WDWNewsToday has pics and an interesting story about the Fantasyland expansion that is about to begin. This offers a clearer picture of what the “new and improved” Fantasyland might look when it’s all finished. Happy sneak-peeking!

Anyone who has been to Walt Disney World or Disneyland knows that the folks at Disney have their own unique vocabulary. For example, Disney employees aren’t employees at all–they are Cast Members. Here are a few of the most common (and some that are just my funny favorites!) Disneyisms and their translations:

• Attraction: This is a ride, show, or maybe a combination of both. A great word for the, er, attractions at Disney, since many of them fit into multiple categories.
• Backstage: Since Disney considers their entire park to be a production of sorts, this term refers to any area that is behind the scenes.
• Guest: Other companies might refer to them as customers…or attenders…or even visitors…but Disney wants you to be their Guest. So much more inviting, isnt’ it?
• Day Guest: Refers to any park guest who is not staying onsite at a Disney resort.
• Alph Unit: This is the standard call for a medic. But Alpha Unit is far less hair-raising and stress-inducing to guests who might overhear the request for medical assistance. 
• Face Character: You’ve got your Mickey, your Minnie, and your Goofy…and then you’ve got your Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland. The last group, portrayed with actual human faces showing (rather than large synthetic heads!) are Face Characters.
• Soft Opening: A “trial” opening (usually unannounced) of an attraction before its official opening.
• Protein Spill: OK, this one is hands down my favorite! Have you guessed it yet? Vomit. Throw up. Tossed cookies. Is that an awesomely subtle way to say it, or what?

What other Disney Speak have you heard in the parks or elsewhere?

Today’s Friday Photo is of my youngest daughter Presley. It was May 2009, and we were at the lovely Grand Floridian Resort in 1900 Park Fare for the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast. Characters attending were Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and the Mad Hatter (seen here). Presley, just a couple of weeks from turning 3, was planning a Mad Hatter Tea Party for her birthday. The wacky Mad Hatter wrangled an invitation, then promptly alerted the entire restaurant: “I’m invited! I’m invited!” He got Presley to make a zany face with him in this shot:

Today’s tip is for those of us who are Disney return visitors–we just can’t stay away for more than a year, or possibly two. The tip: only buy it once. What is “it”? Whatever you need specifically for the WDW vacation. Here are a few examples from my own family: heavy-duty ponchos, light-up/spinning toys, clear backpack, kid’s fanny packs, lanyard for pins, carabiners, autograph books, and even Mickey ears. In fact, I’m so passionate about the “only buy it once” rule that I keep a “Disney tub”–decorated lovingly with character stickers gathered on previous trips–in the attic with these items (or, at least the ones I don’t use at other times during the year) packed. When it’s time for our next vacation, I simply get the tub out and pack the remaining items we need.

Why buy a new lanyard every year for your kids, when they can add new pins to their existing lanyard? And why purchase a new spinny toy for around $15, when you can simply bring the one from home that you bought on your last trip? (Chances are, your kids ignored it once you returned home anyhow, right? So, tuck it away in your WDW vacation supplies, and it will be like a new toy the next time they see it!)

If you’re a yearly visitor who is also a seriously hard-core, pack-items-for-every-possible-contingency kind of person, and you don’t want to ship or carry these items with you on every trip, you might want to consider this service.

If you aren’t familiar with Give Kids the World, then let me introduce you to this amazing organization that brings joy to children facing life-changing illness. Give Kids the World has hosted close to 100,000 families  at its 70-acre village in Central Florida since its opening in 1989, providing them with much-needed respite and theme park bliss! The villas are whimsical and cater to the special needs of its young visitors. The atmosphere is anything but gloomy!

I ran across this article, which inspired this post. I am most intrigued by the founder, Henri Landwirth, and his story. You can read more about him here.

If you’d like to  explore volunteer opportunities, you can read more here. To donate online, click here.

One of my favorite ways to “experience” Walt Disney World while I’m away is watching our home videos from previous trips. I also enjoy searching YouTube for a particular attraction/show if I’m wondering about its appropriateness for my children. But sharing your vacation videos from WDW just might get you in hot water with the Mouse House. Why? Well, it’s all about intellectual property. And the definition on that one is pretty vague. So vague, in fact, that Disney’s policy doesn’t specify what constitutes a violation and what legal action might be taken against said violation.

Not posting video of the entire Beauty & the Beast show is kind of a no-brainer. But, how about video of your ride through Space Mountain? That’s a fuzzy area, apparently. Confused? Me too. And I’m not sure there will be a clearer answer unless and until we see an actual lawsuit of this kind.  In the mean time, I found this article on the subject to be quite interesting.

While I understand the dilemma–and as a musician myself, I have a great appreciation for the “intellectual property” argument–I find the idea of Disney going after families for posting their vacation videos to be a bit absurd. Can anyone actually argue that watching a video of The Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacularis in any way akin to actually seeing the show live? Does Disney really think YouTube is going to cause people to stop coming to WDW, and instead opt to stay home and watch it on their computer? C’mon, guys. Really? I’m just sayin’…