Theme Park Thursdays feature photos from one of our theme park adventures in the past.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (1996)

One of my favorite attractions at Walt Disney World used to be Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, which opened with the Magic Kingdom in 1971 and was closed in 1998. As a kid, this ride made no sense and was so weird, that, well, it was just awesome! It wasn't until years later that I actually saw the film it was based upon, 1949's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.

Unlike Disneyland's original version, which opened in 1955, the East Coast take had 2 different tracks, and each was different regarding the set design and storyline. Both, however, had you driving the wrong way into a railroad tunnel for a head-on collision with a train, killing you, and sending you through a "Hell" scene. This was edgy stuff! But alas, it was ripped out of Florida unceremoniously so Disney could shove a cheap Winnie the Pooh ride in, capitalizing on selling stuffed plush bears. Thankfully, Mr. Toad does still exist at Disneyland, albeit in a smaller, single-track context.

Today's photo showcases one of my last rides on Mr. Toad, joined by my sister Karen on Track #2, during a vacation in 1996. Behind us you can see part of the "Hell" scene.  Long live Mr. Toad!

Continuing our Smoky Siesta story, we left off in Nashville, after spending an evening enjoying some great BBQ and music.  Before continuing on to the Smoky Mountains, we spent a little more time in Nashville the next day by visiting the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art.

Steve is framable!

Since we've done a lot of the normal tourist stuff in Music City in the past, it was nice to explore something different and new.  Also, given that we recently became members of the Chicago Botanic Garden, we got discounted admission because of a reciprocal admissions program run by the American Horticultural Society.  In this case, membership actually did have its privileges!

Welcome to Cheekwood, stay for the pineapple

Cheekwood is a lot different from the botanical gardens I'm familiar with.  In reality, it's more like a historic estate that happens to have gardens on the property.  In this case, that estate was owned by a couple who made a lot of money after creating Maxwell House coffee… a brand that originated in Nashville (named after the Maxwell House Hotel downtown, no longer in existence).  Eventually, the 55-acre property was opened to the public in 1960.

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Theme Park Thursdays feature photos from one of our theme park adventures in the past.

Our 3D Family (2009)

3D is all the rage in movies these days. But long before Hollywood hopped on that fad, Disney was forcing guests to wear these stupid looking glasses at various attractions, including Captain EO, Honey I Shrunk the Audience, It's Tough To Be A Bug, and Mickey's Philharmagic.

During a December 2009 trip with my family, we got the opportunity to ride Toy Story Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's basically a ride that's a 3D arcade… and one requiring the wearing of those goofy glasses. This photo features Amy in the front, my Mom and Dad wearing black, and my sister Karen and brother-in-law Brian in the back.  (Incidentally, this ride is also available at California Adventure on the West Coast, though there it's called Toy Story Midway Mania.)

It's a fun ride with a long wait, and the videogame element creates a high level of rerideability. However, it's no Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion!

Our Smoky Siesta kicked off on Friday afternoon as we drove from Chicago down to Indianapolis and spent the night with my cousins, the Huston family.

Steve loves road maps!

On Saturday we drove across town and visited with another set of cousins, the Carpenters. It was great to catch up with these extended members of our family that we don't see that often.

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Amy & I are hitting the road today for a little vacation time, with the eventual goal being a North Carolina cabin in the Smoky Mountains.  Along the way we'll stop off and visit with some extended family, and visit one of our favorite cities, Nashville.

We're taking a Smoky Siesta!

Here we go!

Theme Park Thursdays feature photos from one of our theme park adventures in the past.

Steve, Mom, & Karen at the Crystal Palace (1985)

Let's jump back in time again to 1985, during the same Walt Disney World vacation that brought my sister picking her nose and the simple elegance of Spaceship Earth.

Here you see a photo -— taken with a Kodak Instamatic 126 film camera -— that features myself, my Mom, and my sister Karen posing in the Magic Kingdom, with the Crystal Palace restaurant anchoring the end of Main Street USA. Unfortunately, I don't see one trash can in this photo. However, you can see a white bridge on the right side, which takes you to the entrances of Adventureland and Liberty Square.

Of course my little 7-year-old sister looks cute in this photo. But just what in the world happened to my attire? I'm donning a 1985 Phantom Ranch t-shirt from the camp we attended in the summer (and where I eventually met Amy). Adding to the ensemble is not only a pair of cutoff jean shorts, but also a belt with a buckle emblazoned with my name. Cap it all off with some tall tube socks. Yeah, I was totally styling back then!

You know what you don't see in this photo? Quick service food carts, Disney Vacation Club information stands, or Princesses. Ah, the good ole days at Walt Disney World!

The other day I reached a personal goal that I was rather excited about.  So far this summer, I have biked a total of 500 miles around the neighborhood and on various trails in the city.

Mileage tracked by RunKeeper.com

As a recreational cyclist, I know that's not a big deal to those who bike all the time, especially daily commuters.  However, considering that I'm riding a 20-year old mountain bike that I've modified for hybrid street/trail riding, I'm pretty stoked by hitting that number.

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Aside from the massive amount of cycling I've been doing this summer, Amy & I have tried to free up our evenings to do "summer things in the city."

Steve digs Jazz

Last week, the Made in Chicago: World Class Jazz series returned to Millennium Park. From now to the beginning of September, every Thursday night features a great free jazz concert. I like to call it a "Poor Man's Ravinia."

Live from the Jay Pritzker Pavilion

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For Amy & I, the date of July 30 holds special memories because it marks the anniversary of not one, but two memorable milestones in our relationship.

First Date: July 30, 1994

Our first date was 17 years ago on this date, yes, back in 1994.  After looking at the above photo from our first date, here are a few tips.  First of all, if you are driving to a date on a hot summer day, don't floor it with the sunroof open.  Your hair might get messed up.  Also, your glasses will be too big.

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Theme Park Thursdays feature photos from one of our theme park adventures in the past.

Steve is disappointed (2007)

In 2005, Disney theme parks around the world hosted a very successful celebration of Disneyland's 50th anniversary. The promotion resonated with guests due to its authenticity and historical nature.

As a follow-up promotion, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts at the time, pushed through the "Year of a Million Dreams". This marketing event focused on awarding randomly chosen guests with "dreams" that varied from free food giveaways to spending a night inside Cinderella's Castle at Walt Disney World.

Coinciding with the launch of the "Year of a Million Dreams", California's Disneyland and Florida's Walt Disney World began being marketed together under the brand "Disney Parks".

The "Year of a Million Dreams" started on October 1, 2006, and was scheduled to run 15 months, ending December 31, 2007. However, the powers-that-be extended it another year, till the end of 2008.

As a Disney theme parks enthusiast, I was pretty disappointed in this entire promotion concept. Guest reaction was pretty "blah" at the time as well. Instead of investing in new infrastructure such as rides and attractions, a gimmicky give-a-way was passed off as something "magical." In addition, the forced co-branding of two unique Disney locations under the generic-sounding "Disney Parks" moniker hinted of clueless marketing folks who didn't understand the unique characteristics of completely different theme park resorts.

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