still use them for things like sports and car rides.

A Quick Hit on Character Dining

Posted on August 17, 2022 by Michael Luongo

There are many planning considerations for a Walt Disney World vacation. With four unique theme parks, exciting rides and beautiful shows, the planning is certainly continuous. Still nothing might require more thought than planning meals. Under no other circumstances do people plan meal times and restaurants 60 days in advance.

Well one easy way to narrow it down, is to plan on some character dining. If you have your heart set on world class meals, look elsewhere. But for this Disney Dad, we are on vacation in Walt Disney World for reasons just like this. Kids absolutely love having the characters come by their dinner. And the pictures are wonderful. And their faces are so cute and they are so excited. Those memories are what Disney Dads strive to capture.

You might read reviews for these character experiences that they are expensive or that the food isn’t great. Well yes they are pricey and the food is probably about average. But the experience can’t be beat.

Magic Kingdom
- Crystal Palace
- Be Our Guest
EPCOT
- Garden Grill
- Akershus
Hollywood Studios
- Hollywood & Vine
Animal Kingdom
- Tusker House

Strollers in Disney World

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Michael Luongo

A Walt Disney World vacation involves a lot of walking. So you are going to want a stroller for your kids. They are great for moving across the parks quickly when little legs arent fast enough. They are also great for kids to rest and nap. This is true even for bigger kids. Especially at the end of a long day. Luckily, there are several different ways to access a stroller in Disney World. Of course, it involves some elements of planning. Here is what I have discovered over the years.

With just one child, a small and lightweight stroller is ideal. It’s is great for portability. You don’t want to bring your best big stroller. You can bring your stroller right up to the plane and they will check it there and get it for you when you land. This way you can use it in the airport, which I have found to be helpful.

Another popular option is to rent a stroller from Walt Disney World. Utilizing this strategy allows guests to grab a stroller as they enter the park and drop it off when leaving. This does make bus travel to the park and back to the resort much easier. But there are some drawbacks. Sometimes a sleepy child is best left in the stroller until you get on the bus. Especially if there are lines and a wait it makes it much easier. Also, it gets to be annoying to have to go grab a stroller every morning upon park entry.

My favorite stroller plan is renting through ScooterBug. This company has a partnership with Walt Disney World. They will deliver your rental stroller to your resort on your arrival day. I have used this service several times and have always had the stroller waiting for me when I get there.

This really is the best of both worlds. You get a stroller without having to travel with it and you still get to use it traveling around Walt Disney World. We get a good stroller and the price is reasonable. We request a color other than black, because it makes it easier to find in the stroller parking. ScooterBug also rents electric vehicles for anyone in your party that might have mobility issues. We rented this once as well, and it really madea difference.

So now that you have your stroller in Walt Disney World, what are the best ways to get around. There are many stroller parking locations spread throughout each park. They are clearly marked and easy to find. So guests can park strollers, check out some attractions in an area. With bigger kids, we would leave the stroller for hours at a time and then head back and get it.

Drop the Rope

Posted on July 11, 2022 by Michael Luongo

Some Walt Disney World vacation tips are more impactful than others. One of the most important tricks implemented by veteran Disney Dads is the rope drop.

The term rope drop means entering an amusement park right when they open. At Walt Disney World rope drop is an event in and of itself. It seems the secret is out. There is a line to get through security and then another line to get through the gates. The only way to effectively rope drop at Walt Disney World is to get there early. Really early. And that distinction makes all the difference. If you don’t arrive early enough, you will not get into the park with enough time to beat the initial crowds. We try to get there at least 30 minutes before park opens. That’s enough time to get off the bus or other transport and get to the front of the park 15 to 20 minutes before open. And that 15 minutes is crucial. If you don’t make it in before that initial rush, then you practically lose most of the advantage of the rope drop. It may seem trivial, but that 15 or 20 minutes makes all the difference. For example, with an 8:30 park open we will get there at 8. Usually we will then be through the gates and in the park right around 830, because they do open the gates a few minutes early. If we were to arrive at 8:30, we might not get through the gates until after 9. So we just lost a half hour in a sparsely populated Disney World. Even worse, if we arrived around 9, it would probably take close to an hour to actually get into the park.

When we get into whatever park we are going to, we have a plan for which rides we are going on. It will obviously be one that will have a long line later in the day. We also consider which ride we might have a lightning lane reservation for first, because we don’t want to miss it by trying to start on the other side of the park. So just like the rest of your Disney Vacation, you need a plan, and it needs to be flexible. Usually we can go to 2 attractions back to back with little wait time. This is especially true for resort guests who currently can enjoy a half hour early admittance. Some of the most popular rides attract a massive crowd immediately. One such ride is Avatar: Flight of Passage. Pretty much everyone rope dropping Animal Kingdom goes there. So if you are not one of the first in line, it might be something to avoid. I have seen waits up to 45 minutes as soon as the park opens. We usually go the other way in Animal Kingdom. We can ride Dinosaur and Expedition Everest both without any wait.

Walt Disney World parks do not empty out early like some other amusement parks. You can not hope to ride Space Mountain multiple times in a row at the end of the night. The wait times decline, but never is there no wait. That makes the rope drop so much more important. It gives guests their best chance to enjoy a ride or two with an amazingly short wait.

Oga’s Cantina

Posted on July 5, 2022 by Michael Luongo

It is easy to dismiss a trip to Oga’s Cantina. It is in high demand and difficult to get reservations. It’s specifically themed to Star Wars and maybe you are not a Star Wars family. There are only drinks served besides a few snacks. But it is so fun that everyone in your family will enjoy it. It is an exciting little break during a busy day in Hollywood Studios. Disney Dads know that their Walt Disney World Vacation must include new, different and exciting options.

The atmosphere inside Oga’s Cantina is awesome. Guests are served in a space port and all the details are amazing. And for Star Wars fans it is authentic and wonderful. We went once with people who had never seen Star Wars and they still had a blast.

But the real story here is that the drinks are inventive and fun. They serve two types of drinks. Each come either with alcohol or without. Concoctions are drinks, while provisions are more like a gelatin. The flavors are bold and unique. Some of the kids’ drinks have carbon ice on the bottom that provides an endless stream of bubbles and giigles.

Oga’s Cantina may seem like too much effort and may get lost in your planning routine. But do not write it off because you are not sure if your clan is going to enjoy it.

Dress for Success

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Michael Luongo

Planning a vacation to Walt Disney World can be challenging and there is certainly much to think about. Park reservations, dining reservations and park hours are all things to consider. But Disney Dads know that getting everybody’s clothing together is one of the most fun planning ritual.

We made a regrettable mistake on our very first vacation to Walt Disney World. We did not pack Disney attire and just wore common shirts. Sadly we didn’t know any better. We didn’t know that wearing Disney themed clothes enhanced the magic so much. Don’t follow in our footsteps. Everything is better in Disney clothes. The characters interact with you more. The pictures are amazing.

There is one more way to take the magic to the next level. Matching shirts for the whole family. Yes that’s right. You may be hesitant and it may sound unusual, and you may think “we aren’t those people”. But it is so much fun to be those people.

Minnie Van Service

Posted on June 14, 2022 by Michael Luongo

Walt Disney World offers many different ways to get around the property. Almost all of the options are free. But there is an official paid car service that many people do not know about. It is called Minnie Van and it is operated by Lyft. This program began a few years before the Covid-19 pandemic, but was suspended in 2020 and 2021. It returned to action in June 2022. So what exactly is it?

The Minnie Van service is easy to use. It is operated by Lyft and it works just as easily as using Lyft anywhere else. The app and program are very user friendly so don’t worry about having to learn something new. I recommend setting up the Lyft app and creating an account before your vacation if you anticipate using it. I would even set it up just in case of an emergency or unplanned difficulty. You don’t want to he fiddling with an account creation if something requires immediate action.

The Minnie Van can be very helpful to complement the Walt Disney World Transportation system. At park open and close, there are usually busses arriving frequently. However, mid day and off times there can be a bit of a wait. The Minnie Van can be called in to save some time and provide a more convenient and comfortable experience. This is a great option when park hopping or for a quick return to the resort. Animal Kingdom is a great park to start the day in. It opens early and you can do a lot by lunch, and move to another park. But it is a long ride to Magic Kingdom from there, and a Minnie Van can be a nice way to save some time. I don’t want to leave Animal Kingdom and see my bus just left and now I have to wait 20 minutes for another one. That really throws a wrench in the day.

The Minnie Van service is operated by Disney and Lyft. The driver is a friendly and knowledgeable Disney employee. The Minnie Van can hold up to 6 guests and has 2 car seats available so it should accommodate most families. We don’t use it as a primary mode of transportation, but there were times where it made travel so much better.

Fantasmic!!!

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Michael Luongo

Fantasmic is a nightly show at Hollywood Studios. It is hands down the best night show in Disney World. It is proabably one of the 5 best attractions. Fantasmic has it all. Water. Fire. Drama. Music. Mickey. So. Many. Characters. It is an absolute must see. Do not hesitate to attend this show. It is late, it draws a massive crowd and it takes a long time to leave. But it doesn’t matter. Go see it.

Here is a video of my son absolutely crushing it at Fantasmic. The video doesn’t spoil anything if you haven’t seen it. At the end of Fantasmic, large boats pass by saturated with characters. I watch this video all the time. I don’t know if I have ever been as happy and excited as he is.

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