Disney Babies Blog

Happy Valentines Day!

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

I have to admit - I've never been a big fan of Valentines Day. Even married, it's never ranked high on our list of holidays. However, I know that not everyone feels that way! And, I know many think that Walt Disney World isn't a romantic place.

I beg to differ - I loved going to Walt Disney World even before my little one was born - there is something amazing about getting to be a child again and share that magic with someone you love. In honor of that, I wanted to share some pics of our pre-baby trips - just the two of us! I would love to see some of your favorite 'Disney romance' pics - please feel free to share them on our facebook page!

Can you guess where these pics were taken?

Our first trip together - Thanksgiving '06

Later that night

We took a park break in '07-'08 - paying for our wedding took a toll on our Disney trips! Luckily, we've made up for it since.. Here is a shot from our last trip pre-kids. I have to admit - I like our nights out, but can't imagine going without him!

Reader Question - Planning for a 16 month old!

2012-02-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

I was asked on Twitter this morning what attractions are not to be missed with a 16 month old. I originally thought about tweeting back, but with 140 characters or less, I knew I needed more room!

So, here is a quick oversight of our favorites from around that age (18 months):

Magic Kingdom:

Fantasyland - A very anxious child may find Snow White's Scary Adventure a bit scary, but in our experience, 16 months was more about seeing than understanding - we didn't have much fear then! We enjoyed every attraction in Fantasyland available to us - favorites were Prince Charming's Royal Carousel and the Mad Tea Party teacups!
Tomorrowland - Our favorites have been The PeopleMover, Tomorrowland Speedway, and Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters
Nap/Cool Down - Carousel of Progress (Tomorrowland), Hall of Presidents (Liberty Square), or the Baby Care Center located next to the Crystal Palace
Main Street- Main Street Vehicles are a personal favorite and our son loves the train! And, there's a great place for a 1st (or any) haircut if you're in need!

Epcot

The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Journey into Imagination with Figment
Need to cool down? Bring a swim diaper or a change of clothes - there is a great splash pad in Future World!
Germany Pavilion - the model train set can be a great place to relax and enjoy the trains - as long as they're working!

Animal Kingdom

Rafiki's Planet Watch - take a nice train ride to the Conservation Station to get up close and personal with animals, characters, and more!
Dinoland, U.S.A. - Noah loved the Dinosaur version of Dumbo - the Triceratops Spin!
Kilimanjaro Safari and the walking paths are great to watch the animals and enjoy the atmosphere of this park!

Hollywood Studios

Toy Story Midway Mania - at 6 months, this ride was too intense for Noah, but by 2 he's grown to love it. If you're child doesn't like quick and jerky movements, this may be a problem, but hopefully they'll enjoy taking in the fun games!
Disney Junior, Live on Stage! If your child knows the shows and characters on Disney Junior, this show is a great opportunity to catch them up close and join in on the fun - make sure to check times and plan around! We always seem to be 3 minutes late for a show!

Hope this list has been helpful and given you a great place to start! Many more attractions are child friendly, but this is a list of the ones we've had the most success with over our past 4 trips! For a list of Places to Play and burn off energy, click here!

Women of Main Street

2012-02-10T07:00:00.002-05:00

I adore Main Street, U.S.A. You probably knew that already. The characters of Main Street always make me smile and I love interacting with them and watching them perform. I only wish I had a better singing voice and good improvisational skills so I could join them one day!

One afternoon, I came as close to joining them as I probably ever will - we met the Mayor and took a couple of pictures with him and some of his fellow citizens. The Women of Main Street were milling around and even the Saxophone Quartet was ready to perform. Obviously, something good was about to happen. Noah was getting fussy, but I couldn't resist and set up shop for a couple of minutes!

The Mayor, the Honorable Christopher George Weaver, stepped up to announce that he would be running for reelection! I tried finding out how long he has been the mayor, but I'm pretty sure that it's not a recent thing! I'll have to remember to ask him next time I meet up with him!

Then, as they were all breaking out in song, the women decided they would take it no longer and broke out into song - Women Unite - time for women to have a vote (Mary Poppins). I tried to get the whole spiel on video, but I didn't get the very beginning and it's definitely in two parts! Make sure you make it to the end of the second video (I won't tell anyone if you skip to the end!) to see a special guest star!

The whole gang!

The women!

Pluto!

2012-02-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

I mentioned in yesterday's Window Wednesday that we met Pluto in the Magic Kingdom - our first day of park touring and we just happened to see Pluto.

At 2, Pluto is pretty high up on Noah's list of favorite characters, so even with a few people in line ahead of us, we knew we had to wait! Noah learned the phrase "wait your turn" early on during this trip and actually was pretty decent at waiting. Or, more accurately, he ran around with his dad while I waited in line!

Pluto was meeting his friends at the Main Street Fire Station - soon to be home to Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom:

Engine Co. 71 - for the Park opening in 1971!

Being his first character of the trip.. actually, just being a two year old, Noah walked up hesitantly.. Pluto is amazing in that he gets down on all fours to greet his friends:

Then he got a little closer..

And then he showed some love!

And couldn't look away long enough to smile for the camera!

How can you not love Pluto?

Window Wednesday!

2012-02-08T06:54:00.000-05:00

This week I'm sharing a Disney World Window that most people have probably missed.
Why?
Because it's location! It's located on the side of the stable - I found out while after Noah's 3rd haircut at the Harmony Barber Shop while we were waiting in line to meet Pluto at the firehouse.

Broggies Buggies

Handmade

Wagons, Surreys, Sleighs

Roger Broggie, Wheelwright

Roger Broggie - Disney's first Imagineer, has been a Disney Legend since 1990. Among literally too many things to name, he installed the miniature train at Walt Disney's house and later developed the railroad for Disneyland and the Sante Fe Railroad in Anaheim.
In 2003, one of the trains at WDW was renamed the Roger E. Broggie in his honor.
Talk about a Disney All-Star!

A Great Start

2012-02-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

On Marathon Sunday (January 2012), we excitedly arrived early at the Magic Kingdom to see my favorite rope drop. We had made plans to meet Melissa and her fam there and with the several times I've just missed it, I tend to leave earlier than later!

Our first cool experience happened on our way to the TTC - as we were driving in, we noticed we were passing mile 7 on the left - tons of runners going strong... then, on our right, we saw 2 separate people. 2. One keeping pace with the bicycle pacers and the other not far off. Checking his number later, that 2nd person came in 4th or 5th. Pretty awesome and inspiring to see people like that so close to the end!

Next, we arrived at the TTC early enough to park for free thanks to the marathon viewers! I wasn't sure what roads would be closed and delays, so we were there by 7:30 am for a 9 am park opening. Of course, we parked in a lot I had never parked in and we realized that, because of the race course, we couldn't simply walk into the TTC to grab the monorail like we usually do. Instead, we were directed to buses parked at the side of the lot. We arrived just in time to catch a completely full bus about to depart. And, as we boarded the bus, who did we see? Melissa and her family! What are the odds? They were staying on property, but like us, prefer to drive to the parks instead of taking the Disney buses!

All together, we arrived at TTC and boarded the monorail to watch the Rope Drop - our first day of park touring and their last.

Unfortunately, the rope drop was a shortened show - no train, no 'Good Morning' medley, nothing! Sad, right?

Though, I do love seeing talking Mickey up there on the podium! I still can't wait to be able to meet talking Mickey. Hopefully someday we'll be that lucky!

Well, once the park opened, we walked in on the left side and noticed all the characters coming down the stairs - we were up close and personal with several friendly ones, though Mickey was quickly shooed away from sight!

And then, one of the friendly singers - I'm not sure what they're known as - stopped by to say good morning to Noah!

He was so friendly and welcoming and it was definitely a wonderful start to another wonderful and magic-filled day!

Best Friends at Disney

2012-02-06T07:09:00.000-05:00

When my friend Melissa and I started writing this blog, we were days away from our first time we ever visited Walt Disney World together. Even after years of friendship and park touring, we had somehow never taken a joint trip. We knew that with our long distance friendship (VA/LA), that we would probably see each other for a couple of days every few years - what I love is that now we're sharing that friendship with our babies.

Our first trip together, June 2010, we took this fun picture together:

Piper - 1 year, Noah - 6 months

Other than photos, skype, and occasionally saying hello while Mellie and I are talking, these two really didn't know each other at all. Luckily, they're both incredibly sweet and outgoing children. We finally met up with them in the lobby of the All Star Movies Resort for lunch - and this is what happened:

They held hands and walked to get lunch together.

Absolute sweetness. They played together for our 1 mutual park day and they still ask for each other. No clue when we'll all be together again, but I love that we have fun memories to share from our days together!

Waiting to enter the Magic Kingdom!

Meeting the Fairy Godmother

Thanks for stopping by!

Foodie Friday- Jiko!

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is home to 3 fantastic restaurants: Boma - the Buffet, Sanaa -African with an Indian flare, and Jiko - a signature restaurant and one of the hidden dining gems at Walt Disney World. During our June visit, we dined at Sanaa - and apparently, I never did a review. Shame on me!! Anyways, we really liked our experience. The food was fantastic (we are big fans of Indian food) and if you're not a huge fan of Indian cuisine, I will tell you it was mild compared to what I eat at my local faves. The best part of Sanaa is the view... We saw this while we ate:

Jiko was our 'date night' after the half marathon. Even before I realized I wouldn't be running, I wanted to celebrate the race - and that my parents would still be around to watch Noah - by going out for a fancy dinner. I showed Adam the menus for California Grill, Artists Point, and Jiko and let him choose - Jiko stood out to him!

We headed to the Jambo House at Animal Kingdom Lodge a bit early to look around and see the animals. We visited Kidani Village in June for the first time and this night included our first steps inside the Jambo House. The first impressions are stunning - it's dark, but almost enchanting with extremely large chandeliers, statues, and African decor. Definitely a beautiful hotel!

We first headed downstairs and out back to see what animals were roaming the 'Savannah.' We saw warthogs, tons of birds, and even a few giraffes, among other animals. We both admitted that we would have loved to share the animal viewing with Noah, but accepted that he would see animals later during our Animal Kingdom days!

After viewing, we checked into Jiko and were seated in under 10 minutes. In case you've not noticed - even with an ADR, they give themselves 30 minutes after your ADR time to seat you, so sometimes you might have to wait. Luckily, in January, waiting isn't too common! Though at Sanaa I had specifically asked for a window view and had read to do the same thing here, we weren't too concerned with our view and headed back to seat near the kitchen. Unlike Kouzzina, it's not open, but we could peak in on occasion!

We started with the "taste of Africa" house made breads and 4 different dipping sauces:

We definitely splurged on our Jiko meal - we both had appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Not our usual way to eat, but we (I) didn't mind.

Centered - 4 Taste of Africa Dips, Right - Crispy Bobotie

To see a full menu, check out AllEars.Net - my favorite site for Disney menus. The Crispy Beef Bobotie Rolls were somewhat like beef egg rolls and with the cucumber raita and other dips that it came with, this was definitely my favorite part of the meal. So good.

For our entrees, we both had a hard time deciding, but I personally chose the Filet with Risotto that everyone including the guard at the gate recommended.

Adam chose the Seared Barbarie Duck Breast sans mushrooms, which they had no problem omitting.

Adam said that without a doubt, that was the best duck he'd ever had. My filet was good - cooked perfectly, but the seasonings weren't sitting right with me. Honestly, I blame the pregnancy! Steak hadn't been sitting well with me, and I fought my instincts when I ordered it. Adam said it was delicious, so I definitely think it's a pregnancy thing - but, I do wish I'd asked for the famous (infamous now that it's not on the menu) mac and cheese it used to be served with! When the restaurant changed head chef in the past year, he switched out the mac and cheese for a delicious risotto. The risotto was great, though, so I didn't really think twice!

As for dessert, I'm a choco-holic and Adam really isn't, so, I ordered the "One Last Cup" which had 3 different chocolatey amaziness desserts and Adam ordered the Coconut Bread Pudding. I won that round :)

Coconut Bread Pudding

One Last Cup

And, our waiter was nice enough to take a picture of us together, enjoying our Disney Date!

What a meal!! I love Signature Dining - there is something about the ambiance that just makes you feel lavish and fancy, even wearing jeans and sneakers! Have you experienced Jiko or any of the Animal Kingdom Lodge restaurants?

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

By now, you've probably heard of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. If not, your addiction to Disney isn't nearly as bad as mine! Sorcerers of the MK, slated to start for the masses in the end of February, is a new interactive experience free to guests of the Magic Kingdom. Expected to appeal to the frequent park guest, this interactive scavenger hunt-like game gives guests a mission to help ward of villains and save the Magic Kingdom!

The Town Square Fire Station has been gutted yet again to be the home for this new experience. Cast Members are there to train you and help you learn your mission. The first experience starts in the fire station so you can learn where you have to start. You are given a map of the park, marked with the spots to find the windows, and cards that are your sources of powers and spells.

From Main Street, U.S.A., I headed straight to Frontierland, which was perfect - I ran off to try the experience as Adam and Noah hopped on the train! Honestly, trying to find our spot in Frontierland took me a minute! Very few things are labeled on the map - I knew I was somewhere in Frontierland but not all the way to the Country Bear Jamboree! Luckily/unluckily for future players - there was already a person playing and someone waiting, so I found my spot that way!

Your key, on the the left, opens up the window to acknowledge you while the other cards help you with spells to beat the villains! I, unfortunately, don't have any pictures of me playing or at the windows. I wasn't thinking, but, I only stopped at the first station in Frontierland. For me - this is not something to do with a toddler. An older child would be able to participate, but I didn't want to take time away from vacation play with my son to do this challenge.

Another flaw in this challenge - the lines! You stand at each window from 2-3 minutes, which isn't long, until you realize that there were 5 people behind you! Though this isn't fully functioning, if everyone is trying to play, there could be extremely long lines in this experience which is there to entertain you instead of making you wait!

Of course, they are still testing and questioning the players who complete the challenge - they are still trying to perfect it, as Disney does best. I'm confident that when this game is fully functioning, it will be a fantastic experience and I love that I get to share it with you!

Melissa over at Disney on Wheels fully experienced the game last week - check out her post about her experience!

Have you experienced this yet, or, are you looking forward to trying this on an upcoming trip?

Window Wednesday!

2012-02-01T07:21:00.001-05:00

Back for more Disney knowledge!

Community Service Recruitment Center

Bob Matheison

Quality, Integrity, and Dedication

Disney Legend, Bob Matheison started his Disneyland Journey in 1960 as a sound coordinator. He started recording music and even teaching the Jungle Cruise captains how to speak into their microphones. He then became the manager of Guest Relations and eventually helped produce live radio and television broadcasts from Disneyland.
He worked on several attractions including Small World, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and the World's Fair's version of the Carousel of Progress. In 1969, he became the director of operations at Disneyland and the following year became the same in Florida. By the end of his career, he was the executive vice president of Parks, WDW.
Talk about a career!

New Affiliation for me = Disney Gift Card for You!!

2012-01-31T07:00:00.002-05:00

Once I started really learning about Disney vacations, I realized that Travel Agents are a great asset to travel planning. Disney travel agents are special in that, unlike other travel agents, they work for no cost to you. Normally plan trips by booking directly through Disney? Well, you're still using a travel agent, but one that works directly with Disney, so they are less likely to be there for you.

If you book directly through Disney, you have to pay attention to all the new offers, discounts, specials, etc... if you work with a travel agent, they do the research for you. A good travel agent will also go above and beyond - they will let you compare rates at different resorts, different views, etc... And, they'll help you with any special requests and so much more.

That's why I'm so excited to share with you my new affiliation with Kelly, the WDW Guru! She, along with her fellow "Gurus" put out a great blog with tons of information and different view points and I'm positive she can help you plan an amazing Disney vacation! If you need to plan a vacation, she's your Guru. And to celebrate our new affiliation, Kelly has offered to share an amazing giveaway - a $50 Disney gift card! These can be used at Disney parks, stores, and even online, so that's literally just cash in your pocket!!

Make sure if you stop by Disney Guru, you let them know that Jenn from DBB sent you! Good luck to all!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Dad’s View of Disney, the DVC, and the Most Magical Place on Earth

2012-01-30T07:29:00.000-05:00

In hopes of making my job easier and my blog more versatile, I've found a couple of new additions! Today, I'd like you all to welcome my old college friend, Brandon! Brandon and I haven't actually seen each other since 2004, but we became friends both sharing the same major - music. And, Brandon also sung bass with my neighbor's barbershop quartet! Which is why I made him share this perfect picture. Enjoy learning about Brandon and his relationship with Walt Disney World!

Brandon's in the middle!

**Let me begin by saying I am not much of a writer, but I am a college friend of Jenn’s (Geaux Tigers!) and told her I would contribute to her blog from time to time…

I have always been a Disney person. When I say a Disney person, I mean someone who believes in the ideas that Walt Disney stood for: creativity, imagination, fun, wonder, hard work, and determination. When I was young, my parents took me to WDW every other year or so. I loved it as a kid because I could truly be, see, or do anything. I had no idea what went into the process to make WDW what it is - I just enjoyed it.o I REVELED in it!

As I got older, I realized what Disney stood for as a man, and why his theme parks and movies are second to none. My father is an engineer and would marvel at the different things the Imagineers could create; I am pretty sure my mom still has my first Disney hat.

One of the reasons I knew my wife was so perfect for me was because of how much she loved WDW. I took her there while we were engaged, and that was when we made our first big purchase together: a Membership to the Disney Vacation Club. Overall, this has been one of the best investments I have ever made. We both work hard - she works graveyard and stays home with our child while I generally work 12 hour days. Needless to say, vacations are very important to us.

Since Jenn doesn't know much about DVC, I thought I would help explain it! The use of the DVC membership is easy and we have already stayed in so many GREAT places. The points are valuable around the world and just about anyone will trade. We traded the minimum amount of points (160) and got a 2 story, 2 bedroom suite in Scotland for our honeymoon. Awesome.

But the most important reason for all of this is being able to have the leniency to stay where and when we want, and be able to bring loved ones with us. I have seen several friends and family see Disney World for the first time because I was able to give them a place to stay, on Disney property, in a great room. As a father, it is very important to me to be able to provide my family with the wonder of Disney.

Our daughter was born 3 months premature and had to stay in the hospital to grow. Even then, people were always bringing her Disney gifts. After my wife's favorite Disney character, we named her Alice and she has already been to WDW twice, each time enjoying the magic and recognizing her favorite Disney friends.

The DVC has provided us with endless vacationing opportunities, but more importantly, with the ability to give the gift of the Disney Experience to my loved ones for many years to come. I see my little girl’s eyes light up when she sees Mickey, the castle, and the fireworks. My family can eat great food, stay in a great place, enjoy great amenities all while having Disney customer service to help with whatever may come up! No wonder one of Alice’s first words was “Mickey”!

I am looking forward to sharing our experiences with you and thanks for reading!

--Brandon

Foodie Friday - Tusker House/Donald's Safari Breakfast

2012-01-27T07:01:00.002-05:00

Located in Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Tusker House is home to Donald's Safari Breakfast. I had heard so many great things about this breakfast with characters from the fab 5 that I knew this had to be on our to-do list.

I scheduled our ADR for first thing in the morning - 8 a.m. on a day with a 9 a.m. park opening and no extra magic hours. If you're considering an in-park breakfast, this is the best way to go! Get in an hour early so you can be in the park before it opens and still not have to wait in lines when you're done!

It's almost a misnomer to call this Donald's breakfast. As of now, he is only found outside of the restaurant taking pictures while his pals are the ones who actually visit with you while you eat. There is a photo pass photographer there ready to go to take a picture of you with Donald before your breakfast that they'll happily show and offer you for the ~~low~~ Disney price of $30. Yup. We passed on that one!

Back to the breakfast - being some of the first inside the restaurant, the food was fresh and really good. They even had Krispy Kreme donuts that day! I made Adam take some pictures for me when he took his turn on the buffet... but I can't seem to find them. Again!! Our pictures from this past trip are so disorganized, I apologize! But, basically - this buffet has all your standards and a few with an African twist.
Check out the Disney Food Blog's review for some great pictures of the unique offerings!

Immediately as you are seating, you served what they call "Jungle Juice." Not quite what I had in college, but it was delicious! Noah rarely ever gets juice, but we let him enjoy some that morning! I made sure to try the 'signature' foods - Mealie Pap, which is a version of oatmeal/porridge and the Beef Bobotie. The Mealie Pap isn't for me but the beef bobotie was interesting in a good way. My husband wasn't a huge fan - it's a South African beef pie, so definitely different than my normal breakfast foods, but I enjoyed it! I actually had seconds!

They have the standard Mickey Waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage, cereal, pastries, and anything else you could imagine for a breakfast.

But, for me, this breakfast wasn't just about the food or even the fantastic character interactions. It was about the dance. We were done eating and getting ready to leave when we heard mention of a dance - and within a few minutes, Noah's favorite of the morning, Goofy, walked into our room along with some cast members carrying musical instruments (mostly shakers) and invited all the children in the room up for a parade!

We coerced Noah to the front, and he picked up a shaker and joined in with a huge smile on his face! Music plays in the entire restaurant and Goofy leads the children around to music singing "Jambo, Jambo" weaving their way around the tables.

Overall even compared to the great experience we had at the Hollywood 'n Vine last June, I would absolutely recommend this one and eat here again. Now, this is also a character meal for lunch and the waitress told me she personally prefers the lunch food, so I'll be excited to experience that again on a future trip.

Character Interactions!

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Our first day in the parks, Marathon Sunday 2012, had a very limited rope drop and an introduction by a character that I wasn't too familiar with - Scoop Sanderson, reporter for the Main Street Gazette.

Then, later that same day while we enjoying lunch at The Plaza, we noticed Scoop standing outside. Melissa noticed that he had some amazing pins and it made us curious... do the big time guys pin trade? Well, we figured we had our shot so we should go ask!

We headed out front to say hi and had a wonderful conversation with a great 'character' of Main Street. And, though he wasn't sharing his pins that you can clearly see, he unbuttoned his vest to display 2 full strands of amazing pins! We said we could each trade 1 from each strand.

Remember

Opening Oct. 1971

WDW Monorail System

Board at Hotels and Main Entrance

Cool, huh? Well, not only did we experience that much of Scoop, but he gave us his card!

Scoop Sanderson

Main Street Gazette Reporter

Town Councilman and Pinthusiast

"All the news that fits!"

I'd heard prior to that about cards, but had never seen or received them! A few minutes after we traded and sat back down, Scoop walked into the restaurant to announce that two children were guest reporters for the day! It was all very ceremonial and the kids loved it!

To top it off, later that week while we were at the Animal Kingdom, I noticed some Cast Members standing with a giant pin board - all for trading! As I looked, I happened to notice a very cool pin. Well, very cool for me on this trip:

Gotta love those special characters!

Window Wednesday!

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Human Dynamo Machine Co.

Michael Bagnall - Office Mgr.

Top Financial Executive for Disney, helped arrange finances for WDW

David Snyder- Program Supervisor

Head of Creative Content for Disney TV - developed, produced, and programmed hundreds of hours of animation, live-action, and documentaries for the Walt Disney Company

Cool side note - I found all the David Snyder info on his new website!

A Magical Train Ride

2012-01-24T06:57:00.001-05:00

My two year old loves trains. In fact, he has two separate train sets that he switches between during the day. The big one he refers to as his monorail!

Noah with his monorails

So, of course, we had to take Noah on the Walt Disney World Railroad. The first time Adam took Noah alone. I pulled a completely selfish moment and ran to register for the testing of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. They went from Main Street to Frontierland where I met up with them. Not so surprising, Noah didn't want to get off the train.

WDW Railroad Logo

The second time, it was starting to rain so we parked the stroller at the top of the Main Street Train Station - out of the elements - and headed to make the next train. Noah was playing around and having a great time... until he ran, looking back for our approval, and landed face first in the gate. As soon as the tears started, a WDW Railroad Conductor walked up and saw the crying toddler. He was a more reserved cast member, but still very friendly and we tried to convince Noah to say hi and his favorite phrase "all aboard" but the tears continued.

The conductor walked back up to us and handed us a "Co-Conductor Card" and when he still didn't cheer up, I explained why he was so upset.

He already had a bruise showing up in the exact same place of a previous black eye - he could be a stunt man with his falls. I explained this to the conductor just randomly and he walked away for just a minute. He walked back and handed us this:

Certificate for a free popcorn

Magic Kingdom Park

Complimentary popcorn

Reason - other

We at the Magic Kingdom Park, strive to make ever Guest part of our family. We apologize if any part of your visit is less than Magical. Please accept the voucher as our thanks for bringing this situation to our attention. Just present this voucher to a host or hostess at the location described.

We're not big popcorn eaters, but the thought was incredible! I had no idea they did anything like this.

Of course, the magic didn't stop there. The conductor invited us to sit in the back with them - there's a special seat for the co-conductor!

Their special seat!

Then, when we arrived at Frontierland, we planned to continue our ride back around, but the conductor let Noah announce "All Aboard!" to the entire train. Then, he announced Noah as the guest conductor and we were applauded! Talk about a magical experience!

5k Complete

2012-01-23T06:59:00.001-05:00

Our official reason for our January trip is Marathon Weekend. We knew after our first runDisney event - the half marathon in 2011 - that we would be back. In my mind, I'm planning to head down for marathon weekend for many years to come. Of course, this year turned out differently than planned. We ran the 5k together and I watched the half marathon as a spectator.

Nearing mile 3

Though I did witness a very pregnant woman cross the half marathon 13 mile marker in a remarkably fast time (2 hours!?), I know myself - I'm not a super athlete! I'm not one who runs 13 miles on a regular basis. To date, I've run 13 miles twice - 2 separate halves. So, doing that distance 26 weeks pregnant wasn't my option. Luckily, the 5k is completely casual. There is no real organization in corals (starting positions) and it's not officially timed, so I could be as slow as I wanted and take as many pictures as possible!

I will have to admit - the 5k is a bit lackluster compared to the half. There is little in the way of entertainment and characters weren't nearly as frequent. However, the run is through the World Showcase for the most part, so there is enough there to see! We did stop for a few pictures and we even met hosts, the Three Caballeros, before the race even started.

I had to walk more than I had originally expected - some days are great run days and some aren't, and unfortunately, race day just wasn't. But, again, that's okay! We enjoyed our stroll through the World, even though Adam tried to run off for a bite to eat...

Review to come - but another amazing experience!

People of all levels join in the fun of the 5k. There were numerous people attempting the "Dopey" Challenge (Goofy + the 5k... that's 42.4 miles in 3 days), people walking, and people entering their first race ever. If, in the past, you thought I was nuts for doing the half, you should absolutely consider doing the 5k. Honestly, 3.1 miles is far less than you walk around Disney in a normal day, plus this adds the fun of a challenge/goal, and a medal!

And, to make that even better - we're adding another level to runDisney events! Along with friends and members of the Magical Blogorail, we're creating a new running team for upcoming races! I've loved running with the WDW Radio Running Team in the past, but when I realized so many of my fellow writers were thinking of running, that we could join in on a common purpose - Autism. Several of our writers are affected by Autism and I know so many people that spend so much time at different therapies. I wanted us to join together, and hopefully encourage some readers as well, to join in with us!

We have created the Magical Blogorail Running Team to be at upcoming evens. We're positive that several of us will be at the WDW Marathon Weekend 2013 (I'm running the half and possibly the 5k) and others are interested in the Tower of Terror 10 miler this coming October. If you're interested in joining in on the fun, cheering us on, or even donating, these will all be options! The required donation won't be too high and we plan to make race shirts and maybe more, depending on the interest!

Hope to see you there!

Foodie Friday - Kouzzina revisited

2012-01-20T07:00:00.003-05:00

I first visited Kouzzina by Cat Cora in June of 2010 to celebrate my 29th birthday with friends and family. And then headed back last January for another amazing experience. I'm honestly not sure if we made it back there in June, though I don't think we did. So, we had to make sure to head back there on this trip.

We made reservations (honestly not usually necessary, but I love making ADR's!) for our first night in Florida - for great food and to celebrate my mother's birthday!

This visit, we had an awesome view of the kitchen - watching the chefs cook and shout "Opa!" the whole night!

We started with the standard - 2 olive oils, one extra virgin olive oil and one kalamata olive oil, olives, and bread:

Then, I noticed a change from the sampler we'd previously loved, the chicken skewers, were no longer on the menu, so instead, I ordered something I'd always wanted to try: Avgolemono - Traditional egg-lemon soup with chicken and rice. If you're a fan of soup and lemon, this one is for you. It was too lemony for Noah - he made a great face when he tried it, but for me? Heaven. I found Cat Cora's recipe on the food network, but it didn't quite work out the same...

My mom ordered a greek salad - huge chunk of feta with a side of vegetables. After that, she enjoyed Spanikopita - a triangle shaped phyllo stuffed with feta and spinach. I generally love spanikopita though didn't sample this one. She said it was delicious!

Adam ordered, on recommendation from the waiter, the Slow-Cooked Lamb Shank. The meat literally fell off the bone! He enjoyed the dish, minus the gigante beans it was served on. He didn't completely read the description on this one - he doesn't like beans! But, other than that, he really enjoyed the lamb.

My meal was something new for me - Greek- Style Lasagna, or Pastitsio. I have to say, this dish was incredible. Cinnamon-stewed meat and a bechamel sauce... oh cheesy goodness. Even Noah dug in. We ate at a lot of amazing restaurants on this trip (reviews and pics to come!) and this was by far my best meal. I think I'm meant to be Greek - the seasonings and all that lemon.. heaven! If you haven't checked out Kouzzina yet, I definitely recommend adding it to your list. Don't be afraid - it's delicious!

Character Interactions!

2012-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Since Noah came around, we started doing more and more character meets. Mostly just the standards-
Mickey, Minnie, and whomever is at the Disney Visa Reward cards meet (2 out of 3 times, it's been Minnie and Goofy).

This trip, I hoped to meet Peter Pan. After seeing so many amazing videos of the Peter Pan out at DLR, I really hoped to run into the East Coast Peter Pan. I can't remember ever seeing him before and I planned to use the Disney Parks app, Mobile Magic, to find where and when we could find him.

Instead, after running into my favorite piano player at Casey's Corner,

we headed back towards Fantasyland and right there on the way was Peter Pan

After a short line, we got to meet Peter Pan! Noah was a little hesitant, and as I told Peter, he was afraid of his ride. Peter's response?

"That's okay. It does smell a bit like codfish in there."

I love it!!

Do you have a character you want to meet?

Window Wednesday and Giveaway!

2012-01-18T07:00:00.002-05:00

Town Square Tailors

Tailors to the Presidents

Bob Phelps - Prop.

Vice-President of Costuming for Disney Parks and Resorts

Now onto the giveaway!!

I saw this book and new I had to do a giveaway of this! And, I had to buy one for myself, of course!! The feedback from Window Wednesdays has been so positive, that I thought you may want one of these as well! It has many windows from both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World - some I have yet to find and some I'm not sure I'll ever get the chance to fully see when I visit DLR.. one day.

For entries below - please comment in the blog your facebook user name/twitter name if there is no room for information on the giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stroller Rental - yes, please!

2012-01-17T06:56:00.000-05:00

You probably know that we just got back from our Happy Place last Thursday. Headed down for our now-annual Marathon Weekend trip, Adam signed up Noah and himself to join me in the Family Fiesta 5k.

Good morning with the 3 Caballeros

Knowing that we generally travel with a Maclaren umbrella stroller, I immediately thought it was time to get to know some of the Orlando companies that rent out strollers. No way could we run with that thing. It's great for the parks - light weight, folds well, etc... but to run with? Nope. With our 2 year old, we didn't need a stroller in the airport, though we brought ours just in case. It became just another hassle that we had to carry with our luggage.

So, I reached out contacted the owner of Kingdom Strollers. I'd heard good things from fellow Disney travelers and was hoping to have a good contact and finally someone to recommend to you, my readers. Luckily, I now have a great recommendation!

We were loaned a single Bob Revolution for the week - it's designed for running, but unlike our personal Bob (we have the one most recommended for running), this one was much better for park touring! I've never even considering traveling with a Bob. Though Noah has always preferred it, it's simply too big and bulky to travel with. Plus, the size of it is too much to travel through the parks.

But, the Bob Revolution that we rented? Smaller - perfect for the 5k and for park touring. Kingdom Strollers left it at the welcome center at Windsor Hills, where we stayed (again) and we picked it up our first night. If you're staying on Disney property, they will drop it off with concierge and I'm sure it's a similar process if you're staying in a nearby hotel off property. We left it in the same place on our way out - easiest return ever!

We ended up leaving Noah at home for the race - a cold and early morning, we figured we would save our toddler luck for a long day. Instead, we first used the stroller at the ESPN Wide World of Sports to head to Noah's race. It unfolded super easily and the tires were fully inflated - a concern I had, considering ours seem to need to be pumped up on a weekly basis. Noah loved crawling into his Blue stroller and it traveled perfectly through the ESPN WWoS and the parks for a full week.

I should also mention - when we were leaving after our first use, Adam and I were both standing there trying to fold it up. We've used so many different strollers and every one folds in a different way, that we didn't know where to start. That's when Adam noticed the handy laminated piece of paper on the side with simplified folding instructions. Two steps later, it was in the trunk of our car and we were on our way!

Happy as can be with his Dumbo

Another perk of this stroller? They come complete with a cup holder that holds 2 cups plus a zipper pocket for anything else. And, unlike our umbrella, the basket is actually big enough to hold everything. Seriously - our book bag filled with goodies and diapers stayed underneath for the majority of the day.

So, would I recommend Kingdom Strollers?

Absolutely

Will I rent from them again?

Definitely

Oh, and pricing? You should check it out. For a week with a Citi Mini - not jogging, but a great touring stroller? $55! Ours rents at $70 per week, but we did that one thinking we would actually be jogging with it. And, next year with 2 kids? Definitely seems worth the investment to rent as opposed to carrying 1 more thing through the airport!

Kingdom Strollers also rents full size cribs (wish I had known about that sooner!) and sell cases of water for very reasonable prices! We were both fully impressed with our stroller and wish we could trade ours for the Revolution!

I was supplied a stroller at no cost for this review, but all opinions are my own.

Blogorailing around the World Showcase

2012-01-13T07:00:00.005-05:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from The CanaDisney Blog and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 5th stop on our Magical Blogorail.

This month, we're talking about our favorite World Showcase Pavilion.

For me - this was an easy choice: Italy. While I would absolutely love to travel the world, being a mother of 1 youngster and another one on the way, the only world traveling I'm planning for the foreseeable future is at the World Showcase! One day I plan to really discover Europe, but as for now, I love stopping by the Italy Pavilion for a snapshot of what I will one day see.

Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World's Official Website

With fountains, shops, and two fantastic restaurants, I love stopping by this pavilion on every trip. I've actually never seen the different performers - musicians, jugglers, and more performing throughout the day, but I simply enjoy the ambiance. I've dined at both restaurants and had amazing food each time.

One of my favorite experiences in the Italy Pavilion was discovering new wine - when I found Rosa Regale, a sparkling dessert wine, I fell immediately in love. I love to stop by and grab a glass to go with a piece of chocolate - which completely accentuates the amazing flavor of the delicious wine!

Another experience I had in the Pavilion was discovering an amazing perfume, which became my standard "scent" for a few years! I don't wear perfume on a regular basis, but the Versace Perfume I found there smelled so good that I had to buy it (elsewhere at a non-Disney price!).

I can't exactly pinpoint why I love that pavilion, but it is without a question my favorite.

Thank you for joining me today.

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail is Cooking with Mickey.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1^st Stop ~ Meet the Magic

2^nd Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic

3^rd Stop ~ Days in the Park

4^th Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog

5^th Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog

Final Stop ~ Cooking with Mickey

Traveling with a Toddler

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

This trip will be very different than other trips with Noah -
This is the first trip we've taken since he stopped sleeping in a crib...

And learned to push over a pack 'n play.

So, no more travel crib, pack 'n play, etc...

This trip, we're staying at our favorite off property house where Noah will sleep on the bottom bunk in his own room.

Now, obviously there are a couple of worries about this -

It's not a toddler bed!
There are STAIRS. Not sure about other toddlers, but mine surely would be trying to climb up those at all times and most likely hurting him self.

Luckily, I know the house supplies bed rails.

But, what about those stairs? I emailed the owner and asked if the stairs came off - she said they were screwed in. So, on our packing list for this trip? A screwdriver! We'll be taking that down ASAP and hiding it in our closet so he doesn't climb on it even on the floor.

The other concern? Stairs. This is a 2 floor house with Noah's bedroom upstairs. And, even though all the outlets are covered, there are no baby gates for those stairs.

How to handle this one... - safety door locks! We have the same problem at home and once we took Noah out of his crib, I didn't want him leaving his room (he's fearless) and playing upstairs or even worse, opening up the baby gate and falling down the stairs. So, we got those door know covers and he's locked in. May sound crazy, but it's safer than the alternative.

I bought an extra set for traveling - one for his room and one for the bathroom connected to his bedroom.

What other tools of the trade do you use when traveling with a toddler?

Whispering Canyon Cafe Review

2012-01-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

Mayhem. That is the best word to describe the Whispering Canyon Cafe. My family and I experienced this pandemonium at a dinner during my August trip to Disney World.

I was on the monorail heading to Epcot when I overheard a group of off duty Cast Members discussing their recent meal at Whispering Canyon Cafe. My Mom asked them what restaurant they were talking about because it sounded like a lot of fun. They told us it was Whispering Canyon Cafe in the Wilderness Lodge hotel. I had read this review of Whispering Canyon on the Disney Food Blog and I was excited that my family wanted to try it. After some rearranging of ADRs (Advanced Dining Reservations), we were able to get a reservation for the next night (our last night at Disney).

When we walked in to the huge, open lobby of Wilderness Lodge, the restaurant was off to our right. We arrived around 4:45 p.m. for a 5:05 dinner reservation. It seemed a little too quiet, judging from what I had read and heard. It turns out that dinner starts at 5:00, so the restaurant was empty. We checked in at the hostess stand and waited for a few minutes. While we waited, there were Lincoln Logs for the kids to play with the in waiting area. What a blast from the past! The Lincoln Logs were the perfect toy to have there because the lodge looks like a giant log cabin.

One of the things I love the most about Disney is the show, and Whispering Canyon has plenty of it. A few minutes before 5:00, one of the hostesses asked a child to come ring the dinner bell. She had a giant triangle, gave it to the child and they rang it and screamed, "DINNER!!!" to signal the beginning of dinner. After this, each party was seated within a few minutes.

We met our waitress and she took our drink order. She brought us our drinks in Mason jars and threw our straws on the table. Make sure you drink yours as fast as you can, like my Dad did. He was thirsty and drank his iced tea right away. He was rewarded with a giant Mason jar full of iced tea and our waitress said "Maybe you won't drink this one quite as fast!" If you haven't noticed by now, the waitstaff here like to give you a hard time, all in fun. It's kind of like at 50's Prime Time Cafe, another favorite of mine.

There are individual menu options, but everyone in my family decided on the "all-you-care to enjoy" Canyon Skillet. At dinner, this includes Smoked Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, Oven-roasted Chicken, Beef Brisket, Mashed Potatoes, Cowboy Beans, and Corn on the Cob. Since my Dad has food allergies to milk, the waitress said she would bring him his own personal skillet and some fries instead of the mashed potatoes, which have milk in them. Then we got our cornbread and butter, our salad which came with a lot of dressing on it (if you want dressing on the side, make sure to ask!) and our coleslaw, all of which were good.

Shortly after, our skillets arrived. The skillets are served "family style" so we got two: one for my Dad because of his allergies and one for the other three of us. Since my Dad got fries in his skillet, he asked the waitress for some ketchup. She yelled at the top of her lungs, "WE NEED KETCHUP!" but nothing happened! I had already been warned not to ask for ketchup, so I figured maybe the waitress was just trying to embarrass us. After a minute, she realized that no one else had asked for ketchup yet- we were the first ones of the night! So our waitress and a few other servers brought us every bottle of ketchup they could find- it was about 15 bottles. A few minutes later, another family had to stand up and yell "WE NEED KETCHUP!" and then we had to go and bring them all of our ketchup. This game continued the whole night. It was the funniest when 3 or 4 tables yelled it one right after another. Then no one knew who to bring the ketchup to. During dinner, I managed to drop my fork. Our waitress brought me about 10 forks in case I dropped another fork! My family and I could not stop laughing the whole time we were there.

The food was delicious! I am not a huge fan of beans, but I did try the Cowboy Beans and they were good. Everything else was amazing and we asked for seconds of almost everything. The Corn on the Cob is cut up into smaller pieces (but still on the cob). It was sweet and delicious, but dripping in butter. Call me a corn purist, but good, sweet corn on the cob doesn't need butter. Luckily, they made my Dad some corn without butter, and I had some of that. Much better. Make sure to ask your server if you want some corn without butter.

We were all way too full to try dessert, but the desserts all sounded amazing, and they also have bottomless milkshakes that looked delicious. That's right, I said bottomless! They will bring you all the milkshake refills you can drink! Our waitress and the other servers were all hilarious and put on a great "show." I haven't even mentioned half of the shenanigans that went on during our dinner there. We laughed and laughed, which was a great way to spend the last night of our vacation!

This is the perfect restaurant to bring babies or kids of any age to. There is a kids' menu. (well, there is everywhere in Disney World!) It is already loud to begin with. There are Lincoln Logs to play with as you wait. There are stick pony races around the restaurant and lots of other antics that kids of all ages (from 0-99) will love. If you or your child isn't into the antics, you can ask your server not to do them... but honestly, they are all good, clean fun that I think most kids (and adults) will get a kick out of. This is Disney, after all!

If you have never been to the Wilderness Lodge, you must go! It is beautiful inside and a meal at Whispering Canyon is the perfect excuse to visit. You don't have to stay there (it is a deluxe resort, after all!) to enjoy its restaurants or just to wander around the grounds for a bit and explore. There are tons of Hidden Mickeys to be found and if you ask at the front desk in the lobby, they will even give you a list of clues to help find them! There is also a geyser called Fire Rock Geyser that goes off intermittently throughout the day. For more information on the hotel, visit this amazing fan site: http://www.wildernesslodgesite.com

Thanks also to AllEars.net for the menu to WCC.

The picture above is of me next to the totem pole in front of the gift shop and the only picture I took in all of Wilderness Lodge. (Yes, it was 80 degrees outside, but it was cold in the air conditioning so I brought a jacket!)

Thanks for reading!
~Katie

Making Good Decisions at the World

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

I recently heard on a WDW Today podcast a question about Weight Watcher points at the World.

Until Florida enforces a law that all restaurants must have ingredient lists and calories counts, like I've seen in NY, it's highly unlikely for WDW to post calorie counts, making those trying to be strict about counting points or calories nearly impossible.

I've mentioned before that even on vacation, I try to make good decisions about food. I definitely splurge more, especially during marathon weekend (and/or pregnant!), but that doesn't mean I'm having 2 mickey bars a day. Maybe 1 a trip - if for nothing more than I like variety and those chocolate covered frozen bananas are not only delicious, but calorie friendly, too! Many people comment that I'm crazy or that it's vacation so they don't care, but if you're like me and making huge progress, a set back - a week of gaining, can not only set you back a week, but take a hit on your attitude and mentality of dieting. Plus, being in the military and have to maintain a specific weight to keep my job, so gaining 5 lbs on vacation is a set back I'm not willing to make!

And, with Weight Watchers, attitudes on food change. Or, at least that's the goal. Instead of a diet, it's a lifestyle change.

So, what does that mean when you're at Disney? Since you can't necessarily choose based on points, you can take what you may have already learned about food and pick wisely. And, by no means does that mean eating salad all the time. I love salad, but it doesn't necessarily work for me as a meal at all times (I'll never be a size 2, and I'm okay with that).

Take for example the Lunch Menu at Pecos Bill (courtesy of AllEars.net) - the best options:
Veggie burger or the Chicken Wrap. Caesar Salad is always coated in dressing, cheese, and croutons making what seems healthy to be incredibly high in fat and calories. Same with taco salad! And, if you're feeling extra good, choose the apple slices instead of the fries. Or simply don't eat all of the burger and fries if that's what you want - eat what you want, just think of portion control! I like to eat a lot, so I generally choose healthier options. And steal a few fries from my husband!

Craving Mexican? Try to avoid extra cheesy (I know, my favorite) and lots of chips. Oh, and alcohol and other beverages loaded with calories (coke has 140 calories in 12 oz. - so if you're like me, you could easily drink down hundreds of calories before you even get your meal!).

And then again, remember you're walking the parks for hours a day and are definitely burning hundreds of calories, so splurging is totally okay!

What's your take on dieting at the parks? Any other weight watcher lifers like me?

ChEAR Squad

2012-01-05T07:32:00.000-05:00

Last year, as we waited around in the ridiculously early morning (3-4 am) at a parking lot near EPCOT waiting for the WDW 2011 Half Marathon to begin, I said - "wow, it has to be awesome just to come be a spectator!" As I said that, I was told "yeah, it's fun, but running it is way better." And last year, I loved running the Disney half marathon. 13.1 miles of early morning - the race begins at 6 a.m. but you have to be ready to go in your coral (starting point) by 5. I know it sounds crazy, but it's amazingly rewarding and then I had absolutely no guilt about eating whatever I wanted for the next few days!

Early morning - pre race, about 3 a.m.

We were both so excited about it that we registered within a few days of registration opening for the 2012 half marathon.

Of course, our plans changed. At 6 months pregnant (I'll be 25.5 weeks on race day), my goal of 13.1 went down to 3.1 and honestly, I may be walking the whole thing after some recent issues (nothing major - just normal pregnancy pains!). But, this time, I get to see the other side - I'll be on the sidelines cheering on my husband, friends from work and college, Disney friends, and the other 27,000 people the race!

Disney even has a special name - the ChEAR Squad! At the expo, they have an area to make posters to cheer for your friends and then the mornings of the race, you can actually go into the parks long before they open to get a spot to cheer on the crowds! If you want, you can even pay a little for special restrooms, a warming tent, and a designated seating area.

Our plan - along with my fellow Buffalonian (Buffalo, NY), LSU alum, and guest writer, Katie, is to meet up with everyone before the race and then get on the monorail to head over the Magic Kingdom to get our spot! Hopefully, we'll be able to keep track of where our people are, thanks to the runner tracker - sending texts to our phones letting us know when they reach a certain point!

After, we'll hop back on the monorail to head to Epcot, where the race ends, so we can meet up with our runners after the race. I'm still a little bummed that I won't be running through Cinderella Castle this year, but I've got the World Showcase to look forward to as well as the WDW Half Marathon 2013!

Hope to see some of you there!

Trading Fun

2012-01-04T07:17:00.000-05:00

There have been a few posts on this blog about Pin Trading - a fun souvenir and way for visitors and Cast Members to interact at Disney. We didn't start pin trading until June 2010, over a decade since pin trading was introduced at Walt Disney World.

Adam wearing his lanyard for the first time - June 2010

Our go-to plan has been to buy a set - 5 or 6 pins of a similar theme together for around $25 - for each trip. We have both enjoyed trading and them taking them home as a souvenir. Our first trip's pins are in a shadow box, but I still haven't figured out the best way to store them. Suggestions welcome!

Anyways, sometimes we'll find a goal pin to search for - my trip, I searched for Thumper. Turned out to be fruitless, so Adam bought me a stuffed Thumper instead :) Another trip, we let Noah pick his favorite and I looked for a great Mickey Mouse pin for him. That trip, a cast member gave us a Mickey pin for Noah trade free!

I pin traded with my medal lanyard last January!

For this trip, we're trying something different. After hearing this trip several times, I looked on ebay and found a deal that seemed too good to be true. Someone else mentioned they had received fakes which worried me, but I paid about $25-30 for maybe 40 pins (numbers escape me!) and they all look great!

Some of them may have to stay in my final collection! They all have the collection number and counts on the back, several of them are obviously from different sets. And now, we can both have 10 pins to trade freely, no attachments!

Are you a pin trader? I'd love to know your style of trading or collecting!

Tables in Wonderland

2012-01-03T06:44:00.000-05:00

For the past couple of years, we've been traveling to WDW for 2 4-day trips a year. Every time, I've thought "we should check out Tables in Wonderland" but somehow ignored it. This time, we're actually going to check it out.

I should mention - since I'm active duty military from the state of Florida, I'll be a Florida resident until I retire.. of course, I still hope to move to Celebration, so it may never change!

Tables in Wonderland - once known as the Disney Dining Experience - is a special discount for both Florida residents and Annual Pass holders. For $100 for FL residents and only $75 for AP holders, it offers a 20% discount at nearly every sit down restaurant on property, including several at Downtown Disney. The pass is valid for 1 full year - if had purchased this in June, we would have easily made up for the cost.

This time, we'll be there for a week, most likely having at least 1 sit down meal each day for 8 days. We'll have anywhere from 2-4 adults and most likely 1 kids meal per meal. Plus, on vacation especially, I love appetizers... so, we'll see!

We'll be saving our receipts to figure out the details - worth it or not for a 1 week trip.

What are your thoughts on these discounts? Anyone ever tried TiW?

Reader Question - Trip planning!

2011-12-31T07:00:00.001-05:00

I love answering reader questions - if you ever have any Disney related questions - heck or anything else I've experienced including nursing (especially at the parks), baby wearing, etc, I will always do my best to help, even if that means expanding the question to other knowledgeable Disney folks!

Yesterday on the facebook page, I received this question from Jessica S.:

Starting to plan a trip for May '13 for me, dh, dd (will be 5), and ds (will be 2.5). Trying to decide the best week to go to take advantage of cheapest rates, least amount of crowds, best weather(my kids love to swim) We are open to switching dates....anytime after the Holidays works for us since we have ample time to plan.

Planning far ahead is a fantastic idea - it's great for budgeting and may make you crazy trying to figure out the best deals. My 2 big suggestions for this are:

Check out Touring Plans - for $9.95 a year, they have years of historical crowds to allow for a 365 day crowd calender - helping you pick the best time for you to visit if you want to avoid the crowds. I absolutely love this feature! And no, I don't get paid to say this. It just really is an awesome travel tool.
Find a travel agent. I have several friends that are Disney TA's - they're FREE and get paid by Disney. I've worked with Pixie Vacations Agents before (and honestly, hope to join their ranks if the Mom's Panel thing doesn't work out in 2012 and after I've readjusted to life with an infant!). I do know several other amazing people that I'm sure would be incredibly helpful in your travel planning! They're constantly in communication on The Facebook Page, so make sure to stay active to keep up to date! A travel agent will do all the hard work for you. If you book this far out, they'll help you change dates if necessary and continuously look for new deals to save you money! I recently had a friend save $75 on a 2 night trip thanks to a quick thinking Travel Agent! **I have had a bad experience - an agency highly recommended by a very popular Disney community. I don't want to post against them publicly, but I will email you if you are curious. Just know - if they don't answer all your questions or do a lot of research, MOVE ON. They get commissioned to help you, so make them help and earn their money!**

This will be our first time staying on site ( thinking Pop of A of A). Should we get the DDP? There is so much to consider...any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

I love staying on property and while it isn't always the best for our travel plans (i.e. marathon weekend where we have to leave at 3 am and have someone else watch our little guy), if we're on a regular trip, we do try to stay on property. Pop seems to be the favorite Value Resort but the Art of Animation looks incredible. The problem with Art of Animation is that it is almost entirely suites - depending on when you go, these no longer seem value! And, the only section that has regular rooms is the Little Mermaid section, which may not be the theme you were hoping for. Again, a travel agent is your best bet to help you figure out the pricing - and if you happen to go when the crowds are low, the prices will be lower and you're more likely to find good deals..

Including..

Free Dining. I would personally rather take a large room discount and choose how much I spend on food to free dining, but that's not always an option. Every person in your room, 3 years or older, has to have the plan if you purchase it (and everyone 3 or older gets it during free dining). Depending on how much your children eat, you may end up spending more to buy a 2nd childrens meal, or maybe your children would only eat enough to share a meal. Under 3 do eat free at buffets, so that is another good option if you're planning to do a sit down meal.

The DDP that is standard at the value resorts is the Quick Service Plan - In 2012 that is 2 counter service meals and 1 snack, down from 2 snacks in 2011 but the price did not drop. I believe you can save up your credits to do a sit down, but mostly, you'll end up eating 'fast food' for the majority of your trip - you can upgrade, but that's more fees.

Here are some past articles I've posted about the DDP. It's a very controversial topic. Many swear by the DDP for their convenience and ease so my side is the side that prefers to save money - and even if you're DDP, you'll still be pulling out your wallet to tip, as those haven't been included in a few years.

Hope these help!! I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Insane Crowds

2011-12-29T07:07:00.000-05:00

I love Disney World. You know that, obviously. But, I've also come to really love it without crowds. Our standard June trips are around a 5 on the Touring Plans crowd calender, which means there is a fare amount of people, but if you plan correctly, you can still do everything over a few days.

And, back in my college days, we would often drive up the day after Thanksgiving or in between Christmas and New Years. I also remember going the days before bowl games - walking around the World Showcase is unbelievably crowded. But, I've never known about park closures or anything. I knew Mellie said they had reached capacity during her Christmas visit a few years back, but I luckily hadn't experienced that.

In fact, until yesterday I didn't even know that they have a 4 part system - phased closures -in place for crowded closures. Of course they do. Walt Disney World had a plan in place before the U.S. Government on how to handle 9/11, so of course they're prepared for everything, right?

I prefer 10 minute wait times!

Well, here's the plan - it's pretty straight forward, but I still find it very interesting!

Close the Parking Lots to Casual Visitors

Have a 1 day single park pass and are starting your day late? Nope, not today.
Trying to get in with a Cast Member friend? Try again.
Haven't purchased your tickets yet? Time to explore your resort.

The people getting in the park are the following

Those staying at Disney Resorts. If you're like me and stay off property to save a few money or to enjoy extra space, peak periods may not be the best idea. Of course, if you have more room, you can spend the crazy peak time enjoying a movie or relaxing in your own personal heated pool...
Annual Passholders - as long as you don't have one of them with blackout dates.. Apparently, this is a big problem at Disneyland Resort!
Re-entering the park - Went home for a nap and trying to get back in? You're safe!! Another reason not to sleep in and miss rope drop!
Park hoppers - coming from one of the other parks? You'll be allowed in.
Those with ADR's or other reservations - a good excuse to make a reservation for a haircut at the Harmony Barbershop or splurge on someone at the Bibbity-Bobbidy-Boutique
Those arriving on Disney transportation - leave your car at your resort. That bus guarantees you entrance in the 2nd phase

Restrictions are much tighter - now only the following can enter:

Those staying at a Disney Resort
Annual Passholders
Those with in park reservations/ADR's

No one

In the 4th phase of Park Closures, no one is allowed to park or come through those turnstiles.

If you do plan to attempt the parks on crowd breaking days, relax and expect to do more people watching than attraction viewing. With a 2 hour wait for pretty much everything, you won't get in and out of everything, but you'll still have a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm taking a break from my usual Window Wednesday to actually follow the theme offered by Focused on the Magic! Can you believe it?
If I were to make a 2012 Calender for our family, I can't necessarily pick our album cover, but the month of January is easy:

post 13.1 January 8, 2011

5 New To Us Attractions

2011-12-27T06:56:00.018-05:00

I hope that everyone has had great holiday celebrations! Tonight, we will celebrate the final night of Chanuka and my husband will finally tell me what my present is!! So far, I know that it's colorful and from Main Street, U.S.A. Only time will tell!!

I did share the Disney love with my husband - note the Phillies Mickey he received "from Noah" on the 1st night of Chanuka!

Anyways.... As you may know, Noah has already been to Walt Disney World for a total of 11 days - 3 different trips, there are still several places/attractions we still haven't checked out. Some of these, even after years of touring, I still haven't seen - or have no recollection of when I saw them.

Country Bear Jamboree - This attraction hasn't changed much since the opening day of the Magic Kingdom, October 1st, 1971. I'm sure I've seen it before, but it's been too long for me to have any recollection!
Tom Sawyer Island - This attraction I do remember - one trip in college I thought "hmmm.. I've never been over there, let's check it out." and against my friend's better judgement, we went anyway. For college aged people, this is not of interest and our raft got stuck, stranding us for much longer than we intended. But, I've heard it's a great place for youngsters. So, I think we'll give it a try!
Mission: SPACE Advanced Training Lab - I only did Mission: Space one time. 2004, I believe - before it was split into 2 versions. The feeling it left me with is enough for me to never want to go back, but recently, I heard about the Advanced Training Lab. Located at the exit of the attraction - the "post show" has different adventures for all ages, including a "Space Base" - an interactive play area for "junior space explorers"
The Boneyard- this playground at Disney's Animal Kingdom looks fantastic. Somehow, due to naps, poor planning, or time in park, we've missed this one! We'll definitely have to take a break at this one to get some energy out!
Wishes- Amazing, right? The last time I actually sat and watched Wishes was.. again.. 2004. Actually, it may have been New Years Day 2005. But, right about that time. We've seen it from attractions and our resorts (both the Contemporary and Grand Floridian), but we haven't tried to actually get a spot and watch The Magic, Memories, and You and Wishes. We'll still have to play it by ear to see how late Noah can hang, but the parks do close earlier in January, so I'm hopeful!

Wishes from the Contemporary

I have so many to-dos, don't I?

What's on your to do list?

Remember These?

2011-12-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Before that unfortunate monorail accident a few years ago, I almost always asked to sit up in the front with the driver. It was simple - ask the cast members working at the station and they'd take you to the front area to wait. There was a limit of 4 people at a time, so sometimes we would have to wait, but that was no problem. It was fun - the view up there is AWESOME. Full windows and you see exactly where you're going.

Our trip in June 2009, we rode up there for potentially the last time. And, unlike other times, they handed us these:

Our co-pilot license!! They usually handed out the circle Mickey Mouse stickers, but these cards were pretty cool, don't you think?

Did you ever ride up front? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

Packing Confusion

2011-12-23T08:51:00.000-05:00

Here in the D.C. area, it's been unseasonably warm. In fact, the past few days have been near 60, much warmer than usual for December. And, with our trip coming up quickly (we'll be there in 2 weeks!), this weather is making it tricky to know what to pack and what to wear.

Honestly, being 6 months pregnant, my favorite outfit (my maternity uniform these days) consists of a dress, leggings, and boots. All of my jeans fall down when I walk - not really sure why they fit so differently this time around! Even ones that fit perfectly in the fitting room... sag, sag, ugh! Unfortunately, for 4 or 5 park days, I know I won't be comfortable in my cute boots. They're comfortable, but not for 6-10 miles per day!

Another issue - we don't know what the weather will be like in Florida in January! Last year it was in the upper 60's - perfect weather in my opinion. Two years ago, it was sleeting and miserable. Current forecasts predict the next 2 weeks to have highs in the upper 70's-low 80's with evenings in the mid 50's. Quite a gap between morning and night! Luckily, we'll have our car parked nearby, so we can easily have a change of clothes nearby or simply store jackets in the stroller basket.

So, I'll obviously have to keep a close eye on the forecasts, but now I'm wondering if we should pull out some shorts. It seems as though we'll have to pack some winter clothes for traveling, if nothing more, and enough to layer! I can't even imagine the upper 70's right now - hope my maternity shorts fit better than my pants!
One thing for sure - I'll be packing my Baby Wants a Mickey Bar t-shirt for a day in the park!

Whatever the temperature - we'll be at The Happiest Place on Earth in less than 2 weeks!!! Hooray!

Pregnant Touring

2011-12-22T07:00:00.003-05:00

With our upcoming trip (2 weeks!), I know that we'll be touring a little differently than our most recent trips. So far with Noah, we make sure to hit all the attractions that Noah can enjoy and than use Rider Swap for all attractions that Noah isn't big enough for yet. But, this trip will be different. Basically, I can only ride the attractions that Noah can and even a few of those are considered off limits.

Here is the list of attractions that are recommended to skip for pregnant women:

Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
Big Thunder Railroad Mountain
Tomorrowland Indy Speedway

Animal Kingdom

Expedition Everest
Primeval Whirl
Dinosaur
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safari

Epcot

Test Track
Mission: Space

Hollywood Studios

Tower of Terror
Rock 'n Roller Coaster
Star Tours

And my guess - Sum of all Fears and the Disney Quest rides are probably good to skip as well..

Obviously, there have been women to ride several of these successfully, but I tend to be a bit over cautious, so I'll skip most of these! I had originally thought about Safari and figured "that's not so bad" but after talking to my midwife (who I regularly see for my prenatal appointments) I've decided to skip. She actually grew up in the Congo (real Africa? craziness!) and had a friend who had major complications after a bumpy ride on a back road. So, I'll skip that one this time.

Animal Kingdom does become a bit obsolete to us Preggers, but seeing as it's Adam's favorite park, we're still going to spend some time there. After all, we have a breakfast ADR at Tusker House and I really want to see the Festival of the Lion King

Pregnancy Tips

Take breaks - during our June '09 trip, we took daily nap/pool breaks. This time, we may not go back for naps every day, but I'm sure I'll be sitting a lot more than usual and going to sleep earlier at night
Stay hydrated - even when it's cool/cold outside, it's incredibly important to stay hydrated! Drink up! Water preferred to carbonated/caffeinated beverages, but I was told once by a nurse that Icee's are perfect for pregnant women - ice and sugar! So, we may be stopping to try some of those new slushee type drinks!
Bring/buy healthy snacks - WDW is behind Disneyland in healthiness of food and snacks, but there are several places to buy fruit and veggies for snacks or as sides instead of french fries. Don't get me wrong - I'm sure I'll enjoy a few serious treats, but I do also know we both need our vitamins from actually healthy food!
Wear comfortable shoes - this is a no-brainer for me. Whether you've had some swelling or not, the likeliness is so much higher when you're pregnant, you don't want to exacerbate any problems by wearing shoes/clothes that don't allow for good circulation!
Consider a belly support belt - Depending on how far along/big you are, these can be very helpful to relieve lower back or lower abdominal pain. I wear mine for running and I'm sure I'll pack mine for long touring days!

I'm sure there are more tips, but this is what I've got! What are some of yours? Have you braved the parks while pregnant?

Window Wednesdays!

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

And, I'm back with a new Window Wednesday!!

Open Doors '71

(the year Walt Disney World opened)

Magic Kingdom Casting Agency

"It Takes People to Make the Dream a Reality"

Walter Elias Disney

Founder and Director Emeritus (retired/no longer working but still deserving of the title!)

Make sure to take note of the hidden Mickey at the top of the scroll work!

**Thanks again to Mary from Capturing Magical Memories for the fantastic pictures!

Holidays in the Parks!

2011-12-19T10:36:00.000-05:00

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I wanted to revisit a post from my good friend, Melissa. She talks about one of her favorite times in the park - Christmastime!

Walt Disney World at Christmastime

Foodie Friday Review!!

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

After trips, I love to review our dining choices. I run out of these pretty quickly, because unlike AJ at the Disney Food Blog, I can't make this into a career to pay for that life - talk about a dream!

So, while I'm insanely busy this week, I wanted to share with you some of my past meal choices!!

Meals:

The Plaza - Magic Kingdom

Via Napoli - Epcot

La Hacienda de San Angel - Epcot

Le Cellier - Epcot

Hollywood 'N Vine - Play 'n Dine - Hollywood Studios

Raglan Road - Downtown Disney

Kona Cafe - Polynesian Resort

Kouzzina by Cat Cora - Disney's Boardwalk

Sweets and Treats

Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery - Animal Kingdom

Karamell Kuche - Epcot

Starring Rolls - Hollywood Studios

Writers Stop Cafe - Hollywood Studios

Baby Wearing Basics

2011-12-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

When Noah was younger - 10 months and smaller, I used to 'wear' him a lot. As a fussy/gassy baby who wasn't a good sleeper from the beginning, wearing Noah made my life easier. And, I've already found my carriers for Baby #2, due in April.

This week, I wanted to share with you my first Baby Wearing Wednesday - how I started wearing and how I learned about the different carriers. Hope this helps some of you!! I'd love to hear about your favorite carriers as well!

Baby Wearing Basics

and for more on babywearing -

Baby Wearing Options

Review and Giveaway - Red32 Designs!!

2011-12-12T07:00:00.001-05:00

I love browsing Etsy stores and facebook pages. While I don't order nearly as much as I would like to, I often see things and think "some day."

At 22 weeks, some day has come!

But, getting up to this... One of those particular days, I stumbled upon a facebook photo from Red32Designs. This particular designer does everything from onesies to custom autograph books. But, the one thing that caught my mind was a shirt that I knew someday I would have to own. That day came back in August when I discovered I was pregnant! The shirt was an interesting order - I picked out my shirt and for a very reasonable price, they did the design for me! I wish I had stated which color writing, because it's pink and I'm having another boy... but, I'm a girl, so it's okay, right?

"My Baby is Craving Mickey Ice Cream Bars"

When I ordered the shirt, I contacted asking if they would want to do some sort of promotion through my blog - and when they sent me my shirt, they included this adorable onesie to give to one of you!! They sent 0-3 month, so I know not everyone has someone to give this to, but it's still so cute I hope you can find a good home for it! I may have to buy one for my little one!

Too cute!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Never Have I Ever...

2011-12-09T07:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from CanaDisney Blog and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail

This month's topic is:

One thing I've Never Done at Disney World but would Love To!

A few months ago I mentioned one thing I really want to experience at Walt Disney World - Characters in Flight. Then, after listening to a WDW Today podcast and hearing Len Testa talk about seeing the balloon having landing problems, I think I may wait until I'm not pregnant and already closer to nausea than normal!

There are many things at Walt Disney World that I hope to someday experience. A couple that I have no control over - like staying in the Cinderella Castle Dream Suite or being the family of the day at the Magic Kingdom. A girl an dream, right?

But, the one thing that I haven't experienced that I would love to and hope to fulfill on my upcoming trip:

The Festival of the Lion King

I've seen the Broadway production (traveling show, not on Broadway), but have somehow missed Camp Minnie Mickey - I've never even been to that side of Disney's Animal Kingdom. We had hoped to go on our last few trips, but somehow missed it every time.

Image courtesy of DisneyWorld.com

Our only hesitation - we're not sure if Noah can sit through a 20+ minute show. He is only 2 so is attention span is about 14 seconds. I once told his doctor that he had baby a.d.d. and the Dr. just laughed and told me it's normal. So, a 20 minute show? It may captivate his interest, but we may have to leave early. I do think we'll have to try it on our next visit!

What's on your Disney To-Do List?

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Meet the Magic

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:1^st Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic

2^nd Stop ~ Days in the Park

3^rd Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog

4^th Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog

Final Stop ~ Meet the Magic

Running through the World Showcase

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm getting super stoked for our Marathon Weekend trip - One month from today, I'll have completed my race and my husband will be running his half marathon.. with 20,000+ other people!

Though I may not be seeing as many characters as I saw during my 13.1 miles last year, I've heard the courses of the 5k (3.1 miles) have a lot of characters and entertainers, so I do hope to get some good pictures of the family as we run thru Epcot!

Yup - the other really cool part of this race? It's almost entirely through Epcot!! The start and finish are just outside the park, but then you run through the World Showcase and out of Future World! If you're curious to see the course, it's here from RunDisney's website.

So, I know most of you guys aren't runners, but I am curious - anyone seem more interested in these races than before? Let me know if you've considered!! We - members of the Magical Blogorail - have some exciting plans for the 2013 Marathon Weekend races in the coming months and would love for some of you to join in with us!

If for nothing more - it's really fun to walk around the park with a medal on! Talk about feeling accomplished!

Window Wednesdays!

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Temporarily back in action!! My good Disney friend, Mary from Capturing Magical Memories sent me this and a few other photos of Main Street Windows for my use and all of our knowledge!

Chinese Restaurant

Fine Foods and Teas

Jim Armstrong

Vegetable Buyer

Jim Armstrong was the Food Administration Vice President of WDW

Not too much of a stretch, right?

I always remember seeing a Chinese Restaurant outside one of the house windows of the Carousel of Progress. According to the DisBoards, it's Kahns, but it makes me wonder if there is a connection between the two Chinese Restaurant windows.. I'll have to take a closer look in January!

Happy birthday, Noah!

2011-12-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today, Noah is 2 years old! Time seriously flies, doesn't it? Seems like just yesterday we celebrated his first birthday, and here he is, turning 2. He's picking up words like a parrot and is constantly learning. He's out of the crib and forgetting that he's only 2 most of the time.

For this birthday, we had family over for a little party - just family, but with 3 cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and even a great grandmother, that's plenty for a party!

The theme started with a cake - I asked Noah what we wanted - Mickey, Mater, or Nemo. And, to no surprise, he answered "Mimmy" which either means Mickey or Mater, but with enough asking and even showing him the cakes, we chose Mater!

Then, Noah and I took a trip to our local party store where I found some great party supplies!

Mater Party hats and Cars cups

Noah loved the cake and that it had toys on it - 2 cars for him to play with!

And, his family new him well enough to give him amazing presents, including a fire truck loaded with sounds that he's obsessed with and a really cool "garbyguck" or Garbage Trucks as those of us with a full grasp on the English language say.

Happy birthday to my little man - the one who inspired me to want to discover the full magic in everything Disney and help others discover the magic and share it with their little ones!

One Month!

2011-12-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

One month from today, we will be packed and headed to MCO for Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend 2012!

Our plans are pretty similar to last years - head to the race expo at the ESPN Wide World of Sports, get our race packets, pins, mouse ears, maybe shop, then head to our rental villa (Windsor Hills) to meet up with my parents again. Then, we'll celebrate my mom's birthday at Kouzzina by Cat Cora at Disney's Boardwalk - one of my favorite restaurants!

Of course, since I made my big announcement on Friday (with a Giveaway) you'll understand now why I had to defer my half-marathon registration to the 2013 WDW Half Marathon - I'll be 25 weeks pregnant come marathon weekend and the idea of running 13.1 6 months pregnant wasn't so appealing. Frankly, running 3.1 at 26 weeks seems like a struggle! I'm still regularly running 2-3 miles 1-3 times per week, but it's so much harder!

But, I'm excited to earn the cool Donald Duck medal and, weather being decent, I plan to go cheer on my husband and some friends while they run the half marathon! And Noah gets to run in the kids race again - this time he's a much more experienced walker/runner, so I shouldn't have to carry him to the finish line!

13 months and toddling along

And, in one month, I get to tour the parks again while pregnant. My last trip pregnant, I was only 16 weeks - barely showing. This time, I'll be seemingly huge and much more uncomfortable!! Luckily, I'm more interested in the magic and the "extras" than I was 3 years ago, so I'll have more to see or do when I won't be on the big coasters and other attractions suggested to avoid.

While I'm extremely busy and may be a bit behind on blogging during the next couple of weeks, expect to see some Pregnancy Touring Tips/plans for me and you, in case you're considering traveling while you're pregnant as well!

Disney Cuteness for You and Me!

2011-12-02T20:59:00.000-05:00

I've been meaning to tell you something for a while..

Looks like Noah won't be the only Disney Baby in this house! Come April, he will share his toys, family, trips, and life with...

a baby brother!!

You may remember me posting about this amazing knitter I found on Etsy in May. Well, since then, I've had a good bit of communication with her and ordered Noah one of those great Mickey ear hats for the winter. And, let me tell you - the hat is REALLY nice. It's a thick black wool and the ears are shaped like ears - curved in! Noah's not a huge fan of wearing a hat, but he loves looking at himself in the mirror wearing it!

The Minnie Mouse outfit is amazing as well, but I'll be saving that to buy for a friend's baby and not my own!

Lady Hudd is so wonderful that she offered readers of Disney Babies Blog a special offer! Enter the code *Blog27* for 10% of your order! Her prices are already very reasonable, so it's a great deal!

And, now, I get to offer you - my readers - a chance to win one yourselves! They're not just for babies - Lady Hudd can make them in any size! I may be ordering myself a pair when I put in the order for the Mickey outfit!

Magic Kingdom - Not so High Tech

2011-12-02T08:06:00.000-05:00

A coworker/friend of mine recently took her husband and 2 young boys to the Magic Kingdom for 1 day - the boys first time visiting and their first time since childhood.

With a castle like that, how can you not find the magic? That I may never know.

But my friend's husband - he didn't get it. He wanted more 'rides' and faster, more intense coasters. For those of us regulars, we know that for intense coasters, you need only check out Disney's Hollywood Studios - Rock 'n Roller Coaster or search for the missing yeti in Disney's Animal Kingdom's Expedition Everest.

Though the Magic Kingdom has a couple of mountains, they're not the fastest or most intense. Space Mountain tops out around 35 mph. Not too scary when you think about it that way!

I'll agree - the best coasters overall are probably at Islands of Adventure. But theme? Walt Disney World wins that hands down. However, my friend's husband wanted more flash and thrills. He wasn't convinced by his first trip. Probably doesn't help that it was a crowd level 8 on Touring Plans that day, being the Sunday before Thanksgiving. I don't miss touring in high crowds!

The magic has captivated me for as along as I can remember. The walk down Main Street, U.S.A. and a step into the hub is all I need to be as happy as can possibly be. Rides - I love rides, but I've also traveled pregnant and have skipped every single E-Ticket attraction. And, I'm okay with that!

The 2 boys - ages 3 and 5 (or 6?) had a BLAST. They enjoyed every parade and the older even asked to stay for the fireworks. And the dad thought they'd give up before dinner!

Have you ever had a first timer not get it? What's your take on magic vs. technology at the Disney Parks?

The Disney Moms

2011-12-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to share today, that I am now a part of a new blog to help you plan your Disney travels!!

The Disney Moms

Created by fellow Magical Blogorail Blue member, Natalie, of Meet the Magic, the goal of this new blog is to be more all-encompassing, with parents covering different age ranges and other issues, such as food allergies, special needs, and more.

I love helping give tips for fellow WDW travelers with youngsters - having taken my nearly- 2 year old (2 on 12/6!) now for 3 different trips, I have a lot of experience traveling with those youngsters, but multiples, tweens, teens, etc... obviously I'm still learning!

Now, we have a group of fantastic parent bloggers here to answer questions that we couldn't answer alone. Check out who is helping on this new project:

For the 0-4 year old category:

Me!!

Lisa - author of Beyond the Attractions

Mary - expert scrapbooker from Capturing Magical Memories

5-12 year olds

Mike from My Dreams of Disney

Beth from A Disney Mom's Thoughts

Natalie from Meet the Magic

13-18 year olds

Heidi from Heidi's Head

Mary from Capturing Magical Memories is also helping in this category!

Foodie Topics

Sheila from Cooking Underwriter writing about Gluten Free Disney

Tricia from Return to Disney writing about Disney Dining

Homeschooling

Jodi from Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

Disney Fashion and Beauty Tips

Jackie from Delightfully Disney

International Travels

Janine - our British friend who is also a contributor at Meet the Magic

Special Needs

Melissa from Disney On Wheels will share her experiences and tips for special needs travelers

With all that The Disney Moms have to offer, how can you resist adding another Disney blog to your reader? Check us out and enjoy!

Disney for Free

2011-11-28T07:17:00.000-05:00

On our January trips, we often head down to Orlando for several more days than we plan to be in the parks. This works for us for several reasons - we participate in marathon weekend and don't want to be exhausted for the races.. and frankly, we don't want to spend the money to be in the parks for that many days!! We have an amazing military deal for 4 park hopping days, so 4 park hopping days it is. We have 1 day left over from a previous trip, so we may actually enjoy 5 park hopping days, but more than that isn't likely.

So, what else is there to do?

A LOT! Aside from Downtown Disney, there is plenty to see and do!

Visit Celebration - the town literally created by the Disney Co. Though no longer owned by Disney, it is extreme suburban perfection. A little Stepford, but still pretty fantastical.
Head to Disney's Boardwalk - at night, the Boardwalk is alive with entertainers of different sorts, but even during the day, it's a beautiful walk with plenty of restaurants and shops. Or, head to the Beach Club/Yacht Club area - not as big, but still several restaurants to look in and see!
Resort hop - I love to check out different resorts for meal time, but even if you're not hungry, you can stop by and check out the different scenery and stories! In the last year, we looked around the Polynesian, Pop Century, and Animal Kingdom Lodge - Kidani Village all for meal time.

Resort tip - if you're stopping by the Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House at night - make sure to ask where you can get the night vision goggles to view the animals!! Free every night!
Wilderness Lodge hosts the Chip n' Dale Campfire Sing-a-long - movie and campfire! Free to resort guests - you can bring or buy your own marshmallows!

Ride the Monorail! Who doesn't love the monorail? If you're a resort guest, you can park at the TTC (Ticket and Transportation center) with your hotel parking pass, or bus on over. If you're just coming for a few minutes, stop at a monorail resort and say you want to shop. You can park for free - not recommended for extended periods of time, but perfect for resort hopping/monorail viewing.

There are too many more options for this post.. I'll have to add more later!

What are some of your out-of-park favorite activities? Share them below or on our facebook page!

Travel Map and Diary - Review and Giveaway!!

2011-11-23T09:57:00.004-05:00

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-11-23T06:58:00.000-05:00

"Here Lies Good Old Fred

A Great Big Rock Fell on His Head

RIP"

Fred Joerger, Disney Legend and Imagineer. He created 3-D models of attractions, to help Walt visualize the theme parks. Along with other Disney legends, was part of the original "model shop" that helped create Disneyland. He also built miniature sets and props for movies including Mary Poppins and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

And, as with many others, he is also honored in a window on Main Street!

Attractions I Love- The Peoplemover!

2011-11-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

Depending on when you first visited the parks - or truly made your first impressions, you probably know this ride as something different. To some, it's the TTA (Tomorrowland Transit Authority). To me, it's the Peoplemover. Others may refer to it as the "Blue Line" from a period int he 90's. I've taught Noah to say "Wedway" - it's easier to say than Peoplemover, and being the original 1975 name "Wedway Peoplemover" it's all acceptable to me.

Whatever you may refer to it as, this attraction is a wonderfully slow moving ride throughout Tomorrowland. The views you capture while riding are some of the best available

Cool view of the crane taking down the holiday lights

If you look closely, you'll see a small part of the original "Progress City" model - the city that led to the dream of EPCOT.

Excuse the blur!

This ride is great for sleeping or feeding/nursing babies - sit down and get comfortable! I've heard the cast members have allowed people to stay on and ride again in such situations. As the lines are rarely long (or lines at all), it's a nice place to sit for 10 minutes to take a tour.

Just beware - I do remember a trip from my college years where it was closed for maintenance. When we asked why, the cast member reminded us that the ride worked on magnets and that the polarization had gone a little loopy - Beware of Bumper Peoplemovers!!! Whoops!

A Family Portrait (taken by me!) in January 2011

I'd love for you to share some of your favorite pictures from the Peoplemover! You can share them on our facebook page! Or, just leave a comment letting me know what name you use referring to this favorite attraction!

Child Friendly... Grand Floridian

2011-11-21T07:08:00.002-05:00

Possibly the most elegant resort on Walt Disney property, the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is home to the Wedding Pavilion, a luxurious spa, and is in the works to house the next Disney Vacation Club (DVC) Villas.

And, the Grand Floridian is also very child friendly. One perk? There are actual cribs and not just pack and plays for the little ones.

Another obvious perk?

Being on the monorail line and having the ferry right there, getting back from the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT for nap time or after a fun day in the parks is really easy. Not quite as quick as the walkway to the Contemporary, but still - very good options!

If you think the resort may be too stuffy, remember that at the entrance of the Main Building is 1900 Park Fare - a restaurant that has both character breakfast and dinners. There are constantly children and costumed characters in the building! Not to mention, when you walk in you are immediately welcomed by beautiful characters in the floor! Walk around a little more past the check in area and you'll even find a small sitting area with a television playing old Mickey Mouse cartoons playing.

The pools are also a great place for kids. Though there are quite pools, one located directly outside of our building in June, the best for us had a splash pad, a walk in end, and a fun water slide. Though at 18 months, Noah was too small for the slide, we got to enjoy it while he played in the shallow end and the splash pad!

Our favorite part of the resort - our balcony. We requested a bay lake view, but if we looked at the right angle, we could see the castle. With that, we could see the fireworks, hear the music, and had a perfect view of the monorail loop. Another perk - The Electrical Water Pageant! Who doesn't love to see the floats go by? Plus, Noah loved running out on the balcony in the morning. It gave him a little extra room to play while we were getting ready.

Not convinced? Check it out yourself next time!!

What resorts are your favorites with or without children? We still like to try out the different resorts, but have had the most success on the monorail loop. Next up will have to be the Polynesian!

Mickey's Birthday

2011-11-18T07:00:00.002-05:00

Welcome to our Mickey Mouse Birthday Blog Hop! This year, Mickey Mouse is turning 83 and we thought it would be fun to all celebrate with our little ones. I'll be sharing about making Mickey Mouse birthday invitations, great for our blog hop and for my little one's 2nd birthday! You can find links to other party ideas at the end of the post!

To make Mickey's invitation, I thought about copying what Melissa made for her daughter's 2nd birthday. I have to admit, that would have been much easier. But, instead, I got on Etsy to get some creative ideas - and it worked!

The Final Product

If you're up for some paper crafting, here's the process!

First, I pulled out a lot of paper and tools to get my motors working:

I had already traced a Mickey on a scrap of paper to be the base for everything and used traced around it to cut out both black and red mice:

The next step was the easy one - I used a tape roller to stick the red cut out to the black mickey, then stamped some buttons on. I embellished the buttons by using button brads as well:

Then, for the invitation, I used stamps, scraps of paper, a sharpee, and stickers to make:

I hope the invitation made it to you and you enjoy Mickey Mouse's Birthday Party!!

Thanks for joining us as we celebrate Mickey's Birthday! Don't forget to check out the other blogs for great ideas on a Mickey Mouse Birthday Party!

Capturing Magical Memories shares how to makes a birthday sign!

A Disney Mom's Thoughts helps create the party games!

Growing Up Disney shares making the birthday cake!

Pursuing the Magic makes party favors!

Delightfully Disney makes party snacks!

Return to Disney gets crafty for the party!

Running, running!

2011-11-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

For those have been following this blog for a while, you know that after my son was born, I became a runner. Not just my required 2 miles for work (Army Physical Fitness), but since January 2011, I've run 2 half marathons (13.1 miles each!) and had logged over 100 miles by June 1st.

Since June, I've had to cut down on mileage and deferred my 2012 half marathon entrance to the 2013 half marathon. Luckily, RunDisney is pretty awesome with deferring, as long as you can do it 45 days out.

As of last week, my family and I are registered for the WDW Marathon Weekend 5k - Disney's Family Fiesta 5k with the Three Caballeros! My husband surprised me with his entry - he thought he could keep it from me, but I got it out of him pretty easily.

The best part about this 5k? Even Noah, who will be riding in a stroller with us, will earn a medal! How cute is that? Of course, with Noah running in the kid's race later that day and Adam running the half marathon the next day, I'll be the only one with 1 medal, but that's okay.

Anyone else considering registering for these or any other RunDisney events? I'd love to hear about your training or motivate you if you think you can't!

Wordless Wednesday!

2011-11-16T07:10:00.000-05:00

So, since I'm out of Window pictures for the time being, I'm moving on!

Decoding some Haunted Mansion Tombstones!

This one I even mentioned in a previous Wordless Wednesday

Grandpa Marc = Marc Davis - one of Walt's 9 Old Men

Animator, Imagineer, and Artist.

He worked on basically everything - Bambi, Snow White, Song of the South, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, The Tiki Room, etc...

definitely deserving of both a tomb and a window!

Waiting, waiting...

2011-11-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I can't wait to see the Magic Kingdom Rope Drop Show!

With less than 2 months away from Walt Disney World's 2012 Marathon Weekend, trip planning is nearly taking over my mind. Shock, right? I'm not alone in that, I'm sure!

See you soon, Magic Kingdom!

But, just yesterday, I received a comment on the post asking about how to keep toddlers entertained while waiting for this show.

As with pretty much everything, there will always be an aspect of waiting at Walt Disney World. Whether in line for an attraction, to get food, or even, like this one, just to enter the park, there will pretty much always be some waiting.

To me, this is the absolute must wait show. Why? Because if you're not at rope drop, you'll have more lines inside the park. Whether in January or June, starting with rope drop and heading towards Fantasyland, we've done every attraction in the hour after park opening. So, you may wait a few minutes for this show to start, but it will be worth it after.

Another perk - once you cross through the turnstiles, which open a few minutes before the morning show, it's okay for the kids to be kids - they can run around and play! I've seen in the past Cast Members leave hula hoops on the ground for kids to play. Now, if only they'd have the bubble machines or sidewalk chalk out and my son would be in set! But, honestly, even my incredibly inpatient tot has been fantastic while waiting for this show. We usually find a spot in the back where he can watch the monorail, ferries, and crowds, while not being trampled.

If we're really getting antsy? I pull out my entertainment to keep him, and sometimes other children, busy.

And, after a wonderful show, we're off to be first in line for Peter Pan, Dumbo, etc... before most of the Resort guests even wake up!

Early morning Photo Pass in Fantasyland.. no waits!

Hope this helps!!

Getting Excited!

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Magic Kingdom Rope Drop

I've mentioned before that I love singing to Noah in the morning. When I enter his room every morning, I love to sing mostly my own words to "Good Morning, Good Morning!"

It's even more fun now, because Noah - who will be 2 in a few short weeks - now sings along!

"Good morning, good morning - it's fun to stay up late, good morning, good morning to you!"

And Noah replies "to You!" and points to me or his dad.

Yes, I'm a biased mom - but it's ridiculously adorable when he sings "to you!".

Now, to incorporate and excite our upcoming travel plans -
I brought him downstairs and found a video on You Tube of the rope drop ceremony. From just a few months ago, he wouldn't remember - he's still too young - but he loved it.

He smiled, clapped, and sang along with the video!

BTW - make sure you notice Mickey when he's talking - he's talking and blinking Mickey!!

I can't wait to show him the rope drop live again! I think 2 will be a magical trip, don't you? 4th time's a charm!

Great Disney Moments

2011-11-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from the CanaDisney Blog and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the third stop on today's Magical Blogorail. Today we are discussing our...

Greatest Disney Moment Since Magical Blogorail

It's hard to believe that his makes 1 full year of the Magical Blogorail Blue. When Beth first asked me, I had no idea this group would become so amazing - several different loops filled with great Disney people and bloggers. Thank you, Beth, for putting this awesome group together!

This loop, we're talking about our Greatest Disney Moment in the past year.

I've been lucky enough to have been to Walt Disney World twice since the inception of the blogorail - first time for the 2011 WDW Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend and second for a last minute trip in June.

There have been almost too many amazing moments - watching my son see Mickey Mouse while waiting our turn and literally begging will probably always stay with me

And watching him have the time of his life getting soaked at Disney's Animal Kingdom:

But, I think I'll have to be completely selfish. My greatest Disney Moment in the past 12 months includes more than just fun - accomplishment.

Post Race

Last mile (or 1.5 miles)

Finishing the WDW 2011 Half Marathon. With a 13 month old, I ran 13.1 miles for the first time in my life. Starting outside of EPCOT, through the TTC, to and through the Magic Kingdom, then back through and exiting EPCOT to cross the finish line and receive my first medal.

I ran with Disney people - with a Disney team, for a Disney cause - raising money for the WDW Radio Dream Team Project - helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation give children their wish to visit Walt Disney World.

I burned a gagillion calories (no really, like 2000 calories) and splurged at several amazing Disney restaurants for the following days, all while wearing my medal and running shirts from the weekend.

That Disney memory is a point of fun, excitement, and pride - a major accomplishment and one that I will never forget.

Your next stop on this month's Magical Blogorail Blue is Cooking with Mickey

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~ Days in the Park
2nd Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog
3rd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog
4th Stop ~ Cooking with Mickey

5^th Stop ~ Meet the Magic
Final Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic

Wordless Wednesday Hop!

2011-11-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm currently out of window pictures, so instead, enjoy this Hidden Mickey!

Can you guess where this was taken?

Comment below or on our facebook page!

A WDW Today Idea

2011-11-08T07:09:00.000-05:00

As a commuter facing 32 miles each way - i.e. an hour driving to and from work, I've become a huge fan of podcasts. I have several on my playlist, including friends over at Days in the Parkcast and Mouse Chat, but my big 3 for learning and travel tips these days are Wedway Radio, WDW Radio, and WDW Today.

What I've noticed lately on WDW Today is that I agree with them a lot. Just like those guys, I prefer to have my own car and drive myself from gate to gate. Though, I did love my experience on Disney's Magical Express, I'm just too impatient to take an hour to go from point A to point B!

Noah loved DME as well!

Another place I agree with them? Disney's Dining Plan. Ever since I first thought about it, I knew for me, that it wouldn't be a good value. According to those podcasting Disney folks, it's most likely not a good value for anyone. With recent price increases, the Dining Plan now values every sit down meal at $30 for meal. That's definitely more than I usually spend, so I can see that.

Now, many will argue (and have!) with me that it's a great value, it's easy, it saves thinking, time, money, etc... A big perk - you pre-pay for all of your meals so you don't even have to worry about spending. Even my originally co-blogger Melissa thought it sounded great and tried it in the spring. But, just like Melissa, I don't think it's necessarily worth it - nor do I think it's the healthiest way to travel (dessert at every meal plus snacks?) . But again, I'll probably anger some Disney Dining Plan-die hard fans with this.

So instead, I wanted to offer this fantastic tip that Matt, Mikes, and Len share on WDW Today:

Take all the money you would set aside for the Disney Dining Plan and put that money on a prepaid Visa or Disney Gift Card. Then, if you want to order the salad, you order the salad. Want to skip dessert and pick up a treat at Karamelle Kuche? No problem, because you won't have already prepaid for that dessert with your meal. Then, if you have money left over, you can spend it on extra souvenirs instead of stocking up on extra snacks before you leave with extra snack credits leftover!

Now, if you have free dining, that's a different topic. I personally would rather a quality room discount to free dining (only 2 adults!), but I could easily see the appeal of free food for a big family.

Have you ever considered dining this version? The "make your own" Disney Dining Plan?

The Inner Disney Girl

2011-11-07T06:50:00.000-05:00

This weekend we celebrated my husband's grandmother's birthday with family. My gift plan? A calender.

I didn't plan in advance enough to make one from a great digital program, but I still made a pretty decent one thanks to CVS.com (by the way - if you do this, make sure you check before hand that it's ready. Even after confirmation that the product was complete, it wasn't done. Yup. It's okay, 25% off and a day late, I walked out with a good calender).

Now, you're probably wondering what this has to do with Disney.

Well, if you've ever made a calender, you know you can add big pictures for every month, but small pictures wherever you want in the year.

For October 1st, 2012 - given to a non-Disney lover, I added this photo:

Can you believe EPCOT is almost 30 years old?

Did You Know?

2011-11-04T07:26:00.000-04:00

Ever see a Disney bus that is around that is labeled "Rapunzel" and wondered where it was going?

It's not! Rapunzel is Disney code for "out of service."

I knew from a previous cast member that back in the early 2000's, a bus named "Belle" meant out of service, so when I saw this last January, I realized they'd changed the names.

Clever, don't you think?

Trip Update!

2011-11-03T07:13:00.000-04:00

My friend, Melissa, is the one who helped me create this blog. She writes on occasion, though it's been a good while (send some love to her on our facebook page and maybe we can convince her to write some more!).

Unfortunately, I live in the DC area and she lives in Louisiana! That's quite a trek. And, for some unknown reason, flying between the two seems more expensive than traveling to London half the time, so we don't get to visit very often.

Our last time together?

June 2010!

We talk on the phone regularly and skype once or twice a month so Noah and Piper, her daughter, can hopefully recognize each other.. eventually.

We plan ahead - way ahead. We're already in talks for a Spring 2012 trip to WDW.

But then, last week, after some talks, it was decided:

Melissa, David, and Piper will make the drive to Orlando for a long weekend (long b/c of the long drive) to see US at Walt Disney World!! They'll be coming in for marathon weekend, and though we'll only be in the parks for 1 day together, I'm so excited to see my friend and her family!! They're really like a second family and I know they'll make the trip more fun!

They're a bit bigger than in this picture.. Heck, I've even taught Noah to say "Wedway"

January, here we come!!

Window Wednesdays!

2011-11-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Melissa from DisneyonWheels.com for this great pic!

Okay, I have to admit - I've analyzed this window before, but from a picture I had to seriously enlarge and you couldn't see it well, so when I saw this, I jumped on it!!

In case you missed it - this window is actually one of 3 on the Main Street Art Festival

(for the full post, check it out here!)

Anyhoo - Pete Clark was the Vice President of Lessee Relations in Disneyland before becoming the VP of Participant Affairs - finding sponsors for Disneyland than for the Pavilions of the World Showcase!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Tiggerific Tuesday!

2011-10-31T19:00:00.000-04:00

I'm guest hosting again a great blog hop! Hope you'll join in and hop along!

Welcome to Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop...or Bounce!

Link up, meet new friends, network with other bloggers, and have fun!

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and

as well as our Featured Guest Host

2. Follow who you like and be sure to let them know that you are from "Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop...or Bounce."

3. You are not required to, but we'd greatly appreciate it if you could grab our button and write a post about this hop and/or display the button on your sidebar.

4. Every week we will pick someone to Guest Host the hop with us. If you would like to be considered for the Guest Host position, leave a comment under this post to let me know you're interested and follow us on GFC.

get the InLinkz code

Travel Must Have

2011-10-28T07:24:00.002-04:00

I've found a new activity for Noah that will now be a must have on our next trip:

Crayola Color Wonder

Most moms probably already know all about this stuff - it's art products, both markers or finger paint, that only show up on special Color Wonder paper! My son loves to color... anywhere. More than once, I've had to chase him down to get the crayons out of this hand, or take some Seventh Gen cleaners to the wall to erase some scribbles.

But Color Wonder? Not a chance. Now, I may not care as much on a plane, but driving? Crayons would be definite no with my son! Plus, since we rent a home off property for our week in January, we have to be extra careful with him making a mess, since there is a deposit we want back! Another plus? They have a LOT of Disney themed products!

I'll just say - this is definitely going in our travel bag! Oh - and you can always find this at Arts and Crafts stores (Michaels, etc..) that always have 10-20% coupons so you can save! It runs anywhere from around $7-20, and with sales or coupons, I think it's a good no-mess deal!

**For older kids that you can trust with markers, check out the Color Explosion. I bought some on accident and want to color myself!! Very cool!**

Ever used color wonder products?

Window Wednesdays!

2011-10-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

Main Street Music Co.

Ron Logan

Conductor

"Leading the Band into a New Century"

Ron Logan - Disney Legend and one lucky musician! He started his career playing trumpet at Disneyland and then worked at both WDW and Disneyland as music director before being promoted to v-p of Creative Show Development for all Disney parks. He created Fantasmic! Illuminations, and so many more shows!

I'm running low on pictures, but my wonderful friend, Beth, from Pursuing the Magic and the Magical Blogorail has offered to try to find me some pictures on her upcoming trip! Even if it doesn't work out, I really appreciate the offer!! (I'll admit, she's not the first, but I can't remember who else offered! Thank you all!)

New ADR System

2011-10-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

**ADR - Disney acronym - Advanced Dining Reservation

As many of you probably know, starting in just a couple of days, October 26th, many of the most popular restaurants around the parks and resorts will now require a credit card. If you're a know show or cancel in under 24 hours, you'll pay a hefty $10 per seat reserved.

This new system will hopefully stop people from making multiple ADR's - locking many people out of the top spots. This system has been in place for Cinderella's Royal Table and the Harmony Barber Shop for a while, but now standards like Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, and Le Cellier will all require a reservation fee. However, those on the Disney Dining Plan generally need to make ADR's to make sure they use all of their table credits!

Now, I don't know about you, but for the past few trips, I have looked forward to that 180 mark when I can make my reservations. (For those unsure - you can book ADR's 180 days out from the day, unless you stay on property. With a deposit on a reservation, you can book 190 days from your arrival day! Total win on the big restaurants). But, planning 6 months in advance can be tricky. Frankly, on vacation, planning 48 hours in advance can be tricky!

Take our January 2011 trip - thanks to an overnight visit to Celebration Hospital, we missed every single reservation including the Harmony Barber Shop. With a quick call, I was able to reschedule the hair cut, but Le Cellier last minute? Not a chance. As you may recall, we walked up and were seated within 10 minutes, but trying to get a same day guaranteed table isn't likely.

Of course, I've continued to make ADR's, but in June, I made all 3 weeks in advanced, and even while we were there, I played on my smart phone and constantly made and changed dining plans.

So, I don't know about you, but with this new credit card requirement for reservations, my outlook for future trips will absolutely change. Luckily, all of our ADR's for January 2012 didn't require this - good news considering at least 3 ADR's would now require a deposit.

So, for the future, I think I'll be taking a break on ADR's. I think I'll go back to my old system - walk up and ask for a table. If they say no, oh well. If we need to do a character meal, we'll go to one of the less popular ones (Hollywood and Vine, Cape May, etc...), but I don't think I'll be planning 6 months out anymore!

Will this new requirement change the way you plan? I'd love to hear your thoughts - comment below, find me on twitter, or join in on the conversation at facebook!

For more information and a complete list, check out this post from Chip and Co.

Virtual Food and Wine Festival!

2011-10-23T19:59:00.004-04:00

Welcome to The Virtual Food & Wine Festival. In honor of Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival a few Disney bloggers have gathered together their special culinary talents and prepared a virtual F&W Festival! You're all invited to visit each blog and virtually eat your way around the World Showcase! Please visit all of our blogs and leave comments on our dishes.

I've unfortunately never actually been to EPCOT's Food and Wine Festival, though I'm pretty sure I would love the festival and hope to get there in the not-so-distant future!

When we do visit, I love sampling from the different countries in the World Showcase, either drink, counter service, or table service. One of my favorite meals was last January at Le Cellier. I'm not a big steak eater, but everything was so good, we've been craving it since!

So, over the weekend, we had our at home version of a Le Cellier Steakhouse meal. The feature? The infamous Cheddar Cheese Soup. The recipe was easy to find - many popular Disney websites and blogs had recipes, and now mine will be included in that list!

Ingredients
1/4 lb bacon, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
3 TBSP all purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
2 cups chicken stock (I used vegetable instead. It's all I had!)
12 oz. grated cheddar cheese (one site recommended Black Diamond)
3 dashes hot sauce
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I was out and used a dash of soy sauce!)
1/2 cup beer - dark preferred
salt and pepper to taste
chopped chives for garnish

Ingredients minus flour/milk

Step 1 - Chop! Thanks to Chef Big Fat Panda, friend of the Disney Food Blog, recommended to freeze the bacon and use sharp scissors. Of course, I read that after I spent 20 minutes trying to cut the slimy stuff up!

Step 2 - In a large soup pot, saute the bacon to wilting, not yet browning

Step 3 - Add the vegetables to the bacon and cook (sweat) until the onions are translucent

Step 4 - Slowly sprinkle in the flour, stirring for 2 minutes. Be careful to avoid lumps! Created a roux - the thickener and base for a delicious soup!

Step 5 - Stir in milk and stock, bring to boil, then let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

Step 6 - Take off the heat and whisk in cheese, beer, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 7 - Serve and enjoy!!

DELICIOUS

We served ours with pretzel sticks, found at our local Wegmans grocery store, and steak and mashed potatoes. Honestly, I could have had the soup and bread for my meal, but being married to a meat and potatoes guy, we decided to go a full Canadian meal.

This recipe is time consuming, but not nearly as intimidating as I had once thought! And, I'm excited to have leftovers for future meals! Hope you've enjoyed your Canadian stop on this special blog hop! Make sure to check out the other participators for great recipes and yummy blogs!

Review of Mousejunkies! 2

2011-10-21T06:53:00.000-04:00

Katie and her brother "drinking around the world" in Morocco!

My guest, Katie, is back with a review of one of her Disney reads! This book was purchased on her own desire and all thoughts, opinions, and reviews are completely honest. And, no, we don't get credit from Amazon - just wanted to make it easier to find if you like the review!!

Have you ever found yourself craving a Dole Whip? How about checking Disney apps on your phone to see what the current wait times are like… from thousands of miles away? Do you think of going to Disney World as being “home”? Have you ever told someone you were going to Disney World on vacation only to hear the response “AGAIN?!” If so, then you might be a Mousejunkie!

According to the book, a Mousejunkie is “one who is devoted to, and expresses a physical and emotional need for, Walt Disney World.” Mousejunkies can come in all shapes and sizes. They can be young, old, married, single, even reluctant about being one. Throughout the book, a panel of these Mousejunkies, all with different areas of expertise, give their opinions and advice based on experience.

This book presents a humorous take on your typical Disney travel guide. This is definitely not your grandmother’s guide to Disney! The popular “drinking around the world” in Epcot (which I have done twice, by the way) is chronicled, for better, for worse, and from beer in Canada all the way to tequila in Mexico.

I found myself laughing out loud many times during the book. The author and his friends offer travel advice, Disney history, touring tips, and random bits of pop culture knowledge (Paul McCartney plays guitar/ bass left handed… I didn’t know that!) thrown in with a bit of sarcasm and humor for good measure. One of my favorite tips in the book: the authors included the phone numbers to call the red phone booths in Epcot’s UK pavilion. Next time I am in Epcot (probably a few drinks in) I will be calling these phone booths trying to scare people telling them exactly what they are wearing. Maybe that’s a little creepy, but it sure sounds like a good laugh!

For those of you out there with little ones, there is a chapter called "Mousejunkies Procreate."
This chapter has lots of information and tips on Disney travel and touring with kids. The author is a parent himself and offers some memorable stories about his daughter. Let's just say his daughter and fried Oreos don't get along well!

Mousejunkies! 2 is a book that I recommend to any Disney addict, or anyone planning a Disney World vacation. You can order it on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Mousejunkies-Tricks-Disney-Perfect-Vacation/dp/160952022X

I will leave you with one last quote from the book: “For Mousejunkies, Disney is a lifestyle.”

Yo Ho!

2011-10-20T07:13:00.000-04:00

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate's Life For Me!!

We've all sung this song, right? I was playing it on the piano the other night (I have 2 Disney Parks Piano books!) and this was one of the songs I was playing/singing.

Here's my trivia -

Did you know? Yo Ho! was written for the Pirates of the Caribbean Ride at Disneyland?

Doesn't seem possible to me - and my husband was shocked to hear that as well - that this pirate anthem was literally written for a ride.

The music was written by George Bruns with lyrics by now Disney Legend Xavier (X) Atencio. X also helped write Grim Grinning Ghosts, the music heard inside the Haunted Mansion, all after being an Imagineer and Animator for WED!

The lyrics are loosely based on the 1881 novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. I wonder if "we're really bad eggs" was in there!

Did you know this little bit of Disney trivia?

Window Wednesdays!

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

Rainbow Paint Co.

Polychromatists

Lonnie R. Lindley

Looking closely, you can tell that something was cut off at the bottom - thanks to mouseplanet, I found that it used to say "World's Largest Collection of Paint Samples"

Lonnie Lindley was the head of the Walt Disney Paint Shop. He was responsible for all of the paint work at the Magic Kingdom! Talk about a big job!

Cravings..

2011-10-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Ever have a moment where you really want a treat that you can only find at the Happiest Place on Earth? Last night at dinner, my husband and I wanted the same dessert.

Maybe it's the preparation and excitement of the upcoming Marathon Weekend 2012 (anyone else in training?), but we're ready to head back to the Candy Cauldron at Downtown Disney and pick up our Mickey Candy Apples!

Yum.

What treats do you crave when you're not at the parks? I'd love for you to share either by commenting here, on twitter, or on our facebook wall!

No Mommy!

2011-10-17T07:18:00.000-04:00

My cutie pie being silly in the car

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this - in a previous life (i.e. college student teaching) I was an elementary music teacher. Spending all day around little kids, playing with fun instruments and singing. I wasn't quite ready to give up my goals of performance, but I loved that semester.

I've incorporated that aspect of my personality into parenthood. I constantly sing to Noah - every book has it's own melody. I can't even read Goodnight Moon without singing. And, as of late, I'm constantly singing nursery rhymes or other cute songs.

In the car, I've started singing my 2 go-tos: The Wheels on the Bus and Itsy-Bitsy Spider. Noah knows the motions and sings along. When I say "The Baby on the Bus" he rubs his eyes and says "wah wah wah." Seriously, my boy cracks me up!

Well, the other day, I started to sing It's a Small World. Instantly, I heard "Mooooom-my." So I stopped. I started again... "Mooooooom-my." I switched songs and we were golden.

The other night, I started again and instead of just the "Moooooom-my" I got a 22 month old shaking his head "no" while saying "No Mommy."

Apparently, even at 22 months and having not been on the ride in probably 16 months, he doesn't want to hear that song. I'm okay with skipping the ride! But, I thought it was too cute not to share!

I Don't Get It..

2011-10-14T07:00:00.001-04:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from The CanaDisney Blog and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.

Pic borrowed from Chip and Co!

I just don't get it. This ride always has a huge line and stays crowded all day long. It is one of 3 "E-Ticket" attractions at EPCOT and of the 3, the only one I actually enjoy is Soarin'. Though, from what I understand, most people don't enjoy Mission: Space, so I didn't choose that attraction.

Instead, Test Track. I can see the attraction to first timers, but to do the same tests over and over?

I remember seeing on a special edition Magical Blogorail where the teenagers wrote in, a couple mentioned that this is one of their favorites. Maybe I aged out of this attraction?

It's not on our regular touring plan and only ride it once every few years. Maybe when Noah is old enough, I'll enjoy seeing his joy, but for now? I'll sit this one out.

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Cooking with Mickey.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog
2nd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog
3rd Stop ~ Cooking with Mickey
4th Stop ~ Meet the Magic

5th Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic
Final Stop ~ Days in the Park

I Love Photopass!

2011-10-13T07:10:00.000-04:00

For our trip in June, we tried something for the first time - Photopass!!

In previous trips (since Noah was born), we would buy maybe 1 picture, but mostly just take all of our own.

But for June, I wanted to try something different. We pre-ordered the Photopass cd for our trip. Did you know, if you preorder, you can save $50? With that in mind, we stopped for as many pictures as possible!

I love the titles you can add!

We got some great pictures with my full family, but I don't think they'd be happy if I posted them, so I'll post some of my favorites!

Of course, it took until our final picture for Noah to smile..

If only we had thought to split the photopass cd with Melissa and her family when we went in June 2010! Next time for our May 2013 trip!

Do you use photopass? I'd love to hear your thoughts!