Anyone who talks to me for more than ten minutes soon realizes that I love Disney World.  Anyone who talks to me about Disney World for more than five minutes soon realizes that I know a lot more about Disney World than a normal person. Any person who truly gets to know me figures out that my love for Disney World goes far beyond simply loving going to vacation there.  But there is something that even people who know me really well have no idea about when it comes to Disney World.

I’m obsessive in how I like to do things when I’m vacationing in Disney World.  This was apparent from my first trip in 1984.  I simply had to go on 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea before I did anything else.  I was driven to it.  I forced my entire family to do it.  I don’t know why.  Over the years, the list of things that I had to do grew and grew. I had to have a Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich from the Main Street Bakery for breakfast at least once per trip.  I had to ride on the Monorail. I had to stay in the parks until they closed.

One of my favorite locations in Walt Disney World is Main Street, USA. This is kind of ironic in that, on my first trip to Disney World I sped past Main Street as fast as I possibly could in order to get to 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. As an 11 year old kid, I wanted adventure and excitement. To me, Main Street was just a street and didn’t hold much appeal except for maybe the Magic Shop and the Penny Arcade.

When I plan people’s itineraries, Main Street USA poses the biggest problems. There is so much to do and so much to see there, but when a family only has one day in the Magic Kingdom it can be critical for them to just walk right down the middle of Main Street USA in order to get to all the attractions in the other lands that they want to see that day. They often have it in their mind that Disney World is all about “rides” and, since there are no “rides” on Main Street (except the trolley and jitneys) they don’t even consider it, much as I didn’t my first time. This is nothing short of a tragedy, for Disney World is not about “rides.” It’s about “attractions,” and there are plenty of attractions on Main Street, USA.

The first attraction on Main Street USA is the opening ceremony that happens every morning at the Main Street Station. It sets the tone for the day and never fails to bring a tear to my eye. (There’s a reason I wear sunglasses to see it.) Singing, dancing, characters, and the Walt Disney World Railroad all play a role in opening up the Magic Kingdom with a little magic mixed up with pixie dust.

I consider the theming and the views on Main Street to be attractions in and of themselves, and a big part of this are the window displays. Rather than rush down to the Hub and the Castle, why not stroll down the sidewalk and look at the amazing details of the window displays?

By far my favorite attractions on Main Street USA are the live entertainment offerings. Each group is awesome in and of itself and adds to the atmosphere of Main Street. Whether you’re listening to the amazing harmonies of the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, clapping along with the Main Street Philharmonic marching band, or watching the Main Street Trolley Show, there is always something interesting to listen to or watch. People need to be aware that these performances are worth stopping for (and participating in!). Also be on the lookout for custodians who draw pictures on the street using water, Cast Members handing out hula hoops and getting people playing jump rope, and more!

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the residents of Main Street. Sure, you can meet characters like Chip & Dale, Daisy Duck, Pluto, and even Mickey Mouse, on Main Street, but I’m talking about the residents of Main Street. People like Mayor Weaver, Fire Chief Smokey Miller, Councillor Dewey Cheatem, Inga DePoint, and Hildegard Olivia Harding. These characters are just as real as Mickey Mouse and help reinforce the story that you’re immersed in.

Wait a minute! Story? There’s a story behind Main Street USA? Yes, there is! While it’s beyond the scope of this humble blog entry to tell you why every day is the 4th of July on Main Street, you can learn a little bit about it by downloading these two episodes of the WDW Radio Show (#197 and #198) and also by purchasing Lou Mongello’s Audio Guide to Main Street USA.

These are just some of the things that I really enjoy about Main Street, U.S.A. Please, take the time to explore and enjoy this often-overlooked gem.  You just might be surprised at the memories that you create when, instead of making a mad dash for Space Mountain, you instead take a leisurely stroll through this amazing land in the Magic Kingdom.

The second occurrence was the appearance of The Dreamfinder and Figment during Richard Sherman’s session at Destination D.  This got me thinking about how awesome it would be if they’d make the Imagination Pavilion into something that very closely resembles the original attraction, complete with an updated Image Works like it used to be!  Unfortunately, I don’t see Disney doing this any time soon, and I’m not going to hire an arsonist to start a fire in Journey Into Imagination With Figment as some people are encouraging me to do.

But despite the current, uninspired attraction there is one thing about the Imagination Pavilion that hasn’t really changed since the park opened. The jumping water fountains were a delight to me on my first visit to Epcot back in 1983,

and they continue to be a delight to people today. From the leapfrogging water to the jellyfish shooters to the reverse waterfall, this is one part of the Imagination Pavilion worth visiting on every trip to Epcot.  If you have children, you’d be wise to plan to spend at least 45 minutes letting your kids enjoy themselves in that area. Also, expect them to get wet. It will happen. Trust me.

On the flip side, when Disney integrated Jack Sparrow and other characters into the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney World, I was unhappy with the concept but ended up enjoying the finished product (with the exception of the removal of Peglegged Pete the Parrot at the entrance to the attraction).  Also, I was thrilled with Captain Jack Sparrow’s Pirate Tutorial.

Now, I’m excited about another Pirates of the Caribbean adventure. No, I’m not talking about On Stranger Tides. I’m talking about the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean video game!  I’ve been in love with LEGO video games ever since they came out with the Star Wars game.  Those games really captured the spirit of the Star Wars movies, added a dash of tongue-in-cheek humor, and added enough challenge to keep an adult interested while still allowing children to enjoy playing. In fact, one of my favorite things to do is play Lego Star Wars with my four-year-old son! There aren’t many video games out there like that.

So when I had a chance to preview the Lego Pirates of the Caribbean game back at the beginning of April, I could immediately tell that it was a game I had to purchase. Last Friday I brought the game home and spent more than a few hours playing it with my kids over the weekend.  I really think that Lego can do no wrong with these types of games.  The cutscenes have actually sparked a renewed interest in the film series for me.  I can’t say for certain why;  maybe it was the added touch of humor, or perhaps it was the fun swordplay. Whatever the reason, I’m now looking forward to seeing On Stranger Tides.

In addition to the video game, I found another fun thing that Disney has put out in advance of the upcoming movie.  It’s a cool little application called the LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean Photo Mashup. It’s kind of like a modern day, digital type of Colorforms. (Yes, I know I’m dating myself by saying that.)  You pick out different background (some of which I recognize from the video game), then you add LEGO character figures and other set pieces to create a picture or scene.  You can resize and rotate the figures and objects, and you can download the images you create, also.  My kids all loved it and I have to admit that I’m hooked on it as well…

When they announced Via Napoli, I actually got my hopes up. I had never had good pizza at Disney World before. Truth be told, I think that it’s an insult to pizza everywhere to call what they serve at Disney World “pizza.”  Perhaps it’s because I’m from New Jersey where excellent pizza of all kinds abounds. So when reviews started coming back that the pizza at Via Napoli was great, I knew that I would have to dine there on my next trip. A short while ago, I got my opportunity.

I was a guest on the Tiara Talk Podcast as part of a round-table discussion giving a recap of the WDW Radio Dream Cruise, complete with fun anecdotes and tips.  If you want to find out if I’m really Lou Mongello’s brother, just listen to Episode 2.

I also managed to appear on an episode of “See Ya’ Real Late” with Tom Corless of WDW News Today.  We were discussing the new interactive queue at the Haunted Mansion as well as the new Hitchhiking Ghost audioanimatronics and effects. Needless to say, I’m thrilled with the updates.  I think the interactive queue not only gives kids something fun to do while waiting on line, it gives kids a sense of the “fun” side of the Haunted Mansion and sets the tone for the attraction.  I’ve also been a long-time advocate of upgrading the audioanimatronic figures and effects in older attractions, provided that the upgrades don’t change the attraction.  The Imagineers got it right in this instance.

I also attended a Disney Interactive media event in New York City where they previewed three video games.

I had a chance to play all three of these games and I honestly couldn’t decide which I liked more.  Each had a different feel to it.  The Lego Pirates of the Caribbean game was just a blast with the fun puzzles and cut scenes that I’ve come to expect from Lego video games.  Cars 2 was a fun, high energy racing game that reminded me of a slick version of Mario Kart.  Phineas and Ferb was a throwback to my favorite classic adventure games from the late 1980′s or early 1990′s, but with a modern twist to it.   I’m going to have to purchase all three once they are released.

Also at the media event, I found out the Disney is celebrating the upcoming royal marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton with the Happily Ever After Contest. While following royal weddings isn’t really my cup of tea, getting a chance to win a free trip to Disney World is.  There are also some great activities for young Princesses to be found on the website, too.

Finally, I wrote an article for The Disney Driven Life giving tips on how to avoid losing your children when vacationing at Disney World.  If I do say so myself, it is well worth your time to read it.

The Kona Cafe, located at the Polynesian Resort, is a longtime favorite restaurant of mine and a couple of weeks ago I was able to enjoy a dinner there with my wife Charity, our baby, and friend Nicole. After spending a fun day in the Magic Kingdom, we hopped on the ferry for a beautiful sunset boat ride to the Polynesian.  The torch-lit walk from the boat dock, past the volcano pool to the Great Ceremonial House reminded me once again how the Polynesian resort is able to transport you into a different and exotic world.

The restaurant is located on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. I love the tropical, floral-themed decor and the lighting; it sets up just the right ambiance for a putting a person at ease.  However, with nothing but a short wall separating the restaurant from the spacious and active lobby, the Kona Cafe is not the place to go if you’re looking for a quiet dinner. (I don’t find the noise level to be particularly loud. It is more of an active social buzz that I think encourages conversation as opposed to an atmosphere where you feel you have to whisper to your dining companions.)

After dragging Charity and Nicole away from the awesome display of desserts, we sat down and decided on our meal as we stuffed ourselves with the sweet bread & macadamia nut butter.  For appetizers, I decided to get the Pot Stickers (“wok-seared duck dumplings with creamy ginger-soy sauce”), and my wife opted for the Kona Salad (“mixed greens, blue cheese, fresh fruit, red onions, and smoked almonds with citrus vinaigrette”).  Nicole chose to eat more of the bread.

After some joking about which Disney duck had been sacrificed in order to create the dumplings (we decided it must have been Darkwing Duck since he hasn’t been seen in years), we all agreed that the dumplings by themselves were just okay.  However, the ginger-soy sauce was wonderful!  The Kona Salad was a big hit with my wife, and Nicole had to ask for another loaf of bread.

For our entrées, I ordered the Tuna Oscar (“served with fried green tomatoes, tempura-fried jumbo lump crab, and Wasabi Hollandaise”), Charity chose the Pan Asian Noodles with chicken (“Asian noodles with sliced chicken, peanuts, seasonal vegetables, and soy-peanut sauce”), and Nicole had the Coconut-Almond Chicken (“breaded and baked chicken breast served with a salad of Asian greens, fresh fruit, and almonds”).

The Tuna Oscar was a great dish! The tuna was excellent, and the fried green tomatoes were near to perfect. The only place the dish came up short was the tempura-fried jumbo crab. While I’m not a big fan of crab (I ordered the dish for the tuna, fried green tomatoes, and hollandaise), even I was disappointed by the puny size of the crab cakes.

My wife’s entrée, the Pan-Asian noodles, was instantly forgettable save for the noodles — they weren’t Asian noodles at all! As far as we could tell, it was spaghetti noodles. (I’m an Irish-Italian American with a heavy emphasis on the Italian.  I know my pasta.)

Nicole’s Coconut-Almond Chicken was another win.  She had said it was her favorite dish on the menu, and after having a bite I could easily agree with her.  The chicken itself was excellent and just thinking about the coconut-almond breading on the chicken has my mouth watering. I know what I’m ordering the next time I have dinner at the Kona Cafe.

And now, I move on to my favorite part of the meal — the desserts.  Charity and Nicole had already decided to each have their own Banana-Chocolate Creme Brulee.  I opted for the Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

I detest bananas, so I didn’t even ask for a bite of the ladies’ desserts. They were both very happy about that, since they declared the dessert to be excellent.  Apparently, the layer of chocolate under the creme brulee is what really made it so great.  I left feeling a little disappointed. The pineapple upside down cake looked scrumptious and flavor-wise it was exactly what I was looking for.  But the cake overall was too dry and that overshadowed the flavor and left me begging for a glass of milk.

Overall, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Kona Cafe. The food hits outnumbered the misses, and the atmosphere was pleasant as it always is. As we left the restaurant to jump on the monorail back to the Magic Kingdom, I was glad that we had made the choice to dine at the Kona Cafe once more.