Silent Saturday - International Flower and Garden Model Railroad Garden (April 2016)

Thank You, George McGinnis

George McGinnis is a name you’ve heard around the Main Street Gazette on more than one occasion. In fact, my continual pitch to make him a Disney Legend, and the fact that not a single Imagineer was included in the slate of 2017 Legends released this morning, had given me inspiration to start another article asking for Disney to consider him in their next class. This, sadly, is not that article. It was reported by The Orange County Register earlier this evening that George McGinnis has passed away.

He was the last Imagineer hired by Walt Disney, and he had a remarkable and storied career, both within the walls of Disney and in his work elsewhere. Known best for his work in EPCOT Center, specifically Horizons, he would also work on feature film, The Black Hole, the jeeps and time rovers of the Indiana Jones Adventure and Dinosaur, respectively, and even on the trams for Walt Disney World.

George was one of a handful of heroes I’ve had in my lifetime. It was his work on the Nautilus submarines of the Magic Kingdom’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction that would first put me in his path when I was writing for Celebrations Magazine. I was so nervous about speaking with him, afraid that I would trip over my own words and forget my questions, that our first exchanges were only through email. I shouldn’t have ever been worried, he was nothing but gracious. During our discussions he would share such wonderful stories and was incredibly generous with his time and resources. I could listen to any and every story he wanted to share and never lose the sense of wonder I had for the man and his work.

As I said before, George McGinnis had been on my mind a lot lately, and I hope he knew what he meant to all of us. Our encounters were only brief and I didn’t get to know him nearly as well as I would have liked, but to those closest to him, they know that he was a giant among men. Thank you, George, for everything you given us, for sharing your imagination, wit, and wisdom. We will never forget you.

Countless Tropical Locales

When we think of sliders, the most immediate image that comes to mind is something along the lines of a miniature version of a classic sandwich. Something that resembles a bite-sized hamburger or pulled pork barbeque sandwich are likely the first examples that spring up. The folks over at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto in the Polynesian Village Resort have some unique ideas when it comes to old favorites, and their sliders are no exceptions to this rule.

The Roasted Chicken and Pork Pâte Báhn Mì Sliders don’t even sound like sliders, do they? Based in the Vietnamese art of sandwich making, báhn mì is a name given to just about any type of sandwich with a meat filling. The phrase báhn mì comes from the words for ‘wheat’ and bread,’ and was originally introduced to Vietnam through the French baguette. It is also worth noting that báhn mì has two spelling, the other being bánh mì, but that either form is acceptable.

Since we’ve spent so much time talking about the bread, let’s start there. Like a baguette, the sliders come on bread that has been cut open from the top, with the meat and other fillings stuffed inside. The bread has a crispy and chewy crust, much like a baguette, with a soft flavorful inside. However, due to the bread’s unique shape, you will be eating quite a lot of the bread without the chicken, pork, or vegetables that reside mainly in the center of the sandwich.

The two meat components of the sliders come straight from the title, roasted chicken and pork pâte. The chicken is good, with a nice mild flavor, but can be overpowered by both the pâte and the pickled vegetables. For its part, the pork pâte is rich and wonderful, and I’m not even a fan of pâte as a general rule. This is not your typical creamy pâte, but rather a more country version of the spread with healthy chunks of pork and fat.

The remainder of the sliders is comprised of pickled carrots and onions, Thai chilies, and cilantro. These add some heat, an acidic bite, and even a hint of citrus from the cilantro. All of these components work well with the richness of the pork pâte, not trying to battle it for space on your taste buds, and lend some flavor to the underwhelming chicken.

The Roasted Chicken and Pork Pâte Báhn Mì come three to a serving at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, and I would order them again. If pressed, I would wish for a little less bread and to give the chicken some extra punch, maybe a chili rub of some sort. However, the components work well enough together that I can’t find too much to complain about. This dish has also shed new light on just what it means to be a slider in Walt Disney World.

Taking Pictures is Makin' Memories

It isn’t often that we get to dig into our personal Walt Disney World photo archives, but today is one of those days. I’ve written before how much my sister and I used to enjoy taking a trip from Fort Wilderness over to the Contemporary Resort. Mostly it was so that we could run amuck in the Fiesta Fun Center for hours on end, but we also loved to climb on the Mickey sculpture just outside of the main tower. Heck, even my dad liked to get in on the action occasionally.

By the way, I would like to not be blamed for my clothing choices in these photos. It was the 1980s, that’s my only defense. Even looking at these now, I appear to have been trying to cover myself in one, while praying that this photo never sees the light of day in the other.

What struck me, and the reason I pulled these out for today’s article, even with my own personal embarrassment on the line, was how much this sculpture has changed over the years. Here’s a more recent photo of the Mickey ears, taken in July of 2015.

Here’s what stands out to me. The sculpture placement has changed. Originally it ran parallel to the North Garden Wings, seen in the background, but now it faces out over Bay Lake. The pad it is placed on, and how it is attached to that foundation, has also been changed. The original sculpture sat on a paved area that was Mickey shaped. However, the more recent picture shows a round pad with darkened pavers in the form of a Mickey underneath. Additionally, the metal framing isn’t simply bolted to the ground any longer, as there are box like footings at the two points of contact.

Last, but certainly not least, are the people pictured here. The two in the ears have gotten much bigger, and that one holding up Mickey has gotten a bit older. Oh, and the person who always seemed to have to hold the camera for pictures, can now step in front of the camera thanks to the handing stand now provided for the Mickey sculpture photo op. There’s also a new addition to the team, and I think we can all agree that she’s definitely a keeper.

How we look at changes, in particular how we look at changes to the environments and stories of Walt Disney World, depend greatly upon what perspective we carry with us. I can’t say whether I prefer the old set up of the Contemporary’s sculpture or the new staging. For some, they’ve only ever seen it one way or the other, and that informs how they feel about the sculpture. I am happy that I’m able to document the changes when they occur, and that I can still take a motor launch over to the Contemporary. Except these days it’s usually for the photo op and to grab a bite to eat.

Farewell to the Mountains

We all know The Ballad of Davy Crockett, for many of us it is ingrained in our childhood, especially those of us who grew up dreaming about the olden days of the frontier. Yet, that wasn’t the only song that Disney’s version of Davy Crockett brought to us. Tucked away on a wall of Crockett’s Tavern, in Davy’s scrawling hand, there is a reminder of another tune made popular by Fess Parker.

In case you can’t make out the words, let me translate it for you:

Farewell to the mountains whose mazes to me more beautiful far than Eden could be. The home I redeemed from the savage and wild the home I have loved as a father his child. The wife of my bosom farewell to ye all in the land of the stranger I rise or I fall.

This song, known as Farewell to the Mountains, was originally featured in Davy Crockett at the Alamo, the February 23, 1955 broadcast of Walt Disney’s Disneyland television program. It would also make the cut and appear in the 1955 film Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, which was itself a trimmed down feature containing footage from the first three Davy Crockett episodes of Disneyland.

The song is sung by Fess Parker, as Davy Crockett, when things look very grim at the Alamo. During the second time through, Davy is joined by Buddy Ebsen’s Georgie Russel, as well as an ensemble of the soldiers in the fort. According to Georgie in the episode, it was the only song that Davy ever wrote, and that he did so as a part of their first journey away from Tennessee many years earlier. According the to original menu for Crockett's Tavern, however, Davy wrote the song during their travels to the Alamo. While the Georgie of the television show and the Georgie who assembled the menu may not agree on when and where the song was written, it is a fine piece to include in Fort Wilderness' home of the king of the wild frontier.

This song was adapted from an actual poem penned by the true Davy Crockett. While the beginning is the same, it does have a much less somber tone. It reads:

Farewell to the mountains whose mazes to me

Were more beautiful far than Eden could be;

No fruit was forbidden, but Nature had spread

Her bountiful board, and her children were fed.

The hills were our garners – our herds wildly grew,

And Nature was shepherd and husbandman too.

I felt like a monarch, yet thought like a man,

As I thank the Great Giver, and worshipped his plan.

Silent Saturday - California Streamin' (February 2015)

Perfectly Balanced Building

Japan is one of those World Showcase pavilions that stands out, even amongst the other nearby gems of Morocco and France. There isn’t a corner of the pavilion that isn’t steeped in a deep understanding of the country’s culture, history, architecture, horticulture, and other disciplines. The pagoda, torii gate, and castle may be the main focal points of the pavilion, but I’ve also found myself drawn to the natural elements of the garden areas and the simplistic, yet beautifully crafted, quick service dining location at the top of the hill behind the pagoda.

The 2012 refurbishment of the restaurant included a name change from Yakitori House to Katsura Grill. While the restaurant would see more than just superficial changes, the name change was anything but. To understand why the name change is so important, we need to go back to the plans for the pavilion itself.

Yakitori House, as it was known when EPCOT Center opened, was designed to look like a single section of the Katsura Imperial Villa, which resides in Kyoto. The site the restaurant was modeled after is, to this day, considered one of the crown jewels of Japanese architecture. With that type of pedigree you can see why the Imagineers would want to include it in their plans for EPCOT Center’s Japan pavilion. The Katsura Imperial Villa would end up being comprised of three sections, the smallest of which was recreated for the park.

Digging in a bit further, the villa was actually designed by a 16th century landscape designer who placed three conditions on his undertaking of the project. The leeway he was provided was unheard of at the time, but he was able to obtain a guarantee from his benefactor, Hideyoshi. His provisions were that during the creation of this summer villa he would not be burden by any budgetary constraints, the project could take as long as he needed, and no one could interfere, offer opinions, or change anything of his designs until construction had been completed.

You can see from the before and after photos in the article that some of the simple, yet elegant, design elements stayed through the refurbishment process. The changes did brighten up the interior, but kept the overall look of the structure intact. A name change may not be the most substantive modification to the quick-service dining location in the Japan pavilion, but it does give us a chance to educate ourselves about the building’s inspiration and history.

The Cup That Will Transport You - Part IX

Today we're stepping away from the park specific coffees offered up by Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Company, but not too far away. Beginning in 2009, Disney began a project with Conservation International to create sustainable agriculture in the Alto Mayo Basin region of Peru. In Alto Mayo, coffee production accounts for the livelihood of 240,000 individuals, which means that education and hands-on demonstrations of sustainability would not just save the environment, it would also allow individuals to thrive.

Enter Joffrey's who supported the project by sourcing a single origin coffee from the region and even sending their Roastmaster to witness the work of the project firsthand. It wasn't long before the idea of serving this coffee in Walt Disney World became a way to not only move this work forward, but to raise the profile of the work. Unlike other roasts that were created for specific restaurants, the Alto Mayo Protected Forest coffee will be found at 11 restaurants between Walt Disney World and Disneyland to start, followed closely thereafter by restaurants that serve pressed pot coffee.

I highly recommend learning more about this roast, even if you're not a dedicated coffee drinker. You can read more from Disney, including in which restaurants you can find the coffee, in this article: New Fair Trade Coffee Helps Peruvian Communities.  Additionally, you can learn more about Joffrey's work on the project from this article: Fair Trade Coffee With a Conscience. Now, on to the review you're looking for!

Alto Mayo Protected Forest (Medium) – Our Alto Mayo organic & fair trade coffee comes from a protected part of the Amazon rainforest in the province of San Martin. Farmed using sustainable methods, the unique soil, partly nourished by the Mayo river, gives these exceptional beans their deep chocolate notes and fresh vanilla almond aroma.

What Aileen Tastes:
You all know by now that I am a fan of dark roasts but this medium roast coffee blew me away. Since we have established that I am a fan, let’s start with the aroma. From the first sniff, I could smell the bitter dark chocolate and almond. The scent made me assume I would be delving into a very bitter roast but I was definitely wrong. I still tasted the chocolate and almond, but upon brewing, vanilla came into the mix and the entire flavor profile mellowed to an absolutely wonderful cup of coffee. I tried this roast black (I normally drink my coffee with stevia and milk) and I have to say, the smoothness stayed. I cannot think of many roasts I would drink black, but this is one that I wouldn’t mind enjoying in that fashion, especially if paired with a sweet dessert. Overall, I can’t recommend this roast enough. Not only is it organic and fair trade, which means you are changing the lives of the farmers growing the beans, it has amazing flavor that actually matches some of the local coffee roasters we have in our area. It can be enjoyed with almost any meal, dessert, or as your morning pick me up. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, we will be reordering this roast as soon as the bag is empty.

Overall Cup of Disney Rankings:

1 – Alto Mayo Protected Forest
2 – French Bistro

3 – California Grill

4 – Flying Fish Espresso
5 – Trattoria al Forno
6 – Flying Fish

7 – Sanaa
8 – Yachtsman Steakhouse

9 – Kona Blend

10 – Citricos

11 – Victoria & Albert's
12 – Narcoossee's
13 – Tusker House

14 – Jiko

15 – Artist Point
16 - Le Cellier

17 – Flavors of Africa

18 – Hollywood Blend

19 – The Wave

Previous Reviews:

The Cup That Will Transport You - Part I (The Wave, Artist Point, and Flying Fish Espresso)

The Cup That Will Transport You - Part II (California Grill, French Bistro Blend In-Room, and Tusker House)

The Cup That Will Transport You - Part III (Flavors of Africa, Hollywood Blend, and Kona Blend)
The Cup That Will Transport You - Part IV (Citricos, Jiko, and Yachtsman Steakhouse)
The Cup That Will Transport You - Part V (Flying Fish, Narcoossee's, and Victoria & Albert's)
The Cup That Will Transport You - Part VI (Sanaa)
The Cup That Will Transport You - Part VII (Trattoria al Forno)
The Cup That Will Transport You - Part VIII (Le Cellier)

Silent Saturday - San Francisco Street (March 2012)

Silent Saturday - Dragon Fountain (April 2008)

Trois Blondes Biere

We here at the Gazette love a good crate or barrel! With the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast hitting screens nationwide this evening, it felt like the perfect time to belly up to the tavern bar and have ourselves a belt. The question is, with all of the choices in Gaston’s Tavern what should we choose? Barrels cover not only the registers of the establishment, but also line the wall behind him. These five varieties split between seven barrels offer intriguing options, but sadly you can only order a glass of Lefou’s Brew. Let’s explore what’s in a name, or in this case five names.

Trois Blondes Biere – Translated simply means Three Blondes Beer. This in in reference to the three blondes who all dream to one day be wooed and wedded to Gaston. While regularly referred to as the Triplets, the three do have names. Claudette (red dress), Laurette (yellow dress), and Paulette (green dress) are seen in a majority of the film’s scenes that include the townsfolk, but are not part of the mob that launches an offensive on Beast’s castle.

IgerBock – This one shouldn’t need much of an explanation as it relates to the Walt Disney Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Bob Iger. A Bock beer is a strong, dark lager that is typical released in spring months. IgerBock also plays off of the true name of bock beer, Einbeck, to northern town in Germany where the beer originated.

Staggs Ale – This barrel is a nod to Tom Staggs who was the chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts at the time New Fantasyland and Gaston’s Tavern opened. He would later become the Walt Disney Company’s Chief Operating Officer before he and the company agreed to mutually part ways in the spring of 2016. An ale is a type of beer that is typically produced without any hops and have a sweet, fruity flavor.

LeFou’s Brew – Named for Gaston’s sidekick, LeFou’s Brew is the only barreled beverage that is actually served at Gaston’s Tavern. It is a frozen apple juice concoction that has a hint of marshmallow and is topped with passion fruit-mango foam. It will go straight to your head, in the form of an ice cream headache.

Chateau Blunderbuss – Chateau is actually a wine term for the name of a vineyard or estate in which it was brewed, which makes us look to the under the name for the second line of text, which reads “Biere Haught Caliber.” A blunderbuss is Gaston’s rifle of choice, while the estate of Chateau Blunderbuss clearly has worked up a high caliber beer.

I hope you found the right beverage for your next stop in at Gaston’s Tavern, even if you’re only playing pretend with LeFou’s Brew with your family on that visit!

Driving Rain

Sometimes you stumble upon a great bit of history without even trying. Take, for example, this photograph of Jack Nicklaus at the Walt Disney World Open Golf Tournament. The event ran from 1971 through1973 before becoming a two man team event between 1974 and 1981 and known as the Walt Disney World National Team Championship. The individual tournament would return in 1984 and continued until 2012 under a variety of names, including Oldsmobile Classic, Funai Classic, and Children’s Miracle Network Hospital Classic, to name just a few.

Nicklaus won the event all three years when it was the Walt Disney World Open Golf Tournament. While he would win the inaugural event with a three stroke lead fifteen-under-par, this photo captures him during the December 3, 1971 first round when he was not in the lead. Terry Dill had completed his first round with a seven-under-par 65. Nicklaus had to mark his ball after play had been called for the day because of a driving rain. 

It the scheme of Walt Disney World’s history, Jack Nicklaus marking his ball during the original golf tournament to be held on the Palm and Magnolia courses may not rank very highly. Yet, there is something charming and lovely about this moment to me.

Slow-Cooked Specialties

Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapenos. If the name alone doesn’t start your mouth to watering, I’d get to a doctor and make sure your pulse is still kicking. As for me, this was an item I was very excited to see returning to The Smokehouse for the 2017 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. I’ll be honest with you, last year’s menu had me at ‘burnt ends,’ once I was able to try the dish, it didn’t disappoint, and I was hopeful it would return this year.

While I joked above that this dish should bring joy to everyone, I know full well that it won’t. For starters, I have many friends who are vegetarians or vegans, and this clearly is not something in their wheelhouse, and I respect that. Also, beef brisket can be an acquired taste. I happen to live in one of the barbecue cornerstones of the country, so I have had ample chances to develop a taste for beef brisket barbecue. Some people may only think of pulled pork when they consider barbecue, and while that is delicious and has its place, which is not brisket. There is more connectivity between the meat with beef brisket, as well as a bit more fat to contend with.

Beef brisket is typically served in slices, the thickness of which varies wildly, but at The Smokehouse they’ve mixed it up by providing guests with cubes of brisket labeled as ‘burnt ends.’ Historically, these are the unwanted scraps of the barbecue process. The overly dry or fatty pieces that could be used in stews or served up as a cheap appetizer, but were seen as having very little else that was appetizing. Except that the ends still carried with them the rich flavors and smokiness from the barbecue process. This burnt ends became highly sought after and soon pitmasters became known for how well their burnt ends taste.

The Burnt Ends Hash isn’t precisely what I would call ‘burnt ends’ in the traditional sense, but they still retain the delicious bark and crunch along the outer edge. The cubed form is more akin to what you would find it a typical hash, tossed in with an assortment of other vegetables, peppers, onions, and the like. Liquid gold is a term usually withheld for a yellow cheddar sauce, but since there is such a thing as white gold, I think we can let it apply to the white cheddar fondue that coats the hash here. Then it is topped with a handful of pickled jalapenos.

The jalapenos aren’t your typical from-the-jar jalapenos, and their acidity does wonders for the richness of the beef and cheddar. Barbecue enthusiasts from those cornerstone areas we talked about earlier, are probably not going to find this brisket to be inspired. However, to the average palate, it is probably a reasonable facsimile, especially if they’re not accustomed to either burnt end or beef brisket.

As with most items procured through a quick service avenue in Walt Disney World, consider the amount of food which needs to be prepared and the speed in which you are able to procure it. Is this a top-tier barbecue product? No. Is it a savory treat that I wish my local pitmasters would figure out how to recreate this in a more traditional form? Absolutely. Do I think you should make time to try the Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash while you’re visiting the Flower & Garden Festival? Without question.

Silent Saturday - Hover Camping (September 2014)

A Spectacular Journey Into the Movies

With award season come and gone, and the passing of the incomparable Robert Osborne, I’ve been thinking about the role Disney’s Hollywood Studios has in the modern movie going experience. Specifically, I’ve been ruminating on the question of whether or not The Great Movie Ride has skewed or contributed to the way we look at films? Even more precisely, since not everyone has multiple experiences with the attraction in their formative years, has The Great Movie Ride subtly nudged a generation of Disney enthusiasts and how we look at genres and the legacy of particular movies?

The idea came to me a few months back when I was viewing, and becoming complete and utterly enamored with, La La Land. The obvious comparison to be made about a musical film set in Hollywood is Singin’ in the Rain, but is that the most accurate representation or have we just fallen into the comparison because we’ve seen  Singin’ in the Rain so many times and that is the direct line we’ve been hearing and reading about so much since the film’s release? From my perspective, I grew up thinking musicals were only something that my mother made me sit through on a rare occasion. Let’s disregard the fact that I sang in county and state school choirs and loved it or that I was fascinated with movies like Labyrinth and Mary Poppins. It wasn’t until I discovered Singin’ in the Rain in my 20s that I fell in love with the genre properly. However, I only came to Singin’ in the Rain because I wanted to see every movie that had a major scene in The Great Movie Ride.

I can draw almost identical parallels to the spotlight of Alien and science fiction horror and The Public Enemy and gangster films. Similarly, I didn’t have an interest in John Wayne westerns until The Great Movie Ride’s trailer sequence sent me on a hunt for The Searchers. Although I can remember a deep-seated love of the Man With No Name trilogy, but I couldn’t tell you now whether or not that came out of the Clint Eastwood figure in the western scene of the attraction. Likewise, while I know that my mother had a love of Johnny Weissmuller’s Tarzan films, I didn’t have an affinity for them in my younger days.

The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, Casablanca, and Raiders of the Lost Ark are timeless to me, and I don’t think their inclusion or exclusion in this attraction would ever change my feelings for these films. I don’t know many kids that loved Fantasia, aside from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment, but I burned through at least one copy of that VHS because I loved that entire film early on and never let it go.

Where does our love of film, or specific pictures, or genres come from? I suppose, as with most things in life, it comes from the world around us. How something affects us is directly related to how it is presented to us, and it can determine if we love or loathe it. Sometimes, someone loving something, such as my sisters fascination with Titanic in our squabbling teenage years, can make you distance yourself from it for no apparent reason. Generally, however, is something is present with care and adoration to a child, that child is going to have that same love for it.

This brings us back to The Great Movie Ride. Here, it is clear that the films presented are loved by our tour guides. Each scene is carefully crafted to make you feel like you have indeed walked straight onto the set of a movie, or that you are actually living out a part of that movie. Nothing is left astray, down to the posting on the jailhouse wall in the western scene or the screen readouts aboard the Nostromo. It is that care and dedication that can make us smile at Mary and Bert on a rooftop and give us shivers at the slithering floor of Well of the Souls. It is this attention to detail that makes almost all of the movies presented in The Great Movie instant classics in the minds of those who grew up with this attraction.

I’m willing to bet that if you were to ask someone in their mid-to-upper-30s that didn’t grow up going to Walt Disney World on a regular basis if all of the films with dedicated scenes inside The Great Movie Ride were classics, you get a bunch of affirmative responses. However, they may balk at Tarzan, The Public Enemy, Footlight Parade, or The Searchers. It isn’t that they couldn’t grow to love the films, it’s is only that the films haven’t been presented in the same light and with the same care as some of us have seen them in. They aren’t ingrained in their cinematic DNA.

The addition of Robert Osborne to The Great Movie ride was not a change that I greatly looked forward to. I mean, TCM is one of three channels my television lives on and his insights have always given me a deeper understanding and joy of the pictures he showcased. However, I just didn’t see what it would add to the attraction, and it didn’t help that my first ride with the new audio had a handful of glitches and poor sound. Since that time I have come to love the narration, but particularly the new trailer area which is filled with Osborne providing tons of insight, trivia, and knowledge I may not otherwise have gathered. I’ll go so far as to say some of the new to The Great Movie Ride films featured in the queue will be considered classics to the next generation, because of Osborne’s presentation.

If The Great Movie Ride has influenced a generation or two, or maybe even three, around a handful of films, then I am perfectly okay with that. Not everyone has to love the same pictures, and they don’t even have to agree on what makes a particular picture great, but these mean something to me and I think they’re classics. If that’s because I had the privilege of being able to experience The Great Movie Ride more frequently than others my age, I good with that to. Because, honestly, I can’t imagine my life without them.

Water in a Sheltered Cove

During its first summer of operation, Walt Disney World’s original swimming hole, River Country, garnered visits and attention from guests, media, and even Cast Members looking to splash around and relax. There were also those who wondered just how River Country worked as a cove of Bay Lake, but still managed to keep to water fresh and moving. A simple, yet inspired, solution was created to give River Country its cascading rivulets and churning pond.

State of the art pumps in the mid-1970s were ineffectual at keeping the million gallons of water in River Country from becoming stagnant, much less to get needed flow up to the top of White Water Rapids and Whoop-‘N-Holler Hollow. Engineers figured out a system that would utilize the functions of Mother Nature, i.e. gravity, and the most modern technology to make the park a reality. This great diagram from the August 20, 1976 Eyes and Ears, shows off just how the feat was accomplished.

The rubber bladder that separates the swimming area from Bay Lake is the key to the entire operation. The tube stretches across the entirety of the cove’s mouth along with its sensory device that can pump water in or drain water out as needed. The sensor fills the bladder until it is filled enough to float six inches above the surface of the lake. As water levels drop, the sensor automatically activates the drainage system will ensure that the bladder stays at the six inch mark.

As for the water movement itself, an intake pipe deep out in Bay Lake pulls in water and moves it along the lake bottom. Once inside the boundary of River Country’s cove, the pipe makes its way to the base of the waterslide hill. From here the water is pumped up to troughs at the top of the slides, which is then careens back down the hill in the flumes towards the swimming area. The churning of the water, not to mention the guests tubing, zip lining, tire swinging, and cannonballing into the main swimming area causes water to splash out of the cove, over the bladder, and back into Bay Lake. From there the process could start all over again.

With 8,500 gallons of water moving through the attractions each minute, is it any wonder that River Country had to break the mold on design and engineering to bring the old fashioned swimming hole into the 20th Century?

The Bass Never Landed

If you’ve ever ventured into the Live Oak Lodge at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, then you’ve likely wandered into Big Murggie’s Den. More often than not guests are taken in by the billiards table and may not even give a second consideration to who, or what as the case may be, Big Murggie is. A clue as to this rascal’s identity can be found right over the mantle of the den’s fireplace.

The plaque reads, “Since 1941, a channel bass ‘Big Murggie’ has fouled both rod and reel in the waters of Broad Creek. Lodgers both young and old tell a tale of the bass never landed.” It goes on to list the individuals who almost got him, the date of the incident, an estimated weight of Big Murggie at the time, and a quote from the fishermen in concentrical fish shaped rings. The four entries are:

M. Merrill (6-5-41) – 15 Oz. “Nice try”

G. Grantham (10-27-48) – 10 Lbs. (Maybe) “Slipped away…”

R. Edmunds (3-14-59) – 22 +/- Lbs. “Bent my hook!”

T. Sparks (7-11-66) – 48 Lbs.? “Broke my line!”

If the name Edmunds rings a bell, that would be because it is his family, as the story goes, that it was Royce’s family that first came to the island and wanted to create this lodge. It just so happens that Royce is also one of those dedicated to the rod and reel who would love to see Murggie up on their wall.

According to the anthology of the resort, “Big Murggie is the biggest, meanest channel bass ever to cross man’s path. Royce was just a youngster when he first laid eyes on him, and from that day on he believed that it would be his mission to reel him in. You are welcome to fish for him yourself, but by now he’s probably as big as a house. The plaque on the wall in the den of the Live Oak Lodge is all primed and ready for him; all that’s missing is Big Murggie himself.”

Considering the last sighting was in 1966 when Murggie was 48 pounds, it’d be easy to believe he’d be the size of a house by now! So if you’re out on Fishing Pole Pier, and happen to see a rather oversized channel bass swim by, know that you’re probably going to need a big fishing rod. As for me, I wouldn’t be surprised if he buried himself in the much and has sprouted one of those beautiful dunes in the marsh. And that’s precisely the type of tale they tell around Big Murggie’s Den.

Silent Saturday - Foosball (April 2010)

Archaeological Findings

Today is the 22nd birthday of the Indiana Jones Adventure – Temple of the Forbidden Eye attraction opening in Disneyland. This certificate was presented to guests during the opening on the attraction, which includes an Eye of Mara watermark just below the attraction name, as well as Maraglyphics around the border, both of which are invisible in the scan, and for that I owe you an apology. Another piece that was create at this time was the archaeological finding document from Dr. Jones himself. I thought we’d review this today, as it is filled with great information and a few tidbits you may not be aware of!

Archaeological Finding

Research: Dr. Indiana Jones

Initial Findings: I have unearthed an ancient temple. Many a soul has lost his life within the eerie corridors and caverns. Appears to be a massive shrine to the might deity Mara. Hieroglyphics along the temple corridor walls indicate that Mara can “look into your very soul” and grant the “pure of heart” one of three magical gifts – earthly riches, eternal youth, or future knowledge. Other wall carvings and unsavory finding also indicate that few have escaped the temple with Mara’s gifts. Warning indicate that no one must gaze upon the eyes of Mara.

Have witness fiery, bubbling lava pits; swarms of rodents, snakes (I hate snakes!), and wretched insects; poisonous darts; and mummies. Records indicate that those who have been tempted to look into the eyes of Mara must deal with these and other terrible fates. Findings even indicate that entire exploration parties have been eliminated by powerful, explosive beams of light that shoot directly from the eye of Mara. Have not witnessed such… yet. –Indy

Beginning of dig: August 1993

Temple unveiled: March 3, 1995

Design: Walt Disney Imagineering

Location: Deep within the Adventureland jungles

Temple cubic footage: 2,200,000 cu. ft.

Temple Chambers: Chamber of Destiny, Hall of Promise, Tunnel of Torment, Gates of Doom, Cavern of Bubbling Death, Mummy Chamber, Bug Room, Snake Temple, Rat Cave, Dart Corridor, Rolling Boulder finale

Ride track: 1,975 linear feet

Total track: 2,500 linear feet

Number of vehicles: 15 cycling + 1 spare

Vehicle Weight: Approximately 12,800 pounds

Vehicle Capacity: 12 Guests per vehicle

Maximum velocity: 20 feet per second (13.6 mph)

Ride Technology:

• Utilizes a state-of-the-art enhanced motion system developed and patented by Walt Disney Imagineering.
• Each on-bard ride control system contains a myriad of programmed cues. The adventure will never be the same twice, with nearly 160,000 possible combinations of show programming.

Trip time: 3 minutes, 20 seconds

Cycle time: 4 minutes, 30 seconds

Maximum theoretical hourly capacity: 2,400 Guests

The queue: 50 minutes of permanent queue, 1,400 linear feet

Additional Findings:

• More than 168,000 square feet of hand-carved surfaces adorn the caverns, with 55 hand-painted murals throughout.
• More than 2,000 replicated human skulls found within the temple chambers.
• Wind speed inside the Mummy Chamber rush up to 60 mph.
• The vehicle displayed in the base camp was the actual vehicle used for the chase scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
• More than 600 strobes are used to simulate lightning in the Tunnel of Torment.
• By the power of Mara’s wrath, 60 pounds of rubble can fall inside the temple every 18 seconds.
• The exterior temple structure towers four stories above the excavation site.
• The temple contain 2,129 representations of snakes.

Large Teeth and the Things They Do

When you’re venturing through the wilds of Adventureland, you can work up quite a hunger. Luckily, the skippers of the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. opened the doors to their mess hall and have prepared some of their best dishes for traveling guests. Which is ironic considering that prior to the opening of the Skipper Canteen, the skippers were best known for all things chicken. Today, we’re craking the lid of our dim sum steamer to sample the S.E.A. Shu Mai.

The S.E.A. Shu Mai dumplings are served in their steamer, and are listed as being a legendary blend of pork, shrimp, edamame beans, and spices wrapped in gyoza skin and then steamed. While not listed in the menu description, the dumplings are dusted with sesame seeds and also contain water chestnuts, fish sauce, arugula, and Sriracha. The dim sum appetizer is also served with a dipping sauce that consists of a low sodium soy sauce and sambal oelek.

Shu mai is a pretty common option at dim sum restaurants and the S.E.A. Shu Mai matched what I expected quite well. Both the textures and flavors of the pork and shrimp were spot on, with some mild heat and not too mushy. The edamame was a unique addition, as typically shu mai is prepared with mushrooms. However, if you like edamame, you’ll love this addition as it gives some new flavors and texture to the dumplings. The gyoza skin was cooked well. Meaning it wasn’t gummy, but doesn't add as much flavor to the shu mai as it retains from the filling mixture itself. The sesame seeds add a wonderful bit of coarseness to a dish that is relatively soft, as well as adding another complex flavor to the mix.

The dipping sauce was savory and spicy, and played well with all of its friends in each dumpling. My suggestion would be to nibble a hole in the side of your dumpling and then dunk it in the dipping sauce. This way you are assured of getting some of the sauce inside and mixing with the wonderful combination of pork and shrimp.

Overall, I loved the S.E.A. Shu Mai and its blend of pork, shrimp, and edamame, just as I have about every dish I’ve sampled from the Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen. If you’re lost in the jungles of Adventureland you would do well to follow your nose, and stomach growls, straight to the doorstep of the Skipper Canteen. I can promise you won’t be disappointed by the food, the jokes on the other hand…