Elsa's Frozen Ice Palace Shines at Night!

For the first time in forever, Elsa's ice palace is lit up!Thanks to this photo by HKDL Fantasy, we can see it in all its nighttime glory. As part of the new World of Frozen opening in Hong Kong Disneyland, this will be the mountain that sets the smallest but perhaps the most charming park in China apart from Shanghai Disneyland. Bigger is not always better! Yet, compared to the measly attraction in Epcot, this land will also draw guests in with Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs, its own version of Frozen Ever After, and a slew of shops and restaurants set around a sparkling Norwegian lake. Is it enough on its own to make you book a trip there? No. But throw in Mystic Manor, the Disney kingdoms largest Adventureland, and the beautiful city of Hong Kong itself and you might have enough reason to go!

A&M Records Jerry Moss Passes Away at 88

The "M" of A&M Records, Jerry Moss passed away at 88 years old today. Along with musician Herb Alpert, the duo created a fabulous record label that brought many, many beloved artists to the radios and homes of those all over the world. Jerry's pictured here right in the center of two of the label's most successful artists, Richard and Karen Carpenter. (One time producer Jack Daugherty is on the far left, Herb on the right.) 

Jerry was a solid Rock and Roll guy, but gave the duo its due when the Carpenters elegant Horizon album was released with its beautiful renditions of the hit Only Yesterday,  I Can Dream Can't I and Solitaire. Enlarge the image above and read his letter to Richard. Definitely a classy thing to do!

Rest in Peace Mr. Moss... and thank you.

The Thrill is Gone

Boredom, indifference, being tired. I don't know which one it is, but this I can say: The thrill is gone. No, I don't mean the classic rock song by B.B. King. I mean I just don't seem to care much about many things. My travel business is losing its luster, the new discoveries in my local record store don't bring a rush, I certainly am not all that interested in this blog right now, and definitely anything having to do with the Walt Disney Company is just not bringing it. I'm sure it will all return at some point, but for now, it's just not there.

Build Your Own Ultimate Disney Castle Park Game

After the latest earnings call and no news of investment into the U.S. parks, I think we could all do better with the theme parks. Wanna try? Based on the classic Disneyland hub and spoke model as Walt Disney and the original Imagineers planned it, you are the lead designer in this new theme park game. Disney theme park fans will especially love the capability of building their own dream castle park. Now, you get a chance to do just that. 

The goal of the game and the rules are pretty simple: 

The Goal of the Game:  

Create the most balanced Disney castle park. You want epic attractions of all types, great shows, and very inviting places to dine and shop. Your park should appeal to fans of all ages.

Choose your perfect entrance land, a whimsical Fantasyland, a bold and futuristic Tomorrowland, a rustic Frontierland, and a very exotic Adventureland of your own. You can focus on any castle park to make your selections- the Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai Disneyland. Don't worry about the area that surrounds the park. Just focus on designing it.

The Rules of the Game:

1- When you choose a land from a particular resort, you must retain every aspect of the land and cannot swap out individual elements, nor can you add to them. However, if an attraction, show, shop, or restaurant is found in two different lands that you have selected, you may eliminate one of them.

2- As the lead Imagineer, you may also pick one additional land to add to your park, making a total of six themed lands. What choice would you make? Mickeys' Toontown? Liberty Square? Mystic Manor? New Orleans Square? Toy Story Land? Maybe Tokyo's Critter Country with the only remaining Splash Mountain.  Perhaps you'd pick one of two lands unique to Shanghai Disneyland: Treasure Cove or Adventure Isle. 

3- Bonus Decision #1- Choose whichever castle you want as the icon. You are not limited to choosing the castle which is connected to your choice of Fantasyland. But you are limited to keeping the attractions, shops, and restaurants that are part of your castle of choice.

4- Bonus Decision #2- Choose any attraction from any park you'd like, and place it within an existing land. Fill the that attraction gap. Not enough thrills rides? Need more theater based attractions or rides for children? Now is your chance to round out the roster.

Explain your choices and convince other players your design deserves to win. Ready, Set, Go!

Here are my choices for the Ultimate Disney Castle Park:

Main Street U.S.A.-  Disneyland Paris

The opening scene of any park must set he stage for what lies ahead.

 

Yes, this too is Disneyland Paris!

This one was much, much harder than I thought it would be! If I didn't choose Disneyland, could I exclude Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, one of Walt Disney's personal favorites? If I chose Tokyo Disneyland and its covered main thoroughfare, I'd have to forego the Railroad- and certainly that is a standard must-have aspect of any castle park. But what about the Crystal Palace? It's one of my favorite pieces of architecture. Could I choose Shanghai Disneyland's Mickey Avenue in lieu of something celebrating America? That answer was "Absolutely not!" 

Ultimately, I decided upon Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland Paris.

Imagine an elegant look at America at the turn of the 20th Century with a touch of French elegance. Dine at Walt's for a signature meal set in rooms filled with Imagineering art. Take an excursion about the railroad but glance up at the stunning stained glass windows that frame a part of the train station. Each represents a different land. Main Street Motors is just one of the beautifully designed buildings that take the art of Imagineering to the next level. The ceilings of the most visited shops match the appeal of famous Parisian department with domes of leaded glass. Stop to get a haircut at Dapper Dan's. Stroll the gracious arcades on each side of Main Street with each one telling a unique story about America. 

Adventureland- the original Disneyland

What means a land of adventure in your park? Think it through and choose wisely.

In contrast to the previous land, overall, this decision was a much easier one to make. I'm very partial to the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House at the Magic Kingdom, but the inclusion of the very out-of theme Magic Carpets of Aladdin meant I'd pass on picking that one. Tokyo Disneyland's included a mini New Orleans Square and its Pirates of the Caribbean, but that seemed like an easy cheat.  Although a fresh concept, I passed on Adventure Isle in Shanghai as in my mind, a Soarin' attraction doesn't seem to fit a castle park. Hong Kong Disneyland held promise as the biggest Adventureland with much room for expansion even though it's currently under built.

Epic, classic, and a must-have aspect of my Adventureland.

As much as I love Adventure Isle at Disneyland Paris- I mean a full-sized Skull Rock, a Captain Hook Pirate Ship and a junglely take on Tom Sawyer Island!- without a version of the Jungle Cruise, it just could not be a contender.  I decided against the Parisian area as an off the shelf Indiana Jones coaster can't come close to competing with a wild, off road jeep excursion. So, Disneyland won the competition.

Yes, it is the smallest and there's no room for expansion, but inch for inch, it is difficult to beat the original Adventureland in Anaheim, California. Tree House? Check. Jungle Cruise? Yes. Enchanted Tiki Room and The Tropical Hideaway for a taste of the islands? Perfect!

Angry deities abound in two attractions here. 

The Indiana Jones Adventure seals the deal! Its small temple fits the scale of Disneyland and masks the mega-adventure within. A nice surprise. 

Stuffed with attractions that span generations, this Adventureland's filled with almost 70 years of growing trees, shrubs, and flowers, making it a hidden gem in the middle of suburbia.  All proving once again, that size doesn't matter. It's what you do with it.

Frontierland- Disneyland Paris

The Wild West. Is it cartoon and Intellectual Property filled or is it based on American history- or a combination of both? The choice is all yours.

From difficult choices to the easiest one, there's no Disney castle park on earth with a more compelling and better designed Frontierland than the one found at Disneyland Paris.  Here's Thunder Mesa -a nice tribute to Imagineer Marc Davis- in all its glory. All that's missing is Western River Expedition.

With a full grown fort at the entrance, the whole land is worthy of exploration. Going up to the arcades, you're blessed with the view like the one shown above in my photo. The steamboat rounds the bend as the trains of Big Thunder Mountain Railway circle the island. Going under the river is an unexpected, thrilling, and totally unique way to begin the journey! But trust me, you'll want to ride time and again.

Disney's official photo capturing a summer day at the Manor.

My photo from a dreary winter afternoon.

Particularly after dark, the old and dilapidated Wild West version of the statesides' Haunted Mansion scares up some nightmares. The storyline of the entire land is tied together in a way that will give you the chills long before you enter Phantom Manor. Be sure to investigate the graveyard and notice one bit of naughty humor that only the Parisian parc could get away with.

As the railroad cars pass the perimeter of the park, riders get a great view of the geysers that dot this wilderness settlement during the gold rush. Imagineer Tony Baxter and his team lavished detail everywhere you look in this land and all the lands which make up the Disney location in France.

The official Disney photo shows Thunder Mesa in its haunted splendor.

The Lucky Nugget Saloon serves up piping hot fare, but it does miss a great opportunity to bring in the full blown cancan show- which originated in France- that was once a mainstay of California's park. Ooh la la! The shooting gallery gives young gunslingers a chance to practice while a great BBQ barn around the bend gives those traveling the frontier a chance to refresh and regroup. There's lots of open land on the frontier for growth and expansion.  

Fantasyland- Tokyo Disneyland 

Some people would say this is the very heart of any castle park. Just thinking through the list of classic Disney animated films and their matching attractions gives you plenty of options. 

Welcome to Beast's Castle! Official Disney photo.

Back to a difficult choice. The charm of Walt's park would bring a European style village and a great assortment of dark rides to the park including the lovely Storybookland Canal Boats and Casey Jr.'s Circus Train. Choosing Magic Kingdom would add Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, and the Be Our Guest and Cinderella's Royal Table Restaurants. Voyage to the Crystal Grotto may be at Shanghai, but it is as overrated an attraction as the land is misdesigned. Fantasyland in Paris has its Alice in Wonderland maze and combines many attractions, also adding the Toad Hall restaurant.

Pooh's Hunny Hunt from Disney Photoblography.

A closer inspection really meant one clear winner: Tokyo Disneyland. Not only is the beloved Pooh's Hunny Hunt to be found here, you've also got the brand new Enchanted Tale with Beauty and the Beast. Just imagine a second full sized castle set in the forest by the film's iconic village. The ride's full of the film's music, charm, and suspense- as well as dozens of Audio-Animatronic characters. 

In Tokyo, you can in Wonderland! The Official Disney photo.

The Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall is a fan favorite right next to It's A Small World. The original attraction facade is found here in a new array of pastel colors and Mary Blair styling. 

Around the castle courtyard lie the classic dark rides: Snow White's Adventures, Peter Pan's Flight and the original Pinocchio's Daring Journey and even Philharmagic. The land's setting may be old school pre-1983 Disneyland, but it is 100% maintained and upgraded. Certainly, more updates are due here next, but as it stands now, the attraction line up cannot be beat!

Tomorrowland- Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Science fiction or science fantasy. What does your land dedicated to tomorrow look like? This make be the most difficult land of all in which to choose.

From themeparktourist.com

The Land of the Future. Every park has its weakest cohesion of theme found here as the future keeps becoming the past, leaving each park with a mix of old and new as well as some Intellectual Property thrown in. Which park has the Tomorrowland that I'd add to finish off my park? 

The original has its strengths- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, the only real water submarine ride in existence, and wait for it... Oh yeah, let's forget it. Disneyland's land of the future is a wreck. The once great Matterhorn Bobsleds are just painful, and it seems the entrance is in a perpetual state of confusion. In Tokyo, Monsters Inc. Ride and Go Seek! is a unique entry in the land of the future line up. But it's neither futuristic or educational. Over in China, Hong Kong Disneyland is either cutesy or infused with Marvel. No thank you. Farther east in Shanghai Disneyland, this area looks incredible, but it is very short on attractions. The Jules Verne theming of the land in Paris is too specific a look for my choice, although I absolutely love it as part of the whole.

These two photos of mine represent aspects I love and put up with 

in the world of the future.

What about over in Walt Disney World? As with so many others, it's a curious mix, old, new, and filled with toons. But somehow it works.

Space Mountain is a must for my park, and I'm riveted by the chance to ride a Light Cycle in the world of Tron. The land of the future here also holds one of my very favorite attractions, one I look forward to riding multiple times every visit: The WEDWAY Peoplemover.  Sure, the toon invasion is here as well, but it is balanced out by a bit of retro Disney history with the Carousel of Progress. All said, this is not my favorite land, but it is the one that works for me to flesh out this park.

Castle Icon- Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant,  Disneyland Paris

The classic castle park icon. So many choices! What will push your decision over the top?

Gorgeous by day. Both photos here and below are mine.

Park purists hold to Disney's original and smallest castle as being the best. It's charming and sentimental for obvious reasons- who cannot be moved by the famous photo of Walt walking through it- but it does not represent the magnificent accomplishments of what a Disney park entails. The walk thru is nice, though.

The Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland share a castle architecture, but with different paint color schemes. Tokyo's got its own walk thru and Florida has Cinderella's Royal Table, a terrific place for a special meal. With its darker bottom tones, it's Tokyo for the win between the two. The pink paint job in Florida is just a disaster. 

Hong Kong's new remodel is 100% better than what they had, but there's really nothing inside it. In contrast, they threw everything into Shanghai's castle, but the end result is boxy, clunky, and just too much. Sometimes bigger is not better.

Breathtaking at night.

Bonus photo from arjwdwgirl.

Sleeping Beauty Castle in Paris best captures the magic and charm. The ground floor very expensive restaurant is not in its favor, but the ability to walk the upper regions past beautiful stained glass and tapestries among stone pillars that look like trees is a treat. The lovely balcony overlooks Fantasyland and the castle courtyard. Of course, the dungeon's giant dragon is an attraction on its own. The whole area is beautifully executed and magical in the best sense of the word. A nifty little bonus is the secret passageway into the dungeon found in Merlin's shop. 

Bonus Land- New Orleans Square,  Disneyland

Every Disney park expands throughout the course of its history. In your park, there's a special land from opening day. What will it be?

By any measure, Disneyland's elegant New Orleans Square is an artistic triumph and a fan favorite. Certainly, it is one of my most beloved themed lands in any park. Removing the seediness of the real life city from the Imagineer's recreation, and what is left is the area's history, flavor, and charm. In abundance.

The winding streets and courtyards allow guest to wander and almost forget they are in the middle of a very busy city or even a theme park. Live music is to be found as well as some of the best places to dine. Cafe Orleans holds less expensive fare, and the waterside dining at the iconic Blue Bayou is unmatched in atmosphere. Mint Julep and a beignet anyone?

The mother lode of Imagineering genius is here.

There's nothing new that can be said by me about the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. For a decade, the French version was my favorite, but after several rides recently on the California original, I've come home. The more leisurely pace and timing gives the attraction time to breathe and immerses guests in an adventure unlike no other. 

(In this park challenge, there's a duplicate attraction to deal with, so I  have to remove two of three Haunted Mansions. In order to keep the story flowing, I'm going to keep Phantom Manor in Frontierland, and forgo both the New Orleans Square mansion and the Fantasyland one in Tokyo. Each of these two lands are so strong, they can hold its own without it.)

I probably have more photos of this attraction than any other.

And more blog posts- for good reason!

More recent changes to the pirate attraction are a mixed bag at best, but at its core, Pirates of the Caribbean remains Disney Imagineering's finest achievement. All new hires into Imagineering should be required to take a course and learn what makes this one so uniquely Disney and the company's crowning achievement.

Bonus Attraction- Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

Pick an attraction to fill in any gaps in your attraction line-up.  It's harder than you might think to pick just one and leave others behind.

Let's be honest- Splash Mountain would be the most obvious choice here. Perhaps even Star Tours or Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. But each of these would require big changes to the park that night even feel out of theme. Ariel fits in pretty easily, and certainly the fortune changing 1989 animated film deserves its place in Fantasyland. It's not a great attraction, but for the most part, it works. Replacement location would be where Tokyo Disney's Haunted Mansion resides. 

The Final Land Breakdown and the Attraction Line-Up

There's two lands from Walt's original park: Adventureland and New Orleans Square. There's one land from the Magic Kingdom in Florida: Tomorrowland. Fantasyland comes from Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris brings its amazing castle, Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland. The Chinese parks had no entries. (In my mind, this points to problems with each park. In Shanghai, there's a few very good original attractions but a weak supporting cast. The opposite holds true in Hong Kong: the park is beautiful and filled with great second tier attractions but few true headliners.) 

Here's my very poor mock up of the new park.

In this game, my entry reveals what I think is a pretty impressive line up for beloved attractions from various eras. 

Traditional "E Tickets" include Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom Manor, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones Adventure, the Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain, TRON Lightcycle Run, It's a Small World, Pooh's Hunny Hunt, Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast.  (10 total)

Traditional "D Tickets" include the Disneyland Railroad, Enchanted Tiki Room, Molly Brown Steamboat, Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, PhilharMagic, Carousel of Progress. (7 total)

Supporting attractions: Three traditional dark rides (Snow White, Peter Pan, Pinocchio), La Tanier du Dragon walk thru, La Galerie du Chateau walk thru, the Tea Cups, Dumbo, Carousel, Swiss Family Tree House, Frontierland Playground, Rustler Roundup Shootin' Gallery, Frontier Arcade walk thru, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Speedway, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Astro Orbiter, Horse Drawn Streetcars and other vehicles, Main Street Discovery and Liberty Arcade exhibits. (19 total)

Theater Show locations: Fantasyland Forest Theater, Frontierland Theater, Tomorrowland Stage. (3 total)

Dining Locations of Note: Walt's, Silver Spur Steakhouse, Blue Bayou, Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall, Tropical Hideaway.

So, there you have it! Have I won the Build Your Own Ultimate Disney Castle Park game? What does your entry look like? 

Maybe one day, I'll piece together my dream castle park with no restrictions...

(All photographs unless noted by Mark Taft.)

Another Look at Marc Davis' Imagineering Art for Pirates of the Caribbean

When The Walt Disney Company currently seems to be holding still or actually moving backwards when it comes to the theme parks- at least in the States- it's nice to have concept art from the old school Imagineering masters to look at. Marc Davis was such a master! Here's one of his pieces of concept art for an enduring fan favorite. 

Pirates of the Caribbean stands the test of time decade after decade as one of the finest pieces of theme park art ever brought to life! There's a reason: Incredible setting in New Orleans Square, full sized sets, thrills, dozens of Audio-Animatronic characters, atmosphere galore, mystery and the incredible theme song Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me) which ties it all together. There's no convoluted back story, no forced Intellectual Property integration. It's just pure adventure and fun upon the high seas. Once again, Disneyland was at the forefront of what defined a theme park.  

Once again, Walt Disney was right. Give guests more than they expect and treat them with respect, and you'll win fans that return again and again.

Straight Talk Delivered- The TED Talk

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

Luke 9:18-26

Making the Best of It

Everyone in the family knows the beach isn't his favorite place, but one of the things we love about our youngest son is his ability to have fun anywhere. It was a rather windy and cool day in Huntington Beach, but he made the best of it. So today, on his birthday, I want to say how blessed we are to have him as part of our lives. He was a joy as a little boy, and he's a joy to be with as an adult. Happy Birthday!

New Look at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad- the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness

After two posts in a row about Universal Orlando Resort, I wanted to make sure my Disney Bloggers membership card wasn't pulled from me, so I have a pretty great piece of concept art for today's post. Look at this very cool rendering! What you're seeing is a rare Big Thunder Mountain Railroad illustration. Check it out in its largest form for all the details- broken track, canyon gorges, and water features. 

When Imagineer Marc Davis' original plan for Thunder Mesa with its Western River Expedition, a cowboy and Indian version of Pirates of the Caribbean were cancelled, the runaway mine train attraction as part of the larger complex was saved. Young Imagineering protégé Tony Baxter jumped on the chance to elaborate on the original design. The end result? An instant classic built in multiple parks and our family's very favorite mountain attraction. 

The "Wildest ride through the Wilderness" is very good at Disneyland, even better at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, and just plain fantastic at Disneyland Paris where the riders begin their adventure aboard by going under the river. In fact, Frontierland in France is the best of them all with an expansive, thematically consistent area rich in detail, story, and top notch execution. You've got to see it to believe it.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Anyplace you ride it, you'll find one great attraction in the old school, Disney Imagineering tradition. And what a great thing that is!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Universal Orlando's Monster of the Deep

Is this terrifying enough? Universal Orlando Resort has a great series of attraction posters for their Velocicoaster at Islands of Adventure. There's a few other ones on this blog, but this may be one of the best. While you're waiting in line for this incredible coaster, these line the queue. Are they posters of what's to come in the future for the Jurassic Park themed land? Certainly dinosaurs and more dinosaurs are the order of the day. We all love them. Except at Disney World apparently.

The money minded suits and the Imagineers at Disney look to be caving big time to Universal's dominance in the dinosaur market. By planning to bring Zootopia to replace Animal Kingdom's jeep ride, it certainly seems there's a Countdown to Extinction for Dinosaur. In the old days, they'd never let their main competitors win without a fight. These days, seems the suits roll over. The big beasts deserve a place in a theme park devoted to dinosaurs, don't you think? I know those folks spending their hard earned money tend to think so.

(Art copyright Universal Creative.)

Dine or Ditch: Islands of Adventure's Mythos

Long awarded "World's Best Theme Park Restaurant" by Theme Park Insider, Mythos certainly wins the Universal Islands of Adventure award for most iconic exterior. It's a breathtaking piece of work! Placed in the ever shrinking Lost Continent section of the park (will The Legend of Zelda replace it?), the magnificent building houses a popular eatery. But is Mythos a good one or merely resting on its laurels? That's the focus of this latest Dine or Ditch installment.

Unlike those most sought after restaurants at competitor Walt Disney World, obtaining dining reservations for similar type fare at Universal Orlando Resort is easy, fast, and with seating generally available for exactly when you want it. How nice a change that is!

We saved Mythos for last. The night before, we dined at City Walk's Toothsome Chocolate Emporium with the same goal in mind: an enjoyable meal to weed through all the hype.

From checking in at the front kiosk, seating was quick, bringing us a nice respite from the heat outside. The room seemed much warmer and louder than I expected, but the large viewing windows held quite a spectacular sight: The trains of The Hulk coaster zipped by across the lagoon. Made for a rather fun topic of discussion as we bantered about the merits of Universal Orlando vs. Walt Disney World. Seating here is in stadium type layers with each row slightly above the previous ones so most everyone in the place has a good view of all the action.

Our server arrived quickly with menus, followed by cold water. Our drink order came quickly: A Cucumber Martini for me, a glass of white wine for my wife, and a local beer for our son, name forgotten. Each was a generous pour at a typical higher than normal but normal for a theme park price. Tasty, refreshing, and just the thing to end a long day at Islands of Adventure and the one of a kind thrills of Velocicoaster and Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

The starters on the menu were varied and appealing, making a good beginning. We opted for the Lamb Meatballs. I found them rather tasty, very moist, and with a slight tang. Unfortunately, I was the only fan among our table. My wife was not impressed and neither was our son.

My eye was instantly drawn to the Pad Thai noodles- one of my favorite dishes in Asian cuisine, something we had not eaten much of on this trip. We'd planned a meal at Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs, but we ran out of time. It was a quick decision.

The entrees. A decent selection to be sure.

But what would everyone else choose? 

My son, on the other hand, only tolerates Asian cuisine and went directly for the big, beefy burger. Brick Oven Roasted Chicken tempted my wife and completed our order.

The burger was exactly what you'd expect at a higher end restaurant. I thought it'd be very, very difficult to beat the one at The Edison, but he pronounced it as just what the doctor ordered. Flavorful, fresh, and with a great bun.

My wife is not a fussy eater, and she truly enjoyed the chicken and the fingerling potatoes side dish. The chicken held just enough of the Mediterranean spice and not too much. Exactly to her liking.

Pad Thai noodles. Photographer unknown.

That was the problem with my Pad Thai. The noodles were great, the crushed nuts and fresh vegetables perfect, but it was a total let down in the spice department. The peanut sauce had no bite. In this dish, the sauce makes or breaks the dish. 

All three of our dishes, much like our drinks, had more than adequate portions. We were left without room or desire for dessert. That said, there were quite a few options that caught my eye. But the sun was still beating down outside, and I didn't feel like walking away that full when the temporary sugar rush was soon crash.

Nice but not compelling at least for this dinner.

Is Mythos really the "World's Best Theme Park Restaurant"? No, not at all. That award truly belongs elsewhere. But is it a Dine or Ditch?

It's a "Dine here" if you're looking for something slightly out of the ordinary with a great park lagoon view. It would be stunning in the evening. There's certainly something for multiple tastes and budgets at a fairly reasonable price. Mythos is kid friendly without catering to them. As it is a bit more expensive than the park's other restaurants, I'd think twice bringing the kiddos if they're used to being loud and having the run of the place.

It's a definite "Ditch this place" if you believe the hype and fully expect it to meet that measurement. There are much better choices at Universal's City Walk and even at their on site hotels.  Especially at the price point. To be fair, we did eat here almost two years ago when the menu was smaller, staff was harder to come by, and things in general seemed less festive. That said, I still would not return. Mythos is just not special enough to warrant a return visit. 

Want more Dine or Ditch?

Check out these other reviews:

Raglan Road at Disney Springs

Sci-Fi Dine In at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom

Garden Grill at Epcot

Cafe Orleans at Disneyland

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal Orlando

San Angel Inn Restaurante at Epcot

(Bottom photo copyright Universal Orlando. Top two photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

The Best Carpenters Music Channel

 If you're looking for the absolute best YouTube channel on all things Richard and Karen Carpenter aka Carpenters, one of your must sees should be Billy Rees site. It's not only home to music but also a place to find all kinds of rare interviews with Richard and Karen Carpenter in their prime. 

The woman with the voice of velvet lives on through their music. I bet you know more of their songs than you realize- Close to You, We've Only Just Begun, For All We Know, Rainy Days and Mondays, Superstar, Hurting Each Other, Top of the World, Goodbye to Love, Yesterday Once More, Please Mr. Postman, Only Yesterday, I Need to Be in Love, Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft, and Touch Me When We're Dancing. And those are only the biggest hits. All on the Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss A&M Records label.

Find Billy's channel here. When you discover how much you like what he has done, you can connect with him on the A&M Corner as well. He's just a very nice gentleman!

And Many More

For my records, a follow up to an earlier photo. Today is my father's birthday. He's quite the character to say the least! (Unexpectedly, his watch face is Mickey Mouse!) Happy Birthday, Dad- and many more I hope.

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

Walt Disney on the It's A Small World Construction Site

Walt Disney was certainly a visionary, but he was also very hands-on! When it came to building the Disneyland version of It's a Small World,  he relied on two of his most distinctive Imagineers to bring it all together: Mary Blair and Rolly Crump. Mary was chiefly responsible for the style and color palette of the interior, while Rolly contributed to the attractions iconic exterior. 

Walt directed the ship- and the park was better for it- but he also knew what it took to "sell" his projects. Not only did he get Pepsi to invest in the attractions creation when it came to the New York World's Fair, he got the rights to bring it home to Anaheim's Fantasyland, and his team brought in yet another sponsor there. Smart guy! In the photo above, he's shown with sponsor Bank of America's head honcho as the attraction's exterior was being completed. 

Walt was savvy! He wanted to best for his guests, and he creatively found ways to enhance the park. The focus on excellence resulted in happy investors in the company. It's certainly a strategy that paid off. Something that future CEO's did at times understand and sometimes not at all. Where would you rank the three most recent: Michael Eisner, Robert Iger, and Bob Chapek? I'd say it was most definitely a mixed bag. Truth is, there is still no one like Walt!

Following Bing Crosby's Advice

Following Bing Crosby's advice from the classic film, White Christmas, I can look at each one here and give thanks to God for his ongoing goodness and faithfulness! Count your blessings instead of sheep. I'm counting my blessings today, are you?

Olivia Newton-John Shines Again

Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition, a 2 LP special set sounds absolutely terrific on vinyl! Covering her earlier pre-Grease hits, there's more than a country tinge to the numbers, but Olivia soars above it all with lighter than air lead vocals and plenty of layering of that unique voice. I Honestly Love You, Please Mr. Please, and If Not For You shine! Not to be outdone, Something Better to Do and Have You Never Been Mellow sound even better if that's possible. Olivia's version of Don't Cry for Me Argentina is here as well. It was released in 1977 around the time of Carpenters' album Passage which also included the song. In one more connection with Karen Carpenter, the cover photo of this Olivia package but shot by French photographer Claude Mougin who also took the photos for Karen's one and only solo album.

What a wonderful listen this collection is! A very worthy addition to your audio library.