This is part of the most recent PassPorter E-mail Newsletter (it's not the whole newsletter) published by Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx, the authors of the PassPorter guidebook. A great guide by the way.
In this issue, a detailed first hand description of 100 years of Magic.
As a Disney fanatic, I think it's worth signing up for the newsletter which can be done here ... http://www.passporter.com/wdw/fun.htm -- and besides, it's free
Anyway here's their take...
==========================================
FEATURE: 100 Years of Magic Celebration
==========================================
Our Firsthand Observations
by Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx
President Bush told Americans to, "Go to Walt Disney World
in Orlando Florida," and we at PassPorter took him at his
word. We flew from Detroit to Orlando for a double Disney
celebration--the start of the yearlong 100 Years of Magic
Celebration, and the 30th Birthday of Walt Disney World. So
we started the doubly magic day, October 1, 2001, bright and
early at Magic Kingdom, where Mickey (and Walt Disney World
president, Al Weiss) were on hand to kick off the
festivities. Then, after a merry morning at Magic Kingdom we
headed over to Disney-MGM Studios for the first official day
of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. Here are our
firsthand observations:
OPENING CEREMONY
The 100 Years of Magic Opening Ceremony -- held just outside
the main entrance, in front of the Walt Disney World
Railroad's Main Street Station -- exceeded all our
expectations. Instead of a small, modest ceremony, we were
treated to Main Street walkaround characters (including the
Mayor and several of the ladies), the 15-piece Main Street
Philharmonic Band, and The Dapper Dans barbershop quartet.
As the last strains of "Casey Junior's Comin' Round the
Bend" ended, the Walt Disney World Railroad train came
chugging down the tracks and into the station. Goofy lead
the procession from the engine, followed by scores of Disney
characters filling the passenger cars, all waving and
smiling. As the train stopped and a blast of gold confetti
rained over the assembled guests, Al Weiss, president of
Walt Disney World, stepped up to the podium. He began by
explaining why the Disney Company had chosen this spot for
the opening ceremony (after all, Disney-MGM Studios does
seem like a more natural choice for the 100 Years of Magic).
The railroad was Walt Disney's pride and joy, and this would
likely have been his favorite spot in the Magic Kingdom, if
not the whole of Walt Disney World. Al continued to remind
us that Walt Disney World is a "tribute to the philosophy
and life of Walter Elias Disney."
A special recognition was made to those cast members present
who have been with Walt Disney World for the entire 30
years, reminding us that this is also the 30th anniversary
of the opening of Walt Disney World. Mr. Weiss also
recognized the September 11 tragedy when he said, "I'm never
prouder to see our cast uphold the vision than during times
of uncertainty like those we face now. Because no matter
what is happening around us, it is certain that time
together with family and loved ones, in a place like Walt
Disney World, is truly well spent." This was followed by a
description of the new parades and attractions debuting for
the 100 Years of Magic (which we'll describe later). Then,
from an archway above the clock in the train station, a
young girl appeared, and sang a very touching song about
Walt and his dream. Mickey Mouse joined her for the grand
finale, and the new 100 Years of Magic sign was unveiled in
a shower of shimmering red, white and blue metallic
confetti. All in all, the ten-minute ceremony was moving and
magical, and was met with resounding applause from everyone
assembled.
MAGICAL MOMENTS PINS
The new Magical Moments pins, which debuted for the 100
Years of Magic Celebration, aren't your standard cloisonne
pins. These pins are large (about 2", give or take a 1/2")
and made of thick plastic. More importantly, each pin has
four differently colored LED lights (white, yellow, red, and
blue) embedded in the plastic. The pins light up in a
brilliant pattern when you "jump start" them with a light
touch. More mini light shows appear on your pins when you
encounter special "magical moments" in the parks, which may
occur during parades, rides and shows, and at the Discover
the Stories Behind the Magic kiosks.
We've personally seen our pins light up as the first and
last floats in a parade pass by, and at the Discover the
Stories Behind the Magic kiosks. We've heard from cast
members that the pins light up on Tower of Terror (the star
room) and in one the scenes in the Great Movie Ride. No
doubt there are many more trigger points, and we're sure
you'll have a ball finding them all. Five different pin
designs are available: one representing each of the four
parks, plus one for the 100 Years of Magic. Two posts on the
back keep the pins in place. The pins are $15.00 each and
come with spare batteries.
MICKEY'S SORCERER'S HAT
Call it what you will, but that's one big hat! Yes, it casts
a giant shadow on the Chinese Theater, but it's Mickey's
hat, gosh darn it, and in the end you just gotta love all
122 feet of it. The huge hat is the new icon for Disney-MGM
Studios, which in turn is the "hatquarters" for the 100
Years of Magic Celebration. As you probably know, the grand
chapeau was plunked down right in front of the Great Movie
Ride, so now when you look down Hollywood Boulevard from the
park entrance, all you see is hat (it does make a fabulous
backdrop for the Stars and Motor Cars Parade).
Tucked under the hat's very broad brim is a Pin Trading
Station and a dozen Discover the Stories Behind the Magic
interactive kiosks (more about them a little later in the
article). The kiosks are housed in a lively area decorated
with gold stars and arcs, and vintage black and white photos
of Walt Disney. Those photos add extra interest and depth to
something that could have been just another pretty space. We
spoke to the hat's graphic designer, who filled us in on
some of the hat's finer points (not counting the one at the
top of the hat). She noted that the fiberglass panels that
comprise the hat were built with curving, rather than
straight edges. When assembled, this made the seams spiral
up and around the hat, rather than ascend in straight,
converging lines. We think the result is far more visually
appealing than the alternative.
When you're under the hat you notice the soft "fabric"
liner, which was chosen to contrast with the hard lines of
the rest of the hat and to evoke the silk fabric that
typically lines a fine piece of headwear. Only this "silk"
is a metal mesh, similar to a Knight's chain mail! Before we
move on, we should mention the "Mickey ears" that flank the
brim of the hat, and from a distance seem to support it.
These "ears" are large, golden swirls, reminiscent of
glittering circles drawn with a sorcerer's wand. The
swirling, shimmering effect is built-up with layers of gold,
laser-etched plastic, which is specially illuminated at
night. The hat is also adorned by large golden stars and
crescents. These decorations and the "ears" are studded with
tiny strobe lights that make everything sparkle, regardless
of natural lighting conditions. So no matter how you look at
it, this is one wondrous hat!
KIOSKS
The Discover the Stories Behind the Magic kiosks are
interactive trivia games found in each of the four major
parks. The kiosks themselves are in the shape of large
Mickey heads-just twirl Mickey's "ear" to move about the
screen and press his nose to select something, just like
clicking a mouse (or The Mouse). Guests select a question
category--represented by one of six lands/areas in the park--
to hear a trivia question. Questions feature archival film
footage, music, sound effects, and colorful graphics. Every
question is followed by three multiple choice answers. Click
the right answer and you're rewarded with a light show on
your Magical Moments pin (but if you don't have a pin, just
look near the top of the kiosk to see its lights flash).
Correct answers are also rewarded with a cute little
animation onscreen. If you get more than two questions
wrong, the game ends (thought you can always begin again).
If you answer all questions correctly, you get a fun
surprise that everyone can enjoy (pin or no pin). We learned
that the kiosks were designed to be a family event, so
adults and children can work together and share the fun.
Each park has a dozen kiosks, except the Animal Kingdom,
which has just nine. The kiosks are all grouped together in
each park: Magic Kingdom's kiosks are in the Town Square
Exposition Hall (in Main Street, U.S.A.), Epcot's kiosks are
in Innoventions East, Disney-MGM Studios kiosks are under
Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat, and Animal Kingdom's kiosks are in
the Disney Outfitters shop (on Discovery Island). The only
downside is that all the kiosks in a park have the same six
questions, thus there are only 24 total questions among all
the kiosks. A Disney source said that the questions may be
changed periodically, but we may have to wait a while to see
that happen.
WALT DISNEY: ONE MAN'S DREAM
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream is a loving look at the man
behind the dreams and (for those of us of a certain age) a
breathtaking tour through our childhoods and adult memories.
A rich array of historical and cultural artifacts, photos,
audio recordings, scale models and a 15-minute film narrated
by Walt himself combine to give a picture of the man and his
creativity that will leave every Disney lover in seventh
heaven.
We asked Roger Holzberg, senior show producer/director for
Walt Disney Imagineering to show us his favorite spot in the
attraction. He walked over to the area by the theater
entrance, which is filled with fabulous scale models of
Disney attractions (including Tokyo Disney Sea). He then
looked back across the room to the Project X Room display,
where Walt laid-out preliminary plans for Disney World-- a
view that encompasses Walt's original dreams and the
embodiment of those dreams.
Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this attraction (our
first visit lasted two hours, and Dave still wishes we'd
stayed longer), and plan to return often before it closes at
the end of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. Like the best
of Disney, this exhibit has a depth of detail that just
keeps on giving. Enjoy!
PLAYHOUSE DISNEY--LIVE ON STAGE
Playhouse Disney is a revamped version of the popular Bear
in the Big Blue House show at Disney-MGM Studios. Bear and
his friends are still there, and you still sit on the floor
(with benches in the back for older legs), but there are new
surprises. The set has changed-the blue house is smaller and
several new storybook sets were added. The live show begins
with Bear and his friends welcoming everyone and doing the
Bear Cha Cha. All guests are invited to get up and dance,
and the young kids in the audience happily accept. When it
is discovered that Tutter can't dance because he's shy,
stories are told to help him overcome his fears.
The first story features characters from Rolie Polie Olie,
who are playing a make-believe game. The next story is with
Stanley and his goldfish Dennis, who teaches Stanley that
keeping yourself clean isn't so hard to do. Last but not
least, Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and Piglet (from The Book of
Pooh) discover their differences and the Perfect Day. The
show ends with Tutter overcoming his shyness, and he, Bear,
and all their friends dance with glee! During the show,
streamers and bubbles shoot out into the audience, to
everyone's delight. The show features lots of audience
participation--the little ones dance and parents and
children alike sing along, and judging from the happy looks
on the kids' faces, it's a big hit with the 6 and under
crowd.
NEW MGM PARADE
Disney Stars and Motor Cars is the new parade at Disney-MGM
Studios. The all-new parade features--you guessed it--Disney
stars in motorcars. The parade starts with two uniformed
fellows on motorcycles, weaving down the roped-off streets
with sirens blaring--the police escort for the stars who are
about to appear. Next come a pair of park guests dressed as
drum majors, bearing a banner.
The first stars in the first motorcar are the day's grand
marshals, followed by characters from Toy Story--Jessie, Bo
Peep, and the Green Army Men, who are followed by Buzz
Lightyear and Woody in a fancy, Toy Story-inspired
chauffeured limousine. Next comes Mary Poppins and Bert atop
carousel horses, which are built into their motorcar. More
stars appear, including those from Muppets (Miss Piggy and
Kermit), Star Wars (Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2,
and Darth Vader), Mulan, Aladdin and Jasmine, the Villains
(The Snow Queen, Jafar, Cruella, Hook, and Hades), Atlantis,
The Little Mermaid, friends from Disney Playhouse (Rolie
Polie Olie, Bear, and Stanley), and Snow White and several
dwarves.
Bringing up the rear in the place of honor are Mickey and
Minnie in a 1929 Caddy. As you can see, this parade focuses
on the stars--over 70 characters in all. The customized
motorcars are creative and fun, but they really seem to fade
into the background in the face of all this fame. The parade
passes by in about 20 minutes and follows the same route as
previous Disney-MGM Studios parades.
NEW ANIMAL KINGDOM PARADE
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade is the first Disney-style
parade at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and is true to the spirit
of Walt Disney World's youngest theme park. Following in the
footsteps of the phenomenally popular Tapestry of Nations
parade at Epcot (and drawing on many of the same creative
talents), the parade moves to a bouncy Caribbean beat. The
most visually striking aspect of the parade is giant, fabric-
draped "puppets," this time too large to be carried on a
person's shoulders. The puppets are now on wheels, and the
puppeteers pull them along the parade route. Parade drummers
pound out the music's Jammin' beat, riding atop huge animal
floats designed in the same style as the puppets.
Favorite Disney characters including Rafiki, Goofy, Donald,
Mickey and Minnie ride around in oversized, imaginatively
designed safari vehicles (think: Stars and Great Big Motor
Cars, but even more fun). 24 lucky theme park guests ride
along with Rafiki and Mickey, and also in "rickshaw" floats
"pulled" by fanciful animals. Walking amidst the vehicles
are animal-costumed stilt walkers, dancers in safari-style
costumes, and Disney characters such as Terk, Timon and
Baloo the bear. Altogether, it's a visually dynamic, toe-
tapping parade experience!
What about the parade route? The procession starts in
Harambe Village, and crosses the bridge to Discovery Island.
Then, after making a full circuit of Discovery Island, the
parade crosses the bridge to Asia and turns left, passing
Flights of Wonder on its way back to its starting point,
next-door to Kilimanjaro Safaris. (Note: The parade route
may be abbreviated in the future, running in the opposite
direction--starting in Harambe, passing Flights of Wonder,
crossing onto Discovery Island, and ending between Pizzafari
and the Creature Comforts shop on Discovery Island.)
Where are the best viewing areas? As you might expect,
Harambe village gets very crowded, as do most parts of
Discovery Island. However, we really like two areas:
Discovery Island between the Africa bridge and Pizzafari,
where there are walls and benches for sitting and a decent
amount of shade; and even better, the walkway between Asia
and Africa, around Flights of Wonder. Crowds are much
lighter here, and there's lots of shade and seating.
Finally, the crowds in Harambe quickly dissolve once the
parade makes its way to Discovery Island. Take a quick trip
through Pangani Forest Trail or Kilimanjaro Safaris and by
the time you emerge, the parade will be on its way back to
Harambe, and the crowds will be quite light. If you can,
grab one of the three shady benches just opposite the
entrance to Kilimanjaro Safaris, just next to the gates that
mark the end of the parade route.
NEW EPCOT PARADE
We're great fans of Epcot's Tapestry of Nations parade,
which ended its two-year run in late September. The stirring
music and visual poetry of this pageant captivated us from
its start, during the Millennium Celebration. Now that we're
celebrating 100 Years of Magic, Disney felt the parade could
use a little update (emphasis on "little"). The stilt-
walking Sage of Time has taken some time off, and in his
place are a pair of Dreamcatcher floats (at the front and
rear of the parade) and a trio of new parade characters.
These "Dream Seekers" caper about with dream nets,
collecting children's wishes in the form of cardboard
"wishing coins" that kids can get at Kidcot Fun Stop
activity centers. The connection to children and their
dreams continues in the musical soundtrack, which includes
recordings of children describing their hopes and dreams.
Both the parade and its soundtrack are a blend of the old
and new, with most of the "new" restricted to the beginning
and end of the parade, which starts and concludes with new
sounds and those new floats.
After that new opening, the music slides effortlessly back
into the familiar theme from Tapestry of Nations. The
familiar "puppet people" and "drum wheel" floats are back,
too, although many of the puppets and puppeteers have been
adorned with tiny, tinkling bells to add an extra dream-like
element to their already dreamy movements. Several times
during the parade the musical theme switches back to the new
Tapestry of Dreams music, for gentle, dream-like moments,
more children's dreams, and an announcer reading quotations
from Walt Disney.
The parade follows the same route as Tapestry of Nations,
but we have a new viewing tip: Try to find a viewing spot
where you can see the very beginning and/or the tail end of
the parade, as the Dream Seekers all have something to say
at those moments. Unless you see them, it's hard to
understand just what's going on, or who's saying it.
CINDERELLA'S SURPRISE CELEBRATION
Cinderella's Surprise Celebration is the new Castle
Forecourt Show at Magic Kingdom. Starring Cinderella, Fairy
Godmother, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Snow White, Belle,
assorted princes and Beast, Mulan, Peter Pan, Genie, and an
army of Villains.
Cinderella starts by telling us "A Dream is a Wish Your
Heart Makes," and an array of dream gift packages are
arrayed on stage. When the cast exits momentarily the Snow
Witch sneaks on to add a "gift" of her own to the pile--a
huge red apple-shaped box. Uh oh! The good guys return and
wonder which gift should be opened first. Donald really
wants to open the Witches' gift, but the audience shouts,
"No!" Minnie chooses a large heart-shaped box, and a flock
of doves flies out of this gift of love. But the crowd can't
hold back that irrepressible duck, and eventually he opens
the Poisoned Apple package. The Snow Queen apparates to
claim Cinderella Castle as her own (which would make more
sense if it were Snow White Castle), with the help of an
army of villains including Kang, Captain Hook, Jafar, and
Maleficent. Cinderella, standing on the balcony beneath the
castle clock, is stripped of her gown and returned to rags.
A pirate flag rises over the castle, and the battle ensues.
Peter Pan battles Hook up on the battlements of the castle,
and Mulan tricks Kang into a closet full of skyrockets.
Kablam! One after another, the bad guys are vanquished,
until the audience helps the Fairy Godmother say the magic
words that send the Snow Queen packing.
All's well that ends well, as Mickey and company open the
final gift of Friendship, and dozens of characters pour from
the castle to meet and greet the guests all around Main
Street's hub. The musical score helps to weave an enchanting
and exciting mood. Dave's favorite musical moment is when,
one after the other, Cinderella and her charming prince,
Snow White and Prince Charming, and Belle and Beast waltz
onto the stage, while the score segues seamlessly from one
princesses' theme to the next. This new show, scheduled to
run as often as five times daily, has a larger cast and more
elaborate staging than typical Forecourt shows and is
destined to be a real winner with the crowd.
OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE 100 YEARS OF MAGIC CELEBRATION
- The four new parades incorporate the new "Suite of
Dreams" music written for the 100 Years of Magic
celebration. This is a 20-minute orchestral piece with five,
four-minute movements: one for each of the four parks, plus
a finale. A two-CD set with this music is supposed to be
available for sale in the parks and resorts, but doesn't
seem to be on the shelves yet.
- Cast members get new nametags for the celebration. The
nametags (which are still white and oval) have a personal
"magical memory" at the bottom. The nametags may say things
like "Disney Lunch Box," "1964 Worlds Fair" or "Disney
Resorts," rather than the cast member's home town.
- As expected, there's plenty of 100 Years of Magic logo
merchandise (and pins) available for sale in the parks and
resorts. We also found some 30th Anniversary logo items (in
black and gold) in the Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A.
- The park guidemaps have a new look. They're taller and
narrower than the old maps, which means the actual diagram
of the park is smaller. This allows room for very brief
descriptions of the attractions, however. The maps now also
have a "Quickfind" box at the bottom, listing the park's
attractions in alphabetical order.
> Things To Do: Have you been to Walt Disney World since
these new parades and rides opened? We've love to hear what
you think of them! Send us an e-mail at
jenniferanddave@passporter.com, or rate the rides and
parades at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/rate.htm
> Notes: We haven't had a chance to review the new parade at
Magic Kingdom, but we have seen it and do like it. When we
get home from Walt Disney World, we'll post our review on
our Web site.
==========================================
WHAT'S NEW & CHANGED AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
==========================================
Here's a few tidbits we've picked while we've been down here
at Walt Disney World this week:
Mexico has a new exhibit just as you walk in the doors
called Animales Fantasticos. This is a colorful display of
hand-carved, hand-painted wooden figuirines. It's worth a
good 5-10 minutes of browsing. And do be sure to look for
the "hidden scene" behind one of the displays.
Juan and Only's at the Dolphin has closed permanently.
Several buildings at the BoardWalk Inn are being
refurbished, but all the pools are open.
The shops at the Grand Floridian have changed a bit; Summer
Lace and Command Porter's now sell both men's and women's
casual clothing.
> Things To Do: Have you learned about something new or
updated? Send it to us to share with others. E-mail:
feedback@passporter.com.
==========================================
NEWSLETTER NOTE
==========================================
Our usual columns of Disney Tips, Q&A with Jennifer and
Dave, and Resources and Links won't appear in this edition.
We're at Walt Disney World right now, after all -- we have
to make the most of our time! But these columns will resume
in our next newsletter.
====================================
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Copyright (c) 2001 - MediaMarx, Inc
In this issue, a detailed first hand description of 100 years of Magic.
As a Disney fanatic, I think it's worth signing up for the newsletter which can be done here ... http://www.passporter.com/wdw/fun.htm -- and besides, it's free
Anyway here's their take...
==========================================
FEATURE: 100 Years of Magic Celebration
==========================================
Our Firsthand Observations
by Jennifer Watson and Dave Marx
President Bush told Americans to, "Go to Walt Disney World
in Orlando Florida," and we at PassPorter took him at his
word. We flew from Detroit to Orlando for a double Disney
celebration--the start of the yearlong 100 Years of Magic
Celebration, and the 30th Birthday of Walt Disney World. So
we started the doubly magic day, October 1, 2001, bright and
early at Magic Kingdom, where Mickey (and Walt Disney World
president, Al Weiss) were on hand to kick off the
festivities. Then, after a merry morning at Magic Kingdom we
headed over to Disney-MGM Studios for the first official day
of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. Here are our
firsthand observations:
OPENING CEREMONY
The 100 Years of Magic Opening Ceremony -- held just outside
the main entrance, in front of the Walt Disney World
Railroad's Main Street Station -- exceeded all our
expectations. Instead of a small, modest ceremony, we were
treated to Main Street walkaround characters (including the
Mayor and several of the ladies), the 15-piece Main Street
Philharmonic Band, and The Dapper Dans barbershop quartet.
As the last strains of "Casey Junior's Comin' Round the
Bend" ended, the Walt Disney World Railroad train came
chugging down the tracks and into the station. Goofy lead
the procession from the engine, followed by scores of Disney
characters filling the passenger cars, all waving and
smiling. As the train stopped and a blast of gold confetti
rained over the assembled guests, Al Weiss, president of
Walt Disney World, stepped up to the podium. He began by
explaining why the Disney Company had chosen this spot for
the opening ceremony (after all, Disney-MGM Studios does
seem like a more natural choice for the 100 Years of Magic).
The railroad was Walt Disney's pride and joy, and this would
likely have been his favorite spot in the Magic Kingdom, if
not the whole of Walt Disney World. Al continued to remind
us that Walt Disney World is a "tribute to the philosophy
and life of Walter Elias Disney."
A special recognition was made to those cast members present
who have been with Walt Disney World for the entire 30
years, reminding us that this is also the 30th anniversary
of the opening of Walt Disney World. Mr. Weiss also
recognized the September 11 tragedy when he said, "I'm never
prouder to see our cast uphold the vision than during times
of uncertainty like those we face now. Because no matter
what is happening around us, it is certain that time
together with family and loved ones, in a place like Walt
Disney World, is truly well spent." This was followed by a
description of the new parades and attractions debuting for
the 100 Years of Magic (which we'll describe later). Then,
from an archway above the clock in the train station, a
young girl appeared, and sang a very touching song about
Walt and his dream. Mickey Mouse joined her for the grand
finale, and the new 100 Years of Magic sign was unveiled in
a shower of shimmering red, white and blue metallic
confetti. All in all, the ten-minute ceremony was moving and
magical, and was met with resounding applause from everyone
assembled.
MAGICAL MOMENTS PINS
The new Magical Moments pins, which debuted for the 100
Years of Magic Celebration, aren't your standard cloisonne
pins. These pins are large (about 2", give or take a 1/2")
and made of thick plastic. More importantly, each pin has
four differently colored LED lights (white, yellow, red, and
blue) embedded in the plastic. The pins light up in a
brilliant pattern when you "jump start" them with a light
touch. More mini light shows appear on your pins when you
encounter special "magical moments" in the parks, which may
occur during parades, rides and shows, and at the Discover
the Stories Behind the Magic kiosks.
We've personally seen our pins light up as the first and
last floats in a parade pass by, and at the Discover the
Stories Behind the Magic kiosks. We've heard from cast
members that the pins light up on Tower of Terror (the star
room) and in one the scenes in the Great Movie Ride. No
doubt there are many more trigger points, and we're sure
you'll have a ball finding them all. Five different pin
designs are available: one representing each of the four
parks, plus one for the 100 Years of Magic. Two posts on the
back keep the pins in place. The pins are $15.00 each and
come with spare batteries.
MICKEY'S SORCERER'S HAT
Call it what you will, but that's one big hat! Yes, it casts
a giant shadow on the Chinese Theater, but it's Mickey's
hat, gosh darn it, and in the end you just gotta love all
122 feet of it. The huge hat is the new icon for Disney-MGM
Studios, which in turn is the "hatquarters" for the 100
Years of Magic Celebration. As you probably know, the grand
chapeau was plunked down right in front of the Great Movie
Ride, so now when you look down Hollywood Boulevard from the
park entrance, all you see is hat (it does make a fabulous
backdrop for the Stars and Motor Cars Parade).
Tucked under the hat's very broad brim is a Pin Trading
Station and a dozen Discover the Stories Behind the Magic
interactive kiosks (more about them a little later in the
article). The kiosks are housed in a lively area decorated
with gold stars and arcs, and vintage black and white photos
of Walt Disney. Those photos add extra interest and depth to
something that could have been just another pretty space. We
spoke to the hat's graphic designer, who filled us in on
some of the hat's finer points (not counting the one at the
top of the hat). She noted that the fiberglass panels that
comprise the hat were built with curving, rather than
straight edges. When assembled, this made the seams spiral
up and around the hat, rather than ascend in straight,
converging lines. We think the result is far more visually
appealing than the alternative.
When you're under the hat you notice the soft "fabric"
liner, which was chosen to contrast with the hard lines of
the rest of the hat and to evoke the silk fabric that
typically lines a fine piece of headwear. Only this "silk"
is a metal mesh, similar to a Knight's chain mail! Before we
move on, we should mention the "Mickey ears" that flank the
brim of the hat, and from a distance seem to support it.
These "ears" are large, golden swirls, reminiscent of
glittering circles drawn with a sorcerer's wand. The
swirling, shimmering effect is built-up with layers of gold,
laser-etched plastic, which is specially illuminated at
night. The hat is also adorned by large golden stars and
crescents. These decorations and the "ears" are studded with
tiny strobe lights that make everything sparkle, regardless
of natural lighting conditions. So no matter how you look at
it, this is one wondrous hat!
KIOSKS
The Discover the Stories Behind the Magic kiosks are
interactive trivia games found in each of the four major
parks. The kiosks themselves are in the shape of large
Mickey heads-just twirl Mickey's "ear" to move about the
screen and press his nose to select something, just like
clicking a mouse (or The Mouse). Guests select a question
category--represented by one of six lands/areas in the park--
to hear a trivia question. Questions feature archival film
footage, music, sound effects, and colorful graphics. Every
question is followed by three multiple choice answers. Click
the right answer and you're rewarded with a light show on
your Magical Moments pin (but if you don't have a pin, just
look near the top of the kiosk to see its lights flash).
Correct answers are also rewarded with a cute little
animation onscreen. If you get more than two questions
wrong, the game ends (thought you can always begin again).
If you answer all questions correctly, you get a fun
surprise that everyone can enjoy (pin or no pin). We learned
that the kiosks were designed to be a family event, so
adults and children can work together and share the fun.
Each park has a dozen kiosks, except the Animal Kingdom,
which has just nine. The kiosks are all grouped together in
each park: Magic Kingdom's kiosks are in the Town Square
Exposition Hall (in Main Street, U.S.A.), Epcot's kiosks are
in Innoventions East, Disney-MGM Studios kiosks are under
Mickey's Sorcerer's Hat, and Animal Kingdom's kiosks are in
the Disney Outfitters shop (on Discovery Island). The only
downside is that all the kiosks in a park have the same six
questions, thus there are only 24 total questions among all
the kiosks. A Disney source said that the questions may be
changed periodically, but we may have to wait a while to see
that happen.
WALT DISNEY: ONE MAN'S DREAM
Walt Disney: One Man's Dream is a loving look at the man
behind the dreams and (for those of us of a certain age) a
breathtaking tour through our childhoods and adult memories.
A rich array of historical and cultural artifacts, photos,
audio recordings, scale models and a 15-minute film narrated
by Walt himself combine to give a picture of the man and his
creativity that will leave every Disney lover in seventh
heaven.
We asked Roger Holzberg, senior show producer/director for
Walt Disney Imagineering to show us his favorite spot in the
attraction. He walked over to the area by the theater
entrance, which is filled with fabulous scale models of
Disney attractions (including Tokyo Disney Sea). He then
looked back across the room to the Project X Room display,
where Walt laid-out preliminary plans for Disney World-- a
view that encompasses Walt's original dreams and the
embodiment of those dreams.
Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this attraction (our
first visit lasted two hours, and Dave still wishes we'd
stayed longer), and plan to return often before it closes at
the end of the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. Like the best
of Disney, this exhibit has a depth of detail that just
keeps on giving. Enjoy!
PLAYHOUSE DISNEY--LIVE ON STAGE
Playhouse Disney is a revamped version of the popular Bear
in the Big Blue House show at Disney-MGM Studios. Bear and
his friends are still there, and you still sit on the floor
(with benches in the back for older legs), but there are new
surprises. The set has changed-the blue house is smaller and
several new storybook sets were added. The live show begins
with Bear and his friends welcoming everyone and doing the
Bear Cha Cha. All guests are invited to get up and dance,
and the young kids in the audience happily accept. When it
is discovered that Tutter can't dance because he's shy,
stories are told to help him overcome his fears.
The first story features characters from Rolie Polie Olie,
who are playing a make-believe game. The next story is with
Stanley and his goldfish Dennis, who teaches Stanley that
keeping yourself clean isn't so hard to do. Last but not
least, Pooh, Tigger, Eyeore and Piglet (from The Book of
Pooh) discover their differences and the Perfect Day. The
show ends with Tutter overcoming his shyness, and he, Bear,
and all their friends dance with glee! During the show,
streamers and bubbles shoot out into the audience, to
everyone's delight. The show features lots of audience
participation--the little ones dance and parents and
children alike sing along, and judging from the happy looks
on the kids' faces, it's a big hit with the 6 and under
crowd.
NEW MGM PARADE
Disney Stars and Motor Cars is the new parade at Disney-MGM
Studios. The all-new parade features--you guessed it--Disney
stars in motorcars. The parade starts with two uniformed
fellows on motorcycles, weaving down the roped-off streets
with sirens blaring--the police escort for the stars who are
about to appear. Next come a pair of park guests dressed as
drum majors, bearing a banner.
The first stars in the first motorcar are the day's grand
marshals, followed by characters from Toy Story--Jessie, Bo
Peep, and the Green Army Men, who are followed by Buzz
Lightyear and Woody in a fancy, Toy Story-inspired
chauffeured limousine. Next comes Mary Poppins and Bert atop
carousel horses, which are built into their motorcar. More
stars appear, including those from Muppets (Miss Piggy and
Kermit), Star Wars (Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2,
and Darth Vader), Mulan, Aladdin and Jasmine, the Villains
(The Snow Queen, Jafar, Cruella, Hook, and Hades), Atlantis,
The Little Mermaid, friends from Disney Playhouse (Rolie
Polie Olie, Bear, and Stanley), and Snow White and several
dwarves.
Bringing up the rear in the place of honor are Mickey and
Minnie in a 1929 Caddy. As you can see, this parade focuses
on the stars--over 70 characters in all. The customized
motorcars are creative and fun, but they really seem to fade
into the background in the face of all this fame. The parade
passes by in about 20 minutes and follows the same route as
previous Disney-MGM Studios parades.
NEW ANIMAL KINGDOM PARADE
Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade is the first Disney-style
parade at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and is true to the spirit
of Walt Disney World's youngest theme park. Following in the
footsteps of the phenomenally popular Tapestry of Nations
parade at Epcot (and drawing on many of the same creative
talents), the parade moves to a bouncy Caribbean beat. The
most visually striking aspect of the parade is giant, fabric-
draped "puppets," this time too large to be carried on a
person's shoulders. The puppets are now on wheels, and the
puppeteers pull them along the parade route. Parade drummers
pound out the music's Jammin' beat, riding atop huge animal
floats designed in the same style as the puppets.
Favorite Disney characters including Rafiki, Goofy, Donald,
Mickey and Minnie ride around in oversized, imaginatively
designed safari vehicles (think: Stars and Great Big Motor
Cars, but even more fun). 24 lucky theme park guests ride
along with Rafiki and Mickey, and also in "rickshaw" floats
"pulled" by fanciful animals. Walking amidst the vehicles
are animal-costumed stilt walkers, dancers in safari-style
costumes, and Disney characters such as Terk, Timon and
Baloo the bear. Altogether, it's a visually dynamic, toe-
tapping parade experience!
What about the parade route? The procession starts in
Harambe Village, and crosses the bridge to Discovery Island.
Then, after making a full circuit of Discovery Island, the
parade crosses the bridge to Asia and turns left, passing
Flights of Wonder on its way back to its starting point,
next-door to Kilimanjaro Safaris. (Note: The parade route
may be abbreviated in the future, running in the opposite
direction--starting in Harambe, passing Flights of Wonder,
crossing onto Discovery Island, and ending between Pizzafari
and the Creature Comforts shop on Discovery Island.)
Where are the best viewing areas? As you might expect,
Harambe village gets very crowded, as do most parts of
Discovery Island. However, we really like two areas:
Discovery Island between the Africa bridge and Pizzafari,
where there are walls and benches for sitting and a decent
amount of shade; and even better, the walkway between Asia
and Africa, around Flights of Wonder. Crowds are much
lighter here, and there's lots of shade and seating.
Finally, the crowds in Harambe quickly dissolve once the
parade makes its way to Discovery Island. Take a quick trip
through Pangani Forest Trail or Kilimanjaro Safaris and by
the time you emerge, the parade will be on its way back to
Harambe, and the crowds will be quite light. If you can,
grab one of the three shady benches just opposite the
entrance to Kilimanjaro Safaris, just next to the gates that
mark the end of the parade route.
NEW EPCOT PARADE
We're great fans of Epcot's Tapestry of Nations parade,
which ended its two-year run in late September. The stirring
music and visual poetry of this pageant captivated us from
its start, during the Millennium Celebration. Now that we're
celebrating 100 Years of Magic, Disney felt the parade could
use a little update (emphasis on "little"). The stilt-
walking Sage of Time has taken some time off, and in his
place are a pair of Dreamcatcher floats (at the front and
rear of the parade) and a trio of new parade characters.
These "Dream Seekers" caper about with dream nets,
collecting children's wishes in the form of cardboard
"wishing coins" that kids can get at Kidcot Fun Stop
activity centers. The connection to children and their
dreams continues in the musical soundtrack, which includes
recordings of children describing their hopes and dreams.
Both the parade and its soundtrack are a blend of the old
and new, with most of the "new" restricted to the beginning
and end of the parade, which starts and concludes with new
sounds and those new floats.
After that new opening, the music slides effortlessly back
into the familiar theme from Tapestry of Nations. The
familiar "puppet people" and "drum wheel" floats are back,
too, although many of the puppets and puppeteers have been
adorned with tiny, tinkling bells to add an extra dream-like
element to their already dreamy movements. Several times
during the parade the musical theme switches back to the new
Tapestry of Dreams music, for gentle, dream-like moments,
more children's dreams, and an announcer reading quotations
from Walt Disney.
The parade follows the same route as Tapestry of Nations,
but we have a new viewing tip: Try to find a viewing spot
where you can see the very beginning and/or the tail end of
the parade, as the Dream Seekers all have something to say
at those moments. Unless you see them, it's hard to
understand just what's going on, or who's saying it.
CINDERELLA'S SURPRISE CELEBRATION
Cinderella's Surprise Celebration is the new Castle
Forecourt Show at Magic Kingdom. Starring Cinderella, Fairy
Godmother, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Snow White, Belle,
assorted princes and Beast, Mulan, Peter Pan, Genie, and an
army of Villains.
Cinderella starts by telling us "A Dream is a Wish Your
Heart Makes," and an array of dream gift packages are
arrayed on stage. When the cast exits momentarily the Snow
Witch sneaks on to add a "gift" of her own to the pile--a
huge red apple-shaped box. Uh oh! The good guys return and
wonder which gift should be opened first. Donald really
wants to open the Witches' gift, but the audience shouts,
"No!" Minnie chooses a large heart-shaped box, and a flock
of doves flies out of this gift of love. But the crowd can't
hold back that irrepressible duck, and eventually he opens
the Poisoned Apple package. The Snow Queen apparates to
claim Cinderella Castle as her own (which would make more
sense if it were Snow White Castle), with the help of an
army of villains including Kang, Captain Hook, Jafar, and
Maleficent. Cinderella, standing on the balcony beneath the
castle clock, is stripped of her gown and returned to rags.
A pirate flag rises over the castle, and the battle ensues.
Peter Pan battles Hook up on the battlements of the castle,
and Mulan tricks Kang into a closet full of skyrockets.
Kablam! One after another, the bad guys are vanquished,
until the audience helps the Fairy Godmother say the magic
words that send the Snow Queen packing.
All's well that ends well, as Mickey and company open the
final gift of Friendship, and dozens of characters pour from
the castle to meet and greet the guests all around Main
Street's hub. The musical score helps to weave an enchanting
and exciting mood. Dave's favorite musical moment is when,
one after the other, Cinderella and her charming prince,
Snow White and Prince Charming, and Belle and Beast waltz
onto the stage, while the score segues seamlessly from one
princesses' theme to the next. This new show, scheduled to
run as often as five times daily, has a larger cast and more
elaborate staging than typical Forecourt shows and is
destined to be a real winner with the crowd.
OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE 100 YEARS OF MAGIC CELEBRATION
- The four new parades incorporate the new "Suite of
Dreams" music written for the 100 Years of Magic
celebration. This is a 20-minute orchestral piece with five,
four-minute movements: one for each of the four parks, plus
a finale. A two-CD set with this music is supposed to be
available for sale in the parks and resorts, but doesn't
seem to be on the shelves yet.
- Cast members get new nametags for the celebration. The
nametags (which are still white and oval) have a personal
"magical memory" at the bottom. The nametags may say things
like "Disney Lunch Box," "1964 Worlds Fair" or "Disney
Resorts," rather than the cast member's home town.
- As expected, there's plenty of 100 Years of Magic logo
merchandise (and pins) available for sale in the parks and
resorts. We also found some 30th Anniversary logo items (in
black and gold) in the Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A.
- The park guidemaps have a new look. They're taller and
narrower than the old maps, which means the actual diagram
of the park is smaller. This allows room for very brief
descriptions of the attractions, however. The maps now also
have a "Quickfind" box at the bottom, listing the park's
attractions in alphabetical order.
> Things To Do: Have you been to Walt Disney World since
these new parades and rides opened? We've love to hear what
you think of them! Send us an e-mail at
jenniferanddave@passporter.com, or rate the rides and
parades at http://www.passporter.com/wdw/rate.htm
> Notes: We haven't had a chance to review the new parade at
Magic Kingdom, but we have seen it and do like it. When we
get home from Walt Disney World, we'll post our review on
our Web site.
==========================================
WHAT'S NEW & CHANGED AT WALT DISNEY WORLD
==========================================
Here's a few tidbits we've picked while we've been down here
at Walt Disney World this week:
Mexico has a new exhibit just as you walk in the doors
called Animales Fantasticos. This is a colorful display of
hand-carved, hand-painted wooden figuirines. It's worth a
good 5-10 minutes of browsing. And do be sure to look for
the "hidden scene" behind one of the displays.
Juan and Only's at the Dolphin has closed permanently.
Several buildings at the BoardWalk Inn are being
refurbished, but all the pools are open.
The shops at the Grand Floridian have changed a bit; Summer
Lace and Command Porter's now sell both men's and women's
casual clothing.
> Things To Do: Have you learned about something new or
updated? Send it to us to share with others. E-mail:
feedback@passporter.com.
==========================================
NEWSLETTER NOTE
==========================================
Our usual columns of Disney Tips, Q&A with Jennifer and
Dave, and Resources and Links won't appear in this edition.
We're at Walt Disney World right now, after all -- we have
to make the most of our time! But these columns will resume
in our next newsletter.
====================================
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