Melyssa and the Mouse: Summer Adventures- Happily Every After

Magic Kingdom has a new nighttime show- Happily Ever After- which replaced the Wishes fireworks.  I have only seen this show twice so far, but here’s my initial take on it.  

First, I love the new projection show- the level of technology is off the charts and it shows. There is a focus on characters that are not typically highlighted, including a beautiful song by Tiana to start off, as well as a spot by the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, and even Mulan.  They also incorporated Moana as one of the newer movies- of course Frozen is in there but only briefly, and this time it's not Let It Go.  Olaf appears to tell you some people are worth melting for, and then Love Is An Open Door plays, but Anna and Hans themselves are never seen on the castle and the song has been re-recorded with new singers.  I enjoyed the selections of the characters they chose to highlight, though the classic characters, such as Peter Pan and Alice, were missing beyond a few images.  There are a few different themes incorporated into the idea of Happily Ever After, ranging from friends/partners (Carl and Russell, Buzz and Woody, Ralph and Vanellope, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde); heroes and villains (Mulan and Shan-Yu, Mr. Incredible and Syndrome, Scar and Simba, Jafar and Aladdin, Maleficent and Prince Philip); and some romantic couples (Eve and Wall-E, Eugene and Rapunzel, Aladdin and Jasmine, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Lady and the Tramp), as well as a host of other characters, including Tarzan, Pirates, Mufasa, and Baloo.  My favorite part was the lanterns projection from Tangled during I See the Light- absolutely teared up during this!  And Tinkerbell is still around, though her appearance is held for a much more opportune moment.  Overall, the projections were on point and the music was engrossing.  

There are also some amazing new uses of technology that Disney has started to show off, such as the newer use of lasers as introduced in the Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam! holiday show at Hollywood Studios.  The lasers have a unique interaction with water (as can now be seen during Rivers of Light in Animal Kingdom), resulting in a breathtaking sparkle- the creator of Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam! explained during Destination D in November 2016, that this was a happy accident discovered whilst making it "snow" during the holiday show.  I have to say that the laser effects were very well done, adding subtle accents to the projections on the castle, as well as projecting over the guests- at one point creating an under the sea effect.  There were also special fireworks created just for the new show, including fireworks shaped as bells, hearts, smiley faces, bugs, and even the spiral from Moana, all placed at perfect intervals during the show to highlight either the music, the character, or both.  Clearly this show does not lack attention to detail. 

However, this show has become just that- a new nightly show and not necessarily a "fireworks" show, which may be for good or bad, depending on the individual.  On my first viewing, I felt that I was too close to the castle (I was on the back side of the Partners Statue where my back was facing Mickey's and Walt's backs) and was unable to enjoy the fireworks as I was too focused on the castle projections.  Upon a second viewing where I positioned myself farther back across the hub (on the corner before the circular portion that holds the Partners Statue), I was able to see more of the fireworks that were happening behind the castle.  Now, I made it a point to focus on the fireworks this time, and I did feel that I missed a lot of the projections on the castle because I was trying to see the fireworks.  And, while the music is lovely and I’m happy with many of their selections, the individual song tends to go on longer than the projection it is related to, resulting in multiple images happening while one song is playing- such as Cars and Ratatouille being on the castle while Tiana is singing her song.  

All of these elements add up to a true nighttime show versus a typical fireworks show, such as Illuminations, which can be seen from most places around the lagoon.  With the focus on the castle projections, a view of the castle is more than a must now than it was with Wishes.  So, while they expanded the hub to accommodate many people, it also cuts down the other places from where Wishes could once be enjoyed- such as the top of the train station- leading to all of the people filling into the expanded hub and leaving much less room than there once felt like there was after the initial expansion.   

With all of these “however”s, I’m still not sure how I rate this show.  It does showcase the newest technology with the projections and special fireworks, making great work of each.  It also emphasizes some underappreciated characters and music, which I feel is a great way to introduce these things to a younger generation who may have bypassed Hunchback or Mulan. For this alone I am happy with the show.  I know that this is one that is to be viewed multiple times before finalizing my opinion, but I would encourage everyone to go and see what this show has to offer and let me know what your thoughts are too!

Melyssa and the Mouse: Summer Adventures Part 2

It's time for another adventure this week! Let's head over to Hollywood Studios and take a look at the newest summer show gracing the  Beauty and the Beast Theater: Pixar Live: A Symphony of Characters.  This show features the music from many of your favorite Pixar movies played by a live orchestra, as well as movie clips and some fun characters!  I was able to see the show the other week- here's my thoughts.

The show is a unique blend of music and imagery, with the blend of movie scenes set to the music from the Pixar movies.  While the show may seem like something meant for guests willing to sit for 45 minutes listening to music, the imagineers have done a great job of making sure guests of all ages have something to get excited about.  The pre-show features everyone's favorite Green Army Men- telling jokes and interacting with guests to make the wait not seem so long.  Once the show begins, the orchestra and the movie clips are the stars, along with everyone's favorite Pixar characters as wonderful costars.

Featured in the show are the following movies and respective scores: Toy Story 1, 2, & 3 (to get a good tear in everyone's eye); Cars (seemed mostly 1 and 3 with little to no clips from Cars 2); UP (to really make sure you cry); Incredibles (to bring it back to action); Finding Nemo & Finding Dory; and Monsters Inc. (to end on a laugh with a tear of joy as Sully sees Boo again).  The perfect ending to the show was a sing-a-long with all of the characters together on stage with the conductor and orchestra.  Overall the clips and movies work brilliantly together. In between the movie/music portions, the characters come out for a second to entertain the crowd.  But the really great part is the behind the scenes that the directors and musical geniuses behind these films lend to the show.  They explain how the music is a part of the movie, and what it means to the audience seeing the film.  My favorite was the discuss before UP as they explained Ellie's theme- the viewer, without even knowing it, knows Carl is thinking of Ellie just because her musical cue hits- she doesn't even have to appear on screen- we just know.  

Overall, the show is great for guests of all ages, with the characters and movie clips great for younger people and the appreciation of the music and creativity that goes into these films for the older guests.  I would highly recommend seeing this show- I went to a late showing and it was pretty empty because Fantasmic and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular were going on close to this time- so I really didn't need the Fast Pass.   There is also the option to have a dinner package with the show where guests can eat at Hollywood Brown Derby, Hollywood & Vine, or Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano, and then enjoy the show (or vice versa).  Either is a great option and, in a park where the focus is mainly long show experiences versus many short attractions, this is a perfect way to sit, relax, and enjoy the music of Pixar Live!

Melyssa and the Mouse: Summer Adventures Part 1

Walt Disney World tends to shake things up for the summer season, despite the fact that many people will be flocking to the tourist destination without the pull of extra or new offerings.  This year, there is something new in 3 out of the 4 parks: Pandora and Rivers of Light at Animal Kingdom, Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom, and Disney Movie Magic and The Music of PIXAR Live! at Hollywood Studios. I was able to experience all of these things recently (one more so than any other) and wanted to share some of my thoughts with you in a multi-part Melyssa and the Mouse series!

Let’s start with the first major experience that will draw numerous people over the course of the years- Pandora-The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom. Let me just say that I love this park in general, even before the addition of the new land and nighttime hours/experiences.  The thing about this park that attracts me the most is the subtlety of the story and the subdued way the land is shaped and themed to perfectly blend with nature without seeming like it’s intruding into the world.  So adding the experience of Pandora has enhanced that appreciation of nature, even if, on Pandora, it’s in an alien form.    

There are many ways to experience the beauty of this land.  An early morning venture allows one to see the sun rising in the east and hitting the front of the floating mountains.  This is a true movie moment, full of golden yellows and sparkling waterfalls- you can almost hear the theme music hit at the right spot -but since there is no music in this land, you have to imagine this music, as all you will hear is the sound of “nature” on Pandora- the screaming of the Banshees, the grunting of the Hammerhead Titanothere, the winnie of the Direhorse, or the screeching of the Viperwolves.  Alternatively, a late evening venture onto the moon will afford you the opportunity to see the sunset on the backside of the floating mountains, a deep rich color in the evening, warm with reds and oranges.  But the main experience everyone is itching to see is the night-when the world literally comes alive with glowing bioluminescent plants and glowing walkways.  Even the drum circle enters a new form with performers and participants alike filling the air with the sounds of music, which, as noted before, is not typically heard throughout the rest of the land, while the very rocks themselves pulse with the beat.  

While I could go on forever about my love of Pandora itself, I would love if you knew the backstory of this land before entering, because that makes things make more sense in terms of theming.  If you’ve never watched the movie Avatar - that’s ok (besides it’s kinda long and the war part is boring)- you don’t need to have seen it to enjoy the land, which is a great job on the part of the imagineers.  The land itself is “set” in a time decades after the events of the movie, so none of the characters from the original movie are specifically named in the attractions and there are only a couple references to these characters in the land (such as Neyteri’s bust in Windtraders, Dr. Augustine’s book in the line queue for Flight of Passage, and a Jake Sully mask at the Colors of Mo’ara face painting booth).  It was also cool to see the animals and plants from the movie represented throughout the land and attractions.  You can see the old RDA signs (the mining company from the movie that blew up the Na’vi’s home), particularly around Flight of Passage, Windtraders, and Satu’li Canteen, as this is the area where the RDA army base once was.  Since decades have passed and, as seen at the end of the movie, Avatars, along with a couple of select humans, and the Na’vi are living together in peace and harmony, so the old intrusive ways humans came into this land are now being taken back by nature and re-shaped by The People of Pandora.  Now, we travelers from Earth are welcome to come experience the beauty of this new land, with the help of the company Alpha Centauri Expeditions (ACE), whose name you will see on the newer looking fixtures (such as the handrails heading into the attractions). So, there is some old looking fixtures, rusted areas, and places where an army one inhabited; but at the same time, there are also new fixtures, restrooms, and eateries for the travelers coming to experience this world.  Even the cast members will tell you, they do not work for Disney- they work for ACE, who has a partnership with Disney.  There are no Mickey ice cream bars of Disney logos on even the shopping bags.  The weave of the story is consistent and shows the thought that went into making sure that things make sense.

To bring that love of nature and experiencing the world around you into the rest of the park, one must head to Rivers of Light, a new unique take on the “nighttime experience”.  In my opinion, the blend of the water effects and projections truly adds to the story of the blending of nature and a “theme park” that made Animal Kingdom what it is by showing you the blend of light and earth, which encapsulates the world around you.  When you watch Rivers of Light, you are watching the play of nature, from the majestic beauty of a horse running or an eagle flying, as well as the literal circle of life with a hunt and protection of baby animals by their parents.  And the overall message of “being one” is clear, and is made explicit with the use of the song that weaves it’s way throughout the show “We Are One”- in Animal Kingdom, it’s being one with nature; in Epcot, it’s being one with the world and other cultures.  If we all take care of each other, harmony can happen.

The beauty of nature is usually reserved and requires you to listen and observe.  This park, in many of the things it presents to the visitors, asks the same.  Be quiet, observe, and embrace what is around you.  This is how you enjoy the wonder that is Animal Kingdom.  Until next time, when I tackle another nightly show- Irayo (Thanks in Na’vi).  

Satu'li Canteen and Pongu Pongu- the Food of Avatar!

Pandora- The World of Avatar is opening Memorial Day Weekend 2017!  Pete and I were lucky enough to journey into this world on three separate occasions and experience not only the brand new attractions, but also the local foods!  Let's take a closer look at the new places offering sustenance to travelers from all over, particularly Earth!

The new quick-serve is called Satu’li Canteen. It offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus with lunch and dinner menus being the same. It has an absolutely lovely themed seating area- both outside and inside- and also features the new mobile ordering from the My Disney Experience App. The setup is that this is the old RDA eatery (corporation from the film) that the natives have now appropriated for travelers to their world- so this means you get a mix of old military commissary with the wicker designs of Pandora.  Just a quick look at the entrance above will show you that the roots of the design are closely related to those of Animal Kingdom Lodge and Aulani- simply beautiful.

Outside eating area- so many light fixtures!

The main eating area inside

The old has been removed, but signs still linger

We were lucky enough to eat at Satu’li Canteen for both breakfast and lunch/dinner. The food overall offers simple options with a twist. Nothing has been too spicy or “weird” to make the meal unenjoyable. In fact, each meal was a complete masterpiece of flavors without over-doing it for those less adventurous palettes.

Breakfast layout

So let's start with breakfast- click here for the menu. I tried the breakfast pods ($8.49)- which are bao pods/buns filled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and spinach all blended together.  The taste was pleasant- it reminded me of a cornmeal or cornbread taste more than anything. There was also the steel cut oatmeal ($7.49) topped with brown sugar, raisins, marcona almonds, and goji berries, which was a large enough portion to sustain you for your adventures through the world.  They also offer a vegetable goat cheese frittata, slow-roasted pork shoulder potato hash, and cinnamon french toast with blueberry cheesecake dollop, passion fruit anglaise, and sausage.  Additionally, you can get tropical Pandora forest fruits with fresh yogurt muesli and vanilla maple syrup; as well as assorted cereals. Overall, this was a perfect way to start the day with typical quick-serve prices.  The portion sizes are decent, particularly on anything in a bowl, so you get a good amount for the price you pay.

Steel cut oats and Breakfast pods!

Moving on to lunch/dinner, we enter the world of bowls.  Click here for the lunch/dinner menu.  If you’ve ever done a bowl at say Chipotle or Moe’s Southwest Grill, you know sort of what you’re in for- pick certain ingredient to blend into one amazing dish.  So the Satu’li Bowl lets you first choose your protein: slow-roasted sliced grilled beef, chopped wood-grilled chicken, sustainable fresh fillet, or chili-spiced crispy fried tofu; then you pick your base: quinoa & vegetable salad, red & sweet potato hash, mixed whole grain & rice, or romaine & kale salad; then you finish with your sauce: charred onion chimichurri, black bean vinaigrette, or creamy herb dressing.  The combinations are vast and offer such an array of options, from truly decadent to healthy options.  The beef or fish bowls are $12.99 and the chicken or tofu bowls are $11.49.  I tried the beef and the chicken, both of which were flavored extremely well- the chicken tasted like it was straight from a proper charcoal grill and the beef was super tender.  My favorite was the potato hash, but the quinoa and vegetable salad was a nice light option for a hot afternoon- nothing too heavy.  I also tried the chimichurri and the creamy herb dressing- the herb dressing was my favorite but the chimichurri was a nice dash of flavor on the quinoa blend.  I just love that you could eat here for a week without repeating the same dish!

Lunch/Dinner layout

They also offer 2 differed steamed “pods” bao buns- either vegetable curry or cheeseburger ($10.99), that also come with your choice of vegetable chips (potato, sweet potato, and blue chips) or crunchy vegetable slaw.  For kids, they also offer cheese quesadilla, teylu all-beef hot dog wrapped in dough, or cheeseburger pods.  To wash it all down, there’s the non-alcoholic Pandora Sunrise ($4.49), along with regular fountain drinks and coffee/tea.  You can also be adventurous with Pandora draft beers- the Hawkes’ Grog Ale (green but like a light beer) or Mo’Ara High Country Ale (darker) ($8.25 for 16 oz., $9.50 for 22 oz.), as well as Bud Light and Stella Artois Lager.  Of course, you can try the Banshee Chardonnay or Banshee Pinot Noir ($9.00), or go a little tropical with Dreamwalker Sangria- a white sangria with a hint of blue curacao ($9.50).  To finish the meal- you have your choice of blueberry cream cheese mousse (personal favorite for hot Florida days) or the chocolate cake with a crunchy cookie layer, banana cream and Goji berries ($5.29 each).  I prefer the blueberry mousse as the chocolate cake was made with a darker chocolate and was definitely not as sweet, but it all depends on what you like!

The menu!

Chicken with Hash

Cheeseburger Pods with Pandora Sunrise and Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse

Beef and quinoa bowl and Fish and hash bowl plus Pandora Sunrise and Hawkes' Grog Ale

We also were able to try the new little drink/snack spot- Pongu Pongu (which means party party)!  It looks like a perfect Tiki shack- something familiar in this alien world.

Pongu Pongu!

Here, we have a couple of drink options.  The Mo'Ara High Country Ale and the Hawkes' Grog Ale are available here in both the 16 oz. and 22 oz.  There's also a non alcoholic Night Blossom ($4.99) drink, which is layered limeade with apple and desert pear flavors topped with passion fruit boba balls, and a Mo’Ara Margarita ($9.25), a frozen drink with sauza commemorative anejo tequila with strawberry and blood orange flavors topped with strawberry boba balls. The margarita was amazing and didn't taste alcoholic at all- and sucking up the little flavor balls through the gigantic straw was fun.  You can also get either drink in a souvenir Pongu mug with a glowing unadelta seed ($18.50)...the mug was pretty cool looking- watch out for a later pic, I'll probably get one of these soon.

Pongu Pongu also offers a snack- pineapple lumpia ($4.59)- which are pineapple cream cheese spring roll- which counts as a snack credit on the dining plan-and you get 2 of the spring rolls in a serving.

An artful menu

Margarita on the left, Night Blossom on the right

Overall, both of these places were amazing highlights that did not disappoint.  They definitely confirm that this park has the best food offerings,especially for unique snacks and for quick service- from Satu’li Canteen to Harambe Market to Yak & Yeti Local Foods to Flame Tree Barbeque- this park is one to spend all day and now all night in with plenty of fuel to keep you going on all your adventures! So, when’s your next adventure happening?

The Polite Pig

With Disney Springs undergoing many new renovations, it’s sometimes tough to keep up on what is what and what is where.  I’ve been down there quite a bit in the year since we’ve moved down here and have been able to eat at the many new places around.  So, with that, let’s discuss the newest place, The Polite Pig.

The husband and wife duo, James and Julie Petrakis, have some experience with BBQ under their belts as they also have a sister restaurant called the Ravenous Pig over in Winter Park, Florida, which has existed since 2007, as well as Swine & Sons Provisions, Cask & Larder, and DoveCote.  So, these two have an established relationship with food.  

Enter The Polite Pig into Disney Springs- a place I have often indicated has needed a good BBQ place somewhere on property.  The Polite Pig is another in this quick serve/restaurant hybrids.  It makes you order at the counter, but then you are brought your food by a waiter/waitress, and, when we sat outside, we could order other items from these servers as well.  The service was great overall, with the staff being super friendly and helpful despite the heat.

The Southern Pig

Brisket and Mac & Cheese

Ok- food time! What’s on the menu? It has a variety of sandwiches, salads, and combination plates in typical BBQ style- where you can order some meat and it comes with a side.  I ordered The Southern Pig sandwich ($12), which was basically a pulled pork sandwich with apple slaw on top, as well as a side of sweet potato tots (+$4).  The sandwich was excellent- not too large with the bun being solid enough to contain most of the meat and slaw.  I did top the sandwich with some of the sauce on the table- the Hot Honey sauce was good, very honey-like in consistency but not spicy, as well as the Fresno Hot Sauce- this was spicy with a good thick chunk to it, and it was my favorite.  I loved the sweet potato tots, which were topped with parmesan cheese- a perfect side.  We also sampled the Brisket ($16) from the cooker, which had a coffee rub on it, that came with a side, so we ordered the mac and cheese.  The side was good mac and cheese but nothing super fancy.  The brisket was good and was served on the fatter side, which is something you can sometimes request at a BBQ restaurant but this was just served this way.  We also tried the brussel sprouts, which were divine with a whiskey-caramel sauce, as well as the BBQ cauliflower with paprika sour cream.  Honestly, you could go and order a few sides and snacks, the BBQ cracklins were perfect with the spiced vinegar, and have some drinks with friends and it would be perfection.

The menu also has a large variety of drinks, including many bourbon options and local draft beers.  I tried the Red Cypress Spook Hill Pale Ale, which was hoppy, as well as the C & L Working Man Porter, which had a sort of coffee taste to it.  The drinks were good, and decently priced at $9 for a 20 oz glass.

Overall, this was a good BBQ place that Disney was definitely missing.  The fact that it does not require reservations makes it even more appealing to go and grab a quick bite.  It’s definitely a better quick serve place than normal, and the menu gives Flame Tree BBQ a run for it’s money