Sunday, June 17th, 2007 Issue #12 Subscribership: 260
The Happiest News on Earth
http://www.freewebs.com/mousehousenews
Established March 2007
From the Editor
Are you all set for another issue of Mouse House News? Because here it is in all its glory.
We have a special
announcement to make. We are giving out wonderful prize packs for Walt
Disney World. What do you have to do to win? You'll have to keep
reading to find out how to enter our Week of Five Dreams Contest ! (Hint: Scroll down past this week's Mouse Mail.)
Before we let you delve into issue 12, we
want to say a huge word of thanks to our Lead Writer Tom Corless who
has taken on the second job of Layout Editor. Welcome to the editorial
staff, Tom, and happy reading to the rest of you!
Ali Sampson
Editor-in-Chief
Mouse Mail
Dear MHN:
How do you add a photo? I have the most breath-taking picture of the castle that I thought you may like to add to your website?
Lauren Kirby
We also love receiving photos from our
readers! If you have any Disney photos that you would like to share,
simply e-mail them to us at
mousehousenews@gmail.com . The photos that appear on our website come from those used in our issues of the newsletter.
Dear MHN:
[In response to Theme Park Notes,
Issue #11] One way WDW can compete with Universal's acquisition of
Potter is to...resurrect the old submarine ride...as a Nemo-based
submarine ride...[T]he Disneyland submarine ride seems to be a success. Which park it would best fit into is an open question.
Harry Kaufman
We turned to Staff Reporter Adam Dworkin for
his thoughts on Harry's idea. He said, "I am really not sure that more
Nemo is the way to go. Disney can best combat Universal's Potter
experience with rapid attention to their own movie-based park, Disney-
MGM Studios. While people aren't keen on Pixar-ifying the parks, it
will connect with the youth of today just as the rides of Fantasyland
connected to me when I was younger."
[In response to last issue's Front Page] I am not a Star Wars lover but an outdated movie? I think [Tom Corless] is mistaken.
Janis Sampson
We
gave Tom Corless a chance to respond. He said, "When I said it was
outdated, I meant the quality of the film and the special effects. Star
Tours is one of my favorite attractions but there came a time when even
classics like Horizons had to make way for new attractions. I don't
want Star Tours removed, just upgraded."
Mouse House News
invites comment on all aspects of our newsletter and Walt Disney
World. Do you have something to say about one of the news items
discussed in this issue or about Walt Disney World in general? Do you
have any suggestions or feedback for MHN? E-mail us at mousehousenews@gmail.com with MOUSE MAIL in the subject line or contact us on our website:
http://www.freewebs.com/mousehousenews.
Your letter might appear in one of our issues thus making you famous.
Your letter must include your full name and will be edited for space
and clarity.
Week of Five Dreams Contest
Well, Disney may have it's Year of a Million Dreams celebration but they ain't got nothing on us. This week, Mouse House News
is holding its Week of Five Dreams contest, offering five cool
prize packs* for simply getting your friends to subscribe to this very
newsletter.
Prizes:
-
Prize Pack One: 15% Off at House of Blues and 10-20% Off at Hilton Head Island
-
Prize Pack Two: 15% Off the Behind the Seeds Tour at Epcot and $50 Disney Gift Card with Disney Visa
-
Prize Pack Three: 10-20% Off at Disney's Vero Beach and 15% Off Dolphins in Depth at Epcot
-
Prize Pack Four: 15% Off Behind the Scenes Tours at Animal Kingdom and 10% Off at Fantasia Gardens or Winter Summerland Mini Golf
-
Prize Pack Five: 15% Off Epcot Dive Quest and 10% Off at All-Star Cafe
How to Enter: All you have to do is get people to subscribe to the newsletter. They can either e-mail us at
mousehousenews@gmail.com or subscribe through our website at
http://www.freewebs.com/mousehousenews .
The key is for them to tell us that you referred them. Your name will
be entered into the draw once for each person that you refer. So, the
more people you send our way, the better your chances to win some cool
prizes. And it doesn't matter if they choose to unsubscribe in the
future (which, of course, they won't), just get them to Mouse House News pronto!
Deadline:
The contest ends on Monday, June 25th, 2007 with a good old fashioned
draw taking place afterwards to determine the winners. Winners will be
notified during the week and will be announced in Issue #14 of MHN.
*All prizes expire in December, 2007. Winners will not get to choose specific prizes. This will be determined randomly.
Front Page
World's Finest: Animal Kingdom
Lead
Writer Tom Corless continues his ever-controversial series on the best
and worst of Walt Disney World. In the fourth installment of five, he
takes us on a journey through the lush Animal Kingdom
For
most, it's a half-day. For others, it's a waste of time. For me, it's
the most highly themed and well executed park in all of Walt Disney
World. Animal Kingdom is the land of plenty when it comes to theme but
falls short when it comes to attractions and dining. While small in
quantity, the quality rivals that of any other park.
Thrill Attraction
Best: Expedition Everest
The
newest mountain on Disney's range is a crowd-pleaser. What would be the
headlining roller coaster in any park around the world is combined with
fantastic settings to provide one of the best experiences in all of
WDW.
Attraction for Kids
Best: Kilimanjaro Safari
Kids love animals! A must-see for every first time visitor, no matter what age!
Worst: Rafiki's Planet Watch
An
unnecessarily long train ride to a place that kids and adults alike
find boring. This area of the park would benefit greatly by changing
to, dare I say, Beastly Kingdom
.
Attraction
Best: Expedition Everest
The best offering at Animal Kingdom, this tallest point of the park was well worth the near three years of waiting.
Worst: The Oasis
I
know what you're saying - it's not an attraction. Well, not according
to every Disney map of Animal Kingdom. The few animals that live in
this area are hard to come by and are often not worth the time looking
for. You're best bet is to keep on walking until you see the Tree of
Life.
Entertainment
Best: Finding Nemo the Musical
I
was the biggest fan ever of Tarzan Rocks, probably seeing the show a
hundred times. When it closed, I was devastated. When Finding Nemo the
Musical opened, the pain went away. It is a Broadway caliber
performance deep in the heart of Florida. The show has lines that wrap around the park and for good reason. This is probably the best show in all of WDW.
Worst: Festival of the Lion King
While it's not horrible, after seeing The Lion King on Broadway, this show seems a little corny. If you're wondering why
Beastly Kingdom has not been built yet, it's because of this shows popularity that should have never been.
Table Service Restaurant
Best: Rainforest Café
It
doesn't hurt that it is the only one, but with spectacular breakfast
and the cuisine you've come to expect, it's a respectful position. I
expect this to change with the opening of The Yak and Yeti restaurant
inside the gates.
Counter Service Dining
Best: Pizzafari
It
has excellent fast dining and always offers more than enough seating,
which is a welcome difference between this and every other counter
service restaurant during the peak holiday seasons. There are no worst
restaurants, because the other choices are pretty good also.
Shopping
Best: Island
Mercantile
This
is a wonderful shop with great selections and the best pin cart on WDW
property. If you can't find a pin you're looking for here, you won't
find it. The store also has a great deal of detail and great park
specific merchandise.
Worst: The Rest
The
other stores around the park have a strange mixture of merchandise with
the exception of the Everest shop. Most shops at AK are only good for
air conditioning in the summer time.
Well, that wraps it up for now. Keep your eye on future issues for the final part of the series, "The Best of the Rest".
Theme Park Notes
Staff reporter Adam Dworkin brings us the latest news from the theme parks.
MGM Musings
Rumors have been swirling about a possible rename of the entire Studios to Disney-Pixar and dropping the classic
MGM tag. One possible reason for this is that the partnership agreement between MGM
and Disney expressly forbids the name being used outside the United States in their marketing. At least part of this is true as paperwork filed with
Orange County
is reflecting a change in the name of the area surrounding Toy Story Mania. A sign will be installed reading "Disney- MGM
Studios – Pixar Studios Facility Package". We will be keeping an eye on
this one to see if the whole park eventually falls under the Pixar
umbrella.
The
famous Anthony Daniels, Star Wars' C-3PO, recently admitted to
completing a new digital soundtrack for a possible upgrade to our
beloved Star Tours. The ride simulator and the film are both in need of
a large upgrade from its 80s version. An upgrade to the film and the
soundtrack would be wonderful, but enhancements could certainly be made
to the ride cabin and the sophistication of the simulator. In-ride
enhancements like those in Soarin' could give the new Star Tours just
the punch new fans are looking for.
Segway to the Road Less Traveled
A report has told us that Disney
may be putting the finishing touches on an off-road tour based on the
popular Segway tour at Epcot.
Fort Wilderness
is to host this dirt road experience. Disney has not told us whether
they will be equipping each Segway with large dirt bike or monster
truck wheels for this one, but it sounds like it could be a blast!
We'll keep you in the loop as more info becomes available.
All In A Days Work
In January, Disney
Parks and CareerBuilder.com began a dream job search to fill the honorary roles of Jungle Cruise skipper, pirate,
Haunted Mansion
butler or maid, princess-in-waiting, and parade performer. After one
million votes were tallied, twenty-five winners were announced. On
Monday at the Disneyland Resort, these lucky individuals went to work
for the Mouse. Videos of these dream jobs can be seen at: http://www.careerbuilder.com/disneydreamjobs. This contest was all part of Disney's "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration.
Mouse House Eats
Staff Reporter Mandy Reineke makes our mouths water with the latest news from Disney dining.
Iron Chef Mickey is the Winner!
As
a general rule character meals are not as good as regular meals at
Disney. My thought is that you either pay for the food or for the
experience. Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort is one of the few
exceptions.
Chef
Mickey's provides a great chance to see Chip, Dale, Mickey, Donald,
Goofy and on lucky nights Minnie. My daughter calls it Iron Chef
Mickey's (She loves Food Network!) due to the fact that the characters
are in cool chefs gear. Several times during the meal the characters
dance and encourage the kids and adults alike to twirl their napkins
and dance along.
The
food at Chef Mickey's is very good. It has always been hot, fresh and
plentiful. There is a big selection of hot and cold foods, as well as a
great salad bar. The adults' menu has pasta, carved meats, and really
good seafood salad. The kids' menu has something for everyone including
pizza, pasta and chicken. The dessert bar is loaded with build your own
sundae items, as well as cookies and tarts.
Service here has always been good, and the dining room is filled with energy and fun. Overall, a fun and tasty experience!
Let Them Eat Cake!
Are
you celebrating a special event when visiting WDW? If so you can now
call and special order a personalized cake delivered to almost any
table service reservation. Simply call 407-827-2253
. Please note that orders do require 48 hours notice.
Non-personalized cakes can also be ordered at the podium of most
restaurants without notice.
Hoop Dee Doo Reviewed
Disney's Hoop Dee Doo Revue, a famous dinner show held at the Fort
Wilderness resort, will not be offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from
Sept 4th 2007 until Oct 24th 2007. No word yet on the reason for the schedule change.
Resort Clips
Save the Environment - Go to Disney World!
Disney's
Coronado Springs Resort has recently been certified as providing an
environmentally friendly lodging experience. While some guests have
complained about the low water pressure in the resort's showers, water
conservation is indeed part of Disney's plan. Water isn't the only
thing that Disney is saving, though. Energy efficiency, waste
reduction, clean air practices, and communication are all being used
to show respect to the environment. Bravo!
Treasure!
The
Radisson Treasure Hunt is now open over at WDWMagic. This contest
involves locating Radisson logos throughout the website and submitting
their whereabouts for a chance to win a 2 night/3 day stay at the
Radisson Resort Orlando Celebration, a hotel that is in close proximity
to all the action at Walt Disney World. For complete contest details,
visit: http://games.wdwmagic.com/radisson
.
Maps!
Speaking of other websites that aren't us that have cool things, The DIS
now has all the WDW resort maps available in PDF format updated to include the designated smoking areas. You can check it out
here: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps
.
Mousellaneous News
Adversity Downtown
Staff Reporter Adam Dworkin brings us bad news from Downtown Disney.
More
rumblings come from the Disney community about some safety breaches.
June 10th saw two tourists abducted and robbed at gunpoint after
leaving Downtown Disney. The three suspects made the couple take money
out of an ATM and then drove them to a location near the Osceola County
landfill. The couple fought back, caused the gun to go off, and the
suspects to flee. Some minor bumps and bruises were the only physical
injuries that were sustained, but it does put a face to some growing
concerns about safety at DTD after dark. Many are now calling for more
security and police presence, but it remains to be seen if it is
necessary and if Disney will take any action.
Dinner is Served
Editorial Staff
Ali Sampson - Editor-in-Chief
Bruce Smith - Assistant Editor
Tom Corless - Layout Editor
Stephen Champion - Webmaster
Reporting Staff
Tom Corless - Lead Writer for Front Page
Adam Dworkin - Staff Reporter for Theme Park Notes
Mandy Reineke - Staff Reporter for Mouse House Eats
Caleb Hayworth - Staff Reporter for The Mouse Vault
Contributing Writers
Adam Dworkin - Mousellaneous News
Jenny Drake - Mouse Memories
Contributing Photographers
Moacir de Sa Pereira
- From the Editor
Caleb Hayworth - Front Page
Peter Zimmer - Theme Park Notes
Shari Jung - Mo
use House Eats
Ilene Radish - Resort Clips
Dan Brace - Mousellaneous News
Becky Pitzer - Mouse Memories
Bob Hakesley - Final Word
