||-Attraction of the month-The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
|||-Resort of the month-All-Star Sports Resort
IV-Restaurant of the month-Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
V-Here & There
VI-Monthly Trivia
VII-Next Month
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I-Letter from the Editor
Greetings to all you loyal readers, and any new readers as well. Welcome to the second issue of Worldwide. In this issue I'll be covering The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, the All-Star Sports Resort, and Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. Also in this issue is the beginning of a new section, Here & There. This section replaces Mouse Ear Extras, and will contain little secrets and tid-bits to look for and think about when visiting Walt Disney World. Another new feature added is subscriptions. If any of you readers out there would like to subscribe to Worldwide just send an E-Mail my way. This is free and you don't get anything extra, except that I will personally E-Mail you each month's copy of Worldwide so you won't have to go looking through the Travel Library to find it. If you don't want to subscribe but would still like to read Worldwide don't worry, I will continue to post it monthly in the library. Well, that about sums up the happenings this month. Don't forget to answer the trivia question below, and keep sending me your thoughts about Worldwide, I really want to hear from you. Have fun.
Brad Ayres
II-Attraction of the month
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
::Twilight Zone theme music begins to play:: "Submitted for your approval...The Hollywood Tower Hotel. It was on this spot in 1939 that five guests mysteriously disappeared into...The Twilight Zone. The following description intricately describes the horrors that await you on, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror." When you enter MGM the first place you head for is that large menacing tower that was visible from the entrance. When you begin walking down Sunset Boulevard you can clearly see terrified guests plunging down the building. You feel something churn in your stomach as you proceed on. As you come up to the base of the hill the building rests on, there is a sign you notice that says "Hollywood Tower Hotel." You stand looking at for a few seconds when suddenly it changes, and the words "The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror," have appeared. Feeling a little nervous you quickly move up the path towards the hotel. As you walk upward you are amazed at the attention to detail that has gone into creating the outside of the building. You finally reach the top of the path and stroll past a dried up, cracked fountain, covered with ivy. You then proceed to choose a line to get into (HINT: there are two lines and the right one is usually shorter). Soon after you enter the building. Standing in the immense lobby you can't help but feel a little nervous after seeing this large, airy, dead room. Like spirits surround you everywhere. Those thoughts are quickly pushed out of your head though as you are suddenly ushered forward by a bell hop. As you move over to the right wall you catch a glance of the lobby elevator, broken and hanging half-way open. A chill runs up your spine. You stop in front of two large brown doors, with a small sign above them that says "Library." So you begin to play the waiting game. Then, when you're in the middle of a daydream lights come on above the door, and a weary, but somehow friendly voice, begins to speak. It says, "Ladies & gentlemen, in just a few moments, the library doors in front of you will be opening. Please stand back from the doors as they will be opening towards you, thank you." Then, as if by magic, the doors swing open and you, along with the other guests, are admitted into the library. When you enter, you glance around and notice a lot of artifacts in this room are from the Twilight Zone show itself. You quickly stake out your spot for you can see a television set in the corner, and you want to be sure you can see it. (Hey, a TV in a Disney ride, you know you've gotta keep your eye on it.) After everyone else has entered the room the wall slides to a shut, and a flash of lightning brings the TV to life. On it plays an old episode of the Twilight Zone. You watch intently, starving to know more about this place you've come to. The show explains that back in 1939, when the Hollywood Tower Hotel was still a glamorous hot spot, five guests entered the lobby elevator and rode to the thirteenth floor, of a twelve story hotel! Suddenly, lightning struck the building causing the front wing of the hotel, the elevator, and the guests to disappear, forever. Now Rod Serling is inviting you to step aboard an old, working, service elevator and re-enact this frightening event. He also gives you a warning, "that this elevator travels directly to...The Twilight Zone." Then immediately another wall, opposite the one you entered, slides open, revealing a large boiler room. It's actually another line, so you proceed ahead and around corners & turns until you reach the service elevators. The bellhop asks how many and then ushers you over to a number on the floor, right in front of the elevator door. You stand waiting and glance up and notice that the elevator pointer is at floor twelve. Then suddenly, the cables running through the generator next to you spark and shake, then the pointer plunges quickly down to the basement marker. Then, once it reaches the basement, the doors open to reveal an empty elevator. You can't help but wonder where the people are that got on before you, but you don't have time to think as the bellhop explains the safety rules to you, and quickly moves you into the car where you take your seat. The elevator is a cage one so you can easily see above, below and in front of you, which makes things all the more unsettling. The safety bars are lowered, the front gate closed, and you're on your way. As the lights dim and the car accends upward, you feel a pit forming in your stomach as you stop at a pair of elevator doors. The doors slide open revealing a hallway with rooms on each side. Suddenly, in the middle of the hallway, the 'ghosts' of the five missing guests appear before your eyes, all blue and beckoning you to come forward. Then, as suddenly as they appeared, they vanish in a flash of lightning. They're not the only things to disappear though. As you glance around, you notice stars have filled the elevator car. When you look back forward, the hallway has vanished, only a field of stars is left, and a lone window that was at the end of the hall. The window then morphs into the one from the Twilight Zone opening you just viewed in the library. You just wish you were back there again, but you still are amazed, and, for some reason, you want to move forward. The window shatters, the doors close, and you move up, faster than before, but up none the less (thankfully). You stop again and get a shock when Rod Serling's voice fills the shaft saying, "That door is opening again, but this time it's opening for you." The door slides open to reveal what looks like an elevator shaft, only looking up into one. Your car suddenly lurches forward into the 'shaft'. You know you're moving forward, but for some reason you have this idea that you're still going up. Once you're halfway into the room things begin to change. Icons from the classic show appear all around you in an eerie blue glow. The main one you notice is a giant eyeball that is looking at you, then with a shock, you see yourself (along with your fellow passengers) in the eye. You shudder as a large glass door in front of you slides open, and you continue forward. It is pitch black now and all you can hear is a lot of clanging and grinding. Then, without warning, the lights spring on, and you fall, and in another split second, before you can realize it, you're moving up faster than ever. You shoot all the way to the top right up past some open elevator doors looking out over the MGM Studios. Then the car suddenly lurches an inch or so downward, that is quickly followed by the sound of a releasing latch as you fall all the way down.
So now, I shall leave you with this warning, "The next time you check into a hotel on the dark side of Hollywood, make sure you know just what kind of vacancy you're filling, or you may find yourself a permanent resident of, the Twilight Zone."
III-Resort of the Month
All-Star Sports Resort
Giant icons, bright colors, and cheap prices, what do they all have in common? The All-Star Sports Resort of course. The largest, and cheapest, resort on the Disney property is also a premium choice for vacationers on a tight budget. The All-Stars may not have all of the fancy rooms and expensive decor that the other Disney hotels have, but it's still a great choice. The All-Stars provide transportation perks like the other hotels, with a busing system with direct connections to the parks and the village, and you still are allowed into the parks an hour & a half early. The All-Star also has two swimming pools, something a lot of people should like, each with its own theme. One is shaped like a baseball diamond, complete with a Goofy pitcher in the center, and the other like a wave. They have these designs to properly match the hotel's theme, sports. All over the place you'll find giant icons representing popular sports. Everything from baseball bats to surf boards. The awesome size of these icons is amazing. Also at the All-Star is a complete food court, with enough choices to satisfy everyone. There's also an arcade and a gift shop, for other interests. The All-Star Sports Resort was, from the beginning, meant to be a simple hotel. One that guests with a small budget could stay at, and have a magical Disney vacation
IV-Restaurant of the Month
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe
Where to eat? Where to eat? When visiting Walt Disney World you're left with so many choices that it's hard to know where to start. Perhaps elegant entrÄes at King Stephan's Banquet Hall, or maybe sea food at the Coral Reef Restaurant is more to your liking. But, if you want some futuristic food, there's no better place than Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. Located in the new Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom, Cosmic Ray's is one of the more...interesting dining experiences around. First off, Cosmic Ray's is not a sit-down-waiter-bring-your-food type restaurant, it's a cafeteria style one. Now, before you say, "and you call that a restaurant?" Let me tell you about some of the interesting little things that make Cosmic Ray's a good spot for a bite to eat. Now of course the first thing you'd want to know about is the food. Here you have plenty of choices, from rotisserie chicken, sandwiches, and (my personal favorites) hamburgers, Cosmic Ray's offers a variety of meals for the lunch crowd, and dinner for that matter. The next thing you'll want to know about is the atmosphere. Cosmic Ray's is not a huge, expensive, magically designed restaurant, but it does have its own special touch. One thing is, it has a lot of tables, so it should be easy to find a seat. There are also seats outside on a balcony, providing a beautiful view. Some weirder features are right under your nose, literally. One very amusing thing is a certain trash can in the restaurant that is inhabited by aliens. Whenever you throw your garbage away in that can you'll hear little aliens fighting over, talking about, and enjoying your garbage. You know what they say, one man's trash is another man's...lunch? Well, anyway, another fun feature is the condiments, yes the condiments. At Cosmic Ray's there are dispensers with buttons that pour out ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise (no more packets). Now, there are about three or four of these dispensers, but one of them is a little different. In it, the ketchup and mustard are neon, and the mayonnaise is blue! You wouldn't believe some of the crazy colors that you can make when you mix them =). Well, now you know, if you're in a hurry or just need a place to sit and rest Cosmic Ray's is an out of this world choice.
V-Here & There
For the next few months I am going to write something here that a lot of people have been wanting, the Hidden Mickeys list. I must say that this list is most likely incomplete, there are most definitely more Mickeys to find around WDW. Also some of these are unconfirmed, so if you don't find some, I'm sorry.
The Magic Kingdom
CINDERELLA'S CASTLE
-> You can spot Mickey's shadow in the patterns made by the sun shining
through the railings along the walkway Mickey should be visible in
mid-morning and again in mid-afternoon. (unconfirmed)
-> With dinner at King Stephan's, small plate with a 3 inch tall margarine
sculpture of Mickey was served.
MAIN STREET
-> The bridle gear on one of the horses that pulls the trolley car has a
couple of hidden Mickeys on it.
-> Don't know if it is still there but there was a Mickey and Minnie bush in
the garden circle right in front of the castle that waved to the people
as they approached the castle.
-> The gold mask Mickey himself wears in the Surprise Celebration Parade
has ears
ADVENTURELAND
JUNGLE CRUISE
-> The sign hanging over the entrance has barnacles at the bottom. Under
the letter "C" in the word "EXOTIC" the mouse appears from the formation
of 3 of the barnacles. The cluster is separate from all others.
-> Where the elephants are taking baths, there is a Mickey in the
background, etched in the stone. It's on the other side of these rocks,
backstage. It's only visible to the guests when the vegetation on the rain
forest canopy (in the beginning of the ride, on the Amazon river, when
you see those huge butterflies with "wingspans all the way from 12 inches
to 1 foot long!") is thin. If a guest knows what to look for they can see an
-> Above the Frontier Trading Post (where they have the Stunt Show), there
is a building which has a running series of M's at the top of the building.
-> At the beginning of Frontierland from the hub (right after the bridge) a
brick pattern starts in the middle of the walkway and continues
throughout Frontierland. The pattern contains thousands of Hidden
Mickeys.
SPLASH MOUNTAIN
-> In the middle of the ride, if you look at all the clouds, one of
them has a peculiar resemblance to the Mouse enough to stand out
from all the other clouds. I was told that this is behind the
boarded up house that the rabbit left. The HM is about the size of
a quarter. (unconfirmed)
-> In the projected scene (on your right) where B'rer Fox and Bear chase
B'rer Rabbit over the hill, at the very end of the projection, B'rer
Bear appears to be a Mickey. I saw this just as the boat was rounding
the corner, and when the projection repeated, I found it was difficult
(but not impossible) to see closer up.
-> Just before the big drop is a HM. It isn't the "traditional" hidden
Mickey (Face on) but a side view - as reported.
-> At the end, in the riverboat scene, the pink clouds in the background
look suspiciously like Mickey Mouse lying down for a nap. The feet and
belly are in focus, but his head is rather stretched.
THUNDER MOUNTAIN
-> A shadow appears at a certain time of the day that is a HM. You
have to be standing at a certain spot to see it. (unconfirmed)
-> On the ride during the last lift (where the rocks 'fall') there
is a lamp overhead that is supposed to have a HM projected on it
-> Look for the three cactus (cactii?) just outside the exit in the
shape of a HM.
FRONTIERLAND TRAIN STATION
-> There are three wooden barrels (one big and two small) placed to
look like another HM.
FANTASYLAND
SKYWAY (from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland)
-> At the Skyway entrance gate (when heading to Tomorrowland) there are
pink Hidden Mickeys among the flowery decorations overhead.
These are close but, I suspect, not close enough to be real HMs. The
"circles" are all the same size anyway.
IT'S A SMALL WORLD
-> In the Indonesian area, the leaves of the tree on the right just before
the archway to the next area, the leaves are shaped in the traditional
three circles.
TOMORROWLAND
STAR TRADER SHOP
-> Mickey as Steamboat Willie appears in the mural. (unconfirmed)
Yep, this is there - on the pink perspex star map on Mickey's right.
SPACE MOUNTAIN
-> You can see it either from the loading bays as you look up, or from the
Tomorrowland Transit Authority. Look for the big meteor, followed by a comet, then
followed by the three "chocolate chip cookie" looking meteors that spin and briefly
form a Mickey head.
TOMORROWLAND TRANSIT AUTHORITY/SKYWAY
-> You can see that some of the shrubbery (near the Skyway exit and
Carousel of Progress) in Tomorrowland is in the shape of a HM.
If you're looking for it, this is visible from ground level too.
CAROUSEL OF PROGRESS
-> In the last scene there are;
a plush Mickey in a box under the Christmas tree
a Mickey nutcracker on the mantelpiece
a salt shaker with ears on the kitchen workbench
-> There's a note stuck on the pinboard (right-hand wall) which says "Marty
called - he wants changes!" - almost certainly a poke at WDI President
Marty Skylar.
DREAMFLIGHT
-> There is a movie scene where there is a ray-traced scene of a bunch of
shiny spheres flying around. The light reflection in these form a HM.
TRANSPORTARIUM
->In the scene where Jules Verne and H.G. Wells meet, there is a 3-circle Mickey on the platform of the model of H.G.'s time machine.
->In the future scene many of the circles of light on the ground form 3-circle Mickeys
Next month I'll be adding Epcot's hidden Mickeys to this list. Watch for it.
VI-Monthly Trivia
Good job to all who tried, May's question was
<<What 10 places hold character breakfasts in the morning? (theme parks/resorts)>>
The correct answers were:
The Disney MGM Studios
Epcot 95'
The Magic Kingdom
the Beach Club
Contemporary Resort
Polynesian Resort
Grand Floridean Beach Resort
Pleasure Island (Empress Lilly)
WDW Swan
Disney Vacation Club
And the winners with the correct answers were:
FXer2, PLMarble, Lynque, JohnE00001.
And now <June's Question>
(Remember to E-mail your answer to Disnymania)
In Alien Encounter, what is the name of the small alien in the pre-show?
VII-Next Month
And so, the second issue of Worldwide comes to a close. Next month I'll be covering the Transportarium, The Contemporary Resort, and The Soundstage Restaurant.
