REVIEW: Express Bus Transportation Service Breaks The Rules, But Exceeds Expectations

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

Since we broke the news about it a few weeks back, the general public and fans alike have been buzzing about the addition of an Express Transportation Service at Walt Disney World. For a fee, this service allows guests to bounce between all 4 Walt Disney World theme parks from internal bus stops within the parks.

Express Transportation Bus Service at Walt Disney World

The service costs $15 per person for 1 day, but can be purchased for up to 7 consecutive days for just $24 per person for the entire period. Guests can book the service at the front desk of their resort, at any guest relations location, or by credit card at the Express Bus Service stops themselves at each park.

Since an annual pass is technically a park-hopper ticket, all annual pass holders are eligible to use the service as well at both price levels.

Since so many of you asked us to do it, we went ahead and tested out the service yesterday so we could give you a good idea of how it works and how best to utilize it.

The busses depart on the half hour, meaning there is essentially a bus to a park departing each station every 10 minutes. So, a bus to Animal Kingdom from the Magic Kingdom may depart on the 10’s and 40’s each hour up until park close (at Animal Kingdom). The one caveat to this is that it is pretty hard to catch nighttime spectaculars near closing time at one park and make it back to another park. For example, last night, we could not have seen Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular and made it back to the Magic Kingdom. The fireworks were presented at 9:30pm, but the last Express Bus to Magic Kingdom was at 9:50pm. Getting to the bus stop just 5 minutes after the show ended on a crowded evening would be quite the challenge for anyone, considering that the check-in spot there is down by Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster.

Other than that, the busses remain strict to their schedules. That being said, if you miss one, another is only 30 minutes behind, or you could always call an audible and just go on whatever bus is next, which will promise a wait of 10 minutes or less until departure for one of the other 3 parks at Disney World.

We never experienced any problems of busses not running on schedule, and other than our last bus ride of the night, we were almost alone on every ride. I became concerned that the system was losing Disney money until we caught the 8:50PM bus from Hollywood Studios to Magic Kingdom, in which all of the seats were filled before we departed. Other than that, there was typically just one other family onboard the bus with us.

Express Transportation Bus Service at Walt Disney World

The four stops within the parks are convenient enough, although it is weird to enter theme parks from these areas. The busses depart and arrive at the points you will see indicated on the pamphlet above.

Express Transportation Bus Service at Walt Disney World

Express Transportation Bus Service at Walt Disney World

Express Transportation Bus Check-In at Epcot, Walt Disney World

The Express Transportation Service does break some “rules” of Disney theme parks, mainly allowing guests to see large portions of the backstage areas. In actuality, this is a really cheap way to see backstage at the parks without taking a tour. Highlights included glimpses of Pandora: The World of AVATAR, Tower of Terror, Test Track, Carousel of Progress, and more. That being said, it is far from the experience of a backstage tour, but you will get that special feeling of being “behind the magic” and seeing places in the parks you may have never seen before.

Space Mountain from the bus route to and from Magic Kingdom park

Pandora: the World of AVATAR from the Express Bus to Animal Kingdom

When you are going to be taking the bus, all you need to do is check-in with the guest relations cast member at the check-in location. They will be able to check you in for your bus and can also provide the bus schedule for the rest of the day to you, should need it. When it is time to take your bus, a guest relations cast member will walk you to the vehicle. Along the way, signage reminds guests that photography of any kind is not allowed in backstage areas.

My only gripe is the timing of the busses towards park closing times. I wish they would at least give you 30-60 minutes past the closure of the park or the end of the last nighttime show to make it to a bus, but instead it is the next scheduled time after park close, which in many case will give you anywhere from 5-25 minutes to make it, possibly. I guess the viewpoint is that you could always still get a normal bus after that time, but it kind of defeats the purpose of the service in some ways.

Overall, I was overwhelmed with what a tremendous value this service is. First off, by using this service, you ensure that you will only need to go through the parking and security/park entry process once. The bus service will drop you off inside of the other parks, meaning you are in the thick of things as soon as you get to your destination.

In our experience yesterday, here were the travel times between destinations:

  • Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom – 25 minutes
  • Animal Kingdom to Epcot – 22 minutes
  • Epcot to Hollywood Studios – 13 minutes
  • Hollywood Studios to Magic Kingdom – 17 minutes

Beyond the conveniences mentioned above, it saves a tremendous amount of time in park-hopping. A bus every 30 minutes to each park is perfect, where even if you just miss a bus by a minute, it isn’t going to ruin your day. You are guaranteed a bus every half hour and knowing when that bus is coming already makes the service a million times more reliable than the regular bus service at Walt Disney World.

We were able to hit a list of our favorite things at all 4 parks using the service. In fact, within one hour, we arrived at Hollywood Studios from Epcot, rode Star Tours, ordered a Blue Milkshake, and were back on a bus to the Magic Kingdom to enjoy the rest of the evening. This was an insanely cool thing to do that we never could have done without the service. It would have at least taken another hour to do this via car or the regular Disney transportation offerings.

Whether you are only visiting the parks for a short period of time and NEED to hit all of your favorite attractions, or looking for a hassle-free way to get around the parks for a week, the Express Transportation Service is a tremendous value. The convenience and price can not be beat. Yes, it does take you to places you aren’t supposed to see, but it offers a service that takes so much of the pressure out of planning a Walt Disney World vacation and gives you a lot more freedom to do just about whatever you could want to across four parks in just one day (FastPass reservations permitting of course). It could also allow you to remove the need for a rental car from your trip (provided you don’t need to go to see any SCREENZ down the road at Universal Orlando). As a resort guest, I would enjoy return service to my resort somehow at the end of the day, but other than that, this is truly the only way to park hop in my book.

In a world of unnecessary vacation add-on packages, this is the first one that will certainly improve your theme park experience if you plan on park-hopping. The Express Transportation service is highly recommended and a nice way to take some commuting stress out of a trip to Walt Disney World.

REVIEW: Gingerbread & Peppermint Ice Cream are a MUST on Your Holiday Epcot Visit

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

It is not unusual for the ice cream parlor in France at Epcot to introduce seasonal flavors and treats. During this holiday season, L’Artisan des Glaces has two specialties for those who enjoy peppermint and gingerbread.

The peppermint ice cream macaron is available for $4.69.

The gingerbread ice cream is available in one scoop, two scoop, or in a sandwich of sorts utlizing a baked good from the nearby bakery. If you choose a cup over a cone, I would suggest just getting a cone and asking for a cup to put it in, that way you can taste their delicious cones but avoid the mess of it.

Peppermint Ice Cream Macaron

The macaron was very fresh, light and airy with a good flavor. The ice cream was super creamy, with a natural peppermint flavor that isn’t overwhelming like every other peppermint snack at the parks. I’m genuinely surprised at how much we enjoyed it.

Gingerbread Ice Cream with Gingerbread Pieces

It’s really hard to order something that you won’t enjoy here, but this was probably my favorite flavor I’ve ever had. The gingerbread pieces in the ice cream was the freshest I have had in a theme park, leading me to wish that the bakery in France produced the gingerbread goodies for all of Walt Disney World.

It has a lot of nutmeg in it, but it worked well with the sweetness of the ice cream. I highly recommend you order this if you’ll be visiting during the holidays this year.

REVIEW: Jungle Cruise Skipper Canteen Undergoes Another Menu Change

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

Recently, the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen at the Magic Kingdom underwent another menu change, so we decided to go and check it out. If you haven’t, be sure to check out our last review which covers some of the past menu changes.

The souvenir mugs have made it onto the menu finally.

The cachapas replace the arepas appetizer, utilizing the same ingredients in a completely new preparation.

Thr preperation and sides with the grilled steak have changed.

The pork chops are also prepared a little differently with new sides as well.

Orinico Ida’s Cachapas ($10)

A new take on the former arepas appetizer, this dish comes preassembled now with way more of the pork and less of the accompaniments. The mix of the pre-existing flavors with the avocado cream is glorious. The arepas were good, this new version is PHENOMENAL.

Dr. Falls Signature Grilled Steak ($34)

The steak was the only dish at Skipper Canteen that I haven’t had before, so provided there was a change in the preparation, I figured that it might be blogable to order it today.

The steak was much better that I expected, cooked and seasoned very well. If you don’t want seafood, I’d still order the pork over this, but it is a viable option at least.

The mashed plantains as a side were great and the vegetable slaw was adequate as well.

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New Year’s Eve Festivities at California Adventure Includes Concerts and Live Music in Cars Land

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

As posted on the Disney Parks Blog:

It’s hard to believe 2016 is already coming to a close. Have you made your New Year’s Eve plans yet? For those of you looking to welcome 2017 at Disney California Adventure park on December 31, we have quite a party planned for you. Here’s just a sampling of what’s in store:

  • Hollywood Land – Join us in front of our brand-new stage at the end of Hollywood Blvd. all night long for tunes spun by world-famous DJ Roueche and special performances by Hollywood Records artist Olivia Holt. You don’t want to miss the countdown to midnight here, with rooftop fireworks and “Auld Lang Syne.”
  • Paradise Bay – To mark the arrival of 2017, Disney California Adventure park is hosting the “Party of the Year!” At night, the waters of Paradise Bay become a sparkling winter fantasy with two scheduled performances of the all-new “World of Color – Season of Light” at 8:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Leading up to midnight, DJ Wendy keeps the energy building with an awesome dance party around the lagoon. Our New Year’s countdown culminates in a musical celebration punctuated by fountains, pyrotechnics, fireballs and lasers!
  • Cars Land – Choose to welcome in the new year country style under the neon lights of Cars Land with appearances by the Kelly Rae Band and DJ Trevor.

It all promises to add up to the biggest party of the year!

PHOTOS: First Look at Food and Drinks from the Epcot International Festival of the Arts

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

Disney today is previewing the new Epcot International Festival of the Arts and its “Food Studios” that will be located along the World Showcase promenade.

Running Fridays through Mondays from Jan. 13-Feb. 20, the festival will combine visual, culinary and performing arts, unveiling brand new art each week.

While the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival strives for seasonal flavors, and the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is all about global cuisine, the Epcot International Festival of the Arts is all about works of art on a plate that may be photo-worthy. Yes, that is where we are as a society now.

At many of the Food Studios, guests will be able to watch the chefs plating and see the creative process as the dish comes to life.

Here’s a gallery of some of the artful dishes:

PHOTO REPORT: Epcot 12/21/16 (Holidays Around the World, New Merchandise, Gingerbread Carousel, Etc.)

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

Our latest photo report brings us to Epcot for a look at Holidays Around the World, new merchandise, and more. Let’s hop right in and see what’s new and exciting around the park.

The holiday season marches on at Epcot, along with the ever-popular Holidays Around the World celebrations.

A number of pins celebrating the 25th anniversary of beauty and the Beast were recently released.

A selection of fairly neat pins were also released for Holidays Around the World.

I’m not sure why, but some of the pins have the “WDW” icon you will find on transportations systems around the resort, namely the Railroad at the Magic Kingdom.

A holiday Eaches Vinylmation was released featuring Donald Duck and Snowman Donald Duck.

A new series of kid’s shirts allows little girls to dress as their favorite Princess… kind of…

A strange, futuristic tree adorns the entrance to the Art of Disney at Epcot.

This awesome piece of Hatbox Ghost art is for sale inside.

And suddenly all of the Disneyland locals got offended…

Topiaries adorn the walkway between Future World and World Showcase.

There is now a Le Cellier Tervis for sale in the Canada shops.

Canadian guests can get 150th anniversary buttons at the store upon request, either in English or in French.

Some new, Disney made sports shirts for sale in the Canada pavilion.

The Land pavilion is decorated for the holidays.

They kind of went a little overboard with the decorations inside of the Living with the Land attraction, but it is a nice touch.

Brilliant decorations can be found all around World Showcase.

A former backstage area in the Mitsukoshi store was converted into shopping space for the holiday season.

The space is being used for toys and models.

This Marie is part of a new series of plush with oversized features.

This great Epcot snow globe featuring World Showcase is now available.

A similar artwork style appears on the new World Showcase ornament this year.

It lights up, which is pretty neat.

Several of the Agent P World Showcase Adventure kiosks have closed, leaving just the bridge between World Showcase and Future World for a sign-up location.

The holiday tag has returned to IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth for the season. We have a video of the tag for you to enjoy below:

Christmas at the Beach Club

The gingerbread carousel has returned to Disney’s Beach Club Resort and it looks as delicious as ever.

BREAKING: Disney Removing Large Cups from Counter Service Locations, But Why?

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

In a strange turn of events, several counter service locations at Walt Disney World recently removed large drink cups from their menus.

A large drink cup I acquired at Pecos Bill's just a month ago, now gone from the menu.

A large drink cup I acquired at Pecos Bill’s just a month ago, now gone from the menu.

The confirmed locations so far include Sleepy Hollow Refreshments, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, Casey’s Corner, Westward Ho, and Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn and Cafe, all located at the Magic Kingdom.

Now, many counter service locations at other parks do not have large cups because the establishments feature self-serve soda fountains where guests are able to get refills on their own. The Electric Umbrella, Sunshine Seasons, Restaurantosaurus, and Backlot Express are examples of these types of counter service locations. Almost all counter service locations at resorts have these self-serve fountains as well, most sporting the Rapid Fill technology which limited the time and amount of refills the cups can be used for.

We have been unable to confirm why this is happening and if the trend will continue, but there are several possibilities here. The first is that Disney is trying to up-sell guests on souvenir cups. Westward Ho and Pecos Bill’s offer a fairly large souvenir cup shared like a jug, but even the souvenir mugs at Casey’s Corner and Cosmic Ray’s are much smaller than a large fountain beverage. That being said, Sleepy Hollow does not currently sell a souvenir cup.

From my personal collection: as you can see, the Country Bears jug is quite large, but the other souvenir cups are considerably smaller.

The second is that it is a cost cutting measure since most locations don’t even need to stock the large cups since they use a self-serve drink fountain. In addition, guests could be ordering just one large fountain drink for $3.69 and sharing it rather than buying one drink for each guest in their party. Disney could make a lot more money at $3.29 a drink if everyone in the group buys one.

With the busy holiday crowds, it could also be a way of streamlining service at some of the resort’s busiest eateries.

For those hoping self serve fountains or Coke Freestyle machines will be added, I wouldn’t hold your breath. Most of the locations mentioned above are far to small for either of these things to be installed.

Whatever the reason, we will have to keep our eyes peeled to see if the large cups return to these locations or begin to vanish from more around Walt Disney World.

CONFIRMED: Remember… Dreams Come True Fireworks Will Return to Disneyland

WDWNT on December 26, 2016

As we told you last week, the beloved fireworks spectacular “Remember… Dreams Come True” will be returning to Disneyland Park.

Initially presented as the evening highlight of the 50th anniversary of Disneyland Resort in 2005, “Remember… Dreams Come True” features Tinker Bell’s flight, brilliant fireworks, soaring music, dazzling special effects and an amazing journey through the various lands of Disneyland with archival audio tracks, favorite songs and familiar phrases from some of the park’s most popular attractions, past and present. From the flame effects erupting from Sleeping Beauty Castle during the Indiana Jones Adventure sequence, to the feeling of being in a virtual stretching room as fireworks launch straight into the sky to welcome the Haunted Mansion’s “Grim, Grinning Ghosts,” Remember is sure to please any fan of the park.

You’ll have a chance to relive all those moments and more, when “Remember… Dreams Come True” once again begins regular weekend performances on Feb. 3.