http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ Townsquare » Recent Topics en Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:22:58 +0000 http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/disney-cruise#post-117 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:05:08 +0000 Anonymous 117@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>Tell me about your Disney Cruise. How was it different from other cruises you have taken? Hoping on planning our first Disney Cruise soon! </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/teeth#post-389 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 21:31:09 +0000 koolerdog 389@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>Anyone ever had the teeth whitening @ Vista Spa on a Disney cruise? </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/glass-bottom-boat#post-388 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 19:03:01 +0000 koolerdog 388@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>Has anyone been on the glass bottom boat @ Castaway Cay? Is it REALLY worth the $$? </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/disney-on-ice-princess-wishes-shows#post-387 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:18:28 +0000 Anonymous 387@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>Princess Wishes, a fourth show of the Disney on ice touring musical first presented in 2006 has now become one of the most favorite family entertainment not only among small kids but also among the adults. Disney On Ice-Princess Wishes is adored by kids particularly girls who love to see their dream princesses like Snow White, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Mulan, Aurora and Ariel acting live in front of their eyes. Most of the small aged kids already know about Jasmine and Cinderella but they hardly know about the other princesses. But matured kids and adults love to see the other princesses in action about whom their grandmothers used to tell those stories at nights.<br /> Disney On Ice-Princess Wishes tells the story of 7 fairies and little girls they love to dress up like their favorite fairies when they go out to catch the show. Disney On Ice-Princess Wishes, where dreams come true has been the most admired show on Broadway and according to last week’s ranking it was placed at number five.<br /> Princess Wishes featuring the characters from the fantasy Disney stories is known for its music, singing, costumes, and emotions and skating actions on ice. Princess Wishes Ice Musical is perfect of girls who are known for their admiration for true love. Princess Wishes tells them the story of Princess Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” that how she made the Beast Prince to realize the value of true love. It takes you go through the life of Snow White until she finds her true love. The only red haired princess of the show is Mermaid Princess Ariel who loves to make contact with human world. Each and every fairy of the show reminds us a different story of our childhood.<br /> Disney On Ice-Princess Wishes opens in New York at the Madison Square Garden on January 21 and runs till January 23. There next arrive at New Jersey to perform at Izod Center was from January 27 to January 30. Princess Wishes will continue its US tour through April 24, 2011 while performing concerts at venues including Manchester, Baltimore, Washington, Charleston, Minneapolis, Grand Rapids and Evansville among others. Princess Wishes has been scheduled to perform at the Scotiabank Place Kanata, Canada on March 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 before it heads up for its New Zealand tour to perform in Auckland and Christchurch from May 28, 2011 through June 7, 2011. Buy cheap Disney On Ice-Princess Wishes tickets and enjoy all the princess shows live in theater with your family and friends.<br /> <a href="http://www.broadwayticketsale.com/disney-on-ice-princess-wishes-tickets" rel="nofollow">http://www.broadwayticketsale.com/disney-on-ice-princess-wishes-tickets</a> </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/special-tips-for-diabetic-at-wdw#post-120 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:13:27 +0000 Anonymous 120@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>We have a friend going to WDW for the first time. Their young daughter is diabetic and they are stressed about eating while there. I bought her Passporter's Open Mouse but was hoping for some first hand ideas that might help them. </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/pirates-new-movie#post-376 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:10:40 +0000 Anonymous 376@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>I just happened to see the new Pirates marquee poster at the theater this week. I didn't know if there was supposed to be one or not, but I found a hidden Mickey in it. Anyone else happen to look for or see it? I had to take a picture of it. Can't wait to see the new one! I love Jack! </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/trapped-on-nemo#post-355 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:12:33 +0000 Mark Storer 355@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>John Frost posted about patrons being trapped on Harry Potter in Florida. Here on the West Coast, I had guests from Belgium and we rode the Finding Nemo Submarines. No pictures to show--unfortunately, we were too busy panicking. What follows is what occurred. </p> <p>We did have a bit of a misadventure, however. Sofie and Romi expressed interest in the Finding Nemo submarines. This is the old Undersea Submarine Voyage that has been re-branded with the Pixar Finding Nemo mark. You climb aboard the submarine and you’re suddenly in the oceans around Australia with a scientific crew studying life. It’s here you encounter Nemo, Marlin, Dory and all the gang in a rather well done set of vignettes throughout caves on the “ocean floor.” It feels for all the world like you are underwater and in a way, you are. The boat never actually dives, but the cabin is indeed under the water and the windows allow you to see into the undersea world.</p> <p>Well….</p> <p>In the middle of the ride, our submarine suddenly stopped and the lights around us went out except for a couple of underwater lamps near the cave scene where we had stopped. Mind you, the submarine itself is an interesting vehicle. You board it from the roof through an open hatch, walk down the stairs and into a folding seat with a window in front of you. It’s not abundantly comfortable, but it’s air-conditioned and it serves the purpose. It is also quite cramped, quite small. When your mind is fixed on what’s happening in the scenes outside the boat, it’s fine. You don’t think about it. But when the boat stops, the lights are out and no one is talking in an official capacity, it’s un-nerving. Like being aboard an airplane in bad turbulence when the Captain’s only words are: “Flight attendants take your seats.”</p> <p>Now, I’m bad in these situations. Very bad. I am prone to claustrophobic panic attacks and have been known to go whole hog into them, mostly when I was younger. But even now, on occasions such as this, I find it very hard to keep my cool and when it happened, and our “captain,” the guy who operates the boat, wasn’t saying anything, I found myself fidgety and a bit panicked. That feeling was growing when Romi hit her boiling point.</p> <p>It turns out Romi too is prone to claustrophobia and panic and she was in the throes of a good one. She began crying and shaking rather uncontrollably and so I turned my attention on her. I went into “daddy” mode, of which I am capable on occasion, and it allowed me to quell my own panic. I didn’t have time to panic–I had to help Romi calm down. Sofie, meanwhile, was calm and cool and she was trying to help Romi to “breathe” and be still. That didn’t work so well.</p> <p>I got the “captain’s” attention and explained to him that Romi was having a rough time. He hadn’t really been thinking about what was happening to those of us in the cabin as his vantage point was different. The “captain’s” or drivers of these subs stand up on a bench that is the same height as where we all sit. They rise up into the “bridge” and they have a window that sees above the waterline and everything in front of them. I assume that he was simply thinking–”we’re stopped. We’ll go in a minute. No big deal.”</p> <p>When he saw what we were dealing with–Romi and some other folks becoming pretty uncomfortable, he explained the situation. A red light had illuminated where a green one was supposed to be and all the boats came to a stop. My guess is, he didn’t want to explain that too fully because doing so would reveal “behind the scenes” of the Disney Magic. I’m actually sympathetic to that. Disney wouldn’t be Disney if it said, “hey, come on in and see how we make the ghosts in the Haunted Mansions and the Pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean.” The suspension of disbelief is one of the joys of the place.</p> <p>The “captain” popped the hatch nearest Romi and I and he allowed us to open it and look out. This gave me a great deal of comfort, but it didn’t calm Romi as much as I would have liked. Still, it had some small palliative effect which was good. We got back down in the cabin, pulled the hatch closed and sat for a few more minutes. The “captain” then kept us pretty well updated and we were underway about five minutes later.</p> <p>All at the ride were very apologetic. They gave us a pass that we could use in our entire party allowing us front of the line status on whatever ride we chose (we used it on Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye) and they were kind. I have no complaints. </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/sunday-july-18-ride-closures#post-352 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:32:25 +0000 Anonymous 352@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>Yesterday we were almost on Space Mountain - is closed and all in line were sent away. We went over to Splash Mountain -same story. Stopped at Pirates - SAME STORY! How often are three major rides closed in the middle of summer? Makes the ticket price a little steep.</p> <p>Thanks. </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/grad-nite-loses-its-luster-1#post-342 Sat, 12 Jun 2010 01:15:13 +0000 Mark Storer 342@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>All-nighters at Disneyland are a rite of passage in California this time of year. High schools from up and down the state, indeed some from out of state, send their seniors by bus, weary of their studies, to revel in the adolescents-only environs of the Magic Kingdom. </p> <p>It’s called “grad nite” and it has been an icon of both the park-and California for many years. It’s a symbol that high school seniors have made it and deserve a party all their own, one their parents can sanction and one in which they can participate with abandon.</p> <p>My high school seniors got back this morning from their much vaunted, greatly anticipated trip. Graduation was today at Adolfo Camarillo High School, where I teach, in Ventura County, CA. We’re about 85 miles north of Anaheim and our kids participate every year. I was especially close to this year’s seniors and they knew of my love for Disneyland. They also knew that at 44, with a 9-year old at home and second career as a writer, I wouldn’t be joining them. I can stay up late…but not all night.</p> <p>So, I was anxious to get their report this morning. The past few years have seen students complain more and more about Disneyland’s indifference to the crowds who show up on grad-nite and the frustration with the high cost, low value of the experience. This year proved and set in concrete that view. Grad-nite is no longer fun, no longer a good idea and no longer worth the money.</p> <p>I spoke to more than a dozen seniors today and all of them related their stories. Busses arrived at the park around 11:30, the official start-time of the event. But so many busses were on hand, that students were forced to wait in lines, on the busses themselves for more than an hour. The system in place at the park involves a Disneyland Cast Member boarding each bus and providing students with a wristband. One group I spoke with didn’t get their wristbands until close to 1:00 A.M. </p> <p>Once they were off the bus, they entered the line to get in the park and again, the crowds were so large, they didn’t get inside the gates and onto Main Street USA until close to 2:00 A.M. Their bus driver gave them instructions to be back at their bus by 5:00 A.M. This left the kids three hours to “have fun” in the most crowded place on earth. Disneyland has allowed more and more schools to participate in grad-nite and the result is a park so crowded, that simple moving from one ride to another is an exercise in frustration. The kids say they cannot walk with their friends and talk. There is no room. If they are to stay together, they have to hold hands, or agree to meet at a certain spot and then go.</p> <p>The cost for each student? $115.00. Now, this includes transportation, yes, but still, it’s a high price to pay. Seniors at our school shell out $115.00 for Disneyland, $120.00 for prom (per person), $100.00 for a yearbook, and the list goes on.</p> <p>The point isn’t how much money they have to spend, however. The point is how much value each student gets for what they paid.</p> <p>“It really isn’t worth it to go to Disneyland,” they said today. “It’s so crowded. We rode on three rides, got some food, and headed home.” Others talked about the large list of things they weren’t allowed to bring in to the park. “You couldn’t bring in Advil, but you could buy it there. You couldn’t bring in water, but you could buy it there. I mean, I’m willing to spend my money at Disneyland, but they seem to just want to take it from us and not give us much in return.”</p> <p>I’ve been teaching for 19 years. I chaperoned grad-nite back in 1995 and even then, I said to my colleagues, “this is amazingly crowded and it hardly seems worth it to me.” Apparently, it’s gotten much worse. </p> <p>As I said, I spoke to more than a dozen seniors today. Of those dozen, not one had a positive comment about grad-nite. Not one. The only positive comment I got about Disneyland was from the student who didn’t go last night. “No way,” she said. “I didn’t go to grad-nite. I’ll wait until later this summer or fall and go then on my own. That way, I can have my own time and more fun.”</p> <p>I hope the folks at Disneyland are paying attention. Grad-nite isn’t fun anymore. I’m sure it’s a fine moneymaker for the Mouse, and that’s just fine. But if the idea is to offer entertainment value for the money being shelled out—that stopped, it seems to me, years ago. I will be encouraging my seniors from here on not to attend. Save your money, kids. Go to Disneyland on your own time. Tell your schools to stop participating. When the Magic Kingdom loses its magic to teenagers—it’s time to change something. </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/is-a-trip-to-walt-disney-world-in-your-future#post-35 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:39 +0000 John Frost 35@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>Apparently people are starting to think about traveling to Walt Disney World again. That's what Jay Rasulo announced yesterday in New York. Online inquiries are up, says Jay. Hopefully this is a sign of a turnaround for Orlando, which has seen a significant drop in tourist dollars these last two years. </p> <p>How about you? Are you coming to WDW in the future? Or have you canceled your trip? </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/disneyland-vs-disneyworld#post-8 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:45:50 +0000 Oh Amanda 8@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>I went to Disneyland for the first time (I can remember) this year. And I'm so sad to say I was a little disappointed!</p> <p>I mean, it WAS magical. It's Disney after all. But it felt kinda...squishy and crowded and not very themed out. </p> <p>And there was not ONE show. Well, the parade. And I saw one street performer. But I was hoping for a big show in front of the castle or a stage with a SHOW. That's my favorite part of WDW.</p> <p>But it was fun to see the original castle and Small World. I adored Small World (even w/the new characters in place). And I don't know if they do it at WDW, but we were by Small World at noon and got to see the "cuckoo clock" go off. It was incredible!</p> <p>What are the biggest differences to you? Pros and cons to each? </p> <p>a </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/granddaughters-can-be-so-great-trip-to-wdw#post-346 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:57:18 +0000 Anonymous 346@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>My granddaughter and I love Disney and we both collect Disney items. We had planned on a trip together to WDW in August to look for more things I can sell. Selling Disney items helps me make ends meet when my only income is Social Security. </p> <p>A couple days ago, my granddaughter called and said she had seen a website about a Disney Expo in August. She had the idea that we could buy a package, go to the expo, get some great things for me to sell or even set up a vendor's table to make money, and write it off as a business expense! I called the person that does my taxes every year and asked if this was possible and he said YES!!!! </p> <p>Started looking into this "International Pin Expo" and it really sounds great. Pin trading at all hours of the day, auctions, vendor tables with everything collectible including the new vinylmations, guest speakers, guest stars, character signings, and it keeps going on and on....</p> <p>We bought our package to attend and can't wait to go. I absolutely have the smartest granddaughter in the world! This will not only help me financially but we'll have so much fun together. </p> <p>Was so happy, had to share the news with someone. </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/just-got-back-from-wdw#post-343 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 15:22:11 +0000 Anonymous 343@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>What a horrible trip! Heat index of 110-115 for 4 days. I had the paramedics twice for me. Children (7, 4, 4, 3, 2) were crazy...probably with heat exhaustion too if only we had recognized. Long lines. A woman hit me at Tinkerbell's flying thing...she said I was too close to her, but had been standing there for 3 hours. : ( People were nuts I think due to heat. And their own stupidity. A lot less security at the night shows was not good. </p> <p>I lost my $5,000 camera but it was recovered. A good thing that was handled well. </p> <p>Food was hard-we were not hungry and we always, always, always lose so much on the meal plan. I left 4 sit downs, 13 snacks, and 2 stand-ups. Not as bad as last September though. </p> <p>Anyone have advice on taking children this age. I am a FL resident so I know that I need to avoid the heat, but that is when the dgc were there so we tried. </p> <p>Disney not as good on recovery now either with stolen water sprayer they did not want to replace. Hotel was Pop Century-horrible food court and filthy-floor was disgusting. Never there before. Room newly renovated-so fresh. Now I know to ask for the most recently reno-ed area. Buses were so jammed-the worst I have ever personally seen since 1980 of our first trip from PA. One night we waited in line for the 4th bus to get back to hotel. People rude and did not ask my ill husband(leukemia) if he would like to sit down. Sometimes daughters holding small children did get asked...but husband looked a lot sicker than daughters...and they gave Daddy the seat. With a lot of mean looks.</p> <p>I have stayed on property over 50 times in my life. This was the worst. Oh, and no hot tub although they said on ressies that there was one. Great lifeguards though-the best on property I have seen. Best part of the trip! : ) I also missed having a place to sit in lobby-never thought to ask about that. Going again in December with dh alone. </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/mcdonalds-in-wdws-downtown-disney-closing#post-287 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:55:40 +0000 thegoz85 287@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>Just wanted to gauge everyone's opinion on the news that McDonald's in Orlando's Downtown Disney will be closing soon. What do you think of its replacement? </p> http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/topic/grad-nite-loses-its-luster#post-341 Sat, 12 Jun 2010 01:14:11 +0000 Mark Storer 341@http://thedisneyblog.com/townsquare/ <p>All-nighters at Disneyland are a rite of passage in California this time of year. High schools from up and down the state, indeed some from out of state, send their seniors by bus, weary of their studies, to revel in the adolescents-only environs of the Magic Kingdom.<br /> It’s called “grad nite” and it has been an icon of both the park-and California for many years. It’s a symbol that high school seniors have made it and deserve a party all their own, one their parents can sanction and one in which they can participate with abandon.<br /> My high school seniors got back this morning from their much vaunted, greatly anticipated trip. Graduation was today at Adolfo Camarillo High School, where I teach, in Ventura County, CA. We’re about 85 miles north of Anaheim and our kids participate every year. I was especially close to this year’s seniors and they knew of my love for Disneyland. They also knew that at 44, with a 9-year old at home and second career as a writer, I wouldn’t be joining them. I can stay up late…but not all night.<br /> So, I was anxious to get their report this morning. The past few years have seen students complain more and more about Disneyland’s indifference to the crowds who show up on grad-nite and the frustration with the high cost, low value of the experience. This year proved and set in concrete that view. Grad-nite is no longer fun, no longer a good idea and no longer worth the money.<br /> I spoke to more than a dozen seniors today and all of them related their stories. Busses arrived at the park around 11:30, the official start-time of the event. But so many busses were on hand, that students were forced to wait in lines, on the busses themselves for more than an hour. The system in place at the park involves a Disneyland Cast Member boarding each bus and providing students with a wristband. One group I spoke with didn’t get their wristbands until close to 1:00 A.M.<br /> Once they were off the bus, they entered the line to get in the park and again, the crowds were so large, they didn’t get inside the gates and onto Main Street USA until close to 2:00 A.M. Their bus driver gave them instructions to be back at their bus by 5:00 A.M. This left the kids three hours to “have fun” in the most crowded place on earth. Disneyland has allowed more and more schools to participate in grad-nite and the result is a park so crowded, that simple moving from one ride to another is an exercise in frustration. The kids say they cannot walk with their friends and talk. There is no room. If they are to stay together, they have to hold hands, or agree to meet at a certain spot and then go.<br /> The cost for each student? $115.00. Now, this includes transportation, yes, but still, it’s a high price to pay. Seniors at our school shell out $115.00 for Disneyland, $120.00 for prom (per person), $100.00 for a yearbook, and the list goes on.<br /> The point isn’t how much money they have to spend, however. The point is how much value each student gets for what they paid.<br /> “It really isn’t worth it to go to Disneyland,” they said today. “It’s so crowded. We rode on three rides, got some food, and headed home.” Others talked about the large list of things they weren’t allowed to bring in to the park. “You couldn’t bring in Advil, but you could buy it there. You couldn’t bring in water, but you could buy it there. I mean, I’m willing to spend my money at Disneyland, but they seem to just want to take it from us and not give us much in return.”<br /> I’ve been teaching for 19 years. I chaperoned grad-nite back in 1995 and even then, I said to my colleagues, “this is amazingly crowded and it hardly seems worth it to me.” Apparently, it’s gotten much worse.<br /> As I said, I spoke to more than a dozen seniors today. Of those dozen, not one had a positive comment about grad-nite. Not one. The only positive comment I got about Disneyland was from the student who didn’t go last night. “No way,” she said. “I didn’t go to grad-nite. I’ll wait until later this summer or fall and go then on my own. That way, I can have my own time and more fun.”<br /> I hope the folks at Disneyland are paying attention. Grad-nite isn’t fun anymore. I’m sure it’s a fine moneymaker for the Mouse, and that’s just fine. But if the idea is to offer entertainment value for the money being shelled out—that stopped, it seems to me, years ago. I will be encouraging my seniors from here on not to attend. Save your money, kids. Go to Disneyland on your own time. Tell your schools to stop participating. When the Magic Kingdom loses its magic to teenagers—it’s time to change something. </p>