Year in Review
Ah yes, here comes the traditional “Year in Review” piece. Let’s tap those memory banks and reflect upon all the highlights for the year 2005
Let’s look back at the highs and lows, the good and the bad, and everything else that we’ll remember best when reflecting about the year 2005.
Magic Your Way Program
In January we were introduced to the new admission media program known as the “Magic Your Way” program. It offered guests the opportunity to customize their admission media to reflect their touring plans for their Walt Disney World vacation.
Options were a plenty, such as number of days, park hopping, and no expiration. These options offered flexibility, but more importantly, they made you think seriously about your park touring habits.
It took a while for guests to figure out how to make the best use of this build-it-yourself admission program, and confusion reigned for a while. The program worked well for those who took the time to really envision their touring habits and admission needs.
It also has proven to help guests avoid paying for something they may never
use. If you normally do not visit more than one park in a day, why pay for
it?
This program best serves the veteran WDW guest who has a history of touring habits that easily dictate what MYW options work best for them. And it looks like it’s here for awhile.
Happiest Passholder on Earth Contest
Early this year, to celebrate the Disneyland’s 50th anniversary and the Happiest Celebration on Earth events, the WDW Annual Passholder program offered a contest to all the AP holders.
One of the Happiest Celebration on Earth banners in WDW. Photo by Mike Scopa.
AP holders were asked to submit in writing why they felt they were one of the Happiest Passholders on Earth.
I was lucky enough to be selected as one of the 50 worldwide winners. My prize was an invitation to attend a special media event at the Disney-MGM Studios in May. At that event, the Studios was transformed into a spy movie set.
An MGM marquee gives guests a warning. Photo by Mike Scopa.
Winners were treated to a special showing of the Lights! Motors! Action! Extreme Stunt Show.
Also included were some concerts, a strange fashion show, access to certain attractions, lots of goodies and treats, and a special fireworks presentation.
Ashanti was in the house. Photo by Mike Scopa.
The park was also populated with streetmosphere both from the park, as well as from Pleasure Island’s Adventurer’s Club. The night was surreal.
Magical Express
In 2005, WDW introduced Magical Express. This program whisks guests back and forth from Orlando International Airport to their respective WDW resort in special transport buses.
A Magical Express transport bus. Photo by Mike Scopa.
The program had some kinks early on but eventually the logistics settled down to the point where guests have found the program to be quite satisfactory. The program helps those guests who do not use rental cars, and provides them with peace of mind going from airport to resort and back. Of course, it also means that WDW gets their guests onto the property as soon as possible.
The sooner guests are brought onto the property, the sooner they start spending their vacation dollars. The convenience for the guests and the obvious revenue boost for the resort make this a win-win situation.
Extra Magic Hours
Extra Magic Hour mornings and evenings have been going full force in 2005. The EMH mornings allow resort guests access to a designated theme park one hour before the general public park opening.
EMH evenings offer resort guests access to attractions to a designated theme park up to three hours after the official closing of the park. Are they worth it? The answer probably lies with each individual who partakes of this program.
I feel that the EMH mornings offer some advantage but guests should understand that the designated park will swell to very high crowd levels by late morning. Remember, I’m one of those Disney geeks who study these things and my estimate is that the crowd level at 11 a.m. on an EMH morning is as much as 25 percent higher than normal than on a non-EMH morning.
I’m still lukewarm over EMH evenings. The crowd level for EMH evenings seems just a bit too high for meƒ especially during the first 90 minutes.
Remember, more people are apt to be out at night than first thing in the morning; hence the EMH evenings are more crowded than EMH mornings.
So thumbs up for EMH mornings, but the jury is still very much out regarding EMH evenings.
Stay, Play, and Dine
Every once in a while there comes along a WDW package that you just cannot turn down. In 2005, the Stay, Play, and Dine package was one that was too good to pass up. When you broke down the program into its components, it almost seemed like dining was free.
In October, I tried the program—or I should say my wife and cousin tried it.
The cost of the package came down to $78 per day per person. This included room, admission, one sit-down meal, one counter-service meal, and one snack. Can you do better than that?
All together now, “No Mike, we can’t!”
After seeing exactly how such a package operates, I will always check out the packages before booking just to make sure I don’t overlook a great deal. I suggest you do the same thing.
100 Columns
Was it possible? Did it really happen? Yes, in June this year the 100th Scoping the Parks column appeared on MousePlanet. How did this happen? Where did the time go? Did I have that much stuff to talk about?
The answers to those questions are pretty simple. It’s through the support of so many people, including family, friends, and my fellow MousePlanet colleagues that I’m still kicking around.
Thanks again to everyone’s support and here’s to the next 100 and hopefully a lot more.
Cinderellabration
Spring 2005 saw Cinderellabration come to WDW’s Magic Kingdom theme park. This show takes place at the castle stage.
Hey, I liked it. I think it serves the guests well, including the little princesses in the audience.
During the show, Cinderella offers some very inspiring words and the sight of the Disney princesses on stage together is special.
The stars of Cinderellabration. Photo by Mike Scopa.
This addition to WDW is truly a big plus for the park.
If you have a little princess in your family, you should do your best to stand near the left side of the viewing area. The princesses “hang out” on that side for most of the show.
Lights! Motors! Action! Stunt Show
LMA opened in the spring. It’s quite a show and I recommend everyone to see it at least once. I’m not sure if it’s going to be an attraction I will look to see every time I go to MGM studios or even every time I go to WDW.
The stunts are quite good and the driving skills required to perform the precise maneuvers for the show are of the highest level.
A fiery point in the LMA show. Photo by Mike Scopa.
If you plan on seeing this show, be sure to get a Fastpass for the early show. This is important especially in the summer months when the afternoons tend to see thunderstorms.
Also, be advised that seeing this show means committing yourself to about a 90-minute window. So make sure you visit those popular attractions as early as possible or make use of Fastpass.
Soarin’
Soarin’ opened in the spring at The Land pavilion in Epcot’s Future World, and has become quite popular. I love it. I have already experienced it 20 times and it’s not enough.
Soarin’ takes you up and offers you the experience of hang gliding. Each time
it feels like my first time. It is a ‘tweener: a gentle thrill ride.
It has become a relaxing experience for me, and you need to put it at the top of your list for your next trip to Epcot.
Even if you are afraid of heights, you need to give this one a try. You can always close your eyes. I can tell you that several family members and friends who have fear of heights have tried the attraction and have loved it. You will, too.
Soarin’ glides into WDW. Photo by Mike Scopa.
This attraction needs to be done early in the morning as Fastpasses run out quickly. A little bird told me that Thanksgiving Day saw the Soarin’ Fastpass distributions run out at 11:15 a.m.
Don’t miss it.
Expedition Everest Hype
Expedition Everest continued to be hyped all year and now it’s just about ready to be unveiled. As a matter of fact, I believe Mark Goldhaber may be trying the attraction sometime in January.
I’ll be looking forward to Mark’s take on the attraction.
Expedition Everest is almost ready. Photo by Mike Scopa.
At a price tag of $100 million, this one should be good and very much needed in Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. Look for this attraction to bring the crowd levels up in this theme park once it becomes operational in early 2006.
Tarzan Rocks! Leaving
We started hearing the news in April. Tarzan Rocks! was on its way out of WDW and moving to Tokyo.
The dates kept on shifting. In April I heard that September was the last
month for the show, then October, November, December… etc.
Now we know it’s closing down sometime in January.
Tarzan’s days are numbered. Photo by Mike Scopa.
In its place, we’ve heard many things. The latest is a Nemo show. Okay, name some songs from “Finding Nemo.” Just as I thought.
Silence.
I guess we need to get used to seeing these stage shows come and go. As with the Hunchback of Notre Dame show in Disney-MGM studios, Tarzan Rocks! will be missed.
AP Best Rate Program
The AP Best Rate Program was met with mixed feelings.
The program has many conditions that did not please a lot of AP holders, and so those same AP holders are a bit disgruntled.
Most of those upset with this program have complained that booking far in advance eliminates those impulsive, last-minute decisions for an impromptu WDW vacation.
Also, the nonrefundable one-night deposit is not welcomed by many. I expect this AP Best Rate program may undergo some tweaking in 2006.
New MP Look
Hey, look at us. New logo. New look. Pretty snazzy, eh?
Change is never easy, and it takes a long time to do the right thing and make a change for the better.
MousePlanet is a bit more streamlined and more capable of serving our readers. When you do a redesign, you want it to be a win-win situation.
From our standpoint we want to make as easy as possible to quickly get our info up for everyone to see. Optimization is always a goal here.
For our readers, we want to provide the easiest access to information and the best possible navigational avenues. Hopefully we have achieved that.
Mousefest
You’ve been hearing about Mousefest from me for three years now. If I haven’t convinced you as to how moving an experience it is then I have failed you big time. Then again, maybe I haven’t as Mousefest is very hard to put into words.
Mousefest 2005 was an incredible experience. It’s hard to describe the feelings realized at Mousefest.
Mouseplanet’s Mark Goldhaber, Brian Bennett, David Koenig, and Mike Scopa at Mousefest 2005. Photo by Lisa K. Berton.
There are so many special meets, so many special people, so much of a festive
atmosphere that, as they say , “… doesn’t get any better than this!”
If I had one trip to go every year it would be Mousefest.
On a Personal Note
In 2005 I was fortunate to have been in WDW during the months of April, May, June, July, October, November, and December.
I was able to see and do a lot of things, meet a lot of people, and reach a perspective on many levels that I hope to share someday. It was a banner year.
So what will I remember most about 2005? Will it be the attractions? The shows? Parades? Fireworks?
No. A thousand times no.
One memory that will linger will be that of running in the Race for the Cure, for the fight against Breast Cancer and running through Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
My medal for completing the Race for the Cure. Photo by Mike Scopa.
I will also remember running the Race for the Taste 10K through Disney-MGM Studios and Epcot.
Sure, I’ll remember those two races.
However, what will always be my fondest memory or memories are the newly established Disney friendships made and the nurturing of existing friendships. That will be most cherished.
These friendships include those who I have chatted with on Disney boards, my very good webmaster and guidebook friends, by valued cast member friends, and my MousePlanet colleagues.
I cannot place a value on their friendship.
I’ve said it many times that Walt Disney all along had family in mind when thinking about his planned amusement park.
Yep… it’s happening. My extended family is made up of my Disney friends.
Onward
So with this we close the books on 2005. Let’s cherish the memories and look ahead to what 2006 brings. There are memories waiting to be made and chills and thrills right around the corner.
Every year brings with it a number of memories to reflect upon and 12 months from now we’ll wax eloquent upon those for 2006.
So let’s make a date… next year… this time… we’ll talk.
One Last Thing
Kim Howe… this one’s for you.
Mike Interviews Kim Howe at Mousefest 2005. Photo by Mike Scopa.
Class dismissed!
