Dreaming Disney – Lines: The New Car Game

Last summer I was lucky enough to win a year subscription to Lines through a podcast I listen to.  Lines is an smart phone application that provides users estimated wait times for Disney attractions.  I was pretty excited because I planned to use it with future vacation.  But I found that even living Between Disney I could have a fun time with it.  For my family Lines has become the new car game.  As we drive from one Between Disney location to another, which in the Midwest can take hours and hours and hours especially with a toddler, we pull up Lines on the phone and play guess the Lines.  Usually if someone gets an exact hit there is a huge cheer throughout the van.

If you want to be the king of the car game you have to remember the following;

·     Compensate for time zones:  If it’s 9 p.m. in the Midwest, it’s only 7 p.m. at Disneyland. 

·     Think outside the wait time signs: Lines uses both reported times and complicated mathematical equations that create the time projection you find in the application.  So if you want an exact match do not always predict a time with a 0 or 5 at the end like you would only see on a wait sign in front of the attraction.  A Lines time could end in any numeral.

·     Be aware of the crowds:  Disney crowds vary by time of year.  There is a big difference between June and October.  So cheat and consult the Touring Plans Crowd Calendar before your family can!

·     Practice, practice, practice.  Find a friend, who hopefully has no interest in Disney, who you can torture by informing him or her of wait times at completely random locations.  Me I have a buddy who gets the Matterhorn report on our train ride home.  Sure his eyes glaze over, but I have an advantage on family in the car. 

Lines is definitely a useful, and addictive tool, when in the Disney parks.  But those of us living Between Disney can have fun with it to.  I just warn you, I wouldn’t challenge me until you have practiced because I am king of my van!

Between Books – Mousejunkies!

Do you ever have someone say to you, “Are you going to Disney again?”  Have you seen the eye rolls as you discuss your vacation or love of Disney parks?  Do you feel like no one understands you ad you discuss “ADRs”, “Extra Magic Hours”, or “Fastpass.”  Do all of your friends and family believe you have snapped since as a grown adult you talk about wanting to spend more time at the home of a cartoon mouse?  Stand tall, you are not alone.  And Mousejunkies! is the book that shows you that there are more people like you than you think. 

Bill Burke in Mousejunkies!: More Tips, Tales, & Tricks for a Disney World Fix updates his unique guidebook of the Walt Disney World Resort for the Disney obsessed.  After establishing answers to some simple questions, like why he hates Figment (his reasoning is very compelling), Burke jumps right into changes that have occurred or will soon occur or may not occur at all in the Disney parks since the first edition.  He then introduces what a Mousejunkie is and his fellow Mousejunkies who aided him with the writing of the book, including their specialties, which range from traveling as a teen to price is no-object touring.  Burke and his cohort then charge forward on vacationing basics ranging from weather, crowds, food, accommodations, and attractions in every park, naps, kids, getting sick on vacation and much much more.  Most of the overviews are straight to the point, not providing too much or too little information.  These overviews are often accompanied by advice from the Mousejunkies.  Additionally the text is sprinkled with segments like “Mousejunkie U” with facts about Disney, “The Straight Dope” clear concise advice on how Walt Disney World works, and “Awesome/Stupid Disney Idea” in which Burke shares well his crazy stupid awesome ideas on improving the Disney experience. 

So what is Mousejunkies!?  First it is a guidebook.  It has the essentials that any vacationer would need to know about planning a Disney vacation.  This includes overviews of food, attractions and accommodations.  This planning guide includes checklist for basics that vacationers need to pack, reserve and consider when preparing for a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort.  Second in is a humorous travel book.  I had many a hearty chuckle as I read Burke’s and his Mousejunkies’ stories and advice.  Even though I feel comfortable with my planning ability I still really enjoyed this book just in reading the funny anecdotes the Mousejunkies provided.  Finally, Mousejunkies is a manifesto.  Burke has identified who we are as Mousejunkies, makes it clear that more of us exist than we thought in the wild, and gives us permission to glory in our obsession. 

There are two audiences for this book.  First, newbies who are looking for advice on traveling to the Walt Disney World Resort from experienced Disney travelers.  There is a lot of information in this book, but again it’s not so detailed that it will scare off the first time Disney traveler.  For example, the menus may not be as in-depth as AllEars.net but it’s enough to help a vacationer decide if they want to eat at a specific restaurant.  And for these readers, Mousejunkies! will be a very helpful primer with plenty of solid vacation advice.  The second audience is the experienced Disney traveler who are likely to see this book in four stages.  Stage 1) Hey, these Mousejunkies speak my language.  Stage 2) Hey, this is really funny, I love puns about my favorite vacation destination.  Stage 3) I definitely agree/disagree with this piece of advice.  I would always/never share this advice myself.  Stage 4) You know I have heard of (insert Disney activity here) but I have never truly considered it for my family.  I think both potential audiences for this book will be highly satisfied with this guidebook with some extra punch!

Review Copy Provided by Traveler’s Tales/Solas House, Inc.

Dreaming Disney – AllEars.Net

Recently because of a friend’s question I had to think through again where to start for planning a Disney vacation.  My first step is to always order the free planning video.  Now part of the reason for that to be first is it takes time to get it in the mailbox.  The second thing I tell someone to do is go visit www.AllEars.Net. 

I really like “free” and AllEars is the best comprehensive free online source I have found for the Walt Disney World Resort.  Well actually like most good things, my wife found it.  AllEars for Walt Disney World has pictures and comprehensive information on accommodations, dining, attractions, and more.  If I have a question about ride vehicles, dieteary issues or anything I can think of as friends ask me their strangest questions, I go to AllEars.  Additionally there are blogs that contributors provide on a variety of Disney topics.  We have used this site to help us determine where our family would  stay when Disney Adjacent, flipping through pictures to determine room layouts.  And my wife and I have spent hours using the menus to determine where we were going to eat on our next visit.  We have found the Rate and Review sections highly valuable as we read the reactions of other guests to hotel rooms and meals.  In short, the least prepared I ever have been visiting Walt Disney World was when I did not know AllEars existed.  Now as a caveat, the site is not as comprehensive about the Disneyland Resort, but its menus and dining information are still some of the best I have seen for California.  In fact, I have seen phone applications for Disneyland drawing directly from AllEars.  So even programmers know AllEars is your go to site! 

Now along with the site itself they also offer an email weekly newsletter that has news updates, tips and typically a main feature on food, history, and more in the Disney parks.  Honestly, I really enjoy getting this glimpse of Disney in my Inbox every week. 

So how does this impact my life beyond vacation planning?  Well late at night my wife has caught me with the lights off in the office as I star  at 'Ohana’s menu.  After a few awkward moments she may join me.  To be honest I look at this site a few times a week even if I do not have a trip planned.  And at work I get asked questions all the time, and if that question is about food or hotels, I teach a man to fish by taking them to www.AllEars.Net. 

How do you use AllEars Between Disney?