Author Archives: carlye

The Best And Worst Days To Travel To Walt Disney World In 2019.

12th December 2018

Walt Disney World’s new ticketing calendar is live, but more importantly,  I did math for this story, people. SO MUCH MATH. I did it by hand! I did it in excel! I did it by double-checking my figures with someone who knows math and was told I did all the math wrong so I had to redo it and then checked it three times!

Anyway, the big takeaway here — besides me yelling BUT I TOOK AP STATISTICS about thirty-seven times — is that Disney ticketing is wildly different than it was just a few weeks ago. Generally speaking, prices rose substantially since last year. Some ticket prices went down, which is a weird unexpected miracle,  but many did increase. Even more significant is that this demand pricing model fluctuates not by when you travel, but when you arrive. It’s a bit tricky, and if you’re a WDW expert, it’ll throw your next vacation plans for a loop.

I dove deep into the calendar and the numbers (math!!!) to suss out the very best times to visit Walt Disney World in 2019 — and some unexpected hacks to keep more cash in your pocket. Or, in Lake Buena Vista terms, helped send some extra funds ~linked to your Figment-themed Magic Band~.

Scurry over to Travel + Leisure to read all the insider info you need to know, as well as when the cheapest times to visit Walt Disney World are — and a helpful hack I discovered that could save! you! money!

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These Are The Best And Worst Times To Go To Disney World in 2019 on Travel + Leisure by Carlye Wisel

What I Eat At Walt Disney World For Every Meal

12th December 2018

If you’re wondering “where should I make a reservation for at Epcot?” or “should I really sit down for character breakfast at Magic Kingdom instead of racing to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train”, well, I have a career’s worth of stories for you. But, if you’re wondering what I *personally* do when I’m in Disney World, look no further.Take it from me, a tired reporter who seeks out specific indulgences and air-conditioned respite to get through a hectic week. Sometimes I’ll visit Disney World like a real vacationer and luxuriate in my time, but more often than not it’s a series of 16-hour days of research and rabid note-taking, so I only tend to sit down for one proper meal a day.

If you’re with littles that have a full-stop obsession with princesses, by all means, ignore me and go to Cinderella’s Royal Table. The list below is just the top layer of what I’d recommend to a friend, or a friend with kids, or a friend who doesn’t consider chicken breast nuggets to be one of the four main food groups.

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To The North Pole…And Beyond!

10th December 2018

Toy Story Land has only been open for five months, but like dressing toddlers in Halloween costumes, its young age doesn’t mean it’s going to miss a grand Instagram debut. For the very first time (because it’s new, but alas), the land is decked out in Christmas decor.

String lights are a staple in this “everything-is-enormous” land, but the quintessential holiday touches, like a humungo Hamm-shaped sugar cookie (heh heh) or Woody and Buzz Lightyear sporting little festive touches to their costumes is cute in a way I did not know I craved.

I don’t want to spoil the details fully — o-kay, even Rex is wearing reindeer antlers (!) — so check out a further taste of the holiday festivities over on Travel + Leisure.

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Toy Story Land During The Holiday Season Is Disney Magic At Its Best on Travel + Leisure by Carlye Wisel

HEAR YE, HEAR YE, FELLOW JEDIS

10th December 2018

As someone who derails most party conversations with discussion over why Disney Cruise Line is a worthwhile vacation endeavor, there are five words in the English language that make non-Disney fans *actually* want to listen to what I’m about to say.  I appreciate the polite nods and all, but allow me stretch my arms and type them proudly, now that I confidently and finally can:

NEW STAR WARS LAND NEWS!!!!!!!!

Yes, yes y’all, we *finally* have details about the two attractions going into Galaxy’s Edge, the new Star Wars-themed land coming to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. (Both coasts, babaaaay!) Pilot the Millennium Falcon, come face-to-face with Stormtroopers — insane new details about that right here — and encounter, well, so many experiences we could only dream of before.

Which comes first: will we find out the exact opening date for Galaxy’s Edge or will I learn how to spell Millennium correctly sans spell check!? Only time will tell!!

Enter hyperspace and zoom over to read all the details  at Travel + Leisure.

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Get Ready, Star Wars Fans: Disney’s Millennium Falcon Ride Looks Truly Out of This Galaxy on Travel + Leisure by Carlye Wisel

You Can Hang Out With The Grinch In Real Life — And No, That’s Not My Way Of Saying I’m Free This Weekend

7th December 2018

If you’re new here, well, let’s ease into HOLIDAY STORY SEASON with a lil’ preamble. I am obsessed with whitefish salad and only eat one one deli’s pastrami because I find it to be superior and grew up on repeat Seinfeld episodes in lieu of Disney movies so, no,  I do not happen to celebrate Christmas. However, every winter I put on my expert cap (it’s a baseball hat from Katz’s Deli) and write prose about the magicality of the Christmas season.

All The Grinch-themed celebrations at Universal theme parks on both coasts may not fully be intended for me, given that I’m ineligible for Cindy Lou-level unabashed joy and Grinchian anger, but you know what I can get down with?

a) Staring at patrons of Whoville. I love people watching — love it!!!! — and it’s made all the better by gaping at the little turned-up noses of the guys and gals wandering around the California and Florida parks, wondering how do they do that?! I always thought it was a prosthetic nose but now I’m like it’s so seamless between their nose and their face that maybe it’s a whole face mask but that can’t be and then I start to spiral to that place in my brain where I wonder if I should slow down Mission Impossible films so I could see the actual transition from when they rip off those imposter face masks and I realize I’ve gone to far and oKAY onto the next one!

b) Kooky-ass Christmas trees. I think Xmas trees are beautiful. I’m deeply jealous that you guys get to string popcorn (omg) and tchotchkes (omg) upon your greenery once a year, but I’ll give ya the gorgeous Seussian tree at Universal Studios Hollywood. That one’s all yours and boy, it is a beaut. Something about the weird little curl at the top just gets me, you know? It’s not the kind of thing you see in real life on the regular, and I’m so, so happy its here.

c) MEETING MAX. Nothing like awkwardly standing next to a stranger’s dog and mugging for pictures. Seriously, there’s nothing like it. I see dogs constantly when I go to Runyon Canyon once a week — which is basically an uphill walk at a well-populated PetCo — but still somehow got so much joy from meeting this theme park dog and his trainer. ‘TIS THE SEASON FOR FAMILY PHOTOS WITH SOMEONE ELSE’S VERY SLEEPY PUPPY!!!!

Follow the trail of Christmas cookies to Travel + Leisure to read all about the Grinch-themed celebrations at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood in California going down this Christmas season.

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You Can Meet The Grinch This Winter In A Real-Life Whoville on Travel + Leisure by Carlye Wisel

you (i) can now (and will) run a race with minions

6th December 2018

Universal Studios Hollywood is hosting its first-ever 5K race inside the theme park, begging the question: who needs to run with the bulls WHEN YOU CAN RUN WITH MINIONS!!!!!!!

Now, the last time I ran a little theme park running race, it ? did ? not ? go ? well. My brother mistakenly (cough) signed up for the Disneyland Star Wars Half-Marathon, and it being non-refundable, forced both his wife and myself into upgrading from our planned 5K to running thrice as many miles as I’d ever pitter-pattered my feet through in my human life. Continue reading →

All The Things You Gotta Know Before Visiting Universal Orlando Resort

4th August 2018

 

 

Diagon Alley is a reality, baby, but the truth is there is SO*MUCH*MORE at this freaky little set of parks mixing legit thrills with the greatest immersive land (sup Hermione) that exists on the planet. From Butterbeers outside Hogwarts and Duff’s at Moe’s Tavern to yung Steven Spielberg and Marvel rides and everything in between, here’s a big hunkin’ primer to the Florida parks from someone who has spent way too much time there eating ice cream and calling it breakfast:

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Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Hi! Hi! Hi!

17th February 2018

Welcome to Awkward City, Population 1. It looks nothin’ like the old blog — this one’s all new — but it’ll soon be bright and shiny. Until then, please enjoy…I don’t know, staring at this photo and counting how many things I own yet never wear because I hate trying? If that doesn’t sound like a good time, here’s a funny vintage Disneyland video , and if that’s not your bag, dive into the most hilarious news blooper I’ve ever seen in my human adult life.

talk soOOooOOooOon!