Keys to the Kingdom Tour

We did the Kings to the Kingdom Tour, which was outstanding! I wish I could tell you everything about it, but, I'm going to honor my pledge to not ruin the magic. Instead, I'll just tell you about some of the logistics of this incredible tour.

To participate, everyone has to be 16 years or older, you must have park admission, and the cost is in the $100 per person ball park. We received a nice discount due to our annual pass.

The tour lasts 5 hours and includes 2 or 3 park rides and lunch. We received behind the scenes information about various rides, history of the parks, went back stage, and even went through the utilidoors (tunnels under the Magic Kingdom). Our tour started at 8:30, but I understand there are 8am and 9am tours too.

We were told to plan leaving for the park 90 minutes before the tour started - and that was really good advice. If you miss the tour you don't get a refund. Between traffic and crowds, you don't want to take a chance so we left the house at 7am. They also want you to arrive 15 minutes before the tour starts so you can get checked in. Once concern we had was: the park doesn't open until 9am, how do we get into the park at 8:15am? Actually, Main Street opens way before the park open, so, getting in wasn't a problem at all.

Everyone on the tour wears an ear piece so we can all hear our tour guide wherever she is. She could be far ahead or in a noisy area and we could still hear her.

Our group had 18 people in it, which seemed like a perfect size. Our three rides were: Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and Haunted Mansion. The tour guide walked us up to the attraction and we got on immediately - no waiting. Before the ride and during the ride, our guide was telling us secrets to look for. We had many restroom breaks where the guide told us "Go when you can, not when you have to". Lunch was at a reserved area of Tomorrow Land's Terrace restaurant, and there was a large menu to order from.

The Utilidoors are tunnels under the Magic Kingdom. Well... that description isn't accurate. You can not dig underground in Florida because it is all sand with a high water table - it would flood. Instead, the utilidoors are on ground level. The magic kingdom is actually on the second floor (or, the roof of the utilidoor building).  That's right! There is a huge building sitting under the Magic Kingdom! Tunnels gives the impression that the utilidoors are small - they are huge! Wide and tall with vehicles driving around inside of them.  If you are claustrophobic - you have nothing to worry about (ie - this is an opinion, not a medical diagnosis). The utilidoors are how employees get from one place to another, how supplies are delivered throughout the park, how emergency medical crews can be quickly dispatched, how garbage is disposed of, and much more.

We had such an incredible time! I would love to do this again perhaps in two years or so. I would like to try a different tour next year.

Disney's Animal Kingdom's Nomad Lounge

After a long hot and tiring trek through the jungles of Animal Kingdom, as evening settles across the land, the the throngs head toward the glowing land of Pandora, you'll notice an oasis. As you approach the bridge to Pandora, an oasis exists to the right that would call any exhausted traveler. Large comfy chairs on a cooled covered deck overlooking the river.

It called to me and I responded, dropping my heavy pack and collapsing on the couch.

But then a lady appeared and said "Can I take your order?" Oh. It is that kind of a lounge.

"What do you have for frozen drinks?" I asked. The evening was very warm and a frozen drink would hit the spot.

"I'm sorry, we don't do frozen drinks". She then produced a giant book... a menu of sorts... that had all kinds of drinks in it I have never heard of before. "We do have a Watermelon margarita on the rocks."

I was parched. I was tired. I didn't care. "Yes, that's fine."

She tried to upsell "How about some sliders?"

I just wanted to be left alone to slowly die in this paradise. "Yes, fine. Sliders"

I knew I was in trouble when she returned and had to explain what I was about to eat "glazed blah blah blah seasoned blah blah crushed blah blah". If it isn't obvious to me what I am about to eat? There is something wrong. No one should have to explain what you are about to consume - it should go without explanation.

First up, the sliders. They were... like... wow. (And for $15 they had better be!). Don't let the tiny potatoes in the picture fool you - these were small sliders. But they weren't hamburgers. They were heaven. Seasoned. Crushed tomato. I could have put away 5 or 6 of those things, no problem. The vinegar potatoes were outstanding - and I'm not a big vinegar fan. There was just enough vinegar to give it flavor mixed with the other seasonings. Now for $15 you'd think you might get a fork for those potatoes. Nope! This is high class finger food.

Next up... the $14 margarita. Who would have thought to make a water melon rita? It just sounds absurd (and a little gross, honestly).  But the watermelon flavor was not overpowering. It was just the right amount to make it refreshing on a hot summer night. 

Was the food worth the expense? Of course not - are you nuts? I wasn't paying for the food. I was paying for the escape! The escape from the mad crowds and the incredible heat. The escape from everyone trying to step on you and over you. Escape from following the family in endless circles around the Animal Kingdom. I kicked back and relaxed while the rest of the family did... whatever, I honestly didn't care what they were doing. And the longer they were doing it, the longer I got to enjoy the Nomad Lounge.

See the video here.

Disney's Animal Kingdom: Pandora

You remember that movie called Avatar? Not the air bender (bald guy with an arrow on his for head). Avatar. Blue naked people running around in a jungle on some other planet, ring any bells? It was really popular, like, 8 or 9 years ago. I can't blame you for not remembering it.

Well... Disney remembered it. And they spent $400M and over three years to build the Pandora land that resembles the movie. The original plan was to time the opening of the park with the release of a second Avatar movie. But the Avatar movie is at least a year behind schedule, so, Disney opened the park under the threat no one would remember the movie.

I have to admit that I didn't remember the movie very well. We rented the movie the night before going so we could figure out what this land might be all about! In the movie, Humans found a planet six years away from earth that contains a valuable mineral. But the planet's inhabitants aren't cooperating, so, humans do what humans do and go kick some but! Until it back fires on them and the planet itself fights back.

First, the Navi River ride (see the video above). You board a boat that takes you down a river through the caves of Pandora. In the caves you'll get to see many of the Pandora elements that were in the movie... except the elements are all around you. Just when the ride gets really good? It ends! The ride is a little short, so, if you don't have a fast pass? I don't think it would be worth a long wait.

 Next, the drum show. Entertainers take to the drum stage in the middle of Pandora and put on a high energy fifteen minute show with crowd participation.

Third, the Banshee ride. If you want to ride a Banshee, you have to go up into the floating mountains where the Banshee live. And so up the winding path you go, high above the jungle floor. I didn't ride it, but my kids say you get splashed by the water and you can smell everything you fly past. See their comments in this video made at the ride's exit.

Fourth, the dinning area. The Pandora land mixes in the Pandora jungle along with the buildings and equipment left when the humans were kicked off the planet. Which is really good - have you every tried to use a Pandorian bathroom? You'll be thankful the human bathrooms were left intact! And lucky the food center is human too. You might get a little Pandora twist to the food (odd glowing drinks), but you'll be happy to find all your human favorite meals.

Finally, Pandora itself. I heard that you have to see Pandora during the day and then return at night because the land looks completely different in the night time. And it does. Daytime. Night time. It is incredible. It is amazing to see waterfalls coming from the floating mountains and to be able to actually walk right under those mountains. The plants and decorations are great. I would have thought the land would have been larger with more things in it, but Pandora is just part of the larger Animal Kingdom experience.

Was it worth the three year wait to see this land? Honestly, Disney fans love and appreciate anything new Disney does, and this is certainly new.  It is an experience worth checking out the next time you visit the Animal Kingdom.

Epcot: Changes to Japan's Gift Shop

We were surprised to see some changes that had been made to the very popular gift shop in Epcot's Japan area.

The first thing that caught my eye was the Oyster Bar had moved. At the Oyster Bar, you purchase and Oyster, they open it for you, and you get to keep the pearl that is inside. Most pearls are small, but some are silver colored and some can be very large. By moving it, they opened up a large area in the gift shop.

Don't worry, it isn't gone. It is just moved off to the side. 

The second thing we noticed was a large room had been opened up behind the display case. 

Finally, the cash registers have been moved so they are closer to the main exit.

The products in the Japan gift shop are very popular, especially to the kids who watch Japanese cartoons (anime). The store was always packed. These changes open up the store and provide the room necessary for shopping. 

Epcot 2017

Living the Disney life.... I worked during the day on Thursday while the kids hung around our pool. After work we went for a short trip to Epcot Future World.

We did Planet Earth, Soarin, the ride in The Land where you see all the farming techniques,

Nemo and The Living Seas,

and then we watched the fireworks from the bridge so we could make a quick exit.

It is great to live so close to Disney and go for just a couple of hours.

We don't have to go on full day marathons or feel like we have to be there every minute to get our money's worth. We can usually see everything we want to see in just a few hours.

We have made a bad habit of going to "Twistee Treat" on 192 to get ice cream most evenings. We found that purchasing a small twirl (it is like a McFlurry) has more ice cream in it than a large ice cream... and for the same price! We have been going to twistee treat for years. Because we got of Epcot quick we had plenty of time to get some ice cream.

We have a day off on Friday so we are going to watch the Avatar movie (to get ready for the Animal Kingdom on Sunday).  Friday is also Pizza and Game Night. Our oldest son has become a poker expert, so, we've promised him a few hands. 

Our 2017 Disney Schedule

It is a great thing... sitting out by the pool and blogging in the shade of the warm Florida summer sun.

We have decided on our 2017 Disney schedule (how we will use our 14 days). It'll be two days at the park, then one day R&R, then back for two days. I will be working on the weekdays so our weekday trips to the park will only be three or four hours.

I am not taking that much video this year (compared to other years). The new camera does 35mbps, which is beyond blue ray quality. I am tempted to turn the quality down, which I have done with previous cameras in order to conserve storage space. However, I have learned (as I watch those old videos) that video quality only improves and soon even this new camera's quality will look poor. Therefore, I have kept the quality high.

It rains everyday in Florida for about an hour. The humidity rises to a point where the rain washes the humidity away, and then the temperatures feel comfortable for a while. We have been here for about a week and it has rained every day except one. We take shelter during the rain and do something fun, and when the rain ends we go right back outside.

That's today's update. Stay tuned for more!

My Florida Pet

Florida neighborhoods are filled with geckos. It is good thing because geckos eat a lot of bugs, and we need all the help we can get with keeping the bug population under control! Actually, while outside (even in the evenings) bugs are not a problem. I attribute that to the bug munching geckos.

It seems that I have an office pet this year. Somehow a gecko managed to get himself caught between the screen and window of my office!

I assume he is finding enough food to eat because he is a rather fat fellow. Nevertheless, I will have to keep an eye on him and either feed him or free him if he gets too thin. 

In the meanwhile? I need to name him. So, if you have any suggestions - please let me know.