WDWorld Traveler

Fastpass Rules

2012-02-08T15:39:00.003-05:00

If you haven't heard the latest Disney news, the parks are going to begin enforcing the return window on Fastpasses...at least at Walt Disney World.

Why? Well, I'm not certain but I'd imagine that too many people are abusing the whole "show up whenever the heck you want" policy that had been for years.

I don't get why they never enforced it. I know some people had legit reasons to not return but the whole system is based on the idea that riders would be proportionately placed in line throughout the day. This doesn't work if you just ignore the window.

I'm curious if Disney is doing this as the first step in implementing the "reservation" Fastpass system rumored awhile back. I think it would solve a lot of issues if you could choose your 1 hour window at the kiosk when getting a Fastpass. If you want the return time for later than it's posted, then just select it. Makes sense to me.

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Let's Hear It For New England!

2012-02-07T10:32:00.002-05:00

Sure, there's some football player from New York grabbing headlines for his visit to Walt Disney World yesterday but let's face it, most of us fans are pretty sick of this guy and his team, aren't we? Or maybe it's just me (no way no how related to the fact that I'm a Patriots fan, nope no way.)

In this spirit today I will present the counterpoint to all the giant hoopla going on about that other guy...great ways to love all things New England and PATRIOTIC at Walt Disney World.

The Hall of Presidents and American Adventure. Go watch them. All that red, white, and blue might be therapeutic...but then again, those colors are associated with another team too.
Beer and clam chowdah. That's more like it. After the American Adventure, head over to the Liberty Inn or Fife and Drum for a Sam Adams. He was, after all, a brewer AND a PATRIOT. While checking out the HoP in Liberty Square, go over to the Columbia Harbor House for some NEW ENGLAND clam chowder...which won the Souper Bowl, by the way. (And also, why the heck isn't there any for sale in Epcot? Someone needs to hire me to redo the menus at the American Adventure restaurants.) If that doesn't work, throw in a lobster roll too. You can never have too much of that.
If all else fails, check out everybody else in the park wearing clothing of other football teams and remember that it could be worse! ;)

No, I'm not bitter...not at all.

Beauty and the Beast Coming to TV

2012-01-25T09:19:00.001-05:00

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/01/24/beauty-and-the-beast-abc/

I love Once Upon A Time but I don't know if we need to crowd the marketplace anymore with fairy tale reimaginings everywhere on TV...especially on ABC, the same network that airs OUAT. I don't know how willing I am to watch TWO shows like this, as much as I love the first, so ABC is really just cutting into it's own audience if a lot of people feel like me. Why hurt your own hit show just to make a copycat. Not to mention that there is already a Beauty and the Beast story arc being written into OUAT! Who knows if it will even get ordered but it could be interesting and annoying to see what happens next.

UPDATED: President Coming to Disney

2012-01-17T10:12:00.003-05:00

There are some very vague rumblings going on about President Obama and family possibly visiting Disney later this week. A presidential Disney vacation could be a very interesting thing for us to watch unfold on the inter-webs. Stay tuned for more.

UPDATE (8:30pm):

As it turns out, things will be a little more boring for us bloggers as the visit is more of a footnote curiosity. Unless you're actually interested in U.S. State Department policy. The president will be making a policy speech from the front of Cinderella Castle on Thursday at noon, rumored to be the announcement of easing state department travel visa restrictions. So it's not a Disney vacation for Sasha and Malia or a grand birthday fireworks display for the First Lady's birthday as was initially rumored this morning. Still kind of cool though.

A Room Full of Stickers

2012-01-13T09:33:00.001-05:00

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/01/yayoi-kusama-obiliteration-room/

Naturally, when I see a story like this, the first thing I think is "at least one of the kids must have made a hidden Mickey in there somewhere!"

My New Year's Resolution...

2012-01-01T22:16:00.002-05:00

...to kick this up a notch. Sorry, Emeril, but I'm making this one my own this year.

It seems like every six months I change my mind about what I want this blog to be. Well the stars have aligned for the year 2012 to actually see me turn this little timewaster into something worthwhile.

If you've actually been checking this thing from time to time, thanks. If you're just stumbling on us now, welcome. Let's get this dog and pony show on the road.

After all, the way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

Twas the Night Before Christmas at Walt Disney World

2011-12-23T10:12:00.002-05:00

Yep. This is the new greatest thing ever.

"Wait...What?!?" - How Disney Changed North Korean Succession

2011-12-20T09:23:00.004-05:00

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

Yes you read that title correctly.

I had no intention of making any mention of the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il on this site (after all, why would I?) But then I came across today's edition of the Dan Lewis "Now I Know" newsletter (which you can and should subscribe to, for free, here.)

So here's the story...

Kim Jong-il, the dictator who lead North Korea for nearly two decades, died over the past weekend. Filling his shoes is his son, Kim Jong-un. But unlike most sons who succeed their fathers in the seat of government, Jong-un is not the oldest son. He’s actually the youngest of three, and his half-brother, Kim Jong-nam is the oldest. So why isn’t Jong-nam taking over for his recently deceased father?

Because he really, really wanted to meet Mickey Mouse.

Jong-nam was groomed to be his father’s successor starting around 1998, four years after his grandfather died. He took a position near the top of the Ministry of Public Security and led the government organization charged with building North Korea’s computing technologies industry.

But that May, the then roughly 30 year old Jong-nam went on another trip. He took a flight to Tokyo, intending to visit Tokyo Disneyland. But he never made it to the theme park. Japanese officials detained Jong-nam for traveling using a forged passport — Jong-nam tried to enter the country using a faux Dominican Republic passport under the name “Pang Xiong.” He was deported to China, leading to the cancellation of his father’s scheduled trip there as well as a significant amount of embarrassment for Jong-il. Soon after, Jong-nam fell into disfavor, and Jong-un became the heir-apparent to their father.

If you want to read the whole story, you can check it out in Dan's archives here. This is the second time I've reposted Dan's work here, he's pretty amazing and chances are that if I find him interesting, you will too. Thanks, Dan!

What If Epcot Had the Osbourne Lights

2011-11-27T19:37:00.003-05:00

Check out this very cool video from Orlando Attractions.

It's very cool to think about. Hollywood Studios needs a Christmas event but this would definitely breath some life into Future World for the holidays.

"Wait...What?!?" - Mickey Gas Masks

2011-11-18T16:13:00.003-05:00

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

Courtesy of today's "Now I Know" e-mail newsletter...

On December 7, 1941, Japanese kamikaze pilots bombed Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II. The United States' entry into battle increased the threat which the nation had, other than Pearl Harbor, avoided; namely, that Axis powers may launch assaults on American soil. Isolated geographically from the war, this seemed unlikely previously, but with the United States now an active participant in the Allies' efforts, the risk became more and more real.

As part of America's domestic security efforts, the government issued and distributed gas masks to the population of Hawaii. But the masks were made for adults, and not only did they not fit young children, but they were scary devices which would be hard to get a child to use anyway. The solution: Mickey Mouse -- in gas mask form.

According to Major Robert D. Walk, a one-time instructor at the US Army Reserve Command, the mask was designed to be a toy of sorts, but with a practical side. Children were to carry it around and wear it "as part of a game" in order to make the mask emotionally comfortable, with the goal of getting children to don the protective gear quickly and leave it on. Roughly 1,000 of these were made, and thankfully, they were never used, as the United States was never hit with a chemical attack.

Want a mask? Sorry, but they are nearly impossible to find. After the war, the military distributed some of them to senior officials as keepsakes. But by and large, most went the way of the 8-track-- obsolete and therefore discarded.

That's some incredibly interesting stuff...and another bizarre chapter to add to the story of Walt Disney and World War II. I really wish I picked up that "On the Front Lines" DVD when I had the chance.

I should give credit where credit is due for this one. Dan Lewis publishes his "Now I Know" newsletter daily, free of charge, and it's always excellent work. And did I mention it's FREE? Subscribe here.

One Week Til Thanksgiving...

2011-11-17T11:39:00.002-05:00

Let's celebrate by looking at my new favorite picture of the moment.

This one of Mickey, looking either shy or embarassed, while considering the prospect of slaughtering these turkeys for his Thanksgiving meal. Let that one sink in.

Mini Movie Review - Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge

2011-10-19T09:19:00.003-04:00

Ahh...Disney Channel original movies. This particular one falls into the category of (and every adult male who has seen "The Notebook" can relate to me on this) "movies my girlfriend made me watch." The second in the four-film Halloweentown franchise, this is by far the darkest and most serious (and therefore, probably the best.)

The series follows the Cromwell family of witches who live in the real world under the guise of being normal people. But, as always happens when Disney wants to make a sequel to their franchise, end up entangled in the sordid affairs of Halloweentown, a world where various ghouls and monsters live together in peace and harmony.

In this installment, an evil warlock seeks to doom Halloweentown to become a drab and monotonous world while turning humans permanently into the monsters that they dress as for Halloween. After a few bumps in the road, protagonist Marnie and her witch family save the day and everyone lives happily ever after (until the next sequel!)

Festive, fun, and with very little need to think (though I do applaud the filmmakers for at least attempting to explain the wackiness with Stephen Hawking references) it's a perfectly fun waste of time for the Halloween season. It's a Disney Channel movie, after all! (Interestingly, it was directed by Mary Lambert, who directed the Pet Cemetary movies, no doubt accounting for some of the quality.)

Honestly (and I'm sorry to let the cat out of the bag on this one, guys) I end up liking most of the movies my girlfriend makes me watch anyway.

R.I.P. Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T20:11:00.002-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/business/steve-jobs-of-apple-dies-at-56.html

It's a sad day for the Disney family as American innovator and businessman Steve Jobs has died. In addition to being a founder and leader of Apple he was also one of the founders of Pixar and, as such, is a huge part of the modern history of the Walt Disney Company. In some ways, he was this generation's Walt Disney. He is also depicted in one of the newly reimagined scenes in Spaceship Earth. This is somehow appropriate. If anyone today could have invented the idea of Epcot, I imagine it could have been Apple.

Steve Jobs
1955-2011

Walt Disney World Turns 40

2011-10-01T12:52:00.002-04:00

Happy 40th Anniversary Walt Disney World. This year, in leiu of turning the castle into a giant cake, Walt Disney World is celebrating with tasteful banners and maybe an extra firework or something. There's also plenty of in park merchandise for crazy people like me, who already own a Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary photo album, refidgerator magnet, and book of A-E tickets good for nothing but posterity.

To help you get in the spirit of the celebration at home, here's part one of the Disney World grand opening television special. This one features Glen Campbell strolling through some unidentified area of forest singing a tune. And no, I have no Earthly idea why.

Agrabah, We Have A Problem

2011-09-28T09:19:00.002-04:00

Has everyone seen the video of the flying carpet FLIPPING UPSIDE DOWN during the Aladdin show at California Adventure? Like that park needs more problems! Maybe retire the effect before someone, you know, dies or something.

New Sci Fi Menu

2011-09-23T09:35:00.004-04:00

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/sci-fi.jpg

Check out the new menu for the Sci-Fi Dine In Theater at Hollywood Studios and tell me if you notice anything interesting.

Done?

Yep...that's a BURGER WITH A HOT DOG ON IT! This officially beats the hot dog wrapped in bacon that I ordered at Cosmic Ray's years ago for my favorite wacky unhealthy Disney menu item.

Avatar Coming to Animal Kingdom

2011-09-20T14:46:00.000-04:00

Look at your calendar. It's not April 1. This is not a joke.

The characters and mythology of the James Cameron blockbuster Avatar will be coming to life at Disney's Animal Kingdom in 2016, according to The Disney Parks Blog.

First and foremost we should take a few things from this news.

Disney is taking another shot at Universal by building an immersive land to compete with Wizarding World of Harry Potter and is now setting the pace for the Orlando theme park industry. With New Fantasyland opening in 2012 and Avatarland in 2016, Disney is saying to it's competition that recession or not, they need to keep spending money to build new stuff if they want to have any chance of competing.
Disney is addressing concerns that Animal Kingdom is an unfinished 1/2 day park. This will be hard to do without making the park actually stay open for longer than a half day but that's besides the point. A whole new land means more rides, shows, restaurants, and land to traverse. It means more people in DAK but also more places to put them.
It is also the death of one or two concepts: Beastly Kingdom and maybe Camp Minnie Mickey. I don't believe Beastly Kingdom was ever going to be built anyway but there's no way they're building two lands based on fake creatures. The semi-permanent Camp Minnie Mickey land that was built in it's place is the logical spot to put the new land. However, there is also a huge backstage area nearby that could be used to build a new land. The only other possible spot is a huge swath of razed land back by Rifiki's Planet Watch. But that's kind of far from everywhere else in the park and might be too big of an area for even Disney to develop in one fell swoop.

All this having been said, this is as disappointed as I have ever been by any news the Walt Disney Company has released about it's theme parks. There are so many great franchises in the Disney canon left to explore. So much more that could be done at the parks besides picking a feature franchise of only mediocre quality and devoting an entire LAND to it. Who is going to care about Avatar in 20 years? And what do you do when it's irrelevant? This is an entire land being built in the only spot in the only park capable of handling such a thing. Consider this: in the next 30 years, perhaps the regular theme park visiting lifetime of people reading this, the last new land you will ever see built at Walt Disney World will be devoted to that 3D movie about the weird blue cat people. So much wasted potential. So much disappointment. But sadly today, such it is.

A Disney Version of Butterbeer?

2011-09-13T11:33:00.002-04:00

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201109/2657/

Robert Niles at Theme Park Insider proposes that Disney create it's own version of Butterbeer for the new Gaston's Tavern in the Fantasyland expansion. What do you think? Is Disney ripping off Universal's Hog's Head Pub by putting a faux tavern into Fantasyland? Do they need to create a specialty drink to compete with Butterbeer?

I'd say Disney doesn't even attempt to create a "new" drink. I'd just go with brewing their own line of root beer, birch beer, white birch beer, vanilla cream soda. Sell floats and bottles of the stuff to take home. They can easily make a ton of money selling something unique and delicious without flat out copying Universal. That's how I've always imagined the pub, anyway.

Heck, I don't even care if they team up with A&W or Barq's or whatever and sell their root beers. The point is that it's a pub that sells turkey legs and other counter service food along with big frosty mugs of cold drinks. It's gonna serve it's purpose.

I don't think people should read too much into it...but it certainly seems from the comments on TPI like a heck of a lot of people are.

Royal Caribbean Teaming with Universal

2011-09-07T14:55:00.002-04:00

http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2011/09/07/royal-caribbeans-universal-orlando-package-offers-land-and-sea-deals-from-both-coasts-of-florida/

Just saw this article from Orlando Attractions and it piqued my interest a bit. Universal teaming with Royal Caribbean is a great idea, in my opinion. While Disney is still the standard in theme parks, they definitely trail Royal Caribbean and Carnival in the cruise business. If the marketing is handled correctly, this could be a great coup for Universal to attract some of the land/sea park/cruise crowd from Disney. Plus the Tampa port is much more convenient than Port Canaveral. It offers visitors an extra convenient option to fly in and out of as well as more of an allure for longer vacations (beaches, Busch Gardens, etc.) rather than trapping them in the Disney theme park to cruise port itinerary.

The half park and half cruise vacation doesn't really interest me but I know of people who have done it an love it. This certainly seems like great news as a new option for them.

The Disney Films - Pinocchio

2011-08-29T09:22:00.003-04:00

Over the course of the next year, I plan to watch every Disney animated feature in chronological order. Why have I embarked on this strange undertaking? Besides the fact that I'm crazy, to give both a critical view and historical perspective of Disney through the years. I hope you'll come along for the ride!

2. Pinocchio, 1940

Background: Pinocchio was thrust into the equally great and unenviable spotlight of being Walt Disney's second feature after Snow White. It's based on an Italian serial to which the finished product bears only minimal resemblance.

The Good:

The film more closely approaches an actual complete story, unlike the randomness of Snow White, and in the end has a good moral to go along with it.
All of the characters are classics, not the least of which is Disney's perennial narrator Jiminy Cricket.
It inspired this.

The Bad:

While the story feels more "complete" than Snow White, Pinocchio falls into the same basic pitfalls of loosely related scenes cobbled together. The same basic idea follows throughout the film: a bad guy gets Pinocchio to do something dumb, Jiminy disapproves, Pinocchio ends up in worse shape than before, the Blue Fairy saves the day. This happens 3 or 4 times and then the film ends.
Some of the scenes are downright nightmarish. From the donkeys on Pleasure Island to the giant whale this one had to have sent a generation of children into counseling.

Random Notes & Nitpicks:

I can't help but notice stuff like this but why is Honest John so amazed by seeing a walking talking puppet when he is, in fact, a walking talking fox?
And also, Gepetto is rewarded for being a kind and honest man when he's really a pretty big jerk. I mean, he makes the cat get up out of bed and close the window for him when it's within arms reach of his bed.

Thoughts: I like Pinocchio, honestly I do. It sets up a few more Disney memes that Snow White didn't hit yet, mainly the template for a sympathetic character (childlike body with big eyes.) It gave us Pinocchio, Jiminy, Figaro and Cleo (stars of this cartoon that I loved as a child,) and "When You Wish Upon A Star."

But much like old episodes of Sesame Street that are now rated TV-14, this is an animated film from another era for a different generation of kids. An odd specimen of a film that worked in the 1940's that still works as nostalgia today.

Why You Should See It: There's plenty of historical significance and memorable characters who deserve to be seen in their original element. Plus you psyche probably needs fodder for new nightmares.

Next Up: "Fantasia"

D23 Expo

2011-08-24T15:17:00.004-04:00

Confession: I'm not a member of D23. I would definitely like to be. The perks are there but the price is a little too steep for me, despite my great love of Disney. (Now, if you wanted to make a donation towards my membership fee, that would be perfectly fine!)

The big draw, for me at least, of membership would be the annual D23 Expo. I'd imagine it is for many other members as well. And after reading the reviews of the events of this past weekend's expo, I can't say I'm jumping at the chance to join.

I read a number of reviews all of which had the same basic themes: waited hours in line for one event, it went long and I missed the second event, couldn't get into this event, lines were cut off after an hour and a half wait for this event, spent a whole day there and only toured the floor twice. What the heck Disney?

I don't know who was in charge of planning this out but it sounds like for future events Disney needs a bigger venue and some more input from theme park designers. It sounds like they had no method of knowing when venues would fill, resulting in people waiting hours only to be told there was no room for them. This kind of disappointment is unacceptable for a Disney event. Also, the lack of things to do besides waiting in line for theater presentations was noticeable.

If I were Disney, I would consider making future events longer. 3 days seems like too short a period of time (that having been said, you would also have to increase the number of events, as spreading them out over 5 or 6 days would only make the lines that much larger.) I would also move the most coveted events to a larger venue, like the Honda Center in Anaheim.

They might also consider moving the next expo to Walt Disney World, where they would have the room to build specific venues, almost like a World's Fair (my how things come full circle, don't they?) Plus they could spread events out around the parks and hopefully give people more things to do.

There is so much that can be done with this event. Leaving people shut out and disappointed it not one of them. Disney has a long way to go before I consider shelling out the dough to join D23 and even consider attending an expo.

Disneyland 2011

2011-08-16T16:56:00.005-04:00

It's finally here! My photo tour of Disneyland, as seen by me on July 21, 2011.

It's got my thoughts on the layout of the park, various rides I went on, and plenty of wackiness.

Just note that autoplay moves pretty fast, so if you want to read my commentary you might want to manually shuffle from picture to picture.

Check it out on Picasa web albums for downloading and stuff RIGHT HERE.

Make sure to post your thoughts on Disneyland as you go along. Enjoy!

Enchanted Tiki Room

2011-08-16T09:39:00.002-04:00

The attraction with the longest name in history has finally re-opened at the Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room at the Adventureland Sunshine Pavilion.

The show is now a recreation, or tribute so to speak, of the original Tropical Serenade that existed at Walt Disney World and Disneyland many moons ago. Iago and Zazu are gone as are all the snarky comments from the Eisner-era soundtrack. Back are Michael, Jose, Pierre, Fritz and the rest of the birds, flowers, and tiki gods of the original show.

The new show clocks in at 11 minutes, shorter than the original and Disneyland versions, something a few people on the internet have pointed out. Having just sat through the full Disneyland version not too long ago, I can tell you that it drags on and a tighter 11 minute version at Walt Disney World is certainly welcome.

I didn't hate the Under New Management version as much as some people, despite it's many faults, but I'm definitely happy to see the show returned to the Magic Kingdom. Disney could have easily taken the cheap way out and turned the building into another character meet & greet but instead spent money to not only fix but refurbish and overhaul a classic attraction just for the sake of saying "this is a classic attraction and it deserves it." Hopefully the crowds come to enjoy it for what it is: a short, fun, air conditioned view into a bygone era.

ESPN The Weekend

2011-07-23T19:33:00.001-04:00

Just checking the net from my hotel in LA and I see ESPN the Weekend is no more at Disney World. This news sucks because I've always wanted to go to one. On the other hand the rumor mill seems to suggest it was cancelled for budget reasons by the folks at ESPN, so we can't really get mad at Disney about it.

And hey, if they really think cancelling this will make WWoS seem more like a year round sports destination then fine. I'm not gonna shed any tears over it.

Disneyland

2011-07-18T16:47:00.000-04:00

Well friends, I'm heading to Disneyland this week. It will be my first (and for all I know, only) trip to the "Happiest Place on Earth." I'll be Tweeting from the park all day on Thursday so just check out my Twitter feed sidebar or follow me directly via Twitter. @NeilTrama

Have a magical week!!

Universal Does Something Cool

2011-07-15T13:51:00.001-04:00

Stop the presses...I'm about to praise Universal! Last night they surprised theatergoers seeing the midnight showing of Harry Potter with a free pass to hang out in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter from 3-5am. So they got 2 hours in an empty theme park. Color me jealous. Imagine the good will if Disney did this for the Pirates premiere! Very cool idea, guys. I approve.

Ride Review - The American Adventure

2011-07-04T17:29:00.000-04:00

The 4th of July is always a fun time to go ahead and re-post this one. Get your flames ready...

Intro: Joining the nice movies and little boat rides representing countries in World Showcase is America’s contribution: a multimedia extravaganza featuring some of the most advanced audio-animatronic characters ever created. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, I’m just saying.

Queue: It’s unlikely that you will ever have to stand in a queue here, as the theater is simply enormous. The building that houses the theater also has a gorgeous colonial style atrium where you can wait for the upcoming performance and also view some preshow entertainment.

Preshow: The “Voices of Liberty” singers and other groups sometimes perform in the atrium or outside the building at the United States pavilion. If you have the time and/or desire to see them, they put on an excellent show.

Ride: The show opens up in darkness permeated by the voice of Ben Franklin. He lets us know that America was built on work, bloodshed, loneliness, and fear. Then an audio-animatronic scene rises up onto the stage. Ben Franklin continues talking, joined in the scene by Mark Twain. Many different people make up America, and over the years we have become more alike than different. Franklin offers to let Twain know about the beginnings of America. This leads into a video and song about the pilgrims. Thankfully, Ben and Mark do not do the singing; instead they allow a rather talented choir to do it. The song is about the Pilgrims’ desire to be free and their endurance through hardship in the New World. All this is making me crave turkey.

The song ends and this leads Franklin to talk about the passion governing the desire to break free from England. A video chronicles the Boston Tea Party and the King sending troops into Boston. This leads us to an audio-animatronics scene featuring Ben Franklin paying Thomas Jefferson a visit as he writes the Declaration of Independence. He reads some of the Declaration and this leads us into another video scene of pictures of the Revolutionary War shown as what sounds to be an old marching song is sung. This leads us to the next AA scene, in Valley Forge. George Washington stands atop his horse as two soldiers bemoan the bitter cold. Then the singing continues. When it is all said and done, 13 colonies become the United States and we are free.

Mark Twain chimes in to let us know that he is proud to be part of the next age in American history as we expanded westward. It’s nice to know that Twain is proud of leading to the extermination of an entire indigenous people. Then Twain delivers the line of the show: “it seems a whole bunch of folks found out that "We the people", didn't yet mean all the people.” It’s “a whole bunch of folks” that makes it gold. Who is he? President Bush?

Fredrick Douglass doesn’t like slavery. And really, who does? Still, he manages to sum up his feelings in a little speech about hope. Nice of him not to get us too melancholy, after all, we ARE at Disney World. Then this leads to a family, presumably from one of the Border States, getting a photograph taken (with a VERY primitive camera). Two brothers argue the cause of the war, one taking the North’s side and one taking that of the South. They actually manage to work “Billy Yank” and “Johnny Reb” into the 4 sentence exchange. This leads to the photograph being taken (and then displayed on the overhead screen) and leads into a beautiful slow song as photographs from the war are shown.

A sample of the lyrics: “one was gentle, one was kind, one came home, one stayed behind; a cannonball don't pay no mind, if you're gentle or if you're kind, it don't think of the folks behind.” I was actually going to make fun of this and now I’m practically tearing up. They may have glazed over the slavery issue but they did an amazing job with the human drama of the brother vs. brother saga. This is why I could never study too much history, it’s just too depressing. Just to drive the point home, after the song ends they show the picture from the beginning of the scene, only now just the one brother appears.

This leads into Ben Franklin talking about the rebuilding of the nation and the influx of immigrants to the country. He calls it a new dawn for the American Adventure. Chief Joseph appears on stage in AA form and he’s mighty pissed. “Enough! Enough of your words! Let your new dawn lead to the final sunset on my people's suffering. When I think of our condition, my heart is heavy. I see men of my own race treated like outlaws or shot down like animals. I hope that all of us may be brothers with one country around us and one government for all.” Well, he had me up until “one country around us.” Unlike Fredrick Douglass’ soft spoken oratory about slavery, Chief Joseph does a good job actually sounding mad. Of course, because we want this to be a happy show, he claims to want to have one big happy government. Yeah, he actually says “government.” I BET that’s what the Native Americans wanted, one big happy government.

Everyone quickly forgets about the Native Americans as we head right into a scene about suffrage at the Centennial expo. Susan B. Anthony wants equality while Alexander Graham Bell wants people to marvel at his telephone. Andrew Carnegie chimes in to brag about his steel company building a new concert hall in New York. What was the point of this scene? Speaking of no point, Theodore Roosevelt is then shown on a cliff marveling at our natural wonders while complaining about the lumber industry. John Muir wants Teddy to spearhead the effort for conservation. Quick, who’s John Muir?

Next we are informed that America was thrust into the job of being a world leader. Yeah, it’s not like we want to bully around all the smaller countries, we were thrust into the job, poor unfortunate souls that we were. Some video of war planes somehow manages to lead into Charles Lindbergh. Then, immediately we hear a news report of the stock market crash leading into the Great Depression. Some down trodden AA people at a gas station sing a song titled “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime.” They then hear FDR delivering a radio broadcast. This leads to an AA Roosevelt giving his “the only thing we have to fear…” speech. The scene switches back to the AA folks at the gas station. They hear Will Rogers on the radio and this leads to an AA Rogers twirling a rope and talking about the nation potentially going to war. We immediately hear FDR’s speech following the attack on Pearl Harbor (with the part about Japan cut out). This leads us to a full stage scene in a shipyard. A woman (representing Rosie the Riveter) works on a ship. Then the AA’s head back under the stage and a full screen displays a video of clips from the 20th century as the attraction’s theme song “Golden Dream” plays. It is all very inspirational. JFK delivers the famous line from his inaugural “ask not what your country can do for you…” and then Martin Luther King delivers a part of his “I Have a Dream” speech. This is followed by the moon landing (“the Eagle has landed”). The song continues and concludes with fireworks over the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor.

This leads to Franklin and Twain appearing on the top of the statue. Franklin says the Founders were visionaries, not dreamers. Ben continues to taut the merits of our constitution. Twain points out that America is still a very young nation. Franklin says that we can all fulfill the promise of America, freedom for all people. “The American Adventure will continue for a long, long time.” “Golden Dream” reprises as the sun rises in glory over Franklin and Twain on the torch of the Statue as the show concludes.

Thoughts: Here’s the problem with a show like this: you can not make it without getting people mad. Think about what the movies and rides in the other countries are about. Norway has Maelstrom, a ride about Norwegian folklore. Canada and France both have movies about the beauty of their countries. But America has to go out and make a huge spectacle about our history. There is simply no way to properly do that in a theme park. To make matters worse, the show does not simply gloss over the negative parts of the country’s history, it trivializes them. “There was this terrible institution of slavery that led to a bloody civil war, but really it was because the South did not understand the North’s love of freedom.” “Sure, we wiped out an entire race of native peoples, but really all the Native Americans wanted was to be part of our government.” Please!

The show does have some very uplifting and powerful moments. The songs are all quite moving and the ending is particularly inspiring, but the history is all cleaned up and “Disneyfied.” If you can go into the show willing to ignore the glossing over of all the bad parts of our history, you will leave with a new sense of patriotism. If you want to see a truly historical show, you’ll have to find one elsewhere.

Overall Rating: *** 3/4

Klepto Cats

2011-06-28T10:10:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's "7 Curious Cases of Criminal Cats" from Mental Floss. Cats who steal things? This guy would approve!

New Muppet Trailer

2011-06-16T11:25:00.002-04:00

This one might be my new favorite of the bunch.

It's not in Swedish...we promise.

Darth Vader Visits Disneyland

2011-06-09T11:21:00.001-04:00

I can't possibly love this enough.

Beers & Ears

2011-06-09T10:02:00.003-04:00

http://beersandears.net/

Holy "right up my alley," Batman! I just got tipped off via Twitter of an awesome blog called "Beers & Ears" devoted to, yes, BEER at DISNEY WORLD! Welcome to my RSS feed, guys!

"Wait...What?!?" - Singing Beer Steins

2011-05-27T08:06:00.002-04:00

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

I've been to Epcot's Germany pavilion a number of times, and even shopped for beer glasses and beer steins, yet I've never seen the "show" I just found posted on YouTube of some beer steins coming to life and singing a little tune.

WAIT...WHAT?!?

Yep, it exists. Heres the YouTube video to prove it...

The Donald Duck Family Tree

2011-05-26T10:00:00.002-04:00

http://duckman.pettho.com/tree/v_american.html

Just in case you were curious.

The Lonely Island - Jack Sparrow

2011-05-18T07:26:00.002-04:00

Here's your bizarre Disney related post of the day. The newest Lonely Island music video...featuring Michael Bolton...about Captain Jack Sparrow. Umm...yeah.

Congratulations...

2011-05-08T10:44:00.003-04:00

...to 2011 Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom. And special thanks for winning me $109. It's about time my love of Disney results in me GETTING money, instead of just shelling it out.

Lots-O-Huggin' Bear Commercial (Circa 1983)

2011-05-06T16:38:00.001-04:00

God, I love Disney.

Disney Hates Nazis

2011-04-14T09:19:00.004-04:00

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/85033

I love when Mental Floss posts a Disney-related article. Last night that had up this gem featuring some YouTube videos of Disney's World War 2 propaganda films. If you've never seen "Der Furher's Face" then you really need to. "Education for Death" is also especially disturbing.

Check 'em all out if you have an interest in history or just want to watch Donald Duck ship off to the Pacific to fight the Japanese.

The Disney Films - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Re-Post)

2011-04-05T10:15:00.000-04:00

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937

Background: "Snow White" was not only the first animated feature film produced by Disney but the first animated feature film produced by anyone. The movie was adapted from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, with Disney toning down and streamlining the original story and adding the seven iconic dwarf personalities.

The Good:

Great historical significance.
Classic characters in The Evil Queen and Grumpy. (Well yeah, I guess Snow White too.)
One of the best death scenes in Disney history. (Two words: circling vultures!)

The Bad:

Loose story and plot holes.
Borderline offensive characters.

Random Notes & Nitpicks:

What's with that scene where Snow White goes running through the forest? You know, when half the cast of "Flowers & Trees" tries to kill her or something. I guess just one of many sure signs of hallucinogenic drug use among Disney animators.
The whole "Whistle While You Work" sequence is basically just a glorified Silly Symphony, right down to the actions corresponding to the music.
Doesn't the dwarfs' "Silly Song" sound a lot like a Bavarian version of the "Bear Band" song from "The Country Bear Jamboree?"

Thoughts: I take some umbrage with people like AFI, who have ranked this as one of the greatest films of all time. It's really not all that great of a movie. It doesn't have much of a plot or character development and is more a bunch of scenes cobbled together with a loose fairy tale story behind them. That having been said, it's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!" It's one of the most significant achievements in the history of American cinema! For it's time, the film is outstanding. People thought Walt Disney was crazy when he made it. It cost a fortune (almost bankrupting him) and was completely and totally revolutionary. It influenced countless films that followed it.

The Disney formula is all there. The sympathetic main character, the love interest, the awesomely evil villain, comedy sidekicks, memorable songs, beautiful and iconic images. This is the formula that Disney would use for pretty much every film that followed over the course of a century. So it's pretty darn amazing that they got it all down right from the very start.

There is plenty to complain about in the film as well, from the gaping plot holes, logical gaps, antiquated and somewhat offensive portrayal of little people and the mentally handicapped, and Snow White's annoying voice. But come on, this is really just a glorified Silly Symphony with a feature plot (and all the truly funny stuff has been skewered well enough by Enchanted so I don't need to bring it up.)

Why You Should See It: It's one of the most important and influential films in the history of American cinema, not to mention a singular "make or break" moment for Walt Disney. If you're a Disney fan, or just a fan of cinema in general, you simply must see this film. Plus the dwarfs are pretty funny.

Next up: "Pinocchio"

~~~~~

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Disney Pickup Lines

2011-03-30T21:36:00.002-04:00

At the moment I write this, #Disneypickuplines is trending on Twitter. It's quite the amusing read...for those of us who don't value what's left of our childhood memories.

Signature Le Cellier

2011-03-07T09:30:00.002-05:00

So is everyone freaking out over Le Cellier finally switching over to a signature dining restaurant?

I'll admit that I had always just assumed that due to its popularity it was being bumped up to 2 credits instead of 1 for the DDP. I didn't realize they were going to revamp the menu (and prices) to bring it more in line with other similar establishments around the resort.

At first glance it seems like something to get your feathers ruffled over, especially if you're a fan. Some menu favorites moved and everything went up in price. (The always awesome Disney Food Blog has a quick rundown of the menu changes here if you want to know what I'm talking about.)

Upon further consideration, though, it's not something I'm going to fault Disney for. Full disclosure: I went to Le Cellier for dinner once, thought it was really good, but have no earthly idea how it became such a phenomenon as it is. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but it's not even the best steakhouse within a 15-minute walk of it's location (that nod goes to the Yachtsman Steakhouse.)

I think this was Disney's attempt to cut down on the high demand for the restaurant these days when ADR's are at such a premium. If anything, they're getting more bang of their buck until the trend dies down. As far as I'm concerned, as long as they'll still serve me cheddar cheese soup and breadsticks to go for lunch, I'll be happy keeping my eat-in visits few and far between.

Disney Food Blog: The Book!

2011-03-02T12:24:00.002-05:00

Great news today from one of my favorite Disney World blogs: the Disney Food Blog. They're releasing an e-book and you can read all about it here.

Sign me up as one of the first buyers now!

5:00 Quiz: Disneyland

2011-02-28T17:36:00.002-05:00

Check out today's 5:00 Quiz on Mental Floss.com. It's on Disneyland!

I got a 75%...blamed almost entirely on my lack of knowledge on Big Thunder Mountain's landscape and how long it takes to get a million people through the turnstiles.

BTW, did anyone see Jeopardy about a week ago when the category was Disneyland Rides? If the other categories were beer, professional wrestling, and Hot Pockets flavors, I could have dominated!

Finally Home

2011-01-19T11:55:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone. I'm finally home from my Florida trip and despite some travel nightmares (another blog for another time) it was a great little trip to the most magical place on Earth.

A few quick thoughts:

Crazy weather! In a 3 day span, I wished I had a winter coat and I wished I had shorts. Watching Fantasmic was one of the coldest experiences of my life.
Drinking around the world is tough...and expensive! We didn't do every country but I DID have 11 beers, so I could have done it if I wanted. The biggest problem is that the more beers you get the more souvenirs you decide are a good idea to buy and the more likely you are to get your next beer in a $13 souvenir mug. Really fun time though. You know you're a Disney nut when you go to Epcot, ride 3 rides, and consider it a good day.
The Magic Kingdom is like a construction zone. Not only do you have the Fantasyland expansion going up in the back but there was a giant crane next to Cinderella Castle, fascades on the back of the castle, half of main street, parts of Fantasyland, and probably a few more spots that I forgot to mention.
The Tiki Room caught on fire! Rumors say it's more than just the attic fire that Disney reported and that it may close the ride for good. I hope not...but it sure could use a change so maybe this will bring it about. Last I heard from the Cast Member stationed at the entrance is that Iago got out of line and Mickey had to send him home for a few days, hehe.

I'll be putting my pictures up in the next few days. Until then, keep checking Twitter for my latest adventures.

Time for Another Trip

2011-01-11T15:17:00.003-05:00

Well folks...it's time for another WDWorld Traveler trip to Walt Disney World! You can follow along my every move (usually with a few live ride reviews and pictures thrown in for fun!) Just follow me on Twitter or Facebook and you'll be in on all the fun. If you don't have either, you can follow my most recent "Tweets" right here with the new Twitter live feed to your right. And, of course, when I get back I'll be posting my pictures for everyone to see!

Most importantly...if you're in Walt Disney World between Wednesday and Saturday, make sure to say hi! I'll be the guy in the Bud Light hat eating a turkey leg!

Make sure to check out all my updates at http://twitter.com/NeilTrama

The blog, it is a changin...

2010-12-17T01:07:00.002-05:00

Well folks, I think it's time to give this old blog a revamp.

Basically, when I started things, I set my goals WAAAY too high and as a result was never able to keep up with updating the blog to my liking with news, refurbishment info, etc. And let's face it, there's tons of other sites people can go to for that stuff.

So from this point forward, consider WDWorld Traveler, simply a blog with my thoughts on whatever the news of the day is, reviews, and all of the fun, wacky, creepy, and nostalgic (often all at the same time) Disney related stuff I discover across the web. I never wanted this to be the traditional Disney blog...and I'm not going to let it become one.

As part of this little "re-branding" I'm going to be merging some of my Facebook and Twitter accounts so that instead of following this site, you can follow me the blogger. It'll be way more interesting that way.

Now...hang onto them hats and glasses folks, cause this here's the wildest ride on the internet!

Toy Story Characters' Facebook

2010-12-14T11:39:00.000-05:00

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Disney World Ad - 1996

2010-12-10T12:39:00.001-05:00

Check out this Walt Disney World TV ad from 1996...featuring Taub from "House"!

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Count Up To 50

2010-12-05T16:38:00.002-05:00

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Hyperion Wharf

2010-11-18T11:06:00.003-05:00

http://attractionsmagazine.com/blog/2010/11/18/downtown-disneys-pleasure-island-to-become-hyperion-wharf/

Hey, this news sort of came out of nowhere, didn't it?

Disney finally announced what they're going to do with Pleasure Island! It's going to become a nightlife district called "Hyperion Wharf" and be themed as a "nostalgic yet modern take on an early 20th century port city and amusement pier." I'm thinking part Boardwalk, part CityWalk, and part extension of the Marketplace area.

And maybe it's just me but that "lakeside park" seems like the perfect place to watch World of Color, doesn't it?

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Nightly Nostalgia - The Disney Afternoon

2010-10-17T21:04:00.001-04:00

My childhood...in a nutshell.

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Awww...

2010-10-14T10:23:00.001-04:00

On behalf of all of us at Disney Destinations, LLC, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to apply for the 2011 Walt Disney World® Moms Panel.

We realize how hectic it can be to keep a family going day-to-day, so we truly appreciate the effort you put into your application. It was clear just how much you do for those you love and the inspiring role Disney plays in your life. We were incredibly delighted by the heartfelt response and very humbled by the special stories you shared in your application.

Having received thousands of entries, you can imagine how difficult it was narrowing the field to the next round.

While you were not among those selected, we are very grateful that you took the time to enter and share your love of Walt Disney World® Resort with us.

Damn! I really thought I had a shot this year...maybe they found out that I'm not actually a mom.

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Reservation System Down

2010-10-12T14:22:00.002-04:00

The Walt Disney World reservation system is down until sometime Thursday. Maybe until then, Disney should stop running banner ads all over the internet advertising their great discounted packages!

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15 Beers for 15 Years

2010-10-11T10:29:00.002-04:00

15 Beers for 15 Years

Now you're talking my language!

Tell me why, again, I don't make it a point to go to the Food & Wine Festival every single year?

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Reason #613 Why I Love Disney...

2010-10-05T15:38:00.001-04:00

Little details like this at the Food & Wine Festival are just some of the many many reasons I love Disney and keep going back every time I have the chance.

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Magic Kingdom: The Movie

2010-10-01T13:44:00.001-04:00

Here's one of the most exciting yet equal parts bizarre announcements I've heard in awhile.

Apparently Disney is mulling over the idea of making a movie about the Magic Kingdom to be helmed by Ron Moore, one of the creators and writers of the recent Battlestar Galactica reboot.

A Magic Kingdom movie written by Ron Moore? That certainly has me stoked as I love both Disney and Battlestar Galactica...but I have no idea what direction he would go with it. Don't get me wrong, I think there's a lot of ways to make a great film based on Disney's theme parks, but I have no idea how Ron Moore fits into it.

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Umm...

2010-09-29T11:53:00.003-04:00

Didn't Disney already do this?

Or was the Gummy Bears TV show that I remember from the Disney Afternoon in the 80's just an illusion created from eating paint chips as a child or something?

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Thoughts on Memories and Stuff

2010-09-24T00:13:00.002-04:00

So earlier today Disney announced by far their weakest promotion ever (OK, not quite as weak as that Magical Gatherings thing) titled "Let the Memories Begin." The whole idea is that memories happen every day at Disney and those memories need to be celebrated, or encouraged, or reinforced, or I suppose (as the title suggests) that they need to begin. I'm probably being a little harsh because I expected Disney's announcement to be, you know, an actual ANNOUNCEMENT and not just a rehashing of news we've all known months ago.

Anyway, there was one bright spot in the whole deal, that being the new fireworks feature with the photos from the day being displayed on Cinderella Castle. That has the potential to be pretty cool...of course I don't know how it will work with the whole story of the fireworks.

In addition to the picture thing they announced what we already knew about Star Tours, what we already knew about the resort in Hawaii, and what we already knew about California Adventure and the cruise line.

So anyway...let the memories begin...or something.

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Let The Memories Begin

2010-09-23T14:57:00.002-04:00

All Ears Net has full coverage of today's Disney Parks announcement.

I'll put my own thoughts up later tonight but the gist of it is:

A new feature during the MK fireworks will project PhotoPass pictures of guests from that day onto Cinderella Castle.
The new Star Tours will be in 3D and will cover the timeframe between the prequels and the originals.
Nothing else new for WDW but there was additional info on Aulani, the new cruise ships, and the California Adventure remodeling.

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

Disney Parks Announcement Coming

2010-09-23T09:20:00.003-04:00

Disney Parks announced that they'll be having a special announcement at 12:30 this afternoon. It's getting streamed online and we'll have full coverage here after it's over.

See the announcement about the announcement here.

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Art of Animation Resort Webpage

2010-09-22T11:28:00.002-04:00

Disney launched a new website for the upcoming Art of Animation Resort. There's not much new information there, but it does confirm that family suites will be a part of most of the resort and that it will have the usual value resort staples: food court, pool, pool bar, shopping, etc. Basically a clone of Pop Century, which should come as no surprise since that's what the property was originally built to be.

There was one potentially very exciting thing I noticed on the webpage. Take a look at the artist's rendering of the Finding Nemo building. Look closer. See it?

No "motel-style" exterior hallways. If this rendering is to be believed, the new resort may have INTERIOR room access...a first for a non-deluxe Disney resort. Of course it's also possible that the size of the suites will make for exterior entry on one side with the room spanning the width of the building and a window facing the courtyard on the other end. Only time will tell, I guess.

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Gnomeo & Juliet

2010-09-22T11:12:00.002-04:00

Ugh. So it's basically Toy Story only with garden gnomes, Shakespeare, and humor not writen by Pixar.

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Night At The Great Movie Ride

2010-09-20T11:29:00.002-04:00

The things people will do never cease to amaze me.

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Epic Mickey

2010-09-17T15:09:00.000-04:00

I'm only sad that this is a video game and not a movie.

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Mom's Panel

2010-09-13T16:51:00.002-04:00

Well, I just sent in my application for the Walt Disney World Mom's Panel. Hopefully they don't find out that I'm not a mom...or a dad...or especially like children.

If you want to submit your own application (and hey, you've got to have a better shot than me!) you can send it here.

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Golden Ticket Awards

2010-09-13T10:51:00.003-04:00

Don't know if anyone noticed but the Golden Ticket awards were announced over the weekend. The awards are run by Amusement Today magazine and are basically the theme park industry equivalent of the Oscars.

For the second year in a row, Disney was shut out of all but one category: once again winning "Best Outdoor Nighttime Production" for Illuminations.

I'm starting to prefer the Theme Park Insider awards over the Golden Tickets anyway but I thought everyone should be in the loop.

Universal Orlando took 5 awards: Best New Attraction for Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey, Best Water Ride for Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls, Best Dark Ride for Amazing Adventures of Spider Man, Best Indoor Roller Coaster for Revenge of the Mummy, and Best Halloween Event for Halloween Horror Nights. SeaWorld took the Orlando area's best award home, winning for Best Marine Life Park.

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Tomorrowland Update #2

2010-09-01T08:55:00.002-04:00

All Ears Net reports:

On August 30, 2010, Space Mountain at Walt Disney World unveiled an "enhanced audio experience" that features a new, exclusive composition. The music will play on all "flights" along with varying sound effects on 60 newly installed speakers. The so-called "Starry-O-Phonic Sound" compliments enhancements that debuted on Space Mountain last year, including new lighting, storyline elements and updated decor.

So remember last year when everyone was pissed because they didn't include the cool audio effects from Disneyland in the WDW Space Mountain rehab? Well now the Imagineers either took everyone's advice...or are sitting there laughing and thinking "we were always planning on doing it a year later anyway!"

Probably the former.

By the way, I have no intention of making a special trip to Tomorrowland just to check this out. Especially after I made a special trip just to see that they added wacky games and took out the chocolate chip cookie asteroids.

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The dumbest thing I've heard in weeks...

2010-08-27T16:06:00.002-04:00

I got a passholder e-mail earlier this week introducing "Duffy - The Disney Bear!"

The Disney Character Family has an exciting announcement: it's expecting a new member! In October 2010, Duffy the Disney Bear will arrive in Epcot.

Seriously? Did the Disney character family really need a new member? And did it need to be a goofy teddy bear in a sailor's costume? Absurd.

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DCA Opening Day Newsreel

2010-08-05T15:16:00.002-04:00

This is just excellent...

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Wait...What?!? - The Writer's Shop

2010-08-05T10:55:00.002-04:00

The Disney Food Blog (seriously new favorite Disney site on the internet) has a write-up on The Writer's Shop at Hollywood Studios. I knew this place existed, it's over by the Sci Fi Dine In, if I'm not mistaken, but I'm including it in a "Wait...What?!?" post because of the fact that I never knew it was an honest to goodness coffeehouse book store. They sell all different coffees, making it a haven for folks dreaming of something besides bland Nescafe, as well as baked goods and have chairs and couches scattered around the store to enjoy your purchase (and maybe a book too!)

Another cool fact I never knew before - it was originally themed after a store in the Ellen TV show. During the mid-90's the Studios had a nice little synergy with ABC going on. I really wish they would continue this. Could you imagine the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground re-tooled with a Lost theme? Make it happen, Disney!

I always passed this place by, thinking it sold nothing but the same Disney books you can get anywhere on property (I also thought was way smaller than it is) but I'll definitely plan on spending some time in there next time I'm at the Studios.

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Via Napoli

2010-08-02T11:10:00.003-04:00

Via Napoli opens at Epcot today. I was just checking out the menu and I have to say that it looks amazing. Like seriously, aside from that pizza with the melon on it, I would eat anything and everything on that menu. I can't wait to try it. My only quibble are the prices. $36 for a pizza? Yikes. That better be one massive pie.

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Main Street Electrical Parade To Stay

2010-07-30T11:20:00.003-04:00

To the shock of absolutely no one, Disney announced this week that the Main Street Electrical Parade will continue past the planned time-frame for Summer Nightastic. Honestly, I wouldn't be entirely shocked if Spectromagic doesn't return for a long long time and instead Disney debuts a new parade...that or MSEP continues until next summer when they "bring back" Spectromagic for the next promotion.

Somewhat surprisingly, the new Tower of Terror effects are gone after August 14, which of course begs the question of why they bothered to develop them in the first place. The best part of Nightastic, the fireworks show, is done on the 14th as well but you can still see the original version when Pirate and Princess Parties return.

Orlando Attractions has full coverage of the Main Street Electrical Parade story here.

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Food & Wine Packages

2010-07-19T23:55:00.001-04:00

Don't forget kiddies, Food & Wine Festival packages go on sale 7am eastern tomorrow morning! Set those alarm clocks!

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Summer Trip Slideshow

2010-06-24T15:02:00.002-04:00

I finally got the slide show of pictures up from my recent summer trip to the World. Check it out for pictures and snide comments on Star Wars Weekends, the return of the Main Street Electrical Parade, the debut of Summer Nightastic, and more!

You can see it all right here.

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You Spent HOW Much??

2010-06-23T11:01:00.002-04:00

There's a story making local news in my hometown where a neighboring school board and high school principal attending an education conference in Orlando and taxpayers ending up footing the $36,000 bill for their trip. A recent audit reports that they were reimbursed for "dinner at a 5-star restaurant, alcohol, and snacks at amusement parks."

Now I have no problem with them getting reimbursed for their trip. It's one of the perks of being a public official and I have no problem with it as long as it's not blatantly taken advantage of. Which brings me to what I find so completely egregious about this story: they spent $4,500 each! I don't think I spent that much combined in my last 4 trips to Walt Disney World. They would have had to go out of their way to spend so much on one trip! I want to know where they did it.

It offends me as both a tax payer and a Disney park fan. Just thought I would vent.

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7 Classic Disney Movies Based on R-Rated Stories

2010-06-22T15:44:00.001-04:00

Here's a great late in the day timewaster from the always hilarious Cracked.com. It's 7 Classic Disney Movies Based on R-Rated Stories! Enjoy!

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World of Color

2010-06-11T00:42:00.003-04:00

Just caught the World of Color premiere streaming live from California Adventure (well, as much as I could without the wonky stream cutting out.) Since everyone seems to be interested in it tonight, here's some thoughts...

The Good:

The entire use of the technology is amazing. It has to be a breathtaking spectacle in person and hits a homerun in that regard.
The opening and especially the finale are very well done. I didn't know where they were going by leading up to the grand finale with Mufasa's death scene but the whole Belle kissing the Beast deal leading into the princesses made it worthwhile.
Also loved the Pirates of the Caribbean scene and huge props for including WALL-E!

The Bad:

What was with all the comedy clips? I thought this show was supposed to be about the goosebump/chill/teary eye moments. Sure there were plenty of those but did we need the wacky caterpiller from A Bug's Life?
Why were people soaked after the show? Is this Sea World? Do we need to remember to bring ponchos to the show?

Basically everything using the film scores and orchestral arrangements was excellent. In fact, I think they should have gone the Illuminations route here and just forgone most of the movie clips (especially the comedy!) and used only songs but mostly orchestral stuff. I'm talking Night on Bald Mountain, Sorcerer's Apprentice, Pirates of the Caribbean, Transformation from Beauty and the Beast, instrumental arrangements of the love songs, etc. They could all combine for an amazing score to a fireworks show...or, in this case, a fountain/fire/laser extravaganza or whatever they're calling it. I understand why they use the video clips, and don't get me wrong those are really cool, but I think they went a little overboard on what some people were calling "Disney trailers on a fountain."

I'm definitely thinking it's the kind of show that's way more amazing live in person but based on what I saw tonight I'm thinking we're hovering in the **** 1/4 range. In other words, not as good as anything currently running at Walt Disney World...but, ya know, still better than almost anything else in the world.

~~~~~
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Guess Who's Going to Disney World...

2010-05-27T11:19:00.000-04:00

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Nightastic!

2010-05-21T10:40:00.002-04:00

The May edition of Disney's Mickey Monitor, annual passholder newsletter, confirmed that the name of the new summer fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom will simply be "Nightastic!" According to the newsletter, the show's storyline will follow Captain Hook and his crew attacking Cinderella Castle before being chased off by the Fairy Godmother and Tinkerbell. Sounds somewhat "Pirate and Princess"-ey if you ask me. Anywho, there's going to be perimeter fireworks with it, so it's all good.

I'll be making a trip to the Magic Kingdom on June 7 to check it out. I should have a review up here on the site pretty quickly afterwards.

I'll also be checking out Star Wars Weekends, so you can expect plenty of Twitter updates about that. Just like my last trip, I may even include a few special "live ratings" for you guys who follow me.

I'm not leaving until June 3, so expect my usual semi-regular updates until then.

~~~~~
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News From Around The World

2010-05-13T10:45:00.001-04:00

R.I.P. LEGENDARY YEARS

Pop Century Resort, as a concept, is officially dead. As if there was much hope over the last nine years that it would ever be complete, the final nail in the coffin came this week when Disney announced plans for the Art of Animation Resort, the first new non-Vacation Club hotel to be built on Disney property since 9/11. Plans call for the resort to be, as expected, all family suites. It will be located across Hourglass Lake from the current Pop Century Resort in the buildings once constructed to be themed after the years 1900-40.

Why do I treat this news with an air of disappointment instead of jubilation? For one thing, Pop Century holds a very special place in my heart. Sure, it's not the Polynesian or Wilderness Lodge or Beach Club or even my beloved Contemporary Resort but it's a wonderful little resort, perfect for those quick getaways or trips that I don't want to see break the bank. And these plans effectively kill it. Now, I know what you're thinking: gee, he's being awfully negative about this whole thing. But let's look at this logically. It makes positively no sense to keep these as seperate resorts seeing as they're all located on one property and share a lake (with a walking path around it and bridge across it.) So what we're looking at is another Port Orleans situation, where Disney is going to wind up operating two distinct resorts under one banner for simplicity's sake. The new resort will be themed after four films: Lion King, Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, and Cars, and will feature the usual value resort motel buildings with big giant icons outside (the rooms are supposed to be deeply themed, probably along the lines of the pirate rooms at the Caribbean Beach.) It will be very easy for Disney to ditch the decades theme at the Pop, since the 50's already have a Lady & The Tramp theme, Jungle Book for the 60's, and Roger Rabbit for the 80's. It would take nothing to slap a Toy Story theme on the 90's and maybe come up with something else for the 70's. Of course, that's all just blue sky predicting on my part.

What IS for certain is that these two resorts will end up sharing buses, which is a big problem since value resort buses are already mad crowded. And the new resort name might be the worst name I've ever heard of for a Walt Disney World resort hotel. "Disney's Art of Animation Resort." WHO in their right mind is going to call it that?"

I'm probably being too hard on Disney on this one, as it's certainly great to see something being done with the eyesore of an abandoned property across Hourglass Lake and the family suites are a welcome addition. It's just that I've grown so fond of the current Pop Century that it's going to be hard for me to watch the poor girl try to reinvent herself.

THE LAST TOUR TO ENDOR

Mark August 14 down on your calendars. That's the last day that we can say, with absolute certainty (or as certain as it gets in the theme park business,) that you can ride Star Tours in its current form. Disney announced a special hard ticket event for that night to coincide with an Orlando Star Wars convention. The event itself, billed as "The Last Tour to Endor," will be something of a one night Pirate & Princess, Very Merry Christmas, etc. type of party at the Studios. There will be special fireworks, "party zones," and all the usual stuff (including, I'm guessing, some soon to be VERY sought after special merchandise.) The park will close to the public at 8pm for the party with guests admitted, as usual, at 4. The price is set at a gargantuan $75. Those tickets will be gone in like a day so make sure to get them the moment they go on sale if this is something you're interested in. You can get tickets on their website here.

This brings up an interesting thought. I really wonder why Disney doesn't do more stuff like this on a regular basis. Do a couple of these types of things during slow times of year and you'll boost attendance in a heartbeat. I know Disney isn't exactly hurting for money, but this is one way to bring in a quick jolt of revenue for an older but beloved ride, since you know you're going to get lots of hardcore enthusiastic fans who will be willing to drop not only $50-75 on hard tickets but also probably the same amount or more on the limited edition t-shirt, CD, poster, and Vinylmation figurine. I can see "Big Thunder Mountain Appreciation Night" or "Muppetgala 2011" or any number of similar things popping up if this is successful. As long as they don't let it get out of hand, I think it could be a pretty cool idea.

One question I have about the particular event at hand, the Star Wars night, is what else is going to be open. I assume that this will be handled like a Magic Kingdom party and they're not going to just do the Star Wars stuff and nothing else, otherwise $75 is an absurd price (granted, not one that I don't think people will pay, but absurd nonetheless.) I'd bet on them keeping Sunset Blvd. open with Rockin Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror, all of the Hollywood Blvd. shops (with Great Movie Ride likely included) and then the Echo Lake area around Star Tours, with one of the restaurants (Hollywood & Vine? Sci Fi?) open and a quick service spot or two (maybe the places around the lake and one of the food courts, the Commissary or more likely the remodeled Backlot Express.) Maybe throw in the Muppets for good measure, but definitely no Toy Story Mania or any of the live shows. Bear in mind that this is all conjecture at this point.

NEWS & NOTES

A very interesting tidbit from Disney's quarterly conference call this week. CEO Bob Iger says the company plans to stop offering theme park and hotel discounts in October to try and get people used to paying full price again. I wouldn't expect this to effect annual pass discounts to end (if it does, they can expect me buying annual passes to end) but it certainly seems like the days of free dining plans are numbered. This is assuming we believe Iger, which we probably shouldn't.

A car ran a red light near Typhoon Lagoon the other day, hitting a Disney bus in the process. It does not appear that the bus was at fault this time around.

A new TALKING Mickey Mouse character debuted recently in a test phase at Disneyland. Whenever they get the technology perfected, this will be a huge deal and change the game for the walk around Disney characters. There's video on the site.

Free dining plan is now available for packages booked 8/15 to 12/2.

Lots-o-Huggin Bear from Toy Story 3 is now greeting guests in Pixar Place at Hollywood Studios.

The Ogurkis family became the 10 millionth guests on Disney's Magical Express last week. They live about 35 minutes from me in Hazleton, PA. Cool for them.

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Talking Mickey Mouse Debuts

2010-05-08T17:22:00.002-04:00

Did anyone have any idea that they were working on this?

This is all kinds of cool: a TALKING walk around character. This is simply amazing and if that video doesn't give you goosebumps, you're on the wrong blog.

I'll have more on this in the next News From Around The World.

As an aside, this is my 200th post here on the site in a little under a year. It's been a blast. Thanks to everyone who's been along for the ride.

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News From Around The World

2010-04-27T11:18:00.003-04:00

DOG DAYS OF...APRIL?

I'd been waiting to post this until there was, you know, some actual news to report. No dice. It's been a really slow end to spring at Walt Disney World but there are some exciting things on the horizon. Summer Nighttastic begins on June 6. I'll be heading to Walt Disney World that weekend to cover the festivities. The Flower & Garden Festival is winding down at Epcot but Star Wars Weekends are on the way for Hollywood Studios. There's also a rumor going around that another free dining offer is on the way very soon. There are a few news items to report from the last few weeks.

For one thing, ask and you shall recieve, I guess. Southwest Airlines is now officially a part of Disney's resort airline check-in service after joining Magical Express this month. A pilot program at the value resorts has led the way for the addition of the service at every resort except Coronado Springs and Saratoga Springs. Those two resorts will likely be added to the program by the time you read this or shortly thereafter.

An update on the new D Street store that a lot of people are going to find very interesting: It seems much of the decor is reused props from the Adventurer's Club. It's good and bad, of course. Good that the memories are living on but bad because now it's obvious that the Adventurer's Club is gone forever.

The Little Mermaid is saying goodbye to the Magic Kingdom for the time being. Ariel's Grotto is expected to close any day now (if it's not already closed by the time you read this) for the Fantasyland expansion. Ariel will eventually be moving to Adventureland until her ride in the new Fantasyland is complete. Until then, you'll have to settle for meeting her during the princess breakfast at Akershus in Norway.

Reports indicate that the Goodings supermarket near Walt Disney World will be closing soon. If so, the nearest grocery store will be the Publix near the Gaylord Palms.

A new resort, CoCo Key, opened up on International Drive on the site of the old Hilton. It's one of those resort/water park properties that are all the rage with the kiddies these days.

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Nightly Nostalgia - Voting PSA with Jerry Mathers

2010-04-19T18:55:00.002-04:00

Coming straight from the "what the heck!?!" department is tonight's video. A PSA from, I'm guessing the late 70's or early 80's featuring Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers, better known as Wally and Beaver Cleaver, learning the importance of voter registration from Goofy and Minnie Mouse.

Yeah...I have no idea either.

The video won't embed, so here's the link from YouTube.

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Nightly Nostalgia - 1993 Vacation Planning Video

2010-04-17T11:21:00.003-04:00

Some of you might remember a while ago I posted about the guy who did the voice-overs on the 1993 Walt Disney World vacation planning video. As it turns out, this is indeed the same guy who does liners on 107.3 The Eagle, Tampa Bay's classic hits station.

More importantly and of more interest to all of you, however, is that the folks at Progress City have actually dug this video out of mothballs and posted it in its entirety from YouTube. It absolutely must been seen to be believed.

It has basically everything imaginable from Walt Disney World in the early 90's, not just the hip 3 or 4 rides you get in today's videos. Plus awesome testimonials from real guests. There's rednecks, British people, crazy 90's clothes and hairstyles.

Yet the craziest thing about this video? I remember that you had to BUY IT at the Disney Store! (At least I did.) Yes, you had to SPEND MONEY for this giant advertisement. And as I suspect many of you did too, I never regretted it for a second. Those were the days, hah?

I posted the first part below. The full video is here.

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News From Around The World

2010-04-06T13:20:00.001-04:00

FROM BAD TO WORSE

What was already a bad month in a bad year for the Walt Disney World transportation system got even worse this week with TWO MORE bus accidents. The first happened when a ten-year-old boy was struck and killed by a bus at Fort Wilderness Resort. The boy was riding a bicycle at the time and was wearing a helmet, according to reports. In this case, the boy cycled into the side of the bus and was dragged under the wheels. It is not believed that the driver was at fault in the accident. Of course, that makes it no less tragic.

The second accident was a fender bender involving a Disney bus and two other cars. According to reports, the eighty-year-old (!!) Disney bus driver did not spot a traffic light in time, causing a chain reaction crash with the two other cars. Apparently this particular driver had been reported for careless and reckless driving in the past. Disney really needs a total overhaul of this transportation system, because this kind of stuff is unacceptable.

NEWS & NOTES

Hallelujah! It's an Easter miracle, as Southwest Airlines has finally joined up with Disney's Magical Express. Guests with current reservations can add their flight information and get the full benefit of the program. This is excellent news for a great many people traveling to Walt Disney World (specifically me.) Of course, they're still not a part of the resort airline check-in service...so it's not too much of a reason to rejoice.

It looks like the cruise line signature Animator's Palate restaurant is going to get a makeover for the Dream. The restaurant will be getting a Finding Nemo overlay. The restaurant will gradually transform from the usual animation studio into an underwater world, complete with fish swimming outside the "portholes" and a version of Turtle Talk with Crush, where the cartoon will talk to guests about their dinner and stuff. Aside from the fact that talking with a cartoon turtle sounds incredibly annoying, I also find humor in the idea of Finding Nemo being the subject of the Artist's Palate restaurant, considering the fact that no artists used any paintbrushes or palates in general to create that film. Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

Two refurbs are scheduled for the Studios in the coming months. Muppetvision will go down April 24-May 14 and Rockin Roller Coaster will be closed May 15-20.

The much maligned Luxo Jr. animatronic at Hollywood Studios appears to have gone dark for good. That's a damn shame.

A new store called D Street, specializing in Vinylmation, has begun soft opening in Downtown Disney. The grand opening is scheduled for April 16. Disney describes it as "chic, offbeat, popular, vintage, kickback, fashionable and fun – fusing urban art and Disney’s creative flair." OK then.

The lineups for the Eat to the Beat Concert Series are set. It'll be Sister Hazel (Oct. 13-15), 38 Special (Oct. 20-21), Night Ranger (Oct. 22-24), Starship featuring Mickey Thomas (Oct. 28-31), and Big Bad VooDoo Daddy (Nov. 12-14). I'd imagine that some more dates are to come.

Disney held a special send off for Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox this week. They presented him with a "Mousekar" award in a ceremony involving Mickey Mouse at ESPN's Wide World of Sports. The Braves hold spring training at the complex and Cox will be retiring this year after 13 seasons with the Braves.

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Get Out The Vote!!

2010-04-05T16:47:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone! Fantasmic is getting slaughtered in the finals of the Theme Park Insider Best Attraction Tournament. We need Disney to represent and at least make it a respectable loss.

By the way, no way is The Voyage the best ride in America, that's lunacy. It's good but it's not that good.

How about getting out the vote for Fantasmic right here!!

~~~~~

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The Disney Films - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

2010-04-01T10:00:00.002-04:00

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1937

Great historical significance.
Classic characters in The Evil Queen and Grumpy. (Well yeah, I guess Snow White too.)
One of the best death scenes in Disney history. (Two words: circling vultures!)

The Bad:

Loose story and plot holes.
Borderline offensive characters.

Random Notes & Nitpicks:

What's with that scene where Snow White goes running through the forest? You know, when half the cast of "Flowers & Trees" tries to kill her or something. I guess just one of many sure signs of hallucinogenic drug use among Disney animators.
The whole "Whistle While You Work" sequence is basically just a glorified Silly Symphony, right down to the actions corresponding to the music.
Doesn't the dwarfs' "Silly Song" sound a lot like a Bavarian version of the "Bear Band" song from "The Country Bear Jamboree?"

Best Theme Park Attraction Tournament

2010-03-30T12:57:00.002-04:00

What's your favorite theme park attraction? What's the best? Theme Park Insider has been trying to answer these questions for the past week or so, with their Best Theme Park Attraction Tournament. It's down to the Sweet 16 and you should definitely check it out if you get a chance.

Things are split up into category specific brackets. In the roller coaster bracket, it's two from Busch Gardens Williamsburg facing off, Apollo's Chariot vs. Griffon, and a really tough battle between Cedar Point's beloved but over-rated Millenium Force and Holiday World's crazy Voyage.

There is strong Disney representation throughout the rest of the tournament.

In the awkwardly titled Best Movie or Animated Show Bracket, it's Philharmagic vs. Disneyland's Tiki Room, and Terminator 2: 3D vs. It's Tough to Be aBug.

In the Best Live Show Bracket, it's Festival of the Lion King vs. the criminally under-seeded Lights, Motors, Action; and on the other side Fantasmic vs. Finding Nemo the Musical.

And over in the Best Themed Ride Bracket, it's Tower of Terror vs. Haunted Mansion, and Spider Man vs. Pirates of the Caribbean.

In my opinion, it's going to be highway robbery if Fantasmic doesn't take the whole thing. I could easily see whichever roller coaster comes out of that bracket (unless it's Griffon, which it won't be) making a strong showing, but most likely it's going to be whichever ride comes out of the themed ride bracket.

No matter which one you're pulling for, let's try to get the vote out for Disney. The tournament continues right now at Theme Park Insider.

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News From Around The World

2010-03-29T13:05:00.002-04:00

JUNE 18

Mark that date down in your calendars because that's the day that theme parks will be changed forever, at least if you believe the folks at Universal. While it will open in some kind of "soft open" phase in late May (including a few weeks set aside just for British vacationers using Virgin Airways,) June 18 will be the official grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Islands of Adventure. Depending on who you believe, this new "land" will not only give Universal the jolt it needs to seriously compete with Disney but it's headline attraction, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, will exemplify the future of theme park entertainment. I tend to not believe either of these statements, both out of general apathy towards the Harry Potter franchise and based on Universal's track record.

Universal released the opening date and details on the Forbidden Journey ride this week. According to Universal, the ride itself will feature the "first-ever combination of advanced robotic ride system technology with innovative, immersive film-making." It will also feature an extraordinarily elaborate queue that takes guests through various rooms at Hogwarts and Universal is saying that the entire experience, including the queue, will last 45 minutes to an hour. I wouldn't imagine that they are figuring the wait time into that number, so I would guess the queue will feature a few pre-show elements, like the Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror, perhaps even more substantial than the latter, which would be pretty impressive. Based on the descriptions I've read, almost all of which come from Universal's press release, I would surmise that the attraction will involve first a queue that winds through a number of themed rooms and areas, like Pirates of the Caribbean and Expedition Everest. Then you will probably come to one or two pre-show areas. If I were to guess, I would say that one will be a large guest swallowing pre-show movie, like at Tower of Terror, that will include the scene where you initially "meet" Harry and the gang and get the ride's premise explained to you. Then there will probably be another queue leading up to the loading zone. The ride itself, if I were to guess, will probably be some type of hybrid of The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man and The Great Movie ride or Dinosaur. What I mean by that is that, I'm guessing it will combine "real" sets with 3-D elements, like the stuff with Harry and friends. There will probably be an animatronic or two involved, the reported "dragon attack" scene comes to mind, and maybe even a few scenes involving some kind of mix of all of the above with live action. The only possible way they can drag what is essentially a thrill ride out over the course of 12 scenes and 45 minutes is if the cars come to stop a bunch of times in numerous rooms, which is where I would bet the live action comes into play (unless they have entire lengthy movie portions, like at Universe of Energy, which would be used to advance the story and calm the riders down before the next big adventure scene.) It's also possible that the ride will implore some kind of trick like at Tower of Terror, where instead of moving through scenes one after another like a traditional dark ride, the ride will move "into" scenes, becoming "immersed" in them and then back out and onto a track and then into another scene, so on and so forth. Apparently Universal has been working on some sort of new ride system to use for this. So it seems like a good bet that this is what it is. Anyway, that's all conjecture based on the little promotional material Universal has released.

In an unintentional bit of hilarity, the opening date of June 18 also happens to be the same day that Toy Story 3 opens in wide release in the United States. I have no idea if there is any significance to this but it made me chuckle.

MORE TRANSPORTATION WOES

So the banner year for Disney's transportation system continues. We have two incidents to report this week. I'll leave it up to you to decide which is more unsettling. The first incident involves the monorail. Reports indicate that a monorail was riding the Epcot line towards the TTC at the end of the night when apparently something went wrong with the suspension or perhaps an axle broke. The result was the monorail violently tipping from side to side as it went around turns. Someone submitted the following eyewitness report to John Frost and The Disney Blog:

My sister and I were riding the monorail with my two nieces, who were on a stroller. It was around 9pm when on a turn, the monorail was leaning to the left side. It was so bad that the stroller went right to the door, even with the breaks on. Then it stopped for about 10-15 min. The stop was not sudden, it made a turn and started leaning towards the left side, it must have been at least 20 degrees of inclination, as it stopped. It was pretty obvious something serious was happening.

They did not say anything about what was happening. They just put the general “delay” message and said that it was going out of service after we get to the station. Then it started moving really slow and on another turn it leaned to the right side, and it stopped for a few minutes. Until we reached the station.

To say that this incident is somewhat unsettling is an understatement. What kind of maintenance work is Disney doing on these trains that they don't notice that the parts are un such a state that they could just "break" during routine service? Even more disconcerning is the claim that the strollers went careening INTO THE DOOR when the train tipped. Could you imagine if it was a few minutes later in the night or at peak morning rush hout and the train was packed with people? It's a scary thought indeed.

The next incident happened on Tuesday when a Disney bus crashed into a parked tour bus near the Epcot toll plaza. Trust me, this one is even more baffling. Reports indicate that a shuttle bus from the new Waldorf Astoria was parked in the right lane due to a mechanical problem. A Disney bus, full of guests, was approaching in the lane behind it and, for whatever reason, the driver never once hit the breaks, I guess assuming the parked bus was, in fact, moving. He was wrong. The Disney bus smashed into the back of the Waldorf bus, at around 35 miles per hour. Seven guests, including a five-year-old boy, ended up hospitalized. The driver had to be airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center, after rescuers spent fifteen minutes cutting through the front of the bus to get him out. The five-year-old was diagnosed with a broken pelvis. There was nobody in the Waldorf bus at the time, including the driver who was standing outside of the bus, indicating that it had, in fact, been parked there for some length of time without incident. How on Earth this managed to happen is completely and utterly baffling to me.

NEWS & NOTES

Concept art has been released for the two new restaurants in the works for World Showcase. The new Patina operated pizzeria going into the Italy pavilion looks to be really great, with an outdoor seating area facing the courtyard. The new Cantina de San Angel looks less promising. The vast majority of seating will be enclosed, making it into more of a Magic Kingdom style quick service location. There will still be a few coveted outdoor tables for Illuminations viewing but it looks be nowhere near as many as the current location. In fact, the restaurant is rumored to be both table service and counter service, so the outdoor tables may end up being first day ADR's now. That makes me sad because the old Cantina was an overlooked gem of Epcot.

Disney recently fitted one of the monorails with an ad decal for the Tron Legacy film coming out in December. So if you notice a crazy looking monorail zooming around on the Epcot line, that's it.

The Studios Catering Company quick service spot debuted a new menu this week. Choices are mostly sandwiches but include a Buffalo Chicken sandwich, something I love that you don't see a lot at Disney World.

In other food news, a few reports indicate that the Flying Fish Cafe at the Boardwalk is in the process of adding some kind of special "chef's counter" dining experience.

A new store called Ridemakerz opened in Downtown Disney this week. The store sells fully customizable model and remote control cars (and spells its name with a "z" at the end to show off how cool it is because, apparently, it's still 1999.) It takes over the spot formerly occupied by the Virgin Megastore. Apparently it's only a limited engagement but there is hope on both ends that it will be popular enough to open in another spot in Downtown Disney, which sounds like a great idea because the Virgin building is WAY too big a spot for it. Even with the whole store in there the building looks empty.

Disney World listed a hiring ad for lifeguards on Facebook this week, directing interested parties to their online hiring page. If you've never been there, it's kind of fun to check out for uber-Disney nerds. Among the things you can check out are the starting salaries for a great number of jobs around the World. If you've ever wondered how much the kid in the Mickey Mouse costume makes, that's the place.

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June 18

2010-03-25T16:58:00.002-04:00

Mark your calendars, Harry Potter fans. It looks like that's the official opening date for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

I assume by now everyone has read the tantalizing details Universal released in their press packet today. I have full coverage of it coming in Monday's News From Around the World.

In my opinion, it's kind of a catch-22 for Universal. The stuff they have planned seems pretty amazing so, on one hand, they've pretty much got a guaranteed ****+ and incredibly popular attraction in their pocket. They're going to draw in huge crowds for at least the next two years. The problem is going to be, first if they can actually convince those people to come back for another vacation, which is going to be an issue because even though Harry Potter land might equal or, to some people, surpass Disney, basically everything else they have comes up short. And you could argue that the even bigger problem is that they've built an entire park around a movie and book franchise that, while incredibly popular right now, is over with. There's no room to expand because all the books are finished. And even if they remain popular for years to come, where do you go with the land? Nowhere. Once the big fans of today visit it, which pretty much all of them will in the next five years, there's no reason for them to want to come back because there's nowhere else to go with the land.

For now though, Universal has the biggest draw in Orlando and will remain this way for the next three or four years until the new Fantasyland opens.

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Blogosphere - What's Wrong with Disney Feature Animation?

2010-03-24T11:26:00.003-04:00

I just read an interesting commentary from Toonzone's Ed Liu regarding what he feels are the big problems with Disney's recent animated features, in particular "The Princess & The Frog." He brings up some interesting points and I agree that there doesn't seem to be one big problem that needs to be addressed but rather a bunch of smaller ones that, added up over the years, are now resulting in disappointing box office returns even for good movies.

I definitely agree that putting "princess" right there in the title had to have scared off some boys. I also think that the extremely strong performance of Avatar had to have hurt it a little with those same boys. It's totally baffling to me, however, that a seemingly wretched movie like "Alvin & The Chimpmunks: The Squequal" managed to do so much better than it.

This is a point that I've been making for awhile but I think one big problem with Disney's newer films is the style of animation. No, I don't mean the switch from traditional to CG back to traditional. I mean the style of drawing the characters. I don't know if there is a technical term for the shift or even an exact impetus for the switch but, trust me, it's there. In many of the older films, especially the extremely popular early 90's stuff like "Beauty & The Beast," "Aladdin," and "The Lion King" that I remember growing up with, the characters were always smoothly drawn and appeared, for lack of a better term, "realistic." (And yeah, I know that they really aren't too realistic with the giant eyes and such. But they just seem more "Disney real" if that makes sense.) Then sometime in the late 90's there was a shift to drawing with much harder edges and absurdly exaggerated features. And this wasn't just at Disney, I've noticed it in many of the cartoons I see on television today. I don't know if it's an attempt to look more like anime or what but it's one of those things that's always bugged me.

Take a look at these two screenshots from later Disney films: This one from "Tarzan" and This one from "The Princess & The Frog."

Then look at these two from the 90's golden age: This one from "Aladdin" and This one from "Beauty & The Beast."

Notice the difference in the animation? The difference in the character's shape and edges. Doesn't the first set seem a little...off? Perhaps its just my bias as someone who grew up during the time of the second set and to kids from today maybe those two are the ones that seem wrong.

It's not like I'm saying this is the reason for the film doing so poorly. But what I am saying is that if Disney really wants to remind people of the times when they made good films then they need to do more than just go back to the princess storytelling template: they should go back to drawing the films the same way as well. Maybe then they'll erase the stigma that the disastrous end of the Eisner era created.

Then again, maybe it's the old Disney park curse. Films where the attraction opens in the parks before the movie opens in theaters always do below expectations. No idea why. It's just a bizarre coincidence/fact of Disney life.

Read the article and see what you think: Part 1 and Part 2.

I wrote a paper on the decline of traditional animation for a class way back in 2004. I should dig that up and see how it relates to this discussion.

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News From Around The World

2010-03-22T17:39:00.001-04:00

Universal announced that they will be announcing more details on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter on March 25. Yes, an announcement about an announcement. It's expected that they'll be announcing details on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride and a grand opening date for the island.

I haven't seen the show this season but apparently Aaron Kelly, one of the final 11 contestants on American Idol, was a dream ticket winner at Hollywood Studios. That's pretty cool so congrats to him. I guess if your dreams really are of the American Idol variety, it helps to try them out in Orlando.

There's a new pool coming to Saratoga Springs. There will be a zero entry pool with a slide, a water play area, a huge deck, and a quick service dining location.

I don't think I reported this earlier. The Sounds Like Summer concert series schedule is set. June 12-19 is Stayin Alive (Bee Gees cover band,) June 20-26 is Hotel California (Eagles cover band,) July 4-10 is Satisfaction (Rolling Stones,) July 11-17 is Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi,) July 18-24 2U (U2,) and July 25-31 Beginnings (Chicago covers.) June 27-July 3 is to be announced.

It looks like the end of the road for motion capture at Disney, at least for the time being. Robert Zemeckis' IMD studio will shut down soon. This was the studio that did Christmas Carol. It remains to be seen if Disney is backing away from the filmmaking style or looking to take it in a different direction.

Sad to report the death of Fess Parker this week. Parker played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone in the popular films and television series in the 1950's and 60's. Their success laid much of the foundation for Frontierland at Disneyland.

The Disney Fans Insider online newsletter recently changed its layout.

Mental Floss posted a Presidential trivia quiz this week and used a stock photo from the Hall of Presidents.

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Wizarding World of Harry Potter Preview Videos

2010-03-19T12:52:00.001-04:00

OK, I'll admit that these make me kind of a little excited about it.

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News From Around The World

2010-03-15T16:53:00.002-04:00

Slightly different style/format starting this week. Maybe we'll like it, maybe we won't. Comments are welcome.

Good news for people with oodles of money and vacation time on their hands. Disney announced this week an annual pass good for every domestic park, Florida and California. The "Premier Passport" is good for admission to all 4 Florida parks, both California parks, the water parks, DisneyQuest, and Wide World of Sports plus the usual parking and other pass-holder benefits. It can all be yours for $700.

Maybe that will appease the fans who are angry over the announcement that this year's D23 expo is off. That was pretty much the only reason to be a member of that club, wasn't it? They're having one next year though and will have a two day "destination event" at Disneyland this year.

The Sherman Brothers were honored with a long overdue window on Main Street at Disneyland. The window reads "Two Brothers Tunemakers." It's located on the beginning of Main Street near the Cinema.

Disney CEO Bob Iger, at the company's annual meeting, said that he has no plans to release Song of the South on DVD. He went on to call it "fairly offensive." Not offensive enough to not base a theme park attraction on, but apparently offensive nonetheless.

A cast member was hospitalized over the weekend after an accident at the Tomorrowland Speedway. I don't have many details but as best I can tell the cast member was struck by one of the cars and the injuries were not severe. Not that I ever wish for people to get hurt, but I'm kind of hoping this is just one of many reasons Disney will have to eventually shut this eyesore of a ride down.

Random wacky story of the week. Apparently Disney has partnered with a bunch of designers and high-end retailers for some absurdly extravagant Alice in Wonderland tie-in products. Among them are $1200 Versace shoes, a $630 Sue Wong gown, a $475 Furla handbag, and $115 Swarovski pendant. If you own any of the above items, please seek help.

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The Blogosphere

2010-03-10T16:20:00.002-05:00

Steve Huettel of TampaBay.com has an article on Mike Steuben of TravelingSense.com on life as a "passenger of size."

I recently stumbled upon a great blog called "Stuff From The Park." It describes itself as "a collection of images and other items from Disneyland, theme parks, and other amusement parks." Check it out if you've got the time.

Stacy at The Disney Blog has a look at the new Holiday Inn Resort (we had coverage in News From Around the World earlier in the week.)

Disney actually put up a pretty hilarious video on their members only website. It was linked in the "March Disney Hello" e-mail that's usually filled with nothing but fluff and outdated news. "Timmy Tours the Magic Kingdom" is a "stroller's eye view" of a baby's first trip to the Magic Kingdom and it's hilarious. The thing with the flower beds and "look at the hamster's from G-Force" had me LOL'ing. Check it out of you're on the mailing list.

Theme Park Insider is doing their annual Best Theme Park Attraction tournament. If you haven't been checking it out, you should (if you're into that sort of thing.)

If you've got a blog that you think we should be looking at or saw a great Disney story that you'd like to share with the world, drop us an e-mail, tweet us, or reply in the comments!

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News From Around The World

2010-03-08T15:43:00.003-05:00

It's a really slow news week at Disney World.

The new Holiday Inn is open on Hotel Plaza Blvd. Orlando Attractions Magazine has a bunch of pictures. It looks pretty nice, similar to the Contemporary. Almost a more contemporary Contemporary, if you will.

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is up and running. All Ears Net has an inside look from Debra Martin Koma and a photo gallery. Orlando Attractions Magazine also has a look.

The new Universal Orlando brocure has some information on Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions. Orlando Attractions Magazine has it up on their site.

Up didn't take home the Best Picture Award at the Oscars last night, but it did land Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. It was one of only five films to win multiple awards. So, all in all, it was a pretty good night for Disney.

Speaking of the Oscars, it was nice to see Roy included in the "in memory" retrospective. Also, I thought James Taylor did a really great job.

That's all the news I've got for you this week. We'll update during the week if anything else breaks.

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Some Links I've Been Forgetting to Post...

2010-03-05T12:52:00.001-05:00

The Orlando Sentinel has Wizrding World of Harry Potter pictures here and here.

DizneyMike at All Ears Net has pictures of the pizzeria being constructed in Italy at World Showcase. This is long overdue: both an expansion of SOMETHING in World Showcase and GOOD pizza at Disney World.

In other restaurant news, it's just what Disney needed: another Latino restaurant! All Ears Net has info.

In a move that only makes perfect sense (so it's surprising, I know) dinner at Cinerella's Royal Table will now be a full princess character experience, instead of just meeting some of the royal family at the door. The Daily Disney has info.

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Tragedy at SeaWorld

2010-02-24T15:45:00.006-05:00

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that a trainer was killed earlier today during a performance of Believe, the killer whale show, at SeaWorld Orlando. According to reports, one of the whales lept from the tank and grabbed the trainer by the waist and began "thrashing her around." The stadium was evacuated as medical personnel tended to the victim.

Trainer Dawn Brancheau was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Orlando Attractions Magazine, Screamscape, and Jaunted have updates on the incident.

A Twitterer named SapphicKitty was in the audience and managed to snap this picture as the show began. (Note: It's not of anything graphic. Just one of the whales before the show.)

An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. Based on the nature of the story I doubt many more details are going to be forthcoming. It's a wild animal with "killer" in its name. Sadly these things are bound to happen from time to time.

Nevertheless, our thoughts and prayers are with the trainer, her friends and family, and the entire SeaWorld and Blackstone family.

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Grumpy Mumblings: Pizza Planet

2010-02-22T15:55:00.001-05:00

Want to know something that always annoyed me? That Disney never built a Pizza Planet restaurant anywhere.

With the Pixar stuff omnipresent anyway it seems only logical that a restaurant themed after the huge arcade and pizza joint from Toy Story. I know what you're thinking: they did open a Pizza Planet at the Studios. But that's Pizza Planet in name only. I want the full theme. The robot centurions at the door, the space themed arcade stuff inside, the crazy announcements. It would fit right in at Tomorrowland or in Pixar Place.

It's one of those ideas that's so obvious its baffling why its never been done.

Anyway, don't mind me. These are just my grumpy mumblings of the day.

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The Blogosphere

2010-02-18T17:06:00.001-05:00

Some old stuff I've been meaning to post forever:

Let's start things off on a depressing note. Remember River Country? Apparently Disney doesn't. Tri-circle-D at DISboards has a whole bunch of amazing pictures of the park in its current destroyed and overgrown state. I have some bad news for you guys: it's never reopening.

Chris Beale has a great editorial up at Orlando Attractions on the closure of Pleasure Island. I have to admit, I had high hopes for what I thought Disney would do with the location. The result has been, let's say "not so favorable" to say the least.

Everything Walt Disney World has a review of Touring Plans' Lines app. I'm not going to lie, this is part of the reason I bought a Droid.

If I'm ever incredibly rich, I'll be making sure to have an event like this one, reported on at The Disney Food Blog.

Finally, John Frost at the Disney Blog notes an interesting milestone in Disney history.

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Ride Review - Tiana's Showboat Jubilee

2010-02-12T19:13:00.002-05:00

The Saints won the Super Bowl, it's Mardi Gras in a few days, so what else do you think I should be reviewing this week? Who Dat?!?!

Intro: Opened at the Magic Kingdom this past October to correspond to the Disney animated feature “The Princess & The Frog,” this is sort of a parade, show, and meet & greet hybrid. I never got the chance to see it live but thanks to the magic of YouTube, it lives on forever. I also have never seen the movie it’s based on…so this review is certainly going to be an adventure. But no doubt a jubilant one (if not, I’m calling false advertising!)

Show: An inviting southern voice welcomes us “down by the river” for a production of Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee. I’m already jubilant. Dancers march through Frontierland into Liberty Square, alongside a jazz band complete with an alligator who plays the trumpet and is more likely than not a character from this film that I’ve never seen.

Princess Tiana is not far behind, alongside her prince, who until this time I honestly believed was a frog. Also, the cast member playing him appears to be an Indian man. I hope this is the case in the movie. Disney’s first black princess AND their first half Indian, half frog prince! The diversity!

Anyway, they all pile onto the Liberty Belle Riverboat because, well, this show obviously needs every wacky gimmick possible. And that’s not even the only wacky gimmick! Because a bunch of people from the park get picked to wave streamers from aboard the boat. I have no idea how you get picked to do this but I’m glad they never picked me. Not because I wouldn’t want to do it, in fact just the opposite. I would never be able to say “no.” But then when I got home and told people “I got to be part of a show at Disney!” and they ask which one and I tell them “Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee,” well I just don’t want to deal with the looks of confusion and/or disappointment that would follow.

What was I talking about? Oh yeah. Some kind of show about a frog and a boat.

Tiana complements the band on their performance and then delivers a line that sounds a lot like “that’s enough to make you want to reach out for a drink.” I’m pretty sure it was supposed to be “reach out for a dream,” which is unfortunate because I actually would like to reach out for a drink. So they all sing a song and do some dancing and smart money is that a similar scene plays out in animated form during the film.

The alligator shares his dream with us: it’s do be human. Apparently he wants to go to New Orleans and, I assume, play his trumpet somewhere in the general vicinity of the French Quarter. If this alligator character is as much of an obvious take on Louis Armstrong as this show suggests, it’s really a shame Louis Prima couldn’t have played the role.

The song concludes to AN EXPLOSION on top of the ship. I’m betting this is the evil villain of the film. He seems to be some kind of weird cross between a pimp and a voodoo master. Once again, I really hope that’s what he is in the movie. He asks the prince to pick some tarot cards. As best I can tell he picked the “transformation central” card. I say this because pimpmaster Cleo yells it over and over again.

Tiana wants to make sure “folks like that don’t steal away our dreams.” I wonder how many poor young girls have said the same. Apparently their way to chase him away is with DANCING. Well, of course it is.

They sing some more. “Let’s wish upon a wishing star, ‘cause when we do our dreams come true.” No, that sounds NOTHING like the words to another (better) Disney song. The boat starts moving down the Rivers of America and the show is over.

Thoughts: As much as I made fun, this show is by no means bad and it’s not a knock on the talented performers who are in it. It’s just one of those things where you can tell it was thrown together in, like, two weeks with no budget whatsoever. My problems with it are more the philosophical kind, where I’d rather things the old way when Disney would base rides and shows on beloved movies, not throw together rides and shows to try to convince people to go the movies to see whatever new thing they’re trying to push.

It’s fine and it serves it’s purpose but, well, so does the Ferris wheel at Six Flags, ya know?

Overall Rating: ** ½

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