Menu for bar in Mexico (in spot of Food&Wine booth)

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Soarin FP sold out before 11

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Every year I forget how cool the Babes in Toyland marching soldiers are in the Xmas parade.

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Yet more new Pooh queue

An empty spot in the Pooh queue right before the honey wall has gotten its game: the "baby toy" type of track with permanently attached toy. You just bring your bee with you through holes and loops. Kids stay entertained, and adults get a reprieve. Win!




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30% WDW fast food coupon not necessary to bring. It's attached to "today" guides

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$7 Greek Salad at Electric Umbrella now tiny (and generic dressing). Disappointing.

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The Kindle edition of my new book (WDW Hidden History) is now available - $8.50

The paperless version of the newest book is now available. As Amazon points out, you can use the Kindle software on your smartphone instead of buying a Kindle device, if so inclined.

Read books on your computer or other mobile devices

	Get Kindle for PC
	Get Kindle for iPhone Also works on iPod Touch
	Get Kindle for BlackBerry
	Get Kindle for iPad
	Get Kindle for Android

WDW and DL offering dining coupons in the park!

For the first time I can think of, you can bring a printed coupon to a Disney park restaurant and get 30% off for dining during the holidays. It's only good during the "off" hours - clearly a way to spread out demand, and perhaps encourage sales that might otherwise not get made. It might also be an indication that the restaurants aren't making as much money as they want to (are supposed to? used to?)

See the official DisneyParks blog for the coupon:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/12/download-voucher-dine-during-off-hours-save-30-percent/?CMP=SOC-DPFY11Q1TwitterDisneyParks08-12-10@0026

Disney Store trip report

The Disney Store at Westfied Mall (Tampa) may lack the immersive theming of stores two decades age, but it's got a lot of theming and characters near the ceiling. It's my first trip to a Disney Store in maybe five years. I was impressed with the prices (way cheaper than the parks) and with the product mixture (it used to be clothes-heavy and now features a lot (mostly?) of toys.










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My new book, WDW Hidden History, has been around sales rank 11,000 for a day. Pretty cool!

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Where in WDW is this?

Pleasure Island club "Motion" looking forlorn. It will be torn out soon enough!

Where in WDW is this?

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Imagination!

Hmmm. This stinks!




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SeaWorld Orlando Xmas exceeds expectations

Ice skating shows, Sesame Street Xmas shows, special orca and sea lion shows, snowfall, and way more decorations than you can shake a stick at. Oh, and 75 Xmas trees on the water syncopated to music - their own version of Osborne lights. Area music is everywhere (and includes Christian songs, which Disney doesn't do any more). Wonderful!









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Putting Edge golf

It costs about the same as other mini golf in Orlando, it's air conditioned, and it's got dark light glow colors. What's not to love about Putting Edge?

You could point out that it's located in the dying (already deceased?) indoor mall called Festival Bay, at the north end of I-Drive. True, but that's not their fault. $8.50 will buy you 18 holes in an immersive course that doesn't wimp out - it's also fun and challenging. I especially like the few gimmick holes: use a tiny putter, use the putter like a pool cue, shoot without touching the carpet.













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IAAPA 2010

The annual trade show for amusement parks is in town. Heard Marty Sklar and Muckey Steinberg trade stories. Best line from Sklar: "That was bullshit!" (in reference to the idea that Japanese tourists don't like to get wet).




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New To Me

It's fantastically relaxing to spend a day doing stuff totally new to you. Yesterday I went to Fantasy of Flight (highly recommend this air museum), then had lunch at Pollo Campero, the new restaurant at Downtown Disney.

We followed THAT with a trip to the free campfire and singalong at Fort Wilderness. What a hidden gem! I want to spend a full day doing Ft Wilderness soon. It's like a fifth theme park! I was giddy even at seeing a new to me Disney store (I'm such a geek!)




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Pollo Campero open in DTD

The replacement for McDonalds opened today. Verdict: slightly more expensive than a Taco Bell but twice as fresh. Some frustrating shakedown issues, but nothing to urge you to stay away. We will be back!






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Orlando Touch a Truck

Orlando Touch a Truck is this weekend ($5 per person): http://www.orlandotouchatruck.com/

We had great fun at this last year, but have other plans this Saturday so we have to miss it. The event is sponsored by a church, but it's a non-religious event (there is no church presence).

Food Network casting call

This just in from the Food Network:

I am a casting assistant for 24 Hour Restaurant Battle, Food Network’s successful competition reality series. We are currently casting for our second season and would like to inform you and your readers that we are holding an open casting call in Orlando on Monday November 14, 2010.



We are looking for charismatic and outgoing two person teams with pre-existing relationships, who have always dreamed of running their own restaurant. Applicants may have lots of restaurant experience, no restaurant experience, or some combination of both. One member of the team will run the “back of the house” and one member will run the “front of the house”. As a team they must have the skills to open and run their own restaurant!

N o w C a s t i n g


orlando casting call information:

date: 11/14/2010

time: 10am - 1pm

location: Holiday Inn Orlando

5905 Kirkman Rd. Orlando, FL 32819

Who should apply:

Two person teams with pre-existing relationships. Husband/wife, ex-husband/wife, father/daughter, mother/son, newlyweds, brothers, sisters, twins, cousins, best friends etc.

Those with the skills to run a restaurant. Applicants may have lots restaurant experience, no restaurant experience, or some combination of them both. One member of the team will run the “back of the house” and one member will run the “front of the house”. As a team you must have the skills to open and run a restaurant!

Those with lots of personality. Teams must be charismatic and outgoing! Must have lots of energy!

Discovery Cove to add a second tropical reef in 2011

Discovery Cove takes immersion to new depths when it opens an all-new area -- The Grand Reef -- in June 2011. The new reef features multiple levels of exploration, from shallow waters to deeper swimming adventures, from white sandy beaches and hammocks swaying in the breeze, to snorkeling among canyons inspired by reefs from around the world.

“The Grand Reef takes Discovery Cove’s world-class animal encounters to an all new level -- several, actually,” said Stewart Clark, the park’s vice president. “It’s what our guests expect from us, unforgettable connections with the sea and making memories that will last forever. This could only be created by Discovery Cove.”

Visitors just need to get their feet wet to enjoy The Grand Reef, or they can choose to go deep. They can step into tranquil, shallow waters to discover a below-the-surface world teeming with sea life, or they can snorkel in deeper waters as thousands of exotic fish and graceful rays swim around them.

Surprises abound. Families can seek discoveries along the water’s edge or cross a bridge to see sharks swimming below. They’ll play hide-and-seek with thousands of beautiful fish, from small colorful wrasses to large spotted eagle rays. Further out in the reef, stunning habitats create the feeling of swimming right alongside venomous lionfish and sharp-toothed reef sharks, each safely behind glass. Guests can take paths and bridges to the reef’s islands and hidden grottos as they delve into the reef from above, around and below.

Those looking for an even more exhilarating adventure can take part in The Grand Reef’s innovative experience, SeaVenture, an underwater walking tour. Wearing dive helmets, guests find up-close excitement around every corner, each step yielding a new discovery.

They’ll come across lionfish and sharks (safely behind massive panoramic windows), one-on-one touches with unique animals and schools of fish and gentle rays swimming by. SeaVenture is a once-in-a-lifetime, undersea experience available for a nominal fee.

The Grand Reef is the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation, a fully immersive tropical escape, new to discover in Orlando in 2011. There’s more to learn at http://www.discoverycove.com/.
 

Orlando's Biggest Yard Sale - Oct 23

The biggest yard sale event in Orlando, with 200+ families participating, returns this October.

They shut down Avalon Park for the day! This year, it’s Saturday October 23rd from 8am to 4pm, and they have a huge online google map and item listing page on their site:

http://www.avalonyardsale.com/

WDW 40th anniversary - a "preview" center

WDW's 40th anniversary celebration will be at Epcot (not MK). And focused on pins and vinylmation. Hm. At least a recreation of a (fake) preview center will be highly cool! http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/10/the-florida-project-september-9-11-2011/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DisneyParks+%28Disney+Parks+Blog

New Busch Gardens Tampa coaster for 2011

Cheetah Hunt, a new "terrain" coaster (hugs the ground, emphasizes speed and airtime on low hills) comes to Busch Gardens Tampa in Spring 2011.

I'm excited!
http://www.buschgardens.com/bgt/buschgardens2011.aspx

Former Disneyland President Matt Ouimet

Former Disneyland president Matt Ouimet is leaving his current job (Corinthian colleges) effective Oct. 31 with no word on what's next for him: http://www.rttnews.com/Content/BreakingNews.aspx?Node=B1&Id=1442693

 I'm guessing a return to Disney is unlikely, but boy would he be welcome by me in Walt Disney World!

New Orlando coaster park proposed

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The City of Orlando is considering plans from a group which would bring a new amusement park to the city.

The Baker Leisure Group, which specializes in building theme parks, is looking to build “The Orlando Thrill Park.” The park would sit on 70 acres of land located along International Drive and would feature several roller coasters.

http://www.wftv.com/news/25361448/detail.html

Unusual "casting" for Orlando Yard "make over"

Not theme park related, but certainly Orlando related:

Is your front yard a nightmare?

Or, maybe it's your neighbor’s house that's making property values in the neighborhood plummet!?

Nancy Glass Productions is casting for a major television network's front yard makeover show and is looking for homeowners who have had it with the outside of their house...or their neighbor's house!

Quite simply, we want the most run down, overgrown FRONT YARDS we can find! The ugliest, most dilapidated eyesore in the neighborhood! Cars on cinder blocks, peeling paint, and falling shutters will be awarded bonus points!

Must be outgoing and be willing to be on camera. Some financial assistance may be possible. Act now!

Email us at casting@nancyglassproductions.com and in the subject line, please write FRONT YARD MAKEOVER with photos, contact info, and a brief description of your story.

Top Chef Master Rick Bayless at Macy's at the Mall at Millenia, Oct 17

Macy's Culinary Council chef and Top Chef Master Rick Bayless will be appearing at Macy's at the Mall at Millenia in Orlando on Sunday, October 17 for a free cooking demonstration. Rick will offer tips for serving up his trademark Latin cuisine by preparing dishes like Achiote Shrimp and Bacon Tomato Guacamole for customers to sample. Following his demonstration, Rick will be available to sign copies of his newest cookbook, Fiesta at Rick's, available for purchase at Macy's the day of the event.

Here are the details of the event...please let me know if you'd be interested in attending or spreading the word about this event on your blog.

WHO & WHAT:
Cookbook author, restaurateur, Top Chef Master and Macy's Culinary Council chef Rick Bayless will host a cooking demonstration and book signing.

WHEN:
Sunday, October 17th, 2010
2:00 PM

WHERE:
Macy’s at The Mall at Millenia
Home Department, 2nd Floor
4298 Millenia Blvd
Orlando, Florida 32839

RSVP:
Customer RSVPs are recommended but not required. Reserve your seat by calling 1.800.329.8667. This event is free.

MORE INFO:
http://pitch.pe/93104

Fantasy of Flight this Friday and Saturday, The Living History Symposium: "Airmen in Captivity: The POW Experience".

Airmen in Captivity: The POW Experience
Oct. 8-9, 2010

World War II created 93,941 prisoners of war. However, life in the prison camps bore little resemblance of what is depicted in the movies and on television. Before the prison gates closed behind them, these fierce young airmen survived catastrophic flying trauma only to be captured and imprisoned by the enemy. What lay ahead was a psychological battlefield armed with a barrage of interrogation, isolation, and brutal conditions.

What did they experience? What did they learn? How did they manage not only to survive but to triumph of these real-life traumatic experiences? Learn about facing the enemy without as well as the enemy within, from these true American heroes.

This event features an open-forum/question-and-answer format with WWII prisoners of war.

Price: Free with general admission and for all Annual Pass holders.

Corn Maze, 60 foot slide, hayrides and more!

Central Florida isn't just home to theme parks. It's got local charm and small town (OK, farm) stuff too!

http://www.longandscottfarms.com/maze_hrs_admission.html

Every Fall in the months of October & November Scott's Maze Adventures opens featuring our 6 acre Corn Maze.

Fall Corn Maze Dates & Hours:
October 2, 2010 - November 28, 2010
Saturdays 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sundays 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. (WE DO NOT OPEN FARM GATES UNTIL 1:00 on SUNDAYS!)
**LAST TICKET SOLD AT 3:00 PM, Farm closes at 5:00

TUESDAYS through FRIDAYS are by reservations ONLY and there is a minimum of $164.00, see Groups info at bottom!


Admission Options (Kids 2 and under free):
Corn Maze & Adventure Area;
Youth (3 – 16) $8.00
Adults (17 & Older) $10.00


Corn Maze & Adventure Area includes;
6.5 acre Corn Maze Half acre Mini Corn Maze
Labyrinth Rock Maze Mist Maze
60’ Super Slide Kids Zip Line
Picnic Area First level of Maze Tower
Children’s Play Area (including giant sandbox and playground)
Mazie the Dragon Parking
Country Market Access to Food Vendors

“Fishing FOR Kids” - $2.00 extra per person
“Cornfusion” Tree Maze - $2.00 extra per person
Weekend Hayrides - $4.00 per person


Fishing for Kids and Cornfusion Tree Maze are only on weekends. Tickets, may not be purchased separately and must be purchased as part of a combination ticket.

Weekend Discount Combo Admission;


Adult Maze & Hayride $13.00
Adult Maze & Hayride & Tree Maze $15.00

Youth Maze & Hayride $11.00
Youth Maze & Fishing $10.00
Youth Maze & Tree Maze $10.00
Youth Maze & Hayride & Fishing $13.00
Youth Maze & Hayride & Tree Maze $13.00
Youth Maze & Fishing & Tree Maze $11.00
Youth Maze & Hayride & Fishing & Tree Maze $15.00

Weekend Group Discounts apply ONLY;

•For Maze admission only
•With 25 or more paying guests, you receive 3 free Maze admissions
•Must have made an advance reservation
•Must have paid the group deposit, in our office 48 hours before arrival
•Does not include any other discount, i.e. Scout’s dollar off, combo tickets

Scout Weekend Discount*;
This year we do have 2 Scout weekends; October 16th and November 6th!! It is one dollar off to any Scout that is wearing a Scout Uniform. Or you can bring a group of 25 or more and qualify for the group discount. See above for weekend discounts!


Fall-O-Ween Weekend Discount*;
At the Farm the weekend of October 30th is our Fall-O-Ween. Anyone with a costume will receive one dollar off the Maze admission only. Not applicable with combo tickets.

Veteran's Weekend Discount*;
Any American Seviceman or Veteran with a valid ID card on the weekend of November 13th will get in free. Not applicable with combo tickets.

*Offers and discounts cannot be combined; everyone must pay to enter the Maze Park Area even if you do not take advantage of all activities.

Hayrides are on a hay wagon pulled by a Farm Tractor, about 15 to 20 minutes around part of the Farm. Weekends only.

Farm Tours are on a hay wagon pulled by a Farm Tractor, about 25 minutes around part of the Farm and includes an informative talk about our Farm, what and how we grow our produce. It will include our environmental practices and some Farming history. We encourage questions. For weekday groups.

“Fishing FOR kids” helps kids learn to bait a hook with a worm and fish in our pond on a cane pole. It is Catch and Release, so all fish will be returned to the pond. We provide the poles and the worms.

“Cornfusion” Tree Maze is a three acre maze, made of more than 1,000 Ligustrum Trees! These Ligustrum trees are in the shape of one large ear of corn! From the air it looks like this;


All Youth 16 and under MUST be chaperoned by an adult!
Food vendors are only here on the weekends and just take cash.
Groups under 20 do not need reservations during General Public hours.

Weekend Groups
We encourage groups of 20 or more coming on the weekends to make reservations ahead of time. It helps with crowd control, we only deal with one person for payment and that saves much time! We will "try" to get your group through the lines as quickly as possible. Since weekends are open to the General Public, setting aside a separate picnic area will depend on when you made your reservation and what time you arrive at the Farm. See Groups info!

Farewell letter from Disney archivist Dave Smith

Dear friends, fellow cast members, and Disney fans:

It has been so gratifying to me to have established the Walt Disney Archives and run it for the past 40 years, helping to preserve the history of a company that means so much to so many people around the world. When I reported for my first day of work at the Disney Studio back in June 1970, I never envisioned myself staying in the same role for four decades. But, what started out as a mere job turned into a labor of love.

From a glimmer of an idea, the Archives has turned into a department which continually proves itself invaluable to The Walt Disney Company. I am very pleased to have had the support of an ever-growing and knowledgeable staff and of every CEO of this company from Roy O. Disney to Bob Iger. If these corporate leaders had not championed the Archives, we would not have the department that we have today – one that is so beneficial to the entire Disney organization.

But I won't be going far. Rest assured, I will still be dropping by the office occasionally to help out when needed – keeping up "Disney A to Z," speaking to D23 and other groups, and advising authors that are writing on Disney subjects. And of course, I'll also be on hand to answer future "Ask Dave" questions.

So as I retire, I am comforted to know that I am leaving behind a very viable department for our new director, Becky Cline, to take over. And with your support, I am sure that the Archives will continue to serve our company for many years to come!

Yours always,

Dave


http://home.disney.go.com/foryou/disneyfans/insider/article/?date=20100928&magicKey=dol&mDate=20100928

Book tour for Universal book 2011

Orlando Author on Book Tour Will Reveal Why J.K. Rowling Chose Universal – And What She Got In Return

ORLANDO – It might have been the “Wizarding World of Walt Disney,” but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the hottest thing to hit Orlando in decades, opened at Universal Orlando instead. How come?

It’s a question that has a lot of people scratching their heads. After all, with its fabled “Imagineers” and deep pockets, Walt Disney World seemed the logical choice to bring the phenomenally successful Potter franchise to vivid life.

So why did the Boy Wizard take up residence at Universal’s Islands of Adventure? It seems Universal made Ms. Rowling an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Seth Kubersky, a former Universal team member and Orlando journalist, will discuss the behind-the-scenes story of how Universal's Wizarding World came to be in a series of talks at Barnes and Noble stores in Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville, Florida from October 5 to 9.

Kubersky, a former stage technician and special event supervisor at Universal, is co-author of Universal Orlando 2011: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park Adventure (The Intrepid Traveler, $15.95).

Among the other insider stories and little-known facts Kubersky will unveil are how Universal’s designers got around the Federal Aviation Administration’s height limit for buildings when they created Hogwarts Castle, and the best ways to beat the enormous crowds that have packed Harry’s world since its opening.

Titled, “Hidden Harry Potter: Seven Insider Secrets of Universal Orlando’s New Wizarding World,” Kubersky’s presentation will also unveil some of the surprising ingredients in butterbeer, as well as where to grab a mug of the wildly popular brew with the least waiting time.

Kubersky is uniquely qualified to reveal the secrets behind Harry Potter’s theme park magic. As technician for the Terminator 2: 3-D attraction, he has ridden the Terminator’s motorcycle on stage. As stage manager for Halloween Horror Nights, he spent whole nights in a haunted house, and performed on stage at the Universal Cineplex as producer of the Rocky Horror Picture Show “Live.” Kubersky also keeps an eagle eye on Orlando’s theme park scene as the culture columnist for the Orlando Weekly, and has contributed to Visit Florida and Virgin Airlines magazines as well as Rudy Maxa's radio shows.

Universal Orlando 2011 can be ordered at a discount at
http://www.intrepidtraveler.com/universal

The “Hidden Harry Potter” events will be held at the following Barnes and Noble locations. All events are free.

October 5, 7:00 p.m.
Colonial Plaza Market Center
2418 E. Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
407-894-6024

October 7, 7:00 p.m.
Carrollwood
11802 N. Dale Mabry Hwy.
Tampa, FL 33618
813-962-6446

October 9, 1:00 p.m.
Mandarin Village Shopping Center
11112 San Jose Blvd., Suite 8
Jacksonville, FL 32223
904-886-9904

Destination D scavenger hunt to take place in WDW in spring 2011

· Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary. Following the rave reviews of Destination D: Disneyland ’55, D23 has announced Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary to be held in spring 2011 (exact dates TBD). The event will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Orlando resort, its history and heritage. Panels will include all-new presentations that echo the successful panels at Destination D: Disneyland ’55, including “Walt Disney World: The Way We Were,” hosted by Disney Legend Dave Smith, “Weird Disney” with Walt Disney Archives director Becky Cline, “From Quirky to Collectible: The Wonderful World of Walt Disney World Merchandise,” “Walt Disney World Through the Eye of Television” and “Walt Disney World in Pop Culture,” as well as a special evening event featuring musical memories from throughout the history of Walt Disney World. Other panels, featured speakers and details will be announced soon on the D23 Web site.

· D23’s Great Disney Scavenger Hunt: Walt Disney World. The race is on… again! Following this past weekend’s first Great Disney Scavenger Hunt at Disneyland with 2,000 people and 575 teams, D23 is inviting guests to the Walt Disney World Resort for a fun-filled, two-day hunt around the World. In spring 2011, for the first time in the 40-year history of Walt Disney World, guests will have the chance to scour all four theme parks to win incredible Disney prizes in this official Disney scavenger hunt. The cost will be $50 per team for D23 Members and $75 per team of non-members. Each team will consist of between 2-4 participants, and additional rules and registration information will be available soon at the D23 Web site.

Disney is now the "offiical theme park" of the Orlando Magic

It may sound like an odd combination - an official theme park for a basketball team? official cruise line? - but it's not so odd.

Disney is the 800 pound gorilla here, so the Magic should be joined with them. And think about the name. The "Magic". This is no coincidence!


More details here:
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/09/disney-parks-teams-up-with-the-orlando-magic-and-amway-center/

Vault of Walt - new book by Jim Korkis

Ayefour Publishing, the publisher of "Project Future: The Inside Story Behind the Creation of Disney World" is pleased to announce the release of a new book by internationally renowned Disney Historian, Jim Korkis.

"Vault of Walt" is an exciting look into many previously untold stories related to the life of Walt Disney--all from the exclusive research of Jim Korkis and his alias Wade Sampson.

The book includes a Foreword by Walt Disney's daughter, Diane Disney Miller.

The original material in "Vault of Walt" promises to be a "must read" for Disney fans of all types as it focuses on Disney films, Disney parks, and other amazing stories from the life of an amazing man, Walt Disney.

Attached you will find a press release; FAQ; the Diane Disney Miller Foreword; and the book's Table of Contents.

"Vault of Walt" is currently available at https://www.createspace.com/3485212 and will be officially released on Amazon.com on October 3rd (including a Kindle version).

Jim Korkis is available for interviews and appearances for "Vault of Walt". To schedule an interview or appearance, please contact Jim Korkis directly at jkorkis@aol.com.

For additional information related to the "Vault of Walt", contact Chad Emerson of Ayefour Publishing at 334.201.5241 or info@ayefourpublishing.com.

IAAPA returns to Orlando

IAAPA Attractions Expo will be back in Orlando in November, 2010. If you've not been before, you'll be amazed at the up-and-coming range of amusements and parks. It's $199 to register as a non-member. Register to attend here: http://www.iaapa.org/expos/attractions/attendeeindex.asp

"Taste of the J" local food fest in Orlando Sunday

[From the press release]

This Sunday, August 29 from 12-4pm, the JCC South Orlando at the Jack & Lee Rosen Campus is holding its 2nd Annual Taste of the J. The Taste of the J is a FREE festival of local food expected to draw close to 1,500 people.

Guests are invited to sample culinary creations for free and then purchase larger portions if they care to. There will be free classes such as Yoga and Zumba as well as Threatre South Classes like the Blue Man Group and Glee. And fun activities and games for families including video gaming with The Game Dudes.

This year, the following restaurants will be offering samples and vying for awards during the Taste of the J Food Competition. Awards will be given out for Best Dessert, Best Appetizer, Best Drink, Most Creative Display and Most Creative Food Sample Presentation. Even the kids can compete: an ice cream eating competition will be held for the youngsters.

Rosen Hotels & Resorts

Bagel King

Cohen’s Deli

Pinkberry

Kettle Corn Company

Stefano’s Italian Grille

The Palm

Cantina Laredo

Barnies Coffee and Tea Company

Doubletree Resort Orlando International Drive

Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine

Pure Magic Ice Cream

Picture This Candy Company

Classy Cakes and Candies

For more information, visit http://www.orlandojcc.org/events/event_details.asp?id=109009

IAAPA in Orlando the next 10 years

The major trade show for attractions, rides, and carnivals, IAAPA, used to move around the country. It was in Orlando a few years ago, but will now be coming the next ten years in a row. Looks like someone out there agrees with me that if amusement parks are your thing, it's hard to beat Orlando!

Wal-Mart near WDW

The area at the end of 192-west (where it meets 27) is a hotspot fir British tourists especially for some reason.

Accordingly, the International Foods aisle has loads if British brands.




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Free Speedway!

For Disney World annual passholders:

Stop by Walt Disney World Speedway now until March 31 and receive a complimentary Ride Along*that's three laps riding shotgun in a NASCAR-style race car with a professional driving instructor around the one-mile track, reaching speeds up to 140mph
(taken from passholder newsletter)

Disney Marathon FREEZE

The half marathon on Friday night/Saturday morning promises to be cold. Here's the Kissimmee forecast, which should approximate the weather at WDW:
Low: 33°F RealFeel®: 26°F
Mostly cloudy and colder with showers

... leading to a Saturday of:
High: 44°F RealFeel®: 32°F
A bit of rain and sleet in the morning; otherwise, cloudy, breezy and colder. It appears likely to rain at 8am, when the temp should be 36 degrees (no snow).

Then, Saturday night, when the full marathon folks wake up and stand around the epcot parking lot:
Low: 26°F RealFeel®: 11°F
Clear and colder; breezy late; watch for a hard freeze

Um, ouch. The rest of Sunday says:
High: 50°F RealFeel®: 41°F
Windy and very cold with times of clouds and sun

Good running weather, on the one hand. I will be volunteering and thus standing around. Pity me, instead!! :)

Ch-Ch-Changes

Let's see, 2010 is all of seven days old, and WDW has already done numerous things.

Additions: fast food pizza under construction in Epcot's Italy pavilion, Muppet pre-parade float at MK.

Deletions: Tiana's Showboat Jubilee, Prince Caspian at DHS (on Jan 11), Mexico fast food (the building will be torn down and replaced), Picnic in the Park dining concept at DAK.

This promises to be a year of much action. Which, actually, is true every year.

Greek on East Orlando

Just had Cypriana in east Orlando - awesome sit down Greek food at just over fast food prices. We will be back next week! It's never busy, though, so I worry about them closing.

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SeaWorld better decorated than Disney

The MK has some decorations, though not everywhere. And only cuz they have a party they want you to pay for.

DHS has good decorations, especially the phenomenal Dancing Lights. But epcot is all but unadorned.

Meanwhile SeaWorld has five Xmas shows and almost all light poles have garlands. Lights are everywhere. Looks great!




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Don't Unplug the lights!

It would be easy to unplug a few of the Osborne lights in this hallway to the Muppets.




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New DHS sign?

This warehouse used for Star Wars Weekends used to have only an A-frame




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Custodial drawn Mickeys

Since summer at least, we've seen Custodial CMs "paint" Mickey faces on the concrete using just water and bound up brooms. It's a cool effect.

This one is great for being a full Mickey body, and also for the artistry. I like this minor addition to the parks.




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DisneyQuest when slow

Usually DisneyQuest is busy on weekends. Not sure why it's manageable today. Someday I will soak up a whole day here just learning to play Dragon's Lair, the game that would have cost a fortune in my youth




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LMA tires

On the Backlot Tour they no longer say anything about the tires for Lights Motors Action stage show. It's an automated spiel, so this is permanent.

They used to boast how often tires had to be changed, and on the tram they drove by a window that showed dozens and dozens of tires waiting to be used. That tire room is no longer visible because the window has been boarded up. One assumes they decided it was environmentally unfriendly to keep pointing out how many resources like rubber this show uses.


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Less food, same price

Columbia Harbour House reduced portions some time ago (see the nuggets), but I now see that the tuna sandwich suddenly comes with no fries. You get a bag of chips instead. Because the price didn't decrease, it's fair to actually call this a stealth price increase (you now have to spend more to get the same food).




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Holiday cups

WDW has started using holiday wax soda cups for the small (but not large) sodas.




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Everest Challenge 5K trip report

It was a wet race!
http://bit.ly/31aU5d

New Stuff in the Park

It's amazing that you can live in Central Florida for five years, visit the Disney parks literally every weekend, and STILL find stuff that is new on every visit. This weekend here is the stuff that was new to me (some had clearly been adjusted months and years ago, but I don't see every last thing on every last weekend):

DAK:
- centralized FastPass. Guess what? They are "unlinked", meaning you can hold all three! This is just a test, though, and was supposed to end last weekend. Who knows how long it will continue.

- stump with holes in it "point" to animals on the tree of life. If you put your eye to the holes, you see a tunnel through to the other side, and your vision is restricted to just one animal on the tree of life. neat.

MK:
- When Donald throws out instruments at the start of Philharmagic, he also throws out stars.

- the shop in the post-show has those same stars in the ceiling.

DHS:
- the Up meet and greet was new for me

- the wall of framed scenes from Disney movies was gone and now there's a meet Sorcerer Mickey set up here. This is months old, but I hadn't bothered to see it until now.

Epcot:
- There is a scene of a farmer standing in a field of (wheat? corn?) in the Circle of Life movie that I'm pretty sure was used in American Journeys ("these days, there's darn few of us here on the farm"). Another scene shows "primitive" people walking in a field of flowers, and I'm 99% sure this is taken on a path I've climbed up at Maroon Bells in Colorado.

Pretty much every weekend of my life is like this. Incrementally, I learn more about Disney every single trip. Now this is living the dream!

Legion Of Terra-Cotta Mouseketeers Found Beneath Disney World

Everyone loves the Onion, right?

ORLANDO, FL—A Disney World maintenance crew performing routine electrical work below Cinderella Castle last week accidentally stumbled upon a mysterious underground chamber believed to contain more than 8,000 terra-cotta Mouseketeer statues dating back to 300 B.C.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/legion_of_terra_cotta_mouseketeers

Monorail accident: the best recap

Reader G7 has put together the best recap, tribute, and list of sources on the monorail accident. Pretty close to definitive, if you ask me:

http://planet7.org/monorail

Kevin Lansberry to take over DAK

The guy in charge of Downtown Disney, Kevin Lansberry, has been tapped as the new VP for DAK.

Not, in my view, a good development. Lansberry presided over the gutting of PI, the closing of clubs, the closing of Virgin. Not much has been added, except the balloon (which, admittedly, is fun.... overpriced if you do it more than once, though).

Hong Kong Disney to get 30 attractions

HONG KONG -- The Walt Disney Co. and Hong Kong's government have reached a deal to expand the territory's Disneyland theme park at a cost of about $465 million, officials announced Tuesday.

The deal, in the works over the last two years, is part of an effort to boost the fortunes of the theme park after it failed to attract as many visitors as hoped after its opening in 2005.

The park, a joint venture between Walt Disney and the Hong Kong government, will get three new theme areas, as well as 30 new attractions.

http://www.wftv.com/news/19901655/detail.html

Disney notebook

Disney Partners With Asus On Netpal Eee "Netbook" For Kids

http://gizmodo.com/5292959/disney-partners-with-asus-on-netpal-eee-netbook-for-kids

There's a pink one, but the "boy" one looks pretty tame. No male characters?

WDW Restaurant reservations... now available online!

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/

You know you've been expecting this :)

Uni Queues: Who Knew?

How embarressing. I've lived in Central Florida for five years and had an annual pass to Uni that whole time, but there have been queues I've never set foot in. Namely: the regular (standby) queue for Mummy and for Men In Black.

When I first moved here, the Universal Express pass (front of line pass) was free, like Disney's FastPass. Now, you have to buy it. When the Express passes stopped being free, I started using single-rider lines when available, since I've had small kids in my family all this time and can't wait in line with the whole brood anyway.

Net result: I've never once stood in the Standby line for Mummy or MIB, until two weekends ago. I know I'm horribly, inexcusably late in saying this, but WOW! MIB has some themed rooms and animatronics (very cool), and Mummy has a much longer queue than I'd expected and some intricate "traps" that are interactive (also very cool).

I'm just tickled to discover stuff like that, even years later. I wonder how many decades it will be before Central Florida's park bore me? (hint: probably double digits, speaking in terms of decades)

Vehicles spotted on track of Rip Ride Rockit

At Uni on Sunday, I saw the two-car train for Rip Ride Rockit on the lifthill, just shy of cresting the hill. It was stopped. Later, it was gone; I assume it traveled the track in normal coaster fashion, and I just missed it!

Eddie Sotto interviews

A great Imagineer with an incredible history (all the way back to Knott's Soap Box Racers), Eddie casts a long shadow. Two new interviews this week:

http://www.imagineeringdisney.blogspot.com
and
http://www.themedattraction.com

disney dining reservations - another visitor dismayed by 90 days

From Reader Ben:

We're currently planning our summer trip to WDW for this year. We booked
a room at the Yacht Club (mostly for its proximity to Epcot), but were
later offered a much less expensive room at the Swan. We have kept the
Yacht Club reservation for now in case the rate goes down (in this
climate, one never knows what deal might appear), since we don't have to
cancel it until July 4th. This will become important in a moment.

Anyway, last week I started mulling over what restaurants we might want
to eat at, seeing as the 90 day reservation limit was approaching. On
our last big trip in 2007 I made the reservations a full 180 days in
advance, back when the limit was as such. I don't do so because I seek
to control and pre-plan every aspect of our visit (quite the opposite)-
but because I know it will be a hassle to get a table without a
reservation and that furthermore the best reservations (or, in some
cases, all reservations) get booked up quickly, especially now that the
booking window is halved.

So today I called up with my list of restaurants and times- 89 days in
advance of our arrival. After going through the extensive automated menu
system, I was finally granted a live cast member. First I was asked for
my hotel confirmation number, which I assumed was merely so that the
reservations could be synced in the system to our hotel reservation, or
if we had the Disney Dining Plan, that, and so forth.

In fact, however, there was more to it than that. It seems that under
the new system (which, the cast member informed me, has only been in
place for two weeks), Disney Resort guests can make reservations 90 days
plus 10 days in advance. This means that one can call up 90 days in
advance of your stay and then make reservations for your entire visit.

I, however, was staying at the Walt Disney World Swan, and this, I was
told, did not count as a "Disney" resort as such. While Swan and Dolphin
guests are usually bestowed most of the perks of Disney owned resorts,
such as the ability to enjoy Extra Magic Hours, this was not one of
them. As a result, I could only make reservations for the first and
second days of my 10 day trip, which fell in the 90 day window.

The idea that I would have to call back every day and make the
reservations one at a time was a tad annoying, but not so much an issue.
The bigger problem was that resort guests (who, I would assume. make up
the vast majority of those who make such reservations far in advance)
would have a 10 day jump on me, and there was as such a much greater
chance those choice reservations would be unavailable by the time my
booking window rolled around.

It occurred to me at this point, however, that I still had my Yacht Club
reservation. Using the confirmation number of that, I was able to make
the rest of my reservations.

I suppose the most obvious interpretation of this is that it is yet
another reason to stay at a Disney resort- a fair perk they can offer
and another layer of the "Destination Disney" program. Between the
shorter reservation window and the 10 day head-start for resort guests
in the know (this fact, after all, was not listed on the WDW website as
far as I could find, only the 90 day window), this means it will be even
more difficult to get dining reservations, especially for those cases
where restaurants overlook fireworks such as the California Grill, and
for the Fantasmic! dinner package. It is easy to foresee, as well, that
those enterprising souls who make their reservations as early as
possible will start calling 100 days in advance and making their
reservations one day at a time, so that many reservations will be
snapped up even once the publicized 90 day window rolls around. Thus it
will go from a convenience of being able to make all of one's
reservations at once to a further inconvenience.

While I can't blame Disney for the rule, or call it unfair, other than
the fact that it doesn't seem well publicized, it is definitely another
step in a bad direction for the average WDW guest trying to get a table
at a restaurant.

Reader mail: recession thoughts and expensive food

Linda writes:

First, bought any Girl Scout cookies lately? The price is still $4 but the number of cookies is reduced by 25%.

I think you are extraordinarily kind in your column. The top level suits at Disney are thieves just like their counterparts at other major corporations. The siphoning off of profits (we used to call it skimming and people went to jail for it) is as prevalent at Disney as at AIG or General Motors. A top story on MSN today states CEOs take about 10% of profits for themselves. Iger is in that bunch. You are right – the money saved goes directly into executives’ pockets. The shareholder doesn’t see a dime. Disney is a lousy investment and has been since Frank Wells died. The claim that cost control improves the stock price is absurd. Disney stock hasn’t been above $40 per share in years.

If WDW offered a product people felt they could not live without, they might forego other things before giving up a trip to WDW. However, as the product and service have declined plus become more expensive, I’m sure families make decisions similar to ours – we don’t need to go every year or even every other year. Our vacation must be worth every dime we spend on it. After our last trip to WDW we decided that, although we had a good time, there was a noticeable change from our previous trip. It wasn’t quite the same. The cast members remained wonderful beyond description but we noticed there were not enough of them. We had maintenance and cleanliness issues – the result of not having enough employees to do the work?

With prices continuing to rise, is WDW worth the added cost we see every year? We don’t think so. We will wait several years before returning. In fact, considering all that is happening at Disneyland, our dollars might be better spent there. The travel expense for us is about the same. Maybe the WDW suits should give that some thought.


============

Mindy, meanwhile, has a very different take:

I'm never disappointed at Disney. I have been there 10 times and can honestly say I have never been disappointed. I understand that things have to change to go along with the times, to survive and be healthy. I have worked in retail for many many years and have seen stores come and go. New York City alone has seen many fabulous stores go because they couldn't keep up with the times financially. The surviving stores are the ones that trim the fat from time to time to stay alive. One store comes to mind is Bergdorf Goodman. It's been around for nearly a century. B Altman's went out of business, Bonwit Teller went out of business both were really wonderful luxury stores but Bergdorf's has survived. It's still a luxury store, yes they have had to trim the fat many times over the decades like staffing and perks and certain services but it's still around and still doing a magnificent job. To me Disney is the Bergdorf Goodman of theme parks. I would rather Disney trim the fat and still be around than not trim the fat and become a wonderful memory.

All that you say is true they have been cutting things here and there way before the economy went bad and yes you are probably right about the big executive's bonuses but they are getting rid of a lot of executives. Don't you think that is a change for the better? They have already trimmed as much as they can in the parks now they are letting those executives go. I think that is a step in the right direction, don't you?

I don't think Disney trimming the fat all these years is such a bad thing. They haven't trimmed it in a way that is truely noticeable. It's still basically the same experience and it's not like they haven't improved on other things. Maybe the executives knew the economy was going to tank long before it did (that's me giving them the benefit of the doubt). When I worked at Bergdorf Goodman the CEO knew the economy was going to be bad long before it happened and warned us of it and told us to start trimming the fat. No one believed it at the time because sales were up and you know what, he was right.

Now I own my own business so I do understand why they do what they have to do to make money. To me it's in the realm of reasonable and maybe I'm one of the few people that is not complaining but hey I'd rather still be able to go to the place than not have a place to visit anymore.

Shin Splints and Idol Ringers

1. If you had told me I could possibly have shin splits for an entire week, I would never have believed you.

2. Got an email from someone whose roommate was in fact a "ringer" this week in the Idol finale shows, so my suspicion was correct!

Goofy again: don't follow my example

As posted previously, I finished the half marathon in 3 hours, and the full marathon in five hours and 53 minutes. This is a disappointing and embarrassing 36 percentile for my age/sex division in both races (I was surprised it was the same percentile in both races!) but I still declare myself satisfied. Not only because I finished it, relative position be damned, but also because I did not train for this run. I have a bad history of laziness in this regard. I’ve used this space previously to chronicle my first half-marathon and first marathon, both run without training. Last year at this time, I tried my first Goofy Challenge, and also didn’t train. Well, that year I got through the half but didn’t finish the full marathon. I felt tingling in my fingertips at Mile 13 and took myself out of the race, since tempting fate isn’t the best thing to do when you don’t train for an endurance event. I chalked that one up as a failure, and resolved to learn from it rather than be beaten by it. That story is also on my personal blog: http://www.ultimateorlando.com/blog/2008_01_01_archive.html

This year there was no repeat of the tingling or any such physical hiccup. I’d dieted away 15 pounds over the past year (biking to work also helped), and I ran almost daily in Spring 2008 until I over-trained and injured myself, but I had done essentially no running from May-December. I did finally step on the treadmill the week of the race and ran one mile on Wednesday and two miles on Thursday, but that was it.

Please do not follow my poor example. The entire point of a marathon is not to run the thing, it’s to train for the thing, so I was clearly going about this all wrong. Not to mention the fact that this was dangerous. People can and do collapse at every marathon, so you simply must know your limits. It astounds me even now that I went from no training to 39 miles, but I recognize that this was a stupid thing to do.

Goofy Challenge 2009: Completed!

I finished the Goofy Challenge! This is a half-marathon on Saturday, and a full marathon the next day. My plan was to run the first half of each race (using a 12-minute pace) and then slow to a walk (20-minute pace) for the second half, resulting in a perfect 16 minute pace (which just happens to be Disney’s pacing requirements, sustained over the race). You could, for instance, jog two minutes and then walk two minutes, and continue ad infinitum until you reached the finish line (the “Galloway method” does something similar, but with fewer “walk breaks.” I’ve actually jogged alongside Jeff Galloway at one of these Disney marathons once). Or you could jog the first half of the course and then walk the second half, content in the knowledge that you’ll get there on time.

My plan was to do the latter. It made things seem more manageable, somehow. A 13.1 mile course really meant only 6.5 miles of jogging needed. And, since there’s usually a bit of running at the end of the course (“finish strong!” goes the mantra), you could probably get away with jogging just the first six miles. That’s entirely within reach. I’ve done five mile runs on my treadmill before breakfast without feeling like it was anything unusual, so six miles was nothing. I was sure the half-marathon was within my grasp. On my treadmill, I run at 5 MPH, which is exactly a 12-minute pace. Do that for six miles, slow to a walk for six more miles, and I’m home free in time for the 3 hour, 30-minute cutoff. That was the theory.

In practice on that half marathon, I was surprised to see that I was able to run at my desired pace—12 minute miles—from mile marker to mile marker. The crowds and occasional slow-downs didn’t do much to impact my pace. In fact, I gained a steady 10 seconds on my twelve minute pace at each mile. I was able to hit the six mile mark pretty easily; more easily, in fact, that I had expected or even hoped for. I could have kept running at that pace until Mile 10, I reasoned, but wanted to back off and just walk. I had to conserve energy for the next day’s longer race, and of course I was very worried about injuries.

To be sure, you do pick up and trot every so often. The stretch between Splash Mountain backstage and the TTC goes past the Grand Floridian and Polynesian resorts, and this is usually a spot where the road funnels and lots of spectators gather. For some reason, this stretch annoys me. I like the spectators at the TTC and at Epcot Center Drive, but these guys at the resorts are just closer, more in your face, and somehow judgmental. It happens to me every year that someone will urge me on in a way that implies I’m not giving it my all at the moment (never mind the fact that I may have a race strategy which calls for restraint at the time).

I finished in a leisurely three hours (give or take a minute), which is exactly where I assumed I would be. Not in any danger of getting swept by the pacing requirements, and not exerting myself so as to tempt fate for the next day. I was sore in a few places (especially the outsides of my knees, and particularly when needing to lift my legs, such as when ascending staircases) that afternoon, but took it easy. I indulged in a salt bath (Epsom salt; don’t ask me, but somehow it’s supposed to soothe muscles) and ate voraciously.

On marathon day, I was less sore than I’d expected after the night’s sleep (a good sign), but I didn’t feel as energetic as I had the day before. That’s to be expected, I reasoned, and hoped that the light trotting of Mile 1 (when it’s very crowded on the road) would loosen me up. There were some 17,000 participants at the full marathon, and despite having two start lines and parallel courses for the first three miles, it was still crowded.

I’m not sure how it happened, but somehow I made it past the merge and all the way to Mile 6 (the turning point to the Magic Kingdom) without any difficulty whatsoever. I was expecting knee problems most of all, or perhaps “Charley Horse” knotted muscles in my thighs like I’d seen at Mile 20 in the marathon one year without doing a half marathon the day before, but none of that materials. I felt pretty good, but was still girding myself. The plan, remember, was to jog 13.1 miles at my usual 12-minute pace, and then I could walk the rest. I was almost halfway there by Mile 6. I figured I could make it to Mile 10 without too much difficulty, and Mile 10 to 11 was inside the Magic Kingdom, so the spectators there would add extra incentive to just keep running. Mile 11 to 13 would be hard, but I had extra energy bars and gels with me in a runner’s pack just for those miles.

I fought an ongoing mental battle with myself until Mile 10, knowing that it was going to be hard, and I’ll be honest that it was. But having those energy bars helped, and long story short, I made it as planned to the halfway point, with my time almost to the second averaging 12-minute miles. To all intents and purposes, I had made it. I could walk now, and I would receive my Goofy medal.

In the middle of the race, of course, you worry about things. What if my walking pace was actually too slow? What I needed was a little insurance. So after a mere thirty seconds or so of walking, I started jogging again. It was a bit less rushed than before, but it was more than a trot. By Mile 14, I looked at the time and did some mental calisthenics to decide I had just “banked” six minutes from my presumed 20-minute pace.

Fully aware that I sounded like Forrest Gump even in my own head, I did a quick check of my body and muscles, decided everything felt good, and just kept going. I’d slow to a walk for 10 seconds at each water station, but otherwise, I was jogging. The pressure was off, since my pacing plan meant I could be walking instead if I so chose, and this made the experience more pleasurable and less like work. The miles, frankly, melted away. Before I knew it, we were at DAK. My plan by this point was to keep up the jogging until mile 18 and then really slow down. For some reason, I missed Mile 17’s marker and timeclock (or was it missing because the DAK walkways and backstage areas are tight?) so I didn’t get to check my progress until Mile 18. To my surprise, I was basically still keeping up with the jogging progress (though a touch slower than 12-minute miles). I had only two miles to go until Mile 20. Wouldn’t it be something if I could actually run 20 miles? I had never done that before, and just like that, a new quest was born in my head, right around Mile 18. I would make it to Mile 20, running all the way, and keep my pace. And so I did, crossing the Mile 20 marker at 4:13 (chip time), meaning I had run with a sustained average of 12.7-minutes per mile. Not quite a bucket-list moment, but close.

I walked, then, not willing to risk catastrophic injury that would force me to miss my medal. I admit that at some point in each mile, I did trot, especially if a downhill slope presented itself (you always want to make gravity work for you). As Mile 24 approached, I did quick calculations and realized I would be *this close* to a sub-six-hour marathon if I kept up my walking pace. I figured I might as well try to squeeze in yet one more quest into this day, and so I upped how often I was trotting in those last miles. I crossed the finish line at 6:02 race-time, which was 5:53 chip time for me. Another not-quite bucket list item, but satisfying nonetheless.

I failed in my attempt at the Goofy last year (read about it here: http://www.ultimateorlando.com/blog/2008_01_01_archive.html) so I’ve tried to think about what’s different this time. One big change is that I never really stopped at the food stations before, and skipped at least half the water/Powerade stations. This time around, I ate everything I could, gobbled and drank every calorie held out to me, and I brought along my own food too. Plus, I had finally decided to wake up early enough to eat a real breakfast rather than just a power bar before the start line. I was calorie-ready!

I also used the biofreeze stuff at every other medical tent. This soothed muscles, relieved pain, relaxed cramps, and just enabled me to run. I have no idea why I ever failed to use this stuff before. Some misplaced macho reason, perhaps?

I used Tylenol to blunt pain before the full marathon, and popped it twice more during the race too. Again, not something I’d done before, but I can’t help thinking it made a difference.

I brought along PLENTY of warm clothing for the pre-race sit time. It was cold on Saturday morning in particular, but I was toasty in my sweat pants and winter jacket. These were old clothes, but extremely warm, and I think that helped my muscles be ready for the run. The Sunday was less cold, and I made do with brand-new $5 sweats from Target and a $3 pancho. Money well spent, IMHO.

I’ve been injured before—twice!—by twisting my ankle on the road edge at the start of the Disney marathons. It’s crowded out there. So I was extremely careful to not step in the wrong place this weekend, and didn’t have any injuries. I was more concerned about knee problems, which plagued me in past years. I have a bad tendon on the outside of my right ankle, the result of a massive sprain in 2002 while playing tennis. I swear, the purple sphere of swelling was somewhere between the size of a golfball and a tennis ball. As a result, that foot doesn’t tread right, and the tendons on my right knee overcompensate as a result, and they get tired and sore quickly. This is how I over-trained in Spring 2008, and why I don’t much train for marathons now. But due to Providence or some other force, my ankle-knee problem never arose this weekend.

There were the hip tendon pains, and later shin splints, but I kept going. I was in THE ZONE, as athletes call it. Pain is minimized and eventually forgotten. Perhaps it was the music distracting me away, or perhaps I did my own version of self-hypnosis (there’s a trend out there now called ChiRunning, which is a mixture of Tai Chi and jogging, to spiritualize the physicality of the activity).

I’d even remembered to apply Vaseline to all the sensitive areas, save one that was irritated the afternoon following the half-marathon, but better by the next morning.

In short, all the tricks learned by running previous marathons came to bear here, and I don’t think I would have made it had I leapt into the Goofy Challenge as my first real run.

I sit here now, tired but happy, sore but contented, not even sure it’s really true. I don’t think I’ll run the Goofy again. Once was enough, thank you, and I’m just really glad to get this done before I hit 40 years old, since it would probably be harder each year I waited.

Now about that bucket list…

American Idol is soft opened

I'm hearing reports that American Idol at DHS is soft-opened today (January 7) to the regular public. I can't make it down there to confirm it for myself just yet.

No more SeaWorld / Busch Gardens free beer!!

From a reader email:

I was at Busch Gardens today and as a former employee of the Hospitality House(the free beer area) i went by to see some friends and noticed a sign saying that as of February 1st, the beer will stop flowing! All free beer samples are to be stopped but you may still purchase beer and pizza at that area. This is going to be a MAJOR issue with a lot of people and i expect SeaWorld will follow suit. I wanted you to know and be able to pass this on. I guess the sale of the parks is going to be a factor with AB products after all. Thanks again for the hours of reading pleasure and hope to meet you at Disney sometime!

Free photo contest at MK this Sunday (2pm) - no RSVP needed!

Do you remember Scott Wolf's book "Where in Disneyland?" It was a photo book that turned on a very simple premise: it showed you a super-close-up picture of a tiny detail, usually of something inside an attraction, and the reader's job was to guess exactly where this was from. You could check your skill by flipping to the next page, and seeing a wide-angle shot of the same detail.

In more recent times, and with today's Internet, many folks have played much the same game on discussion forums. It still has the same appeal as ever!

Folks such as myself have tried over the years to find a way to bring that kind of game into the parks themselves. It's a hard question to answer. What is the live-experience equivalent of guessing where the small detail is?

One early iteration of a game I tried to roll out some years ago was the EyeSpy game: I provided thumbnails of a detail somewhere in the park, and asked folks to write out longhand where exactly they found it. Some variation of that has been going on for several years now, in multiple live-action games.

But it's time to try something new in the parks. The new game, Photo Frenzy, will start the same way, with thumbnails of close-ups distributed on paper, but rather than write out in pen what the location is, participants will instead be asked to *take a duplicate picture* using their own equipment (digital camera or cell phone). At the end of the game, they just show up and reveal to me all the photos they managed to take. Whoever gets the most, wins!

I'm going to roll this out on Sunday, December 14 at the Magic Kingdom. The occasion is MouseFest. If you haven't heard of it, you should go! It's the largest collection of website owners, columnists, bloggers, podcasters, authors, and "independent" Disney personalities out there. The big event is always the Saturday MegaMouseMeet (in this case, on December 13), where all the hosting sites and authors have their own tables to meet folks, say hi, and perhaps to sell goods. You should drop by and say hi to me! It's at the Beach Club this year. It's open to the public--no registration required--from 11:00-1:00.

But the Photo Frenzy--also free and open without need of reservations--takes place the next day, on Sunday December 14. The location for that one is in the Magic Kingdom. We're not going to cover the whole theme park, since the allotted time is only sixty minutes (from 2:00-3:00). It'll be restricted to just one land. We're meeting at 2:00 in the covered verandah in Adventureland, just between Aloha Isle (the place with the pineapple drinks) and the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse.

If you're in the area, please do come visit, and pick up a game packet! You need only bring something to snap digital pictures with. I'll even bring along a prize or two for the top finishers.

I hope to see you there!

Friday 11/14: My Book Signing in Celebration

Very last-second notice here:

I'll be at the Reading Trout bookstore in Celebration tomorrow (Friday, Nov 14) at 7pm for a slideshow, brief talk, and selling and signing books.

Please feel free to come on out and say hello!

671 front street #110
celebration, fl 34747
321-939-BOOK

Toy Story Mania - the technical details

http://www.controleng.com/article/CA6593192.html

Automation and Ethernet Combine for 3D Disney Attraction
Toy Story Midway Mania debuts Disney's extensive use of automation and controls over Ethernet.

snippet:

“Every screen in the attraction has a Hewlett-Packard game computer that receives data from the wayside computer,” Gerstner says. “At that point, mathematics takes over. An algorithm takes all encoder values and calculates a position on the screen where the projectile should emanate from the gun that the guest is pointing and firing. It even calculates for the arc of the gun. A computer-generated image is then created and sent via fiber link to the projector and to the 3D active polarizer to produce the image and project it on the screen.”

An image for the left eye and the right eye is produced by the game computers. Screen polarization synchronizes images sent from the computers so that a 3D image is rendered and perceived by the guest in 3D thanks to the special glasses we’re all familiar with from viewing 3D movies.

Lee Cockerell at Orlando World Center on Tuesday

Lee Cockerell is a longtime WDW exec, now retired.

On Tuesday the 14th Lee will also be keynoting at Create Chaos in front of 1,000 creative professionals at the Orlando World Center. This is the same day his new book, Creating Magic, comes out.

Info on Lee, www.leecockerell.com
Info on Create Chaos, www.createchaos.com

Meet me at NFFC and MouseFest

I'll be selling books and just saying hi at two upcoming events:

1. NFFC Convention Show and Sale this Sunday, October 5, at the Regal Sun Resort (formerly Grosvenor) at Downtown Disney's nearby hotel circle, in Orlando.

The 3rd Annual NFFC Florida Convention and Giant All Disneyana Show and Sale is open to the public; however, convention attendees and NFFC members get first crack at everything. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. for registered convention attendees, 10:00 a.m. for NFFC members and at 11:00 a.m. the Giant All Disneyana Show and Sale opens to the public. Speakers and special presentations take place throughout the day. The Giant All Disneyana Show and Sale ends at 5:00 p.m. Don't miss it. More info here: http://www.nffc.org/news/newsdetail.asp?id=132

2. MouseFest 2008 MegaMouseMeet on Saturday, December 13, from 10-1, at the Yacht and Beach Club convention center. More info here: http://www.mousefest.org/default.asp

Sarah Palin at Epcot (not really)

This just in from the Onion:

Palin Brushing Up On Foreign Policy At Epcot
ORLANDO, FL—Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin sought to silence those who have criticized her lack of foreign affairs experience Tuesday by announcing plans for a weeklong, 10-nation tour of Walt Disney World's Epcot. More here:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/palin_brushing_up_on?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

I post this not to comment politically, but to express amazement that the Onion knows so much about Epcot. They even got the name right for Morocco's Tangierine Cafe!

Orlando's Biggest Yard Sale

For those who are local:

Saturday Oct. 4 sees the (reportedly) biggest yard sale of the year occurring in Avalon Park, in East Orlando. Details here: http://www.avalonyardsale.com/

Murders in Orlando

People ask me sometimes where to live in Orlando. A partial answer to that question might be found by examining the Orlando Sentinel's map of murders in the city this year: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-murdermap-link,0,6228631.storylink

Filet no more

I'm not surprised they are ripping out filet around WDW restaurants. It's yet another victim of the Disney Dining Plan!

Reader mail: shared ownership of SeaWorld/Busch?

My readers always have better speculation than I do:

[start quote]

You forgot another maybe in the Busch parks: NBC Universal. Yeah, NBC barely wants the ones they already have, but there are a whole lot of reasons NBC will be looking into an attempt. First and foremost, as you have shown on your site, Disney is really starting to hurt Universal in Orlando by keeping everyone onsite. So how can Universal reverse that trend? Copy the business model! Buying SeaWorld would give them three parks, two water parks, one boutique park, the hippest late-night hangout and the best tourist street in Orlando connecting them all. All they'd have to do is add airport shuttles, shuttles between the two resorts with stops at various hotels between them, and you've got a compact WDW. And their fourth park and third water park, while an hour away, would actually benefit them, because if you shuttle people out to Tampa one or two days a week then they REALLY can't sneak into WDW.

There are other reasons Universal Orlando needs the parks. They may be losing Wet 'n' Wild, unless they finally decide to lose a planned onsite hotel. SeaWorld has far more land available, making it easier to add more themed hotels, water parks, CityWalk 2, what have you. More things to do makes it easier to keep people away from the Mouse. SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa or Africa or whatever they call it this week are both more stable parks than WDW or UO. After 9/11, SWO was the only park that didn't freefall, and BGToA thrives year after year with their theme park/water park Annual Passes. On that note, a new Universal/SeaWorld/Busch conglomerate would mean Annual Passes for all four parks (or for four parks and three water parks) and they've suddenly made it difficult for the four million citizens of the Tampa Bay area to buy APs for both the big players. And with BG right in! their midst, Universal could cut into Disney's local market too.

But NBC Universal certainly wouldn't buy them, and couldn't afford them either. Well, there are lots of interesting little factoids swirling about:

Universal Orlando is half-owned by Blackstone Group, who also partners with NBC Universal in other deals when NBC doesn't want to spend their own money, like the current buyout of The Weather Channel. Merlin Entertainments, the second-largest theme park company in the world, has a majority shareholder: Blackstone Group. Another large shareholder of Merlin Entertainments (20%) is Dubai International Capital.

Suddenly, there are all kinds of interested parties. Blackstone is highly interested in theme parks AND in diversification, and they've got major capital. Dubai International Capital has been buying things up left and right; they were the ones who first bought Tussauds and who then sold them to Merlin Entertainments. Merlin Entertainments, interestingly enough, then sold off some of the lesser parks, but kept the biggies, including Heide Park (Germany's second biggest park) and Gardaland (Italy's biggest park, as well as its insanely popular water park). These parks also have hotels, also owned by ME. They are clearly interested in theme park resorts, as they are also trying to buy the huge PortAventura resort in Spain. The resort Tussauds built, then sold to Universal. The bonds between Universal and Blackstone keep strengthening.

So Merlin Entertainments buying the parks isn't really such a longshot with the Blackstone connection. But there are so many options:

1) Blackstone and Universal could go halfsies yet again, keeping investment on both sides very low and expanding the Universal name to more quality parks. This would be a slam-dunk for the Orlando market, but Legoland would still be a Merlin Entertainments park and wouldn't be under the "Universal" umbrella.

2) Blackstone and Universal could go halfsies on Busch Entertainment, with Blackstone paying more since Universal owns USH outright, and then they could spin the parks off into their own IPO, which is a definite possibility considering Blackstone IPO'd themselves last year for $4B. But there's still that Legoland problem.

3) Blackstone could partner with Universal but pay more than 50%, becoming yet another majority shareholder, another action they seem to prefer to outright ownership, or they could buy Busch Entertainment alone (they could probably afford it) and pay Universal a licensing fee for the new parks, a la Tokyo Disney. This could bring Legoland into the fold, as the licensing fee could easily cover that park.

4) Merlin Entertainments could buy the parks, as Blackstone and Dubai both have deep pockets, and pay Universal the licensing fee. (The parks need to be under the Universal umbrella if they want to follow the WDW model.) But USH would be totally outside the Blackstone fold, making SoCal less of a "resort", not that it could ever be a real resort, but that Universal name is important for that feeling of "resortness".

5) Merlin Entertainments could buy the parks, and not bother with Universal at all. All they would have to do is build a new Legoland somewhere in the area (there's not much room very near, but still open land in the area), build their own hotels (both Blackstone and DIC own hotel chains), add some nightlife and they have their own mini-WDW. With the Blackstone/Universal partnership right up the road, they could still fight Disney, but true success depends on the amount of Universal support of their partner's other venture.

Normally I'd go with #3, but with Universal and Blackstone currently spending billions on The Weather Channel, #4 is probably the most likely. I think #1 and #2 would be better for Universal in their war against Disney, but if Universal doesn't come to the table, Blackstone simply has to as they're far more interested in making UO work than NBC is.

#5 is only the best outcome if they build a Legoland here. Otherwise, challenging WDW's business plan is going to be a tough road. Though, this outcome would probably ensure SeaWorld gets some hotels, which would probably scare WDW into putting some Disneyland-style quality back into their parks.

[end quote]

More on SeaWorld

First, have you seen Blue Sky Disney's blog post? An all-new Fantasyland in MK, with a seven dwarves ride, Beauty and the Beast dark ride, Hook's Hollow and Tink meet? It's all just plans right now, nothing greenlit, but way cool.

Now, SeaWorld. As always, my emails are more interesting than my ramblings. Here's one:

[start quote]

There has been talk for some time now that the parks would be sold off, even before InBev's initial bid. While they are profitable, A-B did not want to continue operating them. They have been sprucing up all of their parks for the last 2 years in an attempt to sell them off at a higher price. A good friend of mine is an executive. We actually spoke 2 months ago about a scenario similar to what you described.

He said that many of the top-tier execs that run the San Diego park have actually either left or are in the process of leaving soon. No one knows for sure what will happen, but all are very aware that the parks will in fact be sold. That mentality has been around for some time now. The hope within the ranks is that Dubai will take interest and make an offer. They feel that it is the best option for the future of the parks. My friend plans on leaving the company some time next year so he can retire after being with them for the last 19 years. Everyone is feeling uneasy about what the future holds for the parks.

[end quote]

Then there's the fellow who wrote in wondering about Augustus Busch III, who loves the parks the way Walt did. Could Augustus and the Busch family possibly be interested in buying back the parks after their windfall from the beer? Maybe. He only has 100 million dollars at most from the company sale (more like 70 mil), but he could line up deep pocket investors. Like someone with oil money.

Ratatouille animatronic

This from Disneyland Paris. Forgive the awkward video introduction:

"The Guest" video... Finally!

When I was taking enhancement classes at Disneyland in the early 1990s (I think perhaps the We Create Happiness series for Working Leads), I saw a video simply called "The Guest." They took pride in telling us the VHS video cost $1000 each, and Disneyland bought five of them. Disney, they were saying, cared so much about this, they spent $5,000

I found a YouTube snippet of the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oJSOqq4Clk&feature=related



The company that produced it is called Media Partners, and they still sell the video. For about $900 per copy now: http://www.media-partners.com/customer_service/the_guest.htm

Very cool.

PI clubs - CP and internationals?

Another reader email:

As a cast member, I need to think the closure of PI might also have to do with the CP's and Internationals. It really is a recipe for problems. I know of lots of CP's getting fired because of their actions at PI. Once the managers know there is a problem, they can have the cast member's ID "flagged" and find out how often the cast member is partying at PI. If the cast member's "sick days" are coming after PI nights, they are sent home. Losing their "slave labor" CP's hurts Disney. They might have to actually pay someone to work.

With the internationals it is the "sharing" of ID's. I know of drivers licenses that have been sold from arrival group to arrival group long after the original holder has left the country.

Lots of possible PR nightmares. If the clubs aren't making money, why put up with these problems?

WDW to close one park in midweek during 2009? - commentary #2

A reader from the Netherlands chimes in with this important aspect (problem) relating to Magic Your Way tickets:

[begin quote]

Magic your way tickets - this has brought more people to the parks in Florida, or it made people stay longer and spend more. however, in the long run this seems to work against Disney - just imagine: you've been to Disneyworld , 10 days in 2006, and again 10 in 2007 - and perhaps you booked 10 days this summer because it was so cheap, there was a lot of new stuf to see, and the usual 3 to 4 days you used to "play" in the years before, were never enough. There was always something you did not see, or you would have like tot spend just another day at one of the waterparks.

But now, having spend so much time in the Parks, you have seen everything - two, three, even four times. or more. Including EE. All in- the magic your way might end up as being too much, too easy, too cheap, for there is no reason that you HAVE to go back any time soon. Yes it was fun, but you have seen it all, year in year out. perhaps now is the time, to skipp a few years (just like you used to do in the old days) before going back.

Short turn gain might end up being a long turn loss - sure, lots of people will go to Florida. But some of them will go to cheaper hotels outside of Disney, for they are eager to see "Harry" and a few new coasters in other parks. Disney can wait, or we just buy a three day hopper, so we can do our favorites. Anything new on te horizon at the World? accept for a few new parades and TSM (nice, but no EE!) I cannot see anything being build right now. Worse, we will have a closed space mountain soon - with nothing to replace it! And the MK is a place i am not able to fill an entire day already.

And if they want those people to stay 10 days again and again and again - even with higher cost, they will have to give them more, and of a higher quality - or eventually they wont be coming back. People will go to Florida, even with parks closed on certain days a week, even with higher fuell prices.

But only if you build it, they will come. Disney needs to act, right now, fast track on new parades, perhaps a big show (aladin?) in the MK to help us get through 2009, and start building new things fast...... btw- my last visit to Florida was in januari 2005 - if the crowds seem to lessen next year I will go back again - for I very much dislike crowded themeparks!

[end quote]