Mouse Extra

When Mouse Extra’s contributing writer Mike told us back in March about the upcoming release of a DVD documentary dealing entirely with Imagineering Disneyland I was very excited.  Disneyland Resort – Imagineering the Magic arrived at my doorstep yesterday and it is a very good, if not overwhelmingly great, look at the people and the processes that helped create Walt Disney’s playground.

It is a two disc set and it is sold at Disneyland as something of a video keepsake.  The first disc is the main program which is about an hour long and features many great Imagineers, including Tony Baxter and Marty Sklar, talking about the conceptualization, history, and details of just about every attraction found in the original Disney theme park.  My only complaint is that this feature could have been three times as long and it still would not cover all that it could.  Instead, you get the feeling that it rushes through some of the most popular stuff.  But even with the overly fast pace, it is filled with terrific visuals and trivia and is worth every penny.

The second disc is nothing more than a few fun extras.  There are four programs, none more than ten minutes long, dealing with other aspects of Imagineering and Disneyland.  One of them, again not more than ten minutes in duration, deals with the development of Disney’s California Adventure.  Most will probably be happy to not devote any more than a few short minutes to such a subject.

This DVD is a concept I have been hoping Disney would release at all of its theme parks for years.  I know a similar DVD focusing on Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is in the works and I hope they continue with these and add the rest of Florida’s parks as well.  Disneyland Resort – Imagineering the Magic may not be perfect, but it is by far the best official theme park DVD souvenir I have ever owned.

There have been numerous items written on the subject of Imagineering, including the recent field guides to Imagineering. And there have been documentaries that delve into this topic, as well, such as the History Channel’s Modern Marvels. But if you will be at Disneyland on April 5th hop over to the Disneyana Shop for your copy of Disneyland Resort-Imagineering the Magic DVD, then head to the Main Street Cinema to have Tony Baxter, Dave Fisher, Kevin Rafferty and Michael Sprout, Imagineers themselves, sign your copy.

The DVD seems on its surface to be a goldmine for Disney theme park lovers. The DVD apparently focuses on the early problems faced by Walt and his staff, but does take you through the development behind the recently opened Finding Nemo submarine attraction. According to the Disney site, this 2 disc set covers the Disneyland park in he first disc. The second disc covers Imagineering in general, California Adventure, and Imagineering new attractions.

The set will be available at the parks but also online, while supllies last. Whatever that means. Plus, later this year, be on the lookout for “Imagineering the Magic-Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort”. I can’t wait.

This interesting and unsual guidebook comes from Original Press in Lakeland, Florida and is written by Aronda Parks (get it, “around the parks”). Ms Parks is joined in this effort by a 20+ member team of Memories Experts. These experts are quoted throughout the book on every topic, attraction, hotel, and restaurant. And at over 380 double-columned pages, there is plenty of quotes and information to go around.

This guide does do somethings better than others in the field. For one, it is an excellent source on shopping in the “World.” A whole chapter is dedicated to the subject. In fact, it may well be the best guidebook for shoppers. Many travel guides on WDW treat the subject as an afterthought with just a few blurbs at the end of a parks’ description. Not so here. Whats even better is that shops from resorts are described for that growing population of guests who tour the resorts themselves.

This book also does a fine job on the subject of planning. Various worksheets are provided to help plan out your park touring, your dining options, your hotel, etc. There is also plenty of information on booking your vacation which is suprisingly not a strong point for many of these guides. Plus, the restrooms for each park are listed- now thats helping out your readers.

Of course, the book is far from perfect. The overall quality of the product is not up to the level of say, the Unofficial Guide or Birnbaum’s. Its also difficult to find, with the best place being ebay or the book’s (useful) website. Although the quality is subpar, I do like the spiral binding a lot. The pictures are also subpar, but the idea of placing pictures of sample room cards and Rider Switch passes is useful to the novice visitor. My book is a little behind the times with nary a mention of the new Italian eatery or the not-so recent changes to Mexico. Still, it is my understanding that a Winter 2008 edition is on the way. Plus, the aforementioned website keeps you up-to-date.

The book also has many unique features that will appeal to Disney enthusiasts. For starters, there is an entire chapter dedicated to collecting Disneyana. I would like to have seen more information directed at the popular park items like pins, autographs, photo passes and animation cells, but its a nice overview. There is also a chapter deidcated to theming your vacation. Various topics ranging from holiday touring to backstage events to even more obscure ideas are covered. I may not want to take a shoppers’ paradise vacation, but this chapter can help you create some interesting diversions.

The authors also have come up with their own acronyms, VABS and C-Melts. This section helps you avoid vacation burnout and meltdowns from your little ones, two very common problems encountered at Walt Disney World. The book is especially thorough at pointing out the many ways to keep the little ones entertained not only at the parks but also the non-park offerings.

Now for my favorite part of the book- the “Imagineering for a Day” chapter. Each member of the “team” throws out an idea on how to improve each park and Disney World in general. These imagineering suggestions run the gamut from changing the hand grips at Splash Mountain to what new countries should be represented in World Showcase ( as a side note, I disagree with the expert). I would love to see this expanded in future editions to include the top readers’ suggestions. But, like the book itself, this section is both unique and charming.

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

From a general point of view, the Moon Handbooks have been consistently good travel guides for some time. From a personal point of view, I have always used their Maine Coast book to gear up for my annual trek to the area. With that said, the recent Moon Handbook to Walt Disney World & Orlando does not disappoint.

The “& Orlando” part is important. This guide does not just throw in a few tidbits about other areas. Instead, nearly half of the volume’s 300 or so pages covers attractions not in “the World.” Sure, Universal Studios, the Space Coast and Sea World take up a large portion of the back half of the book. Moreover, many of the area’s multitude of diverse small attractions are covered in excellent detail. You will learn much about attractions like Reptile World and the Tupperware National Headquarters. In fact, this diversity is a real plus to the book. If you are traveler who spends much of your vacation time “off World”, this is probably the best guidebook you can buy. Even if you are like me and never spend any time “off World”, the descriptions of places such as Skull Kingdom or Historic Bok Santuary are a fun read. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be inspired to see something out there on your next trip.

The beginning of the book provides a nice over view of the Walt Disney World resort. There are nice sections on those two very important groups of theme park visitors- kids and thrill-seekers. There is also a good overview on how to plan a day at a particular park. This book does not take planning to the extreme like the bible of Disney guides- the Unofficial Guide. However, it does give you a basic idea on how to plan a day. I personally really like the Rainy Day Planner for those ugly weather times. I would suggest that in future volumes though they take a look at the maps of the parks. Not only is it scaled incorrectly, there are even attractions placed in the wrong spots. This is especially true of the Magic Kingdom map.

I also like how the author, Laura Reiley, speaks her mind. You just need to read her lambasting Its a Small World. Apparently, the attraction gives her a full body rash in combination with nausea. I don’t always agree with her. She likes Lights! Motors! Action! while I find it tediously slow. She also feels Epcot is doable in a day, but I think that would be shortchanging the park. But I do agree that the Tomorrowland Speedway doesn’t work in theming or execution. I, too, can’t figure out why there is a scene from Pocohontas in the middle of Fantasmic. Well, you get the point. Unlike many other guides, the author is not afraid to criticize. Nor is she afraid to be funny. An important trait in a travel guide which as a genre can get bogged down in details.

When I look at a guidebook, I look to how several things are covered by the authors. They are in order of importance: attractions, dining (sit down meals, counter-service, and snacks), resorts, non-park offerings (like the water parks or Downtown Disney), shopping and ameneties such as Extra Magic Hours and the Magical Express. The book covers all of these topics at least adquately and in some cases much more so. Despite the fact that I am a Disney World vet and don’t need a guidebook at all, I still always get the Unofficial Guide, the Passporter, and the Complete Walt Disney World for entertainment purposes. This new Moon Handbook now joins that list.

Today’s merchandise review is from Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra and our resident guidebook junky.

Go to any bookstore and you will find volumes upon volumes of travel guides dedicated to Walt Disney World. There are many guides that appeal to specialized travelers, as well, such as those travelers with young children, or those looking for romantic trips, or guests who are a part of the gay community. Now there is a new book called Walt Disney World with Disabilities by Stephen Ashley and published Bull Media Innoventions. It does a commendable job at making a trip to Walt Disney World “comfortable, fun and safe” for people with disabilities.

And the book covers a wide range of disabilities too. Many would think that this book is for those guests in wheelchairs, who require disalysis, or who depend on oxygen tanks. While those topics are covered in great detail, that is merely the tip of the iceberg. Do you have food allergies? The book covers it. How about a heart condition? The information you need is there. Epilepsy, high blood pressure, hearing impairments, hyperactivity, back pain- its all covered. Even afflictions such as motion sickness or various phobias are addressed to help ensure you have a quality trip.

The first portion of the book covers in the entire resort in its basics such as the transportation system, dining, extra magic hours, ticket purchasing etc. The book also directs you to helpful websites such as touringplans.com and allearsnet.com not mention the author’s own, excellent site, www.diz-abled.com. (Somehow I missed the Mouse Extra citation, but I’m sure its there somewhere). This is also the first guidebook I have ever seen that recommends getting to the park at 10AM or even 11AM to avoid the difficult-to-navigate bottlenecks that a park’s opening creates.

The book also covers each park in great detail. Each ride is described in a way to assist people with any sort of potential problem with an attraction down to certain smells encountered. I would recommend this book to people bringing small kids just for this attention to detail. Toddlers and preschoolers often require a little advanced warning on scares, loud noises and the like and this book gives you what you need. The wealth of information is terrific here. For example, who would even think twice about the show Voyage of the Little Mermaid at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, the entry in this book provides cautions on fear of the dark, loud noises, lightning simulations, flashing and twinkling lights, and a steam effect. You also warned about a rain effect and bubbles. By the way, Disney Hollywood Studios is apparently the most comfortable park for those guests with disabilities while the Animal Kingdom is the worst thanks to the heat and narrow paths.

Dining is also very effectively covered. Again, the attention to detail is tremendous. For example, the author notes that at the ABC Commissary there is a wheelchair accessible register all the way to the left. Every eatery from major draws like Boma and Le Cellier to the smallest snack shop are described.

I have few if any complaints about the book. Shopping is given no real attention. In fact, Downtown Disney is but an afterthought in this guide. The hotels and resorts are also on the back burner here. I do think this was intentional on the part of the authors as this information is given in plenty of detail in many other books, so why copy it here? Still, I would think some shops would present issues for some disabled guests. Also, the ability of the author to provide updated park information is uneven. He noted the change in the Tusker House from a counter service to a buffet but still listed Alfredo’s as being a part of the World Showcase.

But thats nitpicking and I don’t want to seem too critical. This book is truly a marvel and an absolute must for anyone planning or thinking about planning a trip to WDW with any type of disability. I would also recommend this book to those guests with small kids who would like to warn their children of potentially disconcerting or frightening aspects of rides. I would recommend this book to anyone going for the first time and who would like specific details on rides and dining options. In fact, I would recommend this book to anyone. period.

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

During my last trip to Walt Disney World, I was hoping to find a good t-shirt dedicated to Epcot’s 25th Anniversary.  I had heard that some merchandise was available, and was certainly aware of many trading pins that have been released for the event, but I was not sure of exactly what was on the racks.  Truth be told, it was not too much.

It’s not like the 25th is plastered all over the park.  I think that many of us who saw the celebration on the internet thought they made a bigger deal of this than they actually did.  Only a few days later there are only the smallest reminders that anything ever happened for the anniversary at all.  Pretty much all you will find is the old-school flower logo behind Spaceship Earth…

And it is accompanied by a fairly nondescript sign…

As far as merchandise is concerned, beyond the pins there really is nothing.  They have released a few retro looking t-shirts that are somewhat interesting in a silly early 80’s sort of way.  But regardless of that, they don’t mention the anniversary at all…

So, am I missing something?  Why would they release a barrage of pins as the only merchandise offered for this event?  Was their more offered during the actual day that I am not aware of?