Please Touch!

How often do you see a piece of artwork that you are actually invited to touch? While most of the beautiful pieces that fill Animal Kingdom Lodge are for display only, there is one particular item that allows guests to become personally involved with the traditions of an African culture.


This intricately carved wooden door is from the Nupe tribe located in Nigeria. They are traditionally Muslim, so their artwork primarily consists of abstract designs. To be able to not only view, but actually touch, a piece like this that is filled with identifiable items such as birds, drinking vessels, lizards, and an airplane is a wonderful experience.

The next time you find yourself at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, please make sure to touch this door on your way out to not only ensure a safe journey, but also embrace a unique culture.

Crate Sighting!

This post is dedicated to Jeff, Lou, and all members of the CAS (that's the Crate Appreciation Society). After much searching and wandering, I finally found some interesting crates at Epcot to add to the collection.

The first is located on the Friendship boat dock in Morocco. Its location unfortunately makes it difficult to reach, but it is easily seen as you walk down the ramp. The top left corner reads "Serving Great Britain [word was obscured to me by the railing, but I assume it reads Wales] Ireland" and the bottom right corner reads "CM. Blaney Import Export Co." I guess the next question should be, who is this mysterious "Blaney?"


Other great crates can be found at the African Outpost, next to the Refreshment Coolpost. Presumably, Coca-Cola bottles are being shipped here from around the world, and the crates bear the famous logo as it is written in various languages. It is a great way to visually show that even though we are a diverse race, we are still tied together by even the simplest of objects.

Keeping Dreams on Track

The next time you are on the second level of the Main Street Railroad Station, whether waiting for the train or the fireworks, take a peek inside of the Engineer's office. The room is full of wonderful knick-knacks, including hats, tickets, book, oil cans, even a telephone.


But perhaps the greatest details are the electrical plans that lie on the desk. Take a close look - it appears as if a certain Mouse has made his way into the system!

Bork! Bork! Bork!

Walk alongside of the MuppetVision 3D show building, and look up - you will find that the Swedish Chef is a master of the kitchen and the editing room.

It's Not Easy Being Green

A nice little tribute to the man behind all of the Muppet magic can be found in the window display of the Stage 1 Company store (yes, I'm back there yet again!).


Hardly large enough to truly honor such an inspirational and creative man, but it is nice to know that Jim Henson has a visible place among all of his wonderful characters.

The Diamond in the Rough

Towards the back of the Morocco pavilion, in a small alcove, is a little room reserved for meet and greets with Aladdin and friends.

A hand-painted backdrop fills one wall, capturing a wonderful scene of the streets of Agrabah, complete with its very own hidden Mickey.

On the opposite side of the room, there is a little area full of Moroccan treasures, and a small table holding the story of Aladdin and a small pink rose.

Safari

With Tusker House shutting its doors yesterday as a quick-service restaurant, I decided to dedicate today's entry to some of the little details found on the outside of the building.

Take a scenic hot air balloon ride above the African savanna - and RISE above it all!

It appears as if the Harambe Cultural Society is closed today...

The Pwani View Guest House was originally called the Safari View Guest Lodge. You can occasionally hear the breaking of glass or people holding conversations upstairs. Hopefully this wonderful effect will survive into the new restaurant.

Shh! The Harambe school is already in session...


Down a little ways from the seating area, you can still see some of the old props that lined the riverbank for the Discovery River boat ride. Just watch out for the dangerous currents:

Although the beach is closed, it looks like the shipments of produce have not stopped arriving.

Nor have the warning signs stopped an overzealous beachgoer.

Storming the Barn...

The queue for Barnstormer is in many ways more entertaining than the ride itself. Full of visual puns (as is normal for Mickey's Toontown Fair) and whimsical elements, there is enough eye candy to keep you busy for hours.

One of the greatest details I have found thus far, exists in this very queue line. It is a wonderfully sly reference to that amazing nightime parade.


The chickens found in the barn also recall fond memories of days gone by, as they were relocated here from their original home in World of Motion. Fittingly enough, they are situated right next to their very own "Chicken Exit."


And as if a nod to Mickey's Starland and the Mickey's Magical TV World show (not to mention the TaleSpin tv series), a small barrel reads "Tail Spin Airplane Oil."

Flitterin'

I have always loved the simple innocence of Summer Magic. Not only does it have a delightful soundtrack written by the wonderful Sherman Brothers, but it has a timeless feeling to it that perfectly captures a lazy summer of days gone by.

So I was thrilled to find that the Proprietor of the Emporium is none other than Ossium "Osh" Popham (as portrayed in the movie by the delightful Burl Ives). It seems a natural fit for a character who did such a fine job running his own general store in Beulah. I wonder if he knows of any yellow houses for sale...

Get Lost

If you ever find yourself lost in Tomorrowland, then look no further than this helpful map. Similar to something you would find published by Rand McNally, it even marks the TTA with a highway symbol. Plus, it may just be one of the last places to find a reference to the beloved Skyway.

Tools of the Trade

The visual puns in Mickey's Toontown Fair have no limit. Walking through Mickey's garage, we can get a glimpse at the head Mouse's Mr. Fix-It skills. Of course, in true toon fashion, he uses his own particular brand of tools, as seen with these wrenches. No Craftsmans for the Big Cheese, Mickey prefers his Craftsmouse brand.

Powder Room

Back on Tom Sawyer's Island, there is a great play on words that gives a simple bathroom double meaning. In Fort Langhorn, where rifles and canons are commonplace, it makes sense to have a place to store all of that gunpowder. As a place where guests might need to use the facilities, it makes sense to have a bathroom. When you combine those two, you have a multi-purpose Powder Room, complete with subtle humor.

Raise 'Em High

Tom Sawyer's Island is a treasure trove of visual imagery. As usual, no surface is left unthemed, and that includes those ever-present crates. This particular one is set on its side, but its worth the neck strain to read the clever pun. If there is ever a need to buy a pulley, look no further than "Raiz M. Heigh Pulley Manufacturer."

Sturdy Branches

Tucked away in the Wilderness Lodge Villas, one can find Sturdy Branches, a small health club featuring exercise equipment, saunas, and massages. One noteable detail about this particular location is the relatively obscure character chosen to represent it. The antropomorphic tree character bears a striking resemblance to the male lead in Walt Disney's 1932 Silly Symphonies classic "Flowers and Trees" - the first cartoon to be created in full-color Technicolor.