Mandas Disney Blog

Guinness Cupcakes and Rainbow Fudge!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 23:59:00 +0000

Welcome to the next stop on Blogorail Teal!

Today we are sharing some stupendous St Patrick's Day Recipes!

I, of course, decided to make things extra ~~difficult~~ challenging for myself and picked two recipes to share! They were both just TOO good to pick between them.

First up are some glorious Guinness Cupcakes, adapted from this wonderful recipe from Love Swah.

I followed her recipe for the cake mixture - this batter is VERY runny so I transferred it to a jug for pouring into cupcake cases ... I still managed to make a mess in the end but hey, I tried :)

I filled the cases just over halfway and got around 20 cupcakes.

I popped them in the oven at 180°C/350°F for 20-25 minutes (I found that whilst they looked quite done on the top pretty quickly, they took longer than I expected to bake through - just do what I did and plonk yourself on a stool next to the oven in the latter stages to keep an eye on them so they don't burn) and voilà! Gooey dark chocolate Guinness cupcakes ready for lashings of boozy Irish cream frosting!

Again, I followed the frosting recipe from Love Swah, completely ignoring the fact that it's for a BIG CAKE. I had about double the amount of frosting I needed for 20 cupcakes ... but it's cool ... the rest is in a tub in the fridge with a spoon in it :) apparently you can't have too much of this stuff!

It's supposed to look like the creamy top of a Guinness ... and that it did! But I think it's time to snazz things up a bit ... some green sprinkles, glitter and a hand piped green chocolate Mickey later ...

Tah Dah! St Patrick's Day cupcakes Disney style!

Next up is the Rainbow Fudge ... boy was this fun to make! I followed this video from yoyomax12 - this recipe is pretty time consuming but trust me it's SO worth it for all the 'ooooooh!"s and "aaaahhhh!"s you get from the end result! This recipe also requires the fudge to be refrigerated for 12 hours when you're finished, so if you want to make it for a party, be sure to make it a couple of days in advance :)

I can't think of anything to compare to the satisfaction of cutting into this fudge for the first time.

Below is a moment I will cherish forever ...

See what I mean about the "oooooh"s :) I decided to use a Mickey cookie cutter to make Mickey Rainbow Fudge! If you want to try this here's a major tip - make sure the cutter you use is about the same height as the end of the pan you make the fudge in ... for me this was a total fluke! I didn't realise until I used the cutter ... talk about having the luck of the Irish on my side!

You'll definitely have your friends wondering how on earth you made this rainbow fudge ... I had to explain how I did it to my mum who thought I'd used sorcery :)

And what better way to wash it all down than with a glass of Guinness! I thought this would be a good idea since it looks so tasty with the creamy top ... and just last weekend I tried Guinness ice cream and couldn't get enough ... but alas, it wasn't for me. I turned to my sister and exclaimed "It tastes like bog water!" to which she replied "yuh ... don't you know??". So to ease my disappointment I swapped it for a tall and tasty glass of lemonade ... cheers! And Happy St Patrick's Day!

Thank you for joining me today! Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney Mamas!

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

1st Stop - Sparks of Magic - Gluten-Free & Kid-Friendly St. Patrick's Day Recipes!

2nd Stop - The Disney Point - Potato Soup & DASH Diet Potato Skins

3rd Stop - The Disney Chef - Corned Beef With Wilted Cabbage and Blue Cheese - Epcot International Food and Wine Wine Festival

4th Stop - Manda’s Disney Blog - Guinness Cupcakes and Mickey Rainbow Fudge!

Final Stop - Disney Mamas - Celebrating our Heritage with an Irish Cream Pound Cake

Adventures by Disney - From Home to Afar!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 23:04:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from Disney Nouns and those of you just hopping aboard!

I'm the Final stop on our Magical Blogorail :)

Thank you so much to the Green line for having me as their guest this month! :)

I wasn't all that familiar with 'Adventures by Disney' until writing for this loop ... and I have to say, I was blown away by the selection on offer! So much so, I was torn between two amazing looking adventures!

First up is 'Scotland: A Brave Adventure'!

This might seem a bit odd ... considering I'm from Scotland ... but bear with me (excuse the pun).

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Reading the itinerary gave me goosebumps! Yes, I live in Scotland, but believe it or not I've never actually ventured to any of the destinations listed apart from Edinburgh! And the activities for Edinburgh are things I've always wanted to do but never really got round to :)

Some highlights include a visit to the National Museum of Scotland, where you will see the Chessmen of Lewis - not only one of the most significant archaeological finds of the last 200 years, but also the chess pieces seen in Merida's bedroom in the Disney Pixar movie Brave! A private tour of Edinburgh Castle - the last time I visited here was on a school trip in the 90's ... I don't remember much lol ... so this would be awesome! A visit to the Isle of Skye, Glen Coe, Fort William and Eilean Donan Castle. Whiskey tasting (oh yes), Scone making and Céilidh dancing! A visit to Loch Ness and Urquart Castle, and a short flight to the Isle of Lewis where you venture to the Callanish Standing Stones and follow in the footsteps of Merida and the whisps!

Then it's back to Inverness where adventurers get to try their hand at Archery! I'd be sure to pack my Merida costume! This Scottish adventure is wrapped up with ... you guessed it ... even more Castles!! Glamis Castle; the inspiration for Shakespeare's Macbeth! And Dunnottar Castle; the inspiration for Merida's Castle in Brave! Just look at this beauty!

Moonrise Dunnottar Castle by Angus Clyne

Doesn't that all sound brilliant!? So many of Brave's inspirations are so close to my home! However ... I could always visit a lot of these sights on my weekends ... which made me swing towards a second, more adventurous option (this is Adventures by Disney after all!) ... Southern California!

I've always wanted to visit the 'original' Disneyland in California ... and this would be the perfect way to do it ... in luxury and in style! With a bit of Hollywood tossed in for fun!

This adventure begins with a private Hollywood Excursion followed by a trip to the Jim Henson Company! Yes please! Then it's off to Disneyland, Anaheim for (take a deep breath) a Walt Disney Imagineering Tour, a visit to the Walt Disney Studios and the Walt Disney Archives, a VIP evening and next full day in Disneyland Park including areas off limits to other park guests such as the Disneyland Dream Suite and Walt's personal apartment!! (This would be a dream ... I can't even tell you how much I'd love to see his apartment!) Then, a VIP day in Disney California Adventure Park topped off with a VIP viewing of World of Colour! (Yes ... we Brits spell Colour with a u! :P)

Is it just me ... or is this pretty much the dream trip of any Disney geek!? I adore Disneyland Paris ... but boy oh boy would I love to see where it all began in Anaheim, California :)

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Green this month. We will be back on September 11th 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 ~ Heidi's Head - South East Asia

2nd Stop ~ My Dreams of Disney - Norway

3rd Stop ~ In the Mouse House - Ecuador & the Galapagos

4th Stop ~ Disney Nouns - England & France

Final Stop ~ Manda's Disney Blog - From Home to Afar!

Best Disneyland Paris Book

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Thu, 22 May 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from Love Our Disney and those of you just hopping aboard.
I am the Final stop on our Magical Blogorail!

Thank you so much to the Orange line for having me as their guest this month!

I'm super excited to share my favourite Disney book ... and of course mine is the best Disneyland Paris book ... 'Disneyland Paris - From Sketch To Reality'!

With 320 pages showcasing 750 photos, including 500 of the park and 250 Walt Disney Imagineering images, this book is simply bursting with a feast for the eyes of Disneyland Paris!

Some of the most impressive photos to appear are some aerial shots by Yann Arthus Bertrand showing Disneyland Paris as you've never seen it before!

I particularly love the photo of Big Thunder Mountain, since it really demonstrates the fact that it's the only BTM to be situated on an island; a feature unique to Disneyland Paris alone.

I also love this painting of Phantom Manor depicting what it would have looked like before it fell into ruin. It's amazing to see one of my favourite attractions in a totally different light!

Another favourite of mine is Space Mountain ... I'd LOVE to have this poster by Stuart Bailey framed!

The page on the right has a little snippet of info I only learned while taking this photo! (You really do pick up something new every time you flick through this book!) The mountain that the cannon rests on is supposed to mimic a volcano, which is believed to impart it's energy into the cannon!

This really is a wonderful book for any Disneyland Paris fan ... or any Disney fan for that matter!

I feel like I know Disneyland Pairs inside out and yet when I first opened this book I was blown away by the amount of detail I'd never noticed before. There's plenty of eye candy that can't be seen anywhere else but within these (in my best Jafar voice, ahem) 'paaages of wondeeer'.

If you'd like to see more please check out the video below from the project creator for this book Alain Littaye himself! It shows a quick view of all the pages inside if you really want to get an idea of the magnitude of images included.

Another fantastic review comes from Steve from Dedicated to Dlp - he bought his copy from the park back in 2002 and shares his favourite pages below.

As Steve points out, this book sold out very quickly when first released. However Alain Littaye has made this book available once more! You can now purchase one of a limited number of copies in English or French through his blog Disney and More.

It's a wonderful book to add to any Disney geek's collection and although arguably a little pricey, it's most definitely worth it for a book this unique and special :)

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Orange this month.

We will be back on June 16th with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney news, 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 ~ I Am a Mommy Nerd

2nd Stop ~ Disney with Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers

3rd Stop ~ Capturing Magical Memories

4th Stop ~ Love Our Disney

Final Stop ~ Manda's Disney Blog

My Disney Side!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from Picturing Disney and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the final stop on our Magical Blogorail!

Hi everyone!! I'm SO excited to be a guest blogger for the Blue line this month! I can't wait to share with you ... My Disney Side!

I've had the same problem as a number of other bloggers writing about this topic ... I'm a little confused by the term 'Disney Side' since I'm always in Disney mode! From my clothes to my home decor to my (sometimes questionable ... watch out for the sugar!) recipe choices ... even my music taste! But I guess my Disney Side is at it's strongest when I visit my favourite place ... Disneyland Paris!

As the Disney Side is defined, I laugh more, I scream more, and I live life to the fullest!

All thanks to one man and his mouse :)

I thought I'd see what my side is with the official Disney Side quiz! Here's my result!

I'd say this is pretty accurate! Well done quiz makers!

I DO love the classics ... Peter Pan is one of my favourites! I grew up during the Disney Renaissance ... give me Ariel, Aladdin and Simba anyday!

But that doesn't mean to say I don't love the newbies! Chicken Little and Enchanted don't get enough love in my opinion ... does anyone else think these movies are totally under-rated?? ;)

A huge part of my Disney Side is made up of nostalgia ... my first visit to Disneyland Paris was in 1992 when it opened (shout out to my awesome parents for making that happen!). I didn't manage to get back until 2003! But boy did the memories from 1992 smack me right between the eyes! Everything that I loved about Disneyland Paris when I was younger ... I still loved ... and it brought out my Disney Side that runs around like a kid, waves at the princesses and gets ice cream all over my face!

I've been lucky enough to visit every couple of years since then ... and I've even been lucky enough to visit Walt Disney World in Florida too! And it's safe to say ... I look forward to these trips more than anything ... because I know I'll be thrown into a universe where it's perfectly acceptable to skip down a street full of people. But then again, maybe that's the point of having a Disney Side - there's no reason why you can't let it out in every day life too :)

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Blue this month. We will be back on February 20th with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney news, 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 ~ Disney on Wheels

2nd Stop ~ My Dreams of Disney

3rd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog

4th Stop ~ Picturing Disney

Final Stop ~ Manda's Disney Blog

My Disney Wish List for Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.

This months topic is our Disney Wish List we'd like Santa to bring us this year!

I headed straight to the Disney Store UK Website and found some lovely Christmas goodies!

Check these out!

5 Piece Tapas Dish Set

Tree Shaped Serving Dish

Although the top set is for Tapas ... I'd use it for sweets and candies!

And the tree shaped dish is just too cute to pass up!

I'm also a sucker for snow globes ... and this one takes the biscuit!

Brave Snow Globe

Not only does this light up ... it also has an air blower so it can glitter away without you having to tip it upside down! Brave is one of my favourites ... I'm a little biased of course!

And finally ... a Disneyland Paris Mug to enjoy some hot chocolate in on Christmas Eve!

Disneyland Paris Christmas Mug

Ok ... so I'd have to get this before Christmas to do that but I'm sure a certain someone wouldn't mind letting me have a present early!

What's on your Disney Wish List for Christmas??

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad!

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

1st Stop ~ The Disney Chick

2nd Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

3rd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

Final Stop ~ The Disney Point

Disney Dreams! at Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 12 Nov 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Black!

Enjoy the ride as we celebrate the Holidays at Disney!

This months topic ... What events are you looking forward to or wish you were seeing/attending!

Mine was easy peasy ... this year I wish I was going to Disneyland Paris to see the all new
Disney Dreams of Christmas!

This isn't simply Disney Dreams altered a bit for Christmas ... oh no ... this is a whole new show!

Olaf the Snowman from the all new Disney movie Frozen leads guests into a magical show featuring Fantasia, 101 Dalmatians, Bambi and an awesome rendition of the Nutcracker from the characters of Toy Story!

I was hoping there would be a video posted in time to show you guys on this loop ... luckily ... there is! Even though the premiere of Disney Dreams at Christmas was only this past Saturday, youtube user Fabien Marliot has managed to share a video of the entire show! So a special thank you to Fabien!

Watch with caution ... you may need a blanket to contain the goosebumps!

Since I know I wont be visiting Disneyland Paris this winter I snuggled up to watch this 20 minute spectacular with some hot chocolate ...and it. was. brilliant! I loved that I spotted some of my most favourite Disney Christmas scenes, and I heard some of my favourite carols too!

This is a must watch for anyone looking for a bit of Disney Christmas spirit! I wish I could see it in real life but thanks to the wonders of the internet I can enjoy this amazing bit of Disney Christmas magic from home.

EDIT - Hot off the press!! My Disney buddy Steve from Dedicated to Dlp has posted his thoughts on Disney Dreams of Christmas! He was at the premiere on Saturday, so for a pretty detailed review you can check it out here! :)

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad!

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 ~ Manda’s Disney Blog
2nd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad
3rd Stop ~ The Disney Point
4th Stop ~ The Disney Chick

Les Mystères du Nautilus

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard :)

I am the Final stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This months topic is Underappreciated Disney Attractions!

This one came to mind straight away because I feel it's constantly missed out when talking about fantastic attractions from Disneyland Paris ... Les Mystères du Nautilus!

This is a walk-through attraction based on the 1954 Disney classic '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'. Located in the lagoon next to Space Mountain, guests enter a small lighthouse themed building and follow a spiral staircase down to an underwater corridor to enter the attraction. Once on board, guests can explore six rooms of Captain Nemo's submarine, the Nautilus! Check out the video below if you'd like to see inside :)

One of the coolest things you'll find in the Nautilus is Captain Nemo's room, a cabin with a bed and a bathroom full of the Captains belongings, including books and paintings.

However, the main attraction of the Nautilus can be found in the Main Salon - The Giant Squid Attack! A small viewing area in the salon allows guests observe a window to the ocean. Captain Nemo's organ begins to play Johann Sebastian Bach'sToccata & Fugue in D Minor, and the captain himself gives a short speech about the ocean kingdom. The window opens to allow guest to gaze into the ocean, but suddenly, a giant squid attacks!! While the squid grapples with the window, Captain Nemo orders the submarines defence ... a pulse generator! The poor squid is electrocuted and retreats to the sea ... although Nemo saves the Nautilus ... I can't help but feel sorry for the giant squid ... maybe it just wanted to say hello :) Check out the video below if you'd like to see the giant squid in action!

Another cool feature of the Nautilus, particularly for fans of the movie, is a mirror above Nemo's organ. Guests can sometimes see Nemo's reflection in the mirror, which is actually a recreation of James Mason's face behind the glass, lit every so often to become visible!

Les Mystères du Nautilus has always been a favourite of mine ... tucked away round the side of Space Mountain ... blink and you'll miss it! Many guests see the submarine in the lagoon but don't realise it's actually part of a walk through attraction. If you ever get the chance to visit Disneyland Paris, be sure to check out this classic :)

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Black this month. We will be back on November 12th with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney news, 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 ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

2nd Stop ~ The Disney Point

3rd Stop ~ The Disney Chick

4th Stop ~ Mandas Disney Blog

My Dream Disney Resort

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me Heidi's Head and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This months topic is our Dream Disney Resort! To be honest ... any of the Disney Resorts would be a dream for me since I've never stayed in any of them! But from what I've seen in all the wonderful Disney Blogs I read ... I'd most love to stay on the Grand Floridian!

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It always looks amazing and always gets such brilliant reviews that I'd love to stay here even just for a night! But there is a particular time of year I would love to stay ... I think most people would easily guess ... Christmas!!

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Just look at this gorgeousness!! And do I even have to mention the gingerbread house!?

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I'd love love LOVE to see this in real life! It must make the lobby smell amazing!!

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad!

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

1st Stop ~ The Disney Point

2nd Stop ~ Heidi's Head

3rd Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

4th Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

My favourite Disneyland Paris Restaurant!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard.

I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This month's topic is our favorite WDW/DLP Restaurant!

One of my favourites has to be 'Auberge De Cendrillon' (or Cinderella's Restaurant) in Fantasyland in Disneyland Paris! You can read about it in my most memorable Disney Meal post from last year :)

One of my other favourites has to be Casey's Corner! Ok ... I know ... technically it isn't a restaurant, it's counter service ... but you still eat in it right?? :P

Check out this awesome video of Casey's Corner from Photos Magiques!

Casey's Corner just screams old school America ... and so it fits in with Main Street U.S.A perfectly, transporting you back in time as you munch on your hot dog ... speaking of which ... the hot dogs are so good that Steve from 'Dedicated to Dlp' tried recreating them at home!

After a good number of supermarket visits I managed to find the squeezy cheese from his post! Of course it wasn't exactly like Disneyland Paris ... but it was pretty close!

All I have to do is sit out in the sun and play this music ...

... while nomming on my home made Casey's Corner style hot dog ... and if I close my eyes ... I could be in Disneyland Paris :)

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad.

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

1st Stop ~ The Disney Chick

2nd Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

3rd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

4th Stop ~ The Disney Point

My Dream Disney Job!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Black!

Enjoy the ride as we share our Disney dream jobs!

I've always had a dream job at Disney ... I'm reminded how awesome it would be every time I go! To be a part of a parade! I'd take any role - a dancer, a character ... even a float driver! Just to be part of something so cool and so fun would be awesome!

I've always wanted to see what it would be like from their perspective ... so see so many kids (and adults ... who am I kidding) faces light up!

To be a princess would be pretty cool ...

In the day time ...

Or the night!

But for some reason I always think it would be super cool to be this guy ...

What a view you would get from up there!!

What would your dream Disney job be??

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad!

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 ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

2nd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

3rd Stop ~ The Disney Point

4th Stop ~ The Disney Chick

I missed a big one!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the Final stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This month's topic is, What attraction do you skip? Or is there an attraction you've never experienced?

I can honestly say I have been on every single attraction in Disneyland Paris ... though I guess it isn't much of a surprise!

It did take me to the ripe old age of about 23 to get myself onto the roller coasters though! I'd always been terrified of Space Mountain since my first try when I was around 12. It was my first ever experience on a roller-coaster, our train got stuck in the launch cannon and we had to climb out ... not a good first experience at all!

Ever since then I'd avoided it and I'd let a growing fear of roller coasters fester ... until my boyfriend decided I was missing out on far too much fun and literally forced me onto Space Mountain in an effort to help me overcome my fear! There were tears ... but I suppose I went willingly (mostly). I'll never forget him pulling my over shoulder harness down before I could change my mind and giggling to himself because there was no going back now! But he did hold my hand (I think he regretted it though) and I screamed my way through it ... but sure enough by the time it was over I wanted to do it again! All thanks to my persistent boyfriend who I hated at the time but am thankful to in the long run ... because now I love roller coasters!

So seeing as I've been on absolutely everything in Disneyland Paris, I had a think back to my trip to Walt Disney World in 2011. I missed a big one in the Magic Kingdom for sure ... Splash Mountain!

I'll be honest ... it wasn't the warmest of days and after seeing how wet people got on it we thought we would leave it until the end of the day :) But the thing is ... the queue never seemed to go down! Even towards the end of the day the queue was over an hour long. So ... we skipped it :( I didn't mind too much because just looking at that drop made my tummy flip! Sure, I can go on the biggest roller coaster you can find no problem! But for some reason Splash Mountain gives me the heebie jeebies! Maybe it's the lack of harness or seatbelt lol!

Have any of you guys been on Splash Mountain? Is it as bad as it looks!? :P

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Black this month. We will be back on July 9th with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney news, 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 ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

2nd Stop ~ The Disney Point

3rd Stop ~ The Disney Chick

4th Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

Oh là là ... and Pop Tarts!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This month's topic is our favourite thing to do outside of the theme parks!

When I'm in Disneyland Paris one of my favourite things to do is visit ... Paris :) It's SO easy to get to, since the train station is right at the gates of the park! Last time I checked a train to Paris was around 7 euros and takes around 45 minutes. Unfortunately I can't seem to find any photos of my trips to Paris ... the last time I went while also at Disneyland Paris was probably around 10 years ago (jings I hadn't realised!) when I most likely did not have a digital camera o.O

However ... lets use out imagination ... the Eiffel Tower ... Arc de Triomphe (and the crazy traffic around it ... which is pretty entertaining!) strolling through Montmartre ... the shopping ... the food! (I LOVE cheese ... pain au chocolat is another favourite French food, and I've yet to try a real French macaroon!) Paris is a fascinating and beautiful city full of inspiring and interesting people and wonderful things to see and do!

When I was in Walt Disney World a couple of years ago one of my favourite things to do outside the theme parks was quad biking! But ... once again I don't have any photos! :( No way was I taking my gorgeous new camera quad biking! :P But it was fantastic!

Another favourite thing to do was ... now I can see my fellow american blogorailers and any american readers laughing at my simpleness ... but I loved going to the mall ... and Wal-mart! There! I said it!

Seriously ... the Florida Mall and Wal-mart are nothing like the shops in the UK! Everything seems to be bigger and better! I mean ... sure we have little pick and mix stands but nothing like THIS.

Oh and candy apples the size of your head!? Yes please!

One of my favourite shops was Hot Topic, I got a Pink Power Ranger t-shirt!

Moving swiftly onto Wal-mart ... are you kidding me ... is this many Pop Tart options normal for you guys in America?? Cause over here we get Chocolate ... or Strawberry ... that's it! Maaaybe a Berry one if you're lucky ... unless we go to an American Candy store ... where they charge you a limb or two per box :P

So ... the Pop Tart options blew my mind. Then I saw these! I mean ... are these apples individually hand polished or what? What's the deal here?!

And don't even get me started on ready to bake cookies with cute little patterns on them ...

So yes ... shopping is one of my favourite things to do outside the theme parks in Florida. At least being indoors gives my pasty Scottish skin a break from the sun! :)

What are your favourite things to do outside the theme parks??

Thank you for joining me today :)

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad!

1st stop ~ The Disney Point

2nd Stop ~ The Disney Chick

3rd Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

Final Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

Collecting Disney Music

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This month's topic is our secret (or not-so-secret) Disney obsessions!

I don't really have a secret Disney obsession ... all mine are very much out in the open!

Apart from being obsessed with all things Disneyland Paris (which I thought was a bit obvious) I love to collect as much Disney music as I can!

The reason it's not so secret? I blast it out my speakers whenever a need a pick me up!

I have loads of music from Disneyland Paris parades and shows, as well as plenty from Disney movies ... check out just some of my collection!

I think I got these round about 2003 in Disneyland Paris :) My whole family went to Dlp that year for my mum's birthday so these bring back loads of awesome memories!

Happily Ever After is a collection of instrumental Disney Love songs ... perfect for relaxing to on a summers night :) I also love the wall-e soundtrack which comes in all recycled packaging!

The Legend of the Lion King Soundtrack is from 2005 I think :) this was an amazing show held in the Videopolis Theater in Discoveryland, Dlp. And the Lion King Broadway Cast Recording is from the Lyceum Theatre, London, where I went to see the show in 2009!

The Best of Disneyland Resort Paris was for the 15th Anniversary, I'm pretty sure I got this on Amazon :) Une Journee A Disneyland Paris is from Dlp although I can't remember the year I got it ... maybe around 2005 :)

The Haunted Mansion and Disney's Electrical Parade are both from Walt Disney World! I got them on my trip to Florida in 2011 :) I've always been fascinated with the Haunted Mansion and couldn't wait to see how it compared to my home-park's Phantom Manor! And the Electrical Parade took me right back to Dlp 1992 when I visited for the very first time! I couldn't believe it was in Florida when I went!

Probably one of my favourite Dlp songs ever is 'Dancin' a Catchy Rhythm', it takes me right back to all my Family Holidays in Disneyland Paris and can brighten even the dullest of days! :)

What's your favourite Disney Music??

Thank you for joining me today :)

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad.

1st stop ~ The Disney Chick

2nd Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

3rd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

Final Stop ~ The Disney Point

St Patrick's Day at Disneyland Paris!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:08:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Black!

Enjoy the ride as we discuss Springtime at Disney!

Originally I had started to research Easter in Disneyland Paris ... but there's very little information about this season online! I started to get worried until I realised I wasn't the only one ... Steve over at Dedicated to Dlp seems to have had the same problem! (Thank goodness I found this Steve ... I was going a bit coo-coo not being able to find anything!)

So I decided to focus on something else that happens during Spring - St Patrick's Day!

St Patrick's Day falls on Sunday 17th March this year - similarly there is little information online about it's celebration in Disneyland Paris for this year, but I'd imagine it'll be quite similar to what happened last year.

Last years festivities included a short, but very special St Patrick's Day Parade including Mickey and Minnie both in cute Irish attire!

Here are a couple of videos, the first from Jess DisneylandParisVidéos, which shows the parade emerging from the start of the parade route up near It's a Small World.

And this one from Redox Toon shows the parade down near Main Street Station.

The Irish dancing in this one is just fantastic! And the girls dresses are beautiful!

At night, there is also a special St Patrick's Day firework display! Check out this awesome video from Marc van der Zaag, it gave me goosebumps as Disney fireworks always do! The music is just fantastic!!

I'm not Irish ... but I am Scottish! I find our traditional music quite similar ... the heavy use of drums and bagpipes during the parade and fireworks leaves me bursting with Scottish pride! (and pride for my Irish neighbours too of course!)

I also wanted to show you guys this super cute Disneyland Paris pin for St Patrick's Day 2013!

I saw this over at Dedicated to Dlp, where you can see all the new pin releases for March this year! I just love that they've used Ariel with her red hair ... and her dress is so pretty! If I was visiting during St Patrick's Day this is definitely a pin I would pick up!

Thank you for joining me today! Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Magical Mouse Pad!

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 ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

2nd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

3rd Stop ~ The Disney Point

Final Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog

My Dream Date at Disney World!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the final stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This months topic is our Dream Date at Disney World!

I won't lie ... my first thought was to do my dream date in Disneyland Paris instead, since I'm much more of en expert on this park than Walt Disney World! But it felt a little familiar and I soon found out that I'd done that for Valentines Day last year! You can check it out here :)

So it looks like I'm sticking with Disney World after all!

I'd love love love to have a date beginning in Epcot! In 2010 I went to the food and wine festival with my boyfriend and we had so much fun going round all the food stalls! By the time we'd travelled from Canada to Mexico we were stuffed! It was fantastic ... one of the best things we did on our trip :)

I don't have any photos of our foodie antics! So have this arty farty photo of spaceship earth that I took at the end of our day instead!

Then we would head over to the Magic Kingdom to hop on some of my favourite rides like The Haunted Mansion and Peter Pan's Flight! I'd also love to see the new part of Fantasyland! The Little Mermaid is one of my favourite Disney classics, so I can't wait to go on that new attraction!

And finally, we would end our day with the Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes! The night time parades and fireworks are my most favourite things about Disney parks for sure ... so this would be a perfect end to a perfect date with my man!

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Black this month! We will be back in March with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney news, 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 ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

2nd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

3rd Stop ~ The Disney Point

4th Stop ~ The Disney Chick

Final Stop ~ Mandas Disney Blog

What keeps me going back to Disneyland Paris!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Point and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This month's topic is 'What keeps you coming back to Disney?'

I'm desperate to head back to Disneyland Paris to see the new night time show Disney Dreams! There are plenty of videos online but I've tried my best to avoid them because I'd rather see it in real life!

Source

Another thing that keeps me going back is the shopping! You just can't get as cool Disney merchandise anywhere else! I can't tell you how excited I was when they launched the Parks Collection on the UK Disney Store website last year, it doesn't have every single item from the park, but it means I can buy Park merchandise in between visits :) I got a whole bunch of kitchen things for Christmas presents last year, like this oven mitt for my dad :)

My final reason is a bit of a cliché but it's true! It's all about nostalgia and making new memories for me :) I love going back and reliving the Disney holidays with my family from my childhood, and I've taken my bf twice in the last couple of years to make new memories with him! I haven't been with my family in around seven years, I'd go back with them at the drop of a hat! It's the only place we go where we spend the whole time all together and I love seeing my mum and dad turn into the big kids that they are :)

Here I am the last time I was there ... August 2010 :) This was on my last night - it's not very clear but you can see my sad face lol! I usually try to go every couple of years and was aiming to visit last year but life got in the way! :P I'd love to go this year but only time will tell :) One thing is for sure, there is always a reason to go back to Disneyland Paris :)

Thank you for joining me today! Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Mommy Mouseketeer!

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

1st Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

2nd Stop ~ The Disney Point

3rd Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

Final Stop ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

WDW during the holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard! I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This months topic is WDW Holiday must dos! But since I've never been to WDW during the holidays I'm going to share what would be on my list! :)

Top of my list would be The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights in Disney's Hollywood Studios!

When I visited WDW in October last year I managed to see the beginnings of the lights being put up ... even in daylight and with nothing turned on, the sheer number of lights blew me away ... and they weren't even finished putting them all up yet! I'd love to see them all in their lit up glory!

My next option seems obvious ... but I'd love love love to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party! To see Cinderella Castle all lit up would be amazing! And to see Mickey's Once Upon A Christmastime Parade would be a dream come true! I've seen it so many times on tv as a child and would be thrilled to see it in real life one day! Especially Santa Claus himself!

Also ... if you've read my blog before you'll know that fireworks are my most favourite thing ever! So to see a special holiday fireworks show would be just awesome :) I'd also love to see the snow fall on Main Street! I think they do this in Disneyland Paris too ... but I've never seen either so this would be a must on my list! :)

Finally, I'd love to hop on the monorail and take a tour of as many Disney Christmas Trees as I can! Including the one in the Grand Floridian, as well as Wilderness Lodge and the Animal Kingdom Lodge! They all look absolutely breathtaking!

Thank you for joining me today! Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Mommy Mouseketeer!

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

1st Stop ~ The Disney Chick

2nd Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

3rd Stop ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

Final Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

Disney's Fantillusion Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Black! Enjoy the ride as we share our favorite night-time shows in Disney!

My favourite night time show is, without a doubt, the Disney Fantillusion Parade in Disneyland Paris!

Every night in the Summer Season, darkness falls over Main Street for this absolutely magical parade! With 12 floats and 3 'acts' ... if you're lucky enough to be there you're in for a treat!

Beginning with Mickey's Magical Garden, we're greeted by the big cheese himself to welcome us to the parade!

Following Mickey is Flora's Gazebo featuring all three fairies from Sleeping Beauty! Next up is Fauna's Carousel, then the Enchanted Butterfly flower!

But just when you think it's all magic and rainbows ... some of the most famous Disney Villains show up! And boy do they do it in style! Maleficent and Jafar transform into their dragon and snake alter-egos and tower high above the crowds, while Ursula emerges from her float in her larger than life form to cackle at her evil plans!

But alas ... this is Disney ... good always triumphs over evil ... and we are met with a Happy Ending Finale! Snow White and her Prince, Ariel and Prince Eric, Belle and her Beast and Jasmine and Aladdin light up the street with magical stars from giant disco balls! Finally a gorgeous Princess Minnie waves us farewell!

A whopping 400,000 light bulbs are used across all the floats, as well as 60km of cabling! To power the floats, 9 tonnes of batteries are used every night and recharged for the next day. And music from the film each float portrays is woven into the main Fantillusion theme!

Although Fantillusion currently my favourite night-time show, I'm pretty sure Disney Dreams! will replace it once I finally get to see it! I'm hoping to return to Disneyland Paris next year :)

Thank you for joining me today! Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The CanaDisney Blog

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

1st Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

2nd Stop ~ The CanaDisney Blog

3rd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

4th Stop ~ The Disney Point

Final Stop ~ The Disney Chick

One Woman Disney Series by Sidonie Smith!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:32:00 +0000

Happy Monday one and all! If you've read my blog before, you may remember my 'Disney Lols' I used to post on a Monday for anyone who needed a giggle ! (Cause let's face it ... Monday is my least favourite day of the week ... so I'm pretty sure it's the same for many of you guys too!)

I haven't posted any in a looong time ... but today ... I have a very different way of bringing you a smile! If you haven't heard of her already ... may I introduce to you the amazing ... Sidonie Smith!

Isn't she awesome!? This is the first video from her One Woman Disney Series ... after this one I couldn't wait for more! Sure enough, another appeared a few weeks later!
If you love Hercules ... you'll LOVE this!

And I can reveal that Sidonie is releasing the latest video in her One Woman Disney Series ... today! Here it is! :D

This new video is absolutely astounding ... I just can't find enough words ... it's brilliant!! What do you guys think!? :)

Please head on over to her video and show her the love she deserves for this awesome piece of home-made Disney magic!

I was lucky enough to be able to interview Sidonie to find out more about her One Woman Disney Series and a little about herself too!

Tell us a little about yourself ... where are you from? What's it like there? What do

you do for a living?

I am a Miami girl -- a regular sun-loving, flip-flop-wearing beach bum. However, my current

home is beautiful Vienna, Austria! Vienna is so very different from Miami - there's no beach,

but there sure are some awesome sites to see-- especially at Christmastime!

As for "work", I play a nun for a living! I'm in the original Austrian cast of the Broadway

musical "Sister Act"!

I hear you have your very own Prince Charming! How did you two meet?

I met Charming once upon a time while we were doing a musical together! Since then

we've done just about everything together! He even helps me shoot my One Woman

Disney series! :)

Where did your passion for all things musical begin?

Long before I can even remember! My mom dropped me off at my first piano lesson when I

was 4, and I haven't stopped since then. I was really blessed to attend performing arts schools

from kindergarten all the way through high school graduation, and I had opportunity to

experiment with different instruments and well as visual arts, dance, theatre and more. I

started composing and arranging for strings when I was about 12 because of an assignment

from my school orchestra teacher, and after that I was officially hooked!

Have you ever worked at any of the Disney Parks? What was it like?

Yes! Working at Disney's Animal Kingdom was a dream come true. I couldn't believe I was

being paid to go to the happiest place on earth every day and make people smile! I performed

in a show called Safari Celebration and got to meet sweet people from all over the world! I

think my favorite part of working for the Mouse was the wonderful atmosphere! From park

guests to other Cast Members, it really is a happy, positive place to be!

What inspired you to do your awesome One Woman Disney Series?

Well, I was definitely inspired by my friends' Nick Pitera and Heather Traska's one person

Disney videos! They are both phenomenal YouTubers and such genuinely great people!

As for me, I love a good artistic outlet! Although I have the opportunity to work on such an

excellent production every day, it really is exhilarating to get the chance to not only perform

but completely design, arrange and bring to life a vision like I can with this One Woman

Disney series!

You're videos are amazing! And you put them together yourself from scratch! How on

earth do you go about doing that!? What's the process like?

Believe or not, all the magic happens...in my living room! :) I usually write the arrangement

and record from my couch. Then I begin designing makeup, story boarding and sketching out

my filming schedule. Charming and I shoot everything over the course of a couple days and

then it's back to the couch for editing :)

Your make up looks are gorgeous! How do you come up with them? Do you have a

favourite?

Aww, thanks! I think my favorite is the Leopard Eye look from my first One Woman Disney

video. I actually got so much feedback on that look that I decided to do my first ever make-up

tutorial based on it (you can find it on my channel under Leopard Eye Tutorial). My

inspiration mainly comes from the films. That's where I get my color palette, and then I build

my concept based on the characters from there! I love big, bold eye shadow and glitter! I've

always been a girl who gets dressed from the eyelids down! ;)

Out of the videos you've done so far, do you have a favourite and why? (It doesn't

have to be a Disney one! :) )

Well, I think I'd have to say this one (Reflection)! I love that it's multi-lingual, but more than

that, I love the concept and the message this video conveys!

Do you have plans for more One Woman Disney Series future videos? Can you give

us any teasers?

Absolutely! I have a new one in the works already! All I can tell you is that it will feature lots

of larger than life characters that you've never seen from me before! ;)

What's your all time favourite Disney movie?

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame"! But I'm also very partial to "Up"!

Do you have a favourite Disney character?

Hmmm..that's a tough one. I'm going to go with Ed :) (The Lion King)

Finally ... just for me ... have you ever been to Disneyland Paris?? (If yes, what was

your favourite thing about it? If not ... what would you look forward to the most?)

Not yet! But I have a trip planned for this Christmas! Im so excited:). If anyone out there has

suggestions or must-sees for me please tweet me (@siddielove)!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm sure I have a reader or two who can help out with Disneyland Paris suggestions! Including myself! :P I'm so excited for you Sid!! You'll have an amazing time! :D

You can find Sidonie at all these places!

Facebook: facebook.com/sidoniesmithofficialpage

Instagram: siddielove

Twitter: @siddielove

Pinterest: siddielove

YouTube: youtube.com/siddielove

www.sidoniesmith.com

She posts backstage pics, Sister Act fun and Disney Series updates regularly! If you decide to follow her please say hello! She'd love to meet you! :)

Thank you SO MUCH Sidonie for sharing your amazing talent with the world!! And thank you for allowing me to interview you for all my Disney loving readers! I wish you all the best in everything you do and I can't wait for the next video in your One Woman Disney Series!

Favourite Attraction Music!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail :)

I love this months topic! Our favourite attraction music! I have way too many ... my favourite as a kid was ... wait for it ... It's a Small World! Yep - not a popular choice among the Disney fans, I know, mostly for its repetitiveness ... some even say it's creepy! But apparently ... I adored it! :P

Here's a brilliant video of It's a Small World in Disneyland Paris if you'd like to check it out!

I still love it these days - but I keep it a closely guarded secret because most people look at me like I'm speaking Japanese ... and they don't speak Japanese ... heh :P

My older self absolutely loves the Phantom Manor music ... especially around this time of year!

But my absolute favourite (I don't know if this counts ... I don't think it does but I'm rolling with it!) is the music from the Fantillusion Parade! It carries the BEST memories for me, from holidays with my family and also with my bf :) And fireworks are my favourite ... so the Fantillusion music always means fireworks are never far away! :D

I'll never ever forget the first time I saw this parade! It's absolutely breathtaking! And it still gives me goosebumps every single time :)

Here's the music on it's own, if you want to hear a cleaner version :)

I can't wait to see what all the other members of the Black line have chosen as their favourite attraction music! Music is such a huge part of the Disneyland Paris (and other Disney Parks!) experience ... and it always brings back such magical memories, I can close my eyes and be right back in those moments!

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is (What's Going on in) Heidi's Head!

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

1st Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

2nd Stop ~ Capturing Magical Memories

3rd Stop ~ The Disney Chick

4th Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

Final Stop ~ (What's Going on in) Heidi's Head

30 Days to 30 Years - 1998!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 11:49:00 +0000

Last week I was a guest blogger for the '30 Days to 30 Years' series celebrating 30 years of Epcot over at Distherapy! I was on holiday so I didn't manage to blog about it ... but now that I'm back I hope you'll hop over and check it out!

Click on the banner below to read all about the great 'Figment Flap' in Epcot in 1998!

Please be sure to check out all the other bloggers taking part by clicking the button below!

And congratulations to Donna for putting together another fantastic series!
Thank you so much for asking me to be a part of it! :)

Most Memorable Disney Meal

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from Return to Disney and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail :)

This months topic is Most memorable Disney Meal!

Mine was in the magical 'Auberge De Cendrillon' (or Cinderella's Restaurant) in Fantasyland in Disneyland Paris! My family and I had an amazing meal there to celebrate my mum's birthday.

Source: Photosmagiques

It sits behind Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant in an inn like building that matches the architecture of the castle itself. Outside there's a really cute Cinderella fountain, as well as a gorgeous pumpkin shaped carriage overlooking the outside seating area.

Inside, there are five Renaissance-style rooms, all decorated with paintings and tapestries showing famous scenes from Cinderella's story.

Source: Photosmagiques

I don't have any photos of my experience there, I was only 15 at the time so I didn't have my own camera! But I do remember desert! It was awesome! It was almost identical to this chocolate slipper desert from Cinderella's Royal Table in the Magic Kingdom!

Source: WDWMagic

On the night we visited, the restaurant was so busy they actually forgot to bring out my mums birthday cake that my dad had ordered with the restaurant! So to make up for it they invited us back another evening later in our holiday - this night was so quiet compared to the first night we were there! So at the end of our meal they brought out the cake with what felt like the entire staff of the restaurant singing happy birthday! It was so funny! And more than made up for them forgetting her cake on her birthday!

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Mommy Mouseketeer!

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

1st Stop ~ The Disney Point

2nd Stop ~ Return to Disney

3rd Stop ~ Mandas Disney Blog

4th Stop ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

Final Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

Grand Floridian and Port Orleans Riverside!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard!

I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This months topic is Favourite WDW Resort!

Having never stayed in any of the WDW resorts ... I did a little research and decided to share with you the ones I would most love to visit!

First up, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa! This resort looks breath-taking! The elegant Victorian feel reminds me of the charm of Main Street ... one of my favourite parts of the Magic Kingdom :) And a white sand beach? Yes please!

Have any of you guys been to the Grand Floridian? What's it like?! :D

Another resort that caught my eye was the Port Orleans Riverside Resort :) Inspired by rural Louisiana, it reminds me of riding round Thunder Mountain on Molly Brown and Mark Twain riverboats in Disneyland Paris! This is one of my favourite things to do to chill out at dlp ... so what better theme for somewhere else where I'd love to relax!

Also the new Royal Guest rooms look so awesome! Check this out from wdw.infocom!

Fireworks are my favourite thing ever! So it's safe to say I'd be mesmerised for hours by that fireworks display above the bed! I wonder if I can get one at home!

Has anyone been to the Port Orleans Riverside Resort? Or even stayed in a Royal Guest room?? Is it as amazing as it looks?

On my last (and first!) visit to WDW last October, I stayed in a villa, which was fantastic! But I hope one day I can go for the whole Disney experience and stay in one of these amazing Disney Resorts!

Thank youfor joining me today :) Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is

Mommy Mouseketeer!

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

1st Stop ~ The Disney Chick

2nd Stop ~ Mandas Disney Blog

3rd Stop ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

4th Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

Final Stop ~ The Disney Point

Disneyland Paris Attractions in America!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Black. Enjoy the ride as we share what attractions, shows, and parades from Disneyland Paris that we would like to see in the parks in the U.S.

The first thing that sprung to mind for me was the brand new Disney Dreams! night time show! Imagine all those fountains and special effects surrounding the castle in the Magic Kindgom! And the one in Disneyland! It would be unbelievable! Hopefully they're planning to take the show to other Disney parks soon!

But I thought that was an obvious choice since it's the newest show to hit Disneyland Paris ... so I tried to pick something else ... I came up with Toy Story Playland in Walt Disney Studios! This new addition to Walt Disney Studios in 2010 is absolutely magical! Walking around feeling the size of a toy is just so cool!

And the new attractions are amazing! First up ... RC Racer! Now this ride looks fairly tame but don't be fooled! I was surprised at how good it was!

Next ... Toy Soldier Parachute Drop! Same story ... it looks pretty tame but believe me ... it's a wild one! The thing I like the most is the view you get way up there! And you get more of a chance to take it all in than you do on the Tower of Terror!

Finally ... Slinky Dog Zig Zag Spin! I don't have a photo of this one ... and I haven't ridden it either! The last time I visited Disneyland Paris, Toy Story Playland was brand new, and (surprisingly) Slinky was the busiest! It looks brilliant for younger kids, they can get the thrill of a roller coaster without any scary loops and high speeds!

Although Disney's Hollywood Studios has Pixar Place with the amazing Midway Mania ... I'd love to see these larger than life attractions from Toy Story Playland in the U.S park too!

Thank you for joining me today!

Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Mommy Mouseketeer!

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 ~ Mandas Disney Blog

2nd Stop ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

3rd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

4th Stop ~ The Disney Point

Final Stop ~ My Dreams of Disney

Jumping into a Disney movie!

noreply@blogger.com (Manda) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Chick and those of you just hopping aboard.

I am the Final stop on our Magical Blogorail!

This months topic is 'If you could jump into any Disney movie (animated or live action) and experience it as if it were "real life," which movie would you choose and why?'

Mine is one of my most favourite Disney movies ... Enchanted!

It would be so much fun bursting into song in every day life (and having everyone join in with you!) just like Giselle when she sings 'That's How You Know'!

And whenever I have to clean my room ... the 'Happy Working Song' is a must! Did you know it pays tribute to past Disney songs 'Whistle While You Work', 'The Work Song' from Cinderella and 'A Spoonful of Sugar'? How cool is that!? :)

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I dance about my room with the duster singing along ... pretending I'm Giselle definitely makes cleaning much more fun!

Another scene I wish I could jump right into is the 'King and Queen's Ball' ... 'So Close' is one of my most favourite Disney Songs ever! And although the scene ends a little sad for Giselle ... it's absolutely gorgeous throughout! I wish I could go to a ball this big and grand in real life!

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Black this month. We will be back in July with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs in between loops to keep up to date with our Disney news, 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 ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

2nd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

3rd Stop ~ The Disney Point

4th Stop ~ The Disney Chick

Final Stop ~ Mandas Disney Blog