Mouse Extra

Bob Iger was recently quoted on CNN Money as saying the following:

“And not everything has to be a franchise. I was recently asked whether “Ratatouille” was a franchise. I said no: “Ratatouille” is an extremely good animated film and will be a classic unto itself, but it is not a franchise. You are not going to see “Ratatouille” attractions in parks. When you look at “Toy Story,” we’re making our third film, we’re opening two Toy Story Mania attractions at parks this summer, we have a very strong consumer products line, we have a “Toy Story” musical opening on the cruise line, we have a game in development - that’s a franchise.”

Of course, this nips in the bud the many rumors of a Ratatouille “wild mouse” coaster in Disney Hollywood Studios, a clone of the Crush Coaster from the Paris park. Which is too bad, since I think a wild ride through the sewers of Paris as a rat might have been fun. I feel Ratatouille is one of the better Pixar films.

But the real problem is the reasoning behind this. I can certainly live without a Ratatouille coaster, but i don’t want all future attractions restricted to those of a franchise. Does everything have to be based on the Princesses or Toy Story? Yes, I know Expedition Everest is not a “franchise” based attraction, not a pirate to be found anywhere. But that seems to be the exception to the rule these days. I hope this is not a sign of the end of original attractions like the Haunted Mansion or Soarin’ being imagineered. Lets hope not!

Is the Disney Cruise Line giving us a not-so-subtle hint about what it plans to do with the new ships launching in 2011 and 2012?  It does seem as though that may be a possibility.  According to the morning’s Orlando Sentinel, the Disney Cruise Line is sending 20 employees, including the company’s number two executive, to London to set up an operation there.

A company spokeswoman said that about 20 employees will be stationed in the United Kingdom office, though not all will be people transferred from Central Florida. The operation there will be led by Tom Wolber, Disney Cruise Line’s senior vice president and the company’s No. 2 executive.

Now 20 people may not seem to be much, but we are still over three years off the launch of the new vessels.  Right now there is little need for more than that.  But the conclusion we can draw is from Wolber’s inclusion in this transfer.  Why would someone that high up in the company be relocated to London if they did not plan to have major operations in Europe in the future?

Disney Cruise Line fans are patiently waiting for any hint of what to look forward to when these new ships take to the seas.  We here in America are wishing for cruises out of New York, Hawaii, or Alaska.  But the rest of the world is also open to the Mouse and this may be the first real evidence of where the future is leading the Disney Cruise Line.

The Disney Cruise Line debuted its latest musical show on Thursday when “Toy Story – The Musical” took to the stage aboard the Mouse’s newest ship, the Disney Wonder.  The Orlando Sentinel has the story and some great footage to watch as well.  Click here and watch the video.

The stage show has the blessing and the imprint of John Lasseter, director of the Toy Story films and now chief creative officer of Disney and Pixar Animation Studios as well as the principal creative adviser of Walt Disney Imagineering.

The result show is a full-blown Broadway-style affair with 18 actors (including beloved characters Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Hamm and Rex), giant projection screens, an appearance of the Claw and a rollicking finale.

I hope to hear reports from this show soon.  It certainly looks like a lot of fun.  Each time I have been onboard a Disney Cruise ship the same shows were offered.  The last time I only went to one because I just was not interested in seeing the others again.  Toy Story is one of my very favorite films and from this preview the musical certainly looks worthy of a try.  It will be nice to see something new.

But I know my own tastes and that makes me a bit cautious.  I honestly could not tolerate “Finding Nemo – The Musical” at the Animal Kingdom, and that earned rave reviews when it opened.  It just was not for me.  Hopefully this will be more to my liking.

Set your DVR’s because tonight the travel channel begins what they are calling the “Season of Disney”.  It looks like the network plans on showing a show based around Disney every Friday night at 9pm EST for the next five weeks.  Tonight it begins with “Samantha Brown’s Disney Favorites”.

Here are the names of the shows coming each Friday…

4/11 Samantha Brown’s Disney Favorites
4/18 Disney Splurge
4/25 Disney: On a Dime
5/2 The Disney Royal Treatment
5/9 Disney Cruise Line

It is always good to see the parks on the Travel Channel.  Some of these shows can be a bit over-the-top and certainly appear very staged, but the footage is certainly fun to see.  Enjoy.

The Orlando Sentinental is reporting the following

“E-Brands, the multi-concept Orlando based restaurant group, will launch its newest location and concept at Walt Disney World in 2009. The eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty tequilas, premium wines and live music.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to build upon our portfolio of 15 successful restaurants across the country — including such brands as Timpano and Samba Room — and our 25-year relationship with Walt Disney World Resort,” said Rashid Choufani, CEO/Owner of E-Brands Restaurants and operator of Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion. “We look forward to sharing our unique dining experience with Walt Disney World guests from around the globe.

E-Brands Restaurants newest concept will come to life with a boldly colored hacienda-style interior featuring rustic beams that contrast against modern fixtures, stone floors and windows that open to create an open-air environment. The 5,000-square-foot, two-story facility will have a tequila bar and outdoor seating along Village Lake.”

Disney has not announced where this is going exactly other than to say it will be on Village Lake. I can guess that it may be part of the Pleasure Island overhaul. I can also assume it will much be like Raglan Road in that there is no cover charge. Frankly, Disney is going to the chain restaurant well a little too much recently with, in my opinion, mixed results. Having said that, South American cuisine is notably absent from Walt Disney World and this is a place I will definately try. We’ll see if it works out.

Today’s article is by Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra.

When it opened to the public, there was an element of criticism for the new EPCOT Center not being kid-friendly. These criticisms often included the idea that there were no Disney characters around. Even today, at first glance, this park seems to be the most adult-oriented of Disney’s 4 Florida parks. However, when you look around, there is a lot for a toddler to do.

There are, of course, two different and distinct parts to Epcot, and they have two different types of appeal to toddlers. For certain, Future World has an appeal for little kids. Unfortunately, most toddlers do not reach 40 inches in height. This leaves out Test Track, Mission:Space, and Soarin’ for these tiny guests. While the first two may be difficult for the young ones to handle, Soarin’ is not. If your toddler does reach 40 inches, this is a great ride to try your child’s temperament for thrills. If they don’t reach the height requirement, have an adult go with the toddler to the Land boat ride while the rest of the party hits Soarin’. Just make sure to grab a pass that allows the adult who missed the ride to go straight on. This pass allows three guests to go back on Soarin’, thus allowing some of the party to get on Soarin’ twice.

The rest of Future World can be very appealing to young children, particularly The Seas with Nemo, Turtle Talk, and Imagination. All of these attractions are geared directly to this age group. Make sure you leave time for your children to explore the Seas pavilion which includes a huge aquarium and some fun hands-on exhibits. Unfortunately, some of the more informative side exhibits have been replaced by things like a giant Bruce the Shark for kids to crawl through. Education has been replaced by fancy, but the kids don’t seem to mind. Also, at the Imagination pavilion, allow some time to explore the Image Works area; which includes some fun activities for kids such as a virtual conductor of an orchestra and light-up pictures that when stepped upon make appropriate noises (like a lighthouse or an elephant).

Many guests consider the World Showcase a place to enjoy cultures from around the world, shop, and enjoy different cuisines. That’s certainly all true, but there is a lot going on for young kids. There are characters and KidCot areas. Characters are everywhere. In England, for example, in one of the shops you will often find Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger. Other nations have characters like Beauty and the Beast in France, Snow White and company in Germany, Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco and so on and so on. Others like Sleeping Beauty can be found along the walkway, as well. In fact, I feel that World Showcase may be the best place in WDW to view and meet characters as their presence seems to be nearly constant. Not to mention the lines seem to be somewhat smaller than at the other parks. And don’t underestimate the simplicity of the KidCot areas where toddlers are encouraged to undertake simple crafts. These have been so popular that they have set up similar stations in Future World.

As we all know, food is a major draw for Epcot guests. Which country should we eat at has been a key question since the park first opened in 1982. With young kids, many adults get concerned about what their toddler will eat if they select a more unusual cuisine like Norwegian or Moroccan. However, all of these restaurants have kids menus that feature the typical chicken fingers or mac and cheese . We recommend Chefs de France, a great place for lunch, or the San Angel Inn in Mexico, while there try the churros, our kids love these cinnamon sugared dough sticks. Also, for the princess fan, the Norwegian restaurant, Akershus, has princess meals devoted to your little royal one.

Today’s touring guide is from Mike and Brooke, contributing writers to Mouse Extra