>What’s in a Name?

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In Mount Joy Pennsylvania, there is a bar called Bube’s Brewery. Part of the Bar is called the Catacombs Restaurant. From their website they state, “A costumed guide will greet you and lead you on a tour of the brewery on your way to dinner. You will descend 43 feet into the stone-lines vaults of the Catacombs. There you will find a unique fine dining experience, with a menu that includes a variety of traditional and gourmet dishes.” I couldn’t eat there when I went. It was too dungeon-like for me. But what a great name for a restaurant that is underground. There are some awesome names that are used throughout Walt Disney World. Today I present the Unknown Magic of Great Disney World Names.

In sticking with the underground theme the first place name we have to bring up is Le Cellier, which is French for The Cellar. If you have never eaten in Le Cellier, you do seem to walk down a slope as you are entering the dining room. And with the beams above your head, you do kind of get the feeling of being in a cellar, but not that far underground.

The other great name from this same area of Epcot is “O Canada!” This is a 360 degree film that is about Canada, hosted by Canadian actor Martin Short. I think the name itself is awesome, even if it makes me dizzy every time I go in it.

One of the best new names in Walt Disney World is the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. What a great name for a “spa” for little princesses. Where else would you take a little girl to get her hair, make-up, and clothes made over so that she could become a princess? I mean when you put them together- what do you got? Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo! So the name is just Magical!

In the Magic Kingdom, one of the great pun names is The Lunching Pad, in Tomorrowland. I love a good play on words and this is fun.

One of my Favorite names in all of the Walt Disney World Resort comes from the Polynesian Resort. It is ‘Ohana, the restaurant on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. For those who don’t know, ‘Ohana means family. As one of the “cousins” is seating you in this wonderful restaurant, they explain to you that the meal will be served “family style” and that you can also have as much of anything you want. Whenever we go to Disney, we make at least one trip to ‘Ohana and we

make sure to toast our wonderful family (and our Magical Experiences) – the way you need to when you are there- by raising our glasses and saying, “To a great Vacation and ‘Ohana!”

One of the toughest names to say three times fast is Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade. And if that isn’t bad enough, they change the name of it around the Christmas Holiday to Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade! I dare you to try and say those 5 times fast. You end up sounding like you have spent a great night at Raglan Road. Another great parade name is Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Just the name of this one makes you want to dance or something. It gets you all pumped up and makes you ready for a Magical Experience.

This takes us to the great names given to the night time entertainment in the parks. Wishes, IllumiNations, SpectroMagic, Fantasmic! What great words to make you want to stay after dark and see what they are going to present. You know if the show is half as interesting or as powerful as the words are, it’s going to be a great presentation.

Two great names in one area are based on a great backstory. The story is that there was a freak snow storm in Florida, the owners quickly built a ski resort, but the snow melted just as fast as it had come, and they kept it open as a water park. The water park became known as Blizzard Beach. Which is a great name and a lot of the parks attractions and rides have names that stay with the winter theme; Mt. Gushmore, Toboggan Racers, Slush Gusher, and Ski Patrol Training Camp are just a few. The other great name form right next to Blizzard Beach is Disney’s Winter Summerland Miniature Golf Course. Winter Summerland, has two eighteen hole courses, one that is summer themed, with sand and surfing songs, and the other is winter themed with snowmen and hockey rinks and both of them feature Santa and his elves.

I think the most interesting name on the entire Disney property though is DisneyQuest. This name is great, but it doesn’t give a hint about what is inside the big greenish building that the name is written on. For those that have never been inside of it, it is a Multi-Floor Interactive Indoor Theme Park. Even that description is a little vague. What is inside this building are five floors of interactive games, video games, and virtual reality experiences. It is really something you have to experience once if you visit Walt Disney World.

So, now you know, there are some straight forward Disney names (even if they are in another language), some Magical Disney names, some names that come from a good backstory, and names that will get you all pumped for what is going to happen. But my favorites are the ones that not only create Magical Experiences, but also are family favorites.

If you are in Mount Joy area, go Check out Bube’s Brewery or online at: http://www.bubesbrewery.com/index.htm

>Where kids can be a kid

>The History of the Disney Theme Parks starts when Walt Disney would take his daughter to the carnival in town,when they were young and he would sit on a bench while they went on the carousel. The story is told that he never enjoyed this part of the trip. He enjoyed the time with his daughters, but didn’t like that they would ride and he just had to sit and watch. Disneyland came out of these thoughts of parents and kids enjoying the parks together. This is where the philosophy on the plaque from the Magic Kingdom Comes from.

May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place…

a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages

can laugh and play and learn — together.

When you visit Walt Disney World today, all of the theme parks are still kid and adult friendly. But there are Magical Experiences, besides character meals and Parades, just for the kids that are Unknown Magics.

Crafts are  the main activity in the Kidcot Fun Stops in Epcot. These learning/fun centers are aimed at pre-school children and are in every pavilion in the World Showcase. At the pavilions, the little ones will meet Cast Members from around the world and learn about their native countries. They will also draw, write, stamp and create different craft projects. If you cannot find the Kidcot Fun Stop in any of the pavilions, ask a cast member, they’ll be very helpful.
their own cupcakes, make a craft and hang out with characters from Wonderland.
Besides Kidcot Fun Stops, there are many other great activities for kids. Things like The Pirate Cruise, The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Wonderland Tea Partyand Ketchakiddee Creek,(which is a special area at Typhoon Lagoon for the little ones) are fun for the little ones also. Then there are the things that are unannounced, but just as wonderful for the kids in your family, to Experience something Magical.

Picture from http://disneyworld.disney.go.com

An Unknown Magic at almost every resort is the playground. Yes, believe it or not, they have playground equipment at the resorts. Slides, jungle gyms, and swings sets just like at the park in your home town. Some of these playgrounds are even on the beach, for your kids to enjoy the sand while playing on them.

Another Unknown Magic that is offered on the beaches and other places throughout the Resorts for the kids, are the Outdoor Movies. At Fort Wilderness Campground and Resort, the All Star Sports, Music and Movies Resorts, the Boardwalk Resort, the Beach Club Resort, the Contemporary Resort, the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Old Key West Resort, the Polynesian Resort, Saratoga Springs Resort, and the Wilderness Lodge, when the sun goes down, they blow up a giant screen, move some chairs around it and start showing Disney movies. At Fort Wilderness Campground, not only do they offer a Movie, but they also have a Campfire for songs and fun (including roasting marshmallows) hosted by Chip and Dale.

All of the Resorts also have special children’s sized pools and some offer special things that you happen upon to create a Magical Experiences. In the Saratoga Springs resort, the food court area is called the Artist’s Palette. When you are there your kids can actually take time out after eating for a Magical Experience, by drawing or painting. In the corner of the restaurant they have a tabletop easel set up. The kids are allowed, I’m sorry, actually invited to create something on this easel. We watched a few different kids doing this on our recent trip and some of them were really good, but even the ones that weren’t seemed to really enjoy themselves while they were doing it.

So, know you know, there are special activities just for the kids that can create Magical Experiences, throughout all of Walt Disney World.