Just recently my friend Holly and I decided to go to Disney World for a short weekend trip. Neither one of us have much paid time off left for the year at our day jobs so we could only afford one day off. Here's what our late August weekend trip will look like:
Friday-
We take off at 10:30 AM and land at MCO (Orlando International Airport) at 12:30 PM
We've booked Disney's Magical Express to take us from MCO to All Star Sports resort
Saturday-
1 Full day at a Disney Park
Sunday-
We take off at MCO at 3:15 PM
The important thing to note about a weekend trip is that if you keep it contained to the weekend (and not let it bleed over into Monday) then you really only have one full day. For one day at the parks you can buy a one day ticket to Magic Kingdom or a one day ticket to Disney's Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. You're better off picking one park and sticking with it than trying to cover multiple parks in a single day.
In our case, we picked the Magic Kingdom. Hollywood Studios is having a special event the night we'll be there so we'd have to pay a separate price for that event to spend a whole day there. There's not enough to do at Animal Kingdom to spend a whole day there. Which left Magic Kingdom and EPCOT. I left it up to Holly to decide which one. I'll be going back for a full week in September with my parents and Holly won't. She picked the Magic Kingdom in order to see New Fantasyland. The last time the two of us went in 2012 it hadn't opened yet. (They started the soft open two weeks after we got back from our trip. We did, however, get to see all of Storybook Circus.)
We decided to stay at All Star Sports to take advantage of the lowest rate in the Fall Room Only offer. For a quick weekend all the two of us need is a bed, a shower, and a mini-fridge so the Value level is perfect for us.
At this point our trip (without airfare) is costing us about $210.00 a person. Not bad for 2 nights, 3 days at Walt Disney World Resort and a full day park ticket each. The Fall Room Only offer really saved Holly and I a lot of money this time around.
Once all of that was booked and I received our confirmation codes I went to My Disney Experience at Disney World's website and customized our Magic Bands as well as linked all of reservations and my Memory Maker purchase to our bands. (Memory Maker is a one time purchase for your Photo Pass digital photo license. Once you purchase it and link it to your Magic Band you get all of the photos taken by Photo Pass and select ride photos as well!)
Now all that's left to do for our trip is decide what we'll do during our available time on Friday and Sunday. I know we'll be having a late lunch at Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney on Friday, but beyond that I have no clue what we'll be doing.
We have a ton of options. If you're looking for similar ideas for your check in and check out day then this post we'll help you out. There are a lot of places to go on Disney Property that aren't theme parks or water parks. Here's a list of possible ideas:
-Downtown Disney for dining, shopping, movies, and bowling. (There's also DisneyQuest Indoor theme park and Cirque de Soleil's La Nouba for additional ticket purchases.)
-Disney's BoardWalk for dining and shopping as well as a Dueling Piano Bar and a Dance Club.
-Disney's Winter Summerland and Fantasia Gardens miniature golf courses
-Magic Kingdom firework viewing at Disney's Contemporary Resort or the Ticket and Transportation Center
-Dinner and shopping at various other Disney Resorts. (The Grand Floridian or any other Deluxe resort is particular fun to explore as they are incredibly detail oriented with their theme and story. One of my favorite places to relax is the lobby for Disney's Wilderness Lodge Vacation Club Villas.)
Once we arrive and check in, Holly and I will decide what we'll feel like doing but any of these options are doable for our time and budget. There's so much to see and do at the Walt Disney World Resort that sometimes I forget not all of it has to be done inside of a theme park. Be sure to keep the above options in mind next time you have free time to plan during your Disney Vacation!
Just 68 days until my next Disney vacation!
Have a magical day and please let me know if you'd like a FREE Disney quote or have any questions! I'll be happy to help in any way I can!
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Benefits of Staying on Property
So, recently I've talked to a lot of people who stay off property when they visit Orlando and while I can understand the lure of cheaper room rates and free continental breakfasts there a lot of things that are tacked on to your hotel stay when you stay off property. There are hotel and theme park parking fees, resort fees, the cost of gas to travel back and forth, if you fly there's the cost of transportation from the airport to your hotel or the cost of a rental car to get around to the parks, and then of course there's the risk of an unknown hotel brand with sub par service.
If you rely on sites like Priceline or Travelocity then you never really know what you're getting. You're relying on the reviews of others and guest ratings.
However, if you book a Disney resort you know you'll get excellent service from extremely helpful cast members. You'll also get free transportation from the airport to your resort, extended park hours, free parking at any Disney World park, and there are NO additional resort or parking fees tacked on to your resort stay. You also get free transportation to and from the parks that comes so often that you'll never wait too long for a shuttle, monorail, or boat as opposed to off property resort shuttles that come once every forty-five minutes if you're very lucky.
The value in a Disney Resort lies in these added perks that other places simply can't offer. They attempt to make up for it by offering you free continental breakfast or free wi-fi (which Disney also offers by the way) or sometimes even special prices on park tickets for time share open house weekends or conventions. But the other fees and the time you lose traveling back and forth often negate these attempts to compensate for things off property hotels can't offer.
A Disney resort is too expensive, you say? I understand why you would think so. Deluxe and Moderate resorts are certainly on the pricier side but the added luxury is what you're paying for. If you're staying off property you're typically not doing it for the luxury. You're doing it because you're a family on the go and a hotel is basically just a place to sleep, maybe swim, and come back to for a break when the park is just too much.
Well, there's a category of Disney Resorts that's made for your family. The Value Resorts. Personally, they're my favorite category. They're well organized, kid-friendly, and extremely convenient. And, I did the math for my upcoming trip, the price of staying at the Residence Inn at Sea World versus Disney's All Star Music resort in September is a mere $25.
For that $25 you get transportation to and from the parks whenever you need it or free parking if you prefer to drive yourself, superior service, extended hours at select Disney Parks, advance access to dining and Fastpass+ reservations, free transportation and baggage service from Orlando International airport to your Disney Resort, and NO resort fees. The added conveniences are well worth $25.
For example, let's say you have a family of four with two adults and two children and you decided to stay off property. You have a three year old and ten year old. Your family takes your van to the park that morning and you pay $17 for parking. In the afternoon you decide your three year old needs a nap. If you were staying off property you'd have to get in your van (with your entire family of four) and drive the five or more miles back to your hotel only to drive that same five miles back later and park further away (you shouldn't have to pay for parking again since you're given a day pass when you paid that morning.) Or you could go back to your van and let your little one nap in the back seat which may be uncomfortable or overwhelmingly hot in the Florida heat, but would allow the other adult and your ten your old to continue to have fun in the park.
Now let's see what this same scenario would like if you stayed at a Disney Resort. Even though you have access to free bus transportation you decide to drive your van to the parks that morning. Your parking is free due to your resort parking pass that is sitting on your dash and you're sent straight through (without paying $17). In the afternoon you decide your three year old needs a nap, but your older child wants to stay in the park. You leave the other adult in the park with the ten year old and take the three year old out of the park. Instead of heading back to your van you head to the nearest Disney bus stop for your Disney Resort. Ten to fifteen minutes later a bus for your resort pulls up and you're on your way back to your room. The little one gets a nap and then you hop back on a bus to meet up with the other adult and older child for more Disney park fun.
Need a swim in the middle of the day instead of a nap? No problem. Just take that same Disney bus back to your resort for a mid-day break at your excellently themed pool. No need to use any gas or get stuck in traffic on I-drive. Convenience is a key bonus to staying on Disney property.
Once again, I totally understand the appeal of what off property hotels are offering, but there's more value to a Disney Resort stay than most people realize. It's unbelievably convenient for families especially. And don't forget for those families of a five or more Disney has family suites at two Disney Value Resorts (All Star Music and Art of Animation). They have accommodations for every size family!
Don't miss out on Disney's current special offers of free dining with full price room and resort stay OR up to 30% of your resort stay for late summer and fall 2014 check in dates! Contact me for a FREE quote today!
If you rely on sites like Priceline or Travelocity then you never really know what you're getting. You're relying on the reviews of others and guest ratings.
However, if you book a Disney resort you know you'll get excellent service from extremely helpful cast members. You'll also get free transportation from the airport to your resort, extended park hours, free parking at any Disney World park, and there are NO additional resort or parking fees tacked on to your resort stay. You also get free transportation to and from the parks that comes so often that you'll never wait too long for a shuttle, monorail, or boat as opposed to off property resort shuttles that come once every forty-five minutes if you're very lucky.
The value in a Disney Resort lies in these added perks that other places simply can't offer. They attempt to make up for it by offering you free continental breakfast or free wi-fi (which Disney also offers by the way) or sometimes even special prices on park tickets for time share open house weekends or conventions. But the other fees and the time you lose traveling back and forth often negate these attempts to compensate for things off property hotels can't offer.
A Disney resort is too expensive, you say? I understand why you would think so. Deluxe and Moderate resorts are certainly on the pricier side but the added luxury is what you're paying for. If you're staying off property you're typically not doing it for the luxury. You're doing it because you're a family on the go and a hotel is basically just a place to sleep, maybe swim, and come back to for a break when the park is just too much.
Well, there's a category of Disney Resorts that's made for your family. The Value Resorts. Personally, they're my favorite category. They're well organized, kid-friendly, and extremely convenient. And, I did the math for my upcoming trip, the price of staying at the Residence Inn at Sea World versus Disney's All Star Music resort in September is a mere $25.
For that $25 you get transportation to and from the parks whenever you need it or free parking if you prefer to drive yourself, superior service, extended hours at select Disney Parks, advance access to dining and Fastpass+ reservations, free transportation and baggage service from Orlando International airport to your Disney Resort, and NO resort fees. The added conveniences are well worth $25.
For example, let's say you have a family of four with two adults and two children and you decided to stay off property. You have a three year old and ten year old. Your family takes your van to the park that morning and you pay $17 for parking. In the afternoon you decide your three year old needs a nap. If you were staying off property you'd have to get in your van (with your entire family of four) and drive the five or more miles back to your hotel only to drive that same five miles back later and park further away (you shouldn't have to pay for parking again since you're given a day pass when you paid that morning.) Or you could go back to your van and let your little one nap in the back seat which may be uncomfortable or overwhelmingly hot in the Florida heat, but would allow the other adult and your ten your old to continue to have fun in the park.
Now let's see what this same scenario would like if you stayed at a Disney Resort. Even though you have access to free bus transportation you decide to drive your van to the parks that morning. Your parking is free due to your resort parking pass that is sitting on your dash and you're sent straight through (without paying $17). In the afternoon you decide your three year old needs a nap, but your older child wants to stay in the park. You leave the other adult in the park with the ten year old and take the three year old out of the park. Instead of heading back to your van you head to the nearest Disney bus stop for your Disney Resort. Ten to fifteen minutes later a bus for your resort pulls up and you're on your way back to your room. The little one gets a nap and then you hop back on a bus to meet up with the other adult and older child for more Disney park fun.
Need a swim in the middle of the day instead of a nap? No problem. Just take that same Disney bus back to your resort for a mid-day break at your excellently themed pool. No need to use any gas or get stuck in traffic on I-drive. Convenience is a key bonus to staying on Disney property.
Once again, I totally understand the appeal of what off property hotels are offering, but there's more value to a Disney Resort stay than most people realize. It's unbelievably convenient for families especially. And don't forget for those families of a five or more Disney has family suites at two Disney Value Resorts (All Star Music and Art of Animation). They have accommodations for every size family!
Don't miss out on Disney's current special offers of free dining with full price room and resort stay OR up to 30% of your resort stay for late summer and fall 2014 check in dates! Contact me for a FREE quote today!
Monday, April 28, 2014
Free Dining Plan Promotion Rumors!
So the buzz around Disney Vacation circles online is that Disney Travel Co will release the Disney Dining Plan Promotion to Visa Reward Cardholders on May 1st and then the general public 3-4 days later. The promotion is rumored to include late August and all of September arrival dates. Again, this is just a rumor that's going around online on various blogs and message boards. We'll see how true that is this week.
In the past the offer has included free dining plans to all guests staying at select Disney Resorts. If you stay at a Value Resort you get free Quick Service dining. However, you can upgrade to the full Dining Plan and simply pay the difference between the two plans. Guests at Moderate and Deluxe Resorts automatically receive the full Dining Plan. The only catch with this offer is that you must pay full price for your tickets and hotel room.
However, most of the time the value of the dining plan makes up for paying full price. I think the only exceptions would be if you were staying at a Deluxe Villa or one of the cabins at Fort Wilderness since you'd have your own kitchen where you could prepare your meals and store groceries.
The minute I hear anything Official I will let you all know! Free Dining is very popular! So if you'd like to book for this promotion you'd better jump on it fast! There's only a select number of rooms available for this promotion!
Have a magical day!
In the past the offer has included free dining plans to all guests staying at select Disney Resorts. If you stay at a Value Resort you get free Quick Service dining. However, you can upgrade to the full Dining Plan and simply pay the difference between the two plans. Guests at Moderate and Deluxe Resorts automatically receive the full Dining Plan. The only catch with this offer is that you must pay full price for your tickets and hotel room.
However, most of the time the value of the dining plan makes up for paying full price. I think the only exceptions would be if you were staying at a Deluxe Villa or one of the cabins at Fort Wilderness since you'd have your own kitchen where you could prepare your meals and store groceries.
The minute I hear anything Official I will let you all know! Free Dining is very popular! So if you'd like to book for this promotion you'd better jump on it fast! There's only a select number of rooms available for this promotion!
Have a magical day!
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
About Me
Hello friends and Disney fanatics!
My name is Logan and I am an authorized Disney Vacation Planner. Since I planned my first Disney World trip after my high school graduation I have loved offering advice and tips to anyone who would listen. So you can imagine how this opportunity would be a perfect fit for me!
I have a passion for the Walt Disney Company and the man himself, Mr. Walter Elias Disney. I am, what's come to be known as, a Disney nerd. It's a label that I wear proudly!
I thought I would start by telling you all a bit about my experiences with the Walt Disney World Resort and the reasons I keep going back year after year.
I first visited Walt Disney World in High School. I was 15 and visiting Orlando with my immediate and extended family. We rented a house not far from Universal Studios and spent most of the trip at Universal's parks. However, 2 days of the trip were set aside for two Disney parks. My mom, dad, aunt, uncle, and myself broke away from the rest of the group and went to Disney's Hollywood Studios (known as MGM back then) and Epcot (still Epcot Center at the time). I had more fun in those two days than I did on the rest of the trip. I had dreamed of going to a Disney Park all of my young life and to finally be there felt like coming home.
So, when my high school graduation came up and my parents told me I could go where ever I wanted I immediately suggested Walt Disney World. Only this time I wanted the full experience. I wanted to stay on property and visit all four parks. We got a great deal on a 1 bedroom villa at Old Key West and off we went. In the middle of July. It was hot but totally worth it. Two years later we went back and then one year after that...
I was accepted into the Disney College Program.
For those of you who don't know, the Disney College Program is an internship program where college students can take a semester out of school to work at a Disney Theme Park or Resort. There's a program at Disneyland in California and a program at Walt Disney World in Orlando. I chose Orlando. I worked in Epcot for five glorious months with the most amazing people (most of whom I still talk to today) and loved every minute of it.
I loved being in the parks as a guest and talking to other guests in line. As someone who worked there I could offer tips on where to find certain characters or what time would be best to visit certain attractions. I advised guests when I was on and off stage (the Disney term for on and off the clock, basically). I couldn't seem to stop myself. But I discovered something about myself while I worked there. I discovered that I wanted nothing more than to help other people feel the magic and inspiration that I feel every time I visit a Disney park or resort.
I feel like a little kid and for a few days anything is possible.
I want to help other people feel that. It's that undeniable Disney magic that brings me back year after year and that draws families in like nothing else can.
If you'll let me I would love to help you make your Disney Vacation your most magical experience ever. And Disney has made that easier than ever with the wide variety of choices available to you! There's Disney Cruises, Disneyland in California, Disney's Aulani in Hawaii, international and domestic itineraries with Adventures by Disney, and the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando! I can help you no matter what Disney destination you choose!
My name is Logan and I am an authorized Disney Vacation Planner. Since I planned my first Disney World trip after my high school graduation I have loved offering advice and tips to anyone who would listen. So you can imagine how this opportunity would be a perfect fit for me!
I have a passion for the Walt Disney Company and the man himself, Mr. Walter Elias Disney. I am, what's come to be known as, a Disney nerd. It's a label that I wear proudly!
I thought I would start by telling you all a bit about my experiences with the Walt Disney World Resort and the reasons I keep going back year after year.
I first visited Walt Disney World in High School. I was 15 and visiting Orlando with my immediate and extended family. We rented a house not far from Universal Studios and spent most of the trip at Universal's parks. However, 2 days of the trip were set aside for two Disney parks. My mom, dad, aunt, uncle, and myself broke away from the rest of the group and went to Disney's Hollywood Studios (known as MGM back then) and Epcot (still Epcot Center at the time). I had more fun in those two days than I did on the rest of the trip. I had dreamed of going to a Disney Park all of my young life and to finally be there felt like coming home.
So, when my high school graduation came up and my parents told me I could go where ever I wanted I immediately suggested Walt Disney World. Only this time I wanted the full experience. I wanted to stay on property and visit all four parks. We got a great deal on a 1 bedroom villa at Old Key West and off we went. In the middle of July. It was hot but totally worth it. Two years later we went back and then one year after that...
I was accepted into the Disney College Program.
For those of you who don't know, the Disney College Program is an internship program where college students can take a semester out of school to work at a Disney Theme Park or Resort. There's a program at Disneyland in California and a program at Walt Disney World in Orlando. I chose Orlando. I worked in Epcot for five glorious months with the most amazing people (most of whom I still talk to today) and loved every minute of it.
I loved being in the parks as a guest and talking to other guests in line. As someone who worked there I could offer tips on where to find certain characters or what time would be best to visit certain attractions. I advised guests when I was on and off stage (the Disney term for on and off the clock, basically). I couldn't seem to stop myself. But I discovered something about myself while I worked there. I discovered that I wanted nothing more than to help other people feel the magic and inspiration that I feel every time I visit a Disney park or resort.
I feel like a little kid and for a few days anything is possible.
I want to help other people feel that. It's that undeniable Disney magic that brings me back year after year and that draws families in like nothing else can.
If you'll let me I would love to help you make your Disney Vacation your most magical experience ever. And Disney has made that easier than ever with the wide variety of choices available to you! There's Disney Cruises, Disneyland in California, Disney's Aulani in Hawaii, international and domestic itineraries with Adventures by Disney, and the Walt Disney World resort in Orlando! I can help you no matter what Disney destination you choose!
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
A New Purpose for an Old Friend
So, I have started my new blog:
Nora, Jane, & Walt.
(Which I have slacked off on by the way)
And I plan to continue that blog. HOWEVER, friends, I have found a new purpose for my College Program Blog. It will now become my Authorized Disney Vacation Planner blog!
That's right, friends, you heard it here first! I am now an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Frazzled Fairy Travels! I have just completed the Disney College of Knowledge course and I am ready to get to work!
My knowledge and passion for Disney had to come in handy sometime didn't it?
I am so excited! I have always loved helping people plan and enjoy their Disney experience and now I get to help out professionally with all the best resources that Frazzled Fairy Travels and Disney Travel can provide! There are so many amazing things out there for families and young people to experience through Disney! There's Adventures By Disney, Aulani, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland Resort, and Walt Disney World Resort!
This means I will be changing the blog url! If you want to continue to find this blog you will need to change it in your favorites to: disneydreammakers.blogspot.com! I will be changing it promptly at midnight tomorrow night!
I look forward to assisting anyone and everyone with making their Disney planning as stress free as possible! If you have Disney questions you'd like to have answered you can e-mail me at: Logan.FFT@gmail.com!
Have a magical day!
Logan
Nora, Jane, & Walt.
(Which I have slacked off on by the way)
And I plan to continue that blog. HOWEVER, friends, I have found a new purpose for my College Program Blog. It will now become my Authorized Disney Vacation Planner blog!
That's right, friends, you heard it here first! I am now an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner with Frazzled Fairy Travels! I have just completed the Disney College of Knowledge course and I am ready to get to work!
My knowledge and passion for Disney had to come in handy sometime didn't it?
I am so excited! I have always loved helping people plan and enjoy their Disney experience and now I get to help out professionally with all the best resources that Frazzled Fairy Travels and Disney Travel can provide! There are so many amazing things out there for families and young people to experience through Disney! There's Adventures By Disney, Aulani, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland Resort, and Walt Disney World Resort!
This means I will be changing the blog url! If you want to continue to find this blog you will need to change it in your favorites to: disneydreammakers.blogspot.com! I will be changing it promptly at midnight tomorrow night!
I look forward to assisting anyone and everyone with making their Disney planning as stress free as possible! If you have Disney questions you'd like to have answered you can e-mail me at: Logan.FFT@gmail.com!
Have a magical day!
Logan
Saturday, October 05, 2013
Actions speak louder than words...
I've decided to back up my last post with actions.
This blog began in 2010 as a way for me to talk about my Disney College Program experience and then later I attempted to turn into a resource for people applying to the DCP and outlet for me to illustrate my Disney knowledge. I couldn't quite make that work. Now, I've decided to make a place to express myself. Whether it's about clothes, make up, Walt Disney, or life in general I'm going to put it all out there. I have lots of thoughts and from here on out I will be expressing them in the hopes of inspiring others. No one is alone in the world. I hope my experiences can make that point clear.
I love this blog and I still love Disney. However, it's time for me to move forward.
It's time to woman up and let go of the past.
I'll be starting a brand new blog very soon.
Keep an eye out for something brand new.
This blog began in 2010 as a way for me to talk about my Disney College Program experience and then later I attempted to turn into a resource for people applying to the DCP and outlet for me to illustrate my Disney knowledge. I couldn't quite make that work. Now, I've decided to make a place to express myself. Whether it's about clothes, make up, Walt Disney, or life in general I'm going to put it all out there. I have lots of thoughts and from here on out I will be expressing them in the hopes of inspiring others. No one is alone in the world. I hope my experiences can make that point clear.
I love this blog and I still love Disney. However, it's time for me to move forward.
It's time to woman up and let go of the past.
I'll be starting a brand new blog very soon.
Keep an eye out for something brand new.
Thursday, October 03, 2013
Keep Moving Forward
Change is coming, my friends.
To the blog and maybe my life. Or my attitude about my life.
Walt Disney is famous for his "keep moving forward" philosophy and the lot of us who look up to his genius have latched onto it. But do we ever really examine his words? Do we acknowledge them for being wise? Or do we take them to heart and let them truly inspire us?
"Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
-Walt Disney
We don't look backwards for very long.
I've only recently come to see what this phrase means. It doesn't mean that we don't look backwards at all. It means we acknowledge the past, we learn from it, and then we move on. We don't dwell on the failures or the regrets or wounds that won't heal. We take a moment to face them and to take stock of what we discovered and then we push through it.
We keep moving forward.
We don't hold ourselves back. We don't let ourselves be distracted. We continue to grow and learn and we never let the world pass us by. How do we do that exactly?
We open up new doors and do new things. We let ourselves be curious.
It's okay to have a multitude of interests. It's okay to not know exactly where you're going to end up. If there's anything Walt did best of all then it was play. He experimented with his visions. How big or small they were didn't stop him. The multiplane camera, animatronics, and even the full length animated feature all came from Walt's ideas to make existing conveniences even better. He would play with something, examine how it worked, and then improve upon it (or "plus it" as our heroes, the Imangineers, would say.) No idea was too small. He didn't limit himself to purely original ideas. In fact, adding depth to existing ideas was his specialty. He had a talent for story and art and ideals that couldn't be stopped. He loved the idea of "progress". The concept of people adapting to their ever changing world and never letting themselves fall behind or out of touch.
But in these few lines, he acknowledges that progress can't happen without curiosity, growth, and hard work. You can't allow yourself to give up and take root. Standing still is almost worse than moving backwards because you truly accomplish nothing. You follow everyone else through life instead of exploring your own. Instead of dreaming of the impossible you start to find it impossible to dream.
We cannot let that happen. For the past year and a half, I have been standing still. I've been waiting for adventure to find me. That is never going to happen. I have to go after what I want because no one is going to hand it to me. A college degree is not a free ticket to a fulfilling career no matter what your high school guidance counselor may have told you. You should go to college but not because you want a free pass for life. Go to college because you want to play and learn and explore. Go to college because you want to work your ass off and follow it up by taking pride in what you accomplish. Go to college and discover everything you're passionate about.
Do not take it for granted. Do not let yourself become complacent in your work. Do not stand still. Keep moving forward! So what if you fail a few times on the way? Dust yourself off, learn from it, and let it fuel you! Failure is growth and you can use it on your next project (whatever that might be). Learn all you can! Do internships! Even if you're just fetching coffee and donuts you'll have plenty of time to observe and learn! Every period in your life has educational value. Walt knew it. You know it. The tricky part is forcing yourself to do something with it.
My biggest regret is not taking advantage of my college career like I should have. I waited until my senior year to work hard and really love it. I let perfectly good opportunities pass me by because I felt like earning a degree was enough.
If there's anything my current situation has taught me, it's that a degree is never enough. If you don't have the fire and drive to both fail and succeed then your degree will be useless. Never settle for enough. Always strive for more. You cannot be stagnate and your education can never stop.
I've decided to keep moving. I've had enough of waiting and now I'm ready to make it happen. I want to discover and create and inspire! Anything else is unacceptable.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
[INFOPOST] Reasons Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is Worth the Money.
Disney World's prices are not cheap. Sure there are some affordable options, but generally when people plan their vacations they don't look for special events that cost extra. Park tickets and hotel are expensive enough. This is understandable, and for the most part you're not missing much. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party was a bit of a disappointment for me but I'm glad I'm able to say I've been. With the Christmas Party they give you free unlimited cocoa and cookies, but the cookies and cocoa are heavy after a while (though they do warm you up when you need it). The parade is beautiful, but if you go to the park closer to Christmas you can see it (and Holiday Wishes) during regular park hours. So, the only exclusive things you're paying for when you attend the Christmas Party are the character meet and greets and the castle show.
This is not the case with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
If you're like me and don't do well with Universal's Halloween Horror Nights then this party is the perfect spooky celebration for you. There's free candy (no matter what you're age), tons of rare characters, an amazing parade that you can only see at the party, and a castle show full of villains that are very rarely seen. Plus, there's dance parties, attractions that are decked out to look extra creepy, and special photo ops (last year they had Cinderella's Carriage out for special photo op) that more than pay for the price of the ticket. Not to mention the cast members look and act like their having a blast and so many other guests turn up in outstanding costumes.
There's much fun to be had and many memories to be made. Now how can you best enjoy all of these perks?
First of all, your party ticket will get you into the Magic Kingdom at 4 PM. Use that time to ride attractions or eat dinner. The attractions are open during regular park hours so I would skip those from the hours of 7 to midnight. The one exception I would make is The Haunted Mansion because there is something extra special about sitting in a Doom Buggy on an extra spooky night at the Magic Kingdom. Plus, there's Madame Leota's sisters who entertain guests from the lawn of the Mansion while they wait in line. They're absolutely delightful.
Second of all, go to the second parade. The crowds are smaller and it's easier to find a spot to sit down. If you want a really good view (for you or your little ones) expect to be there at least 45 minutes before the parade. Use this time to regroup or eat, if you didn't earlier and I suggest finding a spot in Frontierland. The parade ends there first so you can move on to the next activity sooner. The same concept applies to the Villains Mix and Mingle. The later the show the easier it is to find a spot. There's usually one last show after 11 o'clock, that's the one you should go to.
And finally, meet the characters you can't find any other time. For instance, if you're a fan of the princesses or have a little one with a favorite Disney couple, the Disney Princes are out with the Princesses every night. The interaction between the Princesses and their true loves is not something you'll want to miss. There's also characters like Jack Sparrow, Gaston, Jafar, The Seven Dwarves, Mad Hatter and characters you'll find in other parks (but here they're in their very special Halloween Costumes.) Some of these characters require getting in line before the party starts (the Seven Dwarves can be a monstrous wait) and some of these it's best to wait until the party has been under way for a while (the Princesses and Princes won't be out until all the regular day time guests have gotten out of line so more than like these characters won't be out until 7:30 or so.) The best suggestion if you're a character hunter like me is to start in the back of the park and work your way forward.
Something you can't miss at the Halloween Party is meeting at least one major villain. After the Castle Show, Villains Mix and Mingle, the Villains have their own special meet and greet. These characters (with the exception of The Tremaines) are almost never out. Here you'll find Maleficent, The Evil Queen, Frollo, Dr. Facillier, Cruella DeVille, Captain Hook, and the Queen of Hearts. They don't have time to do autographs or talk very much but it's a can't miss photo op that you'll talk about for years to come. Get in line as soon as the shows over. The line's build up fast and the Character Attendants will cut them off when the meet and greet time is over. No exceptions.
And the very last thing that we can't forget, is HalloWishes. Now, first off, I'm not a fireworks enthusiast. I love them and I think they look amazing, but I don't go out of my way to view them. So I decided to skip HalloWishes at my first party and then I caught it later on the beach at Polynesian Resort (where they pipe in the music. They also do this at the Contemporary.) I enjoyed much better at a distance than I did up close, but that's not to say HalloWishes isn't an amazing fireworks display. If you're going to catch it make sure you find a spot with a quick exit to make it through the crowds and get to your next activity. But I definitely suggest skipping the massive crowd as it's uncomfortable and more than like your view will be obscured. If you can work it out catch the fireworks another night at the Contemporary or the Polynesian.
Anyway, those are my tips and suggestions for enjoying the Halloween Party as well as my reasons why the party as a whole is worth the price of the ticket. It's definitely one of my favorite Disney events, and I'm getting ready to attend for my third year in a row. I absolutely love it.
Because, as Uncle Walt said, "Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."
This is not the case with Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
If you're like me and don't do well with Universal's Halloween Horror Nights then this party is the perfect spooky celebration for you. There's free candy (no matter what you're age), tons of rare characters, an amazing parade that you can only see at the party, and a castle show full of villains that are very rarely seen. Plus, there's dance parties, attractions that are decked out to look extra creepy, and special photo ops (last year they had Cinderella's Carriage out for special photo op) that more than pay for the price of the ticket. Not to mention the cast members look and act like their having a blast and so many other guests turn up in outstanding costumes.
There's much fun to be had and many memories to be made. Now how can you best enjoy all of these perks?
First of all, your party ticket will get you into the Magic Kingdom at 4 PM. Use that time to ride attractions or eat dinner. The attractions are open during regular park hours so I would skip those from the hours of 7 to midnight. The one exception I would make is The Haunted Mansion because there is something extra special about sitting in a Doom Buggy on an extra spooky night at the Magic Kingdom. Plus, there's Madame Leota's sisters who entertain guests from the lawn of the Mansion while they wait in line. They're absolutely delightful.
Second of all, go to the second parade. The crowds are smaller and it's easier to find a spot to sit down. If you want a really good view (for you or your little ones) expect to be there at least 45 minutes before the parade. Use this time to regroup or eat, if you didn't earlier and I suggest finding a spot in Frontierland. The parade ends there first so you can move on to the next activity sooner. The same concept applies to the Villains Mix and Mingle. The later the show the easier it is to find a spot. There's usually one last show after 11 o'clock, that's the one you should go to.
And finally, meet the characters you can't find any other time. For instance, if you're a fan of the princesses or have a little one with a favorite Disney couple, the Disney Princes are out with the Princesses every night. The interaction between the Princesses and their true loves is not something you'll want to miss. There's also characters like Jack Sparrow, Gaston, Jafar, The Seven Dwarves, Mad Hatter and characters you'll find in other parks (but here they're in their very special Halloween Costumes.) Some of these characters require getting in line before the party starts (the Seven Dwarves can be a monstrous wait) and some of these it's best to wait until the party has been under way for a while (the Princesses and Princes won't be out until all the regular day time guests have gotten out of line so more than like these characters won't be out until 7:30 or so.) The best suggestion if you're a character hunter like me is to start in the back of the park and work your way forward.
Something you can't miss at the Halloween Party is meeting at least one major villain. After the Castle Show, Villains Mix and Mingle, the Villains have their own special meet and greet. These characters (with the exception of The Tremaines) are almost never out. Here you'll find Maleficent, The Evil Queen, Frollo, Dr. Facillier, Cruella DeVille, Captain Hook, and the Queen of Hearts. They don't have time to do autographs or talk very much but it's a can't miss photo op that you'll talk about for years to come. Get in line as soon as the shows over. The line's build up fast and the Character Attendants will cut them off when the meet and greet time is over. No exceptions.
And the very last thing that we can't forget, is HalloWishes. Now, first off, I'm not a fireworks enthusiast. I love them and I think they look amazing, but I don't go out of my way to view them. So I decided to skip HalloWishes at my first party and then I caught it later on the beach at Polynesian Resort (where they pipe in the music. They also do this at the Contemporary.) I enjoyed much better at a distance than I did up close, but that's not to say HalloWishes isn't an amazing fireworks display. If you're going to catch it make sure you find a spot with a quick exit to make it through the crowds and get to your next activity. But I definitely suggest skipping the massive crowd as it's uncomfortable and more than like your view will be obscured. If you can work it out catch the fireworks another night at the Contemporary or the Polynesian.
Anyway, those are my tips and suggestions for enjoying the Halloween Party as well as my reasons why the party as a whole is worth the price of the ticket. It's definitely one of my favorite Disney events, and I'm getting ready to attend for my third year in a row. I absolutely love it.
Because, as Uncle Walt said, "Adults are only kids grown up, anyway."
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
[INFOPOST] Reasons to Stay On Property
I know so many people who have gone to Disney World and stayed at an outside hotel, and that's totally fine (I've done this before too.) Off property hotels work really well for large parties (the vacation homes in Orlando are surprisingly affordable to rent) or guests who plan to visit Seaworld or Universal more than Disney. But if you want to Disney World, I mean really do Disney World, and you have a party of 6 or less then the on property hotels and resorts are really the best way to go. You're close to the magic, you have complimentary travel to and from the parks, free parking at theme parks, extra time inside the actual parks before offsite guests, and amazing staff to make your stay so much easier.
The quality of the Cast Members Disney hires and trains never fails to amaze me (even after being a Cast Member myself). Everyone is extremely helpful and they want nothing more than to make your trip as worry free as they can. Plus, they're always up for more than a little fun. I've stayed at one resort at every level except for Deluxe. Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Villa. All three experience were extremely pleasant. The first Disney Resort I ever stayed in was Old Key West in a one bedroom villa. We arrived early for check in, but we were able to check in anyway and leave our bags with Cast Members and then head out to the parks right away. When we arrived back at the resort that night our luggage and our purchases from that day were waiting on us in our room.
That was my first exposure to Disney service. I didn't have to lug my bags anywhere and while shopping inside the park I didn't have to carry around my plastic bags filled with purchases. I could just have them shipped to my room and by the next day they would be there waiting on me. It was wonderful.
And then there was Extra Magic Hours. One of the best perks to have ever been thought up. Every day, one park has EMH. Sometimes it's one hour in the morning and sometimes it's up to three hours at night. At the end of this year, that extra three hours after closing is officially changing to two (which I'm sure is a great relief to Magic Kingdom CMs, who often had to work until 4 in the morning to restock and clean the park.) But those extra hours allow you to get a lot done that the crowded general guest hours may prevent you from doing. Plus, there's nothing like experiencing the Magic Kingdom at 2 AM. It's just a whole different kind of magic.
The transportation to and from the parks is an excellent perk as well. It saves a lot of gas and a lot of money. Not to mention you no longer have to worry about finding your car at the end of every night. The only drawback is waiting on the bus after park closing. Sometimes it takes forever to finally get on one due to the sheer number of people wanting to ride them.
The next time I stayed at a resort was during my College Program when my parents came to visit. We stayed at Coronado Springs. It's a lovely quiet resort with lots of beautiful theming. This resort is home to a lot of business conferences so you'll find there aren't many families staying here. But I really enjoyed the design of the lobby. It was gorgeous. This was the trip I discovered the free parking for resort guests. As a CM I received free parking anyway but to do so I had to show my CM ID. So my parents decided to drive instead of wait for the bus and I had my ID all ready to show the Cast Member's who take the money for parking, but he didn't need it. He saw the Resort parking pass and just waved us on through. It was the best surprise of the day for me because leaning forward from the back seat to the front driver side window was very uncomfortable and awkward. So from then on we had no fear of driving and no need to follow bus schedules. It was very liberating.
The last time I stayed on property was last October. I stayed at the Pop Century resort and enjoyed every minute of it. This time I was able to enjoy Magical Express, a flawless service, and the services of the CM's who greet at the front desks in the resort lobby. These two services absolutely made my trip. Michelle and I came from two seperate states but managed to end up on the same flight thanks to the genius of Southwest Airlines (who I highly recommend by the way. Their one way flights are more affordable than connecting flights most of the time.) Because of this we were able to use Magical Express, the bus service that picks you up at the airport and takes you to your resort.
Now, keep in mind that this is not a direct trip to your resort. The bus stops at other resorts in the area too. But when you sign up for Magical Express you're sent a booklet that contains your passes for the bus and directions to the terminal where you will be picked up. Essentially Disney has had a section of the baggage claim area sectioned off for bus queues. You show the CMs that are waiting your passes and then wait in the very first Disney queue of the trip for your bus. You do not have to stop and collected your bags unless you're being picked up super early in the morning or super late at night. Otherwise, lovely cast members will pick up your bags and transport them to the resort for you. You're sent special luggage tags to mark your bags.
The wait for the bus can be lengthy, but it mostly feels that way because you know you're just so close to the Disney magic. The cast members that are there to supervise this service try to make it go by as quickly as they can. They joke and entertain and try to keep you busy. There are buses that are decorated especially for the service, but there are also average yellow Mears transportation buses that pick up as well. While on the bus you're shown a video that highlights the advantages you'll be enjoying while staying on property (all illustrated with various Disney characters).
When you reach your resort you're told to head straight to check out because your bags will be brought to your room when they arrive. Check out was a very quick process, there was basically no wait when Michelle and I arrived at the Pop. We checked in and then headed to our room to take a break and settle in as much as we could. Not even a half hour after we arrived my bag was brought to our door. Michelle's arrived a little later and we were both a little worried about that, but Disney had it all under control.
Departing is just as easy as arriving. The day before you depart your boarding passes are sent to your room (provided you're flying with an airline that partners with Disney, Southwest does.) Your bags will be checked in for you and all you have to do is take your luggage to luggage services by the drop off entrance to the resort. You don't even have to check out of your hotel. You can just leave. Michelle and I took them our bags earlier that morning and then headed off to Downtown Disney until the scheduled pick up time we were given. This service saves guests so much time and effort and it really makes things worry free. I enjoyed every bit of it.
The other part of the trip that I found to be amazing was check in. The Cast Member that was helping us really paid attention and knew what we needed before we did. All I did was mention briefly to Michelle that we needed to go to the Ticket and Transportation Center and pick up the tickets we had a will call and he immediately had a suggestion for us.
We could pick up the tickets at the front desk as long as we had our confirmation numbers. I had mine so he was able to add my park tickets to my room key and then use a separate hard plastic key-card for my Halloween Party ticket. This made my life so much easier. We still had to go to the TTC for Michelle's tickets but it eased my mind to have mine in my hand when we left to check out our room. Plus having the tickets I purchased separately added to my room key left me with less to keep up with. I was really impressed with that Cast Member and how closely he was paying attention to the guests in front of him. It was truly excellent service.
And all of the above is why I encourage people to stay on property. You will not find any company more accommodating than the Walt Disney Company. They try their hardest to make things as convenient as possible for their guests because they know people really don't want to worry or think while on vacation. Isn't lovely to have someone do all the work for you, for once? I think so. And I haven't mentioned my favorite part...
Cast Members at the resort cannot accept tips unless they are servers in one of the restaurants. There's no risk of a bellman being rude to you because he thinks you tipped him too little. Or being rushed to your room because you're not expected to be a good tipper. No one to awkwardly stand around until they've received whatever tip they deem appropriate.
Not to say that some people do not truly deserve tips because some do, but in my experience, hotels with staff that expect to be tipped do not have good guest service. Yet another reason why, if possible, I try to work out a way to stay on property on my trips to Disney World. Disney cast members are so much nicer and work so much harder and yet they don't expect a tip. Now, that's a staff that deserves to be tipped and appreciated. Don't you think?
The quality of the Cast Members Disney hires and trains never fails to amaze me (even after being a Cast Member myself). Everyone is extremely helpful and they want nothing more than to make your trip as worry free as they can. Plus, they're always up for more than a little fun. I've stayed at one resort at every level except for Deluxe. Value, Moderate, and Deluxe Villa. All three experience were extremely pleasant. The first Disney Resort I ever stayed in was Old Key West in a one bedroom villa. We arrived early for check in, but we were able to check in anyway and leave our bags with Cast Members and then head out to the parks right away. When we arrived back at the resort that night our luggage and our purchases from that day were waiting on us in our room.
That was my first exposure to Disney service. I didn't have to lug my bags anywhere and while shopping inside the park I didn't have to carry around my plastic bags filled with purchases. I could just have them shipped to my room and by the next day they would be there waiting on me. It was wonderful.
And then there was Extra Magic Hours. One of the best perks to have ever been thought up. Every day, one park has EMH. Sometimes it's one hour in the morning and sometimes it's up to three hours at night. At the end of this year, that extra three hours after closing is officially changing to two (which I'm sure is a great relief to Magic Kingdom CMs, who often had to work until 4 in the morning to restock and clean the park.) But those extra hours allow you to get a lot done that the crowded general guest hours may prevent you from doing. Plus, there's nothing like experiencing the Magic Kingdom at 2 AM. It's just a whole different kind of magic.
The transportation to and from the parks is an excellent perk as well. It saves a lot of gas and a lot of money. Not to mention you no longer have to worry about finding your car at the end of every night. The only drawback is waiting on the bus after park closing. Sometimes it takes forever to finally get on one due to the sheer number of people wanting to ride them.
The next time I stayed at a resort was during my College Program when my parents came to visit. We stayed at Coronado Springs. It's a lovely quiet resort with lots of beautiful theming. This resort is home to a lot of business conferences so you'll find there aren't many families staying here. But I really enjoyed the design of the lobby. It was gorgeous. This was the trip I discovered the free parking for resort guests. As a CM I received free parking anyway but to do so I had to show my CM ID. So my parents decided to drive instead of wait for the bus and I had my ID all ready to show the Cast Member's who take the money for parking, but he didn't need it. He saw the Resort parking pass and just waved us on through. It was the best surprise of the day for me because leaning forward from the back seat to the front driver side window was very uncomfortable and awkward. So from then on we had no fear of driving and no need to follow bus schedules. It was very liberating.
The last time I stayed on property was last October. I stayed at the Pop Century resort and enjoyed every minute of it. This time I was able to enjoy Magical Express, a flawless service, and the services of the CM's who greet at the front desks in the resort lobby. These two services absolutely made my trip. Michelle and I came from two seperate states but managed to end up on the same flight thanks to the genius of Southwest Airlines (who I highly recommend by the way. Their one way flights are more affordable than connecting flights most of the time.) Because of this we were able to use Magical Express, the bus service that picks you up at the airport and takes you to your resort.
Now, keep in mind that this is not a direct trip to your resort. The bus stops at other resorts in the area too. But when you sign up for Magical Express you're sent a booklet that contains your passes for the bus and directions to the terminal where you will be picked up. Essentially Disney has had a section of the baggage claim area sectioned off for bus queues. You show the CMs that are waiting your passes and then wait in the very first Disney queue of the trip for your bus. You do not have to stop and collected your bags unless you're being picked up super early in the morning or super late at night. Otherwise, lovely cast members will pick up your bags and transport them to the resort for you. You're sent special luggage tags to mark your bags.
The wait for the bus can be lengthy, but it mostly feels that way because you know you're just so close to the Disney magic. The cast members that are there to supervise this service try to make it go by as quickly as they can. They joke and entertain and try to keep you busy. There are buses that are decorated especially for the service, but there are also average yellow Mears transportation buses that pick up as well. While on the bus you're shown a video that highlights the advantages you'll be enjoying while staying on property (all illustrated with various Disney characters).
When you reach your resort you're told to head straight to check out because your bags will be brought to your room when they arrive. Check out was a very quick process, there was basically no wait when Michelle and I arrived at the Pop. We checked in and then headed to our room to take a break and settle in as much as we could. Not even a half hour after we arrived my bag was brought to our door. Michelle's arrived a little later and we were both a little worried about that, but Disney had it all under control.
Departing is just as easy as arriving. The day before you depart your boarding passes are sent to your room (provided you're flying with an airline that partners with Disney, Southwest does.) Your bags will be checked in for you and all you have to do is take your luggage to luggage services by the drop off entrance to the resort. You don't even have to check out of your hotel. You can just leave. Michelle and I took them our bags earlier that morning and then headed off to Downtown Disney until the scheduled pick up time we were given. This service saves guests so much time and effort and it really makes things worry free. I enjoyed every bit of it.
The other part of the trip that I found to be amazing was check in. The Cast Member that was helping us really paid attention and knew what we needed before we did. All I did was mention briefly to Michelle that we needed to go to the Ticket and Transportation Center and pick up the tickets we had a will call and he immediately had a suggestion for us.
We could pick up the tickets at the front desk as long as we had our confirmation numbers. I had mine so he was able to add my park tickets to my room key and then use a separate hard plastic key-card for my Halloween Party ticket. This made my life so much easier. We still had to go to the TTC for Michelle's tickets but it eased my mind to have mine in my hand when we left to check out our room. Plus having the tickets I purchased separately added to my room key left me with less to keep up with. I was really impressed with that Cast Member and how closely he was paying attention to the guests in front of him. It was truly excellent service.
And all of the above is why I encourage people to stay on property. You will not find any company more accommodating than the Walt Disney Company. They try their hardest to make things as convenient as possible for their guests because they know people really don't want to worry or think while on vacation. Isn't lovely to have someone do all the work for you, for once? I think so. And I haven't mentioned my favorite part...
Cast Members at the resort cannot accept tips unless they are servers in one of the restaurants. There's no risk of a bellman being rude to you because he thinks you tipped him too little. Or being rushed to your room because you're not expected to be a good tipper. No one to awkwardly stand around until they've received whatever tip they deem appropriate.
Not to say that some people do not truly deserve tips because some do, but in my experience, hotels with staff that expect to be tipped do not have good guest service. Yet another reason why, if possible, I try to work out a way to stay on property on my trips to Disney World. Disney cast members are so much nicer and work so much harder and yet they don't expect a tip. Now, that's a staff that deserves to be tipped and appreciated. Don't you think?
Monday, September 10, 2012
19 Days and Counting!
As you may be able to see from my nifty little countdown nametag on the right side panel there are 19 days until my next Disney trip! I am so excited! This year my friend Holly and my mother are coming with me and we're meeting my friend Bethany, who is currently on her second CP, down there! And this year I get to be there for a whole week! Saturday to Saturday! No quick (yet so fun) whirlwind trip this year! I get to relax a bit more this year.
My friend, Holly, has never really experience Disney World as a whole. She came with me when I moved to Florida for my CP but only got to halfway experience Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. This time around she'll get to experience all of WDW and then some. We're going to The International Food & Wine Festival and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
We'll be staying at Pop Century in a standard room and we have the dining plan! So we get to eat at a nice table service restaurant every night! Bethany and I have already made our reservations! I cannot wait because I've never been to most of these restaurants before! We're eating at Raglan Road, La Hacienda de San Angel, 50's Primetime Cafe, Liberty Tree Tavern, The Wave of American Flavors, Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom (lunch), and The Crystal Palace (dinner). I've eaten at The Wave and 50's Primetime, but none of the others! Michelle and I had a reservation for Liberty Tree last year but I had to cancel it due to time and budget.
I'm not sure which evening we'll be going to the party. We won't buy those tickets until the week before we leave. But I have reservations planned around either day that we might go. I already have a character plan of attack though! I'm going to try and meet characters that are unique to special events and parties and characters who's autographs I don't have yet. (Jafar, Captain Jack Sparrow, Suzy and Perla, etc. etc.) And of course we will stop and watch the parade, I will try and get my group to find a spot early so we can eat while we wait. I say forty-five minutes at most (any more than that is a waste of valuable character hunting time, haha).
Food and Wine I'm hoping to experience on Sunday morning while all the locals are at church. I learned last year that the lines are short and you can walk right up to the booths and order. I also plan to order at least three things I've never tried before (in addition to the Fisherman's Pie. I can't not get that.)
But for the most part we'll be winging it as to which park on which day. I know that whatever day we go to MNSSHP I would like to do Animal Kingdom since it's only open till 5 anyway, but that's certainly not set in stone. I'm mostly excited to be back there again. It may be crowded and hot, but something about it just breathes magic. Looking forward to another trip and seeing my friend Bethany for the first time in two years! I have missed her so much! It's going to be amazing!
And it's all just 19 days away!
My friend, Holly, has never really experience Disney World as a whole. She came with me when I moved to Florida for my CP but only got to halfway experience Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. This time around she'll get to experience all of WDW and then some. We're going to The International Food & Wine Festival and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
We'll be staying at Pop Century in a standard room and we have the dining plan! So we get to eat at a nice table service restaurant every night! Bethany and I have already made our reservations! I cannot wait because I've never been to most of these restaurants before! We're eating at Raglan Road, La Hacienda de San Angel, 50's Primetime Cafe, Liberty Tree Tavern, The Wave of American Flavors, Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom (lunch), and The Crystal Palace (dinner). I've eaten at The Wave and 50's Primetime, but none of the others! Michelle and I had a reservation for Liberty Tree last year but I had to cancel it due to time and budget.
I'm not sure which evening we'll be going to the party. We won't buy those tickets until the week before we leave. But I have reservations planned around either day that we might go. I already have a character plan of attack though! I'm going to try and meet characters that are unique to special events and parties and characters who's autographs I don't have yet. (Jafar, Captain Jack Sparrow, Suzy and Perla, etc. etc.) And of course we will stop and watch the parade, I will try and get my group to find a spot early so we can eat while we wait. I say forty-five minutes at most (any more than that is a waste of valuable character hunting time, haha).
Food and Wine I'm hoping to experience on Sunday morning while all the locals are at church. I learned last year that the lines are short and you can walk right up to the booths and order. I also plan to order at least three things I've never tried before (in addition to the Fisherman's Pie. I can't not get that.)
But for the most part we'll be winging it as to which park on which day. I know that whatever day we go to MNSSHP I would like to do Animal Kingdom since it's only open till 5 anyway, but that's certainly not set in stone. I'm mostly excited to be back there again. It may be crowded and hot, but something about it just breathes magic. Looking forward to another trip and seeing my friend Bethany for the first time in two years! I have missed her so much! It's going to be amazing!
And it's all just 19 days away!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Happy Belated 40th Birthday WDW! - Oct. 2011, Part 3
Finally, we've reached the big day. Walt Disney World's 40th Anniversary! I had planned to dress 70s retro for the day and brought my biggest flairs for the occasion but in my time away from Florida I'd forgotten how HOT it could be in early October. So the flairs were thrown out in favor of shorts. We reached park for opening and as we walked in we received an awesome special button and park guide for the anniversary.
After breakfast we headed to Future World and decided to ride Ellen's Universe of Energy. It had been a while since I'd ridden it and I was pleased to learn that it was even more entertaining than I remembered. I went around saying "Stupid Judy" for the rest of the day. We followed Universe of Energy with my other favorite Future World attraction, Living with the Land Boat Ride. Words cannot describe how much I love this attraction. The smell, the theme, the story, and most importanlty, the Greenhouse. I just adore it and I always will.
We bounced around Epcot for a little while longer and enjoyed what we could of the extremely crowded park before we headed back to the Magic Kingdom for it's extended evening hours due to the Anniversary. We made our way to Fantasyland because we'd discovered on our program that the best time to enjoy Fantasyland was in the late evening after all the family's with children had turned in for the night. We rode Small World and then met our friend Joanna outside of the ride afterward. It had been over a year since we'd seen her so we were both really excited, and thankfully it was just like old times. We rode Pirates and then we took Joanna to Country Bear Jamboree as she'd never experience it's greatness before. We were overly excited during this attraction and cheering and clapping and singing along like Michelle and I hadn't seen it a million times.
Once the night was over we headed back to the hotel for a much needed rest. Sunday would be our last full day in Disney World and we planned to spend all of it at Epcot. We woke up the next morning and got to Epcot in time for opening. We picked up Fastpasses for Soarin' and then we got a quick breakfast at Sunshine Seasons, which for me consisted of a water and a buttered croissant. Once breakfast was done we realized the line for Soarin' wasn't actually that long and just went ahead and got in line. We were in and out in a record time and then we headed to the World Showcase to enjoy the first few hours of Food & Wine before the locals got out of church and stormed the place. We were able to walk right up to every booth that we wanted with no wait. We rode Maelstrom and River del Tiempo at the Norway and Mexico pavillions as we walked around and explored the Food & Wine booths. Once we'd had our fill of Food & Wine we made our way to the Character Spot and quickly got in line to meet the Fab Five.
Mickey and Minnie were lovely. Minnie, per usual, looked very pretty in her red polka dot dress. Pluto was precious and Donald was a flirt. While we waited for the picture with Donald he looped our arms through his and swayed back and forth slightly and then once the camera was ready motioned for us to kiss him on the cheek. Which we promptly did.
The highlight of this session, though, was Goofy. The minute it was our turn with Goofy Michelle rushed him with a hug. Goofy is Michelle's favorite, and they hugged for a very long time. Goofy even motioned for the Character Attendant to leave so he and Michelle could be alone. This long hug was almost immediately followed by this:
There were still some remnants of Toontown left which brought back good memories of the Judges Tent and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party 2010 for us.
After that we made our way back to Epcot for our dinner reservations at The Garden Grill. I was very excited for this because I'd always wanted to eat at the rotating restaurant that overlooked a scene in one of my favorite attractions, Living with the Land Boatride. It's also character dining and Chip and Dale were involved. During all my time at Disney I'd yet to officially meet Chip and Dale. So, I was pumped. The meal is served family style so the first thing that they brought us was salad and bread. Both were delicious. The rolls were excellent and the butter they used was warm and fresh and served in a little bowl in stead of prepackaged plastic containers. Michelle and I both sprang for the sangria when it was offered. It was also delicious.
When our server brought the main course, the meats (chicken, turkey, and beef), we had our first character experience. Guess who came with our server to follow the delicious smelling food?
He was followed by the whole gang with the exception of Mickey. Pluto loved my SNL shirt that featured Spartan Spirit and even reenacted some of the cheers for us. Which was hilarious. They walked away to the next table and finally, Michelle and I got a good look at the food. They'd brought the sides and entrees together and it all looked delicious. We had multiple servings of everything.
Everything was so good. All three sides and all three meats were definitely worth the price that we paid. Once we'd eaten a bit more we were visited my a very familiar face in a unusual outfit for him.
Mickey was absolutely adorable in his overalls and flannel shirt. He looked like a farmer and that seemed to really fit the feel of the restaurant. Before dessert the gang came back one more time to flirt and the end result was a fight between Pluto and Chip as to who Michelle and I loved more. They busted out some very impressive kung fu for us. It was probably one of my favorite Disney memories ever.
Finally they brought around dessert and it was delicious. Warm apple crumble with vanilla ice cream and then we also had cookies and cream ice cream with some oreo cookies on the side. It was scrumptious and the perfect ending to an outstanding meal.
It was almost time for IllumiNations so Michelle and I paid the bill and made our way out. On the way we noticed there was one last family that Mickey and Pluto were talking to and we saw the most adorable thing. Mickey petting Pluto. It was adorable and so in character that I had to take a picture.
As we reached the exit Chip and Pluto got our attention one last time and proclaimed their love and bickered over us once again. Michelle and I blew them kisses and said a very fond goodnight as we left the Land Pavilion and made our way to the World Showcase. We took our places in Italy for our favorite night time show, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. It was a beautiful spectacular show of lights and lasers and fire and the perfect way to complete a short but wonderful Disney weekend.
The next day our flight is scheduled for the early afternoon and we wake up at around 9 and get ready for the day. We pack up our things and take our suitcases to the luggage service desk where they check and weigh our bags at the Resort instead of the airport and then we got on a bus and head for Downtown Disney. We stop on the way in and let Michelle have one last photo op with Goofy.
We take a slow walk through Arribas Brothers and World of Disney and make a few last minute purchases and then stop to admire the new lego statues that weren't there on our last visit to Downtown Disney.
After that we head to the Earl of Sandwich for lunch and I have no hesitation in ordering the Holiday sandwich. It's my favorite. Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and everything good and wonderful that you will ever eat during the Holiday Season. After that we explore the Days of Christmas Store, Little Miss Matched, and then walk by The Rainforest Cafe to catch the trainers working with the birds.
And then it's back to the resort to wait for our Magical Express bus that will take us back to the airport. Before the trip I'd bought Michelle and I backpacks from the Disney Store and Michelle surprised me by actually carrying hers to the airport. She doesn't normally carry backpacks but this one actually came in handy for her. When we reached the airport Michelle and I made our way through security and then stopped at the Universal Studios store and then the Sea World Store where Michelle bought herself a very large plush manatee that was totally adorable that she named Chester.
And then, sadly, it was time to board the plane and say goodbye to Orlando.
Michelle and I parted ways in Raleigh. Me for baggage claim and Michelle to wait for her connecting flight. But it was a very memorable trip and a great experience for Michelle and I both. I can't wait to go back this October. This time with my friends Holly and Bethany and my mom. It should be very exciting. More to come on that later, though.
In the meantime, have a magical day! And don't forget to act like a kid every now and then. Life's to short to be an adult all the time.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Happy Belated 40th Birthday WDW! - Oct. 2011, Part 2
After dinner we caught the bus back to the Magic Kingdom and then transferred buses from there back to Pop. We went to the room and got dressed for the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. The year before, during our college program, Michelle and I had gone with our friend Bethany and we'd dressed up as girly as we could and worn tiaras so we went with the same idea for last year as well. We dressed up and I, at least, wore a Mulan headband from The Disney Store. I also wore a necklace that had a carriage and a slipper on it from Forever 21. It's my favorite so I had to wear it. Once we were ready we headed to the bus stop and prepared for an evening of fun. The main reason we go is to meet the rare characters that are out because we discovered during our program that the characters are hilarious. We looked pretty hot if I do say so myself while we waited on the bus.
She asked for my name and when I answered that my name was Logan she responded with "I love your steakhouse!" which cause a loud laugh out of me because I've been teased my whole life about the Logan's Roadhouse franchise so, of course, she would choose that to comment on. After Haunted Mansion, we took a lap around the park before we headed back to Town Hall at the front of the park and got in line for the Princes and Princesses. We'd met the Princes and Princesses before but this year Flynn and Rapunzel would be in the Town Hall with them so I was determined to meet Flynn for a third time. He's my favorite Disney Prince (followed very closely by Prince Philip). That line took forever. I'd say it was a good two hours before we made it into the room with them. Ahead of us in line were some adorable kids and once very witty guest who dressed as a Disney Parks Manager. It was brilliant. Finally it was our turn to meet the Royal Couples. First up was Snow White and the Snow Prince.
Adorable, right? He was very sweet and very in character, but everyone's reaction when they see him is...he's Prince Charming? Michelle made sure to show Cinderella my Carriage and Slipper necklace which she loved and gushed about to Prince Charming. They signed my book and then we took a picture and I almost walked off without my autograph book. Prince Charming caught up with me and held it out to me and said, very pleasantly, "You don't want to forget this for your Royal Library." Like I said, he was adorable but incredibly studly. All in all the two hour wait was worth it and we left with big smiles on our faces. We made our way toward the main Hub after that because I'd heard random villains were out greeting in the Hub and as luck would have it I'd heard correctly. This guy was greeting guests to the side of the Partners Statue.
Earlier in the evening when we'd walked by the Tea Cups we'd spotted Hatter headed back for his tea break and I'd waved at him as he passed which quickly lead to a stare down and a competition to see who could wave and walk the longest. He stared at me the whole time and waved and basically challenged me to keep staring and waving as well. It was hilarious. Well, when we arrived at the Tea Cups Hatter wasn't there and we stepped to the side to wait for him (which offended Alice and she pouted for a bit but quickly recovered.) When Hatter emerged and it was finally our turn to take our picture with him and Alice he pointed at me and made a face. "I saw you earlier! You were the girl who waved!" I was mostly shocked that he remembered and laughed and nodded that indeed I was and handed him my autograph book. And then it was time for our picture. Which is my favorite part of the story.
After that it was almost time for the party to be over, Sadly, and Michelle and I noted that there was one last Meet and Greet left. Just after meeting Hatter the last Castle Show of the night ended and Michelle and I ran to catch The Villains Mix'n'Mingle. We knew the Villains didn't meet guests for very long so we quickly picked our favorite and hopped in a line. For the end of the night the line built up quickly and the closer we got to the end of the alotted time the more I worried we weren't going to make the cut off. We were close I could tell. We would either just make it or we would be the sad people that had to hear the Character Attendant say "That's it for tonight, folks!" And while we're talking about Character Attendants can I just say that they have very difficult jobs. Never had I seen more adults begging Cast Members to bend the rules than I did that night. At least five different people in line asked if they could extend the meet and greet time a few more minutes. Or let a few more people through. And each time the Character Attendants answered them honestly they were greeted with a scowl. I tried to smile and let them know I understood there wasn't much they could do other than try to get people through quickly.
However we were part of the lucky few who got through just before the cut off. There was one more group after us and then the Villains had to leave. But I got my picture. My grand prize for all my waiting and walking and character hunting. That night I walked away with my greatest character catch to date.
Maleficent.
Saturday was going to be a big day as well. It was Walt Disney World's 40th birthday! Which I will save for the next post. Part three coming soon!
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