I'm in the wrong place today

Need I say any more?

Farewell PUSH the talking trash can

It appears PUSH the talking trash can will never again grace the concrete walkways of Tomorrowland, at least for now.  Several reports indicate a possible contract dispute led Disney to break ties with the performer operating PUSH and so the beloved walk-around character is no more.  Now Disney has confirmed the talking trash can is no more.

UPDATE (Feb. 10):  According to an Orlando Sentinel article, Disney says PUSH will remain in Tomorrowland.  Earlier, an apparent internal Disney FAQ gave talking points to cast members about PUSH's removal.  I'm sure there will be more to come on this. 

UPDATE 2:  Disney has confirmed PUSH is gone, according to a new Orlando Sentinel article.

But did you ever stop to wonder just how PUSH did what he did?  He was a fully mobile and fully interactive character.  He could carry on complete conversations with people seemingly on his own.  Well, of course, that wasn't the case, but it was pretty hard to pick out just how it was done.

Now that PUSH has been retired, I'll let you in on the secret.

 

PUSH did indeed have a handler/operator.  If you looked carefully around at the crowd, you just might spot a person standing somewhere within eyesight of PUSH wearing a hat, some sort of fanny pack or satchel and holding his hand up to his mouth for an unusually long time.  Yep, that's the PUSH operator.  I've had the opportunity to secretly observe this performance several times and I have to say the person(s) who operate PUSH are quite good at blending in and not being conspicuous.  It's hard to see from the above photo, but this person is wearing headphones so he can hear what's being said around the PUSH character.  He can then speak into the mic and talk with unsuspecting guests.

It's a pretty simple operation but was beautifully done.  Even after I figured out who to look for, there were several times I couldn't find the operator, he had blended in so well.

So it is with great sadness and regret that I say farewell to PUSH the talking trash can from Tomorrowland.  I can only hope that there will come a day soon when you might make a return.

Photo Friday: Back in time

It's time for another Photo Friday!

This week' we're heading back in time to bring an Iguanodon forward in time - thanks to our time rover!  This shot captures the moment we are transported back millions of years to the time of the dinosaurs... or maybe it's just some huge heat lamps keeping us warm for when the T-Rex has us for a little pre-meteor shower snack.

Fortunately, I made it back to the present in the nick of time so I could share this with you.

Tip Tuesday: A hot time at Blizzard Beach

Welcome to another Tip Tuesday!

Well here in the mid Atlantic, it's still freezing with more snow in the forecast, so what's a better topic to discuss than the beach!  Blizzard Beach to be specific.

As many of you will know, Blizzard Beach is one of Walt Disney World's two water parks, the other being Typhoon Lagoon.  Blizzard Beach is located near Animal Kingdom, off West Buena Vista Drive (for those of you driving).  The story is that a freak snowstorm hit Orlando and Disney quickly created a ski resort.  Of course, it is Florida, so all that snow started melting, so suddenly this became a water park with the help of the Ice Gator!

Even though it looks like there's a lot of ice and snow around, Blizzard Beach can be anything but cool (even the water is warm).  Most importantly, the walkways and sand get quite hot, so if you're planning to hit Blizzard Beach, you'll want to bring along some flip flops, water shoes or some other way to protect your feet.  Trust me - by afternoon, those walkways are searing and you'll be doing the hot foot dance if you don't have foot protection.  Also, keep in mind that, unlike resort pools, Disney doesn't hand out towels, so you'll want to bring some along with you.  

Just like the theme parks, some of the same overall tips apply here - the most important of which is to get there early!  Yes, the major attractions such as the Summit Plummet start to develop long lines, but the more important reason you want to be there early is to get a chair!  Yes, you read this right, the primary purpose to arrive early is to get the type of chair(s) you want.  Some people prefer shade (I'm one of those), and the shady chairs that are along the main beach at Melt Away Bay go quickly.

Here's a bit more on finding the shade.  If you look at the Tobaggan Racers, they run roughly from West to East (more like from West-Southwest to East-Northeast, but that's being picky).  The point is that this set of slides can help you get an idea of where the sun will travel during the day and how the shade will move.  During the morning, the shadows generally will point toward the west (along the same line as the Tobaggan Racers) and will slowly get shorter as noon approaches.  By late afternoon, the shadows will reverse and start pointing toward the Lowatta Lodge and the Beach Haus.  Of course, these directions will vary some from the summer to the winter months.  In summer, shadows will point a little more to the south and in winter, shadows will point a little more north.  This will help you try to identify where you want to set up camp, depending on when you arrive.

There are more chairs further back and some areas and cabanas that require an additional cost.  Some of this depends on where you want to be.  If you're more into the large wave pool and the three regular slides, you'll want to be on the far left side of Melt Away Bay.  If you're with kids and will be in the younger area, you'll want to make your way to the far right side away from Melt Away Bay.

I'll talk more about the attractions at Blizzard Beach in a future post as well as some of the other things to do in this area.

Tip Tuesday: Touring the parks without FastPass

With all the recent changes (and glitches) coming to Walt Disney World concerning FastPass+, Magic Bands and all, there are plenty of guests (myself included) who are less then enamored with the implementation of FastPass+.

So it begs the question:  is FastPass+ worth it?  Does it cause more problems that it solves?

While I have yet to experience FastPass+ first hand, I have heard plenty of horror stories about this new service, so I thought I'd share some thoughts about the best ways to enjoy the parks without having to get one FastPass.

Yes, Virginia, it can be done, but it does require some planning.

First, of course, you have to arrive at a park well before park opening -- at least 30 minutes, though 45 might be better for the Magic Kingdom.  While you're waiting for the park to open, you need to set a few priorities when it comes to attractions and/or characters -- which ones are most important to you?  Head to those first.  If you don't have any priorities, consider hitting the headline attractions such as Space Mountain, Soarin', Toy Story Mania or the Kilimanjaro Safaris.  You will have a good hour or two where the crowds will be considerably lower than later in the morning/afternoon.  You need to make good use of this time.

Once the park opens, walk briskly (do not run) to your highest priority attraction and get in the standby line.  The standby sign may indicate a 20 or 30 minute wait.  Go in anyway -- there's a good chance that standby time is not current.  Depending on the standby line, you may be able to get in two runs in short order before moving to the rest of your priority list.

Once the crowds start to build in late morning to early afternoon, it's time to move to the less popular attractions and shows as well as high-volume attractions such as the Haunted Mansion, its a small world, Living with the Land, Seas with Nemo, Star Tours, Muppets 3D, or the Animal Kingdom walking trails.  These attractions can handle a fairly large number of people at one time, so odds are the standby lines will be shorter.

The afternoon into the evening also is a good time to take in some scenery and do a bit of shopping.  Take some time to appreciate all those little Disney details and maybe take in a show or movie or two. 

As the evening fades into night, you'll start to see the crowds begin to thin in some areas, especially as families with young children head home with weary tykes in tow.  At the Magic Kingdom, crowds will start to gather along the parade route for the Main St. Electrical Parade.  Main Street and the Hub area will be especially crowded as people get spots for Wishes.  Avoid these areas if you're not all that interested in the evening entertainment and go hit more attractions.  You'll encounter some waits, but they'll have decreased since the peak of a few hours earlier.  In Epcot, the World Showcase promenade will start to fill with folks waiting for Reflections of Earth.  Same deal -- head to Future World and try to get in a few attractions there.

At Hollywood Studios, it's all about Fantasmic - there will likely be considerable lines at the end of Sunset Boulevard, so just avoid that part of the park.  Yes, the Rockin' Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror might be a bit busy, but the rest of the attractions will start to clear out to some degree -- even Toy Story Mania. 

With a bit of planning, some luck and flexibility, you can have a great day in the parks and not worry one second about getting a FastPass, dealing with return times or having to mess with the My Disney Experience app. 

Just go out and have fun!

Photo Friday: A "sweet" hidden Mickey

Welcome to another Photo Friday!

Can you spot the sweet hidden Mickey in this display at the Confectionary at the Magic Kingdom?  These hidden Mickey's can be found all throughout the Confectionary, though they're not really sweet - just decorations.

Enjoy!

No April Fool's joke! Audio versions of Kingdom Keepers 6 and 7 to be released April 1

Image courtesy Kingdom Keepers Insider

Kingdom Keepers fans - the day you've been waiting for will be here soon.  Today, Ridley Pearson released the cover for the anticipated final volume of the Kingdom Keepers series.

What is no surprise is that our favorite five heroes (and a few more) will have the final battle with the Overtakers at the place where all the Disney magic started -- Disneyland. 

Here's a description of the book from KingdomKeepersInsider.com:

The Kingdom Keepers’ senior year in high school is almost over. For more than three years, they’ve done little more than surveillance missions into the Disney parks after dark. Their battles are long behind them, they agree, the threat to the Disney realm silenced—albeit at great cost.

But inside the catacombs of the Aztec temple where Finn Whitman faced down his nemesis, the monstrous Chernabog, a new threat brews. One that will rise like a phoenix … or, more accurately, like a stealth bomber.

Deception and betrayal rock the Kingdom Keepers as the merciless group of Disney villains known as the Overtakers stage an unexpected comeback. Supercharged with black magic, the Overtakers seek an iconic element that will power them to victory and render the Keepers—not to mention all of Los Angeles—defenseless.

But a discovery by the Keepers provides them with one hope of victory––a lost icon that hasn't been seen in decades. Believed to be gone forever, it may yet be saved. If so, the Keepers have one last chance to preserve the heart of the Kingdom––Disneyland––from a terrifying destruction decades in the making.

But wait, there's more.

If you're like me, you've been enjoying the Kingdom Keepers series on audiobooks.  I spend a fair amount of time in the car, so I often listen to audiobooks.

Kingdom Keepers 1-5 are on audio, but, for various reasons, book 6 was never released on audio.  Well, that oversight will be corrected on April 1 as well.  According to the Brilliance Audio website, the audio versions of KK6 and KK7 will both be released on April 1.

Both titles are, again, read by MacLeod Andrews, who read all but the first Kingdom Keepers novels (book 1 was read by Christopher Lane).  As with the previous titles, these performances are unabridged.  Both books have run times of approximately 9 hours each.

As much as I'm looking forward to reading/hearing the final story in the Kingdom Keepers saga, I'm equally looking forward to finally enjoying book 6 and I prefer to - in it's audio format.

Photo Friday: It's A Curious World After All

 

It's back -- Photo Friday returns!

My apologies for the looonnngg absence - the journey to earn a Masters degree from USC became all-encompassing for the last few months.

But enough of the past -- moving on to the future!

And speaking of the future, since I'm planning a return to Disneyland soon, I thought I'd share a photo that the DisneyMommy especially enjoys -- Alice and the White Rabbit found in the Disneyland version of it's a small world. 

I'm still blown away at how different the Disneyland and Walt Disney World version of these attractions are.  I'll have more about that in a future post.

Anyway, it's good to be back!

Looking back at the past five years

It's hard to believe that just over five years ago, I decided somewhat on a whim to start the Disney Daddy blog.  At the time, I was an avid listener to two Disney podcasts, WDWRadio and InsideThe Magic.  I also was an active participant on a couple of Disney fan forum sites.  On the evening of Sept. 23, 2008, I was reading about the launch that day of the new "What Will You Celebrate" campaign, where Disney was giving free one-day, one-park admission to anyone on their actual birthday.  At that time, I had only been to Walt Disney World twice (not counting my first visit some 25 years prior), but I caught the Disney bug - big time (rest assured, I'm not cured and I have no intention of kicking this bug). Anyway, I had some thoughts to share and decided on the spot to create a Disney blog called Disney Daddy.  A few minutes later, I had my first post up on disneydaddy.blogspot.com.  Back then, I had no idea how the blog would transform my love for Disney and all the incredible friends I would make along the way.

Alright, let's skip forward in time to today where Disney is ironing out the bugs with the new My Disney Experience program, and is transforming the way guests experience Walt Disney World and, I suspect, other Disney parks in the future.

A lot has happened in the last five years, both personally and in the Disney company.  I thought we'd have some fun and take a brief look back at some of the highlights.

2008:

• Disney announces the What Will You Celebrate Campaign
• New DVC at the Contemporary Resort is announced - called Bay Lake Towers
• "Tip Tuesday" posts begin
• The final MouseFest event is held in December
• My first appearance on the WDW Radio Show with Lou Mongello (remember the pressed pennies episode?)
• Toy Story Mania! opens at Hollywood Studios
• The often-maligned "hand and wand" was removed from aside Spaceship Earth at Epcot.
• Number of WDW trips:  2

2009:

• Disney partners with Verizon to create mobile Disney parks site
• Launch of Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure at Epcot
• D23 is announced and the first D23 Expo takes place in September
• Disney announces massive expansion of Fantasyland at Walt Disney World
• American Idol Experience opens at Hollywood Studios
• Online resort check-in service begins
• Horrible late-night monorail accident results in the death of a cast member - begins massive changes in how the monorails are operated
• I am named "Disney's Biggest Fan" by Disney and United Vacations
• Multiple appearances on the WDW Radio Show
• Number of WDW trips:  2

2010:

• "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" is announced (and subsequently ends just 10 weeks later from overwhelming demand)
• I complete my first-ever half marathon at Walt Disney World
• Fantasyland expansion project begins
• Multiple appearances on the WDW Radio Show
• Honey I Shrunk the Audience at Epcot is replaced by the return of Captain EO
• Main Street Electrical Parade returns to the Magic Kingdom, replaces Spectromagic
• Disney's Wide World of Sports center is renamed and branded as the ESPN Wide World of Sports
• Number of WDW trips:  4

2011:

• Walt Disney World turns 40... and so do I
• Photo Friday posts begin
• George Lucas joins Bob Iger to officially open Star Tours:  The Adventures Continue at Hollywood Studios
• New Avatar-themed land is announced for Animal Kingdom
• I contribute to a summer 2011 article about the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney World in Southern Living Magazine
• Second D23 Expo takes place in California to mixed reviews
• Many more appearances on the WDW Radio Show
• Number of WDW trips:  2

2012:

• I complete my first-ever full marathon at Walt Disney World
• Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom card game begins
• Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure is rebranded to Agent P's World Showcase Adventure
• New double Dumbo opens in new Storybook circus area
• Snow White's Scary Adventures closes to make room for new princess meet and greet area
• Art of Animation Resort opens
• Construction begins on new DVC resort at the Grand Floridian Resort
• Several appearances on the WDW Radio Show
• Number of WDW trips:  2

2013:

• Most of the new Fantasyland opens (the Seven Dwarves Mine Coaster remains under construction)
• Newly reimagined Test Track opens at Epcot
• My Disney Experience begins testing
• New RFID-enhanced tickets are used, eliminating the need for traditional turnstiles
• My Magic Bands debut along with FastPass+
• Number of WDW trips: 1
• First ever trip to Disneyland/California Adventure

Photo Friday: Climbing the Matterhorn

 

Time again for another Photo Friday!

This week, we're staying with the string of Disneyland-related photos from my trip this past June.  One fine clear day, I happened to catch the mountain climbers atop the Matterhorn in Fantasyland.  This is a fun sight to see as this group of cast members take turns climbing up and down the side of the Matterhorn mountain.  The only hitch, as you can see, is that their presence disturbs the forced perspective built into the summit of the mountain.

But it's still a neat shot and a fun thing to see in person if you get the chance!