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Category: Haunted Mansion
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As a school teacher the worst time of the year for me is any time we go back to school after a vacation break or a long weekend. It’s not because of the kids, they are usually ok coming back, a little talkative, but that’s fine. No, my problem after coming back after a break is because I can’t have music playing while I teach. All summer long we have a radio or the computer on playing music. During the weekends, it is the same thing. I enjoy having music playing around me. Way back in an article I wrote called “Stop and Listen” I wrote about the wonderful Music in Walt Disney World and how it added to your Magical Experience when you are there. But music isn’t the only Magical sounds that you can hear in the Disney World. And these sounds can help you to have Magical Experiences or are Magical Experiences of their own. Today, I present to you the Unknown Magic of The Sounds of Walt Disney World.
Some of the best Sounds in Walt Disney World come from Attractions. One of my favorites is in Pirates of the Caribbean. After the pirates have taken over the city, they are selling off the women. The Pirates aren’t interested in the one being sold, instead they start chanting for another that is more to their liking. So they start chanting, “We Wants the Redhead!” If you are riding through the attraction for the first time or maybe even if you have ridden before, you may miss what they are saying, or just don’t realize it. Another place in Pirates that I think has a great line is when the Mayor of the town is being dunked into the well, and his wife yells at him, “Carlos, Don’t be a chicken!” At this point in the day he doesn’t have a choice, so it’s kind of funny. Another funny moment in an attraction is when Kermit says that they will not be “stooping to any cheap 3-D effects” for laughs. And then right after that Fozzy does some cheap 3-D effects. 
Of course the best sounds, in an attraction, come from The Haunted Mansion. The crow calling after the thunder and lightning while you are in the stretching room and the ghost host telling you not to pull down on the lap bar that he will do it for you, are two of the most memorable sounds in all of Walt Disney World. Also the sounds throughout the ride make for a Magical Experience.
One of the best sounds in the Animal Kingdom is not actually a sound at all, but the absence of sound. It takes place during the Flights of Wonder show in Asia. When “Guano” Joe has the owl fly from the front of the stage to the back of the audience and then return, there is no noise when the owl flies; this is an Unknown Magic that is an amazing thing to experience.
Expedition Everest, Tower of Terror, Big Thunder Rail Road, Splash Mountain and Test Track are all great places to hear awesome sounds in the different parks. The sounds are the screams of delight coming from these thrill rides. Screams of Delight are a Magical Sound that you hear at different places, but when you are walking through a Disney Park, it is even more Magical.
Another Awesome Sound in the Walt Disney World Resort is, “Por favor mantenganse alejado de las puertas.” This sound mixed with the “bing bong” and whooosh of the doors is the sound that makes many people feel as though they are “in” Disney. For those of you that have not been to Walt Disney World, these sounds are from the Walt Disney World Resort Monorail. The sound of the Monorail is one that once you have this Magical Experience, you don’t forget. Another great place to hear an awesome Monorail sound is in Epcot, where the Monorail loops into the park, before it gets to the Epcot Monorail Station. If you stand underneath the track as the Monorail is coming and close your eyes and listen, it is a very unique sound that is Magical.
But the Greatest of sounds in the Walt Disney World Resort is the laughter of your loved ones. It can happen when you are on an attraction, in the parks or even in the Resort hotel hallway.
So, now you know, there are sounds in Walt Disney World that help to enhance your visit to the most Magical Place on Earth. The Sounds in the Attractions, at the Shows and even on the streets of the parks, are Magical in themselves. And of course, the greatest sound of all is the laughter of your loved ones.
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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.
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When my son was eight we went to Walt Disney World for the first time. He was a typical eight year old, loving everything, and having a blast. The one night while we were there, we went to Fantasmic. We did not know then about the Fantasmic! Dinner Experience, which is basically a fast Pass for the Fantasmic Show (for more information check out our post “Ooh, Ahhhh….Part 3”). So, we joined the many other people that showed up about an hour before the show started, staked a claim to our seats and sat. Well of course an eight year old is going to get bored, so we did what many people do in that situation, we bought a toy. (While you are waiting for this show and fireworks in the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, there are Cast Members selling different toys and light up items.) The toy we bought him was a light-up Stitch vehicle, which had arms that twirled around. He must have sat there for 35 minutes playing with that thing and he was content until the show started. He played with it through the rest of the trip whenever it got dark, he’d have to have it with him. He still has it in his room (he’s now 14), I don’t know if it works, but he won’t let us even think about getting rid of it. Seeing the picture of him playing with it made me think of all the other things in Walt Disney World that light –up and can give you a Magical Experience. So, I present to you today, the Unknown Magic of Objects that Glow.
The obvious things that glow in Disney are throughout the parks, things like the signs in Tomorrowland, Spaceship Earth, or even the Osborne Festival of Lights in Disney Hollywood Studio around the Holidays. Everyone sees these, so they are not included in the Unknown Magic of object that Glows. The things I’m talking about are the things you don’t expect. For example, in the Haunted Mansion, at the end of the one hallway, where there are skeleton hands that are trying to open a door, there is an eerie green glow from inside the door. There are so many things going on when you are in the Haunted Mansion though that you may miss this glow.
When my son was younger, we had many Magical Experiences created by this little thing:
This is a glow cube; it’s a plastic ice cube that they use in drinks in Walt Disney World. They change colors; red, blue, orange, yellow, purple and green or sometimes they have them one solid color, for example the Glow-tini for adults that they are serving in many of the restaurants in Walt Disney World.
Whenever we were down years ago, my son also got a drink at dinner that had Captain Hook clipped on to the glass; he would glow as the drink was brought over and would light up the glass through the meal. Some places like the Whispering Canyon Café offer Tinkerbell and friends or Buzz Lightyear punch (which is Minute Maid Light Lemonade Punch served in a souvenir Fairies or Toy Story 3 cup with a glowing Tinker Bell or Buzz Lightyear Clip-on Light). These can create Magical Experiences for your kids like they did for our son.
So, now you know, there are Magical Experiences that can be had in Walt Disney World by Unknown Magics that Glow. To have these experiences, you only have to do is order a drink, buy a toy or look around when in the Haunted Mansion and enjoy the Glow.
***I would like to apologize to the http://www.DisneyFoodBlog.com for using one of thier photos without giving them credit. Please go see their wonderful site, and check out their posts and pictures of great food in Walt Disney World.
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The Kids went back to school today. It’s a kind of sad, but exciting time of the year. They’re all excited to see their friends, but sad that summer is over. As I was thinking about it, my mind of course wandered to the Magic Kingdom. I started thinking about the different endings that are presented to you on all the attractions. Some are very straight forward, the end of Splash Mountain is usually filled with laughter and figuring out whom in the group is the wettest, the ending of Big Thunder Railroad is getting out of the car and asking if you saw something during the ride or you want to do it again. But there are some other endings that can provide you with a Magical Experience, but you have to wait to hear or see, what is going to happen, even if you have ridden the attraction before. So, here is today’s Unknown Magic, some Fantastic Finishes in the Magic Kingdom.
My all time favorite attraction in Walt Disney World is in the Magic Kingdom. It is the Country Bear Jamboree, I know it’s looking a little like it needs a refurbishment, and once you’ve seen it a few times it loses its surprise appeal, but this is the ride that made me fall in love with Walt Disney World, and besides, it has a great ending. I’m not talking about the ending to the show, when they all sing together, and you can take your flash photography, no I’m talking about as you are walking out of the theater. As everyone is filling out of the seats, Buff, Max and Melvin, the stuffed heads on the wall that also start the show, ask you to watch your step, “Make sure you take your belongings and your husbands too.” It is a comical way for the show to end when you are leaving. Another comical ending to an attraction is the Enchanted Tiki Room under New Management, also in the Magic Kingdom. This
one is funny, but you need to really listen to hear why it is funny. As the birds all start to sing at the end of the show, the song they sing is “Get on Your Feet!” then the four main birds, Jose’, Fritz, Pierre and Michael, say they are going to perform a “Wonderful magic trick for you.” And they do, every show. I’m not going to spoil this ending, but it is funny. 
Of course another neat ending in the Magic Kingdom is at the Haunted Mansion. Not the very end of the ride, with Little Leota, talking to you as you leave, but before that, when Gus, Ezra and Phineas try to hitch a ride with you. We always try to figure out A. who is going to join us, and B. where in the car they are going to sit. We always try to shuffle around in the seat to make room for them, before they show up. Silly, but it adds more to the Magical Experience at the end of the ride.
Another ending that is cool is the ending at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. This is really fun, because at the end, you know if you beat your ride mate, but you have to look at the big board to see where you rank as a Space Ranger. Of course this always leads to some bragging and good natured ribbing in our family and questions sometimes too. This past visit to the Magic Kingdom, we went on this attraction five times in a row, because we were there for the extra magic morning hour. But every time we went on it, my son was scoring hundreds of thousands of points more than everyone else. So, of course this led to the question, where are you shooting to get those points. He never did give me a good enough answer for me to get even close to his point totals, oh well, maybe next time. Another great thing about the end of Buzz Lightyear, that is also at the end of Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Railroad, is that they take a picture of your ride vehicle and you can buy them after the ride is over. It is fun to see what face everyone is making at the time the picture was taken.
The Best Finish in the Magic Kingdom though in my mind is at It’s a Small World. I know the ride is a classic and from what the rumors say, they are going to change some of the scenes inside the ride during the refurbishment, but the ending is a Magical Experience I hope they don’t change. I love the idea of all the cultures and countries coming together to bid me farewell, as I am leaving an attraction. It’s especially Magical when you hear little kids reading the signs as you are riding to the area to disembark.
The most Unknown Magical Finish is at Snow Whites’s Scary Adventures. At the very end of the ride, if you look up at what looks like a bridge that you are passing under, you get a farewell that is worthy of Fantasyland.
So, now you know, there are some great attractions in the Magic Kingdom, which have Fantastic Finishes. As long as you take your time, listen and look you can have a Magical Experience, even as the ride is ending.
>The first day of school is coming up for many kids, or it has already happened. A new school year brings so many emotions, fear (of fitting in), happiness (at seeing friends), anxiety (of what the year will bring), uncertainty (in ones abilities), and the excitement (of new things). For a first time visitor, the attractions in the Magic Kingdom bring
about these same emotions, the fear, happiness, anxiety, uncertainty and excitement, because, even though you may have heard about the attractions, you don’t know everything that happens or what you will see. Even if you have ridden the attractions before you may have forgotten about some things. These Surprises in the Magic Kingdom Attractions are today’s Unknown Magic.
***Spoiler Alert***
I will reveal some of the surprises that I mention, at the end of the article.If you do not want to read them, please do not scroll all the way past the last picture. I do not want to ruin a Magical Experience for a first time Disney Visitor.
As I stated in yesterday’s post, there are some attractions in Walt Disney World that Cast Members refer to as Dark Rides. That doesn’t mean that the ride is scary, but that it takes place in the dark. Probably the most famous Dark Ride in all of Disney World is Space Mountain. It was opened in 1975 and underwent a refurbishment in 2009 and as of this writing is undergoing new musical enhancements. If you have ridden Space Mountain, you know that it is a thrill ride/roller coaster that is completely in the dark. Even if you haven’t ridden it, you probably know this. What you might not know though is that the Disney Imagineers are good at making things seem like they are something else. This is our first Surprise during a ride₁.(For the surprise look below the picture that says spoiler alert)
Another Dark Ride that has an Surprise within it is the Pirates of the Caribbean. When they refurbished this attraction in 2006, they added one very neat Unknown Magic₂, that has created a Magical Experience for our family, and they left in a part of the ride that is forgotten by many, but is always fun little Surprise₃. Another one of the Dark rides that has many different little surprises that even as a seasoned visitor you may miss, is the Haunted Mansion. Everything from the pre-ride set up to the Haunted soundtrack, this attraction is full of little things that can create Magical Experiences. There are so many little surprises that you can find, that I will only tell you my favorite is at the end of the ride₄.
Another Surprise at a Magic Kingdom attraction that takes place in the dark is in Stitch’s Great Escape. The attraction itself is based on the premise of the beginning of the movie Lilo and Stitch, when Stitch is captured and taken in front of the Grand Council. You are in the holding area, before he goes in front of the council. Of course he escapes. During the rest of the time you are in the attraction, you are witness and sometimes victim to Stitch’s antics. As he is bouncing all around you one of the nastiest Surprises on a ride happens₅, it is not inappropriate for the kids, actually they seem to squeal with delight, but it is a little…ick.
A fun Surprise that takes place around an attraction, but not directly on it can be found in Adventureland, at The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. As you are walking by this attraction, you may get a surprise, and the people riding the carpets at the time, get the biggest laugh form it. Although they have nothing to do with it₆!
A very cool Surprise, which I have heard about but have not had the fun of completing, takes place out on Tom Sawyer Island. A lot of visitors don’t venture out to Tom Sawyer Island, although it is a great place to go and slow down the pace of your day. To get there, you need to take one of the rafts that dock near Big Thunder Railroad. Once on the Island you can cross the bouncy barrel bridge and hang out at Harper’s Mill, Aunt Polly’s and Fort Langhorn. And if you‘re lucky you can find a Paint brush left behind by Tom or any of his friends. This is where the Surprise comes in. If you return the brush to the Raft Dock, you get a Surprise (This time I’m not going to tell you what it is, but it is a fun one!). So, now you know, there are Surprises on the rides in the Magic Kingdom that even if you have ridden an attraction before you might not know about. These Unknown Magics can help your family have Magical Experiences. So, next time during the ride, be prepared for the Surprise!
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| Spoiler Alert |
1. When you are riding it, Space Mountain seems a lot faster, but the maximum speed during the ride is only 30 mph.
2. They added a waterfall that you pass through.
3. There is a little drop in the ride before you get to far in.
4. At the end of the ride, I like to see which “Hitchhiker” we will end up with. My favorite is Gus; we even have a lawn decoration of him at home.
5. The nastiest surprise on any Disney ride is Stitch’s chili-dog breath being blown in you r face as he is loose in the room.
6. The Camel standing guard over the attraction spits water out at random times, wetting the people passing by.
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There are some attractions in Walt Disney World that Cast Members refer to as “Dark Rides”. That doesn’t mean that the ride is scary, but that it takes place in the dark. Many of these “Dark Rides” are in the Magic Kingdom, a few are in Epcot, and some in Disney Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. My earliest Magical Experience on a Dark Ride was with my brother when we went in 1979. He was all excited about his socks. Yes, his socks. He loved the fact that as we lifted off on Peter Pan’s Flight the black light turned his socks purple. So, with the same excitement my brother had about his socks being purple, I present to you the Unknown Magic of the Disney Dark Ride.
While many of the “Dark Rides” are considered Thrill Rides, some are very tame and even aimed at the younger audience. Peter pan’s Flight for instance is a very nice “flight” through the movie Peter Pan. You start outside the Darling house with Nanny barking at you and “fly” your way through until Captain Hook and the Crocodile are floating out of sight. Another great Dark Ride for kids is Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. In this ride, it is only dark for a very short time, during the Blustery Day scene, the rest is brighter. One of the other Dark Rides in the Magic kingdom aimed at kids, but much darker, is Snow White’s Scary Adventures. This ride is very dark and some of it is scary, maybe a little too scary for very young riders.
Another Dark Ride that can be scary for younger riders is the Haunted Mansion. Although it may make Magical Experiences, there are some places during the ride that
your youngster may be grabbing for your hand as you drive by in your Doom Buggy. Another one that you need to be careful of is Sounds Dangerous in the Disney Hollywood Studios. Almost the entire show is done in the dark. So is Stitch’s Great Escape in the Magic Kingdom. If you don’t like total Darkness these two should be avoided. Another one that is a little scary for older children even is Dinosaur in Animal Kingdom. As you travel back in time to get DNA from a dinosaur, you encounter darkness and some scares along the way. 
Over in Epcot the only scary part of the Dark Rides come in Norway when riding the Maelstrom. Between the Trolls coming to get you and the waterfall, you might be a little worried. But please don’t be worried, neither the trolls nor the waterfall hurt you and it is a great ride. In the Mexico Pavilion, the Dark Ride is a wonderful romp through Mexico looking for Donald Duck. Another Dark Ride where you are looking for a
Disney character is only half dark. It is Splash Mountain. While on this ride, you are looking for Brer Rabbit and end up going all around the bayou to see where he could be. Of course this ride ends with a 52 ½ foot drop, which is the part that is no longer in the dark. Another ride that is in the Dark, on a boat in water is Pirates of the Caribbean, which is one of the all time great Disney Attractions.
Probably the most famous Dark Ride in all of Walt Disney World is Space Mountain. It was opened in 1975 and underwent a refurbishment in 2009 and as of this writing is undergoing new musical enhancements. If you have ridden Space Mountain, you know that it is a thrill ride/roller coaster that is completely in the dark. Over in Disney Hollywood Studios, the Rock n Roller Coaster is also a Dark Thrill Ride Roller Coaster. Both are awesome rides and have the thrill of Darkness to add to the ride, but the attraction that uses the dark to its advantage more than any other is the 
Tower of Terror. The Official name to this attraction is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Taking place in the Hollywood Tower Hotel, this attraction leads you through the lobby of the hotel and then onto an elevator. The ride from there is one that either thrills you or scares you. Not because of the darkness, but because of the ride itself. So, now you know, there are Dark Rides throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, to give everyone a Magical Experience. Some aimed at the youngsters, some at the thrill seekers, and some for everyone. So, When in Disney, Don’t be afraid of the Dark.
>I am a person that lives by the creed, If you Don’t enjoy it, Don’t do it. I have lived this way for most of my adult life. I forgot it for a few years a while back, but I found someone that reminded me of it and here we are. Loving Life, Enjoying what we do and doing what we enjoy. With this philosophy of life, comes the ability to laugh at a lot of things. I enjoy laughing, I enjoy a good joke and I even enjoy bad, dumb jokes, like puns. All throughout Walt Disney World, there are hidden jokes, and puns, that most people don’t ever see, because they are moving too fast or not listening. Other people observe them, but don’t take the time to enjoy them. When you take your time and look for the Unknown Magics, you will find that there are some really silly things for you to see and hear. So, Today I present to you, the Unknown Magic of the Joke in Walt Disney World.
One of the Biggest Puns is the use of NATAZU as the slogan for the Animal Kingdom. If you slow down your saying of the word and break it into syllables, you will understand that they think of Animal Kingdom as a Theme park, Not-A-Zoo. This is an example in the Animal Kingdom, but when it comes to Animals, the best Puns about and including animals are found in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom. If you go on The Jungle Cruise you not only get puns, but jokes from the time you enter the queue, until the time you get off of the boat at the end of the ride. As you are waiting in the queue, listen to the announcements that are being made. Some of the things they say are pretty funny, for example,
“Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. Would the party that lost the roll of 50 $20.00 bills, wrapped in a red rubber band, please report to the turnstile … we have good news for you. We found your rubber band.” Kids especially get a kick out of these jokes. Once you get on the ride though, the jokes get cornier, but they are humorous. The Skipper on the ride has quite a few quips throughout the ride. The last time we were on the ride our Skipper was awesome. His delivery was flat and very dry, but that’s what made the jokes and puns even better. One of our favorites was “Since we are in an area filled with rare tropical foliage, I’d like to take a moment to point out some of the vegetation to you.” At which he started pointing at different places off the side of the boat. Corny, but funny.
But things that are said aren’t the only jokes presented in The Magic Kingdom. There are many examples of jokes and puns and word play throughout the Park. There are signs:
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| This is funny because it is a character breakfast. |
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| The Disney Vacation Club provides Getaways for its Members |
And there are areas of Attractions that if you look around you will see little jokes being made:
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| This is supposed to be a box of dynamite. |
Some of the best pre-show jokes in the Magic Kingdom are at the Haunted Mansion. One or two are inside Jokes, Like the fact that Madame Leota is the name of the Woman whose head is in the Crystal Ball or the fact that Master Gracey is the Owner of the Haunted Mansion.
Others are just corny funny:
The Best pre-show for jokes, in Disney Hollywood Studios is Muppet Vision 3-D. The pre-show which is set up like a backstage area for the show is full of word play and puns. My advice is to get there well before the next show is about to start and spend some time looking around. Not only will it give you a few chuckles, but it is air-conditioned. One of the best jokes made here is a tribute to a former Disney Child-star from way back in the 50’s and 60’s. I’m not going to tell you who it is, but I’ll tell you the star went on to be in the Beach movies with Frankie Avalon. When you are there, see if you can find the joke/tribute. Inside the Muppet theatre isn’t the only place the jokes abound, outside there are Billboards and other things that will make you smile.
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| This bottom of this sign says Piad for by the fund to keep Miss Piggy Happy. |
There are jokes and puns all over Walt Disney world, but the most in one place are probably at the Hoop-Dee-Doo revue, the dinner show in Fort Wilderness Campground. This show is fantastically fun for the whole family. Not only is the meal they offer pretty good, but the Show itself is full of singing and jokes and puns and well, all around corniness. If you are the type of people that like to laugh and have fun, this is one Dinner you should make sure you do.
So, now you know, smiles In Walt Disney World, don’t just come from the things the Disney Imagineers and Cast members do and present, but from the hidden jokes that you need to take the time to hear, see and enjoy. So, the next time you’re in Disney World, slow down and give yourself time to enjoy a good laugh.
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I love Walt Disney World at night.
When we were down this last time, we got in Tuesday afternoon and got settled then we went to dinner at the Kona Café in the Polynesian and got caught in a thunderstorm, so we went back to our resort. Wednesday night we had a dinner reservation in Epcot at Le Cellier and the park was closed, whenever we were done eating. Thursday afternoon it hit me that I had been at Walt Disney World for three days and hadn’t seen anything lit up at night!! It was killing me. I usually like taking in one of the parks the first night or two we are there just to walk around. This is a very enjoyable thing that some people might miss, so for first time visitors, our Unknown Magic today is Disney At Night. (Kind of sounds like a show that will be coming to your town in November doesn’t it?)
Disney At Night is different from Disney in the daytime for a few reasons. Heat, crowds, and anxiety are all lower, and people seem to be moving slower. These factors make a trip to any of the parks a little nicer.
When the sun goes down, the heat is somewhat less in Disney, but that does not mean the humidity will be less. If there hasn’t been the afternoon/early evening rain storm, it may be even more humid than it was during the day, but without the sun beating down
on you, it will be a little cooler. The crowds will be somewhat smaller in the evening and night, but watch for the crowds getting ready for fireworks and parades (especially
in the Magic Kingdom) and leaving the Parks after the fireworks is always crowded, but this would be the perfect time to take a walk around the park and enjoy the night. When the sun goes down, people’s anxiety levels seem to lower also. It is like they have a new outlook being where they are. If they didn’t get to the attraction they wanted to, they are okay with getting to it now, and everyone seems to be moving a little slower after dark. That isn’t to say you’re not going to run into the Disney Commandos, but you may run into fewer of them.
But none of these are the reason Disney At Night can lead to Magical Experiences. No, the Magic here is caused by the lights. Because of the way the parks are lit up, they are fantastic to experience at night. From the Fountain of Nations in Epcot, to the
entrance to Tomorrowland, the lights add to your enjoyment and excitement as you tour the parks. Even when the Fireworks or the Magic Kingdom’s nighttime parade is presented, the lights play a part, as they are dimmed to let you enjoy the lights on the floats or the spectacle in the sky.
Main Street USA itself is a beautiful sight at night. When all the lights are lit the buildings seem to be more alive. But this isn’t the only area of the Magic Kingdom that is lit up and exciting, Fantasyland is covered with millions of lights to lead you and your family to Magical Experiences. The eerie
lighting around the Haunted Mansion adds to the delight as it seems to beckon for you to come and join the 999 residents that are all ready there.
Over in Disney Hollywood Studios, the Tower of Terror is lit in an eerie way also that makes that ride even more chilling. Hollywood Boulevard in the Studios is one of my favorite nighttime places in Disney World. I like walking down the street and seeing all the neon lights and enjoy the excitement from the glow of the signs. I also like walking around the Streets of America in the Studios. The street lamps here are lit and the house lights come on and it seems as if you are walking in the neighborhoods of New York or San Francisco. (A lot of people don’t walk around the Streets of America at night either, so it is a very peaceful place to walk.)
Walking the backstreets of Disney Hollywood Studios is like walking around the World Showcase of Epcot at night. There is little lighting, but you can still see enough to enjoy yourself. It’s very laid back and quiet and enjoyable, especially after a hot day in the sun with big crowds, it is a very nice way to end a day in Walt Disney World.
The Parks aren’t the only places lit up at night to invite you to a Magical Experience. The Boardwalk, Downtown Disney and the Resorts themselves all have lighting that will add to your enjoyment. Downtown Disney comes alive at night and can be very busy, but the air seems to buzz with excitement as you walk around and experience all the different stores and restaurants they have to offer. The Boardwalk is also more alive
at night under the lights, jugglers, sword swallowers and magicians come out to
perform when it gets dark, and the Midway games open. The lights that circle the Boardwalk invite you to stay and enjoy a Magical Experience as you stroll with your family like you would have on an Atlantic City Boardwalk in the 1920’s.
So, now you know, The Lights at Disney World can help you enjoy Magical Experiences during the Unknown Magic of Disney At Night. So, when the sun goes down, go out and play.
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