Mouse Extra

Let me just alert you now that I am going to come remarkably close to sounding like an advertisement during this posting, so please know that this is not an ad of any kind.

The Laughing Place is confirming the news that Disney World is now making a greater effort to maximize the exposure of room availability at Disney Vacation Club resorts to non-DVC members.

In an effort to alleviate confusion about the availability of Disney Vacation Club (DVC) accommodations as nightly rentals, Disney vacation planners are now using the term Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts in reference to the DVC properties for non-members.

Some have found it hard to believe, but there was no doubt confusion on this.  Yes, I know if you book online you would see the DVC resorts as options, but that was not enough.  People who knew nothing about the DVC only saw a resort with a very high price and new little about why.  Those who knew what the DVC was before booking would only logically assume that if you did not own a timeshare property you could not book there.

So will a simple name change do the trick?  Probably not, but if you were someone confused and are planning a trip to Walt Disney World I would have to suggest you take a look at these properties.  Reports say that Disney has been giving moderate level prices for rooms at the Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resorts.  These resorts are as good if not better than the moderates, and if you have a studio room you get a kitchenette area as well.  For larger parties, these can be even better.  The larger units come with a full kitchen which can be a great value if you want to have breakfast in your room.

Wait as minute, what am I doing?  I’m a DVC member.  I want all the availability at the DVC resorts as I possibly can get!  Never mind what I just said!  These places are really not that good…

Here’s something that bums me out.  The Tusker House at the Animal Kingdom is now closed, as it awaits a change-over to a character buffet in a few weeks time.  We knew it was coming, but something inside of me was hoping that better sense would prevail upon the bean counters.

The Tusker House was one of Walt Disney World’s finest counter service restaurants.  It had tasty food and a nice ambience and theme.  Those things may remain after its conversion to some extent, but I am guessing the ambience may change a bit, wouldn’t you think?  A nice chicken meal and a cold drink at the bar out back was a great way to cool off and unwind a bit.  However the word “unwind” generally does not apply to character buffets.  So we can forget that idea.

Perhaps I am being harsh on the character meal concept.  For one thing, I realize it works for Disney and their guests.  There’s no doubt about that.  People, especially young ones, love them.  But I don’t particularly care for it.  To each his own, right?  I have no kids and don’t find characters at my table to be anything but uncomfortable.  And I also understand that perhaps the Animal Kingdom needed a better character meal as many people complained about Donald’s Whateverasaurus.  But did that necessitate the complete dismantling of a perfectly fine and often crowded counter service option?

Let me also point out the price difference I am sure is coming.  Instead of having a nice place where one can get a meal for fewer than 10 bucks, we will now have yet another $24.95 buffet.  Thus further shrinking our ability to attend Disney World and enjoy it on a budget.  Am I making too much of this?

I honestly think Jim Hill is doing this because he likes to see us Star Wars-Disney fans get giddy over rumors.  He’s got another drool-fest this morning regarding Disneyland as he reports the Mouse may be turning over much of Tomorrowland’s future over to George Lucas.

Yep, much in the style of the “Lucas Land” project that’s now in the work for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Mickey allegedly wants to turn a large portion of Tomorrowland over to George Lucas. So that a set of new “Star Wars” -themed shops & restaurants (And — more importantly — at least one new major attraction) can be added to this side of the theme park.

What has become of Tomorrowland over the past two decades, whether at Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom, is one of those topics that bring out the most vocal of purists.  Despite the novelty of the idea, one I think has great potential, and the even the current state of that side of the park, I just can not see purists embracing the idea of turning Tomorrowland at “Walt’s Park” into Mos Eisley or the Cloud City.  Nothing could be further from the original vision.

One thing we can be sure of is that Disney is certainly trying to expand their partnership with Lucas, as this is concept seems to be picking up steam.  Over the coming months we should begin to hear more about this.  It seems to me that if Disney does acquire broadcast rights to the upcoming television show that such an acquisition will be only the opening of what is to come with this relationship. 

I would like to point you over to the news section of touringplans.com, the website for the Unofficial Guide, for two very interesting stories and some great photography that goes with it.  This represents the sort good and not-so-good you can sometimes find at Walt Disney World.

First the good, Touring Plans posted this magnificent photo of the now wand-less Spaceship Earth over at Epcot.  And I must say it looks good.  While never having a problem with the wand like many did, the structure certainly does have a unique quality.

Now, on to the bad.  Here is a photo of an artists rendering for the new design for the lobby at the Contemporary Resort.

YUCK!  I generally like big splashy mouse stuff, but this just looks completely out of place.  The Contemporary has never been a favorite of mine.  I find it drab and devoid of atmosphere.  Perhaps the Imagineers are trying to inject some color but this is going way off the map.

What do you think?

Screamscape has a juicy fun rumor today for all those fans of the Disney MGM…errr…Hollywood Studios.  Sources are hinting to them that there may be a new coaster in the Studio’s future.

Screamscape sources have informed us that Walt Disney World management has just approved the budget to fast-track construction of a new indoor spinning roller coaster based on the film Ratatouille. As rumored for the past few weeks, the ride system will be based on the coaster design used for Crush’s Coaster that just opened earlier this summer at Walt Disney Studios Paris. This is a customized varient of the Maurer-Sohne SC-2000 layout. The new coaster is expected to be placed in the Soundstage One area right next to Toy Story Mania and construction could start within the next six months.

I have heard nothing but good things about Crush’s Coaster.  Reports are that it is truly fun and family friendly ride.  I would not be at all surprised if that same platform is used in the United States sometime in the not too distant future.

Now I can not confirm if this rumor has any validity to it at all.  What I can say on the subject is that when John Lasseter took over his new post atop the Imagineering mountain he did promise to get attraction into the parks based on new films in a much more timely fashion.  We know the Studios will probably get a new Pixar-based attraction to go in this area and using the newest film makes the most sense.

There is just a terrific piece this morning by the Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Powers, the man who I envy for his job more than anyone else.  It’s a great story about the Muppet Mobile Lab and the test Disney is performing with this moving comedy show in Epcot’s Future World.   Check out the video as well.

The Muppet Mobile Lab, as the rig is called, is the star of a test that Walt Disney Imagineering is conducting at Epcot during the next few weeks. The lab gives the research-and-development staff a chance to try more-advanced robotic, interactive and transportation technologies — mixed with some human comedy talent. With remote-control and two-way communication, Disney operators are sending the show out and about Epcot’s Future World periodically to interact with the crowds.

There’s no guarantee the Muppet Mobile Lab will become a permanent feature. Disney Imagineering officials are as interested in testing the various components as they are the entire package, for possible transfer to other characters or locations, said Christopher Holm, director of the principal technical staff.

The first thing that stands out in my mind is that the reports this test was going to take place around the Imagination Pavilion were obviously incorrect as this was taped with Mission: Space in the background.  Also, the audio coming from Dr. Honeydew is terrific and the voice used is wonderful.

But let me just admit when I am wrong.  Last week when the story broke that the Mobile Lab was coming to Epcot, I complained that it didn’t seem a very good fit there and belonged over at the Studios Park.   Well, I can’t say exactly why, but something just seems right.  Seeing this contraption weaving its way around futuristic buildings and the monorail tracks just feels like it fits.  It’s almost as if Beaker and Dr. Bunson Honeydew somehow helped create this world with their own form of science.  Here’s hoping it stays, but chances are it will soon be just a great memory for a very select few Epcot guests.