Mouse Extra

Disney has announced another banner year on the fiscal front.  According to today’s Orlando Sentinel report, the parks had a nice hand in the company’s growth, and Florida’s Walt Disney World was the flagship…

Although they did not detail Disney World’s attendance, Staggs said it set a record this fiscal year and more than offset a slight decline at Disneyland Resort in Southern California, giving the company an overall 5 percent increase in domestic admissions. Disney World’s average hotel-occupancy rate rose 7 percentage points to 90 percent, while spending by the average guest grew 2 percent, in part because of an increase in ticket prices and room rates.

So congratulations to those who work at the Walt Disney Company, as I am sure a few champagne bottles are popping today.  And if I were a major stock holder, I would be thrilled at this news.  But as a regular park guest, Disney Vacation Club member, and annual passholder I am a bit cautious in my optimism.

Will this mean an investment into new and exciting experiences at Disney World, or maybe into something less flashy but just as important?  Or will it mean nothing but continuing what they see as a successful formula?  As of now, it seems most of the major investment is going to other places.  The article continues… 

Disney World, however, was not among the direct beneficiaries of the big-ticket capital investments outlined by Iger for Parks and Resorts. The company’s three key decisions of 2007, as he called them, were: continued investment in Disney Vacation Club, with the announcement of a new Hawaiian resort; continued investment in Disney Cruise Line, with the purchase of two new ships; and a $1 billion makeover of Disneyland Resort’s California Adventure theme park.

“Let’s face it: We had a problem with California Adventure. It was not as successful, and the returns on that investment were not as strong as we would like,” Iger said. “As we looked at the entire Disneyland Resort, . . . we concluded that the only way to grow that business would be to fix and expand California Adventure.”

So perhaps this is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, but I understand the larger needs.  I also hope it doesn’t mean that Florida can’t be the recipient of smaller, but still significant changes.  I love the parks of Walt Disney World and am happy with turning money that may be used for new e-ticket attractions into funds for other less expensive things.  How about turning these great attendance figures into increased operating hours or more buses?  These are the things that can make an already great experience even better.

This month’s Magic of the Month article posted on Disney World’s official website has some great information on what we can expect from the new version of Spaceship Earth.  Imagineer Bob Zalk gives us the first truly concrete look into this major refurbishment and even tells us a bit about the new story we can expect to experience.

“We’re telling a different story this time,” he explained. “Our new story is essentially about how all the innovations of one generation influence and inspire another. There’s definitely a relationship between the caveman in the early scenes, who is writing on walls, to our era in which we write on computers. It’s a series of building blocks that add upon each other as we travel up through Spaceship Earth.”

Once you reach the top of the 165-foot diameter Spaceship Earth geodesic dome, the new, interactive touch screens on your “time machine” vehicle will invite you to create your own visions of the future and see yourself in that future.

We should also expect to find an entirely new narration, score and ride vehicles.  This is much bigger than many people initially thought, as some even wondered if the narration would change much no less a completely new story.  When all is said and done, Spaceship Earth should be more like a new attraction that may give you some déjà vu then just a refurbishment.

It should come as no surprise to anyone that the work on this has been delayed significantly.  This is a big job that probably grew as work progressed.  However long it takes is fine with me.  I am excited about riding the big golf ball once again.

Today our tour around this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival continues with a look at some new editions, as well as some returning displays, to the area just as you enter the World Showcase from Future World.  But first, here is a picture of the display at the front entrance…

As you can see, Disney has appropriately chosen “Ratatouille” for the theme and it works well.  On the path out to the World Showcase, you can find this beautiful display as well, also musing the same ideas…

Just to the right of the entrance to the World Showcase Promenade, you’ll find an area dedicated to the Dominican Republic, new to this year’s festival.  It has some interesting jewelry, musical entertainment and food demonstrations.  Rum appropriately replaces the wine over here.  (Insert corny Jack Sparrow quote here!)

Directly across the path is Peru, offering similar activities and a chance to have your picture taken with Machu Picchu in the background.

Just on the other side of the entrance to World Showcase, heading towards the Mexcio Pavilion, you will find Vinoteca De Los Andes.  It is dedicated to the great wines of South America and is also brand new this year.

Our tour continues soon as we head around the promenade towards great food, wonderful music and even better libations.

Today we have our first installment of our tour around this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival.  This festival is what makes the fall my second favorite time of year to go to Walt Disney World.  The vibe and aroma around the promenade is overwhelmingly exciting, and if you are lucky enough to get a good act playing in the Eat to the Beat Concert Series you’ll be about ready to cry when the park closes.

Let us begin at the Festival Welcome Center, a.k.a. the Wonders of Life Pavilion…

They have not really transformed the inside of this pavilion at all.  I was expecting to see a work-in-progress inside, assuming the pavilion was going to be significantly altered, but that is not the case.  In fact much of the old pavilion remains.

As far as the festival is concerned, you can find some wine tasting and seminars in here…

You can sample some food, wine and beer at the Wonders Bar, aptly named for what it serves and where it is serving it…

And you can also purchase wine from the festival at what is truly a expansive shop called Inspired Vines…

While I feel they have done a good job centering all of this in one location big enough to house so much stuff, it is no doubt off the beaten path.  Without the guidebook one would never know it was here.  It is so far away from the rest of the festival, it seems forgotten.  While people are flooding the promenade trying different things and enjoying the festival, the Welcome Center stays mostly empty.

In our next installment, we will head out the World Showcase Promenade to see what is in store for the senses out there.

I was very happy to see that a great little detail over at the Disney MGM Studios has returned after a long absence.  The “Singin’ in the Rain” umbrella has been reinstalled back to all its glory.  I thought it was fitting to find a group of kids taking turns getting their pictures taken with this hidden little gem of Walt Disney World.

As we reported a few months ago, the umbrella was reportedly destroyed last holiday season during the moving of some of the larger Christmas decorations used in that area for the Osborne lights display.  Months later, it was still not replaced causing many of us to be more than a bit upset with the possibility that Disney decided it wasn’t worth it to replace it.

But that wasn’t the case, and happily it has returned.  Next time you are back by the Lights, Motors, Action entrance take a look across the courtyard and give it a try.  See if you can resist the temptation to sing.