June 11, 2013: Corn is walking around food... sometimes.

Today is Corn on the Cob Day. Hey, I don’t need a day; I love corn on the cob. In fact one of my favorite things on planet Earth is corn on the cob at a state fair cooked in the shuck with butter so you can peel back the shuck eat the buttery goodness found therein and walk around while you eat it. Man, food is better when you can walk around eating it. Food is also better when it is shaped like Mickey Mouse’s head but I have not yet found corn shaped like Mickey Mouse. At Walt Disney World you can find corn on the cob, it takes some doing but it is there. Just eat.

Richard Todd was born in Dublin, Ireland on this day in 1919. Todd played Robin Hood in the live action version of The Stories of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men; he was Charles Brandon in The Sword and the Rose and Rob Roy in Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue. Todd was also the first choice to play James bond in Dr. No but, due to a scheduling conflict, the role went to Sean Connery. Visit the English Pavilion at EPCOT in honor of Mr. Todd.

Today is Chad Everett’s birthday, born in 1936, in South Bend, Indiana, he was best known as Dr. Joe Gannon in Medical Center. Everett appeared in a number of films and television series. In our little corner of the world, Everett was chosen by the family of John Wayne to be the voice of the animatronic figure of Wayne in Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Great Movie Ride. Go visit Chad and John today.

The first time that I remember Shia LaBeouf was Even Stevens and then the movie Holes where he plays Stanley Yelnats. LaBeouf was tapped as the successor to Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones series but I’m not so sure that turned out so well. LeBeouf has had more success in the Transformer movies but that’s another park we won’t mention here. Visit the Indiana Jones show at Hollywood Studios; we won’t hold that last movie against Harrison or Shia.

Quickies:

1742: Benjamin Franklin invents the Franklin stove. You make it, you name it. As we have talked about before, visit Ben at The American Adventure in the World Showcase at EPCOT.

1959: Hugh Laurie was born. Hugh Laurie was the star of House, M.D. and the dad in Stuart Little. Laurie also played Jasper in the live action version of 101 Dalmatians putting him square in the middle of our radar. I miss House. Look for Cruella DeVil... she’s around.

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

June 10, 2013: When lightning strikes.

On this day in 1752, Benjamin Franklin’s kite was struck by lightning. Okay, first, just walk around Walt Disney World and look at the lightning rods. Orlando is probably the lightning strike capital of America. We have been in several buildings that have been struck by lightning. Two years ago we were in Le Cellier when that building was struck by lightning. They cams to warn us that the fire department might be in the building; evidently it is policy that they respond to any building struck. Also, do not forget that Benjamin Franklin is cohost with Mark Twain of The American Adventure.

Today is Iced Tea Day. Have some. Most restaurants serve it. Drink it.

On this day in 1949, Kevin Corcoran was born in Santa Monica, California. Kevin worked in Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with the Circus and Pollyanna. Let’s visit the Story Book Circus in New Fantasyland.

On this day in 1944, Joe Nuxhall, the old left-hander, became, at 15, the youngest player in major league baseball. Nuxhall played most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds and was an announcer with the reds from 1967 until 2007. You know where we’re going, Casey’s of course.

On this day in 1922, Frances Gumm was born in Michigan. An actress / singer, Miss Gum probably got her big break in a role that Shirley Temple turned down. Frances is adored a revered for her turn as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz under her stage name of Judy Garland. Go to The Great Movie Ride and enjoy recreations of scenes from Oz.

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

June 9, 2013: Johnny Depp

Today marks the first appearance of Donald Duck in a Walt Disney cartoon. In 1934, Donald Fauntleroy Duck appeared in The Wise Little Hen. Technically, this is not Donald’s birthday; that date was set in another cartoon by his nephews. Donald is all over Walt Disney World but there are a couple of good locations to enjoy Donald’s company. One good place is Chef Mickey’s another is Donald’s Breakfast over at the Yak and Yeti in the Animal Kingdom. We’ve done both but we’ve not done the Animal Kingdom breakfast since it was Donald’s Breakfast-saurus. We’re doing Chef Mickey’s again in about two weeks. Go, eat, enjoy.

We always love our native sons and daughters and today is the birthday of one of the most famous ones that we have. On this day in 1963, Johnny Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucky. I’ve never met Johnny Depp but I have been to Owensboro and, like I said, we always support our own. Even if that was not true, Johnny Depp has starred in some of our favorite movies. Alice in Wonderland, The Pirates of the Caribbean, Finding Neverland, Ed Wood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Cry Baby, Benny and Joon, Sleepy Hollow and this list could go on for a while. All that being said, we also understand that he is a generous tipper and all around nice guy. He’s from Kentucky, we would expect no less. Let’s not make this difficult, go to The Magic Kingdom, visit Adventureland and ride Pirates of the Caribbean. While you’re there, say hey to Johnny, he’s there, just keep looking.

Quickies:

1924: blues great, Jelly Roll Morton, recorded “Jelly-Roll Blues”. Disney has a club on The Boardwalk, Jellyrolls, named for Jelly Roll. If you are over 21, go to Jellyrolls and enjoy dueling pianos and have a great evening.

1915: Les Paul was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He, along with Leo Fender and few others, invented the solid body electric guitar. The Les Paul guitar is a classic among guitar players of many styles with a distinctive sound and profile. Enjoy live music at the World, keep an eye out, you’ll see a few Les Pauls.

A lovely black Les Paul

1981: Natalie Portman was born. Portman played Queen Amidala / Padme from the three Star Wars prequels. These are not my favorite Star Wars movies but I don’t hate them and she is certainly fine in them. Natalie now hangs out with the Mighty Thor. She tends to run with some powerful company. Enjoy some Star Tours.

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

June 8, 2013: Frank Lloyd Wright

This is the 159^th day of the year. We are closing in on the mid-point of the year and the first day of summer (June 21 at 1:04 AM in the Northern Hemisphere). I love summer, heat doesn’t bother me and I love the longer days. We have had very moderate, warm (not hot) weather this spring. This is probably the most normal spring weather we have had in years. I am accustomed to things being very hot, very quickly as we go from winter to five minutes of spring, straight into summer. I have been geocaching with my students in the 21^st Century program and it has been awesome. You can geocache in Walt Disney World. A few years ago Disney removed all the physical caches but there are several virtual caches that one may claim on property. If you are interested contact me at bxhamm01@bellsouth.net

On this date in 1867, Frank Lloyd Wright was born. Wright established the prairie home; he designed the Guggenheim and built what is probably one of the most famous homes in the world, Running Waters, in Pennsylvania. Running Waters has the added feature that it was built on a rock that it was supposed to be built near. The family that commissioned the home loved to picnic on the rock and wanted a home built nearby. Surprise, surprise!

Just before he turned 70, Frank Lloyd Wright was brought in to speak to the artists at Disney’s studios. Jim Korkis has an excellent account of this event writing under his pen name of Wade Sampson. You can find it here:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/8788/Why_Frank_Lloyd_Wright_Disliked_Fantasia

Visit the Contemporary Resort, a piece of architecture that I think Wright would have appreciated.

On this date in 1917, Walt Disney graduates from Benton Grammar School in Kansas City, Missouri. Walt never graduates from High School as he volunteers to be a Red Cross ambulance driver during World War I and travels to France.

Let’s go to the France Pavilion at EPCOT and enjoy the movie they have on France and her people.

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

June 7, 2013: The Bear in the Big Blue House

On our first trip to Walt Disney World in July 2001, I almost killed everyone when I decided to go commando and do it all. I learned a lot from that trip which was four nights and five days, our next trip was in 2004 and lasted eight days. We chilled a bit. On our first trip I gave the kids the choice of going back to The Magic Kingdom or going to Disney-MGM Studios. They chose The Magic Kingdom, which meant that we did not visit MGM at all on our first trip. This robbed us of two experiences, The Bear in the Big Blue House – Live on Stage and The Hunchback of Notre Dame show. Now, we missed out on The Hunchback but we had the chance to see The Bear in the Big Blue House in the Playhouse Disney Show at MGM in 2004. It was wonderful.

The Bear in the Big Blue House – Live on Stage opened at Disney-MGM Studios on this date in 1999. The show closed in August 2001. You can still she a show in the theater in Hollywood Studios, it’s magical, especially if you have young kids.

This is Daniel Boone Day. On this day in 1769, Daniel Boone began the exploration of Kentucky. There is a fine painting of Boone and his party crossing into the state in the state capitol building in Frankfort. Go see it if you’re in the neighborhood. If you’re at Walt Disney World, enjoy Frontierland. The frontier is where Boone wanted to stay and it’s a nice place for you to visit. 

One of the first 45-rpm singles I ever bought was “What’s New Pussycat” by Tome Jones. Mr. Jones was born on this day in 1940 in Wales. Jones has spanned several generations and he has always been quite the singer and showman. Enjoy the English Pavilion in his honor.

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