May 2017

Pandora – The World of Avatar – My Nighttime Experience

Published on May 30, 2017 in Walt Disney World by Crystal Boston

Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park opened May 27, 2017 bringing a flight simulator based-banshee attraction and boat ride through the landscape of Pandora. I experienced a preview of this amazing new land earlier in May and was there on opening day to experience the new entertainment and nighttime Pandora.

Entertainment on Pandora – The World of Avatar is focused around a Na’vi-built drum circle, containing instruments you can play, Na’vi totems and other cultural items found throughout the land. Swotu Wayä – which means “Sacred Place of Song” – is located in the heart of Mo’ara Valley and has the most beautiful backdrop of any stage at Walt Disney World! Performances are fun and interactive with a message of peace and can be seen every hour on the half starting at 10:30 am until 30 minutes before Pandora closes.
*Please check Time Guides for updated performance times.

Once darkness falls, the many unique and exotic plants of Pandora come to life with their beautiful bioluminescence in many different shades and patterns – even the ground you walk on is full of beautiful color!

Look for interactive experiences throughout the land too – floating plants that respond to your arm movements and more. And it’s not only the colors that will surprise you, even the sounds of this amazing land change after sunset. As you move through Pandora at night you can occasionally hear the calls and footsteps of the many fantastic beasts that populate the nearby mountains.

On opening day, Walt Disney World also introduced mobile ordering – only available at Satu’li Canteen. Simply find a table at the canteen area and, using your My Disney Experience Mobile App, you can easily place your order for food and beverage and will be notified via your app when your order is ready. You will only need to know your order number for pick-up. Currently, to use Mobile Order, your MDE account must have a credit card linked and all charges will be applied to the linked credit card – Disney Dining Plans and Gift Cards are not accepted. Mobile Order will expand to other quick service locations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park this summer – and hopefully property-wide soon after!

For a limited time, now thru July 4, 2017, Disney’s Animal Kingdom park will be open from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, giving you more time than ever to explore Pandora – The World of Avatar.
And for Guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels there will be “Extra” Extra Magic Hours—available exclusively in Pandora – The World of Avatar from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, May 27 to July 4, 2017 AND July 4 to August 19, 2017 from 10:00 PM to Midnight! There’s still time to book your summer vacation and experience Pandora – The World of Avatar for these special resort Guest benefits!

Be sure to read about my preview experience on Pandora – The World of Avatar too!

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The Disney Fantasy – A Disney Cruise Line Ship

Published on May 29, 2017 in Disney Cruise Line by Crystal Boston

I just returned from my Disney Cruise Line vacation on the inaugural sailing of the Disney Fantasy after dry dock and WOW – the Disney Fantasy is a magical ship!

It’s been 2 ½ years since my last cruise and I was ready! This was my first experience on the Disney Fantasy and I was excited to experience the ship and learn about everything new.

My husband was cruising with me and we chose a Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah for our first Disney Fantasy experience.

Disney Cruise Line has thought of everything to ensure first-rate comfort and convenience during your voyage. The verandah is a private sanctuary where you can watch the sun rise, bask in ocean breezes and enjoy your morning coffee or an evening beverage. We have never felt cramped or crowded in our stateroom when cruising with Disney. The Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah design features include:
– A sitting area with a couch, TV and desk
– A heavy privacy curtain to separate the sitting and sleeping areas
– A “split bath” (in most) that includes a bathroom with a vanity, sink, shower and tub and a half bathroom with a vanity, sink and toilet
– A leather-upholstered ottoman with hollow inside storage
– Cabinets with storage space in the living area
– And my favorite feature – Elevated wooden bed frames for under-bed storage of suitcases and other large items
For the kids (or kids at heart), a mural of Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy and her brothers soaring through a starry sky reveals itself when the upper-berth bed is pulled down!

This inaugural sailing included 2 full days on Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, consistently rated by Disney Guests as their favorite port of call – and MY favorite port of call when cruising with Disney!! Castaway Cay is reserved exclusively for Disney cruisers and the ship will dock right at the island to allow you to come and go as you please while enjoying experiences such as snorkeling, boating, swimming and sunbathing and bicycles can also be rented if you want to explore the island’s nature trails.

While all areas of the island can be reached by walking, an island tram offers four stops to help you easily get where you want to go.

Your “Key to the World” card will work for all purchases on Castaway Cay except at the local post office where you can send mail to your loved ones back home with a Bahamian postage stamp; the post card postage rate is approximately $0.65 USD each.
Dining is also included as part of your cruise package with covered outdoor restaurants serving burgers, BBQ chicken and ribs. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase and, if you are traveling without children, Disney offers “adult only” areas at Castaway Cay – Serenity Bay is a secluded beach exclusively for adults (where you just might encounter Captain Jack Sparrow strolling the beach!) and families can have fun together at the Castaway Family Beach.

We are runners and Disney Cruise Line offers a 5K on Castaway Cay. It’s very informal but you do get race bibs and a medal at the finish line. If you want to participate in the 5K on Castaway Cay, you can register at Guest Services when you board your cruise.

Your registration ticket, “Key to the World” and photo ID are required the day of your event to participate. The 3.1-mile out-and-back event is free and family friendly; it’s open to walkers and runners ages 10 and older. The race takes place first thing in the morning on the island, typically with a meeting time onboard of 8 am. The vibe of the event is casual, a fun experience worth the early wake-up!

Cruising with Disney is a very casual experience – I wore simple dresses and flip flops while my husband wore shorts and polos – even to dinner. The only exceptions are if you reserve adult only dinging experiences at Palo or Remy which both have dress codes. We enjoy the rotational dining exclusive to Disney Cruise Line, experiencing a different restaurant and menu with the same servers each evening. And, unlimited room service is also included!!

In addition to exceptional dining experiences, Disney Cruise Line offers many entertainment options including Broadway-like musical productions, viewings of recently released Disney movies, character meet & greets that you often cannot find at the parks, deck parties, dance clubs, karaoke, trivia and so much more!

A few new experiences now offered on the Disney Fantasy include Sweet on You, Tiffany & Co., and something just for kids, Star Wars: Command Post and Marvel Super Hero Academy.

Indulge in frozen desserts that satisfy your confectionary cravings at Sweet on You, a specialty ice cream emporium located just outside Cabana’s featuring 20 hand-crafted gelatos, 16 ice cream flavors, 32 toppings, homemade chocolate, truffles, a large selection of candy and more!

Disney Cruise Line now hosts the world’s premier jewelry and iconic American luxury brand, Tiffany & Co., with an exclusive store aboard the Disney Fantasy. Indulge your most dazzling fantasies and peruse Tiffany’s timeless designs and discover why that little blue box is known around the globe!

At Disney’s Oceaneer Club young cruisers can experience Star Wars: Command Post and Marvel Super Hero Academy.

There is definitely enough to keep you busy on a Disney Cruise if you aren’t the lounging at the pool or beach type.

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Pandora – The World of Avatar

Published on May 15, 2017 in Walt Disney World by Crystal Boston

Pandora – The World of Avatar at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park is scheduled to open May 27, 2017 bringing a flight simulator based banshee attraction and boat ride through the landscape of Pandora. I recently experienced a preview of this amazing new land!

As you enter, you walk through the Valley of Mo’ara and the enormous floating mountains are all around you. The valley is also home to many unique species of plants that can only be found on Pandora. There is a Na’vi-built drum circle, containing instruments you can play, Na’vi totems and other cultural items found throughout the land as well as two new Wilderness Explorers challenges with badges to collect.

This new land also offers 2 new ride experiences as well as a new quick service dining option and a new beverage stand and, of course, Pandora – The World of Avatar themed shopping experiences too!

Avatar Flight of Passage is an exhilarating, 3D ride where you fly on the back of a mountain banshee offering you a breathtaking, first-person flight over the moon’s incredible landscape. This experience is for those 44” and taller and is quite a thrilling ride. Once you enter, there is a pre-experience que similar to DINOSAUR that is narrated by video conferencing but that is also interactive. Once you enter the flight room you mount your own banshee and prepare to take flight. Many have compared this experience to Soarin’ but it is SO MUCH MORE! This is not just a view of the World of Avatar, this ride truly immerses you in the land! FastPass+ is highly recommended for this new experience. After our flight we were able to tour the standby que so even if you don’t have FastPass+, the standby que is quite amazing in itself.

Na’vi River Journey is a boat ride that takes you on a journey deep into a bioluminescent rainforest in search of the Na’vi Shaman of Songs. This is an experience the whole family can enjoy and is similar to boat experiences at the other Walt Disney World parks. The boats each have two rows that will comfortably seat 4 Guests each. After coasting through a series of caves, and passing by exotic glowing plants and amazing creatures of the rainforest, you’ll soon find yourself face-to-face with the Na’vi Shaman of Songs. Your adventure comes to a conclusion as the Shaman demonstrates her deep connection to the life force of Pandora and sends positive energy out into the forest through the power of her music.

The new Pandora – World of Avatar dining and beverage options are Satu’li Canteen and Pongu Pongu, meaning “Party Party” in the language of the Na’vi.
Both offer themed menu items with Satu’li Canteen offering Quick Service dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner and Pongu Pongu offering a quick stop for themed beverages. Of course, my favorite treat on the menu was the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse!

For Pandora – The World of Avatar themed shopping, this new land offers Windtraders, which is the exit for Avatar Flight of Passage where you can choose from Na’vi cultural items, toys, science kits and more.

And Colors of Mo’arais, a retail kiosk that also offers Na’vi-inspired face-painting.

Maximize your time at Pandora – The World of Avatar with extended theme park hours, “Extra” Extra Magic Hours for resort Guests and FastPass+!
For a limited time, May 27 to July 4, 2017, Disney’s Animal Kingdom park will be open from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM, giving you more time than ever to explore Pandora – The World of Avatar.
And for Guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels there will be “Extra” Extra Magic Hours—available exclusively in Pandora – The World of Avatar from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, May 27 to July 4, 2017 AND July 4 to August 19, 2017 from 10:00 PM to Midnight!
There’s still time to book your summer vacation and experience Pandora – The World of Avatar for these exclusive benefits offered only to resort Guests! Request Your Today!

*TIP: Avatar Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey are both Tier 1 FastPass+ selections at Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. If you are only planning for one day at this park, I highly recommend FastPass+ for Avatar Flight of Passage and doing Na’vi River Journey as standby. However, if you are a resort Guest the “Extra” Extra Magic Hours may give you the opportunity to do both without FastPass+.

Check HERE to read about my nighttime experience on Pandora – The World of Avatar which comes to life with beautiful bioluminescence each night!

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Disney’s Express Transportation – Walt Disney World Resort

Published on May 7, 2017 in Walt Disney World by Crystal Boston

There’s a new way to get around Walt Disney World parks and it’s a VIP experience!!

If you have been to Walt Disney World Resort recently, you know all about getting through security and bag checks… Wouldn’t you love if you only needed to pass through a security checkpoint once per day? Now you can!!

If you have a Park Hopper ticket or are an Annual Passholder, you can add Disney’s Express Transportation option and only go through security and bag check once each day – even if you hit all 4 parks – giving you more time in the parks! Disney’s Express Transportation picks you up and drops you off INSIDE the parks!

Start your day in one park, using the normal security checkpoint, and when you are ready to head to the next park simply check-in at the Express Transportation kiosk location inside the park and a Cast Member will escort you backstage to your VIP transportation.

Purchase your Express Transportation access at any ticket window outside a park, Guest Relations inside a park, Disney Springs ticket window, your hotel concierge, or at the kiosks at the Express Transportation check-in locations and you are ready for VIP transportation for one day for date of purchase or up to 7 consecutive days beginning on date of purchase. Advance purchase is not yet available.

Disney’s Express Transportation service departs approximately every 30 minutes and runs each day from 10:00 AM until park closing. Your VIP Express Transportation will travel directly between each of the theme parks, no stops along the way, and drops you off inside the park so you are ready for fun from the moment you arrive! You will have unlimited transfers between all 4 theme parks for as long as your Express Transportation ticket is valid.

Price per Guest (Ages 3+)
Single-day ticket: $19 – Valid for date of purchase only
Multi-day ticket: $29 – Valid for up to 7 consecutive days beginning on date of purchase
*NOTE: Pricing and availability are subject to change.

I took advantage of Disney’s Express Transportation during my last stay at Walt Disney World Resort. It was so quick and easy to get from one park to another. This VIP experience is definitely the way to go, especially if you have little ones with strollers and bags, and I felt the price was very fair!!

**Please Note: The Express Transportation add-on service at Walt Disney World Resort will end Wednesday, August 23, 2017. The last day for guests to purchase this service will be Wednesday, August 16, 2017.

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