Saturday, December 06, 2014
At SSR
We didn't get Congress Park, but our room at the Paddock is actually quite nice with a pleasant view.
At Airport
We are at the airport waiting for our flight to Orlando. Another trip to the most magical place on earth!
Thursday, December 04, 2014
For The First Time In Forever, This Writer Did Not Enjoy Her WDW Trip
This writer on HuffPost wrote an article on why, for the first time in her life, she did not enjoy her WDW trip.
You may read all the different reasons she listed. Most, if not all, is due to the implementations of the FastPass Plus and those MagicBands. I tend to agree with some of her points, and certainly the FastPass Plus is something that I am beginning to really not fond of.
However, I have a few issues with some of her complaints.
Based on her experience, and the experience of another guests, they certainly were having technical difficulties with those Magic Bands. She never describe if she had approached the front desk at her resort to sort this out, etc.
Now, there is a difference between having an issue with the technical aspect of something, versus an inherent fault of the philosophy of something. What she is having a problem with is the implementation of the philosophy, not the philosophy itself. In other words, if the Magic Bands didn't have a technical problem, will she still have an issue with it?
I've used the Magic Bands several times with not a single problem, and I find them to be highly convenient, so much so that I wish the Disney Cruise Line will adopt it soon. So I am in favor of the whole idea of the Magic Bands. If Disney wishes to continue with it, they must tackle the technical difficulties such as the one described in the article. Otherwise, you'll have guests who will be annoyed like hell over it.
So is this new? Her complaints were that there were changes to the theme park that is not for the better. For as long as I can remember, when you enter a show, they ALWAYS want you to either move all the way to the end of your row, or to the very center of the row, occupying every seat and space available, to make room for other guests. And Disney is NOT the only place where this is done. I was at a US citizenship oath ceremony a couple of months ago and they had them squeezed together on the seats to accommodate everyone.
Besides, it seems highly inconsiderate to spread out when it is busy and other guests would also like to attend the show.
So yes, while I think she has legitimate complaints against some aspect of changes done at WDW, I don't think these two are valid.
Zz.
Just so we're clear, I've been a humongous Disney fan ever since I was a kid. I've probably visited Mickey's playground three dozen times in the past several decades, and for so long it really did seem like the most magical place on Earth. But no more.
In the past several years, I've encountered numerous changes -- changes for which I'm sure Disney big-wigs would claim have been implemented in order to make the experience more efficient and pleasurable. I'm here to tell you, however, that my most recent trip was neither efficient nor pleasurable.
You may read all the different reasons she listed. Most, if not all, is due to the implementations of the FastPass Plus and those MagicBands. I tend to agree with some of her points, and certainly the FastPass Plus is something that I am beginning to really not fond of.
However, I have a few issues with some of her complaints.
Magic Bands are in no way magical.
I think a more appropriate name would be Frustration Bands. Or Fickle Bands. Or Roll-the-Dice-Bands. Because sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. You'll feel like Katniss Everdeen each time you touch your wrist to the scanner: "May the odds ever be in your favor."
Based on her experience, and the experience of another guests, they certainly were having technical difficulties with those Magic Bands. She never describe if she had approached the front desk at her resort to sort this out, etc.
Now, there is a difference between having an issue with the technical aspect of something, versus an inherent fault of the philosophy of something. What she is having a problem with is the implementation of the philosophy, not the philosophy itself. In other words, if the Magic Bands didn't have a technical problem, will she still have an issue with it?
I've used the Magic Bands several times with not a single problem, and I find them to be highly convenient, so much so that I wish the Disney Cruise Line will adopt it soon. So I am in favor of the whole idea of the Magic Bands. If Disney wishes to continue with it, they must tackle the technical difficulties such as the one described in the article. Otherwise, you'll have guests who will be annoyed like hell over it.
I don't enjoy cozying up to the crowds.
I'm all for making friends, but Disney has taken the concept to a whole new level. At every show we attended--from the Lion King to the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular--the following announcement was made: "We ask that you kindly slide all the way to the middle of the aisle to make room for others. And please don't stop until you are sitting uncomfortably close to the stranger beside you." Okay, so I added that second sentence, but the statement was implied. Disney peeps seem to think that if a packed house is good, a cramped house is even better. Not.
So is this new? Her complaints were that there were changes to the theme park that is not for the better. For as long as I can remember, when you enter a show, they ALWAYS want you to either move all the way to the end of your row, or to the very center of the row, occupying every seat and space available, to make room for other guests. And Disney is NOT the only place where this is done. I was at a US citizenship oath ceremony a couple of months ago and they had them squeezed together on the seats to accommodate everyone.
Besides, it seems highly inconsiderate to spread out when it is busy and other guests would also like to attend the show.
So yes, while I think she has legitimate complaints against some aspect of changes done at WDW, I don't think these two are valid.
Zz.
Random WDW Picture
At the Contemporary from last year. You can tell because there's no Frozen-themed elements in it for this year's display.
Zz.
Monday, December 01, 2014
Saturday, November 29, 2014
DCL app now has messaging
DIS News reports that the four DCL ships have added messaging to the smartphone Navigator app. This will allow guests to send text messages to stay in contact with each other. Being able to send messages via the app is a big improvement. The Wave phone system was sometimes difficult to use. If you are in a noisy location it is easy to not hear the phone ringing. Also, since there are two phones per cabin, you don't know which phone your friend might be carrying around the ship. The downside of the app of course is that you need a smartphone, so the new messaging feature will not apply to some people.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
JC Penney Snowglobes To Be Given Away Thanksgiving Day at 5:00 pm
OK, this is nasty.
Last year when JC Penney brought back their Disney snowglobes, they released it on Black Friday at 4:00 am, even though the store opened at 5:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day. This year, they are not repeating that, and instead will start giving away the snowglobes when they open on Thanksgiving Day. Crap!
I really don't want to go out on Thanksgiving Day to the mall just to get the snowglobes. So we are not very pleased with this news. Not sure what I am planning to do yet. I may have to decide on Thanksgiving day itself on whether drive out just to get the snowglobes and come back the next morning to show, or just risk that they might run out and come in early on Black Friday.
Sigh!
Zz.
Last year when JC Penney brought back their Disney snowglobes, they released it on Black Friday at 4:00 am, even though the store opened at 5:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day. This year, they are not repeating that, and instead will start giving away the snowglobes when they open on Thanksgiving Day. Crap!
JCPenney kicks off the holiday shopping season with its annual Black Friday sale starting on Thanksgiving Day when doors open at 5 p.m. While supplies last, JCPenney will be greeting its early bird patrons with a free 2014 edition Disney® snow globe and a special Jingle Bell envelope containing a $10 off $10 coupon that is immediately redeemable in store. One out of every 100 coupons will offer a $100 off $100 or more purchase that is valid on Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve.
I really don't want to go out on Thanksgiving Day to the mall just to get the snowglobes. So we are not very pleased with this news. Not sure what I am planning to do yet. I may have to decide on Thanksgiving day itself on whether drive out just to get the snowglobes and come back the next morning to show, or just risk that they might run out and come in early on Black Friday.
Sigh!
Zz.
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Can Disney's "Into The Woods" Be An Oscar Contender?
They had a bicoastal premier of Disney's "Into The Woods" last night. While the report indicated that Disney does not want anyone to review the movie till December, Dateline Hollywood already has an enthusiastic endorsement of the movie.
We are definitely planning on seeing this, probably the first weekend after Christmas.
Zz.
It is, as I enthusiastically tweeted right after the conclusion of Saturday’s debut , the most dazzling movie musical since Marshall’s own Oscar winning Chicago which had the benefit like this one, of a great and smart screenplay in that case Oscar nominated writing by Bill Condon who similarly cracked the code of how to make it cinematic after two decades-plus of trying.
We are definitely planning on seeing this, probably the first weekend after Christmas.
Zz.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Mickey Nutcrackers
Found these at our local Wallgreens. They are $19.95 each.
They are considerably cheaper than the ones sold at the parks.
Zz.
They are considerably cheaper than the ones sold at the parks.
Zz.
Friday, November 14, 2014
How To Survive Kids Meltdown At Disney World
This is utterly funny but also true. If you have young kids, you should read it before heading off on your trip to a Disney theme park.
One of the advice that was given, and something I've told everyone going there for the first time, is to not push it and try to do everything. That is impossible, and you'll make your kids miserable. This is especially true if you are going there in the middle of summer. There is no point in doing all that and end up with a miserable time.
And please, do make SOME plans and not go there blind. WDW is so big, with so much to do and see, that you need to do some planning. It doesn't mean that your whole day must be planned out and structured, but with the implementation of FastPass Plus and the popularity of dinning reservations, you do need to plan ahead on what you want to do, at least for part of the time. Otherwise, you either have to spend most of your time standing in long lines, or you can't get into the restaurants or places that you desired the most.
Zz.
One of the advice that was given, and something I've told everyone going there for the first time, is to not push it and try to do everything. That is impossible, and you'll make your kids miserable. This is especially true if you are going there in the middle of summer. There is no point in doing all that and end up with a miserable time.
And please, do make SOME plans and not go there blind. WDW is so big, with so much to do and see, that you need to do some planning. It doesn't mean that your whole day must be planned out and structured, but with the implementation of FastPass Plus and the popularity of dinning reservations, you do need to plan ahead on what you want to do, at least for part of the time. Otherwise, you either have to spend most of your time standing in long lines, or you can't get into the restaurants or places that you desired the most.
Zz.
Thursday, November 06, 2014
Monday, November 03, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
WDW at Halloween
Monday, October 27, 2014
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Halloween cruise on the Fantasy
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Sorcerer Hat To Be Removed From DHS
It is now official that the Sorcerer Hat, the unofficial icon of Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park, will be removed in early 2015.
I will be sorry to see it go. Unless Disney has something else in mind (and I do not doubt that they do), DHS will be left with no clear icon to represent that theme park, unlike the other 3 WDW theme parks that have very strong iconic symbols to represent them.
It will be a tall order to find something equally eye-catching as the Hat. The picture below was something I snapped a while back, and it remains my most favorite shot of the Hat.
Zz.
Disney confirmed the giant hat's impending demise Friday. The company said it is "reimagining" the area where it stands. Disney would not provide details about what will replace the hat.
I will be sorry to see it go. Unless Disney has something else in mind (and I do not doubt that they do), DHS will be left with no clear icon to represent that theme park, unlike the other 3 WDW theme parks that have very strong iconic symbols to represent them.
It will be a tall order to find something equally eye-catching as the Hat. The picture below was something I snapped a while back, and it remains my most favorite shot of the Hat.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Mickey Plush Chicago Hot Dog Vendor
Found this Mickey plush this week at the Disney Store on Chicago's State Street. Not sure if they also have this on the Michigan Avenue store since I didn't check there.
They did a fair job of trying to include the stuff on a real Chicago-style hot dog, down to the green dots for the neon-green relish. But they missed the sport peppers! :)
Zz.
They did a fair job of trying to include the stuff on a real Chicago-style hot dog, down to the green dots for the neon-green relish. But they missed the sport peppers! :)
Zz.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Disney helping make better robots
IEEE Spectrum has this article about how Disney Research is developing a better robotic arm. Up to now robotic arms have had a sort of steam punk quality, with a lot of gears and small motors.
Now engineers at Disney Research have developed a new kind of robot arm that, instead of conventional motors, uses what's called a fluid transmission. It consists of tubes filled with air or water that connect antagonistic actuators.
Thursday, October 09, 2014
First Tomorowland Trailer
Just as soon as I mentioned about Tomorrowland, Disney has now released the first trailer to "Tomorrowland"
I wonder if they are going to insert a character with the name Tom Morrow into the movie?
:)
Zz.
I wonder if they are going to insert a character with the name Tom Morrow into the movie?
:)
Zz.
Wednesday, October 08, 2014
First Look At Disney's "Tomorrowland"
Entertainment Weekly has the very first exclusive look at next year's Disney release of "Tomorrowland".
Of course you know it had to involve a pin! I smell merchandising!
I'm kinda curious about this movie because, with the newly-married George Clooney in it, it lends a bit of gravity (get it?) to the movie.
Zz.
A Florida girl who dreams of the future while watching the launchpads of Cape Canaveral being disassembled goes exploring one day and, after landing in a bit of trouble, finds herself in possession of a mysterious pin. Touching it reveals a vision of a place that may not be a different world but simply a better one. (You can see the concept art above.) Then it’s gone—out, out, brief candle!—and the quest to discover the real Tomorrowland begins.
Of course you know it had to involve a pin! I smell merchandising!
I'm kinda curious about this movie because, with the newly-married George Clooney in it, it lends a bit of gravity (get it?) to the movie.
Zz.
WDW Toy Story Mania 4-day Experiment
This can't be good.
Disney is in the middle of its 4-day experiment with Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios where you can only ride that attraction via FastPass+ only, no standby line.
The issue here is if Disney is going to extend this to other popular attraction, thus forcing everyone to have to plan ahead if they want to do these attractions. Gosh I hope not. My sentiments run along the same line as this Disney guest:
There is a point where thing thing can be taken way too far.
Zz.
Disney is in the middle of its 4-day experiment with Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios where you can only ride that attraction via FastPass+ only, no standby line.
In a test that started on Monday and runs through Thursday, Disney World is requiring Hollywood Studios visitors to make advance reservations via the FastPass+ system if they want to hop aboard the popular Toy Story ride, an interactive “4D” attraction in which guests twist through a series of virtual carnival games while wearing 3D glasses. Normally, the wait time to ride Toy Story Mania can easily stretch over an hour, but the new reservation-only system means that Disney World guests won’t have the option of waiting it out in the standby queue.
The issue here is if Disney is going to extend this to other popular attraction, thus forcing everyone to have to plan ahead if they want to do these attractions. Gosh I hope not. My sentiments run along the same line as this Disney guest:
In a post at Theme Park Insider, most Disney fans seem opposed to reservation-only rides. “I want a vacation, for Christ’s sake, and if I have to plan everything in advance, then it’s simply not fun anymore,” one commenter stated, bashing the entire swath of policies pushing guests to plot minute-by-minute plans ahead of time.
There is a point where thing thing can be taken way too far.
Zz.
Monday, October 06, 2014
Euro Disney gets financial help
This article at BBC News talks about a financial restructuring package that Euro Disney is arranging to help its Disneyland Paris operation. This is being called a bailout or rescue plan by some. Attendance numbers at DP have been dropping off lately and the parent Walt Disney company, which owns about 40% of Euro Disney, is "contributing" 400 million Euros to help the cause. An additional 600 million Euros is planned to be raised by converting debt to stock shares, brining the total infusion to a billion Euros or about $1.3 billion.
"Disneyland Paris is Europe's number one tourist destination, but the ongoing economic challenges in Europe and our debt burden have significantly decreased operating revenues and liquidity," said Tom Wolber, president of Euro Disney.Euro Disney stock shares dropped significantly after the announcement. Being number one in a shrinking market is not going to help if revenue falls below a certain level, which it apparently has.
Euro Disney said on Monday that it believed a new financing package would allow it to invest in the business and boost visitor numbers.No details yet on what will be done to improve attendance, but it would seem that it will take more than short term fixes given the economic climate in Europe.
Friday, October 03, 2014
Learn To Draw Jack Skellington
Halloween is coming, so it is a good time to learn how to draw Jack Skellington.
Zz.
Zz.
Monday, September 29, 2014
He's a lumberjack and that's ok
At EPCOT the Canadian group Off Kilter is being replaced by "The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show", according to this article in the Orlando Sentinel. Some changes to EPCOT entertainment had been announced earlier and this clears up what is happening at Canada.
"The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show is a historical, educational, humorous show, filled with audience participation," the site says. In its portfolio are log rolling, chopping, sawing, axe throwing, tree climbing, dragster chainsaw and "log-rolling dogs," the site says, but it does not say what to expect at the new Epcot show.It looks like the "Lumberjacks" may still be a little "Off Kilter" since the bagpipe player looks like the same guy. Other performers were also in Off-Kilter. Either the same performers are in both shows or the photos in the article are from the Off Kilter group.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Friday, September 26, 2014
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Last Night's Premier of Agents of Shield
I don't watch much network TV, to be honest. And I certainly do not watch any TV series. But my one exception is the Agent of Shields on ABC. I watched it last year, and watched with amazing glee at how the storyline intertwined with the Captain America movie that opened in the middle of the series' season.
Last night's premier of Season 2 of Agents of Shield was breathtakingly spectacular! This series is going to absorb me, very much like the Absorbing Man! There are so many parallel storyline here, it could easily give birth to a number of spinoffs! I'm not going to reveal too much of what happened in the first episode in case you are DVR'ing it and will be watching it later.
BTW, anyone else realized that the show pulled a "Sixth Sense" on us with the Fitz and Simmons' relationship? Watch it again, and see if you noticed that no one was interacting with Simmons! Ooops, I just revealed a spoiler!
:)
Zz.
Last night's premier of Season 2 of Agents of Shield was breathtakingly spectacular! This series is going to absorb me, very much like the Absorbing Man! There are so many parallel storyline here, it could easily give birth to a number of spinoffs! I'm not going to reveal too much of what happened in the first episode in case you are DVR'ing it and will be watching it later.
BTW, anyone else realized that the show pulled a "Sixth Sense" on us with the Fitz and Simmons' relationship? Watch it again, and see if you noticed that no one was interacting with Simmons! Ooops, I just revealed a spoiler!
:)
Zz.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
WDW Backstage tours
DIS News posted this handy table of WDW backstage tours. The table shows the name of the tour, duration, cost, and other details. Note that the Wild by Design tour at Animal Kingdom is being discontinued. This tour explained the various design elements at Animal Kingdom and how each area was given its identity and sounds.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Frozen and Harry Potter
The Orlando Informer has this post discussing Disney's obsession with Frozen and Universal's big investment in Harry Potter. Disney's recent announcement of replacing Maelstrom at the EPCOT Norway pavillion with a Frozen attraction serves to highlight how much Disney is trying to leverage the Frozen franchise. Critics, and there are many, ask why Disney is spending money this way instead of investing in new attractions. Also, some people see the countries at EPCOT losing their identity. To paraphrase the beginning of Maelstrom, you are not the first to pass this way but someone is going to be the last. Over the falls one last time.
But, as the post points out, Universal has its share of critics complaining about its obsession with Harry Potter.
But, as the post points out, Universal has its share of critics complaining about its obsession with Harry Potter.
The honest, if still leading, question and all the debate it invariably causes is actually strikingly similar to the growing contention among Universal fans regarding that company’s franchise of choice: Harry Potter. With two theme park lands already devoted to the property and at least two more phases, including more attractions and, possibly, even another land at Universal Studios Florida, already rumored to be under consideration, cries of overkill and fears of franchise fatigue have already reached a pitched level.So there are obvious differences in the way development at Universal and WDW is being managed, and the discussion about which is the better approach might be a bit of apples to oranges.
There is an extremely telling element to Disney’s handling of its biggest property from the past 20 years, and that is the form the attractions have taken, which have, thus far, revolved almost exclusively around character meet-‘n-greets and exclusive, time-sensitive celebrations and merchandise offerings.
There’s an easy explanation for this: money. Whereas Universal has only just started to build up its theme park infrastructure in terms of rides, restaurants, and hotels, Disney has reached its sweet spot some years ago, meaning that the return on investment is nowhere near as large as it used to be in Disney World’s youth (or Universal Orlando’s present).Disney's approach has the advantage of agility and flexibility. Frozen's success was apparently a surprise and Disney is quick to take advantage of it. This strategy also allows Disney to quickly change out elements that are no longer as popular. Critics would say that this is just a facade and the lack of major new attractions will ultimately hurt Disney. But at this point this does not seem to be a problem.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Spice Road Table at World Showcase - A Review
One of the highlights of the few short days that we spent at WDW was our first meal at the newly-opened Spice Road Table at the Morocco pavilion. We have heard and read about it, so we kinda knew what to to expect. Since we love Moroccan food and were frequent diners at Marrakesh restaurant, this was definitely a place that we wanted to try. And we weren't disappointed.
We walked in for lunch, and the place wasn't busy at all. We got a terrific table by the window, and I can only imagine the view we might get to see during Illuminations.
Both of us went for the Tingis sampler, and added an order of the Greek salad, and the calamari. The Greek salad was refreshing, with a very nice dressing that didn't overpower the fresh ingredients.
Calamari was excellent, and accompanied by a couple of nice and contrasting dipping sauces.
The star of the show, though, was the sampler, which consisted of the Harissa chicken roll, lamb slider, and lamb sausage.
I started off with the Harissa chicken roll, and immediately was blown away by it. It has such a strong, unique flavor, and the pastry was warm and crispy, just the way it should be. If you've had the "lumpia" egg roll (why would you unless you are familiar with Filipino food?), this is of the same texture. I could devour several of these in the blink of an eye. It was that good. I then proceeded to the lamb slider. Again, delicious and tasty. It has a "beefy" flavor that most beef hamburgers are sadly lacking. Lastly, I went to the lab sausage, usually called merguez, which I've had before in various tagine dishes. Nothing wrong here and it had the bite and flavor that it should.
Both of us polished these off in no time. By then, we were ready to order another plate, which is a common practice when you are having tapas, and they also left a menu at our table for doing just that. We order the grilled skewered beef and chicken.
We both started attacking it with gusto before I remembered that I needed to snap a photo. So what you see here is the half-eaten skewers. Again, no complaints here, but I think I prefer the items in the sampler plate.
This was a singular, best-tasting food that I could remember anywhere in World Showcase. The food was delicious and unique. The uniqueness is a strong quality, because I tend to want to find things that I can't get anywhere else. They didn't just stick to moroccan food, but sampled a larger region of the Mediterranean. In the process, they have a menu full of tasty interpretation of the region.
I highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you are willing to try new things. And my advice is to go soon! It is a sad fact that menu items and food quality changes at restaurants in WDW, most not for the better. Things get watered down, or "dumbed down" for the tourist palette, so unique and unusual items tend to get discarded. I am skeptical that this restaurant can maintain the strong and bold flavors for a long time, so go now before the muck it up!
The only drawback of this place is that, while they have iced mint tea, they do not have the regular hot moroccan mint tea, which they always have in Marrakesh restaurant. I like the hot mint tea even when it is hot outside. It really cools you down. But the iced mint tea that we had weren't bad either.
Final verdict: Highly Recommended.
Zz.
We walked in for lunch, and the place wasn't busy at all. We got a terrific table by the window, and I can only imagine the view we might get to see during Illuminations.
The food, if you don't know, is Mediterranean-inspired, and they are served tapas style, i.e. in small portions/small plates. It is meant to be shared and also allows you to sample a larger variety. A quick look at the menu offers a tantalizing sampler of various things that we wanted to try.
Both of us went for the Tingis sampler, and added an order of the Greek salad, and the calamari. The Greek salad was refreshing, with a very nice dressing that didn't overpower the fresh ingredients.
Calamari was excellent, and accompanied by a couple of nice and contrasting dipping sauces.
The star of the show, though, was the sampler, which consisted of the Harissa chicken roll, lamb slider, and lamb sausage.
I started off with the Harissa chicken roll, and immediately was blown away by it. It has such a strong, unique flavor, and the pastry was warm and crispy, just the way it should be. If you've had the "lumpia" egg roll (why would you unless you are familiar with Filipino food?), this is of the same texture. I could devour several of these in the blink of an eye. It was that good. I then proceeded to the lamb slider. Again, delicious and tasty. It has a "beefy" flavor that most beef hamburgers are sadly lacking. Lastly, I went to the lab sausage, usually called merguez, which I've had before in various tagine dishes. Nothing wrong here and it had the bite and flavor that it should.
Both of us polished these off in no time. By then, we were ready to order another plate, which is a common practice when you are having tapas, and they also left a menu at our table for doing just that. We order the grilled skewered beef and chicken.
We both started attacking it with gusto before I remembered that I needed to snap a photo. So what you see here is the half-eaten skewers. Again, no complaints here, but I think I prefer the items in the sampler plate.
This was a singular, best-tasting food that I could remember anywhere in World Showcase. The food was delicious and unique. The uniqueness is a strong quality, because I tend to want to find things that I can't get anywhere else. They didn't just stick to moroccan food, but sampled a larger region of the Mediterranean. In the process, they have a menu full of tasty interpretation of the region.
I highly recommend this restaurant, especially if you are willing to try new things. And my advice is to go soon! It is a sad fact that menu items and food quality changes at restaurants in WDW, most not for the better. Things get watered down, or "dumbed down" for the tourist palette, so unique and unusual items tend to get discarded. I am skeptical that this restaurant can maintain the strong and bold flavors for a long time, so go now before the muck it up!
The only drawback of this place is that, while they have iced mint tea, they do not have the regular hot moroccan mint tea, which they always have in Marrakesh restaurant. I like the hot mint tea even when it is hot outside. It really cools you down. But the iced mint tea that we had weren't bad either.
Final verdict: Highly Recommended.
Zz.
Monday, September 08, 2014
Review of Disney Cruise Line Navigator App
On this last cruise, which was the DVC Member cruise, we used the DCL Navigator app for the first time and tested it extensively during the cruise. So this our first review of the present version.
It is an iPhone app, and it is only fully operational on the ship. What you do is put your phone in Airplane mode, and then you turn on Wi-fi. This connects to the ship's Wi-fi. If you use it with only the Navigator app, it will incur no cost since you're not really connecting to the internet.
When you open the app for the first time, it will initialize itself and then download the entire cruise's activities and information, including a layout of the ship, etc. So the app is basically the same set of info that you get with the daily Navigator newsletter that they leave in your stateroom at the end of each day, plus more. The app tells you practically all the activities going on throughout the entire cruise. Tapping on the activity gives you details of the activity, when and where, and if there is a fee for it. The app also has other info about the cruise and the ship.
You can add activities you want to be reminded of by adding it to your "Favorites". By tapping on the "heart" that is associated with each activity, you will then be presented by all the available time slots for that activity for the entire cruise (if there is more than one time that activity is offered). Tapping again on the "heart" for a particular time and day will add that activity and that time slot to your favorite.
Then, when that activity is 15 minutes away from starting, your phone will vibrate and will display the activity, time, and location. This was a very handy feature, especially for us since we were doing a lot of things while on the cruise. It also listed the activities going on on Castaway Cay, and the app worked normally there (at least, around the beaches that we tested it).
You have the ability to look ahead at all the days that you will be sailing and picked out activities beyond just the day you are in. So this was very handy for us especially when there were special events that will only be presented once.
This was definitely a useful app. Having all the info conveniently available on your phone at all times was quite handy, I found.
Now, a few cons. The biggest one here is that, other than selecting your favorites, there is no way to personalize this thing. This is not My Disney Experience app. It doesn't know who you are, only that you've selected to save such-and-such activities to that device. That's all. There is no way to know what the others in your party are doing, what they want to do, etc. It would be a nice feature if passengers could sign in, register their guests/family members, and be able to see what activities others in the group are interested in or planning on doing.
The other feature that would be handy is that, after being able to sign in, some form of messaging between members of your own party on the cruise is available. As it is now, the only way to contact another passenger is either via the stateroom phone, or the mobile phones in the room. Since normal text messaging is not available unless everyone pays for it, it would be nice if the app allows for simple in-app text messaging between guests who are within the family/friends circle. This would make the app a LOT more useful.
Another useful feature that I like to see is some sort of a "calendar" display of one's activities. Currently, if you put some activity on your Favorites, the activities for that day are displayed in a list. If you have only a few, this is not a problem, but if you have quite a few (which we had), then it is hard to see which ones are back-to-back, and which ones overlap. Having a display that clearly shows a "timeline" on when all the activities start and end will solve that, although I'm not sure how easy it is to be viewed on a phone screen. Currently, the app has been optimized only for the iPhone, not the iPad, so the display size might be an issue.
Last, but not least, it would be nice to be able to view the same info on the app way ahead in advanced of the cruise and on the web. We will at least know what activities will be available and can start planning on what we want to do. If we can plan 180 days in advanced for dinning at a WDW restaurant, the DCL should be able to display these activities well ahead of a cruise, rather than on the cruise day itself.
All in all, this was a useful app, and I can see a lot of possibilities for it. I am sure they'll improve it upon subsequent testing and feedback.
Zz.
It is an iPhone app, and it is only fully operational on the ship. What you do is put your phone in Airplane mode, and then you turn on Wi-fi. This connects to the ship's Wi-fi. If you use it with only the Navigator app, it will incur no cost since you're not really connecting to the internet.
When you open the app for the first time, it will initialize itself and then download the entire cruise's activities and information, including a layout of the ship, etc. So the app is basically the same set of info that you get with the daily Navigator newsletter that they leave in your stateroom at the end of each day, plus more. The app tells you practically all the activities going on throughout the entire cruise. Tapping on the activity gives you details of the activity, when and where, and if there is a fee for it. The app also has other info about the cruise and the ship.
You can add activities you want to be reminded of by adding it to your "Favorites". By tapping on the "heart" that is associated with each activity, you will then be presented by all the available time slots for that activity for the entire cruise (if there is more than one time that activity is offered). Tapping again on the "heart" for a particular time and day will add that activity and that time slot to your favorite.
Then, when that activity is 15 minutes away from starting, your phone will vibrate and will display the activity, time, and location. This was a very handy feature, especially for us since we were doing a lot of things while on the cruise. It also listed the activities going on on Castaway Cay, and the app worked normally there (at least, around the beaches that we tested it).
You have the ability to look ahead at all the days that you will be sailing and picked out activities beyond just the day you are in. So this was very handy for us especially when there were special events that will only be presented once.
This was definitely a useful app. Having all the info conveniently available on your phone at all times was quite handy, I found.
Now, a few cons. The biggest one here is that, other than selecting your favorites, there is no way to personalize this thing. This is not My Disney Experience app. It doesn't know who you are, only that you've selected to save such-and-such activities to that device. That's all. There is no way to know what the others in your party are doing, what they want to do, etc. It would be a nice feature if passengers could sign in, register their guests/family members, and be able to see what activities others in the group are interested in or planning on doing.
The other feature that would be handy is that, after being able to sign in, some form of messaging between members of your own party on the cruise is available. As it is now, the only way to contact another passenger is either via the stateroom phone, or the mobile phones in the room. Since normal text messaging is not available unless everyone pays for it, it would be nice if the app allows for simple in-app text messaging between guests who are within the family/friends circle. This would make the app a LOT more useful.
Another useful feature that I like to see is some sort of a "calendar" display of one's activities. Currently, if you put some activity on your Favorites, the activities for that day are displayed in a list. If you have only a few, this is not a problem, but if you have quite a few (which we had), then it is hard to see which ones are back-to-back, and which ones overlap. Having a display that clearly shows a "timeline" on when all the activities start and end will solve that, although I'm not sure how easy it is to be viewed on a phone screen. Currently, the app has been optimized only for the iPhone, not the iPad, so the display size might be an issue.
Last, but not least, it would be nice to be able to view the same info on the app way ahead in advanced of the cruise and on the web. We will at least know what activities will be available and can start planning on what we want to do. If we can plan 180 days in advanced for dinning at a WDW restaurant, the DCL should be able to display these activities well ahead of a cruise, rather than on the cruise day itself.
All in all, this was a useful app, and I can see a lot of possibilities for it. I am sure they'll improve it upon subsequent testing and feedback.
Zz.
Friday, September 05, 2014
Magic Bands behind the curtain
An interesting perspective on Disney's Magic Bands can be found by following this link to PDC Solutions, a company that makes all kinds of RFID wrist bands. One of the links on the site talks about security with the bands. It's not hard to understand why Disney would want to use this technology.
Simultaneously improve operational efficiencies and prevent data entry & collection errors with PDC bar code wristbands. Bar codes on event security wristbands give you the opportunity to track the number of people who attend an event and where they spend their money. Do you have inventory that you need to keep track of, like food and alcohol? Event security wristbands are great to assist with this task. When a transaction is made, the bar code on the guest's event security wristband is scanned, along with the items purchased. The numbers go directly into your system, which prevents data entry errors.The RFID wrist band technology is apparently getting wider use. There are even QR Code wrist bands which the site talks about. While the bands themselves are dirt cheap, many in the 10-25 cents each range, using them obviously requires technology that can interface the bands to a company's internal systems. It will be interesting to see if another highly visible user of the bands appears soon. While Disney's Magic Bands are a new thing to Disney guests, checking out PDC Solutions is like pulling back the curtain and seeing what's behind the "magic".
Wednesday, September 03, 2014
D23 To Celebrate The Never-Built Discovery Bay
Here's your opportunity to know all about Discovery Bay, what it was supposed to be, and its continued influence in the various Disney theme parks.
Too bad it is a couple of weeks before our December trip to WDW.
Zz.
So given that this never-built theme park land has had such a profound impact over the past 30 years, it only makes sense that D23 -- the Official Disney Fan Club -- has decided to explore the convoluted history of this project at its upcoming Destination D event, Attraction Rewind.
Too bad it is a couple of weeks before our December trip to WDW.
Zz.
We Were Captured On Port Canaveral Webcam
I'm home, tired, exhausted, with a slight cold, but had a great time on our DVC Member Cruise/WDW trip.
My friends over at WDWForGrownUps.com forum viewed the live feed from http://www.portcanaveralwebcam.com/ the moment that our DVC Member Cruise on the Disney Dream departed last week, and a few of the screen captures actually had us in them! Here they are:
We were obviously on the top deck (Deck 13) at the front of the ship. I tell ya, I've been on a cruise 3 times, all with the Disney Dream, and the departure is one of the most exhilarating thing. You're pulling out of the port, and out in front of you is nothing but open water.
Zz.
My friends over at WDWForGrownUps.com forum viewed the live feed from http://www.portcanaveralwebcam.com/ the moment that our DVC Member Cruise on the Disney Dream departed last week, and a few of the screen captures actually had us in them! Here they are:
We were obviously on the top deck (Deck 13) at the front of the ship. I tell ya, I've been on a cruise 3 times, all with the Disney Dream, and the departure is one of the most exhilarating thing. You're pulling out of the port, and out in front of you is nothing but open water.
Zz.
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