This month, the Magical Blogorail GREEN loop is talking about our Top Disney Foods.  Randy and I share a love of quick-service goodies at Walt Disney World; so we’ve decided to collaborate on this post.  But, rather than focus on all the greasy, quick-service sandwiches that we can eat, we’re going to give you our top snack,  top quick-service sandwich, and top table service meal instead.  We don’t want anyone getting hardening of the arteries by reading our post.  So, here goes . . .

Snack

This one is a no-brainer for me!  I didn’t even let Randy chime in on the voting.  If I were only allowed to pick one snack to eat during my Disney trip, it would – without a doubt – be a Dole Whip Float.  Pineapple all the way, baby!

I had been reading about this heavenly creation all over the internet, but hadn’t actually tried it ’til our trip in January of 2009 (picture at right).  We had some cold days on that trip; and it wasn’t ’til our last day on property that it warmed up and I finally got a chance to try it.  One taste and I was hooked!

Now, we don’t make a trip to Walt Disney World without me enjoying at least one Dole Whip Float.  The soft-serve is good; but there’s something extra special about the addition of the pineapple juice to it.  While my husband might prefer the orange version, I’m a die-hard pineapple girl.

If you haven’t tried one yet, please make plans to do so on your next trip.  Promise me, ok?

Quick Service Sandwich

Awhile back, Randy posted – right here at Your Highway in the Sky – about this amazing sandwich that he enjoys at Captain Cook’s in the Polynesian Resort.  I read that post and saw the picture he posted (shown at right, with the pork nachos) and I knew that I had to add this restaurant – and this particular sandwich – to my must-do list for our next trip.

The Hawaiian Style Chicken Sandwich is like eating a bite of Polynesian Heaven. Randy described it as “greasy pineapple goodness” and “tasty, full of sweet flavor, and incredibly messy”.  He’s right.  But, it’s so much more.  Chicken, cheese, bacon, pineapple “salsa”, a delicious bun.  My only regret is that I split this one with my daughter.

Table Service Meal

For years, I had heard hype about Le Cellier in the Canada Pavilion of Epcot’s World Showcase.  I’m not sure why, but we’ve never done much table service dining back there (with the exception of the princess breakfast at Akershus).  Hindsight tells me that is really stupid, because World Showcase is my favorite part of Walt Disney World.  I guess I’ve always been so busy taking in all the sites that I haven’t taken time to think much about the food.  Go figure!

The kids and I made plans to try Le Cellier last September.  Honestly, we couldn’t resist the peer pressure – a bunch of our friends were dining there, so we decided to check it out for ourselves.  I decided on the infamous Mushroom Filet Mignon.  Needless to say, there is no turning back.  I don’t even care that it’s a 2-credit meal.  I will be back and I will be enjoying this meal again (and hopefully again and again and again).  The steak literally melted in my mouth.  Oh my gosh.

Alright, I’m drooling now.  I think I need a Disney Dining Fix.  I need to go find a calendar and count down the days ’til my next visit!

What about YOU?  What are your must-have Disney foods?

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney Living.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ A Disney Mom’s Thoughts

2nd Stop ~ Walt Disney World: Not Just for Kids

3rd Stop ~ Mouse on the Mind 

4th Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky (your are here)

Final Stop ~ Disney Living

Welcome to those of you joining me from A Glass Slipper Vacation and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail.

Spend a few hours clicking your way through the rich diversity of the online Disney fan community, and you’ll find a lot of words repeated over and over in describing the parks we love so much: magical, fun, happy…  But there’s one word you won’t find very often in the frequently glowing descriptions of the Disney parks: overwhelming.

But, in all honesty, “overwhelming” may well be one of the terms most apt for describing what a first time visitor to Walt Disney World encounters.  With four theme parks, two water parks, and a plethora of resorts and entertainments, Walt Disney World’s 30,080 acres offers something for everyone, but its rich diversity can be bewildering as well as wonderful.  As a seasoned Disney annual passholder who visits multiple times each year, I am still constantly finding new adventures in “the World.”  For someone encountering the “Disney experience” for the first time, “overwhelming” may indeed be the best description.

So what advice can an Disney parks fan give a first time visitor?  That’s a hard question.  One of the things that makes Disney so magical is its ability to provide something for everyone, to create the illusion of an experience tailored just for each guest.  Giving advice to a first time visitor is so hard because each visitor is unique. No matter how much one fan loves an attraction or dining experience, it might not be right for the first-time visitor seeking an experience that suits them or their family.

In the bigger picture, however, there are a few words of wisdom that hold true regardless of whether you’re a thrill seeker or an omnimover aficionado.  First time visitors to a Disney park might lose sight of the big vacation picture in all of the offerings, but there are 3 things that every first time Disney guest should remember:

Make lots of plans, and be okay with not keeping them. In the dazzling array of choices presented to theme park guests, knowledge truly is power.  Knowing what choices are available to you, what you wanted to do in a given area of the park, or what dining options are nearby is invaluable.  And, of course, the more you plan, the more you know.  Researching attractions, dining, and shows before you head off on vacation is part of the fun of going to a Disney park.  It’s not just doing that makes magic – it’s dreaming.  The more you plan what you’re going to do in the parks, the more excited you’ll be, and the more you’ll know when you arrive…

…but there’s a second part to that planning.  Part of the magic that Disney bloggers keep talking about is the spontaneous wonder of discovery.  It’s finding yourself dancing with Chip and Dale in the middle of a parade; it’s smelling something amazing on your way past a restaurant and stopping in; it’s daring to ask if there are any open spots at Cinderella’s Royal Table and being seated; it’s stopping to watch an amazing balancing act in Epcot’s France; it’s seeing DiVine at Animal Kingdom.  Those magical moments are what take us away from the carefully planned rigors of daily life; they’re part of Disney magic…but they won’t be part of your plans.  First time guests should plan, a lot!  But they should also know that if their plans don’t flow exactly the way they are, well, planned, that’s okay – in fact it may be better!  Disney vacations are about planning and dreaming, but they’re also about playing, and every first time visitor needs to remember that.

Take your time; you don’t have to do it all.  I cannot imagine the frustration for a first time Disney guest, seeing all of the amazing things the parks have to offer and knowing that you can’t fit it all in.  In my visits to the parks, I have seen far too many exhausted parents dragging equally exhausted children from attraction to attraction, doggedly determined to fit in everything they can and squeeze every dollar’s worth of value from their vacation.  They will open the park; they will close the park.

Dangit. Don’t do that.

Disney parks are too big for anyone, no matter how superhuman their efforts, to “cover” in a vacation.  Trust me, I’ve been to the parks over 100 times in the past 4 years, and I haven’t covered everything.  First time visitors shouldn’t feel pressured to do or see everything.  Part of the excitement of Walt Disney World is that there’s always something more to do when you come back.  Instead of exhausting yourself and pushing to do more, first time guests need to concentrate on really enjoying what they choose to do.  You’re far better riding something you really love 3 times to remember every detail than rushing through 4 attractions to check them off some accomplishment list.  Disney is about making memories, not about covering territory.  Slow down, experience…no one’s expecting you to meet a quota.

Remember to play.  Disney parks are about escaping the real world. They’re about letting go of the bitterness, the responsibility, the frustrations, and the despair of everyday life to find new hope for tomorrow and to be reminded of the reasons we love those around us.  Sometimes vacations become another chore, another source of frustration…don’t let a Disney trip turn into a “grown-up” set of chores.  The entire Disney vacation experience is designed to allow Disney cast members to take mundane responsibilities off your shoulders so that you don’t have to worry about the little stuff.  Know that going in.

Discussing a potential first-time family Disney trip with a friend, I mentioned the joy and hope that I find at Disney, away from the “real world.”  She shook her head and said, “I don’t know if that’s for me.  I’m not sure I remember how to be a kid anymore.”  Disney is about helping you remember.  Walt’s dream for a theme park was about a place where families could play together.  That’s what a Disney vacation is all about, and first time visitors need to keep that playfulness in mind as they visit…there’s magic in being willing to revive that joy and hope that so often gets put away.

Every Disney vacation is a little different – like every Disney vacationer – but there is wonder and joy for everyone.  Yes, the offerings at a theme park can be overwhelming, but first time visitors should step back and enjoy the experience.  And they need to remind themselves, there’s always next time…

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Focused on the Magic

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Loop should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

• 1st Stop ~ Heidi’s Head
• 2nd Stop ~ Disney on Wheels
• 3rd Stop ~ A Glass Slipper Vacation
• 4th Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky - You are here!
• Final Stop ~ Focused on the Magic

Welcome to those of you joining me from Mouse on the Mind  and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail. Enjoy the ride as we share with you our memories of our very first trips to Disney.

I was lucky enough to grow up just a short drive from Walt Disney World. So my family went quite regularly. I’m sure we went a few times when I was a baby, but the first trip I really remember and the one I consider to be my “first trip” was in the Summer of 1995.

I was a pretty awesome kid.

It was a particularly lengthy trip. We stayed for 10 days, 9 nights at the Swan Hotel. And this was 10 days in a Walt Disney World that only had 3 theme parks. Its pretty difficult to do “everything” at Walt Disney World, but I can tell you that we certainly did quite a lot in that time. Rather than go through each detail, I’m going to hit on some items of significance from that year and reminisce a bit. So what happened at Disney World in 1995?

Blizzard Beach (Opened April 1st, 1995)

Say what you will about Blizzard Beach now. Back in 1995, it was my very first water park. Actually, I was probably so young that I didn’t get to experience as much of it as I would have liked (Fun Fact: I’ve never been back), but I did enjoy it! I remember spending a considerable amount of time in the lazy river. Back then, I much preferred River Country  and many of my “water park memories” from that age come from either River Country or from the wave pool at Typhoon Lagoon.

New Tomorrowland

When I was a kid, Tomorrowland was my favorite land. Even today, something about Tomorrowland brings me back to my childhood more than almost anywhere else in Walt Disney World. A big part of this is the TTA. Its still my second favorite attraction (behind my beloved Haunted Mansion, of course), and one I have fond memories of riding as a child. At the time, I was too short to ride Space Mountain; however, being able to ride through Space Mountain was something special for me. I remember looking at the riders on the track (it was much brighter back then) and thinking “One day I’m going to conquer that mountain.”

Part of my love for Tomorrowland, of course, comes from the fact that my trip was right after the official opening of New Tomorrowland. As a nerdy kid obsessed with space exploration and Star Wars, it was easy for me to get into the theme. And back then (certainly not anymore) Tomorrowland really felt like a unified land. Theme was everywhere in New Tomorrowland. It felt, truly, like I was in the middle of an intergalactic spaceport. With attractions like the Time Keeper and the (far superior) narration for the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, it was hard not to be immersed in the world of tomorrow. I hope Disney spends some time in the future retooling Tomorrowland to give it some semblance of a theme again. It’s probably ready for New New Tomorrowland.

But of course…what brought Tomorrowland to life for me the most was one very special attraction:

ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (Opened June 20th, 1995)

Next to Horizons, Alien Encounter is the Walt Disney World attraction I miss the most, especially considering how poor its “replacement” is. As a young child, riding Alien Encounter was a fairly terrifying experience; however, its one I remember every single detail of. When you’re that young and you’re at Disney World, you’re old enough to understand that what you’re seeing isn’t real; however, you’re not quite sure how they’re doing it. In my mind, I couldn’t quite figure out how Disney managed to transport an “alien” into a room with me. So at the time, I don’t think there was a more immersive attraction experience than Alien Encounter. I’ve heard people say that Disney removed it because it’s “too scary” for kids, but I think that’s not entirely fair. It was certainly scary, as I said, but thats because it was so damn well done. And isn’t that the whole point of Disney?To bring the unbelievable to life? It’s really a shame that future generations won’t experience it the way I did.

Other Highlights from 1995:

• The Circle of Life begins airing at The Harvest Theatre in the Land in Epcot Center (1/1/95)
• The Penny Arcade and The House of Magic shop close at Magic Kingdom (3/19/95)
• Ohana Opens at Disney’s Polynesian Resort (4/12/95)
• Walt Disney World Welcomes its 500th Millionth Guest (10/12/95)
• The Toy Story Parade appears at MGM Studios (11/22/95)

So that was my first Disney year. Not too much happened at Disney World, but it’ll always be a significant year for me. Its interesting to see how much has changed, but also how much has stayed the same. Did you go to Disney World in 1995? What do you remember from that year?

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney Living.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Walt Disney World: Not Just for Kids

 2nd Stop ~ Mouse on the Mind 

3rd Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky

 4th Stop ~ Disney Living

 Final Stop ~ A Disney Mom’s Thoughts

I love Disney food! (and drinks…drinks are important too).

All right, I admit it.  I’m a Disney food junkie.  In my defense, it’s really my parents’ fault.  When my family came to Disney during my childhood, we never ate in the park (that was considered a waste of money!).  Instead, my mother packed sandwiches in a cooler, and in the middle of the day, we undertook a multi-hour journey from park to ferry to parking lot and back again.  I know it was well intentioned, but years of soggy sandwiches in hot parking lots had a major impact on my park habits.  I. Eat. At. Disney.

When I returned to the Disney parks as an adult, I was naturally enamored of the in-park dining options, particularly those at Epcot.  All of those mysterious restaurants were finally mine to explore!  Over time, however, I learned a vitally important lesson that every Disney food fan should know.  The best tasting food and the best value for your quality food dollars is usually not inside the gate of a Disney park…it’s hidden in the resorts sprawling around the park complex.  If you really want amazing food, great service, and surprising diversity, leave the parks.  And, in the process, you may find that you leave the crowds and the agenda-driven rush behind as well.  Disney resort dining is, in my opinion, one of the great undiscovered gems of any vacation experience.

The hardest part for me, of course, is choosing which of the amazing options to share as the “best.”  There are so many exemplary choices, each with its own benefits.  But, in the interest of exposing a few hidden treasures and keeping the list manageable, I’ve decided to share a day’s selection – a favorite for breakfast, for lunch, and for dinner. Each restaurant name is linked to its official site & menu – go drool!

To start the adventure in resort dining, stop off at Kouzzina over at the Boardwalk. Operated under the aegis of former Iron Chef Cat Kora, Kouzzina showcases the chef’s signature blend of southern comfort food and Greek flavors.  Dinner at the restaurant is special in its own right, but Kouzzina’s often overlooked breakfast is one of the two best options on property (the other is Boma, but if you want table service instead of buffet, Kouzzina is the best).

At breakfast, Kouzzina offers a delightful range of choices; there’s a traditional “American” breakfast for picky eaters, along with simple choices like granola or a platter of pastries from the adjacent Boardwalk Bakery.  For me, though, the real star of the menu is the Stacked Kouzzina Breakfast.  Prepared with the fresh, high quality ingredients that make Kouzzina’s food taste nothing like what you’d make at home (feta cheese has never been so creamy), the stacked breakfast features remarkably sweet olive toast, amazing house-made sausages, and a substance described as “artichoke spread” that is good enough to make you want to raid the kitchen for more.

Speaking of the kitchen, getting to watch breakfast being prepared in the huge, open kitchen is fun in itself. There’s something awe-inspiring (not to mention jealousy inducing) in watching the chefs expertly poach eggs in giant copper kettles of boiling water.  Oh, and if you’re over the age of 21, there are also some spectacular beverages to start your day.  While the mimosa and bloody Mary are nice, the Sunrise White Sangria is the perfect way to start your morning. Exactly balanced between sweet and tart, it can brighten any day.

Although few people take the option, getting out of the parks for lunch can be a smart choice.  At the height of Florida heat, an hour or so out of the blistering sun can be rejuvenating beyond words.  And, of course, adding some amazing food to the respite doesn’t hurt. Because fewer people leave the parks during the day, however, fewer restaurants outside the parks are open for lunch.  There are a few great spots – The Wave, Kona Cafe, Whispering Canyon – but my favorite place to have lunch is one far too often overlooked: Sanaa at the Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Located in Kidani Village, the Disney Vacation Club area, at Animal Kingdom Lodge, most guests don’t even consider Sanaa as a dining choice.  They’re missing out.

First of all, for those who are not DVC members, dining at Sanaa provides an opportunity to appreciate the beautiful architecture and comfort of Kidani Village.  Set apart from the Lodge, the area shares Animal Kingdom Lodge’s dark woods and organic shapes; furthermore, it provides some stunning views of a different savannah hosting creatures including the shy Okapi.

Nestled on the bottom floor of Kidani Village, Sanaa offers a menu influenced by the flavors of Africa and India.  Every meal is an adventure whether you choose the hearty, simple flavors of meat slow cooked in gravy or the more exotic flavors of other dishes.  Among the joys of dining at Sanaa are the incredible wait staff.  Unlike the cast members in many park restaurants, the staff at Sanaa have the time to explain every flavor on the menu and help guests choose what is right for their own palates.

Sanaa also offers some of my favorite desserts.  Balanced and not all overly sweet, the desserts are a taste adventure…and the Chai Cream.  Amazing.

Oh, and before we head off for dinner, there’s one other truly amazing thing you should know about Sanaa. I mentioned that the restaurant is located on the bottom floor of Kidani Village.  That places it at the level of the savannah, and one entire wall is a glass observatory of the animals outside.  Those creatures often wander directly outside the windows, and several birds and small antelope have actually learned to jump the barriers to come up to the windows and visit guests.  There are few other places that offer that dining experience, and it makes a meal at Sanaa all that more special.

On a totally random note as well, the restrooms at Sanaa are the nicest I have encountered on property.  Anywhere. They’re not as cool as the ones at  T-Rex, but they’re quieter, prettier, and cleaner.

Choosing a favorite non-park location for dinner is tough; there are so many wonderful choices.  But if I could dine anywhere, there’s one place that draws me back every time.  Todd English’s BlueZoo at the Dolphin.  Run by celebrity chef Todd English, the restaurant is special-occasion pricey, with dinner for two coming out over $200.  But if you love good food and remarkable flavors, there’s no better place to eat at Walt Disney World.

BlueZoo is an adventure in the freshest, organic flavors. Every menu item is carefully prepared, and a meal here is an adventure for the taste buds.  I’ve done a complete review of BlueZoo on the blog, but I cannot praise it highly enough.  From the massive shellfish appetizer to the freshly made pasta and hand crafted truffles, BlueZoo is the best way to finish off a day at Disney.  The menu varies based on whatever is in season, and no two visits are ever the same!

Hungry yet?

So next time you plan a trip to Disney property, don’t just plan your way through the park restaurants.  Take the time to look at other options. You’ll get a chance to see some of Walt Disney World’s spectacular resorts, explore some of the amazing architecture and theming outside the parks.  Many of the resort restaurants take DDP credits, and you’ll be sure to find lower crowds, more attentive servers, and a relaxed atmosphere that in-park dining often just cannot offer!

Thank you for joining me today.  Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Focused on the Magic.  
Once you click the link, the page will open shortly. Please keep hands, eyes, and attention inside the blogorail at all times…

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Loop should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

 1st Stop ~ Disney on Wheels

2nd Stop ~ A Glass Slipper Vacation

3rd Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky (You are here)

4th Stop ~ Focused on the Magic

Final Stop ~ Heidi’s Head

Welcome to those of you joining me from A Glass Slipper Vacation and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.

Stories fascinate us, but it is characters who win our hearts.  When most of us look back over our lifetime of loving Disney, we can name the films we love best, but more often than not, we find ourselves naming the characters. Princess or prince, hero or villainess, those characters remind us of who we are, who we fear being, and who we dare to dream we might be.

Disney is well aware of the importance of those characters, and within the the Disney parks, character encounters present an important part of that special magic.  From simple photo opportunities to character dining, Disney characters are a part of most guests’ experience in the parks.  And, no matter how old we are in years, those of us who remain young at heart treasure those special encounters.  Most of the characters in the parks are wonderful at their jobs, and I’ve come away from more than a few character meet and greets with a special smile and a new bounce in my step, just as convinced as any 5 year old that I just got to meet a very special Disney character.

As special as those moments can be, however, character encounters can also have their problems.  Long lines, impatient guests, and limited access can inhibit the ability of any character to give guests the time and interaction that they would like.  Disney is, much to my delight, making efforts to address those concerns (Ariel’s grotto in the  New Fantasyland is a brilliant example of that – amazing theming and wonderful crowd control).  But the very circumstance makes the encounters difficult.  Character dining helps with those pressures, allowing characters to circulate among guests in a relaxed environment, but I, for one, always find food and characters I want to interact with a difficult combination – should I eat or greet?

Meeting Gaston at the Not So Scary Halloween party…priceless!

So where is the best place to meet the characters that fill the best of Disney’s stories?  For me, that place is the special after-hour events held at the Magic Kingdom.  At those events, both the Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, crowds are lower, characters have special chances for interaction, and unique characters appear to greet guests.

This past Christmas, a group of friends and I were making our way out of the Magic Kingdom just as the Christmas Party was getting underway.  As we passed the carousel in Fantasyland, we saw Peter Pan and Wendy orchestrating a series of footraces with a group of children.  Peter and the children were racing across the pavement, getting themselves out of breath running between the children’s parents and Wendy.  There was utter joy and abandon in the moment, a sense of character that just cannot be created in any static greeting line, no matter how much the character tries to interact.  Those moments are what make the “hard ticket” events such perfect places to meet characters.  They give guests a chance to share a special moment, to interact in ways that may not be possible at other times.

Dr. Facilier and other characters appear at the Not So Scary Halloween Party

And then, of course, there are the special characters.  The Not so Scary Halloween party offers a selection of special villains for guests, and the Christmas party offers special costumes and characters as well. Getting to meet Dr. Facilier or Maleficent or Meg and Tarzan is a special treat in and of itself. As rarely as they appear, many of those characters have a special place in the hearts of guests, and being able to meet them is a wonderful experience.

For me, the opportunity to meet new characters or encounter old friends in new ways is one of the things that makes hard ticketed events worthwhile.  Promoted as celebrations, the events are indeed celebrations of character and of what those characters mean to the guests whose lives they – and their stories – have touched.

Thank you so much for joining me today!  Your next stop on our Blogorail is Focused on the Magic!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Loop should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

 1st Stop ~ A Glass Slipper Vacation

2nd Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky (You are here)

3rd Stop ~ Focused on the Magic

4th Stop ~ Heidi’s Head

Final Stop ~ Disney on Wheels

Abrams is known for his work in telling elaborate stories and appealing to pop culture audiences with shows like Alias, Lost, and Revolution.  His reboot of the Star Trek franchise won both popular and critical acclaim, spawning a sequel set to hit theaters this year.  It seems that Disney is hoping Abrams will be able to win the same kind of approval with another iconic franchise in Star Wars.

Although neither Disney nor Lucasfilm has officially confirmed Abrams’ choice, numerous news outlets are confirming the choice.

What do you think of the choice of Abrams? Does it give more more hope for the new Star Wars films, or does it worry you?

The Magical Blogorail Green Loop

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Green. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride as we share with your our favorite ride vehicles at Walt Disney World.

Best On-Ride Photo I’ve Been A Part Of

I love Unique-looking ride vehicles. I love flying on a pirate ship with Peter Pan or sitting in a Honey Pot with Winnie the Pooh; however, I also love ride vehicles that move you through the attraction in unique ways. I love the ingenuity behind Soarin’s erector set or the way the Toy Story Mania vehicles spin you and move you about. But I think one truly unique ride vehicle is often overlooked: The CTX Time Rover.

The Time Rover is the ride vehicle used at Animal Kingdom’s Dinosaur attraction (the CTX comes from the ride’s original name, Countdown to Extinction) and is the vehicle which transports guests back in time (albiet a little too close to the astroid impact that destroyed most life forms on Earth). And, with some cosmetic differences, it is essentially the same ride vehicle as that of Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure.

The ride vehicle seems like a fairly simple design. Its shaped and built a little like a Jeep, though one that’s obviously made to fit an added number of passengers. But what separates this vehicle from others and what gives it the honor of “my favorite ride vehicle” is the way it moves. It’s incredible programmable hydraulic system allows it to move in a near infinite number of directions. Not only do these hydraulics allow the rider to feel the “bumps” in the road, but it makes you feel like you’re truly traversing rough and rocky, unexplored terrain.

Throughout the ride, its movements are exaggerated. When a T-Rex jumps out at you, the Time Rover jerks back and stiffens up, just like its riders. When it loses traction and attempts to escape, it feels like an animal charging up to flee. The way the vehicle responds to events and cues throughout the ride makes it feel less like a vehicle and more like a person, another character in the attraction. Its feeling what you’re feeling, seeing what you’re seeing, and responding to situations in the exact way you are. When you (or Dr. Seeker, more exactly) wants to step on it…the Time Rover steps on it. But yet this is all so subtle that most won’t realize the effect this vehicle has on the experience. Imagine a version of Dinosaur (Dinosaur: Green) where instead of riding in the Time Rover, you’re in a standard dark ride vehicle, slowly moving through the attraction. Sounds awful, right? I agree. The Time Rover makes all the difference.

I’m not sure whats stopping Disney from developing similar ride vehicles for other attractions. Perhaps the ride system is actually highly inefficient? Maybe its too complex? Too expensive? Or they just don’t have any interest? If you have any info, let me know in the comments. I, for one, would love to see a similar ride system pop up in more places.

Next time you take one of the Dino Institute’s tours, pay attention to the way the vehicle is moving and see how it adds to the ride.

Thank you for joining me today. And special thanks to the Blogorail for having me back after a short hiatus. Check out all the other blogs in this month’s loop. Keep stopping by Your Highway in the Sky for more news and check back next month for another ride aboard the Magical Blogorail.

Your next stop on the Green Loop is Disney Living.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky

2nd Stop ~ Disney Living

3rd Stop ~ A Disney Mom’s Thoughts

4th Stop ~ Walt Disney World: Not Just For Kids

Final Stop ~ Mouse on the Mind

13 Disney villains will soon escape!

On Friday, September 13, 2013, the annual Disney pin trading celebration event will be held at EPCOT.  It will be featuring many of the Disney villains in pins and vinylmation.  The story so far is that 13 of the Disney villains are currently breaking a special mirror, and once it is broken (on Friday the 13) they will be able to escape into the pin and vinylmation event.  It will then be up to Mickey Mouse and 6 other “good guys” to piece the broken mirror back together and get the villains back into the mirror.

The pin portion of the event will be held from September 13-14th, with the vinylmation day on September 15th.  In previous years, they have held an early bird registration day, giving guests the chance to pick up their credentials for the event along with any of the merchandise they may have pre-ordered.  During this early bird day you can also trade pins and vinylmations with fellow pin and vinylmation traders and collectors.

In previous years, during the pin portion of the event, there have been oversized pin boards (bigger than most boards in hotels/parks) that you can trade up to 2 pins on.  A trader is usually given about a minute and a half or so to choose 2 pins that they would like to trade from the board.

Will 13 be your lucky number?

However, many of the pins can be special pins such as Limited Edition, Artist Proof (AP), Pre-Production (PP), or Prototype (P) pins that can add a special value to them.  There are also games and activities held during the event for special prizes that can range from a free lanyard to a bag full of rare pins.

The different pin developers from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and the Soda Fountain Shop in California may also be on hand to show some of the pins that they have designed and are developing, and can also answer questions.  The vinylmation portion works in a similar fashion from what I understand, although I have not gone to the vinylmation portion yet, as I do not collect many vinylmations myself.

The annual pin and vinylmation event is an amazing experience for pin and vinylmation traders and collectors of any age. Have you ever been? Will you be attending this year? Let us know in the comments and maybe we’ll see you there!

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Orange.  Enjoy the ride as we try our hand at being Disney Imagineers and share what new attraction we would put in a Disney Park!

In recent years, “interactive” and “personalized” have become the buzzwords of the theme park industry.  Disney is always trying to make guests’ experience more personal, and recent announcements about MyMagic+ have only served to emphasize the ways in which the company is trying to use technology to bring a truly interactive experience to the parks based on guest preferences.

So if I were to design a new ride or attraction for a Disney park, my goal would be to emphasize those goals.  As a want-to-be imagineer, there are 3 questions that immediately come to mind:

1. What Disney property that is un- or under- represented would interest guests
2. Which property needs a new attraction
3. How can the attraction interact with guests and warrant return visits?

 After some thought, I came up with an answer to all of those questions…

First of all, I had to limit my selfish instincts.  I have a deep love for a number of Disney films (Hunchback, Atlantis, Treasure Planet) that didn’t cash in at the box office, and as much as I would love to plan one of those as an attraction, I know that not everyone would respond to those films.  Other films already have representation…but Disney’s Pixar films are sadly under-represented in the theme parks. Yes, there are character greets, and bits of Pixar magic, like the new Wilderness Explorer adventure at Animal Kingdom, are coming into the parks.  But overall, Pixar is under used. And, of course, that answers the second question – if you’re going to expand the Pixar presence, the Pixar Place area of Disney Hollywood Studios is the perfect locale.  In all honesty, Hollywood Studios could use a little love anyway.

So, if I were to add a new attraction to the Walt Disney Parks, it would be an interactive Pixar Adventure Experience, and this is how it would work…

Guests would be ushered into the “New Pixar Studios Expansion at Walt Disney World” for their tour of the facilities.  They would go through a fairly corporate queue and then, by groups, be brought into a room to watch an introductory video. At that point, a “Pixar employee” would interrupt the film and tell guests that he/she couldn’t let them be deceived…they wanted to show them the truth.  Pixar, it turns out, doesn’t actually create these animated worlds; it opens doors to them. All the worlds of the Pixar films are real; the company just films in them.  And thanks to this rogue employee (who will probably be fired for this), these guests have a chance to enter into one of Pixar’s worlds and assist the characters they’ve come to know from the films.  The employee would explain that, thanks to the Pixar technology, guests would appear in the Pixar world as animated characters that fit into the world they chose so as to go undetected.

The ride itself would be similar to an upgraded version of the interactive areas at DisneyQuest, with a wrap-around screen and stations for each member of the party. Before entering, guests could choose which of Pixar’s “worlds” they would like to enter, and the their roles would be defined by the world they picked. Each “seat” in the ride would be given a particular role (guide, targeting, etc).

Inside the attraction, guests would be a part of an interactive experience “helping” their favorite Pixar characters through a brief, story-driven 3-D adventure using controls that would interact with screens (like those of Toy Story Mania or the pirates adventure at DisneyQuest).

So…if guests chose the Incredibles, they would be Supers on a mission with the Incredibles.  They would each have a “super-power” that they would use to fight a villain on the screens around them, helping to complete the pre-established story.  If they chose Cars, they would be cars (with spy attachments) helping to complete a mission or win a race.  If they chose Ratatouille, they would be chefs trying to get the ingredients and complete a recipe. If they chose Toy Story, they could be rescuing an abandoned toy. Allowing guests to interact with the screens (with marked targets, etc) would maintain interest and draw in a generation who have grown up on video games. The story possibilities are endless in the rich world of Pixar films, and the variety of scenarios would keep guests returning for different experiences as well as allowing the promotion of new Pixar films.

To me, Pixar Adventures would be an innovative way to push Disney toward interactivity and personal experience.  It taps into an area of Disney film that is under utilized in the parks, and it would draw guests back to try new adventures on subsequent visits.

What do you think?  Do you like the idea?  Would you ride it? Which movie would you pick?

Thank you for joining me today!  Your next stop on our Magical Blogorail Loop is Focused on the Magic.  Please keep hands and arms inside the blogorail at all times…

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Loop should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

 1st Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky (you are here!)

2nd Stop ~ Focused on the Magic

3rd Stop ~ Heidi’s Head

4th Stop ~ Disney on Wheels

Final Stop ~ A Glass Slipper Vacation

Disney has announced that it has canceled the 2013 release of The Little Mermaid in 3D. The news comes two months into the conversion process that started in November. It’s possible that it could still be released on BluRay at a later date. Disney was probably hoping for synergy with the recent opening of Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid at the new Fantasyland.

The Lion King was Disney’s most successful release in 3D. Building on strong childhood nostalgia and critical acclaim, it earned almost two hundred million worldwide when Disney released the 3D version in theatres in September 2011. However, increased competition and public audiences who grew tired of the 3D gimmick made each classic film that Disney released after that make less and less at the box office. Monsters, Inc which was released just days after The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has made less than thirty million domestically.

Despite cutting back on animated releases, Disney announced that all future major Marvel releases will be in in 3D, including Iron Man 3, Thor 2: The Dark World, Captain America 2: Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers 2.

Fox was expected to cancel the conversion of the Star Wars saga after the 3D release of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was disappointing but they merely condensed the timetable to release all six in 3D before Disney releases Episode 7 in 2015. Episode 7 is also expected to be in 3D.