2010 October - Part 3

What is that Disney Magic?

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Brenda 8 Comments

mickey magic1 What is that Disney Magic?

I was talking to my mother the other day about an article I had written entitled, “And to think…it all started with my mom!” She was saying that there was something extraordinary with me and Disney, as she had also taken my sister to Disneyland and Disney World, and many of our other relatives and friends have traveled there, but somehow I was the one who just fell in love with it. It was like it became part of my soul. What is it? I call it the Disney Magic.

Chances are that if you are reading this and you are a follower of Chip & Company, you know exactly what I am talking about. You LOVE Disney! It seems like such a simple thing, doesn’t it? You work just to be able to spend that vacation with your family in the most magical place on Earth.

Some people, especially those who have not visited Disney World, do not understand what drives me. Some of them have asked, “Why are you going to Disney World AGAIN?” There are two phrases that encompass my sentiment for those people: 1) I am sorry, Peter Pan, that you seem to have grown up, and 2) what can I do to help you plan a trip to Disney World so you can see for yourself?

Occasionally, people ask me, “But don’t you want to see other places?” The answer is yes, I do want to see other places. In fact, I have those places written down on a bucket list. Several times, my husband and I have flatly decided we were going to go somewhere else on our list rather than Disney World and it never fails that we change our minds. Once, we teased the kids that we wouldn’t be going on our annual trip to Disney that year and they acted like we said we were getting a divorce – like oh my gosh, what could be so wrong that we are not going to Disney World? They are very aware that we have gone super cheap during the years where just going was truly a miracle, as well as the years we have gone all out with free dining and gained weight despite all the walking. So they couldn’t image what could be so wrong that our trip would be off. They were glad to find out we were only playing a joke, although they did not find it amusing in the least. Anyhow, they should have known we were kidding because as soon as I am home from one trip I am already planning for the next one.

I am not exactly sure what drives us back, or what Disney Magic really is. Maybe it is how I am always wishing for a better tomorrow, where people smile more or reach out to each other in friendly ways but something about Disney definitely touches my heart. Then again, it could be destiny.

Whenever I read about Walt, it is as though I have a real connection with him somehow and, through the years, even when I haven’t had Disney in the forefront of my mind it seems to end up right back there. For instance, I host a book and film club at my home in which we read a book a month. Once a year we each choose a book we would like everyone to read. Last year, I chose a book called The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall. I loved the book and, wouldn’t you know it, while reading chapter 10 there was a true tale about Walt Disney staring me right in the face and warming my heart. These kinds of things happen to me often – I believe it is fate!

People either get the magic or they don’t. I know that I actually feel more alive and happier than at any other time when I am at Disney. I feel bad for those who don’t have it as I feel like they are missing out on something really special. I find myself rooting for them to get it and I would do anything to help them acquire it. I hope you have it, and I hope you will never lose the magic.

What is that Disney Magic? (chipandco.com)
A Ride Wimp’s Guide to Disney World Thrills: Soarin’ (chipandco.com)

Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party Details & Highlights

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Chip Panel Blogger 4 Comments

Ever want to ride Splash Mountain six times in a row? Here’s your chance!

Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party is a special event that takes place on select evenings in September and October. This party is held at the Magic Kingdom, and the park will be closed to anyone who is not attending the event.

Party Highlights:

Hallowishes Fireworks (replaces the Wishes” fireworks show)
Boo-To-You parade
Trick or Treating (for kids and adults)
Characters in costumes
Villainous meets and greets
Rare character appearances
Character dance parties (in three locations)
Super short wait times for your favorite attractions
Rare Photopass and photo opportunities

When to go:

Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party is presented only 24 nights a year. Double check the party dates before booking your vacation if you want to be sure you can attend.

How to attend:

Each member of your group will need to have a ticket to attend the party. Tickets can be purchased in advance and are sometimes available the night of the event.
Tip: Buy tickets in advance to be sure you get the date you want, and to get a slight discount. If you want to attend on Halloween, then buying tickets in advance is a must.

Event cost:

As of 2010, Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party tickets cost $53.95 and up for adults and $47.95 for kids aged 3-9. Children under 3 are free. The price increases slightly for dates closer to Halloween, peaking at $64.95 for adults and $58.95 for kids.

How it works:

Arrive at the Magic Kingdom on your chosen party date. Pick up your Halloween bracelet, party map and Trick or Treat bag as you enter the park any time after 4:00 p.m. If you are already in the park, you can also pick up your party gear at Stitch’s Great Escape in Tomorrowland.

Important! Wear your bracelet at all times. Anyone without a bracelet will be directed to the park exit at 7:00 p.m. Halloween party guests will have access to all open areas of the park for the duration of the party.

The party starts at 7:00 p.m.; the trick or treat stations, meet and greet locations, photopass locations and other events will begin at this time. The park will be open until midnight, and scheduled offerings include the “Villains Mix & Mingle” show, the Boo-To-You parade and the special “Hallowishes” fireworks show.

Need tips on getting the most from your party experience? Check this handy list of secrets for some great things to see and do at the party.

Other MNSSHP links:

Click here for a Review of “Boo to You” parade.

Where to find Disney Villains?

Please welcome one of my favorite about.com writers Samantha to Chip and Company. When Samantha isn’t out riding Splash Mountain 6 times in a row she can be found writing about all things Disney World for About.com or on her blog.

Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party Details & Highlights

Best things I love about Disney – Pirates of the Caribbean

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Chip 3 Comments

Easily one of the best rides at the Magic Kingdom! Pirates of the Caribbean has entertained millions of Walt Disney World guests on a thrilling adventure through dark, mysterious caverns where “dead men tell no tales” since it opened at Magic Kingdom on Dec. 15, 1973.

Starring a comical cast of rascals, scoundrels, villains and knaves, the eight-and-a-half minute Adventureland attraction sends guests of all ages on a rollicking boat ride to a Caribbean seaport under siege by a swashbuckling band of pirates.

History

Pirates of the Caribbean first opened at Disneyland in 1967 and continues to delight guests today. According to Disney archivist Dave Smith, many guests still consider it their favorite theme park attraction.
The Disneyland attraction originally was conceived by Walt Disney as a walk-through exhibit until the 1964 World’s Fair presentations created by WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) paved the way for a more sophisticated kind of three-dimensional storytelling known as Audio-Animatronics.
Veteran Disney animator and Imagineer Marc Davis created hundreds of humorous pirate drawings during the attraction’s development in the early 1960s, sketches that Disney sculptor Blaine Gibson helped bring to life as Audio-Animatronics figures.
The jaunty theme song by lyricist X. Atencio and composer George Bruns, “Yo Ho, Yo Ho; a Pirate’s Life for Me,” sets the attraction’s light tone with its tongue-in-cheek depiction of high-seas lawlessness.
Pirates of the Caribbean wasn’t included in the original plans for Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort — the Disney Imagineers thought that since Florida sits in the middle of the real Caribbean there would be little interest in a pirates-themed adventure.
Soon after opening in the fall of 1971, Walt Disney World Resort was inundated with guest comments expressing disappointment that the renowned Disneyland attraction was nowhere to be found in Magic Kingdom. By fall of 1972 Pirates of the Caribbean was under construction in Florida.
Pirates of the Caribbean opened in Florida’s Magic Kingdom on Dec. 15, 1973. It was one of the first major additions to the park following its grand opening in 1971.
Due to the hit motion picture “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and the follow-up “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” the attraction was updated in summer 2006 with the addition of Captain Jack Sparrow and his nemesis Barbossa, from the feature films.
Audio enhancements, new special effects and the addition of the ghostly Davy Jones, from “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” also anchor the reopened attraction.

Fun Facts

The Walt Disney World attraction features 125 Audio-Animatronics figures — 65 pirates and villagers and 60 animals and birds.

Caribbean Plaza in Adventureland, where the attraction is located, features the Spanish and English architectural styles of the 18th century West Indies.

Paul Frees and Thurl Ravenscroft provided the voices for many of the attraction’s colorful characters. The prolific voice artists also can be heard throughout The Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom.

Lyricist X. Atencio supplied the voice for the talking skull and crossbones that delivers an ominous warning to passing guests: “Dead men tell no tales.”

Flat-bottomed boats that seat 15-18 passengers take guests on a gentle journey through a flume containing approximately 155,000 gallons of water, but beware — there’s a single plunge down a 14-foot chute in darkness, followed by a mild splash.

Sharp-eyed guests at the attraction will notice two chess-playing skeletons, their eerie match deadlocked in a tie.

Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World – The Official Guide depicts Pirates of the Caribbean as “One of the very best of the Magic Kingdom’s classic adventures” and honors the attraction with a “Birnbaum’s Best” endorsement.

The Magic Behind The Scenes – Background Music (chipandco.com)

Best things I love about Disney – Pirates of the Caribbean

The Magic Behind The Scenes – The Grass Is Always Greener

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Ken 2 Comments

One thing I have always admired is how green the grass and other plantings are at Walt Disney World. Congratulations should be given to the landscaping Cast Members for the endless hours and effort they put into maintaining it that way. Take it from a guy with a “Black Thumb” and a renowned plant killer, it’s not always easy. I envy their abilities.

There is another group that helps out with the greenery at Walt Disney World, my beloved Imagineers. Through their use of color and design they provide a boost to the work of the landscaping masters. Take a close look at the above picture. Notice the hint of color in the concrete, it is a very subtle shade of red. Those artists out there recognize that when you place red next to green, the green color is enhanced especially when the red is more subtle than the green. Yup – the concrete makes the grass look greener.

As you walk around the parks, notice the color of the walkways. When you are near expanses of greenery you should notice the red tinting and how it enhances the green of the landscaping. So – KUDOS to both the landscaping Cast Members and the Imagineers for a job well done!! As always, enjoy your visit to Walt Disney World!!

Ken

The Magic Behind The Scenes – The Grass Is Always Greener

Programs Flock to ElecTRONica Meet-Up

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Jessica 5 Comments

About 3,000 lucky Programs got to attend Disney Park Blog’s ElecTRONica meet-up in California Adventure on Thursday, October 28. The DJ kept the music pumping; the dancers kept everyone moving, and the End of the Line Club kept everyone buzzing (Glowjitos, beer, etc.). Guests were encouraged to dress in their TRON costumes and enjoy the games in Flynn’s Arcade. (I saw lots of cool costumes, but too bad things were so crazy that I didn’t get to take any photos of them!) Laserman performed for us, and we had the opportunity to watch the sneak peak of “TRON: Legacy” in 3D. (It wasn’t the first time I had watched it, but it was still total eye-candy.) From the looks of it, everyone was having a great time. Thank you, Disney Parks Blog!

Here are some photos from the event.

All Grid-goers received a special coin made JUST for last night’s event.