Mouse Extra

Perhaps I’ve been listening to Len Testa too much, but now I am at the stage in my planning when I am almost plotting out every step.  For those of you who don’t know Len Testa, he is the co-author of the Unofficial Guide, webmaster of touringplans.com, and a member of the WDW Today mob.  If you listen to him long enough, you’d think without a previously written touring plan, done by the Testa Team of Blistered Toes, you’ll be stuck riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority all day or waiting 3 hours for an e-ticket.

Fortunately, I do not need to ride every ride and see every show this time around, because if I did I would certainly need Len’s famous duct-tape.  I’m going to the Mouse to relax, get some photos of things I need for this website, see the new attractions, and check out Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival.  But still, time is short and I need a game plan.  I guess that’s something so emblazoned in my head there’s no getting it out.

We are going to be there in May from a Sunday to a Wednesday.  Before Memorial Day, May is an average time as far as attendance is concerned.  It’s not too crowded, but it certainly isn’t empty.  Big attractions need to be targeted first, and I personally like to avoid evening Extra Magic Hours whenever possible.  Since Sunday is an evening Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom, we’ll probably go to the Disney MGM-Studios.  Fantasmic is scheduled for 9pm, and that seems like a great way to end the day.

Monday offers a morning Extra Magic Hour at the Animal Kingdom, and those are a good idea.  Most people are eating their breakfast at 8am, but we’ll be on Expedition Everest.  (Hopefully my wife isn’t reading this!  She’s not a huge fan of me dragging her out of bed this early.)  The evening has and Extra Magic Hours at the Studios, so this seems like a great time to go to the Magic Kingdom.  It is open until 10pm and Spectromagic runs at 9pm.  We’ll probably go to Trail’s End for dinner, my wife’s favorite place and a good way to make it up to her for the morning.

Tuesday is Epcot day.  We’ll explore the Flower and Garden Festival, ride some attractions in the morning, and then settle in around mid-afternoon for Off Kilter and the British Invasion.  Tuesday is the only day we’ll be there when both bands are playing.  My only other must-sees are lunch at Alfredo’s before it is gone for good, and Spaceship Earth before it is changed for good.  Now I know those of you who are Len Testa disciples will immediately point out that Epcot is considered a “park to avoid” by the touringplans.com standards.  Well, that’s just the way it has to be, we’re going to Epcot.

That leaves the few hours on Wednesday before the Magical Expresses depresses me with it’s farewell video.  Since we’ve been to every park, we’ll play that by ear…

Here’s just a quick update on the new ride at the World Showcase, focusing on the story it’s based around.  For those who have not been on the new Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros, the new ride at Epcot’s Mexico pavilion, I would just like to warn you that the following quote contains many spoilers.  Disney World has issued a press release which includes their detailed description of the ride…

It’s an excursion by tour boat through vibrant, eye-filling sights accompanied by lively music. The people, culture, history and arts of Mexico are showcased, and guests catch a glimpse of some of Mexico’s most famous cities, resorts and beaches, including locations such as Mexico City, Chichen Itza and Acapulco.

The “Gran Fiesta Tour” combines new live-action film shot on location in Mexico with an overlay of hand-drawn animation of the Three Caballeros. The custom animation is inspired by the original 1944 classic film and uses the same color palettes, stylistic design and graphic elements.

As the story goes, the caballeros have reunited for a grand performance in Mexico City. But along the way, Donald Duck disappears to take in the sights of the country, leaving José and Panchito to search for their missing friend. Their journey is a festive and colorful celebration of the beauty and culture of Mexico that is fun for guests of all ages.

Reuniting with their wandering amigo, the friends end their adventure with a grand fiesta celebration at sunset in Mexico City. Guests arrive at the new concert bandstand in Mexico City just in time to see — and hear — the much-anticipated Three Caballeros reunion concert.

Most of the reviews I have been reading are positive.  It seems the update was well done, injecting the characters while not destroying the rides intent.  The trend at Imagineering certainly is towards film based attractions and liver performances, and away from huge audio-animatronics based rides.  But that criticism really does not apply to this attraction, as it was film based to begin with.   I too would have liked to see something more than just a layover, but I’ll take anything better than what was there.

It appears yet another major refurbishment is coming to Epcot, this time to the park’s icon Spaceship Earth.  We all knew that when Siemens took over the attraction’s sponsorship that they would eventually want to put their own stamp on what is often referred to as the most attended attraction in all of Walt Disney World.  The new post-show was already announced, but that was only the tip of the iceberg.  My thanks go to Deb Wills and AllEarsNet.com for providing the press release.

At Epcot, a re-imagined Spaceship Earth will combine the magic of the iconic attraction’s time-travel adventure into the past with a new finale, presented by Siemens, which lets Guests imagine their futures.

Enhancements to the time-travel attraction will encompass changes to each of the ride scenes. New show scenes will be added to the attraction’s story along with new lighting effects, costumes, set decoration, narration and musical score. The time travel adventure will be enhanced through new, interactive touch screens installed aboard each “time machine” that will enable guests to create their own visions of the future and see themselves in that future.

So it appears as though the essence of the ride will remain, but with some very noticeable updates.  Take a look at the first sentence of the second paragraph above.  The plan is to affect each scene in some way or another, and to add even more scenes.  The historical story will remain somewhat intact, at least it seems that way in the first paragraph, and enhancing that can only be considered a good thing.  The ending will change dramatically.  As Siemens looks to inject itself into the ride, the finale is the natural place to do this.

Now, take a look again at the last sentence which says riders will have “interactive touch screens installed aboard each “time machine” that will enable guests to create their own visions of the future and see themselves in that future.”  All the Horizons fans should be jumping up and down right now, because this sounds very similar and even a bit more fun. 

The potential here is terrific.  Spaceship Earth is one of my absolute favorite attractions, and I must admit I am a little nervous about such sweeping changes to a wonderful attraction.  I can completely understand altering the ending sequence to meet the sponsor’s needs, but the historical portion certainly is not in need of changes to every scene.  But this is Disney, and I believe even the best attractions should be always growing and changing.

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the opening of Euro Disney, now called Disneyland Paris.  The Mouse has never found the going easy in France, and that has not changed much in the past decade and a half.  Mickey News.com has a story this morning about the parks ongoing financial struggles.

But it has also lost hundreds of millions of euros and small investors who paid 11 euros a share when Euro Disney went on the stock market in 1989 now have stock worth about 0.09 euros each.

The attendance is good at this park, but money just isn’t flowing through for one reason or another.  Despite that, they are moving forward with a huge anniversary celebration that would be fit for a highly successful, world famous theme park.  Okay, before I start complaining again about how Disney isn’t even planning a lousy t-shirt for Epcot’s 25th, I’ll stop here…

My sincere thanks goes to Matt Hochberg over at MGMStudios.org for pointing out a unique event happening this October at Walt Disney World.  To celebrate the 13th anniversary of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Disney is holding 13K run.  Information can be found at the Wide World of Sports website.

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ 13K is an 8.1 mile night-time road race that will begin and end in the shadows of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction at the Disney-MGM Studios. The course will also feature Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Complex, before returning to Disney-MGM Studios where the course will feature the Lights, Motors, Action™ Extreme Stunt Show and then down New York Street, past the Sorcerer’s Hat, to an unforgettable finish at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™.

There is also a 6.5K version happening simultaneously.  Both races start at 9pm, which makes this the first nighttime run at Walt Disney World.  They’ll have medals for the finishers and a post-race party afterwards.  In all, this sounds like a really fun event.

There is only one comment I’d like to make here.  Here we go again with celebrating anniversaries, and wondering how Disney World suits decide to do these.  The Wide World of Sports gets a huge investment for its 10th.  The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror gets a race for its 13th.  Yet on the 25th anniversary of Epcot, a much more significant milestone there is still nothing announced.  Huh?  Nothing at all??  I understand we may not have a huge 18-month celebration with all the fanfare those types of things come with.  But how about an after hours party? 

But with that aside, this looks like a terrific event.  Maybe I’ll have to give this a shot.  Considering the new fad of Disney podcasters running in Disney World Endurance races, I wonder if Mr. MGMStudios.org and WDW Today himself is up for the challenge??  (And no, you can’t put Scopa in there as a sub!)

Today we have part 2 of my May trip planning journal.  If you haven’t read the first installment click here. 

With my next trip to Walt Disney World only weeks away, it’s time for me to figure out where we are going to eat.  If we choose to make advanced dining reservations, (we’ll call this ADR’s) then we need to decide now what parks we are going to and when.  But I’m hoping to stay away from that type of regiment.

 Since this is a last minute trip, and not during an extremely low attendance period, I can expect to not find availability at the more popular theme park restaurants at the times we want.  I don’t want to eat dinner at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, so my choices are a sit-down late lunch or counter service.  Both are good options, depending on where you are.  But I am a Disney Dining Experience (DDE) cardholder, so that needs to be factored into the decisions as well.  Also, I prefer to do as little waiting for tables and waiters as possible, as time is short, so counter service is where I am probably headed most.

At the Magic Kingdom, this is barely an issue.  The sit-downs are limited, and the counter service rather ordinary.  But to make sure I get my DDE discount, my options are narrowed considerably.  The often overlooked Plaza Restaurant is a nice sit-down choice.  It is generally not as crowded as some of the other places, but still a good meal.  I haven’t been there in years, and I think this may be the right time to try it again.  The Plaza is one of those “hidden gems” of dining at the Mouse.  Either that, or hop a boat to Trail’s End over at the campground.

The Animal Kingdom, due to its lack of sit-down options, offers most of the counter service locations on the DDE plan.  Flame Tree and Tusker House are both on the plan, as are others, and both are perfect for what I need. 

Epcot is a big challenge.  All of the DDE options are sit-down, and only the less desirable locations and times are available this close to the trip.  This is my favorite park, and we plan to be there probably 50% of the time we are in Walt Disney World, so we’ll need at least two options.  The first one is easy.  I’ll have to bite the bullet and make an off-time ADR at Alfredo’s.  This is the last time I’ll be able to go before it closes, and I would like to say one last goodbye.  For the second option, something everyone forgets is the Boardwalk area, just a short walk from the U.K pavilion.  There we have great options, like the ESPN Club, Spoodles and Beaches and Cream.  These are all wonderful places and all have DDE discounts available.

But if Epcot is a difficult challenge for the last minute traveler, the Disney-MGM Studios is a near nightmare.  Mama Melrose’s is the only place you can get a last minute ADR, and that is average at best.  The pizza at Toy Story Pizza Planet is dreadful, and the ABC Commissary does not have much that excites me.  The Flatbread Grill is a good counter service option, but the DDE discounts are not offered there or any other counter service location.  Remember this is a short trip, so time is precious and I don’t want spend a lot of time waiting around for a table.  But it kills me to not use the discount I’ve paid for.  This is a tough one…