Category Archives: Walt Disney World

Fantasyland’s Big Top Souvenirs

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If you’ve yet to visit the new Fantasyland expansion, make a plan to stop by Storybook Circus and visit one of the best-themes, coolest shops in the Magic Kingdom.  Today’s installment of Saturday’s With Nick gives us a terrific idea about what can be found under the Big Top!

Fantasyland’s Big Top Souvenirs

By: Nick

Ladies and Gentlemen, please direct your attention to the Storybook Circus portion of the New Fantasyland expansion, to discover the most stupendous, the most terrific, the most fantastic new shopping experience in all of Walt Disney World: Big Top Souvenirs!

That may have sounded like hyperbole, up there, but this really is a fantastic place, with a circus tent atmosphere located in the new Fantasyland section of the Magic Kingdom next to Pete’s Silly Sideshow.

 

The fun starts before you even get inside the store. On one of the days we visited, 2 Cast Members were out front, and they were pin trading in a new and novel way.

The pins were presented on popcorn themed cushions! Love it!
 
The circus atmosphere continues throughout your shopping or dinning experience.

I did say dining, as there is a snack section and a beverage section. I didn’t have any of the goodies this trip, but will be sure to the next time I go to the circus.

It’s great to see one of my all time favorite characters, Humphrey the Bear, represented. Not familiar with Humphry? Please check out some posts about him here.

There are circus cars all around the store, serving different purposes, such as this embroidery station.

Checkout locations.
They have all sorts of merchandise, from your basic Walt Disney World and Mickey Mouse tees…
… to special items, such as these hats, mugs and plates featuring Dumbo.
So come one, come all, to the newest and best store in all of Fantasyland: Big Top Souvenirs!
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Walt Disney World’s Park Hopper – Yes or No?

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RM-Liberty-Belle-Frontierland-VeiwI love the Friday Five and today is no exception.  I’m providing five reasons to choose (and pay extra for) Disney World’s park-hopper ticket add-on.  Don’t fret though, next Friday I’ll give you five reasons NOT to purchase that option.  Why must I be so contrary?  Well, because I totally understand there are three factors that strongly influence park ticket selection:  The life stage you’re in (for lack of a better way to describe that), your touring style, and where/how you like to enjoy meals.  At Disney World, extra expense often equates to more options and the park-hopper ticket option is the perfect example.

Walt Disney World’s Park Hopper – Five reasons to say YES!

1.  You want to start early and stay late!  Yeah!  You’re speaking my language.  Here’s what we do:  Rope-drop (arrive before the park opens) for EMH (Extra Magic Hour), if possible.  Hit the headliners early then slow it down, wander around taking in the sights, sounds, and smells.  Eat a leisurely lunch and the HOP to the park where we’ve booked FastPasses for the afternoon and evening.  The post lunch hop means you can catch a cat nap on the bus or monorail during the hop – seriously, this is a solid plan!RM-WDW-Entrance

2. You want to book ADRs (Advance Dining Reservations) 180 days in advance and not have those choices dictate the park you’ll visit on any given day.  I may want to eat in Epcot’s Le Cellier and I’m okay with scheduling that meal 6 months before I’m going to eat it, but I do NOT want said dinner to completely control my activities for that particular day.  I should be able to spend my time anywhere I want to and then HOP to Epcot for my steak supper!RM-Epcot-Waterway

3. You want choices!  Not an obsessive planner?  Free-styling more your idea of fun?  Book those FastPasses first thing in the morning and then boom, baby!  The rest of the day is your oyster.  Start one day at Animal Kingdom to ride Kilimanjaro Safari early while it’s still relatively cool.  Then check out the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and Maharajah Jungle Trek before hitting Expedition Everest and Dinosaur.  Now you’re free to leave and visit a different park.  You can hop BACK to Animal Kingdom on the afternoon of a different day to see shows like Flights of Wonder, Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo-The Musical, and It’s Tough to be a Bug (3D Movie).  Animal Kingdom is absolutely a full-day park, but you can split it into two half-days easily with the park-hopper option.RM-Asia-Sign-Animal-Kingdom

4.  You don’t want to spend all your time in the parks, but when you’re there you want what you want.  Ah, the luxury of time and the ability to enjoy Walt Disney World at your leisure.  If you have a week or longer or are (or planning to be) a frequent visitor, you don’t necessarily have to feel rushed, pressured, and meticulously planned.  You can start the day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  Eat lunch in Epcot’s World Showcase.  Spend the afternoon napping or swimming at your resort pool.  Grab a bite to eat in the Magic Kingdom and enjoy Wishes before calling it a day.RM-Cinderella-Castle

5. You love a challenge!  Four parks in one day?  We’ve done it and with a park-hopper ticket, you can too!  We decided on our last day of vacation a few years back that we would each pick an attraction we HAD to visit one last time before we went home.  To do that, we had to visit each park – it was challenging, super fun, and created some really great memories of our last vacation day.  We were too busy to be sad.

Are you pro-park-hopping?  What’s your favorite reason for adding this option?

 

Disney Drinking – Rose & Crown’s Scotch Flight

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RM-Epcot-Food&Wine-Landscape2Back in 2014…When my husband, Raymond, and I were planning our 25th anniversary trip to Walt Disney World, mainly to enjoy Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, we had a nearly unobtainable to-try list.  We armed ourselves with lists of foods we wanted to try and dining experiences we’d reserved – mostly, we were going for the limited, special offerings only found during Food & Wine.  Except for one.

Thanks to my friends on the Mighty Men of Mouse Podcast (great, unique show for Disney World fans) I’d heard about an incredible deal and fantastic treat offered as part of the regular menu at the Rose & Crown Pub in Epcot’s United Kingdom pavilion.  It’s the Single Malt Scotch flight – an incredible experience for a relatively great price ($18 as of 1/15).  We are huge fans of single malt scotch and our absolute, hands-down favorite is Lagavulin.  When we heard the flight’s line-up, (Glenkinchie, Oban, Lagavulin) we knew we could not pass up the chance to give it a try.RM-Rose&Crown-Bar

First of all, we love the atmosphere in the Rose & Crown at any time, but during Food & Wine, the place is hopping!  And in a great way.  We were making our way around the World Showcase, having started with the first food booths closest to the Canada pavilion.  We were pacing ourselves, moving with purpose and knocking a bunch of dishes off our must-eat list.  Then – I said, “There’s the Rose & Crown – we’ve got to do the Scotch Flight!”.  We were grinning like crazy as we practically ran through the door.RM-Rose&Crown-Bar-Menu

We were able to step right up to the bar even though there was a big crowd of some pretty happy Epcot guests already there.  We didn’t have to wait long to place our order, but had enough time to strike up conversations with the Texans on our right and the friendly young couple on our left.  When the bar tender asked what he could bring us, we explained the draw was the scotch flight and the Lagavulin, in particular.  Like any well-trained bar tender during Food & Wine, he offered to bring us glasses of ice water to keep us hydrated.  Within a couple of minutes, the scotch flights arrived.RM-Rose&Crown-Scotch-Flight2

We took our time with our samples.  Sipping, savoring, we moved from left to right.  Each scotch had its own personality.  The Glenkinchie was the lightest in color and flavor and very smooth.  The Oban seemed richer, with a smokier aroma and taste, it had more complex layers of flavor to me than the Glenkinchie, but if you’ve ever fallen in love with Lagavulin, you’ll understand why it was our favorite part of this experience.  It’s not for everyone.  Lagavulin has a very strong aroma (or nose, if you prefer) and the smell and flavor of peat smoke (with subtle hints of many other flavors) is what we love about it.RM-Rose&Crown-Scotch-Flight

We stayed in the Rose & Crown for close to an hour chatting with our bar-mates and slowly sipping our scotch.  Yes, this stop did slow us down in our pursuit of the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Food & Wine Festival that day.  But we didn’t mind one bit.

Have you tried a beverage flight at Walt Disney World?  What was it and would you recommend it to us for our next visit?

 

The Perfect Age For Disney World

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RM-Stroller-Jockeys-DisneyLots of people ask and bunches of folks have opinions about it – What is the right age to take children to Walt Disney World for the first time?  When I’m asked, my answer is always in the form of another question – How much do YOU like Disney?  That, my friends, is the most important aspect in determining what age is the right age for that all-important first trip.

SO many schools of thought!  One is: If we go when they’re too young, they won’t remember it!  That’s true!  Your kids won’t remember their first trip to Walt Disney World, but YOU will.  If you love Disney vacations, then there’s probably not a “too young” for Disney World.  You probably intend to take your children there more than once during their childhood, so the first trip is not the only visit.  That was us!  We knew when we took our children for the first time that it was only the first of many future visits.  RM-Joseph-Meets-Minnie RM-Meg-Meets-MinnieMegan was 5 and Joseph just 13 months when we took them for their first visit – neither remember that vacation, but both love to look at the pictures of our trip and listen to Raymond and I talk about our happy memories from that time so long ago. RM-Joe-Meets-Tiki

Next philosophy – we’re only going one time.  This category is for the parents who feel that a Walt Disney World vacation is a mandatory part of child rearing, but are faced with challenges that make repeat visits unlikely.  Not Disney haters, but perhaps not passionate Disney fans either – these parents initially plan on doing it only once, so it had better be memorable for the offspring!  RM-Fam-in-StudiosIf you’re in this category, you will indeed find it best to wait until your children are old enough to remember this once-in-a-childhood-opportunity.  Ages 7 or 8 and up will probably do it.  Old enough for retaining those happy moments and young enough to embrace (and still believe in) all the magic.

Finally, there are the parents who never intended to go at all, but now find themselves pressured into considering it.  Gasping at the cost (we feel your pain!) and researching Walt Disney World for the first time, parents in this category may be looking at the sad, beseeching faces of their children who have heard the recounting of countless thrilling tales from classmates who visit Walt Disney World regularly.RM-Lilo-and-StitchDo it!  Take your children to Walt Disney World – even if they’re tweens or teens (or young adults) who don’t care about meeting characters or dressing up as a princess or pirate.  It’s not too late!  That’s the beauty of this – Every age is the perfect age for Disney World.

Which category are you in?  What age do you think is the perfect age for Disney World?