Deb's Digest

On Earth Day, April 22nd, a brand new exhibit opened in Epcot's Innoventions called VISION house® !

Green Builder® Media, North America’s leading media company focused on sustainable living, has collaborated with Walt Disney Imagineering to create the VISION House®, an innovative green home exhibit.

What is exciting about this exhibit (unlike its predecessor the House of the Innoventions) is that the products found inside VISION house are all available today! "That is really important to us because we want people to walk though and to be able to take anything they see back home with them!", Sara Gutterman, Co-Founder and CEO of Green Builder Media. "We're hoping that everyone who walks through walks away with one or two ideas for sustainable living."

Disney Imagineers took a cold sterile house and transformed it into an inviting home where mother, father and children live - just like many of the the guests who walk through. You'll learn why the various products are important to different family members.

The house is bright and open - no more dividers to keep you away from everything. Here you are able to explore while the Cast Member continues explain the various products and features. You'll find everything from water conservation fixtures (Kohler), energy efficient windows and doors (Pella), LED lighting solutions (Sylvania), even the dining room table placements are made from recycled paper!

Another product featured is the Bosch dishwasher. If you don’t have a full load, Bosch’s Half Load Option is perfect for small loads that use half or less of the dishwasher’s capacity. You can load in the top rack, bottom rack, or half and half, and it reduces energy and water consumption by about 30%.

These are just a few of the new energy saving and sustainable products you will find inside VISION house®.

"This is a great blend of the entertainment experience and more learning and more knowledge which is what Epcot and Innoventions is all about", John Eric explained.

Ron Jones summed it all up, "We thought this [Epcot and Green Builder] was a perfect fit. Green Builder is all about questions, we're about promoting the questions in the minds of people who are making decisions about how sustainable their lives are going to be today and tomorrow for future generations. Our partners are all about the answers. We want people to aspire to have a more sustainable life. We also want to demonstrate things that are available today, that they can incorporate in their lives. There is nothing in this exhibit they can't have today."

So what did I think? As I mentioned above, there are lots of new things to see and it is exciting knowing they are available to consumers today. In fact, I was especially delighted to see the Schlage combination lock on the front door of the VISION house®, as I have one on my own home. Also, I have recently been looking at Bosch dishwashers as a possible upgrade to my current one.

The tour provides a taste of ideas for you to consider after you leave. Make sure to pick up the small card on your way out, it lists all the companies whose products are found inside the home. Some are affordable today and others, well, you'll have to save a bit.

The tour is geared towards adults and older children. The one component I feel is missing is an actual "take away idea/tip" at the end of the tour. One last word from the Cast Member about an simple/affordable way you can make your home more "green" right away would carry the message back home, long after the vacation concludes.

The other suggestion is to have a character like Recycle Randy giving demos out in front of VISION house®.

I was told he was just there for Earth Day. Have him (or a similar character) here on a regular basis. He definitely got the kids excited and engaged and would draw families into the space.

I highly recommend a tour on your next visit to Epcot. For more information check out http://greenbuildermag.com and the VISION® House website: http://visionhousegreen.com/

Once you check out VISION house®, leave a comment below with your thoughts!

The 19th Annual Epcot Flower and Garden Festival opened on March 7th.

I spent several hours in Epcot and just scratched the surface on what to see this year.

The floral displays begin before you enter Epcot with the Fantasia mushrooms.

This year's grand entrance topiary is Sorcerer Mickey conducting Floral Magic.

First thing to do as you enter Epcot, is pick up a Flower and Garden Festival Guide Map and the new Topiary Scavenger Hunt flyer. I didn't see any Scavanger Hunt flyers at the main entrance, but did find them at the Information Booth (back side of pin store). You can also download your own!

There is also a mobile website called Epcot in Bloom: http://m.epcotinbloom.com. You can look at it from home but certain features can only be unlocked when you scan a QR code inside Epcot. There are 12 audio tour locations and 14 topiaries that have QR codes.

I liked the map feature of the mobile app. Also, if you are new to Epcot's Flower and Garden festival the audio tour provides interesting information. While it is true the there is in-depth information on the topiaries, the photos are from previous festivals so don't get confused if the photos don't match the locations in the app. Would be great if the photos were updated now that the topiaries are on display.

Here's more information on the Epcot in Bloom Mobile app!

Bambi's Butterfly House is always a favorite with adults and kids. This year it has moved across the way and is larger than before. It can get crowded in here which can make stroller and wheelchair maneuvering difficult.

There is a butterfly identification poster at each end of the exhibit. It is great to know what you are actually seeing. The butterflies are quite plentiful and found my bright yellow shirt particularly interesting. Several landed on me, briefly.

This is a Mangrove Buckeye butterfly.

The ever popular Bambi, Flower and Thumper topiaries are now in the Butterfly house.

As you make your way to towards World Showcase, the fab 5 as farmers and gardeners greet you!

New this year is the Haiti exhibit. Be sure to check it out, there are even Haitian beverages for sale!

Be sure to check out the Flower and Garden Festival Kids Activities blog

AllEars will be bringing you lots more photos and information about this year's Flower and Garden Festival so be sure to check back for updates on our website!

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy a 10 minute tour of the Festival:

The latest exhibit to debut in Innoventions is called Habit Heroes - created to teach families how to live a healthy and active lifestyle. It is presented by Florida Blue and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. I experienced the new exhibit on February 3rd, the first day of soft openings.

Situated across from the Sum of All Thrills, the exhibit walls are filled with very colorful Marvel comics that help set the tone!

This interactive multi-media exhibit will keep you entertained as you learn to fight bad habits and become a Habit Hero.

As the story begins, we are at the entrance of a 100 year old gym, apartments above and periodically spot lights shine down below. ( I kinda felt like I was in a gangster sequence in the Great Movie Ride.)

Enter Will Power's gym, an abandoned fitness facility where there are photographs and trophies from 100 years ago.

A black and white movie sets the stage for how a band of dedicated heroes once fought to keep folks healthy. Unfortunately, those days are long gone; and the narrator pleadingly asks "Oh Habit Heroes where are you when we need you most?"

Suddenly we flash forward in time and meet our hosts Will Power and Callie Stenics. They want us to become the new Habit Heroes.

Our goal is to save a teenage boy who spends too much time behind the computer and on the couch and eats poorly and is out of shape.

A Cast Member gives everyone a colored wristband which signifies what team you are on in the next room - called "Control Freak".

Time to battle the "control freek" who controls the TV.

This was the one room that was very confusing. We had just been led to believe we were on a special colored team and yet inside the room, we all just stood trying to determine where to go/what to do. Each station had all the colored lights on. Suddenly, the TVs start falling from above via a huge screen. It was hard to see the TVs as you had to really look up and strain your neck. Not sure how little ones would do. Thinking I was on the "yellow team", I only used the yellow button. Soon a Cast Member came over to tell me I could use all the buttons. Someone else said we were to run to the station closest to where our TV color was falling. By the time I figured it out, it was time to move on to the next challenge. Either way, it it is soft opening and this part needs more explanation. We also felt as though in this room and the next, we should have gotten a score of how well (or not) we did.

Sweet Tooth and the Snacker! With Toy Story Mania Spring-Action shooters, it is our turn to blast away and destroy all the calories we can! My shooter had broccoli and carrot bulls eyes to use! This was fun, but again, we were almost too close to the screen and no score.

Our last challenge was entitled Lead Bottom. Our job was to exercise and get Lead Bottom to, well, shake his booty. This was a really fun segment and as I looked around, many people were moving and following the exercises! I could see some might not like this part, but on this day, it was fun to shake it up.

At the conclusion we see we have saved the couch potato teenager and all is well!

Habit Heroes is still in soft opening mode and there is some tweaking that does need to be done. I think once everything is ironed out, it will be a fun exhibit to experience. I plan to go back in a couple weeks and see if things have been "fine tuned".

Other observations and notes:

The areas are all very dark with low lighting.

Some cast members had their "roles" down pat, others need more training.

I liked how subtitles were part of every video.

Just let loose when you get to Lead Bottom - it's a lot of fun!

Leave a comment with your thoughts about the Habit Heroes Exhibit!

Thursday I went to Animal Kingdom. I really had wanted to go to the Magic Kingdom. However my TouringPlan subscription reminded me it was Extra Magic Hour at MK and a park to avoid.

My second choice was Animal Kingdom which was not crowded at all! My main reason for visiting the park was to take menu photos to update AllEars.

Actually, the parks are not crowded right now. Most Marathon folks have headed home and there is a couple day lull before the 3 day weekend coming up.

I had a great spot in the parking lot, very unusual for me - second car in. Don't you always feel like you are at the end of the LONG row? I do, but today I lucked out.

Despite the low crowds the turnstiles to enter the park were a bit backed up.

I enjoy walking through the Oasis checking out what animals and birds can be seen. There are a few different trails, so take time to explore. I love when there are Cast Members around to talk to about the various birds and animals. Today, a Cast Member was showing a skull from a Babirusa.

There is also a great little seating area off by the Baribusa area. Quiet and out of the way.

I love seeing the Tree of Life as you come out of the Oasis. Today's blue sky made for a great photo!

One thing I have noticed over the years is that artist or author park appearance are rarely announced in advance. A few years ago I was so excited to happen upon none other than Joe Rhode signing books in Animal Kingdom. His appearances at Animal Kingdom are VERY rare, but it always pays to ask at the "Times Board" and check out the stores yourself. There just might be an author or artist you would like to meet.

Creature of habit, I generally start on the left side of Animal Kingdom and make my way around. Today, I decided to head right and begin in Dinoland USA.

The longest wait I saw was for the photo op with Pluto and Goofy!

There are lots of "dinosaurs" to be found in this part of the park so be sure to look all around, even up! This dinosaur can be found in Restaurantosaurus!

A couple of dinosaurs can be seen on the Cretaceous Trail.

There is also a nice quieter area with benches and shade. This would make a good spot while you are waiting for others to ride Dinosaur.

A couple dinosaurs are also near the Dinosaur Fast Pass area!

Next I wandered over to Primeval Whirl. Pretty much a walk on. There are 2 areas to measure height, this one is cute with the animal paw prints where a child should stand.

Things were really quiet in the arcade game area. Just curious, do any of you play these games?

Really short lines today for Expedition Everest as well, about 10 minutes when I went past around 10am. Also the single rider line was closed.

I was glad to see the "test seats" still available for folks to see if they can transfer in from their wheelchair or if they will fit with the lap bar. It's nice and out of the way of the mainstream.

The last thing I did was journey along the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Be sure to pick up a guide with info about the animals along the trail.

You can also get a guide to the birds as well.

The Komodo Dragon was out sunning himself. I didn't see the Tapir - come to think of it, it's been a long time since I saw her. Anyone see the Tapir recently?

I went through the bat area, there was lots of fruit hanging for them to eat.

A couple of the tigers were out. I had a nice chat with Cast Member Dennis about the Tigers. I've said it before but these Cast members are a wonderful resource of information about the animals and birds. Don't hesitate to ask questions and engage in a conversation.

I left the park around 11:30am. You can see from the Times Board the waits were still pretty short!

A beautiful morning in my favorite park.

It is time for another Walt Disney World Dining Bits and Bites. Hopefully, now that we live in Florida, I'll be able to do these more often.

Last week Linda and I stayed two nights at the Contemporary Garden Wing (AP Rate which we got just 10 days prior) and spent both days in the Magic Kingdom and MK resort area.

This segment contains a quick service, theme park full service and signature dining.

CONTEMPO CAFE - CONTEMPORARY

Chicken Chop Salad $7.69
Deb: I have not been a fan of the Contempo Cafe, my previous 2 dining experiences were not so great. However I must say the Chicken Chop Salad was very fresh and perfect for lunch. It had the right balance of veggies, protein and carbs! I always ask for dressing on the side and was glad I did. The mayo based dressing really had little flavor and the vegis more than made up for it! I would have this again and would also recommend it to you!

Chicken Spinach and Artichoke Flatbread $8.79
Linda: This was disappointing as the description of the flatbread did not jive with what I received. The spinach and artichoke appeared to be a creamy dip spread on the flatbread - not a chicken, spinach and artichoke flatbread that was advertised. There were VERY little actual spinach or artichokes. Plus the sauce was VERY thick and not at all appetizing. I was expecting fresh spinach and chopped artichoke therefore would not order again nor recommend it.

CALIFORNIA GRILL - CONTEMPORARY

Heirloom Apple Salad - winter greens, aged Gouda, dried cranberries, pumpkin-apple dressing $14
Deb: I love when greens means something other than Romaine or Iceburg lettuce and I would expect nothing less from a signature restaurant. The selection of greens were crunchy and did remind me of "winter". I loved the aged Gouda sprinkled on the top. If there was a slight disappointment with the salad it was the dressing. I felt the pumpkin-apple dressing was on the bland side and did not have the flavors I expected. That said, it was still a great salad and I would order it again!

Creamy Parsnip and Sunchoke Soup - apple gastrique, truffled goat cheese gougere $11
Linda:
Yum Yum! Sunchoke was described as a cross of the edible parts of a sunflower and an artichoke. Seasoned perfectly, not over salted, and had a savory and sweet flavor (sweet coming from the small bits of apple). The goat cheese was in a puff pastry you can see on the side of the soup in the photo. I highly recommend and I'd order again!

Triple Cheese Flatbread - pecorino, asiago, and provolone, sun-dried tomato and arugula pesto $12
Deb: I didn't want a full, heavy dinner and so opted for the salad above and this flatbread. I'm not much of an adventurous eater so this fit the bill for me perfectly. I'm a big fan of flatbreads from the signature restaurants with Jiko and California Grill making some of my most favorites!

Dragon Roll - spicy and tataki tuna, shrimp tempura, bell pepper, avocado, chili soy glaze $28
Linda: Another Yoshi (Sushi Chef Extraordinare) Winner! A superb and very filling entree. If shared would make a great appetizer for 2. The only thing I didn't care from was the red bell pepper. Highly recommend and I'd order again.

LIBERTY TREE TAVERN - LUNCH - MAGIC KINGDOM

Colony Salad - Washington apples, sweet pecans and applewood smoked cheddar, dried cranberries Craisins, and grilled chicken tossed with field greens in honey shallot vinaigrette $14.49
Deb: I love lunch at the Liberty Tree Tavern. The Colony salad is a wonderful blend of flavors accented with the apples. I forgot to order the dressing on the side so it was a bit "soupy" for me, but that was my error. I've had this salad before and I'll have it again - try it next time!

Pilgrims' Feast - traditional roast turkey with herb bread dressing, mashed potatoes and a garden vegetable $14.99
Linda: This hit the spot. I debated between this and the Tri-Corner sandwich and the server recommended the turkey - Spot on! Some of the most moist and tender turkey breast I've had in a long time. Green beans cooked just right, dressing was yummy - I joined the Clean Plate club for this one! Highly recommend!

Post Your Reviews and Read what Others Say about:
Contempo Cafe
California Grill
Liberty Tree Tavern Lunch

That's it for this edition of WDW Dining Bits and Bites!

During the construction of Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World's Media Relations office sent out periodic updates to journalists. These were oversized full color newletters designed to acquaint the media with the newest theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom.

The following photos were taken at Animal Kingdom but the names are unknown.

The very first inhabitants were two reticulated giraffes named Zari and Miles. At the time, Zari was a 1.5 year old female born at the Metro Washington Park Zoo in Portland, Oregon. Miles was a 2 year old male from the St. Louis Zoological Park.

The next animals to move in were seven western lowland gorillas. The family group of 4 was led by silverback Gino, a young male Hasani, and two females Hope and Benga. A bachelor group also moved into Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail (the original name of Pangani Forest Exploration Trail ) consisting of Zwadi, M'bizi and Chuma. These gorillas are endangered in the wild. All the gorillas, except Gino, came from 2 zoos in Chicago. Gino was born in the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands and arrived in 1980 to the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Two African elephants round out the first group of animals to call Animal Kingdom home; Thandi and Moyo from the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad became the second mountain and the 46th attraction of the Magic Kingdom, September 1980! It opened on September 23, 1980 and celebrated its Grand Opening on November 15, 1980.

It took 10 years to plan, tons of steel and concrete to build the attraction:

1,300,000 pounds of steel beams, rods and mesh
9,350,000 pounds of cement and sand
560,000 pints of water
64,000 cups of dessert paint in assorted colors
2,780 feet of railroad tracks
6 gold rush trains
2 acres of land!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened in Disneyland in September 1979.

It can also be found at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

For more information on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad visit:
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Blog

I also like to collect postcards and Epcot postcards being one of my favorites.

When I was at the Pacific Northwest Mouse Meet last month, one of the Disneyana vendors had a box of postcards.

I found some Epcot World Showcase ones that I hadn't seen before.

There were several things I like about this series. I like how each country is depicted, each with a different emphasis. I like that the card really stands out and draws your attention - it certainly would have gotten mine, if I had seen them on a rack in the store.

France - The elegance of France is on display in the restaurants and shops here - along with our version of the Eiffel Tower and surprising statues that come to life. Parlez-vous adventure? (text from back of postcard)

Mexico - Buenos dias, amigos! Come and enjoy the authentic tastes and shops of Mexico. It's the perfect way to start out, or finish up, your trip "around the world". (text from back of postcard)

China - Experience the unique shopping, dining and entertainment of China...right here at Epcot. And don't miss the Land of Many Faces - a first-of-its-kind exhibit introducing China's ethnic peoples. (text from back of postcard)

There is also a postcard that has mini photos of all eleven postcards - like a checklist!

While there is no date on them, I"m guessing 1990's. If you know when these were published please let me know.

Continuing my blogs on Disney ephemera......

Let's take a look at the Entertainment Programs that used to come inside each Epcot Guide Map! I loved these programs as they not only provided a very quick, easy reference to see what was happening where.. but as someone who likes to "Step Back", I can remember what used to be.

I like this cover - it is simple enough but invites you to open it up and see what's in store for you!

Note that IllumiNations is not only presented by G.E. but also shown at 10:00pm.

The program unfolds to 4 panels listing the names and times for World Showcase entertainment. I like to see what acts were around then and have left, as well as those that remained in the park over the last 2 decades.

Mexico's Mariachi Cobre have certainly withstood the test of time.

The Acrobats of China were always a favorite of mine, however they recently ended their time at Epcot.

Folding it back up half way, the left side lists Future World entertainment

I only saw the Dreamfinder and Figment once and that was long before digital photography. They are one part of Epcot I fondly miss!

I never realized that GERO the robot made appearances outside of Horizons. I did manage to find a photo of GERO online!

The right side gives a schedule for character greetings and special entertainment.

The Stargate Restaurant was located in Communicore where the Electric Umbrella now resides.

Note the Odyssey is listed as a restaurant. I do remember once having a burger there!

It was great being able to see the travel troupes of performers from all over the world. I remember during the Millenium Celebration, the Millenium Village would have similar groups perform!

And the requisite advertising back.

Did you visit Epcot Center in 1990? Remember any of these performers?

Let me know who your favorite was.. and if you have photographs of the entertainers that no longer performs in Epcot let me know and perhaps we'll do a separate blog with those photos!

Following up on my last blog.. today we'll look at the 1976 Magic Kingdom guide which is compliments of GAF. My copy is worn, but you'll be able to see the pages.

32 pages plus the front and back cover make up this treasure trove of information. Remember back then, no internet, cell phones or much of anything other than print and broadcast media, so the guide had to sell it all.

There is a table of contents (so you can locate the information you want) as well as a page of helpful information. Here are a couple of interesting tidbits from the information page:

** Locker Service - is available for checking purchases and garments -- GARMENTS?? Can you image today someone asking to check a garment?

** Travel Service -- car-map routing service and information provided, Gulf Hospitality House, Town Square

Now we get to see not only what types of tickets were available in 1976 but the cost as well! Attractions were still utilizing lettered tickets A-E.

One bargain was the $9 adult ticket for a guided tour of the Magic Kingdom. You not only got admission ($6) but a 3.5 hour guided walking tour that included 5 attractions plus 2 more of your choice!

Another page offered Tips on Your Visit. It was suggested you visit the following before noon or after 4pm at these popular attractions:

Skyway in Fantasyland/Tomorrowland (D Ticket)

Haunted Mansion in Liberty Square (E Ticket)

Country Bear Jamboree in Frontierland (E Ticket)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Fantasyland (E Ticket)

Grand Prix Raceway in Tomorrowland (C Ticket)

One page is a special guide for guests in wheelchairs. You could rent a wheelchair for $1 per day.

Each land then had it's own page or 2 with a listing of the attractions(short description and ticket value), restaurants and shops. Later versions of the guide would also include a small map of the land as well.

Can you name the "free" attractions from 1976?

According to this pamphlet:

Main Street USA - Walt Disney Story
Frontierland's Diamond Horseshoe Revue
Tomorrowland the Carousel of Progress, If You Had Wings and the Circle-Vision 360.

And what guide wouldn't be complete without lots of photo tips for you to take pictures and buy more film! Look at the way the folks are dressed to visit a theme park! I'll say one thing though, the photo tips really are timeless!

And all this is just the first half of the guidebook!

The center section is a two-page map of the Magic Kingdom. You can see there was plenty of room for expansion. Look at the huge area on the left side where you can now find Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain!

And those blue dots on the map? That's the GAF photo trail - the best locations for taking your still or movie pictures!

You can even find 2 pages called "How Do I Go From Here?" It was a lot simpler back then LOL. The map even showed the Magic Kingdom parking lot sections by "name". Lake Buena Vista was described as " a world of boutiques, country club dining...."

And there there are the Special Attractions!

Yes, the Electric Water Pageant has been around a VERY long time. Folks have been enjoying this simple light and sound show for decades.

Each resort had its own section too!

You can even see a photo of the short-lived Fort Wilderness Railroad! "Travel around Fort Wilderness aboard the Wilderness Live steam train attraction."

I couldn't resist including the ad for the Shaggy DA movie!

That about concludes our look at the Magic Kingdom Guide for 1976.

Hope you enjoyed the journey back in time.

As you walk down Main Street U.S.A. you may be drawn to smells of popcorn and hot dogs coming from Casey's Corner. Many find Casey's a great place for a tasty "snack". But as you round the corner a delightful surprise is waiting for you - Jim the Ragtime Pianist!

Jim has been tickling the ivories since the 1970s. He'll entertain you with a wide variety of Disney tunes, as well as some corny jokes and banter if you engage him.

Jim is one of the "hidden treasures" of the Magic Kingdom.

!

Grab a coke, hot dog or popcorn, take a seat and enjoy!

Each country in World Showcase has its own themed entertainment and the American Adventure is one of my favorites.

The Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps usually plays outside the American Adventure pavillion Tuesdays - Saturdays. Be sure to check the Epcot times guide for exact days and times.

The show is about 15 minutes and features the colonial sounds of flutes and drums. Two of the songs you may hear them play are "God Bless America" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy".

The Fife and Drum Corps marches in from the left of the American Adventure pavilion (Liberty Inn side).

They position themselves between the American Gardens Theatre and the American Pavillion for the show.

There are 2 drummers, 2 flutists and the 5th member of the unit is the flag bearer.

Based on the information I found, the Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corp opened with Epcot Center and the American Adventure.

Video is taken with Flip Mino HD Camcorder! It is small, lightweight and easy to use.

As I meandered around Future World during my recent trip, I heard a commotion and turned around to see what it was. My initial thoughts were that it must be the JAMMitors!

They've been entertaining guests in Epcot for many years. Hmm. I 'm not sure when they began in Epcot. Does anyone know?

Here's an early photo of them that I still have on the website on the Epcot Entertainment Page:

But, I digress. So as I turned around, it wasn't the JAMMitors, but it must have been relatives of theirs known as the JAMMin Chefs (I think that's the right title). They were making special appearances during Epcot's Food and Wine Festival.

They were having a grand time making music on a variety of pots, pans, and boxes. They also entertained the crowd with a variety of "corny" jokes. All in all good fun and just another one of Epcot's great Live Entertainment acts!!!

The JAMMitors have their own page on the Walt Disney World website.

Whenever I am wandering around Animal Kingdom, I always try to look for new species or better yet, little babies. I've been pretty fortunate over the years to see a number of the park's offspring. I've seen baby elephants, giraffes, spoonbills, gibbons and this time a baby West African Crowned Crane.

It took asking several Cast Members before one was able to identify the bird for me. I had taken digital photos in the morning and then showed them to Cast Members during the day. When you have animal or bird questions, try to find a Cast Member in a green shirt. They are usually the ones who work with the animals. Although on the Pangani Forest Exploration and Maharajah Jungle Trek trails, the Cast Members will sometimes be in costume.

Here are some photos of the 6 week old male West African Crowned Crane. You can find him in the Discovery Island trails. He's various shades of brown. I was told he would develop his "crown" and turn colors as he gets older. The 2 adults were very close to him and seemed to be watching things very closely!

The sign in Discovery Island (photo above) says:
"We live in flocks of a hundred or more,
When not in the breeding season.
And Stamp on the ground with our feet as we walk,
It seems odd but we have good reason.

We stamp on the ground to make the bugs jump,
Then eat them before they fall.
At sunrise we haid the start of the day,
With a powerful trumpeting call."

The Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park says this about the West African Crowned Crane: "Balearica pavonia - Highly social, pair off usually for life, assume joint responsibility with their mate for offspring".

You also may be able to find the West African Crowned Cranes during your Kilimajaro Safari Ride.

Additional information can be found at the following website:

Philadelphia Zoo

This is another in my sporadic series of "Step Back in Time" blogs -- this one returns to Epcot and the Land Pavilion.

The Land opened in Epcot's Future World on October 1, 1982 and was sponsored by Kraft. When the initial 10 year contract was up, Nestle became the new sponsor November 1992.

When the pavilion opened, the following components were in the building:

Listen to the Land Boat Ride - take a gentle cruise through various climates and learn about the history of farming. As the ride continued, you were taken into the future to see new and innovative techniques of both land and sea farming. While the ride is basically the same today, it has gone through several rehabs where the music and narration has changed.

Harvest Theatre - Symbiosis, an 18 minute film, explored the relationship between humans and their environment. The Harvest Theatre is still part of the pavilion, but now houses the environmental focused Circle of Life - Lion King movie with Timon and Pumba.

Kitchen Kaberet - these fun animated foods taught us about healthy eating and starred Bonnie Appetit, the Kitchen Krackpots and Hamm n Eggz. This attraction closed January 3, 1994 and gave way to Food Rocks on March 26, 1994 to make it more contemporary. Then on January 3, 2004, it was closed for good. Soarin now occupies that space once held by the singing fruits and vegies.

Farmer’s Market - 8 fast food booths offering wholesome and nutritious meals and snacks. Now called Sunshine Seasons

Broccoli & Co. - the souvenir store. As always, there is a merchandise store in every area.

The Good Turn Restaurant - a 250 seat revolving full service restaurant. It's gone through several name changes (including the Land Grille Room) and today is the Garden Grill.

The Land - Discover at Epcot -- Harvest new knowledge about man's relationship with planet Earth and dig into advanced food-growing technologies.

** Hydroponics
** Symbiosis and Resource Conservation
** History and Future of Agriculture
** Nutrition
** Aquaculture

Here are some postcards from the early days ...

"LAND - Explore creative partnerships with the land. Set sail for "Tomorrow's Harvest". Sing along at a show that has the whole town cooking. And enjoy country-store fun, food and flavor."

"Listen to the Land - in the "country fair" setting of the Land pavilion, review age old agriculture techniques. Then, sail through the environments of the world and glimpse Tomorrow's Harvest."

" The Kitchen Krackpots - During your tour through The Land, you will see a wacky show which tells the story of nutrition in a very unusual way." Notice that this postcard does refer to the Kitchen Krackpots which was the name of the band that played at the Kitchen Kaberet.

"Seasoned Performers flavor some spicy numbers on good nutrition at the Kitchen Kaberet, in the Land pavilion. Acts include Fiesta Fruit, Dairy Goods, and the hit of the Breakfast Circuit, Ham n Eggz".

The following photographs are digital images of the PanaVue slides that were sold at the Magic Kingdom and Epcot in the 80s.

Here are some websites that offer photos and/or information about the early days of the Land:

All Ears Kitchen Kaberet Archives

Epcot Field Guide - The Land

Lost Epcot Features descriptions and photos from the early days of the Land.

Do you have photos from the 1980s of the Land Pavilion or any of it's attractions? I'd love to see them and possibly include them in a future blog. Please send to
allearsnet at yahoo dot com
Thanks!

On April 22, 2008 Animal Kingdom theme park proudly turned 10 years young!

In conjuction with Walt Disney World and Animal Kingdom, the WDWCelebrations.com team hosted their 2nd anniversary event, A Wild Decade. You may recall these were the same folks that brought you Celebration 25 -honoring Epcot's 25 years in 2007.

Registration for the Wild Decade closed a few weeks prior at 400. Not too shabby considering the event was on a Tuesday!

Check-in began bright and early near the Animal Kingdom ticket booths. Then the lines to get into the park quickly developed.

Animal Kingdom offered just a few events to commemorate the birthday.
First, a Re-Dedication Ceremony at park opening, hosted by Erin Wallace, Joe Rohde and Jane Goodall.

After the ceremony, Animal Kingdom Vice President Val Bunting greeted guests at the Attraction Times board. The first photo is Adam Roth and Val. The next one is me with Val.

Then there was a very special opportunity to hear Joe Rohde speak in the Theatre in the Wild. He is quite the storyteller and it's easy to see why he is such a successful imagineer! His facial expressions really added to the talk.

Special thanks to Patty Cook, who I met at the talk, for the cool photographs of Joe.

We have the audio for listening.

Lastly, Joe was available for autographs and photographs from 1-2pm in the afternoon. Here is AllEars Team Member Linda Mac with Joe!

Soon it was time for the WDWCelebrations.com Wild Decade events to begin!

The Wild Decade had their first attraction meet of the day enjoying Finding Nemo the Musical. From there, it was on to Expedition Everest!

At 2pm, the now traditional History Walk took place. Prior to the walks beginning, there was a very special visit by Animal Kingdom Vice President Val Bunting. Not only did she speak with the Wild Decade group, she entertained a few questions from the crowd and then stayed on for photo ops and even some pin trading. I asked Val about future attractions and new animal species that may be coming to the park. She replied with the standard Disney answer... we're always looking at new opportunities.....etc etc! In otherwords, no special announcements on April 22nd!

Attendees were split into 2 groups for the History Walk, one led by John C and one by Tom Corless. I attended Tom's walk and really enjoyed it. I even learned a few new things that I can share with friends on our next adventure to the park!! To the WDWCelebrations Team - kudos on the history talk!!!

Next, the folks at Animal Kingdom reserved 2 of the areas at the Flame Tree BBQ for Wild Decade Attendees to use for dinner. That really worked well. People were able to mingle and have some down time together. It was VERY nice.

At about 6:15pm, most of us having now been in the park almost 12 hours, I was starting to get tired. There were 2 events I still wanted to get to....but made the decision to forgo the last meet on Dinosaur!

We gathered outside DinoLand USA for a presentation. The Wild Decade organizers, led by 17-year-old Adam Roth, presented a $500 check to author Lou Mongello (The Walt Disney World Trivia Book) to go to the Dream Team charity he has established, which benefits terminally ill children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Afterwards we posed for a group photo that was a lot of fun to organize.

Larger Wild Decade Group Photo Image

Soon it wsa time to say goodbyes. The day went WAY too fast but the memories will last a long time.

Thanks to Val Bunting, Joe Rohde, the Cast Members who helped create Animal Kingdom and those that have worked there over the years, the WDWCelebrations team and all the attendees who made this a wonderful day.

Their next event, a World Wide Weekend will be held in late September. Registration is already open. I'll be there, will you?

It's been a while since we had an All Ears meet outside of MouseFest, so I decided to have one the weekend prior to Animal Kingdom's 10th Anniversary.

Let me digress just a bit. I flew in Saturday and stayed at the Dolphin. I had a wonderful room with a small balcony and view of Epcot's IllumiNations!!

Shortly after check-in, my Owner's Lockers were delivered! What did I ever do without them?!

I had a great breakfast before the meet at Fresh, with team member Linda Mac. Fresh is a Mediterranean inspired buffet on the first floor of the Dolphin. It serves Breakfast, Lunch and Starbucks coffee!!

For me, it's one of the best kept secrets in Disney. The food is made fresh, most of it to order and it doesn't have the frantic atmosphere of a Disney Resort eatery. Hence, I ate here actually 3 times during my stay.

As LindaMac and I entered Epcot and walked toward Future World, team member Jack Spence called on the phone to meet up. Right after we found Jack, we also found Elton - a Disney Dream Team Cast Member. With his great smile, I just had to take a photograph.

One of the things I typically forget to do at meets, is take a photo of the AllEars team. So this time, I made sure we did it as soon as everyone arrived. From left to right: Jack Spence, Deb Wills, Glo from Miami, and Linda Mac. (Thanks to the Cast Member who play photog)

Soon folks began to arrive. We had new AllEars buttons to hand out as well as hats to keep the sun out of your eyes. There were AllEars T-Shirts for the person who traveled the farthest (Illinois). And, oh yes, we had stickers too for all kids and coughadultscough in the group. It was a fantastic turnout!

Larger Image of Group Photo.

Here are meet photos of people arriving and headed into the attraction.....

...Loading into the Ride Vehicles for Journey into Your Imagination...

At the conclusion of the ride, many folks continued onto the second half of the meet, lunch in the Land at Sunshine Seasons.

On behalf of LindaMac, Jack, Glo and myself...thank you everyone for spending part of your vacation with us!!!

Saturday was spent with a family who I've known for several years. Bonny and Andrew have a special daughter named MJ who is featured (page 246) in the PassPorters Open Mouse for Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line book I co-authored.

MJ is a 7 year old girl with multiple disabities including Right Cerebral Cortex Polymicrogyria, autism, epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome disorder; to name a few. Her language is limited to single words and some sign language, but spending a day with her is a special treat beyond words. It's been amazing over the years to see what her many many trips to Disney parks has done to help her become more alive, more verbal.

Our day began with breakfast at Cape May Cafe. MJ is fed only by a feeding tube and therefore does not eat or drink. She does enjoy Character Meals. She also enjoys cutting food while the rest of us eat.

Today was a celebration of MJ's birthday (which is later this week). Minnie was the first to wish her a Happy Birthday.

Dale stopped by for some chair dancing with MJ.

After breakfast we headed to Animal Kingdom. We were still in the Oasis when we realized it was time for White Spoonbill eggs. In the photo below, one Spoonbill had just moved away from sitting on the eggs and another came over and turned them around. About this time, All Ears team member Linda Mac joined us!

Being in a park with MJ is not your typical day in a park. It's a slow stroll with her pointing to various parts of the park that she wants to visit. Her mom will ask, Do you want to go to Planet Watch? and she will either motion or speak, yes or no. And believe me, she knows the names of everything in the park!

Along the way, we encountered Terk. MJ just LOVES to rub Terk's belly!

Next was the Wildlife Express Train to Rafiki's Planet Watch.

MJ loves all the hands on items and especially being able to pet the animals. "Touch, touch", is what she says about the rabbit below.

She was also quite fascinated with the cage the rabbit traveled in.

Soon Jiminy Cricket appeared..... It was amazing that he had no line of folks waiting to see him. He took the opportunity to spend extra time with MJ. She was showing him the bird's nest that had 3 babies in it.

And I couldn't resist the chance for a photo-op with Jiminy!

Next up was lunch at Flame Tree BBQ. I had a Turkey Sandwich on a multi-grain roll. And while the roll was on the dry side, it must be low on the glycemic index as just a low dose of insulin took care of it!

After lunch, we planned to see Finding Nemo the Musical. However, MJ had about had enough of the crowds so we headed back to her house.

One of MJ's friends gave her a Belle dress for her birthday! Here she is modeling for us.

Here is MJ with LindaMac, whom she called "Mac" and her dog Coco.

MJ and Deb just hanging out.

A wonderful day had come to an end and it was time to head back to the resort. Originally I was going to call it a night, but then realized I was very hungry. LindaMac said she could eat also and we managed to get a resservation for Narcoossee's at the Grand Floridian for 6:15pm. We could just make it.... A great dinner and server and company......Saturday came to an end.

Tomorrow...my day with NO plans at all! WOW!

Tomorrow's child (Tomorrow’s Child)
Gathering gifts from our past.
Tomorrow's child (Tomorrow’s Child)
Shaping a world that will last...

Ah, that song brings back fond memories of Epcot's early days. I still vividly remember my first trip to Epcot in 1991.

It seemed that every attraction I entered included a song with a catchy tune that stayed with me.

I recall walking around Epcot singing tunes like:

One little spark, imagination...

The Universe of Energy.....

Tomorrow’s Child......

When I returned home and one of those tunes popped into my head, it always brought a smile to my face.

It was with great anticipation that I rode the recently reopened Spaceship Earth, signature Icon of Epcot.

This is the type of attraction that I believe allowed the Disney theme parks to rise above the rest of the "amusement parks". It is storytelling and imagineering at its best.

As I've gotten older, I'm less than thrilled when attractions such as Mission Space open, but I realize not everyone is like me. For the parks to remain alive and vibrant, attractions must reach all ages. But, if I have my druthers, I'd rather see 2008 era enhancements like the Haunted Mansion just went through.. and yes, Spaceship Earth!

I had read that Emmy®-award winning composer Bruce Broughton conducted a 63-piece orchestra and 24-voice choir for a new musical score for Spaceship Earth. I was hoping that it would include a catchy tune that I could hum when I returned home... to remind me of my magical adventure in WDW.

I also read about Dame Judi Dench doing the new narration. And while I wasn't going to miss Jeremy Irons so much, I can still hear Walter Cronkite’s words in my head. Yes, this is one of those attractions that has always held great memories and meaning for me.

The signage around the attraction is new, simple, futuristic, silver and blue.

The entrance mural is the same. I wouldn't have minded a new mural but I enjoyed seeing the space shuttle and space walker once again.

The vehicles have not been changed, but each row has had a new flat screen added to it. This screen makes up the entire last half of the ride. It's still a little tough getting in and out of them. Not so much due to the moving platform, but the small width that the "door" opens to allow you to enter and exit the actual vehicle.

Ah... as our time machine started up the incline, I began to immediately noticed changes. The scenery was cleaned up, repainted and oh my.... new things have been added. Right away I noticed subtle and not so subtle enhancements and they kept coming.... it seemed as though each scene had something new added. The new audio-animatronics are amazing, very realistic and really brought each area to life.

I must admit it was hard for me to focus on the narration because I was so involved in looking at all the new additions. Periodically I heard Dame Judi's voice, but my head was filled with thoughts of "WOW", "That's new", "How cool!", etc. Because of that, I can't really comment on the new narration.

As the time vehicle slowly ascended into the Spaceship Earth buildingI remembered thinking, I need to get right back on this so I could see everything again!!!! I was even more excited than when I saw all the wonderful enhancements at the Haunted Mansion.

Here are a few of the new scenes. (Please note these photos were taken with a Digital SLR camera and NO flash was used.)

Can you see now why I was so excited about the changes and the new scenes? Even the ones that didn't change a bit, were touched up to become more, hmm... life like!

Unfortunately, my excitement was short lived. At the height of the ride we did spend a fair amount of time looking at the star studded galaxy and the earth (always one of my favorite scenes). But the impact still isn't what it was with the powerful musical score of the Walter Cronkite narration days.

And then, our vehicles slowly rotated for the backwards descent. I had heard from many readers that the entire last portion of the ride focused around the video screen.

Indeed, the screen came on and we were asked questions about where we wanted to live, vacation preferences, etc. The photo that was taken of us near the beginning of the ride then became part of the cartoon. Our vehicle's photo was only of me, not the person riding with me, so the 2nd individual in my cartoon was just that, a cartoon face. I could see the vehicle in front of ours had 2 faces, so I guess our photo didn't turn out right.

After answering the questions, a short cartoon video plays. It was pretty funny, at least initially. I heard giggles from others around us, especially the kids.

But the more I watched the video screen, the more I started not feeling so good - I was getting queasy. I do suffer from motion sensitivity, but the slow ride backwards in Spaceship Earth never bothered me before. But now, concentrating on the screen in the vehicle, I quickly became nauseous. I tried looking up, but the row of lights tunnel we were passing through didn't help much. I just closed my eyes. Bummer, I thought to myself.

Wow, what a let down. I wasn't interested in jumping right back on. As outstanding as the first half of the ride was, the last half was equally disappointing.

I will return to enjoy all the new scenes and additions on a future trip, but I'll not be playing the computer quiz and watching the cartoon on the way down. If you have motion sensitivity issues, beware of this section of the ride. A friend who has epilepsy told me that the strands of lights in the descent tunnel were very bothersome to him.

To the imagineers who designed the first half of the ride, you did an incredible job! One I am sure Walt would be VERY proud of. In fact, you outdid yourselves. It reminded me of the first time I entered Epcot. I could see it over and over again.... and I left with the feeling of wanting to return immediately.

But whether it was a lack of money, or time, or this 50something baby boomer is just not "hip" anymore, I was disappointed in the ending. And that combined with the motion issues, will sadly remove Spaceship Earth from my "Must See Every Trip List".

Oh, and that musical score I was so anxious to hear....well sitting here a few days later, I can't remember one note of it. Quite honestly, it may have been because I was so focused on the new scenes. So to be fair, I'll pay more attention to both the music and narration on my next visit.

In the old A-E attraction ticket days, I would have rated the first half of Spaceship Earth a huge EEEEEEEE (the best). But the last half gets a generous B ticket.

Many thanks to AllEars blogger Lisa Berton for the inside photos of Spaceship Earth which appear in this blog.

Note: The Tomorrow's Child verse I started the blog with, used to be played during the ending of Spaceship Earth, as you were traveling backwards in the descent. It was several rehabs ago, so some of you may not recognize it.

To read other comments about the reopened Spaceship Earth, visit:

Sometimes it's hard to finish a trip report once home, but here is the conclusion of my late October adventure to WDW.

In case you missed the earlier posts here are the links:
Heading to Walt Disney World
Magic Kindgom Friday Part 1
Magic Kingdom Friday Part 2
Segway Saturday Part 1
Segway Saturday Part 2

Despite a very late night at the Studios for the Tower of Terror 13K race, I had an early morning meeting. I met with Brian and John from Owners Locker at Boatrights, Port Orleans Riverside. These guys offer a great service for storing your "stuff" between trips to the world. Be sure to check them out.

Epcot Cast Member Patti and I had a nice chat as I entered the park through the International Gateway.

Once inside Epcot I met my friends from Japan, Masayo and Nozomi and AllEars team member Linda Mac. We had some fun at the Canada pavilion waiting for the O Canada movie to open.

As we walked through the United Kingdom, we met All Ears fans! Always love meeting our readers!

One of the things I love best about Disney parks is the attention to detail. I never noticed that each of these have a different geometric pattern on them.

Masayo stops to sample the sushi at the Japan Food Booth.

While in Japan, we enjoyed Miyuki's show of candy art. What a wonderful time! Miyuki spent a few moments with us after her show, it was very special. She also enjoyed speaking with Masayo and Nozomi who both are from Japan.

I left Epcot via the Boardwalk. A great deal of exterior work is occurring to the Inn side of the Boardwalk.

Upon arriving back at Port Orleans Riverside, I was surprised by the package on my door. I had left the "Privacy" sign up and housekeeping left me a bag with fresh towels and soaps. Nice touch.

A dinner at Artist Point with friends Steve, Vickie and Beci rounded out the weekend. Early Monday morning I was on a plane back to Maryland. Southwest Airlines is going full steam ahead to get their boarding areas redone. Starting November 8th, including some new ticket options.

All Ears hears that the advance ticket discount for all 4-day or more tickets will disappear in 2008.

No word on any other ticket changes at this time.

Evening 4/21/2007

Tonight we dined at Jiko to celebrate our dear friends Tod and Sue's anniversary. Our dinner was simply amazing and highlighted by manager Jeremy who paired each of our courses with a special South African Wine. We actually never did have a "main course" per se... but did manage to have several courses of items from the Cooking Place and the appetizer list. Oh, and dessert.

In this photo, Jeremy is pouring the Chocolate Box red wine for Sue -- it was YUMMMY!!

Sunday, April 22, 2007
I hadn't spent much time in the World Showcase portion of Epcot so Linda and I headed there on Sunday. What a beautiful weather day... mostly blue skies, mild temps and a small breeze. We strolled from pavilion to pavilion enjoying all the beautiful flowers and topiaries.

Along the way, we had lunch at the Yakatori House in Japan. It was ok, nothing special, but decent. By mid afternoon we strolled back to the front of Epcot to try and get better photos of the entrance topiaries.

Back to Wilderness Lodge where we spent some time talking with the concierge staff. Lisa, Gerrianne, Jack and everyone was just super!

Sunday evening we dined at Il Mulino in the Swan, the new Italian place. Being such a huge fan of Palio (the former Italian restaurant), I had such high hopes. Alas, I found the place disappointing and way overpriced. Our dining companions, Steve Barrett (Mr. Hidden Mickey) and his lovely wife Vickie, made the evening very special.

Monday morning we were off to the airport at 6:30am for a flight home. A great trip with great memories!

Deb --
Life IT too short!

Well, as you can see, I didn't quite finish the "live" updates from Walt Disney World. Things just got so hectic. Allow me now, to finish up the trip as best I can.....

4/20/07 Evening....

Dinner at California Grill was wonderful, as it always is for me. We were seating in the wine room in the back and had a great view of Epcot's Spaceship Earth as well as the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. As I mentioned, I"ll be doing an article for the AllEars® newsletter on our California Grill experience.

4/21/07
Saturday morning we decided to have breakfast at Whispering Canyon Cafe. If you haven't been there yet, let's just say is a Wild and Crazy dining experience. Lots of whopping it up….. so be ready for noise, even early in the am! The kids all got to ride around on their stick ponies (even some "older" kids) and it was fun to watch. Our server was very into his role and sometimes he couldn't stop himself from laughing. Food was very good but huge quantities and most of us couldn't finish our breakfast!!

The four of us went over to Epcot to see the Flower and Garden Festival. It certainly had more "color" than I remembered from last year.

The Pirate ship at the entrance is just magnificent with Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, the gator and Pirate "Mr. Smee" Stitch!

We rode the new Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico. Certainly more colorful and lively that the former El Rio de Tiempo which definitely needed updating. If I didn't know the story line in advance, I would have been wondering exactly what it was. It wasn't clear to me until near the end that the Caballeros were looking for Donald. Be that as it may, it was cute and a strong "C-ticket" attraction.

There were gorgeous orchids along the path outside of Mexico and we spent a great deal of time admiring and taking photos of them.

At this point I left my friends and headed off to do some resort research at Saratoga Springs and Port Orleans French Quarter. My friends continued to enjoy the Festival.

Deb
Life -- IT too short!

Friday really was an incredibly magical day. I already shared with you the baby Spoonbills I watched at Animal Kingdom....just amazing.

The day actually began earlier at the Wilderness Lodge, where we had the privilege of attending a flag ceremony on the roof of the Lodge. The cool breeze stood the flags out in a colorful array. I had not been on the roof in about 10 years and the views were as incredible as I remembered. Cast Member Jack was just wonderful and made it a very special experience!

Ok, back to Animal Kingdom... The park was pretty crowded when I arrived 10:30ish. I was in the Dinosaur section. Do you ever feel like you must have a sign on your car that says "Put me in the farthest parking space possible.. oh and please give the folks in front of me close parking spaces" LOL So I was wayyyyyy down the end of Dinosaur. I realized just how crowded it was when there was a back up to get on the tram. As one filled, there were just as many folks waiting in the lot for the next one.

The baby Spoonbill I showed you yesterday....well, they are in the very front viewing area as you enter Animal Kingdom. There were actually 2 Spoonbills nesting with babies. The mom on the left had 2 little ones; you saw a photo of one. The spoonbill on the right had 1 baby that had been born in within the last 12 hours and also had another one coming out of the egg.

Animal Kingdom was celebrating Earth Day and had exhibits set up in each land, geared towards teaching kids more about the environment.

As I headed to Pizzafari for some lunch, I saw dear friends of mine, MJ, Bonny and Andrew! A great surprise. While at lunch I met a woman who thanked me for co-writing Passporter's WDW for Your Special Needs. She said she never imagined they'd be able to do a trip to Walt Disney World and the book gave her the courage to do so! They were having a really good time!!!"

Off to the Kilimajaro Safari... MJ stays in her wheelchair and so we went to that part of the queue line. There was a very long wait, but that was ok, it gave us a more opportunity to talk!

On the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, we saw real eggs belonging to the Flamingos. The 6 month old giraffe is now gliding more confidently along the savannah and everywhere I looked, it seemed as though there were young ones... very exciting!!!

I headed off to do some resort research and then returned to the room to get ready for dinner. Another wonderful meal at California Grill. I'll be writing more about that for a feature article in AllEars.

Deb

Life, IT too short!

Today, Friday, is our first full day at Walt Disney World. It's been an amazing day that I can't wait to share with you as soon as I have time to write.

But I do want to share this precious photo... It is a 1-2 day old baby African Spoonbill who lives in the Oasis at Animal Kingdom.