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hidden gems

New Sweepstakes Offers D23 Members the Chance to Win a Once-In-a-Lifetime Tour

17 July 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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Hot off the presses, check out this latest bit of news from D23 – a sweepstakes for the ultimate Disney fan (that’s you!) —

 D23-Off-the-Map

In celebration of Disneyland’s 58th anniversary today, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club has launched the “Off the Map Sweepstakes.” Twenty-five lucky D23 Members and their guests will be invited to Disneyland Park to visit four of the park’s little-seen but widely heard of locations: Walt Disney’s private apartment, the Lilly Belle VIP parlor car on the Disneyland Railroad, Circle D Ranch, and the Disneyland Dream Suite.

 

“Our friends at Disneyland will give the winning D23 Members a special glimpse at some of the park’s most amazing hidden gems, special places that most guests never get to see,” said Steven Clark, Head of D23. “Our first ‘Off the Map’ member event in 2012 was such a huge hit that we wanted to reprise it with this special sweepstakes so even more of our members have a chance to visit these truly magical and historical Disneyland locations.”

 

Winners will be able to explore:

·        Walt Disney’s private apartment: Built during the initial construction of Disneyland, Walt Disney’s private apartment is a quaint studio dwelling, filled with Victorian decor, family photos, and antiques selected by the Disney family.

·        Lilly Belle VIP parlor car: Disneyland guests have long taken grand circle tours on the Disneyland Railroad, but few ever enjoy the ride from the elegant Lilly Belle VIP car parlor. Named after Walt’s wife, Lillian, the Lilly Belle is truly a piece of history, built in 1955, and refurbished to its modern state of luxury for America’s bicentennial celebration in 1976.

·        Circle D Ranch:  From the friendly goats at Big Thunder Ranch to the horses who carry guests down Main Street, U.S.A., Circle D Ranch is home to Disneyland’s beloved “four-legged cast members.”

·        Disneyland Dream Suite: This private space above Pirates of the Caribbean was originally planned to be another apartment for Walt Disney, but he passed away before its completion. In 2008, Imagineers used some of Walt’s original ideas and some truly magical surprises of their own to transform it into a fantasy villa like no other.

 

D23 Members may enter the sweepstakes beginning today through August 23 at D23.com. The tour will take place on Wednesday, October 2. Winners will be able to attend with one (1) guest. For complete rules, details, and eligibility please visit D23.com. No purchase required; guests may join D23 for free at D23.com.

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Filed Under: Disney News, Disney Special Events, Top Stories, Walt Disney World Tagged With: bicentennial celebration, cast members, circle d ranch, D23, D23 sweepstakes, disney family, disney fan club, disneyland guests, disneyland park, disneyland railroad, dream suite, family photos, hidden gems, initial construction, lilly belle, member event, parlor car, private apartment, thunder ranch, victorian decor, vip car, Walt Disney

Hidden Details in Storybook Circus in the New Fantasyland

14 March 2012 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

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Fantasyland Station
View approaching from Fantasyland Station

I was able to make it over to Storybook Circus yesterday and experience it firsthand, after sharing others’ photos of the opening day fun. If I may make a recommendation, I advise you to arrive in Storybook Circus via the WDW Railroad, which pulls up at the new Fantasyland Station, now named Carolwood Park. It is the best way to see the new area, where you immediately see new details and the attractions, rather than construction walls where the other parts of the new Fantasyland are busily being built. As you know, much of Disney’s magic is in the details, and this new area has no shortage of its own magical details.

I was ridiculously happy when I saw the new areas. The Carolwood Park station is just lovely. It fits right in to the 1940’s American snapshot that the traveling circus we see featured in the animated film Dumbo creates. The atmosphere is set right from the start, where the ground itself looks like a dirt road, well-traveled by trolley cars, horses, and circus animals alike – without actually being, you know, dirt.

One of my favorite parts of the Storybook Circus area is the actual train station. Around the back, you’ll find a brand new set of restrooms and the entrance area back onto the train. It is around the corner from the restrooms where we see stacks of luggage waiting to be boarded on the arriving and departing trains. Much in the vein of the amazingly themed Town Square Theatre, the details are here to discover for those who do more than just pass by on their way to attractions.

I’ve gathered some photos here of my favorite details. Be sure to look for them on your next visit, and maybe discover some more on your own! Click to enlarge.

Carolwood Park
Carolwood Park - Fair Weather Place

 

Carolwood Park Station
The gorgeous detail of Carolwood Park Station restrooms entrance

 

Carolwood Fire Dept
Carolwood Fire Dept. sign - love this detail.

 

Carolwood Park Station
Carolwood Park Station luggage closest to the restrooms. I wonder where that bird escaped to?

 

Carolwood Park Station
More luggage stacks with a barn-door look to this side of the station.

 

Carolwood Park Station
More Carolwood Park Station luggage stacks. And oats!

 

Carolwood Park
Close-up of luggage stacks.

 

Carolwood Park
Another close-up of luggage stacks.

 

Carolwood Park
More close-ups of luggage stacks. These circus-folk are well-traveled!

 

Azusa sticker
My favorite luggage sticker: Azusa Californa - Drink your OJ!

 

Chicago luggage sticker
Wonder who in Imagineering is from Chicago? 😉

 

You can see more luggage sticker close-ups here on flickr.

 

Storybook Circus
Bear tracks! And monkeys too! Behind these walls is where the new Casey Jr. Splash and Soak Station will be located. I wonder if that's where all these animals are headed to cool down?

 

Storybook Circus
Peanut shells and lion or tiger prints?

 

Storybook Circus
Heading toward Tomorrowland, animal tracks and brick road

 

Storybook Circus trashcan
Storybook Circus trashcan - can't wait to see the others in the new Fantasyland!

 

UPDATE! At the recent Orange Bird unveiling, my friends and I wandered over to the Storybook Circus area again, since one friend had not been yet. I was surprised to see these new props out on display and wanted to share them with you all!

Storybook Circus elephant tubs
Check out the new water tubs with some familiar elephant names...

 

Storybook Circus details
More new details - "Melody Time Brass Horns - Always in Toon" and "Property of Hyacinth Hippo - the most exquisite sensation of the big top"!

 

Hyacinth Hippo
Hyacinth Hippo trunk and"The Big Bad Wolf - Balloonologist Extraordinaire - He'll huff and he'll puff and create the animal of your choice!"

 

I could post a hundred more photos, but for now I’ve created a Storybook Circus set on flickr and you can see the rest of my photos there. Including lots more of Dumbo and the Barnstormer. Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Attractions, Disney News, Walt Disney World Tagged With: animal tracks, Carolwood Park, Casey Jr., Disney details, Dumbo, fantasyland, Fantasyland Expansion, Fantasyland Station, hidden gems, Humphrey the Bear, Imagineering details, luggage stickers, new Dumbo, New Fantasyland, peanut shells, Storybook Circus, travel stickers, WDW Railroad

The Greatest Bathroom and Lounge On Earth!

9 July 2010 by Suzannah Otis 24 Comments

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

Wonders of Life pavilion
The Wonders of Life today…

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

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