Learning German with Disney Characters

Posted on October 17, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

Happy Saturday, Disney Friends! Time to check in with Nick and see what surprises we can find. Today’s discovery is a uniquely interesting little treasure from *gasp* Nick and Barbie’s Disney book collection. I was perusing the Disney Musings blog and whoa! This amazing little item caught my eye (certainly not EYES as I’m only half German and therefore only have one German eye…according to my math.). It’s a Disney book for learning to speak German! Who knew? Certainly not me, and I’d love to learn German from Mickey and the gang!

Good news! You can still buy this book on Amazon!!! Here’s the description: “Divided into 10 thematic sections which children can relate to, this book contains 1000 German words carefully selected to meet the requirements of the first years of learning German. The sections featured include: leisure, sport and celebrations, at school, in the country and at home.” Prices in the used book category start at $.75 (Plus $3.99 shipping and handling). Here’s the link.

Learning German with Disney Characters

By Nick

My wife spotted this at “The World’s Largest Garage Sale” at the Allentown Fairgrounds in Allentown, Pennsylvania recently for $3. It was published in 1992 by Harrap.

It takes classic Disney comic illustrations, and identifies specific images in German and English.

As a bonus, it includes the actual strip the highlighted image is taken from, and presents it in German and English as well.

Auf Wiedersehen!

Follow Nick, his wife Barbie, and friends for more Disney adventures (and to see all their Disney collectibles!): Disney Musings Blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, On Instagram, On Pinterest.

Nick and I, along with our buddy, Dave, host The Disney Exchange Podcast where we discuss our love of all things Disney and offer travel tips, restaurant and resort reviews, planning advice, and other Disney-related nonsense…while we argue and laugh a LOT. Follow the Disney Exchange on Facebook and weigh in on our many opinion-solicitations.

Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland – 5 Great Things

Posted on October 16, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

I love Tomorrowland – yes, yes, I do love ALL the lands, but Tomorrowland holds a special little place in my heart. Happy memories are involved and plenty of nostalgia – a red flag for my acceptance of any future (I’ll admit, necessary) changes to this side of Magic Kingdom. Contradictory? Indeed, but there you have it. I’d say goodbye Stitch’s Great Escape without batting an eye. The Speedway, while a wonderful vacation memory for many of my friends, has seen better days and could, at the very least, do with an upgrade to some sort of high tech vehicles. I don’t visit Sonny Eclipse’s Starlight Café, opting for other Magic Kingdome eateries instead. Buzz Lightyear’s fun, but not as much as Toy Story Midway Mania over at the Studios. It’s weird how Tomorrowland mixes the old and the sorta new and still presents itself as Tomorrow-ish. The mash-up isn’t bad, just strange – The whole being greater than the sum of its parts, to be sure.

No matter the odd assortment of attractions and details, I’m about to share my favorite bits and pieces in yet another list! Friends, I give to you…

Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland – 5 Great Things

Carousel of Progress – The rumors about this attraction, one of my most favorite of favorites, are a bit dire. Said to be either going away forever (at some unspecified future time) or moving to Epcot, the Carousel is OLD like me – in fact, we’re the same age. I say this makes us cool, hip, retro, and therefore awesome! What would Tomorrowland be without guests singing, “It’s a great big beautiful tomorrow…”? I like it best when I’m wearing my Carousel of Progress t-shirt when I see it!
The PeopleMover – What is not to love about this attraction? If you don’t like it, please don’t tell me…I could never understand your point of view and we couldn’t be friends. This is the coolest, chill-est, most relaxing tour around Tomorrowland – in the most beautiful omnimover next to a Doom-buggy. Full belly, tired feet, or just needing to dry off from Splash Mountain – the reasons to hop on the PeopleMover are endless! The view never gets old.
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor – I can’t help that I am genetically predisposed to adore puns – the best and most amusing form of humor I know. I’ve passed this gene onto my children and they’ll agree with me – this show is hilarious! Every single time.
Space Mountain – I try to score a FastPass when possible and the older I get, the harder the Mountain is on my body. That doesn’t mean I want to change anything! The queue, while not the most interesting, has a fantastic soundtrack. I might not jump in and out of the rocket as easily as I once did, but there’s a lot to love about this attraction – the landscape of Magic Kingdom would not be the same without it.
The Details – Metal palm trees, soaring planets, cool colors, eye-catching shapes – the atmosphere in Tomorrowland is incredibly unique. This is what Disney does best! Total immersion into this alien land – while the whimsical Fantasyland and the old-fashioned Main Street U.S.A. are right next door.

How do YOU feel about Tomorrowland? What’s your favorite attraction there? What would you change tomorrow (LOL!) if you could?

Training for the 2016 Princess Half Marathon

Posted on October 15, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

While running is a very popular sport here in Louisiana (and maybe where you live), I hang around with plenty of non-runners and take a fair amound of ribbing about my love for taking to the road on foot. “But what are you running FROM?” I get asked. People also wonder if I’m worried about my knees or hips. I’m much more worried about my heart and brain since those cannot be replaced – I’m actually running from bad genes. Exercise is good for me and running is my cardio of choice for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that running takes no eye-hand coordination. Good for me, since I don’t have any.

This fall has been a standout running season for me! Not because I’m running faster, but because I’ve had company on my long runs. This is HUGE if you’ve ever had to run in the Louisiana heat and humidity alone for miles and miles. Joseph started running with me after I talked him into participating in the Dirty South Half Marathon, which will be his first (coming up November 15th).

Megan and Lisa – Post run rest

Megan jumped in for a few weeks leading up to her wedding when she was worried about pre-wedding weight gain (silly girl). What fun we had talking about the wedding and the future! Joseph and I ran together on the morning of Megan’s wedding – helped us both with nerves.

Joseph and Lisa – Megan’s Wedding Day

Training for the 2016 Princess Half Marathon

Since August, Joseph and I have run the local Komen Race for the Cure and another 5K, the Dine and Dash/Walk and Wobble, during the North Delta Food and Wine Festival. Our next race, this Saturday, is a 10K – the Grin and Bear It (a nod to the Louisiana Black Bear). The course is flat and fast and I’m hoping for a great time to use as my proof of time for the Princess Half Marathon in February. Corral placement for the Princess is based on proof of time and I made it to corral “F” this year – I’m hoping for a repeat. If my time’s not great, I’ll still have the Dirty South Half for a proof of time – just two days before the cutoff.

One of the best things about running with someone has been finding cool things to look at along the way – so much more fun when there’s another person to share it with. We’ve seen some incredible insects, huge spiders, plenty of deer, tiny lizards, and, on more than one occasion, snakes. First Megan and I came across a very full and sluggish rattle snake. More recently, Joseph and I were nearly finished with 9 miles when a small pine snake actually struck at Joseph as we ran by. That’ll make you run faster for a minute – we did go back to take the spunky little guy’s picture – he was pretty cool.

Are you training for a race? What training moments have been your favorite? If you’ll be at the Princess Half, be sure to let me know!

Tower of Terror – 10 Best Things

Posted on October 14, 2015 by greenlisa9989@yahoo.com

It’s October and I’m feeling Halloween-ish. Last week, I listed my favorite things about Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion. This week, I feel it’s only fair to do the same for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As it is most certainly one of my top three favorite attractions, I have plenty of love for every dark, spooky, incredible detail. Where to begin? That’s easy! The Tower of Terror’s draw begins long before guests step into the queue. Stroll down Sunset Boulevard and you’ll see (and hear) what I mean. The Tower’s exterior, complete with screaming faces in the upstairs window, is sure to capture your attention.

Tower of Terror – 10 Best Things

The Grounds – This is one of the best, most detailed attraction exteriors ever created. Disney Imagineering at its very best. There’s mist, age, decay, overgrown landscaping – the story begins long before that first step inside the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
The Lobby – If you could escape from a Doom-Buggy in Haunted Mansion, it might be a lot like exploring the Tower of Terror. Clearly, this was once a finely appointed, upscale establishment. It’s almost sad to see it in such a rundown state. Creepy yet lovely with a sense of foreboding. Exactly the right atmosphere for what happens next.
The Bellhops – Seriously some of the best and most fun Cast Members in the World! They’re solemn (but still fun) and have awesome costumes.
The Library – So much to see! Incredible details are everywhere even before the TV comes alive and Rod Serling (voiced by Mark Silverman) sets exactly the right mood! This attraction layers the buildup like none other – carefully crafting the story while maximizing anticipation and a bit of fear (in a good way). Watch carefully – the hidden details are part of the charm!
The Sounds – The classic Twilight Zone theme song, the televised back story, the use of sound (and silence) from the library to the end of the ride…genius! “It’s raining it’s pouring…”
The Basement – Amazingly detailed (like the grounds outside), the winding path between the library and the elevator takes guests into the dark, dingy hotel basement. Giant boilers, pipes, equipment, and Hidden Mickeys are all there to be explored.
The Service Elevator – Could a ride vehicle look more daunting? I don’t think so. The elevator on the outside looks ramshackle and uninviting – once the doors open? It takes some serious bravery to step inside knowing that once those doors close, there’s no turning back.
The Anticipation – First-timers worry about what’s going to happen next. Repeat guests DO know what’s in store and still…well, I know how hard my heart is pounding at this point and I’ve ridden dozens of times. That’s part of what keeps me coming back!
The Thrill – As you can tell from outside this attraction, the Tower of Terror tends to make people scream. Me? Not so much – this ride makes me laugh hysterically. I can’t explain it, but the surprises on this ride seriously crack me up.
The Pictures – Even before our Memory Maker package included video for the Tower of Terror and even with many strangers in every picture, I still count the ride photos among my most favorite. I guess it’s all the different expressions captured and the different way each person reacts to the ride’s random movements…makes me smile every time I see our pictures.