The week of April 2nd, 2006 marked the official grand opening of Walt Disney Imagineering's newest colossal E-Ticket attraction, Expedition Everest: The Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. Herds of media professionals swarmed to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to attend the opening ceremonies on April 6th and 7th. With fireworks, flames, lighting effects, and one huge abominable beast known as the Yeti, Expedition Everest received the national coverage it deserved. However, just a couple of days prior, on April 4th, two new gems opened at Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney that deserved coverage that they didn't get.

To define them simply, the Adventure Room and the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique are new, themed retail rooms at the left and right extremities of Downtown Disney's World of Disney - the world's largest Disney store. However, defining them simply would be to miss the point entirely. These new additions are anything but simple.

The two new rooms at the World of Disney mega-store are much more than four walls containing merchandise related to a single idea; they are actually ways for boys and girls to each have a unique experience that will generate memories that last a lifetime.

The Adventure Room, located in the front, east corner of the store, opened its doors with a walking journey into one of Disney's classic attractions and current hit film franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean. Upon stepping into this room, guests immediately notice that it is no ordinary shop, as they are flanked on both sides by gruesome life-size skeleton pirates, trapped in flaming jail cells, trying to escape. Above the cells on each side are skeleton-versions of the popular Pirates film characters, Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa. All of this is within the first 10 feet of the store.

The new pirate merchandise found in the Adventure Room will make some kids want to take up the dangerous life on the high seas. Some of the wares that children of all ages can snatch up include a customizable built-your-own pirate hat ($10 for the hat, $2-3 for accessories), a mini treasure chest ($10) that can be filled with gems and gold coins, and a whole array of Pirates of the Caribbean action figures, games, books, and apparel.

Moving past the merchandise reveals the centerpiece of the Adventure Room, a life-size audio-animatronic pirate and parrot, sitting high up amongst barrels as well as a mast and torn sail from a pirate ship. These new characters come to life every few minutes, entertaining guests while pushing the store's goods on nearby guests, "Arrr, look Pollyanna, pirate hats worthy of ol' Blackbeard himself. Pick your hat and trim it with all manor of pirate gear. There be patches, jewels, and more fancy stuff than you can shake a sword at. It warms me cold-blooded heart to see me new shipmates sportin' such finery." With lines like that, how can a young buccaneer possibly pass up a chance to jo in in on the plundering? If that doesn't get their attention, a chorus of "Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life for Me" will, a few minutes later.

On the complete opposite end of the World of Disney (and the Disney universe) lies the new Princess room and Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. Formerly an Alice in Wonderland-themed room, the Princess room takes up 2-3 times as much square footage as the Adventure Room and fills it with pastel-colored Princess merchandise, ranging from tiaras to Tinker Bell. Girls are greeted not by a dirty pirate in the center, but rather an audio-animatronic likeness of a pretty young girl, as an image of themselves, letting them know what to look for in the Princess room. To compete with the boys' chance to build their own pirate hat, the Princess room allows girls to customize a magic wand as well as Princess jewelry. The fun, however, just begins there.

The real highlight of the girls' section of the World of Disney lies in a brand new area in the back of the Princess room called the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique. This room is by no means a store; it is an actual salon filled with bright lights, mirrors, sinks, barber chairs, and a staff of Disney's attentive Cast Members ready to turn lucky little girls into glorious Princesses, if only for a day. Disney bills this new boutique as being "dedicated to every True Princess who ever dreamed her sneakers were glass slippers and to girls who believe it's better to walk, sing than talk and that everything goes better with sparkles." With complete make over choices from "Disney Diva" to "Fairy-tale Princess", no young girl will be able to pass up the opportunity to become one of their role models.

The services at the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique range from $35 for a hair-and-makeup makeover to $175 for the VIP treatment including a Princess costume and photo shoot; reservations are recommended by calling 407-WDW-STYLE.

The Adventure Room and Bibbity Bobbity Boutique at Downtown Disney's World of Disney bring experiences and storytelling to the retail setting in a way that only Disney can achieve. Not only can boys and girls shop for items that they can use to relive time on their Florida vacation, but they can also take home the memories of seeing a pirate up-close or of becoming a Disney Princess for a day. When it comes to memories, these experiences are every bit as important as taking a trip to Mount Everest and spotting the vicious Yeti.

Ricky Brigante is Host of 'Inside the Magic' The Internet's First Orlando-Based Disney Podcast
For more information and to hear his Podcast visit: www.distantcreations.com/insidethemagic