Author: Brenda

Tuesday Disney Tips: A Thrill-Seeking Maniac and A Ride Wimp

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Note from Nancy: I am a pretty well-documented Ride Wimp. Brenda offers a different perspective today…along with some great information on some of Disney’s most scary…er, exciting….rides. Enjoy! 🙂

Are you a thrill-seeker or a ride wimp? For me, the answer is yes! My favorite rides at Walt Disney World are the highest, fastest, and craziest — and yet, I break out in a cold sweat if I have to ride Dumbo and I won’t even get near the Astro Orbiter.

I used to think I was afraid of heights because I get very nervous on high bridges and Ferris wheels; but I love Space Mountain, Rock N Rollercoaster, and Expedition Everest, so that can’t be it. Then, I decided I was afraid of falling — but the fact that the Tower of Terror is my all-time favorite nixes that idea as well.

So, I’ve decided that I have a fear of “falling out.” Surprisingly, I think I may have recently found out why. I was talking to my oldest sister recently; she is 8 years older than I and she was talking about a time when our parents had taken us to an amusement park. She was 11 at the time, my middle sister was 6, and I was 3. She said we rode on a ride that we sat down in and it went up in the air and flung us around. She spent the whole ride terrified because my sister and I were nearly flying out and she was holding onto us for dear life. She said it was the worst experience of her life and she has hated rides ever since. I don’t consciously remember that ride, but I am pretty sure something in my subconscious does; and I think it affected me enough to make me afraid of falling out of rides in the air — at least those on which I can see the ground.

My husband always teases me saying, “It’s not the falling out that you fear, but the sudden stop at the end of the fall.” Thanks, honey!

Somehow, being in the dark psyches out my mind, I mean I realize I am up high and the danger is still there but it doesn’t bother me if I can’t see the ground. It is the same with outdoor rides that drop; I cannot ride them at all, but I absolutely love the Tower of Terror.

I decided to write this blog for anyone out there who is preparing to visit Walt Disney World for the first time and who may be a ride wimp from a fear of heights, falling or “falling out.” I wanted to try to give you a heads-up on some rides you might be unsure about. My main goal is to make sure that no one misses out on a great ride at Walt Disney World for fear of not being able to handle it. I decided I would give you a list of each “questionable” ride in each park and whether or not this thrill-seeking ride wimp will ride it.

Magic Kingdom

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad — love it with the hands in the air the whole time. It does go up and down but not high in the air and it is fast and loads of fun. Sometimes it is a wild ride but it has a good safety bar and it is perfectly safe.

Splash Mountain – love it. There are several drops on this ride and, of course, the last one which is up very high. It is really beautiful inside so don’t miss it. Plus, the way I look at it, if the ride doesn’t even require a safety bar then how dangerous can it be?

Space Mountain – love it. I love rollercoasters as long as they are in the dark. Somehow darkness psyches out my mind and even though I know I am up in the air I am ok because I can’t see the ground.

Astro Orbiter – no way. Aside from the fact that the ride itself goes up in the air like Dumbo, it is already on top of a building. You have to take an elevator up to the platform to get onto the ride.

Barnstormer – like it. This ride is what some (ok, most) people call a kiddie rollercoaster. It is a lot of fun; the only problem is that it doesn’t last long enough.

Peter Pan’s Flight – like it. Even though I fear falling out, the seat is so large that I can move a good distance from the side. Looking down isn’t scary because everything is so beautiful to look at and the ride was marvelously designed to tell the story of Peter Pan.

Dumbo – no thank you, unless I am with a newbie. Dumbo goes up in the air and I do not feel comfortable on this ride at all. In fact, I get extremely nervous and break out in a cold sweat. However, if I have a first-timer on the trip with us, I will ride it as this is a Disney icon after all. When we don’t take a first-time visitor with us I avoid the sweet elephants.

Magic Carpets of Aladdin – no thanks. These flying carpets go up in the air like Dumbo. This is not my idea of a good time.

Swiss Family Tree House – no thanks. When my kids were young, I would reluctantly go in the tree house, across the “wooden” bridges that are up 6 stories in the air. I remember being rather panicky when crossing them. Now that my kids are older and they don’t want to go on it anyway, we just walk on past.

Epcot

Soarin’ – love it. If you are afraid of heights or prone to motion sickness, don’ be scared off by the warnings at Soarin’ as it is such a wonderful ride I would hate for you to miss it. Soarin’ is not a traditional ride. It does “take off” but it only goes up a certain amount and then stops there for the rest of the time. Just don’t look down. If you are terrified of heights, just ask to be in row 3 as it rises up the least. Personally, I love row 1 (which goes to the top). Please give this ride a try; it is beautiful and the sensation of flying is totally awesome!

Test Track – love it. This is an awesome fast ride. You cannot see how far up you are and this ride is so much fun. Don’t miss it.

Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest — love this ride. It is so fast and fun! There are high drops and riding backwards fast in the dark. It is very exciting. If you have a fear of falling out or a fear of heights, just do what I do and look at your lap or keep your eyes closed when going up the steep trek to the mountain. Oh, and I never sit in the very front seat. I did it once and once was enough. Other than that I love this ride.

Primeval Whirl — like it. This is like a roller coaster combined with a tilt-a-whirl. It spins and dips and even though the drops are steep, they are only about 20 feet. Sometimes you tackle the drops facing forward, sometimes facing backward, and sometimes you spin while falling. Should  you ride it? If you are afraid of heights, then maybe not. If you’re afraid of falling, then maybe not. If you are afraid of falling out, then maybe not. But, I am able to ride it because it is so much fun. I have some anxiety but I really enjoy the spin factor.

Tricera Top Spin – no thanks. These dinosaurs go in the air like Dumbo. I don’t have small children and my children don’t feel the need to ride this one because they consider it a kiddie ride. I don’t feel the need because I could fall out and I would have palpitations that I can do without.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Tower of Terror – LOVE IT. This is my all-time favorite ride and you can get an inside glimpse as to why by reading my previous blog about my favorite ride here.

Rock N Rollercoaster – love it. This is an awesome rollercoaster in the dark with lots of neon accents. It goes very fast, does some loops and twists, and goes upside down; all the while playing great Aerosmith tunes right into your ears. It is fantastic fun!

Downtown Disney

Characters in Flight Balloon Ride? Uh, emphatic NO! Enough said.

Please keep in mind that I am not offering a professional opinion. Fears are very real and you should ride whatever you are comfortable riding. I just thought that, if you are like me, you might find this information helpful.

If you would like to read about the rides from another ride wimp’s point of view, check out Nancy’s article from Chip & Company here.

My family and I haven’t had any trouble making our different ride styles work for us. My husband has a fear of falling so he will not ride Tower of Terror with me at all. He watches all our stuff and enjoys people-watching while we are on the ride. My oldest is not afraid of any rides but likes the dark coasters least. He also will not try Mission Space because my husband and I both experience vertigo issues after we rode it years ago. We have not tried the tamer version because we don’t want to chance it. My middle child is not afraid of any rides at WDW. My youngest is not afraid of anything and the bigger the thrill the better. I have ridden Dumbo with the kids and I will continue to ride it only when we take first-timers as this is a true Disney icon that every first-time visitor must ride and I want them to share the experience with at least one of us. While my family rides the Astro Orbiter I usually people-watch, ride Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin or go into the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. Dealing with our differences and having a great time at the parks has been no problem at all; we just go with the flow.

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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Thrifty Thursday: Doing Our Part to Spread the Magic

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On this Thrifty Thursday, I wanted to talk about something that is absolutely free and will enhance your trip to Walt Disney World exponentially. In a tribute to one of the most wonderful human beings in the world, in my opinion, I wanted to spend today just talking about a few nice ways we can help spread the magic while at Walt Disney World.

In my studies of Walt, I have read that he envisioned people coming to Disneyland (and I am sure Walt Disney World), finding happiness there, then going out and widening the circle of happiness around the world. I like to do my part with helping him in this very worthwhile endeavor, so I thought I would talk about some ways we have tried to help.

Through the years, there have been many things we have tried to do to help people feel the magic of Disney. I am not only talking about visitors with a “First Timer” button on their shirt, but all kinds of people – children, adults, cast members, everyone really. I hadn’t really sat down and thought of things we have done before, but when I sat down to write this blog and started remembering things we did, I was reminded of some of the best times we have ever had on our trips.

Playing Photographer

My husband is always offering to take pictures of families or groups whenever he notices someone being left out of the photo because they are behind the camera. He has been our primary photographer so he knows exactly what it is like to have many pictures of the rest of the family but only a few that include him. He has never met a stranger, so he will walk right up to someone and ask if they would like him to take their picture.

Thanking the Cast Members

We hand out cast member thank you cards (like this one). You can download them free here and give them to cast members who have made your trip special in some way.

This year we gave one of them to a very sweet young man named Scott who was working at the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. He was so surprised and appreciative, he looked like I had handed him a million dollars. To tell you the truth, if I had been carrying a million I would have given it to him.

Pay the toll

Whether at home or on vacation, it’s a nice gesture to pay for someone’s toll. When passing through the Florida Turnpike we just tell the person in the booth that we also want to pay for the car behind us. We say, get the magic started before they have even hit the park.

Giving up your spot

We usually take the Disney transportation to the parks but we have driven before when we knew we were going to be leaving during a very crowded time that would cause a long line at the bus stop. When we drive and park, now that our kids are older, we usually will give up a closer parking spot if we see a family with small children trying to park near the entrance. We remember what it was like having tired children to lug to the car when leaving the park and this is our small way of encouraging their plight, even though they never know why we did it.

The first shall be last

This title isn’t exactly what I mean. We don’t offer to get on the bus last if we are there first, but it is nice to let the family behind us get on first. It really doesn’t affect where we will sit, usually, but it gives them a little extra magic when someone does something nice for them.

Stand up

I was born and raised in Texas, so southern ways are all I have ever known and that goes for my husband and my two strong boys and my healthy girl as well. Most times, we are happy to stand up and give our seats to someone who clearly needs one on the bus – especially a child, pregnant woman, grandmother, or grandfather. There are some nights we have started very early and stayed very late and we are wiped – those nights we might not give up the seat. But, we are happy to when we can bear it.

Special Greetings

We wore these “Happy Thanksgiving” shirts this year in order to wish others a Happy Thanksgiving, but we received so many kind wishes that we were clearly the ones that received the blessing. Sometimes trying to do something nice pays you back two-, three, and four-fold.

Just a gesture

Both years we have had the free dining plan, we have ended up with snack credits at the end of our trip. A very nice older woman working in the gift shop really helped me to find a nice gift for my loved one back home, so I used one snack credit to buy a sweet treat for her and took it back to the gift shop. I told her it was a sweet for a sweet.

Smile

It is so funny how everyone faces everyone else on the busses. You end up with people looking right at you, where else can they look when they are sitting right in front of you. Even when you are in line, you make eye contact with people all day long. We share our smiles generously. We are so happy to be at Walt Disney World we can’t contain it anyway, so why not share it and brighten someone else’s day.

Thank the bus driver

I do not like driving at all. My husband jokes that I keep him around for chauffer duties and lawn maintenance. Truth is I keep him around for the entertainment value  – just kiddingJ I must say that I cannot imagine driving a bus at Walt Disney World with crowds of people standing behind me, kids screaming, babies crying, I could never do it; I would be a nervous wreck. That is not to mention all the traffic on Disney property and people not obeying the street lights. I am so thankful for the kind, calm individual getting me safely to my destination; I always thank the bus drivers at WDW and tell them to have a great day. They are not allowed to take gifts, but I do give them cast member thank you cards (like above).

Don’t waste a fast pass

If we have fast passes left when we decide to leave the park, we always find someone to give them to, especially since we have 5 or more people in our party every year. We have been blessed a few times to actually hear a parent say they just don’t have an hour to wait on the ride while their child is begging to be able to go on it. We love to be able to offer up our fast passes for this. If we had time, we would offer them even if we had planned on using them and just wait out the line ourselves.

We feel very blessed to be able to enjoy our annual trips to Walt Disney World. Someday, we might not have this chance but while we can we will use it the best we can. It is our pleasure entirely to try to make someone’s day a little more special – whether it is a guest or an employee. These are just some of the things I could think of; I would just love to hear about your experiences with kindness – given or received – while at Disney. I think Walt would be happy to know we got the message.

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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Tuesday Disney Tips: Ten Reasons Why I Love Disney’s Moderate Resorts

Brenda Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money on Accommodations, Tuesday Disney Tips , , , , , , 8 Comments

Although we are happy we splurged on a great new experience this year by staying in the theme-park view room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort (the iconic deluxe resort of Walt Disney World) my husband and I both agreed that we would not do that again anytime soon. The trip was quite expensive for us to manage and, truthfully, we enjoy the moderate resorts. What is so special about them? Here are my top ten reasons you gotta love the moderates:

1.         Mousekeeping: Mousekeeping is awesome at moderates. They always do a great job at keeping everything clean and they are very friendly.

2.         Wide-open spaces: We like the wide open spaces at the moderate resorts. The grounds are beautiful at the Port Orleans; the Caribbean Beach Resort is tropical and tranquil and we enjoy being outdoors so this is perfect for us. Also, rabbits, squirrels, and sometimes a chipmunk or two can be seen lurking about.

3.         Special touches: There are little special touches you receive at the moderates, like towel animals. There is nothing that says “Welcome back” like little towel animals in your room. Regrettably, we did not see any sign of a towel animal at the Contemporary.

4.         Stairs: I do not like waiting for elevators only to find that 1000 other people will rush in even when you were waiting first. Truth be known, I prefer to take the stairs. Granted, some of the resorts are three stories, but they are an easy trek.

5.         The Staff: The cast members at the moderates are friendly and courteous. Of course, some are cast members extraordinaire but, generally, all are very friendly.

6.         The Guests: I like the guests that stay at moderate resorts. They are friendly and easy to start a conversation with and are usually very happy to be enjoying the resort as well.

7.         Theming: I enjoy the theming at the moderate resorts. From the detail in the building design, to the plants and flowers adorning the property and chosen specifically for that landscape, to the themed-pools. I also thoroughly enjoy the way music appropriate to the theme is piped in around the resorts such as calypso music at the Caribbean Beach Resort or Cajun music at Port Orleans French Quarter. Disney has done a fantastic job with the theming.

8.         Entertainment:  There is great entertainment at one moderate property in particular. If you have not been to Bob Jackson’s show at the Port Orleans Riverside, add it to your list for your next trip. He is awesome. You can read a previous blog article for more detailed information on Bob.

9.         Resort-specific foods: You can find foods specific to the resort when at the Port Orleans Riverside (pralines) or French Quarter (beignets). Mmm, these deep-fried donut-type treats, rolled in powder sugar, just melt in your mouth and they can ONLY be found here.

10.     Boat Rides: Both the Port Orleans properties offer a boat ride to and from Downtown Disney, which is a very enjoyable little trip.

These are my top ten reasons for loving Disney’s moderate resorts. To find out more about any of these wonderful resorts, visit Disney’s resort page. Let me know your thoughts on your own preferred resorts.

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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Splurging on a Theme-Park View Room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Brenda Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money on Accommodations , , , 2 Comments

Many thanks to Brenda for keeping you company today while my family and I are on vacation at Walt Disney World…. 🙂

During our trip to Walt Disney World in November 2009, we made a decision that we would splurge on our November 2010 trip and booked a Theme-park View Room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. My youngest child is a senior in high school this year and we really don’t know how long we will be able to continue having all of our family together every year during this time, so we decided to stay in a room we certainly could not afford to stay in every year and go all out.

We generally like the Contemporary Resort and we always spend some time walking around the resort when we dine at Chef Mickey’s.  I must say there were many things we really enjoyed about our stay in the theme-park view room at the Contemporary. I am really glad we splurged just this once. Here are the top ten things we enjoyed most:

1.      The view: waking up to the view of Cinderella’s castle each morning and having coffee out on the balcony some nights to watch the fireworks was by far number 1.

2.      The monorail: being able to go down the elevator and hop on the monorail was so convenient.

3.      The room-size: we had a room with two queen beds and a sofa bed. This provided ample room and was very comfortable for us.

4.      The bathroom: we enjoyed having a private area with the toilet that was separated by a sliding door from the sinks and shower. This design was much more efficient for a family of 5.

5.      The convenience: having everything from restaurants to shopping located inside the building was great. We didn’t even have to leave the building to get coffee.

6.      The beach: we enjoyed vegging out by the beach. We live by the beach so for us this is relaxation time.

7.      The boat ride to Fort Wilderness: we took the boat from the Contemporary to the Fort Wilderness Campground for the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. That was a very enjoyable ride.

8.      The staff: all the staff at the front desk, as well as other areas of the resort, were very accommodating.

9.      Activities: there are many free activities offered at the resort, such as games by the pool and movies under the stars.

10.    Fitness Center: I must admit that I do not work out at Disney, other than walking several miles a day at the parks, but my eldest son works out every day no matter where he is. Each morning he was down at the fitness center and he was very impressed with the facilities.

As I said, I am really glad we splurged just this one time. We have decided that we will stick to our more economical room choices in the future, but it was nice to stay in this wonderful location this year. I hope everyone will be able to stay in one of these rooms at least once. It truly is quite an experience.

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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Thrifty Thursday: My All-Time Favorite Disney Ride: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

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I am a Disney thrill-seeker, no doubt about it. I love the Rock N Rollercoaster, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Expedition Everest, Space Mountain; all the great rides. But the ride that gives me the biggest thrill at Walt Disney World, and is thus my hands-down favorite, is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

The first thing I do upon entering Disney’s Hollywood Studios is walk straight ahead to Sunset Boulevard and make a sharp right turn heading to a 13-story structure known as the Tower of Terror. I check the wait clock to see whether I am going to get a fast pass or just wait in line. In most cases, I will get a fast pass for The Rock N Rollercoaster and just wait in the Tower of Terror line.

The line twists and turns through an ungroomed, misty, eerie courtyard. While winding through the landscape, I love listening to people around me nervously discussing how apprehensive they are about the ride, and even whether or not they should be in line at all. All is calm for a few minutes but then, without warning, the doors several stories up open and all I can hear is screaming before the riders take their next drop! It sounds like the riders are terrified, adding to the sinister chuckle I get listening to the unsuspecting new riders around me. I would guess, though, that if someone interviewed these newbies on their way out of the ride, they would say that they thought it was awesome!

As I get closer and closer to going inside the “hotel,” I get more and more excited. After queuing through the dusty lobby of the old Hollywood Tower Hotel, I am directed into the library for the pre-show, which is a short film hosted by Rod Serling, creator of the old Twilight Zone television series. In the momentary darkness, I start to feel the adrenalin pumping while I am then guided into the Hotel’s boiler room.

Once the doors open to the boiler room, the butterflies start flying. I have been on this ride probably 50 times or more, but every time I ride it the butterflies show up. I think that is part of the fun!

The cast member, dressed in a vintage bellhop costume, taunts everyone by thanking us for “dropping in.” I am then directed to my appropriate row and seat number which is painted on the floor in front of the place where the elevator will pick me up. Finally, our “freight elevator” arrives and I find my appropriate spot just as it was on the floor diagram and get into my seat and put on my seatbelt. Note: there used to be a bar and only one special seat had a seatbelt, but Disney added to the excitement by changing the safety mechanism for all seats to seatbelts only. I am ALL smiles at this point; high-fiving my kids and getting ready to go. I can’t wait until the doors close and we are off on what is my all-time favorite ride.

We take off and as the elevator rises up, I am ready for the visual. The doors open again as the “freight elevator” glides through mysterious hotel passageways showing us ghostly images of former guests. Then, the elevator enters the shaft. It is pitch black and chilly. Then I feel it…our elevator is locked into place. Here we go!

There is a 130-foot free-fall drop and then it shoots quickly up, then down, then up; plummeting again and again in random drop sequences. When the doors open, I smile and get ready for the camera flash, look out over the park, then laugh at all the people with me as we are all screaming our lungs out but thoroughly enjoying the experience. Once we are back on the ground and the ride is over, I think to myself, this is what I have been waiting for all year and I am grateful to be back! I hope you will drop in on this baby during your next trip!

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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