Festival of the Lion King Fail!

Let me preface this by saying that FOLK (as it's known to the cool kids) is my favorite show in Walt Disney World. I never get disappointed when I see it, and I still get chills as the music dims and the first chimes of "Circle of Life" start playing. It used to be one of my favorite pastimes during my time working at DAK, and I often went with friends if I happened to end my shift early.

During the last weekend of Food and Wine, my husband and I popped into Animal Kingdom at dusk to check out the new nighttime offerings. The night was full of fails, but as always at Disney, it still ended up being a fun, beautiful night.

We realized a showing of FOLK started at 5:30, and it was currently 5:25. We booked it over to Africa and made it through the queue just in time. To our surprise, we were escorted to the front of the Warthog section and the VIP area- second row! We got excellent seats, and settled in for a great show.

I eagerly sat through the tumble monkeys and the fire twirler, waiting for my favorite part of the show. The "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" section is incredible, with aerialists flying high above the audience to the tunes of the famous love song. The dancers, dressed as birds, never cease to amaze me. Usually, the male is dressed in red feathers, and the female in blue.

Except, the female in blue never showed up. The male was left alone to dance (which was a bit silly, as the sequence is designed to be done with a partner), and I overheard a fellow audience member ask "aren't there supposed to be two of them?" I understand things happen, and it was still a good show, but I was definitely disappointed that my favorite scene never happened. Luckily, I know I can always see this show again, but I'm sure it must have sucked for many guests who may never get another chance at watching.

As we exited the theater, I overheard the same audience member berate a bemused cast member, peppering him with questions as to why the blue acrobat never appeared. I didn't stay to hear the answer- we were intent on heading to our next destination, Kilimanjaro Safaris.

I was really excited to ride the safaris at night for the first time. However, my excitement quickly disappeared as we approached the ride and saw that the wait time was 85 minutes. I was unable to get a FastPass since we began our day at Epcot, and by the time I was able to select additional FastPasses, the safaris were unavailable. You can only select FastPasses for one park at a time.

The friendly cast member at the front of the safari line advised us to check out the tree show and come back. Tree of Life Awakens, a new projection show on the Tree of Life, begins at sunset and runs about every ten minutes, with a new mini-show every time. We made our way back to the front of the park, stopping off at Creature Comforts on the way (aka "Starbucks"). As we stood in front of the Tree of Life with a huge crowd, we noticed bright lights shining on the tree and a projection crew setting up a stage right in front of the tree. We listened to a cast member nearby, and heard the words I was dreading:

"No show tonight folks- holiday taping is going on."

"Who's performing?" I asked, noticing the piano and the microphone.

"JoJo," he responded. A lot of guests had no idea who she was, but my husband was a fan.

It turned out she was performing for a new Thanksgiving Disney Special, thus, all Tree of Life projection shows were cancelled for the evening. The wait times for the safaris were still over 80 minutes, so we decided to wait and watch JoJo. We eventually ended up being picked to be in the audience for her performance, but that's another post!

All in all, it wasn't the perfect night- no safaris, no projection show, and missing portions of Festival of the Lion King. Luckily, we still had a fun night and were rewarded with a beautiful sunset:

Anyone else have strange experience during Festival of the Lion King?

Hugs and fishes,

-Arielle

Epcot's New "E-Tickets"- Part 2

I got engaged to my now-husband on the original Soarin'. Yes, during the ride. Up in the air. Hang-gliding over the CA seaside. Therefore, Soarin' Around the World will never quite measure up.

First things first, I love that they added a third queue. This drastically reduces the wait times, so that you can spend your FastPass on Frozen instead, and just wait on the stand-by at Soarin'. When my husband and I rode, we waited 45 minutes in the stand-by line- which is almost unheard of on a busy day at Epcot.

The queue had a few interactive portions when we rode- they have long done away with the bird game, where the whole line had to help the bird "fly" through various landscape using arm movements. During our time, they had a quiz of sorts going with fun worldly facts (of which I had no answers), but there is no way to tell if that will remain or not.

We got ushered to the newest queue, which definitely looks newer and has nice carpeting. The paint on the walls even smells new. Once you reach the boarding area, you get to view a monitor which shows you a map with the destinations you're about to see. Luckily, the intro video with Patrick is still there, which everyone knows and loves.

The difference begins when the film starts. The transitions to your new destinations are easier on the eyes, and the film looks a lot cleaner and smoother. I do miss the scent of the orange grooves, but they do pump in scents of jasmine and grass which, while not quite the same, do make the experience more immersive. The music, for the most part, has stayed the same as well, except for a few different melodies thrown in depending on what scene you're flying over (for instance, over the Great Wall of  China, you can hear the sound of Chinese flutes).

Our first experience on this iteration of Soarin' was a little muddled- during our otherwise peaceful ride, a voice over the loudspeaker came on, interrupting the film audio, and a cast member scolded someone for taking flash photography or video (can't remember which). So please, folks, follow the rules- you don't want to ruin the experience for others.

Also, the film does seem to lean to one side- a lot. This is obvious especially during the part where you fly over the Eiffel Tower at night, and especially if you're sitting on the right-hand side of the theater (as we were). Disney has actually acknowledged this due to guest complaints and has vowed to fix it- however, they vowed to fix the Yeti on Expedition Everest too, but here we are years later, and the Yeti still sits stationary under a strobe light.

Long story short, I don't dislike this new Soarin'- the video quality is a lot better and it's fun to see new scenes. Plus, depending on what park you're at, you get a different ending- at Epcot, fireworks burst behind Spaceship Earth. I'll always long for the old video, but that's only because it was a part of one of the happiest moments of my life. Maybe they'll bring that video back during special events, or limited-time engagements, but I doubt it.

Tips:

• If you have to choose between getting a FastPass between this and Frozen Ever After, get one for Frozen and wait in this line. 
• B1 is, in my opinion, the best row, and you can choose to wait for this section if you'd like- it's the top row right in the middle, so no dangling feet above you.
• Please no photography or external video lighting! I feel like I have to ride this again, just so I can experience the attraction uninterrupted.
• SPOILER ALERT! The scene where you fly over the Taj Mahal is CGI- in reality, planes are not allowed to fly or video over this area. 

As always, feel free to chime in with your own tips and experiences!

Hugs and fishes,

-Arielle 

First Up: Epcot's New "E-Tickets"

Two of the most anticipated rides of 2016 for me opened at Epcot in the summer: Frozen Ever After and Soarin' Around the World. Both rides replaced or refurbished attractions that held a lot of nostalgia for me, but I was excited to ride both of them when they finally opened, regardless of my fondness for their predecessors. Let's start with Frozen:

Now, I didn't exactly love Maelstrom, but it was one of those things that I looked forward to every time I went to Epcot. It just became a staple of our trips- from "Back! Back! Over the Falls!" to the part where your boat almost glides backwards out of the open cave, a trip around the World Showcase just wasn't complete without seeing those lovable trolls. I was as disappointed as anyone when I learned the ride was to be closed to make way for Frozen, which is set in a fictional city in Norway.

There was, and still is, a lot of controversy over whether or not Frozen Ever After belongs here (even though, yes, the ride does contain trolls). To me, it would be more appropriate as a Magic Kingdom dark ride, not in a pavilion in Epcot where countries and their culture are represented. Nevertheless, this is where you can now find the ride and the sisters themselves (they have a meet and greet right next door), and regardless of whether you like this change or not, the ride is there to stay.

I was lucky enough to get a FastPass on the day we visited, since the wait time for this ride currently sits at a consistent 90 minutes or higher (unless you visit first thing in the morning, where you might get lucky and wait only 45 minutes). Getting a FastPass is tricky- as an Annual Passholder, you can only book them so many days out, and you have to get a jump on it. I kept refreshing the "My Disney Experience" app, waiting for a cancellation, until FINALLY one opened up and I grabbed it. My tip for those who have had no luck getting FastPasses is to keep checking, and then check some more- even if you have to set your alarm to get up and check at 3 in the morning.

Once our FastPass was obtained, we made our way over to the attraction. I'd like to mention that we rode in October, after the ride debuted in June. When the attraction first opened, I heard that there were a lot of technical difficulties- which is understandable, seeing as how the Audio-Animatronics for this ride are some of the most advanced in Disney World. Luckily, when we rode, most of the kinks seem to have been worked out, and the ride operated smoothly.

The queue is actually what once was the exit for Maelstrom, as in, it looks like a traditional Norwegian village with some Frozen goodness thrown in. For instance, signs announce a "Summer Snow Day," a day where Elsa has invited citizens of Arendelle (and guests of Epcot) to visit her ice palace. Oaken, of Wandering Oaken's Trading Post ("Yoo-hoo! Big Summer Blowout!") makes a fun appearance in the queue where a video of him appears through the window of his sauna. Through the steam, you hear snippets of him singing and chatting to guests on a continuous loop. I didn't get to see very much of this, as the FastPass line bypasses this section, but it should keep those quests in the middle of an hour+ wait entertained.

The boats are exactly the same as the ones for Maelstrom (viking ships), and a thrill of excitement ran through me as I boarded. The ride itself is extremely detailed and beautiful, and you immediately turn the corner and glide under a twinkling purple tree so that you can be greeted by Olaf, an Animatronic who seems to have more facial expressions than I've ever had in my life. It's impressive- he genuinely looks surprised to see you.

The ride track is exactly the same as well, yet of course, the story changes- the trolls recount how Anna saved her sister with an unselfish act of true love, and a baby troll excitedly announces that you're headed to the ice palace ("Lucky!"). As you ascend, the chanting music from the beginning of the movie builds your anticipation until you reach a door with a shimmering snowflake on it- whatever could that mean?

You see Olaf once again, gliding around on ice. Then Anna, Kristoff, and Sven come into view, singing an altered version of For the First Time in Forever ("For the first time in forever, Elsa's inviting everyone..."). This was one of my favorite parts of the ride- I love how they used the original music, yet changed the lyrics to fit the story of the ride. Also, all the original voice talent from the movie has returned.

Finally, you reach the climax of the ride- Elsa stands majestically on her balcony and sings "Fixer Upper" (Just kidding- you get a heart pounding, emotional rendition of "Let It Go"). This scene brings out all the feels- the music, the movement of the Animatronic, the sweeping feeling in your stomach as you get pushed back by the force of the icy, frozen, fractal-y magic, and the fog that engulfs you as she belts out "the cold never bothered me anyway." When working properly, as it did for us, this scene was amazing and made it an instant favorite in my mind. I found it extremely well done. The only downside is that it's hard to take photos of the Animatronic, especially without flash (please don't use flash). The faces are projected onto the characters, so they come out looking a little orange or blurred.

The ride feels like a little bit of a let-down from there- Marshmallow, the giant Snow monster, and the little snowgies send you careening down the "falls" (Marshmallow will either shout "I'm Free!" or "Let It Go!" as you go down). You are greeted instantly by the Arendelle castle with fireworks bursting behind it on the wall, and then you pass by Anna and Elsa in their Frozen Fever outfits, singing "In Summer" with Olaf. And that's it! The rides over in three minutes, you disembark and head into a pretty Frozen merchandise-themed store.

My thoughts?

I love this ride, and think it's an instant classic that both kids and adults can enjoy. Though beware- some kids can get scared of the drop (case in my point- my nephew still talks about that "mean snow monster" who pushed us down). I have yet to meet Anna and Elsa in their new Summer home next door, but I'll be sure to check that off on my next visit.

Tips:

• If you can't get a FastPass, try to go at Rope Drop or during the nightly fireworks.
• Usually World Showcase opens at 11, but this ride and the Mexico pavilion open at 9 am- also, Mexico now offers breakfast! 
• You will get sprayed a little by the water, but not too bad.
• There is no more Norway movie at the end.
• Keep in mind that this ride is meant for little kids (I am very aware that I am not their target audience, but I love it nonetheless).
• They do take your picture during the drop, which is loaded automatically on your Magic Band if you have one. 
• Keep in mind that the Animatronics still have a tendency to stop working now and then.

Whew, I didn't realize how long this would be- please let me know what you think in the comments! Feel free to add tips or your own experiences!

Next up- Part Two featuring Soarin' Around the World!

Hugs and fishes,

-Arielle

Welcome!

Hi everyone!

A little intro...

I'm a past Disney cast member, and I love visiting Disney, taking photos, and sharing news/ride reviews, etc. I used to work as a "Conservation Education Presenter" (now "Wilderness Explorer") at Animal Kingdom in the spring of 2012, and I miss it every day. In the meantime, my husband and I hold annual passes and live in South Florida- we try to visit the world as much as we can!

This is my little corner of the universe where I'll discuss any Dis-related (and sometimes personal) topics that come to mind. I welcome any advice and opinions, and I encourage everyone to stick along while I figure this blogging thing out! I'm also just getting into makeup and hair at the ripe old age of late 20-something, so I might as well share those tips as well.

Below you'll find a link of a book I wrote detailing my experiences as a Disney cast member at DAK (Disney's Animal Kingdom):

https://www.amazon.com/Arielle-Animal-Kingdom-Disney-Member/dp/1683900103/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1483302020&sr=8-2&keywords=Arielle+Tuan

Thanks everyone, and I hope you enjoy the ride!

Hugs and fishes,
-Arielle