>Above it All

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You fly past the planets in one of 12 vehicles at 11 Revolutions per minute. The attraction travels 1.2 million miles per year, without ever leaving its spot in Tomorrowland. And you feel as if you are speeding into space, with every trip. This attraction was considered the focal point of Tomorrowland after it was added in 1974; it helps that this Unknown Magical Attraction is above everything else in sight and its spinning motion and central location helped too. No, it’s not Space Mountain, it is the Astro Orbiter.

Originally called the StarJets, this attraction was refurbished in 1994 and is still as great an attraction as it was back then. With a two person ride vehicle shaped like a rocket, it is a fun ride for everyone in your family. Once you take the elevator up to the launch pad, and get settled into your “rocket” you lift off and start to “orbit around a retro sci-fi style central structure full of brightly-

colored planets”. As you fly around, you can use the joystick to make your rocket fly higher or lower. This is great fun with kids as long as neither of you is afraid of heights, because even though it is kind of like Dumbo the Flying Elephant, it is much higher.

If you aren’t afraid of heights, this is an amazing attraction as you can see all of Tomorrowland. It is especially wonderful at night as the lights are lit on both the Astro Orbiter and all the rest of Tomorrowland below. What an amazing sight it is when you are circling in the dark, high above everything.

This is one of those attractions that can create Magical Experiences for you and your family, but you have to make sure you don’t walk by it. The elevator to get up to the launch pad is found near the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover entrance. So, the next time you are in Tomorrowland, especially at night, take a few minutes to get Above it All!

>Get your Indy on.

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I wrote an article for the website Growing up Disney a while back called The Best Thing I’ve ever Seen at a Disney Park. This excerpt is from that article:

I remember our first night of that trip to the Magic Kingdom, as a family, as if it were yesterday. When we first got there it was dusk and the lights throughout the Happiest Place on Earth were just coming on. We strolled up Main Street USA, went past the Castle into Fantasyland. We went through a couple attractions and had a good time, but at that time my son John, who was 8, was a car nut. He would read everything about cars he could get his hands on. So, the obvious attraction for us to ride was the Tomorrowland Indy

Speedway. We stood in line and I video taped John as we stood there. He was jabbering on and on, as he does when he is excited. When we got close to the boarding area, the Cast Member measured John and said he was tall enough to drive the car. You would have thought he had been made Mayor of Chocolate Town, the way his eyes lit up. We then asked if he wanted one of us to ride with him or did he want to go by himself. The poor kid’s head almost blew-off at the thought of “driving” his own car without his mother or I with him. He chose to “drive” by himself and we got in the car in front of him. Along the way we called out to him in the dark and he yelled back, laughing the entire time.

This is not only one of my favorite memories of a trip to Disney, but a favorite Unknown Magical Attraction, that is sometimes overlooked, because it isn’t as technologically advanced as some of the other attractions in Disney World. None the less, the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway is a great place to experience a Magical Experience. (John must get his love for the Indy Speedway from his mom.  This was my favorite ride, when I was his age.  I remember wanting to go on it again and again.)

The Tomorrowland Indy Speedway was one of the original attractions when the Magic Kingdom first opened in 1971. It was an updated version of the Disneyland Autopia. When the Autopia first opened in Disneyland, the interstate highway system was just being built. Walt Disney himself thought that the Autopia could help kids learn how to drive. The original attraction didn’t have any guardrails and the cars would bump into each other all the time, so the guardrails were added soon after opening.

Whenever the attraction opened in Walt Disney World, freeways were part of everyday life, so the Imagineers decided to make the newer version of the ride a racetrack. The racetrack itself is not an oval, but it is a big looping course with a few turns and a long straightaway. The four lane track is a little under a half mile long and the cars speed along at 7 ½ miles an hour.

This is one of the attractions that is fun for the whole family, especially the little ones. They think it is so great to be able to drive the cars and even if they can’t it’s neat for them to be a passenger in a racecar. As an adult this is one of those rides that takes you back to a simpler time in your life and helps you remember what it was like to ne a kid. The Tomorrowland Indy Speedway is truly one of the great original attractions in Disney World, and although it is always busy, there are many people that seem to walk on by, thinking that it isn’t much. Next time you’re in the Magic Kingdom, head over to Tomorrowland and get your Indy on.

>Get Small

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A Bugs Life was on TV last night. My Son John and I were watching it and he commented that there aren’t any Bug’s Life attractions in Walt Disney World. I reminded him of It’s Tough to be a Bug in Animal Kingdom and then he was right. Besides it’s Tough to be a Bug, there isn’t another. You can see Flik

around Animal Kingdom, but there aren’t any other attractions. In Disneyland, they have A Bug’s Land, where they have the Tough to be a Bug attraction and a few other attractions and where you walk through a garden where you are the size of a bug. Although they don’t have this in Walt Disney World (yet), there is an Unknown Magical Attraction that is very much like this. It is the “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” Movie Set Adventure.



Picture from Amazon, where you can order this movie

 “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” Movie Set Adventure, is based on the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movies. Where scientist Wayne Szalinski, first shrinks his kids, then “blows up” the Baby and then shrinks himself and his wife. These were cute family movies released in the very late ‘80’s and early 90’s and became an attraction in Disney World in 1990, after the first movie was released.

“Honey I Shrunk the Kids” Movie Set Adventure, is located in the Disney Hollywood Studios off the Streets of America and across from the Studio Catering Co. This is a great place to stop before heading into the Lights, Motors Action Extreme Stunt Show or after taking the Backlot Tour. Younger kids will have a ball here. The Movie set Adventure is more like a playground with HUGE props that add some fun to your visit. You can climb on the back of a very large ant, dodge 30 foot blades of grass and get squirted by a 52 foot long garden hose, as well as experiencing other things that make you feel as if you were shrunk.

The attraction is promoted by Disney as a “play area for little ones and preschoolers”, but when we were down and John was eight, he still had a good time playing around here. Truth be told, we did too! It is a neat place to walk around and think about how they make movies where people are smaller than
real life things and the items they have here for the kids (and yes adults) to play on are pretty neat. My favorites were the Spider web and the plant root maze. The Nose is kind of funny also; it is a very large nose that sniffs from time to time (that is a weird sensation).

“Honey I Shrunk the Kids” Movie Set Adventure is one of those attractions that many people look in at and then keep walking right on by, because it doesn’t seem like much. It really isn’t much, but it is a great place to enjoy as a family and a wonderful place for the little ones. You will definitely get some great pictures and even more laughs when you take the time to get small.

>Unknown Magic under the Eiffel Tower

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A clarification, before we start. There are Attractions that many people that have never been to Walt Disney World have heard of or know about; attractions that neighbors and friends talk about when they come back from a Disney Vacation. These are great attractions and rides that stay with you and if you haven’t been, you think about when you are planning your trip to Disney. There are quite a few other attractions though which aren’t spoken about or that many people don’t even know exist. These are the Unknown Magical Attractions that we’re going to be talking about on Mondays. Of course we may dabble in the bigger attractions (as we have done in the last few weeks), but when we do, it will be to point out some Unknown Magic that can be found on the ride or in the attraction.

Today’s Unknown Magical Attraction is found in Epcot and to be more specific, in the France Pavilion. The France Pavilion itself is rather cool, with the Eiffel Tower above your head and surrounded by beautiful gardens, there are shops to experience and Pastries to be eaten. But the attraction we are talking about today is Impressions de France.



My wife waiting for the show to start

 Impressions de France is a film presented throughout the day in the Palais de Cinema and is about 20 minutes long. It is projected on 5 screens that almost surround you entirely and as you sit and watch the show, it feels as if you are surrounded by France. This is because the film takes you through different aspects of France, everything from people at a market to a wedding in a huge chapel. You experience the beaches, the Alps and of course the Eiffel Tower. You get to see the grand architecture and the stunning beauty that is France. You witness the grape picking in the vineyards, bicyclists and hot air balloons as well as a car race. The scenes are amazing and make you feel as if you are watching the French people in their daily lives.

According to the Disney Website the music played in the film “features the music of such famous French composers as Claude Debussy, Camille Saint Saens and Francois-Adrien Boieldieu—performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.” And it is perfect throughout the movie and adds a feeling of wonder and excitement.

Impressions de France is one of those attractions that many people skip over, because it is “just a movie” about France. It is more than that though, it lets you see onto the French lifestyle and allows you to see the beauty of France. It is one of the many Unknown Magical Attractions that Disney has to offer that you need to search for, but take my word for it; it’s worth finding these gems as they will add to your magical experiences.

>Getting Ready for the Toys

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This week’s Magical Attraction Monday was about one of my Favorite Attractions in Walt Disney World, Toy Story Mania. The pre-ride queue for this attraction is fantastic. Here are some pictures taken in this attraction, as you wind your way through the line. Enjoy the walk through.

>Shooting with Woody and the Others

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As a little tyke, my son’s favorite movie was Toy Story. He’d watch it over and over again. We as a family were happy when they came out with the second one. And the Third one was a Family Night out at the movies, which doesn’t happen much, with a 15 year old and the prices of movies being so high. So, I guess you could say we like the movies. One of our Favorite

attractions in Walt Disney World is Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. This is a fun time, where you “help” Buzz defeat Zurg, by shooting a laser beam at different targets. We love taking this ride and have even been lucky enough to get on it 6 straight times, with no line during an early morning Extra Magic Hour. Although this is a great attraction, it is not my favorite Pixar themed attraction in Disney World. That distinction would go to Toy Story Mania.

Before you even get onto the ride, this attraction is fantastic! You start off walking through Andy’s Room. You weave your away around, under and past his toys. You see everything from Lincoln Logs to a View Finder. You even see his handmade jail and other objects he used with Woody and Buzz. My favorites are the Monkeys from the Barrel of Monkeys that are hanging around and the Tinker Toy sculptures. These details are great and they really make the wait in the queue a little better, but making it even more fun is Mr. Potato

Head. The Disney Imagineers have made the childhood favorite a “Boardwalk Barker”. But he is more than just an M.C. here at the attraction; he interacts with the people in line. He actually tells jokes, makes comments about people and basically catches your attention. He is a neat Audio-Animatronics figure that makes waiting in the line a little enjoyable.

The actual ride of Toy Story Mania is an interactive 3-D ride through a carnival midway hosted by the stars of the Toy Story movies. It is located in Pixar Place in Disney Hollywood Studio. Disney actually promotes this as a 4-D experience, as “you can feel them as they whoosh by” (According to the Disney website when talking about the projectiles that are part of the attractions). The Projectiles that you are shooting are; Darts, Rings, Eggs, Baseballs and Pies. The Darts are shot at balloons; the Rings are tossed on the little green aliens from the claw; the Eggs you throw at barnyard targets; and the baseballs you throw at plates. The Pies are used as a warm-up to get you used to the “shooting” device.  Each one is used in a different section of the ride through the attraction and is presented by a different character from the movies.

The ride vehicle is a four person car, with two people sitting next to each other and the other two facing the other way, with a high seat back between you, so you and the person you are next to don’t see the other two riders, except when you get on and off the ride. As you ride through and interact with these different objects, there is a time limit on each activity and your score is kept for you and your car mate. This is always neat as you don’t really pay attention to the score as you are playing, because you really don’t have time. I usually glance at the score between activities. The scores are flashed up on the board as you are leaving and the top score for the car is pointed out.

I would like to take a moment here and say that this attraction is not only our one of family’s favorites, but it is a favorite of many people. This attraction does offer fast pass, and I highly recommend you getting one, if you are not going to ride first thing in the morning. This is the one Attraction that I have been told I resemble a Disney Commando when going toward, especially when we first get to Disney Hollywood Studios first thing in the morning. It isn’t

that I love the ride this much, but it is because even when we got there at 8:15 on an extra magic Hour Morning, the wait was already at an hour. After the ride was over, we were also told that the day before the FASTPASS for the entire day had been sold out by 10:15. That is kind of wild. So, my advice is to go first thing in the morning for an Extra Magic Hour and get a FASTPASS for later in the day, or try during the Extra Magic Hours at night. We were told once by a Cast Member that if you are in the queue before closing time, they will let you ride even if when you get to the ride vehicle, it is after the time the park closes.

For those of you that love this attraction there is a way that you can enjoy the ride without being in Florida. They have a version of the attraction in a game for the wii™. It isn’t exactly like the ride of course, but it is kind of fun to play in your own living room, when you need a Toy Story Mania Fix. This is kind of Magical. Not only is this Magical and the actual attraction is Magical, but there are some hidden Magics during the ride itself. There are ways of scoring over 500,000 points on the ride. I personally haven’t been able to do

it, but you can find plenty of sites on line that will describe for you how to do it. I think the problem would be remembering them all as you are waiting in the queue for so long. But whether you find these “Magic” ways of scoring really high points or just ride to enjoy yourself, Toy Story Mania is a blast! So, head on over to Toy Story Mania and tell them I sent you, after a while, you’ll get a great seat and have some fun!

 

>UNICEF Salutes the Children of the World

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Some attractions are Magical for how they make you feel, others for the thrills they give you. Some stay with you forever. Once you ride it, you remember the feel of the ride, the emotions it produced and even the moment you went “WOW”, this is neat. Today’s Magical Attraction is one of those rides you take and you remember all your life. And it isn’t because of the thrill you get from it, no this attraction is one of the most relaxing in the Parks. It was one of the Original Attractions that opened when the Magic Kingdom opened in October of 1971, but it was designed and built many years before. Today’s Monday Magical Attraction is “It’s A Small World”.

It’s a Small World was originally an attraction for the World’s Fair in 1964. The Pavilion was sponsored by Pepsi-Cola and presented by UNICEF. It was originally called UNICEF Salutes the Children of the World. When Walt was approached by UNICEF to add something to their pavilion, he went to Mary Blair, one of his artists, to supply the look for the pavilion. He then asked the Sherman Brothers, Bob and Richard, to come up with music for the attraction. Along with Marty Sklar, the Sherman Brothers put together a test track of music from different countries that would play as you go through the ride; when they listened to the track of the music it was a too difficult to hear any one song or sound, so Walt asked the brothers if they could write an original song for it. The song they came up with is now a song that every visitor to a Disney Park (and many that have never been to a Disney Park) has heard and knows.

Some people have described the song as hypnotic. Others say it is the most annoying song ever written, Richard Sherman describes the song as a prayer for peace. And, it is all of these things. It is a song that stays with you for the rest of your life after you have heard it and most definitely the rest of the day after you have ridden the attraction. In the context of the attraction it is an amazing wish for the children of the world to have peace and understanding.

The Attraction was moved to Disneyland in May of 1966 and then was also built for Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, when the park was first opening. In the Magic Kingdom, there are 289 dolls, which represent six continents. The Song is sung in five different languages. In 2005, the Disney Imagineers refurbished the attraction and part of that restoration project was adding the original 1964 orchestral recording of the song back into the attraction.

One other Disney legend that needs to be mentioned when talking about It’s a Small World is Joyce Carlson. She built dolls and costumes for every It’s a Small World Attraction World Wide including the original at the World’s Fair. Her work along with Mary Blair’s is what has given the attractions their timelessness. Joyce Carlson was presented with a Window on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom in 1988; it reads Miss Joyce, Dollmaker for the World.

My favorite part of the attraction is the Hula girls; I get a kick out of them. I also like the final area where all the dolls from all the continents are dressed in white and are all singing together. To me, this is the true meaning of the ride:

There’s so much that we share,

That it’s time we’re aware,

It’s a small world after all.

**Information about the song for It’s a Small World Came from “the Boys”
the documentary about the Sherman Brothers.

>Pirates of the Caribbean

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What makes a good Disney World Attraction? Is it the Thrill? Is it the surprise you get the first time and you always remember? Is it that the attraction makes you feel like a kid again? Or is it the Magic of being in Walt Disney World and you get to experience these magical attractions as if they were made just for you? I think that it is a little of all these things and then one other thing. The extra thing is the details that the Disney Imagineers put into the attractions that make them even more Magical. Some of these details, you as a guest never see, but they are taken care of just the same. Others are things that you see, but you don’t realize what they are, because you go through the attraction without noticing the Magic that is there. A great example of this is the Pirates of the Caribbean.

The Pirates of the Caribbean was originally made in Disneyland. It was one of the last attractions that Walt Disney himself supervised in construction. He never saw it finished, as it opened after his death. When Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was being built, the Pirates of the Caribbean was not one of attractions that was to be there. The reason for this was because the Disney Company didn’t think that guests to a Florida Resort would be interested in a story based in the Caribbean, since it is so close to Florida. Luckily for us all, the company gave into guests requests and built the classic attraction and opened it in 1973.

One of the Magical Details is the building for the attraction itself. The building is based on a Cuban Fortress from the 17th century called Castillo Del Morro, which was built in early 1589 to protect Havana from Pirates. It was originally a Spanish Fort that was taken by the British in 1762. The British gave the fort back to the Spanish in 1763.

Some of the other Magical Details of this wonderful attraction are found in the queue. There are two queue lines to choose from, one side takes you through the fortress and is considered the Soldiers side, and the other side is the Pirate side which features one of the magical details that should be seen. As you are walking along, you can look down upon two pirate skeletons sitting at a chess board. The board is set up in such a way that the game is not a checkmate, but it is in a state where the players’ moves can only lead them back into the same place of check. And this is why they are still sitting at their chessboard after such a long period of time.

Other great details that they have added since the Pirates of the Caribbean movies have been out are the addition of Jack Sparrow and Davey Jones to the ride. Davey Jones now adds some excitement to the 14 foot drop as you first start the ride. This excitement isn’t just because of the drop, but because the Imagineers have added a wonderful illusion of passing through a waterfall; Very neat. These touches that have been added because of the movie are just as detailed as everything else throughout the boat ride. For example, after the boat drops down the waterfall, you go past a battle between a fort and a pirate ship. At one point you see on the deck of the ship Captain Barbossa. You never get more than a glimpse of him as you float by, but the Captain is detailed just like every other pirate in the attraction, his hair, clothing and facial features have been meticulously made even though no guests ever get a chance to see all that. This is some of the Magic that the Disney Imagineers put into an attraction that they don’t need to, but they feel if they didn’t it would be less authentic. You can see these details on many of the Pirates as you float through the

attraction. Just look at the pirate’s leg that is swinging above you as you go under the bridge he is sitting on or look at the one sleeping with the pigs and you can see the care and attention that was put into these figures, so that you would enjoy the attraction even more.

These are the things that I think make the Disney Attractions so Magical, the details and the care with which the Imagineers plan and implement each attraction. If they didn’t take the time when planning and building them, these Attractions wouldn’t be as Magical as they are. So, next time you go through the Pirates of the Caribbean, look for the chess playing skeletons, know that

Captain Barbossa is as detailed as the rest of the pirates and keep an eye out for Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack Sparrow, because the Magic is in the Details.

>Taking a page from the Mouseketeers.

>I have to admit, I never watched the Mickey Mouse Club. I know, as a Disneyholic, you would think I would have. But I think the reason I didn’t is that I am a child of the 70’s. According to Wikipedia, in the 1970’s the show only ran from 1977-1979 on about 130 stations. I don’t remember it playing in my area. The big times of the Mickey Mouse Club were in the 1950’s and again in the 1990’s. This is when we remember the performer’s names (from the 50’s because of the role call and the 90’s because of the talents that they became, or tried to become). But I had a feeling of what the Mickey Mouse Club shows were like, so I looked back to make sure my thoughts were correct. Looking at a great website about the show called, The Original Mickey Mouse Club Show, and information from some wikis, I found I was right in the fact that the original show, which was aired 5 days a week, had a theme for each day.

The reason I am telling you all this is because The Unknown Magic Within Walt Disney World is going to be changing over the next week or so. We have already starting going into the direction of themed days, with our Foto Friday and Saturday Matinee, so we have decided to extend our themes. Starting next week, Sundays will now be called Second Chance Sunday. On Second Chance Sunday, you will be able to read one of our Articles that you may have missed from the distant past. Tomorrow we will start our Magical Attraction Monday, where we focus on one attraction and the Unknown Magic involved in it. We’ll Follow on

Tuesdays with Teenage Trip Tips. My 15 year old son will be collaborating with me by giving me a list of what he likes to do in Walt Disney World. Wednesdays will be our day to share with you great places and ways to recreate and relax on your Disney Vacation that you may not know about. It will be called Hakuna Mawednesday. Thursdays will be known as Thirsty Thursdays. On Thursdays we will talk about different places to get a refreshment, maybe an adult beverage and enjoy some places that are Unknown Magics to many people.

We will continue to share many of the things people miss and be persistent with our philosophy, that to enjoy the Walt Disney World Resort you cannot be a Disney Commando. Because of this new format, we may repeat some of the information we have already shared with you, we will try not to, but I am sure it may happen. Please forgive us if we repeat ourselves, we will do our best to present new information daily. Please come check out the new themed days,

we are hoping to help you to enjoy as many Magical Experiences as possible in Walt Disney World and hope you continue to enjoy the Unknown Magics that we have to share.