Mouse Extra

 Today’s Touring Tip is from Mike and Brooke, contributing writers to Mouse Extra.

Disney MGM Studios is the third park created for Walt Disney World. Its development stemmed from an initial idea of a movie - making pavilion for Epcot Center. Yet, in a rush to be completed before Universal Studios, this theme park was built with an odd mish-mosh of areas and no master planned traffic patterns. Since, there are significantly fewer attractions here than at the Magic Kingdom or Epcot Center, planning a day with a preschooler can produce a challenge.

But, that’s not to say there aren’t fun and exciting things for preschoolers to enjoy while visiting MGM. Muppetvision proves to be a favorite for kids. The beloved and entertaining muppets amuse both young and old with their zany antics in a humorous 3D movie that is not alarming to small children.

Young Narnia fans will want repeat visits to the walk through attraction MGM has designed based on the movie. Although, it is basically a movie trailer with an appearance by the White Witch, it is a nice air conditioned stop.

The Studios also offer various spots to meet favorite characters such as; Little Einsteins, JoJo, Buzz, Woody and the Power Rangers. A schedule can be found at the front of the park featuring times and venues for each character meet and greet. One of the best character meetings, though, was Sorcerer Mickey near the New York Streets area. There used to be an indoor set up just for Mickey where he can be found throughout the day. There was usually quite a line, but the cast members kept it moving at a decent pace. This has been moved to under the giant sorcerer hat in just the last few weeks.  Hopefully the experience is just as good as it used to be.

For Star Wars fans, the ultimate character spotting can be found by the Star Tours attraction. The various characters seen can include, Darth Vader escorted by his loyal Stormtroopers, Ewoks, Darth Maul and Queen Amidala. A real treat for the diehard fans would be to visit MGM during Star Wars weekends which are usually held during late May / early June. Star Tours itself is a fun motion simulator with a height restriction of 40 inches suitable for most preschoolers. At the end of the ride visitors are ushered into our son’s version of Shang-ri-la, a large Star Wars store complete with action figures, legos, clothing and the like. They sell little bags of Disney Star Wars figures as well as photos that superimpose the smallest or biggest fan into a scene and star of their favorite movie. The small kids can also entertain themselves by playing on the speeder bike that is located outside the attraction.

However, Tatooine Traders is not the only cool place to shop in MGM Studios. While expensive, young children may enjoy browsing the Animation Gallery, a shop devoted to selling animation cels from Disney’s classic animated movies. Near the Indiana Jones Stunt Show is a small shop dedicated to the movie. By the Muppetvision attraction, there is a store with various Muppet memorabilia, as well. In fact throughout the park, there are various kiosks selling merchandise and strategically placed by their corresponding characters. Souvenirs abound at the Studios and parents are certain to find something perfect for their littlest princess or prince.

For an entertaining dining experience, check out the Sci-Fi Dine in Theatre. The food itself is average, with the exception of their ice cream shakes, but preschoolers will delight in eating their meals in a convertible car while watching the giant movie screen play cheesy science fiction clips.

As for the bad, here are some drawbacks in touring this park with preschoolers. The Rock N Roller coaster requires a height of 48 inches, which leaves most preschoolers out of luck in riding. However, the even more foreboding Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has a minimum height restriction of merely 40 inches. And while this is well within the reach of most 4 - 6 year olds, parents must make the determination of whether their child is prepared. The huge drop is tough and the special effects inside can be unsettling to adults let alone young children. Having said that, many won’t want to attempt it once they hear the blood curdling screams plummeting through the air near this attraction. Our five year old son loved Splash Mountain but wanted to stay clear of this thrill ride.

Presently, MGM Studios does not boast a lot rides for kids, although the upcoming Toy Story attraction will help. There is the Great Movie Ride, which is a pleasant jaunt through the history of cinematic endeavors. The Backlot Tour can be rather dull for kids with the only possible highlight being catastrophe canyon. The same can be said for the new Lights Motor Action Stunt show, which bored these adults almost to tears. The arena holds a large crowd capacity making it difficult for preschoolers to get to and from their seats. Plus, more than half of the show is talking and explaining how each stunt is performed. Young children have a tough time sitting through a lecture instructing them on how the cars drove backwards. It would be a far better show if the stunt actors were not wired and just performed the particular stunts. And while definitely a park not to miss, MGM is geared more toward the older crowds or those interested for its educational purposes.

And the main reason not to skip out on this park is Fantasmic. This family’s vote for the best nighttime event in any park hands down. A word of advice is to take advantage of the dinner package. This ensures seats to the show and avoids the necessity of sitting in the ampitheatre for more than an hour prior to show time. A definite perk if visiting during peak seasons. The package must be reserved and there are three different restaurant choices available; The Brown Derby, a high priced eatery, Mama Melrose’s, an average Italian place with pizza, or the Hollywood and Vine, a buffet restaurant. The dinner package is fixed price with the buffet being the cheapest and the Brown Derby the most expensive. Guests may have to reserve a dinner seating at 4 pm since this option tends to be extremely popular, but diners do not have to go directly to Fantasmic upon the completion of their meals. When meeting at the assigned place and time, the visitors with the dinner package, may still have a small wait until the show, but small toys can help pass the time for the excited preschoolers. As soon as youngsters see sorcerer Mickey with fire pulsing through his fingertips, memories will be engraved forever.

Day three, our final full day, began at the Disney-MGM Studios.  We missed rope-drop by 15 minutes, credited directly to the fact that we saw the MGM bus go by as we were walking towards the bus stop.  I can’t complain too much because we never even had the Studios on the agenda, but since we had done so well with crowds up to this point we decided to go and hit the favorites.

Both the Tower or Terror and the Rock n’ Rollercoaster were so empty, we went on each twice within an hour.  It is truly the best way to see Walt Disney World, when the crowds are this low.  Getting to ride the Tower twice like that was a welcome surprise.  After the biggies, we headed up to the Great Movie Ride.  It was a terrible experience, as the school trips had arrived at the park by then and we were stuck with the rudest group of teenagers you’ll ever meet.  I felt terrible for the Cast Member trying to deal with them.  We walked around the park a bit more and than decided it was time to head to the Beach Club, where lunch at Beaches and Cream awaited.

The walk felt good, and the food was as great as always.  We needed to eat well, because many adult beverages were in our future.  Tuesday is what my wife and I call a “band day”.  Those are the days when both Off Kilter and the British Invasion are playing.  We spend hours just going from one to the other, with occasional stops at the Rose and Crown for a pint.  It is truly my favorite thing to do while on vacation.  But before we started, we wanted to see some more of the Flower and Garden Festival, and check out the new Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros.  On the way we found some terrific prints for sale of Disney World landmarks.  I’ll post more about these in the future.

By 3 o’clock our touring of the park was done, and we settled in for some great music.  Both bands were truly on their game that day.  The British Invasion picked some of my favorites, and Off Kilter played a few wonderful tunes I’d never heard them do.  Before we knew it, it was 9pm and we hadn’t eaten dinner.  So we walked over to the ESPN Club for a fantastic pulled pork sandwich and to catch up on baseball scores.  We enjoyed the meal, but we should have gone to Downtown to eat instead.  Trying to get back from the Boardwalk to the Saratoga Springs is never an easy proposition.  By the time we got home, we were both ready for bed.  The next day would see us leaving too early to get to a park, so this was goodbye to the parks for now…

As the parents of a preschooler and toddler, planning a Disney World vacation can be daunting. Especially when attempting the near impossible chore of maintaining each child’s level of happiness. Together we have compiled a series of articles to share our experiences and lend some insight into what may help make a day at the park even better.

Aah, the beauty of the Magic Kingdom, the happiest place on earth. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the constant worry of trying to avoid a meltdown from your toddler who does not want to be strapped into a stroller while her older brother rides Big Thunder Mountain for the fourth time.  Fear not parents, there is something for everyone at this park even while traveling with a toddler and preschooler.

Since children must be at least 40 inches tall to ride most thrill rides, height restrictions become a large factor in planning a day at the Magic Kingdom.  Many toddlers do not quite make that mark and tying up their hair or adding lifts in their shoes to gain a few inches is probably not the best of ideas.  But depending on the cast member attending the attraction, if a child is only a 1/2″ below the required height, he or she may be allowed to ride.

Of course, the highlights for the 5 and older crowd are the exhilarating attractions like Splash Mountain, which can add the snare of ensuring toddlers are not “left out” amid all the excitement.  Fortunately, ideally located at the exit of Splash, is a shaded playground perfect for little ones to play a game of peek-a-boo or enjoy some freedom while playing in the house and on the adjoining slide. There are also strategically placed benches close enough for parents to sit and rest while observing their children at play.

Another option can be taking youngsters to see the Country Bear Jamboree.  This is a great idea if the wait times for Splash or Big Thunder are lengthy. The show is comprised of many animatronic animals, mostly bears, singing country songs and telling corny jokes. The kids love it and parents will be grateful for the air conditioned atmosphere.

While visiting Tomorrowland, the Astro Orbiter and the Wedway People mover (yes, I still call it that), are the best choices when the remainder of the party opt to ride Space Mountain.  The Buzz Lightyear attraction is there too, and while the Toddlers won’t appreciate the video game aspect, they will love seeing the neon colors and hearing the little green men speak.

It is no doubt that Fantasyland is the place to be for toddlers and FastPasses for Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh are a must.  These attractions tend to have longer wait times than the Mountains these days.  There is also the chance a character may share a ride with the toddlers.  Our daughter had the honor of riding the carousel with Mary Poppins, a memory she still recalls today. Characters from Alice in Wonderland may be spotted twirling around on the teacups, but parents may need to dope up on the Dramamine in order to take in this ride, it can be rough.

Dumbo is immensely popular but the line moves at glacial speeds.  It’s not unheard of waiting times exceeding an hour for a 90 second spin.  The best suggestion if Dumbo is out of the question, would be to hop on over to Aladdin’s Magic Carpets in Adventureland.  This is basically the same ride, and while it may seem a sacrilege to the old timers, the kids of today know Aladdin better. Yet, before leaving Fantasyland, the 3-D movie Mickey’s Philarmagic proves to be a good initial test in a toddler’s ability to sit through longer movie presentations. Although the one size fits all 3-D glasses, may give them a struggle, the video can still be seen without wearing them.

There are a few attractions which may seem scary to the little ones.  Many can handle the Tiki Birds even though the lights go out, thunder strikes and the statues come to life. Also, during the Jungle Cruise there is an area with a darkened temple and a few gunshot sounds.  However, the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion are a different story.  This may need a parent’s judgment to determine what their child can handle when visiting these. The dark corridors and skeletons in the Pirates ride may spook the littlest ones in the boat and hands may need to be held when descending down the waterfall in the dark. Our daughter was fine, but we warned her ahead of time.  She was even okay during the Haunted Mansion, and while no two kids are the same when it comes to the “spooky factor”, we believe preparation is the real key ingredient to these attractions.

But, there are attractions to avoid for little ones.  The Swiss Family Treehouse entails a lot of climbing for children, or more accurately, a lot of parents carrying them.  Since it is just a walk through exhibit of the Swiss Family Robinson’s home, the kids are easily bored. Another snoozer for toddlers is the Hall of Presidents.  And while the Speedway may look like fun, children aren’t actually allowed to drive the cars, thus seriously reducing its appeal. Tom Sawyer Island is too big for the littlest ones to be given any freedom from Mom or Dad, plus, the fort and cave theme is not fully appreciated by tots.

The best recommendation for dining with small children is Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. The food, like most in the Magic Kingdom is mediocre, but the kids love being entertained by Sonny Eclipse, an audio-animatronic alien lounge singer.  If searching for a better meal, hop on the monorail to the Polynesian or another resort. Although, it may be a little tiring for the youngsters, try asking a cast member at the front of the line, if the lead car with the driver is available to ride in.

There are plenty of little things along the way that will keep a toddler entertained.  Various characters can always be seen throughout the park, while the parades are always a big hit. Woody’s Roundup in Frontierland is presented several times during the day, while Belle has story time in Fantasyland and Mickey and company can be spotted at different intervals in Toontown.  If the tots are still raring to go after all of this, a nice relaxing dip in the pool back at the resort can top the day off just right.

Today’s article was written by Mike and Brooke, contributing writers to Mouse Extra and parents of the two biggest Disney nuts I know.

Perhaps the best advice I can give to people going to Walt Disney World for a short trip, and by that I mean less then 4 days, is to know what you want to do.  If it is your first time, read the guide books.  But if you are a Mouse veteran like me, all you need to do is think it out and make a short list.  You don’t have to make a list of everything you plan to do and turn it into a color-coded spreadsheet for your entire party to follow or risk the punishment.  You just need to know what you want to make sure you don’t go home wishing you had more time.

My list may be a bit different from the average guest, but here’s what I want to be sure I do before I leave…

1. Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor because it’s new
2. Gran Fiesta Tour for the same reason
3. Turtle Talk so I can see the new theater
4. Spaceship Earth so I can see it before it changes
5. Eat at Alfredo’s so I can see it before it closes
6. Nemo Musical because it stopped in mid-show due to technical problems the last time I attempted to see it.
7.  Kali River Rapids because it will probably be hot

Those are the main objectives, everything else is gravy.  I do plan on doing a lot more than just that, but these are the things that will leave me disappointed if I don’t get them done.

Just from this short list, you can make a plan.  For instance, we know the Laugh Floor, Turtle Talk, and the Nemo musical are all fairly popular, and therefore could have some lengthy lines.  So that means we want to go to those parks in the morning as much as we can.  In order to free up time to do the other things, the gravy, we need to make sure we don’t get caught on a 70 minute line for the stuff we’re really trying to accomplish.  Also, a 70 minute line is often how start talking yourself out of doing something you really want to do.  How many times have you walked up to an e-ticket, saw the wait time and walked away?  Fastpass can help, but remember the trip is short.  Some of the most popular attractions often have return times that are hours out.  If we are planning on doing more than one theme park each day, that could be tough.

As you can see from my list, the Disney-MGM Studios is expendable.  Though I love the Tower of Terror and my wife was very disappointed we didn’t get on the Rock n’ Rollercoaster last time while it was getting a facelift, there is nothing new.  I can’t imagine we’ll skip it altogether.  If we get the list done, we should have plenty of time.

Perhaps I’ve been listening to Len Testa too much, but now I am at the stage in my planning when I am almost plotting out every step.  For those of you who don’t know Len Testa, he is the co-author of the Unofficial Guide, webmaster of touringplans.com, and a member of the WDW Today mob.  If you listen to him long enough, you’d think without a previously written touring plan, done by the Testa Team of Blistered Toes, you’ll be stuck riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority all day or waiting 3 hours for an e-ticket.

Fortunately, I do not need to ride every ride and see every show this time around, because if I did I would certainly need Len’s famous duct-tape.  I’m going to the Mouse to relax, get some photos of things I need for this website, see the new attractions, and check out Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival.  But still, time is short and I need a game plan.  I guess that’s something so emblazoned in my head there’s no getting it out.

We are going to be there in May from a Sunday to a Wednesday.  Before Memorial Day, May is an average time as far as attendance is concerned.  It’s not too crowded, but it certainly isn’t empty.  Big attractions need to be targeted first, and I personally like to avoid evening Extra Magic Hours whenever possible.  Since Sunday is an evening Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom, we’ll probably go to the Disney MGM-Studios.  Fantasmic is scheduled for 9pm, and that seems like a great way to end the day.

Monday offers a morning Extra Magic Hour at the Animal Kingdom, and those are a good idea.  Most people are eating their breakfast at 8am, but we’ll be on Expedition Everest.  (Hopefully my wife isn’t reading this!  She’s not a huge fan of me dragging her out of bed this early.)  The evening has and Extra Magic Hours at the Studios, so this seems like a great time to go to the Magic Kingdom.  It is open until 10pm and Spectromagic runs at 9pm.  We’ll probably go to Trail’s End for dinner, my wife’s favorite place and a good way to make it up to her for the morning.

Tuesday is Epcot day.  We’ll explore the Flower and Garden Festival, ride some attractions in the morning, and then settle in around mid-afternoon for Off Kilter and the British Invasion.  Tuesday is the only day we’ll be there when both bands are playing.  My only other must-sees are lunch at Alfredo’s before it is gone for good, and Spaceship Earth before it is changed for good.  Now I know those of you who are Len Testa disciples will immediately point out that Epcot is considered a “park to avoid” by the touringplans.com standards.  Well, that’s just the way it has to be, we’re going to Epcot.

That leaves the few hours on Wednesday before the Magical Expresses depresses me with it’s farewell video.  Since we’ve been to every park, we’ll play that by ear…

Today we have part 2 of my May trip planning journal.  If you haven’t read the first installment click here. 

With my next trip to Walt Disney World only weeks away, it’s time for me to figure out where we are going to eat.  If we choose to make advanced dining reservations, (we’ll call this ADR’s) then we need to decide now what parks we are going to and when.  But I’m hoping to stay away from that type of regiment.

 Since this is a last minute trip, and not during an extremely low attendance period, I can expect to not find availability at the more popular theme park restaurants at the times we want.  I don’t want to eat dinner at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, so my choices are a sit-down late lunch or counter service.  Both are good options, depending on where you are.  But I am a Disney Dining Experience (DDE) cardholder, so that needs to be factored into the decisions as well.  Also, I prefer to do as little waiting for tables and waiters as possible, as time is short, so counter service is where I am probably headed most.

At the Magic Kingdom, this is barely an issue.  The sit-downs are limited, and the counter service rather ordinary.  But to make sure I get my DDE discount, my options are narrowed considerably.  The often overlooked Plaza Restaurant is a nice sit-down choice.  It is generally not as crowded as some of the other places, but still a good meal.  I haven’t been there in years, and I think this may be the right time to try it again.  The Plaza is one of those “hidden gems” of dining at the Mouse.  Either that, or hop a boat to Trail’s End over at the campground.

The Animal Kingdom, due to its lack of sit-down options, offers most of the counter service locations on the DDE plan.  Flame Tree and Tusker House are both on the plan, as are others, and both are perfect for what I need. 

Epcot is a big challenge.  All of the DDE options are sit-down, and only the less desirable locations and times are available this close to the trip.  This is my favorite park, and we plan to be there probably 50% of the time we are in Walt Disney World, so we’ll need at least two options.  The first one is easy.  I’ll have to bite the bullet and make an off-time ADR at Alfredo’s.  This is the last time I’ll be able to go before it closes, and I would like to say one last goodbye.  For the second option, something everyone forgets is the Boardwalk area, just a short walk from the U.K pavilion.  There we have great options, like the ESPN Club, Spoodles and Beaches and Cream.  These are all wonderful places and all have DDE discounts available.

But if Epcot is a difficult challenge for the last minute traveler, the Disney-MGM Studios is a near nightmare.  Mama Melrose’s is the only place you can get a last minute ADR, and that is average at best.  The pizza at Toy Story Pizza Planet is dreadful, and the ABC Commissary does not have much that excites me.  The Flatbread Grill is a good counter service option, but the DDE discounts are not offered there or any other counter service location.  Remember this is a short trip, so time is precious and I don’t want spend a lot of time waiting around for a table.  But it kills me to not use the discount I’ve paid for.  This is a tough one…