Wednesday, January 27, 2016

New Fastpass Sharing App







Have you ever had a Fastpass for a ride that you know you're not going to be able to use? Have you ever gotten over to Radiator Springs Racers too late in the day and all the Fastpasses are gone? Now there's a great new app for giving and finding Fastpasses! Available in the App Store (looks like it's just for IPhones), Pass It Forward is a new free app that allows you to:

• post about Fastpasses you want to give away
• set up alerts for specific rides/shows you're interested in finding Fastpasses for 
• set a timer that you can use to remind yourself what time your passes are for

Bonus! When your timer is done, your phone will play the whistle noise you hear when you enter the main gate to the parks. Fun!!

The app has only been available for a couple of days so there isn't much action yet, but I've had a chance to play around with it and here's what I've seen so far:

I set up alerts for some of the major rides in the parks. (Rides listed they have an eye icon next to them are the ones in "watching.")



When passes became available that matched one of my rides, I got a notification on my phone. 


I could easily find the conversation about the Space Mountain Fastpasses in the app and, if I were lucky enough to actually be in the park, I could have sent a message back to claim them! (The Alerts button is to either get more notifications about these passes or to turn them off if I'm not interested.)

Pass It Forward is a really fun app that I hope takes off! In the two days I've been checking it out, I've seen four sets of Fastpasses come up based o my setting. That's not bad for a brand new app.

What a great way to share Disney magic with other park guests!! I'll be giving it a try on my next trip. 





Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Our Hopes for Star Wars Land



Construction has officially started for Star  Wars Land and much of the focus we've seen from people is on the closures. And while we're still sad to lose Big Thunder BBQ, we wanted to think to the future today. After all, "Disneyland will never be complete. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." 

We're very excited to see what changes the next few years will bring and have high hopes. But, there isn't a ton of solid information out there yet about what we can expect to see in the new land. So we've put together the top 5 things we want to see when Star Wars Land finally opens. 

5. A Better Name
First thing's first: Star Wars Land is kind of a boring name. I'd love to see much more thought go into this one. I know most sections of the park have "land" at the end, but it's certainly not a requirement! 

4. Mos Eisley Cantina
With the BBQ closure, Disneyland needs another awesome restaurant, and what better than the famous cantina from Star Wars? An alien band should play and we should get some nice space themed meals that are still visually appealing...I'm looking at you First Order burger!

3. Star Wars Version of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
We'd love to see a spot where kids can go in and be turned into Rebels or Storm Troopers, have Princess Leia buns, or even given cool alien face paint. It would be a great contrast to the glittery princesses that we see coming out of the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. 

2. Immersive Rides
Basically what we know so far is there will be some kind of Millenium Falcon attraction where you're able to control the ship (yay!) and a Battle Escape (not the official title yet) which should be a water ride in the style of Pirates of the Caribbean. What we're hoping to see out of these rides is something worth all of the permanent and temporary closures they caused. More Radiator Springs Racers, and less Rocket Rods (remember those???). 

We're also holding out hope for an animatronic Han Solo on the Millenium Falcon, just so there can be two versions of Harrison Ford in Disneyland. For some reason, that makes us giggle. 

1. Star Tours!!!!!
Seriously. You can't open Star Wars Land and leave a Star Wars themed ride stranded on the other side of the park. Is and goes for Launch Bay and the Jedi Training show. Just move them all. Especially with the new land only having two rides, a surprise move would be a wonderful addition to the new area and would give a great space for something new to move into Tomorrowland, which desperately needs a revamp!

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Disneyland in the Rain




A rainy day at Disneyland is better than a sunny day at home, am I right? But it can still really put a damper on your good time if you're not prepared. (See what I did there? "Damp"er?!?!) We've got the info you need to still have fun in the (rare) Southern California rain.


1. Dress for the weather! Be sure you have a raincoat or a poncho. They sell ponchos at Disneyland but you can save money by buying one at home! Waterproof shoes like rain boots will help your feet stay dry. 
Pro tip: Pack an extra shirt/pair of pants/socks just in case you get too wet so you're not uncomfortable. 

2. Know what will be closed. Not all rides can operate in the rain. Knowing what you can't do can help spare some disappointment. According to the Disneyland website, the following rides close when it's more than just a drizzle:
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo 
- Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island (although that's not applicable this winter, still good to know for he future)
- Mad Tea Party
- Gadget's Go Coaster
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
Outdoor shows, parades, and fireworks can be cancelled, too. 

3. Take advantage of low crowds. Fewer people plan a trip when rain is in the forecast and most locals will stay home. So take this time to go on rides that usually have a crazy line. Go on your favorites twice in a row! 



4. Enjoy some attractions you usually skip. With the extra time you might find yourself with due to low crowds, you can try some indoor activities you'd otherwise pass by. Maybe Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, the Beast's Library at the Art of Animation Building, or the Sleeping Beauty Castle walk through. These are all dry, warm, and lots of underrated fun. 

5. Have some delicious hot food! Try the tomato soup at the Jolly Holiday Bakery or the clam chowder in a bread bowl at the Royal Street Veranda (no indoor seating though, so hopefully the soup can keep you warm enough). We also suggest spending time people watching anywhere with indoor seating and coffee/hot chocolate. 



6. Get some cool pictures. With low crowds and interesting reflections, you can get some really interesting shots. Give it a try and don't forget to share them with your Dole Whip A Day friends!

7. Get wet! You're most likely already wet. Be brave and go on Splash Mountain!