The interior is currently being gutted and is getting an entirely new design. Hopefully this new layout will speed up the lines and clear out some of the congestion that was always a problem with the old bakery.

Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on the Main Street Bakery featuring Starbucks products. In the meantime, what do you think of this new look for the Bakery?

This will be the first major change made to the WDW park maps since the late-1990′s. The new maps are designed to align in look and feel with the My Disney Experience app. You’ll even notice that there is a QR code to download the app right on the front cover of the new maps.

The new maps make it clear that complimentary guest WI-FI is available in the parks, marking the first time Disney has openly admitted that this service exists. We expect the map to add some other features as MyMagic+ actually rolls out later this Spring.

So, what do you think of the new look for Walt Disney World park maps?

Since it was announced a few months ago, we have wondered exactly what will take place in the interactive queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Magic Kingdom. Well, wonder no more. In this video, Disney Imagineers take us behind the scenes at Big Thunder and show us the props and backstory that make up the new interactive queue:

So, what do you think?

Michael Truskowski

Bonjour et Bienvenue

Most of my friends had always assumed that when I finally got married, the honeymoon would take place at Disney World. This really was not too much of a stretch when you think about how much of a Disney fan I am.  I have been visiting Walt Disney World since I could not even count. I even ran my first marathon at Disney World.

When the big wedding day finally came on September 15^th of 2012, we surprised everyone when we did not board a plane for Orlando – rather, we headed to Europe. As much as I love Disney World, I really wanted to do something new and extra special for a honeymoon (not to mention my new husband is not quite the diehard Disney fan that I am).

So it was rather convenient that in the end, I could have my cake and eat it too. On the last full day of our trip, we headed out to the Disneyland Paris Resort (DLPR) – which has Disneyland Paris and Disney Studios parks. This was my first trip to DLPR – my first to any Disney park outside the United States for that matter.

Of all the Disney parks, Disneyland Paris may be the most notorious by reputation. For years, I had heard so much about the place – so much of it negative, often accompanied by the word “failure” – so I was very curious to see what my own feelings would be (particularly having practically grown up at Walt Disney World). What follows are my thoughts on my first all new Disney Resort in 15 years.

Est-ce que vous êtes prets? Alors, allons y! (Are you ready? Let’s go then!)

Comment Venir

From our hotel in the center of Paris, we opted to take the train to the resort. Very early that morning, we boarded the Metro to the Auber station on the RER A line. The RER is Paris’ regional train system (for any New Yorkers reading this, think MetroNorth). The ride was pretty quick (under an hour) and the station was literally right at the gate of the resort. It is the last stop on the line, so it is hard to miss. (Be aware that the RER A has two different terminal stations. Make sure you get on the train bound for Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy.) While I found the Paris Metro extremely easy to navigate, with well placed signs in multiple languages, the RER was not as clear. Be sure to look at the TV screens on the platform to be sure you are getting on the right train as the trains had no announcements of any kind.

Returning on the train was easier, although very crowded as we left at park closing time. We had to stand the entire way back, and these trains were not designed with standing passengers in mind. Still, it was way less than the cost of a cab, and many MANY more people seemed to be heading to the parking lot than the train station after the park closed.

Premières Impressions

The first thing that struck me about the resort was that it is very beautiful. It was immediately obvious that this was a Disney resort. Right from the start, you encounter very pretty landscaping – complete with running streams and beautiful plant life.

It was a rather chilly day, despite being only the end of September. I imagine that this can be a pretty brutal place to visit when the winter month weather hits, something the U.S. parks don’t have to deal with, at least not beyond the occasional cold front.

Perhaps the most noticeable thing about the resort is that it is rather small. Certainly nothing can compare to Walt Disney World, but the Paris resort felt even smaller than Disneyland in California. Even looking at the map before entering, it seemed that a lot was missing. There is no Jungle Cruise, no Splash Mountain, no Peoplemover. It looked a little sparse compared with the jam-packed park maps from the U.S. parks, particularly the Magic Kingdom-style parks. Here, they are able to put both parks onto a single map.

Once inside, I did feel pretty much at home. Despite the differences, it is a Disney resort, and those of us who have spent substantial parts of our lives at other Disney resorts will instantly feel comfortable once inside the gates.

One last observation I would like to mention: Ever since the resort opened, I had heard about how the French hated the place. How they would not go. How it was only foreign tourists that you find wandering around. While that may well be true, it most certainly was not the case the day we were there. The parks were PACKED, and nearly everyone was speaking French. So for all the foot stomping and cries of “cultural Chernobyl,” it seems our French friends have also discovered the fun of a day in a Disney park.

Parlez-vous Anglais?

A big question a lot of visitors, particularly from America, are likely to have, is whether you need to speak French to navigate the park. You will be glad to know that you could easily get around without speaking a word of French. All of the signage in the park contains English, and nearly all the cast members we encountered spoke it fluently, or enough to be completely understood.

Do keep in mind, however, that most of the attractions with narration are spoken only in French. This may not be a big deal, especially if you already know the English counterpart (the Phantom Mansion’s Stretching Room dialog, for example, is pretty much a direct translation from the Florida Haunted Mansion). For me, this was part of the fun. It was really cool to not only get to ride the original Star Tours again (as the adventures are not yet continuing in Paris), but also to get to hear the entire thing in French.

As far as my French skills go, I can understand the language fairly decently when spoken at a slower speed, and can speak some simple phrases, but I would hardly call myself fluent. But that little bit went a long way. My husband, on the other hand, speaks not a word, and still seemed to get along just fine (even if he was not terribly loved by the citizens of Paris).

Vingtieme Anniversaire

Of course, our entire wedding was planned for this year to coincide with the 20^th anniversary of Disneyland Paris. Okay, that is not true, but we did luck out that it happened that way. The park was decorated for the anniversary, and a whole new nighttime show was created (more on that later) for the event.  I love these celebrations (hot pink Castle cake notwithstanding), and was glad to get to see one here. The celebration was not overwhelming, but it did feel like it was a special year. And of course, this meant there was a ton of merchandise to go home with that had the “20” logo all over it, including a lot of pins (so many pins).

Parc Disneyland

If you have been to a Magic Kingdom-style park before (and if you are reading this magazine I will assume that you have), then you know what to expect, at least initially, from this park. It is the typical hub and spoke design, with the castle in the middle. Adventureland and Frontierland have swapped locations here (heresy!) and there is no Tomorrowland, with Discoveryland taking its place.

Upon entering, you will, of course, see the Castle at the end of Main Street. Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty’s Castle) is smaller than the Florida castle, but noticeably larger than the one in California. It is also the most unique among the Disney Park’s castles. This was done as a result of Europe having a few of the real thing sitting around. The Castle takes on a more fanciful vibe, almost like it is growing out of the landscape.

Perhaps the most radical change to an attraction from the U.S. parks is Space Mountain: Mission 2. The mountain has a more Jules Verne look to it – it was originally inspired by From the Earth to the Moon. It is closer to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster than its siblings. It features a catapult launch into the mountain (it actually starts outside), inversions, and special effects timed to the vehicle, and overall is a more standard steel, coaster-type train. This may be one of the standout attractions of the entire resort. It is a great coaster, and the first place we went when we entered the park.

In addition to Space Mountain, there are two other roller coasters at Disneyland Park. One is Big Thunder Mountain. While the layout of this coaster is more or less a copy of the Floridian version, there is one big difference. The entire attraction, other than the loading area, is out on an island. Imagine Tom Sawyer Island being taken over by Big Thunder. The train goes under the water at the beginning and end of the ride. The part at the end was particularly thrilling, as it is entirely in the dark, and the fastest part of the entire ride.

The last coaster is…well…disappointing. If you have ever wished there was an attraction based on the mine cart sequence from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, then Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril will make you wish you hadn’t. While notable as the first Disney coaster with an inversion, the coaster has a boring layout. It is only mildly more interesting than any Wild Mouse coaster you have ridden at any carnival. We lucked out and got there just at the time it opened, and waited in almost no line. If we had spent a significant chunk of our day waiting to ride this, we would not have been happy.

Another classic attraction that is represented here is Pirates of the Caribbean. The attraction is closer to the longer Disneyland version than the Walt Disney World version, but with many of the scenes in a different order. I am not quite sure whether this helped the story along or made it more muddled. It may have been a little of both.

One of the major reasons we chose the day we did is that it was the only day of our trip that Phantom Manor was going to be open (that and the weather was very nice that day).  The ride is very similar to the Disneyland version, but there are some major differences. Perhaps my favorite is the large staircase backdrop to the loading area. I thought it was stunning, and really puts to shame the dark wall we have in Florida. Once you enter the attic sequence, the ride changes from other versions and becomes much darker. The graveyard contains skeletons, rather than the playful ghosts of the U.S. versions. I could see this being more frightening to small children, but perhaps the French don’t scare as easily.

I could not pass up a trip on It’s a Small World. I love this ride (so I like the song, leave me alone). It’s a classic, it’s fun, it’s relaxing. The Paris version has a little treat too. There is an entire section of the ride for North America, including a Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, and Golden Gate Bridge.

Fantasyland here is very beautiful. After visiting both California and Paris, I see why people often referred to Walt Disney World’s Fantasyland as “ugly.” I think that is going a tad too far, but I see where they are coming from. This will all change soon mind you (thank you, New Fantasyland). But the park definitely deserves kudos for making this a very nice area. I stared at Mad Tea Party for several minutes, and I didn’t even ride it. It’s really beautifully done.

One major complaint I had both about this park and the next was the Fastpass system. Those machines are terrible. I cannot tell you how many times we saw people desperately attempting to scan their park tickets, only to receive nothing for their efforts. And trust me, this is not guests being dumb. I tried it myself, and those machines are evil. Part of the issue is that there are two different types of tickets at Disneyland Paris. One is a magnetic strip (anyone who has ever had an annual pass replaced knows how flaky those can be). The other is a barcode, due to the fact that you can print your own tickets at home. One would think the barcode would work better, but if there was a right place to hold the ticket to make it work, I never found it. And all this drama led to some of the Fastpass distribution lines being painfully long. Merci Parc Disneyland, réparez le Fastpass.

Walt Disney Studios

I had previously put Disney California Adventure (DCA) at the bottom of my list of Disney Parks. That list now has a basement, and therein lies the Walt Disney Studios. With DCA improving, the Studios seems to have not only slid into DCA’s former space, but managed to be even worse in many respects.

A quick list of the problems of this park would include the small size, the terrible layout, the overall cheap feeling to it, and the small number of attractions. But maybe the biggest issue I had was the sheer congestion in this place. All of the attractions had ridiculously long lines. We ended up skipping Tower of Terror entirely as they, for some reason, were not offering Fastpass, and the wait time was over 90 minutes.

But we would end up waiting about that long for the one attraction I really did want to do, Crush’s Coaster. I actually would say this ride alone makes it worth a visit to the Studios park. It combines a dark ride and a pretty good coaster. The cars can spin independently of the ride track. It is not unlike Primeval Whirl, just less ugly (but only slightly as they really did not try to hide the show building). The coaster was great, but they NEED to get that wait line under control, or build another one to increase capacity, or something. I enjoyed it, but was not terribly happy to have blown nearly two hours of the day to get on it.

The only other attraction we went on here was Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster avec Aerosmith. Yes they still use Aerosmith here, which led to what is probably the worst preshow at any Disney park (and I am not a fan of the one in Florida). It really felt like they somehow realized that Steven Tyler didn’t speak French, so they had everyone talk over each other for a few seconds, then an unseen announcer interrupted in French, and… that’s it. Go get on the ride now. Seriously, why even bother?

Things improved after that though. The track is the same layout, but there were some differences in the lighting that I thought actually enhanced the ride. While having more light usually spoils indoor coasters, here it actually seemed to make the track feel even more twisted. The first inversions, in particular, benefited from this. It was really disorienting and felt like you were literally spinning out of control.

After that, we decided to leave the park, through the giant gift shop that is the entrance. This Studios park clearly was built during the dark times of Disney (it came only two years after DCA). While it is supposedly getting some much needed attention, it has a long way to go before it gets to a California Adventure-level of improvement, much less anything close to being a first rate park. Right now, Disney Studios feels directionless, lifeless, and almost annoying to attend. So we headed right back to Disneyland Park.

Le Spectacle Nocturne: Disney Dreams

Je t’aime Disney Dreams, je t’aime. This show was spectacular. Was it as big as the shows in the U.S.? No. But it did combine the best aspects of each of them, and did so very well. Imagine Wishes, combined with Magic, Memories, and You, plus Fantasmic, and a little World of Color thrown in.

Like so much of the park, the show is in both French and English. This made particular sense with the French characters, like Lumière and Quasimodo. It made a little less sense when characters from the same film spoke separate languages (Peter Pan spoke in English, while Wendy responded in French) but I do get the effect they were going for.

The show was very beautiful. Will and I got particularly teary-eyed when it came to the lantern sequence from Tangled. It was our honeymoon after all. Furthermore, it goes to show that the castle projections can be used for so much more. It really was the perfect end to the final night of our honeymoon.

Pour Conclure

I really enjoyed my day at Disneyland Paris. I know the park has had a difficult time over its first 20 years, but there is a lot of good here (well, let’s say more at Disneyland than the Studios).

What the resort needs now is an investment in adding some more attractions, completely overhauling the Studios Park with a DCA-style makeover, and expanding Disneyland with another land or two. This could give the resort a major boost.

If you asked me whether you should book a trip just to visit Disneyland Paris from the United States, I would probably say it would not be worth the expense. But assuming you also intend to visit Paris, then you definitely want to make a day’s pilgrimage out to Disneyland. You will most certainly have a good time.

À bientôt!

Michael Truskowski has been a Disney fan for over 25 years. As a technology nerd, he has always been inspired by the innovations in the parks, particularly Epcot. He has completed two Walt Disney World Marathons (including a Goofy Challenge) and counting. He currently lives in New York City. Read more at www.michaeltruskowski.com

WDWNT Reporter Tom Corless visited the Walt Disney World Resort last week and has some newsworthy photos to share with us from his trip, so let’s take a look:

There is now an official Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom card book, $34.95

Work continues on the Tangled restrooms

Lanterns now hang over the area

A poster featuring Vladamir from the movie is hanging on the wall

There is now a wait time sign for the Express Monorail

Tarps are up on the guitar at Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster

Angry Birds: Star Wars stuff now available in Tatooine Traders

Moving to Downtown Disney, you can now see the pinsetters working through the windows at Splitsville

Taco truck is back on West Side

The Little Mermaid shirt from California is available

A painting of Beast’s Castle from New Fantasyland for sale

Work continues on the new volcano at Rainforest Cafe

A monorail pen now for sale, $9.95

The Segway experiences at Epcot were quietly shutdown this week

All tours were refunded and suspended permanently

No word yet on why this is happening, but we expect a new Innoventions exhibit will replace this soon

Work walls up on the Duffy Store, otherwise known as Disney Traders

A Piston Cup clock is now available at Art of Disney

Work continues on Splash Mountain

No more tarps and scaffolding up

The black spot is gone!

Some work still going on at the bottom of the drop

A fire extinguisher and a coke…

From February 11th-17th, the Magic Kingdom hosted Limited Time Magic’s “True Love Week” in honor of Valentine’s Day. The event consisted of several photo-ops, meet and greets with Princes and Princesses, and even a surprise musical medley from the Main Street Philharmonic. We have a short video to share with you that highlights all of the festivities. Enjoy:

In preparation for the 2013 Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, the Oz: The Great and Powerful playground near the Imagination! pavilion has opened a few weeks early. We have a video walkthrough of the playground to share with you, including all of the midway games and the playground area:

by Tom Corless

Introduction

“Meal Time Blues” by Bonnie Appetite

Bonnie sings this at the start of the show. She looks a bit tired. She has cookbooks and her hair wrapped in a bun. The lights turn off, and the next performance comes.

Act 1

“Chase Those (Meal Time) Blues Away” by Bonnie Appetite and the Kitchen Krackpots

The Kitchen Krackpots band (containers of ketchup, mayonnaise, a spinning jar of mustard, etc.) rises from the floor and plays a boisterous ragtime intro, as Bonnie reappears, now in a showgirl or cocktail waitress costume, to “Thank you all for coming to (her) kitchen.”

Act 2

“The Stars of the Milky Way” by Dairy Goods and his Stars of the Milky Way

Mr. Dairy Good is a singing milk carton who emerges from a refrigerator holding an old fashioned radio-style floor microphone close to his mouth, crooning introductions to three dairy products—Miss Cheese, Miss Yogurt, and Miss Ice Cream — in the style of 1930s costume extravaganzas. Each of the dairy products performs a brief cameo in a stylized manner (e.g., Miss Cheese sings like Mae West). Every time they came out, ice cold fog would emerge from the freezer.

Act 3

“Boogie Woogie Bakery Boy” by The Cereal Sisters

The Cereal Sisters—Oats, Rice, and Corn—sing a parody of Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy in the style of the Andrews Sisters, accompanied by a bugle-blowing bread slice. The bread slice wears glasses and is revealed when a kitchen cabinet is opened.

Act 4

“Meat Ditties” by Hamm & Eggz

Hamm & Eggz is a vaudeville-style comic rendition of The Meat Group Can Help You Keep Strong, in which Mr. Hamm and Mr. Eggz tell jokes and sing a few short ditties. At the end, Mr. Hamm gets angry because Mr. Eggz is telling corny jokes, and decides to split from the group to join another protein group. Some of the bits use sliding animated scenes to illustrate what’s going on, very much like the “All the guys that turn me on, turn me down” sequence from the Country Bear Jamboree. There are also running gags in this part of the show. Mr. Eggz’s bow moves if he’s laughing, and at the end of their parts, smoke bellows around them protecting these two from being seen moving into the ground.

Act 5

“Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit” by Colander Combo and the Fiesta Fruit

Night sounds, Latin percussion, and low lighting set the mood for this number, as the produce (broccoli, tomatoes, bananas, etc.) begin to chant “Veggie-Veggie-Fruit-Fruit! Veggie-Fruit-Fruit!” Bonnie Appetite, now in a Carmen Miranda-style carnival outfit, and perched upon a crescent moon that descends from the ceiling, sings. Here, another running gag is present. The center broccoli piece says “cha cha cha!” at times while his glasses flip up and down.

Finale

“Kabaret Finale” by Bonnie Appetite and cast

Bonnie appetite lowers from the upper part of the stage in a strange gown while sitting on the moon. Bonnie and the cast sing a medley of each of their songs. All of the cast come back out, and Bonnie re-appears in her cooking apron and says good bye, before the curtains come down.

Nestle was scheduled to take over sponsorship of The Land in 1994, so the pavilion was the first in Epcot to be overhauled in the early 1990′s. In addition to changing Listen to the Land to Living with the Land, replacing Symbiosis with the Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable, and updating the pavilion’s dining and shopping, Nestle wanted to update Kitchen Kabaret to feature updated music and be more entertaining than educational. Thus Food Rocks was born on March 26, 1994.

Guest would still enter under a very bright broadway style marquee featuring the new name, but the waiting area was completely remodeled. The first waiting room was now very bright and featured many exhibits where guests could learn about good nutrition and the food pyramid.

The show was themed as a benefit concert for good nutrition hosted by Fud (pronounced food) Wrapper. However, the show was continually interrupted by the Excess, a junk food heavy metal band that detests nutrition. In the end, Excess lost their power as Fud Wrapper exclaimed “No power, you guys have been unplugged. There’s plenty of foods out there that are good to eat, but remember, always eat with moderation”.

The Audio-Animatronic characters in the show were food items with human features. The music was based on popular songs by well-known performers, with lyrics adapted to the topic of nutrition. For example, “The Peach Boys”, singing “Good Nutrition”, was based on The Beach Boys’ song “Good Vibrations”. Five of these acts used the voices of the parodied musicians themselves: Tone Loc, Neil Sedaka, Little Richard, The Pointer Sisters, and Chubby Checker all actually performed in the show. Many of the characters returned for the finale.

Here is a list of the acts in order, including what songs were parodied:

•  We’ll Make It Count in the Kitchen – The U-tensils (Queen) – “Bohemian Rhapsody”
• Good Nutrition – The Peach Boys (Beach Boys) – “Good Vibrations”
• Every Bite You Take – Refrigerator Police (The Police) – “Every Breath You Take”
• High Fiber – Pita Gabriel (Peter Gabriel) – “Sledgehammer”
• Always Read the Wrapper – Fud Wrapper (Tone Loc) – “Funky Cold Medina”
• Just Keep It Lean – The Sole of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Cher) – “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)”
• Tutti Frutti – Richard (Little Richard) – “Tutti Frutti”
• Vegetables Are Good for You – Neil Moussaka Neil Sedaka – “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do”
• Let’s Exercise – Chubby Cheddar (Chubby Checker) – “The Twist”
• Give Us Junk – The Excess – original composition
• Just a Little Bit – The Get-the-Point Sisters Aretha Franklin – “Respect”
• Choose Before You Chew – U-tensils and Cast, Queen – “Bohemian Rhapsody”

The only characters re-used in the show was the milk. The new animatronic characters were mostly flat and featured simple moving facial features.

Food Rocks closed on January 3, 2004, with rumors that it had something to do with a large building being constructed just behind The Land pavilion, in the space set aside in the 1980′s for Epcot’s movie pavilion (which eventually evolved into the Great Movie Ride and the Disney-MGM Studios). On May 5, 2004, it was announced that Soarin’ Over California from Disney’s California Adventure would be cloned for Walt Disney World and replace Food Rocks. Despite replacing the show, the queue for Soarin’ simply travels through the former theater, leaving the Food Rocks stage encased behind the walls.

Tom has been regularly visiting the Walt Disney World® Resort from the time he was 4 months old. While he counts over 100 visits in the last 22 years, he did not become a truly active member in the Disney fan community until the summer of 2007, when he decided to launch the WDW News Today website and podcast. Tom has since founded the entire WDWNT Network and become a published author on the subject.

Work continues on Splash Mountain

Splash Mountain will re-open in March

Work continues on the Seven Dwarfs’ Mine Train

Pinocchio’s Village Haus has the Lemonade with Wil Berry Foam from Be Our Guest, but in a Pinocchio stein

The Adventureland Veranda is behind tarps

The roof is being replaced in this often neglected section of the building

Another wall up in another section of the building

The stage for Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial is being worked on

The show is still being performed though

The interactive queue is being constructed at Pirates of the Caribbean

Work continues on The Villas at the Grand Floridian

Some work going on in the drop-off area at the Grand Floridian

The Courtyard Pool is still closed until March

Concept art for the new zero-entry pool

Concept art for the Villas at the Grand Floridian

For the first time, we see concept art of the lobby for The Villas

RFID Entrance installation rolls on at Epcot

You can still pick up some Epcot 30th pins

President’s Day pin is out

Muppets mystery set was just released

Lady and the Tramp Valentine’s Day pin

Cupid Vinylmation

St. Patrick’s Day plush out already

Easter plush as well

They are finally cleaning up the Mission:Space facade

A look underneath

The Oz: The Great and Powerful playground is almost finished

RFID entrances being installed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well

Sofia The First and Doc McStuffins are on the Disney Junior facade now

Ads for Wreck-It Ralph on Bluray now up in the Animation Courtyard

WDWNT Reporter Dirk Wallen visited the Magic Kingdom earlier today and has photos of some of the offerings for “True Love Week” that started today:

Snow White and her Prince

Inside Town Square Theater, the Princess meet and greet area has been decorated

Rapunzel and Flynn

Cinderella and Prince Charming

Aurora and Prince Phillip

The characters are not signing, again they are using the autograph cards

The Mickey and Minnie meet and greet was also decorated

Minnie made Mickey a Valentine!

The magic wands are covered in roses

A banner up in the backdrop

Tiana and Naveen have a heart wreath as well

Cinderella’s Coach out by the castle walls