Character Hunting Spree! - Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom -- Part II

Entertainment, Parades, & Fireworks

[ ] Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade - Duration: 15 min. - Location: Circles Discovery Island

* The parade portrays Mickey Mouse and Rafiki taking other characters on a camping trip. Towering mechanical animal puppets, whimsical stilt-walkers, colorful Jeeps and Land Rovers, dozens of dancers and infections music combine to celebrate the harmony between man and animals in those lively procession, which winds along shady pathways that are often just 12 feet wide.

Character Meet & Greet

+ Baloo, King Louie - on trail off Asia-Africa walkway

+ Chip 'n Dale - Character greeting trails, Camp Minnie-Mickey

+ Donald Duck, Daisy Duck - Character greeting trails, Camp Minnie-Mickey; Also at Donald's Safari Breakfast, Tusker House, Africa

+ Flik - river overlook off Asia-Africa walkway

+ Goofy - Character greeting trails, Camp Minnie-Mickey; Dinoland U.S.A.; Also at Donald's Safari Breakfast, Tusker House, Africa

+ Jiminy Cricket - Conservation Station, Rafiki's Planet Watch

+ Koda, Kenai - Character greeting trails, Camp Minnie-Mickey

+ Lilo, Stitch - outside Island Mercantile shop, Discovery Island

+ Mickey Mouse - Character greeting trails, Camp Minnie-Mickey; Also at Donald's Safari Breakfast, Tusker House, Africa

+ Minnie Mouse - Character greeting trails, Camp Minnie-Mickey

+ Pluto - Dinoland U.S.A.

+ Pocahontas - Conservation Station, Rafiki's Planet Watch; Character greeting trails, Camp Minnie-Mickey

+ Rafiki - Conservation Station, Rafiki's Planet Watch

+ Terk - across from Pizzafari, Discovery Island

+ Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, Tigger - boat landing across from Flame Tree BBQ, Discovery Island

Street Performers

Musicians

+ Gi-Tar Dan - Duration: 20 min. - Location: courtyard, Camp Minnie-Mickey

+ Mor Thiam - Duration: 20 min. - Location: various in Africa; 5 days a week

+ Tam Tams of Congo - Duration: 20 min. - Location: in front of Tusker House, Africa

+ Tropicals - Duration: 20 min. - Location: various in Dinoland U.S.A.

+ Village Beatniks - Duration: 20 min. - Location: in front of Flame Tree BBQ, Discovery Island

Acrobats

+ Smear, Splat, & Dip - Duration: 20 min. - Location: Dinoland U.S.A.

Performance Artists

+ DiVine - Duration: 20 min. - Location: walkway between Africa and Asia

+ Pipa the Talking Recycling Bin - Duration: 20 min. - Location: Conservation Station, Rafiki's Planet Watch

Cultural Representatives

+ Asian Cultural Representatives - Location: pavilion next to Yak & Yeti, Asia

+ Harambe School - Duration: 20 min. - Location: Harambe Village, Africa

Have a Magical Day!

(c) The Complete Walt Disney World 2010

(c) Photos Flickr photographers

Animal Kingdom -- Part I

A lot of people don't like Disney's Animal Kingdom. I don't know why. I rather enjoy it, although it does always feel 928475 times hotter in this theme park than any of the others. It doesn't have as much to do as the other parks, but it is home to some of the greatest shows: Finding Nemo--The Musical and Festival of the Lion King. I'm really sad they discontinued Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, but I'm glad I got to see it one last time!

Although it's not as famous as Magic Kingdom, in many ways Disney's Animal Kingdom is much more magical. Set in 500 acres of lush landscapes, Disney's largest theme park features a real safari through a 110-acre African wilderness, two Broadway-style shows, a thrilling roller coaster and up-close encounters with live animals. The park's mission: to make it easy--and fun--to appreciate the beauty, magnificence, and importance of the animal world.

THE OASIS

This lush garden makes you feel as if you've been plunked down in the middle of a rain forest. Cool mist, the aroma of flowers, and playful animals and colorful birds all enliven a miniature landscape of steams and grottoes, waterfalls, and glades fringed with banana leaves and jacaranda.

DISCOVERY ISLAND

Primarily the site of the Tree of Life, this land is encircled by Discovery River, which isn't an actual attraction but can be viewed from a bridge in Harambe. The island's whimsical architecture, with wood carvings handmade in Bali, adds plenty of charm and a touch of fantasy to this park hub. The verdant Discovery Island Trails that lead to the Tree of Life provide habitats for kangaroos, lemurs, Galapagos tortoises, and other creatures.

DINOLAND U.S.A.

Just as it sounds, this is the place to come in contact with re-create prehistoric creatures, including the fear-inspiring carnotaurus and the gentle iguanodon. The landscaping includes live plants that have evolved over the last 65 million years. In collaboration with Chicago's Field Museum, Disney has added a complete, full-scale skeleton cast of Dino-Sue--also known as "Sue"--the 65-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex discovered near the Black Hills of South Dakota.

ASIA

Meant to resemble a rural village somewhere in Asia, this land is full of remarkable rain-forest scenery and ruins. Grouping of trees grow from a crumbling tiger shrine and two massive towers, one representing Thailand, the other Nepal.

AFRICA

This largest of the lands is an area of forests and grasslands, predominantly an enclave for wildlife from the continent. The focus is on live animals at the key attractions. Harambe, on the northern bank of Discovery River, is Africa's starting point. Inspired by several East African coastal villages, this Disney town has so much detail that it's mind boggling. Signs on the apparently peeling stucco walls of the buildings are faded, as if bleached by the sun, and everything has a hot, dusty look.

RAFIKI'S PLANET WATCH

Take the Wildlife Express steam train to this unique center of eco-awareness. This land is divided into three sections. At the Conservation Station, you can meet animal experts and gather round for a critter encounter, enjoy interactive exhibits, learn about the worldwide efforts to protect endangered species and their habitats, and find out ways to connect with the conservation efforts in your own community. At the Habitat Habit! section, cotton-top tamarins play while you learn how to live with all earth's animals. And lastly, the Affection Section, where you get free rein in face-to-face with goats and some rare domesticated critters from around the world.

CAMP MINNIE-MICKEY

This Adirondack-style land is the setting for live performances as well as meet-and-greet trails. It has a rustic and woodsy theme, like a summer camp. It's also a cul-de-sac, meaning you can't get to any other part of the park without backtracking to Discovery Island. It's a fairly small land, about the size of Mickey's Toontown in Magic Kingdom.

Attractions

[ FAVORITE / * Fastpass Available / [ x ] Experienced ]

[ x ] The Oasis - Duration: up to you!

DISCOVERY ISLAND

[ x ] Tree of Life - It's Tough to be a Bug!* - Duration: 8 min.

[ x ] Discovery Island Trails - Duration: up to you!

DINOLAND U.S.A.

[ ] The Boneyard - Duration: up to you!

[ x ] Dinosaur!* - Duration: 4 min.

[ x ] Triceratop Spin - Duration: 2 min.

[ x ] Primeval Whirl* - Duration: 2.5 min.

[ ] Fossil Fun Games - Duration: up to you!

[ x ] Finding Nemo-The Musical - Duration: 35 min.

ASIA

[ x ] Expedition Everest* - Duration: 3 min.

[ ] Flights of Wonder - Duration: 25 min.

[ x ] Maharajah Jungle Trek - Duration: up to you!

[ x ] Kali River Rapids* - Duration: 7 min.

AFRICA

[ x ] Kilimanjaro Safaris* - Duration: 22 min.

[ x ] Pangani Forest Exploration Trail - Duration: up to you!

CAMP MICKEY AND MINNIE

[ x ] Festival of the Lion King - Duration: 28 min.

[ x ] Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends - Duration: 25 min. [CLOSED]

RAFIKI'S PLANET WATCH

[ ] Conservation Station - Duration: up to you!

[ ] Habitat Habit! - Duration: up to you!

[ ] Affection Section - Duration: up to you!

Have a Magical Day!

(c) The Color Companion to Walt Disney World

(c) Fodor's WDW Guide 2010

(c) The Complete Walt Disney World 2010

(c) Photos - their respectable pictures Flickr

Quick Service Food & Bev!

So you're officially in the Disney College Program. You've accepted your role: QSFB, chosen an arrival date, and are now super pumped about coming to Disney! You look at the Disney College Program Fall 2010 Facebook group page every so often (or if you're me, ever 10 seconds) and you are seeing that a lot of people are requesting locations to work. Now you've become worried because one of two things have happened to you: you've never been to Disney World, or Disney is so huge that you can't possibly think of anywhere to request! Never fear! I've come to save the day by providing you with a list of most QSFB choices in each of the four parks-- Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom.

MAGIC KINGDOM

Aloha Isle: Dole whip, pineapple spears, juice, floats. Adventureland.

Aunt Polly's Dockside Inn: Desserts. Frontierland.

Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies: Soft-serve ice cream, smoothies. Tomorrowland.

Casey's Corner: 11A-park close. Hot dogs. Main Street U.S.A.

Columbia Harbour House: 10:30A-park close. Sandwiches, fish, chicken, veggie chili. Liberty Square.

Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe: 10:30A-park close. Chicken, burgers, ribs, kosher. Tomorrowland.

Diamond Horseshoe: Open seasonally. Sandwiches. Frontierland.

El Pirate y el Perico Restaurante: Open seasonally. Tacos, taco salads. Adventureland.

*Note that if you work at Pecos Bill's you may get moved to work here.

Enchanted Grove: Swirls, slushes, orange juice. Fantasyland.

Friars Nook: Hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, salads, fries. Fantasyland.

Liberty Square Market: Corn on the cob, baked potatoes, fresh fruit. Liberty Square.

The Lunching Pad: Turkey legs, frozen drinks, pretzels. Tomorrowland.

Main Street Bakery: park open-park close. Bagels, pastry, yogurt, parfaits, quiche. Main Street U.S.A.

Mrs. Potts' Cupboard: Soft-serve ice cream. Fantasyland.

Pecos Bill Cafe: 10A-park close. Burgers, wraps, salads. Frontierland.

Pinocchio Village Haus: 10:30A-park close. Pizza, chicken, salads. Fantasyland.

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor: Hand-dipped ice cream. Main Street U.S.A.

Scuttle's Landing: Muffins, pretzels, coffee. Fantasyland.

Sleepy Hollow: Funnel cakes, caramel corn, soft-serve ice cream. Liberty Square.

Sunshine Tree Terrace: Frozen orange juice swirled w/ vanilla soft-serve, slushes, floats. Adventureland.

Tomorrowland Terrace Noodle Station: Seasonal. Menu varies. Tomorrowland.

Toontown Farmer's Market: Yogurt, fresh fruit. Toontown.

EPCOT

*please note that I am only putting up those in Future World because I have heard that the QSFB that are in the World Showcase may only go to International CPs. If anyone knows if regular CPs can work there, let me know and I will include the World Showcase in this section.

Electric Umbrella: 11A-9P. Burgers, salads, sandwiches. Innoventions Plaza.

Fountainview Ice Cream Shop: 10:30A-9P. Hand-dipped ice cream. Innoventions Plaza.

Sunshine Seasons: 9A-9P Quality salads, soups, sandwiches, noodle dishes, grilled meats, bakery, breakfast egg dishes, oatmeal, cereals. The Land.

DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

ABC Commissary: 11A-park close. Burgers, chicken, fish. Commissary Lane.

Backlot Express: 11A-8P. Burgers, hot dogs, grilled sandwiches, salads. Echo Lake.

Min & Bill's Dockside Diner. 10A-8P. Shakes, beers, pretzels, frozen lemonades. Echo Lake.

Peevy's Polar Pipeline: Flavorful frozen drinks. Echo Lake.

Starring Roles Cafe: 9A-4P. Pastries, sandwiches, coffee. Sunset Blvd.

Studio Catering Co.: 11:30A-7P. Sandwiches, chili dogs, salads, dessert. Streets of America.

Sunset Ranch Market: park open-park close. Food court. Bagels, burgers, fresh fruit, hot dogs, pizza, salads, sandwiches, turkey legs, hand-dipped ice cream. Sunset Blvd.

Toy Story Pizza Planet Arcade. 11A-7:30P. Individual pizzas, salads. Streets of America.

The Writer's Stop: Coffee, baked goods, frozen drinks. Echo Lake.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Flame Tree BBQ: BBQ meats, baked beans, corn on the cob. Discovery Island.

Pizzafari: 9A-park close. Individual pizzas, salads, sandwiches. Discovery Island.

Restaurantosaurus: 11A-park close. Burgers, chicken, hot dogs. DinoLand U.S.A.

These are just the main QSFB locals and does not include the different carts that are prominent throughout the parks. As for requesting, nothing is a guarantee, but it doesn't hurt to try. They don't choose where you're going to work until they have a good idea of what they have to work with, so I'd say you still have a window to request. I know that it's hard to request during your interview because depending on what role you chose would change where you'd want to work! I hope this list helped some of you!

Have a Magical Day!

What's New? WDW 2010

So it’s a new year. A lot of us won’t get to see Disney until our arrival date—I know I haven’t been to WDW since Sept. ’08. So, because of this, I thought I’d blog about everything new and exciting that’s waiting for us down at our new home!

MAGIC KINGDOM
Barack Obama has finally joined the Hall of Presidents! The attraction has been completely redone, including a new movie with a new narrator (Morgan Freeman) and all-new staging.

Tinker Bell and her fairy friends now pose and sign autographs at the Toontown Hall of Fame.

The seven-month $12 million refurbishment has made Space Mountain more exciting with a darker, quieter track and faster swoops and drops; a more colorful view of space; and an optional souvenir photo.

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority has new audio narration.

Donald Duck is among the Disney characters who shake their tail feathers at the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Street Party.

New characters have been added to the Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade.

Princess Tiana has now officially joined the princesses and now greets and signs autographs with Prince Naveen in Liberty Square.

The Pirates League makeover salon transforms adults and children into swashbucklin’ pirates.

Say goodbye to the long-empty Tomorrowland Skyway Station as it has been demolished & removed.

EPCOT
Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure is a new high-tech scavenger hunt around the ‘world’.
Living with the Land is reopened in 2009 after a refurbishment.

Test Track now features a post-show area displaying a Chevy Volt Extended Range Electric Vehicle that appeared in Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen.

Remy from Disney’s Ratatouille now appears as a small audio-animatronics creature at Chefs de France.

At the Japan pavilion the Tin Toy exhibit has been replaced by Timeless Beauty: World Heritage Sites of Japan.

Mexico’s new La Cava del Tequila offers 70 varieties and a ‘tequila ambassador’ to teach the history of the drink.

Kidcot children’s arts-and-crafts stations in Future World have been removed.

DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
The American Idol Experience lets you compete for a chance at ‘stardom’.

A street show High School Musical 3: Right Here! Right Now! features songs from HMS3.

Luxo Jr. (Pixar’s hopping desk lamp) performs in Pixar Place.

Fantasmic is now only performing a few nights a week.

The indoor ABC Commissary no longer serves breakfast. Instead outdoor Fairfax Fare food court will.

The Sounds Dangerous sound-effects show is only open seasonally.

The ambient sound inside Once Upon a Time gift shop is now the actual radio broadcast of the 1937 premiere of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Kids can now draw and color at the new arts and craft area near the exit of Rock n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.

The colorful chicken coop featured in Hannah Montana: The Movie is now a prop on the Studio Backlot Tour.

The Coca-Cola bottle in front of the Studio Backlot Tour has been replaced so now it opens to spray mist.

The hot air balloon outside of MuppetVision 3-D and Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat have been repainted.

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM
At Festival of the Lion King host Timon’s eyes now blink and move.

Two male giraffes were born at AK in Oct. ’09.

Amphibian widows at Conservation Station now display unusual frogs, newts, salamanders, and toads.

WATER PARKS
Summer guests can now meet Goofy at Blizzard Beach and Lilo and Stitch at Typhoon Lagoon.

DOWNTOWN DISNEY
Characters In Flight takes guests on a 400 ft hot-air balloon ride above the West Side.

The Virgin Megastore and Starabilias memorabilia shop is now closed.

Although the Pleasure Island’s club scene was closed in 2008, their new restaurant and bar, Paradiso 37, features ‘street cuisine’ from North, South, and Central America and nightly entertainment.

SPORTS AND REC
The ESPN Wide World of Sports complex is installing large video screens at many of its venues.
Disney has introduced two new tours: Epcot’s Nature-Inspired Design and Holiday DeLites.

The Richard Petty Driving Experience has lowered the minimum age for it’s ride-along program to 14.

The Pirate & Pals Fireworks Voyage, formerly the Magical Fireworks Voyage, is now open to all guests, not just those booking Disney’s Grand Gatherings.

Two foot races are no more: Disney’s Race for the Taste during Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 13K… the Wine & Dine Half Marathon will pass through multiple theme parks and end at Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival. It will be held Oct. 1 & 2.

ACCOMMODATIONS
Rooms at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort have undergone an extensive renovation that includes flat-screen TV's and all-new furnishings and carpet.

Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort has redone some rooms in a pirate theme; all others have a subtle 'Finding Nemo' decor.

Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground have added archery lessons as well as bicycle abd surrey rentals.

The Downtown Disney Holiday Inn is scheduled to reopen this year.

Three new Disney Vacation Club properties opened in 2009: Bay Tower Lake at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Kidani Village at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Treehouse Villas at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort.

A Four Seasons hotel, golf course, and vacation-home complex is being built on the site of the former Eagle Pines golf course.

First announced for 2009, a luxurt pet resort is now promised for 2010-2011.

RESTAURANTS
Kouzzina is opening at the BoardWalk Resort (replacing Spoodles).

The Wave at the Contemporary Resort (replacing Concourse Steakhouse).

Sanaa at the new Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Effective Feb. 7, 2010: Cinderella's Royal Table will feature Cinderella in the lobby and other Disney princesses mingling with guests in the dining room.

Walt Disney World no longer sells all-beef hot dogs. They will now be a mixture of chicken and beef.

PRACTICAL MATTERS
Disney is experimenting with a centralized Fastpass distribution system where guests can pick up multiple Fastpasses at one location.

A new handheld device delivers audio descriptions of visual images at 33 attractions for use by the blind; the same device has captions for hearing-impaired guests.

You can now order over 500+ theme-park merchandise items online at DisneyStore.com.

A new mobile website mdisneyworld.com offers a handy overview of the resort.

SPECIAL EVENTS
MK's Totally Tomorrowland Christmas show has replaced Twas the Night Before Christmas.

At Epcot, Lights of Winter has been removed and gospel choir D'Vine Voices has been added.