Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of January 31, 2011

Nancy Disney Fun From Around the "World" , , 1 Comment

Happy Saturday Disney friends! It’s the Super Bowl weekend here in the US: will you be watching? Here at the Affordable Mouse House we are excited to cheer on our Pittsburgh Steelers tomorrow! And speaking of Super….(you knew it was coming, didn’t you??)….I have some SUPER Disney blog posts for you this week. 🙂

So before you get the wings, nachos, and beer ready (or whatever your beverage of choice will be), relax for a few minutes and take a look at all the points scored by these great Disney bloggers:

Let’s start off with our friends at Chip and Co: Debra shared some great souvenir ideas at Downtown Disney: Create-Your-Own & Customizable Souvenirs and Gifts. Meanwhile, Ken discussed something that everyone should try to do at the parks, no matter your age…but ya gotta get there when they open…Disney’s Animal Kingdom Opening Ceremony – Kinda’ Fun (And note that each park has their own version!) Then Lisa shared why Disney never gets old, as she looked at all the things at Walt Disney World that will be new to her on their next trip (which we hope is soon Lisa!): Doesn’t Disney World Get Old?

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Escape to the Border: Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Guest Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money at Disney World, Saving Money on Accommodations , , , , , , 3 Comments
Photo courtesy of mousebuzz.com

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort offers stunning American Southwest and Mexican architecture. Named after Francisco de Coronado, the Spanish explorer that traveled Mexico and the American Southwest, Disney’s Coronado Springs resort is located very close to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

El Centro……

Upon arriving at Coronado Springs Resort the southwest theme is in full swing. From the music to the décor one truly gets the impression that they are a world away from home.  El Centro is the main building at Coronado Springs, not only will you check in here but you will also find that Panchito’s Gift Shop, Café Rix, The Pepper Market, Rix Lounge and The Maya Grill are all conveniently  located in this one building.

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Thrifty Thursday: A Sentimental Disney Journey on a Beautiful Antique Horse

Brenda Thrifty Thursday, What to Do at Disney World , , , , , , , 3 Comments

People often ask me, “Are you a Disney freak?” Surprisingly, the answer is no. I tell them that I am a Walt Disney and Walt Disney World freak. I am a student of Walt Disney. Like my dad, Walt was a man who loved spending time with his family. It was during one of his traditional Saturday outings with his daughters, in fact, that he first got the idea for Disneyland. He explained it this way:

“Well, it came about when my daughters were very young and Saturday was always Daddy’s day with the two daughters. So we’d start out and try to go someplace, you know, different things. I’d take them to the merry-go-round and I took them different places and I’d sit while they rode the merry-go-round. Sit on a bench, you know, eating peanuts. I felt that there should be something built where the parents and the children could have fun together.”

The merry-go-round Walt referred to was actually a carousel similar to the one found in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom (pictured above). No matter how many times I visit WDW, I feel the same gentle tug at my heartstrings as I walk toward Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, formerly Cinderella’s Golden Carrousel. I can’t help but reflect on Walt’s words as I stare at this antique treasure in motion. As all the little princes and princesses go around, I revel in the thought that he would have loved to have seen all that’s been created for families to spend magical moments together.

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Tuesday Disney Tips: Learning to Zig When Others Zag

Brenda Disney Vacation Planning, Tuesday Disney Tips, What to Do at Disney World , , , , , , , 3 Comments

One of the most important things to know when planning your days at Walt Disney World is that you may need to adjust your itinerary based on the habits of the other guests. Learning to zig while others zag is based on experiencing the parks on different days and at different times of the year with varying crowds. There are many books available that speak directly to planning your day in the parks, but what I am referring to is modifying your plan when you are faced with the unexpected. There are many ways to conform to your unique travel circumstances whether at the resort or at any of the four Disney parks.

If you have planned to have breakfast at 7:00 on your first day at the resort and you are greeted with no tables at which to sit, long lines of guests waiting to order and to pay for food, or a loud and chaotic environment, then you might want to rethink your breakfast time on day two. In this scenario, you may wish to plan to sleep in a little while, have breakfast at the resort at 9:30 or 10:00, and then stay at the park later. Conversely, you may want to get up extra early, have breakfast in the room then head out to early extra magic hours. The choice is yours.

Try to be flexible enough in your planning so that you can zig while everyone else zags. In other words, plan your time for less stress and more fun by not going with the flow. Two specific tips I can provide are based on your choice of resort and your choice of park ticket. If you are staying at a Disney resort, taking advantage of extra magic hours is a great idea. But, if you are not staying on Disney property, you will want to avoid the selected EMH parks on those days. Also, having park hopper tickets provides maximum flexibility, so if you can purchase these, I highly recommend it.

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Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of January 24, 2011

Nancy Disney Fun From Around the "World" , , , 0 Comment

Happy Saturday Disney friends! Who’s got awesome plans for the weekend? Hope that your weekend will not consist of more show shoveling: enough already! Whether it does… or whether it’s a lovely day in your neck of the woods….either way, you can make it a better day by strolling through the Disney blog-world with me. I have some interesting, informative, and just plain fun blog posts for your reading pleasure today. Relax a bit: you’ve earned it. And enjoy!! 🙂

I always have such a hard time choosing from the many entertaining posts over at Chip and Co.! But these are a few that especially jumped out at me this week. For those of you who may be DVC members….or are considering a DVC purchase, you will want to read this post from our friend Lisa, who wrote an honest piece about her thoughts regarding the latest news from DVC: Changes are Coming to the Disney Vacation Club. On a lighter note, Mike shared a favorite in Walt Disney World Epcot: The one ride I MUST ride (which is not what you might think….and is also one that I love too!) Lastly, Brenda has exciting news! What a Thrill – A New Trip is In the Works

I loved this post from the Disney Driven Life: THE BACKPACK. We had a “Backpack” for years, although it was my DH that carried it, bless his heart. 🙂

Disney Food Blog had a couple of posts that I especially enjoyed. First, Chef Big Fat Panda showed how to create a great Disney recipe in: DIY Disney: Coconut Curry Chicken Soup from Boma And then we learned about some new Disney Food Trends: Flaming Desserts! Now who doesn’t love a little fire with their dessert?

Our writer Kelly had some great things to share over on her blog, Disney Guru: I always love her Money Saver Monday!! This week we learned how to Get More Bang for your Buck at Character Breakfasts. And Tuesday’s top 10 things I miss at Disney World make me think of what I am missing most. Right now, it may be sunshine and warm(er) weather. Oh, and the Cast Members. And Soarin’. And Mickey bars…… 🙂

Growing Up Disney discussed a subject that many wonder about if they have little ones: Minnie Moms: Ideal Age for a Child’s First WDW Visit

Apparently Relocated Tourist is also missing Disney (of course they are moving there, lucky them!), but Amy had some great ideas to Let Disney Free You from the “Blech”. Then, if you have ever been at Disney World during a holiday, you will enjoy her ideas for Decorating Your Resort Room

The Disney Blog provided lots of great information on the latest Disney construction news: Magic Kingdom Update

Last, but definitely not least, WDW Fan Zone has great articles every day: I hope you stop by! Stuart had a great story of a conversation with a certain, very special man in Something In The Night . And then April provided a fun and easy project if you like to do trip countdowns:  We’re Going to Disney Countdown Chain. It’s adorable, and is a great way to help little ones know when you leave!

So that’s it for this week everyone. Have the best weekend ever! 🙂