The Disney Point

Wordless Wednesday: EPCOT Flowers

2012-02-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

On today's Wordless Wednesday, I once again celebrate the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival! (Can you tell I'm ready for spring?)

I personally love this shot because the floating flower beds are so subtle and so simply beautiful. It's amazing how a little addition can go a long way! Enjoy!

My March Calendar Shot!

Many thanks, as always, to Focused on the Magic for hosting today's Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop!

Getting a Disney Fix

2012-02-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, I went on a glorious vacation to Walt Disney World this past December. It was a fabulous week-long trip during my favorite season, at one of my favorite resorts. One would think that a trip of this caliber would be enough to hold me over for a while. One would be sorely mistaken.

This morning the Disney Fantasy sailed into New York Harbor while I rode the Staten Island Ferry to work. Talk about injustice. Now I am expected to sit at my desk and be productive. But the bottom line is that I will not be able to concentrate without a little Disney fix.

Welcome to NYC Disney Fantasy! (Photo by Ian R. Siegel (@IanRSiegel) / February 28, 2012)

What's a girl to do?

There are several options, but all of my favorites involve popping in my headphones.

Podcasts
There are several Disney podcasts that I regularly listen to. WDW Radio by Lou Mongello is a fabulous and incredibly professional show that explores all the little details that make Disney so wildly successful. If you are a Disney history buff, then this show is definitely for you. Lou is a terrific guy and he definitely has the pulse of the average Disney fan.

Because I am a Disney vacation planning nerd, my true love is the WDW Today podcast. I've been listening to these guys for years and I never get bored with their show! It's truly a unique podcast because of the diversity of the on air talent. They don't always agree, but provide truly intelligent Disney planning information. Most of all, I enjoy the show because they are FUNNY! Sometimes I listen during my commute and laugh out loud. Then I realize that I am probably the only person that would even get the joke because you have to truly be a Disney fan to appreciate it!

I also want to congratulate the team over at WDW Today for their 1,000th episode this past week. It is truly a terrific milestone for a great group of Disney fans! Congratulations WDW Today! Can't wait for the next 1,000!

Music
Nothing truly transports a person to another place like music. The recognition of just a few notes could trigger a memory locked in your brain for safe keeping.

You may not notice it while you are at Walt Disney World, but there is constantly music playing wherever you go. It is intentionally played in certain areas to create atmosphere and contribute to an areas theme.

I listen to Sorcerer Radio and Mouse World Radio every day at work. There is nothing that helps me calm down more than good music! Sorcerer Radio features several terrific live shows and discussions. The DJs are wonderful and keep things interesting and fun. Mouse World Radio features a ton of Disney area music and ride music, including rides that are gone but not forgotten. Both stations have a knack of giving me a Wishes or Illuminations fix when I need it the most!

The best part about all of these options is that they are absolutely FREE. You can listen to either of the podcasts that I mentioned above by following the links I provided. As for the music stations, you can listen to them both for free on Live365 or on their free iPhone aps.

What do you do for a Disney fix?

Flashback Friday! What Will You Celebrate?

2012-02-24T09:30:00.000-05:00

In 2008, I received an email from the Disney College Program Alumni group asking for New York City-based volunteers. The email stated that they had a "very special announcement" and that they needed some people to help make magic in Times Square.

Of course, that's all the email needed to say to get me to sign up!

When we arrived at a hotel in Times Square there were conference rooms filled to the brim with Mickey balloons! For the kick off to "What Will You Celebrate?" Disney Parks was giving out free Mickey balloons in Times Square with information about getting your free ticket to the parks on your birthday.

We had a TON of fun. It was also nice reconnecting with other Disney College Program alumni. The program truly changes you and it's a part of life that you can't understand without going through it yourself.

Holy hair static, Batman!

Many thanks to Focused on the Magic for hosting this Flashback Friday Blog Hop! Go check out the other great posts!

Wordless Wednesday: Detailed Topiaries

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-05:00


EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival - 2008

I absolutely love this display in the Italy pavilion! There was so much detail and I love the additional flowers in the pots around Lady and the Tramp!

What's the Point? The Disney Point Edition

2012-02-18T15:04:00.001-05:00

"What's the Point?" is a new series of blog posts on The Disney Point explaining the thought process behind decisions by The Walt Disney Company, including the parks, the cast members or Imagineers.

During our Christmas trip last year, we participated in the "Keys to the Kingdom" tour at the Magic Kingdom. I knew a lot of the details they provided from my training as a Cast Member, but my family absolutely loved it. They could not believe how many small details were considered when planning for the Magic Kingdom. The tour definitely focuses on how Disney does the "little things" right, improving the overall guest experience without them even knowing it.

You may have walked down Main Street U.S.A. a thousand times, but you probably never noticed some of these elements. The same can be said for the thousands of Cast Members that work at Walt Disney World and other Disney destinations. They are trained to do things a certain way to improve guest interaction.

One such training that is ingrained in the brains of Cast Members from day one with the company is the gesture that this blog is named after, "The Disney Point."

When Cast Members begin their training at the Walt Disney Company, they are required to attend a class called "Traditions." As a Disney fan, this class was absolutely thrilling for me! One of the many discussions involved how to appease the array of cultures that we come across in the parks on a daily basis.

In some cultures pointing (with one finger) is considered rude. Therefore, Cast Members are instructed that if someone asked where the closest turkey leg cart was, instead of using your "pointer" finger you should gesture with your pointer and middle finger together or with your whole hand. This is a more welcoming gesture than a single finger point.

There is also a second part to the Disney Point that may be a Disney legend or folk lore. Many people notice photos of Walt Disney walking around an unfinished Disneyland pointing things out. In most of these photos, he is doing "The Disney Point." However, some claim that Walt Disney really was holding a cigarette in his hand and that Disney's public relations department airbrushed it out.

Regardless of the reason, Disney Cast Members are instructed to always use the Disney Point. Next time you are at Walt Disney World or Disneyland, take notice when asking a Cast Member a question. You will be shocked that you never noticed it before!

If you are bored, there are some funny videos of Cast Members demonstrating the Disney Point on YouTube. Below is a picture of me and my College Program roommates doing the Disney Point on the Rock N' Roller Coaster. I can tell you from personal experience that it is something that never leaves you. Eight years later I am still Disney Pointing!

Brandy, James, Kristy and I Disney Pointing :)

Have you ever noticed a Cast Member doing the Disney Point?

Disney Blogger Gift Card Giveaway!

2012-02-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

Do you love free stuff? I certainly do! Now you, as a Disney Pointer, have the opportunity to win free stuff... free DISNEY stuff!

What: The Disney Point is participating in Disney Gift Card giveaway! As of 12:01 a.m. today, February 17, 2012, you can enter to win a free $100 Disney Gift Card.

Where: You can enter this awesome giveaway in this post by filling out information below in the raffle widget.

How: You will be asked to follow The Disney Point and other amazing Disney blogs on Facebook and Twitter as a part of your entry. After all the participating blogs collect entries, a winner will be randomly selected.

Why: There are a lot of terrific Disney bloggers out there, putting out exciting content for Disney fans. We are connecting Disney fans to these fantastic bloggers.

"Legalese" Open to residents of U.S. and Canada
Must be 18+ to enter
$100 Disney Gift Card will be mailed to the winner

Thank you so much to Theme Park Mom and Disney Every Day for organizing this great giveaway! Here's to hoping a Disney Pointer wins the gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Delicious Disney Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

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

I have to admit, Valentine's Day isn't my favorite holiday.

Don't get me wrong, I love any excuse to have a day dedicated to the one I love. However, I hate going out on Valentine's day because everyone is edgy and every restaurant in town is overcrowded and overpriced. Therefore, my dream Disney-inspired Valentine's Day would be celebrated at home with my husband.

The way to my heart is through my stomach. There's nothing I enjoy more than preparing a delicious meal with my husband. We work well together and making the meal is half the fun. I would love to scroll through my favorite Disney cookbook, Delicious Disney.

Delicious Disney Cookbook

The book offers everything from appetizers to desserts, based on recipes from restaurants at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Line. Do you have a favorite meal that you have every time you visit the World? It most likely is included in this terrific, image heavy cookbook from author Pam Brandon.

Also, to top off our delicious Disney-inspired Valentine's Day meal, I would love to try something new. Inspired by an intense craving a few weeks ago, I took to the Interwebs to search for the perfect Dole Whip recipe. I found this easy recipe and instructional video from the blog Chip & Company. On Valentine's Day, I would love to pull out my ice cream maker attachment and make a yummy and refreshing Dole Whip!

How are you celebrating this Valentine's Day? Are you incorporating any favorites from Disney into this holiday?

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Disney Chick.

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 ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

3rd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

4th Stop ~ (You are here!) The Disney Point

Final Stop ~ The Disney Chick

The Power of Disney Magic During Difficult Times

2012-02-10T14:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it is difficult to find inspiration to write. Often I find that life gets in the way. Over the past week and a half I have been suffering with a terrible flare up of my Ulcerative Colitis. It's hard to talk about the Happiest Place on Earth when you have to strain to remember what happy feels like in general.

I am lucky though. It's been over two years since my last flare up. As awful as they are, a little distance between flares can help me maintain normalcy. So when considering this post, I thought back to my last flare up. Where was I? Walt Disney World of course.

My husband (then fiance) Tom and sister-in-law planned a last minute trip down to the World to participate in D23's Magic and Merriment special event. The itinerary was simply too good to pass up. Special events included a seminar at EPCOT, special seating for the Candlelight Processional, dinner on the set of Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, a private showing of the Osborne Family Festival of Lights, tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and (arguably my favorite part) a tour of the infamous Cinderella Castle Suite.

A few nights before our trip I felt the dreaded gut pain that is the bane of my existence. We discussed canceling, but since it wasn't a full blown flare yet and because I was looking forward to it so much, I tearfully decided to get on the plane and hope for the best.

We had a great time, but I spent the majority of the trip running from bathroom to bathroom. Since I couldn't really wait in line, I didn't go on many attractions but I was OK with that. I did them all before! I went more for the scenery and Christmas festivities.

However, when it was time to sign up for the Cinderella Castle Suite tour, I was feeling particularly miserable. We were sitting by Sleepy Hollow for about a half hour and spent the whole time running through Liberty Square to the bathrooms. (not the easiest location by the way) I finally thought I had everything under control when our group got called for the tour.

Our tour guide was amazing and walked us up to the Castle. They were giving a history of the suite when my stomach started acting up again. I knew I wouldn't make it through the tour, so I told Tom to stay with his sister and enjoy the tour. He, as always, objected to continuing; however, I insisted. There was no need for everyone to miss out because of my condition.

After my sprint to the Fantasyland restrooms, I walked back to the Castle and sat down across from the door where my group entered. All of the emotions of the weekend caught up with me. Just as the tears began flowing down my cheeks, a Cast Member peeked her head out of the door.

"You were in the last group, weren't you?" she said, peeking through the many guests strolling through the castle passageway. I turned around to look behind me even though I was sitting against the wall. "Yes, I had to run to the bathroom," I responded. "I'm just waiting for the rest of my group."

"Are you still interested in seeing the suite?" she asked, now standing over me. Am I still interested? Absolutely. "Come on," she said with that famous Disney smile. "I will give you a personal tour."

The Cast Member proceeded to give me an amazing tour of the suite. On the elevator ride up, I asked her if my group sent her for me. "No," she said. "I saw you run off and you looked very upset. I figured it was an emergency and I'd find you. So I asked someone to watch the group while I came back down here to get you."

If the tears weren't flowing before, they certainly were after she told me that.

People talk about the "Disney magic" with an amused tone. Yet that night I felt it stronger than ever thanks to one observant, kind and thoughtful Cast Member. One of the biggest regrets I have is not getting her name. However, I still stopped in Guest Relations to tell them about my experience. They told me that they will most likely be able to pinpoint who it was based on the time and the tour number I provided them with.

The Disney magic is very real, and very powerful. Enjoy the photos below from my tour:

The mosaics on the elevator floor

The clock always reads 11:59 in Cinderella Castle

The details are stunning!

The gorgeous beds!

My favorite part of the suite - the royal bathroom!

Wordless Wednesday: Love is in the Air

2012-02-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

Engagement Photo Shoot in EPCOT

May 2009

Wordless Wednesday: My February Calendar Shot

2012-02-01T09:38:00.000-05:00


My February Calendar Shot - Disney's Yacht Club Resort

Go check out other Wordless Wednesday entries today!

Mouse of Zen - My Disney Fairytale

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from A Disney Mom's Thoughts and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail.

I am so excited to have the opportunity to take part in this special Magical Blogorail loop with Mouse of Zen! While scrolling through the Mouse of Zen book, I came across a haiku that stopped me in my tracks.

promise of today

melts into our tomorrow

illuminate life

- mouse of zen

March 26, 2011. The day that I felt like every princess in every Disney movie that I watched as a kid. On that cold, sunny New York City day, I had the pleasure of marrying my best friend.

When we got engaged a little over two years before our wedding day, the first question that came out of the mouths of my family and friends was, "When is the Disney wedding?"

A Walt Disney World wedding is something that I dreamed about since I was a little girl, gazing at the Wedding Pavilion from our balcony at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. However, when Tom and I were engaged I knew I had to give up on that dream for a more important dream - to have our grandparents be fully involved in our big day. Our grandparents and extended families are extremely important to us and it would've been very difficult to have them travel across the country to attend our wedding. So instead we had a big traditional Italian wedding.

Just because we opted for a big wedding in New York didn't mean, however, that we couldn't incorporate Disney! I had a "subtle Disney" rule. I wanted to include Disney, without being blatantly Disney. I wanted to know the origin of each little detail, but I didn't want anybody else to know unless I told them. With the exception of a huge Mickey and Minnie bride and groom big figs during our cocktail hour, I succeeded.

My only "unhidden" Mickey!

For example, my gown was Kirstie Kelly for Disney Bridal. Our monogrammed napkins had a small silver castle. And most importantly, our PERFECT wedding song, well our wedding song was Promise from Epcot's Illuminations: Reflections of Earth.

On our wedding day, we made a promise to each other and two truly became one. Our lives were illuminated by our love for each other. And we most certainly will grow closer through the years, through the good times and the tears.

On March 26, 2011, as the first few notes of Promise echoed through our venue, few knew the origin of the song. (The big exception was the table of my college program roommates and coworkers who sang right along with the band) We were thrilled with the performance of our wedding band, who so graciously offered to learn the song for the big day.

Promise is a song I will never forget. It is a moment that I will live with me for the rest of my life. And every time I hear the beautiful melody, I will think about the day Tom and I became husband and wife, and I will smile from ear to ear.

Promise - Our first dance

Nanina's in the Park; March 26, 2011

(Video Courtesy of Michelle Pinto)

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Disney Chick.

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

1^st Stop ~ Disney Living

2^nd Stop ~ Focused on the Magic

3^rd Stop ~ A Disney Mom’s Thoughts

4^th Stop ~ (You are here!) The Disney Point

5^th Stop ~ The Disney Chick

Final Stop ~ Capturing Magical Memories

New Tag to The Magic, The Memories and You!

2012-01-28T09:17:00.000-05:00

Maybe I'm cynical, but I was very skeptical of "The Magic, The Memories and You!" when I first heard of the concept. I was convinced you weren't going to be able to see anything on the castle and that even if your PhotoPass photo made it up there, you would never know.

Boy, was I wrong!

I absolutely loved every minute of the show both in April and December. During my trip this past December, we were treated to an extra "holiday tag" to the show! This week the Disney Parks Blog announced a few new surprises for guests:

From the Disney Parks Blog:

"One of the true delights of the recent holiday season at Disney Parks was a special segment during our evening projection show, “The Magic, The Memories and You!” The faces of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park and “it’s a small world” at Disneyland park were transformed into gingerbread masterpieces, brightly colored packages and palaces of ice.

Well if you enjoyed that, our Creative Entertainment team has another treat in store, just in time for Valentine’s Day! A new show segment is set to debut Feb. 1, inspired by some of the most romantic moments in Disney animation. Cinderella Castle and “it’s a small world” will be covered in red roses for one sequence and turned into a beautiful, star-filled sky for another. During part of the show, spectacular stained glass windows will grace the façades, depicting the stories of Cinderella, Snow White and Belle. 

One of my favorite moments comes when the king and queen from “Tangled” appear on a balcony, lifting a single lantern to the sky for their missing daughter. It’s soon joined by hundreds of others, creating a magical sight sure to draw “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it! Of course, the most heart-warming part of any segment of “The Magic, The Memories and You!” is the images of our guests, captured by Disney PhotoPass photographers during the day and incorporated into the show each night.  

The romance segment is planned to run as part of “The Magic, The Memories and You!” through mid-April but we’re not stopping there. Wait until you see “it’s a small world” as a sand castle in a segment we’re working on for summer. It’s chock full of detail… right up to the point where Goofy rides a wave across the façade, washing it all away to reveal… well, I don’t want to spoil all the surprises!"

I love this idea. I think that once the technology is installed, they can do whatever they want to the show at a low cost. Therefore, they should take full advantage of the different seasons and celebrations.

Remember the hideous pink birthday cake castle? They never have to do that again! They can simply project an image on the castle during a special celebration. Since it is temporary, they don't have to ruin the photos of the families making their "once-in-a-lifetime" trips.

I hope you enjoy this show as much as I did!

Wordless Wednesday: Going Head to Head

2012-01-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

Going head to head at Rafiki's Planet Watch

Wordless Wednesdays - My Days at Space

2012-01-18T08:57:00.000-05:00

Today's Wordless Wednesday photo - me in my Space Mountain costume (Right) from my College Program in 2004! Also with me is my roommate Brandy. Brandy worked "Buzz Complex" which is Carousel of Progress, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and TTA.

I had no idea that these were themed! I will follow the theme next time, I promise :)

Foodie Friday Blog Hop: Jiko's Famous Filet with Mac and Cheese

2012-01-13T12:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Foodie Friday Disney Blog Hop! In this blog hop, Disney bloggers are sharing some notable dining experiences at the World. (This blog hop is making me very hungry and is not helping at all with my New Years diet)

On my last trip to Walt Disney World (I know I still haven't finished my trip report... please don't hold it against me. I will get there eventually) we made a ton of really amazing Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs). The meal I was most excited for was Jiko: The Cooking Place at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

If you haven't been there yet, you must go! I have always been a little hesitant exploring new types of food and "African-inspired cuisine" definitely scared me a little. However, thanks to a few amazing friends we gave it a try a couple of years ago. The meal was perfect. We had an amazing waiter, we drank delicious South African wine and the food was scrumptious!

When my husband and I were making our ADRs this time around all I could think about was my entree from my first visit - Filet Mignon with Macaroni and Cheese. I know it doesn't sound like a "signature" meal, but it's hands down one of the best dishes I've ever had! The African blended sauce on the filet was superb. The mac and cheese is definitely not of the powdered cheese Kraft sort. I'm not even sure what kind of cheese is used. But I can tell you that it melts in your mouth and it is the perfect complement to the filet.

It's perfect. It really is :)

So on our last night in the World in December we sat down at the table, looked at our menus and there was no Filet Mignon with Mac and Cheese. Not only was I disappointed, but my parents were also disappointed because I had also been talking up this dish for the six months since I made the ADR. Just before I had a panic attack the waiter came over to discuss the specials. When I asked him what happened to my favorite meal, he explained that the original chef changed restaurants and the new chef wanted to make the menu his own. However, the filet and mac and cheese can be made upon request.

Crisis averted.

Out of the six of us at the table, five of us ordered and enjoyed the Filet Mignon with Mac and Cheese. It was perfect in every way imaginable.

You can file this post under #FattyProblems

Enjoy the rest of the blog hop!

Wordless Wednesday: An Adult Hidden Mickey

2012-01-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sangria from the Yachtsman... I can use one of these right now!

Disney Resolutions for the New Year

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Magical Mouse Pad and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 3rd on our Magical Blogorail.

To the readers of the Disney Point, I have a very exciting announcement. As of today, I am officially a member of the Magical Blogorail! The Magical Blogorail is a group of Disney bloggers who have come together to share our love of Disney. Each week, we bring you a new loop. I am proud to join the AMAZING bloggers of the Magical Blogorail Black Loop. At the end of this post, you will find a link to the next stop on the line. Feel free to follow my fellow black loop bloggers. I know you'll find their perspective incredibly interesting! I would also like to thank Beth, founder of the Magical Blogorail, for asking me to join this terrific group.

I think that it is incredibly fitting that my first post for the Magical Blogorail is about my Disney resolutions for 2012. I have three Disney resolutions I'd like to share with you this year.

1) This New Year I, along with most of America, am focusing on getting myself healthy. As a person living with a chronic illness, this means focusing on getting keeping myself off steroids and immune system suppressants. However, this year, I would also try to get myself in shape.

This past week in Orlando thousands of runners lined up to participate in the various races that encompass the Walt Disney World Marathon. By next January I want to join them. I am not kidding myself in thinking that I will be able to run a full marathon by next January. However, I would be thrilled to run in a 5K by next year. In addition to running the Walt Disney World Marathon 5K, I would also love to be able to run the Tunnel to Towers 5K in New York City in September 2012 in remembrance of those who lost their lives on 9/11.

Getting in to shape will not only help me run in the marathon at Walt Disney World. It will also help me be more comfortable as I run around the parks during my vacations. In the last couple of years, I have felt exhausted by the end of the night of a long Disney day. I want to enjoy every last minute of my Disney vacations and I hope by getting in shape, I will be able to enjoy them to the fullest extent.

2) In 2012, I want to make a trip to Orlando with my Walt Disney World College Program roommates. More specifically, I would like to go to Walt Disney World for the 2012 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. The Food & Wine Festival is one of my favorite events at Walt Disney World. The last time I was there for the Food & Wine Festival was 2004 during my College Program. I was, unfortunately, 19 at the time. I was not able to enjoy the festivities to the fullest extent... if you catch my drift. :)

Several of my Disney roomies went to Walt Disney World within a few weeks of my November/December trip this year. None of us coordinated our trips and we did not get to see each other. I miss them terribly! I would love to share the Food & Wine Festival with my husband and my old roommates in 2012.

3) Every year I make the same Disney resolution... see/do things I've never done before. Believe it or not, these things do exist! I am a creature of habit. I tend to eat at the same restaurants, go on the same attractions and stay at the same resorts.

Why change? I loved everything about my past trips! Change is important because it keeps things fresh. This past trip my family did the Keys to the Kingdom tour for the first time. The day we did Keys to the Kingdom was one of our most memorable Disney days. I am very much looking forward to trying new things this year!

Thank you so much for reading. If this is your first visit here please feel free to follow me via Google Friend Connect or Google Reader. Also, please visit my page on Facebook here.

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is The Disney Chick.

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

1^st Stop ~ Mommy Mouseketeer

2^nd Stop ~ The Magical Mouse Pad

3^rd Stop ~ The Disney Point - You are here!

4^th Stop ~ The Disney Chick

Final Stop ~ Manda’s Disney Blog

Day 4 in Disney, uh, Universal! The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

2011-11-29T08:48:00.001-05:00

As you may have read in my earlier blog post (Cheating on Disney) I had been struggling with the decision of whether or not to go to Universal Studios. However thanks to my brother's wonderful girlfriend, we were able to get in for free! And as much as I love Disney, I had to see the world of Harry Potter for myself.

Monday we departed Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge for Universal's Islands of Adventure. We were a little concerned with the weather because the forecast called for rain after 3pm. However, we decided that as long as we get in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter we would be happy.

Were we happy? Oh yes. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a beautifully themed land with great detail. Any fan of the books or movies would be thrilled with the result. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, the marquee attraction is truly an amazing new attraction. Hogwarts castle itself was unbelievable. The line for Forbidden Journey goes through the castle and you see things like the Mirror of Erised, the pensive, the portraits speaking to each other, etc. The line for Forbidden Journey is an attraction in itself. As for the ride, it is unlike anything I've ever seen before! One small criticism, several of us got a little disoriented afterward and the ride vehicle isn't kind to those "Pooh-sized."

In addition to Forbidden Journey, there were two other attractions at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The first was The Flight of the Hippogriff, a kiddie coaster. We went on because the line goes by Hagrid's hut. It was fun! The second attraction was a re-themed coaster. The former "Dueling Dragons" is now "The Dragon Challenge." The Dragon Challenge line has a lot of cool/nerdy Harry Potter things, like the banners from the Triwizard Tournament. The ride is an insane coaster and we had a ton of fun.

After all of the attractions, we spent hours (no exaggeration) walking around the shops and storefronts. Even the bathroom was well-themed! Moaning Myrtle chats with you while you are doing your "business." We had lunch at 3 Broomsticks. The atmosphere was great, the food not so much, but we had a lot of laughs. Adjacent to 3 Broomsticks is the Hog's Head, where we had our butterbeer. Although we heard great things about the frozen version, I thoroughly enjoyed the version on tap.

As the clouds rolled in, we decided that we did want to do too much more in the park. We did a quick ride on Spiderman (a terrific ride, from someone who gives Universal little to no credit) and an insane ride on the Hulk. We grabbed a taxi back to the Animal Kingdom Lodge as the rain poured down.

There are some things that are better in Disney, and one thing that is magnificent is an afternoon nap. Without many options because of the rain, we took a glorious nap! When we woke up, the sun had almost set. And as I glanced out of the window, there were no fewer than three giraffes standing outside my window. It never, ever gets old!

On a rainy, misty night, we decided to spend our evening in Downtown Disney. We did some shopping and ate at Paradiso 37, a new South American restaurant. It was decent but a little loud. Overall, we had a nice night, topped with a Ghiradelli sundae!

That is A LOT of Gingerbread!

2011-11-28T07:18:00.001-05:00

At the Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Day 3 in Disney! The Keys to the Kingdom

2011-11-27T23:21:00.001-05:00

When you go to Disney World as much as we do, there are very few experiences that are "new" to us. Every once in a while, Disney comes out with a new attraction and it's a big deal. But for the most part, we are doing the same fun things we did 10 years ago.

However, today we had a completely new experience that made us look closer at the place we thought we new so well. My husband and I with brother and his girlfriend gave my parents (and ourselves) a Key to the Kingdom for Mother's Day and Father's Day - A Key to the Magic Kingdom. The Magic Kingdom Keys to the Kingdom tour is a six hour guided walking tour that teaches you about the history of the park and all the little details that you would never notice that makes the guest experience better.

Does a six hour guided tour sound boring to you? Well, it certainly wasn't. We started off on Main Street U.S.A. staring at windows and names that you would never notice. The names on the windows on Main Street are deeply rooted in the history of the Magic Kingdom and the Walt Disney Company. From there it only got better, including several trips "backstage" and in the elusive "tunnels."

Did you know the Magic Kingdom is on the second level? Beneath it lies the tunnels (formally known as the Utilidor or Utility Corridor). I used to travel the utilidor every day to get to work during my College Program. Disney handles all of the utilities, including garbage removal and transportation, below the Magic Kingdom It is truly amazing. In addition to the back stage experiences, we rode several rides including the Jungle Cruise, the Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion.

We planned the tour on this day because we didn't care about the crowds. Yet that wasn't an issue. There was a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party so the crowd level was low to begin with. Because the park closed at seven, many guests opted for other parks. After our tour, we hung around and did a few more attractions at little to no wait. We saw them finally light the castle and then went over to the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for dinner.

We took the launch over to the Grand Floridian and ate a terrific meal at Narcoosees. Narcoosees is predominately a seafood restaurant, but everyone enjoyed their meal. In fact, my husband got a really ugly looking snapper that was looking at me, but he loved it! We were also able to watch the Christmas fireworks from the dock at the Grand Floridian.

After dinner, we walked through the lobby at the Grand Floridian and made a stop at their famous life-size gingerbread house. Tom purchased a few gingerbread "shingles" and we took at ton of photos. All in all, we had a wonderful day. So much so, that I was too exhausted to write this post until now!

Day 2 in Disney! Disney's Hollywood Studios

2011-11-26T23:46:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it's good to go in with low expectations.

Today, I had myself convinced that we wouldn't be able to see much at Disney's Hollywood Studios. I said, "Today is a 10 on the crowd calendar, and we won't be able to manage the crowds."

However, what we found was the exact opposite. We arrived at Disney's Hollywood Studios (DHS) at about 9:30am and immediately ran to the tip board. For those of you that don't know, the tip board is a location (usually towards the front of the park) displaying all the wait times for the attractions. It should be the first thing you reference upon your arrival. The tip board today told us that there was only at 20 minute wait for Tower of Terror. Because my father and husband are deathly afraid of the Tower of Terror, they offered to go get our fast passes at Toy Story Mania while we rode. This worked out perfectly!

After we rode Tower of Terror, we thought we would just go "see" how long the wait was at Rock and Roller Coaster, fully expecting to come back later for some fast passes. It was unnecessary to come back! The posted standby time was 45 and we waited about a half hour.

Now that we had the attractions on Sunset Boulevard completed early in the day, we were off to explore the rest of the park with my cousins from Naples, Florida. We hit the tip board again and it said the Great Movie Ride and Star Tours were both ten minute waits. We didn't wait at all!

My husband was thrilled to ride the new Star Tours! I actually enjoyed it myself. They did a very good job of making the ride clearer and smoother. The 3D technology is leaps and bounds over the other Disney attractions. We truly enjoyed it. The only issue was that several people from our group felt sick afterward. Simulators just isn't their thing.

Next we hit up the Backlot Tour, which unfortunately is a shell of itself. After the construction of the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show they destroyed everything that was "backlot" about the Studios. But luckily we had a wonderful lunch planned at the 50's Prime Time Cafe. The wonderful cast members were very accommodating to our additional party members and seated us at one big table. We had a really fun waiter who poked fun but wasn't overbearing. The waiters and waitresses at the Prime Time Cafe are your "cousins" and they yell at you if you don't eat your green beans, put your elbows on the table, etc. The Peanut Butter and Jelly Shake was delicious as usual and the food was really good.

After lunch we had little left on our agenda so we took our time. We went to my favorite, MuppetVision 3D, and then we did One Man's Dream, The Voyage of the Little Mermaid and the Animation Tour/Courtyard. When we stepped out of the Animation Courtyard, it was dark out and time for our Fast Passes to Toy Story Mania. I love Toy Story Mania but I cannot beat my husband and it drives me nuts! My accuracy is always better than his but he shoots with a lot more speed. Either way we had a ton of fun.

Our terrific Hollywood Studios day ended with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, which gets more and more breathtaking every time I see it. The sheer amount of lights and the attention to detail is unbelievable. We spent a lot of time walking around and taking it all in.

Our wonderful day ended with an amazing meal at the Yachtsman Steakhouse. It was so delicious! I had the unique mozzarella and tomato appetizer and the Filet Mignon for dinner. They, also, were very accommodating to our reservation change.

Thank you so much for reading and I'm sorry for the delay on this posting, as I fell asleep on the computer last night! Off to the Magic Kingdom for the Keys to the Kingdom tour!

Day 1 in Disney! EPCOT

2011-11-25T23:31:00.001-05:00

If all our Disney days could go as smooth as this one, we would be very happy!

On this beautiful morning at 9:30am, we set off from our home. Destination - Newark Liberty International airport. To my surprise, the airport was empty. Mom got stopped for an additional screening which definitely got a few laughs from this crowd! First good Disney sign of the day - they opened an Earl of Sandwich at Newark!

We were scheduled to take off at noon and we took of right on time. Our very kind JetBlue pilot informed us that we would be on ground in Orlando in two hours, nearly 45 minutes early! This alone was a terrific start to our day, and put us on track so we would be right on time for our reservations.

We arrived in Orlando exactly when the pilot said we would. While my husband helped the crew grab their luggage, my dad and I walked over to National Rental Car. Because he is an "emerald member" we were able to hop in the car and go. After a short nostalgic trip on 417, we arrived at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Little things that make a big difference - we had an amazing Disney security guard who greeted us at the entrance of the hotel. He spoke to all of us, welcomed us home and called in our arrival to Kidani Village. By the time we pulled up to Kidani, they greeted our family by name and presented us with our welcome package. (They were able to do this because we did online check-in)

After a minor ticket issue, we were off to our room. But before we could get to our room, we were pulled away by this amazing sight:

Photo courtesy of MP

Seriously, it is something that cannot be described. You must see it in person!

By 5pm, we were off to EPCOT. The park was busy, but manageable. We're glad that the parks are clearing out in a few days, however!

We strolled through the countries for Via Napoli. We booked the Candlelight Processional dinner package. We were VERY pleased with this new restaurant. I must say, we tend to be overly critical of Italian restaurants. Our moms and grandmas make the best homemade Italian food ever. But tonight, our dinner was great. I started with the arancini, which I heard so much about. It was just as good as people described. In addition, the zeppoli were fabulous! We were very pleased and it was the perfect meal to start off our week.

From Via Napoli, we went right to the Candlelight Processional where we were seated right away. It put is in the perfect holiday mood. We had amazing seats and Mira Sorvino did a very good job as narrator. We made the comment that while others are pepper spraying each other to get black Friday sales, we listened about the birth of Jesus with beautiful live music.

Following the processional, we had preferred viewing for Illuminations Reflections of Earth, plus the holiday ending. It never disappoints.

While it was Extra Magic Hours in EPCOT that night, we didn't get to ride Soarin'. It was over an hour wait, even with EMH. We plan on riding later in the week when the Thanksgiving crowds die down. However, we did get to hop on Spaceship Earth. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Tomorrow we hit Disney's Hollywood Studios. I will be posting throughout the day so stay tuned!

Jingles hates vacation

2011-11-25T09:31:00.001-05:00

The only reason why I hate leaving for vacation - this face!!

ONE DAY 'TIL DISNEY - All About Eating

2011-11-24T09:26:00.001-05:00

It's official! We leave TOMORROW for Walt Disney World! I couldn't be any more excited, especially since today is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because I love to eat - and this is no secret to anyone.

So today I thought it would be fitting to talk about food! Some people head down to Disney and eat at quick service restaurants for their entire trip. That is not how my family operates! In a future post I will tackle the Disney Dining Plan. However, we are not using the dining plan on this trip because my brother and his girlfriend are not staying for the same amount of days as us. It gets confusing so we're paying our own way.

For the most part, we will be eating breakfast in our villa - just something simple like yogurt, a banana or cereal. I do not like a big heavy breakfast in Disney because I feel like it slows me down and it wastes precious park time. Also, on most days we plan on grabbing something quick in the park for lunch. However, for dinner, we definitely are hitting up some signature restaurants.

Roe's Top Tip: You can book your advance dining reservations (ADRs) 180 days before your trip. However, if you are staying at Walt Disney World Resort, you have an advantage. You can book your dining reservations for the entire length of your stay at the 180 day mark. For example, our first day at Walt Disney World is November 25. So at 180 days out, we were able to make our reservations for the entire week we will be there.

On our arrival day, Friday, a.k.a. tomorrow:

We will be eating at Via Napoli. Via Napoli is a new restaurant in the Italy pavilion at EPCOT. It has received fantastic reviews and I am giving up on my refusal to eat Florida pizza just for this one meal! We will be eating as a part of the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package. For those of you who do not know, the Candlelight Processional is a special holiday event at EPCOT. There is a celebrity host who reads the Christmas story and a beautiful choir sings by candlelight. It's absolutely breathtaking. People line up for hours. Since we are a part of the dinner package, however, we are given priority seating at the Processional.

Saturday:

We will be spending the day, for the most part, in Disney's Hollywood Studios. Because of this, we will be having a rare sit down lunch. Every time we go to WDW, we eat at the 50's Prime Time Cafe. My family loves the Prime Time Cafe! It features "comfort foods" and your waiter treats you like family... they will even yell at you to eat your green beans and scold you for putting your elbows on the table. Doesn't sound like fun, does it? It is! I usually get a stomach ache from laughing so hard! And the food is surprisingly good. Later that evening, we will be enjoying one of my favorite Disney restaurants - The Yachtsman. The Yachtsman is my favorite steakhouse on property and I enjoy the atmosphere.

Sunday:

Sunday morning we are taking our parents to the Keys to the Kingdom tour at the Magic Kingdom. (More about this later) Lunch is included as a part of the tour. Since we are expecting for the crowds to be insane this day, we are heading away from the Magic Kingdom for dinner. We are heading over to my favorite, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for dinner at Narcoosee's. Narcoosee's is a beautiful restaurant right on the water at the Floridian. It's a perfect, romantic spot and you can see the Magic Kingdom fireworks. It also gives us the opportunity to see the beautiful decorations, including the life size gingerbread house, at the Grand Floridian.

Monday:

Monday we will be at Universal Studios. I am pretty sure there will be a meal at Three Broomsticks on this day, but we did not make any reservations.

Tuesday:

On Tuesday, we will be spending the day at Disney's Animal Kingdom. However, that night we are going to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom! Therefore, we have planned an early dinner at the Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom. Liberty Tree Tavern is a family-style restaurant with Thanksgiving-style food. We are also very much looking forward to the milk and cookies at the party!

Wednesday:

Wednesday is another day in EPCOT and another new restaurant for us. Unfortunately, my brother and his girlfriend are going home this evening. The four remaining will be eating at La Hacienda, a new restaurant in the Mexican pavilion. This restaurant looks really nice and is right on the water. It also gives me a second opportunity to see Illuminations with the special holiday ending!

Thursday and Friday:

Thursday and Friday are our days to do see what we haven't seen yet. I am very much looking forward to Thursday night's meal, our last ADR on this trip. We will be eating at our hotel, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge at Jiko: The Cooking Place. Jiko is an African-inspired restaurant and I cannot say enough about how delicious the food is.

May you and your families have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, happiness and family. I will speak to you all TOMORROW from Walt Disney World. Have a terrific day!

2 Days 'Til Disney - How to See the Must-Sees

2011-11-23T07:58:00.001-05:00

Disney Pointers, we are getting VERY close to the day we leave! I, for one, am all finished with work until we get home! And tomorrow, we will celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. Things are good in the life of Roe!

Today we are going to talk about the Must See attractions at Walt Disney World. (Do not worry. I will not subject you to 7 days worth of "The Top 7 Must Sees at Walt Disney World with Stacy." You know, the video that plays ON LOOP on Disney Resort TV the entire time you are on vacation. OK, maybe I will. See below.)

Because of the size and grandeur of the Walt Disney World Resort, it is truly impossible to see everything the Resort has to offer in a limited amount of time. I lived in Orlando for over a year and I still haven't seen and experienced everything Walt Disney World has to offer. The biggest mistake people make is trying to do EVERYTHING in one week, because when you try to do everything you enjoy nothing.

You have been planning this trip for months and you deserve to enjoy yourself. If you are exhausted one morning, stay in bed. If you are tired and hot in the afternoon, go back and take a nap or a swim back at your resort. But of course there are a few attractions that you do not want to miss. There should be a strategy in place to ensure that you see what you want.

Disney veterans have a plan in mind every time they enter the park, whether it be a full day of Disney fun or a quick visit to see a few choice attractions. But newcomers, who haven't experienced the attraction, should visit a site like Touring Plans. Touring Plans is a wonderful website that estimates the crowds for 365 days a year. In addition, they use thousands of historical data points and stats from professional statisticians to estimate how long you'll wait in line. The best part, you can take this info with you on your smart phone. It's awesome, it truly is.

In addition, they have touring plans for each park. They have one-day plans, two-day plans, plans depending on age, plans depending on your child's gender, plans for people that want to "sleep-in" and plans for the holiday season. This too can be on your iPhone and you can check off attractions as you complete them. This is the best "value" you will get when planning your Disney attraction for a little over $10 including a download of the app.

Tomorrow, on Turkey Day, I will of course be talking about FOOD! I will help you make your dining reservations and tell you all about ours for this upcoming trip!

Thanks so much for reading!