The View from Scopa Towers

It was another rainy day in Walt Disney World…my wife’s birthday. However we would not let the weather “dampen” our spirits.

On this day shopping was the priority and we shopped at several places, including Downtown Disney.

While in the World of Disney store a promotion caught my eye.

That made me think about a fantasy that has come to mind in the past.

I'm guessing that some of you may have had this fantasy too so come along and let's fantasize together.

So here it is.

Imagine that some day you would fly to Orlando with just a carryon piece of luggage and in that carryon is basically just toiletries. Your "mission" is to purchase all you would need for your vacation.

Shall we begin?

Okay, the first purchase would be this...

...to hold everything I would be purchasing.

Now that we've got that taken care of let's buy a few shirts. I'm here for a week so I'm buying seven shirts.

Here are my choices...

...and 2 shirts from here...probably one dark and one light one...

I need a few pairs of shorts...

Of course I need some of these...

...and of course these (blush)...

And of course I need something for those sunny days...

That's about it. Sure I could get some swimwear and flipflops for the pool but I usually don't hit the pool so no need to buy anything else.

One point to make is that everything I would purchase I would purchase at Downtown Disney at the World of Disney shop because if you are an Annual Passholder you receive a 10% discount.

Also, I would probably visit the Character Warehouse shops off property to look for a few bargains.

Anyway I always say to myself, "Hmmm, if I ever came down with just the clothes on my back, what would I get?"

It's a fantasy so who knows if it will ever happen.

Earlier this week there were all these reports about Tropical Storm Fay and how it had potential to develop into a huricane. All of Florida was bracing itself for a day of two of heavy rain, damaging winds, and who knows what else Mother Nature had up her sleeve.

For those who are visiting Walt Disney World during times of bad weather, the uncertainty can surely impact their vacation plans.

For instance, in a case whereby a tropical storm or huricane is to hit some folks may cancel plans to visit the theme parks that day, possiby cancel plans to also dine at a theme park restaurants, and even just decide to hunker down in their room and ride out the storm....

...and then there's me.

When it comes to bad weather I have a tendency to be more curious than safe. I remember one February day we were in the midst of a blizzard and I went outside to check on how the trees were holding up around the house. A 20 foot tree limb missed me by about 10 feet as it came crashing down behind me.

There are other stories I can tell but I don't want to tell you how careless I REALLY am in bad weather.

Anyway, I've been in WDW for such storms as Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Dennis and for a while it looked like TS Fay would be added to my list.

But Fay pretty much fizzled out....so far.

Our morning started off with a drive to Fort Wilderness and breakfast at Trail's End. I expected the restarant to be filled. Not so. Only about 25 patrons there while we ate.

We then went to Disney's Animal Kingdom and did a few things there. At 11 A.M. we walked onto Kilimanjaro Safaris as there were hardly any guests in the park. There seemed to me more animals on the Savannah than guests in the park.

BTW, I had never seen so many animals out...could it have been the weather?

Thanks to Fay we enjoyed a morning at DAK that had fewer than the normal number of guests.

Every attracton had a wait time of 10 minutes or less and at Finding Nemo: The Musical I'd say only about 120 or so guests watched the show with us.

Around Noon we decided to go to the Magic Kingdom because there was still the feeling that the storm would hit between 2 and 4 P.M. and I wanted to see what measures would be taken to secure the park.

Here are the umbrellas tied down at Casey's...

Take a look as to how dark it was around the castle...

Rumors were floating around all day that the parks would close in the late afternoon.
Signs were being tied down to protect from potentially dangerous wind conditions...like at Columbia Harbor House...

Cinderella's Round Table sign under the castle was secured...

Guests were notified that the resort was monitoring the storm and telling us that there was a possibility of a change in the operaring hours.

More signs tied down....Sir Mickey's...

...and the Yankee Trader.

We made our way to the Magic Kingdom and sometimes it rained and sometimes it didn't. It was breezy all day with temps in the 70's.

At Magic Kingdom we did about eight or so attractions...all were either walk-ons or ten minute waits.

At around 5 P.M. the winds DID pick up a bit but the rains still held off...steady rains that is.

It wasn't until around 7 or so that the sky began to transition into a hazy, grey chunk and the rain and wind picked up.

That's when we decided to leave the park.

But all in all thanks to Fay we were able to get a lot done.

Look at Haunted Mansion....10 minutes to get on...

I think this is a comment that when the weather is not so perfect during your stay at WDW that you should make the best of it.

Of course in any weather you need to be aware of potential conditions. ALWAYS BE SAFE!!.

I always see rainy days as the best days to go to EPCOT and Animal Kingdom. Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom offer more hiding places from the rain and thus guests tend to go to those parks on rainy days...not to mention Disney Quest.

So thanks Fay for an interesting day. ...and it may continue to be an interesting week as Fay seems to want to hang around.

Well I'm back in Orlando for 10 days of willfull suspension of disbelief and along the way we all know that I'll be sharing some observations with all of you and hopefully also provide some insight and some tips to help you on your next visit to Walt Disney World.

And of course it would not be any fun unless from time to time I place a photo in this blog and ask you to guess as to from where I snapped this photo.

Here's one...and a hint...it's from an attraction.

Any guesses?

Now on to other things.

One observation that I need to share with you is best shown in the following picture. I had just enjoyed a performance of the Festival of the Lion King and when Carol and I exited the theater she pointed out this group of strollers.

Notice anything?

It sure seems that there is a larger percentage of personal strollers in the theme parks than in the past..at least on this particular morning.

Here's something new for all of you who are planning to visit Walt Disney World in the next few months and are on one of the Disney Dining Plans.

Le Cellier in Epcot is currently running a "pilot" as it was described to me, which offers guests a special menu.

This menu has a yellow box at the top and in this yellow box are appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

Here's the deal. If for instance you are on the basic Disney Dining Plan you know that appetizers are outside the plan.

However, if you choose your appetizer, entree, and dessert from those offerrings in this yellow box then Le Cellier will honor all three, yes that includes the appetizer, on the Dining Plan.

Is there a catch? Well, I will tell you that the entrees offerred in the yellow box are certainly not their signature entrees so that's something to consider.

For the record, I did order an appetizer and paid for it and then ordered a signature entree and dessert.

The entrees and desserts in that yellow box just did not appeal to me.

Anyway, if you are lucky enough to have an Advanced Dining Reservation at Le Cellier be aware of the yellow box pilot.

Here's another observation and that is if you are using Disney transportation while in Orlando be sure to always, always, always double-check the bus routes whenever possible.

Some of them are very specific.

For instance, as of the date of this blog entry if you are staying in Pop Century and want to go to Blizzard Beach you would take the bus that goes to Disney's Animal Kingdom from Pop Century. From DAK that bus will continue to BB.

However to get from Pop Century to Typhoon Lagoon you would take a bus that goes to Downtown Disney which will then continue to TL.

Those two routes may change without notice so just be sure you ask before assuming that a particular bus will be going to a particular destination.

That's it for now....

....except for one more photo for you to ry and figure out just where it came from.

Are you ready?

Here it is...and a hint....this cannot be found in a theme park.

Any ideas?

Watch for more from me as I make more Orlando Observations in the days to come.

This is short and sweet...I know…I know....so much unlike my usual blog.

So I’m here at Walt Disney World…it’s 12:47 A.M. and I have news. I made a pact with myself long ago that holds that I would not share any news with you unless it meets certain criteria.

One piece is to make sure I do a check on the facts. Only after double and/or triple-checking the facts will I feel comfortable posting.

Well…I’ve been checking facts on this news for almost three months and everything seems to be in order….yep….looks like this is a solid piece of news.

Secondly, I usually check with my sources to make sure I can post this information. Sometimes I need to wait before posting. I’ve been given the “go ahead” by my sources to post this exclusive information.

I knew that there would be a possibility of me being able to post this information during my trip to Walt Disney World but thought it would be no sooner than next week to do so.

I was wrong.

The phone call came today after I had enjoyed a performance of The Festival of the Lion King at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

This most trusted source on the other end of the conversation was giving me all the details and said that everything seemed to be a done deal.

Also, although this information had obviously been kept under wraps until now, I was given the green light to post this information.

It’s always gratifying when I am given the opportunity to post information I have heard knowing full well that the information is accurate.

I can guarantee that the information I am about to give you is EXCLUSIVE and will be posted here on AllEarsNet before any other site.

So what is all this about? Obviously it is linked to the date listed at the top of this blog.

Yes on March 2nd, 2009 things will change forever.

This is bigger than the closing or opening of any attraction.

This is bigger than the closing or the opening of any theme park.

I’m not sure how much this will change your perspective on Walt Disney World. In fact, it might not.

However, I’m pretty sure it will change my perspective on Walt Disney World big time.

On March 2nd, 2009 my perspective will change.

On March 2nd, 2009 I’ve been told to expect a change.

On March 2nd, 2009 I will be meeting someone special.

On March 2nd, 2009 I am expecting to be in a hospital to meet…

…my first grandchild.

In late June, Walt Disney World started accepting reservations for the Candlelight Processional Dinner Packages. I’ve been receiving some email from several folks (hi Sue Coppola) regarding this Dinner package and how I feel about it.

So let me chat about this for a while.

First, for those who don’t know, the Candlelight Processional is a holiday tradition held at the American Gardens Theater across from the American Adventure Pavilion.

The show tells the story of Christmas with the help of a celebrity narrator, a huge choir which I’m going to say of at least three hundred voices and a 50-piece orchestra give or take a few pieces.

There are three shows a night and seating is limited so it’s VERY HARD to plan to see this show…well you could wait in the standby line but that may not work for you.

Then there’s the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package.

What this package offers guests is the opportunity to be guaranteed not only a seat at one of the shows but also the option of deciding which show you’d like to see…you can’t do that in the standby line.

Of course there is a catch…you have to pay for this convenience…that’s where the Candlelight Processional Dinner package comes in.

For all the details on how the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package works visit our Candlelight Processional Page.

I’m talking about this today because I’ve been getting some mail that says, “Hey Mike, I haven’t been to the Candlelight Processional in so long that I have no idea how hard it is to see the show. I’ve been wondering if I should do the Candlelight Processional Dinner package.
Whaddya think?”

Well I may have come full circle on my thoughts regarding the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package.
I have used it in the past and I think it’s paid off for me. The last several years I have not made use of the package because of the changes. I liked the old package.

What I have always liked is the idea that I can choose the night and time of the performance and know full well that I am guaranteed a seat.

The last time I used the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package I attended the 5 P.M. show, had a 6:30 P.M. reservation at Le Cellier for Dinner, left dinner, and had plenty of time to look for my favorite spot for Illuminations.

Then things changed a bit.

One big change was that now it is required for guests to eat their meal BEFORE seeing the show. That still doesn’t sit right with me but those are the rules.

For those who have asked…and for those of you who are wondering…I still DO think that the Candlelight Processional Dinner package is a good option…especially if you are on a trip to WDW and you don’t have much time to spare.

That’s the key…time and again picking the show you want to see.

If time is a premium during your stay and you are really interested in seeing the Candlelight Processional on a certain night at a certain time then take advantage of the dinner package.

If I were to make use of the package this year….and I might…here’s what I would do….first I would look at all the restaurants involved, and there are three tiers to choose from.

Then I would pick my top three favorite restaurants…and for the record they would be Le Cellier, Garden Grill, and probably Biergarten.

I would then estimate what I would eat at each restaurant and how much lunch or dinner would cost.

I would then go to the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package pricing structure and see which restaurant’s pricing comes as close as possible to my virtual meal. The one closest to the actual price would probably be my choice.

Of course the other option is to just go with the least expensive restaurant…which would be the Biergarten.

There is a price differential between lunch and dinner so I may just settle for the latest lunch I could get.

Depending upon when I eat my meal I’d watch either the first or second performance of the night. That gives me time to catch a snack before Illuminations…I may be hungry if I have a late lunch.

Everyone has to understand that you are paying for the privilege of being guaranteed a seat for the performance you want to see and if you are okay with that then by all means go for it.

It all comes down to how much you value your time at WDW and there will always be instances in which money and time becomes the decision makers.

Remember, as time goes by and crowds continue to build each year in WDW we all need to realize that since our time becomes a premium to us that we may have to pay a premium to make best use of our time.

So all things considered if you have never attended the Candlelight Processional and are thinking about it, you should seriously consider taking advantage of the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package.

By the way, in Tuesday's edition of the AllEars newsletter, I have written a feature article on how the Candlelight Processional evolved to where it is today.

The question was “Should we continue with our annual price increase or delay it?” It probably took about 1 nanosecond to decide.

I guess I don’t have to tell you what that decision was…you’ve seen the reports; read the internet; heard the podcasts…yes it will cost more this week to walk into a WDW theme park than it did last week…unless of course you have an Annual Pass.

Well, that decision led to another question in my mind.

Why?

Sure historically over the last few years we’ve seen price increases in August but this year is quite different from other years….and I mean more than just the economy.

Let me point out a few things:

Airfare is up…the cost of flying to Orlando is much higher in August 2008 than it was in August 2007.

Do I have to remind you of the stroller rental increase?

If you have been paying attention you may have noticed that average price of dining at a Walt Disney World restaurant has risen since last summer.

Some character meals offered by restaurants like the Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom will soon disappear…hmmm does less characters mean a lesser fare to dine? What do you think?

Oh yes and recently Trails End has changed their lunchtime offerings to soup, salad, and sandwiches…no more additional hot food items. Has the price gone down along with the number of offerings? Take a guess.Surprise...it has AllEars colleague Jack Spence,who knows WDW restaurants better than anyone else, has rinformed me that the price HAS gone down from $12.99 to $11.99. Should it have gone down more? Let's be thankful that it has gone down at all. Thanks for the info Jack.

Let’s not forget that for 2008 the Disney Dining Plan has been adjusted...and for some of you who have emailed me; you have found the sdjustment to be so subtle that you did not realize the change until your first meal.. Sure the price went down slightly but don’t forget…you no longer get the appetizer with the plan nor the gratuity. So if the price goes down $1 and you lose both the appetizer and gratuity then you are getting less for...uh a litle bit less...it's tough to put a value on this but I'm sure we all agree that we are getting less value for our Dining Plan dollar.

Sticking with the topic of dining and subtlety, over the last year or so we've seen holiday "surcharges" added to the cost of at least a dozen of the most popular WDW restaurants such as Chef Mickey's, Boma, and Liberty Tree Tavern. These surcharges are found during Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break (Easter), and Memorial Day times of the year.

The reason for the surcharges? Well apparently if there is an increased demand for services during those times for food and beverage then a surcharge is in order. Huh? I'm thinking about the restaurants I frequent at home and you know...I cannot think of any one restaurant that does the same thing.

Are those CMs who work in those restaurants during those times being paid extra? I am not privy to that information but do realize that these seasonal surcharges are part of the cumulative effect of the overall cost of a WDW vacation....and as such contributes to the changing guest the dynamic during those times of the year.

We recently heard that the schedule for the nighttime spectaculars, i.e. fireworks will be changing; read that “less shows” yet the price of admission goes up. So this is a case of paying more for less.

I could go on and on but the whole point here is that guests are now finding they must reach down deeper to enjoy yet shallower returns.

At the onset it appears as though this hurts the guests. My feeling is that the Walt Disney World Resort may…and I emphasize may because this is strictly my opinion….find that they may be shooting themselves in the foot.

I can hear everyone screaming “Mike, are you feeling okay?”

Hear me out.

Let’s all admit it. You know that the increased ticket prices may not impact your thoughts on visiting WDW, nor will the increased airfare. You will still visit. However how often; for how long; plus other decisions may be impacted by the cumulative effect of what has been happening since January.

Here are the adjustments I foresee some guests may take:

I think the number of trips the average person takes to WDW over the course of the next year will be reduced but perhaps the number of days will remain as is or be reduced slightly. For instance, if I normally take several trips a year to Orlando with each one being an average of 4 to 5 days that may change to maybe 2 to 3 trips a year with each one being 5-7 days. Why? Well to make the most of the trip; and to especially justify the cost of the airfare it may be wise to look at longer stays if possible.

The price increase will most likely motivate guests to stay longer on each visit because it will magnify the fact that the longer you stay the cheaper the cost per day…for admission. Again, airfare prices may play a part in this decision as well.

Of course staying more may mean that the resorts will enjoy filling those beds with heads but not necessarily. I expect that there will be other adjustments to offset the cost of the airfare and tickets. First and foremost some folks, rather than increase their WDW budget will keep it as is and perhaps “downsize” their trips by moving down in class from let’s say a Deluxe resort to a Moderate or from a Moderate to a Value…or may be even either dividing their stay to on and off the property or possibly stay off the property altogether.

Also, the Disney Dining Plan may take a hit because folks may find themselves eating less in a table-service restaurant and instead go for more quick-service meals. In fact perhaps the powers that be assumed this would happen; thus the recent announcement regarding the Quick-Service Dining Plan in which those participating will receive two (2) quick-service meals and two (2) snacks per day....hmmm sounds like a plan that may work best for Mousefest.

Although we hear all this official information about attendance being up, I’m not totally buying the fact that an increase in attendance equates to an increase in revenue.

I’ve been seeing some interesting signs. Earlier in the year I had to call and make adjustments to some Advanced Dining Reservations. I made a total of 15 changes and had no problem at all getting what I wanted…less than two months from my trip…and actually called for more changes this morning. Last year I could not have done this. What does this mean? Either less people visiting WDW or less people taking in the table-service restaurants.

I keep thinking that the combination of airfare, restaurant, and ticket increases will impact the “extras” that guests have gone for in the past and they won’t be dishing out Disney Dollars for come the near future.

Here are some examples:

It’s possible that an extra like Hoop Dee Doo, Cirque Du Solei, Disney Quest, and even water parks like Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach may take a hit. Some concessions may need to be addressed to keep the trip cost down. “Honey, let’s use the hotel pool instead of spending the time and money to go to Typhoon Lagoon.”

Tours such as the Steam Train Tour or any of the backstage tours may not get the bookings as they have in the past. For some vacationers they may see that as not worth the extra money.

But here is what came to mind first. Here is where I’m thinking that WDW may feel the pinch. Merchandise. Have you been to WDW this year? I’ve been visiting Walt Disney World since 1975. Don’t ask how many times. I’d say 99% of my trips have always found places like Magic Kingdom’s Emporium and EPCOT’s Mouse Gear packed with guests; ready to grab that special souvenir, toy, shirt, or whatever. A few months back I noticed that it was eerily sparse in these shops. The best way to measure this is to check out the shops an hour before the park closes…it was different…I saw idle cast members standing behind cash registers. To the average person the store may have appeared to have a healthy crowd but to the crusty old WDW veteran he or she may say, “Hmmm, not as many people in here as I’m used to seeing.” This is a big deal because of the markup on merchandise. A 10% drop in the daily merchandise revenue is big. Let’s face it; folks will say, “I don’t need that souvenir” or “I don’t need as many souvenirs.” What’s odd is that I continue to see t-shirts and other pieces of clothing continue to be priced in the stratosphere…not sure why but I’m looking forward to getting those $40 t-shirts for $10 next summer at the off property character shops.

This is just my opinion and I will be the first to admit that the prices won’t keep me away but will play a big influence as to how my entire Walt Disney World budget is divided. If more of my budget will go to getting there and getting into the park then something’s gotta give.

You and I don’t have to deny ourselves of visiting the land of Talking Mice and Ducks because of these price increases. Instead we have to become better informed consumers and make the adjustments we need to make in order to feed our Disney fixation.

Remember, sometimes demand can influence changes so as the behavior of guests dictates a need to change, perhaps those in decision making positions at Walt Disney World will be watching and will recognize what needs to be done to continue the revenue streams.

I say streams because there are several, as I have mentioned, that will feel the impact of the increase in airfare, admission, and other goods and services.

So Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Chip & Dale if you're reading this…don’t worry…I’ll still be coming down to visit…but I won’t be buying your shirts; doing that Backstage Magic Tour; eating much in your restaurants, or maybe even staying on the property as much…but I’ll still be coming.

This is a special mailbag edition of “The View from Scopa Towers” in which Michelle Scribner-MacLean I answer some of the many emails we received regarding our “No Kidding Around” blogs.

To refresh your memory, here are the links to Part 1 and Part 2.

Following each letter you’ll first find Michelle’s comments, followed by my comments.

Many readers supported the idea of having a trip to WDW enhance their educational experiences.

Karen’s daughter integrated her study of Germany with her trip:

“We ate lunch at the Biergarten and interviewed cast members about their home country and gathered info from the menus, shops any anything else we could find. She also needed audio-visual aids, so we bought a t-shirt with the German flag on it and some cookies made in Germany. (She wore the t-shirt and passed out cookies to the class) We also picked up an EPCOT guide map (written) in German to use in her presentation.”

Michelle’s comments:

While the idea of turning your vacation into an extended field trip may not appeal to everyone, Karen and her family clearly sought out the details that make each of the countries at EPCOT so interesting. The food and the ambiance were designed to entertain, but also to teach visitors about the countries. Karen made the most of her child’s out-of-school experience by doing some preplanning.

Mike’s comments:

I think that regardless of where you travel it will and should result in somewhat of an educational experience. WDW is no exception. The term “edutainment” was coined to describe what EPCOT has to offer…but I think it is also suitable for all the theme parks. There are some things you just cannot teach in the classroom.

Several teachers jumped on-board and had their say. Larry, who is from a family of teachers, speaks for many educators wrote:

“…we suggest a temporary tutor or relative who can catch up the child. If they do take the work with them, and complete it and come back with a question, that’s great--we'll help. But many, many vacationing kids who take the work with them do NOT even start it, much less complete it. We gladly work with kids after school that have been out due to illness or other legitimate (approved/excused) reason. Even though we are tremendous Disney fans, we don't approve of leaving school for a trip.”

Michelle’s comments:

Larry makes an important point. If you’re planning on taking your children out of school, it is a good idea to contact the teacher to find out what work needs to be completed or made-up, but parents need to follow through. Missing school to go to WDW doesn’t mean that the work missed disappears. Making up the work might be considered “part of the deal” – and parents should hold up their part of the bargain by ensuring work that their child missed is turned in.

Mike’s comment:

Let’s face it, life is a partnership and early on our partners are our parents. If these partners don’t pull their weight then there will be consequences. I think the most discouraging aspect of this is that these parents miss out on teaching their kids a lesson on responsibility and also unfortunately are making a comment to their children that perhaps school is not that important.

A cadre of parents wrote to express their appreciation for teachers who were supportive and accommodating teachers. They felt that many educators supported their decision to take their children out school to go to WDW.

Reader Stacey agreed, saying, “Many teachers are more than willing to work with you so that you can take a nice family vacation and also make it a learning experience.”

Michelle’s comments:

Trying to find quality family time is something with which many parents struggle. Some parents supported the idea of taking children out of school because they have work schedules that do not mesh with school vacations, while others believe that taking their kids out of school to go to WDW only enhanced their family experience.

Mike’s comments:

It’s that partnership thing again….the child-parent-teacher partnership can make this a wonderful experience and in today’s society everyone’s schedule is just plain nuts. I know when my children were young there were piano lessons, singing lessons, dance lessons, baseball, soccer, basketball, and oh yes I was playing softball and coaching so rarely were those family days. When we went to WDW it was for two weeks at a time…the best two weeks of the year because we did everything together….priceless….but those two weeks were during the summer when our schedules were open.

Here are some other comments:

Pat mentioned that she and her family decided that taking kids out of school worked better when they were younger, but not as they grew older. She goes on to say, “…family time is an extremely rare commodity these days. The times we spent at Disney World are great memories for our family just spending together. We now have two college graduates, so I guess our Disney Trips did nothing to hurt their academic progress.”

Deb believed that her experience with her granddaughter was worth the missed school time:
“Her wonderful experience with us, at Disney, far outweighed any loss from being in school during that week. She still talks about her experiences every single time we get together. Life is about the memories we create with our loved ones.”

Finally, reader Marguerite broke Mike’s heart by asking…
“What exactly is a "Dole Whip?”

Michelle’s final thoughts on the topic (for now):

Regardless of whether or not parents decide to take their students out of school, planning a trip to WDW should be a team effort. Parents, children, and teachers should discuss the pros and cons of missing school, how feasible it will be to make up work, and weigh the benefits of a trip to WDW against the potential difficulties of making up school work. There’s no right or wrong here – every family has to make the decision that is best for them.

Mike’s final thoughts on the topic (for now):

The only right answer here is what is most appropriate for the individual child. Some children will thrive with an opportunity to enhance his/her education outside the classroom. A WDW vacation will do so. Others may struggle and face “catch up” on the return.

What is important here is that any decision should not be made in a vacuum but after some discussion among parent, teacher, and child. Remember, the focus should be on the child and a WDW vacation that requires taking the child out of school, if done right, will return many dividends.

We have received so many emails on this topic that it became very difficult to determine which ones to include in the mailbag; each and every email was worthy. We felt it best to include those which most exemplify the majority of opinions expressed.

We thank those of you who took the time to write and send your thoughts on this subject.

Michelle & Mike

Are you one of the lucky ones who was able to scoff up one of those rare MagicMeets tickets?

If so then you are probably a bit excited this week because MagicMeets is practically here.

By the time you get to read this I am probably already in Harrisburg (or almost there) and preparing for a wonderful weekend of Disney Magic with many of my friends.

I'm even more excited this year because for the first time we are presenting MagicTunes.

What is MagicTunes?

MagicTunes is new to MagicMeets 2008 and offers MagicMeets guests the opportunity to display their knowledge of Disney sound bites.

When we talk of Disney sound bites we refer to the sounds of Disney heard on television, film, and in the theme parks.

MagicTunes is fun, competitive, entertaining, and sure to be a staple for every MagicMeets.
Based on the long running television game show “Name that Tune” MagicTunes is played almost the same way.

Everyone who attends MagicTunes will have a chance to play.

In fact 12 lucky guests will be chosen as MagicTunes contestants for the Saturday session of MagicTunes.

If you are one of the lucky 12 guests to be chosen to play MagicTunes come to the front of the room and take a seat in the first row. The sooner our contestants are seated the sooner we can get started with MagicTunes.

How do you play MagicTunes?

MagicTunes involves several rounds of play.

The first round will see the 12 contestants (3 sets of 4) vying to reach the next or Playoff Round and here’s how it’s done:

Four (4) players will take their positions around the MagicTunes-Omatic. The MagicTunes-Omatic is a special device that has four (4) buttons. Each contestant will have his/her own button which they need to press/hit ahead of their competition to be able to first give an answer to the MagicTunes question. The answer we are looking for is the identification of the Disney sound bite just played.

The answer must be the name of an attraction, movie, or television show....although if it's the title of a song...that counts too.

There will be a preliminary round, Playoff Round, Semi-Final Round, and Championship Round.

Are You Ready for MAGICTUNES?!?!?!?!?!?

On Friday night we will have a special edition of MagicTunes. Our celebs will actually be doing us all a favor.

Besides testing their Disney sound bite knowledge, our celebrities, Annette Owens, Deb Wills, Lou Mongello, and Steve Barrett will also be helping everyone to see how MagicTunes is played.

Celebrity MagicTunes is open to all MagicMeets attendees.

There is a $5 minimum donation at the door. All proceeds will be donated to both Deb Wills' Avon Walk Against Breast Cancer and Lou Mongello's Dream Team.

Yours truly will be the Master of Ceremony for both MagicTunes sessions.

Oh Yeah...before I forget.

On Sunday morning I'll be presenting everything I know about the three parties held at WDW's Magic Kingdom. If you have never been to any of the three...Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party...then you may want to sit in and listen to our discussion.

Don'tt forget to check in with Blog Central all weekend as we'll be blogging from MagicMeets.

Harrisburg here I come...uhhh...here I am!

Okay, July 4th has come and gone.

For those of you who are training for either your first Walt Disney World full or half-marathon…how are you doing? You should be in full swing training by now.

Hopefully by now you are somewhere in the 3-5 mile range and are at a comfortable pace. Remember, as your conditioning improves your pace may improve as well. Don’t push yourself too much…just “nudge” yourself a little more each time out.

By “nudge” I mean add a minute or two to your workout each day. You want to gradually build your stamina and ease your body into a longer workout rather than rush it.

If you’ve never participated in a race before now is the time to think about trying out a local short 5K race. It will be good experience for you to get a few races under your belt before the big one.

Good luck.

Check out my entire series on Running With Mickey!

I have received some emails lately asking me about the Disney Dining Plan.

Specifically, you want to know what is better the Basic Dining Plan or the Deluxe Dining Plan.

That’s a tough question to answer because it depends upon things like your eating habits and where you prefer to eat. There is about a $30 difference between the two as well as a different daily assortment of credits.

The Basic Plan is about $38/day for adults and offers one table credit, one quick-service credit and one snack per day per person whereas the Deluxe Plan costs about $67 a day and that gives each adult three table-services credits and two snacks per day.

Here are the two issues I have with the Deluxe Plan…first…I rarely find myself sitting down for three meals during the day. For the most part I may have two sit down meals every other day and maybe a snack here and there but I like the one table-service, one quick-service and one snack plan. I think the concern here is that I really don’t want to spend a lot of time sitting in a restaurant while I’m enjoying my WDW vacation. Time is a premium so I want to make the best of that time and that does not mean spending anywhere from three to five hours sitting in restaurants every day.

I can always find a SNACK...

The other important issue here is that I get concerned when I read an email from someone who is less than six months from a potential vacation and is in the process of booking said vacation and says, “Hey Mike, do you think I should get the Dining Plan?”

Yikes. My philosophy is to first secure the ADRS in your favorite restaurant and then and only then can you really judge whether or not the DDP is for you. Why commit to the Dining Plan when you cannot take advantage of it?

I’ve used the Dining Plan in the past and usually I wait until I have all my ADRs in before deciding if it’s worth it.

Why get the Dining Plan if you cannot get ADRs for those restaurants in which you would use it?

Once you get within six months of your trip your ADR possibilities start to dwindle.

Also, you may not want to use your dining credits everywhere. For instance, I really enjoy eating at such places at Trail’s End at Fort Wilderness, the Plaza Restaurant at The Magic Kingdom, as well as other restaurants which are very reasonably priced.

Well, if I have breakfast at Trail’s End why would I use one of my table credits when the cost is only $11.99 per person? I just happen to be an Annual Passholder and have my Disney Dining Experience Card so that means that $11.99 turns into $9.60.

That frees up a table service credit which I may want to use at a higher priced restaurant like Le Cellier, or even a signature restaurant like California Grill or Yachtsman Steakhouse where two table service credits are required.

Also, in general if I have a sit down breakfast at WDW I don’t use my Dining Plan.

So think very carefully about your dining habits before you commit to any Disney Dining Plan.

Here are some additional AllEars Resources on the Disney Dining Plan:

*** Rate and Review - Feedback from AllEars Readers!

General Information