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Pre-shows.  They immerse you into the storyline and set you up for an attraction unlike any other.  They can be very complex, simple, long, short, interactive or educational.  Either way, they help move the plot of the rides along and usually get you excited for the adventure on which you are about to embark.  Among other things, Disney is known for their variety of different pre-shows scattered around all four parks.  I now present to you some of my favorites, in order from my not as loved to my absolute favorite pre-show.  Enjoy!

The Backlot Tour

If you listen to Lou Mongello and Tim Foster’s Top Ten segments, you might consider this a “Go With Me Here”, meaning that some people might not consider this a pre-show, but I do.  What draws people to this attraction is hopping in one of the bright red trams, voyaging to Catastrophe Canyon and seeing things you can only view from the attraction.  Because of this, I consider the show that happens before you even go NEAR the signature red vehicles a pre-show.  Beforehand, four adults are picked to be extras in a production. My parents were actually two of the four that were picked, so it made the whole experience more personal to me.  The chosen four get in rain suits – three hop on a boat while one sits next to a telephone.  Let’s just say that the three people on the boat got wet from the backsplash of missiles and bombs, but the person near the telephone got SOAKED because thousands of gallons of water get poured on them!  The point of the pre-show is to get you excited about special effects in movies, and it sure does a great job at it.

Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor

HELLO HUMANS!  This pre-show is very entertaining to people of all ages.  Mike Wazokswi takes you through what happened AFTER the credits rolled for Monsters Inc.  The scare floors turned into, well laugh floors, and now the creatures make people laugh instead of cry to power Monstropolious.  Another huge change is that instead of the monsters going to you, you are walking right into their town in the form of a comedy club.  Roz cuts Mike off after he finishes telling the story and shows a series of bloopers that include Mike falling through trap doors, falling out of doors, and being hit by safes. Following that, there is a little commercial for the former CDA (Child Detection Agency), which now stands for the Comedy Detection Agency.   I love the comedy aspect and I still laugh at the bloopers to this date.  The only bad part of the pre-show is the fact that you are standing through it.  If Disney added seats, it would make the show much more enjoyable.

Mission:  SPACE

I love this ride.  When I first took the journey to space, I was actually terrified.  But I wasn’t scared until the pre-show began.  The way that it is worded and the seriousness of the actors made it sound like you were actually going to space, and I was terrified about what that would feel like.  Of course, the claustrophobia warnings didn’t help.  Now that I am older, I love it for the same reason that I was terrified – the realism. The way that a single spotlight shines on you when you get your position makes you feel important to the flight and crew.   It might seem like this pre-show is not as fun as the others, but I like the authenticity.

Soarin’

Soarin’ has an amazing pre-show even before the pre-show begins.  The names of the cities you will be hang-gliding over are, well, soaring through the sky as you are organized into rows for boarding.  Once everyone is ready, the real pre-show begins.  Patrick Warburton, the voice of Kronk from Emperor’s New Groove and other movies with the same casts of characters, takes you through the safety rules and immerses you in the storyline for this attraction.  It might seem like a very simple pre-show, but I think I put it here on the list because of Patrick’s voice.  It’s very soothing, and I love it!

The Old Test Track

I have not been able to ride the new Test Track, so I can’t say anything about that pre-show.  The original Test Track, however, had a preshow that not everybody seemed to love.  It was very dated and you were standing (yes, standing once again) in a room that was usually packed like a tuna can.  I understand why people didn’t like it but for some odd reason, I did-and still do.  It seems very real (just like Mission: SPACE) and uses great terminology that makes the testing course sound much more complex than it really is.  I especially loved how they presented the barrier test:  by letting Sherri pick any test she wanted.  Did she want us to die?  At least we don’t have to worry about that anymore!

Rock N Roller Coaster

Walking through the queue line, the story begins just like any other Disney attraction.  G-Force Records is evident everywhere, but what really competes the plot is the pre-show.  The whole queue line makes sense once the pre-show is finished.  You are in G-Force Records because you were invited by Aerosmith, but now you are late to their concert!  You are going to need a really fast car. Maybe a limo?  This ride is also very quotable, with the most famous quote being “make that a SUPER-Stretch!”  I adore this pre-show almost as much as I love the ride itself.

DINOSAUR!

This pre-show is one of those that make you dislike the main character of the ride, which does NOT happen often.  I mean think about it, Dr. Seeker isn’t supposed to send you to the Dinosaur Era because it would be too close to the meteoroid hitting the Earth, which could risk killing you.  When Dr. Seeker is locked out of the system, he breaks in any way!  He put the riders in danger for his benefit!  Usually the characters in the pre-show are loveable, but this one could have killed you if this was a real mission.  I like this pre-show because of how different it is from the others.

Tower of Terror

Another very popularly quoted pre-show entertains guests inside the Tower of Terror.  A Rod Sterling look-a-like tells you the story of the Hollywood Hotel, a lightning strike and why you should be afraid to board your elevator.  What really seals the deal for this pre-show is the black and white aspect and the tiny TV in the corner of the room that displays the pre-show for all to see.  It gives you a true feel for the time period, and adds a creepy element to the whole package.  This again is a pre-show that involves you standing up, but the theming around the room and the length of time you are actually IN the pre-show makes up for it.

Ellen’s Energy Adventure

This pre-show is the funniest one in Epcot, maybe even on Disney property.  It is a little dated, as you can tell by the hairstyles and outfits that Bill Nye the Science Guy and Ellen DeGeneres wore while they were filming.  I love that there is a comedy element which is added when Ellen realizes that there is an audience and uses that to her advantage.   This pre-show is long at a little over 7 minutes, and you are standing up (not a good combination at very busy times of the year), but it is air-conditioned, so it is a good break from running around on hot days. A lot of people don’t go on Ellen’s Energy Adventure because of the daunting length of the ride (45 minutes total) but it is something that should get more love. And, before you ask, yes I do believe it needs to be updated, but leave the characters and classic parts of the script alone, like “And for those of you who are just walking in now.  You’re late. Where have you been?  I LOVE you hair.” and so on.  I am sure that Ellen wouldn’t mind redoing it!

The Haunted Mansion

How could I make a “My Favorite” list for pre-shows and NOT include the Haunted Mansion?  I believe that the experience is actually scarier than the ride!  When I was 8, I absolutely HATED the Haunted Mansion just because of the pre-show but, just like with Mission: SPACE, it has grown on me and now I simply adore it.  Everything from the amazing narration to the four portraits in the stretching room is unique to the attraction and will send chills down your spine.  If I had to pick one pre-show to win an award for “Best Pre-show That Immerses You in the Story”, it would go to the Haunted Mansion, hands down.

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Thank you for reading about my favorite pre-shows.  Now I want to hear yours!  Leave a comment below telling me what your favorite pre-show is and why.  Do you agree or disagree with any of my choices?  Did I forget something in my list, like the Enchanted Tiki Room or MuppetVision3-D (see what I did there)?  Let me know in the comments!  I love reading your feedback.

See ya REAL soon!

Quote of the Week:  “I love Mickey Mouse more than any woman I have ever known.”  ~ Walt Disney

Makena is a 14 year old high 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. Makena began blogging for WDW Radio in December 2011.

The post Disney Attraction Pre-Shows That You Won’t Want To Miss appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Day one of my Disney vacation involved getting up at five am to catch a flight to Florida with my mom. We were lucky to land early and after quick stops on the Disney’s Magical Express bus at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs, were at Port Orleans French Quarter (my favorite moderate resort) by around eleven am. We had planned our first day entirely around wandering through Epcot and being able to see all of the amazing topiaries and floral displays from this year’s Flower & Garden Festival. First off we wanted to try and get a FastPass for the new version of Test Track, as it wasn’t open yet on our last trip in November. Even at noon, the line was about an hour and a half long and the FastPasses were too close to our dinner reservation that night. So instead we decided to pay a visit to The Land and get a FastPass for Soarin’. While there we ate in our favorite quick service dining location on property, Sunshine Seasons. Nothing beats their strawberry shortcake! We then rode Living with the Land and Journey into Imagination with Figment. After walking through Future World West, we headed over to the Tinkerbell and Fairies themed butterfly house, where we found beautiful topiaries of numerous fairies, gorgeous floral beds, and of course butterflies. While the flowers are all in full bloom, there were hundreds of butterflies still in their cocoons, so if you are planning on visiting in a few weeks, there will be many more butterflies for you to enjoy as well. We then walked through the Oz playground which was wonderfully themed and included some carnival-like game booths such as ring toss and bean bag throws. My favorite two touches of the Oz themed area were the giant poppies which appeared to be made out of glass and around five/six feet tall, and Oz’s balloon which was deflated and draped over nearby bushes to appear as though he really landed there. We then continued on through all of World Showcase starting on the Canada side and took our time exploring the pavilions and all of the amazing flower beds, arrangements, and topiaries. We also sampled champagne from France and the Waterkist Farms Heirloom Tomatoes with house-made Mozzarella, Minus 8 Vinegar and Basil from the Cottage booth. Once we worked our way around to Mexico, we hopped on the Grand Fiesta Tour featuring the Three Caballeros and then continued on to check out the Flower & Garden Festival center in the old Wonders of Life Pavilion. Unfortunately, we only had a few minutes to browse the center as it was closing at five o’clock, so we quickly scanned the merchandise and took in our surroundings. After the center, we headed back to The Land to use our FastPass for Soarin’ and found it was time to head to our dinner reservations at Kona Café in the Polynesian. We took the monorail to the Ticket and Transportation Center and walked over to the Polynesian, taking time to wander the grounds a little bit on our way. The Polynesian is my favorite resort on property, so I love being able to visit and wader on each trip. Once we arrived at the Grand Ceremonial House and walked upstairs to Kona Café, we were quickly seated and started to dig in on the delicious bread and macadamia nut-honey butter. I also ordered a Lapu Lapu, which if you read my post last week you will know that it’s my favorite drink on property and it definitely didn’t disappoint. The food in Kona Café was excellent as always, and my dinner consisted of the New York Strip Steak and the Chocolate Torte. After finishing dinner, we were debating whether to head over to the Magic Kingdom to do a few attractions before it closed for the night at 11 pm. But we decided that we were too tired from getting up so early for our flight, so we headed back to the room to call it an early night and rest up for the next day at the Magic Kingdom.

We were up bright and early Monday morning and found ourselves headed back to The Polynesian for breakfast. Now, breakfast here is a big deal for me- Tonga Toast may be one of my favorite foods in the world, and definitely obligatory on our trips. So we headed straight to Captain Cook’s to have our Tonga Toast for breakfast, and then took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, arriving in time to see the opening show. Once the gates were open, we headed straight to Adventureland and rode the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean. We then continued around through Frontierland and over to Liberty Square riding Bight Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, and the Haunted Mansion along the way. After the Haunted Mansion, we stopped in the new Tangled themed restroom area to check out all of the new great details. My personal favorite touches from the Tangled area were the paintings that continued all throughout the ceiling inside the restroom and the hidden Pasquals in the scenery. Working our way through Fantasyland, we rode it’s a small world and Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid. We also walked to Dumbo, however the line was too long so we continued on to Tomorrowland instead. I picked up a FastPass for Space Mountain (which I unfortunately didn’t end up using), and we rode Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, the Carousel of Progress, and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. The TTA is one of my favorite attractions in all of WDW and it rarely ever has a wait, I highly recommend trying it if you haven’t- it offers great views of Tomorrowland, breezes on hot days, and a chance to sit back and relax for a few minutes. At this point we decided to head back to the hotel to go swimming for a few hours before returning to the Magic Kingdom again that night. We had lunch in the Sassagoula food court and lounged by the pool for a little while, recharging our batteries. Once we were back in the Magic Kingdom, we rode the WDW Railroad to Storybook Circus and found Dumbo with a much shorter line, so we decided to ride it. The new circus tent waiting area is gorgeous and a great place to cool down and let kids blow off some energy playing. Afterwards we made sure to stop and ride the Mad Tea Party as I knew it was closing for refurbishment the day after and we would not get to experience it again on our trip. After a stop at Mickey’s Philharmagic, we stopped to eat lunch in Columbia Harbor House. Next time you are there try the Lighthouse Sandwich, it was delicious! We then were able to just get on the last sailing of the Liberty Belle for the night and got to basically watch the sun set as we sailed through the Rivers of America. At this point, I still hadn’t gotten to ride Space Mountain as I missed my FastPass when we returned to the hotel, so we headed back over to Tomorrowland to check out how long the line was. Unfortunately we found that it was broken down. We stopped to talk to a Cast Member who told us that it had been down for over four hours and that was the third time that day!  So instead, we decided to ride the TTA again and even got glimpses of inside Space Mountain with the lights on since it was down. We then rode Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin again and then Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor. At that point, it was around 9:45 pm and Wishes started at 10, so we situated ourselves on the bridge connecting the hub and Tomorrowland with a pretty good view. After watching Wishes, we walked over to the curb of the hub and sat ourselves down to wait for the 11 pm Main Street Electrical Parade. While waiting we saw the castle projection show Celebrate the Magic! and then enjoyed the parade with a great view. After a long day, we were pretty tired so we wandered a little bit on Main Street before heading back to the buses and back to our resort.

Tuesday morning began bright and early as we wanted to be at Epcot before its 8 am Extra Magic Hours opening. While we had a plan for the order we wanted to see things, Test Track proved to re-write our entire plan as it was down most of the morning. Immediately at opening, we headed to Test Track to find it down so we doubled back and headed for The Land where we rode Soarin’. We then tried Test Track again with no luck, so I rode Mission Space (the orange track, of course!). With still no luck for Test Track, we were beginning to lose hope that we would be able to experience it on this vacation. We headed back over to the Seas with Nemo and Friends and rode the attraction. We were also able to watch one of the Dolphins in Depth tours interacting with the dolphins in one of the aquarium tanks. After watching the dolphins for a few minutes, we headed back over to Test Track where we heard a familiar sound- cars running along the outside track. A Cast Member told us that it was still closed, but if the cars were running to not go far. Apparently a lot of other people had the same idea, as a huge line was forming despite it still being technically down. My mom jumped on the line that was forming and I went to wait by the FastPass kiosks. This planned worked perfectly as there was such a bottleneck when the ride officially opened that by the time my mom had gotten to the main queue entrance, I had already procured the FastPasses and was waiting for her. We got to ride twice back to back, and though we thought the new look was great we were slightly disappointed. Both times we rode the screens displaying our car’s results were blank so we had no idea how our design was holding up. We also got stuck waiting to go into the design studio the second time around for about twenty minutes when the attraction went down again. All in all we were pretty happy though that we got to experience it twice. At this point, we were starving so we headed back across to Sunshine Seasons again (can you tell we crisscross the parks a lot while there?), and got some small banana loafs as we didn’t want to eat too much before our lunch reservation. After eating we visited the butterfly house again and then headed over to Canada where we saw O’ Canada. Afterwards it was time for our reservation at Le Cellier. The pretzel bread was delicious, as was the “Le Cellier” Mushroom Filet Mignon. For dessert I had the White Chocolate Cheesecake which was so rich and tasted excellent. To accompany my meal, I also ordered a Blanche de Chambly which was a very crisp and delicious beer- definitely recommend it if you are planning on eating at Le Cellier. Once we finished up at Le Cellier, we walked (okay, more like waddled) over to the International Gateway to take the boat over to Hollywood Studios. Once we got to DHS, we rode The Great Movie Ride, The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow, the Studio Backlot Tour, Muppet Vision 3D, Star Tours, Tower of Terror, and Rock n’ Roller Coaster twice (hooray for the single rider queue!). Of all the attractions in Hollywood Studios, my favorite has always been Muppet Vision 3D, there are just so many great sight gags throughout the experience, my favorite being the inclusion of characters from it’s a small world singing their signature song during the chaotic finale. Perhaps the best part of the entire attraction comes in a quote from Sam Eagle- “It’s a salute to all nations, but mostly America.” A close second favorite attraction in Hollywood Studios is the Tower of Terror. There are so many amazing details intricately worked into the attraction and its scenes, and I find that every time I visit I discover something new. After working our way around the park and experiencing a lot of attractions, we entered into Fantasmic pretty early to ensure that we had seats. We have always had the worst luck with Fantasmic, from it being cancelled halfway through the performance, to it being cancelled due to lightening after we’ve waited for an hour, to it being delayed for over a half hour once and starting just after we had given up and left the park. This time was a total success as we somehow ended up sitting dead center in the second row with no one in front of us. It was an amazing view of the show, and other than getting a little wet from all the mist, I was so happy to have finally seen it again. After Fantasmic, we headed back to our resort where we picked up some late night beignets and called it a night.

I hope you enjoyed this first part of my trip report! I would love to hear your thoughts or reactions, so let me know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned next week for the second half of my recent Disney vacation!

Caitlin Corsello was born and raised in New York. She graduated from Adelphi University with a Masters in Mental Health Counseling in 2012. Her love for Disney started as an infant and has continued to grow with family vacations to Disney parks almost every year since. She holds a particular interest in WDW’s parks and attractions, never passing up an opportunity to visit. She looks forward to continuing to explore and learn about all things Disney and to share that passion with readers.

The post Disney From The Twenty-Something: Disney Trip Report Part I appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #304 for the week of December 9, 2012.

I’m here to help you have the best possible Disney vacation experience, and bring you some Disney magic to to wherever you are with this podcast, videos, blog, live broadcasts, events, trivia books, CDs and more. You can find it all at WDWRadio.com

This week marked the grand opening of many new, eagerly-anticipated experiences at Walt Disney World, including New Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom, a refreshed Test Track in Epcot, The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Splitsville in Downtown Disney. Guests were welcomed in true Disney style, with a flying dragon over Fantasyland and a three-day event showcasing not just what’s new, but what’s coming next, including Disney’s Limited Time Magic in 2013 and James Cameron’s Avatarland. We’ll take a close look at each of these new elements and not just offer our reviews, but what these expansions and experiences represent in terms of steps forward in guest experiences, technological advances, levels of interactivity and fun, and what it means to us as Walt Disney World enthusiasts now and in the future.

I’ll have the answer to our last Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week, and pose a new challenge for your chance to win a Disney prize package.

I’ll then have some announcements at the end of the show, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from This Week’s Show

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What are you most excited about in New Fantasyland?/strong>? Leave your answer in the comments section below!

• Listen to this week’s episode for the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for a chance to win a Disney prize package!
• Disney Meets and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World – Get dates and locations on our Events page
• Watch & chat during our LIVE WDW NewsCast Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com
• For more videos, subscribe to our WDW Radio channel on YouTube or the show in iTunes
• Get Celebrations Magazine on your iPad/iPhone in iTunes App Store

Disclosure: As mentioned during this episode, I was invited by Disney to the media preview event. Attendance at the events, meals and a bag of gift merchandise was provided to me by Disney, but my travel, accommodations and theme park admission were paid for personally at full price. I was not asked to post at any time and my opinions are entirely my own.

The post Show # 304 – Dec. 9, 2012 – New Fantasyland, Test Track & Splitsville appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

by Don Myers

The calendar has shifted to December, and that unmistakable feeling known as the “spirit of the season” is in full effect everywhere you look. But Christmas is coming a little early to the Vacation Kingdom of the World, as the parks have a pair of big debuts on tap this week. So let’s get to it, time for the latest edition of the WDW Radio Newswire……

We begin this edition of the Newswire inside Magic Kingdom, as there’s a buzz in the air over the official opening of the latest phase of the Fantasyland Expansion. The big event takes place on Thursday December 6th, as Under the Sea- Journey of the Little Mermaid and all the components of Belle’s Village (including Storytime with Belle), will be officially opening up to the public. These elements have been in a preview stage for several weeks now, but December 6th will serve as the “official” opening date for the area. The park will be open at 9am (extra magic hours begin at 8am) and the festivities will kickoff at 10am with a special ceremony on the Castle Forecourt Stage. The park will be closing to the public that night at 7pm, as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will take over the reigns until midnight.

For more news out of Magic Kingdom, let’s take a look ahead to the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. Portions for the event were recorded at Magic Kingdom on Friday November 30th and Saturday December 1st. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, so you’ll just have to tune in to your local ABC station on Christmas Day to see how the magic unfolds! You can catch all the action beginning at 10am in the east, and 9am in the central, mountain, and pacific time zones.

Time to board the monorail and park hop over to Epcot now, where another big debut is on the horizon for Thursday December 6th. I’m referring to Test Track, which is set to re-emerge this week after a nearly eight month closure. The attraction was shut down back in mid-April for a major overhaul, one that will see a complete “re-imagining” of the popular thrill ride when it reopens December 6th. Cast Member previews have been taking place at Test Track since Thanksgiving, and preliminary reports show that the modifications are pretty much in line with original expectations. I detailed these expected changes in the January 9th and October 16th editions of the Newswire, so you can reference back to either edition for a detailed look at all the specifics.

For more news out of Epcot, we venture into World Showcase now for an update on Bistro de Paris. Extensive changes to both the menu and decor have been underway at the restaurant since July, and the location has reopened as scheduled this week after a closure of just about five months. But there’s much more to this story, as there was another distinct change at the location when construction scrims came down earlier this week, and it was an unexpected one…the name! This name change basically sends Bistro de Paris into that dark realm of extinction, as the restaurant now has a completely new look, a new menu, and a new name: Monsieur Paul.

Okay, there’s one more stop to make on today’s adventure, and this one can be found at WDW’s flagship resort: The Grand Floridian. The resort’s gift shop Sandy Cove reopened at the end of November after a major refurb to the location. The closure began back in August, so the total downtime for the gift shop was just about three months.

Well, that’s gonna do it for today’s update. But before we call it a wrap, let’s take a look at the results of our last poll. The question was:

What is your favorite Holiday tradition at WDW?

. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

. The Candlelight Processional

. Nightly lighting of the Castle Dreamlights/Cinderella’s Holiday Wish

. The Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

. Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade

. Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

. Grand Floridian Resort Gingerbread House

. Beach Club Resort Gingerbread Carousel

And the winner is…..

The Osbourne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights with 44% of the total vote! Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party finished in second with 22% of the votes, and the nightly lighting of the Castle Dreamlights rounded out the Top 3 with 19% of the total vote. The Candlelight Processional finished in fourth with 11% of the votes, and fifth place was a tie between Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and the Grand Floridian Resort Gingerbread House. Thanks once again to everyone that took the time to vote! And now on to this week’s question:

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.

The post WDW Radio Newswire: New Fantasyland & Test Track 2.0 Set To Officially Debut This Week And Future Projects Poll Question appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #299 for the week of November 4, 2012.

This week, we’re going to explore the attractions beyond the attractions in Future World, as we take a close look at ore of Walt Disney World’s hidden treasures and overlooked experiences – the Epcot post-shows. Interactive, entertaining and educational, they are also full of wonderful details, stories and opportunities.

Answer the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for your chance to win a Disney prize package.

I’ll then have some announcements at the end of the show, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from This Week’s Show

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What is your favorite Epcot post-show? What types of attractions or experiences would you like to see? Leave your answer in the comments section below!

• Listen to this week’s episode for the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for a chance to win a Disney prize package!
• Disney Meets and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World – Get dates and locations on our Events page
• Watch & chat during our LIVE WDW NewsCast Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com
• For more videos, subscribe to our WDW Radio channel on YouTube or the show in iTunes
• Get Celebrations Magazine on your iPad/iPhone in iTunes App Store
• Check out the Disney Food Blog e-book: The DFB Mini-Guide to the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival! – Use code WDWRADIO to save 20%!

Follow Lou on Twitter and

The post Show # 299 – November 4, 2012 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

by Don Myers

Halloween is now just a few weeks away, so it’s time to “treat” you with another poll question…and I’ll also update the progress over at the currently closed Test Track. No tricks here, just quality newsbits from the parks and resorts! So let’s get to it, time for another edition of the WDW Radio Newswire……

We begin this week’s update inside EPCOT, or more specifically, Future World. As you may well know, one of the park’s most beloved and exhilarating attractions, Test Track, has been closed down for refurbishment since April. A major overhaul is currently underway, one that will provide us with a completely different attraction once construction is completed this December. I detailed the expected changes back in the January 9th edition of the Newswire, but here’s a brief summary. Basically, when the attraction makes its re-emergence later this year, you will be able to enter the “Chevrolet Design Center at EPCOT,” where you’ll be able to design your very own automobiles. From there you’ll be heading straight from the design lab to the road course, as Test Track 2.0 will be affording you with the unique opportunity of designing and then testing out your very own creation! Afterwords, there will be a post-show area chalked full of the latest offerings from Chevrolet. Speaking of Chevy, another notable change will be in the pavilion’s sponsorship. General Motors is still going to be the sponsor, as they inked a brand-new deal with Disney to stay at the pavilion. But now, the focus will be strictly on the Chevrolet brand, as opposed to the entire GM fleet as in year’s past. Another change will be in the name of the ride vehicles, which will now be known as “SimCars.” The SimCars will still seat six Guests just as the previous ride vehicles did, and a replica of what these SimCars will look like is currently on display out in front of the nearby Cool Wash Station. The refreshment spot just made its re-emergence from a six-month stint behind construction walls a few weeks ago, and the SimCar out front provides us with a detailed look at the design of the new ride vehicles that will soon be zooming around the track at 65 mph. Speaking of the track, many have been speculating as to whether or not the layout will be changing. Well, during an online chat back in August, Disney Imagineer Melissa Jeselnick confirmed that the track’s layout will not be changing. The new attraction will consist of the same track layout as the previous incarnation, and will feature four show scenes:

. Capability

. Efficiency

. Responsiveness

. Speed

The biggest changes will be to the attractions queue, pre-show, and post-show areas. These sections are being completely revamped, and will look nearly unrecognizable once Test Track re-opens this December. Combine these visual changes with all the interactive upgrades, sprinkle in an entirely new soundtrack, and you’ve got all the ingredients necessary to propel Test Track into the 21st Century! Test Track is currently scheduled to make it re-debut on Saturday December 6th, and I’ll be sure to keep you posted on all the latest.

Okay, time to take the Monorail over to Magic Kingdom now, as there’s some news to report out of Adventureland. It looks as if one of the land’s attractions has quietly drifted into the realm of extinction, as Shrunken Ned’s Junior Jungle Boats are no longer a part of the landscape. The attraction, which was located next to the Jungle Cruise, consisted of sixteen remote-control boats. For a small fee (Two $1 tokens), Guests could magically transform into aspiring Jungle Cruise skippers and maneuver the boats around a series of challenging water obstacles. The attraction had been closed since Tuesday August 21st, but its removal last week finally puts an unfortunate stamp of finality on the situation.

Let’s hop out of the parks now and make our way over to Downtown Disney, as there’s news to report on an attraction that’s just re-opened after a lengthy closure. Characters in Flight resumed operation on the West Side this past weekend after experiencing just over three months of downtime. The closure, which began back in July, was due to precautionary reasons which stemmed from an incident that occurred in Hong Kong with an Aerophile balloon. After a series of rigorous inspections, a brand-new balloon was brought in and installed, and the Characters in Flight attraction is officially re-open for business between the hours of 830 am and noon. Ticket prices for the six minute, 360-degree panoramic balloon ride are still $18 for adults and $12 for kids between the ages of 3 and 9. But if you’re looking to save a little cash, they are currently offering a discounted price on flights before 10am. This discounted price for a pre-10am flight is set at $10 for an adult ticket, which ends up being a savings of nearly 45% off the regular price!

Our final piece of news today is a bit of a milestone for the Newswire, as it was one year ago this week the WDW Radio Newswire made its debut! The official title didn’t actually make its first appearance until the first week of November 2011, so I guess you could refer to that first month as the Newswire’s “Soft Opening” period! Whatever you want to call it, one thing is for certain…the Newswire would not exist without the support of my family and loved ones, and also Lou, Christy and the rest of the WDW Radio team. And of course I owe a big debt of gratitude to the fans as well! Having like-minded people to share my love of Disney with is a blessing I do not take for granted, and I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. So here’s to the next year of the WDW Radio Newswire and beyond!

Well, that’s gonna do it for today’s update. But before we call it a wrap, let’s take a look back at the results of our previous poll. The question was:

What is your favorite Interactive Queue at WDW?

. The Haunted Mansion

. Space Mountain

. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

. Soarin’

. Dumbo the Flying Elephant

And the winner is…..

The Haunted Mansion, which brought in a whopping 72% of the votes! Soarin’ finished a distant second, bringing home 11% of the total vote. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh rounded out the Top 3, receiving 8% of the votes. Space Mountain brought in 6% of the votes to finish fourth, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant finished in the back of the pack with just 3% of the total votes. However I suspect Dumbo’s lackluster showing was due to the fact that it’s the newest of the five interactive queues, and thus hasn’t been experienced by very many voters. Whatever the reason may be, this was a definitive victory for the Grim Grinnin’ Ghosts! Once again, a big thank you to everyone that took the time to vote. And now on to this week’s poll question. For this one, I decided to revisit the concept for our last poll…but I put a unique little twist on things:

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.

The post WDW Radio Newswire: Test Track Construction Update And New Poll Question appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Topics in this week’s Disney news include:
- Test Track Opening Date
- New Fantasyland Sneak Previews
- Disney’s “Magic Band”
- Food and Wine Classic
- And more!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK – What do you think about the possibilities of Disney’s new “Magic Band?” Leave your reply in the COMMENTS section below

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Join us every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at http://WDWRadioLIVE.com for a LIVE interactive video news show covering Walt Disney World. Be a part of the broadcast and discussion and discuss the news real-time in the chat room.

Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

The post WDW Radio LIVE – Test Track, New Fantasyland, Disney’s “Magic Band” – Oct. 10, 2012 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Topics in this week’s Disney news include:

- New “Keep Moving Forward” Segway tour in Epcot
- Ariel’s meet and greet in the New Fantasyland
- Test Track concept art, questions, description and new details!
- And more!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK – What do you think of the new Test Track concept art and description?

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Join us every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at http://WDWRadioLIVE.com for a LIVE interactive video news show covering Walt Disney World. Be a part of the broadcast and discussion and discuss the news real-time in the chat room.

Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

The post Disney News – Aug 29., 2012 on WDW Radio LIVE: Test Track, Fantasyland and more! appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #272 for the week of April 29, 2012.

This past weekend, Disney welcomed in media and moms from around the world as they kicked off their summer season by giving us a closer look into “What’s New and What’s Next” at Walt Disney World. From their Summer to Remember media event to the third annual Social Media Moms conference and celebration, we were able to get a closer look at changes and additions coming to the parks and resorts. We also heard from Disney executives, Imagineers and celebrities and got sneak peeks “behind the curtain” at the New Fantasyland and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. We’ll recap the weekend’s events and announcements, and share our thoughts on what this summer (and beyond) will have in store for Walt Disney World fans and guests.

I’ll have the answer and winner for last week’s Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week, and pose a new one for your chance to win a Disney prize package.

I’ll then have a few announcements and share new information about ticket sales to our The 1st Annual WDW Radio E-Ticket Event: An Evening with the Secret Society of Historical American Adventurers before playing more of your voicemails at the end of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from This Week’s Show:

Question for YOU: If you could be Imagineer for the day and choose the theme for the next Walt Disney World resort, what theme would you choose?

More photos and videos to come – stay tuned!!!

Disclosure: I was an invited guest of Disney for the Summer to Remember media event 

• Listen to this week’s episode for the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for a chance to win a Disney prize package!
• 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 on our Events page
• Watch & chat during our LIVE WDW NewsCast Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com
• Get Celebrations Magazine on your iPad/iPhone in iTunes App Store
  

The post Show # 272 – April 29, 2012 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

- Tutto Gusto wine bar in Italy in Epcot’s World Showcase
- The Vision House at Innoventions
- Test Track refurb
- Star Wars Weekends stars and celebrities
- Tom Hanks to play Walt Disney in film about Mary Poppins
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Join us every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com for a LIVE interactive news show covering Walt Disney World. Be a part of the broadcast and discussion and discuss the news real-time in the chat room.

Thanks to our sponsor, TouringPlans.com

Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

The post WDW NewsCast Apr. 11, 2012 – Tutto Gusto, Test Track, Star Wars Weekends, Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and more! appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.