Voiced by Verna Felton, the character of Winifred was Felton's last film role before her death in 1966. She was 76 years old at her death and passed away exactly one day before Walt Disney on December 14, 1966. Her first role in a full length animated film was also an elephant character. She voiced the Elephant Matriarch in Dumbo.
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While I would like to think I will offer the best and most up to date information that is out there about Disney, it simply cannot be true. There are too many amazing blogs out there that already do that. And to be honest, I just don't have the time! However, I will offer my honest opinions and experiences as frequently as possible. This blog is simply a way to document my experiences and collect my thoughts while talking about the love of my life, Walt Disney World and Disney in general. Thanks for reading!
Today's Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia comes from my favorite Disney full length animated film of all time, The Jungle Book. Winifred the elephant, the wife of Colonel Hathi, is the only female animal in the film to have a speaking role. Voiced by Verna Felton, the character of Winifred was Felton's last film role before her death in 1966. She was 76 years old at her death and passed away exactly one day before Walt Disney on December 14, 1966. Her first role in a full length animated film was also an elephant character. She voiced the Elephant Matriarch in Dumbo.
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Today’s Monday Magic photo features one of Walt Disney World’s most popular deluxe resorts, the Polynesian. One of the original resorts at WDW’s opening in 1971, the Polynesian is located on the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon and is just a short monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom. Not only is this resort relaxing and elegant, it also holds two of the most popular restaurants at WDW, one of which is top on my list of favorites. On the second floor of the lobby which is called The Great Ceremonial House, you will find the Kona Cafe and Ohana. The Kona Cafe is a must do for new guests and returning guests alike especially for breakfast. It just isn’t a trip to the Polynesian without tasting the wildly popular Tonga Toast. Auntie Kaui’s Tonga Toast is similar to thick French toast, but this French toast is stuffed with banana and is topped with sugar and cinnamon. What could be a better way to start off your day at Walt Disney World?
Which restaurant at Disney’s Polynesian Resort is your favorite? There are several famous mice that can be found throughout the classic animated Disney films and shorts. However, this week we are featuring one of the lessor known mice in a full length animated feature that is often overlooked. The Aristocats debuted on December 24th, 1970 and was the first animated feature to be made by the Disney studios after Walt Disney’s death. It is in this film that we find Roquefort, the polite and loyal house-mouse who lives in Madame Bonfamille’s chateau. Unlike the cat and mouse fights we see in other well known Disney classics such as Cinderella, Roquefort and the house cats are great friends. In fact, the kittens love Roquefort so much that they even share their food with him. It is on one unfortunate afternoon that Edgar, the house butler, drugs the food that is meant for Duchess and the kittens but in the process he drugs Roquefort as well. Edgar knows that Madame Bonfamille will leave her entire estate to the cats so he decides to take them to the countryside and leave them alone so they can never find their way back. Roquefort is left at the mansion alone until he awakes to find that Duchess and the kittens are missing. He searches frantically for them and is filled with great sadness that he may never see his beloved friends again. Near the end of the story, Duchess and the kittens finally make their way back to Madame Bonfamille’s with a little help from Thomas O’Malley, an alley cat they meet along the way. Roquefort hears the cats coming and realizes that Edgar is going to catch them again. He tries to warn them but it is too late and Edgar snatches them up once again in a sack. Roquefort runs to find O’Malley and is instructed to go fetch Scat Cat and his gang of alley cats. It is at this moment that we truly see Roquefort’s bravery as he has never met a gang of alley cats before and will certainly meet his death if he fails to convince them he is a friend of O’Malley and Duchess. With Roquefort’s help, the alley cats reach the house and help O’Malley save Duchess and the kittens from Edgar. He is truly a hero despite how small he might be. Film: The Aristocats Voice Actor: Sterling Holloway (1905-1992) Also voiced Winnie the Pooh, Kaa, Chesire Cat, and several other Disney characters Animators: Hal King, Fred Hellmich, Eric Larson Songs: Everybody Wants to be a Cat Character Traits: Polite, punctual, brave, resourceful, loyal Animal: Mouse Home: Madame Bonfamille’s Chateau Appearance: Tiny, red coat and hat Famous Quote: "Did somebody say cheese?" Images © Disney I used to tour the parks of Walt Disney World much differently then I do today. On my first couple of visits I found myself going into stealth mode. I’m sure you’ve all done the same thing. You ask yourself, how many attractions can I ride? What is the quickest way to get from the Magic Kingdom to my dinner reservation at Cape May Cafe and then back again in time for the fireworks? What time are each of the shows and how can I fit them all into one visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios? There is so little time and so much to see! This is a common strategy for many first time visitors and repeat visitors alike. What we fail to realize is that Walt Disney World is not just about the attractions, shows, and dining. Everywhere you look there are small details that have a meaning and a purpose as to why they were placed there. The real magic of the parks can be found in these small details that are often overlooked although most of the time they are right in front of your eyes. It can be very difficult to slow yourself down while at Walt Disney World and for some people it could be years before their next visit. Although it’s hard, I urge you to take your time. Stop in a place that you’ve never truly explored before and take in all of the details. You might find a hidden gem right in front of you. Here are ten of my favorite Walt Disney World hidden treasures. 10. The Balloons at Sunshine Seasons When you enter the Land pavilion in Epcot’s Future World West, the first thing you should see are large balloons hanging overhead. You might even glance upwards at them when you are dining at Sunshine Seasons. What you might not realize is that these balloons fit in perfectly with the ideas of the Land pavilion. The large balloon in the center at the highest point represents the land itself, Earth. Can you guess from the pictures what the surrounding balloons represent? The four seasons that we experience on Earth are shown in the surrounding balloons. Icons such as flowers and butterflies are shown on the Spring balloon, whereas the sun and birds are featured on the Summer balloon. Each balloon has beautiful vibrant colors to represent the season. I must have walked by this hidden gem a hundred times before really stopping to understand how well this fits in with the Land. 9. The Shrine Overlooking Everest As you are leaving Expedition Everest at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and heading further into Asia you may see a shrine to your left. This is a popular photo pass site as the background for your picture is Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. Like most things at Walt Disney World, the shrine has a purpose. The outline of the shrine represents the shape of the mountains you see in the distance. However, you might not realize this trick when you are standing to the left or right of the shrine. When standing directly in front of the shrine and quite a ways back, slowly bend down. You will find that the shrine aligns exactly with the mountain range behind it. Want to know another cool secret? There is also a telescope near the shrine. When you look into the telescope you will find that it is focused on the mountain to the right of the highest peak. That peak is actually Everest whereas the highest peak is the Forbidden Mountain. One of the more amazing creations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom would have to be the magnificent Tree of Life. Not only is this centerpiece to the park massive in size, but the detail that went into each carving on the Tree of Life is truly something to be seen. It could take hours to spot and identify the more then 320 animals that appear on the trunk and branches. What some people don’t realize however is that they can’t all be seen just by standing in front of the tree and looking up. The same is true for the back of the tree or at any point around it on the main pathways of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. That is why a leisurely stroll through the Discovery Island Trails is a must do on each visit to the park. There are several small pathways around the tree that guests can enter and most walk right past not even realizing they are there. It is on these pathways that you can get an even closer view of the details on the Tree of Life. In fact, some animal carvings can only be seen from these pathways. There are also several real animals to enjoy along the Discovery Island Trails. A favorite carving of mine would have be the turtle shown above. You can actually walk right past this turtle and it always makes for great family photo opportunities. The trails can be located on your park map and once you find them you will wonder how you ever missed them in the first place.
What is your favorite animal carving on the Tree of Life? It has always been a dream of mine to stay in a deluxe resort at Walt Disney World, more specifically the Boardwalk Inn Resort. Unfortunately I haven't been blessed with a salary anywhere close to six figures and no matter how many "how to save at WDW" blogs I read, a deluxe resort will probably never be in my budget. I take that back, I could swing it for sure, but I would need to plan on never returning to WDW again (well for at least 5 years or so). I'm not prepared to do that, therefore on all of my vacations I have understandably chosen a value or a moderate resort. And hey, I'm not complaining. I've visited most all of the resorts and to be honest a couple of the moderates have my favorite theming overall. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop dreaming however. Fast forward to March of 2013. My husband's parents have been renting a condo in central Florida during the month of March the past two years. They've made it clear that any time we want to stay we are welcome. Last year we didn't take them up on the offer due to me being pregnant but this year there was no excuse and we were excited for a vacation! The condo isn't in Orlando, but it's a couple hours drive to get to Walt Disney World. When deciding to make the trip to Florida, my husband (who is not a fan of Disney...I know...why did I marry him?) told me it might be nice if while we are in Florida we take a short trip to WDW, leave the baby with the parents, and have a little getaway just the two of us. He knew I had been itching to check out new Fantasyland. Now normally I don't bring up WDW to him. I know it's not his favorite place to go so I try to be kind as he has to deal with my constant babbling about the World while at home. So as you can imagine I was completely shocked and thrilled! Since this would be a short trip, a 1 night stay and two days park tickets (non hopper), I decided it might be time to make my dream a reality. I knew that we would never be able to afford a week long stay at the Boardwalk, but surely we could afford one night. Especially since the rest of our stay at his parent's condo was covered. I immediately emailed my wonderful Disney travel agent, got the prices, and made the reservation! My dream was coming true! We arrived at the Boardwalk fairly early in the morning as I wanted plenty of time to check out the grounds and still have a good amount of park time. Since we were checking out the next morning before we headed to the Magic Kingdom I made sure to take as many pictures of the resort and grounds as possible that day. We headed into the lobby first thing to check on our room and it was already available well before check in. The room was awesome. I could definitely tell the difference between moderate and deluxe although I've never stayed in a bad room while at WDW. We had a standard room with a garden view and luckily it was towards the inside of the resort so we did not overlook the parking lot. Our room was very close to one of the quiet pools We spent most of the day in Epcot and then returned to the Boardwalk after Illuminations. Our intent was to grab a drink at a couple of the bars on the Boardwalk but several of them were already packed. Not to mention it was freezing outside that night. Well, freezing for a dumb Michigan girl who literally only brought shorts and t-shirts to Florida thinking it would be warm. Apparently, it was an unseasonably cold first week of March this year in Florida. I don't think it broke 70 degrees in the middle of the day the entire week. Since I was turning into a popsicle we headed back inside the resort. We stumbled upon the Belle Vue Room and it quickly became our favorite spot in the entire resort. We had a couple of drinks to cap off our night and relaxed in the exquisitely beautiful surroundings of the Boardwalk Inn. Thus concluded our very short stay at the Boardwalk Inn. But hey, now I can say that I have stayed at a deluxe resort in Walt Disney World even if it was only one night. There are many more photos of this resort to be shared, but I will save that for a Boardwalk Inn Photo Review in the coming months on the blog. I'm happy to say that I have now checked one item off of my Disney Bucket List. Man, I've got a long way to go!!!!
We've all been there before on a crowded day at Walt Disney World. We order our meal from the counter, get handed a huge tray with everything on it, then we head out to the seating area to find....no seats. You find yourself hovering over another family who look like they may be finishing up. You try to ignore the eye rolls they give each other while they take their last bites. Sorry guys, we want to sit down too! I am here to tell you that there are some counter service areas in Walt Disney World that offer plenty of seating, and a lot of that seating is even somewhat hidden from the masses. Which brings me to my absolute favorite counter service location in all of Walt Disney World. Now I didn't say it was my favorite counter service food in all of Walt Disney World, although it's still pretty phenomenal, but it is definitely my favorite counter service location. The location I speak of is the Flame Tree Barbeque in Disney's Animal Kingdom. After ordering your meal, head directly behind the counter service stand to find a good amount of shaded seating. But instead of stopping at the first section of tables you see (which will also be the busiest), continue on down towards the water to enjoy your meal in the peace and quiet. You will be surprised how many different areas there are to sit at this restaurant even though it seemed like a rather small place when you decided to order your food. The theming in this area is also absolutely gorgeous. There are lovely ponds where you can watch different birds and other wildlife gather or you can sit right next to the water and have the most spectacular view of Expedition Everest that can't be beat in any other area of the park. Most importantly the area is completed shaded, which on the hottest of days can be a blessing! Next time you are in the Animal Kingdom make sure to check out this counter service location. Not only is it a favorite food establishment of mine, the area is just a great place to take a relaxing break from the crowds even if you are not enjoying the food. Although J. Worthington Foulfellow may not be known as one of Disney’s most notable villains, his role in leading Pinocchio down the path of temptation is not one to be overlooked. Also known as “Honest John," (although he is anything but honest) we first meet the greedy Foulfellow with his sidekick Gideon on the first day that Pinocchio ventures out in the world to go to school. Using his devious charms to tempt the trusting puppet, he promises Pinocchio stardom on Stromboli’s stage and lures him away from going to school. Little does Pinocchio know that he is actually being sold to the puppeteer by Foulfellow and will be forced to live a life of slavery. One would think that Pinocchio would have learned his lesson when it comes to dealing with “Honest John." Unfortunately they meet again and this time the deceitful fox lures Pinocchio to the Coachman’s Pleasure Island in return for payment from the Coachman. Pleasure Island, although fun and exciting at first, turns out to be a horrible place where little orphan boys are transformed into donkeys for the Coachman’s profit. We do not learn the fate of J. Worthington Foulfellow and Gideon in the movie but deleted scenes suggest that they were caught by the police when trying to scheme Pinocchio for a third time. Film: Pinocchio - released February 7, 1940 Television Appearances: House of Mouse Park Attractions: Pinocchio’s Daring Journey - DLR Voice Actor: Walter Catlett Animators: Norman Ferguson, Hugh Fraser, John Lounsberry Songs: Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee (An Actor’s Life for Me) Character Traits: Greedy, devious, charming Animal: Fox Sidekick: Gideon, the cat Occupation: Con-man, henchman Famous Quote: “If we play our cards right we’ll be on Easy Street, or my name isn’t Honest John." Fate: Not shown Images © Disney I love to focus on the hidden magic at Walt Disney World and those little things that you can sometimes walk right by without even noticing. In my opinion there are several things in the Japan pavilion that you may not notice unless you really take the time to explore. When you first walk by you will be sure to see the large pagoda on the left side of pavilion and of course how can you miss the full-size department store to the right. But what’s directly behind the pagoda is something that not everyone takes the time to investigate. Walking up the hill behind the pagoda, you will find a beautiful setting that includes a koi-filled pond. If you follow the path to the very top, not only does the lovely garden setting continue but you will run into one of the best counter service meals in the World Showcase. Katsura Grill represents historic Japan and is modeled after Kyoto’s 16th century Katsura Imperial Village. This counter service location features teriyaki beef, chicken, and fish along with Japanese favorites such as sushi, tuna rolls, and much more. Not only is this a great location for the food, but it also can be very quiet and free from crowds during most times of the day. The next time you are in Epcot, make sure to take some time to explore in depth the beauty of the Japan pavilion. It has much more to offer then first meets the eye.
What do you like the most about the Japan pavilion? I began the blog not only to talk about my absolute favorite subject, but also to document my quest to complete my Disney bucket list. Below is the list in no particular order as it stands today. Some of these challenges are pretty obtainable and some not so obtainable. I will update the list on the home page with dates of when I complete each item (if I ever do!). I will also dedicate a blog post to each completed item. The list will be ever changing and I am sure will have many things added as they come to mind. I can't wait to get started on a couple of these challenges this December on my next WDW vacation.
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