Most Recent Reviews
Review of Pandora -- the World of Avatar
Reviewed by lbollinger Review Date: 02/16/2020
Rating: (10) Recommended
Pandora is a beautifully designed land that is very immersive and has some great attractions in it. Both attractions in Pandora are amazing and very fun, especially Flight of Passage. The dining options have some interesting choices and have some very good food and drink options. There is so much to see and discover in this land. Overall an amazing land!
Pros:
Immersive, very detailed, great attractions, beautiful.Cons:
Long lines for attractions.Review of Gran Fiesta Tour
Reviewed by AdventurelandFan Review Date: 02/16/2020
Rating: (5) Recommended
This is a weird hybrid of a show — really just an overlay of the Caballeros stuff on top of the Opening Day "tour of Mexico" ride.
The "Disney historian" side of me likes the they've found a modern use for The Three Caballeros. But, of course, this is Mexico, so it worries me a bit that Panchito, the only Mexican of the trio, is sidelined. Also, I don't think the story makes a lot of sense for the characters involved. It's merely about José and Panchito trying to find Donald as he runs around Mexico. To me, that doesn't fit with the depictions given in either of the older films featuring the Caballeros or the modern DuckTales revival. This would be much more fun and appropriate if it were about these guys on a Mexican tour, trying to get to their favorite gig destination in Acapulco, but having difficulty because Panchito keeps trying to get his career back on track by playing at familial celebrations all over the Mexico, while the other two get increasingly frustrated with the mundanity of these "gigs". Or maybe it could be about them more properly touring, with Uncle Scrooge, their financial backer, hounding them because Panchito's generosity is ruining the band's finances. But Donald getting lost? That's just lazy writing, kinda lame, not-Mexican, and vaguely evocative of the stereotype of the ugly American tourist.
Also, the ride was always deliberately slow, so that you could take in the information you were getting about Mexico. Now that most of the information has been covered up, you've only got more time to think of how odd this Frankenstein of a ride now is.
Still, purely as a ride, it has the virtue of being pleasant, indoors, cool, and something everyone can do without waiting very long at all. It's definitely not a thing you have to do, but it's a pleasant enough thing you can do, especially if you've availed yourself of La Cava del Tequila and you've managed to stop your mind from objecting.
Overall, though, I hope they one day strip out the ride entirely and replace it with something else that makes more sense — like a Coco ride. More to the point, I hope Mexico gets "the French treatment": a ride that's actually worth a FastPass.
I'm recommending only because there's no wait and you're probably already in Mexico for other reasons. And no matter which entrance to EPCOT you've taken, Mexico is pretty far away, so by the time you get to it, you actually need to sit down for a while someplace cool. So I can recommend this ride purely on that basis alone.
As of early 2020, though, the Coco exhibit in this pavilion is actually more interesting and more evocative of Mexican culture.
Pros:
Everyone can ride and it's the only place in North America featuring these characters — who might be known to your kids if they watch DuckTales. So far away from either EPCOT interest that a pro is simply that it's a cool place to sit down for a while.Cons:
The "everyone can ride" thing cuts both ways. It also means the ride is boring and utterly missable. Worse, it's a truly nonsensical ride if you like and know these characters, and if you care about Mexico as a country. If you're going to use The Three Caballeros, use the characters of The Three Caballeros — not just their likenesses.Review of Tusker House Lunch and Dinner Buffet
Reviewed by AdventurelandFan Review Date: 02/16/2020
Rating: (10) Recommended
I've been to a lot of buffets at Disney Parks. There are a lot of great ones out there. This is the best — not just at WDW but in North America.
Somehow, they — in my experience — are able to totally defeat the usual twin dooms of buffets by keeping all the food fresh, and by offering a massive variety of truly interesting dishes.
The variety here not only evokes Africa — as it should, since the restaurant is, yanno, in Africa — but it gives almost everyone something great they can eat. Almost all dietary preferences are accommodated from the regular buffet, and in a way that doesn't create social awkwardness. In other words, the buffet brings everyone together, rather than highlighting people's dietary differences.
It's also not slavishly upholding the line between "breakfast" and "lunch". If you get here earlier enough in the afternoon, there's an unofficial brunch. For about an hour around 1pm, I've found that they'll have both breakfast and lunch items on offer, until breakfast items are quietly ushered off stage. So if you've had a busy morning, but reserved for an early lunch here, your breakfast buffet dreams may still be alive.
The ambience here is ... not what you'd find in the Magic Kingdom. It's next-level imagineering, fully justifying the inconvenience of the longer journey to the Animal Kingdom you've probably had to endure. Tusker is a kind of extension of Harambe, generally — and it works so well that you'd be forgiven for missing the entrance to the joint. Once inside, prepare to be gobsmacked by the detailed beauty of the large, open buffet area. I couldn't stop myself from taking a lot of pictures of the restaurant interior before even thinking about eating. Seriously, take a long look at all the posters on the walls, the details above the buffet area, the imperfections knitted into the building's structure. It's so good that, especially when there are street players in the larger Harambe area, you might not think you're at a Disney Park at all.
Except, of course, that this restaurant, even after breakfast, has character dining. So, yes, the walking Mickey is gonna break the illusion. But if there's a compensation for the jarring visual, at least the original Disney characters are in the dress that I personally prefer. There are a lot of places to find the big five, but their "safari look" works for these original Disney characters. I'm not entirely sure that Daisy and Goofy can be found anywhere else in this specific garb, and this is surely an easier place to find Mickey and Minnie in that look than their "official" meet and greet spot elsewhere in Animal Kingdom. It's a little mystifying why Disney have chosen to do this, though. Surely the gang from DuckTales would make more sense for the "adventures in Africa" theme.
Moving away from that one headscratcher, Tusker is mightily convenient to other African goals. I personally wouldn't recommend eating here if your next stop is in another land. It's right down the street from Kilimanjaro Safaris and the train to Rafiki's and the disembarkation place for hard-ticketed "special" backstage tours — and, of course, The Lion King. That is, it's almost exactly central to Africa, so you'll find it incredibly convenient to wherever your African journeys take you. We went on the Caring for Giants backstage elephant tour, and there literally couldn't have been a better-placed restaurant for us.
Finally, it shouldn't be missed that there's a package deal with Rivers of Light which gets you special seating. Is It necessary? Maybe not. Is it nice to have a completely unobstructed first-row seat? Absolutely — especially if this is your favorite nighttime show at WDW, and you want to take a lot of pictures.
Pros:
Best buffet in WDW or Disneyland, astounding variety of food, central location to whatever you're doing in Africa, Great Rivers of Light package, impeccable theming, character dining (and breakfast!) go on for longer than advertised.Cons:
Though I love the safari look for the original Disney characters, they don't make sense. I hope one day DuckTakes characters take over here, since they're much, more logically going to have travelled to Africa than Mickey. If this place must have animated characters, it demands Scrooge, Webby and Launchpad — not Goofy.Review of Enchanted Tiki Room
Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 02/16/2020
Rating: (8) Recommended
This is a classic attraction. Cute and entertaining, it allows you to see where the history of audio animatronics started. Plus who doesn’t love a good song?
Pros:
Historical but doesn’t feel horribly aged. A good place to take a break from the heatCons:
It is an older attraction, and if you don’t enjoy musical numbers this won’t be your favoriteReview of Barnstormer featuring the Great Goofini
Reviewed by AdventurelandFan Review Date: 02/16/2020
Rating: (6) Recommended
Don't fool yourself for one instant. This is a kids ride in every way, right down to the brevity of the ride and the tininess of the ride vehicle itself. It's a good place to start your kids on the joys of roller coasters, but it's frankly not nearly as good as Goofy's Sky School in DCA.
So feel free to skip this one without losing anything magical.
Except — it's one of the very few places where you can see Disney magic totally destroyed. Both on the ride and in the line, you can clearly see into Tomorrowland from several angles. And it's, to me, fascinating to see such a clear imagineering failure. It helps you be all the more impressed with Galaxy's Edge's complete immersion. What's more, it gives the best views of Tron construction anywhere on property. At night, the effect is particularly dramatic as Space Mountain dons its nighttime lighting scheme through the — as of early 2020, anyway — bare tracks of Tron.
So if you care at all about teaching your kid to like roller coasters, or you're an adult interested in the construction of rollercoasters, this ride is a kind of hidden gem.
But don't waste a FastPass here — unless you absolutely have to.
One special note for people who have After Hours access: nobody bothers to come to this ride late night. It's literally in the "back of beyond" — and people logically want to use that special access time for rides that are harder to get onto during the day. But that means that the cast members running it may just let you stay seated as they keep the thing going. I rode it three times in a row, without having to disembark, which made it a "normal" length coaster. So there is potentially some fun to be had here for adults, if you time things the right way.
Pros:
Good for kids just learning about roller coasters. Great for anyone wanting to peer into Tron construction, or for those who want to see a bit of a "broken" border between lands.Cons:
Very short duration, meaning that even 1 15 minute wait Is probably disproportionate to the amount of fun on offer. Not sized for adults, but kids. The lesser of the two Goofy-as-pilot-themed coasters in North America.Review of Be Our Guest -Counter Service Lunch
Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 02/16/2020
Rating: (6) Recommended
This was our 3rd time eating lunch at the Be Our Guest restaurant. We arrived right on time for our 12:50 reservation only to be met by something we've not previously experienced, a long line to wait in. It seems on our day, Feb 10, those who ordered their meal online in advance were having issues or the system was having issues with the orders. I would much prefer Disney return to the previous version of ordering. My wife and I ordered the usual, carved turkey. She ordered the veggies in lieu of fries. They were mushy and gross. The turkey was good. I'm not sure it's worth the price at this point. It's definitely better than some of the restaurants in MK, but more expensive.
Pros:
Food qualityCons:
Ordering processReview of Copper Creek Villas
Reviewed by nmoore1229 Review Date: 02/15/2020
Rating: (9) Recommended
As a DVC member my home resort is at Copper Creek. I have stayed in this resort 3 times. Each time is an enjoyable experience and I love the hotel.
Arriving at Copper Creek you are greeted by Wilderness Lodge cast members and once you step foot into the hotel you are transported into the woods. The decor of the resort is consistent throughout the entire hotel. One thing that I have noticed is the design between the Villas at Copper Creek and the Wilderness Lodge. I find that Wilderness Lodge rooms are more true to the meaning and the Copper Creek villas are modern. I feel the room loses the flavor in the villas. The transportation to the parks is limited. This is NOT a Monorail resort. This hotel offers boat and bus service. The boat is nice since it is a nonstop trip to the Magic Kingdom. Usually not to crowded either. Unlike the busses it will not be a crammed ride. The major con with the boats is the capacity on board. That could complicate getting to the park for park-open. The boat ride is about 10-15 minutes at most.
Boat Services go to Ft. Wilderness and Contemporary Resort and Magic Kingdom
I do love the resort and think it has a lot to offer for resort guests. I highly suggest this resort for parents with children if you are staying in the Magic Kingdom Area. This resort has the best flavor or design in my opinion. The pool are is also another nice amenity. There is a nice slide and the pool is large in size.
For a family of 5 the 1 Bedroom Villa is a little tight due to the close proximity of the beds and couch. The 2 Bedroom Villa is very nice.
*Watch out for the bunnies and lizards too :))
Adventure is out there and The Wilderness must be explored!!
Pros:
The proximity to the Magic Kingdom Nice pool Roaring Fork (Nice Quick Service)- serves breakfast, lunch and dinner SpaciousCons:
No monorail Poor Cellular Reception in certainReview of Walt Disney World Swan (Deluxe Resort)
Reviewed by Anonymous Review Date: 02/15/2020
Rating: (10) Recommended
We love Swan. As my son was growing up we went to pops and Coronado a lot and it was awesome. As he got older we decided to try Swan.. in 2016 I believe. We are booking our third trip there for May. I know there is a parking fee - but that is true of all DW properties now and at Swan, they dont charge after 5 days which is nice because we stay 8 to 9 days. Pops charged us last year for the full 9 days (we regretted not going to Swan as soon as that trip started) The resort fee does blow but again - thats almost anywhere these days and honestly I wont be surprised if DW starts adding one, they have increased the price of everything year after year.
The proximity is the star - You can take a boat or walk to Epcot and HS... after a lifetime of doing the late night bus crunch at park closing, this is what sold us. Its just awesome. And, the buses to AK and MK are rarely packed like other resorts. One word of caution - the buses run slower so if you want to be at MK for an 8am breakfast - plan of being at the stop early or take an Uber. It doesnt bother us - we are never really in a rush and again - that can happen anywhere - at least in their case I know the timing is about every 45 mins so I can plan accordingly.
Price - they are $$ but if you go through Cotsco travel - you can stay here for close to the same price as a DW moderate and they include the resort fee in the pricing, no surprises. You also have 60 days in advance fast passes just as with any DW resort.
So - If you have little ones and it is really important to have all of the DW theming which I understand - my son loved Pops and Sports when he was little - Go to the DW official resorts because Swan does not have it - they are more like being in a nice downtown hotel that happens to be in the middle of DW - If those things are not as important - to be in the bubble as they say - Swan may be for you. And to me - its in the middle of the bubble! The view out the window is all the theming I need - you see Epcot and you are next to Boardwalk resort - Love it!
Food (as all the DW areas) is pricey. We drive so I take some breakfast items and drinks - we eat mostly in the parks anyway. We have had some reasonable meals at the Fountain (adjacent to Swan in the Dolphin) great burger big enough for husband and I to share!
Pros:
Middle of the magic - walk or boat ride to Epcot and HS - pools are great - nice Gyms to work out - love the feel of the whole resort and its amazing location.Cons:
Food is a bit pricey but Epcot is a walk away... Slower bus serviceReview of Be Our Guest -Counter Service Lunch
Reviewed by AdventurelandFan Review Date: 02/15/2020
Rating: (1) Not Recommended
As a reasonable fan of Beauty and the Beast, I expected to like this much-hyped location. But it was, in January of 2020 at least, the absolute worst experience I had on the whole property. The fries I had were cold, thin, and over-fried. They were ... challenging for my teeth, to say the least. The sandwich was utterly forgettable. And the onion soup was nearly as expensive as what you can find in Chefs de France in EPCOT, but orders of magnitude worse. (Seriously do not order the onion soup here. You're just throwing money away that you could be applying to the best onion soup you've ever had over in France.)
The theming is overtly fake and plasticky. I don't even think it does particular justice to the parts of the movie it's trying to depict. Most disappointing is the rose under glass. On not-that-close inspection it's no more complicated than an LED Christmas ornament.
To try to explain the theming disappointment, it's perhaps useful to compare it to the Tangled bathroom area/transition zone close to the Haunted Mansion. Both it and Be Our Guest are rough contemporaries in Fantasyland, but the theming in the Tangled area has a nuance that Be Our Guest lacks. There's a gradation to the coloring of buildings that occurs in the Tangled area that makes them look somehow more real, more sophisticated. The bathrooms have authentic frying pans on the wall that aren't explained. There are wanted posters, cleverly written, for various characters in the movie. And the pavement leading up to the area has hoof prints implied to have been made by the key horse in the film. It's not that the area tries to recreate scenes, but rather to put you into the world of Tangled.
By contrast, Be Our Guest seems much less sophisticated. It's actually trying to recreate scenes, with each room being a different phase of the film. But it's both too on-the-nose and less artful than what's going on in the Tangled area. On the whole, I was left severely disappointed in the theming, which made the poor food quality all the more inexcusable.
The whole place feels to me as if it needs refurbishment, giving priority to the live-action version rather than the original animated film. Making it look like the Emma Watson version of the film, and breaking it up into the several more rooms seen in that film — along with gloomy mood lighting — would do wonders for this restaurant.
I can't fairly comment on what the service is like, since there isn't any during lunch to speak of. Nor is that something that should be fairly judged as a deficit for this location — it's counter service at lunch, so genuine service from waiters shouldn't be expected. Still the name of the restaurant does make you think you're getting some sort of treatment that will make you think you're a guest of some kind. Instead, the lack of service and the big rooms full of cramped tables does make it feel like a school cafeteria more than a restaurant.
Common wisdom about this place is to go for lunch. It's the cheapest way to get in and see the theming. But the theming is completely missable, and the price for lunch is actually too high for what you're getting. I wouldn't discount the possibility that one day I might do the full-service dinner here — just to see if it becomes more true to its namesake.
But I wouldn't go back for lunch — even if someone else were paying. It's genuinely that bad. Even if you have kids that love Beauty and the Beast, don't indulge them here. Almost every quick service joint in the whole of WDW is better than this. Go to Galaxy's Edge. Go to World Showcase. Heck, just go around the corner to Main Street USA. Go on a monorail and get off at the Poly.
Do ANYTHING to avoid lunch here.
Pros:
None — though I've not experienced the full-service dinner, which may be much better, if significantly more expensive.Cons:
Theming, inability to in any way evoke the "Be Our Guest" sequence from the film, pricing way too high for the quality of the nearly-inedible food. Wholly overhyped location.Review of Beauty and the Beast Sing Along
Reviewed by AWaltChild Review Date: 02/15/2020
Rating: (9) Recommended
I was a bit skeptical of the sing along idea,but there were many enthusiastic participants which made it fun.
