Pursuing the Magic

Magical Blogorail ~ Rainy Days in Disney

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Blue. Today we are sharing our favorite things to do in Disney on a rainy day.

For us, the rain cannot stop us from entering the parks. Of course, we attempt to spend some time on more of the indoor attractions to keep as dry as possible! Though there are plenty of places in Epcot to spend some indoor time exploring, my kids favorite place is in the Imagination! Pavilion at the ImageWorks - What If Labs. Not only do the kids get to explore, but they also get to jump around. With three children who love all kinds of music, this is the perfect spot to spend some time in Disney out of the rain!

The What If Labs are the area of the Imagination! Pavilion you enter, upon exiting the Journey into Imagination with Figment attraction. In this area, there are two things my children particularly love. First is the Melody Maker. Guests can use their arms to create music, which is actually the melody of One Little Spark. Joey goes all out as if he is conducting and orchestra! Now that my children are all tall enough to reach to play around here, it is one of their favorite things to do in Epcot. On previous trips, I have had to hold Emily up to be able to test this out.

The second part of the What If Labs that my children absolutely love is the Stepping Tones. Children get to jump tile to tile. Each tile has a different musical instrument on it. If they land on the tile when it is lit, they hear the instrument sound. On a rainy day, this is a great place to get a little energy out while staying dry! My kids look forward to playing here every trip. Here is a quick video of the kids jumping around (this is from our 2010 trip when they were 5, 3 and 2). Emily loved copying everything Hayley was doing!

There are many places to enjoy Disney magic on rainy days, but for my children, at their ages, this spot is just right for us!

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on our Magical Blogorail loop is

Disney Babies Blog

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic (You are here!)
2nd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog
3rd Stop ~ Cooking with Mickey
Final Stop ~ A Disney Mom's Thoughts

The 1997 Toy Story Parade ~ Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 02 May 2013 12:45:00 +0000

Today I am joining in the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Focused on the Magic with what some may call "vintage" Disney.

Before having children, my husband and I took a trip to Walt Disney World during the month of May in 1997 for our friends' wedding. One of my favorite things from this trip was the Toy Story Parade at Disney MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios). I really miss these movie themed parades. The Toy Story one was really fun. My kids are huge fans of these characters, so I hope one day, Disney will bring this one back (though I am sure they will not!).

If you haven't seen this parade, there is a great video on You Tube, well there are several, but I found one uploaded by Disneyworld144 from 1997.

Make sure you head over to

Focused on the Magic

to see everyone's May Calendar Shots. This is a great way to bring a little Disney into your day as you stroll through this virtual photo album!

Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia ~ The Star Tours Possibilities

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:08:00 +0000

Time for another week of Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia, a fun blog hop hosted by Disney Babies Blog, Heidi's Head, Magical Mouse Schoolhouse and My Dreams of Disney. I normally choose just a random trivia fact, but with Star Wars Weekends beginning this month in Disney's Hollywood Studios, I used the Walt Disney World Fun Facts App and scrolled though the facts until I found a Star Tours one. For all you super fans of Star Tours, here's a fun fact:

You would have to ride Star Tours 2 for six hours straight to have all 54 possible experiences.

I love Star Tours, especially since the upgrade. C-3PO is a fun addition as the "pilot." We have ridden several times and have been to Hoth, Tatooine, Coruscant, and flown through an asteroid field before seeing the unfinished Death Star. There are a few scenes we have not experienced yet, but hopefully one day, we will manage to see them all ... well, hopefully, without having to ride for 6 hours straight.

Which scene is your favorite?

Make sure you head over to

Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

for more Disney trivia.

Boston Strong

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:49:00 +0000

15 Pictures for 15 Years of Disney's Animal Kingdom ~ Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:55:00 +0000

As we close in on the 15th anniversary of Disney's Animal Kingdom, I was excited to see this week's theme for the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Focused on the Magic ~ Flora, Fauna, Fantasy 15. I decided to create a collage of 15 photos that we have taken from the parks over our last few trips. Animal Kingdom is a park we spend more and more time in each trip, as we discover more and more of what it has to offer!

Make sure you head over to

Focused on the Magic

and take a stroll through this virtual Disney photo album

Be Inspired ...

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:24:00 +0000

Here is the photo I captured of Main Street the morning of the
Princess Half Marathon, February 2013

My big goal for this year was to run in the Princess Half marathon. Unfortunately due to a knee injury, I was unable to participate. It was a very difficult decision for me, but in the long run, it was the right one. But on the morning of the marathon, I went into the Magic Kingdom to see all the runners make there way down Main Street. Though I wasn't running, the excitement was in the air. I felt teary-eyed seeing all these amazing princesses (and a few princes sprinkled in there too) accomplish such a great feat. In that moment, as much motivation I had to one day be a part of a runDisney event, my inspiration was beyond words. As soon as I came home from our vacation, I got to work on a running plan that would build and strengthen my knee to participate in this amazing event. (This first paragraph was written about a week before the following paragraphs. Though this post started out as being inspired to complete a marathon, with recent events, it has become less about running and Disney, than it is about living my life and being the person I strive to be.)

But over the course of the last five days, things have changed. Somewhere deep inside has grown a desire to be better, and not just when it comes to running. To be positive. To do more. In the last five days, my two year old nephew, who fought and beat cancer and was declared in remission in November, has had a stroke, brain surgery and was told his cancer has returned. Our family has known this was always a possibility, but never could I imagine it would happen so soon. But the positive is, this is curable and his recent scan showed no cancer in his bone marrow. Children with his form of cancer have had relapses and have beaten it a second time. I know if there is a kid who will do it, it is Dustin.

Just two days ago, another event, the bombings of the Boston marathon, hit home. I have friends who have run in this event, though not this year. I have spent a few Patriots Days in Boston enjoying the rich history and camaraderie the marathon brings out in this city many times. Seeing the heroes who showed themselves in the face of fear, inspired me. Hearing about runners who ran 26 miles, then went and gave blood, inspired me.

As I went for my run today, I couldn't stop thinking:

Be inspired by the positive - no one ever crossed great hurdles in their lives by focusing on the negative
Be inspired by those who show compassion and kindness above their fear and anger to calm and help others
Be inspired by those who have accomplished something you think you can't because most likely they once thought that too
Be inspired by those who fought a battle they were told they wouldn't win, yet they did

There are so many thing that inspire me, but being positive and focusing on the good is what gets me through day to day, even though that is not always easy. I would love to know what inspires you to get through the difficult days you face?

Magical Blogorail ~ My Imaginary Limited Time Magic Week

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Blue. This month we are getting creative and sharing some of our ideas for potential Limited Time Magic Weeks in Disney parks.

I love the idea of the Limited Time Magic weeks for this year's Disney promotion. I think it is a great way to bring something unique to each visitors vacation, as well as bring to the parks some extra fun. As I tried to come up with a good idea for my post, I thought of what I love at Disney that isn't always around when I visit. That is Epcot's Food and Wine Festival. Then, I tried to find a way to fit it into my favorite Disney park, which is the Magic Kingdom. So here is my Limited Time Magic week:

Fantasy Food Fair

Ok, so the name could use a little more creativity, but how about a food festival around the Magic Kingdom based on favorite attractions and characters? Here is what I imagine you would find for booths throughout the park (I could have written a book here, but decided to stick with just two or three booths per park section!):

In Adventureland:

Swiss Family Robinson Tree House: Fruit and Vegetable dishes with a polynesian/tropical twist (even in the kitchen as you walk through the tree house, there table is covered in fruits and vegetables)
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin: Moroccan themed dishes from lamb to couscous and more
Pirates of the Caribbean: Caribbean Themed Foods, such as the jerk chicken they serve at Epcot's Food and Wine Festival (one of my favorites!)

Liberty Square:

Hall of Presidents: A selection of foods from colonial America to today, from apple pie to johnny cakes to cranberry themed dishes
Liberty Belle Riverboat: Princess and the Frog/Mardi Gras themed foods from red beans and rice to beignets
Haunted Mansion: To celebrate along with the ghosts in the ballroom, this booth would have party themed cupcakes and sweet, ghostly treats to choose from

Fantasyland:

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Honey themed foods would be at the forefront here. Honey Lime Chicken sandwiches (we make these at home a lot) to tea flavored with honey to honey themed sweet treats
Mad Tea Party: Tea party finger foods would be the offerings here, along with many flavors of tea sample
Pete's Silly Sideshow: Circus foods would be the highlight here from corn dogs to caramel popcorn to roasted peanuts

Tomorrowland:

Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin: Here Pizza Planet would be the theme! Maybe even an offering of Mrs. Nesbitt's tea!
Stitich's Great Escape: Foods from this booth would, of course, have a Polynesian flair, and even include Stitch juice, which is served at the Best Friends Character Breakfast at 'Ohana.

This would be a fun promotion for one of the Limited Time Magic weeks, well, at least I think it would be! I know I would enjoying the samples while we toured the parks.

What food booth would you create for a Fantasy Food Fair?

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on our Magical Blogorail is

The CanaDisney Blog

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorial loop should you happen to have to make a stop and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic (You are here!)

2nd Stop ~ The CanDisney Blog

3rd Stop ~ Disney Babies Blog

4th Stop ~ Days in the Park

We Pursued & Found the Magic This Week with Disney Inspirations, Joey the Jedi and more

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 12:33:00 +0000

In case you missed any of our posts from this week, here is a quick recap:

We kicked off the week by participating in the all new Magical Blogorail Rides Again Blog Hop by resharing our Disney Inspirations post.
For Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia, I shared some fun information about Disney's Animal Kingdom and how the recreated the landscape for Kilimanjaro Safaris.
The theme of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop was the letter J. I shared a fun photo of my son, "J"oey, from the "J"edi Training Academy in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
With my children experiencing so many new things this past trip, a cast member gave me a great way to celebrate these Disney firsts without breaking the bank.

As you know, we are always trying to find ways to bring a little Disney into our day. This week, to surprise Joey and Hayley and our neighbors' two children, Emily and I made some beignets for an after school snack. Emily loves Princess Tiana, and anytime she can take out her Princess and the Frog Cookbook and create something, she is happy!

How did you bring a little Disney into your week this week?

Cow Pasture to Safari at Disney's Animal Kingdom? Time for the Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:48:00 +0000

It's time for more Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia, a blog hop hosted by My Dreams of Disney, Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, Heidi's Head and Disney Babies Blog. As we are closing in on the 15th anniversary of Disney's Animal Kingdom, I decided to go with a little trivia from this park. As always, I used the Walt Disney World Fun Facts app to randomly choose my Disney fact.

The area used for Kilimanjaro Safaris was previously a flat cow pasture. Disney brought in every hill, mountain and elevation change.

I would never have guessed this, though how can I be surprised that Disney would go to such lengths to create an authentic safari for its guests? I love Kilimanjaro Safaris! But knowing this little tidbit of trivia certainly gives me a better appreciation of Disney's attention to detail.

To read more Disney trivia, head over to

Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

to see what everyone else shared and link in with your own tidbit of Disney information!

Looking to take a look back at the changes Disney's Animal Kingdom has seen over the last 15 years? Make sure you head over to DIStherapy for the 15 Days to 15 Years series, which is a countdown to the park's 15th anniversary.

Commemorating a Little Ones "Firsts" ~ Celebrating Emily's 1st Ride on Space Mountain

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:07:00 +0000

This article was originally published on March 19, 2013 in the WDW Daily News Newsletter #273, as part of my Making Magical Memories column.

During our most recent trip to Walt Disney World, we experienced many new things, from attractions to new-to-us character dining spots to shows. Most of our new experiences came from finally having all three children tall enough to experience just about every attraction in all four theme parks, as well as gaining a love of new characters over the past year that they were not so familiar with during our previous trips. Our youngest daughter, Emily, is by far our bravest when it comes to experiencing new things; whereas Hayley is a bit more timid but is usually willing to try something new at least once, and our oldest Joey is down right scared of just about anything new.

Emily (our youngest) is the first of our three children to experience Space Mountain. Hayley and Joey want nothing to do with it! Maybe one of these years, but Emily’s courage to try it and a very special cast member sparked off an idea of mine to commemorate some of our “firsts” in Disney. As I waited for Emily and my husband to exit Space Mountain, I struck up a conversation with the cast member standing there. I told her it was Emily’s first time on Space Mountain, and she immediately wrote up a certificate to give Emily as she came off the ride. When Emily finally came into sight, I was relieved to see she was smiling. Honestly, she is brave but I wasn’t so sure how she would react. When I read her the certificate, she was beaming! We headed into the gift shop and found a Space Mountain pin to commemorate her first trip on Space Mountain, which is a normal tradition for us. If you try something new and had to be brave to try it, you get a pin. As we turned to leave the gift shop, the cast member I had spoken to earlier came up to us with a celebration button (the ones you can get free from Town Hall) and she had filled it in with “First Trip on Space Mountain.” All the fanfare made Emily extremely excited, and she could not wait to show Joey and Hayley.

I always see everyone around the parks with the birthday, anniversary and all those Disney buttons you can get. It never occurred to me to use one to celebrate one of my kids trying something new. This was definitely a celebration for us, and it even encouraged Joey and Hayley to try a few other new things later in our trip. Of course, they didn’t attempt Space Mountain, but for Joey, trying anything new is always something to celebrate! Even better, now that we are home, both Joey and Hayley have mentioned to Emily how brave she was, and they have even talked about trying Space Mountain next trip . . . well, maybe!

So next time your little one does something special, you don’t necessarily have to purchase the expensive Disney pins. Head to Town Hall and make your own celebration with an “I’m celebrating …. “ button. Don’t forget to bring your sharpie too, so you can fill it in, and your little one can wear it proudly. Believe me, Emily received as much attention for her “1st Time on Space Mountain” pin, as we have seen people get for birthday and anniversary pins!

How do you commemorate your child's Disney "firsts?"

Joey the Jedi for the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop ~ It's All About the Letter J

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:43:00 +0000

Today I am joining in the fun of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Deb at Focused on the Magic. The theme this week is the letter J and just so happens my son's name is "J"oey. So this week my hardest part of choosing photos was not choosing too many! I probably could create a complete photo book of just Joey and his Disney trips. But I digress! As I searched through my photos, I realized that how perfect for "J" to share photos of my Jedi Joey.

Joey took on Darth Vader like a pro! He will be sharing his review of the Jedi Training Academy in a future post, but I can say, this is one of his favorite things in Walt Disney World!

Make sure you head over to

Focused on the Magic

to take a stroll through this virtual photo album of everyone's favorite Disney J's!

All New Blog Hop Begins Today ~ The Magical Blogorail Rides Again

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:01:00 +0000

I am so excited that over at the Magical Blogorail we have started an all new blog hop. We are going back through some of our most popular topics and asking you to share your posts - old and new. This week's theme is "Disney Inspirations."

To link up your post, whether you wrote it two years ago, yesterday or any time in between, head over to

The Magical Blogoorail Rides Again

and share your Disney inspirations!

This is a great way to share your Disney perspective, as well as bring a little life to those older posts that your new readers may not have seen yet!

Disney Hats ~ Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 13:03:00 +0000

It's time for another week of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Focused on the Magic. I have talked about Disney hats here a few times because we use the "dress up" time (that's what the girls call trying on all the hats and Mickey Ears) as a way to get Hayley into a shop to cool off (she easily overheats when it is warm out) and a way to entertain the kids while waiting for the thrill seekers in our travel party to come off the rides the kids aren't tall enough for or too scared to experience.

Here are a few of my favorite "Disney Hat" photos from this past trip:

To see more fun Disney hats, head over to

Focused on the Magic

to take a stroll through this vrirutal photo album of Disney fun!

1,000 Years of Service at Disney's Polynesian Resort ~ Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:46:00 +0000

Time again for another week of Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia Blog Hop hosted by Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, My Dreams of Disney, Disney Babies Blog and Heidi's Head!

For my trivia this week, I found a great bit of information by using the Walt Disney World Fun Facts App, about our favorite Walt Disney World resort - Disney's Polynesian Resort. We have stayed at this resort twice and can't wait to return! From the landscaping to the cast members to the proximity to the Magic Kingdom, it is a wonderful place to stay!

16 cast members have stayed with the Polynesian since opening day, and the entire Polynesian cast represents about 1,000 years of service at the resort. The Polynesian has one of the largest percentages of original Cast Members any where in Walt Disney World.

The Polynesian is one of our favorite resorts on Disney property, and we definitely find the cast to be some of the friendliest around.

To see what other Disney trivia was shared this week, head over to

Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

and join in the fun!

Disney Movie Club ~ Is It Worth It? That's a Yes for Us

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

The Disney Movie Club is one of the ways we have built our Disney movie collection. The selection has been great, especially since we have been attempting to change over our DVD collection to all Blu-rays (or at least the ones released so far!). Through the movie club, we purchased movies that we have not necessarily considered when looking at our local department stores and never seeing their price drop below $25. With the movie club, we felt at ease using our "free" movies to purchase all movies we had never seen before.

As part of our membership agreement, we would get 5 movies for $1.00 with the purchase of one movie. We also had the option to purchase another movie at a special price, though this did not count toward our membership agreement (we purchased it anyways). Once part of the club, we were required to purchase four more movies at regular price over the next year. All the titles in blue are the movies that counted toward our commitment.

First Order: Total $21.90

Bolt (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ($0.20)
Enchanted Christmas (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ($11.95)
Gnomeo and Juliet (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ($0.20)
Ratatouille (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ($0.20)
The Incredibles (4-Disc) ($8.95)
Tinker Bell (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ($0.20)
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) ($0.20)

Second Order (Free Shipping when purchasing 2 or more, 40 % off 2nd Movie): Total $33.92

Lady and the Tramp (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) $24.95
Prep and Landing (DVD) $8.97

Third Order (Free Shipping when purchasing 2 or more, 40% off 2nd movie): Total $52.92

Winnie the Pooh (Blu-ray/DVD Combo, 3 Disc Set) $34.94
Alice in Wonderland (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) $17.97

Fourth Order (Featured Title, 2 Movie Combo Pack): Total $35.39

Disney Nature African Cats (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) $21.95
Disney Nature Earth (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) $8.00
Shipping & Handling $5.44

Fifth Order (Featured Title - 2 Movie Combo): Total $45.39

The Aristocats (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) $29.95
The Rescuers/Rescuers 2 (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) $10
Shipping & Handling $5.44

To compare how the Disney Movie Club compares to our local department store, I will say the cost of each Blu-ray/DVD combo is $24.97 (all movies ranged from $22.97 to $34.97, though most cost $24.97). The Prep & Landing DVD in store was $9.97.

Here's why we think the Disney Movie Club was great for us:

We purchased 13 Blu-ray/DVD Combos and 1 DVD
Through the Disney Movie Club, we spent $189.52, which averaged $13.54 per movie
In our local department store, we would have spent $334.58, which averages $23.90 per movie.

Clearly for us, joining the Disney Movie Club saved us money - just over $10 per movie.

A Few Extra Tips to Make the Most of Your Membership:

Once you complete your commitment, anytime you purchase one movie at full price, you get any other movies for 50% off and free shipping. So if we purchase one movie at full price, even if you purchase 9 more in the same order, those 9 will all be 50% off.
If you keep your membership going 30 days after you fulfill your commitment, you become a VIP Member. You then have weekly VIP deals, as well as the option to purchase pins for $4.95 with each movie purchased at full price.
If you are thinking of joining the Disney Movie Club, ask around! If you have a friend who refers you to the movie club, they get two free movies. This also means when you are a member, for each friend you refer you get two free movies.

Are you a Disney Movie Club member?

What are your best tips for getting the most out of your membership?

Magical Blogorail ~ Festival of the Lion King

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Welcome to those of you joining me from Heidi's Head and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the final stop on this month's Magical Blogorail Teal loop.

There are plenty of attractions around Walt Disney World (and all Disney parks) that give tired feet a break from park touring. One of our favorites is Festival of the Lion King in Disney's Animal Kingdom. We did not experience this live musical show until 2011. We had always skipped it for no reason in particular other than we were off doing other things. After that first experience with the show, it made it to the top of our list of things to do in Walt Disney World.

When you enter Festival of the Lion King, guests sit in four sections around a center stage. The well known characters from The Lion King are portrayed by humans in elaborate African costumes, other than Timon, who portrays himself. If you know the songs from the movie, as well as the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight, you will be singing along with each and every one of them as the performers retell the story of Simba and how he became king through singing, dancing, acrobatics and more. Our favorite part of the show is by far the monkeys!

So if you are in Disney's Animal Kingdom and you are looking to take a break from park touring, I highly recommend you head to Camp Minnie-Mickey and see Festival of the Lion King. It is a great show, and gives you 30 minutes off your feet in an air conditioned theater. It is now on our "must do" list!

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Teal this month! We will be back in April with an all new theme. Keep checking in with our blogs between loops to keep up to date on all our Disney news, stories and photos. If you are looking for more Disney magic, head over to the Magical Blogorail website, where you can find links to all our members' blogs and our previous loops.

Here is the map to our Magical Blogorail Loop should you happen to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~ Capturing Magical Memories
2nd Stop ~ YourFirstVisit.Net
3rd Stop ~ The Many Adventures of a Disney-Lovin' Spectrum Mom
4th Stop ~ Heidi's Head
Final Stop ~ Pursuing the Magic (You are here!)

We Pursued & Found the Magic this week with Big Thunder Mountain Trivia, Mike Wazowski at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival and more!

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 12:30:00 +0000

We are finally settling back into our post vacation routine and possibly getting over our Disney withdrawals! Of course, on return from our Walt Disney World vacation, we are already starting to plan our next vacation. This trip was quite amazing with all of us experiencing many new things, which we will share over the upcoming weeks.

Here's what happened here at Pursuing the Magic this week in case you missed any of our posts:

We joined in the Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia Blog Hop and shared a photo from my daughter's first trip on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, as well as some trivia about the train cars!
I created a Pinterest board with all the articles Disney bloggers shared as part of the 40 Days to 40 Years series (a countdown series that brought Disney fans from around the web together) to celebrate Walt Disney World's 40th Anniversary. DIStherapy created this series, as well as many other anniversary countdowns, which I will be adding Pinterest boards for over the course of the next few weeks.
We celebrated the arrival of spring for the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop by sharing a photo of the Mike Wazowski topiary at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival.
As part of the Growing Up Disney Minnie Moms, I shared what I would purchase as a Disney souvenir if I had an unlimited Disney budget. To see what I would purchase, head over to Growing Up Disney and go window shopping with the Minnie Moms.

At the Magical Blogorail:

Magical Blogorail Orange discussed one of my favorite Disney planning topics ~ Disney Dining. They shared their favorite dining spots outside the theme parks. Hop aboard to see what they shared!
Magical Blogorail Green took us back in time to their first trips. Hop aboard to take a stroll down memory lane!

How did you find Disney magic this week?

We would love to hear about it!

The Magical Blogorail's Green Line Shares First Disney Memories

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Today, my friends at the Magical Blogorail on the Green line are sharing their favorite first Disney memories. My first trip was in 1986, and this loop takes me back to that trip! The kids and I even took out my mom's album of that trip when I was just a teen.

To reminisce along with Walt Disney World: It's Not Just for Kids, Mouse on the Mind, Your Highway in the Sky, Disney Living and A Disney Mom's Thoughts, hop aboard

Magical Blogorail Green

and take a step back in time ay Disney parks!

Disney Window Shopping with the Growing Up Disney Minnie Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:31:00 +0000

Today, I am window shopping over at Growing Up Disney with the Minnie Moms. This month we are sharing what souvenir we would purchase for ourselves if we had an unlimited budget. To see what Disney luxury items we would all love to have in our homes, head over to

Growing Up Disney Minnie Moms

While there, make sure you let us know what you would purchase with an unlimited Disney budget!

Celebrating Spring in Disney ~ Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:37:00 +0000

I love this week's theme for the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Focused on the Magic ~ Spring Fever! Either as I age I am getting less tolerant of our New Hampshire winters, or this winter has been particularly long and cold! Either way, I am ready for spring, and what better way to get in the mood than share some photos from Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival.

Last week I shared the Phineas and Ferb topiaries and this week I am sharing another newcomer to the festival - Mike Wazowski! This display was not completely finished when we were in Walt Disney World (our vacation ended just before the official start of the festival), so here is it before the addition of Sully.

I was so excited to see so many new character brought to life at this year's festival. I wish I had a few of these for my yard!

To bring a little more Disney and spring into your day, make sure you head over to

Focused on the Magic

to share your favorite Disney photo or take a stroll through this virtual Disney photo album! Spring is in the air!

DIStherapy's Anniversary Series on Pinterest

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:00:00 +0000

As you may know, I have worked with DIStherapy to bring together bloggers from across the web to celebrate the anniversaries of different Disney parks around the world. We began with Walt Disney World's 40th anniversary. We brought together 40 bloggers to share 40 years of memories, photos and park changes. I have created a Pinterest board of all our 40th anniversary posts. In the coming weeks, I'll be adding boards for Epcot's 30th anniversary, the 20th anniversary of Disneyland Paris and once we get started the 15th anniversary for Disney's Animal Kingdom.

If you want to check out that first anniversary series, head over to my Pinterest board:

Celebrating Walt Disney World's 40th Anniversary

Disney Dining with Magical Blogorail Orange

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

I happen to love planning the dining portion of any of our Walt Disney World vacations. Today, my friends on the Orange Line at the Magical Blogorail are sharing their favorite Disney dining spots outside of the parks, I certainly now have plenty ideas for new places to try next trip! From Fort Wilderness to the Grand Floridian to Downtown Disney and more, they share lots of great reviews!

Hop aboard

Magical Blogorail Orange

to see which dining spots they shared!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ~ Did you know . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:26:00 +0000

Today is the Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia Blog Hop hosted by Disney Babies Blog, Heidi's Head, Magical Mouse Schoolhouse and My Dreams of Disney. I love this blog hop because I have really learned a lot of little Disney tidbits each week, which just give me a better appreciation of Walt Disney and his imagination. This week I am sharing a tip from an attraction in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I used the app Walt Disney World Fun Facts to find this bit of Disney trivia. I can say I have never taken the time to notice the names of the trains, but as always, so creative and perfect for this attraction!

Bug Thunder Mountain Railroad features 6 trains ~ I.B. Hearty, I.M. Brave, I.M. Fearless, U.R. Bold, U.R. Daring and U.R.Courageous.

Pierre, Uncle Mike and Emily on Emily's first Big Thunder Mountain Railroad experience
(sorry it's a bit blurry, I pulled the picture from the video I took!)

During our recent trip, my littlest one, Emily, experienced Big Thunder Mountain for the first time. She absolutely loved it! Even better, she rode along with my Uncle Mike, who had not been to Walt Disney World since 1982! I'll share more about her experience in a future post, but it was definitely a special moment for our vacation.

To join in the Tiggerific Tuesday Blog Hop, head over to

Magical Mouse Schoolhouse

Share your favorite bit of Disney trivia and see what everyone else shared too! It is a great way to get a little Disney in your day and learn something new!

Discovering DiVine in Disney's Animal Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This article was published February 19, 2013 in the WDW Daily News Newsletter #269 as part of my Making Magical Memories column. You can find me published in their newsletter every other week, so be sure to subscribe to their weekly newsletter.

One of the most important lessons I learned as a mom vacationing with little ones in Walt Disney World is to take time out to enjoy all the details we pass along the way as we walk from attraction to attraction. Disney storytelling surrounds us in all their parks, sometimes in very obvious ways and other times in a way so subtle, you can easily miss it. Sometimes it is the little things that we can find much joy in. There is one thing in particular that if you are racing from Kilimanjaro Safaris to Expedition Everest, or any other attraction in Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you would miss. That very special entertainment experience is DiVine.

DiVine is found between the theme park lands of Asia and Africa. If you are making your way through here quickly, you could easily miss this beautiful “vine” walking through the foliage of the pathways. She is graceful and quiet. I have found any of the times we have spotted her, all the guests are standing quietly while watching her, including my children! She just evokes such a peaceful feeling! It is certainly something special to take in, and something I would highly recommend you seek out next time you are in Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Since the first time my children found DiVine, they always ask if we can “find” her again. Even better, I know no matter where we are in Animal Kingdom, they are looking for her!

Have you seen DiVine yet? Did she catch by surprise or were you seeking her out?

Phineas and Ferb at Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Doda ~ disneymom2jhe) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:16:00 +0000

Today, I am joining in the fun of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop hosted by Focused on the Magic with a photo from our recent trip to Walt Disney World. We left just a few days before Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival began, but we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a few of the displays that were being set up for the festival's opening day.

We personally loved these topiaries, especially since we were on our way to Agent P's World Showcase Adventure. But really, all the displays are just amazing and the festival brings favorite Disney characters to light in an entirely different way and I love it! This is one of our favorite times of year to visit Epcot.

Make sure you head over to

Focused on the Magic

to join in the fun of the Disney Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop by sharing your own favorite Disney photo or just strolling through the virtual photo album of he photos shared by everyone else. It is a great way to bring a little Disney into your day!

On a side note, sorry I have been so absent from my blog! Having just returned from a week at Walt Disney World, I have a lot of things to share. Our family tried many new things from attractions to restaurants to shows, and we can't wait to share them all with you!