A Brief History of Disney World’s Epcot Center

EPCOT Center, which was rebranded as simply “Epcot” in 1996, is one of the most iconic creations ever conceived by Disney engineers and is as well-known as a part of Walt Disney World as Cinderella’s Castle. It opened to much fanfare in October of 1982, and remained the largest of Disney’s various theme parks until 1998 when Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened nearby. Epcot was designed by Walt Disney himself as one of his greatest creations, though unfortunately he did not live to see its construction or the changes that were made to his original plans.

Envisioning EPCOT

EPCOT, which is an acronym that stands for, “Experimental Prototype Community (or sometimes City) Of Tomorrow”, was originally conceived by Walt Disney during the 1960′s while he was developing plans for Walt Disney World in Florida. The EPCOT idea existed even before the plans for the Florida location were set in stone, and was based upon the amount of experience that Disney’s “Imagineers” had acquired in building construction and advanced concept designs. Disney imagined EPCOT to be a thriving community with up to 20,000 residents, where shopping, schools, civil services, and all of the residents’ needs would be more or less self-contained within the community itself.

The EPCOT city was to be designed as a radial community, with shopping and commerce being centrally located. Beyond that, the schools and civil services that the residents would need would make up the second ring (and would thus be closer to the residents themselves.) The outermost ring would be made up of the residential sector, and those living there would have the advantage of being the same distance from everything that they would need (as opposed to the sprawl that is encountered in modern cities.) Disney envisioned EPCOT as a city that would never be completed, as new technology and innovation would keep improving the designs and the lives of all who lived there.

A Change of Plans

The board of directors however did not like the idea of Disney opening a city with no central attractions, and though Walt Disney was opposed to the idea of making a “sequel” theme park to Disneyland he eventually relented and allowed the construction of the Magic Kingdom to be planned for the Florida property. He still expected to make EPCOT a reality, though he passed away before the city of his dreams could be built.

Not wanting to be responsible for a full-fledged city, the board of directors refused to continue with the plans for EPCOT (though they did allow Walt Disney’s brother, Roy, to complete the Magic Kingdom.) Several of the ideas which had been created for EPCOT were included in the final design of Walt Disney World, including some of the unique solutions that the park employed for transportation and its water and electrical supplies.

EPCOT Center Opens

E. Cardon Walker, the CEO of Disney at the time, decided in the late 1970′s that he wanted to revisit the EPCOT theme. The board of directors still did not like the idea, and Walker himself agreed with them that the idea wouldn’t work the way that Walt Disney had originally designed it. A compromise was eventually reached which would enable some of the concepts of the original plan to survive without the need for a full-fledged city to be built. The new design would come to be known as the EPCOT Center, and would showcase the innovative ideas that Disney had prized before his death in a manner similar to the presentations at a World’s Fair.

EPCOT Center opened in late 1982, with a short speech by Walker paying tribute to both Walt Disney’s innovative ideal for EPCOT and the wonder that Disney had hoped that EPCOT would present to the world. Keeping with the radial design of Disney’s original plan, the centerpiece of EPCOT Center was a giant sphere known as Spaceship Earth.

Epcot Today

Though the name of Epcot has changed a few times over the years (first to “Epcot ’94″, then “Epcot ‘95″, and finally just “Epcot”), it still stands as a representation of the best that humanity can strive for. The entire park is dedicated to themes of diversity and peace in a futuristic setting, and contains amazing displays and technological innovations which can leave audiences full of wonder. The park is divided into several sections, including Future World and the World Showcase. Future World is the location of Spaceship Earth, Mission: SPACE, and other innovation and exploration themed attractions. In addition to Future World, the World Showcase features pavilions that represent 11 different countries and the 13-minute fireworks show at closing time known as IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. Epcot also features international events annually, including food, flower, and holiday showcases.

Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to vacations and the travel industry such as Walt Disney World | Disney Vacation

Affordable Disney Vacation – Where to Stay In Orlando

One lavish vacation a year is what every one looks forward to, a chance to get away from work and their daily routines. And the one place that most of them don’t mind visiting is the Walt Disney World in Florida. Whether they are a child or an adult, it makes them happy and gives them something to look forward to. Since different people have different interests, this theme park offers all kinds of entertainment and adventure.

You can either go for an affordable and relaxing Walt Disney vacation or try and get one of those rare cheap Disney Vacation Club depending on what you prefer. When you have decided on your holiday destination, thereon comes the planning of other minute details. Make sure to have someone help you with the planning lest you are left dealing with all the details on your own.

If cost is not a restriction, you can go all the way and enjoy every single luxury available, everything from a 4bedroom villa on the beach to the spa facilities. When you rent a private villa through a website, you can choose the other amenities you want to go with it, either a private pool or some of the other services. They have a shuttle that operates from these villas to the main Disney World, so you can save on money spent on transport.

Inside the theme park, be sure to reach the most popular park early to grab passes or maybe get your FASTPASS. If you are keen on exploring The Magic Kingdom and Cinderella Castle, you need to prioritize which one of their offerings you want to visit first. There is the Main Street USA, where you go back in time and walk along the streets as they were in the 19th century or earlier. Everything from the horse trams to gas lights greet you along the streets which are filled with parades and restaurants. It houses the Main Street Family fun day parade where visitors can participate and be one with the performers. Winds through the lanes towards Town square before coming to a grand finale at the City hall.

You can grab a bite to eat at the Plaza restaurant or the Crystal Palace, which has a buffet for kids and all your favorite cartoon characters. Meals here would cost anywhere from $15-$60 per person, so be careful while ordering and don’t go overboard. They have an extravagant breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, and some specially designed Disney Character based items for children.

Another area in the Magic Kingdom not to be missed while relishing your Walt Disney World vacation is the Liberty Square. Here, you can take a peek into the American history at the Hall of Presidents or get spooked at the Haunted Mansion or enjoy a lazy boat ride through the park. You can pick up a few trinkets to take back home from the Heritage House and a wide choice of home wares and eats from Yankee Trader.

Ian Wilkie is an author of many Affordable Disney Vacation articles related too Deal Disney Family Vacation & Discount Disney Package Vacation and owner of – My Affordable Disney Vacation your one-stop online resource for Affordable Walt Disney World Resort Vacation information.

Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation – Tips On How To Take Your Family On A Fun Vacation

The one fun vacation a year is what every one looks forward to, an opportunity to get away from work and busy work routines. And the one place that most of them don’t mind visiting is the Walt Disney World in Florida. Whether they are a child or an adult, it makes them happy and gives them something to look forward to. Since different people have different interests, this theme park offers all kinds of entertainment and adventure.

Choose between an affordable Walt Disney Vacation or try to get one of those rare Cheap Disney Vacation Club memberships, depending on what you prefer. When you have decided on your holiday destination, thereon comes the planning of other minute details. Make sure to have someone help you with the planning lest you are left dealing with all the details on your own.

If cost is not a restriction, you can go all the way and enjoy every single luxury available, everything from a 4bedroom villa on the beach to the spa facilities. When you rent a private villa through a website, you can choose the other amenities you want to go with it, either a private pool or some of the other services. They have a shuttle that operates from these villas to the main Disney world, so you can save on money spent on transport.

Inside the theme park, be sure to reach the most popular park early to grab passes or maybe get your FASTPASS. If you are keen on exploring The Magic Kingdom and Cinderella Castle, you need to prioritize which one of their offerings you want to visit first. There is the Main Street USA, where you go back in time and walk along the streets as they were in the 19th century or earlier. Everything from the horse trams to gas lights greet you along the streets which are filled with parades and restaurants. It houses the Main street Family fun day parade where visitors can participate and be one with the performers. Winds through the lanes towards Town square before coming to a grand finale at the City hall.

You can grab a bite to eat at the Plaza restaurant or the Crystal palace,which has a buffet for kids and all your favorite cartoon characters. Meals here would cost anywhere from $15- $60 per person, so be careful while ordering and don’t go overboard. They have an extravagant breakfast, lunch and dinner menu, and some specially designed Disney Character based items for children.

Another area in the Magic Kingdom not to be missed while relishing your Affordable Walt Disney World Vacation is the Liberty Square. Here, you can take a peek into the American history at the Hall of Presidents or get spooked at the Haunted Mansion or enjoy a lazy boat ride through the park. You can pick up a few trinkets to take back home from the Heritage House and a wide choice of home wares and eats from Yankee Trader in Florida.

Ian Wilkie is an author of many Affordable Disney Vacation articles related too Disney Family Package Vacation & Disney Orlando Rental Vacation and owner of – My Affordable Disney Vacation your one-stop online resource for Affordable Walt Disney World Resort Vacation information.

Discover The Magic In Disneys Magic Kingdom

It is important to make sure that you allow yourself enough time to get through everything that you want to do when you visit Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Equipment Rental: Strollers, manual wheelchairs, and ECVs can be rented just inside the park.

The Extra Magic Hours program offers guests of the on-property hotel resorts to enter one of the parks an hour earlier than the posted opening time. The Extra Magic Hours program also offers guests of the on-property hotel resorts to spend an extra three hours at the park. Another unique element to Magic Kingdom is that most guests will need to take a monorail or ferry to get from their car to the park.

After purchasing Magic Kingdom Tickets you will find over 48 rides and attractions that will bring fantasy, youth, nostalgia, and most of all magic into play.

The park map lists forty-eight attractions in seven themed “lands. Disney’s Magic Kingdom contains some real “don’t miss” attractions, depending on what age bracket you fall in. Space Mountain, while dated, is still one of the best attractions at the Magic Kingdom.

The Tomorrowland attractions have been designed to give you an opportunity to participate in adventures that are a living blueprint of our future. Adventureland — An exotic mix of jungles, wild animals, pirates and a Middle Eastern bazaar, Adventureland is home to several of the Magic Kingdom’s best-known and best-loved attractions, including Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise.

Major attractions include Splash Mountain, a thrilling log ride; Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a roller coaster ride through an unstable mine; and the ever popular performing bears of Country Bear Jamboree. Major attractions also include Haunted Mansion, with frights from friendly haunts; and the Hall of Presidents, a moving Audio-Animatronics salute to the United States’presidents.

My favourite is Mickey’s PhilharMagic, a 3-D of Disney music and characters; The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, a gentle journey through the Hundred Acre Wood; and Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel, a merry-go-round of mighty steeds.

One of the main things which you may be wondering about is where you should consider eating while you are visiting Disney’s Magic Kingdom and one place that you may want to consider eating while you are at Magic Kingdom is Cinderella’s Royal Table. Crystal Palace is another one of the Magic Kingdom restaurants which you may want to consider eating at.

The Liberty Tree Tavern is another one of the great restaurants that you will find in Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Tony’s Town Square Restaurant with Italian cuisine is upon you within moments of entering the park.

Before you leave be dazzled by the biggest, brightest fireworks extravaganza in Magic Kingdom history with the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular being one of the main attractions of Disney’s Magic Kingdom. As you can see, there is much to do at the Disney World theme park, Magic Kingdom.

Get more information at http://www.disney-direct.org Read more articles like this one at http://orlandohotels4less.com

Disney Fanatic? Test your Knowledge of Disney World & Orlando

1. What year did Disney’s Magic Kingdom open its doors?

A) 1955

B) 1971

C) 1975

2. What Orlando attraction is known as “The Alligator Capital of the World”?

A) Gatorland

B) Jungle Adventures

C) Holy Land Experience

3. Which Major League Baseball team plays its home games at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex during Spring Training?

A) Houston Astros

B) Atlanta Braves

C) Milwaukee Beers

4. What is the tallest structure at Disney’s Magic Kingdom?

A) Space Mountain

B) Swiss Family Treehouse

C) Cinderella Castle

5. Scenes from which 1998 Adam Sandler movie were filmed at the Citrus Bowl?

A) The Waterboy

B) Happy Gilmore

C) Deuce Bigalo: European Gigolo

6. What is the name of the new water park scheduled to open across the street from SeaWorld Orlando in the spring of 2008?

A) Seatopia

B) Aquatica

C) The Life Aquatic

7. Which PGA Tour golf tournament takes place at Bay Hill Golf Club each March?

A) Arnold Palmer Invitational

B) Arnold Jackson Invitational

C) Arnold Ziffel Invitational

8. What is the name of Disney World’s major promotional celebration that runs throughout 2007?

A) Year of a Million Dreams

B) Year of a Thousand Dreams

C) Year of 10 Dreams

9. What is Orlando’s “tallest, fastest, longest and only floorless roller coaster”?

A) Incredible Hulk Coaster

B) Kraken

C) Shamu Express

10. Which performing arts troupe will find a permanent home at Universal Orlando during the summer of 2007?

A) Cirque du Soleil

B) Milli Vanilli

C) Blue Man Group

11. What year did the Orlando Predators win the Arena Bowl championship?

A) 1965

B) 1998

C) 2000

12. What Orlando attraction is billed as the “world’s most interactive dinner show”?

A) Pirate’s Dinner Adventure

B) King Henry’s Feast

C) Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede

13. What is the tallest artificial mountain at Disney World?

A) Expedition Everest

B) Splash Mountain

C) Space Mountain

14. Which annual Orlando festival is billed as “10 Days of Theatre, Art, Music and Madness”?

A) Orlando International Fringe Festival

B) Epcot International Wine & Cheese Festival

C) Ocoee International Sailing Regatta

15. What is the fastest ride at Disney World?

A) Space Mountain

B) Test Track

C) WEDway PeopleMover

16. Which Cirque du Soleil show takes place at Downtown Disney?

A) Mystere

B) La Nouba

C) La Strada

17. Encompassing more than 500 acres, which is Disney World’s largest theme park?

A) Epcot

B) Boardwalk and Baseball

C) Disney’s Animal Kingdom

18. What is the name of the indoor interactive theme park at Downtown Disney?

A) DisneyQuest

B) DisneyInterQuest

C) Cirque du Quest

19. Name the “living, biblical history museum” that lies just off Interstate 4 in Orlando.

A) Holy Land Experience

B) Bible-o-Rama

C) Holy World

20. What is the name of the free reservation system Disney World uses for its most popular rides and attractions?

A) QUICKPASS

B) FASTPASS

C) SUNPASS

21. Which Major League Baseball team plays its home games at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee during Spring Training?

A) Houston Astros

B) Atlanta Braves

C) Durham Bulls

22. What year did Disney-MGM Studios open its doors?

A) 1982

B) 1989

C) 1998

23. Who is the head coach of the Orlando Magic?

A) Grant Hill

B) Brian Hill

C) Benny Hill

24. Which Orlando attraction is home to the Dr. Phillips Cinedome?

A) Orlando Museum of Art

B) Xanadu: Home of the Future

C) Orlando Science Center

25. Which is one of the seven enchanted lands that make up Disney’s Magic Kingdom?

A) Seussland

B) Copland

C) Adventureland

26. Which of the following countries is represented at Epcot’s World Showcase?

A) Bangladesh

B) Morocco

C) Algeria

27. Who was the first champion at the inaugural Walt Disney World Open Golf Invitational in 1971?

A)Jack Nicklaus

B) Tiger Woods

C) Arnold Palmer

28. What is the former name of the Astro Orbiter attraction in Tomorrowland?

A) Skyrockets in Flight

B) Star Jets

C) Mon Calamari Star Cruisers

29. Which astronaut took the first ride during the grand opening of Space Mountain in 1975?

A) Major Anthony “Tony” Nelson

B) Commander Neil Armstrong

C) Colonel Gordon Cooper

30. What is the name of Disney World’s first water park, which opened at Fort Wilderness Campground in 1976.

A) River Country

B) Splash Country

C) Wilderness Country

31. What did EPCOT originally stand for?

A) Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow

B) Experimental Polyester Clothes of Tomorrow

C) Every Pocketbook Comes Out Trashed

32. Which thrill ride can be found in the Norway Pavilion at Epcot?

A) Troll Trauma

B) Maelstrom

C) El Rio Del Norway

33. Singer Gloria Estefan owns which Downtown Disney restaurant?

A) Raglan Road Irish Pub

B) Bongos Cuban Cafe

C) Latin Quarter

34. Which is one of Disney World’s two miniature golf courses?

A) Disney’s Winter Summerland

B) Disney’s Summer Winterland

C) Disney’s Fall Springland

35. What International Drive landmark is known as “ Orlando’s only upside-down attraction”?

A) Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!

B) Skull Kingdom

C) WonderWorks

36. Which PGA golf tournament takes place at Disney World each October?

A) FUNAI Golf Classic

B) Arnold Palmer Golf Classic

C) Bushwood Golf Classic

37. Summit Plummet, the world’s fastest and tallest free-fall waterslide, can be found at which water park?

A) Disney’s Blizzard Beach

B) Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon

C) DisneyQuest

38. Which legendary rock band is associated with a thrill ride at Disney-MGM Studios?

A) Guns N’ Roses

B) Aerosmith

C) Insane Clown Posse

39. Which annual event takes place at Disney-MGM Studios?

A) Fear Factor Live Weekend

B) K-Fed Rapper Wannabe Weekend

C) ABC Super Soap Weekend

40. What is the airport code for the Orlando International Airport?

A) MCO

B) MCKY

C) ORL

41. How much does it cost to ride the I-Ride Trolley?

A) 25 cents

B) 75 cents

C) 99 cents

42. Which Kissimmee dinner show bills itself as a “Storybook Tale of Romance and Adventure”?

A) Medieval Times

B) Arabian Nights

C) Battlebots: Metal Munching Maniacs

43. What Orlando attraction gives you the opportunity to swim with bottlenose dolphins?

A) Discovery Cove

B) Wet ‘n Wild Water Park

C) Splendid China

44. Which shopping, dinning and entertainment complex in Kissimmee is home to the SkyCoaster thrill ride?

A) Celebration

B) Pointe*Kissimmee

C) Old Town

45. Who did the Orlando Magic select as its No. 1 draft pick in 2004?

A) Dwight Howard

B) Juwan Howard

C) Clint Howard

46. Which NASCAR legend offers a stock car “Driving Experience” attraction at Walt Disney World Speedway?

A) Dale Earnhardt Jr.

B) Richard Petty

C) Ricky Bobby

47. Which of the following attractions is still open on International Drive?

A) Titanic: The Experience

B) Skull Kingdom

C) Hard Rock Vault

48. Disney World is actually located in what city?

A) Orlando

B) Lake Buena Vista

C) Bithlo

49. Which Disney World theme park has more than one entrance?

A) Disney-MGM Studios

B) Disney’s Animal Kingdom

C) Epcot

50. The Living Seas Pavilion at Epcot has changed its name to honor which Disney animated character?

A) Nemo

B) Arial

C) Foghorn Leghorn

51. Which is the largest of the five islands that make up Universal’s Islands of Adventure?

A) Jurassic Park

B) Marvel Super Hero Island

C) Seuss Landing

52. What year did Epcot open its doors?

A) 1978

B) 1982

C) 1989

53. Which is not one of the characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies to be added to the Pirates attraction at Disney’s Magic Kingdom?

A) Captain Jack Sparrow

B) Barbossa

C) Cap’n Crunch

54. Which is one of the five “islands” at Universal’s Islands of Adventure?

A) Looney Tune Lagoon

B) Bufoon Lagoon

C) Toon Lagoon

55. The world’s first inverted, dueling roller coasters can be found at which Orlando theme park?

A) Universal’s Islands of Adventure

B) SeaWorld Orlando

C) Fun Spot Action Park

56. Mount Gushmore serves as the centerpiece of which Orlando area water park?

A) Disney’s Blizzard Beach

B) Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon

C) Wet ‘n Wild Water Park

57. Which Fantasyland attraction boasts the world’s largest seamless projection screen?

A) It’s a Small World

B) Peter Pan’s Flight

C) Mickey’s PhilharMagic

58. The theme and characters for Splash Mountain were inspired by what 1946 Disney movie?

A)Song of the South

B) Fantasia

C) Splash

59. President Richard Nixon gave his famous “I am not a crook” speech during a convention at which Disney resort in 1973?

A) Polynesian Resort

B) Contemporary Resort

C) Motel 6

60. Which science fiction writer assisted in the design of Epcot’s Spaceship Earth?

A) Ray Bradbury

B) Isaac Asimov

C) Thomas Anderson

61. Who is the actor that currently narrates the Spaceship Earth ride at Epcot?

A) Jeremy Piven

B) Jeremy Irons

C) Jeremy Shockey

62. How many ghosts reside at the Haunted Mansion?

A) 99

B) 999

C) 9,999

63. Name the body of water that lies directly in front of Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

A) Discovery Lagoon

B) Seven Seas Lagoon

C) Toon Lagoon

64. Which was not one of the original attractions when Disney’s Magic Kingdom opened in 1971?

A) Haunted Mansion

B) Jungle Cruise

C) Pirates of the Caribbean

65. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride in Fantasyland was replaced by which attraction in the late ‘90s?

A) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

B) If You Had Wings

C) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

66. How much did a seven-ride attraction ticket book cost when Disney’s Magic Kingdom opened in 1971?

A) $4.75

B) $8.75

C) $67.75

67. How tall is Space Mountain?

A) 89 feet

B) 189 feet

C) 29,028 feet

68. Which of the Country Bears sings “Blood on the Saddle” during the Country Bear Jamboree?

A) Big Al

B) Mr. Big

C) Notorious B.I.G.

69. What is the name of the fort that is connected to Tom Sawyer Island by a swinging suspension bridge?

A) Fort Courage

B) Fort Longhorn

C) Fort Langhorne

70. What is the nickname of the vehicles used at The Haunted Mansion?

A) Doom Buggies

B) Creepy Carriages

C) Haunted Hearses

71. Which is not a location of one of the three Walt Disney World Railroad stations at Disney’s Magic Kingdom?

A) Frontierland

B) Adventureland

C) Mickey’s Toontown Fair

72. What is the highest rank you can achieve through accumulating points at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin?

A) Galactic Hero

B) Starfleet Captain

C) Space Nerd

73. What is the maximum speed of the Indy cars at Tomorrowland Indy Speedway?

A) 2.5 mph

B) 7.5 mph

C) 160 mph

74. Which of the following animated films was worked on at Disney-MGM Studios?

A) Mulan

B)Treasure Planet

C)Fritz the Cat

75. What is the original name of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority?

A) Mach Go Go Go

B) Blade Runner

C) WEDway People Mover

76. The Leave a Legacy Sculpture is located near the entrance to which Disney World theme park?

A) Disney’s Magic Kingdom

B) Disney-MGM Studios

C) Epcot

77. Which Epcot attraction gives you a bird’s-eye view of California landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Disneyland?

A) Soarin’

B) Flyin’

C) Glidin’

78. Who was the original narrator of Epcot’s Spaceship Earth?

A) Walter Cronkite

B) Carl Sagan

C) Butch Patrick

79. Which of the following is one of the audio-animatronic characters that host The American Adventure at Epcot?

A) Mark Twain

B) Abraham Lincoln

C) Donald Trump

80. What is the nickname of the water tower icon at Disney-MGM Studios?

A) Eyeful Tower

B) Earffel Tower

C) Falafel Tower

81. The Rock ‘n Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney-MGM Studios reaches 0 to 60 miles per hour in how many seconds?

A) 2.8

B) 3.8

C) 23.8

82. Which thrill ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure boasts two corkscrews, two vertical loops, a double-inverting cobra roll and a zero-g roll?

A) Dueling Dragons

B) Incredible Hulk Coaster

C) High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride

83. The Sounds Dangerous show at Disney-MGM Studios stars which TV comedian?

A) Carrot Top

B) Andrew “Dice” Clay

C) Drew Carey

84. How many stories does the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror plummet?

A) 15

B) 13

C) 2

85. Which of the following attractions is no longer open at Disney-MGM Studios?

A) Muppet Vision 3-D

B) Voyage of the Little Mermaid

C) Who Wants to be a Millionaire – Play It

86. What year did Disney’s Animal Kingdom open its doors?

A) 1989

B) 1998

C) 2000

87. Which attraction lies underneath the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

A) It’s Tough to be a Bug!

B) Expedition Everest

C) Kali River Rapids

88. Expedition Everest takes you on a thrilling adventure that leads to a confrontation with what mythical creature?

A)Yeti from the Himalayas

B) Yoda from The Empire Strikes Back

C) Sloth from The Goonies

89. What is the nickname of the Tyrannosaurus Rex replica that serves as the unofficial mascot of DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?

A) Dino-Mite

B) Dino-Sue

C) Dinah-Shore

90. Surfing instruction can be arranged at the Surf Pool of which Orlando area water park?

A) Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon

B) Disney’s Blizzard Beach

C) Wet ‘n’ Wild Water Park

91. Which of the following theme restaurants is not located at Universal CityWalk?

A) NBA Café

B) Chuck E. Cheese’s

C) Hard Rock Cafe

92. A walk-through exhibit near the entrance to Universal Studios honors which legendary TV actress?

A) Lucille Ball

B) Mary Tyler Moore

C) Yasmine Bleeth

93. Which attraction at Universal Studios involves the use of “OgreVision googles”?

A) Shrek 4-D

B) Jimmy Neutron’s Nicktoon Blast

C) Jaws

94. What is the name of the kiddie roller coaster located in The Lost Continent at Universal’s Islands of Adventure?

A) The Flying Spaghetti Monster

B) The Flying Dragon

C) The Flying Unicorn

95. What is the newest attraction in Seuss Landing at Universal’s Islands of Adventure?

A) Caro-Seuss-El

B) Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride

C) The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride

96. The grand opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971, drew approximately how many guests?

A) 10,000

B) 20,000

C) 100,000

97. Which is one of the classic attractions at Disney’s Magic Kingdom that originally made its debut at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair?

A) Carousel of Progress

B) Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

C) Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm

98. The Great Movie Ride at Disney-MGM Studios is housed in a replica of which famous theater?

A) Mann’s Chinese Theater

B) Apollo Theater

C) AMC Pleasure Island 24

99. Which Adventureland attraction was once sponsored by Florida Citrus Growers?

A) Pirates of the Caribbean

B) Tiki Room

C) Jungle Cruise

100. A replica of what famous icon can be found in the center of Liberty Square?

A) Declaration of Independence

B) Liberty Bell

C) Michael Jackson’s Chimp, Bubbles

101. What thrill ride at Epcot is so authentic that motion sickness bags are available just in case of emergency?

A) Mission: SPACE

B) Test Track

C) Ellen’s Energy Adventure

102. Where does “intergalactic lounge singer” Sunny Eclipse perform daily at Disney’s Magic Kingdom?

A) Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, Tomorrowland

B) Johnny Appleseed’s Tavern, Liberty Square

C) Big Bamboo Lounge, Highway 192

103. What is the name of the audio-animatronic dog in the Carousel of Progress?

A) Rover

B) Spot

C) Triumph

104. Which of the following movies had scenes shot in Orlando?

A)Police Academy 6: City Under Siege

B)The Toxic Avenger Part III: The Last Temptation of Toxie

C) Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector

105. Who won the 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge?

A) Tiger Woods

B) Happy Gilmore

C) Vijay Singh

106. What is the name of the one-of-a-kind “watercoaster” ride at SeaWorld Orlando?

A) Beyond Atlantis

B) Journey to Atlantis

C) Pelt a Penguin

107. Which new after-hours event did Disney’s Magic Kingdom introduce during the winter of 2007?

A) Disney’s Very Merry After Christmas Party

B) Disney’s Pirate & Princess Party

C) Disney’s It’s A Dead Man’s Party

108. Which body of water in Central Florida is the fourth-largest lake in Florida?

A) Lake Apopka

B) Lake Orlando

C) Lake Bithlo

ANSWERS:

1. B

2. A

3. B

4. C

5. A

6. B

7. A

8. A

9. B

10. C

11. C

12. A

13. A

14. A

15. B

16. B

17. C

18. A

19. A

20. B

21. A

22. B

23. B

24. C

25. C

26. B

27. A

28. B

29. C

30. A

31. A

32. B

33. B

34. A

35. C

36. A

37. A

38. B

39. C

40. A

41. B

42. B

43. A

44. C

45. A

46. B

47. A

48. B

49. C

50. A

51. A

52. B

53. C

54. C

55. A

56. A

57. C

58. A

59. B

60. A

61. B

62. B

63. B

64. C

65. A

66. A

67. B

68. A

69. C

70. A

71. B

72. A

73. B

74. A

75. C

76. C

77. A

78. A

79. A

80. B

81. B

82. B

83. C

84. B

85. C

86. B

87. A

88. A

89. B

90. A

91. B

92. A

93. A

94. C

95. C

96. A

97. A

98. A

99. B

100. B

101. A

102. A

103. A

104. C

105. C

106. B

107. B

108. A

Orlando, Florida Guide, the most comprehensive online guide to Orlando, offers discount Disney World tickets, discount Universal Orlando tickets and discount SeaWorld Orlando tickets, as well as discount Orlando hotels and individually tailored Orlando vacation packages.

Disney Movies Enlighten Families Worldwide

Disney movies have been the cornerstone to family enjoyment and have kept children’s imagination flowing for several decades now. Because of classics with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, Walt Disney Pictures has been able to continue writing and creating masterpieces today. Currently there is an array of Disney movies coming to theaters soon and a couple sparking people’s interests in theaters today.

Tim Allen will be returning with co-star Martin Short in The Santa Clause 3, which will be coming to DVD in November 2007. Jack Frost, played by Martin Short, attempts to take over Christmas in this trilogy. Santa Clause, played by Tim Allan, must deal with his critical in-laws while attempting to save Christmas from Jack Frost in this fun family movie.

Just recently released to theaters is the huge Disney movie hit Bridge to Terabithia. This piece of literature brought to the big-screen tells the story of a schoolboy, played by Josh Hutcherson, who befriends the class outsider. Together the two 11-year-olds then create Terabithia, an imaginary kingdom filled with giants and other magical beings. This fantasy film is guaranteed to keep the kids’ imagination flowing with tons of interest and entertainment.

One of the biggest trilogies in ages is returning to theaters on May 25, 2007 as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End will be released. The full cast with Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley return for another action-packed thriller produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

Underdog, most well-known for the NBC cartoon that ran from 1964 to 1973, will be making its movie debut on August 3, 2007. Much like the cartoon, it begins as a diminutive hound dog named Shoeshine acquires superpowers. When a 12-year-old boy adopts Shoeshine, the two join forces and Shoeshine must work to fight off his nemesis, Simon Barsinister.

In far off production, one of the most well-known Disney movie animations Toy Story will be returning in 2010. As Walt Disney Pictures purchased Pixar in 2006, the project for Toy Story 3 was put back in the hands of the people who created the masterpieces of Toy Story in 1995 and Toy Story 2 in 1999. The cast has been rumored to be almost completely the same, including Tom Hanks reprising his role as Cowboy Woody.

With Walt Disney Pictures continuing to produce enchanting movies like Bridge to Terabithia and action packed movies like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, there is no question the Disney movies continue to have an impact on the movie industry. As more and more movies continue to be made and released with success, Walt Disney Pictures has been perhaps the most successful family film company in history.

David Tanguay is dedicated in providing travel info, reviews & booking information to individuals & businesses. To compare and reserve flights, hotels, car rentals and more please visit Orlando Vacation Rental

Disney On Ice: Worlds Of Fantasy Tickets

There is no girl who has never dreamt of being a princess… surely the Walt Disney Company has built such a magical world that is hard to forget. The all times favorite Cinderella and Snow White have set a grand precedence for the so-called modern princesses which instills the spirit of love, more and more in the hearts of all. Disney Princess is a Walt Disney Company franchise, based on fictional characters that have been featured as part of the Disney character line-up. The main six are: Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine, all of whom have royal title by marriage or birth. Recently, Mulan and Pocahontas have been included as princesses. In 2007, Disney announced that a new Princess would be added: Princess Tiana, from their 2009 animated feature The Princess and the Frog, who will become the first African American princess to join the ranks of Disney Princesses. The franchise has released dolls, sing-along videos, and a variety of other children’s products, apparel and even band-aids featuring the Disney Princesses. The promotion feature has been given immense importance as this works well for the sale of the products. In early 2000 the idea for the Disney Princess franchise was born, when Andy Mooney was hired by Disney’s Consumer Products division to resolve dropping sales issue. Soon after joining Disney, Mooney attended his first Disney on Ice show. While waiting in line, he found himself surrounded by young girls dressed as princesses. “They weren’t even Disney products. They were generic princess products,” he mused. Soon after realizing the demand, the Disney Princess line was formed. Despite limited advertising and no focus groups, sales at Disney Consumer Products rose from $300 million in 2001 to $3 billion in 2006. Today there are over 25,000 products based on the franchise. The princesses to be featured in the line were chosen from classic Disney films. The characters were not chosen specifically for their royal titles, but rather for how well they fit into what Disney executives deemed “the Princess mythology”. Mulan is an example of this concept; she has no familial ties to royalty, but is still included in the character list. Disney Princess Enchanted Tales is an upcoming direct-to-video animated film being produced by Disney Toon Studios. The film is to contain a new Cinderella tale as well as a new Mulan tale, and is to center around the theme of honesty. It is scheduled for release sometime in 2008. Gold is a running theme through all new products and packaging with the princesses dressed in golden gowns, enabling DCP to convey to girls that the golden hearts of the princesses are reflected in the golden outfits they wear. Further, it allows the program, to have a cohesive statement at retail. Wal-Mart plans an assortment in toys and home aisles while Toys “R” Us will have a feature shop with cross-category products. Target will also support the line in a big way. Retailers will also support a national promotion with a grand prize of a trip to Disney World, including a stay at Cinderella’s Castle. Publishing will also relish Season of Enchantment with the gold color scheme being added to character art, castles, and tiaras. Books such as Disney Princess Treasury will be refreshed with detailing and all six princesses wearing gold gowns. A Princess Jewels program will launch in 2008, a concept that features the Royal Classic Jewels Collection, a collection of precious jewels and jewelry that have special stories. But being a princess isn’t only for little girls anymore. The brand has matured over the years with an eye toward appealing to maidens of all ages. Disney Consumer Products recently engaged in its most aggressive outreach with a collection of wedding gowns inspired by the spirit and style of Disney Princesses Ariel, Beauty, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, and Snow White. Kirstie Kelly For Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings collection is headed to bridal shops this month with gowns priced between $1,100 and $3,500 and a “Maidens” for bridesmaids collection at bridal boutiques. The collection will soon expand to include jewelry. No doubt the brand will live happily ever after. The company has not just pivoted around the young teens and pre-teens but has come up with an innovation and consumer friendly ideas. “While our core market has been young girls two to six, there are other moments in a girl’s life when you want to be a princess and our bridal collection was the perfect opportunity to give women a chance to be one on their wedding day,” said Franklin. There are still kingdoms full of opportunities left for Franklin and her team to scope out. The next big thing is identifying new international markets. “It’s fascinating to us that girls in India, China, and Russia have the same play patterns in dressing up and playing out the Disney lifestyle and we’ll continue to grow those emerging markets,” Franklin says. Disney’s California Adventure Park (DCA) is a theme park in Anaheim, California, adjacent to Disneyland Park and part of the larger Disneyland Resort. It opened on February 8, 2001. The park is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. This 55-acre theme park was constructed as part of a major expansion that transformed the Disneyland area and its hotels into the Disneyland Resort and consists of five areas: Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, The Golden State, A Bug’s Land and Paradise Pier. Most of them are meant to resemble various aspects of California, its culture, landmarks and history. http://www.ticketluck.com/theater-tickets/Disney-On-Ice/index.php

Macie is a staff writer for Ticket Nest ( www.ticketnest.com ) and enjoys writing about her travel, theater and concert experiences. She can be reached at macie@ticketnest.com

Disney World Continues to Evolve

Walt Disney said of Disneyland “It’s something that will never be finished. Something that I can keep developing…and adding to” That philosophy continues in all of the Disney theme parks including and especially Walt Disney World.

Attractions are constantly updated, refurbished, or replaced. It keeps the experience fresh and exciting no matter how many times you’ve been to a Disney theme park.

Disney doesn’t skimp on attractions anymore. For a period of time during Eisner’s rein as CEO it was obvious that corners were being cut in some places. This lead to failures in such attractions as the “Rocket Rods” in Disneyland. For that attraction they simply reused the People Mover track and slapped some high speed sleds on the track and called it good. The problem was it never did work right. The ride was fine. I loved it. But it was always down for maintenance and finally closed.

There is no bigger canvas for the theme park Imagineers to paint on than Walt Disney World. With over 27,000 acres of space there is plenty of room to add new theme parks let alone new attractions. Already the resort has four theme parks, two water parks, and a shopping area.

Each theme park in the Walt Disney World resort has its own schedule of updating, retiring, and adding attractions. The Disney World of yesterday is no longer the Disney World of today.

Some of the past attractions that are now only part of history are: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Skyway to Tomorrow land, Alien Encounter, If You Had Wings and Dreamflight,
Flight to the Moon, and World of Motion.

Fairly recent attractions include Expedition Everest in the Animal Kingdom which is a roller coaster ride like no other and Mission Space in EPCOT. Disney keeps testing and improving in order to bring new things to its guests. Sometimes they spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a concept that is not proven. Mission Space is one of those “best guess” efforts that produced a very expensive but mediocre ride.

They don’t always get it right, but when they do, it’s magic. The new Soarin in EPCOT is a winner. It’s a ride first found as “Soarin over California” in Disney’s California Adventure theme park next to Disneyland. The guests sit suspended in front of an IMAX type screen while soaring over various scenes and landscapes of California. The feeling is so real that you’d swear your going to get your feet wet as you skim over the water.

What can you look forward to in the future? Who knows. There are rumors that Spaceship Earth in EPCOT will be redone by Siemans. More rumors hint that DisneyQuest, a large gaming area for kids and adults, will close. Perhaps in the future Disney will choose to copy the Indian Jones ride from Disneyland and bring it to Florida.

Whenever you travel to Disney World, be assured there will be something new for you to enjoy and perhaps some old things for you to reminisce about.

Scott Ames owns a vacation home near Walt Disney World and has been going to Disney Theme parks since 1971. His vacation home is for rent by the week and more information can be found at: http://www.orlandogatherings.com

From Small Business To Big Business: The Walt Disney Company

The Walt Disney Company which was founded on October 16, 1923 has a long and distinguished history. But it is a history that might never have existed if not for the perseverance of one man. That man of course was Walt Disney who together with his brother Roy O. Disney were the founders of The Walt Disney Company. Of course The Walt Disney Company has a long and colorful history that has had many books already written about it. So we’ll just cover one particular area of the story. Walt Disney’s perseverance.

You see Walt Disney was a man that would not give up no matter what. No matter how many setbacks he had he did not know when to call it quits. So how did he get started? Well early on in Walt Disney’s life he got into drawing cartoons first for his school newspaper and after World War I he began working for newspapers and magazines. He would draw cartoons and do advertising work for them to pay his bills.

It was through this work that he met a fellow artist by the name of Ubbe Iwerks. Together they would form Walt Disney’s first attempt at building a business. This was in 1920 and the company was known as Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists. Unfortunately the business got off to a rough start and soon had to be closed. But Walt Disney wasn’t finished there.

His next job led him into the field of animation. This of course is where he would really leave his mark on the world. Soon Walt Disney was ready for his next attempt at building his own studio. The one would be known as the Laugh O Gram Studio. The name came from a series of cartoons that Walt Disney was producing for a local Kansas City theatre operator. And it was nearly a success too. Walt Disney’s inability to handle money would be his downfall this time around. And so after the company went bankrupt. Walt Disney packed up his bags and moved to Hollywood, California.

This time around Walt would team up with his brother Roy O. Disney. Roy was a former banker so he knew how to handle the money side of the house while Roy would handle the creative side. And so the Disney Brother’s Studio was born. And it started off with a hit. Known as the Alice Comedies the studio began to turn out a number of short films based around the story Alice in Wonderland. They would turn out to be very successful and would lead to another character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Walt Disney though had one final bump in the road before becoming ultimately successful. You see Walt had made the mistake of selling the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit to its distributor. And now the distributor wanted to cut the fees they were paying. Further pressuring the Disney brothers they threatened to hire the people that were actually doing the work on Oswald the Lucky Rabbit away from Disney and they would form their own studio to do the work. Walt Disney wouldn’t give in and so he lost both Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and most of his staff.

After what had happened to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Walt Disney found his studio in need of a replacement character. And so Mickey Mouse was born. The rest of the story you probably already know as Mickey would become extremely popular. But Mickey wouldn’t be here today if Walt Disney had given up. It was through his perseverance that The Walt Disney Company would become a reality. And millions of children can get a hug each year from a big furry mouse.

Cash Miller is an experienced entrepreneur and speaker who has spent over a decade as a small business owner. His years of experience in small business cover a variety of topics. If you are looking for more small business help please check out http://www.smallbusinessdelivered.com

Get Ready to Buy Adventureland Tickets and Disney Quest Tickets

During your visit to Adventureland California, you will come across various areas which are divided into different regions. California Adventureland is an adventure especially for the teenagers or adults. It consists of five areas: Sunshine Plaza, Hollywood Pictures Backlot, The Golden State, A Bug’s Land and Paradise Pier. These areas are meant to resemble various aspects of California regarding its culture, landmarks and history.

Explore the areas of California Adventureland after acquiring the California Adventureland Tickets. Just after you pass the Golden Gate Bridge, you can see how beautifully a giant sun icon is placed in the center, which reflects the light of the sun.

Golden State is again divided into five different sub-lands like Golden Vine Winery, Condor Flats, The Bay Area, Grizzly Peak Recreation Area and Pacific Wharf. They are the major attractions of this specific area.

Paradise Pier is a waterside area of Adventureland California. This themed area offers various enchanting attractions like Maliboomer, Sun Wheel, California Screamin, Mulholland Madness, Golden Zephyr and many more.

Hollywood Pictures Backlot is another themed area which is related to Hollywood studio. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is the most attractive free fall ride of this particular area.

A Bug’s Land is an area which is based on the Disney-Pixar film A Bug’s Life. Bountiful Valley Farm, It’s Tough to be Bug are the attractions of A Bug’s Land.

Apart from the five distinctive areas, California Adventureland has other interesting things to offer to its visitors. Among them, Parades play the major role. Disney’s Electrical Parade, Pixar Play Parade, etc are worth to mention.

Disney Quest Tickets fall in the best seller category of Disney World Tickets. It’s really a quest of wonders.

Kids as well as adults will definitely find this place interesting for it includes different adventurous events. You can ride roller coaster, fly magic carpets of Aladdin, and sail in the implicit world of Caribbean and Pirates.

High technology video games are also available here. Mighty Ducks Pinball Slam and Battle for Buccaneer Gold are the games that can be played here.

Make a quest of this indoor interactive theme park which is located in Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort. You are going to feel something different after experiencing the wonders of Disney Quest.

For detailed information visit our un-official Disney World Tickets Online store for Adventureland Tickets and Disney Quest Tickets.

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