Day 1305: Sneaking Away

On an afternoon break from the National Youth Event, I was able to utilize the annual pass that I love and adore...to sneak away to Epcot, because where else would I go? 

All in all, I made the decision to head to Epcot largely because it would give me an extra chance to check out Soarin' Around the World, as I realized I could snag a Fastpass for it smack dab in the middle of my time off from the conference. So while everyone else was out for a day at the pool, I put on my mouse ears and headed home. 

I suppose this would be the most ideal time to discuss what I thought of the new Soarin', because it'll come up eventually anyway. I can tell you that I liked it much more the first time I saw it than I did the second time, mostly because I paid much more attention to the animated portions of the film. If you didn't know that portions of animated, you probably wouldn't pick up on it, although I noticed immediately despite not knowing beforehand. Some of the scenes, while animated, are beautifully done. The arctic scene, for instance, is extremely realistic, but the Taj Mahal left me confused as to where I really was. I could tell that I was at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, but the pure animation of the elephants left me wishing for Orange Groves and Hang-Gliders. 

And I think that's just it. If you never had a chance to experience Soarin' Over California, I'm sure you'd believe Soarin' Around the World is the most spectacular thing you've ever seen. I talked to more than a few people at the Youth Event that thought so. But for those of us that knew and loved the original Soarin', there seems to be a certain charm missing, and I believe it has everything to do with the realism. 

It's completely acceptable that some locations, especially important historical and religious ones, may prohibit from flyovers that would capture the essence of the location. However, I know for a fact that there are some simply amazing views out there in the world, and while it's ideally amazing to fly over the Taj Mahal, I'd much father fly over a live-filmed location than be forced over an animated version that looks sort of like the initial rendering. 

Otherwise, my only other beef was with the transitions, which almost reminded me of a fifth grade Powerpoint Presentation with too many animations. The constant transitioning between scenes felt obtrusive, and I definitely miss the clean scene cuts of the old version. A transition every once and a while (such as turning the Taj Mahal...no matter how much I disliked it...into a hot air balloon) is fine, great actually. But every scene gets a bit repetitive and, dare I say it, boring. 

All in all, Soarin' Around the World could be a simple spectacular attraction. It is a spectacular attraction. But somewhere along the line, execution fell through a bit, which to me, seems to be a trend lately with new attractions. The soundtrack reminds me so much of the original and fits completely, bringing in the new theme while keeping the spirit of the original Soarin', and the ending scene just about made me cry, but honestly, it could have been so much better.

What are your thoughts on the new Soarin'? Let me know in the comments! 

Have a magical day!

Day 754: Little Things: College Edition

I've done posts under the idea of "Little Things" before, but now just felt like the right time to do another volume of it, especially since there have been multiple little things in my life that have reminded me of Disney over the past couple of days since returning to SNC! And after all...

Pine Trees

We all know and love the orange scent that's pumped into Soarin', but I feel like sometimes we forget about the wonderful Pine Tree that's also part of that attraction. When I returned to SNC, I was the first one back in the dorm room, meaning that everything was pulled away from the heaters, a vacuum was sitting in the middle of the floor, and everything was unplugged. In the midst of plugging everything back in, I happened to find our wallflower airfreshener that had been unplugged before we left. Of course, after a while you don't really notice the smell anymore, but there was a significant amount left in the thing, so I just plugged it back in. I knew exactly what scent it was, but when the pine tree wafted into my back room a few minutes later, I could only think of one thing: Soarin'.

Melvin 

He's got a new look for a new semester! That's right, Melvin has changed out of his holiday attire and travel clothes in favor of an Up inspired outfit, complete with bow tie and balloons. Originally he was going to have glasses too, but it just wasn't working out well, and he looks adorable enough with his current outfit.

Keurig 

"Shovell sure brought life to this home!"

And that's what I said the other day, which immediately reminded me of one Carousel of Progress. After all, "Thomas Edison sure brought life to this home!" You see, my wonderful best friend, for her birthday, got a Keurig, which she brought back to SNC. It provides us with endless entertainment, hot water, tea, and coffee, so it's definitely the new life of this dorm room.


I have this distinct feeling that there was something else that should be going on this post, but I guess it'll just end up on the next one now. Unless I'm thinking of my SNC-Caf made Butterfinger Cupcake. That's entirely possible. Those cupcakes are amazing.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on January 27 due to a busy schedule). 

Day 567: Match the Quotes

Time for another fun game when it comes to Oh My Disney!

Making up blog posts is weird simply because I take the simplest thing and make it into an entire blog post but THAT'S OK! Because every little thing in my daily life that somehow relates back to Disney certainly has a lot to do with the whole point of this blog.

Anyway, right. Game time.

You can play the game for yourself HERE if you want to follow along!

First off, yes, I am the person reciting all the lines in the Haunted Mansion stretching room out loud, and I'm working on learning those last couple words to "Yo Ho." Oh, and let's not even underestimate my ability to say every line of Spaceship Earth in time and with an accent.

So this quiz should be a breeze.

"Thank the phoenicians." HAHAHA. Spaceship Earth.

"You see the excellence of this invention?" Not going to lie, this ones a bit harder, but that's probably because it comes from Disneyland and I obviously have less experience there. Either way, Indiana Jones.

"And, of course, these little beauties." SOARIN'!

"You are not the first to pass this way nor shall you be the last." A moment of silence for Malestrom.

"We're not gonna make it, we're not gonna make it!" And yet we made it back, with a Dinosaur.

"The backside of water!" is the 8th wonder of the world...at least it is on Jungle Cruise.

"Make it a stretch...in fact, make it a super stretch." Another one that's a little harder since I don't ride this...ever...but we all should know this is Rock N' Roller Coaster!

"I'd like to borrow some aluminum foil, a clothespin, and a candle." Oh Bill Nye, what are you up to now?

"Some imagination, huh?" *Drastic hand movements timed to the music of the Fantasmic Finale*

"A salute to all nations, but mostly America." Probably my favorite Muppets line of all time.

"Kindly step all the way in please and make room for everyone." Is this even a question?

"But keep a weather eye open, mates, and hold on tight, with both hands if you please." Mates gave it away, didn't it?

"We're going to make you all disappear!" Now I'm going to be singing all night.

"I know you're in a hurry, hurry, hurry, but for your safety, safety, safety." I don't go to Disneyland often, and I've never even been on this one, but for some reason without even reading the options I knew it was California Screamin'.

"Now, something is about to happen that will change all that." How is that I've never been on half of these and still know all the answers? TOT.

A perfect score, huh? Go figure.

What was your score? Were these easy, or hard or somewhere in between? And are you like me? Do you narrate every attraction simply because you can?

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on September 18).

Day 119: Concessions

Today has been an interesting day to say the least. It was brought to my attention early this morning that I had concessions this evening, which meant that I had to be awake after school to run it for the middle school track meet. It really wasn't all that bad, I guess. I made Hot Dogs 95% of the time, but what was really interesting, and the reason I'm discussing this right now, is the discussion I had with my band director.

Now don't get me wrong, I adore my Band Director. He's pretty awesome and has always done nothing but the best for us (even if we don't think so at the time). But there is one truth...he knows nothing about Disney. It's always a little bit of a shocker when people really know so little about something that has been the large majority of my life. I personally don't understand or see how a person doesn't know what Soarin' is, where it is, and whether or not we should spend an entire day in Epcot. I've been there 23 times, so it's just a little odd when I have to answer such basic questions when I could give a full history lesson on the planning of Epcot.

So we got talking about the band trip and so on and so forth, and I'm answering these questions, and then I ask him where we're staying (it's not final by any means but it was a suggestion) and he said the Hilton. You should all be proud because I restrained my shock fairly well. As a Disney loving person, it's almost like...well...murder...to stay at a hotel that isn't a Disney one. So I just went along with it and later told my parents.

My only reaction?

I am an idiot.

I completely let it fly by that we would want to stay at a Disney resort because of Extra Magic Hours. If we stay at the Hilton, we won't be having that extra time, and with our super short trip and spending one of our days not at Disney, we're going to need all the extra park time we can find. I felt so silly for letting it just completely escape my mind.

Anyway, so now I'm going back to talk to him today about this (minus the concessions this time), and about a few other things. Obviously I know enough about Disney to kind of be a help here, so I might as well help before I leave for college and won't be around every day (although I hope he realizes by the end of the year that he can email me any time with questions and trip updates. This would be a "hint hint" but I'm pretty sure he doesn't read this).

Here's today's Disney History: 2000: Actor Michael J. Fox pays a visit to Walt Disney World to add his hand prints to the Disney-MGM Studios collection.

Have a magical day!

Day 91: April Fools!

Really kind of random, but I also just realized I've been blogging for three entire months now. Time sure goes by fast, doesn't it?

Anyway, today's blog post is, in every way, true...or at least everything I say is true. No jokes here.

I'm not sure about any of you, but I did happen to watch a few videos this April Fools Day, and one that really got my mind set on Disney was this one:

I know I've talked briefly about it before, but I figured I'd talk about it again because this really did pop up in my head. If Google had a thing called Google Nose that enables you to smell things...I could smell Disney World! Now, by itself this sounds weird...but here's a list of things I'd LOVE to use Google Nose for...

1. Spaceship Earth - The Burning of Rome : I have to admit right away, I am extremely sad that this feature has disappeared. Like...a lot. I tend to cry a little every time I smell BBQ sauce, because in reality, that's what the burning of Rome does smell like. BBQ sauce. I'm not joking. It's exact. Like those little ones you can get from McDonald's or something...or anywhere on Disney property. THOSE BBQ Sauces smell like the burning of Rome. Just think...with Google Nose I could smell this whenever I want!

2. Something OTHER than Skunk : Let's face it, we all get a little tired of getting stuck with the smell of skunk every. single. time. What am I talking about? Journey into Imagination. You know, when for once in our young lives we play a slot machine and lose each time? That's right...with Google Nose I could actually smell coffee or roses instead of having to hold my breath...even if I'm sure I've gone on that attraction enough times to be immune to the smell of skunk. 

3. Disney Resort Buses : One of my personal favorite scents on Disney Property is that of Disney transportation. This goes for the monorail too, as each piece of Disney transportation has it's own distinct smell that honestly can't be found anywhere else. The funny part, as many people as there are traveling on those buses...it's never a bad smell...only a good one. If only I could figure that out for my bus here at home. 

4. Oranges and Pine Trees : I think this one is pretty universally on everyone's list of scents of Disney World...and Disneyland for that same matter. We all love the smell of the orange groves and pine trees in Soarin'. I did a blog post on this one before because luckily, these scents DO exist in everyday life...well...if you peel an orange or live near pine trees that is. 

5. Old Key West : This one is going to be different for everyone since we don't all stay at the same resort, but I love the smells of Old Key West. It's like this odd mix of pool water, Florida, fish on the grill from Olivia's, sand and a warm breeze, all thrown together. I don't know, I just like it. 

6. The Great Movie Ride : I'm not sure if it's the smoke from the Wicked Witch or the Jewel...but there's something about the Great Movie Ride that just has this distinct scent to it. I can't really describe it either...but it's one of those things that kind of randomly pops up once and a while and you stop mid sentence and just blurt out "It smells like the Great Movie Ride." Oh wait...I'm the only one who does that? I kind of figured. 

Anyway, I'm sure there are many other Disney things in which I'd use Google Nose for, but this list can't get too long...so those are my top six. Oh, and Happy April Fools Day!

Here's today's Disney History: 1976: Treasure Island reopens at Walt Disney World as Discovery Island, after being closed since the beginning of the year for the addition of a walk-through aviary, exotic flora and fauna, and a snack bar. This natural 11-acre island, located in the middle of Bay Lake, is a lush forest environment with birds, reptiles & mammals and hundreds of tropical specimen plants from all over the world. In 1979 it will be accredited by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums. The only way to reach Discovery Island is by one of the many ferries which depart from the Magic Kingdom, Fort Wilderness and the Contemporary Resort. 

Have a magical day!

Day 55: Orange Grove

If this was real, I'd buy it in a heartbeat, and if you've gone on Soarin' more than once, or even just once, you'd probably say the same. The smell of the Orange Groves on Soarin' is amazing...and how it smells so realistic I have no idea. Do they just have a bunch of oranges backstage everyday? 

The other day while sitting in my Physics class I had this moment where all of a sudden I smelled orange, and it seems that I can always smell it long before anyone around me. Is it odd that this happens? Probably not, but it might just be my imagination. And the funny thing is that I always think of Soari'n, as do most of us Disney lovers I'm sure when we smell Oranges. 

So, Disney I plead, please make this real. I'd buy it. 

Here's Today's Disney History: 1955: Steve Jobs, one of the leading figures in the computer industry, is born in San Francisco, California. A co-founder & CEO of Apple Computer, Jobs bought Lucasfilm's computer graphics division in the mid-1980's and helped turn it into Pixar Animation Studios. 

Have a magical day!