Monthly Archives: January 2014

Hooray for Disney’s Hoop-Dee-Doo

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IMG_5280If you are looking for a fun, family-friendly-dinner-and-entertainment all-in-one experience on your Walt Disney World vacation – you can’t beat the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review!  Described on Disney’s website as “A hilarious, high-spirited hootenanny the whole family will enjoy, accompanied by a finger-lickin’ countrified feast” – good food meets good fun at the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground’s Pioneer Hall.

The Fam and I have seen the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review on more than one occasion and DSCN0976let me tell you – it is indeed hilarious and highly entertaining.  I put it to the true test for any type of entertainment and once brought along not one, but TWO 15-year-old boys.  If they gave it a “two thumbs up” rating (and they did), you know it’s absolutely fantastic!  They thought the show was corny – but in a really good way.  Added praise – They both asked to go again the next time we went to Disney World.

The Pioneer Players perform skits, sing, dance, and interact with the audience – it’s energetic, a little bit silly, and completely different from anything else at Walt Disney World.  The dinner lasts approximately 2 hours and while you’re eating, you’re bound to notice that the Pioneer Players clearly love what they do.  With colorful characters like Claire de Lune and Six Bits Slocum – children and adults alike are completely captivated!

IMG_5275If you’re using Disney transportation, you can catch a boat at the Magic Kingdom or at the Contemporary Resort and enjoy a tranquil and relaxing cruise across Bay Lake to the Campgrounds at Fort Wilderness.  Once the boat docks, it’s just a short walk to Pioneer Hall.  After checking in, you’ll be seated at your table and the all-you-care-to-eat, family-style dinner will begin.  Your server will bring cornbread, salad, baked beans, fried chicken, and BBQ pork ribs – all you want!  Soft drinks and, for adults 21 and over, beer, wine, and sangria are included.  Finally – the grand finale is Strawberry Shortcake – which is both a dessert and a musical production!

Pre-payment for the Hoop-Dee-Doo is required and prices are based on where you choose to DSCN0975sit.  Three seating areas are available:  Main Floor, Category 2, and Category 3.  The Main Floor puts you close to the stage on ground level.  Category 2 is either floor level (back and/or to the sides of Category 1) or balcony tables directly out from center-stage.  Category 3 is balcony seating to the right and left of the stage.  Prices range from $54.99 – $69.99 for adults (10 and older) and  $25.99-$34.99 for children, ages 3-9.  Show times are currently 4:00, 6:15, and 8:30 pm.  Yes, it may seem expensive and time-consuming, but there’s a reason this show has been running continuously since 1974 – it is delightfully excellent entertainment – and the food’s good too.

Have you ever been to see the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Review?  What did you think?

You Have Superpowers – But Only at Disney World

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photo 1Do you have a wild imagination?  I certainly do – it runs away constantly imagining all sorts of fantistic things.  So, my imagination and I got to thinking this week – What if we had superpowers, but only while at Disney World.  What would they be?  What superpower would be the most useful?  The most fun?  The most diabolical?  WHOA!  So, I put the question out there – I asked The Fam, the Facebook Peeps, and the Twitter Followers – What superpower would you most want at Disney World. Kudos to you all!  Some of you have imaginations every bit as wild as mine.  Let’s take a look at some of my favorite answers:

“To be able to teleport from park to park and anywhere in Disney” was Megan’s answer, but variations of that idea were very popular.    @BerryMary92 on Twitter also wanted teleportation abilities to “go from park to park in a nanosecond!”.  Joseph voted “instant park hopping” as one of his superpower possibilities (the other being the ability to sit in the front of every ride) and Ashli was also a fan of teleportation, but would possess “fast pass boosters” with it.  There’s certainly something to be said for not dealing with busses, boats, or cars – the waiting and walking or the parking.photo 3

@dolewhipdaily and @1MinDisneyDream who are both (coincidentally) hosts of The Enchanted Tiki Talk Podcast had the same idea.  Invisibility.  Invisibility would eliminate having to wait in line (just walk past everyone to the front), but typical of these two – there was a more diabolical benefit – they both, along with Twitter buddy @dabenter, would use the invisibility superpower to hide in the Haunted Mansion and scare people!  No wonder I love Enchanted Tiki Talk!

“Super speed” was another popular response.  @CheshireCanuck voted for super speed “so I could do all the rides in one day.”  Dave of @thedislife (The Dis Life) was a fan of this idea as well.  If you had the super speed superpower, it would certainly come in handy – especially if you also had the super-power our next participant came up with…..

@ISIParksBlog suggested “levitation, to move the SLOW people!” as a handy superpower at Disney World – you know, get the “clueless folks and the browsers out of the way for quicker movement”.  I thought that one would also have the added bonus of being very entertaining to watch.

Both @scottcampbell and @DisDreamGirls wanted the ability to stop time.  For the Disney Dream Girls, this would mean “vacation never ends”, Scott just wanted to eliminate having to hurry – vacation where “Lines don’t matter.  Would be so enjoyable.”

The Pixie Dust Princess (@PrincessofPD) put a lot of thought into her answer – when I first posed the question early one morning, she said she’d think about it and get back to me.  Later that day, in the evening, she came back with “some type of food superpower.  Because I get full kinda fast, and I want to be able to enjoy all the yummy food Disney has.”  So we discussed this back and forth for a while – I am totally loving this idea.  It would be like those super skinny people who always win the food eating contests!  You could keep eating and not gain weight and not get full too fast.  That would be a nifty superpower to have indeed!

Twitter follower @ERNava simply wanted a superpower that would “make all rides walk-ons” and Theresa on Facebook would have “VIP Line Skipping Powers” – I think that one would have to involve the ability to “disappear” most of the other Disney park guests – another superpower!

This one cracked me up – @YoPaulieNJ wants a “Guest Pleasantness RayGun” – now wouldn’t that be something.  Especially in July!

@elby2007 voted “Time Machine.  Takes the park you’re in back (or forward) to the year of your choosing”.  Wouldn’t that be fantastic!  We could all find out if our favorite rides from the past were as good as we imagined (Mr. Toad’s!) or see how Avitarland will turn out at Animal Kingdom.  Just imagine!

IMG_4880Sandy on Facebook would have “Super bladder control”.  Hmmmmm.  Hadn’t thought of that one, but I can see how (for some people) that would be a good superpower to have.  I did point out that the new Tangled-themed restrooms in Fantasyland are supposed to be spectacular.  Just sayin’.

Personally, after all of that – and I loved all the answers! – I would have Jedi powers.  Think about it – at rope-drop, find the right Cast Member and do that Jedi thing, “We are the Family of the Day”.  Cut to the front of the line, waive of the hand and “We were here all along” or “You don’t notice us”.  Could be a little evil as well – “You want to give us free food” or “All this merchandise has already been paid for” – Think of the possibilities!

 

Disney Vacation Traditions – THAT Hat in Epcot’s Norway

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IMG_2142We can’t be the only family with, ummmm…let’s call it an “odd” Disney vacation tradition.  Yes, I know the usual ones, eating at a particular restaurant every visit, having a certain first-day-at-Disney ride or attraction, always buying a certain type of souvenir like a tee-shirt or a Christmas ornament on each visit.  But what about a tradition of a more unusual sort?

Annnnnd begin flashback: 

During a visit to Disney World many years ago, I thought it would be fun to take pictures of us trying on some of the different hats in the World Showcase at Epcot.  I particularly love all the shapes and sizes of the Viking hat in the Norway pavilion.  Megan?  Not so much.  She’d reached that age – you know whatIMG_1011 I’m talking about.  So after I coaxed her into posing for a picture with Joseph in THE hat, she made this face – the face that perfectly captured her feeling of “okay, if you make me, but I’m clearly doing this against my will – you are so embarrassing”.  I put that picture in our Disney vacation scrapbook and it became the source of much teasing and inside joking at home.

So the next time we were at Disney World, Joseph grabbed a different version of the hat and said, “who am I?” – posing with Megan’s same expression!  Then, it just became a family tradition during every visit! IMG_5091

Megan’s been a good sport about it because even she can see the humor in how much this hat has come to mean to us.  Well – also the male Cast Members in Norway are notoriously handsome.  Oh, wait a minute *head smack* here I thought all this time Megan wanted to go to Norway for the hat tradition!  Oh, wow.

End result – we have a lot of pictures from Disney World of us all wearing the same hat in Epcot.

What’s your favorite Disney vacation tradition? photo3

Epcot’s Flower and Garden for Horticulture Haters

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IMG_2754I don’t know about you, but this time of year I start longing for spring.  Hands down, it’s my favorite season.  If I had my way (and tons of money), I would celebrate spring’s arrival every year by going to Disney World.  Those of you lucky enough to be headed there for a visit any time between March 5th and May 18th will get to enjoy the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival!

Confession time.  I am a horticulture hater.  Horticulture – being “the art or practice of garden cultivation and management” (Google dictionary) – is not an activity for me.  I really do appreciate the bounty and beauty other gardeners achieve.  I only dislike it because I am among the horticulturally impared.  My thumbs are not even a tiny bit green.  It’s even a longstanding joke at my house.  Raymond’s sister once had some small decorative garden signs for labeling herbs – she asked Raymond if he thought I would like to use them – his answer?  “As tombstones maybe.”  Yeah, yeah, go ahead and laugh.  So knowing that I am no good at gardening (and not all that interested in learning how to get better) – why do I love the Flower and Garden Festival so much?  It’s just fantastic, that’s why!  And if you haven’t paid it much attention before, it’s time you gave it a closer look.

What does Flower and Garden have to offer people like me? 

  • First of all, the absolutely amazing topiaries.  I don’t need to know how to make one, but I am in awe of the creativity, the whimsy, and the magical beauty of the Disney IMG_2853Character topiaries spread throughout Epcot during this event.  And there are new ones added every year – for example, Kermit and Miss Piggy will make their debut in 2014.
  • Flower Power Concert Series.  Some serious talent is on hand at Epcot in the Spring!  Acts this year include The Guess Who (March 7-9), Gary Lewis and the Playboys (March 14-16), The Alan Parsons Live Project (May 16-18) and more (Chubby Checker & the Wildcats, The Village People and Paul Revere & The Raiders).  What could be more fun than having having all the World Showcase food and beverages on hand for a concert!?  And speaking of food….
  • Special Food Booths!  I am all about eating and drinking my way around the World in Epcot!  Special booths will be set up around the World Showcase offering new culinary delights this year such as “Piggylicious Bacon Cupcakes” – now who wouldn’t want to try one of those IMG_2750babies?
  • Butterflies!  I’m not just talking about the ones attacted to the beautiful gardens either.  During the Flower and Garden Festival, you have the chance to visit Tinker Bell’s Butterfly House.  This is a great exhibit for all ages.

If you’re not me.  There are some other things going on you might enjoy.

  • HGTV Design Celebrities will host seminars throughout the Festival each Friday through Sunday.
  • DIY Tips and Tricks – presentations by a lineup of garden experts go on daily in the Festival Center (World Showcase).
  • Let your children burn off some energy in the Cars themed garden and playground.

But WAIT!  There’s more!  Additional details and information will be available at Disney’s website as we get closer to spring.

What’s your favorite part of Epcot’s International Flower and Garden Festival?