Thursday, April 19, 2012

Casey's Corner: Restaurant Review

Name: Casey's Corner
Location: The Magic Kingdom, on Main Street, U.S.A.
Cuisine: Ballpark food, namely, hot dogs. A few other token things like nachos and fries as well.
Type: Counter Service
Good For Those Who: Like fancy hotdogs
Price Range: In the $ price range, which means everything is less than $15.
Times: Lunch, dinner, snacks
Reservations: None taken, since it's quick service
My Recommendation: Well... here's the thing with this place. Their specialties are the hotdogs, which, are, admittedly, several steps above what most places boil and slap on a stale bun. What I'm saying is, if you like hotdogs, this is a good place to go. However, I hate hotdogs, even "good" ones like they have here, so I can't exactly personally recommend them. The nachos, though, I have to once again give props to Disney and say, are pretty decent. When you are expecting those hard round chips drenched in disconcertingly-yellow shiny cheese, they are actually a nice surprise. Good chips, beef, actual cheese- and you can put the toppings on yourself. It's the little things, guys.
Healthier Option: If you want healthy, your only option really, is to go someplace else. This isn't that kinda place.

It is a lucky soul who happens to be passing down Main Street and gets hit with a whiff of fresh waffle cone from the ice cream parlor on the right, and a whiff of saurkraut from Casey's on the left. At the same time. I am only half being sarcastic.

xoxo, Lily

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Living With the Land: Ride Review

Name: Living With the Land
Type: Ride, Slow Boat Ride
Location: Epcot, in the World Showcase Land Pavilion
The Gist: Learn about human interaction with nature and ride through actual greenhouses to see some newfangled eco-friendly techniques for growing food (the food they grow here is actually served in the restaurants at Epcot).
A Must-Do For: People interested in plants, agriculture, and/or being environmentally friendly.
Avoid If: You are adverse to being educated while at Disney World.
Fear Factor: 1/10. A calm, slow, educational experience- nothing scary.
Lines and Other Tips: Usually, the wait times for this are easy, probably the longest I have ever waited is 15 or so minutes. Keep in mind that this ride does not usually run long after dark, so if it is a must-do for you, don't put it off.

Ok... so, I know this one sounds totally boring, and yeah, it probably will be for kids, but I personally love it. Just a nice, easy, and interesting experience at Epcot. It actually is sorta fascinating to see some of the crazy ways they grow food.

xoxo, Lily

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The Jungle Cruise: Ride Review

Name: The Jungle Cruise
Type: Ride, Slow Boat Ride
Location: The Magic Kingdom, in Adventureland
The Gist: Take a narrated trip through some of the world's most famous rivers and see some "animals" and other sights along the way.
A Must-Do For: People who like puns (the narration is full of 'em); people who want to experience some of the classic-albeit corny, Disney World attractions.
Avoid If: Nothing too scary about this ride, but there is one part where you go through the ruins of an old temple and it is a little dark.
Fear Factor: 1/10. Even kids shouldn't be scared, I mean, the animals don't look that realistic!
Lines/Other Tips: This one tends to have solidly long lines-during the day. If I were you, I'd wait until after dark. As soon as the sun goes down, like everyone forgets about this ride, and you can almost always get on with no wait. And, it is waaayyy cooler at night. And it beats waiting 30-60 minutes in the heat, like you would going during daytime.

Silly narration and silly animal animatronics aside, I love the Jungle Cruise. I started loving it even more when we discovered how much better it is at night. Pure nostalgic Disney.

xoxo, Lily

Teppan Edo: Restaurant Review

Name: Teppan Edo
Location: Epcot, in the World Showcase Japan Pavilion
Cuisine: Japanese
Type: Sit-Down
Good For Those Who: Like the type of restaurants where the chefs cook your food on the table in front of you.
Price Range: Disney lists this location in their $$ range, which means everything is between $15-$35.99 per person. The entrees here run around $28 or so at both lunch and dinner.
Times: Lunch is 12-3:45pm, and dinner is 4-9pm.
Reservations: Try to have them. You'd be really lucky to get in without one. Reservations can be made at the WDW website.
What You Get: Basically, you choose the meat you want from the menu, and the chefs come to your table (which you usually will share with another party) and prepare it in front of you, along with rice, noodles, and veggies, which are included with all the entrees.

If you've ever been to Kobe, or anyplace like that, you know the drill here.

I feel like a Disney traitor just saying this... but, in my honest opinion, if you are looking for this type of food, just go to Kobe. They give you more food, it tastes better, and the prices are slightly cheaper. And there are like a million locations around Orlando, including some near Disney. Sorry, Epcot, you loose on this one. If you are looking to eat in the park, you have more unique options, in my honest opinion:)

xoxo, Lily

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover: Ride Review

Name: Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
Type: Ride, briskly-moving tour
Location: Magic Kingdom, in Tomorrowland
The Gist: Board a highway in the sky for a relaxing tour of Tomorrowland
A Must-Do For: People who want to go on a ride that never has a wait
Avoid If: You don't like being in complete darkness, you have a serious fear of heights
Fear Factor: 2/10. Although this ride is relatively slow and runs on a completely flat track ( meaning no drops or anything), there is a moment when you are thrown into complete darkness, and it is a bit high (you have to go on an escalator to get on).
Lines and Other Tips: There is never a wait for this ride. It is the one sure bet in the Magic Kingdom. Even if there is a small line, it moves very fast. A bonus for this ride: they will often just let you keep riding, without getting off after one time around. This is the only thing you can do that with!

Ellen's Energy Adventure: Ride Review

Name: Ellen's Energy Adventure
Type:Half Movie, half very slow-moving ride
Location: Epcot, in Futureworld, in the Universe of Energy Pavilion
The Gist: Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy team up to teach riders about the varies sources of energy.
A Must-Do For: Fans of Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy (they actually work quite well together on-screen).
Avoid If: You don't belive in evolution or would be bothered by some midly outdated facts about energy production (global warming is basically just glossed over. This ride is pretty old...).
Fear Factor: 2/10. There are some loud noises, and parts of it get a little dark. There are some dinosaur animatronics, but don't worry, they are much less realistic and friendlier than those on that Animal Kingdom ride.

Main Street Confectionery: Snack/Shopping Review

Name: Main Street Confectionery
Location: The Magic Kingdom, on Main Street, U.S.A
Serving/Selling: Candy, cookies and other treats made fresh in-store
Good For Those: Who want a sweet snack or edible souvenirs to bring home
Price Range: Varies depending on what you get. At the counter, it can range from a few dollars for a cookie to almost $10 for a fancy candy apple.
Times: All day, snacks and desserts
My Recommendation: Everytime I go to the Magic Kingdom, I have to make a stop here for one of the cookies they sell at the counter. Not one of those big, flat cardboardy ones, but the fat, chunky ones. The chocoate chip. Mmmmm. I've never had better.
The view from outside.

Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room: Restaurant Review

Name: Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room
Location: Epcot, in the World Showcase United Kingdom Pavilion
Cuisine: British
Type: Table Service
Good For Those Who: Like meat pies, fish & chips or sausages; you like adorable British guys (this place is crawling with them!).
Price Range: Disney lists this location in their $$ range, which means $15-$35.99 per person. At both lunch and dinner, entrees run about $15-$20, on average, although the selections vary.
Times: Lunch: 12-3:20pm, dinner: 4-8pm.
Reservations: Good to have them, but if you go and put your name in right at 12, you should be able to get a table without one.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Ride Review

Name: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Type: Ride, for children, slow-moving
Location: Magic Kingdom, in Fantasyland
The Gist: Board a honey pot-shaped car and ride through the middle of "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day".
Must-Do For: People with very young children; anyone who really wants to feel like a kid a again
Avoid If: No reason too, really
Fear Factor: 1/10. Or, 0/10. This ride is completely baby-safe.
Lines & Other Tips: This is one that will typically have a steady 45-60 minute wait. At least. Let's just say, it gets pretty busy. Go later in the evening (I'm talking like right before closing) or get a Fastpass if you do not care to wait that long.

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros: Ride Review

Name: Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
Type: Ride, slow boat ride
Location: Epcot, in the World Showcase Mexico Pavilion
The Gist: Panchito and Jose Carioca (from the 1944 Disney film The Three Caballeros) go searching for Donald Duck through scenic Mexico, drift along with them in this leisurely boat ride.
A Must-Do For: Guests with children who are otherwise board with the World Showcase
Avoid If: You find Donald Duck a bit grating (Not to say I'd blame you... haha).
Fear Factor: 1/10. Nothing scary about this ride in the least, completely kid-friendly
Lines and Other Tips: This ride never has a wait. I mean, they don't even post wait times for this, because they are nonexistant. Don't let a line deter you, either, even if it seems there are a lot of people waiting, never fear. It always goes fast.

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Snack Review

Name: Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
Location: Magic Kingdom, on Main Street, U.S.A.
Serving: Ice Cream, Ice Cream, and... more Ice Cream. The hand-scooped variety, as opposed to soft-serve.
Type: Counter Service
Good For Those Who: Like ice cream (well, duh), like sundaes and the like.
Price Range: Listed in the $ price range, which is less than $14.99. But everything here is pretty much just a few dollars, with the fancier sundaes peaking at, I don't know, maybe $5?
Times: All day, for snacks and dessert
My Recommendation: I'd go for a sundae. The reason being, those are served in their homemade waffle-cone bowls. Like, they legit stand there and make these bowls right in front of you with a straight-up waffle iron.

Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show: Attraction Review

Name: Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show
Type: Live Show
Location: Hollywood Studios, Backlot Area
The Gist: See how filmakers and stunt drivers accomplish amazing vehicle stunts with cars and motorcycles, and see some of these performed live.
A Must-Do For: Car buffs; people who love car chase scenes in movies-you'll get to see some here, live!
Avoid If: You don't like loud noises. This show gets noisy, especially if you sit near the front.
Show Times: This show runs at several set times daily. When you get to the park, pick up one of the times guides ( they're next to the maps) for the schedule.
Other Info: This show takes place in a huge outdoor stadium. It is good to get there early, but don't worry about whether or not you will find seats, they have plenty. And this is one of those times where I think being in the back is beneficial, you can kind of see what they are doing more clearly and the noise isn't as intense.

I really don't care about cars, like, at all, but this show is actually pretty interesting. I'm always just so shocked that people actually do this for a living. Hell, I can't even drive around the neighborhood without panicking, I could never jump of a ramp like these guys do! So I suppose it impresses me.

xoxo, Lily

Monday, April 2, 2012

Via Napoli: Restaurant Review

Name: Via Napoli
Location: Epcot, in the World Showcase Italy Pavilion
Cuisine: Italian
Type: Table-Service
Good For Those Who: Want the most authentic Italian pizza you can get without actually going to Italy
Price Range: This restaurant falls into the $$ range, which is between $15 and $35.99 per person. The entrees here ran around $18 for individual pizzas and $20 or so for other dishes.
Times: Lunch served 11:30am to 3:15pm; dinner from 4:30pm to 9:00pm
Reservations: I would make them if you want to guarantee yourself a table. Probably going to be difficult otherwise. You can make reservations online on the WDW website.

Peter Pan's Flight: Ride Review

Name: Peter Pan's Flight
Type: Ride, Slow-Moving
Location: Magic Kingdom, in Fantasyland
The Gist: Board a flying pirate ship and sail through the story of Peter Pan.
A Must-Do For: It is most definitely a great choice for young children
Avoid If: You have a hard-core fear of heights. There are moments in this ride where you do get, maybe, I don't know, 15 or so feet in the air.
Fear Factor: 1/10. This is made for kids, except for those that would be bothered by the height issue, there is nothing scary.
Lines and Other Tips: As long as I can remember, this ride has had some of the most consistently long wait times in the entire park, usually at least  an hour (don't ask, I don't know why either). If you refuse to wait that long, your only hope is to get inside when the park opens and make this your first stop, or get a Fastpass. Once the line gets long, it almost never goes down, even late in the day.

Ok, so, yes, I will admit it. This ride is old, cheesy, and most likely due for a serious upgrade, judging by the loud GGGGGGSSSSSHHHHHHK noises it makes the entire time, among other things. But, I love it anyway. It has been one of my favorite rides anywhere since I was tiny. So maybe it is the nostalgia? Either way, this ride is a classic, which is probably why it is so popular. Just don't go in expecting cutting-edge technology and uncanny-valley animatronics.

This is not the ride you go to to be impressed or thrilled. You go to release your inner child that would have loved it, warts and all.

xoxo, Lily

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular: Attraction Review

Name: Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Type: Live Show
Location: Hollywood Studios, in the Backlot area
The Gist: Stunt performers and actors demonstrate how action-movie stunts are accomplished in an Indiana Jones-themed 30-minute live show. You can even volunteer to be a part of the action yourself.
A Must-Do For: Indiana Jones fans (and really, any action-film fans, since this applies to more than just the IJ franchise), people interested in behind-the-scenes film secrets
Showtimes/Other Info: This show is offered several times daily. Pick up a times guide once you get to the park to see the schedule. Note that this show takes place outdoors, in a covered seating area. There are plenty of seats, but the closer to showtime you arrive, the less options you'll have.

I'm not into action movies, like, at all, but I do enjoy this show. There's just something about seeing the stunts live that makes it more exciting. They can't fake this shit with CGI, you know? Definitely a good choice for those of you looking to really learn something about movies at the park. Also good for those who just want to take a break and sit down for 30 minutes. Hey, I don't judge.

xoxo, Lily

Maelstrom: Ride Review

Name: Maelstrom
Type: Ride, Boat Ride
Location: Epcot, in the World Showcase Norway Pavilion
The Gist: Take an adventure through Norway and ride past vikings, polar bears, and even trolls.
A Must-Do For: People who want to educate themselves about culture while still going on a ride; people who like Vikings (who doesn't?); kids who want to do something more thrilling than the Grand Fiesta Tour but less thrilling than Test Track.
Avoid If: Hmm. Although this ride is not very scary, I remember being nervous when I was younger. There are some dark spaces, an angry polar bear animatronic, some angry troll animatronics, a short period of sailing backwards, and a small drop at the end. Adults will be fine, but small children could be frightened.
Fear Factor: 3/10 for the reasons listed above. To put it in persepctive, they don't even bother to give you seatbelts or lapbars. That should show you how tame this ride is by modern standards. Either way, note that this ride is probably less than 2 minutes long, so it will be over very soon if your kids freak out.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Aloha Isle: Snack Review

Name: Aloha Isle
Location: Magic Kingdom, in Adventureland
Good For Those Who: Really, Really like pineapple.
Serves: Soft-serve ice cream, floats, and the infamous Dole Whip. Basically, pineapple flavored soft-serve.
Type: Counter-Service
Price Range: In the $ which means less than $14.99, but realistically, everything here is pretty much just a few dollars.
Times: All day, snacks & desserts
My recommendation: Well, you can't go wrong with the Dole Whip. You can get plain old soft-serve anywhere!
Healthier Option: They do serve just straight pineapple chunks, if you are interested.


Maharaja Jungle Trek: Exhibit Review

Name: Maharaja Jungle Trek
Type: Walking path through animal exhibits
Location: Animal Kingdom, in the Asia area
The Gist: Walk through the Asian animal exhibits and see tigers, bats, kimodo dragons, birds, and deer.
A Must-Do For: People who want to see the real animals at Animal Kingdom

Aww.

Muppet Vision 3-D: Attraction Review

Name: Muppet Vision 3-D
Type: 3-D film
Location: Hollywood Studios, in the Backlot area
The Gist: Allow the Muppets themselves to give you a demonstration of their new "MuppetVision" technology in this 17-minute 3-D film.
A Must-Do For: Muppet fans
Avoid If: You don't like watching things in 3-D. I wouldn't blame you; I don't like this either. But I make an exception for the Muppets, of course:)
Lines and Other Tips: The longest you might have to wait is 17 minutes, that is, until the next film starts. But the preshow is pretty funny, so I never even mind.

Restaurant Marrakesh: Restaurant Review

Name: Restaurant Marrakesh
Location: Epcot, in the World Showcase Moroccan Pavilion
Cuisine: Moroccan, obvs.
Type: Table Service
Good For Those Who: Like Bellydancers, want ethnic food a that's a little less obvious than like, Chinese
Price Range: Disney lists this in their $$ range, which is between $15 and $35.99. Entrees here run around $18 each at lunch and $25 for dinner.
Times: Lunch from 11:30am to 3:15am; dinner from 3:30pm to 9:00pm
Reservations: Recommended if you want to guarantee a table without a long wait. However, the one time I was here, we went for an early lunch, and there was barely anyone else in the whole place, so if you want to walk in, you may be able to do that if you go closer to 11:30.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Ride Review

Name: Pirates of the Caribbean
Type: Ride,Boat Ride
Location: Magic Kingdom, in Adventureland
The Gist: Sail past scenes of animatronic pirates (including some recently added Jack Sparrows) in this classic Disney ride, that inspired the hit films.
A Must-Do For: Those who dream or have dreamed about being a pirate; people who are sexually attracted to Johnny Depp.
Avoid If: You'd have major problems with dark spaces or fake cannonballs exploding around you.
Fear Factor: 3/10. Although this ride is calm for the most part, there are some things that could creep out small children, like a brief moment of total darkness, some loud noises, and a small drop (veeerrry small, although it did scare me when I was a kid).

Pangani Forest Exploration Trail: Attraction Review

Name: Pangani Forest Exporation Trail
Type: Walking trail through animal exhibits
Location: Animal Kingdom, in the Africa area
The Gist: A walking path through some of the African animal exhibits. Animals include gorillas, meerkats, okapi, many kinds of birds, and an underwater hippo viewing area.
A Must-Do For: People who actually want to see animals at Animal Kingdom
Gorillas are exceptionally hard to photograph.

Studio Backlot Tour: Attraction Review

Name: Studio Backlot Tour
Type: Half show, half tram tour
Location: Hollywood Studios, in the Backlot area
The Gist: See how some movie special effects are created with a fun demonstration, then take a tram tour of the functional areas of the park's backlot. Finish in a giant canyon set, and experience a fake earthquake, another demonstration of movie magic.
A Must-Do For: Film buffs and people who are interested in behind the scenes workings of movie studios.
Avoid If: You are likely to be scared by that simulated earthquake. Basically, you just shake, some water sprays out, and there are some flames (don't worry, they don't reach you!), but I've seen small kids have freak outs at this part. Also, if you are totally opposed to maybe getting splashed, you might want to stay away.
Oh, and this happens... but don't worry, it's supposed to!