Dear Disney, 01/11/11

Dear Disney,

Today is my birthday, and only you can make my birthday wish come true.

My birthday wish is for Who Framed Roger Rabbit 2 to be confirmed for 2012, and for a Roger Rabbit attraction to come to Disney’s Hollywood Studios along with it.

First, let’s talk about the movie.  I had heard reports that it was a definite “go” and that it’s in production.  Then I heard that its status would depend on how well Tron: Legacy performed.  Then I heard that if we did get WFRR2, it would be filmed in motion capture. 

Let’s review.  I’m a Disney dork and a sci-fi geek, and even I wondered about the wisdom of releasing a new Tron movie.  So to pin the future of a sequel to the wildly popular Who Framed Roger Rabbit on the success (or lack thereof) of a sequel to a relatively obscure film like Tron makes no sense to me at all.  But I must give you the benefit of the doubt here.  Hopefully there is no truth to that rumor.

Giving credit where it’s due, however, at least Tron: Legacy was pretty to watch.  I’d go so far as to say visually stunning (generally lacking in a compelling story line, but visually stunning).  But movies made in motion capture, like Robert Zemeckis’ The Polar Express or A Christmas Carol just plain creep me out. I’m not at all fond of this method of animation, and I laughed out loud when in the ending credits of Pixar's Ratatouille, a stamp appeared labeling the film as "100% Pure Animation -- No Motion Capture!"

Now, on to DHS.  It broke my heart when I learned that a Roger Rabbit attraction and/or area had originally been planned for the Studios and then scrapped.  This was especially true when I finally made it out to Disneyland and saw how cool their Toontown was compared to Florida’s.  I know parents of toddlers everywhere are going to hate me for this one, but I found the Magic Kingdom’s Toontown about as appealing as Animal Kingdom’s Dinoland, USA.  Toontown had Barnstormer, Dinoland has Dinosaur, and neither has much of anything else worth seeing, in my humble opinion.  I know a few people might disagree, but Disney can do better, and they should.

But back to my point.  A release of a Roger Rabbit sequel (a real one, not that direct-to-video crap you’ve been cranking out repeatedly over the last sixteen years) would be the perfect opportunity for a Roger Rabbit attraction, or even a whole Toontown-themed area to come to the Studios.  A good Toontown though, not a Mickey’s Birthdayland, Mickey’s Starland,  Duckburg, Towntown Fair area that looks like it was designed as a backyard playhouse for a three-year-old girl.

Yes, I know I’m being demanding, but it’s my birthday.  And after all Disney, you’re the ones who taught me that:

“No matter how your heart is grieving,

If you keep on believing,

The dream that you wish will come true”.

Sincerely,

Teri

Cheaters' Onion Pull-Apart Rolls

As I’ve mentioned previously, one of my favorite Christmas presents this year was the new Disney cookbook, Chef Mickey – Treasures from the Vault & Delicious New Favorites, by Pam Brandon and the Disney Chefs.  I’ve been dying to jump in and give some of these recipes a try.

I’m making spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight, so I thought the Onion Pull-Apart Rolls from the Yachtsman Steakhouse would be a delicious accompaniment.  I looked over the ingredients and directions; not too complicated, but very time consuming.  Seriously, these things would take over five hours to make.  I’m sure I’ll try them someday, but not today.

So instead, I decided to try to invent a “cheaters” version.  As I’m not any more likely to be stingy with recipes than I am with food, I thought I’d share.

Cheaters' Onion Pull-Apart Rolls

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. water

1/2 cup dried minced onion

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 package refrigerated biscuits, 10 count

Directions:

Place the onion in a small bowl and sprinkle with water.  Allow to sit for about 20 minutes to soften.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a standard muffin tin with non-stick spray. 

Remove the biscuits from the package and flatten them with the heel of your hand.  Spread half of the biscuit with butter and sprinkle with a bit of the onion.

Fold the biscuit in half and repeat. (Your hands are going to smell really onion-y by the end of this; sorry.)

Fold in half again and stretch into a rectangular shape.  Spread on some more butter and sprinkle with some more onion.  (Hey, I said it was easy.  I didn’t say it was low-calorie.)

Curl the strips of the dough into the muffin cups with the layered edges facing up.  Spread with remaining butter and sprinkle with the rest of the onions.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove and serve.

Who says cheaters never win?

I'm on Top of the World

My Disney dorkdom has reached new levels.  Just when I thought I couldn’t get any geekier, I have found a way; a few, actually.

First, I was going through a typical day at work when I got a call from my husband.  “Teri,” he asks, “Did you contribute to a Disney guide?”

My reply (demonstrating my typical on-the-ball response time and quick wit) was something along the lines of, “Huh?”

Ray continues, “I was doing a search for your blog and Googled ‘Teri Sizemore’ and ‘Disney’, and I got a link to Amazon.  It says you’re listed in the 2011 Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.”  I immediately flew out of my office and into my bathroom (I had been reading my copy of The Guide in the tub the night before. Don’t laugh; you know you do it, too.)  Sure enough, on page 11 I am given credit as a fact-checker.  I felt so cool!  I immediately posted about it to Facebook, and took my copy to Pippin rehearsal that night to show off to all of my friends.  I called my aunt, my mother, my hairdresser, my neighbors, my daughter’s principal; what do you mean I got carried away?

The second one I can’t claim a lot of responsibility for, but I love it all the same.  For Christmas, my husband made me a couple of t-shirts to wear to Walt Disney World promoting my blog:

Am I a big enough Disney dork to wear my own merchandise to the parks?  Don’t be silly; of course I am!

And naturally, my house was decked out in its typical Disney decorations for the holidays; my Mickey topiary in the front yard was sporting a Santa hat, I had a Mickey Christmas wreath on my front door, Disney stockings hanging from Disney stocking holders on the mantle, and lots of beautiful Disney ornaments on my tree.  And to top it all off, my husband even gave me the new Disney cookbook as a present as well.  Now I only have to decide which of the recipes I’m making for dinner tonight…

Have you found new ways to flaunt your love of Disney lately?  Please share them with me at http://www.facebook.com/disneygene!  

Disney Magic in the Real World

We’ve all come to expect some level of the Disney magic when we visit the parks.  But every once in a while, we get a surprise: Disney magic in the real world.

A few months ago, I was in a local production of Neil Simon’s “Rumors”.  One of my lines was: “Don’t make it sound like we’re going to Washington.  We’re going to Albany.  Twenty-three degrees below zero in the middle of winter Albany.”  Right after the show wrapped, where do you think work sent me?  That’s right: Albany.

Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting to encounter any Disney magic on this trip.  I’ve been to scores of bankers’ conferences and let me tell you, there’s nothing magical about them.  But this one was different.  You see, the keynote address was The Disney Institute: Disney’s Approach to Leadership Excellence. And believe me, the speakers truly showed what excellence was all about.

It started out with me sitting in the back of the room.  As I was an exhibitor, I didn’t rate a seat at one of the tables – those were saved for attendees.  But if the conference coordinators thought that my second class status would limit my participation, they were in for a big surprise.

You see, to get the audience involved Hugh and Mary (the presenters) kept asking Disney trivia questions.  Um hi; I’m Teri.  If there’s one thing I love almost as much as Disney, it is trivia.  They even threw in a few sports questions.  It was like the entire presentation had been tailored just for me! Now granted, these were really easy questions for any Disney fan.  I identified a photo of Roy O. Disney, I knew who Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was, and I knew the historical significance of Plane Crazy.  But Hugh and Mary were really wowed.  They are used to talking to normal people, not Disney dorks like me!

Of course, they were wise to me after just a few questions.  They would ask a question, my hand would shoot up, and Hugh would say, “Okay, can someone besides Teri answer this?”  It was scarily reminiscent of high school, let me tell you.  But how awesome was it that that they already knew my name?  And during the course of the presentation, they started announcing some trivia facts about me to the group: that I had traveled nine hours to get there, that I was there exhibiting as a flood zone determination expert, and even little tidbits of information about my love for Disney.  And I had told them none of this.  They had taken the time to secretly ask others about me while they were doing their presentation, just to make me feel special and to thank me for being a Disney fan. 

When the presentation was over, they took the time to seek me out.  Mary gave me a big hug, and Hugh tried to stump me with some “harder” Disney trivia questions. I think he was just trying to make me feel good, because they weren’t all that hard (like I’m not going to know who Yensid is; now come on.)  They even gave me a few souvenirs:  two small plastic figurines and a copy of Lee Cockerell’s Creating Magic.  I was so grateful, I nearly cried!

Non-Disney people ask us all the time why we love Disney so much.  While we all love the parks, the resorts, and the movies, I think most Disney fans will tell you that the real magic is in the wonderful people that comprise the Disney family – starting with Walt and continuing with wonderful cast members like Hugh and Mary.  I for one will never forget the magical time I had – in Albany.

'Tis the Season

Looking for gift ideas for your favorite Disneyphile?  Here are some suggestions, “Twelve Days of Christmas” style:

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

 Booty from Club 33.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

 Two lithographs

And booty from Club 33.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Six Disney dollars,

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Mickey/Buckeye sweatshirts,

Six Disney dollars,

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Disney documentaries,

Mickey/Buckeye sweatshirts,

Six Disney dollars,

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

New Disney Jewelry,

Disney documentaries,

Mickey/Buckeye sweatshirts,

Six Disney dollars,

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Keys to the Kingdom,

New Disney jewelry,

Disney documentaries,

Mickey/Buckeye sweatshirts

Six Disney dollars,

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Extra DVC points,

Keys to the Kingdom,

New Disney jewelry,

Disney documentaries,

Mickey/Buckeye sweatshirts

Six Disney dollars,

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me:

Vintage Disney swag!

Extra DVC Points,

Keys to the Kingdom,

New Disney jewelry,

Disney documentaries,

Mickey/Buckeye sweatshirts

Six Disney dollars,

Five days at Disney!

Four Mickey glasses,

Three cool pins,

Two lithographs,

And booty from Club 33!

Well, what are you waiting for?  Get shopping!

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Just Hanging Out

Compromise is sometimes defined as an agreement whereby both parties get what neither of them wanted.  So often on trips to Walt Disney World, we spend so much time worrying about whether or not everyone is having fun, that we forget to enjoy ourselves.  I don’t think I fully realized this until my first solo trip to the World.  For the first time, I could be completely selfish.  So when left to my own devices, where I did I spend the bulk of my evenings?  You guessed it; the ESPN Club.

Okay, okay; bear with me here.  I realize that with no one else along, I could have a quiet, leisurely meal at a fine restaurant.  I could hit the parks and experience minimal waits by utilizing the single rider line.  I could even get in some quality shopping time (and believe me, I did).  But when I just want to hang out and relax, nothing beats the ESPN Club.

I’m not going to claim to be a sports expert.  Heck, the only sports I really care about are football and baseball.  But if you like sports even a little bit, this place can’t be topped.  

First, there are the bartenders.  They are awesome.  They work hard, serve efficiently, and keep the crowd entertained and energized. 

There is a good selection of beers on tap (Bud Light, Blue Moon, Yuengling Lager, Samuel Adams Seasonal), as well as bottled beer.  Of course, you can always go for a sissy old fruity drink, but you’re in a sports bar, dude!

The food is typical bar fare, but that’s exactly what I want with my beer and football.  There is a time and place for everything, and this is the time and place for nachos and wings!

Best of all though, is the atmosphere.  During baseball season, you will generally find two camps: Yankees fans, and everyone else. I may not be able to agree with a Red Sox or White Sox fan on much, but at least we can unite in our hatred for the Evil Empire.  (I’m just kidding, of course.  I don’t hate Yankees fans; I just enjoy sparring with them.  A lot.)  Now, football season is another story.  I DO hate the Baltimore Ravens, passionately.  And after a few beers, I’m pretty vocal about that.  It’s amazing that I always manage to leave the club unscathed, now that I think about it…

Do you have a favorite hang-out spot in the World?  Fill me in over at www.facebook.com/disneygene! 

Common Mythconceptions

There are a lot of interesting stories that float around about Walt Disney World.  I’m sure that you, being the dedicated fan that you are, already know that these are just urban legends.  However I know that I, in my quest for Disney trivia, have been suckered into believing a few of these at one time or another, so I thought I post a little refresher, just in case.

10. A guest was decapitated on Space Mountain – Okay, eeww, and no.  Can you imagine being on the train below his if this were true?  I’ve also heard rumors that it was actually a test dummy that Imagineering had stand up on the ride that was decapitated.  This I can neither confirm nor deny.

9. No guests are ever declared dead on Disney property – Legend has it that Disney hurries up and gets them off property before they are officially declared dead.  Anyone who has followed Disney in the news the past couple of years can tell you that this isn’t true.  Car accidents, bus accidents, monorail accidents – hey people; let’s be careful out there, okay?

8. While we’re discussing death, there’s always the lovely story about the cast member dressed as Mickey who fell/was thrown into Seven Seas Lagoon and was electrocuted because of the air-conditioning unit in his suit.  While I can’t guarantee that Mickey has never fallen into the lake, any CM can tell you that those lovely little costumes that they sport are definitely not air-conditioned.  Heat exhaustion might be a concern, but not electrocution.

7, 6, and 5.  Had enough talk of death?  Great; let’s move on to ghosts.  Specifically, those 999 Happy Haunts residing in the Haunted Mansion.  First, let’s get one thing straight; Walt Disney is not one of the singing busts. The face people usually mistake for Uncle Walt is actually that of Thurl Ravenscroft.  That’s okay though, because people often give Mr. Ravenscroft credit for being the voice of the Ghost Host.  That’s actually Paul Frees, folks.  And one more HM myth: the alleged “wedding ring” of the Mansion’s serial bride that people claim to find outside the Mansion.  Have you seen that thing?  It’s huge! Her bracelet?  Maybe.  Her ring?  No effing way.  I believe that’s just a remnant of an old post in the ground, nothing more.

4. The spires on Cinderella Castle were not designed to be detached during severe weather.  That castle was built to withstand hurricanes, not get disassembled like a big Lego set in fear of one.

3. Speaking of the castle; Walt never had an office there.  He passed away before construction on the castle even began. Simple math.

2.  If you think you can burn enough calories walking around Walt Disney World to compensate for eating whatever you want, you either walk way more than me or want to eat way less than I want to eat.  I walk everywhere I can at WDW (I never boat between Epcot and DHS, or between those parks and the Epcot Resorts, I take stairs instead of elevators if it’s three floor or less, etc.), but even I seldom walk over 20,000 steps in a day.  That is a lot, I’ll grant you.  Depending on the size of your steps, that’s anywhere from 8 to 10 miles.  Depending upon your weight, the average person burns about 100 calories per mile.  Now as an example, one of those big old greasy Turkey Legs you see people munching on in the parks is conservatively estimated to be 1,100 calories.  That means if you walked all day, you wouldn’t even burn off one of those.  Heaven only knows how far you’d have to go to burn off a scrumptious Butterfinger Cupcake or Carrot Cake Cookie from DHS.  The good news, however, is it takes 3,500 extra calories to gain a pound.  So unless you go completely crazy, your jeans should still fit when you get home.  (Assuming that they fit when you left, that is.)

1.  One of the horses on the carrousel is officially “Cinderella’s Horse”.  I’ll admit, I held on to this misconception for a looong time.  I’d always keep a special eye out for that pretty steed in the second row with a gold ribbon on its tail.  But according to Disney Historian Jim Korkis, this was never actually meant to be Cinderella’s horse.  I believe it was a story invented to make a “Make a Wish” guest feel better about being stuck on one of the interior horses that doesn’t go up and down, but I can’t positively confirm that for you.  I guess it really doesn’t matter because the whole carrousel belongs to Prince Charming now, anyway.

I’m sorry if I sounded like Debbie Downer in this post, but I know that you want to make sure that the trivia that you bore – er, I mean regale your friends and family with is as accurate as possible!