FYI - The Sassagoula River Adventure is now the Bayou Pirate Cruise. It is pirate themed similarly to the other children's pirate cruises at other resorts. This changed over the summer (2007).
Many evenings in the Tambu Lounge at the Polynesian there is live Hawaiian guitar and vocal music. It is a lovely respite from a busy day, and a great place to spend a few rainy hours. It is in the open upstairs area of the GCH next to Ohana and children are welcome. When I was there in January there was even Hula with the music Wednesdays at 8:00 pm. A local Hula Halau (school) rehearses at the Polynesian on Wednesdays, and then comes up and dances for an hour or so.
Delightful!!!
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We used a snack credit for Rootbeer Floats in Camp Minnie Mickey at AK and got a spoon straw with Safari Pluto hanging on it. It was great added bonus to our treat- the float was good too!
SNACK CREDITS CAN BE USED AT GOOFY'S CANDY COMPANY, and I'm not talking about the $4 and under snacks throughout the store--I'm talking about the SLUSHIES! We always take our cups back each trip for the $3 refills, but last time, the CM said we could use our snack credits! We were so excited! Everyone filled up with their daily snack credit!
The Magic Kingdom
Treasure: The Talking Trashcan
Location: Tomorrowland (just outside Mickey's Star Traders)
Like Animal Kingdom's Talking Palm Tree, who you will meet later in this article, this unheralded treasure brings delight to the children who are fortunate to be in this area of Tomorrowland when Mr. Trashcan is out and about. This talkative refuse container sometimes wanders into stores but mostly he stays outside and talks and sometimes follows guests, especially children, as they wander through Tomorrowland. Personally I find it more entertaining for adults to watch this mobile chattering trashcan amaze the children as he interacts and chats with them. The next time you are in Tomorrowland, and especially just outside Mickey's Star Traders, look for a crowd of children talking to a very mobile trashcan. You will be entertained.
How does he work? Look around.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Treasure: Indiana Jones Set
Location: To the right of the Indiana Jones Outpost
As you walk past the Prime Time Cafe and the Indiana Jones Outpost you will see, tucked away in a corner, a display of props used in the "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade" movie. You will recognize the vehicles and especially that famous tank. Unless you happen to attend the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular and exit to the left you may never even know this exhibit is there. It has been there for a long time and the overgrowth may hide some of the vehicles... but they are there. This is also a quiet area tucked away in a corner of the Hollywood Studios theme park. Enjoy it.
Epcot
Treasure: Epcot Tribute Museum
Location: Behind Club Cool
Unfortunately this may be a temporary treasure. Behind Club Cool there is an area devoted to the history of Epcot. In this area you can see models of many of the original Epcot pavilions, a promotion video for the opening of Epcot, and some exhibits of pavilions past and present. It is an extremely pleasant and nostalgic look at the beginning of Epcot and my fear is that this treasure will not be around for long. If you are a fan of Epcot and especially a former Epcot attraction known as Horizons, this treasure is for you.
Animal Kingdom
Treasure: Talking Palm Tree
Location: Between bag check and the turnstiles
Just after bag check and before you approach the Animal Kingdom turnstile area you may notice a very mobile palm tree conversing with guests, especially children. This unheralded treasure introduces young guests into the environment upon which they are about to enter. The fascination on the faces of the children as this tree (commonly known as Wes Palm) converses with them is priceless. The adults can have fun trying to figure out how the tree works. If you look very carefully around you the answer will appear. Of course, if you've already seen his cousin the talking trashcan in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, then you may already know how this tree interacts with everyone.
Treasure: Sunset Point
Location: Polynesian Resort
This area is found behind the Tokelau Longhouse. It is marked by a long walkway out to a point surrounded by several palm trees. This is an outstanding location from which to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks or just to enjoy a quiet moment and watch the ferry boats travel across the seven Seas Lagoon. It's one of the most romantic spots in Walt Disney World.
Treasure: Generation Gap Bridge
Location: Pop Century Resort
This is one of my favorite places to just sit and think. It is most comforting either very late at night or in the pre-dawn hours when there is nary another person around. The bridge is lit in part by signs depicting the decades in fonts associated with each decade. If you walk to the end of the bridge and sit down and listen, you can hear the water softly lapping against the bridge footings or hear the ducks out for a swim.
Want to read more? Mike's entire feature, which includes more theme park and resort treasures, can be found at:
http://allearsnet.com/tp/treasures.htm
What is the Kiss Goodnight?
At the end of the evening just before the park closes the castle change colors and well, it's just beautiful. By this time of the night the park is nearly empty and it's just so peaceful!!
What's a tradeable bus card? Never heard of that.
They started this last year. They are actually Transportation cards. The is several of the buses, monorails, and boats. The trick is to collect the whole set in one vacation. The best way to get the Monorail ones is to ride in the front seat and ask the driver if he can get them for you. The guys in the control tower (from TTC to Epcot) are the best spot to get them. They keep the whole sets in there for the drivers and he can get you what ever you need if your nice and he/she is in a good mood.
The boats are a little more tricky as not all the boat drivers carry complete sets but if you ride enough and ask enough you will eventually get them. Same goes with the bus drivers, best chance is to ask early in the morning when they get their "allotment" for the day.
I managed to get complete sets last trip for my son, nephew, and niece that way.
Here is a my tip of the day:
When you buy stuff be sure to check to see if you get free VMK cards with the purchase. You can check the VMK boards here on DIS for a complete list of where to get them but a few places is buying a poster size picture at splash mountain, candy in the candy store at Frontier land, and Mickey ears at the hat shop just to the right of the candy shop when you enter mainstreet (not sure if this one is still going, it was for when you buy golden Mickey ears but that was a year or so ago).
Oh, you can also get VMK rare cards by purchasing special packs of pins in Frontier land (other places too I think).
P.S. On the haircut at MK. My son loves this and won't get his hair cut before vacation just so he can do it. What most people don't know is that adults can get the Mickey on their head without getting a haircut (good for me since I'm bald), just ask. It's always fun to hear comments from people who see it since most people have no idea there actually is a barber shop in MK.
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When we rode in the front of the monorail, the driver didn't have the cards. On the boat ride from MK to Wilderness lodge, they got the kids special transportation stickers.
If you get to the Tinkerbell Shop in MK early with your kids (right beside the castle, near Philarmagic and the Carousel) you can ask to wake tinkerbell up. It's so cute to watch their faces light up!
Has anyone mentioned the lighting of the tiki torches at the Poly each night? It's free and not advertised.....
Also, at some of the restaurants, you can order a kid's drink - comes in a nice Peter Pan plastic cup w/ a light up tinkerbell clipped to the straw. I don't think the drink was included in the
DDP but it was a nice souvenier & the drink was really good.
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my husband just called me from WDW (he is there on a father-son trip) with his 7 year old. they were on the train, all the way in the back and his son got to call "all aboard" and what ever else it is they do when you are riding. he got to do it at all the stops all the way around the park and got a certificate saying he was conductor for a day or something like that. he told my husband that it was the best ride he's ever been on
This year I plan on taking my dad to Beaches & Cream for a "kitchen sink" sundae. I can't imagine the look on his face when he sees it!
Also, we love to stop in the Club Cool Station at Epcot (I think that's the name? It's a store filled with Coke products) We love to try the different flavors of soda from around the world...some are really good, others not so much (Beverly!). Best part is, it's free. Great way to cool off and get out of the hot sun for a few minutes.
I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but you can lounge on a beach chair and watch a movie on the Beach Club resort at night. We were fortunate to discover this as our pontoon was returning from our Illuminations cruise. Our driver said it was open to all and that they sometimes make smores there.
What a special treat it was to relax while our kids watched "Toy Story" and build sand castles!
this past June after having dinner at JIKO at AKL we were walking around the resort and found 2 CM's outside by the fenced areas where the animals are and they had night vision goggles and let you see the animals that come out in the dark. It was pretty neat.
In AKL last year we sat round the mud pit fire outside while Willie who was on one of the college exchange programmes gold folk stories from his home land of Namibia - he was in traditional dress and got us all saying hello and where we were from etc in Namibian!
Then, we went up to the shop and everyone was invited to take in instrument (yes, the ones that are for sale) and join him in a parade round the reception!
Was a blast singing "We are in Africa, we are in Africa" in a long line round the reception hall whilst banging on our drums etc! Then, Willie burst into what I presume was his "national dance" - think tribal rain dance type thing! and then we went off again!!
Just so nobody gets the wrong idea, guests are invited to borrow an instrument to use during this parade, not "take" an instrument (to keep).
There is a store in DTD Marketplace -- the general merchandise/giftshop that is closest to the bus stops -- that has a postage meter so you can send something that is specially postmarked from WDW (maybe the resorts do this as well?). They have a good selection of postcards, so you can write and send it right there. The very nice CM has a zip code directory in case you need help with that.
This past Friday, I bought an Animal Kingdom postcard for my DD who is at summer camp, and wrote a little note that said "this card may give you a clue about something we will do before school starts." The surprise is that we are staying at AKL for the first time the weekend before school begins here, and I have kept it a secret until now.
saw them riding the Segways last week in Epcot so they do still do it. It was in the Innovations Building though (not the Imagination Pavillion) It was the Innovations building on the Soarin side of the park....
Free Autographed Pics of Characters
Send a request for a pic of your favorite character to:
The Walt Disney Company
Attn: Fan Mail Dept
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, Ca 91521
Allow 4-6 weeks to arrive. A great way to announce your trip, or just get them excited before it arrives.
Magic Kingdom:
1) Talking Goofy bench by Tony's
2) Take pictures in Town Hall (movie scenes)
3) Wake up Tinkerbell
4) Talking Trashcan in Tomorrowland
EPCOT:
1) Do the Hokey Pokey at Sunshine Seasons
2) Look for the Living Statue in France
Downtown Disney:
1) Buy a
Lego advent calendar at the Lego Store
2) Cool off with the dancing fountains
3) Pin Trading - Pin Ball machine where you win a pin
Lego Advent Calendars:
The Lego Store sells Advent Calendars (~$25 I think) where you lift a flap of the box each day leading up to Christmas where there is a small package of Legos to build. There are a couple days where they get a Lego man. The packets usually have a theme to it, but not necessarily holiday related. It is just a really cool way for my boys to gear up for the holidays. We have purchased them each year we have been at WDW and stick them away until December. My boys love them. The only place we have seen them has been at the Lego store in Downtown Disney.
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