>A Small Clip From a Great Attraction

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No politcal statements are being made with this video, It is a small clip from a great show in the Magic Kingdom, Enjoy.

>Commando Relaxation

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John showing us years ago how to relax!

  Relaxing on a Walt Disney World Vacation is sometimes tough to do. We try to never be Disney Commandos. We figure if we don’t get to something this trip, we’ll do it next trip. But most people don’t have the luxury that we do of getting to Walt Disney World yearly, or just about. So they try to fit so much into their day, that sometimes they not only go Commando, they make themselves tired and miserable. So how do you experience as much as Disney has to offer and still, take a break during the day? Well, it may sound silly, but you go on another attraction. I know some of you just stopped reading looked at the screen and said, “What are you talking about? How can I take a break by going on another attraction?” Well, it is actually kind of easy to take a break and experience another attraction all at the same time. What you do is pick the attractions that will let you rest, while you enjoy the Disney Magic.

One of my favorite Attractions to experience and take a well needed sit is at the Country Bear Jamboree. The show for the Country Bears is seventeen minutes long. It is also in an air-conditioned theater. This makes for a nice

little rest, and it is a fun attraction besides. Another great place to take a rest in the Magic Kingdom is the Hall of Presidents. This is a great show/experience and it is twenty three minutes long. I especially like going here mid-afternoon when it is really hot.

In Animal Kingdom a great place to take a break with young children is the Affection Section of the Conservation Station. This is basically a petting zoo, but they do not have any food for you to feed the animals, which makes it nice

for the kids, since the critters won’t run at the kids to get what is in their hands. Another place to take a rest in Animal Kingdom is at Finding Nemo the Musical. This is a sit down attraction/show that is about a half an hour long and will also thrill the kids.

In the Disney Hollywood studios, there are a few shows that you can see that will give you a chance to take a break. You can experience the thrilling, such as Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show or the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! Or a Broadway Musical type show, like Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. Each of these shows is twenty five minutes or longer, but only the Beauty and the Beast show is inside.

In Epcot, you can go to the American Adventure and not only enjoy an uplifting Patriotic show, but you get to sit down for thirty minutes. The building for the American Adventure is a nice place to relax even before you get into the theater. In the building’s rotunda, you can have the pleasure of hearing a small choral group (called the Voices of Liberty) sing different patriotic songs.

But the best attraction to take a break on and still enjoy the show is Ellen’s Energy Adventure. This ride takes place in Ellen DeGeneres’ dream, as she falls asleep watching Jeopardy. In her dream, next door neighbor Bill Nye teaches her all about energy and helps her to learn enough to win at Jeopardy, against her old college roommate (Stupid Judy). The reason this is a great place to take a break and get your energy back (no pun intended) is that the ride itself take almost 45 minutes; what a nice amount of time to relax.

So, you see even if you are going Commando in Disney, you can take a break and still continue on your quest to get as much done as possible. Just make sure when you are leaving any of these attractions, that your entire group is with you; I have seen some people fall asleep in each of them.

>Magic of the Details in the Magic Kingdom

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As I said in yesterday’s article, in the past, I’ve written about the details in the Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios, that help to make for Magical Experiences while you are in Walt Disney World. There are details in The Magic Kingdom that can help make Magical Experiences as well. And as I sat to write about the details in the Magic Kingdom, I found myself with so many details about Main Street USA, that I was compelled to split the Details of the Magic Kingdom into more than one article. So, today I present the second of the two part article the Unknown Magic of the Details in the Magic Kingdom.

In the Magic Kingdom, there are many details that go unnoticed by many people. Some very little, some that are bigger, but still not noticed. Some of the big things that get unnoticed are the two buildings in the park that are dedicated to classic Disney Shorts based on Tall Tales. The one is Casey’s Corner, mentioned in yesterday’s post and the other is the Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn Café. Another rather large item that gets overlooked by a lot of the guests is the Disneyodendron Eximus. This is the type of tree that the Swiss family Robinson Tree House is in. As amazing as it seems, this tree is native to Florida and to the Magic Kingdom, only because it was made by the Disney Imagineers, for this particular attraction. If you have not been into the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House, it is pretty neat and something that kids will find as a Magical Experience thinking about how to get a tree house like this of their own. The details that they add here for the items that the family has are pretty cool. Also, make sure you take a look for the flag that flies above the tree house. This is the only flag from another nation that flies

Permanently over a Disney attraction.

Some other details that make the Adventureland area of the Magic Kingdom more Magical happen in the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. As you are walking through the queue, take a look down at the different objects they have for you to see. One of the holes has a couple of pirate skeletons. They were playing chess before their deaths, and the board is set in such a way, that no one can win. It is little details like this that people miss, and the Imagineers take pride in adding to the attractions.

One of my favorite details throughout the Magic Kingdom is the use of music in each of the different lands. To go from the beating drums as you enter Adventureland, to the calming sounds when you leave to go to Frontierland and then the old western kind of music in Frontierland. It adds to the ambiance and the whole feel of the area you are in. To hear the Wabash Cannonball being played as you are walking past Town Hall or the shooting gallery makes a Magical Experience for me every time I’m in Frontierland.

Over in Liberty Square, the details of the colonial houses are fantastic, little things like the shutters being hanged crooked, because way back when they were hung by leather straps that would stretch over time. Or the details of there being two lanterns in a window on the side of the Hall of Presidents; this is from the poem describing Paul Revere’s ride, one if by land, two if by sea. Another Liberty Square detail that is overlooked while being looked at is the Liberty Bell. It is not only a replica, of the Liberty, but it is made from the same mold the original Liberty Bell was made from.

There are so many details in Fantasyland that can help to make Magical Experiences, everything from Donald Duck sticking through the wall in the gift shop that is connected to Mickey’s Philharmagic, Dopey waving goodbye to you as you leave Snow White’s Scary Adventure, that I will just say that you need to look around Fantasyland yourself to discover them.

One of my favorite details in the Magic Kingdom comes in my least favorite attraction. In Stitch’s Great Escape, you actually sense that Stitch is running amok all around you. At one point in the dark, you feel his presence in front of you and then, he unleashes a burp. The details of this are so real, that you actually can feel yourself getting ill. I have not had anyone, say that it is their favorite detail, but I have heard a few young kids, come out of the attraction still all excited about it, so I guess it can help with a Magical Experience for someone.








The last of the details I want to bring to your attention are found in the Castle. They are such great details, that are missed by people, because they are smaller than most of the details I have mentioned so far. But even though they are small, they can provide Magical Experiences. To find these details, you need to walk through the castle. As you are enjoying the mosaic and the story of Cinderella, you need to look up. As you do, you will find two Unknown Magics that a cast member pointed out to me many years ago; Gus and Jaq are on the ledge looking down on the visitors to the castle. If your little Princess loves the Cinderella videos,they will love seeing Gus and Jaq looking down on them.



Picture by Bill Iadonisi



So, now you know, there are some pretty big and some awfully small details that many guests miss, that the Disney Imagineers added to the magic Kingdom, for you to enjoy. To find these Unknown Magics and create Magical Experiences, you need to take your time and look for things like lanterns in windows and characters waving good-bye.

* Special, Thank You Bill for providing the picture of Gus and Jaq.

** I did not write anything about the Huanted Mansion in this article, because the Unknown Magics of the Haunted Mansion will be a seperate article coming soon. Please look for it in the future.**

>Yankee Doodle Disney

>Our Country is great because of what we have done, what we are doing and what we can do. With that in mind, Thank you to all of those who have given their lives to make our Country what it is, Free.

Memorial Day is one of those days that gets the Patriotic juices flowing. The Flags go out on the Curb, the Red, White and Blue ribbon goes on the mailbox and the Patriotic Mickey Mouse Flag goes on the banner pole. I start thinking of America and how great we are. I think about our great lands and places I’ve been and besides Washington DC and the surrounding Areas, I think Walt Disney World has to be one of the most Patriotic places in the United States. People say Mickey Mouse is Americana and Disney is an American Original, but few know there is Unknown Patriotic Magic in Walt Disney World.

As you first enter the Magic Kingdom, you can find some of this Magic, by walking to the left of Main Street USA. Right alongside City Hall is the Engine Co. 71. This Firehouse is numbered after the year Walt Disney World opened, but that isn’t the Patriotic Magic. That comes from the patches that are on display from Fire Companies from all over the country. Even if you are not a fireman, or a family member of a fireman, this is a very impressive display and when you think of the Heroes that give their lives to save others, it is a kind of Magical Experience.

Of course, in the Magic Kingdom the most Magical Patriotic Experience is the Hall of Presidents. No matter what your Political following, this is an impressive show. It originally started as “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” at the New York’s World Fair in 1964. Then it was moved to Disneyland, and when Walt Disney World opened it was brought to Florida. This show has changed over the years with the addition of the Presidents as they were elected. The whole show took on a new look after President Obama was sworn in, and I believe the show is actually more impressive today than it has been in the past. It is a very moving

 portrait of America’s History. It is something that every first time Disney visitor should experience. My wife sheds a tear each time we see it.

Over in Epcot, the American Adventure is just as impressive, but deals with more of America’s history. Told by Ben Franklin and Mark Twain, this Adventure starts with the Mayflower and ends with recent history. There are appearances by 35 different characters throughout this 30 minute show. Not only is the show a moving Experience, but the room where the show takes place is pretty impressive also. There are 12 statues around the room. They represent the “Spirits of America”.

These Shows are not the Only Patriotic Magic in Walt Disney World. For example in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom, there is a replica of the Liberty Bell. Liberty Square itself is a replica of a Revolutionary American town. If you take notice, The Liberty Tree has 13 lanterns hanging from its limbs. These represent the 13 colonies. Over in Epcot, the Spirit of America Fife & Drum Corps is a colonial cover band. They are a group of 4 musicians, with a standard-bearer, that play rousing American Anthems, around the American Adventure pavilion.

Probably the most Unknown Patriotic Magic in all of Walt Disney World takes place at 5pm daily, in the Magic Kingdom. This ceremony is usually helped along by a Veteran and The Walt Disney World Band is involved, it is the Flag Retreat (or the lowering of the Flag). If you get a chance be in the Magic Kingdom around 5 in the afternoon, take a stroll down to Town Square’s Municipal Park and catch something that will make you proud to be an American.

So, now that you know, on this Memorial Day, as you think about America, you can look forward to your next trip to Walt Disney World and some Patriotic Magical Experiences that the whole family can enjoy.