Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Black. Enjoy the ride as we share with you our Disney Resolutions for the New Year!
It's fun to think about resolutions or goals that involve Disney! My resolutions won't be completed this year, because our next trip isn't until January or February of 2013, but I'm going to list some things that I eventually want to do/experience in general!
-I can't wait to walk down Main Street USA with Liam for the first time! Evy had such a memorable reaction when she saw it for the first time, and I know Liam will just be in awe. He'll be 2.5 years old at that point, so it will be a fun age!
-I'm really looking forward to my side of the family going to Disney again together on this next trip. The last time we went together was 2005, and we are way overdue for a trip! I love the dynamic of traveling with a bigger group at Disney just as much as I love a small group.
-Eventually, a goal I have is to eat at the new Beauty and the Beast restaurant! I'm not sure when that particular phase is slated to be open, but I know it will be spectacular.
-I would really enjoy doing one of the backstage tours that Disney offers. On the next trip that Kurt and I take alone to WDW, I think we'll definitely be doing this.
-I'd like to try more snacks in WDW. Since we haven't done the Dining Plan before, we haven't tried that many, and it's something I'd like to do.
-My husband and I have had wonderful dining experiences in Epcot, and I'd like to cross more off of my list like England, Morocco, and Italy.
-Even though I take HUNDREDS of pictures every time we're in the World, I always wish I had photographed more details of the Parks. I'm usually focusing on taking pictures of us as a group or my daughter, but I always come home wishing I had more glimpses of what makes Disney....Disney. That's a goal I can definitely achieve on our next trip!
-At some point a goal of mine is to start looking more for Hidden Mickeys. I think this is such a fun aspect of the Parks, and I can imagine this would be really fun once my kids are older, and we can make it a family activity together! I love anything that makes each trip unique and different to WDW, and this would give us things to really hunt for.
-I've never seen the Festival of the Lion King in Animal Kingdom, so I would love to check it out! This might be able to happen on our next trip, depending on our schedule.
I'm excited about these little goals! Making a list gives you fun things to look forward to, even when your trip is a year away (like ours is!). It gives me a little boost to start planning, and I know our next visit to WDW will be extra special no matter what - it will be filled with family and fun!
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mousepad. Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
Welcome to those of you joining me from Manda's Disney Blog and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail! Today we're talking about our favorite shopping experiences in Walt Disney World.
As far as atmosphere goes, my favorite shopping experience is Main Street USA in Magic Kingdom! It really does feel like you're walking in a bygone era, and since all of the shops are connected from the inside, it can also be a good "trick" for making your way down Main Street USA during busy times like parades. I love to browse the Emporium - it has just about anything you could possibly need!
As far as practicality goes, I really enjoy shopping The World of Disney in the Downtown Disney area. I've made it a tradition to usually save most of my purchases for this one-stop shop. I have found it to have the best selection, and everything is in one place, which is a time- and energy-saver! They also are home to one of the Bibbiti Bobbiti Boutiques, and if I were in the younger age bracket, I guarantee you that would be my favorite shopping experience! (Who am I kidding? I might go to the BBB myself.....)
In my opinion, there are some hidden treasures when it comes to shopping, and that's in the hotel shops. We love to stay at the Grand Floridian, and they have some really unique and pretty merchandise that can help you rememember your stay there. Even if you didn't stay at one of the deluxe resorts, you can always purchase something to inspire you! :)
Le Chapeau on Main Street USA is the home of the iconic Disney Mouse Ears Hat, which makes this a very sentimental spot for me. I personally think this makes such a cute gift, especially for a new baby (you could include a tag that says "May all of your dreams come true!"). Think of all the Disney memories that are ahead of them! There are many styles to choose from, but I always stick with the classic "Mouseketeer" hat.
However, there's one shopping experience that's my absolute favorite.....and it's anything DISNEY CHRISTMAS! Disney's Days of Christmas shop is located in Downtown Disney, and I absolutely LOVE IT. You are surrounded by Christmas music, cozy decorated fireplaces, trees and ornaments galore. I've bought everything from personlized ornaments (they personalize them on site), books, antenna toppers, and MORE ORNAMENTS here! Besides the merchandise, I really think the environment is what sets this shop apart. It combines my two favorite things, Disney and Christmas, and it just doesn't get much better than that! I also always visit Ye Olde Christmas Shop in Liberty Square, located in the Magic Kingdom. This shop is fun because of its location - I love anything that has a colonial feel, and it's such a quaint shop. While the store is smaller and carries the same merchandise as Days of Christmas, it's always worth a visit!
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Unknown Magic Within Walt Disney World! Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
I think that Disney World is a wonderful vacation destination for couples - even after they have children! I know, it's really hard to picture going to Disney World and leaving the kids at home, but I'll be honest - I would love it!
Kurt and I have taken two trips alone to Disney World together, once while I was pregnant with Evy, and then again once she was almost two. She stayed with grandparents and we had a wonderful time together! I mentioned in my previous post that we have a family trip planned for next January (I CAN'T WAIT!!), and I'm always thinking up new plans in my head. Kurt and I talked about how we'd like to return by ourselves to WDW, and that got me planning. We don't have it on the calendar, but I'm determined it will happen! Maybe for our anniversary one year?
There are many things that I'd love to do that are a little easier without kids in tow! Here's what I would love to do for a couples trip:
The Backstage Magic Tour is a 7-8 hour experience that shows you behind-the-scenes views of many areas of the Walt Disney World complex. You get to see the "utilidors" underneath Main Street U.S.A., the secrets of the American Adventure at Epcot, the WDW Nursery and Tree Farm, and several elements in Disney Hollywood Studios. The experience includes lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe. The cost is $229 per person, for ages 16 and up. Theme park admission isn't required or included. Kurt and I love learning about "behind the scenes" magic, so I think we would really enjoy this!
The Richard Petty Driving Experience would be Kurt's dream come true! He loves cars and driving fast (ha!), so I know this would be awesome for him. The Walt Disney World Speedway is the home of the Richard Petty Driving Experience, and there are many packages to choose from. The cost ranges from the $99 Ride-Along, where you accompany a driver and ride the track, to the popular $449 Rookie experience, which lets you drive a NASCAR racecar for 8 laps, to the ultimate splurge, the $2,099 Speedway Challenge (50 laps!). This would be a great way to convince the guy in your life to come to Disney World with you (if he's reluctant!)!
Victoria and Albert's is the ultimate dining experience at Walt Disney World. Located in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, the restaurant "offers a unique dinner menu each night of exceptional, contemporary American cuisine served with unparalleled charm and elegance." I would love to have a 2-2.5 hour dining experience and taste the wonderful creations of Chef Hunnel! There are three experiences to choose from: Victoria and Albert's Dining Room, Queen Victoria's Room, and the famous Chef's Table. This is definitely an adults-only restaurant, perfect for when the kids are at home.
I would love a trip that combined any of these fun experiences, and it proves that Walt Disney World isn't just for kids!
We are planning our next Disney trip! Well. . .I'm planning it in my head. :) We're going to take a family trip with my family to Disney World in January or February of 2013. So we have about a year to go, but the way I look at it - I can start making our reservations this summer, so that makes me happy!
There's going to be the four of us (it will be Liam's first trip!), my parents, and three siblings. It might get a little tricky with my siblings' schedules, but I refuse to go during busy/peak season, and we had a fabulous experience when we went last January (with Kurt's side of the family). I know the weather can be a gamble, but I think it's worth the risk!
I've been thinking through what we want to do the same and what new things we'd like to try:
Keeping the Same:
-We will be flying again. It was awesome to have such a quick trip and the Magical Express shuttle at the airport was indeed magical!
-We will be taking our own stroller. I really enjoyed being comfortable with our stroller and being able to have ease of transportation while on the monorail, ferry, etc. Plus, with two kids, I want to keep them in the double stroller they're used to.
-We will be staying in the Grand Floridian again. We have been saving with this in mind, because to us, it's worth it to work hard and save the extra money for the WONDERFUL convenience of the monorail. It really makes a huge difference, and we're willing to pay a little extra. Thankfully, during value season it's not AS atrociously priced.
-We will be returning to eat at San Angel Inn in the Mexico Pavilion at Epcot. This is my dad's favorite Mexican food (and he's an expert with Mexican food!), so it will be fun to eat there again as a family.
-We will, without question, go immediately into Fantasyland upon the Magic Kingdom opening for the day. We had such a wonderful experience getting to ride all of the Fantasyland rides all in a row several times before people even figured out where Fantasyland was - ha! Definitely a good plan that we're sticking with.
-We will DEFINITELY be repeating a Princess character meal! Evy was just beside herself with joy when we went last January, and her Princess obsession has only grown since then. I'm not sure if we'll do Akershus or the Castle. Still trying to compare food choices, etc. Since I've eaten at both, and enjoyed both, I'm going to sit down and compare the menus and options in detail.
-We will be taking advantage of the Extra Magic Hours again!! This is when we had the most fun and enjoyed the most rides and attractions. We felt like the parks were empty and it was a blast. Again, it's a great bonus of staying at a Disney resort!
-I will definitely be packing Evy and Liam super cute outfits like I did for Evy last time! Most of them will be compliments of Kurt's mom, who can sew like nothing I've ever seen!
Doing Differently/New Experiences:
-We will avoid Martin Luther King Weekend! We had to go during this time last January because of some work schedules, but we noticed a definite increase in the crowds. We chose to leave Magic Kingdom on that Monday because it was just so crowded. Now, everything is relative. Compared to July, it was a breeze, but we just didn't want to fight lots of people, so we went to Downtown Disney for awhile. I really want our whole trip to be low-crowds on this next trip, so we'll avoid the MLK holiday.
-We won't repeat Crystal Palace. Even though Liam (and Evy) really enjoy Winnie the Pooh, it was really crazy crowded and kind of hard to maneuver.
-I want to try Chef Mickey's! We taped a show on TV called "The Best Places I've Ever Been," and several celebrities talked about their favorite Disney moments. One chef took his wife and daughters to Chef Mickey's. Evy LOVES to watch this show, and comments about Chef Mickey's all the time. Plus, I can't lie, the food looks reallllllyyyy good. I love good breakfast food, and Disney also really does buffets well.
-I think this will be the trip for Evy to do the Bibbiti Bobbiti Boutique for the first time! She will be at the perfect age (almost 4) and I think she will just be in heaven. Plus, we'll have numerous helpful hands from family members to help juggle the video cameras, Liam, etc. This is another thing Evy has seen on TV, and she just talks about it all the time.
-I think Evy will be more excited to see the fireworks this time - they scared her on the last trip!
-The most exciting thing is that this will be my family's first trip together since 2005, and hopefully a good portion of the Fantasyland expansion will be open! HOW FUN!
I'm sure I'll add to this list, but I love talking about the planning stage of a trip. It's one of my favorite things to do!
First of all, I completely realize that this blog has been sorely neglected! I really hate that, because I love Disney so, so much. My blog isn't going to be the most popular or the most read Disney blog, but that's not why I have it. It's to keep everything Disney in one place, because I love it so much! And I think that the best blogs are sometimes the ones where posts are only written when inspiration strikes. :) And if you don't follow my main blog, you might be out of the loop that we just adopted our son! We went to Korea two weeks ago and got him, and he's doing great. However, that has definitely affected my blogging across the board! Just wanted to share what has kept me from writing, and I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things!
Welcome to those of you joining me from Manda's Disney Blog and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail. Today we're talking about Disneyland Paris! I actually have had the privilege to visit DP, and it was such an interesting experience! I visited while I was studying for a semester in London. My friend Brooke and I hopped on the Chunnel and took the express train right to Disneyland Paris. It was so neat to pull right up to the Park!
We noticed that overall, it was very user-friendly for English-speaking guests. I would say almost all of the Cast Members, rides, and maps were very easy to navigate. Some highlights of the day were seeing the Lion King stage show (they had shows in English and shows in French), and eating at the restaurant that overlooks the Pirates of the Caribbean ride (a very cool feature that I wish the other Disney Parks would take note of!). It was such a fun day, and I love that I'm able to say I've visited Disneyland Paris. What a treat! Here are some pictures of our wonderful day.
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Delightfully Disney!
Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Black. Enjoy the ride as we share with you family traditions in Disney!
I grew up going to Disney World, and my family has a few fun things that we've always done together:
-Starting and ending the trip at Magic Kingdom. There's something magical about walking into Magic Kingdom on the first day of the trip and then making it the last thing you see! We've always done this, and that has now carried over to my trips now that I'm married with my own little family.
-Going into Pinnochio Village Haus and waving to people riding it's a small world. My family (Mom, Dad, and siblings) and I always liked to eat here and get one of the "special tables" overlooking small world. The last couple of trips I've taken with my husband (and daughter), we haven't eaten there, but we've gone inside and taken in the view. I love it!
-Buy a magnet. My husband and I started buying magnets at special places we've gone, and our plan is to fill up a giant deep freeze someday with all of our magnets. we can still fit them on the fridge right now, but I can't wait to cover a bigger surface with magnets! :)
-My husband and I started this tradition on trips we take alone: we grab a snack and sit right in the center of Fantasyland and people-watch. IT IS THE BEST!!! I call these moments "Mickey's Premium Moments" because that's the snack Kurt always gets, and it really is what I consider premium time on our vacations. It really is one of my favorite things.
-I have to see Beauty and the Beast : Live on Stage a million times each vacation. Belle is my dream role.
-I have to admit.......the Grand Floridian has become a new tradition. :) It's worth it to us to save ahead of time for it. We might not be able to take incredibly frequent Disney trips because of it, but that environment just can't be beat!
-I ALWAYS spend an exorbitent amount of time in the Disney Christmas shops. It's a major problem. But I don't consider it a problem.
-And finally, because this list could go on forever, a big tradition for me is getting teary-eyed each trip. Something always does it to me! Walking down Main Street, riding one of my favorite classic rides, experiencing something new and awe-inspiring that Disney has created, watching the fireworks, hearing the Monorail guy start his speech, watching my daughter's face literally light up a million times, laughing with my family as we create new memories. Inevitably, each trip, I have a few happy tears. :)
The best part about Disney World is that there are a million new traditions my family can start! I'm so excited to create new and unique traditions for us each time we visit our favorite place.
When I saw Amanda's post about this YouTube video, I absolutely knew I had to give my commentary! This will probably not interest ANYONE, but I had a blast reliving these memories! So fun!
:10 - I will probably be given a scarlet letter for this, but I've never actually seen Steamboat Willie in its entirety. I've seen the 2-second clip shown here in various places, but I've never seen the classic that started it all.
:27 - The witch in Snow White scared the HECK out of me for the longest time. Like up until last year. I kid, but really - she is a piece of scary animation if there ever was one.
:32 - Does anyone else find Pinnochio a little boring? There are such sweet, classic moments but then I find myself using it for background noise a lot of the time?
:35 - I actually had the original Fantasia on today, and I've come to the consensus that while I really do appreciate the original animation, there's something really fantastic (fantastic Fantasia?) about the all-encompassing experience of PhilharMagic. Seeing it on that scale and getting splashed with water at the end has spoiled me.
:45 - Is there a mother on this planet that doesn't weep beyond belief at this song? Seriously.
:58 - What the?? What cartoon is THIS from?!
1:00 - Most annoying piece of Disney animation EVER. And I'm usually incredibly defensive of anything and everything Disney ever made. But man, this makes me want to take twelve Aleeve.
1:05 - Again, WHAT is this from and why can I not look away from this?
1:18 - Another embarrassing confession: The most I've seen of "Song of the South" is on Splash Mountain.
1:27 - JOHNNY APPLESEED!!!!! Here's my memory of that one. When I was in Kindergarten, we watched this cartoon. I was so PUMPED because I knew that after the cartoon, it was my turn for Show and Tell. After Johnny was over, we walked back into the classroom, and there was my mom, holding our new kittens for my Show and Tell time. I was so proud, and it was literally the best day of Kindergarten ever. I will forever associate Johnny Appleseed with kittens, Kindergarten, and my mom. Sidenote: My mom loves this cartoon, so it was only fitting that she was waiting there, smiling for me, right after we had finished watching it.
1:47 - Love that my little girl now enjoys Cinderella as much as I do!
1:53 - Alice in Wonderland was always a little bizarre and confusing to me. Anyone?
2:03 - I love the little opening numbers from the classic Disney Sing Along Songs! So vintage.
2:08 - Peter Pan = AMAZING. Love this humor, not only because it's set in London, but I love the music, animation style, and HUMOR. It's a really funny movie!
2:11 - Whale of a Tale! I had never heard this song, but in the early 90s I had a collection of classic Disney songs on tapes. They were blue tapes and they came in really pretty packaging with a neat little booklet. Did anyone else have that set? Anyway, lots of songs I never knew existed were on those tapes, and this was one of them. I thought it was weird that he was singing about all of these women, but whatevs - it's fun.
2:18 - Yeah, I'm really glad Mickey and Minnie have had Extreme Makeovers since then. I'm all about vintage style and retaining original details, but this is creep fest.
2:31 - Pretty sure my kids are going to grow up on old school Mickey Mouse Club. I love it, and you can't beat it.
2:35 - This is another rando song that was on the blue tapes! And he's a cutie!
2:39 - Sleeping Beauty was my FAVE movie as a kid. I would act out scenes from it all the time. Now, as an adult, I love the art and animation style of the movie. Very Mary Blair/Eyvind Earle. LOVE.
2:46 - My dad and I are both obsessed with the ranch house on The Parent Trap. We have sketched out the floorplan and I'm pretty sure I'll build it one day.
3:00 - In my dream world, Julie Andrews and I are BFF.
3:12 - Those sneaky animators! Recycling for different movies!!
3:24 - Jodie Foster was comedic GENIUS in Freaky Friday! Seriously, her timing was impeccable.
4:25 - Even though I barely remember this movie, for some reason this song is forever etched in my mind?
4:30 - HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS!!!! I had this movie memorized! My family would rent it really often because we loved watching it together. Great movie.
4:35 - If I were to pinpoint when Disney began literally blitzing and invading the kids' market with merchandise, The Little Mermaid would be it. I was absolutely enraptured with STUFF from this film! Bedding, school supplies, toys, stickers, PANTIES. I had it all. And I would lay on the ground and push up on my arms and pretend that water was splashing all around me. Even at the beach, I tried this gesture to see if I would feel like Ariel did when she belted "Part of youuuuurrrr WORLD!!!!!" and the waves would crash all around. Good stuff.
4:41 - Disney Afternoon, please come back. PLEASE.
5:04 - Beauty and the Beast was the first Disney film I remember seeing in theaters. My mom and her friend were snickering because they thought it was funny that Belle was able to somehow hoist the Beast onto her horse after the wolf fight.
5:16 - Is this Homeward Bound?!?!!?
5:25 - I never in my life saw Hocus Pocus, but the posters absolutely terrified me. I had a nightmare that I still remember to this day. My dad and I were trapped in a warehouse with the three witches from this movie. I woke up absolutely terrified and I still am when I see images from this movie!
5:34 - THREE MUSKETEERS!!! I watched this with my friend Taylor when I would spend the night at her house. We were obsessed. We had major crushes on the Three Musketeers!!
5:39 - I've never celebrated Halloween really, but now that Kurt and I have been to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and they play this theme throughout, I actually have happy associations with it!
6:04 - For some reason I associate the movie Pocahontas with my sister. I have no idea why. Maybe because she really, really liked it?
6:21 - I remember when Toy Story came out! My family went to the theater and we laughed until we CRIED. Also, it was amazing to see the first computer-animated film from Pixar.
6:37 - Oh my gosh that's Katherine Heigl. I KNEW I had seen her somewhere before Roswell and Grey's Anatomy!!
7:21 - I'm kind of obsessed with the song "Go the Distance." And yes, I'm being totally serious.
7:50 - Bear in the Big Blue House, PB and J Otter....Roly Poly Oly.....LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!
8:00 - My siblings and I still sing the "Out of the Box" goodbye song. We're waaayyyy into the harmonies.
8:17 - "My Date with the President's Daughter" is probably the most underrated movie EVER. It is amazing!
8:31 - My sister and I thought this B*Witched song was just the coolest thing ever.
9:19 - "Even Stevens" was another example of superb comedy. Truly genius!
9:21 - "Lizzie McGuire" = a classic. Congratulations on your pregnancy, Hillary Duff.
9:48 - I jammed to "You'll Be in My Heart" just about everywhere. It was a pump-you-up love song.
9:50 - Can I buy the Zenon movies on DVD??? Because I totally would.
