superboomer
12-15-2006, 05:13 AM
I have not seen it posted yet and the newsletter posted on news is the old Jakes Blog so here it is!
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12/12 – Hey guys, I'm back with holiday happenings and park hopping info! I'm back from a tour with the VMK guys and the one and only Yavn through both Walt Disney World and Disneyland!
Jake's Blog 12/12
Epcot Ahead!
After catching some Z's on the plane to Florida I was ready to hit the ground running, we checked into our hotel, Caribbean Beach, and then I was off to Epcot to explore one of my most favorite parks! In Epcot, each country has their own way of celebrating and the holidays are no different. From decorations to shows, each land has a unique to show its holiday spirit.
Picture 1
While I'm eager to see all the holiday decorations, my first order of business is to do something I didn't get to do the last time I was here - ride The Seas with Nemo & Friends!
The Sea For Me
I don't know if you remember but this was a much different ride before Nemo moved in. Before it was called The Living Seas and you would get in a Hydrolator (an elevator that simulated a ride to the ocean floor) and get out at Sea Base Alpha where 'seacabs' would take you under the aquarium.
When it was originally built, The Seas aquarium was the biggest man-made salt-water aquarium in the world - now only one aquarium in the world is bigger. And while I miss the Hydrolator, what they've done to the building (in addition to the cutting edge effects) is pretty amazing. The whole ride is made to make you feel like you're underwater - I don't want to spoil it, but you'll think you've grown gills after riding this one. If the submarine ride with Nemo that's coming to Disneyland next summer is anything like this, sign me up now.
Port Orleans - Explored!
We also got to explore Port Orleans the next day after breakfast. Port Orleans is actually broken into two parts, the French Quarter & Riverside. This is one of the coolest places at Walt Disney World, it's got a Southern theme with waterfront shops and restaurants like you might find on the bayou. Boatwright's Dining Hall is a converted boat-builders shop, now a restaurant on the waterfront, how's the food? Just as good as the view. This resort also sports one of the cooler pools, Doubloon Lagoon is a pool with a Sea Serpent - the serpent's tongue is a slide. There are even personal watercrafts that you can take on the river (like mini-paddleboats). You can even fish with an old-school fishing pole and worm!
Jake's Top 4 - Epcot Snacks
4. Wasabi Peas - Japan
(Peas, wasabi and by the bagful!)
3. Crisp Bar - England
(Is it a cookie or a candy bar?)
2. Club Cool / Flavors Around the World - Future World
(Try Beverly from Italy... heh heh heh...)
1. Turkey Leg - America
(The snack that eats like a meal!)
You Light Up My Life
That night after the guys were done with work, I went with them over to Disney-MGM Studios to have dinner and check out the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. (No, Ozzy hasn't been hanging lights when he's not rocking out - it's not that Osbourne Family.) This light show is incredible and even then I'm under-selling it. I heard people talk about it, but you really do have to see it to believe it. I couldn't count them all, but there had to be like a gazillion lights, all of them flashing on and off in time with the music.
Picture 2
The crowning touch though was the snow (that's right I said snow) that showered the streets. I heard Yavn say it takes Disney months to get these lights hooked up - and that some guy in Arkansas started the show for his daughter - now that's one heck of a Christmas present!
After being blinded by the (millions of) lights we headed over to the 50's Prime Time Diner. If you can imagine what it would be like to live in an old black and white television show you can imagine what it was like to eat here. The food was really good - good home cooking. And that's makes sense since our waitress kept calling herself 'Mom.' Thinking back, I guess that was ok, cause she made me eat all my vegetables and keep my elbows off the table like my real Mom does! Of course I give high praise to any place where the desert menu is on a View-Master, if you're planning on eating here, take a tip from Jake - remember the color of the soap in the bathroom, or 'Mom' will make you go back and wash your hands again!
The next night we went over to the Magic Kingdom to check out Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the Holiday parade later that night. It was pretty cold but we all got wacky hats to keep our heads warm! Like the Halloween Party the Magic Kingdom also throws, they close the park for this Christmas Party and you have to have a separate ticket to get in.
Picture 3
It's very cool though because the park's not as crowded and they even have free cookies and hot cocoa for everyone! The parade was awesome, the fireworks were awesome and of course seeing Santa himself was also pretty darn awesome!
Picture 4
I spotted a sign for a new attraction called the Monsters Laugh Floor! Monsters are coming to the Magic Kingdom! Next month I'll have more info on this show - it is not the same ride as DCA.
So what else did we do at Walt Disney World? Well the VMK team invited me along for a rematch of mini-golf at Winter Summerland! Then after a full week of park hopping from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom and Disney-MGM Studios it was time to get back on a plane and head home to California - and off to more Disney Park goodness.
Disneyland Gets Decked Out
I wanted to see the holiday decorations at Disneyland so I tagged along with Yavn over the weekend for a visit there. I love the effort that all the Disney parks put into decorating for Christmas, and the holiday decorations at Disneyland don't disappoint! After checking out Main Street, I grabbed a Holiday Churro with Yavn (taste like cinnamon to me, chief) and then headed over to Santa's Reindeer Roundup at Big Thunder Ranch to see Santa (plus make sure I wasn't on the naughty list). You know it wouldn't kill those elves to give the reindeer a bath every now and then!
Picture 5
And of course I had to check out the Haunted Mansion Holiday in New Orleans Square. I said this in my last blog and I can't say it enough, what they've done to the haunted Mansion at Disneyland makes it feel and look like an entirely new ride! We also made our way over to it's a small world where it has was decorated for the holiday too! It's crazy what they've done there! The front of the ride has been completely covered in lights and inside everything has a Holiday theme! Man, I don't even want to think about what the electric bill will be like for Disneyland next month!
I also played the Holiday Quest at both parks, and that was cool - now I have both snowmen - the gold one from Disneyland and the white one from World. Speaking of Holiday Quest, I've seen where some of you guys are posting the Quest answers online - come on guys, that is so NOT COOL! I (and practically everyone else) want the fun of completing the Quest myself, so do me a favor - stop spoiling it for everybody.
Thanks to Yavn for letting me hang out with him so much, getting to do that and check out all the holiday stuff in the parks made it like the best week ever. Can't wait to go again! OK, gotta run, next time I'll have a backstage tour of Disneyland and talk about some cool things happening there. Have fun out there people!
Jake out!
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pictures in order of what they say, ill try and get the pictures onto where they should be :)
----------
12/12 – Hey guys, I'm back with holiday happenings and park hopping info! I'm back from a tour with the VMK guys and the one and only Yavn through both Walt Disney World and Disneyland!
Jake's Blog 12/12
Epcot Ahead!
After catching some Z's on the plane to Florida I was ready to hit the ground running, we checked into our hotel, Caribbean Beach, and then I was off to Epcot to explore one of my most favorite parks! In Epcot, each country has their own way of celebrating and the holidays are no different. From decorations to shows, each land has a unique to show its holiday spirit.
Picture 1
While I'm eager to see all the holiday decorations, my first order of business is to do something I didn't get to do the last time I was here - ride The Seas with Nemo & Friends!
The Sea For Me
I don't know if you remember but this was a much different ride before Nemo moved in. Before it was called The Living Seas and you would get in a Hydrolator (an elevator that simulated a ride to the ocean floor) and get out at Sea Base Alpha where 'seacabs' would take you under the aquarium.
When it was originally built, The Seas aquarium was the biggest man-made salt-water aquarium in the world - now only one aquarium in the world is bigger. And while I miss the Hydrolator, what they've done to the building (in addition to the cutting edge effects) is pretty amazing. The whole ride is made to make you feel like you're underwater - I don't want to spoil it, but you'll think you've grown gills after riding this one. If the submarine ride with Nemo that's coming to Disneyland next summer is anything like this, sign me up now.
Port Orleans - Explored!
We also got to explore Port Orleans the next day after breakfast. Port Orleans is actually broken into two parts, the French Quarter & Riverside. This is one of the coolest places at Walt Disney World, it's got a Southern theme with waterfront shops and restaurants like you might find on the bayou. Boatwright's Dining Hall is a converted boat-builders shop, now a restaurant on the waterfront, how's the food? Just as good as the view. This resort also sports one of the cooler pools, Doubloon Lagoon is a pool with a Sea Serpent - the serpent's tongue is a slide. There are even personal watercrafts that you can take on the river (like mini-paddleboats). You can even fish with an old-school fishing pole and worm!
Jake's Top 4 - Epcot Snacks
4. Wasabi Peas - Japan
(Peas, wasabi and by the bagful!)
3. Crisp Bar - England
(Is it a cookie or a candy bar?)
2. Club Cool / Flavors Around the World - Future World
(Try Beverly from Italy... heh heh heh...)
1. Turkey Leg - America
(The snack that eats like a meal!)
You Light Up My Life
That night after the guys were done with work, I went with them over to Disney-MGM Studios to have dinner and check out the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. (No, Ozzy hasn't been hanging lights when he's not rocking out - it's not that Osbourne Family.) This light show is incredible and even then I'm under-selling it. I heard people talk about it, but you really do have to see it to believe it. I couldn't count them all, but there had to be like a gazillion lights, all of them flashing on and off in time with the music.
Picture 2
The crowning touch though was the snow (that's right I said snow) that showered the streets. I heard Yavn say it takes Disney months to get these lights hooked up - and that some guy in Arkansas started the show for his daughter - now that's one heck of a Christmas present!
After being blinded by the (millions of) lights we headed over to the 50's Prime Time Diner. If you can imagine what it would be like to live in an old black and white television show you can imagine what it was like to eat here. The food was really good - good home cooking. And that's makes sense since our waitress kept calling herself 'Mom.' Thinking back, I guess that was ok, cause she made me eat all my vegetables and keep my elbows off the table like my real Mom does! Of course I give high praise to any place where the desert menu is on a View-Master, if you're planning on eating here, take a tip from Jake - remember the color of the soap in the bathroom, or 'Mom' will make you go back and wash your hands again!
The next night we went over to the Magic Kingdom to check out Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the Holiday parade later that night. It was pretty cold but we all got wacky hats to keep our heads warm! Like the Halloween Party the Magic Kingdom also throws, they close the park for this Christmas Party and you have to have a separate ticket to get in.
Picture 3
It's very cool though because the park's not as crowded and they even have free cookies and hot cocoa for everyone! The parade was awesome, the fireworks were awesome and of course seeing Santa himself was also pretty darn awesome!
Picture 4
I spotted a sign for a new attraction called the Monsters Laugh Floor! Monsters are coming to the Magic Kingdom! Next month I'll have more info on this show - it is not the same ride as DCA.
So what else did we do at Walt Disney World? Well the VMK team invited me along for a rematch of mini-golf at Winter Summerland! Then after a full week of park hopping from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom and Disney-MGM Studios it was time to get back on a plane and head home to California - and off to more Disney Park goodness.
Disneyland Gets Decked Out
I wanted to see the holiday decorations at Disneyland so I tagged along with Yavn over the weekend for a visit there. I love the effort that all the Disney parks put into decorating for Christmas, and the holiday decorations at Disneyland don't disappoint! After checking out Main Street, I grabbed a Holiday Churro with Yavn (taste like cinnamon to me, chief) and then headed over to Santa's Reindeer Roundup at Big Thunder Ranch to see Santa (plus make sure I wasn't on the naughty list). You know it wouldn't kill those elves to give the reindeer a bath every now and then!
Picture 5
And of course I had to check out the Haunted Mansion Holiday in New Orleans Square. I said this in my last blog and I can't say it enough, what they've done to the haunted Mansion at Disneyland makes it feel and look like an entirely new ride! We also made our way over to it's a small world where it has was decorated for the holiday too! It's crazy what they've done there! The front of the ride has been completely covered in lights and inside everything has a Holiday theme! Man, I don't even want to think about what the electric bill will be like for Disneyland next month!
I also played the Holiday Quest at both parks, and that was cool - now I have both snowmen - the gold one from Disneyland and the white one from World. Speaking of Holiday Quest, I've seen where some of you guys are posting the Quest answers online - come on guys, that is so NOT COOL! I (and practically everyone else) want the fun of completing the Quest myself, so do me a favor - stop spoiling it for everybody.
Thanks to Yavn for letting me hang out with him so much, getting to do that and check out all the holiday stuff in the parks made it like the best week ever. Can't wait to go again! OK, gotta run, next time I'll have a backstage tour of Disneyland and talk about some cool things happening there. Have fun out there people!
Jake out!
----------
pictures in order of what they say, ill try and get the pictures onto where they should be :)