|
|
|
|
AllEars® is published by Deb Wills, a recognized Walt Disney World expert who also publishes one of the worldwide web's most popular sites, AllEars.Net, which receives more than 7 million page views per month from visitors around the globe. Find out more about Deb by clicking here! BEHIND THE EARS
Debra Martin Koma
Kenny Cottrell
Jack Marshall
Michelle Scribner-MacLean
Brian Martsolf
|
WELCOME TO THE HOME OF Established September 1999 |
Click here to start receiving AllEars®, the FREE weekly electronic newsletter with the most current, accurate and comprehensive information for folks interested in Walt Disney World. Each AllEars® is chock full of facts, helpful tips and, of course, the latest Walt Disney World news, as well as restaurant and resort reviews, previews, interviews, snippets of timely information and insightful guest columns. Once you've subscribed, don't forget to set your preferences to receive our special promotional mailing called EARS THE DEAL™. Once or twice each month, we'll send you a bonus email with money-saving offers and promotions for Walt Disney World and the Orlando area, exclusive to you, our AllEars® subscribers! (Click HERE for instructions on subscribing to Ears the Deal™!) AllEars® (available in plain-text or HTML format) is delivered each week to more than 98,000 subscribers who share an interest in the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, Florida. You should be one of them! Sign up today!
Tips Archives AllEars® Celebrates 400 Issues! PIXIE DUSTED! 300 Issues of AllEars®! Celebrating 100 Issues of AllEars®!
Visit AllEars.Net, Deb's Unofficial Walt Disney World Information Guide! A
complete planning resource with more than 5,000 pages of information, 300 menus and 3,000 photos.
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
To get a taste of what ALL EARS® has to offer each and every week, click on the links below -- these tidbits are from our May 2008 "WDW Bits and Bites" issue: |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Ever wonder what Walt Disney World was like way back when? Each month we visit a time gone by in Walt Disney World history. This month we go back 10 years (1998) to the opening of Disney's Animal Kingdom. Several attractions and experiences were open at that time that have since closed. Artimal Encounters were quite frequent when the park first opened. Brightly colored ladybugs, butterflies, frogs and other larger-than-life creatures roamed what was then called Safari Village (now Discovery Island), greeting guests and posing for photos. These characters were actually from the original park parade called March of the ARTimals, which closed in June 1999. Lions, monkeys, bugs, even a praying mantis colorfully walked down the paths of the park. The parade was developed by a group of artists that decided to celebrate animals by making costumes. Artistic costumes indeed! Made with various "supplies" such as wire and rubber bands, doilies and ribbons, the costumes were beautiful! Journey into the Jungle Book was another opening day attraction that closed one year later, April 1999. The live 30-minute show was presented several times a day in what was the open air Theatre of the Wild. The show was based on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book and Disney's animated film. Songs included "I Want to Be Like You" and "My Own Home." Lastly, there were the ill-fated Discovery River Boats, which were also known as the Discovery Riverboat Ride, the Discovery River Taxi and the Radio Disney River Cruise. Guests had a difficult time figuring out the purpose of this attraction. The original idea was to provide a cruise through the waterways. Once Asia (or the rumored Beastly Kingdom) opened, the boats were to provide transportation from area to area. Unfortunately, they were slow-loading, causing long waits for a short ride that basically went in a circle. This attraction was discontinued in 1999. You will occasionally see characters in one of the boats floating along the river. It makes for a fun magical moment in the park. The dock area is now used for character meet and greets. |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party continues in the Magic Kingdom on select nights! The May dates are: May 2, 9, 16, 21, 26, 31.
The 2008 Epcot Flower and Garden Festival will run through June 1. Upcoming artists performing at the festival's Flower Power Concerts (subject to change): May 1 - 3 Arlo Guthrie Teddy
Bear and Doll Weekend May 16-18 Disney's Wide World of Sports -=-=-=-=-=-=- Don't forget to check our Events page for periodic updates. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Disney's Hollywood Studios Journey into Narnia reopens as Prince Caspian on June 27, 2008. American Film Institute Showcase and AFI Showcase Shop is closed until May 1, 2008. The Backlot Tour will continue to operate; guests will exit around the side of the building instead of through it. Epcot Nine Dragons Restaurant in China will be closed May 29 - November 30, 2008 for rehab. Look for major renovations, including an exhibition kitchen where diners will be able to interact with the chefs. Magic Kingdom Jungle Cruise will be closed for rehab May 11-24, 2008. All Star Music - The Piano Pool will be closed from May 12 - May 21 for refurbishment. All Star Sports - The Grand Slam Pool will be closed for rehab April 21 - May 16, 2008. Animal Kingdom Lodge Outside construction of a new animal barn and Disney Vacation Club Building, Kidani Village, continues and is expected to last until the spring of 2009. Beach Club Stormalong Bay Pool Slide will be closed from May 5-11. The pool remains open. Also, the Beach Club Villas Dunes Cove Pool will be closed from April 28 - May 15. Boardwalk Inn and Villas The Boardwalk Inn quiet/leisure pool is closed through May 15, 2008. The Boardwalk Villas Leisure Pool will be closed from May 19-30. Caribbean Beach Resort The themed pool, Old Port Royale, closed for refurbishment January 7, 2008, and is set to reopen September 15, 2008. A small, child-sized pool slide has been temporarily added to the pool in the village of Barbados. Contemporary Resort The Concourse Steakhouse is scheduled to close for good as of May 31, 2008. The area will be rehabbed into a new permanent quick service restaurant, which will open soon after the Concourse closes. The North Garden wing has been demolished. The tennis courts and playground are also gone. Although there has been no OFFICIAL announcement, the Orlando Sentinel has reported that the new construction at the resort will be a DVC site called Kingdom Tower. Downtown Disney Cap'n Jack's Restaurant will be closed May 12 -17, 2008. -=-=-=-=-=-=- Bookmark our frequently updated list of Rehabs. |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Year of a Million Dreams, which began Sunday, October 1, 2006, has been extended through 2008, and as part of that celebration Disney cast members are not just dispensing "dream" prizes, but are also creating an unprecedented number of "Magical Moments." These include guests being tapped to help with the pixie-dusted opening of Magic Kingdom, getting the star treatment at a celebrity-style handprint ceremony at Disney's Hollywood Studios, or being named Official Wildlife Spotters at Disney's Animal Kingdom. We have some reports of guests at Walt Disney World and Disneyland receiving "dreams" from the Dream Squad and some of these Magical Moments: -=-=-=-=-=-=- Karen: My husband and I were headed to the Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World. As we passed Peter Pan we chuckled at the 40-minute wait, as it was only 8:30 am. The Magic Kingdom was the early opening park that day. When we came off Small World, a cast member said we were in the right place at the right time and we were given Dream Fastpasses. They have nine small tabs for the rides and no time limit to go there. We really chuckled as we walked right on Peter Pan. We couldn't believe we finished at the Magic Kingdom by 11 a.m. That gave us time to slip back to Pop Century and have a dip in the pool in the middle of the day. What a wonderful prize! -=-=-=-=-=-=- The Bass Family: Having completed four of the five KidCot stations on a previous day, we headed to Test Track to complete the final station. We figured that we would get a FastPass first then hit Test Track on our way out of the park. When we got to Test Track the FastPasses were gone for the day and the line was a more than 90-minute wait. We decided to pass. We proceeded to the KidCot station and were talking to the cast member as our children completed their projects. He asked if we had gone on Test Track yet, so we told him our story. We were so pleasantly surprised when he gave us two three-person FastPasses, allowing us to get on the ride within 10 minutes. When we came off the ride, we circled back to the KidCot station to thank him once again, but he was gone. What a delightful present from Disney! -=-=-=-=-=-=- Mike, Sunnie and Jamie from Las Vegas: We had a Magical Moment given to us by Marc the Bellhop at the Tower of Terror. We had just purchased some "adult beverages" at Toluca Legs and headed over to ToT to get a FastPass. We noticed a bellhop with a suitcase standing in the intersection between the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and the Tower, so we started talking with him. After some chatting he mentioned that he was planning on "Magical Momenting" us but since we had full drinks he could not. Well, we quicky tossed our drinks in the garbage and told him we were ready! Marc laughed and led us into the Tower through a back entrance, past some cast member areas that were still very themed with names like "Laundry" and "Housekeeping" written on the doors. We went down a special elevator to the loading area where we rode our own elevator, just the three of us and our Bellhop Marc. After the ride he gave us all certificates and we then purchased our picture. Marc was great and we were very excited to have won a magical moment. =-=-=-=-=-=-=- EDITOR'S NOTE: If the Dream Squad bestows a "dream" upon you, or if you receive an official "Magical Moment," please let us know! We'd love to hear what you won, how you were chosen, and don't forget to send any photos if you have them! Email us at allearsnet@yahoo.com |
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Editor's Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all current rates, information and other details before planning your trip.
  Subscribe to AllEarsNet.com's RSS feedNew to RSS? Click HERE for more info. We respect your right to privacy. Please take a moment to review our complete PRIVACY POLICY and TERMS OF USE. Copyright © DWills, All Rights Reserved, 1996-1999 As to Disney artwork/properties: © Disney. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are proprietary to Disney Enterprises, Inc., its subsidiary, affiliated and related companies, as the case may be. AllEarsNet.com, All Ears® Newsletter and any other properties owned by RYI Enterprises, LLC are not affiliated with, authorized or endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with, The Walt Disney Company, Disney Enterprises, Inc., or any of their affiliates. Read more ABOUT US or ADVERTISE with us. For official Disney information, visit http://www.disneyworld.com |
