Goodbye, Roy

Roy E. Disney, son of Disney Studios co-founder Roy O., and the nephew of Walt, has died at the age of 79.

Roy E. was involved with the Walt Disney Company for more than 56 years and was vice chairman of the BoD from 1984-2003, and chairman of the Studios' animation department. More recently, Roy E. served as director emeritus and consultant for the Company.


Disneyphiles (Disney lovers) may remember Roy E. as the man who 'took on' Michael Eisner in 2003-05, when many were dissatisfied with Eisner's job performance as head of Disney.

Requiescat in Pace, Roy

Dancin' in the Park

We were at the EPCOT/World Showcase this weekend and I always check out the model train at the Germany pavilion when we're there. 


There is a pavilion in the village. And in the pavilion there is a dancing couple. Either they fell over (probably) or ... maybe the CMs were having some fun because I do suspect they move things around during non-open hours..



P.S.  Mickey has been A.W.O.L. from the castle for quite some time. Please come back, Mickey!

Disney Picture of the Day

(I dunno who these people are, but they have a great sense of humor)

Busch Gardens Newbies

We finally made it over to Busch Gardens Tampa.

Before going, we had determined to NOT see and do everything in one day.

But we definitely wanted to:
ride the Rhino Rally,
ride the Serengeti Express,
ride the Skyride

Did all of those, liked them all.
The train's wheels did at times make an awful noise as we rolled along. Very distracting.

The Good:
The park was easy to find, even for 1st-timers.
BG's employees were friendly and helpful.

The Better:
Not crowded!

The Best:
The Park's cleanliness was most impressive.

The So-So:
Lunch: We had sandwiches (His: Italian Sausage, Mine: Corned Beef) at the Desert Grill.  The food was so-so, typical theme park fare, not as good as some of the WDW counter-service places. The servers were friendly.

It was hot and humid and the lush foliage added to it (like at DAK), so the animals were lethargic (just like us after lunch!).

Will we go back?
You betcha!
We missed all of Jungala, and will do that next time.

WWWD?

The Disney Company just spent about $4 Billion to acquire 5,000 Marvel characters.

Some of them (Spider-Man, The Hulk, Dr. Doom) can already be seen as rides / attractions up the road at Marvel Super Hero Island, Islands of Adventure, Universal Orlando.
I have two problems with this.

#1 That $4 billion could have been spent upgrading ALL of WDW's parks, building a new moderate resort and upgrading the others, re-opening River Country and Discovery Island (both of which are just moldering away), creating a new land at DAK (how about Australia!), adding a new country to Epcot's World Showcase, keeping the parks cleaner, or how about this: extending the monorail to run all over WDW and get rid of the buses.


#2 Marvel characters are NOT Disney characters. I admit to being somewhat of a 'traditionalist'; I just can't see Captain America (for example) and Mickey together.

So, What Would Walt Do?
Well, I'm pretty sure he'd be spinning at about Warp 6.

Food & Wine in '09

I'm laughing because as I was typing the title, I kept hitting $ instead of & ... and as anyone who has been to Epcot's Food and Wine Festival knows, $ might be more appropriate!

Anyhooo ...

The 2009 Food and Wine ( September 25th - November 8th) Food Kiosk list has been released ... see it HERE

There have been a few changes:

No Durban Spiced Chicken skewers at the South Africa kiosk;
(guess I'll have to go to Boma's )

No Frozen Bailey's at Ireland's booth.
(there's an $8 saving)

OH. Waitaminnit.

South Africa is offering something new:
South seared beef tenderloin with sweet potato puree and mango barbecue sauce.

And there are new kiosks from Thailand and Rio de Janerio.

So much for saving any $$.

Update: WWoHP

Thanks to Ricky at Orlando Attractions Magazine:

Possible Names for WWoHP Rides, Restaurants & More:

A search on the website for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office reveals that back in May, Warner Bros. filed for several trademarks that are likely related to the new “theme park within a theme park”.

Some of the trademarked names are familiar: Three Broomsticks, Butterbeer, Ollivanders, Honeydukes, and Zonko’s.

Beyond those, six more trademarks may point to other areas of the Wizarding World and could even be the names of the attractions within it:

- Most notably, the name “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” is filed under “Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park ride.” It may be safe to assume that this will be the name of the large new ride that is being constructed in the back of the park.

- Likewise, listed under the same category are “Flight of the Hippogriff” and “Dragon Challenge,” which are likely going to be the new names for the existing Flying Unicorn and Dueling Dragons rides.

- Four other trademark names are also listed:

“Owl Post” and “Dervish and Banges” are categorized as retail stores.

“Hogsmeade Village” is listed as “Entertainment services in the nature of an amusement park attraction, namely, a themed area.”

“Magic Neep” is categorized under “Restaurant services, namely, providing of food and beverages for consumption.”

- Finally, on the same day that all of these were filed, a mark intended for use on clothing was filed featuring an Harry Potter “HP” logo along with a “stylized wing ball” better known to Potter fans as a Golden Snitch. While “Golden Snitch” has had many trademarks filed for in the past few years, this is one appears to be related to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter simply because its filing date is the same as the rest of the words. Perhaps we’ll see this graphic appearing on apparel inside the theme park.

It must be noted that while all of these words have been filed as trademarks, it doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily going to be used inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. There is no reason why further marks could not be filed for in the future. But it is certainly possible that next year we will have a chance to ride something called Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

(Credit to Orlando United for first posting the word list)

Image: Universal Studios Orlando

Di$ney

The Hubby and I were on the way back to the parking lot after finishing our Sunday morning walk around Boardwalk.

There was an ambulance, with lights flashing, pulled up to the front of the Boardwalk Inn.

Hubby remarked, "Somebody just got their bill."

(Hint: Never, ever, add charging privileges to your room key! You just might get a real surprise at check-out if you don't keep track of all your charges.)

What the Tink?

Remember that major refurbishment of Fantasyland I wrote about?

Well.
It just might be majorly more than merely major.
Theme Park Rangers has the blue prints ... and a few questions!

+ What does this mean to Mickey and Minnie's houses in Toon Town?

(Oh no! They had better NOT get bulldozed like Residential Street over at the Studios was!)

+ Why are two areas designated "DUMBO"?

(Dueling Dumbos?)

+ Like much of Disney in the 21st century, it's princess-heavy: a Cinderella attraction, an Aurora attraction and big Little Mermaid attraction.

(And all the Disney Princess merchandise to go with them.)

+ The area marked as "Castle Wall"?

(What the Tink?)

+ Reason to believe: something HAS to be in the works somewhere, right?

(Right! Disney will definitely do SOMETHING to counter Harry Potter over at Universal's Islands of Adventure).

YeHaa Bob!

Yehaa Bob is one of WDW's hidden treasures.

If you've ever been over at Port Orleans-Riverside on a Wednesday-Saturday night and walked past the River Roost Lounge, you've seen and heard Bob Jackson in action.

If you've stopped to watch and listen, you already know what I'm talkin' about.

And I hesitate to educate any one who doesn't because Bob's shows are already pretty crowded.

Here's Bob's website

Something New at WDW Water Parks

If you have an extra $250 in your pocket:

Beachcomber Shacks at Typhoon Lagoon

Polar Patios at Blizzard Beach

Renters receive all-day drink mugs, bottled water, lounge furniture, tables, towels, private lockers and the services of an attendant. The 4 Beachcomber Shacks / 4 Polar Patios are currently offered on a first come, first served basis, and accommodate up to 6 guests at a cost of $250 plus tax for a day.

Photo: Bsikor

H/T: WDW Magic

Up, Up, & Away!

There's a new sight on the WDW horizon:

The big yellow (and red) "Characters in Flight" balloon.

It is located at DTD-West Side, at the bridge-to Pleasure Island end;

The altitude varies depending on weather;

The # of Passengers (up to 30) depends on weather;

Fare: $16 adults, $10 children (ages 3-9)

Did it. Loved it. Want to do it again at night!

(Photo by Kiyomi Photography )

Reading Trip reports

I enjoy reading the Disney newsgroups. Sometimes I learn something, sometimes I get a new perspective, sometimes I get a headache.

Recently, a Disney DVC member (as she kept reminding the readers) posted a very detailed 5-part trip report about her 5-day visit.

She complained about:

the resort,
the food,
the Cast Members,
the other guests,
the Disney bus transportation,
the parks,
the weather,
the local television news bumping scheduled shows to report on the severe flooding in the area,

ad nauseum.

And - wait for it - at the end of the last report, she can't wait to come back!

BTW: on her 1st day, she notes that in a phone call from her office, she approved the laying off of staff in her business ...

I wonder if those folks are enjoying her trip reports?

Destination: Dollywood

After much (much) discussion/whining, the hubby has agreed to take me to Dollywood!


Although I'd love to go in the fall, we're planning on a spring trip because the park hours are better.

Now, as all experienced Disney World-goers know, having a trip plan is essential, especially for the first visit. It doesn't have to be set in stone, but knowing what and where can save lots of time and trouble.

And oftentimes, unofficial info (from experienced park-goers) is much more informative and helpful than what you find on the official site.

So, I've been doing research or at least attempting it because other than the official site, there just isn't that much current information out there.

I have tried joining Yahoo groups, but there is absolutely nothing going in them (except for the spammers ... "I want to meet you"... "Please be my friend".)

I have read the Dollywood and Pigeon Forge Trip Advisory Forums which sometimes offer helpful hints, but most often it's folks complaining about the cost. They have obviously never visited certain Orlando attractions.

Anyhoo ... if there happens to be an experienced Dollywood-goer out there who will share advice, hints, and helpful do's and dont's, I would love to hear from you! Just drop a note to the comments section. TIA !!

Inside Hogwarts Castle

Who here is excited about Universal Orlando-Islands of Adventure's
Wizarding World of Harry Potter?

Me! Me! Me!

I've been watching that big building go up behind the fence for many, many months.

It's gotta be Hogwarts Castle!

But what will be inside?
Restaurants? Shops?

Bill Davis, Universal Orlando's president, may have given Orlando Sentinel writer Dwayne Bevil a big hint last October.

"When you get off that, you'll say 'Wow, how did they do that?' "

Whoa! A ride?!?

There are a couple of WWoHP rides rumored to be in the works: a Quidditch match (using the Dueling Dragons tracks) and a flying car (the Weasleys' Ford Anglia) through the Forbidden Forest.

Whatever it may be, I'm excited!

A Sad Day

Wayne Allwine,

Mickey's voice for 32 years,

has died.

Confession # 10: I Miss Food Rocks

Food Rocks (previously known as the Kitchen Kabaret) closed in January, 2004, to make room for Soarin'.

We never missed this 12-minute, er, concert when we were at Epcot. And if the Boy was with us, we might see it twice.

And I should mention two things: 1) the Boy was much older than you might think, and 2) this was the only animatronic attraction that Hubby never slept through.

Although Soarin' is absolutely worth the wait in line, I DO miss those hokey little characters singing those familiar, yet different, tunes:

Füd Wrapper (the host),

The Utensils - a collection of kitchen gadgets based on the band Queen ("Give Us Junk"),

The Refrigerator Police ("Every Egg You Break"),

the Peach Boys ("Good Nutrition"),

Pita Gabriel ("High Fiber"),

Chubby Cheddar ("Let's Exercise"),

Neil Moussaka ("Vegetables Are Good For You"),

The Sole of Rock 'n' Roll, a fish that strongly resembles the singer Cher,

a piano-playing "Little Richard" pineapple ("Tutti Frutti"),

and The Get-To-The-Point Sisters (a new version of "Respect")

Maybe these guys could be relocated, like over in the Wonders of Life building?

Wishful Thinking # 4: Magic Kingdom

The rumor is that Fantasyland will be undergoing a major refurbishment.

Yay! About time, too.

They've already started on Space Mountain.

Here's hoping that the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh will disappear and Mr Toad's Wild Ride will reappear.

I know. That's really wishful thinking.

I also hope that there might be plans for the old Skybucket station in Fantasyland. It would make a really cool restaurant. Or something.

And how about refilling the old 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea lagoon in Fantasyland for a Finding Nemo ride like the one at Disneyland ?

Flash Mountain

Dateline DisneyLand:

Disney has stopped scanning souvenir photos in its theme park rides for guests exposing themselves on camera.

The Disney company confirmed Tuesday (May 5th) that the employees "cast members" at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure who had watched photo previews for inappropriate flashing have been reassigned to other duties.

Said a Disneyland spokesperson, "Actual inappropriate behavior by guests are rare."

These changes took affect Sunday at souvenir photo rides Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, California Screamin', and Space Mountain.

Disney began screening ride photos 10 years ago to stop riders from exposing their breasts and making lewd gestures, which would be visible to all riders in the photo preview at the ride's exit.

I wonder when/if the policy at WDW will follow.

*Note: There is a website Flash Mountain that features these photos.

Also note: you must be over 18 to view them (yeah, right).

DisneySpeak

Yes, Disney has its own language.


Attraction: Ride or theater presentation

Audience: Crowd

Backstage: Behind the scenes, out of view of guests

Bull Pen: Queuing area

Cast Member: Disney employee (even Meg Crofton, WDW President, is a CM)

Character: Disney character impersonated by a CM

Costume: Work attire, uniform

Dark Ride: Indoor ride<

Day Guest: Any customer not staying a Disney resort

Face Character: A character that does not wear a head-covering costume.

General Public: Same as Day Guest

Guest: Customer

Hidden Mickeys: Frontal silhouette of Mickey's Head (3 circles) subtly placed, well, everywhere! There are some classic HM's featuring a side silhouette of Mickey.

In Rehearsal: An attraction that is operating though not officially open

Lead: Foreman or manager, the person in charge of an attraction

On Stage: In full view of guests

Preshow: The entertainment at an attraction prior to the feature presentation

Resort Guest: A customer staying at a Disney resort

Soft Opening: Opening a park or attraction before its stated opening time

Transitional Experience: An element of the queuing area and/or preshow that provides a story line

WDW Trivia

The name of the water tank located at Disney's Hollywood Studios is the Earffel Tower.

The hat size of the custom set of mouse ears adorning the water tower is 342.

Every plastic bench in AK is made of recycled milk jugs.

WDW has eliminated most of its insecticide use, replacing chemicals with predatory insects, many of which are bred at 'The Land' in Epcot.

The Rock 'N Roller coaster was built first and then the building was constructed around it.

The only public exhibit of Malayan Flying Foxes in North America is at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

The Country Bear Jamboree was the first major park attraction to debut at WDW and then copied for the other Disney parks.

Main Street, USA was inspired by Marceline, Missouri, where Walt grew up.

The Tree of Life (AK) is made of concrete, over a modified oil rig.

There are climate-controlled rocks on the safari, to encourage the lions to sit in view of the safari vehicles.

The village of Harambe is based on the Kenyan town of Lamu.

Spaceship Earth is made out of alucabond, a carbon-aluminum compound, which is easily cleaned and can withstand the Florida climate.

The Living Seas Aquarium is so large that Spaceship Earth (160 feet in diameter) would fit inside with room to spare.

The Body Wars film was directed by Leonard Nimoy, Mr. Spock in "Star Trek".

The National Geodetic Survey has a first order GPS station on the WDW property stamped as station RATWORLD.

Seven Seas Lagoon, a man-made lake, is 14 ft deep. Bay Lake, a natural lake, is 12 ft deep.

Christmas Day is the busiest day of the year at WDW.

The Maleficent dragon in "Fantasmic!" weighs a massive 32,000 lbs.

Sorcerer Mickey hat: The hat itself is 100 feet tall; The summit of the Icon reaches 122 feet; The hat size is 605 7/8; The hat weighs 156 tons.

The name of the talking tree at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is Wes Palm.

In 1967 the Florida legislature created the Reedy Creek Improvement District, having most of the powers of a county, to encompass the WDW property. The district has its own building code, supervises construction projects, and runs the fire department.

The original name of Discovery Island was Treasure Island.

At Typhoon lagoon, the home port of Miss Tilly (the stranded ship) is 'Safen Sound, FL .

The MK is 107 acres (the parking lot is another 125 acres); Epcot is 300 acres (the lake is 40 acres); DHS is 154 acres; DAK is 500 acres; Ft Wilderness is 600 acres. Disneyland (CA) is 80 acres.

The musical staff notes across the registration desk at Port Orleans Resort spell out the first verse of “When the Saints Go Marching In”.

The Coronado Springs Quiet Pools are the first on Disney property to use Bromine instead of Chlorine.

Phil Simms was the first celebrity to reply, "I'm going to Disney World!", in a series of television commercials.

WDW Mileage

Just so ya know:

--It is almost exactly TWO miles from Security at the front of DHS to the front turnstiles of Epcot.

--It's 1.32 miles from the Studios Security to Security at Epcot's International Gateway, via the path that runs past the BoardWalk.

--It is .59 miles from International Gateway to the front turnstiles of Epcot.

--It is .76 miles from the start of the path to the Studios (from the sign that says "Pathway to Studios" near the Swan/Dolphin bridge) to DHS security.

--It's .81 miles around Crescent Lake (the lake between Boardwalk & the Beach & Yacht Club Resorts).

--It's .39 miles from Security at Epcot's International Gateway to the BoardWalk Lobby.

--It's about .28 miles from the entrance of Animal Kingdom to the entrance of Kilimanjaro Safari.

WDW Trip Report, 2003

I was reading through some old files, trying to get an idea for a new post, when I came across this WDW Trip Report from March 10, 2003.

Ah, the Good Old Days!

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The little sister's birthday is looming. One of those that ends in 0. And begins with 5. Bro and I think: What better way to make her feel young when she's thinking about being 'old' than to spend a day at WDW?

So, on The Day, I call her at 7 am, tell her to put on the coffee, I'll be there and then we can go for a walk (a neat way to make sure she has on walking shoes).

Bro arrives about 7:45. We yell "Road trip"! and pile into his car. I 'innocently' ask him if the Alligator Farm (in St. Augustine) knows that we're coming. A diversionary tactic, which lasted until we passed that exit. Once we made the turn onto I-4 sis had a pretty good idea as to the destination, but which park? The jig was up when we turned in to the Disney-MGM Studios parking lot (her favorite of the 4 parks).

Sis went to Guest Services to renew her pass, and I went to another window to get her 'Birthday Button'.

Then we went to make an early PS at Hollywood & Vine, a particular favorite, but Bro has never been there (he favors The Prime Time) and Sis had only been there once for breakfast.

Now, neither of them likes the 'wild' rides, so I knew I wouldn't get to ride the Tower this time. Since the Great Movie Ride was closed, we went to see the newly refurbished Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which Bro hasn’t seen.

It's close to time for our lunch PS, so we get FastPasses for 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-Play It!' and then stroll over to the Hollywood & Vine. I ask for a table in Tom's section, but he wasn't working that day. The characters have either noticed the Birthday Button or have been tipped off and they all make a special point of coming over to give Sis a hug. At the end of our meal, they bring out a birthday cupcake, balloon, and card signed by Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Chip & Dale and then everyone sings Happy Birthday. Sis is loving it!

After lunch it's off to the Animation Studio tour and we are first in line for the next tour. While waiting, Bro calls a friend who works there and the next thing we know she (and a supervisor) have come out to say hello and wish Sis a Happy Birthday.

After the tour it's time for our FastPasses at 'WWTBAM-PI!', and again we are the first in line there. Bro strikes up a conversation with CM Daisy (who notices the Birthday Button). Daisy tells us that we just missed seeing someone get the Million Points and indeed, we saw the lucky guy come out covered with streamers and carrying his new 'WWTBAM-PI' leather jacket. After taking our seats, Bro, who is sitting between us, nudges me and says, "I think something special might happen". We see CM Daisy talking to the camera tech and looking in our direction. Sure enough, when they do the camera check at the beginning of the show, when it comes to our section, they focus on Sis and say 'And here's Nancy celebrating her birthday!' Sis is bright pink, but loving it.

So, playing the first game, the contestant goes out fairly early, before the 1,000 point level. During the second game, at the 1000 point level, they do the board check... I'm Number 2! Wow! That's the best I've ever done! And it's a full house that day, too! Wouldn't you know, the guy misses the next question, so I'm thinking that's the show, but wait. The hostess says, "Would you like to play another game?" I have never seen them do 3 games at a sitting, and of course the audience goes 'YES!' So they check the board, and uh-oh, my seat number was at the top of the Board. I looked from the board to the number in front of me and back again. My brother kept elbowing me and saying, "It's you". I vaguely remember tromping on at least 3 people's feet trying to get out of the row (and apologizing like crazy). Well, to make this shorter, I was lucky to remember my name. One question I do remember, at about the 32,000 point level (sometime after the studio was darkened) was "Who is the Prime Minister of Canada?" I heard the whole audience go "Oohhhhnooo", but I knew the right answer! HAH! The section right behind me must've been all Canadians because they went crazy. So, at the 125,000-point level - a George Lopez show question comes up. EEEK. I don't watch it! Had it been a John Ritter show question, no problem. But anyway, took the 50-50 lifeline and then chose wrong. Oh well, got the 10 pins (and lanyard), baseball cap, polo shirt, and a wonderful experience!

How to top that?
With the Muppets, of course. After exiting the Muppet Theatre, we see Woody and Buzz over at Al's Toy Barn. Sis HAS to have her picture taken with them, so we go get in line with about 40 much smaller Buzz and Woody fans (Bro declined to stand in the line and found a place where he could take pictures). A CM notices the Birthday Button and has the whole line sing 'Happy Birthday'. Sis gets B & W to 'sign' her birthday card, too.

We wander back up front, past the Indiana Jones show. I get Bro to pull the rope at the well, but apparently it is not working.

Sis chooses the Rainforest Cafe for early dinner and we head over to Downtown Disney and get PS without a problem and a fairly short wait. This was my first time there and quite frankly I was a little under-whelmed by it. It seemed awfully 'close' inside and the food was just okay.

Now it's time to get serious. Yes, the siren call of Disney merchandise is beckoning and who couldn't possibly be within 50 miles of a Disney store and not go there. And the World of Disney is the Queen Mother of all Disney stores. Bro needs a new Mickey coffee mug. We emerge after over an hour in there with a lot more stuff than one new coffee mug and head home.

Disney Secrets: DHS

As a dedicated Disney-goer, I have learned a few things, some of which I am happy to share, some of which will remain my secrets!

First and Funnest:
Slow Down and Look for the small stuff.
No, not Small World.
I mean the little things that most people hurtle right past on their way to the big rides.

Like the well over near the 'Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular' at DHS.

The sign says "Do Not Pull Rope".

Only the "Not" is crossed out.

One of my sis' favorite WDW stories is about the time she was pulling the rope and a woman walked by and said, "Some people just can't read", loud enough for sis to hear.

That obviously oblivious lady was one of those folks who miss half the magic of Disney because it isn't listed on the guide map.

A few other small things at DHS to look for:

_ the "Singin' in the Rain" umbrella. Step on the square, if you dare!

_ the Key under the mat at Muppet*Vision. There's a note telling you where to look, but you'll have to find the note yourself!

So, take a minute and pull the rope and sing in the rain, but don't let a 'ton of bricks' fall on you!

Peter and the Noonatics

If it's Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, it's Flower Power time!

If it's Flower Power time, I gotta see Herman's Hermits!

These guys always put on a good show.
No, wait. A great show!

They always look like they are having as much fun as the audience.

H H always pack the America Garden Theatre.
And part of the pack are the Noonatics, members of Herman/Peter Noone's fan club.

The first several rows, stage right, are reserved for these folks, and let me say this, they are almost as much fun to watch as Peter/Herman and the Hermits.

Photo from Peter's website: PeterNoone.com

Progress, Bah

They say that progress is a good thing.
But with progress comes change.

And here are some things I wish would not have changed.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom:

Then: Tarzan Rocks
Now: Finding Nemo, the Musical.

Nemo is a great show, but I sure do miss Tarzan's Phil Collins' tunes and the skaters.

At Disney's Hollywood Studios:

Then: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire-Play It
Now: Toy Story Mania

TSM is a great attraction! I just wish they had put it elsewhere and kept WWTBAM, my co-favorite thing at DHS and one of the very few adult-oriented attractions at WDW.

Then: Residential Street
Now: Lights! Motors! Action!

Residential Street was bulldozed to make way for the Stunt car stadium. When it comes time for the Osborne Lights, you really miss it. Now those millions of light are crammed into the Streets of America. It's a bit over-whelming.

Toy Story's Green Army Men
The guys used to do a really cute street show.
Now the guys only show up in the Block Party Bash and to sign autographs.

Over at Universal Studios:

Then: Kongfrontation
Now: The Mummy.

I have to admit that I missed Kong all together. We moved back to Florida when this attraction was just closing. But from what I have read about it, I'm pretty sure that I would have liked it better than the Mummy.

Beetlejuice vs The Ghostbusters.
This was my favorite street show and I never missed seeing it when we were at US.
Please, please bring them back!!!

-> New Blog Title<-

I have thought about changing the title for a while as I am not a true Theme Park Junkie, but rather, more of a 'specialist'.

Confession # 9: I Like Apples AND Oranges

Someone posted a rant against Universal Studios in one of the on-line Disney newsgroups I read.

Was there last week....What a rip off ... Disney World was much better, it did have a lot more class...

It's a bit like comparing apples and oranges.

Disney World and Universal Studios ARE different.

Disney World's operating theme is "The Happiest Place on Earth".

Universal Studios' operating theme is "We are not Disney".
Okay, okay, it's really "Where Blockbusters Come to Life".

Universal is not shy about making fun of themselves and the place down the road.

Disney pretty much ignores the place up the road.

Disney is more kid-oriented, but Universal does have lots of kid-stuff too.
In fact, over in IOA there is one ride that you HAVE to be with a kid to ride!
And when 'The Wizarding World of Harry Potter' opens next year, well, that will blur the line even more.

I have to confess that there are shows, rides, characters, etc that I really prefer about one place or the other.

For example: I'll ride Expedition Everest (WDW) but not The Hulk (US-IOA);

I much prefer Jurassic Park River Adventure (US-IOA) to Splash Mountain (WDW);

I'll stand in line to see "It's Tough to Be a Bug" (WDW) but not "Shrek 4-D (US);

The Tower of Terror (WDW) has it all over Dr Doom's Fearfall (US-IOA).

I like Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (WDW), but Men in Black (US) is better, and Toy Story Mania (WDW) is even better yet!

I have to admit that (most) Disney Cast Members are much more personable than (most) Universal employees.

Not counting Beetlejuice (US), who is in a class all his own.

And I'll take Pluto (WDW) over Scooby Doo (US) any day.

But overall ... Viva la Difference!

The Snoozical Kingdom

In an on-line Disney discussion group, someone asked:
If they were staying off-site, where would be the best place to take a quick nap at WDW ?

Well, the group consensus was:
The Carousel of Progress.

My hubby once fell asleep sitting upright in the Enchanted Tiki Room.

His snoring was just a fraction of a decibel lower than the show's audio, which was ear-splitting.

We were gonna leave him there, but an observant Cast Member made us take him with us.

(Photo: allears.net)

Test Track

Test Track is one of my three favorite things at Epcot.

(The others being Soarin' and Off Kilter)

So imagine my dismay at this recent story in The Orlando Sentinel:

GM's Last Lap On Epcot's Test Track

Disney is not about to close Test Track, no matter what happens to GM.

But. Since the Mouse House IS a business after all and Disney does pay attention to the bottom line, something will have to happen to make up the difference.

And that's what worries me.

Experiencing the American Idol Experience

I attended the first Passholder Preview show of Disney's brand-new American Idol Experience at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I am not a fan of the television show, have watched it only two or three times, but I'll admit that I really enjoyed the Disney version. But then I do like Disney World's live shows ... The Festival of the Lion King is a MUST SEE ... and I still mourn the passing of Tarzan Rocks.

But I digress.

The 3 performers at my show varied in age as well as musical genre, which made it very entertaining, IMHO.

Yes, I'll be going again. Soon.

The NEW Tree House Villas

If you've ever taken the water taxi from Downtown Disney to Port Orleans, you've passed the Tree House Villas.


Well, the original, older ones (like above) have been torn down. They had been heavily damaged during the hurricanes of 2004.

The ones you see now are newly constructed ( FAQ ).

Today was the 1st time I had seen them in person (from the Sassagoula River).

They look remarkably like the older ones but have obviously new bases, which lessen their 'environmental footprint'.

I am so glad that Disney didn't just let these unique habitations just moulder away.

It almost (but not quite) makes up for the Bay Lake Monster.