Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Episode 86 of The Disney Exchange - Worth the Wait
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave, and me, Nick.
This week we talk about what rides we feel are worth waiting for in the standby line at each of the parks at Walt Disney World and how much time we are willing to wait versus the actual ride length.
For instance, the wait times for 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, a 2 and a half minute ride, can be over an hour on even a day with relatively low crowds.
For the ride length information, I used this list, but there are others readily available. There are even crowd level to wait time guides to be found on the internet, for instance: https://touringplans.com/magic-kingdom/crowd-levels#
The Wheel of Distiny topic: If you had only one day at Epcot, which Tier 1 FastPass attraction would you choose, Soarin' or Frozen Ever After?
If you have a show suggestion or Wheel of Distiny topic, please let us know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange
And don't forget, we are having a giveaway on Episode 100, all you need to be entered is to ask for a listener number if you don't already have one!
Thanks for listening to The Disney Exchange Podcast!
The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave, and me, Nick.
This week we talk about what rides we feel are worth waiting for in the standby line at each of the parks at Walt Disney World and how much time we are willing to wait versus the actual ride length.
For instance, the wait times for 7 Dwarfs Mine Train, a 2 and a half minute ride, can be over an hour on even a day with relatively low crowds.
For the ride length information, I used this list, but there are others readily available. There are even crowd level to wait time guides to be found on the internet, for instance: https://touringplans.com/magic-kingdom/crowd-levels#
The Wheel of Distiny topic: If you had only one day at Epcot, which Tier 1 FastPass attraction would you choose, Soarin' or Frozen Ever After?
If you have a show suggestion or Wheel of Distiny topic, please let us know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange
And don't forget, we are having a giveaway on Episode 100, all you need to be entered is to ask for a listener number if you don't already have one!
Thanks for listening to The Disney Exchange Podcast!
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Five reasons to say YES to Walt Disney World’s Park Hopper
By Lisa Green
Walt Disney World’s Park Hopper – Five reasons to say YES!
1. You want to start early and stay late! Yeah! You’re speaking my language. Here’s what we do: Rope-drop (arrive before the park opens) for EMH (Extra Magic Hour), if possible. Hit the headliners early then slow it down, wander around taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. Eat a leisurely lunch and the HOP to the park where we’ve booked FastPasses for the afternoon and evening. The post lunch hop means you can catch a cat nap on the bus or monorail during the hop – seriously, this is a solid plan!
2. You want to book ADRs (Advance Dining Reservations) 180 days in advance and not have those choices dictate the park you’ll visit on any given day. I may want to eat in Epcot’s Le Cellier and I’m okay with scheduling that meal 6 months before I’m going to eat it, but I do NOT want said dinner to completely control my activities for that particular day. I should be able to spend my time anywhere I want to and then HOP to Epcot for my steak supper!
3. You want choices! Not an obsessive planner? Free-styling more your idea of fun? Book those FastPasses first thing in the morning and then boom, baby! The rest of the day is your oyster. Start one day at Animal Kingdom to ride Kilimanjaro Safari early while it’s still relatively cool. Then check out the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek before hitting Expedition Everest and Dinosaur. Now you’re free to leave and visit a different park. You can hop BACK to Animal Kingdom on the afternoon of a different day to see shows like Flights of Wonder, Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo-The Musical, and It’s Tough to be a Bug (3D Movie). Animal Kingdom is absolutely a full-day park, but you can split it into two half-days easily with the park-hopper option.
4. You don’t want to spend all your time in the parks, but when you’re there you want what you want. Ah, the luxury of time and the ability to enjoy Walt Disney World at your leisure. If you have a week or longer or are (or planning to be) a frequent visitor, you don’t necessarily have to feel rushed, pressured, and meticulously planned. You can start the day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Eat lunch in Epcot’s World Showcase. Spend the afternoon napping or swimming at your resort pool. Grab a bite to eat in the Magic Kingdom and enjoy Wishes before calling it a day.
5. You love a challenge! Four parks in one day? We’ve done it and with a park-hopper ticket, you can too! We decided on our last day of vacation a few years back that we would each pick an attraction we HAD to visit one last time before we went home. To do that, we had to visit each park – it was challenging, super fun, and created some really great memories of our last vacation day. We were too busy to be sad.
Are you pro-park-hopping? What’s your favorite reason for adding this option?
Walt Disney World’s Park Hopper – Five reasons to say YES!
1. You want to start early and stay late! Yeah! You’re speaking my language. Here’s what we do: Rope-drop (arrive before the park opens) for EMH (Extra Magic Hour), if possible. Hit the headliners early then slow it down, wander around taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. Eat a leisurely lunch and the HOP to the park where we’ve booked FastPasses for the afternoon and evening. The post lunch hop means you can catch a cat nap on the bus or monorail during the hop – seriously, this is a solid plan!
2. You want to book ADRs (Advance Dining Reservations) 180 days in advance and not have those choices dictate the park you’ll visit on any given day. I may want to eat in Epcot’s Le Cellier and I’m okay with scheduling that meal 6 months before I’m going to eat it, but I do NOT want said dinner to completely control my activities for that particular day. I should be able to spend my time anywhere I want to and then HOP to Epcot for my steak supper!
3. You want choices! Not an obsessive planner? Free-styling more your idea of fun? Book those FastPasses first thing in the morning and then boom, baby! The rest of the day is your oyster. Start one day at Animal Kingdom to ride Kilimanjaro Safari early while it’s still relatively cool. Then check out the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek before hitting Expedition Everest and Dinosaur. Now you’re free to leave and visit a different park. You can hop BACK to Animal Kingdom on the afternoon of a different day to see shows like Flights of Wonder, Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo-The Musical, and It’s Tough to be a Bug (3D Movie). Animal Kingdom is absolutely a full-day park, but you can split it into two half-days easily with the park-hopper option.
4. You don’t want to spend all your time in the parks, but when you’re there you want what you want. Ah, the luxury of time and the ability to enjoy Walt Disney World at your leisure. If you have a week or longer or are (or planning to be) a frequent visitor, you don’t necessarily have to feel rushed, pressured, and meticulously planned. You can start the day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Eat lunch in Epcot’s World Showcase. Spend the afternoon napping or swimming at your resort pool. Grab a bite to eat in the Magic Kingdom and enjoy Wishes before calling it a day.
5. You love a challenge! Four parks in one day? We’ve done it and with a park-hopper ticket, you can too! We decided on our last day of vacation a few years back that we would each pick an attraction we HAD to visit one last time before we went home. To do that, we had to visit each park – it was challenging, super fun, and created some really great memories of our last vacation day. We were too busy to be sad.
Are you pro-park-hopping? What’s your favorite reason for adding this option?
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!
She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at
Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Walt Disney World Buddy Trip 2016, Part 6
By Nick
Saturday, May 14th and Sunday, May 15th
As it was the last day of Alison and Jim's trip, we all went to Animal Kingdom together.
We rode Dinosaur, then everyone except me rode Primeval Whirl, followed by another ride on Dinosaur. While everyone rode Expedition Everest, I hung out in the gift shop. Motion sickness is a curse! A CURSE!
We got our photos with Mickey and Minnie at Adventurers Outpost and then went to Yak & Yeti for lunch.
After a great meal we said goodbye to our new friends! We miss you Alison and Jim!
Josh, Joe and I went over to Kilimanjaro Safaris, then took a walk through Pangani Forest Trail, followed by a walk through the Maharaja Jungle Trek.
We headed back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where we met up with our friend Josie. We decided to just grab dinner at Sanaa, and after a short wait got a table in the lounge.
We hung around at the back of the resort watching the animals on the Savannah before saying goodnight.
The next morning we went to the Magic Kingdom, and hit several attractions we hadn't gotten to earlier in the week as well as favorites like Haunted Mansion, before heading back to the AKL where we relaxed watching animals on the savannah before getting Magical Express back to the airport.
Another great trip with my buddies in the books!
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5
Who: Me and my friends Joe and Josh
Where: Walt Disney World, stayed Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village
Part6
Where: Walt Disney World, stayed Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village
Part6
Saturday, May 14th and Sunday, May 15th
As it was the last day of Alison and Jim's trip, we all went to Animal Kingdom together.
Josh, me, Alison, Joe and Jim
We rode Dinosaur, then everyone except me rode Primeval Whirl, followed by another ride on Dinosaur. While everyone rode Expedition Everest, I hung out in the gift shop. Motion sickness is a curse! A CURSE!
We got our photos with Mickey and Minnie at Adventurers Outpost and then went to Yak & Yeti for lunch.
After a great meal we said goodbye to our new friends! We miss you Alison and Jim!
Josh, Joe and I went over to Kilimanjaro Safaris, then took a walk through Pangani Forest Trail, followed by a walk through the Maharaja Jungle Trek.
We headed back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge, where we met up with our friend Josie. We decided to just grab dinner at Sanaa, and after a short wait got a table in the lounge.
We hung around at the back of the resort watching the animals on the Savannah before saying goodnight.
The next morning we went to the Magic Kingdom, and hit several attractions we hadn't gotten to earlier in the week as well as favorites like Haunted Mansion, before heading back to the AKL where we relaxed watching animals on the savannah before getting Magical Express back to the airport.
Another great trip with my buddies in the books!
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Walt Disney World Buddy Trip 2016, Part 5
By Nick
Friday, May 13th
We slept in a bit after not getting to sleep till around 3am, and headed to Disney Springs a little after 10. We walked around checking out a few shops while we waited for Jock Lindsey's to open at 1130am.
We were seated in the diving bell, which is very cool (maybe not for claustrophobic individuals), and had some appetizers and adult beverages, hit some more shops and then headed for Disney's Hollywood Studios mid-afternoon.
While Josh and Joe rode Star Tours, I hung out at Tatooine Traders perusing the Star Wars merch, before heading to dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe.
We waited at the bar and people watched before being seated.
After such a heavy meal we needed to go someplace to digest, so we rode The Great Movie Ride.
As we exited, we noticed that C-3PO was just going up the ramp in back of the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away stage, so we went to check out the rest of the cast coming out. When 3PO noticed me taking a photo, he waved and did a little shimmy dance! Being a Star Wars geek, this just blew my kind, it was so awesome!
As we stood there Darth Maul walked by and gave us the evil stare, Chewie threw his arms up in his victory pose, and the First Order Troopers, Captain Phasma, and Kylo Ren marched by. Too cool. I think enjoyed this experience more than the actual stage show!
We had FastPasses for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror.
A little while later we found a spot to watch Symphony in the Stars. I loved that show, and I'm very excited to see the new Star Wars a Galactic Spectacular show.
We headed back to the resort, and we're just settling in for the evening when our new friends Alison and Jim called asking if we wanted a beer, as the next day was the last of their trip.
I was really wiped out, but decided I wanted to see my new friends again, even though I fought to stay awake, and finally had to throw in the towel and hit the hay!
Who: Me and my friends Joe and Josh
Where: Walt Disney World, stayed Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village
Part 5
Where: Walt Disney World, stayed Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village
Part 5
Friday, May 13th
We slept in a bit after not getting to sleep till around 3am, and headed to Disney Springs a little after 10. We walked around checking out a few shops while we waited for Jock Lindsey's to open at 1130am.
We were seated in the diving bell, which is very cool (maybe not for claustrophobic individuals), and had some appetizers and adult beverages, hit some more shops and then headed for Disney's Hollywood Studios mid-afternoon.
While Josh and Joe rode Star Tours, I hung out at Tatooine Traders perusing the Star Wars merch, before heading to dinner at 50s Prime Time Cafe.
We waited at the bar and people watched before being seated.
After such a heavy meal we needed to go someplace to digest, so we rode The Great Movie Ride.
As we exited, we noticed that C-3PO was just going up the ramp in back of the Star Wars: A Galaxy Far Far Away stage, so we went to check out the rest of the cast coming out. When 3PO noticed me taking a photo, he waved and did a little shimmy dance! Being a Star Wars geek, this just blew my kind, it was so awesome!
As we stood there Darth Maul walked by and gave us the evil stare, Chewie threw his arms up in his victory pose, and the First Order Troopers, Captain Phasma, and Kylo Ren marched by. Too cool. I think enjoyed this experience more than the actual stage show!
We had FastPasses for Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror.
A little while later we found a spot to watch Symphony in the Stars. I loved that show, and I'm very excited to see the new Star Wars a Galactic Spectacular show.
We headed back to the resort, and we're just settling in for the evening when our new friends Alison and Jim called asking if we wanted a beer, as the next day was the last of their trip.
I was really wiped out, but decided I wanted to see my new friends again, even though I fought to stay awake, and finally had to throw in the towel and hit the hay!
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Episode 85 of The Disney Exchange - Shades of Dave
By Nick
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave and me, Nick
All photos this week are courtesy of Dave.
We launch right into another well produced start to the show. You're welcome.
I give shout outs to our new numbered listeners, and Dave makes an announcement!
On Episode 100 we will be drawing names of our numbered listeners for a giveaway!
So all you need to do to be entered is to request a listener number!
Dave goes on to talk about his recent visit to Walt Disney World and how much he enjoys the new shops at Disney Springs.
You can get some great bargains at Uniqlo.
Dave really likes to say Poutine.
He also likes to eat Poutine.
But he hated the Fireball Sangria!
He also visited the Coca Cola Store.
I awkwardly segue into the next portion of the show discussing some of the new stuff coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland over the next few months, including the Eat to the Beat acts coming to this years Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.
We start a rumor about ABC Commissary at Disney's Hollywood Studios and wind up discussing what is left to experience at that park as well as new events coming there.
Apparently people are not excited that Disney is planning to change Tower of Terror in Disneyland's California Adventure to a Guardians of the Galaxy themed ride.
Another awkward segue brings us to Dave discussing the Walt Disney World resort for United States Military members, Shades of Green, a topic suggested by listener Bill Ford.
The Wheel of Distiny topic this week comes from listener Paul Mancini: What Walt Disney World aspect of experience to you miss most between visits?
If you have a show suggestion or Wheel of Distiny topic like Bill and Paul, please let us know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange
And don't forget to ask for a listener number if you don't already have one!
Thanks for listening to The Disney Exchange Podcast!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The Disney Exchange is Lisa, Dave and me, Nick
All photos this week are courtesy of Dave.
We launch right into another well produced start to the show. You're welcome.
I give shout outs to our new numbered listeners, and Dave makes an announcement!
On Episode 100 we will be drawing names of our numbered listeners for a giveaway!
So all you need to do to be entered is to request a listener number!
Dave goes on to talk about his recent visit to Walt Disney World and how much he enjoys the new shops at Disney Springs.
You can get some great bargains at Uniqlo.
Dave really likes to say Poutine.
He also likes to eat Poutine.
But he hated the Fireball Sangria!
He also visited the Coca Cola Store.
I awkwardly segue into the next portion of the show discussing some of the new stuff coming to Walt Disney World and Disneyland over the next few months, including the Eat to the Beat acts coming to this years Epcot International Food and Wine Festival.
We start a rumor about ABC Commissary at Disney's Hollywood Studios and wind up discussing what is left to experience at that park as well as new events coming there.
Apparently people are not excited that Disney is planning to change Tower of Terror in Disneyland's California Adventure to a Guardians of the Galaxy themed ride.
Another awkward segue brings us to Dave discussing the Walt Disney World resort for United States Military members, Shades of Green, a topic suggested by listener Bill Ford.
The Wheel of Distiny topic this week comes from listener Paul Mancini: What Walt Disney World aspect of experience to you miss most between visits?
If you have a show suggestion or Wheel of Distiny topic like Bill and Paul, please let us know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange, Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange
And don't forget to ask for a listener number if you don't already have one!
Thanks for listening to The Disney Exchange Podcast!
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