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ANITA
ANSWER 12/22/08 12/15/08 12/1/08 11/24/08 11/10/08 11/3/08 10/27/08 10/20/08 10/13/08 10/6/08 9/29/08 9/22/08 9/15/08
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Hi! I'm Anita! November
3, 2008
We are planning on purchasing refillable mugs. What do they look like? How much are they? Should we carry the mugs everywhere, anticipating that there will be opportunities to refill them elsewhere? Can we bring them back and use them on subsequent trips? Thanks! Hi Everyone! This is one of my most frequently asked questions. There are certain answers that bear repeating every now and again, and the refillable mug stats, rules and regs is one of those. Here is the 2008 version, subject to change in 2009, since the artwork on the mugs will probably change in 2009 to reflect the upcoming "Celebrations" theme. Since 2007, all refillable mugs have had the same generic Year of a Million Dreams design on them at all Disney resorts, except one. Although they share the same artwork, the 2007 version had "2007" printed on it, while the 2008 version does not have the date on it. The one exception to the mug design is found at Coronado Springs, which still has a resort-specific design. This is because the food service operations there are contracted out to a company other than Disney. The refillable mugs, which cost approximately $12.49, hold approximately 16 ounces when filled to the brim. In practical use, they hold about 12 - 14 ounces of liquid. Both the traditional mug style and the commuter cup style hold the same amount. I have only seen the commuter cup version for sale recently, but the other type may still be around. The Current Refillable Mug Policy: The current official policy is that refillable mugs can only be used for free drink refills at the resort where they were purchased, for the duration of the stay in which they were purchased. The new mugs have this policy printed on them, and the policy is also clearly posted in many, if not all, of the resorts' food courts and beverage areas. The wording of the policy means that mugs purchased on previous stays should not be reused on a later trip. Many guests were told otherwise when they purchased them early in the program, but the policy has since changed. In addition, mugs purchased at the resorts can only be refilled at participating resorts. They are not refillable at the theme parks, and souvenir mugs purchased at the theme parks are not refillable at any venue either inside or outside of the parks. Mugs purchased at the water parks have a barcode that activates the beverage machines in the water parks only, and new barcode stickers can be purchased on subsequent visits. Water park mugs can only be used in the water parks. For more information, please read AllEars.Net's refillable mug page. A.A.
I have taken my 13-year-old son to WDW many times now, and we'll be back many more; however, at least once, he and I have talked about trying Disneyland. (We live on the East Coast.) I can easily find all the factual comparisons and details regarding parks, resorts, etc. in your archives and such, but I am far more interested in your general sense of one place vs. the other. The wide open spaces, plentiful resorts and beautiful theming of 40+ square miles in Florida are always such a wonderful place to spend a vacation. Candidly, I'm secretly fearful of being disappointed by Disneyland, in the middle of a crowded urban area, surrounded by tourist shops and busy streets. (We all know that was why WED bought up so much land in Florida in the 1960s.) I am very interested to hear your feelings on the subject. Thanks so very much. Hi Peter! Interesting question, and I'm flattered that you wanted my opinion on the subject. When I'm asked which is better, Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World, I always explain that it depends on how you view each resort. Many people I've talked to express disappointment on their first visit to Disneyland, usually expressing disbelief at how small it is by comparison, and of course, they always mention the urban setting. If you compare the two resorts simply on size, volume and location, you will certainly be disappointed by Disneyland Resort, but if you look at DLR with educated and discerning eyes, you'll probably love it like I do. Keeping in mind that I've been a frequent WDW visitor since it opened in the early 1970s, I'm here to tell you that I was not disappointed at all when I first visited Disneyland back in the 1990s -- quite the opposite! This was well before Disney's California Adventure and Downtown Disney were built, and before the area surrounding the parks was renovated and beautified. To me, finally visiting Disneyland was the culmination of a lifelong dream and it seemed to me to glisten like a jewel stuck in the tarmac. So, why wasn't I disappointed in this single smallish park located in the middle of a jumble of cheap hotels and fast food restaurants? For a Disney geek like myself, the answer was simple. It's because there is so much history there. I could literally feel Walt Disney's presence in the park. His personal apartment above the firehouse is there. This is where he slept and ate and dreamed and planned great things for his tiny piece of Anaheim. His thumbprint is evident on so much there, from Main Street USA to the Pirates of the Caribbean. Disneyland was the inspiration and springboard for the ambitious Florida Project, which Disney unfortunately did not live long enough to see come to its incredible fruition. In short, the place has deep roots. When you look at it from that point of view, it acquires quite a bit more significance, doesn't it? Disneyland may be small, but it's packed with details and has some great attractions that no other Disney parks have. The Matterhorn is there, for instance. The Matterhorn is regarded as the first themed roller coaster. This is also where the original It's a Small World is located --the one that was developed for the New York World's Fair. The Carousel of Progress was there as well, until it was moved to the Magic Kingdom in the 1970s. Mr. Toad is still in residence at Toad Hall in Disneyland. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. When you go, look closely at everything. The depth of detail is stunning in many cases. Disney's California Adventure is often dissed by Disney park fans, but I like it. This may be because I'm not a local, but to me it has a kitschy kind of tongue-in-cheek atmosphere that many people seem to overlook, not unlike the '50s Prime Time Diner at the Studios. While it was in development, DCA was a victim of ruthless budget slashing and in some cases, corner cutting, and turned out to be a different sort of park than was originally envisioned. For this reason, I'm very much looking forward to the overhaul the park is about to receive, and I think it deserves this attention and a chance to blossom and be as successful as its big sister, Disneyland. If you plan a visit in the near future, you'll probably encounter a lot of construction at this park, so be prepared and keep in mind that they're building the future DCA. In your question, you touched on the urban setting of the parks. Yes, they are smack dab in the middle of a busy city, but the last few years have seen a huge push toward making the Disneyland Resort area a great place to be. Much of the surrounding sleaziness has been removed, and replaced with comfortable, affordable hotels, restaurants and stores. I particularly like the fact that I can walk to the parks from many local non-Disney hotels on Harbor Boulevard, and I don't have to wait in a queue for a bus to get back to my room. The three Disney hotels are all very nice places to stay, albeit pricey compared with their neighbors, some of which are actually located closer to the parks' gates. Disneyland Resort's Downtown Disney area is conveniently placed right in the middle of everything, and features many shops and restaurants. Also, once you're inside the parks, you completely forget that you're in the city because you're totally immersed in the show that Walt Disney and his Imagineers created for you to experience. Now that I've waxed poetic and practically written a guidebook here in my answer, any good guidebook author will also be honest about the things they don't like about a place. My list is fairly short. Things I dislike about DLR include: -- It's very expensive, particularly the food. By comparison, WDW can seem like a bargain. Speaking of food, the in-park choices are somewhat limited; however, you can also easily walk to Harbor Boulevard and eat at one of the numerous restaurants there. -- I don't like the parking garage. I understand why they have to have one, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. -- Traffic around the entrance can be horrific. -- The parks seem to be rife with enterprising teenaged line-jumpers. This drives me nuts, and no one seems to care! Beware, as they'll ply you with all kinds of stories as to why they need to get to the front of the line ("My mom's up there!") and once I witnessed a group of teens jump from the upper level of California Screamin's queue down to the next level, get on an elevator for use of disabled guests, and appear like magic in the load zone. No one said a word to them. -- In the parks, the queue areas are very small, and spill out onto the walkways on busy days. Many queues and attractions are uncovered, as well, making a rainy day visit a bit more difficult. -- Although Disneyland's Fantasmic! show is far superior to the Studios' version in Florida, it has to be viewed standing up -- not the thing I most look forward to after a long day on my feet, plus I'm too short to see anything through the crowd. Florida's venue has it hands down over California's. If only we could get the California show in the Florida venue, it would be perfect! Okay, time to bring this tome to a close. I hope this helped dissipate some of your fears, and I also hope you do visit Disneyland soon so that you can see where it all began! A.A.
I love your column! If anyone has the answer to this, I know you will! My question is about the scents in Mickey's PhilharMagic. I love the scent of the apple pie! Is there anywhere in the park or on Disney property that room fragrances or fresheners can be purchased with these scents? Hi Jennifer! The apple pie scent used in Mickey's PhilharMagic is a custom-made scent, and is not available for sale to guests. You can, however, buy a reasonable facsimile from the Yankee Candle Company. This company makes at least three scents that are close to the pie scent: Macintosh, Farmhouse Apple and Home Sweet Home. Yankee Candle has many stores in local malls, plus an online store. Happy shopping! Just for fun, here are some of the other WDW rides, locations and attractions which use scent-emitting devices to set the mood:
A.A.
I am helping a friend of mine plan their Christmas holiday to the World and I am booking all of their Advance Dining Reservations. Her husband remembers some kind of dining called the Princess Lily on a steamship. I have been many times but have never heard of this. Can you help me out by telling me what he is referring to? Is it still there and can I make reservations for it? Any help will be greatly appreciated! Hi Becki! Your friend is remembering the Empress Lilly, named for Walt Disney's wife, Lillian Bounds Disney. The paddle wheeler is still permanently moored between the Downtown Disney Marketplace and what's left of Pleasure Island, but since 1996, it's been the home of Fulton's Crab House. Your friend can still dine there, but it will be a very different experience than the Empress Lilly provided. In its heyday, the Empress Lilly had three restaurants: Fisherman's Deck, Steerman's Quarters, and the elegant Empress Room. From its May 1977 opening until Victoria and Albert's opened in the Grand Floridian in June 1988, the Empress Room was the finest dining experience available on property. TRIVIA: Lillian Disney has at least three other pieces of Disney history named for her. The name "Lilly Belle" graces the locomotive of Walt Disney's personal backyard railroad, the Carolwood Pacific. It's also the name of a beautifully furnished VIP parlor car used on the Disneyland Railroad, as well as a locomotive on the Walt Disney World Railroad. A.A.
Hi Anita! I absolutely love your column! I was going through some old video tapes and I found one that had a Barbie show, and I am guessing that it was at Epcot. Do you know if this is where it was, and if so, around what years did it play? Thanks so much! Hi Katie! Yes, you're correct, That Barbie show, entitled "The Magical World of Barbie," played at Epcot 94's America Gardens Theater at the American Adventure pavilion. It was mercifully short-lived, running from late 1993 until late 1994. The show was produced as part of a contractual agreement with corporate sponsor Mattel. In addition to the show there was a video tape that could be purchased for a penny (you get what you pay for?) with the purchase of select Barbie dolls. There was also a meet and greet with Barbie (played by former Miss Oregon, Elizabeth Simmons) involving a pink limousine. The Barbie stuff was an odd fit at Epcot, for sure. 1994 was apparently not an altogether great year in the history of Epcot. In addition to the universally despised Barbie show, this was also the year that the ill-fated Splashtacular debuted and quickly disappeared, as well as the year that EPCOT Center was renamed Epcot 94 and subsequently Epcot 95. The annual renaming was dropped in 1996 and shortened to the current "Epcot" when it was decided that changing everything the park's name was on every year was an expensive endeavor. Oops... talk about going off on a tangent. Memory Lane is a very long road, so I'd better turn back! A.A.
Are there restaurants that have organic menus or at least organic selections at WDW? Hi Kathy! Although not everything on the menu is organic at the Wave in the Contemporary Resort, there are some organic selections. The Wave is, to my knowledge, the only self-described "health conscious" restaurant at the World, with an emphasis on fresh, locally- or regionally-made or grown ingredients. For instance, the Wave serves locally-brewed certified organic ales. There are a few organic items scattered around the World's other restaurants, but it's hit or miss trying to find them. It may be helpful to read the recommendations and tips on All Ears' Special Dietary Needs pages although I don't recall there being any information strictly pertaining to organic foods there. A.A.
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