The Animation Academy at Disney's Hollywood Studios

I can't draw.  Not even stick people.  Clearly my 7 year old's affinity and talent for sketching was not derived from my gene pool.  Since I cannot help her budding artistic talents directly, I will sign her up for the occasional art class after school or if I find a cute learn to sketch book I will grab it for her.  As you can imagine, a visit to the Animation Academy was on our "must do" for our Studios day.

The Animation Academy is a fantastic attractions that you actually have to seek out.  There are no exterior signs or lights to draw you in.  There are no "teasers" about what you may find inside. There are no squeals of delight as you walk by.  And yet this 20-25 minute class is a fantastic little find.

The Animation Academy is located inside the Magic of Disney Animation building.  As you enter the large room to the right you immediately notice the characters surrounded by the adoring masses.  We saw Sorcerer Mickey, Lotso, Frozone, and Mr. Incredible.  It is easy to become distracted by the Sunnyside Daycare set up and not even notice the small waiting area for the Animation Academy.  The waiting area consists  a few benches separated from the rest of the room with a movie theater style velvet rope.  The classes are offered every 30 minutes or so through out the day.  There are a limited number of seats available, so I would not arrive moments before a class is scheduled to begin and expect to find a seat. 

Usually, our family plans a mid day break, but for our Studios day, we decided to try to push through.We planned to attend the class in the afternoon to give ourselves a little rest.  It was a great idea, as the "tired" was starting to set in.  Because of that, I was not nearly as diligent with picture taking as I normally am - my apologies.

In any event, we ended up waiting about 20 minutes for the class to begin.  As they swept open the doors, we entered an upscale classroom.  The instructor was seated at the front next to a large overhead projector.  There were rows of Mickey themed desks and stools, along with paper firmly secured to the desk and some pencils.  The room filled quickly and the instructor started the class by letting us choose which character we wanted to draw - an easy Mickey or a more complicated Stitch.  The class must have been filled with other drawing impaired folks, as the overwhelming choice was Mickey.  (I am sure it had nothing to do with it being, you know...Mickey!)
The instructor moved at a good pace.  She kept everyone moving so the class would end on time.  She gave great general drawing tips - For example, when you draw a circle you should move from your shoulder, not your wrist or elbow, as that is the natural movement of your shoulder.  You know what?  It worked!  I started my Mickey face and ears with a much rounder circles than I had ever drawn before. Certainly not perfect, but passable.

The she moved on to explaining exactly where to draw a few simple guidelines.  Once we had our guide lines we and used them to get the proportions of Mickey's features just right.  Before I knew it I had a pretty good Mickey staring back at me - albeit a bit cross-eyed.

Quick Tip - In order to keep the class moving, there are no erasers in the Animation Academy.  Keep your sketch lines very light until you are instructed to make them heavy - or just wait until the end of class and use the last minute to darken up the appropriate lines.  If I had done a better job of that, my picture would have been even better.

So next time you visit Hollywood Studios, build in a little rest and drawing time at the Animation Academy.  It is absolutely worth looking for.  I must say that I was ridiculously proud of my work.  You are encouraged to sign and keep the fruits of your labor.  I wonder if Mom has any room left on her refrigerator?

My crossed-eyed mouse

My 7 Year old's efforts - She was frustrated with no eraser, but now sketches much better Mickeys with ease.

And the 4 year old...Have I mentioned that listening and following directions are not her strong suit?  She now does great sketches of Mickey, but she still puts the guidelines on the face - even though she does not actually use them!

So long, Toontown: A tribute

Today is the last day that kids will take their first roller coaster ride on Goofy's Barnstormer, run through Donald's Boat, smile at all of the clever details in Minnie's House and Mickey's House, or load up on Disney goodies in the County Bounty.  Today is the last day Mickey will greet visitors in the Judge's Tent.  Today Toontown closes forever.  Toontown is saying goodbye to make way for the much touted Fantasyland expansion (details here).

Although Toontown never received much "critical acclaim", I must admit that I am a fan.  As a total ride whimp, the Barnstormer is just my speed.  And while the coaster itself is not going away, the theming (and the chickens) are.  I love looking at all of the clever details in the mouse's houses.  I love Minnie's painting of the view outside her window, and peeking in to Mickey's bedroom.  And if you have young girls, the Toontown Hall of Fame is tops on the list of attractions.  And while the notoriously icky Pete's Garage (aka Potty Training Central) won't be missed much, I will surely miss good ole Pete's Bumper Crop.

So...good bye old friend.  While we are looking forward to what the future holds, you will be missed in this household. 

Enjoy some scenes from a sweet little spot in the Magic Kingdom...

What you should REALLY do with your luggage tags...

If you have purchased a room and ticket package as part of your Walt Disney World vacations, then one of the added perks that you will receive is a set of Disney World luggage tags.  If you flip to one of the back pages in your travel documents Disney even provides you with a page of preprinted inserts.  You can just fill out your personal information, slide it right in, and attach it to your suitcase, right?  Wrong!  There are trolls that roam the airport who are very interested in your home address, particularly if they happen to see you headed out of town.

Instead, head over to your local department store and buy a few luggage tags that are designed to obscure your address from plain view.  It satisfies the airline's requirement that your bag be labeled, but it keeps your address from being proudly displayed to any bad guy that happens to wander by.  It really is $2 well spent.

I know you are thinking, "But what about my cute little luggage tags?  With the castle...and the balloons?"  Well, I am certainly not going to suggest you let them go to waste!  Instead of your home address, write down your name, the name of your resort, and your cell phone number and tuck it into the tag.  Attach the tag to your stroller, your cooler, your park bag, or anything else you plan on bringing inside the park with you.   Now if you drop or loose something, it has a fighting chance of being returned to you!

When you get home, you can recycle the tag for anything else that you want...gym bag, back pack, lunch box, whatever!  Just be sure that if you let your child use it that you do not put their name out in plain view.  (Somehow kids think that if a stranger knows their name, then they are not a stranger.) 

My tag is still attached to my cooler and my camera bag.  I take a little bit of Disney with me where ever I go...

Kringla Bakeri og Kafe - A Quick Service Standout

On December 4th I woke my princesses up with an amazing surprise..."Ladies, we are going to Disney!"  I gave them 20 minutes to dress and jump in the car so we could be off to the airport.  Thanks to a quick flight that landed early (!) and an amazingly quick Magical Express and resort check in, I found myself standing in Epcot only 2 hours after my the wheels touched down in Orlando, leaving plenty of time for a counter service lunch.  We headed off to the World Showcase and the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in the Norway Pavilion.

This tiny little quick service gem is located on the left "corner", just as you turn to head into the back pavilion.  It is a charming little building with a grass roof.  A quick google search on the grass roofs of Norway, yielded a few fun facts.  "Turf Roofs" as they are literally translated, are more than just green in color, they are quite "green" environmentally.  They provide architectural stability, good insulation, are long lasting,  and are not made of petroleum products.  The grass actually is used to hold a layer of birch bark in place which is used to make the roof waterproof.  (Bet you did not expect an architecture lesson in the middle of a dining review...but it is Epcot after all!)

Now back to the fun stuff...  Due to it's small size, I would recommend you check out Kringla at off peak dining times.  The interior of the restaurant is tiny - just a series of refrigerated cases from which you can make your selections with just enough room for you to snake through to the cashier.  There is a small outdoor seating area behind the restaurant, where tables are at a premium.  As you enter the cafe, you will head to the far right corner of the room, where a very small menu board hangs over the sandwich case.

We were taking advantage of the Disney Dining Plan this trip, so we were all set to jump into the Chef's Selection (which was a sandwich along with a side of soup, fruit, or salad).  After checking out the case, the husband and I decided on a club sandwich.  The sandwich was served panini style, so the ham, turkey, and bacon was warm and the melted cheese made it all stick together perfectly.  The real standout was the delicious nutty,seedy, whole grain bread.  Not usually my first choice of bread, so I am glad I was not given a choice, or I would have missed it's toasty deliciousness!

My youngest little sprite ordered the Ham, Cheese & Apple Sandwich.  It was also served on the same delicious bread.  Served warm and toasty, my young one dug right in.  I finally talked her out of a bite and was pleasantly surprised at the flavor combination.  The apples gave a sweet and cinnamony (is that even a word?) touch to the sandwich.  Unexpectedly yummy!

  

My seven year old is a little foodie.  She used to beg me to pack crab stuffed mushrooms for her preschool lunch when she was only three.  I guess it should be no surprise that while we went for sandwiches she went for the Vegetable Torte with Goat Cheese, and of course Cauliflower Soup.  While she thought the torte was fine, she did enjoy the other half of her sisters sandwich more.  I actually agreed.  I thought the texture was a bit rubbery.  I thought it tasted fine - just fine, but I am not a huge goat cheese lover.  If you are, you may have a different opinion.  She did proclaim the Cauliflower soup the best thing she ate all day.  I though it was good, but a bit heavy if Mission Space is your next stop.  Yes, she is a bit of a weird  kid, but I love her adventurous spirit and willingness to try new things!





Vegetable Torte with Goat Cheese
(Pictured with a Fruit Cup because
Cauliflower soup is not nearly as pretty!)

Since we were on the Dining Plan dessert was most definitely on the horizon.  (And even if you are not on the dining plan, I would recommend dessert here!  The dessert case was stocked full of Norwegian deliciousness.  Since four desserts were included, four desserts we got!  We put the desserts in the middle of the table and dove in.  The famous School Bread was also suggested by the server and was hands down our favorite of the lot.  Imagine custardy (I am making up words again) goodness in a sweet, but not too sweet bread topped with coconut.  YUM!  The Cloudberry Horn came in second, followed by the Chocolate Mousse Cake and the Fruity Whipped Cream concoction.  Pear Almond Tart, I am not sure how you escaped my tray, but I am coming for you next time!





Case of Norwegian Deliciousness!



Cloudberry Horn & School Bread



 





Overall, the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe is a solid counter service dining option, and an absolute stand out if your are on the dining plan.  This little spot is charming and elevates the simple sandwich into something more.  The sandwiches are filling and when combined with a side item and dessert is more than enough for even the biggest eaters.  The cast members are sweet and helpful (and exceedingly blonde!)  It did take a bit longer than I would have expected to get through the line due to a small bottleneck in the drink section.  But it really did not matter, as it almost helped with crowd control in the seating area.

At the end of the meal my husband summed it up nicely by saying "I know we have to try other places, and I do want to try other places... but if I had to eat every meal here, I would be fine with that.  Just sayin'..."









Mornings with Mickey - My Favorite Disney Souvenir

You have planned, saved, and waited patiently for your Disney World vacation.  You finally make it to the parks and are having a great time.  Eventually, the lure of the assorted merchandise locations will get the best of you and you will find yourself, mouth agape turning in circles in the Main Street Emporium, the World of Disney, or some other shop stocked full of every souvenir imaginable.

If you are like me, you become quickly overwhelmed with the sheer quantity of merchandise and dismayed by the hefty price tags.   Fortunately, for me, I tend to really enjoy the merchandise at the low end of the scale.  I am not one to wear a Disney themed shirt every day, nor to I decorate with Disney merchandise in my home, so that eliminates huge categories of items to peruse.

There are a few "standards" that always seem to make their way into my shopping basket....a photo album, a small photo frame, a magnet, a photo frame that is a magnet...  I also grab a few fun postcards - not to send, but to tack up on the bulletin board in my office.  Cheap and cheerful.  A little something for my own little princesses and I can escape relatively unscathed.

Last month, something else caught my eye, and I promise you it has become a family favorite.  It is a toast stamp.  Yes, you did read that correctly...a toast stamp.  A toast stamp is a piece of plastic with Mickey's cute little mug on it.  You place your bread on a firm surface, line up your bread stamp on top of the bread and push firmly.  Don't wiggle it, or your bread stamp will become a bread cutter.  When you lift off the plastic stamp, you have left an impression of Mickey's face behind.  At that point you can proceed with your sandwich making, or toast your bread to further highlight Mickey's features.  My 4 year old has become the hit of her preschool class, and now I am officially the "best mommy ever"...unless of course, I forget.  (But that is another story.)

The "stamp" and the pre-toasted bread.

By now, I bet you are thinking cute, but I am not going to pay a small fortune to "cuten" up a PB&J.  Truth be told, that is exactly what I thought while I was standing in the store.  But I checked the price tag anyway and was shocked to find that it was only $2.95!  And it is dishwasher safe!  It is the perfect little item to tuck away in your suitcase and bring back home with you.  It is a great way to keep the memories and magic of your vacation alive.  Starting your morning with Mickey will make you smile, and if you get the "best mommy in the whole world" award for the day, it's even better...

Happy, toasty, Mickey!

Fantasyland Expansion: Goodbye Snow White's Scary Adventures, Hello Seven Dwarf Mining Train!

Hot off the presses!  Disney has just released some more details about the Fantasyland Expansion.  A few weeks ago the Disney announced that Februrary 11th would be Toontown's last day.  We knew the day was coming early this year, but finally...official confirmation. The Barnstormer (in it's currrent form) will see the last of its guests over the coming weeks and we will all be saying goodbye, or if rumors are true, so long to Minnie & Mickey's House.

On the eve of the christening of the Disney Dream, Disney has released more details about the Fantasyland expansion.  I think some of us Disney nerds may not be able to handle the excitement of it all!

First of all, if you would like to watch the christening of the Dream tune in here at 10:30 Mickey Time on January 19, 2011.  And if you can stand the excitement of it all, read on to get the official news on the Fantasyland expansion.

From Disney Insider:
The largest expansion in Magic Kingdom® Park history is underway, a project that will nearly double the size of Fantasyland and deliver a new home for Ariel, new ways to interact with favorite Disney princesses, an exciting new family coaster, a double dose of Dumbo and more.

Scheduled to open in phases beginning in late 2012, the new Fantasyland will immerse you in Disney stories as never before. Among the highlights planned:

•Under the Sea: Journey of The Little Mermaid, a major, all-new attraction during which guests will travel with Ariel and her friends through their exciting adventures above and below the waves – all against a musical backdrop of songs from the classic film.

•The castle of the Beast, standing majestically upon a hill just across an old stone bridge from Ariel’s new home. The Be Our Guest Restaurant will feature a lavish dining experience in the elegant ballroom, gallery, and mysterious “West Wing” of the castle. With seating for 550, this magnificent facility will offer “great food fast” service by day and full table service dining in the evening. Nearby in Belle's Village, guests will find the rousing Gaston's Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts.

•Just outside the village is Belle’s cottage and Enchanted Tales with Belle. The adventure begins in Maurice’s workshop, where a magical mirror is the doorway to a captivating new kind of storytelling experience: Guests are transported to the Beast’s library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and share in a lively, interactive, re-telling of the "tale as old as time.”

But that’s just the beginning of what you will discover when the multi-phase project is completed. Here’s more of what’s in store:

•The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train will take guests on a rollicking, musical ride into the mine “where a million diamonds shine.” The coaster will feature a first-of-its kind ride system with a train of ride vehicles that swing back and forth, responding to every twist and turn of the track. The journey will be accompanied by music from the classic Disney film and animated figures of Snow White and the Dwarfs.

•In Princess Fairytale Hall, Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses, such as Tiana and Rapunzel, will greet guests in their new home, an elegant royal court on the site where Snow White’s Scary Adventures stands today.

• The sound of the calliope will lead guests to the brand new Storybook Circus and not one but two circling carousels of airborne pachyderms on Dumbo the Flying Elephant! Before taking to the skies on this Fantasyland favorite, guests can experience an array of fun-filled family games and interactive wonders for kids of all ages inside the Big Top.

•Next door in Storybook Circus, the classic Barnstormer gets a bright new look as well, featuring Goofy as The Great Goofini. It’s a twisting, turning roller coaster “flight” high above the circus fun.

So...what do you think???

Aloha! Welcome to Disney's Polynesian Resort - Part II: Tokelau

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of my review of Disney's Polynesian Resort.  In case you missed it, be sure to click here to catch up.  Now for more specifics about the Tokelau building and my Garden View room...

After consulting the Tikiman Pages, I requested the Tokelau building. I chose this building for it's fairly central location, large rooms, and patio/balcony options. The room itself was clean, comfortable, and spacious - which was important since we were planning an full week of "family togetherness".

I also liked the general layout of the room. As you open the door you walk down a mini hallway with the bathroom on one side and a wall of storage on the other. The "storage wall" consisted of two closets, one with double rods and the other with a single rod, safe, and shelving unit. In between the closets was a mini fridge, with counter area and coffee station. It is nicely designed and very functional.

The main part of the room featured a desk area with a chair large mirror over it. This served as a nice make up/dressing area, freeing up the bathroom area for showers, saving and, you know, other stuff. Next to the table was a nicely sized dresser with 6 drawers. An HD television hung over the dresser, and a small, but useful shelf over that.

We had two comfy queen sized beds, a day bed that easily converted to a comfortable twin size bed (no bar in your back!) a chaise type lounge, upholstered chair, and drum shaped table. (I cannot tell you how much the 4 year old enjoyed her "Congo Drum"). Outside on the balcony were an pair of chairs and a small table.  I do wish that the "Congo Drum" table were more dining table height instead of coffee table height.  Watching my girls hunched over in the chair while trying eat their cereal off the low table made me nervous.

With the dark browns, burnt orange tones,and dark blues the room felt rather dark. While the room itself showed minor wear and was quite clean, the dark colors left me feeling like there was a possibility that it could be "hiding" a lot. Of course, that is my hotel room neuroses talking.

The bathrooms were spacious and clean as well, but they are about due for a face lift. A corner of the wall paper was peeling up and the artwork was warped from constant moisture exposure and was beginning to peel. Both quite minor and very cosmetic. I must say that the back of the bathroom door was in very bad shape. The paint was peeling off the back in a pretty significant way. Again, this is just a cosmetic issue due to moisture, but I feel it should probably be addressed. For a room that goes for $385 in the value season and over $600 at peek times, I expect a little more. To be fair, I did not bring the issues to the attention of hotel management, as they truly were cosmetic in nature, and while it effected my overall impression of the resort, it did not effect my enjoyment of it.

We did have a minor issue that did effect our enjoyment of the room. There was a large wet spot right out side the bathroom door the night we checked in. Of course, I noticed it as I was unpacking the last of our stuff when I stepped into the bathroom and nearly broke by neck by slipping of the floor. (OK, that is a bit dramatic, but I slipped enough that my heart beat a little faster!) I pointed it out to bell services a few minutes later when they delivered our groceries. The very kind man apologized, said he would bring it to the attention of management and they would move us to a "much better room". I would normally light up at such a possibility but a) I had just finished unpacking, b) it was time for the kiddos to go to bed, and c) I was trying to ditch the rest of the family and head off to the Magic Kingdom to watch Wishes solo! I thanked him for the offer, but just asked that they just take care of the problem in the morning. When I returned later that evening I noticed several towels had been laid down and they brought in a fan to dry things out the next morning. Problem solved...or so I thought.

What I should have realized and what they certainly should have realized was that a puddle in that particular location was an indication of something else going on. On day 3 of our trip we return "home" to a funky smell. I finally figured out that the refrigerator was broken and the contents had spoiled. Unfortunately, my husband did not notice that he gave our children vaguely warm yogurt (eewww!!!) for breakfast that morning. Fortunately, no body got sick. While I think the staff should probably have known what that puddle meant, I must stay the issue was handled was appropriately. I called bell services and explained the problem. Within minutes, a new refrigerator was delivered, the spoiled food removed and I was sent to the lobby to explain what happened. The desk agent apologized for the problem and offered a $50 credit to the room for my trouble and the spoiled groceries. The carpets were cleaned the next morning as soon as we cleared out for the day. The mini fridge break down was certainly beyond their control, but it did cause me a bit of inconvenience. The $50 credit replaced the groceries with enough left over for me to get a few pins. While I would have preferred to spend that credit on some extra undies, I left happy.

As much as I did enjoy the Polynesian, there were a few other "misses" during our stay. We arrived prior to check in and our room was not yet ready, which was fine. We got our key anyway, checked our luggage with bell services and headed off to the parks with the promise that we would receive a text message telling us our room number. Unfortunately, the text was never sent and we had to stand in line again to find our our room assignment, then head over to bell services to ask that our stuff be sent up. Overall, that process could have been a little more smooth, but was just a minor bump.

I was also a little bothered by the cleanliness of the public areas in our longhouse. While the "Mousekeeping" staff did a great job with our room, and left a lot of wonderful towel creations for my little princesses, the seating area in front of the elevators and the elevator itself seemed a bit neglected. If someone read a newspaper while enjoying a soft drink in the common area at 1:00 and left their trash behind, it would not be cleaned up until the next morning. Yuck! At a place known for their service and attention to detail this just seemed a bit odd. A gum wrapper will not remain on Main Street USA for more than 2 minutes, yet a crumpled up newspaper and an empty soda can will sit around the resort for 20 hours? And the elevator was just plain old dirty. There was dirt and dust in the corners and a sticker stuck to the floor for the duration of our stay. Clearly, nobody has been assigned "ownership" of these areas, and it shows.

On a humorous note, I have never stayed in a hotel with attractive carpet in the hallways.  Never.  I am not sure why hotels feel compelled to have tacky carpet.  Perhaps it is to urge people to leave the hallways and move along to their rooms?  In any event, in this respect, the Polynesian does not disappoint...in fact, it may take things to a whole new level!

Finally, I must mention the staff. Other than the fridge snafu, we had very normal contact with the staff. I must say that I found everyone to be friendly and helpful. I was always greeted with a smile and an "Aloha!" from everyone we met - or even passed on the sidewalk.  It is clear that the staff is dedicated and cares about their work.  When I asked the husband to list some Polynesian "stand outs", the staff was one of the first things he mentioned.

Overall, we really enjoyed the Polynesian.  While I cannot say that everything was absolutely perfect, I can say that our overall experience was wonderful. I pride myself on honest opinions, so if I have a "nitpicky" thought or if I thought something could have been better, I will certainly share it.  However, I do want to be clear that sometimes I really am "nitpicking".  I think the way a resort staff handles and unexpected problem or issue far out weighs whether or not there is peeling paint on the bathroom door.  Based on that, I would happily stay at the Polynesian again, and feel comfortable recommending it.  In fact, my husband fears we may have made a fatal error...Once you stay deluxe, especially on the monorail, it is going to be really hard to go back to anything else!

I would love to help you plan your next visit to the Polynesian or to any other resort!  TMC Travel offers the same rates (and discounts) as if you booked through Disney directly, but with lots of extras.  Please Email me if I can help!

Check out TMC Travel's You Tube Channel to view my Polynesian slide show.  Double click on the video to open in a new window.