"Wait...What?" - Rosie's Victory Garden

No matter how much information we think we have at our disposal, every once in awhile we learn something new about Walt Disney World...

I was prepping for this week's Blogosphere and I happened upon a post on The Disney Food Blog that mentioned a place at the Studios called "Rosie's Victory Garden."

WAIT...WHAT?!?

Apparently there is a little garden back near Rockin Roller Coaster that continues the "golden age of Hollywood" theme of the park, giving it a World War 2 twist. It's a victory garden, much like what you would have found in the states during the war, and the theme extends to the nearby Rosie's All American Cafe food stand.

Never really heard of or, for that matter, seen these places. Thought I'd pass it along. You can read about them from The Disney Food Blog here and here.

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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

The Blogosphere

The Disney Parks Blog has some information on Space Mountain (we have more in the Refurbishment Report tomorrow.) One cool thing is that the story seems to tie in much better with the overall Tomorrowland theme than it did before, so that's nice.

Dustin Curtis has a post on a recent flight where he happened to sit next to the guy who designed the ambient music for Walt Disney World. It's a really interesting read.

The Disney Parks Blog has coverage of the Christmas Parade tapings over the weekend.

DISUnplugged has a great interview with Andrew Zimmern. Besides being one of my favorite Travel Channel personalities, Andrew makes a point about Disney World that I agree with 100%, it's the last paragraph down the bottom (but read the whole interview because it's really good.)

Robert Niles at Theme Park Insider has "a parents' guide to encouraging your kids to ride roller coasters."

The Disney Food Blog has a review of San Angel Inn. This is an incredibly polarizing restaurant at Epcot and I'm going to have to sample it myself sooner than later to finally be able to weigh in.

Lastly, I hope everyone with the day off has a restful and reflective Veteran's Day. Well wishes sent out especially to current and former men and women of the armed forces, in particular those who are stationed around the globe protecting our freedom. Thank you.

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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

News From Around The World

As we get closer and closer to the holidays, expect less and less news from Disney outside of the usual "holy crap, there were HOW MANY people today!?!" stories.

We're tracking Hurricane/Tropical Storm/Tropical Depression/Whatever Its Called Today Ida as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico. At the moment it appears to be headed towards Alabama, possibly hitting the panhandle or, unfortunately, New Orleans. Disney seems to be in the clear. Right now, the Weather Channel is reporting that the National Weather Service has issued a "Lake Wind Advisory" which probably means nothing to a lot of you (it warns boaters that gusts on open water are going to be stronger than on land and possibly small enough to flip your boat...in other words, postpone your fishing trip for another day.) The biggest chance of rain is tomorrow with the storms tapering off Wednesday, and an absolutely perfect weekend ahead (high 70's to low 80's.)

Mickey Xtreme has an update on Flamingo Crossing. Yeah, I totally forgot about this thing too.

WDW Magic is speculating that the Lights of Winter may not be performed at Epcot this holiday season, citing the fact that the lights are not in place nor are they even in the usual staging area. It is, of course, also possible that they are in a different staging area or are being installed later than usual this year.

The Daily Disney reports that Mickey Mouse will be appearing in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time this year.

In closing, I didn't get a chance to mention it over the weekend but our thoughts and prayers go out to the employees and families of RS&H after the shooting in Orlando on Friday and, while we're at it, to those affected by the shooting at Fort Hood.

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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

Ride Review - Stitch's Great Escape

Intro: Opened in Tomorrowland in 2004, “Stitch’s Great Escape” replaced the “ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter”…one of the all time unique attractions in all of Walt Disney World. The ride elements remained essentially the same only with a Stitch overlay to make them more cute than scary. And by “cute” I mean “unspeakably annoying.”

The Refurbishment Report

Not much new to report this week.

The Orlando Sentinel has an update on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Monorail Teal, the new monorail train created from the two monorails involved in the crash a few months ago, entered service this week. WDW Magic has pictures.

WDW Magic has photos of the Christmas decorations going up at Hollywood Studios.

Mousesteps has a huge update on the new Tiana's Showboat Jubilee.

WDW Magic has photos of the Skyway refurb and Space Mountain.

Shanghai

So yes. From the sounds of things, Disney is going to be opening a park in Shanghai, making it the second park in China.

You can read about it elsewhere so I won't bother to rehash links just give you a few thoughts. (I will have some essential links in the next News From Around The World, most likely.)

Do I think they should build another "Disneyland" style park? Absolutely not. Do I think moving into Shanghai is a bad idea? Absolutely not. It's an opportunity to reach a lot of consumers and, as much as I favor embargoes in some situations, I don't think this is a case where we should say that China is "bad" and Disney shouldn't be there. As the great and sadly fictional Albie Duncan said, Chinese political prisoners are going to be sewing soccer balls with their teeth whether we sell them cheeseburgers or not, so let's sell them cheeseburgers.

That having been said, with a Disneyland already in Hong Kong (albeit a crappy one) I think it is something of overkill to put another one on the main land in China. I think this is a great opportunity for Disney to develop a new theme park concept for the Chinese audience. This doesn't mean they have to re-invent the wheel. They can easily import some aspects of the Disneyland formula like the hub-and-spoke design only don't put a castle in the middle and revolve something different. Maybe bring over New Orleans Square or build a Caribbean land to give Pirates of the Caribbean a home in China. Maybe make the "Studios" concept smaller and turn it into a land for Tower of Terror, Rockin Roller Coaster, and Lights Motors Action. For as much as I hate it, even bring Pixie Hollow over.

My point is, this does not have to be over-saturation for Disney, it can simply be an extension and evolution of a popular concept.

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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

The Blogosphere

(Note: The big news of the day is on the impending announcement of a Disney park in Shanghai. I'll have much more on this later in the day.)

Deb Wills of All Ears Net has an interview with Joe Lanzisero, Imagineering Senior Vice President, who oversaw the Imagineering team for the Disney Dream. Meanwhile, Laughing Place Magazine's "Art of Telling Tales" blog has about as many pictures from the Dream as you're going to find anywhere (most of which I've not seen anywhere else.)

The Disney Parks Blog has a post on the Food & Wine Festival.

The Disney Food Blog has a great review of Paradiso 37 as well as a nice post on Disney's advances in food purchasing technology.

"Donald" from My Disney Mania has an update on his trip to the D23 Expo.

Touring Plans has the second part in their excellent blog series on Walt Disney World bathrooms. How can you not love this?

In maybe my favorite post of the week, Meet the World discusses the World of Motion and notes where a number of the animatronics have found new homes! Never knew this.

5 Kingdoms has a post comparing the Refreshment Corner/Casey's Corner at the Disney parks. I'm digging the sweet staircase in Tokyo.

Robert Niles at Theme Park Insider gave me a chuckle with this post.

Finally, ZapperZ at My Disney Mania has a nice update on buying a new house.

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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

Grumpy Mumblings - Disney Vacation "Must Sees!"

I always enjoy Disney's customized vacation planning correspondence. I don't necessarily enjoy it because it is useful or especially informative, I enjoy it because of the bizarre pleasure I get as a Disney blogger out of dissecting it.

I give Disney credit for going out of their way to "customize" these to your family. Seeing "The Trama Family" in my letter is always nice and makes me feel like Disney truly cares that I am planning to visit (or, as they often say and I like to paraphrase, "returning home.") Sometimes, however, Disney manages to brutally mess this up.

News From Around The World

Typhoon Lagoon began its refurbishment a few days early, starting near the end of October. WDW Magic is reporting that a large crane is on site, likely to assist with the refurb, though rumors are surfacing that something new could be getting added to the park as well.

All Ears Net has artist's renderings of the new Disney Dream cruise ship. I have to admit that the Enchanted Garden restaurant and the Oceaneer's Club stuff looks really cool. Also, one of the biggest nightclubs where I live is also called Evolution. From the looks of things, mine does the theme better than Disney's.

WDW Magic has the announcement of the 2010 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. Details include:

• Starting date of March 3, the earliest ever. (Ending an early May 16)
• An expanded butterfly garden, this year themed after Bambi.
• A garden near the American Adventure celebrating home vegetable gardens.
• An "American Gothic" themed Mickey & Minnie topiary.
• A "pirate adventure zone."
• A "fragrence garden" in France to tell the "love story of plants," whatever that is.

The Liberty Belle Riverboat is now running normal again, as well as during Tiana shows, according to WDW Magic.

The Philadelphia Examiner has an update on the new Disney "Mobile Magic" cell phone app.


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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

Ride Review - Haunted Mansion

Happy Halloween!

Intro: The Walt Disney World version of the Haunted Mansion is located in a spooky New England manor on the outskirts of Liberty Square. It opened in 1971 with the Magic Kingdom. Most fans regard it as one of the most imaginative and best of Walt Disney World’s attractions.

Ride Review - Tower of Terror

It's almost Halloween! So what better ride to post than the one that has Halloween as a major part of its storyline?

Intro: The Tower of Terror opened in the new “Sunset Boulevard” section of the Disney Studios in 1994. Its opening revitalized a park that was lacking in attractions and excitement and has lead to the Studios being the thrill center of Walt Disney World.

Disney Dream Announcement

Disney Cruise Line released details on their new ship, the Dream, set to launch in 2011. All Ears Net has coverage. Highlights include a ROLLER COASTER, a "nightlife district" (new home of the Adventurer's Club? I doubt it but how sweet would that be?) and more of the usual stuff: kid and teen areas, the usual art deco design, and Palo again.

Don't get me wrong, I love Disney (obviously) and these ships look nice enough but they've yet to do anything that makes me feel like I really NEED to take a Disney cruise. Sure the water coaster is enticing and I would certainly consider a 3 or 4 night Bahamas sailing if the price was right but it's just not something on the top of my "to do" list.


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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

The Blogosphere

Not much happening on the blogs this week.

Mike Bachand at All Ears Net has a great "walking tour" of the Mexico pavilion posted.

The Disney Food Blog has a post on dining alone at Walt Disney World.

Get in the Halloween spirit with an Orlando Attractions Magazine photo gallery of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

We close things out with another look at The Disney Food Blog. This time with a post about Port Orleans' beignets. Because really why not?

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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com

Nightly Nostalgia - Father Noah's Ark

I can't believe this is on YouTube! This was my absolute FAVORITE as a kid. Enjoy. Talk to ya tomorrow!




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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com