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First Teaser Trailer for Disney Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur

2 June 2015 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

At the last D23 Expo, we were treated to the announcements of quite a few DisneyPixar projects, including Inside Out, which I’ll be screening tonight with full review to come, Finding Dory (not so much as excited about that one but we’ll see), and The Good Dinosaur.

The official synopsis of the Good Dinosaur from DisneyPixar is this:

“The Good Dinosaur” asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.

A little more info, from the sneak peek we saw at the Expo…the line about “what if the asteroid missed?” is a brief but important opening to the story. Basically, the “what if” answer is that dinosaurs rule the world and humans do not. This particular dinosaur we’re following, Arlo, is part of a farming family, and he’s not happy. He wanders and finds a human, who he is initially afraid of and annoyed by. And that’s where our story truly begins. There has been some shake-up with this movie, originally directed by Bob Peterson, who left and was replaced by Peter Sohn, and the film was completely turned around and re-imagined according to Pixar. John Lithgow, who plays Arlo’s father said that he went back in and re-recorded all of his dialogue for the film! So perhaps the clip we were shown in 2013 is not the direction they went. Time will tell! In the meantime, enjoy the first official teaser trailer.

THE GOOD DINOSAUR opens in theatres everywhere on November 25th!

THE GOOD DINOSAUR concept art — “The Good Dinosaur” tells the story of Arlo, a lively Apatosaurus with a big heart who sets out on a remarkable journey, gaining an unlikely companion along the way—a human boy. Directed by Peter Sohn (“Partly Cloudy”) and produced by Denise Ream (“Cars 2”, “The Good Dinosaur” opens in theaters Nov. 25, 2015. ©2014 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Dancing Dick Van Dyke Proves Age is Just a Number

2 June 2015 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

I saw this on Facebook, and knew I wanted to share this happy video (and great song) here with everyone. As a life-long Disney fan, I think we’d all like to think this is just how Dick Van Dyke is on a daily basis (maybe without the live band, but you get the idea). Some people are just born happy and what makes them happiest, is spreading joy to others. I was lucky enough to see Dick Van Dyke perform at D23’s Destination D a few years back (he was at the 2011 D23 Expo also but I wasn’t able to get in to see him!) and he definitely still has it. And we are all lucky that he’s still sharing the talent and gift for putting a smile on anyone’s face, with the world.

The band featured is the Dust Bowl Revival and this is what they say about the video below on their YouTube page:

We had the luck and the privilege to share the first single “Never Had To Go” from our 2015 release With A Lampshade On with the man himself, Dick Van Dyke and his lovely wife Arlene. They said come over and let’s do a video. So we did. What a dreamy guy. At 89, he really can still dance like he’s in Mary Poppins!

The album drops officially July 21 – released by Signature Sounds Recordings.

preorder at: http://www.dustbowlrevival.com/

What did you think? What’s your favorite Dick Van Dyke role? I think he’ll always be Bert to me.

Disney’s Polynesian Village Changes the Face of a Walt Disney World Vacation

7 April 2015 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Locals and frequent visitors alike have witnessed the Walt Disney World Resort landscape change over the past 20+ years with the addition of “Disney’s best kept secret,” or Disney’s Vacation Club (DVC) vacation ownership program. Disney Vacation Club began as a standalone resort, called the “Disney Vacation Club Resort” in 1991. With the success of the vacation ownership program, other resorts were planned and built, causing the original resort to be renamed Disney’s Old Key West, which it is still named today. The next property built was Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, which opened in 1995, followed the next year by Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, giving owners an alternative location to use their DVC points but stay in a Disney-like resort atmosphere. A few months later, Disney’s Boardwalk Villas were opened to guests and the DVC experience began to spread its way around Walt Disney World as DVC-specific buildings and rooms were added to existing deluxe Disney resort hotel properties. In many cases, the DVC additions blended seamlessly into the established resort grounds. The Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is my particular favorite as far as not disturbing theming or the non-DVC resort experience. Boardwalk also blends in nicely, and while they definitely stand out as different, it’s hard to imagine a time before the Beach Club Villas existed.

Things started getting a bit dicey with the announcement and addition of Disney’s Bay Lake Tower Resort, which now rises tall beside one the two original Walt Disney World resort hotels – Disney’s Contemporary Resort. This news was Initially met with rumblings of outrage and sacrilege among Walt Disney World purists not wanting to mar the classic landscape from 1971. The “blessing of size” that Walt Disney World espoused has been tested many times over, but messing with the 1971 skyline was a different beast. Disney’s Grand Floridian had of course changed that skyline too, and has now settled in as an accepted member of the monorail resort club. With the Contemporary moniker, there was some leeway in designing a new building that was, is actually, much more contemporary than its sister across the breezeway. And while many still miss the classic view from Bay Lake as you sail across the water bridge, Bay Lake Tower has fit in and brought not only new Magic Kingdom view rooms, but also a lovely lounge with gorgeous artwork from Disney’s original Imagineers.

There was similar concern with the news of the Grand Floridian joining the DVC family, but similar to Beach Club, in an even more seamless fashion, the new Grand Floridian Villas have, in my opinion added to the monorail resort loop, with the lovely and thoughtful additions of Mary Poppins and Sherman brothers touches throughout the resort and DVC units. The building itself matches the main Grand Floridian resort from roof to sidewalk, and we also gained a lovely waterfall between the buildings.

All of this backstory is leading up to, of course, the newest kid on the DVC block, Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. This location has, unsurprisingly, also not been without concern or uproar. “What about the beach views?!” “But they’re SO expensive!!” And yes, they are ridiculously expensive at $2100+ per night for a bungalow. They also do block the water view for those on the ground floor of the concierge level of rooms in the Hawaii building, as well as most of the views from the buildings housing the new DVC studio rooms.

I’ll get into price again in a bit, but for now, let me share my thoughts on the views. In my opinion, the new bungalows are actually a wonderful new addition to the sight-line of the Polynesian Village. Why? Because it actually looks like a Polynesian village. When I was touring a bungalow and looking out onto Bay Lake, my reaction really was, “oh, the Grand Floridian kind of looks out of place…” So if you want to go for authentic view, looking out your window to see adorable bungalows makes much more sense than seeing a giant Victorian hotel or even the spires of a castle. As for the fireworks, last time I checked, they were in the sky. That’s not to say this new view is perfect. It’s just different. If you want to see some things, you may have to leave the comfort of your room and wander a bit. Hang out on the beach, or at the pool. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Getting out and exploring is part of what makes the Walt Disney World Resort such a unique experience. For those lucky enough to have views from inside a bungalow, I’m sure seeing a giant Victorian or A-frame hotel in the distance won’t be too much of a chore.

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort beach — Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort beach

Now, on to the price. Let me preface by saying for those with an actual DVC membership, while yes, these new bungalows will eat up more points per night than you’re used to, the sting is slightly less with the additional DVC membership benefits, etc. (but it will still sting at around 110-230 points per night for a bungalow). However, for those with larger families who want to stay on Disney property, the choices are, getting two rooms, getting a family suite at a value resort, or getting a DVC multi-bedroom suite. Before having 3 kids, when we lived in the Tampa area, we’d often get a suite at Old Key West to fit everyone plus my mother in one room. Now with 3 kids, 2 of them teenagers, the sharing of rooms or beds is less than ideal and things become harder. Staying at a 2-3 bedroom DVC suite is not really in our budget, even as locals who don’t need tickets or want a dining plan. Of course, staying off property is always an option, and that’s actually what we did before moving back to the Orlando area and doing less “staycations.” There are SO many timeshare and suite properties within a short driving distance to Walt Disney World that are literally the price of one room at a value resort per night. With choices like that, it’s very hard to pick the $400+ to $700+ a night option for most of the standard villas. If you want the over-water bungalow experience, you are going to start at $2100 a night and go up to over $3000 if you want to stay during the holidays. Even dividing that among the possible 8 adults that could sleep there, it would be $263.50 a night just to sleep there. And I don’t know about you, but we don’t usually charge our kids for their share of the vacation expenses. So why is Disney making these bungalows so inaccessible to the average guest? Quite simply, because they have to.

I’m sure at the time of writing this, the Polynesian bungalows are booked through year end, or beyond. With 20 bungalows, they are in high demand, period. Can you imagine if these were affordable? It would be like trying to book a Christmas day reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table, getting an Anna and Elsa FastPass, and getting in to the new Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, all at the same time. Everyone would want to stay and it would become a huge thing plaguing the Polynesian and Walt Disney World in general. As it is now, there is a presidential suite in each deluxe resort. Most guests will never stay there, or even try to, because the price range is just totally out of reach. These bungalows are no different, they are just out in your face, tempting and taunting you to stay there and enjoy the ultimate in Disney luxury. And this is why Disney as a company is so successful. They can get people to pay $3000 a night for a 2 bedroom bungalow, when you could get a 3 bedroom condo down the street for $99 a night, or even two deluxe suites at the Four Seasons for the same amount as the bungalows. Unlike most other luxury suites of this nature, you won’t be getting a private 24 hour butler or room service…but Disney is just not known for that level of service in accommodations, so most people staying there won’t think anything of that. In fact, the DVC model is based on stocking the kitchen and making your own meals anyway. Proponents of the Disney Experience will preach that you can’t put a value on the memories you will make at a Disney resort…and Disney has answered, oh yes, you can – and we did.

So at the end of the day, where does that leave us? Well, some people will just be able to afford this, it won’t be a problem. Others will scrimp and save for years to create the ultimate Disney vacation for their family. Still others will simply use their DVC points and call it a day. Some of us will hang out with friends who book a bungalow and experience it briefly that way. Others will take a stroll around the beautiful grounds of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and enjoy the views of the new bungalows, the beach, the new volcano pool, and maybe grab a bite to eat at Trader Sam’s or one of the other restaurants at the resort. While the landscape of the resort, and indeed all of Walt Disney World is forever changed by these new accommodation options, it doesn’t have to affect our enjoyment simply because it is so far out of our price range. I know I personally love hanging out at all of the resort lobbies and grounds. They are fun places to people watch, take photos, and explore parts of Walt Disney World that we may not have realized existed. I think Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is shaping up to be, for the most part, an improvement on the original. I will still miss the lobby waterfall, and think it was an unnecessary change for the overall feel of the resort, but the remainder of the changes have all been positive from what I’ve seen and experienced.

Below is a photo gallery of the 2 bedroom Polynesian Bungalow and a few shots of the opening ceremonies with Ken Potrock, DVC general manager and Tracey Powell – VP – Resort Operations – Deluxe Resorts both of whom dedicated the resort with a torch-lighting ceremony signifying the connection of the 3 points of the triangle of Polynesia. The islands of Polynesia are represented at the resort by the buildings of Hawaii (club level rooms), Niue, Rarotonga, Samoa, Tonga, Aotearoa, Tuvalu, Fiji, Tokelau, Moorea, and Pago Pago (the last two returning to their original names with the addition of DVC villa rooms – Tokelau will also contain DVC rooms). The bungalows have been named the Bora Bora Bungalows for added alliteration. All photos may be clicked on to enlarge and view as a slideshow.

The Bora Bora Bungalows are gorgeous. I instantly felt at home and wanted to just move in. The overwhelming feeling I got was that of a family cabin, and I could just picture my kids and fiance and I enjoying a wonderful stay here. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a local or not, but I couldn’t imagine wanting to leave the cabins to go to the parks. These bungalows had everything: the latest appliances, tv’s, a spa tub, a personal plunge pool, and all the comforts of home. Seeing the water from the long windows in the master bedroom and master bath was so relaxing and comforting to me, not to mention the two decks on the water plus the front porch area. I loved it. I know my family would love it. Disney really hit it out of the park (no pun intended) with these bungalows. The studio villas are equally well-appointed and decorated. I think they will be a great hit among DVCers and regular guests alike, despite the cost.

What are your thoughts on this change to the Walt Disney World landscape? I’d love to hear what you think about any of the topics touched on here. Thank you for reading and following along on instagram, twitter and facebook at the dedication ceremony.

Disney's Polynesian Villas & Bungalows — Second bedroom

The art inside the bedroom pull down bed

REVIEW: Disney’s Live Action Cinderella Honors and Updates the Original Tale

13 March 2015 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

I’ve discussed before on this very site, that I was not super into princesses growing up. Unlike those born 10 or so years after me, Disney princesses were not as…well, everywhere as they are now, and have been for the last 20 years. Prior to the Walt Disney Animation Studios release of the The Little Mermaid in 1989, the last princess animated by Disney was Sleeping Beauty, released a whopping 30 years before. Cinderella was 9 years before that, and Snow White 13 years before that. So while Disney did become synonymous with retelling classic fairy tales and giving us beautiful princesses that graced his beloved Disneyland, there were many other stories Disney was telling as well, with someone or something with which everyone could identify.

With the new golden age of Disney animation that The Little Mermaid heralded, audiences were introduced to a new princess pretty much every year thereafter. Add to that the Disney marketing machine, and you have several new generations of children who grew up with Disney princesses surrounding them from birth onward. From clothing to toys to television shows and apps and books and sequels and characters in Disney parks, and on and on…the saturation of Disney princesses has reached deluge level. My point here is, it wasn’t quite like this when I was growing up. So while I do love most Disney princesses in my own way, I’m definitely not an obsessive fan girl about them, wanting to become one or resemble one, or anything else like that. I may or may not be alone in my princessy-overload sentiments, but I tell you all of this as a preface to my review so that you’re aware…I really wasn’t looking forward to another live-action treatment to another Disney princess. My fears and lack of anticipation for this new Cinderella were shockingly (to me) put to rest within the first moments of the film, and my love only grew as the story unfolded. If you want my very concise review: I loved it. If you’d like to hear what I loved and why, continue reading. I will warn you that I’m not going to edit my review around any sort of “spoilers.” This story has been around since the 1600’s – pretty sure there aren’t any spoilers left at this point. That said, if you want to go in to the film blind, feel free to close this out and wait until you’ve seen it, I won’t be offended. If you dare to read on, let’s go!

The story begins a little earlier than most versions of Cinderella. We aren’t just told or shown how kind and patient and generous Cinderella is, we learn why – which is because of the excellent examples set forth by her parents. Cinderella’s mother is someone we don’t usually get to see in this story, or Cinderella’s relationship with her parents. Their family is truly one of a fairy tale; her merchant father is gone for long periods of time, but always returns to the love and affection of his wife and daughter. His staff at their family manor is well cared-for and loyal. Seeing how her parents treat others, and having her mother foster her belief in fairies and magic, we learn why Cinderella has such a wonderful foundation to grow into her adult personality. That foundation is challenged with the death of her mother. One of her mother’s last bits of advice is for Cinderella to always have courage, and be kind. Cinderella takes these words to heart, not only to carry out her mother’s wishes, but because she truly believes the words. I didn’t view Cinderella as this sickeningly sweet goody-two-shoes, but as someone who was truly good, despite her trials and heartbreak – she does not let the bad things that happen to her define her – her goodness defines her, above all.

Another backstory we are treated to is that of Cinderella’s father’s reasons for marrying Lady Tremaine. We don’t get intimate details of that relationship, but I certainly had a better understanding of why he married into such a horrible family. We also learn that his first wife, Cinderella’s mother, is never far from his thoughts or heart. I appreciated this tiny subplot, as it made the next chapter of the tale believable. When her father passes away too, Cinderella’s trials begin as she is relegated to the sole cook, maid, and caretaker of her ridiculously vain and ill-treating step-sisters and step-mother. Sitting there watching, I was instantly affected thinking, we need more of this in the world. Kindness. Courage. We later learn a bit about why Lady Tremaine is the way she is, but it does not excuse the behavior.

Unlike past versions of Cinderella, in this film, Cinderella happens upon the prince on her own, without benefit of a fairy godmother’s makeover, just her true, unadorned self. And the prince falls head over heels for the person that Cinderella is. This is such an important distinction, that is revisited later in the story as well. As a child, I never thought, “oh, she gets made over by the fairy godmother and that’s the only reason the prince noticed her: her beauty.” But I can see how this is the message that was received for ages and generations, and it is of course, an unhealthy one. (And probably why I always prefer when the Disney princesses are portrayed in their “non-princess” attire.) Cinderella is a strong, independent woman when she meets the prince, and does not change herself or hold back when she speaks to him, all while remaining true to her character of kindness and courage. It’s so wonderfully refreshing to see.

This new twist leads up to another different aspect of the new Cinderella – the relationship between the prince and his father, the king. As a mother of two sons, I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled, to see the loving, caring, affectionate father/son relationship portrayed. As much as I loved Cinderella as a character, I was just overwhelmed by the choice to show this side to the king and prince. It is relatively unheard of to show a vulnerable father as a king, much less a prince who shows actual love and appreciation of his father. I just can’t praise this enough. I hope that more fathers and little boys actually see this film, so that the effects of this positive display can be felt.

Now I’d like to move on to one of my favorite parts of Cinderella – the transformation scene with the fairy godmother. This scene actually made me cry. Why? Well, I am unsure if it was intentionally done, or it’s just me grasping at a correlation or being overly emotional, but I’d like to think my thoughts are well-founded. When watching Marc Davis (the amazing animator and Disney Legend responsible for so many memorable animated characters, attractions and more), discuss his career, he is often quoted as sharing a story of when Walt Disney himself was asked what his favorite bit of animation was. Walt answered that it was the scene where Cinderella got her gown. Marc, ever humble and modest but also honored, smiles and admits how that was a pretty special moment for him, having been the one to animate that scene. The scene in the movie, in my mind, pays an incredible tribute to both Marc Davis’ work, and Walt Disney himself. It is overwhelmingly beautiful and combines just the right amount of special effects to look almost animated in some aspects. I was just overcome, watching that scene and thinking of the two men that brought Cinderella to life so many years before. Yes, I am fully aware that I am a sap. I’m tearing up again now just thinking about it. Anyway, whether it was a conscious nod to the original animated scene or not, it is beautiful, not in any way cheesy, and adds to the inherent enchantment of the film.

While on the subject of visuals, one of the stars of the film in every scene was the costumes. Many of the costumes seemed historically accurate, but what I loved was when there were very obvious departures from what was common during the time period of the story. Lady Tremaine had a decidedly 1940’s look to her style, with fitted, colored pieces in bright shades of green. The sisters had more of a 1950’s feel with colorful tops paired with full skirts. It was such a fun departure of the norm of these characters, and yet all the choices fit perfectly. There were of course obvious tributes to the original animated film, with the color of Cinderella’s gown, as well as her scullery maid outfit. Helena Bonham Carter’s Fairy Godmother was completely over the top and unique to this film, but I loved her portrayal – forgetful but not ditzy, and above all, wants what’s best of Cinderella. Make sure you stay through the credits to hear an old favorite song from our new Fairy Godmother.

Finally, just when I thought I couldn’t love the movie any more, the ending contained a scene which magnifies the message of the film tenfold. I’m paraphrasing here, but the main idea is that what took courage for Cinderella was to appear as herself again to the prince – no dazzling gown, no glass slippers or golden coach. Just her, as she is, living in an attic, covered in soot, talking to mice. I loved that pause for understanding and acknowledgement of where fairy tales go wrong. Real life is hard. People we love go away. Things we want may be out of reach. People may be cruel and hurtful. Remaining true to yourself, being a good and kind person through all of life’s trials, that’s what makes for fairy tale magic. We may not have our own fairy godmothers, but in this day of instant gratification and artificiality, patience, kindness, hard work, and courage through it all, are lessons we all need.

I could go on and on about what I loved from the movie, but these are the main points I wanted to relay. Kenneth Branagh and company have done an amazing job transforming this classic, while keeping its heart and updating its message. It is beautiful from start to finish and I hope you see and enjoy it as much as I did. Cinderella opens today in theatres and IMAX everywhere. I was given access to a press screening, but my opinions and thoughts are my own. I can’t wait to see Cinderella again!

You Can Leave Your Hat Off

26 October 2014 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

I began writing this as a caption to a photo I had posted before on Instagram, of a hat-free view of Disney’s Hollywood Studios (of course, then known as Disney-MGM Studios). My thoughts got away from me, and I had soon reached “caption limit” on Instagram, so I copied and pasted what I’d been writing into my “Notes” on my phone. I had never before written a blog post on my phone, save for very short updates about new purses being released while I may have been away from my laptop. But I was lost in the moment, and just kept typing. What follows is that post.

I hope we have this uncluttered view again with the removal of the hat. Part of what drew me in to the wonders of Walt Disney World as a child were the incredibly themed environments found at each park. In my, and many others’ opinions, part of the disappointments in park-related decisions made by Disney executives almost always stem from this suspension of theming. Throw a couple of birds from unrelated movies into a classic, original WDW attraction like the Enchanted Tiki Room, and Disney purists will be unhappy. Destroy the basic essence of a movie-studio-related theme park and over time, it becomes a shell of a park; a mishmash of random attractions and unrelated shows which are either outdated or have nothing to do with “The Hollywood that never was and always will be.”

One major part of that mishmash was a giant Sorcerer’s hat, which while, yes, related to an animated film from Walt Disney, had no business being at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, a walkway brimming with Hollywood history, homages, and iconic architecture. The hat was not an icon, it was a pin store in the shape of a hat, and a temporary one at that, created for the “100 Years of Magic” celebration, when special light-up pins were sold which interacted with park elements. As with many things in Disney parks these days, it became easier to leave this store up. It no doubt made loads of money in both merchandise and photo pass sales. It also conveniently solved that pesky issue of the main “weenie” in this park being a non-Disney entity (Grauman’s Chinese Theatre). But as we Disney purists know, lack of Disney branding does not equal some sort of disconnect between the guest and where they are spending their hard-earned vacation dollars. By the same token, throwing up an over-sized bit of Disney-themed “magic” in the form of a hat, does not equal Disney quality and dedication to a properly themed environment.

In this author’s experience and humble opinion, throwing sparkles and pixie dust on any and everything does not make Disney Magic™. Disney magic is found in the people, the experiences of feeling as if you are flying over London in a pirate ship, sailing down the Amazon River with a jovial guide, setting out on a “two-week Safari” in Africa, journeying to the very port of imagination, or to 11 different countries without needing a passport. Or, stepping right into Hollywood past, present, or somewhere in between. For a little girl from Massachusetts, Hollywood and California seemed like a foreign country, a place so out of reach, who knew if I’d ever get there. But I could at the Studios. I learned so much about making movies and animation and special effects and stunts. Much like I learned about communication and agriculture and transportation and future technologies at EPCOT. When it first opened, Disney-MGM Studios became my second favorite park. Magic Kingdom was a distant third for me, because it was never about thrills or rides for me, it was about experiences and the Disney experience was unparalleled in EPCOT and MGM. I know I’m not alone in my thoughts. However, I also know there are many, many folks who go to Walt Disney World for completely different reasons. They go for princesses and fairytales and escaping a reality that can’t compete with pixie dust. Obviously, I am a fan of Disney; it has ruled a large portion of my life for many years. But I looked at my early experiences not as an escape from reality, but as a way to make a better reality. And that reality, to me, was “doing something right or not at all.” Going above and beyond regular expectations. Transporting you to a place where you believed you belonged.

That’s why the hat bothered me and so many others. The hat took you out of the carefully themed environment that created this new reality, and became nothing more than a giant inflatable waving arm creature on the side of the road. Much like the giant Mickey hand, wand, and “2000” attached to Spaceship Earth, these temporary side-show attractions play to the lowest common denominator of theme park goer, and dumb down the experience to nothing more than a “LOOK! SALE!” sign. Never mind that a wonderful, well-designed attraction awaits inside Spaceship Earth or the Great Movie Ride, we aren’t trusting you to discover this and be delighted on your own. We are putting this hand and this hat here to say, “at least you’ll take a photo and hopefully buy a pin here!” And while none of us can safely say what Walt would’ve wanted, and haven’t been able to for some time, what Walt was known for and insisted upon, from day one, was quality. Walt himself said, “Quality will out.” as well as “I would rather entertain and hope that people learned something than educate people and hope they were entertained.” I love that quote, because it certainly worked on me. I learned so much, that it became a very part of my being.

So why all this fuss over “just a hat” or “just an outdated boat ride in Norway”? Because these two very contrasting situations illustrate what Disney history fans are constantly hoping for and striving to see played out in park updates, new attractions, even merchandise. And while adding a Frozen attraction to Norway may be a perfect example of how to destroy a themed environment and entertain without educating, the smaller victory of removing the hat is a step toward acknowledging that it did not belong in a themed environment. Am I appeased enough by this decision to think nothing will replace this space? That Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with its closure of the Backlot Tour and Jack Sparrow experience is going to create an all-new “Hollywood that never was”? No. I am no longer that naive or even hopeful. The closures of attractions like Horizons, World of Motion, the original Journey into Imagination, the original Backlot Tour with special effects walking tour, and now Maelstrom, have slowly chipped away at the belief that those running Disney have the same ideals they once did. As dramatic and silly as it may sound to the casual fan, or person who goes to Disney for a completely different experience, these closures have broken little pieces of my heart.

You can throw out the “Disney is a business” line till the cows come home, but Disney is not filing for Chapter 11 any time soon. Disney has become such a name in quality and service because of the PAST, not the present. The kids who grew up going to Disneyland and Walt Disney World fell in love with a very specific set of business ideals and level of quality – from the person designing the rides to the person sweeping up spilled popcorn. The next generation fell in love with Disney movies and tv shows and yes, the theme parks too, but at a completely different level of expectation. Disney magic wasn’t found just within the details of Adventureland and Fantasyland, but in princess breakfasts and makeovers and pirate parties and dance parties and in “themed areas” which consist of fake snow stapled to cardboard cutouts and plastic backdrops. And they think it’s great and keep coming back for more. And as long as we as guests keep accepting that as a great Disney experience, there will be more of less and less of more.

To continue in this train of thought, those who check in here regularly, may have noticed I haven’t posted in well over a month, and wondered why my first post after that break is now a critique of the Walt Disney Company. Well, a lot has happened in that month; I traveled up and down the coast of California, got engaged, and also during that time, many other bits of news and changes have happened within the Walt Disney Company, all of which have led me to re-evaluate, yet again, why and what I write here at my site. As you may recall, I had a sort of mid-blog-crisis-and-subsequent-manifesto piece called The State of Zannaland, back in February. And since that time, I’ve written only two other pieces which were really from the heart and expressed why I began writing about Disney to begin with. I struggled quite a bit in the last couple of months, which, I know, probably sounds very silly to the casual reader. There are so many blogs and sites out there with information on Walt Disney World, or Disneyland, or Disney in general. Merchandise updates, the latest news or promotion Disney was releasing…and I didn’t want to be just another site parroting back info directly from Disney, or blindly supporting every decision the company made. At the same time, I know many of my readers found me back in the days of my Moms Panel application process, or followed my previous updates, and were wondering why I either wasn’t posting, or was now challenging the choices and decisions Disney was making. I didn’t want to alienate any readers, or cause people to be upset by what I was now writing. But the real-life things I experienced recently put a lot of Disney-blog things into perspective. At the end of the day, I must be proud of what I release here.

I avoided posting about Maelstrom closing here and only shared a few of my thoughts on twitter, but that closure was truly a slap in the face to a child of EPCOT such as myself. It was in a sense, what tipped the scales to get me from trying to still support Disney’s decisions and find the good and trust in their choices, to realizing that the Walt Disney World I grew up loving and evangelizing about, was not, in fact, the same company I was blogging about. That is not to say that there aren’t many, many talented, passionate folks who work for Disney and still hold those ideals and do their absolute best with what they are given to work with. But the decisions coming from the top no longer show a concern for long-term guest entertainment through learning, and gaining life-long return guests and fans. The short-sighted decisions for FrozenFrozenFrozenNowNowNow, are disappointing and disheartening to say the least. The removal of this hat, gives a small glimmer of hope that perhaps there is still a beating heart within this Frozen body, if you’ll pardon the bad analogy. (I think I’ve heard enough people telling me to “let it go” in the past month to warrant one bad Frozen analogy.)

As stated in my previous post, I did not get into blogging to make money, or have internet fame, or make a business out of what I write. I never wanted to be sponsored to write about what other people wanted me to, and I definitely never wanted to be part of 1,000 people writing the same thing. I’ve been writing here for over 5 years, and attended many, many blogging conferences in that time. I learned a lot about how to monetize, how to appeal to brands, how to pitch yourself to get products or create relationships that would improve your blog and get you more readers in the process. But I always, always, felt lost in that process. I never wanted to review products, or like I said above, share the same things 100’s or 1000’s of blogs were sharing. And yet, even after my State of Zannaland post, I was afraid to completely pull out of that world. What I realized while traveling last month, was that I wasn’t afraid any more. Part of our trip took us to the Walt Disney Family Museum, part of it to some of the highest elevations in Yosemite National Park, and part of it to Walt Disney’s old haunts and historical places from when he was first starting his animation studio and later Disneyland. I know it doesn’t sound like those three things have a common thread, but what they gave me was an overwhelming sense of perspective, and a re-igniting of the ideals that made me start this blog to begin with.

Thanks to Yesterland.com for this photo. See how this view makes sense?

All of the people I respect the most in this blogging-about-Disney world are those who post their true thoughts, don’t censor, don’t sugar coat, and tell things like it is, for better or for worse. I want to be one of those people, I want to respect my own writing and want to be respected for my thoughts and honesty. There is a lot of talk online about positivity; always being positive and surrounding yourself with positive people and avoiding the negative, to the point of removing negative people from your life. I think a lot of the actual meaning behind this ideal is lost among Disney fans. There is a *huge* difference between being positive, and wearing both rose-colored glasses and blinders in your life. Being positive in your own personal life, to overcome challenges you face, obstacles you encounter and achieving your goals, is great. It’s wonderful. A must-do. None of us would get anywhere if we were crippled by self-doubt and negativity. Much of my own life has been plagued by self-doubt, and it took me until I was almost 40 to realize that I was worth more, and take steps to achieve my own happiness. However, being negative about a multi-billion dollar company and its decisions, is not, in any way, shape or form, the same thing.

Turning a blind eye to a corporate decision, from a corporation you have dedicated your blog to, or consider yourself a major fan of, is just plain silly, and serves no one in the end. To use a simple analogy, it’s like the old tale of the Emperor’s New Clothes. If you have enough people telling you how great and wonderful you look, for fear of upsetting their Emperor, you continue to believe the illusion, until one voice shares the truth, and you realize you are standing naked in a crowd, looking like a fool. Do you think Walt Disney never objected to any suggestion or refused to listen to any critique? No. You can be a positive person and keep negativity out of your life, and still object to decisions and choices that a person or company you love make. There is a huge difference between saying “I don’t agree with that, so it’s dumb and so are you.” and saying, “I don’t agree with that, and here’s why.” and taking that opinion into account as a valid one, based on the reason and if done in an intelligent, respectful way. Being blind to any opinion different from yours helps no one out in the end, it’s not how we grow as people, as friends, and even as corporations. So I will no longer be the voice afraid to speak, the blog afraid to post, the friend afraid to have a different opinion. And today, that opinion is that it is a wise and wonderful choice to remove the sorcerer’s hat from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. If you are sad that it is going, you are of course entitled to that opinion, but ask yourself if it truly fit in to what Disney theme parks are all about.

Imagination By The Cup – Disney And Joffrey Flavors At Home

6 August 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Now this is the kind of partnership I love. Disney and coffee. Joffrey’s Coffee, which has had a presence at Walt Disney World since 1995 and is now served at many locations on both coasts, is now creating specialty coffee blends based on signature Disney parks and resorts restaurants. But more than just the coffee blends, which I’ll speak about in a moment, I love that Joffrey’s has taken the time and effort to create really unique and fun labels for the different coffee types. There are great descriptions for each type, showing they really know the restaurants they are featuring. In this day and age of mass-produced homogenized merchandise and souvenirs, it’s refreshing (on more than one level!) to see these new products with a unique look and taste.

The Disney Parks Blog reported earlier about the specialty coffees from Walt Disney World and Disneyland restaurants and resorts, but I know a little secret – there’s actually another coffee being produced for Markham’s restaurant in the Golden Oak community. The only catch with that is you have to be dining at Markham’s to enjoy that blend (one of the many benefits of residency!)

From Walt Disney World Resort, there’s a new coffee for Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, The Wave … of American Flavors and California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Cítricos and Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, as well as Artist Point from Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Jiko, and Flavors of Africa from Boma at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and two blends from Flying Fish Cafe at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort: regular and espresso. At Disneyland Resort, both Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel have their own special coffees along with Carthay Circle from Disney California Adventure. In addition, there is a “French Bistro” blend in regular and decaf, which emulates the in-room coffee available at Disney resorts.

Is it bad that I want to try them all to figure out my favorites? The absolute best part is that you can order the 17 flavors above online and enjoy them year round! The vary from medium to full to dark roast with 100% specialty grade Arabica beans. Prices range from $12.95-14.95 for 16 oz and Joffrey’s offers free shipping for orders over $50 right now. These will make the perfect gifts for birthdays and holidays coming up too! I’d write more but I really have to head over and order some coffee right now. If you order and try any of the Joffrey’s Disney Parks & Resorts blends, I’d love to hear what you think!

First Look: Into the Woods Trailer and Preview Images

31 July 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I fondly remember when “Into the Woods” came out on Broadway, and though I’ve never seen it, it was always a favorite among my theatre-nerd pals and it does contain one of my very favorite songs, “Children Will Listen”. Now Disney is making it into a full-length feature film and from the looks of the trailer below, it will be epic-ly beautiful. I can’t wait for Christmas to see the whole movie!

Some notes about Into the Woods:

“Into the Woods” premiered on Broadway on Nov. 5, 1987, at the Martin Beck Theatre. The production, which ran for 764 performances, won Tony® Awards for best score, best book and best actress in a musical. Among other awards, the musical received five Drama Desk awards, including best musical. “Into the Woods” has been produced around the world, including a 1988 U.S. tour, a 1990 West End production, Broadway and London revivals, in addition to a television production, DVD recording and a 10-year-anniversary concert.
The big-screen adaptation welcomes songs from the stage musical, including “Children Will Listen,” “Giants in the Sky,” “On the Steps of the Palace,” “No One Is Alone” and “Agony,” among others.
The award-winning production team includes Dion Beebe (“Collateral,” “Chicago,” “Nine”), Oscar® winner for the Marshall-helmed “Memoirs of a Geisha,” as director of photography. Dennis Gassner (“Skyfall,” “Quantum of Solace”), who won his own Oscar for “Bugsy,” serves as production designer, and three-time Oscar winner Colleen Atwood (“Memoirs of a Geisha,” “Chicago,” “Alice In Wonderland”) is costume designer.

Official trailer for Into the Woods:

For those unfamiliar, here is the official info about the story:

“Into the Woods” is a modern twist on several of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy)—all tied together by an original story involving a baker and his wife (James Corden & Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the witch (Meryl Streep) who has put a curse on them.

Rob Marshall, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the Academy Award®-winning musical “Chicago” and Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” directs the film, which is based on the Tony®-winning original musical by James Lapine, who also penned the screenplay, and legendary composer Stephen Sondheim, who provides the music and lyrics. Produced by Marshall, John DeLuca, “Wicked” producer Marc Platt and Callum McDougall, “Into the Woods” will be released in theaters Dec. 25, 2014.

Here are more images from the filming (click to enlarge to a slideshow):

Marketplace Co-Op Opens in Downtown Disney

7 June 2014 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

The much anticipated Marketplace Co-Op opened its doors officially on Friday, June 6. The newest addition to the Marketplace side of Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney is now home to six unique boutique style shopping areas. Rather than having several large areas in a store like World of Disney, the Co-Op offers a few smaller selections of specific or unique items you may not find anywhere else.

As with all great Disney things, there is, of course, a backstory to the Marketplace Co-Op. I’m paraphrasing here, but basically, the fictional town that grew up around Disney Springs consisted of local citrus farmers and other merchants who wanted a place to trade their wares and produce. Given the sometimes unforgiving Florida weather, the merchants wanted a place under a roof, and thus the “Marketplace Co-Operative Citrus and Produce Exchange” was created. A nod to this “past” can be seen in the center of the Co-Op, with hanging vintage items used to measure and weigh produce and other goods. A nice, yet simple little story (that will probably go unnoticed by most, but lovely nonetheless). I know as a child of the original Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village (later Disney Village Marketplace), one of the first things I did was look up to the skylight where Mickey’s Character Shop once lived. It’s nice to see it still there, and a part of this new “history”.

I like the spaces that were left open in the Co-Op, a cross-shape of wide hallways/walkways extends from Tren-D to Guest Relations, and from the front entrance back to Cherry Tree Lane. In this sense, it really does have a marketplace feel. I grew up in Boston and we’d visit Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market in downtown Boston all the time, and I remember the wide hallways between the different food and shop vendors. This is a much smaller version of a traditional farmer’s market/marketplace of the past.

All of the areas, with the exception of Cherry Tree Lane with its wallpaper and more permanent looking fixtures, are on wheels and look very easily moveable, should Disney want to change out a shop or its theme in the future. Each little shop looks at home and has its own definite theme. The Trophy room, filled with sports shirts and items from college to national to international teams really reminded me of my very first role as a cast member at the Main Street Athletic Club in the Magic Kingdom. It has a great, vintage sports feel to it. D-Tech and Beautifully Disney let the merchandise do the talking in their sections, while Zoey and Pickles looks like any tween’s dream bedroom. Centerpiece has the most Co-Op feel to it with rustic crates and bare wood exposed throughout. Cherry Tree Lane is like stepping into a more elegant boutique, with painted white wood, brick and lots of natural light from the doors leading to the parking area.

Currently, there are a few exclusives here at the Marketplace Co-Op, like a D-Tech On Demand personalized phone case printer, which also has DVC exclusive resort cases, which you must be a member to purchase. There are a couple of new Dooney and Bourke bags, with more to come, and of course, most of the Centerpiece merchandise is truly unique (and what most guests were buying both times I visited!). Much of the Centerpiece merchandise is available online as well, so if you aren’t planning a visit any time soon, but want to stock up on all this cool new stuff, keep checking back to see what they’ve added!

I made a second visit today and spent about an hour in Centerpiece alone, making the painstaking decisions about what items to bring home! I have a feeling I’ll be back for more – soon!

Here’s a gallery of what opening day was like at the Marketplace Co-Op – including the grand opening ceremony! (click to enlarge) —

Disney On Ice Brings “Frozen” to Life This Fall

20 May 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Just announced today is the news that many Disney On Ice fans knew was coming – Disney’s Frozen is coming to Disney on Ice. A whole new show has been created around everyone’s favorite snow-bound sisters, which is sure to excited Frozen fans young and old. Disney on Ice presents “Frozen” will be touring the country, but information about the Orlando dates and tickets are below, from Feld Entertainment:

Feld Entertainment, Inc., the worldwide leader in producing live touring family entertainment, today announced that its 34^th Disney On Ice spectacular will bring the Academy Award^®-winning and number one animated feature film of all time,Disney’s “Frozen,” to life. Disney On Ice presents “Frozen” visits Orlando from September 5 – 7 for seven performances at the Amway Center. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, June 3 at 10 a.m. The Academy Award^®-winning tale will be told live for the first time in this production, capturing the dynamic between two royal sisters, Anna and Elsa. Anna, a girl with an extraordinary heart, embarks on an epic journey to find her sister, the magical Elsa, who is determined to remain secluded as she finally feels free to test the limits of her powers. Rugged mountain man Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, the lovable and hilarious snowman Olaf and the mystical trolls help Anna along the way in this story about love conquering fear. Audiences will get to sing along with such musical masterpieces as “Let it Go,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Fixer Upper.”

Producer Nicole Feld with the Disney On Ice Frozen set model

In Disney On Ice presents Frozen, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse take the audience through the magical story based in Arendelle, with special appearances by beloved Disney princesses and favorite characters from Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story” and “Finding Nemo” and Disney’s “The Lion King,” who come together to prove that true love is the greatest power of all. Director Patty Vincent says, “Our goal is to showcase these heartwarming characters in a way that allows the audience to cheer and sing along throughout this emotional journey.” To create a completely immersive experience for the audience, the set design will encompass the space from the ice surface up through the air, drawing everyone into the story and closer to the characters. Families will feel that they are trekking up to the North Mountains with Anna, Kristoff and Sven, and they will tangibly experience the storm inside Elsa. Elsa’s magic will be enhanced by state-of-the-art special effects, while her emotions will be conveyed through powerful skating. Visit the Disney On Ice website for more information, (http://www.disneyonice.com) and stay current on the latest developments through social media, including instructions on how to access pre-sale codes for tickets, as early as today, May 20: {Edit: use pre-sale code “tweets” for tickets now!}

Facebook (www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce)
Twitter (@DisneyOnIce)
YouTube (www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce)

Dates and Times at the Amway Center: (400 West Church Street – Suite 200, Orlando, Florida 32801)

Friday, September 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 6 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 7 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

TICKETS: $16, $22, $30, $39 (Premium) & $65 (Front Row). Group sales, call 866.248.8740. Buy tickets at amwaycenter.com, Chase Box Office at Amway Center, Ticketmaster retail locations, charge-by-phone at 800.745.3000 or at Ticketmaster.com. All dates, act(s) and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All tickets are subject to applicable taxes, service, handling and facility fee charges. For Amway Center box office and ticket information, visit amwaycenter.com (phone purchases are not available through the Amway Center box office). The Amway Center is located at 400 West Church Street and the box office is located on the north side of the Amway Center, near the intersection of Church Street and Hughey Avenue.

Downtown Disney Marketplace Starbucks Opens-West Side to Follow

19 May 2014 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Today marked one of the first completed changes to the Downtown Disney Marketplace area, soon to be renamed Disney Springs, with this area being called The Landing. The Starbucks kiosk nested between the doors outside of World of Disney opened for business today. Cherry Tree Lane and Centerpiece are set to open inside the Marketplace Co-Op shops on June 6 and the more grand, flagship Starbucks store will open on the West Side on May 30.

Below are some photos of the newest Starbucks location on property. Unlike the Starbucks within the theme parks, this is a completely independent location and does not feature Disney decorated cups or any Disney bakery items. No annual pass or cast discounts available on drinks, but cast members are supposed to be able to get merchandise discounts. Stars may be earned using your registered Starbucks cards as well as redeemed, which is nice since the parks locations are unable to redeem rewards. Prices seem to be a bit steep compared to non-tourist location local Starbucks, but I guess that’s to be expected. Personally, I’m excited to have another “local” Starbucks to choose from, even if parking for this one may be a bit dicey for a while! (Click to enlarge photos – slideshow best viewed on a desktop)

The opening crew of baristas, ready to craft your beverage!

I’m sensing a lot of these shots will be appearing on Instagram soon!

The West Side Starbucks location will be a flagship design, similar to the one recently opened in the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort. That location is gorgeous, so I’m even more excited to see ours open on May 30. The West Side Starbucks will feature 150 seats, which includes indoor and outdoor seating, It will be open from 9am to midnight, which is also a Godsend when you need a coffee late at night – that’s not just me, right?! This location will feature the regular Starbucks menu items both food and beverages, as well as the second and third Clover machines in the area (a Winter Park location has one). The Clover machine coffee will feature a separate register and ordering area.

Currently, 40 Starbucks locations within the US are serving alcohol, and while the West Side store will not open with this option, they are going to begin testing this service in Orlando. If they do start serving beer and wine here, it will be after 4pm.

Downtown Disney West Side Starbucks — West Side Starbucks construction

What do you think? I’m always excited for a new Starbucks, but the West Side location makes me very happy. Part of the fun of Starbucks is being able to relax and enjoy your drink, usually with a view, and maybe even get some work done too. I look forward to having a mobile office location there soon.