>What’s the Story

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I have mentioned before that everything in Walt Disney World revolves around a theme. The Resorts are themed and everything there stays with that theme, from the costumes the Cast members wear to the look of the lighting, everything in the Resorts stay in theme. It is the same way in the Parks. Everything in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom is specific to Tomorrowland and everything in Asia in the Animal Kingdom makes you think that you are in Asia. This of course is true for not only the areas of the park, but for the attractions themselves. Each attraction is based on a specific idea. There aren’t any attractions that are just rides in Walt Disney World, each of them tells a story. This is the Magic that Walt Disney World Imagineering takes very seriously. Every detail in any of the attractions is considered part of the story. This is the Unknown Magic of the Back Story of the Attractions.

Every attraction in Walt Disney World not only tells a story, but it has a Back Story. Some of them are simple stories or based on Disney movies. Things like the Snow White’s Scary Adventures, takes you through the Snow White movie. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh does the same, taking you through many of the scenes from different Pooh Stories. Even the Magic Carpets of Aladdin let’s you be part of the story, by having you ride on the Carpet as if you were Aladdin or Jasmine.

Then there are the attractions where the Back Story is amazing and could be written as a book (and maybe should be) ones like the Tower of Terror and Expedition Everest. The story of the Tower of Terror starts in 1939. On Halloween that year the Hollywood Tower Hotel was struck by lightning. At that time, five hotel guests that were in the elevator, just disappeared. Everyone else that was in the hotel just ran out and left the hotel as it was on that fateful day. As you make your way onto the ride vehicle, you are taken through the Lobby and get to see it as it was that night, so long ago.

The Back Story of Expedition Everest is even more elaborate. The attraction takes you through Serka Zong, a village that was home to the railroad that once transported people to Anandapur (the next village over in the Animal Kingdom). Now that the railroad is closed, two business men have come in and have established Himalayan Escapes a business that is supposed to transport people to the base of Mount Everest, by using the old railroad tracks, so that people can climb the summit. To get onto this “train” you need to walk through the villages of Anandapur and Serka Zong and then

through the booking offices of the business. You also will walk through the pagoda like shrines that the villagers have built to the Yeti, the Asian version of the Abominable Snowman. Finally, the walk takes you through the Yeti museum, where there are many objects that show that the Yeti may be a real creature. Then you board your train to the base of Everest for your climb. What a great story. And although this line is usually long, this back story helps to make the wait a little better.

Another great Back Story in Animal Kingdom is the Kilimanjaro Safaris. The Safari, Harambe Wildlife Reserve, actually used to be a game-hunting reserve, but in the 1970’s the townspeople decided they wanted to change the use of the land and made it into what it is today. The story takes place with this in mind and presents the thought that there are poachers who have invaded the reserve to illegally get animals for trade. A very neat story that is central to the idea of the Animal Kingdom and its presentation of environmentalism.

My favorite Back Story though comes from the Magic Kingdom. It is found in the Haunted Mansion. The back story for this attraction is that Master Gracey the owner of the Gracey Manor and your “Ghost Host” committed suicide after his bride to be was killed in the mansion (He is the one hanging from the ceiling in the stretching room). You can see his bride to be in the attic when you ride through in your Doombuggy. Knowing this story adds a little bit more to the Magical Experience that is the Haunted Mansion.

So, now you know, there are Back Stories for every attraction in Walt Disney World, some very simple that continue from the movies and some that are complex and novel worthy, but all of them are there to add Magical Experiences to your days in Walt Disney World. So the next time you go to the parks, don’t worry if you have to wait in a line, see if you can get the story before the ride begins.

>The Magic in the Details Part III: Animal Kingdom

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A while back I wrote The Magic in the Details, it was all about how the details in Epcot add to the Magic. The Magical is in the Details II was about the Details of Disney Hollywood Studios. The Animal Kingdom probably has some of the neatest details of all of the Theme Parks in Walt Disney World. So, today I continue with the Magical Details of Walt Disney World and present the Details of the Animal Kingdom that are Magical.

The story is told that when the Disney Imagineers took the idea of an animal based park to then company President Michael Eisner, to prove the point that people were fascinated with animals, one of the Imagineers walked into the meeting with a tiger on a leash. This goes to show that the Imagineers were very interested in building this park. When they started building it, they took not only care with the animals and their surroundings, but with the guest areas of the park.



The “tree’ in the background is a feeder.



When it comes to the animals and their surroundings, the Imagineers took not only the animals’ safety and well being into account, but also how to make them available for guests to view them. They built special items into the savannah that as guests you don’t notice, but they make the viewing of the animals nicer and more fun. Some of these details that are not obvious are the huge rocks that surround the animal viewing areas are temperature controlled. In the summer months, they make them cooler and in the winter, they make them warm. This way the animal will lie on these rocks and be visible to the guests. Other things the Imagineers have built into the savannah are special feeding areas. They didn’t want to put troughs that wouldn’t seem natural in the area, so they built feeders that look like old tree stumps. These details make your viewing of the savannah a Magical Experience by making it seem as if you are viewing a savannah in Africa.

Another place where they took the time to put details that enhance your enjoyment of an area is at Expedition Everest. When you are in the queue, and walking through the Expedition Museum, if you will, there are some very neat “artifacts”. My favorites are castings of the Yeti footprints. They look as if they were cast right from a sight were the prints were made.

The train to the Conservation Station is another place where the details make you feel as if you are actually in another place. When you take the Wildlife Express Train, it’s as if you are

The top of the Wildlife Express

on an old train traveling through Africa, from the signs that ask you not to cook on the train to the items that are piled on the top of it, you are almost convinced that you have left Florida and are traveling in a whole different continent.

Of course the most impressive Details in the Animal Kingdom are the carvings in Tree of Life. The tree itself is 145 feet high and there are 325 different creatures that have been carved into the “bark” of the tree. These animal carvings cover every kind of animal from a sloth to a rhinoceros. This amazing tree is a work of art that can provide a Magical Experience for your family as you look for your favorite animals.

So, now you know, the Disney Imagineers used their talents to create Magical Experiences for you in Animal Kingdom, by giving extra attention to the details. So, when you are there, look for the Unknown Magics that make the park wonderful.

>What a View

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I started back to school this past week (I am a teacher) and on the first day, our principal asked, if anyone had traveled over the summer and if so, where did we go. I didn’t add my trip to Disney into the mix, because they all knew where I had gone, they know we go every year. Some of the other people I work with went to Europe this summer, another went to Washington DC and some took cruises. I was happy for
them, but not really caring, because I had a wonderful time with my family in Walt Disney World. I’ve noticed some of the teachers that traveled have put up pictures of their trips in their classrooms, for the kids to see; which I think is really cool, as some of our kids will never get to see these places in person. Looking at some of these pictures I started thinking about some of the great pictures I have taken over the years in Disney World. Some of them are pretty, some are funny and some are just really amazing views. So today I present to you, the Unknown Magic of the Views in Walt Disney World.

Of course the most amazing view I have ever captured, in my mind, is Cinderella Castle at night. It changes colors every few minutes and each new color brings a new sense of awe.

Of course something else that brings Magical Experiences and a sense of awe when you see them in Walt Disney World is fireworks, either at night or during the day.

A really Great view and an ominous picture that I captured was taken from one of the Friendship Launches on our way back to the Boardwalk one day. The sky around the Hollywood Tower Hotel even makes it seem like an attraction you should fear.

Another great view with ominous overtones is looking across Asia in Animal Kingdom, at Expedition Everest.

When you are over in Crescent Lake you can also see this wonderful sight, the Yacht Club Lighthouse.

Of course the Boardwalk from above at night is an Awesome view at Crescent Lake that can create Magical Experiences and Romantic ones.

So, now you know, no matter where your friends have gone, you can say you have seen some just as magnificent views. But of course you’ll have had some Magical Experiences and been to Walt Disney World also.