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Search Results for: VIP Lounge

Inside the Siemens VIP Lounge in Epcot’s Spaceship Earth

21 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

As an EPCOT Center child, once I discovered that Future World lounges existed, it was on my bucket list to see them all. For the most part, it’s been happy accidents that I’ve seen them, just being with the right people or at the right event, and today was another example of that. I can now cross the Spaceship Earth lounge off my list thanks to an event put on by the Disney Interactive Media Group promoting the upcoming Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion game for the Nintendo 3-DS. I’ll have a post on that event soon, but for now, let’s head into the lounge!

 

Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Comfy chairs and couches, with LED color-changing lamps
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
The ceiling also changes colors – there are windows behind this screen
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
View from seating area overlooking Innoventions
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
View from Siemens VIP lounge windows
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
LED Light-up walkway to the “Observatory”
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Walkway to the bar area
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Overview of Observatory
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Ladies room at the VIP lounge
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Ladies room at the VIP lounge
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Ladies room with baby changing area at the VIP lounge
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
More seating in the Explorer’s Lounge
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Explorer’s Lounge area with microwave, mini kitchen and drinks
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
The Explorer’s Lounge
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Down the hallway to the left of check-in
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Siemens check-in desk
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
The Explorer’s Lounge
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
railing overlooking the stairs
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Siemens VIP lounge dedication plaque
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Explorer’s Lounge
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
LED color-changing walkway to the “Observatory”
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Couch area with color-changing ceiling
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Overview of Observatory from window area
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
An alternate view of the Mickey flower bed behind Spaceship Earth
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Can you see the American pavilion?
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
These lamps have little antennae so the colors can be changed remotely
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
View from the Observatory
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
More couches and tables
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Bar area
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Pub tables and chairs in the Obsertavory
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
On our way out, the red tiles were orange
Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot
Display at entrance downstairs to the Siemens lounge
Warren Spector
Warren Spector discusses how Epic Mickey Power of Illusion was born

Pretty cool, right? I love how the various parts of the lounge can change color at a whim. Very Future World! Prior to the redesign in 2007 with Siemens, the lounge was run by AT&T and Bell System before that. Siemens employees can check in here and take advantage of the lounge during their stay at Walt Disney World.

The other lounges within Future World are the GM lounge (currently under reconstruction with Test Track’s refurbishment), the HP lounge at Mission: Space. The former United Technologies lounge at The Seas, The Wonders of Life lounge and one above The Land are sometimes available for special events. The former Kodak lounge at Journey into Imagination and the Universe of Energy lounge are no longer used. There are World Showcase lounges above the American Adventure and the Norway pavilion which are also used for special events.

in the Siemens VIP lounge
I was happy to be experiencing the Spaceship Earth VIP lounge with my friends Amanda Tinney and Nicole Siscaretti! A fun night for all.

Have you been in an EPCOT corporate lounge?

Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Attractions, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Base 21, Epcot, EPCOT Center, Epcot corporate lounges, Future World, Future World lounges, Future World VIP lounges, hidden lounges of Epcot, lounges, siemens, Siemens VIP Center Base 21, Spaceship Earth, VIP Lounge, VIP lounges of Epcot

Inside the VIP Lounge at The Living Seas

2 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 6 Comments

Last month, most of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel joined together for an informal reunion, just because we love an excuse to get together and what better place to do that than the Walt Disney World Resort, right? Our Pink Princess was kind enough to have a luncheon put together for us by the allied partners responsible for the Innoventions attractions. We were lucky enough to be treated to that lunch inside the second story of the Seas pavilion, in the former VIP Lounge area from back when United Technologies sponsored The Living Seas.

Unfortunately, I did not have my real camera and my cell phone pics are not the best, but I wanted to share the inside with you just the same. Hopefully I’ll get another chance to visit. I know the D23 Sip and Stroll attendees were able to experience both this lounge and the one for Spaceship Earth, so who knows what future events may take place here.

living seas vip lounge
This sign as you enter was enough to make my visit worthwhile.

[Read more…] about Inside the VIP Lounge at The Living Seas

Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney Past, Walt Disney World, WDW Moms Panel Tagged With: Epcot, EPCOT Center, Epcot corporate lounges, Epcot lounges, Future World, Future World lounges, Future World VIP lounges, hidden lounges of Epcot, Living Seas lounge, lounges, retro EPCOT, Seas pavilion, The Living Seas, United Technologies lounge, VIP Lounge, VIP lounges of Epcot

Inside the Chase Visa Lounge at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival

4 November 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Chase is one of the main sponsors of Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, and this year they are offering something special for Chase cardholders. Located behind the Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience, the lounge is reserved exclusively for Chase debit and credit Cardmembers. Simply show your card to a Cast Member for access. Inside, cardholders can enjoy a refreshment or just relax between trips around the World Showcase for the 17th annual Food and Wine Festival.

Chase Visa Lounge Epcot
The Chase Visa Lounge

 

Chase Visa Lounge Epcot
Refreshment area

The stripes giveaway that this was once part of the whole circus theme enjoyed by the VIP lounges within the former Wonders of Life pavilion. The circus colors may have been toned down here and in the Wonders VIP lounge and Carousel Room upstairs, but they stand as a reminder of what once was at EPCOT Center.

 

Chase Visa Lounge Epcot
Comfy couches! (With former Senator Mel Martinez!)

 

Chase Visa Lounge Epcot
Electronics charging station

 

Chase Visa Lounge Epcot
Interactive touch screen Food and Wine Festival map

This is a wonderful addition to the Festival and, I hope, one that returns each year. It’s the perfect combination of what every guest wants, a free drink, a place to charge your phone, and a comfy chair in the air conditioning. The interactive map was really fun to play with too. A+ to Chase and Disney!

Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney Special Events, Photos From the Parks, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Chase lounge, Chase lounge Epcot, Chase Visa, Chase Visa lounge, Disney Visa, Epcot, Epcot Food & Wine Festival, Food and Wine Festival, Future World VIP lounges, VIP Lounge, VIP lounges of Epcot

Kingdom Keepers “Mary Poppins Lounge” at Disney Revealed-The Carousel Room

26 July 2011 by Suzannah Otis 10 Comments

Last year at this time, I was able to visit the VIP lounge at the former Wonders of Life pavilion in Epcot’s Future World. The pavilion has been closed for quite some time now but functions as a special event space for things like the International Flower and Garden Festival and International Food & Wine Festival, along with wedding receptions held in the VIP lounge. The Tables in Wonderland program has held a preview for the Food & Wine Festival for the last two years and I was lucky enough to attend both events for the Disney Food Blog. (As always, click to enlarge photos)

Wonders Lounge red doors
What lies beyond the red doors???

 

While I shared photos of the Wonders Lounge and circus-themed restroom here on the blog, I wondered all night long what lay behind the two red doors in the main lounge area. The original lounge was entirely circus themed, but the main area has since been repainted in more muted tones, with the exception of some bold color choices like the bright red doors. In speaking to cast member friends, I was informed that there definitely was something behind those doors…but never told what. I put it from my mind, thinking I’d probably never get the chance to solve this mystery first-hand. Then suddenly, it was July again and the Tables in Wonderland preview gave me hope that maybe I’d get to find out.

Wonders Lounge
What the lounge once looked like

 

Wonders Lounge
And today…

 

I tweeted that I was so excited to be in the Wonders Lounge again since it was my favorite of the VIP lounges I’d seen so far. A back and forth on twitter brought up the question of whether I liked it even more than the lounge at the Seas and I said that yes, while the Seas was a very close second, I just loved the (clown-free) circus theme up here. It was then that I discovered that the space behind the red doors was actually called the Carousel Room. I wondered if I could try to sneak a peek but thought I’d probably chicken out (I am shy in-person after all!). I was encouraged to just ask a cast member, since I was up there I had to see it. I agreed that it was silly to sit by and not try to get in to see it. So we asked, and a very nice cast member said yes. She said the couches and chairs that were usually out in the lounge area were stuffed in the room, so if we waited till the event had cleared out a bit, they would move them out so we could get around.

By now, my head was swimming with possibilities. I pictured this giant ballroom with a full-sized carousel inside, or at the very least, carousel horses filling the room. I had been told by my helpful twitter friend to prepare myself, so I knew it must be something breathtaking.

At the end of the event, we patiently stood by the door and waited for our kind cast member to give us the okay. In the meantime two guests from the event strolled by the doors and said casually, “Oh, I wonder what’s in this room here…” and then just opened the doors and went in! I did hear them gasp before the doors closed behind them so the anticipation was killing me, but I wanted to do things right and not cause problems for anyone by just storming in myself. My husband went over to ask the cast member again but she was deep in conversation with the event hosts and the two other people had come out by the time he got the okay to go in. As it turns out, this room was mentioned in the third book in the popular Kingdom Keepers series: Disney in Shadow and was referred to as the Mary Poppins Lounge. The two people that went into the room said they had booked the Tables in Wonderland dinner just because it was in this lounge and they wanted to see this because of the Ridley Pearson series. Now there was a bit of buzz around the door and when we were given the official all clear, two other couples went in with us too.

To say I was shocked is an understatement. It isn’t so much that what’s in there is scary or unbelievable…it’s more that the space itself is very small – it’s actually a meeting room, not the grand ballroom I was envisioning. There is a huge oval-shaped table which takes up all of the room, with purple chairs that definitely looked like they arrived in the late 80’s. The few couches and chairs from the lounge were still stacked in there, but it didn’t detract too much from the main focus of the room, which was, in a word, overwhelming. Without further ado:

Wonders Lounge
Look, ma, I made it!

 

The walls of the room are painted – in amazing detail – as if you are in the very center of a beautiful carousel. The colorful and lifelike horses surround you as does the painted wooden floor of the carousel and the landscape beyond the horses. As in a real carousel, each horse is uniquely themed. The ceiling continues the painted theme with stripes, so that you feel like you are inside a tent. Another surprising feature of the room was the amazing acoustics. I was speaking at one end of the room in a normal voice and another guest on the other side said it sounded like I was right next to her. Perfect for business meetings where everyone needs to be heard clearly. The main wall ahead of you as you walk in slides apart and there is a white board behind it, again, perfect for brainstorming about the wonders…of life! Here’s a slideshow with more Carousel Room goodness:

[portfolio_slideshow exclude=”6242,6253,6263,6262,6248″]

Another curious detail is that one of the horses has what appears to be a marble or small ball in its teeth. I tried doing some research on what this could signify, but came up blank. I’m pretty sure, given what I do know about Walt Disney Imagineers that each horse depicted has specific meanings or nods to something either artist or Disney-related. Even if I’m wrong and they are just historically-accurate carousel horses, I would love to know more and truly be able to solve this mystery.

Carousel Room
What’s in that horse’s mouth?

 

Carousel Room
A ball? A marble? What does it meeeean?

 

Wonders Lounge elevator
My husband and I being dorks on the elevator. It’s really cool but kind of impossible to capture on a camera!

 

 

While I never got to experience the GE or Kodak VIP lounges while they existed, and I still have not seen the lounges of Spaceship Earth, The Land, Universe of Energy or Test Track, I stand by the Wonders Lounge as being my favorite. It is definitely the most unique so far. Although the HP lounge has all sorts of cool technology inside and the Seas lounge is just fun to sit in and look at the water views, the level of theming in the original design is, well, a wonder. I still continue to hope I’ll see the remaining Future World lounges (and any others hiding in the World too!).  If anyone has any insight to the design stories behind the Carousel Room, please feel free to share.

Please do not use any of the photos here without permission, all photos are copyright Suzannah DiMarzio. Thank you!

Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Past, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Carousel Room, Epcot, EPCOT Center, Epcot corporate lounges, Epcot Employee lounges, EPCOT Future World lounges, Future World, Future World lounges, Future World VIP lounges, hidden lounges of Epcot, Kingdom Keepers, lounges, Mary Poppins Lounge, Ridley Pearson, VIP Lounge, VIP Lounges, VIP lounges of Epcot, Wonders Lounge, Wonders of Life

Postcards From Space: Mission: Space’s VIP Video Postcard Room

6 October 2010 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Mission:Space HP Lounge
HP Lounge inside Mission:Space

This weekend I was serendipitously treated to not one but two Epcot VIP Lounge experiences. A few months back my husband and I were able to enjoy the Wonders of Life VIP Lounge thanks to previewing the 15th Annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival for the DisneyFoodBlog through Tables in Wonderland, which was an amazing time.

Last Saturday my fellow Walt Disney World Moms panelists and I had lunch in the Living Seas VIP lounge (post forthcoming!). Then finally on Monday, as fate would have it, I met up with friend and fellow Disney blogger Amanda Tinney and our friend (and HP employee) Lynne Ronemous who was visiting for the weekend. Since Lynne works for HP, her handy dandy HP id card grants her access to the HP lounge situated on the second floor of Epcot’s Mission: Space ride building.

Now I’d never even stepped foot on Mission: Space’s grounds – a combination of being too chicken to ride and staging a silent protest in honor of Horizons 😉 so this was all new to me. I was quite impressed with all the lounge has to offer! You can check out Amanda Tinney’s post with detailed photos and information on the lounge, but I thought I’d share something fun too…

Mission:Space HP Lounge
Overlooking Mission:Space ride queue area

At the post-show area of Mission: Space, you are able to send a “Postcard from Space” via email. It’s a fun little animated postcard with different scenes to choose from inserting you into an animated outer space background. Within the HP lounge is a private little room complete with greenscreen background to send a postcard or two while you enjoy the lounge’s facilities. Of course Amanda, Lynne and I could not pass up such an opportunity, so click here find our postcard from space for your amusement. Enjoy!

HP Lounge Mission:Space
Postcards from Space room in HP Lounge

Now if any GM employees would like to let me tour the Test Track lounge, I’d be ever so grateful! 😉

Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Epcot, EPCOT attraction lounges, EPCOT Center, Epcot corporate lounges, Future World, Future World lounges, Future World VIP lounges, hidden lounges of Epcot, HP Invent, HP Lounge, lounges, Mission:Space, Mission:Space lounge, Postcards from Space, VIP Lounge, VIP lounges of Epcot, Walt Disney World

The Greatest Bathroom and Lounge On Earth!

9 July 2010 by Suzannah Otis 24 Comments

Disney certainly is no stranger to circus themes, what with the whole Dumbo/Casey Jr. connection. However you may be surprised to hear there is actually a circus-themed lounge and bathroom within a now long-extinct attraction inside Epcot. A little bit of “The Greatest Show on Earth without the scary clowns.

Wonders of Life pavilion
The Wonders of Life today…

 

Wonders of Life pavilion
The former home of the Wonder Cycles now waits for special festival events.

 

I know it’s no secret that Wonders of Life has been used for festival events both during the Epcot Flower and Garden and Food & Wine Festivals, but I actually had not been inside the building since around 2003. I recently attended a preview event held in the pavilion and as sad as it was to see no Cranium Command marquee, Wonder Cycles with video screens, or Body Wars, my sadness was quelled by a trip upstairs to the VIP lounge. I wish I’d taken pictures of the elevator because it really was beautiful; dark wood, mirrors on all sides, you could watch yourself watching yourself watching yourself riding the elevator.

Once upstairs, you are greeted with an instant circus theme. I know in the past for Food & Wine Festival dinners, the reception area had a full-on red and white striped tent treatment going on. I was able to find some pictures on a Disney fan message board of how the space is used for wedding receptions:

[Read more…] about The Greatest Bathroom and Lounge On Earth!

Filed Under: Disney Attractions, Disney Past, Disney Special Events, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Circus bathroom, Circus lounge, Disney Attractions, Disney bathrooms, Disney past, Disney Special Events, Epcot, EPCOT Center, Epcot corporate lounges, Extinct Attractions, Food and Wine Festival, Future World, Future World lounges, Future World VIP lounges, hidden gems, hidden lounges of Epcot, lounges, Pictures, VIP Lounge, VIP lounges of Epcot, Wonders Lounge, Wonders of Life

Up the Waterfall: The History of Epcot’s Festivals

15 September 2019 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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It’s hard to imagine a time before Epcot Festivals, especially if you just started going to the park in the last 20 years. In this week’s Up the Waterfall episode, we discuss the history of festivals at Epcot. Why they came about, how they’ve changed over the years, and what we think of all the never-ending festivals at one of our favorite parks. Times have certainly changed since 1994 and the first ever Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, in fact there are now 4 main festivals taking place in Epcot throughout the year.

Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

Listen in, or watch as we discuss all the festivals, our favorite parts and not-so-favorite parts. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Epcot Festivals too! Do you like the festivals in Epcot? What’s your favorite part and what do you like or not like about those festivals? See what we think on this week’s episode.

Here’s a link to the EPCOT VIP Lounges I mentioned in this episode, if you’d like to see!

This is our third episode for the Up the Waterfall podcast, you can subscribe on the Apple Podcast app (we’d LOVE a review so more people can discover our little show!), watch and subscribe on YouTube.com/zannaland where you can give us a thumbs up, comment, share and hit the notification bell to make sure you never miss another video.

Thanks as always for watching, listening, and reading! We hope you enjoy and if you do, share the love so we can keep bringing you more fun topics!

Click here to download.

Up the Waterfall logo

 

Filed Under: Disney Parks, Resorts, & Entertainment, Disney Special Events, Top Stories, Up the Waterfall Podcast Tagged With: Eat to the Beat, Epcot Festival of the Arts, Epcot Festival of the Holidays, Epcot Festivals, Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, Epcot Food and Wine Festival, Flower Power Concert Series, Garden Rocks, Up the Waterfall, Up the Waterfall podcast

VIDEO: Warren Spector and Peter Ong Discuss Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for Nintendo 3DS

24 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Junction Point vice president and creative director Warren Spector, Peter Ong and the rest of the team from DreamRift behind the development of Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for the Nintendo 3DS and some folks from Disney Interactive. We were shown an amazing Disney day and night, meeting with VIP lounges and Magic Kingdom tours and a lovely dinner at California Grill. In between all the wining and dining, we learned so much about the game, from the people that poured their hearts and souls into its creation. It’s rare, as a consumer, to meet the minds behind a video game, and discover all hard work and detail each person contributed.

Epic Mickey Power of Illusion

Hearing from Warren Spector was, as a Disney fan, wonderful. Not only is he a long-time video game fan, but a long-time Disney fan as well. Seeing his passion in action was a treat as he described his involvement in Epic Mickey. I had wondered if Disney nerds experts like those of you reading this now, would find things within the game that would satisfy our particular level of…attention. Warren assured us that we would be in heaven with the specific park and Disney film details within Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion.

Warren Spector
Warren Spector discusses how Epic Mickey Power of Illusion was born

 

In addition, talking through the actual game developers throughout the day and learning how they watched the Disney films used in the game countless times, and various other ways they kept true to the Disney brand, the classic gaming experience they were honoring, and bringing in a whole new generation with the drawing aspect to the Nintendo 3DS.

This video below will shed some light on the thought process behind the game and how game play develops.

 


As far as the details go, yes, it is played on a 3D handheld system, however you can turn OFF 3D any time, if your eyes have had too much or you’d just like a traditional gaming experience. The game is rated G but for ages 7 and up because of the 3D aspect. Too much exposure to the 3D setting on young eyes can be damaging. Outside of that issue, there are no other concerns as far as violence or age range go.

Epic Mickey Power of Illusion
Screenshot from the Aladdin level

I was able to play through the first level of the game, and as a very casual gamer, I was able to figure things out, but there were some parts that were a little frustrating, so keep that in mind with younger players. Of course practice and patience is the key to any successful video game conquest!

Epic Mickey Power of Illusion
Screenshot from the top screen of the Nintendo 3DS

 

Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion is a great game for anyone looking to recreate a classic 16 bit experience with a modern update, or any fan of Disney animated features or Parks. The game will be available on November 18, 2012.

 

Disclosure: Great thanks to the Disney Interactive team for our day in the parks as we learned about this game. I was provided special access at Walt Disney World, dinner and refreshments throughout the day. My opinions and thoughts are my own.

Filed Under: Disney Merchandise, Disney Movie News & Reviews, Reviews, Video Games and Apps Tagged With: disney fan, disney interactive, Epic Mickey, Epic Mickey 2, Epic Mickey Nintendo 3DS, Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion, game developers, handheld gaming, handheld system, Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, peter ong, traditional gaming, video, video game review, Warren Spector

The Hollywood That Never Was And Never Will Be

2 July 2015 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

POTD- WDW- DHS Drive ThroughThe Disney park currently known as Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been the much maligned “not-a-full-day-park” for years and years now. It usually comes in 3rd or 4th place, depending on whether the person choosing enjoys Disney’s Animal Kingdom or not. I have personally defended Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the past, based on the memories and the hope it once held, and the potential future I thought it could enjoy. However, as of late, much like the former EPCOT Center, DHS has been slowly cannibalizing itself in the name of “progress” and throwing the old “Disneyland will never be finished” quote around as justification for whatever NEXTNEWNOW change comes down the line.

When the Disney-MGM Studios first opened, it was a fun, light-hearted, action-packed look through the history and current world of entertainment. The park combined a mix of Hollywood history with architecture and icons reminiscent of the golden days of the silver screen, along with a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how movies, tv shows and the stunts within them were made. The park also offered a loving and closer look at some of what made Disney famous; animation and its animated characters. It was a fun mix of the two other parks down the street; the fantasy of Magic Kingdom and the discovery and education aspect of EPCOT Center. Even with the advent of the cry “we need more thrill rides!”, efforts were made to keep new areas of the park and their rides fit in to the theme of the park, one way or another.

Then, something happened, and suddenly, this fun, well-loved, full-day park began to decline. I’m sure there were several factors of which I am unaware, since I’m not in Imagineering or the boardroom discussing budgets, theme park attendance, profits, and whatever else results in the decisions Disney makes regarding its attention or lack-of toward specific parks or attractions. The hopes that this would be a “working studio” never really came to fruition. Hollywood stars didn’t really want to travel to Orlando to work, and certainly the conditions of humid, humid and more humid are not the best compared to sunny and 72 degrees every day in Hollywood. The Backlot Tour became more and more stagnant, with less and less relevant references, props, and costumes to interest newer guests. Part of the charm and allure for me as a young 13 year-old Disney fan visiting the park, was the wow factor of seeing props from favorites like the Rocketeer or Flight of the Navigator and actually believing “they are just storing these props here until they need them for a new film.” The pretense that “this is how movies and tv shows are made and you are getting an insider’s look” worked on me and I loved it. But when the pretense changed, the curtain fell and suddenly, the whole story and message of the park changed.

The once hour-plus-long Backlot Tour was broken up into two parts to create more attractions and make it easier on guests to enjoy. The special effects tour was still an incredibly fun and educational attraction. Seeing blue screen effects, miniaturization, sound effects and more, plus a short movie filmed right at the park ending in a walk through the props/sets of that movie was great. But again, soon the films used became outdated. These things could’ve been updated, or even treated in a kitschy manner, “back in the late 1980’s, this was the highest technology at the time for special effects!”. But instead, the tour was just closed. The death knell for the Backstage Tour was the demolition of Residential Street in 2003, to make room for Lights, Motors, Action!, which, while loud, and not particularly efficient in terms of loading and unloading the immense theatre to view the show, does fit in to the movies theme. After that, the Backlot Tour was an attraction you never really had to wait for, and went the way of Listen to the Land over in Epcot – replacing a live, interactive human cast member with a pre-recorded spiel. I remember how sad it was the first time I rode the tram tour through Catastrophe Canyon, and there was no presumption of driving through during a production break and the “surprise” of being caught in the middle of an elaborate special effects scene with potential “danger” that followed. It was a sad moment.

Photo courtesy of Parkeology.com
Photo courtesy of Parkeology.com

This brings me to my next point, that yes, Catastrophe Canyon could work as a “hey, we’re now going to drive through a set and you’ll see how an action scene could be filmed” just as the park itself could work as a “hey, welcome to the Everything-We-Couldn’t-Fit-in-Magic-Kingdom Park. Enjoy the random attractions!” But that’s not what this park was created for. It’s like when you see an old band you loved in the 80’s on tv, and now they have super trendy haircuts and hair dyed a couple shades too dark, and clothes that really don’t work on a 60+-year-old…and they are screaming “look at me, I’m still relevant! I’m still fun and cool!” Except they aren’t. They are focusing on all the wrong things and forgetting why their fans loved them to begin with. Disney basically created fans back in the 80’s with both EPCOT Center and Disney-MGM Studios, fans with discerning tastes, that appreciated and then craved story…history…and yes, even education.

Those fans were then pushed aside for the quicker, easier-to-control fan. Disney Jr. shows, make-shift “experiences” with little to no theming, and audience sing-a-longs receive no complaints from this new fan. This new fan is happy to see Olaf and take photos with rocks (sleeping trolls!), and just pretend most of the park doesn’t exist. A park that now, with the closure of the Magic of Disney Animation and One Man’s Dream (unofficially confirmed as of this post), has SIX attractions (rides), plus 5 “shows” and is a thin, staple-gunned-together shell of its former self. A park where, just because they can, turned a former queue of a former temporary replacement attraction, into a “lounge” with metal benches, air conditioning, and a few photos on the walls. These new fans will love this. A place to sit and cool down. Oh look, old black and white photos of Walt, wow! These new fans don’t come to this park expecting a story, details, or something new around each corner. They come to this park thinking, “I like Frozen. I like Star Wars. I like Pixar movies.” They walk in and see Frozen. They see Star Wars. They see Pixar films. They drink Olaf drinks. They buy Elsa dresses and build lightsabers. They leave happy, never knowing or wanting anything else. Leaving the old fans saying, “but…wait…what about…?”

DHS Lounge
A new Frozen attraction?
Errr…
DHS Lounge
Art! Who needs to draw Olaf!
DHS Lounge
Oh, it must be a pirate ride…no?
DHS Lounge
Well at least there’s a lot of charging stations for phones. Oh, wait…
DHS Lounge
BUT, at least these benches look comfy! Right? They must be.

Now I’m not saying there isn’t hope. Just like with EPCOT, I cannot abandon all hope for a place that fostered and nurtured my love for Walt Disney World to begin with. I just can’t. At the same time, I can’t just forget all that “once was” and blindly accept whatever replaces it. It saddens me that the ideals and ideas that once created such amazing, unique, and entertaining places seem to have disappeared. I know that the ideas are there. I know that there are Imagineers who remember and value the once (truly) untouchable Disney Difference. Imagineers who want to create amazing environments and experiences for guests. Who wanted to be Imagineers because of how affected they were by some aspect of Walt Disney or the empire he created, and wanted to be a part of that creativity. But who are also sadly restrained by budgets and projections and profits and return on investment and how to get the most dollars out of the least materials/space/investment/time. The hope is still there, it just needs to be let out of its box and released upon the world. I get that the parks here in the states aren’t ever going to have the budget and carte-blanche that a place like Tokyo Disney Resort has. But I also get that Disney as a company isn’t exactly scraping together funds to pay the electric bill each month. There has to be a better way, which will, in the long run, create and keep more and more dedicated guests, fans and yes, brand evangelists. Yes, it’s harder and takes longer. It’s much easier to get a large group of people hyped over a particular facet of a brand and spread that hype across the land so that everyone wants to buy all the Elsa and Anna dresses/dolls/cups/pins/dessert parties/VIP experiences vs. getting a set group of people educated, interested and loyal to a place and the attractions within that place. Obviously it makes sense from a business perspective. Does it make sense in a long-term investor sense? I don’t know. Does it matter? I guess time will tell.

Image courtesy of Yesterland.comWe all know that the Studios park is in flux. There are things happening, we just don’t officially know what yet. Cars Land, Star Wars Land, Pixar Play Land, all of these things have been thrown around as rumor or fact depending on who you talk to. The problem, and really the impetus for this post, is that how these changes and “updates” have been handled is an embarrassingly good example of bad show. If you are going to close half of the physical park, have an announcement! Have a “Coming Soon!” sign or wonderful artist renderings of the future of the park for all of us to look forward to. Why the secrecy? Why the quietly displaced cast members and closed attractions with zero plans or hopes or ideas to look forward to? Even with the polarizing Avatarland/Pandora over in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we had a reason for Camp Minnie-Mickey closing, for walls being up, for construction happening. Even with the walls everywhere that characterized Disney(‘s) California Adventure, we knew Cars Land and Buena Vista Street were waiting. With each closure at DHS, we get nothing but a generic message. Are they waiting for the D23 Expo to announce all of the changes? Perhaps. But these closures and temporary band-aid pop-up attractions have been going on for quite some time here, with no explanation or alternative other than sing-a-longs and specialty drinks. With this much advanced knowledge of closings of attractions, surely better planning and action could’ve been taken to create replacements that don’t shine a light on flaws and problems, but rather are worthy of making positive impressions on all the park’s guests. Or, in absence of that, at the very least, some sort of acknowledgement that the park is growing and changing and please pardon the pixie dust. But to act like the park as is today, is okay is very “pay no attention to that man behind the curtain…” and we all know how that turned out.

There has been much speculation as to what the new iteration of a Studios park will be called. Disney Studios doesn’t fit because there are no studios left, real or imagined. Disney’s Hollywood Adventure doesn’t fit because the Hollywood is limited to the main Hollywood Blvd. shops leading to the Great Movie Ride, and Sunset Blvd. Disney Movie Magic? Disney Movies Park? Disney Entertainment Adventure? Disney-Frozen-Fun-Time-Featuring-Olaf-with-Added-Mater-and-Star Wars-Cause-We-Know-You-Like-That-Too-Oh-and-Also-a-Ride-About-Movies-Other-Than-Frozen? I kid, but seriously, the park is just digging itself further and further into a hole that die-hard fans won’t be able to let go (that does NOT count as a Frozen pun) for quite some time, even if the changes are spectacular. The recent Great Movie Ride update with Turner Classic Movies treatment has its plusses and minuses, in my opinion.  Part of what made that ride was the spiel and the cast members who recited it, and that has now changed, with the addition of Robert Osborne narration. We are no longer passing through the streets of London or the seedy underbelly of the gangster film, we are discussing movie facts, with an occasional aside from our driver. The ride itself is still intact, with newly added films to the end montage, and the interactive gangster or cowboy element is there, but makes a little less sense now, to me. That said, I’m glad it wasn’t ripped out and that a major sponsor such as TCM was willing to come on board. My plea is for Those Who Make the Decisions to remember what made this park so special to begin with. It was a giant inside joke that we were all in on – “we’re just tourists, but we get to go behind-the-scenes!”. That message can and has changed, but there should still be some sort of cohesive theme that ties all of the different portions together and makes the park worthy of the love and adoration its former incarnation once had. Maybe a little less synergy and a little more of letting the Imagineers do what they do best.

Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney News, Disney Past, Top Stories, Walt Disney World Tagged With: DHS, DHS lounge, Disney-MGM Studios, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Frozenland, imagineering

VIDEO: LEGOLAND Hotel Officially Opens Its Doors (And Disco Elevators) to Guests

18 May 2015 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

It’s no secret we are huge fans of LEGOLAND Florida here at Zannaland. It is a place where all of my kids, from ages 16 to 6 have SO much fun every time we visit. It’s a place where everyone has a great time, and the surroundings are so beautiful. It’s a wonderful place to reconnect as a family and experience some of the real Florida at the same time as a fun theme park. Now that time can be extended with the opening of the Legoland Hotel. In complete Legoland style, they’ve seemed to have thought of every detail to make Lego fans and families relax and enjoy. The Legoland Hotel had its grand opening ceremony last Friday and we sent correspondent Kira from SecondBlogToTheRight.com over to cover this event. She came back with some great photos and details that make me want to book a hotel stay right NOW! So without further ado, please enjoy Kira’s coverage and see all of the bricktacular details below:

…

LEGOLAND® Hotel is officially open for business & we’ve got the inside scoop!

Legoland Hotel
Legoland Hotel at Legoland Florida

On May 15, 2015, the doors opened…well maybe that’s not exactly how it happened, check out the video below…

The grand opening was honored with thousands of colorful LEGO® minifigures blasting out of cannons atop the hotel and a child discovering a key to open the hotel built for kids.

Legoland Hotel Dragon

A few of our LEGO® friends greeted us in the lobby. The details in this hotel are incredible. As an avid LEGO® video game player & huge fan of The LEGO® Movie, the little things are really easy to get lost in.

 

Legoland Hotel Check-in Legoland Hotel Check-in

 

LEGOLAND® Hotel features 152 guest rooms and suites across four themes: Pirate, Kingdom, Adventure, and LEGO® Friends. Guests of the Hotel also enjoy early access to LEGOLAND® Florida Resort, free full breakfast daily, interactive play areas, daily and nightly entertainment, disco elevator, resort pool and much more.

Bricks Family Restaurant  (PHOTO / Chip Litherland for LEGOLAND Florida/Merlin Entertainments Group Inc.)
Bricks Family Restaurant
(PHOTO / Chip Litherland for LEGOLAND Florida/Merlin Entertainments Group Inc.)
Legoland Hotel Bricks Restaurant
Legoland Hotel Bricks Restaurant
Legoland Hotel Bricks Buffet Restaurant
Legoland Hotel Bricks Buffet Restaurant

 

 

Legoland Hotel Skyline Lounge
Legoland Hotel Skyline Lounge

 

Disco Elevator!  (PHOTO / Elaine Litherland for LEGOLAND Florida/Merlin Entertainments Group Inc.)
Disco Elevator! (PHOTO / Elaine Litherland for LEGOLAND Florida/Merlin Entertainments Group Inc.)

 

Legoland Hotel Pool
Legoland Hotel Pool

 

Legoland Hotel Pool Splash Area
Legoland Hotel Pool Splash Area

Each room sleeps up to five, and offers a king-sized bed for adults and a separate sleeping area for up to three children, featuring a bunk bed and a trundle bed, as well as two flat panel TVs.

 

Legoland Hotel King Bed
Legoland Hotel King Bed

 

Legoland Hotel Bunk Beds
Legoland Hotel Bunk Beds

 

Legoland Hotel Bathroom
Legoland Hotel Bathroom

VIP Suites feature a king bed, a living room, pull out sofa, kids’ play area and three flat panel TVs. Suites can sleep up to nine people.

Legoland Hotel VIP Suite Adult Room
VIP Suite Adult Room
Legoland Hotel VIP Suite Living Room
VIP Suite Living Room
Legoland Hotel VIP Suite Bunk Beds
Legoland Hotel VIP Suite Bunk Beds
Legoland Hotel VIP Suite Bath
Legoland Hotel VIP Suite Bath
Legoland Hotel VIP Suite Balcony
VIP Suite Balcony

 

All rooms and suites feature LEGO models and a treasure chest, which can be unlocked only by completing a hotel scavenger hunt.

In-room Treasure Chest
In-room Treasure Chest!

My personal favorite was the Adventure themed rooms due to all the Indiana Jones details!

Sidenote: LEGOLAND® resort is happy to preserve the land that used to be Cypress Gardens. Guests of the hotel can enjoy a relaxing walk on the boardwalk as well as the serene views of Lake Eloise.

Legoland Hotel Lake View
Legoland Hotel Lake View

Room rates begin at $219 per night. To make a reservation, visit LEGOLANDHotel.com.

Filed Under: Central Florida Family Entertainment, Family Travel, Florida Theme Parks & Attractions, Guest Authors, LEGOLAND Florida, Top Stories, Travel, Travel, Theme Parks, and Resorts Tagged With: Central Florida theme parks, Family theme parks, Florida theme parks, lego city, lego friends, LEGOLAND, Legoland Bricks Restaurant, LEGOLAND Florida, Legoland Hotel, Legoland Hotel Grand Opening, LEGOLAND theme park, Legoland VIP Suites, Polk County, Winter Haven FL

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