Tag Archives: Disney New Year’s Resolutions

New Year, New Disney To-Do List

Posted on by

So long, 2018, you were a lot of fun, you brought milestones and plenty of adventure, but it’s time for you to go.  Hello, 2019, I have high hopes for you.  If you don’t mind going a bit slower than last year, that’d be much appreciated.  I like to savor time and it likes to speed by faster than I ever imagined possible.

As usual, I’ll take a pass on any New Year’s Resolutions. No thanks, really, I’m a firm believer in making changes when the time is right, not because it’s January 1st.  So, having already turned over any leaves that were not to my liking, I’ll move on to my favorite part of the New Year…

New Disney To-Do List

See these movies: Usually we manage to head to our local theater on nearly every holiday we can. 2018 was different and I’ve got some movie catching up to do and boy, my entertainment budget is about to be blown to pieces. My ranking of importance to me is shown beside each movie. Outraged? Shout it out in a comment.

  • Ralph Breaks the Internet (8)
  • Mary Poppins Returns (6)
  • Captain Marvel (7)
  • Dumbo (1)
  • Avengers: Endgame (2)
  • Aladdin (5)
  • The Lion King (3)
  • Star Wars Episode 9 (4)
The Standard Movie Snacks

Try these attractions and restaurants:

  • Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land
  • Wine Bar George in Disney Springs
  • Anything Star Wars that’s may be open in November
  • Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Add a new runDisney event (or two): I have my eye on the Wine and Dine 10k and half marathon for 2019. I’ve not tried these events before and the November timing makes them perfect for a short getaway to celebrate my birthday. I’ve got the room booked, now I just need some registration pixie dust…wish me luck!

Try new Disney recipes: One of my favorite ways to feel close to Walt Disney World when I can’t be there is by whipping up some of my favorite Disney flavors. I just peruse this list, find one I like, and get busy cooking! I promise to share every attempt with you, if not in person, then here where you can read all about it. (That Whispering Canyon cornbread we made recently was delish!)

  • Photo courtesy of Karen Seal

Meet up with Disney friends old and new! This is always on my to-do list for every Disney vacation and I’m going to try extra hard in 2019 to meet even more of you!

What about you? What’s at the top of your Disney to-do list? If you’ve got plans, I’d love to hear about them!

All The 2017 Disney (Non) Resolutions

Posted on by

Happy New Year!  I’m not gonna lie. I was kinda glad to see the last of 2016. It was a year of ups and downs in the way that riding a roller coaster over and over makes you want to finally get off.  Now here we are – fresh year, new opportunities and all that. If you’ve been here for the arrival of the past three years, then you know I’m not a fan of resolutions.  I absolutely believe in making a commitment to change, but only when you’re ready and you really mean it. Me, I make Disney plans for the beginning of each year and it’s time to line them out.

All The 2017 Disney (Non) Resolutions

It’s not without a bit of anxiety that I tell you what’s on tap for 2017…there are few solid trip plans which is so not like me. I love planning Disney vacations and usually have 24-months-worth all sewn up at any given time. That’s not the case at the moment, but as you’ll soon see, I’ve got good ideas!  Here’s what’s definitely in the future…

Make Disney Soup (again)!

Last time it was the spinach, sausage, and gnocchi soup from The Wave.  I’ve made it several times since I figured out how.  This time, I’m going for the Curried Butternut Squash Bisque from Jiko.  I’m probably going to have to forego the garnishes of duck confit and quince marmalade, but the velvety smooth deliciousness of this incredibly tasty soup can hold its own without the fancy add-ins. I’ve already practiced once this week and came super close!  Sadly, I didn’t measure anything. Next time I’ll make sure I know exactly what’s going in and how much of each ingredient is used so I can share the final recipe with you.

Run the Dark Side Challenge

I’ve been talking about it enough that you probably already know about this one.  What makes this short Disney World visit in April so special is that I’ll be running both races with Joseph (my favorite son) and both Nick and Dave (my co-hosts on The Disney Exchange) will be at Disney World then too!  Might be possible for us to finally have a podcast meet-up!  Based on our past luck with that, though, I won’t hold my breath.

See These Movies

There are a bunch of Disney movies coming out in 2017 that I’d like to see in a theater, but these are the ones I’m absolutely not going to miss and plan on seeing them as soon as they come out:

  • Beauty and the Beast (March 17th)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 (May 5th)
  • Spider-Man: Homecoming (July 7th)
  • Star Wars Ep. VIII (December 15th)

Obtain My Scuba Certification

This was a Christmas gift from Raymond who’s already certified and knows I love adventure, learning new things, and the ocean.  We’d arranged this as a gift for Joseph, who’s studying biology and loves tropical fish.  I was beyond excited when I opened the same present for me!  Now we’ll start studying our books and DVD ahead of the classes which should begin in late February.  Someday we’ll be able to search for both Nemo and Dory!

Book a Disney CruiseDisney Cruise Line

We’ve got a placeholder burning a hole in our pocket! On last February’s cruise on the Disney Dream, we put a down payment on a future cruise to take advantage of the onboard booking specials. Now we need to make a decision on when and where we’ll go.  I’d kind of like to try the Fantasy, which is the only Disney ship we haven’t yet sailed on.

Go on a Disney (under sea) Adventure

What good will that scuba certification be without putting it to good use on a Disney vacation?  Our first choice is to book a visit to Aulani with a stop at Disneyland on the way.  I know there are amazing diving opportunities in Hawaii.  The only thing holding us back right now is working out the timing and budget…keeping my fingers crossed!

Have you made your Disney plans for 2017?  What’s on your list?

Disney Resolutions – 2016 Version

Posted on by

Polynesian-Villa-Fireworks-New-YearIf you’ve been hanging around here a while then you know I’m not big on life-changing New Year’s Resolutions.  I don’t believe in trying to change yourself, your life, or your habits anytime other than when you’re ready to embrace change.  Nike’s motto “Just Do It” perfectly sums up how I feel about change.  If you want to lose weight, quit smoking, relax more, be angry less, do more or less of anything – do it when you’re ready, not because the calendar says January 1.  Since I stared this blog in 2013, I’ve made only Disney resolutions at the beginning of the year and today I’m stoked about 2016 and what’s in store Disney-wise.  I’d also love to hear what your Disney resolutions are, so please leave a comment!

Disney Resolutions – 2016 Version

I’m going to the movies!  Oh, my goodness!  The 2016 Disney movie lineup is simply The Standard Movie Snacksspectacular!  Zootopia, Jungle Book (finally!), Captain America Civil War, Finding Dory, and Moana (those are the ones I’m most excited about).  There are more, but those five are at the top of my must-see list.RM-Sunrise-runDisney-Princess-Half

I’m running alone – again, but hopefully for the last time!  Next month I’m headed to my next couple of runDisney races.  Since Joseph trained for and ran his first 10k and half marathon with me last fall, I have hope that I’ll finally be able to convince at least one or more family members to join me for the 2017 Princess Half Marathon (or Glass Slipper Challenge). Running-Age-Group-Awards-5K Over the past 18 years, I’ve run almost all the races I’ve entered by myself, but I’ve enjoyed having Joseph by my side so much, I’d love to have him with me at Walt Disney World for a race or two.  I know Megan can run (when she wants to) and she would absolutely love a runDisney event…I’ll be working on that.Morimoto-Asia-Lunch-Raymond

I’m learning to share – and resolve to do it more often!  Last week when Raymond and I were at Walt Disney World, we shared food in restaurants big time!  We had a ton of ADRs (Advance Dining Reservations) booked – so many that we could never have experienced each restaurant to the fullest without sharing.  We shared omelets at breakfast (Grand Floridian Café), three-courses at lunch (Skipper Canteen and Morimoto Asia),Morimoto-Asia-Kakuni-Pork-Bao appetizers at dinner (Jiko, Bluezoo, Shula’s, Flying Fish, and Narcoossee’s) and were able to taste so much more – while wasting so much less food than we would have without sharing.  We felt less stuffed and saved money too!  In a few weeks we’ll be back at Disney World before cruising on the Disney Dream…let’s see if we can keep up the culinary cooperation!

I’m going to show my adult children how to be kids again!  There’s no better place to embrace your inner child than at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party!  MM-Magic-Kingdom-MNSSHPWe’ve booked a week in October for Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, but I’m dying to show ’em how to dress up and totally be a kid again for the night in Magic Kingdom at one of the most special and fun events Disney has to offer.

I vow to find the most perfect shoes ever!  Ugh!  I’m showing my age for sure.  I took five pairs of my most broken-in, tried and true Disney touring shoes last week and my feet still killed me. RM-Running-Shoes In fact, one day we went to Disney Springs in the morning with Epcot planned for the afternoon and I had to stop and buy some sandals at the Sanuk store because I was bleeding in to my sneakers – ones I’d worn comfortably several times in the past.  The problem for me is that all the walking and standing in line causes my feet and ankles to swell.  Maybe the cure is some deluxe compression socks or some extra-special comfort sandals – whatever it is, I’m committed to finding the cure.  I’m old-ish, but I’m not THAT old – I’m not letting my feet keep me from doing all that I want to do.

This year my goals are few and simple.  What are your 2016 Disney resolutions?

 

My Disney New Year’s Resolutions 2015

Posted on by

RM-Happy-New-Year-2015Happy New Year!  Thanks for stopping by. Let me take this opportunity to tell you how much it means to me that you are taking time out of your day to visit.

Last year was the first time I ever made New Year’s resolutions.  Normally, I don’t believe in them.  I think if you want to make a change, you should just do it.  Why wait? Why ruin a perfectly good reason to celebrate with crazy plans for losing weight, getting in shape, or being nicer?  Life changes are best made when it’s time and individually, we all have to be ready and know when the time is right.  So, for my first foray into the world of resolutions, I made them based on my passion – Disney!  And you know what?  It was a brilliant idea for me.  I was able to follow the plan.  I did indeed do each and every thing I set out to do (read those resolutions here).  Except for one recipe and the fact that I expected to like #9 at least a little, they went really well!  On the heels of that success, I decided to use the exact same format for this year’s commitments.  Don’t mess with success – it’s a great motto!

So without further ado, I give you…

My Disney New Year’s Resolutions 2015:

1. See These Movies:RM-Cinderella-Movie-Poster

  • Cinderella (3/13)
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (5/1)
  • Tomorrowland (5/22)
  • Inside Out (6/19)
  • Ant-Man (7/17)
  • The Jungle Book (10/9)
  • The Good Dinosaur (11/25)
  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12/18)

Mural in Maelstrom / World Showcase / Epcot2. Take a Cruise – Last year’s #2 was “Book a Cruise”, so now it’s time to set sail!  In June, The Fam and I will fly to Copenhagen to board the Disney Magic for a cruise through the fjords of Norway.  Whatcha wanna bet there’s a bunch of Frozen tie-ins on that cruise? ‘S okay, we’ve braced ourselves.  Adventure is out there!  Stand by for more on this as the port excursions become available for booking. Of course, I’ll report back on all the deets!

3. Complete a runDisney Event or Three:  Glass Slipper Challenge, here I come.  In addition, based on my very own husband’s advice, I’m registered for the Disney Princess 5k.  Yes, I’m planning to run a 5k, 10k, and a half marathon over three days – sounds easy compared to the Dopey Challenge, doesn’t it?

4. Make More Disney Friends!  You guys are GREAT!  Many of you who regularly read this blog, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and listen to…see #7, have become like family to me.  I know I’ll get the opportunity to meet some of you in February when I’m touring the World completing resolution #3.  If you are going to be at Walt Disney World during the Princess Half Marathon Weekend, holler!

5. Try These Restaurants:

  • Kona Café:  I’ve even stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort before, but have never eaten at the Kona Café.  I hear it’s not to be missed!
  • Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club Resort):  I’ve never been to the Yacht Club, but I’ve heard raving reviews about the Steakhouse.  I’d like to see how it compares to another popular steak place, Le Cellier (Epcot, Canada Pavilion).
  • Il Mulino (The Swan):  It’s Italian and I love Italian food.  Since the last time I ate at Tutto Italia in Epcot was a huge disappointment, I’m pining for some delicious Italian fare on Walt Disney World property.  I have high hopes.IMG_2320

6. Find and Trade for The Missing Pin:  It’s the Toy Story Midway Mania pin set and I’m missing the beaver pin.  I don’t know how realistic this goal is, but maybe if a few of you fellow pin fanatics are on the lookout, you could help me find my missing pin.

TheDisneyExchangeLogo7. Work on My Podcasting Skills:  As you may or may not be aware, just two short weeks ago, I became a podcast host!  Blogging and podcasting are often mutually exclusive, but I fancy myself a master of multi-tasking and hey, when you have as much to say about Disney as I do, it’s a lot easier to talk than to write.  Not only that, but my co-hosts, Nick and Dave, are just awesome guys who love Disney as much as I do!  Please give The Disney Exchange a listen and let me know what you think.  Too long?  Too short?  Too broad? Too specific?  What topics would you like to hear us discuss?

8. Try These Recipes:

  • Tonga Toast (Kona Café):  World famous breakfast food!  Found the recipe here.
  • Jiko’s Macaroni and Cheese:  We love Jiko!  I usually make risotto when Raymond grills his famously delicious steaks, but a bed of Mac & Cheese would be awesome and if it tastes like Jiko’s?  Perfection!  Here’s the recipe.
  • Irish Brown Bread with Guinness Reduction:  Whoa!  If I can pull this off, I will be a hero.  The Fam loves Raglan Road and the bread and dipping sauce are certainly part of why we love it!  Here’s the recipe.

9. Taste a Citrus Swirl – Last year’s #9 was to try a Dole Whip for the first time.  If you missed seeing how that turned out, watch the video here.  I’m not ruling out the chance that I may enjoy something Dole Whip-ish, so I’m going to give the Citrus Swirl a try.  We shall see.

10. Make More and Better Videos – Last year, this resolution was to take more and better pictures.  I’m pretty happy with the result of those efforts.  Now it’s time to work on my video skills.  Between my GoPro and iPhone, I’m pretty sure I’ll have at least a few new Disney vacation videos to share with you in 2015.

There they are!  Now it’s your turn!  Did any of these resolutions make it onto your list?  What Disney plans are on your 2015 calendar?