By |

Episode 488: If you had a time machine and could visit Walt Disney World at any point in its 54-year history, what year would you choose? That’s the big question we’re tackling in this week’s episode of Traveling with the Mouse!

After covering the latest Disney news—including a look at ticket prices for Epic Universe compared to Disney, New looks into the Monsters Inc attraction, and the new cars attraction coming to Magic Kingdom—we dive into a fun discussion: What would be the ideal year for each of us to visit Disney World if we could time travel?

Jason is going back to 2019, the height of the FastPass+ era and the perfect year for a ride challenge. Disney’s skip-the-line options were at their best, and Parkeology challenges were still possible without the hassle of boarding groups and Lightning Lane headaches. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge had just opened, and the Riviera Resort (his home DVC resort) was brand new. It was a golden age for ride efficiency and planning mastery.

Adam, who balances nostalgia with a love of modern attractions, would time travel to 2000—a sweet spot where the Disney of the ‘90s was still alive, but new innovations were coming in. The paper FastPass system was fully operational, allowing for strategic planning without overcomplicating the experience. Plus, Test Track was brand new, Splash Mountain was at its peak, and EPCOT still had its classic charm before the big changes of the 2000s took hold.

Jon, the biggest EPCOT Center purist among us, is traveling back to 1993. This was the golden age of original EPCOT, where Horizons, World of Motion, and the original Journey into Imagination were all still thriving. FastPass didn’t exist yet, so there was more spontaneity, and the Polynesian Resort was still affordable enough to stay at without breaking the bank. No need to plan every minute—just vibes, monorail rides, and classic Disney experiences.

By |

Welcome back, time travelers! In this episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we delve into the history and evolution of Disney World’s skip-the-line offerings over the past 25 years. From the original paper FastPass to the current Genie Plus and Lightning Lane systems, we discuss the pros and cons of each. Plus, we cover the exciting news about the new Disney Destiny cruise ship and celebrate Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster’s 25th anniversary. Let’s dive in!

The paper FastPass system was introduced in 1999, revolutionizing the way guests experienced attractions at Disney World. This system allowed guests to obtain a paper ticket with a return time, effectively reducing wait times at popular attractions. In 2014, Disney introduced FastPass Plus, a digital system that allowed guests to book FastPasses in advance using the My Disney Experience app. In 2021 the era of paid offerings began with Genie Plus, a service that allows guests to pay for access to shorter wait times via the Lightning Lane. Recently, Disney introduced the Lightning Lane Single and Multi-Pass options.

We also cover the exciting announcement of the new Disney Destiny cruise ship. This latest addition to the Disney Cruise Line promises innovative features, magical experiences, and destinations that will captivate Disney fans of all ages. We discuss what we know so far and our excitement for this new venture on the high seas. Finally, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. This thrilling ride has been a staple at Disney’s Hollywood Studios but how much longer will this ride stay in its current form?

By |

Episode 320: We are back from our summer travels! We discuss the latest Disney news and rumors. This might sound like a bit of a downer episode because a lot of the news and rumors are frustrating to us. We spend time taking out our frustrations on Bob Chapek. However, I do have two Disney trips coming up soon so we are not slowing down our Disney travels! In some positive news, Fireworks are back! Ohana is now open and Christmas offerings have been announced. Other things that are returning include the Disney Dinning Plan and there was a Parkeology completion at Disneyland. The rumor that has us on edge is the rumor that the Disney Premier access that Disneyland Paris unveiled recently could be coming to Walt Disney World. This would replace the old Fast Pass Plus system. We hope this won’t happen at WDW because in Paris it will cost between 8-15 euros per-person per-ride. Time will tell so let’s stay positive!

By |

88D78A6D-BA8C-43FC-BE9F-206A563229F5Episode 256: We discuss the Disney news and we speculate on a point system for the Every Ride Challenge. We begin by discussing the Oscars where Toy Story 4 brought home the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. (Thanks to my reverse Psychology) We also give some updates on stories we covered in previous episodes like Big Top Souvenirs has re-opened, as well as Muppet Vision 3D. A new Marque has been installed for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway and it looks really cool at night! Fast passes are now available for Smuggler’s Run and Runaway Railway which has caused some crazy glitch in the system, We discuss that in detail. We wrap up the show by giving our thoughts on a possible points system coming the the Every Ride Challenge.

By |

192626CA-E6E6-434D-8411-FD658FE03860Episode 254: With the news of Smuggler’s Run adding fastpass soon we thought it would be a good time to do a refresher on the Disney World Fastpass plus system. A few things have changes since our last episode and we wanted to go over everything all in one episode. We do start by going over the most recent news as there were several stories that caught our attention this week. The parks in China are currently closed, Disney is now selling sporks in Galaxy’s Edge and Disney much more.

 

 

By |

Episode 202: Our friend Jason joins us again on the show today to discuss everything you need to know about using the Fast Pass Plus system at Walt Disney World! We start by covering the origins of fast passes at Walt Disney World back in 1999 when paper fast passes were used. Then we continue to five years ago when the fast pass plus system was introduced. We give you our tips and strategies for how to best use the system and save the most time on your Disney vacation. Our goal was to cover all of the basics of using fast passes and then go more in depth on how to optimize and best use fast passes to minimize your waiting and maximize your fun! I am not exaggerating when I say that Jason and I almost never wait in standby lines (unless it is a short wait) because of the strategy that we outline in this episode.

By |

Episode 196 – Disney News – March 18, 2019

Today’s News topics:

  • Opening Dates for Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge
  • Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run will be the only attraction on opening day
  • Disney+ Streaming Service will include entire Disney film library
  • Walt Disney World Ticket Prices have increased for this coming holiday season
  • Demolition work has started on the old River Country site
  • The former Wonders of Life pavilion has started the transformation into the new Play pavilion
  • Highlights from the Walt Disney World maintenance report
  • Inside look at Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
  • Water Parks will now have dedicated Bus Transportation from resorts
  • My Disney Experience App Issues with Fast Pass Plus
  • Magic Kingdom Guest Experience Team is now permanent

By |

Today’s episode is about the Parkeology Challenge. This challenge involves riding every ride at all four Walt Disney World Parks in one day.  There are a lot of rules and regulations around this challenge in order for it to be considered official. There are currently 49 attractions that are considered rides at Walt Disney World. I go into the list and explain constitutes a “ride” in the challenge. We wrap up by going through some of the strategies that can be used to take on this challenge. I will be taking part in this challenge on March 9, 2019. Make sure to follow @TWTMPodcast on twitter to follow along with us! www.parkeology.com

Link to video discyssed in the Episode

By |

In Episode 130, Jon and I have a discussion on Disney Trip planning…specifically, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line. We give our strategies on planning fast passes, dining reservations, and what items that are helpful to bring on a Disney vacation. We give some insight on what we believe are important things to consider when Disney trip planning. We’ve both booked Disney vacations on short notice and also up to a year in advance so we have you covered!

By |

WDW_M-rail

Today’s news topics include:

  • New Monorail Trains coming to Walt Disney World (Rumor)
  • Fast Pass Plus selections are now available for Toy Story Land
  • Minnie Vans are now permanent at Walt Disney World
  • Epcot France pavilion construction update
  • Tokyo Disneyland will have an expansion but no 3rd gate
  • Guests are no longer able to transfer Fast Passes

By |

Episode_73_PicIn this episode go through my most recent trip to Walt Disney World. I talk about my experience staying at the Contemporary and go over some of the changes that I noticed with the monorails. I also give my thoughts on the festival of the arts at EPCOT and how it compares to the other festivals. I wrap up by going through how I dealt with the crowds on a very busy day at Magic Kingdom.

 

Video Links

Justin Scarred YouTube video from Festival of the Arts

Touring Plans rope drop at Magic Kingdom

By |

Monorail red left one of it’s doors open in route to EPCOT. Disney is closing all of their Children’s Activity Centers. Club-level guests will now have the option to buy additional fast passes. Stitch’s great escape just wont go away….Those stories and more on this episode of Traveling with the mouse.

By |

We finish out the year having a discussion about the Fast Pass Plus system at Walt Disney World. We give our overall thoughts about it and go through each park and talk about which selections we would make when the most sought after Fast Passes are not available.