My Favorite Disney Fall Moments
As the hot, hazy days of summer fade into the sunset, the shorter days and cooler temperatures usher in the Fall season at Walt Disney World. The autumn colors, the Halloween hijinks, and of course, the yummy food all come together to create a festive atmosphere that...
The Haunting History of Madame Leota and Memento Mori
“Serpents, spiders, tail of a rat, call in the spirits, wherever they’re at! Rap on a table. It’s time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond!” Any Haunted Mansion aficionado knows those words by heart. They are the eerie command uttered by the enigmatic...
Spooky Season at Walt Disney World (Part 2)
Last week, we spent a little time examining some of the souvenir snack items available throughout Walt Disney World this holiday season. This week we’ll take a tasty tour of the tasty treats available at the parks this Halloween season. There was one particular...
Spooky Season at Walt Disney World (Part 1)
The calendar continues its march toward the first day of fall. For a lot of folks, September means the beginning of the spooky season. For my family, Halloween runs from November 1 through October 31. However, I’ll concede that we might be a little more obsessed than...
Experiencing Omotenashi in Epcot’s Japan Pavilion
In Japan, there is a philosophy of hospitality known as omotenashi. The concept traces its roots back to the sado, or traditional tea ceremony. Mitsokoshi, the famous department store, talks about the concept on the web page or their Orlando location. They write,...
A Journey to the Valley of Mo’ara
The moon of Pandora is found in the Alpha Centauri A system, located approximately 4.37 light-years away from Earth. Human interest in the moon used to center around the superconductive element known as “unobtainium.” For a time, the Resource Development...
So Funny It’s Scary: The Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
I have one ambition in life. It is a deep, burning longing that keeps me up at night. I have spent hours analyzing how to make my dream come true, but thus far all my scheming has been for naught. Nevertheless, I refuse to give up. Someday, somehow...I will be “That...
Scaling the Forbidden Mountain: Expedition Everest
The mountain loomed above me, its jagged, icy peaks resembling the teeth of some fearsome beast. From somewhere on the mountain I could hear the screams of previous expeditions, brave souls who had dared to go in search of the summit. A knot of fear formed in my...
A Need for Speed: Racing on the Tomorrowland Speedway
Inside my wallet there is a heavily faded driver’s license. It reads: Tomorrowland Speedway License of Tomorrow. While I’m not inclined to brag, the license class is listed as “Visionary,” which I think speaks for itself. It’s one of my prized possessions. My wife can...
Rockin’ Out on the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Back in high school, I played guitar in a rock and roll band. We covered a lot of Black Sabbath and Aerosmith. It was the 90s, but apparently we were attempting to appeal to girls in the 1970s. We were terrible, but we had dreams of seeing our names in lights. In our...