The milestone in question is the one year countdown until August 29, 2011 when the Resort will open to hotel guests and Disney Vacation Club members. Here’s a video of the sculpture being made.

                          

One of my favorite communities at Disneyland organizes around the Saturday night swing dancing. To me, a swing band and a full dance floor just means summer. Take, for instance, this video that shows at least three, possibly four, generations all out on the dance floor at the same time enjoying this particular brand of Disney magic.

                          

Narrative continuity is not a strong point of this place but this is bordering on the absurd. You are instructed to go the Room of Requirement (and suddenlyt Ron makes it snow. Huh?) in order to sneak out of the castle. At this point, it became clear that they should have forgotten the millions of dollars they spent filming the movie actors to create this walkthrough. It makes no sense at all. Further along the way there is also a Gryffindor Common Room (furniture against one wall) and a portrait of the Fat Lady that is one of the better effects but she is not at the entrance to the common room.

In fact, while I can’t find fault with many of the points made, I have to think that the larger point was missed. The criticism comes from some idea that an ideal version of the Harry Potter world exists somewhere and that this was supposed to imitate it exactly. The reality is that this is a theme park with certain limitations and expectations that are agreed upon by the visiting audience. 100% fidelity is not required to let yourself go and find yourself in the world of Harry Potter, it just has to be close enough.

If you like this sort of analysis, I also recommend Henry Jenkins’ blog.

                          

I can’t think of a single one of these negotiations that wasn’t resolved either before the deadline or shortly there after. Cable and content creators need to sit down with the FCC and members of congress and figure out a new model of content neutrality that still gives cable companies a reasonable profit.

The full press release of the announcement is below the cut:

DISNEY/ABC, ESPN AND TIME WARNER CABLE SIGN LONG-TERM, WIDE-RANGING AGREEMENT TO CARRY A VARIETY OF VIDEO & DIGITAL SERVICES

Agreement Includes Several New Services for Subscribers, Including Disney Junior, ESPN3.com, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater and Expanded VOD Offerings

BURBANK and NEW YORK— Disney/ABC Television Group, ESPN and Time Warner Cable today entered into a long-term, wide-ranging agreement that will provide Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks cable customers the programming of ABC Family, Disney Channel, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, and SOAPnet, as well as WABC in New York, KABC in Los Angeles, WTVD in Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, WTVG in Toledo, and associated HD cable networks. Subscribers will also have unprecedented digital access to online content and expanded Video On Demand services.

This extensive and expanded rights package, Disney Media Network’s most expansive content agreement to date, provides for:

* The recently announced Disney Junior, a new 24-hour basic channel for preschool-age children, parents and caregivers. Available to Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks cable customers upon its debut in 2012, the new channel will feature animated and live action programming which blends Disney’s unparalleled storytelling and beloved characters with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles and social skills.
* The addition of ESPN3.com, ESPN’s live sports broadband network, which will be available to all Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subscribers who get ESPN. ESPN3.com gives Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks fans a 24/7 online destination that delivers more than 3,500 live, global sports events annually as part of TV Everywhere. This addition also gives Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks the rights to feature cleared content from ESPN3.com on its sports tier.
* Access to a new authenticated service, which will give Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks subscribers the opportunity to watch the linear networks ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU through their broadband services as well as mobile Internet devices, like an iPad. Details on the launch will be forthcoming.
* A new service, developed with Time Warner Cable, called ESPN Goal Line; a super-highlight channel that will be available only to Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks sports tier subscribers as early as September 4. ESPN Goal Line will take fans around the best matchups each Saturday during the NCAA football season. The once-a-week network will include live look-ins to game action focusing on scoring drives and up-to-the minute commentary from analysts and experts. A similar service called ESPN Buzzer Beater will be available for the college basketball season.
* Expanded VOD services in many markets will include:
o ABC On Demand, ABC’s fast forward-disabled VOD service which currently features a selection of primetime programming, including episodes of such popular ABC shows as “Castle,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Private Practice,” and “Desperate Housewives.” Anticipated newcomers include “No Ordinary Family” and “My Generation.” Additionally, episodes of ABC News’ “Good Morning America” are available each week.
o Disney-branded On Demand offerings for kids, including Disney Channel On Demand and Disney XD On Demand. Refreshed each month, the Disney Channel VOD offering will include episodes from such series as “Handy Manny,” “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” and “Special Agent Oso” for preschoolers, as well as variety of episodes from “Wizards of Waverly Place,” “Hannah Montana,” “The Suite Life on Deck,” “Good Luck Charlie” and other popular series for older kids. Select episodes featured on Disney Channel On Demand will be available in multiple languages. Disney XD On Demand features a variety of episodes from such series as the Emmy Award-winning animated hit “Phineas and Ferb” and “Kick Buttowski – Suburban Daredevil,” as well as the upcoming sitcom “Pair of Kings.”
o Locally relevant sports content from ESPN in several Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks markets, including Los Angeles, New York, North and South Carolina, Tampa, Orlando, Texas and Ohio.
o The subscription VOD service “Disney Family Movies” which features a selection of classic and contemporary films and animated shorts from The Walt Disney Studios.
o A new transactional VOD service for select content from the Disney/ABC Television Group.
* Inclusion of a variety of content from across the Disney Media Networks’ portfolio on Time Warner Cable’s and Bright House Networks Start Over and Look Back features.
* The addition of ESPN Deportes HD to Time Warner Cable’s larger footprint.
* The launch of ESPN 3D to Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks’ systems.
* A Time Warner Cable/ESPN Deportes co-branded, Spanish language sports website in Los Angeles.
* Availability of ESPN Radio feeds in New York, Los Angeles and Dallas to Time Warner Cable’s video platform.
* A plethora of ESPN-branded content made available on Time Warner Cable’s and Bright House Networks’ sports tier.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement without any interruption in service,” said Glenn Britt, Time Warner Cable’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We thank our customers for their support, and we look forward to launching these new and innovative products and services.”

Co-chairs of Disney Media Networks George Bodenheimer and Anne Sweeney also commented on the announcement, stating, “The successful conclusion of this wide-ranging deal demonstrates our commitment to our distribution partners and our ability to work with them to provide consumers with an unmatched portfolio of national and local entertainment, news and sports content while continuing to strengthen both of our businesses.”

“We’re pleased that an agreement has been reached with no disruption in programming for our customers,” said Steve Miron, Chief Executive Officer, Bright House Networks.

About Disney Media Networks:

Disney Media Networks comprise a vast array of The Walt Disney Company’s (NYSE: DIS) broadcast, cable, radio, publishing and Internet businesses, including Disney/ABC Television Group and ESPN, Inc. The Disney/ABC Television Group is composed of The Walt Disney Company’s global entertainment and news television properties, including the ABC Television Network, ABC Studios, Disney Channels Worldwide, ABC Family and SOAPnet, as well as Disney/ABC Domestic Television and Disney Media Distribution. ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50 business entities.

About Time Warner Cable:

Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems located mainly in five geographic areas — New York State (including New York City), the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California (including Los Angeles) and Texas. Time Warner Cable serves more than 14 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data and voice services. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers a suite of phone, Internet, Ethernet and cable television services to businesses of all sizes. Time Warner Cable Media Sales, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions that are targeted and affordable. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at www.timewarnercable.com, www.twcbc.com and www.twcmediasales.com.

About Bright House Networks:

Bright House Networks is the ninth largest multichannel video programmer distributor (MVPD) in the US with 2.4 million customers in several large cities including Tampa Bay and Orlando, Florida; Bakersfield, California; Indianapolis, Indiana; Detroit, Michigan; and Birmingham, Alabama; along with several other smaller regions in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The Florida markets are adjacent and form one of the country’s largest cable clusters.

For more information about Bright House Networks or our products and services, visit brighthouse.com.

                          

My parents used to own a sign shop in Portland, OR – so I can respect the work these cast members do. Little known fact, I was once considered for a position at the Disneyland Sign Shop in the mid-90s. That’s about the closest I’ve come to working at Walt’s park.

                          

The other thing we looked forward to was exploring a few of the areas attractions. Sarasota is about a 2 hour drive from the Walt Disney World resort, which meant I could count it as research. Another bonus.

As usual when I travel, I keep my eyes open for ties to the Walt Disney company. There may be dozens in Sarasota, given its proximity to central Florida. But I didn’t stumble across any until 5pm on the last day.

We spent that afternoon at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. The two (soon to be three) buildings of Circus history kept the 7 year old’s attention and he also enjoyed touring the Ca d’Zan (House of John), the Ringling mansion. That left us about an hour to stroll through the 38 galleries of the Art Museum. Not nearly enough time to take it all in, but I made a point to visit the Special Exhibits that may not be around the next time I’m in town.

I’m glad I did because the HEYDAY: Photographs of Frederick W. Glasier exhibit focused on early 1900s Circus performers. A circus fan in my heart and having recently read “Water for Elephants“, a book about that era of Circus life that’s being made into a movie starring Robert Pattinson, I enjoyed the few Glasier photos in the book. There were over 50 in this exhibit.

The very last photo in the exhibit featured a young female circus performer known for her equestrian feats and for her ‘slide of death’ – one Tiny Kline. I snapped a photo of the picture (don’t tell anyone) and later bought a copy of it in the gift shop (see, it’s all good).

Kline was born in Hungary as Helen Deutsch, she changed her name after coming to America at the age of 14 and choosing to join a vaudeville act instead of work as a seamstress. She met her husband who had an equestrian circus act and eventually took over that act after he died performing a trick. The above picture was taken in 1918 when she was 27 or 28.

Later Kline developed an aerial “iron jaw’ act she called the “slide of death.” She performed this many times over her life including this slide across Times Square, when she was 42, that was captured on film.

Now, Disney fans will look at that video and think, “gee that reminds me of something.” If you think it looks like Tinker Bell flying down from The Matterhorn or Castle during the fireworks, you’d be right. Walt’s team somehow found Tiny Kline, who had moved to southern California to find a career in Hollywood (after having already retired to live in Sarasota, FL). They recruited her to slide down the Hollywood Bowl dressed as Tinker Bell and in a harness as part of a concert Walt had organized in 1958 called ‘Disneyland sponsors Disney Night at the Hollywood Bowl’.

Three years later in 1961, when Disneyland added Tinker Bell to its nightly fireworks show, they turned to Tiny Kline, aged 71, to repeat her performance. Kline agreed and continued to perform as Tinker Bell, taking the bus to Disneyland each day, for the next three years, until the cancer that eventually took her life became too difficult to perform with.

Tiny Kline was one of those people who lived the story of America. An immigrant, entertainer, bon vivant, and eventually an icon. Kline wrote a memoir, which was edited and published a few years ago. You can read the editor’s introduction to that book over at Google, or buy it on Amazon. I also highly recommend the book of Circus photographs by Glasier.

For me, finding Tiny Kline there at the end of this trip to Sarasota was a great moment. I left feeling recharged about Disney and how it reaches across time, politics, and gender to impact our lives. It made me aware that my part of the story, no matter how small, is playing a part in the same story that Tiny Kline told. I will be sure to always respect that.

                          

I haven’t had a chance to ride it myself, but the general feeling is that this is a good improvement. It definitely adds an element to the ride and makes the track somewhat less predictable. I’ll report back once I’ve had a chance to ride.

For more details check out this interview the Orlando Sentinel had with an Imagineer who worked on updating the attraction. The really curious can find an on-ride video at LaughingPlace.com, but of course, that contains spoilers.

If you’ve been on the ride do you think this is a good addition?

                          

I don’t think this agreement between the parks and the state is actually accomplishing much. We need to know the situation behind the injuries, as well as reports from hospitals and urgent care centers from patients who claim to have been injured at the parks. Just judging on the number of times I see paramedics in the park, I definitely think things are a big under reported.

That said, I believe parks are quite safe. But more knowledge gives guests more power in deciding which rides are appropriate for them.

                          

I don’t think this agreement between the parks and the state is actually accomplishing much. We need to know the situation behind the injuries, as well as reports from hospitals and urgent care centers from patients who claim to have been injured at the parks. Just judging on the number of times I see paramedics in the park, I definitely think things are a big under reported.

That said, I believe parks are quite safe. But more knowledge gives guests more power in deciding which rides are appropriate for them.

                          

Here are a couple of our favorites that I suggest you check out the next time your in Florida.

The first is Yehaabob Jackson.  Bob has been the regular bar piano player at Port Orleans Riverside since 1997 (back when it was called Dixie Landings).  He puts on a heck of a show and here is just one link to YouTube showing how much so:

The second are the two performing acts over at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  The first is the lobby pianist:

And the other is the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra that plays from the upstairs balcony in front of one of the better hidden and nicer bars around as well.  A great place for a casual date or to meet friends and hang out.

So take some time out to rest, relax and enjoy all of the other entertainment options at your disposal when you’re here.