A Disney Mom's Thoughts

Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia: Mickey and Minnie's Clothes

2013-05-21T10:02:00.003-05:00

Did you know Mickey Mouse has more than 290 different sets of outfits, ranging from a scuba suit to a tuxedo. Minnie Mouse’s wardrobe contains more than 200 outfits, including everything from a cheerleader ensemble to evening gowns.

What's your favorite Mickey or Minnie outfit?

images from wdwnews.com

Thanks to Jodi, Mike, Heidi and Jennifer for hosting this week's Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia!

WDW Must Have Monday: Backpack Items

2013-05-20T05:30:00.000-05:00

There are three different types of people who go to the parks~

1- The minimalist. No need to go to bag check, because there is no bag. Sunglasses, ticket, money. Done.

2- The moderate. Some moderates will carry a purse, fanny pack or small bag, so bag check may be necessary. Other moderates may wear cargo shorts or a vest with multiple pockets eliminating the need for bag check.

3- The "overkiller." Bag check is a must! This guest has thought of everything and is ready to take on the day. This is where I tend to fall!

So, being the "overkiller," here is my list of backpack items for a day at a Disney Park with my family. If I were traveling alone, I would not carry this much! :)

1. Small flashlight for dark rides on a keychain
2. Chap stick
3. Sun block (travel size)
4. Hand sanitizer (travel size that hangs on a zipper)
5. Autograph book
6. Fat pen for autographs
7. Safety pins
8. Penny album
9. Quarters and pennies in an M&M tube to penny squishing
10. Water bottle & powder drink mix
11. Candy and gum
12. Snacks
13. ponchos
14. camera and stuff
15. sunglasses
16. cell phone
17. glow sticks
18. trading pins/ lanyards
19. Disney World Bingo game w/ wipe off markers
20. mini fan
21. kleenex
22. guidebook & park maps
23. mini bugspray
24. anything a toddler or baby would need (diapers, sippy cup, snacks, change of clothes, etc)

Saving at Disney: Pin Trading

2013-05-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

One thing my oldest son enjoyed doing when he was younger was buying and trading Disney pins with cast members. All cast members wear a lanyard filled with various Disney pins. If you ask to trade with them, they have to do so (as long as your pin is a Disney pin and in good condition. See rules here). You may also luck up and find another park guest to trade pins with you! But, buying pins can get expensive in the parks. One way to enjoy pin trading without spending a lot of money is to buy Disney pins off Ebay prior to your vacation. That way you aren't spending so much once you get to Disney. We have found a great assortment of pins on Ebay where they cost as little as 50 cents per pin! Even if we don't like what we get, we know we can trade them for ones we like once we arrive at Walt Disney World!

Read about Official Disney Pin Trading here!

You can also read about Disney Pin Trading Etiquette here.

image from disney.go.com

Magical Blogorail Blue: Disney in the Rain

2013-05-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from Cooking with Mickey and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the final stop on our Magical Blogorail.

There are so many fun things to do at Disney when it rains. Our family typically puts on our Disney Ponchos (and yes, I prefer to have the REAL thing rather than carry our own cheap ones from home- even though I suggest that in my blog to save money!) and presses on in the parks doing what we can. We have been known to dance around, splash in puddles and ride rides. But, we usually try to find the indoor attractions to enjoy while the rain falls. It can be miserable being soaking wet when the rain stops! But, there are several other options for those of you who don't want to get soaked or wear a fashionable rain poncho.

1) Find a restaurant or shop in the park and hang out until the rain stops. All of the parks have great restaurants where you can grab a snack, small meal or drink and hang out. There are also multiple shops in all the parks to keep you and your family occupied while the rain falls. MouseGears at Epcot and the shops on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom are my favorites.

2) Head back to the resort for a nap. This is always a good option if you have small children or if it's the end of your vacation and you could use some rejuvenation! The rain showers at Walt Disney World tend to be short, so heading back to the resort to catch some zzzz's will fill that time nicely.

3) Head back to the resort to swim (unless it's lightening, then you need to stay clear of the pool). Most people stay away from the pools when it's raining, but as long as there is no lightening, the pools are usually empty during rain. What a fun way to have the pool all to yourself!

4) Go to Downtown Disney and shop, eat, watch a movie, visit DisneyQuest or go bowling. Downtown Disney at WDW has so many options for families. There are several sit down and counter service restaurants to choose from. They now offer bowling at Splitsville- a 50,000 square foot facility with bowling, billiards, shopping, food and more and a movie at AMC- a 24 screen theatre complete with food and snacks.

5) Hop on the monorail and ride continuously until the rain stops- or hop off at the Monorail Resorts, look around and visit the lounge. The Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Floridian are all three deluxe resorts where I often dream of staying on a vacation! I love visiting these resorts, looking at the food options and gift shops. Each resort is uniquely themed and offers it's own magical touches. During the rain is a great time to visit these resorts and stay dry!

What do you like to do at Disney during the rain?

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Blue this month. We will be back Friday, June 14 with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney info, photos and stories. If you are looking for more Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs, as well as all our previous loops.

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 ~ Pursuing the Magic

2nd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog

3rd Stop ~ Cooking with Mickey

Final Stop ~ A Disney Mom's Thoughts

Wordless Wednesday: The Letter K

2013-05-15T05:30:00.000-05:00

Kermit

Kodak Picture Spot

Kusafiri Bakery

Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia: CBS at Disneyland

2013-05-14T10:25:00.002-05:00

On this date in 1992, I was exactly 1 week away from my high school graduation!

But more importantly, did you know on May 14, 1992, CBS This Morning had weatherman, Mark McEwen live at Disneyland. He would talk about various Disneyland attractions, such as Fantasmic!, and then deliver the weather forecast. Disney's Dapper Dans opened the segment of the show by entering on a fire truck singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning" and playing the shaker chimes. Then Donald Duck, Roger Rabbit and Pluto came in to greet the viewers.

You can see some photos and listen to the broadcast here.

WDW Must Have Monday: Disney Trivia, Games and More for Your iPhone

2013-05-13T11:32:00.000-05:00

There are so many apps for your iPhone these days. I honestly think you could find an app for anything and each day new apps are being released! My phone is filled with various apps related to Disney. Last week I shared some of my favorites for planning a trip to WDW. Today I'll share some of my favorites along with my 4 year old son's favorites. Please comment with your favorite Disney games, tips, trivia, etc apps. I'm always looking for new ones!

My favorites:

WDW Trivia- This is a great app for Disney fans from Orlando Attractions Magazine. You can choose to play Magic Mode, Time Trial or Free Play. With Magic Mode, you are asked trivia questions about the WDW resort until you get one wrong- then the game is over. Time Trial means you have 90 seconds to answer as many as possible. When you play Free Play, you can start and stop the questions when you feel like doing so.

Mouse Trivia I have reviewed this app before and love it! You can choose timed or free play to answer over 1,300 questions about Disney movies, songs, characters, parks and more. YOu can even choose which categories you want featured in your game.

Where in WDW? This app shows you a photo of a location in the Magic Kingdom at WDW. First you choose the land, then the attraction or restaurant. The faster you answer, the more points you earn. When you get three strikes, your game is over.

WDW Daily Tips- I reviewed this app in the past too. This is a great app to help you plan your vacation. You will get daily tips sent to your phone that can help you prepare. Or you can search past tips in the following categories: General, Attractions, Restaurants, Shows, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, Downtown Disney, Water Parks, Trivia, Did you know and Tips.

Disneyland Secrets- I have not been able to use this tip "live" before, but I think it would be a great addition to traveling to Disneyland. You can see over 110 secrets of the Disneyland Park organized by lands. When you approach a new land inside the park, open your app and read about the different secrets! I'd love to see this for WDW!

Main Street Windows- Similar to the Disneyland Secrets, this app will walk you through the windows on Main Street at Walt Disney World. There are three different tours on this app- with photos, without photos and a search game. I can't wait to use this on our next WDW trip to learn more about the windows on Main Street!

My 4 year old's favorites:

Disney Jr Appisodes- This is the newest to our app collection. My son loves interacting with the different Disney Jr episodes on my phone. He will be yelling at the phone when Mickey tells him to do something to help with the "appisode!" He continuously asks me to give my phone more money so we can download new appisodes to play.

Jake's Pirate School- What 4 year old boy doesn't love Jake and the Never Land Pirates? This app has great animation and music to help you learn to be a pirate- sail a pirate boat, take band lessons, learn to fly like a fairy, and learn to use a spyglass! Earn badges to complete your pirate school.

Watch Disney Jr.- Exactly what it sounds like- watch your favorite Disney Jr cartoons. This is only used when we have wifi! You can watch Sofia the First, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Octonauts, & Little Einsteins.

Fix-It Felix Jr!- This is a fun game exactly like the video game on Wreck It Ralph. My son and I both like this one. It takes me back to my Atari 2600 days. :)

Toy Story Memory Game This is a great memory game for my little one. He loves to play the timed challenge. You can choose easy, medium or hard and timed or free play.

Disney Story This is a new app I just learned about this weekend called Disney Story. I have it downloaded, but haven't actually played with it much. It provides you with a place to tell your story through pictures and videos on your phone. This would be great to use after your WDW vacations. It will group your photos in your iPhone into categories based on when and where the photos were taken, or you can create you own story board. Once you're finished you can email or post to facebook your story.

ESPN Score Center Some might think this is a stretch, but Disney does own EPSN now! I love my ESPN app to help me keep up with the scores and news of my favorite college and professional sports teams!

Saving at Disney: Bring it from Home

2013-05-10T12:52:00.000-05:00

Let's be honest. Disney can suck money out of your pocket without you even realizing it! Especially if you have kids who beg for every snack, toy, shirt, pin and more at each turn. Here are a few ways our family has saved some money while at Walt Disney World.

Plan on bringing the following with you from home:

Medicines (prescriptions and over the counter), even if you aren't sick. You can buy OTC meds at the gift shops in the hotels, but it will cost you a fortune. If you do have your own car or rental car, do you really want to spend your time on vacation finding the closest drug store or Wal Mart just to save some money? Just pack it and bring it with you. It's much better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
Sunscreen. Again, you can buy this in the parks and at the hotels, but why spend a lot of money when chances are you already have this at home - or can buy it much cheaper at home. If you are buying, consider buying the travel size tube or stick so you can easily carry it into the parks to reapply. The florida sun is brutal!
Bugspray. This also falls into the same category as sunscreen. The mosquitos can be harsh in the swampy, humid, Florida heat. Bring it from home and consider a travel size of this too!
Water bottles. You can bring a case of water from home to carry into the parks each day or you can bring an empty water bottle and have it refilled for free at counter service restaurants. You will get hot and you will want water while at Walt Disney World. Who really wants to spend $2 on a bottle of water each time you get thirsty? If you are flying and don't want to pack a lot of bottles of water, consider using Garden Grocer and have them deliver water and snacks to your room!

Snacks. While it is fun to get snacks at Walt Disney World shaped like your favorite characters, these can add up and cost a lot of money. Consider buying Disney themed snacks ahead of time and bring them into the parks with you. If you keep your eyes peeled, there are a ton of Disney snacks at the grocery stores that can be kept in a backpack. You can also make your own snacks if you are a creative mom or dad!

image from amazon.com
Lunches. This is an easy way to save money! Bring items to have a picnic lunch in the parks. There are so many off the beaten path places to have a nice lunch. We bring 2 slices of bread in a Disney themed sandwich container for each person. We also bring Jif to go peanut butter cups and squeeze jelly packets from fast food places. Don't forget to pack a plastic knife or spoon to spread it all on the bread! You can also get Starkist tuna kits complete with mayo and relish. Throw in some chips (Pringles work well because they don't get squished in their cylinder container), fruit (fresh, dried or in cups), and little Debbies and you're set! You can also use silicone cupcake liners to put into tupperware type containers to separate snacks and keep them from getting squished in your bag.

So, there you go. Ways our family saves a little bit of money on our Disney vacations! Next week I'll share another bit on saving AT Disney!

What do you do to save money while at WDW?

Wordless Wednesday: Resorts and Relaxation

2013-05-08T06:30:00.000-05:00

Chip & Co: Epcot with a Toddler

2013-05-07T14:36:00.002-05:00

Have you ever traveled to Epcot with a toddler? If not, check out my list of things to do at Epcot with your little one over at Chip & Co!

iPhone App: Disney World Mobile Guide

2013-05-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Disney World Mobile Guide is one of the most recent downloads to my phone and I can honestly say, I can't wait to use it on our next Walt Disney World vacation- whenever that may be! :) This app has it all~ information on all four parks, all the resorts, all the dining options and more. Here is a blurb from the iTunes store:

"With WAIT TIMES, Interactive MAPS, DINING, Park Hours, MENU ITEMS, Favorites, Parade and Event Times, Attractions, Restaurants, hundreds of pages of helpful information complete with more than 600 original photos and much more, the new “Disney World Mobile Guide” iPhone app is one of the most comprehensive vacation planners and in-park guides available for Walt Disney World today."

If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World in the near future, I suggest you consider downloading this app to help you with your planning before your trip and to help while you are in the parks!

Here are a few screen shots of this app:

A few additional bits of information:

Over 600 original photos - Notice that these are large images and not just thumbnails of an attraction sign, which you will sometimes find in WDW apps.
This is the only WDW related app, save for our Notescast title, which contains over 300 pages of trip-planning and in-park information. It includes hotel descriptions and photos, parade descriptions, tour information, Disney's Magical Express info and photos, trip planning tips, WDW tips, toddler tips, important phone numbers, annual event dates, Guests with Disabilities information and on and on and on.
Guests will also find all the critical tools needed to get the most from their WDW vacation…Wait Times in 3 places, including on the maps, Park Hours, Interactive Maps, Dining Info with Menus, Parade & Event Times, etc.

This app is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later.

Cost is $3.99.

Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia: Disney's Carolwood Pacific Railroad

2013-05-07T05:30:00.000-05:00

On May 7, 1950 Walt Disney ran the official first engine on the Carolwood Pacific Railroad - his backyard train at his Carolwood Drive home in Holmby Hills, California. The 2,615 feet of track includes a 46 foot long trestle and a 90 foot long tunnel under his wife Lillian's flower bed! Walt controlled the track from a special barn that acts as a central headquarters for the railroad's operations.

image from The Seattle Times
Mark Eades/ McClatchy Newspapers

WDW Must Have Items: Airplane Carryon

2013-05-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

After having two airplane travel experiences that were less than pleasant, I have come up with a list of MUST HAVE items for the plane. On one trip we were delayed a day getting home and we didn't have the items needed to stay the night in a hotel. On another trip, the weather was too snowy for us to fly, so we ended up taking a bus from Alabama to New York. Between those experiences, this is the list of items I'll always have with me on a flight.

My personal items: ID, cash, credit cards, iPhone, glasses, sunglasses, passport (if needed), camera, laptop and snacks
1 complete change of clothes for everyone in your party including underwear and socks
1 lightweight jacket/ sweater for each person, no matter what the weather is outside
travel toothbrush and toothpaste for each person
travel deodorant for those who need it
wash cloths and a hand towel- to wash and dry your face
small travel size soap- to wash your face
small pillow and light weight blanket for each person
ear plugs for those who can wear them
travel lotion
medicines- over the counter and prescriptions
hair ties
hair brush or comb
hand sanitizer
magazines or books
any expensive items I don't want in my checked luggage.

If you have children traveling with you, your list will be longer. It could include games, toys, books, diapers, snacks, formula, wipes, bibs, pacifiers, and additional extra clothes.

What are your must have items in your carryon bag when you travel?

Magical Blogorail Yellow: Star Tours Cast Member

2013-05-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

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

Star Wars. Two words I know very little about, but am learning! I've been alive for the release of all 6 movies, but have never seen one all the way through. My 4 year old son, C-man, has recently found my husbands Star Wars figures from the 70's and has fallen in love with Star Wars Angry Birds. We are also planning his 5th birthday as a Star Wars theme- which is 9 months away! When the topic "Star Wars" came up for the yellow loop, I was willing to help, but didn't have much experience. Then I had the best brain storm of my blogging career!

I have a friend who was a Star Tours Cast Member! If I could interview her about her experience, I would have an excellent post to contribute to a theme I know pretty much nothing about! Lucky for me, Amy was very willing to help me out and did an OUTSTANDING job answering my questions and sharing her experiences.

Welcome to A Disney Mom's Thoughts, Amy!!

Amy is on the right! :)

Tell us a little about yourself.
I am an Account Coordinator at blr|further, an advertising agency in Birmingham and have been there for about four months now. I’m also uniquely a graduate of both Auburn University and the University of Alabama … although orange and blue run through my veins (War Eagle!).

I applied for the Disney College Program while I was a sophomore at Auburn and was accepted to begin in Fall 2009. The program gives you a few options of what you can do like Attractions, Food & Beverage, Merchandise, etc. but that’s really the only say so I had in the matter. My second day there I learned that I was assigned to the Star Tours ride which initially was a disappointment because I had never seen a single Star Wars movie (To this day, I still haven’t seen one from start to finish!). But after a few days into it, I slowly began to love it.

Who is your favorite Star Wars character and why?

Honestly, Darth Vader. The music that plays when he comes onto the scene is awesome and for some reason, it doesn’t bother me that he’s evil. He’s just pulls off the darkness really well, and I’m a fan.

What was your favorite part of working at Star Tours?
I can’t pick just one. I had least have three favorites:

1. Photocell – which is the position where you send people to a certain sim; one of the positions where you ask “How Many?”. For some reason that was so fun to me. If I was lucky, I’d have my friends working the sims next to me, and we could chit chat in between rounds.

2. Tower- the little bitty room with all the cameras. You sit and watch the monitors and make sure everything is okay and that no one is taking video or making out in the sim or throwing up. Tower is where all the lost and found articles would go. It’s where you reboot sims when they break down. When you’re in Tower, it’s like your controlling the whole operation. It’s awesome. Such a powerful feeling.

3. Greeter – standing outside of the ride and “greeting” guests in. It was that position where I got all the same questions every single day: Where’s the closet bathroom? What time is the 3 o’clock parade? Is this going to make me throw up? What is this ride? How long’s the wait? Where are the fastpasses? Is it really a 45 minute wait?. Yup, but again … I loved having all the answers and meeting new people and being outside (although I will say I’ve never been so hot in my entire life. Parachute pants and Florida heat don’t mix real well)

What is your favorite memory of that job?
I was working the Jedi Training Show one afternoon … in the show, the Jedi Master picks a handful of kids to come up on stage and learn how to become a Jedi. When it comes time to choose them, all the kids jump up and down and wave their arms in the air to be chosen. But I had noticed over time that the kids who simply raised their hand and didn’t act crazy were oftentimes the ones that got picked the most.

I was making conversation with a sweet family right before a show started. They had a little boy dressed in Star Wars gear and a little girl dressed like a Princess who couldn’t care less about the show. She was more into her baby doll. But I got down face to face with the little boy and told him that when it comes time to be picked, he just needs to raise his hand and don’t jump and down and he’ll get picked. Probably shouldn’t have promised him that, looking back on it. But low and behold … the Jedi Master chose him to participate and the little boy learned how to become a Jedi that day.

After the show was over, the parents approached me and hugged me, wished me luck with the rest of my college career, and told me they’d remember what I did for their little boy for the rest of their lives.

Hands Down. Favorite Memory.

Did you ever work a Star Wars Weekend? What was it like?
Never got to. I was there from August – January and Star Wars Weekend is in May. I have been to one before … it’s insane. Absolutely insane.

What tips do you have for Star Wars fans headed to Hollywood Studios or Star Wars Weekend?
Be prepared to meet thousands of your best friends who honestly might be bigger Star Wars fans that you are. There are some extremely dedicated Star Wars people out there. It’s borderline frightening.

And if you have kids who want to participate in the Jedi show, there’s always raising your hand quietly tip :)

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

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 ~ DIStherapy

2nd Stop ~ Delightfully Disney

3rd Stop ~ Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

4th Stop ~ A Disney Mom's Thoughts

Final Stop ~ Magik Mouse

Saving AT Disney: Restaurant.com

2013-05-03T05:30:00.000-05:00

Recently I've shared several tips for Saving for a Disney Vacation. Today I'm sharing a tip for saving money while AT Disney! One thing our family has done several times is purchased gift certificates from restaurant.com prior to our vacation. If you are diligent enough, you can find $25 gift certificates for $10 a piece for restaurants on Disney property! All you have to do is enter zip code 32830 and search for restaurants on property. Consider purchasing 2 $25 gift certificates for only $20! What a saving!

You do need to be familiar with restaurants on property if you want to stay on property for all your meals. We have used gift certificates for House of Blues at Downtown Disney twice. We almost purchased certificates for the character meal at Garden Grove at the Swan and Dolphin. If you have your own car or a rental car and can travel off Disney property, you can find some other fun, close restaurants with discount gift certificates.

Here are some other Disney saving ideas:

Blog Giveaways and Contests

A Percentage of your Paycheck

DVC Presentation

Tax Refunds

360 Checking Account

Epcot Center Guide Book 1986

2013-05-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Looking at this map two things I notice right away:

Norway is missing.

Wonders of Life Pavilion is missing... and is now "missing" again!

Communicore... I didn't visit in 1986 and I barely visit Innoventions now. It's just a good place to cool off (IMO).

Horizons and World of Motion. Two attractions I would LOVE to visit again. While I do love Test Track, I would like to see World of Motion again. I would much prefer Horizons to Mission:Space. What I would give to see the "real" Journey into Imagination again... sigh.

The Land- still my favorite pavilion! The Living Seas- now needs some work. I do miss Sea Base Alpha, but enjoy the recent Nemo additions for my son!

Really, not a lot has changed with the World Showcase. Obviously Norway has been added along with a few restaurants and such, but overall it's still as awesome now as it was in 1986.

Loving the "dinner show" options at WDW in 1986! I also still miss River Country and Discovery Island. If you are a photographer, don't forget to check out the photo tips for your 35mm camera and always use Kodak film! ;)

What do you miss from 1986 at Epcot Center?

Wordless Wednesday: May Calendar Shot

2013-05-01T05:30:00.000-05:00

In honor of Cinco de Mayo! :)

Pool Safety at Walt Disney World

2013-05-01T04:00:00.000-05:00

With summer right around the corner, many of you will be spending more time at the pool. If you are headed to Walt Disney World, I'm sure you'll spend some time at the resort pool or Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. Before you take a dip, check out these facts, tips and solutions to avoid children drowning. Remember to ALWAYS keep an eye on your children, even if life guards are present. If your kids can't swim on their own, make sure they wear a flotation device. Our favorite for our toddler/ preschooler is the puddle jumper. Don't forget to pack this in your luggage!

Thanks to Mike and pool fence for the infographic.

pool fence

Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia: Pocahontas Premiere

2013-04-30T06:30:00.000-05:00

Did you know on June 10, 1995, over 100,000 people attended a free outdoor premiere of Disney’s Pocahontas on the Great Lawn in New York City’s Central Park? It was shown on four 80-foot high screens and it is the largest opening ever for an animated film. A lot of the tickets were given away in advance in a lottery to those who responded to newspaper ads.

image from justfindit4u

WDW Must Have Monday: Playlist for Disney

2013-04-29T06:00:00.000-05:00

This "Must Have Monday" list is ever changing. When we went to WDW back in 2011, I made a playlist for the ride. Since then, my son has aged a little, interests have changed, new songs have been acquired and "Big E" has joined the family! So, depending on our moods, interests and ages, this list is ever changing.

So, for today, April 29, 2013, these are our favorite Disney (and non Disney songs that make us think of Disney) for our playlist. My plan is to actually listen to this playlist on our way to WDW... this fall maybe?!?!

Good Life- One Republic
Kingdom in the Sky- Da Vinci's Notebook
Disney Freak- Armand and Angelina
Be Our Guest- Beauty and the Beast
Chip 'N' Dale's Rescue Rangers Theme Song
Duck Tales Theme Song
Tale Spin Theme Song
Kerry Butler's Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust album
All songs from The Never Land Pirate's Band from Jake and the Never Land Pirates
I Wan'na Be Like You- Jungle Book
Hakuna Matata- The Lion King
SIMP Squirrels in My Pants- Phineas and Ferb
I've Got a Dream- Tangled
You've Got a Friend in Me- Toy Story
Ev'rybody Wants to be a Cat- Aristocats
Under The Sea- The Little Mermaid
Meet Me Down on Main Street- The Mellomen
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious- Mary Poppins
Mickey Mouse March- Original TV show

What songs are on your "Must Have" Disney playlist? I'd love to hear in the comments! :)

Magical Blogorail Green: Top Foods at Walt Disney World

2013-04-26T06:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Green. Enjoy the ride as we share with you our top Disney foods.

Top Disney Foods. Such a broad topic! Can I choose just ONE food? No. So, I'm breaking it down into categories: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, Appetizers and Desserts!

Breakfast
I have two favorites in this category: Beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter (see right!) and Cinnamon Rolls at Main Street Bakery. Healthy? Not so much. Delicious? YES! In fact, you can get these breakfast items at any time, so they can become a snack or dessert too.

Lunch
Besides grabbing a hamburger for lunch (which I do quite a bit at home and at WDW) I like to get a cup of corn-dog nuggets from Casey's Corner at the Magic Kingdom. I don't eat corn-dogs anywhere else. But, there's just something magical about these things and our family must have these at least once on each vacation!

Dinner
This was the easiest category for me to choose! Two restaurants immediately come to mind: Le Cellier and 'Ohana. The steak at Le Cellier was one of the best I've ever had in my life. It was melt in your mouth good! The entire meal at 'Ohana (see left) was fabulous. We loved everything about this meal- the food, the atmosphere, the ambiance, the servers and the view. We will definitely be returning on our next trip.

Snacks

Honestly, I could survive only on snacks while I'm at Walt Disney World! There are so many amazing snacks to consume. But to keep this from being way too long, I'll list my top three: Mickey Soft Pretzel (right), Main Street Pop Corn, and a Mickey Apple. While all soft pretzels are good, if they are shaped like Mickey, they are extra good. All pop corn is good too, but if it's from Main Street, it's just that much better. The Mickey caramel apples are my top snack though. I love the "healthy" apple topped with the melty caramel and chocolate- the perfect combination for a snack!

Appetizer

In this category, both items come from the World Showcase in Epcot: Pretzel Bread from Le Cellier in Canada (left) and Egg Rolls from Lotus Blossom in China. The pretzel bread is to die for! Along with being a chocoholic, I'm a carb lover too and this bread hits the spot! I would love to be able to replicate this bread at home. These Egg Rolls really aren't anything special, but they are on my list of favorites and a must have while walking around the lagoon.

Dessert
Many of the restaurants have amazing desserts on the menu, but I usually eat too much at dinner and don't have room for dessert! But, my two favorite desserts can be found in numerous locations around Walt Disney World and Disneyland: Chocolate cupcakes (cotton top tamarin cupcake from Animal Kingdom to the right) and Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich. I'm a sucker for anything chocolate, but a chocolate cupcake with white icing and Mickey sprinkles tops my cupcake list. The Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich is a must have when we visit an ice cream cart.

So there it is. My list of favorite foods at Walt Disney World.

What foods top your list? I'd love to hear in the comments!

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Walt Disney World: Not Just for Kids.

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 ~ A Disney Mom’s Thoughts

2nd Stop ~ Walt Disney World: Not Just for Kids

3rd Stop ~ Mouse on the Mind

4th Stop ~ Your Highway in the Sky

Final Stop ~ Disney Living

Saving For Disney: 360 Checking Account

2013-04-26T04:00:00.000-05:00

Since you've been following all the ideas for "Saving for Disney" you need somewhere to stash all this money you're saving! Consider opening a 360 Checking Account through Capital One (formerly ING Direct). When you open your account you'll get a $50 bonus deposited into your account! Here are the details from their web site:

Open 360 Checking and make a total of 3 Card purchases or Person2Person Payments (or any combo of the 2) within 45 days of account opening.
Your $50 bonus will automatically be deposited into your account on day 50.

No fees & no minimums
Access to 38,000 free Allpoint® ATMs
Deposit checks from anywhere with our mobile app or from a computer

Another option is to open a 360 Savings Account and earn a variable 0.75% Annual Percentage Yield- earn money on the cash you are saving for Disney!

Here are some other Disney saving ideas:

Blog Giveaways and Contests

A Percentage of your Paycheck

DVC Presentation

Tax Refunds

Wordless Wednesday: Disney Parks Wild Side

2013-04-24T05:30:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the hop Deb! :)

Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia: Disney Animated Feature Awards

2013-04-23T06:30:00.000-05:00

images from usatoday.com and wikipedia

Toy Story 2 is one of three Disney movies to win a Golden Globe for Best Picture. The other two are Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King.

Toy Story 3 (2010) won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature along with
Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007), WALL-E (2008), Up (2009), and Brave (2012).

Thanks for the Trivia Hop Jodi, Mike, Heidi and Jenn!

WDW Must Have Monday: Disney Vacation iPhone Apps

2013-04-22T11:58:00.000-05:00

There are SO many apps out there for the iphone to help you with your vacation. Below are just a few of the apps I find helpful in planning. Several are similar so you may want to look at them all before deciding which is best for you. There are other iPhone apps dealing with Disney trivia and games that I'll cover on another Monday!

What planning apps are your favorite?

Countdown to Disney- This is an app that I love using to help count down the days to our Disney vacation!
WDW Transportation Wizard- Your iPhone will suggest several routes involving cars, boats, buses, or monorails to get you from one point to another on WDW property with this app. It will even tell you how long it’s likely to take so you won’t be late for dinner!
Buses, Boats & Monorails- I have reviewed this app before and on our last trip, we used it quite a bit! You can choose your location on property and the location you want to get to and it will suggest routes for you to take. Very similar to the Transportation Wizard.
Mouse Memo- This app holds all your important travel information- entertainment and dining reservations, flight info, restaurant information and more!
Disney Parks- This app is BY Disney! You can find park hours, today's events in each park, map, ride descriptions, wait times, weather and more. Once you arrive at each park your app will unlock more information!
My Disney Experience- This is another official app by Disney. You can find park maps, wait times, Fastpass return times, menus, hours and schedules. You can also book dining reservations and share your itinerary with friends and family!
WDW Lines (Touring Plans)- This is a great app that gives you park hours, wait times for shows and attractions, menus for restaurants and tips for when to use fastpass or not.
WDW Wait Times- Exactly what it says- up to date wait times for attractions at WDW!
WDW Wait Times, Dining and Maps from Undiscovered Tourist- With detailed maps and GPS Locator, this app lets you enjoy accurate wait times, integrated in real-time, with park maps for Walt Disney World. Also includes ride information, Disney dining, schedules and plans, ticket info, and a traffic light system to show which park to visit on which day.