World Showcase has always been a place filled with wonders. Sometimes these are monumental wonders, the eye catching facades of each pavilion, while other times they are piece of Epcot history lost to all but those who know where to look. Then there are the minute wonders, the small details that prove no detail is too small or unimportant, but that could definitely be overlooked or not seen at all, depending upon whether or not a guest was paying attention. Take, for instance, the roof corners throughout the China pavilion.
The ornate beauty of the China pavilion is easy to grasp no matter where you are looking. From entrances guarded by a pair of foo dogs to the gorgeous color schemes and fine detail of the murals scattered about the pavilion, no corner has been cut to showcase the grandeur and beauty. The figurines set atop the corners, however, are easy to glance past. Guest can see a dragon or maybe a lion, marvel at the intricate details from afar, and then move on. Yet, there is so much more to this tale.
The more figures a roof could hold, or that an occupant could procure, the higher in standing the family or status of the building was believed to have been. The figures could be many types of creatures covering everything from dragons, phoenixes, and qilin (a mythical type of unicorn/deer/ox/fish hybrid) to the more grounded lions and horses. Each figure provided its own form of protection for the house, such as a dragon being a protection against water. Perhaps the most puzzling of all figures, however, is the figure that sits front and center more often than not, the figure of a man riding on the back of a chicken or hen.
No, you didn’t read that wrong and if you’ve ever tried to deduce what you were looking at perched upon the corner of the China pavilion’s rooftops, now you know.
There are many legends about where this figure comes from. The most common of which is the tale of Min Wang. It is said that Prince Min reigned for 18 years, over 2,200 years ago, but that it was a catastrophic reign that eventually led to the Prime Minister calling for his execution. So horrible was his rule, that the orders actually included that he have his skin peeled off and for Min to be hung from the roof of his ancestral temple for three days. It is said that his successors placed a ceramic figurine of Prince Min on the roofline in order to ward off his evil spirit should it ever decide to return for vengeance.
You might be wondering where does that leave the chicken? One common thought is that since it is technically impossible for a man to ride a chicken and since a chicken does not have a true ability to fly, then there is no chance that Prince Min could ever escape from atop the building and his duty to protect it. Additionally, all those other creatures that are in line behind him, they are there to make certain that he cannot run off.
The figures the perch high atop the roofs through World Showcases China pavilion could be there as status or protection, history or legend, or perhaps a bit of all of these things. One thing is for certain, there is never a detail small enough to escape the attention of the Imagineers who continue to refine their world-building skills.
With all of the destinations for breakfast around Walt Disney World, it's no wonder that Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Co. is always finding a new blend to unveil for those of us who want a little bit of the parks in our cups once we return home. Of course not all coffee is consumed for breakfast, there are the midday pick-ups and after meals variety as well. Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Co.'s most recent release features a blend from one such dinner location, and a guest favorite dining location to boot, Le Cellier. It can be hard to get a table one of Epcot's signature dining experiences, tucked away beneath the towering Hotel du Canada, but this bag is available right now! Let's stop carrying on and see what our resident taste-tester thought.
As a reminder, since it's been a while since we had a Cup of Disney review, we start with a bag of whole bean coffee and grand our own as needed at home. For the review itself, we utilize tasting notes from Joffrey's Coffee & Tea Co. and our own thoughts, a list of our rankings of all Walt Disney World and Joffrey's offerings, and then a catalog of previous reviews.
Le Cellier (Dark) – Only an exquisite dining experience under sweeping stone arches and flickering candles at Le Cellier Steakhouse can be complete with an equally exquisite coffee. Our roastmater created this exclusive blend using beans from Central and S. America, then perfectly roasts them to a rich dark level that brings out notes of citrus with sweet caramel-brown sugar and lovely smoky finish. Try it in a French press, after all that's how the Canadians like to prepare this wonderful elixir.
For those of you who have reads our other reviews, you all know that I am normally excited to test out a dark roast coffee, but I have to say this one was a bit of a letdown. When I opened the grinder, the smoky aroma was immediately overwhelming. I felt like I had been transported to a late night campout or a Labor Day barbecue. For me, this was not a positive, but I am sure that some of you would enjoy this unique aspect of the Le Cellier roast as it definitely felt like I was suddenly sitting inside a coffeehouse. When it comes to taste, I did not detect any citrus, but did taste the sweet caramel-brown sugar fighting its way through. Unfortunately, I tasted more bitterness and smokiness than anything else. For me it was not smooth enough to pair with breakfast foods, which happens to be the main meal where I enjoy coffee. However, I truly believe this coffee would pair well with the offerings at Le Cellier, especially the beef entrees and poutine. If you enjoy the extremely dark and bitter spectrum of coffee roasts, I think this could be a great option for you. If you try this blend, let us know what you thought!
This week I was able to join the Disney Magic Hour Podcast crew as we virtually toured the Walt Disney Family Museum. It was a thorough report from Pete’s recent trip, and definitely made me want to check out the museum as soon as I can, not unlike how I’ve always felt about the museum! The episode is definitely a primer if you are planning on visiting soon or just want to get a better feel for what the museum has to offer.
The exploration reminded me of all of the wonderful information we were able to gleam from the gallery by gallery tour that the Walt Disney Family Museum released to the public in the summer and early fall of 2009, just prior to the museum’s October 1 opening. While many things have changed since then, plenty has remained the same, and the press releases can set an excellent stage for a visit. Or as an elongated post card for those of us without a visit on the horizon! Rather than make everyone dig back through the Gazette’s archives to find these gems, I’ve pooled them all here for you to wade into. Enjoy!
The Great Movie Ride is one of those places that is so rife with memories and details that it is easy for some fabulous minutiae to get overlooked. In fact, from the postings in the old west scene to the the hidden images in the hieroglyphics or name-dropping that occurs throughout the gangster scene, there is a special emphasis placed on details that you may or may not ever get to examine closer. My favorite scene of The Great Movie Ride, Alien’s Nostromo, also happens to be home to my favorite blink and you’ll miss it, if you’re even lucky enough to see it, detail.
Just after you have passed by Ripley, on the left hand side of the Nostromo’s corridor, sits a pair of display panels. One gives you the name and registration number of the ship, while the second is the crew status roster. This list of twenty-two names, all currently residing in sector 00294, doesn’t list a single Ellen Ripley, Dallas, or Kane like one would expect. In fact, it doesn’t even list the actresses’ and actors’ real life identities. No, the crew listed here, are a regular who’s who of Imagineering that had a hand in the creation of The Great Movie Ride. Each entry is listed along with individual’s role/status, and personnel number. Some of these crew members have clearly had an interaction with the xenomorph, while others have simply fascinating responsibilities!
Nine years ago I came up with an idea to start a blog. At the time there were a couple of community-driven websites, a few podcasts, and a handful of dedicated bloggers. They were, and continue to be, an amazing lot. I have learned so much from them and I am always humbled to be mentioned in any Venn diagram that includes them. To think about those early days and then to look around and see what the community has blossomed into over the past nine years is truly remarkable.
As a person I am relatively shy and like to keep to myself. I like being behind the camera, not in front of it. I may never entirely understand what actually drove me to step out into the great big internet and start the Main Street Gazette, but I’m so happy I did. In those early years I thought of it as a platform for creative (read: fiction) writing and assistance in trip planning. It would evolve into a daily beast that touched upon my opinions, history, food, photographs, answering the burning question of why things were hiding in plain sight, and a roundup of the best articles I read across the community and gave readers something new each and every day. It was a pace that I couldn’t keep up forever, even when I had the incredible talents of individuals like Tony, Zanna, Eric, Estelle, Melissa(s), Elizabeth, Andrew, Alan, George, Blake, and so many others who joined me to write an article or roundtable contribution. Eventually, I had to slow down to the now mild pace of two to four articles a week, depending on what I can do.
Along the way I’ve made some incredible friends. I learned that slowing down doesn’t mean that I’ve let anyone down, just that I’m creating anticipation for the next article. I’ve also learned that the sky is the limit, and each day the Gazette find new readers who are excited by what they find and dedicate insane amounts of time to going back and reading over the last nine years’ worth of writing. I am, if you haven’t heard it before and even if you have, overwhelmed and exceedingly gratefully for each and every one of you. The support you have shown me when I have faced challenges, to my health or just in terms of generating content and ideas, has been astounding. And the only way I know how to repay you is to keep moving forward and writing new articles.
I know I’m not a traditional blogger. The Gazette has never featured ads, and only very rarely do I accept anything for review. That isn’t to say that won’t change one day, but that’s where I’ve kept things, trying to remain focused on what matters. And that is you, the readers. I tend to write in a style that bounds haplessly between an excited adolescent and a haughty know-it-all who abbreviates rather than expounds upon bits of history or his theories, which has turned readers off from time to time. It is that introverted side of me that accepts that the Gazette is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but to be thankful for those of you that have come along on these crazy journey.
I started the Gazette at a time in my life where a deep connection I had to Walt Disney World was taken away and I was mere months away from getting married. I had always had a thirst for knowledge and wanting to know all the stories and history I could about the Vacation Kingdom, but nine years ago I didn’t know where to take that knowledge. Clearly the missus, who once threatened bodily harm if I didn’t find an outlet that wasn’t presenting her with a lecture and wonder if she was taking notes, knew what I didn’t. She knew that I was an educator at heart and that sharing all of the stories I found and the interesting tidbits I uncovered with the world and watching their sense of wonder rise was what I needed to do.
So the Gazette was born on a Thursday evening in August, after days of crafting a clever opening article and tirelessly trying out historical Disney names that I felt would get the idea of what this site would be across to the readers. We’ve stuck close to some of our founding ideas, such as utilizing titles that can be found in signage, songs, or narrations throughout the parks and resorts. We changed the things that needed to change, such as when we went from publishing articles whenever I finished them to 9:00am, the standard time that the parks of Walt Disney World open. And we’ll continue to toe the line between evolving and holding firm to our roots for as long as you’ll have us.
Once again you have spent another year with my blatherings, but I hope they’ve given you something new to consider. Maybe you learned a story you didn’t know about a detail you’ve always loved in the park, maybe you found a new favorite dish or recipe, or maybe you just found someone who shared your opinion on a particular topic or interest. Whatever it was that brought you to the Main Street Gazette, or kept you here for another year, thank you. You are what keep me going, and I couldn’t ask for a greater set of people to write for! I don’t know what the next year holds for the Gazette, but I do know that there will be new articles to share, so long as you keep on reader.
When we look back and think about some of the Magic Kingdom’s earliest show-stopping attractions, it is hard to not immediately focus in on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Voyage. This Fantasyland staple ran from mid-October 1971 until its closure in 1994. No trip to Walt Disney World was complete until you had boarded one of Captain Nemo’s famed Nautilus submarines and taken a journey that he narrated, voiced by the impressive Peter Renoudet, and escaped from impressive sea monsters. Living to tell the tale was one of the souvenirs every child took home with them.
Even after it had stop taking guests on fantastic voyages through liquid space, there was still something to be gleamed from visiting the area. The rocky shores with tropical vegetation were still there. So too were the metal fixtures and shelter of the queue. And while there wasn’t a single Nautilus to be seen prowling the waters of Fantasyland’s Vulcania, the waterfall covered caves still beckoned for a photograph to be taken of them. Of course, this corner of the Magic Kingdom had to see a ton of work in order to ensure it was worth of being called Nemo’s home port.
Due to the fact that the Magic Kingdom had to be elevated in order to accommodate the utilidors, while not disturbing the close to the surface water table, the Submarine Voyage was able to begin building without much in the way of excavation. True, there was bush hogging that was needed to clear out vegetation, but overall the site was in good condition from the start. The lagoon would be lined with concrete, and the major show scenes, those that occurred beyond the waterfall’s veil in the darkened depths of the oceans, would take place in a large warehouse-like show building. Here we can see what the construction of the attraction, and this corner of Fantasyland for that matter, looked like early in its life.
You can see the track, lagoon walls, and the yet to be covered by rockwork show building. The four vehicles perched on the edge of the unfilled lagoon are sitting on the spot that the queue will eventually occupy. While the reef and show scenes haven’t begun being constructed yet, you can see some of the foundational and utility work taking place in the center of the lagoon. If you look closely at the bottom left corner, you can even see one of the turrets of Cinderella Castle taking shape above the building that will be home to Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is still one of my favorite Disney feature films, and the attraction still holds a special place in my heart. There are times when it is great to be able to live within the story of a film or attraction, and not have a desire to peak behind the curtain, or waterfall, and spoil the illusion. My love for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has, for whatever reason, never been held to that standard as I have sought to learn as much about it as is possible. This aerial view is simply a cool piece to gaze at and think about what the attraction would look like in just a few short years, to even try to figure out how this footprint fits into today’s New Fantasyland, and remember the times when Captain Nemo welcomed you aboard.
Meat on a stick. It’s a simple description that applies to a lot of dishes that cover the range from street and carnival foods all the way up to fancy hor d'oeuvres. This description also happens to be the hallmark of the summer staple, the corn dog. Over at the Harambe Market in Disney’s Animal Kingdom they have a couple varieties of meat on a stick, one of which is a nontraditional take on the corn dog, as a part of the Famous Sausages stall.
Let’s start with something simple, the Grilled Chicken Skewer. I don’t have a lot to say about this offering, other than I would order it again in a heartbeat. There are no fillers like onion, peppers, or tomatoes that you would see on a kebab. The skewer is just tender, grilled to perfection chicken. Nothing fancy, just delicious, and it makes you wonder about Famous Sausages’ main offering.
That would be the Beef and Pork Sausage, the Harambe Market equivalent of the corn dog, for those keeping track. This sausage is coated in a curried corn batter and then fried up to golden perfection. It looks like an odd, long and thin corn dog variation, and that is essentially where the comparison ends. The crispy batter tastes sweet; with a set of spices that definitely gives it an African vibe. The sausage is an excellent blend of pork and beef, and it completes the sweet and savory combo that this dish seeks to provide. It’s a hit with adults looking for something new, and I absolutely loved it, but I could see children not being thrilled with this dressed up version of their favorite summer meal.
Both entrees come with green papaya slaw and black-eyed pea, corn, and tomato salad currently. However, at the time when I sampled both the Grilled Chicken Skewer and the Beef and Pork Sausage, the side dish was a roasted broccoli and tomato salad. What I can offer up is that the vegetables were incredibly fresh, and provided a great burst of flavor that complimented the savory elements expertly. If they’ve kept that same level of quality in the transition of the side dishes, you will not be disappointed.
The Harambe Market has a lot of offerings, and most can be ordered across the various ordering lines, not just where you see the sign a specific stall. Each one is unique, but feels familiar somehow. I have long been a fan of almost any food that you can call meat on a stick, and Famous Sausage definitely hits the mark in its contributions to the larger market.
Last year we showcased the artwork and story from the prospectus for Disney Vacation Club’s Hilton Head Island Resort. Today, we thought we would turn our attention to Disney’s Vero Beach Resort.
It all started back in 1890 – the summer Great Aunt Katie first took the train down to Vero Beach with her parents.
According to my Aunt Katie’s old travel diary, Vero Beach wasn’t much more than citrus groves and sea turtles back then. That was around the turn of the century – long before anyone guessed there was a shipwreck full of treasure off the coast here (but that’s another story, entirely).
Our family has summered here in Vero Beach for nearly a century. Every Hindsdale grandchild has spent their summers collecting shells and treasure along the shores. We’ve celebrated plenty of birthdays and anniversaries – even a wedding or two over the years. Vero Beach has become a real family treasure.
So you can imagine how delighted I was to discover Disney Vacation Club at Vero Beach, a beautiful seaside resort, built right on the Atlantic Ocean! This resort captures all the magic and old-fashioned charm of the great old resorts of Aunt Katie’s era.
I can’t imagine a place I’d rather spend time with my family and friends – relaxing in the warm Florida sunshine. And if Great Aunt Katie were still around, I’m certain she’d agree.
Pirates, citrus groves, the beach, and old Florida charm… Count me in! It’s easy to see why so many guests would come to love the Vero Beach Resort over the years. At the heart of any Disney experience guests will find the crossroads where family and friends meet unforgettable stories, and that is precisely what Vero Beach offers us in this quick glimpse.