Real Life Disney: Tow Mater

Disney Mater:

 

Real Life Maters:

 

My Morning at the Animal Kingdom

I finally got over to The Animal Kingdom to ride the 'new'  Kilimanjaro Safari . I really liked it. It seemed slightly longer, had more animals including the zebras (yay), and no, I did not miss the ride spiel about Little Red vs the poachers at all.

Photo:Disney

After exiting the ride, we stopped over at the gorilla viewing area as we usually do, and this time there was quite a crowd gathered. One of the big bachelors (male) was, um, sitting at the edge of the ledge taking care of some monkey business.  The hubby says "If he reaches around behind him, RUN." Well, yeah, I already knew this!  So the big guy finishes and as he's standing, he lifts his bottom up in the air and MOONS us! The crowd collectively gasps, so of course, he does it again. Then he walked over to the rocks and as he reached the top, before sitting with his back to the crowd, moons us again!  What a show.

Photo:Disney

As we were heading over to the Asia area to ride Expedtion:Everest, out of the bushes come a mother and father duck with two itty-bitty ducklings. They were an instant attraction with most folks making way for the ducklings, but a few kids kept trying to catch/touch them. A couple of CMs took up escort duty and the ducks made it safely to the bushes on the other side of the walkway.

After riding Everest, we walked through Dinoland to see the American crocodile. It was sunning itself, mouth open, at the pond's edge. As we watched, it closed its mouth, turned its head, opened mouth again. I do believe that's the 1st time I've seen it move!

Then - the highlight of my day! Dug and Russell were at a Character Spot near "Tough to be a Bug", so of course I got in line with all the kids. Got a big hug from Dug and did the Wilderness Explorer bird-hand gesture with Russell!
 "The wilderness must be explored! CAW-CAW! RAAWWRR"

Photo: AllEars/Steve Barrett

PS: I still miss Tarzan Rocks!

Being a CM

What it's all about:

H/T:  Izismile

Real Life Disney: UP

I didn't like "UP" when I first saw it. But then I watched it again. And again. And now it's my third favorite Diz-Pixar movie (behind WALL-E and Cars) and Dug is my favorite character.

 

 

Disney Does Darth

It's official - Disney is buying Lucasfilms Ltd. for a whopping  4.05 billion bucks.

Personally, I can think of lots better things Disney could to do with $4 billion,

Besides making Star Wars VII (2015) Star Wars VIII and Star Wars IX.

Photo: Izismile.com

October 31st

On a stormy Halloween night in 1939, five people stepped aboard a Hollywood Tower Hotel elevator and into a nightmare.

So begins the ride spiel for the best ride at WDW.

... and on October 31, 1995

The first Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

takes place at Magic Kingdom Park.

 

So began the most fun event with the best parade held at the MK.

Confession # 21: Not Impressed

with the new 2013 Disney Park promotional theme: 

Limited Time Magic

Imagine an Independence Day celebration — only it lasts an entire week — or Main Street mainstays the Dapper Dans rocking out with boy band hits in barbershop style. Picture yourself at a Friday the 13th dance party with Disney villains that lasts to the 13th hour or a Valentine's Day that becomes Valentine's Week with Disney castles blushing pink. These and many more special experiences will surprise Disney Parks Guests as they roll out each week in 2013. Here's a sampling of Limited Time Magic in store for Guests — for a limited time only:

• True Love: Celebrate romance and enchantment throughout Valentine's Week with special moments and entertainment geared to lovebirds. Guests can celebrate their Valentine as Magic Kingdom and Disneyland turn up the romance, complete with their iconic castles bathed in hues of red and pink. Disney Princes join their Princesses to meet park Guests in special settings, prix fixe menus turn up at select restaurants and Valentine collectibles will be offered for the week. 
   
  
• Independence Week: It's red, white and blue as Disney Parks salute America with a Fourth of July Fireworks Party for an entire week, with patriotic lighting bathing the Disney castles on both coasts. Mickey Mouse appears in his patriotic finest, and Guests will find special U.S.A. shirts, Ear Hats and other limited-edition souvenirs.
   
  
• During "Long Lost Friends Week," lesser-known Disney characters will move from the shadows to the spotlight with meet-and-greets on both coasts. Photos opps with characters that could include Flik, Clarabelle Cow, Remy, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum will appear throughout the parks. And Disney Guests will even have the chance to vote online for which characters they want to see.
  
  
• Pirate Week: Why talk like a pirate one day when you could celebrate these scalawags all week long? The adventures of Jack Sparrow come to life like never before during a bicoastal buccaneer bash in which Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts become pirate-palooza: pirate bands, pirate meet-and-greets and more.
• 
  
• Dapper Dans Sing Boy Bands: Dapper Dans, the iconic quartet from Main Street, U.S.A., will add a special finale to their show, claiming the title of the "Original Boy Band" and delivering a medley of hits from One Direction, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys.
  
  
• Unleash the Villains: A Friday the 13th in 2013 is a special day, so Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios are staying open until the "13th hour" (1 a.m.). Maleficent, Capt. Hook, Jafar and other Disney villains host a dance party, complete with limited-edition collectibles and nighttime mischief on Sept. 13.
  
  
• Golden Horseshoe Revue: The fabled Frontierland show returns to Disneyland for one month only, bringing back the corny jokes and enduring songs that were often enjoyed by Walt Disney himself.
  

The experience of the week will be announced in a variety of ways, including in-park, Disneyworld.com, Disneyland.com, Facebook, Twitter and the Disney Parks Blog - adding to the element of surprise. For more information about Limited Time Magic, visit the Disney Parks Blog.

Begins in January.

For 52 weeks.

Big whoop.

I was really hoping for the Free Birthday-Day Celebration to return.

 

Confession # 20: I'm Not a Fan

of the DHS Stunt Shows:

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular   and   Lights, Motors, Action.

Photo:WDW

I've seen Indiana Jones several times and was bored each time.
I'm just not impressed by smokin', squealin' tires. Sorry.
Here's a thought:

Instead of giving  Mr Iger another multi-million dollar bonus,   Disney bulldozes the two stunt shows and replaces them with: 

 Indiana Jones Adventure

 (instead of the Indiana Jones Stunt Show)

 

  Photo:Disney

 

 -- and --

Cars Land

  (instead of the Cars Stunt Show)

Photo:Disney

Walt Is Rolling

The story goes that back when Walt Disney was about to sign the papers to begin work on the new park in St. Louis, one of the Busch family gloated at dinner the night before the signing about how much money they would make selling beer at the park. Walt said nothing but after dinner he loaded up the plane and flew back to California, papers unsigned. The rest is history. Walt did NOT want alcohol, including beer, sold in his park.

Well, beer and wine have been sold in Epcot, The Studios and Animal Kingdom for a while now. But NOT in the Magic Kingdom. Until now.

Magic Kingdom-to-serve-alcohol-for-the-first-time-ever-with-opening-of-Be-Our-Guest-restaurant/

One might argue that this is the only restaurant in the park to offer it (so far), that it will be 'spendy' (people who are willing to spend $6-8 for a beer at Epcot won't have a problem), and there is no 'to go' (well, you can still get 'tanked' sitting at your dinner table).

So what happens when a Cast Member tries to 'cut-off' a guest who is on the way to intoxication?

Or when an inebriated guest hits the park after dinner?  

Some folks are pushy and aggressive enough without any added influence.

I think this is a bad idea and a bad decision by Disney.

Disney Picture of the Day