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LaughingPlace.com turns 9 years old today. The most important thing I do in this yearly message is thank those who've made LP possible. This year will be no different. If you are a regular reader of LaughingPlace.com, I encourage you to take a few minutes to read the names below and thank them along with me.

First, thanks to our myriad of writers and photographers who contribute regularly and occasionally to the site. Over the past 12 months that list includes:

• Captain Jon: Podcaster
• Lindsay Cave: Regular Columnist, Photos and Tales from the Laughing Place
• FanBoy: Blogger and Podcaster
• Bob Gurr: Regular Columnist
• Kirby Holt: Regular Columnist
• Megan Kaplan: Occasional Columnist
• Tetsuya Kawamura: Occasional Columnist
• Lee MacDonald: Regular Columnist, Photos and Tales from the Laughing Place
• Greg Maletic: Regular Columnist and Blogger
• Jim Miles: Regular Columnist
• Julie and Mike Neal: Occasional Columnists
• Ken Pellman: Regular Columnist
• Scarlett Stahl: Occasional Columnist
• Jim VanOstenbridge: Games
  
• Bob Welbaum: Regular Columnist
• Mark Wharff: Trivia Contests
• Rhett Wickham: Regular Columnist

Special thanks to the Discussion Board moderators who do a wonderful job behind-the-scenes (and some wish to remain behind-the-scenes so I won't mention any names here). And right beside the official moderators I want to thank the de-facto LP Discussion Board gurus who've contributed since day one in many cases and really set the tone for the community. Again, I won't mention any names, but all the community regulars know who they are and I really appreciate all of you.

Once again, a special thanks to three long-time contributors - Dave Mastanich, Doug Marsh and Denise Owsley - who've done a great job of covering everything on the West Coast since Rebekah and I moved to Florida 4 1/2 years ago. I know those red carpet premieres are hard work, aren't they? Thanks also to John "Indigo" Frost who long ago moved on to his own very successful blog but who played a big part in getting LP off the ground nine years ago.

Thanks to the workers on the other side of LP, the LP Store, for their hard work - Linda Kaplan, Megan Kaplan, Mark Kaplan and Jonathan Kaplan (we're a family business :)

A big thanks to our advertisers, especially Mouse Ear Vacations and Howard Johnson: Anaheim for their long-time support. Without them there would be no LaughingPlace.com today.

Finally, thanks to my wife and partner in LP, Rebekah. Everyday my job is to work on Disney stuff and I get to do that at home and at Walt Disney World right alongside my wife. Dreams do come true.

LaughingPlace.com readers unwittingly gave us a very special birthday present this year. They started a topic on the Discussion Boards called Your best LP memories. When we started LP nine years ago we knew we could create a website that served the Disney fan community and helped us make a living. That was our goal. But the stuff in this topic was stuff we never expected to occur. Thanks so much for sharing, everyone. If you haven't read it, I encourage you to do so by clicking here.

On behalf of Rebekah, thank you everyone and we look forward to the big ONE - ZERO next year.

Doobie.

PS - I've done my very best not to leave anyone out above. If I have, please know it's not intentional. Drop me an email and I'll correct my mistake.

You'd think living right next door to Walt Disney World I'd get to ride all the rides all the time. But with it being so convenient I rarely get there early in the morning or late at night. That means I'm there when crowds are at their biggest and I'm usually only there for a few hours so FastPass often isn't a help. Consequently, with the exception of the Magic Kingdom with its after-hours parties, I rarely get on the big rides. But over the past month I've been able to ride just about all the coasters at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World so I decided to gather a list of my favorite Disney coasters (Note I've not been to any of the International Disney parks)

I can't believe I haven't been to Animal Kingdom in well over a month! I last went before I left for vacation in late September. Hopefully I'll get there next week. In fact, with Christmas decor already starting to go up, the whirlwind that is the holidays is about to begin as we start the process of accumulating hundreds of holiday pictures (and more than a few videos) for LP Lotion. Should be fun....

In the past week since my last Living the Disney Life the biggest event has been our Daylight Savings Party...

Me and Rebekah before the Tower of Terror race

Living the Disney Life: Catching Up With D.M.

Once again it's been a while since since my last filing. Much of that time was spent on vacation in Washington, DC and Williamsburg, VA with my wife and her family. A wonderful time was had including a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge - perhaps competitors of Disney should they continue to pursue the themed hotels beyond Hawaii.

Since returning in early October I have been able to do some park visiting. Here are some highlights.

Living the Disney Life: Magic Kingdom and Epcot (September 18)

With the reopening of the Haunted Mansion Rebekah and I headed into the park late last Saturday night. But we got a call while waiting for the Monorail letting us know it was down. We went in anyway and waited but alas, it was not do be. My next chance to get there would be Tuesday the 18th (Rebekah went in on her own on Monday to ride it). We were able to get right in as there was no wait. Here are my impressions (Note: I'm not the most observant person in the world, so this isn't a comprehensive look. For a complete list of changes and video from the new ride, see LP Lotion)...

Living the Disney Life: Nature Trail, Garden Grill and HSM on Ice  (September 6-9)

September 6th - Nature Trail
I was at Wilderness Lodge walking around and saw a sign that said Nature Trail. I decided to find out exactly where it went. Almost immediately I felt like I was in another world. I was walking on a dirt road surrounded on the sides and overhead by trees. Soon enough I came to a sign with Ft. Wilderness being one of the options. I took that option and went further into what seemed to me to be the forest. The trail did turn to asphalt which was comforting and every now and then I could see a WDW bus pass on a road that was only a few yards away, but it felt like I was in the middle of nowhere. That if I were to break a leg it would take days for someone to find me. There were no lights at all and the sun was setting quickly. I even felt a few rain drops but thankfully those didn't last.

Chef Mickey's, Monsters and a Double Feature (September 4)

There aren't very many restaurants on WDW property that I've never been to, and after today there's one fewer. Today for lunch we made our first visit to Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary. Some observations...

• The seating area is larger than I thought. Much of it hidden under the Monotrail track (duh!)
• We got there towards the end of the lunch service so that's a factor, but we saw the characters a lot! Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Pluto were there and each came around 2-3 times.
• The food was better than I expected. I little bit better than most character meals.
• Lots of renovation going on at the Contemporary aside from the building going up next door. Some of the lobby is behind walls as is most of the open area in the 4th floor Grand Canyon Concourse. We'll have pics in our next WDW Update.

From there we headed to the Magic Kingdom to see the newly updated Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. The animation inside the theater has been changed and improved. It is definitely more interesting visually now. I also continue to be (pleasantly) surprised at how much the guests seem to get a kick out of the show. Afterwards we poked our heads into the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique location under the castle which is now in soft openings (again - pictures soon). Then we stepped behind the Castle where Rebekah pointed to the windows on the Castle that are a part of the Castle suite. She then described what it's like there from the inside. She can do that - she's been inside. I haven't. Lucky girl!

But that's enough Disney for way day because a double feature was awaiting us at home. To accommodate our good buddy Dave who wanted to watch the film Dave on our Slingbox, we decided to DVD it. First was newly released Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (which Kirby reviewed here). I know but I'm not the target audience but I've somewhat enjoyed similar titles like Cinderella 2. But this one was not so good. Next was the classic Escape to Witch Mountain starring Kim Richards. I can't believe it took me this late into my life until I saw this film. As 70s Disney films go this was  pretty good one. The two young stars are so likeable. I'm looking forward to seeing the sequel.

With the conclusion of that we switched to the Angels game (no longer Disney owned) and concluded another great Disney day!

Doobie.

On Labor Day I decided to labor by taking a solo trip to Animal Kingdom to see what I could see. I got there earlier than I normally get to the parks - about 10am and it was very warm already. Some things I saw...

• Tusker House was closed as it transforms into a sit down restaurant. With its closure Tamu Tamu Refreshments counter service is searching a chef's salad and sandwiches.
• The line for Finding Nemo stretched all the way back to Dinorama. I think it's still doing well.
• The Yak and Yeti restaurant continues to come along. We'll have pictures in our next WDW Update this week.
• The area around Kali can get really crowded on a hot day. I'm sure the construction of Yak and Yeti doesn't help.
• Went to Pizzafari to grab a quick snack and noticed they served breakfast in the mornings. Who knew? (I should have). Ended up not getting a snack because of the line. It wasn't that long, but I was that impatient.
• Saw a storytelling duo in Asia near the exit of Expedition: Everest that I hadn't seen before. A violinist and a storyteller who get the kids involved with masks.
• The Village Beatniks that perform across from Flame Tree BBQ are quite entertaining with their high energy.
• The African Karuka Acrobats always amass quite a crowd for their performances next to Tusker House.
• I thought it was funny that at about 11:20a there was a lined formed outside Restaurantosaurus (McDonald's) waiting for it to open.

It was a short, fun 2 hour trip through Animal Kingdom. Another great Disney Day!

PS: As I type this I'm watching a Travel Channel show on the Bellagio fountains in Las Vegas and they said Kenny Ortega of High School Musical and Newsies directing fame did the choreography for the fountains! 

Doobie.

A couple of Podcasts ago we asked the question "what are the Disney attractions or shows where it feels like you're the only one in the world that doesn't like it?" Columnist Greg Maletic picked up on this for his blog and posted his list here. Below is mine:

Journey Into Imagination (the original)
As a Disney fanatic, one of the attractions I most looked forward to experiencing during my first visit to Walt Disney World in 1997 was the original Journey Into Imagination. Everyone had told me how amazing this ride was with its ride system, Figment and catchy song. So it was with much enthusiasm that I boarded it. All I can remember during that first ride was sitting there with my mouth agape at what I was experiencing. When I got off I turned to the person I was riding with and said "that is the worst Disney attraction I've ever been on." (to the best of my recollection he agreed with me). The distinction of "worst" has been surpassed now but Imagination is still my biggest disappointment.

Main Street Electrical Parade
I grew up in Southern California. I went to Disneyland every year. I'm a student of Disneyland history. I understand the nostalgia of the Main Street Electrical Parade and it's importance in the history of the park. What I don't understand was the clamor to see it stay around beyond its (original) 1996 closing. I was at the park almost nightly during the summer of 1995 and no one cared about the Electrical Parade. It was that wonderful old friend that you never actually had to spend time with (ie: no one saw it). But as soon as they announced the closing, it became the most popular thing in the world and everyone wanted to see it stay. I felt it was a parade long past its prime and it was overdue for a change. Unfortunately, its replacement didn't fare well, DCA didn't fare well, and the parade once again is found at the Disneyland Resort. A once great champion past its prime and ready for retirement.

Buzz Lightyear
I'll agree with Greg on this one (so you're not the only person in the world). It's fine as another Fantasyland-style dark ride but the interactive element does nothing for me. I generally just sit there without playing. But this is nothing personal against Buzz, I do the same thing when I ride Men in Black at Universal Studios. Hopefully Toy Story Mania will be fun even if you choose not to play.

Wishes
First there was Believe...There's Magic in the Stars. Then there was Believe...In Holiday Magic. Then LuminAria (yes, I loved it!). Then came Wishes, the next in a distinguished line of new school firework shows that blew me away (unlike typical firework shows that bored me). I just assumed I would love it as much as all the rest. As I watched I just kept waiting for it to kick in. For the emotion to overwhelm me as it always had. For that moment when I'd start literally giggling in delight. But it just didn't happen for me. It's not a bad show by any means, but most people I know feel it's great. I'll take LuminAria.

I'll take cover as I discuss these last two...

Pirates of the Caribbean
First off, I will admit that on a purely objective level, Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the greatest experiences every put together for a theme park. That said, I'm usually ready for a nap around before we meet the mayor. But I take all the blame on this one. I don't like Pirate movies. I don't like period films. And I never was a fan of the song. It's just not a Pirates life for me. The Haunted Mansion is a whole different story.

Sleeping Beauty Castle
It's quaint. It's got charm. It's the original. All true, I suppose. And I've never been accused of having particularly good taste, but I know what I like. Sleeping Beauty Castle is nice. But when I walk onto Main Street, I prefer to see the spectacle of Cinderella Castle at the end of it. A castle should be big. For better or worse, it's as simple as that for me.

That's my list, how about you? Use the comment link at the bottom to share your opinions or leave a voicemail for the Podcast and we'll play it when we discuss this on a show very soon. Call toll free 866-718-9408. Or email us at Podcast@LaughingPlace.com.

I finally got to see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End on Memorial Day. I still kick myself for not seeing the first Pirate film in theaters. When I finally saw it on DVD it was pretty good and I eagerly awaited the sequel. Unfortunately, in my list of favorite films I saw last year (and I saw quite a few), Pirates was at the bottom. It just didn't connect with me in the least. I know I have a built-in bias against period pieces but somehow I managed to get past that with the first. But no with the second, so Pirates 3 was the rubber match.

While I didn't have high hopes, I really did want to like it and went in expecting to like it more than 2. Unfortunately, I didn't like. In fact, I liked it even less than Dead Man's Chest. It was just a dreary film going experience. Far too long. Far too indulgent. Far too wet. Far too dark. Far too ugly (enough with the creatures!). I know a lot of this is purely personal taste, but the movie just feels yucky. By the end I found myself longing for the bright, clean sequence that introduced Jack Sparrow in the film just for a reprieve. On the bright side, for the most part I did enjoy the final battle that took up the last 45 minutes or so. That saves it from being on my list of "one of the worst films of all time". But just barely...

I know I'm in the minority with this opinion and that's fine with me. I'm glad most people like it and glad Disney's Pirate franchise continues strong. And I hope I like Pirates 4 (c'mon - there will be one) when the time comes. But for now, I think I need to pull out my Country Bears DVD and see what a good attraction-to-film movie looks like.

And in case you're interested, so you can calibrate my movie going tastes, here's my list of favorites to least favorite films so far this year:

• Spider-Man 3
• Bridge to Terabithia
• Disturbita
• Meet the Robinsons
• Last King of Scotland
• Firehouse Dog
• The Hoax
• Breach
• Fracture
• Wild Hogs
• The Invisible
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

Yesterday Rebekah and I stopped in at Disney-MGM Studios to take pictures of the Toy Story Mania construction progress. Afterwards we had some extra time so we decided to ride a couple of attractions. We first did the Backlot Tour. This much maligned attraction is one of my favorites. Obviously, it lacaks something since there's no real backlot to tour anymore, but having grown up in Southern California with regular visits to Universal Studios, I appreciate a "studio" tram tour.

As much as I love Disneyland, my favorite childhood theme park memories involve Universal Studios and the tram tour - Battlestar Galactica, the Six Million Dollar Man tunnel, the Psycho house, etc. I really loved the place where you used to stop half way through to get off for lunch and see "props" from the Incredible Shrinking Woman and lift the van. I spent a few hoours at TheStudioTour.com one day and had a grand old time. Highly recommend for a trip down memory lane.

Anyway ...  the tour was still fun. Saw quite a few props I hadn't seen before. It's nice to know it's still regularly updated. It's also great to go through the shop areas to see what stuff is coming up at the parks. I didn't notice anything this time but in the past I've definitely seen work being done on upcoming signage, etc.

Then we went on Star Tours. It was my very first time riding Star Tours here at WDW. With the elaborate exterior queue are that Disneyland doesn't have, I expected the inside to be different as well. But once you're inside it's pretty much the same. I did not know they had 6 ride systems as opposed to Disneyland's 4. It has been years since I did Star Tours. Once I reminded myself this wasn't Mission: Space and I'd been on it a hundred times before, I was able to calm down and enjoy the ride just like old days.

And aside from the deluge of love bugs on the way out ... it was another great Disney Day.

It is great to live so close to Walt Disney World. Today I made a quick trip to the Magic Kingdom to see what I could see. It was pretty busy (is the Magic Kingdom ever not busy?) but not too bad. It was also very hot here today in Central Florida. Unfortunately, I didn't make it on any rides but I did get to walk through Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Tomorrow. Some quick thoughts:

• Took the ferry from the TTC to the Magic Kingdom. It's so relaxing compared to the hub bub of a 9:30a Express Monorail ride
• While walking from the ferry to the bag check there's a sign directing guests in the right direction. The sign says "Happiest Celebration on Earth". Noticing it made me realize how good a job Disney does of changing everything from one "celebration" to another. 
• The Swiss Family Treehouse is down for refurbishment
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor had a queue that went out the building. The sign still said 5 minutes so I don't know if the inside queue wasn't fully used or the theater is just bigger than I think or the sign was just wrong. But it was nice to see so many people waiting for it. While walking through Frontierland I even heard a guest ask a Cast Member where it was located.
• I wanted to go to the Contemporary afterwards to I exited the park and went up the first Monorail ramp I saw only to realize I was on the wrong one. Had to walk down and up the right one. I felt like such a tourist :)

The Contemporary has a new arcade on the fourth floor with the shops. The one at the Food and Fun Center downstairs has closed though the quick service dining there remains open.

All in all, only about 90 minutes on property, but a wonderful 90 minutes it was. Another great Disney day.

Rebekah and I headed over to the Wide World of Sports today to experience the Disney Channel games. In short, it's the taping of sports competitions like Extreme Rock, Paper, Scissors between Disney Channel stars. The games are typed today through Thursday (with closing ceremonies and a concert on Friday) and then later aired during breaks in Disney Channel shows. Many of the big stars were there - Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana), Corbon Bleu (High School Musical), Kyle Massey (Raven and Cory in the House), twins Dylan and Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life of Zak and Cody) and others I'm sure my nieces would recognize.

It was hot and there was a lot of waiting around (it is a TV shoot, after all), but it was fun to watch the superstars (at least in the minds of the tweens in attendance). It was very nice to see so many of them accomodating in the signing of autographs and posing for pictures with those in attendance. I suppose odds are some of these kids will grow to resemble media targets like Britanny Spears or Lindsay Lohan, but at this event they were just kids having fun. Who knows? Maybe there's even a Lisa Whelchel in the bunch!

Note: The link above will warn you about tickets, no guaranteed admission, etc. But we had no trouble just walking up and entering. It was not crowded at all. So head on over!

Update: Rebekah went back to the games today and they now have a no photography policy in place. So be aware if you planned on taking pics.

The games in progress