June 6, 2013: D-Day

Early in the morning on June 6, 1944, Allied forces invaded the beaches of Normandy. D-Day begins and traditionally it has been noted that “Mickey Mouse” was used as a password by the invading forces. D-Day was an immense, overwhelming amphibian invasion the likes of which the world has never seen. This may have been the greatest single day of action by the greatest generation of Americans and our allies. I often cite the flag retreat at The Magic Kingdom as a fitting tribute for events involving veterans and there is no greater day than today to take in the retreat.

Today is Drive-in Movie Day. The first drive-in movie opened in Camden, New Jersey on this date in 1933. I miss drive-in movies. We had close to a dozen in the Tri-state area at one time. Today we have none. The drive-in was a cheap date, a cheap night out and a social experience wholly different from the cinema experience. Shortly after my wife and I were married we went to the Corral Drive-in in Flatwoods, Kentucky. It was her first time at a drive-in and I can only remember one other time that we went to a drive-in at the East in Huntington, West Virginia. VHS video movies killed the drive-ins, it was an even cheaper date and you could socialize all you wanted in the privacy of your own living room. You can get a little bit of the drive-in experience at the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Quickies:

1816: 10” of snow falls in New England on this date. This was the year without a summer due to the explosion of Krakatoa. The explosion was the loudest sound ever heard on planet Earth and could be heard 3,000 miles away. Visit the Polynesian and remember Krakatoa in a slightly warmer environment.

1755: The great patriot, Nathan Hale, was born. His famous quote, “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” Visit Liberty Square and enjoy the atmosphere of our early history.

1960: Steve Vai, guitarist, was born. Steve played with Frank Zappa but I never had the chance to see him with Frank. I did see Steve with David Lee Roth in Huntington, West Virginia. Steve is a great player. Rock out at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios where there are several opportunities to enjoy live music.

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

June 5, 2013: Like sands in the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.

On this date in 1925, Bill Hayes was born in Harvey, Illinois. My wife has a cousin named Bill Hayes but as far as I know there is no relation. When I was a kid I saw Bill Hayes every day because he played Doug Williams on the number one soap opera in the neighborhood, Days of Our Lives. But before Doug became famous on the soaps he was famous as a singer, earning a gold record for recording “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.” Hayes also recorded “Wringle, Wrangle” for the Disney movie Westward Ho, The Wagons. Let’s go to Frontierland and soak up the western atmosphere.

One month before I was born, in 1961, Mary Kay Bergman was born in Los Angeles, California. Mary Kay did a lot of voice work. She was almost every female voice on South Park, she was in Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure and until her death in 1999, she was the official Snow White. Wow! Easy choices for honoring Mary Kay Bergman: Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, The Beauty and the Beast stage show at Hollywood Studios and the China pavilion at EPCOT where you can usually find Mulan.

Jeff Garlin is born on this date in 1962. Garlin is the voice of Captain McCrea in WALL-E, Buttercup in Toy Story 3 and Otis in Cars II. Let’s hit Toy Story Midway Mania at Hollywood Studios in honor of Jeff.

Quickies:

1882: Igor Stravinsky, the Great Russian composer, was born. Walt used “The Rite of Spring” in Fantasia. Igor was not happy. Sometimes visions clash but let’s enjoy Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios and wish Igor well.

This is Apple II Day, the anniversary of the introduction, in 1977, of the first personal computer. Use you Apple product to track the lines while you’re at Walt Disney World. Really, load up the apps and check out the wait times.

This is Hot Air Balloon Day. The Montgolfier brothers sent up an unmanned balloon, you can go up in a balloon at Downtown Disney. Tell Dumbo I said, “hey.”

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

June 4, 2013: Ma'am, could I just ask you one more question?

On this date in 1924, Dennis Weaver was born in Joplin, Missouri. Dennis will always be Marshal McCloud. I know he was on Gunsmoke before McCloud but Marshall McCloud was part of a rotational series that featured McCloud, McMillan & Wife, and Columbo. I loved all three shows and Dennis Weaver was great as a folksy marshal in the big city solving big city crime. Dennis was also the voice of Abner in Disney’s Home on the Range. Let’s go to The Magic Kingdom and ride Goofy’s Barnstormer, my son’s favorite ride when he was 4.

1956, Keith David was born in New York City. In addition to having two first names, David has provided voice work for House of Mouse, The Legend of Tarzan, Gargoyles and, most importantly in my household, the voice of Apollo in Hercules and Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog. While we’re at The Magic Kingdom, meet up with Tiana from The Princess and the Frog, she’s very nice and very pretty.

My wife loves Winnie the Pooh. In 1999, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh replaces Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. A lot of people were upset about Mr. Toad being evicted but we did not get to visit Walt Disney World until 2001 so we had no history with Mr. Toad. If you love Mr. Toad, he is memorialized in a picture in the Pooh ride and also at The Haunted Mansion. Things change. I hate change. It’s not changing back. Go ride the Pooh ride and have a good time.

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

June 3, 2013: Happy birthday, Ian Hunter. Hello, hello, hello, hello.

June 3^rd, 1939 or 1946 (actually 1939) my musical hero, Ian Hunter was born. Ian was the lead singer of Mott the Hoople, a blue collar, hard working live band who switched to glam rock for a bit to finally get the success that evaded them. Mott were one of the greatest live bands of the 1970’s and that finally translated to record sales with their release of “All The Young Dudes.” After a couple of years as the rock star leader of Mott, Ian had a extreme case of nervous and physical exhaustion and he departed to start a solo career with the help of Mick Ronson of the Spiders from Mars. Ian has had success as a songwriter as well as a performer. Barry Manilow covered “Ships,” Great White had a huge hit with “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” and The Presidents of the United States of America cover of “Cleveland Rocks,” became the theme of The Drew Carey Show. Ian still tours as a solo artist and this fall he has the second live reunion tour of Mott the Hoople in Great Britain. God bless Ian Hunter and visit the UK Pavilion at EPCOT in honor of the “All American Alien Boy.”

Today is Chimborazo Day the honors the Earth’s closest point to the Moon and the furthest point on Earth from the Earth’s Center. Chimborazo is a long dormant volcano, one degree south of the equator in Ecuador. Even though Chimborazo is not as high above sea level as Mount Everest, it gets a boost from the bulge of the Earth at the equator that makes it the closer to moon and farther from the center of the Earth than any place else on the planet. Since there is no Expedition Chimborazo at WDW, let’s go to The Animal Kingdom and ride Expedition Everest, its almost as good.

Quickies:

1996: Disney’s Hollywood Pictures premieres The Rock. Most of the movie takes place on Alcatraz Island. I went there when I visited San Francisco in 2007. The Disney Family Museum was not open yet or I would have gone there too. You should go there and do both and there’s an In ‘n’ Out Burger nearby. Order a double, double, animal style. You’ll be glad you did.

1888: “Casey at the Bat” was published in the San Francisco Examiner. You know what to do, go now, at the end of Main Street, U.S.A. in The Magic Kingdom. I’ll be there in three weeks.

1808: Jefferson Davis was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Davis was the only President of the Confederate States of America. Lincoln, also born in Kentucky, was the President of the United States of America. Kentucky Rules. Go to The Hall of Presidents and visit Abe, Jeff isn’t on the stage at the end.

1864: Ransom Eli Olds was born. Olds started the Oldsmobile Company and the REO Speedwagon truck used for fire engines and a 70’s rock band that morphed into an 80’s pop band. Go to the Firehouse in Town Square at the Magic Kingdom.

1927: Boots Randolph, the great saxophone player from Paducah, Kentucky was born. Hang out on Main Street until you hear the Saxophone Quartet. You’ll thank me and the mayor will thank you.

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

June 2, 2013: That's just cheesy.

On this date in 1972, all-around performer and personality, Wayne Brady was born in Columbus, Georgia. Wayne was raised in Orlando, Florida and, at the age of 15, he worked as Goofy at Walt Disney World. Wayne got his start on the British version of Whose line is it Anyway? When Drew Carey fired up the American version, Brady became a regular on that show. He eventually moved on to an eponymous ABC variety show and a daytime talk show bearing his name as well. We love Wayne Brady and, I understand, they are reviving Whose Line is it Anyway? Since this is an audience involvement show let’s visit the Monsters, Incorporated Laugh Floor and do a little participation (I have been the guy who buys everyone churros). It is a Monstrous Summer at WDW after all.

Buddy! AAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

1928, the Kraft company creates Velveeta Cheese, the supermelty, really soft cheese that make a wonderful fondue or cheese coating for various recipes. Did you know that Disney had a group of test kids that tried various macaroni and cheese recipes until they found the one that kids liked best? I’m not a huge mac and cheese fan but the mac and cheese made with Mickey Mouse pasta is pretty good and, of course, anything shaped like Mickey just tastes better. I don’t know if Velveeta is involved but let’s have a big plate of the stuff at WDW. Any location will do just fine.

Minnie, Allie, Tonnie, Matt and Mickey Mouse Mac.

Quickies:

1890: Hedda Hopper was born. Hedda was an actress early on gut her real fame was as a gossip columnist. She carried a huge amount of Hollywood dirt both good and bad. She gave some positive press to Walt and his projects over the years and we give her a fond Happy Birthday here. This sounds like a good occasion for One Man’s Dream at Hollywood Studios.

1904: Johnny Weissmuller was born. Weissmuller was an Olympics class swimmer, swimming in 1924 and 1928. He later became famous as Tarzan and you can go to The Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios and watch Weissmuller swing through the trees without a trapeze in his BVDs (Thanks, Ray Stevens).

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