As the rain, rain, rain comes down, down, down in the Northeast, contributing writer Chris Barry answers reader mail about some recent columns.
Lori writes:
Just read your top 5 Disney World moments (February 26, 2009) and I had no idea that there is an opening ceremony at Magic Kingdom every day. I am leaving for Disney World and am thrilled to find this out. Can you please provide me with more details of what goes on, what time you should arrive, best place to see from, etc.?
It’s funny how many people say that. It doesn’t seem to be in the guidebooks. It’s almost a little secret. Find out when the Magic Kingdom opens and get there maybe a half hour early. I’ve gotten there as little as 15 minutes early and still had a great spot and saw the whole show.
The ceremony takes place on the train station platform, right above the Mickey flower garden. Since it’s so high up, almost anywhere in the turnstile area has a good view. I prefer to not go through the turnstiles and watch from the large planter that’s directly across from the Mickey flower garden. My kids like to sit on the planter for a better view, and it’s a dead center view. If you’re not the type to run to attractions at rope drop, then hanging around outside the turnstiles for the ceremony is a nice option. We let the throngs push their way through, and then make our way in.
According to cast members, if you’re there really early, you stand a chance of being picked to be the family that opens the Magic Kingdom with Mickey. There’s no guarantee, of course. I can’t imagine anything cooler for my kids than to ride that train with Mickey and throw pixie dust out to open the Magic Kingdom, but I’m not sure I’d sit around outside for two hours and hope that we get picked.
Hope you enjoy your trip and especially the opening ceremony. Thanks for reading and responding.
Ericka writes:
I’m an avid reader of MousePlanet.com, and I was pleasantly surprised to open your article [Disney Stuff : A Unique Pin From a Unique Trip (February 20, 2009)] and see my pin (our pin!) from the continuous hurricanes that hit Walt Disney World back in August – September 2004. I had arrived for my Walt Disney World College Program in time to catch all three. My friends and I were from the West Coast and had no clue what we were in for when we signed up for Hurricane Help. Seeing the magic of keeping things tied down, items secured, and valuable pieces carefully put away at Magic Kingdom during the first hurricane was an eye opener. This newbie Cast Member remembers being overwhelmed. How bad could a hurricane be?
The second hurricane was the same ordeal, except this time it was securing Animal Kingdom. The animals were the priority, but around the park, we ended up being bunkered down and were caught inside Dinosaur. All I wanted was to run across the way to (at the time) Restaurantosaurus. Dinosaurs scare the bejeebers out of me and I was not in my happy place as the rain came down. Trees were bent at impossible angles and I recall one of the cast members who had been securing trees staring at his last rushed knots out the far window, mumbling, “Please hold, please hold, please hold.”
The third hurricane, Ivan, was at the Grand Floridian for me. This time it was entertaining the guests and making sure the children were distracted enough to not pay attention to the windows banging. I believe that was the most enjoyable experience for me. Giant games of Red Light, Green Light, not to mention a free stay in the resort itself was such a fulfilling, fun experience.
The pin was a pleasant surprise for us, along with our in-park newsletters full of gratitude from Lee and the rest of the directors. I loved it immediately and some of us at Thunder Mountain wore it that day, proudly. My pin is now secured in my case, on a page full of “Cast Member Only,” before the Hidden Mickey began appearing on them.
Thank you for a great trip down memory lane; your article certainly made my day.
It sounds like you were certainly one of those courageous and wonderful Cast Members that made my family and I feel so secure during Charlie. The magic was never interrupted and we owed that all to you guys. I’m glad the pin reminds you of your experience, just like it reminds me of ours. It’s great that a simple little Disney pin can bring back so many memories to so many people.
Cathy writes:
I’ve enjoyed reading your “Disney Stuff” articles. I was so moved after reading your recent Jim Henson autograph article [Disney Stuff – A Piece of Special Stuff on my Wall (June 12, 2009)]. What a treasure you have! Thank you for sharing that story behind the autograph. My sister and I have enjoyed the Muppets since we were children. We are looking forward to a “field trip” we will be taking to see a traveling exhibit of the Muppets at the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum here in Seattle, Washington. I look forward to sharing your story with her.
Thanks for the kind words. Jim was a unique individual, one of those people that really changed the world through his art and his talent. The photo and the story are indeed a treasure. Thanks for reading and let me know how your visit to the museum goes.
Joey H. writes:
I enjoy so much reading your articles on this stuff we can’t live without: Disney stuff. I too have a quite extensive collection. I agree with you; I don’t collect for monetary value. It is about marking milestones, reliving memories, and just keeping in touch with that kid in me.
Probably my most prized possession is something my wife gave me two years ago for Christmas. It is a framed sericel of Mickey and Minnie. Minnie is kissing Mickey’s face all over and he has the lipstick to prove it. This reminds me of my wife and I. The cel was reproduced from art used in “Mickey’s Surprise Party” I believe. It was basically a Nabisco commercial in the form of a cartoon short.
I have this really awesome piece of Disney art, but the thing that means a lot to me about the piece is it is signed by Marc Davis. He is one of my all-time favorite Disney artists and Imagineers. How did she find it? I don’t know. But that she cared enough about my Disney-itis to present this to me makes it priceless. If there is a fire at my house, this is going to be one of the first things I grab. Thanks for listening. Keep up the great work.
What a fantastic story. That surely is a treasure. Mark Davis is one of my favorite Disney artists and to have something connected to him, that doubles as something so personal for you and your wife is a real find. Enjoy it always.
In our next letter, MousePlanet CEO and staff writer Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix answers a reader question about West Coast Disney Cruises.
Betty I. writes:
Our family is very interested in taking the Disneyland cruise from California to Mexico or anywhere along the West Coast. When do you foresee another cruise like described above?
Disney usually announces their seasonal plans about 18 months in advance. We already know that the Summer 2010 cruises will be to/in Europe, so the earliest Disney would return to the West coast would likely be the spring/summer of 2011. We had expected Disney to offer West coast & Alaskan itineraries in the summer of 2011, as that is the year the first of the two new Disney ships begins sailing the Caribbean itineraries, but Disney’s surprise announcement that they had waived their Glacier Bay slot has cast doubt on the future of West coast cruises.
If you have your heart set on a Disney cruise before 2011 I would encourage you to contact a travel agent with Disney cruise experience and see what special offers might make sense for your family. I see you’re writing to me from Hawaii, which certainly adds another complication of travel to your trip, but there are some great specials right now – including “kids sail free” – that might make it worth the trip to Florida for a Caribbean cruise.
Hope this helps, and please feel free to stop by our MousePad discussion boards to chat with other MousePlanet readers who may have some suggestions for your trip.
Finally, staff writer Mark Goldhaber sets the record straight on Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party dates listed in the Walt Disney World Park Update (June 8, 2009).
Tricia L. writes:
I just noticed in your Walt Disney World update upcoming events section Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is listed as taking place on November 1. When I tried to book this day they told me they dropped days and November 1 is one of those days. Do you know if they changed their minds again on this and are now going to include this day in with the parties or has the MousePlanet site just not been updated yet?
I just spoke with Walt Disney World Reservations, and they told me that they are indeed selling tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party for November 1. There are no discounted tickets being sold for that date, but tickets are indeed available. I’m not sure why you were told otherwise. Please call them back and give it another try.
