Fixing Epcot......Relight the Spark.

The first Pavilion that needs help is the Imagination building. 

This was one of Epcot's major attractions for quite some time.  It had everything; an original dark ride featuring wonderful music played throughout the ride like the long time classics of Haunted Mansion, and Pirates of the Caribbean.  It had a cutting edge 3D movie that wowed everyone (more than once).  It had a technologically advanced playroom that begged for your imagination to play and be used. 

Now...it has a D ticket dark ride (at best), a 3D movie that is long outdated with both concept and technology (and now has an even older one but playing on the recent King of Pop's death to bring in the numbers and give nostalgia to fans back when it was new and fresh.  It has a playroom that is quite boring and you can do on any computer or even cheap laptop.  The gift shop even sells things you can get at your local mall.  Overall if you don't have any nostalgic feelings about what this building once was...then it can easily be skipped and you wont miss anything...especially since this pavilion lacks one thing most of all, Imagination.


How would I fix this?  Glad you asked...

Lets start with the exterior.  Mostly just needs a good cleaning, otherwise the exterior is great.
The ugly signs Epcot started using as a standard (from Test Track to Ellen's Energy Adventure) has to be stopped......

Doesn't scream Imagination to me.  To be fair, the original sign wasn't much better.  It was a steel grid like structure with a transparent tarp that had the Kodak logo on it....it didn't have much imagination either.  It did, however, fit the grid of the building pyramids better.  If I could redesign this building with a new sign it would be something simple for the land based sign that was complimentary to the building.  For the water I would do something with more imagination.  If  you remember in the original attraction (or watch the video of it I will be posting at the end) they did a play on words doing exactly what they said.  There was giant letters in the literature section doing things like Shake, Earthquake etc....and they moved and did what each word said.  I think in the water having the word IMAGINATION jumping out of the pond in front of the upside down waterfall like some fish jumping out of the water.  Sometimes just one letter jumps out in an arch, other times more than one, and every few minutes or so they all jump out in unison.  They might even have fish "wings".  Maybe even out of the waterfall like salmon jumping up stream....  Something like that.  The building is very photogenic and it could possibly create an even cooler video/photo spot to try and catch the "letter fish" jumping at the same time to get the imagination word jumping out of the lake.

Next up, the Magic Eye theatre is desperate for a new film.  I thought about this and wasn't quite sure what to bring to it.  I am not a huge fan of Pixar because I think their films don't have a long shelf life but I think one of them might fit in quite well and be a good tie in to this pavilion.  A new show featuring the Pixar film " The Incredibles ".  With the characters and what they can do I think some great sight gags would work very well (especially with the bendy mom).  Adding the fourth dimension like the Muppet vision attraction at DHS  and adding the live animatronics would also work very well.  One of the characters that needs a spotlight in this film is ....

Edna E Mode.  This is a great character from the movie and was quite funny.  She was a fashion designer for superheroes and used science, technology, and art to create the costumes for her heroes.....all themes from the original attraction.  She would also make a great Pre Show film, as well as have a good hand in the movie.  Why make her a break out star of this attraction?  Because in the new imagination playground how great would it be for people and children to use their imagination to create their own superhero costume? 

I know what your thinking, this will turn the entire pavilion into a pixar The Incredibles attraction.  Nope this would be the only thing in the playground that would be a nod to the film.  The gift shop however would probably get a huge nod to the movie, but not all of it...there is another character or two that would get the larger chunk of that.....

Yup, Figment! 

That makes my segway into the heart of the pavilion.  Journey into Imagination.  The current version needs to be completely scrapped and sold on eBay.  Its a horrible ugly shadow of the once E-ticket attraction it once was.  The newest version of Journey into Imagination turned this lovable figure with childish delight into an obnoxious troublemaker and took away all of his likability.  I want to see this ride return with all of the original glory it once had.  I don't think a complete replica is the answer, but it needs many of the old elements combined with new.  First off Dreamfinder needs to come back and be put back into his rightful home.  He was the perfect compliment to figment and was our guide to help us use our imagination. 




The things in this classic dark ride that need to be restored is the pre-show merry go round section in the original building.  All the words and dialogue should remain intact from the original including Dreamfinders Dream Catching Machine needs to return with no changes.  It was timeless.  Now...maybe the machine itself could use some sort of updating and both Dreamfinder and Figment should be an A100 Animatronic figures in this scene....and Dreamfinder could use a little updating on his look but not much.  The rest of the ride needs some nods to the original but should all be brand new and in the spirit of the original.  The original also had a photo opportunity and I think this needs to take a step further.  I have been thinking awhile on what cool photo thing could be done to make this fun.....and give Disney something to profit (after all bottom line means a lot to any money making machine).....  I thought some sort of take on what Jib Jab is doing with their greeting cards would be awesome!  Just after the intro to figment scene (the carousel part) it could stop to scan your imagination to see how they could use everything they collected and show you a world of imagination (I know, ARGH, it seems like a nod to the current version) but at least that would be it.  Then at the end where figment used to stand singing the finale to the song One Little Spark by Richard Sherman instead of figment on the view screens....its You singing WITH figment.  Granted this needs more fine tuning but what is funny to me is they just started using something similar to this idea I had in the Haunted Mansion Hitchhiking ghosts scene as a part of its refurb (Disney beat me to it again :) )  Each segment in J4 (Journey into Imagination 4th Refurb)  could feature everyone in the car or just solo...whatever the imaganeers think is best...perhaps a combo...

If you have never seen a JibJab greeting card here is the link...they are quite amusing and fun JibJab.

They can then make some money on using your face singing with figment by selling a DVD of your FULL performance with figment with the full One little Spark song next to him on the ride or scenes within.  There could ALSO be something in the imageworks area that lets you make more than just you singing with figment but with classic scenes from other rides from Disney or even with classic movies.  Selling scene by scene...Great little marketing tool...For DVD or sending your your own Email copy instantly!

The other room that most fans of the original attraction that needs to come back is the "white room"  Where everything is made, or made to look like, paper.  With colors roaming around and figment with his paint brush and pot of gold....Just a new version!


That brings me to imageworks...Upstairs

AHH my memories of the Rainbow Tunnel!!!  Loved walking through this.  Was the first thing I would do after getting of the greatest dark ride at Epcot! (although Horizons at one point held that title for me).  Make some new fun things to do upstairs including some of the things I mentioned in the above. 

How about the Queue for the attraction?  One thing I hated about the original was the cattle drive style metal railings.  It made the wait kinda unbearable and very boring until you got near the omni-mover loading area.  The Murals need to come back...or at least new ones in the same spirit.  To me they were a nod to the artwork of Mary Blair, just not as colorful.  The style though seemed to come straight from her work at Disney Theme Parks.  The blue tones were perfect for the mood of the blue cars and the cool feeling of being at ease and comfortable as the Dreamfinder made us all feel....even calming Figment when he was scared of lightning....

 Seeing the building as is I am not sure how to make the queue more interesting without mucking it up with monitors.  Perhaps some nods to the original attraction when you see the Dream Catching Machine fly like the beginning of the original ride.  I don't think they have any room to make a more themed queue other than maybe add walls to it and go with the spirit of the interactive queue like other attractions that have things on the wall for you to touch and or watch instead of metal railings....Now the newer version does have a better themed queue, sadly, and I think the doors are very cute and do have some imagination to the them.  One area that needs to NOT be apart of the queue is the "nook" to the right of the building as you enter the doors.  I remember being young and the queue did enter this area to not clutter the entrance view...but using it as a stroller parking area is MUCH better.  If you don't think stroller parking is an issue at Disney then take a leisurely stroll over to The Living Seas Pavilion...err sorry, The Seas With Nemo and Friends.  That area is a complete stroller nightmare and really gives the entrance sign a trashy atmosphere!

Lastly...it wouldn't be Disney without Meet and Greets.  After all they almost made the Fantasyland Expansion exclusively a meet and greet area....glad they changed their mind.  Figment AND Dreamfinder need to return to their old character meet and greet style...

YES!

NO NO NO!!!

When EPCOT Center first opened Disney Characters were mostly forbidden there.  I think that's quite extreme that it is one of Walt's ideas(well a play on one of his ideas for E.P.C.O.T.) and it DID start with a mouse.  Now, however, the characters are taking too large of a foothold to regain the fact that Epcot isn't just for adults.  They are all over the place and their character dining areas are in places they should not be, period!  Back when EPCOT Center first opened and Mickey and the gang weren't allowed EPCOT Center had its very own characters....Figment and Dreamfinder and they were the unofficial characters of this park!  They need to be restored to that glory...maybe not ahead of the mouse, but at least number two in this original park that has gone to the bland side!

This is my Idea to get Epcot on the right track.  I have copy written nothing and would LOVE it if Disney would use it ...or even use the fact that a fan is wanting them to go back to their roots....Tony Baxter style!

So...that's the first area I would fix....what would you do?

As promised...video of the attraction....

That's part one....Love the "Pre-Show" even though its part of the ride!

Worthy of E-Ticket Disney Dark Ride?  I think so....Just needed to upgrade a few scenes and would have stayed an amazing attraction....



Then the attraction got a Refurb.  I have heard that it was in the contract with Kodak that it would be changed by 2000 if they were still the sponsor...I have also heard that Kodak wanted a cheaper operating version of the show....either way this was such a BAD refurb...see for yourself

Then with this being one of the most complained about attractions at any Disney Park they closed it down fairly quickly as attraction life spans go since the biggest complaint was Figment was missing....and they made this, the most current version of the ride...

The song "One Little Spark" by Mr Sherman came back...with different lyrics and I do like the verse with the eye chart to be honest....would fit with the original song....but the entire version seems like a big ol' reply from Disney saying "You want Figment back?  Then here he is in full force right in your face!"  In a very bad way!  They turned him into an irritant...not a fun loving character he once was....even the ending where they shove a boatload of Figments down your face like thats what the fans wanted....not even close.....Imagination in this incarnation became about the senses...not about imagination...Sad don't you think?

Fixing Epcot

First of all I don't think Epcot needs fixing, it just needs a Renascence.  It tried to go through one during the millennium celebration but all that really happened around that time was it went backward.  There are SO many great things about Epcot but it is not the park it was meant to be, or even was.  I am starting this series of blog posts to hopefully spark an Imaganeer, or a corporate suit, or a Disney marketing guru's fire to take a long look at Epcot and its unused potential.  I still love Epcot, I just want to see it back to its glory days.

These segments are just my musings and thoughts as to what would be great at Epcot and to make my decision to visit Epcot or the Magic Kingdom first....and to spend the entire day there!

So lets start the first post on what I would do if I could "fix Epcot"...

Enjoy, and please feel free to comment!

Hitchhiking Ghost's get a refurb!

Looks like another refurb has been released.  Some of the first things I saw when I was looking for this I was again disappointed and upset...

However, now that I have seen this I am very happy about what I am seeing.  Very cool effects and love LOVE LOVE the switching of the heads, the beard being placed on you etc.  It is using face recognition software for the effect and I think its absolutely wonderful!

Take a look!

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventures.....Pre Review

Never been to DCA and probably never will, however, This attraction is coming to my Disney home park...WDW Magic Kingdom in the new Fantasyland Expansion.

Since I have never be on this ride yet all I have is the videos and pictures seen on the net.  Some of it looks Great...other parts not so much.  Disney has been needing some good dark rides of this fashion in a bad way.  Look at the most beloved attractions on every ones list, most of them are dark rides or have major dark ride elements about them.  Disney has jumped on the movie screen motion simulator wagon and stayed on it too long and they need to get back to their roots in my opinion.

Here is a video of the attraction.



Some of this ride looks Fantastic!  The feeling and mood of the "under the sea" section, and of course the Ursula section.  The Ursula animatronic alone looks like it makes this ride a must see! 

I do have some issues with this, I wouldn't be a Disney fanatic if I didn't....seems to be what holds Disney fans together is criticizing and yet loving at the same time!

First issue I have is this all seems very It's a small world to me.  Especially in the "under the sea" section.  The minimal movements of the characters, things just spinning like the starfish, and the atmosphere around it seems minimal.  The mood of the room is great, but just seems half done to me.  I cant see the Sebastian character that well but he looks like a very small AA animatronic and from what little I saw he looks great.  Much like the bird in the beginning looks nice!  But everything seems...half thought out during the entire ride.

The next issue I have I just cant seem to get out of my mind.  Ariel's hair.  It just looks odd.  I realize getting hair to look like its underwater when its not is a near impossible task...but this just looks like I'm watching an attraction brought to you by the Old Navy mannequins.  From the video, however, it does look like they gave the hair some independent motion that probably looks much nicer in person and not on video.  Watch the video again and you can see it.

Looks mannequin like to me.

Dairy Queen Undersea Soft Serve?

King Triton got real hair...

The last issue is with the finale.  It is horrible!  I can overlook the fact that they left out the fall of Ursula, well sort of since it was such a big part of the movie, but the Finale is so bad in this ride.  First off we see repeats of some of the animals from the Under the Sea section of the ride.  They didn't even get different colors, or even different movements.  Its like they needed more things in this section and at the very last minute plucked some out of the middle of the ride and threw them here to give it more life.  Each scene was like it was building to some fantastic beautiful finale and all we get is a short scene....falls flat.

That's it?  That's the end?

Again I have not seen it in person and could be being to harsh.   What do you think?  E ticket worthy?  Almost, but not quite.

Phantasyland?

Nope, something called Phantasialand....a park in Germany.  Googling and trolling YouTube my initial reaction was "THAT'S A CHEAP COPY OF A DISNEY THEME PARK!!!!"

Then I saw some very nice things!

Check out this blog post http://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=54864

It has some great pictures of the park.

Its clear that the park has alot of work to do to actually get it to Disney standards...but it looks like they are trying.  Some of their newer attractions have some amazing themeing.  They also seem to be looking at all the details, and Disney is leaving some out as of late.  I hope the Fantasyland expansion doesn't cut any corners and cheapen the whole thing.  Phantasialand also has a LONG way to go with their animitronics as they are very choppy and some of them even look like they draped fabric over the metal and didn't bother to make it look more lifelike.  Some of their flat rides have some amazing themeing.  The top spin, and the fountains around the wave swinger were very nice and I would call those right in line if not better than some of the flat rides that Disney has come up with ( Aladdin's magic carpets, anything out of dinoland USA).

I'm sure this park is no real threat to Disney (or at least right now) but it probably has some sort of effect on Disneyland Paris, after all their prices are reported at at least half the price or less!

Here is the actual parks website  http://www.phantasialand.de/

Looks like they are on the way to having an amazing park!  I would go there for sure!  Probably over going to Disneyland Paris to see some new rides and attraction...although perhaps not since I would love to see Phantom Manor. 

Earlier I said I was pissy because it looked like they are copying Disney,  well they are its pretty clear, but I am happy to see they are focusing on the details like Disney used to....not the kind of things we see there now in certain areas of the park.  Now I say go Phantasialand!  Build an amazing park!

Haunted Mansion Refurb. Interactive Queue....

Before I discuss the latest refurb at the Haunted Mansion I would like to give a little back story of my love affair with this attraction.....

...the first time I rode this I was very young.  My sister was still in a stroller and I was probably 6 or so years old.  My parents, particularly my father, took me on this ride kicking and screaming.  With each creepy howl that echoed over the mansion I would tug my dads hand and plead to get out of there.  The stretching room seemed to calm me, slightly.  I was now curious because I was inside and there was no windows and no doors (as our ghost host told us).  The hangman scene played out and I didn't understand it at the time and the doors opened to find the flickering candles and the doom buggies.  My fear instantly came whooshing back...but there still was no way out and the fear in me turned into strength to find a way out.  I don't recall what part or what scene it was that gave me a 180 but by the time I left the ride I wanted to do it again...  .. and we did at least 2 more times.  From there on out Halloween became my favorite holiday and haunted houses became a must to visit every time.  I consider myself a Disney Purest, or as I like to call myself a Purest lite.  I can appreciate upgrades to classic attractions as long as they are done right, well thought out, and executed properly.  If, however, they are not I become all sorts of angry and am ready to write a letter...but never do.

So that brings me now to the new Interactive Queue at the Haunted Mansion in WDW.  At first I was very excited about it seeing how the last refurb was spectacular!  I haven't had the opportunity to witness this first hand but have read a lot about it and seen many pictures....

My verdict....a big miss.  Not a total miss, but a big one.  Here is why I think so from what I have seen.


First lets talk about the random headstones and such....

There is more than this one pictured above, other ones are on cement and not really a grave any more.  It just seems like the new grave stones and markers were in prime queue spots and Disney couldn't remove them but had to get around them and this is what they came up with.  It doesn't give me the "looking at a graveyard feel" that we should get.  Its like Disney moved the headstones but didn't move the bodies....Ill chalk this part of the refurb as a minor annoyance and not something that makes me hate it.

Next...

The poetry that writes itself with your help.....  This looks pretty cool and I kinda like it.  I keep hearing reports that it doesn't really work when you give it answers, however, but its a great effect.  What I don't like about it is the fact that now the outside is BLATANTLY haunted and not subtlety like the original exterior atmosphere.  (original being the howling, the grave stones, the hearse, and even the Leotta tombstone was still subtle to keep the atmosphere subtle and let the blatancy come out inside).  It just seems out of place for the feel of the attraction.)

 Next up is the organ.  The architecture seems good enough that it would fit in the house but why is there an organ outside in the graveyard?   I like the effect of touching it etc...but the brass pipes and the cartoony skeleton faces again ruin the feel of the house.  The Haunted Mansion has realism to it and the ghosts make it supernatural...This is an obvious play on the organ in the ballroom but the faces are floating out of it and not on it.  This would have been more effective if the pipes had that greening effect of old pipes and the faces were replaced with cutouts that FELT like they were faces and not really were...that is one of the cool things about the mansion that this one blatanty disregards...

The obvious nod to the graveyard scene.  I really have no strong feelings to the positive or the negative on this one.  I think it fits enough to not distract from what the Mansion is all about, but I don't think it adds enough to make it really discussion worthy.

Next up, the Captain

This one again is a love hate.  The stone of the crypt is nice, the fish on the side work very well.  Love the water leaking out....great touch!  I even like the cough of water and such.  I hate the top of it.  The hat, the hand, the leg......once again the realism of the mansion gets wiped away.  Everything about the outside is very real, foreboding, and has a sense that it really happened and ghosts started their haunt.  This seems like the grave came after the ghost.  I think all the touches at the top of this marker would have been more powerful and driven it home with a dead wreath with the captains picture...or better yet a picture of his hat washed ashore on the beach.....

and now....groan, the busts....

 To me these TOTALLY miss the mark.  They are far too cartoony for anything you find in the mansion.....even the hitchhiking ghosts aren't this much of a cartoon.  This set completely works against the mansion in my opinion.  Standing alone in another attraction they might work very well...but outside this attraction the only real nod to the mansion is the fact that they are busts...that's it...

They even feature children which I believe Walt even didn't want them present in the attraction and they aren't....and the 2 children are the most vile disregard to the theme of them all! (right underneath the snake guy)

Even the movie didn't go this campy or against the attraction ....

We find they are called the Dred Family.  And again get a cartoon description.  I haven't seen this in any of the videos I have run across so I am assuming this was part of the preview of the new queue.  Again not int he spirit of the mansion. If this is truly there then this entire thing was a waste of money as it just ruined the entire mood of the attraction. 

There is also a bookshelf that the books come in and about and are supposed to be pushed back in and another goes out.  Clearly a nod to the library but I dont quite understand how it fits in a graveyard or the mansion grounds....not worth talking about but shouldnt be there....

I give this refurb a fail based on the pictures.  When I go back Ill rewrite this to see how I feel about it in person...but it upsets me.  Not that they distracted from my favorite attraction in the world, but that I am loosing faith in the Imagineers.  I used to blame the corporate suits for muzzling their creative abilities.....but this wasn't that big of a refurb and things such as statues could have been crafted to fit the mood of the attraction ..but they don't.  Things that would have fit wouldn't have cost any more or less and this is what was produced.  I hate the fact that I am loosing faith in the greatest attraction makers the world has ever seen...

What do you think?

PS a video reference of the new queue...

Epcot Club Scene....my Idea...

The last time I was at Disney with a friend we were only there for 2 days and the second day was a half day....and guess what?   I got all the major MK attractions in on the first day, traveled to Epcot and did what I wanted to at the end of the day!  Afterword we figured there had to be somewhere at Downtown Disney to get a drink before getting to the hotel that was just on the other side of DTD.  That's when we found the Raglan Road and we got a burger and some beers and watched some performers.  Very Enjoyable.  Burger done, wanted another beer...last call?  But...but...but.  This was where Pleasure Island was?  I loved going to Pleasure Island when my family went do Disney! (yes we still went there after I was 21 as a family...loved it!  My sister even toyed about getting married there).  OK fine, last call one more beer.  There HAD to be somewhere on property to get a drink, even just a low key bar at a hotel.  We asked some staff members and they all said to go to Universal?!?!?!  WHAT?  City Walk?  Suddenly I realized the mistake of not relocating PI or offering this type of venue was a really bad idea for Disney.  Their own cast members were telling us to go to universal, not even to some late night pizza hut down the street, but to Universal?!?!?  Ghastly.

This brings me to an idea I came up with to help with Epcot.  I know they are trying to shed the "Epcot is more for Adults than kids" thing.  Except it really is more for adults, and older kids, Kim Possible and the sad Journey into imagination with figment isn't gonna cut it.  The idea I have is to keep Epcot's World Showcase open until bar close at night, and close all the attractions and future world.  After Illuminations ends people leave the park in droves, instead each land would open its doors to a nightclub atmosphere.  Each land would have its own "club" that was true to their culture and nightlife!  How do the people of Morocco Party?  Not sure but I would love to try it out!

Ive been to Pleasure Island a few times in its peak and that place was always packed and you know it was getting a very handsome profit as a result.  It is clear a need for this is needed on the property somewhere.  Disney is now on a retail growth boom that puts Eisner to shame in his expanding the Disney parks and thus Downtown Disney took over and crowded out Pleasure Island.  One of the other possible things I saw is the locals were calling this a favorite party destination and crowding out those that were staying on Disney property...perhaps keeping its guests away from this destination.  Having Epcot stay open for after hours kills a few stones.  A park ticket is a hefty price to pay just to do a little night life.  On top of that, because I know how Disney loves to earn money, a way to even further discourage that I have listed below.....

1)  Charge a cover at all of the clubs (yes even something outrageous like 50$) and you get a wrist band that will get you into all of them and get a chance to grab a beverage at a cart that would open up after dark.  A park ticket PLUS a cover fee would discourage nightly locals from attending...at least not every weekend!

2) Let this just be a perk for those staying at Disney hotels only.  You scan your room key and get a wristband to stay and party all around the world!  Each room key gets you admission and one guest.  Or One admission and charge the guests with you a fee to stay.  This also can control that people wont be driving after the park is closed and minimize DUIs leaving the Disney Parks and give them more control on what goes on their property.

3) a little of 1 & 2....


Think of it....  Having a glass of wine at a bistro table in Italy looking out on the Seven Sea's Lagoon, a pub song in a real bar setting in England, a view of the Eiffel tower an chatting about your day at Disney over drinks with friends,  Some Sake in ..hmm is it Japan or China...or both...,  the Adventurers Club being relocated to that sad retail stand in the "Africa" section, Tequila shots overlooking the Mexican temple.  Just seems like an easy revenue building idea to help boost Epcot...they would just have to figure out a way to build some night venues that wouldn't remove walkways and ruin the landscape.  2nd floor areas perhaps?



Epcot is trying to be more "kid friendly" and I completely understand that, but Disney isn't just for kids anymore.....and hasn't been for a very long time!  Give the adults without kids another reason not to visit Universal and stay on property!  Epcot is the perfect place!

Just a little idea I had over a glass a wine and thought I would share.....

PS I shudder to think of the American Adventure Bar.....just hope it wouldn't have wet T-Shirt contests and Foam parties :)....

What do you think?

Dining Gem in DHS.

50's Prime Time Cafe

This can actually be a very fun and entertaining dining experience.  The food and atmosphere are all centered around Mom's kitchen from the 1950's.  The food is pretty sub bar to be honest, but what do you expect from such comfort food as meatloaf, fried chicken, and pot pie?  What makes it fun is if you get a colorful cast member serving you your food.  You will get scolded at least once on your behavior(especially if you put your elbows on the table), and you will be told mom is in the kitchen.  If you get a good cast member they will also interact with other servers and the entire room. 

Such a room pictured below

Although its is just one corner of the room, there are more tables around the room and there are multiple rooms within the restaurant.  Each server seems to have their own room or on busier days more than one in each room.  Last time I was in DHS I was only with one other person and we stopped there (as there wasn't much left to do after riding Rockn' Roller Coaster and ToT) and was told it was a 45 minute wait.  We, however, only waited five.  Going to Disney in a twosome is a HUGE advantage FYI. 

I have gone to this establishment with a HO-HUM cast member serving us but was fun to peek into another servers sections to see them having fun.  I found a few videos of some fun cast members who really know to to entertain their guests....Please enjoy!

If your looking for something fun its a great little stop, maybe not for dinner but for lunch, I would recommend it...

HOWEVER....if your looking for quick service, great food I wouldn't recommend it.  Service tends to lack from time to time, and the food is pretty cafeteria as far as flavor goes.  In a park that has minimal attractions and easily a half day park this is a fun little experience if you are looking for a leisurely lunch. 

Have fun!

The Top 10 Lists to date.....

Here is my top ten lists off the top of my head....

Favorite Walt Disney World Attractions....(No commentary really needed on these)

10) Spaceship Earth
9) Rockn' Roller coaster
8) Space Mountain
7) Jungle Cruise
6) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
5) Expedition Everest
4) Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
3) Pirates of the Caribbean
2) Splash Mountain
1) Haunted Mansion


Now for the negative side.  The 10 attractions that if I miss on a visit I am okay with....or just plain will never ride again.

10)  Soarin' ....Never ridden this ride yet.  And it doesn't look all the great.  I'm kinda over the motion simulator type rides and they tend to sometimes make my stomach a bit sour.  The ride cars look pretty cook and innovative but the show its combined with....not interested.  If I never ride it I'm okay with that!

9) Mission Space:  Been on this one once, and with MUCH hesitation because extreme spinney rides make me sick.  So I tried the calmer side.  I thought that giving everyone a job was pretty cool(I was the navigator) and that seemed like a nod to the Horizons attractrion it replaced when you got to choose your ending.  The exterior of the building is quite spectacular I might Add.  I would ride this one again, but if I miss it, no big deal!

8) Test Track:  I have been on this one twice.  Each time waited  in a longer line than most (and both time was during WDWs slower days of the year).  It was pretty dull in my opinion.  Nothing about this ride you cannot experience driving a convertible car......I just think this one I will skip and find some other hidden gems in Ecpot I have never done or see a show instead.

7) Ellen's Energy Adventure:  This was actually very entertaining, and who doesn't like the dinosaur part at the end!  But it is SO long that I think I will skip this one from now on....unless I get brave enough to ride Mission Space Orange Team and get sick and need to sit down for an hour in air conditioning.

6) Many adventures of Winnie the Pooh:  Never been on this one.  I have never liked the Winnie the Pooh stories, either as a kid and today.  Plus it took the place of one of my favorite fun dark rides in the park.  Mr Toad's Wild ride.  Out of my dislike for the story, and my bitterness of the ride it replaced being gone I make it a point to try to never ride this ride..... I'm sure once my nephew gets old enough to go to Disney and I am there Ill probably have to ride it for him....but I wont like it!

5) Primeval Whirl:  The ride was pretty fun actually.  But the themeing of it is so awful that I don't ever want to stroll through this section of the park again.  A sideshow carnival setting has NO place in Animal Kingdom.  The only place a ride of this low taste in themeing belongs in Downtown Disney (if at all) or perhaps better suited for DCA.  Never even want to set my eyes on this horrible section of the park much less ride anything in it!

4)  Buzz Light Year Spin:  This was kinda fun.  But just seemed like they spent all their money on the ride system and the artistry inside just seems to fall flat.  Making it seem like a second rate ride.  I will go on it again, but there is little excitement for me to do so and if some new show opens up nearby or even an eatery that I haven't been to nearby I would rather do that.

3) Enchanted Tiki Room under new management:  Horrible show.  I would only go on this again if I am feeling nostalgic to see Jose even for a minute.

2) Triceratops Spin, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Astro Orbitor.:  Been on these as a kid.  And even at my home town park in Omaha Nebraska.  This ride system is SO boring for an adult that no amount of themeing makes it better.  I also hate the fact that they keep replicating it all over the place.  The only one that has any sort of interest is the Astro Orbitor because its set up high.  Other than that...NO Thank you!

1) Stich's Great Escape: Horrible Horrible Horrible.  The Alien encounter was far superior but too scary for kids.  This is just a really really bad attraction and even though the meat of the show is still technically Alien Encounter it still has that obnoxious Stitch in it.  I will never ride this ride again....



Lastly the 10 rides I ride out of principle or there are just parts I really enjoy or is just a pleasant ride....

10) El Rio del Tiempo:  Even with the refurb with the Three Caballeros its still a pleasant little ride.  I love the beginning where you go near the temple near the restaurant and the song at the end is quite catchy even though I don't understand the language.  Its just a nice little ride that has minimal waiting time and I usually catch it every time I'm in Epcot.

9) People Mover:  Another pleasant little ride.  Just a nice ride to have a seat and check out the atmosphere of tommorwland.  They used to talk about the technology of what powers this ride and it makes me wonder why they dont make some sort of version of this ride to connect Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios with the Transportation and Ticket Center.  Supposedly was some sort of technical wonder.  I may have to just write an article about it!

8) The Living Seas with Nemo and Friends:  The technology was pretty cool with the visuals of the characters swimming around with the real fish.  However, they looks completely out of place with the real fish and these bright colorful cartoon fish.  Its just a pleasant ride...nothing more...

7) Walt Disney World Railroad:  I miss this one quite a bit but have been thinking about catching it again because I have forgotten all the little scenes along the way and am curious to see them again...plus it goes near the new Fantasyland expansion...would love to see the progress!

6) Peter Pan's Flight:  One of the originals in Fantasyland.  The scenes are quite cute, the animitronics are quite outdated but the ride system and with the visuals make it seem like your flying over London.  Just a pleasant little ride and has some coolness in it.  When the queue is low I will always ride it.

5) Carousel of Progress: A total nostalgia thing.  Its actually a pretty cute show and love the Grandma playing the virtual reality video game!  Something about the theatre moving around the center stage is kinda cool.  Usually catch it most of the time as there is never a line.

4) It's a Small World :  This ride does have an irritating factor of getting that song stuck in your head.  There are a few parts of this I really like.  When you first get into the queue and see the clock (a far less spectacular scene than its Disneyland sister) and hear the music.....its the Music that gets me, especially the way the low bass instruments echo in this large room!  Waving to the guests dining at Pinocchio's Village Haus and then entering the ride.  Some of the visuals I really like (rain forest, Hawaii, India, and the Finale)  I have missed this one a few times and was fine with it but Usually try to make it every time, really depends on who you are with.

3) Muppet Vision 3D: Love anything Muppets!  This is such a cute show and always catch it.  If I miss it then my Vacation wouldn't be ruined but I would be a little sad.  This is the only 3D Show that seems to have some longevity.  The rest of them seem to have a time stamp and become outdated...this one is still lasting!  But Muppets are timeless!

2) Maelstrom: A very short ride but love it all the same.  Its always a stop on the World Showcase tour!  It seems to be a bit dated now, especially the show at the end.  I would like to see a refurb of this ride and a new more entertaining show at the end of the ride.  Throw an animitronic or two combined with an entertaining show and this ride could see a new love from new guests.  Love the Trolls!

1) Journey into Imagination with Figment:  OK so this ride is actually horrible and blasphemy compared to the original.  If I had not seen the original I would be in the same boat and still think its a horrible ride.  The ONLY reason its at the top of this list is for nostalgia sake.  I get to see figment, hear the music from "One little spark" and remember in my head what part of the original ride the track is on.  Just a bad ride and needs a complete redo!  Even though they turned my beloved Figment into an obnoxious brat I still love what he first stood for and will always support it!  Now where is Dreamfinder?

That's my little top lists for you of my favorite attractions, hated attractions, and lovely little gems that can be missed but if you catch them they have great qualities......

Figment Buzz.

Over at the Disney parks blog they had posted this article about some new Figment merchandise.  Here are some pictures of the merchandise they are offering!

I am very excited about the ears for sure!!!!  But one interesting thing about the new merchandise is.....DREAMFINDER!  Yup that's him!  Not only has he turned up lately in Disney Parks Blog article but on other sites they released a new Dreamfinder/Figment t-shirt shown here.

Its very big nod to the original attraction even showing magic journeys and the swirly logo.  Not only are these new but mysterious why they are coming out with them when the attraction is so poor and has such low attendance.

To make matters even MORE exciting there was a very recent D23 event where Richard Sherman held a concert of some of his original music done at the park.  One of those songs is "One little spark...."  The uber catchy tune from the original dark ride in the Imagination Pavilion....Take a look.

I have been frantically googling Dreamfinder, and Figment, Epcot rumors etc.....  With Kodak gone from the Imagination Pavilion at Epcot, then Figment AND Dreamfinder merchandise popping up suddenly and then the appearance of Ron Schneider dressed once again as the Dreamfinder live (he did some voice in the attraction, dressed as him on opening day, and some scenes in the live action show thing they had upstairs section of the pavilion) it makes me wonder what is being planned for the Pavilion.  Fans, as I, have been screaming for a refurb to bring this ride to its former glory and bringing back Dreamfinder.  I cant help but wonder if those plans are on the table and these are some sort of mini marketing test.  One thing for sure is I am going to ZAP up all the merchandise of this kind the next time I drive up to Orlando!!!

What do you think?

Greetings!

I really have a thing for Walt Disney World.  Every now and then I get to the point of obsessive and just sit at my computer for hours looking up anything about Disney World I can.  I wanted to start a blog about what I love, What I hate, Personal Experiences past and present, Nostalgia, and Rumors I hear about Walt Disney World.  As a kid our family would go to Disney almost every Christmas growing up (Id say about 8-10 or possibly more Christmases were spent there) and once to Disneyland.....Disneyland wasn't the best trip.  So WDW has a special place in my heart and always will.  I realize that Disneyland is the park that Walt himself supervised its conception to birth but WDW is where I prefer.  Unless otherwise stated any attraction, element, picture etc will always be about the Florida Parks and not the others.  There is just so much to describe what I love, and am angry, about WDW right down to the smell of some of the rides...

So That's a small background but a start....So Ive got my pixie dust sprinkled time to fly!

Welcome to my Disney World Daze blog (DWD for short :) )