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Meeting Anna and Elsa at Epcot’s Royal Sommerhus

October 10, 2016 / Florida, Travel, USA, Walt Disney World / 0 comment

The brand new Royal Sommerhus has opened at Epcot in Walt Disney World as a permanent home for the Anna and Elsa meet and greet.

We visited the Royal Sommerhus five days after it opened, and perhaps because it hadn’t been advertised or promoted anywhere that we saw, it was really quiet, especially compared to the Mickey and Friends character meet and greet, which had a very long line and a 25 minute wait.

Expecting a long line like we found in Disneyland on our last visit, we bolted to the Royal Sommerhus as soon as the gates opened, and found … a 10 minute wait at 9:15 am. We walked past the house several times during the day and the wait time was never over 10 minutes, making it officially the fastest place to meet Anna and Elsa out of Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruises.

The Royal Sommerhus is located between Mexico and Norway in the World Showcase section at Epcot in WDW, just before the new ride, Frozen Ever After. The house is set up to appear like Anna and Elsa’s home. The queue to meet the characters winds through the house, past their bookshelves, lounge, fireplace and staircase. The attention to detail is amazing.

The meet and greet takes place at the end of the walk through the house, with seperate sections to meet each character.

Anna was first when we visited, and then Elsa.

Each character spoke with Cheese briefly and then posted for pictures, both for the Disney official photographer, and also for me. While there is no pressure to buy the photos and you can absolutely take your own, I like to take photos on my own camera and also have the photographer take a few, so at the end of the day if mine don’t work out I have a back up in the Disney photographer’s images so I always get a great pic.

At the end of the meet and greet guests are ushered into the very well stocked gift shop, filled with Frozen merchandise.

The Best Bits of Disneyland with Little Kids

September 23, 2016 / Anaheim, California, Disney Travel, Disneyland, Travel, USA / 0 comment

Our time at Disneyland was magical! My almost five-year-old and I spent a wonderful day-and-a-half at the park and it just wasn’t enough time. While we loved pretty much everything about the experience, we had to have our favourite rides and experiences, right? Here they are, through a mix of photos from our last trip as well as our time at Disneyland in 2014:

Fantasyland ride: Mad Tea Party
So much fun we went on it over and over and over again.

Fantasyland: Kind Arthur’s Carousel
It’s a gorgeous carousel and rarely has a queue.

Fantasyland: Dumbo The Flying Elephant
This is just fun. Best to visit in the morning when the lines are short.

Character meet and greets
Ask at guest services for a schedule of character meet and greets so you’re always the first one there.

Tomorrow land: Jedi training: The Trials of the Temple
My daughter still talks about defeating Darth Vader. Read about our experience here.

Tomorrow land: Buzz Lightyear ride
We went on this ride so many times. My daughter loved the laser gun that you use to shoot targets.

Fantasyland: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
Absolutely favourite of my daughter’s. Read about our experience here.

Mickey’s Toontown photo opps
While there are cool rides in Toontown, my daughter loved all of the pretend “toon” things she could climb on.

Fantasyland: Cinderella’s castle
Enchanting – an absolute must to walk through.

Tomorrowland rides: Star Tours and Space Mountain
A bit scary for little ones perhaps, but we did them anyway and survived to tell the tale.

Frontierland: Jungle Cruise & Tarzan’s Tree House
Easy fun for little ones.

Minnie & Friends Character Breakfast at the Plaza Inn
The only place to meet characters like Winnie The Pooh, Chip & Dale and Eeyore. Book in advance.

Fantasyland: Meet princesses at the Royal Hall
A must for any princess-lovers! Meet four princess in the one hall.

Must-see – Mickey’s Soundsational Parade
See all your fave Disney characters.

Fantasyland: Meet Tinkerbell in Pixie Hollow
Walk through a replica of Pixie Hollow, meeting Tinkerbell and friends.

Get tips on planning the perfect Disneyland trip here.

Travelling with a little one? Get tips on taking a toddler here.

What are your Disneyland highlights?

Frozen – Live at the Hyperion, Disney California Adventure Park

September 4, 2016 / Anaheim, California, Disney Travel, Disneyland, Theme Parks, Travel, USA / 3 Comments

The hot ticket at Disney California Adventure Park this year is the brand new stage show, Frozen – Live at the Hyperion.

The show is exactly what you would imagine it to be: a very closely followed adaptation of the movie Frozen, performed live on stage by excellent performers on some seriously stunning staging.

The show is one hour in duration (the movie is 1 hr 49 minutes) and as a result there are small cuts in places – a few minor characters are either missing or have their parts shortened significantly, but the changes I noticed the most were to take away anything remotely “scary”.

As a result, the show is billed as “suitable for all ages” – and I have to agree, it was extremely mild and even my scaredy cat Cheese who refuses to see the movie at the moment because she deems it “too scary”, didn’t find a single moment of the show anything other than thoroughly entertaining.

As per all of Disney’s productions, Frozen – Live At The Hyperion is of the highest standard. I was particularly impressed with their Elsa, considering the difficulty of the song Let It Go, (which she nailed, by the way).

The set design for the show is incredibly impressive, particularly the scenes from the sisters’ childhood, where the props are made larger than usual to make the “child” Anna and Elsa really look small, even though they are played by adults.

Even with the show significantly shortened from the original movie, it seemed a perfect length, with all the major songs and moments covered beautifully. It was also a great length for all of the small children in the audience, who were happily belting out the lyrics to each number and wiggling joyfully throughout the show.

Tips on how to see the show:

When we went the show was new and popular and tickets were available through the Disney FASTPASS Service. As of September 2017, FASTPASS is no longer available for the show.

Line up for the show at least 30 mins before the show begins, earlier on really busy days.

If you have a stroller with you, be very aware of where it is parked when you go into the show. Our stroller was taken from us and parked by a Disney cast member and we didn’t see where it was taken. As a result, at the end of the show it took us a very long time to search for our stroller among a sea of about a hundred or so.

Get more information on Frozen – Live At The Hyperion and the latest show times here.

Meet Anna & Elsa at Disney California Adventure Park

September 4, 2016 / Anaheim, California, Disney Travel, Disneyland, Travel, USA / 10 Comments

The Frozen sisters have found a permanent home in California Adventure Park’s Hollywood Land. The meet and greet isn’t anywhere near as crazy popular as it was when we visited two years ago. Back then, if you didn’t get to the link as soon as the park opened you were in for an all-day wait.

This time, we did the rounds in the morning to get FastPasses for our fave rides and then came back to meet the sisters. Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome is located deep inside the Animation Academy within the Disney California Adventure Park.

From the outside, it’s unclear that this is even the place to meed the Frozen duo as there are no clear signs that say so. We asked a helpful Disney cast member outside who confirmed that this was the place and pointed where to go.

The Animation Academy has several experiences inside, just one of which is the Anna and Elsa Royal Welcome. it’s a huge space with Disney films playing all over the walls, which makes waiting to meet the sisters much more palatable. The queue wasn’t too bad – maybe 10 people before us, and we waited in total about 30 minutes to meet the pair.

Anna and Elsa share an Arandelle-themed room in the Animation Academy for meeting their royal guests. I really think the pair are best as a dual act – they play off each other, make witty jokes, and in general are so much fun when they’re experienced together.

The princess and queen really took their time talking to Cheese. They wanted to know all about her kingdom and commented on her beautiful hair.

After the meet and greet, with Frozen stars in our eyes, we head off to the new show, Frozen – Live that is now playing at the Hyperion Theatre next door. If you have an avid artist on your hands, drop by the Royal Academy (it’s tucked inside the Animation Academy) where a real-life artist is on hand to teach you how to sketch characters like Olaf and Marshmallow.

Get more information about Frozen experiences at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park here.

British Virgin Islands: The Baths & Devil’s Bay On Virgin Gorda

September 1, 2016 / British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Disney Cruises / 6 Comments

The beautiful Virgin Gorda, second-largest of the British Virgin islands, is a popular day trip for cruise ships stopping in Tortola. The “plump” shape of the island reminded Christopher Columbus of a reclining woman, or a “Fat Virgin,” which inspired the rather interesting name.

Virgin Gorda has a population of around 3000 people, including celebrities like Morgan Freeman and Richard Branson. A glimpse at the pristine beauty of the island and it’s easy to see why. White sand beaches, crystal blue ocean and a slow way of life are draw cards for those wanting a relaxing vacation or a complete sea change.

A Tour of The Baths is a popular way to see one of the area’s must-see sights – The Baths. Many cruise ships, including the Disney Cruise Line’s 7-Night Eastern Caribbean include this as a port of call option for an additional fee.

To get to The Baths from Tortola, the main port of call where cruise ships dock, it’s possible to go on the cheap and take the local ferry, but I would advise to just pay the bit extra to have the entire trip organised for you so there is zero stress involved. It’s quite a way from where the ferry lands on Virgin Gorda to The Baths and not much in the way of public or private transport options.

The half-day tour to Virgin Gorda begins with a scenic 40-minute cruise along the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda. Open-air safari buses await the cruise boat, ready to take its passengers on the short 20-minute drive through Spanish Town to an outlook over Savannah Bay for a photo stop.

It’s only a short drive further to the Top of the Baths, where a local tour guide meets the group and leads us down to The Baths. The path is somewhat rocky but doesn’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes, and is easy enough for my 4.5 year old to walk on her own.

The spectacularly beautiful Baths lies at the bottom of the path. There are waves to swim, boulders to climb and beaches to laze on. Paradise.

We journey further through narrow caves and water-filled grottos to find the pristine waters of Devil’s Bay on the other side.

This stunning beach is perfect for families with its gentle waves and soft sand.

The tour ends with a retracing of our steps. Back up to the car park, back on the safari buses, back onto the cruise boat, which speeds us back to our ship, just in time for lunch.

Tour To Virgin Gorda Tips
*Wear comfortable walking shoes as the path to The Baths is rough and uneven.
*Recommended age for the tour is 5 and up. Our 4.5 year old had no problem with the walk or the climb through the caves.
*Take plenty of drink bottles with water. Food from the ship is not allowed off the boat (such as fruit) so eat a hearty breakfast. We did take packaged crackers that we had taken aboard with us and were very grateful we did when our daughter badly needed food and there was nowhere to buy any.
*While our tour notes said a beverage (water, soda or fruit juice) is included, we were served the beverage on the cruise boat back to the ship at the very end of the tour, so taking lots of water is crucial.
*Additional food and drinks can be purchased at the Top of The Baths restaurant.
*Bathrooms/changing facilities and lockers are available at the beach; however, Guests are encouraged to wear a swimsuit underneath their clothes if wishing to swim at the beach as there are limited bathrooms and a long line to use them.
*Bring credit cards or cash for optional extras such as souvenirs.
*Pack a swim suit, sunscreen, sunglasses, additional clothing, hats, cameras, backpacks and towels.
*After swimming in the salty beach water you’ll want to rinse off – which was a problem when we visited as there was no running tap to use and we had to use the rest of our drinking water.

More info on the Tour to Virgin Gorda here.

A Disney Cruise Port of Call: Castaway Cay & Stingray Adventure

September 1, 2016 / Disney Cruises, Disney Travel / 8 Comments

Castaway Cay is a private island in the Bahamas reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line (DCL) guests on Bahamian and Caribbean cruises.

Because the island is only used by guests debarking from the Disney boats, it’s possible to enjoy a fun-filled day without spending an extra cent.

Many of the amenities on the island are FOC for DCL guests, such as tram transport to the different parts of the island, a full buffet lunch and beverage station, several gorgeous beaches, character meet and greets, child care for kids aged 3-12 at Scuttle’s Cove and the two water play areas, Pelican Plunge (more below) and Spring-a-leak, which we didn’t find on our day at Castaway Cove. Don’t have kids? Adults can enjoy Serenity Cove, the 18+ area on the island.

There is so much to do on this island, particularly for families, that many guests say it’s their fave place to stop even on repeat cruises.

Castaway Cay Stingray Adventure

On our Castaway Cay day we booked into the Castaway Cay Stingray Adventure, suitable for guests aged 5 and up. Despite Cheese being not quite 5, it was fine for her to join us.

We checked into Ray’s Stingray Hut straight off the boat and were given a very quick run down by the crew on how to put on our gear (lifejackets and snorkel equipment) and told the rules of how to handle the stingrays during the feeding, which was the first part of the adventure.

Into the water, we gathered around platforms thigh-deep in water and held pieces of slimy fish in our fingers for the stingrays to eat. While we waited for the rays to approach the platform a few of the more curious of the stingrays rubbed against our legs. Don’t worry – the stingrays here to not have stingers, making them completely harmless.

The stingrays caught the scent of food and slid themselves onto the platform to slurp up the food from our fingers, tickling out palms with their rubbery mouths. After the food supply ran out, we donned our snorkels and went for a swim to watch these amazing creatures underwater.

See our Castaway Cay adventures in the video below at 1:42.

Castaway Cay Beaches

The majority of people who visit Castaway Cay are content to just relax on the beach and paddle in the soft waves.

We hired a water tube for some serious floating action. There are several beaches to enjoy, all marked clearly on the island’s map, so while the beaches are busy you’d never guess that a few thousand people were there all at the same time.

The free tram makes it very easy to get between the beaches, and there are also plenty of shaded deck chairs available for lounging.

Pelican Plunge

After the free buffet lunch we walked to the Pelican Plunge to check out the water play area.

It looked a bit scary for our little one, so we contented ourselves with squirting the water guns over the side while watching people climb up and slide down the plunge adjacent.

Castaway Cay Tips
*No need to bring a towel – there are plenty of towels available on the island.
*Do bring sunscreen, hat, water shoes/thongs and a refillable water bottle to fill at the free beverage station.
*Head to the buffet either at the beginning or end of service when the queues are shorter.
*Bring some cash if you’re planning on shopping.
*There is occasionally sea lice in the water – you may want to buy some Sea Safe just incase. We didn’t have any problems with the sea lice.
*Head back to the ship early to ride the Aquaduck with zero queues!

Get more info on Castaway Cay here.

Journey To The Top Of Table Mountain, Cape Town

August 31, 2016 / Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, Travel / 0 comment

A journey up the mountain is a must for any visitor to Cape Town. The flat top peak of the mountain reaches 1,086m above sea level, so you’re guaranteed an incredible view of the entire city from up the top.

Getting up the top is half the fun! Catch the 360° rotating Table Mountain Cableway to the top of one of the oldest mountains in the world. The rotating cable car enables every person inside to see all view points during the ascent and descent – just keep your hands (and camera!) inside the windows.

Up the top of Table Mountain there are three easy three easy walking trails, or you can go rouge like the majority of people we saw up there, hopping from rock to rock like mountain goats.

Look for landmarks such as Robben island, Lion’s Head and the southern Cape – all of which are visible from the top.

Table Mountain is home to an incredibly diverse range of plant, animal and insect species, with many of the plant species found nowhere else in the world. The mountain’s vegetation types form part of the Cape Floral Region protected areas, which have been classified as a World Heritage Site.

More info:

Buy tickets online: http://www.tablemountain.net. Seasonal rates apply, kids under 4 are free.
More info:

Getting around
Use a metered taxi or Uber for taking short trips around Cape Town.

Where to stay:
While in the Cape Town City Centre, I stayed at the Westin Cape Town Hotel. The hotel is extremely modern, secure, and an easy walking distance to the stunning V & A Waterfront district.

My room was large and comfortable – with an incredible heated floor! I also enjoyed the hotel’s free wifi and helpful staff who gave us a plenty of assistance in getting around the city.

The daily buffet breakfast at the Westin was excellent, particularly the fresh fruit and yoghurts and omelette station.
More info: westincapetown.com

More info on my stay
I visited South Africa as part of the Australian Society Of Travel Writers’ annual general gathering. While my trip was supported by South Africa Tourism Australia, all opinions are my own.

Get ideas on more things to do in Cape Town here.

A Colourful Stroll Through Bo-Kaap, Cape Town

August 31, 2016 / Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, Travel / 0 comment

This little neighbourhood of Cape Town, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city centre, is an Instagrammer’s dream come true. Bo-Kaap, with its colourful houses all shades of pink, green, yellow and blue, has become a must-visit for visitors to Cape Town both due to its vibrant colour combinations and also because of its historical significance.

Bo-Kaap is a former township* formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It is an historical centre of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town, with the Nurul Islam Mosque, established in 1844, located in the area.

After the demise of forced racial separation under the apartheid laws, Bo-Kaap has become much sought after for property, due to it’s location, architecture and cobble stoned streets.

*In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the (often underdeveloped) urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites (black Africans, Coloureds and Indians). Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities.

More info:

Getting around
Use a metered taxi or Uber for taking short trips around Cape Town.

My room was large and comfortable – with an incredible heated floor! I also enjoyed the hotel’s free wifi and helpful staff who gave us a plenty of assistance in getting around the city.

The daily buffet breakfast at the Westin was excellent, particularly the fresh fruit and yoghurts and omelette station.
More info: westincapetown.com

See more of Cape Town’s history with a visit to Robben Island.

Street Art in Cape Town: A Walking Tour of Woodstock

August 31, 2016 / Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, Travel / 2 Comments

One of Cape Town’s oldest suburbs, Woodstock has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years from a run down town filled with litter, crime and drugs, to becoming a hip neighbourhood with trendy restaurants, offices and boutiques.

The regeneration of Woodstock comes in part thanks to the Woodstock street art project that began in 2009, where locals like our walking tour guide, Juma, decided to take art from its traditional setting indoors, to the great outdoors. “We wanted to put art on the street to inspire people,” said Juma, as he explained the beginnings of the project at the start of our tour. “This way, everyone owns the art”.

With the lofty goal to change the neighbourhood through beautiful, socially conscious murals, Juma and his collaborators invited established artists from all over the world to contribute to the project.

The result is over 100 murals and installations by 40 artists, with topics ranting from the political, such as the tribute to the Sharpeville massacre by Freddy Sam that we see in the parking lot at the start of the tour, to the ecological and educational.

The murals are painted all over the streets – on fences, houses and shops. “Permission is asked and rarely denied”, says Juma.

While you can absolutely take yourself on a street art walking tour of Woodstock, the experience is enriched with the correct context applied to each work.

The success of the Woodstock street art project is evident in the vibrant atmosphere to be found in the streets and converted warehouses, which are filled with young professionals, urban hipsters and plenty of tourists.

More info:

Juma’s Woodstock Street Art Walking Tour runs four times a day in summer and four times a week in winter. For an additional cost, participants can paint their own mural in the neighbourhood.

To book a street art walking tour of Woodstock contact Juma directly on juma.mkwela@gmail.com or +27734004064. Get more details online.

Distance from Cape Town City Centre to Woodstock: 3.5km

Getting around
Use a metered taxi or Uber for taking short trips around Cape Town. For longer journeys, such as the Capes and Boulders Beach, either hire a car and self-drive or book an escorted tour. We travelled with the very knowledgable and kind Francois from Hylton Ross.

Where to stay:
While in the Cape Town City Centre, I stayed at the Westin Cape Town Hotel. The hotel is extremely modern, secure, and an easy walking distance to the stunning V & A Waterfront district.

My room was large and comfortable – with an incredible heated floor! I also enjoyed the hotel’s free wifi and helpful staff who gave us a plenty of assistance in getting around the city.

The daily buffet breakfast at the Westin was excellent, particularly the fresh fruit and yoghurts and omelette station.
More info: westincapetown.com

The Best of Cape Town for Wine Lovers

August 31, 2016 / Africa, Cape Town, South Africa, Travel / 0 comment

The Durbanville Wine Valley is renowned for the quality of wine produced, as well as the delicious food offered at the winery restaurants. I had the pleasure of visiting a few truly unique wineries on my visit to Cape Town, that I would highly recommend to fellow travellers to the regions.

Diemersdal Wine Farm
Diemersdal sits on an estate that back to 1698 and has been owned and operated by the Louw family. for six generations. The winery specialises in sauvignon, with 6 different versions from the farm’s vineyards available for tasting.

The winery also operates the popular Diemersdal Farm Eatery in the estate’s converted stable. Sit down to a hearty family-style meal Tuesday to Saturday and enjoy locally grown and regionally sourced produce.

Sundays the farm holds their special traditional roast which is reservation only and a bargain at only $22AUD per person.
More info: diemersdal.co.za

Klein Roosboom
The most unique wine and cheese tasting experience you’ll find on the Cape, Klein Roosboom is a quirky, truly unique place to unwind with friends or on a special date for two.

Order a delectable cheese and charcuterie platter made from locally sourced produce, paired perfectly with the vineyard’s wine, which is delightfully named after family members. A platter for two will set you back around $17AUD, while the wine tasting is $3 for seven wines, $4 for nine.

If you’re after bit of a romantic atmosphere, book one of the special little nook rooms which look like holes in the wall from the outside, and are cosy on the inside.
More info: kleinroosboom.co.za

Taking the kids with you?
While I did not visit either of these wineries with my child on this trip, I would absolutely take children to either, particularly when dining in. Klein Roosboom even had a small kids’ playground outside.

Have more time in Cape Town and want to sip a few more wines? Check out:

Durbanville Hills
A luxurious winery with an uninterrupted view of Table Mountain.
More info: durbanvillehills.co.za

Groot Constantia
The oldest wine estate in South Africa and home to the delicious Jonkershuis restaurant.
More info on the winery: grootconstantia.co.za
More info on the restaurant: jonkershuisconstantia.co.za

Where to stay
I stayed at the brand new, beautiful Bliss Boutique Hotel. This five star luxury hotel has stunning views of Table Mountain, Table Bay, Robben Island and the Atlantic Ocean.

Located 20 minutes from the centre of Cape Town, Bliss is ideal for visitors who want to escape the hustle of the city and relax in the quiet neighbourhood of Sunset Beach.

The location is also ideal for visiting the nearby Durbanville wine region. Don’t miss the private path to Sunset beach over the sand dunes for an early morning walk. The view is extraordinary.

Visiting Cape Town and looking for great places to eat? Check out the 2 Food Trippers food guide to Cape Town.

More info
I visited South Africa as part of the Australian Society Of Travel Writers’ annual general gathering. While my trip was supported by South Africa Tourism Australia, all opinions are my own.

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