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Category Archives: Around The ‘Disney’ World
Top 5 Places To Take A Quick Siesta
If the heat has taken its toll or you have eaten a little too much during lunch at San Angel Inn here are a few places to catch a little Siesta (but don’t tell anyone that I told you it was ok) . This is to keep you from turning green on those rides you should avoid after eating a good filling meal!
My favorite spot to catch a quick nap in the summer heat is the American Adventure at Epcot.The combination of the air conditioner and the darkness puts me to sleep like a baby.Just be sure to let your travel party know to bump you if you start to snore.I don’t think that we would want to disturb history during the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
Another soothing place is Finding Nemo the Musical at Animal Kingdom.Not that the show isn’t worth watching but after a long day at Animal Kingdom this is the best way to catch a power nap so you can finish out your day.It’s a little loud with the music but if you are desperate for a nap nothing can stop you from drifting off to dreamland with Nemo and friends.
Spaceship Earth is another Epcot favorite.The soothing sound of the narrator in your ear,the darkness of the “big golf ball” and the cool breezes you catch from the movement through the ride.It is one of the better places to nap because the cars are pretty comfy and there is not a lot of noise or lights.
Muppet Vision 3D isn’t a bad place to catch a few winks.The seats are like movie theatre seats so they are a little more comfy than some the hard benches you could be napping on around the park.Plus it’s dark and cool inside.Your 3D Muppet Vision glasses are the perfect cover up so nobody around you sees what you are up to.Just be sure to wake up before the ending of the show….you wouldn’t want to be scared out of your nap.It might make you cranky for the remainder of the day.
I can’t believe that I’m admitting to this one.It is my favorite show of all times and I try to stay awake for every rotation through the dark cool theater. The Carousel of Progress.There I said it.I have been known to snooze through every great big beautiful tomorrow chorus.I have loved this show since I was a very little girl and there is not a trip that we don’t sit through it multiple times.
But when you are hopping from park to park day after day,eating wonderful food and indulging in Dole Whips it makes it a little hard to stay awake for entire day. It’s easier than heading back to your resort and crawling into bed..so fill your belly with some delicious Disney food and head over to one of these attractions to catch a little Disney induced Siesta.
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Adult Dining in Disney World – Top 5 Restaurants to try
Enjoying a Beer Flight at Big River Grille
Over the years, Walt Disney World has really worked on improving the dining experience for their guests, and they have done an amazing job, it really sets them apart from amusement parks where all you can get is burgers/fries/chicken fingers and the occasional grilled chicken sandwich. The problem they have now (if you can even call it a problem), is that they are so many choices, that a lot of people stick with what they know, which is the chicken fingers and burgers – which are still delicious, but not exactly adventurous.
One of the best things about going to Walt Disney World as an adult is the FOOD – now that you’re grown up you can decide where you want to eat, and what you want to eat, so to get you out of that bland theme park food rut, I have compiled the top 5 ‘different’ restaurants for adults to try at Walt Disney World, in hopes that you will get out there and experience some of the amazing food that WDW has to offer!
5. Via Napoli – This is a relatively new restaurant in Italy at Epcot’s World Showcase, and they are serving up some truly amazing and authentic italian dishes, like lasagna, chicken parmesan, and spaghetti with veal meatballs (yum!). They are also doing a variety of wood fired pizzas with everything from tomatoes and cheese to eggplant and artichokes. The smell of the pizzas is drool worthy for sure, and as if that wasn’t enough, they are serving a variety of wines and other italian inspired beverages to help you cool off after a hot day of touring the Parks.
4. Big River Grille and Brewing Works - Head over to Disney’s Boardwalk Resort and have a casual dinner at this microbrewery, where you can sample flights of their beer made on premisis. The menu isn’t huge, but the items on it are delicious – start out with the beer cheese soup, then an entree of hazelnut crusted chicken, and finish with a rich dessert of chocolate confusion (chocolate cake, mousse, chips, and then more chocolate!). If you aren’t in a food induced coma at this point, you can take an evening stroll down the idyllic Boardwalk, which is nice in the daytime but is even more beautiful when it’s all lit up at nighttime
3. Cape May Cafe – This buffet at Disney’s Beach Club Resort is a surf inspired character meal by day, and a surf-and-turf (character free!) seafood buffet by night. Enjoy a true New Englad Style Clambake with steamed clams, mussels, and other favorites, including chicken, ribs, salad bar, and dessert. What could be better than delicious all you can eat seafood in a beautiful resort setting?
2. Raglan Road – This Irish Pub is located in Downtown Disney and serves up Irish classics like Bangers and Mash, as well as crowdpleasers like New York Strip Steak. Their full bar has a wide array of beer and wine selections, and the Irish dancers and live Celtic tunes will keep you happy all night! OH and I can’t forget to mention their Bread Pudding Dessert, it is to die for, and worth going there just for that!
1. Boma – The bus ride over the Animal Kingdom Lodge is worth it for this buffet of African inspired dishes, including Bobotie – a spiced meat dish with an egg topping and the ever popular Zebra Domes, a dessert treat filled with a delicious custard with a hint of liquor in it! Boma has so many amazing dishes I had never tried before that it would be impossible to name them all, they were all worth trying (and most were worth going back for seconds too!), the meats and different salads and hummuses were out of this world! I wasn’t too sure about the ‘ethnic’ cuisine and if I would enjoy it or not, but I loved every single thing I tried and would go here again in a heartbeat, and that’s why it has received the coveted #1 spot on the list!
Honorable Mention:
Kouzzina - I just had to mention this little gem, with their Greek inspired dishes and ideal location at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, I would highly recommend breakfast here – as many of the dishes were updated and some new ones were added (think gooey baklava and fluffy omelettes stuffed with feta and spinach!)
Now, I know there are TONS of other amazing restaurants out there, these are just some of my personal favorites that don’t abide to the standard “theme park cuisine” code, and each one is unique and does things it’s own way, which I love!
Dining in Walt Disney World can be an amazing experience, and I urge you to try something new and different, after all, you’re on vacation!
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A Canadian Perspective of the Epcot Pavilion
Mountain Range
Only eleven countries have the privilege of being represented in EPCOT at Walt Disney World. And as you probably already know, they are:
Of course, it’s the Canada Pavilion that this article will focus on.
To begin with, I was surprised to find a Canada Pavilion at EPCOT. It’s all-too common for most of the world to see my country as nothing more than an additional State of the U.S.A. and not as the truly unique and beautiful place that it is. So I was doubly pleased to see that Canada was one of the first countries encountered as you walk around The World Showcase, Mexico being the other, if you go in a clockwise direction.
Canada isn’t one of the biggest Pavilions, but it does have a lot of content packed into its compact footprint. For example, you will find:
- A Mountain
- A river ending in a waterfall
- A reproduction of the Butchart Gardens from Victoria, BC
- A model of the Victorian-style Chateau Laurier hotel found in Ottawa
Gardens
And these are just the physical features of the Canada Pavilion. In these things, this Canadian proclaims that the Imagineers have done a nice job of representing his country. Anyone who visits Canada leaves declaring the beauty and scope of our land, and this is well displayed in EPCOT.
But what of the other features of the Canada Pavilion? They are:
- A totem pole and Indian canoe
- An old Trading Post
- A large French influence
- Mounties
- And Off-Kilter
Here we have the same problem that the other ten Pavilions exhibit: Outdated representation.
The totem pole, Indian canoe, and the Trading Post have long vanished from the common landscape of Canada. Any French influences are mostly restricted, at least overtly, to Ottawa and Quebec. Mounties are rarely, if ever seen, in the red uniforms associated with them. And I have never seen a man in a kilt in my entire life in Canada!
Trading Post
Off-Kilter
I remember sitting in the Norway Pavilion one day just across from the old Viking Ship, before it was removed. A mother walked by with her two children, and upon seeing the stereotypical ship, said to them: “Oh look, kids: A Viking Ship! We all have one of those in our back yards, don’t we?” The sarcasm told me she was Norwegian and didn’t care for such a representation of her country.
That being so, I can say in Disney’s defense, that without such stereotypical representations of a country’s heritage, how would one stand out from another? Today, we all have skyscrapers, cars, and modernization. EPCOT could thusly consist of just one Pavilion called Everycountry! How boring would that be?
The Canada Pavilion has a wonderful shopping area filled with traditionally Canadian wares. But for the most part, only expensive items are stocked, which the average Canadian wouldn’t buy everyday. Le Cellier Steakhouse does serve an authentic Canadian cuisine. I recommend the beer. And that brings us to the 360 degree Circle-Vision film ‘O Canada’. Recently redone, with Martin Short as emcee, this too gives a nice overview of both old and new, or modern, Canada.
So, as a Canadian, do I approve of how my country is represented by Disney at EPCOT?
I’d have to say ‘Yes!’
But I wonder if this is the case with you, the readers from the other countries represented in The World Showcase? Does Germany, United Kingdom, or even The American Adventure live up to how you would like to be represented?
Why not join the discussion in our comments section and let us, and Disney, know!
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How They Haunt – Behind the scenes of Disney’s Haunted Mansion
“Welcome, Foolish Mortals” are the words that you hear when you board one of Disney’s most popular rides, The Haunted Mansion.
The original ride opened in 1969 in Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom, and in 1971 at Walt Disney World. While the idea behind the ride was thought up by Walt himself, he was not alive to see the finished product. The Imagineers had to finish the ride’s design and construction on their own after Walt’s passing in 1966. The ride represents their ability to come together after such a tragedy and to produce something truly amazing on their own.
There are so many things going on in the attraction, from the gravestones with funny inscriptions outside, to the spooky ghouls and spirits inside, it is truly amazing, and I know I see something new every time I visit The Haunted Mansion!
Here are some of the ways Disney scares us with this attraction:
The Endless Hallway: This one is actually pretty simple, as you look down the hallway that appears to go on forever, there is actually a mirror at the end of it, which fools you into thinking you can see twice as far as you actually can, and since it’s dark, the mirror portion of the hallway just seems to continue on into darkness
The Crystal Ball: Madame Leota’s head is created through digital projection – the face is projected onto a head sculpture within the crystal ball. Fun fact – the other floating objects in this area are suspended by fishing wire
The Ballroom: A common thought is that the ghosts in the ballroom are holograms. This is actually not the case – how it really works is a row of columns in front of the mezzanine are supporting gigantic panes of glass, which are nearly invisible to the guests. The “ghosts” are merely the reflections in the glass of audio-animatronic figures, located in rooms above and below the mezzanine, where the walls are painted entirely black.
The Hitchhiking Ghosts: Ever wonder how they get the ghosts at the end of the ride to actually appear to be sitting next to you in your Doom Buggy? Well, its actually quite simple – the mirrors in which you are seeing the ghosts are actually two way mirrors, and the ghosts are audio-animatronics in a room behind the mirrors. They move along in sync with the Doom Buggies, and weak lights shining on them allow them to be seen through the mirrors.
A few random Haunted Mansion facts:
- When Cast Members are hired for The Haunted Mansion, they are given a book as a part of their training that explains the “official” backstory of the ride, as well as various safety rules/regulations, and detailed maps of the ride itself.
- Walt’s original vision was to have the attraction as something guests would walk through, but the Imagineers ultimately decided a sit down ride with the “doom buggies” made more sense
Remember….there are 999 Happy Haunts currently residing in the Haunted Mansion…who knows, maybe you could be their lucky 1000th resident!
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Around the “Disney” World: Camp Minnie-Mickey
Camp Minnie-Mickey
It’s always summer vacation at Animal Kingdom’s Camp Minnie-Mickey. When Guests hike down the trail, camp counselor Mickey and his pals immerse them in the forested, lake-strewn Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, where the fish are always biting and everyone has a story to share around the campfire.
Camp Minnie-Mickey mimics the northeastern style with distinctive architectural elements and deliberate ornamentation. Stone and carved wood supply naturalistic foundations and rustic components so that the setting seems to have grown into its form without human assistance. It’s yet another beautiful example of Walt Disney Imagineering’s fine design, as the site retained only a few dozen original trees when the Park was built. Nearly all plant material at Camp Minnie-Mickey was brought in and installed on location, making the effort one of the largest landscape designs every undertaken.
Festival of the Lion King
The main draw of Camp Minnie-Mickey is the Broadway caliper live stage show, “Festival of the Lion King,” which is held in the camp’s assembly hall. Familiar characters from Disney’s feature animation The Lion King spring to life with pageantry and celebration, sharing their music, dance and other skills with all the campers in an air-conditioned theater-in-the-round with stadium seating. Gymnasts, puppeteers and even acrobatic monkeys encourage Guests to be part of the action and interact with life-sized Disney Characters.
For those who walk on past the Lion King entrance, a wonderful rendezvous awaits. Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy meet and greet visitors throughout the day at the Character Greeting Trails. Each of the four pavilions is shaded and tucked into a fan-cooled and misted wood, while back by the main walk, a slew of their other wildlife friends pause for photos and fun. Periodically, a Cast Member camp counselor leads sing-a-longs and teaches campers new songs too, like the one he sang about my kids’ laceless tennis shoes!
Be sure to check the Park schedule for show times and Character appearances. My family has experienced the least wait time at the meet and greet when arriving at the greeting trails just before the Lion King lets out.
Camp Minnie-Mickey
