What is The Optimist?

What or who is The Optimist?  Well, if you have been looking at various Disney websites lately, you will know that this is a new alternative reality game (ARG) that Disney has launched as we get closer to the D23 Expo in August.  This ARG began with a young woman named Amelia, who has found some of her grandfather, Carlos’, documents as she was going through some of his belongings after his death.  Among these documents are lots of letters, photos, and other correspondence that link Carlos to the 1964-1965 World’s Fair, especially the It’s a Small World attraction.  Amelia knows that Carlos was a writer and that Disney was interesting one of his works called “Orbit’s Story.”  We do not have a clue as to the plot of this story yet. There have been other links to the fair as well.  In particular, there is a website for a Michael T. Lott, who also “worked” at the fair.  You can actually correspond with the websites and call the phone numbers to hear from the people involved in the various projects upon which Carlos was supposed to have worked.  There are many nods to Disney history past and present, and it has been great fun to discover what the next step in the game will be.  There is a mystery surrounding the game because there are different codes and secret project names that we do not know yet.  Once we know the secret codes, then more information will be learned, and we will be closer to figuring out what Carlos’ link to Disney and the Fair was. 

This game is fun because all of the players are just fellow Disney history nerds like myself who enjoy researching the potential leads that will help to discover what Carlos was up to.  It is fun to stay in character and really play along.  For example, the reference to M.T. Lott is actually not a real company; it was a dummy corporation that Walt Disney set up in order to buy the land that was needed for the Florida Project.  There are lots of anachronisms in the game too, but it is more fun to play the game and solve the mystery than point out the flaws.  All in all, I think that this game is leading up to marketing for the new Brad Bird Tomorrowland movie that will hit theaters in 2014.  If that is the case, this is a great advertising strategy because it lets people get excited and have fun researching Disney’s past.  I can’t wait to see what new twists are thrown at us as the game continues.  So, if you are interested, you can go to http://storyorbit.com/ in order to check out the game so far.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

From Walt Disney Imagineering:

The worlds of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy were only the beginning...

Walter Elias Disney was an optimist who believed in creating a living blueprint for the future. He and his Imagineers - those creative and skilled professional wizards who combine imagination and engineering - made fantasy into reality and built the magic of the Disney Theme Parks.

But, what if that was just the beginning?  Amelia, a young filmmaker, has stumbled upon a revolutionary secret...and she needs your help. Collaborate with other curious individuals around the globe to solve a mystery that traverses the web, Disneyland® Park, and beyond before culminating at the D23 Expo.

Join Amelia and explore Walt Disney’s secrets of Tomorrow…

Splashing Around at Typhoon Lagoon

On our recent trip to Walt Disney World, we decided to try something new and completely different.  After forty plus trips to the World, this might sound impossible, but indeed, there are still experiences that we have not had at WDW.  On this particular trip, we decided to visit one of the Disney water parks.  After some research, we decided to give Typhoon Lagoon a try, and we were not disappointed at all! 

            In order to give ourselves enough time, we decided to get to the park before it opened in the morning, and this turned out to be an excellent idea.  We queued up at the entrance along with several other families.  We did not know this at the time, but you can bring in ice chests with drinks and food as long as you do not bring in anything that is glass.  We had a plan for entering the park.  I would go and scout out a coveted shady seat, and my husband, Mark, was going to seek out a locker to rent.  We wanted to put our dry clothes in a locker so that they would not get sandy or wet during our time at the park.  When we entered the park, Mark went to retrieve the locker, and I headed over to the rope that was blocking the entrance to the lounge chair area.  After a few minutes, the rope was dropped, and then everyone dashed for the chairs.  We were lucky to find two chairs in the shade, and we set up our stuff, which included some extra towels and water.  Then, we were off to ride some of the rides before the lines became too long later in the day.  I am not a thrill ride kind of person, so we stuck to the raft rides and the family raft rides.  These were fun, and I highly recommend that you ride them early before the line is too long.  I would not have waited in a long line in the blazing sun on the hot wooden stairs for a one-minute raft ride.  Don’t get me wrong; the ride was fun, but it would not have been worth a thirty-minute or longer wait. 

            After the raft rides, we settled into Castaway Creek, which is a lazy river that winds around the entire park. This was the highlight of the water park for me. It was so relaxing just to kick back and float around in the tube. There was so much shade and vegetation that you did not even feel too warm.  As we floated around the park, we could catch a glimpse of some of the rides, and we could listen to the 1930s and 40s music that was being piped in.  All in all, this attraction was my favorite! 

            Now, if you are adventurous, there are many more slides to ride, and we watched a few people splash down from them.  There is also a Shark Reef where you can swim across a very cold 30-foot span of water to catch a glimpse of various fish.  When you get in line, the cast members give you a snorkel and a pair of goggles that you can use as you slowly swim across the pool.  This experience was not for me, so we did not try our luck with the fish. However, we did visit the underwater viewing tank where you could catch a glimpse of the fish as they swam along.  That was close enough for me!

            Before returning to the lazy river, we took a spin in the wave pool.  I have never been in a wave pool before, and I was not adequately prepared for the strength of the waves that came at us.  Even though I braced myself, I was sent careening over the concrete bottom of the pool, and I sustained some minor scrapes and cuts as a result.  Word of warning: if you have little ones, stay in the very shallow section of this wave pool!  Those waves are very strong, and they could easily pull a grown person several feet while under water.  I can only imagine how that might scare a small child.  
          All in all, Typhoon Lagoon was fun and relaxing.  I am not a thrill seeker, so I enjoyed floating around in the inner tube on Castaway Creek.  If you would like to experience more slides and excitement, then Blizzard Beach might be for you.  If you have time, give Typhoon Lagoon a try; it was a refreshing way to spend part of our last two days at WDW.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

May the Force Be with You!

If you head to Disney’s Hollywood Studios during the last few weekends in May or the first few weekends in June, you will be able to experience Star Wars Weekends.  During these four weekends, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is transformed into a battleground between the Dark Side and the Rebel Alliance.  There are character encounter opportunities as well as a chance to meet various Star Wars celebrities from the six feature films as well as the Clone Wars animated series.  If you arrive at the park very, very early in the morning, you might be able to snag a coveted wristband to get an autograph from one of these celebrities.  These wristbands are hard to acquire because die-hard fans queue up the night before in order to have some quality time with their favorite actors from the Star Wars universe.

            We have been attending Star Wars weekends since 2006, and this year we were able to visit the Studios during the fourth and final weekend.   We are actually still in Walt Disney World as I am writing this article in the lobby of the Pop Century Resort!  This year, Star Wars Weekends did not disappoint.  We were able to attend all of the various shows that allow you to get a glimpse into the world of voice acting as well as meet the celebrities that attended this weekend.  We saw Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, James Arnold Taylor, and Ashley Eckstein.  We watched the Star Wars parade, attended the Behind the Force Show, the Talk Show, the James Arnold Taylor show, and finally, the crown jewel, the Hyperspace Hoopla.  All of the shows were well put together, and James Arnold Taylor was a very gracious host.  He is a voice actor known for many characters, and he plays Obi Wan on the Clone Wars Animated Series.  At the end of the day, we camped out to wait for the Hyperspace Hoopla, which is basically a dance party or a dance off between the good guys and the bad guys of the Star Wars universe.  Have you ever wanted to see Darth Maul break dance or Chewy bust a move?  Well, here is your opportunity to see the Star Wars characters as you have never seen them before.  The best part of the whole event included the Harlem Shake led by C3PO.  Words cannot do this event justice; you have to see it to believe it, and there are many videos online to aid you in this pursuit!  Well, we still have a few more days at the Vacation Kingdom of the World, and reservations at Sanaa await us this evening, so have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

People and Places: Disneyland, USA

“Its purpose is enlightenment; its product is happiness.  Disneyland could only happen in a country where freedom is a heritage, and the pursuit of happiness is a basic human right.”  This description comes from an episode of People and Places called “Disneyland, USA.”  People and Places was a show that aired from 1953-1960 and highlighted various places around the world that had been visited by Disney and filmed.  The show explored these locations in order to give the public a taste of what it might be like to visit far off places.  The Disneyland episode aired in 1956, only a year after the park first opened in 1955.  Clearly, this episode was meant not only to give a tour of Disneyland but also to act as a publicity device to entice guests to make the trek to Anaheim to visit this new theme park.  I viewed this show on a set of DVDs called “Walt Disney Treasures: Disneyland Secrets, Stories, & Magic.”  This is a wonderful DVD set for any Disney history fan. There are interviews with imagineers both past and present as well as other historical footage of Disneyland from its early days.

The “Disneyland, USA” program is my favorite part of this collector set because it shows what Disneyland looked like during its early existence.  This film shows the park when it was very young.  All of the foliage in the park is brand new, and you can see that various rides have not even been created yet.  1956 comes before the introduction of many rides such as the Matterhorn, the submarines, and many other current Disneyland staples.  The film is narrated by Winston Hibler, and as part of your journey through Disneyland, you are able to visit the Disneyland hotel, ride the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, the Disneyland Railroad, the Jungle Cruise, as well as the Storybookland Canal Boats.  You can see so many aspects of Disneyland that do not exist anymore by viewing this film.  Fantasyland is still in its original state before its 1983 re-do.  You even get to see Walt Disney and Fess Parker lead a parade through the park.  My favorite part of the film involves the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland.  This ride was multi-faceted and formerly took up the space that is now occupied by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.  There was of course a mine train, but there were also donkey rides, stagecoach rides, and a brief shoot-out in Rainbow Ridge, which was small town.  This town can still be seen as a part of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. 

Being a part of the past even virtually makes this video a must-have for any serious Disney history fan.  You get to view the park in its infancy and truly see the excitement that the visitors experienced upon their first visits to Disneyland.  Imagine how thrilling it must have been to see an audioanimatronic for the first time or visit an entire park devoted just to making people have a good time with their families.  Disneyland was something that had never been created before; it was something totally new and risky that has become intrinsically part of what it means to grow up in America. The energy in the park is palpable, even though I am watching this film so many years after is was created.  It still does its job; it makes me want to go to Disneyland.  So, if you have the chance, search for this film and make it a part of your Disney library so that you can experience the happiest place on earth when it was still just a small theme park out in the orange groves in some little town called Anaheim.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Duffy the Disney Bear

Duffy the Disney Bear is a source of much debate among Disney Fangirls and boys on the Internet because some people do not consider Duffy to be a real Disney character.  For me, Duffy has been a wonderful addition to the pantheon of Disney characters that inhabit all of the Disney Parks.  Although Duffy the bear has been a relatively new character in WDW, he has been around for quite a while.  Several years ago, Duffy was introduced as just the Disney bear, and he did not have a name.  He was not very successful, and alas, he went by the wayside. 

            This Disney Bear did not perish; he received a new life in Japan as Duffy the Disney bear.  He has been wildly popular in Tokyo Disney, and as a result, there is so much Duffy merchandise in Japan.  There is also a Duffy stage show, where Duffy has a bear friend named Shellie Mae as well as a bird friend named Tippy Blue.  Again, there is a huge amount of merchandise for these characters too.  The Japanese park guests all carry around Duffy stuffed bears as well as Duffy bags, pin straps, and even wear Duffy jackets. 

            I love Duffy, and if I could take a trip to Japan to buy all of this merchandise, I would.  However, I do have access to the Internet and eBay, so I can solace myself with my purchases from Japan via eBay.  My most recent addition has been a Duffy phone case.  I also have a 17 inch stuffed Duffy bear, a keychain Duffy, and a magnet Duffy.  My Duffy is dressed in his signature sailor suit, but you can purchase many different outfits for Duffy so that he can look his best. 

            In Epcot, you can even go and meet Duffy and visit the Duffy store.  Duffy even has a back-story, in which Minnie made a stuffed bear for Mickey so that he would not be lonely on his many journeys.  This bear is Duffy.  All in all, I enjoy Duffy and all of the extremely cute merchandise that is available for this character.  One day, I will travel to Tokyo, and I will buy even more!  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Interactive Queues: Yay or Nay?

How do you feel about interactive queues at Walt Disney World?  Many people have asked me this question, and I have definitely sat and pondered the pros and cons of the new queue designs that have become part of the touring experience at Disney World.  I do not have a problem with interactive queues as long as they are created with quality ideas and construction.  For example, the games that are available in the Space Mountain standby line are a great way to make the time go by faster and make the line seem less boring.  Now, when these games were newly installed, they worked great and all of the controllers functioned.  As time has gone on and many people have played these games, the controllers have become worn down, and some do not work any more.  However, after a refurbishment, these problems are fixed, and the games all work again. 

Another attraction with a successful interactive queue is the Winnie the Pooh ride.  These interactive elements are also well done, and they provide an entertaining distraction for little ones who must wait in the line.   I applaud these types of interactive queues because they extend the theme of the ride into the line, and this makes the experience of the attraction last even longer. In the recent past, some rides have received more than just games and momentary distractions for their queues.  The Haunted Mansion queue has been extended quite a bit by the additional graveyard section.  Many people have mixed opinions about this section of the queue, but I have enjoyed these additions.  They provide a welcome distraction from the heat and the boredom that often lend themselves to family meltdowns while waiting in line.  Also, these games and interactive elements allow families to spend more time working together instead of just spending time playing with their respective electronic devices.  I want more time to spend interacting with my family; I don’t want the entire line to be time to complain and stand in silence while one person is playing on a phone or an iPad.  These interactive queues help to promote more enjoyable family time.

One of the newest interactive queues that I have experienced has been the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue.  The interactive elements in the line are designed to match the theme of the ride, and they really engage the guests with physical effects.  For example, there is a section of the queue where you can set off some dynamite that actually explodes as the mine trains are riding along the track.  In addition, there is a section of the queue with something called an autocanary that employs the use of excellent visual effects.  When you turn the crank, you can see a small canary that appears very real.  After a few seconds, the canary might give you a thumbs up or might have to deal with a particularly strong gust of wind.  When the wind blows on the canary, the guests can feel the wind and even smell the faint burnt scent of the dirty coal ridden air that might have filled up a mineshaft.  We really enjoyed this new interactive queue, and it did make the wait time seem more manageable. 

So, are interactive queues worth it, or are they a waste of time?  I say that if they are done well and really match the theme of the ride while extending the ride experience, then interactive queues are a positive investment of Disney’s money.  I look forward to seeing what WDW is going to do with the Peter Pan queue, which is supposedly on the list for an upgrade in the upcoming years. Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

 

New RFID Enabled Tickets at WDW

       For Easter break this year, we took a trip down to Walt Disney World to enjoy the beautiful weather and the Flower and Garden Festival in Epcot.  During our trip, we converted our annual passes to the new RFID passes.  I was a little nervous about this process because we have premier annual passes that also work in California, so we wanted to make sure that our passes would still function at Disneyland, which has not adopted the new RFID system for turnstiles.  Well, our fears were quickly assuaged because the process was painless, and the castmembers knew exactly what they were doing.

            In order to change out our tickets, we visited the Odyssey building in Epcot, which was exciting because this building used to house a restaurant.  This restaurant has been closed for a number of years, but the restaurant building is still used for special events throughout the year.  There were castmembers on hand to guide us through the process of changing out tickets.  We arrived early, so there was no line.  We walked into the building, and to our surprise, the main room was decorated with many different displays of retired audio animatronics figures from Walt Disney World’s past.  Figment was in attendance as was a figure from the long shuttered attraction, Kitchen Kabaret.  In addition, there were other displays about It’s a Small World, former Innoventions attractions, and even parts of costumes from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction.  All of these items were in glass cases, and we could take as long as we liked to look around the displays.   As we were changing out our tickets, we listened to some classic Epcot tunes from all of the old pavilions. 

            The actual process of changing out the tickets just involved confirming our identities with a photo i.d. and waiting a few minutes for the castmembers to print out a new card for each of us.  Since my husband and I already had premier passes, we were simply given a new card that was exactly the same as our old one with the addition of the RFID chip that would allow us to use the new entrances to the theme parks.  My brother, on the other hand, has a Florida annual pass, so his new pass was an upgrade because the new card is an actual plastic card, which is much sturdier than his former paper ticket.  Our tickets were already a hard plastic. 

            All in all, this was a very easy process, and I recommend doing this during the window that Disney has set up to make the change, which continues into mid May.  Before we left the Odyssey building, we tested our cards on RFID readers that were set up at the exit.  The new turnstile-less entrances are very fast and easy to use, and I am glad that we changed out our tickets.  This new technology is also present on resort room keys, which makes opening the room door so easy.  All you have to do is wave your card in front of the small black box on your room, and like magic, the door to the room opens.  This was fantastic when we were returning to our room with luggage or with purchases. I can’t wait to see the new magic bands that will eventually take the place of the ticket altogether.  These bands were on display at the Odyssey, and the castmembers let us try them on just to see that they are very light and easy to deal with.  I know new technology can be a little disconcerting sometimes, but I think this new ticketing system is a step in the right direction.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!