BEYOND THE THEME PARKS

ANITA ANSWER
Archives

12/22/08
--So, What About Leap Year Birthdays?
--Can One Person Get Everyone's Fastpasses?
--What Has Happened to the Yeti?
--What Is That Large Building Behind the Canada Pavilion?
--Magic Kingdom Parade and Show of the '90s?
--What Is This High Tech Dining Room Device?

12/15/08
12/8/08
--What Is This French Toast Dish?
--Park Purchases, Fireworks and Lights
--How Strict Are the "Birthday Rules" for the New "Celebrate" Promotion?
--A New Fairy Ride in the Magic Kingdom?
--What Is This Epcot Ship?
--One Last Time Before Christmas: How to Buy Park Merchandise From Home

12/1/08
--Best Way to Tote Tickets
--Checking In at a Resort for a Southwest Flight?
--What Are the Sci-Fi Dine-In Movie Trailers?
--Nearest Pharmacy to the Wilderness Lodge
--Will MouseFest and Pop Warner Events Affect Crowd Levels?
--Is There an Age Minimum to Purchase Packages?

11/24/08
11/17/08
--Booking a Room Overlooking the Boardwalk
--How to Tell Who Charged What When a Resort ID is Used
--Christmas Day at the Magic Kingdom?
--Why Can't You Go to a Park from Downtown Disney?
--Automatic Gratuities and Counter Service Restaurants
--What Does "BVG" Stand For?

11/10/08
--A Disney "Big Wig" Book?
--Tusker House and Jiko
--Why Aren't We Able to Walk Through the Castle?
--Why Are the Pepper Market's Prices Higher Than Other Food Courts?
--What Are the Alternatives to Free Birthday Admission?
--New Show at the Hall of Presidents

11/3/08
--The Semi-Annual Refillable Mug Question
--Disneyland Disappointment?
--Does This Question Make Scents?
--Dining on a Steamship?
--Was Barbie Ever at Epcot?
--Restaurants with Organic Foods on the Menu?

10/27/08
--The Path between Epcot and the Studios
--It's Holiday Shopping Time! How to Purchase Park Merchandise from Home
--Which Resorts Have Only One Bus Stop?
--What Is That White Plastic Card on a Lanyard?
--Stroller or Pediatric Wheelchair for a Disabled Child?
--Where to Rent a Car on Property

10/20/08
--Dining at Crockett's Tavern?
--Is Changing Resorts Mid-Trip a Good Idea?
--What's Going On When Cast Members Show a Slip of Paper and Switch Places?
--When Does Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas Parade Begin Daytime Performances?
--Will Universal Tear Down Dueling Dragons for Wizarding World?
--Who Is the Candlelight Processional Celebrity Narrator on Christmas Eve?

10/13/08
--Who Lives Behind the Magic Kingdom?
--License Plates on the Sci-Fi Dine In "Cars"
--Anita's Annual Holiday Crowd Predictions 2008
--If You Knew Sushi...
--The Demise of Pal Mickey/Will He Still Work in the Parks
--Harry Potter Coming to the World?

10/6/08
--Is There a Lounge at the Wilderness Lodge?
--Characters That Can't Sign or Stamp/A Hunchback of Notre Dame Show?
--YoMD: Can You Still Send in Postcard Entries?
--When Are the Summer Crowds Lightest?
--What Is the Difference Between the Dining Experience and the Dining Plan?
--Best Place to Get Sushi at the World?

9/29/08
--Treasure Hunts at the World?
--Is Park Admission Necessary to Dine at Cinderella's Royal Table?
--No More Characters at the Garden Grill?
--How to Get a Christmas Tree for Your Resort Room
--Fort Wilderness Movie Schedule
--Who Is the Voice of Teddi Barra?

9/22/08
--When Does the Holiday Decorating Commence?
--Looking for a Wooden Leg Named Smith?
--More, MUCH More on Those World Showcase OmniBuses
--An Old-Fashioned Phone on Main Street?
--Name of Soap Store at the Grand Floridian?
--Two Tracks at Everest?

9/15/08
--Parking Fees: How Many Times Per Day to Pay?
--Where Is Roy O. Disney's Statue Located?
--Castle Dream Lights for 2008?
--What Happens in Stormy Weather?
--A Mardi Gras Parade at French Quarter?
--Where Is This Hidden Mickey Located Inside the Haunted Mansion?

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Anita Answers

Hi! I'm Anita!

Got a question about Walt Disney World? I probably have the answer! Deb's Unofficial Walt Disney World Information Guide is the most comprehensive guide to the World on the Web, but if you still can't find the information you're looking for by using the Search Function, or the Anita Answer Archives, drop me a line and I'll do my best to find the answer for you. Since there are only 24 hours in a day, I can't answer every email I receive - however, I do read every one and try to answer as many as possible.

Check back weekly and see if your answer is waiting, and be sure to check out my blog, Anita Talk. Meanwhile, I'm All Ears!

Barb writes:

I was just curious about something. I wandered onto [a satellite mapping site] and was checking out the Magic Kingdom. I noticed a housing development and a townhouse complex very close behind the Magic Kingdom. I was wondering who lives in these houses? Is it for cast members? It sure would be great to live so close to a magical place. By the way, I love your column and can't wait for Monday each week.

Hi Barb!

Depending on which neighborhoods you're looking at, most of them are a mix of cast members and "civilians" and anyone can live there. Basically, anything located north of Reams Road would fall under that description. There are, however, two small (and I do mean small!) neighborhoods located within the Reedy Creek Improvement District (AKA Disney property) which are populated with cast members and their families. They are, to my knowledge, the only people who currently live on Disney property. One of these neighborhoods is located in the city of Bay Lake, just to the northeast of the Magic Kingdom and the other is in Lake Buena Vista, near Saratoga Springs Resort.

A.A.

Brandy writes:

Hi Anita! We're huge fans of yours. Thank you for all the information you provide every week. Even veteran visitors like us learn something new!

My question deals with the license plates on the cars at the Sci-Fi Dine In
Theater at Hollywood Studios. Knowing that the Imagineers are a very creative group of people and never just put something somewhere without a reason, I am curious if there is any significance to the numbers and letters on the license plates on each car. We do know they are all different. Thanks so much!

Hi Brandy!

You're very observant! The numbers and letters on the Sci-Fi Dine In cars' license plates are indeed significant. They are the initials and birth dates of the Imagineers who worked on the restaurant. Also in the Studios, you can find similar initials and dates on the license plates on the cars in the San Francisco backdrop at the back of the Streets of America, as well as on the baskets that move overhead on a track in Star Tours' queue.

Another significant license plate can be found in the "underworld" scene in the Great Movie Ride. On the car on the right side of the set, the numbers on the plate say "021-429" or 02/14/29, representing the date of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre -- the day of the infamous Al Capone/Bugs Moran gang war in Chicago.

A.A.

Rebecca and others write:

We are planning a trip to the World between Christmas and New Year's. We are very concerned about the crowds during the holiday season. We have considered just not going at all because of all the negative feedback from people who have gone during the holiday season, so what is your advice? Is the holiday season that bad at the World?

Hi Everyone!

I apologize for being a little late with this year's predictions, as I would normally do this in September, but Hurricane Ike slowed my pace a little, to say the least. Anyway, on with the show!

It's that time of year again when just about every other question I get has to do with the winter holiday crowds. As I do every year, I've borrowed Madame Leota's crystal ball to get some idea of what the holiday crowds will be like. This year's world-wide economic crisis may make for slightly smaller crowds; however, many people made their holiday reservations and paid for them well in advance of the current crisis, so I'm not expecting it to have as much of an impact until after the first part of January 2009. Always keep in mind that crowds ebb and flow depending on many factors, so your actual experience may vary, and as is the case every year, all indications are that Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's are shaping up to be the busiest weeks of the year.

Here are Anita's Annual Holiday Crowd Predictions for late 2008 and early 2009:

Early November will be very manageable with moderate crowds. Crowds will begin to pick up toward the end of New Jersey Week (11/2 - 11/9) to the high end of moderate, but with the end of the Food and Wine Festival (11/9) crowds will drop off to moderate. The very last ABC Super Soap Weekend (11/15 - 11/16) will likely be on the high end of moderate. Stay away from the Studios if you're not interested in the Soap festivities, and you'll be fine. The following week, crowds will temporarily drop back to moderate, but beginning on 11/22, crowds will begin to rise again for Thanksgiving Week. Though it may be a bit slower than past years, expect the parks to be fairly busy until the Sunday after Thanksgiving (11/30) when crowds will taper off to the low end of moderate.

This year, early December will have low to moderate-sized crowds, and will remain that way until Christmas Week begins on 12/20. While the crowds will be much lower than they'll be later in the month, it's good to remember that the World is never completely quiet anymore due to all the special events like MouseFest, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the Candlelight Processional. My gut feeling is that this year, we'll see slightly lower crowds than we have in the last several years, but we'll have to wait and see, because the word is certainly out that early December is a great time to visit the World!

On Sunday, December 21, we'll begin to see a marked increase in crowds as guests arrive for Christmas Week. The crowds will build steadily, almost reaching peak levels. The crowds will remain at that very high level all week until Sunday the 28th, when the crowds will increase again to reach the highest levels of the year, or the "This is Nutz" level, as the Answer Family likes to call it. On January 1, the crowds will taper off slightly, and then on January 2 we'll see a significant drop back to moderate levels as guests leave to get their kids back to school.

The first weeks of January had traditionally been one of the slowest times of the year at the World, but not in the last couple of years. Changes in school vacation times plus the WDW Marathon have made early January a much busier time than it used to be, so plan accordingly for the possibility of moderately high crowds on certain days. On February 1, the Superbowl will be held in Tampa, FL and this will have an impact on crowds at that time as well.

For tips on how to survive the busiest of times at the World, please read Anita's Advice for First Timers. Although you may not be a first time visitor to the World and some tips are for summer, you'll find some valuable advice there for surviving any "This is Nutz!" time at the World.

Have a great holiday trip to the World!

A.A.

Hi everyone!

Last week, my answer about where to get sushi prompted many of you to write in with your sushi suggestions. Most often mentioned was the California Grill and its sushi chef, Yoshi. Since I'm not generally a sushi eater, I overlooked it on the menu there, so I guess that explains why I didn't mention it. My friend Scott also wrote to remind me of the new Kona Island Sushi Bar being tested at the Polynesian, outside of the Kona Cafe. It has limited operating hours, and it never seems to be open when I'm around the Poly, so I haven't tried it yet. I've put it on my list of things to try on my next trip.

Thanks, everyone!

A.A.

Cindy writes:

I just read on another website that Pal Mickey is being discontinued. I wanted to check with you, since I trust you, and see what you can find out. I didn't buy one last year because I thought my son was too young, so I was looking forward to buying it this year. I'll be so bummed if this is true. Thanks.

Hi Cindy!

Yes, it is true. Pal Mickey has been discontinued and will no longer be available after current stock runs out. Depending on when you're traveling, you may still be able to purchase one at the following locations:

Island Mercantile at Animal Kingdom
The Dark Room at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Epcot Camera Center and MouseGear at Epcot
Emporium at the Magic Kingdom
The World of Disney at Downtown Disney Marketplace

If you don't think there will be any left by the time you arrive, you can also purchase one from home through Walt Disney World Merchandise Mail Order. Click here for more information on how to contact them.

Finally, many of you have asked if all Pal Mickeys will continue to work in the parks. The answer is a qualified "yes" -- Pal Mickey will work, but depending on when you bought it, it will not provide you with updated information on any new attractions, shows or parades that have been added since the date of your purchase.

A.A.

Diane writes:

Anita, can you enlighten me and some of my relatives? We have some family members who insist that Disney will be adding a Harry Potter theme park to Walt Disney World. Do you know if this is something that is going to happen? Thanks.

Hi Diane!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is going to happen -- just not at Walt Disney World. It's under construction at Universal Orlando's Islands of Adventure theme park. The former Lost Continent area plus some previously undeveloped land will be the location, where Universal is planning to build Hogwart's as well as the village of Hogsmeade. So far, they're keeping quiet about what attractions may be added to the new area. Universal is aiming for a 2010 opening.

A.A.

That's it for this edition!

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