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Ask any performer who ever got to see Wally Boag during their formative years. Who sat in the audience at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon and then watched as this master comedian - day in & day out - wowed the crowds at Disneyland . And they'll pretty much admit (just as Steve Martin did in his 2007...

Given that the kids are now back in school and/or just about to go back to school I thought that I'd start this week's column with a math question. How long does it take to fill those 12 huge funnel-shaped tanks that power Typhoon Lagoon's 2.75 million gallon wave pool? Copyright Disney Enterprises...

Whether it’s with relatively big projects (EX: That $300-million-plus expansion of Fantasyland that’s currently underway at the Magic Kingdom) or with somewhat smaller changes (EX: The Imagineers pulling “Bo Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop” out of DHS’s Toy Story Mania! attraction so that they could then replace...

By now, you’ve probably heard about the freakishly cold weather that the Sunshine State experienced back in January. Where temperatures actually dipped down into the 20s in the Central Florida area. Well, it wasn’t just the state’s fruit & vegetable crop that got whomped by these...

First, let’s start with the news that everyone has been waiting to hear: Florida’s freak cold snap appears to be over. After this past weekend, where the temperatures got so low that a few spots in Central Florida had scattered snow flurries, we’ll be back in the 60’s later today and the mid-to-high...

With just hours to spare ‘til 2009 gives way to 2010, I thought that it might be interesting to review the year from the Orlando Fun Tickets point-of-view. 2009 got off to a pretty fast start with tens of thousands of runners pouring into the area January 8 – 11th to take part in the Walt Disney World...

The Walt Disney Company has long been an innovator when it comes to its theme parks & resorts. But that being said, that doesn’t mean that the Mouse doesn’t still keep a close eye on the competition. And when one of the other Central Florida parks introduces a service that quickly proves to be popular...

This year, there are lots of places around the country where you can go to see Fourth of July fireworks. The bank of the Charles River in Boston, South Street Seaport in NYC as well as the National Mall in my hometown of Washington DC. But what if you’re one of those “too much ain’t enough” types and...

30 years ago this month, I made my very first trip to Walt Disney World . And for 25 years now, I’ve been writing about Central Florida’s Vacation Kingdom. I offer this info up not because I want to impress JHM readers with my advanced age. But – rather – to give you some idea of how long I’ve actually...

Alright. I know. It's been kind of a scary week for all you folks who live and work in Central Florida. What with all the stories that are making the rounds about Walt Disney World 's projected occupancy rate for the month of January as well as how miserable things have gotten for all those hotels &...

"Tis the Season to be Jolly ... " Well, normally it would be. But given what's been going on with the economy this year, for a lot of folks holiday time 2008 is shaping up to be "Tis the Season to be Stingy ..." So with so many people cutting back on their holiday spending, why should you spring for...

Are you like me? And after you finish carving the turkey ... Well, it looks like that once-beautiful bird has just been through the blender? Let's face facts: Most of us haven't had enough knife time to properly carve a turkey. Which is why we make such a hash of things whenever the holidays roll around...

Bob Iger didn't mince words during yesterday's earnings call . Though Disney's CEO said he was pleased with the Company's overall performance in fiscal 2008, 2009 looks to be a very different story. What with advance bookings at the Walt Disney World Resort down almost 10% from what they were a year...

I'm sure that you've all experienced something like this during at least one Disney World vacation. That moment when the crowds start to close in. When the noise & the heat at the theme parks get to be too much. Well, if you ever find yourself feeling like this ... Might I suggest that you climb...

What with Pleasure Island closing this weekend, I've been getting nostalgic for some of the other attractions that Central Florida lost over the years. With perhaps the most bizarre being Splendid China . I don't know how many of you ever got the chance to visit this 76-acre theme park during the 10...

You hear that? All over Orlando, the people who work at your favorite theme parks are now heaving a sign of relief. The summer season -- with all its heat, crush & crowds -- is finally over. Which gives us all a bit more breathing room down here. And I mean that literally, folks. When you drop by...

Did you hear a lot of high pitched squealing coming from Walt Disney World last week? Well, there was a reason for that. The Jonas Brothers and the Cheetah Girls -- not to mention the stars from " Hannah Montana ," " Cory in the House ," " The Suite Life of Zack & Cody " and " Wizards of Waverly...

You'll have to forgive any typos that you find in this month's OFT column. You see, I've been to Aquatica 2 1/2 times over the past month. And -- to be honest -- my fingers are still kind of pruney. But after a month of soft openings, SeaWorld Orlando's waterpark has its official grand opening this past...

Remember those proposed Liberty Square bridge repairs that I wrote about last month? Well, Magic Kingdom management has finally decided to go ahead with this construction project. Which is why they filed the necessary permits last Tuesday. "So what happens now?," you ask. "Given the huge number of people...

As you enter SeaWorld Orlando , it's really hard to miss the thing. Photo by Robert Bish That enormous construction wall that's been erected around the front of this theme park. Photo by Robert Bish Not to mention the rumble of heavy equipment, as that behind-the-scenes construction team clears brush...