The Disney Frontier Blog

EPCOT Central has a great post reflecting on the issues that surround EPCOT, its themes, and its direction especially as it relates to EPCOT Central’s coverage. Read it here:

EPCOT Central: Every Post Critical Or Trenchant?

What I really appreciate about this post is who EPCOT Central places the blame on for what they perceive as mistakes - the upper management. The core ideal around EPCOT was that it would be constantly evolving - you could say that is a core ideal for all the parks and I would agree with you. EPCOT was to be a playground of change around a single theme, Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.

But as management’s job is to make money - and not just revenue, but profit - they have gotten scared to take risks. It’s far easier to slap a Nemo themed ride into EPCOT then it is to think about what might make up the community of tomorrow. Nemo has had success. People will pay to see Nemo. Blah, Blah, Blah.

I have no issue with making money. However, as with all business, taking risks is critical to moving forward and avoiding stagnating and complacency. 

I don’t want my blog to be a blog that criticizes Disney. There are plenty of other blogs that do that well. I appreciate them and when appropriate, want to highlight them. 

I have a friend, Robert, that I have worked along side with at Twelve Horses for a few years. We’ve become pretty close friends despite our differing interests. He has never understood my fascination with all things Disney and I have very little no interest in taking vacations to remote and jungle like destinations.

He’s dumbfounded when I share my latest trip report. He just doesn’t see the appeal of gathering with all of man kind for a few days experiencing make-believe and riding roller coasters. Robert doesn’t have kids yet, which may have something to do with this - although I was indoctrinated well before I had kids.

On the flip side, it’s not that I don’t like the outdoors. Growing up, my parents took me camping almost every weekend. I’ve spent time backpacking, rock climbing, Jeeping and moutain biking. However, like most of my readers here, when I think of vacation spots, I think of Disney resorts. Having two little ones and a wife who is into the Disney culture as much as me, makes this a no brainer.

OK, now I can get to the point of this post. Robert recently moved from Reno, NV to Tampa Bay, FL. Tampa is about 2 hours from the Magic Kingdom, so I immediately started to pressure him to make a trip to the parks. I also recently moved from Reno, NV to Phoenix, AZ. Robert also began to pressure me to hike in the Sonoran Desert. We made an agreement that if one of us buckled to the peer pressure, the other would likewise.

So I invite you to read Robert’s trip report to Epcot. He’s only visited one of the parks so far, but it sounds like he’s open to trying the others. I think he was pleasantly surprised by the experience and he picked a good park to start with. I’ve shared that he should probably try Animal Kingdom next and avoid doing the Magic Kingdom until last. The is the walk before you run plan.

And once I get to the desert, which will be soon - before it gets too hot, I will write about it here.

My four year old daughter is going to be crushed. She loves to sit in the front row.
No kids allowed on Disneyland’s Splash Mountain?

I just found out that there are power poles in the Orlando area shaped like Mickey heads. I did a quick google search and came up with this.

Via Burnsland

This is the type of content that I started this blog to post. The amount of time and effort that Kennedy put into this quilt can easily be seen but I’m sure the pictures don’t do justice to seeing it in person.

Click here to see more pics: phogg: Kennedy’s Quilt

via Boing Boing

Part to of the previous post’s video.

YouTube - House of the future - part 2

This video shows an extinct Tomorrowland attraction: The Monsanto House of the Future. The house was made out of plastic and inside, you could see new technologies and holdhold items. It’s kind of like Innoventions housed in a life size playhouse.

YouTube - House of the future - part 1

(via BoingBoing)

One of my favorite attractions in Disney’s California Adventure is the often over looked Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. It’s located on the west side of the park just north of the Grand Californian Hotel. Once you enter the trail, you are transported to the pacific northwest as you are surrounded by tall pine trees that block your view of the outside world.Imagine the playground-like feel of Tarzan’s Tree House without the cheesy theming. Hikers can walk through an old red wood tree, swing on a rope swing, climb rope towers, and map forest fires at the Mt Shasta lookout. A small rock climbing wall allows kids to test their finger strength while slides and boulders allow them to play freely.There is a tie to Disney’s Brother Bear in Hibernation Hallow that allows kids to learn what their spirit animal is and regular shows feature Kenai at Ahwahnee Camp Circle.This giant playground is the perfect way to allow your kids to get some of their energy out after waiting in too many lines.

I’ve come to the realization that eating in the park isn’t “that” expensive. When we sit down to eat in the park and buy two adult meals and two kids meals, the price is consistently around $30. I’ve been paying attention here in Phoenix to our recent eating-out expenses. Most places we eat at the bill is between $20 and $30 for basically the same thing - two adult meals and two kids meals. I’m talking about casual dining like Red Robin, Macaroni Grill, and even Chuck E Cheese which I would say is comparable to the quality food you get at places like the French Market, Rancho del Zocalo, and Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port.Â

The biggest difference are beverages. This is where the bill will creep up on you if you’re not careful. The kids meals come with drinks, but due to price, we usually only purchase one adult drink to share. Typically, this is a bottle of water that is easy to take with us and we don’t have to worry about it spilling in the stroller. Also, we avoid buying snacks with our meals. Almost all the cashiers have cookies, rice krispy treats or some sugary snack at their station. Heath concerns aside, these are expensive. Plus, don’t go for the souvenir cups if trying to save on cash.

We also avoid the temptation of the snack stands throughout the park. Buying a snack for everyone can easily be half the price of a full meal. Plus the crash after the sugar wears off is hard to deal with.

When we go in a few weeks, we are going to see exactly much we can avoid eating in the park. I think this is more experimental than necessity. How do you deal with eating in the parks?Â