Attractions | Wishes And Pixie Dust

March 20, 2014
by Disney Mark Leave a comment

Using DAS and Fastpass+ Together

Recently we were chosen to be among the first Annual Passholders to test MagicBands (MBs) and MyMagic+ (MM+), including the ability to schedule our Fastpass+ (FP+) times in advance. We wanted to share our experience and some advice.

First, some quick background. Recently we had some issues with using our DAS card and miscommunications we had with Disney. We sent an email to Disability Relations at Walt Disney World and received a call from a Disability Relations representative and had a very nice call with her for almost an hour one afternoon. She asked about our experiences overall with the entire DAS process and then what happened to cause our concern. She was shocked at how we had heard so many different stories about the program. What it all boils down to is that the only people who will know about any changes are people at her level and above working directly with the DAS program and that none had been planned or discussed back to Guest Relations (GR) or to those who staff the DAS help line; and that includes their Supervisors and Managers. So, if anyone at that line or at GR tells anyone that there are ‘changes’ in place, planned or coming, that’s not true. They won’t find out about any changes until they are ready to roll out and that’s not happening. Right now and for the future the DAS works as always, 1 return time at a time with no limit per day or per the 14-day period. Accommodations are the same as they were always meant to be. They are on a guest by guest, day by day and Park by Park basis. The only change is that there should be no notes in the files anymore “guaranteeing” a certain accommodation. It all depends on how busy any Park is on any given day, how many attractions that Park has available and how much those accommodations are needed by that particular Guest. And she stressed that no Cast Member should ever be saying that there is nothing they can do, and if you hear that, ask to speak to a Manager immediately, as there is always something they can do. It might be re-admission tickets (paper Fastpasses), and they are allowed to give up to 3 sets at a time. Or it may be as simple as giving you your first return time while at the GR desk if the Park isn’t busy. How she put it to me is to simply state that you are using your Fastpasses and using your DAS but it just isn’t enough and you’d like just something extra to help with your day. She did say that they take the feedback they get from guests like us to a weekly DAS committee meeting and they use that meeting to plan for the future. So, send those emails in with your feedback. The two biggest pieces of feedback they have right now is the ability to use a single return time for multiple rides and being able to have multiple return times at a time. Email WDW.Guest.Communications@disneyworld.com, copying the email to Disability.Services@DisneyParks.com and specify that it for a DAS concern and give a phone number to call.

Some basic background on Fastpass+ may be needed. As of today (and the program is subject to change), each guest is allowed 3 FP+ ‘reservations’ per day and they must be all at a single Park. Epcot and Hollywood Studios (DHS) use a tier system which allows one FP+ for Tier 1 and 2 from Tier 2; the Magic Kingdom (MK) and the Animal Kingdom (DAK) have no tiers in place at this time. A full list of all available FP+ attractions is at the end of this article for your reference. If needed you can change your FP+ times and/or attractions at any time using the My Disney Experience (MDE) app on your phone, computer or at any of the FP+ kiosks available throughout the Parks.

And for some background on the DAS program, please visit our November article on this at this link: Our Experience With Disney’s DAS Card. We also wrote on our general experiences at this link: Autism in the Parks.

We have now used our scheduled FP+ at all 4 Parks. In order to test successfully, we chose to use only the DAS card itself and no additional accommodations. Our first Park was DAK, where we had FP+ scheduled for Kilimanjaro Safari, Dinosaur and Finding Nemo – The Musical. We started out by riding Kilimanjaro Safari. Afterwards, on the way to Dinosaur, we stopped to get a DAS return time for Expedition Everest. After riding Dinosaur we headed back to use our Everest return time. We then headed back to get a DAS time for Primeval Whirl before going to watch Finding Nemo; afterwards going back to use the Primeval Whirl time. There was a little more ‘back and forth’ and planning here, but it was reasonable and do-able; and we were able to successfully spend a good afternoon with little stress.

Our second Park was DHS. Here we chose FP+ times for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster (RNR), Tower of Terror (ToT) and Star Tours. On our way to Star Tours, we stopped for a DAS return time for Toy Story Mania (TSM). Let me mention that for a day at DHS, we would suggest getting one FP+ time for TSM due to the always high return times. The available times this day were outside our visit range so we adapted. After Star Tours we stopped and watched Muppet*Vision 3D before returning to Toy Story for our return time ride. We then went to Tower of Terror and rode and headed for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. The coaster was down at this point and we later learned that Disney had sent an email to our registered MDE email letting us know that it was down and allowing us to use our FP+ at any time that day at DHS on any attraction. If an attraction is down during any of your FP+ times, check your MDE or at a FP+ kiosk for the options you’re given in exchange. We did ride the Great Movie Ride before heading out this day. My thoughts on DHS are to FP+ TSM and if you plan to ride both ToT and RNR, to FP+ ToT and get a DAS time for RNR first. That will allow you to hit both rides fairly easily with little back and forth.

Our third Park was Epcot. For this visit we chose Test Track, The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Spaceship Earth. We first headed to The Land where we got a return time for Soarin’ and then rode Living with the Land and a quick rest stop at Sunshine Seasons before riding Soarin’. Soarin’ is a good choice for using your DAS instead of FP+ only because you do have some options within The Land to spend your wait time (Living with the Land, Circle of Life, a meal or snack at Sunshine Seasons). We then rode Nemo and Friends and visited the manatee rescue station before heading over to Test Track, riding with our FP+. We then ended our visit with a Spaceship Earth ride. If following our method, you could also stop and get a return time at Mission: Space before riding Test Track and can also use Universe of Energy to spend wait time. Maelstrom can easily use a DAS return time with a stroll around the surrounding Pavilions to pass time.

Finally our tests brought us to the Magic Kingdom. For this particular visit we chose Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (BTMR), Under the Sea and Space Ranger Spin. On the way to BTMR we stopped for a return time for Haunted Mansion, rode BTMR and then returned to Haunted Mansion to ride. We got a return time for Pirates of the Caribbean and went to get Dole Whips to pass the wait time. We returned to Pirates and then headed to Fantasyland. There we got a return time for Winnie the Pooh, watched Mickey’s PhilharMagic and then went back to ride Pooh. We then went to Under the Sea for our FP+ time (we would have gotten a return time for Peter Pan’s Flight but that was down at the time. After Under the Sea we stopped at Space Mountain for a return time before riding Buzz and the PeopleMover. We then used the return time on Space Mountain (well, the kids did) before heading out for the day.
We did a second trip to the Magic Kingdom this past Saturday, starting earlier than usual (we arrived around 10am whereas we normally start our Park days between 1:30pm and 2:30pm). We were able to walk on Haunted Mansion, PhilharMagic, Country Bears, Carousel of Progress and PeopleMover that day while using FP+ for Big Thunder, Mickey Mouse Meet and Tomorrowland Speedway and DAS return times for Pooh, Buzz, Space Mountain and Peter Pan. Our son did comment that this was the best day he had at Disney since the GAC changed to the DAS.

Our overall experience was positive. If planning accordingly, you can balance FP+ and DAS return times along with shows, snack/meal breaks and “quiet time” periods successfully. We would highly recommend consulting a Park map as you plan FP+ times so that you can work them well together with DAS return times without doing more ‘back and forth’ travelling than is needed and to plan DAS return times for attractions where there are some low wait time attractions or shows nearby to help you pass wait times. A good example, based on our experience, is to get a FP+ for BTMR given how far it is from other attractions (especially when Splash Mountain is closed); so you won’t have to trek to the back of the Park to do this as a DAS return. We would also suggest that if you have a child who would like to ride something more than once to get a FP+ time, but get a DAS return time before boarding at your FP+ time. This will allow for a quicker re-boarding for a second ride. Finally, we suggest that if you eat a meal, get a DAS return time before you go to the meal, as we did with Haunted Mansion when eating at Columbia Harbor House.

Please also take the time to listen to the wonderful Special Mouse Podcast, I was a guest on a recent episode that you can listen to on iTunes, Stitcher or at this link: Beta Testing the DAS Card with Fast Pass+ at Walt Disney World.

Animal Kingdom Fastpass+ Attractions

DINOSAUR
Expedition Everest
Festival of the Lion King
Finding Nemo – The Musical
It’s Tough to Be a Bug!
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade
Primeval Whirl

Magic Kingdom Fastpass+ Attractions

Ariel’s Grotto
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Festival of Fantasy Parade
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Enchanted Tales with Belle
The Haunted Mansion
it’s a small world
Jungle Cruise
Mad Tea Party
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Main Street Electrical Parade
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Princess Fairytale Hall: Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess
Princess Fairytale Hall: Meet Rapunzel and a Visiting Princess
Princess Fairytale Hall: Meet Anna and Elsa from Frozen
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Tomorrowland Speedway
Town Square Theater Mickey Mouse Meet and Greet
Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
Wishes Nighttime Spectacular

Epcot Fastpass+ Attractions

Group A (Choose 1)

Epcot Character Spot
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
Maelstrom
Soarin’
Test Track

Group B (Choose 2)
Captain EO
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Living with the Land
Mission: SPACE (Green or Orange)
Spaceship Earth
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush

Hollywood Studios Fastpass+ Attractions

Group A (Choose 1)

Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
Fantasmic!
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
Toy Story Mania!

Group B (Choose 2)
Disney Junior – Live on Stage!
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
Muppet*Vision 3D
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
The American Idol Experience
The Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special (Seasonal)
The Great Movie Ride
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Voyage of the Little Mermaid

March 12, 2014
by Disney Mark Leave a comment

Annual Passholder MyMagic+ Update

This afternoon, Disney Destinations sent an email to all AP holders alerting them that MyMagic+ is now available for all passholders. The following information was included in that email.

“As a Disney Passholder, you now have access to MyMagic+! Your Walt Disney World visits can be more magical than ever—from reserving select attractions, shows and Character experiences in advance to entering the Theme Parks with your very own MagicBand.

And this is just the start! We’re always listening and learning to improve the experience for you. ”

“Disney FastPass+
Now you can choose from double the number of attractions and experiences than our original Disney FASTPASS® Service provided. Plan for seven days of Disney FastPass+ selections within a 30 day period*. Your seven days don’t have to be consecutive-and you can plan for any additional day as soon as you use one of your existing days.

*One Theme Park per day. Valid Theme Park admission and online registration required. Disney FastPass+ attractions and entertainment experiences, the number of selections you can make and available arrival windows are limited.”

“MagicBand
They’re cool. They’re colorful. They’re complimentary. And MagicBands are now available to Passholders! Use them to enter the Walt Disney World Theme Parks, enjoy your Disney FastPass+ selections and more.

Be sure to keep your Pass/discount card and photo ID with you for Passholder discounts!

Please visit MyDisneyExperience.com/privacy for information about our privacy and data collection policies and to learn more about RF technology used in MagicBands and RF cards.

To learn more or get started, call 407-560-PASS (7277). “

December 3, 2013
by Disney Mark Leave a comment

Candlelight Processional Featuring Neil Patrick Harris

Tonight at 5:00pm ET, Catie’s HS Choir will be performing at the Candlelight Processional featuring Neil Patrick Harris as the Narrator. We’ll be broadcasting the entire show on UStream (if all goes well). So please join us at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wishes-and-pixie-dust if you’d like to enjoy along! Please share with anyone who might enjoy this live NPH CP performance.

November 12, 2013
by wishesandpixiedust 1 Comment

The Five Wonders of Epcot

As a vacationer, Epcot was the least favorite of our Disney Parks, and we couldn’t imagine why guests would rave on about it. It was nice, yes, but we felt the other parks had so much more to offer. As residents, we have grown to love Epcot, and this week’s column will highlight five different aspects of what makes Epcot unique to us.

Marine Animals. As you exit The Seas with Nemo and Friends Attraction, take the escalator up to the second level and enjoy the aquariums that display the marine animals. Did you realize that Epcot is home to a manatee research and rehabilitation center? Vail and Lou are two West Indian Manatees who were victims of a boat strike, and are currently recovering until they can be re-released into the wild. Pictured below is Lou feeding on romaine lettuce: both Vail and Lou each consume 100 lbs of greens daily.
Spaceship Earth. This slow-moving attraction, located inside the geosphere, offers a glimpse into history beginning with the period of cavemen and ending with the information age. It is an educational but enjoyable journey, and as you exit the attraction you will step into Project Tomorrow, an interactive area that allows you to explore different aspects about your current and future world through games and activities.
World Showcase. World Showcase is a representation of eleven different countries that are located around World Showcase Lagoon. Each country is considered a Pavilion, and each pavilion offers food, culture and entertainment specific to that country. The best time to tour World Showcase is during the day; you will not be able to take in all the theming at night. World Showcase offers a lot of great photo opportunities through sunset.
The Land. This is an indoor pavilion in Future World that is home to the attractions Soarin’, Circle of Life & Living with the Land. You will also find the Behind the Seeds Tour (a fee-based, guided tour of four greenhouses featured in the Living with the Land attraction) located here. The Sunshine Seasons Food Court has a great variety of food and plenty of seating available. The Garden Grill is a sit-down character dinner meal featuring Mickey and his friends, and is part of the dining plan. Chances are if you enjoyed fresh vegetables or fish during your meal, it was grown right there at Epcot.
Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. This is a fourteen minute display of fireworks and laser lights that is definitely a must-not-miss attraction at Epcot. It tells the tale of our planet Earth by displaying images on a 350,000 pound sphere in the middle of Showcase Lagoon. Please plan to arrive at least one hour prior to its performance to secure a good viewing point.

November 8, 2013
by wishesandpixiedust 3 Comments

Limited Time Magic: Animal Kingdom Backstage Tour

I was selected to participate in a special opportunity through the Disney Parks Blog- to view the animal care facilities behind the scenes. I am thrilled to have been able to take part, and I wanted to share my experience here. We were informed that this tour was not the same as the Backstage Safari Tour that guests can reserve through Disney, but offered a one-of-a-kind encounter with cast members who were directly involved with the care and training of animals.

There were nineteen people present; we were divided into two groups, and driven by van to the backstage area. The Disney geek in me was just excited to be riding in a Walt Disney World van! We passed the area where the new Festival of the Lion King Theater was being constructed, but in true Disney fashion it was under wraps and we weren’t able to view a lot from the road. We had two different opportunities: to view the lion housing area and to tour the veterinary hospital. My group was able to view the lion housing area first. As this was a backstage area, no pictures were allowed.

There were two lionesses and one lion in the holding area: the lionesses were pacing back and forth upon seeing us, but the lion just continued his afternoon nap, on his back, showing his tummy! These lions were approximately five years old, and have been with Disney for approximately two years. The lions out on the safari were seventeen years old, so quite a bit older. The two sets of lions are on a three day rotation: every three days the backstage lions get to go out on the safari, and the safari lions then spend their time in the holding area. At no time are the two male lions allowed contact with each other; there is an empty pen kept between the young lions and the older lions.

All food given to the animals are dead, because of the hazard a live animal could potentially give to the animal consuming it. The safety and well being of the animals is of utmost concern for Disney, and we were given the example of giving a live rat to a snake who was not hungry, and having that rat bite the snake and causing injury.

One of the challenges the animal staff encounters is training the lions to do a voluntary blood draw. There is a special cage where the lions are encouraged to enter, and a small side panel drops down to allow their tail to swish out. The bigger an animal’s tail, the more blood vessels it contains, so access to a lion’s tail allows the staff to safely do a blood draw, to order to monitor the health of the lion. As I mentioned before, this is all voluntary on the part of the animal, and at no time does Disney force the issue. All desired behaviors are encouraged using positive reinforcements, such as favorite foods. The five year old lionesses are still in the training stage, even after two years.

There are ten veterinarians on staff at Disney, to care for approximately 2,000 thousand animal at Animal Kingdom, 300 animals located at Animal Kingdom Lodge, and 3,000 animals at the Seas with Nemo and Friends. There are times the animals at Animal Kingdom Lodge are moved to Animal Kingdom, and vice versa. It all depends on where an animal thrives best. At night the animals on safari are called into their holding areas with a special sound unique to their species. However it was noted that during the summertime some of the animals would prefer to stay out, and they are not forced inside. It typically does not take long for new animals to learn the sound and follow the path into their holding areas. There is also a different, emergency signal that the animals learn, to come in during the day if necessary. This is practiced once a month. In the case of the lions, a special treat of rabbit is presented to them upon return to the holding areas. This special signal would be enforced if bad weather was approaching, or if something came inside their pen that could be potentially harmful to the animals there.

This was the end of our tour of the lion holding area; we went back to the van and were then transported to the veterinary hospital, where we were greeted by Dr. Scott, chief operating veterinary doctor. We were told it was a special treat to have him as our tour guide. We were given a pin that he said could not be found anywhere else on Disney property, so if we were going to trade it, we should trade it for something big! Here is a picture of the pin:

We were led into the x-ray room- on the picture below the table you see supports animal weight of up to 1,000 pounds.

The cart in the picture below is unique in that Disney is the only animal care facility that has one, mainly because it is cost prohibitive to other animal facilities and they cannot justify the expense. The cart contains everything pictured in this room, so that it can be transported directly out to the animal. In the past, x-rays would be taken on a sedated animal in the field, an intern would come back to this room to develop the pictures, and then more likely than not, the image would be blurry because an animal had moved at the last minute. So then the intern would need to return to the animal, retake the x-ray again, and hope this time it provided a clear image. Each additional x-ray that needed to be taken required the animal to be sedated for a longer period of time. Dr. Scott stated that Disney purchased the cart, not because they’re Disney and need to have the best equipment there is, but because it provided a significant increase in the quality of care that the animals received.

The grappling hooks in the next picture are used to support gorillas during a chest x-ray. Older gorillas tend to have a high incidence of heart disease, and in fact, two gorillas on Disney property do have the condition. This, of course, needs to be monitored, and one way is through chest x-rays. Because the gorillas need to be standing up during the x-ray, and because it is impossible to support the gorillas in an upright stance while they are sedated, it is necessary to support them through the use of these hooks.

This is a picture of a mammogram machine that is used to provide care to the animals: not in the way humans use the machine, but on any area that requires a closer inspection.

We were then led into the main operating room, which as you can tell from the photo is observable to park guests from inside Conservation Station. This is where 90% of all the procedures take place; Dr. Scott stated that they do not pick and choose which animal gets treated. It just depends on what animal needs care on a particular day. If they strongly suspect a particular animal will not survive the procedure, then they may perform the operation in an inner room. He stated that life and death happens in this room, and there are times when staff members need to go outside the room afterwards and talk to guests about what happened. All procedures are performed in the morning, and the best time to be there is 10am if you wish to witness it!

We were then taken into an inner room to view a “patient”, a turtle who had been hit by a car which cracked its shell. We were informed that the turtle was 98% healed, but because Florida is entering cooler weather, with cooler water temperatures, they felt it better not to release her until the spring. No pictures were allowed at this point.

Overall, it was definitely a magical experience! A huge shout-out to Walt Disney World for allowing a few guests to see the inner magic of Disney. As dedicated as Walt Disney World is to the safety and enjoyment of their guests, this also applies to their animal residents, and it was a privilege to be able to witness how dedicated the veterinary and animal team are to their residents.

–Jen