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Our Virtual Disney Vacation. White background for the role-playing, suspension of disbelief, let's just go along with the story version, grey background for the behind-the-scenes, making of the magic, how do I do this myself version.
Day 0 - Pack for Disney Vacation
Day 0 - Pack for Disney Vacation
Originally, I wanted to pack everything in a suitcase, but settled for selection 4 days of vacation-wear and left it on top of the cedar chest. That settled, we were ready for our trip the next day.
Day 1 - Magic Kingdom
Day 1 - Magic Kingdom
Arrive at the Polynesian Village resort, drop off our bags and head over to the Magic Kingdom!
One person gets to be Mousekeeping and makes the bed, makes the room look nice, and sets up a Disney element of some kind. In this case, a Towel Animal.
Breakfast at Ohana was excellent, with everyone's favorites: Pineapple Coconut French Toast, fresh fruit, breakfast sausages, nice tea and coffee.
Food
- https://www.parsnipsandpastries.com/coconut-milk-french-toast/
- https://allears.net/walt-disney-world/wdw-planning/recipes-ohana-breakfast-bread-ohana-polynesian-resort/
Music & Atmosphere
As soon as the day starts, get the track going for your area of Disney - it really sets the tone. Disney has music everywhere, and this has ALL of it.
After breakfast, we headed over to the Magic Kingdom and hung out with Mickey for a bit before riding on the new Tron LightCycle ride, trying out the Runaway Train, and ...
Welcome to the Magic Kingdom (sldes)
- Hanging out with Mickey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDhdMF0qZI8
- Haunted House: We were going to play Betrayal at House on the Hill, but did Betrayal at Baldur's Gate instead.
- We found a hidden Mickey! (the Ring of the Ram card)
- Tron LightCycles: http://cycleblob.com/
- Runaway Train: https://youtu.be/b2V7CAo6004
Hanging with Mickey
Haunted House
Hidden Mickey!
Tron Lightcycles
The lines were getting a bit long by then, so we took a break before lunch to go walking down Main Street and listen to the music.
I made a playlist of Disney acapella https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLx9IgXPJus2XgEnVdOUQ-Mcc6QHdsy-FR
Lunch was Viv's favorite hotdogs at Casey's.
Hotdogs, all the fixings, one person makes the hot dogs and sets up everything else for folks to assemble themselves.
We took a break to relax for a bit, then hit up the ride with the shortest line, the Jungle Cruise.
So, this one requires some explanation. The Jungle Cruise is a riverboat trip down a waterway surrounded by animatronic critters and people. The boat captain mercilessly throws out bad puns and jokes for the whole trip, while dressed like an American version of an Australian beer commercial.
Viv provided the background of the cruise.
I provided the commentary. The catch? I had not seen it in advance. I was performing for my family remotely on zoom and locally behind me, entirely improvised. I do have a video.
"If you drop anything, raise your hand, I'll raise my hand, and we'll wave goodbye to it together."
I picked dinner the first night, as I'd been wanting to try out Jaleo, which they were still building when we were last there. I had arranged to get us the Chef's table, and José Andrés was actually in that night! We didn't even look at the menu, we just talked about what kind of food we liked, and he made us an amazing meal. He couldn't stay for too long, though, as Bobby Flay showed up and challenged him to an Iron Chef battle.
I cooked dinner, inspired by the menu at Jaleo: https://www.jaleo.com/location/jaleo-disney-springs/menu/
Food
- Small plates of speck and finocciona (not the spanish ham Chef Andrés would do, but what we had.
- Paella - https://www.allrecipes.com/personal-recipe/62690223/paella-cooks-illustrated/
- Strawberries and Grand Marnier Creme Anglaise (or, at least that's what you call it when your Sabayon doesn't rise properly) https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/whipped-sabayon-strawberries
Entertainment
- I put on my Chef's jacket and kept just missing Chef Andrés, explaining that he asked me to taste a few things, carry out a plate or two to the family.
- Watch Andrés vs. Flay Iron Chef America, S04E05. Amazon Prime. This was astonishing, both for the painful sexism and rudeness on the part of judge Jeffrey Steingarten, and for the molecular gastronomy techniques Andrés brought and the announcer had no words for. This was all before you could do spherification or foams in restaurants, let alone at home.
After dinner, we got back together with the New Jersey branch of the family and settled into their suite to watch Moana together. Afterwards, we made our way back to our new room at the Grand Floridian, where they had already moved our luggage.
So, the movie-together-watching services look like they're really made for people watching on small screens, one by one, not for groups sitting on a couch. I signed up for a paid twoseven account to sync our Disney Plus movies. It worked, but most of the added value came from syncing up our start times and popup emoji.
Day 2 - Hollywood Studios
Day 2 - Hollywood Studios
No trip to Disney is complete without a drive out to Waffle House, and it's worth every minute off site. They decorate like it's practically part of the park, and they're really used to folks coming by just for the trip. The hash browns were a little off, but they had pecan waffles, real maple syrup, and the music was seriously on point.
Towel kitty: https://www.wikihow.com/Fold-a-Towel-Cat
Food
- Waffle house delivers their waffle mix. https://shop.wafflehouse.com/
- Bacon, coffee, mash up a bunch of tater-tots into hash browns, as breakfast is far too early to try and make something as complex as hash browns. Gotta practice that one more.
Entertainment
- https://youtu.be/E1wQi73RfG8. This is the best thing ever. It made the Waffle House side trip just as much as the actual Waffle Mix did. I thought this would be just one song about diners, or a couple of songs thematic for diners. No, no, no. This was specifically created for Waffle House. By the writers of Pac-Man Fever. ALL OF THE SONGS ARE ABOUT WAFFLE HOUSE. This is so good I want to make Waffle House visits a tradition.
Waffles!
Waffle Mix!
Waffles!
Kitty Towel
After breakfast, we sauntered back, someone overfull, and rejoiced that our next ride was a sit-down: Star Tours.
Simple enough, just a video, but Star Tours has a lot of different versions, and this is one we hadn't seen before. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFg9tNnQmRI
The last time we went to Disney, the kid took advantage of the last chance he had for Jedi Training, before he got too old and placed out. He was utterly magnificent, from helping the other kids in character, to reciting the Path to the Dark Side when prompted, then sweeping Vader's legs in combat. He knew he was too old for the training this time, so we took him to the virtual reality Star Wars setup in Disney Springs and splurged on an all-afternoon pass.
So we set ourselves a budget on this trip, figuring it would be mostly on ordering food in. This proved to be the big ticket item, but wow was it worth it. The kid figured he was getting a game, and since the day was Hollywood Studios, maybe it was Star Wars Battlefront. Nope. Beat Saber.
Jedi Training
We managed to drag the kid away from Jedi Training long enough for a nice High Tea at the Grand Floridian, one of Vivian's favorites. Tea sammiches, lovely tea, great service as always, and some amazing pastries. Plus Mom was in town and was able to join us!
We videoconferenced in with Mom, gave her the heads-up to have some thematically appropriate snacks ready, and we acted like we were all at the Grand Floridian together.
Tea Sammiches
- Ham Salad on black bread: https://www.allrecipes.com/personal-recipe/62237780/ham-salad-en-croute/
- Cucumber & Dill on brioche
- Pepper brie and Branston Pickle on brioche
Tea - Whatever you got, whatever you like, break out the good stuff.
Desserts - ordered in cookies, eclairs, and a giant black-and-white cookie.
Only the finest tea sammiches
Breaking out the good china
Spa break! We sent the kid back to Jedi Training, then hit the spa for massages and the hot tub.
Some nice alone time for Viv and myself, breaking out the best bubble bath, and enjoying the quiet that only comes from the kid playing a game wearing headphones.
We met up with the rest of the family again for Shabbat, then headed our separate ways - we went to the Brown Derby, they went to the restaurant in the Mexican pavilion at Epcot.
We ordered in from a nice steak place, they made tacos al pastor.
Afterwards, we caught the last run of the Lion King show at our new hotel, the Animal Kingdom Lodge, then fell over.
So, if the Lion King is Hamlet, Lion King 1 1/2 is Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. A+ for silly, bonus points awarded for gratuitous use of Fiddler on the Roof.
Day 3 - Hollywood Studios
Day 3 - Hollywood Studios
Today's towel Animal was a crab! All set to head out early, make use of our Magic Hours, and hurry while the nocturnal animals are still active. Of course, Viv got up extra early to sit on the balcony and watch the zebras on the grounds.
- Towel animal! https://www.maketowelanimals.com/how-to-make-a-towel-crab/
- Watch the animals on the balcony
Food
- Mickey-shaped pancakes.
Towel crab
Mickey pancakes and animals
Real-time wildlife cam
Our first stop at the Animal Kingdom is a mad dash to be the first people in line at the Kilimanjaro Safari. The earlier you go, the more likely the lions will still be up and about, and it's got one of the longest lines otherwise. I usually get in a lot of practice with my camera, but I'm taking it easy this time, since I got some really good shots on the last trip, and just want to experience it now.
There's ones with 360 degree video, and if you watch it with the VR headset, you can look around in all directions. But the quality's not so good. Better to go with this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_Of2C9tN_w
We love the behind the scenes tour at The Land, and had arranged for a delivery of some of their produce!
OK, this is just an excuse to take a break and see what our farmshare sent us. But it keeps in theme!
Lunch at Tiffins!
Order in from an Indian restaurant.
While everyone else was taking a leisurely look around at the animals, I played a few rounds of golf at Lake Bueno Vista.
Did I mention that the Playstation Virtual Reality set came with Everybody's Golf? There's some finicky setup, but the landscapes are just beautiful...it really makes you feel like a sunny walk outside. Ok, so my average was 1 to 2 over par for every hole, but my caddy thinks I can really do better.
Golf by myself was fun, but I prefer the miniature variety. They had a course right nearby, so I met up with the family there, and we tried a few rounds of the new Pirates-themed course.
Infinite Golf for the Nintendo Switch. Surprisingly difficult, and funny.
Oh, dinner at Boma - the best reason (for me) to stay at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Their buffet is not to be missed, and they are free with their recipes. I've made a few of the sauces at home, and for about a year, their peanut rice was on standard rotation. We haven't made it for ages, so it's nice to go back to the source and remind ourselves why we liked it so much.
We love Boma, the kid loves buffets, so we took out ALL the leftovers, doctored them to be more in keeping with the theme, and made a few Boma-specific dishes. No point in listing them all, just look here for what they offer.
Recipes: http://wdwrecipes.com/resorts/animal-kingdom-lodge/boma/
Boma buffet
Boma hot sauce, pineapple, peanut rice...
Curry soup, tomato salad, pork roast...
We had planned to do the story evening around the fire pit with Bagheera, but we fell over and went to bed. Tiring but fun day!
Planned, but fell off the radar: taking out all the stuffed animals that are actually animals and doing a photo session and storytelling bit. Viv has Panthery, and giant black panther, and Panthery Jr, a much smaller black panther.
Day 4 - EpCOT, FOod & Wine Festival
Day 4 - EpCOT, FOod & Wine Festival
Hand our luggage over to the hotel, then out to Epcot. This was also our Disneybound day, so we got dressed in "costume".
- Towel elephant: https://www.wikihow.com/Fold-a-Towel-Elephant
- Food: Skipped breakfast, because Food & Wine was gonna be big.
- Disneybound, if you are not familiar, is the practice of dressing up similar to, but not exactly like, Disney characters. If you look too much like the character, Disney doesn't like it because they don't want you getting confused with their cast (read "staff"). So you match colors, styles, etc.
- Mostly we sent pictures of each other. I was Nick Wilde, the Fox from Zootopia. Viv was initially not going to join in, but got asked how she got into Epcot Food and Wine before 11am opening, so she quick-changed into Remy from Ratatouille.
Towel Elephant
Nick Wilde Disneybound
Remy Disneybound
Epcot is always fun, but the Food and Wine Festival is bonus. Every pavilion has a food kiosk, and there are new countries or regions represented with their take on regional favorites. We went light on the wine but went to town on the food, because lots of little tastes gives us ideas for new things to make at home. Plus we can't resist mexican corn.
So here's the clever.
Viv made one base meatball mix and one base pancake batter, then modified it for each nation. She set the table for each nation, put place cards for each, then put out objects from around the house that were either made in or associated with the nation. We got a stamp on our passports (Viv drawing little flags) for adding another object for each. I surprised myself by finding a bottle of anchovies from Morocco, and finally figured out Canada by putting my Tilley hat on the table.
Food - I'm gonna have to get this from Viv, because there's too much to count otherwise.
Dessert - 3 pancakes. Maple Syrup for Canada, Strawberries & Cream for England, Bourbon and Caramel for the United States.
Alcohol: Cider variety pack from Woodchuck, a few bottles from the cellar.
Japan & Morocco
Norway & Mexico
Italy & Germany
Our passports
Joel & Michelle as regular Disney goers, got a hint that they were running the Club Villain event again, and scored us some tickets. We had to go at separate times, but had similar experiences - lots of fun, absolutely worth the price of admission.
Villainous, the tabletop board game where you get to be a Disney villain! The kid seriously got into it and won both rounds, once as the Red Queen and once as Captain Hook. Viv was determined to win as Prince John, and I switched from Jafar to Maleficent. The latter was easier, and both were fun to role-play.
Dinner over at Biergarten.
Food: Schnitzel, spaetzele, brussel sprouts, leftover sauerkraut from the hot dog day, mixed with fennel and dill. Plus, Viv had chocolate cake, with added sour cherries for Black Forest Cake.
Alcohol: More cider!
We watched the fireworks together before heading off to the airport together.
Disney knows how to put on a fireworks show. I considered make-your-own fireworks software displays, but this is just better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bN5b11H4_s&feature=youtu.be
At the airport, the Disney photo passes came in, so we flipped through them together waiting for the plane to board.
The first idea was to share our Disney pictures from trips past.
Then I found SuperImpose for IOS, and started manipulating pictures into Disney backgrounds. We got together on Zoom and said these had just come in from Disney's Photo Pass service. Quick slideshow, surprised folks with photos.
So now we're home, exhausted but happy.
Notes for your own virtual vacation
Notes for your own virtual vacation
Introduction
Introduction
This virtual vacation is very much a "make your own fun" event - the more people helping, the better it will be.
Events can be as simple as cooking similar-themed meals, eating at the same time, playing music in the background, and pretending we're in Disney. They can be as complex as a plotted-out mini-LARP. Don't feel you have to wear yourself out planning, but do contribute your plan, own an event, and bring along your suspension of disbelief.
So how do you plan an event? I'm glad you asked!
Planning an event
Planning an event
Food events: We'll be sitting down and eating, and someone(s) have to make the food in both households, so that'll be planned separately based on what you've got, but with similar themes. So, for example, the Boma meal, someone should go online and get Boma recipes and share them. Like this. http://wdwrecipes.com/resorts/animal-kingdom-lodge/boma/
Add details to the Trello card for that meal that you want to have happen, like a link to a related movie, or background music, or say that you have a surprise and show up on the video chat playing the ukelele and leading a sing-a-long.
Rides: Get creative! I'm looking into if you can hold up an ipad really really close and play a virtual-reality video on youtube. Viv has tagged the Jungle Cruise ride, but asked me to help out as well. Pick a ride, see how you can bring others along in both locations. Don't worry if it only works in one at a time, we can wait in line.
Shows: That's a lot easier - we can watch a movie together. Anyone look up that online tool for watching a show in synch? Do you have Disney Plus? Want to put on a skit and act it out?
Games: We're ordering a copy of Villainous here, but once we learn the rules, it's also on https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1668124888
what else do you do at Disney?
Set a budget. Spend your budget.
Set a budget. Spend your budget.
- Matching Disney shirts
- Disney pancake silicon molds
- A mickey-mouse table runner to make the table look fancy.
- Shopped for all the meals in one big go, including alcohol (Wegmans)
- Playstation Virtual Reality gear
- Beat Saber game
- Miniature golf game
- Ordered in a few times.
Makes some rules. Make it real.
Makes some rules. Make it real.
A few rules
- No work stuff. Shut it down, no popups, no reminders, nothing.
- Tell everyone you're going on vacation, and that you'll be out of reach.
- No news. Like seriously, no news.
- Help each other on these, and be kind about it.
- When you're you, be you.
- When you're staff, be staff. (Disney calls them Cast Members) We were:
- Reuben - dedicated to his job and making people happy.
- José Andrés - Chef and owner of Jaleo in Downtown Disney, community organizer, and overall food mensch.
- Captain Bob - on his 573rd run of the Jungle Cruise
- Morgan - probably faked his ID to get this job.
- Norwood - Mousekeeping manager.
- Bev - long-time Waffle House short order cook
Music. Music. Music.
Music. Music. Music.
As soon as the day starts, get the track going for your area of Disney - it really sets the tone. Disney has music everywhere, and this has ALL of it.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzxOH26F_YssuNEryWwPUbA48AYjIGEiz
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