Photo of the Week - View From the Top

Pictures of the castle are easy to find.  Almost everyone who has been to the Magic Kingdom has one.  The most common are from Main Street USA followed by the view from the path to Fantasy Land.  Some of the less common are taken from the bridge to Tomorrow Land or the rose garden.

A nice view that not many people take advantage of is the backside of the castle. There is some nice windows on that side that give it a very different look. 

This view can be captured from the very top of the Contemporary.  You need to get into the California Grill to get on this balcony.  There might also be a way by walking up the external stairs on the far side of the Contemporary but I've never tried that approach.

If you are ever at the California Grill take the time to check out this view of the Magic Kingdom.  It truly is unique. 

Photo of the Week - Old School Castle

This photo is straight out of the 80's.  You'll notice that the colors have changed a little over time but other than that it's the same old castle.  You might also notice that this angle is an angle you've seen over and over again.  Even back in the 80's Disney had their Kodak photo spots.

Photo of the Week - Mickey and Minnie

Who doesn't feel good when they see this photo?  I thought everyone could use a little smile to start their Friday.

This photo was taken with the following camera:

Photo of the Week - Cake Castle

Disney has done some odd things over the years but this has to rank up there. For the Magic Kingdoms 25th anniversary they turned Cinderella's Castle into a cake. From what I've found people either loved the cake castle or they hated it with a passion. I really didn't mind it too much.

Wow Moments

Everyone has “wow” moments. “Wow” moments are the times when something stops you in your tracks or you get a sudden rush of emotion. Most of the time these “wow” moments are infused with nostalgia.

Here are a couple of my wow moments:

#1 – The monorail looping around Epcot: I don’t know why but this always amazed me. I guess I knew I was in for a good day when I saw Spaceship Earth go by. It’ll be strange on my next trip. I’m staying at the Boardwalk so I won’t be experiencing this.

#2 – Cinderella’s Castle from Main Street USA: I think this is on everyone’s list. When you walk down Main Street most Disney fans get that happy feeling.

#3 – The Hyatt MCO: Ok this might sound like an odd one but when I see this hotel inside Orlando International Airport I know I’ve arrived. On the flip side this one also has the opposite effect on the way back. I know my vacation is over.

#4 – The purple and red signs: I bet a lot of people get the wow moment when they see these signs. Nothing says you’re in Disney as when you see the green highway signs turn into the purple and red Disney World signs.

#5 – The atrium in the Contemporary: The atrium in the Contemporary is just impressive. Even if I’m not staying there I always have to find a reason to go there.

#6 – Pioneer Hall: I stayed at Fort Wilderness a lot when I was a kid. When I see Pioneer Hall I smile. The whole area over there is nice and comforting.

Of course there are others but those are the ones that really stand out for me. Feel free to leave your favorite moments in the comments.

The Death of Cinderella’s Royal Table

One of the hardest restaurants to book in all of Disney World is Cinderella’s Royal Table. This is a character dining experience inside of Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom. Over the years this restaurant has really gone downhill.

There was once a day when you could make a reservation with only a few days to a weeks notice, a magical day when you got a menu with a variety of options and could order only one course if you wanted, and it was a laid back, fine dining experience. If you have been to Cinderella’s Royal Table in the last few years you must think I’m nuts. After all, it’s nothing like that description.

Today Cinderella’s Royal Table has turned into a madhouse of wannabe princesses, stressed out parents, bad food, and lame entertainment.

So what happened? Keep in mind we are talking about Disney. That should be a big hint. If it’s not I’ll just tell you. Money! Cinderella’s Royal Table was popular so Disney tried to figure out how to squeeze as much profit as possible out of it. There are a number of adjustments that were made to increase profit. Some are very smart. Check these out:

1 – Make it a fixed price for three courses: Keep in mind the price is more than what you would normally pay for three courses. Also most people didn’t order desert before. So why would people do it? Because it seems like a deal. Soap that sells for 23 cents a bar might not sell but if you pile it somewhere, throw a sign over that says three for a dollar, it’ll move like hotcakes.

2 – Cut the food quality: You can save a lot of money by doing this. Problem is people might complain. So how do you compensate that? Throw someone in a mouse suit and have them dance around.

3 – Deliver the food in rapid succession: Deliver the appetizer, then walk to the kitchen and return with the main course. Wait ten minutes and deliver the final course. That forces the people out in record time allowing you to turnover more tables in a set period of time.

4 – Make it a prepay experience: This cuts time at the end of meal. There is no bill, tip is included, and it allows a faster turnover.

5 – Add a photo op with Cinderella: Give them one for free so they don’t think they are getting raked over the coals and then offer photo packages to increase profit.

There you go. How increase profits while increase attendance and cutting its value. Brilliant!

Theme Parks at Night: The Magic Kingdom

Few theme parks take on another life at night like the Magic Kingdom does. Not even Epcot can match the Magic Kingdom in its night time grandeur. Here are a number of things that are amazingly different at night.

Cinderella’s Castle: During the day Cinderella’s Castle is amazing. At night it’s hard to describe. It’s lighted with changing colors like green, blue, purple, and pink. In the holiday season it gets even more impressive. They hang lights to accentuate the castle on top of the flood lights they use to illuminate it.

Splash Mountain: Splash Mountain at night is amazing. You can’t see the drops as well. They tend to be shadowed and dark. A number of things are lighted causing cool shadows throughout the exterior of the ride. The biggest change is the final drop. During the day you can see the bottom or at least get a feel for it if they have fogged it up. At night they don’t just fog it they often light the fog up making the drop seem bottomless.

Big Thunder Mountain: Few rides change as much as Big Thunder Mountain does at night. The lighting is amazing but it goes beyond the lighting. There are parts of Big Thunder that you can only see at night. For example the town scene comes alive a night. I won’t give it away but as you pass it you can look into the buildings at night. It’s crazy.

The Jungle Cruise: The Jungle Cruise takes on a fun creepy feel at night. Things seem to move even though you know they don’t. There seems to be more going on at night even though you know nothing has really changed. You have to ride it to really know what I’m talking about.

Tomorrow Land: Tomorrow Land during the day is cool but there is no doubt that Tomorrow Land was build with the nighttime in mind. The neon lights are everywhere. Everything takes on a cool futuristic feel. The best way you can experience it? The Tomorrow Land Transit Authority of course. The TTA is a must do at night.

The Wow Factor

Disney has tried to incorporate a main symbol that is supposed to wow people in every park. In the Magic Kingdom it is the castle, in Epcot it is Spaceship Earth, in Animal Kingdom it is the Tree of Life, and in Disney Hollywood Studios it is the Wizard Hat.

Disney also incorporates attractions it hopes will do the same thing. Expedition Everest, Splash Mountain, and the Tower of Terror are good examples of those.

Some times Disney achieves their goal. Sometimes they fall flat on their face. Most people say that the castle provides the wow factor. Some people even break down and cry when they see it. I really wish I was kidding. Walk down Main Street USA and you’ll see them. The castle isn’t bad but I wouldn’t put it on top.

I thought I’d break down some of the wow factors in Disney World just for Kicks.

1 - Spaceship Earth at Night. This one easily tops my list. The way they light up Spaceship Earth is just amazing. This is the only one that really gives me chills.

2 - The Cinderella’s Castle an night during the Christmas season. Ok let me just say that I am not a fan of Christmas decorations. The main reason is that they tend to get in the way and they are EVERYWHERE! The only exception of when Disney doesn’t overdo it is with Cinderella’s Castle.

3 - The standard Cinderella’s Castle. This one is a classic. Most people who visit Disney take a picture of it every time they go to the Magic Kingdom.

4 - Spaceship Earth during the day. It’s big, it’s white, and it’s cool looking. To get the best wow factor ride the monorail for the TTC to Epcot.

5 - The Haunted Mansion – The attention to detail that went into the Haunted Mansion is mind boggling. You hear this attraction before you see it. The howling dog is a classic sound. The outside is a perfect fit for what should be a haunted mansion.

6 - Splash Mountain – By itself it shouldn’t rank this high. What really makes Splash Mountain a “wow” is how it’s built into the park. The two bridges from which you can view the shoot are places you could sit and just watch people scream their brains out. It doesn’t really get old.

7 - The Tree of Life – The Tree of Life is a unique “wow.” I think it’s the only one that gets more amazing the closer you get. From a distance it’s cool looking. As you get closer the details start to come out. You get a sense for its size and you start to make out the shape of the animals. When you’re on top of it you see the stunning detail of every animal. You could blow rolls of film just on the carvings. Well I guess you could if you have a film camera. Wow, who still owns a film camera?

8 - The Tower of Terror – The Tower of Terror isn’t really an awe inspiring building by itself. However, Take that building and put it at the end of a long flat street and add the sound of people screaming as you walk towards it…now you have something. I’ve taken some good pictures of the Tower. The best one was from the queue. There is a great spot that you can shoot the sign through the trees. To really push a picture of this over the edge, convert it to black and white. This and the Haunted Mansion look amazing in Black and White.

Those are just a few. However, you may notice that I did not mention the wizard hat. That’s because it’s never amazed me. I think the Chinese Theater was far more impressive than the hat. The hat has too much stuff around it. You can never get a good picture of it. Even if you did it really lacks what the other symbols have. Don’t ask me what “it” is. I just know it doesn’t have “it.”