The Disney Holiday Spirit

Disney really gets into the Holiday Spirit:

Disneyland: Downtown Disney Holiday Trees to be Donated to  Local Military Families

 In less than two weeks, the joy of the holiday season will come in the form of a fully decorated tree to 17 local military families from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit!

Disney Cast Members send postcards to U.S.Troops
 

 Founded by a Disneyland Resort cast member in 1995, Operation Uplift was inspired by a letter from a soldier serving in Operation Desert Storm. That note said the troops didn’t receive much mail, but when they did, it meant the world to them because they knew people back home cared.

Since that time, Disney VoluntEARS around the country have sent more than 90,000 postcards of support and thanks to servicemen and servicewomen serving domestically and overseas.

Disney VoluntEARS donate 30000 toys to Toys For Tots

Mickey Mouse and Disney VoluntEARS began to deliver a collection of more than 30,000 new toys to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Central Florida Toys for Tots headquarters. Gunnery Sergeant Jose Rodriguez tells me that the sizable donation is the largest received to date and will help make the holiday season brighter for more than 20,000 children in Orange and Seminole counties

Thank you, Disney, Disney Cast Members, U.S. Marines, and the writers at Disney Blog!

CWHS @ DHS *

Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special

 

So does this indicate a possible change at the Studios:

     no more Drew Carey's Sounds Dangerous ??

 

Or .... even better, a reopening of the Comedy Warehouse at DTD ? 

Star Tours 2011

Finally had a ride on the improved "Star Tours" attraction over at the Studios.


The wait time was shown as 5 minutes (even though the end of the line was right at the entance). Nuh-uh. Although the line moved fairly steadily, it was quite a bit more than 5 minutes.

A high point of the line-wait: we were at the spot just opposite the door where the Storm Troopers emerge for the Jedi Training Academy session ... when they emerged!  They 'played' to the line, who loved it (yes, me too!), while waiting for their entrance cue.

The ride itself was much improved! No more herky-jerky. But if you don't like Mission:Space (even the green, less intense, side), don't bother. It's a lot like that.

Disney Rumors

The expectation is high that these hot rumors may be answered at the D23 Expo this week in California:

* The return of the Adventurers' Club
    Remember when Disney announced changes to the changes at Pleasure Island/Hyperion Wharf?  I bet this is one!

* A new land at the Animal Kingdom
   The popular guess is for a Beastly Kingdom (dragons & unicorns, etc);  I personally would love to see Australia added!

* A new country in the World Showcase at Epcot
   Brazil announced earlier that they would have a pavilion, but nothing official from Disney; Maybe now! Or, if Oz is not added to the AK, how about an Aussie pavilion??

* Monsters Inc. roller coaster at DHS
  Oh, Yeah, and I know just where it would go - Animation Courtyard (Pixar Alley) in that space next to Toy Story Mania, where the sign says "Hot set".
 

* More DVC resorts
  
* A World of Color fountain show

* An updated Imagination pavilion at Epcot
    This would be about time, too.


Read more  HERE

Food & Wine 2011

 
The International marketplace kiosk menus are  posted here.

Ummmmm. What's on my list this year?


Argentina:
  Beef Empanada
  Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Puré

Australia:
  Lamington Cake

Belgium:
  Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote and Whipped Cream
  Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashell Truffles
  Godiva Chocolate Iced Coffee
 
Brazil  (NEW):
  Feijoada - Brazil's National Dish 

Canada:
  Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
  Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta

Caribbean  (NEW):
  Vieja Ropa
  Frozen Dragon berry Colada
  Frozen Rock Coconut Mojito

China:

  Xinjang BBQ Chicken stick

  Caramel-ginger Ice cream 
  Green tea Plum Wine Cooler

France:
  Coq au Vin
  Créme Brulée au Chocolate au Lait

Germany:
  Goulash Suppe

   Neurnberger sausage in Pretzel roll

  Apple strudel w/ caramel and vanilla sauce

Greece:
  Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey

Hawaii  (NEW):
  Kalua Pork Slider with Sweet & Sour Dole Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise
  Seven Tiki Mai Tai

Hops & Barley:
  Pumpkin Mousse with Ocean Spray Craisins and Orange Sauce

Italy:
  Ravioli Di Formaggio all'Emiliana
  Cannoli al Cioccolato

Ireland:
  Warm Chocolate Lava Cake with Baileys Irish Cream Ganache

Mexico:
  Rib eye Tacos
  Flan
  Lime Strawberry Margarita on the Rocks

Morocco:
  Harissa Chicken Roll
  Baklava

New Zealand
Poland

Portugal  (NEW):
  Linguica Sausage with Onions, Peppers and Olives

Scandinavia:
  Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries
  Rice Pudding with Driscoll's® Only The Finest Berries™
  Xante ????

Singapore:
  Beef Rendang (coconut braised beef) with Jasmine Rice
  Singapore Sling

South Africa:
  Seared Filet of Beef with smashed Sweet Potatoes and Braai Sauce
  Bunny Chow (Vegetable Curry served in a Bread Loaf)

South Korea:
  Boolgogi BBQ Beef with steamed Rice and KimchiMyung Jak
  Bokbunjajoo (New Raspberry Wine)
  Bohae Bokbunjajoo (Black Raspberry Rice Wine)

USA (Fife & Drum)
 Frozen Red Stag Lemonade by Jim Beam

Yes, I'm already saving up for this.
And yes, it just might take TWO visits.


Eat to the Beat Concerts

Ooooh, the Gin Blossoms.

Richard Marx will be back   YAY !!

Splitsville

Disney has announced some changes to the previous announcement regarding the change of Pleasure Island into Hyperion Wharf.

Amongst them will be the addition of  Splitsville , a bowling alley/dinner lounge in the the location currently occupied by Ridemakerz custom remote control and toy cars (which will be moving to the Marketplace) (and before That, the location of the Virgin Atlantic Record Store). Coming in 2012.


Hopefully, Splitsville is not going to take the place of the previously announced 100-lane bowling alley that was going to be built at Wide World of Sports.

But, This is way cool, as DTD needs more places with things to DO rather than places with things to buy or things to eat ... but a place that serves a good breakfast would be most appreciated!

UPDATE:   Splitsville will open December 19th, 2012

Happy Anniversary, Harry Potter Land

OK, I know it's officially the "Wizarding World Of Harry Potter", but really, you knew egzactly to what I was referring!

Anyhoo, it's been one year since Harry Potter Land opened which Universal did not let pass without a celebration!


(Trivia: The one millionth butterbeer was sold back in January.

Our local news reader said that attendance at Universal Orlando is up 30+% for the last year.  And that attendance at WDW declined.

So why didn't you-know-who (and I do NOT mean Voldemort) create HPL?

Rumoredly, the reason:

J.K. Rowling was very specific about how she wanted the park built; the Powers-that-be at Disney did not think her ideas would work; the Imagineers were rumoredly 'relieved' to not have to work with her.  (Universal pretty much said: whatever you want!)


The more-or-less 'official' reason: the Powers-that-be at Disney thought that the Harry Potter craze would dwindle quickly after the last movie was released.

Had I been a Disney Imagineer, I could imagine a whole park, not just a section of one, dedicated to Wizards and wizardly stuff. How about a resort hotel done up like Hogwarts with 4 sections (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Slytherin) decorated accordingly?  Every kid in the world would want to stay there. And more than a few adults, too.  There could have been a Diagon Alley as well as a Hogsmeade. More rides. More wizardstuff to buy.  More everything. 

I am in no way denigrating the incredible job Universal has done.
But it is too bad that apparently it's okay for Walt to protect his 'dreams' and creations, but not J.K. Rowling. How ironic.

Darth Vader Does Disneyland

Hilarious Disney ad for the new and vastly improved Star Tours:

Darth Vader does Disneyland

I love the heavy sigh (listen for it).

Special Anniversary

The Hubby and I recently celebrated our anniversary of over 4 decades of wedded bliss (and whatever). Thank you. :)

He said I could choose anywhere for dinner, including Victoria and Albert's, if I so desired. Before you go awwwww, he felt pretty certain that I wouldn't choose V & A's. He was right.  Not because I can't get fancy-schmancy dressed up, I just don't care for the menu.

So, I chose the California Grill.
Yes, the one on top of the Contemporary Resort.
We made a reservation for the earliest time available hoping to avoid the 'fireworks crowd'.

It was much smaller than I expected.
The view was incredible.
The service was friendly; the serving technique was so-so.

The food was very, very good, except for dessert, which was disappointing.  We had the triple cheese flatbread for starters, then the oak-fired filet mignon (cooked perfectly), and the Lemon Trio for dessert.

And since it was our anniversary 'celebration', we were surprised with Mickey confetti, a half-glass of champagne, and a large piece of  yummylicious chocolate cake.

The only real downer to the experience was:

Disney's rather liberal dress code.

The California Grill is a Signature dining experience, and even tho there is a dress code ...

Dress Code Guidelines:
Men: Khakis, slacks, jeans, dress shorts, collared shirts.  Sport coats are optional.
Ladies:  Capris, skirts, dresses, jeans, dress shorts.

Not permitted in dining room: Tank tops, swimwear, hats for gentleman, cut offs, or torn clothing. While T-shirts are now allowed, the policy remains that T-shirts with offensive language or graphics are not acceptable.

... most of the other diners looked as though they had just come from the parks. I guess WDW considers cargo shorts as dress shorts.

My rating: B
Hubby's Rating: B-

Ultimate Pin Sharks

Pin Sharks are one of the reasons I got over my obsession with pin trading.

These guys are the Ultimate Pin Sharks

150 pounds of pins? That's more than I weigh!

Good Night Grad Night

Last night was the last Grad Night at WDW's Magic Kingdom, a tradition since 1972* that will be missed by future high school seniors.
 
Why would Disney cancel such a popular event?

"Because of concerns about scheduling and handling extra spring attendance at the Florida theme park....increased spring attendance has made it difficult to schedule the separate-ticket, after-hours events."


Grad Nights necessitate closing the Magic Kingdom at 7p.m., not a popular move with the folks paying to stay in the resorts (and who would spend more bucks at the parks than than the kids).

So now Disney World will offer Florida school groups a one-day, one-park ticket for $55 as a future alternative.

Aha. Disney has figured out that instead of having busloads of kids come in for 5 hours on four nights of the year and closing the MK to thousands of resort guests, it might be better (=more profitable) for these kids to come on personal graduation trips, most likely with their families.

Hey, I'm not complaining and neither are most of the Cast Members who worked these usually raucous events.

* In 2009 Disney tried it out at the Studios, but apparently there were mucho complaints about that because of fewer rides and attractions.

WDW Resort 'Specialty' Rooms

WDW will offer something special to resort guests in the very near future.

At Port Orleans-Riverside,  over 500 Royal Guest Rooms will be available for guests starting in the spring of 2012.

These rooms will feature:

• Ornately decorated beds that include headboards with fiber optic special effects and gold and crystal accents
• Custom bed coverings and drapes that create a more luxurious “royal” experience
• Unique, in-room artwork featuring Tiana ("Princess and the Frog") and her royal visitors

Meanwhile at the Contemporary Resort, over 20 Health and Wellness Rooms on the 14th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort will be available starting in the fall of 2011 and will feature:

• environmentally-friendly design elements; Relaxing scents; A custom food and beverage menu for the concierge lounge and private dining; Cardio fitness equipment so guests may exercise in the comfort of their own suite and at their own pace; Customized spa, fitness and nutrition treatments either provided in-room or in the wellness studio, an exclusive offering on the 14th floor; Unique concierge lounge experiences; Traditional club level services, like advanced itinerary planning; Sweeping top-floor views of Magic Kingdom Park and Bay Lake

Guests may begin booking these offerings mid-summer.

And don't bother looking on mousesavers for discounts on these rooms.

Royal Room

There was no mention of the 'Haunted Mansion' -themed rooms.

Bye, Bye British Invasion

After 15 years at Epcot, the British Invasion has sung their last at the U.K. pavilion in the World Showcase.

Photo: Orlando Attractions Magazine

On the band’s Facebook page:

To Our Fans.
First thanks to all the fans of the British Invasion for all their support over the years!!
It has been an honor to perform for you and Disney all these years!
We have given our notice to Disney Talent and Casting that we wouldn’t be playing after April 30th some time ago. We will be back to play at Disney from time to time and you will find those future dates posted on the British Invasion Facebook page!! Stay tuned for a British Invasion fan appreciation party in May and details of our first concert appearance in downtown Orlando on May 14th.
Sincerely,
The British Invasion 2011

On May 3rd, a new band will begin playing tunes Dave Clark Five, Led Zeppelin, The Who and Beatles (and more) tunes.

UPDATE:

The new band's name is .... British Revolution

Bazillions of Brazilians

The 'official' Disney seasons are: Holiday, Peak, Summer, Value, and Regular.   There is however one other season that WDW regulars know all about - Brazilian. This occurs in January when it's summertime below the equator and lots (I mean BAZILLIONS) of Brazilians flock to the Mouse House in well, flocks.

Why is this of interest?
Because columnist Monica Bergamo from Folha, one of the two biggest newspapers in São Paulo, reported:

“Brazil got a seat in a great international “forum”: Disney. Representatives from the greatest theme park complex in the world approached the federal government this week to announce they’ll include a Brazilian pavilion at Epcot Center, in Orlando (USA). The country will be featured alongside nations such as the US, China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico and Canada."

Wow! Finally a new country in Epcot's World Showcase. Well, maybe. Disney has not confirmed this, so it's not yet official.

The choice of new country is not real surprising. South America is not yet represented around the World Showcase Lagoon. And remember those bazillions of Brazilians?
 
Frankly, if a Brazilian pavilion would include a steakhouse like Texas de Brazil , GREAT!  It would save me trip down International Drive!

Confession # 17: Disney's Dumb Decisions Part DUH

Disney has just broken ground on a new 963-acre park to the tune of over 3.7 BILLION dollars - in Shanghai, China.
Say what? Yep. Shangahi. China. Not to be confused with the Disney park already located in Hong Kong.

Disney Shanghai

Well. I think that 3.7 BILLION dollars could have been better spent at the American parks. Have you been to WDW lately? Have you paid $82 for a DAY ticket? Have you seen the trash all over the ground? Has the Magic dimmed a bit?

At WDW, Disney could have: hired more Cast Members (especially custodial) / added a new land in the World Showcase / added a new area to the Animal Kingdom (this has been a rumor, but no action yet) / added new rides: like Monsters,Inc and Indiana Jones at DLR / built a new Moderate resort / extended the monorail to run from park-to-park / maybe even lowered ticket prices.

Confession # 16: I Think Disney Makes Dumb Decisions, Sometimes.

WDW is in the process of dismantling Pleasure Island.  The clubs Motion and Rock 'n Roll Beach Club have been demolished, their rubble already carted off. Mannequins, BET Soundstage (the BET has been removed from the sign), The Adventurers' Club and the Comedy Warehouse will be next.

In their place will be, what else, shopping and dining venues.
Family-friendly, of course.
Big whoop.

I liked Pleasure Island when it was what it was originally built for - a place where adult Disney-goers could have adult fun, because not ALL Disney guests are princess- or pirate-loving children.

They could at least have spared one or two clubs for us older folks, maybe The Adventurers' Club which has a huge fan following .

Town Square Theater

Town Square Theater (formerly the Exposition Hall) will become a permanent location for Mickey Mouse meet 'n greets ... And it will become the first character experience to feature Disney's FASTPASS.

 “This isn’t just remodeling Expo Hall; it is completely re-imagining this entire venue as a beautiful Victorian-era theater and the new home for Mickey Mouse,” Jon Georges, WDI Director, senior show producer, said.

Town Square Theater is scheduled to open this spring, while New Fantasyland will open in phases beginning in late 2012.

Disney Concept Art

H/T: Matt Roseboom at Orlando Attractions Magazine

Star Wars Weekends 2011

Star Wars Weekends return to Disney's Hollywood Studios on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 20th-June 12th.

The new and improved Star Tours will also return as a 3-D attraction.

C-3PO, also known as Anthony Daniels, will be the featured guest for at least the first weekend.

Personally, I'd love to see THIS guy:

The New and Improved Fantasyland

Scratch the first New and Improved Fantasyland announcement.
For whatever reason(s), some changes have been made (no more Pixie Hollow).

The new news:

"The largest expansion in Magic Kingdom Park history is under way, a project that will nearly double the size of Fantasyland. Scheduled to open in phases beginning in late 2012, the new Fantasyland will immerse guests in Disney stories as never before."

Among the planned highlights:

* Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid:
   A major attraction featuring an Omnimover motion system on which Guests will travel with Ariel and her friends.

* The Castle of the Beast:
   Feature: the Be Our Guest Restaurant with seating for 550, will offer counter service by day and full (and pricier) table service dining in the evening.

Nearby in Belle's Village, will be Gaston's Tavern (a small eatery) and Bonjour! Village Gifts (for your purchasing pleasure).

* Maurice's Workshop:
   Guests will be transported via a magical mirror to the Beast's library to meet Belle and Lumiere, and will share in an interactive retelling of the "tale as old as time."

* The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train:
   Guests will take a rollicking, musical ride into the mine "where a million diamonds shine."  The coaster will feature a first-of-its kind ride system. 

* Princess Fairytale Hall:
   A royal court on the site where Snow White's Scary Adventures stands today. Disney princesses Aurora, Cinderella, Tiana, Rapunzel and others will greet guests.
(Uh oh, no more SWSA?? Stand by for the Save SWSA petitions!)

* Storybook Circus:
   Not one but two circling carousels of airborne pachyderms on Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Double Dumbos!!).  Guests can also experience an array of family games and interactive wonders for kids of all ages (hey, are you talkin' to ME??) inside the big top.

* the Barnstormer will get a new look as well, featuring Goofy as The Great Goofini.

Artist Rendering: Walt Disney Co / Orlando Attractions Magazine

Take THAT, Harry Potter!

Orlando Attractions: New Fantasyland

Orlando Sentinel: Fantasyland Expansion

Confession #15 : I Am A Planner

I am SUCH a planner that my family teases me about having OCD about it.

O.K. I'll admit that I probably am Obsessive/Compulsive in the trip planning area and I'll also say that this is not a bad thing as long as you are flexible (have a Plan B - and be flexible with it, too).

I cannot imagine coming to WDW and NOT having a daily (but flexible) plan for parks and dining. In fact, if you haven't made prior plans for dining, good luck on eating at the more popular places.

I am planning for a Dollywood trip this spring.
Unfortunately, DW does not have the information base that WDW has.

Google: Disney World trip planning. There are 314,00 results.

Google: Dollywood trip planning. There is 1 (one) result.

So. If any Dollywood veterans are reading this and have helpful hints, ideas, suggestions, must-do and don't bother lists, please, please drop a note in the comments.  My family will thank you.

TIA!