The MousePlanet Mailbag is a regular compilation of some of our reader feedback and writer responses that may be of interest to our readers. We encourage you to drop your questions, opinions, or comments to us in care of our mailbag.
With the beginning of August, the end of summer starts to loom large in the minds of many. Have you been to any of the Disney parks this summer? What was your experience like? Share your highs and lows with MousePlanet, and they might appear in a future mailbag! Email your letters to mailbag@mouseplanet.com.
Walt Disney World Update author and podcaster Mark Goldhaber answers the first set of letters this week. Topics covered include preschool dining, the awful MGM hat, watches and broken arms.
Jim writes:
My wife and I are planning a trip in the near future to Disney World with our 3-year-old and 1-year-old. It will be before the official “preschool” Disney program they advertise for the fall, and I had a couple of questions I was hoping you might be able to answer.
Last year, around when the preschool Disney program was created, it was announced that the new character meals at the Hollywood and Vine restaurant in the Disney-MGM Studios would be called “Play ‘n’ Dine” and themed to Playhouse Disney (featuring characters from Jo Jo’s Circus and The Little Einsteins). Is that a permanent feature, meaning is this new character meal going on year round?
Second, my 3-year-old is a huge fan of the movie Cars. I had read somewhere that Lightning and Mater could be found at MGM—is that still true?
Thanks for the help, I visit every day to get my Disney fix.
Play ‘n’ Dine at Hollywood and Vine is still taking place for breakfast and lunch each day. Since you’re within 180 days of your trip, you can make your dining reservations now.
At this time, Lightning McQueen and Mater are still making appearances six times per day near Sounds Dangerous. Check the park guide for the times that they’ll be appearing during your visit.
Melanie G. writes:
Is there any plan to get rid of the silly hat in front of the Chinese theater at MGM Studios? I remember when it was added and wondered why they had to put it where they did—and to be also disappointed that it was mostly another store. They ruined the centerpiece of the park (the theater) and to this day when we go to that park I refuse to more than give it an irritated glance!
Unfortunately, the Sorcerer’s Hat is there for a good while longer. The intent in putting it up was to create a park icon in the middle of the park, rather than the Earffel Tower (the former icon), which was located far off to the side of the park and wasn’t even visible from within the park unless you were on the backstage tram tour. The problem that I have with the hat is that it blocks the great view of the Chinese Theater, taking you out of your sense of place at the Studios. I’d love to see it relocated to either the Animation Courtyard or outside the park’s entrance.
The investment in the hat was sufficient to make it difficult for them to remove it before it is fully depreciated. Of course, with the changes at Imagineering, nothing is impossible, but I wouldn’t expect any changes before at least it has been there for 10 years, which would be 2011.
Brioni S. writes:
My daughter is 11 and decided to break her arm last Thursday night but we are flying out to Orlando on Friday. I’ve managed to buy swim covers for her cast but is she going to be able to ride the rides? Her cast is just above the elbow.
I’m sorry to hear about your daughter’s arm. I am sure that she will be fine on most rides at Walt Disney World. However, for the more intense rides (roller coasters, motion simulators, etc.), that will be a decision that you should make in conjunction with your daughter’s physician. I am not a doctor and cannot predict what sort of stresses might cause further injury. You really should consult with the doctor to be sure.
Good luck, and enjoy your holiday!
Selene writes:
Do you happen to have a phone number for Magic Time in Disney World? I would live to have a pocket watch custom made from them, but have no idea how to go about contacting them.
I don’t have the phone number for Magic Time, but you might want to try calling Walt Disney World Mail Order at 407-363-6200. If they can’t take care of your request, they should be able to get you in touch with the store.
Cast Place Editor Shoshana Lewin responds to readers of some recent Cast Place columns. Crissy S. writes:
I want to thank you for your most recent article on cast member stories. As my husband and I are still waiting to have children, we often feel that the magic has passed us by for those who already have bundles of joy. However, it was delightful to read your article and see so many adults who had experienced the magic without little ones in tow. You reminded me that maybe I was going too fast for the magic to catch me. If I slow down and smell the roses, I might just catch a whiff of pixie dist.
You are very welcome! Many adults enjoy the parks without children, yours truly included, and have wonderful experiences. Keep in mind: Disneyland and Walt Disney World are for the young and the young-at-heart. I hope you find the pixie dust you seek next time you visit (whether you are smelling the roses, the popcorn, or the vanilla wafting out from the candy store).
Audress J. writes:
I just read your latest installment of Cast Place. This is one of my favorite columns on MousePlanet and I had been missing it!
I have an idea for a future column, inspired by your good advice to be courteous and polite to cast members. I don’t know if it would be a “Cast Place” column, strictly speaking, but it would be very helpful to a lot of Disney fans. This would be a column on what sorts of things cast members would like guests to know before they come to WDW. As an example, one bit of information I read recently that I’d never have guessed: cast members may not help guests into or out of their ECVs when getting on rides. I was glad to find this out, as my mom is going to be in an ECV for our December trip.
I’d really love to know if there are other bits of information on what cast members can and cannot do, or any other tips that I, as a polite, well-meaning guest, would find useful. Perhaps this would make a good column?
I love MousePlanet—thanks for all your hard work!
That is a great tip and would make a good column. The rules are ever-evolving, but I don’t see why we couldn’t put some of the more longstanding ones together. Thanks for the kudos and keep reading—we’ll have a new Cast Place column later this month.
Finally, staff writer Lisa Perkis answers reader mail about her DVD review of High School Musical: The Concert, as well as her photo tour of Disneyland’s summer landscaping. Brandon C. writes:
I enjoyed reading your review of High School Musical: The Concert!
I just wanted to add a few items about Jordan Pruitt. In my opinion, she is the best singer out of all of them on the tour save for Drew Seeley. Just listen to her CD No Ordinary Girl and you’ll understand. Not only does she sound well, she does most of her own backing vocals and she vocally arranged most of her songs as well, which is not something that can be said for the others that have albums.
I think its great they gave her her due on the DVD. I hope she is the next best thing!
Thanks for the feedback about Jordan Pruitt. I guess I haven’t seen enough of her besides this DVD to judge her talent or potential. I’ll keep an eye out for her in upcoming Disney projects.
Greg writes:
On a recent visit to Disneyland I saw a groundcover used in lots of border and can’t identify it. It is also used on the Storybook Land ride as a substitute for grass in the displays. I believe the plant I’m looking for is shown in a photo on your web article dated July 3, 2007, Disney-Landscaping: Summer Edition. The fourth photo captioned, “Cool shades of petunias fill the beds around the hub,” shows the ground cover as a border around the petunias. Can you identify this plant?
I zoomed in on the picture you referenced, but couldn’t see the plants in enough detail to identify them—it almost looks like some sort of clover. I was concentrating more on the petunias than the border around it when I was taking the picture. Perhaps an MP reader can help us with a name or a picture of the plants. The next time I head to the park I’ll take a look as well.
[Editor’s Note: It is dichondra (link), which is also used in other border locations throughout the park.]
