Disneyland: Mad Tea Party

For many, many years, I did not dare ride the Mad Hatter's Mad Tea Party. Most of my family and friends felt it was important to spin fast enough to be able to deal with nuclear materials. Watching people's eyeballs going back into their heads was never a pretty sight. But two things happened. First, Disney screwed the tea cups a bit tighter and now they don't spin so freely (go to Knotts for that experience). Second, I just don't spin the tea cup.

This was one of the original attractions that debuted on opening day. Back in 1982, the attraction was moved about 150 feet east toward Alice In Wonderland. Since the move, there has become a sort of mini-"Alice" land. It has been my experience, that during the fireworks, the ride still operates and you can ride again and again as most people are standing around. However, it is very easy to steer the tea cup and you can get some incredible views.

So let's go for a ride on the Mad Tea Party.

Western Illinois University Tour - Part 4

Let’s start down by the Rivers of American and work our way around to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

Stop 12 - Down on the Boardwalk by the Rivers of America

Tour: One thing Walt knew about kids was they needed a place to burn off that extra energy. So he created a playground on an island and called it Tom Sawyer Island. Parents should love it since they can sit, relax, and know there is only one way off the island. The kids can’t get lost. There are two islands and they were connected in 1973. The plantings were meant to look like the native woods of the untamed Midwest. The island features hardwoods like maple, oaks, and sycamores.

This was also a chance to talk about the Western River Expedition. For those not familiar with the proposed attraction, it sure would have been a doozy. Marc Davis, the brilliant Imagineer who designed the funny characters in Pirates and the Haunted Mansion as well as many other attractions wanted to out do himself. So he came up with a Western themed version of Pirates. Like Pirates, you would have sat in a boat that floats by highly detailed, comic scenes, with bank robbers who wear masks as well as their horses, dance hall girls, Native Americans doing rain dances (and only getting themselves wet), and everything would be tied together with a catchy song.

The Western River Expedition project was started back in 1968. The Imagineers felt the real New Orleans was not far from Florida and would not prove to be exotic enough of a setting for a major E Ticket attraction. What was proposed was a huge show building that would be dressed like a mesa. It would have been so big they were going to cover part of it with runaway mine train (designed by Tony Baxter). To give you an idea of how big this thing was going to be, imagine Splash Mountain, the Frontierland train station, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad under one roof. Really big. The project was pretty far along before things change. In fact, some of the fabrication had already taken place and now you know where the Buffalos and other animals in Epcot’s The Pavilion came from. The attraction was even featured in early maps and guidebooks.

We moved toward Pecos Bill, which was themed as the desert Southwest around 1860. There is a pretty clever visual trick that we will see on the way back. But for now we want to walk on the boardwalk that skirts below Splash Mountain.

Reality: The clouds started to part and it was going to be a beautiful mild spring day.

Stop 13 - Boardwalk in front of Splash Mountain.

Tour: This is the one twist on the running design theme of a migration west as well as the march of time. Since Splash Mountain was kind of stuffed into the Magic Kingdom, it doesn’t support the underlying design pattern. The attraction is set in the rural South in the 1870s. It was based on the 1946 film Song of the South. It opened in 1992 and takes 11 minutes to make a full circuit. The fastest ride in the park, the logs get up to 40 mph during its 52.5-foot, 5-story drop. Splash Mountain was inspired by Knott’s Berry Farm’s Calico Log Ride. Tony Baxter and Bruce Gordon, among many other Imagineers created this attraction for Disneyland. In fact, there is a now famous picture of the grand opening at Knott’s with a very young Tony leaning over the fence checking it out.

At Disneyland, was also inspired, in part, by the demise of America Sings. This fun, odd Marc Davis production replaced Carrousel of Progress when it was moved to Florida. It was a tour of American music sung by really great audio-animatronic characters. There were dozens of very sophisticated characters about to be retired and Tony and his team jumped all over this. So the story goes that each character in the attraction was matched up with a character from the movie. Since Marc Davis worked on both the film and the attraction, there was a connection. All of the America Sings characters that were left over were put on a showboat at the end. The original name for the attraction was the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah River Run. Michael Eisner was in a synergistic mood and suggested that they integrate a new character - Madison the Mermaid from the film Splash - into the ride and rename it Splash Mountain. The mermaid did not make it but the name stuck. Traffic was so congested in this area that the park added the boardwalk we are standing on in 1999. I enjoy the interaction between those who have been splashed and those who are about to.

Let’s go right to one of the busiest spots in the park. The intersection between Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and the Frontierland train station.

Reality: This is fun. Perfect weather and the crowds

Stop 14 - That Intersection

Tour: The railroad represents the closing of the frontier. In Liberty Square we started at the beginning of our nation’s history along the East Coast. As you walk west, you travel across the country and through time. You end up at a Ghost Town after the gold rush.

I am a train geek and this was a chance to get in a bit of train trivia. There are four locomotives and they were purchased from the United Railways of Yucatan. They were the first attraction to be completed at the Magic Kingdom. If you go from Frontierland station (set in the 1880s) to the Main Street USA station (set in the 1890s) you will have just cycled through American history.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was built in 1980. What many people don’t realize is the mountain is 197 feet tall. That makes it taller than Cinderella Castle. The little mining town is called Tumbleweed and it seems that a flood brought on by a cursed mine has brought havoc. This attraction was part of the proposed Western River Expedition. It would have wrapped around the giant show building. A lot of attention has been paid to the plant materials. They include spineless yucca, Texas ebony, mesquite, and many other succulents. The mountains are based on Monument Valley in Utah.

Reality: Are those more rain clouds? Why yes. Amazing how dark the sky in Florida can get.

Maybe it is time to move on and get over to Adventureland where David had set up a wonderful treat.

Destination D at Anaheim

Just a quick note to say congratulations to the D23 crew for the Destination D event. An orgy of Disneyland history and nostalgia for many baby boomers in the crowd. Great stories and well run. If you are a fan of bringing back the PeopleMover, let's just say your wish may not come true anytime soon but your thoughts were shared.

They announced a similar event for Walt Disney World for the Spring of 2011. Dates to be announced in the near future.

Now if they could only make the chairs in the ballroom just a bit more cushy...

Today, some 2,000 folks in 575 teams are running around Disneyland on a scavenger hunt in near 100 degree heat. Good luck to you all.

DIsneyland Dedication Plaques: Adventureland

Here is adventure. Here is romance. Here is mystery. Tropical rivers - silently flowing into the unknown. The unbelievable splendor of exotic flowers...the eerie sound of the jungle...with eyes that are always watching.

This is Adventureland.

Walt Disney

July 17, 1955

Book Review: Creating Magic

CREATING MAGIC

10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney

Lee Cockerell

2008

270 Pages

$24.95

I purchased my copy at a local bookstore.

Let’s just say that I wished I had read this book when I first purchased it. If I had done so, I probably would have bought a few copies for people I know and hoped the magic would have worked on them. This is an excellent book for anyone in a leadership role or aspires to be in one. Although it is meant to be a business book, Lee transcends the genre and provides a road map for a productive, balanced work life that measures success by your ability to bring out the best in others.

Lee Cockerell was the Executive Vice President, Operations for Walt Disney World for ten years. Prior to that, he also helped to open Disneyland Paris. His career has taken him through every level of the hospitality business including many years at Marriott. He works with the Disney Institute and developed the Disney Great Leader Strategies program. All Disney leaders subscribe to the principles outlined in that program. This book represents the core teaching of the Institute.

Lee is a storyteller and that is one of the book’s great strengths. In the Disney tradition, there is also ample use of catchy acronyms. For example, a healthy organization is one that is inclusive. To achieve this, the organization must be based on RAVE (respect, appreciate, and value everyone). And lists. There are 13 steps to achieve a successful learning organization based on trust and inclusion. Another useful acronym is for leaders to become a COACH, which means Care, Observe, Act, Communicate, and Help. The book is designed to be very user friendly. Or try ARE, which is Appreciation, Recognition, Encouragement. Great stuff.

Each chapter of the book starts with a strategy and then outlines implementation measures. At the end of each chapter are Action Steps that summarizes what you have learn and provides direction on how to utilize that knowledge. So impressed was I with the ideas, I have copied the book’s core structure in a handy outline. It is easy to do with the way Lee has laid out the information.

I have never been a Cast Member (always had a beard since high school) and through this book, I have learned lots of things that are unsaid to me as a guest. For example, “It’s not the magic that makes it work; it’s the way we work that makes it magic.” Or the 7 guest Service Guidelines that are based on the Seven Dwarfs. They are:

· Be Happy…make eye contact and smile!

· Be like Sneezy…greet and welcome each and every guest. Spread the spirit of Hospitality…It’s contagious!

· Don’t be Bashful…seek out Guest contact!

· Be like Doc…provide immediate Service recovery!

· Don’t be Grumpy…always display appropriate body language at all times!

· Be like Sleepy…create DREAMS and preserve the ‘MAGICAL’ Guest experience!

· Don’t be Dopey…thank each and every guest!

I also learned more about Take 5s? A Take 5 is a spontaneous individualized interaction with a guest that is supposed to blow their minds in less than five minutes. The goal is to create those small moments that are meaningful and memorable.

Walt Disney was all about process and the Company remains true to that tradition. They have distilled success into a formula. It begins with leadership, which leads to Cast Excellence that creates Guest Satisfaction, and positive Business Results.

Lee is a wonderful at finding just the right way to convey a complex point through a story. One that I am certain to take away is his suggestion that good leaders are environmentalist. He said, “Their responsibility is to create a sustainable business environment – calm, clear, crisp, and clean, with no pollution, no toxins, no waste – in which everyone flourishes.”

Lee’s drive for inclusion is based on enhancing the bottom line. It is business after all. As he says, “When everyone matters and everyone know he or she matters, employees are happy to come to work, and they’re eager to give you their energy, creativity, and loyalty.” For the bean counters, he argues, “The result is predictable: more productivity and satisfaction; less absenteeism and turnover.” He really believes in the group working together and uses the slogan “None of us is as smart as all of us” to make his point. It is important to build a positive corporate culture. Much of the book explains how to do that and why.

For theme park buffs, the internal organizational workings of the Walt Disney World Resort are interesting. For example, when the Resort first opened two different divisions operated it. One managed the parks and another managed the resorts. This created unnecessary duplication and was changed to the current structure. Lee says, “Structure is as important to an organization as it is to a building.” Sometimes you need to “break the mold”.

Lee is big on simple, powerful, and memorable statements. Lee is an advocate of the “vision that leaders should serve their subordinates, not the other way around.” Another one is “Be so nice to our guests that they won’t believe it.”

Having written dozens of Vision Statements, I found his take on this subject very interesting. Lee defines three kinds of statements. They are:

· The Vision Statement: What We Want to Be

· The Essence Statement: What We Want Our Guests to Feel

· The Mission Statement: What We Must Do

Lee suggests you constantly look at your procedures and ask stop/start/continue questions. Through this technique, he was able to reduce operating budgets without impacting the guest experience even during very hard times like 9/11.

The study of what Guests like and don’t like is called Guestology. As a Guestologist, you are constantly looking for the “needs, wants, stereotypes, and emotions your customers bring to the their interactions with your organization. It is a great way to look at the best way to provide excellent service.

Lee personal stories show that he has had many disappointments and setbacks in his career. However, through the encouragement of his wife and family, took each experience and learned new lessons. All marked down in his Day-Timer.

He is quick to give credit to others for their innovations. In fact, I sense he takes his greatest pride in seeing others far exceed their expectations. Kind of like how Walt was most proud that he built an organization that would outlive “Disney”. Highly recommended.

A MOMENT WITH WALT DISNEY

“Somehow I can’t believe there are many heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secret of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four ‘C’s. They are Curiosity, Confidence, Courage, and Constancy. And the greatest of these is Confidence. When you believe a thing, believe it all over, implicitly, and unquestioningly.”

Western Illinois University Tour - Part 3

PART ONE

PART TWO

Let’s continue our tour over by the Ye Old Christmas Shoppe. Lots of fun things inside, if we could only get inside. From here, we will continue on through the rest of Liberty Square and then off to Frontierland.

Stop 8 - Ye Old Christmas Shoppe

Tour: As we continue along the edge of Liberty Square we land in Colonial Williamsburg. The Ye Old Christmas Shoppe is three structures that are combined into one shop. The three interiors have very distinct themes. There is a music teacher’s shop, a woodcarver’s shop, and the home of a Pennsylvania German family named Kepple. Walt Disney’s grandfather was named Kepple Disney. If you look closely, you can see where there are smellitizers that can pump in scents into the area.

Reality: So early that the store was closed. Lots of faces smashed against the windows but we were covered from the storm.

Stop 9 - The Liberty Tree

Tour: The Liberty Tree was always meant to be the heart of this particular land. It represents the 1776 time period and each of the thirteen lanterns represents a different colony. The original Liberty Tree was the communal meeting place for Boston’s Sons of Liberty who were protesting the imposition of the Stamp Act. Early patriots replicated this as a symbol of their right to freedom of speech and assembly. The British troops were so threatened, they tried to cut down the Liberty Trees.

This particular tree is very special. It is a Southern Live Oak that was found about 8 miles on the east side of the Walt Disney World property. It is more than 130 years old and was found by Bill Evans. Bill is the legendary landscape designer for Walt’s home in Holmby Hills, Disneyland, and the Magic Kingdom. The plans to move the tree started a year in advance. The tree weighed 38 tons and had a root ball that was 18 feet by 16 feet by 4 feet deep. It was the largest tree transplanted at that time. To move the tree, holes were bored through the trunk. However, the holes got infected and larger plugs were drilled and filled in. Another Southern Live Oak was grafted into the base of the tree.

While standing in this area, I pointed out the Liberty Bell and noted that it was the only one ever created from the same mold as the original. The bell was cast in 1989.

Along the Rivers of America is the Liberty Belle steam paddle wheeler. The ship was originally named the Richard F. Irvine and was renamed in 1996. There was a 2nd paddle wheeler named the Admiral Joe Fowler. However, a dry dock accident crippled the ship and it was removed. How deep is the Rivers of America? Would you believe about 7 feet? Time to leave behind Colonial American and start the westward migration. We are going to leave the early 1800s and move about 30 years into the future. Let’s go to St. Louis, the edge of the western frontier. Off to the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon.

Reality: The storm passes for a few moments just in time to stand at the center of Liberty Square and to admire the space.

Stop 10 - Diamond Horseshoe Saloon

Tour: The time frame has shifted forward to the 1840s and we are now in St. Louis at the doors of a dancehall that would be typical of the era. We have moved from the 1790s represented in Liberty Square and will experience the growth of America all the way to the 1880s. This is the beginning of Frontierland. It is said that Frontierland is the most distinctly American statement in the park. This is the land that is influenced by Davy Crockett and Tom Sawyer. We will go from the midwest through the Southwest and end up in a ghost town in the far west. We will see the landscape change from a forested frontier to the desert. The Town Hall is dated 1867. In fact, many of the buildings have timestamps to help perpetuate the story.

If you look down at the pavement you will see a different material. This represents the mighty Mississippi River. Let’s cross the river and work our way toward the Country Bear Jamboree.

Reality: Rarely in my life have I ever seen it rain this hard. Amazing amounts of water in very little time. Kind of creating our own little Mississippi in the sidewalk drains. Luckily the architectural style of the era allowed for wide covered sidewalks.

Stop 11 - In front of the Country Bear Jamboree closer to the river

Tour: If you look high above the buildings in Frontierland you will notice the head of Western Longhorn cattle. This is a clever cover up because they are actually located in Adventureland and are modeled after an Asian Water Buffalo. The fact they work for both areas is just one of those small details that makes a difference and would be overlooked anywhere else.

The Country Bear Jamboree’s Grizzly Hall represents Colorado in the mid 1800s. Grizzly Hall was founded by Urus R. Bear (1848-1928) and has been running daily shows ever since. The attraction was first proposed for the Mineral King ski resort in California. This show was the brainchild of Marc Davis. Marc tells a touching story of his last encounter with Walt Disney. One day, after Walt had gotten out of the hospital, he went into Marc’s office and asked him to run through the bear show. Marc knew Walt had this one down but went through it anyway. As Walt left the room, he turned to Marc and said good bye. This just hit Marc like a ton of bricks. Walt never said good bye. He might have said, “See you later” or something but not good bye. That was the last time the two men talked. Look down at the floor of the lobby and you can see how scratched up it is from the paw prints.

Reality: Well that was fun. So much water dumped down that none was left in the sky. The skies began to clear. The crowds have started to appear.

Well that was so much fun but we have a long way to go. So let’s keep moving westward and watch as time passes by as well.

Nature's Wonderland Rocks

Thousands of guests pass by some of the oldest stuff in Disneyland and they don't even notice. One example are the rocks out back behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Sandwiched between the petting farm and the BBQ place are some non-descript rocks. The rock's biggest claim to fame currently is the home to the nations's pardoned turkeys.

But once upon a time they were part of Nature's Wonderland.

I had been looking for a photo and it is darn near impossible. Fortuantly I found a map in an old copy of E-Ticket magazine and that lead to the photograph you see above. Yes that is Walt wandering around his desert. The arch on the left is gone and was known as the Natural Bridge. On top of both rocks were little tiny pueblos that seemed to work in a forced perspective sort of way from the Disneyland Railroad.

The arch is most notable thing. The texture of the concrete stone has become more realistic over time.

Say Goodbye

The original Disney('s) California Adventure Park entrance.

Soon to be part of Yesterland.

Western Illinois University Tour - Part 2

Last week, I began to describe the tour that I gave for a class from Western Illinois University. We are walking through the Magic Kingdom.

Stop 4 - Where the Fantasyland Skyway station has become a backdrop to a fountain then move through the passageway and stop in front of the Columbia Harbor House.

Tour: As we shall see, the Imagineers did a great job of using architectural details to tell a linear story. This time machine effect is one of the organizational guiding principles for Liberty Square and Frontierland. From this spot, we can see a transition from London to Colonial America. As you walk from Peter Pan toward the Haunted Mansion, both areas shared the same romanticized Tudor design language. The Tudor style was big in the 1500s into the 1600s. The heavy timbers could come from Germany, Switzerland or Bavaria but are most famously used in England. Let’s walks through the passageway into Liberty Square.

This style was also popular in the Colonies. A subtle way to show the transition from one land to another is in the signage. On the Fantasyland side, the Columbia Harbor House has signs with fish and chickens to represent what is inside. On the Liberty Square side, you see eagles and English text. You have arrived in New England some time in the mid-1700s. Much of the architecture is in the Cape Code style, which is defined by a low, broad frame buildings that are generally a story and a half. They feature steep, perfectly pitched roofs with end gables, a large central chimney, and very little ornamentation.

Other cool details include the address system. If you add “18” to the house number, you will reveal the year that architectural style was popular. Look up in the window above door 26 and you will see the two lanterns that Paul Revere has left behind. Look at the wall at the end of the alley and you will see 4 interlocking fists, which was a symbol of trade unions. One other quirk about Liberty Square is the lack of bathrooms. True to the theme, there are no indoor bathrooms. The ones in Columbia Harbour House are technically inside of Fantasyland. The ones in the Liberty Tree Tavern cross the boundary into Main Street. Of course, I had to mentioned the sagging shutters and the leather straps. You know that story, right? Let’s walk toward the Haunted Mansion.

Reality: And the rain, rain, rain...At least we were all prepared. Sure kept the crowds down to nothing. Loved it.

Stop 5 - The Haunted Mansion

Tour: As we stand in front of the Haunted Mansion, we are transported to New York’s Lower Hudson Valley. This is the land of Sleepy Hollow, The Headless Horseman, and Ichabod Crane. The exterior of the Haunted Mansion was designed by Imagineer Claude Coats. He wanted it to look a bit scarier then the one at Disneyland to give parents a warning. He felt that Walt’s direction to keep the Haunted Mansion super clean was a bit tame. The effects for this attraction were built at the same time as Disneyland’s and was ready 6 months before the park opened.

The Haunted Mansion is in the Dutch Gothic Revival style also known as Victorian Gothic or Neo-Gothic. This trend was started in England in the 1740s. The stone and brickwork is common to the English Tudor style as well. This style is defined by arches that thrust upward toward the sky and large stone foundations and cornerstones. The building has strong vertical lines to make it seem tall and forbidding. There is almost a claw-like appearance. If you look on top, some have suggested that the ornamentation is similar to chess pieces. Every piece is represented except the Knight. The Haunted Mansion is influenced by Harry Packer Mansion (1874) in Jim Thorpe PA and the Lyndhurst Mansion (1838) located in Tarrytown NY. Lyndhurst was the setting for the 1970 movie Dark Shadows.

Of course, we had to pause by the Graveyard and look at some of the highlights including Mr. Toad and tributes to model maker Dave Burkhart, Claude Coats, and Leota Toombs. Time to walk toward the Yankee Trader and the Hall of Presidents.

Reality: The Haunted Mansion area in the rain...we set this up rather well.

Stop 6 - The Hall of Presidents

Tour: We have now stepped into Colonial Philadelphia. The time period is around 1787 when the United State Constitution was ratified. The buildings in this area are in the Federal Style. You see low-pitched rooflines sometimes with a balustrade. The windows are arranged symmetrically around a center doorway. Many times, there are narrow side windows that flank the doorway. Along the cornice are dentil moldings. They kind of look like teeth. You will also find elliptical or circular windows as well as oval rooms and lots of arches. Let’s move toward the Liberty Square gateway.

Reality: Buy this point, we were taking advantage of the many covered areas that line Liberty Square. There were no crowds as the early guests were running toward the E-ticket attractions on the edges of the park.

Stop 7 - Footbridge area

Tour: As you walk toward the bridge that crosses over to the Plaza Hub, you are transported to Dutch New Amsterdam (the forerunner of New York). This gave me a chance to talk about the early history of Liberty Square. The idea was first proposed for Disneyland but never realized. It was determined that another New Orleans Square was too close to Florida to be truly exotic and with the America Bicentennial on the horizon, a patriotic themed seemed like a good idea. If you look closely at the crates on the bridge you will notice they are marked TEA. Within Liberty Square, the gardens are rather formal in tribute to Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. The surrounding landscaping is informal and wild. The contrast is very deliberate.

The bridge is modeled after the Concord Bridge, which is also known as the Old North Bridge. This is the spot where the Minutemen faced off with the British in 1775. This is the moment when our nation changed and a appropriate start to our journey through America’s past.

Reality: The skies opened up and I took the group toward the Sleep Hollow food stand that sells funnel cakes. Delicious smelling funnel cakes. Just getting cooked. That smell. Although we were dry, I was torturing everybody, myself included. I want a funnel cake....

While I eat, we will move over to the Ye Old Christmas Shoppe next.

Disneyland Dedication Plaques: Main Street USA

Main Street, U.S.A. is America at the Turn of the century - the crossroads of an era. The gas lamp and the electric lamp - the horse-drawn car and the auto car. Main Street is everyone's hometown - the heartline of America.

Walt Disney

July 17, 1955

Book Review: Universal Orlando 2011

UNIVERSAL ORLANDO 2011: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE ULTIMATE THEME PARK ADVENTURE

By Seth Kubersky and Kelly Monaghan

$15.95

302 pages

Published by the Intrepid Traveler

www.intrepidtraveler.com

Well this is a case of perfect timing. I have been getting very excited about my next trip to Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World. It has been a few years since I visited Universal and I thought it was about time. In the past, I have enjoyed Kelly’s Universal books and thought they were very helpful.

Of course, the big news this year is the addition of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure. Like many of you, I have been trying to gobble up as much information as I can.

So this book review will be a little different. Not only will I be talking about this very good book but I am creating a list of things I don’t want to forget in anticipation of this trip. Don’t be scared.

The authors recognize that Disney is still the big fish in the Florida theme park pond. But they also recognize that Universal is starting to take advantage of the decline in the Disney brand. The momentum is certainly on Universal’s side right now.

Another difference in the resorts is Universal is more “adult”. The authors say, “ Whereas Disney World is perceived by many as a kiddie park that adults will enjoy, they see Universal as a park conceived with grown-ups in mind.” Some of the reason for this are the adult themes, intensity of some of the attractions, the fact that beer and wine are everywhere, and Universal’s famous use of pyrotechnics.

The book has a good discussion on the various ticketing options. It has become like Disney and very complicated. One constant thread is the suggestion that you stay at one of Universal’s resorts.

I am a big fan of single-rider lines and the book does a good job of telling you where the opportunities are and some of the downsides to certain queues. For example, the new Harry Potter attraction apparently loses a great deal when you use the single rider line. There are quite a few at Islands of Adventure. The fact there is one for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is very exciting.

For each park, there is a listing of Academy Awards (the rides you must visit) and the Runners-up. For my list of things to do, there is a trick photography spot in the Studios that uses the backdrops in just a certain way to give you a very special memento. The photo op is clearly marked with instructions.

A new feature are the color photos that provide some context to the book’s discussions.

Occasionally the book takes a little swipe at Disney. One example is the comparison of the Revenge of the Mummy versus the Magic Kingdom’s mountains. They say, “If you can handle Disney coasters like Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain, you’ll survive this one. You’ll just have more fun.”

What is going to really sell this book this year will be the Islands of Adventure section. You will not be disappointed. The authors believe that this park’s highlights are the roller coasters, “pushing the envelope”, more for the kids than the Studios, more themeing, and the music. I most certainly agree with the music. A great soundtrack and the use of sound throughout the park is outstanding.

Along with the soundtrack another favorite of mine that is highlighted in the book are the areas close to the Inland Sea. The way the park was designed, most of the ‘islands’ have areas that are away from the main pathways and provide wonderful views and a break from the madness. The authors suggest, “They are surprisingly private and quite romantic places to snuggle up with that special someone.” I would agree that a eating a treat while sitting on that bench way beyond the front entrance, somewhat under the Hulk coaster is a nice spot.

Like the Studios, each attraction description is star rated (1 to 5) and throughly described. I like the tips for best seats or things to watch for. The book also highlights the little things. The photo op onto of Horton’s egg or going on the train to the right in Seuss Landing.

I was glad to hear that Mythos remains a culinary treat.

Now I bet you want to hear about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. According to the authors, they describe the new island as, “the most visually dense attraction in any park, Mouse-made or otherwise, with the possible exception of Tokyo DisneySea in Japan.” Strong words. Can’t wait to find out. Instead of spoiling the new Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, there is a spoiler alert. Read it anyway. And they say...

Now maybe it is just me but the idea of Butterbeer and Pumpkin Juice sound more strange than good. However, their description of Butterbeer is the tastiest yet. They describe it as “a vanilla shortbread cookie flavored soda, with a thick head of butterscotch non-dairy whipped topping.” Hmmm. I shall step inside of The Three Broomsticks and take advantage of the nine-ounce cup for $2. And I understand I am suppose to give an extra tip to the bartender at the Hog’s Head Pub.

The book provides detailed information about Citywalk and the three resort hotels. The book is balanced, not fawning. If something isn’t that good, they do not hesitate to say so. And that 2 for 1 tuesdays at Pat O’Brien’s has some merit...

If you are going to Universal this next year, you will find the information in this book invaluable. Good job.

I received the book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.