Showing posts with label disneyland crowd calendar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disneyland crowd calendar. Show all posts

Monday, June 11, 2018

Planning Guide for those visiting Disneyland for the first time.

Planning a trip to Disneyland for the first time can be overwhelming.  When to go, where to stay, how long to stay are commonly asked questions. Then there will be things you might miss. Well this page is going to hopefully help you not to stress out. Don't worry if you are still feeling overwhelm. RMH Travel host a planning Facebook Group that will hopefully answer your questions. In fact you were probably guided here from the group because you asked a commonly asked question when it comes to planning a Disneyland vacation. But if you weren't direct here from there and would like to join, click here.

When to go?


Most often the question is put, when is the best time to go to Disneyland? Well that is a loaded question...when is best for one family may not be best for another.
There are several factors you have to consider. Most people would say they want to go when the crowds are low, but there is some draw backs to that. What are they? Well, Disney knows when its harder for families to travel, so they strategies too. When they know the parks will be emptier they schedule maintenance for their rides, they limit park hours, they offer discount on 1 day tickets, and finally they don't have fireworks. Some people schedule their vacation based only on the crowd calendar and then are disappointed when their favorite ride is down or that there are no fireworks schedule. They also feel the park is still crowded, and relatively speaking, it is because with less rides open there are less places for people to be, and with shorter park hours there is less time to ride what is open. With that said here is a crowd calendar I created that averaged out the crowds of the parks for the last 8 years to predict how crowded the park will be in the future...check out our crowd calendar. And here is some interesting facts to consider when choosing when to visit.
  • From Memorial Day to Mid August it is consider Summer time at Disneyland Parks and they have nightly fireworks and start operation on summer hours with longer park hours and more shows schedule.
  • Christmas Time is consider the week before Christmas until the Friday after New Years this is very premium (packaged) time to visit Disneyland, they have longer park hours, extra shows and of course nightly fireworks.
  • Spring Break is the week before and after Easter they have nightly fireworks and longer park hours.
  • Fireworks are displayed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights year around, weather permitting. Park hours are also generally longer on these days thru out the year, because they attract more of a crowd. So week days would be less crowded but you will miss fireworks, of these three days I find Sunday to be best if you want to catch the fireworks off season.
  • September and parts of  January and February are consider the lowest crowd times and the park hours are general 10-8 and more rides are down for refurbishment.

Overview of the Parks

Disneyland Resort (DLR) is made up of 2 them parks, 3 Disney owned hotels (soon to be 4), and Downtown Disney. Everything that is officially part of Disneyland Resort is consider within walking distance.  See the map above to show you an aerial view of the Resort.

Disneyland (DL) is the original park built by Walt Disney himself and opened in 1955. There are 8 lands (in 2019 9 lands) and over 55 attractions:
  • Main Street, U.S.A. (has 6 attractions)
  • Adventureland (has 4 attractions)
  • Critter Country (has  3 attractions)
  • Fantasyland (has 15 attractions)
  • Frontier land (has 7 attractions)
  • Mickey's Toon town (has 8 attractions)
  • New Orleans Square (has 3 attractions)
  • Tomorrowland (has 13 attractions)
  • Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (hasn't offical said how many attractions coming in 2019)

Disney California Adventure Park (DCA) opened in 2001 and had a "re-opening" in 2012. There are 7 lands and over 40 attractions:
  • Buena Vista Street (has 4 attractions)
  • a bug's land (has 6 attractions) (will be closing in Sept 2018 to make way for Marvel Land opening in 2020)
  • Cars Land (has 4 attractions)
  • Grizzly Peak (has 3 attractions)
  • Hollywood Land (has 11 attractions)
  • Pacific Wharf (has 1 attraction, and lots of yummy food)
  • Pixar Pier (has 12 attractions)

On average, it takes 3 to 4 days for a family to be able to enjoy all the attractions at both parks. Most family spend 2 days at Disneyland and 1 day at California Adventure Park. Some feel it is essential to park hop as the parks are close to each others, other find that it was a waste of $50 per person (what the current price for park hopping is). For first timers that are going for several days, I often tell them, you can leave off the park hopper for now and always add it later to your tickets if you feel you want the feature.

Where to Stay?


You have two options when choosing where to stay at Disneyland:
Disneyland Resort Hotels-There are 3 hotels Grand California Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel and Disney Paradise Pier Hotel.  Staying at one of these three hotels have many perks including amazing Disneyland service, Extra Magic Hours, yummy character dining options, and package delivery from the parks to your hotel. (so you don't have to carry those packages around!) And Grand California Hotel & Spa has its own private entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. These hotels are consider Deluxe, or 4 star hotels and the price to stay at them is very high end.  Click here to learn more about these hotels.

Off-Site Hotels- Off-site options are typically much less expensive than Disneyland Resort Hotels. Some are just as close to Disneyland entrances as the Disneyland Hotel or Disney Paradise Pier Hotel, and the hotels are more budget friendly. To learn all about the different hotel options, please click here.

Still overwhelmed with which hotel choice to choose from, I can help you out. Fill out my easy to use quote form, (you have to be in the US sorry for those not in the US) and I will be happy to put together a package for you. I work with Disney directly to get the best packages for my clients. My prices will never be more than their price is and sometimes I have special extras that Disney doesn't even offer. To learn more about why you should use my services, please click here.

Dining Options


Disneyland Resort has over 30 restaurants to choose from while staying at the resort, click here to view all of them. You can book your dining choices 60 days in advance of when you wish to travel. To book a reservation, you can do it online or call 714-781-DINE(3463). Please note that Disney ask for a credit card to hold the reservations. There are so many great choices.

Character Dining
Currently they have 4 Character Dining options. Goofy's Kitchen at Disneyland Hotel is the only character meal that is open for both brunch and dinner. The other character meals are for breakfast only. They are Minnie's Breakfast at the Plaza Inn inside Disneyland,  Surf's Up! Breakfast with Mickey & Friends (starting July 10, 2018 it will be Donald Duck's Seaside Breakfast) is located at Disney's PCH Grill inside Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, and finally Chip 'n' Dale's Critter Breakfast (starting July 10, 2018it will become Mickey's Tales of Adventure Character Breakfast) and it is located at Storytellers Cafe inside Disney's Grand California Hotel & Spa Hotel.

Signature Restaurants
The most popular dining spot at Disneyland is the Blue Bayou Restaurant because it is located inside Pirates of the Caribbean ride. At Disney California Adventure Park Carthay Circle Restaurant is consider the top spot to dine. (I certainly love to get The Carthay Circle Manhattan). Please note that alcohol is not served inside Disneyland park (unless you are part of Club 33) but is served at other locations. At Disney California Hotel and Spa a very romantic spot to dining is the Napa Rose. (it is rumored that the chef that caters Club 33 also oversees Napa Rose). At the Disneyland Hotel Steak House 55 is the signature restaurant.

Club 33-is a private club that cost thousands of dollars to join, and has a LONG waiting list to join, and what you get is to eat at this exclusive restaurant which is discreetly located above Cafe Orleans and The French Market restaurants in New Orleans Square. You have to know someone that is a member to get invited. NO I am not a member.

Dining Packages
Disney offers several Dining packages where if you eat at one of their restaurants you will get exclusive or VIP seating for certain shows and events. Currently packages:

There are many dining options, Disney is really great at catering to those with food allergies, its always nice to give them ahead up when make your reservations if you have any food issues.

Magical Extras


The most popular extras beside Dining packages which you can read about above, is for little girls ages 3-12 and a visit to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disneyland. They also have boy packages but they aren't as popular. For older clients, Disney offers several tours, check them out here. During the fall season, Disneyland also has special night time Halloween Parties, to learn more about this event, click here. Disney California Hotel & Spa is a full spa and does offer Spa treatments, you can learn more about them by clicking here. There are random magic extras and of course when they are announce, I post them on Disneyland Planning Facebook group. If you haven't join it yet, I suggest you do.

Make a plan or go with the flow?


There are so many ways to go to Disneyland. Some people need a plan. I am honestly a more go with the flow type of person. But I provide my clients that book vacations with me, a  great excel sheet that helps them to customize their vacation for their families. (My prices are the same as booking with Disney. If you would like a free quote, please click here.) Even though I am not providing a detail tour here, and the reason is because I honestly feel that every family would need their own. Also, the ones that are posted on other sites...let me tell you I have followed them and so it seems does EVERYONE else, talk about crowded! But I will give you all a few tips on how to make your own plan.
  1. Check out Disney website and look over all the attractions. Note which ones have FastPass options and which ones have height requirements.
  2. Start early-The earlier in the day the less crowded the park is. Its a given. Disney sometimes lets you partly in 30 minutes before the park offical opens and you can line up and start planning even more.
  3. Use FastPass system. Disney now has the MaxPass, which allows you to select FastPass from your phone, it cost extra. Check out our FastPass for more information.
  4. Relax! Its supposed to be a vacation. Things will probably go wrong, kids if they are with you will have a melt down. But, overall hopefully you will make amazing memories.
  5. And the last tip I am going to post here that is a BIG money saver for many. Disney allows you to bring in a cooler the size of 6 pack, inside the cooler or outside the cooler you are allowed to bring in your own food and drinks. Just no glass, knives or alcohol.

Walt Disney World Pros...First Time to Disneyland


Disneyland is a different kettle of fish from Walt Disney World. Yes they have some things in common but deep down they are as different as apples and oranges.  Here are some common questions I have come across when a family is booking Disneyland for the first time instead of Walt Disney World.
  • Dining plans- Disneyland does NOT offer any type of dining plan, they do offer dining vouchers for their character meals that you can buy in advance and it does give you a bit of a discount. (you may buy as many as you like but usually they need to be bought in connection with a package deal)
  • Booking dining - Most WDW pros know the 180+10 rule about booking dining and they are up at 5:45 am EST the day they can book dining hoping to get that premium dining option, or to get dining at ALL. Disneyland does not have 180+10 rule, they have a simple 60 days in advance rule, and except for holiday times or the hopeful first dining slot, you usually don't have to be up at 6:45 am PST exactly 60 days in advance to get your dining choice.
  • FastPass+ - There is no scheduling FastPass 60 days in advance, or 30 days. At Disneyland they have machines near rides where you can get return times, and this feature is free. Or they have MaxPass which cost $10 per person per day.  MaxPass allows you to book your FastPass from your phone, but you have to have your ticket activated ie be inside one of the parks. With MaxPass you are allowed to only select 1 attraction at a time (in either park), but if the attraction you selected is more than 90 minutes away, you may selected a second FastPass at the 90 minute mark. The app of course tells you this. I kind of feel that its like selecting that 4th FastPass at WDW. Its all done from your phone, and has many of the same properties except for when you select a FastPass choice that is more than 90 minutes away. Learn more about FP.
  • EMH - Disneyland only offers Deluxe hotels, so they have made deals with 'Good' Neighbor Hotels. Because of this Disneyland also has two types of Magic Hours, both are in the morning only. One is for their hotel guest only and its call Extra Magic Hour (this one allows guest to visit Disney California Adventure Park 1 hour prior to park opening on Sun, Mon, Wed & Fri and they may visit Disneyland 1 hour prior to park opening on Tue, Thru & Sat, and they are allowed to go daily for the length of their stay). The second program Disney offers is for those who purchase 3 day or more park tickets (this includes the Southern California CityPass), this is call Magic Morning and it allows those with this ticket a one time entrance to Disneyland on either Tues, Thru or Sat.
  • No Bus - Everything is within walking distance (except for some of the good neighbor hotels).
  • Rides - Rides at Disneyland and WDW are different even if they have the same name, they are different. Some are not MAJORLY different, just the ques are different and some are very DIFFERENT. RMH Travel did a blog about all the rides at both parks in 2017 (so some rides are missing) comparing the rides from WDW and DL.
If you would like guidance and free quote for booking your Disneyland or Walt Disney World Vacation, please consider booking with RMH Travel. We help you as much or as little as you want when you book with us. And booking with us is JUST like booking with Disney because we book your trip thru the Disney web site. You will get an email from DISNEY, and all the same things you get when you book with Disney....but you also get someone that can help remind you or even book some of the things you need to book for your trip.  Want to learn more about why book with us, click here.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Monday, February 6, 2017

RMH Travel Comparing Disneyland to Walt Disney World...Disable Access Service Pass and wheel chair access

Hi Blogging World for those that follow my Facebook or visit my website often know that I am a Disneyland fanatic with a great Disneyland Crowd Calendar on her web site and we go to Disneyland a lot. I have gone to Walt Disney World a few times, but it been a while until just recently. We just got back form 9 day trip to Walt Disney World and can't wait to give a great review of the rides/attractions and shows we did.

We did 8 days at the parks and we also did Pirate and Pal Cruise, the Illumination Dessert Party, and the Hollywood Studio's Star Wars Firework Desert Party.  We had the dining plan which I am going to discuss in this blog series.

But this first post is going to address going to both parks with an autistic child (my son) and using the Disability Access Service Pass at both parks and also going to the park with someone who needs to use a wheel chair, as my mother accompanied us on this trip and unfortunately for her health of lately she can no longer walk a great distances so we had to rent a EVC (motorize scooter). So I will be talking about the differences and the similarities in using those services at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

Disability Access Pass (DAS)
 
What is Disability Access Service Pass?  This is a service Disney provides for people with a disability that makes it difficult for them to wait in a crowded line. (Autism is one disability)This system isn’t intended for guests who want to avoid waiting in lines, but to assist those who truly need extra assistance.  This system may also be used in conjunction with the current Fastpass system

At both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, it starts out the same to get this service. You must go to Guest Relations and sign up for the Disability Access Service Pass (it is most commonly known by its acronym DAS pass, and it is how I will refer to it from here on out). They take a photo of the person that will be using the DAS pass and at Disneyland they tie it to your ticket/annual pass and at Walt Disney World they tie it to the person's Magic Band/ticket. They also ask how many people in your party, and note that when you sign up with the pass. At Disneyland they need everyone's ticket when you make a ride choice, whereas when you are making a ride selection at Walt Disney World you just need the MagicBand/ticket that has the DAS on it, but it MUST be that MagicBand/ticket, and the rest of the party ticket/MagicBand is automatically added to the pass.

Disneyland's DAS Pass 

The plus of Disneyland, at that moment they ask what RIDE would you like to ride next. You may choose ANY ride ANY where in ANY park, they look up the wait time of the ride, subtract 10 minutes off the wait time and put you in the que right then. They scan all the cards and tell you the return time. Then comes the plus or minus of the DAS pass, after you enjoyed the ride, to get another return time you must go to a DAS Disneyland Kiosk which sometimes is difficult based on their location or lack there of. Here is the list of the Guest Relations locations:

Again, though once you get to any one of those Kiosk you can choose ANY ride again in either park, so you can walk to Main Street and choose Radiator Racers because you are about to leave Disneyland and go to Disney California Adventures. The request must be made at the kiosk and remember everyone's ticket must be presented at each Kiosk that wishes to ride, and make sure that the person with the DAS pass when you enter the rides is at the top (I usually just carry everyone's pass, always having my son's on top and get the FASTPASS and DAS pass for everyone in the party and present them to the Cast Members (Cast Member is what Disney calls their employees) when needed..  Another draw back is that they just tell you the return time, and you either have to write it down of REMEMBER it. Which brings me to an embarrassing story of me forgetting when my son's return time was and telling him it was time, then the Cast Member saying it was not time (by 10 minutes!) and of course my son having a full melt down and then the Cast Member giving me dirty looks when I just commented that I really thought it was for this time and he rudely said well it isn't get your child out of the way. Any person who has an autistic child that they love tries to avoid this situation....yet that Cast Member made me feel like purposely did this. So, as a warning to any parent, please write down the return time.

Walt Disney World DAS Pass

For Walt Disney World to use the pass you must present the MagicBand/ticket at the ride you wish to go on, again make sure it is the person with the passes MagicBand/ticket, when I signed up they said anyone may get the pass but the DAS member must be the first to go thru the FASTPASS line. But, that is not the case, yes they have to be the first thru the FASTPASS line but you also NEED their band to get the reservations. Because of this I ended up having two bands on my wrist the whole trip, but I had already made my son's child size so I had to come up with a unique way to wear the band. And only once did a Cast Member get snippy about my son not wearing his band.
 
They again do the 10 minutes off the wait time and ask that you return when your time is ready. You must always go to the ride to get a return time. The plus that I wish Disneyland would adopt and you can guess why...if you go to their app, which list all your FASTPASS in that section is also your DAS selection with the RETURN time!!! Perhaps when the MAXPASS comes to Disneyland, this will be adopted this method and we will be able to see our return times electronically. 

Some of the ques at Walt Disney World do need changes for those with autism though. There are many ride ques where they stuff people into a room, saying move closer and closer, also then once they stuff you in this small space they then expect you to all que up again, and for those that know the rides que push themselves to basically cut to be the first thru the doors. (and this situation causes my son MAJOR MELT DOWNS) Again, when seeking help from the cast members they were not helpful. My son really loved Test Track, his favorite part creating the car....his melt down point after that point because of the pushy people that rush out of the car making room to the que line, also at Animal Kingdom Lion King Show they constantly made announcement that we needed to be packed in as tight as possible, making no consideration for those that NEED personal space. 

Disneyland with wheel chair

Disneyland park itself being so old, the que lines are very small, too small for wheel chair. For those rides, they treat them like DAS return, except instead of going to a kiosk you will go to the ride, and find a Cast Member that will scan the person who is confine to the wheel chair and everyone else in their party ticket and give them a return time, though some times they will just direct you into a que. At Disney California Adventures, the que lines are big enough and you just get in the lines and the cast members will direct you when it gets time to for the help with transfer on to the ride. There are a few rides at Disneyland where this is possible too, Buzz Light Year is one that comes to mind. 

Walt Disney World with wheel chair

Walt Disney World lines seem more adapted to using a wheel chair, there were very few that required a return time, and we usually had a Fastpass for that ride anyways. Their Big Thunder Mountain ride is one that comes to mind. The biggest issue we had here was actually getting the wheel chairs on the bus and monorails, most of the Cast Member were really great about this but a few where not so nice. We also had a problem when we did the Star Wars Desert Party, they had tables assigned for those with wheel chairs but not enough so they shoved us into a corner and left us there, promising to have someone come and help but they NEVER did. See I am not here to sugar coat things, 90% of the time Disney is on the ball but as you see from my post I am honest about even where they fall short. And even though they fell short at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World with my family, I still love Disney and their parks. My son and mother are both asking when I can manage to plan our next Walt Disney World Vacation...and with your help I just might be able to make that happen. Remember I am always honest with my clients and readers.
Next in the blog series: RMH Travel Comparing Disneyland to Walt Disney World....the planning (I will be talking about booking a trip to Disneyland compared to Walt Disney World and how the planning is so different)

If you are looking for a great Disney travel planner, I would like to offer my services as a Disney Vacation Planner/Travel Agent. I would like to inform you that when you book with RMH Travel it doesn't cost one cent more than booking direct with Disney, in fact your statement will look the same because you are booking with Disney, but you are allowing RMH Travel to book it on your behalf and in return Disney will give me a small commission that goes toward supporting my family. But if you book direct, Disney just pockets that money, so please when you book your vacations, please consider booking it with me.


I promised to make your vacation even more magical and to take your Disney vacation to a whole new level. As your travel planner, I am here to help you every step of the way with as much or as little help as you wish for.  Whether this is your first time going to a Walt Disney Park or your 100th time, I am here to help make your vacation a magical one. 
For you free no obligation quote, please click here to be taken to my website.  
If you would like to join a FACEBOOK planning discussion group, I invite you to join one of the groups I run: 
 
You can also check out my website: www.RMHTravel.com

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, April 28, 2014

My Magic +, now unlimited Fastpass selections

Starting today, April 28, 2014 after guest have used their first three FastPass+ selections, which many will have been chosen before entering the park, you may visit a kiosks located in each of the Walt Disney World parks and select another FastPass+, after that one is used you may select another and another, even going to another park and selecting any that are still available.



For more information, check out our FastPass+ informational page.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Friday, February 7, 2014

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge-A Closer Look Inside




©Disney

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is a deluxe resort hotel adjacent to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It opened April 16, 2001. The lodge itself is called the Jambo House. Designed by Peter Dominick, of Wilderness Lodge Fame. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge was designed to feel of a South African wildlife reserve lodge. Rooms follow the Kraal African village design, a semicircle concept, offering a view of close to 100 grazing animals and 130 birds on the property and in the private savannas.
As you drive up to Disney’s Animal Kingdom you will see a small gathering of huts. The incredible size of the resort is hidden from the front, giving you the feeling of a true Krall African village. 

Animal Kingdom Lobby ©Disney

The Lodge is 6 stories tall. You enter the expansive lobby on the 3rd floor of the resort.  There is a huge picture window which looks out upon 30 acres of land. From here, you can walk out onto an elevated viewing area of Arusha Rock and enjoy the roaming animals. 

There are three savannas, Sunset, Uzima, and Arusha, these savannas are special areas built specifically for the Animal Kingdom Lodge and are separate from Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  There are over 100 Sand Live Oak trees and 35,000 shrubs in the savannas. Seeds from many of the plants were supplied from Africa. 

Throughout the rest of the lobby, there are examples of authentic architecture and design, from thatched ceilings to golden tones reflecting the richness and diversity of an African landscape. Rich wood tones surround a large mud fireplace and natural lighting will celebrate dawn and dusk with features that accentuate spectacular sunrise and sunsets. 

In the hallways, there are alcoves with glass windows providing savanna overlooks.

Next to Animal Kingdom Lodge is Kidani Village, a Disney Vacation Club Resort. Kidani has it’s own parking, restaurant, and pool. It shares the Sunset Savannah with Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House and it’s own savannah called Pembe. 

Type of Accommodations
1st floor Balcony Savanna View ©Disney

The accommodations offered are finished in rich tapestries and vibrant colors. Guest rooms feature jewel tones and hand-carved furnishings. There is even a “Royal Suite” with a domed, hut-like living room fit for a king.
 
The following are the room: Stand View (facing the parking lot); Pool View Rooms; Savanna View; Deluxe Pool View; Deluxe Savanna View. The deluxe rooms are bigger than the standard rooms. There are also Presidential and Vice Presidential suites, as well as five one-bedroom suites and 12 two-bedroom parlor suites.

The standard rooms are on floors 1-4 and are 344 square feet. Deluxe rooms are on floors 5 and 6 and are 381 square feet. All rooms have balconies.

Some rooms feature on queen-size bed and bunk beds. Some rooms feature an additional dresser. There are 79 king bed rooms, and there are 65 accessible rooms with king bed, roll-in shower, accessible seat for toilet, TDD kit and ADA guide maps.

Concierge rooms have either savanna or a pool view.

Each room that is not ground level, no matter what the category or view, has a balcony that is long and narrow. 

The suites are located at the end of the animal trails. From the outside of the Lodge, they are the ones located within the rounded parts of the building, with the curved balconies, topped with thatch. They are located on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors. Even the ones below the 5th floor still have concierge access.
All rooms have a small safe in the closet to store valuables. It’s big enough for your plane tickets, cash/travelers checks and maybe some jewelry, but not much more. For storing larger valuables inquire at the front desk. In addition, you’ll also find a hairdryer, small coffee maker with packets of coffee and tea, iron and ironing board, a crib, and a small refrigerator. Valet parking, voice mail, complimentary Wi-Fi and room service are also available.

The Savanna
 
The Savanna
©Disney
The Animal Kingdom Lodge has three separate savannas (approximately 10 acres each) that are open 24 hours a day. The three savannas names are: Sunset, Arusha, and Uzima. 

Each savanna has its own unique look and feel. Not all savannas have all the animals. For instance, ostriches can only be found on the Sunset savanna, zebras are only located on the Arusha savanna, kudu are only found on the Uzima savanna. Giraffes are the only animal found on all three savannas.
At night, the savannas are illuminated by artificial moonlight as if a full moon was present. ““Safari Guides” are at the outside viewing areas and can answer your questions about the animals and birds.
Altogether, more than 200 mammals and birds of nearly three dozen species populate the 33-acre area. The savannas surround the lodge on three sides. You can view the birds and animals from resort balconies or from several viewing points—including a landscaped rock outcropping called the Arusha Rock—open 24 hours a day.

The following animals can be seen in at least one of the three Animal Kingdom Lodge Savannas:

Anikole Cattle, Bongo, Blesbok, Eland, Grant’s Zebra, Greater Kudu, Impala, Reticulated Giraffe, Thomson’s Gazelle, Waterbuck, Red River Hogs, and White-Bearded Wildebeest.

Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Blue Crane, East African Crownded Crane, Greater Glamingo, Marabou Stork, Ostrich, Pink-Backed Pelican, and Ruppel’s Griffon Vulture

You are not permitted to touch or feed the animals.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Concierge 
Bunk beds ©Disney

Animal Kingdom Lodge concierge guest rooms are located on part of floor 5 and all of 6. The actual lounge and staff are located on the 6th floor. The concierge rooms are identical to the deluxe rooms in terms of size and amenities. You cannot book a specific concierge view…they are either a pool view or Sunset or Arusha savanna view. For some odd reason, the lounge was not built with a savanna view and instead opens to the lobby on the 6th floor. 

The lounge is large, and you are severed some unique snacks and even South African wines. 

A unique adventure can be booked when staying at the concierge level (for an additional fee). The Sunrise Safari Breakfast Adventure is available on Sundays and Thursday. You meet in the concierge lounge, then depart from the lodge to Animal kingdom at 7:30 am. The tour, along the Kilimanjaro Safari ride path in Animal Kingdom, last about 45 minutes and includes multiple stops so that you can stand up and take pictures. Each of the animals along the way are described in great detail, since there is plenty of time. After the Safari, you go to Pizzafari for a breakfast buffet, which includes both standard American and African items. Each person also gets a FASTPASS to Kilimanjaro Safari to experience in “the regular way.” The entire experience is approximately 2 hours. 

Restaurants at the Animal Kingdom Lodge

The restaurants offer a blend of African, Malaysian, Indian, Chinese and French cuisine with a dash of English served with a hint of classical flair. The menu reflects the perfect blend of sweet and savory international tastes. 

Jiko Restaurant ©Disney ­­­
Jiko-is a casual restaurant, serving dinner that features a taste of Africa in an atmosphere shaped by local traditions and customs. Focusing on simpler, lighter cuisine, it retains the spirit and refinement of a great restaurant while concentrating on the basics of cooking, with an emphasis on the freshest of products. The design represents an abstract view of Africa, with twin wood-burning ovens as the restaurant’s icon. 

Boma- A very popular family restaurant open for breakfast and dinner that captures the flavors of Africa and the essence of a vibrant life in the African marketplace. Served buffet style provides guests the ability to savor the African experience, which has multicultural influences. The restaurant showcases an exhibit kitchen, wood-burning grill and rotisserie. The dining areas are under thatched roofs. 

Sanaa-Experience the art of African cooking with Indian flavors, as exotic animals roam the Sunset Savanna before you. Enjoy a family-friendly feast with savory slow-cooked meats, zesty salads and vegetarian specialties. The atmosphere evokes a traditional spice market, as the decor is handcrafted wares under the graceful branches of an acaia tree.  

The Animal Kingdom also has a quick service restaurant called Mara, and a lounge called Victoria Falls, as well as a poolside bar.

Recreation at Animal Kingdom lodge

The Animal Kingdom Lodge offers guest a program of all the actives going on with the animals while you are on property. Outside, at the Arusha Rock, there is nightly African storytelling next to Ogun’s Fire pit. The Zawadi Marketplace is the retail shop but even it is something to see as the shop celebrates the romantic and adventuresome spirit of Africa through the stories and cultures represented in its merchandise. 
Uzima Springs Pool ©Disney

 Animal Kingdom Lodge has a themed pool, a wading pool, and two outdoor spas.
The Uzima Springs pool is the largest on Disney property, over 11,000 square feet. It is also a “Zero-Depth Entry” pool, meaning there is an entrance without steps. It has a 67-foot long slide and a kiddy wade pool area. The pool is opened 24 hours a day but the lifeguards go off duty at 10 pm, and they close the slide area. 

Commuting Times to the Park
Magic Kingdom                 36 minutes
Epcot                                  29 minutes
Hollywood Studios            26 minutes
Animal Kingdom               10 minutes


Ready to book your Walt Disney World Vacation?

Contact RMH Travel today!

Free Quote Form
email: info@RMHTravel.com
Phone: 855-RMH-TRAV
Web Site: www.RMHTravel.com


Don't forget to Follow Us


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, February 3, 2014

Legacy FastPass Machines are now a thing of the pass at Walt Disney World...Learn about the New FASTPASS + System here.

Today the Legacy FASTPASS machines were turned off at Walt Disney World during the next step of the FASTPASS+ testing, meaning no more paper FASTPASS at any of the Walt Disney World theme parks.

How it works: NON-resort guests and local day trip visitors will receiving a new handout on Fastpass+ testing when they get to the park.

One one side of the handout it notes the four Kiosk locations (near Pete's Silly Sideshow, near the Diamond Horseshoe, Stitch's Great Escape!, and Mickey's PhilharMagic) and on the other side you can mark the 3 FASTPASS+ selections you chose and their time.

Here is some basic FASTPASS+ info:

~Currently guests are allotted 3 FASTPASS+ rides selections in one park a day
~FASTPASS+ early scheduling through My Disney Experience is officially open to Resort guests during their resort stay, and should open in their MY DISNEY EXPERIENCE  about 60 days before arrival as long as tickets are attached to the resort reservation.
~Day guests will not have bands but will use the RFID enabled park tickets for FASTPASS+
~For those hopping between parks, I would recommend choosing your FASTPASS+ options for the park you are going to later in the day.






Have any questions? Post them below and I will be happy to answer them. Looking to book a Magical Vacation?

Check out RMH Travel~Where the Real Magic Happens!

When it comes to your vacation, a travel agent is an invaluable resource-it's like have a personal concierge-for FREE. As your travel agent I can proved tips to help you craft a day-by-day itinerary. To help reduce your trip-planning stress, I can make reservations for restaurants, and even your FASTPASS + selections. I provide maps and crowd scheduled. I can ensure you know about all the discounts and other benefits.

Contact RMH Travel today for your free no obligation, NO PRESSURE, quote.
Our easy to fill out Request form
Email:info@RMHTravel.com 
Phone:855-RMH-TRAV
Web:www.RMHTravel.com


Don't forget to Follow Us


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)