Disney World PF Gathering and Tips for Disney Mania!

  • Thread starter Thread starter ZapperZ
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AI Thread Summary
A gathering for Disney enthusiasts is planned at Disney World during Memorial Day week (May 28 to June 5), inviting others to join for fun activities like measuring the drop rate at the Tower of Terror and pin trading. For those unable to attend, a return trip is already scheduled for Labor Day week (Sept. 3 to Sept. 11), with tips to find deals on the Disney website. The discussion includes a promise to share a shortlist of must-do attractions at Walt Disney World, encouraging contributions from others. Key tips for visiting include utilizing Disney's transportation, making reservations for dining, and understanding ticket expiration policies. The thread fosters community among Disney fans while providing practical advice for an enjoyable visit.
  • #2,151
Still, I'm not going to be speeding to pick you up at the Beach Club just because I had to have another free refill during breakfast at Saratoga Springs.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,152
Disney to Make 4 ABC Shows Free Online... if you can tolerate commercials. If not, pay for them from iTunes.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060410/ap_on_bi_ge/walt_disney_abc_shows

Zz.
 
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  • #2,153
OK, now this is new...

To be released tomorrow, a pair of "sandals" pins! I've never seen anything like it before.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10904651.jpg
 
  • #2,154
So wait, if you think MY Disney addiction is bad, I am nowhere even CLOSE to this guy!

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060409/COLUMNISTS01/604090325/-1/RSS

Zz.
 
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  • #2,155
Don't forget that tonight, at 9 pm Eastern, on the Science Channel, is the documentary on the building of Expedition Everest!

Zz.
 
  • #2,156
Winnie the Pooh Celebrates 80th Birthday with Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame TODAY!

http://laughingplace.com/Latest.asp?I1=ID&I2=1116

If anyone is going, can you take pictures? :)

Zz.
 
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  • #2,157
Will he have his paw prints in the cement? I didn't know they recognized cartoon characters on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Those folks in Hollywood do know they're not real, right? :biggrin:
 
  • #2,158
Moonbear said:
Will he have his paw prints in the cement? I didn't know they recognized cartoon characters on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Those folks in Hollywood do know they're not real, right? :biggrin:

WAIT... what... do... you... mean... that they're not real??!

<clutches his Pooh Bear plush>

Zz.
 
  • #2,159
In honor of Winnie the Pooh's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, here is a pin of our lovable bear. This, incidentally, is from the Cast Lanyard pin series #3, and something that I've been looking for the past year. :(

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/190200511.jpg
 
  • #2,160
To be released tomorrow at the Disneyland Resort is a spectacular pin. We like shiny, glittery objects!

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10213368.jpg
 
  • #2,161
ZapperZ said:
OK, another Disney trivia!

Name the 'event' and the location that it is held where you get to see these lovely "creatures".

Zz.

img06751lv.jpg

No one answered this. :(

These lovable creatures can be found in a wonderful night time spectacle called SpectroMagic parade at the Magic Kingdom.

If you wish to see the complete video of this parade that I taped about a year ago, you can check out the link here (it is already in my signature):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3847315524049135348

The download version has a better video quality than the streaming version.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,162
Good news coming out of Hong Kong Disneyland seems to be very scarce, and this is no exception.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-bk-hkdisney041006,0,5785833.story

Just what exactly ARE they doing over there?

Zz.
 
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  • #2,163
The latest interview with Disney CEO Robert Iger.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-talking1106apr11,0,5319778.story

Zz.
 
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  • #2,164
The Administrative Professional Day is on the 26th of this month. The pins for this day have already been released. The first one is released at WDW, while the second one at Disneyland.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10904669.jpg

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10357246.jpg
 
  • #2,165
Winnie the Pooh received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday. Many major dignitaries showed up. But there appears to be something brewing here... It is who that didn't show up that's making a lot of news, especialy among the diehard Disney and Winnie the Pooh fans.

Both Christopher Robin and Piglet were conspicuously missing! We know of Disney's plan of replacing Christopher Robin with a young girl, but Piglet??! People are worried that they may also write Piglet off! If this is true, it would be horrible!

http://www.forbes.com/2006/04/12/disney-pooh-iger-cx_po_0412autofacescan01.html

Zz.
 
  • #2,166
ZapperZ said:
Winnie the Pooh received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday. Many major dignitaries showed up. But there appears to be something brewing here... It is who that didn't show up that's making a lot of news, especialy among the diehard Disney and Winnie the Pooh fans.

Both Christopher Robin and Piglet were conspicuously missing! We know of Disney's plan of replacing Christopher Robin with a young girl, but Piglet??! People are worried that they may also write Piglet off! If this is true, it would be horrible!

http://www.forbes.com/2006/04/12/disney-pooh-iger-cx_po_0412autofacescan01.html

Zz.

More evidence of the missing Piglet!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/04/12/pooh.star.ap/index.html
http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/ap/20060412/114487554000.html

At least the often-ignored and left-out Rabbit was there.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,168
How can you not have a Piglet? That's just terrible.
 
  • #2,169
OH BROTHER!

Another death has been reported on Mission Space.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orl-bk-disneydeath041206,0,441409.story?coll=orl-news-headlines

This is the 2nd death in a year related to this attraction.

I believe this ride has been tamed down from when it first started. Many people that I've talked to who were on the preview and the early months after this was open has mentioned that they feel that it is not the same one today. I went on it when they still didn't have barf bags and it was intense.

I still strongly recommend this attraction, but NOT to people who are susceptible to motion sickness. Obviously, after this, I may have to include other criteria for people to not go on this attraction.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,170
To be released tomorrow at Disneyland is the Happiest Balloon On Earth pin. It depicts a Mickey hot air balloon. This large pin, believe it or not, is an open edition pin!

I hope there are still a few left when I get there.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10453924.jpg
 
  • #2,171
Mission Space has reopened today, the day after a guest died after riding the attraction.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2631&ncid=2631&e=7&u=/ap/20060413/ap_on_re_us/disney_world_death
http://www.local6.com/news/8666878/detail.html

Of course, now there are commentaries on the attraction itself. One thoughtful piece is that Disney should really step up on trying to warn guests about the exact nature of the ride, so that those who wouldn't normally go on attractions of this nature would be fully warned.

http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com/tdb/2006/04/mission_space_s.html

This is a good idea and will be something I will incorporate in an updated version of things one should do at Walt Disney World.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,172
IllumiNations - Reflection of Earth

For anyone going to WDW, I always, never fail, to recommend seeing this spectacular lights/fireworks show at Epcot. In my opinion, it is THE best nighttime show in all of WDW (followed very closely by Wishes and SpectroMagic). On every WDW trip, we never fail to see this at least once, and often several times. We never grow tired of it one bit.

As you can guess, I have several recorded videos of this show, and will be recording even more in the future. However, I decided to upload this version because of one important thing. Recall a while back (like late summer last year), that there were news that the inferno barge used in this show actually did catch fire. So it was out of commision for a couple of months. To carry on with the show, Disney modified IllumiNations slightly to include more fireworks during the period that the inferno barge is supposed to go on. This video, which was filmed in Sept. 2005, recorded the complete show during the period when the inferno barge was not in the show.

I have replaced most of the audio track with the actual music from the show. This way, you don't hear the background noise. On the other hand, you also do not hear the fireworks explosion, etc. But I find this to be the preferred viewing mode (on the DVD that I made, you have an alternate soundtrack that you can choose).

You may find the complete IllumiNations - Reflection of Earth recorded in widescreen at this link:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=702865422117047434

Remember, the streaming version has a crappy video when compared to the download version.

Enjoy!

Zz.

P.S. In future versions, we hope to use 2 camcorders and have one zoom in right into the illuminated globe so you can see the amazing images on it.
 
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  • #2,173
Exposing Disney Myths

From the latest issue of the DVC Newsletter:

The origin of April Fool's Day may be obscure, but the tradition remains strong on the first day of April each year, as pranksters try to fool the trusting and gullible. To help prevent Disney Vacation Club Members from feeling "foolish" this year, I thought I would expose some of the most common Walt Disney myths that have endured for ages.Myth No. 1: Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen.

Truth: Walt Disney passed away at about 9:30 am on Dec. 15, 1966, at the St. Joseph's Hospital right across the street from the Disney Studios in Burbank, Calif. The official cause of death on the death certificate was "cardiac arrest."

Walt was a very private person, and, since his battle with cancer had been kept secret, his death came as a surprise to the world.

Following his wishes, Walt was cremated, a fact confirmed by official signed documents. His funeral took place quickly and quietly at the Little Church of the Flowers at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, Calif., at 5 p.m. on Dec. 16. Walt reportedly hated funerals, and his was a small, private ceremony with only immediate family members in attendance.

Since nobody outside of Walt's close family saw him in the hospital, there was little sense of closure after his death. Questions and theories began to run wild. How could such a vibrant public personality disappear when he had so many exciting new projects in the planning stages? Wouldn't such a technological visionary have some secret plan to cheat death especially with all the discussion in the 1960s about the possibility of cryonics?

The earliest known printed source of the rumor that Walt was frozen appeared in a French magazine in 1969. It has been suggested that a Disney animator known for his outlandish sense of humor was the source of the false rumor.

Myth No. 2: Walt Disney was dishonorably discharged from the U.S. military.

Truth: First, Walt never served any branch of the military, so he could never have been discharged.

While his brothers served in various branches of the military during World War I, Walt was too young to join. Even fibbing about his age only allowed him to become a volunteer with the American Ambulance Corps (pictured above), a division of The American Red Cross, a civilian organization. Ray Kroc, who later led the McDonald's restaurant chain to fame, was a young volunteer in that same unit.

There was an incident concerning the possible abandonment of a supply truck that had broken down, but a disciplinary board reviewed the situation and cleared Walt of all charges, noting that he had taken reasonable steps to safeguard the vehicle.

However, these facts didn't stop this myth of Walt's "dishonorable" discharge from being repeated on official tours of the Pentagon, and even repeated to recruits during basic training. As the years passed, the story became even more elaborate, with one tale claiming that Walt displayed his dishonorable discharge papers proudly in his office.

Myth No. 3: Walt's face is featured on a bust in The Haunted Mansion attraction.

Truth: Thurl Ravenscroft, known to many as the voice of cereal mascot Tony the Tiger, also supplied voices for such animated Disney films as Lady and the Tramp, and various Disney Theme Park narrations. His image is projected onto the broken bust, also known as "Uncle Theodore." Thurl has somewhat similar facial features, as well as a similar mustache, to Walt. In reality, Walt passed away many years before The Haunted Mansion opened.

Myth No. 4: Walt Disney was born in Robinson, Ill., and was named after Mr. George Walter, who assisted his parents on their way to Chicago.

Truth: This story has appeared several times over the years in Illinois newspapers. The truth is that Walt was born in Chicago, Ill., and he was named after a local minister and family friend, Walter Parr.

Myth No. 5: Walt Disney was born out of wedlock to a woman from the Spanish town of Mojacar and adopted by Flora and Elias Disney.

Truth: Flora and Elias never visited Spain, and they didn't have any known connections in that country. No adoption paperwork exists. Even a casual examination will show that Walt's resemblance to Flora and Elias is quite prominent.

Myth No. 6: Many residents of Asheville, N.C., believe that Walt worked in that city as a draftsman for a construction company in 1924 and was fired for doodling.

Truth: Walt never worked in Asheville, and instead spent 1924 in Hollywood working on the first "Alice Comedies." No employment records support the Asheville rumor.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,174
Oh, now THIS is hilarious.

It appears that a woman by the name of Kimberly Williamson Butler is running for office of Mayor of New Orleans. On her website, she has a picture of her somewhere in the famous French Quarter ... but is it really?

Someone has caught her actually using a picture NOT at the actual New Orleans, but actually at New Orleans Square in DISNEYLAND!

http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com/tdb/2006/04/mayor_of_disney.html

I hope she's not confused with which "New Orleans" she's running for. But apparently, she has had a brush with the law previously.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,175
ZapperZ said:
Oh, now THIS is hilarious.

It appears that a woman by the name of Kimberly Williamson Butler is running for office of Mayor of New Orleans. On her website, she has a picture of her somewhere in the famous French Quarter ... but is it really?

Someone has caught her actually using a picture NOT at the actual New Orleans, but actually at New Orleans Square in DISNEYLAND!

http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com/tdb/2006/04/mayor_of_disney.html

I hope she's not confused with which "New Orleans" she's running for. But apparently, she has had a brush with the law previously.

Zz.
:smile: And worse, she's not really even in that photo either...it's clear it was a picture of her that was photoshopped into the other photo. The perspective and shadows and crispness of the image are completely different between her and the surrounding scene. And...hee...she's clearly leaning on something, but when you see the expanded view, of the location the photo was taken, there's nothing there for her to be leaning on. :smile: Anyone who has been to the real New Orleans would know the streets are too clean for that to be a real photo anyway. :rolleyes:
 
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  • #2,176
Two gorgeous pins depicting Sleeping Beauty castle are being released today, along with the one I reported earlier, at Disneyland.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10213023.jpg

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10213108.jpg
 
  • #2,177
Preliminary autopsy result on the German woman who died after riding Mission Space this week has been released.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-414disneydeath,0,2672466.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines

Zz.
 
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  • #2,178
ZapperZ said:
This was posted quite a while back. It first sounded like a farce, but it was in serious development.

Anyway, I think someone came to their senses and this project is no longer on the slate of offerings from Disney. It appears that it has been cancelled.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=filmNews&storyID=2006-03-28T080807Z_01_N28339255_RTRIDST_0_FILM-GNOMEO-DC.XML

Zz.

Just when you thought that Gnomeo and Juliet thing is dead, Miramax (another arm of the Disney studio) has picked up this Elton John/Tim Rice project.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060414/film_nm/elton_dc_1

Oy vey!

Zz.
 
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  • #2,179
So what is the #1 selling CD of 2006 so far? Go on, take a guess!

Believe it or not, it is the soundtrack to Disney's High School Musical, which is a Disney Channel original movie.

http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest.asp?I1=ID&I2=1125

No one, not even Disney, was expecting this musical to be this big of a hit.

Zz.
 
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  • #2,180
Meet the Disney movie wizzard!

[and no, it's NOT me!]

http://disney.go.com/inside/issues/stories/v060411.html

Zz.
 
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  • #2,181
ZapperZ said:
So what is the #1 selling CD of 2006 so far? Go on, take a guess!

Believe it or not, it is the soundtrack to Disney's High School Musical, which is a Disney Channel original movie.

http://www.laughingplace.com/Latest.asp?I1=ID&I2=1125

No one, not even Disney, was expecting this musical to be this big of a hit.

Zz.

It's a good week for Disney. Not only do they have the #1 selling CD of the year, the Narnia DVD became the top selling DVD this past week.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/060413/3/401tf.html

Zz.
 
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  • #2,182
Tomorrow, April 16, is the 5th anniversary of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. This spectacular resort opened in 2001, and has one of my most favorite places to eat - Boma.

A commemorative pin will be released tomorrow to mark this occassion.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10935858.jpg

This is the view of the main entrance to the resort.

disaug0303095vt.jpg


This is the spectacular grand lobby.

disaug0303112rm.jpg


A view of one part of the resort from the wildlife area.

img11015zw.jpg


Don't forget that your resort room has a direct view to the wildlife.

img20241ft.jpg


Zz.
 
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  • #2,183
ZapperZ said:
Oh, now THIS is hilarious.

It appears that a woman by the name of Kimberly Williamson Butler is running for office of Mayor of New Orleans. On her website, she has a picture of her somewhere in the famous French Quarter ... but is it really?

Someone has caught her actually using a picture NOT at the actual New Orleans, but actually at New Orleans Square in DISNEYLAND!

http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com/tdb/2006/04/mayor_of_disney.html

I hope she's not confused with which "New Orleans" she's running for. But apparently, she has had a brush with the law previously.

Zz.

It seems that a few New Orleans news services have finally picked up on this story. What TOOK them so long?

http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=4774104
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1145080648105120.xml

Zz.
 
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  • #2,184
I saw this and I said to myself "This is THE best pin that I've seen this year!"

This pin is released today at Disneyland. It is an open edition pin, but I'm going to make every effort to have someone get it for me. If you have ever been on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction (either at Disneyland or WDW), you WILL recognize this pin. That is what makes it so special!

.. and now, I need to go make a phone call to California.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10441143.jpg

Zz.
 
  • #2,185
It's raining and wet and damp here this evening. All and all, a miserable evening. I wish I was at the Happiest Place on Earth.

40 more days! <sigh>

I'll look at pictures like this to cheer myself up.

Zz.

img32658hb.jpg
 
  • #2,186
Things you MUST do at the Walt Disney World Resort

For better or for worse, this was the post that started it all. I posted this as the 2nd message of this thread, which was the impetus for the thread creation in the first place. I know that this last has been used by several of my friends, and they have acknowledge its value, especially if one is on a tight schedule and does not have the luxury of going to every attraction at the parks.

This list has been updated and will continue to be updated. Hopefully, if you do go to WDW (and go without me!), this list will be helpful in navigating the vast area of the resort.

Things you MUST do at the Walt Disney World Resort

MAGIC KINGDOM

1. Space Mountain (rollercoaster).

2. Thunder Mountain Railroad – the best place to ride this is towards the rear. Ask for it when you are about to board.

3. Splash Mountain – sitting on the right side tends to be slightly wetter than the left side if the waterfall is running.

4. Teacups.

5. Haunted Mansion.

6. Mickey’s Philharmagic – this has become the #1 attraction at Magic Kingdom. Do this early, or get Fast Passes. If not, try getting in while there is a show or a parade going on.

7. Jungle Cruise – A good ride when your feet are tired, as long as you don’t mind your tour guide spewing out a lot of bad puns.

8. SpectroMagic Light Parade – Check the parade route and try to move away from Main Street where it WILL be crowded. Some place in Frontierland or Liberty Square will be good.

9. Wishes – Even though you can see the fireworks from a large area of Magic Kingdom, the show involves more than just that. So to get the full effect, the best place to view it is front of Cinderella’s castle on Main Street where Main Street meets the circular roundabout. Unfortunately, this is also the most crowded and popular area.

10. A good quick place to eat – Columbia Harbor House. Take note that there are additional seating upstairs with a condiment/utensils/etc. kiosk that is seldom packed. There are also additional washrooms on this floor.

11. If you are looking for sit-down meals with characters, the best places for this are the Liberty Tree Tavern and Crystal Palace. Liberty Tree Tavern offers dining with the characters only for the evening dinners. You get to meet Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, and Chip & Dale dressed in colonial costumes. The food is traditional American meal – turkey, ham, roast beef, mash potatoes, stuffings, green beans, and cobbler for dessert. It is all you care to eat, so they’ll bring more if you ask for it. And you get to meet the characters many times during your meal since they do make their rounds regularly. Crystal Palace is more of a buffet meal (both lunch and dinner), and you get to meet Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore. The food served at this buffet is surprisingly good (for a buffet, that is). Just note that the “noise” level may be higher than at Liberty Tree Tavern. If you intend to have a meal at either of these places, advanced reservation is strongly recommended, since these are popular places. Call Disney dinning reservations before you arrive.



EPCOT

1. Soarin’ – this ride came from The California Adventure. It has since become the No. 1 attraction at Epcot and for good reason. You definitely want to do this as soon as the park opens, or fast pass it as early as you can. The best seat to get is the center aisle, Row 1. However, there really is no bad seat in this one because the experience will be exhilarating no matter where you sit.

2. Test Track (be there when Epcot opens and head directly to Test Track – get in line immediately or take Fast Pass. Test track is extremely popular and will have long lines later in the morning/day).

3. Mission Space – same warning as in Test Track. However, if you are susceptible to motion sickness, you may not want to ride this. [Hint: if there are people not riding Mission Space, it might be a good idea for those waiting to get Fast Pass tickets for Test Track. That way, by the time the Mission Space people get off that ride, it will be close to the Fast Pass time for Test Track].

4. Maelstorm at the Norway pavilion (World Showcase pavilion around the lagoon opens at 11:00 am). Note: there is a small bakery at the front of the Norway pavilion and they have (if they haven’t sold out) this sweet almond pretzel. It is to DIE for!

5. Honey I Shrunk the Audience

6. Illumination at 9:00 pm around the lagoon (if it doesn’t rain, people usually start staking out the best spots around the lagoon ½ to one hour before the show). As with Wishes at Magic Kingdom, you can view the fireworks and light show from all around the lagoon, but the best place to view it in its full “symmetry” is still right at the pavilion by the entrance to the World Showcase lagoon.

7. Spaceship Earth. It’s cheesy and tame, but it’s inside that big “golf ball”. Do this ride late in the afternoon or early evening – the lines are not as long then.

8. Restaurant Marrakesh at the Morroco pavilion – If you come at the right time, you might get to see live musicians and belly dancers. The food is excellent too! Reservations are strongly recommended for dinner during peak seasons.

9. A new place that just opened is an EXCELLENT place to eat – Sunshine Seasons at The Land, lower level (same level as Soarin’). It may look like a food court, but that’s where the similarity ends. You can get everything from sashimi-grade seared tuna salad, to Mongolian beef on jasmine rice, etc. And the price is quite reasonable too.



DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS

1. Tower of Terror – ride this as many times as you can. It is different each time since they have a random program of “drops”.

2. Rock ‘N Roller Coaster

3. Muppets 3D

4. Star Tours

5. Fantasmic Light Show - 3 different restaurants offer a “Fantasmic” dinner package. They are the Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, and Hollywood and Vine (this list may be outdated). You get a separate entrance and reserved seating for Fantasmic with this package. Reservation is strongly recommended or even required (you need to mention the Fantasmic dinner package). Plan on having dinner at around 5 pm to 6 pm to have enough time to catch the show afterwards.

6. A fun place to eat – Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. You get to sit in your own car and watch old sci-fi movies on a large screen while you munch on your food.



ANIMAL KINGDOM

1. Kilimanjaro Safari – do this as early or as soon as the park opens. It is very popular.

2. Kali River Rapids – assume that you WILL get drenched (bring ziplock plastic bags for your wallet, cellphone, etc.).

3. Primeval Whirl – don’t do this immediately after you eat, it will not be pretty. Also avoid if you are susceptible to motion sickness.

4. Dinosaur – be warned that this ride can be quite intense for young children.

5. It’s Tough To Be A Bug.

6. Best places to eat: Tusker House and Flame Tree BBQ. Take note that Flame Tree BBQ has a lot more seating than it appears. Try walking down further into the greenery and you’ll find a wonderful seating area by the lake that is seldom crowded.

7. Expedition Everest. This is turning into THE best attraction at Walt Disney World. It is more than just a roller-coaster attraction. The queuing area itself is an attraction. There are many authentic artifacts that have been brought over from Nepal and Tibet. These are displayed as you walk through to get to the ride itself.



OTHER LOCATIONS

1. Breakfast with Chef Mickey at the Contemporary Resort – Plan this waaaay ahead, even weeks (or months) before you get to Orlando. It is fun, if you have kids, or just a kid at heart.

2. Downtown Disney – 4 words to describe it: shop, eat, shop, eat. However, kids may prefer the Lego store.

3. Cirque Du Soleil’s La Nuba at Downtown Disney Westside – Even if you have seen other Cirque Du Soleil shows, see this one! It will be an experience you will never forget.

4. Pleasure Island – 8-Tracks is a fun retro dance club.

5. Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge – this is the BEST buffet dinner anywhere in Disney World, in my opinion. It is African-themed, but also has the regular, familiar food for those who do not want to venture out of their comfort level. Don’t miss the crispy flatbreads with the three wonderful and exotic spreads.



THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

1. If you’re staying at a Disney resort, you can have all your purchases anywhere in Disney World sent to your hotel. This saves you from having to lug everything you bought with you.

2. If you are staying at a Disney resort, take note also that if you decide to drive to the Disney parks instead of taking their free busses/monorail, parking is FREE. Just show the paper that they give you during check-in that you have to display on your dashboard.

3. Note, as of January 2005, you also get free transportation from the Orlando International airport to your Disney hotel using the Disney Magical Express. You will need to either inquire about this service when you make your reservation, or check their website. You will also be given luggage tags, so you and your luggage will be picked up at the airport by them.

4. More shopping tip: If you end up buying a large number of items at a single store (such as at the World of Disney in Downtown Disney), you may want to consider having them ship all of them directly to your home. You pay only ONE shipping flat rate no matter how many items you want to ship, AND, the sales tax is not included. Depending on how much you are spending, the money you save on sales tax alone might pay for the shipping. Keep in mind that I think they will only ship (using that one flat rate) the items you are paying for at that moment, not the items you have already purchased, even from the same store.

5. While you are there, you can make dinner reservations, buy park tickets, etc. throughout the Walt Disney World at any Guest Services office (Guest Services can be found at all parks, resorts, Downtown Disney). If there is a special occasion for making the reservation (such as a birthday or anniversary, etc.), be sure to mention it to the Guest Services cast member – you might get some special treatment then, or later.

6. As soon as you walk through the turnstile at any of the Disney parks, look for a slip of paper (usually at a kiosk or on racks by the wall) that lists all the parades, show times, character greetings, and special events for that day. This list changes everyday, so pick one up each time you walk into a park.

7. For many people, one of the most fun things to do is to get pictures with the characters. While one can do this during various scheduled times for characters meet and greet, the easiest and most comfortable way to guarantee this opportunity is to make a reservation for one of the dinning with characters meal. The characters will come to your table while you eat, giving you plenty of opportunities for photo-ops. Often, these characters will get to your table multiple times. This is a lot more convenient than standing in line in the hot sun, and having to go from one line to the next just to get pictures with a number of characters. So my suggestion would be to plan at least one character dinning during a trip. And no, it doesn’t matter if you have children in your party or not. The characters WILL visit you no matter what.

8. For parents who want to get on a ride, but an accompanying child is either too scared, or too small to be on that ride, most rides at Disney World has a “parent exchange” area. This allows one parent to get on the ride while the other stays in a holding area with the child. When the riding parent is done, the next parent can go on that ride without having to go back to the end of the line. Ask a cast member if a particular ride has this.

9. When you go to Magic Kingdom via the “regular” Disney busses or by driving your own vehicle, you will arrive at the Transportation center, and then you can either board the Magic Kingdom monorail, or a boat to get to Magic Kingdom itself. There are three monorail lines here: one is the express monorail to and from Magic Kingdom, one for the Magic Kingdom resort hotels, and one going to Epcot. (So you could, if you prefer, park here and go to Epcot. This is a good idea if you intend to be jumping around between Epcot to Magic Kingdom on the same day. That way, your vehicle is always in the middle of the two parks.) Take note that BOTH the Magic Kingdom express monorail, and the Magic Kingdom resorts monorail go to and from the Magic Kingdom and the Transportation center. The only difference being that the resort monorail will make stops in between for the Magic Kingdom resort hotels. So keep this in mind if the Magic Kingdom express monorail is very busy with people. Most of them do not know that the Resort monorail also goes to the same place. This also applies when you are coming back from Magic Kingdom to go to the Transportation center.

10. Remember that you can purchase Disney Theme Park tickets that do not expire. So if you bought a regular 5-Day Park Hopper or Park Hopper Plus, and you used only 3 days, the remaining 2 days (and any “Plusses”) do not expire! You can come back at any time to use the remaining days. [Note: As of Jan 2005, Disney World has added variations to their ticket options. You can still buy Park Hopper tickets that do not expire, but they cost slightly more than those that do. So double check on the various ticket options that are now currently available.]

Zz.
 
  • #2,187
If you are working in the US, don't forget that today is Tax Day (unless you are in a number of states that observe a holiday on this date).

Here's Scrooge McDuck to remind you of it.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10904689.jpg
 
  • #2,188
As if we need another rumor of another possible Disney theme park somewhere in the world, there's one circulating about a possible one somewhere in Spain!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2136223,00.html

Add this to the already existing rumors for Shanghai, Korea, and India, and we would have Disney theme parks sprouting like mushrooms all over the world.

Zz.
 
  • #2,189
More terrific press coverage of the opening of Expedition Everest.

http://theedge.bostonherald.com/travelNews/view.bg?articleid=135345

Zz.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #2,190
Hey, you forgot to tell people not to sit TOO close to the castle when they watch Wishes. :-p :smile:
 
  • #2,191
Moonbear said:
Hey, you forgot to tell people not to sit TOO close to the castle when they watch Wishes. :-p :smile:

I'm letting them find that out for themselves.

:)

Zz.
 
  • #2,193
ZapperZ said:
I saw this and I said to myself "This is THE best pin that I've seen this year!"

This pin is released today at Disneyland. It is an open edition pin, but I'm going to make every effort to have someone get it for me. If you have ever been on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction (either at Disneyland or WDW), you WILL recognize this pin. That is what makes it so special!

.. and now, I need to go make a phone call to California.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10441143.jpg

Zz.

ZapperZ said:
Two gorgeous pins depicting Sleeping Beauty castle are being released today, along with the one I reported earlier, at Disneyland.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10213023.jpg

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10213108.jpg

I've just been delivered the good news that my contact in LA has managed to get all these pins!

<dance around the Control Room>

It is the little things in life that makes us happy. Of course, when you have so many of these little things, it can be rather expensive! :(

Zz.
 
  • #2,194
It's official. Many Disney fan websites such as this are disappointed with The Wild. It is the latest animation movie that is being distributed by Disney. The story has no originality (I could have sworn it got lifted off Madagascar).

Hopefully, this is the last such bomb to have Disney's name on it before the new John Lassiter-Dick Cook quality control take over.

http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID510280.asp

Zz.
 
  • #2,195
New Disney stamps will be released at a ceremony at Epcot this Friday! The new set will be available at all US Post Office the following Monday.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060417-034156-7732r

The set of 4 stamps are shown in this Jumbo Pin that will be released on the same day.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10904920.jpg
 
  • #2,196
  • #2,198
ZapperZ said:
It seems that a few New Orleans news services have finally picked up on this story. What TOOK them so long?

http://www.katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=4774104
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1145080648105120.xml

Zz.

There is another ASTOUNDING development in this. The person who is running for Mayor of New Orleans, who was caught using a picture of not the actual New Orleans, but rather New Orleans Square from Disneyland, has now change the picture. After a threat of being sued by Disney, she changed the picture being used, but what did she change? She used some picture editing software and EDITED OUT THE TRASH CAN that clearly marked it as being at Disneyland, but she KEPT the same picture!

UNBELIEVABLE! This person is a piece of work!

http://www.wonkette.com/politics/new-orleans/kimberly-williamson-butler-continues-to-astound-us-167923.php

Zz.
 
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  • #2,199
Tomorrow is the 15th anniversary of the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. This place is listed in my Things you MUST do at Walt Disney World. If you have never been there, this place is a nostalgic look at the old 50's drive-in movie theater. You are seated in your own car with others, and you get to watch trailers of very old sci-fi B-movies while you feast on the standard American drive-in food.

... at least the kids tend to love it.

To mark this anniversary, a pin will be released tomorrow (of course!).

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10935857.jpg
 
  • #2,200
ZapperZ said:
New Disney stamps will be released at a ceremony at Epcot this Friday! The new set will be available at all US Post Office the following Monday.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060417-034156-7732r

The set of 4 stamps are shown in this Jumbo Pin that will be released on the same day.

Zz.

http://eventservices.disney.go.com/files/10904920.jpg
Aww, they're cute. And just in time for the June wedding invitations to go out. Do you think they chose the timing for releasing this theme on purpose?
 

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