The View from Scopa Towers

I need to apologize for the delay in getting Part II out there. I've been swamped with "stuff" and projects and family matters and needed to clear a few things, cross the t's and dot the i's...done.

So after a few weeks of reflection I now have an even better perspective on One More Disney
Day.

To Recap:
Preview

Part I

Now here is Part II.

Feb 29th, 5:45 PM

My alarm went off. I had slept four hours.

I was ready for part II of this marathon day.

I took a shower to dislodge any cobwebs and put on some fresh "touring clothes" on for the evening....and of course the following morning.

I prepared my backpack...an extra shirt, some water, batteries, some protein bars…ready....I would need it all.

Feb. 29th, 6:30 PM

As I drove through the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza I noticed in the rear view mirror that there seemed to be quite a few sets of headlights following me. This caused me to think that the night would indeed be special...and it was.

As I left the toll plaza and made my way to the parking lot my thoughts were validated. There was a long line to get into the parking lot and for a minute I thought I might not get a parking space, especially when I noticed the line of cars in front of me was being directed into the Mulan lot, the LAST lot on the Heroes side...yikes.

This was a truly a harbinger of what was to be later in the night. Make no mistake about it, I had thoughts that this night would be crowded but traffic was a bit more than I expected. Getting to the parking lot was an experience. Guests trying to leave the TTC parking lot had a real challenge trying to weave their way around the cars coming into the TTC parking lot. It took almost ten minutes for me to get from the toll plaza to my eventual parking spot.

Again, I parked in the Heroes section of the TTC parking lot and in the Mulan portion. For those of you not familiar with the new parking arrangement at the TTC, Mulan is the absolute last portion in the Heroes section. And for the record, I was in the third row from the back so you can guess what word was running through my head…capacity.
Some 15 hours earlier I was parked in the first row of the Villains section…quite a difference.

Remember this photo....early morning parking for One More Disney Day.

I immediately texted and called a number of friends who I knew were intending to return to the park that evening and told them to head for the park ASAP.

The tram lines were so long that I decided to forego waiting for what would easily be 15 minutes just to have a shot at getting on one and decided to walk to the Ticket and Transportation Center, along with about 50 or 60 other guests.

Feb. 29th, 7:00 PM

As I approached the Magic Kingdom turnstiles again I got the feeling that the crown jewel of Walt Disney World would be experiencing a most unusual evening crowd level one what I was now calling One More Disney Day…the evening edition.

Feb, 29th, 7:15 PM

Well, I was right. There seemed to be a lot of energy along Main Street, USA. I noticed a long line to get into the Fire Station where guests would sign up for the new Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom experience. More on this later.

Before catching up with my colleagues, most of whom were not at the park for the evening push, I decided to just roam around the park and make some observations that appeared to be unique for this evening.

As I walked around the park I noticed that the quick-service and counter service eateries seemed to have longer lines than usual. My guess was that those who had planned ahead, had taken up all the sit-down restaurant reservations.

Another observation which would prove to be something I would notice all night long was the number of guests in line for the Sorcerors of the Magic Kingdom game. Every kisosk I came across had at least a dozen guests in line waiting to see how they would fare in this game.

I found myself texting, tweeting, emailing, posting on FaceBook, and taking photos more than I had originally planned. Within an hour or two I noticed my phone was really going through its battery real fast.

As I made my way to Tommorowland, I noticed just how crowded the park was. The park was so crowded that there were folks on the bridge to Tomorrowland waiting to see Wishes. The crowd surge was almost into Tomorrowland. In fact the edge of the crowd WAS in Tomorrowland.

I decided to take in Carrousel of Progress. There were only five other guests in the attraction with me...I almost fell asleep.

When I left CoP I ran into a few folks who told me of their escapades that day and how they were holding up. I had run into these folks when I first entered the park that morning and they seemed to be still energized and ready to go.

Feb. 29th, 9:15 PM

I checked with my colleagues and made arrangements to catch up them later in the night and I grabbed a quick bite at Pinocchio Village Haus. I could not find an outlet to charge my phone and made a mental note to do so.

Then I remembered earlier in the day, when I was with Mike Newell, how we found outlets at Columbia Harbour house.

I made my way there and, after a while, found a table near an outlet. Success! I plugged in my phone, did a little social media work, and wrote down some notes.

Some 10 minutes after sitting there I could hear screams building from some young children. Now usually young children can of course be expected to get tired and let their parents know it's time to go...but wow the volume on the screams I was hearing was more than I was used to.

I glanced at the time...it was approaching 10 PM. I then glanced at where the screams were coming from. There were two families sitting down and there was a total of five young children between the two families.

I noticed all the family members had the One More Disney Day mouse ears on. That told me that they were among the first 2000 guests to enter the park that morning at...

...wait for it...

...6 AM. I thought that maybe 16 hours in the park may be a bit too much for these kids.

My phone was all charged and I had two extra batteries so I was ready to get through the night.

Feb. 29th, 11:15 PM

I ran into Deb Wills and Deb Koma and we compared notes on what we had observed so far. We were at Adventureland and thought about going into Pirates but the line seemed fairly long.

The two Debs headed off to see what was going on in Fantasyland and I decided to have a Dole Whip.

I got into line at Aloha Isle at 11:40 PM. There were 35 people in line ahead of me...oh and there were two, or maybe three lines. The line I was in was well to the side of Aloha Isle and I could see in the side and see how busy the cast members were in serving the guests that night.

When I got to the counter the Cast Member smiled and said, "How you doing tonight?"

I said, "Well, when I got into line it was February 29th and it looks like when I finally get my Dole Whip it will be March 1st." He laughed and said, "That's a good one...and I believe it, with how busy it is." For the record, my Dole Whip was in my hand at 12:04 AM...I was right in my prediction.

I ate my Dole Whip as I made my way to the Tomorrowland Terrace where Len Testa had decided to hold a cupcake meet. When I got there, I found most of my colleagues among the 200 folks who showed up.

I made some new friends and found some familiar faces and there was much to talk about...in fact I found myself talking until about 2:20 AM.

March 1st, 2:30 AM

Several of us made our way to Main Street USA and we found something we had never seen or would have never expected...a huge crowd...yes I'm going to use the word, throng of people were heading up Main Street.

To put this into perspective, it was very much like what you would see on a summer's day around 9 or 10 in the morning. It was a horde of people...at 2:30 AM.

We said goodbye to a few friends as they were heading out...and some 20 minutes later they would text us saying that the line for the monorail was unbelievable.

There was a lot of activity in front of the castle and we went over there to find several hundred guests taking part in a dance party lead by a very energized DJ on top of a float. This party had been going on for a while and we saw folks ranging in ages from 5 to 75 dancing in the streets.

March 1st, 3:30 AM

Mike Newell and I headed toward Tomorrowland and decided to ride one of Mike's favorite attractions, the Wedway People Mover. So here is a good indication of just how crowded the park was, even at that time of the morning. The conveyer belt that guests stand on to ride up to the platform to get on the cars was STOPPED and there was a line of guests waiting to board the attraction. Remember, there is not much room at the top so, to avoid anyone getting hurt, the belt was stopped.

It was amazing to see the crowds, especially near the Sorcerers game kiosks.

We decided to give Haunted Mansion a try and rode the attraction sometime around 4:15 in the morning. You know the part of the ride where you come out of the attic and your doom buggy turns around and you find yourself flat on your back? Well when that happened both Mike and I said, "Oh no!" Fatigue was setting in.

From there we walked to Adventureland and sat down jujst outside the TIki Room and texted folks...people were still going strong.

At around 5:00 AM Len Testa strolled by and said he had several cups of coffee...needed to be awake for an early morning radio interview. It made me think about all those were not not here and what kind of connections they were using to find out how things were going.

So it's getting close to 5:00 AM and the Sorcerers kiosk near the PoC had 17 people in line, at 5:00 AM. Crazy. Check this photo out...notice the time on the clock.

As we got closer to 5:15 AM Mike Newell and I decided that perhaps it would be a good idea to try and do some live streaming and "bring it home" so to speak.

We made our way towards the Partner's Statue because The Memories, The Magic, and You was scheduled to be shown at 5:30. My plan was to do a live video streaming of this presentation for those who had never seen it and to narrate during the show.

When you go through an experience like spending overnight in The Magic Kingdom and you find yourself somewhat fatigued, there is another phenomenon that befalls you...and that is that you discover that some emotional "layers" are peeled off and this results in a short fuse to anger, laughter, or any sort of emotion.

Well, the fatigue, the atmosphere, the setting, the memories of that night, and the "Tangled" (I See the Light) segment of The Memories, The Magic, and You had quite an effect upon me. I found myself choking up a bit during the narration and decided that what was best for my audience from me...was silence.

As the 6:00 AM hour approached we all wondered if "Kiss Goodnight" would wrap up our amazing, once in a lifetime experience. Mike and I waited and waited and decided it was not going to happen and so we signed off with our audience.

Of course, no fewer than five minutes after we went off the air, the music started and "Kiss Goodnight" had begun.

It was an eerie and surreal moment in my life.

I have been to Walt Disney World many times. I have been privileged and very lucky to see and experience much of what the Walt Disney Company has offered to its guests.

During the showing of "Kiss Goodnight" I struggled to take my eyes off the castle, but I realized that this was a special moment, and I had to do whatever I could to capture the images, the feeling, the uniqueness of this moment.

I was standing some ten feet in front of the Partners Statue and looked around and counted some several hundred guests, who, along with me, were wrapping up there One More Disney Day.

Noone was moving...noone was talking...even the cast members were caught up in the moment. There were a few young children there, and they too were frozen, mesmerized by the music and lights.

We were all experiencing something that none else had ever experienced before.

As the very short presentation (about three minutes) carried on, all my fellow guests continued to stare at the castle. My guess is that they too were caught in the moment and realized how special, how unique, and how "Disney" this moment was.

As the show ended with its signature covering of the castle, I noticed everyone took a collective sigh, and we all slowly turned and made our way down Main Street, USA.

It was approaching 6:30 AM, but it felt very much like it was night.

I found myself walking slowly down Main Street USA....I felt like mores than ever before that I had formed a new relationship with The Magic Kingdom.

It's hard to explain how this area, this place, can have such an effect on the many who continue to visit every day, every week, every year.

We keep coming back...returning to escape from what life deals to us every day...to smile, to laugh, and to cry.

Disney's One More Day experience did not meet my expectations...it truly went beyond that and reminded me as to what draws us to this little theme park in Central Florida.

After close to 40 years of visiting Disney theme parks I finally truly understand what is meant when I am told visiting Walt Disney World, and especially The Magic Kingdom is where "Dreams come true."

For an entire night, through so many experiences, one dream came through for so many guests and that dream was to leave their cares outside the turnstiles...never to step foot inside this place where, for some reason, allows us to put the stresses of life on hold.

That's what we all dream for and that's what Disney delivers.

One More Disney Day allowed thousands to dream for 24 straight hours...but those thousands, including me, did not realize that until...until the 6:00 AM hour...when it was all over.

Will there be another One More Disney Day? I hope so...because when it happens...sign me up...I can't get enough of that dream.

Oh and remember the photo I showed you earlier of where I had parked my car around 4:00 AM the previous morning? Well, some 26 plus hours later I was parked some four rows from the very rear of the last Heroes Parking lot, Mulan. My car is that little spec on the left side.

One More Disney Day was over...but the memories will linger.

So now that I have fully recovered from "One More Disney Day", it's time to reflect on the event.

Feb. 29th, 2:45 am

I had set my alarm to go off at 3:00 am, but was worried so much that I would oversleep that I beat the alarm, just as I do on the morning of a race.

I took a quick shower, made sure all my essential were in my backpack, most importantly extra batteries, and took off for The Magic Kingdom. Wow, it was quite foggy on this morning.

Feb. 29th, 3:45 am

I parked in the first row at the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) Parking Lot and walked over to the TTC. I found about 150 people already there, waiting for the monorail.

I was there no less than five minutes when a large contingent of guests arrived, which prompted the cast members to make use of the rope queues. I ended up in the right rope queue which moved me about 20 people back from the monorail ramp. It was now about 4:30 am.

Feb. 29th, 4:45 am

I managed to squeeze onto not the first, but the second monorail car headed for The Magic Kingdom. When the announcement came over that we would be among the first to enter the park that day the car erupted with cheers. It was at that moment that the child in me was stirred to excitement...imagine being a child on this day and how excited you would be to go to The Magic Kingdom? That's how it felt.

Feb 29th, 5:00 am

I checked in at the media table to the far left of the turnstiles, received my special wristband, and had my Annual Pass scanned. As I entered the park I received my One More Disney Day Mickey Ears...

...and my special One More Disney Day Button, both of which by now as you read this blog, have already made their presence felt on eBay.

I then waited with some other lucky folks for rope drop. We were on the left side of the Train Station area. The right side turnstiles had hundreds of guests ready to head for their favorite attraction. I snapped this photo of the Train Station to capture the moment.

Now, if you were standing in my shoes and turned about 125 degrees to your right you would have seen Mickey and Minnie in pajamas in front of several media cameras covering this event.

There were several local television stations covering this event and, in fact, there was one right behind me talking to a family and I may have been on local television...or at least my back was on local television.

Feb. 29th, 5:55 am

The Magic Kingdom’s Family of the Day and the Mayor proudly welcomed everyone to The Magic Kingdom and we are allowed to enter. One point worth noting, this opening was very much like any other park day opening as there was no special fireworks or music.

Feb. 29, 6:15 am

Once inside the Magic Kingdom I headed over to the hospitality station at Tony’s where I received my gift…another hat and a OMDD shirt, and enjoyed breakfast with my AllEars colleagues Deb Wills and Deb Koma and my WDWTODAY colleague Mike Newell of MouseWorldRadio.

Feb. 29th, 7:00-9:00 am

After a pleasant breakfast, at which we tried to map out exactly how we would navigate through the day, Mike Newell and I decided to try and do a live stream cast from The Magic Kingdom. With fingers crossed we started at 7:00 am and we were off.

We walked up Main Street, USA and interviewed a few folks and basically took our audience on a tour of the Magic Kingdom on this very special day.

Many of those we talked to said they planned to stay for the entire 24 hours and in many cases had huge backpacks with supplies to help them make it through the day and the night ahead.

We noticed that for the first few hours the park's guests were very dispersed throughout, much unlike Extra Magic Hour Mornings where only certain attractions were open.

We walked around to all the lands and even took out viewers on the Walt Disney Railroad and the Tomorrowland People Mover. It was great knowing that we were helping those who could not be there see what was going on.

As we walked into Adventureland and came across Aloha Isle, several of our viewers suggested that we have a Dole Whip...at 7:20 am. I had a Dole Whip and Mike had cold caffeine to give him a boost.

As I had mentioned, since practically all attractions were up and running at 6:00 am, most of the guests were looking at no more than a 15 minute queue lines. Of course this would change as the day wore on.

This day was certainly a novelty for the Cast Members as well and they seemed to have an extra spark of magic in their step.

Broadcasting and talking for two straight hours can be quite challenging, but on this particular day it was more of a novelty than a challenge. We closed the broadcast just after 9:00 am and headed over to the AllEars Meet at Pinocchio Haus. We told everyone we would try to broadcast later on that day and evening.

Feb. 29th 9:30 am – 11:30 am

We attended the AllEars meet at Pinocchio Haus and with that came visits from old friends and also visits from new friends.

We ran into a couple of guests who planned to eat at every restaurant and counter and experience every attraction and parade during the 24 hours the park would be open. I never saw them again after that meet so I don’t know if they were successful. As I ran down the list of park restaurants and asked if they had ADRs, they nodded their heads "Yes!"

But there is more. They also planned to experience every attraction, every parade, the nighttime fireworks, and every other component of The Magic Kingdom. They picked the right day to try and do this.

I had also heard second hand that there was a contingent of hardcore fans who were determined to experience "100 attractions" that day. I guess that meant attending 100 attraction events as The Magic Kingdom falls short of 100 attractions...slightly.

Feb. 29th 11:30 am

After the meet we seemed to be quite happy just sitting down and watching the crowd. As it was approaching Noon we realized we had been up for at least nine hours already and had 18 hours to go. We were getting tired and discussed leaving the park to rest and get recharged for the big overnight marathon. Before leaving we decided to check the Haunted Mansion. It was then that we realized that the crowds were beginning to build and that wait times would begin to grow. The 15-minute wait for Haunted Mansion at 7:30 am was now approaching 45 minutes at mid-day. Yikes.

I had a concern that the park would hit capacity later in the day and early evening when the other three parks closed.

Feb. 29th, 12:30 pm

I left the Magic Kingdom and headed back to my room. I had parked so close to the TTC I walked to my rental car. The following photo shows how close I actually parked.

Along the way back to my room I stopped for lunch and jotted down some notes regarding what I wanted to accomplish when I returned later on in the day.

My first goal was to make sure I got into The Magic Kingdom.

Feb. 29th, 1:45 pm

I arrived at my room and realized I had been up for almost 12 hours. That plus the fact that I had slept only a few hours the night before in anticipation of this day, made it easy for me to quickly nod off for a very important nap.

Feb 29th, 5:45 pm

No sooner did I fall asleep when my alarm went off. Holy cow, I slept for four hours but it seemed like four minutes. I took a refreshing shower, checked on my supplies, which included an extra shirt, extra batteries, and an assortment of protein bars and water for the long haul.

I was ready for part II of this marathon day.

Starting at 6:00 a.m. on February 29th, for the first time ever, in what is being called “One More Disney Day,” both Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park will be open for 24 hours.

When I first heard this announcement I wasn’t sure how to react. Maybe this was because I had no plans of being in Orlando that day or visiting The Magic Kingdom. However, over the last few weeks I’ve become curious about a number of things. I have been in the Magic Kingdom countless times and, thanks to an extended Extra Magic Hour evening, have even been in the park until 3:30 a.m.

However, unlike that Extra Magic Hour evening, this upcoming last day in February is receiving a bit of a promotion and has caused me to wonder quite a bit and think about some questions that perhaps others may be wondering as well.

So let’s go through the questions one by one and I’ll be happy to stick my neck out and toss out an opinion on what the answers may be:

Q. Will the park reach capacity that day/evening and if so, when?

A. That was the first question that crossed my mind. I don’t expect that the park will see Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Fourth of July level crowds because it’s not a holiday, it’s in the middle of the week (Wednesday), and I’m sure moms and dads with young children won’t be out all night with the family. If the park were to exceed capacity, my guess would be that it would happen late afternoon or early evening. I would like to know just how long the park will admit guests through the turnstiles…4:00 a.m.? 5:00 a.m.?

Q. Will there be any special parades or fireworks or special events?

A. Well, like Oct. 1, 2011 sometimes we as guests get caught up in promotions and our expectations go through the roof. There have been no announcements regarding any special events for that 24-hour period so we’ll see. The 24-hour period is celebrating leap year so I would not expect much.

Q. Which attractions will be open all night long?

A. If you visit our Extra Magic Hours page http://allears.net/tp/emhour.htm#ev you can find a list of what normally is operating during extra magic hour evenings.
My guess is that is the list for the night with some adjustments. We know that the Liberty Square Riverboat, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Dumbo are closed for a while for refurbishments.

Secondly, it remains to be seen if all these attractions will be run the entire 24 hours. If it’s a cold night there may not be many takers for Splash Mountain.

Q. Will there be both sit-down and quick service available?

A. Actually, that is a very important question. Guests will need fuel to help them navigate through the park all night. Normally during Extra Magic Evening hours the Magic Kingdom offers guests Casey's Corner, Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, and Pecos Bill Café for places to eat. Thus the feeling is that there will not be any sit-down restaurants open…besides, when would you start serving breakfast?

I would hope that there would be consideration to add Columbia Harbor House and Pinocchio Village Haus to the list I’ve mentioned above, especially if the crowd levels exceed the estimated 25,000 or so guests that attend such events as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Q. Will guests be able to shop from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.?

A. This is an interesting question. If I were the decision maker regarding which shops to keep open and for how long I think I would seriously think about keeping all shops open until Midnight and then just keep the Emporium open until 3:00 a.m.

The reason for this is to allow the cast members to tidy up the shops and get them stocked and ready for the next day…plus, don’t you think most shoppers will have completed their shopping by 3:00 a.m.?

Q. What attractions will be the most popular during this time?

A. I think that Space Mountain and Splash Mountain will be vying for those honors. although Splash’s popularity may be dictated by the evening temperatures. I’m sure Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Fantasyland dark rides will be visited quite frequently as well.

Q. What would be the best way to tour the park?

A. Let’s assume you arrive at 9:00 p.m. and intend upon staying until 6 a.m. With five lands to tour I would take my time and spend one to two hours in each land. I would either do consecutive visits to an attraction until I was tired of it and go on to the next attraction or mix it up and jump from attraction to attraction. I would NOT jump from one land to another and backtrack. I would get my fill of a land and move on to the next one. I would probably start in Tomorrowland and work my way counterclockwise around the park.

Q. Will there be any character Meet 'N' Greets between Midnight and 5:00 a.m.?

A. I think it’s best to say that as the clock strikes twelve the odds of a photo opportunity with a character begin to tumble. If there are any Meet ‘n’ Greets, I would guess they would occur in the early evening and BEFORE the last parade performance.

Q. Will there be special merchandise available like they do for MNSSHP and MVMCP?

A. If this was an event that happened every year or several times a year I would say yes but I’m not expecting there will be. Here’s another question, if you were in charge what kind of merchandise would you offer and how many items would you expect to sell? It’s a gamble and that’s why I don’t expect there will be any special merchandise.

Q. If the park is to see large crowds that evening, will FastPass be in operation?

A. That sounds like a silly question, but, assuming the park may see high attendance that day, the thought has crossed my mind that the FastPass distribution areas could possibly stay open for an extra hour or two….but that would be a long shot.

Q. If I am visiting Walt Disney World that week should visit The Magic Kingdom during “One More Disney Day?”

A. I think the question is really, “Should I visit the Magic Kingdom that day and stay all night?” To that question I say that it depends upon what you want to get out of the experience. Are you there hoping to get in as many attractions as you possibly can? Are you going to just say you did it? Are you anticipating some special event and don’t want to miss it? Are you curious about the crowds, the attractions that will be open, which restaurants will be operating, etc?

Q. Mike, would you experience “One More Disney Day” if you can?

A. Well, full disclosure...the answer is yes. I am curious about so many aspects of this promotion that I caved and decided I had to see what is going to happen first-hand, so I plan to be at The Magic Kingdom that day....and am planning to be at the theme park well before sunrise. If you're interested in what may be happening that day, and to see how these questions will be answered, be sure to follow me on Face Book and on Twitter.

After all, depending upon how things go, we may be doing this all over again in 2016.

Over the last several years I have noticed a few things and kept reminding myself to mention them to friends and colleagues who also frequent both Walt Disney world and Disneyland.

I'm speaking about the FastPass system that has been in existence for sometime now. You know how it works...you bring your admission media to an attraction FastPass Distribution Box and after inserting it, you are then rewarded with a FastPass that tells you when you can report to the attraction later on that day, and not have to wait in line.

The funny thing about this system, now that I think about it, is that as the years have gone by and the crowds have grown, that the system is not so fast.

In fact, I am hear to suggest that for 2012 we rename FastPass to a more appropriate name, similar to the Advanced Dining Reservation (ADR) system and name it the Advanced Attraction Reservation System or the AAR.

Why? Well, in many of the most popular headliner attractions, it has gotten to the point that getting a FastPass that has a return time that works with your schedule is like getting a winning Publisher's Clearinghouse number....it never happens.

Okay, maybe I'm overstating it a bit, but when guests find themselves getting to the Toy Story Mania FastPass distribution boxes mid day and find that all the FastPasses are gone for the day, they aren't happy.

I myself have grabbed a FastPass around 10:30 am or so for that attraction and was surprised to see that my return time was 4:15 pm. Well that doesn't work if I have a 4:00 pm ADR at Le Cellier in EPCOT.

I recall one time flying into Orlando around 10:30 in the morning and after getting off the plane, grabbing my luggage, picking up my rental car, driving to my resort, checking in, unpacking, eating lunch, and then finally heading over to EPCOT for a few hours, and was kind of shocked to see a 70 minute wait for Soarin' and, at 1:45 in the afternoon mind you, would have to settle for a 7:35-7:45 pm return time on a FastPass.

That's not going to work when I have a 7:00 pm ADR at Kona in the Polynesian before heading to Magic Kingdom to see Wishes.

Have you noticed this problem lately? Have you figured out what to do?

The obvious response is, "Well Mike we both know that once you start getting into the late morning and early afternoon hours that it becomes more of a challenge to find those favorite attractions with short queues and decent FastPass return times."

Good. You're paying attention.

This all goes back to healthy park touring habits, especially during those crowded times during the year.

Keep the following points in mind:

- Even though you're on vacation , if you want to get the most out of your theme park visits then be there when the turnstiles open. The first two hours following theme park opening are the best two hours of the day...use them wisely.

- FastPasses can work well if you know how to use them. When you get into the park early think about which attraction you would like to secure a FastPass to and get that FastPass before doing anything else. If you can, get in the stand-by line and squeeze in an extra ride.

- Regarding Extra Magic hours, it still holds true that Extra Magic Hour mornings will always be your best friend. Note that parks which have Extra Magic Hour mornings will draw a lot of resort guests and so you can expect that theme park to perhaps be a little more busy during late and early afternoon.

- Extra Magic Hour evenings can be your friend too, but not how you think. I'm not telling you to be sure and go to a park that has Extra Magic Evening Hours. I'm telling you to AVOID that park because the crowds will be somewhat heavy because of EMH evenings. More people sleep in than get up with the chickens. But what you can do is take note of which park is conducting EMH evenings and make it a point to hit that park's turnstiles early on the morning afterwards. You see, the night before will have high crowds...guests who won't be looking to go to that park early the next morning. Trust me. this works.

- I'm a little hesitant to give you this last piece of advice so it comes with a caveat that it may not work. I have tried it and it has worked for me in the past. One day I made it a point to arrive at one of the theme parks just before park opening. During the day I loaded up on Fast Passes. I would grab a FP and not use it, visit some of the less popular attractions, and then when I was allowed, grabbed another FP. On this particular day I think I had accumulated four or five FPs and used them when I wanted to. Sure, the return times on the ticket may have passed but they were honored. Came the afternoon when crowds were high, I found myself using my FastPass at my convenience and....here's the best part....in many cases the FP line was quite short. Will that work today? Don't know....but if it's worth mentioning then it's worth a try.

There is rumbling that sometime over the next year or two we may, and I emphasize the word "may," see an adjustment in the FastPass system. It may involve some perks for those guests staying in certain, read that Deluxe resorts. We'll see.

When I first heard about Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" hitting the theaters in 3D I wasn't sure if that tease would motivate me into spending the money to see a film I had first seen in theaters 21 years ago and that I own on DVD.

It did, and I am glad it did.

First let's talk about what has become a Disney tradition for full length feature films, the short. I would go as far as to say that the short that was shown before Belle and Beast may have been the most entertaining short I have ever seen.

It was called, "Tangled Ever After" and you might say it's the sequel to "Tangled." The short focuses on the marriage of Flynn and Rapunzel,but the stars of the show are Pascal, Rapunzel’s pet chameleon Pascal, and Maximus, the soldier horse. According to Byron Howard, a Disney animator, who, along with Nathan Greno, worked on and co-directed both "Tangled" and "Tangled Ever After", these two characters were based on Charlie Chaplain and Buster Keaton. Chaplain and Keaton are known for their slapstick comedy from the silent film era and the facial expressions they used to express their emotions.

Since I'm not into delivering spoilers, I'm not going to tell you everything about the short, but I will tell you that it is one of the few Disney shorts that had me laughing out loud. The animation is outstanding and the humor is outright genius.

As for the featured 3D film, it was like seeing the movie for the first time.

There is 3D and there is 3D. The quality of the 3D effect in this film, in a word, WORKED. I don't know where to begin, so let me ramble on regarding where I think the 3D effects were most, well, 3D effective.

There are portions of the film which Disney fans know by heart, however, scene details are more enhanced with 3D because some portions seem closer. Such was the case when walking through the hallways in Beast's castle. Early on the scenes take on an ominous look that is definitely due to the depth given the scenes by the 3D effect.

The portion of the film where Beast saves Belle from the wolves is very intense, and the 3D effect adds to the intensity. I still have an issue believing Belle has enough strength to lift Beast onto Philippe (her horse) after he collapses from the battle with the wolves, but that's a topic for another blog.

Another memorable set of sequences in the film and how the 3D effect enhanced these scenes occurs whenever it is raining or snowing. The raindrops and snowflakes appear so real that you want to reach for your umbrella or gloves...yes it is that good...more on this later.

The song sequences are very much enhanced with the 3D effect with the film's well known song, "Be Our Guest" being the recipient most rewarded by the inclusion of 3D. The song is entertaining enough but with all the components appearing closer than ever before, it was a home run among home runs. For those familiar with Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom's "Mickey's Philharmagic" attraction, be prepared for a little deja vu.

Before leaving you I need to point out that the transformation scene where Beast is brought back to his princely state along with the castle and everyone in it. Remember how Belle sobs and expresses her love for Beast just before the last rose petal falls? Watch how the raindrops or snowflakes, or whatever, as I had mentioned earlier, makes this portion of the film wonderfully enhanced.

Finally, if you're into reading film credits then you must promise me you will take the time to do so with "Beauty and the Beast 3D." It's very much a reminder of the talented folks who worked on this film, including those like Howard Ashman (lyricist) and Jerry Orbach (voice of Lumiere), who is no longer with us. The rolling credits also present images that add an elegance to the film, something richly deserved.

I guess this is a recommendation to see this film as "Beauty and the Beast 3D" truly lives up to it's name. It was delightful, divine, and well, Disney!

No this is not about my New Year's Resolutions...it's about some New Year's Resolutions I'm hoping that perhaps we may see happening in 2012 when we next visit Walt Disney World.

I've been thinking long and hard about what I would like to see and have been doing this for a long time so this time I'm even more focused on what would be a win-win situation.

We must never forget that The Walt Disney Company is a business and that business needs to survive in order for us to continue to get our share of magic whenever we can.

So having said that, please keep in mind that these ideas come with the important note that they would appear to be beneficial for both the Walt Disney World Resort and its guests.

The Disney Dining Plan

We are all creatures of habit and there can be a lot to be said for getting into good habits and being consistent in your everyday life, especially if these habits are positive.

I have always felt that it would behoove Walt Disney World to strive for consistency in several areas which in return would reward the resort in many ways.

Let's start off with the Disney Dining Plan. Over the last four or five years, every time the new year's plan has been announced I found myself noticing changes that I felt would turn guests off from using the DDP. By changes I mean not just the onboarding and offboarding of restaurants but the bigtime inconsistencies from restaurant to restaurant.

I recall visiting one of my favorite restaurants and, when my server found out I was using the DDP, quickly pointed out how the color coding of the menu would direct me to what is covered and not covered by the DDP.

You see, even those restaurants on the DDP are inconsistent with each other. My hope is that someday we return to a very simple Dining Plan that is not just straightforward but also consistent...that's how success is best bread...erh bred.

Annual Pass

Now let's talk about the wonders of the Annual Pass. Annual Passholders are WDW's best customers and those customers get certain perks with the AP's. One perk is that AP holders receive discounts on merchandise...but only in DownTown Disney at places like the World of Disney store.

So that $40 shirt at Mouse Gear in EPCOT is $36 at the World of Disney. Is there any reason why the 10% discount offered at WoD and places in DTD could not be expanded across the board? Aren't there more people in the theme parks than any other place on the resort?

I think what really puzzles me is that one place that I would have thought would have realized a boost in revenue if this 10% discount was applied would be World Showcase. Don;t you think? So why not make a huge New Year's Resolution and open up that 10% across the board.

Note: Since posting this blog I have received several notes from friends saying that recently they have received AP discounts from some resort gift shops, Mouse Gear at EPCOT, and some kiosks in EPCOT. That is good news, and I am happy to stand corrected. I've also heard from some folks that, even though some gift shops and kiosks are giving AP , discounts, not all are giving discounts. This just reinforces the idea of asking wherever you go. Thanks to those of you who have contacted me to update this information. WDW policies are like New England weather...if you don't like it, wait a minute, it's likely to change.

And while we are at it, I think Tables of Wonderland, the discount dining card, should be honored at every sit-down restaurant on the property...it's that consistency thing. Tables of Wonderland discount cards are offered to Walt Disney World Annual Passholders for $75. Showing this card at selected restaurants results in a 20% discount on your check. Wouldn't it be nice to know that EVERY sit-down restaurant on WDW property and the Value and Moderate resorts food courts? My practice is to ask everywhere, because I know there is inconsistency...at least for now.

If it Ain't Broke...

If you have not visited Walt Disney World recently, especially the Magic Kingdom, more specifically, have not driven to the Magic Kingdom, then you are in for a surprise. The Ticket and Transportation Center parking lots have undergone a change...a name change. Some may feel I'm being a little too picky but after several decades of dealing with the names like Donald, Pluto, Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, etc. and becoming quite familiar with what area is associated with whatever name, I found it a bit interesting that the names were changed to this side being heroes and this side being villains.

Would someone explain to me the value in making this change? Anyone? Didn't think so. When I think of consistency of think of the phrase, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I think any WDW resort policies should change but once a year. It can be at any time of the year but all I'm asking is to limit policy changes once a year. It would reduce confusion for the guests, and guess what, also the cast members. I'm all for surprises, good ones that is.

Timing is Everything

Now let's turn to a word that makes grown guests wince: refurbishments. Now I am the first to recognize when an attraction needs a fresh coat of paint or needs to be updated and I congratulate the resort for trying their best to make sure their guests are entertained to the highest level.

My concern is when the scheduling of refurbishments results in a number of attractions being down at the same time. I recall a visit to Orlando a few summers ago in which Spaceship Earth, Haunted Mansion, and a few other popular attractions, were down for the entire summer. This results in longer queues for those attractions doing business as usual.

It was later on that year that guests continued to complain about the delay in reopening Spaceship Earth. This resulted in a premature "soft opening schedule" in late December/early january in which guests could ride through the attraction and observe some of the changes that were taken place. Unfortunately, the imagineers were not thrilled with this, as you can well understand. Imagine an artist not wanting you to see a piece of art that was only half finished, or a songwriter not wanting you to hear a song until all the kinks were worked out.

What is my point? Well, for a resolution that I think many people would agree to, how about limiting the number of attractions being refurbished at the same time so that guests are not impacted as much.

Keeping those attractions down to a small number may actually hasten the refurbishment along.

Another thought would be to limit refurbishments to only those less busy times of the year. During that summer visit I thought of those guests who may be making their ONLY trip to Walt Disney World and unfortunately did not get to see Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, or other attractions that were offline due to refurbishments.

For the resort this could mean reducing the number of people needed every year to perform these refurbishments...instead of requiring x number of people to do everything in 2012, the need would be x-x. The drawback could, and I am not sure about this, could reduce the number of refurbishments per year. Would you prefer more attractions down longer each year and more refurbishments or more access to attractions and fewer refurbishments per year?

Okay those are me New Year's Resolutions for Walt Disney World for 2012. I'm sure more will surface as the year evolves but these sweeping ideas I feel truly help both the guests and the resort in terms of economics and keeping everyone happy.

Happy New Year!

I have heard reports that Disney’s latest movie, “The Muppets” cost the Walt Disney Company some $30 million dollars or so to produce. After seeing the movie I am convinced that investment may have been one of the wisest decisions the company has made in years.

Where do I begin? The screenplay, written by Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller was topnotch, with classic comedic touches only found when the Muppets are present.

Without giving too much away, allow me to give you a taste of what this long overdue movie had for its audience.

The premise is that Jason Segal’s twin brother Walter is pretty much the Muppet’s number one fan and Jason and his girlfriend, Mary, played by Amy Adams, decide to go on a trip to Hollywood and take Walter with them for a tour of the Muppet Studios.

What they find is a broken down shell of what once was and the rest of the movie is devoted to the need to get the Muppet gang together to save the theater and the Muppet name from the clutches of a greedy oil tycoon, Tex Richman, portrayed deliciously by Chris Cooper…remember this line, “Maniacal laugh!”

If you think you can predict how this adventure ends, well guess again because Segel and Stoller’s screenplay talents not only make for an entertaining and hilarious journey throughout the movie, but also treats us to a very satisfying and not so expected ending.

There are surprises throughout the movie, and I am not here to start listing the spoilers, but needless to say, I am not the only person who will say, “I need to see that movie again, because I may have missed something.”

The movie has a very contemporary feel to it, with the musical and cameo components inserted in just about the most perfect spots.
I don’t know what it is about Muppet songs, but for some reason, all the songs in this film work amazingly well. I found myself tapping my foot to the songs and not wanting them to end.

There is one song that got a huge reaction by the audience, and it was because of the cameo that came with the song. When you see the film, you will know what I mean…heck I would see the film again just to be there to witness the audience’s reaction again.

The only criticism I have is that one song seemed rushed, and I wanted it to last longer and build more, but the song did manage to bring a tear to my eye and others in the theater as it will make you think of Muppet creator Jim Henson…you will understand once you see the movie.

Steve Whitmire (Kermit, Beaker, Statler, and Rizzo) is a treasure as a Muppett performer and he seems to be channeling Jim Henson throughout the movie.

The other Muppet performer that receives kudos is Eric Jacobson who brings personality to Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Sam the Eagle, and Marvin Suggs. Jacobson did Frank Oz proud.

There is so much to say about this movie that I would be at fault not to mention the number of celebrity cameos throughout, some of which drew some incredible reaction from the crowd with whom I watched the movie.

In some cases the celebrity cameos were appearances and some were by voice only…either way once I realized there would be sight gags and a celebrity cameo possibly waiting around every corner, my ears and ears were glued to the screen. My guess is that there were at least 30 to 35 cameos throughout the film, and I may have missed some along the way.

This movie, no doubt, is a great investment by Disney and as I left the theater two thoughts crossed my mind.

The first was my questioning Disney’s partnership with James Cameron and the Avatar land project and why not instead, invest in a proven product like the Muppets, who have been around for generations (I watched the film with my daughter and grandson). With so many characters and so much material, it would have been a no-brainer to create a Muppet land in Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios theme park and in the California Adventure theme park in Anaheim.

The proof is in the pudding…fans are flocking to the theaters to see this film…there was a line forming almost one hour before this film, and that line had Muppet fans of all ages with middle aged men wearing Beaker shirts and teenagers with Animal shirts on as well…when was the last time you saw a “Na’vi” shirt?

My reaction to the film, along with the chatter as the crowd left the auditorium, convinced me that if I was in charge and, assuming I had a choice to put my efforts into either a Muppet land or Avatar land, that my head and my heart would lean towards those fuzzy, friendly puppets who have been in our lives for years.

Oh, and that other thought that was swimming around in my head as I left the theater was, “What Would Jim think?”

We know that wherever he is…he’s smiling!

It is very appropriate that Sam Gennawey’s much-anticipated book, “Walt and the Promise of Progress City”, available at Amazon.com, has been released within several weeks of the recent celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the opening of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Why appropriate? Although Gennawey’s book focuses on EPCOT, one realizes, once diving into this book, that what this California urban planner is telling his audience is beyond the design of EPCOT but the evolution of Walt Disney’s understanding of what a theme park should be.

Gennawey devotes much of his book to explaining the learning curve Walt Disney and his imagineers experienced while designing, building, and maintaining Disneyland. The author sweeps up his audience and scoops them into his own monorail of progress and cites the influences, the people, the places, and the lessons learned that eventually led to what we now have in Orlando.

Gennawey, an urban planner by profession, makes it all very clear that a theme park was not built in a day, and, in regards to Epcot, was not being built even in a decade but perhaps over a period of 25 years.

How does Gennawey get us on board with his thoughts? Very simply he takes us back to the beginning. One of the most overlooked aspects of Walt Disney’s legacy is that although he was a visionary, in many ways, he defined the building blocks for what makes a visionary…and that is...experience and education. Walt was very much a learner and a student of family entertainment and amusement parks. He studied his guests and tried to understand what made them tick.

Gennawey brings us to the inner circle of Walt Disney’s mind and uses his words to paint for us a portrait of how Walt’s thought processes took place. Along the way with each stroke of his author’s brush Gennawey slowly unveils the curtain that indicates exactly what the forces were that led to the concept of Epcot.

One of the most interesting points made in this book was the revelation as to the number of people and influences that impacted how Walt and his staff envisioned what Epcot should be.

Those who are students of the theme park industry and especially all things Disney would serve them well to dive into Gennawey’s work to discover the not so well known influences that led to the design of Epcot.

For example, Gennawey points out how the obscure Disneyland episode, Magic Highways, USA which focused on the American highways system, required extensive research and brought with it dividends to Walt’s staff in terms of insight into how transportation technology has played a part in how America’s highways and cities have evolved. That insight led to other areas of research, which helped Walt, and his staff realize their need to understand what the future would not necessarily bring, but would require.

Gennawey’s book, often serves the audience as a remarkable time machine where the Disney fan can go back and experience what Walt and his creative team experienced in producing television shows and how this work influenced the construction of Disneyland...and thoughts of what should happen beyond Disneyland.

The design and development of Disneyland was truly an exercise and learning path in itself, as Gennawey implies, and the lessons learned from that experience would fuel many of the approaches that would be taken in what Epcot should be.

Gennawey is quick to point out that Walt was never formally trained in urban planning but has made a significant impact in the way we perceive how to design and build cities. Walt understood the “…timeless way of building.” More importantly, Gennawey tells us that not only did Walt want to tell us timeless stories but that he also wanted to create timeless places.

The author brings all the concepts of urban planning to the level of Disney fans that will find themselves entertained by how he uses familiar Disney theme park landmarks to bring his readers to a deep and complete understanding of how these concepts work to appease the needs of the Disney guest.

Site lines, patterns, perspectives, and colors all play into what makes things work for Disney and Gennawey does his best to inform his readers on how all what is learned through Disneyland went a long way towards the design of Epcot.

The best way to describe Gennawey’s book is to imagine walking down a long corridor and as you stop and admire each painting and get a new understanding for how the corridor was constructed, the corridor becomes more lit and you can admire another painting that gives you more information and more understanding until you reach the end and say, “Ahhh, now I understand how I got here!”

Unlike any other book written on Walt Disney World, “Walt and the Promise of Progress City” is the complete chronicle of the influences that took place, the lessons learned from Disneyland, and the obscure experiences of Walt Disney and his staff that led to the concept of Epcot.

What’s more impressive is that Gennawey’s mastery storytelling makes this book a candidate for reading by anyone, be it a Disney fan, an aficionado of urban planning, or anyone interested in how an American success story can evolve over so many years.

Gennawey quotes author Ray Bradbury who says that Walt was “…an optimal behaviorist...” who “…knew that he could function in architecture, and later he used that power and raised it to its highest degree.”

Gennawey says, “Walt wanted to build an entire planned community based on this belief. He wanted to change the public’s expectations of what a city—and happiness—could be.”

In closing I need to admit that reading “Walt and the Promise of Progress City” made me all too aware of gaps in my knowledge of how Walt Disney and his staff were influenced in theme park design and development. Sam Gennawey has very eloquently filled those gaps for me and has helped me fully understand and appreciate even more, the amazing visionary of the 20th Century, Walt Disney.

This is my final installment of my impressions of my first visit to Disneyland.
Read Part 1
Read Part 2

I'd like to start by mentioning something important to me, and that is a concept mentioned many years ago.

Disney Zone Effect

It's known as The Disney Zone effect and I was curious as to how this would come into play on my initial visit to Disneyland. I think that each one of us goes through some level of "zoning" when visiting a Disney theme park. Beyond that it may be a certain attraction, image, sound, or even odor, that puts us in that special place.

For me I'm not sure if I ever crossed into that zone while at Disneyland. I have a theory as to why it just did not happen like it often does at Walt Disney World. I found myself working hard at omparing what I was seeing in Anaheim to what I knew existed in Orlando. When you look at anything with that type of scrutiny it somehow takes away from the enjoyment.

I do recall a few moments during my stay where I sensed a bit of a Disney Zone feeling, but not as much as I expected. My guess is the same is probably expressed by those longtime Disneyland fans who for the first time visit Walt Disney World.

Maybe it's a work in progress and my next visit may find me zoning a bit more.

and I think for me it was a case of my trying so hard to compare what I was experiencing to Walt Disney World

Cast Member Experience

I have to admit that I found the cast member experience in Anaheim slightly more enjoyable that what I've lately felt at Walt Disney World. Is there an explanation for this? I don't know. It could be that the Disney legacy is more entrenched in Southern California than it is in Central Florida...or could it be that perhaps there is a bit more pride to being a Disneyland Resort cast member than a Walt Disney World cast member. All I know is that I found the cast members in Anaheim to be more aware of guest needs, more spontaneuos in knowing how to make the guest experience that much better, and always smiling.

Entertainment

There is more entertainment at Walt Disney World for sure but the nod goes to Anaheim for the level of entertainment. For what I saw it just seemed that the performers were more crisp, more refined, more talented, and more into what they were doing....especially at the Hyperion Theater in California Adventure.

This is not to say that the entertainment is not topnotch at Walt Disney World. It just seemed more refined, more polished, and more experienced at the Disneyland Resort.

Shopping Experience

This is a no contest. Orlando offers so many different shopping experiences in so many areas that there just isn't any comparison between the two resorts. This is not to say that the DLR shopping experience is not a pleasant one. The DownTown Disney area has some very nice and interesting places to browse around and the parks of course have their share of places to look for that special souvenir.

The sheer number of places to shop and the diversity of the available merchandise just makes Orlando heads and shoulders above Anaheim in regards to shopping.

Overall Value

Here's where it gets real difficult. When we speak of this thing we call value are we talking about our time, our vacation dollar, our love for all things Disney, or something else?

A close friend of mine, Brian Bennett, has often said that if he was given one day to spend at a Disney resort that he would spend it in Disneyland, but if he had a week he would spend it in Walt Disney World. I tend to agree with Brian.

I think that each resort has many components that appeal to all Disney fans. While at Disneyland resort I found myself thinking the same two thoughts over and over again.

There were times when I thought, "Hmmm, I wish we had this in Walt Disney World" or "Why isn't this as good as it is in Walt Disney World?"

If we talk in terms of value for the vacation dollar I believe that Walt Disney World takes the edge only because of the number of theme parks, water parks, and other areas offered to the guests. YOu can experience more for your dollar in Orlando than in Disneyland.

If you put your time at the top of your list then you should know that the Disneyland Resort offers you the better opportunity to make use of this precious commodity. Its obvious that in a 12 hour day that DLR guests can enjoy more theme park experiences due to the proximity of the DLR parks to each other and surrounding hotels. In Orlando there is traveling time to consider between any two theme parks. Travel time from point to point takes away time spent at each point.

When we talk about love for all things Disney it's a draw. for the Disney purists Disneyland gets the nod here. Why not? It's the only Disney park Walt has experienced himself. It has been around for almost 60 years. It's the first Disney theme park and has been there for several generations of Disney fans.

For others, Walt Disney World, with the number of theme parks, water parks, resorts, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, recreational opportunities, and much more, offer something special to the Disney fan that DLR does not quite offer yet and that is a diversified vacation experience. The Orlando resort does have an advantage over it's older sibling in CA in that there is a buffer to the outside world that CA does not enjoy. For many that gives them the chance to leave more of what they left behind and to easily escape from reality.

But it would be unfair for me to say the overall value is better at one coast than the other. It all depends upon the individual and the bottom line is that is part of what has made Disney resorts so successful...it's giving each guest the impression that they are special...that he or she is the most important guest on property...both resorts do this...both resorts know the formula that works...both resorts give you value.

For those who have visited one or the other but not both, I encourage you to expand your Disney experience.

Oh...one more thing...I did not leave Disneyland without getting one of these...

This is the second installment regarding my first trip to Disneyland. I want to concentrate on my attraction experience.

Because of time constraints and a little something called the Disneyland Half Marathon, I had to make some choices and thus was able to experience only about two dozen of the almost 80 attractions waiting for guests at the Disneyland Resort.

For what it's worth, here are some observations on what I experienced:

My favorite attraction was The Indiana Jones Adventure. Where do I begin? Well, let's begin with the queue! It has become all too obvious that attraction queue areas are becoming more and more essential to the overall guest experience. This attraction's queue really removes you from the present time and pulls you into the world of Dr. Jones. The queue area became more and more detailed as you approached the loading area. As we got closer I kept on thinking that this attraction would be similar to Animal Kingdom's Dinosaur attraction. I was wrong in so many ways. First, the size.

The attraction is absolutely huge and the special effects are next to impossible to describe. If I were to say the difference in size to Dinosaur was tenfold...I'd be fairly close. I think that a huge difference between the two attractions is the storytelling itself...or I should say how it becomes all too apparent how visuals become so important as opposed to audio on a Disney attraction. I managed to ride it twice and immediately started to wonder how I could start a movement to bring the attraction to Florida. One more comment, although I always imagined that Dinosaur at WDW's Animal Kingdom was a similar attraction to DL's Indy attraction, I now understand that I could not be further from the truth.

I'm not a big roller coaster fan because, frankly, over the years it's not the thrill rides that draw me as much as the imagineering that goes into these thrill rides. There's little imagineering that goes into a roller coaster, although I must admit, Expedition Everest at Walt Disney World does have its moments. Having said that I must admit that DL's Space Mountain was one of the more enjoyable and fun coaster rides I've ever had and it has spoiled me for WDW's Space Mountain. The ride vehicle, music, and special effects, and the very smooth track, added to the thrill. When will roller coaster designers realize that less shaking and rattling and smoother and swifter tracks make for a faster and more fun coaster?

The Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland is a wonder to behold. I felt like I was visiting not the big brother to its Orlando counterpart but more like it's Great Grandfather. The overall footprint of the attraction dwarfs that of Orlando. The scenes were on a much grander scale and even more importantly, it just seemed that there was a better balance of images on both sides of the boat. The images, balance, and ride length certainly convinced me that the West Coast pirates was much better than what can be found in Walt Disney World.

When you mention It's a Small World, you usually get a yawn for a reaction. Walt Disney World should learn a lesson from Disneyland's Small World. The attraction was real interesting because throughout the ride I noticed a very subtle classic Disney character overlay in each of the general areas.

For instance, depending upon the part of the world you were traveling in, you would see one of the dolls bear a striking resemblance to such characters as Cinderella, Woody, Simba, Pinocchio, Jasmin, Aladdin, and a few other recognizable characters from Disney classic animation. It was like searching for Hidden Mickeys. Now, why not do the same in Florida?

Not every attraction was getting the nod as being ahead of it's Orlando counterpart. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is somewhat lacking in excitement as compared to Disney Hollywood Studio's version.

It just seemed that the Orlando attraction has more pizzaz to it. The main differences between the two attractions is that the CA version does not have it's guests ride through that blue fifth dimension room and that the loading and initial 10 seconds on the CA ride has it's guests seeing themselves in a mirror. Advantage Orlando.

I managed to squeeze a ride on the Matterhorn Bobsleds. I'm sure being the first tubed thrill ride of it's time made it quite the attraction. It was an interesting ride; a bit rough and I may have seen a Yeti in there. I'm still not sure if I like the idea of seeing the Matterhorn as I stand in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Sometimes the most enjoyable moments are those which are unexpected. Such is the case with the Tiki Room. I think the last time I had seen the original Tropical Serenade was perhaps in 1994 or 1997. It was so nice to see the original Tiki Room show again, with all the original characters, in it's original show length. I think Orlando should bring back the original. It was not broken and should have never been fixed.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is certainly old school Disney theme park but there is nothing wrong with that. It was great to once again ride one of the classic Disney dark rides. Is there anyone out there who would be against the WDW Fantasyland expansion to include Mr. Toad's Wild Ride? I didn't think so.

Not only did I ride the monorail but I sat upfront with the operator, something I'm not sure guests will ever get to do again in WDW. It's a shorter ride than you obviously experience in WDW and the cars are much smaller as there are fewer guests using this mode of transportation in Disneyland as compared to Walt Disney World.

By the way, did I mention that not only did I ride the Mark Twain Riverboat, but that I also guided it from on top?

It was kind of neat knowing that the boat I was steering that night would be used during Fantasmic!

I discovered a hidden treasure in Disneyland. I was not aware that you could walk up and through the castle. This path brought guests to a number of dioramas which told the story of Sleeping Beauty. There were some very ingenious techniques used to depict some of the scenes. It very much was something I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Disneyland for the first time.

Many years ago there were plans in place to remove Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln on Main Street, USA. The Disney purists, bless their hearts, made it clear to Disney management that Mr. Lincoln should stay. If there was any attraction in the Disneyland Resort that came close to putting me in the Disney Zone it was this very simple, yet touching attraction. For those who have never been to Disneyland, imagine bits and pieces of The Hall of Presidents and The American Adventure put together in a nice, neat package. I found myself quite moved towards the end of this attraction. I won't spoil it for you by telling how the guest experience for this attraction ends but, quite honestly, when a certain moment came, the images and sounds made me grab my heart and I began to tear up. Now I completely understand why that that attraction will never leave that park.

There were other attractions I experienced but the only other one that I was so thrilled to see and wanted to mention was Aladdin at the Hyperion Theater. This is a must see show. The talent that I saw onstage was far and above whatever I had ever seen in Walt Disney World. The show was entertaining, thrilling, funny, and so enjoyable that it was as if I winked an eye and the show was over.

Unfortunately one attraction I really was looking forward to seeing, the Haunted Mansion, was being invaded by Jack Skelington and crew so it was closed. Maybe next time.

So with the limited time I had to really experience Disneyland's offering of attractions, I came away with the impression that the quality of attractions at Disneyland edges that which we find at Walt Disney World.

Still one more bit of work to report on from my adventure...coming soon.