Pangani: Africa or Animal Kingdom?

Have you ever wondered where Disney gets the names for the places?

Street Lamp Time Travel in Magic Kingdom

There is a lot of magic to be found in Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park and it isn’t just in the rides, attractions, and characters– its in the details! 

A Little Bit of Narnia in Disney

I first read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when I was in fourth grade. 

Voice Behind Jiminy Cricket

Last Christmas I decided I wanted to learn how to play the ukelele.  My husband got me one with a tuner, some self-teaching books, and music books.  I have recently started to actually give it a go!  I know what you are thinking: “What the heck does that have to do with Disney?"

Secrets in Epcot's UK Pavilion

When you make your way into the United Kingdom pavilion its easy to get distracted by the delicious food and drinks to be had and the character meet and greets that are often around but there is also history all around you!  Mary Poppins as well as Pooh & Friends have been known to frequent the shops and Alice often sets up shop outside the tea shop in the garden.  All three of these characters from classic English literature were brought to life by the Disney company and fit smashingly in this area of EPCOT!

While you are on a character, or food, or beer line… take a look around you!  The cottage where you can find the tea shop is a replica of the home of William Shakespeare from Stratford-on-Avon.

As you make your way through the area you will also notice that the architecture is built larger on top than the first floor… this represents the medieval architectural design of many homes in England. Since taxes were mainly based on the square footage of your ground floor, citizens often built their second floors larger than the first!

This article was written by Melissa and was first posted on The Disney Moms Blog.

Aztec Temple in the Heart of Epcot

It’s hard not to notice ziggurat-like (if you aren’t sure what they are, ziggurats are pyramid-like temples that have more stepped design outside than the classic triangle shape of a pyramid and have been found in different parts of the world such as Mexico, South America, and the Middle East) temple in Epcot’s World Showcase Mexico Pavilion.  It towers over the Mexico area and can be seen even from across the park! It is one of the icon of World Showcase!

The temple in the Mexico Pavilion was modeled after the Aztec temple for Quetzalcoatl (pronounced KETS-ull-KOH-ahtl) in Teotihuacan, Mexico.   Quetzalcoatl means “feathered serpent” and he was the the god of wind and air in Aztec religion.  If you look at the front artwork on the pavilion you can see a depiction of Quetzalcoatl front and center!

Here are some depictions of the feathered serpent god found in Aztec society (both found from google image search):

   

By the time Spanish explorers reached the Americas the feathered serpent diety (although going by different names) had been worshipped and venerated even in Mayan culture.  Most historians agree that the Quetzalcoatl figure was a fertility diety with strong connections to agricultural gods and contrasting the war gods also worshipped by Meso-American societies.

So next time you are out and about in the Mexico Pavilion, waiting for your ride on Gran Fiesta Tour, your dining reservation at San Angel Inn, drinks at La Cava de Tequila, or maybe just shopping the marketplace show off your new knowledge of the Aztec temple replica you are standing in and tell everyone about Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent diety!

This article was written by Melissa and was first posted on The Disney Moms Blog.

St. George & the Dragon in Epcot's Germany Pavilion

The Germany pavilion itself is a classic Bavarian village.  When I set foot in EPCOT’s Germany I feel like I set foot in a fairytale village:  the colors, the music, the glorious fountain.  The fountain is where we tell today’s story.

In the heart of the Germany pavilion you will see the fountain with a statue atop.  The statue depicts the mighty St. George slaying a dragon.  In typical European versions of George’s story he is a crusader.

George’s travels had brought him to Libya where he met a poor old hermit.  The hermit explained to George that their village was under attack.  A dragon had been coming to their land and taking a sacrificial “maiden”.  Day after day the dragon returned, and left killing a beautiful young girl.  Only one fair maiden remained- the king’s daughter. The hermit, explained how distraught everyone was for they needed to find a knight brave enough to slay the dragon.  Furthermore, the king had promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to whomever saved her life.

Being brave and kingly himself, George decided he would attempt to save the princess. The next morning he set out to the dragon’s lair.  He saw all the women leading the princess, Sabra, to sacrifice.  George moved full speed ahead, stopping to reassure the women and the princess, and then entered the dragon’s valley.

As soon as the dragon noticed him he came roaring out at George.  The fearless young crusader threw his spear at the dragon, but on impact it was the spear that shattered.  George was thrown from his horse and rolled under an orange tree.  The tree was luckily enchanged and George could not be harmed by the dragon while hidden here. When he recovered from his fall he charged the dragon.  When he needed a break he ran back for the tree.  Finally, he struck the dragon under its wing where there were no scales to protect it and it fell dead at George’s feet.

With Princesses being saved and saving themselves at so many attractions, St. George’s heroism is a great tale of a man, who comes to be Prince thanks to his bravery.  Theodore, a man who is said in some versions to have accompanied George (and in some other versions it is Theodore, not George, who slays the dragon) can be seen on a statue over in the Italy pavilion as well.

This article was written by Melissa and was first posted on The Disney Moms Blog.