What Do Your Disney Maps Say About You?

A few weeks ago, I used the "My Disney Vacation" feature on the Disney site to create customized maps of the four WDW theme parks. My family could easily navigate the parks without maps, but I wanted to see what a customized Disney Chick map would look like (and I secretly hoped they would be suitable for framing). Within each park map, the program lets you check off which attractions, dining, shows, etc are among your favorites, and then the custom maps are mailed directly to you.

When my maps arrived, the results were ... surprising. See, each of my "favorites" is noted on the park map, but all of the other things I didn't check off are also noted on there, as a visual "hey, you should check this out too." What started out as a ploy for cheap artwork ended up being a fascinating study in how my family experiences Walt Disney World.

The Findings: 

When it comes to the Magic Kingdom, my family has it down to a T. Literally. The Magic Kingdom is a big circle, but I was surprised to see what I already know - we walk right down Main Street, then hit up Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland. Our path makes a perfect T shape - the one lonely dot in Mickey's Toontown Fair (RIP) turned out to be for the WDW Railroad, and that dot in Adventureland? Pirates of the Caribbean.

There is nothing that we don't do in Epcot. The only things not listed on my map are the Character Greeting Spots and Kim Possible's World Showcase Adventure. And neither of those things belong in Epcot anyway. 

It's no wonder we're always tired after a day at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Man, that place is big. And we do most of the things in the park, minus the Camp Minnie-Mickey area. So my map has lots of little Me dots, but they're all really far away from each other. Memo to self: wear comfortable shoes.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is a giant waste of space. Obviously, this is not news to anyone who's been to this park lately, but seeing it in visual form is staggering. I had to lower the bar when I put in my favorites. Really, we only do four - FOUR - things at this park: Rock n Roller Coaster, Toy Story Mania, The Magic of Disney Animation, and Star Tours. That's it. If we have time to kill we'll do Muppet Vision 3-D. Indiana Jones loses its luster after the 14th viewing, and don't even get me started on the Backlot Tour. The decay of Hollywood Studios deserves a ranty post all its own, but .... wow.

Have you had your custom maps made? Did you learn anything interesting? Let's continue this study in the comments below.
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Related Links:
* Thoughts on the Fantasyland Expansion
* Segway Tours in WDW: This is How I Roll
* WDW Trip Countdown: The Six Month Stretch

Your Disney Dream is Making Me Sad

Photo via Disney Parks

So in case you’ve been deprived of Twitter recently, the Disney Dream finally took its maiden voyage, and all the fabulousness and the food and the AquaDuck and the views and the playroom and the fun and the mirror tvs and the décor and OMG THE SHIP have been blurted out all over the interwebs. For this Disney blogger (who *cough* wasn’t invited), it’s all becoming a bit much for us land-lubbers who were left ashore. And while I can’t wait to read everyone’s trip recaps, the constant stream of squeeees look how much fun we’re having is KILLING me. And yeah, I’m jealous, and yeah, I’m bitter, but seriously Twittersphere? Stop rubbing it in.

For example:

I’m eating frozen chicken fingers and deli mustard for dinner. You’re dining at Remy.

I have to get up for work at 7 AM, knowing my day will be a never-ending string of meetings and Dilbert re-enactments. My one consolation is that hopefully I’ll get home in time to see a Real Housewives marathon. You’re on a cruise ship navigating tropical waters.

You’re toasting to how wonderful your cruise is out of commemorative champagne glasses. I’m drinking cheap wine out of my Finding Nemo plastic cup.

But mostly, it’s because it’s f-ing snowing outside. All the time. Every day. There is no end. So just …. Stop.

To those of you on the Disney Dream, have a safe trip back. To those of you stuck in reality, let’s commiserate in the comments together.
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Related Links:
* An Open Letter to 3D
* Dear Disney Vacation Club: I Get It! We're Home!
*  In Defense of The Living Seas

Thoughts on the Fantasyland Expansion

Disney recently released more details about what we can expect from their much-touted, much-anticipated, take-that-Universal Fantasyland expansion. And there's a lot to look forward to - new restaurants, new rides, new Dumbos, oh my! You can read all about it here but here's my take on the most interesting additions:

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
The Scoop: A "moderately intense" roller coaster featuring a first-of-its-kind ride system in which vehicles swing back and forth along the track.
Seems Like: Big Thunder Mountain, but with little people
The Verdict: Another E-ticket attraction is a good thing, but a mine shaft in Fantasyland?

Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
The Scoop: This new attraction will take guests on an adventure with Ariel and her friends, with a backdrop of songs from "The Little Mermaid."
Seems like: The Seas with Nemo and Friends
The Verdict: Meh.

The Castle of the Beast
The Scoop: The Be Our Guest Restaurant will feature quick service during the day and table service at night in a ballroom, a gallery and the "West Wing" of the Beast's castle. Belle's Village will also feature Gaston's Tavern and Bonjour! Village Gifts.
Seems like: Just what Fantasyland needed.
The Verdict: Magnifique!

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Related Links:
* Celebrate a Day in the Magic Kingdom
* Golden Oak: If You're Not Rich, Why Are You Reading This?
* Five (More) People You Meet in WDW

In Defense of The Living Seas

Image via Lost Epcot

Last week, the Disney Parks blog trumpeted that The Seas with Nemo and Friends was celebrating its 25th anniversary - which is pretty amazing, especially since Finding Nemo didn't come out until 2003. A subsequent blog post (with completely different statistics on how many animals live in the pavilion - 4000 vs 6000) touted a "look back" at how the pavilion has changed in 25 years, offering this summary:

The pavilion first opened in 1986 to house the Coral Reef Restaurant and The Living Seas attraction, which took guests on a journey to Sea Base Alpha on the ocean floor. There, guests could learn the wonder, mystery and possibility of the world’s oceans by taking a seacab tour of the pavilion’s 5.7 million gallon Caribbean Coral Reef aquarium.

... plus some publicity stills of The Seas with Nemo and Friends. Slow down, time machine! This "look back" is too intense!

I suppose that to properly acknowledge and fete The Living Seas is to acknowledge that Disney turned a pavilion that was already an attraction unto itself into a commercialized fish tank. It means remembering a time when Nemo, Kim Possible, and The Three Callaberos couldn't be found in Epcot, but you could meet their friends Buzzy, Fud Wrapper, and the Dreamfinder in EPCOT Center. And since Disney won't give The Living Seas (or EPCOT Center) the credit it deserves, I'll share my memories here, and I hope you'll do the same:

First, for the uninitiated: The Living Seas opened in 1986 and was sponsored by United Technologies. At the time, it featured the largest saltwater tank in the world. Guests would watch a short film entitled "The Sea," about how the oceans came into being. Then you would "descend" to the ocean floor in a Hydrolator and then - ta da! - you were in Sea Base Alpha. Guests got an up-close look at our fishy friends as you rode in a "sea cab" through the aquarium. As you disembarked, you were greeted with a variety of interactive multimedia displays. In 2001, United Technologies ended its sponsorship and in 2003, Disney began to re-theme the pavilion to be all about Finding Nemo.

See, at The Living Seas, the marine life was the star of the show, but nowadays, it's Nemo's world and everyone else just swims in it. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the "Clam Mobile" ride, when Finding  Nemo animation is superimposed over the aquarium, so that guests can barely see the actual fish. In a way, The Seas with Nemo and Friends is the most dramatic example of removing the L word from EPCOT. And what a dirty, dirty word it is:

Learning.

And I get it, I do. Kids don't want to learn on vacation because learning is boring and if you tell kids they might learn something then they aren't going to want to visit your park. At least, that's what the marketing people will tell you. But for me, a smart kid who never quite fit in because she was always the teacher's pet, the kid who asked lots of questions on the field trip to the museum instead of turning everything into a joke, the kid who wanted to know absolutely everything about the world she lived in - well, for me, EPCOT Center was the ultimate playground.

I remember my first trip to Sea Base Alpha like it was yesterday. I remember being so excited to ride that Hydrolator ("Mommy, we're going DOWN!"), and when the doors opened and you saw the enormous amount of fish - and the enormous amount of varieties of fish - my little jaw dropped. It was like getting to see another world that you had read about, but didn't really understand until then. (Mind you, this was also a year or so after The Little Mermaid hit theaters, and I was pretty well convinced I was going to be Ariel when I grew up.) And those of you who know me in person or follow me on Twitter know that I'm firmly committed to marine conservation issues and I'll preach for days about the importance of saving our oceans. It's a passion that I credit those early trips to Sea Base Alpha (and my local New England Aquarium) for inspiring.

Today, the Living Seas is a shadow of its former self, and yeah, an argument can be made that the pavilion is now a bigger draw for kids, and that while they're interacting with the Finding Nemo characters, they'll be learning about marine life. I'd like to think that's true. But the next time you visit the pavilion, watch where all the people are. They aren't visiting the rescued manatee area or reading the exhibits about the dangers facing marine life today. They aren't even looking at the actual aquarium. Instead, everyone is lined up for the next showing of Turtle Talk with Crush.

And so, instead of saying Happy 25th Birthday to the Seas with Nemo and Friends, I hope you'll join me in saying:

Thanks for the memories, Living Seas. You will be missed.

This post is part of the DisMarks Blog Carnival. For more great Disney reads, click here.
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Related Links:
* GM Hits the Brakes on Test Track
* Daily Dose of Wonderful
* Disney Memories: One to Forget

Eggnog Pound Cake - Swan and Dolphin Resort

I know what you're thinking - the holidays are over, who wants to make eggnog desserts now? Well, I do. As far as I'm concerned, eggnog is a perfectly acceptable beverage throughout the winter months. And this cake is not only a great seasonal dessert, but it makes for a great snack to take to the office. Plus, booze!

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Dried Cherries (chopped)
1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries (chopped)
2 Tbsp. Brandy
3 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/8 Tsp. Grated Nutmeg
1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Eggnog

To Make Zee Cake:

1. Marinate cherries and cranberries in brandy for 15 minutes. 

2. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease and flour bundt pan. 

3. Cream butter and sugar. 

4. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. 

5. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. 

6. Add flour mixture alternating with the eggnog. Mix well. 

7. Add fruit mixture and pour into a bundt pan, spreading the batter evenly.

8. Bake for one hour, and let cool before serving.

Ta-da!

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Related Links:
* French Toast Loaf - Main Street Bakery
* Rum Raisin Gugelhopf - Food & Wine Festival
* Chocolate Cookie Mousse - Cafe May Cafe, Beach Club Resort

Things to Look Forward to: Cars 2

Here's something to look forward to in 2011:

I love, love, love this international poster. Start your engines, indeed.

(Thanks to Blue Sky Disney for the tip)

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Related Links:
* Toy Story 3 Behind the Scenes: Concept Art
* The Princess and the Frog Art & Designs