Susan Valot: Adorned with wrought iron and surrounded by tombstones, the eerie Southern-style mansion fills a ghoulish space near Disneyland’s New Orleans Square. Tom Fitzgerald of Disney Imagineering says Walt Disney envisioned the Haunted Mansion before the park opened in the mid-1950s. Fitzgerald says Disney wanted the attraction to be more about humor than horror.

Tom Fitzgerald: But when Walt passed away and the project got back into development, there were some conflicts among the team as to what it should be. Should it be scary? Should it be funny? And in the end, it was sort of resolved by splitting up the work in one sense.

[Sound from elevator on Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride: “Welcome foolish mortals to the Haunted Mansion. I am your host, your ghost host. Ha, ha, ha ha...”]

Fitzgerald: The first part of the ride, which Claude Coats oversaw, was more of the mysterious, ethereal type of tone.

[Sound from elevator on Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride: "This chamber has no windows and no doors (evil laugh), which offers you this chilling challenge... to find a way out! (evil laugh) Of course, there’s always my way." (thunder)]

Fitzgerald: And the later part of the ride, you know the graveyard, was overseen by Marc Davis. And that took more of the humorous approach.

["Grim Grinning Ghosts" song from Disneyland Haunted Mansion ride]

Fitzgerald: In the end it kind of satisfied everybody, by giving a little bit of each.

Valot: Even after the fight between fright and funny was resolved, the Haunted Mansion didn’t get built right away. It sat vacant on the park lot – dead, you could say – for years, while the ride’s creators were pulled into a different life: the 1964 World’s Fair in New York.

The Imagineers were sent east to assemble the “It’s a Small World” ride at the fair. Tom Fitzgerald says the interruption turned out to the best thing that could happen to the Haunted Mansion project.

Fitzgerald: The Haunted Mansion was originally going to be a walk-through experience, with a cast member, a butler or a maid, taking small groups of people from one vignette to the next as the ethereal moment unfolded. And even Walt realized at the time that, that was going to be problematic from a capacity standpoint. You just couldn’t get enough people through the Haunted Mansion.

But from the New York World’s Fair, and coming back from the fair, the Imagineers learned to create new ride systems that could put a lot of guests through an experience in the course of an hour and obviously then in the course of a day. And so the Haunted Mansion went from being a walk-through experience to a combination of being part walk-through and part ride-through, with what we call the “omni-mover” system, the “Doom Buggies” that carry you through the Haunted Mansion show.

[Sound of ghost on Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride as you get into Doom Buggies: "Do not pull down on the safety bar please. I will lower it for you. And heed this warning: the spirits will materialize only if you remain quietly seated at all times."]

Valot: Imagineer and Haunted Mansion historian Tom Fitzgerald says the ride’s undergone some changes as technology improved. But he says the flavor of the attraction remains the same – what he calls a “classic E-ticket ride.”

We'll learn more tomorrow when the environmental anthem "Send It On" debuts on Radio Disney. Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato are singing. 

The song will be available on iTunes on Tuesday for 99 cents -- and the money goes to environmental charities.

The "Send It On" video debuts Friday, Aug. 14, on Disney Channel -- where else? -- and Saturday, Aug. 15, on Disney.com and ABC.

"Send It On" is one offshoot of Disney's Friends for Change: Project Green campaign. More than 350,000 kids have registered to be part of the campaign at Disney.com/projectgreen.

Candidates for the so-called “atmosphere characters” must be between 4-feet-8-inches and 5-feet tall for the short jobs. On the tall end, you must be at least 5-feet-11-inches. Applicants must also be at least 18 or a high school graduate.

Audition specifics:

• When: Mon., Aug. 10
• Time: 5 p.m.
• Where: Disneyland Resort-Team Disney Anaheim building, 700 W. Ball Rd.

Disney urges candidates to fill out an application in advance.

If you’re not short or tall, Disneyland also is casting for performers for its “showboat extravaganza” parade based on its new movie “The Princess and the Frog.”

Parade auditions will be Sat., Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. at the Team Disney Anaheim building listed above.

Union spokeswoman Paulina Gonzalez said Friday that more than 90 percent of voting union members rejected the contract. She says the union has not ruled out a strike of its 2,100 members at the Paradise Piers, Disneyland and the Grand California hotels.

The union has been without a contract for 18 months.

Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown says the company's offer was grossly distorted by the union and included annual wage increases and affordable health care.

Disney wants to ease the workers into insurance plans that require some employee contributions.

Tiana eventualy will be making theme-park appearances at Disney World. Brady MacDonald, our sister blogger from the Los Angeles Times reports that she'll be part of a limited-run riverboat show in the Magic Kingdom's Frontierland beginning Nov. 6. Actually, he called it a "jazz-infused riverboat extravaganza" aboard the Liberty Belle so get your jazz hands ready.

Tybee Island Police Chief Jim Price said Wednesday that Mark McLeod, 53, of Appling was arrested after Walt Disney Pictures security officers reported he had returned to the beachside movie set Sunday after police warned him to stay away in June.

"He was asking for Miley and going up and knocking on some doors" of beach homes near the set, Price said. "The security guards recognized him. In fact, he went up to the security guards and asked them 'Is Miley around?'"

Police on Tybee Island, 12 miles east of Savannah, have been on the lookout for McLeod since he was arrested there June 22 on misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and obstruction of a police officer.

Price said officers arrested McLeod after he tried to breach a security perimeter around the movie set. A police report says McLeod told officers he had come to the beach "to be with Miley" and tried to head butt one of them when he was handcuffed. McLeod later told police he and the 16-year-old Cyrus "were supposed to be together and we couldn't stop it."

Officer Warren Millikan wrote in his June report that McLeod claimed he'd met Cyrus 18 months earlier, that he'd sent her diamond rings and other gifts and that she had accepted his marriage proposal.

The report said McLeod told police Cyrus' father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, approved of their relationship and that Miley Cyrus sent him "secret messages" through her TV show.

The officer's report quoted McLeod as saying, "Our eyes met at her concert and we both knew. I walked straight through security and up to her bus. Bill Ray was standing there. He shook my hand and said you're the good man we've been praying for."

Cyrus has been working on the movie "The Last Song" in coastal Georgia since mid-June. Filming is supposed to wrap up later this month.

McLeod was released from jail in June after signing papers agreeing to return for a court appearance Sept. 1. Price said police obtained a warrant to charge him with criminal attempted stalking, a misdemeanor, after he came back to the island Sunday.

McLeod has made no known threats to Cyrus, Price said, but the attempted stalking charge was warranted because "he's been warned by the police officers not to come back after the first arrest."

Sheriff's deputies in Columbia County arrested McLeod at his home in Appling, 180 miles from where Cyrus is filming, Tuesday evening. He was being transported Wednesday back to jail in coastal Chatham County.

McLeod does not have a listed telephone number in Appling, and police records did not indicate he had hired an attorney. Todd Martin, a public defender in Chatham County, said his office had not been asked to represent McLeod.

In March, the New York Daily news shot video of McLeod waiting in line at a book-signing appearance by Cyrus in Manhattan. "Hold me up. I'm a little bit nervous," said McLeod, shivering in a heavy coat and wool hat.

Additional expanded and new features include:

Slated for a fall release, Disney Sing It: Pop Hits follows last year’s release of Disney Sing It and this spring’s Disney Sing It: High School Musical 3: Senior Year. These titles provide a fresh and interactive social experience for fans, where they can team up or compete in lively performance battles with friends.

He was back on a colorful Manhattan soundstage, sitting across from nervous contestants hoping to strike it rich, taping a prime-time version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The game show will air on ABC for 11 nights this month, starting 8 p.m. EDT Sunday and ending two weeks later.

Philbin's shirt was white. The dark shirt with dark tie look, a signature that enabled Philbin to launch a now-defunct clothing line, was left in the closet.

Seeing the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," where a version of the game show played a central role, left Philbin yearning for another chance to relive the best time of his career.

"The most striking thing is how much this means to Regis and therefore how much this means to me," said Michael Davies, who also returns as executive producer. "I'm extremely fond of Regis and I should have guessed at how much this meant to him."

Nostalgia aside, the game's corporate owners saw a chance to revive the brand for another generation of viewers and electronic devices. The syndicated version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" with Meredith Vieira still airs each day. "This is a business play," Davies said.

The game premiered modestly in August 1999 with just under 10 million viewers and caught fire, drawing 22.4 million by the end of its summer run and even more upon a November return. "Is that your final answer?" became a national catchphrase. ABC rode the hit hard until it expired in 2002. Including a handful of "Super Millionaire" specials in 2004, the network aired 363 prime-time episodes.

"What are you going to do? You do what your boss wants," Philbin said. "When it went off, I thought that's what you get for giving too much of it away to the audience."

Philbin was clearly happy to be onstage for the first taping back, bantering off-camera with a studio audience that included several big winners from the past.

He turns away from a conversation with a contestant's girlfriend with some of his comic mock outrage: "I just said to the girlfriend `Drop him,' and everybody turned on me!"

The show's writers do him no favors. He's hit with the words "oleophobic" and "abyssopelagic" on two questions, forcing inevitable do-overs.

There are subtle differences to the game as everyone remembered it from years ago. The old "50-50" lifeline, where two of the wrong answer choices are wiped off the screen so a contestant has just two remaining choices, is replaced by the "double dip," where a player can make a second choice if their first is wrong.

Along with the chance to phone a friend for advice, contestants will be able to ask a celebrity expert. ABC's George Stephanopoulos, CNN's Wolf Blitzer, activist Al Sharpton and "Jeopardy" ace Ken Jennings are among those who help during the two-week run.

The biggest change is the introduction of a clock. Players have 15 seconds to answer the easiest questions, up to 45 seconds for the toughest ones. It eliminates the excruciating waits, often edited down for broadcast. One woman took 52 minutes to answer a question, and then got it wrong, Philbin recalled.

The show had to adapt to a faster-moving television world, Davies said.

"It did get a little stale and we did need to step away from it and make it better," he said. "By the time it went off the air, I don't think the show was necessarily that good."

Davies has always liked the idea of "Millionaire" appearing annually as a special event, much like ABC is doing now. He advocated that approach even when ABC was airing it four nights a week.

"I would be happy to do once a year every year for the rest of my life," he said.

Philbin, who turns 78 on Aug. 25, wouldn't mind such a schedule, either.

"If they wait another 10 years, I don't know," he said. "But I'm grateful that they thought about it (this time) and I'm enjoying the heck out of it."

Neither man expects a rerun of the phenomenon that engulfed them a decade ago.

But in a quiet television summer, maybe fans are anxious for a lifeline.

"I think," Davies said, "it might surprise a few people."

The uptick in admissions prices at Walt Disney World was smaller than similar increases the company has made in recent years, but the move still reflects confidence that Americans will continue to come to Florida in search of Disney magic even as job losses mount.

Disney has less exposure to the slump in ad spending than some of its big media counterparts, but its theme-parks business has been a source of worry on Wall Street during this economic downturn as consumer spending has proven to be a particular weak spot.

The company reported last week that revenue from its parks division was down 9% in its fiscal third quarter ended in late June, while operating profits dropped 19%. Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger acknowledged that the economy was taking a toll on the business, even as various price promotions the company began rolling out last year boosted domestic attendance by 3%.

More worrisome was the 7% decline in hotel bookings it reported so far in its September quarter compared with the same period last year.

Overall, Disney's quarterly results followed a script that is being read throughout the business landscape, with bottom-line results deteriorating but managing to beat expectations on Wall Street thanks to aggressive cost-cutting measures, even as revenue declines continued to disappoint. The company reported a 26% drop in net income and a 7% slide in revenue.

"With falling attendance and lower in-park per capita spending due to the weak economy, Disney clearly needs to raise admission prices [at Walt Disney World] to mitigate the pressure on earnings," Pali Capital analyst Richard Greenfield said in a blog post Monday.

Walt Disney World accounts for over half the revenue from the company's theme-parks business. Greenfield noted that the popular adult five-day ticket price increased just under 3% compared to a 4.6% increase last year.

The price hikes come as Disney is offering deals on dining options in its parks and hotels in order to lure vacationers. It recently concluded a promotion that offered seven days of accommodations and admissions to customers for the price of four.

Disney walks a fine line on pricing in this recession between keeping its profits at acceptable levels, while driving as many vacationers to its parks as possible. Its strategies have shown some success, but they have also weighed on the company's profit margins.

"We continuously monitor the price of our tickets to ensure pricing reflects a strong entertainment value," said a spokesman for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Its willingness to raise prices and whittle back some promotions suggests that Disney is expecting an economic recovery as the stock market rebounds and economists find signs of a turnaround in some economic indicators.

"If they don't raise admissions prices at all now and an economic recovery comes later this year, they could find themselves in a position next year where they would have to raise prices at a surprisingly higher rate to keep pace with overall market growth," said UBS analyst Michael Morris. "They want to avoid that."

Through a series of stunning displays and not-to-be-missed presentations, D23 EXPO attendees will explore the rich legacy and future of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts – a story that began in 1955 with Disneyland and has since grown to include 11 theme parks at five vacation destinations around the globe, as well as new immersive vacation experiences including the Disney Cruise Line, Adventures By Disney and the Disney Vacation Club. On Saturday, Sept. 12, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo will share some “behind-the-magic” details as he pulls back the curtain on several new projects – including the 12-acre Cars Land that’s set to open at Disney’s California Adventure in 2012.

Here’s a sampling of exciting Disney Parks experiences that D23 EXPO attendees will discover:

• Never-before-seen models of classic Disney attractions and glimpses of coming projects that will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable Disney fans.
• An exclusive sneak peek at the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure that’s so big, it won’t fit inside the Blue Sky Cellar.
• The chance to meet, up close and personal, Lucky the Dinosaur and Wall-E.
• A preview of the most advanced Audio-Animatronics figures ever created.
• Displays showcasing cutting-edge effects technologies that are being developed for Disney attractions, shows and venues.
• New Disney Cruise Line itineraries for 2011.

Also, in the 500-seat Storytellers Theater, Imagineers and Cast Members who create and operate Disney’s parks, resorts, cruise ships and other vacation experiences will take fans behind-the-magic with a variety of presentations including:

• World of Color – Imagineer Steven Davison brings to life World of Color, the water-and-fire spectacular that will debut next year at Disney’s California Adventure.
• The Making of Toy Story Mania! – From its interactive elements and innovative ride system to its cutting-edge Audio-Animatronics figure of Mr. Potato Head, Toy Story Mania! represents a new kind of Disney theme park attraction. Meet the team who helped bring it to life.
• “So You Want to Become an Imagineer” – A panel of Imagineers will answer one of the most frequently asked questions of Walt Disney Imagineering – “How does one become an Imagineer?” – and will share what it’s like to be one.
• The Making of the U.S. Presidents – Imagineers will talk about updating both Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland and Hall of Presidents at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
• An Afternoon With Imagineering Legends – Disney Legend Marty Sklar will lead a celebration of the careers and accomplishments of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Cast Members who have been named Disney Legends.

Tickets to the D23 EXPO are available at http://www.D23Expo.com. Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 EXPO and can be purchased for single days or for the full four days of festivities. Admission is $37 for a one-day adult ticket and $27 for children 3-12. Four-day passes are $111 for adults and $81 for children. Members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on up to four same-day admissions, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 EXPO for themselves and their guests.

Special vacation packages including Disneyland Resort hotel accommodations, D23 EXPO tickets and theme park admission are available at the D23 EXPO website. Packages are available from both the Walt Disney Travel Company and the Anaheim/ Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, which is offering a limited number of area hotel rooms at special rates to those attending the D23 EXPO.

* Imagineer Steven Davison previews the World of Color nighttime spectacular debuting at Disney’s California Adventure in 2010

* Preview of the new animatronics used in the makeover of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show reopening at Disneyland in late 2009

* Demonstration of the Wall-E and Lucky the Dinosaur mobile animatronics

* Showcase of cutting-edge special effects under developed for Disney rides, attractions and shows

* Panel discussion: “How to become an Imagineer”

* Presentation: A celebration of Imagineering legends

* Panel discussion: “The making of the Toy Story Mania dark ride at Disney’s California Adventure”

* Overview of the $1.1-billion expansion of Disney’s California Adventure

* Scale models of existing rides and attractions

Among the details released for the Hong Kong expansion was the following tidbit about a new themed land called Mystic Point: "Guests can dine at the Adventurer's Club amid a vast collection of unusual artifacts from around the world or purchase exclusive curiosities and collectibles at the Archive Shop."

Hmm. Sounds like a place for all the marvelously wacky masks, photos, curios and knickknacks spread all over the Club building at Pleasure Island.

There still are special events held in the club, so the artifacts are currently needed here -- for now. But Disney could discontinue that at any time.

Honestly, I have long given up hope that Disney will ever do anything with the Adventurers Club brand or style of entertainment here, though I admire those brave adventurers who have somehow kept the faith.

This idea seems like a win-win for Disney execs to me -- they get to save face by shipping off the club mementos for "new adventures elsewhere" while bolstering their lackluster Hong Kong property.

Netflix subscribers who pay at least $9 a month to rent DVDs online will be able to instantly watch the first five seasons of "Lost," seasons four and five of "Desperate Housewives," and season five of "Grey's Anatomy." Seasons one and two of the fantasy series "Legend of the Seeker" will also be available.

Netflix said many of the episodes have been available since Aug. 1 and the rest will be available in subsequent months, beginning in September.

The deal comes as Netflix looks to expand its library of more than 12,000 movies and TV shows available for streaming.

To honor their own loyal laborers, they are also awarding complimentary stays and dinners for nine lucky cast members and their families. All cast members who have worked at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort for at least one year will be eligible to enter a Labor Day raffle.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort offers the ideal escape from the day-to-day stresses of work. The resort is conveniently located within walking distance to Epcot(R) and Disney's Hollywood Studios((TM)), and is nearby Disney's Animal Kingdom(R) Theme Park and Magic Kingdom(R) Park.

Visitors can indulge in meals at the resort's 17 restaurants and lounges, including Todd English's bluezoo and Shula's Steak House; be pampered at the luxurious Mandara Spa; stay active with nearby championship golf, tennis and mini golf and enjoy special Disney benefits which include complimentary transportation to Walt Disney World Theme Parks and Attractions and early or extended park hours with the Extra Magic Hours benefit.

Guests can reserve the "$99 in 09" Labor Day deal by calling 1-800-227-1500. Offer is valid Sept. 1 - 9, 2009; requires a minimum three-night stay and is subject to rate plan availability.

Things "get fun pretty quickly," says Ron Livingston, star of the new ABC summer series "Defying Gravity."

The sci-fi show, which debuts Sunday with a two-hour episode at 9 p.m. EDT, has a real saucy side, as you would expect from the creators behind "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy." Naked bodies float around from time to time, sometimes engaged in simulated sex.

Livingston, who played Carrie Bradshaw's boy pal Jack Berger on "Sex and the City," says "Defying Gravity" producers wanted a show for both men and women, "something that was sleek and sexy and exciting."

The series involves a crew whose mission is to study the solar system but who soon find out that there's a mysterious, secondary agenda; strange things start happening onboard. Livingston's Maddux Donner, commander of the spaceship, is thrust into a romantic triangle when he joins up and finds two ex-girlfriends on board.

Check out what the two plans have in store during your 2010 stay at Walt Disney World.

Disney’s Magic Your Way Premium Package

For less than $165 per adult and $115 per child, per night, you can have all the perks of staying at a Walt Disney World Resort, plus dining, plus recreation, plus entertainment. Cost is in addition to purchase price of a Magic Your Way Package.

You will receive, in addition to your Magic Your Way Package unlimited use of select recreation activities, one Category 2 admission to Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba, private golf lesson per adult, preferred fireworks viewing for Wishes and Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, unlimited admission to Disney Children’s Activity Centers ad unlimited access to Theme Park Tours. New this year is a Disney’s PhotoPass Professional Portrait and Print Package.

Also included is a refillable mug per person, breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks per person, per night. Meals include appetizer, entree, dessert and non-alcoholic beverage.

Disney’s Magic Your Way Platinum Package

For less than $220 per adult and $155 per child (above the cost of your Magic Your Way Package) you will receive personalized pre-arrival itinerary and many of the items available with the Premium Package.

In addition to the benefits listed in the Premium Package you will receive Category 1 seating for Cirque du Soleil, evening turn down service at Deluxe Resorts or Villas, reserved seating at Fantasmic!, one spa treatment for each adult, fireworks cruise, private in-room childcare and Disney’s PhotoPass Photo CD. New this year is a Disney’s PhotoPass Professional Portrait and Print Package and Richard Petty Driving Experience Ride Along Experience for each adult over 16 years of age.

Advertising at ESPN was down close to 10%, a little worse than expected and lagging the figures posted by Time Warner (TWX) and Viacom (VIA) . But this was not unexpected given ESPN's greater exposure to auto advertising. A mid-single-digit decline at ABC and an upper 20% decline for the local TV stations were as expected and almost identical to advertising trends in the March quarter.

Theme parks offered a mixed picture. Good cost controls and promotions that drove attendance and helped cover high fixed costs allowed margin performance to improve sequentially. Bookings, however, weakened slightly with the December quarter looking down 7%.

Overall, Disney's results are similar to those reported by Viacom and Time Warner earlier this week. Business trends are stabilizing but not improving and visibility remains low.

All three stocks have rallied sharply with the market and the rest of the media stocks. Like its two peers, I expect Disney shares will sell-off slightly in response to its earnings report. The problem is not with the quarter, which has no major issue. The problem is the stock's rally reflects more than stabilization of weak trends. More signs of improvement are needed to drive the shares higher.

Unlike some others I am not willing to pay a big premium for Disney compared to the other big entertainment conglomerates. The company has unique assets and is well-managed, but the gap is closing as other companies, particularly Time Warner, improve their asset mix and operations. In addition, Disney remains more cyclical than its peers while business trends are doing nothing more than bumping along the bottom.

Disney Train Tour rolling into New Orleans

2TheAdvocate

The Disney’s A Christmas Carol Train Tour will visit the Riverview in Audubon Park, 6500 Magazine St., from Friday-Sunday, Aug. 7-9. Hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.

The tour is to promote the upcoming Robert Zemeckis feature film Disney’s A Christmas Carol, which opens in theaters Nov. 6.
Four custom-designed vintage rail cars and a private car are outfitted with behind-the-scenes attractions, demonstrations and activities. Visitors can see artifacts on loan from the Charles Dickens Museum of London, artwork, costumes and props from the movie, a sneak preview of the film and a winter wonderland where snow will fall throughout the weekend. Visitors will also be able see their face morphed into one of the film’s characters.

Before you go

•Rule No. 1: Eat a big breakfast. It will give early energy and can sustain folk through the noon hour. Then hold out for a late lunch, before dinnertime pricing kicks in.

•Fruit snacks are easy to pack and eat. Likewise, the peanut butter and jelly Crustable sandwiches. "They defrost throughout the day and are perfect as an afternoon snack," says Vicki.

•Bring frozen water bottles, which will last through the day and provide cool water at all times.

•Bring packages of flavored mix (like for punch or tea), ask for a cup of water at restaurant counter, combine. You can make that work at any water fountain as well.

•A reader named Steve says he packed a soft-sided, insulated cooler/backpack with cold meals, sandwiches, juice boxes and the like. Then put blue ice packs on top. The bag was always searched, of course, but he was never turned away. "I would lock it in one of the park's rental lockers so I didn't have to lug it around all day," he says.

•Hotel guests, especially those with refrigerators and microwaves in their accommodations, should eat breakfast, snacks and late meals in their rooms.

Once inside

•Some counter-service restaurants have self-serve drink stations. Guests refill their drinks — sometimes even hours later. This is offered at Epcot's Electric Umbrella, the Backlot Express at Disney's Hollywood Studios and others.

•Order a double hamburger but ask for an extra bun — some readers report they aren't always charged for it. Then you can create two burgers on your own. This works even better in locations with a toppings bar.

•Or share in a bigger fashion. A more expensive meal, divided among two people, might be a better deal. (I also recommend splitting the delicious/lethal peanut butter and jelly milkshake at Hollywood Studios' 50's Prime Time Cafe.)

•Eateries bundle food into combo packages, but you can order a la carte. I ordered a barbecue sandwich, hold the baked beans, and was charged about $1.50 less than the listed price. And I didn't have to eat beans.

•Think small, suggests reader Michelle. "I have been known to purchase the children's portions, which are less expensive and also more realistic portions, calorie-wise, for an adult."

Or just go for it

Sometimes, you must splurge. But you can do that intelligently and economically. Here are places our readers recommended:

•"The Brown Derby [Hollywood Studios] is a wonderful place to sit down and splurge and take in a quiet meal."

•Boma, the bountiful buffet at Animal Kingdom Lodge. The fare's a bit exotic, yet kids find familiar choices, too.

•"Totally worth it to do Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary — but reservations always fill up fast."

•And lunch at the lobby restaurant at Wilderness Lodge. "Pricey but all-you-can-eat barbecue — chicken, ribs, pulled pork, brisket — and they bring it to you and put it on a Lazy Susan in middle of table. Rib rub to die for."

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