August 2016 Walt Disney World Bits and Bites

Feature Article

This article appeared in the July 26, 2016 Issue #879 of ALL EARS® (ISSN: 1533-0753)

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STEP BACK IN TIME
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by Deb Koma
AllEars.Net Editor

We rummage around in our archives for this monthly featurette, which indulges in a bit of nostalgia, taking you back in history for a glimpse of Walt Disney World and The Walt Disney Company through the ages. This month, we go back 16 years, to August 2000, to take a look at what was happening around the Walt Disney World Resort. Even though August is traditionally a sleepy, summertime month, August 2000 had a few things going on:

In the Magic Kingdom, four new musical acts had just debuted:

— The Main Street Philharmonic, a 12-piece brass and percussion ensemble, which played in Town Square, recreating a turn-of-the-century ambience with tunes like Alexander's Rag Time Band and Take Me Out to the Ballgame.

— The Tomorrowland Blast performed upbeat rock 'n' roll tunes from the likes of The Pointer Sisters and Chuck Mangione.

— The Notorious Banjo Brothers…and Bob entertained guests in Frontierland. The comical, traveling trio included two banjo players and a tuba player, offering everything from cowboy melodies to bluegrass, with Disney tunes mixed in.

It's interesting to note that the first and fourth groups are still performing in the park today.

In Epcot, the Millennium Village was still going strong and its World ShowPlace Stage featured performances as part of Disney's year-long millennium celebration. Performers included:

— Kultura Philippine Folk Arts (Philippines)
— Asociacion de Danzas Estampas Burgalesas (Spain)
— Coros y Danzas de Lorca (Spain)
— Mackinaw (Canada)
— Folk Ensemble Tecnik (Slovakia)

At Disney's BoardWalk, Disney Adventures Cool Summer Nights was a family carnival event that featured a bike and blade stunt show, interactive games and prizes in the Disney Adventures trivia challenge.

At Downtown Disney, Starabilias located in the West Side held its first world-class memorabilia auction with approximately 600 lots of rare and fine pieces of memorabilia, including: the original Santa Claus suit worn by Ed Gwenn in the 1947 film classic Miracle on 34th Street; a Lou Gehrig game-worn jersey; a J-200 guitar, owned and played by Elvis Presley; and a cape worn by Burt Ward (Robin) in the Batman television series.

Elsewhere in the World of Disney, the Disney Cruise Line launched its first seven-day cruises on the Disney Magic, visiting the Caribbean ports of St. Marten and St. Thomas as well as Castaway Cay, Disney's private Bahamian island.

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HIDDEN MICKEYS ALERT
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Steve Barrett, author of the Hidden Mickeys books and webmaster of HiddenMickeyGuy.com, likes to meander around the Walt Disney World Resorts, many of which are chock full of Hidden Mickeys. Better yet, these Resort Hidden Images generally last a while!

1. Coronado Springs Resort. A three-dimensional Mickey face is on the large right wooden door (as you face the doors) at the exit labeled "El Centro." (Thanks to Christie Long.)

2. Coronado Springs Resort. Mickey Mouse (side profile) is sitting in a bus on some of the bus stop signs located around the periphery of the resort (such as at Bus Stops No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4). (Thanks to Matt Freeman.)

3. Pop Century Resort. In a photograph on the wall behind the middle of the long registration counter, two Hidden Mickeys formed of craters and shadows lie on the moon. Look at the lower right of the television screen and below the word "moon" for a small sideways classic Mickey and above the same word for a large upright classic Mickey. (Thanks to Jason Colpitts.)

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You can find an archive of past Hidden Mickey Alerts HERE.

And check out our latest Searching Disney with Steve blog.

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MONTHLY REMIND-EARS
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AUGUST EVENTS

Pixar Party Trading Event — August 26-27, in Epcot's World ShowPlace.

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Check our revamped Events page for a full schedule of upcoming events.

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REHABS AND CLOSINGS

Animal Kingdom

Dinosaur in Dinoland USA is closed for refurbishment through October 17, 2016.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

Pizza Planet is closed for refurbishment until Fall 2016, when it will reopen as PizzeRizzo, themed after the Muppets character Rizzo the Rat. The casual Italian-American dining experience will feature pizza and other Italian specialties, with updated indoor and outdoor seating areas, a banquet room, and a special booth designated just for Rizzo's celebrity friends.

MuppetVision 3D will be closed for a brief refurbishment August 15-22, 2016.

Magic Kingdom

Swiss Family Treehouse in Adventureland will be closed for refurbishment through September 24, 2016.

Liberty Square Riverboat will be closed for refurbishment August 1-7, 2016.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will close for refurbishment on August 8. It is scheduled to reopen November 19, 2016.

"it's a small world" will be closed for refurbishment August 22 through September 15, 2016.

Animal Kingdom Lodge

Kidani Village villas are undergoing a "soft goods" refurbishment (replacing bedding, wall, window and floor coverings and upholstery) through January 2017.

BoardWalk Inn and Villas

BoardWalk Villas rooms are currently undergoing renovations.

Flying Fish is closed through summer 2016 for an extensive refurbishment.

Contemporary Resort

Bay Lake Tower is undergoing a soft goods refurbishment, which typically consists of replacing bedding, wall, window and floor coverings and upholstery. The refurbishment is expected to be completed by September 24, 2016.

Port Orleans French Quarter

Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory at Port Orleans French Quarter closed for refurbishment on July 11. During this time, the space adjacent to the resort lobby is featuring some beloved dishes, like jambalaya, gumbo, po' boys, and beignets. You'll find the temporary menus for Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory while it's undergoing refurbishment HERE. There is also a selection of grab 'n' go meals available for purchase. For guests wishing for more selection, bus transportation is provided from 7 a.m. to midnight to Port Orleans Riverside. In addition, the resort continues to offer its in-room pizza delivery service from 4 p.m. to midnight daily. The menu includes pizza, hot and cold sandwiches and pasta. The quick service food court will reopen sometime in the fall, but no specific date has been announced.

Port Orleans Riverside

Routine roof maintenance is ongoing through Summer 2016. During this time guests may see work in progress.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin is currently undergoing the largest renovation in its 25-year history. The Swan rooms have been completed; the first phase of the Dolphin Hotel room renovations have just begun, with the entire room project currently scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017.

Wilderness Lodge and Villas at Wilderness Lodge

General resort refurbishments and construction work in multiple areas will continue until 2017. Some pathways and the nature trail will be unavailable at certain times.

Hidden Springs leisure pool, resort beach, playground and recreation fire pit are unavailable.

Cub's Den Children's Activity Center is closed now through 2017.

Sturdy Branches Health Club will be closed through October 2016.

Disney Springs

Fulton's Crab House is closed for refurbishment. It is due to reopen in Fall 2016 with a new concept and name, Paddlefish.

Planet Hollywood is also closed for refurbishment. The restaurant is being transformed into a four-story stargazing observatory to match the design aesthetic of Disney Springs. The interior will feature spherical, planet-shaped lighting fixtures and will create a welcoming atmosphere for fans to celebrate a new generation of superstar entertainers, while retaining the old movie memorabilia. There will be a new outdoor terrace and an outdoor bar space called Stargazers that will feature live entertainment. The main dining room will include a DJ. Planet Hollywood's renovations will be completed in 2016.

Read HERE for more on Disney Springs.

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A complete list of known rehabs can be found HERE.

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MAGICAL MOMENTS
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Heart-warming Magical Moments brought to us by the amazing Disney cast members!

Kathy: We were having a great time at Epcot waiting for IllumiNations when a sudden storm approached. We ran into a shop in the UK pavilion. As the storm got closer, there was thunder and lightning, and it was raining so hard the streets were like little creeks. My granddaughter was so frightened — even at home she is so afraid of storms. She started to hyperventilate and a very nice cast member came over and tried to calm her down, which helped for a while, but the storm continued. We must have been in there for more than an hour and a half when the cast member came over with a beautiful purple baseball cap with a crown imprinted with glitter. She told my granddaughter that the hat had magical powers and it was to keep princesses safe. She put the hat on her and gave her a big hug. That moment was so emotional, I started to tear up — but they were happy tears! I read your articles about how people have these moments, but never thought that we would experience one.

Kristina Hoffman: On a recent trip to Disney my family of 5 was staying at the Wilderness Lodge and waiting patiently on the beach to see the electrical water parade for the first time. While we were waiting my husband struck up a conversation with a boat captain who was waiting to take a family on a fireworks cruise around Bay Lake. They discussed what the trip included and the cost of the cruise. My husband and I were both very interested in going, but it was near the end of our stay and the cost was a bit too high for us. We thanked the captain and told him we would save up for our next trip and hoped to see him again. As we continued to wait on the beach and watch the kids play the captain returned and told us his party had just cancelled their cruise. He asked if we were interested in going. My husband and I both said thank you but the price was just not manageable at this time. He then replied, "Since my boat is fully stocked and ready to go I would like to give it to you as a magical moment." I think my husband and I almost fell over. The cruise was absolutely wonderful and I will always be thankful to the wonderful captain who helped make a magical memory my family will never forget.

Jen Ravanesi: When we go to Disney World we always let everyone pick one meal. My son always picks Chef Mickey for breakfast because he loves the chocolate chip pancakes. This past October we went for breakfast, but to my son's disappointment, the pancakes were now sprinkle pancakes, not chocolate chip. The chef must have overheard my son telling me this, because a few minutes later the chef brought out a batch of chocolate chip pancakes. Little does the chef know that he saved my son's special meal!

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We just bet you have a story to tell about an unforgettable moment during your Disney vacation! Please send your favorite memory for inclusion in a future AllEars® to: allearsnet@yahoo.com Thank you all for sharing!

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Editor's Note: This story/information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all current rates, information and other details before planning your trip.