Mirror Walt Disney World

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Here is the next major part of Mirror Walt Disney World. Oh, and by the way, shout-outs are in order for @DisneyPrincess1993,@RMichael21, @tcool, @orlando678-, @TheOriginalTiki, @MCParradox and @JokersWild; because I got the idea from them, an idea which they created for The Creator Games back in 2015. This idea has been a huge part of my Walt Disney World concepts over the years, and for good reason: This concept is just that amazing!

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Athel Island

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Walt Disney World is a place where you can live a beautiful fantasy or an exciting adventure. The young and the young at heart can play together in an escape from the real world that we all live in. This was showcased more than ever in Walt Disney World’s earlier years at Discovery Island, a now abandoned section of the resort's property. Discovery Island opened in 1974 as Treasure Island, and was a sanctuary for tropical wildlife such as birds, snakes and primates. Located in the middle of Bay Lake, between the Contemporary Resort, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness, the island occupied a prime location, and was a popular draw for long-stay visitors who wanted more than just to visit the parks. In 1998, following the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, attendance to the island began to dwindle, and it closed for good in 1999. The structures on the island stood abandoned for many years before Disney started to dismantle them a few years ago, but much of the original island still remains, buried under a thick layer of vegetation and dirt.

That is, until the 2021 D23 Expo, when Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro* announced that Discovery Island would be turned into Athel Island, which he described as “an exciting half-day park experience that will allow guests of all ages to have their own adventure!” Thus, with great fanfare, Athel Island opened exactly 50 years to the day as its predecessor did: April 8, 2024.

*In this Mirror universe, as I established back in the Port Disney introductory post, Tom Staggs stays on with Disney, and, as was guessed by some Disney fans in the early 2010s, succeeds Bob Iger as CEO when he retires in 2021. As for Chapek, he retires, as well, leaving D’Amaro to take up the job he currently has.

Backstory and Mythology

A group of travelers led by the legendary explorer Ezkiel Athel get caught in a deadly storm and shipwreck on an island in the middle of an uncharted region of the Pacific Northwest. When they arrive, all they discover is an odd shaped rock shaped like an idol of sorts. After going through the island, there's no other inhabitants on the island, not even deer or any sort of wildlife. Once they have explored, they find that they enjoy the island, with it's rushing creeks and bursting geysers. However, they find that the most beautiful trait of the island is the gorgeous mountain that rises above the treetops.

After figuring out how to survive in the unforgiving, but beautiful wilderness, the villagers learn how to fish for food, which plants are edible, how to build homes and other survival techniques. As the community grows, they learn more and more about the wild and discover new artifacts and items unknown to the outside world. So, they decide to have traders go out into the world to trade and spread the stories of the island, which they have named Athel Island after their heroic leader. But they also believe their prosperity is due to the idol who looks over the island and gives the villagers good karma for every day and every night…

General Theming

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The theme of the island is based off of the wilderness of an untouched Pacific Northwest island, featuring giant redwood trees, rocky creeks, and multiple geysers across the island.

Attractions & Amenities

The park features many adventurous activities for guests to enjoy. Guests can have their own adventure at the following experiences…

The fun, adventure and mystery of Athel Island set in even before you get there, because even the boat ride is a journey within itself. Guests travel to Athel Island on small steam ships, reminiscent of the boats found on the world famous Jungle Cruise, or the existing steam boats ferrying guests between Magic Kingdom and Wilderness Lodge / Fort Wilderness. These steam ships will depart from the Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, and Fort Wilderness / River Country.

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After boarding their vessels, guests are treated to a 15 minute cruise around Athel Island as they are told of the history of the island. The cruise ends with a short trip through Goff Caverns, a beautiful natural cavern lit by stunning multi-colored crystals, geysers and waterfalls. The boat enters the caves underneath the mountain, where the guests see several scenes before arriving at the dock. Guests will encounter AA bats, see the beautiful caverns and escape an active geyser, which erupts out of the caverns and out of the side of the mountain, adding a layer of kinetics akin to that at Typhoon Lagoon. Guests can disembark their boat on Athel Island inside Goff Cavern, emerging out of the caves into the central village, from where they can experience the many attractions on the island.

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Rising up from Bay Lake is a new structure that will become an iconic landmark of Athel Island. Mount Athel rises six stories in the air and is the primary location for more physically demanding activities. The mountain will have a light brown appearance save for patches of grass in various spaces. Redwood trees will be strategically placed so they're smaller as they go up the mountain and bigger near the bottom, giving it a forced perspective look of appearing much taller than it actually is.

Hollowed out within the mountain is a series of man-made caves for safe “cave exploration” on the Cave Exploration Trails. Think of this as a network of caves all tying back into each other, essentially a big maze with three different cave paths all criss-crossing at various points. This is similar to Injun Joe’s Cave on Tom Sawyer Island, except on a grander scale, and with elements of Disneyland’s Rainbow Caverns thrown in. The cave exploration trails inside Mount Athel will have some small interactive halls with projection effects, AA bears, diamonds and more. One of the games the guests can play is similar to the indoor queue game from the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. MagicBands, MagicPucks and park tickets can be tapped to the games and interactive elements for a personalized touch (like the guest’s name appearing in the waterfalls).

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Going up the mountain will be various Wilderness Hiking Trails, where you can hike all the way to the top of the gently sloping mountain. There will be three trails, one of which is the most extreme and uphill. One trail is the lightest and fastest way to get to the peak, and the other is essentially the “Scenic Route”, winding its way around the mountain in such a way to afford great views of the surrounding areas.

Rock Climbing Walls will also be naturally worked into the sides of the mountain, again at various levels ranging from a 20 foot Kid’s Climb to the 70 foot expert course to get to the very top.

Brave guests will also be able to partake in one of the most popular outdoor activities in modern day tourism...the Zipline! Once again, there will be three different ziplines at various points along the mountain. One right at the peak will give guests a real rush as they careen down at a steep angle, by far the most thrilling offering of the entire park!

Slightly below the peak guests can ride a Scenic Zipline that is much longer than the “thrill” version but not nearly as steep of an incline, affording guests a lot of good views as they zip back down to the bottom. Finally about 40 feet up will be a beginners zipline where you can go back down the mountain at a relaxing pace, minus any steep incline. Perfect for kids who are unsure rather or not they're ready for the bigger courses.

Also starting on the side of the mountain is the Treetop Adventure. Nestled among the trees is a small building in the style of the Wilderness Lodge, where guests can put on their safety harnesses. From here, another zipline takes guests down the mountain and into the redwood forest below, where they will begin their high-ropes adventure. Several unique challenges face the guests on this aerial course, passing over most of the island before returning guests the the base of Mount Athel. You must be at least 48” tall to take on this adventure.

Throughout the park, there are countless weather-resistant animal audio-animatronics. These AAs will be similar to the ones in the extinct Nature’s Wonderland attraction at Disneyland.

Guests can also go to the Fishing Pond, or Salmon Creek Fishing Point. Here you can rent fishing poles and catch a variety of different kinds of fish. However, you must throw back all of the fish to keep the ecosystem of the park intact.

For the kids, the Geyser Splash Pads will be a great place to cool off in the hot Florida sun. Tying part of the backstory into this attraction, everyone from the entire family can enjoy the geysers just like the villagers on the expedition did.

We also have the Wilderness Explorer Adventures locations. At these locations, a cast member will present the guest with a question, task or challenge which, when completed, will earn the guest a Wilderness Explorer Badge (sticker). This does not replace the current setup at Animal Kingdom, but is instead complimentary. Certain badges can only be found at Animal Kingdom, while certain others can only be found at Athel Island, so to collect a full set, guests must visit both parks. Although the Up characters are here, ties to the movie will be kept loose in order to keep a more consistent theme throughout the island.

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Finally, we have Russell’s Balloon Tour, a suspended dark ride where the riders sit in a basket underneath a faux hot air balloon, travelling over most of the island, and even out over the water. This peaceful attraction allows a view of the island for those who aren't keen on riding down the ziplines or running through the trails. The balloons gently rock and bob up and down to enhance the sensation of flight. The balloons travel through the thick forest, winding over the many paths and buildings, before they travel out over the open water of Bay Lake. Turning and returning to shore, the balloons enter a rocky canyon filled with mist, much like the one in Up, catching a glimpse of the Spirit of Adventure docked in Muntz's cave (using forced perspective to make it appear larger than it actually is), and then passing Kevin. As Kevin flees into the forest, the balloons follow, returning to the station near the base of the mountain.

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The traditional Carl, Russell, and Dug meet ‘n’ greet characters will be out and about near the docks here, but with a couple special surprises. Dug’s voice collar will work, and he’ll be able to interact with the guests via an unseen cast member feeding lines based on the activity of the people around the dog. Expect many “Squirrel!” and “Oh, please, will you be my prisoner!” jokes. Joining the trio will be the highly-popular Kevin, making her second home here -- the first one being in Animal Kingdom, of course.

Along the creek, the Adventurer’s Canteen quick-service restaurant will be featured that serves a variety of seafood, meats and greens. A wooden terrace overlooks Bay Lake, as the location occupies the former Discovery Island dock area. This location is only open for lunch. Among the selections on the menu are garden salads, fish tacos, fish and chips and a gourmet bacon cheeseburger.

Easter Eggs

No Disney experience is without its Easter Eggs! Throughout the island are subtle references to the island's past and different Disney references only fans would understand! These include tie-ins with Wilderness Lodge’s backstory, references to Discovery Island’s real past, references to Rainbow Caverns and the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland at Disneyland, and references to various Imagineers.

MyMagic+ Implementation

MyMagic+ as many will know is a way Disney has made planning a trip less stressful. MyMagic+ comes with several features--namely, the upgraded FastPass system, the MagicBands/Pucks, and My Disney Experience. However for Athel Island only two out of three of these great features will be used, those two being the MagicBands/Pucks and My Disney Experience.

On My Disney Experience, guests will be able to check the time for the next ferry to Athel Island. They can also use this same feature to find out when the next ferry is leaving from Athel Island. If wanted guests can take a survey made just for Athel Island. Using this survey, My Disney Experience can help guests find what's best to their liking on Athel Island. On My Disney Experience, guests will also find out which activities are closed for the day whether it be by weather or anything that may occur. Finally guests will of course be able to see what time Athel Island opens and closes along with various activities located on the island.

The MagicBands will of course still be used to enter the park, if, of course, the guests have one. If not, the MagicPucks or their park ticket can get them in. With scanners that can track Magic Bands within the park guests can be welcomed to the park by name by the cast members. The cast members can even suggest activities based on their Athel Island Survey results on My Disney Experience.

In sum, Athel Island will be a place where every guest of the Walt Disney World Resort can come and have the adventure of a lifetime!


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Next Tuesday will bring about the next post. Although Disney's Wide World of Sports does not open here, something else occupies that particular space. What is it? Stay tuned...
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This is gonna be a small post, given that it's only going to discuss one singular part of Mirror Walt Disney World. Also, we're not going to utilize the normal "Title of thing being discussed in 26-point Times New Roman bold, underlined font" this time around. I actually took the liberty of developing my own logo for this particular addition. Welcome to...

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An exact replica of the 1964 New York World’s Fair landmark serves as a place for all sorts of spectator events. Many artists have opted to have concerts here, and quite a few stand-up comedians have performed here, as well. And given that the Wide World of Sports isn’t a part of Mirror Walt Disney World, this is where various sports competitions are held throughout the year.

The Tower of Light -- or to use its full name, Tower of Light at Walt Disney World -- is a multi-purpose performance space. It is located right where Disney’s Wide World of Sports would be in our real Walt Disney World. In fact, it opened on the same day Wide World of Sports did: March 28, 1997! Disney has received special permission from the BIE to re-create the Tower of Light’s exterior on a very large scale, and boy, does their dedication show off in spades! In fact, the Tower of Light comprises of three separate towers, each one housing a different component of the entertainment center. Oh, and fun fact, the Tower of Light is one of the few places in modern Walt Disney World that still uses the resort's original logo!

The center Tower of Light, an exact replica of the New York original, is one tall structure. 600 aluminum prisms are arranged along the building in such a way that it creates a unique pattern. And atop it all is a powerful searchlight that rises forth during the night to alert the world that a great show is about to occur! At night, the Tower of Light comes alive with color, its prisms changing color every so often. So tall and so colorful is this Tower that anyone can see it as they drive past Walt Disney World. Its tallest point can be seen sticking its head out above the treeline!


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Although the exterior of the Tower has been faithfully executed -- if not enlargened to better fit a multi-purpose performance space -- the interior is completely different. The Grand Lobby of the Tower of Light is a beautiful, tranquil place, almost Romantic, in a way. The Grand Lobby is a rotunda of wrought-iron and gold. It should feel like you’re about to see a show at the Met or at La Scala. No matter what comes to perform, it should feel like you are being welcomed to see art of the highest degree, because here at the Tower of Light, all art is, indeed, art of the highest degree. A skylight is seen up above, in the dead center of the Grand Lobby. At night, the skylight comes alive with light, as fiber-optics are embedded in the workings of the skylight, and on the compass on the floor. In a style similar to the introdution for The Magical World of Disney on the Disney Channel, banners are hung throughout the area, with clips of famous Disney moments projected onto the fabric. However, during nights of performances, these clips are replaced with the logo of whatever’s come to perform, or promotional clips of the performance in action.

There are plenty of benches to sit upon as you wait for the show to begin. A concession stand is even built so that you may purchase some treats to enjoy as you watch the show. When it’s show-time, there are three theaters to head to, and depending on what you’re going to see, there’s a lot to check out!


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First is the Main Theatre, the primary performance space held within the Tower of Light. Much like with the Walt Disney Theatre on the Disney Cruise Line, the Main Theatre recalls a bygone elegance of movie houses, yet behind the curtain, you’ll find a technological marvel. Adorned with Art Deco and Art Nouveau flourishes from the 1930s and 1940s, the Main Theatre is a luxurious venue designed to handle today’s most complex productions. It’s also one of Disney’s most technologically advanced theaters, boasting an approximately 40-foot-wide proscenium stage, full-flying capabilities for moveable backdrops and scenery, a projection system for animated scrims and stage lifts, pyrotechnic capabilities, state-of-the-art lighting and Dolby sound systems and even orchestra and balcony seating. The Main Theatre itself seats 2,000 people.


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To the left of the Main Theatre is The BOX. A black box theater, The BOX mainly serves as a place for theater workshops and demonstrations. It’s not uncommon to see students from schools across Central Florida and beyond here, taking classes and learning more about acting and theater. In addition to serving as a learning space, The BOX serves as a place for low-tech touring productions. (i;e John Doyle’s Sweeney Todd, Fiasco Theater’s Into the Woods).


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And to the right of the Main Theatre is the Tower Arena. It is here in this arena that Disney hosts various sports competitions throughout the year. Seating 40,000 in a typical arena setting, basketball and volleyball are popular sports featured here, and cheerleading and dance team competitions are held on the floor here every year. Even motorsports and rodeos take up performance space here!


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I should point out that the Walt Disney World logo used in the Tower of Light logo comes from this site: http://www.blueskydisney.com/2008/10/walt-created-world.html

I think I'll save the next post for when June starts. So, on June 1, I'll give you all an overview of the resort hotels of Mirror Walt Disney World!
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The Hotels of Mirror Walt Disney World

A prominent vacation resort surely needs hotels, and Walt Disney World has got them in spades. In fact, Walt Disney World is home to a whopping sixteen hotels on-property. These hotels are divided into three categories: Deluxe, Moderate and Value; and all of them are filled with the same level of theming and immersion as the theme parks and as Disney Springs. They are also located within four distinct resort areas: the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, the EPCOT Resort Area, the Animal Kingdom Resort Area and the Port Disney Resort Area.

Now, I’ll go through each of these resorts in order of their opening date, and give a brief glimpse at what they are like. And since there are, as I said, sixteen hotels, I intend to do two posts, one today and one next week, covering eight hotels per post...or should that be, seven for the first and nine for the second, as there are two pairs of resorts that I will discuss in one.


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Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: October 1, 1971

The flagship resort of Walt Disney World, Disney’s Contemporary Resort may be one of the most recognized icons in all of Walt Disney World. Its 15-story, A-frame shape is a familiar visage for all Walt Disney World visitors. The resort is famous for its Grand Canyon Concourse, so named for the elaborate Mary Blair mural depicting the Grand Canyon. This is where most of the shops and restaurants are located, and the Walt Disney World Monorail glides right past it! The resort’s main tower is flanked by two Garden Wings, one on each side of the tower.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Contemporary Resort offers four restaurants and five lounges.
    • California Grill: The resort’s flagship restaurant, located at the very top of the Contemporary Tower. Authentic Californian fare -- seafood, sushi, steaks -- is on the menu, while dramatic views of the Magic Kingdom provide a powerful setting. It’s quite popular to dine here at night, to get front-row seating for Happily Ever After. A lounge is also included here.
    • Chef Mickey’s: Located in the Grand Canyon Concourse, this popular character dining buffet offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with the classic Disney gang.
    • Contempo Café: Also on the Grand Canyon Concourse, Contempo Café offers freshly-prepared goods.
    • The Wave...of American Flavors: Located on the first floor of the resort, a few feet away from the check-in area, The Wave offers market-inspired meals in a relaxed setting. A lounge is also included here.
    • Contemporary Grounds: A coffee bar found in the lobby.
    • Outer Rim: A lounge on the Grand Canyon Concourse.
    • Sand Bar and Cove Bar: Lounges by the pools.
  • There are three shops, all of them on the Grand Canyon Concourse. Fantasia, so named because it’s stylistically themed after “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”, offers toys, plush, pins and other accessories. Of course, the Monorail playset is among the toys found here, fitting given one of the Concourse’s main draws. The nearby Fantasia Market offers snacks, soft drinks and books. Bay View Gifts offers Contemporary Resort-themed merchandise, artwork, clothing and kitchenware. There’s even a display case filled with all sorts of freshly-made baked treats!
  • The Grand Canyon Concourse is also home to the Game Station, a modern arcade.
  • For recreation purposes, there are jogging tracks, two swimming pools, two tennis courts, a health club, and yoga every Tuesday and Thursday. Plus, given the resort’s proximity to Bay Lake, you can go boating and fishing, too! And out on the green, nightly campfires and movie screenings always bring in crowds.

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Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: October 1, 1971


The beauty of the South Seas is replicated here at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The glorious Great Ceremonial House, known for its indoor waterfall garden, is only the beginning of the utter immersion in tropical paradise this resort offers. Beyond the Great Ceremonial House are eleven longhouses where guest rooms are located, each one named for a different Pacific island: Aotearoa, Fiji, Hawaii, Niue, Rapa Nui, Rarotonga, Samoa, Tahiti, Tokelau, Tonga and Tuvalu. Most of these longhouses rest along white sandy beaches on the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon. You can’t swim in the lagoon, but the beaches are open for sunbathing and sandcastle building!

Amenities

  • Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort offers seven restaurants and four lounges.
    • Barefoot Bar: A poolside bar, located near the Lava pool.
    • Capt. Cook’s: A quick-service eatery near the resort’s lobby in the Great Ceremonial House.
    • Kona Café: Located on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. Offers American-inspired breakfast and Asian-inspired lunch and dinner. The Kona Island coffee bar is right nearby, and offers extended seating in the evening.
    • Oasis Grill: A poolside bar offering cheeseburgers and chicken wraps. The Oasis Bar is located nearby.
    • ‘Ohana: An elaborate family-style restaurant, offering character breakfasts with Lilo and Stitch and elaborate dinners cooked over a roaring fire pit.
    • Pineapple Lanai: A poolside stand offering the famous Dole Whip.
    • Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Luau Cove: To a meal featuring roasted chicken, pork ribs, fresh pineapple, rice and vegetables, we can take in the spirit of Polynesia in an elaborate and authentic tribute to the culture of Hawaii.
    • Tambu Lounge: Located next to ‘Ohana. Specializes in frozen pina coladas.
    • Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto: Named for the infamous Jungle Cruise salesman, Trader Sam’s offers specialty drinks and small plates in a densely-themed area.
  • There are two shops. BouTiki offers souvenirs, resort-themed merchandise and some baked treats. Moana Mercantile is the place to go for Disney character merchandise, toys and clothing; as well as snacks and soft drinks.
  • For recreation, there are two swimming pools -- the Oasis pool and the Lava pool -- a health club, and boating and fishing options on the Seven Seas Lagoon.

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Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: November 19, 1971

Located on 750 acres of dense forest, Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground offers a more “natural” approach to spending the night. There are plenty of places for guests to bring their own RVs and trailers, or just set up the old tent and “rough it”. If you’re not into the whole camping scene, you can always rent a cabin.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground offers four restaurants and one lounge.
    • The Chuck Wagon: An old camper provides classic foods like burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and salads. Come nightfall, they also offer s’more kits and marshmallows, which are highly recommended for Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Campfire Sing-Along, a nightly hootenanny where guests can sing and dance alongside those two rascally chipmunks, and is immediately followed by a screening of a Disney movie.
    • Crockett’s Tavern: In this rustic bar, cocktails, soft drinks and pub fare are on the menu.
    • Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue at Pioneer Hall: Perhaps the most well-known dinner show in the Central Florida area, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is one of Fort Wilderness’ biggest draws. Started up in 1974, and not letting up since, this wild ‘n’ wacky show stars the Pioneer Hall Players -- singers Jim Handy and Flora Long, dancers Johnny Ringo and Claire de Lune, and comic relief Dolly Drew and Six-Bits Slocum. As guests enjoy a frontier feast of chicken, ribs, beans, potatoes, salad and cornbread, with strawberry shortcake for dessert, the Pioneer Hall Players sing and dance up a storm, oftentimes inviting the audience to join them in their frivolity.
    • Trail’s End Restaurant: A down-home buffet is a popular place to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner. P&J’s Southern Takeout offers goods from Trail’s End to-go.
  • There’s only one shop here: the Meadow Trading Post.
  • Since this is a campground, there’s a whole bunch of stuff to do here at Fort Wilderness. You can go boating via canoe or motorboat, try your hand at fishing and even archery, rent a bike, take a dip in one of two pools, play a little basketball, tetherball, tennis or volleyball, take a romantic carriage ride or a rustic wagon ride, and go horseback riding. You can even explore the Tri-Circle-D Ranch, where the horses that pull the Magic Kingdom trolley live, and a built-in blacksmith shop. And given that the campground is located on the edge of Bay Lake, that means you can get a front-row seat for the Electrical Water Pageant, sort of a water-based take on the classic Main Street Electrical Parade.

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Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: June 28, 1988


Elaborate, elegant, luxurious -- these three words perfectly describe Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Inspired by the legendary Hotel del Coronado in California and the Mount Washington Resort in New Hampshire, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa brings the glory of late-19th century Victorian panache into the modern age. As soon as you enter the resort’s grand lobby, you know you are in for a treat. Stained-glass, chandeliers and an old-fashioned cage elevator let us know that we have returned to a simpler, more elegant time. Elaborate suites and rooms offer luxury and comfort, and there’s plenty to do around the resort and on the marina.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is home to six restaurants and five lounges.
    • Citricos: The flavors of Southern Europe are offered in this dinner-only restaurant. A built-in lounge offers the finest of wines.
    • Garden View Tea Room: So named because it offers lovely views of the Grand Floridian’s verdant gardens, this place offers a traditional British afternoon tea every day, in addition to a special princess-based tea party in the morning.
    • Gasparilla Island Grill: A 24-hour stand offering sandwiches and salads.
    • Grand Floridian Café: A simple, relaxing café on the veranda.
    • Mizner’s Lounge: Located on the main building’s second floor, this upscale bar features the finest wines and luxurious bar food. The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra performs nightly across the way from the lounge, and the windows offer dramatic views of the resort’s courtyard and Seven Seas Lagoon.
    • Narcoossee’s: Enjoy a luxury meal along the banks of the Seven Seas Lagoon. A built-in lounge is also open here.
    • 1900 Park Fare: An elaborate character buffet, themed around a turn-of-the-century fair, complete with carousel horses and an old pipe organ. Classic British characters -- Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice and the Mad Hatter -- appear for breakfast, while Cinderella and Prince Charming -- as well as Cinderella’s infamous stepfamily -- host dinner.
    • Victoria & Albert’s: The epitome of high-class cooking in Walt Disney World. In keeping with the late-19th century theme, it’s named after the English monarch of the time, Queen Victoria, and her husband, Prince Albert. The menu is an ever-changing array of the finest gourmet food in Central Florida. Depending on the time, anywhere from seven to ten courses are featured over the course of the night’s high-class feast.
  • There are four shops here, two on the first floor of the main building and two on the second floor. On the first floor, we have Summer Lace, offering swimwear and other clothing, and Sandy Cove, offering gifts and sundries. On the second floor, there’s M. Mouse Mercantile, a Disney character merchandise store and Basin, a store offering bath supplies.
  • The “spa” portion of the resort’s name comes from Senses--A Disney Spa. In this relaxing spot, you can enjoy wonderful pampering treatments, from facials to massages. In addition, the Senses complex is also home to a health club, and the Ivy Trellis salon, where guests can come for anything related to hair-care.
  • A small arcade, Arcadia Games, is built near the Gasparilla Island Grill.
  • Recreation is abound here at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. There’s boating, fishing, a half-court, and two large pools...not to mention an Alice in Wonderland-inspired water play area. Furthermore, the Palm, Magnolia and Oak Trail golf courses are located nearby the resort.
  • And of course, mere steps away from the Grand Floridian is Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, a beautiful seaside chapel, with large windows providing views of the spires of Cinderella Castle -- the perfect backdrop for newlyweds to say “I do.”

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Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: October 1, 1988

Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, the first resort to open outside the Magic Kingdom Resort Area, brings the vibrancy of the Caribbean Islands to Walt Disney World. Surrounding Barefoot Bay are six different compartments, each one named after a different Caribbean island: Aruba, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique and Trinidad. These six compartments are set around Old Port Royale, the central “port of call” of the resort. Here is located the guest check-in area, the food court, the main shop and an elaborate, sit-down restaurant.

In 2018, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort underwent a massive refurbishment. Old Port Royale was given a complete overhaul, completely re-theming its amenities and moving check-in from the Customs House to a new location within Old Port Royale. At the same time, Trinidad North was re-themed as Haiti.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort offers three restaurants and one lounge:
    • Banana Cabana: An open-air bar located not too far away from Sebastian’s Bistro.
    • Centertown Market: An indoor food court offering quick-service goods.
    • Sebastian’s Bistro: A table-service restaurant offering authentic Caribbean meals, in addition to Latin flavors and authentic wine.
    • Spyglass Grill: A walk-up location serving all three meals. Located nearby the pool in the Trinidad area.
  • The main shop here at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort is Calypso Trading Post, which offers Disney character merchandise, in addition to sundries and swimwear, perfect for those who want to relax in the hot Caribbean sun.
  • Recreation abounds here. In addition to lavish swimming pools -- the biggest one being Fuentes del Morro at Old Port Royale -- there’s also biking and boating, a running trail, fishing, and two special pirate excursions on Barefoot Bay.

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Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin
Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: January 13 and June 1, 1990


The only hotels on Disney property not operated by Disney themselves, the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin are operated by Westin and Sheraton. Despite the ownership, they are still treated as official resorts among the line-up. Designed by Michael Graves, the resort reflects Florida’s tropical beaches -- waterfalls, palm trees, and giant, stylized swans and dolphins marking each resort. The Swan is the smaller of the two, with the Dolphin being larger, marked by its large, turquoise pyramid.

Amenities of the Walt Disney World Swan

  • The Walt Disney World Swan offers three restaurants and one lounge.
    • Garden Grove Café: Inspired by an upstate park and garden, the Garden Grove offers buffets for all three meals, with character breakfasts on weekends, and character dinners nightly.
    • Il Mulino New York Trattoria: An elaborate, family-style trattoria, offering Italian classics and wood-fired pizza.
    • Java Bar: Located in the lobby, this is a popular place to go for a quick breakfast before your day of fun in Walt Disney World.
    • Kimonos: A Japanese-inspired sushi bar, complete with nightly karaoke sessions.
  • For shopping, the Swan features the character merchandise-driven Disney Cabanas.
Amenities of the Walt Disney World Dolphin
  • The Walt Disney World Dolphin offers seven restaurants and one lounge.
    • Cabana Bar and Beach Club: A poolside bar offering burgers, flatbreads and chicken.
    • The Fountain: Homemade ice cream, sundaes and malts.
    • Fresh: Healthy options for breakfast and lunch.
    • Fuel: A snack bar offering sandwiches, salads and baked goods.
    • Phins: A lounge located in the lobby.
    • Picabu: A 24-hour cafeteria.
    • Shula’s Steak House: Named for its original owner and operator, the late, great Don Shula, the legendary coach behind the only undefeated season in NFL history, this upscale location offers fine cuts of meat and delicious sides. Plus, if you’re brave enough, you can try the legendary 48 oz. Challenge. Finish that mighty steak in one setting, and you’ve got a spot in the 48 oz. Club!
    • Todd English’s bluezoo: Coastal cuisine is the biggest draw here, coming from American and international influence.
  • For shopping, there are three places to go: Accents (offering clothes), Disney Gifts & Sundries (character merchandise and necessities) and the Cabana Beach Hut (a poolside stand offering water and pool-based wares).
  • The Mandara Spa is open for business here, offering all the latest self-care treatments.
  • The Dolphin also offers an arcade, a children’s care area, a fitness center
Together, the Swan & Dolphin offer nightly campfires, rental boats and several pools.
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
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Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts
Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: November 5 and 19, 1990

Surrounding the 25-acre Crescent Lake, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts take us back to the glorious days of New England seaside resorts, with Disney’s Yacht Club Resort based on the seaside hotels of the 1880s and Disney’s Beach Club Resort based more on the upscale beach cottages that were popular at the time. In fact, the Beach Club is also home to villas exclusive to Disney Vacation Club members.

Amenities of Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

  • Disney’s Yacht Club Resort offers four restaurants and a lounge:
    • Ale & Compass Restaurant: Themed around an old lighthouse, the Ale & Compass offers breakfast buffets and table-service fare for lunch and dinner.
    • Crew’s Cup: Located next door to Yachtsman Steakhouse, the Crew’s Cup is the place to go to down pilsners from ports the globe over.
    • Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar & Grill: So named due to its proximity to the Stormalong Bay pool, this place not only offers quick-service wares like seafood rolls, sandwiches and burgers, but you can enjoy a full bar here, as well!
    • Market at Ale & Compass: A snack bar located within the Ale & Compass area, freshness is the name of the game here. For all three meals, house-made, quick-service goods are offered.
    • Yachtsman Steakhouse: This upscale joint offers some of the finest steak and seafood in all of Walt Disney World.
  • Disney’s Yacht Club Resort only has one shop: the Market at Ale & Compass.
  • A tennis court can be found on this side of the resort complex.
Amenities of Disney’s Beach Club Resort
  • Disney’s Beach Club Resort offers three restaurants and a lounge.
    • Beach Club Marketplace: A quick-service eatery within the resort’s major shop, offering hot breakfast items and to-go lunch and dinner items, like sandwiches and salads.
    • Beaches & Cream Soda Shop: Perhaps the place to go for unique ice cream treats in Walt Disney World, Beaches and Cream is famous for all sorts of frozen treats: malts, milkshakes, and of course, sundaes. Though many unique sundaes are on the menu, none can match that of the legendary Kitchen Sink. Of course, if you haven’t a sweet tooth, lunch and dinner options are available here, as well.
    • Cape May Café: This delightful spot offers two unique buffets: a breakfast buffet with appearances from classic Disney characters, and a delicious clambake buffet for dinner.
    • Martha’s Vineyard: Named for the famous Massachusetts island, this place offers authentic Northeastern wines.
  • Like the Yacht Club, the Beach Club only has one shop: the Beach Club Marketplace.
  • Volleyball nets are set up along the beaches of this resort.
The two resorts share quite a few amenities. The Ship Shape health club is located in-between the two, and both resorts offer nightly campfires and marshmallow roastings. The famous Stormalong Bay pool, with its sandy bottoms and shipwreck slide, is located right between the two wonderful resorts. But the water fun doesn’t stop there -- boating on Crescent Lake is also quite the popular sport around here.

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Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter
Location: Port Disney Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: May 17, 1991


The charm of the French Quarter comes to life here at this resort. Seven building clusters surround a natural park courtyard, complete with overgrown hedges and wrought-iron fences, with a 20th-century mint housing check-in, food and merchandise. The atmosphere is so festive, it feels like a Mardi Gras celebration may break out at any minute!

Amenities

  • Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter offers three food and drink locations.
    • Bonfamille’s Café: This table-service restaurant will make you feel like you’re in the dining room of an authentic Southern home. Here, the focus is on Southern comfort food, served with the utmost hospitality.
    • Sassagoula Floatworks & Food Factory: Designed to emulate a warehouse for Mardi Gras parade floats -- complete with giant masks and heads overlooking the area -- this food court offers some authentic New Orleans grub, in addition to more typical food court fare.
    • Scat Cat’s Club: This quiet spot is a nice place to go for a drink or two. A live jazz band even performs nightly.
  • The resort’s main shop is Jackson Square Gifts & Desires. Right next door is the resort’s arcade, South Quarter Games.
  • Port Orleans French Quarter is also well-known for its swimming pool: Doubloon Lagoon. Its most distinct feature is the famous sea serpent slide at the pool’s edge -- the slide, naturally, being its tongue.


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Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside
Location: Port Disney Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: February 2, 1992

If Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — French Quarter represents the vibrancy of the city, then Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside focuses on the more rural side of New Orleans, with two distinct areas: Alligator Bayou, themed around the city’s famous bayou, where guests sleep in wooden cabins, and Magnolia Bend, themed around the riverside mansions of days of yore. These two areas surround Ol’ Man Island, a recreational area along the same line as Tom Sawyer Island at the Magic Kingdom.

When this resort first opened, it went by the name of Disney’s Dixie Landings Resort. The resort changed to its current name on April 1, 2001, and that was because the term “Dixie” was fading out of favor, as it was a term often used to refer to the Confederacy. Likewise, the idea of having the resort be themed as an old cotton plantation during the time of slavery did not bode well as the new millennium began; thus, that aspect of the resort’s backstory was severely toned down, or otherwise removed.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Port Orleans Resort — Riverside offers two restaurants and two lounges.
    • Boatwright’s Dining Hall: This table-service eatery offers Cajun dishes and other Southern classics.
    • Muddy Rivers: Located on Ol’ Man Island, this is the place to go for some alcohol near the pool.
    • River Roost Lounge: This happening spot is located in the main lobby, and it’s famous for serving as the place to go to see the famous Yeeha Bob.
    • Riverside Mill: In this rustic setting, an elaborate food court offers five distinct food stations, each one providing unique and different offerings.
  • Like its sister resort, Port Orleans Resort — Riverside only has one shop: Fulton’s General Store. Animatronic depictions of Disney characters getting into store-keeping shenanigans mark this one-stop shop, offering Disney merchandise, necessities, sundries and snacks.
  • The Medicine Show Arcade provides a place for all avid gamers to go.
  • There’s a lot of stuff to do around this neck of the woods. On Ol’ Man Island alone, you can take a dip in the pool and go fishing. Furthermore, you can rent a bike, or even take a relaxing jaunt around the entire Port Orleans complex in a horse-drawn carriage.

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Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Moderate / Opened: May 28, 1994


The majestic Pacific Northwest comes to life at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. This elaborate resort, which is the proud recipient of a AAA Four-Diamond Award, beautifully blends the rustic beauty of nature with the modern hotel experience. When you enter, you’ll find yourself in an eight-story lobby, decorated with two giant, authentic totem poles. There are plenty of outdoor things to do, fully immersing guests in the beauty of nature, not unlike its neighbor, Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.

In 1998, Disney Vacation Club introduced a villa extension -- Boulder Ridge Villas -- to the resort; and in 2017, they turned the southern wing into the Copper Creek Villas, and introduced some cabins.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offers four restaurants and a lounge.
    • Artist Point: In this elaborate spot, representing the painters who used the Pacific Northwest as their inspiration, one can enjoy elaborate breakfasts by morning, as well as a character dinner inspired by Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
    • Geyser Point Bar & Grill: A waterside spot offering small plates and a full bar.
    • Roaring Fork: A quick-service eatery.
    • Territory Lounge: A lobby lounge offering fine Pacific Northwest alcohol and snacks.
    • Whispering Canyon Café: One of the rowdiest spots in the resort, this place offers breakfast, lunch, dinner… and all sorts of crazy shenanigans. Whatever you do, do not ask for ketchup!
  • The Wilderness Lodge Mercantile is the only place to shop here. There’s the typical wares found in every other resort shop -- Disney merch, sundries, necessities, as well as merch exclusive to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.
  • The Buttons and Bells Arcade is on hand for all gamers.
Like its neighboring campground, the Wilderness Lodge offers a lot to do: biking, fishing, swimming, boating, campfires, as well as a health club and a salon. Likewise, in the Copper Creek Villas area, you can enjoy the Carolwood Pacific Room, a room designed for all those who want to unwind.

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Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas
Location: EPCOT Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: July 1, 1996

In 1996, Crescent Lake came to life with the arrival of Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas. This glorious spot recalls the bygone, turn-of-the-century days when Coney Island was the height of amusement parks. The Inn & Villas recall the old getaways along the Eastern seaboard, offering the utmost in comfort. The resort rooms are built directly above the various components of the BoardWalk itself.

The BoardWalk is one of Disney’s most unique entertainment districts. It’s not uncommon to see surreys and bikes riding along the wooden boardwalk, or to see people being entertained by carnival street performers or trying their hand at classic midway games. Much of the resort’s restaurants and amenities are on the BoardWalk itself, so I’ll just group everything together here.

Features of the BoardWalk

  • AbracadaBAR: This vintage bar offers some mystical beverages, and you can enjoy them as magicians stroll through, performing their illusions.
  • Ample Hills Creamery: Offering a healthier -- but still delicious -- take on ice cream.
  • Atlantic Dance Hall: An elaborate nightclub inviting guests 21+ to kick their heels up.
  • Belle Vue Lounge: A speakeasy offering classic radio tunes and board games. Definitely the place to go for some old-time charm.
  • Big River Grille & Brewing Works: Guests can watch brewers making beer live as they enjoy their fare at this pub.
  • BoardWalk Bakery: A stand offering the finest sandwiches and baked goods.
  • BoardWalk Pizza Window: A stand offering delicious pizza, by the slice or by the pie.
  • BoardWalk Carts: Various carts set up along the BoardWalk, offering classic carnival food like hot dogs, pretzels, funnel cakes, cotton candy, nachos and such like.
  • ESPN Club: Fans can enjoy the latest games at this sports bar.
  • Flying Fish Café: Watch as seafood is prepared before your very eyes at this elegant hotspot.
  • Games of the Midway: Classic midway games are here for your enjoyment. Test your strength, test your aim, test your luck!
  • Jellyrolls: A speakeasy where dueling pianos provide accompaniment to some delightful drinks and savoury snacks.
  • Side Show Games: A typical arcade.
  • Trattoria al Forno: Italian classics are the name of the game here, with lunch and dinner offering family-style service, and breakfast offering all adventurers the chance to dine alongside some of Disney’s most famous adventurers: Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, and Ariel and Prince Eric (although Merida and Elena of Avalor have been known to join the adventure should one of the regular attendees not be able to make it).
Furthermore, the BoardWalk Inn & Villas also have the Dundy’s Sundries shop in the lobby, a tennis court, and a health club -- not to mention three pools, including the famous Luna Park pool, a Coney Island-inspired spot with a water slide themed as a wooden roller coaster!

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Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Location: Animal Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Value / Opened: August 1, 1997


Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort has strong Southwestern influence, being inspired by the explorers and artists of Mexico, Spain and South America. Set around a 22-acre lake called Lago Dorado, the resort’s rooms are divided into three distinct areas: casitas, ranchos and cabanas. It’s a rather large place, so the WEDWay PeopleMover drops guests off at each area.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort offers six restaurants and two lounges.
    • Café Rix: A quick-service eatery located within the lobby.
    • Laguna Bar: A spot located outside the resort’s lobby, so named because it’s right on the edge of Lago Dorado.
    • Maya Grill: A dinner-only table-service restaurant offering Mexican specialties.
    • El Mercado del Coronado: The resort’s resident food court, themed around a bustling marketplace.
    • Rix Sports Bar & Grill: Another table-service spot located within the resort’s main building, open for all three meals and featuring a lounge built within.
    • Siestas Cantina: A pool bar located nearby the Dig Site.
    • Three Bridges Bar & Grill: Located right in the middle of Lago Dorado, the flavors of Spain take the forefront at this elaborate spot.
  • The resort’s only shop is Panchito’s Gifts & Sundries, a Southwestern marketplace offering the typical wares: Disney merchandise, resort merchandise, necessities, sundries, Grab-n-Go options and even authentic Southwestern goods.
  • There’s a wealth of things to do. There’s a health club, bike rentals, an arcade, and four pools -- chief among them being the Dig Site, themed around an old Mayan pyramid.

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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Location: Animal Kingdom Resort Area / Category: Deluxe / Opened: April 16, 2001

Ever wanted to stay amid the majesty of Disney’s Animal Kingdom? With Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, those dreams can become a reality. Themed around a southern African game lodge, this place is bursting to the brim with authentic African design and details. And it’s all surrounded by a lush savanna, where living, breathing animals roam mere inches away from your room’s balcony. There are giraffes, gazelles, birds, zebras and a whole host of other animals.

In 2007, Kidani Village opened, an extension of the resort featuring DVC villas, with the main lodge building gaining the name “Jambo House”.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers four restaurants and three lounges.
    • Boma -- Flavors of Africa: An African marketplaces hosts a veritable buffet of authentic African meals.
    • Jiko -- The Cooking Place: A tranquil, sunset-inspired spot offering a sophisticated take on the food culture of Africa. Jiko also hosts the Cape Town Lounge and Wine Bar, offering authentic South African wines.
    • Maji and Uzima Springs: A couple of poolside bars.
    • The Mara: A quick-service eatery offering meals from Africa and America.
    • Sanaa: Located in Kidani Village, this table-service eatery offers food of Africa and India.
    • Victoria Falls: Located on the Jambo House mezzanine, not too far from a rushing waterfall, appetizers, cocktails and South African wine is offered.
  • Each component of the resort has a gift shop. The Jambo House has Zawadi Marketplace, featuring gifts from Africa in addition to the regular resort gift shop stock, and Kidani Village has Johari Treasures, featuring similar stock.
  • Although views of the animals are the biggest -- and most popular -- thing to do here at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, there’s plenty more in store: basketball, tennis, swimming, an arcade, shuffleboarding, a health club, and even a barbecue pavilion!

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Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
Location: Port Disney Resort Area / Category: DVC / Opened: May 17, 2004


Yes, that is the proper category. Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, which replaced the Disney Institute, is a resort made exclusively for Disney Vacation Club members. Yes, while quite a few resorts offer villas in addition to typical resort hotel rooms, this resort is nothing but villas. This is deliberate, as this resort recaptures the charm of a New York country retreat, the kind commonly seen in the 1800s. And for a more “rustic” approach, you can stay in one of the Treehouse Villas, located along the banks of the Sassagoula River.

Amenities

  • Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa offers two restaurants and two lounges.
    • The Artist’s Palette: A loft which used to house a prominent artist offers simple, quick-service goods for all three meals.
    • Backstretch Bar and On the Rocks: Two poolside bars.
    • Turf Club Bar & Grill: Horse-racing was all the rage for the upper-crust in the 1800s, and this dinner-only spot pays homage to that sport. A built-in lounge offers the chance to play pool.
  • The resort’s main shop is located within The Artist’s Palette, offering various gifts and sundries.
  • The resort’s spa, Senses, is the place to go for those times when you just want to unwind. There’s massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, aromatherapy and almost every kind of skin care and relaxation method under the sun.
  • Beyond all that, Saratoga Springs has golfing at the nearby Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, tennis, biking, five pools, a health club and an arcade.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm honestly at a loss as to what to post next. I intend to save the Resort TV loop and a Timeline discussing the full history for the very end of the thread, once I've covered everything I want to cover. In the meantime, I know I don't want to cover the golf courses, as I am not an avid golfer enough to go into details, and I already mentioned all the recreation options throughout the resort through my overall overview posts and my posts about the resorts. Likewise, I do have something else set in stone: On July 15, I intend to do a post all about weddings at Mirror WDW, as July 15 was the day Disney's Wedding Pavilion held its first ceremony.

So, what am I gonna do next? Well, everyone, it's finally time to discuss attractions in-depth! Starting with the attractions of the Magic Kingdom, I intend to highlight a few certain attractions (and maybe even a few restaurants) and give you more of an overview of what they'll be like.
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Dumb question, but are you going to finish the rest of the resorts on a later date?
What do you mean by that? Are you referring to resorts as in resort hotels, or are you referring to international park resorts? If it is the former, the last post was the second and final post about the resort hotels of Mirror WDW; and if it is the latter, I honestly don't know. I do admit, I have some ideas for a Mirror Disneyland Paris (particularly, ideas going off @MANEATINGWREATH's theory that in these Mirror universes, DLP was a success, and likewise, ideas making sure that most of the problems that plagued DLP's early days -- too many hotels, for example -- do not happen), and a few ideas for a Mirror Hong Kong Disneyland, but apart from that, Tokyo is fine as it is, Shanghai is still new, and as I stated a few months ago, I would not touch Mirror Disneyland for anything.
 

HomeImagineer

Well-Known Member
What do you mean by that? Are you referring to resorts as in resort hotels, or are you referring to international park resorts? If it is the former, the last post was the second and final post about the resort hotels of Mirror WDW; and if it is the latter, I honestly don't know. I do admit, I have some ideas for a Mirror Disneyland Paris (particularly, ideas going off @MANEATINGWREATH's theory that in these Mirror universes, DLP was a success, and likewise, ideas making sure that most of the problems that plagued DLP's early days -- too many hotels, for example -- do not happen), and a few ideas for a Mirror Hong Kong Disneyland, but apart from that, Tokyo is fine as it is, Shanghai is still new, and as I stated a few months ago, I would not touch Mirror Disneyland for anything.
I would love to see Mirror Ideas for Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong & Shanghai in the future, Yes Please. Also i found it idea in the link of Orlando678- idea down below but i think you doing your ideas as well i guess. But just to know

 
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DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I was talking about resort hotels, and that you forgot to mention hotels that opened after Saratoga Springs (if there were any), @DisneyManOne
In this Mirror universe, Saratoga Springs is the last resort to open. The real-life "Value" resorts (All-Star, Pop Century, Art of Animation), Old Key West, the Riviera Resort, Bay Lake Tower, and most of the villas, do not open; hence why I have designated the Moderate resorts as Value resorts, and split the Deluxe resorts down the middle, with only four Deluxe resorts retaining their title, and the rest becoming Moderate.

As for non-Disney resorts, the Four Seasons Hotel and the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek do not open here, as well. All the resorts here in MWDW are owned by Disney, with -- of course -- the exception of the Swan & Dolphin. And of course, the land that is Hotel Plaza Boulevard becomes part of Port Disney here, but I already mentioned that.
 

Suchomimus

Well-Known Member
In this Mirror universe, Saratoga Springs is the last resort to open. The real-life "Value" resorts (All-Star, Pop Century, Art of Animation), Old Key West, the Riviera Resort, Bay Lake Tower, and most of the villas, do not open; hence why I have designated the Moderate resorts as Value resorts, and split the Deluxe resorts down the middle, with only four Deluxe resorts retaining their title, and the rest becoming Moderate.

As for non-Disney resorts, the Four Seasons Hotel and the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek do not open here, as well. All the resorts here in MWDW are owned by Disney, with -- of course -- the exception of the Swan & Dolphin. And of course, the land that is Hotel Plaza Boulevard becomes part of Port Disney here, but I already mentioned that.
Would they big enough though?
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Would they big enough though?
I'd think they'd be more than big enough. Given the fact that most of the Deluxe resorts are moved down to Moderate, this means that more middle-class people can enjoy the comforts of what is, in real-life, a Deluxe resort at a modest price. I think it would definitely bring strong income into this Mirror universe.

Now, let us start exploring some of the attractions here at Mirror Walt Disney World, starting with the Magic Kingdom and the...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Walt Disney World Railroad

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On-board the Walt Disney World Railroad, we'll be given a scenic, grand-circle tour of this “East Coast Disneyland” aboard one of four authentic steam engines: the Walter E. Disney, the Lilly Belle, the Roger E. Broggie and the Roy O. Disney. Our journey begins right here on Main Street, U.S.A. at
Main Street Station. This friendly façade welcomes guests to the Magic Kingdom, its tunnels below sending them into the park for a day filled with fun. All of a sudden, we hear it...the call of a steam whistle and the chugging of wheels. The Walt Disney World Railroad has pulled into the station!

“Your attention, please! The Walt Disney World Railroad, now leaving for a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom, with stops at Frontierland and Fantasyland. All passengers, board!”

With that, we hop aboard the train, ready for a trip unlike any other. As we board, we hear the voice of one of those typical old-timers, one who's been on many a train and knows the way trains work and the local landscaping and color by heart. He gives us a friendly welcome.

“Hello, folks! Welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad! We’re now embarking on a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom, with stops at Frontierland and Fantasyland. We got a lot of travelin’ ahead of us, so remember: for a safe trip, you need to stay seated, keeping your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the train. And please, watch your children.”


“¡Hola todos! Bienvenido a bordo del Walt Disney World Railroad! Le llevaremos a una excursión de gran círculo del parque, con paradas en Frontierland y Fantasyland. Por su seguridad y la de otros, por favor permanezca sentado con las manos, los brazos, los pies y las piernas dentro del tren, y por favor asegúrese de vigilar a sus hijos. Gracias!”



As the train chuffs out, the country-laden twangs of “Casey Jr.” from Dumbo (basically, an extended version of the song heard in the video above) fills our ears. This serves as underscore for our journey. As soon as we depart from Main Street Station, the voice of our guide comes on again.

“You know, I’ve been riding these rails for quite a spell, and I find there’s no better place to travel than right here at the Magic Kingdom. By the way, we’re traveling on pure steam power. This old locomotive is descended from the mighty trains that powered the golden age of steam. And just like me, it’s a little old-fashioned,” he says with a chuckle. Suddenly, a fierce roar sounds from out of nowhere.

“Golly! Did you hear that? Where else but at the Magic Kingdom can you travel from the charm of a turn-of-the-century American town to the untamed jungles of Africa, Asia, and South America? We’re traveling through the wilds of Adventureland, where you might run into all sorts of savage creatures and mysterious locales. There’s all sorts of wild beasts roaming these parts: like lions, tigers, and even tiki birds. Sure can get wild around these parts!”


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Moving further ahead, we pass through a tunnel designed to look like it's part of the temple where Indiana Jones Adventure is situated. Indeed, the tunnel is deeply ornate and richly-detailed. Our guide says “Seems to me like we’re passing right through an old temple. I’ve heard tell that none other than Indiana Jones is somewhere inside there, trying to see if there are any artifacts to study. He’d best be careful! And speaking of people ready for adventure, don’t be surprised if you run into those scurrilous Pirates of the Caribbean while you're here. Everybody best be on the lookout—ya never know just what may show up. But if your travels bring you to Adventureland today, be sure you come with an extra dose of bravery.”


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Indeed, the Pirates of the Caribbean pass-through is also detailed. We're seemingly passing through Castillo del Morro. Cannons sit in their holsters, ready to be blasted at intruders. Dimly-lit torches light the way. Snatches of “Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me” can be heard if you’ve got a good ear. We may even get a glimpse of the ride’s final moments, where the pirates have discovered Puerto Dorado’s treasure! The jungle foliage gradually transforms into foliage commonly found in the wild frontier…


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“Well, shoot! It looks like we've reached the wild west of the Magic Kingdom: Frontierland! This outpost is home to the covered wagons, cowpokes, and Country Bears. We've reached Frontierland Station, everyone, so sit tight until we’ve come to a complete stop. This station not only serves Frontierland, but it's also the place to stop if you want to head to Adventureland, New Orleans Bayou or Liberty Square. If you’re disembarking here, please carry your strollers all the way off the platform before you unfold ‘em. That’ll help make room for the new passengers joinin’ us. For those of your continuin’ on with us, we'll be resumin’ our trip in just a moment. This is Frontierland!”




As we pull in, a bluegrass version of “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” plays (much like at Disneyland, when we pull into each station, a certain music sting plays). And before long, we’re chuffing outta Frontierland Station and towards the vast wilderness.

“As we head into the American wilderness, we’ll pass right through the mighty Thunder Mesa. You know, as we roll through Frontierland, it may feel as though we really are back in the Old West, the days of cowboys, pioneers and...yikes! Everybody stay quiet, because we’re in the midst of bandits!”


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Indeed, we are passing right by the hold-up scene on Western River Expedition.

“Phew! That was a close one! Now, just beyond Thunder Mesa is the Big Easy itself -- New Orleans! For many Western-bound folk, New Orleans was one of the biggest hot-spots. The music was fine, the food was fantastic, even the bayous seemed bewitching! Now, of course, these cowboys and pioneers weren’t the first to make their home in this wild frontier. These native tribes of Plains Indians were living, hunting, and trading for centuries, long before we ever came along. They were the first to tame the wild horses of the American plains — long before our big ol’ iron horses started chuggin’ through these parts.”

Indeed, as we leave New Orleans Bayou behind, we come across an animatronic depiction of a Plains Indian village, the same depiction that passengers aboard the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes pass by. At the edge of the village is a rocky tunnel, serving as our transition into Fantasyland.

“We’re almost out of the woods, folks. This tunnel signals our transition into the most magical of lands: Fantasyland — a place where any dream can come true! This is the place where some of your favorite Disney stories come to life like never before. But beware -- some of these stories can get pretty wacky! Just ask ol’ Winnie the Pooh, tryin’ to hide his honey from those mischievous Heffalumps and Woozles.”


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Yes, like with Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, the tunnel turns into a starfield, and we can see a sleeping Pooh Bear float past. The starfield continues, with constellations depicting some of our favorite Disney pals.

“Y’know, Pooh Bear isn’t the only friend you can visit in Fantasyland. You can also visit such friends as Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Rapunzel, Pinocchio and Aurora. You can zip and zoom through the Seven Dwarfs’ diamond mine, explore the Beast’s castle, and you can even visit places like Wonderland, Arendelle and Neverland!”


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Suddenly, the night sky turns into an underwater fantasy. The sunlight shines down on the water, creating a mesmerizing effect. We can see Atlantica in the distance, and hear Ariel’s voice, seemingly calling out to us…

“Oh, and I almost forgot: you can even dive down under the sea to meet Ariel, the Little Mermaid herself. Yessir, whether you’re a pixie, a princess, or just an everyday dreamer, there’s always something special about Fantasyland.”


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At the end of the tunnel, we find ourselves arriving at the Gardens of Imagination, where the Fantasyland Station is located.

“Well, here we are in Fantasyland! Now, please wait until the train has come to a complete stop, gather your belongings, and carry your strollers away from the platform before you start unfoldin’ ’em. That way, we can start loadin’ up for the next leg of our trip. For those of your disembarking, please watch your step, and thanks for traveling with us on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Join us again real soon. If you’re stayin’ aboard, our next stop is Main Street Station.”




As we pull in, we hear a fully orchestrated version of “Casey Jr.” (direct from the Dumbo soundtrack--the same thing you hear when you pull into Toontown at Disneyland). Chuffing out of Fantasyland Station, we head towards Tomorrowland.

“As we steam on through Fantasyland, you may wanna take one more look at the circus where Dumbo the Flying Elephant has set up shop, and the happiest cruise that ever sailed, ‘it’s a small world.’ Folks, ahead of us lies the future! Well, I guess we all know that… What I mean to say is, we’re headin’ into Tomorrowland—where anything that's everything is possible. Winding below us to your right is the Autopia—where drivers of all ages can get behind the wheel of a car, and no license is required. Or, you could even hop aboard a… oh, what do they call ‘em? Oh, “Light-cycles” for a wild ride through the world of a computer! And if you’ve ever wanted to become an astronaut, then you might want to stop at Space Mountain, where they got some new-fangled flyin’ spaceships that’ll launch you into the deepest reaches of space. And you can ride ’em if you got the mind—huh, and the nerve!”


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By this point, we have emerged into another tunnel, a tunnel that separates TRON from the Autopia. This tunnel makes us feel as though we are in the Grid, pulsing with light and music. Listen close, and you might hear the sound of Lightcycles whizzing past! As we emerge, the voice of our guide comes back on again…

“Well, after all that travelin’, it's nice to come home to good ol’ Main Street, U.S.A., the gateway to the Magic Kingdom. Inspired by the small-town dreams of a young Walt Disney, a walk down Main Street is like steppin’ back into the early years of the 20th century. Of course, ours is a Main Street of the imagination, a charming, nostalgic tribute to a bygone era of barbershop quartets, horse-drawn trolleys and charming store windowfronts.


We’ve made a complete trip around the Magic Kingdom. For those of you who’ve been on board for the whole journey, thanks for puttin’ up with me these last few days. We sure hope you’ve enjoyed your travels with us and that you’ll come back and see us again real soon! If you’re stayin’ with us, we'll be headed for Frontierland next. If you’ll be leavin’ us here, stay in your seat ’til we come to a full stop. And remember to gather all your personal belongings -- includin’ the young’uns if you got any -- and step carefully from the train. For those of you travelin’ on, we’ll be on our way again in just a few minutes.”

Returning back to the familiar sight of Main Street Station, we depart and find ourselves back on Main Street, U.S.A.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Now, in the next post, we'll head down to Central Plaza, because something special will be coming by! Say, is it almost 3:00?
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Remember the Magic

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Parades have played a crucial part in the Disney experience ever since Disneyland first opened. Since then, parades have become a normal part of the Disneyland day, and thus, it was only inevitable that the Magic Kingdom would have its own parade, as well. For the park’s first 25 years, they ran through a whole bunch of parades, but it wouldn’t be until 1996 that the Magic Kingdom finally got a permanent one…

The Remember the Magic Parade became the official parade of the Magic Kingdom on September 27, 1996, as part of the 25th Anniversary Celebration. Since that date, Remember the Magic has grown from a 25th anniversary tie-in to becoming the Magic Kingdom’s longest-running and most frequently-updated non-seasonal parade, only stopping performances on the 4th of July, when the classic America on Parade makes its annual return; in September, when Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade spreads its ghoulish delight; and in November, when Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade takes the streets. But come January, Remember the Magic is back in full-force. Now, 25 years since the parade first debuted, it remains a staple of your typical Magic Kingdom day.

Remember the Magic involves vivid depictions of some of the most beloved moments in Disney history, from the early days of Mickey Mouse to some more recent hits. At certain points along the route, the floats will stop and guests will be invited to step out onto the streets and perform alongside the characters and performers, helping to add another layer of magic to the procession.


The Current Parade -- Premiered March 9, 2014



It all begins when a fanfare based on “When You Wish Upon a Star” fills our ears, and a narrator gives us a brief introduction:

“Once upon a time, there lived a man named Walt Disney. Walt was, like a lot of you, a dreamer. Like most dreamers, he found the power to transform wishes into reality, and with just a sprinkle of pixie dust, he brought many classic stories to life, each one with their own special memories. Today, we cordially invite each and every one of you to relive those memories, reunite with some of your favorite characters and help them re-enact their most magical moments. Come with us, ladies and gentlemen, and remember the magic. Come meet the girl whose foot fits the glass slipper, the genie who makes wishes come true, the little lion cub who grows up to be king. Come celebrate again all the wonder and joy, the laughter and delight, that is so much a part of the tradition that Walt Disney started all those years ago. Come with us!”

“When you wish upon a star…”


“Come and remember the magic!”

With that, a choir starts to sing the parade’s theme:

“Remember the Magic, Remember the Magic,

It’s time to Remember the Magic!

Your heart will just take wing,

you can live out all your dreams.

No matter how, no matter when,

you can reach that world again.

It's like a dream come true,

that lives inside of you.

It’s time to Remember the Magic!

It’s time to Remember the Magic!


Remember the Magic! Remember the Magic!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah (A magic sensation!)

Zip-a-dee-ay (A new celebration!)

My, oh, my what a wonderful day.

Remember the Disney Magic!

Plenty of sunshine (The joy and the laughter!)

Heading my way (Having fun ever after!)

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

Remember the Magic! Remember the Magic!


So join our celebration, and wish upon a star.

And start to Remember the Magic (Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!).

It's time to Remember the Magic! (Zip-a-dee-ay!)

There’s always a dream coming true.


Remember the Magic!”

As the song goes on, we see the arrival of the parade floats coming up on the horizon...

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Gateway to Magic: Six pairs of royal court dancers lead the way for a beautiful mirrored float inspired by Cinderella Castle -- which, believe it or not, has been in use in Magic Kingdom parades ever since 1984! Cinderella and Prince Charming stand at the front of the float, and among the various stairwells and balconies of the float, you’ll find Minnie, Pluto, Daisy, Donald, Goofy, Chip and Dale, all dressed in regal attire. Standing at the back of the float, atop a special parapet, is none other than Sorcerer Mickey. The Fairy Godmother follows along behind the float.

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Aquatic Magic: Multicolored fish shaking maracas can only mean one thing: We’ve gone “under the sea” to see Ariel, Sebastian and Flounder! A whole bevy of animatronic fish are the main focal point for this float, with Sebastian leading a whole fish band at the front of the float. The newt plays the flute, the carp plays the harp...oh, you know how it goes. Flounder leads a conga line of fish around and around a piece of coral, atop which is Sebastian, proudly conducting. At the rear of the float, the Little Mermaid herself can be found sitting within a seashell.

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Youthful Magic: What’s that rockin’ and a-rollin’ down the street? Why, it’s the Jolly Roger, the ship of one Captain James Hook. Riding on the crest of a large wave, the ship looks like something of a lushly-illustrated children’s book. There’s even special fiber-optics embedded throughout the ship, allowing it to sparkle with “pixie dust”. Peter Pan, Wendy, John, Captain Hook and Mr. Smee ride atop the ship, while the Lost Boys dance and bumble along down the street. Plus, if one looks towards the highest mast on the ship, you may see the figure of Tinker Bell standing atop it.

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Beautiful Magic: Following Peter Pan come a host of dancers dressed like chefs, some of which push around blue, candelabra-topped tables. Now, longtime Disney visitors may recognize that their costumes are the same design used for the Beauty and the Beast stage show at Disney-MGM Studios. How fitting, since they herald the arrival of a float based on the 1991 film. Based on the “Be Our Guest” sequence, this float features a bevy of dancing spoons, plates, forks, knives, wine bottles and other kitchen and food-based knick-knacks. Atop a soup bowl surrounded by spinning napkins, Lumiere welcomes us, while Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip can be found on surrounding tables. The elaborate display leads towards an elaborate castle-inspired float, connected to the feast by a staircase. Atop this rose-covered float are Belle and the Beast. More chefs come along, some pushing pink tables and a cart of sweets.

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Jolly Magic: A crescent moon overlooks the rooftops and chimney-stacks of Edwardian London. A troupe of energetic chimney sweeps dance their way down the route. Among the rooftops, we can find Mary Poppins, dressed in her red and blue ensemble, and Bert, dressed like his fellow chimney sweeps. The familiar penguin waiters bring up the rear of the float. Oh, and fun fact: this float was so popular, it was later cloned for the Wonderful World of Disney Parade in Paris!

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Adventurous Magic: Sword dancers and a car decked out in golden treasure (out of which the Genie will pop out of during the show stop) lead the way for Aladdin and Jasmine, riding their magic carpet. Their carpet floats over another mound of treasure, while the head of the Genie looms over the lovebirds. Of course, during the show stop, the Genie’s full, inflatable form emerges, but when the float is moving, it’s just the head and neck.

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Friendly Magic: The Green Army Men march their way down the parade route in time with the music. Mr. Potato Head, Rex, Slinky Dog and Bullseye also walk down the parade route, interacting with guests as they pass by. This float seems to be built out of Tinker-Toys, and decorated with cards, monkeys from the barrel, and other Toy Story pals. Woody, Bo Peep and Jessie stand at the front of the float, nearby Mr. Spell. Above them is Buzz Lightyear, riding in his spaceship. A mobile of Little Green Aliens spins nearby him.

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Jungle Magic: Dancers dressed like animals -- cheetahs, zebras, gazelles, stilt-walkers evoking giraffes and performers twirling bird kites can only mean one thing: the Lion King has come to the Magic Kingdom! Riding atop an exact replica of Pride Rock, Simba stands proudly. Below him, in the grassy fields surrounding Pride Rock, Timon and Pumbaa stand on top of a log at the front of the float, while Zazu flies around the fields. At the back of the float is Rafiki’s tree, where the wise mandrill puts the finishing touches on his portrait of the king. More stilt-walkers bring up the rear of the float, with their headdresses telling us they evoke elephants.

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Daring Magic: The only unit in the parade not to involve one giant float, but rather, one tiny one. Atop a rocky rostrum is an enchanted chamber with a bed. Aurora and Phillip stand on the stairs, waving to guests. Flora, Fauna and Merryweather twirl around this small float. Behind them, thorn-inspired stilt performers and dramatic “raven dancers” glide along the parade route before one of the parade’s biggest highlights. With fiery eyes and glowing effects, the spectacular Maleficent Dragon is a steampunk sight to behold. At 53-feet long and 26-feet high, the fire-breathing monstrosity has a prickly spinning wheel in its core, bending and flexing its neck, tail, wings, and claws as it lumbers down the parade route.

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The Magic Lives On: A cavalcade of favorite Disney characters -- Hercules, Megara, Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Alice, the Mad Hatter, Lilo and Stitch -- introduce the final float, set around a glorious garden. At the front of the float, Snow White, Prince Florian and Dopey stand in front of a fountain, while behind them, Anna and Elsa stand in front of a tree, seemingly carved out of ice. Rapunzel and Flynn Rider stand underneath a rose-covered arch, joined by Tiana and Naveen. Surrounding a dense willow tree -- Grandmother Willow herself -- are Pocahontas, Tarzan, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Baloo and King Louie. Atop this tree is a replica of Cinderella Castle, glittering in gold and silver. Dumbo, Pinocchio, Moana and Mulan bring up the rear of the float. In addition to all these characters, the likes of Piglet, the White Rabbit, Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket, Mowgli, Meeko, Mushu, Kristoff, Olaf and Philoctetes have been known to appear on the occasion, should one of the other characters not be able to be in the parade.

At three points along the route -- specifically, when all the floats have entered Frontierland/Liberty Square (The backside of The Magic Lives On should have reached the very edge of the ropes the crowds sit behind by this point, in order to allow everyone the chance to participate); when all the floats have entered Central Plaza; and along Town Square/Main Street, right when Gateway to Magic is about to make the turn backstage -- the floats will stop, and when the parade’s theme ends, this is what you’ll hear.


“I believe in magic…”

“And now, we cordially invite you all to step out onto the streets and help us make some magic!”

“Do you believe in magic?...”

“Let’s all join together and help our Disney friends re-enact their most magical moments.”


“Join in! Make the magic come true!”

During this narration, the characters and performers invite guests to come and join them and prepare them for the show stop. The show stop is different depending on what float is in front of you.

For Gateway to Magic, you’re invited to join Cinderella and the Disney gang for a mini-ball, involving waltzing to “So This is Love” and a circle dance around the castle float in time to “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”. For Aquatic Magic, it’s a conga to the strains of “Under the Sea”. For Youthful Magic, the sailors aboard the Jolly Roger come back to dry land to join the Lost Boys and guests for a high-spirited game of “Following the Leader”.

For Beautiful Magic, the chefs invite guests to help make a little culinary magic by dancing along to “Be Our Guest”. For Jolly Magic, a medley of “Step in Time” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” invites all guests to “kick their knees up”. For Adventurous Magic, “One Jump Ahead” is recontextualized as a game of Genie Says. For Friendly Magic, guests are invited to play along with Woody and the gang. For Jungle Magic, Pumbaa and Timon invite guests to provide the beat for a jungle jam--specifically, playing drums to the tune of “Hakuna Matata”.

Daring Magic provides us with the most epic show stop of them all. A roar from Maleficent is enough to send Aurora back to sleep! Teaming up with Prince Phillip and the Three Good Fairies, guests -- armed with their own swords and shields -- can fight the thorn monsters and help defeat the dragon! Of course, all ends well, and Phillip awakens Aurora with a kiss.

Finally, for The Magic Lives On, guests are invited to join the Disney characters for a march around the garden, to the tune of “Whistle While You Work” and “Heigh-Ho”.

Then, no matter what float you participated in, as you head back to the curbside, the show stop ends thusly:


“Our thanks to you for sharing in this moment!

Join hands as we sing our favorite song!

(Sing with us now!)

When you wish upon a star,

Makes no difference who you are.

When you wish upon a star,

Your dreams...

(Remember the magic!)

Come...

(Like magic your dreams will…)


Come true!”

With a final burst of confetti, the show stop ends and the parade continues forth.

Of course, there’s been quite a few changes over the years to keep it ever-fresh.

  • When the parade debuted, there were floats themed around Dumbo and Pinocchio, which came after the Aladdin and Lion King floats, respectively. These were discontinued in 1998, after the 25th Anniversary Celebration ended.
  • With this change came two new floats: Dumbo was replaced with a float themed around Toy Story and Pinocchio was replaced with a float themed around Hercules, particularly a float re-used from the Hercules Zero to Hero Victory Parade, which had recently concluded its run at Disney-MGM Studios. Of course, Dumbo, Pinocchio and Geppetto were added to the Magic Lives On float so that way, they’d still have a presence in the parade.
  • In 2001, Hercules was replaced with Mulan, and like Hercules, this was a re-used float from the Mulan Parade at Disney-MGM Studios. Hercules and Megara were added to the Magic Lives On float.
  • In 2002, Mulan was replaced with Lilo & Stitch. Mulan, of course, was added to the Magic Lives On float.
  • In 2004, Home on the Range replaced Lilo & Stitch, who...well, guess. It was a simple float, mainly consisting of a barn containing the characters, and a team of square-dancers. Needless to say, this float did not last long.
  • Just a few months later, in November of 2004, The Incredibles replaced Home on the Range.
  • In 2005, the beginning and ending floats get minor alterations to better tie in with the Happiest Homecoming on Earth Celebration. The royal court dancers get a new style, trading their 25th Anniversary silver for 50th Anniversary gold. Meanwhile, the Cinderella Castle atop the ending float turns all gold, but reverts to its old silver-and-gold style when the celebration ends in 2006.
  • In 2009, a float themed to The Princess and the Frog, re-using the old steamboat float used for many a Magic Kingdom parade in the past, replaces The Incredibles.
  • In 2011, the royal court dancers get another update, with the ladies’ pink-and-gold gowns going full pink, reusing the gowns from Disneyland Paris’ Beauty and the Beast show.
  • In 2014, Sleeping Beauty replaces The Princess and the Frog. Tiana and Naveen become part of The Magic Lives On, joining Rapunzel and Flynn (who became part of that float in 2010) under the arch.
  • The Magic Lives On float has seen various characters be swapped out, normally being swapped out in favor of those who no longer had floats. Past characters to appear in this float include the other Dwarfs, Bernard and Bianca, Robin Hood, Prince John, Merlin, Thumper, Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Bear, and the Three Little Pigs.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My biggest inspiration for this particular attraction post was @MANEATINGWREATH and his post about Fantasy on Parade. In fact, the introduction to this post mainly comes from his introduction, so credit to him for that. Likewise, my introduction for Remember the Magic comes from two sources: the original Remember the Magic spiel, as well as the post-HHOE spiel for Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams.

Now, get ready, everyone, as -- since I've done the daytime parade -- I think tonight, I'll share with you the nighttime parade. Get ready, because you're about to witness the power of SpectroMagic!
 
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Twilight_Roxas

Well-Known Member
This is good. Do you somewhat plan to have some attractions, nighttime shows or in case of DisneySea lands based off Soul, and the new Pixar film Luca?
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This is good. Do you somewhat plan to have some attractions, nighttime shows or in case of DisneySea lands based off Soul, and the new Pixar film Luca?
I haven't seen Luca yet, and I don't really know of any good ways to blend Soul into the parks.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

SpectroMagic

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Dream-like in every sense of the word, there’s no parade quite like SpectroMagic, which has dazzled Magic Kingdom guests since 1991. A spiritual successor to the original Main Street Electrical Parade, SpectroMagic involves hundreds of twinkling lights being used to bring to life locations from some of Disney’s most beloved worlds. Unlike most parades, this one glides down the streets of the Magic Kingdom not in four/fourth time, but in three/fourth. John Debney’s haunting, waltzing theme only adds to the dream-like tone of the parade.

As with almost everything at Disney, there’s a story behind this parade. To hear Disney tell it, here’s why the SpectroMen have come to the park: “The SpectroMen are keepers of light. They hold the parade’s magical light and transform it for you in the midst of the night. They come from a land called LightSpriation where everything is filled with rays of light and magical bursts of color. They were always afraid to come out of hiding and share their magical light, until one day, Mickey, the SpectroMen King, asked if they would join him in a nighttime festival of magic and light, and come and bring the magical light for everyone to see. Scared to confront people, they hesitated. After much consideration, the SpectroMen agreed. They brought along their magical SpectroBalls and Light-Trumpets to spread the joy of their magical light to everyone. Mickey controls the light they magically create and powers the parade through his Electro-ball, changing it from night to day, or crystal to multi-color.”

In 2010, as part of the Summer Nightastic! event, SpectroMagic received an upgrade. Two of the existing units got massive facelifts and a few new units were added to the parade, as well. And it is this version that Magic Kingdom guests delight in nowadays. So, with that said, we invite you to sit back, relax, and take in the glory that is SpectroMagic…

10 minutes prior to the parade’s start, we hear the voice of our host: Jiminy Cricket.


“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your SpectroMagical host, Jiminy Cricket! Everybody in the Magic Kingdom welcomes you. You know, somehow Disney fantasy seems a little more alive at night. In fact, it was Walt’s favorite time in the park. Come along with us, to see the magic worlds of Disney. Wait ‘til you see the worlds of music from the Silly Symphonies, the wonder of Wonderland, the fun of Woody and Buzz’s playtime, the fantasy of the Little Mermaid’s ocean, the mystery of Winnie the Pooh’s nightmare, the imagination of Fantasia, and the world of dreams in a grand Disney cavalcade. Just wait ‘til you see it in a bright new way, one light at a time! The magic starts in ten minutes!”

Five minutes later, we get the five-minute announcement, which doubles as a safety announcement:

“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, in five minutes you will be experiencing our unique musical and light spectacular, SpectroMagic. In order for you to fully experience tonight’s presentation, the Magic Kingdom lighting will be reduced. We recommend, for your own safety and convenience, that you enjoy the performance by remaining in one location until the lighting returns to normal. We also ask for the safety of our performers, that you refrain from the use of video camera lighting.

Damas y caballeros, niños y niñas, en cinco minutos presentaremos nuestro increíble espectacular nocturno, SpectroMagic. Para que disfrutes al máximo de la presentación de esta noche, se reducirá la iluminación de Magic Kingdom. Nosotros recomendamos. Para su propia seguridad y conveniencia, disfrute del rendimiento permaneciendo en un lugar hasta que la iluminación vuelva a la normalidad. También pedimos por la seguridad de nuestros artistas, que se abstengan del uso de iluminación de cámaras de video. Gracias.

And now, here's your host, Jiminy Cricket!”


“Good evening folks and a big welcome from Jiminy Cricket! I just have to say that nighttime is my favorite time in the Magic Kingdom. But, well, what do you expect from a cricket like me, ha-ha! And when you see Spectromagic, well sir, you’ll know just what I mean. I think this place truly is magic. It all starts in just a few minutes.”

Another five minutes pass. It is time. As the lights along the parade route dim, a fanfare fills our ears, and John Debney’s sweeping theme, “On This Magic Night”, begins to play.



“On this magic night

A million stars will play beside us

Cast a spell of light

Glimmering, shimmering, carouseling

‘Round the world tonight

A symphony in SpectroMagic


Pure enchantment lights our way!”


The voice of Jiminy Cricket is heard: “Welcome to the splendor, the spectacle, the sparkling sensation, where the comedy and thrill of Disney fantasies come to electric life.” A brief crash on “Night on Bald Mountain” gives way into “Part of Your World” as Jiminy Cricket finishes his narration: “And now, the Magic Kingdom proudly presents, in a million points of musical light, the magic worlds of Disney...in SpectroMagic!”

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  • The Call to Magic
    • Trumpeters: Providing the “call to magic” are six SpectroMen at six herald trumpets.
    • Title Float: In a style similar to the Casey Jr. train of the Main Street Electrical Parade, a large float that looks a lot like a circus calliope floats down the street. On either side of the float are light screens that present text. First, it flashes “Walt Disney World presents”, then the word “SpectroMagic” is written on the float right before our eyes. Four SpectroMen ride atop this float; two sitting on platforms at either side of the float, and two sitting on SpectroBalls next to the screens on the float. Flanking this float are four SpectroMen riding on their SpectroBalls, two on each side of the float.
    • Mickey’s Float: The King of the SpectroMen himself, Mickey Mouse, appears atop his own float. His cape flows down to the ground, curving upwards to form an elaborate backdrop to his float. Mickey is using his crystal ball to help bring light to the parade. As part of the 2010 update, Mickey now uses LCI to comment on the events of the parade.
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  • The Worlds of Music from the Silly Symphonies
    • Genie’s Symphony: A giant metronome marks the beginning of this unit: four floats connected together to make one giant symphony. Connected to this metronome is a giant conductor’s stand, atop which stands a most unlikely conductor: the Genie! On the next float, made to look like drums, is our percussionist: Goofy. Also on this float is the Golden Harp from Mickey and the Beanstalk. The next float is decorated with horns, and what looks like either xylophone blocks or piano keys. Two giant double basses with arms wave to guests. Finally, we have a giant grand piano, with Chip and Dale tickling those ivories.
  • The Wonder of Wonderland
    • The Tulgey Wood: Formerly themed around Sleeping Beauty, the garden theme has been retained in favor of another whimsical setting: Alice in Wonderland. The music blends “On This Magic Night” with “Alice in Wonderland”, “The Unbirthday Song” and “In a World of My Own”. The first float--formerly the peacock and Fauna--has turned into the Tulgey Wood. Bizarre, lit-up trees bearing directional signs pointing every which-way and strange birds and other creatures are featured on this float. And in the middle of it all is Alice, bemused by it all. In keeping with tradition of past parades, she communicates with the spectators via live-mic. Of course, the Cheshire Cat appears and disappears in various places on this float. The dragonfly dancers are retained, serving as a unique transition.
    • A Very Merry Unbirthday: Flora’s float has turned into the giant tea table of the Mad Hatter and March Hare. Giant teapots and teacups spin around and around as the Mad Hatter and March Hare bounce and bound around, thoroughly enjoying their unbirthday party. They use live-mic and LCI, respectively, to wish spectators a “very merry unbirthday”.
    • The Queen of Hearts’ Garden: Dancers dressed like the Queen of Hearts’ guards can only mean one thing: Merryweather’s float has turned into the garden of the decapitation-crazy queen. Card painters are shown frantically “painting the roses red” as the Queen of Hearts and White Rabbit supervise. They are followed by dancers dressed like giant butterflies.
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  • The Fun of Woody and Buzz’s Playtime
    • Toy Soldiers: As the music changes to a three-quarter time “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”, Sarge and his troops come marching down the street, letting us know that the Toy Story gang is coming.
    • Andy’s Bed: Atop a giant depiction of Andy’s bed are the likes of Bo Peep, Slinky Dog, Hamm, Rex and Mr. Potato Head, all portrayed by a mix of costumed actors and animatronics. Bo Peep uses pre-recorded audio to interact with the spectators.
    • Woody’s Roundup: In a vivid depiction of the Wild West, Woody, Bullseye and Jessie are shown riding the range. Woody and Jessie also make use of pre-recorded audio.
    • To Infinity and Beyond: The unique style of SpectroMagic lends itself perfectly to depicting outer space. Buzz Lightyear is shown, riding his rocketship through the galaxy. His rocket really seems to float along the parade route, as stars and planets shine. Of course, Buzz also uses pre-recorded audio to interact with his fans.
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  • The Fantasy of the Little Mermaid’s Ocean
    • Bubble Fish: Three giant fish come swimming down the parade route, blowing bubbles from their mouths. Ursula also swims alongside these fish.
    • Under the Sea: Like the Music unit, this consists of various floats connected together. The first float contains a shipwreck on the front half, but on the back half, Ariel is found, eager to explore this human world. She uses a live-mic to directly speak with spectators. Flounder swims along nearby. On the second float, an animatronic Sebastian conducts his fish band. His energetic performance of “Under the Sea” brings a refreshing change of pace, its fast calypso beat serving as a direct 180 from the three-quarter waltz refrains we’ve been hearing so far. Then on the third float comes King Triton, in his chariot pulled by four seahorses.
  • The Mystery of Winnie the Pooh’s Nightmare
    • Woozle-in-the-Boxes: Three giant Woozle-in-the-Boxes make their way down the parade route, as the music changes to an ominous, three-quarter rendition of “Heffalumps and Woozles”. They can descend and pop back up at any given moment, giving spectators a scare. Among these Woozle-in-the-Boxes, performers carrying giant Heffalump-Bee puppets glide through the crowd.
    • Color-Changing Creatures: A giant Heffalump and a giant Woozle appear on their own float. They change colors and patterns as they head down the route.
    • Heffalump Band: Two costumed character Heffalumps--a male in top hat and tails, and a female in a bow and tutu--dance to the music provided by animatronic Heffalumps and Woozles. Among the members of the band, we have a Woozle in a marching band hat and epaulets playing his nose like a trumpet; a Heffalump dressed similarly playing his trunk like a sousaphone; a female Heffalump with strings of honey attached to her trunk, which she plays like a harp; a turbaned Woozle playing a snake-charmer’s pungi, which he uses to lure honey out of a pot; and two Heffalumps playing their trunks like concertinas.
    • Heffalump Balloons: Riding atop a wave of honey is a large mobile of four Heffalump balloons, each one containing a different character: Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and Eeyore. At the rear of the float, a larger Heffalump balloon carries Winnie the Pooh. All five characters use pre-recorded audio to comment on the strange events.
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  • The Imagination of Fantasia
    • Dance of the Hours: Amid Roman décor, Ben Ali Gator twirls Hyacinth Hippo around in the air. Madame Upanova, the ostrich, dances around nearby.
    • The Pastoral Symphony: Bacchus twirls around and around atop a fountain overflowing with wine. Four more ostriches--two on either side of Bacchus--dance in celebration.
    • Pastoral Continued: Another series of floats connected with each other. First, a depiction of Vulcan is primed with an arrow, ready to throw lightning bolts. Behind him, on two separate floats, pegasi take to the skies.
    • Night on Bald Mountain: Finally, the hulking figure of Chernabog himself appears atop Bald Mountain, his wings lined with dark hues of light.
  • The World of Dreams in a Grand Disney Cavalcade
    • Excitement: Entirely re-tooled, this unit focuses more on four types of characters and settings, to give a better sense of “dreams”. First, a giant puppet of Dumbo comes flying down the parade route. Behind him, Casey Jr. comes rolling down the track. Longtime Disney World visitors may recognize that this is the same Casey Jr. float that was once part of the Remember the Magic Parade, only here, Casey’s been given the SpectroMagic touch-up. He’s covered with lights from engine to caboose. Riding in his passenger cars are the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf. Then comes a giant depiction of Steamboat Willie, in black-and-white. Riding on this boat are Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Pluto.
    • Love: In a style similar to the Main Street Electrical Parade, royal court dancers, alongside Jaq, Gus, Suzy and Perla, herald the arrival of the next float in the unit. A giant fairytale castle serves as the backdrop to an elaborate outdoor ballroom, surrounded by candelabras, roses and foliage. On this float, Snow White and Florian, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aurora and Phillip, Belle and Adam, Tiana and Naveen and Rapunzel and Flynn waltz to their hearts’ content. The Seven Dwarfs walk alongside the float, providing musical accompaniment to the waltzing. Bringing up the rear of the float are the Fairy Godmother and Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, using their wands to add their own splashes of color.
    • Glory: This float celebrates three acts of Disney heroism. In the center of the float is Pride Rock, atop which stands Simba. Above Pride Rock, the image of Mufasa fades in and fades out, reminding Simba to “Remember who you are.” On either side of Simba are two other well-known heroes. On the left-hand side is Hercules, standing among Grecian columns. On the right-hand side, surrounded by medieval arches, a young King Arthur pulls the sword from the stone, as Merlin watches on.
    • Magic Eternal: Beginning the end of the unit is a SpectroMagic classic: the carousel. Behind this carousel come some classic Disney friends on foot: Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, Wendy, Captain Hook, Mr. Smee, Lilo and Stitch. Then comes a final, garden-inspired float. A gorgeous hill filled with flowers gradually builds its way to the rear of the float, where a giant moon stands, symbolizing the incredible night of dreams we have just witnessed. On this float stand Pinocchio, Geppetto and our host, Jiminy Cricket. Atop a garland-topped parapet at the rear of the float, under the light of the moon, we find Tinker Bell, adding one last pinch of magic.

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Throughout this final unit, the lyrics of “On This Magic Night” are heard once more.

“Music surrounds us

Laughter that found us

Twirling around this

Carousel of light and laughter!

We shall remember

This moment together

Let this night forever

Live in our dreams!


On this magic night

A million stars will play beside us

Cast a spell of light

Glimmering, shimmering, carouseling

‘Round the world tonight

A symphony in SpectroMagic

Pure enchantment lights our way!


Music surrounds us

Magic around us

Twirling around us

Carousel of light and laughter!

Though we say goodbye

We cast a spell that won't be broken

Let this night forever


Live in our dreams!”

As the main chorus repeats one last time and the music reaches its crescendo, we receive one last message from our host: “So long! From Jiminy Cricket...in SpectroMagic!”

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And there we have both of the Magic Kingdom's parades! What did you guys think? I'd appreciate any feedback.

Again, I must credit @MANEATINGWREATH for inspiring this post. It was his post about the MSEP that inspired my layout for this SpectroMagic post, so thank you very much for that!

Now, given that it's summertime, it can quite hot. So sweltering hot, in fact, that it feels like we're in the jungle. In fact, for the next post here, I say we head on over to Adventureland and set off on the silliest safari the world has ever known! See ya then!
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Happy July! Here's the first post of the month!

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Jungle Cruise


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Could there be any other iconic Adventureland attraction than the Jungle Cruise? This iconic “silly safari” has been delighting guests ever since Disneyland opened in 1955, but it may seem hard to believe that when it opened, it actually was rather serious, much like the True-Life Adventures films that inspired the area. But when Walt heard that many people were choosing to “one-and-done” this attraction, he became determined to find a way to keep guests coming back. The solution: humor. Marc Davis added some humorous tableaus along the waterways, and the skippers started to crack jokes. By the time the Jungle Cruise opened with the Magic Kingdom on October 1, 1971, the whole thing was a hilarious romp right from the get-go.

Our adventures through the world's mysterious waterways begin - as such adventures often do - on the edge of the Forgotten Kingdom, a rundown colony among the towering palms and weeping moss of the jungle foliage… The crackle of big band and symphonic chatter of distant wildlife entice our senses as we approach the ramshackle launch of the Jungle Navigation Co., Ltd. The boathouse appears to have once offered safe passage to the fabled Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Nowadays, the old launch has fallen into a state of disrepair… Moss and vines crawl up the foundation of the rickety structure, poised to reclaim the estate for the tropical wilderness.

“Voice of the Jungle” Albert Awol, disc jockey of the Paradise Kingdom Broadcasting Service, hosts an ongoing radio broadcast throughout the dusty halls and walls of the dingy queue. Such news bulletins recap the up and coming dangers in the immediate jungle. Here is what you will hear while waiting for your cruise to begin:


Albert: (Jingle) This is the Paradise Kingdom Broadcasting Service, serving remote outposts since 1930. (Pause) The weather here this morning is hot and humid. A typhoon warning has been issued for coastal areas near Crocodile Country, and a storm watch has been posted along the excavation site near the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. (Pause) Colonel Hathi’s Safari Club announces that the special Jungle Cruise dispatch has arrived, bringing with it the world’s first in carnivorous plant repellent. Remember, when it comes to self-safety with man-eating plants, it could cost you an arm or a leg. (Pause) Now, let’s get back to our musical program.
  1. “Moonlight Serenade” - Glenn Miller
  2. “Happy Days Are Here Again” - Ben Selvin and the Crooners
    Albert: If you’re within the sound of my voice, you’re listening to AWOL Airways of the Paradise Springs Broadcasting Service. This is Skipper Albert Awol, the “Voice of the Jungle.” (Pause) This just in: a Jungle Cruise skipper reports spotting the lost safari. As you may recall, this lost safari has remained missing longer yet has had more sightings than any other in history. (Pause) Locally, airplane pilots are cautioned about landing in Settler’s Field. Recent rains have created large bogs which have attracted the attention of local water buffalo. Pilots are advised to land safely near the rainforest region of Inspiration Falls. (Pause) And now, here’s today’s river tip from Skipper Bill of the Congo Connie. Bill says: “If it rains in the jungle, who cares? That’s why they call it a rainforest.” Thanks, Bill…
  3. “Jingle Jangle Jingle” - Kay Kyser
  4. “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” - Tommy Dorsey

    Albert:
    (Jingle) Breaking News Update: an entire Jungle Cruise tour group has disappeared in Headhunter Country. Authorities are trying to determine their exact whereabouts. It is the fourth reported incident involving the Jungle Cruise this month. (Pause) The Jungle Cruise is now offering a free sightseeing tour down the Rivers of Adventure. Any travelers who may need to exchange foreign currency along their voyage needn't worry; there are banks all along the rivers. (Pause) This broadcast is brought to you in part by Trader Sam’s Gift Shop, home of the finest wares this side of the Serengeti. If you lost it, he’s found it! Trader Sam’s Gift Shop -- great deals at even worse prices. And now, “In the Mood.”
  5. “In the Mood” - Glenn Miller

    Albert: Here are the answers to our Jungle Trivia Questions... (Reading answers in order) The correct response to a crazed, charging elephant is: “AAH! AAH!” Tigers are striped, not spotted. Toucan sound better than one toucan can. It takes one to know one. And, it takes an average of eight minutes for a family of gorillas to destroy a typical base camp.
  6. “Minnie the Moocher” - Cab Calloway

    Albert: (Jingle) Today only, all veterans will be allowed front-of-the-line access at the Jungle Cruise. That is, veterans of the American Revolution, in full uniform, as accompanied by their parents and horse. (Pause) The Paradise Kingdom Board of Safety prohibits water passage through the waterlogged temple. Passengers requesting an extended tour with the Jungle Cruise will be directed to the Forgotten Kingdom Hospital for immediate medical and neurological examination. This is Skipper Albert Awol of the Paradise Kingdom Broadcasting Service.
  7. “Sing, Sing, Sing” - Benny Goodman
  8. “I’ll Be Seeing You” - Billie Holiday

    Albert: Congratulations to Skipper Marc, winner of our Jungle Trivia Contest. Please report to Trader Sam’s to claim your prize -- anything you want, you will get a special discount: one dollar off. You have the duration of the next song to do so.
  9. “Dinah” - Louis Armstrong

    Albert: This is Skipper Albert Awol, your “Voice of the Jungle.” (Pause) Next week, the True-Life Adventurers Club will be holding its third-annual meeting. Dr. Seers and Hibbler will be discussing their research on the African lion. The rival Adventurers Club will be holding their usual nonsense on the same evening. (Pause) Bingo Night has been cancelled at the Recreation Center until further notice. A python attack is the purported cause of the cancellation. (Pause) Back to our regular program.
  10. “Moon Over Burma” - Dorothy Lamour
  11. “Slow Boat to China” - Kay Kyser
  12. “Dream a Little Dream of Me” - The Dorsey Brothers

    Albert: (Jingle) An earthquake to the northeast of the jungle has really shaken - not stirred - the native wildebeest. A mass wildebeest migration has brought with it a mass following of lions and tigers and bears. Oh my. (Pause) Let this fact sink in. At least seven homes were lost in a sudden sinkhole on the outskirts of the Paradise Kingdom. In a related report, quicksand has taken the local giraffe population by storm. Adventurers are advised to watch their step in sandy areas; lone giraffe heads will determine the location of quicksand. (Pause) Beacon Joe reports a record number of piranha in the waterways of the Amazon. As always, would-be swimmers must wait an hour after eating before they swim. The same does not apply to piranha. (Pause) This is Albert Awol.
  13. “We’ll Meet Again” - Vera Lynn
  14. “Bongo Bongo Bongo” - The Andrews Sisters & Danny Kaye

    Albert: On this day in history, Prof. Porter of England retires to the African rainforest with his daughter, Jane, and her husband, Tarzan. (Pause) In today’s headlines, the Temple of the Forbidden Eye reports a record number of visitors this year. Local officials attribute the increase to rumors about recent discoveries; or, greedy ne'er-do-wells seeking gifts from the ancient gods. (Pause) The weather in the Paradise Kingdom today is hot and humid. Monsoons are expected to arrive here later this week. (Pause) In an unrelated note, ancient spirits of the river ruined one unlucky explorer’s turkey sandwich. The meat was possessed by said spirits, creating a “poultrygeist.” (Pause) Who wrote this?!
  15. “Serengeti Serenade” - Buddy Baker, 1964-1965 World’s Fair
  16. “Anything Goes” - Lew Stone
  17. “Ain’t Misbehavin’” - Fats Waller

    Albert: Last week, the River Pilots License Test was given to all 30 Jungle Cruise skippers. A sincere congratulations to all those who passed. The remaining 29 pilots may take the test again next month. (Pause) During his lecture yesterday to the Anthropological Society, Prof. Marcus Brody reported that Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones has located priceless artifacts at the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Prof. Brody believes that Dr. Jones may have uncovered the most significant archaeological find of the century. And now: music.
  18. “I Wan’na Be Like You” - Louis Prima & Phil Harris, The Jungle Book
  19. “Colonel Hathi’s March” - The London Pops Orchestra

    Albert: Once again, this is Skipper Albert Awol, your self-proclaimed “Voice of the Jungle.” (Pause) An infestation of vampire bats has forced the Forgotten Kingdom Tea Society to reschedule their annual picnic for this coming Saturday at noon. Attendees are advised to eat plenty of garlic and always carry a silver crucifix on their person. (Pause) Leech therapy is the rage in modern medicine. The Paradise Kingdom Hospital has officially opened their state-of-the-art Leech Ward, free of charge to any willing patient. To access your free leech therapy, simply jump in the river and wait. (Pause) Explorers, please be advised that there have been several reports of aggressive butterflies near Inspiration Falls. Three unfortunate travelers have reported minor confrontations. To minimize the chance of future injuries, butterfly repellent is strongly recommended. (Pause) And now: a musical interlude.
  20. “How Could Red Riding Hood?” - Al Lentz Orchestra
  21. “Aloha ‘Oe” - Queen Liliuokalani
Preserved specimens, framed artifacts, detailed maps, and black-and-white photographs adorn the walls, while dark “peek-ins” allow glimpse at a cozy office and the crew’s quarters of the Jungle Navigation Co. Hammocks, half-written letters, human skulls, dusty binoculars, and lone pith helmets act in lieu of interior décor. A small library features one of the world’s only known fossils of the “Monster of Paradise Falls”, a South American import on loan from the Adventurer’s Club.

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The eerie crackle of Mr. Awol’s big-band playlist leads our path to an old boat landing, where tramp steamers -- a la The African Queen -- arrive for a perilous voyage.

Across the river from the dock is a dense jungle, seemingly endless as it stretches toward the distant skyline of an ancient city: the crumbling spires and turrets of the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Birds sing and insects chirp as a “musical” backdrop to a thatched-roof shack on a miniature pier. Fishing nets, undisclosed crates, and a rusted shovel hint at a macabre resident… Wooden grave-markers in the adjacent underbrush imply the same. This peculiar shack is the first of countless mysteries ahead… Once on board a ramshackle riverboat, we are introduced to our fearless guide with -- what else -- a one-liner: “Welcome aboard, folks. As you enter the boat, please watch your step and lower your head, and if you miss your step and hit your head, please watch your language -- this is a family park.” As our fellow passengers load into the boat, we venture out into the exotic heart of darkness with the low rumble of our steamer’s uneasy, perhaps defunct engine.

“And we’re off! Now, we always turn and wave goodbye to the beautiful people back at the dock… and wave goodbye to the ugly people, as well. They need love, too. Now that that’s taken care of, welcome aboard the world-famous Jungle Cruise! My name is ___ and I’ll be your skipper, guide, snake charmer, lion tamer, crocodile hunter, witch doctor, water buffalo wrestler, and, if you don't laugh at my jokes, your swimming instructor, for the next five exciting days and six romantic nights… For your safety, please keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the boat, and please, watch your kids -- because the piranhas won’t…” Our boat has since left the dock and entered a mystical, almost unreal stretch of the Amazon Rainforest.

The overall look of the Amazon has been updated. Sailing down the Amazon will now feel like you're really there. A dense canopy shelters the river from the elements (and shields guests from views of the Indiana Jones Adventure queue), adorned in vibrant blossoms and the occasional exotic insect. A gentle mist pours down from the arched canopy in a refreshing breeze, beautiful and mesmerizing amidst the warble of a Debussy flute. Here in this first part of the Amazon, hidden in the treetops, you’ll find an animatronic sloth, casually chewing on some leaves with a lazy glazed look on its face while wearing a skipper's hat. Giant butterflies and watchful toucans appear in the trees, a subtle compliment to the lone capybara peering through the thicket. “As we leave the last outpost of the Paradise Kingdom, we enter the deep Amazon Rainforest, where it rains some 365 days a year. We often see exotic birds and huge, colorful butterflies -- genus name, ‘plasticus mechanicus.’ And check out those wings! The average butterfly has a wingspan between 12 inches and a whopping 1 foot! Do you feel that refreshing mist in the air? It’s malaria, don’t worry.”


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The canopy parts to reveal Inspiration Falls, a small, if not beautiful, waterfall. Two families of bullfrogs sit on opposite ends of the waterways leading up to the Falls. To the port side (from the boat’s point of view), three adult frogs and two baby frogs. To the starboard side, two adults and three babies. These frogs (as designed by the legendary Marc Davis) were specifically created for the Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise, and not only are these frogs cuter than cute, they move, too! The adults open their mouths and actually distend their vocal sacs, while the babies rock back and forth on their legs. Our skipper slows for a moment, fishing for a rare moment of awe. “This is Inspiration Falls. We call it Inspiration Falls for it inspires us to go…” Our skipper gives pause; suddenly, he lowers to his knees, as if needing to use the restroom desperately. He regroups. “Deeper and deeper into the jungle.”

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Leaving the rainforest behind, we come upon the Congo River in Africa, and the sight of an Abandoned Beach. Beached canoes set an ominous tone in the dead silence. “Now, we’re on the Congo River, so let us see how far we ‘con go.’ Up ahead we have...an abandoned beach. I know there were people here before, but I can’t see them. Canoe? No, but seriously, folks, something dangerous must be nearby. It’s either eat or get eaten out here in the jungle. I wonder what scared them off?”

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An ominous hiss shatters the silence. A gigantic python, poised and readied on the branch of a dead tree in the shallows, frightens both the skipper and ourselves to look to the opposite end. “Whoa!” The skipper slams down his fist on the boat for an added scare. “A python! I can see why that beach got abandoned. He does look frightening. But don’t worry, pythons are actually some of the nicest animals in the jungle. They’re known to develop crushes on people.” Our skipper bursts into a self-provoked laughing fit.

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The river turns to the left as we catch a glimpse of a Safari Camp laden with supplies. However, something is a little… off? A family of exuberant gorillas have invaded the outpost, gleefully toying with the varied belongings found in the large tent. Cans and boxes are scattered along the shoreline, a preface to the overturned jeep with its tires still spinning, fresh tracks in the sand. A huge silverback in a polka-dot skirt and necktie tries on a pith helmet in a wall-hung mirror; a grunting mother dips her baby in a bag of flour, giving him “pants”; a lazy ape swings back and forth in a hammock; a juvenile peers into the loaded muzzle of a rifle; a second armed juvenile sits on an ammunition crate near the shore, firing curious potshots at our boat - not to mention the floating crates of ammunition in the water. All this monkey business has greatly disturbed the camp’s pack mule and crate of chickens across the river. “Well, well, well...my in-laws are back in town. There goes my mother-in-law again, always trying to blow my head off. But on the bright side, they got my jeep to turn over! Oh, and by the way, if any of you are wearing yellow clothing, don’t make any sounds like a banana - it drives them ape.”

As we continue downriver, we come upon a stray silverback swinging out over the water, pummeling a crocodile just begging for a knuckle sandwich. With every snap of the beast's jaws, the ape's fist comes down, sending the croc’s head under and its tail skyward. “Now there’s something you don’t see everyday. But I do. Every ten minutes… And again after that… And again… And again… And again… Stay in school, kids.”

As the canopy parts overhead, we come upon a narrow stretch of river inhabited only by a tall pair of African bull elephants. The great beasts bellow forth, as if ready to charge the boat. “Over on the left we have the second most feared animal in the jungle: the African bull elephant. Over on the right we have the first most feared animal in the jungle: his mother-in-law. These elephants guard the entrance to the longest river in the world: the Nile! And if you don't believe that, you’re in ... disbelief.” Passing by the elephants, we glide past a sandstone rock formation. “You see those rocks over there? Those are sandstone rocks. I point them out because most people take them for granite. It’s definitely one of our boulder attractions.”


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Curious gazelle and zebras can be seen hidden among the tall grass and bamboo thicket of the African Veldt. A trio of baboons even appear in one tree. A pair of giraffes munch on the leaves of the tallest trees. Three water buffaloes inspect our boat as we pass by. “This tall grass means we’re in the African Veldt. We must be on the lookout! Now you can say you’ve had a nodding acquaintance with a giraffe! The giraffe, however, won’t talk back - this is one animal with no vocal cords. And if you look across the river in the bamboo, you will see: absolutely nothing.”

At the far edge of this veldt is the lair of a snarling lion pride. The eerie diorama portrays the dramatic “survival of the fittest” motif found in Walt Disney’s True-Life Adventure films. Amid the rocks and ruins of their cave, the lions have made a kill and are hungrily chowing down on an unfortunate zebra. The gargantuan male often lifts his head from the feast, roaring proudly. A pair of cubs fidget with the tail of a lioness, while two such lionesses engage in a tug-o-war with a meaty (zebra) leg. “Would you look at that? These lions are demonstrating the first law of the jungle: Don’t be a zebra. Can you feel the love tonight? Reminds me of my favorite Disney movie: Toy Story.” As our boat sails past the feast, we pass underneath a gargantuan tree branch. Giant roots hang from it. Our skipper takes note. “Some call this a root canal. Seriously! That’s the honest tooth. I mean, truth.” An angered lioness slowly creeps out from the shadow with a low growl. “Even nature thinks my jokes are bad.”


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Hyenas can be heard cackling ahead. The foliage parts for a beach laden with rocks and sand. The hyenas joyfully “laugh” at a rare glimpse of the Trapped Safari. The unfortunate travelers have climbed a dead tree to evade the horn of a massive rhinoceros. Siobhan Murphy, a red-headed bird watcher, her face close to a nest of jungle birds, is at the top of the tree, followed by Dr. Kon Chunosuke, an entomologist; Rosa Soto Dominguez, an artist; Leonard Moss, a botanist, and lastly, Felix Pechman XIII, a very unlucky Jungle Cruise skipper. As the rhino lunges forward with its raised horn, the poor victims rise up briskly. “And here, we have some fellow explorers demonstrating the second law of the jungle: Rhinos run faster than you. Looks like the big guy really has them up a tree. And if you doubt a rhino can be persuasive, just you wait. Those poor souls will get the point...in the end.”

However, our next stop is nowhere near humorous. It’s ominous. We have entered Crocodile Country. Dozens of basking - growling - crocodiles line the beach from either side… Every so often, a croc opens its jaws with a hideous yawn. “We’re entering Crocodile Country, the oldest part of the river… Look, there’s Old Smiley! Old Smiley here is a hundred years old! And there’s Ginger, his girlfriend. Careful: Ginger snaps! She’s one tough cookie!” More crocs begin to surface from the immediate waters, growling hungrily.

We hear the ear-splitting caw of a rare hornbill, perched on a gnarled tree in the shallows. Three crocs have cornered the bird from either side, whilst two more emerge from the river, offering little comfort for the bird, who doesn't seem to comprehend that he can simply fly away. “Wow, a rare flightless hornbill - about to become a little more rare.”

Leaving these crazy crocs behind, we come across Schweitzer Falls, a spectacular clifftop of thundering cascades of water. However, our boat seems to be ever-inching closer and closer towards the mighty falls. “All right, everybody, lean in the middle! This is gonna be a tight turn! If we all lean in the middle, we’ll all sink evenly!” Fortunately, we make it past the falls without a scratch. “That waterfall we just passed by was Schweitzer Falls, named after the famous explorer who discovered it, and who also founded the Jungle Navigation Company. I am, of course, referring to the one and only Dr. Albert...Falls.” Leaving Schweitzer Falls behind, our boat rounds a bend, only to discover the back end of a crashed biplane… “You know, we’ve been waiting on a shipment of supplies from the mainland, I wonder if… Well, there it is - in plain sight. Gosh, I should tell the guys back at the dock about this…”


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A low fog has rolled in above the surface of the Hippo Swamp. “We’re not out of danger yet - we’re sailing right into the midst of a swamp filled with dangerous hippopotami.” Sure enough, unfriendly hippos begin to surface from below, wiggling their ears and blowing bubbles. And if the presence of a sunken Jungle Cruise boat is any indication, these creatures are, indeed, dangerous. “Don’t worry, my boss told me they’re only dangerous if their wiggling their ears and blowing bubbles… Which they’re all doing.” The large “river boss” begins to charge the boat with his twisted teeth. “Never fear, everyone! I’ll scare them off the way I scared off my ex: I LOVE YOU!” As expected, the hippos dive back beneath the surface. “Works every time.”

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Once again, we escape the blatant danger -- again -- but sail right into the midst of more danger. The hooting and hollering of excited chimpanzees can be heard just ahead. The trees part to reveal five chimpanzees gleefully playing around the remains of a Wrecked Jungle Cruise Boat. “Uh-oh. You guys want to know what happened to the last boat I had?” The first chimp sits on the roof of the boat, holding a parasol. Below him, the second chimp swings about. His brightly-colored fur is the result of him getting into a painter’s supplies. We can even see the edge of the awning covered in paint! Next to that chimp, we find the third chimp reading a map, while the fourth sits nearby, with four butterflies sitting on her body. She stares at the insects, transfixed. The fifth and final chimp dons a Jungle Cruise skipper’s hat, and is hooting into the microphone. “Look, that chimp thinks he can do my job! And he probably can. You know, I’ve actually studied chimpanzee language extensively. Allow me to translate.” A long pause. “Nope, I got nothing.”

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Our boat continues on without a hitch, until we come upon a series of crates embedded into the shore. Two more chimps sit on these crates, and on the most prominent crate, we see the written warning: “FRAGILE -- LIVE INSECTS.” Indeed, butterflies are flying around the crates and the chimps. Jars containing beetles and bugs float in the waters nearby. The first chimp idly opens one butterfly’s cage, watching the others fly around, while the second, hiding inside a crate, wields a butterfly net. “I was wondering why we never got that shipment of live insects”, our skipper muses. “Don’t worry, folks, we’re in no danger. These guys are just monkeying around. I wish I could say the same for those butterflies...”

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Passing by this monkey business, we find ourselves coming back towards Schweitzer Falls. Unlike before, we pass right through the waterfall. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the best part of the Jungle Cruise, the sole reason why you came to Disney World, the greatest natural phenomena ever experienced by man, the eighth wonder of the world: THE BACKSIDE OF WATER!!!” Leaving this glorious sight behind, we find the tide has turned. We are now on the Mekong River of Cambodia, approaching a very ominous-looking temple…

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It's the same kind of waterlogged temple usually found in jungle adventure films -- complete with toppled columns, cracked stairs, crumbling stone, and the carved face of an ancient goddess. The river ahead trails deep into the dark abyss of the temple, guarded only by hissing king cobras slithered ashore… “Now, we’re on the Mekong River. Some people say that the ancient islanders built this temple in honor of the fantastic beasts of the jungle… Nowadays, the temple is home to a series of great dangers. Who knows what lies on the other side? Treasure, or torment? We must be quiet… Shh…” With the utmost pride and courage, our skipper pulls full-steam ahead into the darkness of the temple, blissfully unaware of the dangers that lie ahead... From two stone torches flanking the entrance, fire belches forth... Vultures watch as we drift inside...

The dark and uninviting temple brings us past a collection of mosaics in portrayal of the island’s mythology and the vicious animals that tormented the natives. Fallen pillars and stone appear among the dark waters, the din roars of some strange phenomena in the distance. But before we investigate further, we hear a hungry growl.


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A massive tiger has paused in its tracks; crumbled brick and jungle foliage around him. The green eyes of the tiger illuminate the darkness, the beast close enough to climb aboard… “That right there is a Bengal tiger! Bengal tigers can weigh up to 500 lbs and jump up to 25 feet! But don’t worry, we're a good 24 feet away. He’ll sail right over us!” The tiger now behind us, we sail further into this mighty temple. “Ladies and gentlemen, as we travel through this temple, please remain seated and refrain from flash photography. Only those with a dark heart use the dreaded flash photography…”

The growling of the mighty tiger gives way to musical tones. If not the real thing, they are at least evocative of xylophones used in Cambodian court music. The impression is that in the darkness of the ruins there is the echo of something lost to time. As if captivated by the sound, two cobras sway back and forth on pedestals situated near the boats’ path. With a hiss, a blanket of steam envelops our path, practically blinding us. “This can’t be good! I can’t see a blasted thing in this steam… With my luck, we’ll veer off course and meet our doom. But things could be worse, right?” A pair of red eyes illuminate thru the fog, soon joined by three more pairs. “I spoke too soon.”

The eyes are revealed to belong to four giant king cobras, surrounding a shrine to the Hindu god Hanuman, crouched in a blissful position among gold artifacts and crystals. These snakes hiss defensively, ready to attack those who dare disturb this holy shrine, occasionally lunging forward with bloodcurdling screeches. “Snakes?! Why did it have to be snakes?!” Fortunately, our boat veers just in time. Once again, our path is engulfed in a thick cloud of steam.

When we emerge from this cloud, we find ourselves back outside. We sail beneath a railroad trestle and back into the relative safety of the jungle. A group of monkeys appears on the port side, meddling with more treasure, sticking their heads and hands into urns or climbing into them. A little monkey yelp is heard for a moment. “Before we go any further… Raise your hand if you’re still alive.” We do. “One, two… Okay, good. I get paid for the amount of people I bring back, not the amount I take out.”


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Our boat emerges from the mysterious temple unscathed, and heads toward a much more happy sight. “We must have come across the elusive Enchanted Bathing Pool of Elephants. Let’s take a closer look…” We have sailed into a spectacular grotto of frolicking Indian elephants among glistening fireflies, giant lily pads, purple waterfalls, bubbling streams, and the return of a Debussy flute. An entire herd has gathered to bathe; one huge elephant reclines in a waterfall; a baby squirts water into the mouth of a waiting crocodile; countless other adults and their young frolic gleefully among the waters. “Feel free to take all the pictures you want, folks. They do have their trunks on. These sacred bathing rights are seldom seen by civilized man… As I look around this boat today, I see that this still holds true.”

As we leave the waters of the pristine elephants, we venture deep into the interior, where - uh-oh - a large bull elephant has strayed from the herd, half-submerged in the waters ahead. The rogue bull shoots a stream of water in our path before ducking back under. “No, Squirt! No! Bad elephant! He’s trying to give us a bath!” Our skipper slows down for a moment, only to be jolted by a second bull elephant from the opposite side of the canal. “Yikes! Everybody get down, get down! Duck! Duck! Goose!” Fortunately, neither elephant sprays us. “Heh-heh. Just a little bit of dry humor for ya.”

I must say, we are getting close to the end of the cruise. There's not much poking out of the jungle foliage. But to our trusty skipper, it's a chance for sweet enlightenment. “If I may, I would like to take this opportunity to point out some of my favorite plants.” Putting down his microphone, our skipper points at various interesting plants.


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As our boat departs for the last stretch of the jungle, we come upon the Jungle Navigation Co. Lost & Found, which has since been turned into a gift shop, owned and operated by the one and only Trader Sam. However, the man himself is out in the jungle, trying to find new valuables. In his absence, the animals have taken over! Five little monkeys can be found amid the wares. Two look over a phonograph player, two are getting into a tug-of-war over a pair of boxer shorts, and one is standing by an old-fashioned camera, at the ready to take our on-ride photo. A baby elephant stands nearby, trumpeting merrily. “Over here is Trader Sam’s Gift Shop, because what would any good Disney ride be without exiting at a gift shop? Yessir, whether you need monkeys or boxers, at Trader Sam’s, you can pick up a pair!”

We head straight toward the ramshackle boathouse of the Jungle Navigation Co., readied to return to the Forgotten Kingdom mainland. “And now, we come to the most dangerous part of all: the return to civilization. Congratulations! You just survived the world-famous Jungle Cruise! Folks, out of all the crews I’ve had today… You by far have been the most recent. We’ve been through so much together in such a short amount of time. It’s almost too hard to say goodbye, but… Get out. Oh, wait a minute. Where are my manners? Please...get out.” We do.


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What do you think, everybody? Did you enjoy the Jungle Cruise? And as someone who is very much looking forward to the new chimpanzee boat and Trader Sam's Gift Shop scenes, I hope I did a good job describing them for this ride-through.

I should point out that most of this ride-through, and the Albert Awol queue loop, came from @MANEATINGWREATH's excellent Jungle Cruise concept, so all credit to him on that. I, naturally, had to change a few things around to account for the new changes being made for the ride, but all the rest came direct from MEW, so again, credit to him on that count. Likewise, the “monkeys or boxers” joke was the idea of the Gratuitous Disney Memes Twitter account, so credit to them on that!
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This is going to be a relatively short post, but again, I wanted to do something to mark 30 years of Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings, so here we go!

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Weddings at Walt Disney World

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Since September of 1991, couples have had the chance to say “I do” right here at Walt Disney World with Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. In fact, when a year had passed, 200 weddings had taken place at Walt Disney World! It was clear that WDW was quite the popular place to exchange vows.

Weddings here became so popular that in 1995, Disney’s Wedding Pavilion opened on-property, just a short walk away from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This beautiful, opulent white chapel offers ceremonies for all types of weddings -- religious and secular -- and is most noted for being set up in such a way that one can see Cinderella Castle in the distance, a powerful backdrop for the ceremony. A few feet away from this pavilion is Franck’s Bridal Studio, the main place to go for engaged couples to plan the big day. And if the name didn’t tip you off, this studio is designed to be a replica of the studio as seen in the classic Steve Martin comedy Father of the Bride (where Martin Short played the particular Franck).

But of course, nowadays, there are plenty of places for guests to be married here at Walt Disney World. For example, the Magic Kingdom offers weddings from the Main Street train station or in the shadow of Cinderella Castle; EPCOT offers wedding locations all around World Showcase, although the crème de la crème is the American Adventure Rotunda, a rather stately place for receptions; Disney’s Hollywoodland features ceremonies and receptions held on Hollywood Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard, and one can even rent out the Disney Animation lobby for receptions; Disney’s Animal Kingdom offers ceremonies in front of the majestic Tree of Life, and receptions in the Asia courtyard, in the shadow of Expedition Everest; and Port Disney features ceremonies in Novus Harbor, with a dramatic backdrop of Mt. Prometheus, followed by a reception at Castello dell’Oceano. If you wish, you can even time the reception so that guests can enjoy World of Color!

If you wish to be married at one of the resorts, there are certainly plenty of options. Apart from the Wedding Pavilion, you can also be married along the waters of Crescent Lake, or amid the rustic charm of Disney’s Port Orleans Resort -- Riverside, or against the savanna of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Those are just a few examples of a wide variety of locations.

Not only that, but each wedding is completely customizable. You can work within a budget or just go nuts. Disney allows guests to pick and choose everything -- the food served, the decor, the transportation, even the entertainment. And yes, you can invite two of your favorite Disney characters to the reception, if you’re so inclined!


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But that’s not even the best part: For $50,000, you can take part in the ultimate Disney wedding: the Magic Kingdom After Hours event. This event includes…

  • A ceremony either on Main Street, U.S.A. in front of the Partners Statue, or in the Plaza Rose Garden. No matter what, you’re getting hitched in the shadow of Cinderella Castle!
  • A reception either at the La Bouff Manor in New Orleans Bayou; Cinderella’s Royal Table or the Fantasyland Courtyard. (Aside from being its own separate location, the Royal Table serves as the back-up in case of inclement weather.)
  • Dinner -- buffet at La Bouff Manor and Fantasyland Courtyard, table-service at the Royal Table.
  • Guests arriving to the ceremony in Main Street Vehicles, and the bride arriving in Cinderella’s coach.
  • And the piece de resistance, a one-night stay for the newlyweds at Cinderella Castle Suite.
In fact, this one was so popular, that in 2016, to celebrate 25 years of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, the price was brought down to $25,000. Nowadays, it is possible to get this package for both prices, but the $25,000 option leaves out the night in the Suite.

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I had the idea for this expanded Magic Kingdom After Hours event for quite some time now, so I figured I might as well share it as part of this Mirror project. What did you think, everyone? Now, I think for the next post, we should head back to Adventureland and take a ride with some jolly pirates. See you then, me hearties!
 

DisneyManOne

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Well, it's certainly been a while here on this thread, hasn't it? Let's back into the swing of things with something I promised in the last post...

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Pirates of the Caribbean

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In Caribbean Plaza, the golden days of piracy are brought back to life. And what better way to see life through the eyes of a buccaneer than with a rollicking voyage aboard Pirates of the Caribbean? This classic adventure, which opened in the Magic Kingdom on December 15, 1973, is one of the most famous attractions in Disney theme park history. To this day, it is considered one of the gold standards of the art, a standard to which every Disney attraction that followed is compared. It is a magical alchemy of creative factors and design decisions, each a testament to the considerable talents of the Imagineers who designed it.

Our adventure begins in Caribbean Plaza, a tropical oasis representing the styles of the Caribbean and of Spain. The journey continues as we approach Castillo del Morro, the jewel of Puerto Dorado, a stronghold meant to protect the once-thriving seaport from unwanted visitors. The distant sound of cannon-fire proves that such unwanted visitors are fast approaching. Marking the entrance to Castillo del Morro, and the ride, are the words “Pirates of the Caribbean”, which are imprinted on the side of the building and above the official entrance. The logo above the entrance is imprinted against the silhouette of a pirate ship, and below that is First Mate Jenkins, the famous one-eyed, peg-legged parrot who entices all wannabe buccaneers to come inside.


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“Yo ho, yo ho, a parrot’s life for me. Squawk! A parrot’s life for me! A parrot’s life for me! (He whistles three times, the second being a wolf whistle.) Avast there, you lubbers! This be the place, if you be seeking adventure and salty old pirates. Squawk! Salty old pirates! Salty old pirates! (He whistles again.) We pillage and plunder! Rifle and loot! Yo ho, me hearties, yo ho! Squawk! (He whistles.) Heave to, mateys! There be longboats waiting down by Pirate’s Cove! Waitin’ to take you to the Spanish Main! (He whistles.) Right this way! Through the arches and down past the dungeon, in the old fortress. (He makes the sound of a bosun’s whistle.) We sail with the tide! Sail with the tide! (He whistles again.) Don’t miss the boat, mateys!


Yo ho, yo ho, a parrot’s life for me. Squawk! A parrot’s life for me! A parrot’s life for me! (He whistles.) Golden doubloons! Golden doubloons! Heave to, mateys! You come seeking adventure and salty old pirates, eh? (He whistles.) Salty old pirates! Salty old pirates! This be the place! This be the place! Squawk! Chart a course through the arches, mateys. It be a short march through the old fortress, past the dungeons to Pirate’s Cove. (He whistles.) Pirate’s Cove! Pirate’s Cove! There be longboats waiting to take you aboard! Squawk! All hands on deck! We sail with the tide! Sail with the tide! (He makes the sound of a bosun’s whistle.) Ahoy there swabbies, stand by to repel boarders! Repel boarders! Repel boarders!”

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Once you step through the walls of the fortress, you find yourself deep in the catacombs of Castillo del Morro, blackened with gunpowder and strewn with skeletons. Once inside the fort, a short entrance tunnel plays a menacing version of the ride’s theme, “Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me” (a tune which will become a familiar sound throughout our journey), but then the music goes silent. It needs to, because then we hear the soldiers of the fort preparing for a pirate attack. Proceeding forward, we can hear footsteps running above our heads and distant voices yelling commands in Spanish. And on the occasion, we’ll hear the familiar, yet deafening sound that is the roar of a cannon, which causes the torches to briefly flicker out. Essentially, this serves the same purpose as the original Disneyland’s queue: setting up the storyline. We will soon find out that things will soon turn disastrous for the Caribbean town of Puerto Dorado. A captain of the guard is heard ordering the preparations for firing on the distant pirate ship, and occasionally blasts of cannon fire can be heard. This, combined with the occasional refrain of “Yo-Ho” echoing through the halls, is absolutely essential narrative information that also creates the eerie impression that the pirates could be around any corner.

From there, the queue diverges through different areas of the fort. Continuing ever-deeper, we find the skeletons of pirate prisoners in prison cells -- two of which are still locked in a game of chess! Nearby these cells is a watchtower, upon which a Spanish guard comes out and encourages us to leave while we still can, in both English and Spanish:


“What are you all doing here? You are all in grave danger! Pirates are coming to attack this fortress! You must get out now before it’s too late! There are boats nearby that will take you through the catacombs under the fortress. We have used this escape route many times before in times of peril. You must use it now. Hurry, my friends! Time is running out!”

“¿Qué están haciendo todos aquí? ¡Están todos en grave peligro! ¡Los piratas vienen a atacar esta fortaleza! ¡Debes salir ahora antes de que sea demasiado tarde! Hay botes cerca que lo llevarán a través de las catacumbas debajo de la fortaleza. Hemos usado esta ruta de escape muchas veces antes en tiempos de peligro. Debes usarlo ahora. ¡Date prisa, mis amigos! El tiempo se acaba!”

Shortly after receiving this warning, the paths of the queue come back together at Pirate’s Cove, a secret rear escape route. Through openings in the walls, a distant pirate ship can be seen in the harbor…

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Pirate’s Cove is our escape route from the fort. We must get out quick before that ship starts opening fire on this fortress! Heading down the dark paths of the escape route, we head towards an old dock, where a never-ending parade of worn-out boats arrive, stop at the dock, pick up unlikely sailors, then make their way through the catacombs, heading off for who knows where. Echoing throughout the loading area is an old pirate’s voice: “Ahoy there, crew! For your safety, remain seated, keeping your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the boat—and watch your children. And no flash pictures! Prepare to make sail!”

Our excitement mounting, we board our boat and set sail...





An aura of mystery and foreboding is upon us as we sail along a dark, misted river that leads out of the fort. As we head out of the fort, we notice that the torches that line the escape route are snuffing out, one by one. Soon, we head out of the fort and into the deep, dark caverns of a rocky escape passage -- the ruins of a dark, musty grotto. Waterfalls cascade down from the rocky ceilings of the chamber, as a low mist covers the scene. In the distance, the sounds of an approaching waterfall can be heard. The boats continue deeper along the river, the mood becoming much more tense.

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Once inside the cavern, the sound of the waterfall gradually grows louder as it draws nearer, as a skull plaque is seen mounted onto the cavern walls. It speaks…

“Psst! Avast there! It be too late to alter course, mateys. And there be plundering pirates lurkin’ in ev’ry cove, waitin’ to board. Sit closer together and keep your ruddy hands in board. That be the best way to repel boarders. And mark well me words, mateys: Dead men tell no tales! Ye come seekin’ adventure with salty old pirates, eh? Sure you’ve come to the proper place. But keep a weather eye open, mates, and hold on tight. With both hands, if you please. Thar be squalls ahead, and Davy Jones waiting for them what don’t obey.”

The boat topples over a waterfall and down into a long, cavernous passage. Waterfalls cascade into underground pools through jagged fissures in the rocks, and through the mouth of a cave, we see storm clouds gathered in the image of a skull and crossbones. Alas, we are not out of the woods just yet. The catacombs of Castillo del Morro are deeply cavernous, and it will take quite a bit of traversing to fully escape.

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Traveling deeper into the catacombs, we discover an old beach, upon which lie the skeletal remains of both pirates and guards, killed in a skirmish and left to rot in the catacombs, as a grisly reminder of what will befall other pirates should they try to hide in the Castillo. Continuing deeper, we come across a hidden part of the cavern, filled to overflowing with the objects of many a pirate’s desire. Sitting atop a mountain of gold doubloons, jewels, and pieces of eight is the second to last member of this doomed crew. The brigand clutches a stack of doubloons in his gnarled hand, basking in his fleeting glory for all time. The skeleton’s other hand brandishes a pistol, which is eternally aimed at the skeleton of another Spanish guard, brandishing a rifle. It’s clear that the two shot at the same time, leading to both their deaths and explaining why the treasure remained intact in the catacombs. The boats continue to glide through the grotto, as a thunderstorm starts to erupt over our heads. We hear seagulls squealing and thunder pounding.

The boats exit out of the caverns and out into a dark chamber, where lightning flashes overhead. Projected onto the walls of the chamber, huge cyclones wrap around the rocky waters, as the boats make their way across the vast sea. Wind wraps around the boats, whipping at the guests. Mist spreads all throughout the ceiling of the room, making it seem as though a heavy rain is falling from the uneasy storm, without actually getting the guests wet. The skeleton of a mighty pirate still steering his ship is seen, still attempting to survive. Throughout this ominous storm scene, ghastly voices warn the guests of the perils they face...


OLD PIRATE’S VOICE: You may not survive to pass this way again!

SKULL’S ECHO: Dead men tell no tales, tales, tales, tales...dead men tell no tales, tales, tales, tales...dead men tell no tales, tales, tales, tales...

FOREBODING PIRATE’S VOICE: No fear have ye of evil curses says you. Aye? Hehehe. Properly warned ye be, says I.

Then, at the penultimate moment of chaos and confusion, the boats take a second, and sudden plunge down another waterfall! And to add to the suddenness, it’s a bigger drop than the first one. The first drop was 10 feet high at a 20-degree angle, but this was 20 feet high at a 25-degree angle!

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At last, we have escaped from the catacombs -- and just in time, too! It appears that the pirate ship we saw in the queue has finally come to Castillo del Morro, and it seems like the various pirates are eager to join the fight. Along the edge of the catacombs is an isolated beach bordered by miniature waterfalls and odd rock formations. A brash commander stands aboard a small schooner, cannon, sword and oars at the ready. His two comrades do their absolute best in pushing him out to sea from the shore, though it seems the schooner's weight is too difficult to budge. An epic sea battle is visible ahead. The commander points in its direction, barking orders back and forth.

“Ho! ... Lookie here, boys, thar be a hot time in the old town tonight! Heh-heh!” (The men groan in agony) “Quit yer blubbering, ye salty dogs! Morgan sez the streets be paved with gold! Now push, lads - puuuush!” (The men groan again) “Hurry! We’ll miss the treasure! Put yer backs into it! Heave!” (They groan) “Ho! ... Heave!” (They groan) “Ho! ... Storm the fort and steal a fortune! ... Push! Push! Push, me cutthroats, push! Time to set sail!” (They groan even louder) “Our fortune’s made, lads. Quick now - we’re keepin’ the ladies waiting! Heave!” (Groans again) “Ho! ... Avast there, mates - we waited fer dark! We waited long enough! Now... Push! Puuuuush!” (They groan) “Aye, the ole Cap’n - his heart’s as black as his beard! He’ll ring yer neck if ye lubbers don’t push faster! Now heave!” (They groan again)

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The night fog provides an ominous atmosphere. Although we have escaped from the fortress, we still were not able to escape being caught in the crossfire of a fierce battle between Castillo del Morro and the most feared pirate galleon on the Seven Seas: The Wicked Wench. But, before we draw near the battle itself, we glimpse one unfortunate brigand afloat off the starboard side, a seagull perched on his head.

The Pirate Captain barks orders to his crew as they fire the guns and cannons aboard The Wicked Wench, and he makes quite an impression. Voiced by Paul Frees, this captain was inspired by one of the most famous pirates of all: Edward Teach, otherwise known as Bluebeard, complete with bows in his whiskers! Colonial defenders can be seen manning the fort’s cannons, barking orders to each other in Spanish and shouting threats at the invading pirates. Between the splashing waters and smoke, we helplessly drift through this nautical melee. With each cannonball’s splash, the water glows orange with heat. But, somehow we survive the crossfire and enter the sacked seaport of Puerto Dorado. The silhouettes of two duelists are seen and heard brawling atop a rampart in the distance.


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Why have these pirates come to Puerto Dorado? Treasure. As the Paul Frees-voiced captain commandeers an attack on Castillo del Morro, another captain, voiced by veteran Disney voice actor J. Pat O’Malley, is busy interrogating the town’s mayor, Carlos (also voiced by Paul Frees), dunking him into a well. The portly mayor spits and sputters water as one of the mates pulls him out of the well, a third pirate underscoring the action with a flute. The magistrate’s wife appears in the upstairs window of an adjacent building, begging her husband not to talk. Another of the crewmen fires his musket at her and she vanishes back into the house with a scream, pulling the shutters closed behind her. The Second Captain orders Carlos dunked again as his crew explodes into laughter and the other townsmen quake in their nightshirts.

CAPTAIN: Pipe the lubber aloft, matey. Speak up, ya bilge rat! Where be the treasure?
WIFE: Do not tell him, Carlos! No, no, no, no! (PIRATE fires at her. She screams.)
PIRATE: Hahahaha! Scuttle, ya old cockroach!
CARLOS: No! No! Por favor! (Being dunked) No… No… No… (PIRATES laugh)
CAPTAIN: Pipe him aloft again, matey.
WIFE: Be brave, Carlos! Don’t listen to him. (Shots fired. PIRATES laugh)
CAPTAIN: By gum, he’ll talk, or do a fine dance at rope’s end! Be that clear, señor?!
WIFE: Don’t tell him, Carlos! Don’t be chicken! (Shots fired. Laughter)
PIRATE: Scuttle the scum!
PIRATE: Scuttle the scum! (Laughter)
CARLOS: I am no chicken! I will not talk! (Being dunked) I will… Not… Talk… (All laugh)


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Floating past the town square, we arrive in Puerto Dorado’s bustling marketplace, where an impromptu auction is taking place. “AUCTION - SURRENDER YER LOOT”, a banner reads. A pirate Auctioneer (voiced by Corey Burton) is in the process of selling off the captured townspeople’s most prized possessions and goods. His female cohort, Redd (Grey Griffin), a sultry redhead pirate of questionable repute, keeps the drunken spectators across the way in check with her rifle. The Auctioneer extols the value of jewels being modelled by Tiny, a plump female pirate in a purple dress. The drunken bidders across the waterway loudly and clearly make known their preference for Redd, and not the items on the bloc...except for a large case filled with rum, sitting inches away from Redd. A stern-faced henchman fires a rifle to silence the hecklers, but it does little good as the Auctioneer continues his sales pitch in an effort to unload his stolen inventory. Various livestock watch the scene, often spooked by the sporadic gunfire.

The aristocratic townsfolk are roped in a line behind Redd and have brought all their belongings forth, including a grandfather clock, a Renaissance painting, a marble bust, and chickens. One woman sobs into a handkerchief, while another struggles to hold the marble bust in her frail arms. Redd holds her rifle in one arm, and the rope connecting the captured townsfolk in the other.


AUCTIONEER: Weigh anchor now, ye swabbies, what be I offered for these baubles and beads?
BIDDER 1: (Mockingly) Baubles and beads?!
AUCTIONEER: (To TINY) Shift yer cargo, dearie… Make ‘em sparkle!
BIDDER 2: I’ll give ya twenty… for the rum.
AUCTIONEER: Pipe down, you lilly-livered lubber! (The GUNMAN fires his gun.)
REDD: Eh, send them jewels to Davy Jones. It’s the rum they want!
BIDDER 1: Not I! I tell you what I want...that lovely red-headed lass over there!
REDD: Belay there, ya filthy swab!
BIDDER 1: Pleeeeeease?
REDD: I’m not fer sale, bilge rat! (Fires her gun. Animals chatter)
BIDDERS: We wants the redhead! (Chanting) We wants the redhead!
GUNMAN: Avast there! (Fires. Animals make noise)
AUCTIONEER: And now, ye bilge rats -- do I hear six? Who makes it six?
BIDDER 2: Six it be! Six bottles of rum! (Another pirate laughs)
REDD: Ha, ha, ha! Drink up me hearties, yo ho!
AUCTIONEER: I’m not scrounging fer rum, it be gold I’m after! (To REDD) Spook these fools, ya brazen wench! No need for restless shoutin’.
REDD: Ya best be quittin’ yer bellyachin’, maties. (Fires. Animals spooked)
BIDDER 1: Put the redhead up, come on now.
BIDDERS: We wants the redhead! We wants the redhead!
REDD: Quiet, ya scum! (Both she and the GUNMAN fire. Animals make noise.) And ya’d best keep yer wits about ya, or ya’ll lose more than just yer gold!

The infamous “Auction” scene wasn’t always this way. Originally, the pirates weren’t bidding on surrendered goods, but instead on captured women of all ages, shapes, and sizes. The Auctioneer extolled the virtues of the pleasantly plump and positively beaming maiden, while the drunken bidders across the way loudly made known their clear preference for the next lot on the auction bloc - the sultry redhead. Even at the time, this was considered pushing it. Claude Coats recalled Walt’s apprehension at the idea of the scene. “‘This will be alright, won’t it?’ He was a little doubtful of auctioning off the girls. Was that quite ‘Disney’ or not?” Thus, after over fifty years, a new generation of Imagineers felt they needed to make changes to keep pace with the evolving sensibilities of their audience. The current scene debuted in both U.S. versions of the attraction in 2018.

Our craft sails silently onward. We pass under a stone arch and find ourselves in a residential part of town. In this area, the pirates are now invading homes in search of loot. Greedy renegades and maidens on turntables go ‘round and ‘round in circles. The men, making off with antiques and heirlooms, are being chased by the women who wield pitchforks, brooms, and other makeshift weapons. Two buccaneers holding either end of a trunk are chased by a heavy-set woman brandishing a rolling pin! A flock of chickens even pursue one another ‘round and ‘round a fountain.


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A deliriously Pooped Pirate (Corey Burton once again), already drunk and worn out from the raid, sits next to a barrel brandishing a treasure map and a key. The lid of the barrel intermittently opens to reveal Gasparilla Grey, an elderly pirate named for his impressive long, grey beard, peering over the Pooped Pirate’s shoulder for a glimpse at the treasure map. An adjacent dog barks at this pirate, causing him to duck back down.

“Oh, it’s the treasure map for sure, and no mistake. And by thunder, that scoundrel Gasparilla Grey will never lay eyes on it—nor this here key neither, ha-har. (DOG barks.) Quiet! Ha-har, fooled ‘em, I did, by gum! Search all ya want, me lads—you’ll never find the treasure without a look at this here map, and this lovely key. Hahahaha! (DOG barks.) Easy boy. Here I be—holdin’ the treasure map, and the key as well. What I wouldn’t give to see the look on Gasparilla Grey’s face when he hears tell ’tis only me what’s got the goods, haha! (DOG barks.) Keep still! I’m studyin’ me map! (DOG barks.)

Originally, the pirates weren’t chasing after loot; they were looking for love in all the wrong places. The Pooped Pirate dangled a frilly petticoat as he asked passing guests if they had seen its frightened owner, none too delicately suggesting that he was willing to share if they helped him find her. In the background, the pirates were chasing attractive women, not the other way around. The sole exception was a heavy-set woman who chased a pirate obviously not that desperate. As time marched on, Imagineers felt they needed to make some changes to the Chase scene, and changes they made in 1997.

That year saw the first of many changes to come to the ride on both coasts. Now, the pirates were making off with nothing more than an innocent snack, and it was the vengeful female cooks who were doing the chasing. The Pooped Pirate of ‘97 brandished a turkey leg rather than a petticoat, and sat next to a barrel asking after an errant piece of fish. The lid of the barrel opened to reveal a cat holding the bones of the fish in question, and not a frightened female. Gasparilla Grey would replace the cat less than a decade later, and the Pooped Pirate would be updated once more; while in Disneyland, none other than Captain Jack Sparrow himself -- an animatronic made in realistic likeness of Johnny Depp -- would be added to the scene, as a nod to the successful film series that the ride inspired. In 2006, the food was removed entirely, and loot was now the object of the pirates’ desires.


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The real stars of the scene are a pair of sword-fighting swashbucklers straight out of an Errol Flynn movie, as a noble townsman sword fights with one of the more agile, younger pirates; a weeping maiden looks on. While the duelists initially elicited all the expected gasps and “How’d they do that?” queries from the audience when they first premiered in the Disneyland Paris version of the attraction in 1992, it wasn’t until 2018 that they made their Florida debut. Compare this to the California ride, which received these duelists for Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary in 2015. The duelists and their maiden replaced the turntable situated nearest the Pooped Pirate, which once belonged to the heavy-set woman and her two men. The three characters were relocated to a different turntable, and the pirate and maiden they replaced were retired altogether.

Across the waterway, an inebriated brigand, “Old Bill,” as he calls himself, does his best to get some stray cats to join him for a spot of rum. Passing beneath a bridge, we pull alongside some classic Marc Davis mischief. Floating rum bottles surround our boat.


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A starboard dinghy has begun to sink from the weight of the excessive rum bottles on board. The sad-faced man at the oars is already waist-deep underwater, while his drunken comrade sits in a precarious fashion on the skyward bow, singing “Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me” between hiccups and firing his pistol in every which way. Slightly further ashore, a scalawag has fallen asleep at the base of a rum barrel “mountain,” bullet holes having ruptured the barrels, sending a steady stream of rum onto his shoulders and into his overfilled cup.

We pull alongside a stable on the port side, where three pirate musicians are singing “Yo-Ho” as a dog and a donkey bark and bray backup respectively. One member of the trio plays a guitar and another a concertina to accompany their shipmates, who sing their anthem and cackle in a drunken stupor as the town burns to the ground around them. Two inebriated brigands cling to each other for support, one barely holding onto what could very well be the offending torch, as they stagger to the music. Nearby, another blotto buccaneer clutches a lamppost, the only thing keeping him from tumbling to his doom. Behind them, the horizon glows an ominous reddish-orange as flames engulf the town. We can feel actual heat on our skin.

Below the burning skyline, we glimpse another dinghy filled to overflowing with stolen rum. Though this boat remains afloat, the torch-wielding, peg-legged pirate inside sings with the uncanny basso profundo of voice artist Thurl Ravenscroft. His comrade takes an endless pull from a jug of rum. Nearby, one enterprising pirate attempts an escape in a wooden rowboat of questionable seaworthiness. He clutches everything he can carry and then some, his arms filled with an unwieldy treasure chest and other valuables - even his head piled high with pilfered hats. He has one foot on the dock and one in the boat, and the uneven weight causes him to teeter perilously between the two. Just across the waterway, another buccaneer takes a swig of rum with a monkey on his shoulder (the monkey also taking a swig), while nearby, a rum-swilling souse lies in the mud with a trio of sleepy, squealing pigs, their legs twitching in soporific contentment.

The Burning Town is a fitting climax to the grandest theme park spectacle Walt Disney and his Imagineers had ever created. We escape beneath a bridge, which looks to be the reinforced sewer entrance to the underground parts of the city. A buccaneer clutching a jug of rum sits atop the bridge, one hairy leg dangling above our heads. A parrot has perched next to him, mimicking his incoherent companion as he giggles and sings, “Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me.” We disappear into the darkness of the underground tunnel…


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Drifting into the foundations of the town, we pass jail cells that are threatened from the looming flame. With the pirate invasion well underway, it’s a full house, and the prisoners are growing increasingly desperate to escape as the blaze creeps closer. A playful dog holds the key to their freedom in his mouth, literally, and the pinched pirates make every attempt to lure him within reach. The dog is having none of it, however, cocking his head inquisitively and wagging his tail in response to their repeated calls for him.

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Rounding a corner, we find that a few lucky pirates have finally found treasure! Two guards sit bound and gagged in the center of the room filled to the rafters with treasure chests, precious gems and jewels, priceless works of art, and other assorted valuables. Meanwhile, the giddy brigands in the foreground are falling all over themselves in a drunken reverie, taking target practice at the powder kegs and ammunition crates on the other side of the room. Three kegs of explosives suspended from a boom hang over the canal, directly above our heads. Bullets ricochet all over the smoldering arsenal as we run a potentially explosive gauntlet. Oblivious to the danger, the trigger-happy hooligans laugh and sing themselves silly, too presently drunk to make off with their prize. And of course, among these pirates is our old pal, Gasparilla Grey, reclining happily along a bed of goods. Oh, and fun fact: If you’re taking a ride on the Walt Disney World Railroad, you can catch a glimpse at this final scene of piratical debauchery as you pass through the ride building.

Well, I’ve certainly had enough of these buccaneers, haven’t you? It’s best we get back to safety while we still can. Leaving these pirates to their...reward, we proceed to do the impossible: go up a waterfall. As we go up, we can see two hulking pirates, struggling to make one last ditch-effort to escape with their loot, an enormous sack overflowing with all manner of gems. The strain is more than they can bear, however, and their escape has come to a grunting standstill. As we continue up the waterfall, the music gradually fades away. As we reach the top, the voice of the skull offers us one last warning: “Dead men tell no tales…”

At last, our boat reaches the top of the waterfall, spilling out into a rounded canal that wraps around the Plaza del Sol Caribe Bazaar. We are officially safe at last from those rascally Pirates of the Caribbean. We proceed to step into the old bazaar, offering the spoils of a pirate’s life for sale.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Avast, me hearties! What did you all think? Wasn't that exciting? Please feel free to leave any feedback you may have!

Not only was this ride-through inspired by the one @MANEATINGWREATH devised for Mirror Disneyland, but the idea for the revised auction scene dialogue came from a comment found on Tony Goldmark's "We Wants the Redhead" video. All credit is due to its original creator. I saw it, and I instantly thought "That sounds awesome!" And BTW, Gasparilla Grey is my own personal name for the bearded pirate. I thought it sounded rather pirate-y enough for a Disney theme park character, so into the ride it went. I wanted to avoid putting any references to the film series into the ride, hence why Grey is here instead of Jack Sparrow.

Now, since I'd like to save Country Bear Jamboree for later on down the line, we'll only do one Frontierland ride for now, and that's the one I'm sure you're all the most excited about. Yes, my friends, in the next post, we'll begin our journey on the Western River Expedition! Until then, keep the comments coming and I'll see you guys in the next post!
 
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