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

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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 24, 2009

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?

Dearest Readers and Friends,

There is no good way to phrase this or spin this; however, we're all friends here, so I'll just come out with it. After due consideration (and when I say this, those who know me well will know that what I really mean is "after months of agonizing and heart-wrenching consideration of all pros and cons") I have handed my resignation in to the All Ears team, and next week will be my final column as Anita Answer.

Please know that this is not a sudden, knee-jerk decision, and please trust me when I say that the handful of negative messages I've received in the last few weeks had no bearing whatsoever on my decision. If anything, the hundreds of positive messages I received were what helped guide me to my decision to resign. All of those letters, to a one, advised me to follow my head and my heart and my gut, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. I don't know what awaits me in the future, but it's time for me to see what else is out there. I would be lying if I said I wasn't going to miss this place and all of you. In fact, you readers are what I will miss the most. I have so loved reading about your plans and your families and hearing your stories! Anyway, enough of this maudlin stuff. Time enough for lengthy goodbyes next week, right? And you thought you were getting off easy! (Kidding!) Now, back on task and on with this week's questions.

Anita

Lisa writes:

Years ago Space Mountain was my first roller coaster ride. I swear that the cars allowed for me to ride in the same car as my mother, in between her legs. But when we went to ride it last year the cars are not set up that way. Can you tell me if I my memory is rusty or did they change the cars at some point?

Hi Lisa!

The original Space Mountain vehicles in the Florida ride were two-car rockets, with each car holding two to three people per seat, single file, just as you remember. You sat straddling the bench seat, using one seatbelt for everyone in the compartment, and there was nothing between you and your seatmate. They were a little too cozy, I guess, because they were later changed to two-car rockets with each car featuring three individual seats, like they are now. The cosmetic design of the rockets and the restraint system have changed a bit over the years, but the basic two-car/three-seat arrangement has been in place since 1989. From what I'm hearing, I assume it will remain after the current refurbishment as well.

A.A.

Gregory writes:

In some photos of Spaceship Earth the wand is on the left side, but on others it is on the right. In which direction did the wand really face? Thank you.

Hi Gregory!

This is like the question, "What time is the 3 o'clock parade?" because the answer is, "It depends on where you were standing. "The hand, wand and "Epcot" sign (originally "2000") formerly attached to the outside of Spaceship Earth was two-sided. It appeared the same on both the north and south sides of Spaceship Earth; however, it was on the left side when you looked south, and on the right if you were looking to the north. The wand was erected for the Millennium Celebration in 1998-2000, and was removed in 2007 as part of an extensive refurbishment of the Epcot icon.

A.A.

Steve writes:

Hi Anita. I am the father of four (ages 3-5-7-9). My wife and I are trying to find the best place to stay in Walt Disney World without paying through the nose for rooms. Our extended family is meeting in Disney World soon. We are trying to join them and stay at the Contemporary. Each time we use the Disney website to select rooms they assign us to a large suite due to our numbers (six). We want a standard room (at the Contemporary) with two queen size beds and a pull-out so we can sleep six. How can we get this?

Hi Steve!

The simplest answer to your question is, you can't. In fact there is no way that Disney will book a party of six into one standard room, because the occupant limit is five in a standard room in the Deluxe resorts. The limit is four in the Value and Moderate resorts. The only exception is that you can also have one guest under the age of 3 in a porta-crib. Your family doesn't fit that scenario, as your youngest is 3. If you want to stay at the Contemporary, your choices will be two standard rooms, a suite, or a villa at Bay Lake Tower, the Contemporary's new Disney Vacation Club (DVC) accommodations. None of these are inexpensive options, by the way.

If you're amenable to staying in another resort, you have a few more options. You can stay in a cabin in nearby Fort Wilderness, a two bedroom DVC villa, a family suite at the All Stars, or two regular rooms at any resort (subject to availability, of course). Also, I've found that using the website is difficult if you have any kind of unusual circumstance, so I would suggest either calling Disney Reservations directly or contacting a travel agent. Disney reservations can be reached at 1-407-W-DISNEY (934-7639).

For more information about WDW accommodations, please read All Ear's Accommodations pages.
A.A.

That's it for this edition!

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