.jpg)
Roundtable
Contributors:
Princess Fee (DF'82),
Estelle Hallick (This Happy Place Blog), Alan Mize, Melissa Sue
Sorrells Galley (Mouse on the Mind), Blake Taylor (BlakeOnline.com),
Andrew (Disney
Hipsters Blog), and yours truly.
Princess Fee (DF'82)
My first ever half marathon was the inaugural Disney Princess Half Marathon, and it was an amazing experience, and so I watch each year’s event with jealousy and humility at the many women (and men!) who take part. This year’s race was held on Sunday 24th February, and the first lady to cross the finish line was Rachel Booth! She was cheered on by her two daughters to retain the title, and beat her time from the year previous. She could be a new idle of mine, having won four runDisney women’s titles (2 Princess Half Marathons, and 2 Disneyland Half Marathons). 26,000 runners took part in this year’s Princess Half Marathon, which takes place in Walt Disney World, and winds through Epcot and the Magic Kingdom for 13.1 miles of royal fun. If you haven’t taken part in this event yet, and think it sounds like fun, get your shoes on and start training!
Estelle
Hallick (This Happy Place Blog)
.png)
True story:
When I first moved to NYC, I went to school and I cried a lot. It was a hard
transition and I got through it but who knew that Disney, years later, would
create a game to teach me just how to succeed in the Big Apple? Oh Disney, what
would I do without you?
For real
though, Disney has created City Girl, a game specifically for young women ages
20-26. Once you click in, you decide how you look, how you dress, how cute your
apartment looks, and work to obtain your real job. (Doesn’t it sound like Mall
Madness or playing with your Barbie dolls?)
I guess it’s no
surprise that Disney isn’t much for diversity when it comes to creating these
likenesses because most of them are tall, skinny, have great hair, and resemble
fashion plates than a normal, hardworking person who can’t be quite that
perfect all the time.
In a world
where social media is everywhere and our phones are always close by, I hope
young women everywhere would opt for real life -- really hanging out and about
finding friends, shopping for their own apartments, and doing well in their
jobs -- than a computerized one. Was this really a demographic that Disney felt
was lacking in gaming world? I find that hard to believe.
Andrew (Disney Hipsters Blog)
This might come
as a shock to some people, especially considering my often dour outlook during
these roundtable discussions, but I love the Disney Jr. Live on Stage
attraction. Sure it might blatantly panders to very young children and their
equally gullible parents, and I might be a grown man. However, the amazing
execution of these beautiful puppets more than makes up for any awkwardness I
may feel. (which never existed anyway...)
Due to the
fickle nature of children's television this show needs to be updated every few
years to incorporate the new slew of characters. Sofia The First (a princess
show...) and Doc McStuffins (a girl who is a stuffed animal doctor...really.)
are the most recent additions. Though I haven't had a chance to see either
show, or any Disney Jr. show for that matter, the puppets are equally as
advanced and wonderful as the older ones. I was happy to see that they were
integrated into the show well, and that they don't seem too pushy.
Alan Mize
This week, my topic is going to be short, sweet, and from
what I hear, delicious. In the past, I
have eaten at Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney and I have loved it. My personal favorite is the Hawaiian BBQ with
grilled chicken, roasted ham, aged Swiss cheese, fresh pineapple, and barbecue
sauce. The barbecue sauce is sweet, the
pineapple is tangy, and the Swiss cheese provides a nice bite. I love it.
However, there is one sandwich that has eluded me and seems to have an
almost cult following: the holiday sandwich.
Sadly, I’ve not had an opportunity to enjoy this
concoction of oven roasted turkey, hearty stuffing, zesty cranberry sauce,
seasoned mayonnaise, and warm gravy.
Thankfully, the sandwich gods must have been looking out for me, because
it was announced this week that the holiday sandwich will be finding a
permanent home on the menu board. It’s
truly a blessing that this is effective on March 4th, roughly two weeks before
my next visit. I am so excited to try
this sandwich for the first time and see what all the hype is about. I hope it lives up to the hype and if it
does, I see many holiday sandwiches in my future.
.jpg)
Melissa Sue
Sorrells Galley (Mouse on the
Mind)
Great news for sandwich lovers: the Orlando Earl will now
have the holiday sandwich on its menu all year long! In addition to the holiday
deliciousness, the sandwich shop will also serve a variety of salads, wraps and
a new line of soups. I, for one, can't wait to wait (and wait and wait) in line
for my chance to enjoy a savory hit of the holidays any time of the year! I
only wish they'd make the sandwich a menu mainstay at my local Earl of Sandwich
in Manhattan. THAT would truly be something to celebrate.
Blake Taylor (BlakeOnline.com)
A book shedding light on the magic of Disney's guest
services has been delayed until 2014. The Disney Difference by Ted Kinni was
originally slated to release February 26, 2013, but has, for unknown reasons,
been pushed back significantly on the calendar. Upon inquiring on a pre-order
of the title at a local bookstore, I was told the book was postponed to next
year. A bit incredulous, I tried to pre-order it at a different bookstore,
where the order apparently went smoothly. That was, until a few days later when
I received an email stating my purchase was unable to be processed. A reason
was not given, but that was all but confirmation that Disney really had pushed
back this book that had me so excited to delve into the backstage workings of
Disney's approach to excellence.
Perhaps the fickle nature of book schedules is the reason
why Disney usually stays mum about new releases. A few weeks ago when I wrote
of The Disney Difference's (supposed) arrival, I expressed curiosity as to why
fans have to go searching for new Disney books rather than be informed of them
from Disney publicity like the company does elaborately with everything else is
develops. We may have our answer now: publishing is such an unpredictable
medium that announcing books far in advance would mean recounting statements
and updating announcements left and right, which would appear unprofessional.
As bizarre as it is, this is not the first time Disney has heavily delayed a
book. Fans flooded to bookstores in 2009 to pick up The Imagineering Field
Guide to Disney's Hollywood Studios, only to be told the title would not arrive
for another 16 months. It seems it's better that Disney remains quiet rather
than confuse readers.
Ryan P.
Wilson (Main Street
Gazette)
I wanted to
take a moment today to update all of you to a situation I wrote about
concerning my last visit to Walt Disney World. As many readers know, I was
wholeheartedly disappointed with the customer service I received, more
specifically the lack of response I received after several attempts to speak
with management, when I was given a room at Pop Century that was still
occupied.
.jpg)
The morning
that article ran I was contacted by a manager from Pop Century who is a
dedicated reader of the Main Street Gazette. Unfortunately, he and I played
phone tag over the course of the next week or so and were never able to
actually speak to one another. The blame for this is squarely upon my
shoulders, not his, as those next two weeks were incredibly difficult to navigate
and I only had the briefest of windows with which to speak with the outside
world.
It did my heart
a world of good to know that there were people listening, and I am happy to say
that I believe my concerns have been addressed, whether or not I was finally
able to speak with someone. The fact that I was reached out to, and the issues
now known, leads me to believe that the situation I encountered won't befall
another guest down the line.
I want to offer my sincerest thanks to the manager who called me (I
would love to publish his name here, but as I never obtain consent to do so, I
feel it would be inappropriate to do so. However, he knows who he is) and also
offer up my apologies for never being able to make that phone connection. For
those of you worried about your upcoming experiences at Pop Century, let me
reassure you that I believe it will still be a terrific place to stay!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment