World Secrets

All posts in the World Secrets category

World Secrets – The Blue Fairy Wish Book

Published March 16, 2013 by Disneyways.com

March 12th 2013 I was walking through Fantasyland in Walt Disney World. You might be familiar with Pinocchio’s Village Haus, it can be found near the “It’s a Small World” attraction. It is a lovely, newly refurbished counter service restaurant. Ever since the updates have been completed – I tend to walk by this place and stare. It is really, really cool. I like everything about it, including the rainy day activities they have there…but that’s a blog post for another day.

This particular evening though, it was already dark out, and as my friend and I walked by we noticed a strange glow coming from the inside. If you are familiar with the portals that you interact with while playing Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom – this is the sort of glow we saw. In fact we thought maybe it WAS a new portal – but we just couldn’t tell from where we were standing.

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We decided we HAD to make our way inside to investigate. Once inside…this is what we saw:

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If you have read the Disneyways post about The Blue Fairy – you are up to speed on my feelings about her. I am definitely a fan, so I was pretty thrilled to find this little hidden gem.

I know it’s a bit hard to tell from the photos, but this is a wish book. It appears to be available to all guests who would like to write down a wish for The Blue Fairy.

I hope to have more photos for you soon if you are interested in seeing them.

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I guess because most families are probably in a hurry to eat their flat bread pizza and move on to the next ride, there wasn’t much written down, as you can see. When my friend and I flipped through the pages however, we doubled over laughing at this particular wish.

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Look carefully and you will see that a child has written “I wish parents were not alive.”

Which in itself is awful, and not really funny.

Once the child wrote it however, you can see he or she changed his or her mind quickly – and did a pretty good job of scribbling it out!! That is what was funny to us, just picturing this probably over-tired, grumpy kid scratching that out so nobody would see it. I don’t think he or she really meant it. Perhaps the child took a look around and realized how such a terrible thought really didn’t belong in the middle of the happiest place on earth? Maybe.

I am just glad the child changed his or her mind about the whole thing! I’m a parent who is obviously alive and well – so I now have a renewed belief that scribbling out your Blue Fairy wish makes it null and void. No litigation is required.

Have you seen this book before? As this post goes to publish – there doesn’t seem to be information on The Blue Fairy wish book anywhere.

I don’t know if it’s new or if I just never noticed it before. Anyway – kind of a cool little secret – don’t you think?

World Secrets – The Lucky Combo!

Published March 15, 2013 by Disneyways.com

What comes to mind when you think of the gorgeous China Pavilion in Epcot’s World Showcase?

Sure, China has lots to offer. The pavilion is decorated with serene ponds, crossed by fantastic bridges, and is dominated by a replica of the Temple of Heaven. Here you will also find Reflections of China, a Circle-Vision 360° movie – and  there is a museum containing several ancient Chinese artifacts. You don’t see that every day.

China’s Nine Dragons is one of the most beautiful restaurants in all of World Showcase, and the Lotus Blossom Cafe has some of the best orange chicken in town. Shopping at Good Fortune Gifts and House of Good Fortune is a wonderful air-conditioned past time in the hot Florida summers.

Agent P World Showcase Adventure? Check. Dragon Legend Acrobats? Yep – China has those too – and what visit to China would be complete without actually meeting Mulan and Mushu? Speaking of Mulan, did you know Epcot’s China Pavilion served as a backdrop for the music video “Reflection,” performed by Christina Aguilera? You may recall that “Reflection” was from Mulan’s 1998 film – and nobody knew who Christina Aguilera was back then.

But what is China’s BEST kept secret?

To me, it is a wonderful little thing called the Lucky Combo – located right here at the Joy of Tea kiosk – only found at Epcot’s China pavilion.

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It’s not new – it’s just that the The Lucky Combo has been hiding from me

(in plain sight).

For just $9.98, The Lucky Combo includes a Chinese BBQ Pork Bun, a Curry Chicken Pocket and an Egg Roll with your choice of a canned soft drink and a pretty generous serving of ice cream.

No…for real…this is an actual thing.

I had to take a picture because I couldn’t believe my own eyes. 

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The extra ice cream you see pictured here belonged to my dining companion. We got one of each option – Strawberry Red Bean and Caramel Ginger.

Trust me – you need to try them BOTH.

But wait – there’s more!

Tea here comes in all forms – hot, iced, spiked or slushie –  and it is the only location in Epcot that carries real brewed tea instead of pre-made tea beverages. 

Not a fan of hot tea? Here’s another little secret:

The extremely friendly cast members that staff this location will gladly provide you a cup of ice to make your own iced version. They will also offer you a tasting of any (non-spiked) beverage, if you want to try before you buy.

Even though it’s hard for me to look past the Lucky Combo, here are more details on the menu, in case you want to plan ahead:

Sweetened Iced Teas: Peach Oolong and Mango Green (both $4.25 or one snack credit)
Hot Teas: Ginseng Oolong, Jasmine, Dragon Well, Green (all $3.19 or one snack credit)
Soft Drinks: Soda ($1.59 or one snack credit); Bottled Water ($2.50 or one snack credit)
Alcoholic Beverages: Mango Gingerita w/vodka and rum ($7.50); Canto Loopy w/vodka and cantaloupe juice ($7.50); Peach Snap w/Schnapps ($7.50); Green Tea Plum Slush w/plum wine ($7.50); Tsing Tao Beer and Tsing Tao Pure Draft Beer (both $5.75); Plum Wine ($4.99); Tipsy Ducks in Love ($8.50 or non-alcoholic $5.50)
Ice Cream: Strawberry Red Bean or Caramel Ginger (both $3.25 or one snack credit)
Snacks: Chinese BBQ Pork Buns ($4.50); Curry Chicken Pockets ($3.99 or one snack credit); Pork and Vegetable Egg Rolls ($3.99 or one snack credit)

So what are your thoughts? Do you agree that the Lucky Combo might be one of Epcot’s best kept secrets?

World Secrets: Jellyrolls Dueling piano bar near Disney’s Boardwalk Resort

Published March 1, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Our latest edition to our World Secrets Series is taking us to Jellyrolls! This adult-oriented facility provides a noisy – yet very FUN retreat for the 21 and up crowd.   Jellyrolls  is named after Jelly Roll Morton, a legendary jazz pianist, not a desssert. His real name was Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe – but that probably wouldn’t fit on the marquee quite as well.

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Depending on where you start out on Disney property,  you can get to Jellyrolls Piano Bar by boat, a bus, or even on foot. More on that later.

So what’s Jellyrolls like?  Well, it reminded me of Howl at the Moon, which is a similar piano bar located here in Orlando, and in 15 other locations across the country. What makes this different is it is at Disney, perhaps the only place in the world where you will hear a gritty-voiced piano man sing a song like “You ain’t never had a friend like me.” from the movie Aladdin. Just write your song request on a little piece of paper, add a tip, and *poof* your wish for nearly any song is magically granted.

They’ve got all the typical sing-alongs too like Sweet Caroline, Livin’ on a Prayer, even some Justin Beiber songs can be thrown in for good measure.When my friends and I approached the bar we heard an Elvis song playing, and a singing voice that sounded much like Billy Joel’s. I am a big fan of both – so I was thrilled.  The place was packed and everyone was having a great time. Our piano players for the evening were amazingly talented and even managed to entertain us with jokes without missing a note on the ivories. Guests who love music, cocktails, and people watching – will really enjoy this place. I sure did, and judging by this photo, my friends had fun too.

Here’s what you need to know before you go:

  • Jellyrolls has a $12 cover – and they only take cash at the door.
  • This is a fairly intimate establishment with somewhat limited seating. Doors open at 7pm and you may want to arrive early to guarantee yourself a seat.
  • This is a great place to go solo because the music is so loud. Got a blind date the maybe isn’t going so well? Great place to go for that too. You can also take that friend that talks too much, or the friend that wants you to carry on the whole conversation – just don’t take someone you want to get to know better. Talking to each other is nearly impossible without screaming. At one point I typed words into my iPhone’s notepad app – so my friend could read them. 
  • Most live bands take a break between sets; that doesn’t happen at Jellyrolls.  They have two duos who take turns working in shifts, so that there is music playing up until closing at 2am! I think this helps ensure they get to every single requested song that comes in. Pretty awesome if you ask me!
  • Don’t arrive too hungry. There is no appetizer menu. They do offer complimentary buttered popcorn, however.
  • Bring extra dollar bills and even $5 bills to hand to the pianists when you turn in your song requests. These guys are worth every penny!
  • The servers and bartenders will accept credit cards and key to the world cards for your drink orders.
  • Photos are allowed but they won’t allow you to take video.
  • Dress is completely casual, but you could certainly dress up a bit if you wanted to. It is not uncommon to see patrons wearing their Mickey ears and tiaras!

How to get there:

black monorail good camera

If you begin your journey in…

Magic Kingdom Park: Guests can take a bus directly to the Magic Kingdom Park or walk to Epcot, take the monorail to the Ticket and Transportation Center and transfer to the Magic Kingdom Park monorail.

Epcot: Guests can walk to the rear entrance of Epcot, the International Gateway in less than 10 minutes. Besides walking, the Friendship water launches can provide you with a leisurely, air-conditioned shuttle to Epcot. Leisurely, in that it could take up to 20 minutes, as the launch stops at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts as well as the Swan and Dolphin hotels.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios: The Friendship launches transport guests to Disney’s Hollywood Studios with stops at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts dock and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts dock as well.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park: Take the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park bus

Downtown Disney Marketplace, Downtown Disney West Side: Take the Downtown Disney bus

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park: Take the Downtown Disney bus

Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park: Take the Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park bus

Jellyrolls has a great fan-based site, an official Disney site, and even a facebook page that will keep you updated with their latest information and coming events.

Check out more posts in our World Secrets series!

So what are you thoughts? Have you been to Jellyrolls?

World Secrets – 5 things you may not know about DiVine

Published February 19, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Experiencing a “DiVine” intervention during your visit to Animal Kingdom!

While walking through Animal Kingdom near Bradley Falls – on the pathway between Africa and Asia – you may see a curious site. A small crowd of park guests looking up, pointing and others walking by who will do a double take once they realize what is going on. Have they all lost their minds? Perhaps. It is more likely however that they  are admiring one of the most fantastic characters inside Animal Kingdom. Her name is DiVine, and she has been entertaining at Animal Kingdom since 1998.  She’s a character who is hired by Disney to help convey the park’s theme of teaching us that nature is invaluable.  She’s painted green, walks on stilts, and is wrapped in leaves and ivy to camouflage herself into the rest of the park’s foliage. In fact, if you get near her before the crowd gathers – you may find that DiVine blends so completely with Animal Kingdom’s dense flora that you may never notice her until she moves. These are photographs I took of her from a beautiful February day in 2013.

Look closely, I promise there is a person in every single one of these photos.

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Do you want to know more DiVine secrets?

1.Truth be told there is more than one person who portrays DiVine, and she actually does not work directly for Disney. She is contracted by Disney through a company called Living World Entertainment.  Not only does DiVine appear at Disney’s Animal Kingdom she can also be booked for parties or other special occasions and events outside the theme park. Imagine the laughs you could get watching your friends and family react to this amazing creature appearing in your own back yard!

2. Everyone who portrays DiVine must have a background in dance and fine arts, and is expected to meet certain height and weight requirements. How does she stay so fresh in the hot summer months? Well, she uses a special body spray so the leaves and ivy don’t fall off of her. It is amazing to think of the time and attention to detail DiVine must go through in order to entertain guests.

3. DiVine can typically be found near the pathway between Africa and Asia inside the Animal Kingdom.  But did you know she also has appeared on occasion near the front entrance to the park?  Normally you will want to look for her between 10:00AM and 2:00PM.  She is not always listed on the Times Guide, but on this particular day I really lucked out and she was there.

4. DiVine does not make eye contact. In fact she often keeps her eyes closed and the expression on her face looks much like she is enjoying pure nirvana. You will never hear her speak. Like most plants – she is a great listener I suppose. She obviously cannot sign autographs, but I found her to be very accommodating to my camera and almost it was almost as if she were posing just for the entire crowd. She continues her contortions and movements while entertaining the crowd.

5. DiVine is on stilts so her height can vary between 7 and 16 feet depending on what she is doing with her hands and legs. She was so gorgeous and graceful, I could not resist filming her as well, and you can see the results of that below.

DiVine is fabulous and really something special. Next time you are in Animal Kingdom, I hope you’ll take the time to see her if you can.

What You Might Have Missed in The Seas with Nemo and Friends Pavilion

Published January 14, 2013 by Disneyways.com

One of our favorite Future World pavilions in Epcot is the Seas with Nemo and Friends. Usually when we think of this pavilion our minds go right to it’s most famous attractions.

  • The Seas with Nemo and Friends Attraction (click here for a ride-through video from Attractions Magazine.)
  • Turtle Talk with Crush (click here to see video of this interactive experience.)

Perhaps you have dined at the FABULOUS Coral Reef restaurant where fish can be friends OR food. Check out the link here for more on the Coral Reef!

At any given moment  you will find folks waiting to pose with Bruce the shark over at “Bruce’s Shark World”.

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Yep…that’s really me in there!

It’s very easy for us to take part in the popular Nemo attraction, see Crush…even eat at the Coral Reef…and then be on our way. But there is more to check out while we are here!

You can discover sea turtles, angelfish, dolphins, rays, sharks and more in the 5.7-million-gallon aquarium. Did you know this is one of the largest man-made ocean environments in the world? The Caribbean Coral Reef Aquarium is home to over 4,000 sea creatures representing over 60 species.

Here’s a fun tip. Anyone with park admission can catch the fish feedings at 10:00 AM and 3:30 PM. They even throw in a little educational value because a Cast Member will describe the rays, sea turtles and fish you see before you. Another favorite activity is ascending to the second floor’s Observation Deck—a circular, window-lined room in the middle of the aquarium. Here you will find yourself almost completely surrounded by marine life.

Next time you visit this wonderful pavilion you may want to slow down to enjoy all the wonderful tanks and creatures there are to see.

Here are just a few examples:

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I love this video from Destinations Florida. It features even more of the often overlooked areas and exhibits.

Want an even more “immersive” experience? Don’t just stay on shore – why not book a tour? Click each experience for more information.

Browsing around the Seas with Nemo and Friends pavilion, especially on a quiet day in Epcot, can be particularly relaxing and an all-around great experience. Every day is a great day to visit this pavilion, because cool temperatures can be enjoyed here year-round.

Do you have any fun photos or stories to share from the Seas With Nemo and Friends Pavilion? Please leave a comment here or email me at Disneyways@Disneyways.com

World Secrets: Video! Walt Disney and the 1960 Olympics

Published July 28, 2012 by Disneyways.com

Opening ceremonies for the 2012 Olympic Games was on TV  – and with it – lots of talk about the Olympic Games of the past. In 1960 the organizers of the Olympics asked Walt Disney to provide the entertainment for the event. Walt brought in big named entertainment, fashion shows, and even snow sculptures to the Winter Olympics. He also had Art Linkletter plan logistics for performers to provide nightly entertainment for the athletes and officials. You will hear Art Linkletter tell you in this video that the stars and performers came out to be a part of this at no charge. Not only that – but Art got to be a guest in Walt’s home while all this work was taking place.

The 1960 Olympics were where many “firsts” took place – thanks to Walt. For instance, this Winter Olympics introduced Disney artist John Hench’s Olympic Torch design, which all further torches have been based on. Then came the idea of having the first ever Olympic sponsors. Walt Disney decided on the concept of thirty steel poles for the flags of all nations participating in the games. They each cost $500-$600 (big money back then!) so every flagpole came with a plaque from Walt thanking the Olympic sponsors for their contributions. What a way to get your company some exposure!  After the Games were over, each company received the flagpole their finances had helped place. Things I wold imagine you don’t read on a thank you note every day…my paraphrased version: “Yay you got to be one of the first Olympic sponsors in history! Thanks so much, and here’s your flagpole back now.” Actually, I’m sure Walt Disney would have written a thank you note with much more class…if he actually wrote thank you notes that is.

Olympic officials complained about the costs for some of Walt’s elaborate plans but he quickly responded, “Either we’re going to do it the right way or Disney will pull out.” (You tell ’em Walt!) The Opening and Closing Ceremonies involved 5,000 participants, 1,285 instruments and 2,645 voices from 52 California and Nevada high school bands. This and so much more meant Disney set new pageantry standards for future Olympic games. In the Los Angeles Times, reporter Braven Dyer wrote, “The opening ceremony was the most remarkable thing I ever saw. No matter how much credit you give Walt Disney and his organization, it isn’t nearly enough.”

World Secrets – Mother’s Day Flower Power

Published May 12, 2012 by Disneyways.com

UPDATE May 2014: Saratoga Springs is no longer offering this program.

This is my Mom. Isn’t she a cutie?

My Mom loves flowers. She has a green thumb that I did NOT inherit! I needed a great and original idea for my Mom this year – and I think I found just the right thing. Today I thought I’d share with you what I found out about the Floral Experience at Community Hall in Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and spa.

This is so cool!

The floral experience helps us learn how to take ordinary fresh flowers and design a Disney-themed keepsake arrangement to take home. Disney says that in the process Mom will impress family and friends by “learning magical design tricks of the trade” and have the “experience of a lifetime” becoming a Walt Disney World florist for a day! So not only will we be giving her a gift of flowers, we will also be able to share that time and experience together at Disney…no park admission required! By the way, you don’t have to have a Mom or be a Mom to enjoy this experience. It’s all year round and really for anyone who enjoys this sort of thing.

(Hint!) There is no age limit on this class and almost anyone can learn how to design a Disney-themed floral keepsake…so if Dad isn’t into arranging flowers … this might be the perfect thing for a wife and daughter to enjoy together as a Mother’s Day gift.  The class is one hour in duration and held every Wednesday from 2:30-3:30PM and costs $50 a person.  You can book this up to 180 days in advance and in fact, reservations are required for this activity. Disney needs the advanced notice to determine supplies, therefore walk-ups are not accepted.  Activity, take-home arrangement and items used to create it are subject to change without notice. There is a 2 Day cancellation policy so be sure and review that with the booking agent. The number to call and register is 407-WDW-PLAY.

My plan is to book the experience (if she can get a day off work!) and present my Mom with a card on Mother’s Day with all the details included. This way so she will know s what to expect and when. The bonus is she will have a beautiful arrangement when all the flowers from Mother’s Day are long gone. We all want to be the favorite kid so maybe this will get me some brownie points!

Please let me know if you decide to do the floral experience (or if you’ve already done it) and maybe we can post our experiences on Disneyways in the future!

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World Secret – The sooner we can get a margarita in Mexico, the better.

Published April 20, 2012 by Disneyways.com

Navigating Disney crowds can be crazy some times. Here’s an idea that might help when you are in Epcot!

Take the Future World East & West Pathways to World Showcase!

These pathways are visible to several guests, but for some reason many guests choose to go back through to Future World Plaza and take the main path at the center of EPCOT connecting Future World to World Showcase.  If you have a Fastpass for Soarin  later in the day it’s great to get to there via these pathways.  If you simply want to leave Future World East or West you can get to World Showcase bay taking these peaceful and tranquil pathways. Both provide great scenery of EPCOT, especially during EPCOT’s Flower and Garden Festival – going on right now!  These pathways do get narrow at certain points and therefore can get congested. Still, I think this is a great tip! Anything to get us to the frozen Margaritas in Mexico a little faster – right?