July 27, 2013: Barbie in a blender day; Keenan Wynn and Insulin.

I’m not kidding; it’s Barbie-in-a-blender Day. It seems that an artist was posing naked Barbies with kitchen appliances and selling photographs of the illicit poses. Mattel sued him and the result was Mattel had to pay him $1.8 million because the judge ruled that it was a violation of his free speech. Every July 27, in celebration of our right to satirize things, as we like, people put Barbie in a blender and share the pictures. I don’t have any Barbie in a blender pictures but I can suggest that you visit Toy Story Midway Mania at Hollywood Studios where Barbie comes to life in Andy’s room.

Today is the National Day of the Cowboy. While we are at Midway Mania, look for our own cowboy, Woody, and celebrate the heroes of the Wild West.

On this date in 1916, Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn was born in New York City. Keenan Wynn came from a show-business family that included his father, Ed Wynn, grandfather, Frank Keenan and his mother Hilda Keenan. Keenan worked in scores of movies and television programs. He is perhaps best known as the Winter Warlock in Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town. Wynn’s Disney Resume’ includes The Absent Minded Professor, Son of Flubber, Snowball Express, Herbie Rides Again and The Shaggy D. A. Kennan’s father, Ed, was the Mad Hatter so let’s ride the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party at The Magic Kingdom.

1953: The first insulin was isolated by Banting and Best in Toronto, Canada. You can visit the site today where they first isolated the hormone in dogs and eventually determined exactly what it was in the pancreas that controlled blood sugar. I am a diabetic although I am not yet insulin dependent. Let me take this opportunity to remind you that the chefs at Disney can meet any dietary need. Between my peanut allergy and my diabetes I have met a chef at every restaurant I have eaten at in Walt Disney World. Don’t be shy, you’ll be surprised in how they can help you and the special measures they will take to assure your pleasure and needs are met.

Jerry Van Dyke, the brother of Dick Van Dyke, was born on this day in 1931 in Danville, Illinois. Jerry has had a long career in television and stand up comedy. His career peaked with his role as Luther on Coach. Jerry is also an avid poker player and has announced championship poker tournaments for ESPN. Let’s honor Jerry by visiting the ESPN Club on the Boardwalk at Walt Disney World.

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

July 26, 2013: Talk in an elevator day.

Today is National Talk in An Elevator Day. We all know how awkward it is when a total stranger starts to talk to you in an elevator. In fact, most of us will stare at the little numbers rather than risk eye contact and a conversation. So how does one celebrate Talk in An Elevator Day? The Tower of Terror, where you cannot only talk but scream in your elevator.

Jean Shepherd was born on this day in 1921 in Chicago, Illinois. Shepherd is famous for his series of stories that led to the classic A Christmas Story movie. Not only did Shepherd write the stories but he was also the narrator of the movie speaking as Ralphie, all grown up, telling his story. Shepherd is also the voice of the Father in Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress at The Magic Kingdom. So, go enjoy the attraction and remember, “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow.”

Kevin Spacey was born on this day in 1959 in South Orange, New Jersey. Spacey has a number of interesting roles: Lex Luthor in Superman Returns, an alien / mental patient in K-Pax, and Hopper in A Bug’s Life. Honor Mr. Spacey with a visit to the Animal Kingdom and a few moments enjoying It’s Tough to be A Bug.

Stanley Kubrick was born on this date in 1928 in the Bronx. Kubrick was one of the truly great directors of our time. A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb), 2001: A Space Odyssey are all great films in the cinema pantheon. It’s hard to think of two men with visions as different as Kubrick and Walt Disney but both men were definitely visionaries. Enjoy Walt’s vision at One Man’s Dream at Hollywood Studios.

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

July 25, 2013: Carousel Day; Chili Dog Day; Walter Brennan and Estelle Getty.

Today is Carousel Day. The Prince Charming Regal Carousel is one of the most valuable rides in the park because each horse on the ride is a highly collectable work of art. When you are riding the carousel, you are literally riding on a valuable piece of history. Many parks have sold off their original horses and replace them with fiberglass replicas but these are the original horses, almost 100 years old. Get on your horse and ride.

Today is national Chili Dog Day. If you were in Huntington, West Virginia I would recommend Hillbilly Hot Dogs. If you’re at Walt Disney World you know where to go: Casey’s Corner for a top-notch dog.

Walter Brennan is a classic; born in 1894 in Swampscott, Massachusetts he was one of our great American character actors. Brennan won three Academy Awards and his turns for Disney include: The Gnome-Mobile, Those Calloways and The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. I think a turn in Frontierland would be an appropriate tribute to Mr. Brennan.

Estelle Getty was born on this date in 1924 in New York City. No doubt her most famous role was that of Sophia Petrillo on the Golden Girls. The Golden Girls had roots at Hollywood Studios when Disney-MGM was a real working studio. At one time you could see the façade of their house on the Back Lot Tour. You can still take the Back Lot Tour, and I would recommend that you do so now because they may need to take even more of it for the Pixar and Star Wars expansions that I am sure are to come.

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

July 24, 2013: Buzzi, Cosmo Kramer, Wonder Woman, Glinda and Jack Skellington.

Ruth Buzzi was born in Westerly, Rhode Island on this date in 1936. I will always think of Buzzi on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, dressed as a frumpy old lady with her hair in a prominent net, hitting Arte Johnson with her purse as he made, slightly, improper propositions to her. An accomplished comedienne, Buzzi has done a considerable body of work for Disney: Darkwing Duck, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, The North Avenue Irregulars, It’s Tough to be a Bird, The Aristocrats and Freaky Friday. We’ve seen Marie from The Aristocats at The Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, which made Leslie very happy and it will make you happy too.

My favorite singer is Ian Hunter and, in the late 70’s / early 80’s, Hunter was on an ABC show called Fridays. Fridays was like Saturday Night Live’s weird cousin and it featured a very strange improve actor named Michael Richards. Richards was born on this day in 1949 in Los Angeles, California. Richards went on to become famous as Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld but Richards also appeared on the 1994 television special The Wonderful World of Disney: 40 Years of Television Magic. For our WDW interests, Richards also appears as a caveman in Ellen’s Energy Adventure. So ride with Ellen and remember; it’s the best nap at Walt Disney World.

Wonder Woman! Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter, was born on this date in 1951 at Phoenix, Arizona. Carter also played Principal Powers in Sky High, one of my favorite live action Disney movies. In fact, I would love to see a Sky High 2. There could be an entirely new story line but including a new crop of students. Wonder Woman has an invisible plane and when you ride Soarin’ it is like riding an invisible plane so let’s do that (you can be Wonder Woman or Superman, which ever you prefer).

Kristin Chenoweth was born in Oklahoma on this date in 1968. My kids are huge fans of musical theater and Chenoweth is a Tony Award winning actress in the field having portrayed Sally Brown in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown and Glinda in Wicked. Chenoweth has also worked in television starring in: The West Wing, Pushing Daisies, and Glee. Chenoweth sang, “That’s How You Know” From Enchanted and voiced Rosetta, the garden fairy in Tinkerbell. Let’s enjoy some Pixie Hollow fun and look for Tinkerbell around the parks. Sometimes she just magically appears.

Quickies:

July 24: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Pioneer Day. This celebrates Brigham Young’s arrival in the Salt Lake Valley. Utah, some surrounding areas, as well as LDS Churches celebrate this holiday. Enjoy Frontierland at The Magic Kingdom as a commitment to keep moving forward.


Today is Cousins Day. Cousins are your first, and in some cases, closest friends. My cousins went to WDW when it first opened and really was pretty much The Magic Kingdom. We have been trying to get my kids’ cousin Ben to raise enough money to go to Walt Disney World with us; he would be the fourth person outside our immediate family who we have taken to WDW for the first time.

1942: Chris Sarandon was born in Beckley, West Virginia. Sarandon’s credits include Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas and related properties, Prince Humperdink in The Princess Bride, and parts in both versions of Fright Night. You can find all kinds of Jack Skellington related merchandise at WDW, especially at the Villains’ Store at Hollywood Studios.

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

July 23, 2013: Hot enough for ya, Grandma.

On this day in 1908, Karl Swenson was born in Brooklyn, New York. Swenson had a long career as a character actor beginning in radio and moving on to movies and television. Most famous for his role of Lars on Little House on the Prairie, Swenson was the voice of Merlin in The Sword in the Stone. Go to The Magic Kingdom and try your had at removing the sword from the stone.

Edie McClurg was born on this day in 1951 in Kansas City, Missouri. Edie is a classic character actress appearing in: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Batman Beyond, Natural Born Killers, Life with Louie, The Little Mermaid, Cars, Cars 2, Home on the Range, Wreck it Ralph, A Bug’s Life, Flubber and many, many others. Her role of Minny in Cars and Cars2 is always getting lost on vacation with her husband Van. Until Carsland makes it to WDW, visit the Cars section of the Art of Animation resort.

Quickies:

Today is Gorgeous Grandma Day. All Grandmas are gorgeous. They can’t help but be beautiful. It’s all that love that comes out of them everyday. Grandma can have a great time at WDW. Try it some time. Have a great day without riding a single ride. It’s not that hard.

Today is: Hot Enough For Ya Day. If you’re at Disney World this time of year, I guarantee that it’s hot enough for ya. Learn how to stay cool: misters, frozen snacks, free ice water at every counter service restaurant and shade (it also doesn’t hurt to pray for a nice breeze).

1961: Woody Harrelson was born in Midland, Texas. We love Zombieland and I think at least 75 percent of all teenagers love The Hunger Games but did you know that Harrelson also appeared as Woody Boyd from Cheers in a Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color episode recognizing “Disneyland’s 35^th Anniversary Celebration.”  I guess Pacific Playland was not his first park. Get to WDW and be assured, we didn’t see a single zombie last month.

1965: Slash, Saul Hudson, was born in England. Slash is an awesome guitarist. Slash has appeared with Phineas and Ferb. You can too at Hollywood Studios.

Slash with Phineas and Furb at the Rock 'N' Roller Coaster

1971: Allison Krauss was born in Decatur, Illinois. Krauss has won 27 Grammies recording Bluegrass, Country and Folk music as a solo artist, with her group, Union Station, and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. Krauss recorded for O Brother, Where Art Thou, a Touchstone / Disney movie as well as a version of “Baby, mine” from Dumbo. Go ride Dumbo and enjoy.

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