TWENTY YEARS OF DISNEY VACATION CLUB®

sUMMER2012 • Volume2 1 • Number2

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VOL. 21 NO. 2

Disney Files MagazineDisney Vacation ClubP.O. Box 10350Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

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To say I know a lot about cars would be like saying the Kardashians know a lot about privacy. I’m not ashamed to admit that if the imaginary “man card” wasn’t imaginary, the checklist of male stereotypes on the back of mine would include at least one empty box. Football? Check. Ignoring written instructions? Check. Affinity for standing around a grill? Emphatic check. Knowledge of cars? Not so much. Whereas a card-carrying gear head may ask a salesman about gaskets, manifolds and flywheels (words I just pulled off the Internet), I’m more likely to ask about cup holders, floor mats and those fun little retractable storage compartments for sunglasses. So imagine my surprise when, in 2006, the good people at Pixar captivated me with a movie about – and titled – Cars. Mater and McQueen connected me to motor vehicles in a way I haven’t felt since “The Dukes of Hazzard” left the airwaves, and the film added a Route 66 road trip to my bucket list. Whetting my appetite for that trip will be Cars Land, scheduled to welcome Disney California Adventure Guests to Radiator Springs on June 15. I sat down with two of the project’s lead Imagineers to get the inside scoop about this 12-acre paradise of motors and magic (pages 3-6). And that’s not the only story boosting the strength of my man card in this edition. Page 8, for example, examines the growing trend of Members gathering around fire pits at Disney Vacation Club Resorts. (Just typing the words “fire pits” makes me want to stop shaving.) Our Disney Dish feature (page 12) serves up Walt Disney’s favorite recipe for chili, which has to be the manliest meal since filet of mammoth. Pages 15-16 include mention of a place that’ll use antlers in all of its decorating, and page 18 travels to Hong Kong to explore a rugged new land called Grizzly Gulch. Add planned enhancements to Test Track (page 19) and a new movie that arms its heroine with a bow and arrow (page 24), and you have a reading experience that’ll make you grunt like Tim Taylor. There’s plenty more to this issue, of course, but highlighting page 7’s interior-decorating feature or page 19’s note about Princess Fairytale Hall would needlessly interrupt my masculine shtick. Instead, let’s just add the word “Talking” before “Cars” on the back of my imaginary man card and consider the checklist complete. Welcome home,

Ryan MarchDisney Files Editor

Cover mosaic comprised of Member family photos Illustration of Ryan by Keelan Parham

Disney Vacation Club’s mission is to “Continuously inspire a proud Cast family to deliver unparalleled vacation experiences that connect Members to the places and people they love while introducing them to a world of vacations they never dreamed possible.” While every word in that statement is important, I’ve italicized one for a reason. Whether I’m reading Member letters or visiting with Member families at our resorts and events, “connection” emerges as a common theme. Members speak of enduring relationships with their Vacation Club Guides, family bonds strengthened through decades of vacations, friendships formed with fellow Members and impactful interactions with our Cast. A recent Member letter from Mike Truschinger illustrated the immeasurable impact of personal connection. A proud father of three, Mike spoke of the role Cast Members played in the life of his son Brandon, born with cerebral palsy and confined to a wheelchair. Brandon passed away last year at the age of 16. “You should be very proud of the work you do and how you impact more lives than you probably realize,” Mike wrote to our Cast. “I am crying right now (tears of joy) as I think of all the hard work and dedication you show to everyone … Brandon truly was treated just like everyone else. Well, maybe a little better than most. We are saddened by his passing but grateful to have such warm memories … I just want to say thank you for giving him dignity, honor and respect. I hope you know the value of your work and how it makes a difference in the lives of many. With much love, I thank you again.” I’d like to thank Mike again for sharing Brandon’s story, which continues to inspire our Cast. Another letter spoke of a Member’s connection to me personally and demonstrated that it really is a small world after all. It came from Bob Willard, who, as it turns out, had a professional relationship with my late father. “We had a wonderful professional relationship, but it’s also fair to say, I loved your dad,” Bob wrote. “Whenever I had to meet with him for business, we also would go to dinner and have wonderful conversations … Earlier this month, my wife and I went to see the musical Wicked here in L.A. I was struck by the song, ‘For Good,’ especially the lines, ‘I know I’m who I am today, because

I knew you,’ and ‘Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.’ It got me to thinking who in my life I would say those words to – friends, teachers, bosses, colleagues, etc. I wrote down a dozen or so names that occurred to me. They were in no particular order, but there at the top was Richard Bilby … Let me say how delighted I am that the daughter of a man I respect so much is now running an operation that gives me and my family such great pleasure and joy.” Well let me say how delighted I am to receive these letters and countless others illustrating the power of connection. That Members take the time to share such personal stories with us says more to me about Disney Vacation Club than any mission statement. I’m deeply proud to lead this business, and I simply can’t imagine a community of people to whom I’d rather be connected.

By Claire Bilby, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Disney Vacation Club

The power of connection

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Brandon Truschinger

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Disneyland Resort: Few historical events have shaped California like the advent of the automobile. From the pioneering of drive-thru restaurants (several California eateries claim to have been America’s first drive-thru restaurant) to the attraction of drivers to roadside businesses with whimsical “California Crazy” architectural styles, the Golden State has a long history of catering to motorists. So when Walt Disney Imagineers traveled in search of ideas for the most ambitious element of their Disney California Adventure expansion project, they didn’t catch a flight. They hopped in their cars and headed for Route 66. Disney∙Pixar’s hit 2006 film Cars reintroduced tourists to the historic highway and gave Imagineers the perfect bridge between Disney’s storytelling legacy and California’s car

culture. A road trip in the footsteps (or treads) of the filmmakers and a firsthand look at

the movie’s Route 66 source material continued an ongoing love affair

between the famed “Mother Road” and the celebrated film franchise.

“You realize what an appreciation people on Route 66 have for Cars and for how that movie brought American tourists back to the road to do some more exploration,” said Imagineer Kathy Mangum. “So it’s come full circle in terms of who’s helping who. That made me really appreciate the film even more.” Driven to further strengthen that connection

between the real world of Route 66 and the imagined

world of Radiator Springs, the Imagineers

worked closely with Cars director John

Lasseter and his fellow filmmakers during a five-year effort to bring “the cutest little town in Carburetor County” to Anaheim. The result is a fully immersive and extraordinarily detailed 12-acre land (11 acres of which expand the Park’s original footprint) featuring three high-octane attractions, three roadside eateries and three unique merchandise shops (just to make sure Guests don’t “drive away” empty-handed). At the heart of Cars Land is Radiator Springs Racers, a sprawling attraction that infuses the Disney Parks concept of an “E-Ticket ride” with a new spirit of competition. Equipped with Disney’s Fastpass service and employing ride technology similar to that of Test Track at Epcot, the indoor/outdoor attraction begins with a leisurely drive through Ornament Valley, with favorite personalities from the Cars films brought to life through a colorful cast Audio-Animatronics characters. With Mater along for the ride, the scenic drive even includes a little tractor-tipping. Of course, that leisurely pace won’t last long (it’s not called Radiator Springs Idlers, after all) as drivers soon take a pit stop in one of two garages for some final preparations for “the big race!” Once outside, Guests take on other Guests in an exhilarating, side-by-side race through the monument-filled Ornament Valley. “You never know who will win,” Kathy said. “It gives this attraction a uniquely unpredictable finish.” Even those who choose not to ride may soak up the sights and sounds of the valley, admiring the towering landscape (which ranks as Disney’s largest rock-work project outside of Tokyo DisneySea Park) from a number of vistas and enjoying the attraction’s original (and orchestral) musical score, blissfully unimpeded by visual intrusions from the world beyond the ridge. (The rugged mountains ensure that the outside world is no longer among the sights seen from this corner of the Park.)

opening june 15, 2012

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Equally anticipated among Disney fans is Luigi’s Flying Tires attraction,

reminiscent of the classic Flying Saucers attraction on which Disneyland Guests floated from 1961-1966. At the modern version, Guests will shift their body weight to steer floating tires

(hovering a few inches off the floor, thanks to Luigi’s air compressors) around

– or, in most cases, into – the piloted tires around them. Guests looking for an added thrill can switch gears and literally take their tires for a spin. Rounding out the land’s trio of attractions is Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, a toe-tapping, knee-slapping, figure-eight “dance” aboard whip-around baby tractors, all set to Mater’s singing. For hungry and thirsty Guests, Cars Land’s dining options include the Cozy Cone Motel, dispensing the tastiest treats in Carburetor County with heaping side orders of cone puns (including chili CONE queso, popCONE, CONE on the cob and some tempting frozen CONEcoctions); Fillmore’s Taste-In, a natural place for natural snacks; and Flo’s V8 Café, a comfort-food diner that represents another “full-circle” element of the Cars Land project. “In the film, Flo’s V8 Café, scale-wise, works perfectly for animated cars … but for a 300-seat, quick-service restaurant, we obviously needed quite a bit more program,” explained Imagineer Jim Kearns. (Note that “program,” in

this context, is Imagineering-speak for “themed space.”) “So there was quite a bit of work with the Pixar team to figure out how to build out that additional program to make it functional but still tell the story of what Flo would’ve done ... That imagery [created for the Park’s diner design] later appeared in Cars 2 when they were in Radiator Springs ... I think that was an exciting part for a lot of the designers on the team to see their designs get included in the movie.” Non-edible fare, meanwhile, will be available at Cars Land’s three merchandise shops, which include Radiator Springs Curios, Ramone’s House of Body Art and Sarge’s Surplus Hut. Adorned with the iconic neon signs that Lightning McQueen ultimately helped restore in the original film, the shops will take on new life each evening, as the song “Sh-Boom” signals the arrival of nightfall and sends waves of illumination through the storied streets of Radiator Springs. Adding even more character to the land are meet-and-greet opportunities with Lightning McQueen and Mater, and interactive street performances by Red, the shy fire engine who makes appearances to water the town’s plants (and maybe even some Guests in the process). Oh, and speaking of character, we asked if Cars Land featured any hidden Mickeys. While Jim confirmed the mouse’s subtle presence, he stopped short of sharing exact locations, saying, “If I told you where they were, they wouldn’t be hidden anymore.” Well played, Jim. Well played.

John Lasseter’s

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Air compressorsAutomobileBridgeCarsCarburetorDrive-thruDrivenDriversEngine

GearsHigh-octaneHighwayMotoristPacePit stopRaceRadiatorRoad trip

RoadsideRoute 66Spark plugsTaillightTiresTreadsV8

(see answer to right)

Road Game: Disney Files Magazine is presents the following activity in the enduring spirit of road games that have kept generations of kids (reasonably) quiet in the car. All but one of the following car-related words and terms are included in our Cars Land coverage. Which one isn’t?

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Throughout our interview, the Imagineers revealed Cars Land details born from brainstorms with Pixar chief John Lasseter, the mastermind behind the Cars films and principal creative advisor at Walt Disney Imagineering. Here are a few of our favorites:

• In brainstorming ideas for the expansion of the Flo’s V8 Café concept, John explained that Flo’s a glamorous Motorama Girl who used to sing and would therefore feel right at home in a showroom. Architects ran with that concept, designing the expansive café in the style of an old classic car showroom.

• A big fan and student of Theme Parks, John recognized the importance of a covered queue for what promises to be an extremely popular Radiator Springs Racers attraction, and he helped the team dream up a creative concept to ensure that, like any good road trip, “getting there” would be half the fun. During the brainstorm, John referenced a deleted scene from the original Cars film that would’ve more fully explained the back story of Stanley, the character memorialized by a statue in the film. As a result of that revelation, Guests waiting to board Radiator Springs Racers will explore Stanley’s Oasis and get the inside story of the former traveling salesman who, in the early 1900s, financed the town through the sale of replacement radiator caps.

• Imagineers originally dubbed the final scene of Radiator Springs Racers “Cars Bad Caverns” (inspired by Carlsbad Caverns) and imagined rock formations reminiscent of spark plugs. John suggested some additional eye candy in the form of glowing red taillights to the rock work, and the final scene became Taillight Caverns.

ANSWER: Engine

Signs of the times: Use your smart phone’s QR code reader to scan this black-and-white box, which will link you to a Disney Parks Blog post containing a behind-the-scenes video starring the Walt Disney Imagineers who created the spectacular neon signs throughout Cars Land. If you don’t have a smart phone, visit www.disneyparks.com/blog and search for the word neon. Then click on the headline “Neon Signs to Light Up the Night at Cars Land in Disney California Adventure Park.”

communityThree H‘s and a dash of DCreative pillars inspire new interior designs

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa: Health, history and horses. It was with these creative threads – each pulled from the charming upstate town of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – that Walt Disney Imagineers weaved the thematic story of our neighborhood’s largest resort. So when designers set out to refresh the resort’s villa interiors, they began with design concepts drawn from each of the property’s “three H’s.” One proposed package focused on the physical and spiritual healing associated with its natural springs. Another celebrated the area’s historic seaside amusement parks, and a third tipped its jockey cap to the town’s proud history of horseracing. “While we ultimately preferred the horseracing theme, we also included some details from the other concepts in the final design package,” Associate Design Manager Lora Spran told Disney Files Magazine. The villas’ new master bedroom materials, for example, balance seaside-park-inspired color schemes with details spurred by the world of horses. “The new light fixture on the master bedroom’s nightstand is a fantastic horseracing detail,” Lora said, referencing the rare “hard good” in a project otherwise focused on “soft goods” (carpets, drapes, bed linens, furniture upholstery, etc.). Like every element of the design package, the horse-and-horseshoe bedside lamp is a custom piece created exclusively for the resort. Draperies provided perhaps the boldest canvas for the equine theme, with one drape pattern sporting horseracing sketches and another employing a finishing detail reminiscent of a horse’s bridle. The drapery canvas is even bigger in Grand Villas, where a new “horse damask” pattern gives the living room’s two-story curtain more visual “pop.” While designers found plenty of inspiration in the “three H’s,” they also added a distinctive dash of “D” (as in Disney) to the equation.

“We always look for opportunities to enhance Disney resort interiors with Disney details,” Lora explained. “We call it ‘character essence,’ and the Saratoga theme allowed us to ‘think outside the mouse’ and celebrate some other great animated characters that are a natural fit for this resort.” From the stately steed that helped Mulan bring honor to her family, to the galloping glory-grabber that made his not-so-humble Home on the Range, custom sketches of several Disney horses by character artist Lon Smart appear on sofa pillows in living rooms and studios. The non-Disney horses that ride through new studio bedspread patterns, meanwhile, do so in a forest inhabited by Tod and Copper from the 1981 animated feature The Fox and the Hound. “We know that Members have a keen eye for the details,” Lora said. “And this project has been all about the details.” Installation of the new materials began in February and will continue in phases into 2013.

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Neighborhood

One of humankind’s earliest discoveries remains among our greatest fascinations. First harnessed sometime in the Lower Paleolithic period, this chemical combustion of heat and light is one of the most powerful, life-altering forces on earth. Archaeologists have described our

ability to control it as a turning point in the development of human culture. It’s what allowed our earliest ancestors us to stay out after dark, protect themselves from predators and eat things they would’ve otherwise regretted. If you’ve seen The Jungle Book, you know it’s also the one ability we have that animated, singing orangutans desperately want. So it should come as little surprise that modern humans are still drawn to fire. We light it, feed it, stoke it and give it a cherished place in our living rooms. We gather around it to cook, to stay warm, to tell stories and to turn marshmallows into the confectionery equivalent of volcanic magma. And throughout our neighborhood of Disney Vacation Club Resorts, we’re making it a nightly tradition. “The recent addition of fire pits to Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

builds on a wonderful tradition of fireside gatherings,” Regional Recreational Manager Cathy Dunlap told Disney Files Magazine. “They’re uniquely relaxing places for Members to unwind after a busy day, and to make memories with our Cast and with each other. While we’re always looking for opportunities to interact with Members throughout our resorts, there’s just nothing like gathering around a fire. It’s something you do with friends and family, so it’s the perfect place for us to spend quality time with the Members who inspire us to do what we do every day. “Our Activities Cast may lead sing-alongs, tell stories, roast marshmallows or just spend time getting to know Members better. “A lot of the letters we receive from Members after their vacation specifically reference experiences they enjoyed with our Cast and fellow Members around the fire. Some of those letters even reference tips they received there from our Cast or from other Members, and they talk about how those tips helped them get more out of their vacation.” So whether you’re into singing, storytelling, mingling, roasting or just reconnecting with your inner cave person, be sure to ask about fireside activities the next time you check into a Disney Vacation Club Resort. You won’t find a hotter hot spot in the neighborhood.

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Walt Disney World Resort: Disney Files Magazine is pleased to report that Disney Vacation Club Members may now take advantage of a 20 percent discount at select Walt Disney World table-service restaurants by purchasing an annual Tables in Wonderland membership (previously available only to Florida residents and Walt Disney World Passholders). The program’s $100 annual fee entitles the Tables in Wonderland cardholder and as many as nine Guests on the same check to enjoy the 20 percent discount when the cardholder pays the bill. Unlike many dining discounts, this one even applies to alcohol. Other benefits include complimentary self-parking at Theme Parks and valet parking at resorts for the purpose

of dining*, and invitations to culinary experiences ranging from winemaker dinners to exclusive events. So whether your idea of Disney dining involves going home to Olivia’s, embarking on a Pizzafari, entering a Crystal Palace or rubbing elbows with Chefs de France, this is your opportunity to dine with benefits. For more details (including a complete list of participating restaurants, block-out dates and more), visit www.tablesinwonderland.com. When you’re ready to become a Tables in Wonderland member, visit any Walt Disney World Theme Park or Downtown Disney Guest Relations location, and remember to present your Disney Vacation Club Member ID.*Visit www.tablesinwonderland.com for details about this and other elements of the program.

Adventures by Disney has planned special editions of its “Quest for the West,” “Enchanted China” and “Sacred Valleys and Incan Cities” trips for Disney Vacation Club Members and their Guests. “Quest for the West” will lead Member families on a 7-day, 6-night Wyoming adventure departing on July 30, 2012, with scheduled visits to Jackson Hole, Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks and Brooks Lake Lodge. These are kid-friendly places where travelers ride horses and rapids, where a working dude ranch becomes a private retreat, where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.* And with Disney Vacation Club “extras” ranging from Members’ own personalized cowboy hats and good-luck horseshoes to a dinner at the Old Faithful Inn (one of the inspirations behind Disney’s Wilderness Lodge) to a live theatrical production at the historic Jackson Hole Playhouse, Members are sure to feel at “home” on the range. “Enchanted China” is an adults-only, 12-day, 11-night adventure departing on Sept. 16, 2012 (when local weather is typically pleasant), to Beijing, Chengdu, Xi‘an, Guilin, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Highlights include a cable-car ride to the Great Wall, a performance of the Sichuan Face-Changing Opera, a tram ride down Hong Kong’s Victoria Peak and privately guided looks

at rare pandas and the famed Terra Cotta Warriors. Member extras range from dinner at The China Club (one of the most exclusive clubs in Beijing) to a private tour of the Shanghai Museum. Also departing on Sept. 16, 2012, is “Sacred Valleys and Incan Cities,” an adults-only, 9-day, 8-night Peruvian adventure through the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco and Lima. A traditional Andean Pachamanca feast, a rafting trip down the Urubamba River, an exploration of ancient ruins, a privately guided tour of Machu Picchu and a friendly encounter with llamas, alpacas and vicugnas are among the trip’s highlights during a typically great-weather season for Peru. Special bonuses for Members range from an outdoor lunch and performance featuring Peruvian Paso horses and regional dancers, a dinner set in a 16th century historic building and a farewell lunch near the Presidential Palace at Lima’s Casa Aliaga, one of the oldest Colonial mansions in Lima, founded in 1535. All three trips include special Member gifts and a visit from Disney Vacation Club Senior Vice President and General Manager Claire Bilby**. Visit DVCMember.com to learn more about these trips, and call Member Services when you’re ready to book your adventure.

Enjoy

leading Member trips

Member Perks

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*We’re quoting a beloved American song here and can’t guarantee clear skies.**Schedule permitting

You too canDisney races offer Member discounts

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Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts: You don’t have to be Bob Iger to “run” Disney. More than 125,000 runners a year participate in events through runDisney, a series of half- and full-marathon races through Disney Theme Park destinations. Participants enjoy Disney’s legendary entertainment and Guest service as they run, jog or walk (or some combination of the three) through and around Disney Theme Parks before claiming their coveted Disney-themed finisher medal and celebrating their accomplishment in the places where dreams come true. These family friendly events offer something for everyone, with highlights ranging from 5K runs to kids’ races to fitness expos packed with product demonstrations, guest speakers and official race merchandise. Runners range from hardcore competitors looking to beat their personal best to first-timers looking to achieve something they once thought impossible. Many new runners use the now-legendary run/walk/run method developed by official runDisney training consultant Jeff

Galloway to accomplish their goal. Upcoming events include the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend (Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 2012 in California), The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler Weekend (Sept. 28-29, 2012 in Florida), Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend (Nov. 9-10, 2012 in Florida), the 20th annual Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend (Jan. 10-13, 2013 in Florida), Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend (Jan. 18-20, 2013 in California) and Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend (Feb. 22-24, 2013 in Florida). Disney Vacation Club Members get a $10 discount off first-tier registration prices (available during an event’s earliest booking period) for all runDisney half- and full-marathon races (or $20 off the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend’s “Goofy Challenge,” which involves running both the half- and full-marathon races). For more details about race discounts, visit the Member Perks section of DVCMember.com, and to learn more about runDisney events, or to access Jeff Galloway’s training program, visit www.runDisney.com.

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Right on “key”New merchandise celebrates magic of Membership

The key to creating meaningful products can be as varied as consumers themselves. When the consumers are Members, the key can literally be a key. Among the approximately 40 new Member merchandise items available now at Disney Vacation Club Resort shops are T-shirts, mugs, magnets, luggage tags and other items featuring a re-imagination of our community’s new logo as an antique key. Created by Disney Design Group artist Bob Holden, the icon says a lot about the Members for whom it was created. Disney Files Magazine sat down with Product Developer Lindsay Voigt to learn more about the design. “A key represents access and ownership, which are obviously two cornerstones of Disney Vacation Club,” Lindsay said. “Whether you’re buying a new car or a new home, the pinnacle moment arrives when you’re handed the key. It also makes me think about closeness and connection. I may give a casual acquaintance my phone number or ‘friend’ them on Facebook, but I’d only give my spare key to someone really close to me. The key becomes more than just a way to open a door. It comes to represent a close connection – another hallmark of the Disney Vacation Club experience.”

The new product line also includes trading pins, from an open-edition, key-shaped design to a series of limited-edition character pins with a “vacation your way” theme. Disney Pins developer Jeanne Lewis drew inspiration from the more than 500 Member Getaways destinations available through the magic of Membership. The first pin in the limited-edition series debuted in February, another is debuting as this magazine begins mailing and the two others are slated for release in August and November. Finally, the aforementioned Bob Holden and fellow artist Jeff Granito have created a series of resort-specific apparel designs featuring a classic “pie-eyed” Mickey and Minnie. From Mickey fishing with Shadow the dog at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort (seen below) to Minnie encountering a sea turtle at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, the designs celebrate the resorts’ distinctive themes and unique experiences. Look for these new items at Disney Vacation Club Resort shops during your next trip “home.”

Walt Disney may have had the financial means to support champagne wishes and caviar dreams, but “Uncle Walt” was reportedly happiest with a simple serving of chili and beans. Since summer (like fall, winter and spring) is a great time to serve chili to your family or community, Disney Files Magazine presents Walt’s favorite recipe for the dish, still served at the Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland Park. Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 pounds dry pinto beans2 medium onions, sliced1/4 cup vegetable oil2 garlic cloves, diced2 pounds lean ground beef1 cup chopped celery

Walt Disney’s Chili and Beans

1 teaspoon chili powder1 teaspoon paprika1 teaspoon dried thyme1 28-oz. can chopped tomatoesSalt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Steps: 1. Rinse beans before soaking overnight in cold water. 2. Drain fully soaked beans and place in a 2-quart saucepan with enough fresh water to

cover 2 inches above the beans. 3. Add sliced onion and simmer, covered, for two hours until beans are tender. 4. Heat oil in large pan and sauté the garlic until golden. 5. Add beef and celery to the garlic pan and cook until beef is lightly browned. Then add

the chili powder, paprika and thyme. Stir in the chopped tomatoes before covering and simmering for one hour.

6. Combine tender beans with your meat concoction, stirring gently. 7. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve!

Tips: You can really fancy it up by serving this in a sourdough bread bowl and topping it with shredded cheddar cheese. Like a spicier chili? Add 1/8 teaspoon each of coriander, turmeric, chili seeds, fennel, cloves, cinnamon and ground ginger, and finish with dried hot pepper to taste.

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Member Cruises still available: Disney Vacation Club is hosting an unprecedented pair of upcoming Member Cruise voyages aboard the Disney Dream ship, opening this signature experience to more Members than ever. A four-night voyage will depart Port Canaveral, Fla., on Sept. 16, 2012, and a three-night sailing will leave that same port on Jan. 10, 2013. These voyages have become a cherished Disney Vacation Club tradition, allowing Members and their Guests to cruise with their Disney neighbors while enjoying in-room gifts, exclusive entertainment and more. Planning for these dual sailings is underway, and while it’s too early to predict exactly how the two sailings will mirror or differ from each other, both promise to be memorable. A limited number of Member Cruise staterooms remain available as this magazine mails, so call Member Services to book yours as soon as possible. Please note that, in order to allow as many Members as possible to experience the event, Members may book only one of the two voyages.

Disney Vacation Club Resorts: Whether they’re waiting out a summer rain shower or simply looking for a little downtime during their busy Disney day, Members will enjoy a variety of homespun hobbies this summer in Community Halls at most Disney Vacation Club Resorts. Some Members will unleash their inner artist. Others will sharpen their gaming skills. And many will just pick up a good DVD and retreat to their villa for some cinematic solitude. However you prefer to unwind, be sure to stop by your resort’s Community Hall to see what’s available during your stay.

Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort: Crews have completed a variety of Bay Lake Tower enhancement projects, resurfacing the pool slide, and replacing select

furniture around the pool and at Community Hall. Disney’s Contemporary Resort: Fresh Florida blueberries and peaches (including “Florida Prince” and “Tropical Beauty” peach varieties developed by the University of Florida) are featured ingredients during these early summer months at The Wave…of American Flavors. This popular restaurant, located just steps away from Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, also has added new drink combinations, including a tropical ginger lemonade and a pomegranate splash (both available with and without alcohol).

Disney Vacation Club Moms: The Walt Disney World Moms Panel, an online forum for Disney vacation tips and insights from real Moms (and some Dads and grandparents) who have become experts on Disney vacationing, has welcomed its newest Disney Vacation Club Moms to the panel. More than 2,000 Members applied for the seats now filled by Laura, an Indiana physician; and Andrea, a Pennsylvania teacher. The two Moms have a lot in common, from their “Member since” year (2003) to their Home Resorts (Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, with Andrea also owning at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort) to their passion for helping families get more out of their vacations. “I not only enjoy planning my family vacations, but also helping others to do the same,” Laura said. “I especially love providing magical tips and hidden gems about the Disney Vacation Club Resorts.” Andrea expressed equal excitement about joining the panel, saying, “I know that families can make the most magical memories by vacationing through Disney Vacation Club, and I’d like to help.” While Laura and Andrea will help many Guests discover the Disney Vacation Club community for the first time, their insights can be equally valuable to current Members looking to make the most of their Membership. To get your questions answered, visit www.disneyworldmoms.com or connect to the Moms Panel through our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/DisneyVacationClub.

neighborhood notesnew and newsworthy in our magical community

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Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort: Crews have completed refurbishment work on the Beach House at Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, replacing the roof, repainting interior and exterior spaces, resurfacing and retiling the pool, renovating restrooms, replacing wood flooring in Surfmen’s Station, rejuvenating the parking lot and more. The Beach House offers Members and Guests access to the beach, and features such additional amenities as the Big Buoy Arcade and Signals quick-service restaurant.

Condo Meeting: The 2012 Disney Vacation Club Condominium Association Meeting is scheduled to take place on Dec. 13 at the Walt Disney World Resort. As plans are subject to change, be sure to watch DVCMember.com for updates and more details as they become available.

Pool hopping: Whenever you’re using your Membership to stay at a Disney Vacation Club Resort at the Walt Disney World Resort or at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, you and any Guests staying with you are permitted to pool hop to other eligible pools if they’re not at capacity. Due to expected high occupancy, pool hopping isn’t available May 25-28, June 29-July 7, Aug. 31-Sept. 3, Nov. 19-25, and Dec. 16, 2012-Jan. 5, 2013. Pool hopping is never available at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Stormalong Bay at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, Disney’s Beach Club Villas, or at the Disneyland Resort in California. Further block-out dates may be added based on capacity issues. Full details are available in Portable Perks and online at www.dvcmember.com.

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort: The Spa at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is “doubling down” on its 10 percent Member discount this summer, offering Members 20 percent off spa services through Sept. 3, 2012 (Labor Day). Call (772) 234-2050 for spa reservations.

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort: It’s turtle time along Florida’s Treasure Coast, where Disney’s Vero Beach Resort is preparing for its 16th season of Sea Turtle Programs for Members and Guests. Once again, Members have an opportunity to pre-book a memorable “turtle walk” with the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) during this special season. The STC is the world’s oldest non-profit sea turtle research and conservation group, having worked to protect these creatures and their habitats for more than 50 years. The turtle walks are part of a weekly presentation that’s scheduled to take place on Monday evenings in June and July at the Barrier Island Center, located about 10 miles north of the resort. (Note that transportation isn’t provided, so you’ll need a car or cab.) During the experience, which calls for a donation of $20 for the first family member and $10 for each additional family member, attendees become STC members and receive a sea turtle “adoption” certificate, a one-year subscription to the STC newsletter (one per household) and more before embarking on a walk in search of a nesting loggerhead turtle. Space is limited, so be sure to call the STC at 1-800-678-7853 for details and reservations. In other turtle news, the STC is planning to release another turtle or two from the shore near Disney’s Vero Beach Resort on July 28 as part of its Tour de Turtles program. The turtle(s) will carry satellite transmitters that will allow researchers and members of the public to track the migration online. The Tour de Turtles release has become a landmark event for many Members who have made this experience part of their summer-vacation traditions.

destinationsSomething there that wasn’t there beforeBeauty and the Beast venues scheduled to open late this year

Walt Disney World Resort: If you’ve ever wanted to serenade a quiet village (where every day’s like the one before), flirt with a feather duster or brag about being especially good at expectorating, you’re going to love what’s coming soon to the Magic Kingdom Park. Disney Files Magazine caught up with Walt Disney Imagineer Tim Warzecha to get the inside scoop about upcoming Fantasyland experiences inspired by a tale as old as time.

Be Our Guest Restaurant Positioned across a bridge through snow-capped mountains, the Beast’s castle will be home to a meticulously detailed lunch-and-dinner restaurant (serving up a casual “great food fast” lunch experience and a more formal table-service dinner) designed to immerse Guests in one of animation’s most iconic spaces. “The restaurant’s main dining room faithfully recreates the famous castle ballroom you see in the film,” Tim said. “From the intricate floor pattern to the towering windows at the end of the ballroom to those fantastic chandeliers, the layers of detail are incredible. Our designers have really outdone themselves.” Among those details are snow flurries Guests will see through the ballroom windows, helping to create a space that feeds eyes and appetites alike. During select hours, additional seating will be available in the ominous West Wing (home to the enchanted rose) and in the

Castle Dining Room, where a portrait gallery will showcase castle staffers as they appeared before falling under that spell. At the center of the Castle Dining Room, a music-box-style sculpture of a dancing Belle and Beast will rotate beneath a sky-inspired tile mosaic and a chandelier that warrants a second look. “The chandelier is designed with a beautiful rose motif,” Tim said. “It’s a great example of that painstaking attention to detail.”

Enchanted Tales with Belle Representing the next evolution of character meet-and-greets, Enchanted Tales with Belle will welcome Guests inside Maurice’s cottage (pictured in the rendering below), where they’ll pass through a mind-bending magic mirror and into an interactive storytelling experience starring Belle and a scene-stealing Lumiere (representing the latest evolution of the Audio-Animatronics art form), with Guests cast in supporting roles. “I think it’s going to redefine what it means to interact with characters,” Tim said.

Bonjour! Village Gifts At Bonjour! Village Gifts, Guests will find merchandise in a location inspired by Belle’s beloved bookstore in the film.

15 Gaston’s Tavern Artist rendering – proposed

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Prince William meets his Princess

One Member who will be particularly excited to experience Enchanted Tales with Belle is young William, part of the Kriby family of Florida, Members since 2008. Disney Files Magazine recently received an adorable letter from William’s grandparents, recalling a recent moment William shared with his favorite Disney Princess. “When we keep our little grandson William Kriby, he always goes to the shelf, where he knows we keep our Disney Files Magazines,” they wrote, immediately grabbing us with flattery. “He loves looking at the pictures throughout and gets very excited when he spots a picture of the pricesses, as he thinks they are very pretty (or woo-woo as he says). The night before we, along with Will and his parents, were heading to Epcot to have lunch in Norway with the Princesses, Will spotted a particular picture on the back of a recent edition. It was a picture of Belle! “Will got so excited and immediately said, ‘I take and show Belle,’ which is exactly what he did. Belle was so gracious and looked through the book patiently with him and thanked him for bringing the book to show her ... Thanks Disney Files, and thank you Belle!”

“One of the most striking elements of the store will be the specialty glass used in the windows,” Tim revealed. “You’ll actually see it throughout the Beauty and the Beast venues. We worked with a fifth-generation, family-run glassmaker, and the craftsmanship is remarkable. Particularly for Disney Vacation Club Members who return year after year and really appreciate the details, I think the glasswork is one of the area’s hidden treasures.”

Gaston’s Tavern If the Be Our Guest Restaurant is where Guests will go to feel refined, Gaston’s Tavern will be the place for Guests to feel, as Belle would say, positively primeval. “This is a very masculine space that will again be immediately recognizable to fans of the film,” Tim said. In addition to snacks and non-alcoholic beverages (it’s a family friendly “tavern”), expect to find Gaston’s imposing chair sitting in front of a special-effects-fueled fire, rustic woodwork and, of course, plenty of antlers. Greeting Guests outside the tavern will be a statue depicting Gaston engaged in two of his favorite pastimes: celebrating himself and abusing his fateful sidekick, Lefou. “This one-of-a-kind bronze statue is bigger than life, just like Gaston,” Tim explained. “It’s a statue of Gaston, commissioned by Gaston, as a ‘gift’ to the people of the village from Gaston. “All of these venues represent what Imagineering does best: really understanding the story and finding creative ways to amaze our Guests.”

Member Moment

Feast for the eyes: Use your smart phone’s QR code reader to scan this black-and-white box, which will link you to a Disney Parks Blog post containing a behind-the-scenes video showcasing the eye-catching mural you’ll see through the windows of the main

ballroom at the Be Our Guest Restaurant. If you don’t have a smart phone, visit www.disneyparks.com/blog and search for: Be Our Guest mural. Then click on the headline “First Look: Walt Disney Imagineers Offer a Taste of the Be Our Guest Restaurant.”

Gaston’s Tavern Artist rendering – proposed

Legendary ‘links’Arnold Palmer building on Disney golf tradition

Walt Disney World Resort: Elite golfer. Successful executive. Dedicated philanthropist. Skilled aviator. Devoted family man. There are many ways to describe PGA and World Golf Hall of Famer Arnold Palmer, who recently added another bullet to his bio: “Disney dream-maker.” Now approximately eight months into a 20-year strategic alliance with the Walt Disney World Resort, Palmer and his Arnold Palmer Golf Management team are working to build on a Disney golf tradition that began with the vacation kingdom’s opening in 1971. Highly regarded for its excellent course conditions, pace of play, service standards and player development, Arnold Palmer Golf Management and parent company Century Golf Partners maintain a portfolio of more than 70 courses nationwide, including about 30 private clubs. The long-term alliance with Disney (through which Arnold Palmer Golf Management has operated, managed, maintained and promoted Disney’s five courses since Sept. 25, 2011) calls for the golf legend to lend his vision to strategic and innovative design enhancements to the Disney courses. Palmer and his team are busy working on the master plan for those changes, which will materialize during the next three years. When asked by Disney Files Magazine if the enhanced holes will be more difficult to play, the team assured us that playability is among the hallmarks of Arnold Palmer courses. “After 40 years as a golf course architect, I’m looking forward to this opportunity to contribute to Disney’s rich and storied golf legacy,” Palmer said. “I’ve enjoyed a lifetime of memories playing golf, and it will be a great reward to pass that on to those who share a passion both

for Disney and the game of golf.” The Walt Disney World courses include Disney’s Palm and Magnolia Courses (both of which opened with the resort in 1971), Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Course (near Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa), Disney’s Osprey Ridge Course (scheduled to transition to Four Seasons Resort Orlando next summer as part of a new luxury resort slated to open by 2014) and Disney’s Oak Trail Course (a nine-hole walking course). All five scenic courses are certified as Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuaries by Audubon International. To reserve your tee time, call (407) WDW-GOLF (939-4653).

Member perks: Arnold Palmer Golf Management has created special perks for Disney Vacation Club Members, including a limited-time 50 percent discount off the price of a Disney Vacation Club Golf Badge. Available for purchase through August 31, 2012, for $25 instead of the usual $50, the Disney Vacation Club Golf Badge enables a Member and as many as three Guests to enjoy significant discounts on their rounds (25 percent off for tee times before 10 a.m. and 40 percent off for tee times at or after 10 a.m.) and club rentals ($30 instead of the usual $45). Call (407) WDW-GOLF (939-4653) to purchase your badge. For another perk, head to the recently reopened Sand Trap Restaurant at Disney’s Osprey Ridge Course. This casual, course-side restaurant, which now features a new menu of sandwiches, burgers, wraps and salads, offers Disney Vacation Club Members a 20 percent discount on food (excludes alcohol and gratuity).

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Bearing downGrizzly Gulch to ‘peak’ interests this summer Hong Kong Disneyland Resort: It was on Aug. 8, 1888 – the luckiest day of the luckiest month of the luckiest year – that gold prospectors founded the frontier mining town of Grizzly Gulch. In summer 2012, the town opens to Guests as the newest land at Hong Kong Disneyland Park. Inspired by wilderness landscapes found in the High Sierras of California Gold Country, the rugged land is home to the iconic, bear-shaped Big Grizzly Mountain. “Some of the best rockwork carvers and painters have come together to create one of the most visually stunning mountain landscapes at any Disney Park, or even in the world,” Walt Disney Imagineer Ali Rubinstein told Disney Files Magazine. “It is truly breathtaking.” Borrowing the mountain’s name is the Big Grizzly Mountain Mining Company, whose owner, I.M. Shovelman, is said to have discovered the world’s largest nugget of gold beneath the peak. “Every few minutes or so, we see an out-of-control mine car racing through the town from the direction of Big Grizzly Mountain,” Ali reported. “Rumor has it that bears sometimes hibernate in the mine and have awakened from their long winter’s nap.” The result of that rude awakening is a Big Grizzly Mountain coaster attraction that sends six speeding mine trains careening through the rustic town. “It was a graduate course in combining as many rollercoaster elements as possible with a fantastic layout, great show and an infinite number of photo opportunities,” Ali said of an attraction that features an “instantaneous reversing lift,” a thrilling launch sequence, a long backward section and a splashdown scene. Guests may seek refreshment at Geyser Gulch, the oldest – and wettest – part of town. Plumes of water erupt through buildings constructed on what early settlers mistook for a dry creek bed, sending current residents scrambling to keep their homes and businesses afloat. Proprietors of the Blacksmith Shop, for example,

employ bellows once used to fan flames to pump water away from their operation and into that of the Dry Goods Store across the way. The now Wet Goods Store has sought revenge, taking possession of a shipment of bellows meant for the Blacksmith Shop and using them to send water back in the offending shop’s direction. Guests are invited to engage in the watery warfare throughout the area. Drier ground sits at the heart of town, home to such businesses as The Grizzly Growler newspaper, Lucky Lang’s Livery, The Lucky Nugget Saloon (a quick-service restaurant) and a visiting covered wagon peddling the “Bear Necessities” (Grizzly Gulch merchandise). While the land’s storyline may be rooted in the Golden State, many of its details feel right at home in Hong Kong. From the aforementioned use of the lucky number 8 (along with multiple references to the unlucky number 4) to businesses run by such local proprietors as Madame Ming, the land’s story maintains a delicate balance between East and West. “We have artisans, architects, engineers and management representing more than 10 different countries, who have all come together to create an extraordinary and memorable land,” Ali said. “It’s inspiring every day to walk out on the construction site and see the work being done, and the beauty being created. It is a true example of Imagineering, the coming together of imagination and engineering, at its best.”

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Disneyland Resort: Chocoholics intent on kicking the habit would be wise to avoid the Pacific Wharf area of Disney California Adventure Park, where a new Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop is serving up the San Francisco-based company’s world-famous hot fudge sundaes and handing out free samples of its decadent chocolates.

Disneyland Resort: Disney California Adventure Park becomes a “curiouser” place after dark beginning this summer, as the Mad T Party replaces the nightly ElecTRONica dance party. Inspired by visionary film director Tim Burton’s version of Alice in Wonderland, the new nighttime family celebration pulls Guests through the rabbit hole and into a whimsical world filled with live music, dancing, games, entertainment, and exclusive foods, beverages and merchandise.

Disneyland Resort: “Minnie’s Fly Girls Charter Airline” has taken off at Condor Flats at Disney California Adventure Park, welcoming Guests aboard for a “musical travelogue” hosted by airline owner Minnie Mouse and her crew, all swinging to songs from the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. Look for the new show beneath the control tower across from Soarin’ Over California.

Disneyland Resort: Earl of Sandwich, a casual eatery that’s already a hit at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris Resorts, is scheduled to open its third Disney Parks location early this summer in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort.

Walt Disney World Resort: It’s time for those nasty poachers to end their pursuit of Little Red. In what must be great news to the targeted elephant, Walt Disney Imagineers began work this spring on a new final scene for the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Replacing the poacher-chase sequence this fall will be a new savanna for zebras and other animals. The attraction remains open during construction.

Walt Disney World Resort: Storybook Circus, part of the Fantasyland expansion project at the Magic Kingdom Park, has opened its re-imagined Dumbo The Flying Elephant attraction and The Barnstormer starring Goofy as the Great Goofini, both pictured above. In a neighboring Fantasyland “community,” the Snow White’s Scary Adventures attraction is scheduled to take its last ride through the woods on May 31, 2012, as the seven dwarfs prepare to move to their new mine train coaster, slated to open nearby in 2014. The move also allows Walt Disney Imagineers to create Princess Fairytale Hall, a regal new home for Disney Princess meet-and-greet experiences slated to open at the former Snow White’s Scary Adventures site in late 2013.

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Walt Disney World Resort: Disney and General Motors are dreaming up the next generation of the Test Track experience at Epcot. Closed since April and scheduled to re-open late this year, the re-imagined attraction will invite Guests into the “Chevrolet Design Center at Epcot,” where they’ll create their own custom concept cars before putting their “SimCar” vehicle to the test out on the track. Test results will appear in a state-of-the-art post-show area spotlighting the latest Chevrolet vehicles.

Walt Disney World Resort: Guests exploring the ever-evolving INNOVENTIONS attraction at Epcot may now visit VISION House. Created in collaboration with Green Builder Media, the exhibit offers a guided tour of a home that demonstrates how the latest advances in technology allow homeowners to reduce their impact on the planet while making their homes more sustainable, safe, comfortable and efficient.

Walt Disney World Resort: Perry, the anthropomorphic platypus also known as Agent P on the animated series “Phineas and Ferb,” has become locked in a cat carrier while his host family is on vacation, so the O.W.C.A. (Organization Without a Cool Acronym) is recruiting Epcot Guests to step into Agent P’s missions. Look for Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure to replace Kim Possible’s World Showcase Adventure this summer, and watch for additions to the interactive experience this fall.

Disneyland Paris Resort: Fountains, lasers, special effects and other surprises will send Peter Pan through timeless Disney stories in “Disney Dreams,” a new nighttime spectacular at Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park (Paris). The shimmering show, along with a new afternoon processional dubbed “Disney Magic on Parade!,” are part of the resort’s milestone 20th anniversary, which kicked off this spring.

Tokyo Disney Resort: Toy Story Mania!, the virtual-target-shooting attraction that’s become a runaway hit at Disney California Adventure Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is expanding its reach to Japan, where it’s scheduled to open on July 9 in the American Waterfront “port” of Tokyo DisneySea Park. The interactive attraction, which Guests will enter through a towering depiction of Woody’s familiar face, will be part of Toyville Trolley Park, a new area reminiscent of an old-fashioned amusement park.

Disney Cruise Line: Guests sailing aboard the new Disney Fantasy ship are making “Wishes” part of their voyage, taking in a show of the same name in the ship’s Walt Disney Theatre. Not to be confused with the “Wishes” fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom Park (though the show does feature an indoor fireworks finale) this 45-minute production follows a trio of new high school grads on a trip to Disneyland Park, where a dozen Disney characters take them on a musical journey revealing that the secret to being a grown-up is staying connected to your inner child.

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When you work for Disney, “feedback” truly does “feed” you. Honest feedback is a priceless map, at times reassuring us that we’re on the right path and at other times alerting us to better routes. It was with that in mind that the Disney Files staff worked with the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Research team to boost the number of questions about this magazine in the 2011 Disney Vacation Club Condominium Association Survey, answered by a representative sampling of Members. Here’s a look at what we learned.

Readership: According to the survey, 99 percent of Member households include at least one person who reads this magazine. If any of us on the staff had rhythm, this would’ve made us dance a happy little dance. Our Member community is as diverse as it is passionate, and we’re dedicated to creating content that speaks to that diversity while still appealing to the majority. It’s a bit of a balancing act, and while we recognize that we may not always attract 99 percent of you, we’re certainly up for the challenge.

Satisfaction: As much as we love knowing how many Members read the magazine, we’re even more interested in knowing what Members think of it. The survey revealed that 95 percent of Members rate Disney Files Magazine as “excellent,” “very good” or “good.” The remaining 5 percent rate the publication “just okay,” leaving the “poor” option in this multiple-choice question delightfully empty.

Attributes: A deeper dive into the data reveals that 73 percent of Members believe the magazine “provides valuable information,” and that 71 percent describe the content as “relevant.” As we produce content designed to be everything from “valuable” (Member Perks, for example) to

“interesting” (behind-the-scenes insights from Walt Disney Imagineers) to “just plain cute” (photos of adorable Member kids), we’re thrilled with these figures. Another 38 percent of Members said they like to share the magazine with others outside of their household, which we think is amazing. Answering what may have been a nebulous question, 51 percent said the magazine helps them make the most of their Membership. We say “nebulous,” as anecdotal feedback we’ve received since the survey was deployed indicates that Members interpreted the question in different ways. Some Members, for example, considered Park-related content as helpful in making the most of their Membership while others thought the question pertained specifically to the “ins and outs of Membership.” Should we repeat this question in the future, we may word it differently. Perhaps equally vague was a question about an electronic version of the magazine. Asked if they’d be interested in reading online if an interactive version of the magazine was available, 40 percent answered in the affirmative. We stopped short of specifying whether the electronic version would be “in addition to” or “in place of” the printed magazine, as this was more of a pulse check with no immediate plans for an electronic version. If we ever decide to investigate a high-tech option, we’ll start with more research. We aim to deliver the content you want in the way you want to receive it.

Beyond the multiple-choice questions, the survey allowed Members to share specific feedback in an open-ended format. Here are just a few representative (and anonymous) quotes, along with our related thoughts.

Member said: “I love getting caught up on what’s happening around the club, parks and Disney in general. It’s a great source of Disney information and it feels unique to DVC Members.”

We say: We owe this Member a cookie! Seriously, this is one of those “we’re on the right path” quotes, and we appreciate the kind words.

Member said: “I get more information from message boards and Internet sites … Would like more breaking news. ”

We say: We’re fans too, and we visit fan sites regularly. The reality is, while unofficial sites can report rumor and speculation, we can report only officially approved information. We also recognize that a printed magazine will never beat a website to a story, so we use vehicles like Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DisneyVacationClub), DVCMember.com and the Disney Parks Blog (www.DisneyParks.com/Blog) to share news as it breaks. Our goal with the magazine is to take you deeper into the news with unique perspectives and reliable details directly from the source. Each edition of the magazine benefits from exclusive interviews we conduct with Disney newsmakers who love knowing they’re speaking directly to Disney Vacation Club Members.

Member said: “Beautiful artwork, enjoyable articles, makes me feel like an insider.”

We say: You are an insider, and thank you.

Member said: “I see it [as] more of a kids’ magazine, and as a baby boomer approaching retirement, [I] would like content more geared to my interests.”

We say: We share this quote because it highlights the great diversity we referenced earlier. From young singles and couples without kids to parents with young children to parents with older kids to grandparents and great grandparents, our readers represent every demographic, and we’re constantly evolving our content in an effort to be as relevant as possible to as many readers as possible. This edition of the magazine, for example, is the first to not include our previously recurring Disney FamilyFun children’s activity, and we’ll use that space for more “all ages” content moving forward. We’re pleased to report that the survey revealed no significant difference in readership or satisfaction by life stage, and we’re dedicated to the continued development of broadly appealing content.

Common sentiment: Many Members, from those offering praise to those offering constructive criticism, have expressed that what they enjoy most is news about Disney Vacation Club specifically, with news from Disney Parks running a close second, followed by other Disney news.

We say: News about Disney Vacation Club is our favorite news to report. From cover stories about new resorts to feature stories about enhancements to existing resorts, Disney Vacation Club news is our livelihood. We were pleased to introduce our new “Neighborhood Notes” spread (pages 13-14 in this edition) after launching this survey, and we’re dreaming up new Disney Vacation Club- and Member-focused content as we speak. You’ll also see that we’ve reduced our “Disney Diversions” section (home to news from Disney studios and publishers) in this edition from four pages to two, creating more space for the content you’ve told us you enjoy most.

All of us at Disney Files Magazine thank you for your feedback. We’re proud to serve you, and we’re forever committed to making each edition of the magazine better than the last.

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diversionsPlay “Disney’s Animal Kingdom”In-game item created just for Disney Vacation Club Members

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There’s a new way for explorers to join the globe-trotting adventures of wildlife experts through the animal kingdom without breaking a sweat, scuffing their shoes or even leaving the house. All one needs is a Facebook account, an appreciation for the natural world and a keen eye for detail. “Disney’s Animal Kingdom” is the newest Facebook game from Disney Social Games. Since March 2011, millions of Facebook users have enjoyed the group’s “Gardens of Time,” a game that recruits new apprentices to help the mysterious Time Society guard the secrets of time travel and preserve the flow of history. Players explore the farthest corners of the Earth and the farthest reaches of time to find hidden objects that are out of place in history, and to preserve historical artifacts in their various Gardens of Time. The new “Disney’s Animal Kingdom” game continues the popular hidden-object genre with an ecologically minded experience that allows players to become part of the Global Wildlife Research (GWR) team, an international organization of conservationists, environmentalists and naturalists. The GWR’s mission

is to support the international protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife through the creation and nurturing of protected native-species habitats, and to support programs for wildlife conservation, animal care, education and research. Players create and nurture their own wildlife nature preserve, and search for hidden objects in spectacular natural settings from the Rocky Mountains to the Amazon Rainforest to the Australian Outback. Two of the game’s nine locations will be particularly familiar to Disney fans, as Harambe and Anandapur draw inspiration directly from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. In Harambe, for example, players explore such sites as the Eastern Star Railway Station, which should ring a bell for anyone who’s ever traveled to Rafiki’s Planet Watch at the Theme Park. Other Harambe environments presented in the game include the West Savanna, Lion Kopje, Maasai Village, Elephant Plains and Harambe Town. To begin your online adventure, visit www.AnimalKingdomGame.com/DVC. Using this special web address will unlock a Disney Vacation Club Member-exclusive item within the game!

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A new hero rides into U.S. theaters on June 22 Some animated heroines wear sparkly gowns. Others fire arrows from the back of a moving horse. Get ready for a new breed of princess when Disney∙Pixar’s next animated feature – Brave – thunders into U.S. theaters in Disney Digital 3D on June 22. Inspired by legends that have been passed through generations across the mysterious Highlands of Scotland, this new tale tells the story of Merida (pronounced mair-eh-duh), a skilled archer and headstrong daughter of a King and Queen. When Merida’s tradition-confronting actions unleash chaos in the kingdom, she seeks help from an eccentric witch who grants an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the true meaning of bravery as she tries to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late. Disney Files Magazine sat down with producer Katherine Sarafian to get the inside scoop about the film. “Scotland itself is a huge part of the story,” Katherine said as we began our visit. “It’s almost a character unto itself. We went on a couple of research trips to Scotland, and it became clear to us that this was the right place to set the story. Everything from the land to the people to the colors to the textures propel the story forward.” Scotland’s rugged Highland landscape called for an equally rugged central character, and Merida fit the bill like plaid on a kilt. “I think kids today will really relate to Merida,” Katherine said. “She wants to make her own choices.

She wants to choose how to spend her life, but she also understands that there are certain expectations of her. Merida faces the very relatable struggle of being true to her family while still being true to herself. There’s a scene in the film in which Merida tries to win her freedom from a royal tradition through an archery contest. It’s one of my favorite scenes, because while you see her mother’s point of view, you also sympathize with Merida and understand her motivation. It’s really a classic coming-of-age story, but told in a completely new way.” While that story is one of heart-pounding action, there’s a lighter side of Brave that builds on a proud tradition of Pixar humor. “What I love about the humor in Brave is that it’s derived from family relationships,” Katherine explained. “The things that transpire around the average dinner table can be very funny, because they come from a real place. The lords of the kingdom in this film are like the uncles you have to invite to dinner, even though they always say the wrong thing. And with the stakes so high in this story of a kingdom on the brink of war, it’s like taking that awkward family dynamic to the next level.” Ultimately, as is the case in many a great Pixar film, Brave is a story about heroism. “This is a story about overcoming the adversity of being different with the support of a dynamic family,” Katherine said. “That’s a special kind of heroism.”

Be Brave

Bookings begin on May 23 for new Adventures by Disney trips to Scotland. Designed to immerse families in the world of Brave, the itinerary features Edinburgh, Isle of Skye and Inverness. Learn more online at www.AdventuresByDisney.com/Brave and call Member Services when you’re ready to be Brave!

Meet Merida

Guests may meet Merida and her mischievous triplet brothers (still under their bear cub spell) this summer in Fairytale Garden at the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida and near the “it’s a small world” attraction at Disneyland Park in California.

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Disney Files Magazine is proud to share the perspectives of Disney Legend Marty Sklar, the longtime leader of Walt Disney Imagineering and the only Cast Member to have been part of every Disney Park opening on earth. Marty retired on July 17, 2009 – Disneyland Park’s 54th birthday. He now writes, makes speeches and does community volunteer work from his own two-person company in Southern California. You may contact Marty at marty@martysklarcreative.com. This edition of Marty’s column is part one of a two-part celebration of Epcot’s 30th anniversary. Look for part two in the fall edition of Disney Files Magazine, scheduled to begin mailing in August. Also watch Disney Files Magazine for details about Marty’s new book, slated for release next year by Disney Editions.

Celebrating Epcot’s 30th anniversary

By Disney Legend Marty Sklar

It seems strange to begin a story about Epcot’s 30th anniversary with a flashback to 1974. Let me explain … 1974 was a scary year for the theme park and resort business. The world-wide energy crisis drove major gasoline price increases – regular gasoline skyrocketed in price from 38 cents per gallon to 54 cents – causing the enactment of extreme measures across the country. The national speed limit was lowered to 55 miles per hour, and daylight savings time began four months early. Newsweek magazine reported, “The one bad spot is Florida, where long lines – especially near the tourist centers of Disney World and Miami – have caused some counties to adopt odd-even programs” (dates for purchasing gasoline). Walt Disney World, in its third year and well on its way to being the country’s favorite family vacation destination, was strongly affected. Attendance dropped by almost 800,000 Guests. So it was a surprise to me to receive a call from Disney CEO E. Cardon Walker about a signature project that had remained dormant since it was first unveiled in a film I wrote that was not seen by the public until spring 1967 – a few months after Walt Disney’s death in December 1966. “What,” Card Walker asked, “are we going to do about Epcot?” I had just been promoted to become the creative

leader of Walt Disney Imagineering – the beginning of 30 years in that role for me. From day one, the challenge of that responsibility for what would become 11 Disney Parks on three continents around the world was daunting, even as I reminded the Imagineers of our role. “There are two ways to look at a blank sheet of

paper,” I told the creative team. “It can be the most frightening thing in the world, because you have to make the first mark on it. Or it can be the greatest opportunity in the world, because you get to make the first mark – you can let your imagination fly in any direction, and create whole new worlds!” For the next eight years, the Imagineers, in partnership with the Operations staff at Walt Disney World, would test that axiom.

Today, as Epcot prepares to welcome its 30th anniversary on October 1, it celebrates as the sixth most visited park in the world, trailing only the Magic Kingdom Park, Disneyland Park, Tokyo Disneyland Park, Tokyo DisneySea Park and Disneyland Park Paris in attendance. It took a healthy belief in the future of Disney Parks and Resorts for Card Walker and the Disney Board of Directors to make that call in the face of all the negatives we faced as a country and as a company in 1974. But we began. In retrospect, I can clearly identify four principal segments in the development of the Epcot Center we unveiled in 1982: (1) Deciding what to do. (2) Creating the concept and convincing Disney management to fund it. (3) Selling it to corporate and international sponsors,

“The 21st Century Begins October 1, 1982!”

“What are we going to do about Epcot?”Disney CEO Card Walker

to Marty Sklar

Celebrating Epcot’s 30th anniversary

and (4) building it! Walt Disney’s concept for an Epcot community was a grand vision that drove the planning for all of Walt Disney World from the beginning. Transportation and energy systems, experiments in construction methods such as the off-site building of completely furnished hotel rooms for Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Resort, the care and responsibility for maintaining the Florida environment and ecosystems – all had been thought through following Walt’s often stated desire: to “meet the needs of people” and set an example for planning and building for others to learn from and emulate. One of the first decisions we made was to hold a series of meetings to identify issues and challenges Epcot might address. We called these meetings “Epcot Future Technology Conferences.” The first was titled “Concurrent Forums in Agriculture/Food Production and Energy.” It was held at the Walt Disney World Resort May 15-16, 1976, bringing together 40 “experts” from industry, academia and government in the fields of energy and agriculture. I created an Epcot Background write-up that became the standard introduction in the printed material for all the conferences we held – six in total. In part, it read as follows:

We then stated the Conference Purpose: “To introduce the EPCOT concept to noted experts … and elicit critical reaction to this concept … To stimulate comment and discussion … between these communities and EPCOT … To establish EPCOT as an ongoing meeting place where creative people of science and industry, from around the world, may gather to discuss specific solutions to specific needs of mankind.” In all candor, we at Disney were not prepared for the enthusiasm for the Epcot concept we presented. Perhaps it was the popularity of the Walt Disney World Resort with the public, or the backstage tours where we emphasized all the innovative systems already in place. Perhaps it was the attitude and enthusiasm of all the Disney people they encountered, from Cast Members operating an attraction to corporate executives and Imagineering designers. Perhaps it was the legacy of Walt Disney, still the master communicator a decade and more after his passing. Invariably, we left the Epcot Future Technology Conferences both challenged and exhilarated – and with a folder full of names of attendees who wanted to continue to be involved. Flattering, but how? The idea we came up with turned out to be vital to the development of our Epcot pavilions and, years later, of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park: We established Advisory Boards in the key subject areas: energy, health, communications, the land and the oceans, and transportation. In several cases, the Advisory Boards literally changed the direction of our creative development. Now it was time for the Imagineers to plan, develop ideas, create conceptual illustrations and architectural drawings … and to work with the Marketing teams to convince corporate sponsors, and countries around the world, to participate. The 21st Century was drawing near; the curtain would go up on EPCOT Center on Oct. 1, 1982!

Marty Sklar, left, delivers a presentation during the first Epcot Future Technology Conference at the Walt Disney

World Resort in May 1976, where speakers included such visionaries as author Ray Bradbury, right.

EPCOT BACKGROUND

Walt Disney did not go to Florida just

to build another “theme park” or even a

destination resort. He had something far

more important in mind. Walt was looking

far beyond his lifetime … to the creation of

what he called “EPCOT … an Experimental

Prototype Community of Tomorrow.” This is

what he said about EPCOT in 1966:

“I don’t believe there’s a challenge

anywhere in the world that’s more important

to people everywhere than finding solutions

to the problems of our cities. But where do we

begin … how do we start answering this great

challenge? “Well, we’re convinced we must start

with the public need. And the need is not

just for curing the old ills of old cities. We

think the need is for starting from scratch on

virgin land and building a special kind of new

community.” We believe today that the creative insight

which led Walt Disney to propose EPCOT is as

valid as it ever was, and needed even more …

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Disney’s car guy

By Jim Korkis

As this edition of Disney Files Magazine celebrates the opening of the spectacular Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park, I’ve decided to dedicate this edition of my “Disney Heritage” column to a man who understands Disney’s relationship to cars perhaps better than anyone: Disney Legend Bob Gurr. Hired by Walt Disney to consult on the car design for the Autopia attraction at Disneyland Park, Bob’s brilliant Disney career saw him work his unique brand of magic on everything from Flying Saucers to Monorail trains to Matterhorn bobsleds. When he quipped, “If it moves on wheels at Disneyland, I probably designed it,” he wasn’t exaggerating. I had the pleasure of visiting with Bob, whose reflections on Disney and cars began with Walt himself. “Walt was very fond of convertibles,” Bob told me. “Over the years, he drove a 1948 Oldsmobile 98 Deluxe Convertible Coupe, as well as a 1963 Mercedes SL230. Walt even had me make him his own personal convertible Autopia car. Walt’s car was colored maroon with fancy upholstery, windshield, nice bumpers and chrome wheel caps. He let his grandkids drive it around the studio lot. The car is now displayed at the Walt Disney Family Museum.” Bob designed the Autopia attraction’s vehicles to fit adults and children alike. He took special care to not include a horn, fearing that children would constantly sound their horns as they maneuvered through the twists and turns of the motorway. The design, personally

approved by Walt, was inspired by such sleek, high-performance European sports cars as

the 1953/54 Ferrari and Porsche Spyder, with

aerodynamic lines, rounded front grilles

and appealing profiles.

“We wanted more than a bumper car ride,” Bob said. “Walt thought of it as a ride where kids could learn to drive the freeways of the future.” Interestingly, Bob’s Disney connection began even before he worked for Walt. After graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, where he studied industrial design on a General Motors scholarship, Bob joined a car club called the Road Burners. It was there that he befriended fellow member Dave Iwerks, whose father, Ub, worked at the Disney Studio. (Ub, also a Disney Legend, worked on the first three Mickey Mouse animated shorts and played a leading role in developing mechanical devices that revolutionized filmmaking.) “[Ub] was real quiet but enjoyed giving me rides in his interesting cars, one of which a 1950 English Triumph 1800 modified with a Studebaker V8,” Bob recalled. It was 1954 when Bob began designing the Autopia cars. Much to his surprise, he was called upon to design the mechanics in addition to the aesthetics. “Since Walt saw me draw the body, he figured I did mechanical stuff too,” Bob explained. “I was too afraid to ‘fess up that I didn’t know how, so I had to learn quickly.” Autopia was among the original attractions Guests discovered on the opening day of Disneyland Park, a day Bob recalls in vivid detail. “One of Walt’s Guests on July 17 was a beautiful, famous movie star and her young twin boys, who were with him as the parade was about to start down Main Street. He told her that Bob Gurr would be delighted to babysit the boys for her! “We had a large number of untried Autopia cars in the parade, which constantly stopped with fuel vapor lock. They were restarted by hard stomps on a kick starter, and my legs were becoming cramped in the hundred-degree heat. All I needed was some little kids sitting next to me to watch! “Later, her sons had to ride with me in one of the two police cars that were supposed to pace Guests in the regular Autopia cars [at the actual attraction]. [The kids’] idea of pacing was to get me to chase their mother’s showbiz friends with red light flashing and siren blaring. ‘Git him!’ they hollered as we pursued a short man

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Disney’s car guy

Bob Gurr

wearing an eye patch. We hit [his car] and he went over the curb onto the grass, giving us a startled look. The next morning’s paper had photos of the famous Guests, and sure enough—it was Sammy Davis, Jr.! Things were so chaotic that there was no way to go find him later and apologize. “So many opening day Guests were in a frenzy to ride every attraction that they just went nuts. As the number of available Autopia cars dwindled due to mechanical breakage, Guests jumped over the railings and ran up the track. They stopped the returning cars, pulled the occupants out and drove off right past the Cast Members at the ride entrance. “It was possible to spin out the Autopia cars and reverse the direction of the ride. Several super head-on collisions took place while the ride operators were trying to hold back the crowd at the gate. “Starting out with 40 Autopia vehicles – two of which were police cars and one on display as ‘Walt’s Car’ – left 37 for Guests. Mechanical failures happened faster than we could fix them. Since all the mechanics were repairing other attractions, which were vitally needed, I pitched in with my own tools to help the lone repairman. Shortly, we were down to just two running cars. All the rest were hopelessly wrecked. “I had my old ‘51 Cadillac convertible and I would

park it right next to the ride with my trunk open with my own tools and I’m repairing the cars. I’d fix two and three would come back. “Later that week, Walt came by and sat around the corner in a little shady area, because we had no shop or anything, no maintenance area. And he just surveyed the whole situation and said, ‘Well, Bobby, what do we need?’ And I said, ‘If we had a couple of guys and some kind of facilities here we could probably get ahead of this.’ “And Walt didn’t say anything. He just walked off, and about an hour later, here comes a tractor dragging this little wooden building on a skid, dragging it down by the railroad track and he pulls it up to where my car is and he says, ‘Here’s your shop. Walt said to bring it over here. Where do you want it?’ A couple of mechanics showed up a little bit later and that was our turn around. We learned very quickly what parts work and what parts don’t. In a few days, the area began to show signs that the Disneyland Autopia would indeed survive.” If you’d like to read more of Bob’s stories, look for his new book, DESIGN: Just for Fun, which promises to deliver a treasure trove of Disneyland stories. Maybe he’ll even recall the miniature Autopia bus Walt once envisioned for kids too small to drive the cars. True story!

Use your smart phone’s QR code reader to scan this black-and-white box, which will link you to an episode of D23’s “Armchair Archivist” series on the D23 website. The episode features an interview segment with Bob Gurr about his travels on Walt Disney’s private plane. If you don’t have a smart phone, visit www.disney.com/d23, click on Armchair Archivist on the left side of the page and look for the episode titled “Walt Disney’s Plane.”

1. Cayden, part of the Wojton family of North Carolina, Members since 2004, is too cool for school during this September visit to Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park.

2. The Wilhelm family of Maryland, Members since 2005, dress appropriately for Buzz and Woody’s Best Friends 5K, a 2011 runDisney event at the Walt Disney World Resort.

3. Diann Galasssie of Wisconsin, Member since 1996, enjoys a laugh with granddaughter Kristina Prado at the Magic Kingdom Park.

4. Anyone planning a trip to the North Pole? If so, would you mind taking along a copy of Disney Files Magazine to bookend this shot of Michael Ferrell of Maryland, Member since 2009, at the South Pole? (Michael reports that our pages still turn at 38 degrees below zero!)

5. Charles James of Texas, Member since 2010, stays connected in Iraq.

6. Cooper, part of the Jones family of West Virginia, Members since 2009, has a Chip on her shoulder. Wait, that’s Dale.

7. Richard Aird of Illinois, Member since 1993, finds a friend last year at the Lego Imagination Center, part of Downtown Disney Marketplace at the Walt Disney World Resort.

8. It only took Evan, part of the Schmidt family of Pennsylvania, Members since 2007, four months to learn to dress for success.

9. Adrianna, part of the Young family of Alabama, Members since 2008, gets some sugar from Snow.

Send your photos (keeping copies for yourself as we won’t return ours) to Disney Files Magazine, Disney Vacation Club, 1390 Celebration Blvd., Celebration, FL 34747. Remember to include your name, hometown and “Member Since” year, along with a signed release form for each person pictured. The form is available online at www.dvcmember.com/releaseform.

Better your chances of seeing your family in the magazine by capturing compelling, candid moments, which almost always beat posed photos. We do, however, enjoy when you pose with the magazine, particularly when you do so in exotic locations beyond the Disney Parks.

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Picture Pointers from

When photographing subjects on the move in broad daylight (animals from your Kilamanjaro Safaris ride vehicle at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, for example), turn off your flash to avoid unnecessary

delay from your camera.

filesbackAmong the highly anticipated attractions scheduled to open this summer as part of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park is Luigi’s Flying Tires. While the attraction celebrates a contemporary cinematic character, its ride system calls to mind the early years of Disneyland Park. The Flying Saucers attraction, pictured here in this archival photo courtesy of our friends at D23, featured individually controlled vehicles floating on a cushion of air from Aug. 6, 1961-Sept. 5, 1966. Guests will shift their body weight at the modern version to steer floating tires over a surface powered by Luigi’s air compressors.

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