Walt Disney World 101 - It's all about the story

Walt Disney's first full length animated film was taken from a Brothers Grimm fairytale, but in true Disney style, it was watered down some what, but the key thing here was, it was a classic story that was, at the time of its release,  nearly 100 years old, and that ethos in story telling has followed through in all of Disney's films.
So when Disney's Imagineers (the creative and constructive talent at The Disney Company) created Disneyland, they continued to tell their stories.
From each land that take you on a unique journey of the past, the present, future and imagination, to the attractions inside them that could be classed as the chapters to each story.
The parks are full of detail that will have a story, a factual reference or in honour of someone that has contributed to the world of Disney entertainment. The easiest examples of this can be found in Main Street USA, which you walk through after entering the Magic Kingdom. Here above the shops you'll find sign written windows that seem to emulate that may see in an office or trade. When you actually read them, they each represent a Disney legend, this is someone who has made a lasting contribution to the Disney Company, either in their films or parks.
Some will seem recognisable like "Sail maker - Roy E. Disney - Specializing in the Gentlemanly Sport of Racing at Sea - Sailing Lessons" This was Walt's brother and co-founder of the Disney Company and can be found above the Crystal Arts shop. 

source: www.mouseonthemonorail.com

Some are not so known, such as above the Magic shop you'll find "Can Do Machine Works - Mechanical Wonders - Live Steam Engines - Magical Illusions - Cameras - Roger Broggie, Shopmaster - Advisor to the Magic Makers" Roger was an Imagineer and life long friend of Walt's. Starting as a machinist for his films and later developing special effects and Audio Animatronics (moving and talking mannequins) for the parks.

source: www.phil-sears.com

And there are thousands more like that across the resort, most of which are not so obvious, but just as meaningful and when you delve into these stories and understand their meaning, these discoveries can enhance your appreciation for these attractions and only Disney provide this much detail in their story telling. 

So when most people will rush around the parks with their smart phone apps planning their day with attraction line times and show schedules to fit as much as possible in a day and believe me these apps exist, there are a lucky few that will take their time to search and discover these details.
I hope to be one of these people on my next visit, but then again, with a 9 and 6 year old in-tow I may have a bit of a struggle on my hands.

Cliff Huet was the principle Imagineer
on the Haunted Mansion www.micechat.com

Now I realise that most people who go to Orlando will have a limited time to see as much as they can and get in as many rides as possible and so think they won't get the time to look for these details, but they can find them too. Some of the attraction queues are filled with these stories. Again some are pretty easy to spot, like the names on the tomb stones at the Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom are mostly dedications to past legends, imagineers and cast members (Disney employees).
So on your next visit I hope you get a chance to seek these details and stories out.

There are also plenty of books out there that can help you find them.

But I'm going to tell you one more that happens to be one of my favorites. If you are at the Frontier Land Rail Road station, you should find a wooden leg with Smith written on it. This references the joke that Bert (famously played by Dick van Dyke) told in Mary Poppins. 
"I knew a man with a wooden leg named Smith."  "Oh yeah, what was the name of his other leg?"

So I hope you find some more of these references on your next visit and please share with me on any you do manage to find. I would gladly share it on a future blog.

I hope you enjoy more.

Dale

Orlando 101 - It's not all about Disney

Now most people that know me see me as a Disney nut and in many ways that is true. But for me, it's the whole Orlando experience. It's Walt Disney World, it's Universal Resort, it's Sea World and all the other parks, attractions and shows that has made Orlando the most popular family vacation destination for the last 40 years.

Boys will be boys.


My first Disney experience was in Disneyland California way back in 1980. Although for me it really started in 1991 after a conversation with a friend discussing the differences between Disneyland and Walt Disney World Florida. This ended up with us both going on a cram-it-all-in 1 week trip. Staying in a motel on International Drive and fitting the 4 main parks at the time. Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Universal Studios Sea World and Busch Gardens.
And I loved it, but then again, we were a couple of 20 something IT professionals with a Chevrolet Camero as a hire car and a healthy disposable income. It would have been hard not to right?!

The following year I visited Disneyland Resort Paris (then known as and sometimes still referred to as EuroDisney) with the same friend and his family. I'll talk more about that park in a future post (look at me, my first post and I'm already thinking ahead)

The seed was planted

Well since then, I've been back to "The World" twice. The last time was back in 1998 with my girlfriend, who later became my wife. But this time we stayed on property at the All Star Music Resort and that was it, I was hooked. Staying on property was actually the highlight of the trip and it was then I truly understood the Disney experience.


Although I stated earlier it's the whole Orlando experience I love, it's Disney who have lead the way in exceeding customer expectation, or what is commonly referred to by travel experts as "that Disney Magic" and I'll be talking a lot more about that in future posts (there I go again!).

Disney World guard asks little princess for her
autograph http://www.huffingtonpost.com

The obsession is kicking in

It's been 15 years since I last went to Orlando, but since then I have been keeping a very close eye on how things have evolved. Now I'll discuss vacation planing with anyone I know who are going, then review the trip with them on their return. Accumulating peoples views of this holiday and how to experience it.
I've subscribed to a few podcasts and have a couple of books on the subject. But I truly believe that the only way to really know is to go and see it ...again.
So I plan to go back in 2015 with my wife and now 2 kids, yes we "got biz-zay" (Syndrome - The Incredibles).

The boy who lived hasn't helped

In order to feed my fix within the last 12 years I've visited Disneyland Paris 3 more times, but it's the Orlando fix I desperately crave for.

And more specifically the expansion to Fantasy Land in the Magic Kingdom and the ever expanding Universal Islands of Adventure with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter which is about to spill over into the Studio park with Diagon Alley. 

Copyright - Universal Studios Orlando

I suppose now is the time to reveal that I'm also a huge Harry Potter fan! Mid-life crisis people OK? Mid-life crisis! And while we're on the subject, I blame my wife for that one as she introduced me to the books.

Now back to Universal, where their client experience has come up in leaps and bounds. They were the first park to introduce Express Pass before Disney brought out Fast Pass for their most popular rides. This is where, in stead of queuing for an attraction, you take a ticket and it gives you a time to come back, so you can go off and enjoy other areas of the park and you return at that allotted time to get straight on the ride with a very small wait time. Well Disney is bringing that concept into the 21st century with FastPass+ and My Disney experience app. Expect more on that in a future post sometime soon.

And so much more.

Then there's Sea World and their sister park Discovery Cove, another incredible experience for the family to enjoy.

And let's not forget to mention Wet-n-Wild, Busch Gardens and the shopping! you have to set some time for shopping (for the gals really)!.

There is something for everyone in Orlando and I hope to keep you informed and perhaps discuss your experiences or even help you plan your next trip. 
So if anything from this post site enhances your next vacation, then it's been worth it and I'd love to hear from you.

So please, move all the way to the end of the isle, filling all the empty spaces, keep your arms and legs in the car throughout the ride, refrain from eating, drinking and smoking during the show and absolutely no flash photography is allowed. 

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy more

Dale.