Episode 11: Visiting Disney World & Disneyland in 2022

Mary Herendeen:

Have you ever dreamt of dining with a droid, sleeping aboard a Starcruiser, and chilling with Chewbacca? Well, Disney is the place to go, and it only feels like a galaxy far, far away. Welcome to Traveling With AAA. I'm your host, Mary Herendeen, and today we are going to the Happiest Place on Earth and beyond. We are joined by Jordan Poblete, creative producer of the blog DisneyExaminer.com. Jordan is a marketing and editorial professional who also works as a storyteller for TV and movies. He is a Magic Key holder in California and is here to share his most recent experience at Walt Disney World's New Star Wars Galactic StarCruiser. Jordan, thank you for joining us.

Jordan Poblete:

Hi, Mary. Good to be here.

Mary:

Yeah. We're excited to have you and excited to hear about what that was like. Tell us about Walt Disney World Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. For those who are not in the know, what is it?

Jordan:

Yeah, well, it's so much. I think having Walt Disney World or the Disney name in the travel and tourism industry, whenever you think of Disney, it always accompanies an experience, right? And this is truly one of those more unique experiences that only I think Disney can offer. In itself, I would say 3 things altogether. One, it's an overnight experience. And so, for those who have been looking online and reading reviews of the Starcruiser, it is encompassing of a hotel. So it's a 2-day, 2-night journey where you get to stay aboard. And this Starcruiser is the second pocket of what makes this experience unique. It's a story driven experience.

Jordan:

And so, as opposed to you going to a hotel and just staying there, you're actively playing a role as a Star Wars character in the “Star Wars universe.” And so, you're boarding this Starcruiser or cruise ship, if you will, in space, and all of this is taking place within the Star Wars galaxy and story canon. And so you're bound to jump into meeting characters like Chewbacca, Rey, and some other surprise guests that I won't spoil here. And then you have pocket 3, which is that it’s still a vacation experiences for the whole family. And so you do have activities on board, entertainment, food, and beverage, which is a big thing, and merchandise obviously because it's Disney. So yeah, it truly is traditional Disney vacation experience but taken to that next level. I think it's a unique thing that needs to be experienced for it to be described.

Mary:

It sounds like you go on those rides, and it's amazing for those 30 seconds, those 90 seconds that you're on it, but for you, this intergalactic journey is more of a 2-day ride that doesn't end. Tell us a little bit about what your ride was like in your intergalactic journey.

Jordan:

Yeah. So I was part of the “media sailings” when they first debuted the experience, which obviously they're trying to show the best parts of the experience. But I think that was always something that any media event is supposed to have. You know, show a preview of something, especially something that's never been done before. And so, before we even got to the actual port in Florida, which is connected to Walt Disney World, we were told to already think about, what role we'd play aboard this experience. And so, characters I was thinking, “what persona will I take on when I'm living in this Star Wars journey?” “Will I be on the light side?” “will be on the dark side?” “Will I have allegiances?” “What's my name going to be?” All of this in preparation for this vacation experience, which I think is again really unique and at the same time really fun because you get to play into the more imaginative parts of you, the creative parts of you. And so yeah, we got to this spaceport, you check your luggage in just as you would any other hotel experience, and then you get into this pod. Then you get shot off into deep space to the outer rim, as it said in Star Wars lore, to meet up with this ship called the Halcyon and the Halcyon is the Starcruiser itself. And that's where the experience begins, this crazy journey.

Mary:

So, as you boarded the Halcyon you've been thinking about which character you might assume, “would you be on the lights or the dark side?” What did you end up choosing? Did you assume a character?

Jordan:

I did. I chose that my name would be Josh.

Mary:

Okay.

Jordan:

Not Jordan. And so that was really fun, but that was also the cool part of finding my character as well, as much as I thought I knew who I'd be when I'd jump aboard. The cast that works the ship and the narrative characters that play into this narrative experience also help guide and shape who your persona will be. And so, as I understood to be Josh. I came into the experience thinking that I would be someone who was on the resistance side or on the good guy's side and help the folks out there. But in effect over time, I found that I had dark side sensibilities.

Mary:

Ah

Jordan:

Indeed. And that was shown through a whole handful of activities that I got to do on board. And my interactions with some of the characters on board while I was doing these activities. And so, yeah, I ended up becoming, in the end, like a dark agent there.

Mary:

Oh, a dark agent at heart. That's really cool. So it was really like, you were in the movie and kind of playing off of them. Tell us a little bit more. What was the play-acting like? And was it immersive, ongoing, where you really felt like you were there?

Jordan:

Yeah. Well, as I’d mentioned, part of this experience is meant to make you feel like you're part of a Star Wars story. We take just a few steps back and see Disney's iterations of Star Wars in its theme parks, right? And we had Star Wars Galaxy's Edge back in 2019, and so we finally got a Star Wars Land with Star Wars attractions, before that, Star Tours. We're again, participating in this world, but this takes it to that next level, just because play is a big part, and is the key word there in so far as making this experience unique. I mean, anything from us going into the dining room and eating dinner there was obviously entertainment.

Jordan:

And Gaya, the songstress of the galaxy, got to perform for us in this dinner show. In one part, we were enjoying the performance and moments later, we were interrupted by the first order and being called out to be interrogated by this officer. And how we reacted to that, I think, made that whole experience amazing. Whereas certain guests would be a little bit shy to respond to things, even the shyest guests were invited to take part in being interrogated and maybe even being put into the brig on board. And so, yeah.

Mary:

It probably adds to the reality of it, Right? Or it makes you feel more real when people are not prepared for this interrogation, and they're kind of like “come on,” and people are probably genuinely taken aback and “okay, I guess I'm coming along.”

Jordan:

Right. Yeah. All your decisions you do on board, whether you're a passive participant or a passenger on board, the house in, or you're an active one, like I was or decided to lean into, you're going to feel like you're part of it.

Mary:

That's really cool because for me, I know I'm more of an observer, like with video games growing up and even seeing other people—I want to watch. So I don't know if you remember the  video game Sims? Okay so, I had that game, but I would have my brothers play the Sims because I wanted to watch. And so, I'm thinking, is it fun for the observant, the more passive guest to kind of watching the show versus taking part in it. And is that okay?

Jordan:

Absolutely. Yeah. As part of the media group, many people were just recording everything on their phones as you would for something as unique as this in this very digital generation. People want to capture those memories again by just watching. And that's very much an invited part of the experience as well. Now, would I recommend that you passively participate in things happening on board of housing, especially given the price point and the short itinerary that you have within those 2 days and 2 nights? I'd probably argue not so much. I think the more you lean into your participation with interacting within the cast and interacting within the stories that are being essentially thrown at you, I think the more enjoyable, and obviously, the more value you get in doing something like that, as opposed to just watching.

Mary:

Wow. That's really, really cool. Yeah. I'm wondering, I know you're there with media. Were there families on board? And did you see them interacting together?

Jordan:

There were, and there are a handful of colleagues of mine who work in this space also who brought their families and were reporting back on their experiences as well. And there were tears. People really felt like a visceral experience when you have your kid who loves Star Wars kind of take on that character. Imagine just your child who obviously deals and makes-believe all the time. And suddenly, they're thrust into this very real thing. And as a parent, whether you're a Star Wars fan or not, you're immediately taken aback by how much care and attention to detail there was, and really immersing yourself. I think that's another term Disney uses quite a bit, right? They like to Immerse you in the story.

Jordan:

And so, kids really enjoyed everything. And nothing was watered down for them. So you had First Order officers talking to these kids in a strict manner. And a lot of them were actually acting very heroic and weren't scared. One such colleague that comes to mind whose child ended up talking down to this first-order officer, and I think it was really cool to see children and parents kind of enjoying this experience together.

Mary:

That would be my Jamie. I have 2 ages, 4 and 7. I think that would be both of them. I could see them both really taking on that, talking down, and really enjoying it. I'd be worried about what they're going to come home with. They already have a mind of their own, and it sounds like something they could really enjoy.

 Now, for you, what was the most fun that you had in this experience? Was there a special moment for you?

Jordan:

Yeah, there were so many. Similar to this child that I just spoke about, mine was me being able to lean into and feel like a kid again and really owning a persona. So, Josh obviously came in as just a tourist, a passive tourist on this Starcruiser, and ended up becoming kind of a rebel spy while also being part of the resistance. And so I had a double agent thing going on, but what was really cool is that I was again, kind of teased to go through all of that by the cast members. I remember I was speaking at the very top of the experience when we were doing bridge training. And so, you are invited into the Halcyon bridge where the captain is, and all the chips controls are where you can jump to light speed at the pull of a handle. And I remember someone just tapping me on the shoulder. And I just describe what these interactions look like, but I was tapped on a shoulder and I turn around, and someone whispered into my ear and said, “Are you here to help us?”

Mary:

Oh, I love it. You are teased into it.

Jordan:

I found out this person was one of the ship’s mechanics on board who happened to be part of the resistance on board and I was teased again, “Hey, if you're with us, I want you to meet me here on this very specific part of the ship at this very specific time.” And he automatically just walked away.

Mary:

Ooh, I have chills. It feels like you have no choice.

Jordan:

I mean, you do! You could absolutely not meet this person.

Mary:

But it feels like, “are you here to help us?” And then now you're thinking, “well, am I on the good side?” or “am I part of the dark side?”

Jordan:

 I felt the exact same.

Mary:

So, you find yourself showing up at this place. What a cool experience. Wow. I think I would really enjoy it. So I was baulking at the price. And you mentioned it before, $4,800 for 2 nights. And do you think it's worth it? And I'm just thinking in terms of this experience, in terms of being able to play into the world and really be involved in it. And if I were tapped on the shoulder, I'd feel like I have no choice, like, “Okay, I have to go along with this.” But what about for you? Was it worth it? Your room, the accommodations, and everything else?

Jordan:

So, I'll preface that answer by saying that we were hosted there. And so I was fortunate enough not to be able to pay for the experience but to experience it and write for it for my blog and also for AAA. We’ll get into that later. But yeah, I think again, for what it's worth, you look at the economics of it, and you realize this price is basically double what you would pay for a traditional cruise. And so , I think the main points to hit on whether or not you should pay this money for this experience on the Halcyon and on Galactic Starcruiser is if you have a Star Wars fandom already.

Jordan:

I don't want to say that you need it. I think that's a little too far to say because, again, it's just utilizing Star Wars places, planets, and things, but once you're aboard you're not going to be quizzed on it. None of the experiences or things that you're going to be invited into, are going to be stuff that feels foreign. It might feel a little foreign, but it will not be something that is going to be a big turn-off for you. So, at the same time, if you're a Star Wars fan, you'll just eat it up even more. And then the second thing is the interactivity of it.

Jordan:

Lean into everything that is afforded to you during this experience. Through a handful of friends at Walt Disney imaginary, I've gotten to know the backend systems of how this experience actually takes place. And we won't spoil it for anyone here, but the idea that you will have people who are going to be passive in this experience, I know for a fact that if you do that, you will feel like you are just in this ship, eating the food and drinking the drinks and buying the merch and not maybe feeling as gratified as one would once you leave the ship and you go back to planet earth. Not to say that if somebody wants to do that, especially if they're part of a family and their family wants to do it separately, like they're Star Wars fans, and they want to lean into everything that the Halcyon has to offer then great. But if they are one of those folks who is mom, dad, or even just a child, who's like, “I just want to enjoy time away and truly enjoy this as a vacation.” You can do that too. Just know that it's not going to be that money's worth of what this experience is actually trying to be.

Mary:

The value out of it. But when you describe that experience, I'm thinking really a real immersive 2-day experience like that, where you're really living in that world and being in that world, I think it could be priceless. I mean, that's amazing. Honestly chills when you were talking about being tapped on that shoulder.

So, what's on the menu then in another galaxy, you talk about the food a little bit. Did you try anything otherworldly?

Jordan:

Yeah. The dining room, the Crown of Corellia dining room, as they say on board, is where everybody on board, just like a traditional cruise ship, will enjoy their meals. And so, there are different options for specific days that you're aboard. For breakfast, typically, it's just a buffet-style thing. Just like anything else, in Star Wars, you'll get traditional ingredients. So you'll have eggs and bacon. They'll usually be formed in different shapes and different colors with the effect of hoping to make you feel you're in this galaxy far, far away, where you have substance, familiarity and taste. It's just packaged differently. You will obviously not find Mickey waffles on this, but you'll find waffles that are shaped as a planet. And so you have pretty much that same theme going into lunch and dinner as well. I think for lunch, the one thing that I enjoyed was the grilled cheese. It wasn't a traditional grilled cheese. It had these pockets of balls on them. And within the spheres on this flatbread, there was the cheese itself.

Mary:

Oh, that's interesting.

Jordan:

So, it wasn't flat. It was just like these cheese balls on top of this bread. Again, my apologies. This is all so very difficult to describe, because it's something that just needs to be seen. And I'm sure folks can look online and see what I'm talking about, but that was my favorite lunch dish. And then, for dinner they had a multi-course thing for the last day. And yeah, just lots of colors.

Mary:

Lots of color. I'm imagining.

Jordan:

Bow buns, greens and oranges and all those.

Mary:

Fizzy things.

Jordan:

Fizzy things. The one thing that comes to mind that I recall from our meal was, and this was everybody's hype online, these blue shrimps.

Mary:

Oh!

Jordan:

Yeah. So, they were like a shrimp cocktail dish, but they were blue. They're called the Felucian Shrimp Cocktail.

Mary:

I've got to check it out. I'll be pulling out my phone here in a minute, Googling.

Jordan:

Blue shrimp.

Mary:

That is wild. I mean, it's so weird for me when I'm looking at a food that normally would be a certain color, like green eggs and ham. I think every kid's had it at school; they read Dr. Sue's book, and then they have the green eggs. It tastes like eggs, but I just can't get over the color. So, I'm wondering about this blue shrimp.

Jordan:

Won’t give away the taste, but again, that whole idea of bringing you out of something that you're maybe comfortable in. It’s very gentle, but if you want something a little bit more familiar, you'll have options. Disney does a good job of making sure that people aren't feeling left out.

Mary:

Right. It’s very inclusive. And it sounds that way, especially when you can be kind of passive and be more of an observer, or they give you the option without pressuring you. I like the idea that there's not a quiz either. Sometimes I feel like I'm just not cool enough to enjoy something like that because I go, “oh, I'm not an expert.” Right? But it sounds like you don't need to be to have some familiarity, and then you can choose, right? Like, “no, I'm not with you.” And I can imagine this cast member sending somebody over later to say, “are you with us?”

Jordan:

Yes. You're catching on, you're catching on, Mary. Yes. For sure.

Mary:

That's really cool. Now I know beyond the play-acting, there's other entertainment like singing on board, which sounds like it was an amazing experience, and Bravo Disney has done it again. Right?

Jordan:

Truly.

Mary:

Now I'm going to shift gears here a little bit. I know they're celebrating their 50th anniversary. And you're huge into Disney. What are they doing to celebrate?

Jordan:

Yeah. So, this experience kind of opened alongside the 50th anniversary, which I think was really cool. But yeah, just like with Disneyland or any of the Disney theme park’s anniversary, or landmark anniversaries, they'll have special firework shows, special food and dining options, entertainment, and shows. But I think it's such a great compliment to be able to take a very different Disney experience and come back home to a very “traditional” one where you have all of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Each one will have different 50^th anniversary offerings that people can take part in or not. Always choice. But yeah, it's a really cool compliment to see those 2 worlds coming together to make it a full Disney experience. Many of the people that I know have been on the Halcyon since then will often make their whole vacation both of those experiences. And so, you'll have maybe a family, or anyone come into Walt Disney World 3 days before they're due to be on the Starcruiser so they can enjoy Walt Disney World as they want to.

Mary:

Yeah, as they want.

Jordan:

And then be thrust into this new thing with the Starcruiser and go home.

Mary:

So they don’t lose that traditional Disney experience. You're right. I really like both Disney's California Adventure and Disneyland. So whenever I'm going to Disneyland, I'll hop over to both, but I have to have Disneyland itself.

Now what's happening at Disneyland resort? I know you're a Magic Key holder and California Adventure, what's new and exciting for this summer? Or even beyond the summer?

Jordan:

Yeah. So I'm a SoCal boy, just as anyone else is who probably is listening to this podcast. And just having the Disney parks be in our backyard here in Southern California has always been a wonderful thing and a privilege for sure. But yeah, Disneyland has its own unique offerings as well. I know at Disneyland right now, they just debuted a new Lion King themed show that's taking place in the Fantasyland theater. Before that it was a show called Mickey’s Magical Map. A very live stage-oriented kind of play, but what I love about this new Lion King show, and I think we're live entertainment at Disneyland is going and leaning into the cultures that these stories represent as well.

Jordan:

And with Lion King itself, you do have the traditional Lion King story with these characters but told through an African lens. And so, you have more music that's presented in tribal stylings. You have storytellers, and traditional Swahili language into a lot of the songs. And so, I think that was always really cool, to be able to see them take live entertainment to that next level where they're honoring the cultures that these stories come from, which I think is super beautiful.

Mary:

I think so too. That's really cool.

Jordan:

Yes. Insofar as returning things that's a big thing that Disneyland Resort has been teasing ever since the park opened after the pandemic. And so, we have finally, finally, finally, all of the nighttime entertainment spectacular is coming back. At Disneyland Park or excuse me, we'll start with Disney California Adventure Park. World of Color is back. So the original show that debuted in 2010, I believe is back in full. They did a full refurb on the infrastructure of the show, and it's bright, loud, and splashy just as much as ever before. And at Disneyland Park, we have the return of the Main Street Electrical Parade, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Jordan:

I remember seeing as a kid, when my parents took me all the time, and I'd be fascinated with just the blinking lights, and the extravagant floats in this nighttime setting. And it's so cool to see that they've brought it back and have added new floats with more Disney contemporary kind of IP like Coco, that are now part of the parade. So there's that, and then my personal favorite show at Disneyland, and I think the best show that Disney has ever created ever. Fantasmic!

Mary:

Oh, yes.

Jordan:

And we're talking dragons, pirates, evil witches, fireworks, and Sorcerer Mickey. How can you ever beat any of that?

Mary:

You can't beat Sorcerer Mickey.

Jordan:

I mean, no, not at all.

Mary:

That's actually one of my favorites, so really cool. And I think a lot of pass holders and a lot of Disney fans were really upset over the pandemic when Disney was closing the parks down. But it sounds like they've taken advantage of that time to up their entertainment, up the game, and bring some things back. So that's really exciting to hear.

Now, I know you mentioned being a fan, and you even talk about when you were a kid watching the floats, and all the colors, what makes this place so magical for you? I know you have your own website about Disney, the blog, tell us about it.

Jordan:

Yeah. Well, I certainly feel like I've had a unique view on this company. DisneyExaminer, my blog, because you mentioned it, we're pivoting. We're not plugging here. But yeah, I started that back in 2009, and when you think about how much the Walt Disney company has changed since then, we're talking to the better part of 2 decades now, or a decade I should say. It's been an interesting thing to see the company kind of shift, especially given their IP purchases with Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Marvel. And to see all of these theme parks be expressions of those brands, stories, and characters. I never would’ve thought but at the same time, as a person who is a fan of Star Wars because of my father. I wasn't a big fan of Marvel at the time, but as a big fan of Kevin Feige and what he's done with Marvel Studios, even with Pixar, the emotional core that Pixar has with all of their movies you're experiencing within these theme parks.

Jordan:

And so I think that's the thing that powers my fandom of this, but to get a little bit more philosophical, and going back to your point, Mary, about the pandemic, I think there's a lot of people more than ever before who are looking for that escape. A lot of people describe Disneyland and any of the Disney theme parks as a form of escapism. Even when you think about what Walt Disney envisioned back in 1955, Anaheim was an orange grove. He imagined that there would one day be this castle that he saw in France in the middle of this Grove, and there would be a mountain that represented a mountain that he saw in Switzerland, and there's going to be a roller coaster that goes through that.

Jordan:

As much as everybody says that Disney vacations are pretty stressful, and they can be sometimes if you're trying to hit everything, and do everything, especially given that Disney vacations are not cheap. Speaking as a local, a person who is a Magic Key holder, a Southern California resident, and a person who's known Disney through and through for all of these years, I found it really cool for me to be able to just look at it for what it is. And that's a place where you can literally just have fun and escape. And whatever escapism means to you, whether that means riding an attraction, eating a Turkey leg, a churro, or just simply people watching, sitting on a bench and watching people enjoy the theme parks, or maybe argue about “what ride are we going to go on first?” I don't know.

Mary:

It sounds like I've been there, or you might have seen me then.

Jordan:

Some people have planners and all that other stuff too. It's just really cool to know that there are spaces made for that. For us to just go away for a little bit, even if it's just for a few hours and maybe do a reset with friends or without friends, with family or without family, and know that when you leave, you'll be going back into maybe a really crazy world right now. But that there'll always be places in pockets where you can leave for a little bit, and dream for a little bit as well.

Mary:

Yeah. Well, that's what's really cool about it. I actually took 2 visits to Disney in California Adventure this year. And on one of those trips, I took my 7-year-old. On the second trip, I went with a friend and my then 3-and-a-half-year-old. And so, when I went with my son, it was me and him, and fast passes are a thing of the past. We were there for like 13 hours. I swear he had me there all day. And then he kept guilting me, “Last time I was here, we were here for 6 hours Mommy.” So of course, I'm like, I've got to out do that by another hour. And then he is like, “oh, I want to stay for the lights” or “I want to stay for the fireworks.”

Mary:

So, we just kept going on and on. But I swear, we went on like 2 rides every time. I would go to get in line for a ride, but the line was so long and he didn't want to wait. So we'd walk to another one, and we'd stop for more merchandise and more treats. And it wasn't my favorite experience. Now, the second time I went I had more access. I went with a friend who knew the alternate to fast passes. Can you tell us about that a little bit?

Jordan:

Yeah. I mean, we're speaking about Disneyland Resort and even Walt Disney World. The domestic U.S. Disney theme parks now have Genie+ plus and the Genie service. And so, I think that's what you’re considering. Like what does it take for you to enjoy a Disney experience and  arguably it does take someone who's knowledgeable about the parks, and what they have to offer in order to get the most bang for your buck. And Disney is also bought onto that idea as well. And so, I know we spoke about this earlier offline, but we have new technologies and infrastructures like apps at both theme parks or both resorts that basically try to help you plan your day.

Jordan:

And so, Genie and Genie+, which is the premium experience of that, which essentially is basically certain rides and attractions, and even shows you’ll get to access for a nominal fee, but the core of the Genie service is basically a daily itinerary planner. When you go in and open these apps, It’ll have  a quick questionnaire of “who are your favorite characters?” And “do you like thrill,” “do you not thrill,” right? “Do you have any food allergies,” and all the other stuff,  “Would you like to see fireworks?” And stuff like that. So you do a quick survey of what you want to do during your visit, or even before your visit. Then, it'll come up with an itinerary that you can follow or not, again, options for you, but it will essentially give you a quick hit of basically what they think would be the best way to spend the day at their theme park.

Mary:

Man, Disney has gotten smart. And for our listeners, the key is to download that Disney Genie or get that app.

Jordan:

Yeah.

Mary:

You don't have to have a Disney expert with you. You are the Disney expert now, with this in your hand.

Jordan:

Yes. Hopefully so. Just like any piece of technology, it changes over time. And obviously there are algorithms that may miss things you may have wanted to try. So, obviously when you're doing any vacation, you do your due diligence, and you make sure that you're as knowledgeable as you are about the place that you’re goin to. But this is certainly an accessory and a helper to some of the plans that you might have when you do visit.

Mary:

Yeah. I also know that reservations are a thing. When I showed up, I saw people being turned away at the gate for not making reservations with tickets in hand. So reservations, how far in advanced?

Jordan:

They're not going anywhere and this goes for both the pass holders at Walt Disney World and Magic Key holders here at Disneyland resort. It's something that was initiated when the parks reopened after the pandemic, and those will stay for the foreseeable future for both the pass holders, ticketed guests, single day tickets, or multi-day ticket holders. And I think it’s a smart thing on their part. When you think about how the crowds and life at the theme parks looked like before the pandemic, it was always crowded, like that was the number 1 complaint a lot of guest relations folks at the theme parks would often get is “I just couldn't do anything.”

Mary:

That's how I felt going there. I was like, “Ugh, you can't do anything,” or “I don't have that fast pass.” But with the implementation of the reservation system and the Genie, it really does plan out the day. And I imagine the technology is great. It's not sending everybody over to the same ride at the same time. It's saying, “Mary, check it out after dinner.” And “go to dinner here.”

Jordan:

It takes all those data points into account. But yeah, the resorts are getting smarter. They're using consumer data for this very specific reason, which I'm hoping will continue to make the experience when you do visit any of the theme parks a better one, as opposed to one that's not as fun.

Mary:

Now we're talking about Disney here in the U.S. Are you a fan of Disney everywhere? Have you been?

Jordan:

Yes. I have been to every Disney theme park except for 2.

Mary:

Okay.

Jordan:

And so yes, I've not been to Hong Kong Disneyland, and I've not been to Disneyland Paris.

Mary:

Are they on the bucket list?

Jordan:

For sure! Yeah, once I sign off of that, I think I'm done. Yeah, we're good.

Mary:

Do you have a favorite?

Jordan:

Oh, of the ones I have visited? Yeah, I think Shanghai Disneyland was a highlight for sure. I got to go with my family, I think a couple months after the grand opening. And it was my first time, not out of the country, but in that part of the world. So to go for a very Western reason and to experience it in the country that it is in Shanghai, it was so unique and at the same time it was so familiar.

 I love when conversations are full circle. But what I love about the Shanghai Park and what they have to offer is that at the time, and we're talking back in 2016,

Mary:

This has been a while.

Jordan:

That was the newest technologies that Disney and Imagineering, those who R and D (research and design) these experiences for the theme parks are creating. For instance, they have a Pirates of The Caribbean attraction. And it's literally the best thing I've ever been on, because unlike our pirates here, which I mean, not to knock it, because that was one of Walt Disney's original attractions that he worked on, these pirates in China, you go backwards, you go “underwater.” You get to see characters from the newest pirates movies that they've made in the franchise. And so, yeah, there's stuff like that. There's unique attractions that you won't find at any other theme park. The Tron coaster included with the exception that it will be coming to Walt Disney World in the near future, but at the time, truly, if you liked Tron, the old movies and even the new movie, they came out a couple years ago, truly a magnificent experience as well. So yeah, Shanghai was pretty cool. And then I think my second favorite might switch depending on what time of day you catch me on, but Tokyo DisneySea

Jordan:

It’s one of the most beautiful theme parks Disney has ever created. Disney has the very traditional castles, attractions, and stuff like that, but Tokyo DisneySea is literally taken out of like a Steampunk novel.

Jordan:

Yeah. So, we're going into what maybe Jules Verne envisioned with Journey to the Center of the Earth, and they have an attraction that essentially is that. You go into this mountain excavation and get into this mine car, and you're traveling to the center of the earth, where you find there's monsters being held captive there. So no instances of Disney as we see it. You'll find the characters in very specific places, but so far as the actual place itself, Tokyo DisneySea is very much a standalone, very beautiful adaptation od Disney also does really well in placemaking, like we’re creating and storytelling. You’re threading through different things and no matter what the attraction or show is, but this is doing it in an all-new context and place.

Mary:

To your point, it’s more than storytelling. It's also place making. That’s amazing!

This has been such a pleasure speaking with you, Jordan. Finally, If you could give 2 pieces of advice for people doing Disney on a budget, what would they be?

Jordan:

On a budget. Ooh.

Mary:

Is there a way to do Disney on a budget?

Jordan:

Well, absolutely

Mary:

Or is it something so amazing that you should save and plan for? What do you think?

Jordan:

Yeah. Well, we're thinking about Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. There is no way around that price at all.

Mary:

Okay, so not that one.

Mary:

How about here in California?

Jordan:

This is probably what the conclusion of our conversation will end up being, but there are choices. If you want to go and do a high-end experience, Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser is an experience you can take part in with yourself or your family.

 

Mary:

If you can do it and you're a fan—I would say do it.

Jordan:

Yeah, absolutely. If you have the resources to do something like that, go ahead. But if you are that family, and I know thousands of families worldwide who want to experience what Disney has to offer. Then there are certain ways to save money before, during, and after your visits. One thing that comes to mind that is pretty interesting when you’re there. And I put it on my blog years ago when we first started, we focused mostly on Disney Land, my friend and I would go religiously all the time.

Jordan:

As high school students who didn't have that much money coming in but spent a lot of time at the theme parks, we were wondering how we could just get basics without spending 20 bucks on food or $7 on a Dasani water bottle. I remember we wrote Disney hacks, and one of my favorites on the list was that you can get free water by going into some of their self-service locations at their restaurants and just asking a cast member for a cup of water, and they would always give you one. They still do that to today.

Mary:

So everybody's buying that $7 water. They can save that and use it on a Turkey leg.

Jordan:

Or save it for the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. There’s lots of ways to enjoy the Disney theme parks, and there's options for every budget. But that's the cool part about Disney there are different options for you, and there’s certainly stuff that will be priced higher, but if you get a chance to go, do it. Please go off and jump off into a galaxy far, far away and see what it's like to get on a Starcruiser and enjoy that. Take a flight if you're based here in the United States, and if you've never been to an Asian country before, jump onto a plane, go to Tokyo DisneySea and see what that has to offer. But if you're needing to enjoy a place to escape, or go to a place where you can just be yourself, and run away from the world for a little bit, with your family or not, then that doesn't necessarily have to be the most pricey thing as well.

Mary:

Yeah. Well, you make a compelling case for it. And I imagine our listeners are thinking about the magic they've experienced at Disney as well. I can't thank you enough, Jordan Poblete at disneyexaminer.com. Thank you so much for being with us today.

Jordan:

Thanks, Mary. Appreciate it.

Mary:

Yeah, it's been my pleasure. And thank you our listeners for being with us. If you are planning a trip, be sure to connect with a AAA travel advisor, check out aaa.com/travel, or visit your local branch. And if you enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe. I'm Mary Herendeen. Thank you for traveling with AAA.