The Accidental Breakfast With Donald Duck and Friends

By Nick

Sometimes, mistakes are made.

On my last trip to Walt Disney World I woke up early one morning under the impression that it was an Extra Magic Hour morning at Disney's Animal Kingdom. I don't know why. Maybe I dreamed it. Maybe because it was the last day of my trip, and I was in a "returning to reality" funk?

Regardless, I got on a bus at 720am from The Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village, and arrived at about 735am. I guess I should have guessed something was amiss when I was the only person on the bus, but I didn't, until I got to the front entrance and noticed there were only a few Cast Members and guests milling about!

I realized my mistake, and was contemplating just going back to the Lodge when I noticed people checking in at the entrance to go into the park early for breakfast at Tusker House.

"Hmmm," I thought, "I'm hungry." So I approached the CM holding an electronic tablet and asked if there was any possibility of a free table for a solo diner. She very politely explained I could check availability via the My Disney Experience app. I immediately searched and discovered there was indeed an opening. At 10:30am.

I told the CM this and she said to go ahead and book it, and she'd let me go ahead early, and that I would just need to tell the folks over at the Tusker House that she said it was ok!

When I arrived at Tusker, they had just opened, I explained the situation and within just a few minutes, I was being seated.

*Please note, I don't know that this would work for a larger party, or even a single, as the Cast Member who assisted me may have just taken pity on me (I did give her my "boo boo face"), and would hate to be responsible for you not having similar results!

 I love the look and feel of Tusker!

Let's take a look at the food!

I went up and got my first plate and was just finishing when Donald stopped by. His Cast Member buddy was happy to take my photo with him, and all his friends as they came by.

I finished at about 5 minutes to 9am and took a stroll to Kilimanjaro Safaris, which was just opening!

If you love breakfast buffets like me, want to get photos with the characters in a different environment and dressed in unique attire, and want to get a jump on park opening, I highly recommend getting an early ADR at Tusker House!

Step on up to Pete's Silly Sideshow in the Magic Kingdom!

By Nick 

 Me, Barbie, Goofy, Jill, Josh, and Josie

On Episode 25 of The Disney Exchange Podcast, Lisa, Dave and I discussed meeting Disney characters in Walt Disney World as well as on a Disney Cruise. We looked at where to meet characters in each park, but we missed a few I'm sure. One spot I KNOW we missed discussing was Pete's Silly Sideshow in the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World located within the  Storybook Circus section of Fantasyland.

Here, Pete, the perpetual Disney ne'er-do-well, has somehow managed to put together a sideshow of some of Disney's biggest stars!

Signs for this spectacle greet you as you enter this area, beckoning you to step right up!

The Sideshow is located to the right of Big Top Souvenirs.

Once you enter you are greeted by "Astonishing Acts of Curiosity", or Goofy, Donald, Daisy and Minnie as you've never seen them before!
Goofy is 'The Great Goofini", stunt goofster extraordinaire!

Donald Duck is "The Astounding Donaldo,"  snake mesmerist!

 

Daisy is "Madame Daisy Fortuna", teller of fortunes.

 

And Minnie Mouse is "Minnie Magnifique", with her dog act.

 

 

I found it somewhat interesting that the Imagineers chose the roles that most fit the personalities of the characters. Goofy, in his classic  "How To" cartoons, was a bit of a dare devil. Minnie is sweet, and her cartoons often have her interacting with dogs. And Donald and Daisy, let's be honest, have a bit more of an edge to them, and their roles here seem fitting.

There are PhotoPass photographers here to get your photos, as well as take pictures with your personal cameras.
The exit leads you directly into  Big Top Souvenirs, in case you are in need of a snack after all the excitement of Pete's Silly Sideshow!

 

A Disney Vacation with Lots of Character

By Gaylin

In November 2012 I went on a Disney World vacation on my own.

Being solo meant I could take time to do things I haven't done before, like go back to the resort in the afternoon for a nap! It also meant that I could go line up for character photos without someone pulling on my arm to go on a ride or to see a show.

My first afternoon I went over to Epcot and voila, no line-up for Belle. If the Beast is with her the line up can get long quite quickly. For some reason she was all on her own so I even got to chat with
her for a moment.

 

Walking through the World Showcase all the way around the other side, I came across Duffy the Disney Bear. While I am not a big fan of the bear, a friend of mine is so I got in the short line and got this shot. I like the "Canada" in the background!

A couple of days later I was back at Epcot and decided to go into the Character Spot for a few photos. The original location of the Spot was under renovation so there was a temporary location set up with a great backdrop of Epcot. Here I got 3 photos, me with Mickey, Pluto and Minnie. Also while I was in the not very long line-up I got to chat with a great family and help them get their daughter to look up when it was her turn to get her photo taken.

 

Notice I even did the toe pointing like Minnie, I am so darn cool . . .

The Magic Kingdom was my next stop and this photo with Stitch. While there was a bit of a line-up, Stitch was being very entertaining and made it worth the wait.

And this is what happens when Stitch takes over your camera!!! The hand you see on my shoulder is Stitch’s attendant, she was laughing really hard at his antics. I sort of wish she showed up in the photo, oh well.

Then it was on to the new photo area in Fantasyland called Storybook Circus. As you can see from the very pink lighting, the lights are set for the Photopass cameras, not my point & shoot camera. I did the toe point for my photo with Daisy, she didn’t.

It looks like both Minnie and I are having pink hot flashes, we weren’t, honest.

And the Great Goofini! I complimented him on the revamp of his roller coaster, he was pleased. Thumbs Up!

I am not sure what kind of magician Donald is supposed to be, he was number 1 and I was thumbs up.

And over at the Animal Kingdom, you can now get your photo with Russell and Doug. This photo is a little blurry but I still love it.

At the Animal Kingdom when you are leaving Discovery Island and heading to Dinoland there is the Character Landing, the characters are always from Winnie the Pooh and this day they had on their Christmas garb. I was once told to always get my photo taken with Pooh because he makes everyone look skinny! At the Character Landing they rotate characters in and out for breaks so there is always characters there, waiting just for you.

Eeyore is so very huggable.

Tigger couldn’t make up his mind if we were dancing or posing so we ended up with a bit of both.

And there are my character tales for November 2012. I always get a few character photos and highly recommend that other people do as well, there has been a few times I have paid the big bucks for a Photopass picture just because it was so darn good. Usually I am happy enough with the photo that shows up on my camera, after all, I am on vacation and looking happy is what counts.