This is where I thought I'd come back (from time to time) and add tips as they occur to me, and as a way to say a big thank you to everyone who contributes to these boards. We got a huge amount of information from them, and would like to give some of that back.
First up, the
Most Interesting CM I've Ever Met
- I had a GREAT talk with a backstage CM one afternoon. She was a native Hawaiian, and her job is to teach the new CMs how the history and culture of Hawaii are incorporated into the resort. I shared with her my impressions, and she shared so much I wish I could have recorded it.
- Among other things, she pointed out a couple of the animals in the volcano (pics below), and I *thought* she said that the same Imagineer that had designed the "Tree of Life" in AK had a hand in the volcano (but I won't swear to it).
- She told me how the Court Yard reflected the traditional design of the Hawaiian kingdoms(?), which were pie shaped around the island. Each bridge is designed to take you to another of these areas.
- Many of the plants you see were an integral part of everyday life in providing clothing, food & shelter.
- One of the traditional deities was known for his mischievousness, and there's a story about him that includes his canoe being stolen and put in the top of a tree (which explains the top of the children's play area).
- She showed me the "peep holes" in the children's splash area, where without asking, an Imagineer decided to give children a little reward for their curiosity.
- And finally, that there is a strong tradition of gift-giving in the Hawaiian culture, and Disney's "gift" to the Hawaiian people was the honor of having the only resort in the "brand" where the Disney name doesn't come first.
Layovers:
As odd as this may sound, I think our decision to take the long layovers, and then to explore a bit during that time, made our trip an even bigger success than it already was. Of course, had we missed a flight, I'd be singing a different tune. We didn't experience, nearly as much, the fact that we were on a trip that required 11-12 hours in the air, and the kids got to see two very iconic areas of the country. My tip here would be that if given a choice, choose a lay-over with a train system, as they tend to be more reliable. But even then, there's a chance they won't be running, as was the case in San Francisco because of how early we got in. But he train ride back to the airport in San Fran was MUCH less stressful than the cab ride back to LAX.
Food:
I'm cheap, and Hawaiian food prices are STEEP! When we ate out, for a family of 5, we could easily spend as much as $75 for lunch, and about double that for dinner. And while Costco and the grocery might have been a bit higher (I didn't really notice), it still had to save me somewhere upwards near $1000 by eating in (including steaks on the grill one night and burgers on the grill another). I know a lot of people really enjoy their dining experiences, and I'll share a couple of ours as I have time, but my number one tip regarding food is, EAT IN (my Disney bill was about $150 on check-out, and that was with 2 refillable mugs).
Now with that said, I'll turn right around and say that you should try and have at least one authentic Hawaiian meal (we ate at the
Highway Inn (on a tip from this board - thank you, and featured on one of the Food Network programs), got our meals on trays, and as tourists, were clearly the minority. I won't say I loved it, but I'm really glad I tried it (I didn't like the Poi - it's an acquired taste, and neither will you, but you should still try it). Looking at the tray of food, it didn't seem like it was any more than you would get at any other cafeteria-style place, but we were all shocked at how little we could eat. And not because it wasn't good, the meat especially was quite good. But it was so FILLING. I don't know how the locals do it. I ate the most in our group, and I still only got through about 2/3 of the meal. I was actually quite embarrassed we left as much food on our plates as we did.
Volcano Turtle
Volcano Ocatpus
Volcano Whale
(There's also a very obvious owl [which I didn't get a photo of], and many others, that given the time and right angle, would have become just as obvious. I hope people are slowing down long enough to see them. They're really pretty cool.)
