march vacation itinerary (general info)

[ancbob]

Disney 2005

Phone (407) 939-7675
(407) WDW-DINE (939-3463)†


Disney Conf. Number: ######## March 23-27 (4 nights)

Park Hours: MK – 9-11, AK – 8-8, MGM – 9-9

Epcot Future World 9-7 Epcot World Showcase 11-9





Upon arrival:

Disney florist - http://www.disneyflorist.com/

Photocopy back of park passes (for backup)

Pal Mickey (get at resort?)



Wednesday March 23 – Magic Kingdom

PM Magic Kingdom xtra hours



7:40 pm Chef Mickey’s



Thursday, March 24 – Animal Kingdom

PM Epcot xtra hours (get tix before dinner?)



Dinner:7:15 Hoop-dee-doo review – Fort Wilderness Resort

48 hr cancel. Verify with guest services

if you have to ride the boat from Wilderness Lodge to FortWilderness or vice versa. About half way between the two resorts, on the FortWilderness side of River Country, there is a Cypress Tree away from the shore line with dozens of pairs of shoes on it. It is the most bizarre thing. We asked one of the boat captins about it and he said, whenever anyone from "Watercraft" retires, all the staff go out there and the retiree puts a pair of shoes on the tree. It is just part of their small retirement ceremony for each other. He also said, in all his years on the boat, NO ONE had ever asked him about those shoes.



Entertainment: While you enjoy an all you can eat dinner, you are entertained by good old fashion country western singers, dancers and comedians. Be prepared for slapstick, corny jokes and lots of singing and dancing.Your meal, brought to your table includes: fried chicken, pork ribs, corn on the cob and strawberry shortcake! Unlimited beer, sangria and soft drinks are also included in the price.Cost - $50.22 for adults and $25.43 for children 3-11; tax and gratuity included. Reservations can be made up to 2 years ahead of time! Tables are assigned in the order in which reservations are made. There is 2 tiered seating...the main floor and upstairs in the balcony. Shows can sell out during busy times of the year. Tickets and Table assignments are available 5 days in advance at your Disney Resort Guest Services location.

Discounts are sometimes available so inquire for Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club Members and Disney Visa Card Holders... you never know!Directions: The show is held at Pioneer Hall in FortWilderness. Non-FortWilderness guests can drive, take the boat from the Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge or MagicKingdom or take a bus from the Ticket and TransportationCenter.

Friday, March 25 - Epcot

AM MagicKingdom xtra hour



Dinner: Aloha Luau 5:15 – Polynesian Pick up tix at guest services (48hr cancel)



Saturday, March 26 - MGM

AM Animal Kingdom xtra hour

Dinner: Fantasmic 4:10 at Hollywood and Vine (48 hr cancel)

The Fantasmic! Dinner Package includes dinner at one of the participating Disney-MGM Studios restaurants and reserved seating in the Fantasmic! amphitheater. As of this writing, only Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, and Hollywood & Vine are participating. BUT, at various times the Sci-Fi Dine-In and the '50s Prime Time Cafe have also been included, so be sure to ask what restaurant choices are available.This means that instead of waiting in line for 60-90 minutes outside the theater, you can walk right up to the theater 30-45 minutes before show time, (no waiting in line!) and still have a seat.

Hollywood & Vine $21.99 adult/$10.99 child (3-11) not including admission, tax, and gratuity (no characters) Child's meal includes beverage. All you care to eat buffet. Choose from a number of selections including; oven-roasted Prime Rib, Citrus Baked Chicken, Pan-seared Salmon, and Stir-Fry Noodles with Sesame. Also includes fresh salads and build your own ice cream/dessert bar. Alcoholic beverages NOT included.

Report to your restaurant 10 minutes before your Fantasmic! Dinner Package PS, and you'll received your special Fantasmic! seating pass at that time.

Do I have a reserved seat? No, only the section itself is reserved for those with the dinner package. Within the reserved section, seating is on a first come-first served basis, so if you want your choice of seats, you should arrive 45-60 minutes early. Where is the reserved section?The reserved section is all the way over on the right side of the theater - the Witch section. The amphitheater is set up so that there really are no *bad* seats, except you will get wet if you sit in the first few rows.Where do I enter the theater? Do NOT enter the Fantasmic! line that starts at the amphitheater's Sunset Boulevard entrance. Present your Fantasmic! Dinner Package voucher 30 minutes prior to showtime at the Fantasmic! sign located on Hollywood Boulevard next to Oscar's Super Service (inside the turnstiles at the front of the park). Guests arriving less than 30 minutes prior to showtime will be offered standing room only, if available.How early do I have to get to the theater? You must arrive at least 30-45 minutes before the show starts.

Depart Sunday, March 27



Options:

Downtown Disney:

Rainforest Café

Check out the wonderful interactive fountains where children (and adults who have the guts) may enjoy playing and getting wet.

The LegoImaginationCenter has a FREE 3,000-square-foot outdoor play area filled with thousands of LEGO blocks, plus some absolutely amazing and huge Lego sculptures for you to admire!

Check out the FREE magic demonstrations at the Magic Masters shop -- learn a card trick!


Visit the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop and enjoy a sundae (about $6.25) or shake (about $3.95).


Take a Boat Ride

This is enjoyable any time of day, but particularly beautiful and romantic at night.

Cruise the loop around CrescentLake, which visits Epcot, Boardwalk, Yacht/Beach Club, Swan/Dolphin, and MGM without going into the parks.

Take the boat that visits the MagicKingdom, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge and Ft.Wilderness, or the boat that visits the Polynesian, Grand Floridian and MagicKingdom (and you can get off at the MagicKingdom and wander along the lake outside the gates, or hop on the monorail).

Cruise from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney and back, along the SassagoulaRiver.

Cost for any of the above: free to all Disney resort guests and anyone with a multi-day pass.

Take an Evening Carriage Ride

You can take a 30-minute carriage ride at Port Orleans Riverside or FortWilderness for $30 (including tax but not tip). The rides start in front of Boatwright's Dining Hall and Pioneer Hall nightly between 6:00 and 9:30 pm. For a couple it is a little more than the $10 per person limit of this page, but it's very romantic!

Go on a hayride! There are nightly hayrides from Pioneer Hall at Ft.Wilderness at 7:00 and 9:30 pm. Cost: $8 adults, $4 children.

Boardwalk:

Often there are street performers (jugglers, comedians, fire-eaters, jazz ensembles, etc.) -- stroll around and watch them!

There are lots of vendors selling inexpensive food treats.

You can try your luck at a carnival-style game (small cost).

Sit and watch the Friendship Boats come and go.

For a small cover charge you can visit Jellyroll's (a dueling piano bar featuring sing-a-longs to your favorite pop tunes).

Check out AtlanticDance Hall, which often has live bands ranging from top-40 to Latin -- and no cover charge.

The water fountain behind Cinderella's Castle (next to Tinkerbell's Treasures) Has Cinderella in it holding a bird. If you stand directly in front of Cinderella and curtsey to her, you will see the crown behind her painted onto the wall go onto her head. Dannielle: This secret is on the "Once Upon A time" training tour that all Magic Kingdom Cast Members go through.



Head straight through the Innovations East, and head towards Horizons, you will spot a set of restrooms to the left. You will see a couple of water fountains that there that are said to talk.

Do you now that when you go from Seven Seas Lagoon to BayLake you have to go go across a WATERBRIDGE, yes a bridge that instead of anything else carries water. When built it was the first one of its kind in the world. Now there are 5 worldwide, 2 of them in France and 3 of them at Disney World, the original one (Seven Seas-Bay Lake) and there are two that connect World Showcase Lagoon with the Boardwalk, Beach and Yacht Lagoon, you can see one of them backstage Epcot and the other one when you go to the Yacht and Beach Club from the road the pass in front of the entrance of the Boardwalk.

CHECK OUT:

Pirate Cruise - Children wear pirate bandannas and follow clues to search BayLake and the Seven Seas Lagoon for buried treasure. They sail to many exotic "ports of call" (Resort Marinas) to collect treasure. At the final port of call, children have a snack and split up the "buried treasure." Children who are potty trained (no pull-ups) and ages 4-10 may attend. Lunch is provided (Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, Gummy bears, Krispy Treat and Juice box). Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Available to all guests, Cost is $28.17 plus tax.
Reservations 120 days in advance 407-WDW-DINE

[Lou Mongello]

Ancbob,

First, let me personally you to the site and the DWT family!

I'd also like to thank you for a great first post! I not only get to live vicariously through you with your detailed itinierary, but you have some great ideas included in there as well (e.g. copying the park passes), as well as some nice things planned.

Of course, now I'm singing the Hoop-Dee-Doo theme song here at work!

[ancbob]

Thanks for the welcome note. We will be doing this trip with our 5 year old. He was 3 on our last visit. This is just kinda a brain dump of what I have accumulated as far as trip info. I will post what other stuff I have on the different areas (MK,AK, etc) later. I am hoping that readers will be able to grab info from those as well.

[Jiminy Cricket]

Welcome to the board!!!

I admire your detailed itinerary. It makes me so want to be at WDW, since it is so cold and miserable in Indiana this time of year.

Have fun at WDW and say "Hi" to Mickey and the Gang for me!

[ancbob]

Magic Kingdom:

Wednesday – Extra hours

Wishes Nighttime spectacular - March 20-31 -- 10:00 p.m.

Spectromagic - March 20-31 -- 9:00 p.m.



Entrance and Main Street:



Before park opens: The WDW train is perfectly centered in front of the train station for those wishing to take pictures. It is the only time during the day that this occurs. Because the trees have grown, the photo op. is not all that great.

The entrance to the Magic Kingdom park is like a theatre. The ticket area is like a lobby, you go through tunnels lined with "coming attraction" type posters. The train station is the curtain and then you go through it and you're in the show.

In the Main St. train station lower level, up on one of the shelves (Cast members (CM's) can halp you locate it) you can see Aladdin's lamp as well as other characters' belongings waiting to be picked up. Some park guest lost and found items are there too, is the artificial leg with the name Smith on it (a Mary Poppins joke) one of these?

The telegraph you hear at the train station? It's tapping out Walt Disney's speech at Disneyland's 1954 opening in Morse Code.

From the WDW Railroad train, as you approach Frontierland, the "riverboat in a cave" is part of Splash Mountain. More "lost" items are on a shelf in the Frontierland train station waiting room.

See the Lady and the Tramp pawprints in front Tony´s Town Square Restaurant at the front of Main St.. At the back of the restaurant dining room, there is a beautiful 3-paned dark blue

Main Street Bakery: note the old fashioned phone on the wall. Pick it up and listen carefully to the conversation

If you turn down the first side street to your right off Main Street on a more quiet day and look up at the windows that have signs that say something like "music lessons", you'll hear from time to time a voice practicing scales and/or someone tap dancing. You can't always hear it - it has to be pretty quiet. Listen for several minutes, there are several events.

On Main Street, check out the old style phone in the General Store. (on the right side of the street as you're headed in) Pick up the reciever and listen in to a conversation going on. Also one in Tomorrowland under the TTA (Tomorrowland Transit Authority) ststion and Astro Orbiter.

Harmony barber shop you can have glitter put in your hair. Many parents bring a child for his (often ceremonial, not actual) first haircut and you can get a certificate with a lock of the child's hair attached. .

Main Street is designed, through forced perspective, to look as if it's much longer than it is when you're heading towards the castle. In the mornings, you are all excited and have the energy to walk. When you're walking away from the castle towards the exit, it looks shorter. (I don't yet agree it looks shorter.) That's good for the way out when you're all tired. Also, since most people walk on the right side of the street, all the food shops are on the right as you enter for those wanting breakfast, while the gift shops are on your right on the way out! Getting back to the theme of "being in the movies" the names on the windows up above are to suggest movie credits, and are the names of persons responsible for building the park. Some names are of dummy corporations (e.g. M.T. Lott) formed to purchase the land for WDW back in the 1960's while keeping it all a secret. Walt Disney? His name is above the ice cream shop "since his brother Roy gave him the best office, that faces the castle".

Although the Main St. Cinema is gone, old Disney cartoons are still shown, in a small theater, with seats, in Expo Hall. Also in Expo Hall Disney princesses including Snow White and Aurora are sometimes there to sign autographs.

On Main Street, check out the old style phone in the General Store. (on the right side of the street as you're headed in) Pick up the reciever and listen in to a conversation going on. Also one in Tomorrowland under the TTA (Tomorrowland Transit Authority) ststion and Astro Orbiter.

Events / Performers:

"Share a Dream Come True" Parade Daily at 3pm Sunday, Monday & Thursday-Saturday


Rhythm Rascals - Main Street, U.S.A. – Dixieland


Main Street Actors - Appearing throughout the day at 20 minute intervals, including: Mayor Weaver, Town Gossip Tabitha Quidnunk, Reporter Scoop Sanderson, and Socialite Hildegard Olivia Harding.

Tapping Shoes - Listen for the sound of tap shoes outside the Dance Studio on Main Street

Minnie's Main Street Memories - Main Street, U.S.A. - Takes place several times a week.

Castle:

The stone railing that is along the castle's walkway has an inverted three-circle pattern along it. When the sun hits these the right way, images of Mickey are projected all along the walkway.

[I] haven't seen this one posted, but it was fun for [my] kids to discover the little mice up in the rafters of the lobby of the castle.

Inside the walls of the walk-through of the castle is several mosaics. On the mosaic wall furthest from the entrance are the two stepsisters, Anastasia and Drusilla (Minerva and Calliope in Disney's 1998 movie version starring Brandy and Paolo). The mosaic shows one of them with a red face and the other with a green face. Red with rage and green with envy!

Find the water fountain to the left of Cinderella Castle as you exit the rear (and next to Tinker Bell's Treasures) it has Cinderella in it holding a bird. Stand directly in front of Cinderella and curtsy to her, you will see the gold crown behind her painted onto the wall go onto her head. The purpose? To explain the story of Cinderella in just one glance - rags to riches.



Adventureland:

Pirate show located by pirates of Caribbean Tuesday-Friday

11:30-11:50 a.m. 12:30-12:50 p.m. 1:30-1:50 p.m. 2:30-2:50 p.m.
3:30-3:50 p.m. 4:20-4:40 p.m.


Pirates of the Caribbean - On Pirates, as you pass the auction scene, watch as the pirate on the left hand side fires his gun, the sign on the other side of the water "pings" and swings back and forth. n the boat, just before it goes under one of the bridges, look for a bald pirate who was close to the water, on the left side. [I] think he was singing the Yo Ho song, but don't remember for sure. Just before the boat went under the bridge, he turned his head toward our boat and winked. just remembered this after [I] read on another board about seeing celebrities at WDW. On Pirates of the Caribbean, [I] think it is on the first bridge that you go under, sitting on the bridge is a man with one of his legs hanging over and another man standing next to him. The face of the man sitting is of Sid Caesar. One of the designers really loved Sid Caesar and made the face to look this way.



Jungle Cruise

Swiss Family Treehouse
Enchanted Tiki Room
Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats
Magic Carpets of Aladdin – Look for buried jewels



Mapapa - Adventureland Tumblers



Frontierland:



Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Country Bear Jamboree
Frontierland Shooting Arcade
Splash Mountain
Tom Sawyer Island – Find the paintbrushes



Extras:



Frontierland Hoedown-Interactive parade featuring dancers and the Country Bears. Guests are invited to participate in a square dance and a line dance. Takes place outside the Country Bear Jamboree, Prairie Outpost & Supply and Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Inn. Sunday, Tuesday, Wed, & Friday at 10:10, 11:00 & 11:50am, Sat. at 4:50 & 5:40pm



Frontierland Actors
Prospector "Goldust" Gus:
Sunday & Thursday-Saturday at 11:00am, 12:00, 1:00, 2:15 & 3:45pm;
Monday at 9:00, 10:15 & 11:30am, 12:45 & 1:45pm
Marshall Jack Dalton: Tuesday at 10:00 & 11:00am, 12:00, 1:15 & 2:30pm
Length of sets: 30 minutes





The Notorious Banjo Brothers And Bob - Comical traveling trio includes two banjo players and a tuba player, offering everything from cowboy melodies like "Back in the Saddle Again" to bluegrass, with Disney tunes mixed in. Tuesday & Thursday-Saturday at 11:30am, 12:15, 1:15, 2:10, 3:30, 4:20 & 5:15pm Wednesday at 3:30, 4:20 & 5:15pm



Liberty Square:

In Liberty Square, there is a gate around a door -- it guards a marble slab that used to be threshhold or a step at Monticello. President Jefferson actually walked on it long ago. In the section with different styled building fronts next to each other, observe the details and styles progressing through the 19'th century, place 18 in front of the house number on the door to get the year for that styling.

Goofy’s Country Jammin Jamboree

Hall of Presidents

Haunted Mansion – The wedding ring in the concrete at the end of Haunted Mansion.The Ring is "sorta" hard to spot. As you come out of the haunted mansion you will go past all the tombs, then you come to a gateway with a wide and a narrow passageway. The ring is in the ground about even with the gateway in the middle of the wide passageway. You can ask a CM usually they will show you and tell you one of the stories about how it got there! (Looks too small to be a ring in my opinion.)

Fantasyland:

Cinderella’s golden carouselle -One horse on Cinderella's Golden Carrousel has a gold ribbon on its tail. This particular horse is rumored to be Cinderella's favorite. Find Cinderella's coach mice atop the sign for the Carrousel.

Another unique area (nice photo op.) is right in front of the carousel where Merlin the Magician picks a lucky lad to remove the Sword from the Stone. The pavement there is shaped like sword blades.

Dumbo The Flying Elephant
It's a Small World
Mad Tea Party
The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh - Try to smell honey as you ride Pooh
Peter Pan's Flight
Snow White's Scary Adventures
Ariel's Grotto
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Cinderellabration


Extras:

When you go to Sir Mickey's Shop in Fantasyland look at where the roof meets the walls. You will see Willie the Giant from Mickey and the Beanstalk peeking into the shop .

Storytime with Belle - Daily at 11:15am, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 4:05 & 5:05pm

Sword in the stone - Located in front of Cinderella's Golden Carrousel. Sunday-Thursday at 11:15am, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 4:00 & 5:00pm

Cinderella's Wishing Well – Fantasyland Throw a coin into the fountain. Surprise!

Fantasyland Woodwind Society - Quartet of saxophonists plays favorite Disney songs Monday-Thursday at 10:30 & 11:30am, 12:30 & 1:30pm

Mickey’s Toontown Fair:

Donald’s boat
Mickey's Country House
Minnie's Country House
The Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm
Toontown Hall of Fame

Not a big secret ... but [I] like the walkway that goes from Mickey's Toontown Fair to Space Mountain. It follows the railroad track. One of the few quiet places in MK.

[ancbob]

Tomorrowland:

Astro Orbiter
Stitch's Great Escape

Tomorrowland Indy Speedway - Near the Indy Speedway on the way from Fantasyland into Tomorrowland there is a high streetlamp with three large round hooded lights -- it was designed to cast a hidden Mickey on the ground twice a day when the sun is in the right place.

Space Mountain
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin – Some of the big points in Buzz Lightyear are scored when leaving the first room. Turn around and shoot the back of the Orange robots arm or the back of the buzz saw. 100,000 points. The car usually turns automatically away from these so use the lever to face backwards and score big! One contributor suggests to hold the button on your blaster down all the time. Don't let it up as you move it around and aim.

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
Tomorrowland Arcade
Tomorrowland Transit Authority -- While riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority trains, look out to the left toward the bridge and you can get a great view of a topiary dragon on the side of the grassy hill. You can also see this dragon on the right while entering Tomorrowland via the main bridge. Also when riding TTA you enter a tunnel and see a model of a futuristic city which was first exhibited at the 1964-5 New York Worlds Fair with the Carousel of Progress and envisioned by Walt Disney as the plan for Epcot. In a different tunnel,.a glimpse of Space Mountain from the sidelines in the dark with the "space vehicles" flying by above.

Extras:

Tomorrowland Countdown - 12-piece rock band, performs the songs of The Pointer Sisters, Chuck Mangione, Tower of Power and others with a high-energy, futuristic twist.
Sunday, Monday & Thursday-Saturday at 11:00 & 11:50am, 12:40 & 1:30pm 20 min

PUSH, The Talking Trashcan Sunday-Thursday at 10:00, 10:50 & 11:40am, 12:40, 1:30, 2:30 & 3:30pm

Magic Kingdom Parade Viewing

See if you can find a "hidden walt (1)" on each float.

Fireworks Show

Stand near the flower garden right outside Tomorrow Land for the fireworks and Tinker Bell flies right overhead.

Other interesting places to view the fireworks:

1. While riding Splash Mountain, as your log boat comes down the big drop into the briar patch (requires some lucky timing).

2. From the balcony at the Main St. railroad station, a nice view of Main St with the castle in the distance.

3. From Narcoosee's Restaurant. They sometimes dim the lights and play the fireworks music.

4. From California Grill

Ceremonies

Characters each choose a child to escort into Toontown Fair at its rope drop opening.

On the first ride of Dumbo each morning, Mickey and Minnie pick kids to ride with.

Children often ask the Walt Disney Railroad Train conductor for the chance to announce "All Aboard".

Kiss Goodnight

(You may have to try more than once as is not performed every night) Linger in the park in front of the castle about 30 minutes after the park closing. You'll be treated to the "kiss goodnight" from the castle...something really cool to see. (Buses and monorails run for at least an hour after park closing time, a little longer if guests are outside still waiting. But after an hour don't straggle too far behind.)

[ancbob]

Welcome to the board!!!

I admire your detailed itinerary. It makes me so want to be at WDW, since it is so cold and miserable in Indiana this time of year.

Have fun at WDW and say "Hi" to Mickey and the Gang for me!

Thanks for the welcome message! I am a hoosier myself! (now relocated in cold michigan). Following is a dump of my MK collection of stuff. More to follow...

[ancbob]

MGM

Shows:

Voyage of the little mermaid (FP)

Beauty and the Beast

Fantasmic - March 15,20-31 -- 9:00 p.m. 30 min

Stars and Motor Cars – March 13-31 – 4:00 p.m.

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular - 10:30 & 11:45am, 1:00, 2:15, 3:30, 5:15, 6:30 & 7:30pm. Arrive at least 25 minutes before the show. Go to the main entrance and see a cast member for assistance. Sit in the designated viewing area in the center section of the audience, to the right of the technical booth. Also, try pulling the rope outside of this attraction that says, "Don't pull the rope". If you exit the Indiana Jones theater from the far right-side stairway (as you face the stage; stage-left or house-right) pay attention as you go onto the landings. Look for the hand of a Disney staff (cast) member rising above the railing holding the golden idol from the show's Mayan (or South American in the movie version) temple. The idea is to pat the head of the idol as you go past. A big thrill for kids [and some others] that love the first Indy film. One caveat: not sure if they do this after all shows.

Muppet Vision 4D - Look for the key under the doormat. Just after you go through the turnstile, go to your right and you'll find the mat. In the pre-show room of Muppets 3-D there is a net full of green Jello hanging from the ceiling. It signifies Annette Funicello. Also look into the rafters up to the left, there is a large picture of a muppet that is modeled after Jim Henson. One display near the front says "2-D Fruities". One of the great secrets, cause everyone rushes by to get to where they are going, are the walls outside that have graffitti all over them.

One Man's Dream - Walt's office, modeled inside, is the reverse (mirror image) of what it actually was. You are supposed to be standing in his kitchenette, looking in. The briefcase and telephone are ones Walt actually used. There is speculation that the papers on the credenza behind the desk are papers from Robinson Crusoe that have Walt's red grease pencil markups

Playhouse Disney

Millionare

Rides:

Rock N Roller Coaster -The While waiting to tour Rock & Roller Coaster Studio C, listen at the doors to Studio A and B, you will hear sounds from real recording sessions some of which can from Aerosmith's re-recordings for the coaster. One of the posters in the inside zig-zag queueing area is of a record album cover and it has a U.S. flag pasted on it. Through the flag you might see the shadow of a marijuana leaf, which was considered unsavory for a family oriented theme park and which was so covered up following complaints from guests. While waiting to tour Studio C, you will hear PA calls for various people. These individuals being called are the imagineers of the attraction. One of the PA announcements in the G-force records lobby is something to the effect of, "phone call for Jude on line one... Hey, Jude, pick up line one!" Take a look at safety signs in the form of a guitar in the "parking structure". It is a tribute to Elvis Presley. In the attraction, take a look at the AC power boxes and other electrical boxes. On these you will see the initials and birthdays of the imagineers. The music posters in the rotunda will change out (as will the back ground music in the plaza) since G-Force is a record company, and things are always changing in the music biz. The alley behind the Aerosmith's studio....by the launch area of RnR. Just another thing to notice at Disney-MGM Studios.

Tower of Terror - message at the bottom of the bulletin board in the lobby of the Tower of Terror is great. Right after you leave the lobby of the Tower of Terror, and before you go in the TV room, you will see a directory board in a glass case. Some of the white letters have fallen out and are at the bottom of the case. You have to get you head right up to the glass and look down. . . it says, "evil tower you are doomed"! Also in the lobby, look for a pair of glasses with lenses broken. This honors the Twilight Zone's episode with Burgess Meredith: the last man on earth after an atomic blast who loved to read. He finds the remnants of a library and is all set to finally read to his heart's content, when he accidentally breaks his glasses! When you fall the first time (Only in the left shaft) All the way on the bottom there are statues of a family with their luggage. [My husband and I] have seen it twice. Has anyone else seen it or are [we] crazy? (Forget which elevator) if your elevator "hits a bottom" at the right level you can see a dummy from The Twilight Zone sitting in a chair outside. Tower of Terror, like most of the spectacular rides, has a guest exit just before the spectacular event (the ride itself). This exit has a brightly lit ordinary elevator and guests who "chickened out" from going on the real ride have occasionally been frightened by this elevator also.

The great movie ride -- Have you seen Mickey's profile on the Great Movie Ride? It's in a high window There are two different skits. Which one you see depends on what section of seats you get into. There is a cowboy/western show and a mob /gangster shootout. The plane in the Casablanca scene was a Lockheed purchased specifically for that scene. The rear half is in the Jungle Cruise ride at Magic Kingdom. on the left in the gangster scene with James Cagney. We always have fun looking for it. Also in the Great Movie Ride... In the Egyptian-styled section, check out some of the wall tiles as fast as you can while the ride moves through. Most of them are normal hieroglyphics, but several have pictures of funny MGM and Disney stuff. For example, one of the tiles has R2-D2 and another has C-3PO from Star Wars. There are a couple hidden mickeys in there too. There are so many hieroglyphics in the room making them hard to find but ... Pharoah Mickey and [I] believe Slave Donald are on the back wall on the opposite side from Indy and Salla, just as you're about to leave that room. It is about 1/3 of the way "up".

Studio Backlot tour - On the Backlot Studios Tour, if you don't want to get wet, sit on the right when you load the trams. Leaving the Backstage Tour costume room and gift shop area you come to a warehouse with props. Find the talking / sound effects boxes near the steam roller from Roger Rabbit.

Star Tours - right as your leaving the droid room entering the staging area look up and you'll see 2 mechanical birds; a neat homage to the 2 crows (ravens?) on Magic Kingdom's Splash Mtn. just before the big drop.

Honey I Shrunk the Kids - climb the stairs between the garden hose and the slide coming out of a roll of film. There is a dog's nose. Put your hand in the nostrils. The dog sniffs you!


Stuff:

In Disney-MGM Studios (exact location not given), there is an armored car on the side of the street. On the passenger side, under one of the foot steps, there is a lever. It is supposed to activate some hydraulics that make it look like you are lifting the car. It hasn't worked in the last two years [I] have tried it.

On the street in the New York neighborhood you can hear gangsters talking and gun shots inside the buildings

In Disney-MGM Studios you will find Gertie the Dinosaur. After entering the park, go straight past the first block of gift shops and take a left. She is in the pond. She is a tribute to the vaudeville actor and artist Windsor Mackay who is credited with producing the first projected animated motion picture. About 1912 Windsor decided to spice up his act with a cartoon of a railroad, projected on a screen, and he would interact with it. The audiences thought that this was trick photography. Windsor then introduced Gertie the Dinosaur. This was before the concept of the multiplane camera which allowed separate celluloid image frames (cels) for subjects and backgrounds. He made about 14,400 drawings on rice paper, that could be considered a forerunner of the cel. Each one not only had Gertie drawn on it, but also the background screnery (Silent movies then had 16 frames per second and this cartoon ran about 15 minutes or 900 seconds). Windsor started this act in 1915, the audiences soon recognized that Gertie was a cartoon and could not be trick photgraphy. Many years later, Walt Disney met Windsor's son. The son was very happy to met Walt, but Walt was even happier to meet him. Walt told the son that "I owe everything I have done to the idea started by your father". There is a small sign near Gertie in the park, but it does not go into this detail.

The 50's Prime Time Cafe is a great place to take the kids because the waiters and waitresses act like your parents and they tell you to get your elbows off the table and if you don't finish something they do the little "tsk tsk" thing. Plus there are TV's that play cartoons so your children will be entertained while eating.

If you stand looking at the front of the Chinese Theatre turn and go to your left. As you are walking there is a little garden on the right side of the building with busts of famous people. [I] just saw this on our next to last visit. It was very interesting walking around reading about the stars.


Last year my 13 year old daughter and I bought personalized "Guest of Honor" pins at one of the MGM stores on Hollywood Boulevard that sells customized hats, mugs, etc. (I've attached a picture.) We wore them every day of our visit this year (9/29/00 - 10/5/00) and the reaction was AMAZING! Yes, Cast Members are already friendly and personable, but if you want EXTRA attention and interaction, WEAR ONE OF THESE PINS! Our server at our Chef Mickey's Character Breakfast called us by name from the start and wanted to know why my husband didn't have a name tag. (They don't sell "Dale" name tags - or "Chip" either - go figure.) Several characters including Ariel and Mickey Mouse signed my daughter's autograph book "To Christine" and that's pretty cool given that Mickey doesn't talk! Everywhere we went - rides, shows, food stops - we got "Hello, Brenda and Christine" and extra attention. I have two theories about why. One is that maybe they thought we were visiting Cast Members, the other is that wearing these pins made it clear that we were truly in the "we're ready for fun at WDW" mode. Whatever the reason, these pins were the best $3 investments we could have made for making a great visit even better.

If you're a Star Wars fan (and even if you're not) there are a couple fun photo ops for the little ones (or the big ones with a young attitude!). As you exit the Star Tours shop, Tatooine Traders, you'll notice across the walkway, a life-size speeder bike, complete with Endor background. Yes, it's OK to sit on the speeder, and yes! You do look just like Luke as he chased after the Stormtroopers! Also in front of the Star Tours ride, there are several reproductions of familiar vehicles from the Star Wars movies -- go ahead, take a look, take a photo!

As you walk along Hollywood Boulevard, and throughout Disney-MGM Studios, be sure to observe the "offices" on the second floors of the buildings -- both the occupants and their professions will make you smile. For example, you'll find the shop of the tailor, Justin Stitches, and the office of "The Grand Astral Marge", palm reader.

Also along Hollywood Boulevard, don't be in such a hurry to walk on by if you see some characters dressed as though they could have just stepped out of the 1940s -- they probably have! You've run into the Streetsmosphere actors, who perform interactive improvisational skits with guests who have the time to play.

As you're strolling around the AFI Showcase shop after you've exited the Backlot Tour, look around for the sign marked Character Prop Stop. There you'll not only find your favorite characters for meet-and-greet opportunities, but you'll also happen upon stacks of wooden crates. If you lift the lids, you'll be treated to a cacophony of silly sounds -- they'll give you the giggles!

Speaking of crates, be sure to notice the crates piled up just outside of Min & Bill's Dockside Diner -- you'll find boxes addressed to Rick's American Cafe in Casablanca, as well as a bicycle being shipped to Miss Dorothy Gale in Kansas and a shipment from the Rosebud Sled Co.

Just across from the Backlot Theater, where the Hunchback of Notre Dame show was performed, is one of the most whimsical overlooked attractions in the Studios. There you'll spy an umbrella attached to one of the streetlights. Grab the crook of the umbrella and step on the square embedded in the cement underneath it for a refreshing surprise, ala "Singin' in the Rain" and Gene Kelly! (Note, though, that during times of water restrictions, this effect may be turned off to conserve water.)

Little kids will love the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area, especially when you climb the stairs between the Super Soaker and the slide coming out of a roll of film. At the top of the stairs you'll find a giant-sized dog nose. When you put your hand in front of the nostrils, the dog sniffs! Be careful -- you may even get wet! Ewwww!

The young'uns will also enjoy the Buzz Lightyear spaceship and the Pizza Planet delivery truck just like the ones in the movie Toy Story, just outside the Pizza Planet restaurant and arcade. Also be sure to look up when you're out in the seating area -- perched atop the building are Buzz, Woody, Slinky Dog and a few other Toy Story friends.

Finally, Andy Mation, a "balloonimator," performs in the Animation Courtyard of Disney-MGM Studios weekdays, creating elaborate balloon sculptures. Teaching as he goes, he enchants the audience with his knowledge of Disney animation trivia and quick wit. Wearing a bright yellow costume and surrounded by a smiling crowd, he's easy to spot! Be sure to look for him when you're back in that area.

Streetmosphere Characters - Takes place several times throughout the day, check the Guide Map for exact times. Guide maps can be picked up as you enter the park.

a capella group - An a capella singing group performs twenty minutes prior to the Beauty and the Beast stage show on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

[TrendyMagic]

Buses and monorails run for at least an hour after park closing time, a little longer if guests are outside still waiting. But after an hour don't straggle too far behind.

They will wait for every single guest to exit the park. THey just state a certain time to hopefully push everyone out.

[ancbob]

Thanks for the tip. Some of this "stuff" is from a collection of various newsgroups, and I can't be sure of the accuracy.

[TrendyMagic]

No problem. THat is what we are here for.

[angelmaker]

My daughter and I will be at Disney 24-27 March. Thanks for all of the great little tips and secrets - we'll be sure to try and find lots of these really neat things.

[ancbob]

Your welcome! My son that will be going with us is 5. How old is your daughter?

[angelmaker]

My daughter is 13 - our family visited Disney when she was 8 and we are doing a return trip, but this time it's just a mother-daughter trip. We are very excited about returning.

[ancbob]

I'm sure you'll have a great time. You may want to visit allears.net. They also carry alot of good info. Be ready for a crowded park! We are staying on site, so will definitely be taking advantage of the EMH