Walt Disney World opens new Star Wars Ride.

While this isn't exactly a NEW ride, it is a new set-up for the ride. Before, you would enter on to a "shuttle" that would take you to the Millenium Falcoln, along the way you rode through the Deathstar, The Ice Fields , and of course The Forest Moon of Endore. Now Disney has taken the first three movies, and the last three prequels, and combine them for a hair raising ride through the Star Wars Movies. Not for the faint of heart, this ride has thrills, spills and chills. I CAN'T WAIT !

What? 181 Days!

That's right you read it right. 181 days left until our trip to Disney! Tomorrow I plan on listing our reservation information for our week since I can make the reservations for dinner. That way everything is ready and it will make it feel more real for me.

I was able to get the park hours for our week in Disney, and thanks to that able to finalize our day to day itinerary. Which I will also list tomorrow.

Are you getting excited? I am.

To go or not to go...to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

While I find myself anxiously awaiting Spring in Northeastern PA, I also realize I am excited about Disney, and that my friends means Winter in Northeast PA. Hmmm, the struggles and dramas of life...but looking ahead to next winter makes me wonder how fun it would be to attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. This is a gathering for resort goers who want to feel the magic of Christmas in the most magical place in the world. This party incorporates, a musical skit with the Princesses, a very merry Christmas parade, and the spectacular lighting of Cinderellas Castle. Is it worth it, probably, everything else in Disney is! So my plans are to keep checking the website until the tickets are ready then to purchase them for each of us! This is also my Father's Day gift to my dad. Shhhh, it's a secret! If you want to see what it's all about go to http://www.waltdisneyworld.com/ , select Things to Do, from the tabs across the top, and then select , Special events, scroll down to Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party, Click, and ENJOY! Oh and there are only : 224 days left!

What to ride in Frontier Land!

So with only 248 days left until out trip I thought maybe it would be fun to give you a sampling of what rides are in the Magic kingdom. Now, the Magic Kingdom is broken down into 4 sections, Frontier Land, Fantasy Land, Tmorrow Land, and Adventure Land. Today I am going to focus on our time in Frontier Land.
As you walk into Magic Kingdom and stare straight down Main Street USA you find yourself looking at the ever impressive Cinderella's Castle. On each side of you is the stor fronts of Magic Kingdom. The smell from the confectionary wafts out onto the street drawing you in to buy some of the most delicious baked goods anywhere. But, you are on a diet, (visiting Disney...dieting...should not be in the same sentence...) so you continue down the street to the square where you stand under Walt Disney and Mickey holding hands. To your left you notice an adventerous looking rope bridge, alomost King Kongish looking, do you dare enter its portals?
You bet, you cross over the bridge when you notice that it has the inscription, "Adventure Land". Upon crossing the bridge the first object to come into view is the towering "Swiss Family Robinson" tree house. This trip through the famous tree house allows you to imagine what it would be like to have actually been the Swiss Family on an island, by themselves, the child in you will register that this is THE Ultimate tree house. Next we encounter, "Aladdin's Flying Carpets" this ride, much like the Dumbo rise, is fun, but not for those who get motion sick on round and round rides. Across from the carpets we see the entrance to "The Jungle Cruise", this ride is a slow paced boat ride, where you "help" keep an eye out for the pirates on the river. No hills, no speed, no frills, just slow and steady, with a less then humorous guide telling the story. Upon disambarking the Jungle Crusie we make our way over to "Tikki Room, Under New Management" This is a musical revue in which our feathered friends are the entertainment. Animitronic birds sing songs and tell jokes, it truley is hilariuos. Then Arghh you hear the call of the sea and you embark on what is probably the most popular ride in Disney! The Pirates of the Caribbean! Once in the 12 seater boat, which rides on a rail system under the water, you take a slow cruise through pirate towns, pirate ships fighting and finally a jail. Get motion sick easy? This ride is not going to bother you! Most rides in Disney are mtion sick friendly! That's it for Adventure Land.
Among other things to do here? Meer Princess Jasmine and Aladdin, eat pirate food, and maybe even become a pirate? Who knows?
Next week I will talk about Frontier Land, it's rides, and entertainment!

And a side of....PICTURES!

Disney's Crystal Palace, here, at this all you can eat buffet, we also get to meet, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger. The Hundred Acre Wood has nothing on this place!

Yankee Doodle Dandy...It's the Liberty Tree Tavern. A place where meat and potatoes is the going meal. An all you can eat sit down meal awaits us here! Roast Beef, chicken, Potatoes, Mac and Cheese, green beans and all the trappings of a conventional Yankee Feast!

Calling all princesses...This Royal Banquet hall has them all, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Jasmine, Aurora, Tiana, and even Ariel!

The Coral Reef Restaurant in EPCOT's, The Sea Pavillion, is a three floor aquarium where patrons get a "fish' eye view of the inhabitants of the huge aqaurium built around it.

This is the impressive 1900 Park Fare. In The Grand Floridian resort, you will meet Cinderella and her sisters. The evil Stepmother and the Handsome Prince Charming.

Inside Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios. This will actually be a Table Service lunch. A buffet and a character meal. Here you will meet, JoJo and Goliath, and June and Leo!

You are what you eat...A Disney Dining Plan Explanation.

A Disney dining plan is one of the best investments you will pay for while on vacation in Disney World. Just for an idea,, when we went in November 2009, a four person sit down meal, was about $180.00 pl;us gratuitites. Crazy right? That is why a dining plan is "sweet". Here is a run down of the different pointers to remember when using your dining plan!

1. We purchased the "Disney Deluxe Dining Plan" : 1 Quick Service meal, 1 Table Service meal, and 1 Snack - per person/perday. So if you have two people going , you have 14 quick service meals, 14 table service meals, 14 snack, for the week. I find it is better to use the quick service meal for lunch, and the table service for dinner, and your snack at night or in the morning for breakfast ( a muffin, doughnut, apple banana etc..) i plan on packing boxes of muffins and doughnuts and some juice boxes for the hotel rooms.

2. Quick Service? What does that entail? Essentially ? Anything you could get at McDonalds, Burger King, wendys, or Arbys, just healthier and bigger in portions. For instance a quickservice meal is made up of; an entree, a side, a dessert, and a drink. My daily meal while there, was A salad, baked potato, carrott cake (strongly recomended), and a water or diet Coke. (PS...Disney is a Coke vender...thank you Lord for smalll favors.)

3. A Table Service meal? How does that work? Most 'table service meals" in Disney are buffets, and believe me once you have eaten for the night, even cotton candy looks bad. Disney makes sure you get your monies worth here. There are normally no less then four "bars" of food per buffet. And it is all you can eat. Most of our Table Service meals will also be "character meals" meaning that some of the more famous Disney characters ( ie: The Princesses, Mickey and Minnie, Tigger, Pooh and Eeyore) show up for pictures during your meal. The kids love this and they seem to behave knowing there HERO or HEROINE is watching. Even for this girl, meeting Princess Aurora AKA Sleeping Beauty was a moment I will never forget!

3. Snacks? Pretty much these are self explanatory! They range anywhere from a bottle of water or soda, to popsicles and fruit. There are symbols around the park for where your "snack" can be purchased. You can also use them back at your hotel. We would purchae our orange juice and chocolate milk for the next morning to have with our muffins and such. There are no fridges in our resort, so taking a collapsible cooler, is probably a good idea. you can fill it with ice to keep your drinks or snacks cool.

Below I have listed some of the places we may eat during our "invasion" take a look:

Magic Kingdom :

Lunches - Day 1 : Pinocchio Village Haus Day2: Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe' or Pecos Bills Cafe'

Dinner - Day 1 : Crystal Palace Day 2: Liberty Tree Tavern

EPCOT :

Lunches - Day 1 : Electric Umbrella Day 2 : Sunshine Seasons

Dinner - Day 1 : Auskerhous Royal Banquet Hall Day 2: Coral Reef

Animal Kingdom :

Lunch - Restaurantosaurous

Dinner - 1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian)

Hollywood Studios :

Lunch - Hollywood and Vine ( Table service)

Dinner - Sunshine Ranch Market.

I will post the pictures with captions in a new post.

I hope you all have a basic understanding now of the plan. Remember call me if you have any questions, and there are only : 261 Days until vacation!

Tickets! We have your Tickets!

Vol. 1 Issue 3


Remember when Charlie found the Golden ticket in his candy bar? How excited he was, how he marveled that HE had actually won a ticket? That's kind of how I feel about knowing I have 6 days of tickets to Disney Parks! The possiblilty for fun is endless here!



Our tickets are set like this : 1 ticket, per park, per day. So for example if we go to Magic Kingdom on Wednesday, than we cannot switch to another park that day. We can leave that park and come back, but we cannot go to another park. Why? Because believe it or not it will take a whole day to get through Epcot and Magic Kingdom. Half a day for Animal Kingdom and almost a full day at Hollywood Studios!



Unlike most other theme parks, because let's face it: Disney isn't like other theme parks, you don't actually get a "paper" ticket. Your ticket information is saved on a "Disney Debit Card". each day we use the card to get into the park, eat, and get back in your room. So don't lose that card!







I have some idea of a schedule for us, but until I know extra magic hours ( this is a time, usually and hour before or two hours after a park opens or closes, strictly for Disney Resort guests) for each park, I can't confirm anything.



Hope you are all enjoying this blog. See you next time.