>Who doesn’t like ice cream? I like Ice cream.

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After dinner last night, I asked John, “Tell me something you’d like people to know about in Walt Disney World.”

His Response, “There’s a mouse, some princesses, some rides.” Then Quickly- “Don’t write that.”

So, I try again, John Tell me something you’d like people to know about in Walt Disney World.Maybe an Unknown Magic in Disney World.

A blank stare. Uh. Uh. Uh. I actually don’t know. This is a tough week.

How about a favorite attraction? A favorite place to hang out? A favorite restaurant? A place you’d like me not to put my foot in your ***.

Trying to help, (I think) my wife whispers, “Ice Cream,”

John says “I like Ice Cream!” Then enthusiastically, Beaches and Cream. Again- Don’t write that.

What is Beaches and Cream John?

It is an Ice Cream Parlor, at the Beach Club, that is open to the public.

Who else would it be open to?

It is open to everyone even if you are not staying at the resort. There are some that are like that aren’t there?

No, there aren’t.

No, well, then cut that out. Strike it from the record.

Why do you like, Beaches and Cream John?

Who doesn’t like ice cream? I like Ice cream.

Do they only serve Ice Cream?

I believe they have small lunch items, I believe.

Actually Beaches and Cream is a Soda Shop type restaurant that offers sandwiches, soups salads and many ice cream treats.

What’s so great about this place?

It is hard serve, isn’t it? Yes, it is it comes out of the buckets, so it is hard serve. It is difficult to find good hard serve and they have many different flavors. It is like a 50’s styled pop-shop.

He was asking and answering his own questions throughout our interview. It was as if it was a stream of consciousness or something. I think he meant Soda Shop, which is funny, because I have never heard him say pop to mean soda.

So the inside is…

Bright and colorful, rather retro.

At this I pointed out that a 50’s soda shop would have to be retro and once again he said- cut that out; of course I didn’t cut out anything he said to.

So, you recommend sitting inside?

Usually, but is it is near the pool, so you can walk around. It gets messy.

What does?

Ice Cream, it melts.

My 15 year old honor student ladies and gentlemen, sharing with us that ice cream melts and gets messy. His mother and I are so proud.

So where do you recommend sitting?

Inside, so it doesn’t melt as fast.

Is there anything really special that they serve or have?

The Kitchen Sink.

What pray-tell is that? (he’s not the only one who can be witty)

They give you a kitchen sink, and fill it with lots and lots of ice cream, it is best shared with a group. We haven’t had one yet, but I plan on it.

Have you ever seen a Kitchen Sink?

Yes, once. They make a pretty big deal out of it when they are serving it.

So, was it Huge?



Me and My Kid!



Yes, it was a good size Kitchen Sink; you could do a few dishes in it.

At that I gave him a look and he responded with,

“Hey I’m your kid.”

Touché

So, is there anything else you want people to know about Beaches and Cream?

When the kids are upset take them there it will make things better.

His words not mine. I personally wouldn’t share that part with your kids.

Thanks John.

Sure Dad.

>Epcot Resort Area

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So, how many times have you heard someone say, or have said yourself, “I need a Vacation, because of my vacation?” That cracks me up. If you are going on Vacation and working harder than you would have at work, then you are doing something wrong in my mind. Many people find Disney Vacations especially tiring. This is because some families think they have to do everything there is to do in Disney World in one trip. I can tell you from experience, it cannot be done. But people think if they go commando*, they can make it happen. All going commando seems to do is make you grumpy and causes people to not have a Magical Experience. When my family visits Disney World, we have a philosophy of non-Commandoism. We may start at the crack of day and not end our day until late, but at some point in the middle, we will leave the parks, stop what we are doing and take a break. These breaks can be as short as a lunch break (in which case we’ll also take a dinner break) or they may be as long as a few hours and we will stop for the afternoon. We have found that this type of break, where we leave the parks behind and go

back to our resort after lunch, hang by the pool, maybe take a nap, visit another resort or even just ride the Monorail, is the perfect way for us to “Do Disney“. Our Hakuna Mawednesday articles will share with you the different places we have found to relax and maybe even recreate, while taking a break from the parks. We hope you find some places you can enjoy the next time you are in Disney World.

One of my favorite places to relax is at the Epcot Resort Area. The Epcot Resort Area is “out the backdoor” of Epcot, also known as the International Gateway. The Epcot Resorts are The Beach and Yacht Club, the Dolphin and the Swan and the Boardwalk Resorts. Each of these Resorts has some great places to relax and get away from the crowds and rushing of the parks.

There are also some recreation choices for you in the Epcot Resort area, if you are so inclined. At the Bayside Marina you can rent bicycles and boats for your personal use. They also offer fishing excursions and specialty cruises. Over on the Boardwalk you can also rent bicycles and surrey bikes for some family fun. Across the street from the Swan and Dolphin is Fantasia Gardens Mini-golf, which many people don’t know about and is a great place to get away from crowds of people.

All of the Epcot Resorts offer great places to eat and some neat shops to walk through. Of course the main area to visit, for guests who are not staying in the Epcot Resorts, is Disney’s Boardwalk. The Boardwalk itself is located behind the Boardwalk Resort. The Boardwalk is an actual boardwalk like you might find at the beach in the Mid-Atlantic States. It is fashioned after the Boardwalk in Atlantic City around the time of the turn of the 20th century. Disney’s

Boardwalk offers a variety of food choices, everything from a hot dog stand to Celebrity Chef Cat Cora’s Kouzzina (which is becoming a signature restaurant in Disney.) One of my favorite places is The Big River Grille and Brewing works. This brew pub is a nice place to get some fresh brewed beer and have a burger. (best burgers ever!) They have outdoor seating areas, which when it isn’t too hot, is a great place to sit on the Boardwalk and people watch.

The Boardwalk is also home to some very unique shops. They have a Wyland Gallery which if you have never been in one, I recommend just to see some really great pieces of artwork. The ESPN Club at the end of the Boardwalk also has their own shop called the Yard which sells ESPN merchandise. There is also an arcade in the Yard and one further down behind the Wyland Gallery that is actually part of the Boardwalk Resort.

The main reason my family enjoys going to the Epcot Resort area, to relax, isn’t the shops or the eateries (although they are all wonderful), it is the relaxing atmosphere. Taking a break from the Parks to go and hang out in the stress free environment is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon or even an evening. As places to Relax in Walt Disney World go, the Epcot Resort Area and the Boardwalk are at the top of the list for Hakuna Mawednesday!

*By going commando, I mean being a Disney Commando and rushing from one attraction to the next and then from park to park. Going from the crack of dawn, until the wee hours of the night.

>A Tale of Two Brothers

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Originally the Theme park Walt Disney planned on building in Florida was supposed to be called Disney World. But after Walt passed away in 1966, Roy Disney came out of retirement to make sure the Florida Project known as Disney World would be completed. It was Roy that said it would be called Walt Disney World, in honor of his late brother. Without Roy Disney, some people speculate that Walt Disney World would not have been completed as Walt had dreamed it. But this was the story of the Disney Brother’s lives. Roy made sure all through Walt’s life, that what he wanted to do, from making cartoons and starting a movie studio to making themes parks, he could do. While Walt was the idea man, Roy was the money man. As Walt was the dreamer, Roy was the business man. Without both of the brothers, Walt Disney World would not have been. So, Walt Disney World could be considered a testament to two brothers. And throughout the Magic Kingdom, both of the brothers are honored. I present for you today the Unknown Magic of  Recognizing the Disney Brothers.

There are two ways in which you can recognize someone in Walt Disney World. One is by erected a statue to them, this is evident in Disney Hollywood Studios, at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame Plaza. Both Roy and Walt Disney have statues of them in the Magic Kingdom. Roy’s is in the Town Square Park,

 and he is sitting with Minnie Mouse. This statue is called “Sharing the Magic”. Walt’s is in the Hub in front of Cinderella Castle. His is called the “Partners Statue”, and he is holding hands with Mickey Mouse.

Another way to honor someone in Walt Disney World is by putting their name on a second story window on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. Honoring someone in this way started in Disneyland and has been carried over to Walt Disney World. Originally to get your name on a window, you had to have been instrumental in helping to create the Magic Kingdom.

Walt Disney has two windows with his name on them in the Magic Kingdom. One is in the Walt Disney World Railroad Station, this window has Walt as the Proprietor. The other one is above the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor. This window faces Cinderella Castle, it is said he is listed here so that he always has a great view.

Roy Disney has two windows on Main Street also. One under his own name and he has another one under the pseudonym Roy Davis (this window has the name Pseudonym Real Estate Company on it). Roy Davis was a name he used when purchasing the land for Walt Disney World in the early 1960’s.

When Roy Disney Changed the name to Walt Disney World, He made sure that Walt would be honored for all time, you can read his dedication speech made on October 25, 1971 on the plaque in Town Square Park.

The plaque states:

“Walt Disney World is tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney … and to the talents, the dedication, and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney’s dream come true. 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.”

In this speech, he made sure everyone understood why the Magic Kingdom was made. But what is not known by many people is that without Roy, Walt’s Dreams never could have come true.

So, now you know, when you are in the Magic Kingdom, there are two men that are responsible for Walt Disney World, not just one. You can see the honors to them on the windows and the statues on Main Street USA, but the best way to honor them is to enjoy as many Magical Experiences as possible.

>Go to a Show

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When I was twelve, we went to Walt Disney World for the first time. We stayed in the Contemporary Resort, and we went to the Magic Kingdom. This was what there was to do in 1979. I remember renting a sprite boat, and my brother and I racing around the seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake for what I remember being a long time that afternoon. One of the nights we were there, we went to a dinner show at the Top of the World. The Top of the World was the name of the show and also the room on the 15th floor of the Contemporary Resort. It was a restaurant and showroom. The night we went, we saw Anna Maria Alberghetti. According to Wikipedia, she is an Italian-born operatic singer and actress. I remember two things from this show. One that it was a song and dance type Broadway review. I also remember that Gary Burghoff from M.A.S.H. was there. (He was also in Disney World a few years later when my family went again, but that is a different story). The Top of the World is no longer in the Contemporary. But there are many fantastic Broadway type shows in Walt Disney World. This is today’s Unknown Magic, Broadway in Disney World.

Over in Animal Kingdom, Disney Offers The Festival of the Lion King. They bill this show as “a scheduled 30-minute big-as-Broadway musical-stage show based on The Lion King movie.” This show is very neat, acrobats and singers. Dancers, and “African tribal performers” all come together to share the story of the Lion King with the audience. Animal Kingdom also offers Finding Nemo the Musical. Not only is it based on the Finding Nemo Movie, but it is a “mesmerizing 30-minute Broadway-style musical stage show”. This one has the actors portraying the characters with puppetry.

Over in Disney Hollywood Studios, the Voyage of The Little Mermaid uses Puppetry also, but they add in live action and movie clips to make this show come to life. Also for the younger crowd is Playhouse Disney—Live on Stage! This show has all the preschooler’s favorite characters from the Disney Channel Singing and Dancing in a Broadway revue type show. For your little one, this will create a Magical Experience as they will be able to sing and dance with their favorites from TV.

Also presented at the 1,500-seat Theater of the Stars along Sunset Boulevard in Disney Hollywood Studios is Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. This show is a 25 minute extravaganza that shares the story form the movie of Belle and Beast, through five songs and extravagant costumes and sets. It is a shortened Broadway Musical.

Over in the Magic Kingdom, they offer Dream-Along With Mickey. This is a musical stage show performed on the Castle Stage. This show not only features Mickey and Minnie and Cinderella, but they sing and dance and the show ends with fireworks. Yes,

Fireworks in the daytime. This is definitely Magical Experience type stuff for the kids and adults too.

So, now you know, if you want a chance at a little song and dance, Go to a Show and enjoy the Magical Experience that is Broadway at Walt Disney World.