Free Books!

You can get a free copy of "CMDTA's Pictorial Guide to Disney World" and "World Killer."  All you need is a PC or smart phone!

Starting on December 24th and ending on December 26th, both books will be available as free downloads on Amazon. 

Just use these two links to claim your free copies during that timeframe:

CMDTA's Pictorial Guide to Disney World

World Killer

The Official CMDTA Store Is Now Open

The CMDTA store is now up and running!

I put a selection of different stuff on there.  There are the normal T-Shirts but there are also some harder to find stuff.  For example you get can a CMDTA watch or an approved CMTDA messenger bag which is perfect for your day in the parks.

Most of the t-shirts are themed around being a Deek.  Everything from "Think Deek" to "Deek In Training" (for kids).

All items can be customized.  You can make it any size or color.  You can also adjust  the color of the font.

You can see the store here.

Review of Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas

(The Grandeur of the Seas docked in Bermuda)

 

The Grandeur of the Seas is an older ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet.  This is in no way a bad thing.  In fact in some ways it helps.  In this review I’m going to go through the good and the bad.  This review is going to cover the ship , its crew, and the service they provide.

THE SIZE

Since it’s an older vessel it’s smaller.  Its size is actually a positive thing.  Too often people think bigger is better.  Sure bigger might have some more amenities but it also means more people are on the ship.  The more people on the ship the longer it typically takes to get on and off.

Too many people also impacts service.  For example: this ship has had about 40 suites that qualified to use the concierge lounge.  The newer ships have AT LEAST double that.  By default your experience is going to be more impersonal when twice as many people are involved.

On the downside the smaller size means the ship is going to move more if the seas get rough.  If you do not suffer from motion sickness this could actually be fun.  If you are prone to motion sickness this could be a deal breaker for you.

(the view from deck 10 looking across the ship)

 

THE AMENITIES

The Grandeur is a fairly basic ship.  It does not have the features of the newer boats.  For example the newer ships have what is basically a shopping mall.  The Grandeur has a small shopping area.  The newer ships have an area where you can surf or body board.  Dream on you are not going to find that one the Grandeur.  The only “new” feature that the Grandeur has is a rock climbing wall.

The main dining room is themed after the Great Gatsby.  Thankfully they did not go overboard this it. If no one told you what it was themed after you might not even notice.  Other cruise lines tend to be garish when it comes to their dining rooms.  That is not the case with this dining room.  Overall it has more of an air of elegance than other dining rooms because it’s not over the top.

Everything else is about average.  The bars are what you would expect, the buffet is a normal buffet area, the pools are average for a cruise ship, and the layout is your typical cruise ship.  The only thing slightly outstanding is the fact that there are only two main pools and one is reserved for adults.  Newer ships tend to have more but then again they need more because they try to cram so many people on the ship.

THE FOOD

This is one area where Royal Caribbean crushes NCL.  The food was much better than anything you’ll find on NCL.  Then again that isn’t too difficult considering NCL served stale bread and only the cheapest food in the dining room.

I will admit that Royal Caribbean does not live up to its original standards in this area.  They do reserve the best food for their specialty dining locations but I don’t think you will find much to complain about.  What I should say is Royal Caribbean maintains a high standard when compared to the current trends in the cruise industry.  If you haven’t cruised in the past ten years you might be a little disappointed.

THE SERVICE

Now we come to a truly mixed bag. IF nothing goes wrong and you have no complaints, the service you will receive on the Grandeur is exceptional.  The service is much better than anything you will find on NCL or Carnival.  Sadly if something does go wrong you might find that they fall flat on their face.

To explain where they fail I will relate an issue I ran into.  Our stateroom had a door that joined it to the next stateroom.  This door was not insulated.  You could hear EVERYTHING going on in the stateroom next to yours.  It wasn’t just our imagination either.  The door was so poorly insulated that you could see light coming through the door when you shut the lights off.

So what happened when we called to complain (background: RC did not disclose the fact that we booked an adjoining stateroom)?  They informed us that we could not move because the ship was full (that’s not uncommon).  Instead they offered to send security.  I shot that idea down faster than a fat getting in line for an all you can eat buffet.  For a moment think about Royal Caribbean was really proposing.  Because they didn’t disclose the room was adjoining and they did a horrific job insulating the door they wanted to punish the people in the room next to us?  Excuse me but, they paid a lot of money to go on vacation and enjoy it.  They were not being excessively loud.   How much of a jerk would I be if I had called security on them?  It wasn’t their fault. 

Can you imagine what it would have been like if I had let Royal Caribbean call security on my neighbors who were doing nothing wrong?  What a fantastic way to start a vacation! I know when I go on vacation I want to piss off my neighbors on day one and then spend the rest of the vacation trying to avoid them even though it’s a small ship. Maybe I could set a bag of flaming doo poop in front of their stateroom door while I’m at it!

Instead of sending security wouldn’t it have made more sense to see if maintenance could find a way to sound proof the door a little?  Maybe send a guy up with a thick blanket and have his shut it in the door? At least try something, anything to show you care at least care about the problem you created.

So I’m sad to say that the service barely breaks even.  I’m sad to say that because a lot of the crew work their butts off to provide good service.

ENTERTAINMENT

Most of the entertainment you will run into on the Grandeur is so typical of cruise line entertainment it’s not worth talking about.  However there is one thing that sticks out.  Royal Caribbean does atrium shows.  They are aerial shows that take place in their main atriums (typically where they have their glass elevators).  The one we saw was called Seasons.  This show reminds me a lot of Circus de Soleil.  It’s a fun show that is worth seeing.

OVERALL

The Grandeur of the Seas is a nice ship.  I’d say I’d go on it again but the issue with the room left such a bitter taste in my mouth that I don’t know if I ever want to go on Royal Caribbean again (I’ll go into detail why in a future post). 

If you are thinking about going on the Grandeur, look up your proposed stateroom!  Make sure you know as much as you can about that room before it’s too late.  If you get a nice stateroom the Grandeur will be an enjoyable ship to spend your vacation on.  

CMDTA's Pictorial Guide to Disney World Now Available On Kindle

I finally cracked down and finished off the Pictorial Guide to Disney World.  It comes in  around 136 pages.  

So yo might ask why write another Walt Disney World guide book?

There are a few reasons. The first one is simple. No one has written a pictorial guide book that prepares you for Disney World. Most guide books give tell you about rides, hotels, and dining locations. A few guide books have a picture or two. None of them really drive it home. My goal with this guide book is to make you relive your vacation or be prepared for what you will face.
The reason I want to prepare people is so they will enjoy their vacations. Nothing is worse than showing up somewhere just to find out it’s not what you expected. I’ve seen that first hand in the parks over the years. I’ve seen a lot of people who spent a lot of money and ended up miserable.


You can get the guide book here.

Movie Review: Frozen

Any animated feature that Disney released after Tangled was going to have a lot to live up to.  Tangled was a great movie and Disney hadn't hit that mark in quite a while.  With Frozen we get to find out if Tangled was a fluke or if Disney Animation is back on track.

About ten minutes before Frozen starts you get the feeling Disney Animation is back.  How?  Before Frozen is a Mickey Mouse short.  This short is great!  It's such a well done and creative cartoon that it will easily put a smile on your face.  What they do in this short is just awesome.  I'm not going to give anything away.  I'm just going to say that it ends miles from where it starts.

Frozen is proof that Disney Animation is on the right track.  It gives hope that Disney Animation is entering another golden age.   First of all the movie looks amazing.  The colors and design of the scenes are fantastic.

The story rivals Tangled.  I'm not going to say it's better but it's different.  Tangled reminded me of a Pixar film in the way it tugged at your heart.  Tangled tugs a little but it's story has some aspects to it that make it a unique Disney film.  The fact it ends up that way is almost shocking considering what happens only a few minutes into the movie.  I won't tell you what happens but something happens that should make you cry but might make you laugh and say "Well, this is a definitely a Disney movie."

The ending of this movie is great because it does not take the normal "princess movie" path.  This might have been a risk for Disney but it's a risk that pays out in spades. 

You can't talk about this movie and not mention the music.  Music often shows up in Disney films.  Try and think of an animated feature that does not have at least one song in it?  That's not an easy thing to do.  The music in this film is different.  In other films the music adds to the film but was optional in many ways.  In Frozen many of the musical parts make it feel like you are watching a Broadway show instead of an animated movie.  When the music hits it often relates major plot lines.  This movie would be broken without the music.

Overall Frozen is an amazing movie and should find itself fitting in with many of the Disney classics.  While this isn't going to make my top five Disney movies I could completely understand why this movie would make someones top five.

Royal Caribbean Grandeur Grand Suite Review

Grand suites on Royal Caribbean cruise ships are considered one of the highest categories.   Many people will write off these rooms based on that and not even consider getting a quote for one.  Granted they are expensive when compared to other staterooms but they also come with some killer perks. 

Often you see a list of pros and cons but it’s often hard to tell what the real impact of those are. In this review I am going to point out benefits of booking a Grand Suite and pull those facts off of paper and into reality.  I’m going to explain what you will use and what you should use if you book one of these staterooms.

Another thing to keep in mind this review is about getting to your room, the room, the rooms benefits, and leaving the ship.  Other details will be covered at a later date.

Getting On the Ship:

Yes I’m going to walk you through from beginning to end starting with getting on the ship.  This is going to be the first area that stands out from the normal when  you book one of these suites.

At most cruise ship terminals you’ll notice a series of lines.  Royal Caribbean breaks them down more than some other lines.  There is the general line, some lines for certain frequent cruisers, and then the line for the top tier frequent cruises and grand suite or higher cruisers.

When you get in your line you’ll notice that it’s not really a line.  When we showed up there were hundreds of people in the general line and no one in the grand suite line.  They reserve a number of people who only check in high tier cruisers and they do not take the normal cruisers when no one is in line.  This allows for extremely fast service for anyone who is accessing these lines.

It appears that Royal Caribbean picks their best people to serve the express lines.  The people checking us in were unlike people who have checked me in on other cruise lines.  They actually seem to have customer service skills.  That is something extremely rare today.

In a matter of minutes we were checked in and led to a roped off area that separated the people who went through the express line and everyone else.   They stick you here to put you on the ship as soon as it’s ready.  Within a few minutes they had us pack up and board the ship.

When you board the ship the sales mentality that all cruise ships have adopted hits you in the face.   Just after you manage to dodge the photo people you have a new obstacle to get beyond.  The restaurant jockeys!  These people are not awful but they do want you to stop and sign up for a dining plan.  I have to admit that Royal Caribbean needs to rethink this. This is a really STUPID time to do this.  Let’s break it down for a minute.  I tell you that you can now board the ship.  What goes through your head?  WOOOOO!! My vacation is starting! Let the running of the bulls begin!  If anything gets in your way until you step onto that ship there is a good chance they are going to get trampled.  NO ONE really wants to stop unless you guilt them into it.  Why not do this on the ship when everyone realizes that they can’t go to their rooms yet?  Hit people when they are bored and you’ll get better results.

The Stateroom:

When you make it inside your stateroom one of the first things you’ll notice are the mirrors.  When you first walk in you’ll see the storage / bar area on your right.  They pack this area with mirrors.  This makes the room look much larger than it really is.  It’s a nice little trick.  In reality the grand suites on the Grandeur are about three times larger than a normal stateroom yet smaller than a standard hotel room (varies a little depending on the ship you are on). 

To your left is your bathroom.  It has a tub and dual vanities.  Normally you have a shower stall and one sink.  The toilet is right in with the rest of the bathroom and is a standard issue toilet.

Beyond the bar area is the sitting area.  You have a TV, media console with a PS3, chair, ottoman, and a pull out sofa sleeper.  There is another thing in this area that ruins the room.  In some of the grand suites there is a door to the adjacent room.  This is nice if you book both suites for a big family cruise.  This is AWFUL in any other situation! This door has NO insulation.  I mean ZERO insulation.  In fact the all metal door might actually act as an amplifier.  You will hear EVERYTHING going on in the other room.  If you talk in a normal volume your neighbors will hear you.  If you speak a little higher than that they will be able to easily make out every word you are saying. 

So how much of an impact does the door really have?  I know more about a toddler named Julian than I ever wanted to know.  I never met Julian but I often heard him and his parents until 1am. The noise was so bad that, after I called the desk to complain, I tried to figure out what I could stack against the door to try and give it some sound proofing.  I honestly thought about pushing the chair against it and then packing my clothes in the gaps.  Sadly that wouldn’t have been enough.

The bed area isn’t bad.  They put a bunch of mirrors here to make it seem larger than it is.  There are two night stands, a coffee maker (not in the bathroom!) and some more storage in this area.  The bed itself total crap.  If you enjoy a hard bed with no support this is the bed for you! I was really surprised by these beds considering the Grandeur recently went through an overhaul.  Carnival , NCL, and Disney have much better beds.  Maybe Royal Caribbean was hoping people would be too intoxicated to care about the beds.  Royal Caribbean was wrong.

The balcony was very nice but odd.  It was quite long with a table and two deck chairs.  The rest of it was empty.  That’s what makes this balcony odd.  There was a lot of open space / wasted space.  They could have put lounger or something else out there to fill in the space.

Now for a comparison, the same stateroom that does not have the “DOOR” in it is very different.  A family we ate dinner with most nights were staying in one of those suites about three doors down from us. 

T. Straub had this to say about that room compared to ours:

 

The adjoining door really screws with your space. We had a wrap around sofa that
gave the girls a queen space and the spacing between the pieces was
different which made the night stands much more usable. The play station
plugs and coffee maker and center was all together. The vanity area also
looked different from yours. It is a actually amazing how little things ,
like the adjoining door , changes the layout in the same class of suite. I
may never be able to book a Junior Suite Again. For a family with kids, this
is the only way to go.

 

The Concierge:

The Concierge for grand suite guests on the Grandeur is tucked away on the top deck, around the corner from their signature bar.  You are supposed to need a key to get into it but that feature on the Grandeur was busted.

Once you are inside you will be greeted by the Concierge.  On the Grandeur the staff in here is top notch.  They are some of the best concierge staff I have run into.  They were actually much better than the concierge staff I’ve run into while staying at club level at the Disney resorts.

While you are in this lounge you can drink whatever you want at no cost.  Between booze and soft drinks over the seven days my wife and I would have spent over $250 if we had to pay for what we drank (granted that’s at cruise ship prices).  We are not big drinkers either.   We are only talking about three drinks per person per day.  That goes a long way into lowering the cost difference between a grand suite and a normal junior suite.

There is also food available in the lounge.  The quality wasn’t bad.  It was better than what you would expect them to give away in a lounge.  It was much better than the food I’ve run into at the club level at the Disney resorts.

The Concierge will also make reservations for you.  In fact you will do better booking through him than on your own.  If something is sold out it might not be sold out when you book through your Concierge.  In some cases they can bend and break the rules for you.

The Shows:

This is not an overview of the entertainment on RC.  This is to let you know that if you book a Grand Suite you get reserved seating.  I can’t explain how nice this is if you are going to go to one of the shows.  On other cruise lines you have to get to the venue an hour early and sit through bingo to get a seat you can actually see from.  That’s not the case if you are staying in a grand suite.

Exclusive Party:

People staying in a grand suite or better also get access to an exclusive party.  They have the typical free booze and food that you would expect at one of these.  They also role out the ships officers who make the rounds and meet everyone.  This was a nice little bonus. 

Getting Off the Ship:

Normally this is awful.  If you are staying grand suite or better you report to the lounge.  They feed you and then your concierge reserves the elevator to keep anyone else on the ship from using it.  Once the call is made he personally takes you down to the correct deck and sees you off the ship.  I think for this alone it might be worth the cost of staying grand suite or higher. 

 

Wrap Up:

Overall if you take advantage of the perks that come with a grand suite it can actually be a value.  However, the worst thing you could do is book this room and then not go to the lounge or take advantage of the other perks.  For this to be a value you REALLY need to take advantage of all the perks.

You can see a video tour of the room here.

If you are looking for a cruise review, that’s coming at a later date.

Tablet Buying Guide

A lot of people are shopping for tablets this year.  They seem to be hotter than ever.  The problem is the selection is bigger and more confusing than ever.  There is no such thing as one tablet fits all.

 

I hope you find this overview of the major tablets helpful.

 

iPad

 

Pros:

Easy to use.

Lots of Apps

Large Hi Resolution Screen

Easily imports files from iTunes

 

Cons:

Expensive

Controlled software environment limits flexibility

Too large for some people.  Does not fit in a purse or pocket.

Limited customer service unless you pay for Applecare.

 

Best for: People who only want to use apps, mail, and streaming with the money to afford it.

 

iPad Mini

 

Easy to use.

Lots of Apps

Hi Resolution Screen

Easily imports files from iTunes

Easy to carry around in purse or large pockets

 

 

Cons:

Expensive for a 7” tablet.

Controlled software environment limits flexibility

Too small for some people.

Limited customer service unless you pay for Applecare.

 

 

Best For: People who a small tablet they can take anywhere and have the money to spend on one.

 

Kindle Fire HDX 8.9

Pros:

Easy to use.

Inexpensive

Decent Amount of Apps

Large Hi Resolution Screen

Mayday button!

Awesome for Prime members.

Top notch customer service.

 

Cons:

Ads on your tablet unless you pay extra.

Apps limited by lack of Google Play support

Have to jump through hoops to add non-Amazon apps.

Not as refined as the iPad

Too large for some people.

 

Best For:  People with limited electronics experience  – because of Mayday.  Prime members who will get the most out of this tablet.

 

Kindle Fire HDX 7”

 

Easy to use.

Inexpensive

Decent Amount of Apps

Hi Resolution Screen

Mayday button!

Easy to take with you when on the go.

Awesome for Prime members.

Top notch customer service.

 

Cons:

Ads on your tablet unless you pay extra.

Apps limited by lack of Google Play support

Have to jump through hoops to add non-Amazon apps.

Not as refined as the iPad

Too small for some people.

 

Best for: People who want a high quality yet very inexpensive tablet.

 

 

Android Tab (Samsung 2013 or smiliar)

 

Pros:

Huge selection from many makers

Google Play access

Very flexible and customizable

Hi resolution screens

Some have a built in digitized stylus

Big selection of apps

 

Cons:

Some makers are just AWFUL

Versions of OS can differ between makers

Too many options for some people

Some Android overlays can be confusing, cluttered, or outright broken

Customer service varies between the makers.  Ranges from average to non-existent.

 

Best for: People who don’t like Apple products.  People who love to customize things. People who hate iTunes.

 

Windows 8 (not RT)

Pros:

Often have high resolution screens.

Can run almost anything that can be run on a windows PC.

Possibly the most flexible of all the tablets.

Some come with a digitized stylus

Cons:

Tend to be the hardest to setup (it’s like getting a new PC up and running).

Terrible app selection (getting better)

Can be glitch depending on the maker

Customer service varies depending on the maker

 

Best for: People who want a tablet that can also function as a laptop. Professionals who want easy integration into a Microsoft environment.

 

Windows RT

Pros:

Umm…it’s a tablet?

It runs some stuff

Some of them look good

 

Cons:

VERY limited in what it can run.

Runs an awful version of windows.

 

Best for: People who like to be frustrated.  People who think beating their head against a wall is fun.  People who like to waste money.

Top Ten Videos

I recently posted by 78th video to YouTube.  It amazes me what attracts views and what does not.  I would have figured that the montage videos would have been the most popular.  They are the most entertaining of the 78 videos.

So what are the most popular videos?  Here are the top ten and how many views they've attracted.

#10 Good Jungle Cruise Skipper
Views: 1963
This video is of a Jungle Cruise Skipper who really goes all out to entertain the park guests.  Sometimes he went a little over the top but he did a good job.

#9 Bad Jungle Cruise Skipper
Views: 2215
This video is now private by request.  A cast member currently working on Jungle Cruise that knows the cast member in this video asked that it be removed from the public's eye.  Now the only way you can get to it is through the above link.

Why is it called Bad Jungle Cruise Skipper?  The reason will become clear when you watch it.

#8 Mariachi Cobre Part One
View: 2672
This was the second Mariachi Cobre video I uploaded to YouTube.  This one takes place outdoors and is a little easier to watch than the original one.

#7 When You Know You Went to Mickey's Philharmagic Too Early In the Day
Views: 3107
This one was originally ended "Too Close to Rope Drop" but that name only made sense to the true Deeks so I tweaked it.  This is a short but funny video taken in Mickey's Philharmagic.

#6 The Haunted Mansion Stretching Room in 1080p
Views: 3195
This one is what it sounds like.  A short video of the famous pre-show in the Haunted Mansion.

#5 Mariachi Cobre - Epcot Mexico
Views: 4316
The first Mariachi Cobre video I captured.  This one was taken from inside the pavilion right next to the San Angel Inn.

#4 Overview of Carnival Miracle Stateroom 6260
Views: 4744
A detailed overview of a Vista Suite on the Carnival Miracle.

#3 Secrets St. James Junior Suite Overview
Views: 5095
A detailed overview of a very nice room in the all inclusive resort.

#2 Splash Mountain
Views: 6933
Splash Mountain in all it's glory.  This video was captured on a very nice day just after a major refurbishment. You don't get to see Splash Mountain in this kind of condition very often.

#1 Broke Splash Mountain
Views: 13,976
As you can see it's not even close.  This one blew up.  Sadly this one is the total opposite of the last video. I annotated all the broken things in the ride and sadly there were so many that I cold hardly catch all of them.

This one also generated the most comments of any video I posted.  To date there are 59 comments.

First Reviews for "World" Killer Are In: Four Five Star Reviews

"World" Killer has received it's first reviews.  Four have been posted and all four came in at five stars.

You can see the reviews and buy a copy of World Killer here.

If you are a Disney World, mystery, thriller or just like a good story you should check it out.

New Video Posted: Baltimore Departure

A new video has been posted to YouTube.  It's a video of the cruise ship departure from the Port of Baltimore.   My goal is to get a series of these overtime.  I want to add Boston, New York, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and maybe some others.

The video is in 1080p and can be viewed here.

New Video Posted: Royal Caribbean Grandeur Grand Suite in 1080p

A new overview of a Grand Suite on the Royal Caribbean Grandeur of the Seas has been posted to YouTube.  A detailed written overview will be coming soon too.

The video is in 1080p and can be seen here.

Upcoming Topics

Here is a list of what is coming up. There should be a lot of activity over the next few weeks.

A video overview of a Grand Suite on the Grandeur of the Seas

A detailed written review of a Grand Suite on Royal Caribbean and what comes with it.

A few reports on Bermuda and things you can see there.

A fun joke video of a windy day in Bermuda.

A comparison of Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and NCL.

There will be more too but that's just the short list.

"World" Killer Now Available on Kindle

You can now get ""World" Killer" on your kindle or kindle reader app.  It comes in a just under 300 hundred pages. This is the first of three books that take place in and around Disney World.

The second book, "Around the "World,"" should be out next year.  The third book, "Imgineered Death" will be out in 2015.

Click below to get a copy of World Killer.

Click Here

New Video: A Brief History of Herbs

A new video has been posted to YouTube.  This one is a quick history of herbs.   It was captured during Fallfest at Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth, NH.

Another video for Fallfest will be coming in a few days.

You can see the video here.

Book Review: From Dreamer to Dreamfinder

Books written by former Disney cast members are everywhere.  Sometimes it seems like every former employee either wrote a book, is writing a book, or thinking about writing a book.  Most of those books are made up stories so similar that if you've read one of them you'll get little to nothing out of reading another.

If you want something different then look no further than "From Dreamer to Dreamfinder" by Ron Schneider. This book is different because it's not another cast member memoir.  This book is less about Disney and more about a career working as a theme park actor / writer.

This book goes far beyond Disney.  You get stories from multiple theme parks, restaurants, and events.  The stories came in rapid fire succession with no one section dominating another. Some of the stories are funny, some are sad and some make you want to grind your teeth along with the author.

One thing about this book that is very enjoyable is the fact that it give you a glimpse into world few of us will ever experience.  If you've ever wondered what it's like to be an actor for a living you'll get an idea by reading this book.  I think anyone who wants to be an actor should read this book.  Through his career Ron took jobs that some "actors" would have laughed off as something a serious actor wouldn't do.  How did it turn out?   Ron has a book full of fun stories.  Since he was willing take some odd jobs he ended up working with a lion, harassing kids as character who can't stand kids, and working with some people that became his friends for life.

As you read through the book you realize that Ron touched the lives of a lot of people through the years.  I have proof too.  Back in the 80's I found myself in Epcot.  Where a certain cast member was playing Dreamfinder. Here is the only known photo of Ron Schneider and The Cousin Mickey Doesn't Talk About. Enjoy it because the odds of our paths crossing again are not good.

From left to right, CMDTA, Ron Schneider, Figment, Ellen Walker

Overall this book is worth a read. Most people will enjoy this book. You might not enjoy all the stories but you will find something that puts a smile on your face.



You can get a copy of the book here.

When Is CMDTA's Pictorial Guide to Disney World Being Released?

I announced a few weeks ago that I was putting together a new kind of guide book.  I have been working on it.  The Magic Kingdom section is done and the Epcot section is partly done.  I had expected to have it completely done by now.  So what happened?

Not to be too deeky but one little spark happened.  Another idea came to me and I had a lot more passion for that than I did for the guide. 

I have finished the first and second drafts of "World" Killer.  It's a murder mystery that takes place in Disney World.  

I have a few support pages to finish and I'm working on the cover.  Once those are done the book is going out to a few people for review.  With this book I'm not sure if I'm going to send it to a few publishers or just put it up on Amazon like I did with Twisted Disney.

Right on the surface "World" Killer is a much better book.  It's been edited and a majority of the typos have been removed. 

My guess is it will be released within a couple months.  If anyone wants a copy let me know and I'll send a PDF. 

The guide should be out early next year.  I doubt a publisher is going to be interested in that should it should be out shortly after it's finished.

What To Do When Your Child Is Afraid of a Ride

What can you do when your child is afraid of thrill rides?  First of all lets breakdown the reasons why some children do not like thrill rides. 

-          The Dark:  Some kids are afraid of the dark. Anything they can’t see tends to freak them out.  If you really break this down it’s a fear of the unknown that most kids outgrow or get over through experience. Problem is if your kid is afraid of the dark rides like Dinosaur, Tower of Terror, and even tame rides like Pirates can be a deal breaker.

 

-          Noise: You can also call this the loud factor.  Some kids are freaked out by loud noises.  Let’s face it Disney can be crazy loud at times.  Whether you like it or not your hearing is most likely worst than your child’s. So the big boom that made you jump made your kid jump, was louder to them, and they have no positive experience with loud noises which means it’s going to be a negative.

 

-          Drops: This is a big one. The human body was not designed to feel an accelerated plummet. It’s just not a natural feeling.  Our minds naturally resist the sensation.  For adults the mind can segment bad from good when it comes to this.  For kids that might not be the case. 

 

-          Reflection:  Reflection is the parents.  Parents can amp a kid up or calm them down.  For example. My niece and her parents went on Splash Mountain.  Her mother hates all rides. I’m not sure if she’ll ever be turned but she freaks out!  She freaked out bad while on the ride. Guess what happened.  My niece freaked out so bad she refused to ride any rides for the rest of the trip.

 

Those are just some of the most common things that freak a kid out.   You could also add characters for some kids but we are talking about rides.

Do not underestimate the impact of the above on your kids.  You know your child. You know what freaks them out.  Do not force them to do something they are not comfortable with.  Doing this will make things worse.  However, don’t despair. Children can overcome their fears.

First let’s do a small case study of how a kid broke and how, and when, he came around.

The kid in question was not afraid of the dark or of loud noises but he was petrified of drops. This fear came about as the result of an incident when he was very young.  His family attended a theme park which had a Snoopy roller coaster.  The child did not want to ride but the rest of his family coerced him.  The fact that Snoopy was on the roller coaster helped. This brings us to rule number one.  Never coerce a child onto a ride they are nervous about. Why?

When a child is nervous or intimidated the body releases ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone).  This hormone serves for one purpose. Get to your adrenal cortex and cause a dozens of other hormones to flood the body.

The sudden spike of hormones like epinephrine, norepinephrine and dozens of others causes your heart rate to spike, pupils to dilate, blood-glucose to spike, and your digestive system to shut down.

The funny thing is the same thing happens to someone who wants to go on the thrill ride.  The difference is its impact on the person’s brain.  If it’s not a willing event it can lead to post traumatic stress. Your brain treats the event must differently if you willing seek out the event.

So what happened to the kid?

Bawled his eyes out and screamed even after the ride was over.  He also didn’t willing ride another ride with a drop for a decade.

The parents tried give him tough love from time to time by dragging him on a flume ride or similar ride.  His friends even tricked him onto a roller coaster where you couldn’t see the drops.  Instead of helping these events made things worse.  The reason is same as above.  They were not willing experiences.

How did this kid ever start riding thrill rides again?

Positive reinforcement was the key to getting this kid to like thrill rides.  Remember this kid only had negative memories associated with thrill rides.  Positive ones had to be established.  Positive ones could only be created if they kid willingly got on the ride.

One warning – compensation IS NOT positive reinforcement.  If you tell the kid they will get a treat or everyone will do something they want to do if they ride the ride it’s not positive.  They are not willing getting on the ride.

So how do you get the kid on the ride?

First things first, tell the child the family is going on the ride and they can wait in with another family member.  This works well in Disney World because of child swap.  Try to avoid play areas.  You want the kid to be bored.

After the family has gone on the ride DO NOT tell the kid how fun it was. That can kick in a defensive mode or make the kid feel bad. Instead have the other family members talk about their favorite parts in an excited and positive manner.  Do not use any negative adjectives like “scary.” Do not discuss the ride with the kid unless they ask questions.  When they do, answer the question in a positive and calm manner.  When you do this you are making the kid feel like they are missing out on something without telling them they are missing out on something. This method draws the kid to that conclusion on their own.

If the child asks to ride the ride, after everyone has ridden the ride, tell them you will later.  The reason for this is reinforcement of the missing out but it also lets you redirect to a less intense ride.  For example if your kid is afraid of roller coasters and you use the above on Space Mountain, redirect to Big Thunder Mountain.  For most kids BTM is must less intense. Then you can build up to Space Mountain without overloading the kid.  Try to avoid rides like Pirates or Splash for this.  The combination of dark and drop could be too much.

There is a good chance that once they start willingly getting on these rides they will quickly start riding everything.  Even if they still balk from time to time – LET THEM.  Forcing them could undo any progress you have made.

This even works for teenagers.  The kid in the example was 16 when he finally got back on thrill rides.

A New Kind of Disney Guide Book

After being on the fence for quite a while I've decided to start book number two.  I did not want to do another book of satire.  One thing I've always thought was missing was a Walt Disney World guide book that really showed you what it was like to go to WDW and a book that showed you tips instead of just told you about them.

A lot of people have a hard time grasping concepts based on text alone.  That's why I am wrtting a guide book that brings you through the parks and WDW through pictures.  This is almost a reversed guide book.  Most guide books describe something and then, if you are lucky, they give you a professional photo that looks nothing like the photos you take.  This guide book will display a photo and then tell you what to look for in the photo.  The photos used are going to be raw but they will also allow for a more realistic sense of the parks.

My goal is not write a guide book that rivals the Unofficial Guide and other guide books.  My goal is to write a supplement to those books that will enhance the readers experience when they go to Disney World.

I've started the writting process but right now I am not sure how long it is going to take.  I will make an announcement once it is completed.

Tourist Dies During the Flower and Garden Festival

A tourist collapsed and died while touring Epcot last week. According to our sources the tourist, who suffered from severe allergies, sneezed so hard his head exploded.

Why the tourist in question thought it was a good idea to visit the Flower and Garden festival is currently being debated but it should serve as a warning to other tourists to check the event calendar prior to booking a vacation.

“At this point we feel that this tourist was one of what we call the 90% Group,” a Disney World representative, who happens to be a talking donkey, stated.

The representative went on to explain, “All of our guests fall into one of a few categories. You have 1% who might be mentally ill.  Those people not only plan everything down to the second, they refuse to use a travel agent because they can’t give up that kind of control, and they know every detail about Disney World.  Those people could tell you how much water is used per minute from toilet flushing.  It’s truly insane.”

“The next group consists of 4% of our guests.  We call them the commandos.  They plan out every last detail about their trip. They may or may not use a travel agent. However, they do not spend every waking moment of their lives studying useless Disney facts like the first group.”

“The third group represents about 5% of our guests.  These are the ones who do some research, use a travel agent, and avoid the pitfalls common to people who do no research.  This group knows they are on vacation and do enough to ensure it will be enjoyable without killing the rest of their family in the process.”

“The final group reflects 90% of our guests.  These are the people who see our ad on TV and think it would be fun to go to Disney World.  They do not use a travel agent, they do no research, they pay rack rates, they have no idea how anything works and someone in their party ends up having a total breakdown at some point during the trip.”

At this point it seems very likely that the tourist in question was a member of the 90% group.  However, there are a number of other theories making the rounds on the internet.  Some feel that he was trying to commit suicide while making it look like an accident. Some nut jobs feel that a government sniper shot him from a hidden nest on top of Spaceship Earth.  Finally some truly demented individuals feel that aliens exploded a mind probe they had implanted in him years ago.

When asked if the body had been claimed by the family Disney stated “No comment.” This odd response seemed very out of place so I did what I do. I looked into it.

According to some unreliable sources the body of the tourist was sold to Universal. 

One might ask, “Why would you sell a corpse to Universal?”  The answer turns out to be very simple. Finding good props for Halloween Horror Nights can be very difficult.

 

If you did not know (which would be astonishing at this point) - this is a fake news story.

For Boston

For Boston, for Boston,
we sing our proud refrain
for Boston, for Boston
'tis wisdom's earthly fane
for here are all one
and our hearts are true
and the towers on the heights
reach the heavens own blue.
for Boston, for Boston
'til the echoes ring again

For Boston, for Boston
thy glory is our own
for Boston, for Boston
'tis here that truth is known
and ever with a right
shall our heirs be found
'til time shall be no more
and thy work is crowned
for Boston, for Boston
thy glory is our own

Dropkick Murphy's

For Boston

Disney Legend Annette Funicello Has Died

Disney legend Annette Funicello has died at age 70, The Walt Disney Company confirmed in a statement Monday. Funicello "died peacefully from complications due to multiple sclerosis, a disease she battled for over 25 years," the company said. Funicello died at Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield, Calif.

"Annette was and always will be a cherished member of the Disney family, synonymous with the word Mouseketeer, and a true Disney legend," said Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger in a statement. "She will forever hold a place in our hearts as one of Walt Disney's brightest stars, delighting an entire generation of baby boomers with her jubilant personality and endless talent.

She was arguably the most famous member of the Mickey Mouse Club ever. She also starred in numerous TV shows and movies over her career.  The “Beach” series of films she starred in could be credited as starting their own category of Americana.

As a one of the biggest Disney legends of all time references to her can be found throughout the Disney Parks.  One of  the most famous (and humorous) is the “Net Full of Jello” found at the Muppet 3D movie at Disney Hollywood Studios.

Taking My Ears Off

 

If you’ve been following this blog you may have noticed a huge drop off on the number of posts going up.  On top of that the number of Disney related posts have also dropped.  There is a reason for this.  Disney has managed to do what my co-workers, friends, and family have not.  Disney cured my Disney addiction.

Granted I still follow Disney related news and still listen to the podcasts but I have a hard time calling myself a Deek anymore.

You may wonder what could Disney have done to get me to the point where I have little to no desire to step foot in a Disney park.  Well I’ll admit, it wasn’t just one thing.  It fact it was a number of things that slowly weaned me off of Disney like you wean a drug addict.  Here is the short list.

March 10^th, 2009 – D23 Announced

The announcement didn’t bother me it was what came after.  A product that was little more than a money grab.  A vast minority of those who signed up for D23 got their money’s worth.  For most people they got a piece of paper that told them they were a member, four magazines, and a amazingly cheap watch (which in my case was broken).

D23 also left a lot of people in the dark.  It hit during one of the worst financial crisis’s in US history.  A lot of Disney fans found out they couldn’t afford to join the “Official Fan Club.”  Did that make them non-official Disney fans?  

2009 to Current – Maintenance Woes

As far back as I can remember Disney World was the epitome of a clean, well run theme park.  I never remember seeing anything out of order or overly dirty. 

In 2008 I went to the parks and it was how I remembered it.  Ever since then there has been a noticeable decline in both cleanliness and maintenance at the parks.  It’s common place now to see something broken.  Splash Mountain might be the best example.  At one point it was less a question of what is broken and more a question of what was working.   I am also willing to wager that I don’t have to mention Everest.  I’ve never seen the Yeti in its original mode.

June 23^rd, 2010 – Golden Oaks

Disney World was built for the family vacation.   That goal stayed fully intact until June 23^rd, 2010 when Golden Oaks was announced.  Forget the families we want the 1%!  Actually a lot of the 1% can’t even afford Golden Oaks.  The idea of a development for the uber rich on the land that Walt secured for his dream actually offends me on some levels. It’s so far detached from what Disney World once was that I have a hard time comprehending it.

September 14^th, 2011 – The Four Seasons

After a year and a half this still upsets me.  Disney sold part of Walt’s dream.  Part of Disney World was sold to a third party so they could build a resort for the rich.  If the land was sold into a nature trust or something like that it wouldn’t bother me.

It bothers me more when I think of the history of how the land for Disney World was obtained.  Which of the quirky fake companies bought that land?  How much effort was put into obtaining the land for Disney World? In the end it doesn’t matter because it was sold for profit.

11/9/2012 – Starbucks to Replace Main Street Bakery

When I heard Starbucks was going to replace the coffee at Disney World I was happy.  I thought that was an awesome idea. 

When I heard that a Starbucks was going to replace the Main Street Bakery I was left speechless.   Out of all the locations they could have picked why did it have to be the Main Street Bakery? Why did it have to be the best counter service location in Disney World?  Wouldn’t it have made more sense to overhaul a crappy location?  Yes but the mighty dollar often overrides common sense.  In the end that’s how I see this event.  A simple money grab.  It’s just another way to maximize profits.

More for Less

This has been going on for a long time.  I understand that prices need to rise because costs rise.  However, Disney raises their prices far beyond the rate of inflation.  Even then I might be able to live with it except for one thing.  It seems like every year Disney takes something away.  Some little perk disappears.  Look no further than the Dining Plan. Once it was a great value but then Disney started to cut, and cut, and cut until it’s not even a shadow of what it once was.

The Dining Plan is just one area. You can find one area after another where the price has risen and you don’t even break even, you get less.

Outsourcing

When I was a kid Disney World was Disney World. Now you really don’t know who you are dealing with.  How many services have been outsourced?  How many restaurants are not Disney? How many things in the background are not Disney?  How many of the people you see at the golf courses are not Disney? The answer is simple – too many.

The biggest problem with outsourcing is the lack of accountability.  It allows for the classic “We’re sorry, that’s not us it’s a third party” fake apology.  Do those outsourced employees get the same benefits?

In the end outsourcing creates customer service nightmares but it bumps the bottom line.  In the end isn’t that what Disney really cares about now?  Isn’t that what each of the above things has in common? They all boost the bottom line.  After all why not?  If the people keep coming then so be it!

Guess what Disney…I’m not the only person who has taken their mouse ears off.