Tag Archives: Disney Travel Tips

Walt Disney World – Hidden Pleasures

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Treats-and-time-with-LindsayPlease welcome today’s guest, Curtis Stone!  Curt and his daughter, Lindsay, are the hosts of the Geekin’ on WDW Podcast (and website).

Walt Disney World’s Hidden Pleasures

There are some men in this world that think Disney World is not for them. They think there’s not a lot of things for them and it’s just for kids. As men, we typically hide our feelings and put on a tough act. Today, I’m going to expose myself.  Uh, wait, relax, let me rephrase that.  There are many attractions at Disney World that I would say are on my “Hidden Pleasures” list. These are the ones I would not admit I like in front of a bunch of macho men over at Gaston’s Tavern over a brew. But, today I’d like to reveal these beauties even if they are a bit testosterone weak. I don’t care if you make fun of me. I like’m, I’m over 50 years old, I’m a 6′ 2″ dude and comfortable in my masculinity.

Here’s my corny hidden pleasure list in no particular order:Goofy Thinking

1. Carousel of Progress – My wife loves this one and drags me in every year. It’s turned out to be one of my must do’s and I love it too. The tune grows on me. I love Walt Disney the man and this is one of his classics.

2. Small World – I don’t know who nailed all those little kids feet to the floor but they sure are cute and sing good. It’s the song that keeps on giving and giving and giving. I can’t get that tune out of my head for hours and I don’t care.  We never miss it and I enjoy it.

3. Art of Animation – I waited in a long line for this on my last 2 trips. I really enjoy drawing the Disney character and showing off my artistic ability. Strike that. I like pretending I have artistic ability. Co-workers can’t believe I drew the Goofy that hangs in my office at work. I hope we draw a different character this year.

4Gaston 2. Pictures with characters – I won’t wait in a long line for Duffy but I do like to ham it up and get a few pictures with characters. When I leave work on the Friday before vacation, all seriousness of the world is turned off and I’m getting as Goofy as possible.

5. Figment – Imagination! Imagination! Come on, Sing it with me !!! You know the words. I’m a big Monty Python fan and of Eric Idle. This ride is pure fun.

6. Muppets – Remember the first time you saw Muppets in Muppet Vision. Very cool, right? I know these are characters for kids. They were a big part of my childhood with Sesame Street.

7. Peter Pan – My kids recently told my wife that they thought the Peter Pan ride was awesomechef mickey when they were little. We still enjoy the Fantasyland rides. As long as we get there early and the lines are short.

8. Electric Water Pageant – This by far the corniest of attractions at Disney World. If you stay at a Resort Loop Resort, you have to check this out. It’s a series of boats that have neon lighted characters that run around Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon and blast music. If you hit the hay early from a long day in the parks, this attraction will wake you up around 10pm as it goes by our Bay Lake Tower room.  We go out on our balcony and enjoy it.  It’s hilarious.

9. Old time singers/dancers – I love the ol’ time flavor of MK. This takes me back to a simpler time. I enjoy the old time music, costumes and fun.

10 – Googleman’s, Ziti Sisters and World Showcase Players – I always look forward to see a lot of these acts and even play a role. Slapstick and the cornier the better. Hey, my favorite comedy movie is “Dumb and Dumber” and I’m a huge fan of the Three Stooges. What do you expect?

Laugh at me if you want. I don’t care. You can even post YouTube video’s of me doing the Hoochie Coochie with the World Showcase Players. I hope I’m chosen as “That Guy” at Monster, Inc.’s Laugh Floor. At least I won’t have a sour puss like most of the guys I saw last year.   Just go with it, lose yourself and you’ll have more fun too!

For more Disney favorites, memories, reviews, tips, and Walt Disney World travel stories, visit Curtis at Geekin’ on WDW.com , on Facebook and on Twitter.  Be sure to download the podcast and give it a listen (I recommend Episode #5!).

While I’m at Walt Disney World

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Living a Disney LifeIt’s a poor practice to go away and leave things unattended.  There’s risk – it’s not safe.  I care enough about this little Living a Disney Life blog to try to look out for it.  I wouldn’t dream of leaving without making sure the place will be taken care of – Plus, I really care about you guys and I wouldn’t want you to go away empty handed should you happen to stop by while I’m out – you are a great bunch of people – you deserve top shelf reading material!

Keeping all that in mind as The Fam and I pack our bags, fasten on our Magic Bands, and mosey on down to Walt Disney World, I want you to know I’ve invited some friends over to take care of the place while we’re gone – and these are some pretty special friends, too!  While I’m off enjoying a Dole Whip and some churros, riding Expedition Everest and Rock’n’ Roller Coaster, feasting on dinners at Flying Fish and Tutto Italia – I will be leaving your Disney-blog-reading enjoyment in the very capable hands of the following Disney experts:Nick and Barbie - Disney Musings

Nick from Disney Musings – Nick and his wife, Barbie are (like most of us) huge fans of all things Disney.  On the Disney Musings blog, Nick, Barbie, and a variety of guests share their Disney travel experiences, tips, reviews and magical memories.  Some of my favorite Disney Musings’ posts are ones where Nick and Barbie let us into their home for glimpses of their amazing collection of Disneyana.  And if it weren’t for Nick, I never would have found Beers and Ears!  Nick is also a contributing writer for Tips from the Disney Diva and Devos.

Heather from Disney for Five+ – One of the things I like most about Heather is that she’s nearly as old as I am and tends to really understand me and all my Disney-ness.  Heather’s blog focuses on tips for taking Disney vacations with large families.  She knows all the best places to stay, eat, and play at Walt Disney World – she posts not only helpful hints and reviews, but also tells great stories.  Speaking of which, Heather also writes books!  You can check out her Amazon author page here.

Rebecca from Disney with Me – Rebecca’s got a sense of humor that just won’t quit and is one of the hardest working people I know.  Like me, Rebecca loves Disney podcasts and is a fellow Muppet fan.  Blog posts on Disney With Me range from podcast reviews to Disney travel advice, reviews of other Disney blogs and more.  Rebecca’s a Disney travel specialist and would be happy (overjoyed, even) to help you plan your next Disney getaway – (see: Fairytale Journeys by Rebecca Kelly on Facebook).

Curtis and Lindsay - Geekin' on WDWCurtis from Geekin’ on WDW – Curt and his Daughter, Lindsay, may be the new kids on the Disney Podcast block, but they are seasoned Disney travelers (and DVC members) who love Walt Disney World vacations.  The Geekin’ on WDW Podcast strives to give listeners a way to keep the Disney magic alive between vacations.  Curt and Lindsay share their family’s vacation stories, favorite rides and attractions, most loved restaurants and characters – all wrapped up in charming father/daughter conversations.

See?  I wasn’t kidding, was I.  Besides you, I’ve made some fantastic friends in the Disney community and am over-the-moon excited to have them as guests here while I’m gone.  I’m just sorry I’m going to miss all the fun.  Oh, wait!  I’ll be having a pretty good time myself, won’t I – what’s more fun than a trip to Walt Disney World?  Talk to you when I get back!

 

Summer Wardrobe for a Disney Vacation

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Walt Disney World Summer Wardrobe Tips

Cool Clothing and Sunglasses at Walt Disney World

Summer Wardrobe for a Disney Vacation – This post is part 2 of my Summer Sun Survival Tips.  Link to Part 1.

Here’s an important lesson my wise (and much older) sister taught me as I was growing up. (Thanks, Sandy!)  Always start the day looking the way you will at the end of the day – take into account any factors that may adversely affect your appearance and plan accordingly.

This advice is extremely applicable when visiting Walt Disney World in the summer months.  We (maybe I’m kinda mostly talking about women here) want to look super-cute on vacation (I’m sure some of you guys do too, right?).  We shop for cute vacation wardrobes and plan out adorable outfits for every possible vacation contingency.  I’m here to tell you…some forms of cute vacation outfits, in the summer at Walt Disney World, are potentially fraught with peril.

The best clothing tip I can give you for a summer Disney vacation is to take my sister’s advice:  Start the day looking pretty much the same as you’ll end up.  Confused?  Let me explain.  It’s HOT at the World during the summer.  And incredibly HUMID!  The combo of the two can be brutal!  Everything is damp, your favorite tried-and-true hair products will totally fail you, makeup melts off completely – you may start the day looking super cute and fresh only to end up a sticky, wilted mess!  Start the day looking perhaps a little less fabulous than originally planned with the idea that you will never look “less” than you do right then.

WDW Animal Kingdom Family Picture

One of us (me) is NOT following this article’s tips!

Here’s my head-to-toe plan:

First things first:  Don’t try to style your hair – caps, hats, ponytail, braid – you pick what works for you, ’cause if you think your perfectly coiffed ‘do will hold up against the Florida sun and humidity (or worse, those two in the morning and a torrential downpour in the afternoon) – you’ll be so sorry you didn’t listen to me.  Start the day with well-subdued hair, liberally applied sunscreen, very little makeup, and a good lip balm.  Don a hat and sunglasses and voila!  You’ll end the day looking just the way you started – which is a LOT better than starting out like a movie star and ending up a caked-up, raccoon-eyed sweat-ball.

Walt Disney World Mother/Daughter Picture

Headed in at the end of the day – not looking TOO bad!

Wear cool comfortable clothing that breathes well and allows you to move freely (for getting on and off attractions).  If you’re planning to ride attractions where you may get wet or the weather person has predicted rain, be sure to choose clothing that will dry quickly.  I prefer cotton (or performance/athletic-wear fabric) tees and tanks paired with cotton shorts or running shorts.  Shoes should be well broken in – vary shoes day-to-day to reduce the potential for blisters and raw spots.  You could try comfy sandals one day, sneakers/trainers/running shoes the next and so on.  Switch up the shoes!

Finally, I hate to bring this up, but if this post is going to be of value, I’m going to have to mention something a bit delicate.  Shhhhh, come closer so I can whisper it…chafing.  There.  Now it’s out.  For many summer Walt Disney World guests, chafing is a very real risk.  You might not be prepared for so much walking – in the heat and humidity – which results potentially in unprecedented sweating – which, in turn, results in “hot spots” where wet clothing rubs against tender skin.  Distance runners and cyclists (of which I’m both) are unfortunately well-acquainted IMG_2338with the horrors of chafing and I’m happy to report there’s an easy preventive measure that can be taken.  Cover areas which may chafe with a smoothing substance made specifically for this purpose.  One brand I’m familiar with and have used before is Body Glide – but I’m sure there are others on the market that will work just as well.  The product comes in a convenient solid (like antiperspirant)  – you just apply it wherever you think you may need it.

There you go!  Take my advice and you’ll be golden.  While you’re touring comfortably – look around at some of the other WDW guests – the limping ones are the easiest to spot – they didn’t do their homework.  Adopt the Boy Scout motto and Be Prepared!

For more on protecting yourself from and treating chafing and blisters, there’s a good article here.

What did I leave out?  Do you have any tips for comfortably dealing with the summer conditions at Walt Disney World?  Tell me!  I’m headed there in 9 days!!!

 

First Time Using MyMagic+ / FastPass+ Walt Disney World Plans

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Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World at NightThe results of this week’s Disney Plan-a-Palooza?  Pretty successful!  I thought I’d go ahead and share our plans as an example for you if you’re planning a trip and haven’t yet used Magic Bands or FastPass+.  This will be our first time to use the new system and I’d love to hear some honest feedback.  Do you think this plan is solid?  Bear in mind, we are (have always been) diehard, commando-style Walt Disney World vacationers – but I still feel this plan has enough free time built into it for us to stop and enjoy the Disney magic.  Post dinner hours are unplanned so we can decide last-minute if we want to try to take in a show (Fantasmic, Wishes, or Illuminations).  For sure we will see Wishes and the Main Street Electrical Parade at the Magic Kingdom at least twice.

We arrive on Sunday, leave on Saturday.  We’re staying at Old Key West – we’ve never stayed there before, but it’s an extremely economical use of our DVC points.  Most of our points are being used at Bay Lake Tower for our (Raymond and I) 25th Anniversary trip in October for Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival.  Note:  In these plans, FastPasses (FP+) are listed by start time only, we have an hour once the start time begins to use them.WDW Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Here’s the plan:

Sunday afternoon:  Magic Kingdom – Lunch / Snack on the run. FP+’s:

  • Space Mountain (1:50 pm)
  • Journey of the Little Mermaid (2:50 pm)
  • Big Thunder Mountain (4:50 pm).

Then we’ll walk around and enjoy being in the Magic Kingdom until we have to leave for dinner.  Dinner is at 7:30 in Downtown Disney at Raglan Road.

Monday Morning:  Extra Magic Hour (EMH) – Animal Kingdom at 8:00 am.  Planning to ride Expedition Everest, then the Kilimanjaro Safari, then take it easy and play it by ear until after lunch (counter service). Eat a fairly early lunch and park hop!

Toy Story Midway ManiaMonday Afternoon:  Disney’s Hollywood Studios – FP+’s:

  • Toy Story Midway Mania (1:30 pm)
  • Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (3:13 pm)
  • Star Tours (4:15 pm).

Dinner is at 7:30 on the Boardwalk at the Flying Fish Cafe.

Tuesday Morning:  Extra Magic Hour (EMH) – Epcot at 8:00 am.  Planning to ride Soarin’ then leisurely enjoy the morning doing whatever appeals to us until enjoying an early lunch (counter service).

Tuesday Afternoon: Back to Animal Kingdom!  FP+’s:

  • Kali River Rapids (12:30 pm)Expedition Everest's Forbidden Mountain
  • Expedition Everest (2:10 pm)
  • DINOSAUR (3:15 pm).

A quick bus ride away, we’ll enjoy dinner at Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge (7:00 pm).  Pre-dinner animal viewing on the savannah overlook is a must!

Wednesday Morning:  EMH – Disney’s Hollywood Studios at 8:00 am.  Planning to ride Toy Story Midway Mania and Rock’n’ Roller Coaster first then relax and see what the wait times are for MuppetVision 3D, The Great Movie Ride, Tower of Terror and more.  It’s Raymond’s birthday, so we’ll defer to his picks – he LOVES Rock’n’ Roller Coaster – it’s his most favorite ride in the World.  Won’t surprise me if we ride it more than once if the standby line wait time is not too terrible.

The Seas With Nemo and FriendsWednesday Afternoon:  Epcot – FP+’s:

  • The Seas With Nemo & Friends (2:45 pm)
  • Soarin’ (3:55 pm)
  • Spaceship Earth (5:00 pm).

Dinner in Epcot’s World Showcase at Tutto Italia (7:15 pm).  After Spaceship Earth we can pick up a cold beverage to enjoy as we may your way to the Italy Pavilion.

Thursday Morning:  EMH – Magic Kingdom at 8:00 am.  Our plans are to ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train first.  It should be open by then and if I can score a FastPass for it on Sunday or Friday afternoon, I’ll do that for sure.  After the Dwarfs, we’ll be free to do what we please – Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and Jungle Cruise are must-do attractions for us, so we’ll be trying to fit those in.  This is where the longer-than-ever-before standby lines will cause us the most pain.

Thursday Afternoon: Epcot – FP+’s – Don’t laugh.  We only really needed/wanted one FastPass Crush the Sea Turtlethis day, but felt obligated to select three so…

  • Journey into Imagination with Figment(2:00 pm) – I KNOW!  You don’t have to say it.
  • Test Track (3:00 pm)
  • Turtle Talk with Crush (4:20 pm).  I don’t care if it’s supposed to be for little kids…I LOVE it.

After that we’ll scoot on back to our resort so we can relax before getting cleaned up for our 7:45 ADR at 1900 Park Fare.  I want to get some great pictures at this character meal (Cinderella, the Prince, Lady Tremaine and the Step Sisters) and would prefer The Fam look a little less park-worn for the evening.

Friday Morning: Disney’s Hollywood Studios – 8:00 am.  It’s Star Wars Weekend!  This will be our day to do as we please while enjoying the festive party atmosphere that Star Wars Weekends always bring.  Of course we’ll dash for either Toy Story Midway Mania or Rock’n’ Roller Coaster first thing, but after that, we’ll be taking it easy and soaking up the sights…that is until we enjoy our noon ADR at Hollywood Brown Derby for lunch.  Then we hop!

Friday Afternoon:  Magic Kingdom – FP+’s are for…

  • Splash Mountain (3:15)
  • Space Mountain (4:15)
  • Big Thunder Mountain (8:00)

Being our last day, we’ll be trying to make the most of it.  Counter Service for dinner will allow us more time to walk around and say farewell until next time.

So, if you were taking this trip, what would you change?  If you’ve got any pointers or tips to share about Old Key West, I’d love to hear them – especially pertaining to which bus stops are the best!