BEYOND THE THEME PARKS

ANITA ANSWER
Archives

9/22/08
--When Does the Holiday Decorating Commence?
--Looking for a Wooden Leg Named Smith?
--More, MUCH More on Those World Showcase OmniBuses
--An Old-Fashioned Phone on Main Street?
--Name of Soap Store at the Grand Floridian?
--Two Tracks at Everest?

9/15/08
--Parking Fees: How Many Times Per Day to Pay?
--Where Is Roy O. Disney's Statue Located?
--Castle Dream Lights for 2008?
--What Happens in Stormy Weather?
--A Mardi Gras Parade at French Quarter?
--Where Is This Hidden Mickey Located Inside the Haunted Mansion?

9/8/08
--When Do Charging and Dining Plan Privileges End after Check-Out?
--A Book with WDW Trivia and Stats?
--Should Guests Worry about Hurricanes and Tropical Storms?
--Is the New Pool at Caribbean Beach a "Zero Entry" Pool?
--The Grand Floridian and the Hotel Del Coronado
--Will Portobello Close for Rehab?

9/1/08
--No More 180-Day Dining Reservations?
--When Did the World Stop Using Dated Guidemaps?
--Was There a Double Decker Bus at Epcot?
--The Bonnet Creek Resort -- Any Disney Perks?
--Disney's Worst Kept Secret
--Seasonal Passholders and Block-Out Dates
--What's Going On in Mid-January?

8/25/08
8/18/08
--What is a "Premium Night" at the Parties?
--A New "Land" for Animal Kingdom?
--Best Route to Expedition Everest from Animal Kingdom's Entrance?
--Magical Express Reservations and Luggage Tags
--What Is This Hotel Near Saratoga Springs?
--Yo Ho and Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee Similar?

8/11/08
--Fantasmic!, IllumiNations and SpectroMagic Performances Scaled Back?
--Of Luggage Tags and Fastpasses
--What Is This "Creek" Resort?
--Pin Backs That Don't Fall Off
--A T-Rex Update?
--Where Did Cinderella's Carrousel Originate?

8/4/08
--Splitting a 10-Day Pass Between Two People?
--Boating to Epcot from Riverside?
--What Will Be Open at Pleasure Island?
--How Do Tickets with the No Expiration Option Affect the Dining Plan?
--Value or Moderate Resorts with More Than Two Beds
--What Does That Morse Code Message on Spaceship Earth Say?

7/28/08
--Bus Service and Best Location at Pop Century
--Riding Horseback at the World
--The Mystery Tower next to the Contemporary
--How to Get a Guest Assistance Card
--Correct Size of Moderate Resorts' Rooms
--Tipping Housekeeping/Offsite Visitors at Extra Magic Hours

7/21/08
7/14/08
--Who Is Stacey? / Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Inversions
--Are There Any Disney "Anitas?"
--Advice for Switching Resorts Mid-Trip
--Ordering Groceries for Resort Delivery
--How Far Is the Walk around Epcot's World Showcase?
--Clues in Image of Cinderella Castle on Old Ticket?

7/7/08
--Is There a Charge for Parking or Cars Entering Property?
--Walt Disney's Family
--Test Track's Speed Compared to Disneyland's Rocket Rods?
--How Could Resorts Be Booked Solid During Slower Weeks?
--What Happened to These Two Resorts?
--Magical Express, Luggage Service and Resort Check-In Explained

6/30/08
--Is A Park Hopper Pass Necessary to Leave and Reenter the Same Day?
--Southwest Airlines and Magical Express
--Where Were Soarin's Scenes Filmed?
--Can You Walk from Shades of Green to the Magic Kingdom?
--What Happened to the David Copperfield Project at the Studios?
--Buying Fastpasses on Ebay

6/23/08
--Adding the "No Expiration" Option to a Partially-Used Ticket
--Caribbean Beach Resort Getting Another Renovation?
--The Drops on Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean
--Annual Pass Prices Different on Disney Site?
--Can Any Fireworks Be Seen from Downtown Disney?
--What Dinner Show Was This?

6/16/08
--Alcohol in the Magic Kingdom
--Is It "Toy Story Mania" or "Toy Story Midway Mania?"
--Magic Kingdom History 101
--A Haunted Mansion Holiday Overlay?
--Which Rides Have Single Rider Lines?
--Does Dumbo Have a "No Adults without a Child" Policy?

6/9/08
--Who Are These Streetmosphere Performers at the Studios?
--Soarin's Show Music
--Where in the World Can You Sample Foreign Coke Products?
--What Was This Poly Restaurant Called?
--Who Is the Voice Of Abraham Lincoln?
--Where to Purchase the Teas Served at the Grand Floridian

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Anita Answers

Hi! I'm Anita!

Got a question about Walt Disney World? I probably have the answer! Deb's Unofficial Walt Disney World Information Guide is the most comprehensive guide to the World on the Web, but if you still can't find the information you're looking for by using the Site Map, the Search Function, or the Anita Answer Archives, drop me a line and I'll do my best to find the answer for you. Since there are only 24 hours in a day, I can't answer every email I receive - however, I do read every one and try to answer as many as possible.

Check back weekly and see if your answer is waiting, and be sure to check out my blog, Anita Talk. Meanwhile, I'm All Ears!

June 30, 2008

Is A Park Hopper Pass Necessary to Leave and Reenter the Same Day?
Southwest Airlines and Magical Express
Where Were Soarin's Scenes Filmed?
Can You Walk from Shades of Green to the Magic Kingdom?
What Happened to the David Copperfield Project at the Studios?
Buying Fastpasses on Ebay

Phil writes:

If I just want to do Magic Kingdom for the day and want to take a midday break from the park, do I have to buy a park hopper to reenter MK the same day or do I just buy a base ticket?

Hi Phil!

A Magic Your Way base ticket will do. The only time you need a "hopper" ticket is if you want to leave one park and enter another park on the same day. Your base ticket will allow you back into the same park on the same day.

For more information about WDW admission, please read AllEars.Net's comprehensive Ticket FAQ.

A.A.

Are you aware of any discussions about making Southwest Airlines part of the Magical Express group of participating airlines? On our last visit this past spring, we were given to understand that Disney was in "talks" with Southwest, but haven't seen or heard anything since.

Also, if Southwest is not participating, is it still possible to take advantage of the transportation from the airport to our Disney resort (Old Key West) if we take care of our own luggage? Thanks!

Hi Ed!

The last I heard, the talks with Southwest had stalled out over SWA's concerns over luggage handling. Since I heard that in April, there have been no updates, sorry!

But all is not lost. If you are booked on Disney's Magical Express, when you check in at your home airport on your way to Orlando, use the yellow luggage tags provided in the packet you'll receive from DME. They're marked with your name and your resort destination. Disney's luggage handlers will retrieve your yellow-tagged luggage for you from the baggage area, and take them to your resort for you. You should go directly to the DME desk in Terminal B (SWA arrives in Terminal A) to meet your bus.

NOTE: Keep all valuables, medications, eyeglasses or whatever you may need during the day with you, as luggage delivery can sometimes take several hours.

On the way back to the Orlando airport, you will have to handle your own luggage on DME, because SWA is not participating in the Resort Airline Check-In Program and its accompanying luggage service.

Have a wonderful time at the World!

A.A.

Michael writes:

Can you tell me where the scenes from Soarin' were filmed, besides the obvious San Francisco and Yosemite? My wife and I would like to visit California and I thought it would be neat to see these places in real life.

Hi Michael!

I hope you have several weeks planned for your trip, as you'll have quite a bit of ground to cover! Soarin's scenes were filmed in: San Francisco, Redwood Creek, Napa Valley, Monterey, Lake Tahoe (my favorite!), Yosemite National Park, the PGA West Golf Course at La Quinta near Palm Springs, Camarillo, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, San Diego, Malibu, Los Angeles, and of course, the finale is at Disneyland in Anaheim.

Have a great time exploring California!

A.A.

I will be staying at Shades Of Green this summer. They say you can walk to te Magic Kingdom. How do we get there?

Hi Jennifer!

I'm not sure who "they" may be, but I'm positive you can't walk to the Magic Kingdom from Shades of Green, as there isn't a complete path to follow. At one point north of the Grand Floridian, you'd have to go cross-country and then swim across a canal. Sound like fun? I didn't think so!

What you can do is walk to the Polynesian Resort and catch the monorail to the Magic Kingdom, or walk a little farther to the TTC and get the ferry boat. No canal swimming necessary!

Have a magical time on your trip!

A.A.

Hello! Back when Disney-MGM Studios first opened, I recall an advertisement on the billboard directly outside the main entrance for an upcoming David Copperfield attraction or show. However, I've been to the Studios many times since and have never seen or heard of such an attraction. I am confused, or was there really an idea to bring some sort of David Copperfield attraction/show to the parks? Thanks!

Hi Darrin!

Now, there's a really interesting story! Back in 1997, Michael Eisner and David Copperfield announced plans to open two themed restaurants in late 1998 called "Copperfield's Magic Underground." The flagship was to open in NYC's Times Square, during Disney's revitalization project, and the other was to be located just in front of the Studios theme park. A large billboard was erected approximately where the restaurant was supposed to be built. Along with the two restaurants, a store called "Copperfield's Magic Underground-The Store" was planned for the newly added Downtown Disney West Side, which some accounts say opened in November 1997 for a brief time. I never actually saw it myself, so I'm not able to verify that the store ever opened.

After construction started on the Times Square location, things began to get ugly. There were artistic differences, construction problems on the NY project and then, according to the New York Times, $34 million dollars of investors' money disappeared into thin air. The Walt Disney Company canceled the leases on the restaurants, and poof -- no more Copperfield's Magic Underground.

A.A.

Hi. Looking at all the great information on your site. Very informative. I have a question about Fastpasses. I noticed VIP Fastpass tickets for sale on eBay. We will be going to Disney for the first time next week and I wondered if you knew anything about these tickets. Thanks!

Hi Everyone!

Once again, this is one of those subjects that is worth repeating every now and then, so that you readers don't get ripped off. First of all, what I see on eBay are not Fastpasses. They're attraction reentry passes. These are given to guests for various reasons, such as bad weather, ride breakdowns, and other circumstances. They are NOT FOR SALE. It is illegal to resell them. Recently, to curtail this abuse, WDW has begun making changes to the passes. The ones I see on eBay are older ones without the changes. If you try to use these, you run the risk that they will be confiscated, and you'll most certainly be embarrassed and out of a sum of money, at the very least.

Secondly, Fastpasses are available free of charge to any guest with a valid admission. Why would you pay a large sum of money for something you can get free, and then run the risk of having them confiscated anyway? My advice: Don't do it. It's not worth it.

You can read more about how Fastpasses work on AllEars.Net's Fastpass page.

A.A.

That's it for this edition!

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