Mouse Extra

For today’s posting I thought I would show you some of the artist renderings presented in yesterday’s press event of the new Disney Cruise Line ship, the Disney Dream.  Be careful however, as these pictures may cause an unexplained and uncontrollable urge for fruity drinks.

As you can see from the picture, the new vessel will be much like the old ones, especially on the exterior.  The feeling of a classic ocean liner is kept, and the colors and design seem almost identical…

The picture below is of the Atrium Lobby, the first place you see upon boarding a Disney ship.  Again, this looks very similar to the existing ships.  We have a grand staircase, iconic statue, and an entrance to one of the dining rooms all in about the same location.  What you can’t really tell from this is the comparative scale.  I can only assume this will be somewhat bigger than those on the Magic or Wonder…

If you walk beyond the Atrium Lobby’s staircase, you will enter the Royal Palace dining room, pictured below.  According to the press release, the Royal palace is will be “an elegant restaurant inspired by the classic Disney films “Cinderella,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Sleeping Beauty.”

Our next stop is another new dining location.  This one is the Enchanted Garden.  It is described as “a whimsical, casual restaurant inspired by the gardens of Versailles and featuring a dining environment that magically transforms from day to night.”  This “magical transformation”, something clearly inspired by the Animator’s Palate restaurant found on the current ships, is a popular theme and one used in many locations aboard the Disney Dream.  Those who have been to the Animator’s Palate know that really does work well…

The adult section of the ship, better described as the “bar area”, is called the District.  Below we see a rendering of the Skyline, which in its conceptual form really looks like an inviting place.  Disney calls it “a cosmopolitan sky bar boasting sweeping—and magically transforming—views of some of the world’s most famous cities, where adults can savor a selection of the world’s finest beverages.”  (There’s that “magical transformation” again.)

Next we head to the staterooms for some more virtual magic.  Often times you see dazzling photos of suites that I could never afford during presentations like this.  But this time Disney has focused some attention on their least expensive offerings, the inside stateroom pictured below, with a terrific innovation called a “Virtual Porthole”.    Yes, that window above the bed is actually a screen projecting real-time views from outside the ship in high-definition.  And don’t be surprised to see a character or two come floating by.  I really have to applaud Disney on this.  What a great idea!

Finally we head to the place that is sure to capture the most attention aboard the Disney Dream.  Seen below is the AquaDuck, the ship’s water coaster.  From this rendering you can really see how impressive this will be.  (My wife says she would have to close her eyes in order to ride it…)

So what do you think of the Disney Dream?  Frankly, I was expecting to be impressed but this exceeded those expectations.  I can’t wait to experience this ship first hand.

Well, Disney Cruise Line fanatics, there really is only one word on everyone’s mind now, AquaDuck. Thursday’s press event to introduce the new ship, the Disney Dream, was meant to get everyone excited about what is to come at the Disney Cruise Line. And it certainly accomplished that goal.

For those who didn’t see the webcast, the event began with a short address by Disney CEO Bob Iger, who gave the usual speech. Iger did confirm, however, that both of the new ships, the Disney Dream and the soon to be announced Disney Fantasy, will be based out of Port Canaveral in Florida while the two current ships, the Magic and Wonder, will be sent across the globe to new places. That’s perfectly fine with me, because after getting a look at even just the renderings of the Disney Dream, I can’t wait to experience it myself.

Jay Rasulo, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, took us on a sneak peek into the new ship. The basic idea that I got from this presentation is to offer more, but nothing too different from the formula that has worked so well for the Disney Cruise Line. We see a selection of new restaurants and lounges, fun areas for kids, and entertainment offerings that all look impressive and would fit perfectly into the current DCL ships. The impression I got is that the Disney Dream will be everything you loved about the Magic and Wonder, just much more.

But the “oohs and aahs” really came when Rasulo announced the AquaDuck. At the top of the ship, cruisers will be able to ride a transparent tube water coaster that will take riders on a ride out over the side of the ship 150 feet above the ocean waves and down a 4-deck drop. This looks absolutely incredible!  You can check out an artist rendering of it on the DCL website.  The Press Event showed a virtual ride-through, which I have not been able to find onlineyet, that really brought a reaction from the crowd.  Hopefully this will be posted soon.

The DCL website now has many of the details introduced at the press event, including a virtual tour, artist renderings of the most popular guest areas, and some nice specifics about the soon-to-be-famous AquaDuck. Really, this ship can’t launch soon enough. As more details are released we will let you know.

Great music is a long standing Disney tradition.  Walt Disney himself put a strong emphasis on the importance of music, either for films or for theme park attractions.  Over the years the Disney Company has kept this tradition alive with some of the most memorable and beautiful pieces of music that have gone on to achieve incredible popularity and have become part of the culture at large.   But every once in a while, Disney will put out a terrific and unexpected release under the radar, and this week we have one such release.

 
Los Lobos, the group best known for covering the Richie Valens hit song “La Bamba” for the film of the same name, has recorded an album of Disney songs called “Los Lobos Goes Disney”.  And I can say with confidence that you don’t need to be a fan of Los Lobos, or even be very familiar with them, to really enjoy this release.  They have picked some terrific songs and given them a wonderfully sincere and worthy treatment.

The album, which was released earlier this week, features some well known songs done with a very modern approach and often something of a Tex-Mex flare.  “Grim Grinning Ghosts” is given a haunting reggae groove, with a vocal that recalls the original but without sounding like they are copying the ride’s soundtrack.  “The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room” seemed on the surface to me like it may be too tropical for a Los Angeles rock band, but they make it a natural fit with perfect fluidity and harmony.  The album ends with an instrumental medley of two Disney classics, “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “It’s a Small World”.  But the band flies through it with a feel that somehow blends California surf and Mexican carnival.

But the diehard Disney fanatic will appreciate the fact that Los Lobos have picked a couple of songs that are not often covered or even heard very much.  The best of these is a version of “Not in Nottingham”, from the largely under appreciated Robin Hood.  It is a good song in the film to be sure, but after these guys get done with it, the song becomes just a gorgeous piece of folk music that makes one think you might find Nottingham somewhere along the New Mexico and Arizona border.  It is obvious that Los Lobos and I share the same positive view of Robin Hood, as they cover the better know “Oo-Dee-Lally” later on the album with equally good results.

“Los Lobos Goes Disney” is an album that will please the Disney fan.  It may not translate as well to small children as it does to adult, but that’s difficult for me to say.  When I saw this album was being released, I didn’t know what to expect.  But what I got was a strong release from start to finish that I can’t stop listening to.  Enjoy.

I just wanted to take a posting here to help spread the word and inform readers of Mouse Extra, and more specifically my fellow devotees to the Disney Cruise Line, of a live webcast DCL is hosting tomorrow that is sure to be of interest.  Finally, details of the Disney Dream, the first of Disney’s new ships to be launched, will be unveiled at a press event tomorrow in New York City.  And thankfully the Disney Cruise Line will be broadcasting it on the internet for all of us to see.  Here is the website where you can find it.

There has already been a lot of information that has tricked out into the public.  In fact, a model of the new ship was apparently on display at the D23 Expo.  But I still expect an exorbitant amount of drool making its way into unsuspecting keyboards at about 4:15pm Eastern Time tomorrow.   And, of course, if there is anything we need to comment on, we will be posting soon after.  Enjoy your drooling!

The last few months have been filled with big news happening at the Walt Disney Company.  First, the purchase of Marvel sparked an internet frenzy.  Then, confirmation of long-floating rumors of a makeover to the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland finally came and fans everywhere all had something to say about it.   While I agree that Fantasyland is ready for an upgrade, I do have to wonder if this is the right area to be focusing so much attention and so many resources.

One is often forced to wonder where the priorities are when decisions like this are made at the Disney’s Theme Parks division, especially in Florida.  On the west coast they seem to have things correct.  No one would argue that Disney’s California Adventure is way overdue for an extreme makeover.  That park is the hole in the proverbial hull when it comes to the U.S. parks.  While it is clear that Walt Disney World does not possess any such hole, Fantasyland is certainly not the most pressing issue that should be addressed.

In my opinion, focusing so much time and money on Fantasyland is not the best use of resources.  Disney’s Animal Kingdom, while certainly a great theme park, is in desperate need of expansion and to ignore that in favor of a major upgrade at the Magic Kingdom would be, in my opinion, extremely shortsighted.  There is no doubt that DAK is the least appreciated park by the critics.  And while I feel those criticisms are often silly, there is little doubt that a visitor looking for Disney-style attractions will find the park a bit short on options. 

The cry of “half-day park” is not entirely without merit, though it is closer to being without merit than some folks would lead you to believe.  Why would Disney not address this before pouring so many resources into an area of its most popular park that is already fully packed with happy guests?

In order to stay true to Walt Disney’s vision, everything must always be changing at Disney Theme Parks, and I am certainly not one to argue that Fantasyland has become somewhat stagnant.  But nothing aggravates me more than hearing about all of those wonderful plans Imagineering had for the Animal Kingdom which were cut and slashed by the previous management team for budgetary reasons.  This was going to be an incredible experience right from the opening.  But instead we have an excruciatingly slow trickle of good things arriving in this developing park.

If the budget is there to invest money into making a big difference in the enjoyment of guests at a Walt Disney World theme park, is Fantasyland really the place to start?  Wouldn’t realizing the boundless potential of Disney’s Animal Kingdom be an even bigger “WOW” moment?

I know there was some trepidation around these parts about converting the Tusker House, a very popular counter service place, into a buffet restaurant. For me, it wasn’t a bad idea. The Animal Kingdom was always a good spot for counter service with the Flame Tree and Pizzafari to go along with the Tusker House. The only sit down place was the subpar Rainforest Cafe.

 
But Disney has changed things over the last couple of years. They have opened the Yak & Yeti and converted the Tusker House so now you have 3 choices to sit down for a meal. And the Tusker House is still a good place to have a meal.
 
The Tusker House is buffet in style. The food is basically american friendly african. For that reason, it is often compared to Boma. And no, its not as good, but its still a good place to eat if you want to stay in the park for your meal. I like for example the apple & walnut salad, the various types of couscous, and the spiced chicken. The cinnamon-banana bread pudding with vanilla sauce is addicting.
 
Disney has been trying out an Animal Kingdom version of the Fantasmic Dinner package here. Basically, lunch at Tusker gets you a special seat at the Finding Nemo Musical. Since I am no big fan of the show, I have never had a desire to use this. And frankly, there really is no need except at the busiest times of of the year. A stark contrast to the two shows per week schedule of Fantasmic.
 
The best way to try new kinds of cuisine, such as african, is to try it buffet style so you can sample before really digging in. So dig in.

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