Calling All Deeks! Old School Disney World Videos!

Recently I was asked by some family members to convert some old home movies into digital files.  At first it was a painful process.  The video is captured in real time.  That meant I had to sit through hours of boring footage.  My boredom suddenly turned to surprise.  I stumbled across some old school Disney World footage.  All of it was from 1996, the golden age of Disney World.  Not all of it was usable but I trimmed it up and found some real gems on there.  There was footage of the monorail from riding with the pilot, the old double decker buses in Epcot, a good chunk of the original Illuminatiions and more.

Here is the full list.

Splash Mountain in 1996

Big Thunder Mountain in 1996

Magic Kingdom in 1996

The Monorail from the Pilot's Box (second half)

The Back Lot Studio Tour

Busch Gardens in 1996

Busch Gardens Orangutan Show

Disney MGM Studios in 1996

Mickey Mouse Meet and Greet

Epcot in 1996

Original Illuminations

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.

Walking to the Theme Parks

Some (all of which are deluxe resorts) resorts at Walt Disney World are so close to some of the theme parks that you can walk to the theme parks from your room.  This sounds great but is it really that good?

Below I am going to list the hotel and what it is like to walk to the theme parks from the front door of the resort.

The Contemporary:

Resorts within walking distance: The Magic Kingdom

Details: This is the best walking experience of any resort.  First of all it's the shortest distance you will find in any of the resorts on this list.  The "official" time is about ten minutes.  The actual time is really under ten.  Not only that along the way you will see the Monorail run overhead and some nice topiaries that other people don't get to see.

The Boardwalk:

Resorts within walking distance: Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios

Details:  The walk to Epcot is almost always the shortest way to get to the park.  The walk to DHS is hit or miss.

Epcot is about a ten minute walk but along the way you get some really great views.  You can take the boat but it's almost never a good idea unless it is raining. The great thing about staying a the Boardwalk, Beach Club or Yacht Club is the fact that you can walk off some of the food you ate at the Food and Wine Festival.

DHS is walkable if the boat just left or you'll have to wait a while to catch it.  The walk is about 20 minutes and it's nothing special.


The Beach Club:

Resorts within walking distance: Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios

Details:  You might as well list this resort with the Boardwalk  All of the times listed are within two or three minutes of that resort.  It really depends on what kind of theming you want.

The Yacht Club:

Resorts withing walking distance: Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios

Details:  Once again it's just about the same as the Boardwalk and Beach Club.  The only difference is it's on the same side of the lagoon as the Beach Club.  The Yacht Club and Beach Club are more of a direct walk from Epcot than the Boardwalk.

The Swan and Dolphin:

Resorts within walking distance: Epcot and Disney Hollywood Studios

Details:  When it comes to the Swan and Dolphin things become more hit or miss.  The Swan and Dolphin are really in the middle zone.  Whether or not you should walk depends on where the boats are.  If you just missed them then in both cases you should walk.

The Swan and Dolphin are the closest resorts to DHS but it's still a little bit of a walk to them.  If you are healthy its about a 15 minute walk.

Photo of the Week: France During Food and Wine

1. This photo was created by HDR processing.  What HDR does well is it makes the light in a picture pop.  In a case like this it almost gives the photo a Thomas Kinkade picture. 

2. Look at the crowd here.  This was taken in October - a slow time of year.  However, it was taken during the Food and Wine Festival on a weekend.  That is a brutal mix.  The result is a 9 out of 10 on the Touring Plans crowd calendar.  This is what a that kind of crowd looks like.

Photo of the Week - Illuminations

Fireworks photos are fun.  They are also are annoying at times.  This photo is an example of when you capture most of the things you wanted to.  When it comes to fireworks follow this general rule - setup your camera and then shoot almost non-stop.  You'll get about five to ten good shots and about a hundred that are just average or bad.

I won't now recommend trying to time fireworks shots.  That can be insanely frustrating.

Photo of the Week - Star Burst

Capturing a photo like this isn't as hard as it seems.  You just need to play around with the settings on your camera.  Just follow these tips:

1 - If you camera has different "film" modes change it to the "vivid" setting.  It may be called something else but you basically want the very colorful mode.

2 - Use a tripod or flat surface.  In Disney a trashcan is normally works well.

3 - Put the camera into shutter priority sometimes labeled by an "S" on the dial.  This mode lets you tell the camera how long to keep the shutter open for each photo.

4 - Set the shutter speed to one second.

5 - Forget steps 1, 3, and 4 and just put your camera in fireworks mode.  It will do something very similar.

What following the steps above or using the fireworks mode does is cause the streaks you see.  You can get some really fun effects when you use these settings on fireworks.

What this does is captured the streaks you see.

Dining Review: Les Chefs de France

Les Chefs de France is the ground floor dining location in the France Pavilion at Epcot. It’s setup like a classic French restaurant. From the lighting to the location it’s really meant to make you feel like you are in France.


If you have never tried this dining location here is why you should give it a shot the next time you are in Disney World.

The Food: The food at Les Chefs de France is excellent. In fact it’s some of the best food I’ve found in Epcot. Of course there are some standout items like the French onion soup and the crème brulee. I normally make an effort to try something different each time I go to a restaurant but in this case I always have to order those two items.

There are some other odd items on the menu you might not really associate with French food such as the flat breads. It would be a mistake to skip over these. They are unlike the other flat breads you can find throughout Disney. They are distinctly French in flavor and worth a try.

As far as the main entrees go I’d recommend the short ribs, the tenderloin, the salmon, or the roasted chicken. I have a hard time recommending the scallops considering how expensive they are. I also have a hard time recommending the duck after my horrible duck experiences in Disney World. However next time I go I might bite the bullet and try it at Les Chefs de France.

Why would I be so daring?

I’ve eaten at Les Chefs de France multiple times. Unlike a number of Disney restaurants the food has been of the same quality every time I have eaten here. No matter why I order here it is consistently good. Only a handful of other Disney dining locations have pulled this feat off. Sadly it seems like more often than not the quality at most dining locations changes from year to year or even month to month.

The Atmosphere: The atmosphere is good by normal restaurant standards and average by Disney standards. The numerous windows looking out onto World Showcase are nice and it is fun to people watch as you enjoy your meal. Other than that nothing really positive stands out but there are a few drawbacks. Everyone is packed in tight. This is another location where Disney tried to pack as many tables as possible in to make the most money. The table clutter has naturally led to another issue. This location can be noisy at times.

The Service: The service here is somewhat stuffy. Don’t get me wrong it’s not bad service. The best way to describe it would be “French” service. In France most waiters have had formal and intensive training. It’s considered a serious career in France. This leads to a very formal style of service. If you are expecting a friendly, bubbly, server you will be disappointed. If you are expecting someone who makes sure everything is taken care of in a prompt manner you will love the service here.

Overall: Overall Les Chefs de France is one of the best dining locations in Epcot. I would also go as far as saying it could be in the top ten dining locations in Disney World. It’s a location that everyone should try at least once.

Dining Review: Teppan Edo

Disney World has almost countless dining options.  Somehow you have to pick between them all.  Just as important Disney has to find a way to get you to them or else they will lose money. 

Teppan Edo is a sit down dining location in the Japan Pavilion at Epcot.  Japan has two different sit down dining locations.  One, Tokyo Dining, is a typical dining location. The other, Teppan Edo, is not.  Teppan Edo is where they cook the food in front of you.  Beyond that they try to do a little entertaining while they are doing it. 

To get a feel for what really happens or what they are trying to do check out this video.

CLICK HERE

The service at Teppan Edo is...different.  You will have someone take your order and deliver your drink but that's about all they do.  After they do that the next thing they do is bring the bill.  In the meantime the chef is in charge of everything and he is always there.

The food at Teppan Edo is decent.  There are some fun options but you might feel disappointed.  Why? Because nothing stands out.  The food you get does not does equate to the price you pay.  Now in many Disney restaurants Disney makes up for the price you pay with atmosphere or entertainment.  In the case of Teppan Edo they try to make up the price with entertainment but is it worth it?

The entertainment at Teppan Edo isn't bad if you have not been to a Teppan Edo restaurant before.  If you have you might realize that what Disney offers is really amateurish.

I live in NH.  There is a Teppan Edo restaurant about an hour from my house.  This restaurant is much, much cheaper than the one in Disney World. The food is better and the show is ten times better.  To put it simply.  If you have ever been to any Teppan Edo...or Mongolian grill for that matter.   You will not be impressed by this Disney dining location.

After everything you are better off going to the following dining locations in Epcot before Teppan Edo.  Keep this in mind if the other locations are sold out.  This list is in order of how I'd recommend them  and it only includes the locations I've eaten at. 

Chefs De France
Garden Grill
San Angel Inn
Beirgarten
Le Cellier
The restaurant in Morocco

If all these are booked then I'd say go to Teppan Edo.

New Video Posted: Spaceship Earth in 1080p

Spaceship Earth is a much beloved ride.  From time to time Disney overhauls parts of it but the general theme of the ride has remained unchanged since it opened. 

I remember when I was a kid I didn't believe that a ride could be housed inside that big globe.  After going on it for the first time I wanted to go again.  Even as a kid I realized how detailed Spaceship Earth was.

Another thing that I love about this ride is it's connection to the original Epcot.  The "edutainment" of the original Epcot is still alive and well when you ride Spaceship Earth.   We can thank the structural design for this.  Very little can be changed about the layout of the ride.  This was discovered years ago when Michael Eisner wanted put a roller coaster inside of Spaceship Earth.  Sometimes it's good when an idea fails.

You can see the video here.

New Video Posted: Malestrom

Malestrom is an old school boat dark ride.  I first rode it as a child.  Back then I thought it was awesome and made my parents go on it multiple times. 

Over the years Malestrom has really aged.  It turns out that it's not one of the classic rides that doesn't age.  However it's not the same as the movie that follows it. Nothing aged worse than the film after Malestrom. 

I'm glad I caught this ride while I could.   Some day it won't be there anymore.

You can see the ride here.

Dining Review: Princess Storybook Dining

I'm not a fan the whole princess fad.  Then again I think it would be disturbing if I was.  A guy in his 30's who loves the princesses is just creepy.

So why did I go to the Princess Storybook Dining in Norway?  For a couple reasons.  This is a very popular breakfast, a lot of people who are considering a Disney vacation and have young children might want some info on this,  and I didn't go alone I brought my wife and 21 year old niece.

Since this is a character breakfast and has a fixed price I'll cover this one a little differently than usual.

First - What do you get?

You get a photo of you and your party taken with one of the princesses.  The price of the photo is included in the price. You also get a half buffet style meal which consists mainly of generic breakfast food items.  The last thing is the interaction with the princesses.

Now I say it's a half buffet because the hot food items are delivered to your table family style while the rest of the food is available at a buffet.  Like the other Disney buffets you also get juice or coffee.

Next - The food

The food is really generic.  If you have been to one Disney breakfast buffet you have been to this one.  The typical bacon, eggs, Mickey waffles, and pancakes are here.  The only exception to the norm, and the only Norway connection I could find, was the fish offering.  To be honest if you just want breakfast DO NOT GO HERE.  The food is not worth the money.

The Atmosphere

The atmosphere is ok.  It's nothing special.  There are some nice wood accents and some fireplaces that are not accentually burning wood.  Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the atmosphere.  I guess the best way to put is that it's a normal Disney atmosphere.  It's not boring but it's not top notch like the San Angel Inn.

The Princesses

The princesses are decent.  I really tried to put aside my feelings about the Princesses and try to think about how a kid would react to their interaction.  What they typically do is approach the table, refer to all of the girls (and women) at the table as fellow princesses, and they might refer to some of the men at the table as kings or princes.   Keep in mind all of the princesses are totally in character so Ariel will mention having her legs instead of a tail, Aurora might mention being woken up with a kiss, and Snow White might talk about the the seven dwarfs.  While this is nice they really do not do anything that really makes them stand out.  None of the princes really went above and beyond while we were there.

I will say one thing.  One would think that Disney would almost have their choice when it came picking their princesses.  It seems like there should be enough people who want to be princesses to really be selective.  Now don't get me wrong, all of the princesses were nice and tried to stay in character.  However,  I could understand why a prince would fight for the Cinderella and Ariel that came to our table.  However if Snow White or Aurora had to rely on their looks alone to get their princes to wake them up....they might have had to wait quite a while.   I'm not saying they were ugly but they were not what I'd call a princess.

To be honest the Aurora that came to our table looked a little psychotic.  I thought at any minute she could lose it and start stabbing people.  The Snow White looked like she just woke up in an ally and Disney stuffed her into a princess outfit and tossed her out there.

You might have noticed that I didn't mention Belle.  That's because she was being used for the formal photos that Disney was taking.  There was a reason for this.  The lady playing Belle was extremely nice and stunningly beautiful.  She was a near perfect Belle.  You will not see a photo of her because Disney technically owns the rights to that photo and also because I'm in it and there is not a single photo of me anywhere online.

The Service

There really isn't much to mention here.  It's typical buffet style service.  Our server was nice.  I actually felt bad for her.  It can't be easy to work somewhere like this.  The price is basically fixed and you are not the center of attention.  It's almost like no matter what you are going to get what you get and nothing more.

The Value

If your children are REALLY into the princesses then you might find this experience to be a good value.  If you or your children are not into the princesses then you're better off skipping this because it's insanely expensive for a breakfast never mind a buffet breakfast.

Photo of the Week: The Imagination Pavilion at Night

The Imagination Pavilion makes me sad.  It's such an impressive looking pavilion on the outside but a trashy mess on the inside.  Even though the ride is an abomination they still light up this pavilion like no other.  Between the pyramid and the upside down waterfall it's hard to find a better pavilion once night falls.

Two New Videos Posted

Two new videos have been posted to YouTube.  The first one is a short goofy video entitled "When You Know You Went to Mickey's Philharmagic Too Early in the Day."  This has to be a rare video.  It's a video of me in Mickey's Philharmagic and me alone.  That's right there is not a single other person anywhere.  I didn't even see a cast member.

The second video is entitled "Epcot's Fountain of Nations in 1080p."  One nice thing about this video is the weather.  The sky is crystal clear.  There is not a cloud in the sky so it's really easy to see the water shooting into the air.

You can see the Mickey's Philharmagic video here.


You can see the Fountain of Nations video here.

Photo of the Week - Upside Down Waterfall at Night

This is a classic feature of the old school Epcot.  Since the early days of Epcot the upside down water fall has been a fixture.  It looks amazing at night but there is a slight problem.  Back in the day Disney went to great strides to make sure all of the water jets were equal as you can see that is no longer the case. Kevin Yee spoke about issues like this on episode 223 of the WDWNT Podcast.  The problem is Disney cuts a little here and a little there hoping no one will notice. The problem isn't the fact that some people notice it's that you can sense something is less magical.  The overall refinement is no longer there.

What does this all mean?  Every time Disney does this they are one step closer the "other" guy.  It's just another step in the wrong direction.  If they are not careful they will one day wake up and realize that they are on the same level as the other guy.   It's at times like that when people ask "how did this happen?"  Sadly we already know the answer.

New Video: The Ziti Sisters in 1080p

All over Disney World you will find entertainment in the strangest of places.  For example over at the Italy Pavilion you will find the Ziti Sisters.  A troupe of goofy ladies who love to interact with the crowd.

I'd never seen the Ziti Sisters before so I had no idea what to expect.  They really are a funny troupe that manage to entertain everyone.

You can see a video of the Ziti Sisters here.

New Video Posted - The Seas Lockout Tank

From another overlooked corner of the "World" comes the lockout tank at the Seas pavilion.  I would love to try this sometime but I get the feeling that really isn't going to happen.

This reminds me of the good old days before Nemo stuck his tail into the seas.  Back then the theming at the seas was top notch.  They really tried to convince you that you were going far below the ocean surface.

You can see the video here.

Dining Review: Biergarten

Biergarten is the restaurant located in the Germany Pavilion in Epcot.  For years I avoided this location.  I thought it was going to be a bunch of sausages and mediocre food.

To be honest my opinion may have never changed if not for Disney podcasts.  I listen to about seven different Disney podcasts.  Time and time again I heard how good Biergarten was.  In particular WDW Today really had a positive opinion of this location.

When I made our ADR my wife thought I was nuts but I assured her it had positive reviews.  After saying this I couldn't help but hold my breath and hope it didn't end up being a total mess. 

When we first entered Biergarten our waiter explained that it was tradition to sit with people you didn't know.  This seems like an ok idea when it works.  In our case it didn't really work.  We were seated with a another party that didn't speak or understand English.  They didn't know Spanish either so we didn't really have any way beyond gestures to communicate with them.

As we were brought to our table something hit us.  

Biergarten is one of the best, if not the best, themed restaurant in Walt Disney World.  Like the Mexico Pavilion you in the blink of an eye you are transported to night time.   In this case an outdoor banquet hall in Germany in the fall.  The detail level is amazing.  Click on the picture on the right and check out the details.  There are going to be a number of additional photos to expand on some of the cool details.  I'll be honest I was blown away because after all of the times I have been to Disney World I didn't think there could be such a detailed corner that I had not seen.  It just goes to show that no matter how many times you go to Disney World there will always be something new to experience.  Experiences like this make me excited to go back again and find another hidden gem.  They are out there.  Just being open to new experiences can lead you to a some amazing memories.

  

Here is a close up of a fall tree and a water wheel that could be overlooked.   It's just another example of how the imagineers go above and beyond when they design something.

In the corner you can find a full moon.  It's a really nice touch and I'm not 100% sure how they pull it off.  I don't know if it's an illuminated painting or a projection.

Now for the food.  I low expectations for the food.  After all I'd never really heard good things about German cuisine.  I honestly thought Germany mastered the art of beer making because bad food taste better after enough beer.  I now know that I was not only an idiot for believing that but I was completely pig headed.  The food at Biergarten is not just good it's great. 

Sure there are some sausages but there is a ton of other options too.  Oh and I should mention, the sausages are awesome.  To explain how good the food is I have to make some comparisons.  I have been to a bunch of buffets in Disney World.  I have been to Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Tusker House, and Akershus.  Biergarten beats all of them hands down.  Yes the food is that good.

Now when you go to Germany you have to do what the Germans do.  You need to drink beer! Now Biergarten has some of the best beers you will find in Disney World bet there is something else that  makes the beers special.  You can get them in liters.  Yes a one liter sized beer as seen in this picture.  When the beers came all I could think of was the scene in the Lord of the Rings when one of the hobits comes back to the table with a pint sized beer causing one of the others to say "It comes in pints!?!"  That is how I felt as I lifted my beer.  Best of all you burn calories with a beer like this.  Just picking it up is like doing a bicep curl.  If take small sips you'll need to change arms before you are done.  So now you have an excuse to order a beer bigger than your head.  You need the exercise!

Next the service.  The service was top notch.  In fact it was the best service I'd ever received at a buffet.  Our waiter was very friendly and attentive.  I also tested him right off the bat.  I tested him on the beers on the menu.  I wanted to order the most bitter beer they had.  I like a good IPA so I wanted something close.  He hit the nail on the head.  We also asked him about the lightest beer because one of the members of our party didn't really like beer but we threatened to disown her if she didn't order one.  He did a good job with that too.  Overall he did an amazing job.

Unlike most restaurant reviews I have to add another section to this review, the entertainment. Yes Biergarten offers some entertainment.

The entertainment consists of a ompa band.  It's fun music and fits right into the theming but they really go beyond just playing some music.  They really do entertain.  There is one part where the tuba player goes out and scares people who are not paying attention, another part where they play an Alps Horn, and a fun part when one of the members plays the bells at an insanely fast pace. Click here to see the tuba guy scare people and click here to see the fastest bell player in the "World."  Overall the entertainment is really fun and almost everyone will enjoy it.

The end result is Biergarten is one of the best restaurants in Disney World and I don't say that lightly.  For what you pay it's hard to find a better dining deal in all of Disney World.  The food is great, the service is great, the theming is amazing, and the entertainment is fun.  Biergarten is truly a hidden gem.

New Video Posted: Glass Working at the Mexico Pavilion

Another underrated tidbit you can find it Disney is the glass worker at Mexico.  In this case she is making a glass rose. 

It's a good thing they do this inside where it's air conditioned because the process is insanely hot. You can feel the heat right through the shield in front of you.

You can see the video here.

New Video Posted: Fountain of Nations at Night

The Fountain of Nations is one of the most underrated things in Disney World.  There are multiple shows set to a number of different music tracks.

Everyone has heard of the fountain shows in Vegas.  Lots of people line up to see them.  People don't realize that the Fountain of Nations show started years before the shows in Vegas.

Next time you are in Epcot stop and check them out.

You can see the video here.

New Video: Mariachi Cobre Part One

If you like mariachi then you will like this video.  If you don't like mariachi then you will like this video for another reason. 

When crowds hit the higher end of the spectrum Disney makes adjustments.  Normally the mariachi band is found inside of the Mexico Pavilion.  They typically play by the wall in between the entrance to the San Angel Inn and the Grand Fiesta Tour.  However, when the crowds grow more space is needed to expand the line for the tour.  When this happens the mariachi band moves outside by the stairs (as seen in this video).

I could see how this could be an issue in the summer.  I can imagine it would be tough playing in 90+ degree heat and brutal humidity with no shade.  Good times!

You can see the video here.