Ask Magically Speaking

In each issue we like to answer questions from you. What are your questions? Are you wondering about a certain attraction? Are you curious about a resort or cruise? Do you have some nagging little trivia question that you are just dying to know the answer to? If so, please send them to us. We have a great team of Disney experts and sleuths that would love to answer your questions! If you have a question, send it to us at magicallyspeaking@themouseforless.com.

Ask Magically Speaking is a regular feature in the Magically Speaking newsletter. The following Ask Magically Speaking was published in the March 26, 2007 issue
of Magically Speaking ISSN: 1556-3863

Q. I've heard the new show at Animal Kingdom, Nemo: The Musical, is pretty cool. Someone mentioned that you can see the puppeteers. Isn't that distracting? Can you tell me more about this? (Submitted by Colleen P.)

A. Hi, Colleen. It is true. The puppeteers are visible during the all new Finding Nemo musical at Disney's Animal Kingdom. While sometimes compared to the Japanese style of puppetry Bunraku, where multiple puppeteers are on stage to handle large puppets but traditionally dressed in black, contemporary theatre goers may see more similarities in style to the less family-friendly musical Avenue Q or even the Zazu character in the staged version of Disney's The Lion King. More than just a puppeteer pulling some strings, what you watch is a human performer who uses the puppet as an extension (or even appendage) of him/herself. Surprisingly, you might find it even more interesting to watch the facial expressions of each performer than the puppet they're controlling. Visually, Nemo: The Musical does not disappoint.

Robert Lopez, one of the Avenue Q composers, created the songs for Nemo along with his wife. Because you'll no doubt be spending some time in line waiting to see the new Animal Kingdom musical, you may find it to be a sound investment to purchase and familiarize yourself with the soundtrack, which can be had for about $10 from the iTunes store.

Q. I need ticket help, please. From the little that I have seen on TheMouseForLess and other Disney fan sites, it is cheaper to get tickets from an internet vendor than from Disney. We're staying at Disney, but we decided not to book a package. We need tickets . . . we'll be staying for six nights, and will probably want to go to a water park once, but that's about it. Mostly just the parks. HELP! (Submitted by Sam C.)

A. Hi, Sam. You're right that there are quite a few legitimate ticket sellers you can go through to shave a few bucks off of your ticket-price, as opposed to paying full price directly from Disney. Some of these well known and trustworthy companies include Ticketmania, Maple Leaf Tickets and Undercover Tourist. Just be careful to note the total price when making purchases, as some ticket sellers may not readily include taxes and shipping costs in their displayed prices. Also, depending on the length of the ticket, you can also get a small advanced purchase discount just buying tickets through your local Disney Store.

As for adding the Magic Your Way Water Park Fun and More option, as you may know, the number of visits you get to the water parks, Pleasure Island or DisneyQuest with this add-on option depends on how many days your theme park ticket is. Specifically, for 1-3 day theme park tickets you get three Water Park Fun and More admissions, for 4-5 day tickets you get 4 admissions, for 6 day tickets you get 5 admissions, and 7 day tickets and up get 6 admissions. The option itself is a flat rate of $50 per ticket, which means that if planning on visiting just one of these places once during your stay (all of which cost less than $50), you're best off just buying a ticket specifically for it. But if you think you may be going to some of the locations more than once, or to multiple locations, the Water Park Fun and More option is a wiser investment.

Q. Has there been any info released about the 3rd installment of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland and, if so, how can I purchase a package? (Submitted by Leah in San Diego, CA.)

A.Hi, Leah. Of course there is always something that Disney does to make us want to see the movie even more. A few events have been popping up to celebrate the attraction at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. You can find information on these events (which includes auction scene figures starting May 22 at Disneyland) as well as others that are happening at http://www.disneygallery.com.

As for the world premiere of the film, it will be held May 19 in Disneyland. The soon-to-be pirate infested Tom Sawyer's Island (scheduled to re-open on May 25) will host the screen for the film. The park closes at 5 pm, but guests already inside the park will be more than welcome to line up along the red carpet as it covers Main Street to enjoy the festivities as celebrities and non- alike arrive to be amongst the first to see the film.

If you are going to be in Florida instead of California in May, the Pirates on the Seven Seas Adventure might be what you are looking for. The Pirates of the Caribbean: Adventures on the 7 Seas Lagoon event coincides with the release of the third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. Running from May 22-25, this promotion has packages ranging in price from $199-$2350, with three distinct packages being offered. Disney began booking reservations on January 11, and the top tier package is already sold out. As of now, there is still availability listed on the Disney website for Tier 2 and 3 packages. Click here for more information:
Pirates Event