Mouse Extra

There is a rumor published yesterday by a website called Bloody Disgusting that says Disney is going to try once again to make a movie based on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction.  According to the site, there are still some licensing issues being worked on.

While there are many (announced) projects in the works, a source tells Bloody-Disgusting that a movie based on their awesome Tower of Terror is also in the grapevine. While rights issues are still being worked out, the plan is to follow a group of characters that enter a bizarre world where nothing is as it seems. While the ride is a spin on the “Twilight Zone” franchise, “Zone” is a Warner Bros. property.

To be fair, I know nothing about this website, so I can’t vouch for the rumors accuracy.  And it seems as though they are the only ones with this information, so take it as it should be taken, as a rumor. 

Now we all know this idea has already been tried which, oddly enough, is something the article fails to mention.  Steve Gutenberg starred in a downright unwatchable film version of the Tower of Terror back in the 1990’s.  Would Disney really try and take a stab at it again?  Seems like a strange idea.  But that original film is now all but forgotten, despite Disney attempts to sell the DVD at the attraction gift shop for years.  Perhaps they can get a mulligan here and produced a film that is as thrilling and as immersive as the attraction itself.

In the past few years Disney has tried the whole attraction-turned-movie idea a couple of times, with decidedly “mixed” results to put it kindly.  They have not all been the Curse of the Black Pearl, to say the least.  Others have turned out to be pretty bad and total flops.  The idea of turning the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into a movie no doubt has potential, but it certainly makes me nervous given the past results.

The internet is alive this morning with news from the Disney Vacation Club.  It seems the club is re-allocating its points structure so as to make a weekend stay more affordable for guests.  Jason Garcia’s blog on the Orlando Sentinel has the story.

Disney Vacation Club, which sells real-estate interests expressed as “points” that guests redeem for nights in its time-share resorts, last month overhauled its point structure to lower the cost of weekend nights and raise the price of weekday nights.

Disney said it is trying to spread the demand more evenly throughout the week. The company had previously required close to twice as many points for Friday and Saturday nights as it had for Sunday through Thursday nights, which had prompted particularly heavy weeknight reservations.

Weekend nights will still be more expensive than weekday nights, but the disparity won’t be as wide.

With all due respect to the Sentinel, and all of the other popular sites that are running this story now, they are all somewhat behind the curve on this.  The fantastic website DVCNews.com had this story weeks ago.  If you are a DVC Member, and I would imagine many of you are, you should make DVCNews.com a regular stop on your internet tour of Disney sites. 

DVCNews.com clarified the specifics of this change with this example…

Beach Club Villas / One Bedroom / Choice Season
2009:  24 points per weekday, 47 poins per weekend
2010:  27 points per weekday, 38 points per weekend 

A Sunday to Thursday stay in the above accommodation will cost 15 more points in 2010 than it did in 2009–an increase of 12.5%.

Personally, I am not a big fan of this.  In an attempt to keep my costs down, and to maximize the value of my membership, I often used the discounted weekday prices to my advantage.  I have never gone down for just a weekend, but I have gone down for just a few days during the week, like a Sunday through Thursday trip.  I usually find cheaper airfare that way and smaller crowds.  This change is not going to impact my travel habits, because the DVC is not making it so that weekends are now a good value.  But it is going to limit how many trips I can take.

But I do understand the point here.  I would imagine my travel habits are a bit unusual, as most people travel on weekends.  For that reason, I support this decision, even though it hurts me.  It is the right thing to do for the majority of members.

The Orlando Sentinel, not normally a source for fun Disney-related rumors, reported this week on two possible changes coming to the Mouse.  The first brings us over to Pleasure Island as information is still unfolding about what exactly this area will look like when changes are completed.

Rumor has it that Harley-Davidson has sniffed around the abandoned Mannequins building at Pleasure Island with thoughts of opening a restaurant at the Downtown Disney location. (They already have a retail outlet on the Island). Kind of hard to imagine, but at least that revolving dance floor might get work representing a wheel. Why, look here: part cafe, part museum.

The general idea is that Disney is looking to create their own version of Universal’s City Walk.  They want to bring in outside companies to create themed restaurants.  City Walk has a Jimmy Buffet’s, Emeril’s, a Hard Rock Café, and a NASCAR themed restaurant.  Getting involved with Harley-Davidson seems to fit that idea.  And I would imagine such a place would do quite well.  Even though the popular misconception is that people who drive Harley’s all look like something out of the film “Easy Rider”, the fact is Harley depends on an extremely white-collar clientele as its most devoted customers.  If you build it, they will come.

The other rumor is one that has been around for a long, long time.  But it is always good to re-stir the pot and get this one going again…

Other rumor has it: Disney shopping for countries to rent space in the World Showcase pavilion?

Like I said, we have all been hearing this for literally years now, or even decades.  There has been a constant series of countries whose names have been linked to such a project, but nothing ever seems to happen.  I am not sure if this time around the rumors are at a higher pitch then in previous years, but if Disney is only at the “shopping” stage, I wouldn’t expect anything soon.

But you have to admit, this is one of the most fun rumors out there.  Who doesn’t like discussing which country would be the best?  And what great things you can do with a new pavilion?

Before heading to Walt Disney World last month, I had read many reviews online about the new T-Rex Café at Downtown Disney.  And none of them were very positive, to say the least.  Various reviewers spoke poorly of the food, the noise, and even the service.  Needless to say I wasn’t too excited about checking it out.  But it was new, and I do my best to try anything new at the Mouse that doesn’t have to do with American Idol, and my seven year old nephew was looking forward to it and he is in command of that regiment.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  Yes, it is essentially the Rainforest Café just set a few millennia earlier, but I don’t necessarily think that is a completely bad thing.  The food is fine.  It won’t make you wonder if Disney sent Le Cellier’s chefs here, but it won’t make you green either.  I had the Mega Mes-O-Bones, which means to say I had a full rack of barbeque ribs.  They were rather good, and I would recommend them to anyone who goes there hungry.  The portions, even for the side dishes, were huge!

And the service we had was very good.  Despite the long line, we were seated with little wait and our waiter was very attentive.  (On a little side note, I spotted a gentleman working there that used to be behind the bar at Crockett’s Tavern at Fort Wilderness.  He was exemplary over there so ours was not the only good waiter.)

And perhaps the audio-animatronics dinosaurs are not the most advanced in Walt Disney World.  But they still look really cool and are fun to watch.  Your kids will be fascinated with them.  The Ice Room is also a place you’ll not find anywhere else.  Yes the place is loud.  But roaring dinosaurs is a different kind of loud then the kind you get at Chef Mickey’s…if you know what I mean.

So I guess what I am trying to say is don’t believe all you’ve read.  It may not be the best dining experience at Walt Disney World, but if you need a place in Downtown Disney to bring some kids for decent food don’t hesitate to go to the T-Rex Café.  The dinosaurs are cool, the food is alright, and the service is good.  But if you are exhausted and looking for a quiet place to chill out after a long day of hearing kids screaming in Fantasyland…skip it.

On our last trip to the World, we finally had a chance to try Wolfgang Puck’s at Downtown Disney. For those who don’t know, there are, in fact, three different Wolfgang Puck eateries. At the Marketplace, there is the Express which serves an abbreviated version of Wolfgang Puck’s menu. Over in Downtown Disney, you can either go to the Cafe or the more upscale Dining Room which is on the second floor. We chose the Cafe which is big, open and very noisy.

The food was also average at best. The Butternut Squash soup was superb but the tortilla soup was rather boring. The pizza was soggy, meaning I still haven’t had a good slice at the Mouse. The only decent piece of pizza is at Pizzafari. The Rigatoni with Sausage was pretty good but certainly nothing above a B grade. The fettuccine dish was also average.

Overall, I would skip this restaraunt when going to Downtown Disney. In my opinion, I would stick to the House of Blues and perhaps Raglan Road.

Today’s review is from Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra.

According to a Disney World press release, newly crowned Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes will be at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom this morning for a victory parade. 

On Monday (Feb. 2), Holmes was to go to the place where millions of vacationers celebrate their personal milestone moments (Roethlisberger, who initially planned to join the MVP wide receiver, then decided to make his celebration visit later). Holmes was to be joined in the Magic Kingdom by NFL Youth Football players from Jacksonville, Fla., who will participate with the Steeler star in a Super Bowl celebration parade down Main Street, U.S.A.

This latest commercial is the milestone 40th of a series that began in 1987 following Super Bowl XXI. The first ” I’m going to Disney World” commercial, featuring New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, was regarded as a groundbreaking concept – a produced national commercial involving a current event, airing on major networks within hours of its conclusion. Holmes and Roethlisberger join a lineup of people from sports and beyond who have celebrated milestone accomplishments in “I’m going to Disney World” commercials.

It was certainly a strange game.  For 3 quarters it was marred by silly penalties and chippy play.  But all of a sudden, when Larry Fitzgerald broke downfield to cap a terrific comeback by the Arizona Cardinals and give them a very late lead, my attention was captured again and I knew we were in for a wild and fun finish.  Ben Roethlisberger, who will apparently also be going to the Magic Kingdom later in the month for a parade, must have thought he was surely going to be the MYP.  That was until Holmes made an acrobatic catch to give the Steelers the championship.

By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY

I am not one who cares for commercials, halftime shows, or who sings the national anthem.  I’m a sports fan, and watching the Super Bowl can often be a frustrating event.  But I do always find myself waiting around to see the “I’m Going to Disney World” proclamation.

And one more thing, what was that “I’m going to Disneyland” thing Bruce Springsteen did at the end of his set?  Was the Boss being snarky??