BEYOND THE THEME PARKS

ANITA ANSWER
Archives

8/24/09
--Anita's Mini Blog for 8/24/09
--Space Mountain's Seating Configuration: Has It changed?
--Which Direction Was the Wand Set?
--Booking Accommodations for Six Online?

8/17/09
--A Brief History of Castaway Cay
--Name That Restaurant!
--The Morse Code Message in Spaceship Earth
--Answer to the 8/10 Trivia Question

8/10/09
--What Castle Served as the Inspiration for Cinderella Castle?
--The "Hotel" in the Canada Pavilion
--What About the Original Back Lot Tour?
--Anita's Mini Blog for 8/10/09

8/3/09
-- Anita's 8/3/09 Mini Blog
--What Was This Old Ride?
--Backlot Tour Bet
--Base Tickets and Extra Magic Hours
--Answers to Trivia Questions and Doctor Who Challenge

7/27/09
--Anita's 7/27/09 Mini Blog
--What Was the Name of This Ice Cream Shop?
--Square Footage of the New Treehouses
--When Do the Holiday Decorations Come Down?

7/13/09
--2009 Dates for Epcot's Candlelight Processional
--Using Music's Bus Stops When Staying at Movies?
--How Old Is Too Old for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique?
--Answer to the June 29 Trivia Question

7/6/09
--A European Trip Blog
--The Difference Between B and C Tickets?
--A Lounge with Live Music?
--No Car, No Grocery Stop. Where to Get Alcohol?

6/1/09
--Where is the Randy Pausch Plaque Located?
--What Was This Old Store in the Studios?
--Rod Serling and the Tower of Terror Pre-Show
--Answer to the May 25 Trivia Question

5/25/09
--Is Christmas Really That Crowded?
--Adult or Child Ticket When Child Turns 10 in the Middle of the Trip?
--Which Was the First Disney Vacation Club Resort to Open?
--Answer to the May 18 Trivia Question

5/18/09
--Will Pirates and the Haunted Mansion Be Closed In June?
--Where Would Anita Stay and Dine?
--What Are Those Stone Things at Epcot's Entrance?
--Answer to the May 4 Trivia Question

5/11/09
5/4/09
--The Mural in the Contemporary
--Showers at Old Key West's Pool
--A Flashing Light above the Blue Bayou Restaurant
--The Wasps' "Sting" in Tough to Be a Bug
--Answer to the April 27 Trivia Question

More Anita Answer Columns

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Anita Answers

Hi! I'm Anita!

Got a question about Walt Disney World? I probably have the answer! Deb's Unofficial Walt Disney World Information Guide is the most comprehensive guide to the World on the Web, but if you still can't find the information you're looking for by using the Search Function, or the Anita Answer Archives, drop me a line and I'll do my best to find the answer for you. Since there are only 24 hours in a day, I can't answer every email I receive - however, I do read every one and try to answer as many as possible.

Check back weekly to see if your answer is waiting! Meanwhile, I'm All Ears!

August 17, 2009

A Brief History of Castaway Cay
Name That Restaurant!
The Morse Code Message in Spaceship Earth
Answer to the 8/10 Trivia Question

Jamie writes:

Anita, we love, love, love your column, and my family and I appreciate your taking the time to write it. We just finished a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise on the Disney Magic (our 5th Disney Cruise). Could you provide some details on Castaway Cay for us, such as how many employees actually stay on the island and whether or not there are any future plans for a permanent Disney resort there? To us, it is the best part of each cruise. Thanks.

Hi Jamie!

I too love Castaway Cay! I've been there four times, and been rained out on three of those occasions! Finally last November, Flo and I were blessed with a sunny day on the island -- and it was too cold to swim. We had to make do shivering in the hammocks on the adults-only beach. Oh, well... I guess I'll have to try again? Tough job, but someone has to do it.

So anyway, you didn't want to hear about that, you wanted to hear about the island itself. You didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you a bit about the history of this wonderful island anyway, just because it's so interesting.

Originally called Gorda Cay, the first known European settlers probably arrived around 1783. It's thought that the pirates Blackbeard, Anne Bonney and Mary Read may have made many visits to the Cay. The Spanish Galleon San Pedro is also thought to have sunk in nearby waters.

In the 1960s, part of the island belonged to a private owner, a man who made his fortune in oil. This owner built the 2400 foot airstrip for his own plane to land on when he and his family visited. He sold his part of the Cay in the mid-1970s and that's when it began to be known as a popular place for smuggling. This continued until the mid-1980s when Disney bought it. These days, as you know, it's used solely for the enjoyment of Disney Cruise Line guests.

Island facts, figures and info:

Castaway Cay is located in the Bahamas near Great Abaco Island. It measures 3.1 by 2.2 miles (approximately 1000 acres) and remains mostly undeveloped. In locations tucked away from guest areas, some 40 Cast Members live and maintain the island assisted by various crew members when a ship is in port.

Strangely enough, one of the 1980s owners wanted to build a private resort on the Cay but it never happened. As far as I know, Disney has no current plans to develop one either, but you never know. I imagine two of the biggest issues would be how to get guests to and from the island efficiently, and how to get enough supplies there to sustain a resort.

A.A.

Emily writes:

My last visit was in 1992. My mom and I ate these wonderful cinnamon buns at a restaurant next to It's a Small World or maybe the Peter Pan ride (you could look down into the ride). Is this restaurant still open and what is it called? I would love to take my family there this December on our trip. Can you help me please? Thanks.

Hi Emily!

The restaurant you visited back in '92 was and is still called Pinocchio Village Haus. Just as you remembered, there is a large window in the restaurant that looks into the loading area of It's a Small World.

Even though the name hasn't changed, the menu has, and Pinocchio Village Haus now features mostly pizza and chicken nuggets, but no cinnamon buns. Sorry!

A.A.

Leah writes:

Hi Anita! I love your column and I read it every week. I finally have a question to ask you. My husband and I just got back from eight wonderful days at Walt Disney World. We had the chance to ride Spaceship Earth after the refurbishment. In one of the scenes there is someone writing a message using Morse code. I was wondering. Do you know what that message is? Thanks!

Hi Leah!

The message being transmitted in Spaceship Earth is the announcement of the driving of the Golden Spike near Promontory Summit, Utah, which symbolized the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The Transcontinental Railroad linked the east of the U.S. to the west and the Central Pacific Railroad with the Union Pacific Railroad. The actual message telegraphed around the country in May 1869 consisted simply of the word "done" but it seems like the message in Spaceship Earth is longer than that. I don't know Morse code so I don't know exactly what is being tapped out, only what it is supposed to be announcing.

A.A.

Last week's TRIVIA question:

Who directed 'The Lottery'?

The correct answer is entertainment Renaissance man, Garry Marshall. Marshall is a producer, writer and actor as well as being a director of films and TV.

This week, I think we had the largest ever number of correct answers. Those clever people are, in no particular order:

Glenn, Crissy, Chris, Kara, Kimberle, Nancy, Ranee, Tom, Sue, Linda, Bob, Kristin, Jason, Dana, George, Lynn, John, Sabrina, Eric, Becky, Emily, Keith, Reagan, Joanne, JK, Harrison, Mellinda, Mat, Mary, Jeffrey, Sabrina K, Teri, Kathy, Giesela, Jamie, Christine, Jeff, Cathy, Michael, Bobbie Ann, Dan, Amy and Maureen.

Also I want to thank the 200 or so of you who took the time out of your busy week to send me a note, either with your questions, trivia answers or separately. Each and every one was appreciated more than you know. Thanks! All Ears readers rock. Until next week...

Anita

That's it for this edition!

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