Category — w. Most Recent Stuff
Next Week (September 19 Through September 27, 2015) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: SEPTEMBER 19 TO SEPTEMBER 27, 2015
The material below details next week’s operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on September 2015 at Disney World, click here.
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.
OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/19/-9/27/2015
The Magic Kingdom will be open 9a-11p 9/19, 9a-7p 9/20, 9a-9p 9/21, 9a-7p 9/22, 9a-9p 9/23, 9a-10p 9/24, 9a-7p 9/25, 9a-10p 9/26, and 9a-7p 9/27
Epcot will be open from 9a-9p 9/19 through 9/24, 9a-10p 9/25 ad 9/26, and 9a-9p 9/27
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-9p 9/19, 9a-7.30p 9/20, 9a-9p 9/21, and 9a-7.30p 9/22 through 9/27
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-5p every day
EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/19/-9/27/2015
Saturday 9/12 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom
Sunday 9/13 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: Epcot
Monday 9/14 Morning: none Evening: Hollywood Studios
Tuesday 9/15 Morning: Epcot Evening: none
Wednesday 9/16 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Thursday 9/17 Morning: Magic Kingdom Evening: none
Friday 9/18 Morning: Animal Kingom Evening: none
Saturday 9/19 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom
Sunday 9/20 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/19/-9/27/2015
The Magic Kingdom:
- Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day
- Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9 and 11p 9/19; 8p 9/21 and 9/23; 8 and 10p 9/24 and 9/26
FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/19-9/27/2015
Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p 9/19; 9p 9/21, 9/23, 9/24 and 9/26
Illuminations at Epcot: 9p9/19 through 9/24; 10p 9/25 and 9/26; 9p 9/27
Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8 and 9.30p 9/19; 8p 9/20; 8 and 9.30p 9/21; 8p 9/22 through 9/27
SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/19/-9/27/2015
See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.
LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/19/-9/27/2015
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:
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September 17, 2015 2 Comments
News, Sorta, on the Pirate Room Refurb at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
PIRATE ROOM REFURB UPDATE
I’ll have more to say next month, after my stay then in one of the refurbed Pirate rooms in Trinidad South at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, but here’s what I know–or think I know–now, after a walk-around yesterday and some chats with cast members today.
Buildings 38 and 39 are under construction now. This I saw with my own eyes.
From my walk-about, buildings 34 to 37 seemed to me to have completed their refurbs, other than some exterior touch up painting. This was confirmed by a cast member at the Customs House this morning.
The refurb is pretty light. What I saw was new paint and a new rug. (And yes, I do feel a little bad for being such a snoop. The room is in building 34. I’ll have full photos from my own room after the October visit.)
The rooms seem to have retained their full beds. A cast member from this morning: “We replaced the mattresses, with new, softer ones. But they are still full beds.”
OK, that’s it for now. More in October!!
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September 16, 2015 6 Comments
A Friday Visit With Jim Korkis: Blizzard Beach
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 STORY OF BLIZZARD BEACH
By Jim Korkis
After the opening of Typhoon Lagoon in 1989, the water park was so popular that it was routinely filling to capacity and turning away hundreds of guests.
Walt Disney World saw both disappointed guests as well as potential profits going somewhere else.
Walt Disney Imagineering was given the task of developing a concept for another Walt Disney World water park. Several different ideas were proposed but none of them matched the depth and whimsy of Typhoon Lagoon.
Imagineer Eric Jacobson’s office was filled with a collection of little snow domes from his travels. One day, as he was distractedly playing with one of the globes, shaking it up so that the snow swirled around the interior tableau, he mused, “Too bad we can’t make a park out of one of these for guests to beat the Florida heat.”
While his peers considered it a joke, it was so strong a concept that they kept coming back to the idea.
According to Disney legend, Blizzard Beach was created by a meteorological phenomenon:
One balmy day, a freak winter storm developed over the western end of the Walt Disney World Resort and covered the area with a thick blanket of powdery white snow. Before you could say ‘hot cocoa,’ plans were underway for Florida’s first ski resort.
Ski lifts were put up, toboggan runs were laid down and an entire resort area blossomed around the mountain of snow. Yet before the first skier could strap on a pair of boots and stick his poles into the snow, the temperatures returned to their normal Florida levels and the powdery snow quickly turned into slippery slush. The ski resort operators saw their dream melting down the hillside.
The operators were preparing to cut their losses and walk away. However, they were interrupted by an echoing ‘YAHHOOO!!!’ coming from the mountain of melting snow. They looked up to see a blue alligator, wearing a red scarf and gold innertube, careening down the mountain at top speed. The alligator was blue because he was frozen from the cold and just stayed that color when things warmed up.
Ice Gator, who then became the mascot of the area, landed in a pool of melted snow at the base of the mountain with a thunderous splash. The ski resort operators suddenly saw the park’s potential, and the mountain of snow became Blizzard Beach, “the most slushy, slippery, exhilarating water park anywhere!”
(c) Disney
Slalom courses, bobsled and toboggan runs became downhill waterslides. The creek of melted snow that formed at the base of the mountain became a relaxing tube ride. The chairlift carried swimmers instead of skiers. The ski jump on Mt. Gushmore became the tallest and fastest water slide in the world. The whole ski resort became known as Blizzard Beach.
The park opened on April 1, 1995 and in 2014 hosted over two million guests, making it the third most visited water park in the world, right behind Typhoon Lagoon. It is larger than Typhoon Lagoon with over seventeen slides, a wave pool, an area for pre-teens and an area for children.
(c) Disney
Hints of the Ice Gator abound, from the weather vane atop Lottawatta Lodge to his own little cottage along Cross Country Creek. Ice Gator was so popular that at one time he was a walk-around costumed character and was featured on numerous pieces of merchandise.
* * * * *
Thanks, Jim. There’s more elsewhere on the site from Jim on Typhoon Lagoon and Disney’s first water park, River Country. And come back next Friday for even more from Jim Korkis!
In the meantime, check out his books, including The Vault of Walt
, Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South?, and The Book of Mouse
, and his contributions to The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, all published by Theme Park Press.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
September 11, 2015 No Comments
Next Week (September 12 Through September 20, 2015) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: SEPTEMBER 12 TO SEPTEMBER 20, 2015
The material below details next week’s operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on September 2015 at Disney World, click here.
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.
OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/12/-9/20/2015
The Magic Kingdom will be open 9a-7p 9/12, 9a-10p 9/13, 9a-9p 9/14, 9a-7p 9/15, 9a-9p 9/16, 9a-10p 9/17, 9a-7p 9/18, 9a-11p 9/19, and 9a-7p 9/20
Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be open 9a-8p 9/12, 9a-7.30p 9/13, 9a-9p 9/14, 9a-7.30p 9/15 through 9/18, 9a-9p 9/19, and 9a-7.30p 9/20
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-5p every day
EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/12/-9/20/2015
Saturday 9/12 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none
Sunday 9/13 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Monday 9/14 Morning: none Evening: Hollywood Studios
Tuesday 9/15 Morning: Epcot Evening: none
Wednesday 9/16 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Thursday 9/17 Morning: Magic Kingdom Evening: none
Friday 9/18 Morning: none Evening: Epcot
Saturday 9/19 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom
Sunday 9/20 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: Epcot
PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/12/-9/20/2015
The Magic Kingdom:
- Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day
- Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 8 and 10p 9/13; 8p 9/14; 8p 9/16; 8 and 10p 9/17; 9 and 11p 9/19
FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/12-9/20/2015
Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 9p 9/13, 9/14, 9/16 and 9/17; 10p 9/19
Illuminations at Epcot: 9p every night.
Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8.30p 9/12; 8p 9/13; 8 and 9.30p 9/14; 8p 9/15 through 9/18; 8 and 9.30p 9/19; 8p 9/20
SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/12/-9/20/2015
See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.
LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/12/-9/20/2015
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:
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest
September 10, 2015 No Comments
A Friday Visit With Jim Korkis: The Backstory of Yak & Yeti
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 BACKSTORY OF YAK & YETI AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
By Jim Korkis
The Yak & Yeti table-service restaurant offers Pan-Asian cuisine in the Asia section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney’s Imagineers designed for it an elaborate and intriguing backstory to blend into the Asia area.
According to the Imagineers, the restaurant is situated at the base of Mt. Everest in the small village of Anandapur, near a highly traveled road used by tourists, researchers, pilgrims, and traders. Its origin? Well, a wealthy merchant from Anandapur, Arjun, fell on hard times. As a result, he converted his regal home into a fine hotel and restaurant hoping to be able to make a living from these travelers.
The original two story stone house, painted purple, was built in June 1924. As unexpected success came to Arjun’s new enterprise he continued to expand the building haphazardly including adding an authentic Indian marble pavilion on one end and allowing the original garden and patio to become part of the interior of the restaurant. In the lush garden adjacent to the pavilion is a collection of rare and revered lingam stones.
That success may be in part because Arjun wisely placed a statue of Ganesha, the Hindu deity known to be a “remover of obstacles” that looks like a red elephant, in the lobby.
The hotel is the kind of boutique hotel that wealthier adventure travelers might seek out in India. While they rest at the hotel during their journeys, the owner and other families reside there as well. Details include luggage at a check-in desk and signage for rooms and hotel guests.
The décor as well as the furniture is an amalgamation of mismatched artifacts Arjun and his family have collected over their years of travel in Southeast Asia.
Those artifacts displayed prominently throughout Yak & Yeti are authentic and were gathered from around Southeast Asia by Schussler Creative, the group responsible for designing the location for Landry’s Restaurants, who owns and operates Yak and Yeti. (Landry’s also owns and operates the Rainforest Café and T-Rex Restaurant.)
The theming for Yak &Yeti is more subtle and subdued than at those two restaurants but no less effective and immersive. Because it “originally” was a dwelling, the dining area is spread over the several small rooms of a house rather than just one large space, making it a more intimate experience.
All the work was done in association with Walt Disney Imagineering so that it blended with the existing mythology that had been created for the area. There are statues, ceremonial costumes, puppets, bowls, vases, antique furnishings, cabinets filled with knickknacks and much more.
Some items were fabricated to help tell the story, like the portrait of the current rajah and his wife that also appears elsewhere in Anandapur, including in the buildings of Himalayan Escapes Tours & Expeditions.
Pictures of the royal couple are required by law to be posted by businesses. They would be purchased from the government, making the portraits both a business license and tax. While the couple is fictional, the practice was real in areas that Imagineers studied.
“Detail is there to make you believe in the reality of the story you’re immersed in,” stated Imagineer Joe Rohde.
Yak & Yeti opened November 14, 2007 and is the only non-Disney restaurant inside the park.
“The sights, sounds and energy of this novel dining destination will transport guests to another culture,” said Marty Sherman, Landry’s General Manager. “The moment diners arrive at Yak & Yeti, they will feel like they’ve stepped into an authentic Himalayan village. It is a place to immerse yourself in a culture that is mysterious, exotic and exciting.”
* * * * *
Thanks, Jim. My sister and my dad and I ate at Yak & Yeti earlier this year…I’ve got to get that review posted! But my sister and I loved it, my dad was less keen on his curry. (My sister and I tasted it and thought it was great…)
Come back next Friday for even more from Jim Korkis!
In the meantime, check out his books, including The Vault of Walt, Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South?, and The Book of Mouse, and his contributions to The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit, all published by Theme Park Press.
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest!!
September 4, 2015 No Comments
Next Week (September 5 Through September 13, 2015) at Walt Disney World
DISNEY WORLD NEXT WEEK: SEPTEMBER 5 TO SEPTEMBER 13, 2015
The material below details next week’s operating hours, Extra Magic Hours, parades, and fireworks.
The same stuff is in the image, but organized by park, not by topic. For more on September 2015 at Disney World, click here.
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.
OPERATING HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/5/-9/13/2015
The Magic Kingdom will be open 9a-12MN 9/5 and 9/6, 9a-11p 9/7, 9a-9p 9/8 and 9/9, 9a-10p 9/10, 9a-7p 9/11 and 9/12 and 9a-10p 9/13
Epcot will be open from 9a-9p every day
Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be 9a-9.30p 9/5 through 9/7, 9a-8p 9/8 through 9/12, and 9a-7.30p 9/13
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open 9a-5p, 9a-6p 9/6 and 9/7, and 9a-5p 9/8 through 9/13
EXTRA MAGIC HOURS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/5/-9/13/2015
Saturday 9/5 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: Magic Kingdom
Sunday 9/6 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Monday 9/7 Morning: none Evening: Hollywood Studios
Tuesday 9/8 Morning: Epcot Evening: Magic Kingdom
Wednesday 9/9 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
Thursday 9/10 Morning: Magic Kingdom Evening: none
Friday 9/11 Morning: none Evening: Epcot
Saturday 9/12 Morning: Hollywood Studios Evening: none
Sunday 9/13 Morning: Animal Kingdom Evening: none
PARADES AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/5/-9/13/2015
The Magic Kingdom:
- Afternoon Festival of Fantasy Parade: 3p every day
- Evening Main Street Electrical Parade: 9 and 11p 9/5 through 9/7; 8p 9/8 and 9/9; 8 and 10p 9/10; 8 and 10p 9/13
FIREWORKS AT WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/5-9/13/2015
Wishes at the Magic Kingdom: 10p 9/5 through 9/7; 9p 8/8 through 9/10; 9p 9/13
Illuminations at Epcot: 9p every night.
Fantasmic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 8.30 and 10p 9/5 through 9/7; 8.30p 9/8 through 9/12; 8p 9/13
SHOW SCHEDULES FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/5/-9/13/2015
See Steve Soares’ site here. Click the park names at its top for show schedules.
LONG RANGE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WALT DISNEY WORLD 9/5/-9/13/2015
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:
Follow yourfirstvisit.net on Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or Pinterest
September 3, 2015 No Comments
