New Year's Adventures at WDW

            Every year, we visit one of the Walt Disney World parks for New Year’s Eve, and this year was no different.  Miraculously, I was not working this year on New Year’s Eve, so we had the opportunity to brave the crowds and visit several of the parks. Our adventures began on December 30^th with a trip to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  We saw the Frozen show, Fantasmic, and we ate dinner at Momma Melrose’s. Unfortunately, it rained the entire evening.  Honestly, the weather was miserable, but this terrible weather worked to our advantage. 

Being insane, we left DHS, and then we journeyed to the Magic Kingdom in order to see the fireworks.  Many people do not realize this, but Magic Kingdom offers the New Year’s fireworks on December 30^th and the 31^st.  The earlier show is much less crowded, and it is the exact same fireworks.  Due to the horrible weather, Magic Kingdom was not terribly crowded.  This was wonderful for us because we strolled in and found a prime viewing spot right in the middle of Main Street! The fireworks were amazing because the show happens both behind the train station and behind Cinderella Castle.  There are also perimeter fireworks during the New Year’s countdown.  This is a serious pyrotechnics show, and the rain did not put a damper on any part of the show.  As soon as the fireworks ended, we booked it to the monorail in order to return to the TTC.  We left the Magic Kingdom at 12:05 am, and we arrived home by 12:25 am.  This was pretty impressive given that the Magic Kingdom had been enduring phase closures throughout the day.

On New Year’s Eve, we started off with breakfast at Kona Café, which was delicious.  Parking restrictions were in effect, so we could not leave our car at the Polynesian.  World Drive was a parking lot, so we couldn’t even get into Magic Kingdom parking.  We knew that we wanted to end up at Animal Kingdom later that evening, so we parked at Animal Kingdom and took a bus to Magic Kingdom.  There were actually guest relations cast members waiting to check ticket types at the bus stop because Magic Kingdom was in Phase closures again that morning.  This means that guests with certain types of tickets were not admitted into the Magic Kingdom due to capacity issues.  We have annual passes, so we didn’t have any trouble.  After a lengthy bus ride, we finally made it to the Magic Kingdom.  We used our three fastpasses, and then we left.  It was just too crowded, and that large of a crowd does not leave a lot of room for enjoyable park touring.

 After catching a bus back to Animal Kingdom, we enjoyed the Festival of the Lion King and It’s Tough to be a Bug.  We then visited the Animal Kingdom Lodge for our dinner reservations at Sanaa.  Dinner was delicious, and then we drove back home.  I had work the next day, and we knew that the parks would be uncomfortably crowded by the time we arrived at any of them.  All in all, we had a really successful New Year’s Eve at WDW.  However, we planned pretty much every second of these two days so that we would not have to endure the enormous crowds that were in each of the parks.  You can definitely have fun on New Year’s at Disney World, but you need a really good plan, realistic expectations, and bottomless amounts of patience!  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

At Walt Disney World, the parks are already decorated for the holiday season.  As soon as Halloween is over, it’s time for Christmas and all of the special holiday events that take place during this time of year. 

At Magic Kingdom, you can enjoy Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights in November and December.  At this party, you can enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and cookies as well as the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.  There is also a special version of Wishes fireworks that is themed for the holiday season.  The park is completely decorated for Christmas already!  Only through Disney magic could the park be Halloween one day and Christmas the next!

This year, there are some new additions to the Christmas décor at Magic Kingdom.  Namely, the garlands that used to stretch across Main Street had to be re-worked in order to accommodate the Festival of Fantasy parade.  Now, instead of garland, there are arches that extend from the buildings on Main Street.  These arches are a great compromise that still give the feel of the garland but also allow for the fantastic parade to make its way through the park.  In addition, Cinderella’s Castle is still covered in the Dreamlights; however, Queen Elsa uses here snowy powers to make them come to life every night! Olaf, Princess Anna, and Kristoff are along for the ride as well!  This show is very cute, and it will definitely thrill all of the Frozen fans who visit Walt Disney World.  Speaking of the royalty from Frozen, they are also a part of the Once Upon a Christmastime parade this year!

The Christmas magic does not only extend to the Magic Kingdom.  You can experience the holiday season by enjoying the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  This holiday treat involves millions of dancing lights throughout the Streets of America section of Hollywood Studios.  This beautiful display is hard to describe; it must be seen!  Basically, every surface of the Streets of America is covered with millions of lights that dance to various holiday tunes.  There are at least 43 hidden Mickeys throughout the area, and the guests are covered with magical snow every few minutes.  This show is one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season. 

Every Disney resort is also decked out for the season.  If you visit the Grand Floridian, you can see a huge gingerbread house that is actually used to sell gingerbread to guests.  Every resort has a beautiful Christmas tree as well as many other beautiful decorations.  The Contemporary Resort has a gingerbread display that is in the same style as the Mary Blair artwork in the Grand Canyon Concourse. 

Epcot also gets into the spirit of the season with all of the Christmas storytellers that visit the World Showcase.  You can learn about how the holiday season is celebrated in different countries around the world by visiting Epcot. 

Overall, Walt Disney World is gorgeous at any time of year, but the holiday season introduces a little extra magic that is definitely worth seeing!  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

A Rare Find

            When I lived in Louisiana, a fellow Disney nerd was kind enough to give me a wonderful book called, Walt Disney’s EPCOT Center.  This book has wonderful photos as well as a great deal of information about EPCOT Center circa 1982.  I love this book because it is one of those fantastic coffee table books that is just full of information and full color pull-out pictures.  Now, it is obvious that this book really made my day, but when I opened up the dust jacket, I found something even more fantastic.  Underneath the jacket was someone’s itinerary for touring Walt Disney World in the early 1980s.  This is just like a little time capsule that gives us insight into what people may have wanted to see at the Vacation Kingdom of the World when it was a very new travel destination. 

            From the handwriting, I feel like this was an older couple that was touring the parks.  They only had two full days to spend at WDW, which seems like so little to me these days.  However, there were only two parks back then.  We shall call our couple Fred and Gladys.  Clearly, Fred and Gladys knew what they wanted to do when they arrived at the parks.  I wonder if they got to ride in the front of the monorail?  I love the names that they came up with for the different rides that they were going to see.  They were going to see the Eastern Airlines Show, which we know as If You Had Wings and later Delta Dream Flight.  The Runaway Mountain Train is of course Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which had just opened in 1980, so this would have been a brand new ride!  They also list the GE Home Carousel, which we know today as the Carousel of Progress.  When Magic Kingdom first opened, the Carousel of Progress was sponsored by General Electric, who also sponsored Horizons.  I think my favorite reference is the World of Little People, which is of course, It’s a Small World.  Finally, they really wanted to see the Pirates of Pen, which I can assume is the Pirates of the Caribbean.  I wish Fred and Gladys would have left a few photos of their vacation in the book.  Gladys was probably very well dressed with a straw hat as well as those fancy cat eyeglasses frames.  Fred was probably wearing a pair of slacks as well as a button down shirt.  I imagine that they both probably purchased lots of souvenirs from Magic Kingdom, especially one of those pennants that featured photos of different attractions.  Clearly, they loved EPCOT enough to purchase this book!

            Now, on to day two of their adventure, which will begin with a trip through the “ball.”  This references Spaceship Earth, which is still a beloved attraction.  Oh, just seeing the World of Motion and Horizons on their itinerary makes me instantly jealous of the day they were able to spend in EPCOT.  Judging by their list of attractions, we can safely say that Fred and Gladys were visiting Florida in 1983 at the earliest.  You see, Horizons didn’t open until 1983, but this book was published to promote EPCOT in its infancy. We can at least narrow down their visit to the early 1980s.  I wish I could travel back and ride World of Motion, Horizons, and Journey into Imagination again! With all of the upheaval at Epcot lately, that would be a welcome time travel trip! 

            We know what rides Fred and Gladys rode, but I wonder where they stayed and where they ate their meals?  I like to imagine them staying in the height of luxury at the Polynesian.  They probably visited the Contemporary too, judging from their love of the monorail.  I bet they even took at ride on the ferryboat just to check it out; they would have seen some of the characters water skiing on the Seven Seas Lagoon. The possibilities are endless!  I am sure that they had a wonderful trip, and they bought this EPCOT book as a fond reminder of their time spent at the Vacation Kingdom of the World.  It was so much fun to find this little piece of Disney history in my book.  I hope you can take some time to daydream about this vacation from the past!  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Happy Hallowishes! Boo to you!

            It’s hard to believe, but Halloween decorations have already started to show up at Walt Disney World.  The Magic Kingdom is already decked out with pumpkins and all manner of Halloween decorations.  Last year, we attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and we had a great time, so this year, we are definitely going to visit again this year!

            With regard to costumes, we love to get dressed up for the party. We haven’t quite decided on costumes yet for this year, but we still have some time to come up with ideas. However, this past year, we decided to go with a Disney theme for our costumes.  After much thought, we came up with the idea to go as the husband and wife from the Carousel of Progress.  I purchased a vintage paint smock, and used a scarf to tie back my hair in order to re-create the scene where Sara is painting the rumpus room.  My husband went as John from the scene that takes place during the summer in the 1920s.  For his costume, we needed to find a blue shirt with a white color, and I made the Niagara Falls fan that John holds during this scene.  Overall, these costumes were pretty inexpensive to create, and when we walked through the Magic Kingdom, most people knew who we were, especially when we went to visit our “home” in Tomorrowland.  The cast members at the Carousel of Progress got a kick out of our costumes, and we received much praise for our efforts!

            After taking a few photos and walking around for a little while, we decided to start making our way through the candy trails and trick-or-treat locations.  When it neared time for the first parade of the evening, we made our way to Liberty Square to snag a spot. I highly recommend attending the second parade of the evening.  The first parade was very crowded, and it was difficult to get a clear view of the floats and characters. After the parade, we experienced a few attractions, and then we walked over to the hub to watch the Villains Mix and Mingle.  We missed this show last year, so we definitely wanted to see it.  All of the villains were really great dancers, and the show was funny, but it was a little short.  After the show, we decided to stay in the hub to catch Happy Hallowishes.  This show is a must-see because the fireworks are truly spectacular.  There are perimeter fireworks during this show, and the best place to feel truly enveloped in the action is the hub or Main Street.

            After enjoying the fireworks, we stopped at the last few trick or treat locations that we had missed, and then we decided to call it a night.  Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is great fun, and we left with a serious haul of candy for the evening.  The fireworks and parade were topnotch, and we love getting dressed up as well as seeing the creativity in other people’s costumes.  If you have the opportunity to attend this event, it is definitely worth the money.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

The Great Movie Ride

Hooray for Hollywood! Now that I have ridden the Great Movie Ride many times due to the nature of my employment, I feel like I can really analyze the part that this attraction plays in making a thesis statement for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  When Disney’s MGM Studios first opened in 1989, the Great Movie Ride was one of the two rides (the other being the Backlot Tour) that existed in the park.  That’s right; there were only two rides in the entire park at that time because the goal was that Orlando was going to be an extension of Hollywood.  Disney had big plans for the Florida Studios park to be a working studio where guests could actually see movies as well as television shows being made.  Sadly, this plan didn’t exactly work out, so the Studios became more of a traditional theme park.

            The Great Movie Ride, however, still serves a reminder of what Disney’s Hollywood Studios was going to be, a park that educated guests about movies and the movie making process.  This ride shows guests a little bit of movie magic while allowing the guests to become a part of the movies.  We get to see a snapshot of some classic movies as well as enter the beautiful Chinese Theater. 

The Great Movie Ride sets the scene by welcoming guests into the theater and showing them some previews for the upcoming movies that they are about to experience.  Then, to further the idea that you are on a set, you are welcomed into a Hollywood Soundstage.  The idea is that we are all a part of this movie.  Your tour guide is taking you through various scenes, but all of us get to be a part of the movie making process.  If you notice, the characters that are portrayed in the ride are referred to by their real names, not their character names.  The whole point is that you are getting to learn about how movies are made, so these characters are actors, real people who are playing roles.  This goes with the idea that everything is a set; on some parts of the attraction, you can actually see the back of some of the sets on purpose because, again, you are looking behind the curtain.  When you encounter the gangster or the bandit, they are part of the movie; we have just stumbled into one of the scenes of that movie.  This is why the tour guide informs the gangster that he or she (the tour guide) has seen this movie before.  It’s almost as if the tour guide is giving the guests a “wink, wink” everything will be okay cue; this is just pretend. This whole notion that you are part of the show continues as your tour guide makes a grand reappearance in the Anubis scene.  Guests are told that this is just a movie; “anything can happen in the movies!”  Again, this is another reassurance and a reminder that this is all pretend, just more movie magic. 

The entire ride has a very clear introduction into movies with the welcome spiel on the Soundstage to the rising action throughout Musical Street as well as the Gangster and Western scenes.  Finally, the climax occurs when the tour guide is revealed again in Anubis.  There is a sense that everything will be okay once the ride continues on through Tarzan and moves on to the Wizard of Oz.  The Wicked Witch does cause some concern, but the ride ends on positive note with a journey to Oz as well as a movie clip montage that is supposed to get viewers excited about “all that Hollywood has to offer.”  Then, the ride concludes where you began, right back on the Soundstage.  You are then free to explore the park and go and learn about other movie making techniques.  You can still learn a little about movie making, but there is some disconnect these days throughout the Studios because the entire park is not really devoted to the ways in which movies are made.  There are definitely some fantastic attractions and shows present, but The Great Movie Ride really prepares you for the DHS of 1989, not necessarily the DHS of 2014.  Regardless, this attraction is the centerpiece of Hollywood Studios and represents what the thesis statement of this park should be, which includes learning about movie making and also journeying to the Hollywood that never was, but always will be.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Taking Time to Relax on Your Vacation

When you are preparing for a trip to WDW, there is so much planning that has to take place in order to get the most out of your vacation.  Many people feel that they have to plan every moment of each day in order to have fun. After many trips to the World, I have finally learned that it is necessary to take some time out of everyday to enjoy some spontaneous fun. Take a break from all of the fast pass + planning, and just do something low key.  For example, take a boat ride on the Seven Seas Lagoon. This is an immensely relaxing way to spend time on your vacation. There are lots of other fun boat rides too.  You can tour Bay Lake by riding from the Contemporary to Fort Wilderness or to Wilderness Lodge.  Remember, you are on vacation, and you should take some time to unwind and just enjoy the time that you get to spend with your family!

         Another way to relax is to visit any of the resorts that surround the Magic Kingdom.  All of these resorts are beautiful, and you can spend hours just walking around and exploring what each resort has to offer. I have spent many enjoyable hours just sitting in the lobby of the Grand Floridian listening to the piano or to the band. In addition, the Contemporary Resort offers some beautiful views of WDW property, and who doesn't love watching the monorail drive through the building? Also, the Polynesian Resort offers gorgeous views as well as relaxing music to help you wind down after a long day at the parks. Wilderness Lodge has a grand lobby that has so much history as well as many hidden Mickeys to explore. If you want to feel like you are far away from civilization, head over to Animal Kingdom Lodge and enjoy all of the animals that can be found on the savannah. At night, they even offer night vision goggles that allow you to see the animals. The Boardwalk Inn also offers a great deal of entertainment. You can enjoy the placid water views or just walk around the shops.

       If you have already toured the resorts, take some time to refuel by the pool. Just take some time to relax and enjoy the amenities at your resort.  All Disney resorts should be explored because each one is so full of rich details and theming. Remember, you don't have to spend every minute of your vacation in the parks in order to enjoy yourself!

If you are looking for relaxing ways to enjoy the parks, you can always take in some of the live entertainment that is offered on a daily basis throughout all four parks. I always enjoy the Dapper Dans as well as the Main Street Philharmonic when I am visiting Magic Kingdom. The Citizens of Hollywood also put on amazing shows at Hollywood Studios! They interact with the guests and are just so funny! They add to the ambiance of the Studios, and I never get sick of seeing what new shows they come up with next. In Epcot and Animal Kingdom, there are lots of opportunities to enjoy live music as well as fun characters who hang out in the parks. Basically, there is so much to do at WDW, there should never be a reason for you not to be enjoying your vacation.

       So, next time you visit the world, make an effort to spend less time planning and more time enjoying spontaneous magical moments with your family! That is what vacation is all about. Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Earning My Ears

Since I have become a cast member at Walt Disney World, I have had the opportunity to view the parks from a new perspective. When I first expressed interest in working at WDW, so many people told me that I would not like working in the parks and that I would get sick of going to Disney World everyday. Now that I have been working for a while, I can say that being a cast member has not put a damper on my love for the parks, nor has it spoiled the magic for me. Since I have been a cast member, I can honestly say that I feel like I am part of creating magic and happiness for others. This has given me an even stronger appreciation for all of the hard work that makes Walt Disney World function so well.

           When someone starts as a cast member, he or she attends Traditions, which is a class that helps to explain the history and mission statement on which the Disney Company is built. This all-day course was so much fun for me because I love Disney history, and I also believe in furthering Walt Disney's legacy of quality family entertainment. We learned some important core values during Traditions. First, as a cast member, one of our primary goals is to create happiness for our guests. We are part of the magic that makes Disney Parks so special, and we are the stewards of Walt Disney's legacy. We have a responsibility to treat every guest as a very individual person (VIP), and we need to have pride in all that we do. In addition to these lessons, we also learned about the four keys basics, which are safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency. These four keys are the guiding principles by which all Disney Parks operate.  Safety is the first and most important key because we want both guests and cast members to be safe so that they can have fun. You are safer at a Disney Park than anywhere else on earth!

            After completing all of my various orientations, I finally found out that I would be working at the Great Movie Ride in Hollywood Studios. I was both excited and nervous because I knew that I would have to learn a 40 page script in a very short amount of time. Even though I definitely felt concerned, I was so excited to start my journey as a cast member! I trained for six very long days, and then I had to go through my assessment, which was very challenging. Luckily (and with lots of hard work), I passed and earned my ears!

           I never thought that I would be pursuing my dream of becoming a cast member; so many people told me that it was impossible and would just ruin my love of Disney World. However, I am proud to say that all of those folks were wrong, and I am glad that I took a risk and became a cast member. Every morning when I am walking through Hollywood Studios before the park opens, I am able to watch the park come to life. It goes from a peaceful place to a hive of activity as all of the cast members start to arrive and prepare their areas for another day of creating magic. Then, I spend all day fighting bandits and gangsters who try to steal the jewel from the great stone god, Anubis. I get to protect guests from the Wicked Witch and visit the wonderful land of Oz every 22 minutes.

          All in all, working for Disney has enhanced my love of the parks, and I can't wait to see where this journey takes me. There are so many different opportunities for cast members, and who knows where I will be working a few years from now? So, if you make it over to the Great Movie Ride, "my name is Jenn, and I'll be your guide for a magical journey into the movies!" Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Festival of Fantasy

            Last month, a new parade, the Festival of Fantasy, debuted at Magic Kingdom, and I was lucky enough to see it!  This parade is a huge improvement over the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade that recently retired.  The music, costumes, and floats in the Festival of Fantasy parade show creativity as well as a strong attention to detail.  Each float tells a different story, and the floats also have many moving parts that contribute to the overall kinetic feeling of this entertainment offering.  For example, the Tangled float looks like a huge ship, and Flynn Rider swings back and forth on the float during the entire parade.  One of the most impressive sections of the parade is the giant steampunk dragon that breaths fire.  It is an artistic masterpiece, and the fact that it breathes fire is amazing and quite exciting. The Peter Pan float is also well done; it is very tall, and the cannons that are attached to the pirate ship actually fire every few minutes.

            Not only are the floats intricate, the costumes are also bright and colorful. Every float includes the major characters related to the movie or franchise represented, but between each section, there are various dancers to represent more minor characters or just background from these movies.  Every costume looks like it was made specifically to reflect as much sunlight as possible.  I enjoyed the dancing sections between the floats much more during this parade than I have during previous parades. 

            With regard to the performers in the Festival of Fantasy, all I can say is, “Wow!” These folks looked excited and happy from the moment the parade started until the moment the parade ended.  No one ever looked tired or miserable or uncomfortable.  Everyone performed in a way that can only be described as magical.  This is important, because even though all of the floats are beautiful and interactive, the characters and performers really drive the action of this parade.  I truly enjoyed the high energy of every part of the entire spectacle.  I have only seen the parade once, but I want to see it many more times so that I can really examine all of the details.  This new entertainment option is such an excellent addition to the Magic Kingdom, and it really helps to celebrate the focus on New Fantasyland as it nears its completion.  This parade also matches the grand scope and scale of the Magic Kingdom in Florida.  If you are at Walt Disney World in the near future, make sure to see the Festival of Fantasy; you will not be disappointed.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Carousel of Progress: A Hidden Gem

            With the anniversary of the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair on the horizon, I thought that I should make a visit to one of the attractions that debuted at this event.  Everyone seems to know that It’s a Small World was a brand new attraction during the World’s Fair, but people sometimes forget about the Carousel of Progress.  This attraction truly is a hidden gem that can be found amidst the hustle and bustle of a crowded Magic Kingdom. Usually, there is a very short wait to experience this stage show, and you get to enter an air conditioned building as well as enjoy wonderful music that was written by the Sherman brothers in order to promote General Electric, which was the original sponsor of this attraction when it was in its infancy.  This music includes the original theme song called “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” as well as another song that played for several years, which is called, “Now is the Time.”  Both songs promote an optimistic outlook on life, and they are both quite catchy. 

            In addition to watching the show inside of the theater, guests are also treated to a look at Walt Disney’s creative process.  Before guests board the attraction, they can view Walt working with the Sherman brothers in order to create the music for the attraction.  I love watching this original video of Walt doing what he really enjoyed: being creative and having fun with his work. 

If you have never experienced the Carousel of Progress, the basic idea of the attraction involves the audience following members of a family as they grow and change throughout the 20^th century.  Every scene is filled with period specific props as well as references to what was going on in the world during the time period in which the scene is set.  Each scene takes place during a different holiday including Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Christmas, and the 4^th of July. The overarching theme of the attraction is that times and things may change, but the bonds that we have created with our families remain the same no matter the decade.  This attraction brims with positivity and optimism, and you can’t help but feel a little more hopeful when you re-enter Tomorrowland. 

I love the Carousel of Progress so much that we dressed as the husband and wife for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this past year!  So, if you are looking to escape all of the crowds in the Magic Kingdom, take a spin on the rotating theater that houses the Carousel of Progress, which can only be found at Walt Disney World.  It is amazing to think that this attraction started its life in New York, then went to Disneyland, and finally ended up in Walt Disney World.  People of all ages can enjoy this show, and you will definitely learn something about history as well as the value of family.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

The Ever Changing World of WDW

In life, change is inevitable, and the same is true at Walt Disney World.  Lately, there has been a great deal of change at the World, so I thought I would reflect back on some of those big changes and how they have impacted my touring.  First, paper fastpasses are no longer offered at the parks, and I really do miss them.  I enjoyed collecting them, and it was fun to run to a particular attraction at rope drop and snag a coveted fastpass.  Yes, I know that the new system is probably more efficient, and it wastes far less paper.  However, I really miss the strategy sessions during which we planned out fastpasses to get during the day. 

            Whenever we stay at a WDW hotel, we always take advantage of Extra Magic Hours.  Long ago, castmembers used to hand out bracelets that said “extra magic hours”.  Again, I used to collect those bracelets during our trip just to see how many I could end up wearing by the end of the week.  It has been years since the bracelets were issued, but I still have some in my Disney collection.  I also miss the WDW specific napkins that used to be offered in the parks.  They often referenced whichever celebration was occurring for the year, and there were even holiday napkins.  I have a few napkins from various restaurants too, like the Sci-Fi Dine In.  Disney World still has cups and popcorn containers that are decorated for the seasons though, so I am glad that this type of paper ephemera still exists.

            With regard to attractions, I really miss Snow White’s Scary Adventures.  I know that I can go to Disneyland and ride it, but I always enjoyed journeying into the scary forest and facing the Evil Queen.  Although it has been gone for a long time, I do miss 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea too.  This was one of my favorite rides as a child, and it just gave such a mysterious look to that corner of Fantasyland. I also enjoyed the music, and the sense that you were really journeying deep into the ocean in order to go exploring.  Now, New Fantasyland is beautiful, but I will always be nostalgic for 20K.  Not only are some attractions a thing of the past, but there are also parades that no longer exist.  I really miss Spectromagic, and again, this might just be because I grew up with this parade.  I loved the music and the whole look of the parade.  I recently purchased the limited edition pin that contains a piece of the parade.  The alarm sound on my iphone is actually Spectromagic!

            As far as merchandise goes, WDW has done a great job bringing back some retro designs.  However, I do miss the build your own Mouse-ear hat that was introduced at the Chapeau in the past few years.  I built two different hats, and I covered them with patches.  I also purchased these patches to sew onto other bags and hats.  Patches must not be popular because they are impossible to find on property.  In addition to these items, we used to collect small glass figurines that depicted Mickey Mouse and the current year.  Sometimes, he was sitting on a suitcase with the year on the suitcase, and sometimes he was standing with a banner labeled with the year.  We had several of the figurines from our yearly visits, but then they were no longer produced. 

            Even though I miss many things that are no longer present at WDW, I am definitely hopeful for the future.  I am sure that the Imagineers are hard at work coming up with what the next big thing will be.  New Fantasyland will soon be in full swing, and who knows what will happen next at Hollywood Studios or with Futureworld at Epcot?  The new Festival of Fantasy parade at Magic Kingdom debuts very soon as well.  Since I am a local, I have the chance to be at the center of the action, and that is so exciting!  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Blank and Bow

The Disney Parks Blog often hosts events in both Walt Disney World as well as Disneyland.  On February 13^th, just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Disney Parks blog hosted a meet-up at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in order to preview the new stop motion film Blank- A Vinylmation Love Story.  In order to be chosen to attend, I had to sign up via email.  Only a limited number of people were chosen out of all of the emails that were received.  After trying out for many of these events, I knew that I might not get picked.  However, I was excited to discover that I had been chosen for the event.  I was even allowed to bring a guest (my husband) with me!                         

On the night of the meet-up, we were told to arrive by 7:00 pm at the front gate of Hollywood Studios.  There was a clearly labeled area for us to congregate and sign in. Each attendee also had to bring a signed consent form that allowed Disney to use his or her likeness and image on the Disney Parks Blog in order to promote the event.  After signing in, we were given lanyards to wear that would identify us to the Disney castmembers who were working the event.  Hollywood Studios was already closing for the evening when this event started.  Since we were easy to spot, it was simpler for us to be directed to the Premier Theater where the event was being held. 

The Theater is located in the rear of the park near the Muppet Vision 3-D building.  For Star Wars fans, this is a familiar spot because it is also the home of the Stars of the Saga Talk Show during Star Wars Weekends.  After making our way to the Theater, we were escorted in and provided with popcorn, soft drinks, and the opportunity to take photos with the stars of the film, Blank and Bow.  After sitting for a few minutes, the evening began with Steven Miller (Merchandise writer for the Disney Parks Blog) interviewing the film’s director as well as discussing new Vinyls that will be debuting soon.  After the brief interview session, the film began. 

Basically, there are two blank Vinyls, Blank and Bow, who meet and fall in love.  However, there are many obstacles that prevent them from being together.  I don’t want to ruin the film for you, but just know that things do work out in the end.  The whole film is done in traditional stop motion, and there is absolutely no dialogue.  It is amazing that so much emotion can be conveyed without words and without faces.  Remember, these Vinyls are completely blank except for a bow tie and a hair bow.  The music throughout the film was well orchestrated, and I definitely enjoyed seeing our little heroes overcome all of the trials that they had to face in order to be together.  The main message of the film is that you can be who you are and still be beautiful and be loved.  You do not have to be perfect or have any particular paint job in order to be valuable.  If you are in Walt Disney World, you can view the film at Hollywood Studios this weekend or you can watch the film on Google Play.  If you want a little heart-warming Valentine’s Day love, then give Blank a chance.  Also, keep an eye out for some cameos by a few of the Vinylmation Park Starz in the film.

           After leaving the Premier Theater, we were given a little surprise.  Each of us received our very own Blank and Bow Vinyls.  I am so glad that we were chosen to attend this Disney Parks Blog meet-up, and I hope that we will get to attend more of them in the future.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

                          

It All Starts with a Wish!

Wishes: dream a dream!  If you have seen the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, I am sure that you are familiar with that line from the show.  Since we are able to see Wishes on a pretty regular basis, we have been trying to scout out new locations for viewing this nighttime spectacular.  Of course, one of the best locations is on Main Street, USA.  If you stand here, Cinderella Castle acts a backdrop for the show, and you can take in all of the beauty of this section of the park.  Although many people flock to Main Street to get this view of the fireworks, this is not the only good view of Wishes to be had in the Magic Kingdom.  Main Street can get very crowded, and people start to push and shove, and that is just not conducive to a magical experience.  If you want to avoid the crush of Main Street, you can venture over to Liberty Square near the dock for the Liberty Belle.  If you watch the fireworks from here, you can even sit down on the low stonewall near the stocks.  This is an excellent spot for viewing the fireworks, and not many people stand in this area.  There are some downsides in that you cannot really see the castle from this angle. You can, however, see Tinkerbell make her flight from the castle.  Plus, after the fireworks, you could hop right on Haunted Mansion if the park is still open. 

Also inside Magic Kingdom, you can journey to a brand new section of the park in New Fantasyland.  If you stand in the middle of the new castle walls right behind Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, you will be surrounded by fireworks!  The smaller charges are set off near the castle and Fantasyland, and the larger blasts come from an area outside of the park behind Storybook Circus.  If you enjoy perimeter fireworks, this is the area for you.  A word of caution if you plan on watching Wishes in New Fantasyland: make sure to bring earplugs.  The fireworks are set off very close to this location, and they are very, very loud.  We saw many small children who were so uncomfortable with the loud booming that they did not enjoy the show.

            Now if you are outside of the park, there are many fireworks viewing locations that are fantastic.  For example, watching Wishes on the beach at the Polynesian Resort near Luau Cove provides a great view, and there are even beach chairs as well as swings on which to sit.  The Grand Floridian also offers a prime viewing spot right outside of Gasparilla Grill and Games.  There are tables and chairs all around this area, so you can have a comfortable seat.  Finally, you can also ride the monorail over to the Contemporary Resort to take advantage of the close proximity to the Magic Kingdom.  You don’t need a reservation at the California Grill in order to enjoy the fireworks from the Contemporary.  All you need to do is go outside to the seating area that is on the same floor as the monorail.  There are benches outside, and if you don’t mind standing, you can ascend a few flights of stairs to get an even better view of the show. 

            If you enjoy riding Disney watercraft, there are also some great opportunities for fireworks viewing.  Of course, you can pay to take a fireworks cruise, but you can also just ride one of the launches to a monorail hotel or over to Fort Wilderness.  These launches don’t cost anything, and they provide a relaxing and beautiful vantage point for the show.  So, if you love Wishes as much as I do, take some time to view these fireworks from different locations around the World.  Sometimes watching them from outside the hustle and bustle of the Magic Kingdom can be a more relaxing experience.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

                        

Fastpass + Revisited

            Recently, paper fastpasses have become extinct in all of the Walt Disney World theme parks.  After experiencing this change, I have made a few observations worth mentioning.  First, it is important to make your reservations early because now everyone has to use the FP+ system.  The My Disney Experience App is still having difficulties keeping up with the demand.  I find that at busy times during the day, the app takes quite a while to load.  However, in the parks now, there are many kiosks that are staffed with knowledgeable castmembers who can help you make reservations if the app is giving you trouble.  Once the app loads, I find that it is fairly easy to use, especially since you will be using it over and over again during your trip.  A negative aspect of the app is that I find I spend too much time staring at my phone screen to plan our touring agenda through the parks.  Perhaps, if I used the kiosks, I would spend less time staring at the phone.  Also, in order to make sure that I always have my times handy, I have started taking a picture of the times that I have scheduled so that I do not have to open up the app.  This saves a huge amount of time, and it has been helpful when the Magicband reader was not registering our times for Journey of the Little Mermaid.  I just pulled up the picture and showed the castmember that we indeed had reserved times to ride the attraction.

            Overall, I like FP+; I think it makes touring a lot easier.  I don’t have to run back and forth across the park over and over again to get fastpasses for later in the day.  I have more control over my ride times by making reservations.  However, there are still some issues.  For example, I used some of my reservations in Animal Kingdom, but then I couldn’t make any more reservations for the rest of the day.  Essentially, I cannot park hop and effectively use FP+.  Also, we used to get seven or eight fastpasses on a good day in the Magic Kingdom, but we are limited to three a day now in only one park.  I think that this will change when the system becomes more familiar to guests, and Disney will figure out how to use the system to its fullest potential. 

            Since we go to the parks so much, I have learned which attractions really need a FP+ reservation.  We will start with the attractions that definitely need a FP+:  Peter Pan, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain (when it is warm outside), Enchanted Tales with Belle, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Toy Story Midway Mania, Soarin’, Test Track, and Kilimanjaro Safaris.  In my experience, these are the attractions that have really needed a FP+ in order to avoid very long lines.  Omnimover type rides like Haunted Mansion tend to move very quickly, so they really don’t have too long of a wait anyway.  I will never wait in the very long Peter Pan line.  It is always at least thirty minutes long, and it is just not a fun line in which to wait.  I am also not a fan of the Soarin’ line; whereas the Test Track queue is more entertaining.  I mention these types of issues because Epcot and Hollywood Studios have a tiered system from which you must pick your attractions.  You cannot have a FP+ for both Test Track and Soarin’ on the same day.  You must make the decision on which line is less of a chore for you and your family. You don’t really need a FP+ for anything else in Epcot other than these two attractions, so you will have to choose wisely.  For Magic Kingdom, the tiered system has not been enacted yet, so you could still pick all of the mountains for your FP+.  It just depends on what your family enjoys.  We have also used FP+ for meeting Mickey Mouse, but it was not necessary to have reservations; there really wasn’t much of a wait to meet the Big Cheese.

            Now, when you are making your reservations, you will see nighttime spectaculars on the lists.  Do not spend your FP+ on Wishes, Illuminations, or Fantasmic. This is not a good use of one of your reservations.  I absolutely love Wishes.  I watch it several nights a week; it is one of my favorite things at WDW, but I would not use a FP+ for it.  For this show with a FP+, you are allowed to sit in the grass near the Rose Garden that is next to the Mickey and Minnie topiaries in front of Cinderella Castle.  This sounds great, but they only let you sit there if it hasn’t rained that day, and the grass is dry.  The problem with this is that is rains pretty much every day in Orlando, so the grass is very rarely dry.  It is a safety hazard to have people on the wet grass, so I understand why the decision is made, but the alternative to the grass is actually not that great of a view.  Therefore, do not spend you FP+ on this.  Next, Fantasmic is a wonderful show, and I watch it at least once a week.  However, do not waste a FP+ on it because your FP+ does not reserve you a certain seat or section.  With a FP+, you are allowed to enter the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater in a different entrance, and if the show fills up, you will get into the Amphitheater for standing room only.  This is not a reserved seat, so if the show is full, you will not get in, even with a FP+.  In order to see Fantasmic, your best bet is to arrive early and snag a seat.  Bring some snacks and just wait until show time.  Finally, Illuminations is a beautiful show with wonderful music, and it should not be missed.  Again, I would not use a FP+ on it.  It is in the same tier as Test Track and Soarin’, so I would definitely pick one of those attractions over Illuminations.  Unlike Wishes and Fantasmic, FP+ actually does get you into a reserved area to watch the show.  This area is right behind Port of Entry store, which is on the pathway that leads to Canada in the World Showcase.  This is a very nice viewing spot, and if you have no plans of going on attractions, then you could use one of your FP+ reservations on this show.

Overall, you really need to sit down with your traveling party and decide what you want to see and when you want to see it.  I know that many people say that this type of planning takes away spontaneity from a Disney trip, but the planning is a lot of the fun.  Disney trips are always smoother and more enjoyable when they are planned at least to some extent.  Fastpass + still has issues that need to be dealt with, but I think overall, it makes park touring less of a hassle.  You don’t have to send someone to run across the park, and I can leave home already knowing my reservation for attractions.  We even had FP+ times for New Year’s Eve; this made our evening far more enjoyable than in previous years because we arrived at the Magic Kingdom late in the day, and we just walked right on to our three attractions.  I am a fan of FP+, and I actually like wearing the Magicband.  It’s a fun addition to all of my other Disney odds and ends.  So, give the FP+ system a try on your next trip, but remember to be patient and ask castmembers for help if anything is confusing.  Eventually, this system will seem old hat just like paper fastpasses have become.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!