Walt Disney World Honors 22-Year-Old Unused Pass

July 17, 2016

Unlocking Word Meanings
 今日の単語・フレーズ

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article. 

1. unearth / ʌnˈɜrθ / (v.) – to find something that was previously hidden or lost
Example: I unearthed my grandmother’s old clothes in the attic.

2. swing by / swɪŋ baɪ / (phrasal v.) – to visit for a short period of time
Example: I’ll swing by your house later to pick up my things.

3. dated / ˈdeɪ tɪd / (adj.) – belonging to the past
Example: He was able to use his dated park ticket from 2005.

4. comment / ˈkɒm ɛnt / (v.) – to express or say an opinion about something
Example: The attendants asked the visitors to comment on the new ride.

5. array / əˈreɪ / (n.) – a large group of something
Example: There was a wide array of rides to choose from in the theme park.

Article
 ニュース記事

Read the text below.
A woman was able to visit the happiest place on earth using a 22-year-old pass. 

In 1994, Chelsea Herline visited Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, with her family. The Herlines each had a 4-Day Park Hopper pass that they used for three days. But on the last day, Chelsea had to skip the visit because she got sick. Years later, Herline’s dad unearthed the pass in their basement and gave it to her as a joke.

During Herline’s visit to Orlando in April this year, she decided to swing by Walt Disney World in an attempt to use her old pass. Without any expectations, she approached the ticketing counter and presented the dated pass. The ticket attendant commented on the age of the pass, but called her manager, who then converted the paper child admission pass to an electronic adult admission pass.

Herline’s pass, the Park Hopper pass, allows admission to all of Disney World’s theme parks, namely Magic Kingdom park, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom park, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Magic Kingdom is the fairytale capital of Disney World, with its centerpiece attraction being Cinderella Castle. While Magic Kingdom caters to fairytale lovers, science enthusiasts will enjoy Epcot. With a ride called Mission: Space that offers exciting space trip simulations, Epcot offers an experience that is out of this world.

Animal Kingdom’s natural ambiance contrasts Epcot’s futuristic appeal. Offering an array of encounters with live animals, Animal Kingdom caters to animal lovers of all ages. Finally, Disney’s Hollywood Studios aims to transport guests to Hollywood’s Golden Age. One of its latest attractions, Star Tours, takes riders on a simulated space flight across different locations from the hit movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens.


Viewpoint Discussion
 ディスカッションテーマ

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.  

Discussion A

·         If you were Herline, would you still try to use your old pass? Why or why not?
·         If you were the ticket attendant/manager, would you reject Herline’s ticket? Why or why not?

Discussion B

·         Given the chance, what kind of theme park would you create?
·         How can theme parks be enjoyable even for older people? 

July 17, 2016