Disney Answers Edition

Welcome back friends!  Tonight I have more answers for you, as I take in 3 quicke questions from you, the readers.  Let me again say “Thank you!” to everyone who has been emailing their questions in.  And now, everybody neat and pretty?  Then on with the show!

Jason R. from New Jersy writes “Hi Brad!  Your blog really cheers me up after long days at work and I look forward to reading it and looking at your gorgeous pictures.  My question for you is this: I’m like you and I love Star Wars as well as Disney.  Is it really worth it going to Star Wars weekends in May?  I have to think the crowds would be even bigger than normal and the weather would be really hot.  What say you?”

Thanks for the kind words Jason, I truly appreciate them!  Having just gotten started with blogging I have to say that it has caught on really well with readers like yourself.  Ok so Star Wars Weekends. Before Disney bought Lucasfilm, they were already hosting Star Wars Weekends, which happens on weekends in May and June.  If you love Star Wars, then the Hollywood Studios is the place to be during Star Wars Weekends.  Here is what you have to look forward to:  Hyperspace Hoopla Dance Party where you favorite Star Wars characters appear in a dance off which has to be seen to be believed.  In fact here is a long clip of the 2012 Hyperspace Hoopla.  This video is provided by one of the best Disney related web sites there is called “Inside the Magic” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtjxfmmTt2I.  Please be sure to come back after you finish viewing this video.

Along with the dance party, there are all kinds of exclusive merchandise you can buy; you can get your picture taken with any of the Star Wars characters that are walking freely around the park; you can have yourself frozen in carbonite just like Han Solo did in Empire and you end up with an action figure of you in carbonite; and finally there are quite a few Behind The Scenes Exclusive Panels that are held with people like George Lucas himself taking part and telling untold stories about the making of Star Wars.  All of that was BEFORE Disney bought Lucasfilm.  This year, who knows what extra special goodies will be added.  

Finally, you will be surprised to learn that while yes the crowds around Star Tours and the Backlot area are larger than normal, you will most of the time find that the lines for Tower of Terror and Rock N Rollercoaster are very light due to everyone being over at Star Tours.  As for the weather, yes it is usually hot in Florida in May, but the vast majority of the events taking place for Star Wars Weekends all happen indoors in the air conditioning. So to conclude, I can’t recommend Star Wars weekends enough to anyone who loves Star Wars like I do.  You’ll come back with a ton of stories and memories from this event.

 

Next up 13 year old Tobey R. from England wrote to me to ask, “Hey Brad, I want to know if there will be anything cool in New Fantasyland for boys.  So far, all I have read about is Princess stuff.”

Well Tobey you are mostly right with what you have been hearing.  New Fantasyland does have a lot to love if your way into Disney Princesses.  Ariel has her new ride, and of course Belle from Beauty and the Beast has Enchanted Tales with Belle where she reads a fairytale to the audience and you get to play a role in the story interactively.  Of course, there are 2 Dumbo rides now instead of just 1, so if you love riding Dumbo (and who doesn’t) then there is twice as much to love, especially since you no longer have to wait in those massive lines to ride since they went to a FastPass like system to get on the ride.  But Tobey, I’ve saved the best for you for last.  It won’t be ready until 2014, but the Seven Dwarves Mine Ride will be one of the coolest rollercoasters in the world when it is complete.  It has mine carts that not only go really fast but they sway from left to right just like they did in the movie!  This is supposed to be one amazing rollercoaster and here is an artists picture of a part of the ride just because you asked!  Thanks Tobey!

 

My last question comes from long time Disney fan Penny N. from Texas.  Penny wrote in to ask, “Brad, I think I might love Disney World even more than you!  I go every chance I get and am happy to say that I have gotten to do some things in the park that not many others have gotten to do.  For example, I got to tour the Utilidoors beneath the Magic Kingdom.  What is the coolest thing you have gotten to do?

Wow Penny, that is something special!  Not many people know the Utilidoors even exist, so it is great that you got to take a tour of “The City Underneath The World”.  For me, my family used to attend the Disneyana Conventions and as part of those conventions, we got to do and see some amazing things ourselves.  For example, we got to ride Space Mountain with all the lights on.  I have to tell you, it isn’t nearly as fun with the lights on.  You almost feel like you can run faster than the cars travel with the lights on!  Next, we got to go on stage at the Hall of Presidents and watch them actually groom the Presidents in the morning before the attraction opens.  That is a little weird to say the least, but it was cool to stand that close to Abe Lincoln.  Finally, we got to go into the Haunted Mansion with the lights on and first see how a lot of the illusions of the attraction were made, then finally we got to actually use a machine that sprays fake cobwebs all over the mansion to give it that “died in” look.  

So that’s it for tonights post.  Again, thanks to everyone who has taken the time to ask questions and those of you who take the time to read my posts.  Your time is greatly appreciated, and I hope that I can spread a little of my love for Disney to you as well.

So until tomorrow, I’ll see you real soon at Star Wars Weekends.  I’ll be the parent asking why it is that I am not allowed to take part in The Childrens Jedi Training Academy!