A Disney theme park podcast, dedicated to picking out our favourite things about Disney parks that help to make the magic happen. http://www.makethemagic.ca
Since I have had this song stuck in my head since Friday from my last post, and because it’s been a while since we dug into the Make the Magic Music Archives, I though I’d spread the ‘infection’ so to speak.
Without futher ado, I present the main theme music from El Rio del Tiempo, a now retired Disney attraction that used to be found in the Mexico Pavilion, Epcot.
Please note: None of the music we post in the blog will be available for redistribution, so don’t ask!
The colours of the night market provide brilliant contrast to the dark evening sky. The spicy scent of the local delicacy reach the nose and make the mouth water. The gentle trickle of a prettily tiled fountain replaces typical musak, along with the excited voices of a bustling market and gentle strains of a nearby mariachi band.
And that’s just what you get when you first walk into the place.
The Mexico Pavilion is a unique experience at Epcot, or any of the other North American Disney theme parks for that matter. It is my second favourite pavilion around the World Showcase for several reasons: the theming is inspiring, the food is amazing, and the inside market is a lot of fun.
The Mexican Pavilion pyramid.
The design and theming of the Mexico Pavilion can be easily described in one word: inspiring. The exterior of the pavilion is dominated by an Aztec pyramid, designed after those built in Mexico around the 3rd century. While I don’t ever claim that pavilions are accurate to the countries they represent (KP and I are not lumberjacks, despite the costumes worn my cast members at the Canadian pavilion), the World Showcase pavilions focus on certain visual elements of each country that help specifically identify them with that country. This lofty building is what grabs the attention first, inspiring people much the same way Spaceship Earth does by just its style alone. Many of the elements featured both inside and outside the building reflect the pre-Columbian heritage of Mexico, though elements of the country’s Spanish roots are also present. This pavilion is a beautiful sight in and of itself.
Andy posing with a sign outside of the Mexico Pavilion.
The food at the Mexican Pavilion is absolutely delicious, and is one of my favourites found at Epcot – second only to the German Pavilion. Featured outside on the World Showcase promenade and inside the Pavilion, the Cantina de San Angel and the San Angel Inn both offer delicious tasting Mexican cuisine. While the atmosphere of the interior San Angel Inn is great because you get to experience the interior of the market and watch the boats go by for the Gran Fiesta Tour, the Cantina de San Angel will always be my preference of the two. I love being able to sit out on the World Showcase Lagoon, watching the Friendships go by while eating my lunch – nothing beats that ambience. Plus the prices at the Cantina are a much more reasonable price range, whereas the Inn should be reserved for special dinners since it’s a fair amount more.
Finally, I love atmosphere inside the pavilion itself. This is my favourite part of the Mexico Pavilion. Entering inside, one finds themselves surrounded by many beautiful cultural artifacts and arts and crafts, as the initial foyer area of the building plays hosts to cultural exhibits from its home country. The last time I was there it featured an exhibit called “Animales Fantasticos”. It was worth the stop to view these great pieces, because they were beautifully carved and the paint on them was bright and colourful. As an artist myself I find the pieces very inspiring. There is also usually somebody with a table set up, carving pieces for display and sale, who is always willing to share with you about their craft.
Once you make it through the foyer, then the real magic begins. Disney likes to claim they make the night as bright as the day, but in the Mexican Pavilion they turn the day into an easy nighttime hour. I always feel as thought I have stepped into a quiet village town square in the evening – the village square is called Plaza de los Amigos, where the nighttime Mercado is underway. Colour banners cross the dusky sky, with vendors selling more traditional (and touristy) goods from maracas to sombreros. The Mariachi Cobre can also be found playing some light tunes nearby that adds to the ambience. At the end of the plaza you come to the waterfront, where you can view more pyramids and Aztec ruins in the distance. Tour boats quietly slip by in front, while happy patrons eat at the San Angel Inn.
So inspiring do I find this pavilion, that I have been humming the theme to El Rio del Tiempo (the attraction that The Gran Fiesta Tour replaced) all day.
While the other pavilions around the World Showcase do an interesting job of giving guests a sample of being in the country they represent, I find that the Mexico Pavilion is the most fascinating and the most inspiring for me. On your next visit to the parks, make sure this fantastic pavilion makes your list of To-See (and To-Eat!).
I’ll admit I was all set up to post a video I had taken a few years ago in WDW but I just had to post this video I found. Disneyland celebrated it’s 55th anniversary last week with a re-dedication ceremony, a round of Happy Birthday and a flash mob in Town Square. I definetly shed a tear or two while watching this.
55 Characters for 55 years! Happy Birthday Disneyland!
Video courtesy of dlfreak
A friend recently came to me asking for advice for her upcoming Disneyland trip. She was planning a very quick visit of only a day and half. Of course this lead me into my very long winded explanation of all the amazing Disney things to see and do. It was when she asked me if there was any place she should skip, that I paused. As a Disney enthusiast I immediately wanted to answer, of course not, all of Disney is worthwhile. But unfortunately I did have an answer, the Princess Fantasy Faire.
Upon my first visit to Disneyland in 2005 I visited this area of the park, formerly housing Snow White an Enchanting Musical. It was a wonderful show in an outdoor theater. The show eventually closed and the area under went the transformation to the Fantasy Faire. I became quite excited about visiting the transformed space three years later on my next visit.
Entrance to Snow White an Enchanted Musical 2005
My first glances of the new Princess area, however, were underwhelming. Remnants of the old Snow White musical were still present on stage, mixed in with the new lacklustre Princess show set. The front theater seats were all gone, replaced with nothing but plain concrete standing room. Off to the left was a simple stage used for storytime. And inside a plain ‘box’ one would find the Princess meet and greet….that is after waiting in a three hour long line.
Royal Coronation at Princess Fantasy Faire (2008)
It did have a few positives. The Royal Coronation show was enjoyable (check it out on our Youtube page ) and the actors in story time were entertaining. But all in all the area lacked that certain Disney touch.
I think what bothered me the most, even more than the area itself, was the enclosing of the Princesses within the ’box’. I love the idea of roaming Princesses in the park. Meeting Snow White by her grotto, having Aurora walk past you in Fantasyland, getting a picture with Cinderella by the Carnation Plaza Gardens, all with waits less than 20 minutes. It was a challenge to find all the Princesses, a challenge that was super fun.
Snow White in 2005 by her Grotto
In my opinion I think Disney needs to do away with the meet and greet ‘box’ and return to roaming Princesses as that is a hallmark of Disneyland. The Princess Fantasy Faire can remain but needs to be worked on to create a truly immersive experience. With the addition of more decorations and less concrete they can make it so you are stepping into a regal Palace.
This blog post is a little different than my regular entries. Normally talking about my favourite things I have strayed to talk about an area that could use a little…improvement. I assure you this is not a trend and I hope the Disney gods and fans take mercy on me.
Since KP brought up Discovery Island last week, I decided it would be fun to walk down memory lane with a short clip from my own video archive. These clips were taken Winter 90/91 on a family trip. Discovery Island is a place that will live on in my Disney Memories forever, and I do miss it a fair amount.
I do apologize for the poor quality, I saved it from an old VHS tape.
Edit by Andy, July 20: I went back and added the Fahrenheit temperatures for our American readers! 
When traveling for any sort of holiday, the one thing that takes priority in the trip planning features is: planning for the weather. Yes yes, I can hear the obvious alarm sounding in saying that if you plan a trip to Disneyland and (especially) Disney World, you need to make sure you research the temperatures so you pack appropriately and make sure you follow the forecast leading up to the trip. It’s common sense, after all: why would you pack a bikini if you were going to Antarctica?
Despite taking a plan, flexibility is key when matching wits with Mother Nature in the weather department.
Andy and Cee hiding under a poncho to keep dry.
Most people assume when they plan trips to Sunny California or Tropical Florida that the weather will be sunny and warm for the duration of they holiday. Espescially if you’re like me, who grew up on the prairies in -40 degree Celsius winters – the sunshine is an additional thing to look forward to on a Disney vacation.
Perhaps in a perfect world, we could get the weather we wanted on all of our holidays. Unfortunately, Mother Nature doesn’t always like to work that way so the main thing to do is plan ahead! I’ve done the legwork for you, so here is what the weather specialists say one “should” expect when visiting your favourite Disney Park:
CALIFORNIA
Ah, beautiful California, the Golden State. The assumption here is that the Govenator’s domain would be goregous everyday, just like in the commercials. And while on three of the four trips the temperatures were just like that. Unfortunately there was one trip to Disneyland that Mother Nature hated me.
Winter: December, January, & February
Average High: 21*C / 70*F
Average Low: 8*C / 46*F
Precipitation: 53 mm
Spring: March, April, & May
Average High: 22*C / 72*F
Average Low: 10*C / 50*F
Precipitation: 64 mm
Summer: June, July, & August
Average High: 29*C / 82*F
Average Low: 17*C / 63*F
Precipitation: 1 mm
Fall: September, October, & November
Average High: 26*C / 79*F
Average Low: 13*C / 55*F
Precipitation: 10 mm
FLORIDA
Ahhh Florida, my home away from home. The temperature in the Sunshine State can often be unpredictable (at least that’s what I found when I lived there).
Winter: December, January, & February
Average High: 23*C / 73*F
Average Low: 11*C / 52*F
Precipitation: 59 mm
Spring: March, April, & May
Average High: 28*C / 82*F
Average Low: 16*C / 61*F
Precipitation: 81 mm
Summer: June, July, & August
Average High: 33*C / 91*F
Average Low: 23*C / 73*F
Precipitation: 178 mm
Fall: September, October, & November
Average High: 29*C / 84*F
Average Low: 18*C / 64*F
Precipitation: 94 mm
The Summary
Obviously if you want better odds at having a warmer holiday, Orlando would be your best bet. But if you want better chances at having a dry holiday with no rain, then Anaheim would be safe.
Expect the Unexpected
Now just because these are the average, does not mean this is what you should expect to get. Weather can be a tricky thing, and unless you’ve lived there and experienced a full year of the local weather, it’s hard to find any of the nuances in the weather.
Soaked from a Florida downpour.
For example, my above summary easily tells you that Florida gets a crazy amount of rain in the summertime. This is largely true. However, the rain that Orlando gets isn’t an all day long dreary rain (like I get back home). Instead, you will have a nice, hot, sunshiney day – and then all of a sudden about three in the afternoon, a torrential down pour will occur. And when I say torrential, I mean it. Unless you’re covered by something you will get soaked. Then after about 15 minutes, things go back to normal, and the sunshiney day resumes.
The same can be said of Anaheim. On one of my trips during February, my parents had assumed the weather was going to be miserable (due to being winter). My family had all packed pants and sweaters, expected it to be more than a little chilly. Being the optimistic person I am, I packed one pair of shorts. Of course, the weather was definitely hot most of the time, and I was grateful for my optimism.
Another time however, KP and I went to Anaheim in April. Expecting it to be warm and sunny, we both packed shorts and summer weather. Mother Nature was mean, and the entire time we were there we shivered away until we turned blue.
So when you’re packing your suitcase, make sure you’re prepared enough for the right kind of temperature – but flexible enough that if the weather does change unexpectedly on you, you’re going to be prepared! Learn from my mistakes and experience: Pack an umbrella in your day bag when hitting up the parks in Orlando, and make sure you bring a sweater in your suitcase for Anaheim!
Happy travels!
Sources:
Anaheim Weather: Weather.com – Average Weather for Anaheim California
Orlando Weather: Weather.com – Monthly Weather Averages and Records for Orlando, FL
For this week’s Media Monday I bring you the always clear and understandable Swedish Chef. On today’s menu is popcorn shrimp…well kinda. Enjoy:)
(c/o Muppets Studio)
It was a rainy day in the Magic Kingdom on my most recent trip to Walt Disneyworld so my friend and I decided to check out some of the nearby Disney resorts. During our circle tour we decided to take a ferry ride from the Wilderness Lodge to the Contemporary. It was on this ferry ride that I got my first glimpse of the now closed Discovery Island. And no, I’m not talking about the new Discovery Island that the Tree of Life sits upon in the Animal Kingdom.
Discovery Island (copyright waltdatedworld.bravepages.com)
Being a Disney enthusiast I had seen and read numerous articles and stories about the former attraction but never before actually seen it with my own two eyes. To the unsuspecting tourist it looked just like any other island. No signs, no lights, just an island. However if you looked close enough you could just make out some remnants of pilings and part of a dock.
Back in the day this Island was an attraction and a park. Filled with numerous plants and both caged and free roaming animals. Areas included the Monkey Colony, Trumpeter Springs which had swans, Bamboo Hollow and Vulture’s Haunt. You could come for a nature walk or check out one of the numerous shows.
One of the Bird Shows on Discovery Island (c/o Allan Oakley)
Having opened April 8 1974, Discovery Island was eventually closed exactly 25 years later on April 8 1999. Ultimately due to the brand new park that had just been built, Animal Kingdom, in which you can now find the new Discovery Island.
Since this time the park has been closed, completely abandoned and over grown. As I stared at the island I couldn’t help but think how cool it would be to walk around what one person described as the “holy grail of modern ruins for Disney fans”.
There is no official Disney way to gain entry to the island. But of course there is always some way, albeit not very legal. The Island is surrounded by the waters of Bay Lake which in the past have been known to house alligators and bacteria that can result in death. Of course this doesn’t stop everyone. One blogger many years ago swam to the island under the cover of night. He found most of the structures were still present including cages and canopies. Even stumbling across old cast member photos and preserved snakes in jars. I highly recommend reading his account here: http://shaneperez.blogspot.com/2009/12/discovery-island.html
The Now Abandoned Discovery Island (taken by ShanePerez.com)
It should be noted that this is high risk to anyone attempting. I personally love Disney far too much to ever risk getting caught and banned from the parks so you won’t see me swimming the waters. But I would love to see Disney open up a special behind the scenes tour of the Island. Although it is questionable whether this is possible due to the countless number of birds now occupying the Island, but one can hope. Until that day I guess I will just have to be satisfied viewing it from a passing ferry.
Today on Media Monday, we visit one of my all time favourite Disney World attractions, the Carousel of Progress!
This is just a quick clip, just to give you a taste of the greatness.
Now you’re going to be humming that song alllll day 
Yup, KP and I are insane… Welcome to our first podcast! We decided a great way to share the magic, would be to do a monthly Disney theme park podcast. There are plenty of WDW and DL news podcasts out there, so we decided for a fresh take on it we would do a top ten. This works out great, because even though we both share a passion for Disney theme parks, our opinions on the parks are quite different. We literally have to battle it out to come up with this top 10.
So please listen and enjoy! You can also subscribe to our feed with RSS or subscribe via iTunes.