The View from Scopa Towers

Do me a favor. Don’t tell anyone what I’m about to tell you. Just keep it between you and me okay?

Promise?

Okay…(Mike looks over both shoulders.)

I’m in Walt Disney World.

Yep.

I flew in on Thursday afternoon.

I decided to surprise my partners in crime on the WDWTODAY podcast. They decided to come down for the Annual Passholder’s Preview for Toy Story Mania.
For a long time I really wasn’t sure if I could come down…for many reasons.

Then for many more reasons I decided ON MONDAY to fly down.

So on Thursday afternoon I found myself lining up ate gate 15 to fly to Orlando

On Friday I surprised everyone and we all went over to Toy Story Mania for the Annual Passholder’s Preview.

When you first enter this renovated area of Mickey Avenue you immediately see the huge Pixar sign.

There was also the sign announcing the sneak preview.

The FastPass machines looked like something right out of the film.

The Green Soldiers were working hard across the street.

The queue for many people will be a stroll down Memory Lane with images of Candy Land…

…Viewmaster…

…Chutes and Ladders on the ceiling…

…Barrelfull of monkeys…

…and Tinkertoys.

There are some other old time favorites but I'll let you discover them for yourself.

The star of the show was Mr. Potato Head. This audioanimatron was amazing and via the use of soundboard technology, interacted with the guests.

He can produce many expressions.

However, this is what is truly amazing...I asked him to remove his ear...AND HE DID!

Mr. Potato Head was illuminated by the Pixar Lamp.

I found a Hidden Mickey

I also found the 3-D glasses needed for the attraction.

Here’s a glimpse of the ride vehicles.

That’s about as far as I could go with the photos. Once in the ride vehicle guests must put on their 3-D glasses and secure the lap bar.

The vehicles begin to spin and from time to time stop in front of a video wall and guests will try their luck at some arcade games.

I won’t spoil it for you but suffice to say this attraction goes by faster than any attraction I have ever seen at Walt Disney World.

Each guest has this cannon and on the back of the cannon is a cord with a knob on the end of it. For each arcade game guests must pull on the cord to go after some targets presented to them.

It is very fast paced and the music and action is non-stop.

You will find yourself a bit tired after riding this attraction.

The Annual Passholder’s Preview saw many people go through this attraction and I noticed that as each day came and gone the scores improved.

On Saturday the highest score was around 160,000…then on Sunday 300,000 was reached and on Monday the highest score I saw was around 560,000 so everyone is learning how to play this game.

There is a single rider line but I really do not recommend using this line as I know of people who waited almost an hour in that line. Besides if you use that line you'll miss all the neat stuff in the queue.

Toy Story Mania is a lot of fun and I would say pretty contagious. Some may argue this point but I think it’s the first real video game like attraction ever to show up in Walt Disney World

I feel badly for Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom…he just won’t feel the same after riding this.

Next Time

Remember the four parks in one day challenge? Oh yes, I know all about Kali River Rapids…no big deal…you can adjust that to attraction number three for that park.

Anyway, a dozen of my friends attempted four parks in one day this past Sunday.

How did we go about attempting g this challenge?

Were we successful?

I’ll tell you next time.

Alright! You’ve been given some time to think it over. Just how would you be able to navigate through the four Walt Disney World theme parks under the parameters set by yours truly?

It takes some thought; some planning; and probably a little luck.

I’ve put some thought into this and I’m ready to share my thoughts with you.

Here is what I came up with:

• First, if possible, I would try and pull this stunt off on a day that offers both an Extra Magic Hour Evening Hour Morning in one park and an Extra Magic Hour Evening in another park. If both occur on the same day then potentially I am looking at an extra four hours of touring time to complete my park touring requirements. Every minute counts so the strategy here is to look for a way to get more time.
• If there are no days with this combination of both an EMH Morning and EMH Evening then I would look for a day in which either EPCOT or Magic Kingdom has an Extra Magic Hour Evening and focus on that day. The preference here would be the Magic Kingdom because Spectromagic and Wishes would play a big part of my plan but either park will work.
• My thoughts are that it would be wise to use a combination of both a rental car and Disney Transportation to go from one park to another…you’ll understand how when you read my plan later on.
• The more in your travel party the slower you move so my plan says try this with no more than three other friends. If I go beyond four in my travel party then there is a greater chance that there may be times when the party will need to wait to get on certain attractions…not to mention getting around in a car. So to maximize my potential for success, I’m doing this solo or with just one other person.
• I plan to stretch out my eating plans. I’m thinking that I will eat at my resort before going to my first park. This breakfast has to hold me for a long time. I want a lot behind me before I stop to eat lunch. Preferably I want to eat lunch towards the end of my time in park number two but realize that due to attraction queues lunch may happen in park number three and dinner in park number four.

My Attraction Strategy

Before I go into my detailed plan let me discuss my thoughts on how to attack the attraction touring portion of this plan:

• For the attractions I will focus on will be those which I feel move guests in and out of the attraction as quickly as possible. So, I will be looking to ride any attraction that is a constant loading attraction, that is, one with continuous moving ride vehicles thatnever stop.
• The proximity of certain attractions to each other will also play a key role in making the most of my time in the parks. Travel time between parks is important but so is travel time between attractions.
• Now here’s an interesting thought. FastPass may be more of an enemy in this challenge than an ally. Sure early in the morning it may help but come afternoon the FP distribution times usually run from four to as many as six hours out. So it may be better to wait 40 minutes in stand-by as opposed to waiting four hours to make use of a FastPass.
• Diversions. I will make good use of diversions. By diversions I mean parades or fireworks, or anything that draws crowds away from attractions. You’d be surprised as to how much you can do in a theme park during a diversion.

The Plan

I'm not sure if there is any type of barometer that can be used to determine what is the best way to do this little challenge. We all have our favorite parks and favorite attractions so we all have different takes on what would work well for an approach to accomplish this feat.

For me, my thought is to try not to necessarily do this as fast as I can and do so in some commando mode but to try and do it without running from park to park and attraction to attraction.

So after much thought, here is what I came up with for doing four parks in one day:

• The day I've chosen to do this challenge is Thursday, July 3, 2008 because on that day Disney's Animal Kingdom, my first park of the day, will be offerring Extra Magic Morning Hours and that evening The Magic Kingdom will be hosting Extra Magic Evening Hours. So this means that the turnstiles at Disney's Animal Kingdom will be open for me at 8:00 A.M. and later that night Magic Kingdom will be open to me until 1:00 A.M. Sure it may be hot and may be crowded but this 17 hour window offers me the best chance to do this challenge.
• I will get up as early as possible so I can be at the Animal Kingdom turnstiles around 7:30 or so. This means either eating an early and quick meal at one of my resort's eateries or having something in my room. My preference is to have a little breakfast snack in the room...either way I'm pulling into the DAK parking lot no later than 7:00 A.M.

Park #1 - Disney's Animal Kingdom

Here's how I will attack my first park of the day:

1. It's 7:30 and I am already at the turnstiles. When I get into the park I walk over to Expedition Everest and grab a FastPass. I then go to Kali River Rapids. Why? Well everyone else is doing the Safari or Everest so I can get my first attraction (KRR) out of the way real fast. My guess is that I can be out of Kali River Rapids by 8:30. One attraction down.
2. Time to use my Expedition Everest FastPass. Most likely my FastPass distribution time is probably for sometime between 9:00 and 10:00. No problem. If I go on Everest somewhere between 9:00 and 9:30 I will be off the attraction no later than 9:45. Two attractions down.
3. At this point my guess is that my best choice would be Dinosaur. It is one of those attractions which some people do not like because it's loud, rough, and downright scary. That translates into a short queue. It's also not that long of a walk from Everest to Dinosaur.If I can get into Dinosaur somewhere in the vicinity of 10:00 to 10:15 then I could very well find myself leaving Disney's Animal Kingdom around 11:00, if not sooner. One park down.
4. Since I got to the park early I may not need to wait for the traim to take me to the parking lot and my rental car. I may be parked close enough to the park entrance to walk to the car...another reason why I arrived to the park so early.

My next park in this challenge is Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Park #2 - Disney's Hollywood Studios

I chose as my second park of the day because this park is really suited only for being park number two. It cannot serve as my first park because the attractions aren't open until mid morning. It cannot be my third park because that would mean I would be in the smallest of the four theme parks in mid to late afternoon, and of course it cannot replace Magic Kingdom on this day because Magic Kingdom offers Extra Magic Hours in the evening and two diversions which will lower the queues for my targeted attractions.

Here we go:

1. Let's assume that worse case scenario, I am going through the Studios turnstiles at 11 A.M. My first stop is the SuperGreeter Board at the the corner of Hollywood Bvd. and Sunset Blvd. to check out the waiting times. The first bit of information is to determine which of the two attractions, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or Rock 'N' Roller Coaster, have less than an hour wait. The second important piece of information is to find out what the FastPass distribution times are for both of them.
2. I will grab a FastPass for the attraction with the longest queue and get in line for the other attraction. My guess is that the Fast Pass Distribution time will be somwhere between two and three hours out. So that tells me that in that time I should focus on doing two other attractions and try to eat lunch. The one flaw in this plan is that I really cannot risk eating lunch too soon before doing either the Tower or RnRC.
3. Let's assume RnRC has the longer line. I will then grab a FastPass for that attraction and get in line for the Tower. Now I'm guessing that if it's around 11:30 or so that my FastPass will have a distribution time of somewhere between 1:30 and 2:30. Let's say it's a 45 minute wait for the Tower. I emerge from that attraction somewhere around 12:30-12:45. I should be able to squeeze in attraction #2 before my RnRC FastPass time arrives.
4. I check the board again...what has shorter lines...Toy Story Mania, Star Tours, or The Great Movie Ride? My guess is that it's Star Tours...Toy Story Mania is new and will be crowded...TGMR is always packed in the afternoon during the summer...and compared to TGMR and TSM, Star Tours will almost always have the shorter queue line.
5. The assumption is that I arrive at Star Tours around 1:00 and get on the attraction no less than 45 minutes later. I thus emerge from the attraction around 2:00 and head over to use my RnRC FP. To be fair I must assume that it will still be at least a 15-20 minute wait even with my FP. I thus assume I'm walking out of the attraction sometime around 3 P.M.
6. I need to eat lunch so I stop off at Cantina Eddie's for some pizza and a drink to fulfill the lunch requirement before heading out the turnstiles sometime around 3:45 or so.

Park #2 is complete. I drive to EPCOT.

Park #3 - EPCOT

With luck I'm walking through the EPCOT turnstiles no later than 4:30.

I'm glad I stopped for a quick linch at the Studios. It's all attractions for this park.

For EPCOT there are some options I have to consider. To save time I will do eithe the tandem of Test Track and the Gran Fiesta Tour or Oh Canada and Soarin' as ther first two and the last two are relatively close in distance. The other attraction I will focus on is Spaceship Earth because it is a constnat loading attraction.

1. Once again, first stop is the Supergreeter Board to get information on wait times.. Now here is where it gets tricky. It's late afternoon and probably not a good idea to look at FastPasses as they may have distribution times that go into early evening. I will still check but remember it's summer time with lots of crowds. The question that I know I must answer is whether I do Soarin' or Test Track. That decision will determine my World Showcase attraction.
2. I will assume Test Track will have the shorter wait...plus there's always the possibility of getting on quickly via the single passenger line. before getting in line I check the FP distribution times. If it's less than two hours I may go for it, head to Mexico, and possibly try to squeeze in Spaceship Earth too, although I prefer not to backtrack.
3. Let's assume I get into the Test Track standby queue and am out of there by 6 P.M.
4. I head over to Mexico and party with the three Caballeros and step off that attraction by 6:45.
5. With luck I'm entering my Spaceship Earth ride vehicle sometime around 7 P.M.,
6. I should be walking out of the EPCOT turnstiles around 7:30.
7. I need to save time so I head to the monorail and go to the Ticket and Transportation Center and switch to the Magic Kingdom Express Monorail.

Next and final stop is The Magic Kingdom.

Park #4 - The Magic Kingdom

If I can get to the Magic Kingdom before 8 P.M. I'll be estatic but realistically I will probably go through the turnstiles around 8:30.

1. The first thing I do is get my wristband for Extra Magic hours.
2. Time to eat. Where. Columbia Harbor House because it's centrally located in the park.
3. My guess is that everyone is lining up for Spectromagic, one of the diversions I had mentioned earlier. So after I emerge from a quick supper I head over to Haunted Mansion. Hopefully I'm out of the Haunted Mansion no later than 10 P.M.
4. Wishes may be just about to start so while everyone heads to the front of the park to watch Wishes I make my way over to Splash Mountain.
5. I should be able to gauge which of the two, Splash Mountain, or Big Thunder Mountain has the shorter queue. Whoever does have the shorter line will have me as a guest that night.
6. My guess is that it's now about 10:30 to 10:45 and I have one more attraction to do...and it's Prirates of the Caribbean.

And I'm done.

Reader's Comments

The response to this challenge has been overwhleming and I thank everyone for sending me their comments and their experiences. I am trying to read and respond to all the email I have received. Please be patient as I will get to your email. I plan to post a "Mike's Mailbag" edition with my favorite emails.

Please…please don’t even think about denying that you have never thought about what I’m about to propose. I won’t believe you.

You know you’ve thought of it.

You know you’ve dreamed about it.

You know you would love to try it….it’s out there just screaming at you…can you hear the words?

“Try me…c’mon…try me.”

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about the idea of visiting all four Walt Disney World theme parks (Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom) in just one day.

Oh if you are saying, “Yo Mike it’s a piece of cake!” then belly up to the table and put on your napkin because I welcome you to bite into this challenge…but under my conditions.

Before we put on our walking shoes and head for the parks let‘s talk a bit as to the required parameters you should follow in order to, at least in my own mind, “officially” claim this accomplishment.

Let’s first define this challenge and be crystal clear as to all the requirements.

Four Parks in less than a Day

Let’s all agree as to what we will define as a “day” in regards to this particular challenge. Sometimes the definition of “day” is quite different from person to person. Before we start looking at anything else we need to all be on the same page with a definition of a day for this challenge. So here is the deal.

Required Number of Attractions

It would be pretty simple and easy to do this challenge by just running into a theme park, visiting the least crowded attractions and then move on to the next theme park… but that’s way too easy and boring.

Well…we here at AllEars Challenge Central are not in the boring business so let’s go over the exciting requirements regarding attraction touring for this most interesting challenge.

This is a continuation of the discussion regarding the issue of taking children out of school for a Walt Disney World vacation.

I've asked fellow AllEars Staffer Michelle Scribner-MacLean to join me in discussion.

Let's move on to another angle in the discussion.

The Question of Educational Priorities

I (it’s Mike again) am the first one to recognize that life is one big educational journey and that we get life lessons from outside the classroom as well as inside those four walls.

Walt Disney World, especially EPCOT, has coined the phrase “Edutainment” which is defined as a process by which guests are simultaneously entertained and educated.

Of course I’m not sure how much education one receives while riding Soarin’ but for sure there is some merit to Ellen’s Energy and the American Adventure…no denying that.

What must also be said is that there is some education taking place regarding the fine art of traveling…security checks, safety, preparedness, yadda yadda ya.

However, let me present the argument can be made that there may not be enough “education” waiting for the children as to offset what they would be missing in the classroom.

Also, the argument can also be made to say, “This education they are receiving in March could also be realized during school vacation times.”

So this is another debate that takes place; “Are we sending a mixed message to children when we take them out of school to have fun?”

Something to ponder.

Michelle makes the following great points:

” No one is arguing the value of having students stay in school, but travel has a lot of educational value, as well. Students can learn about what is involved in travel planning, mapping routes, and seeing what different climates are like. In addition, parents can enhance the educational experience by having the students take digital photos and do scrap booking or journaling or by having them turn digital movies into a narrated trip report – each of which could be shared back at school as a class presentation. Also, while parents don’t tend think of WDW as a substitute for school, there are a lot of places at WDW that make learning come alive. Perhaps the student is studying predators and prey in science – Animal Kingdom can provide a chance for students to do some animal observations in the park. Maybe they are studying European culture in social studies – at EPCOT they can interview natives of many countries.”

General Considerations

If you do decide to take your child out of school to visit WDW, here are some general questions and thoughts to consider:

Will it be difficult for your child to make up the work?

Consider how well your child is doing in school. Is every week a struggle for your child to keep up with the work?

In this case, parents should think about whether their child can make up the work upon their return from vacation. If your child keeps up with schoolwork with no problems, then leaving for a vacation and doing subsequent make-up work will probably not be a problem.

Length of time students will be away from school:

Parents should consider the amount of schoolwork the student is able to make up. Depending upon the student and the workload, missing a few days to a week’s worth of work might be “do-able.” There are definitely “busy” weeks in school, just as there are “slower” weeks. Parents should check with the teachers to find out if there are any large projects being introduced, if the school will be doing standardized testing that week, or if there are any scheduled school events that would be difficult for their child to make up.

What do you expect from the teacher?

Teachers have a lot to do and, for many, pulling together a week’s worth of work ahead of time for your student can be tricky. In fact, it is more and more prevalent in school districts that teachers are not required to provide work for students who are going on vacation while school is in session. Many teachers, however, encourage students keep a travel journal and share their experiences upon a student’s return.

See…now you know why I bribed Michelle (besides the Dole Whip I had to toss in a picture of Bill Nye the Science Guy) to help me with this issue. …I knew she had put a lot of thought into this issue.

Age of the Child

I need to once again credit Michelle with a very important point when she says, “When this issue does come up, regardless of what side of the debate people fall on, there is almost total agreement that any impact from missing class time is felt more in the upper grade levels than the lower levels.

School work at all grades is important. Preschool and elementary work is equally as important as middle and high school – but at the upper grades, where students have multiple teachers, extended lab periods, and where block scheduling is prevalent, it can be more difficult to make up work for a student. For this reason, careful consideration of how feasible it is to make up work at the upper grades needs to be considered.

At the upper grades, parents might consider including their son or daughter in the decision-making process. Perhaps they are involved in a sport and don’t want to miss a week or maybe added work upon their return will stress them out. It might be, however, that they feel that they can take on the added responsibility of making up work.”

I echo Michelle’s points.

It’s not just age of the student that must be considered when making this decision but also the type of student your child has become. Some children can rebound and catch up better than others. Parents hopefully know what type of students their children are.

The Answer

Well there is no easy answer, at least not from me.

There is however, what I had said at the outset of this discussion and that is that no one can make this decision for the parent or the child EXCEPT the parent and the child…not just the parent.

Obviously no one knows children better than their parents and for the most part parents make the right choices for their families.

I think the parents need to discuss this issue with the children and make sure their children understand what may be expected of them upon their return from Walt Disney World.

Walt Disney World is an amazing place to bring children and no doubt that all guests young and old find their trips to be both entertaining and educational….consciously or subconsciously.
It’s important that we don’t allow others to influence what we feel is best for our own children.
For some of us we prefer not to interrupt the traditional educational process and take our children out of school but for others the decision is quite the opposite.

My advice is to do what’s best for you and your family…but I would also go as far as to say if some time other than the rational school vacation time is the only time you can bring your family to Walt Disney World then my gut feeling is to go for it...after all…remember…life lessons occur both outside as well as inside the classroom.

Remember, do what’s best for you and yours.

Now if you excuse me I have to catch a plane to WDW and somehow get a Dole Whip and get it to Michelle before it melts…there are such things as refrigerated planes right?

I know one person who would know…Bill Nye the Science Guy.

When folks plan their WDW vacation and drop me an email I am often asked for advice on one or more aspects of their upcoming tripp.

While I usually enjoy offering suggestions, I must admit that sometimes when someone asks for certain advice on an upcoming Walt Disney World trip I get a bit nervous..

The demographics for Walt Disney World’s guests are all over the map…young, old, wealthy, not so wealthy, Dole Whip fans, non Dole Whip fans, yadda yadda ya.

So due to this demographic diversification (I love alliteration) it’s obvious that one size does not fit all and what may work for me and my family may not work for Mr. John Traveler and his family.

It comes down to the basic rule of thumb that says each one of us knows what works best for us and our family and we should use that knowledge to craft the best possible trip…for us. No one should make that decision for us…except us.

This philosophy really comes into play when I’m asked the dreaded school question.

Hide your children, lock your doors and windows and draw the shades…better light a candle too…this is BIG….are you ready for the question?

“Mike, do you think it would be okay if I took my children out of school for a few days for a trip to Walt Disney World?”

(Shudder)

I’ve been able to handle this question better in recent years…there is no longer need to secure a smelling salt tablet to my forehead for my friends to revive me after fainting from being asked this question.

Having a background in education and training, as well as a deep love and appreciation for all things Disney, I have always had mixed feelings about this issue.

It really depends upon the child…and a few other things.

For the sake of this blog entry I will take the “Nevermore!” position and suggest some reasons for not taking the child out of school. I don’t think I will be successful. I sense I will end up walking the fence, so to speak.

Remember, this is for entertainment purposes only and please keep in mind that no harm should come to this author in the aftermath of the posting of this blog entry.

Since I didn’t want to go down this road alone I‘ve invited (actually pleaded on bended knee) fellow AllEars Staffer Michelle Scribner-MacLean to help me sort out some of the issues here and also hopefully provide some counterpoint opinions to help make for a healthy discussion. I tempted her with a Dole Whip.

Okay, here we go.

Best Time of Year

The argument can be made that parents don’t like to limit themselves to school vacations for trips to Walt Disney World…especially if they would like to bring their family down during the less crowded times of year or for a special event like the International Food and Wine Festival.
Okay…I understand the point.

I had a choice and elected to stick with summer family trips. I actually gave my children a choice.

“Okay Holly and Mike, let’s see what’s behind Door #1. Oh wow, it’s a five to seven day trip to Walt Disney World during the school year. That’s nothing to sneeze at right kids? But there’s another door.”

Then I show them Door #2.

“Okay Kids let’s look at what’s waiting for us behind door #2. Holy Mickey Mouse, it’s a 10 day to 2-week trip to Walt Disney World during summer vacation. Wow…the choice is yours….sorta.”

Here is what they said.

They told me that they did not relish the idea of doing homework while on vacation or trying to catch up when they returned. There was also the feeling that not all their teachers would warm up to the notion that they were out of school on vacation and not because of illness.

They also argued that they knew that the summer months meant more things were open and for longer hours.

So their argument was…less stress and more quality fun in the summer then let’s say November or March.

Again, those were the words of my children who at the time were 12 and 10 years of age when this discussion took place.

I felt the same way. It’s easy as a parent to say, “Oh well the kids can make up the work.” Sure…parents don’t have to deal with the teacher(s) and make up work waiting for the children after the trip.

I actually believed it was more enjoyable for my children to have an extended trip in the summer than any other time of the year.

Also, there was more to miss than just school. My children were involved in school athletics and other school activities, plus dance, piano lessons, and so on.

Sure, the argument is that it’s only for a few days or just a week; but think of what’s waiting for the kids when they return.

Again, just my opinion…and it pertains to my family.

Now let’s hear Michelle’s take on this issue:

” Although there is always plenty to do while you’re there, there are many special events that happen only during specific times of the year at WDW. If you limit your visits only to school vacations times, you might miss out on some really fun events such as the Flower and Garden Show (May), the Food and Wine Festival (October and November), and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (October). For example, during the past several years we’ve visited in May and the entire family looks forward to seeing the spectacular topiaries, the butterfly garden, the ladybug release, and seeing the dozens of different types of roses during the Flower and Garden Show.

Here’s another consideration, school vacation times tend to be more crowded than other times of the year. Families may find that they are able to see more attractions, obtain Advanced Dining Reservations, and not spend their vacation standing in lines if they take their students out of school to visit WDW. Cost can also be an issue for families. School vacations are considered “peak season” at WDW, which translates to higher room charges, airfare, etc. For some families, this is a “deal-breaker.” Families traveling during the school year can often find “non-peak” prices, making a trip to WDW more feasible.”

Remember those points…Special Events….crowds….cost…all part of the equation.

Stay tuned...there's more...Part II is right around the corner!

I recently had an opportunity to talk with Thomas Tryon who serves as a Show Producer for Special Events and Projects at Walt Disney World.

Tryon was given the task of bringing the Block Party Bash Parade from Disneyland’s California Adventure Theme Park to Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park.

The parade debuted in California on April 5th, 2005 and just three years later it is ready to take the East Coast by storm.

Of course moving a parade of this magnitude from California to Florida involved looking into the logistics of such a move.

The first order of business was to decide where the parade should land.

Right from the start there was no question that the Block Party Bash Parade’s new address would be the Hollywood Studios. After all it is a Pixar-based parade and don’t we find most Disney/Pixar characters in the studios theme park? I don’t expect that Disney’s Animal Kingdom or EPCOT or The Magic Kingdom had a shot at hosting this parade.

From a parade organizer’s viewpoint however, there’s much more to consider.

Once the Studios was deemed the appropriate new home for the parade, the next order of business involved the parade route itself.

Actually a complete assessment of the theme park’s parade readiness for the parade was necessary.

When you think of a Disney themed parade you think of the floats, the characters, the music, the dancing, the fanfare, and everything else that you see and hear during the course of the parade.

Keep in mind that when the Disney creative forces designed this parade they did so with Disney’s California Adventure theme park in mind, Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios theme park was not on their radar.

We’re talking two completely different animals here.

Everyone involved realized that they just couldn’t say, “Okay let’s just pack up everything and move to Orlando.”

There were so many things to consider.

The primary concern was the parade route.

The parade route for the Block Party Bash Parade had to have two important features. The first is that the parade route had to be able to accommodate the parade floats. Size and width was a consideration and with that comes the importance of maneuverability. The Hollywood Studios was far from being ready for this particular parade’s floats.

Some adjustments in the area of concrete had to be made along the parade route.

For those of you who have been visiting Hollywood Studios over the last year and a half you may have noticed some changes along Hollywood Blvd. and other portions of the Studios parade route. Changes have been somewhat subtle but importantly they have been parade-friendly.

It was important to alter the route so that the sides of the route would allow the floats to move through the route with ease with special considerations for turning corners.

The next time you are in the Studios stroll along the parade route and see if you notice where these changes were made, especially in front of Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat.

Now this is just for the parade route. There were other issues that had to be resolved.

Are there adequate spots along such a route in which the floats could stop and entertain guests?

Because of the nature and personality of this parade, specifically the highly specialized floats and their interactivity with the guests, the parade route had to offer some very convenient parade stops in which both the parade performers and the guests would be able to safely enjoy the “party” portion of the parade.

Stop points had to be focused on for safety concerns as well and adjustments in the concrete topography had to be made along the route where these stops would best take place.

So are you with me so far?

There are two more major concerns that had to be addressed.

The first concern was in regards to the garaging of the parade floats. Was there ample space to house these huge floats?

In a word, no!

Tryon noted that expansion of the current parade building was needed so that there was a proper storage facility for the parade vehicles. So that piece of business was added into the overall project for moving the parade east.

There was yet another consideration that I had not thought of.

Think of this, a parade is made up of floats and performers.

A storage facility for the floats was needed and how many of us would ever think that along with the floats there is the matter of parade costumes?

Parade performers wear parade costumes specifically designed for that parade and it appeared that the Studios did not have an adequate or as Tryon put it “proper” costuming facility to handle the additional costumes that came with this parade.

A decision was made to build a new costuming facility that would be able to handle all the anticipated costuming needs once the parade arrived.

Now think about all this stuff….changes in the parade route…expansion of the parade building…construction of a new costuming facility…all these issues had to be addressed just because a parade was moving from one theme park to another.

Because of these issues the actual original planned move was delayed one year.

So the obvious question that came to mind was “Why?”

I asked Thomas if there was ever any consideration to just altering the parade instead of going through all the trouble and expense of altering the route, expanding current buildings, and putting up a new building.

It was his answer that reminded me as to why Disney is Disney.

In so many words Thomas said that we all have to remember that what sets a Disney theme park aside from all the rest is that Disney has cornered the market on storytelling.

Be it attractions, fireworks, or parades, the important thing is the storytelling and most noteworthy, the creative process.

He mentioned how Disney values the creative process and once the creative process has generated something worthy of Disney quality it’s basically “hands off.”

When he mentioned this to me I was reminded as to why the name Disney always seems to be synonymous with quality.

Why change something that has already been proven as being something loved by the guests?

Why tamper with success?

It says quite a lot when a company is more concerned with the quality of its products than the bottom line. And when you think of it, aren’t the returns greater when you put a premium on quality?

It also makes sense to make the venue fit the product rather than the product fit the venue.
Thus the original creative content for the parade was meticulously maintained.

Oh, and about the actual physical move from the west coast to the east coast….

…it took 15 semi-tractor trailers to haul the parade from California to Florida.

So the next time you are in Hollywood Studios and you get a chance to enjoy this parade with the other guests you can relish in the fact that now you know…

…the rest of the story.

For more Block Party Bash Photos, check out our Photo Gallery!

Mike's Mailbag

Before they get lost in the shuffle let me share some recently received emails.

Most of them touch upon my recent discussion on Disney Withdrawal and Disney Saturation:

First up, Heidi Potenza:

It has been 1 whole month since we got back from our trip to Disney. Mike's blog brought a smile to my face because we too have had this very discussion about "too much of a good thing." We started out visiting WDW every couple years when we could afford to. We have now made it an annual pilgrimage with our kids who truly look forward to it as much as we do!

Heidi

Thanks for the email Heidi. My tears usually appear on the last night of a trip when I’m leaving Magic Kingdom. Once I hit the Emporium area I cannot turn back to look at the castle.

From Jon Simon:

I fully comprehend what Mike refers to as saturation. I would rather use a different term, because I think saturation equals a lack of appreciation.

Jon

Thanks for the note Jon. I had a great time chatting with your son Ben. The only thing better would have been if you were there to take part in the conversation.

We called you from the top of the hill in the picture below...right near International Gateway.

From Philip DeLuccia (who I happen to know just celebrated a birthday…Happy Birthday Phil)

Mike, I just finished reading your blog about Saturation Point. My family and I have been down there every other year since 1994, but recently my wife and I are trying to go once a year. We find ourselves visiting the newest attractions (or recently upgraded), then we take in our favorites as time permits. We've also tried out of the ordinary outings like renting a boat from Old Key West and traveling along the waterways to The Marketplace, Port Orleans, and back. We've also tried Para-sailing behind The Contemporary and are planning on going to Discovery Cove this coming January 2009 (weather permitting).

I have to say that just being in the parks gives me a feeling of fulfillment and pleasure, whether I get on an attraction or not. Evelyn (my wife) is looking forward to upcoming races and I look forward just to be in The World. We experienced Mickey's Not so Scary this past October as well as the Tower of Terror 13K (if you remember, Evelyn and I chatted with you while waiting for the beginning of the race). I'm going to pick up Annual Passes for the two of us, since we'll be going down this coming October for 5 days, 10 days in January, and another 5 days in October 2009. I figured Oct 2009 would be at the beginning of the month, so Evelyn can run the Race for the Taste. I enjoyed talking to you this past October, and, after reading your blogs and listening to your opinions on the podcasts, I find that we have much in common. I totally agree with you regarding not letting my children roam around a Theme park by themselves. I don't care if it's WDW or not, I trust my children, but I don't trust everyone else. Our children are our most valuable possessions and I know I'd die if anything happened to mine. Hopefully we'll get to chat again while in Florida (maybe Jan 2009). Until then, I'll keep reading your blogs and listening to your podcast.

Phil DeLuccia

Phil is referring to a recent discussion on the WDWTODAY podcast in which the panelists debated on whether or not they would allow a thirteen year old and his eight year old brother to roam in the Magic Kingdom while the parents enjoyed a quiet meal at California Grill.

By the way Phil, my wife and I and two of our cast member friends spent one afternoon on a boat and went to see Old Key West. Here is what it looked like as we arrived at OKW.

From Jenny:

I found your blog on saturation to be extremely true. Walt Disney World definitely means many different things to everyone. Like your early years, we can only manage family trips every other year and are working towards our biggest one yet and the anticipation and planning are only part of the fun. We have celebrated all (honeymoon, birthdays, Christmas, New Years, & soon anniversary) at the World and the saturation has not yet set in and I hope that it never does. For us, it truly is THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!

Your Blog is great, keep it up!!

Thank you for the kind words Jenny. I think annual trips work well for most folks because of the excitement of planning and anticipation of every trip and more importantly, annual trips keep everything fresh and that saturation point well off the radar.

Here’s a note from a fellow AllEars colleague

From Glo
Mike,

Glo

Glo, your note triggered a thought. I have another friend who moved from Michigan to Florida and he lives about an hour from WDW. I’m not sure where he is on the saturation scale but one of the things he said his family misses is the resort atmosphere. There is no need for them to stay at the resorts and that, he said, is part of the whole WDW experience....

...and I'm with you all the way on the fireworks! Have you ever watched Wishes from the California Grill?

From a fellow Red Sox fan

From Kathleen:
Dear Mike:

Kathleen

Thanks Kathleen. Everyone needs to see the new Spaceship Earth for themselves. There have been some amazing improvements to this attraction. I somehow get the feeling however that there is still more to do.

Go Sox!

Here’s one from a New England neighbor Virginia Pierce

Being a fellow New Englander from RI, I must start off by saying "Go Sox!"

Thanks for reliving the magic,
Virginia Pierce

Virginia I am so glad you sent me that email because it points out how rushing around a theme park prevents some guests from noticing the details that go into the design and development of each area of the theme parks. Once you noticed these details you develop a deeper appreciation for what Walt Disney World offers its guests. I’m always discovering these subtle touches.

I discovered something last Summer while riding the steamboat at Magic Kingdom. Have you ever noticed this dog watching this fish jump out of the water?

From Jennifer

Awesome blog post! What great observations! I love your point that although you don't take in as many attractions, you enjoy the atmosphere and just being there without the stress!

A short but very insightful email from Jennifer. I hope everyone sees Jennifer’s point here. A trip to WDW is supposed to relieve stress not add to it and sometimes you have to relax and not worry about making every attraction you can on every day of your trip.

From Nikki

Mike,

Nikki

Very interesting comments Nikki…although the theme park excitement isn’t there for you anymore there is still something that keeps bringing you back to WDW. This is yet another testimony that there is something for everyone at Walt Disney World....like...

From Shea:

Mike I could not agree with you more. My wife and I go to Disney about 1 X a month. We live in West Palm Beach. Since the new dog has arrived we have not been there since December. We go at the end of March for the day.

Shea

Shea, I love people watching. I could sit on a bench all day and watch guests walk by. I play a game and try to identify those guests who I feel are first time visitors and for those who are WDW veterans. I mostly enjoy watching the children. For those who know me you obviously realize that I can never get enough of Le Cellier.

Finally, from George, a note regarding the WDW Marathon weekend:

Mike,

George

Well George, obviously the best thing to do is to consult with your doctor before deciding whether or not you could participate in the half-marathon.

Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another.

Consult with your doctor to discuss what your limitations are rather than risk more damage to your knee. You never know, there could be some therapy available to help you.

There are quite a few people who love volunterring for Marathon Weekend. You should find information on how to volunteer by going to the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Home Page as we get closer to the event.

Thanks to everyone for sending their thoughts along and sharing them with me and everyone else.

Happy 5th Anniversary MagicMeets.

Last week MagicMeets sold out in 38 hours which is a tribute to the efforts of MagicMeets Founder Fred Block and his amazing army of volunteers.

Fred’s event has grown from around 40 attendees back in 2004 to a current ceiling of 550 attendees and along the way he has figured out the formula for changing venues without sacrificing quality.

In fact he has managed to elevate the quality of the event every year and that has contributed to the ever growing popularity of this event.

Unfortunately not everyone who registers for the event manages to secure tickets. Almost twice as many register as there are available seats.

As much as this may disappoint a lot of folks it pales in comparison to the disappointment for Fred himself.

Fred does all he can to give everyone an even chance of getting a ticket. He opens up the registration system early, he offers those who register the opportunity to get placed on the MagicMeets newsletter, and not only does he frequently send out newsletters to keep everyone informed as to how close payment time is approaching, he also makes himself available on several Disney community forums and appears on a few Disney oriented podcasts to get the word out.

If you were not able to secure a ticket for this year’s MagicMeets there is always next year.

To give yourself the best chance of getting a ticket for MagicMeets 2009 register early, get on the newsletter distribution list, visit and perhaps join a Disney community forum where Fred is also a member and keep your eyes and ears open.

I am looking forward to my third MagicMeets and I hope to see some new and old faces there. The last two years have been nothing short of incredible as I have found the event to be the ONLY time, other than actually being in a Disney theme park, where I can truly feel Disney Magic.

You never know who you may run into at MagicMeets.

Oh yea, and me! (Deb put this photo in.)

If you are interested in learning more about MagicMeets visit the MagicMeets website.

The other day I was asked what I do to combat withdrawal I suffer when returning from a trip to Walt Disney World.

That question raised another question in my mind and that was when does Disney saturation come into play to prevent Disney withdrawal?

It gets dangerous when I start thinking this way but bear with me and hear me out.

While thinking about something like Disney withdrawal, I realized that unlike most people, my withdrawal symptoms are kind of, well, they are somewhat strange.

For a long time my trips to WDW were either once a year or even (shudder) once every two years.

There is a good reason for this particular frequency of trips...F A M I L Y.

The expense of bringing a family down several times a year just didn’t make fiscal sense to me so when we would go as a family we would go during the summer and usually spend about two weeks in Orlando. One trip…go crazy…then save and come back in two years.

Yup…sounds pretty cool erh? But remember that we would go either once a year or once every other year. There were just so many things going on in our lives as we were growing up as a family that we had to pay attention to priorities and as much as we loved Walt Disney World we needed to keep everything in perspective.

However, you can well imagine that going either once a year or every other year would generate withdrawal symptoms like you would never believe.

On top of that since we drove down we were on a rollercoaster of emotions…as we drove from New Hampshire and past specific areas like D.C. and of course South of the Border in Dillon, S.C. we would get excited.

Nothing got us more excited than crossing the Florida State line and stopping at the Welcome Center.

So the excitement would build and build as we neared Orlando.

Of course the drive back was no fun at all….that’s when the withdrawal symptoms would REALLY begin.

So how did I combat the withdrawal symptoms?

Well, knowing what the frequency of our trips would be we decided we would do our best to capture our memories as best as possible.

Back in the pre Digital Camera days we would take tons of film down with us and Carol would do the picture taking while I carried around the huge VHS camera to capture video. On average I would tape 36 to 40 hours of video and this included parades, fireworks, and shows.

There was always an opportunity to have a family photo and we never hesitated. Here’s one from the Scopa family archives….I’m guessing 1990.

I almost fell into the trap of never videotaping the family but I was careful and got everyone on tape as best as possible…especially when interacting with characters and Streetmosphere.
We would also buy videos and musical CDs…anything involving the sights and sounds of Walt Disney World…stuff that would tie us over for the next trip.

Once back from our trip we would sit down and watch all the videos with friends and family and
relive the trip.

I myself would take it another step and write a trip report that would account for everything we did.

The report would be written from some notes I took every day of our trip.

Writing a trip report is the best way to slowly ease off the withdrawal symptoms because as you write the account of your trip you get to relive each moment and you will find yourself leaning back, closing your eyes and recalling what you experienced.

I have approximately 1000 hours on video tape of all my trips and from time to time I will pull out an old tape and enjoy some memories…and chuckle at my sense of fashion.

What’s nice about watching these videos and that you can see old favs like Horizons, Tapestry of Dreams, Fantasy in the Sky, and also take note how things have changed…like Main Street USA, the castle forecourt, and other areas in all the parks.

For those of you who are not able to visit WDW as frequently as you would like you may want to think about doing as much as you can to capture your trip memories to help bridge the gap between previous and upcoming trips.

Okay, so you’re thinking, “So Mike, what does all this have to do with the word “Saturation” at the top of this blog?

Well, first I wanted to mention about how I dealt with withdrawal back in the day.

Now that I visit WDW more frequently I really don’t have withdrawal symptoms.

Actually, I’m lying. I DO find myself going through withdrawal but I’m sure not in a way that you would expect.

My withdrawal symptoms do not appear until I’m within about three or four days of returning to WDW.

How’s that for weird?

I guess all along I expect to return and thus don’t think about missing the place but when it gets close I start to get antsy and want to get there ASAP…mostly because I know that beyond talking mice and ducks waiting for me will also be my friends.

I know…I know…you keep saying, “Mike!!!! Saturation!!! What is Saturation?”

Okay, NOW I can talk about what I mean by Saturation.

Have you ever heard of the phrase, “Too much of a good thing…yadda yadda ya?”

Well this can be said of WDW.

I see you shaking your head and thinking, “I can never get enough of WDW!”

Uhhhh…yes! Yes you can.

I think that the lack of withdrawal symptoms is directly related to the number or the frequency of one’s trips.

But it goes deeper than that.

If you constantly visit a certain restaurant near your home many times because it’s your favorite restaurant after a while you may not appreciate the food, the service, the atmosphere, or whatever it is that draws to you to the establishment.

Same for Walt Disney World.

It’s called the saturation point….or the level at which your appreciation for whatever we are talking about is no longer at the level of appreciation it should be for your individual taste.

Once you hit that saturation point your level of appreciation drops because, very simply you are not attaching the same value to the place that you normally would…basically in a subliminal manner you may also become desensitized to the wonder that is Walt Disney World. Yup, it’s true.

Obviously the more you go the less you will miss it when you are not there.

Also, and this may be a subtle thing that you may not realize…without knowing it you will find yourself appreciating less and less what is waiting for you in Orlando.

That’s my explanation.

Do you want some signs which may indicate you are approaching the saturation point?

• You don’t go out of your way to do as many attractions as you did during your first several trips to WDW and possibly you are saying to yourself, “I’ll do them next time.” There is no sense of urgency to do Haunted Mansion, Soarin’, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, or Expedition Everest.

• You don’t find yourself as disappointed in not being able to get an ADR for one of your favorite restaurants. In this case you may find yourself settling for someplace else…hoo…bad sign.

• You find yourself avoiding character meals…big sign.

• You find yourself cutting an evening short and not bothering to watch fireworks at whatever park you are in. Are you nuts? Does anyone do this? Yes. Even your humble author.

• You find yourself not bothering to make it into a park by rope drop. In fact, you may find yourself sleeping in at times rather than waking up with the chickens and being at the park turnstiles some 30 minutes before park opening.

• You do not take advantage of Extra Magic Hours at least half the time during your visit. Oh the humanity…but it’s true.

Now there is really nothing wrong with this as it may very well mean that you are comfortable with your frequency of visits and you are there for the purpose of relaxing and taking in the atmosphere.

I understand.

I myself, on my solo trips, have no problems if I’m not in an attraction queue at least once every hour…in fact over my last three trips I averaged something like 1.3 attractions per day.

Hmmmm.

I would hate to think that I have fallen into the saturation trap and no longer appreciate what is waiting for me at Orlando.

I hope not.

I do realize that my trip frequency has a lot to do with it as well as my trip objectives, be it Mousefest, a race, or a special event.

Every person is different.

Every person has different thresholds of saturation and thus has different withdrawal points.

For eight year old Jimmy it’s a chance once more to help Buzz Lightyear fight Zurg; for nine year old Samantha it’s to see Tinkerbell fly from the castle as the beginning of Wishes, and for 17 year old Jake it’s to once more come face to face with the Yeti on Expedition Everest.

For others, like myself, the appreciation of the attractions may in fact have leveled off but in their place a new appreciation has emerged.

There is a pronounced appreciation for the atmosphere and environment that has been established these last 30 plus years.

I find myself sitting down on a park bench and watching children interacting with characters…to me that’s an attraction.

I find myself leaning up against a fence and watching a young family, wide-eyed, enjoying their first WDW family vacation…to me that’s an attraction.

I smile as I see cast members enjoying the fact that they are making a guest feel extra special and making a special gesture to perhaps create a memory in that guest’s mind as to how enjoyable their visit was to this particular park.

No…my withdrawal symptoms or lack thereof…or even what I thought was a possible saturation point for me is not that at all.

It’s a shift….a shift of appreciation for what Walt Disney World now represents to me.

As the years and the trip go by you may find yourself that there is a shift occurring in you as to what you look forward to when you next visit Mickey and friends.

What matters most is that you realize that saturation will never settle in….but instead a shift in appreciation for what brings you back to what you as an individual considers as the happiest Place on Earth.

For those of us who keep coming back we may also find that withdrawal symptoms may never surface because quite simply we take a little part of Walt Disney World home with us.

It seems that Walt Disney World has very much adopted the idea of hosting races year round.
Unfortunately not everyone lives is Central Florida and can make every one so we have to make choices.

Of course we need information to make these choices and my purpose today is to provide you with some information on all the planned WDW sponsored races for 2008, as well as info on the 2009 WDW Marathon Weekend.

I have done most of these races myself and hopefully can shed enough light on each so that you can get an idea as to what each race is all about.

So let’s see how the 2008 WDW Race Calendar stacks up.

________________________________________________

Date: March 8, 2008
Name: National Kidney Foundation 5K
Location: Epcot
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Comments: This is a new race for 2008. The course is pretty familiar. It starts in the EPCOT parking lot (I’m guessing the Wonder parking lot) and eventually enters the park and makes its way to World Showcase. The course continues counter-clockwise around World Showcase and finishes in the parking lot. It looks like all participants will be required to maintain a 15 minute per mile pace.

For more info on this race like go to the National Kidney Foundation 5K Event Page.

________________________________________________

Date: May 2-4, 2008
Name: Minnie Marathon Weekend (2 Races)
Location: EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s World of Sports, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles) on Saturday and 15K (9.3 miles) on Sunday
Comments: If I had to choose one weekend to go to WDW to run this would be the one. I have done this duo of a 5K and 15K race on two consecutive days and I think it’s the best deal of all the WDW sponsored races. I have heard some rumors regarding this as being the last year for the Minnie Marathon Weekend. I hope not.

On Saturday the Go Red for Women 5K is held and the course for that race is located in EPCOT, specifically World Showcase. This is a great warm-up race for the 15K race on Sunday.

All participants must maintain a 15-minute per mile pace.

For more information on this race go to the Go Red for Women 5K Event Page .

On Sunday the Women Run the World 15K (9.3 miles) is held and that one has the absolute best course as it starts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, makes its way through Disney’s Wide World of Sports, down to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, then over to the Beach and Yacht Club and then into EPCOT’s World Showcase before finishing in the EPCOT Parking Lot.

All participants must maintain a 15-minute per mile pace.

For more information on this particular race go to the Women Run the World 15K Event Page.

________________________________________________

Date: May 10, 2008
Name: Muddy Buddy
Location: Disney’s Wide World of Sports
Distance: 6.5 miles plus obstacle course
Comments: I’ve never done this race. It is a team race involving biking, running, leapfrogging, and finally a crawl through a mud pit. Each team alternates running and biking for the first part of the race. I guess this race is best suited for those who are interested in a different type of race. It does look like fun…but imagine if it’s a rainy day…talk about mud.
For more information on this race go to the Muddy Buddy Event Page .

________________________________________________

Date: May 10, 2008
Name: Danskin Women’s Triathlon
Location: Seven Seas Lagoon, Fort Wilderness, Magic Kingdom
Distance: 400 Yard Swim; 9 mile bike course; and a 2 mile run
Comments: This sounds pretty cool and pretty exhausting. Imagine swimming in the Seven Seas Lagoon and then getting on a bike and pedaling for 9 miles and then have to run 2 miles…phew. I am not sure exactly where the bike course is but I do recall someone mentioning to me that it goes through and out Fort Wilderness and possibly down the back road to Downtown Disney and back again.

For more information on this race go to The Danskin Women’s Triathlon Event Page.

________________________________________________

Date: September 27, 2008
Name: Expedition Everest Challenge
Location: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Comments: This is the first year for this race and the announcement has received mixed reaction from the running community. This is not so much a race as it is some sort of combination race and hunt for special stamps needed to complete the challenge. Individuals and teams may enter this race. The mixed response has been mostly because of the cost ($100 for individuals, $195 for teams of two people) as well as the fact that it’s not a pure race.

Also, get this. All participants must maintain a 16 minute per mile pace but there is a 2.5 hour time limit for the entire race…remember…it’s sort of a scavenger hunt too.

Anyway, if you’re interested in this race go to The Expedition Everest Challenge Event Page for more information.

________________________________________________

Date: October 5, 2008
Name: Susan G. Komen Central Florida Race for the Cure 5K
Location: TBA (In the past this race has been held at Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)
Comments: This race is near and dear to my heart. The first time I ran in this race it was sort of an accident. I was planning to run in the Race for the Taste on Sunday and found out about this Saturday race and signed up a day before.

The race supports the fight against Breast Cancer and I guarantee that if you ever participate in a Komen race you will never find a better organized race…ever. I was overwhelmed by my first Komen race and the following year got involved in raising funds for this worthy cause.

Although I love the Minnie Marathon Weekend if I could do only one WDW race a year this one would be my choice.

The exact location for this year’s race has yet to be determined. You can check for updates at The G. Komen Central Florida Race for the Cure 5K Event Page.

________________________________________________

Date: October 12, 2008
Name: Race for the Taste 10K
Location: Disney’s Wide World of Sports, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Beach and Yacht Club, and EPCOT
Distance: 10K (6.2 miles)
Comments: This is very much a fun race and has grown in popularity over the last several years to the point at which you need to register early to guarantee entry. It celebrates Disney’s Food and Wine Festival and participants are treated to dome foodies from the F&W festival at the finish line.

I highly recommended this race. It used to be held on the Sunday following the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K but unfortunately they are now held on separate weekends.
I believe, but am not certain that all participants must maintain a 15 minute per mile pace.
Look for more information on The Race for the Taste Event Page.

________________________________________________

Date: October 25, 2008
Name: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K

Location: Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Wide World of Sports
Distance: 13K (8.2 miles)
Comments: This race was first held in 2007 and many participants had some issues with this race. Tt was held at around 10 P.M. which is not the best time to run for most folks as it puts a real hold on their day being careful not to use up much energy. Then there were parts of the course that were on uneven ground and muddy.

Finally the party was less than adequate so my guess is that many hard core runners may pass on this race for this year.

If you are into night running however this is the race for you.

The only pace requirement that I know of is that participants need to finish within 2.5 hours but that pacing requirement may change.

As of the day of the posting of this blog entry an event page has not been put up yet for this race.

________________________________________________

Date: January 8-11, 2009
Name: Disney’s Marathon Weekend
Location: The Walt Disney World Resort
Distance: 5K, Half-Marathon (13.1 miles), Full Marathon (26.2 miles)
Comments: If you’ve been reading this blog for the past 9 months you should be familiar with this huge annual event but if not then head over to The Marathon Weekend Event Page.

________________________________________________

Well there you have it…all the Walt Disney World races in a blog nutshell.

There are also events for kids and you can find info on them at Endurance Kids Races Event Info Page.

For updates through the year constantly check The Endurance Event Listing Page.

________________________________________________

Helping Others

Before signing off for today I wanted to make one more comment.

There has been much criticism tossed at Walt Disney World regarding the number of races held every year. Those critics point to the revenue that these races generate.

Let’s not forget that the Disney Company is a business and all businesses look towards both making a profit and achieving customer satisfaction.

Let’s also not lose sight of the fact that in almost all cases these races are involved in raising funds for very worthy causes.

For instance the Disney Marathon Weekend last month raised almost $8 million for charities.

It was those participants in the weekend races who were responsible for helping The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society raise $5.6 million, the AT Children’s Project raise $900,000 to cure a rare childhood disease, and another $1 million was raised for various other charities.

In describing the event and it's current legacy Senior Vice President of Disney Sports Enterprises Ken Potrock stated, “The marathon that started 15 years ago as an outlet for runners to reach their athletic goals, has turned into so much more than an athletic event; it’s a way for runners to rally around organizations that are making a difference to millions,”

He went on to say, “We’re thrilled that through the Walt Disney World Marathon and Half Marathon we’ve created a platform for teams of athletes to help find cures for serious diseases - and momentum is building.”

One group that should be saluted is Team In Training. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program kicked off their 20th Anniversary at the WDW Marathon. “This is a great opportunity for our organizations to raise funds to support our mission,” said Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Senior National Director of Team In Training Donna Grogan. “We’re so thankful to Walt Disney World for providing the venue for athletes to participate in a world-class event while doing something for the greater good of others. This race has allowed us to fundraise over $53.1 million over the past 15 years.”

From time to time when running comes up in conversations I get strange looks as if to say, “Why run? Why sweat? Why risk injury?"

Maybe I should have them talk to two-time marathon runner, Emma Kieran, who started running in 2006 for her grandfather who died from lymphoma.

Emma puts it best when she says, “It’s great to be out there at Disney on race day knowing we’re all doing something for ourselves and to help improve the quality of life for so many patients and families. It’s simply an incredible feeling.”

It certainly is.