I like to think that I’ve been a particularly good boy this year … despite that whole incident with the dog, anyways, but he’s healing up rather nicely and now knows that bungee jumping just isn’t his thing! So if he’s not going to hold a grudge, why would you … right?! Anywho, big guy, since I’ve been spending so much time at Walt Disney World this year, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make the Happiest Place on Earth even better, and since you seem to have the monopoly these days on giving us kiddies just exactly what we’ve been dreaming of, I figured that I’d just skip Disney’s board of directors and come right to you with my thoughts!
Some of them are big, well, who are we kidding? Most of them are big, but I was always taught growing up to dream the bigger, the better, so my Disney Christmas List this year certainly carries through with those teachings! And besides, while I might be the first to appreciate this stuff, you can pretty much bet that a few thousand of Mickey’s other friends will also get a smile or three out of these brilliant innovations, so it’s really like pleasing 100,000 people with one list. Yeah, yeah – that’s the ticket, so without further adue, I give you Scott’s 2007 Walt Disney World Christmas List…
Connect Everything in the Resort via Monorail!
I don’t care how much it costs – this one is going on the list each and every year until the powers that be give up their bonuses for a year and make it a reality! And don’t get me wrong – I still like the buses compared to driving my own car, but who wouldn’t like the idea of jumping on the monorail at Pop Century and flying up to the Magic Kingdom in style?!
Next Stop: Disney's Animal Kingdom, with Connecting Service to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge!
Hot Tubs at the Value Resorts
…because honestly, that’s really the only reason that we never stay at ‘em when we visit. We don’t really need a lot of the swankier amenities like animals outside the balcony or a view of Cinderella Castle for those last-minute trips when we decide to stay-over Saturday night into Sunday, but we still love a good hot tub at the end of the day and currently that makes any of the value resorts out of the question. How expensive can it be to boil some water in a big hole?!
Free Internet Access at the Resorts
Seriously, this is one of my big pet peeves whenever I visit because I don’t spend a lot of time online while we’re over there, but I do like to check e-mail, post photos, and occasionally blog while we’re taking breaks. I’ve stayed at $29 / night budget hotels that provide free wi-fi, so when Disney charges $9.95 / day on top of its higher room rates, it just seems like a sleazy profit grab to me. Not cool when I want to post a quick review of my new favorite restaurant or attraction…
Bring Back the Wand!
I know, I’m one of about five people who actually liked the wand, but every time I visit Epcot now it feels just a little less magical to me because Spaceship Earth is just a giant golf ball once again. Mickey’s hand and wand added a bit of cartoony fun to Epcot’s icon – a bare Spaceship Earth back in the ‘80s might’ve looked futuristic, but now that we’ve seen it accessorized, it just looks boring without.
Epcot has seen happier Christmases ... oh wand, how I miss thee!
Start Construction on the Expansion of the World Showcase
I remember reading an article long ago that talked about the World Showcase actually being the shape of a figure-eight, with additional countries around the second loop, but for the most part we really haven’t seen any expansion here for a long time. I can think of several countries that would make cool additions visually – Australia with the Sydney Opera House, Egypt with the pyramids, maybe something from the tropics. Why limit our world to only 11 different perspectives?
Show Me New Miniature Golf!
Come on, Santa – you’ve got your own course, so why not pull a few strings and get us something new to putt-putt around on in the evenings when we need a break from the parks? A classic Mickey Mouse course, a course walking us through Disney’s entire series of animated masterpieces, or even a dessert-themed course (can you tell that I’m a bit hungry while writing this?!) – just hook us up with some sort of golf of the miniature variety, please?!
Come on, Santa - SHARE the love!!!
Bring Meet the Robinsons to the Magic Kingdom
It seems like one of the most obvious of tie-ins – for heaven’s sake, the movie even had Space Mountain already in it! This is one upgrade where I think the Disney Imagineers could really hit a homerun – the movie screamed innovation and imagination and science, just like my favorite corner of the park, Tomorrowland. There could even be a new attraction somehow featuring those bizarre bowler’s caps and time travel and space ships – I don’t have to tell you that the possibilities are truly endless…
Fix the Evening Schedule at the Magic Kingdom
Simply put – SpectroMagic is awesome, and I think it’s nonsense that there’s a chance of some guests missing out on this breathtaking piece of the magic just by visiting the Magic Kingdom on the wrong day of the week. If there are some nights that get this illuminated wonder of a parade twice, there’s just no excuse to not show it seven days a week.
Of all the decisions that don't make sense to me...
Ease Up on the DVC Resorts and Give Us a New Moderate
I won’t be able to afford a DVC membership for a few more years anyways, so why not slow down on the timeshares and build something that people with budgets less than $250/night can afford? Plenty of great theming possibilities are out there – a space resort, an ethnically-themed resort, or even my personal dream … the Happiness Hotel from The Muppets! I know it’s all about money, but it shouldn’t be…
Keep All Future Expansion Disney-Branded, Including the New Downtown Disney (Really West Side…)
It’s not even built yet, but I’m worried about the new shopping complex on the west end of the property because the development includes a Four Seasons hotel, which much like all of the Downtown Disney hotels, doesn’t scream Disney at all to me. The existing Downtown Disney seems to do good with mixing its shops with outside companies, but unless the entire development isn’t to be considered actually “part of Disney,” I’d just rather see them spending development costs on truly Disney-themed resorts and attractions.
More Rooms Available for Passholder Rates
For two reasons – because not only do we often make the decision to spend a weekend at Disney at the last minute, but also because there have been times when I’ve called months in advance and not been able to get a Passholder rate for my room of choice – they need to make just a few more rooms available or the discount becomes more of a gamble than a perk of being one of the company’s most loyal customers…
See, that wasn’t so bad, now was it? I truly hope you enjoyed what I’ve put together here for you this evening, along with those delicious milk chocolate-dipped gingerbread Mickeys for you to snack on as you prepare for your big night! And although I’m sure that this list is more than enough to keep your elves busy for a while, do make a note that Sara and I would also certainly get plenty of use out of a DVC Membership at the new Animal Kingdom Villas … maybe you could call it an early wedding gift or something!
Merry Christmas, St. Nick … although something tells me I might run into you around Walt Disney World before Christmas Eve anyways…
Julenissen (you might also know him as Santa Claus...) has a little fun with his helper at the Norway Pavilion during Holidays from Around the World @ Epcot