American Idle

Middle of the night and much is on my mind. I can't get Danny Gokey and his strong version of Michael Jackson's PYT (Pretty Young Thing) out of my head. Is this Season Eight's new American Idol? Could be- yet, I've been wrong before. In the past, I would have put money on Chris Daughtry or even dark horse favorite Elliott Yamin to take the crown in Season Five. Yet, this guys seems to have the goods.

What else at 4am? Why do I even really care about construction at California Adventure, the cartooning of Walt Disney World, the economic plans of President Obama, and I'm ashamed to say, the pending cheap remake of our tired kitchen with worn paint, chipped countertop and leaky faucet? Good questions.

Let me guess. Boredom, too much television and forgetting about what is really important. Faithfulness, kindness, mercy, and caring for the needs of others. How easily I forget the bigger things! Oh God, hear my prayer and keep me heart atuned to you. It is so easy to be led astray by things deemed important in our brains by what we see and take in versus the things we know if we stop and focus on what is important to you. Glad it's Sunday morning and a time for spending an hour or two focused on you. Thank you, Lord Jesus, Creator of the Universe, for putting up with me!

It's All in the Details

The improvements to the Paradise Pier section of Disney's California Adventure keep coming. Last night, the sign was hoisted above the now gone Mickey Mouse head over the California Screamin' coaster. Works also continues on Games of the Boardwalk, the World of Color water show, and Mickey's Fun Wheel. I say they should keep piling on the detail. The more to look at, the better. Quite an improvement over this section of the park, but there is still along way to go. Be thankful work is still going on! Over on the other side of the country, things are not looking so great at Walt Disney World.

(Photo by me taken using Howard's Johnson's Mattercam.)

Design Detail: Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris

One of the delights of a visit to Disneyland Paris is walking into Discoveryland, that park's version of Tomorrowland. In a season (decade?) when California's Tomorrowland is in a sorry state and the same land at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom is beautiful to look at but filled with cheap cartoon attractions, this backward-forward looking masterpiece sparkles! From the heart of Jules Verne novels and into the hearts of Disney park fans worldwide!

(Photography copyright Mark Taft.)

In the Eye of the Beholder: National Air and Space Musuem

Surely to be counted among the great cities of the world, Washington DC is filled with the expected musuems and monuments. Among the most popular of these is the National Air and Space of the Smithsonians.

It was easy to spend hours here. Everywhere we looked, there were places we wanted to explore, items to be seen, history to be discovered. The photo above is one of my favorites and in expanded form, rests on the walls of my office.

A new favorite of ours is the International Spy Museum. If you have children of all ages, this is a must. The history of spying through the ages is told in an innovative way with Disney quality staging and story. After three hours of learning and adventure, we still had not seen it all!

Of course, no visit to our nations capital is complete without going to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is a haunting reminder of man's inhumanity to man- and the bravery of a people who continue to endure and thrive in spite of- and maybe because- of persecution. God forgive us for attempting to exterminate the Jews and bless those who strive to protect a nation that God calls His own!

Wherever you stand in the complexitites of politics and human relations, Washington DC is a living testimony of God's impact in building our nation from its inception, and it is filled with experiences unique and powerful.
(Photo copyright Lauren Taft.)

Blasting Off!

It's fairly easy to think that with today's leading edge attractions like Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones Adventure, and Mission:Space, that the original Disneyland was just made up of simple spinners and dark rides, albeit with beautiful finishing touches and enhancements. It's just not so!

Above is a terrific piece of artwork for Tomorrowland's Rocket to the Moon. The Imagineers were actually quite brilliant in how they designed the attraction and created the sensations of flight. Want more like this? Head to "The Patent Room". Kudos to a unique and fascinating website.
(Concept art The Walt Disney Company.)

Deep Disney Does Ride and Go Seek

The first pictures are up of Tokyo Disneyland's Monsters Inc, Ride and Go Seek attraction. Seems pretty cool- take a look for yourself here.

Dark Skies in a Downgraded Animal Kingdom

The most difficult part of this trip report is not avoiding the issue and saying what I need to say right from the start. I love Animal Kingdom- but I was totally bored and ready to leave the park by 2:15pm! If it's your favorite theme park at Walt Disney World, please read on and give my appraisal a fair shake before you judge me...

After a great two days, one at Epcot, one at Magic Kingdom (and one at Disney's Hollywood Studios yet to come), my wife and I were ready for a third great day- at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It's a spectacularly beautiful park, unique in many ways. (Cruise my blog for my "True Life Adventure" on the creation and evolution of this park. It's a multi part series.) This visit, it was the only park we got up early for. That should say much.

We hopped on the first bus of the day. I was feeling an adrenaline rush just thinking of riding Expedition Everest. I couldn't wait. I was also anxious to show my wife this park in a relaxed and unhurried manner.

Arriving in the parking lot, the sky was quite gray and the day felt "heavy". Walking through the gates into the park, it seemed as all was very quiet. The animals were still, and I couldn't hear (or see) any of the birds- only the sound of the small waterfall just past the entrance. This gave a very different first impression to what the day would be like. Misty, overcast, somewhat mysterious.

Wandering the Oasis and taking in the lush gardens at a leisurely pace, we eventually came upon the Tree of Life. What a magnificent piece of art! To this day and after many visits, the sight of it brings the same sense of awe as Cinderella Castle or Spaceship Earth. Very different from the emotions evoked by sight of the giant Sorcerer's Hat! Stopped for a few moments and took it in, but turned right towards Dinoland U.S.A. and heading toward Everest passing by the theater for Nemo.

Fastpasses in hand for the best thrill experience on the Walt Disney World property, it was time for a bit of morning coffee as we had skipped out on the excellent brew in our room at Port Orleans Riverside. The Anandapur Tea Company was calling! But what a mistake it turned out to be. After a twenty minute wait, due to one employee working the stand, our very tasteless lattes were in hand. Thanks to my wife's willingness to wait, I was able to photograph much of Asia with very few people around.

The new area surrounding and encompassing the Yak and Yeti restaurant was filled with detail and color. I heard new sounds and intriguing music. Immediately, I felt as if I was somewhere else than Central Florida. Well done, Imagineers! Surprising and unexpected.

Checking the daily schedule, we saw the Nemo musical was set to begin in a bit. Our stroll took us past Everest- I couldn't wait!- and into the Theater in the Wild. The exterior is strangely unthemed. Just a big box, seemingly thrown up quickly. Puts the phrase "Thinking outside the box" into a whole new light. It does not fit in with the exquisite detail of Asia or the quirkiness of Dinoland. It is truly a building in limbo. Unfortunately, it took me right back into a theme park, reminding me Disney does cut budgets and/or forgets what makes this park such a rich experience.

The rich experience was to be found inside the theater. What a show this is! Some folks seem to have a problem that a non-musical film was given the gift of song, but I am not one of them. The actors/puppeteers perform with grace and dignity, the sets are stunning, the special effects well used, and the songs are worthy additions to the Disney repertoire. My wife had not seen the show before and was surprised by the extremely high quality for a theme park production. (She has not seen Aladdin at California Adventure- or even been to that park for that matter.) Due to the nature of the show and its wonderful execution, it is a production that pleases adults as well as children.

We exited the theater to a still overcast day. I cannot overestate how this changes the feel of the park. The gray skies add a dullness to the park that the brilliant colors and textures cannot compensate for. This is very different than a cloudy day in Epcot or the Magic Kingdom. It was, however, a plus when taking an excursion to the Himalayas!

Traveling up the lift hill, the cloudy skies and cooler temperatures increased the realism factor of the attraction. Was there snow up there? The mist effect at the top of the mountain, which was working on my very first trip, was not on. The eagle/bird effect was off as was one of the waterfalls. The yeti was in "B" mode, but regardless, the ride rocks! Don't get me wrong; I am not letting Disney off the hook for allowing so many details fall apart. I am saying that so many details were layered on in the first place that exploring Everest is still an immersive and exhilarating experience.

Our second set of Fastpasses announced it was time for our safari through Africa. When we had come by earlier to get the tickets, the standby line was already past an hour. This was very shortly after park opening. Herein lies one of the failings of this gorgeous park: there are too few attractions, headliners or otherwise. Yes, Everest has succeeded in bringing in the crowds as has Nemo, but there is little of the smaller attractions to fill in the day. It took me three visits here within three years to see the problem.

A quick ten minute wait and we were on our way through the landscapes of Africa. Our driver, unfortunately, was no longer a native from the "Dark Continent", but someone from the states, New Jersey, I would guess from his accent. Much like Epcot's World Showcase, here at Animal Kingdom, encounters with the people of the lands they represent are an important part of the experience. Our guide's stateside accent wasn't as much a problem as his manic attitude. His style had turned the premier attraction of Disney's Animal Kingdom into a landlocked version of the Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise. Bluntly, he destroyed the dignity of the incredible presentation. Combined with very few animals to be seen and a cast member roaming about the savannah, it was a disappointing journey. It was a long twenty minutes.

A redeeming factor came as we exited. The gorillas of the trail were out and about due to the cooler weather. Three of these amazing creations of God were out wandering right in front of us. As I was switching camera batteries, one male smacked the other hard on the head, attempting to prove or show dominance to the third, a female. In one respect, it was quite humorous and captivating. We stood and watched and waited. Eventually nothing more happened, so we left the area. This was the most animal activity we saw all day.

Thankfully, browsing through the shops of Africa was still a pleasant experience, one free of Disney plush and High School Musical merchandise. (It was not this way in the shops of Discovery Island, however.) Does Disney realize how much having authentic and handcrafted goods adds to the overall day? Probably not, as almost everywhere we went, the merchandise was the same. In fact, the only purchase I made throughout the entire trip were batteries and an additional memory card for my camera! For someone used to dropping money for unique Disney momentos, this was unfortunate. Again, I had saved money to burn for this reason, but nothing of interest was to be found.

As we continued through Harambe, we stopped and sat at the patio tables inside a small courtyard. Our preference would have been a snack at the wonderful Tusker House, but now it is just another character meal location. We could hear the drumming sounds of the African band outside. Eventually, we wandered past them, but it seemed that right across the street was a Jungle Book themed meet and greet! This obvious displacement stripped the sense of disbelief from the complex and convincing environment. It's a poor and desperate choice on the part of park management to shove characters all throughout the park be it in attractions or streetside. At least Nemo took place indoors!

At this point, it was time for our lunch at Yak and Yeti. It is a beautifully detailed restaurant with good but very pricy food! For $75, we had an appetizer, our entrees and drinks. Not even dessert. It was a nice splurge for just the two of us, but we will not return. Our server was great and taking time to regroup is always necessary at some point, but Yak and Yeti is ultimately disappointing, just another one time Disney dining experience to cross off our list.

I looked about and thought of what we should do next. Getting wet on a cool day was not our idea of fun, so Kali River Rapids was out. That left Dinoland as an unexplored possibility. We are not big fans of Dinoland overall, but the idea of it clearly belongs here. Countdown to Extinction, I mean, Dinosaur, is a pretty good attraction, but Dinorama should be ripped out of the park in our not-always-so-humble opinion. We chose to head that way.

My wife instinctively sensed my disappointment in how the day was going. She suggested I take in the single rider line for another journey up the Forbidden Mountain before we continued to Dinoland. That did the trick. I was temporarily refreshed and enthused as I exited the station. It didn't last, however.

The sight of the very (intentionally or not) tacky Chester's and Hester's reminded me of the ugly and cheap Paradise Pier 1.0 at California Adventure. Ugh! I sat on a bench and looked around. I tried to like it, I really did. But I'd have to lie to myself to make this happen. Even the poorly laid out Disney's Hollywood Studios doesn't have an area this ugly or misplaced. On to Dinoland's centerpiece attraction.

Another walk on attraction. I have very mixed feelings about the ride. It should be exciting, but ultimately, for me, it is just loud, dark, and scary. Once you journey past the wonderful museum part of the queue and climb aboard your Time Rover, there is not a sense of truly being anywhere. Rather, the attraction is just a series of vignettes through a jungle while you encounter dinosaurs one at a time. The rare piece of concept art from Alain Littaye's great Disney and More blog (below) would have really given the rider a sense of place and story. Skipping it was another shortsighted decision. Yet, I was determined to ride this attraction as I didn't want to not ride it. After all, it is one of Animal Kingdom's few attractions where there is some sort of transportation involved.

I tried something new. I got aboard the troop transport/time rover- Indy is a far better use of this amazing technology- and covered my ears to diminish the impact of the sound on the journey and save my nerves. Try it sometime- especially you Orlando locals who go to the park often. It is an entirely new experience. In essence, the carnataur loses his bite, and the fright factor goes down considerably. This may be the answer for the young children who are scared to ride and the parents who are adament that they do! Unfortunately, covering your ears also reveals the shortcomings of the show and brings Disney's reliance on "spook house" carnival effects to the forefront. In hindsight, I cannot determine whether I was glad I did this or not. Although I have limited memory of my first prehistoric journey in 1999, I think many of the effects were also not in working order. The flying pteradactyl didn't, and the astreroid shower did not seem to happen either. I am sure I missed something else, but overall, something I couldn't quite place was missing.

We left Dinoland to go to Camp Minnie-Mickey. We were now heading against the current of guests who were intent on exiting the park. It was only slightly after three!

Due to the walk on status of It's Tough to Be a Bug!, we took an unexpected detour. Having just seen the show at California Adventure, I was still in awe of the highly detailed queue around the Tree of Life. The film was still fun but now predictable after five or so viewings between the two parks. How I wish the Imagineers would have been given the cash and permission to instead put a truly magnificent attraction here instead of another 3D film!

Now it was time for Camp Minnie-Mickey. I wasn't in the mood for the Lion King celebration but I wanted to see if Pocahontas' theater had construction going on around it. Navigation between lands is not easy here, but we finally arrived. Any construction? In short, not from what I could see. The camp reminded me of Disneyland's old Bear Country. It was quite pretty and could be the site of something really good, but it fell flat and was very lifeless. Yet what on earth was Stitch doing here!?! Please, Disney, get over your love affair with this annoying character! I digress.

To beat a very dead horse, the Imagineer's aborted Beastly Kingdom would be wonderful here. In short, the park needs an infusion of attractions and a bit more artistic variety. Whatever the plans are, they need to add a freshness to the lay of the land.

We turned around and walked through Africa one more time. As I surveyed the area, I took in the detail. Very, very nice. Crowds were also leaving Africa, and going against the flow, we walked by the safari. No line at all. We queued right onto our vehicle with merely three people ahead of us.

Our guide was slightly better this time, but certainly no where near the quality of the first group from ten years ago. Much calmer, her demeanor was just the right element for a still overcast late afternoon safari. A few more animals were out- including a lion taking top spot on the famed Lion King rock.

Walking out from Africa, my wife tempted me with one more trip on Everest, but I was through. I could tell by her face that I was not alone in my decision to leave the park. We took the back paths around the Tree and wove our way in and out until we hit Animal Kingdom's hub. We walked toward the exit, and I turned back for one last look. For the first time, all I saw was a tree.

In my opinion, and highlighted by this trip, Animal Kingdom suffers from a sense of sameness in much of the park. Embarrassed to say, but as cheap, shameful and ugly as it is, Dinorama does offer some variety.

Another problem is created when the animals are not plentiful. When this occurs, like the day of our visit, the park deficits are really exposed. Demanding the animals to carry the show creates a problem because they are unpredictable. On a normal day, this factor creates variety. On a bad day, it really subtracts from the enjoyment of the park.

My conclusion: It seems as if Disney is letting this park stagnate, relying on character meals, character additions, and character meet and greets to make up for a lack of newer attractions and true creativity. What is there is mostly good, but it is not enough. My wife said it best, "Next visit, I'd skip Animal Kingdom." Sadly, I had to agree.

(Photos copyright Mark Taft. Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Insights and Sounds 1st Anniversary!

Today marks the one year anniversary of the Insights and Sounds blog. Thank you for reading! I thought it would be good to recap my first post before I share a bit about where we've gone and where we'll go.

"The biggest question on my mind today is "What am I doing here?" Or if I was in a fairly obnoxious mood, it might be "What are YOU doing here?"Random thoughts is a good name for this first post because I really don't know what I'll be sharing everytime I add something. My hunch is this is where you'll hear about what interests me, what I think about what's going on in this world, what I'm trying to figure out, or how we can really make a difference. Maybe I'm really just looking for a place to journal...

Why "Insights and Sounds"? A play on words. Kinda thought it would be fun sharing reflections and revelations, music and movie perspectives, travel experiences and photos, and thoughts on faith. Regarding that last piece, a verse out of a letter called First Corinthians happens to be my favorite : "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

If you check in here often, you'll discover that I'm really a geek at heart, pretty sentimental, not sophisticated, and for the most part, that I really like people. Hope that works for you!"

Apparently, you appreciate the postings- so thanks! Over time, the blog and ideas for it has grown, and it will continue to do so as long as I have the energy and time.

If this is your first visit, you might like to see some examples of some of my favorite posts here. They cover a wide range of topics just to keep things interesting. Here's a few:

Bargain Basement Imagineering- the concept art of Disney's California Adventure compiled in one place- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/10/bargain-basement-imagineering.html

Space Mountain, Universal Thrills- History of the Disney attraction throughout the world- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/09/space-mountain-universal-thrills.html

Idol Flashback- Thoughts on American Idol- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/04/idol-flashback.html

Hong Kong Mystery- a look at some rare concept art for Hong Kong Disneyland- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/05/hong-kong-mystery.html

Two Spoonfuls of Sugar- trip report on Disneyland and California Adventure- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2009/01/two-spoonfuls-of-sugar-day-two-at.html

Indiana Jones: The Attractions- Stories, details, and rare concept art on Disney's Indy based attractions- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/05/indiana-jones-attractions.html

Best Beatles Remakes- the name says it all!- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/09/best-beatles-remakes.html

Invisible Children- Reaching and caring for the forgotten kids of the world- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/05/invisible-children.html

Moonlight Serenade- a tribute to my parents on their 50th wedding anniversary- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/04/moonlight-serenade.html

Saving Epcot- How to restore the world's greatest theme park to the grandeur of prior years- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/05/saving-epcot.html

Islands of Mixed Adventure- After decades of visiting only Walt Disney World, I stop in and see what Universal turned out in Florida- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/06/islands-of-mixed-adventure.html

Disturbed- a movie review of The Dark Knight- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/07/disturbed.html

The Horizon Review- a series of posts spotlighting the albums of a much loved and missed female vocalist, Karen Carpenter- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2009/02/horizon-review-carpenters-masterpiece.html

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles- our European Adventure in words and photos: London, Paris, Venice, Tuscany, Wales, and Germany- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/03/planes-trains-and-automobiles.html

Notable and Quotable: Bono- U2's front man shares some wisdom- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/08/notable-and-quotable-bono.html

Disney's Animal Kingdom, A True Life Adventure- a continuing series on the creation, execution, and history of the park. Lots of rare concept art- http://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2008/10/disneys-animal-kingdom-true-life.html

WOW- that was alot, wasn't it?

Going forward, I am very excited about a series of interviews with Eddie Sotto from Walt Disney Imagineering. (The first segment posted by mistake earlier this month!) Again, thank you to Didier Ghez from the Disney History blog for this opportunity.

As promised, I'll continue with my existing series, and I'll add some new ones as well. I've got plenty more of Disney concept art to share, lots of music reviews, segments on what it means to me to be a man of faith in this modern world, and more trip reports and photos from our journeys. Of course, I'll sneak in a few family photos old and new from time to time. If you want a more personal look at who I am, here's my acceptance speech.

Thank you again for making this a wonderful year. I am blessed to have you along for the journey.
Mark

Occupational Hazard

Maybe it is just an “occupational hazard”. Or maybe its just the way life is at the moment. Regardless, it seems as if I’m hearing that many friends and family members are currently overwhelmed by the circumstances of life. Does it seem that your situation is more than you can bear? Do fear and worry consume you when you think about the problem or the future? Certainly, you are not alone. The saints and heroes of the Old Testament had to deal with the same stuff.

Look at Joshua. He was eventually appointed the commander of Moses, and then was later designated his successor. And what a charge he had! Lead an unruly people whose hearts tended to stray from the Lord, and conquer the strong enemies of the land. No small task. Amazingly, the following admonition is repeated throughout the book of Joshua:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:8-9 NIV)

This theme of trusting God in the face of fear is repeated throughout the book for a reason. Joshua struggled with fear, yet he was the man God called to do the work that needed to be done. We are in the same position today.

Let’s face it. Life can be really hard at times. In the middle of a difficult season, it is very easy to forget God’s promises to us or even that He cares about us. Yet, that does not take away from the fact that our Lord has given each of us something to do; something that in the process will be used to conform us to the image of Christ. Certainly, Jesus promised to always be with us, even to the end. We must take him at his word. The only other choice leads to a life of unrest in the deep places of our hearts.

So, what shall it be? Let’s lock arms together- friend to friend- praying for and encouraging one another. Remind your friends of God’s promises and His faithfulness to us. Let’s stay strong and not give up, doing what He has put before us for His glory and His honor.

Last Bit of Genius

Although there are many artists that have blessed the Disney Company by executing their craft, Herb Ryman seems to stand out among the pack. His designs are elegant and stunning in execution- quite beautiful pieces of art even without a tie in to Disney attractions.

Found in the wonderful book, The Art of Disneyland, this is his last completed piece of work specifically for the park before his death in 1989. Although many of the details found in this concept were not used for the exterior of the Indiana Jones Adventure, Herb successfully captured the air of excitement, drama, and suspense found within the attraction. May he rest in peace.
(Artwork copyright The Walt Disney Company)

Magic in This Kingdom

I was surprised by our later than normal arrival at Epcot, our favorite park in Florida. (See my earlier trip report.) Returning to Port Orleans Riverside that evening, we settled into our cozy bed and decided to sleep in the next morning. We awoke refreshed and ready to go. A great cup of in room coffee started our day with a smile. (Note to management: This coffee was better than anything available for purchase on the property.)

Today we decided to visit Florida’s first Disney playground. Our brief walk to the bus station was late morning, yet without a shred of humidity. That lasted all day and into the night. A very pleasant surprise for a warm and sunny 75 degree day. Perfect! The bus to Epcot showed up first, and I thought it would be great fun to ride the monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center, then take a ferry to the Magic Kingdom. We hopped on.

Although we loved riding the monorail in, we were shocked by the lines waiting for the monorail and the ferry once we arrived there! Both were lengthy, but it did afford some time for a few photos. We walked into the Magic Kingdom at 12:30pm, that detour costing us an extra hour of time versus taking the bus right to the park.

Our close up view of the Walt Disney World Railroad Train Station was an instant statement of how large this place was, how the scale seemed to be a full 100% versus the charming but smaller graduated sizes of the buildings in California. This is not to say the younger Kingdom doesn't have its own unique charms, it just just an instant reminder how grand this park is! Despite any differences, what remained the same was the rush of emotion I felt walking through the turnstiles.

The crowds were thick, and the beautiful and very tall castle beckoned ahead. The shops on Main Street U.S.A. were gleaming in the sun, very maintained, and elegant. In fact, each of the four parks was immaculately kept, swept, and shined. Music of an era gone by filled the air while balloon vendors offered their fare to small kids. Hearing the sounds of the station, I turned to see the train pull in.

Since we had just been to Walt’s original kingdom in Anaheim, we decided to slow our pace. Only three items were on my must-do list: The newly refreshed Haunted Mansion, a reunion with some country bears, and the much aligned Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club. Everything else was gravy.

Having not eaten breakfast, my wife and I wandered into the Tomorrowland Noodle Station. Choosing one of our favorites, Orange Chicken, we grabbed our tray and headed for a patio area overlooking the canals of the now defunct Plaza Swan Boats. I remember my first visit in 1975, watching these elegant little vessels cruise past the absolutely breathtaking Crystal Palace restaurant. Although the boats are now gone, the restaurant remains as beautiful as ever.

I looked around and took in the view. Expansive and filled with greenery, swarms of people rushing to Fantasyland and the other realms of the kingdom. To my right, I watched the trains of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority whisk by- and how I missed seeing those in California! That attraction now had to be added to my list.

We spent almost an hour sitting there people watching and enjoying the early afternoon sun. We talked about days and attractions gone by, including an old favorite If You Had (... had wings, had wings, had wings...) and even Visionarium and Alien Encounter. Just as I was about to lament to “tooning” of Tomorrowland, my wife asked me where I wanted to head first. Liberty Square and the Haunted Mansion.

We strolled past the Crystal Palace, stopping for a few minutes both inside and out to look and take pictures, before continuing along the connecting bridge between Adventureland and Liberty Square. Even with the Winnie the Pooh character lunch in full swing, the atmosphere inside was restrained, subdued, a bit more reserved and elegant than I had expected. A nice surprise more akin to earlier years when the park was not always so full of people, when a leisurely stroll through the Magic Kingdom was possible without a multitude of strollers and electric vehicles (but not wheelchairs) demanding space on the walkways. The number of adults needing or using special transport vehicles seemed like a scene straight out of Wall-E! It took some getting used to.

Entering Liberty Square was another pleasant reminder that we were in Florida and not California. Both my wife and I always loved this distinct little piece of the Magic Kingdom, especially when the shops offered unique and period appropriate merchandise and the Fife and Drum Corps entertained. A bit of old Philadelphia in Orlando! The "boxing" of the Hall of Presidents meant we couldn't enjoy the attraction this visit, but I had an encounter with Happy Haunts on my mind.

It was a solid 30 minute wait in line to enter the Mansion. This afforded some great time catching detail, observing similarities and differences between the three attractions we had seen with the same general theme (California, Orlando, and Paris).

In my mind, all are unique experiences with strengths and weaknesses, leaving me without a clear favorite. Additionally, we had just ridden the Holiday version of the attraction in California, so the obvious question: Which is better? The answer: It depends on my mood!

As we entered into the house, we were quickly ushered into the stretching room. I can now say as 100% fact that the ceiling moves up instead of the room being an elevator that moves the guests down. Why? The attraction hostess left the doors open to the main foyer the entire time the portraits stretched! Not only did this somewhat ruin the power of the storyline, it destroyed any sense of mystery.

One of the pleasures of this attraction versus California's is the fact the audience does not recite the Ghost Host's narration here! What a noticeable difference this makes by letting guests enjoy the audio as it was meant to be experienced. The refurbishment of the attraction seemed to freshen everything I saw. I loved passing through the library as usual, and enjoyed the Escher "staircase" room and attic, but it was the smallest touch- the blinking eyes on the wallpaper- that made me go "Wow!" Just goes to show that attention to detail brings strength to the overall show. (One day, just once, I'd love for our Doombuggy to stop right in front of the ballroom scene. There's enough detail there in that single room to keep me interested for at least an hour...)

By the time we exited the mansion, the line had grown quite a bit and the wait time was almost an hour. Hiking back into Frontierland, I was thrilled to get to see those old Country Bears once again! I had forgotten there was ony one theater, but still, we had a brief ten minute wait. The music sounded fresh, and the theater was packed with mostly families who were clapping along and laughing. To my eye, Henry, looked a little Chuck E Cheese like but the rest of the crew seemed just as I remembered. It was great fun and a throwback to my youth. Too bad at least one theater wasn't left in California!

At one point, I remembered that the Florida Magic Kingdom had four animatronic theater shows at opening, and one soon after: Enchanted Tiki Birds, Country Bear Jamboree, The Hall of Presidents, and The Mickey Mouse Revue. Soon after came Carousel of Progress. Wow- that's alot of the same type of show.

From this point forward, lines in the park would be quite lengthy and using Fastpass would be a necessity for making good use of time. That said, we had to choose between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain for a golden ticket. Deciding on Splash so we would get wetter earlier in the day rather than later, we braved the mess that is the path towards and then between the two.

I have very mixed feelings about this area. It does hold an enormous amount of people, and Disney very wisely moved the standby line for Splash to the other side of train station and the railroad tracks. (Here's a hint: If you visit and want to ride the trains of the railroad, board here. It was practically a walk on! )

This area is also highly detailed. This surprised me as Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom is often and sometimes justly criticized for being low on detail with an emphasis instead on size. While folks patiently waited the 130 minutes for a journey with Brer Rabbit, there was a lot to see. A large number of buildings surrounded a boardwalk around the area. Large trees, some with lanterns strung, were in the middle, forming a pretty nifty courtyard. With the trains passing by overhead as well, this was a cool and shady queue. There is even a small children's play area. While I'm not a big fan of these, it did seem to make sense to have one nearby an attraction that tells a childhood story but has adult aged height restrictions.

The line to get a Fastpass for Splash was lengthy as well and that queue spilled into the main thoroughfare. A mere number of yards down this lane was the entry to Big Thunder and another Fastpass line, holding another massive amount of guests. Beyond that, a dead end. Unforunately, this creates quite the bottleneck, bigger than any other area of the park, including Fantasyland.

Grabbing our Fastpass, we hopped onto the trains for a grand circle trip around the kingdom. The stop in Mickey's Toontown reminded me of how much better that California version is than Florida's. Loved seeing the Contemporary Resort as we passed Tomorrowland. Last minute, we opted to get off at Main Street.

Thought we'd grab a sit down treat at Tony's Town Square Cafe. It was not to be. They were booked solid until almost 5pm. The Disney Dining Plan really makes it difficult to be spontaneous. I certainly understand the advantages- mostly to the company, I believe- but on busier days, the disadvantages become extremely clear. In my opinion, this plan necessitates more roadside stands. (But then, I have issues with Fastpass keeping the pathways clogged with people, too.) We were willing to spend $25 or so for a couple of ice cream sundaes in a nice sit down restaurant, but due to the crowds, Disney had to settle for getting $8 for iced lattes on the go, later on in Adventureland.

As we window shopped back up Main Street, we thought we'd jump into line in Tomorrowland to check out the highly debated Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor Comedy Club. Instead we opted for the always wonderful Pirates of the Caribbean first.

Is it just me or is Captain Jack Sparrow just a bit better than in California? Especially our last sight of Jack. It's just a better set-up, the treasure room and all. Now, the rest of the attraction pales in comparision, but not the end.

Although Adventureland is a mixed bag of styles, I am happy to see Swiss Family Robinson still resides in the Treehouse. It is iconic. Caribbean Plaza is a very pretty area. Agrabah is not, although there are some nice details. It's just too sandwiched into the South Seas. No matter, after we set sail with the pirates, it was time to to hit Splash Mountain.

When the characters in Splash Mountain are truly maintained, this is the better American version of Tony Baxter's masterpiece. This trip, the figures needed new tar and feathers (or fur) and the atmosphere a new coat of paint. It is still on the must-do list, especially for a first-timer. The drop still thrills and now provides a great view of the DVC units at the Contemporary Resort as well as the castle. We exited fairly wet, obtained another Fastpass- this time for Big Thunder at 8:15pm, and headed off for what once was the land of the future.

The "tooning" of Tomorrowland continues to disappoint me. It is now Fantasyland 2.0! Buzz is a fun little attraction, although I hate that it ultimately replaced If You Had Wings (... had wings, had wings, had wings...) and its successors. Alien Encounter was a groundbreaking attraction. Stitch Encounter should be also. It's so bad, people should be stampeding for the door. I feel much the same about Monsters replacing the beautiful Visionarium. Aside from not belonging in the area and being totally out of theme, it is not a great show. My wife was picked to interact with the characters, so that bit was fun. Yet, overall, the attraction left me with an empty feeling- like living on candy for a week. In execution, Epcot's Turtle Talk with Crush is a much better use of this technology. Monsters makes it easy to see you are watching a screened film; Crush's aquarium set up is more effective in suspending disbelief. Ultimately, the attraction ranks like Stitch- I did it once and don't expect to repeat it again. Many of Tomorowland's attractions now fall into this category.

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority is not one of them, however. We could ride this all day. After all these years, it remains a great way to tour the land, rest your feet, and enjoy the technology. I so appreciated the insider tour of Space Mountain, especially since the standby line was over two hours by this point in time, with Fastpass available at 11:00pm. Never did ride before the refurbishment, so I'll just have to do it on my next trip. I chose to bypass Carousel of Progress. I love the old shows, but we had seen it last time. It pains me to say it, but it is time for it to go.

We sat in Tomorrowland and called Disney Dining to attempt a last minute reservation on the property. As it was Valentine's Day, we'd take just about anything. Only the Downtown Disney locations were taking walk-ins. Everyone else was full. We settled on a fast meal while being entertained by Sonny Eclipse. It was actually pretty good, our chicken and burger was fresh, hot, and tasty. We spent some time just talking and reflecting on the current state of the park versus our first visit together in 1982 and my first visit in 1975.
It was now dusk. The castle lighting turned on, the sky became a beautiful orange rose color, and we stopped in awe of the view around us. Rounding the bend, we went into the castle from Tomorrowland, choosing to watch Mickey's Philharmagic.

Philharmagic is our favorite 3D show on the property- and a fine replacement for the Audio Animatronic character show once held in the spot. My prediction is this show will wear better and longer than any other 3D film in the parks. The reason? The magic of the Disney music and charcters included in it. Flying with Peter Pan? Check. Under the Sea with Ariel? Check. Mickey? Check. The list goes on and on. The story is fun and the animation terrific. Nice job.

I'll make one other prediction for the area. Snow White will vacate her property soon. While Pooh and his adventures packed in the folks and nearby Peter Pan needs Fastpass as well, even on a busy day, Snow White had a ten minute wait. The carousel had a longer line as did Ariel's Grotto. Again, just a prediction, but wait and watch. We quickly walked through Toon Town and confirmed our earlier thoughts on the place.

The crowds were now thick as SpectroMagic and the fireworks were coming up. We walked past It's a Small World, which I love, and into Liberty Square on the way to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We paused at the riverboat station and watched the parade from afar. I noticed the Mansion was darkly lit but the rest of the square looked elegant and refined after dark. It was odd to see the parade in the historic side of the park. Yet I had to remember that Fantasmic at Disneyland is on the same side as well. Both placings seem odd to me.

The crush of people post-parade was amazing, but we eventually made it to the mountain. What a blast! In California, Big Thunder never gets you too far from something lit up. Here, it seemed we were way out from civilization- a very nice and sometimes scary touch. The effects seemed more dramatic and convincing. The additional scenes that were also viewed from the railroad added to the story. In all, it is a superb experience to ride this at night. We left exhilarated- and decided to end our day at the Magic Kingdom on this high note.

We made our way through the park as the fireworks began. I turned and looked one last time (or so I thought) at the castle, the gorgeous Crystal Palace, and then at the train station. The day was over. We jumped on our bus and within minutes, we were back at Port Orleans Riverside, enjoying the night air and then an evening swim.

It was a terrific day! The Magic Kingdom still sparkles. Yes, recent "tooning" has been unfortunate, and I hope that trend ends, but I think it is too late. Yes, there needs to be a new "E" ticket attraction. However, we found much to love here with many experiences unique to Florida. Those westcoasters who write off this kindgom when comparing it to the attraction and detail filled original one, should think twice before doing so. It is two different parks and two very different experiences. Both wonderful, both magical.

Disney's Animal Kingdom was next- and our visit included some amazing and unexpected discoveries.

(All photos copyright Mark Taft.)

Great Moments with Walt Disney?

For years now, the rumor has floated that the Imagineers at Walt Disney Company had thought about or planned an Audio-Animatronic version of Walt himself. I now have proof! Watch for an upcoming post and interview with an Imagineer who will tell us about it.

Yes, it will be great to see Mr. Lincoln again. But wouldn't it be sweet to see Walt as well? Stay tuned...
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Watch for more Walt Disney World trip reports next week- filled with photos!
Have a great weekend! (Lincoln postcard artwork copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Goodbye Rocky Mountain News!

Wow. Today is my day off, so I ususally sleep in a little later than normal. Just went to the driveway and picked up the newspaper. Today is the last day the Rocky Mountain News will be printed. The end of an era.

When we relocated here in 1989 from California via Oregon (a lon story for another time), the News was my guide to a whole new life. I relied on it to bring me international, national and local news unbiasedly and fairly presented- and it did. Yet it also displayed its unabashed love for Colorado and taught me what it meant to be a Colorado citizen- to enjoy the state's pleasures and protect its resources.

I'll miss you- my Saturday morning coffees on the patio with the paper won't ever be the same. And as for that other newspaper, well, they just fall short in so many areas.

Idol Starts to Warm Up

Let's just say that Season Eight of American Idol looks, well, interesting. Early standouts include Danny Gokey and Alexis Grace, although I'm sure the next couple of weeks will bring some surprises. Of course, once the Top Twelve hits, things really get fun- lots of stretching due to the competitors being forced to sing genres they don't feel comfortable in or songs they don't really like. The stress alone will cause some to break or just show off their bad side. Of course, if you've hung out here long enough, you know I am a big fan of Elliott Yamin and Chris Daughtry from Season Five. Not only could these guys sing, they remained good guys with tender hearts; their pride and ego in check all the way through. One of the true measures of a man is humility and grace.

Another Great Pictorial

Wanna see Disney's California Adventure in a whole new light? MouseTimes has done it once again. For some of the best on-line photography of the Disneyland Resort, this is the place to go. Well done!