Category — w. Most Recent Stuff

Welcome back to Fridays with Jim Korkis! Jim, the dean of Disney historians and author of Jim’s Gems in The easy Guide, writes about Walt Disney World history every Friday on yourfirstvisit.net.

THE GERMANY PAVILION IN EPCOT’S WORLD SHOWCASE

By Jim Korkis

According to a 1982 Walt Disney World publicity release, “Although it was always certain that it would be included in World Showcase, Germany was chosen for Phase One for two important reasons.

“First, the Oktoberfest theme provided the perfect context for a large food facility, something vital to World Showcase. Second, Epcot Center planners knew they could count on enthusiastic German manufacturers and exporters to help get it off the ground.

“The authentic look and feel in the platz (plaza) and biergarten is a tribute to the ingenuity and skill of Disney Imagineers who went to Bavaria in search of just the right architectural features to use in order to convey that Old World ambiance.

“Rather than construct precise replicas of anything they saw over there, Epcot Center designers adapted German structures to fit the scale and serve the needs of World Showcase.”

For instance, to create the imposing castle fortress façade at the back of the pavilion, the Imagineers combined parts of the Eltz Castle on the Mosel River and of the Stahleck Castle on the Rhine. The platz includes architecture from the 12th to the 17th century from a variety of regions.

The statue of St. George in the center square resembles the one on top of a fountain in the city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Disney’s doppelganger is made of fiberglass that was treated to resemble the stone of the original. The statue is on a fountain guarding the water because according to legend the dragon that the knight slew had made a nest in the city’s water supply.

The Glockenspiel clock tower was designed specifically for World Showcase although influenced by the designs of clock towers in Martinstor and Freiburg. Every hour two figures of Hummel children appear to ring the bell. The melody that plays was composed just for the pavilion. A wooden rooster, flapping its wings, appears briefly over the top of the clock face to reference German cuckoo clocks.

(c) Disney

The walls of the biergarten were inspired by the walls of Rothenburg, which were built during the 14th and 15th centuries. The Imagineers rearranged elements to create the interior space for a much larger facility than any actual German beer hall that ever existed.

Octoberfest celebrates the October 1810 marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Princess Therese. Today, that celebration continues for sixteen days from late September through early October.

The original interior design on the left hand side of the pavilion was meant to guide WDW guests through a German house.

The Weinkeller with its racks, low ceilings and tile floor resembles a basement. Next door, the journey continues into the kitchen with shelves and cabinet designs suggesting that location. The next doorway leads to the living room where Christmas is being celebrated. For many decades, the next shop was the Glas und Porzellan where Hummel figures were sold.

Since this is where the artist would work, it needed the best light so was in the attic and Imagineers even went so far as to include floor boards that would squeak beneath the feet of the guests.

To ensure authenticity, five or six times a year, artisans from Goebel would spend a few weeks in the shop molding and painting Hummels and observing the overall operation.

Phase Two, never completed, was to include according to the press release, two more additions: “German Rivers ride-through, guests will learn about German history and culture as they cruise down a course which simulates Germany’s most picturesque rivers and takes them past castles, industrial centers, and recreational sites.

“With Medieval relics, an impressive show, and travel agents ready to make all the arrangements, the Tourism Center will entice our guests to visit the real Germany.”

*  *  *  *  *

Thanks, Jim! And come back next Friday for even more from Jim Korkis!

In the meantime, check out his books, including Secret Stories of Walt Disney World: Things You Never You Never Knew, which reprints much material first written for this site, and The Vault of Walt: Volume 4, and his contributions to The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit, all published by Theme Park Press.

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The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2017, the latest edition of the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook series, ever, has a new title, and a new way for purchasers to get free updates!

NEW TITLE MAKES VALUE TO RETURNING VISITORS MORE CLEAR

Even though we initially wrote the book (at the invitation of our publisher, Bob McLain of Theme Park Press) for first-time visitors, we’ve always known that it’s incredibly useful for returning visitors as well.

For example, the four key chapters that make up more than 80% of the book (Chapters 4 When to Go, 5 Where to Stay, 6 How to Spend Your Time, and 7 Where to Eat) are as valuable for returning visitors as they are for first timers.

Also really useful to returning visitors who have not been during the era of FastPass+ is the material on how to set up your My Disney Experience account and how to book your FastPass+.

So for 2017 we’ve dropped the word “First” from our title, which in prior editions was The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit.

We have not taken out a word of advice for first timers, so the book is still a great choice for them. But dropping “First” from the title makes it a little more clear how helpful the book is to returning visitors as well.

GETTING FREE UPDATES OF OUR 2017 EDITION

Josh and I update the book two to four times a year, as enough important Disney World changes accumulate to require us to provide new guidance.

One of the reasons we’ve always made the Kindle version free (via Amazon’s MatchBook program) to people who bought the paperback editon is our hope that after these updates, Amazon will force through an update to the Kindle versions, so that everyone will get the latest version.

However, Amazon does these forced updates based on its own whims, and so far I don’t think any older Kindle editions actually got updated.

So for buyers of the 2017 edition, we have a new approach:

If people forward their 2017 edition Amazon purchase confirmation to us as instructed in the book, we will let them know on that email address how to get a PDF version of our updated book!

Here’s explicitly what the book says about updates:

Ok, that’s it for now. More to come on other changes in the 2017 easy Guide later! Meanwhile, buy the book, OK?

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DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: AUGUST 20 TO AUGUST 28, 2016

The material below details next week’s Disney World operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.

Josh and I will be doing a meet and greet and book signing Sunday 8/28 –in Mexico at Epcot at 1p, and at Tortuga Tavern in Magic Kingdom at 4p!

Note that typos happen, and schedules change! If something seems odd, or if you want to double check, use the calendar links near the bottom to get the latest official Disney World scoop.

For more on August 2016 at Walt Disney World, see this.

OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/20-8/28/2016

The Magic Kingdom will be open from 8a-12MN 8/20, 9a-11p 8/21, 8a-12MN 8/22, 9a-12MN 8/23, 8a-11p 8/24, 9a-11p 8/25 and 8/26, 8a-12MN 8/27, and 9a-10p 8/28

Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9.30p 8/20 and 8/21, and 9a-9p 8/22 through 8/28

Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-11p every day

EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/20-8/28/2016

Saturday 8/20 Morning:  Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 8/21 Morning:  Hollywood Studios  Evening: none

Monday 8/22 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Tuesday 8/23 Morning: none Evening:  Epcot

Wednesday 8/24 Morning: none  Evening:  Magic Kingdom

Thursday 8/25 Morning: Epcot Evening: none

Friday 8/26 Morning:  Magic Kingdom Evening: Hollywood Studios

Saturday 8/27 Morning: Animal Kingdom  Evening: none

Sunday 8/28  Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none

PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/20-8/28/2016

The Magic Kingdom:

• Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p  every day
• Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9p 8/20; 9 and 11p 8/21; 9p 8/22 and 8/23; 9 and 11p 8/24 through 8/26; 9p 8/27 and 8/28

FIREWORKS AND EVENING SHOWS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/20-8/28/2016

Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p every night

IllumiNations at Epcot: 9p every night

Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9p 8/20 and 8/21; 8.30p 8/22 through 8/28

Star Wars Show and Fireworks at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9.30p 8/20 and 8/21; 8.45p 8/22 through 8/28

Jungle Book Evening Show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 9 and 10.30p every night

SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/20-8/28/2016

See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.

LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 8/20-8/28/2016

See this for forecasts.

DISCLAIMER

Everything is subject to change and typos! Check the Disney Calendars for updates and official schedules. These calendars can be found by clicking the following links:

• Magic Kingdom Calendar
• Hollywood Studios Calendar
• Animal Kingdom Calendar
• Epcot Calendar

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This morning I published my updated review of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, based on my stay—my sixth here—in mid-July.

The updated review begins here, and includes all-new room pictures, better pictures of the new Oasis Pool, a new photo tour of a Bungalow, updated restaurant reviews from The easy Guide’s 2017 edition, and more.

I also re-ordered the flow of material as I have been lately with my updated reviews, so that the overview of accommodations now comes before the photo tour of a standard room. Which makes sense, I think!!

Here’s the topics covered in the review, in their new order:

• Summary and Overview of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Accommodations at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Photo Tour of a Standard Room at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Amenities at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Dining at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• The Pools at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• The Disney Vacation Club at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Photo Tour of a Studio at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Photo Tour of a Bungalow at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

This visit was my first in a Club room at the Poly, and also my first in a Magic Kingdom view room there. While you’ll see photos related to both in the updated review, I didn’t not write in much detail about either.

Rather, I’ll be doing a separate post on club rooms later (it’ll be similar to Tom Bricker’s post, based on my room, here), and will do a post on theme park view rooms (an image shot from my balcony is above) in September, after my stay in a Grand Floridian theme park view room on my next visit.

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(For the first page of this review of Disney’s Polynesian Resort, click here.)

The Bungalows at the Polynesian Village are part of the Disney Vacation Club offerings at the Poly, but are also open to non-DVC members to book either via rented points, or for cash like any other Disney World room.

A lot of points, or a lot of cash. In 2020, they are $3,000-$5,250 a night…

Needless, perhaps, to say at those prices, the photo tour below is the only one on this site that’s not of a room that I paid for and stayed in. Rather, in a recent stay at the Polynesian, I was offered a tour of a Bungalow, and the photos are from that tour.

The Bungalows are stand-alone buildings built on pilings in the Seven Seas Lagoon just offshore of the Polynesian beaches.

The entry is from a common boardwalk.

The entry deck includes a bench.

You enter into a narrow hallway, with bedrooms and baths on either side. This reserves the views towards the Magic Kingdom for the common living areas at the other end–although the master bedroom does have a windowed door aimed at Magic Kingdom as well.

One side has the master bedroom, with a king bed…

…desk, dresser, and closet…

…and a large private full bath with separate tub and shower.

A fully-windowed door from this space leads to the back deck and a couple of charming hanging deck chairs, facing the Magic Kingdom.  This view is from the deck towards the door.

Across the hall is the smaller queen bedroom. Note the window seat on the left of the image.

This bedroom also has a fold down bed that measures around 6′ by 30″.

A bath for the folks sleeping here and for the three people the living room will sleep is also on this side, accessed from the main hall.

A closer view of this bath…

…and of the nearby washer/dryer combo.

The end of the interior is a great room with a kitchen and dining table on one side…

…and a living room that’ll seat 5–with more chairs available from the dining table–on the other.

You can see a fold down bed of the same proportions as that in the queen bedroom.  The couch also folds out to sleep two more.

More shots of the dining/living area:

Outside is another deck, this one on the Magic Kingdom side of the Bungalow.

It includes lounge chairs and a table for four…

…and also this unheated small pool, big enough for a couple of adults to cool off, or several kids.

The side view from this deck.

These rooms are an interesting and cool way to put as many as eight people into two bedrooms and a large living/dining/kitchen space at the Polynesian.  But for the life of me I can’t imagine spending $3,000 to $5,720 a night on them.

TOPICS IN THIS REVIEW OF DISNEY’S POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT

• Summary and overview of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Theming and Accommodations at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Photo Tour of a Standard Room at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Amenities at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Dining at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• The Pools at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• The Disney Vacation Club at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Photo Tour of a Studio at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Photo Tour of a Bungalow at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

OTHER KEY PAGES FOR WHERE TO STAY AT DISNEY WORLD

• Where to stay–the Basics
• Where first-timers should stay
• Reviews of all the Disney World resorts, based on my 150+ stays in them

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Disney World recently released a new approach to making room requests via its online check-in process.

I’ll get to the process in a minute, but will first some note some of the new options…and some problems with them.

In most cases new options have been added, including “Adjoining Rooms (no connecting door),” “Connecting Rooms” and “Connecting Rooms (guaranteed).”

See, for example, the new form for Family Suites at Art of Animation:

I’ve spent my spare time the last few days (I do have a real job, after all) taking screenshots of the new options, pasting them to PowerPoint, cropping and recombining the new options, and putting them in my Disney World resort reviews.

This was kind of a pain, and has resulted in a 128 page PowerPoint document and a cluttered Pinterest feed (page down on Pinterest to find all the new online forms, or see this board for the values forms, this for the moderates, this for the deluxes, and this for DVC; while there, follow me on Pinterest!)

And I’m hoping I have to do this all over again, as there are some goofy features to the option sets. For example, there ARE no connecting rooms in the Family suites, so a family clicking “Connecting Rooms (guaranteed)” is both wasting a request and also setting themselves up for disappointment.

There’s basically three problems.

One is not having separate forms for clearly distinguishable room types, and that’s the issue with Art of Animation, where both Little Mermaid Standard rooms (where you can get connecting rooms) and Family Suites (where you can’t) are both covered by the same form.

You’ll find the same problem at many other resorts with very different rooms or areas, for example

• The Contemporary (where both Garden Wing and Tower rooms use the same form, meaning some Tower guests will be clicking for non-existent ground floor rooms)
• Saratoga Springs (The Treehouses and the main resort use the same form, good luck getting that “Downtown Disney view” from your Treehouse)
• Port Orleans Riverside (five person Alligator Bayou rooms, four Person Magnolia Bend Royal Rooms, and four person Magnolia Bend standard rooms all use the same form–if you reserve a room for five people three and older, a “Mansions area” request is wasted)

The second problem is some unclear or incomplete options. Many (but not all!—one that needs it the most, Caribbean Beach, does not) moderates and deluxes now show the option of “2 Queen Size Beds” and, elsewhere on the list “King Size Bed.”

These queen bed options should be expanded at those deluxes and moderates that hold five so that they include the ability to select the third sleeping spot. The “King Size Bed” should be relabeled for clarity and completeness as “1 King Size Bed” and/or “1 King Size Bed plus daybed” as appropriate.

The third problem is a purer form of goofiness, perhaps best illustrated by the form for the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. At these cute stand-alone Cabins, we see the same option for non-existing connecting rooms, and even more goofiness:

• There are no elevators, no upper floors and no lower floors, so why on earth are they in the form?
• You can’t put tents on Cabin sites, so why the option to rent as many as five of them?

These forms need several different types of changes:

• Corrections so that only actually possible options are shown for a purchased room type, even if this means even more distinct forms, and I have to redo all my screenshots…
• Expansions so that the full array of major sleeping options is selectable
• Grouping of like topics, so that all the view options are grouped together, all the bed options grouped together, etc. There’s some of this in the forms, but they need more.

I’d gladly spend a couple of days helping Disney with this, since at least based on the usability of these forms I seem to know more about its resorts and their rooms than it does itself.

I do know a bit about these rooms…having stayed in 129 different rooms, suites, studios, villas, cabins and campsites…as attested to by my MagicBand Lamp…and my book.

I’d even donate my time for free—if Disney flew me down and back, put me up in a renovated Bay Lake Tower two-bedroom lock-off (I need updated photographs of one), and threw in the Deluxe Dining Plan.

HOW TO DO ONLINE CHECK IN AFTER THESE CHANGES

You can do online check-in starting 60 days from your arrival date. Go to My Disney Experience, click “My Reservations and Tickets” in the drop down on the right, wait for your reservation to load, and click the online check-in option.

Alternatively just go here.

If you book your room within the 60 day window, your final booking screen will give you the option to do online check right away:

If you have more than one room booked, then you will click the radio button of the room you want to check in to:

A screen will open. Look for the area that says “These Details Are on File”–even though they aren’t, yet–and click “Show Details”

Then click “edit” on the next screen across from “Room Location Requests”:

This screen, where you actually make your selections (up to two), will then open:

The two drop down menus are the same–you make one selection from one, and another from the other.

I’m sorry to see the unnecessary problems with these new forms, but hope that the drop down layout is easy to edit, and that Disney fixes the problems here. As noted above, I’m glad to help!

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