Jack-O-Lantern Seeds

There are a lot of things to see around the Magic Kingdom at Halloween time. Some of the decorations, like the oversized Jack-o’-lanterns, are hard to miss. Then there are the smaller details, the site specific pumpkins and autumnal bunting, which we all see but maybe get overlooked a bit. Some of my favorites, however, cross into both categories.

The scarecrows that populate Town Square are obvious, but they have some details that could possibly go unnoticed. If you look, each scarecrow is actually modeled after a role or Cast Member from somewhere on Main Street, U.S.A. We have two members of the Main Street Philharmonic, a baker, a confectioner, a baseball player that would be right at home at Casey’s Corner, a shopkeeper from the Emporium, and the Mayor. There is also a scarecrow with a fancy gown, umbrella, and purse. There have many ladies to call Main Street home over the years, but this appears to be a reflection of Hildegard Olivia Harding. Each outfit the scarecrows wear looks as if it came from each Cast Member themselves, and that the clothing was well-worn and well-loved by the individuals who gave them up for the scarecrows. Even if they’re oversized and not made out of cloth!

Urban Illusion

The Streets of America are all but gone, making way for the future of Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the form of Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land. Or, as I like to call them, Planet X and Andy’s Backyard. It’s been less than a year since the lands were shuttered, so it may be a little early to be calling it the world of yesterday, but even the land that closed was far different than the New York Street that originally opened in 1989 as a part of Disney-MGM Studios. While there are many examples of what changed between the opening and closing of the Streets of America, the façades and painted backdrop at the end of New York Street offers a great point of study.

Let’s start with this painted backdrop from the earliest days of the park. In fact, this photo of the New York cyclorama, the name given to painted backdrops that have been fastened to a flat, stationary surface, actually predates the opening of the park by a year and was taken in 1988. We can talk all we want about forced perspective, about how the Empire State Building is only 80 feet tall and the buildings in the foreground are only 40 feet tall, but in terms of what’s changed over the years, we need to focus in on the gritty details. Look at the individual signs and names all throughout the picture and also make sure to take note of the tops of the buildings forming the horizon.

It’s almost like trying to find what’s been changed between two pictures in the comics section of the newspaper, but have you study it enough? Okay, here’s the same skyline from 2010.

In the foreground, the Lucas Paints sign has been removed and the wedge, or flatiron, building has been given a sign that reads HOTEL at its back corner. Speaking of hotels, the Hotel Pouilly has become the Amsterdam. In addition, between the times of the Pouilly and Amsterdam the drugstore sign was also removed. The PARKING sign on the left hand side of the street would change into stating PARK HERE and on the right hand side of the street a smaller streetlamp was added. It is the changes to the parking sign in particular that show the changes were made to show a different era on New York.

Remember how I also said to look at the horizon? While no buildings were removed or added to the skyline, there was a change over the years. The furthermost building in the middle of the street had some changes. During the early years it would have a sculpted looking top section, reminiscent of 55 Central Park West from Ghostbusters (you know, the home of Zuul). However, in the 2010 photograph we can see that the building was made to look thinner, with a smaller penthouse level, with the sculpted corners becoming slivers of new buildings.

I imagine there will be some usage of force perspective in the new Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land. After all, these effects haven’t just been used on the Streets of America, but all over the parks worldwide, including the world building that was done for Radiator Springs, a complete environment whose construction is the closest thing we’ve seen to what Star Wars Land will become. Looking back at the cyclorama and how it transformed over the years reminds us that the parks are continually changing; whether it’s the changes of a small sign, the color of rocks in Tomorrowland, or moving something beloved into our memories.

Silent Saturday - Marketplace in the Medina (January 2013)

Made with Pure Spring Water

The story of Disney Springs, for those of you that may have missed it, is tied explicitly to water. I know, I know, you think it’s crazy that I’m telling you it isn’t tied to Indiana Jones, great food, and excellent cocktails. But those lights that shimmer off of the crystal clear blue water (I really wanted to use a Candle on the Water reference here, but I behaved myself), the picturesque setting where houses were built and later businesses thrived, that is where the story Disney Springs begins.

Growing up in central Florida, I’ve been known to take a dip in a spring or two, and the bright blue waters of the spring here, tucked between The Landing and Town Center sections, are incredibly reminiscent of the watering holes I spent my childhood around. There are a multitude of ways for which the water could be siphoned off from the spring, but Disney has chosen to give us an hands on example in the heart of Town Center.

This is an Archimedes’ screw, and you can actually work the dial in order to pump water from the spring. As you spin the pipe that runs along the center of the screw the water is carried up, eventually spilling out over the top. The design does allow for some of the water to run off prior to reaching the top, and it takes a fair amount of turning to make sure you get more water than you lose, but this type of water pump has been used since the third century BC. So, you know, it’s tried, true, and tested. Most often it is propelled by hand, but it can also be attached to a windmill. It is commonly used in irrigation, but that isn’t to say that it couldn’t be utilized for collection purposes in case you wanted to, I don’t know, bottle and sell the water?

Disney Springs long ago decided to bottle its most valuable resource and situate its marquee business right alongside the spring in The Landing. The Springs Bottling Co. may have turned over its warehouse to Morimoto Asia, but the sign still lights up every night. That’s not the only reference to the warehouse’s former life either. Inside guests can see rows of the bottles sitting perfectly still along the conveyor line, forever locked in place from the moment the Springs Bottling Co. stopped its operation. The make for great reflectors of light, and I even hear that there are surplus bottles available for sale down in the Marketplace.

Of course, this is Florida, and what good is water if it isn’t ice cold? Heading back across the spring to the Town Center, we stop off at Sprinkles. Now a cupcake lover’s dream, the exposed brick, flaking plaster, and windows reminiscent of garage doors reveal a much more industrial purpose for which this structure was once used. Once you’ve gotten your cupcake fix, either inside the bakery or from its ingenious Cupcake ATM, take a peek around the corner on the patio. Here are the remnants of an ice making business. Spring water would make for great ice that could be transported in large blocks to local businesses and homes. This is precisely what the Sunshine State Ice Works thought when they opened their doors.

The community of Disney Springs quite literally has spring water running through its veins. From old water tower to the Village Lake, the waters here have given life to businesses, myths, agricultural exploits, transportation, and so much more. It is a story that you can see repeated over and over in small, tight-knit communities all throughout Florida. While there are more stories to uncover, and histories to be told, there wouldn’t be a Disney Springs if it weren’t for the spring’s waters themselves.

Buy Now, Sleigh Later

Whether you’re on the water park bunny slopes or a black diamond slider, everyone works up an appetite at Blizzard Beach. There are plenty of eateries set-up all around the park, but let’s be honest, when you’re playing away at the water park, you’re looking for something sweet. There are a couple of items that are served up at the park that could satisfy your sweet tooth before, or after, hitting the slopes, but are they equals? Today we’re going to review a pair of Blizzard Beach treats and hopefully not lead you astray.

The first of our duo comes straight from Lottawatta Lodge. After sun and fun, and maybe some chilly dips in the water, nothing sounds better than to grab a seat next to fireplace and dig into the S’Mores Bites. While this is typically a summertime treat enjoyed around a campfire, the idea of warm chocolate and marshmallows seems like a year round memory-maker. The bites come by the pair and appear to be overstuffed pop-tarts from the outside.

The graham cracker pastry is drizzled with both chocolate and marshmallow sauces. They appear to be heaping bites, and I expected more chocolate and marshmallow goodness to be filled on the inside. Unfortunately, these bites are almost all air pastry shell. The filling barely registered in the doughy graham cracker casing, and nothing about it seemed particularly appeasing to me and no one in my party could even bring themselves to finish the pair.

In the hopes of saving our snack attack, I began an expedition for something to satisfy. It was a harrowing journey that took me, well, literally across the path from the Lottawatta Lodge to a small shack with a sign that simply read “Mini Donuts.” It also happens to serve Joffrey’s Coffee, in case you’re looking for your caffeine fix. The donuts come in plain take-out containers in half or full dozens and are coated in cinnamon-sugar. For an additional cost you can also add chocolate, raspberry, or white chocolate dipping sauces.

In all seriousness, these donuts were delicious. They were fresh and hot, had just the right amount of sweetness, and their size meant that you could easily pop an entire donut right into your mouth. For those of you who like your donuts extra sweet, there is plenty of the cinnamon sugar mixture in the bottom of the take out container for you to dredge your donut through. These would make a great snack before you start your day at Blizzard Beach, as an in between meals snack, or to as you leave to send you on your way smiling.

Blizzard Beach has a lot to offer, and I don’t just mean the chairlift and Slush Gusher! It has some great snack options and some not so great snack options. Ice cream is always an easy win, but if you’re looking for something a bit different than the usual snack suspects make sure you make the right choice. In my book, the mini donuts at Blizzard Beach, which can also be found at Typhoon Lagoon, are the real snack of slope champions!

Silent Saturday - Trader Sam (February 2015)

A Fisherman's Prayer

It’s been an emotional rollercoaster of a week around here. We’ve been worried about friends and family that were in the path of Matthew, and continue to watch as the floodwaters continue to rise in the eastern part of North Carolina where we have many friends who are currently safe. Yet, that worry doesn’t leave you. There was also the end of the Main Street Electrical Parade’s run at the Magic Kingdom. I’ve thought often this week about the many magical times I was able to view this parade, and what it meant to me as a child and an adult. And then I turn my attention back to the wake of Matthew and wonder about Hilton Head Island and Disney’s resort there in particular.

Very little has been known about what the state of the island is. In fact, residents were only permitted to return to the island late yesterday. What we have seen has been truly heartbreaking. The miniature golf courses that we frequent when we were there are wrecked. Giant oaks have been forcefully removed from the ground, root systems and all, and even some of the palms are bent at unnatural angles. Docks are gone, homes and cars are resting places for the aforementioned trees, and water is still standing where it shouldn’t be.

The website for Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort only states that the resort is currently closed due to Matthew and that it will be reopening to guests as soon as possible. I’ve been able to catch the tops of trees and the roof of the Live Oak Lodge from photos posted online of the Shelter Cove Marina, which looks to be in pretty fair shape compared to other parts of the island. This is all that I’ve been able to gleam in the past several days however.

Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, and the larger island at that, is a home away from home for the missus and I. It is the place where we can truly relax, play recreational games that we don’t play in our daily lives, listen to a story or visit with Shadow, and let the world slip by for a little while. All of the staff at the resort and residents we meet at restaurants, shops, or other touristy locations are nothing but friendly and some of the warmest people you could ever hope to meet. It is a place that holds a special place in my heart.

It does not appear that anyone passed away due to Matthew on the island, so I have can release the fear of physical harm coming to these individuals that are so near and dear to us. Even from the start I was never too worried about Shadow, I assumed she would be taken good care of. But I do worry about spots like this.

It is one of the largest oak on the resort. The road next to it has to be made of cobblestones to allow for the massive root system that continually buckles pavement. Is it still standing? I can’t count how many children I’ve seen playing around this tree or sitting in the bends of other oaks on property. What of Fishing Pole jets out into Broad Creek, or the directional sign for resorts worldwide?

Hilton Head Island has also been in the midst of a dune revitalization project. From what I understand, the dunes have been washed away. How does that affect the beach areas surrounding Disney’s Beach House? I’ve heard of a piece of roofing near the Beach House that was dislodge, but noting of the Disney’s spot on the shore.

All of this is trivial compare to the loss of life, property, and livelihood people are feeling up and down the eastern seaboard this week. That said, the missus and I will be venture back down to Hilton Head Island in a few months. I think it is important to be there, to see the hurt and do our part to help with the recovery of a place we love. I don’t imagine it will be the same as the last time we visited, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t still important to be there. For us it will be a time of rest, relaxation, and reflection, but I’m certain there will be more than one conversation with staff and island residents about what how they are doing and what we can do. Until we have more information, all we can do is hope for the best, worry, and remember.

The Star of the New World's Fair

In the Carousel of Progress' opening scene between Jimmy and his father, John, guests are introduced to the stereoscope, Little Egypt, the hoochie coochie, and the concept of the World’s Fair all in a very brief exchange. The question is how much history is present and how much of it is historical fiction? This vignette truly relies on the connection between Little Egypt and the World’s Fair, and it may not be a straightforward as it is presented within the storyline of the Carousel of Progress.

Little Egypt is, not surprisingly, a stage name, but it is one that is actually attributed to three separate dancers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The three dancers in question were Ashea Wabe, Fahreda Mazar Spyropoulos, and Fatima Djemille. It is worth noting that  Fahreda also appeared under the name of Fatima, in case we needed something a little more convoluted to work through.

In 1893 the World’s Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago, the event would later become known as the World’s Fair. The Chicago event was slated to open in 1892 as a way to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the Americas, but due to delays the Exposition would open to the public a year late. A feature of the Exposition that ran just off from the main event and featured sideshow attractions, including state and national amusements, was known as the Midway Plaisance. It would commonly be referred to as the Midway and it included aboriginal exhibits, snake charmers, winter sleds on wheels, and the highly sought after Cairo Street.

On Cairo Street was where visitors could find Little Egypt doing the hoochie coochie. Which Little Egypt you might ask? As it turns out it was both Fahreda and Fatima. The hip shimmying dance they performed was actually known as the Danse de Ventre during its performance in Chicago. It wouldn’t be known as the hoochie coochie, coochie coochie, or kouta kouta until after the Exposition. The art of the Danse de Ventre would eventually fall under the category of belly dancing or the more appropriate moniker of burlesque.

It seems like we’ve strayed a bit far from the Carousel of Progress and the World’s Fair in St. Louis, haven’t we? I think it’s time we return to the opening scene of the Carousel of Progress where we were looking at a home sometime after the turn of the century, in the early 1900s. With the mention of the St. Louis World’s Fair, or the Louisiana Purchase Exposition as it was known at the time (I’ll give you one guess what it was celebrating), we can assume we’re visiting around 1904 or 1905. The problem with the Little Egypt nod is that she wasn’t a highlight of the fair the way she was in Chicago’s Exposition.

That isn’t to say that belly dancing wasn’t there or that it couldn’t have been performed by Little Egypt. In fact, by the turn of the century, anything resembling burlesque could and would be known as the hoochie coochie. Similarly, there were many impersonators performing under the name of Little Egypt. So while there may have been a Little Egypt in St. Louis, it may not have been one of the original namesakes or even the original dances.

World’s Fairs are incredibly important to Disney, and the Carousel of Progress in particular. After all, it was the Carousel family that made their debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The next time you’re taking a turn through the century, just remember how important all the little vignettes are to the pop culture of the American family. Who knows what bit of history is shining at the end of every scene, even if it might be a step out of time.

Silent Saturday - Catalina Eddie's (September 2008)

Chicken-esque

Adventureland, and in particular the skippers around the land, have a long history with chicken and chicken-like food. The lunch menu for the crew mess hall at the Jungle Cruise lists all sorts of tasty delicacies that have a recurring flavor profile. From the Barbecued Three-Toed Skink to the Fillet of Rock Python, everything has a distinctly chicken taste to it. Across the way at the Skipper Canteen, they take their chicken seriously, although not that seriously, when they offer up the real deal in the form of their “Tastes like Chicken” – Because it is!

The dish features a crispy fried chicken that is drizzled with a chili glaze and comes paired with citrus and ginger-scented rice and seasonal vegetables. I’m not going to lie, even looking at the picture now is making me hungry. If presentation is everything, then there is no doubt that this photograph worthy entrée is definitely worth ordering. Of course, no one wants to eat a picture, so what does the Tastes like Chicken actually taste like?

Chicken, of course! But this isn’t your colonel’s fried chicken. The Tastes like Chicken passes my most critical test when it comes to fried chicken, and that is the breading on the chicken. It is super crunchy and does a superb job of keeping the chicken breast juicy while not becoming mushy or soggy itself. The breading isn’t over seasoned, likely just some salt and pepper, and it lets the chicken and glaze shine through. Speaking of the glaze, the sweet and spicy chili glaze does a great job of providing some heat to the chicken. It’s the kind of heat that builds throughout the meal, but doesn’t leave you in a flop sweat or is hot just for the sake of being hot, so it is definitely family-friendly.

When paired with a bite of chicken the orange and ginger-scented rice will remind you of Chinese fare, such as a dish like orange chicken, while not being too on the nose. On its own however, the rice does a good job of being flavorful, but not overpowering. If you happen to pick up some of the glaze with the rice, then that bite will be so much the better for you. The seasonal vegetables have everything that you would expect, from carrots to something green, and even some red onion to complete the ensemble. They are thinly sliced and add an element of something fresh to the meal while not pushing themselves to the forefront of each bite.

Friday is always chicken day in the Jungle Cruise’s crew mess, but no matter what day you visit the Skipper Canteen, chicken is always on the menu. The Tastes like Chicken – Because it is! is a dish that is filled with familiar and tried and true flavors. It leaves nothing to be desired from its preparation to its presentation, which is saying something when we consider how bland or generic chicken can be. This is a delicious meal that I would definitely order again. And it is certainly better than the Consomme of River Basin Slug the skippers have to eat on Wednesdays!

Silent Saturday - Winged Encounters (April 2016)

Silent Saturday - Slippin' Falls (July 2015)

Turrets and Battlements

Next week Walt Disney World, and more specifically the Magic Kingdom, will celebrate its 45th anniversary. I wanted to take a step back and visit a time over 45 years ago when Cinderella Castle was being constructed. In March of 1971, Walt Disney World released the photo and description below.

BUILDING A CASTLE -- Turrets and battlements of Cinderella’s Castle begin taking shape in Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. Towering more than 18 stories when completed, the building will be a main theme structure in the new “Magic Kingdom” park. Workmen can be seen turning concrete walls into a “granite” fortress. Gold-crested spires will crown the new castle which may rival Europe’s finest.

While I don’t know that it rivals some of the castles, chateaus, and fortresses of Europe, Cinderella Castle would go on to become a beacon for the Magic Kingdom. Visible from corners all over the park and even from across the Seven Seas Lagoon, the castle is that touchstone that we all recognize and adore when we think of Walt Disney World.

Taste Epcot

We’ve been known on occasion to do a trip report in the style of the classic western, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, with a dash of The Magical thrown in for good measure. Today, however, as we look towards the second weekend of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, we thought we’d use it to give you all some mini reviews of some of the dishes we sampled last week. We didn’t get to nearly as many dishes as we would have liked, but hopefully this helps guide you to some tasty choices. Bon appetite!

The Good

 Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey-Caramel (Chocolate Studio) – This was a bite you had to eat fast. It was like melty center of an ice cream sandwich, not quite solid, but definitely starting to sweat. Only this was better than any ice cream sandwich I’ve ever had. Rich chocolate with a hint of almond and caramel, this was a total win!

Berbere-style Beef Tenderloin Tips with Onions, Jalapenos, Tomato and Pap (Africa) – This was the dish I knew I was going to have walking in the gates. There is so much flavor going on here, and yet you can distinguish easily between the tomatoes, peppers, and okra. The pap was creamy and great with the tomatoes. Although I would caution anyone that if you’re not a fan of grits this dish could be tough to swallow, but for me it was awesome! The beef tips for fork tender and the dish had a set of spices that built a bit of heat over the course of the dish but were more a point of flavor that of spiciness.

The Bad

 Sichaun Spicy Chicken (China) – I’m not quite sure what I expected here, but this dish is basically a handful of spicy chicken nuggets with a ton of red pepper flakes on top. They were fine for what they were, and probably would have been a pleasant surprise at any other point during the year, but during the festival there are too many great bites to settle for mediocre.

Schinkennudeln: Pasta Gratin with Ham and Cheese (Germany) – This is a very dense stack of cheese and pasta that gets very messy as you dig into it. The crispy bits of cheese are always a favorite of mine, but there wasn’t enough here to really wow me on the dish as a whole. It was a fine utilitarian dish, probably best as a side, but there just wasn’t enough here to hold my interest.

The Ugly

Chicken and Dumplings: Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms and Spinach (Farm Fresh) – I went outside of the box on this one and got a little snake bit. The chicken and dumplings were good enough to be higher up on our list, especially with the biscuit-like dumplings that were grilled off just prior to being added to the mixture, but it was the preparation that made this ugly. This is, for all intents and purposes, a soup. Yet, it was served up in one of the thin cardboard boats. I rushed through this dish hoping that I wouldn’t spring a leak and end up with chicken soup all over me. You should definitely try something at Farm Fresh, but you would be much better off opting for either the Loaded Mac ‘n’ Cheese or Pickled Beet Salad.

The Magical

Mojo Pork with Black Beans, Cilantro Rice and Pickled Red Onions (Islands of the Caribbean) – This was my first dish of the festival, and it couldn’t have been a better one! The pork flaked apart with the fork and had a wonderful flavor. The pickled onions were delicious, but not overpowering. The rice and beans were a hearty accompaniment, with just the right amount of heat.

Spicy Hummus Fries with Cucumber, Tomato, Onion and Tzatziki Sauce (Morocco) – I expected a pile of French fries topped with hummus and a host of other toppings, this was not that and it is so much the better. While hummus and falafel are both made from chickpeas, I think the name created here was used because hummus seems a bit more friendly to people, but isn’t actually in the dish. This is several sticks of falafel topped with a spicy tzatziki sauce and a cucumber salad that was fresh and delicious. Again, this was not an overly spicy dish. The falafel was well prepared and not over fried, which can happen when they are prepared in this type of volume.

So there you have it! I hope something here tempts your taste buds and that you have an amazing time at the festival. I know I sure did. Let us know which of the above was your favorite, or if you found something entirely new that really rocked your festival!

The Spirit of Travel

There is perhaps no place more suitably named in all of Disney’s Animal Kingdom than the recently opened Nomad Lounge. Nomads by their very nature roam from one place to another, moving across borders both natural and manmade, and quite possibly through dramatically different landscapes and environments in the process. They can move about as hunter-gatherers, herders, or even artisans. Is it any wonder then that we could see ourselves, inside of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as a new breed of nomads, adding to our stories as we make our way from Africa to Asia, Diggs County, FL, and even Pandora one day soon?

With that roaming nature we also create and absorb new stories, which is the second critical component to the Nomad Lounge. Within its walls guests are invited to share a bit of their story via hanging tags. Each one asks a different question of the guest. What do you always do when you travel? Why do you travel? Where will you go next? What was the most memorable food? What was your most unexpected discovery? How has travel changed you? The questions go on and on, but require you to reveal a part of yourself during the experience. You can choose to keep the tag for yourself (each costs $1, and 85% of the proceeds go to the Disney Conservation Fund), or you can choose to become a part of the lounge and the nomads that pass through. Each tag is hung on a rack on the wall, When the wall is completed, it is then hung above the bar.

Stories and travel. Getting to where you are going is often times more the story to tell than the actual destination. And this is something that the Nomad Lounge has considered in great detail. In fact, compasses are inherent in the logo and doorways throughout the lounge. Beyond that, however, are a great many details that likely get over looked. The most obvious sign of travel, or form of travel, represented at Nomad Lounge are these ornate horse carvings that sit above the patio. They are not, however, the only representation of nomadic travel.

The beams leading up to each horse carving are trails unto themselves. They include various ways in which people have traveled from place to place. There are footprints, hooveprints, and even truck tire tracks. All of these could have been pulled directly out of the soft mud that would make up a passageway.

It seems as if we’ve worked our way from the inside back out to the entrance of the Nomad Lounge. It is here where the people, places, and creatures of Disney’s Animal Kingdom truly intersect in all of their nomadic glory. Along the short walkway between the porch and the rest of the park, you will find prints from birds, elephants, several small mammals, livestock, starfish, and boots. Everyone has come through the Nomad Lounge at some point, and it appears that all are welcome there.

The menu at the Nomad Lounge is filled with stories. Even the cocktails themselves are sometimes filled with stories if you know who to ask. Much of the artwork within the menu is from Joe Rohde or his team that explored the globe to bring authenticity to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I consider the menu required reading as there are many tales from their travels tucked within its pages (and if anyone at Nomad Lounge would like to pass along a copy of the menu to me for my collection, I would greatly appreciate it!). From tiny circular boats across treacherous rivers, dry and rainy seasons, and even tents that were frozen shut, these are stories that most of us have never heard, but that definitely beg to be told.

No matter how your story brings you to Nomad Lounge, take time to explore the rich details presented throughout. There are other travelers’ stories from both near and far, a distinct pattern of travel present in every corner, and even a bit of yourself if you’re so inclined. There is a lot to love at Nomad Lounge, and that’s before we even get to food and beverages! But that’s a story for another day.

Silent Saturday - Calypso (April 2009)

Living Laboratories

When we think back on the changes that have occurred within Living with the Land our memories are drawn to the changes in the music, the gargantuan vines that were part of the Symphony of the Seed, and the more recent shift from live guides to a recorded version. These weren’t the only shifts to take place, however. One of my favorite portions of the attraction that has since moved on goes back to its 1993 overhaul, the lettuce drum.

That’s right, I loved and miss this little beauty from the Creative Greenhouse. It was one of the more intriguing corners of the Listen to the Land version of the attraction and sought to highlight the connection between the work being done at The Land and the future of agriculture in outer space. The way the lettuce drum worked was that the force provided by the spinning of the drum would replicate the pull of gravity on the soil, seeds, and plants that lined the interior of the experiment. This pull would allow for roots to grow in a single direction and not get tangled with one another if being grown in a weightless environment. The gravitational spin would, as alluded to above, also ensure that the plants did not fall out.

While this was a large experiment that The Land took part in, and it took up a fair amount of space in the Creative Greenhouse, it was truly a scale model for what was being dreamed about in the future. Stepping over to Horizons’ Brava Centauri, there were several windows where you could see out into the world inside the space colony’s spinning sphere. There were sports fields, work and living environments, and even crops. Utilizing the principles present in the small scale activities seen in The Land’s lettuce drum, those who were visualizing the space colonies of tomorrow believed that large scale reproduction could be achieved.

That connection between The Land and NASA was always one I treasured and gave me dreams of where we would be when I became an adult. Sure, there’s no space station with a gravity wheel being utilized for agriculture, but there’s always tomorrow. With the Creative Greenhouse at Living with the Land always tweaking their experiments, there’s no telling what dreams children will be reaching for in the future.

Anthony Fremont and His Orchestra

This, as you may recognize, is a poster from the lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel. In tonight’s episode we’re explore the dark side of Imagineering, where television and our deepest fears collide at the intersection of the Tower of Terror and… The Twilight Zone.

We’ve talked before about the insane number of details peppered throughout the Tower of Terror that tie back into their namesake Tower of Terror. What’s amazing, however, is the ability for the attraction to interconnect with a single episode or individual with so many various threads. We’ll start today with this seemingly innocuous poster from the lobby.

It is for the orchestra that was performing at the Tip Top Club the night five guests crossed over into The Twilight Zone. The orchestra’s main attraction is Anthony Fremont. Anthony Fremont was the central figure in the season three episode of the show, It’s a Good Life. In the episode Anthony, portrayed by Billy Mumy, has the ability to change things with just a thought and to read people’s minds. He takes his town off of the map, cutting all ties to the outside world, and imposes horrible fates upon anyone who thinks a bad thought about him. Still having a child’s imagination, his punishments are as wild as they are grotesque.

It’s worth noting here that Billy Mumy, as Anthony Fremont, would return to The Twilight Zone in 2003. This time Anthony is an adult who still has his powers, but now he has had a daughter with even stronger powers than his own. The episode was called It’s Still a Good Life.

                                                                                     

This is the Tower of Terror’s only reference from the It’s a Good Life, however. As we make our way into the library, we are greeted by Rod Serling who has a chilling introduction to give us. This opening, with some clever editing and impersonation work, originally featured a map and not an elevator. These edits were applied to the opening of It’s a Good Life to make it suitable for a haunted hotel rather than a town removed from time and space.

Watch now, as we move across time and space, to Disney California Adventure. Here we pick up our Anthony Fremont thread once again. There is a similar poster to the Disney’s Hollwood Studios version, but this time we follow the actor Billy Mumy back to a season two episode of The Twilight Zone, entitled Long Distance Call. In this episode, Billy portrays a child of the same name who is given a toy phone from his grandmother. After she passes away, Billy uses the phone to continue to reach out and speak to his dearly departed grandmother. In the exit of the park’s Tower of Terror you can find a case with a toy phone, billed as “perfect for the children’s room and those late night calls to grandma.”

No matter where you look inside the Hollywood Tower Hotels there are memoirs of truly haunting episodes. In fact, many of the episodes highlighted in names and artifacts are direct links to some of The Twilight Zone’s greatest episodes. What sets the scene for even more chilling affairs is how connected some of these details are to one another. When is a map not an elevator, or an orchestra leader not a terrifying little boy? When you’ve stumbled into The Twilight Zone.

Silent Saturday - Living with the Land Harvest (December 2015)

The Scoop

There’s been some news out of the Magic Kingdom this week, or rather about the end of news coming out of the Magic Kingdom, which hit a nerve with those of us around the Gazette offices. One of the longtime Citizens of Main Street, Scoop Sanderson will make his last Main Street appearance on October 8. Known to many as a pin trader extraordinaire, his official role was that of reporter for the Main Street Gazette.

No, I don’t mean that he was someone that worked for or with us, but rather for the fictional paper that never truly circulated around Main Street, U.S.A. There were a couple of editions of the Gazette put out over the years, the most well-known version as part of Walt Disney World’s 25th anniversary, but mostly it was just a name that lived in the mythical ether of Walt Disney World. That is, until Scoop came along. The reporter was genuine and had an incredible knack for being able to relate to and engage with children.

In fact, I never actually met Scoop in person. Why? Because when I did spot him he was always intently focused on the conversation he was having with a child or a couple of children. As a former preschool and elementary educator, this always did my heart a world of good. I would sit back and watch the interaction and see the joy he brought to them. It made me proud to be running this little thing called the Main Street Gazette and that Scoop was somehow, in a knotted up ball of string kind of way, related to it. I didn’t have to meet him, though I certainly wish I had, to know he was a one-in-a-million personality.

Scoop’s backstory included his ability to sleuth out a story, particularly if a guest happened to be celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or other monumental occasion. He would give his news report right there on Main Street, rather than wait for presses. Scoop is described as being a Town Councilman, who loved to walk his toy dogs, Butterscotch and Licorice. He could be seen riding along Main Street in a number of vehicles, playing a game of marbles, or getting in on the action with the Dapper Dans. He could be recognized by his trademark boater hat, complete with press card sticking out of the band. Like I said, one-in-a-million.

If you happen to catch Scoop between now and October 8, make sure to let him know just how special he was to you and to all of us. In an age where more and more newspapers and papermen are disappearing or going digital, he has been a breath of fresh air and someone I will definitely miss on my next visit to the Magic Kingdom. Thank you, Scoop, for everything.

The Yeti Knows Best

Disney’s Animal Kingdom has long been a source of great meals, but the quantity of those meals seemed to be on the low end. Sure, Flame Tree Barbecue always had something delicious to feed us, as has Yak & Yeti Local Foods going back to the days when it was Anandapur Local Foods. For many years, however, that was it unless you wanted to sit down at Tusker House, and if you did no one could blame you for that either! With the opening of Harambe Market and the Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks, we’ve had even more offerings to satisfy. Today we’ve headed down that thirsty river on a trek to find a bite and a drink fit for any weary traveler.

Let’s start off with something refreshing, the Himalayan Ghost. This cocktail includes Snow Leopard Vodka, guava, and Odwalla lemonade. Much of the Serka Zong area of Asia is open to direct sunlight, which can be sweltering in the Florida heat no matter what time of year. The Himalayan Ghost sounds cold, which is just what the Sherpa ordered. The beverage is exactly that, cold and clean, there aren’t a lot of lingering aftertastes here. It is a bit sour from the lemonade, but the lemonade and guava are both sweet, so it balances out nicely. It’s not too strong of a drink, which means you won’t have hallucinations of some terrible yeti on the Forbidden Mountain, but it strikes a fairly middle of the road note on all fronts. If you need a walking around cocktail, the Himalayan Ghost can definitely be that for you.

Of course, all of this trekking has us hungry for something a bit more substantive. Luckily, there are offerings aplenty at the Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks. After careful consideration, we opted for the Roasted Pork Sandwich that is described as combining roasted pork, pickled vegetables, and cilantro with a sriracha dressing. The roasted pork is nice, it makes for a great break from turkey or ham in a sandwich, and is served well with the cilantro but neither of these is the stand out star here. That is the wonderfully astringent pickled vegetables, including carrots and onions, and the heat-generator itself, the sriracha dressing. That play between vinegar and the heat of the peppers in the dressing is wonderful and made my mouth do a little happy dance. To top it all off, the roll it is served on, which is basically all I gave you a picture of in my hurry to devour the Roasted Pork Sandwich, is hearty enough that it won’t fall apart the minute you take your first bite.

If you, like me, put these two items together, you are in for a treat. The Himalayan Ghost can contain and cool off some of the heat brought on by the Roasted Pork Sandwich. Similarly, the savory and spiciness of the sandwich can cut through some of the sweetness from the beverage. In fact, the only problem with pairing these two together is with the set-up of the Thirsty River Bar and Trek Snacks. Each are served through a separate line which means you are either waiting twice, or splitting up your trekking group to divide and conquer.

The structure of the Thirsty River Bar and trek Snacks may be a bit of a quandary, but the decision as to whether or not I’d pick up the Roasted Pork Sandwich and Himalayan Ghost again is not. Although, with all of the offerings popping up around Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it may be a while before I find my way back around to this spot. Then again, a few tasty bites and sips, while caching a breeze and beautiful scenery of Discovery River Lagoon, might just beckon me back sooner rather than later!

Silent Saturday - Wine Country Trattoria (February 2015)