>“What’s Your Problem?” *

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One of the Reasons I started this blog, was because I get excited about the little details in Walt Disney World, The Unknown Magics that you find when you aren’t looking, but just taking your time and relaxing at the Happiest Place on Earth. They can be at the Resorts, at the Parks, or when traveling around Walt Disney World. Some of our families most Magical Experiences are things we happened upon. As I have stated over and over, we are not Disney Commandos. We take our time, we stroll, we relax, and we take breaks. That isn’t to say we don’t do the extra morning hours, or haven’t been at a rope drop, we do, those things. And actually that is how we found today’s Unknown Magic.

We did an Extra Morning Hour at Disney Hollywood Studios, when we were there last summer. It was nice as usual to get into the park before the crowds, and we made our way to Toy Story Mania. We got a FastPass (because the day before FastPass was empty for the attraction by 10:15 am), we figured we’d go on it when we were there and then go back later. So, we took our ride then had 2 hours to do something with before our FastPass time. We decided to stroll through the shops on

Hollywood Boulevard. After shopping for a while, we decided to head to over to Epcot. For those of you that don’t know, From Disney Hollywood Studios, you can get to Epcot by getting on one of the boats called Friendship Launches that are stationed on Crescent Lake.

When we got to Epcot, Future World was open, so we went there. We decided to go into Innovations West, which we don’t always do and probably haven’t done in about three years. We walked through looking at different presentations and games and then

happened upon, Slap Stick Studios, presented by the Velcro Company. The show they present here is called “What’s Your Problem?” it’s billed as an Interactive Game Show. This peaked our interest, so in we went, (mainly because they were letting people into the show as we walked up). I am so, glad we went in. This Show gave us a Magical Experience that we still are talking about. So today, I present to you The Unknown Magic of “What’s Your Problem?”

When you first enter the “studio” there is a small stage to your left and bench seating to the right. When we went there may have been 20 people watching this show, but that would be a kind estimate. There are two hosts for the show, the one let’s you into the studio and then the other joins him on stage. They started the show by talking to the audience (since we are the kind of people to talk back, they liked us, right from the beginning). They start off by giving you a history of hook and loop fasteners, what we commonly refer to as Velcro. They do let you know repeatedly throughout the show that what you call Velcro is actually hook and loop fasteners, not Velcro, as Velcro is the name of the Company. They also tell you that the name Velcro comes from the French Words, “velour” and “crochet”, put together to become Velcro.

Then they start the Game show. At our show, they called three kids up first to play. Then they had the kids get their parents up to help them. The game they played was about traveling by plane to Florida and not taking a second bag, because they charge for them. It was funny to see the kids pack all their things, with the help of hook and loop fasteners, on their parents.

The next game that was played, I was called up onto stage. They had me and another gentleman come up and put on aprons that had the loop part of hook and loop on it. Then they rolled out a cart of baby dolls. Our job was to diaper the baby dolls using diapers with the hook side of the hook and loop and then stick the babies to our aprons. We were given 60 second I think, it was hysterical. The diapering part wasn’t bad, but the babies wouldn’t stick to my apron. I think I lost 4 to the floor. My wife and son laughed the entire time as they enjoyed our Magical Experience.

The show ended soon after and the as the crowd dispersed we talked a little to the hosts. They made the show fun, and even if I wasn’t on stage I know we would have enjoyed it.

So, now you know, take the time to stop in Innovations West and find the Unknown Magic of “What’s Your Problem?”

To see more about this neat show you can go to: http://www.slapstickstudios.com/

* I loved this attraction and was discussing it over the weekend with someone. I decided to repost this article since few people know about this Unknown Magical Attraction. This article originally appeared as I was Loopy.

>Going Downtown

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The week has been long. Exciting, fun, adventurous and memorable, but long. You feel as if you haven’t slept in days, although you know as soon as you get to your room, the kids are asleep and you aren’t far behind to the Land of Nod. So, you decide instead of going Commando* today through another park, you will take a break and slow the pace down. You will enjoy what I call a Hakuna Mawednesday activity. But What Unknown

Magical thing will you do in Disney World today? Go to the beach? (Yes, there are beaches in Disney) A water park? Hang out at the Resort? How about a shopping excursion? That’s the one; a Shopping excursion. Did you know that the Walt Disney World Resort has its own shopping complex that is a short bus ride away from any of the resorts? From a few you can even take a boat to get there. This area is called Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney is divided into three different areas; The West Side, Hyperion Wharf and the Market Place. They all have shops and restaurants and are connected by a walkway, but they each have their own neat characteristics. At the time of this writing, Hyperion Wharf is just being built. It used to be Pleasure Island an adult night club area.

In the old Pleasure Island, they had different themed clubs that you could go to. The one that will probably be missed the most is the Adventurer’s Club, which my friend Wally over at Disney Dispatch has written about.

 The West Side of Downtown Disney is the side I consider the nightlife side. Here you will find Bongos Cuban Café, which is owned by none other than Gloria Estefan, The House of Blues, a great place for music and food that I have written about in the article In Search of Great Catfish and a few other great eateries. You will also find the AMC 24 movie house here as well as Disney Quest, the Disney interactive indoor theme park, and Cirque du Soliel La Nouba, which is the only Cirque du Soliel show that has a permanent home. There are some shops on the West Side, but mostly this is the area you go for food and entertainment.

The Marketplace is the shopper’s side. There you will find a fine selection of specialty stores; some that are Disney themed and some that are not. One of the Disney themed stores is The World of Disney. This is the largest Disney merchandise store in the world. There are 10 different rooms that are found in this store including the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Another great Disney themed shop is called Team Mickey. Team Mickey is a sports store that sells not only Disney character sports shirts and items, but they also sell officially licensed merchandise. Disney’s Days of Christmas is one of my favorite Disney shops in the Market Place, because they sell Disney holiday decorations and ornaments all year around. Mickey’s Pantry sells Disney kitchen items; things everyone needs like a Mickey head egg shaper and a Disney waffle maker.

For the kids there is Mickey’s Mart, which is basically a $10 and below store of Disney merchandise. There is also Goofy’s Candy Company. Here you can make your own snack or buy some prepackaged Disney styled treats. The Disney Design a T is a neat place for kids to, because they can create their own t-shirts to wear.

The art of Disney Store is amazing and sells not only collectibles, like Vinylmations, but

limited edition Sericels, paintings, and collectible figurines. The Disney’s Pin Traders found in the market Place is one of the biggest places on Disney property to buy pins.

Non-Disney Stores found at the Downtown Disney Market Place include: Arribas Brothers, a crystal specialty store; Once Upon a Toy Store, which is a huge toy store; Basin, which sells Bath & Facial Products and LEGO Imagination Center. There are also six different non-Disney eateries found in the Market Place; our favorite is Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop.

So, now you know, a great place to take a day off and enjoy yourself is at the Downtown Disney Complex. You can enjoy many different restaurants and entertainment venues or you can head over to the Market Place to do some shopping.

*Disney Commandos are people who run from attraction to attraction to “DO” as much as they can while in Disney World.

>Take a Slow Ride, Take it Easy

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In 1966, when Walt Disney taped a 24 minute preview of what EPCOT was going to be, no one knew he would not be around to see his dream come to fruition. The EPCOT that Walt proposed is not the Epcot that we have today. He had a vision of a utopian society where people could live and work. This Experimental Prototype Community was to always be growing and changing, with new technologies and with all the best practices that were to be developed. At one point the “City” was to be put under a dome. Cars and

trucks would be forbidden in the town’s center and would only travel underground. This was Walt Disney’s EPCOT. But Walt passed away and his plans never were realized. His brother Roy and the other leaders of the Walt Disney Company did carry out the first phase of Walt’s Florida Plan, by building the Magic Kingdom and the resort hotels around it, but when it came to EPCOT, they weren’t sure what to do. When they finally decided to build it, they decided that they would not have people actually live there, but would present the technology that can helps us to change our lives and to also present the world that we live in. This is the Epcot that we have today; World Showcase and Future World, two areas in one park that grew from Walt’s original plans.

Many people don’t know that the model for the original Community is still in Walt Disney World. It can be found in what I consider an Unknown Magical Attraction that can be found underneath the Astro Orbiter. I personally find it one of the best things to do in Tomorrowland, but I like to take it easy and not rush, so the ride you take on this attraction is just my speed.

The attraction is called the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. The PeopleMover takes you on an elevated ride around Tomorrowland. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is powered by a process using linear induction motors which are really huge magnets. To get to on the PeopleMover, you need to go up a moving incline ramp; up to the ride vehicles. As I said this is right below the Astro Orbiter. As you are riding around, above Tomorrowland, you pass by a model of what looks like a futuristic city. This is the model of EPCOT, the EPCOT Walt envisioned.

As you travel above Tomorrowland, you can also hear an inside joke that pays tribute to an attraction that is no longer in the Magic Kingdom; passing through Space Mountain, you hear “Paging Mr. Morrow. Mr. Tom Morrow. Please contact Mr. Johnson in the Control Tower to confirm your Flight to the Moon.” It isn’t just a witty play on words it actually pays tribute to Mission to Mars the attraction that used to be where Stitch’s Great Escape is now.

This attraction is a very easy going laid back ride that you can take a slow ride that just keeps going around and around. It isn’t flashy, it isn’t something that you need to ride because you need to tell everyone back home about it, but it is an attraction that shouldn’t be missed. It is one of these Magical Experiences you get from taking it easy, instead of going Disney Commando, because not only do you get to see the model of Epcot, but you also get to see inside of the other attractions in Tomorrowland. This is a must ride when Space Mountain has broken down, because they turn the lights on inside the “mountain” and you can see the tracks and how the ride is set-up.

So, know you now, you can see some Disney history, the inside of some attractions and still enjoy a relaxing view of Tomorrowland. All you need to do is take the ramp up to the next level and get on the PeopleMover and take a slow ride, take it easy.

>In the Shadow of Miss Tilly

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Hakuna Mawednesday, to you all. So you’re in Walt Disney World, the family has spent a few days being Disney Commandoes (the Disney guest that starts off in the morning, and goes until all hours of the night without taking a break-causing unhappy people). So, you decide this isn’t working and have thought maybe I’ll take a tip from the Hakuna Mawednesday article I read on line and take a break today. I promise, you won’t be sorry. Any of the Hakuna Mawednesday ideas will help you recharge your batteries, but today’s is a day away from the parks and will still be a fun family adventure.

In Walt Disney World there are four theme parks, a major shopping area and two Water Parks. These two water parks are great places to spend a relaxing day. The older one, Typhoon Lagoon (which opened in 1989) sits on 56 Acres of land and surrounds the Miss Tilly a “Shrimp boat” that was picked up by the horrible winds of a typhoon and dropped upon Mount Mayday. Also during this storm “surfboards were hurled into palm trees and boats were tossed through thatched roofs of beach houses… and onto mountains.” (This is the legend presented on the Disney Website, explaining the history of the park.)

There are 12 different areas of Typhoon Lagoon for you and your family to enjoy. Everything from Ketchakiddee Creek (a play area for the little ones) to the Humunga Kowabunga, which is three high speed waterslides that drops 5 stories.) There are also rides that the whole family can go on together, like Gang Plank Falls which has you riding on a huge raft that fits 4 people at one time. Or you can all float around Castaway Creek on your own raft. You can also all enjoy the wave pool, just watch the little ones in the 6 foot waves. For the older kids and you parents, you can snorkel with the sharks at the Shark Reef, if you are so inclined.

The Water Park also has free life jacket usage, locker rentals, a few merchandise shops, six different places to get something to eat, and two picnic areas. You can also reserve a Beachcomber Shack, which has a private patio that has its own attendant and wait service, a private locker, chairs and chaise lounges, a stocked cooler with bottled water, a refillable mug that is usable all day, towel service for six people and it has a wooden roof to keep you in the shade.

We went to Typhoon Lagoon many years ago, when we were down one summer and enjoyed our visit. We got there later in the afternoon and stayed until almost closing. In the summer the park stays open until 8:00 and later in the day from about dinner time on, we found that the park was much less crowded. During the winter months, the park is open until 5. But usually closes for about two months for a refurbishment in the last months of the year. The cost per day is under $50, but I suggest if you are staying in Disney and have the park hopper ticket, and are planning on visiting a water park or Disney Quest, you add the Water Park Fun More Option to your ticket as it pays for itself if you visit one of the Water parks and Disney Quest or both of the Water Parks, during your visit.

Typhoon Lagoon is a great way to relax, get some sun and to spend a family day away from the parks, where you can all relax and re-energize. So next time you’re in Disney and have spent one too many days going commando, take a day at the Lagoon (Typhoon Lagoon that is.)

>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.

>Helping Mouse Hand

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“Trying to be Picasso”, that is the comment I made yesterday about the man taking pictures in our school. He was in the building for two days taking the kids’ school portraits. You know the ones, everyone gets all dressed up, makes their hair really great and then their moms give them to everyone with Christmas cards. The guy taking pictures was trying to get the perfect shot for each kid. It took him forever. That’s not to say the kids aren’t good looking, it is just that he wanted to make sure every shot was great. It got me to thinking about taking pictures in Walt Disney World, and the article I recently wrote called, A Great Shot about some great backgrounds for your pictures in Walt Disney World.  Then, I got to thinking about something that I do whenever we are in Disney, because of a problem I see. This action of mine sometimes seems to shock people for some reason, but I continue to do it. What I do is when I see someone taking a picture of their family and they’re the only ones not in the picture, I offer to take the picture for them. I just think that everyone should be in the picture, especially in Disney. I’ve seen other people do this and other things that help out fellow guests. I think these are wonderful things, so today I present to you, the Unknown Magic of the Helping Mouse Hand.

As I said I always ask someone that is taking their picture if they want to get into the shot. I just think it is a nice thing to do if the family of four is only getting a picture of three. This past trip when we were at the Spirit of Aloha Luau, there was a very nice young couple from Spain at the table next to us. They were obviously on their Honeymoon, and were having a great time. One of the things that got my wife and I was that he kept taking pictures of her and then she’d grab the camera and take a shot of him. So, I finally asked him if he wanted us to take the picture of both of them. The language barrier was a problem at first and then when he understood what I was asking him, he was a very happy man. We of course enjoyed talking to them throughout the rest of the meal (he knew a little English and my son knows a little Spanish so we got to communicate somewhat).

I don’t know when this next Helping Mouse Hand became out of style, but it happens when you are on the buses or boats. If there is someone with a young child, someone who is pregnant or if an older person on the bus and there aren’t any seats, if you are an able bodied person, you should get up for them. I understand, you are in Disney World, you may have been going Commando* and you are tired. But if you are tired, just imagine how tired these people I mentioned are. I am lucky enough to have a son that at fifteen understands this is the polite thing to do and I have seen him do it on occasion when he didn’t know I was paying attention.

Another thing you can do to lend a Helping Mouse Hand on the buses and boats is to help lift someone’s stroller up the stairs or over the edge of the boat when the family is struggling because they have a few little ones and only four hands to take care of things. We were on the boat this last trip and there was a family of six. Yes, six. There were twins in a stroller and two a little older, but still all of them under 7 years old probably. As we were sitting on the boat, I watched an older gentleman that was standing waiting to get on the boat lift up the front wheels and help the mother move the stroller on as the father carried a sleeping little girl on also; a very nice example of the Helping Mouse Hand.

Things like this happen all the time when you are in Walt Disney World, some of the time these acts of kindness are performed by Cast Members, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help share the Magic of the Helping Mouse Hand. All you need to do is enjoy being in Walt Disney World and be a friend to those in need to create Magical Experiences for others.

So, now you know, there are things you can do to help other guests to have Magical Experiences. All you need to do is help others and be a good citizen of the world.

*As in being a Disney Commando; the act of rushing through the parks to “conquer” as many attractions in the shortest amount of time.

**Picaso Painting from http://pablo-picasso.paintings.name/

>No Need to go Commando

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I don’t want to throw any of my regular readers off with today’s post, so I have to give some advanced warning. I think you can use today’s Unknown Magic with great success and I will be offering some tips to use this Disney service, that may border on being a Disney Commando*. But, I am not promoting nor do I encourage Disney Commandoism, as I believe you miss many of the Unknown Magics that Walt Disney World has to offer when you do rush through the parks and this goes against my whole philosophy of “Doing Disney”.

 For first time Disney visitors today’s Unknown Magic is one that will save you time and frustration, and also make for a Magical Experience for the family. Today’s Unknown Magic is the FASTPASS.

Disney FASTPASS is a service where you can use your park ticket, to basically cut in line. But it is much more civilized than it sounds. What Disney has done is set up a system at their busier attractions, which offers guests a chance to ride the attraction without waiting in the long lines. The way this system works is that you can go to the specific attraction and put your park ticket into a machine that will give you what is called a FASTPASS Ticket (a word of warning, please remember to get your park ticket back out of the machine after you get your FASTPASS Ticket). This FASTPASS Ticket will tell you what time to come back to this attraction. When you come back to the attraction, you don’t need to stand in the line, you go through the FASTPASS entrance and you walk right past all the people waiting in line for the ride. When you get to the front of the line, the Cast Member there will work your group into the front of the line, so that you will be given a seat as soon as possible. For little ones or for parents traveling with little ones (or teenagers), this is a Magical Experience.

As the Walt Disney World, Guest Services FASTPASS Service page states;

Currently, the following attractions offer Disney’s FASTPASS Service:

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park:

• Primeval Whirl

• Kilimanjaro Safaris

• DINOSAUR

• Kali River Rapids

• Expedition Everest

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park:

• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

• Toy Story Mania!

• Star Tours

• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Magic Kingdom Theme Park:

• Space Mountain

• Splash Mountain

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

• Jungle Cruise

• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

• Peter Pan’s Flight

Epcot Theme Park:

• Mission: SPACE Pavilion

• Test Track

• Captain EO starring Michael Jackson

• Maelstrom

• Soarin’

At the Attractions where there is FASTPASS, the machine that provides the FASTPASS tickets has a sign above it, telling you what time the FASTPASS tickets will be able to be used. At the entrance to the Attraction there is also a sign telling you when FASTPASS tickets are being accepted. One other thing to know about the FASTPASS System is that you can only get a so many FASTPASSES in a certain amount of time. The next time you can get a FASTPASS is always printed on your FASTPASS ticket.

When we first used FASTPASS a few years ago, I felt bad that we were walking past families that had been standing in line for maybe an hour or two and they looked frazzled because of the wait. But now when we use FASTPASS, I don’t feel that bad, knowing that anyone can use it, and they chose not to. We actually enjoy using it very much. The last time we used FASTPASS, was this past summer when we were in Disney Hollywood Studios. We went to the park for the Extra Magic Morning Hour and upon entering made our way right to Toy Story Midway Mania; my wife says I was almost a Commando that morning, but I don’t recall it that way. Anyway when we

got there, we got FASTPASSES for later in the day and then got in the queue to enjoy the attraction. I highly recommend getting these particular FASTPASSES as early in the day as possible. The one day we were there this past summer, all the FASTPASSES for Toy Story Midway Mania were gone for the entire day by 10:15 in the morning.

Which brings me to three thoughts, one, when the FASTPASSES are gone, they are gone. They do not restock later in the day. Two, is to make sure you can use the FASTPASS before you get it. The signs above them tell you when you will need to come back to use them. Make sure you don’t have a dining reservation at the time you are to be back, or that you will still be in the park when you are to be back. The other thought is that if you decide to leave the park after you get the FASTPASS and cannot use it pass it on to some family that has just as many members as you. It is a nice way to share the Magic.

Years ago we were in Walt Disney World with my sister and her family and they were going to Epcot one morning, we tagged along. As the rope dropped, they sprinted off in the direction of Test Track to get their FASTPASS tickets and then they ran over to Soarin’ so that they could ride Soarin’ then run back and ride Test Track with the least amount of wait time. We met them at Soarin’ then walked back over and got in the Test Track line and still enjoyed both rides, but without that whole running thing in between.

A very good use of the FASTPASS system is in Frontierland, in the Magic Kingdom. Both Big Thunder Rail Road and Splash Mountain offer FASTPASS. I suggest getting FASTPASS for one, soon after the park opens (no I am not saying to run to the attractions- No Disney Commandoing here) and then riding the other. Here it just makes sense to use the FASTPASS System, because the attractions are so close and so popular. This is also the case with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan’s Flight. They are both wildly popular attractions that get very busy, very early. Using the FASTPASS for one then standing in the queue for the other is a good idea, especially if you have little ones.

So, now you know, there are ways to beat the lines in Disney. To do it, you need to use the FASTPASS System, so you can create Magical Experiences for your family, by riding the attractions you want to ride, without going Commando.

*A Disney Commando is someone that runs from attraction to attraction or in some other way rushes through any of the Disney parks, trying to get as much done as Possible; thus missing the Details and Magical Experiences that can be had by enjoying the slower pace.

>Say, Hello!

>When we were in Walt Disney World last week, it was different for us. Normally, we either drive down or when we do fly, we rent a car. I like to have the ability to go where I want, when I want. This trip, we drove down with friends in an RV. It was great, we had a wonderful time, but until late in the week, we didn’t take the RV because of parking options and we were at the mercy of the Buses. Now, the Walt Disney World Transportation system is wonderful. With just the buses alone Disney has the 3rd largest transportation system in Florida. I have the utmost respect and admiration for the bus, boat and Monorail Cast Members that have to deal with thousands of people daily. I can’t imagine the stress to do these jobs. And except for a bad day here or there, you normally get a very pleasant person taking you where you want to go.

With all that said. If you don’t have a car, and you are staying at one of the Resorts that are not on water, you have to wait for the bus. Most of the bus runs are pretty well timed. They come around to each Resort about every 20 minutes; which for this size operation is awesome, because Walt Disney World is about 47 Square Miles. But even with their excellent system, you still end up waiting for the buses and spending a good amount of time on them, when you don’t have a car. This leads me to today’s Unknown Magic. Not the Buses themselves, but the people you get to meet and talk to on the Bus.

Whenever we go somewhere, we always end up talking to someone. Whenever we finish the conversation and are walking away, my son has a habit of saying, “We always seem to meet really nice people.” To which my usual response is, “Well, we’re pretty nice ourselves, right?” Meaning that what you give you get back. We have found that if you are pleasant with others when you are waiting for a bus or standing on a crowded bus you can usual find someone that has something in common with you (besides being tired and wanting to be where they are going.) and will talk with you. This can lead to a Magical Experience that you wouldn’t think you would have.

One of the Trips we took last week was from the Magic Kingdom back to our Resort. We had just gotten out of a downpour and were wet tired and cold. As we were standing on the Bus riding back in the dark, we caught the sight of the young man’s hat next to us. It was a Yankees cap. This was the Day that George Steinbrenner died. I overhead them saying they were in the park for 15 hours that day. Even though they were Commandos, I asked if they had heard about Steinbrenner’s passing. From there we had a very nice conversation for the next 20 minutes about the Parks, Baseball, and New York Sports in general. There were even a couple of young ladies that were Cowboy’s fans that joined in the conversation a couple of times.

A day later, we met a nice family, also commandos, from outside Atlanta. They were on their way to Downtown Disney for lunch and we got to talking about his job (he worked for AT&T) and Disney and their communications system. His daughter was writing in a journal when we were starting off on the bus and my wife asked about her writing. We were told she writes in a journal everywhere they go and tells about everything they did. Very neat to see an 11 year old doing that. As teachers, my wife and I found that a Magical Experience, one that she is going to share with her fourth graders this coming year.

A few days later it was the young family from Oregon sharing the bus with us. He was a teacher also and we got to talking about the testing and kids and teaching in general. Their kids were young, maybe 7 and 5. It was a nice way to spend a bus ride back to the Resort.

When you are on the Buses, talking to someone helps the time pass a little quicker and can lead to Magical Experiences, because you can learn about different things that happen in the parks or maybe even something special that is going to happen while you are there. Or you may just find out something that you think is really neat.

So, now you know, even if you have to wait and take the bus, there is an Unknown Magic waiting for you; the other passengers. Talking to some of them can lead to a Magical Experience, so say hello.

>A few extra bucks, A lot More Magic..

>I almost went Commando today. Of course, those of you who have read me before know, I’m talking about being a Disney Commando. For those of you who don’t know, a Disney Commando is someone who rushes from Attraction to Attraction trying to do everything in one day and they actually do Run from place to place. I wasn’t trying to be a commando, and I don’t think I was being one, my wife however says I was. Let me explain what happened, and you be the judge.

We went to Disney Hollywood Studios, for an Extra Magic Hour this Morning. we got there about 8:35 or so and went right towards Toy Story Mania. I was not running, I was just not strolling as my wife and son were, I was walking with a purpose. So, my Question is does this really count as Commandoism? I think not, but anyway, the reason we were going to Toy Story Mania that early is because yesterday, the Fast Passes for the attraction were gone for the entire day by 11:15. So, we decided to go for the early hour and get on the ride. For those of you first timers it is an Attraction that you cannot miss, when in Walt Disney World. But it is so busy, that it cannot be counted as an Unknown Magic.

After we got done on Toy Story Mania, We left Disney Hollywood Studios, caught a boat to Epcot and went to Innoventions (Both East and West), then went to lunch in Morocco at the Tangierine Café. Then we came back to our room, took a nap relaxed and then went to dinner. After dinner, we went to the Magic Kingdom to see the Main Street Electrical Parade. I now after discussing whether I was  like a Commando and now giving you a run-down of our day, You’re thinking, “He’s been out in the sun too much this week, it’s starting to affect him. When is he going to actually tell us about an Unknown Magic?” Well, all of our travelling today is actually the Unknown Magic. Disney Makes it easy for you to have Magical Experiences in different parks in one day. For the First Time Guest, this is the Unknown Magic of the Park Hopper Pass. For veteran Disney Visitors, I hope you will agree that the Park Hopper Pass is one of the things Disney does that makes it easier for you to have a Magical Experience.

The Park Hopper Option is offered to you when you are buying your tickets to Walt Disney World’s theme parks. It costs $52 more to add this option, no matter how long your stay is. So, if you buy a 1 day pass instead of costing $79 it would cost you $131. If you buy the 6 day pass instead of $231 it would cost $283 for the six days, which works out to be 8 extra dollars a day for the opportunity to have the three different Magical Experiences we did today.

For my family we always use the Park Hopper, because we enjoy going to Epcot to eat, and enjoy going to the Magic Kingdom at night. If we didn’t have the Park Hopper, we would have to pay each time we switched parks or not be able to enjoy everything we do. When you go to Walt Disney World, especially if it is your first time, keep in mind that the Walt Disney World Transportation (buses, Boats, and Monorails) can get you back and forth between parks and from your Resort to any of the Guest Areas very easily. And with the Park Hopper option on your park passes, you will be able to enjoy even more Magical Experiences during your visit to Disney World.

So, now you know, when you get your passes to Disney World, get the Park Hopper Option. For the Money you spend, it is worth it. And that little extra spent can make your visit even more Magical.

>Blue Roofs against the White Stone Building

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We leave for Walt Disney World in less than three days. Not that I’m excited or counting down or anything. Actually from what I have recently read on thedisneydrivenlife.com “As soon as the reservations are made, a Disney vacation countdown of some sort is required.” This is principle number five of DISNEY DRIVEN LIFE PRINCIPLES. There is a list of 25 Principles for the Disney Driven Life. The Blog itself is a pretty neat site.

Anyway, I’m excited for many reasons, one because I will be able to find more Unknown Magics to share, so that you can have more Magical Experiences, but the other is that, I’m Going to Disney World! I still get excited every time we go. I get excited about the fact that we’re going to be there, I get excited when I think about the Parks and the Attractions that I love, and I think about the things we’ve down in the past. I also look forward to new things that we haven’t done or seen. But the one thing I get goose bumps about every time I go, is today’s Unknown Magic.

This Unknown Magic is not the first thing I have to do when I get to Walt Disney World. It doesn’t matter to me when I experience this. I just have to within the first couple of days. It doesn’t have to be in the Daylight or at Night specifically. Some people say they have to do this to know they are in Disney World, I don’t. It doesn’t represent my arrival at the Happiest Place on Earth and it doesn’t really represent anything for me. It just leaves me with a feeling of Awe and Wonder, and Magic. Today’s Unknown Magic is The first view of Cinderella Castle.

Many of you might not understand. But some of you might, you may have dreamed of going to Walt Disney World as a child and you just weren’t able to and now as an adult, you are finally getting there. So, maybe you are all ready excited about seeing the Castle, and the Magic Kingdom for the first time. But you don’t know the feeling yet. You’ll feel it. A lot of people do.(Some of us still get the feeling every time we enter the Magic Kingdom). Sometimes people miss it though, because of the commotion of Main Street or the crowds. Or they are just in a rush to get to one of the attractions. But if it is your first time going to Disney World, you need to follow the advice I have given many times, look around, take your time and Don’t be a Disney Commando. I don’t believe Disney Commandos have the chance to experience today’s Unknown Magic, because to understand it, you have to let it overtake you, not run over it.

Everyone has seen pictures of Cinderella Castle. If you go to Google Images, and type in Cinderella Castle you will get 505,000 results (if you spell it Cinderella’s Castle you will get 522,000). But looking at a picture isn’t the same. As you get to the Magic Kingdom, the anticipation grows. You leave the Monorail, the Boat or Bus behind and you walk through the turnstiles. You walk under the Main Street Railroad Station, and come out onto Main Street USA. Here is where you need to go slowly. As you walk out of the train Station, you will see the Castle in its entirety for the first time (You can see the castle from the outside of the park and even from the Polynesian Resort, but not fully). From the ground up you can see everything. It is perfectly framed by the buildings on Main Street, so that this is where you have to look. With it being Florida, many times the Sky above the Castle is Blue, and perfect. It is a beautiful sight.

 If you look at the Castle as the symbol of Walt Disney World you can feel the Magic of where you are. If you’re like me as you see Cinderella Castle, you are over taken with the feeling of amazement; with a feeling that Walt Disney had his people build this Castle, as a monument to Magic and to Love and Childhood and Family and all that is good in the world. And it over takes you. It’s like the feeling you get on Christmas morning when you give the Perfect Present. The feeling you get when someone says they Love You for the first time.

It is a very Magical Experience, but one that can only be had if you don’t rush it. You can only feel this way, if you take your time and see Cinderella Castle, not just look at it, but see the beauty of it, the Blue Roofs against the White Stone Building. The Golden Spire rising high into the air. The Arched Entrance that leads into Fantasyland.

 The Magic that comes from the view from the Top of the Main Street Train Station, looking down the street at the Castle is awe inspiring; and to see Cinderella Castle at night is even more amazing. The Castle changes colors every few minutes. And it is really a spectacle to behold. And of course when the fireworks are going off above it, it’s Magical. They light up the Castle on special occasions in neat ways also. For example, around Christmas there are Snowflakes coloring it. In the night the Castle is amazing, it is really something to see.

So, now you know, one of the Unknown Magics in Walt Disney World is one that is looked at all the time, but you need to take the time to See It, to have the Magical Experience. So, slow down and take a look at Cinderella Castle.