Back in 1994, Hunter Walker bought five shares of stock in theme park giant Walt Disney Company...
I invested in the House of Mouse because they were one of the only companies I knew of as a 10-year-old. Over the years, I held on to the stock as Disney made a killing by becoming a farm system of teenie bopper talent. But I just found out that Disney lost my identity.
I got a lovely letter in the mail informing me that on February 27, 2008, a company doing archive services for Disney lost a box of "data back-up tapes" that contained my name, address, and best of all, my social security number. Fun!
When a Disney World restaurant announced it would ban kids under a certain age, some rebelled against the idea that there could be adult zones of a child-oriented place. But given this week's tale of "line rage," maybe it's best to keep your children at home: Alabama resident Victoria Walker faces up to 15 years in prison for allegedly kicking and beating a woman in line for the Mad Tea Party ride in the Magic Kingdom.
Walker and victim Aimee Krause were both waiting in line for the Mad Tea Party ride last year when, according to Walker, Krause tried to cut the line. Krause is considering filing suit against Disney security, who she says delayed calling in the local police to take witness statements at the scene. Thank goodness they weren't armed.
Tired of kids ruining your Disney World vacations? You're in luck! Tireless consumer advocate Chris Elliott, who visits Disney, like, all the time, says Victoria & Albert's restaurant will stop letting in tots under 10.
But rather than give knee-jerk criticism, Elliott realizes that this is actually a great move by Disney, which gets plenty of adult guests along with all those kids:
I've been to Victoria & Albert's, and it's a first-rate, five-diamond establishment where men are required to wear jackets and women must wear dresses or pantsuits...Saying "no" to kiddies isn't such a bad idea. After all, the adults need their own playground, too.
Be careful what you carry in to a theme park. Sneaking a snack in your bag to avoid the temptation (and high prices) of the almighty funnel cake? That's just fine. Taking a handgun? Bad idea, as a woman discovered when she was arrested at Walt Disney World for carrying a loaded gun into the Magic Kingdom.
The 63-year-old woman from Pennsylvania had a .32-caliber Beretta in her bag which was revealed during a bag check along with a scissors and a knife. Hey, just because Lil' Wayne, Snoop Dogg and Al Pacino do it doesn't mean it's OK. Leave your guns at home, or at least check the official Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms guidelines before you leave for the theme park. (Friendly reminder: We're not lawyers!)
We wouldn't be so excited about fall if we knew that in a week we would be plucked, bound and having involuntary surgery in your mom's kitchen. But this year, as happens every year, one lucky turkey will get to live out his retirement as a Magic Kingdom resident instead of as leftovers. This year's sixtieth anniversary National Thanksgiving Ceremony at the White House allows President Bush to do what he does best--look ridiculous in the Rose Garden.
The as yet unnamed turkey hails from Dubois, Indiana and has been coached especially for his big moment. (You can vote to decide his name at the White House website.) After the November 21 ceremony, he will serve as the grand marshal of the Walt Disney World Thanksgiving Day Parade, and live out his days in the backyard of Mickey's Country House at the Magic Kingdom.
When Walt Disney first looked across the vast swampland of Central Florida, he envisioned building a world of endless joy, fantasy and revenue. While we enjoy venturing through Epcot when we can't afford overseas travel, there's also merit in the marshes Disney left untouched.
As an alternative to the screaming kids and crowded lines of Disney World, the lakes surrounding Orlando offer pristine beauty and some fun water sports. At Lake Bryan in the Orlando suburb of Lake Buena Vista, Buena Vista Watersports has jet ski rentals and boat charters with water skiing and tubing equipment. For a bit more than the price of entry to one of Disney's parks, visitors can rent equipment for an hour: Jet skis cost $90 and a boat with a driver is $130.
Now that a ban on smoking in Disney World hotels is looming, the Royal Plaza is a smoker's last hope within Disney World grounds. The Disney ban is set to take effect on June 1, and Disney-owned hotels within the park will be smoke-free, with high rule breakers' cleaning costs to boot. Seems this is the hot thing to do these days. If you're a non-smoker who can tolerate smokers, you might be interested to know that our sister site, HotelChatter, has found good summer deals at the Royal Plaza in the past. If you're headed for Disney with Camels in hand, this recently renovated hotel wouldn't be a bad place to stay--at the right price. At least part of Jaunted would consider bunking elsewhere. We like the smoke-free thing.
Is leering at the "happiest place on earth" from above encouraged? It is definitely cool to take a look at the expansiveness that is Disney FLA before you spend some time in mouseville.
Soccer Mom's unite! This Disney bird's eye view up the legendary Main St. allows you to strategically prepare your Disney plan of attack before having to deal with all the civilian families of four on the ground--just like the military does.
We highly doubt you can spot any "hidden mickey's" on Google Earth, yet. But it is only a matter of time, dotcha think?
