Walk MS: Orlando coming Sunday April 7

Press Release:

Walk MS: Orlando will take place Sunday, April 7 at a new location this year -- Baldwin Park at Harbor Park. There will be lots of fun festivities including Zumba dancers, a dunk tank, live music, emcees from Fox 35 and 102 Jamz, and more! Walkers can then have brunch at Jack's Steakhouse in Baldwin Park where proceeds will benefit the MS Society. 

Bike MS: The Citrus Tour will take place April 20-21, starting at Bok Tower Gardens and trekking to Caribe Royale. The route reverses the next day for an option of a 50, 75 or 100-mile ride. 

Event Name	Mid Florida Walk MS: Orlando 2013
Date	Sun., April 7, 2013
Start Time	8 a.m.
End Time	12 p.m.
Location (full address including zip code)	Baldwin Park at Harbor Park                       4990 New Broad St. Orlando, FL 32814
Registration (required or not)	YES
Event Description	Join the National MS Society, Mid Florida Chapter for their annual Walk MS at a new location this year, Baldwin Park at Harbor Park, with walk route options, fully accessible and fun for the entire family.  Register to walk as an individual, join a team or create a team. Registration is  8 a.m. and the walk kicks off at 9 a.m.
Cost	$20 minimum donation requested per participant
URL	www.MidFloridaMSWalks.org

Event Name	Mid Florida Bike MS: The Citrus Tour 2013
Date	Saturday, April 20 - Sunday, April 21, 2013
Start Time	6:00 a.m.
End Time
Location (full address including zip code)	Bok Tower Gardens                                                      1151 Tower Blvd.                                             Lake Wales, FL 33853
Registration (required or not)	YES
Event Description	Join the National MS Society, Mid Florida Chapter for their annual two-day 150 mile Bike MS Citrus Tour. The ride begins April 20 at Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales and travels through Central Florida to the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando. On April 21, the route reverses. Course options include 50, 75 and 100 mile routes. The tour is open to both individual and team participants. Registration is 6 a.m. Ride kicks off at 7 a.m.
Cost	Individual registration: $60. Team member registration is $60, plus a $250 fundraising minimum. Prices change as event nears.

URL	http://www.Bikeflc.nationalmssociety.org

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Communist China flags for sale at Epcot

Do all the pavilions in World Showcase sell flags of their host countries? 

I saw this little beauty tucked away next to the cash register in the shop in China. It struck me as a little out of place. Most of the store (and indeed the pavilion) celebrates Chinese heritage, history, art, and accomplishments, but not the current country or government.

Then again, some of the other countries around World Showcase are way more blatant about using their flags (Norway is one example, and I think Germany too).

Still, China is a Communist country and that changes the rules somewhat. Back in 2010 I found them selling Communist solider puppets, but when I posted about it online they were gone the next week.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Pie Festival returns April 27-28

Press Release:

From Career Bakers to Sunday Afternoon Hobbyists, Upper Crust of Nation’s Pie Bakers Are Invited to Showcase Their Best Original Recipes in 19^th Annual APC/Crisco^® National Pie Championships

Pie Events Draw Both Bakers and Tasters: APC/Crisco^® National Pie Championships April 26-28 in Orlando and APC Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco^®
April 27-28 in Celebration, Fla.

ORLANDO (March 13 2013) – Some of them bake pie for a living. Some of them simply live for pie. For 19 years, pie bakers of all skill levels — from the Sunday afternoon family baker to the neighborhood bakery owner, from budding pastry chefs putting a twist on their grandma’s recipes to the nation’s most experienced commercial bakers — have gathered once a year to determine who bakes America’s very best pies. From Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28, hundreds of competitors hungry for prizes and bragging rights will gather at the American Pie Council^® (APC) /Crisco^® National Pie Championships held at the Caribe Royale All-Suite Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando. In conjunction with the pie championships, the APC is proud to present its 12th Annual APC Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco^® on Saturday and Sunday, April 27-28, in nearby Celebration, Fla.

The APC — America’s only organization dedicated to preserving America’s love affair with pie— is now accepting entries for the National Pie Championships from amateur, professional and commercial bakers. Amateur bakers may compete in a flavorful new category this year: Comstock Wilderness pie fillings in the baker’s choice of apple, cherry, blueberry, peach or strawberry. New this year is a Bake Learning Center which will offer championship attendees pie baking tips and instruction by leading industry professionals and pastry chefs.

Last year, the prestigious pastry bake-off drew more than 441 commercial, 115 professional, 237 amateur and 8 junior entries for an astounding total of 801 pies in the quest to find America’s top bakers. Commercial winners took home bragging rights and the promise of greater sales, while winners in all other categories received plenty of dough, as is cash and prizes. This year’s competition is expected to be even more heated. Entry forms and pie categories for each division are available on the APC website, www.piecouncil.org. Entry is $15 per pie for amateur APC members, $35/non members and each entrant receives an Emile Henry pie dish; see website for professional and commercial entry costs. APC members receive discounted entry costs; membership information is also available online.

Pie lovers are also invited to apply to be a judge at the prestigious competition. Last year, 195 esteemed pie aficionados from all over the world lent their time and taste buds to nibble on more than 800 pies. No previous judging or baking experience is required; applicants need only explain why they would like to be a judge. Potential pie judges may fill out an entry form online at www.piecouncil.org through March 30, 2013.

Hundreds of volunteers are also needed to make the championships and the APC Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco^® run as easy as, well, pie. Volunteers may indicate the shifts or duties

they prefer to work by filling out an application online at www.piecouncil.org by Tuesday, April 23, 2013.

The Caribe Royale is offering a special rate of $129 per night for those competing in or attending the APC/Crisco^® National Pie Championships or the APC Great American Pie Festival sponsored by

Crisco^®.  To receive this special rate, guests must mention the event by name.  Reservations may be made by calling 800-823-8300. For more information about the Caribe Royale, visit www.thecaribeorlando.com.

 “It’s amazing to think that right now, bakers across the country are baking their hearts out, testing out new recipes and breaking the barriers to create even better tasting, more creative and more tantalizing pies than the year before,” said Linda Hoskins, Executive Director, American Pie Council. “Every year brings new surprises and new recipes from the best bakers in all categories, from our amateurs to our professional and commercial bakers.”

More than 39,000 pie lovers from across the globe are expected to transcend upon Celebration, Fla. on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 for the APC Great American Pie Festival sponsored by Crisco^®. The increasingly popular, free admission festival returns to Celebration with all the activities that have made it a family favorite, including the Pie Creation Station, the pie tin art activity for art lovers of all ages, and the Demonstration Stage sponsored by Village Inn and Bakers Square Restaurants, featuring entertainment and baking demonstrations with chefs from across the country. Always a crowd favorite, the kids’ and adults’ pie eating contests return this year, once again sponsored by Private Selection.

The highlight of the festival is the Never Ending Pie Buffet, which last year featured an astounding 90,000 slices of pie as well as ice cream, toppings and beverages from America’s best known commercial bakers. The Never Ending Pie Buffet has grown each year, from 83,000 slices in 2010 and 70,000 in 2009. The buffet and the children’s activities are the only paid events at the festival.  All stage entertainment and demonstrations are free.  Tickets to the Pie Buffet are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors over 65 and children under 5 to enjoy all they care of eat and drink.

Those interested in keeping up to date on the latest news concerning the pie championships, pie festival or pie news can follow the American Pie Council on Facebook and Pinterest and on Twitter at FYPie.

The festival will be held at Lakeside Park at 631 Sycamore St. in downtown Celebration, Florida 34747. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, April 27; noon to 5 p.m., Sunday, April 28. Admission to the festival is free.

For more information, visit the Front Porch Celebration Community at www.celebration.fl.us or the American Pie Council^® www.piecouncil.org.

Crisco^® is a registered trademark of The J. M. Smucker Company.  For more information, visit www.crisco.com.

The American Pie Council^® is the only organization committed to maintaining America’s pie heritage, passing on the tradition of pie-making and promoting America’s love affair with pie. The APC offers personal, professional and commercial memberships. For more information, please visit www.piecouncil.org. 

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

King's Bowl - Construction Photos

I got a quick tour of the upcoming King's Bowl coming to I-Drive (in the shopping center behind Ripley's Believe it or Not), and wanted to share not only the pictures, but a few facts we gleaned:

• Pricing will be by game, not by hour for the lanes
• The lanes are regulation, and the "approach" is regulation (it felt much longer than Splitsville's approach!)
• Pricing for Bud and Yuengling will be as low as $4/drink on tap
• Entrees top out around $22 for the ribeye steak; most will be in the teens range
• There is a Florida resident discount - they want to cater to locals
• The covered bocce court will be a pretty unique feature (apparently Winter Park has one or two, but I've never seen them).

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Under the Sea pics - Low Light Settings (new camera)

Testing a new Canon 7D with 24-105 zoom lens, I took a few pictures on Under the Sea. I'm sure to get better over time, and I need a better lens for low light, but these are more than I could capture with the Rebel. The ISO alone jumps from 1600 to 6400 with this new body. These pictures are unprocessed (I seldom have time for Lightroom or Photoshop).

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

St. Patrick's Day menu at Busch Gardens this weekend

Press Release:

All weekend long (March 16-17), guests can indulge in classic Irish fare such as corned beef & cabbage. And if you want to make your friends “green with envy”, try one of Busch Gardens’ Irish beer selections, and even sample some green beer to mark the occasion. 

All of this and more will be available at the Dessert Grill and Crown Colony House^® Restaurant.  For more dining options and ways to explore the park, visit buschgardens.com. 

Want a reason celebrate all year long?  Buy a 2013 Fun Card so you can pay for a day and come back all year! It’s the best value for again-and-again access to all of the exciting events, entertainment, amazing animal encounters and world-class thrill rides Busch Gardens has to offer, including Cheetah Hunt, the Animal Care Center and Iceploration – Busch Gardens’ biggest ice show ever.

The 2013 Fun Card is valid from the date of purchase through Dec. 31, 2013 and is available online, at the Busch Gardens’ front gate or by calling (888) 800-5447.  

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

My favorite Hidden Mickey - Test Track URL

In testing a new camera last night, I snapped a photo of the third "scanner" room in Test Track. This was formerly the toxic paint room, right before the "lateral forces" climb, and in today's attraction it shows a diagram of a Test Track car while a light sweeps across the wall, illuminating text written there. The text is far too small to see and read, but I snap a photo each time just in case.

Last night I got lucky and found the text included a URL. Curious, I typed in the URL to a browser and saw that it led to a single small image file: a Mickey Mouse shape. It took 1.5 seconds, but it sunk in: I had found a Hidden Mickey. And a rather unique one at that; visitors don't see the Mickey shape - they see a URL! But it's a Mickey nonetheless.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

King's Bowl coming to I-Drive in April (press photos)

I received some press photos today of the upcoming attraction to International Drive, the upscale bowling alley King's Bowl. 

Here are a few fast facts:

• 22 bowling lanes
• four billiard tables
• one shuffleboard table
• outdoor bocce ball court (!!)
• two bars
• 60+ HDTVs

KINGS Bowl Orlando is located in the I-Drive Live project in the former Gooding’s Plaza on South I-Drive next to Ripley’s Believe it or Not! and Charley’s Steakhouse, at 8255 South International Drive, Suite 120, Orlando, FL 32819

They also put a priority on food and promise to serve right at the lanes.

Open 11am-2am daily (and serving food all the way until close).

I'm getting a construction tour soon and will send more pictures when that's ready!

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

NextGen (MyMagic+) is going to make Disney money. Here's how.

The "received wisdom" in Disney fan circles is that MyMagic+ (NextGen) is a boondoggle; a waste of more than one billion dollars. No way is Disney going to recoup that investment, they say, and it's so lamentable because that kind of coin could have bought a huge number of new rides, maybe even its own theme park! Instead we get wristband replacements for admission tickets, privacy incursions, and ride reservations that some people don't even want.

Well, the received wisdom might be a bit premature. If you look steadily, evenly, and calmly at the numbers, I think you'll find that Disney probably know what it's doing. I think they WILL see a return on investment. The main reasons that the community has not come to the same conclusion are the dual problems of scale and timeframe.

Let's start with timeframe. Disney isn't going to expect a $1 billion boost in the first year. Let's pretend they expected the gains to be spread out over many years--say, 20 years--the way one amortizes the depreciation of capital investments. That's 50 million dollars a year (assuming for a moment there is no such thing as inflation, future value of money, or opportunity cost from NOT investing money that would otherwise have been in pocket).

Let's be generous. Let's say Disney wanted to recoup its investment in ten years, rather than twenty. That's $100 million each year additional profit that needs to be earned to justify this expensive endeavor. Impossible, right?

Not impossible when you bring the scale into this equation. Each year, 30 million people visit Walt Disney World. Let me say that again: 30 million. If each of them spends an additional $4 dollars OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR ENTIRE TRIP then you've already made up those $100 million needed to justify NextGen. Well, let's call it $5 or even $6 to account for the difference between revenue and profit. Heck, let's call it $10 per person just to err on the side of caution.

Are you telling me that a family of four visiting from Wyoming for a week in 2017, having made ride reservations and lunch reservations, won't use some of that downtime to go shopping? They have seven days of shopping (since their vacation lasts seven days) and they only need to spend an additional $40 that they wouldn't have otherwise to make up the difference. If they were visiting for one day I could see them resisting those "additional purchases." Maybe even two or three days. But seven days of luxury in the parks, with no real need to wait in lines? I think they will eventually nibble.

All of the above assumes that people don't make additional purchases because Disney targeted them (they know now, courtesy of those wristbands, which rides are your favorites). Or that people won't go to Disney instead of Universal because the ride reservations will be seen as beneficial and convenient (hey, it WILL be true for some people).

In many ways, Disney is not in the theme park business anymore, but in the hotel business. If the perk is good enough, Disney can get more people to stay at its hotels. The perk appears to be an extra number of advanced reservations. From Disney's point of view, this is win-win. The reservations cost almost nothing from an operational point of view (once NextGen is paid for), but they could bring hotel bookings up to 100%. Forget $10/trip. We could be talking a lot more than that, in terms of additional money rolling in.

And then there's the trump card: saving face. Even if we assume the worst-case scenario, that Disney actually never makes additional money from these investments, I think we can say that Disney will never admit the failure. They will simply invest more in the parks and "roll together" the expense of NextGen with other capitol improvements. Carsland, Avatar, Disney Springs... they will all drive attendance. Personally, I think we are less than two years out from Disney announcing a major, major Star Wars land (or even park). That will be rolled in also.

Make no mistake. Disney will spin NextGen as a success, whether it really *is* (I think it will be) or whether it has to be combined with other capitol improvements.

Edit: an early tweeted reply to this post reminded me that there are also operational savings to be had by this technology. One of the early goals of the original FastPass was to "spread out" demand for the ride. With advance reservations, people really will be arriving earlier in the day to get on their coasters, and the ride will be better "optimized." Disney can also close rides earlier and save money - the $4/person can be had merely in savings, in some cases. Extra Magic Hour is likely to become a thing of the past, since Disney has a new "thing" to promote as the reason for staying at their hotels (you get more reservations).

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

BTMRR queue inside jokes and Hidden History (list)

The revised BTMRR queue is like the Haunted Mansion revised queue, the revised Meet Mickey, and pretty much any project these days: full of Hidden History. As the author of the book WDW Hidden History, I perk up whenever there is a tribute to an Imagineer or remnant of an old attraction mentioned. Here's what I've seen so far:

• The "pay rates" sign is posted by G. Willikers (say it out loud)
• The mining tycoon shown in a portrait is Imagineer Tony Baxter, the creator of the Big Thunder concept

• Imagineers of the Walt era (and just after) are honored on wooden signs on the Fusing Cage
• Western River Expedition, a one-time planned attraction for MK, is referenced on boxes along the path.
• The diagram map of Big Thunder includes shaft #71, in honor of the park's opening in 1971
• The diagram map officially labels the colorful cave as "Rainbow Caverns," a nod to the Disneyland ride that preceded Big Thunder at that park.
• One cage near the canaries is labeled to Rosita--answering the Tiki Room question of wondering what happened to Rosita.
• The sign announcing Hard Times Cafe makes oblique reference to the Disney movie Apple Dumpling Gang.
• The Pecos Bill sign also mentions the Mile Long Bar, a long-gone quick-service bar next to Pecos Bill (and is today the exit corridor from Country Bears).
• The Signals sign is posted by Dane Jerris (say it out loud)

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.