The Incredible Tomorrowland Expo at Magic Kingdom Park

The new “Incredibles 2” film set domestic box office records in its opening weekend, including – in true superhero style – smashing the record for biggest animated debut of all time!

If you are an “Incredibles 2” fan,  you have to check out all the fun of the Incredible Tomorrowland Expo at Magic Kingdom® Park. This celebration takes place daily around the Rockettower Plaza area at the center of Tomorrowland, and includes must-snap photo ops, custom décor, “The Incredibles” character appearances, “super”-themed entertainment and more.

First up, Disney fans can’t stop talking about the debut of appearance of Edna Mode, who travels through the Expo riding atop her SuperMobile.  

You can also catch a glimpse of members of the Super Super Fan Club who are roaming the Expo dressed in cosplay as their favorite new aspiring heroes: Brick, Reflux, Krushauer, Voyd and Screech.

“Moments in Super History” photo stops abound throughout Tomorrowland. Each one commemorates a unique heroic event in “super” history, such as the Incredibles’ battle with the OmniDroid.

At noon each day, the Jack-Jack Diaper Dash gives young Guests a chance to show off their “super” speed, in a race to crawl to their parental sidekicks. Guests can sign up to participate starting at 10:30 a.m. in front of Rockettower Plaza Stage.

The excitement really kicks into gear during “Super Party Time,” a continuous variety show of entertainment that takes place daily from 2-7 p.m. During “Super Party Time,” a Party Host, DJ and Super Party Sidekicks host fun and games for guests. Mr. and Mrs. Incredible and Frozone are set to make special appearances, as are two up-and-coming “Supers” – ElectroGirl and Gyroman.

Incredible Tomorrowland Expo is just one of many Incredible Summer offerings bringing fun to the Walt Disney World®Resort this summer. 

When you book your Disney vacation with me, Lauren Gonding - A Disney Vacation Planner, you will get my planning services for FREE! There are a few ways you can book with me (or to request a quote or to have questions answered): You can1.    Email me at lauren@magicaltravel.com;2.    Answer a few questions to request a quote;3.    Message me on Facebook; or4.    Call me at 800-883-1535 x 46

As a Disney Vacation Planner, I'll help you plan the most magical vacation - all for free! You won't pay one penny more by booking with me but you'll get personalized help and advice from someone that will get to know you, your wants and your travel plans (which you’re not going to get if you book on your own or direct with Disney)!  Just a few of the few things I'll do for FREE!

• Help to find you the perfect Walt Disney World Resort; 
• I'll make your Advance Dining Reservations (no early mornings for you!); 
• I'll make your Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Reservations;
• I'll make your FastPass+ selections (once gain no early mornings for you!); 
• Book any tours or unique experiences; 
• Send you tips and tricks to get the most out of your vacation investment; AND 
• Get a FREE DISNEY GIFT CARD and more! 

With all of these perks from me, you're bound to have a magical vacation!

Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience

There’s a new way for you to take in the Tomorrowland skyline at Disneyland® Park, from a unique point of view! To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Space Mountain at Disneyland Resort, a new lounge experience will debut in Tomorrowland on May 26, 2017.

The new Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge Experience features retro décor and desserts—both sweet and savory, as well as both hot and cold non-alcoholic beverages. The lounge area will be open to Guests from 8-10 p.m. If a fireworks spectacular is scheduled, you will be able to catch a glimpse right from your seat.

The interstellar snack box will include:

• Mickey Cloud Cake: Cream-filled sponge cake
• Chocolate Eclipse: Cream-filled chocolate cake drenched in chocolate
• Coconut Comet: Coconut-strawberry iced sponge cake filled with cream
• Planetary Pie: Mini cherry-filled pie
• Moon Rocks: Boursin herbed cheese, cream cheese, shredded cheddar and jack cheese, chives, pimentos, bacon

Cost is $45 for ages 3 and older, tax included. Reservations are now open. Email me, lauren@magicaltravel.com to book your Disney vacation! Get all of my planning services for free when you book with me!

Beat the Heat at Magic Kingdom

Now that summer is officially here, I thought I'd do a park-by-park installment on how I keep cool when I'm visiting the Walt Disney World theme parks in the summer-time!  Walt Disney World, and all of Florida really, is a very warm place to be in the summer months.  If you know me - you will also know how easily I overheat and how much I dislike being hot.  Some say I'm being dramatic, nope I just don't tolerate heat well.  So if you similarly don't like to be hot, sweaty and sticky - these posts are for you!

Traditional Summer Forecast for Walt Disney World

Today's installment features Magic Kingdom Theme Park! I've broken my things-to-do-when-it-is-hot tips by the different lands at Magic Kingdom.  While there are plenty more places to cool-down, these are my personal favorites!

Welcome to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Main Street USA

• The shops along Main Street USA.  Once I'm done grabbing park maps, snapping pictures of Cinderella's castle, getting pictures with the Characters, and just taking in Main Street USA; I take a break from the heat by walking through the shops instead of walking along Main Street (or when I'm trying to avoid the parade crowds).  Plus walking through the shops gives me an excuse to browse for souvenirs! If you enter at the Emporium (when heading towards Cinderella's Castle) or at Casey's Corner (when exiting the park) you'll be able to walk all the way through without having to exit until you reach the end of the shops.  The opposite side of the street has stores that are air-conditioned but these stores are separated walls and each have their own entrance so this tip doesn't work over there!
• Grab a bite to eat at The Crystal Palace or The Plaza Restaurant.  These two restaurants offer good food and air conditioning - but make sure you have a reservation first! The good news is The Plaza Restaurant usually has last minute reservations on the My Disney Experience app and is a non-expensive option too!

Adventureland

• Walt Disney's Tiki Room. A lot of people skip over this stop as they rush to the Pirates of the Caribbean.  I like stopping here for the 15-minute break in air conditioning! While it is outdated, it is a cute show, with a super catchy song and it is a Walt Disney classic.  Plus, as I exit the show, I grab a Dole Whip at Aloha Terrace which is conveniently located right next the exit!
• Pirates of the Caribbean.  This popular ride is on this list because it is a dark-indoor ride.  Also getting bonus points most of the queue is either indoors or under shade. 

It's a pirates life for me when it is hot out!

• Skipper Canteen is the newest Magic Kingdom restaurant and is a great place to grab a meal while in Adventureland (even if you're not looking for somewhere to cool down).

Frontierland

• In my opinion, the best way to cool down at Magic Kingdom is by taking a ride on Splash Mountain.  The water ride not only gets you wet (if you're lucky) this ride has some major time in the A/C.  This ride is 11-minutes long and a majority of that is inside or getting wet.  The only downside is, depending on how long the line is, a good portion the queue out in the sun and heat. 

The laughing place will cool you down!

• Pesco's Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe is a my-go-to Counter-Service meal mainly because it has plenty (and I mean plenty) of indoor seating options allowing you and your family to eat their meal in the cool air-conditioning. 
• Country Bear Jamboree. The only reason I'm visiting this show, is to get a 12-minute break from the Florida heat. And possibly take a quick nap while I'm there. 
• Tom Sawyer Island. If you don't go running about the island like a crazy-person (or kid) it can be a nice break from the heat thanks to all the trees offering a shady-haven from the Florida sun.  Only downside - the sketchy transportation to get you to the island is 100% in the sun, and the boats move rather slow.

Liberty Square

• There are lots of indoor dining options in the Liberty Square section of Magic Kingdom. My personal favorites are the Liberty Tree Tavern and Columbia Harbor House offering up cool places to have a bite to eat.
• There is also two in-door shopping locations in Liberty Square - Momento Mori and the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe - where I can always find something unique to take home.
• Liberty Square also has two in-door rides: the Haunted Mansion and the Hall of Presidents.  However, The Haunted Mansion's line is 95% outdoors and full of 'dead-space' where the cast members constantly encourage Guests to get as close as possible to each other making for some pretty warm moments before you get to cool down.

Once you fill in the dead-space, you'll get almost 8-minutes of coolness.

Fantasyland

• The Fantasyland attraction that has almost no-wait outside is Mickey's PhillharMagic (a personal favorite of mine).  Plus this is one of the longest (aside from waiting in line at Fairytale Hall) attractions in Fantasyland giving you a 12-minute break from the heat.
• The majority of Fantasyland's rides are indoors, but the downside is that most of the rides have lines that are outside. This includes: Peter Pan's Flight, "it's a small world" and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Princess Fairytale Hall.  

"its a small world" gives Magic Kingdom guests over a 10-minute break from the Florida heat. 

• Fantasyland does have lots of in-door shopping options as well including Fantasy Faire, Castle Couture, Sir Mickey's and Hundred Acre Goods.
• Indoor eating options include Pinocchio Village Haus for a Quick-Service option (tip: this restaurant gets very crowded so check upstairs - there is limited seating!) and Cinderella's Royal Table for a Table-Service option (only if you're able to secure a reservation though!).
• Bonus: if you're able to secure a reservation to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique you'll be treated to air-conditioning for as long as the appointment lasts!

Enchanted Forest - New Fantasyland

• Enchanted Tales with Belle and The Voyage of the Little Mermaid are good attractions that have lots of indoor time. The downside is that their queues are outdoors which can get a little toasty.

Visit Ariel and friends and get a 6-minute break from the sun!

• For eating you have a Table-Service location Be Our Guest (if you were lucky enough to get a reservation). Gaston's tavern is the quick-service location in New Fantasyland but the menu here seems to be getting smaller and doesn't have any meal options so I consider it to be a snack stand.
• The one lone place to shop in New Fantasyland is also an air conditioning location: Bonjour! Village Gifts.

Storybook Circus

• If want to meet some of your favorite Disney characters - do so at Pete's Silly Sideshow Character Experience. The Meet and Greet area is indoors as is the queue. 
• Casey's Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station is a great place to run through some water to cool you down before you head to your next stop. 
• The one place to shop is at the Big Top Souvenirs - a tent that does offer some relief from the heat.
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a good break from the heat if you don't have a FastPass! The waiting area is indoors, plus it is a play-place allowing the little ones to get a lot of energy out while you wait for your Dumbo ride. 

Tomorrowland

• This always seems to be the hottest section of the park. Especially as I'm walking to Space Mountain which is a great way to break away from the heat as the both the queue, the ride and the gift shop after the ride is all indoors! 
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor is also a great attraction that is pretty much all indoors too and it is a cute and funny experience.
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and the Carousel of Progress are good options once you get in to the ride/attraction but both have queues are outdoors with little-to-no break from the heat. 

Visit Buzz and get rewarded with a break from the heat and a fun, interactive ride!

• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is ride that is outdoors but in the shade but is also a slow-moving ride that offers a very little breeze - I'd wait until nighttime to ride this one.
• If you're looking for a place to eat Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe is a large, air-conditioned quick-service location.

Those are my favorite rides, attractions, places to eat, and shops to visit when the heat is on full blast.  Here is what I avoid when the heat is on high (late morning to late afternoon).  I suggest visiting these rides and attractions in the early morning or after the sun has gone down (when the park - and Florida in general - cools off).

The following are suggestions for when the sun has gone down over the Kingdom.

Magic Kingdom Heat Traps to Avoid During the Day (and do at nighttime!):

• The Jungle Cruise.  Both the line and the attraction are outside. The line is shaded but lots of bodies and walls make it hard to get a breeze.  The attraction is a slow moving boat ride and lord help you if you're seated near the boat's engine - that baby is hot!
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  The queue for this ride is outdoors - in the shade yes - but you really get the dessert feel while waiting as it is just hot and steamy in this attraction.  The ride is fast moving and thus you get a great breeze but 95% of the ride is in the sun.
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Also another attraction that is in the sun as is it's queue.  There is a portion of the queue inside but the majority (especially when the wait-time is high) of the queue is outdoors and in the sun. 
• Tomorrowland Speedway. Lord this one is a hot one. Wait for nighttime and you won't feel like your baking on the pavement.
• Any outdoor eating. Ice cream will melt too fast in the Florida heat - save your ice cream treat for nighttime!

Those are my favorite ways of beating the heat - what are yours?

 If you're interested in visiting the Walt Disney World Resort, email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com - for a FREE, no obligation vacation quote!  Or simply fill out the Disney Vacation Quote form found below or click here to open it in a new window!  As a Disney vacation specialist, I’ll use my expert knowledge to help you plan a magical vacation! Plus my services are FREE to all of my clients - you won't pay more for my services but you will get more!

Celebrate Star Wars at Disneyland Park on May 4th!

Disneyland® Park is the perfect place to commemorate May the 4th! Tomorrowland is filled with new galactic experiences like Star Wars Launch Bay and Hyperspace Mountain, and now on May 4, 2016, fans can join even more special celebrations!

Star Wars Day at Disneyland

You can head over to Tomorrowland Theater for a special screening of an episode from the hit Disney XD animated series, Star Wars Rebels. In the fan-favorite episode, “Shroud of Darkness,” Kanan, Ezra and Ahsoka return to the Jedi Temple on Lothal to find out how the Inquisitors have continually been able to track the rebels.  Seeking the advice of Yoda, voiced by Frank Oz, the three will experience powerful visions that reveal the future, the past and old friends long gone.

Fans can find special commemorative merchandise and all-new Star Wars collector glasses. Plus, they can capture memories from the day at a unique, themed photo location.  Then the party jumps into lightspeed at 6 p.m. at the Galactic Grill Stage with a fan celebration, where Star Wars trivia and other special surprises will take place throughout the evening.

Want to go to Disneyland? Email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com - for a FREE, no obligation vacation quote!  Or simply fill out the Disney Vacation Quote form found below or click here to open in a new window! As a Disney vacation specialist, let me put my expert knowledge to your benefit and help you plan the most magical vacation!

Season of the Force at Disneyland Park in California

At Disneyland® Park in Southern California, celebrate the excitement around all things Star Wars with brand-new themed experiences in Tomorrowland.  Season of the Force will take you to a galaxy far, far away with these special experiences:

Star Wars Launch Bay

This new area will offer opportunities to visit with favorite Star Wars characters, special exhibits, peeks at the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens and much more.

Choose Your Destiny with Special Character Experiences!

Dark Side – Encounter one of the most iconic villains from Star Wars, Darth Vader

Light Side – Fly casual at this makeshift Rebel base, and meet the most famous co-pilot in the galaxy, Chewbacca.

Season of the Force at Disneyland Park

Explore the Dark and the Light in Themed Galleries

Dark Side Gallery – Get a look at authentic pieces of stormtrooper armor as well as famous Sith lightsabers once wielded by masters of the dark side.

Light Side Gallery – Explore a gallery filled with Rebel flight helmets and lightsabers once wielded by Jedi Knights.

Preview Gallery – See items built exclusively for Star Wars Launch Bay by the same prop makers who worked on the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Starship Gallery – Discover models of famous starships from throughout the Star Wars saga.

Join the Battle in the Star Wars Game Center 

Play the latest games from the Star Wars galaxy, including Disney Infinity 3.0 – featuring park-exclusive Toy Box levels.

Hyperspace Mountain

Launch into a galaxy far, far away aboard Hyperspace Mountain, find yourself in an action-packed battle between Rebel X-wings and Imperial TIE fighters.

Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

This popular attraction will feature a new scene inspired by the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. 

Galactic Grill

Choose the dark side or the light at this new themed food and beverage location.  In the space that currently hosts Tomorrowland Terrace, the Galactic Grill will serve up specialty menu items inspired by both sides of the Force. Here are some of the menu options:

Breakfast - Darth Tamale: Blue corn tamale with scrambled eggs and chorizo, red chili sauce and tomatillo.

Lunch and Dinner - First Order Specialty Burger: Angus beef and chorizo patty topped with fried cherry peppers, spicy-lime aioli on dark bun.

Desserts - The Pastry Menace: Éclair with milk chocolate filling and a hint of cayenne pepper.

Collectibles - BB-8 sipper and TIE Fighter premium popcorn bucket

Star Wars: Path of the Jedi

Relive Luke Skywalker’s path to becoming a Jedi in a film that recaptures favorite Star Wars moments on the big screen. The Tomorrowland Theater presents Star Wars: Path of the Jedi, an exclusive cinematic event.

Jedi Training: Trials of the Temple

Opening Dec. 8, 2015, Guests will experience a twist on the Jedi Training experience when they encounter new characters and a new villain from the popular Disney XD series, Star Wars Rebels.

You can now choose a side at Season of the Force at Disneyland Park in California! Email lauren@magicaltravel.com to start planning your Disneyland vacation today!  I will help save you money but also your time!