Pop Century Resort

imagesLooking to stay on the property with a budget in mind?  Disney’s Pop Century Resort is one of the “value priced” resorts located in the heart of all the magic.  Starting at $100 per night (prices change seasonally), these rooms afford all the comforts and the conveniences of staying on the property like the Disney Transportation, Magical Express and merchandise delivery to your room.  This resort offers two types of rooms – either standard or preferred both with views of the pool or views of the hotel.

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The theme of this resort is based around 20th century Pop culture and features 10 four-story, motel-style buildings decorated with larger than life icons that represent the decades of the past – the 50’s through 90’s.

In the 50’s area you will see an oversized jukebox, 45 rpm records, a transistor radio, giant bowling pin staircases and a 144,352 gallon pool also shaped like a bowling pin with Lady and the Tramp statues overseeing kids playing in the pool.

imageIn the 60’s area you will enjoy giant hippie power flowers, a massive can of play-doh, staircases that are giant yo-yos, statutes of Baloo and Mowgli and peace symbols galore.  Take a dip in the 1960’s Hippy Dippy Pool with it’s flower power water jets.  Groovy baby!

imageVenture into the 70’s to climb the staircases made of 8-track cassette tapes, a giant foosball game with a Mickey phone in the center, and if you’re really feeling funky, feel free to do some disco dancing.  Don’t miss the giant Big Wheel – how can you since it is 4 stories high!

When you are in the 80’s area, you will find a giant Rubik’s cube staircase, a giant walk-man and Michael Jackson – just a few of the iconic items from that decade.  And don’t forget Pac-Man, everyone’s favorite dot-munching, ghost-running video game and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.   There is even a Roger Rabbit statute.  image

The 90’s computer and digital age is depicted in it’s oversized cellphone staircases, a giant laptop, and oversized floppy disks and keyboards.  How can one forget the rollerblade craze?  Wonder what size those giant rollerblades really are?   Do a little hip hop dance around the 1990’s style computer pool, the third pool at this resort.

With 2,880 rooms, the 3 large themed swimming pools and one central area, named “Classic Hall”, that houses the front desk, gift shop, arcade and the food court offering several options, there is always something to please everyone.

Tired of the crowds in the parks?  Let the kids play at the 60’s based playground  or see the stars under the stars – complimentary movies are shown poolside.  Check with the front desk for viewing times.

Tip:  This is the only place on the whole Disney Resort to get a piece of tie-dyed cheesecake….  it’s to dye for!   

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Star Wars Weekends 2014

studios6The Star Wars Weekends 2014 extravaganza returns this summer to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Every weekend from May 16th through June 15th, guests can immerse themselves in a galaxy far, far away with a full line up of celebrity guests, character interactions, Jedi training academy and limited edition merchandise.

Here is a full list of celebrity guests:


Weekend I – May 16-18

  • Ahmed Best: Jar Jar Binks
  • Peter Mayhew: Chewbacca
  • Vanessa Marshall: Hera Syndulla

Weekend II – May 23-25

  • Warwick Davis: Wicket W. Warrick
  • Jeremy Bulloch: Boba Fett  and Capt. Jeremoch Colton
  • Tiya Sircar: Sabine Wren

Weekend III: May 30-June 1

  • Ray Park: Darth Maul
  • John Ratzenberger: Major Bren Derlin
  • Taylor Gray: Ezra Bridger

Weekend IV: June 6-8

  • Mark Hamill: Luke Skywalker
  • Ray Park: Darth Maul
  • Billy Dee Williams: Lando Calrissian
  • Taylor Gray: Ezra Bridger

Weekend V: June 13-15

  • Dee Bradley Baker: Captain Rex/the Clones and Bossk
  • Cat Taber: Padmé Amidala
  • Tom Kane: Yoda
  • Matt Lanter: Anakin Skywalker
  • Steve Blum: Zeb Orrelios (Star Wars Rebels)

The fifth Weekend will be also be a reunion for the cast of Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  With five weekends full of interstellar entertainment, guest will definitely feel the force.  For all those who attend, May the Force Be With You.

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Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

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This here’s the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness!  Legend has it that that gold was discovered on Big Thunder Mountain in the town of Tumbleweed in the late 1800’s. Mining was prosperous and a line of mine trains were in place to transport their newfound fortune.  Unbeknownst to the settlers, the mine was sacred ground to local Native Americans and was cursed.  When a flash flood came upon the town the town was abandoned leaving Big Thunder Mountain a ghost town.  Locomotives were found to be racing around the mountain on their own without engineers and tourists were drawn to the ghost town to take rides on the possessed trains.

440px-Big_Thunder_Mountain_Entrance_Sign_at_Magic_KingdomBig Thunder Mountain Railroad is a speedy roller coaster that offers fun for the whole family.  This thrill ride offers small drops and fast turns as you rip through the caverns and the abandoned mine company in the haunted runaway train.  As riders leave the station, the train immediately enters a dark tunnel and embarks on it’s first climb as bats hang overhead.  Once the train reaches the top, the adventure begins as the train passes over two hops and severals exciting turns and drops.

imagesRiders pass by Professors Cumulus Isobar’s rainmaking machine that went wild causing flash floods and eventually making Tumbleweed a ghost town.  After the train passes through Tumbleweed, riders pass through a tunnel called Dave V. Jones mine as the train where a mysterious earthquake creates huge boulders threatening the safety of the train then passing through a boneyard and geysers as the train slows for its return back to the station.

This is our absolute FAVORITE ride.  I’ve been riding it since it opened in 1980.  Our tradition – it’s Unknownour first ride AND our last ride.  Any experienced rider knows that where you sit on Big Thunder makes all the difference.  Ask a castmember if you can sit in the back part of the train to get the wildest ride.  The last row is always the best!

If you are seeking Hidden Mickeys, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is the location for one of the classics.  You will have to look quickly, but as your runaway train ride run comes to an end and nears the loading/unloading area look to your right and you will find one large gear and two smaller gears on the ground that create the classic Hidden Mickey.

Snow White’s Ranking:  


Interest:  Kids, tweens, teens, and adults

Height Requirements: 40 in. or taller

Accessibility:  Guests must transfer from Wheelchair/ECV

Thrill Level:  Small drops, fast curves  Speeds reach maximum of 30 mph

FASTPASS+ is offered

Location:  Frontierland

Epcot World Showcase For Kids

imagesEpcot World Showcase can be very interesting for kids.   The original design was modeled after a permanent World’s Fair with each of the 11 pavilions representing a specific country.  While most would think it would not be very interesting for kids, there are several fun things for your toddlers, preschoolers and teens to enjoy as you make your way around the 1.2 miles of the World Showcase Lagoon.  Here are 10 must-see things for your kids to enjoy while visiting the World Showcase.

1.  Phineas & Ferb’s Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure – This is a chance for your child to become a secret agent and help Agent P defeat Dr. Doofenshmirtz in this interactive scavenger hunt around the World Showcase.  Kids receive a F.O.N.E. (field operation notification equipment) to receive various clues on this 35-45 minute mission.  Recruit your smartest family member to help you on your quest.

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Disney Planning – When to Go

imagesDisney planning can be very overwhelming, especially for first-timers.  With 4 theme parks, 2 water parks, 23 resort hotels, hundreds of dining options, 5 championship golf courses, Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex and the Downtown Disney entertainment mecca, The Walt Disney World Resort offers so many options that making plans can be complicated.  So, where do you start?  First things first….know when to go.  As one of the most visited theme parks in the world, there are times when the parks are just unbearably crowded.  The time of year you go can have a huge impact on the wait times for rides and how much you actually experience.    And, if this is your first visit, you will want to see as much of it as you can.

62303542100E45C3AD5B3692AA4612BAThe busiest times in the parks are during school breaks.  Summer breaks, spring breaks, Christmas breaks, etc.   The parks are also very busy during special events that are held throughout the parks like Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival, Star Wars weekend, Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival, Halloween  and Christmas.

If you are visiting with children and are not opposed to pulling them out of school, there are certain times of the year that offer the most operative times for covering a lot of Disney ground.  For example, early fall is one of the best times to visit the parks.

September is a very quiet month, mainly because the kids have just gone back to school.  The beginning of October is a great time as well.  However, keep in mind that the middle to the end of October starts to pick up quite a bit.  According to several cast members, this is not only because of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party but also because year-round schools have their fall breaks at this time.

227187_1052704409069_319_nThe beginning of November and December are perfect times to visit with the exception of the full Thanksgiving week and the week of Christmas.  These two weeks are exceptionally busy and generally the Magic Kingdom will hit capacity by 10 am on Christmas morning.  Just so you know 100,000 guests is the max capacity for the Magic Kingdom. The parking lot closes at 75,000 to allow room for hotel resort guests arriving on buses, boats and monorail.  Trust me, it’s shoulder to shoulder people and not enjoyable.  If you want to see Disney World decorated for Christmas, the decorations start going up the first week of November and they start coming down around January 3rd.

January is my favorite time to visit the parks – no crowds, no lines, no problem!  It’s also my birthday and nothing is more fun than celebrating your birthday at your favorite place.  January through the beginning of March are fairly quiet months in the parks with the max wait time on the most popular rides being maybe 15 minutes at best.   Keep in mind that President’s day weekend can tend to be a bit busy given that it is a long weekend for most and the crowds start to pick up.

From mid-March through the end of April, the crowds start to increase because of kids and their Spring Breaks from school.  Easter weekend is a pretty popular weekend.  This is also when Epcot celebrates spring with it’s International Flower & Garden Festival through May.

The peak times at Disney World are mid-May through the end of summer.  Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving week, this is when you will experience the highest crowd levels and wait times for rides.  Not only is it crowded but it is also hot and steamy in the state of Florida…very hot!  Although I never turn down an opportunity to visit the parks, this is my least favorite time to go but don’t get me wrong, I will always endure the crowds just to get my Mickey fix!

Now that you know when to go, you will need to figure out how long to be there.  Stay tuned for tips on how long to plan for your trip.