Disney World Wordless Wednesday-Disney Attire or Costumes

Hi Everyone!

It's Wordless Wednesday again at Focused on the Magic!  Today we're talking about (or rather not talking about) Disney Attire or Costumes.  Disney has got a lot of really beautiful and amazing costumes all over the parks, so I started digging through my pictures and I found a really fun one:

While pink suits might not be the way Disney chooses to go for celebrations these days, there's no denying that these suits really say "welcome to our 1986 celebration!"  I love remembering those days!

Thanks for joining me, for more Blog Hop fun go check out:


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Wordless Wednesday- Disney Architecture

Hi Everyone-

Sorry I've been away so long- it's the busy time at work!  Today is another Wordless Wednesday over at Focused on the Magic.  Today's theme is Disney Architecture.  Here's one of the most famous ones:

This is a postcard we must have sent home my grandmother when we were younger.  I found it among the Disney papers my mother saved after my grandmother died.  What better architectural symbol of Disney World to punctuate our childhood trips!

Thanks for joining me today.  For more Wordless Wednesday fun, check out:




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Almost Wordless Wednesday

It's Wordless Wednesday over at Focused on the Magic!  This week's pictures are brought to you by the letter E (they're also some flashback pictures from my childhood Disney adventures!)

It's Electric!

Before there were real animals in Disney World, there were these playful Jungle Cruise Elephants

At the end of a long day in Disney, me and my new friends Thumper and Piglet are Exhausted! 

Thanks for joining me today.  Check out all the other great Disney Es at Focused on the Magic!

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Trivia Tuesday

Heidi over at Heidi's Head and some of her friends are hosting a fun new blog hop and are asking us to join in as well!  Here's my contribution to the hop- a fun piece of trivia about Animal Kingdom.

On the African savanna, acacia trees are an abundant part of the landscape.  On Kilimanjaro Safaris however, those are not acacia trees you see--they are southern live oak trees, which are native to Florida, cut to look like the flat top acacia trees!  Apparently giraffes like these trees just as much!

This fun tidbit was taken from Little Known Facts about Well-Known Places- Walt Disney World edition, by Laurie Flannery.

Other great blogs hosting this fun hop are

Disney Babies Blog
Magical Mouse Schoolhouse
My Dreams of Disney

Each of them has a link up on their blogs as well!  Go join the fun!

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Disney Hyperion Book Review- Peter and the Starcatchers

Hi Disney Folks!

I just finished the first book in Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's series designed to be a prequel imagining of Peter Pan.  Since it's published by Disney-Hyperion, the children's book publishing arm of Hyperion Books (owned by the Walt Disney Company), and since I loved it, I thought I'd do a quick review here.

For those of you who haven't heard of Peter and the Starcatchers, it's really a wonderful beginning to a series aimed to create the world that Peter Pan came from, and explain how it is that he and Captain Hook truly became enemies.  In J.M. Barrie's book and in the many retellings out there, very little is known about how Hook and Peter wound up in Neverland, and why they were enemies.  All we really know is that Peter cut off Hook's hand at some point, fed it to a crocodile, and now Hook is on the run from that crocodile, and out for revenge. Barry and Pearson took on the task of explaining how this all came to be, and though they deviate from what might be considered "canon" in the Peter Pan stories (for example, Neverland is an island, not a star) they do it in a way that really works for the story, and was a good blending of Barrie's original and Disney's famous variation. My only complaint was the treatment of the creation of Tinker Bell, because I like the way she's created in Barrie's version better, but  it does make sense with the plot line (don't worry, I won't spoil it!)

 Peter is an orphan who is sold into slavery with some other orphan boys to work on a ship carrying a mysterious cargo.  It's this cargo that creates the mysterious world of Neverland-complete with mermaids, this cargo that gives Peter the ability to fly, and this cargo that initiates the battle royal between Peter and Hook (Black Stache in this story, because of his impressive mustache).  There are some friends and enemies that you may not recognize, but they help to set the scene for familiar characters to emerge later (and I'm assuming they will)!  This was a fun and fast read, full of epic adventure and a touch of whimsy to tie it all together.  The other thing I really enjoyed about this book was that it was, in my opinion, very age appropriate for its ages 10 and up rating  (which isn't always the case with YA fiction) but also really fun for anyone of any age to read--especially if you like Peter Pan the way I do.

  

 All in all, this book is a great read, and very like much of Disney's work in other areas--great for kids, but also lots of fun for adults!

Also, for those of you who might be in the NYC area- Peter and the Starcatchers is also a Tony Award winning play (it has singing and dancing, but they still call it a play) and  if you can't make it to NYC the rumor is that Disney is working on a movie version of the story as well!

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Disney Countdown- 2 for 1!!

I'm a little behind on my countdowns to our next Disney World Trip.  Today I offer you two for the price of one.  One look back, and one look forward.

On our last trip to Disney World one of my required destinations was an extended stop over in Fantasyland. I was excited to see some of the new-to-me attractions like Mickey's Philharmagic (which was awesome!) and Winnie the Pooh (I do miss dear old Toady, but this was incredibly charming) as well as revisiting old favorites like It's a Small World, and the Mad Tea Party, but first on my list was a long time favorite of many Disney-goers.  Peter Pan's Flight!

Picture from  http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/attractions/peter-pans-flight/ 

Peter Pan's Flight is always a must for me, and is probably my favorite ride in Fantasyland.  I have always loved the story and think I sill know all the lyrics to the songs in Disney's 1953 animated film.  No trip to Disney World would be complete without flying through the Darling's window and going on an adventure with Peter, dodging pirates.

Now, looking forward, We're at the 15 week mark, it doesn't see so far away anymore!

Those who are Disney planners out there know that by this time our dining reservations have long since been made, and I'm so excited that we're trying all new places this time!  All new places except for one restaurant that we just had to go to again--Tusker House!  Tusker House was our favorite restaurant when we were there last time.  A great buffet with lots and lots of vegetarian options as well as enough to fulfill Nathan's desire for some meat, we both were excited to dig right in.  I know there are those out there that are not fans of Tusker House, and it's gotten some unfavorable reviews, and I'm always surprised to hear that because our experience was so good and we both left feeling it was one of the best meals of our trip!  Can't wait!

What about you, what are your thoughts about Tusker House?  Do you and your family have a favorite restaurant you always go back to?

Thanks for joining me on my 2 for 1 countdown today! 

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Wordless Wednesday

Here we are- another edition of Wordless Wednesday hosted by Focused on the Magic.  This week's theme? Our September calendar shot.  I had to think about this one a little, but then it occurred to me--the Disney Afternoon!  When I was a kid, we used to love watching the Disney Afternoon after school every day.  Here are a few shots from the stage show version of it in Disney World back when Toon Town was still thriving:

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Disney Countdown: 17 Weeks, 17 Memories

It's time for another installment of my Disney Countdown.  17 weeks to go.

Today I have another confession for you all.  I have been to Disney World many times in my life (Thanks for those all those nights where you drove all night 30 hours straight from Connecticut so we could wake up in Disney World, Dad!)  But, as I realized when I was planning our last trip, even when I went as a teenager, I had never been on The Haunted Mansion!

When I realized this fact, I was actually really surprised.  How could I never have been on the ride that is so loved by Disney-goers that it has its own outside website?  I was an easily scared child (seriously- the Disney version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow used to give me nightmares....for months) so I can only imagine that my parents avoided this ride when I was little because they imagined hauling their traumatized daughter out of the park wailing and refusing to ride even Living with the Land or Dumbo the Flying Elephant ever again for fear of ghosts coming out of somewhere. I don't know if they've ever ridden it either, it seems like a risk they just weren't willing to take.

And later, planning a trip as an adult, I realized that Haunted Mansion was the lowest on my list of priorities, and then that made me a little sad; like I was missing out on some great Disney history.  So, I made it one of our first priorities of the day, and I was glad we did.  Sure it's campy, and sure the "special effects" are not as advanced as, say, a  certain wizard ride at Universal Studios, but it was still a ride we had a great time riding.  And a ride I would certainly make a point of lining up to ride again.

And I didn't have a single nightmare after riding it.  Not one.


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Disney Countdown. 18 weeks, 18 memories

Welcome to this week's installment of my Disney countdown, just 18 weeks to go!

So many of my favorite memories from our last trip to Disney are connected to the experience my boyfriend, Nathan, had while we were there.  Nathan hadn't been to Disney World in 19 years--so there was a LOT of "new" things for him to see and do, and there's a special kind of enjoyment when you get to watch someone experience your favorite things about Disney for the first time. We were headed to Hollywood Studios the last day of our trip, and, while Hollywood Studios hasn't changed too much in the last few years, Nathan had never experienced The Tower of Terror! 

He said he remembered it being built when he was there last time, but it was in the very early stages so he knew nothing about it.  We were at the park for rope drop (of course!) and, since Tower of Terror is one of my all time favorite rides, we headed there first.  We were among the first on the ride that day, so he didn't even get a chance to see the doors open and hear the screams.  He told me later that he thought it was going to be some sort of roller coaster, and when the doors opened and the car moved forward, he was sure he was right.  Then, as the lights went out for that split second before you fall, I knew he was confused...and then....

down 

we

 went.

As the elevator started to break and go back up, I heard him laughing....giggling almost (although he wouldn't want me to say that, so let's just keep it between us).  We got off the ride and I said "do you want to go again?" And got an enthusiastic "Yes!".  I think we rode Tower of Terror the most that day- maybe three or four times more.  He said he enjoyed it more the second time, because he knew what it was going to do (he's the kind of guy who wants to know how the movie ends halfway through it), but for me, nothing could compare to hearing him giggle in the darkness the first time he experienced it.

He was also really loved the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster that day, and we rode that until I couldn't ride it again (it was the only ride we fastpassed all week).  But that's a post for another day.

Thanks for joining me as I count down to the next time we get to enter.....the Twilight Zone.

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Disney World Delights on Twitter

Hi Folks-

Just a quick note to say that I twitter-fied my blog this afternoon!  If you are so inclined, you can follow me @DWDelights or click the follow link.   I'll see ya real soon!




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Disney Countdown! 19 weeks/19 memories- confession

Welcome to the second installment of my Disney Countdown.   Each week until out next Disney trip I'll be counting down my favorite memories from out last trip and the things we're the most excited to do when we arrive again in January.  Today I have a confession for you all.... ready?  It's a big one....


We did not think Soarin' was worth the hype.There, I said it.



I mean, it was a cool concept, and it was enjoyable enough, but it didn't light that fire for us.


Now maybe it was because we foolishly chose to ride Soarin' the first evening we arrived and having been on a real plane pretty much all day made us tired of flying.  Or maybe we really needed something a little more exciting after a long day, but we both agreed that the ride wouldn't be worth the monumental wait times it garners. Our first night in Disney on our last trip we were there when Epcot had evening EMH.  We rode Soarin' much earlier in the evening (when there was no line) and as we sat eating a late dinner at Sunshine Seasons, we thought about giving it another try, but we were amazed to see the people flooding in after Illuminations to get on Soarin' and we just looked at each other in confusion. I guess we just didn't get it.

That said, we'll try Soarin' again on our next trip.  We did only give it the one chance, and we might enjoy it more if we don't ride it first thing. Maybe I'll be a Soarin' convert soon!

What do you think about Soarin'?  Do you think it lives up to the hype? Follow @DWDelights

Wordless Wednesday- Almost

It's time for another edition of Wordless Wednesday over at Focused on the Magic and I'm really excited for this week's theme- Disney Friends!!  You see, I visited my mother this weekend (both our birthdays are in August, so I made the three hour drive to celebrate with her).  When I arrived, she told me about a huge box of pictures she had discovered behind the couch (huge- like Rubbermaid storage container huge) and we sat and looked through all. of. them.  I found so many Disney pictures from when I was young, and it really brought back the memories of what it was like to get to Disney World and visit with Disney friends.   Here are a few of the ones I discovered:

I'm not sure what Goofy is wearing on his head

The little peanut in both of these pictures is me, by the way.

yes, that's Winnie the Pooh sitting on someone.....but no, it is not me.

Sorry this wasn't very wordless, but I did my best!  For more Disney Friends fun, check out

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Destination Disney- Disney in Color

The color for Heidi's Destination Disney Meme at Heidi's Head this week is PURPLE.  It may not be the most original picture (I suspect a lot of folks have a picture like this) but as he is one of the most beloved of all Epcot characters, he's my pick for this week.  My purple picture today has

Two tiny wings, 

eyes big and yellow, 

horns of a steer, 

but a lovable fellow. 

From head to tail, 

he's royal purple pigment, 

and there, voila, you've got a....

Figment!

Here's adorable Figment sporting a beret in Journey into Imagination (somehow I thankfully managed to miss the referb that created Journey into YOUR Imagination- which removed him completely).  We did see the newish referb that brought both him back on our last trip (the referb happened in 2002), and while I was happy to see him, and thought parts of this new ride were charming-- Dr. Nigel Channing doesn't really have warmth of Dreamfinder (maybe the lack of the big beard has something to do with that?) and the ride itself can't hold a candle to the charm of the original.  Oh Dreamfinder, if only I could imagine you back into Epcot!  Maybe if I concentrate hard enough......

For more purple fun- go check out Heidi's Head 

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Wordless Wednesday!

Hi Everyone, I'm running a little behind this week, but welcome to another installment of Almost Wordless Wednesday hosted by awesome Focused on the Magic.  This week's theme is Night Time Magic, and without further ado, I give you Snow White and Grumpy from the Main Street Electrical Parade.  If you squint, I think that might be Doc in the background on the right hand side.

I feel like I've posted a lot of Main Street Electrical Parade pictures lately, but that's because this parade has always been a vacation staple for my family. I've been known to re-plan whole evenings to be sure that we stake out a good spot for this fun parade.  It's 100% magic to me.

For more Night Time Magic (and some awesome firework shots) check out Focused on the Magic.

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Disney Countdown! 20 weeks, 20 memories

Hi everyone and welcome to my Disney countdown.  Each week for the next 20 weeks I'll be posting about Disney memories and the exciting things we're planning to do when we go again this January (I can't wait!).  First up today- the iconic weenie in Epcot- Spaceship Earth!

Picture from the seriously fantastic Disney Tourist Blog.  Every picture on this blog is breathtaking.  I wish I had those photo skills!

This memory requires a little bit of a back story, so stay with me for a minute. When we were in WDW back in January 2011, there was a pretty intense cold snap happening in the south. Our flight was also delayed out of Boston because of a massive snow storm, which meant we would miss our connecting flight in Atlanta. Normally this wouldn't be much of a problem, since flights leave from Atlanta to Orlando all the time, but Atlanta had been hit by an ice storm (yes, an ice storm, in Atlanta) the day before that basically cancelled everything and stranded Atlanta passengers had first priority for flights on day we were flying in. The best they could offer us was a flight in at 9pm (we landed in Atlanta around 1pm - so that was a looong wait). As we all know, Disney closes pretty early in the winter, and an arrival that late meant we would miss everything we had planned at the parks that day.  We even called the vacation insurance people to see what we would be eligible for in terms of refund.

Thankfully, with some luck and a little last minute ingenuity, it all worked out. We managed to get single seats on a flight that was taking off 10 minutes after we landed in Atlanta, and we made it to Epcot  for a few hours that night.  Things were extra special because the park was almost completely empty, almost like it was open just for us (50 degrees when the sun goes down is cold in Florida, but coming from like 2 degrees in New Hampshire, it was a heat wave!)  This was one of the first rides we went on that evening; we were tired and had had a long day, but it didn't matter.  The ride itself was as good as it ever was (even with the changes since the last time I was there) but when we chose our future and I saw our goofy, sleepy, oblivious faces (when, mine was oblivious-my boyfriend thought ahead and made a silly face) we dissolved into the kind of giggles only Disney can produce.  Those overstimulated but still having a great time in the happiest place on earth kind of giggles.  It didn't matter that we had to change our dining reservation at the last minute, or that the wait for the magical express took almost two hours--we were in Disney, and it was time for the good times to roll.

So, thank you, you crafty Phoenicians, for everything you've done!



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Destination Disney- Disney in Color

Yesterday there was another fun hop over at Heidi's Head (another fun Disney site that I discovered and really like!)  The theme of her Destination Disney Meme right now is colors.  Yesterday's color was green.  Here are some of my favorite green pictures from Disney:

The iconic Mary Poppins shrub is green:

And one of my favorite characters from Disney's movie canon, and a highlight of the Main Street Electrical Parade, is green:

Elliot!  The fun loving (and invisible) dragon sidekick to Pete. According to the song, he has the head of a camel, the neck of a crocodile and the ears of a cow, but he looks like a plain old dragon to me!

For more fun green pictures, go check out Heidi's Head!

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Wordless Wednesday (almost)

So, it's about time I get my act together and actually start posting on this thing. After all, our next Disney trip is only 149 days away! Today I'm posting a " Wordless Wednesday" photo and joining in with the very awesome Focused on the Magic blog (seriously, check it out, she does great work!). Away, this is supposed to be wordless, so I should cut to the chase. The theme today is parades! This picture is from the 25th anniversary celebration at Walt Disney World (you know, the one with the pink Cinderella Castle cake?).  The bears  here have been making their own cake, but they seem to have made it upside down!

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Main Street Electrical Parade

 "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! The Magic Kingdom proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination. In thousands of sparkling lights, and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds: the Main Street Electrical Parade!"

I know there are folks out there who really love the SpectroMagic parade, but I have to say that there's nothing like the Main Street Electrical Parade in my book.  (I will confess to you here that I've actually never seen the SpectroMagic parade, so I have no basis for comparison beyond my own nostalgia- but sometimes nostalgia is strong!)  When I was a kid, this parade was a must do in my book, and during our last trip to Disney I was right there cheering and clapping and waving to Cinderella and Pete atop Elliot. We actually came back to the Magic Kingdom specifically for Wishes and the Main Street Electrical Parade this particular evening.  We grabbed dinner at Cosmic Rays (sorry, no pictures- but we just got a burger and a veggie burger, and they weren't that exciting) and staked out our viewing location about an hour before the show while we ate our desserts-- we were right in front of Tomorrowland, to the right of the parade route, and it was a great vantage point to see both the fireworks and the parade, even if it was very crowded.

Where is your favorite place to watch Wishes and/or the Main Street Electrical Parade?  And are you a Main Street Electrical Parade person or a SpectroMagic person?

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Hello Blogging World!

Hi Everyone-

I'm new to this whole blogging world, but I've read so many great blogs about Walt Disney World that I thought I'd give this whole thing a try.  Disney World has been the vacation destination spot for me since I was very young.  I was too young to even remember my first trip there (my mother tells stories of my father carrying two exhausted toddlers out of Disney World during the crush after the fireworks while she hung on to his belt loops so they wouldn't get separated!) But I remember the feeling of being there, the excitement, and the magic and how you couldn't help but be exhausted and happy at the end of each day.

It had been several years since I had been back to my favorite vacation spot (my last trip was when I was 16 years old) and I often thought about it fondly, but was too busy with college and other "grown up" things to really think about going back.  But that all changed last January, when my boyfriend and I happily flew away from frozen New Hampshire and towards Orlando.  It was unseasonably cold in Florida, 50 degrees the first night we were there, but to us it was a paradise.  We packed as much as we could in over the four days we had (this was his first trip in 19 years!)  And the minute we came home I started planning for our next trip back.  That's where the blogs come in.  I've combed through so many great blogs with all kinds of tips from what to pack to where the best mickey waffles are and I started taking notes, doodling plans, and making lists of restaurants.  I finally thought, why not document those notes and ideas and doodles here, share my excitement with others, and maybe even help someone else.


Thanks for tuning in so far.  More to come soon! Follow @DWDelights