The Official Unbirthday Tea

Coffee has been a rollercoaster topic for guests of Walt Disney World for years now. While the well designed coffees available for purchase have been a best buy, if only for their packaging, the cups of joe available around the resort have, for the most part, left tastebuds wanting. This, however, has never been a debate I have wandered into because, as it so happens, I am not a coffee drinker. Tea, on the other hand, is right up my alley. Recently, Wonderland Tea has been making its way home and into the tea pots of guests around the world.

I picked up a sample package during a trip to Walt Disney World earlier this year, and decided now is the best time to put together a review of the twelve teas available. To set the stage, or table as the case may be, I brewed all the teas according the hot instructions provided (see below), without additions (milk, sugar, etc.). In between each tea sampling I cleansed my palate with water.

My Way to Make Iced Tea – by The Queen of Hearts: Don’t twiddle your fingers! Prepare tea as normal, but double the amount of tea. Once it is brewed, off with the heat! Refrigerate it until cold (curtsey while you’re refrigerating, it saves time). Serve over ice, sweeten if desired, then… let me have it!

How to Make Hot Tea (a.k.a. Uncold Tea) – by The Mad Hatter: Start at the beginning (and when you come to the end… stop). Pour hot water over one tea bag in your cup and steep for 2 to 3 minutes (we recommend your clock be two days slow). Move down the table to get a clean cup.

Disney Wonderland Tea may have only been on the market for a short period of time, but the packaging claims that it was established in 1951, the year Alice in Wonderland was released. The packaging includes the name and type of the tea as well as the guidelines for preparing the teas. Let’s take a taste, shall we?

BLUEBERRY
Hue: Light
Smell: Strong – Warm blueberry syrup
Taste: The first inclination is of a thick liquid, the aftertaste is where the blueberry flavor come through.












CHAI
Hue: Medium
Smell: Medium – Warm spices, feels like the late autumn or winter
Taste: All the elements of chai are here, but the expected intensity level is lacking.












EARL GREY
Hue: Medium
Smell: Medium – Wild flowers
Taste: The scent of flowers carries over to the taste by offering a subtle rose essence.












ENGLISH BREKFAST
Hue: Dark
Smell: Mild – Earthy
Taste: The warm earth feel continues with a leafy bite.













FRENCH VANILLA
Hue: Medium
Smell: Strong – Sweetened Vanilla
Taste: A creamy texturing of vanilla that comes and goes from the time it is sipped until swallowed.












JASMINE
Unfortunately, this tea was left out of the package I received (Mango was duplicated instead). I will update this article as soon as I can obtain a Jasmine sample.


LEMON HONEY CHAMOMILE
Hue: Light
Smell: Medium – Buttercup
Taste: Naturally sweet, almost a floral bouquet, with a citrusy zest.












MAD TEA PARTY BLEND
Hue: Dark
Smell: Medium – Roasted apples and peaches
Taste: The sensation of warm homemade fruit pies tends to come in waves.












MANGO
Hue: Light
Smell: Medium – Ripe mangoes
Taste: The sweet mango smell dissipates quickly and is replaced by a bitter/sour tang.












MINT
Hue: Medium
Smell: Strong – Peppermint
Taste: The light taste of spearmint permeates and lingers in the mouth, throat, and sinus cavity.












PAPAYA PASSION FRUIT
Hue: Light
Smell: Light – No smell
Taste: A very mild infusion of tropical fruit flavors.












POMEGRANATE
Hue: Dark
Smell: Light – No smell
Taste: The bitter bite of pomegranate is slightly overwhelming to the palate.

Part of the family

When looking through old Disney publications, sometimes it’s the items that you are not looking for that intrigue you the most. That is how I found this article.

It’s not really news, but William Windsor, Jr., his wife, Marty, and their two small sons, Jay and Lee, were the first family for Walt Disney World.

As the family from nearby Lakeland stepped through the turnstiles, they were greeted by Mickey Mouse and Disney Ambassador Debby Dane.

Day One for the Windsors was full of tours, important persons, and dozens of reporters and photographers.

But, Day One was not the only big day in the Windsor’s lives. They received a lifetime Silver Pass to Walt Disney World. So we hope to see them often in the days and years to come.

From the November 1971 installment of Eyes and Ears, the brief commentary speaks about the first family that stepped through the gates of the Magic Kingdom and their place in the history of Walt Disney World. The Windsors were a perfect fit to the image Walt Disney World sought to present. Not only were they the picturesque clean cut All-American family, they were also native Floridians. I can only imagine what that day was like for the Windsors, and I hope they have taken advantage of their Silver Passes, I know I would!

For pained and broken hearts

Sitting in one place by yourself for too long can have a profound impact upon an individual. In a place such as Walt Disney World, where I spent a good portion of my youth and contemplate often as an adult, you can begin to feel the sting of aging and of what has slipped away, or perhaps what is yet to come. A little over a year ago, I sat on a bench in the Fort Wilderness Campfire Show arena well before time for the show to start. I watched children playing in the open field as I had once done, and I watched the water, the Meadow Trading Post, and the trees beyond as dusk settled over my boyhood retreat.

I haven’t changed a word of what I penned that evening (though some of the poetic waxing I wince at now) and I’m not sure how much I wrote down that night still holds true, but I think the sentiment and the conclusion I reached remain.

An Open Letter on Walt Disney World…

I remember Skyleidoscope, the dragon boats, hang gliders, and fireworks when the sun was out. There were silver space outfits and Mickey wore a rainbow on his chest. There was a time when white spires towered over Tomorrowland and the WEDway, canoes filled the waterways alongside keelboats in Frontierland, and Dick Tracy protected Disney-MGM Studios.

I remember camping under the stars, even when it was hot and wet. Fort Wilderness came complete with trails behind your campsite covered with underbrush, and the remnants of the Fort Wilderness Railroad still lied buried along the roads and woods. You could along a Cyprus boardwalk and watch a seas serpent, turtle, and octopus light up the lake. Back then, Fort Wilderness was the only place to watch movies outdoors in the evenings. Classics like Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, not Freaky Friday and High School Musical 2.

I remember when on-property meant the Contemporary, Fort Wilderness, or the Polynesian. I was born when Walt Disney World was only the Magic Kingdom.

I have suffered the losses of Horizons, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, World of Motion, Residential Street, Pirates of the Caribbean’s Armory shop, the Dreamfinder, Fantasy and Sorcery in the Sky, Discovery Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Seas, Mission to Mars, Meet the Muppets, River Country, Dreamflight, and the Skyway, to simply name a few.

In my lifetime I have seen the Transportation and Ticket Center turn from a hub of the world to an annoying pass through. I have seen buses fill the once hallowed ground occupied by watercraft and monorails.

I used to wake up to the whistle of the Walt Disney World Railroad, and I still can.

I have lost a lot, but I have kept the memories close and anticipate my new adventures every day. Like Walt Disney, I hold onto the past, my past, and keep an eye to the future.

I am as much a part of Walt Disney World, as it is a part of me, and that shall never change.

--Ryan P. Wilson
28 April 2009
Fort Wilderness Campfire Sing-A-Long

Disney This Week - 18 July 2010

AJ tromps over to my neck of the woods and puts together a review of the Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue at The Disney Food Blog. Makes me a bit homesick…

L.A. Times scribe Brady MacDonald has a scene-by-scene guide to The Little Mermaid attraction coming to Disney California Adventure. Survey says the same breakdown should suffice for the Magic Kingdom’s version as well.

Featured at Disney at Work, J. Jeff Kober has a very insightful look into what makes guest proud to be fans of Walt Disney World.

Jackie Ogden shares with us a few new arrivals to the warthog and scimitar-horned oryx families at Disney's Animal Kingdom on the Disney Parks Blog.

This week at Imaginerding, one of my favorite oft-tread upon but seldom investigated areas of Walt Disney World, the Walk Around the World, was covered by George Taylor.

History and horticulture intersect on Sunset Boulevard, as explained by Matt Hochberg at Studios Central when he tell us why the Victory Garden is there.

The Imagineer I’d most like to interview, but probably couldn’t get one question out of my mouth for, is George McGinnis. This week he shares a great piece from the relaunch of Disneyland’s Space Mountain with Michael Crawford and Progress City U.S.A.

Mouse literature

Minnie Mouse is an avid reader and writer, not to mention cook, artist, gardener, and historian. Found throughout her house are pun-filled tomes that reference other established literary works (Good Mousekeeping Cookbook, On Men and Mice), television programs (The Wonder Ears), and a single book that could actually be bought in Walt Disney World at one time (Cooking With Mickey Around Our World). Sadly, however, most of these works are shelved and unable to be perused, but there are a pair of texts that offer valuable insight into the world of Minnie Mouse and the toon community as a whole, Famous Mice In History by Minnie Mouse and Clarabelle’s (Clarabelle Cow) Big Book of Pun Plants. From the pages that guests are able to catch a glimpse of, here is what we know about mice and dandylions.

Famous Mice In History by Minnie Mouse (pgs 233 and 234)

Confusedus – 551 B.C. Though somewhat less wide than the famous Confucius, Cofusedus has given us these pearls of wisdom: “A cheese in the hand is worth two in the fridge.” “A foolish mouse and his cheese are soon parted, unless he eats it first.” “You can lead a gift cheese to water, but you can’t look in its mouth… Or something like that. I forget.”

Mousocrates – 415 B.C. This great Greek philosopher lectured endlessly to his students on the essence of truth, beauty and cheese. “In ignorance of cheese lies the beginning of cheese wisdom.” His famous pupil, Pluto, (who was known as the teacher’s pet), wrote the book which immortalized Mousocrates: Dialogues about Cheese.

Attila the Mouse – 459 B.C. Attila was the King of a vast army of mice which swept out of the East, and into Rome. They did not pillage or destroy however. They merely came to taste the local cheeses, and finding them rather bland, they left.

Minniepatra – 40 B.C. The legendary romance between this Queen of Egypt and the Roman general Mick Antony was doomed to end in tragedy. But instead, they lived a long and happy life together, thwarting the gloomy expectations of romantics everywhere. Well, I guess they were in de-Nile.

Kublaimouse Khan – 1167 Mouso Polo, the Venetian explorer, immortalized Kublaimouse Khan in memoirs after returning from China with a food which is now believed to have been invented by the great Khan: String Cheese.

Leonardo da Moussi – 1530 This famous artist (who painted the Mona Cheesa) was also a visionary inventor. His voluminous sketch books depict numerous objects and ideas which would not become reality for three centuries! Among these, the cheese grater, microwavable cheese pizza, and the process for moulding [sic] cheese into the shapes of famous landmarks.

Mousileo Mouselei – 1564 Before Mousileo, many scholars believed that the moon was made from cheese. Mousileo turned the scientific world upside down when his astronomical observations led him to report that was in fact made from a processed cheese substitute!

William Mousepeare – 1564 The author of many famous plays: A Midsummers Night Cream Cheese, The Cheese Merchant of Venice, Julius Cheeser, Taming of the Cheese, and Moazzarella About Nothing. Some famous Mousepeare quotes: “A cheese by any other name would still smell as sharp.” “Out, out, dang cheese!” “Shall I compare thee to a wheel of cheese?” “Neither a lender of cheese nor a borrower be.” “To be a cheese on not to be.”

Charles Darmouse – 1823 The controversial scientist and author of Origin of the Cheeses, defied world opinion when he announced his reasoned belief that all modern cheeses are ‘evolved’ from earlier, more primitive cheeseforms. (Exactly how a cheese evolves he could not account for.)

Mary Moushelley – 1828 The author of one of the most famous and frightening books in all of Mouse literature, Frakenmouse, which tells the story of a mad scientist who defies nature and creates a new form of cheese by melting together a Chedder and a Swiss, only to find it far too sharp for his tastes. Pretty scary stuff for mice!

Thomas Cheddarson – 1847 The famous American inventor who brought to the world of Mice such useful items as the cheese grater, microwavable cheese pizza, and the process for moulding [sic] cheese into the shapes of famous landmarks.

Albert Einmoustein – 1921 This white eared mouse gained fame worldwide when he proposed the Theory of Cheesitivity, which states that C = MCheese2. In laymouse’s terms, this means that a cheese traveling at the speed of light would, within a specific mathematical probability, get all squished out of shape, but would taste just fine, and would probably be easier to spread on a cracker.


Clarabelle’s Big Book of Pun Plants (pgs 233 and 234)

Blue Bell (Dingus Dongus) I like the name ‘Bluebell’, it has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? This plant is a real hum dinger. It is related to the Bell Pepper Plant, and blooms in January to ring in the new year! Water sparingly, it tends to rust.

Buttercup (Oleo Innacuppa) This inexplicable plant makes a great gift. When you’re trying to butter somebody up, it really help you get a handle on the situation. Pour hot water and place a tea bag in the bloom every afternoon at 4:00.

Dandylion (Funnius Felineum) This purrfect plant enjoys just lolling in the sun all day. But be warned, it is not compatible with plants of the Canineum species, such as the Collie Flower. Prefers growing in the den. Be sure to rub its belly often.

Daisy (Donaldus Girlfriendium) The adorable blooms of the Daisy are recognized all over the world. This plant looks heavy, but is actually light as a feather. Allow it to float in a pond once a day.

Potted Palm (Handova Fistus) This four fingered species inspires applause world wide. This author definitely gives it a thumbs up. I really think everyone should give it a hand! Water weekly, but try to resist the urge to give the delicate fronds a handshake.

Sunflower (Toohottus Totouchus) This hot little number can brighten up any room, but don’t look directly at it without sunglasses. Water sparingly, and when you do, watch out for the steam! And please, keep it away from any open flame, you don’t want to get a sunburn!

Tiger Lily (Ferocious Felineum) This aggressive plant should be kept away from delicate plants such as Gazelleums. This is a very expensive plant, and can really take a bite out of your pocketbook! Water daily, and feed generously, but wear gloves when handling.

Twolips (Kissus Andtellium) This rare species seems to resemble something… But I can’t remember what. Darn it, it’s right on the tip of my tongue! Well, in any case, this charming plant really speaks for itself. Water weekly, with a straw, and apply lip balm generously.

Fossilene

Being a writer, I have a thing for witty wordplay, a fascinating facet of the storytelling that can be found throughout Walt Disney World. One of the best places to find these talented turn of phrases is Dinoland U.S.A. From scientific slang to amusing ads, the wording of everything in Dinoland U.S.A. clearing comes from an unabashed assemblage of people that love to have fun with words. A prime example of these wily words can be found in the titles of the games of Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama.

With names like Mammoth Marathon, Fossil Fueler, Comet Crashers, Bronto Score, Whac-A- Packycephalosaur, and Dino-Whamma, the games are as fun to say as they are to play! (Not to mention take pictures of...) In this same vane, I would be remiss if I did not mention the names of the fuels used in Fossil Fuelers, they are: Extincto, Gasodon, Jurgassic, Rocktane, Pteroil, Supremadon, and Fossilene.

A real hot act

Aside from burgers, hot dogs, and chicken, sometimes it is awfully hard to find meals at home that are similar to dishes found around Walt Disney World, or vice versa. So, imagine my surprise when I ventured into Sunshine Seasons and found Spicy Cashew Chicken, a companion to one of my local Thai favorites, Chicken in Cashew Sauce. I thought to spice things up today I’d see how the dishes stack up against one another.The local cashew cuisine comes from a restaurant called Thai Citrus (coincidentally, if you are in the WNC/Asheville area I think Thai Citrus has the best Thai fare in the area) and is served a heaping helping of rice. The chicken itself is a jumble of chicken, cashews, fresh vegetables, and peppers. The heat level here isn’t enough to make my nose run, but the spice combination definitely puts me into a sweat.

Sunshine Seasons version of the cashew dish comes with a choice of two sides. The four options are garlic Udon noodles, stir fry vegetables, rice, or broccoli. On the day I tried the Spicy Cashew Chicken, I opted for the noodles and broccoli, although the combination of rice and stir fry vegetables probably would have made for a better comparison. The spice factor here is not extremely high, but the elements to kick up the heat definitely exist.So, where do these two Thai terrors intersect, and where do they diverge? Well, the vegetables and broccoli found in the Sunshine Seasons version are not mixed in with the sauce, and are not permeated with the same flavors as the dish found around the corner. The noodles themselves are utilitarian, the same as the rice at Thai Citrus. The portion sizes, however, are very similar and, even though they are cut up into different sizes, the amount of chicken in both meals is comparable. The cashews at Thai Citrus seem to have more of a crunch to them, while Sunshine Seasons tend to be a bit more on the chewy side. It should be noted that both meals are made to order.

Overall, both meals provide precisely what I expect. Thai Citrus offers up family recipes that have been handed down and serves up a winner in a highly competitive market. The Spicy Cashew Chicken at Sunshine Seasons is prepared continuously throughout the day for a massive throng of guests, time is of the essence, and a sweat-inducing level of heat could very well turn families off to the eatery. No matter where I find the dish, Cashew Chicken is well worth the time it takes to consume this flavorful fare.

Some Assembly Required

Sometimes, a photograph comes along that really needs very few words. Today’s glimpse into the World of Yesterday is one such photograph.

Fondly remembered in the circles of Disney enthusiasts, this photograph was taken during the construction of EPCOT Center, and shows piles of materials for the Italy Pavilion of World Showcase. In the background the progress on the United Kingdom, Canada, Land, and Imagination pavilions can be seen. The focus point of the photograph, however, is the brilliantly quipped banner erected in the foreground.

That river town

Over the past several years, the face of the Magic Kingdom has slowly been changing. First came the inclusion of Captain Jack Sparrow as the unofficial mascot of Adventureland with the invasion of the movie pirates and the transformation of the old Armory to The Pirate’s League. In Liberty Square the Haunted Mansion added more ghoulish games and a complete readdressing of the Hall of Presidents. Across the park, monsters from Monstropolis moved in and the Space Mountain’s rocket to the stars were given a fresh cosmos to wander in Tomorrowland. Currently, an expansion of Fantasyland will not only add new attractions and interactions, but will dramatically shift the story of Fantasyland as well as incur on Mickey’s Toontown Fair. The real question here is, when is it Frontierland’s turn?The last major expansion in Frontierland was the addition of Splash Mountain in 1992, almost twenty years ago. The other major attractions in the area opened long before then, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (1980), Tom Sawyer Island (1973), and Country Bear Jamboree (1971). The rustic landscape and vegetation growth that have continue to grow roots since the park’s opening have only added to the bordertown feel of the area, but Frontierland is due for a fresh coat of dust and grime. Here are a couple of ideas:

While the Liberty Belle technically calls Liberty Square home port, the majority of the Rivers of America has a distinctly Frontierland feel. The recent Rivers refurbishment at Disneyland cleaned up some critters, added some new sight-gags, and plussed the entire experience, including the addition of some of Frontierland’s most famous residents, or at least their voices. Adding a few more scenes, cleaning up the ones already available, and injecting a few characters would work well for Frontierland’s Rivers of America, as well.

A couple of months ago, I put forth the notion that Zorro could find a home in Frontierland, or at least on the border of Frontierland and Adventureland. I still hold firm to the thought that an interactive character experience with Zorro or hacienda dining establishment could work on this lonely stretch of dusty trail.

Lastly, the area could do with a whole new attraction. It has often been talked about, much dream about, and most certainly lamented over, but the absence of Western River Expedition in Frontierland is nonetheless a tragedy. The boat ride through the old west, which would have included rain dances, banditos, and unruly saloon patrons was eventually shelved in order to acquiesce to guests’ call for a Walt Disney World Pirates of the Caribbean. Delving into the history and details of the attraction is best left for its own article, however, I highly recommend the article on the Western River Expedition by Jeff Heimbuch in Issue 8 of Celebrations. It is sufficient to say that boat ride reminiscent of both Pirates of the Caribbean and Disneyland Paris’ Phantom Manor would be a crowd pleaser in Frontierland.

I was a boy of two minds as a child, I had one foot in the past and one foot in the future. Both were idealized pictures of what these times were, or would be, like, but if I had one attraction to visit it was Frontierland’s runaway mine train, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The heart of Frontierland is dirty, adventurous, untamed, free, and just a tiny bit uncouth, everything a young cowpoke could ask for. The current ailment of Frontierland, however, is that every heart needs fresh blood to keep it beating, and Frontierland could most certainly use a dose of some new, or old as the case may be.

Disney This Week - 11 July 2010

Fiona Doyle takes readers of DF’82 to Pinocchio’s La Bottega di Gepetto, where some familiar wooden figurines can be found.

The connection between Sleepy Hollow Refreshments and Washington Irving’s Sunnyside residence is related at the Disney Parks Blog by Gene Duncan.

Shawn Slater continues to impress with his attention to detail, this week at DisneyShawn he pokes around the Typhoon Boatworks.

Andy Jackson, and his trio of lovely ladies, take The Wave and Studios Catering Co. by storm over at Eating (and Drinking) Around WDW.

The Captain of Imaginerding, Geroge Taylor, exposes what may very well be the first advertisement for Captain EO.

Kevin Kidney unveils a paper mural the likes of which I have never seen, the Disneyland paper mural arrives just in time for the park’s 55th anniversary.

Sam Gennawey begins a new series at SamLand’s Disney Adventures as he explores the Reedy Creek Improvement District Comprehensive Plan.

Always a stickler for details, AJ peaks at the popcorn personalities of Disneyland on The Disney Food Blog.

Over at Studios Central, Matt Hochberg explains why the Banana Co. has no bananas.

46' Lugger

Boatwright’s Dining Hall opened with the resort known as Dixie Landings in February of 1992. Dixie Landings would, of course, go on to be rebranded as Port Orleans: Riverside, the sister resort to Port Orleans: French Quarter. The restaurant itself, with its roots stretching deep into the workman mentality of the south, is situated between the main entrance of the resort and the more laid back establishment known as Riverside Mill Food Court. Inside Boatwright’s guest clean their faces with shop rags and use their toolboxes to store their indispensible implements, salt and pepper. However, the real attraction grabber of this dining hall is the large ship under construction above guests heads.The construction project in question is a 46’Lugger, and was commissioned to be built, at least to a degree by the Brewers Dauntless Ship Yard. The minds behind Boatwright’s Dining Hall wished for the rustic boat shop to be covered in historical tools of the trade from corner to corner, but no shop would feel true to form without a project in the works. With the ’46 Lugger on their minds, Imagineers acquired detailed drawings of the ship and had the craftspeople of the ship yard apply their expertise to the vessel. When finished, the staff of Brewers Dauntless Ship Yard were confounded, as it has been described, they “had completed a boat before it was finished.” The unfinished finished ship was raised into the rafters for all guests to enjoy the workmanship, and there it has stay, a perpetual work in progress, since 1992. Let’s hope this ship never sets sail.

Convenient daily departures to the exotic Moon of Endor

Being a child of the 80s, I grew up with dreams of X-Wings and lightsaber duels, dreams that not only invaded my sleep, but also permeated my fantasy driven playtime. So, it should come as no surprise that I had to find a way to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then Disney-MGM Studios) once Star Tours began nonstop flights from the park to Endor.

It was with total awe that I rounded the corner and came face-to-face, well face-to-foot, with an AT-AT Walker. The first few years of the mishap-filled journeys to Endor were the same as that first trip, I begged to sit in the front row, positioned myself within my group to be as close to the center as I could, and then using my armrests to pilot the Starspeeder 3000 through the hangar, comets, and Battle of the Death Star. One of the lingering images of that first trip, however, and a detail that still holds weight with me today, was the travel posters in the hallway after the flight had ended.Found in the corridor leading towards the Droid and Baggage Claim area (which I always seem to bypass somehow and end up in Tatooine Traders), these posters feature postcard like images of Endor, Hoth, and Bespin. While I don’t know what the fate of these posters will be when Star Tours begins new flights next year, I can say they will always have a place in my own personal history, a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

WDFM - August Schedule

The August schedule for the Walt Disney Family Museum has been released and includes John Canemaker and several sessions dealing with, and inspired by, a classic live action picture. Let’s take a closer look!

AUGUST 2010 EVENTS CALENDAR

Film

Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
1:00pm and 4:00pm, Theater
(except Tuesdays and August 13, 14, and 21.)
Tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org
A family … a shipwreck … a deserted island … What should they do to survive? Build a home (in a tree), protect themselves (from pirates, of course), and fall in love! Live on an uninhabited island doesn’t sound so bad after all.


Lecture

August 13 + 14 – John Canemaker Presents Two Guys Named Joe
6:30pm, Theater (August 13); 3:00pm, Theater (August 14)
Tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org
Academy Award-winning animator and renowned animation historian/author John Canemaker presents an illustrated lecture on Joe Grant (1908-2005) and Joe Ranft (1960-2005), two unique and important creative influences on the art of storytelling at the Walt Disney and Pixar studios. Join us for a book signing following each discussion.

August 21 – Inside the Tree House with Swiss Family Robinson Actor Tommy Kirk
3:00pm, Theater
Tickets available online at www.waltdisney.org
An adventure of a lifetime! Learn what it was like to salvage food, live in a tree, build new inventions, and explore the island. This presentation will give you an inside look at what it was like to work with Walt and be a member of the Swiss Family Robinson cast.


Public Programming

DISNEY DISCOVERIES: Second Saturday of each month
August 14 – Disney Discoveries! Survival Crafts and Survival Rafts
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Learning Center Art Studio

In honor of the film of the month, Swiss Family Robinson, create your own survival gear. Using a variety of materials, you will make a basket for picking fruit or a miniature raft that you can use to sail away on.

Imaginations and creativity will soar with our new Disney Discoveries! The second Saturday of each month, join us for family fun and activities in the Learning Center. The activities planned by our education staff will inspire the hidden artist in young visitors while learning about the life and work of Walt Disney.

The Disney Discoveries! Activities are free with paid admission to the Museum. No ticket is needed for members—just show your membership card.

LOOK CLOSER
August 27, 28 + 29 – Look Closer: Swiss Family Robinson Original Lobby Card
11:00 am and 3:00 pm, Theater Lobby

Would you like to know more about one of the artifacts in the galleries? Our Look Closer series will give you that opportunity—staff will reveal little known facts, behind the scenes information, or just additional information during the 5 to 8-minute gallery talk.

The Look Closer series is free with paid admission to the Museum. Members are always free and no ticket is needed. Just show your membership card.

Quality beverages

I should start off by saying that I am not a big imbiber. I will, on occasion, have a glass of wine with my dinner, or a drink while sitting on my porch and watching the sunset. More often than not, however, I am happier with a glass of lemonade or a hot cup of tea. That said, there is a cocktail found in Disney’s Animal Kingdom that tends to divert me off of my quest to reach to Forbidden Mountain with startling regularity.Found at Yak and Yeti Quality Beverages, around the corner from, and in the seating area for, Yak and Yeti Local Foods, the Yak Attack is a frozen concoction sure to make your time in Disney’s Animal Kingdom cooler and more enjoyable. The bright orange and red swirling drink combines mango daiquiri, Bacardi Light Rum, and wildberry flavors, which is then topped off with a cherry. A fairly strong drink, the Yak Attack does not taste it, but instead allows tang of the mango to carry the beverage, with the syrupy sweet wildberries sneaking in intermittingly. There is also something to be said for the texture of the paper straws used in Disney’s Animal Kingdom (which should be used all across Walt Disney World, but that is a story for another day), which only adds to the Yak Attack experience.

With so many of the beverage menus across property moving towards a single set of drink options, the individuality found at Yak and Yeti Quality Beverages is as refreshing as their cocktails. The menu plays well into the Asian flair and mysterious feel of Anandapur and Serka Zong with specialties named Shanghai Express, Bonsai Blast, and Everest Avalanche that incorporate a wide variety of flavors and ingredients. While each of the beverages here are unique in their own right, the Yak Attack stands yeti feet above the rest of the options.

The whole story of America

Last year on Independence Day, we took a momentary pause to watch the procession known as America on Parade, the flotilla created to share the history of America during the Bicentennial. While the fireworks of the Fourth may have lit the night sky with their last burst, and the leftover potato salad has been devoured, there is still time to feel patriotic and to once again find a spot on Main Street to watch America on Parade, this time with a duck as our guide.

In 1975, Disney released the Little Golden Book, Walt Disney’s Donald Duck in America on Parade. The book follows Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie as they take in a viewing of America on Parade. Afterwards, it is time for the ducklings to do their homework, but Huey is too tired to do complete the task, and soon falls fast asleep. In his dream, his brothers and Donald find their way into major American history milestones, the same milestones marked in America on Parade. Along the way, Donald continually mismanages his tasks, from cooking for a captain, letting fires go out, and not helping with the harvest. In one of the final scenes, Donald forgets his American history, leaving Huey to quip, “Even if he didn’t study, he did see the Walt Disney World parade,” at which point an exhausted Huey wakes up and decides to finish his homework.
The similarity in the events of the story and the movements of parade are not the only connections between the Little Golden Book and America on Parade. The procession is populated by eight foot tall, larger than life characters created specifically for the parade that were known as the People of America. In the Donald Duck tale, the scale of the surrounding historical cast appears to have been brought down to size, while the look and feel of the players, right down to the clothing selection, seems like a dead-on match to the People of America.

While the parade itself is shown in the opening pages of Donald Duck in America on Parade, there are still other references to the parks throughout the book. For instance, after the parade has ended, the gaggle of Donald and his nephews are walking to their car with a monorail sliding by above them. In one portion of Huey’s historical dream sequence, the boys are traveling along the Mississippi River on a raft, with an island in the background, a steamboat is coming around the bend, and Donald is described as piloting a keel boat. While this entire scene takes place in the past, the illustration is straight from the Rivers of America.
In 1975, with the Bicentennial just a year away, American citizens had red, white, and blue coming out of every pore in their bodies. Donald Duck in American on Parade was a simply and effective way to not only include children in the celebration, but to educate them in their country’s history as well. Additionally, the book would have been a great way to remember, or prepare for, a trip to Walt Disney World, or to allow children to feel like they had been a part of the parade, even if their family hadn’t been able to make it to Florida. While a lot has happened in the past thirty-five years, the history presented within Donald Duck in America on Parade holds up, and could be used with little ones today, if you are lucky enough to find a copy of this Little Golden Book in a used bookstore or online.

No privacy at all

Walt Disney World never misses the chance to add a minute detail to enhance a given attraction, environment, restaurant, or restroom. While restrooms may seem like an area that could be left bland, including them as part of a given theme only enhances the stories being told throughout the parks and resorts. With so much variety to choose from, the Gazette Roundtable chose to pick up this topic and run with it.

Credit for the idea for this session goes to George Taylor of Imaginerding who wanted to see something relating to restrooms. If you have an idea for a roundtable topic, by all means, send it our way, we’d love to discuss your burning questions!

Roundtable Topic: What is your favorite thing about the restrooms at, or where is your favorite restroom in, Walt Disney World?
Roundtable Guests: Eric Hoffman (Netmongrel), Fiona Doyle (DF’82), Elizabeth Caran (Take the Monorail), and myself.

Fiona – For those of you who know me, you will know how much I love the hidden treasures at the Disney theme parks - and the restrooms are no exception. The fact that Disney even thought to 'theme' their bathrooms is just fantastic! To not only think about the outsides of the restrooms, but to also think about the smallest detail inside, well, that's impressive.

I think my favourite bathrooms in the Walt Disney World Resort are those infamous ones in Fantasyland - the ones that say 'Prince' and 'Princess'. Although not the most imaginative bathrooms inside, the outside signage is what makes them my favourite. For as long as I can remember, just entering under 'Princess' is enough to make anyone's day (or 'Prince' if you are not a girl!). It is such a simple idea, but I'm sure it's one that brings a smile to many faces, young and old.

And one of my other 'favourite' locations of restrooms are those situated in Fantasyland, at Columbia Harbor House. This is another fantastic detail from the Imagineers, by keeping Liberty Square true to its heritage and not having any restrooms in this land, they place the bathrooms in the restaurant so far back that they are technically in Fantasyland. Fantastic!

An honorable mention should also go to the restrooms - or toilets, as we call them - in the United Kingdom pavilion, as they are the choice of celebrities! Well, Donny Osmond anyway.

Eric – My favorite bathroom (I have so many favorites my wife terms the bathroom my favorite ride at WDW) is the one behind Pete's Garage in Toontown. The simple reason for this is how the Imagineers added a little comic relief to the themeing of this building by having the rest room keys "accidentally" dropped into the gas pump out front. In reality the entire bathroom building is themed so well looking like a cartoon version of an old gas station you might find on a trip out west on Route 66. Classic Disney plussing.

Elizabeth – As odd at is seems, I determine my favorite restrooms not so much for ambiance, but practicality and cleanliness. I seem to always gravitate toward the restrooms at the American Adventure in Epcot. I can't speak for the men's rooms, but the ladies' side has plenty of stalls so that I have never had to wait in a line there. The room is large and long and roomy as well, which sometimes doesn't seem to be the case around Epcot.

Ryan – The list of my favorite restrooms, and things I find intriguing and entertaining about the restrooms, of Walt Disney World could go on and on and on. From the character inclusion audio in Adventureland to the various figure silhouettes used for the restroom signs, the details add so much to the story of an area. As for the restrooms themselves, I have always been fond of the plain square facilities of Future World East, no matter how crowded they are, Fort Langhorn offers an off the beaten path bathroom, and the garage restrooms near Lights, Motors, Action! are always deserted, provided a show hasn’t just let out. However, to find my favorite facilities, you have to venture over to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

While Camp Minnie-Mickey has no real draw for adults, outside of Festival of the Lion King, it does offer some of the most detailed restrooms this side of Asia. The bathroom features wooden light fixtures, a camp heater, gorgeously crafted mirrors, and a mesmerizing tile pattern. While the lavatory may be overrun by small children at times, it can very quiet after the Festival of the Lion King has finished its performances for the day, and the camp characters have headed for their bunks. While this usually means there is no real reason to be in Camp Minnie-Mickey, trekking back in this direction offers a unique perspective on this out of the way land, without the tripping hazards of children and strollers.

Disney This Week - 4 July 2010

We’ve all been pinching pennies the past couple of years, and Jason Garcia of The Daily Disney shows us how Disney has saved money with some costuming conformity.

Dear George Savvas, is there any chance you could wrangle me a print of the Coffee With Walt photograph you featured this week at the Disney Parks Blog?

Staying at Disneyland for a moment, Dave showcases Guy Williams’ appearances at Disneyland as Zorro over at Daveland.

Only our good friend AJ could have found the brilliant Tigger vs. Tiger debate located on The Disney Food Blog.

John Frost made a lot of Tron fans very happy, and then very sad, with The Disney Blog revelation that five street legal Lightcycles have been produced, but at a cost of $35,000 each.

Zanna DiMarzio probably shouldn’t let me anywhere near the collection of Walt Disney World matchbooks she shared on Zannaland this week, some might go missing…

Toad Hall has a special place in the hearts of Disney enthusiasts, and Princess Fee explores the artwork Disneyland Paris restaurant in two parts at DF’82. Check out Part I and Part II.

Typhoon Lagoon has a very storied history, including the relatively recent addition of its spokesgator, Lagoona Gator. Shawn Slater relates the tail tale over at DisneyShawn.

In honor of the 4th of July, D23 unleashed Jim Fanning on the wonderful anecdotes of Johnny Tremain.

It is the hope of the entire Main Street Gazette family that each of you has a safe and festive Fourth of July!

Wander back

An innocuous sidewalk stamp on Sunset Boulevard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios is tread upon more often than it is noticed. While it may seem like a minute detail, this small stamp says as much about the era as the architecture of the Hollywood Tower Hotel and offers a narrative about the Disney story that can scarcely be offered this side of One Man’s Dream.

Starting with the stamp itself, contractors used these stamps from the 1900s through the 1970s. Harkening back to the spirit of taking pride in one’s work, the stamps allowed contractors to showcase their craftwork. From a historical perspective, the contractor stamps allowed the monitoring of urban sprawl and development, as well as marking the dates of specific construction projects.

This particular contractor stamp found on Sunset Boulevard has two intriguing elements that tie into a singular event, the date of 1928 and the name Mortimer. It was in the year 1928 that Walt Disney lost his control of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and, on the train ride home, created the single most recognizable cartoon character in the world, Mickey Mouse. It is said that, during the trip home, he discussed the character with his wife, Lillian, and gave the little guy the name Mortimer. The name had no appeal to Lillian and she thought Mickey sounded better, and so the mouse was monikered.

It is worth noting, however, that Mortimer Mouse did turn up in 1936 as the title rogue in the short, Mickey’s Rival. The wisecracking schemer in pursuit of Minnie’s affection has since appeared in a variety of modern shorts, including a recurring appearance on House of Mouse. It goes without saying that Minnie’s heart belongs solely to Mickey, but that the clever reemergence of the name Mortimer in 1936 as Mickey’s Rival is a nod to the rivalry the two names once shared for the same animated mouse.

The next time you are wandering down Sunset, take a few moments to think about the craftsmanship presented in the bland contractor stamps, and all the history portrayed in that one little patch of sidewalk. Then stop to ponder what other treasures are hidden in plain sight all throughout Walt Disney World.

60% cocoa

Ghirardelli produces a vast array of chocolate products, but their squares are truly a signature item. Readily available in more than a dozen flavors, the chocolate squares are crafted with intense flavors and slow melting chocolate, the perfect combination for a momentary escape (which is why when I bring chocolate to the preschool teachers I work with, it is generally always the Ghirardelli squares).

Another great way to take a momentary escape is to pick up some chocolate, a beverage, or sundae at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop at Downtown Disney: Marketplace. When I lived in Florida, I would drive to Downtown Disney early in the morning, pick up a hot cocoa at Ghirardelli, and sit down at the water’s edge watching the world wander by. One of the unique touches of this chocolate haven is the fact that the tables outside are modeled after the Ghirardelli squares. While there are only four available to choose from (Milk Chocolate, Milk Chocolate with Caramel, Dark Chocolate with White Mint, and Dark Chocolate 60% Cocoa), this detail completes the chocolatization of this corner of Downtown Disney.