One Man’s Trash…

Here is a small fact I heard last night. The new restaurant in Downtown Disney, Paradiso 37, has columns that stand toward the middle of the restaurant. Supposedly the bolts used to hold up the pillars are leftovers from Aerosmith’s Rockin’ Rollercoaster.

Addendum: Characters in Flight

A look at the ticket booth.  Hopefully you visit at the right time to fly right away.

If You Had Wings

Although I have limited shots of the full circumfrance of the Characters in Flight balloon, I wanted to make it known that the attraction run by Aerophile contains 12 individual characters.

1. Tinker Bell
2. Peter Pan
3. Wendy
4. Michael
5. John
6. Dumbo
7. Timothy the Circus Mouse
8. Flora
9. Fauna
10. Merriweather
11. Aladdin
12. Mary Poppins

Pirates League

Currently in motion is a new experience for families.  After the success of Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique’s two locations in Downtown Disney and inside Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom, Disney is dreaming up a new experience for boys to be transformed into their favorite swashbuckling pirates.

It is unknown where this new experience will be placed, but managers have already been deployed to the new location during the reorganization process.  As of now the project is titled Pirates League and will hopefully offer more options than just the Cool Dude Package that’s available at it’s more feminine cousin.

Weather Permitting

After two rides on Characters in Flight today, I am very happy with Walt Disney World’s newest attraction. I was told today that the balloon in the largest hot air balloon in the world, both tethered and free flying. And there are 12 flying characters featured around its circumference. During today’s cast preview, we ascended the complete 400 feet. The trip was a three minute ascent, four minute hold, and three minute descent. The long flight time does make for a lengthy wait.

It is rumored that the soft opening of Characters in Flight will not happen tomorrow. Instead, Downtown Disney staff plan to have another day of Cast previews. The problem thereafter lies in the forecast. The Characters in Flight ride might not be available to the public until Sunday. In the meanwhile, here are some photos I took during today’s rides.

Downtown Disney West Side

Epcot

The Real Cap’n Jack

Cap'n Jack's Restaurant

Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant in Downtown Disney is very often overlooked. The restaurant opened with The Lake Buena Vista Village in October of 1975 and has remained ever since. Originally Cap’n Jack’s Oyster Bar, the restaurant included a merchandise shop which was later merged with the establishment during a renovation.

Unknown to most people is Cap’n Jack the person. After speaking with his ex son-in-law, I found that Cap’n Jack’s is meant to honor Jack Olsen. According to Disney.com, Olsen was given the title of ‘The Merchant Prince’ when he was immortalized on a Main Street Window. Olsen’s career began at Disneyland in California and eventually moved to Orlando when he became Vice President of Merchandising and helped open the Walt Disney World Resort. He spent 22 years with the Disney Company and retired in 1977. He passed away in 1980.

Retro Reminders

Although the back story of Pleasure Island and Merriweather Adam Pleasure can be very interesting, and most likely be explained in a later post, here is just another reminder of an important year in Disney history.

1937- The premiere of Walt Disney’s first full-length animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Characters in Flight

Many developments have been made recently on Aerophile S.A.’s Characters in Flight, the new attraction which will be located in Downtown Disney’s West Side.  According to their website, Aerophile S.A. was “founded in 1993 by two 25-year-old engineers, Matthieu Gobbi and Jerome Giacomoni, AEROPHILE S.A. reinvented the tethered gas balloon following an 80-year absence and become the world leader in tethered gas balloons through the development of three flagship products:

The AERO30NG since 1994, a big tethered balloon which can lift 30 passengers up to 500 feet every 10 minutes with 50 balloons sold in more than 20 countries in cities including Paris, Berlin, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubaï; the AERO2 since 2000, a mobile balloon for 2 passengers and the AEROPHARE since 2007, the first balloon which can fly up to 130 feet with 12 passengers up to 50 mph of wind. All products can be used as a totem, a billboard, and an amusement ride.”

Their site also includes press releases of their newest project with the Walt Disney World Resort.

Late March 23rd, the Aerophile S.A. operated balloon was inflated and is currently very visible from the other sides of the Sassagoula River. Trying to find it past Pleasure Island is a little more difficult because it’s restrained elevation just barely peaks over the stores.

The flight reflects another ride in Disneyland Paris by Aerophile S.A. called the PanoraMagique which flies 100 meters into the air over the foreign resort.  Once operating, Characters in Flight should be soaring 30 passengers about 300-400 feet in the air to show a breathtaking view of Downtown Disney and the nearby attractions. If the flight time of the PanoraMagique is of any comparison, this journey will be about 6 minutes long.   Set to open April 1, 2009, this massive balloon ride is still a sight to see before its take off.

Path Behind Portobello’s

Characters in Flight

Disneyland Paris PanoraMagique By Aerophile S.A.

Signage is up with price information.

$16.00 for adults

$10.00 for children 3-9

Including tax.

Get more information about Aerophile S.A. or the PanoraMagique by visiting their websites.