The Sunshine Seasons food court, located inside The Land pavilion at Epcot, provides an upscale decor and atmosphere that you don't find at many of the food courts at Disney World.  It's set apart a bit from the standard Disney food court with several stations to choose from.

The four stations in the Sunshine Seasons include an Asian wok shop, a sandwich station with fresh baked Artisan breads, a soup and salad shop, and a wood-fired grill shop that features rotisserie chicken, beef, and salmon.

While prices are subject to change, you'll spend about $10 for an entree/meal at Sunshine Seasons.  About the same as any food court at Disney.

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After riding the new Star Tours ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios this past weekend, I have some thoughts to share in a review of the "re-imagined" ride.

I really had high hopes for this ride.  Hopes that were dashed upon experiencing the ride.

Let me start by asking you, did you like the old Star Tours?  Was it a quality ride?  Up to the standards of quality brands like Disney and Star Wars?  If you thought so, you'll love the new Star Tours ride.  If you're a kid, you'll love it, too.  My 5 and 7 year old thought it was "awesome!" in their own words....of course, they liked the old one, too.

Personally, I was never a big fan of the original Star Tours.  It was a weak representation of the strong Star Wars brand.  Poor story line, boring characters, and an overall ho-hum ride.  Star Tours The Adventure Continues didn't improve much on that weak ride.

Now, Disney did add lots of new story lines.  Up to 54 different combinations of sections of the story to provide some variety and inspiring multiple rides.  However, the basic storyline is still that you're traveling somewhere in space, your ship gets diverted, your navigator/captain manage to get you home safely.

The video has been improved, they switched out random robot captain (RX-24) for C3PO, and added the multiple story lines.  Really?  This is what you accomplish in 8 months of refurbishment?

They did improve the queue line quite a bit with more and longer "stories" as you wait in line....and wait you will, young Jedi.  Granted it was opening weekend, but waits were in the 90 to 120 minute range and to make it worse, Disney didn't seem to have the longer queues figured out.  Random queue lines would appear out of nowhere and block off entire walkways.  Poor planning and implementation.

I know I'm being negative and my kids really liked it.  I just think that the Star Wars brand deserves better.  I walked away from the ride thinking, "meh, I may ride it again, but I'm not impressed and frankly a little disappointed."

So, rather than just bemoaning the failure, what's the solution?  Well, for now, really nothing, but I wonder, why didn't the imagineers draw from the super successful franchise and bring us something completely different from the old ride?  Look at what Star Wars offers, today, not 30 years ago.  The Lego Star Wars game is immensely popular and follows the real story line from the movie series.  The Star Wars: The Clone Wars series is very successful.  Where was this included in the ride?  Somewhere along the lines, Disney decided to completely regenerate and create a "new" Star Wars story, rather than sticking to the one that works.

With that in mind, I did like the inclusion of some scenes from the movies -- the pod racing scene, going under water with Jar Jar, Hoth battle scenes, and so on.  This was the best part of the ride, in my opinion, but they still just seemed so random and tossed in without any kind of solid story.

As I've pointed out, it was just okay.  I know there's a lot of excitement about the new Star Tours ride, but I just don't get it.  What do you think?

Haven't you always dreamed of taking flight on a hot air balloon ride?  I know I have, but I've always had a fascination with flight in general.

I finally had my opportunity for a balloon flight with Characters In Flight at Downtown Disney.  Well, it's not exactly a hot air balloon ride -- it's a gas-filled, tethered balloon ride and it was a thrill!

I've been skydiving, bungee jumping, screaming down the side of a mountain on my bike.  I'm not a stranger to trill rides and this one was just as much fun as all the others.  Standing below the balloon, waiting for my turn, I looked up 400' in the sky and thought, "Hmm, that's a lot higher than it looks from my car on I-4."

Once on board, you find that the platform feels solid while you're on the ground, but as soon as the wheels lift off, you're conducting a balancing act!  In spite of the safety netting, railing, and solid floor, the tossing of the wind makes it feel like you could fall out, any minute!

As soon as I became accustomed to my wider-than-normal stance to maintain balance, I looked around and wow!  The view was amazing!  I could see Spaceship Earth at Epcot, the Contemporary Resort, Tower of Terror and so much more!  Then, I peered over the edge at the height and loved it!...and so did our kids, to my surprise.  No crying or fussing, at all.

The only complaint I could have with Characters In Flight may be that it's too short.  I could have stayed up a little longer before that cable began pulling us home.  As for that cable and the landing, be ready for a rough one.  You'll find that the balloon tosses back and forth quite a bit as you come back down to the platform and then hit with a good thud!

Weather permitting, the hours of operation are every day from 9 a.m. to midnight.

Ticket Prices:
$18 Adult (tax included) - Guests ages 10 and up
$12 Children (tax included) - Guests ages 3 - 9
Free- Guests 2 and under
Tickets may be purchased at the attraction's ticket window.

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Come fly with us! That's right, we had the opportunity to try indoor skydiving at the Orlando iFly vertical wind tunnel near the Universal Orlando Resort on International Drive. It was an amazing experience!!

You start out in the indoor skydiving observation room while you wait to take the course on how to skydive in the wind tunnel. While you wait, you get to see the group of indoor skydivers from before you. After the observation time concludes, you walk upstairs to watch a short instructional video and don your flight suit, helmet, and goggles. One thing to note: We had on flip-flops, but this wasn't an issue, as they have shoes they can lend you for your indoor skydiving experience.

After getting suited up, you head down to the wind tunnel to begin your "dives." You get two indoor skydives at about 1 to 1.5 minutes each. During our last one, the instructor took us really high in the tunnel!! It was the best part of the ride!!

Once your time is up, the instructor will put your near the exit door and you pull yourself to the waiting area. You'll see me do this in the video to get an idea how it works.

You can also order a DVD of your indoor skydiving experience, but we found our own video to be good enough. This was an exhilarating experience and we can't wait to go, again.

Here's a bit more information about the iFly Orlando indoor skydiving experience.

A vertical wind tunnel moves air up in a vertical column, creating the indoor skydiving experience.

Simply put, iFLY is flying; you will soar on a column of air inside a vertical wind tunnel. SkyVenture is the world leader and most experienced company when it comes to vertical wind tunnels. iFLY uses superior technology and is unique; multiple fans located at the top of the flight chamber produce a wall-to-wall airflow that is smooth and fun to fly in. The air flow is totally controllable; this, combined with our professional instructors, makes for the most exciting flight experience possible.

Excitement, adrenaline and adventure - iFLY offers it all in the flight experience of a lifetime.

You do not need any previous experience. Our training class will give you all the fundamentals and the complete gear you need is included. All you have to do is get ready to smile, as this will be just about the most exciting adventure you have ever accomplished.

Skydivers love freefall because it's the closest possible thing to true human flight. Now everyone can experience the same exhilaration, in a safe environment, in full view of family and friends!

Everything that you need for a flight experience is waiting for you at iFLY. No experience is needed, just a sense of adventure and a yearning for the supreme personal flight experience. The innovative sport of body flight is always new and always exciting. In an iFLY wind tunnel you are able to fly your body in a controlled manner.

What do you think?  Would you try indoor skydiving?  We felt the price was pretty reasonable, starting right around $50 for 2 "flights."  You can also buy "bulk" time for more extended flying time and personal coaching.  I can tell you that when we finished our short two flights, I was ready to buy as much "bulk" time as I could afford.

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando sits next to the Orlando Hilton in the Bonnet Creek area of the Walt Disney World Resort.  While it's not technically a "Disney" resort, it is located on Disney property, near the Caribbean Beach Resort.

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando lives up to it's heritage with beautiful interiors, rooms, and a fantastic pool.  You'll also find the Bull and Bear Steakhouse -- a top-notch steakhouse.  In fact, the Bull and Bear was the first steakhouse on the Eastern seaboard to offer USDA-Certified Angus Beef Prime; the highest quality grade available in the US and it came through in the steak!

We had the Tomahawk -- a 36 oz. Angus Prime steak, dry aged 28 days with the bone still in, hence the "tomahawk" look.  It was fantastic!  Don't forget to ask for the bone, too -- it's the best part!  At 36 oz., this one's really meant to be shared and the price tag indicates that, as it's about twice the price of all the other steaks.  However, I'm pretty sure I could have eaten my wife's portion, too.  It brought out the latent caveman in me as I gnawed away at the final bits of goodness from the bone.

Some other areas lacked the attention to detail that I was expecting more from the Bull and Bear.  We were greeted, but I've had better hostesses at Ruby Tuesday's.  I know we were a bit early, but we weren't offered a drink, a seat or anything.  My wife pointed out when we were seated that they gave her a white napkin over her black dress -- apparently not proper fine dining attention to detail.  Finally, most steakhouses like this one have a few waiters to cater to your every need while my wife and I waited for quite some time for our drinks to be re-filled.

As I noted, the steak was fantastic, including the presentation by the waiter.  I just expected a little more from a Waldorf Astoria steakhouse.

We'd love to hear what you think.  Have you stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando?  Eaten at the Bull and Bear?  Let us know in the comments.

From the dramatic art in the main tower with sleek monorails cruising overhead, to the casual style and convenience of Garden Rooms looking out over the beach, Disney's Contemporary Resort is a Disney experience not to be missed.  You can also get a bird’s eye-view of the Magic Kingdom fireworks in the award-winning California Grill, perched atop the resort.

The Contemporary Resort houses several restaurants, including Chef Mickey's, California Grill, and Contempo Cafe.  The Bay Lake Tower, a Disney Vacation Club property, sits right next to the Contemporary Resort; connected by a walkway bridge.

Disney's Contemporary Resort also provides a large conference and convention center.

This is the only Disney World resort that's within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom and has lots of additional activities for the whole family at the resort, including Sammy Duvall's Water Sports Complex, a marina, and pool.

All Contemporary Resort rooms feature two queen beds and one day bed or a king bed and a day bed.  The rooms feature a flat screen TV with cable, phone with voicemail, High Speed Internet Service, private balcony, dataports, in-room safe, iron/ironing board, coffee/tea maker, double sinks, separate bath, and much more.  One of my favorite features is a beautiful glass top desk for you to work on you laptop.  It's pleasing to look at while getting some work done.

One of the original Disney World resorts, the Polynesian Resort is also one of my favorites!  It brings you to the Polynesian islands while situated very close to the Magic Kingdom.

I visit the Polynesian Resort even when I'm not staying at the resort!  They have one of my favorite restaurants in Disney World -- O'Hana -- a beautiful pool area, a beach where you can watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks or the Seven Seas Lagoon Light Parade, and one of the best child care areas at Disney World -- The Neverland Club.

You're right on the monorail loop at the Polynesian Resort, so you have very easy access to both Magic Kingdom and Epcot aboard the monorail.  You'll also find bus transportation to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Downtown Disney.  Also, the Polynesian Resort is one of the few places at Disney World where you can get "real" coffee, instead of that insufficient NesCafe stuff.

Check out this video tour of a Garden View room at the Polynesian Resort:

You can see more of the Polynesian Resort on our Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30942968@N07/sets/72157623151272639/

Formerly the Flight of the Unicorn, refashioned as the Flight of the Hippogriff for the Harry Potter park, this coaster provides a thrill to parents and children, alike!  Touted as a kid's roller coaster, this ride provides one of the best views of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, as well as thrills fit for adults.  It's a quick ride and you only need to be 42" to ride, but it's a lot of fun, provided you look around on your way up and through the queue line.

This is one of the best places to see Hagrid's Hut and an amazingly intricate Hippogriff nest!  There's rarely a long wait and you finish up the ride with some spectacular views of Hogwart's Castle.

Here's a point of view video of the Flight of the Hippogriff ride.

The new Disney Dream cruise ship features two premium dining experiences; Palo and Remy.  Both restaurants only allow adult dining, require reservations, and charge a "seating fee" not included in the cost of your cruise.  Disney Cruise allows online reservations for Palo and Remy on the following timelines:

• Concierge Guests: 120 days in advance
• Castaway Club Levels:
  • Platinum Castaways: 120 days in advance
  • Gold Castaways: 105 days in advance
  • Silver Castaways: 90 days in advance
• First Time Cruiser: 75 days in advance

Let's look at each one in a little more detail.

Palo

Most experienced Disney cruisers are familiar with Palo.  Exquisite Italian cuisine and theme with fantastic service and views.  The Disney Dream amplified the new Palo and increased the quality of the experience while maintaining the fantastic menu you're used to on the Wonder and Magic.

Palo, named after the signature long poles used by gondoliers in Venice, features stylish furnishings, custom art and an Italian-inspired décor. Every seat in the restaurant provides an excellent, unobstructed view of the ocean, thanks to raised seating banquettes along one side of the room, floor-to-ceiling windows and a semi-circular design. Adding to the magic is a backlit bar at the restaurant's center and a pianist who softly serenades diners in the intimate surroundings.

Remy

Disney dubs Remy as the "first premier dining experience" on the Disney Cruise ships.  Modeled after the fine dining experience of Paris, France (to match the "Remy" name), Remy features luxurious dining room softly lit and designed in a timeless Art Nouveau style featuring soft greens, rich reds, and gold tones. Graceful, sinuous lines adorn the chair backs, glass and wall etchings, as sweeping floral and leaf designs ornament the carpet and lighting.

Adding to the refined ambience, tables are set with Frette linens, Riedel glassware, Christofle silverware, and china created exclusively for the restaurant.  The adorable Remy character appears in artful ways, like a Hidden Mickey, throughout the restaurant's design for a touch of Disney magic.

Remy charges an additional sitting fee of $75 per person, not including any wine or alcohol selections you may include in the dining experience.

Do you plan to experience Palo or Remy on your Disney Dream cruise?  Let us know in the comments, below!

With a new Disney Dream cruise ship comes new Disney themed restaurants and this one has three new ones; Enchanted Garden, Animator's Palate, and Royal Palace will be the "rotational" dining locations on the Disney Dream.  Now, I know, I can hear it now;

"Animator's Palate is not new!  There's an Animator's Palate on the Wonder and the Magic!"

I'm well aware of the Animator's Palate on the Wonder and Magic, but the new one on the Disney Dream is so different that it easily could be a new restaurant.

With that out of the way, let's check out each one in a little more detail.

Animator's Palate

Since we're already on the Animator's Palate topic, let's look at this dining experience, first.

The new Animator's Palate looks and feels very different from the old one on the Wonder and Magic.  It even includes a new show featuring Crush the Turtle from Finding Nemo (I found that Nemo plays a big role on this new ship).  You are dining "under the sea" with Crush and you can see this reflected in the theming throughout the restaurant from the bubbles in the blue ceiling representing the sea surface, the bubbles in the bread bowls, and even the bubbles in the waiters ties!

The new Animator's Palate will feature Pacific Rim/American cuisine and will, of course have a spectacular show finale.  We'll be sure to share our experience of the show when we return from our Disney Dream cruise, next week!  Until then, here's our video tour of Animator's Palate.

Enchanted Garden

Disney modeled the Enchanted Garden restaurant after the Versailles gardens.  This restaurant includes flowers for lights that open and close their "petals" based on the time of day, a canopy with vines criss-crossing it that also changes with the time of the day, a fountain that turns on and off automatically throughout the day and more.

This restaurant, like Parrot Cay on the Wonder and Magic, will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  In order to help guests feel like their in a different place for dinner than where they had breakfast, Disney has incorporated several design items to change the appearance of the room.  These design features include a sliding panel that covers the buffet line from breakfast and lunch, dining booths that rotate on their base to alter the viewpoint of diners at different meal times, and more!  It's a beautiful, brightly lit restaurant that will feature "market-inspired continental" fare (whatever that means).

Royal Palace

Disney's Royal Palace features all of the Disney Princesses for this dining experience.  You'll notice pictures of all the princesses on the walls, hints of their stories in the carpets, and glass slippers on the central light fixture.  Resplendent décor includes ornate marble floors, a luxurious rose carpet and an elaborate chandelier brimming with glass slippers and roses, along with hand-painted portraits of Disney princesses and princes including Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White and Belle. A marble entryway inlaid with a royal crest featuring a pumpkin coach, glass slipper, rose and tiara, and lavish chair backs embellished with gilded emblems and tiara-topped porthole valances add to the magic.

The Royal Palace will feature Continental and French cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  With an attention to detail only Disney could communicate, dining at the Royal Palace places you and your family in the center of a classic Disney fairytale—where much of the restaurant's décor is modeled from classic Disney films.

Which of the three new restaurants are you most looking forward to experiencing?  I'm intrigued by the Royal Palace, but I'm most excited about the new Animator's Palate.

Tomorrow, we'll look at the premium dining options on the Disney Dream, Palo; an old favorite improved and Remy; Disney Cruise's first premier dining experience.