Tag: WDW

I’m Not A Star Wars Fan. Here’s What I Thought Of Disney’s Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge (No Spoilers!)

My name is Sharon and I’m not a Star Wars fan. There, I said it.

I went with my dad to see the very first SW movie when it was released and as we exited the theater when it was over, I distinctly remember telling him that I thought the movie was, “too intense for kids.”

Thus was the beginning of 40+ years of non-fandom.

That being said, I’ve SEEN all the movies, some of them more than once. But I was never one to say I loved or even liked most, if any of them; just that my friends (or later on, my husband and friends) were going and so I’d go too, just because. But I never really enjoyed them.

So when Disney announced in 2015 they were building virtually identical Star Wars-themed lands in Disneyland and Walt Disney World, my response was, “Meh.”

However, I’m married to a Star Wars geek and I knew that once the land opened at WDW, there was going to be some “Star Wars land” in my future. So we made a plan, at my suggestion, to go on the Sunday after it opened – they would have an early opening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the park where Galaxy’s Edge is located, for guests staying on-site, so Joe got us a hotel room. And away we went, to a galaxy far, far away.

Continue reading “I’m Not A Star Wars Fan. Here’s What I Thought Of Disney’s Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge (No Spoilers!)”

Successful Orlando-Based Stroller Rental Company Expands Into Las Vegas

If there are any things that are used a lot in Central Florida, it’s strollers. Some families bring their own, some buy a cheap one at Walmart or Target and then leave it here when they go home (what a waste – I hope there’s a system in place so they consistently get donated somewhere!), and others rent a stroller, either at the theme parks on a daily basis, or by a rental stroller company for the length of their stay. Some people even rent strollers that look like a princess’s carriage.

There’s one stroller rental company, Main Street Strollers, that’s been making huge strides in Orlando because not only are they one of the few that rent those popular Keenz stroller wagons, but they have, by far, the lowest prices for those rentals that I had seen in the entire area.

In Spring of 2019, the Disney parks on both coasts set size limits on strollers that could enter their parks (click here for a list of what strollers can and cannot be brought into the parks now) and although Main Street Strollers’ single and double strollers were still fine, their Keenz stroller wagons were no longer allowed into Walt Disney World parks, unless the child using it had special needs.

Some companies would have just shrugged their shoulders and carried on as best as they could. Instead, Main Street Strollers did what any successful company with an eye towards the future would do.

Continue reading “Successful Orlando-Based Stroller Rental Company Expands Into Las Vegas”

New Advice for PreCheck & Global Entry, Warnings Countries Give About USA, Airports with Longest/Shortest TSA Lines, & More!

And in the blink of an eye, we’re already well into the first week of September. Time goes by so quickly! Anyway, here are our most popular posts for August 2019. Some of them were actually written before August (heads up that rules and offers change and we can’t guarantee that those older posts are still accurate), so take a look to make sure you didn’t miss any of the good stuff:

Continue reading “New Advice for PreCheck & Global Entry, Warnings Countries Give About USA, Airports with Longest/Shortest TSA Lines, & More!”

Impressions From My First Visit To Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge At Disney’s Hollywood Studios In Orlando

Bright suns!

If you didn’t know, that’s how the residents on Batuu greet each other. You know Batuu, the remote planet that’s home to the Black Spire Outpost. If you’d prefer, you can just call it the new Star Wars land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

A Disney Cast Member offered to bring me as his +1 and I got a chance to see the land shortly after it opened. Previews are exactly that, a time when park operations get a chance to see how things go with a crowd of people. Disney was able to limit the number of guests by making Cast Members sign up for a time online. The slots filled up quickly but we managed to get an afternoon entry time and a reservation at Oga’s Cantina. The other special option was a visit to Savi’s Workshop, which I’ll get to later.

Even if you only got an entry time to Galaxy’s Edge without any extras, everyone seemed to be having a great time. There are still some kinks to work out but here are my thoughts after my visit.

Continue reading “Impressions From My First Visit To Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge At Disney’s Hollywood Studios In Orlando”

Professional Video of Backstage at WDW (Mid-1980s U.S. TV Show, 100% OKed by Disney)

Years and years ago, there was a TV show about companies that focused on excellence by running their businesses well and treating both their customers and their employees as if they were royalty. A small, family-run supermarket in Connecticut that made $1.5 million per week, when most large supermarkets at the time averaged $200K per week. A tool and dye company whose owner purchased the failing business in 1978 and increased profits by 700% (modern day-news: the supermarket, Stew Leonard’s, is still in business. Unfortunately, the tool and dye company finally closed up shop, undoubtedly because of the computerization of modern technology). Other companies that made names for themselves for their overall quality. Apple Computer. 3M. McDonald’s. I.B.M.

One of the companies the TV show focused on was Walt Disney World. “Employees, called Cast Members, are trained as if they were entering a religious order. Visitors are not tourists, but honored guests.” I remember seeing this episode when it was first run and was THRILLED to find it on YouTube not long ago. It showed Costuming, Traditions, THE UTILIDORS(!!!)…all kinds of cool stuff!

The WDW segment of the show has lots and LOTS of professionally filmed footage and includes, not only what the Magic Kingdom looked like in the mid-1980s, but also some fascinating backstage footage, all sanctioned by Disney and broadcast in 1984.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did back then (and still do now!). Enjoy!
Continue reading “Professional Video of Backstage at WDW (Mid-1980s U.S. TV Show, 100% OKed by Disney)”