Disney Manners

2013 Trip Reports

2013-07-15T15:15:00.001-07:00

Disneyland Paris Resort Day Trip May 2013

Hong Kong Disneyland Epic Trip Report June 2013 Part 1

2013-07-15T15:12:00.001-07:00

I have had an EPIC year. Just a few weeks after I took a day trip to Disneyland Paris, I had the opportunity to visit Hong Kong Disneyland! I had a business trip to Shanghai and since their Disneyland isn't open yet, I decided to extend my trip so I could visit Hong Kong. I planned a 2 night stay at Disney's Hollywood Hotel in a theme park view room with a 2 day park pass. The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort only has 1 theme park and 2 hotels and it opened in 2005. I really wasn't expecting too much since it is a much smaller and newer property than Walt Disney World but I was pleasantly surprised!

First of all, I was very worried about this trip because I do not speak Cantonese which is the native language in Hong Kong. When I went to Shanghai, the native language there was Mandarin and they are completely different. Whenever I travel to a foreign country, I always learn a few key phrases in their native language, here are some of the phrases I used in Hong Kong:

Hello = nihou (nee how)

How are you? = nihou ma (nee how mah)

I'm fine, thanks, and you? = ngoh gei hou, neih ne (en goh gay how, nay nay)

Excuse me = chengmahn (sheng man - to get attention, other words are used in different context)

Sorry = deuirnhjyuh (dung jii)

Thank You = m'goi (mmm goy)

All that studying didn't really pay off since all of the Castmembers spoke English :) Some did not speak it well but they spoke enough to where we could understand each other. The only difficulty I had was with Counter Service staff and Maids.

This was the longest plane trip I have ever and probably will ever take in my life. I flew from Orlando (MCO) to San Francisco (SFO) which was about a 6 hour journey. Then I had a 4 hour layover and as always, I found myself a nice cubicle with power outlets so I could plug in and do some work (I'm a bit of a workaholic!). From there I took a 14.5 hour flight to Hong Kong airport (HKG). My flight was fairly uneventful and it was definitely the most culturally diverse flight I have ever been on LOL. Most of the passengers did not speak English but the flight crew did so I was ok. One of the in flight movies was Oz The Great and Powerful but it was dubbed in Japanese with Mandarin subtitles!

I left Orlando at 6AM on a Wednesday and landed in Hong Kong a little after 6PM local time on Thursday - a total travel time of 27 hours from the time I left my house plus a 12 hour time difference! When I walked off the plane, I was surprised at how hot it was! Florida has nothing on Hong Kong, it is way more hot and humid in Hong Kong. Not only outside but inside as well, they do not utilize air conditioning like other airports I have been to. There were fans blowing everywhere but that just isn't enough. I was pretty miserable standing waiting for my bags. Once I got my bags, I made my way to the Viator booth to check in for my pre booked airport transfer. I have traveled the world enough now that I find taxis to be too much of a hassle so I always pre book my airport transfers. In Hong Kong, there is a lot of petty theft and I did not want to be standing outside in a taxi line as bait. I already had my credit card stolen once this year! Taxi drivers and thieves generally target Americans especially because they think we have a lot of money and we don't take the time to learn the native customs. I can't tell you how many times I've been ripped off on taxis in Europe and the UK. I would much rather have someone waiting for me at the airport to take me to my hotel, especially in Hong Kong after that epic long journey!

I was very happy with Viator for my airport transfer. It was pretty pricey but then again I was picked up in a nice Mercedes and the driver spoke English and gave me a cold bottle of water to enjoy on my 15 minute trip from the airport to the hotel. I did not know that Hong Kong is heavily influenced by the British so they drive on the left side of the road. I wish I had a better camera with me, I took all my photos on my iPhone for this trip. I have since purchased the Canon SX280 point and shoot for an upcoming trip to Rome :) If I had the chance, I would have taken pictures of the road signs as we drove into the Hong Kong Disneyland resort. The signs are similar to Walt Disney World, the colors are vibrant and you can tell immediately once you've crossed over into a Disney owned property :)

As we pulled up to the hotel I let out a SQUEE! I purposefully did not look at many pictures of the hotel and driving up at night it looked SPECTACULAR!!

The bell staff greeted me and took my bags out of the car and gave me a receipt. They told me once I got to my room all I had to do was call bell services and give them my receipt number. And with that, I walked into Disney's Hollywood Hotel for the first time!

There was no line at Check-In and I walked right up! The girl who helped me was incredibly nice and I had a lot of questions that she answered with ease. She also told me that I could view the fireworks from my room and they would be starting in about 20 minutes. They even had a channel on the TV that played the music! I literally went straight to my room and got my iPhone camera all set up to record the show, enjoy! Sorry about the shaky camera work, I was busy wiping away the tears that were streaming down my face from start to finish - I was watching fireworks in Hong Kong Disneyland!! And I have to level with you, I'm tearing up bigtime now as I write about it :)

After the fireworks, I took a minute to compose myself and then I got to work! I had a hotel to investigate! First, I took a video walkthrough of my room, I actually do this on all my trips - I love nice hotels!

I was running on pure adrenaline at this point and I wanted to capture every single moment! Here's a shot of the folder, stationary, and other hotel goodies they gave me when I checked in!

I find it interesting that Hong Kong Disneyland has not implemented a key to the world yet - they give you 3 different things for your hotel ID, park ticket and room key!

I was pretty hungry at that point so I started making my way downstairs to Hollywood and Dine, their quick service restaurant. I had to stop on the way and take a few photos in the hallways, I loved seeing signs in English and Cantonese!

There were Disney and Pixar posters everywhere in this hotel which fit the Hollywood theme very well!

I loved the elevators here, they reminded me of the ones on the Disney Dream!

I wish I could buy these giant Mickey light sculptures they had all around the lobby!

Hollywood Mickey greets everyone as they walk into the corridor with the restaurants, he's so classy!

Next stop, Hollywood and Dine!

Having just walked through Les Mysteres Du Nautilus 3 weeks earlier in Disneyland Paris, I was geeking out at the 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Poster in the hallway!

I had to take a photo of my #1 favorite Disney Princess! I ran for Team Aurora in the Princess Half Marathon 2013 and I signed up for her team again in 2014!

Time for dinner!

I was pretty disappointed with the limited choices on the menu but it was after 9PM at this point and they don't have all of their meal options available at all hours. I opted for the Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Udon and it was very good!

There was no soda fountain, only a selection of packaged juice, beer, champagne, milk, and soda.

There were many healthy options in the self serve snack area and they all looked pretty good!

I love this photo of Chinese Frosted Flakes, Corn Flakes, and Cocoa Pops :)

There was a very nice and elegant display of all the food they weren't serving at that late hour, thanks a lot!!

They had a strange ordering system here, you had to get your drink and go up to the cashier to order your food and pay first. I waited for about 5 minutes for my food to be cooked but it did seem to be cooked to order. I made my way to the condiment and napkin station and what I saw next almost made me drop my tray - PRINTED NAPKINS!!! Walt Disney World discontinued the use of printed napkins back in June 2012 and I have been pining ever since. I used to collect the napkins on every trip and my family and I would bring them out only for special occasions. I still have napkins dating all the way back to our very first trip to WDW in 1988. And so, my collection of Hong Kong Disneyland printed napkins began :)

Japanese Teriyaki Chicken Udon with a steaming hot cup of English Breakfast tea, YUMMO!

The collection begins hehe :)

After I ate, I sat and worked in the restaurant for awhile since they had free Wifi and a view. I was very surprised at how small Hollywood and Dine was. The restaurant itself was fine but I had better food in the park. There was not that much seating here either. I am used to the enormity of Walt Disney World Resorts and most of them have huge quick service restaurants.

I decided to walk around the hotel a bit before I went to bed. I was pretty tired but Hong Kong Disneyland did not open until 10AM the next day so I knew I could sleep in. I love the Mickeys everywhere in this hotel!

There is a Chef Mickey's but it is much smaller than the one at the Contemporary in WDW.

I walked outside to see where the bus stop was, I wanted to be prepared for the morning! I was happy to see Mystic Point featured on a bus, I was SUPER excited to be able to ride Mystic Manor which opened just a few weeks earlier.

I know I posted this photo earlier but it's just so spectacular! I love the look of Disney's Hollywood Hotel at night, it's very retro Hollywood.

I loved these Mickey lights, they were all around the outside of the hotel!

Mickey's everywhere, even surrounding the elevator buttons!

As I tucked in for the night, I had to take a photo of a fantastic hotel goodie - free slippers! There were 3 sets in my room and yes I brought all of them home :) And no I will never wear them!

One thing I did before I went to bed was call the front desk for an ethernet cable. There was no Wifi in the room and I had misunderstood the girl when I checked in when she told me there was internet in the room, I immediately assumed it was Wifi. They have an ethernet port in the room and it is not free. Oh well, I had to pay for it because I had to work while I was there. When I called the front desk they did not know what an ethernet cord was so it took awhile to get them to understand that I needed the cord to connect my laptop to the internet. But after we got it straightened out, the maid was there with the cord in less than 5 minutes, fantastic service!! They really impressed me from start to finish and I am not easily impressed.

So that wraps up the first 2.5 hours I spent at Disney's Hollywood Hotel! Yep, this is going to be a long trip report, I took TONS of photos and I want to remember every single magical moment!

Disneyland Paris Resort Day Trip May 2013

2013-07-13T17:46:00.001-07:00

A part of my job requires me to travel internationally quite a bit. It's a great perk because it enables me to visit places like Disneyland Paris! I had a business trip to London in May 2013 so I decided to take a day trip to the Disneyland Paris Resort. I had originally intended to make a weekend of it but I had an upcoming trip to Hong Kong Disneyland (stay tuned for that trip report!) so I had to do this one on a very tight budget.

I decided to fly from London to Paris instead of taking the train because I had airline miles to use. I really was not feeling well that day but I sucked it up and got on a plane to Paris! I arrived at Charles De Gaulle (CDG) airport and walked what felt like forever to the other end of the airport where the train station was. I found the TGV office and booked my ticket. This was another cost cutting measure but I found it to be quite time consuming. It was a Sunday so the trains did not start running until hours after I arrived at the station so I was stuck waiting. I should have just taken a taxi. It would have been expensive but worth it because I only had 1 day to visit.

I arrived at Marne La Vallee train station and walked out into Disneyland Paris! I teared up bigtime just walking around the property entrance area, I was in Disneyland Paris!! The twelve year old girl inside of me did squee indeed :)

The security check worked much the same as it does in Walt Disney World. Except later on I left the property to buy a train ticket back and when I entered the property again after 5PM, I had to put my bag through an airport type x-ray machine. I did not mind, I have nothing to hide!

Walking to the entrance area of Disneyland Paris was amazing! Too bad it was a cloudy day but I managed a few nice shots :)

Going to get my ticket! I mean billet!

The Castmember I spoke to at the ticket counter was by far the friendliest of the day. She was very interested to hear that I lived in Orlando and wondered what was I doing here? I bought a 1 day pass to Disneyland Paris only and I hope to be back again this year to see the other park they have, Walt Disney Studios.

Walking into Disneyland Paris for the first time - I felt like I was on top of the world! I had never visited any Disney park other than Walt Disney World, not even Disneyland in California!

I love this sign :) Thank you, Walt!

As I walked in and rounded the corner to line up my first castle shot, I basically began bawling. I could not believe how lucky I was to be in Disneyland Paris! I worked really hard to get here and I knew I was going to have a magical day! The castle is breathtaking but my favorite will always be Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World.

20th Anniversary window!

I was glad to see The Emporium - my favorite store in the Magic Kingdom!

I loved this little shop on Main Street named after Walt's wife, Lillian!

A beautiful view down Main Street!

A piece of Florida in Paris!

I love the look of Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant but nothing compares to Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World. This castle is pretty spectacular though!

I really love the waterfall here next to the walkway, wait what's under the castle?

Sweet, a dragon lives under the castle? I have got to see this!

I shot some video of La Taniere du Dragon, it was definitely one of my favorite things about Disneyland Paris!

I had 4 things on the agenda for the day - Dragon (check!), Phantom Manor, Star Tours, and shopping!! Next up, Phantom Manor!

I did not get a lot of good photos in here because it's so dark. This ride is very different from The Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World, it is much more creepy and the story centers around the Bride who hums an operatic tune throughout the entire ride. I absolutely loved the music and story, this is definitely a must do for anyone visiting Disneyland Paris!

Next, I went to see what the line at Pirates was like. Too bad the wait was 90 minutes so I didn't get to ride but I was amazed by the detail in the area. It much more elaborate than Walt Disney World!

I walked over to Fantasyland because I wanted to check out the Alice in Wonderland maze. That had a long line too long as well so that's on my list for next time. I really liked the theming though and I love the Cheshire Cat topiary!

I had no intention of riding Its a Small World but I wanted to take some photos, I heard it was much more similar to Disneyland. It was really beautiful and I would love to see it at night!

I had to take another shot of the castle as I exited Fantasyland on my way to Discoveryland! So pretty!

I really liked the theming of Discoveryland. It had a very Jules Verne feel to it and it was very different than Tomorrowland in Walt Disney World.

I will ride Space Mountain 2.0 one day but I did not have the chance on this trip. I love the different look of the ride in Paris vs. Florida!

I am a big fan of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea so I had to check out Les Mysteres due Nautilus. It is a walking tour of the Nautilus so of course there was no line and it was almost empty!

The giant squid attack is one of my favorite scenes from the movie!

There was a really cool effect here showing the giant squid attack. My video doesn't really do it justice but it will give you an idea :)

I think this was the coolest part of the tour - the organ of Captain Nemo!

My last ride of the day was Star Tours, I was really excited to see the original version again! I love Star Tours 2.0 but I do miss Rex and the trench run scene. That ride was what got me into Star Wars in the first place!

I really got a kick out of hearing C3PO speak en Francais, I had to take a video!

I also had to take a video of the droid scene from the queue en Francais, enjoy!

I was hoping to get a quick bite to eat at Toad Hall but it was being refurbished :( I was pretty bummed about that because it was the only quick service restaurant I was interested in. Oh well, put that on my list for next time too!

I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to visit Disneyland Paris and I cannot wait to go back for a proper trip. This was my first trip to another Disney park besides Walt Disney World and it did not disappoint. Next time I will go for at least two days so I can see Walt Disney Studios. I had a great time in the 6 short hours I was there! It's a definite must do for any Disney fan.

Check out my YouTube Channel for more videos from my travels!

I hope you enjoyed my Trip Report! Join the conversation by adding a comment!

RunDisney Princess Half Marathon 2013 Recap

2013-06-16T06:01:00.001-07:00

After picking up my bib and special Princess Half Dooney & Bourke handbag, I was feeling incredibly motivated to finish my first half marathon. I drove to EPCOT from my house and I arrived around 2AM. It was a good plan, I beat all the traffic and I parked right up front.

My friends from Team Studios Central started to arrive at 4AM and we met up for some pre-game cheer!

Courtney and me :)

Amanda, me, and Yulady!

My friend Laurie from the WDW Radio Running Team!

Then it was time to get into our corrals, on my way to Corral D I ran into another member of Team Studios Central, Sarah!

I started the race knowing that I had a maximum allowed time of 4 hours based on my corral placement so I did not stop at all to use the bathroom or take any photos. I was on a mission to finish this one! I hope to increase my pace in the future because I did miss out on some great photo opportunities. The on course entertainment was fantastic and running through Magic Kingdom and EPCOT were experiences I will never forget.

The course map, I am SO proud of myself for even attempting this!!

I had no problem and was feeling good for the first few miles. My pace was right on target and I was enjoying listening to the playlist I had created on my iPhone. However, there was a bit of bad manners on the course that I must address. There is a bad bottleneck near the Contemporary in the underpass so most people just walk briskly through it. I was following the lead of the crowd and some guy behind me decided to angrily shout "On your right!" meaning I was to move aside and let him run on the right. First of all, runners are always to the left and walkers are to the right. Secondly, there was absolutely no where for me to move. I was shoulder to shoulder in the crowd. The guy dressed as Aladdin walking next to me gave me a smile and said "I don't know where he wants you to move!" I had to laugh it off. There was another instance where a girl did not say excuse me and she tried to squeeze between me and another girl who were too close together. She ended up literally using her arm to move me aside. I was so mad! This course was very crowded and I think people should have been more aware that they were not going to PR (personal record) this one. Disney races are not meant to be competitive. There is a lot of entertainment to take in and a lot of people stick to the 16 min/mi pace. I did not let the rude people phase me, I enjoyed my race!

As we entered the Magic Kingdom the crowd was all down the left of main street cheering for us. I did a light jog down Main Street but I walked the rest of the way because you are only in the Magic Kingdom for 1 mile and I wanted to take it all in. The tears flowed when I jogged down Main Street towards Cinderella Castle. I was overcome with the happy memories I had there and the accomplishments I am making in my life now because those memories keep me going every single day. I remembered all the family trips I had taken as a child walking down Main Street with my family, the night Jason proposed to me, and our Bridal Portrait session a year later.

We took a right at the hub in front of Cinderella Castle and went through Tomorrowland and Fantasyland where we actually got to run through the castle. As we neared the castle, there were trumpeters heralding our accomplishment. I cried then and I'm crying now remembering it! One girl was so overcome with emotion that she tripped and fell and I helped her up. I just looked at her and said "You can do this!" and through her tears she said "I know, thank you."

We ran to Liberty Square and then I think we exited the park via Frontierland. I felt awesome but at the same time I was thinking "Oh my gosh now I have to run all the way back to EPCOT??" I drive on property all the time so I knew the roads we would be taking. I was pleased to see that my playlist was very well timed because at the halfway point I heard "OOOOOOOOOOOH you're halfway there! Oh oh! Living on a Prayer!" one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs!

Around Mile 8 I was feeling like I could do this! At Mile 10 I felt like I wanted to stop. But, I was thinking of my Dooney and that was a major motivation to keep going!

At one point I saw the pace keeper guy with the balloon who is an indication you may get the sweeper bus if you don't speed up. I talked to him and he said he was running a 15:30 pace. I felt discouraged because I was hoping not to see any indication that I might be forced to stop because I was too slow. That is what happened to me at the Tower of Terror 10 Miler and I didn't want a repeat of that experience. I sped up as fast as I could but Mr. pace keeper left me in his dust. There was a sea of people behind me so I hoped I would make it but again, the same thing happened to me at the Tower of Terror event and I did get the sweeper bus there.

I spoke to a coach on the course every mile after that to make sure I was ahead of the sweeper bus. The coach at Mile 12 told me I was well ahead of the sweeper bus and I was going to make it! Then she high fived me :) Shortly after that, my friend Laurie found me on the course and stayed with me the rest of the way. As we entered EPCOT, the crowd was cheering and I saw my friends from WDW Radio and Team Studios Central cheering us on. Laurie and I cried together and talked about how much we love this place and how proud we are of our accomplishment.

When we rounded the corner to the finish line, there were hundreds of people lining the street cheering for us. I heard someone call my name and I saw my friends Amy, Jeff, and Erica with my husband Jason all cheering for me. It gave me the push I needed to start running and finish strong. Laurie and I crossed the finish line together and then we hugged and cried. I seriously thought I was going to throw up so I needed to sit down. After I rested a few minutes and had a post race snack, I called my friends to set a meeting spot. When I walked up to them I started crying again, I just felt so lucky to have a great group of people all there to cheer me on.

Photo by Amy Petermann

My husband, Jason, greeted me at the finish line with a tiara and a kiss :)

Photo by Amy Petermann

My friends Amy, Jeff, and Erica also greeted me at the finish line. I felt so incredibly lucky to have an entire group of people I love cheering for me!

Now that I have finished my first half marathon, what's next? I have a year of running events all planned out my friends, stay tuned! I completed the Expedition Everest Challenge and I am signed up for the Tower of Terror 10 miler and 5k, Wine and Dine Half Marathon, WDW Half Marathon 2014, and the Princess Half Marathon in 2014 :)

Monsters University Press Event at EPCOT

2013-04-26T09:07:00.001-07:00

As a Florida local, I often have the opportunity to experience amazing things thanks to all of my Disney friends who always know what is going on in the parks. My friends Amy, Craig, and I were lucky enough to grab a spot in front of Spaceship Earth to see it transformed into a giant Mike Wazowski from the upcoming movie Monsters University!

Are you looking forward to the new Monsters University movie and summer events at the Disney Parks? Join the conversation by adding a comment!

Good Idea, Bad Idea - Diaper Disposal

2013-03-13T05:06:00.001-07:00

Good Idea, Bad Idea is a series of quick tips focused on manners and etiquette in the Disney Parks.

GOOD IDEA

Disposing your used diapers in the proper waste container.

BAD IDEA

Shoving your used diaper between the toilet paper roll holders in a stall.

Not only is this a disgusting and unwelcome sight for the next bathroom patron, it is also contributing to airborne germs. I'll bet it took just as much time to shove this diaper down in between the toilet paper roll holders as it would have to walk 5 feet to the trashcan outside of the stall. Please dispose of your diapers properly in an effort to keep The World clean and healthy.

Kudos to anyone who can guess where this bathroom is based on the photo!

Preparing for the Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2013

2013-03-12T08:54:00.001-07:00

After the disappointment of the Tower of Terror 10 miler in September 2012, I was determined to finish a runDisney half marathon. Originally I signed up for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January 2013 but I was unable to run it due to conflicting business travel and I deferred to the 2013 Princess Half Marathon. Using the Jeff Galloway Half Marathon Training Plan, I entered events into my Google Calendar to remind me to train. Even the most well laid plans do not always work, life got in the way and I missed a lot of training runs.

Feeling defeated already the week before the Princess Half, I had not run in 3 weeks. The week before the Princess Half, I got myself back to training. For my long run that week, I went to Disney's Boardwalk Resort and ran the path around the Boardwalk, International Gateway, Yacht and Beach Club, Disney's Swan and Dolphin Hotels, and Disney Hollywood Studios...TWICE. That's just about 5 miles, a very far cry from the 14 mile run I was supposed to do. I tried to focus on the positive - I did run 5 miles at a 17 min/mi pace after taking off for 3 weeks.

By the end of the week I was running a comfortable 16 min/mi pace which was my goal for this race. I did 30 sec run/60 sec walk to achieve this. It also helped that I was bound and determined to cross the finish line because I had preordered the very special Dooney & Bourke 2013 Princess Half Marathon handbag. I did not want to carry that bag around if it reminded me of a race that I was unable to finish.

The first morning of the Fit for a Princess Expo, I got up extra early to be one of the first people in line. I followed the directions provided by runDisney and I took a shuttle from Downtown Disney West Side to Coronado Springs. It turned out to be a major hassle! First, the bus driver was incredibly cranky and kept cursing under his breath. It was a very un-Disney experience and many people on my bus were upset. Once we got off the bus, we had to walk to the back of the incredibly long line. It was apparent to me at that point that this event was not well organized. There was absolutely no one there to usher us into line or to make sure there was no line cutting, it was pandemonium!

The line did move quickly, I think I only stood in it for about 20 minutes. I had 2 things on my agenda for the day - pick up my bib and Dooney :)

I finally got to the entrance and was about to experience my very first Fit for a Princess Expo!

When I got inside, it looked like the place was nearly empty! Where had all those people gone?? More on that later...first I checked in to get my bib! I walked right up, there was no one in line!

Princess Shelley running for Team Princess Aurora!

Then I made my way to the packet pickup area which was behind all the merch booths - and I knew immediately what had happened to all of those people in line. They were all in line either at the New Balance booth to get the newly released Mickey inspired running shoes, or at the runDisney Official Merchandise corner where the line was coming out the door! I had no problem picking up my race packet and I was very happy with the swag for this year!

Next I had to pick up my preordered Dooney bag. I was dreading this and for good reason. The line was out the door and was not moving quickly. By the time I got into the teeny tiny merch area, it was an absolute nightmare! People were pushing and shoving, saying rude things, and it was very difficult to navigate through the shoulder to shoulder crowd. Luckily I'm very short so I was able to squeeze through relatively quickly, although at the disdain of many who gave me dirty looks. In those situations, all I can do is say "Excuse me" and try to get through as politely as I can.

Finally I got up to the Dooney booth and there was a short line. A line that many people cut and I said in a polite but assertive manner "Excuse me, the line starts back here." Again, the staff did nothing to help the situation. It didn't seem like there was enough staff in general. I was also surprised to see that there was not a separate line or area for preorders. People in front of me were shopping for the bags, picking them up, scrutinizing them, and taking a very long time to make a decision. After waiting for over 30 minutes, it was my turn! I handed over my receipt and got my beautiful Dooney!!

And then I had to find a way to leave. I noticed a side entrance to the merch area so I made my way over there. I was really glad I got there early because the merch area was just getting more and more crowded. When I left, the line to enter the merch area was out the door to the convention center. As I exited, the staff apologized to me for the disorganized event. I didn't say anything to them, they apologized without my asking. I am happy that they acknowledged the mishap (good manners!) but I do hope that next year they are able to hold the expo at Wide World of Sports which is where it belongs.

Next time I do hope to spend more time at the Expo. I have never watched any of the presentations and I know a lot of people who met Jeff Galloway at this event. I would like to meet him just to thank him for inspiring me to get off the couch and get running. Stay tuned for my recap of the runDisney Princess Half Marathon 2013!

Cabanas on the Disney Dream - Hidden Table Service Gem!

2013-01-01T04:00:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite things about the WDW Radio Cruise 2.0 on the Disney Dream was the food. Cabanas did not disappoint for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Breakfast Buffet

Our first Cabanas experience was breakfast. The food was fantastic but the atmosphere was lacking. Not at the fault of Cabanas, but it was so busy and hectic in there and people were everywhere! Unfortunately I only got 1 photo from breakfast for the entire trip. We ate there a number of times because it really is the best option for breakfast, the food is hot and delicious!

Dinner Table Service - A Hidden Gem!!!!

Our new friend, fellow cruiser Fran Cassano, told us that our assigned dining rotation is optional and there are other places to eat dinner such as Cabanas! They provide a table service dinner that does not cost extra like Remy and Palo. We decided to check it out on day 2 of our voyage. I cannot thank Fran enough for this tip, it ended up being one of our favorite experiences!

We wandered around Cabanas for a minute looking for any sign of dinner. We didn't see any and were beginning to wonder when we saw a hostess and a few waiters and maybe 3 other tables with patrons. I actually asked if they were open for dinner. It was so empty I thought maybe it was only open for Castmembers!

The staff were super friendly, even for Disney standards I would rate them as outstanding. We were immediately seated by the window overlooking the beautiful Atlantis Resort in Nassau. I couldn't get a clear picture of our view because it was so dark. The resort was off in the distance and the light was reflecting off of the water. With the moon up above, it was like a painting!

We had no idea what types of food to expect and we certainly weren't expecting anything this fancy!

For my appetizer, I had the mushroom risotto. As Chef Ramsay says, "very good, that risotto!"

Jason had the baked potato and cheddar cheese soup. Funny, I thought it was a baked potato with cheddar cheese soup, not baked potato in cheddar cheese soup!

We both ordered the same entree, we are so alike! I think we both had steak every single day of this trip! I have come to love my steak medium rare because that is generally what a chef would recommend. These steaks were cooked perfectly!

For dessert, I had the chocolate torte. I was skeptical about this because I don't generally like chocolate and fruit but this was delicious! The apricot really added a new level of flavor that I was not expecting!

Our dinner experience at Cabanas was much better than we ever expected. Our waiter was fantastic and he really took the time to get to know us and to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. The quiet, private atmosphere of Cabanas was much more suited for us than the hustle and bustle of the assigned dinner rotation. Although we enjoyed eating dinner with our fellow cruisers, we had enough events other than dinner planned so we got to see everyone from the group pretty regularly. To top it off, Cabanas table service offers the same foods as the assigned dinner rotation. It was a great experience all around!

Lunch Buffet

Fast forward a few days to lunch time while we were in port at Castaway Cay. Jason and I are not beach people, so we toured the island for a bit, hung out at the adults only beach, shopped, and headed back to the ship early. The good thing was that because everyone was hanging out on the island, the ship was a ghost town! I was able to get a video of the entire buffet, something sadly I was never able to do for breakfast. Enjoy - I added some whimsical music for you to listen to while drooling over the food. Hint: veggie veggie fruit fruit!

And if you weren't drooling enough already, I took close up photos of the items we selected!

Okay my plate may look a bit weird to you - I like to separate all foods so that they aren't touching which is pretty hard to do at a buffet. So, I end up going back a few times :)

I am not even kidding you, this was the view from our table. Absolutely spectacular!! It feels like a dream, a wonderful dream come true...

I had to go back to get a selection to taste for dessert!

I was stuffed but I packed in a few more bites for these goodies!

I had to get a photo of the awesome sand castles they had in the pillars around the restaurant. Each section had a different Disney Parks castle on it from around the world - very cool!

The best part of the buffet by far was the seafood. Being from Baltimore, we are seafood lovers. The snow crab legs were fantastic!!

I would say that Cabanas is the premiere dining spot on the Disney Dream. There are other options but Cabanas is the top choice for both breakfast and lunch. For either buffet, I would suggest getting there either right when they open or about 15 minutes before they close. Anything other than that will be a circus. Contrasting that is the ghost town of Cabanas dinner, a highly recommended dining experience. No matter what time of day, you can rest assured that the food at Cabanas will be hot, fresh, and delicious!

Read more from WDW Radio Cruise 2.0

Be Our Guest - Don't Believe Me, Ask the Dishes!

2012-12-31T16:09:00.001-08:00

As many of you already know, the all new Be Our Guest restaurant is part of the New Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom and it opened for the public on December 6, 2012. I was incredibly fortunate to be invited to dine at Be Our Guest a few weeks early by my awesome friend, Jeff.

Amy and Wendy joined us and we slowly strolled our way over to New Fantasyland to check in an hour early...or so we thought. On that night, they were only letting people check in 15 minutes early. Generally any restaurant will allow you to check in up to 1 hour early or 20 minutes late. I'm not sure what the policy is now but the restriction may have been in place because we were attending a Tables in Wonderland event.

When we walked in we were greeted by a number of Castmembers saying "Bonjour!" and welcoming us to dine at their restaurant. Never underestimate the power of a greeter, they really give the first impression of the restaurant and set the stage for your entire dining experience.

Our Hostess lingered for a moment by Le Dessert Carte...long enough for me to absolutely know I had to save room for one of those cream puffs!

When we sat down, I immediately noticed the beautiful red napkin rose on our plates!

The style of the menu was very nice in keeping with the theme of Beauty and the Beast.

After we placed our orders, we wandered into the West Wing while we waited. I love the torn photo of Prince Adam here, every so often the lights go dim and the picture changes to the Beast instead.

My Mom will love this one - they have the Rose from Beauty and the Beast in the West Wing. Another dose of Disney magic - the petals appear to fall continuously. It's really spectacular!

I can't wait until a few of these candles show up at the outlet down here!

We were seated at a table near the back of the ballroom with a spectacular view of the "snow" outside - another dose of Disney magic! One thing I need to mention is that the tables at Be Our Guest are spaced out very nicely. At some of the other restaurants in the Walt Disney World Resort, you are almost on top of the table next to you and you can hear their entire conversation. We all felt that our table was very private even though it was out in the middle of the ballroom.

I hear that the babies on the ceiling in the ballroom are the relatives of the Imagineers, cute or weird? I think it's a little of both!

The ballroom is spectacular down to every last detail. I can't believe that they recreated something I've walked through in my mind since I was 10!

Our food arrived! Before digging in, we spent about 20 minutes taking pictures haha! A table full of food and 3 happy faces :)

Photo by Wendy Pugh-Hummel

Amy and I both had the Pork which came with Au Gratin Macaroni (which is just a fancy name for Mac n' Cheese) and the seasonal vegetable of the day which was green beans and red peppers. All very good!

Jeff had the steak which was also delicious!

Wendy had the French Onion Soup which looked so delicious I wish I had gotten one too! I had the French Onion Soup at Les Chefs de France and it was SO good! I wonder how this compares?

After dinner, the waitress rolled the dessert cart up and asked us if we wanted anything? Of course we did!! I like how they take the desserts right from the cart and put them on your plate. Instant gratification is the best :) But before we dug in, we had to go another round with the cameras!

Photo by Wendy Pugh-Hummel

I had the chocolate cream puff and it was SO good!

The lemon meringue cupcake - also very good!

I have to admit the triple chocolate cupcake was a bit better than my chocolate cream puff and I wish I had gotten that instead. Luckily, I had a bunch of friends to share with!

In honor of Mickey Mouse's birthday, we requested the grey stuff. You have to request the grey stuff as part of a celebration and they give it to you for free. I love that they did this, it is such an awesome nod to Beauty and the Beast!

The waitress was happy to take a group photo for us and we even got into a bit of a conversation about cameras and the ins and outs of photography. That's what I love about Disney employees, most of them are happy to chat you up about anything!

We lingered at our table for as long as we could and then left to explore the rest of the restaurant. Yes, there's more! There are 3 rooms total - The Ballroom, The West Wing, and The Music Box Room. We had yet to explore the Music Box room!

The reason it's called The Music Box Room is because there is a giant music box in the middle of the room with Belle and Beast on top playing selections from Beauty and the Beast. I burst into tears when I walked in here, it is SO beautiful!

I love the roses everywhere, even in the furniture!

There are tapestries all around the room, this one is my favorite - it's hilarious!

Again, more roses in the details around the pillars in the room.

Before we walked out, we had to get a group photo in front of the beautiful replica of the stained glass window. It was a fabulous night filled with friends, good food, and new experiences!

Overall I had a great experience at Be Our Guest and I cannot wait to go again! The atmosphere was spot on with the theme of Beauty and the Beast and I am really so glad that they added an entire section of New Fantasyland dedicated to Belle's adventures. The food was delicious and was served to us hot, fresh, and with a smile. I was happy with all of the Castmembers we interacted with from the greeters to our waitress to the exit greeters. I highly recommend Be Our Guest for children of all ages (like 32) but good luck getting an ADR for awhile!

Read about this experience from my friends' perspectives:

http://therelocatedtourist.com/2012/11/19/a-review-of-the-brand-new-be-our-guest-restaurant/
http://mymagic100.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/64-dine-at-the-be-our-guest-restaurant/

And my friend Krista's experience - we didn't eat together but we ran into her both before and after her dining experience!

http://disneyways.com/2012/11/26/be-our-guest-for-dinner/

Belle's Cottage Preview

2012-12-31T14:06:00.001-08:00

I am finally getting around to posting about my adventures in New Fantasyland, yay! This is the story of the day back in September 2012 when I first stepped foot in New Fantasyland.

It was my friend Beatrice's birthday so we all met up at EPCOT on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

The rain didn't last long because it knew it was Beatrice's birthday and the sun needed to come out! Someone read a tip on Twitter that they were letting people in to a preview of Belle's Cottage in New Fantasyland so we hopped the monorail over to the Magic Kingdom. We had a fun ride over to the Magic Kingdom all excited about the possibility of stepping foot into New Fantasyland so early!

When we got to the Magic Kingdom, we pretty much ran for the entrance to New Fantasyland. We were pleased to see that the tip on Twitter was correct and we were ushered behind the walls of NEW FANTASYLAND!!

This was the perfect spot for a group photo! We were all SO excited to be a part of one of the very first previews!!

We made our way down to the queue for Belle's Cottage which was the only attraction open at this time. Another awesome group shot spot can be found at the well (wink, wink to all LOST fans).

Construction progress at Be Our Guest, it's so funny to look back at this now that I've been through there so many times since this was taken!

While we waited in the queue, we had fun taking photos and enjoying each other's company. It is so wonderful to be part of a group of like minded people who totally geek out over events like this!

I really loved all of the details they put in to make you feel like you were walking into a cottage in France.

When we walked into the house, I noticed immediately how much it felt like a lived-in home. Although it was brand new, Disney sprinkled their magic and made the house feel cozy.

We didn't get to spend nearly enough time in the front room before we were ushered into the next room. The Castmember did a good job of setting the stage and getting us excited to relive Belle and Beast's love story. All of a sudden, the lights go out and you are treated to what I think is one of the most advanced pieces of Disney magic to date. The mirror in front of you magically expands and turns into a hallway that you walk through! If you don't believe me, let the videos in the playlist below tell the story!

When we left, many of us thanked the Imagineers standing around the room. This experience was pure Disney magic at its finest!

Read more about this experience from my friends' perspectives:

http://therelocatedtourist.com/2012/09/09/there-may-be-something-there-that-wasnt-there-before/
http://mymagic100.wordpress.com/2012/09/15/48-in-progress-experience-all-the-new-attractions-in-the-fantasyland-expansion/
http://adisneygirlinorlando.blogspot.com/2012/11/new-fantasyland-overview.html

Happy New Year Family & Friends! A Recap of 2012

2012-12-31T10:18:00.001-08:00

This year has been the biggest in our lives (yes, even bigger than our Disney Fairytale Wedding). My wonderful husband, Jason, helped me realize my dream of relocating to Florida and we had a fantastic year getting settled in our new life together. I love my husband, I still can't believe I met someone who loves Disney as much as I do and who was willing to go along with my relocation adventure.

Thank you to all of our family and friends for the support and love you have given us. We are truly blessed! Please enjoy this video recap of our adventures in 2012.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today: Merry Christmas!

2012-12-25T04:09:00.001-08:00

The Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today is a series of short inspirational videos, stories, assignments, or quotes that I hope will inspire you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be every single day.

Today I just wanted to wish you all a very happy and healthy Merry Christmas! To start off your Christmas morning, I have a video for you of the opening show at the Magic Kingdom that I shot this past weekend. Enjoy!

Does this video inspire you? Join the conversation by leaving a comment! Have a magical day!

Christmas Eve Breakfast at Wilderness Lodge

2012-12-24T12:42:00.001-08:00

Today I had the pleasure of starting what I hope will be a new tradition - breakfast at Roaring Forks at Disney's Wilderness Lodge on Christmas Eve. This is our first Christmas as Florida residents so my husband, Jason, and I wanted to do something special. Our friend Jeff suggested specialty waffles at Wilderness Lodge and we were in! Who can resist the classic Christmas ambiance at the Wilderness Lodge - it was the perfect place for Christmas Eve.

As a Florida resident, it is really fun to go to all of the Disney Resorts. It almost makes you feel like you're back on vacation!

After meeting our friends Jeff and Amy in the lobby, we let our noses lead the way to Roaring Forks! I was SO excited to be here for the first time!

When we walked in, I was really happy when the Greeter said "Merry Christmas!" It put me in the good mood I needed to enjoy my specialty waffles! I was torn between the Strawberry and Chocolate waffles but I finally landed on Strawberry YUM!

Waffle display case, I wish I had this in my house! Next time I think I will try the chocolate!

I think I need to incorporate this into the logo for this website somehow...

My friend Amy displaying the food Vanna White style!

Here's a close up of the Strawberry Waffles - SO INCREDIBLY GOOD!!!

Roaring Forks was a fantastic experience. We went around 10:15AM and it was almost completely empty. We were treated nicely by the staff who all wished us a Merry Christmas. The quality of the Mickey waffles was very good - they were served to us hot, fresh, and DELICIOUS! I will definitely go there again.

After our awesome breakfast, we walked around the Wilderness Lodge a bit - it really put me in the Christmas spirit!

I know this one isn't Christmas related but as it was my first time at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, I had to take a picture of the famous totem pole!

We walked over to the DVC building and there was barely a soul there. I was amazed it was so empty on Christmas Eve!

We walked into the "train room" and it was completely empty!

We sat in front of the fireplace (which was actually nice since it was only 69 degrees outside - BRR!) and enjoyed each other's company for awhile.

Before we left, we had to get a photo in front of the tree in the Wilderness Lodge Lobby. This experience was everything I wanted for my first Christmas Eve as a Florida resident! Thanks to Jason, Amy, and Jeff for sharing the memories with me :)

I hope you all have a wonderfully magical Merry Christmas!

My Favorite Recipes: Free Range Fruitcake

2012-12-24T05:39:00.001-08:00

Every Christmas for the past few years, I have made my Dad a fruitcake. Even though I will not see him for Christmas this year, I still wanted to make his fruitcake and ship it to him because he loves it so much. I think he also loves the half full (positivity!) bottle of whiskey that accompanies it :)

What I love about this recipe is that you can change up the types of fruit to put in which is why I call it "Free Range". I like to use Craisins because of their sweetness. You can also add raisins, golden raisins, mango, or any other dried fruit you can find. You can also use either whiskey or rum, I change it up every year but I think my Dad prefers whiskey!

This recipe actually makes 2 fruitcakes if you like your cakes a bit smaller. I feel that putting all of this in 1 loaf pan makes for a really oversized cake and I like to give 1 extra cake so my Dad can freeze it to enjoy later in the year.

Ingredients

1 bag Craisins (Original)

1 bag Craisins - Blueberry

1 bag Craisins - Cherry

1 bag dried apricots, chopped

Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely

Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely

1 cup whiskey OR gold rum

1 cup sugar

5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)

1 cup unfiltered apple juice

Allspice to taste (about 1-3 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans, broken

Extra whiskey or rum for basting and/or spritzing

Instructions
	Combine all dried fruits and zests Add 1 cup whiskey or rum Stir and cover Allow to macerate 6-8 hours
	Preheat oven to 325 degrees Place fruit and liquid in a pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. NOTE: Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.
	Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts Spoon into a 10-inch loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. My favorite is the Pampered Chef Stonewear! Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done.
	Sprinkle some whiskey or rum on top ENJOY!

This makes for a fantastic Christmas present!

EPCOT Candlelight Processional 2012 - Whoopi Goldberg

2012-12-03T06:37:00.001-08:00

This past weekend I was lucky enough to attend the EPCOT 2012 Candlelight Processional featuring one of my favorite Star Trekkies - Whoopi Goldberg! I went by myself and stood in line for over 2 hours - it was totally worth it! I apologize for the shaky camera but I was busy trying to wipe away my tears of joy while trying to film at the same time. This is not the entire show but I got the best highlights. My favorite part is the finale when the choir sang the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. It just isn't Christmas until I hear this song! Being an old choir nerd, I sang this with my church, high school, and college choirs every Christmas and it brings back many happy memories.

Please enjoy my playlist of the show! I hope this puts you in the Christmas spirit as it did for me. I spent the rest of the weekend Christmas shopping, decorating, and planning. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Merry Christmas to you all!

Check out my YouTube Channel for more videos!

Join the conversation by adding a comment! Have a magical day!

RunDisney Deferral Process

2012-11-21T16:59:00.001-08:00

Before I ran the Tower of Terror 10 Miler, I signed up for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in January 2013. But then in November I got an invitation for my husband and I to attend my annual work retreat in Cabo - but it conflicted with Marathon Weekend! I talked it over with my husband and it was clear that we had to go to Cabo (we had a blast last year!). I figured I would just have to eat the cost of the registration for the marathon. RunDisney is very clear that they do not give refunds.

I figured I had nothing to lose so I emailed support@active.com to see if there was anything they could do. They were very friendly and swift and they got me in contact with the proper folks wdw.sports.marathon.endurance@disneysports.com. They sent me a deferral request form right away, I couldn't believe my luck!

The deferral process works like this:

REVIEW the Deferral Policy and Process

REGISTER ONLINE for the race you want to defer to (you will need to pay the full registration fees, including any processing fees, for the race you are deferring to.)

COMPLETE this runDisney Deferral Request Form to have your original registration fees less the $35.00 deferral processing fee refunded.

SUBMIT this form via fax, email, or U.S. mail

* Deferral requests must be received no later than 30 days prior to the event you are deferring from, and within two weeks from the date you have registered for the race you are deferring to, for your Deferral Request to be valid.
* Deferrals do not apply to 5K and Kids' Races events.

So, I signed up for the Princess Half Marathon 2013, filled out the deferral form, and emailed it back. I couldn't be happier with this process, thank you Disney! These races are very expensive and it would be awful to lose all that money if your plans change. For once, I am going to get a nice check from Disney and not the other way around :) Very good business manners!

Disney Cruise Line Manners: No Running in the Hallways!

2012-11-20T05:04:00.001-08:00

I have just returned from an awesome trip on the WDW Radio Cruise 2.0 on the Disney Dream. I encountered both good and bad manners, this will be the first post in a series all about Disney Cruises!

Originally, we had paid for a room on Deck 6 but then a Florida Resident deal came out and our awesome travel agent Kathy from MEI MouseFan Travel had the pleasure of calling us to tell us that not only were we getting more than 1/2 of our money back, but we would get a free upgrade too! YAY! We had to wait a few weeks for our room assignment which was 9016 Forward (Forward is the front of the ship, Aft is the back). We were over the moon to have such a nice room with the solid white wall veranda!

Sadly, the families around us made our beautiful room a bit unpleasant because we could never sleep past 7AM. Their children would literally run and scream at the top of their lungs while passing our room in the hallway. Now this also happens at the Walt Disney World Resorts but it is SO much worse on a cruise ship! The sound reverberates throughout the entire hull and really intensifies the noise.

As you can see from the (kind of blurry) photo, the hallways on the Disney Dream are LONG. There are 3 banks of elevators and stairs - Forward, Mid, and Aft but you can also walk (not run!) the entire length of the ship. I swear these kids just ran from Forward to Aft on a daily basis!

One day my husband and I encountered a father with 2 little boys playing in the hallway. One boy charged at me with his pirate sword out! The father said "okay, calm down boys" to which they promptly disregarded his authority and kept right on running and screaming. Now, I'm not a parent (yet!) but when I take my kids on a Disney Cruise, they will not act like that!

Overall, my husband and I did have a lovely time and we are planning to go on another Disney Cruise. But next time, we're taking earplugs just in case!

My Favorite Recipes: Pasta Casserole

2012-11-18T06:01:00.001-08:00

One of my favorite comfort casseroles is my pasta casserole. It can be customized to your tastes and it is very easy to make. You can also freeze individual portions for a quick mid week dinner! Add a nice Caesar salad and some Ghiradelli brownies for dessert and you've got yourself one decadent meal.

Serves 12-14

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef

1 28oz can diced tomatoes

1 28oz can tomato sauce

1 yellow onion

1 green pepper

6 white american cheese slices

1 lb pasta, any kind

Spices to taste

Instructions
	Cook 1 lb of pasta (any kind) until al dente Tip: Cook the pasta for about 1 minute less because it will continue to cook in the oven Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
	Dice the onion and green pepper In a large skillet, brown the onion and green pepper in 1 tbsp real butter Add and brown 1 lb ground beef
	Mix the onion, green pepper, and ground beef together Drain the fat
	By this time the pasta should be cooked Strain the pasta
	Add 28 oz diced tomatoes and 28 oz tomato sauce to the skillet with the ground beef mixture Set the heat on high and bring to a boil
	Add spices to taste (Garlic Powder, Basil, Oregano, Salt Pepper, etc) Set the heat on medium and simmer for 15 minutes
	In a greased 9x13 casserole dish, layer 1/2 of the pasta. Tip: If the pasta is too hot, run some cold water over it. Layer 1/2 of the meat sauce mixture Break up 3 white american cheese slices and add to the top of the first layer
	Layer 1/2 of the pasta Layer 3 white american cheese slices (the pasta sauce should be on top) Layer 1/2 of the meat sauce mixture
	Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until bubbly Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving
	Top with parmesan cheese if desired Freeze in individual portions for a quick and easy mid-week meal!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today: Cinderella Castle Dream Lights

2012-11-16T05:02:00.001-08:00

The Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today is a series of short inspirational videos, stories, assignments, or quotes that I hope will inspire you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be every single day.

Today I have another video for you to help you get in the holiday spirit. This was shot by my husband in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. I was too busy crying in the background, I had never seen the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights in person before!

Does this video inspire you? Join the conversation by leaving a comment! Have a magical day!

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today: Osborne Lights 2012

2012-11-15T05:00:00.001-08:00

The Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today is a series of short inspirational videos, stories, assignments, or quotes that I hope will inspire you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be every single day.

I know it's been so long since I've posted one of these! What better way to get started again than with the holiday season? Today I have a video that I shot on opening night of the Osborne Lights at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. Enjoy!

Does this video inspire you? Join the conversation by leaving a comment! Have a magical day!

Richard Sherman on the Disney Dream

2012-11-09T08:49:00.001-08:00

I just returned from my awesome trip on the Disney Dream with WDW Radio Host Lou Mongello and friends on the WDW Radio Cruise 2.0 presented by MEI MouseFan Travel. I will have a full trip report but this one will be a bit different because I want to do a few Inspiration articles and of course, Table Manners dining reviews. Stay tuned!

I booked the WDW Radio Cruise 2.0 the first day it was announced even before the special guest was announced. My husband, Jason, and I totally geeked out when they announced that Richard Sherman of the legendary Sherman Brothers would be cruising with us! Although we did not get a chance to meet him, we were privy to an awesome concert where he performed his songs and told the stories behind them. Hold on to your hats, folks, this one is a big tear jerker!

I was unhappy when they announced that no video or flash photography would be allowed in the theater. I had planned to record the entire performance and upload it to my YouTube channel but you are going to have to just take my word for it - this was my 3rd favorite Disney Memory (#1 being my Disney Fairytale Wedding and #2 when Jason proposed to me on Peter Pan's Flight).

The first day on the ship I was on the lookout for Mr. Sherman hoping to be able to shake his hand and say Thank You. I was very happy to see that he was in the same lifeboat and safety drill group as me and I'm sorry but I did not pay any attention to the drill. I was too busy staring at him from across the Walt Disney Theater. When he exited the theater, I quickly walked over to where he was. I didn't want to go running up to him because I am very respectful so I hung back and just watched him talking with a small group. I caught up with Lou and asked him if I could take a picture and he said that Mr. Sherman was tired and wanted to go back to his stateroom. I completely understood and I did not want to bother him. Thankfully, my friend Erica and her Mom had the bright idea to take a photo anyway because he was standing right behind me!

Photo by Erica Dekker, Captions by Shelley Benhoff

Right before the doors to his elevator closed, Mr. Sherman and I locked eyes and he smiled at me. I got all teary so I think it was a good thing I didn't get to talk to him. I would have blubbered and made a complete fool of myself!

Okay now on to the concert! MEI MouseFan Travel set up a really sweet event and our group had the Walt Disney Theater all to ourselves for 2 hours! I came prepared with tissues and boy did I need them. The minute Mr. Sherman walked out onto the stage I began crying and I did not stop until he left.

Photo by Katie McNamara

He referenced the empty chair as a placeholder for his dearly departed brother, Robert Sherman. I highly recommend the documentary, The Boys, which is a look into the relationship of these legendary brothers. He sang all of his hits from Mary Poppins, Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, You're 16, Tall Paul, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

It was very moving to see such a simple and intimate performance. It just goes to show you that pure talent eclipses all the glitz and glamour of over the top shows with special effects. All you need is a performer, an empty stage, a piano, microphone, and spotlight. I cried a lot when he sang Feed the Birds and The Age of Not Believing. He told a story behind the Age of Not Believing that this song was inspired by Walt's death. He said that they didn't know what to do when Walt died and they had to start believing in themselves and the training that Walt provided. It was a very difficult time for everyone in the company but they all came together and kept moving forward. I heard that song many times on the ship and I teared up every time. I cannot hear that song now without thinking about that story.

Photo by Katie McNamara

When he spoke of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang I did not realize that this was not a Disney movie. Someone contacted Walt to see if he would work with them on this movie because they really wanted the Sherman Brothers to compose the music. Although Walt did not have the time to work on the movie, he told Richard and Robert to go ahead and do it because it would be good for their career. At this point, Richard looked up to the sky and said "Thank you, Walt." I was completely sobbing by this point!

If I wasn't crying enough already, Mr. Sherman moved on to the music he and his brother composed for the Disney Parks. He sang There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow, The Tiki Room, and It's a Small World to name a few. I have never cried at It's a Small World before (well tears of happiness anyway) but the way he performed it was beautiful. He had originally intended it to be a slow ballad but Walt wanted it to be fast and energetic.

Photo by Katie McNamara

He showed a few clips from his career including the famous one of the Sherman Brothers with Walt Disney singing There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow. He told a really funny story about how Walt never said to him directly that he was doing a good job. He was stunned when Walt said that the Sherman Brothers made wonderful music in the video clip because he would never say it to your face. He would just look at you, nod, and say "That will work." Those were Walt's magic words and when you heard that you knew he was pleased. Walt did not want his employees to get too comfortable or have too big of an ego because then they would never reach their full potential.

Over the course of the performance, the audience gave Mr. Sherman 3 standing ovations. He was so humble, it was amazing to see a man who has won Oscars for his music telling us to sit down! Lou Mongello said that after the performance Mr. Sherman asked if he did okay!? That is the kind of man he is, never basking in the glow of his own talent. He is a very kind soul and I learned a lot from him. He had a very humble beginning and it just goes to show you that when you put your heart and soul into your work then you make it spectacular.

I left the theater feeling very quiet on the inside and definitely in need of a drink. On my road to self improvement, I will always think of this performance and how humble Mr. Sherman was and that he thanked everyone who influenced him during his career. No one goes through life alone, it is the people that support you that help you achieve success.

Give Kids The World Gingerbread Run 2012

2012-10-19T10:37:00.001-07:00

I just signed up for my next running event - the Give Kids The World Gingerbread Run on November 3, 2012. I am very excited to have the opportunity to run in the Give Kids The World Storybook Village where children with life threatening illnesses can come with their families for a fantasy inspired cost free vacation.

As a part of my self improvement process, I have really enjoyed getting involved with Give Kids The World. I figure I'm going to run anyway, why not do it for a good cause? For this event, my goal is to raise $100 in donations. If you are interested in donating, please click on the link below to add to my donation bucket. Any amount is appreciated! Thank you very much for your support and kindness :)

Table Manners

2012-10-13T14:08:00.001-07:00

The table manners section is where you will find restaurant reviews from my experiences all over Walt Disney World. I cover not only the quality of the food but also how I was treated by the staff and how I felt eating there. I hope you enjoy this section of the blog!

The Hollywood Brown Derby - Our 3 Year Tradition

2012-10-13T14:07:00.001-07:00

The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney's Hollywood Studios holds a special place in my heart because it has become a tradition for my husband, Jason, and I to eat there on our anniversary. It is our #1 favorite restaurant on Disney property and although we have not eaten everywhere just yet, we are sure that the Hollywood Brown Derby will always be our favorite.

It all began in September 2010 when Jason and I took our 2nd trip to the World together to celebrate my 30th birthday. Jason proposed to me on my 30th birthday during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party while flying over London on Peter Pan's Flight! A few nights later, we got all gussied up and celebrated our new engagement at The Hollywood Brown Derby.

If I had time to think about it, I would've quickly updated the reservation with the engagement celebration. The staff were very nice in congratulating us and our waiter was more than highly skilled. You see my (now) husband is a meat cutter and he really put our waiter to the test on that occasion! After discussing exactly how the salmon was raised, we ordered our delicious meal.

We began with the Blue Crab Cake appetizer which is sadly now gone from the menu. Being from Baltimore we have a certain overwhelming need to feast on blue crab so sadly this was the only photo I was able to get :)

Jason, of course, ordered the salmon. It's so good he's had it every single time we've eaten there!

I had the beef filet on a bed of some fancy pants mashed potatoes. This is the best filet I've ever had - it is so tender and juicy! I always order my steaks medium, not medium well. You want it to be a little bit pink in the middle, it really makes for a better flavor!

We don't generally get dessert but we were on the free dining plan so we thought, what the heck? They brought me a free mousse dessert for my birthday!

Jason ordered the cheesecake - which I ended up eating most of!

I ordered the signature dessert - the Grapefruit Cake. Now if I were a fan of grapefruit, I think I would have loved this cake! However, I found out that I do not like grapefruit, I prefer sweet fruits, not sour ones.

We were really blown away by our fantastic experience! You know you've had a good time when you are sad to have to leave. My only criticism of this meal was that we were seated out in the middle of the room. Luckily we were seated right next to a very nice older couple who wished us well in our new life together.

Fast forward one year. I am so happy that I planned a very special dinner for just the two of us at The Hollywood Brown Derby the night before our Disney Fairytale Wedding. This time, we had purchased a Tables in Wonderland card which gives you 20% off food and beverage (including alcohol) at any participating location. I put the wedding as a celebration on our reservation and our experience was much better this time. I remember they gave us a set of the "Happily Ever After" buttons and they also seated us at a very nice private table in the top corner of the main dining room. The manager came by our table to congratulate us and he was just so nice! It was really a nice relaxing meal which is just what we needed the night before our wedding!

We ordered the Blue Crab Cake appetizer again and I was sure to get a photo this time!

We also split a bowl of the Lobster Bisque which sadly they do not have anymore :(

Jason got a fancy drink and I had a glass of red wine.

And, of course, Jason had the salmon which was a bit different this time but he loved it just the same.

I tried the Pork Tenderloin this time around. I will admit I generally have very simple tastes but the mango chutney rocked my socks! It was SO good!!!

While we were enjoying our dinner, we witnessed another couple get engaged! The guy got down on his knee at the table and the whole restaurant clapped. They looked so happy! It was such a beautiful thing for us to see on the night before our wedding that I forgot to take anymore pictures! Our waitress brought us free champagne and strawberries and wished us well on our life together. Another fantastic meal at The Hollywood Brown Derby!

One year later, Jason and I returned to the Hollywood Brown Derby for our 1st Anniversary.

This was hands down the best experience we've had yet! Before we went to the restaurant, we stopped in a few places looking for Anniversary buttons but came up empty handed. There was no need for all of that though because the manager gave us a pair when he seated us! This time we were seated at the best table we've ever had at a booth in the bottom right corner of the main dining room. It is in the corner farthest from the kitchen and feels very private. It's so private that you can't even hear the conversation at the next table! We made a note of the table number - 215. We will request it next time!

We started out with a round of drinks. I had to try Cheryl's Peach Tree Punch and I am SO glad I did!

Delicious!

The manager came to our table with a camera and asked us if he could be our paparazzi for this evening. Of course we said yes :) While he set up the shot, he asked to hear the story of how we met. After a few minutes, he came back to our table and presented us with this!

This was definitely the most magical thing that had ever happened to us at any restaurant! I will cherish this photo always.

Until now I had never really paid attention to the bread but it definitely deserves a mention, it is REALLY good! I love the whipped butter mmm...

We were very upset to find that the Blue Crab Cake appetizer had been replaced with a Blue Crab Spring Roll instead. The spring roll was excellent but not the same as our favorite crab cake.

Can you guess what entree Jason ordered? That's right! The salmon - this time on a bed of pasta and greens covered in a hot broth. A bus boy poured the hot broth at the table, it was really neat! We both thought it was fantastic but Jason said it wasn't quite as good as its predecessor.

I ordered the beef filet again - this time on a bed of delicious risotto! This was better than its predecessor and I thought that the risotto was a nice upgrade from plain mashed potatoes. Very good, that risotto!

I can't believe we have been lucky enough to eat at The Hollywood Brown Derby 3 times! I think the manager will know us pretty soon :) We love it because the food is top quality, the atmosphere is classy old Hollywood, and the staff are top notch. You never have to ask for anything, it is the type of place where the staff will anticipate your needs. Your water glass is never empty and your food comes on a very well paced schedule. We will return again and again!

EPCOT Eat To The Beat 2012: Boyz II Men

2012-10-10T07:08:00.001-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Boyz II Men at the Eat to the Beat Concert Series in EPCOT with my besties, Amy and Wendy!

Photo by Amy Peterman

We all geeked out hardcore when the Boyz came on stage and sang the hits we loved as teenagers. At one point, one of the Boyz came into the audience and he touched my hand as he walked by!! Don't worry, I caught the whole thing on video :)

At the end, they sang "I'll Make Love To You" and a whole bunch of adult women rushed the stage! It was too hilarious not to join in! I liked that there was some order to the chaos and I never felt scared. I've been to concerts where I was scared of being trampled. People were pushing and shoving a bit but it wasn't violent.

We had a great time being adult women turned into 12 year olds for a night! Thanks ladies for sharing this most magical memory with me!

My full YouTube Playlist is below. It has 9 parts and is just over 40 minutes of Boyz II Men goodness! Enjoy!

Here are some highlights:

I'll Make Love To You Stage Rush - pretty much all of part 9

HE TOUCHED ME!! - end of part 5

Disney Manners

2013 Trip Reports

Disneyland Paris Resort Day Trip May 2013

Hong Kong Disneyland Epic Trip Report June 2013 Part 1

Hong Kong Disneyland Epic Trip Report June 2013 Part 1

Disneyland Paris Resort Day Trip May 2013

RunDisney Princess Half Marathon 2013 Recap

Monsters University Press Event at EPCOT

Good Idea, Bad Idea - Diaper Disposal

GOOD IDEA

BAD IDEA

Preparing for the Princess Half Marathon Weekend 2013

Cabanas on the Disney Dream - Hidden Table Service Gem!

Breakfast Buffet

Dinner Table Service - A Hidden Gem!!!!

Lunch Buffet

Be Our Guest - Don't Believe Me, Ask the Dishes!

Belle's Cottage Preview

Happy New Year Family & Friends! A Recap of 2012

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today: Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Breakfast at Wilderness Lodge

My Favorite Recipes: Free Range Fruitcake

Ingredients

Instructions

EPCOT Candlelight Processional 2012 - Whoopi Goldberg

RunDisney Deferral Process

Disney Cruise Line Manners: No Running in the Hallways!

My Favorite Recipes: Pasta Casserole

Ingredients

Instructions

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today: Cinderella Castle Dream Lights

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah Tip For Today: Osborne Lights 2012

Richard Sherman on the Disney Dream

Give Kids The World Gingerbread Run 2012

Table Manners

The Hollywood Brown Derby - Our 3 Year Tradition

EPCOT Eat To The Beat 2012: Boyz II Men