spring 2013 • Volume22 • Number1

TWENTY YEARS OF DISNEY VACATION CLUB®

The entertainment world raises a lot of interesting questions. Like why do we talk about people being “on” TV shows but “in” movies? Why do unscripted shows employ writers? Why are “Jimmy Kimmel Live” episodes previously recorded? And why in the world do so many bad guys insist on messing with Liam Neeson? A new attraction now open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes a cannon-shot at the first of these questions and adds another: What does it take to sail with Captain Jack Sparrow? This immersive new addition to the Park is called “The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow,” and it puts you very much “in” the Pirates of the Caribbean film saga, surrounding you in the action and putting you to the ultimate pirate test. You’ll find my interview with one of the attraction’s Walt Disney Imagineers on pages 3-4, the first of many pages in this edition to answer intriguing questions. For example, how can one work Disney into their home decorating without turning their living space into a Theme Park? For that, we turn to pages 5-6, where HGTV star and veteran Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presenter Genevieve Gorder answers this and other questions Members submitted through our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/disneyvacationclub). But what if subtlety isn’t your style? Then turn to pages 8 and 11, where some incredibly talented Members provide inspiration. There are so many answers in this edition of your magazine that a list of questions could’ve served as a table of contents. “What’s MyMagic+?” (Pages 16) “Where in a Disney Theme Park can I find treasures from Pleasure Island’s Adventurers Club?” (Pages 17-18) “Where, outside of New Fantasyland, can I find mermaids in a Magic Kingdom attraction?” (Page 19) “Who exactly is the wizard of Oz?” (Page 21) “Where’s that new D23 page?” (Page 23, of course) “Seriously, why do people mess with Liam Neeson?” (We don’t know, friends. We just don’t know.) Welcome home,

Ryan March Disney Files Editor Illustration of Ryan by Keelan Parham

DVC-MBR-65-U

VOL. 22 NO. 1 Disney Files Magazine Disney Vacation Club P.O. Box 10350 Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830 Please recycle this publication

Information contained in this magazine is subject to change without notice Update your mailing address online at www.dvcmember.com

Contact Member Services from 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Eastern weekdays 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Eastern weekends (800) 800-9800 or (407) 566-3800 Fax: (407) 938-4151 Email: [email protected]

For Member Services in Japanese, call 0120-98-4050 Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Japan Time) Email: [email protected] facebook.com/disneyvacationclub

Only the beginning By Claire Bilby, formerly Senior Vice President and General Manager, Disney Vacation Club; now Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Disneyland Paris and Europe

When connecting Members to the places and people they love, vacation points and resort reservations are only the beginning. Disney Vacation Club has established a proud tradition of creating experiences that help Members enjoy those places and people in true insider fashion. From Member voyages with Disney Cruise Line and Member trips with Adventures by Disney, to advance screenings of Disney films and sneak previews of Disney attractions, these and other experiences create lifelong memories and help reinforce what makes our community a community. In my year and a half with the Disney Vacation Club family, I had the extraordinary opportunity to sail with Members on three Member Cruise voyages and travel with Members to both Peru and the Wild West through Adventures by Disney. In that same span of time, we worked with the Walt Disney Studios to allow Members to enjoy advance screenings of two major film releases, and we partnered with Disney Parks to include Members in sneak previews of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park, New Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom Park and the souped-up Test Track at Epcot. The past year also saw the re-imagination of “Welcome Home Wednesdays” at the Walt Disney World Resort, and the creation of two new weekly Member events – “Royal Member Gathering” at the Disneyland Resort and “Mahalo Member Mingle” at Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i. As announced earlier this year, the job of continuing

to build on this momentum now rests in the capable hands of Ken Potrock, whose perspectives will fill this page beginning this summer. While I’m excited about the opportunities presented by my new role at Disneyland Paris (who wouldn’t want to work in Paris?), I must admit that I envy the role Ken will have inherited by the time you read this. My experiences with Disney Vacation Club were among the most rewarding of my career, and I will forever cherish every memory. Backed by talented Cast Members who take such enormous pride in their work and inspired by passionate Members who continuously drive us to raise the bar – Disney Vacation Club is a business like no other. Ken takes the reins as another exciting slate of Member experiences take shape, from a new collection of Member trips with Adventures by Disney to our next highly anticipated Member Cruise voyage (sailing Sept. 29 out of Port Canaveral, Fla.). I thank you for being such a special part of my Disney career, and I’ll watch with great interest from Disneyland Paris as Ken and the Disney Vacation Club Cast family create more magic with you. When it comes to elevating the Member experience, everything on this page is only the beginning.

Carrying the torch By Ken Potrock, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Disney Vacation Club and Adventures by Disney

Just hours after it was announced that I’d be joining the team at Disney Vacation Club, I found myself boarding the spectacular Disney Dream Ship for my first Member Cruise. I was filled with many emotions as I entered the terminal, from excitement to curiosity to a touch of anxiousness. I knew I had more than a few things to learn about Disney Vacation Club, its Members and the Cast. That anxiousness quickly vanished, as I was immediately made to feel at home, not only by colleagues old and new, but by Members themselves. Clearly, “welcome home” is more than just a catchphrase. It’s a family-first philosophy that’s evident in every interaction I experienced or observed throughout the voyage, and it reassures me that my future here will be as rewarding for me as I hope it’ll be for you. Claire and team have done an extraordinary job shepherding the continuous improvement of this special community, and I’m deeply proud to now carry that torch. I thank you for welcoming me so warmly to your neighborhood, and I look forward to making memories with you to last a lifetime.

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Walt Disney World Resort: Think a pirate’s life is for you? It sure does sound appealing – what with all that marauding, embezzling and even high-jacking. No self-respecting rascal, scoundrel, villain or knave (or ne’er do-well cad, for that matter) would dream of living any other way. But before you pillage, plunder, rifle or loot (or kidnap and ravage without giving a hoot), Disney’s Hollywood Studios invites you to stop by Soundstage 4 to see if you really have what it takes. It’s an immersive new attraction called The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow, and it’s taking wannabe devils and black sheep (really bad eggs) deeper into the Pirates of the Caribbean film saga – and closer to Captain Jack – than they ever dreamed possible. Whether drawn to the experience by a hunger for loot, a thirst for rum (comically referenced – though not actually served – in the new attraction) or unfulfilled dreams of eternal youth (the building’s new exterior mural was inspired by the map to the Fountain of Youth seen in both Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), Guests’ journey begins as soon as they enter the re-imagined soundstage. It’s there, in a dark and foreboding pirate stranglehold, that recruits meet the real “head” of this operation – a disembodied talking skull (voiced by James Arnold Taylor, known to Star Wars fans as the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Brought to life by a crackling, supernatural energy, this skeletal servant of the pirate world sounds some important warnings (including a few words about dead men’s inability to

tell tales) before opening the fortress door to La Isla del Gorrión (Island of the Sparrow), the secret home port and treasure cave of the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow. “What we really wanted to do with this environment was create a place that would feel equally at home in the mythology of both the attraction and the films,” Walt Disney Imagineer Jason Surrell told Disney Files Magazine. “Haunted caverns are part of every incarnation of the Pirates of the Caribbean Theme Park attraction, and they inspired the setting of Isla de Muerta in the original film (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl). So we really wanted to bridge the gap between film and attraction while contributing a new location – Captain Jack’s home port – to the mythology.” Beached straight ahead in this new location, against the pleasant backdrop of a glorious sunset, is Captain Jack’s beloved ship. The good weather is short lived, as that supernatural crackle quickly brings storm clouds – and our ominous skull friend – to a dramatically darkened sky. It’s time to face the trials of a pirate’s life in a magical place where anything can happen. From fending off a kraken to resisting the allure of dangerous mermaids, Guests take part in a variety of pirate tests, completely enveloped in the action and continuously challenged by that scurvy skull to earn their place in Captain Jack’s ruddy crew. The curriculum becomes something of a crash course, as an incoming attack by the Flying Dutchman soon forces everyone to enlist before even taking the pirate oath. At that moment, we meet Captain Jack, who steps – or stumbles – out onto the bridge of his ship and questions how all of these people got in his cave. These people are there, of course, for the impending battle, brought to life by the latest tricks of the Imagineering trade. Projection, lighting, sound and visual effects put the newly enlisted crew in the middle of a cinematic, grand finale battle. Victors (assuming they win, as we did when we experienced the attraction) are left to take the pirate oath and sing a familiar tune before leaving the soundstage and burning up the city (please don’t burn up the city). “This boils down to the essence of what Walt Disney Imagineering does best,” Jason said. “It’s immersive

storytelling creatively presented through state-of-the-art technology. And for me personally, this project has been a huge thrill. To be able to not only write for Johnny Depp, but to actually help direct him (with veteran filmmaker Peter Kohn, one of the first assistant directors from the Pirates the Caribbean film series) and collaborate with him was truly one of the highlights of my career. It was one of those moments where you take a mental snapshot and think, ‘It doesn’t get better than this.’”

Scan this black-and-white box with your smart phone’s QR code scanner for a behind-the-scenes look at The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow with Jason and his fellow Imagineers. If you don’t have a smart phone, visit www.youtube.com/disneyparks and search for Jack Sparrow within the “search channel” box.

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with HGTV’s

genevieve gorder One of the most visible benefits of having HGTV on board for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (taking place this year from March 6-May 19) is the ability to welcome HGTV stars for weekend presentations in the Festival Center. Inspiring Guests to reimagine their spaces both indoors and out, these celebrity presenters offer invaluable insights into everything from landscaping and gardening to entertaining and interior design. Among the stars who have shined on the festival stage through the years is Genevieve Gorder of the hit shows “HGTV Design Star” and “Dear Genevieve.” Disney Files Magazine Editor Ryan March sat down with the hugely popular designer to talk about her Disney experiences and to solicit advice for readers facing common design challenges. Ryan: I understand that you recently stayed at a place very near and dear to our readers’ hearts – Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. What drew you to that resort? Genevieve: I’ve never been on a safari, and since my little one [daughter, age 4] is so obsessed with animals, I thought that was the perfect place to bring her. I love how it’s all bent around this enormous savanna, but from a design perspective, I think the most impressive elements are the lobbies and artwork. It’s really incredible. Ryan: Speaking of your daughter, the first time you appeared at the festival, you said that experiencing all of this with her was a bit overwhelming. Has that changed any in the years since? Genevieve: Well to be clear, it was overwhelming for me, not for her. She was right in her element from day one. It’s like this is her tribe. She found her people! It’s all so normal to her, which I find incredibly entertaining. She has this beautiful understanding when she’s in her dress that everyone knows she’s a princess. I think that’s just so funny! And the way she curtsies is so hysterically natural. This is a girl who curtsies to our mailman. Ryan: Well I’m glad to hear she’s found her people. Now that we know how Disney inspires you as a Mom, let’s talk about how it inspires you as a designer. What can you draw from this place from a creative standpoint? Genevieve: What I draw most from Disney is the playfulness and sense of humor that should be in design. That sense of whimsy is so important. Our spaces don’t all need to be beige and boring. In fact, that’s when I get

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called in the most – when a space has become too bland and too adult. Every designer wants to work on a kid’s room, because a kid doesn’t hand you a catalog and say, “Make me page 36.” They say, “Make it cool” or, “Make it fun.” They have less restriction, and the results benefit from that. I think that’s what Disney does so well – designing without limitation. People feel that energy and joy, and that’s why they keep coming back. Ryan: Many of those people have tried to bring Disney design sensibilities into their homes. We heard from several of them through Facebook when we solicited questions for this interview. The challenge they expressed was taking inspiration from Disney without turning their house into a Theme Park. What advice do you have for them? Genevieve: This is a common challenge people face after any great vacation. They go home inspired, but the trick is to not try to literally mimic that destination in your home. Those gladiators you saw in Rome may have looked great outside of the Coliseum, but not so much in your living room. Some things are only at home in their rightful places. So it’s about identifying what you liked about those places in terms of their mood and feel, and then bringing those same moods and feelings into your space in an appropriate format and scale. Good design is when function marries aesthetic. Ryan: Your use of the word “marries” segues nicely to our next Facebook question, which has to do with the challenge of merging styles. What advice do you have for couples living under the same roof with very different design styles?

Genevieve: I run into this all the time as well. People will say, “I’m French country and he’s contemporary,” not fully knowing what those styles are. We tend to reinterpret styles for ourselves. Finding intersections is really about opening the conversation. So when he says, “I’m contemporary,” you say, “tell me what that means; show me a picture; show me 10 pictures.” You’ll slowly realize that there are more influences than just “contemporary.” It suddenly becomes easier to find those intersections. There are so many intersections already in a relationship, so aesthetically; there will be moments of intersection. You just have to talk to find them. Ryan: Another common challenge expressed by our readers was simply not knowing where to start. When you move into a new place and know that you’ll have to redesign everything, where do you begin? Genevieve: That’s a big question, but for me, the answer is simple: the master bedroom. You need good sleep. You need good rest. You need that oxygen mask at the end of the day. As adults, we often design the communal rooms or the kids’ rooms first, and our bedroom falls to the bottom of the list. But when you’re comfortable in your own room, you’re in a better frame of mind to tackle

the rest of the house. So I start with the master bedroom and then move on to the kitchen second, living room third, and then you start to develop your home’s sense of concept – not theme, but concept. That’s where Disney differs from real life. Disney has these great Theme Parks in which themes live and flourish and entertain. But in life, we don’t live in themes. We live in concepts – strong ideas that can sprout in ways that are beautiful and functional and inspiring. Colors, textures, lighting – things that give you joy. That’s where it starts. Ryan: I’ll leave you with a very Disney question – one that has to do with dreams coming true. If you could redesign any space in the world, what would it be? Genevieve: Oh my gosh, so many. That’s a great question. Ooh, I know! I’d love to redesign all of Donald Trump’s spaces … and then maybe I’d redesign his hair. Look for more details about the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival on page 20, and visit www. EpcotInSpring.com for the latest updates about festival programming, from the appearance dates of HGTV stars to the performance schedule of the Flower Power Concert Series.

community Discover the new DVCMember.com Member feedback fuels redesigned site Disney Vacation Club: Bolder. Simpler. Disney-er. These three words (the third of which isn’t really a word) are among the many one may accurately use to describe the new DVCMember.com. Masterfully renovated by our friends at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online, the re-imagined website (scheduled to have launched by the time you read this) has a new look, new functions and a new ability to help Members stay informed, plan their next vacation and manage their Membership more efficiently than ever. “I, myself, am a Disney Vacation Club Member, so I’ve been particularly thrilled to help make the site a more dynamic and enjoyable part of the Member experience,” said Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online Senior Product Manager Diana Garcia. “We spent months analyzing the previous design and functionality, even visiting Members in their homes across the country to see how they interact with the site and to understand what the site does well and where it could be improved. Every element of the new DVCMember.com is grounded in that research.” The de-cluttered experience begins with a simplified sign-in page (which now features a “remember me”

function that retains one’s username for future visits) and continues throughout the site, with intuitive tools designed to help Members more easily manage their Membership. Simple sections displayed beneath the sleek home page’s personalized welcome message include “My Membership” (check available vacation points, bank vacation points, update contact information and more), “Destinations” (explore the diverse array of resorts available through the magic of Membership), “Vacation Planning” (review points charts, book online reservations and more), “Member Extras” (Member Perks, news and more) and “My Vacations” (see where you’ve used your points, and view or modify upcoming reservations). Further simplifying the online experience are dynamic quick-links sections throughout the site, displaying links to each section’s key content. “The goal, of course, is for DVCMember.com to further elevate the convenience of Membership,” Diana said. “The incredibly insightful input we received from Members allowed us to take a dramatic step forward with the site, and we’re thrilled with the result.” See the new site for yourself at www.dvcmember.com.

Windows to our ‘World’ Member family van suitable for framing A recent Member letter to Disney Files Magazine conjured up an immediate – and grossly inaccurate – image. Sent by Sheila Dolan of Pennsylvania, Member since 1999, the lovely letter spoke of a cherished tradition in which Sheila’s son hand paints everything from the covers of autograph books to the windows of the family van as the Dolans gear up for their next Disney vacation. Reading Sheila’s story before opening her enclosed photos, the Disney Files staff envisioned crudely

endearing stick-figure interpretations of our friends from Toontown. Not since we questioned the tastiness of turkey legs have we been so pleased to be wrong. The incredible photos on this page showcase the recent minivan masterpieces of B.J. Dolan, the adult (but obviously still a kid-at-heart) son of Sheila and the latest Disney Files reader to make the Disney Files staff feel untalented. All of us at Disney Vacation Club salute the Dolan family for taking their fandom to the streets in impressive fashion!

Tell us about your “Best Trip Ever!” Disney Files Magazine is developing a new column to showcase Members’ most memorable vacations. If you have a favorite trip you’d like to share, send a letter to Disney Files Magazine’s “Best Trip Ever,” Disney Vacation Club, 1390 Celebration Blvd., Celebration, FL 34747. Tell us where you traveled with your Membership, what made the trip so memorable and what advice you have for other Members visiting that destination. Include photos if you have them (saving copies for yourself as we can’t return ours), and remember to enclose a completed and signed release form, available for download at www.dvcmember.com/releaseform. Please also tell us your preferred contact information (phone number or email address) and the year your family became Disney Vacation Club Members.

Welcome home new Moms! Member Moms from Maryland, Texas join popular online panel Mona Leigh Guha of Columbia, Md., and Kari Krueger of College Station, Texas, are the newest Disney Vacation Club Member representatives on the Disney Parks Moms Panel, a popular online forum that shares vacation tips and insights from real Moms (along with some Dads and grandparents) who have become experts in Disney vacationing. Mona Leigh, Member since 2005, said, “I’m excited to help other Members plan magical vacations, as well as to help potential Members decide whether Disney Vacation Club is right for their family.” Kari, a Member since 1997, said, “I have the opportunity to help Guests plan vacations that will fill their hearts with happiness when they hear those two magical words, ‘welcome home.’” To ask questions, visit www.disneyworldmoms.com or connect to the Moms Panel through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/disneyvacationclub.

Former Disney Vacation Club Senior Vice President and General Manager Claire Bilby, center, welcomes Members Mona Leigh Guha, left, and Kari Krueger, right, to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.

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Member Perks the icing on the cake Advantage Members Tennis lessons offer Member discount Walt Disney World Resort: While Member Perks can’t do much to lead you to victory in a court of law or even in the court of public opinion, Disney Files Magazine is pleased to highlight a perk that can at least help you win on the tennis court. You don’t have to be a Williams sister to develop a good backhand, thanks to a 10 percent Disney Vacation Club Member discount on lessons from Orlando Tennis at the Walt Disney World Resort. Regularly priced at $90 an hour and available at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s BoardWalk Resort, Disney’s Contemporary

Resort, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, the lessons are available to players of all skill levels, from those with an eye toward Wimbledon to those who don’t know a clay court from a food court. Call Orlando Tennis at (321) 228-1146 for details. Oh, and because tennis slang and terminology may or may not be part of your lesson, Disney Files Magazine “serves” up the following game to measure your mastery of the game’s colorful language. See if you can “ace” the test by matching the tennis term to its common meaning.

Tennis terms 1. bagel 2. hot dog 3. love 4. deuce 5. shank 6. chop 7. moon ball 8. pulp 9. buggy whip 10. poach

Definitions a. a  forehand swing from low to high, never crossing one’s body b. very high return shot c. to hit a shot intended for your partner in a doubles game d. a set score of 6-0 e. a game score of 30-30 f. zero g. a shot through the legs with one’s back to the net h. any shot hit by a member of the Disney Files staff i. a shot with a hard underspin j. a game score of 40-40

Answers: 1 (d), 2 (g), 3 (f), 4 (j), 5 (h), 6 (i), 7 (b), 8 (e), 9 (a), 10 (c)

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Carthay Circle Restaurant among newly discounted dining destinations Seven locations introduce Member discounts Disneyland Resort: As the Disney Files staff readied its winter 2012 edition, “the road to good eats” had just extended through the newly expanded Disney California Adventure Park, where Disney Vacation Club Members were devouring 10 percent discounts at the Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café on Buena Vista Street and Flo’s V8 Café in Cars Land. Those delicious deals were savory signs of things to come, paving the way for seven additional Disneyland Resort locations to match that offer. Among the Disney California Adventure dining locations now offering Members a 10 percent discount (excluding alcohol, tax and gratuity where applicable) are the Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge, both located in the gleaming new tower at the end of picturesque Buena Vista Street. Inspired by the Hollywood theater that famously hosted the 1937 premiere of Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the elegant restaurant serves modern cuisine that celebrates the bold and diverse flavors of Southern California. Signature dishes range from fire cracker duck wings to ceviches

to jerked king fish. Snacks, “small plates” and sushi, meanwhile, are available in the adjacent Carthay Circle Lounge. (While not included in the discount, it’s worth noting that the lounge’s classic cocktail menu features handcrafted creations served by expert mixologists in unique glassware and even with drink-specific ice!) Other locations now offering 10 percent Member discounts include the Alfresco Lounge and Sonoma Terrace, part of the Golden Vine Winery at Disney California Adventure Park; Harbour Galley and Royal Street Veranda in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park; The Lounge at Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel and Earl of Sandwich in the Downtown Disney District. So the next time your vacation plans include the Happiest Place on Earth, remember to bring your appetite…and your Member ID card!

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community

where Members live

Disney Files Magazine proudly presents photos and stories from Members who have made Disney part of their home decorating. This edition’s spotlight shines on Dr. Dae Sung Choi of Florida, Member since 2006. When he was six years old, Dae fell in love with Disney Parks and began dreaming of a Disney career. While he instead grew up to become a doctor, this kid at heart channeled his inner artist and created miniature Disney Parks in his home, mostly out of paper. The following photos of his handiwork made the comparatively untalented Disney Files staff hang our heads in a way we haven’t since, well, page 8.

Do you have a Disney home? Whether it’s an expansive collection of Disney memorabilia or your own Disneyinspired space, we’d like to see it. Send your photos (keeping copies for yourself as we won’t return ours), along with a letter containing your Member Since year and describing your unique Disney style, to Disney Files Magazine’s “My Disney Home,” Disney Vacation Club, 1390 Celebration Blvd., Celebration, FL 34747. Remember to include a signed release form, available for download and printing online at www.dvcmember.com/ releaseform.

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Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana French Toast Let’s say that again. Chocolate…Peanut Butter…Banana…French Toast. Not since “it’s a small world after all” have six simple words come together so beautifully. Disney Files Magazine is pleased to give you the gift of breakfast bliss with a decadent recipe from the culinary files of the PCH Grill inside Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel at the Disneyland Resort.

Serves: 4 Ingredients: 8 thick slices of day-old, sweetened bread (the chefs recommend challah bread, available in many bakeries) 2 ripe bananas ¼ cup chocolate chips ½ cup creamy peanut butter ¾ cup low-fat chocolate milk 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 6 eggs, lightly beaten Optional: chocolate syrup and powdered sugar

Look for this and other kid-friendly recipes in the book Delicious Disney Just for Kids by the Disney Chefs with Pam Brandon.

Steps: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9-inch-by-13-inch-by2-inch baking pan. 2. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Slice bananas into ¼-inch slices and add to bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. 3. Combine peanut butter, eggs, chocolate milk, cinnamon and salt in a blender. Process until smooth. 4. Pour egg mixture over bread mixture. Stir gently until bread cubes have absorbed egg mixture. 5. Pour combined mixture into prepared baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. 6. If desired, drizzle with chocolate syrup and dust with powdered sugar. This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens. The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version. All recipes are the property of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc., and may not be reproduced without express permission.

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new and newsworthy in our magical community Disney Vacation Club: As part of its commitment to continuously improving the Member experience, Disney Vacation Club recently promoted 15-year Disney veteran Shannon Sakaske to the newly created role of Vice President, Member Experiences and Club Management. Shannon and his team are charged with creating new strategies to enhance Member benefits, offerings and processes, while strengthening Member-focused collaboration both within the Disney Vacation Club organization and with other Walt Disney Parks and Resorts businesses. Look for an interview with Shannon in the summer edition of Disney Files Magazine. DVCMember.com: The RCI online booking tool at DVCMember.com lets Members book reservations for RCI weekly and nightly stays, and even submit Wait List requests. The $95 transaction fee remains the same and can be paid directly through the RCI portal when making an online reservation or Wait List request. Members wishing to book a Signature Selections exchange through RCI, modify or cancel an existing reservation, cancel an existing Wait List request or book multiple accommodations should continue to do so by calling Member Services.  Member Getaways: The Manhattan Club has joined the Concierge Collection, dedicating select one-bedroom suites for Disney Vacation Club Members to enjoy on a nightly basis. A $95 transaction fee applies. Visit www.manhattanclub.com to learn more about this resort before calling Member Services to book your vacation, and visit DVCMember.com to view the updated Concierge Collection points charts. (Other options at The Manhattan Club remain available through the World Passport Collection and are bookable through the RCI booking tool at DVCMember.com or by calling Member Services.)

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Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge: A rare and critically endangered species (with less than 1,000 believed to exist in the wild) recently joined the living landscape of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Officially named “Somali wild ass” but affectionately known at the lodge simply as “Somalis,” these African ancestors of domestic donkeys feature distinctive leg striping and body coloration. The three young brothers now making themselves at home on the Uzima Savanna are a rarity in the U.S., with fewer than 50 others on display nationwide. No other zoological institution presents these animals on an expansive, mixed-species savanna, giving Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Guests a unique opportunity to observe these rare creatures.

Photo by Eleanor Lovell

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neighborhood notes

Disney’s BoardWalk: A new “Extreme” section of the menu at ESPN Club on Disney’s BoardWalk presents dishes fans may not expect to find in a sports bar, from a seared Ahi tuna burger to an “Over/Under” burger topped with lobster salad to a “Chicago Meets Pittsburgh” extreme roast beef sandwich. Forty craft beers also have joined the restaurant’s menu. Disney’s BoardWalk: The BoardWalk Bakery closed in January for refurbishment and is scheduled to reopen later this spring with an expanded selection of baked goods, soups and sandwiches, along with a refillablebeverage station. In the meantime, check out the nearby pizza window, which recently began serving a new vegetarian pizza featuring fresh-roasted garlic in olive oil, oven-roasted mushrooms and spinach.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort: Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort is just a hippity hop from special Easter Sunday buffets at The Wave…of American Flavors and Chef Mickey’s, Easter Sunday church services (Catholic and Protestant) at the Disney’s Contemporary Resort Convention Center, chocolate-egg displays at Disney’s Contemporary Resort restaurants, an Easter “candy scramble” event and more. Be sure to inquire at the Front Desk to see what Easter offerings are available at or near your resort. Disney’s BoardWalk Villas: Painting ceramics and having them fired by Cast Members in a backstage kiln is among the many daily craft activities offered at Ferris W. Eahler’s Community Hall, which also offers everything from books to sporting equipment. Stop by to see what’s available during your next stay. Disney’s Vero Beach Resort: Members have an exclusive opportunity to pre-book a memorable “turtle walk” with the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) during the 17th season of Sea Turtle Programs at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. The turtle walks are part of a weekly presentation that’s scheduled to take place on Monday and Thursday evenings in June and July at the Barrier Island Center, located about 10 miles north of the resort. (Note that transportation isn’t provided, so you’ll need a car or cab.) During the experience, which calls for a donation of $15 a person, attendees explore the Barrier Island Center, learn about sea turtles and embark on a walk to possibly see a nesting loggerhead sea turtle. To take advantage of your exclusive booking window, visit www.dvc.seaturtlewalks.org beginning April 1, and use the booking code DVC13STC. The general public may begin booking these walks on May 1. Disney’s Vero Beach Resort: To clarify a news item in the winter 2012 edition of Disney Files Magazine, Shutters – the casual, table-service restaurant at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort – serves both breakfast and dinner. Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort: Hurricane Hanna’s, the casual eatery located just steps away from Disney’s Beach Club Villas on the shores of Stormalong Bay, has become Hurricane Hanna’s Waterside Bar & Grill. This re-imagined poolside retreat has a new menu (we love

the new Shrimp Cocktail with Raspberry Cocktail Sauce!) and sit-down bar area. The nearby Martha’s Vineyard lounge, meanwhile, has enhanced its menu with a “Taste of Cape May Café,” featuring such favorites as Cape May Café’s Seafood Chowder and Clam Bake Bucket. Condo Meeting: The 2013 Disney Vacation Club Condominium Association Meeting is scheduled to take place on Dec. 12, 2013 at the Walt Disney World Resort. Based on the success of the new, condensed format introduced last year, plans call for this year’s meeting to again focus on core Disney Vacation Club agenda items, allowing Members to get back to their Walt Disney World vacation as quickly as possible. Watch DVCMember.com for updates and more details as they become available. Pool hopping: Whenever you’re using your Membership to stay at a Disney Vacation Club Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort or at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, you and any Guests staying with you are permitted to pool hop to other eligible pools if they’re not at capacity. Due to expected high occupancy, pool hopping isn’t available Feb. 16-23, March 24-April 7, May 25-28, June 29-July 8, Aug. 30-Sept. 2, Nov. 25-Dec. 1, and Dec. 15, 2013-Jan. 5, 2014. Pool hopping is never available at Bay Cove Pool at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the pools at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, the pool at Disney’s Beach Club Villas, the pools at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort or at the Disneyland Resort in California. Further blockout dates may be added based on capacity issues. Full details are available in Portable Perks and online at www.dvcmember.com. Did you know? Members get 10 percent off poolside cabana rentals at Disney’s Contemporary Resort with advance reservations. Cabana amenities include personalized service from an attentive Cast Member, a 32-inch flat-panel TV with DVD player, a digital-music docking station, a mini refrigerator, a fruit platter, chilled soft drinks and bottled water. Call (407) WDW-PLAY (407-939-7529) for more details or reservations, and remember to mention that you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member.

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destinations Discover “Limited Time Magic” Disney Parks presenting a full year of fleeting fun Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts: Imagine an Independence Day celebration that lasts an entire week. Or a week of Main Street, U.S.A.’s Dapper Dans performing contemporary boy band hits in their signature barbershop style. Or a “Long Lost Friends Week” in which under-celebrated characters move out of the shadows and into the spotlight. These extra sprinklings of pixie dust are creating “Limited Time Magic” at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, where 52 weeks of surprises big and small are magically appearing for a limited time only. While some Guests are truly surprised to stumble upon these experiences, others are seeking them out, having learned of each week’s “Limited Time Magic” through the Disney Parks Blog (disneyparks.com/blog), Facebook (facebook.com/disneyland and facebook.com/ waltdisneyworld) or Twitter (twitter.com/disneyparks, search #LimitedTimeMagic). Here’s a closer look at just a few of the experiences in the works, beginning with those referenced above (otherwise in no particular order): • “Independence Week” will bathe Sleeping Beauty Castle and Cinderella Castle in patriotic lighting; outfit Mickey Mouse in his finest reds, whites and blues; and release a variety of limited-edition, all-American merchandise items to Park stores. • During “Long Lost Friends Week,” Guests will meet beloved yet rarely seen characters from the past and create new memories with special meet-and-greets.

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• The most iconic quartet in Main Street history will conclude a limited slate of shows with a medley of hits from One Direction, *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys when the “Dapper Dans Sing Boy Bands.” (If the tiki birds are the “original glee club,” these guys are “the original boy band.”) • During “Pirate Week,” a bicoastal buccaneer bash will find Captain Jack Sparrow at the center of a veritable pirate-palooza, filled with pirate bands, pirate meet-andgreets and more. • On Sept. 13 (Friday the 13th to the superstitious among us), Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, along with Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, will remain open until 1 a.m. (the “13th hour”) and “Unleash the Villains” for a darkly devious dance party starring Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar and other members of their ill-tempered character community. • Exclusive to Disneyland Park will be a month-long “Salute to the Golden Horseshoe Revue,” an abridged revival of the classic show, complete with the corny jokes and timeless songs that made Walt Disney himself a frequent visitor to the fabled Frontierland saloon.

www.limitedtimemagic.com

Changing the way you plan and enjoy your vacation Walt Disney World Resort: Unlock your door with just a touch. Enter Parks without passing through a turnstile. Take photos without your camera. Pick up FastPasses without actually picking up FastPasses. It’s called MyMagic+, and beginning later this year, it’ll making Walt Disney World vacations easier than ever to dream up and enjoy. So what exactly is it? Imagine you’ve just made your next Walt Disney World vacation reservation, and you’re in full-on dream mode. It’s time to visit MyDisneyExperience.com (Members may access this site through DVCMember.com to manage reservations made through Member Services), where you’ll discover an “Incredible family” (Pixar pun intended) of easy-to-use digital tools. The site lets you access Park maps and restaurant menus, make dining reservations and – in the coming months – even reserve attraction experiences. Yes, Disney’s Fastpass Service, which for years has helped savvy Members and Guests enjoy Disney attractions with little or no wait, is becoming Disney FastPass+ Service. That “plus” means extending the service to an unprecedented lineup of attractions, shows, character meet-and-greets, parades and nighttime spectaculars, along with the equally unprecedented ability to reserve attractions and experiences – both in advance and onthe-go – without visiting a kiosk (using the aforementioned My Disney Experience website, or the mobile application described below). The site also will let you select a personalized MagicBand for each member of your traveling party. More than a sleekly designed wrist band, the MagicBand is your new “Key to the World” and much more. Use it to open your villa door, get into Parks, check in at dining and FastPass+ locations, connect to your PhotoPass images and even to make purchases. Your wrist has never been more powerful. With your “must-do’s” now locked in as “will-do’s,” download the My Disney Experience mobile application on your smart phone or tablet. It’s free, it’s available for

Apple and Android devices, and it’ll literally keep your vacation plans in the palm of your hand. Use the app to modify your plans and reservations on the fly, access the latest attraction wait times, get tips for things to do near your current location in the Park and more.

Whether you already have a trip planned or are just getting started, download the My Disney Experience app, create your profile at www.MyDisneyExperience.com and experience the future of Walt Disney World vacations.

If you or anyone in your travel party are a Walt Disney World Resort annual passholder, be sure to visit MyDisneyExperience.com/passholder prior to your arrival for important information.

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Mind the Manor New Hong Kong Disneyland attraction opening this spring Hong Kong Disneyland Resort: Lord Henry Mystic’s intriguing collection of art and oddities is about to take on a life of its own, much to the benefit of Hong Kong Disneyland Guests. Scheduled to open this spring, the highly anticipated attraction anchors Mystic Point, a new land that’ll transport Guests back to the turn of the 20th century (1908 to be exact) and deep into a mysterious jungle. It’s here that travelers will find Mystic Manor, home to the aforementioned Lord Henry and the unparalleled assemblage of paintings, statues, weapons and musical instruments he’s collected during his many adventures across the globe. “As co-founder of The Society of Explorers and Adventurers (The S.E.A.), Lord Henry has transported his latest acquisitions to the ever-expanding Mystic collection,” Walt Disney Imagineer Mark Schirmer explained to Disney Files Magazine. “The highlights of the Mystic collection are housed in the lower level of the manor house itself, now regarded as one of the foremost private museums in the world. A tour of the Mystic collection is a privilege extended to all who make the journey to Mystic Point.” Equally treasured by Lord Henry is a precocious little monkey named Albert. “Lord Henry actually rescued Albert at a young age while on expedition, and their relationship has grown to be almost like father and son,” Mark told us. “Albert, like many little boys, is quite adorable and lovable but with a somewhat mischievous side that Lord Henry tends to overlook.” Among the artifacts on display in the manor is Lord Henry’s latest acquisition – a mysterious music box acquired from a remote Balinese tribe that seemed more than happy to rid themselves of it. “They say the box has a history of bringing inanimate objects to life when tampered with by any unsuspecting being,” Mark shared. Cue the new technology and cutting-edge special effects, and get ready for a mysterious adventure in the great Disney-dark-ride tradition. Along the way, keep a sharp eye out for treasures that may look familiar to anyone who’s ever raised a glass and shouted,

“Kungaloosh!” “We are looking for the right opportunities within the manor show space as well as other areas throughout the land where we can re-purpose some of the items from The Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island,” Mark confirmed to our delight. Beyond the manor, Guests may visit the Mystic Point Train Depot, where the latest shipment of Lord Henry’s treasures from parts far and wide have just been offloaded (photo opportunities abound as artifacts are readied here for eventual display in the manor); the Garden of Wonders, filled with…well…wonders that Guests may explore at their leisure; the Archive Shop, peddling curious curios as tangible memories of Mystic Point; and the Explorers Club, a 400-seat restaurant with themed dining spaces showcasing the many adventures of Lord Henry and Albert. “I love the opportunity to develop a show from the ground up, telling a story that’s never been told before in our Parks,” Mark concluded. “We are truly building on the legacy and lessons learned over the past 60 years of Walt Disney Imagineering.”

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Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts: While heroes rarely back villains on the silver screen, they’re doing just that on the 2013 limited-edition series of Disney Dollars available now at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. The new series includes four unique designs of the $1 bill, with fronts displaying classic Disney Villains and backs depicting the heroes who managed to thwart those villains’ diabolical plans. Featured evildoers include Captain Hook (backed by Peter Pan and Wendy); Cruella De Vil (backed by a trio of Dalmatians); Maleficent in dragon form (backed by Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora); and Ursula with Flotsam and Jetsam (backed by Prince Eric and Ariel). A Disney Parks tradition since 1987, Disney Dollars may be collected as souvenirs or redeemed for use as currency within the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as at Disney Stores. While the new “Villains and Heroes” series is available only on $1 bills, other Disney Dollar designs are available in denominations of $1, $5 and $10. Disneyland Resort: The fairytale realms of Snow White, Cinderella, Princess Aurora, Belle and Rapunzel will engage Guests in new ways when Fantasy Faire officially opens at the heart of Disneyland Park this spring. The beloved Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Snow White wishing well and Sleeping Beauty Castle walkthrough attraction welcome some charming new neighbors to this idyllic royal community, including The Royal Hall, in which Guests will meet Disney royalty; the Royal Stage, where Guests will be part of Royal Storytelling Adventures; and the iconic Tangled Tower, a central gathering point in a new village square of cottages and pavilions that appear to have been built “once upon a time.” Take a second look at rooftops and windows throughout the village, as some will come to life in true Disney-animated fashion.

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Disneyland Resort: The newly expanded Disney California Adventure Park recently earned a variety of prestigious 2013 Thea Awards, presented by the Themed Entertainment Association at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions convention in Orlando. Cars Land took home the prize in the “new theme park land” category, while its Radiator Springs Racers earned outstanding-achievement honors in the “attraction” category. Buena Vista Street also earned recognition, with the Carthay Circle Restaurant and Lounge grabbing the award for “theme park restaurant.” Moving across the Pacific from the Golden State, Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, Hawai‘i, won “themed hotel resort” honors. Walt Disney World Resort: As New Fantasyland welcomes Magic Kingdom Guests into its recently opened Enchanted Forest, Walt Disney Imagineers on the other side of the castle wall remain hard at work on Princess Fairytale Hall, a gleaming new home for visiting royalty. Scheduled to open later this year at the former site of the Snow White’s Scary Adventures attraction, the regal space will feature stone walls, stained glass windows, a spacious princess-portrait gallery, and elegantly finished rooms in which Guests will meet Aurora, Cinderella and other Disney princesses. Watch Disney Files Magazine for updates as new details emerge. In the meantime, visit www.FindingFantasyland.com to begin exploring New Fantasyland before your next Walt Disney World vacation. Walt Disney World Resort: “Mermaid off the port bow!” The Magic Kingdom Park now features two good places to sound such a warning. While a friendly and familiar little mermaid has made her home in New Fantasyland, a decidedly more dangerous variety has been sighted in Adventureland, infiltrating the waters of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Watch for the mysterious mermaids who inhabited Whitecap Bay in the 2011 film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides to swim alongside your boat in Dead Man’s Cove (just before the drop), and be on the lookout for new rockwork and shipwreck elements in this newly refreshed scene.

www.EpcotInSpring.com Walt Disney World Resort: Guests are “Re-Discovering America” at an immersive new exhibit in the American Heritage Gallery at Epcot. Powerful themes of courage, belief, hope and imagination come to life as families discover the inspiring stories of unsung heroes. Modern technology leads Guests back in time and through a revealing exhibition of African-American artifacts from the distinguished Bernard & Shirley Kinsey Collection. Prior to arriving at Epcot, this collection of more than 400 pieces of art, documents, books and artifacts has appeared in the Smithsonian and other prestigious museums, and has been featured in more than 200 magazines, newspapers and television broadcasts. The Kinseys have been nominated for a National Medal in Humanities and have raised more than $22 million for educational organizations.

Walt Disney World Resort: A bounty of festival firsts are welcoming Guests to the 20th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival presented by HGTV March 6-May 19. Here’s a look at just some of what’s new: • Festival flavors: Enjoy backyard barbecue favorites, along with a variety of garden-inspired and global tastes, at festival-themed food and beverage stations around the World Showcase promenade. • Land of Oz: A variety of new festival offerings will celebrate the upcoming Disney film Oz: The Great and Powerful (see page 21), including an interactive “Land of Oz Play Area,” an “Oz Movie Garden” and more. • New topiary displays: The Fab Five will enjoy a backyard barbeque in this year’s Epcot front-entrance topiary display, while Phineas and Ferb make their topiary debut on the other side of Spaceship Earth. Also getting the topiary treatment for the first time are Mike and Sulley, the Monsters, Inc. stars who return to theaters this summer in Disney∙Pixar’s Monsters University. • Illuminated Gardens: Many of the festival’s gardens and topiary displays will glow, twinkle and shine after dark like never before. • The Village People: The iconic band behind such 1970s anthems as “YMCA” and “In the Navy” is among the newcomers to the Flower Power Concert Series. (The Village People are scheduled to perform April 19-21.)

Tokyo Disney Resort: “The Happiness Year” will honor the 30th anniversary of the Tokyo Disney Resort beginning April 15. Among the Tokyo Disneyland Park highlights of the upbeat, 340-day celebration is the new, Mickey Mouse-starring “Happiness Is Here” parade (debuting with the celebration on April 15, this will be the Park’s first new parade in five years) and the highly anticipated Japanese launch of Star Tours: The Adventures Continue later this spring, bringing more than 50 story combinations to intergalactic flights from the Eastern Hemisphere.

• Radiator Springs play zone: A new Cars-inspired play zone – featuring the popular Lightning McQueen and Mater topiary sculptures in a new location along the walkway to the re-imagined Test Track attraction – will put the “spring” in Radiator Springs.

It’s time to meet the Wizard Oz The Great and Powerful opens March 8 In the many years that have passed since L. Frank Baum penned his 14 Oz novels (beginning with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900), screens and stages have presented these stories through a variety of perspectives, leading audiences down the yellow brick road to the Emerald City and even revealing what made that wicked witch so darn wicked. But what about the Wizard himself? Just who is he, and how exactly did he get there? For those answers, Disney presents Oz The Great and Powerful, a new fantasy-adventure opening in U.S. theaters (including select theaters in Disney Digital 3D) on March 8. Directed by Sam Raimi (the Spider-Man trilogy), this cinematic prequel to Baum’s books focuses on Oscar Diggs (Academy Award-nominee James Franco), an ethically challenged circus magician hurled from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz. He thinks he’s hit the jackpot until he meets three witches – Theodora (Golden Globe Award-nominee Mila Kunis), Evanora (Academy Award-winner Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Academy Award-nominee Michelle Williams) – who aren’t convinced that he’s the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic struggles faced by Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must transform himself into that great and powerful wizard, and maybe into a better man. Disney Files Magazine caught up with the film’s producer, Joe Roth (the former Walt Disney Studios Chairman whose recent producer credits have included such mega-hits as Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) to get his thoughts on the production and its A-list cast.

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“There’s a reason they’re huge stars,” Joe said of the cast. “They’re enormously talented, and I can’t imagine better fits for these roles.” As the film is based on an original prequel story, audiences will see re-imagined takes on familiar characters along with characters never before seen on screen, from the aforementioned Evanora and Theodora to the Quadlings ruled by Glinda to the petite – and porcelain – China Girl who joins an initially reluctant Oscar on his journey. “You’re going to fall in love with China Girl,” Joe told us. “The realism of that character, both visually and in terms of personality, is astounding.” While much attention has been paid to the film’s cutting-edge digital effects, Joe explained that the bulk of what moviegoers will see on screen was shot on sprawling physical sets constructed in seven Detroit, Mich., soundstages that he described as being bigger than anything he’s seen in Hollywood. “Sam [Raimi] believes you get the most out of performers by placing them in believable, physical worlds,” Joe said. “The digital effects are secondary. These elements come together to create an extraordinary world.” Surprised as you may be to learn that the Land of Oz is real (and in Detroit!), Joe believes something even more unexpected awaits audiences when Oz The Great and Powerful opens in theaters. “I think audiences will be really surprised by the film’s heart,” Joe said. “This is a great transformation story, and its heart is gigantic.”

Rockin’ Ever After New Disney On Ice show on tour Mickey and friends have traveled the world in search of the hottest acts to put on ice. That’s the unconventional premise behind Rockin’ Ever After, a stylish new Disney On Ice production now touring North America, with upcoming stops in Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri and Texas. “We are taking a fresh new spin on how we’re presenting the Disney stories,” said Producer Juliette Feld of Feld Entertainment (creators of Disney On Ice). “The popular talent show trend is used as a vehicle to weave together the four worlds of Merida, Ariel, Belle and Rapunzel. We include acts like Cinderella’s stepsisters tap dancing, Gaston debating which of his many ‘talents’ he should perform, Pinocchio singing and the harmless hooligans from Tangled unleashing musical mayhem with giant frying pans in hand.” The expertise of world-class skaters allows for a variety of envelope-pushing elements, including a showstopping “Spanish web act” in which Ariel emerges from Ursula’s cauldron and shows off her new legs while dangling 35 feet above the ice. “This is the first time that we’ve captured her

transformation like this in a production,” Director Patty Vincent said of the sequence. “That’s what makes Rockin’ Ever After different. We selected scenes we’ve never done before and then took our time on the details to make them truly special.” Much of that time was spent on research, including a trip to Scotland to carefully study the world of Brave. “Imagine Scottish dancing with beautiful bagpipes blaring and kilts, but on ice,” Choreographer Cindy Stuart said of a scene in which the MacIntosh, MacGuffin and Dingwall clans present Merida’s suitors. “The choreography is uplifting and fun. It imitates the dancing you would see if you were at a highland games event in Scotland.” Add dynamic set pieces (such as a chandelier that illuminates as it drops into view during the “Be Our Guest” sequence), dramatic lighting (including the iconic floating lanterns in the Tangled sequence) and a rockin’ light-stick-show finale, and you have a hot new show on a frozen surface. Learn more about this and other touring productions online at www.disneyonice.com.

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page Disney Vacation Club Members to ‘Unlock the Magic of D23’ Online registration tool now in development As reported in the winter 2012 edition of Disney Files Magazine, D23 – The Official Disney Fan Club is creating a special, complimentary D23 Membership level* available to Disney Vacation Club Members. An email later this spring will alert Disney Vacation Club Members to the launch of an online registration tool that’ll allow Members to take advantage of this offer, so be sure to register your email address with Disney Vacation Club (you may do this at DVCMember.com) if you haven’t done so already. Disney Vacation Club Members who register for this complimentary D23 Membership level will enjoy access to insider Disney news, merchandise and more. Look for continuing coverage of D23 offerings right here on “Page 23” of future editions of Disney Files Magazine. Also planned as a recurring “Page 23” feature is “This Season in Disney History,” a Walt Disney Archives spotlight on a Disney anniversary that’s cause for celebration. (Because despite the omnipresence of “unbirthdays,” we think every Disney fan can always use another good reason to celebrate.) All of us at Disney Files Magazine look forward to sharing D23 news and insights in the months ahead. Learn more about D23 in the meantime at www.D23.com. *Members who register for this special, complimentary D23 Membership level will receive the weekly D23 FanFare email newsletter and a D23 Membership number that entitles them to access gated web content, purchase exclusive D23 Member merchandise and enjoy select discounts. This special offer does not include the D23 Membership Card or Certificate, the Annual Membership Gift, access to D23 Member-exclusive events or the subscription to the quarterly Disney twenty-three printed magazine.

Peter Pan: debuted Feb. 5, 1953 Disney recently began celebrating the milestone 60th anniversary of Walt Disney’s animated classic Peter Pan by releasing the film for the first time on Blu-ray. While most fans had to wait for the Feb. 5 Blu-ray release date to see the restored film, Disney Vacation Club and D23 presented a series of advance screenings aboard the Disney Vacation Club Member Cruise in January. “Screening such an historic film for Member families was a huge privilege,” said Disney Files Magazine Editor Ryan March, part of the Member Cruise entertainmentprogramming team. “Aside from being the birthplace of pixie dust – a substance upon which our company relies heavily – Peter Pan holds the distinction of being one of only three films to boast all nine of Walt Disney’s famed ‘Nine Old Men’ as Directing Animators. Seeing it resonate as strongly in 2013 as it has with so many fans during the past 60 years proved once again that the film is as ageless as its title character.”

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Disney Vacation Club produced a Peter Pan featurette that played before screenings of the film aboard the January Member Cruise. To see the video, featuring an interview with Disney Legend Kathryn Beaumont, scan this black-and-white box with your smart phone’s QR code reader. If you don’t have a smart phone, visit www.youtube.com/disneyparks and search for “Wendy’s Welcome Home” within the “search channel” box.

(1) a crab has appeared on one of the rocks in the foreground, (2) the concrete wall on the right side of the photo has gained some bricks on its left side, (3) the light pole on the bridge above that wall has disappeared, (4) close inspection of the concrete base of the bridge’s ladder-like support column in the center of the photo reveals that the tide has risen, (5) a familiar “D” has replaced the “X” just above that now concrete base, (6) the support column at the end of the bridge has grown taller, (7) as has the hill on the left side of the photo.

altered original It’s home to the only moving National Historic Landmark in the U.S. (cable cars), it’s the birthplace of the fortune cookie, and it’s one of the hundreds of vacation destinations Members may visit through Member Getaways. To celebrate San Francisco and Members’ famously keen eye for detail, Disney Files Magazine invites you to spot the seven things we’ve altered in this photo of the city’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

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Disney Files Magazine is proud to share the perspectives of Disney Legend Marty Sklar, the longtime leader of Walt Disney Imagineering and the only Cast Member to have been part of every Disney Park opening on earth. Marty retired on July 17, 2009 – the 54th birthday of Disneyland Park. He now writes, makes speeches and does community volunteer work from his own two-person company in Southern California. You may contact Marty at [email protected].

Ghostwriting for Walt By Disney Legend Marty Sklar

When I retired from Walt Disney Imagineering in 2009, a principal objective was to write a memoir about my 54 years of Disney adventures. The good news is that Dream It! Do It! My Half-Century Creating Disney’s Magic Kingdoms will be published on Aug. 13, 2013, by Disney Editions. Although I had spent most of my career at Imagineering, including 30 years as the leader of the creative storytellers and designers, I never “escaped” my roots as a writer. After all, I was hired originally one month before Disneyland opened, in June of 1955, to create The Disneyland News, to be sold for 10 cents on the park’s Main Street, U.S.A., as its “hometown newspaper.” And I had written dozens of presentations to sell and launch new projects to sponsors, media and the public, and so many introductions to books about the Disney Parks that I lost count years ago. (See my

last contribution, “Imagineering: A History That’s No Mystery,” in the Disney Editions coffee table book Walt Disney Imagineering – A Behind the Dreams Look at Making MORE Magic Real.) When I reflect on all the communications I wrote over that half century, none compares to the privilege and thrill of writing words that would be read or heard with Walt Disney’s name, voice and signature. As a “ghostwriter” for Walt, I wrote his messages in the 1960-era company annual reports, introductions for Disneyland’s early souvenir guide books, presentations that introduced the company (and Walt and Roy Disney) at the November 1965 press conference in Orlando that announced the Walt Disney World project, and the script for the very last time Walt appeared on film. It was late October 1966, and the film – completed after Walt’s death – was his introduction to the Florida project and his concept for EPCOT – Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.

Writing words to appear in print, or to be recorded for film or television, in Walt Disney’s name and persona was the experience of any writer’s lifetime. I was in my 20s when I received that first assignment and just past 30 when I wrote that script for the EPCOT film. Walt had made it so easy for me. I still have the seven pages of notes I made from two meetings in Walt’s office to discuss the film, and what he wanted to emphasize and communicate. Learning to use words and phrases that communicated the ideas and plans envisioned by one of the great creative storytellers and entrepreneurs of the 20th century was truly an education. Early on, I discovered a book titled Words to Live By, published in the 1940s, containing one- or two-page inspiring messages from leaders in many fields about their experiences and careers. Walt’s was called “Take A Chance.” It not only embodied his risk-taking philosophy; it was a tone and style that sounded and “felt like” the Walt Disney I was getting to know. I had found the Walt style I would emulate in scripts, publications and narrations like the one Walt recorded for the “Magic Skyway” ride Imagineering designed for the Ford Pavilion at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. The last two paragraphs of Walt’s message in the 1966 Disney annual report to shareholders and employees are just as valid today as they were almost 50 years ago.

Here’s what Walt wanted to say, and the words I wrote: “We’re all proud of the honors that many groups around the world have given us. And we’re even more proud that the public – whether in theatres, at Disneyland, or in their homes – continues to express its faith in the kind of family entertainment we produce. “I promise you that all the honors in the world won’t go to our heads – we have too many projects for the future to take time out for such a thing.”

Look for Marty’s review of his own forthcoming memoir – Dream It! Do It! My Half-Century Creating Disney’s Magic Kingdoms – in the fall 2013 edition of Disney Files Magazine.

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How a ‘Bill’ became the law of the land(scape) By Jim Korkis

For Disney fans, the first true sign of spring isn’t the first song of a bird, the first pitch of a ballgame or even the first sneeze of an allergy sufferer. It’s the first day of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (which this year is March 6). Filled with lively music, insightful presentations, stunning topiary gardens and more, this annual rite of spring has been a cherished Walt Disney World tradition for the past 18 years. Of course, Disney’s horticultural history goes back much further than that, so let’s go back to where it all began…at a famous home in Southern California’s Holmby Hills. You see, while Roy O. Disney was an avid gardener, younger brother Walt’s thumbs were considerably less green. Too kind hearted to prevent local birds, squirrels, rabbits and other critters from using his yard as their own private grocery store, Walt ultimately left the gardening to his wife, Lillian, whose magnificent flower beds became a source of pride. By 1952, Walt and Lilly’s Holmby Hills home – now complete with its own miniature Carolwood Pacific Railroad – was in need of an even broader landscape.

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For the job, the couple hired Bill and Jack Evans, two brothers whose rich gardening background included their father’s Evans and Reeves Landscaping business, which had attracted such elite Hollywood clients as Greta Garbo, Clark Gable and Elizabeth Taylor. Walt was so pleased with the brothers’ work and creativity that he asked them in 1954 to landscape another property he was developing…a little place called Disneyland. “Walt believed people would know the difference between good landscaping and bad landscaping, and Disneyland was the best,” Bill said when I first interviewed him back in Spring 1985. “Walt Disney wanted a ‘green’ Park where everything was an eternal spring. He also wanted size in trees – the larger the better – so that the Park would look cool and inviting. Fortunately for us, he wanted a lot of green plant stuff. That was one of the elements Walt felt would separate his Park from the Coney Island amusement park format. This was to be a Park that would be clean and beautiful and colorful and a very pleasant place to be. We kept this in mind when we set about to put a green frame around all those adventures and rides.”

Walt’s passion for the project often came with a bit of Among the honors Bill earned during his life were the impatience, as Bill explained when recalling a request for Disney Legend Award (1992), and prestigious awards the addition of topiary sculptures to the Park’s landscape. from countless horticultural, botanical and arboreta “Walt had been to Europe and had seen some fine organizations. His unique methods of plant propagation, topiary, and he was suitably impressed. Conventional plant relocation and recycling continue to be used today, topiary goes back some 3,000 years. The plant material not only in Disney Parks, but throughout the world. customarily employed to produce topiary figures takes One of Bill’s most visible Disney-operations legacies years and years to respond to the desired effect. Walt is the concept of a Walt Disney World “tree farm,” was a bit too impatient for that. ‘Let’s get some topiary which Bill introduced in the late 1960s to acclimate, and in the Park in a year or two,’ he said. He didn’t see any experiment with, trees and plants for the Magic Kingdom point in waiting 20 years. The Park, which would open in 1971. artists would do illustrations It was there that Bill nurtured that they wanted. We blew about 20 varieties of eucalyptus Did you know? The Disneyland Resort in them up to full size and then – rare in Florida at the time but California has its own official breed of rose. took a lot of reinforcing rods used successfully in Walt Disney The orange-pink floribunda rose is called, and warped it around into the World landscapes by the time appropriately enough, “the Disneyland rose shapes we needed. In effect, Epcot opened in 1982. (PP#15,114).” According to Disney Chief we built a kind of skeleton out The development of “foreign Archivist Emeritus Dave Smith, the rose of steel. We persuaded these gardens” for Epcot was a was introduced for sale through Jackson & plants that they should grow to significant challenge for even Perkins and can be found on the company’s correspond to that skeleton.” this accomplished landscaper. website and sometimes through other “Persuading” plants wasn’t Canada’s common hemlock nurseries. the only unorthodox method Bill trees, for example, require employed on the job. very cold winters and don’t like “I had to tell Walt … that humidity – both poor traits for we had run out of money Central Florida. The “casting” of Topiary types: Disney Parks commonly and plant material and were more Florida-friendly Himalayan feature two types of character topiary scraping the bottom of the cedrus deodora trees in that role sculptures: shrub (which require 3-10 years barrel,” Bill told me. “Walt was just one of many “lookalike to produce and grow in large containers said, ‘I notice you have some solutions” employed under Bill’s using a metal frame as a guide) and head-high weeds out there. direction. sphagnum (which can grown in as little as Why don’t you put some jawIn all, Epcot featured about a month or two using heavy steel frames breaking Latin names on them?’ 12,500 trees representing 125 stuffed with sphagnum moss and planted So we did as he suggested. The species, more than 100,000 with close-growing vine material). weeds were growing almost as shrubs representing 250 species, high as trees, so we put some 14 acres of emerald zoysia fancy names on the little signs grass, and more than three acres by them. Walt got such a kick out of it that he mentioned of annual flowers on opening day. The largest of those it at the Cast celebration for the 10th anniversary of trees (oaks as tall as 30-35 feet) had to be transported Disneyland.” along Disney roadways vertically on flat-bed trailers, After Disneyland Park opened in July 1955, Bill traveling routes carefully selected to avoid overhead wires stayed on as a consultant, drawing landscape plans, and highway overpasses. Crews even had to build a road installing materials and supervising maintenance of the avoiding monorail beams. Park. Later, he was named Director of Landscape Design, Bill told me that Walt wanted landscaping to working on Disneyland additions and the master plan for accomplish three things in a Disney Theme Park: the Walt Disney World Resort. (1) provide shade, shelter and beauty, (2) conceal visual While Bill retired in 1975, he continued as a Disney intrusions, and (3) support the story. For nearly half a consultant until his passing (at the age of 92) in 2002, century, Bill fulfilled that vision in colorful fashion. contributing to every new Disney Theme Park from Epcot So as you head out this spring to enjoy the Epcot to Hong Kong Disneyland, including such “smaller” International Flower & Garden Festival or any Disney projects as Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, the landscape around the world, be sure to tip your mouse original Discovery Island and Disney’s Polynesian Resort. ears to a man whose legacy literally grows each year.

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photofinish 1. Snow White shows Ava, part of the Tiné family of Maryland, Members since 2004, the proper way to clutch one’s hands. 2. Wendy Darling shows Madison, part of the D’Emidio family of New Jersey, Members since 2005, the proper way to touch one’s finger to one’s chin. 3. Cinderella shows Kayla and Dylan, part of the Hausmann family of Maryland, Members since 2011, the proper way to be adorable. 4. Marilu and Michael Grismer of California, Members since 2003, are all smiles as they read the Files (while the gentlemen in the background remain stone faced). 5. Tyler and James, part of the Flynn and VanVechten families of New York, Members since 2000, find themselves at the comically wrong (or refreshingly right) end of dancing waters at Epcot. 6. Parker, part of the Burns family of Mississippi, Members since 2009, compares tongues with Pluto. 7. Protecting the galaxy from the threat of invasion is tiring work, as evidenced by this photo of Micah, part of the Kim family of Pennsylvania, Members since 2009. 8. Charlotte, part of the Thomsen family of Ontario, Canada, Members since 2004, stays in her happy place while at the orthodontist. Send your photos (keeping copies for yourself as we won’t return ours) to Disney Files Magazine, Disney Vacation Club, 1390 Celebration Blvd., Celebration, FL 34747. Remember to include your name, hometown and “Member Since” year, along with a signed release form for each person pictured. The form is available online at www.dvcmember. com/releaseform.

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Better your chances of seeing your family in the magazine by capturing compelling, candid moments, which almost always beat posed photos. We do, however, enjoy when you pose with the magazine, particularly when you do so in exotic locations beyond the Disney Parks.

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Picture Pointers from

The camera doesn’t have to add 10 pounds. Positioning subjects at a slight angle with their hands on their hips improves posture and helps them appear slimmer in photos.

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Disney Files Magazine is thrilled to present a new series of artistic covers created by some of the company’s most talented artists. Inspired by this edition’s feature story about “The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow” attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney Design Group Senior Character Artist Casey Jones created this edition’s eye-catching (or “eye-patching” in pirate-speak) cover. Casey, whose distinguished portfolio includes artwork for Marvel Comics and Walt Disney Imagineering, has created a wide range of popular Vinylmation figures and countless other Disney toys, merchandise items and collectibles. Many families aboard the September 2012 Member Cruise had the opportunity to turn their dream vacations into custom Vinylmation masterpieces under Casey’s expert direction.

Living and working right here at Walt Disney World is so much fun! There’s an endless amount of inspiration all around you, so it’s incredible for all of us here at the Disney Design Group as we create new art for the parks! — Casey Jones

©Disney

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