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Memories of a Magical Disney World New Year

Nancy Christmas Holidays, Disney Vacation Planning, Travel Tuesday Tales, What to Do at Disney World , , , , , , , 8 Comments

So we had a wonderful time on our Disney vacation. 🙂

We tried new things, were blessed with amazing weather, and had the chance to share precious family time. We laughed, we sang, we clapped, we ate, we walked (and walked and walked), we were moved, we were silly, we learned new things and met new people….

In short, we started 2011 off in the most magical way.

As I have thought about doing a trip report for you, I realized quickly that I can’t do ONE because it would be a book! So instead, over the coming weeks, I’ll share different aspects of our trip that will hopefully help you in planning your next Disney vacation.

Today, I want to share a few highlights, along with some new things that this veteran Disney vacationer experienced on our trip to Walt Disney World:

First, we found a few “non-obvious” places for fireworks and parades. I have heard this recommended before but somehow we never actually did it. On this trip we did. We watched the Christmas parade over in Frontierland, right in front of Pecos Bill’s (having just finished lunch there) and had no problem finding a front row space to watch…on the day before New Year’s Eve. Likewise, we watched Holiday Wishes on one of the pathways that lead to the Tomorrowland bridge….it winds down below The Plaza Restaurant and there was literally no one there. Great view, and Tinkerbell flew right over us.

We went to Epcot for New Year’s Eve prepared to stay the entire day…which we did. While we might have been able to leave for a break and then return, based on the perfect weather and corresponding crowds, we decided not to chance it. We knew what to expect and took it very easy, keeping things low key and relaxed. Our daughter decided to try out the Kim Possible phones and had a blast (more on this in a coming article). I took advantage of places to relax when available. We found a place for the NYE fireworks EARLY, took turns blanket sitting, made friends with people from Brazil who were right next to us….and celebrated with them when it was the New Year in Brazil (which was before us).  In fact, welcoming a New Year with people who were literally from around the world seemed like the best possible way to celebrate…and we think that Walt Disney would have approved. 🙂

We were a bit lazy on New Year’s Day. We started with a late breakfast at Cape May buffet and then DD and I enjoyed a VERY special belated Christmas present from Santa: we went to the Grand Floridian spa. 🙂 If you ever have the chance to splurge on one thing for yourself….do this. You deserve it.

DD then joined DH at Magic Kingdom where they pretty much walked onto every ride there. Surprise for us: crowds practically disappeared starting on New Year’s Day, so it ended up being a very productive attraction day. After spending the afternoon taking pictures, I joined them for dinner at ‘Ohana, and then we returned to Magic Kingdom for the evening. Main Street Electrical Parade, Holiday Wishes….and riding Big Thunder Mountain in the dark all were perfect ways to end the perfect Disney day.

On Sunday we went to Hollywood Studios and those of you who were following along on our Facebook page know that we had a 5 minute wait for Toy Story Mania! We were there before park opening, and at rope drop, our DD went to Tower of Terror and apparently got the first FastPasses of the day there while DH and I went to get in line at Toy Story. We were entering the building as she arrived. Everyone else apparently went to get FastPasses for this ride, so the FastPass return time for TSM grew rapidly…while the stand-by line grew much more slowly. This strategy allowed us to ride/see everything we wanted to see before lunch. In the afternoon, we headed to ESPN Zone on the Boardwalk to cheer on our Steelers…and meet some really fun folks while there. 🙂

And I changed one of our ADRs again! At the last minute! Seeing that we were likely to be at ESPN Zone all afternoon, and then heading back to Hollywood Studios for the Osborne Lights in the evening, I decided to change dinner to the Captain’s Grill at Yacht Club since it was nearby, and I’m so glad that I did….it was amazing, in fact probably my favorite dinner! Once again, proving my motto for this trip: “Change is Good”. 🙂

Oh….and pictures of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights truly do NOT do them justice. If you love Disney World, put this on your bucket list!

For our last day, we returned to our favorite park, Epcot, and took the “Undiscovered Future World” tour. I cannot recommend this tour enough! Interesting, and fun, we were able to see some “behind the scenes” places, and ride Soarin’ again. And we learned a lot of fascinating details, not the least of which was to always “remember to look up and look down” because there are a lot of cool things to see that most of us normally miss because we’re so busy running to the next ride/attraction.

And then we left to return home. 🙁

Any Disney vacation goes so quickly, doesn’t it? It seems like you plan for an eternity (and for many of us that planning does last months or years even!) and then it finally arrives…..and in the blink of an eye, it’s over. But the memories remain, and that of course, is the true magic of Disney.

Then the planning starts all over again!

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Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of January 3, 2011

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

Greetings Disney friends and Happy New Year to all! Hope you all have gotten a great start to 2011! We had a wonderful time celebrating at Disney World last week, and since we’ve been back, I have especially enjoyed reading Disney blogs as a way to help get over my “post Disney trip depression”….  🙂 Here are a few of my favorites for this week:

Chip and Co starts us off with a great post about the many types of Disney World transportation. We especially love the monorail, it is almost like a park ride itself: Half the fun is how you get there. One of the fun things we noticed last week is discussed in this post: H2O to ‘Oh Wow!’: Custodial Cast Members Wow Guests With Water. Those of you who, like me, have grown children, will especially appreciate this post from our friend Brenda: Some Adjustment Required. Lastly, DeAnna gently reminds us to be grateful to be able to stand in lines: The ‘Long’ Line and The ‘Other’ Line

We noticed some fun new burgers when we visited last week, and AJ at the Disney Food Blog has a review: New “Designer” Burgers at Disney World. (We actually tried the one at Rosies at Hollywood Studios, and it was delicious!)

Disney Driven Life has some helpful dining information as well, with a review of  CINDERELLA’S ROYAL TABLE and then Kristen from Cooking with Mickey shares some GENERAL DISNEY DINING PLAN TIPS

Kelly from the Disney Guru discusses one of my new favorite (and hidden!) places at Disney World: Get your afternoon pick me up at Writer’s Stop (It’s where you get the Carrot Cake Cookie!) She also has a great idea for this past Money Saver Monday!! The Disney Treasure Box.

Alright friends, that’s it for this week! Next week, our blog post round-up will move to the weekend, to make room for some special articles from some new Disney friends! Have a magical day!

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Tuesday Disney Tips: Ten Reasons Why I Love Disney’s Moderate Resorts

Brenda Affordable Disney Vacations, Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money on Accommodations, Tuesday Disney Tips , , , , , , 8 Comments

Although we are happy we splurged on a great new experience this year by staying in the theme-park view room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort (the iconic deluxe resort of Walt Disney World) my husband and I both agreed that we would not do that again anytime soon. The trip was quite expensive for us to manage and, truthfully, we enjoy the moderate resorts. What is so special about them? Here are my top ten reasons you gotta love the moderates:

1.         Mousekeeping: Mousekeeping is awesome at moderates. They always do a great job at keeping everything clean and they are very friendly.

2.         Wide-open spaces: We like the wide open spaces at the moderate resorts. The grounds are beautiful at the Port Orleans; the Caribbean Beach Resort is tropical and tranquil and we enjoy being outdoors so this is perfect for us. Also, rabbits, squirrels, and sometimes a chipmunk or two can be seen lurking about.

3.         Special touches: There are little special touches you receive at the moderates, like towel animals. There is nothing that says “Welcome back” like little towel animals in your room. Regrettably, we did not see any sign of a towel animal at the Contemporary.

4.         Stairs: I do not like waiting for elevators only to find that 1000 other people will rush in even when you were waiting first. Truth be known, I prefer to take the stairs. Granted, some of the resorts are three stories, but they are an easy trek.

5.         The Staff: The cast members at the moderates are friendly and courteous. Of course, some are cast members extraordinaire but, generally, all are very friendly.

6.         The Guests: I like the guests that stay at moderate resorts. They are friendly and easy to start a conversation with and are usually very happy to be enjoying the resort as well.

7.         Theming: I enjoy the theming at the moderate resorts. From the detail in the building design, to the plants and flowers adorning the property and chosen specifically for that landscape, to the themed-pools. I also thoroughly enjoy the way music appropriate to the theme is piped in around the resorts such as calypso music at the Caribbean Beach Resort or Cajun music at Port Orleans French Quarter. Disney has done a fantastic job with the theming.

8.         Entertainment:  There is great entertainment at one moderate property in particular. If you have not been to Bob Jackson’s show at the Port Orleans Riverside, add it to your list for your next trip. He is awesome. You can read a previous blog article for more detailed information on Bob.

9.         Resort-specific foods: You can find foods specific to the resort when at the Port Orleans Riverside (pralines) or French Quarter (beignets). Mmm, these deep-fried donut-type treats, rolled in powder sugar, just melt in your mouth and they can ONLY be found here.

10.     Boat Rides: Both the Port Orleans properties offer a boat ride to and from Downtown Disney, which is a very enjoyable little trip.

These are my top ten reasons for loving Disney’s moderate resorts. To find out more about any of these wonderful resorts, visit Disney’s resort page. Let me know your thoughts on your own preferred resorts.

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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Splurging on a Theme-Park View Room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Brenda Disney Vacation Planning, Saving Money on Accommodations , , , 2 Comments

Many thanks to Brenda for keeping you company today while my family and I are on vacation at Walt Disney World…. 🙂

During our trip to Walt Disney World in November 2009, we made a decision that we would splurge on our November 2010 trip and booked a Theme-park View Room at Disney’s Contemporary Resort. My youngest child is a senior in high school this year and we really don’t know how long we will be able to continue having all of our family together every year during this time, so we decided to stay in a room we certainly could not afford to stay in every year and go all out.

We generally like the Contemporary Resort and we always spend some time walking around the resort when we dine at Chef Mickey’s.  I must say there were many things we really enjoyed about our stay in the theme-park view room at the Contemporary. I am really glad we splurged just this once. Here are the top ten things we enjoyed most:

1.      The view: waking up to the view of Cinderella’s castle each morning and having coffee out on the balcony some nights to watch the fireworks was by far number 1.

2.      The monorail: being able to go down the elevator and hop on the monorail was so convenient.

3.      The room-size: we had a room with two queen beds and a sofa bed. This provided ample room and was very comfortable for us.

4.      The bathroom: we enjoyed having a private area with the toilet that was separated by a sliding door from the sinks and shower. This design was much more efficient for a family of 5.

5.      The convenience: having everything from restaurants to shopping located inside the building was great. We didn’t even have to leave the building to get coffee.

6.      The beach: we enjoyed vegging out by the beach. We live by the beach so for us this is relaxation time.

7.      The boat ride to Fort Wilderness: we took the boat from the Contemporary to the Fort Wilderness Campground for the Hoop Dee Doo Revue. That was a very enjoyable ride.

8.      The staff: all the staff at the front desk, as well as other areas of the resort, were very accommodating.

9.      Activities: there are many free activities offered at the resort, such as games by the pool and movies under the stars.

10.    Fitness Center: I must admit that I do not work out at Disney, other than walking several miles a day at the parks, but my eldest son works out every day no matter where he is. Each morning he was down at the fitness center and he was very impressed with the facilities.

As I said, I am really glad we splurged just this one time. We have decided that we will stick to our more economical room choices in the future, but it was nice to stay in this wonderful location this year. I hope everyone will be able to stay in one of these rooms at least once. It truly is quite an experience.

Brenda is a native Texan born and raised on the Gulf Coast. She visited Disney World twice as a teenager and always dreamed of growing her family Disney. She took her first-timer husband and their three children to Disney World in 2000 and they now spend every Thanksgiving there. Brenda writes with a comedic twist on various Disney topics. She will be sharing tips she has learned during her travels and also hopes to enlighten people on little-known freebies that Disney has to offer. She wishes she could have met Walt Disney and considers herself to be a student of Walt. In parallel to his dream it is her wish that everyone would take at least one trip to Disney World in order to share in its magic with their families.

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Disney Fun From Around the World: Week of December 27, 2010

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

2010 may be coming to a close, but I wouldn’t dream of letting you end this year…and start the next one….without sharing a few favorite Disney blog posts that I came across before we left for Disney World. So raise your glass of champagne in toast to the coming of a New Year….and to our favorite Disney bloggers as well. 🙂

Chip and Company starts us off this week with a great article by Ken: Oldies But Goodies – The Ride Designed With Us In Mind!! and then offers some interesting news about how Disney Tackles Major Theme Park Problem: Lines

Studios Central always shares interesting tips related to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and this week, 2 articles especially caught my eye. One of my favorite things to do there is The Animation Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios . And then if you are wondering what will be new and fun at DHS next year, well they’ve got that too! What’s coming in 2011 to Hollywood Studios

Disney Driven Life discusses a common question for parents who are planning a Disney trip: WHAT’S THE BEST AGE FOR A CHILD’S FIRST WDW VISIT?

DisZine shared some news that just made me smile: Chilean Miners Are Going to Disney World! (And I can’t think of anyone who deserves some pixie dust more!)

Disney Food Blog talks about one of the most popular dinner shows at Disney World in this  Guest Review: Spirit of Aloha Luau Dinner Show

Disney Guru always has great tips for Money Saver Monday!! This week, Kelly talked about how you can Get Your Free Souvenir

Chris at Everything Walt Disney World reviewed one of my favorite Disney shows: Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage. (If you didn’t already know….she says it’s great for little boys too!)

Growing Up Disney has a great series this week that is must reading if you…or someone you know…is pregnant and planning a Disney trip: Minnie Moms: Pregnant at WDW, Part 1 and Minnie Moms: Pregnant at WDW, Part 2

Alright Friends, that’s it for this week….and this year! Have a wonderful, safe, healthy, and magical New Year! 🙂

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