While I was there I tried Butterbeer, the signature drink from the stories. We waited in line for ten minutes or so and got a cup of amber frozen sweetness. It was very good, but I was glad I was sharing it with someone else. It was so sweet and so buttery that a little bit went a long way. Now that I have tasted Butterbeer I have no desire to try it again. But let it be said I thought Universal did a great job of bringing the world of Harry Potter to life, including Butterbeer.

While all this Harry Potter stuff in interesting this is a Disney blog, so why am I going on and on about Universal? Well, Butterbeer was so popular at Universal that Disney wanted their own signature drink. This was going to be a little difficult because Disney has lots of great drinks (you have to try Ramone’s Pear of Dice Soda) and they do not have a movie that emphasizes one drink like Harry Potter does with Butterbeer.

A new beverage was revealed when New Fantasyland opened at the Magic Kingdom. Lefou’s Brew is a fun apple drink inspired by Beauty and the Beast that is found at Gaston’s Tavern. Guests at Disneyland were not left out and a different signature drink was created for Fantasy Faire, the newest area of Fantasyland. It is called Boysen Apple Freeze and is found at Maurice’s Treats. Boysen rhymes with poison so it is obviously a Snow White reference. I couldn’t wait to try this new drink and see how it compared to Butterbeer.

So…which did I like better, Butterbeer, or Boysen Apple Freeze? It may seem like I have a bias, but anyone who know me knows that I love Harry Potter about as much as I love Disney (if Disney had made the Harry Potter movies I would have cried with joy). So with no bias, just my taste buds as my judge, I declare…Boysen Apple Freeze the winner. This drink was much lighter than Butterbeer and the combination of boysenberry, raspberry, and apple made the drink both tart and sweet. This is a drink that I will buy every time I visit Disneyland. When I go back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (once they fix their crowd problems) I will try other drinks but not Butterbeer.

Congratulations to Disney for winning the battle of the drinks. They won in another way, too. You can get a souvenir cup with either drink, but Disney’s cups are way cooler. You get to choose between a princess goblet or a Beast beer stein. I chose the goblet and love using it at home. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you are looking for breakfast at Disneyland bypass the crowds at Main Street U.S.A. and head over to Fantasy Faire. Boysen Apple Freeze makes a great breakfast drink.  At the same cart you can buy a twist. I tried the cheesy garlic twist and it was excellent. It is a good size (you can see me holding one above), enough for a light meal and plenty big enough to share with a friend for a snack. They also had strawberry and chocolate. I can’t wait to try them all.

Monsters are coming to the Disney parks.

On Leap Day 2012 Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom were open for 24 hours. Everyone wondered if this wild and crazy event would ever happen again. Would we have to wait another four years? I am happy to say that the wait is over. With Monster University, the new Pixar movie starring the heroes from Monster’s Inc., coming out this summer Disney is celebrating with a Monstrous Summer event. To start this promotion with a bang three of the parks will be open 24 hours once again.

Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and the Magic Kingdom will all be open from 6 a.m. on May 24 to 6 a.m. on May 25. For complete information click here. This event was wildly popular when it happened in February. I expect it to be even more popular since this the start of Memorial Day weekend. Below are some ideas on how to have a good time and not go crazy or lose your cool among the crowds.

5 ways to enjoy 24 hours in the parks.

1) Arrive early. One of the biggest problems is going to be parking. Avoid that headache by arriving very early, or staying at a resort the night before. You won’t be in a good mood if you have to fight to find a parking space.

2) Pace yourself. You have 24 hours to enjoy everything. There will be lines and lots of crowds. Don’t feel that you need to see everything in the first few hours. Use Fastpass. Eat often and remember that you will be walking for miles. It should be a stroll, not a race.

3) Take a break. Since the parks will be open for 24 hours the special times will be early in the morning and late at night. That is when you will be experiencing the park at a time you never have before. There is nothing special about 2 p.m. If you are staying at a Disney resort than take a break in the afternoon and come back once it is dark. You’ll have more fun if you are rested.

4) Plan something special. You have so much more time to see everything that this is the perfect day to do something special. Make reservations for a fancy restaurant. Get in place early for the shows. Stand in line for that special character meet and greet. Many one-of-a-kind events will be happening to celebrate Monsters University. Take the time to wait and you will enjoy unique memories.

5) Ride outdoor attractions at night. Big Thunder Mountain is always fun but it is a very different ride at night. You can ride dark rides like Pirates of the Caribbean any time but make sure to ride the outdoor attractions when they may be at their best. It is a way to make one more great memory.

24 hours at a Disney park can be a dream come true or your worst nightmare. One way to keep it from being a nightmare is to keep your group fed. People quickly turn from happy to grumpy when they are hungry and by the time you realize the problem it may be too late. So enjoy a Dole Whip or a churro and keep everyone smiling. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: How do you decide which attraction to go on next? Why not make it a game? With a Magic Kingdom Bingo Card you can try to fill in rows or columns. Why not make up teams and see who can fill the card first? This card is so versatile that you can use it any way you want as long as you have fun.

My best friend Rhonda took this wonderful photo

5 fun facts about the Partners statue:

1) The statue was sculpted by Disney Legend Blaine Gibson. Mr. Gibson started working at the Walt Disney Studios in 1939 and retired in 1989. To design the statue many people who had worked for decades with Walt Disney were consulted.

2) The Partners statue is found at the Hub in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Walt is holding Mickey’s hand and showing him everything that “started with a mouse.” They face Main Street U.S.A.  to welcome Guests to the various lands.

3) The statue is made of bronze. Unlike the new Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue that is found at Disney California Adventure the Partners statue is larger than life.

4) There is a Partners statue at various Disney Magic Kingdoms around the world. The statues all stand in front of the individual park’s castle at the end of Main Street. I think it would be fun to photograph each one and put them in a collage frame. I’ll add that to my bucket list.

5) There is a plaque on the front of the statue. It reads, “I think most of all what I want Disneyland to be is a happy place…Where parents and children can have fun, together. – Walt Disney.”

This is one of my favorite objects to photograph at Disneyland and I love that Walt’s vision lives on through his parks and his movies. Thanks to this statue the man will be remembered along with his vision. Happiness Squared.

Goofy Trivia: Mickey Mouse debuted in Steamboat Willy, which is still one of the most fun Mickey Mouse cartoons ever made. Did you know that Walt Disney did the voice of Mickey Mouse from 1928 to 1947? I find that remarkable considering how busy he was creating animated movies and other projects. I think he loved Mickey so much that he wanted the voice to be as he envisioned it. If you haven’t seen this fun cartoon set to Turkey in the Straw in a while then take time to watch it here in honor of Mickey Mouse’s 84th birthday.

Welcome to Main Street!

I hope you enjoyed this stroll down Main Street, U.S.A. There a lot more to discover than what I uncovered with these posts. Go explore this beloved homage to the past and share what you find with everyone in your group. Be sure to wander down the side streets. You never know what you may find; perhaps a fantastic photo opportunity. Main Street, U.S.A. could become one of your favorite areas in the parks.

At the beginning of each post I copied a few lines from the song “Meet Me Down on Main Street.” This is the official song of Main Street, U.S.A. and is often sung by the barbershop quartet, the Dapper Dans. Here is the entire song.

The complete posts for Meet Me Down on Main Street:

Intro

Train Station

Town Square

Vehicles

Details

Goofy Tip: I’ve told this story before, but it is so much fun that I am going to relate it again. One of fun things to do at the Disney parks is to people watch. And a great place to rest on a bench and watch the other Guests is on Main Street, U.S.A.

After a busy morning hurrying around the Magic Kingdom my family bought some sodas and popcorn and collapsed on an empty bench on the Hub. As we sat there sharing our popcorn and cooling off a Guest walked up to Cinderella Castle. He placed his disposable soda cup on top of his bald head and proceeded to take a picture of the castle. We all scrambled for our cameras, but he took his photo, removed his cup from its convenient cup holder, and walked away before any of us to get a shot. To this day we still talk about this unique Guest. We would never had believed it if we hadn’t seen it with our own eyes. It was a highlight of the day.

 Main Street, U.S.A. is often the forgotten land. We might browse through some stores, watch a parade, or grab a baked good, but I think for most of us, the walk up Main Street is simply a way to get to the rides. In my new series, Meet Me Tonight On Main Street I am going to slow us down and take a closer look at the details waiting to be discovered. Come stroll with me as we explore Walt Disney’s dream. Today we are discovering the statues.

It is said that two heads are better than one, and sometimes two brothers are better than one. Walt Disney was a visionary, but he needed his brother, Roy, to raise the money so that his expensive ideas could become reality. Without both brothers there would not be any Disney parks to visit and I would be doing a blog about accounting. (I’m so glad there were two Disney brothers.) It only seems fair that they should both be honored for their distinctive contributions to the Disney parks.

At Disneyland there is one statue on Main Street at the Hub and it is of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. It appears that Walt Disney is showing Mickey Mouse the amazing world that “started with a mouse.” A similar statue stands at the Hub in the Magic Kingdom. Next to the castles these statues might be the most photographed objects in the parks.

What is less known is that there is a second statue on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom. Between the flag pole and the Train Station in Town Square there is a statue of Roy Disney. He is sitting on a bench with Minnie Mouse. This is my favorite statue. To me it speaks volume about who Roy Disney was. He was just as important to the Disney parks as his brother, Walt, but he worked best in the background while Walt liked to be center stage.

Goofy Trivia: Walt Disney died in 1966, before Walt Disney World was finished. Without Roy stepping in to keep his brother’s dream alive the Florida parks might never have been completed. The area was originally going to be called Disney World, but Roy changed it to Walt Disney World. When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 Roy said the following words:

Main Street, U.S.A. is often the forgotten land. We might browse through some stores, watch a parade, or grab a baked good, but I think for most of us, the walk up Main Street is simply a way to get to the rides. In my new series, Meet Me Down on Main Street I am going to slow us down and take a closer look at the details waiting to be discovered. Come stroll with me as we explore Walt Disney’s dream. Today we are looking at the details.

In a past post I introduced you to the idea of plussing, where great ideas are improved on, or plussed, making the special something extra-special. In most cases the item was fine before it was plussed, but now it truly stands out. The funny thing about plussing is that the Guest rarely recognizes it because we expect that everything at the parks will be amazing. Plussing is normal.

Main Street is a very visual area of the park. There aren’t any fast rides to distract you and the detail on the buildings is worth noticing. The next time you walk along Main Street, U.S.A. don’t just glance at the windows. Stop and notice all the details that were added for your enjoyment.

5 Delightful Details to Notice on Main Street, U.S.A:

1) If you look at your feet you’ll notice that the sidewalk is red. This is not an accident. The Imagineers chose red because it makes the grass look greener since red and green are on the opposite side of the color wheel.

2) When you look at the store windows you may notice that they are lower to the ground than typical windows. Walt Disney decided to do this so that children could easily see into the windows.

3) If you look above your head you’ll notice that there are names and businesses stenciled on the second-floor windows. Imagineers, administrators, and Disney Legends are honored by having their name attached to a window on Main Street, U.S.A. Walt Disney has two windows. Can you find them?

4) At Disneyland see if you can find a wooden Indian. This cigar Indian was originally placed on Main Street when there was a tobacconist shop at that location. Even though times and stores have changed the Indian is still standing tall.

5) At the Magic Kingdom be sure to stop by Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. There is a dog-gone sweet love note carved into the pavement at the entrance. Lady and the Tramp have obviously been enjoying a romantic spaghetti dinner nearby.

Goofy Book: If you are curious about the names on the second-floor windows there is a great book that reveals who belongs to each window. The stories of these talented people are worth learning about and remembering.

Windows on Main Street: Discover the Real Stories of the Talented People Featured on the Windows of Main Street, U.S.A.

Main Street, U.S.A. is often the forgotten land. We might browse through some stores, watch a parade, or grab a baked good, but I think for most of us, the walk up Main Street is simply a way to get to the rides. In my new series, Meet Me Down on Main Street, I am going to slow us down and take a closer look at the details waiting to be discovered. Come stroll with me as we explore Walt Disney’s dream. Today we are riding the vehicles.

The most direct way to get from one end of Main Street, U.S.A. to the other is by foot, but it is not the most fun way. For a relaxing ride, or an exhilarating trip to the past, try out one of the vehicles that travel up and down Main Street, U. S. A.

There are a variety of vehicles to ride that were around at the turn of the 19th century. Horse-drawn trolleys compete with jitneys (vintage automobiles), and double-decker buses. Hear the siren? The fire truck is coming to the rescue.

Back in the days when Disneyland had tickets for various rides the Main Street vehicles would have been an A ticket, which is the lowest one. What a great value! Pick a vehicle and arrive at the exit or the Hub wind-swept and impressed. Those old vehicles can really move.

Goofy Trivia: There are two cross streets on Main Street, U.S.A. The one closest to Town Square is Center Street, since it is almost dead center in Main Street. The other one, almost at the Hub, is Plaza Street. The streets are not labeled, but take some time to go down them. They hide many curious secrets.

Main Street, U.S.A. is often the forgotten land. We might browse through some stores, watch a parade, or grab a baked good, but I think for most of us, the walk up Main Street is simply a way to get to the rides. In my new series, Meet Me Down on Main Street, I am going to slow us down and take a closer look at the details waiting to be discovered. Come stroll with me as we explore Walt Disney’s dream. Today we are visiting Town Square.

Town Square is the first thing you see on Main Street, U.S.A. once you have passed the train station. It includes the center green with the flag pole and the surrounding buildings. Take a moment when you first enter to wander around Town Square. You’ll notice that the buildings are not stores, but instead represent buildings found in any turn-of-the-century town, such as the Fire Station and City Hall. Be sure to visit City Hall and pick up a free celebration pin. Show off the reason you are taking a Disney vacation.

In the center of Town Square the American flag proudly waves. Every evening at 5 p.m. a flag retreat ceremony is performed with the help of Guests serving in the military. This patriotic moment is worth scheduling into your day.

5 Fun Facts about Town Square:

1) At Disneyland a light shines out of the top window of the Fire Station. This is in honor of Walt Disney. He had a family apartment above the Fire Station and would hang a light in the window whenever they were in residence.

2) At the Magic Kingdom there is a barber shop on the edge of Town Square. The Harmony Barber Shop is open for business and will give you a haircut or just sprinkle you with pixie dust.

3) Town Square is the place to go to get character autographs. By early afternoon there are often three or four characters waiting to meet you.

4) At the Magic Kingdom Town Square is a great place to stand and watch the fireworks show, Wishes. You have a great view of the castle and since you are close to the entrance you can be out of the park and on your way before everyone else.

5) Parades usually start in Town Square so it is an ideal place to stand and watch. You’ll get to see everything and then you’ll be able to shop or ride an attraction while everyone else is still waiting for the parade to reach them. The last time I was there I stood in front of the Harmony Barber Shop. There were very few Guests around and I had great views of the parade.

Goofy Tip: Looking for a backdrop for great family pictures? Most people think of the castle, but consider taking some pictures in Town Square. City Hall has a grand porch with steps so you can group your family together. The Fire Station has old-time fire equipment that makes a unique backdrop. And as mentioned above there are lots of character meet and greets, complete with a Cast Member who will gladly take a picture of your whole group with your camera.

Main Street, U.S.A. is often the forgotten land. We might browse through some stores, watch a parade, or grab a baked good, but I think for most of us, the walk up Main Street is simply a way to get to the rides. In my new series, Meet Me Down on Main Street, I am going to slow us down and take a closer look at the details waiting to be discovered. Come stroll with me as we explore Walt Disney’s dream. Today we are visiting the Train Station.

In Walt Disney’s childhood most towns had a train station so it is only right that Main Street, U.S.A. has one, too. When people arrived to a new town in the 1880s the first building they saw was the train station. The same thing is true at the Disney Parks. After passing through the turnstiles the first thing you see is the train station above you with trains chugging along. I think it might be one of the most photographed buildings in the parks. The historic look of the building gives a hint of what is to come.

I love to ride the train around the park, but I try to arrive a few minutes early so I have time to look around the station. There are lots of details that shouldn’t be missed. And of course, the train stations at each park look alike but there are subtle differences.

5 Fun Facts about the Disney Train Stations:

1) The signs on the front of the stations list the population and elevation of each park. According to the signs the elevation of the Disneyland Train Station is 138 feet and the elevation of the Walt Disney World Train Station is 107 feet.

2) There is a shelf at the Walt Disney World Train Station that has luggage belonging to different Disney characters

3) The Walt Disney World Train Station has a Hidden Mickey in the scroll-work at the roof line.

4) Walt Disney loved trains so much that he had a small train and tracks that ran through his back yard. The cars were large enough that he could give children a ride around his property. The locomotive was named the Lilly Belle for his wife. It is sometimes displayed at the Disneyland Train Station.

5) The Magic Kingdom has three train stations: Main Street, U.S.A., Frontierland, and Fantasyland. Disneyland has four train stations: Main Street, U.S.A., New Orleans Square, Toontown, and Tomorrowland.

Goofy Tip: The busiest time to catch the train at the Main Street station is in the morning. I like to wait until the afternoon and then catch it at whichever station is closest. It is the perfect way to take a break while enjoying a grand tour of the park.

Main Street, U.S.A. is often the forgotten land. We might browse through some stores, watch a parade, or grab a baked good, but I think for most of us, the walk up Main Street is simply a way to get to the rides. In my new series, Meet Me Down on Main Street I am going to slow us down and take a closer look at the details waiting to be discovered. Come stroll with me as we explore Walt Disney’s dream.

Have you every been in a time machine? Well, you get the feeling of traveling in one when you walk through the tunnel under the train station and come out on Main Street, U.S.A. The dim light of the tunnel removes you from the present (the ticketing area) and transports you to the past (Main Street, U.S.A.). The music is lively, the grass is greener, and the hustle and bustle gives you the feeling that you have arrived at a happier time.

While I think of it as a time machine, Walt Disney saw it as the opening of a movie. The movie starts as you enter the tunnel. The posters on the walls are like the opening credits. Scene one starts when you enter Main Street, U.S.A. and continues as you walk toward the castle. Time machine or movie the divide between the everyday world and the magical world of Disney is a great way to build anticipation.

Walt designed Main Street from his memories of growing up in Marceline, Missouri, but like everything in the Disney parks it is more idealistic than realistic. I think this is wonderful. We have to live in reality, with it’s ups and down, every day. I look forward to visiting a place where the glass is always half full. Happiness squared.

Both the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland have a Main Street, U.S.A. and at first glance they might seem the same, but there are subtle differences. Since Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom is larger than Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom is also larger. The time period of Main Street, U.S.A. at the Magic Kingdom is also set a little closer to the 1900s so there is more use of electricity and new-fangled items.

No matter which park you visit on your Disney vacation take a moment to pause as you walk onto Main Street. Stroll around Town Square. Notice the music, the smells, the colors, and the textures that surround you and take you back in time.

Goofy Book: I recently found a wonderful book called:

101 Things You Never Knew About Disneyland: An Unauthorized Look At The Little Touches And Inside Jokes.

I’ll be including some of the trivia from this book in my Main Street U.S.A. series. I am also referencing:

The Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland

The Imagineering Field Guide to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World–Updated!.

These books are available through Amazon. If you buy them through my website you help support A Goofy Idea and I thank you for the thought.