by Brian Vasil

Hi everyone!  Thanks for joining us as once again we share memories of attractions that may be gone in the parks but live on in the hearts and minds of many.  This month… let’s look upward and check out… The Skyway!

Opened: October 1, 1971

Closed:  November 10, 1999

Maximum capacity per car: 4 very close friends/family (2-3 comfortably)

Fear Factor:  Possible.  If you are afraid of heights… and there’s a good wind blowing… the Skyway becomes an E-ticket thrill ride.  Otherwise it was a tame way to get from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland.

Reason for closure:  Unknown.  It has been rumored that this attraction closed due to the tragic death of a maintenance cast member who died after being accidentally knocked from the Fantasyland loading platform in 1999.

Favorite memory:  This ride took me awhile to get the courage to get on.  I know… I hear you. It’s a simple bucket car that rides on a wire over the a magical place.  What could possibly go wrong?

Well, for one, I am deathly afraid of heights.  Combine that with the thin wire that held the cars up and the fact that they swayed a little when the winds changed… and you had me convinced that walking was the way to go.  Speaking of walking… if you walked under the Skyway, you always felt that you were one misplaced step away from having a Mickey ice cream bar dropped on your head from the car above you.  Never happened…but it was always in the back of my mind.  I was a paranoid kid.

However, once I rode it the first time, I was hooked.  There were views of the park from the Skyway that were unique to it.  Imagine seeing parts of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland as if you were on Dumbo with your elephant all the way at the top… can you picture it?  Photo ops abounded from this very unique point of view.  Some of my most treasured pictures were taken from the Skyway and I wish it was still up (so I could get a good look at the Fantasyland expansion construction…those walls are tall!).

Do you have memories of the Skyway? Wish it were still at the parks?  Glad it’s gone?  Let us know in the comment section below.  Join us next month as we take a look at two extinct stores on Main Street:  The Penny Arcade and The Magic Shop!

Brian Vasil has been Disney-obsessed since his first visit to WDW in 1971 (he was only 3 months old…and has visited 100+ times since then). He’s been known for leaving hidden Mickeys in the place settings at his wedding, always choosing the “Desert” ending at Horizons, and weeping at the end of “Wishes” (it gets dusty…). He lives in Ft. Lauderdale with his wife Mindy and daughter Brianna.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2012) – After leading his team to a game-winning drive and the Super Bowl championship Sunday night, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning led another drive Monday: down Main Street, U.S.A. to cheering fans at Walt Disney World Resort.

“I’m going to Disney World!” proclaimed Manning Sunday shortly after his team scored a dramatic 21-17 win over the New England Patriots to capture Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis. In a gala parade Monday at Magic Kingdom, Manning made good on that promise, waving and smiling alongside Mickey Mouse from a red convertible in the shadow of Cinderella Castle.

Fans of the Giants and Manning, including those sporting team jerseys Monday, got to see their hero up-close in the place where memories are made. New York Giants balloons mixed in with red, white and blue balloons along the parade route, Mickey Mouse was joined by other Disney characters and confetti in the shape of the Lombardi Trophy (awarded to the NFL champion) rained down on the happy scene. Manning was joined in the Magic Kingdom by NFL Youth football players.

Manning – who was named the game’s MVP — is no stranger to storybook finishes. Sunday’s late, game-winning drive marked the seventh fourth-quarter comeback Manning led this season. His 15 fourth quarter touchdown passes set an NFL single-season record.

Manning’s “I’m going to Disney World!” — anchoring one of TV’s most enduring and iconic Super Bowl commercials — was captured seconds after the final whistle. Monday’s visit marked his second “What’s Next…?” appearance in the Disney commercial. In 2008, Manning was celebrated following the Giants’ 17-14 upset win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII.

This latest commercial is the 45th in a series that began in 1987 following Super Bowl XXI. The first “I’m going to Disney World” commercial, featuring New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms, was regarded as a groundbreaking concept – a produced national commercial involving a current event, airing on major networks within hours of its conclusion. Manning again joined a lineup of people from sports and beyond who have celebrated milestone accomplishments in “I’m going to Disney World” commercials.

by Liz Driscoll

Thanks, everyone, for continuing to follow along with our discussions!  It is amazing that Jim Korkis is joining along with us–please check back and see what others (including the author himself!) have to say!!

Watch, too, as we start discussions about our NEXT book club selection!!

Happy reading!!

Disney’s Ham Actors: The Three Little Pigs

Question 1: Pg. 109 “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?” was a depression era working man’s anthem.  What songs in recent years have been considered anthems that you relate to?

Question 2: Pg. 113 “To this day, I don’t believe in sequels.” What do you think about the Disney sequels we see today?  Are they ‘good enough’ for those children who want more than one movie with their favorite character? Or, are they seen as lower quality productions?

Snow White Christmas Premiere

Question 3: Pg. 121 Do you think that Hollywood today looks “down their noses” at animation premieres?

Question 4: Pg. 122 When you visit the Disney parks today, do you get that feeling of being a kid again that Walt saw on the Hollywood stars that night?  If so, when does that feeling start?

Destino
Question 5: Pg. 138 Why do you think Walt put Dali’s work on the shelf?  Was it truly that the market was gone?

Question 6: Pg. 139 When you read that in 1970 Dave Smith’s appeal for Disneyana mysteriously turns up five Dali works, what do you think happened?

Song of the South Premiere

Question 7: Pg. 145 Would you have enjoyed “Song of the South” more as an all animation or all live action in contrast to the hybrid?

Question 8: Pg. 154 The Disney Company has said that the movie is too antiquated and can be construed as offensive.  What controversy, if any, do you think re-releasing would bring?

Question 9: When you ride Splash Mountain, do you play the Uncle Remus stories in your head, or do you ride and enjoy the scenery?

The Alice in Wonderland That Never Was

Question 10: Pg. 159 What do you think about Walt doing an Alice update into a more recent version so that it could play in “Podunk Iowa”?

Question 11: Pg. 170 How would Alice be received by children if Disney had gone with the more literary version Huxley had written?

Question 12: When you are in that spinning teacup, do you think about Alice shrinking and growing in the story?  Do you think you are supposed to have shrunken down to fit into the teacup?

Liz Driscoll went to Walt Disney World for the first time when she was five years old, though her Disney passion began seven years ago.  She has visited Walt Disney World about twelve times in the past seven years.  In the non-Disney world, she is a teacher who enjoys bringing a little bit of pixie dust in the classroom each day!

Listener Email – Walt Disney World Vacation Planning, Trivia, History and More!

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #260 for the week of February 5, 2012

I’ll open up the inbox this week and answer more of your Walt Disney World vacation planning and trivia questions, including: The Royal Rooms at Port Orleans, Fantasmic! dinner package, the Adventureland Veranda, a Walt Disney biography movie, old Walt Disney World radio stations, Dining plan breakfasts, the Disney Cruise Line, and of course, dining at Disney.

I have more information about our WDW Radio 5th Anniversary Celebration and more, before I play your voicemails at the end of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show

Information and Links from This Week’s Show:

Question for YOU: What is your favorite Walt Disney World restaurant?

The Vault of Walt is also the latest selection in our WDW Radio Disney Book Club

Purchase The Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis on Amazon.com

• Private Tours of Walt Disney World with Lou Mongello
• Disney Fan Meets and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World – Get dates and locations at DisneyMeets.com
• WDWNewsCast – Watch & chat during our LIVE NewsCast Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET – Be part of the broadcast & discuss live in the chat room at http://WDWNewsCast.com
• WDW Radio on YouTube – Watch past episodes, subscribe to the show and comment on the WDWRadio YouTube Channel

by Makena W.

After a Disney trip, I usually come back frazzled. It takes me a few days to realize that I am not in my comfort zone anymore (I refer to going to Walt Disney World as going “home”). Sometimes that happens months after my last trip or even Wednesdays (but I have Lou to cure my problem on Wednesdays!) Here are 5 things to do when you miss the Happiest Place on Earth.

1. Listen to Disney World music while going through old photo albums
I own the CD, “Four Parks, One World” which features many tunes from the parks, like the Test Track melody or Toontown background music (RIP Toontown). I always put this in and let it play while going through photo albums from years ago. My family and I go through them together, and we retell the same stories about what happened in each and every picture.  If going through photo albums and listening to park music isn’t your thing, you can always tune into a Lou Mongello Audio Guide.  No, he is not paying me to plug him, but you would be surprised how much you don’t know.  My family thought we had a pretty good handle on the Magic Kingdom until we took Lou’s Audio Class.   Warning:  you may become very engaged so don’t handle sharp objects or heavy machinery while listening!!

2. Open up the doors at the “new” Disney Stores
The new Disney Stores have door opening ceremonies. If the cast members are unsure of who was the first child there, they choose randomly.  The trick to unlocking the magic at a reimagined store is to get there bright and early. The only way to be sure you are chosen is to arrive before the cast members who are opening the store!!  I live 45 minutes from a “new” store and wanted to be there 45 minutes before the store opened.  Try talking your mom into that!! Looking at the pictures, you’ see that it doesn’t matter if you’re 5 or 12, girl or boy. A friend of mine, Courtney, went with me and my family to a Disney store for her to open up the gates. Courtney is 11. She happened to be picked to put the key in the lock (to increase our odds, we got there an hour early!). It was a pleasant experience to see someone else open the door, for I have opened it myself as has my brother, Austin. When they asked her for her “happiest memory”, she replied , “It is my first time here.” She opened up the doors, got a replica of the key she used and we roamed around the store. Don’t be afraid to open up the doors-there is never a time when you are too old. Just like Walt Disney said himself, “Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”

3. Look up POV videos on the Internet
POV stand for Point of View. These are videos that people take on any type of ride. When I watch these, I feel like screaming along on Expedition Everest and my stomach drops during the countdown for the Rock N Roller Coaster. This is perfect if you are sick. It really cheers you up when you are having the blues. It is the closest (and cheapest) way to transfer back “home”.

4. Write fanfictions
Fanfictions are stories that usually spin off a popular book. Whether sequels or “what ifs”, they are created by fans, and are in no way involved with the original author. I love writing about Kingdom Keepers, like if I was one of them or if Wayne wasn’t there to guide the Keepers along. I also write about my family’s next trip to the “world.” What we would do, and what would happen while doing it. Maybe Space Mountain breaks down and they have to turn the lights on. Maybe I am “that guy!” in the Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor. Or maybe we get stuck on a ride and have to take the stairs out.  If you’re not a writer just for fun, think about writing fanfiction for a creative writing assignment in school.  If you have to write about something, you might as well find a way to make it fun!

5. Find Hidden Mickeys everywhere
Everywhere you turn, circles are there. Your plates at the dinner table, snowglobes on your shelf, everywhere! You know you love Disney when you pick up hidden Mickeys all over the place. For example, my dad is a firefighter. He has worked at the fire department for 18 years. One day, he realized that the gauges looked like a Mickey!  If you have any girl scout cookies made by abc bakery, their symbol is a Mickey! I was going to write an entire article on the “Mickeys all around you” but Nathan beat me to it.  If you haven’t seen it, there is a great blog article posted on Feb. 1. Now you can add this picture to your collection, Nathan!

I hope that if you get “homesick”, you think about this blog.

I am very excited that I will be joining Lou Mongello on the WDW Radio cruise! To share my excitement with all of you, I am doing both a quote of the week and a “Where in the World?” picture.

Quote of the Week: “It’s is like Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and…flying.” -Lou Mongello describing the AquaDuck (See what I did there….)

Where in the World am I? Can you be the first to tell me “Where in the World” this picture was taken?

Makena is a 13 year old middle school student who spends much of her free time researching Disney.  She enjoys sharing Disney facts and even plans Walt Disney World vacations (including searches for secrets and Hidden Mickeys) for friends and family.

Super Bowl Champion and MVP Eli Manning of the New York Giants says “I’m going to Disney World!” and visits Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom on Monday, February 6, 2012 to celebrate! Enjoy the excited fans and watch the parade as is travels down Main Street, USA

Efficient Parenting Counsel on Teens

by Blake Taylor

Last time we observed that most teens really do have a soft spot when it comes to Walt Disney World, despite the angst-filled outer shell we are often stereotyped as having.  Branching off of that, today let’s take a look at the five best things to do at Disney that can only be done at Disney—not necessarily attractions, but those little, fun traditions and privileges.  The things Guests get to do that are considered completely normal in the magical constraints of Walt Disney World, but might be bizarrely stared at anywhere else.

5. Not hitting the snooze button

I don’t consider myself a morning person by any means, but each morning of Disney vacation, I leap out of bed immediately after the alarm sounds so that the next magical day of excitement can begin as soon as possible.  A wake-up call from Mickey and Stitch turns out to be a lot better than the annoying alarm clock blare back home.

4. Pin trading

Walk up to anyone anywhere else and ask them, “Want to trade pins?” and all you’ll get in response is a puzzled look of bewilderment.  Here, though, trading with both Cast Members and fellow Guests is the norm.  Pin trading is an excellent way to interact with Cast Members in a unique way.  And even though it might not be the best idea to wear a full lanyard of pins on a daily basis once you get back home, I’ve found that some of them go great with polo shirts or blazers (the Up grape soda pin is always a hit).  That way they’re at least not collecting dust in a draw between vacations.

3. Headgear

Let’s face it: you’re probably not going to wear your mouse ears after your vacation, but that doesn’t decrease their fun value while in Disney.  I’d like to see the reactions on bystanders’ faces if someone took a stroll in a metropolitan area wearing one of those huge hats resembling Goofy or the Mad Hatter.  Quirky headgear is so Disney, and it also can sometimes prompt fun interaction with Cast Members or characters.

2. Becoming giddily cheerful

Don’t try to pretend like you’ve never done something outrageously giddy at the first sight of Cinderella Castle.  We all have!  I suspect each family probably has their own individual stories or traditions about being remarkably cheerful while immersed in the escapist environment of Walt Disney World.  For my family, one of these instances is watching the parade on Main Street, then running through Adventureland in time to catch it again in Frontierland.  My mom has also been known to attract stares when singing along with the trolley show (“In Pixie Duussst!”).

1. Being touched by Disney magic

There’s just something about Disney stories and characters that evokes a sense of childlike wonder and nostalgia in Guests, no matter their age.  These attractions and shows represent memories and people in our own lives, and remind us of just how special our family and friends are to us.  It’s why we’re limited to oohs and aahs at the county fair fireworks presentation, but then we’re blubbering idiots when watching Wishes.  It’s why we’re content with a quick hug and a wave from Chuck E. Cheese, but then we’re awestruck when it’s our turn to meet Mickey.  This is a special place, where our childhood fantasies and present realities meet to create a celebration of the magic inside each of us.

Blake is a high-school student who has been surrounded by Disney literally since birth, having had a Mickey mobile in his crib.  Blake enjoys helping peers plan WDW vacations and writing for his Disney blog, BlakeOnline.com.

by Candra Spirtoff and Megan Voisard

THIS WEEK IN DISNEY HISTORY

February 9, 1996 – The Disney Institute opens in Walt Disney World

Did you know?

C.E.O, Michael Eisner, helped make the Disney Institute a tangible reality in the mid 1980’s, although the idea had existed several decades earlier.

The Disney Institute was created for guests to experience a more hands-on and interactive vacation, allowing them to go ‘behind-the-scenes’ and learn how the Disney Magic is made or try their hand at a new hobby, such as cooking, animation, etc.

Due to lack of attendance, the Disney Institute’s main campus in Downtown Disney closed in 2003 to make-way for Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa. Although the Disney Institute’s main campus closed, it is still in operation today.

Plus… February Changes to “The Magic, the Memories, and You,” News on a Pair of Refurbs at the Marketplace, and more

by Don Myers

Tink’s pixie dust is bringing some brand-new interactive elements to one of the Magic Kingdom’s most beloved attractions, so it’s time to dive into another edition of the WDW Radio Newswire…..

We saw them added into the queue of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.Then they sprung up over at The Haunted Mansion. Well, we can now add Peter Pan’s Flight to the list of attractions to have their queues updated into the “Interactive Era.” Construction is already underway, and things are slated to wrap up on Tuesday March 6th. The attraction will remain open throughout the duration of the refurb, and it will be interesting to see how these interactive elements will effect the wait times once they’re put into place. And another question is whether or not there will be separate “interactive” and “non-interactive” lines for Peter Pan’s Flight like there is over at Gracie Manor.

For more news out of the Magic Kingdom, let’s head over to Cinderella Castle, where some changes have recently taken place to “The Magic, the Memories, and You” show. February means Valentine’s Day, so the changes are of the romantic variety. New elements include stained glass projections of several Disney Princes and Princesses, and vines of red roses wrapped around the Castle Towers. The stained glass images are particularly interesting, as one of them depicts Belle with the Beast post-transformation. We rarely see Belle with the Beast after he’s been transformed back into human form, so this is a neat little addition. The special changes are scheduled to run for the next 2 1/2 months, with an end date “projected” for Sunday April 15th.

Now let’s move over to Downtown Disney, where a pair of refurbishments are underway at the Marketplace. The bath and beauty store Basin closed up shop last week and will remain closed until Monday March 19th. This will put the total refurb time for the store at just under two months. The second refurbishment is taking place over at The Rainforest Cafe. This one is going to be lengthy, as construction at the restaurant is scheduled to be ongoing from now until October. This puts the refurb timetable at around 8-9 months! But fans of the Rainforest Cafe fear not; as the restaurant will be staying open throughout the duration of the refurbishment.

For our final bit of news today, let’s venture over to my favorite Resort: Disney’s Polynesian Resort. A few days ago (Mon Jan 30th) work began at the Nanea Volcano Feature Pool, and things aren’t scheduled to be completed until Sunday April 1st (no foolin’). This work will not result in the closure of the pool itself, but the water slide will be out of commission from Monday February 6th through the first week of March.

Well, that’s gonna do it for today, but I’ll be back again soon with another edition of the WDW Radio Newswire……..

Don Myers covers news and recent events in Walt Disney World.  He has been enamored with the World of Disney since his first trip to WDW in 1986. As they say, the rest is history!  Don also has been a contributing writer for Celebrations magazine since 2009.