Your Disney Vacation: Are You Weather Obsessed?

By Nick

I can't help myself. It started a week ago. I started looking at the weather for my trip to Walt Disney World, which I'm embarking on today. 

I tell myself it's so I know how to pack. It is January in Florida after all. I've been there when it was in the 60s and 70s, and I've been there when it was in the 30s and 40s. And that was in the same week!
Really though, it's to see if it will rain.

As I get closer to a trip, if the weather forecast is looking less than what I consider favorable, I'll sit and consult multiple sources like I'm doing research for a dissertation on the accuracy of local weather forecasters as opposed to national weather sources.

It doesn't make sense, of course, but I just hope to see the local forecast from Channel 9 Orlando give me a better looking forecast than Accuweather!

Now, I know it should not matter if it rains while I'm on my trip.

For one thing, it is not the only time I'll be going to Walt Disney World this year. I'll be there next month in fact, along with my Disney Exchange Podcast co-hosts Lisa Green and Dave Hodges.

For another, a vast majority of my plans, which I also obsessively consulted this past week, are indoor activities, mostly consisting of eating and drinking. And for outdoor attractions, parades or fireworks, well, with the exception of The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights, which will see it's last show on January 3rd, I'll have the opportunity to experience these again in the future, and I can just adjust my plans accordingly.

Though I say these things, I know that I'll be consulting the weather throughout my trip.
But that's just to know how to dress for the day. Right?

I'll be sharing photos of my trip on The Disney Musings Facebook page, on Twitter and Instragram, and on The Disney Exchange FB page as well. 

No Whining Allowed at Walt Disney World

By Lisa Green  

 

I don’t know if you belong to any of the Disney-related Facebook groups or Disney fan forums or not – I’ve joined a few and I’ve got to say, I’ve un-joined a couple pretty darn quick after reading some of the posts and comments…those folks can be vicious!  The level of negativity among some Disney “fans” is shocking to me.  They’re not all bad – some groups are made up of happy, Disney-loving, supportive, lovely people who interact politely, positively and with kindness (love you guys!).  Those other groups though…yikes!  Some of the things people complain about are, to me, ridiculous.  It gave me the idea for today’s post.  I want to talk about some particular Disney topics I would ban people from whining about if I could.  In fact, I’d make some guidelines for us all to live by – I’m, well…a bit bossy – and I like to tell people what to do!  So I’m here today with…

Lisa’s NO WHINING rules for Walt Disney World guests:

1.  There was a bug in my room!  A. BUG.  I saw this one on a Facebook post.  Insect infestation?  Yes, absolutely you need to ask to change rooms. A single insect?  Deal with it.  Swat it with your shoe or be kind and escort it out the door, but no whining allowed!  Walt Disney World is located in Florida – the number and types of insects there are incredible!  Particularly the really big American cockroach affectionately called a Palmetto bug in the South – they’re common, huge, and disgusting – even with an excellent exterminator service, the odd Palmetto bug will make its way indoors.  The first time I saw one I thought it was a mouse – they’re that big.  No whining – you’re lucky it wasn’t a lizard – In the South, they like to come inside, too.

Photo credit: Pest Control Management.org

2.  The food in this restaurant was horrible!  Walt Disney World restaurants feed millions (and millions!) of people and generally do a great job catering to different tastes, diets, food allergies, dietary restrictions, and so on.  There are restaurants in the parks I think are pretty bad – at the top of that list is Pizza Planet in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  I don’t eat there.  Do research!  The amount of Disney food information on the internet is staggering.  If you’re picky, don’t just show up at Walt Disney World and wing it – you’ll be disappointed.  Some people find wildly popular places like Le Cellier, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and ‘Ohana expensive and over-hyped (I love those places anyway).  Knowing that ahead of time will make you less likely to whine about it should you choose to dine there.

3. It rained every day!  Guess what?  It does that in Florida in the summertime.  Wear rain/water friendly footwear, bring a rain poncho, expect bad hair.  There’s still plenty of indoor fun to be had.  Visit your “must-do” outdoor rides and attractions first thing in the morning – generally, most of the rainstorm action happens in the afternoon.  If you go to Walt Disney World during hurricane season, you may be taking a bit of a risk.  If your vacation was completely ruined by a hurricane – you have my permission to whine loudly and at length.  Hurricanes are really awful.

4. A single Cast Member was less than magical.  Disney Cast Members are human.  They may work long hours, in the hot sun, dealing with all kinds of people (and may not, due to unknown circumstances in their home-life, be at their best on a given day) – I’ve seen quite a few guests that were difficult (to put it nicely) and made me feel sorry for some of the things Cast Members have to put up with.  Overall, Disney does a fantastic job hiring and training thousands of employees at each park.  One cranky employee should not “ruin your vacation” – move on, no whining!  You should never be treated in an openly rude way, not receive what was ordered in a restaurant, or be swindled (short-changed, overcharged, had items missing from your resort room) without asking immediately to speak to a manager.  Disney can’t address problems they don’t know about.

5. My feet hurt, I got sunburned, the pool was crowded, it was too hot, the bus service was slow, we had to wait in line too long, my favorite ride broke down (or was closed).  Yes, yes…know what?  That happens to everyone!  You are not alone.  Stop whining.  Remember – you’re on vacation to relax and have a great time.  Focus on the big picture!  Just because you entered the gates to Walt Disney World, there’s no special magic to keep your time there 100% free from a few dings and scratches.  If, in the end, you find that you’re just not a Disney person (that type of vacation is not for everyone), don’t go back, don’t torture yourself ever again – vacation somewhere else.  That’ll leave the place a little less crowded for those of us who really do find Walt Disney World the happiest place on Earth. 

Need to lodge a legitimate complaint?  Check out my friend Jane’s (a.k.a. British Diva) Disney complaint tutorial here.

Please leave a whine-free comment!

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog.
Lisa can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at @life_of_green

Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!   

Throwback Thursday: Walt Disney World-May 2009 - Part 3

By Nick 

Part Two of this Walt Disney World trip report from May of 2009 that I wrote for the DVC News Forums can be found here.  Any commentary I make will be in italics.

Who: My wife, Barbie, my friends Todd and Meghan, and their baby, our Godson, Flynn who was 16 months old, and me.

Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

Woke up to overcast skies, but at least it wasn't raining.

We had reservations for 810AM Tusker House at the Animal Kingdom for Donald's Breakfast Safari.







There was a pretty good selection of the typical breakfast fare.
The characters were Donald, Mickey, Daisy and Goofy. Flynn was more comfortable with the characters,and even laughed and pointed at Goofy.

After breakfast, we made it just in time for rope drop for the Kilimanjaro Safari.
Because it was still overcast and cool, we saw more animal action than I've seen before.

We then did the Pangani Forest Trail, followed by the Conservation Station, where Flynn enjoyed petting the goats and sheep.



By that time, a miraculous, and short lived thing happened. We had blue skies and sun.

The park was packed by then, people taking advantage of the first sun in days.

So we walked toward Asia and Everest.

We stopped and watched the Flights of Wonder show which was just starting.

By then, Flynn was getting sleepy, so we headed to Everest and got FastPasses.

It was actually warm and sunny, so we headed back to the rooms to swim, and to give Flynn a break from the heat.

When we got back, I called lost and found. My card had not shown up, so I had it canceled. We had enough cash for the trip, but I use the card for Disney points. Visa said the would issue one, and our room was even charged on the new number. So, no big deal, really.

Todd and Flynn stayed behind to nap, and Barbie, Meghan and I went to the pool.

The water was freezing, due to the previous nights rain, according to the lifeguard.



The girls jumped in and then right back out, but I stayed in and swam until I was kicked out because
of the incoming storms. And boy did it storm!



We got a couple double cheeseburgers with fries and pasta salad, and 6 beignets at the Sassagoula Floatworks, and brought them back to the room for lunch. We sat and watched it rain. And rain. Etc.

Finally, it slowed up a bit, and we decided to head back to the AK for EMHs (extra magic hours), to try and catch the 4:45PM Nemo show.

When we got off the bus, it started to rain so much, it was like being in a shower, except wetter.

We finally waited at one of the stores till it passed for the most part, and made our way to the theater.
Afterwards, we headed over to Dinosaur, where Todd, Meghan and I rode, while Barbie stayed with Flynn.



Barbie is not a fan of the ride. (She's since come to her senses!) I love it however. Then, a small miracle. It stopped raining just long enough for Barbie and Meghan, then Todd and me, to ride Everest. Walked on.

Literally, the moment Todd and I walked out the exit, rain.

We had dinner at Yak and Yeti. Barbie had her usual, Crispy Mahi Mahi. I had steamed mussels and lettuce cups, and a couple margaritas.

All very good as usual, but service was slow, especially considering they were perhaps only half full.
By now it was almost 8PM, and we headed back to our room. In the rain.

Please stop by for more rain next Thursday!

Having Fun on Rainy Days at Walt Disney World

Embracing the Rainy Day at Walt Disney World

By: Lisa Green

I’m going to be a little bossy here for a second (imagine that!):  Do NOT go home from your Walt Disney World vacation whining about the weather.  Do. Not. Complain.  In the summer, it rains in Florida.  A lot.  If you don’t realize that going into the trip, you’re going to be surprised and disappointed!  Plan for rain – during certain times of the year, you’ll need to plan for daily rain.  That’s right – it rains every afternoon sometimes – a quick shower that comes and goes, but may be a torrential downpour for a while.  The average monthly rainfall is over 7 inches for June, July and August.  It’s HOT in Florida, too – but I’ll save being bossy on that topic for another day.

Back to the rain. You have two choices when it rains.  Tough it out or pack it in.  Here are my suggestions for embracing the rain – no matter which choice you go with.

1. Make like a good Boy Scout and bring a rain poncho to the parks during the rainy season.  Shoes that are water resistant or will dry quickly are helpful, too.  Flip-flops can become hazardous, near deadly instruments of torture in a downpour as they become very slippery on both the bottom and the foot bed….beware!

2. Hang in there.  Try to stay as dry as possible and wait it out.  Go for an indoor attraction like Mickey’s PhilharMagic or Hall of President’s in the Magic Kingdom, a movie in Epcot’s World Showcase (in Canada, China, or France), wait in the LONG (but dry) line for Soarin’ in Epcot’s Future World, check out the Great Movie Ride or MuppetVision 3D in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  In Animal Kingdom, you can see It’s Tough to be a Bug.  If it’s not raining hard, grab a snack and a seat and people-watch for a few minutes.  Wait and see if the clouds clear up.

3. Shop.  There is no shortage of shops in Walt Disney World!  Take the time to browse – if you’re usually rushing from thrill ride to thrill ride, you’ll find an undiscovered treasure trove of unbelievable Disney items for wearing, decorating, eating, and collecting.  Find souvenirs and gifts for everyone including your dog.  Just the number of different hats is staggering.

4. Head on over to Downtown Disney for bowling or a movie or both.  We wouldn’t normally spare the time for an activity we can experience at home, but rainy days may call for some adjustments and accommodation. Splitsville, the new bowling hotspot in Downtown Disney and an AMC Theater (complete with dine-in options) are side by side in the Westside district.

5. When the going gets wet, the wet get going.  Pack it in, people – sometimes the rain just won’t let up – everybody’s wet, cold and cranky.  This is the time to head on back the resort and order a pizza, watch some TV and rest up for better weather…which should come around unless you happen to be in Orlando during a hurricane.  Then you have my permission – encouragement even – to dismiss my bossy directive at the beginning of this post and complain away.  Whine til the cows come home.  If your entire vacation has been wiped out by a hurricane (it’d probably have an oddly mild name like Dudley), you deserve sympathy and a do-over.  I hope this hasn’t ever happened to any of you and hope it never does.

What are your Walt Disney World rainy day tips?

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog.
She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at @life_of_green

Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!

When it rains, it pours!

by Gaylin

Walt Disney World is in Florida and according to Google, it is 'humid subtropical', a fancy way of saying, hot, humid and rainy. I have had vacations at WDW with nary a drop of rain and then there have been vacations where there was a rainy period every day.

In May of 2014, it was hot and humid the whole time I was there. On my last day at the Magic Kingdom there was a little bit of relief, it rained!

I was near Space Mountain when it started and I decided I wasn't going to get my rain poncho out, I went in the store at the end of Space Mountain and found not only a place to sit but I had free entertainment when a group of teenagers decided to wait out the rain by charging their phones.

When the rain stopped I got right back outside to enjoy those few minutes when it feels cooler before the sun comes out again and steams up the rain water and raises the humidity again!

Afternoon rain showers are common at WDW, you can be prepared with a plastic rain poncho and just keep going, often the ride line-ups thin out when it rains. Or you can duck into a store and do some shopping. I have heard a lot of people complain that rain just ruins their vacation . . . it doesn't have to, have a rain strategy and the magic never has to stop!

If you want a great idea of what to do with your Disney Poncho when you get home, check out this article, also by Gaylin.-Nick

Disney Do It Yourself: Walt Disney World Rain Poncho Project

by Gaylin

I always bring an inexpensive rain poncho when I go to Walt Disney World and on my trip in 2007, I brought a cheap poncho that got all torn up just using it once. The weather meant buying a Disney rain poncho and when I went to put it on, the head hole was very small. I ended up having to tear it a bit to get it on. I must have been in a hurry because it didn't occur to me that I could have exchanged it for a new one.

Even though it was torn I brought it home with me because I had a DIY idea.

When I got home, I hit the local art store and bought canvas frame stretcher bars, 2 at 18" and 2 at 24". Brought them home, fitted them together and squared them up. I cut out as much of the back of the poncho as I could, I knew I needed extra plastic on the outside edges to fold them up for stapling because I wanted to frame it!

As a DIY project this was pretty easy. The frame bars are inexpensive, I used scissors, I own a staple gun and I had some picture wire to attach to it for hanging. The finished project was pretty nice!

Here is the back, since no one sees the back (except all of you) I wasn't worried about keeping my stapling tidy, I wanted the Mickey to be in the centre – that was the important part! I did roll and fold the plastic a couple times to make sure that when I stapled it, the plastic wouldn't tear. This hangs in my bathroom and I admit, I love it.

Cold or Rain on a Disney Vacation?

Which would you choose?

Cold and beautiful...

...or warm and rainy?

The 1st photo is from yesterday at Epcot in Walt Disney World, when it started off in the 30s in Florida.
The 2nd is from our 1st trip to Disneyland in 2008, when it rained on a couple mornings very heavily, but at least was warmer (though, to be 100% honest, only in the mid 50s!).

I think you can tell from my facial expressions which one I prefer.