Places to Stay

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.

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:

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?

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!

Port Orleans French Quarter Refurbished Rooms PHOTOS

13 July 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter has always held a special place in my heart. Aside from Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Villas, which were my family’s first foray in staying “on property,” Port Orleans French Quarter was our second experience of staying in a Disney hotel. The resort recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, which I didn’t realize also coincides with my high school graduation date, so that’s convenient to remember.

Some changes have taken place over the years; adding the “French Quarter” when its sister resort, the former Dixie Landings also received a name change to become Port Orleans Riverside. In addition, the table service restaurant, Bonfamillies, named of course for the Aristocats’ owner in the animated film of the same name, closed in 2000. Bonfamillies was a favorite of mine and husband’s for our anniversary dinners and we still miss it to this day.

Despite these changes, the resort is still one of the best themed, with the most beautiful grounds to walk through and relax in. It is the one place in the Walt Disney World Resort where you can get delicious, freshly made beignets, a wonderful treat any time of day inside the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, the resort’s food court. You can also enjoy a scenic ride down the Sassagoula River by boat, which stops at Riverside and Downtown Disney as well. To top it off, there is a pool with a giant sea serpent ridden by King Neptune, which doubles as a water slide.

As if that weren’t enough reason to stay at this delightful moderate resort, the French Quarter is now refurbishing and renovating all of their hotel rooms to make guests stays even more enjoyable. Let’s check out some photos of the new rooms: (click to enlarge)

Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter Refurbished Room

I am excited to stay in one of these new rooms at some point in the future. I think it’s a beautiful renovation and will go well with the new Royal Guest Rooms over at Port Orleans Riverside (which we’ll see more about tomorrow!). What do you think?

It’s a Celebration!

9 July 2011 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

For many of you, this entry is not news, as I’ve ~~talked~~ gushed about our big move to Celebration, FL for a while now on facebook and twitter. We have been Celebration residents for exactly one week and as of yesterday, have the resident ID’s and parking stickers to prove it. I thought it would be a good time to reflect on why we wanted to move here before I explored what it’s been like to live in “The Town That Disney Built.”

Two of my favorite movies are Pleasantville and The Truman Show. Both offer a wonderful commentary on how we make our own reality and ignorance may not always be bliss, but a balance can be struck between the simple pleasures in life and our hectic day-to-day reality. I always likened Celebration to Pleasantville, while in reality it IS very similar to The Truman Show since that movie was filmed in Seaside, FL. Everything seemed perfect at first glance, but what was it really like to live there? Common sense tells us there are still mortgages and bills to pay, jobs to go to, sometimes unruly kids to manage. Add to that the fact that Celebration has from the start been a bit of its own tourist attraction since it was initially developed and owned by the Walt Disney Company, and many people chose to paint it in a bad light. The land is actually part of Kissimmee/Osceola County now (and has been for quite some time) and the downtown area buildings were sold to the Lexin Capital back in 2004. Still, tourists and locals alike flock to the downtown area for special events and festivals that take place throughout the year and sometimes just to drive around and look. Like we did for 17 years.

I can’t comment on what life was like in Celebration back when the first residents moved in, but I do recall when the announcement and groundbreaking took place. During a Walt Disney World vacation from Massachusetts back in 1994, we saw the billboards and drove over to tour the model area. Back then, the ‘houses’ were two-dimensional life-sized cutouts of homes, in the different styles Celebration neighborhoods would be offering. We dreamed and wished we could live in such a place but it ended there, after hearing how the first lots were being awarded by lottery. We (we being my mother and I at the time – I was still in college) weren’t really in any position to move to Florida…or were we? It was around that time that I decided I wanted to work for Disney and we packed up our lives, I dragged my boyfriend with me and the three of us moved to Orlando in 1995. Building was still going on then and when the home my mom bought in Orlando was under $100,000 and she put a pool in, the thought of homes starting at $200,000+ was a little intimidating at the time. But we kept dreaming and visiting the model homes, and the downtown area. We still have a postcard that was sent to us after visiting the model center, and we still have an original green “Celebration, Florida” license plate that we bought in the store back when it was on Bloom Street, secretly hoping we’d one day be residents.

Real life happened, my boyfriend became my fiance and then my husband, our first home was bought, our first child was born and a second one was on the way when we moved back to Massachusetts. We played “musical states” for a while before settling back in Florida in 2003. And we *still* would drive over and visit the models of North Village being built and later Artisan Park. It still seemed so out of reach, but the dream never vanished.

Fast forward to 2009, when I first began my adventures here on ZannaLand and at year’s end, was chosen for the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. My life changed completely by the end of 2009, in only good ways. Well, one bad way, the once ‘no big deal’ one-hour commute from our home north of Tampa to Walt Disney World had now become a gas-guzzling, time-burning ordeal that caused cries of “Do we HAVE to?” from my previously Disney-fied children. I know, this is completely a ‘first world problem’ and not something I am truthfully complaining about. But over time, I was making the commute more and more frequently and as my colleagues and friends expanded, the wheels began to turn with the thought, “Can we move back to Orlando? Should we?”.

When we moved to the Tampa area in 2005, it was for a job transfer my husband had received. Originally, he was put up in an executive-stay hotel and would come home on the weekends. We visited him during spring break of my oldest son’s first year in school, and decided we actually really liked the area. As much as the Metro-Orlando area had SO.MUCH.STUFF.TO.DO. the area we were looking in was much more laid back, and rural. The town we moved to was pretty much one big cow pasture that was slowly getting developed into subdivisions and businesses. Then the bottom dropped out of the market and development came to a screeching halt – including the promised amenities of our own subdivision, which were the major reason we bought the home we did. It became increasingly easier to look for a new path. And 17 years after that first ‘if only…’ that path led right down Celebration Avenue.

Market Street Celebration — Market Street in the heart of downtown Celebration

Now of course, we still thought it was impossible. But I’d always said, as we left Orlando in 2005 that if we came back, I’d be very picky about where we lived. It’s especially hard with kids in school…we didn’t want to move someplace temporarily and then have the kids transfer if we changed school zones. In addition, my husband had to secure a job in this area, or risk an even longer commute than he currently had. We just sort of put the idea “out there” into the Universe and decided to see if things could come together. If they could, great, if not, we would stay put. In the meantime, we had friends that lived in Celebration (lots of friends actually) so we knew it was more than just a tourist attraction and the fears I had of living so close to Kissimmee’s 192 were assuaged when we’d stay at our friends’ house and realize how secluded and insulated the town really was.

The stars aligned for the home we found. The realtor told us about it 4 months before it was really going to be available, but the people leaving had a newly built house to go to and were able to leave early. It fit every criteria we had and it also had every item I’d ever wanted in a ‘dream home’. The icing on the cake – it was less than a mile to my husband’s new job. He could walk to work if he wanted to! So while I’ve been saying for 2 years now that dreams do come true and people might be sick of that…I’m living proof that they really do.

We’ve already experienced quite a bit in the short time we’ve been living here and I’ll go into some of my impressions in the next update.

Celebrating the 4th in Celebration!

6 July 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

I’ve got some catching up to do with writing on ZannaLand but I’ve been busy packing up and moving a whole hour away from our former home outside of Tampa, FL to our new home in Celebration, FL. It’s been a dream of my husband and I to live here since ground was broken in Celebration back in 1994. I’ll be writing about our experiences soon, but until then, enjoy these two photos from our first Fourth of July celebration in Celebration!

Celebration FL 4th — Market Street in Celebration, FL

Disney Pixar’s BRAVE Official Teaser Trailer and Wallpaper

29 June 2011 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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I’ve been excited about DisneyPixar’s Brave since first hearing about it, back when the working title was “The Bear and the Bow” (I like BRAVE much better for the record) and now that we’ve been treated to Brave concept art and official promotional posters, the excitement is growing. During the Cars 2 screening I was able to attend a few weeks back, we saw the Official Brave Trailer (click to view in full-screen hi-def) and I was blown away. I am in love with the rich landscapes and unbelievable detail shown here. Pixar is already known as masters of realistic-looking designs and characters but this type of mythical environment is something new. Critics are saying it is on par with Hiyao Miyazaki‘s films, with which I am also obsessed, for their reverence and amazing depiction of nature. Well enough babble from me, let’s watch the trailer!

I’m also including this official image release, which if you click to enlarge and right click on, you can save it for wallpaper on your computer – it’s currently on mine! Enjoy Princess Merida!

Brave Meridia First Image — Click to enlarge and save as wallpaper!

EDIT: After watching the trailer a few dozen times, I decided to take this screenshot from one of my favorite parts of the trailer. It’s not going to be as high quality as the above official photo, but I thought I’d share it anyway in case anyone else loved this sweeping scene of the castle and surrounding mountains. Click to enlarge and save if you’d like.

Become a fan of Brave on Facebook: http://facebook.com/PixarBrave

Official Brave Website: http://disney.com/Brave

Brave coming to US theaters June 22, 2012

What Would Historically Accurate Disney Princesses Look Like?

23 June 2011 by Suzannah Otis 16 Comments

One artist, Claire Hummel has taken it upon herself to answer this question. She shares her creations at her Tumblr blog and her DeviantArt page. Claire has been sharing these visions since March of this year and according to her FAQ, plans to continue giving more Disney characters a fashionistically (yes, I just made that word up) accurate twist. I encourage you to visit her blog and seek out each original posting, as she goes into detail about the process behind her decisions for each look as well as sharing some videos of the process. In the meantime, I thought I’d post all of the current princesses she has shared to date – EDITED to add – she has now added Mulan, Tiana, and Rapunzel, which I’ve updated below. Check out her links above for more info and to purchase prints! (click to enlarge)

Historically accurate Rapunzel — Rapunzel

Historically accurate Tiana — Love this Tiana

Historically Accurate Sleeping Beauty — Sleeping Beauty's Princess Aurora - my favorite

Historically Accurate Aurora pink — And the pink version. 😉

Historically Accurate Cinderella — Cinderella

Historically Accurate Pocahontas — Pocahontas

Historically Accurate Jasmine — Jasmine - with a historically accurate Rajah too! 😉

Historically Accurate Snow White — Snow White - this is another of my favorites. Love this dress!

Historically Accurate Ariel — The Little Mermaid, Ariel - as a human of course

Historically Accurate Belle — Belle - this certainly gives a different first impression of Belle, no?

What are your thoughts? Which is your favorite? Which character would you like to see represented next?

Guest Post: Redeeming Epcot’s Coral Reef Restaurant

21 June 2011 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

Today’s post comes to you from David Landon, owner/author of Future Probe and EPCOT-aficionado. Please enjoy his take on how Coral Reef has changed over the years.

When The Living Seas opened in 1986, 8-year-old me was fascinated by it. I especially wanted to eat at the Coral Reef Restaurant, since it combined two of my favorite things-seafood and expansive undersea vistas. Unfortunately, my mom’s dislike for seafood meant that a meal at the Coral Reef was out of the question during my childhood visits to Walt Disney World. On my first trip to EPCOT as an adult, though, the Coral Reef was at the top of my dining to-do list. Until I saw the menu.

To judge from their menus, many of Disney’s table-service restaurants, especially in EPCOT, are designed to cater to Sophisticated Adults, people who actually enjoy golf and willingly wear a blazer even when they’re not going to a wedding or a funeral. I am not one of these people. I’m a meat-and-potatoes guy. When I see a menu item like “Compote of whipped Spaetzle in a Mascarpone reduction”, it doesn’t assure me that I’ve picked a great restaurant, it makes me wonder if the waiter mistakenly gave me a menu written in Klingon.

I was further discouraged from eating at the Coral Reef by the negative reviews it received. Words like “disappointment”, “mediocre” and “overpriced” kept popping up (although complaining about things being overpriced at Disney World is a little silly. It’s like going to a Michael Bay movie and complaining about the explosions) After repeating some of those comments on my blog, I decided that I really ought to eat there at least once, if only to confirm that the place was as bad as I thought it was. So, on the eve of a weekend trip in August 2010, I took the plunge (ha ha!) and made a reservation.

Although the reviews I’d read said that the service at the Coral Reef was indifferent at best, all the Cast Members my wife and I encountered there were fantastic. I had already reviewed the menu online and knew exactly what I would order, but my wife needed more time. Our server checked back with us at regular intervals, kindly answered all my wife’s questions, and never made us feel rushed.

We were pleasantly surprised to be seated at a table right next to the aquarium. Just inches away, on the other side of the glass, a large sea turtle was resting on the bottom of the tank. He stayed there throughout our meal, occasionally swimming up to the surface for a lungful of air. Best of all, the old Living Seas area music was playing over the restaurant’s PA system! Unfortunately, the noisy conversation from the restaurants other patrons worked against the quiet peacefulness that the aquarium, the restaurant’s subdued lighting, and the area music were trying to create, but it’s not like Disney can put a Cone of Silence over every table. (Bonus points if you know what a Cone of Silence is!)

Another complaint I’d heard about the Coral Reef is that the portions are too small. I’d have to disagree with that; I found them to be quite sufficient. I didn’t have any food left over (except for the watercress, which I chose not to eat because, as you may have noted earlier, I am not a Sophisticated Adult) but I wasn’t hungry after I finished eating, either. My wife’s Caesar Salad came not with just cut-up pieces of chicken, but an entire chicken breast. We both enjoyed our entrees very much. My steak was grilled to perfection, and the potatoes were very tasty as well. My wife enjoyed her salad very much, and she absolutely loved the Chocolate Wave she ordered for dessert. She said it was even better than Le Cellier’s Chocolate-on-Chocolate Whiskey cake. High praise, indeed!

My only criticism of the Coral Reef is the limited menu options. You’d think a seafood restaurant inside EPCOT’s Seas pavilion would offer a wide selection of seafood, but sadly that’s not the case. Still, I definitely recommend the place. It’s the best table service restaurant in Future World. The food is just as good as Le Cellier’s, but the Coral Reef is easier to get into and has the superior atmosphere.

So, don’t believe the reviews. Whatever problems the Coral Reef had since they were written have been corrected. The food is great, the atmosphere is perfect, the service is excellent, and best of all you don’t have to be a Sophisticated Adult to enjoy it.

BIO: David Landon is the author of the EPCOT-centric blog futureprobe, which Internet surfers often stumble upon by mistake. He is also the co-host of the Circlevision Radio podcast, which launches in Summer 2011.He can often be found on Twitter under the handle @futureprobe1982, making what he thinks are witty remarks. He lives in North Central Florida with his wife and an extremely excitable Chihuahua.

Poncho Mickey and Graduation Mickey Antenna Toppers

20 June 2011 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

In keeping with ~~our~~ my obsession with Mickey antenna toppers (some day I’ll post my personal collection 😉 ), here are two other new ones, thanks to AuroraBorieAlice once again for providing the photos below!

Poncho Mickey antenna topper — Some old favorites - Jack Skellington and rainbow Mickey head join in the photo!

Class of 11 Graduation Mickey antenna topper — Class of '11 Graduation Mickey antenna topper

First Impressions of the Disney Studios-Why I Fell in Love

16 June 2011 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

You’ll notice I didn’t say “Disney’s Hollywood Studios,” because I truly fell in love with the Disney-MGM Studios, which is no longer the proper name, as we all know. It will forever be “MGM” to me when I speak of it among family and friends, just as the Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover will always be the “Wedway Peoplemover”. But I’m not here to talk about why I’m stuck in the past or yell at you kids to get off my lawn. Oh wait, I actually am going to talk about why I’m stuck in the past. Sorry about that. Hopefully you’ll bear with me and perhaps even agree with some of my thoughts.

I am pretty bad with dates and official names for things, so apologies up front if I remember something incorrectly. I used to be great with details, but then I had three kids. In any event, my first visit to the Disney-MGM Studios was some time in 1989, probably in June when I got out of school (a 14 year-old Sophomore). We were living in Lynchburg, VA at the time and would’ve driven down to Orlando. My trips sort of mesh together around this time, so I’m not sure where we stayed, it could’ve even been off-property. It’s hard to imagine that this was a time before Disney’s Port Orleans (either side), Beach Club, or Wilderness Lodge Resorts existed, but it was. I remember there being a lot of buzz surrounding the park, because it was supposed to be a Disney version of the Universal Studios lot in Hollywood, or Hollywood East. Sort of.

My late father was a huge old movie buff. He loved all the classic black and white films, the over-the-top musicals and everything in between. So to say he was excited for this new park was an understatement. As I’ve mentioned before, I spent from 1983-1986 visiting EPCOT Center and the bonds I’d formed there were unbreakable. We had so many memories as a family there, we all had high hopes for the Disney-MGM Studios. And we weren’t disappointed.

From the moment you walk into the Studios, you are greeted with tiny details giving a nod back to old Hollywood, or as their slogan goes, “The Hollywood that never was and always will be.” I remember how completely thrilling it was to walk into the 50’s Prime Time Cafe for the first time and see items I saw in my grandmother’s home as an even younger girl. It truly was another world, different from the Fantasy, Adventure or Tomorrowlands of the Magic Kingdom or the futuristic (it still was back then!) world of EPCOT. It was like reality, only better.

Back then there was no Sunset Boulevard but that didn’t mean anything felt lacking. The only Sorcerer’s hat was that seen atop Sorcerer Mickey’s head as he stood on top of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to kick of the Sorcery in the Sky fireworks, which premiered the following year in 1990. Pixar Place did not exist and Lights, Motors, Action! was actually home to Residential Street, which I still miss to this day. What made Disney-MGM Studios so magical, to me, was not only the incredible attention given to each themed area, but also the amount of guest interaction and audience participation. It was, after all, the birthplace of Streetmosphere!

Who can forget their very first journey on the Great Movie Ride when your car is over-taken by either a gangster or a western bank robber and you are right in the middle of the show? I remember thinking it was the greatest ride ever, even if I did close my eyes in the Alien and Raiders of the Lost Ark scenes. During the finale with the movie clips, I’d listen to my dad name every movie that came on, and usually know all the lines too. As a result, I really can’t sit through that part of the ride today and not tear up, remembering him and his favorites.

Another attraction I loved was the Monster Sound Show. I am a huge Martin Short and Chevy Chase fan, and seeing this fun little movie was great, along with the chance for the audience to create their own sound effects to the film? Hysterical. And? Interactive. Super Star Television was an example of this as well. Housed where the American Idol Experience is now, the stage held several sets for different famous television scenes. Employing blue-screen technology, guests chosen from the audience can then act out the candy factory scene from I Love Lucy, or be a jilted lover in a soap opera, or appear on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. My dad was chosen during our visit and played that soap opera character, complete with long trench coat and fedora. It is such such a special memory and he loved getting to talk about it.

The Rocketeer's Bulldog Cafe — The Rocketeer’s Bulldog Cafe on the Backlot Tour

I think my favorite at that time was the Backstage Studios Tour (now the Backlot Tour). When the attraction first opened, you entered where the Animation tour is now and an actual cast member gave you the tour spiel on the tram. Driving through the costuming and set-building departments, something was always being worked on. You truly felt like you were a part of the backstage magic. The tour then went down Residential Street, which showed the front facades of houses used in opening shots of tv shows. The Golden Girls house was there and the house from its spin-off show, Empty Nest as well as the house from the Disney Channel Adventures in Wonderland series. It was just fun to look at these pristine houses from the front, then make a turn and see nothing but framing and no back to the houses at all. I never watched the Golden Girls the same way again! Later, the Bulldog Cafe from the wonderful Disney movie The Rocketeer was placed on the tour too. It was not a real cafe and really very small in person. It did not age well and was removed along with the other houses when Lights, Motors, Action was being built.

Inside the Magic: Special Effects & Production Tour — My ex-husband counseling his victim…er, volunteer

The Catastrophe Canyon section was the same and it was actually believable that we were stuck in the middle of a movie production. Now there is no pretense, and guests are told up front that we are just witnessing special effects. The tour ended where the Studio Catering Company now is, and guests could take a break before going on to the second part of the tour – Inside the Magic: Special Effects & Production Tour. This was always fun because you got to see things like blue-screen technology used to make the flying bee scene in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and miniatures used in the making of Dick Tracy. You then walked through a series of production studios, including a section on sound hosted by Pee Wee Herman and Mel Gibson. You were also able to see actual shows being produced, including the new Mickey Mouse Club. We then watched the short film, The Lottery, starring Bette Midler and filmed right on New York Street. The last part of the tour was walking through a room filled with the set pieces from The Lottery. This was later replaced with pieces from the 101 Dalmations live-action film.

The details are a but hazy as to when the changes to this part of the tour were made, but I know the bee room and the miniatures room were still in effect back in 1995, because that’s where my now-ex-husband (then-fiance) worked when we first moved to Orlando to work at Disney. He started out in Merchandise at the Little Mermaid shop, but then transferred to Attractions and worked at the special effects water tank, the two inside special effects rooms, and rotated to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set play area. I remember being so jealous that he was in Attractions! It was really fun to watch him perform his show. At that time there was a tv show on the Disney Channel also called Walt Disney World Inside Out. It started with Scott Herriott as host but changed in 1995 to J.D. Roth, Brianne Leary and George Foreman. J.D. Roth filmed a segment at the Inside the Magic tour and my ex-husband was the cast member responsible for (off-screen) setting off all the correct cues to make the bee and other parts of the attraction work. Fun fact! 😉

Needless to say, we enjoyed our first visit. My mom and I returned in 1991 with my high school class trip to Walt Disney World. At that time, Here Come the Muppets was where the Voyage of the Little Mermaid is and the Dick Tracy show was there (I may only be remembering the Dick Tracy show from the vacation planning video though – I seem to remember it being part of the Backlot Tour…maybe it was just a display of some sort?). EDIT: Confirmed by StudiosCentral.com – here’s a YouTube video of the Dick Tracy finale with some other great Backstage Studio Tour footage! Thanks, Matt!

Later when we moved to Orlando in 1995, we would enjoy the Aladdin parade and see the debut of the Toy Story Parade. I cannot hear “Strange Days” without remembering that time in my life – good memories of course! I haven’t even touched on Streetmosphere (see that link above, it’s worth a read!) or the wonderful Hunchback of Notre Dame and Pocahontas stage shows, which had incredible sets, actors and special effects. The park has of late received a lot of criticism and I will admit that I myself even thought less of it as the years went on. Things like Residential Street being destroyed, the Sorcerer’s Hat addition, and lots of Disney Channel synergy moving in have changed the feel of the place. However in recent times, I realized how much I really did fall in love with the Studios and what a special place it is.

Streetmosphere — Dorma Nesmond to the rescue during the D23 Great Scavenger Hunt

One thing that brought this into view was taking part in the D23 Great Scavenger Hunt about a month ago. There were so many difficult questions that caused you to really stop and notice the impeccable detail and Hollywood spirit with which the park is imbued. Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards are brimming with nods to old Hollywood, little inside jokes and other Imagineering details you’d expect in any Disney park but may not have ever noticed here. While the scavenger hunt was frustrating, it definitely gave me a renewed appreciation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

As with all Disney parks, things will change and corporate decisions will be made that may not feel right as a guest, but great decisions are made as well – Star Wars Weekends are one of my favorite times of the year and the all-new 3D Star Tours is probably my favorite ride right now. If I were to speak to the decision-makers at Disney I would implore them to remember what made the Studios so appealing: interaction. They are on the right track with Star Tours and the “Rebel Spy” aspect, which is now a goal for each guest as they ride. After all, don’t we all want to be a star?

The park history remains as well. Just as I regale my children with tales of Horizons and KELP and how Living with the Land was once LISTEN to the Land, I now tell them how there was a time when the 8×10 glossies hanging in Mama Melrose were relevant actors and how their daddy used to dump gallons of water on people every day. So during this Disney’s Hollywood Studios Awareness Week, I have become acutely aware of how important it is to capture and record these memories while they are fresh and appreciate the best laid plans of Mice and men.

Step Into the Studios Past With McDonald’s Dick Tracy Crimestoppers Game

14 June 2011 by Ryan P. Wilson 8 Comments

There is something to be said for Disney, and that is that there is something for everyone, from film genres to theme park experiences. Even within a single park theater buffs can find an enjoyable show, while those who detest such theatrics can find an incredible rollercoaster. Expand that idea outward into Disney’s other enterprises, and animation lovers have a wide berth of movies to choose from, whereas macho men have sporting news and events 24/7 on ESPN. Mix in a variety of merchandise for each avenue of entertainment, and there is indeed something centered around any given interest for individuals to collect.

Take me for example. My love affairs with Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Expedition Everest, Disneynature, Frontierland, EPCOT Center, Zorro, Davy Crockett, etc. have all been well documented. Two other films I have long fancied have not been as readily recorded, not because I am ashamed of them, but merely because there is so little to really be gathered on the topics. I am of course speaking of The Rocketeer and Dick Tracy. It is treasures from these movies that really set my heart soaring while I scramble for my checkbook.

If there is a single item related to Dick Tracy that I have continually sought after it is a collection of Crimestopper game pieces tied to the 1990 release. The two stage scratch-offs were from McDonald’s and included a multiple choice scene and a mug shot.

In the multiple choice section, a painted backdrop is used to highlight a scene in which the customer, aka detective, is given an assignment, including finding the location of a robbery, a gangster cheating at cards, or the hiding place of key evidence. Three of the five rub off spots were GAME OVER boxes, while one led to a successful mission and prizes such as free food and drinks, coupons, and cash prizes. The remaining spot was always a tip to the winning location. This often took the form of telling customers which box (A, B, C, D, or E) to scratch, but in the best of cards it was a clue, for example to try the tallest gangster or search near the telephone. This game play made me love these pieces as a kid, and I was drawn to McDonald’s as often as I could convince my parents to drive me there.

The second stage of the game, detachable from the colorful movie scene, featured the name and mug shot of a wanted mobster. Throughout the contest, near mug shots would appear on a most wanted board at participating restaurants. Match a mug shot to your game piece and collect your rewards, up to $1,000,000!

After years of sifting through the evidence, I now have a completed set, well of the scenes at least, with several extras I’ve been able to scratch off. For those of you who enjoy all things tied to the yellow clad detective, I present a full set of scenes and assignments for you to enjoy!

The Scene: A burglary is in progress.
Your Assignment: Help Dick Tracy find the thief’s location.

The Scene: Dick Tracy is chasing The Kid who stole an old man’s watch.
Your Assignment: Find where The Kid threw the stolen watch.

The Scene: Tess Trueheart is being followed.
Your Assignment: Find the mobster following her.

The Scene: The mobsters are at Club Ritz.
Your Assignment: Find the mobster passing counterfeit money.

The Scene: Someone is going through Dick Tracy’s desk.
Your Assignment: Find the evidence that identifies the intruder.

The Scene: The police line-up.
Your Assignment: Pick out the bank robber.

The Scene: The jewel thief is hiding from the police.
Your Assignment: Find his hideout.

The Scene: A bank robber is escaping in a car.
Your Assignment: Find his getaway car.

The Scene: The boiler is about to explode.
Your Assignment: Find Dick Tracy’s best escape route.

The Scene: The Mob is planning a robbery.
Your Assignment: Find who is masterminding the robbery.

The Scene: The Kid is running from The Brow.
Your Assignment: Find where the mobster is.

The Scene: The Mob’s Card Game.
Your Assignment: Find which mobster is cheating.