Wednesday, September 30, 2009

The Tip Of The Tail


Epcot and Boardwalk Parking

All of Walt Disney World is beautiful at night. The Boardwalk is no exception. In fact, as beautiful and serene as it is during the daytime, it's a different experience at night. Musicians, magicians, street entertainment and more bring it to life. The bright lights shimmering off the water are gorgeous, and you can even get a great view of the higher fireworks of Epcot's Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. Two of WDW's rare night spots (now that the Pleasure Island clubs are closed) are there - Jellyrolls (a dueling piano bar) and Atlantic City Dance Hall - and they offer something for adults after the parks close.

However, if you drive a car into The World instead of using Disney transportation, be careful where you park. If you plan to visit Epcot and possibly stay late at the Boardwalk, you may not be able to re-enter Epcot via the International Gateway to walk back to your car in the main parking lot. We have received mixed messages from different CMs about this; some have said if you get back to the gate shortly after 9:00 pm (the usual closing time of Epcot), they'll let you back in if you parked in the Epcot parking lot. However, others have said you're out of luck and would have to get cab or a bus to the parking lot via the Beach Club, Yacht Club or Boardwalk Resort. Not sure that'd I'd risk it.

So if you plan to stay at the Boardwalk later than the closing time of Epcot, park at either the Boardwalk parking lot (if available) or Disney's Hollywood Studios. At DHS, you have access to its parking no matter how late you're out. This way, you can enjoy the beauty and fun of the Boardwalk at night without worrying about getting back to your car afterward - simply walk the path back to DHS, or take the Friendship boat for a wonderful end to the night.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Hello and...and...welcome. Welcome to our show!

Welcome to Around The Mouse!

We're a family of 4 annual passholders, and have been for several years. The purpose of this blog is to share our years of experience with you. Whether you get some helpful tips from a 6-year-old boy's perspective, a 10-year-old girl's perspective, or that of a married couple (who got engaged in front of Cinderella's castle and had our honeymoon at the French Quarter), we hope to share our passion for the Happiest Place On Earth with everyone.

In our segment Around The Mouse Tales, we would like to share with you our personal experiences as a family at Walt Disney World. In Fitmouse, we want to share our passion for health and fitness and how you can still enjoy both when visiting WDW without sacrificing the fun. In The Mouse Is In The Details, we'll celebrate the little things at WDW that really make it Walt Disney World - and many times those things aren't huge attractions. And finally, in Tip Of The Tail, we'll share tips of various kinds - from free stuff around the parks and resorts, to money saving strategies, to how to best tackle 4 parks in 1 day and more. Over time, we'll add more regular segments and fun tidbits.

In the end, I hope you enjoy Around The Mouse and maybe even find it a little helpful.

See ya real soon!
Brian

"You are about to discover what lies beyond the fifth dimension, beyond the deepest, darkest corner of the imagination..."