Staff writer Alex Stroup answers some reader mail:
Reader Andrew writes in to comment on the Disneyland Park Update from January 17 (link):
The beginning of this weeks update was really lame and stupid. “warning, going to that old, old Park Update will cause flashbacks of the X-Games at DCA.” How stupid was that remark? It’s bad enough that MiceAge.com has to make it known that they hate California Adventure, now your site does too?
I don’t hate DCA, I actually like it a fair bit. But I did hate the X-Games at DCA. I’m guessing you didn’t like the princesses peeing thing either.
Suzan asks about the overlap of the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean refurbishment schedules:
Our family is planning a trip to DL to celebrate the 50th. Our trip is scheduled in March of this year. Could you tell me why, this being a monumental year in the history of the park that some bozo at the top makes decisions to close Pirates and the Blue Bayou for refurbishment during the 50th celebration. And also why does it take 2 months to close down the haunted mansion just to clear out Nightmare decorations? So that now we know that we can’t ride either Pirates or HM.
Does Disney have anyone at the helm that thinks that maybe during the 50th anniversary of DL that all attractions should be in tip-top shape and fully operational. For those who would plan to visit (from across the country) to help celebrate; it would be nice if all of the rides were available for our enjoyment.
You’re correct that both Pirates and Mansion are scheduled to be closed for an overlapping period (three days or so).
It would be best if Disneyland management held Pirates until Haunted Mansion was open but I don’t know why they haven’t scheduled it this way. Hopefully they’ll be able to open Haunted Mansion a few days early.
While Disney has done its best to keep every attraction open so far during the 50th Anniversary celebration, it just isn’t possible for Disneyland to go the entire 18 months without taking any major attractions offline. All the attractions have regular maintenance that needs to be done and periodically this requires longer closures for more extensive attention. This is particularly true of Pirates of the Caribbean, where the presence of so much water tends to take a toll even faster.
Now, Disney could have chosen to keep these necessary closures to the barest minimum. This may be what they’ve done with Haunted Mansion. Though it is a lengthy closure there has been no indication that any major changes are planned that would add to the refurbishment time. With Pirates of the Caribbean such a lengthy closure is certainly not necessary but they have decided to make show changes that require more time. It is a case of starving Peter to feed Paul in that guests in the spring will be unhappy about the closure while guests in the summer (they hope) will be ecstatic about the newly updated ride just at a time when it is the center of press attention with the opening of the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.
So while I’m sure that many in management at Disney would have preferred to leave well enough alone during the 50th, certain alignments of the calendar couldn’t be ignored.
I hope you’ll still have a great vacation though, despite your understandable annoyance.
Rob Hall responds to Alex’s review of the Disney film The Chronicles of Narnia (link):
Christian Mythology?
I feel a deep sadness in my heart. The only mythology that I am aware of is “humanism.” There must be a great hole somewhere inside and I will pray for you to fill it with the same faith that a former “atheist” named C.S. Lewis found through the Christian witness of his good friend J.R.R. Tolkien.
May I suggest another C.S. Lewis book for you to read “The Screwtape Letters.” Please read it before it is too late.
My personal religious views aren’t particularly secret, but they’re also completely irrelevant to the sentence in question.
“Some feel that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is parable for exposing children to some of the fundamental ideas of Christian faith, while others simply see it as using elements of Christian mythology (as well as other mythologies) to tell a cute story that expresses universal themes.”
I am simply stating the views of different groups of people and I don’t think it is deniable that there is a group of people who feel exactly what I said. I did not (and intentionally did not) state a preference for one view over the other. There are many people who feel that while Lewis drew on Christian themes these are not essentially Christian stories.
My point was simply that to the extent such ambiguity of purpose exists in the source material it has been transferred to the screen without tampering.
Thank you for the recommendation but I have already read The Screwtape Letters (as well as most of Lewis’s other writings on religion). Your prayer is most unnecessary, as even if I do need my heart filled with the same faith, I’m not particularly interested joining the Church of England.
Greg Phillips writes in regarding a suspicious email he received:
I was contacted by the following company…
DISNEYS WORLD LOTTERY, UK
3b Houghton Way, St James Centre,
Leicester City, L30 1RDThey stated I had won a big lottery then requested I send their courier service $900.00 to get it hand delivered.
Can they offer this, are they real or a fraud?
It’s generally safe to say that anytime someone tells you that you’ve won a prize but first you have to spend money that it is a scam. Here is a Web page that provides more information on this particular e-mail scam.
I should explicitly mention that it is not Disney doing the fraud but rather unknown people using Disney’s name.
Kim writes in about the 50th Anniversary logos hidden throughout the park:
We visited Disneyland park the 1st through the 6th of December for the third time this year. To spark things up a bit, my sister and her husband and my husband and I engaged in a contest to find all 50 of the Mickey logos through out the park. I had 49 photos on our last day, my sister had 47. We went to City Hall to see what we were missing, and I was very disappointed in the information that was handed out.
There are 13 lamp posts on Main Street that are supposed to be adorned with the Mickey Logos, only 12 had them. The one in front of the Photo Supply store is lacking it’s logo. Additionally, the Stagecoach is not longer adorned with a logo, however, the Dumbo ride is (but is not identified on the map provided by the park.) The Haunted Mansion no longer had the spider web and we were told by cast members that the Christmas Tree held that logo, however, the spider web never had a golden Logo as is placed upon the Tree on Main Street.
We were very disappointed that the park did not maintain accurate records of the location of these Logos. We were having quite the competition.
Just thought you might like to know about the changes, in case anyone asks.
It would be ideal if Disneyland had a current list of the 50th logos, but considering that that at least one of the changes is expected to only be temporary they may have thought it too much trouble. The map they give out at City Hall still shows a duplicate #11 in the middle of Tomorrowland’s backstage area and has done so since the promotion began.
I had not heard that the lamp on Main Street was missing a logo, so it may have been a momentary absence. However, the two others you noticed missing were removed during for the holiday period. The 50th logo (and the giant spider web did count, even if it didn’t look like the rest) was replaced by the new logo on Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The stagecoach outside of Big Thunder Ranch in Frontierland was removed when the Santa’s Reindeer Round-Up overlay was installed and it was officially replaced by the logo on top of the Main Street Christmas tree.
[Now that the holidays are over the new status quo appears to have settled in. Dumbo will keep its 50th logo and the spider web logo on Haunted Mansion has returned. The stagecoach outside of Big Thunder Ranch is not returning and has been replaced by a logo-less Conestoga-type wagon.]
I don’t know if you saw it, but we have a viewing guide for the 50 logos (as they were when first introduced) that can be seen here
MousePlanet columnist Mike Scopa answers some Walt Disney World-related reader mail:
Lorri writes:
Can you tell me if the Power Rangers are somewhere in the Disney World theme park? I am taking my 3 yr old son who HAS to see them while we are in Florida. I am having a devilish time trying to find any info out about this but did hear that they are there.
You certainly can find the Power Rangers. You will find them at the Disney-MGM Studios theme park. They appear at the far end of Big City Streets, which was formerly known as the NY Street section of the theme park.
When you enter the park, go to Guest Relations on the left-hand side and ask for character meet times; be specific and ask about the Power Rangers. I’m sure you will have no problem finding them.
Denise Walker asks:
Will Cinderellabration continue through April 2006? I was there May 5 for the first performances, which were both cancelled due to “rain.” I was so disappointed. I want to take my daughter again next year. I will at least try to get her in for the princess breakfast. I so want to see the Cinderellabration for myself…it’s just the kid in me.
The answer is yes, you will be able to witness Cinderellabration in Spring 2006.
It is my understanding that Cinderellabration will remain at least through the 18-month Happiest Celebration on Earth period. To me that means through the entire 2006 calendar year.
Brian Brennan comments on Mike’s article about Walt Disney World’s Extra Magic Hour program (link):
Thanks for your thoughts on the Extra Magic Hours (EMH) program. Our family went at the end of June and attempted to take advantage of these perks. Some of my thoughts…
1. When Magic Kingdom was open until 11 pm, we enjoyed more attractions then, than at the 11-2 am EMH. We rode Big Thunder Mountain back to back at 10:55 and then caught the 11 pm Spectromagic. All summer park hours were best.
2. Epcot had impossible lines at the EMH. I did however enjoy walking around Future World in the dark.
3. Magic Kingdom had lots of characters out as a treat.
4. You can “cheat” a bit by booking a breakfast early on non-EMH mornings
5. EMH at the water parks could be very appealing during the heat.
6. I personally would prefer paying the $12 and having a cap on attendance.
I am way behind in answering mail but wanted to thank you for your note and tell you that I agree on everything you said. Paying a little extra for a lot of convenience would work for me too.
My first experience with EMH evening hours at Epcot also seemed like a
waste.
