I sometimes wonder if Walt Disney had a fascination with water. It certainly seems that way to me. Or maybe it’s just me. But with the many interesting fountains, and water areas at Disney World, I am always finding something to make me stop and watch for a minute. These fountains that spring UPwards near the Journey to Imagination Pavilion at Epcot are a perfect example. I just stand there in amazement and wonder: “How do they DO that?”
As part of my efforts to provide information for those trying to plan an affordable Disney vacation, a number of months ago I ran a survey asking what you, the readers, needed help with, when it comes to your Disney trip planning.
Overwhelmingly, the response was “We need help with dining”. People wanted to know things like:
And that was just for starters.
Greetings Disney Friends and Happy Weekend to you! Did you get a touch of Spring this 
week where you live? Could it be that the Groundhog was right? Probably too much to hope for, but Disney folk like to Dream and Wish, don’t they? 🙂 No matter the weather where you live today, I have as usual, some great blog posts that will warm your heart. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Let’s start off with our friends from Chip and Company. Ken had a couple great articles this week. In his Oldies But Goodies he provided Six Important Reasons For Seniors To Stay Onsite. He also had an article that I really liked: Disney World Quick Tips – Please Take Your Time, It’s Not Going Anywhere. It’s hard not to rush through everything when maybe you don’t get to Disney World very often…you want to make the most of your trip! But there are some great things you miss when you do….Lastly, Chip has some news, especially for those of you who love the movie cars: ANNOUNCEMENT: DisneyToon Studios Announces Planes!
Traveling down West Buena Vista Drive, past the giant basketball hoops and the larger than life musical instruments, you will find a collection of favorite Disney film icons at the All-Star Movies. Typical of the other All-Star hotels there are five sets of buildings; 101 Dalmatians, Mighty Ducks, Fantasia, Love Bug and Toy Story. Each building has 2-story, larger than imaginable, characters that distinguish the theme of the building. The four 101 Dalmatian and Toy Story buildings are in prime proximity to the main building and the bus stops.
As with all the All-Star hotels, the bus stops are in front of the main building. This tends to be the most common issue with the All-Stars, but I have not had too many delays in getting a bus to our destination. Anytime the line has seemed impossibly long, along comes another bus. I know some people will differ with me, but I guess luck has been on my side.
As avid followers of the ABC talent show, American Idol, my family has really enjoyed participating in The American Idol Experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We have had lots of fun being part of the audience and have been lucky enough to see some very talented contestants as well. We love having the opportunity to vote for that talented someone who could actually end up with a dream ticket to try out at a real American Idol audition.
The show is put together just like a real American Idol taping. While you are waiting in line, they fire up the audience and do some preliminary taping of the crowd. Once the doors open, you enter the auditorium and take your seat in the audience. Since this is an indoor attraction, it is especially appealing during the hottest part of a Summer day or on the coldest Winter day.
During the 25-minute show, three park guests who have auditioned for judges earlier in the day, take to the stage and sing their hearts out. Then, you vote for your favorite and once the audience scores are tallied, they announce the winner for that show.