BEYOND THE THEME PARKS

ANITA ANSWER
Archives

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

6/2/08
--The Apartments in Disneyland
--What Happened to Pam Brody?
--Was Walt Disney Accused of Being a Communist?
--What Is the Next "Celebration" for WDW?
--Where Are All the Seagulls?
--What Became of the Chinese Theme Park?

5/26/08
--Who Is This Main Street Character?
--Closest Dialysis Facility?
--An Imagineering Field Guide to the Studios?
--Difficulty of Getting DVC Reservations at Non-Home DVC Resorts
--Marco Polo Land?
--Who Put the "WED" in WEDway?

5/19/08
--Can the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique Style All Kinds of Hair Types?
--Dry Cleaning Services
--Where Is the Garden Town Cafe?
--What Happened to the Wilson World Resort?
--Is World Showcase Closing?
--Is Toy Story Midway Mania Officially Open?
--More About the YOMD Prizes and the Tower of Terror's Drop Shafts

5/12/08
5/5/08
--What Is a Soft Opening, and How Does It Benefit Disney?
--Which Group Did the Flyovers in April?
--What Is the Significance of Soarin's Flight Number?
--What Was This Aladdin-Themed Restaurant?
--The New "Tiered" Pricing for the Parties: Discounts and "Premium" Nights
--Who Actually Wins the Year of a Million Dreams Prizes?

4/28/08
--How Likely Is It That WDW Will Add More Christmas Parties?
--Which of the Value Resorts Have the Largest Rooms?
--Which Beverages Are Included in the Basic Dining Plan?
--Has the Partners Statue Always Faced Main Street?
--When Is "Love Bug" Season in Florida?
--Are There Any Tributes to Ub Iwerks at the World?

4/21/08
--Anita's Favorite Rides and Attractions
--Is Tink Real?
--Where to Get a Counter Service Breakfast at Epcot
--What's That Mission: Space Song?
--How a "Hard Ticket" Event Works
--How Many "Elevator Shafts" on the Tower of Terror?

More Anita Answer Columns

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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!

Kim writes:

Hi! I have two questions. The first one is about a girl named Stacey who does the "Top 7 Things to Do at Walt Disney World," which is shown on the resort televisions. My family and I want to know what her full name is and what other shows or programs she's been in.

My second question is about Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. My sister and I went on it and we don't know if there were two inversions or three. Do you have any idea? Thanks!

Hi Kim!

The actress in question is Stacey J. Aswad. In addition to hosting the Top 7, she is also the live host for the Los Angeles Sparks' WNBA games, and has made several film and TV appearances since 2005. She was also a five time national roller skating champion. That last fact is just plain stranger than fiction -- you can't make that stuff up! Her bio and resume can be found on her website: http://www.staceyjaswad.com/bio.htm

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster has three inversions: one loop and two corkscrews. The 1 minute, 22 second ride goes approximately 58 mph and reaches that speed 2.8 seconds after launch, and is the second-fastest ride at WDW.

A.A

Laura writes:

I know Anita is only your pen name, but Anita is a beloved name in my family. My question is: Are there any classic Disney characters named Anita? One of the Dalmatian puppies, perhaps, or maybe Anita Fork and Pasmia Napkin in Beauty and the Beast? My grandmother was really Annette, and you can't get any more classic Disney than that!

Hi Laura!

Your names for facetious Beauty and the Beast characters made me laugh out loud!

You were close with your "Dalmatians" guess -- Anita and Roger were the dogs' humans in the 101 Dalmatians films. Other than that, the only other Disney Anita I know of is me, and I'm considered a character in certain circles.

A.A.

Rachael writes:

We need some clarification regarding switching resorts midway through our vacation. We are planning on staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge for two nights and then switching to the Wilderness Lodge for the rest of our stay. I was told that we have to buy separate Magic Your Way packages for each resort. Is that true?

Also, how does our luggage get from one resort to the next? Do we transport it via the bus system? If not, who do we contact to assist us with the transfer to the other resort? Since we are changing resorts midway, do we need to wait until 3:00 p.m. to check into the new resort? Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks

Hi Rachael!

Yes, it's true that you must book two separate vacation packages, one for each resort. The reason is that each Disney hotel is run as a separate business unit, and their bookings and other records are separate from the other resorts. Think of it as moving from The Dew Drop Inn to the Heartbreak Hotel in the same town.

Transfer of luggage between two resorts can be handled two ways: If you wish, you can have Bell Services do it for you. Simply take your bags to Bell Services and explain what you want to do. They'll move the bags for you. Make sure you have all valuables, medications, eyeglasses or whatever you may need during the day with you. Luggage transfers can sometimes take a very long time. Also, be aware that occasionally, a bag goes missing en route. My friends Kev and Kiwi spent a great deal of time and effort looking for a missing backpack in December when it was sent to the wrong resort during a transfer.

The second method (and the one I recommend) is to pile your luggage into a taxi and accompany it yourself to the new resort. If you have a large party or family, send them to the parks while you go and check into the new place. If your new room isn't ready when you check in, store your luggage with Bell Services. You can check in at any time during the day -- you don't have to wait until 3 p.m. You may have to wait until 3 p.m. to get into your new room, however.

Luggage is not allowed on any Disney transportation, so you can't move it yourself unless you use a taxi or a personal car.

Have a magical time at the World!

A.A.

Debbie and others write:

With the restrictions of amount of checked luggage, and traveling with three kids from 6 months to 5 years, I was thinking about ordering some of the groceries and baby supplies that I normally pack and have them delivered to the hotel. Do you know any reliable places that do this, and will Disney hotels accommodate this? We are not renting a car so I can't easily go to the store myself.

Hi Everyone!

I had been meaning to try a grocery delivery service for some time, and I finally did in May on my most recent trip to WDW. On the recommendation of some Disney Vacation Club friends, Flo and I used Garden Grocer (http://gardengrocer.com/) and were very pleased. The groceries arrived on time, in perfect condition and were exactly what we ordered.

Garden Grocer's prices are comparable to local stores, but there is a delivery charge, plus gratuity for your delivery person is recommended. Although we had a car and usually shop for our own food, this trip was very short and we deemed the extra charge to be worth every penny. As you readers know, one of my mottoes is, "Time is money." The Disney resorts are familiar with Garden Grocer, so you shouldn't have any trouble receiving your order.

Have a wonderful time at the World!

A.A.

Alicia writes:

Anita, I have tried to find the answer to this, but just can't find it anywhere! My grandparents are visiting Epcot at the age of 83. I tried to explain to them just how large Epcot is. Do you know how long the walk around World Showcase is exactly?

Hi Alicia!

According to Disney, the distance around the World Showcase Promenade is 1.3 miles, although I've seen estimates of 1.1 and 1.2 miles elsewhere. The entire park covers 260 acres, and the parking lot is 141 acres, including the bus stop area. I know your grandparents won't be swimming across World Showcase Lagoon, but it's approximately 40 acres in case they decide to get a little crazy.

I hope your grandparents have a wonderful time exploring Epcot!

A.A.

Josh writes:

In anticipation of a future visit I've been reliving past vacations by searching through your column archives. One of these pointed me to the ticket archives page. My question is about the image of Cinderella Castle on some of these tickets. At the bottom of the silhouetted images for example, there is a triangle with post-like features protruding from it. Could this possibly be a depiction of the Utilidors underneath The Magic Kingdom? I love it when Disney does their not-so-obvious fun extras (i.e. Hidden Mickeys) and thought I may have found another one. Thanks for all the research you do.

Hi Josh!

I had to do some digging to find the correct picture of Cinderella Castle from the early days for comparison to the ticket. The southern elevation of the castle looked very different than it does now, as the Castle Forecourt Stage wasn't there.

Even though the Utilidors are located below the castle, the design on the ticket doesn't depict them. What it does depict is a very stylized version of the castle and the curved walkway that leads up to the castle. The two taller white rectangles are actually the turrets on either side of the portcullis, and the smaller square with the curved top is the portcullis itself. The inverted triangle represents the ramps and the flat area where they meet just outside the castle's entrance. So, it may not be as exciting as you originally thought, but it was fun digging through old stuff and to be reminded of what the castle originally looked like before the stage was built!

A.A.

That's it for this edition!

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