Photo of the Week - Festival of the Lion King

The Festival of the Lion King is easily one of the best shows in Disney World.  Most Disney shows are people just singing and dancing.  The Lion King show has acrobats, fire jugglers, and stilt walkers. 

If you want to take pictures of this show there are some rules you need to follow.   First turn your flash off.  Next put your camera in the "S" mode if you have it.  When you do that a little number should show up.  Set that number between 50 an 125.  Stay as still as possible. 

You have to do this because a flash doesn't do any good with a show like this.  Even if you turn it off your camera can't figure out what to do with lighting like this.  It sees a lot of dark with a little like so it tries create a long exposure.  This causes blur and the bright parts of photo to be far too bright.

Setting your camera to "S" you are telling the camera how long to expose the shot.  This still might not work because your camera might compensate for the shorter exposure.  If that's the case you'll need to change your mode to "M" and also set your aperture to five or six.

Photo of the Week: Cat Nap

There is nothing like kicking back on a warm afternoon and taking a little nap.  This is every important when you weigh over five hundred pounds and have to strut your stuff in front of thousands of tourists everyday.  The only problem is there just isn't anywhere private to curl up thanks to those pesky Imagineers.

Photos of the Week: Where Did I Put My Blanket?

If you think he looks like he can't remember where he put something you just might be right.  The morning this photo was taken was rather cool.  He and his buddies just wanted to warm up.

There that's better.  He wasn't the only Gorilla looking form his blanket.  Another one made a bed out of his.

Photos of the Week: I See You!

Most people blow through the nature trails at the Animal Kingdom without really stopping to see the animals.  The big cats really are not that fun.  They normally just lay around.  The really fun animals are the offbeat animals.  Some of them have some real tude. This photo shows what I mean.  When you hit this enclosure there is always someone keeping watch.  

Now for some info on why the photos look different.  I wasn't paying attention.  I had set bracketing for a previous photo (bracketing is when you set a range for photos.  The first would be normal exposure, the second under exposed, and the third over exposed.  This is used for HDR photography).  This resulted in some photos under and some over exposed.

Now when you over expose a photo you really can't do all that much to fix it.  Darkening the photo doesn't help.  Once a section of a photo registers as white it cannot be saved. 

If a photo is too dark you can normally lighten it a little. The first photo is an example of this. That's also why the background is greener that the other photos. 

The last photo is an example an over exposed photo that has been corrected as much as it can be.

The second photo is the one that was taken in a normal exposure. 

Jiko – Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Hidden Gem

There are a lot of restaurants in Walt Disney World. Some are good, some are ok, and some are just awful. A general rule of them is that the best restaurants are not in the parks. At times it seems like the further you get from the theme parks the better the restaurant is. This is the case with Jiko.


Jiko is located at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. That alone makes it a hike for anyone who wants to dine here and is not staying at the Lodge. Getting to Jiko is by far the worst part about dining at Jiko. One small tip that might help is the fact that it’s a short trip from the Animal Kingdom. If you are using Disney Transportation try to going to Jiko after visiting the Animal Kingdom. The only drawback of this tip is that you need pants (not shorts) to eat at Jiko. I solved this problem by wearing zip off cargo pants when I ate there.

Once you reach the AKL you still need to find Jiko. Out of all of the restaurants I’ve been to this was the only one I could not find on my own. I had to ask for directions. Most of the time it’s very easy to find a restaurant because there are a lot of signs of the restaurant just sticks out. This is not the case with Jiko. If you are heading over there I can help a little by saying you need to take the elevator down a floor from the main lobby to find Jiko.

Overall Jiko is a dark restaurant. It’s not as dark as the San Angel Inn but it is very dimly lit. It’s about as dark as Le Cellier. Unlike Le Cellier the ambient lighting comes from a few different sources not just the lights over head. For example the back wall is lit up with a cycling light that changes color. Most of the colors are reds, oranges, or other warm colors which adds nicely to the atmosphere.

One entire wall is made up of large windows that look out onto the grounds of the AKL. This would be nice during the summer but if you are going later in the year there is a good chance it’s going to be dark while you are there. Artist Pointe is also like this. Both would be awesome for lunch but who wants to go to an out of the way resort for lunch?

Unlike Artist Point Jiko has good food. Actually it’s not just good it’s some of the best you’ll find in Disney World. It doesn’t match the California Grill but it’s right up there. This is the real reason why Jiko is worth visiting.

What should you start with? We tried the Barbecue Flatbread and it was amazing but you can get a good flatbread in at a number of locations in Disney. We also tried the “Taste of Africa.” You will not find anything like this anywhere else in Disney World. This is an amazing dish with a wide range of flavors. You cannot go wrong with this dish.

For your entre it is a very hard choice. All of the offerings are good. If you want something you can’t get anywhere else try the Swahili Curry Shrimp. If you want something less adventurous you will not go wrong with the Barbecue Beef Short Ribs or the Oak-Grilled Filet.

For desert Jiko has a nice selection but they all tend to be overshadowed by the Tanzanian Chocolate Cheesecake. I don’t know if it’s because it’s Tanzanian or what but this is a great desert.

The service at Jiko was the best we received on our entire trip. They beat the great waiter we got at the Hoop Dee Doo. They beat the California Grille. They were the best. However, I would not expect to get this service again. The lady who waited on us was on loan from the dinner show at the Poly. She used to work at Jiko but got transferred. I feel bad for her. I don’t know what she did to deserve a transfer like that but she was the best we had. Too bad we had her before we went to the Brown Derby or else she would have easily restored our faith in the wait staff at Disney World.

Overall Jiko is worth the trip and that says a lot considering how long it can take to get there if you using Disney Transportation.

Dining Review: Yak and Yeti

My original review of Yak and Yeti, "Yak Yack and Yeti" was one of my harshest dining reviews.  I have to be honest though Yak and Yeti earned that awful review.  In fact it could have done so again if I hadn't changed up what I ordered.

The atmosphere at Yak and Yeti isn't bad.  It's above your average restaurant but it's a little lacking when compared to Disney standards.  The atmosphere is created by the use of a lot of Asian themed decorations and a somewhat open central atrium.  The problem with the atmosphere lies in the restaurant layout.  I just always feel like the tables are packed it.  In some ways it feels like a run of the mill restaurant.  I can't explain why I get this feeling.  There is just something inside that building that under whelms me.

I do know one thing that might ruin the atmosphere for me.  The small advertisements for Yak and Yeti's parent company blow the theme for me.  You just don't find this in a Disney restaurant.  If you do not know what I am talking about, Yak and Yeti is not owned by Disney.  Yak and Yeti is owned by the same company that owns the Rainforest Cafe and the T-Rex restaurant.

The service at Yak and Yeti was average for a Disney restaurant.  It wasn't amazing but the cast member was friendly enough. Our food was delivered quickly and the cast member checked in a few times to make sure everything was good.

The food at Yak and Yeti was better than last time but that's not saying all that much.  One thing that really stands out is are the fried green beans.  These are amazing.  I could eat these with every meal.  However, AVOID the pot stickers they are chewy and rubbery.  Not good at all.

When it comes to your main course avoid the duck at all costs.  Also avoid the ribs because they are a total disappointment.  The wok items are not bad.  I got the honey chicken and it was decent.  One problem with it was the fact that I couldn't help but think I could easily get it at home for less and it would also be better.

When it comes to desert Yak and Yeti hits a home run with the fried wantons.  I know they are such a simple food but they are really good.

One are where Yak and Yeti really excels is it's drinks.  Yak and Yeti has the best frozen drinks in Disney World.  The Yak Attack is one that really stands out.

If you want to have an amazing experience at Yak and Yeti do the following: Have an app of fried green beans, skip the main course, have some fried won tons, and order a drink.  You'll spend a lot less and have a better experience. 

Why Disney Needs Avatar

I want to start by saying I do not consider myself an Avatar fan.  I enjoyed the movie but I didn’t see it in the theaters and didn’t see it until it after it had been out on blu-ray for a while.

I’ve see a lot of Disney fans who are up in arms over Avatar coming to the Animal Kingdom.  Many of them keep making the same argument over and over again.  With so many in house products why would you need to go outside?  Granted that is a valid point.  Disney does have many franchises that would have fit nicely into the Animal Kingdom.  However that argument overlooks one very important fact.

When Universal built their little Harry Potter land they did something different.  Instead of building an attraction or land in an attempt to get Universal fans into the parks they built a land to get Harry Potter fans into the park.  In the past many theme parks built a themed attraction to drawn in people.  When you build an entire land you don’t just pull in your fans you pull in a whole new batch of fans.

If Disney had used an internal product they would have attracted Disney fans.  By building an Avatar land they are attracting Avatar fans.  There is a good chance that some of those fans never considered going to Disney before.  If Disney wants to boost their theme park attendance they need new blood.  Avatar draws that new blood.

Who is that new blood?  Disney has tried and failed over and over again to nab one vital demographic that everyone wants.  Teen to young adult males is that demographic.  Think about: Race to Witch Mountain – Fail, Tron Legacy – Fail, Insert Disney Live Action Film Here – Fail.  Guess who likes Avatar.

Disney fans can complain all they want.  The fact of the matter is this land is not being built for Disney fans.  Disney already has us.  We are getting the Fantasy Land expansion.  That was for us.  Avatar is for the soon to be Disney fans.  It’s the hook to pull in a whole new group of people.

Avatar Is Coming to the Animal Kingdom

Unlike many of my fake news posts this is isn't a joke.  See the press release below:

BURBANK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide is joining forces with visionary filmmaker James Cameron and Fox Filmed Entertainment to bring the world of AVATAR to life at Disney parks. Through an exclusive agreement announced today by Disney, Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox, Disney will partner with Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to create themed lands that will give theme park guests the opportunity to explore the mysterious universe of AVATAR first hand. Disney plans to build the first AVATAR themed land at Walt Disney World, within the Animal Kingdom park. With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the AVATAR stories, which share the same philosophy. Construction is expected to begin by 2013.



“James Cameron is a groundbreaking filmmaker and gifted storyteller who shares our passion for creativity, technological innovation and delivering the best experience possible,” said Robert A. Iger, President and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “With this agreement, we have the extraordinary opportunity to combine James’ talent and vision with the imagination and expertise of Disney.”

“AVATAR created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we’ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before. With two new AVATAR films currently in development, we’ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore,” said James Cameron. “I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our AVATAR universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of AVATAR with an unprecedented sense of reality.”


The agreement announced today gives The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) exclusive global theme park rights to the AVATAR franchise and provides for additional AVATAR themed lands at other Disney parks. The other locations will be determined by Disney and its international theme park partners. James Cameron, Jon Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects and will partner with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the AVATAR themed lands.


“This exciting new venture combines the world of AVATAR with the enormous reach of Disney and the incomparable talent of Jim Cameron,” commented Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. “While Jim is bringing audiences further into Pandora with the next two chapters in the AVATAR motion picture saga, the theme park attraction will likewise bring a new dimension to the amazing universe he created.”


“AVATAR is a uniquely powerful franchise that has global appeal with audiences of all ages. Its spectacular settings, intriguing characters, imaginative creatures, and strong themes of family and loyalty make it a perfect fit for Disney,” said Thomas O. Staggs, Chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “We can’t wait to give our guests the ability to journey to Pandora and explore the incredible immersive world of AVATAR in person.”


In addition to setting a global box office record, AVATAR has been hailed as one of the most innovative and visually stunning movies ever produced. With its advanced motion capture and 3-D digital projection technologies developed by James Cameron and his team, moviegoers were able to connect with the world of AVATAR in new and engaging ways.


This new venture complements Walt Disney Parks & Resorts’ strategic efforts to continue to invest in its core theme park businesses around the world while simultaneously expanding into other parts of the family vacation business.

I liked Avatar but I never pictured it in a Disney Park.  At least they are finally giving Animal Kingdom some much needed love.

Disney Announces the Yeti’s Actual Status

Rumors and speculation have surrounded the actual status of the Yeti on Expedition Everest for years now. Disney finally announced last week what his actual status is.

Apparently after The Cousin Mickey Doesn’t Talk About exposed what happened to Jose, the original Yeti, he was rehired and put back into the ride (see http://thecousinmickeydoesnttalkabout.blogspot.com/2009/08/yeti-sues-disney-over-breach-of.html).

With Jose back in place many thought that the original Yeti experience would return. However, nothing has changed.

“Jose is suffering from a chronic repetitive stress injury and is unable to perform his normal duties,” stated Mickey Mouse wearing a safari hat, during a press conference.

So there it is. Poor Jose goes through a legal battle to get his job back after being let go just to be sidelined by an injury that prevents him from doing that job.

Until Jose recovers we can expect to see the same old strobe light action we’re used to.

The Most Neglected Park

People love to complain. When it comes to Disney it’s no different. WDW fans love to rip apart rides they do not like and things they think the company is ignoring. Sometimes I have to admit the complaints are warranted. For example in the Magic Kingdom you find Stitch’s Great Escape is universally hated but Disney has no plans to do anything about it (at least none that have been leaked).

In the Animal Kingdom people rip a majority of Dino Land USA. I totally agree with that. There is no reason to go over there unless you are going to Dinosaur.

In the Hollywood Studios you have Sounds Dangerous which should have been put out of it’s misery a long time ago.

Then there is Epcot. When you break it down Epcot is the most neglected park in all of WDW. There are a lot of reasons for this:

1 – Ellen’s Energy Adventure: This ride is so outdated it’s painful. Ellen looks young because she WAS YOUNG when she did the film for this attraction. PLEASE someone fix this movie!

2 – Mission Space: Mission Space is a bad movie glued to a ride that spins. I’ve ridden it twice and don’t plan on riding it again. It’s re-ride value is really lacking.

3 – Wonders of Life Pavilion: I can’t think of a time in Disney’s past when they shut down such a large portion of a park to never reopen it again. This pavilion just sits there like a skin tag. You don’t want to look at it because it’s unpleasant but you can’t help yourself.

4 – Imagination Pavilion: Possibly the most disappointing pavilion ever; the Imagination Pavilion went from the best to the worst. The ride is broken and now we have a 20+ year old movie installed in a theater and sadly, that’s an upgrade over what was there. The real kicker is, this is one of the most beautiful pavilions from the outside. Too bad inside is rotten to the core.

5 – Spaceship Earth: I love Spaceship Earth but what’s up with the dark tunnel. Did you run out funding? Was there nothing you could even recycle and put in there?

6 – The Trading Post thingy: It was supposed to be an African Pavilion instead it’s turned into a boil on the backside of World Showcase. What a waste of space. I think only people with heatstroke stop here.

7 – World Showcase: I love world showcase so why am I listing it? Have you ever seen the original plans for the World Showcase? It was supposed to have twice the countries it has now. They were supposed to expand behind the American Adventure. Instead everything stopped after Norway was added. BOOOOO!

8 – Norway: Norway is a cool pavilion but it has the worst movie in the World Showcase. That movie is so bad it’s laughable. It’s not supposed to be funny but it is. I feel bad for the cast members from Norway who have to put up with that.

9 – Italy: Not much there is there? That’s because it had its ride cut.

10 – Germany: What’s in that big building? It was going to be a ride but it got cut too.

11 – Japan: Wouldn’t it be cool to have a Mt. Fuji ride? Sure…unless you’re Kodak. Fuji film was going to sponsor a Mt. Fuji ride. Kodak stonewalled it.

Ok I’m done. I think you get my point. Epcot feels like could and should be so much more.

Photo of the Week - It's Not a Monkey

Disney has always tried to combine learning and attractions when it can. The original Epcot was proof of this. You can still find examples throughout the parks. Animal Kingdom tends to be one of the best places outside of Innovations to find attractions that try to teach.

Disney Takes Action Against Stinky Guests

I really wondered why Disney decided to remodel the logs on Splash Mountain. I thought if you were going to remodel the logs you would have made them a little roomier or redesign the front to prevent people from getting soaked during the drops. After all that’s what a sane person would do.

Disney decided to redesign the logs so more water would fly up and hit everyone in the face. They redesigned it to really soak people. Why? That makes no sense.

I decided to do what I do best, I looked into it.

As you know Disney tries to be very PC even when being PC isn’t very PC. They often think of the minority when making decisions. That can be a good thing. It allows a vast majority of people to enjoy Disney World.

According to my fake sources, the Splash Mountain log redesign was the result of a mandate that was given to Disney Imagineering. They were told to find a way to reduce the number of stinky people in the Parks.

Many people are offended by body odor. It can make people sick and generally ruins a good time. Other people have allergies and have a bad reaction when they are stuck next to someone who smells like they bathed in cologne, such as the cast from Jersey Shore. The best way to counter smelly people is to give them a bath / shower.

The Imagineers already had a good anti stinky person ride in the form or Kali River Rapids. Even if the guests were wearing ponchos enough water makes it through to be effective. In the Magic Kingdom Splash Mountain has been redesigned to give everyone a bath. In Epcot the boats on Maelstrom are going to be redesigned with holes in the front to blast people with water when they go down the drop. In DHS the Tarzan scene of the Great Movie Ride is going to be replaced with a scene from Back Draft. The fire will be on one side of the ride vehicle and the fire fighters, including fully functional fire hoses, will be on the other side.

When all of the changes are in place Disney World will be a wetter but less stinky place.

Photo of the Week - Tree of Life Animals

You could take dozens of photos and not capture all the animals that make up the tree of life at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Here are a few you can find near the entrance to "It's Tough to be a Bug."

Review: TouringPlans.com’s “Lines” In Action

Before I went on vacation I did a review of touringplans’s app “Lines.” The review was based on Lines as a planning tool. How does Lines hold up in action?

The most useful part of lines is the user submitted wait times. They tend to be more accurate than the applications estimated times. The estimated times are close to reality if everything falls in line. However, the estimates don’t factor in weather or other unexpected events. One day in the Animal Kingdom it rained and the crowds were non-existent. Lines wasn’t even close on that day. A few other days it was insanely cold which also redirected a good chunk of the crowds. Again Lines was off. On the other days it was much closer. Lines also lets you see what’s going on at the other parks which is great if the park you are in is crazy busy.

One fun aspect of Lines is the badges. You get badges for submitting rides a set number of times or for other tasks. I’m not going to list all of the badges because I want people to find them on their own. I few caught me off guard. A couple I will mention are submitting a wait time during extra magic hours (both morning and night) and submitting during the first hour a park is open and the last hour a park is open. I ended up with 20 badges by the end of my vacation. You also get ranked depending on how many times you have submitted. I ended up being an “Unofficial Chief Collector.”

There is also a chat feature in Lines. This is actually useful. You can get real time answers on your questions. I’m sure it wasn’t designed for that but it works. Post a question and you’ll get an answer in no time.

Overall Lines is a great app. Everyone should use it…actually no that would be bad. If everyone used it the wait times in Disney would be all out of whack. Maybe a few people should use it.

Tusker House Review

It was a cold rainy day when my wife and I rolled into Tusker House. Neither of us had eaten there before. My wife hates buffets but was glad to be somewhere warm. I don’t mind a good buffet but I wasn’t sure if Tusker House would fit the bill. So how did it stack up?

Food: The food at tusker house is good. You get a nice selection and the food is varied. You can do cold cuts, carved meats, and a variety of other dishes. There were a few items that were bad but there were enough good ones to make up for them. One that really stands out is the fired plantains. I’ve eaten a decent amount of plantains. I know that they should not taste like bananas. If you want something that tastes like bananas you’ll just eat bananas. The fried plantains were disgustingly sweet. Plantains should be savory not sweet. They were not edible.

Atmosphere: For an open buffet it was not as loud as I was expecting. It was nothing compared to Kouzzina. The decorations were nice and gave everything a festive, lively feel. The tables and seats were a wooden which fit perfectly into the theme.

Service: The serve was ok. You don’t expect much. They come over and take your drink order and take your plates away. They did that well. We always had enough to drink and as soon as we went back the old plates disappeared. For a buffet that’s decent service.

Price: The price is ok. It’s a theme park restaurant so you know you are going to pay through the nose to begin with. There are better dining deals to be had in Disney World but Tusker House is not outrageous.

Overall Tusker House is a decent theme park restaurant that is worth trying a few times.

The Festival of the Lion King

During my most recent Disney vacation I tried a number of rides I hadn’t done before, or had not done in a long time. The first on the list is the Festival of the Lion King found in Camp Minnie Mickey in the Animal Kingdom.

I was really surprised by the Festival of the Lion King. I was expecting the old Lion King show that used to be where Philharmagic is now. I was not expecting an immersive stage show with live singers, acrobats, and flame dancers.

This is a must see show. It’s one of the best shows in any Disney part. This isn’t just a show for kids even though kids would go nuts for this show. The show is broken up into four sections. Each section is amazing in its own way. The show is a little over 30 minutes so each section has plenty of time and doesn’t feel rushed. The two sections that really stand out are the monkey guys jumping on the trampolines with the gymnastics equipment mixed in (check out my video to see what I’m talking about). The other part that really stands out is the fire juggler. I really don’t know how that gut doesn’t get seriously burned. When you see it you’ll know what I mean.

The only drawback of the show is that it’s loud. Nothing booming or anything like that, it’s just too loud overall. The volume could be turned down a little.

Overall it’s a great attraction that everyone should see.

New Video - Festival of the Lion King

A full version of Festival of the Lion King have been posted to YouTube. You can find this attraction at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Camp Minnie Mickey. It's one of the better shows in Disney World.

This video was taken in February of 2010 during a very slow day at the Animal Kingdom.

This is the first video I'm posting with my new camcorder. The original files were in 1080p.

The video is in four parts because of YouTube's time restrictions.

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Matt Hochberg Isn’t Afraid of Dinosaur

Matt Hochberg, host of the WDW Today podcast and owner of www.studioscentral.com, has been made fun of in the past because he’s admitted to having a strong dislike of the ride “Dinosaur” in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

People have called him such things as: wimp, girly boy, crybaby, and Len Testa wannabe.

Is it fair to belittle Matt because he is afraid of some fake dinosaurs? At first I said “of course,” but then I decided to try and find out why one would be afraid of fake dinosaurs. So I did what I do. I looked into it.

Something that I found to be odd was the fact that Matt hates Dinosaur but is ok with the Universe of Energy (I refuse to call it Ellen’s Energy Adventure. It’ll always be the Universe of Energy). As many of you know the Universe of Energy has dinosaurs in it. That eliminates the idea that Matt is afraid of all dinosaurs.

So what could it be about Dinosaur? It took a lot of research but I found out the source of Matt’s fear.

When Matt was eight years old he was obsessed with Barney the Purple Dinosaur. He loved Barney, watched his videos everyday, memorized the words to all of his songs, and owned every kind of Barney merchandise you can imagine.

One day Matt’s parents took him to see Barney in person. Matt was so excited he couldn’t contain himself. He was the first kid in line. When the employee running crowd control turned his back Matt snuck by him and ran over to the door that Barney was going to come out of. Just then the door swung open, smacking Matt in the face and knocking him to the floor. Barney ran out, didn’t see Matt, tripped over him, and fell on top of him. Barney trashed trying to get off of Matt which only made matters worse. By the time Barney’s handlers were able to get him off of Matt, Matt was barely breathing. He had been smothered by Barney.

From that day on Matt would start crying when he saw Barney. He would also freak out if any dinosaur appeared to be running towards him. As an example, Matt started crying and curled into a fetal position the first time he saw Jurassic Park because in multiple scenes the dinosaurs appear to be running at the audience.

In time it was determined that Matt was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder also known as PTSD. After years of therapy including numerous electric shock therapies, Matt has made great improvement. His only noticeable remaining symptom is crying like a little girl when he rides Dinosaur.

If you couldn’t tell the above story is factious. Matt Hochberg was never assaulted by Barney (that I know of). He has never received electronic shock therapy (I hope). He didn’t break down and cry while watching Jurassic Park (as least no one can confirm it). However, Matt does HATE Dinosaur.

Disney Releases Travel Advisory

Around noon on September 28^th, 2009, Disney released an official warning to anyone planning on traveling to Disney World from February 26^th to March 4^th, 2010. Disney has been informed that The Cousin Mickey Doesn’t Talk About will be raiding the parks between those dates.

Any guests who are brave enough to visit the parks on those dates can expect increased shenanigans, food shortages at random restaurants, and general mayhem.

In the warning the following dining locations were listed as potential danger zones:

Brown Derby – DHS

Tusker House – AK

Kazunia – Board Walk Resort

The Crystal Palace – Magic Kingdom

San Angel Inn – Epcot

Garden Grill – Epcot

Canada – Epcot

Chef Mickey’s – Contemporary Resort

Hoop Dee Doo Review – Fort Wilderness

California Grill – Contemporary Resort

In addition specific parks were mentioned for specific dates. On the 26^th – DHS. On the 27^th – AK. On the 28^th – MK. On the 1^st – EP. On the 2^nd – EP. On the 3^rd – MK. However, it appears that on the 4^th all parks could be affected equally.

Check back often for more details on this serious travel event.

New Servers at Yak and Yeti

Yak and Yeti, a restaurant in Disney’s Animal Kingdom know for its awful food, is trying to implement a new serving policy. Starting in late 2009, monkeys will be serving the food to guests. A human server will still take the orders and check in with the guests but monkeys in tuxedos will deliver the food, the bill, and bus tables.

“We really had to do something to spice the place up. The food is so bad we knew we had to change something to keep people coming in. Logically we choose monkey waiters,” a company spokesman said.

There are some issues that are being worked through before the monkeys can be released into the restaurant. Testing revealed the following issues:

- Monkeys have been eating the food while bringing it to the guests

- Some monkeys have been flinging poo when a bad tip is left

- Monkeys haven’t figured out how to use the restroom yet and have been “going” everywhere.

- Monkey fights have broken out

- Two monkeys have become alcoholics from drinking the guest’s drinks

- A rather hairy man was mistaken for a gorilla. All the monkeys started following him around.

- The monkeys thought a morbidly obese lady was a hippo and tried to ride on her back.

- Bananas can no longer be served as they never make it to the tables.

Despite the problems the project is still on track. Expect the prices at Yak and Yeti to increase greatly once the changes have been made.