Ultimate Orlando Blog

Review of STK Orlando (Disney Springs)

2019年04月08日T21:53:00.005-04:00

We were invited this weekend to sample the brunch menu at STK in Disney Springs. The brunch concept isn't new in this location - that debuted about a year ago - but the menu turnover since then has been almost complete, so there is a lot to consider trying!

It's a brunch, so we sampled the mango sorbet and sparking rosé (13ドル) and the cucumber stiletto (16ドル) listed under the "liquid brunch" category. The rosé was all right, but not aligned with my personal taste buds. The cucumber stiletto, by contrast, was amazingly tailored for me. Hints of mint, cucumber, and St. Germaine, and a base of a Ketel One Citroen make for a great - and potent - brunch combination.

For food, we started with the cinnamon monkey bread (6ドル), which were soft bread knots meant to pull apart. There was cinnamon, all right, and a layer of baked sugar at the bottom, but it's the cream cheese icing that really makes this a can't-miss. Also, it was filling by itself.

The lemon-ricotta pancakes (14ドル) was essentially a dessert, and served surprisingly crispy. By outward appearances you'd think these were just pancakes, but each bite reminded you that mixed berries melded with the lemon curd, and you were surprised afresh.

I had tremendous bites of flavor with the crab cakes benedict (25ドル). The poached eggs were perfect, and the side asparagus salad is a bite by bite complement to be envied (just don't try for the salad alone; it lacks something by itself). The béarnaise sauce was a little much mustard for me, and while the flavor was there, it was also one of the more expensive dishes on the brunch menu.

If it's value you want, then one item in particular on the lunch menu (served at the same time) will be your clarion call: the 10ドル hamburger plate uses high quality meat - it's essentially a steakburger - at a price point cheaper than other burgers in Disney Springs (that surprised me) and clearly cheaper than any burger plate inside the parks, while also being a world of difference in quality and freshness. We'll be back just for that. But probably also that money bread!

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Kevin Yee
Author of "Walt Disney World Hidden History" and other independent Disney books.
See http://bit.ly/kevinyee for more information.

A Tale of Two MaxPasses

2019年01月06日T21:12:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted to this blogger version of my site in four+ years - most of that time I was active at UltimateOrlando.com, which I finally stopped paying for due to lack of time to keep it properly updated.

That said, every so often I want to jot down ideas that are too big/long for social media, and I kind of like the permanence of a google-able record. So I dusted off this blogger platform. I guess I'll use this every so often now - but it's not my plan to return to frequent posting. Just occasional :)

Today I tackle MaxPass at Disneyland, from which I just returned after almost a week's worth of visits. If you don't know, MaxPass is 10ドル/person for the right to make FastPass reservations from your phone, rather than walking to the attraction and getting the same (free) FastPass on paper. It also comes with free PhotoPass photos for the day. Note that MaxPass and FastPass could be used on the same day, because the reservation is really just a digital artifact attached to your park admission ticket (meaning you can't "get both" and have them overlap; it's all one system).

EDIT: this post was written on 1/6... the same day Disneyland increased MaxPass prices to 15ドル per person. I just found out about the price increase.

I was initially very skeptical. I know Disneyland well enough to navigate it without conscious thought (not an exaggeration) so how much benefit can the phone version bring? Turns out, enough.

We were a family of four, so this is 40ドル/day worth of commitment. We used it on our first day at Disneyland, which, because of our multiday passes, also had ONE day of early entry. We were there right at 7am (operating day was 8am-midnight), and attacked the park. It was a mixture of standby and MaxPass, of course. For those curious, here were our results:

Peter Pan
Alice
Matterhorn TL
Nemo Subs
Haunted Mansion Holiday
Pirates
Space Mountain (MaxPass)
Big Thunder
Jungle Cruise
Winnie the Pooh
Casey Jr
Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
Indy (MaxPass)
Indy (re-ride due to ride breakage)
Roger Rabbit (MaxPass)
Small World Holiday (MaxPass)
Matterhorn FL
Haunted Mansion Holiday (MaxPass)
Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters (MaxPass)
Minnie’s house. Chip-dale treehouse. Main Street cinema.

Mind you, all this was done by 6pm - 11 hours in the park. We had a further six hours of operating park time available to us, but elected to end early due to travel fatigue and jet lag. We could have broken 30 rides... on December 26!! (I guess I didn't mention yet that this was during the busiest week of the year at Disneyland).

If you study our list, you'll see some patterns. Much of the MaxPass riding came late in the afternoon. The reason is that the return times increasingly push out into the evening, but you can stack up holding multiples ones (just not the same attraction over and over) until your time comes. You need only wait 90 minutes from the booking.

And that is a major benefit as far as I can see - 90 minutes is faster than the normal 120 minutes you have to wait if you didn't purchase MaxPass, and just scanned your ticket for the free FastPass. The MaxPass option gives you an earlier window.

The other thing I underestimated is how much time you save by instantly creating the next reservation at the 90 minute point. You may be standing in a 35-minute Matterhorn line, but with the phone you can grab that next reservation right away, instead of waiting to ride, then walking over to get the reservation. Those stray 30 minute bits add up big time!

And then there's the free PhotoPass, though we managed to not take the requisite Castle shot by some miracle of oversight. For those who care, though, this is also worth the money (side note: if all you care about is PhotoPass and not the early reservations, just have ONE person in your party pay the 10ドル upgrade).

Upshot: Disneyland benefited greatly from MaxPass. I went into it thinking we were spending money for something we get for free at WDW, but they aren't the same. There's the time window advantage and there's the PhotoPass benefit, but the overall USAGE of reservations is different in Anaheim. True, in Orlando, you get to make selections ahead of time - one month in the case of us annual passholders. But it's hard to get the BEST rides that way in Orlando (especially for those of us not staying at a Disney hotel), but the Anaheim version is more egalitarian. You start the day with NO ONE having reservations, so you can get what you want. If you start early enough and plan cleverly enough, you can get all of what you want, perhaps even multiple times. As you see above, we scored six reservations on one of the busiest days of the year--something you'd have trouble doing in Orlando even in the off-season, and it wouldn't be the top-tier attractions (those are sold out months early).

Enthused, we bought MaxPass the second day, in DCA. That turned out to be a mistake. Malfunctions on Radiator Springs Racers conspired against our carefully laid plans, and we stuck it out in the Standby line when we should have aborted (and, as we learned later, just use the single rider line). As a result, our first two reservations expired without being used, and I learned that the attractions computers have no way of knowing I had those reservations, and the CMs are rightfully worried I might just be making it up. (For those curious, the problems came from not assuming the worst once Racers broke. We stayed in the standby line as the announced wait time ticked up... and up... and up, and ultimately spent 3+ hours in here and missed our reservations - we were hoping we could come late and just explain, but we didn't know their computers would keep no records. Also, we had a smaller-than-usual list of rides we cared about since much we'd seen before or had in Orlando, so we stuck it out in this line longer than we would have in Disneyland).

Guest Relations helped, sort of, with two "make up" reservations not part of our paid plan (but not Racers, one of the ones which had expired). The GR Cast Member shared, somewhat conspiratorially, that the free legacy paper FastPasses were probably the way to go in DCA, and we agreed.

So: skip MaxPass at DCA, but use it to great effect at Disneyland. Start as early as you can for maximum benefit. And plan very carefully which rides you'll do in the morning rush ("morning advantage"), which you'll do in the peak of the day, and which you'll do in the late evening, especially once Fantasmic and the fireworks start and lines start to slow. If you aren't doing MaxPass every day, delay shows and fireworks for a different day.

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Kevin Yee
Author of "Walt Disney World Hidden History" and other independent Disney books.
See http://bit.ly/kevinyee for more information.

Dick Tracy movie tribute in Backlot Tour warehouse

2014年01月28日T08:57:00.000-05:00

Just a few moments after you enter the warehouse on the Backlot Tram Tour, look to your right to find a display case on the wall.

First, ogle with me the park map displayed here, which shows the park back when it was called Disney-MGM Studios... a true remnant lying around in plain sight.

Then, let your eyes travel upward to a poster above the display case.

Who is district attorney (John) Fletcher? It turns out this is a character in the Disney movie Dick Tracy (1990) - and the photo here shows the same actor/character, so it's the sort of "all in" tribute Disney does best!

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

WDW Clicks #13 - Spice Road Table, Smokehouse, All Star Sports dining area

2014年01月27日T10:21:00.000-05:00

WDW Clicks #13 is now online!

We visit the new counter service Smokehouse at House of Blues, then also drop in to finally sample (and photograph) Spice Road Table, which opened a couple of weeks ago. We tour the new dining room of All Star Sports, which includes a very cool tribute to a Disney fan (rather than a Disney insider) for a change. Finally, we unveil a (small?) spoiler about the Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, so skip the last part of the video if you don't want to hear of something I assume they want kept as a surprise.

Direct link: http://youtu.be/LI1sBZzB-gA

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Spoiler: An unexpected ride feature on Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster confirmed by photo

2014年01月27日T08:03:00.000-05:00

As construction has proceeded on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster over the months, I've come to suspect that the big drop from the mountain (which faces the Be Our Guest castle) has a double drop to it. My telephoto shots of the area, taken while holding the camera over my head many yards back from the construction wall, seemed to imply that the visible drop coming out of the tunnel was preceded by an earlier, short drop while still inside the tunnel. But the light was always tricky and it was hard to see inside the tunnel.

This last weekend I finally happened to be there when the interior work lights were on, and it was clear to see even without the telephoto lens that indeed, we're looking at two drops for this thrilling moment of the attraction.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, even in the world of Disney park tributes

2014年01月26日T08:01:00.000-05:00

When you're a Hidden History hunter, practically every anomaly gets you to question whether there's an inside connection. After all, there are no accidental "71s" in the Magic Kingdom, and all those random numbers you see on pipes usually look like some variation of birth dates and years. Photos of kids have to come from somewhere - is it a stretch to think maybe the Imagineers used pics of their own kids?

When you get to an attraction rich with inside jokes like Carousel of Progress - lots of Hidden Mickeys (sorcerer hat, abstract painting, nutcracker, sorcerer plates) and at least one Imagineer call out (to Herb Ryman, whose name can be seen through the window in the 1920s scene) - you're on high alert.

You know especially that the bulletin board and dry erase board in the finale scene are full of insider things.

On the dry erase board, you've got a reference to 1401, the address on Flower Street in Glendale where Imagineering is based.

There's the famous post-in note saying "Marty called -- wants changes" in reference to then-head of Imagineering Marty Sklar.

So when you take your zoom lens and locate a business card on the same corkboard, the tendency is to think you've hit upon another reference and homage. Take this business card from just below the Marty reference:

Perhaps your first thought, like mine was, is that Roger Everett must be an Imagineer associated with the project, who found a way to make himself timeless! But it doesn't appear to be. I couldn't find evidence of Roger Everett having worked at Imagineering (this is not conclusive, btw), so I turned to an open Google search.

What I found online is that "Roger Everett" is the name of someone who actually does carpentry work in the Orlando area. In other words, probably there is no Imagineering connection, but this could be a tribute of sorts. One assumes Mr. Everett assisted in the 1990s refurbishment of the attraction, and got to include his calling card as a kind of... er, calling card... in the finished experience.

So it's not a smoking gun connection to an Imagineer. That makes this a red herring search in a way, but as the title of the post says, sometimes a cigar really is just a cigar.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Diagon Alley details - from the Universal webcast on Jan. 23 (pics)

2014年01月23日T10:55:00.000-05:00

Mark Woodbury, President of Universal Creative (which is like Imagineering for Universal), gave a briefing from a Gringott's vault set today and revealed some details about the upcoming Diagon Alley expansion to Universal Studios Florida:

Opening is "months away" (this summer)
"Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringott's" is the official name of the attraction.
There will be not just Diagon Alley, but also Nocturn Alley

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

WDW Clicks #12 - Diagon Alley, CityWalk, Monster Jam, More

2014年01月22日T09:53:00.000-05:00

Diagon Alley updates at Universal (including a tiny peek at Leaky Cauldron), plus CityWalk construction, Falcon's Fury construction at Busch Gardens Tampa, Monster Jam truck event at Citrus Bowl in Orlando this Saturday, and a new Walt Disney World Earbook (for calendar year 2013) is now on sale!

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOOXuVR-TiA

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Diagon Alley photo update

2014年01月21日T09:51:00.000-05:00

I dropped by Universal on Monday and saw that the construction scaffolding was mostly down, though there is still some fine detail work to be done. The insides are nowhere near done. But check out this telephoto shot through one doorway:

Enjoy the rest of the photos!

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Tribute on Space Mountain to movie Armageddon

2014年01月21日T09:47:00.000-05:00

Somewhat-new video screens at the exit upramp to Space Mountain (in Orlando) show astronauts in posed scenes with some fake quotes. The names attributed to those quotes - Commander Dan Truman and Grace Stamper, are characters from the Disney movie Armageddon (1998)--played by Billy Bob Thornton and Liv Tyler, respectively.

Click any image for a larger version:

These screens are likely part of the personalization effects that will come from MagicBands in the near future.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Matterhorn tribute in Expedition Everest (explained)

2014年01月20日T09:14:00.000-05:00

There's a somewhat-new (added in 2013) series of videoscreens at the very end of the queue for Expedition Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom. This will presumably become part of MyMagic+ and give personalized shout-outs to visitors, courtesy of MagicBands.

One screen shows a fanciful yeti product. But look closer. There are two references here to Disneyland's yeti attraction, the Matterhorn, which opened decades before Expedition Everest.

First, the fake quote by Klaus Wesselhoft is a clear reference to a character in the movie Third Man on the Mountain (1959), played by Lee Patterson. That movie was about the real Matterhorn, but in filming it, Walt realized he wanted his own Matterhorn at Disneyland, so that was built concurrently.

Then, examine the tin of yeti meats and you'll see yet another representation of the mythical creature. That alone is no surprise; the whole conceit of the queue is that we don't know exactly what he looks like, so there are lots of different images. But THIS image looks a lot like the Abominable Snowman from Disneyland's Matterhorn (added years after Walt died), which would make it a second tribute on the same poster!

Yeti tinned meats.

Disneyland's Harold; photo copyright Disney.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Monster Jam coming to Orlando this weekend (preview pics and review of same event from Tampa)

2014年01月19日T21:59:00.000-05:00

This Saturday in Orlando is Monster Jam, a monster truck event held in the Citrus Bowl. I was recently invited to nearby Tampa to see the same show a week early, so I could write up the experience here in this blog.

I should preface this review by pointing out that I have never in life before attending a monster truck event (my brain wants to call them monster truck "rallies" but I suspect that word has been out for a few decades.) I kind of vaguely recall the era of Bigfoot in the late 70s or early 80s but don't know much at all about this sport. I brought along my wife and two boys (10 and 7) who were all equally naive about what to expect.

Let me just jump to the punchline: by the end of the night, my entire family felt we had a GREAT time and we will be going next year - the only question is whether we buy the cheap seats or spring for the closer ones. Neither are that expensive, really, especially when compared to baseball and football seats.

The event starts at 7pm and doesn't finish until a while later (9:30, maybe? Or was it 10:00?) so young kids expecting an early bedtime might be cranky for a bit. But the last half of the show is likely to be gripping for most of them.

The show is split into roughly two parts: racing and then "freestyle." Racing is time trials (two trucks on the course of obstacles and ramps/jumps at the same time), and whoever has the lowest score advances to the next round. Eventually there's a winner, but this takes a while, and for a novice it stretches just a little long. My seven year old was getting tired by this point.

A short intermission separated the two halves, and then the Freestyle began, which meant each truck would do what it could to impress the judges in a minute and a half--jumps, smashing cars laid on the course, spinouts and doughnuts, and so forth. This part was way more entertaining. Some of the trucks, you see, end up trying to do more than they could handle, and tip over. The excitement of watching almost-tips was way more than I expected. And if someone managed to pull OUT of an expected tip-over, that was cause for a great wave of euphoria rippling through the crowd. Eventually, a couple of the more experienced drivers pulled off a few backflips off the steep ramps, which I have to admit were pretty darn impressive.

This is the sort of event that introduces fireworks during the National Anthem. Two kinds, actually. One for the "rockets' red glare" and a different, louder variety for "the bombs bursting in air." There are pyrotechnics when the trucks first arrive also, and an even bigger show, all around the arena, when the show reaches its conclusion.

The trucks and drivers are all in a competition for points, which gives the event drama. The fan favorite (and playbill headliner) "Grave Digger" seemed to always score the highest marks, but I'm too ignorant here to know if this is intentional. They inject a lot of info about the drivers - it was father and son in the Grave Digger and Grave Digger Legend trucks on our visit.

Press photo - click for larger version

The cheapest seats in the house cost less than what you'd pay per person for the most expensive movie tickets (IMAX and 3D), yet this stadium event is almost 3 hours long, so it's roughly in line with what "amusement" costs in Florida.

It's pretty far afield of the kinds of amusements we usually discuss here in Orlando and Central Florida, but it *is* still an attraction, no doubt about it. We really will be back for this!

We did wander the Pit Party before the show, and now that we know the trucks a little better, next time it will be even more of a treat to take pictures with them before the big event.

The show on Saturday Jan. 25 takes place in the Citrus Bowl.

Press Release about this Saturday's show:

About: MONSTER JAM® is one of Orlando’s most popular and largest single-day stadium events, attracting capacity crowds of over 60,000 fans. A huge field of sixteen monster trucks will compete in side-by-racing and the fan-favorite freestyle competition. One of the many highlights of this year’s event is the return of fan favorite Dennis Anderson (originator and driver of GRAVE DIGGER) to the city and stadium he calls his favorite. The annual motor sports spectacle is the final event before demolition begins on the Florida Citrus Bowl.

One show only: Saturday, January 25^th

Gates Open at 5 pm. Opening Ceremonies at 6:30 pm. Racing Starts at 7 pm.

Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, 1610 W. Church Street, Orlando, FL 32805

Advance purchase SuperValue Tickets are ONLY 15ドル. 35ドル VIP / 25ドル Sideline.

& Purchase: Tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Amway Center Box Office, or charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available day of show at the Citrus Bowl. All seats reserved. Subject to facility fee, plus convenience and handling charges. Don’t wait – buy tickets in advance as prices go up 5ドル more the week of show. Get more show information at www.MonsterJam.com (click on "Tickets" and search for Orlando January 25th).

Discounts: Fans can save 15ドル with a Buy 3 Get 1 FREE 4-pak ticket voucher deal at area Metro PCS locations while supplies last.
Fans can save up to 5ドル on individual tickets with a Coupon available from area McDonald’s restaurants.

Show Details: Central Florida will heat up this January when 1,500 horsepower, 10,000-pound monster trucks compete in side-by-side racing and the fan-favorite freestyle competition where each monster truck gets up to 120 seconds to "wow" the crowd with huge jumps, wheelies, truck-spinning donuts, flips, and the destruction of cars, vans, buses, motor homes and more. Four-time World Champion, Dennis Anderson, returns to his favorite city driving the legendary monster truck he created 32 years ago, GRAVE DIGGER. After his sensational 2013 debut, Ryan Anderson will be joining his father driving SON UVA DIGGER.

The event will also feature 11-time and reigning World Champion MAXIMUM DESTRUCTION, plus Latino favorite EL TORO LOCO, MOWAWK WARRIOR, ICE CREAM MAN, MONSTER MUTT ROTTWEILER, the Orlando debut of Nicole Johnson driving SCOOBY, and more yet-to-be announced motorsports competitors. The official title of the event is Metro PCS, McDonald’s, 1-800-Ask-Gary, Budweiser & Your Southern Ford Dealers present MONSTER JAM®.

Preview
Fans can go behind the scenes, meet the drivers for autographs and photo ops, and see the monster trucks up close at the World’s Ultimate Pit Party at Tinker Field from 1:30-5pm. Purchase a pit pass for only 10ドル more when buying tickets at Ticketmaster or the Amway Center Box Office. Or, pick up a free pit pass at participating Orlando area Southern Ford Dealers beginning January 6^th (while supplies last). Pit Passes, along with a valid event ticket, get fans into the Pit Area. Fans can also have the opportunity to ride in a real monster truck before the show between 1-7 pm in the lot across from Gate D. Monster Truck Rides are 10ドル per rider.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

2013 WDW Earbook now on sale!

2014年01月17日T09:57:00.000-05:00

Since 2010, I've published an annual book chronicling the changes, additions, and significant alterations to Walt Disney World over the course of that year. It's a little bit like the high school yearbook, and it is meant to work like that in real life (pick one up five years later, and marvel at all the memories). As a result, it bears the name Walt Disney World 'Earbook

The 2013 version is now ready and available for sale online: http://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Walt-Disney-World-Earbook/dp/149489887X

The retail price is 12ドル.99 but Amazon often discounts from there (today, it's 11ドル.69).

There was a lot added to Walt Disney World in 2013, including Princess Fairytale Hall, A Pirate's Adventure: Treasures of the Seven Seas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Limited Time Magic, Jingle Cruise, Long Lost Friends, MagicBands, Wilderness Explorers, Norsk Kultur, Princesse Plass, Rapunzel Bathrooms, Prince Eric’s Village Market, L'artisan des Glaces, Lava Lounge, and several Starbucks shops.

We bade goodbye to Apricot Lane, Bamboo, Beastly Bazaar, Cap’n Jack Restaurant, Club 626, Countdown to Fun, Disney Channel Rocks, Fuego, Haagen Dazs, National Treasures at the American Heritage Gallery, Sid Cahuenga’s, SmarterPlanet, Sound Stage, SpectroMagic, Stave Church Gallery, and Wetzel’s Pretzels.

Re-live the special events, additions, removals, and alterations with this yearbook-style volume designed to show, using hundreds of pictures, how rapidly the portrait of life at Walt Disney World changes. An index at the back will make finding information even years from now a breeze.

The book is 66 pages, with hundreds of full color photos inside. Here is but a small sampling:

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Panoramic pic of Cap'n Jack's Marina at Downtown Disney (now gone)

2014年01月16日T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture from a couple of months ago - a panorama of the Cap'n Jack's Marina area in Marketplace of Downtown Disney, just before they closed forever. Click for the larger version!

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Press Release: Orlando Home and Garden Show at Convention Center, Jan. 24-26

2014年01月15日T00:02:00.000-05:00

Press Release:

STAR-STUDDED ORLANDO HOME & GARDEN SHOW

TRANSFORMS ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER JAN. 24-26

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 8, 2014) – The Orlando Home & Garden Show will welcome a star-studded lineup of special guest appearances – including Taniya Nayak, star of HGTV’s House Hunters on Vacation and Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible – when it comes to the Orange County Convention Center Jan. 24-26,.

Presented by Show Technology, one of the nation’s most successful business-to-consumer trade show organizers, the Orlando Home & Garden Show transforms the Orange County Convention Center into a home and garden extravaganza. Exhibitors will showcase everything from gorgeous front entrance décor to stunning backyard landscapes.

Show features include:

Breathtaking gardens, landscapes and water features
Home Improvement Alley
Pools, spas, outdoor living and hardscapes
Interior design and home accessories
The latest trends in kitchens and baths
Shop til' you drop in the Art, Gift & Gourmet Center
Flavors of Orlando
Kids Zone
Pet Zone with live pet adoptions
Incredible DIY seminars all weekend long

Conveniently located at the beautiful Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, the Orlando Home & Garden Show hours are:

Friday, Jan. 24, noon to 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ticket prices are:

Sold onsite \| cash or credit only \| Facility Fee & Taxes included
Adults 17+	9ドル	16 and under	Free
Retired Military ID	6ドル	Active Duty Military	Free w/ ID
Senior 65+	6ドル

Guests can receive 3ドル off regular ticket prices by purchasing online at www.ShowTechnology.com and www.orlandohomeandgardenshow.com.

Additional discounts do not apply to senior or retired military admission.

The Orlando Home & Garden Show is sponsored by the Orlando Sentinel, WKMG and WOCL.

For more information visit: http://www.orlandohomeandgardenshow.com and connect with us on the Orlando Home & Garden Facebook page.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Free online course in what Disney fairy tales really mean

2014年01月14日T10:33:00.000-05:00

There's a completely free, fairly-low-work online class being offered soon (Feb. 10-Mar. 10) that will explain lots of things about Disney Fairy Tales you never considered before:

Why does Cinderella's prince not just look at her face to identify her?
Why Snow White was originally a family drama in the worst way - and definitely NOT a story for today's children!
What do those hedges full of thorns in Sleeping Beauty really mean?
Why is Ursula so masculine in Little Mermaid, and what does this have to do with the very last shot of the movie?
What does Belle's Beast *really* stand for? Why is he animalistic?
What is the symbolism of a frog supposed to imply, in Princess and the Frog?
How does Tangled completely change Gothel's character?
Why does Disney change the siblings around from the Snow Queen for Frozen?

The "class" is open to the public - no prerequisites required whatsoever. You sign up at canvas.net (which is basically one of the Massive Open Online Courses - or MOOC for short - that allows for free college-level content provided to the masses). There are not even any costs for books - everything is provided (electronically) for free.

Expect about maybe an hour or two of reading per week - that's the only work/homework in the class! This course has no completion certificate, and thus no essays to write. New content gets unlocked each week. Since it costs nothing to join, you've got nothing to lose!

Direct link: https://www.canvas.net/courses/fairy-tales-origins-and-evolution-of-princess-stories-1

Note: this class was previously offered in Fall 2013. It's essentially the same course now, with the same content, so if you saw it once, there's no need to sign up again!

Full course description:
Princess stories have been popular for centuries and remain so today around the world; we’ll dive into what these fairy tales mean, and trace the history of these narratives back to their source material, examining contexts all along the way. We’ll borrow tools from cultural studies, literature studies, and film studies to help us analyze these phenomena and what they mean to our society.

Many of us may associate princess stories with modern-day products (much of it marketed to small children) or with Disney movies and theme parks. We’ll examine these current versions of fairy tale mythos as well, using our new interpretive tools to uncover not just what’s been changed in the moral and message of the narrative, but what the stories mean as told now.

Direct link: https://www.canvas.net/courses/fairy-tales-origins-and-evolution-of-princess-stories-1

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Press Release: Harry Potter mini-convention at Universal Orlando Jan 24-26

2014年01月14日T09:00:00.000-05:00

Press Release:

Harry Potter film stars James Phelps, Oliver Phelps and Evanna Lynch are slated to appear at "A Celebration of Harry Potter" – a special event hosted by Universal Orlando Resort and Warner Bros. Entertainment that will celebrate all of Harry’s adventures, from the beloved books to the feature films. Creative talent also set to appear includes Kazu Kibuishi, the award-winning artist who recently re-imagined the Harry Potter book covers, and Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina of MinaLima, who established the visual graphic style of the Harry Potter films.

From January 24 - 26, 2014 at Universal Orlando, fans will enjoy unforgettable experiences – including a Harry Potter Tribute on Friday night, a Harry Potter Expo, panel discussions with film talent and crew, and more. Additional details about "A Celebration of Harry Potter" will be released early next year.

Access to "A Celebration of Harry Potter" is included with regular theme park admission or with an annual pass. Those without an annual pass can experience the full offering with a 3-day park-to-park ticket. Admission into panel events will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Event details are below:

"A CELEBRATION OF HARRY POTTER" PANEL DISCUSSIONS

The panels will be held in a theater-style setting and will include discussions and Q&A’s with Harry Potter film talent and crew. Admission into the theaters will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Specific panel times will be released at a later date.

Panel descriptions are below:

A Harry Potter Tribute

"A Celebration of Harry Potter" will kick off with a special evening event starring several cast members of the Harry Potter film series and award-winning artist Kazu Kibuishi, who recently re-imagined the Harry Potter book covers for Scholastic and beautifully captured pivotal scenes from the enchanting Harry Potter stories. Guests will enjoy film clips, Q&A sessions with cast members, and get a glimpse of new details about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, opening summer 2014.

My Life on the Harry Potter Film Set: Talent Q&A’s

Actors from the Harry Potter films share what it’s like to work on a major motion picture and be part of film history.

Duelling Demonstration & Wand Combat Masterclass with Paul Harris

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter will present a spellbinding masterclass with the world’s only Wand Combat Choreographer, Paul Harris. Paul choreographed the epic battle scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and will be on hand to teach you the technique behind wielding a wand.

Graphic Design for the Harry Potter Films with MinaLima

Graphic designers Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mina from the studio MinaLima will discuss their ten-year involvement in establishing the visual graphic style on the film productions of Harry Potter and present some of the iconic props they created for the films, including the Marauder’s Map, the Daily Prophet and The Quibbler.

Bringing the Harry Potter Films to the Theme Park – Set and Prop Design of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Harry Potter film and theme park Set Designer Alan Gilmore and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Prop Master Eric Baker will present a look at how ideas move from the books to screen, and then become real-life theme park experiences.

Go Behind the Scenes of Pottermore.com from J.K. Rowling

Pottermore’s Creative Director gives an exclusive insight into the creation of Moment artwork for Pottermore.com, and a look at the next installment of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Plus, get ready for an exclusive reveal as he shares his favorite upcoming new entry from J.K. Rowling.

HARRY POTTER EXPO BOOTHS

The Harry Potter Expo will be held inside a Universal Orlando soundstage and will be open to guests throughout the weekend. The expo will include booths and exhibits that will give guests deeper insight into the various manifestations of the Harry Potter series.

Expo booth descriptions are below:

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Guests will get an up-close look at the artistry and craftsmanship that went into creating the iconic costumes that have appeared throughout the Harry Potter film series. They will also have the opportunity to get sorted into Hogwarts houses during a Sorting Hat experience.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

This interactive experience will feature a duelling presentation by the world’s only Wand Combat Choreographer, Paul Harris.

MinaLima

Limited edition artworks and reproductions based on original prop designs will be on display, including iconic pieces, such as the Marauder’s Map and the Daily Prophet. A selection of original graphic props from the films will also be on display, and on-hand to meet guests will be Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima.

Pottermore from J.K. Rowling

Go behind the scenes of Pottermore.com from J.K. Rowling. Find out how Moments from Harry’s story are created from the first sketch to the final splash of color, get an exclusive look at artwork that has not yet been released, and experience Pottermore.com for yourself – defeat your opponent in a wizard’s duel or try your hand at brewing magical draughts and potions.

Scholastic

Celebrate the 15^th anniversary of the U.S. publication of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and share your message about what Harry Potter means to you. Award-winning artist Kazu Kibuishi, who recently reimagined the Harry Potter book covers, will be signing posters at limited times throughout the weekend.

United States Postal Service

Guests can check out the limited-edition Harry Potter collection of 20 new Forever stamps, featuring images of Harry Potter, the extraordinary boy wizard, and the adventures he encounters with the friends, heroes, villains and creatures that make up his world. Also, see collectible products featuring the stamps, meet the stamp art director, and get special cancellation postmarks commemorating this celebration.

For more information about the event and tickets, visit www.universalorlando.com/celebration.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Juice Bar at Spice Road Table (pics)

2014年01月10日T03:57:00.001-05:00

I got this peek into the juice bar at the new Morocco restaurant, Spice Road Table, during the Thursday 5K

It was boarded up later in the day, when the park was open.

Spice Road Table opens on Saturday

2014年01月09日T07:54:00.001-05:00

The new restaurant in Epcot's Morocco pavilion will open this Saturday, according to a construction worker (Imagineer?) on site during the Thursday early morning family run. He looked to be in a managerial position - at least he wasn't wearing the safety vests of the workers around him.

The retail operation will, he said, open today (Thursday).

WDW Clicks #10 - Farewell to MK Parade, Heritage House, Seven Dwarfs Mine shop

2014年01月07日T05:00:00.000-05:00

We say goodbye in pictures to three things this week: Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade, Heritage House (exit to Hall of Presidents), and Seven Dwarfs Mine shop near the Princess exit in Fantasyland. Plus, we peek at ongoing mine coaster construction and see what's new at Fun Spot.

Direct link: http://youtu.be/KK3qnaLJaqE

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade - Photo Essay, 1/4/14

2014年01月05日T09:37:00.002-05:00

The Celebrate a Dream Come True parade ended on 1/4/14 after a run of many years (and a couple of names) in the Magic Kingdom.

To commemorate it, here's a photo essay of its very last performance (3:30pm) on that day. Click any picture for a larger version:

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

WDW Clicks #9 - Holiday crowds, minor construction at WDW, Fun Spot, more

2014年01月02日T09:37:00.000-05:00

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh4W0xHQx8M&feature=youtu.be

Updates this week include:

Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special at DHS
small improvements to Backlot Tram Tour
Downtown Disney parking garage update
Magic Mirror at World of Disney
2014 logo merchandise
Tortuga Tavern buffet
Incredibles Super Dance Party in Tomorrowland
Diamond Horseshoe holiday meals
Mission Space postshow area screens
RFID readers in shops
Cast Member gingerbread houses in the Land pavilion
updates to Living with the Land
new ornaments in France pavilion
Spice Road Table signage
Hogwarts Express construction update (IOA side)
new coasters at Fun Spot America on International Drive

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Bill Justice character mural from Exposition Hall lives on (sort of)

2013年12月28日T09:16:00.000-05:00

Did you ever visit Exposition Hall on Main Street to see that giant mural of seemingly every major Disney (movie) character? It disappeared with the refurb of the area into meet-and-greets for Mickey Mouse (and for a time, princesses).

Here is a composite shot of the mural, stitched together (imperfectly) from individual shots since I didn't have a way to make panoramas in 2005 (click for larger version):

And here are the individual shots. Click any for a larger version.

Lest you think this mural is gone and forgotten, you only need to look around in the Meet Mickey queue. You'll come across this postal room just before seeing Mickey:

And one of those postal slots is for B. Justice - short for Bill Justice, the longtime Disney artist who MADE that mural that lived only steps from this spot.

And inside Bill's slot, rolled up? It's the same mural, only now in smaller paper format! It's a unique tribute and one of my favorites.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Book Review: Every Guest is a Hero

2013年12月26日T22:26:00.000-05:00

I was sent a review copy this week of a new book by Adam Berger, Every Guest is a Hero. This is the kind of theme park book that provides analysis rather than tips, and so may not be on every tourist's radar. But it will be an important work for academics to consider in perpetuity. And it stands a pretty good chance of getting the casual reader to (re)consider just what it is that theme park attractions do. This book, you see, has a central thesis.

Without going into too much detail, Berger applies the principles of mythology (specifically Joseph Campbell, and psychologist Carl Jung before him) to the theme park realm. Campbell popularized ideas like the monomyth (basically: all stories are really just ONE story told with different variations) and the Hero's Journey (ever notice that almost all Hollywood action movies have a similar plot? With common elements like the Call to Adventure, Advice from a Mentor, Supreme Ordeal, Resurrection, etc). Campbell also claimed that most stories have characters that adhere to certain set "types" called archetypes--shapeshifter, trickster, hero, mentor, etc.

The ensuing theory that wraps up archetypes and the Hero's Journey has been well applied to literature (it is one common explanation of folklore around the world) and to films (George Lucas is on record as saying that Star Wars was explicitly and consciously patterned after the Hero's Journey). But I'm not aware of anyone applying the theory to theme parks until now. Berger's book takes the concepts of myth and myth analysis and uses them to examine what's going on during Disney's rides.

I found the argument convincing when considered in the largest possible sense. Why are theme park attractions (well crafted ones, anyway) so beloved? Once answer is that we as visitors assume the mantle of Hero during the attraction and live through many (sometimes even all) the elements of a traditional Hero's Journey. It works, in short, because it's a familiar formula. That familiarity is a plus, not a negative.

While the macro argument was pretty solid, at times the theory didn't seem to apply as well in a micro sense. To quote one example, the explanations for how we enter a "Special World" in the Hero's Journey obviously apply to Disney parks - Walt even said as much about wanting the public to feel like Disneyland is a world unto itself - but it just seems a bit of a stretch to claim that the studio arch deep inside Hollywood Studios is a Special World inside a Special World. It's a theory that fits the facts, but there isn't any compelling reason for one special world to be nested within another, and as such the explanation comes across as just a little bit too convenient. It bears noting that the theme parks and the attractions within were not master-planned to the tiniest detail upon initial construction, so normally one would expect a slightly muddied thematic consistency when viewing rides built across several decades, yet that isn't a focus here. The attention stays on explaining how almost every turn, surprise, and encounter in the attractions can be mapped onto elements of the Hero's Journey.

These moments of "convenient explanations" happen from time to time in this book, though perhaps it's something an academic would note more than a casual reader. There are also plenty of moments the book provides context and background that feel extremely correct: the emphasis on threshold crossing in attractions (think Pirates) and the deep cultural ties to labyrinths that date back to the Greeks. Still, I tend to think Berger was right in his foreword that the "macro reading" will be the one readers remember. They will come away with a sense that the parks and individual attractions are constructed intentionally to mimic the shape, tone, and arc of narratives we know and love. Whether these narratives ALWAYS hew to the monomyth and Hero's Journey is largely a question of how captivated you are by Joseph Campbell - he was great to listen to for anyone interested in fairy tales, folklore, and myth - but either way, Berger's central thesis of applying the hero logic to Disney theme park attractions provides a wonderful starting point for analysis. Sometimes the application of Campbell seems ideal and in retrospect obvious, but other times it's a bit more of a stretch. But it's always interesting and will certainly provide fodder for further discussion.

The book is available on Amazon (15ドル list price, often discounted) and Kindle (10ドル). The print version is 8.5 x 5.5 inches, and has 258 pages.

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.

Do you think this is a Lasseter tribute on a DHS billboard?

2013年12月26日T06:33:00.000-05:00

Imagineers often bury tributes to each other in plain sight. In that spirit I wondered if the man in the Hawaiian shirt in the DHS billboard (at the intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd) was a representation of John Lasseter:

For reference, here's a photo I found online of John Lasseter taken in 2013:

John is famous for wearing Hawaiian shirts, and since the figure in the billboard is the ONLY one so dressed, it stuck out to me.

That said, Lasseter wears glasses, which aren't present here. Still, there was enough resemblance for me to wonder anyway. What is your vote?

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Kevin Yee is the author of numerous independent Disney books, including the popular Walt Disney World Earbook series and Walt Disney World Hidden History.