The Disney Driven Life

Community Blog for Neurotic Disney People

My first reaction when asked if I would be interested in reviewing a book for my blog contribution was it couldn’t have come at a worse time. My wife was already on my case for spending too much time on my Disney obsession, also I just started working on a project, and I’m preparing to begin a brand new job. I didn’t think there was any way I could find the time to read and review a book. Then I found out it was a poetry book and the only poetry I know are in the lyrics in rock ’n’ roll music. So, I did a little bit of research on the author and it was that research that made me change my mind. What I found was someone whose every word has substantive meaning. I found someone who has a love for his family, humanity, and Disney. Someone we all would and should be honored to know.

The author J.B. Conway is a police officer with a poetic passion for life and Disney. This is not the first poetry book written by J.B. who after the September 11^th tragedy penned ‘Crime Scene Lyrics’ to share his emotions of that horrific day with the rest of the world. He created the Mouse of Zen http://www.mouseofzen.com/ after a 2006 family vacation to Walt Disney World which sparked an enthusiasm that needed an outlet of expression which J.B. found through his love of poetry.

I won’t pretend to know anything about poetry and don’t ask me what haiku is but I do know what I like and don’t like and ‘Mouse of Zen Disney Inspired Mouse-Sized Poetry’ is something I really liked. It was such an enjoyable read from start to finish. It really made me feel like I was in the parks.

In a blog I wrote sometime ago I equated listening to Lou Mongello’s descriptive narration on the WDW Radio Show Audio Guides to watching an artist painting a masterpiece. Well, the same can be said of J.B. Conway and his new book. When you read the book you will feel his words come alive. The words paint a vivid picture of the parks as they bring to life all the sights, sounds, and even the smells we know,  love, and remember from our own visits to Disney World.

These short verse poems are packed with a powerful passion that immediately grabs your attention. The author connects with our emotions and memories of Disney as he takes us on a magical journey worth repeating over and over.

Before I began to read the book I really thought I would struggle through it because of my lack of understanding poetry. I couldn’t have been more wrong and whether you’re a fan of poetry or not is really immaterial. As long as you’re a fan of the mouse I wholeheartedly believe you’ll enjoy the book.

This book of magnificent poems gets 2 thumbs up from me and is a must read for every Disney fan.

Contributed by: Stuart S. (NDD #47).  Stuart is our resident Disney geek and creator of Disney Geek Dad.

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With the rumors and news I wrote about last week, I decided to follow it up with a few more that have come out in the last week. The two rumors that came out this week are from the same source, the Orlando Business Journal and both rumors have been talked about in the past.

First rumor is that there really is a 12th country coming to the World Showcase in Epcot. While there are many ideas that people have as to what country should be added, it seems that the first choice of Disney is Spain, though there has been on confirmation.

The other Disney rumor to come from the Business Journal is that Disney was given the go ahead to finally build the Monster’s Inc. Coaster that has been talked about across the internet for years now. There is confusion as to where the coaster will be located as of right now, but I will cover more information as it becomes available if this coaster is to become a reality.

Contributed by: Jessica C. (NDI#21). Jessica is our resident “Gossip Girl” and creator of The True Disney Fan Blog.

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Most of us are familiar with hidden Mickeys and whether or not you avidly search for them I’m sure you have spotted one or two every time you visit Disney property.

Started by Imagineers, a hidden Mickey is an image of Mickey Mouse found in many different forms that have been discreetly placed throughout Disney locations most notably their theme parks. The most frequently used hidden Mickey is three circles representing a head and two ears. Other variations of Mickey can be more difficult to spot and one must have a keen eye to find them. No one has a keener eye than renowned Dr. Steven M. Barrett celebrated author of “Hidden Mickeys A Field Guide To Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets” now in its 4th edition.

Professionally Dr. Steven M. Barrett is quite an accomplished individual with 30 plus years experience in the medical field specializing in emergency room medicine. Dr. Barrett attended Baylor College of Medicine and completed his residencies at Georgetown University Hospital and Georgetown University School of Medicine.

As an author Dr. Barrett takes us on an adventuress hunt for hidden Mickeys. There are clues, hints, and tips to help us search out and find the locations of the hidden Mickeys. It’s an enjoyable book that makes finding hidden Mickeys a fun game for the entire family and friends.

On my last vacation to Walt Disney World I had the pleasure of meeting the Hidden Mickey Guy known to many as Steve Barrett. What started as an occasional tweet here and there turned into a thrill of a lifetime and a day I’ll never forget.

I was in Epcot with my family waiting for the next showing of Turtle Talk With Crush at the Seas with Nemo and Friends in Epcot. I kept my cell phone in my pocket but I would periodically check it for any calls or messages. I pulled the phone out of my pocket and I see I have a message from someone I don’t recognize. So, I looked at the message and it was from Steve letting me know he was going to be in Epcot and would I like to meet him at a certain time and place there? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or an emergency room physician to figure out how I responded.

My family has always enjoyed searching for hidden Mickeys so when I told my wife and kids we were going to meet with the Hidden Mickey Guy they were very happy to say the least. When we met up with Steve we exchanged pleasantries, spoke about hidden Mickeys, and how his book got on the shelves in Disney parks but, what struck me the most was how genuine a person Steve is. He personifies what being a Disney fan is all about and someone that everyone should aspire to be like.

A list of books written by Dr. Steven M. Barrett:

The Hassle Free Walt Disney World Vacation
A Field Guide To Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets
Disneyland’s Hidden Mickeys A Field Guide To Disneyland Resorts Best Kept Secrets
Hidden Mickeys Go To Sea A Field Guide To Disney Cruise Line’s Best Kept Secrets
Hidden Mickeys of the Disney Cruise Ships and Castaway Cay

In addition to the books Steve Barrett also has an iPhone application called ‘Hidden Mickeys Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Animal Kingdom.’

To find out more about Steve Barrett and hidden Mickeys go to http://www.hiddenmickeysguide.com/. Also, Steve Barrett’s blogs appear twice a month at AllEars.net http://allears.net/.

Contributed by: Stuart S. (NDD #47).  Stuart is our resident Disney geek and creator of Disney Geek Dad.

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Why do you go to Walt Disney World?

For most of us ND types, we could write volumes about why we choose to spend our money (or other peoples’ money) at the Walt Disney World Resort. But there is one reason I want to particularly focus on today.

Recently, I was able to spend five nights at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. I had heard so many people talk about it and blog about it that I thought I would give it a try. From the iron railings, brick inlayed streets, horse-drawn carriages and that ever present Dixieland jazz band music, you are transported directly to Bourbon Street . . . without the smell of urine and the sound of party goers until the wee hours of the morning.

A smaller resort than other moderates, POFQ has a great theme, ample sized rooms and comfortable accommodations for this family of four.

Immediately following our family time, I went to another resort for a work convention.  I’m not going to name the other resort. Let’s just say it is close to the WDW Resort but it is not owned or operated by the Disney folks.  The rooms were great, beds were comfortable, free internet access (wireless too!) and the price was about what you would pay for a moderate resort at WDW.

But, the main difference that struck me was . . . . can anyone guess? It was the level of customer service, the red-carpet treatment if you will, that was lacking. Before the check-in process was finished, the front desk representative was going over a list of “you can’t do this and that” before they got into the short list of resort benefits.  This really didn’t impress me to start my stay in such a negative way. Maybe I was expecting too much.  Or, maybe they weren’t too concerned with having my business.

As part of my Disney Institute experiences, we were taught from the beginning that there is no real pixie dust that is sprinkled around every day in order to create the magic. It is the people that make the magic happen.

For instance, a great friend and mentor, Jeff Noel, invited me to join him and his current Disney Institute class for a special viewing of IllumiNations one of the evenings we were around. They even had several desserts setup on tables in this area just in front of the China Pavilion. The group for this class represented several countries and they were appropriately dressed in casual business attire. My son and I showed up in our Disney t-shirts and shorts. We definitely stood out so we tried not to get in the way even though we were all fighting for wall space to get the best view.  But we were still welcomed as special guests.

During the show, I had been standing behind my son so we didn’t take up much room. I decided to move off to the side so that others could see better. What I was able to see was the reaction on my 10-year-old son’s face to the spectacle before him. It was a mixture of awe and pure joy as the music filled the air along with the stunning display of pyrotechnics.

When it finally ended, we snuck out and headed for our ride back to the resort without saying goodbye. I noticed my son rubbing his eyes a bit and I asked him if he was okay. He told me that this was the best vacation ever and he was sad to see it end with the best fireworks show in the world.  We stopped in front of France and had ourselves a good cry.

He also commented that he likes my Disney friends because they do special things to make vacations special. I told him that is what separates Disney from just about everyone else out there. We didn’t do anything to deserve the VIP treatment we received. Yet, Disney seemingly goes out of their way to make magic. And it’s the people behind the magic.

Another example of how they made our trip special goes back to the last Friday of this year’s Star Wars Weekends. Another Disney friend sent me an email saying he would like to be our special attraction pass to use any way we wanted. Not really understanding what he meant, I told him we were at DHS and he could meet us there. When we met up, he asked where we wanted to go. He would be our Fast Pass for the afternoon. WOW!!!!! It took a moment to decide what to do because I was so awestruck. So we got to go to the head of the line for Toy Story Midway Mania and my new favorite ride, Rock N Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith! We talked a little business as we walked along the way. But the joy of being able to enjoy these attractions without the long wait was almost overwhelming.

If you are in any kind of service capacity with your job, I ask you why people do business with you. Do you offer a level of service that makes your company stand out from everyone else? Or is it just business as usual? You are the one that can make a difference. Are you a magic maker?

Contributed by: David B. (NDD#93). David lives with his wife and two children in the Atlanta area. He is the writer and creator of the blog It’s All About The Customer .

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A couple stores have come out this past week regarding a couple of the coasters on the Disney property, one that already exists and one that will hopefully exist soon.

The word from Animal Kingdom is that the Yeti has gone missing from Expedition Everest.  A screen is covering the area where the audio-animatronic yeti usually stands and will be there until mid June.  The yeti has been removed from Everest for some refurbishment, including fixing the movement in the arms, which has been missing for months.  In order to fully fix the animation of the yeti, work needs to be done in the actual attraction.  Expedition Everest is in need of a full refurbishment, one that will last close to six months, but this has not been scheduled yet as Disney is obviously hesitant to shut down such a major attraction for that length of time in a park that only has a couple “E Ticket” attractions to begin with.

The other news regarding coasters comes from Hollywood Studios, but its not about Rockin Roller Coaster.  Rumors are flying around the internet again about the Monsters Inc. inverted coaster coming to Pixar Place and these rumors give a little hope to the truth of the rumors.  A couple weeks ago it was speculated that work was being done in Soundstage 1, the building where it is rumored the coaster will be, including markers in the building where the track would be laid out.  This past week, the rumors have been fueled again. Soundstage 1 has been used for Star Wars Weekends for years, but not this year, causing people to wonder why.  As more news about this coaster come out, look here on the Disney Driven Life for updates.

Contributed by: Jessica C. (NDI#21). Jessica is our resident “Gossip Girl” and creator of The True Disney Fan Blog.

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Big changes have been announced for two of the four theme parks in Walt Disney World that have mixed reviews coming from everybody.

Let;s travel first to Epcot to talk about the change that almost everyone saw coming.  That change would be the return of Captain EO to Epcot.  After its great success in Disneyland in California, it was only a matter of time before the other parks saw this change occurring.  The change is not just for Epcot, but for Disneyland Paris and Tokyo as well! Disneyland Paris will be adding the movie June 12, Tokyo Disneyland will see it starting June 30, and the final arrival in Epcot will be July 2, just in time for the huge Fourth of July crowds.

Captain EO will be played in what is currently the “Honey I Shrunk the Audience” theatre.  No word yet as to when HISTA will be removed to make way for the King of Pop’s video.  This announcement last week was met with mixed reviews, those both happy and sad to see HISTA go and those both happy and sad to see Captain EO put in.

Additions with less of a controversy are the Toy Story 3 additions being put into Hollywood Studios.  Some of the characters from the new movie coming out June 18 will be added to the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction along with a new mini game called “Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts”.  Toy Story 3’s character Lots-O Huggin’ Bear will be seen around the park now in the “Block Party Bash” and will have a meet-and-greet with guests.

Between these additions and the Fantasyland refurbishment beginning, the only question to ask now is “What’s gonna happen in Animal Kingdom??”

Contributed by: Jessica C. (NDI#21). Jessica is our resident “Gossip Girl” and creator of The True Disney Fan Blog.

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With the popular Star Wars Weekends just a few short weeks away, here is some information on what visitors to the weekend can expect!

Dates for Star Wars Weekends: May 21-23, May 28-30, June 4-6, June 11-13

Each weekend has great stars visiting the Hollywood Studios:

Weekend 1: Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett in Episode II), Daniel Logan (Boba Fett in Episode II), Dee Bradley Baker (Voice of Captain Rex in Clone Wars)

Weekend 2: Matthew Wood (Voice of General Grevious in Episode III and Clone Wars), Lorne Peterson (A model-maker for all six movies), Tom Kane (Voice of Yoda in Clone Wars)

Weekend 3: Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian in Episode V and Episode VI), Ray Park (Darth Maul in Episode I), Dave Filoni (Director of Clone Wars)

Weekend 4: Ray Park (Darth Maul in Episode 1), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca in Episodes III-VI), James Arnold Taylor (Voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Clone Wars)

Children can learn how to use a lightsaber at the Jedi Training Academy and they may even run into an infamous villain! Visitors will run into tons of different celebrities and characters, including Ewoks, Wookiees, Stormtroopers, Jawas and so many more! Autographs will be given out and there will be tons of limited edition merchandise for purchase.

At the end of each day during Star Wars Weekends, there is a Hyperspace Hoopla! Show.  Some of the popular stars will get up and dance.

If you will be down in Florida during one of these weekends, I would highly recommend heading to Hollywood Studios for Star Wars Weekends!

Contributed by: Jessica C. (NDI#21). Jessica is our resident “Gossip Girl” and creator of The True Disney Fan Blog.

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I thought I would update everyone this week on some closures that are happening in Walt Disney World. For anyone who may be heading down to the parks in the next few months, this is what you can expect to be happening.

The first closures, and the ones that many are curious about, are centered around the Fantasyland Overhaul currently taking place.  We saw the first closures related to this construction yesterday, when we said goodbye to Ariel’s Grotto and Pooh’s Playful Spot for good. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh façade is currently being changed for the new “Hundred Acre Wood” theming. Other closures taking place in the next few months, though no specific date has been set yet, include the Walt Disney World Railroad closing for three or four months and the permanent closure of Mickey’s Toontown Fair some point in the fall.  The Barnstormer closure for retheming has not been announced yet and the only other closure currently planned for Magic Kingdom is the Baby Care Center from May 14 to May 20.

Animal Kingdom and Epcot are clear from closures currently, though in Epcot there is some construction going on with the expansion to Cantina de San Angel and the construction of the new Pizzeria in Italy.  In Hollywood Studios, MuppetVision 3D will be closed from April 24 to May 14 for a refurbishment and upgrade to Digital 3D movie quality and in the same area, the What-Not Workshop is reported to be opening sometime this summer. Star Tours will be closing in October and will be undergoing the transformation to Star Tours II, reported to open Summer or Fall of 2011.

This is what we can expect to see in the next few months in Walt Disney World. Keep your eyes here to The Disney Driven Life for any major updates that may occur.

Contributed by: Jessica C. (NDI#21). Jessica is our resident “Gossip Girl” and creator of The True Disney Fan Blog.

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guitar melodies / upside down in summertime / zero to sixty

Contributed by: J.B. C. (NDD# 27) of Mouse of Zen. J.B. is our resident Disney haiku writer and author of the soon-to-be published book “Mouse of Zen”, which is a collection of his work.

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Announcements have been made in the past about some changes and coming to MuppetVision 3D and this week specifics and dates have been given to the refurbishments. The 3D movie will be closed from April 24—May 14 in order to make some changes to the attraction. The queue will be changed during this time as well as a new preshow being put in and some changes to the quality of the main film, though the film itself is staying the same.

There have been other announcements regarding the area around MuppetVision 3D, including the addition of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem to the courtyard area and the return of an all new Muppet Mobile Labs. Dates for these additions have not been announced.  There is some confusion around the supposed construction of a Muppet What-Not Workshop being built in the Muppet store, Stage 1 Co.

I have seen places that say that construction on this new part of the shop has begun already and I have also seen reports that this workshop is not coming to Hollywood Studios at all. Quite confusing. If anyone has any news as to the construction going on in Stage 1 Co., please send me an e-mail or comment below!

Contributed by: Jessica C. (NDI#21). Jessica is our resident “Gossip Girl” and creator of The True Disney Fan Blog.

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