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Thursday, February 14, 2013

February 15, 2013: A Valentine's Lilly


On this date in 1899, Lillian Marie Bounds was born in Idaho. In 1923, Lillian moved to California to live with her sister Hazel. Miss Bounds took a job as a secretary and later as an ink artist. Her boss famously said, “I had to marry her, I couldn’t afford to pay her,” and on July 13, 1925 Lillian became Mrs. Walt Disney. Lillian and Walt were married for 41 years and she was his number one supporter and critic. She is credited with telling Walt to drop the name Mortimer Mouse for Mickey Mouse. If that were the only thing she ever contributed, that would be enough. If you can make it WDW today honor Lillian by visiting Downtown Disney and going to Fulton’s Crab House, originally called the Empress Lilly or go to the Magic Kingdom and wait for the “Lilly Belle” to pull in the train station to ride about the park.

Just keep waiting, slow train's a comin'.


Make it so. In 1940, Patrick Stewart was born in England, even though all through Star Trek: The Next Generation he is supposed to be from France. So how does Captain Jean-Luc Picard fit in at Walt Disney World? Well, Patrick Stewart is also Professor Charles Xavier from the X-Men, a Marvel property that Disney now owns but that’s not all. Stewart was the voice of Mr. Woolensworth in Chicken Little and the voice of The Great Prince in Bambi II. Last year you could enjoy the Bambi walk-through attraction at EPCOT during the Flower and Garden Festival but at this point you may have to settle for a Bambi or Chicken Little plush to celebrate Patrick Stewart or you could just wander around WDW talking like Patrick Stewart or, like Peter Griffin, remember the time you switched voices with Patrick Stewart.

Three Star Wars movies, four Indiana Jones movies and a host of other movies including my favorite, Air Force One are just a small part of the resume’ of Harrison Ford, born on this day in 1942. How do you beat Hans Solo, Indiana Jones and the President of the United States of America? You don’t. So go to Hollywood Studios and check out the Indiana Jones show or ride Star Tours. I love Star Tours although I can only ride it once. Can you say motion sickness boys and girls?

Dodge the ewoks!!!


One of the funniest men in show business was born on this day in 1946. I don’t care if you think his career went up in smoke or if you think of him as the original low rider, Cheech Marin always brings the smiles. Starting out in Cheech and Chong, he has morphed his career a number of times to end up as Banzai in The Lion King, Ramone in Cars  and Cars 2, Tito in Oliver & Company and Manuel in Beverly Hills Chihuahua (which we saw on our Disney cruise in 2008). You can honor Cheech at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort or the Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom.

Remember, your best excuse is always: waiting for your dreams to come true.

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