My Disney Mania

Random WDW Picture

2012-02-11T07:46:00.001-06:00

The "bridge" over the Animal Kingdom Lodge's Jambo House lobby.

Zz.

Where In Walt Disney World?

2012-02-09T05:40:00.002-06:00

OK, this one might be a bit tough. But then again, I've posted ones that I thought might be tricky, and you people got it within a day, so what do I know?

Where in Walt Disney World can you find this light fixtures?

Zz.

Earl of Sandwich To Open At Disneyland's Downtown Disney

2012-02-08T13:21:00.002-06:00

The Earl of Sandwich restaurant in WDW's Downtown Disney is one of the most popular quick service spot. I suppose that is an encouragement enough for the company who owns the restaurant to open a similar place in Disneyland's Downtown Disney, and that's what they will do.

Earl of Sandwich, which reportedly has a strong following, is set to open this summer at a location currently occupied by Compass Books and Cafe. There are 17 Earl locations worldwide, including at Walt Disney World.

Earl of Sandwich shops have ties to the creator of the sandwich — John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, who made the first food item in 1762. The 11th Earl is involved in the creation of the current restaurants. Robert Earl, chairman of Earl of Sandwich, joined with Disney to open the first location at Downtown Disney in Orlando in 2004.

Earl of Sandwich and Wolfgang Puck Express are two of my regular places for quick service meals in WDW's Downtown Disney. I wonder if they'll have the same menu for the one in Disneyland Resort.

Zz.

Disney Profit Rises 12%

2012-02-08T13:10:00.002-06:00

In case you missed it, it is a good time to owne Disney stocks right now after the First Quarter financial reports.

Net income grew to $1.46 billion, or 80 cents a share, from $1.3 billion, or 68 cents, a year earlier, Burbank, California- based Disney said yesterday in a statement. Profit beat the 71- cent average of 27 estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Sales gained 0.6 percent to $10.8 billion in the period ended Dec. 31, missing estimates of $11.2 billion.

Again, I keep thinking back to during the height of the financial crisis, Disney stocks tumbled to less than $20/share. I remember that we were buying several shares at that time, or as much as we can muster, because we have great confidence in the company and knew that the stock prices will go up. And voila! It is now above $40/share!

Zz.

Diane Disney Miller Remembers Her Dad

2012-02-07T08:34:00.000-06:00

And of course, her dad is Walter Elias Disney, or Walt Disney to you and me.

This is a rather insightful interview with Diane Disney Miller. It covers topics such as the private apartment that Walt has in Disneyland, to the reason why she started the Disney Family Museum. She obviously still despises Neil Gabler's biography of Walt (and that book continues to be sold at Disney's theme parks).

What made you want to start the museum? Why did you think it was important to get the message about his life out there?

I don't think anybody really knows him. His name is so familiar and the brand is everywhere and the company gets larger and larger, but there were a couple of really terrible books written about him. There was one that was a total invention. And I thought, what can I do? And the best way, I realized, we did a little film on him, and then we had a website done by the authors who made the film, Richard and Katherine Greene, and it would get lots of comments. It was presented like a virtual museum of Walt's life, and it would get comments like, where's the real museum?

And then I encountered enough people who said "I love you father" and enough of the negative comments, other little kids would say to my kids, "My mother said your grandfather was anti-Semitic" or "Your grandfather is frozen, isn't he?" And I couldn't let that stand. And I thought, I have a really good life because of him and the one thing I can do is establish this place, and I wasn't doing it just for him, I was doing it for all those millions of people that kind of love him.

Fascinating interview!

Zz.

Extended John Carter Trailer

2012-02-06T05:49:00.000-06:00

Disney showed an extended John Carter trailer during the Superbowl last night. If you missed it, here it is again.

Y'know, I was ambivalent before, but I think I want to see this movie now. At least, it will probably be a fun, popcorn movie. BTW, anywhere else thinks that the music they used in this trailer sounded very much like a Led Zeppelin tune? :)

Zz.

Random WDW Picture

2012-02-04T22:05:00.003-06:00

On the Great Movie Ride.

Zz.

Jack Sparrow Got Pepper-Sprayed!

2012-02-03T05:49:00.002-06:00

OK, this is too hysterical to pass up!

Police say several people dressed as movie characters on Hollywood Boulevard got into a brawl that ended with a man dressed as "Pirates of the Caribbean" character Capt. Jack Sparrow being pepper-sprayed.

Officer Rosario Herrera says it's unclear why the Sparrow character, made famous in the movies by Johnny Depp, got into a fight with people dressed as Catwoman and an alien in front of the Kodak Theatre Thursday evening.

OK, you can't make this up! Only in LA, I tell ya!

Now I have to go clean up the milk from my cereal that I coughed up when I read this news article.

Zz.

The Magic, The Memories and You with Romance Additions

2012-02-02T07:41:00.000-06:00

Hum... I'm beginning to see a pattern.

They had the holiday additions to the Magic, the Memories, and You. Now they've come up with the Valentine's Day addition to this show, just in time for Valentine's Day.

I see this being a pattern where an addition enters the show at different times of a year. Good idea. It keeps it fresh for those of us who visit it multiple times a year.

Zz.

Disney Fantasy To Be Christened In NY

2012-01-30T08:34:00.003-06:00

Just read news reports that for the first time, a Disney cruise ship will not be christened at Port Canaveral. Disney Fantasy will make its debut in New York City and will be christened on March 1st of this year.

The 4,000-passenger cruise ship instead will be christened in New York City on March 1 and will spend four days docked in midtown Manhattan.

Disney’s three previous ships all were christened at Port Canaveral.

Other than pure publicity, I wonder why they decided to do that considering that the ship isn't being scheduled to sail out of New York.

Zz.

Random WDW Picture

2012-01-29T15:53:00.000-06:00

The lobby at Kidani Village

It's a nice lobby, don't get me wrong. But if you come here after seeing the lobby at Jambo House, you feel a bit underwhelmed. It doesn't feel as grand. It's very much like seeing Sleeping Beauty castle at Disneyland for the first time after being used to Cinderella castle at the Magic Kingdom. You can't help thinking "Is that all there is?"

Zz.

Mice Rolls Looks Like Mickey!

2012-01-28T09:06:00.000-06:00

Being a Disney fan is so distracting that I tend to see Hidden Mickeys in many things. When I first saw these "mice rolls", I thought "Oh my god! Those are Mickey Mouse heads!"

You just can't take a Disney fanatic anywhere!

I hope Disney doesn't sue them! :)

Zz.

Top 5 Spots At World Showcase

2012-01-28T08:46:00.000-06:00

I read this article about the Top 5 Magical spots at Epcot's World Showcase, and I started thinking of my own favorite spots there. So I decided to come up with my own list of my favorite places at Epcot.

5. Japan
Architecturally, both Japan and China are my favorites. However, the expansive courtyard and the tower kinda tipped it in favor of Japan. It certainly is one of my most favorite places to snap a picture.

4. France
The view in front of the water fountain is amazing, especially if you walk to coming from the UK pavilion. What is even more impressive is the view at night.

3. Italy
My favorite spot here is the island right in front of Italy that has been made to look very much like the canals of Venice. This place is one of the better viewing area for Illuminations in the evening, and is a terrific place to hang out. Besides, it also offers some of the most stunning view of the surrounding.

In fact, depending the time of the year and the timing, viewing Illuminations from here can also give you a glimpse of Wishes at the Magic Kingdom!

2. Morocco
My most favorite pavilion in all of World Showcase. It is exotic, it is unusual, it has my most favorite World Showcase restaurant (Marakesh), and it has amazing decor and architecture. At night, it is just a magical place.

1. Entrance pavilion
My most favorite spot is not even a pavilion. In fact, for most of the day, nothing happens there. But it is the area in between the two gift stores near the entrance to World Showcase. During the day, it is just a wide, flat concrete area. However, in the evening, it is the best place to view Illuminations. In fact, 1 to 1/2 hours before the start of the show, people will already have staked their spots there, and just to relax while they wait for the show.

However, when Illuminations starts, this is when the magic happens. It is where you can see the show in all its symmetric glory.

So those are my Top 5 spots at World Showcase. What are yours?

Zz.

Disney Pulls Joy Division-Inspired Shirt

2012-01-26T15:18:00.000-06:00

OK, so this is definitely a head-scratcher.

Yes, Disney made a Joy Division t-shirt for that crossover fan base. All two of them. Considering the lead singer of the group committed suicide, that Joy Division’s name came from military brothels, and fans of the group are often vocal and crotchety, the choice was strange to say the least.

Oh yeah!

But now that Disney has pulled the shirt from Disney Stores, it is now selling on eBay for an obscene amount.

While the shirts have been pulled by Disney, the secondary market is running wild. Shirts are already selling on eBay for more than $250.

What will they try next? Mickey ears hat inspired by The Sex Pistol?

Zz.

A Reporter's Behind The Scenes Look At The President's Visit To MK

2012-01-25T05:35:00.001-06:00

{Thanks to Patti for sending the link and story}

This is a rather fun/amusing look at the behind-the-scenes look of a reporter covering the story of President Obama's visit to the Magic Kingdom.

Zz.

Disney OKs Facial Hairs For Cast Members

2012-01-23T13:25:00.002-06:00

Oh my!

Disney appears about to loosen one of their requirements and allowing on-stage cast members to grow some form of facial hairs.

The website reports that Disney will now allow "on stage" cast members to grow "well-maintained" beards, goatees and mustaches at Walt Disney World, and at its other parks and resorts.

On a slow Disney news day, this is the one that's grabbing the headlines! :)

Zz.

Random WDW Picture

2012-01-23T05:42:00.003-06:00

What a "cute" little medic vehicle! :)

Saw this outside of World of Disney in Downtown Disney.

Zz.

Don 'Ducky' Williams Draws Goofy

2012-01-20T14:18:00.001-06:00

He drew Donald a while back. Now he's drawing Goofy.

As much as it is fascinating to see an artist like this at work, I find his commentary as fascinating as his work.

Zz.

President Obama Heads To Disney World

2012-01-19T07:48:00.000-06:00

No, not to ride Thunder Mountain Railroad, but to talk about US tourism.

So today, here at the Magic Kingdom, President Obama will announce plans to turn that around by such measures as simplifying the process for obtaining tourism visas, and adding an estimated 100 more consuls in countries such as China and Brazil.

The president is taking such actions through executive order, as part of his “We Can’t Wait” initiatives, which he says are necessary in the face of congressional gridlock.

But what scares me is this part:

In countries like Brazil when girls turn 15 they get to have a big party or go on a big trip. Executives at Disney World say that because of visa delays, the U.S .has missed out on thousands of these would be princesses. President Obama will announce that in addition to reducing the visa wait time by 40 percent, many of these girls will no longer have to have interviews to apply.

Oh no! Does that mean that there will be more of them??!!!!! Run! Hide!!!

:) :)

Edit: We now have videos.

Zz.

Random WDW Picture

2012-01-19T05:28:00.001-06:00

Zz.

Where In Walt Disney World?

2012-01-16T16:30:00.001-06:00

OK, the one I posted yesterday got answered almost immediately! So let's see if you can figure this one out.

Where in Walt Disney World can you find this?

Zz.

Where In Walt DisneyWorld?

2012-01-15T07:11:00.003-06:00

Where in Walt Disney World can you find this?

Zz.

Donald's Great Adventure - At Saratoga Springs Resort

2012-01-14T05:50:00.001-06:00

Hello once again, my legions of fans! This is your lovable Donald Duck reporting from Saratoga Springs resort at Walt Disney World. This is my home away from home, and I'm often treated like the royalty that I am whenever I'm here.

I'm a morning duck. I like to waddle around in the morning just to get my exercise. Plus, you know what they say about those early birds, don't you? So here I am wondering around the resort near my room and inspecting the grounds. It is a bring and sunny day.

Of course, being a duck, I am automatically drawn to the water. I always love looking out across to Downtown Disney. Hey, have you been on that balloon ride? During my younger days, I can fly way higher than that balloon.

I decide to look around the pool near my room. This is not the main pool at SSR, but it is still very nice, and at this time of the morning, very, very quiet!

They have these frogs that spit incessantly.

Ah, that was such a pleasant walk. I think I'll rest for a while and get some z's out here in the sun. I hope you have enjoyed reading about my quiet morning here at SSR.

DD.

Photos of Disney Fantasy Under Construction

2012-01-13T17:19:00.003-06:00

A sneak peak at the Disney Fantasy still under construction in Germany (thanks, Gene!).

The atrium looks almost the same as the Disney Dream. But what about that mosaic-lined bathroom in the Europa entertainment zone? And please, please, please... can I play in Andy's Room?

Zz.

Angela Lansbury Revisits "Beauty and the Beast"

2012-01-12T08:58:00.003-06:00

The delightful Angela Lansbury has a short Q&A session on the re-release of Beauty and the Beast in 3D. When asked if she still gets recognized, even by kids, of her role in "Beast", her response was:

Do you get parents coming up to you to introduce their kids to you?
Oh, very much. Oddly enough, children recognize my voice. They'll hear me and say, "Mom, that's Mrs. Potts!" It's the timbre of my voice that they pick up on.

Read the rest of the interview. There isn't a classier lady in showbusiness than this woman.

Zz.

Hong Kong Disneyland Narrowed Losses in 2011

2012-01-11T09:50:00.002-06:00

At least it is moving in the right direction.

Hong Kong Disneyland reduced its losses last year and hopes to turn a profit some time soon, probably even this year.

The theme park reported a net loss Tuesday of 237 million Hong Kong dollars ($30.5 million), down by two-thirds from a HK$718 million loss in 2010. Revenue rose 20 percent to HK$3.6 billion.

One can only hope that with the opening of more attractions, it will have enough reasons for guests to spend a whole day there.

Zz.

Disney's "John Carter" Gamble

2012-01-11T09:30:00.003-06:00

For a budget of $250 million, Disney's "John Carter" has a lot riding on it, beyond just the financial well-being of the Walt Disney Studios, and the company in general. Already, with the head of Disney's marketing division being ousted from her position, a lot of pressure and expectations are resting on this movie.

"It doesn't just have to open big -- it has to be one of the top grossing films of all time," a rival studio executive told TheWrap.

A film of this size and scope typically requires a marketing budget of roughly $120 million, adding to the price tag.

All eyes are on Disney to see if the studio can turn the lead character from Edgar Rice Burroughs' once beloved, now largely forgotten 11-volume Mars series into a $700 million blockbuster. Its director, Andrew Stanton, admitted to the New Yorker in October that it will have to gross that much worldwide to justify a sequel.

I've loved all of Andrew Stanton's movies. I thought Wall-E was spectacular, especially the first half-hour of the movie. And I know Disney is also gung-ho about this work.

But the movie, which centers on a Confederate soldier (Kitsch) who is transported to Mars where he tries to put an end to interstellar civil war, has proven notoriously difficult to adapt.

There's a great deal of optimism that Stanton may have cracked the code. After all the boyish looking, Pixar dynamo has a reputation for taking films that on their face should never work -- "Wall-E" is a nearly silent movie about a robot -- and spinning them into celluloid gold.

One producer who works with Disney said that the studio is bullish about the project, and the New Yorker reports that an early test screening had 75 percent of the audience rating the science fiction epic as "good" or "excellent."

I will admit that this movie is not one of my "must see" movies this year. I'm more excited about "Brave". But there's a strong likelihood that I WILL see it when it is released. I'm hoping that this movie doesn't become the "Mars Needs Moms" of this year.

Zz.

Test Track To Shut Down For Revamp

2012-01-09T13:10:00.000-06:00

Test Track will be down starting this summer for a major revamp. It will also be renamed as the Chevrolet Design Center, whatever that means.

According to Disney, the Chevrolet Design Center will allow visitors to design their own vehicles. Then, they'll be able to take five of their closest friends on a test drive in their new "SimCars". Sweet.

I think it's about time they put in some TLC to this attraction. Last time we were there, the audio track didn't work in the car that we were in. So we didn't have the proper narration as we went through the different testing area.

Now, if they want MY opinion, they should lengthen the speed track considerably. After all, for many of us, that is the highlight of the whole attraction. I could go for at least another 30 seconds at 60+ mph.

Zz.

Disney Fantasy Takes To The Water For The First Time

2012-01-09T12:56:00.000-06:00

Disney's newest cruise ship, the Disney Fantasy, underwent its float-out for the first time yesterday (Jan 8).

The 2,500-passenger vessel on Sunday was floated out from a dry dock in Germany where it has been under construction for more than a year -- one of the last major milestones before its maiden voyage in March.

A sister to the much-heralded Disney Dream, which debuted last year, the 130,000-ton Disney Fantasy is arriving as Disney gears up for a major expansion that includes its first cruises out of New York, Seattle and Galveston, Texas.

You can view a video of the float-out below:

Zz.

You Say "Kay", I say "Key"

2012-01-09T05:26:00.002-06:00

Y'know, Donald may have a speed impediment, but he still knows how to pronounce things properly.

His adventure at Castaway Cay reminds me of the issue of the proper pronunciation of "Cay" in "Castaway Cay". A lot of people pronounce it as "Kay", as in Mary Kay. But if you have seen shows on TV related to Disney cruises, you would have heard that it is pronounced as "key".

A quick look online at the Miriam-Webster website seems to indicate that "key" might be the preferred pronunciation, while "kay" might still be acceptable. The words they listed that rhymes with "cay" all seem to rhyme with "key". Yet, in the audio part, both "key" and "kay" are listed (very confusing).

I'm going to stick with "key" because that is how it has been referred to officially.

Zz.

Donald's Great Adventure - At Castaway Cay

2012-01-08T07:23:00.002-06:00

Ah, my fans are clamoring for me to post more of my wonderful trip on a Disney cruise. I will not disappoint them.

This time I was at Castaway Cay, the amazing Disney private island in the Bahamas. The weather couldn't have been any more perfect. I could let my feathers air out in the nice, warm weather, and be fluffed by the gentle breeze.

Here we are walking from the Disney Dream towards the fun area of Castaway Cay.

We get to see how big this ship is when it is viewed on shore.

I'm at the family beach and one can still see the ship from here.

But I much prefer the calm, quiet area. So here we were at Serenity Bay where only adults and respectable folks like me like to hang out. Ah, this is the life. Just look at the calm, turquoise water.

But out of the blue, while I was lounging in the sun and minding my own business, look who showed up! And of course, just like any other mortal soul, Captain Jack Sparrow is also a big fan of The Donald (and I had that title way before the Trump Man, thankyouverymuch!). So naturally, he was too thrilled to have his picture taken with me, even when his "co-pirate" didn't think it was a good idea.

He invited me to go with him on his pirate adventure - something about finding a chest, a fountain, or the edge of the world (I couldn't understand his mumbling). But I had to decline since I don't want to lose my luggage on the Disney Dream.

But soon, it was time to head back to the ship. It was such a gorgeous day spent on the island.

Good bye, Castaway Cay! I'll be back soon!

DD.

Random WDW Picture

2012-01-06T15:07:00.003-06:00

Zz.

Donald's Great Adventure - On The Disney Dream

2012-01-05T17:13:00.002-06:00

Hello there my loyal fans! This is your lovable Donald Duck reporting once again. I just got back from a lovely cruise on the Disney Dream. I had a great time, and I think I gained 2 pounds from all that food.

The Disney Dream is such a huge ship. I had a very cozy stateroom. The bed is so comfy and soft. The sheets and blankets were also soft and luxurious. I got on the bed and didn't want to get out of it.

I'm wondering if I should go through this guide book.

Lest you think I came by myself, I will have you know that I have a whole entourage with me. My good buddy, Perry the Platypus ... oh, sorry, I mean, Agent P, also came along with me... y'know, as my personal bodyguard. You just never know if some foreign spies or agent might want to kidnap someone as famous and important as I am. Notice that fierce look on his face. He's protecting me. So don't you try anything funny.

Soon, we left port and heading towards the open waters.

I got to walk around the huge ship a little bit. I came to the conclusion that this is my temple, because they worship me here. Why, you ask? Well, why else would they have a first ever on-ship water coaster ride dedicated to me?

And then, of course, the most prominent and important sculpture dedicated to me is this Admiral Donald in the atrium of the ship. Don't I look handsome?

Why, you could purchase a replica of this statue to bring home with you and admire all the time.

Unfortunately, just when I thought they worshippedthe ground that I waddle on, I saw this! Oh, how embarrassing! It's bad enough that my rear end gets prominently displayed at the end of Mickey's Philharmagic. Do they have to keep displaying it here?

Never mind, I didn't have to keep looking at it when I had a view like this to see during the cruise. Ah, this was so relaxing.

I also got to relax inside the ship since they had kindly left a very comfy chair for me to rest my aching feet.

I took a quick look at this huge gingerbread house that they have. Oh, do we have to have this mouse here? Shouldn't this gingerbread house be an altar to me?

And speaking of gingerbread, that was how I gained all this weight. There were a lot of gingerbread houses to devour, such as this one. Yum!

Of course, no matter where I go, I have fans everywhere who are just too excited to have their pictures taken with me. This is Nicky, our lovely stateroom attendant. She was very nice, and she really, really liked me! I liked her as well!

But it turned out that my biggest fan was the captain himself! Captain Guus was just thrilled to have his picture taken with me. Hey captain, who's steering this big boat while you're down here?

Now unfortunately, my friend Agent P pushed his way in and also wanted to have his picture taken with the captain. Hum, I don't know about you, but wasn't he supposed to be under cover?

Unfortunately, the cruise ended way too soon. I waved goodbye to these happy crew members. I can't wait to go on another Disney cruise.

DD.

Dumbo Ride Testing

2012-01-04T05:42:00.000-06:00

We are such Disney freaks that we are even interested in looking at the testing of a ride that is still under construction!

Attractions Magazine has a video of the testing of the Dumbo ride at the new expansion of Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom.

Notice that Dumbo now is flying in the opposite direction as the old Dumbo attraction. We were pointed to this when we were at the last year's (2010) DVC annual condo association meeting. We got to see a scaled model of the Dumbo ride vehicle, and the imagineer pointed out that the door to get on the vehicle was on the opposite side to the old one. So that's when it was revealed that Dumbo will be flying in the opposite direction!Zz.

Disney Dishes At Target

2012-01-03T05:20:00.002-06:00

{Thanks to Patti for the link}

There are several Disney-designed dishes at Target. It looks like these are all plastic, but BPA-free. So these should be suitable for either outdoor parties, or to be used by children. I have seen a few (such as the black Mickey head ones) in the stores, but most of these are not available there and can only be purchased online.

Speaking of BPA-free, how come Disney is rather late in producing plastic dinnerware that is BPA-free for their merchandise found at their theme parks? Most of their plastic plates, cups, drinking bottles, etc. don't seem to be BPA-free at all. Now compare this to what you are beginning to see locally, even at your local supermarkets BPA-free items are starting to be easily found and more prominent.

Disney needs to get its act together and get with the program.

Zz.

New Year's Eve at the Magic Kingdom

2012-01-02T10:05:00.000-06:00

This is something that I will probably never see in person, because I don't see myself battling the huge crowds at this time of the year. So for many of us, this is the next best thing.

This is a video of the New Year's Even 2012 fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. It looks like this was videotaped from across The Seven Seas lagoon (probably from the Poly?). And from what I can tell, the fireworks also originated from a barge in the middle of the lagoon. This means that if you're at MK looking at the castle, you would have to look behind you to see some of the fireworks. Also, the one that they are shooting off at the lagoon doesn't seem to be synchronized with the audio music. But the ending is utterly spectacular.

Zz.

Disney Parks To Be Open For 24 Hours On Leap Day

2012-01-02T09:50:00.000-06:00

This is certainly a gimmick that is getting a lot of publicity, so in a sense, it is working.

Disney had announced that the Disneyland Park in California, and the Magic Kingdom park in Florida will be opened on Leap Day this year (that's Feb. 29 for those who don't know) from 6:00 am till 6:00 am the next day.

"To celebrate, for the first time ever, the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Parks will remain open for 24 hours on Leap Day, so that our guests can take advantage of every minute of their extra day to make memories with friends and family.”

Disney also announced a sweepstakes and a special offer. Beginning Jan. 1, Disney Parks.com is offering a promotion that gives away a daily vacation package for four until Feb. 29. In addition, Disney is also offering with "select" resort bookings before Jan. 31 for a free day/night between Feb. 26 - March 10 (although it reads as if some days may be excluded during this time frame).

But also, think of the quick turnaround they have to do on March 1st. They close the park at 6:00 am, and then will have to reopen it again at 9:00 am that say day for the regular park hours? That's brutal! :)

I think, after reading that news, we all will need a good cup of strong coffee.

Zz.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T08:48:00.003-06:00

OK, so I'm a day late (I had a good excuse). Still, Happy New Year!

Zz.

Disney Merchandise at Tuesday Morning

2011-12-30T07:33:00.002-06:00

I don't go to "Tuesday Morning" usually, but a friend told us that there were a few good quality and "cheap" Disney merchandise on sale there. So like any Disney fanatics who has run out of room to store even more Disney stuff, we had to go and take a look. And lo and behold, there were a number of Disney stuff that weren't bad at all, and certainly at prices that were quite acceptable.

The first is this set of dessert plates. They were Christmas plates, and so, were also on sale on top of their low prices already. They are actually quite attractive because they have that vintage look. I could find 4 different types there, so I don't know if the whole set has more than just these. The regular price is $4.99 per plate, but with the 50% off on all Christmas items, I paid $2.49 a piece. Not a bad deal at all.

We then found a bunch of mugs. This is the one we bought (since we collect Donald). It is $4.99 each. There were other mugs with Pluto and Minnie.

Then there were these travel mugs. All of them are made of ceramics with rubber lids. They look like they are well made, with double-walled insulation. They were $7.99 a piece.

All in all, not a bad deal for these things.

Zz.

Baby Race During Disney Cruise

2011-12-28T14:54:00.000-06:00

I'm sure they have this on all the cruise ship, but this one is hysterical.

This was the baby race held during our last cruise on the Disney Dream. It was a riot! Baby Matthew was torturing not just his parents, but most of the audience as well!

Zz.

2011 Disney Christmas Day Parade

2011-12-27T07:09:00.002-06:00

Did you watch this year's Disney Christmas Day parade? You did? How was it? I didn't. I wrote 2 years ago that I'm done with watching this sham of a "parade". There's very little parade, and too much stuff that I am not interested in. My guess is, it hasn't changed, so there is no reason for me to watch it anymore.

I'm just glad that the parade they normally hold at the theme parks don't have breaks such as this where someone goes on stage and perform while the rest of the parade either stops, or get passed by. When you advertise something as a "parade", one would think that the BIGGEST part of the show should be..... er .... let me think about this ...... hang on .... I know, THE PARADE ITSELF!

But then again, isn't this what you get when you watch American Idol, where the actual singing competition is actually quite short? Or for that matter, the Olympics telecast, where the actual sporting competition is a minor percentage of the air time?

Zz.

The Magic, The Memories, And You (2011 Holiday Edition)

2011-12-26T08:12:00.000-06:00

I posted a few days ago of the many "faces" of Cinderella Castle during the Magic, The Memories, And You show during the 2011 holiday season. Well, here's the video that we took that evening during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

Zz.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T08:36:00.004-06:00

Zz.

Rock star mickey

2011-12-24T10:15:00.001-06:00

On sale at Target.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-24T06:06:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, and a wonderful Holidays to everyone!

This is the enormous tree in the lobby of the Grand Floridian.

Zz.

Mickey stockings

2011-12-23T10:12:00.001-06:00

Mickey Christmas stocking on sale 50% off at menards.

Random WDW Picture

2011-12-23T05:04:00.000-06:00

This is from this year's Osborne Spectacle of Dancing Lights, with the new light sequence for the canopy over Streets of San Francisco.

Zz.

More On Disney's Plan For "Swampy"

2011-12-21T08:12:00.001-06:00

Another article on the successful app game "Where's My Water?" from Disney and their intention to turn this into a franchise.

Swampy’s popularity both inside and outside Disney has paved the way for his migration into other media. According to Bart Decrem, Where’s The Water merchandise will soon see the light of day, and Disney.com and YouTube will be partnering up for a string of Swampy backstory videos. He offered no specifics on when that multimedia push will kick off, but he did mention in passing that he appreciates Rovio’s sense for “doing things at the right time.”

This is consistent with an earlier report that will try to expand Swampy's reach into other areas.

Zz.

Tink And Carl In Disney Dream Virtual Porthole

2011-12-20T06:18:00.001-06:00

Remember that I posted a few days ago of photos of the virtual porthole on the Disney Dream cruise ship? I said that I thought Carl from Up going up the porthole was the best one of the whole lot. Now you can judge for yourself. I've uploaded a video of Tink and Carl (thanks to Wally for the video) as seen in the virtual porthole.

Zz.

The Many Faces of Cinderella Castle

2011-12-18T10:14:00.000-06:00

The most amazing aspect of The Magic, The Memories, and You show at the Magic Kingdom is the amazing display on Cinderella Castle, where there castle turns into a variety of colors and themes. You should have seen the video of this show, especially the one with the holiday tag on it, since I've highlighted it on here. If not, just wait a bit, and I'll upload the one that we took during our last trip to WDW barely a week ago.

Anyway, I snapped quite a few photos of the castle during this show, with the holiday tag. So here are the many faces of Cindy's castle during The Magic, The Memories, and You, with the holiday tag.

BTW, has ANYONE ever seen him/herself, or people that he/she knows, during one of these shows?

Zz.

Virtual Porthole on the Disney Dream

2011-12-16T05:46:00.000-06:00

One of the most fascinating thing about the new Disney Dream cruise ship is the virtual portholes that are available in the inside staterooms. This is what we had on our last cruise about a week ago. Besides having a live camera looking at the front of the ship, periodically, there were various Disney characters that made their brief appearance on the virtual portholes. You have to be ready just at the right time to capture them.

This is the virtual porthole when we were docked, I think, at Nassau.

And here are the various characters that I managed to capture with my camera. Some appeared for a long-enough time to snap a few shots, but others were quite fleeting.

The first one is Peach from Finding Nemo

This is the lovable Pooh Bear

Goofy also made his appearance

Gimini Cricket was difficult to capture because he was moving pretty fast, and was there only for a very short period of time.

But the best of the whole lot that I did see has to be Carl from Up. The multicolored balloons appeared first, floating upwards, and then you see Carl floating up with it. I wasn't fast enough to capture the balloons, but got most of Carl.

It was a fun cruise even if we just stayed in our room! :)

Zz.

Don't Buy From These People

2011-12-15T07:02:00.002-06:00

At the risk of giving them more free advertisement than they deserve, I'm going to rant against these people.

On the last day of our stay at SSR, this piece of crap was slipped through our door. I am certain that they did not get Disney's permission to do this, and that means that they were trespassing on Disney property to do their deed. Furthermore, there have been reports that some of these are scams that try to get your credit card info.

I took a picture of it so that you guys are aware of it. I've had these slipped through our doors when we've been there on previous visits. If these "Pizza Plus" people are reading this (assuming they actually RUN a pizza business and not another scam), here's something I would like to ask you: Why would I want to patronize a business that I know is shady and did not care that they are trespassing on another business's property? And you want my credit card info as well? Next, you'd think I won a big pile of money from Nigeria!

BTW, a trace of the phone number on the flyer gives this info:

Steph & Andy's Pizza Plus
3492 Polynesian Isle Blvd
Kissimmee, FL-34746

Needless to say, I have zero intention of going there for anything.

Zz.

Disney Fanatics, Please Temper Your Enthusiasm

2011-12-14T08:37:00.002-06:00

Sometime, as Disney fans, and fans that visit the parks a few times a year, we tend to know almost everything that's going on in the parks. This includes not only the lyrics to various music, but also the spiel given at various attractions. This is especially true for the several attractions such as the Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror, and to some extent, Jungle Cruise. I've often seen other guests who recited along with the audio tracks on these attractions, and they were certainly loud enough to be heard by the immediate guests surrounding them.

Unfortunately, we also tend to forget that there are folks who are going on these attractions for the first time. These guests want to hear and experience what they paid for. They didn't pay to hear other guests reciting to them the audio tracks of the attraction. Not only can this be annoying, it is also distracting. What is worse is guests that can't just shut up during such attraction. I've been in the library of ToT attraction, and had people yapping away while the Rod Serling-like voice was setting up the whole attraction for the guests. Not only is this annoying, it also made it difficult to hear, which ruins the whole set up of the attraction. The same is true for the stretching room in the Haunted Mansion. Oh, I've been known to utter a few words along the way here and there (".... to find a way out!!"). But to recite the entire spiel and ruin it for other guests?

Zz.

Fort Wilderness Christmas Decorations

2011-12-13T22:25:00.001-06:00

Walking through Ft. Wilderness you can see many elaborately decorated camp sires.

DVC Merry Mixer 12/13/11

2011-12-13T14:31:00.001-06:00

A scene from a very busy Merry Mixer, held at World Showcase.

D23 M & M Summary

2011-12-12T20:31:00.001-06:00

Overall, pretty good. First morning presentations were interesting. It rained during Candlelight and into MK parade time. Second day - Castle tour good but short. Backstage at Event & Holiday services, and the parade barn, was good. Everything at AK was good: private safari, reception at Flame Tree, and dinner at Camp MM. Ended the night with a private bus ride for 3 of us direct to the resort bus stop. Worth the money.

Sent via BlackBerry

D23 Dinner Special Guest

2011-12-12T18:32:00.001-06:00

This is Ron Schnieder, the voice of the original Dreamfinder.

D23 Dinner

2011-12-12T18:21:00.000-06:00

More from the dinner at Camp Minnie Mickey with Guitar Dan. A cool night now. Dinner was great.

D23 Dinner at Camp M & M

2011-12-12T17:33:00.000-06:00

Starting dinner at Camp Minnie Mickey.

D23 Reception Scene 2

2011-12-12T16:49:00.001-06:00

Another scene from the reception at Flame Tree. Really dark now. All the birds have gone home.

D23 Flame Tree Reception

2011-12-12T16:41:00.001-06:00

Almost dark. Reception at Flame Tree with wine & hors d'euvres.

About ready to leave

2011-12-12T12:43:00.001-06:00

We are chilling out and waiting for out fastpass time for you story mania before we leave for the airport. Our 10-day vacation/cruise is almost over. :-(

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:25:00.001-06:00

The fireplace with a hidden mickey in a fireworks display on the back wall.

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:23:00.001-06:00

The royal flat screen tv. Near the end of our allotted 2 minutes.

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:20:00.001-06:00

The clock - one minute to midnight. Or maybe it's almost lunchtime

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:18:00.001-06:00

The royal bed chamber.

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:16:00.001-06:00

One of the royal concierges.

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:15:00.001-06:00

The glass slipper.

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:14:00.001-06:00

The royal shower.

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:13:00.001-06:00

The inner sanctum at last. The royal bathtub.

D23 Castle Tour

2011-12-12T11:10:00.000-06:00

We're in the castle office.

D23 Castle Tour 12/12

2011-12-12T11:08:00.001-06:00

Step one - knock 3 times and the door will be opened.

Great movie ride

2011-12-12T11:01:00.001-06:00

Had lunch and now in line for the great movie ride. It is still drizzling outside.

You story mania

2011-12-12T09:15:00.001-06:00

In queue line for you story mania. 45-minute wait.

Where in WDW is This?

2011-12-11T22:03:00.001-06:00

The land

2011-12-11T13:09:00.001-06:00

We are living with the land.

Italy

2011-12-11T11:36:00.001-06:00

Hanging out in Italy. The weather is gorgeous.

Mexico

2011-12-11T10:40:00.001-06:00

On the Mexico ride.

Club cool

2011-12-11T10:31:00.001-06:00

No Beverly in all the drink dispensers at club cool.

Thrills

2011-12-11T10:04:00.001-06:00

In line for sum of all thrills.

Soarin

2011-12-11T09:31:00.001-06:00

In line for soarin. A line has 30-min wait.

Epcot

2011-12-11T08:46:00.001-06:00

At Epcot this morning

Safari

2011-12-10T13:43:00.001-06:00

In queue line for safari.

AK

2011-12-10T13:28:00.001-06:00

At Animal kingdom

Animation

2011-12-10T09:57:00.001-06:00

At Disney animation.

ToT

2011-12-10T09:00:00.001-06:00

At DHS about to get on ToT.

Fireworks

2011-12-09T20:00:00.001-06:00

Waiting for holiday wishes.

Parade

2011-12-09T19:29:00.001-06:00

Parade in full swing.

Waiting for parade

2011-12-09T17:10:00.001-06:00

Being entertained while waiting for the parade.

At MK

2011-12-09T16:01:00.001-06:00

At mk for MVMCP.

MVMCP

2011-12-09T15:11:00.001-06:00

Waiting for a bus to MK for MVMCP tonight.

Donald's Great Adventure - Gingerbread Creations

2011-12-09T08:08:00.001-06:00

Hello there fans! This is Donald Duck again reporting from the Most Magical Place on Earth. I did a quick tour of the marvelous gingerbread creations at various resorts here in Walt Disney World.

The first one is at the Beach Club. They continue to have this carousel of gingerbread. I asked if I could ride one of the horses, but they wouldn't let even a Disney legend like me on it. So kids, don't even ask! You have no chance.

I then hopped over to the Boardwalk. Hey, isn't that me stuck up that chimney? And what is Stitch doing in my living room?

A quick transfer to a bus got us to the Contemporary. I always love their gingerbread tree. I spent a few minutes looking at it while munching on a gingerbread cookie.

Next, a hop on the monorail got me to the Grand Floridian. They, of course, have this huge gingerbread house, and they sell cookies and gingerbread out of it.

After all that hopping and gingerbread cookies, I was stuffed!

DD.

DVC Annual Condominium Association Meeting

2011-12-08T22:41:00.001-06:00

We attended this year's DVC condo association meeting in Orlando this afternoon. Besides the "usual" annual dues increase, there were a few interesting news that was passed along.

1. They will add new TV channels to the DVC villas. This includes the History Channel, the Food Network and... this is puzzles me... Fox News! Fox News? Really? And this one got the biggest applause too! I don't get it. What did I missed?

2. It was officially announced that the next DVC villa to be built will be at the Grand Floridian. One can already see that the area between it and the wedding pavilion has already been closed off.

There were other news, but those were the "big"ones that I can recall right now.

Zz.

Art of Disney

2011-12-08T11:18:00.001-06:00

Larry Dotson signing at Art of Disney store in Downtown Disney now.

Days of Christmas

2011-12-08T10:03:00.001-06:00

Christmas store in downtown Disney is a mad house.

Back

2011-12-08T06:54:00.001-06:00

Just got off Disney dream. Amazing 5 day cruise.

At gate

2011-12-04T09:45:00.001-06:00

We are waiting to board the Disney dream.

At port

2011-12-04T09:30:00.001-06:00

The ship is HUGE!

Driving

2011-12-04T08:51:00.001-06:00

..... To port Canaveral. Disney dream is huge.

Off to our Disney Cruise

2011-12-04T06:59:00.001-06:00

We are all packed and about ready to go on our Disney cruise on the Disney Dream. I probably won't be able to do any trip reporting till after I get off the ship. I'll continue to post "live" till the moment that I will turn off my phone before I get on the ship - I don't want to get charged for international roaming.

Definitely am looking forward to this considering that it has been more than a year in the planning.

Zz.