Tag Archives: Walt Disney World

Disney Vacation Emotions

Posted on by

Waiting for Toy Story Midway ManiaThis post is for true blue Disney fans.  If you don’t like Disney vacations or If you don’t understand the thrill and allure of Disney parks and resorts, feel free to click away now.  You won’t understand this post and it will most certainly not be of interest or assistance to you in any way.  Come back another time and perhaps you’ll see something more suitable for your reading pleasure.

Still here?  Excellent!  Let’s talk Disney Vacation Emotions!

As you read this, I’ll be on my way to Walt Disney World as I’ve done many times since my first visit in 1990.  I love a Disney vacation!  It’s not all fun and games and great food and experiences though.  I’m emotionally involved from the time I leave home until the time I return.  After all this time, I’ve come to realize that my emotional ebbs and flows are pretty consistent on each Walt Disney World visit and they follow a general pattern that looks like this…THE Disney EarHat for ME!

Day One:  Worry and excitement in equal measures.  I worry that I didn’t pack all the right necessities while at the same time I’m overflowing with child-like excitement about all the wonderful and beloved sights, sounds, smells, and details I’m about to experience.  Disney's-Magical-Express-ViewThe Magical Express trip from the airport is too slow, but builds anticipation at the same time.  When I walk down Main Street USA and see Cinderella Castle, I’m going to get choked up.  Don’t talk to me.RM-Cinderella-Castle

Days Two Through the Second-to-Last-Day.  BOOM BABY!  I’m in the zone.  I’m feeling ecstatic and proud!  I’m a seasoned Disney veteran (as are the other members of my family) and we know what we’re about.  FastPasses, dining reservations, thrills, new experiences and family favorites…singing Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, waiting for our stretch limo, boarding a service elevator, meeting Belle, cruising in a Doom Buggy or Clam Mobile, asking Crush a question…it’s all so wonderful and evokes such joy!STUDIO_ROCKNRCOASTERRIDE_7071496091

The Day Before the Last Day (aka: Second-to-Last-Day):  Panic sets in.  Oh, NO!  It’s almost over!  Stay in the moment…pay attention.  Squeeze all the joy out of these last two days.  What were we thinking? We should have planned to stay longer!  Where has the time gone?  I don’t want to leave.  I can sense the real world creeping back in, but manage to push it away.In line at Disney

The Last Day:  I know I have to go home, but one more day means making the most of every opportunity.  I’m not going to waste a minute!  My grandmother used to say, “Quit while you still want more” and those are excellent words to remember on this day.  I’ll admit it…I’m tired.  My feet hurt.  I miss Junior (the Wonder Dog) and know he misses me.  By lunch, I’m resigned to packing up and saying so long, but will squeeze in all the fun I can until the last possible minute.Magical-Express-Bus

Going Home:  I’m exhausted and sad.  I looked forward to this for so long and now it’s over.  How could so many months of anticipation end up like this…as if time sped up and POOF!  It’s in the past.  Oh, but the memories!  Those will sustain me until…hmmmm…I’m feeling another Disney vacation coming on!  Let’s pick some dates and start planning!

Any of this sound familiar?  What are your Disney vacation emotions?

RunDisney Events – What to Wear

Posted on by

Princess-Half-Road-to-Magic-KingdomIf you’re considering a runDisney event and have checked out the website, you probably couldn’t help but notice that folks dress a bit differently for these races.  Part of what makes a runDisney event so special is how runners show their DisneySide through their running wear.  Even if you’re not the tutu or sparkly-skirt-wearing kind (I am SO not wearing a tutu), you’ll want to sport a themed outfit of some sort.  No, it’s not mandatory and your are certainly welcome to just wear regular running clothes, but to fully enjoy the excitement and magic of a runDisney event and look extra special in those awesome race photos, you should at least give your Disney race-wear some special consideration.

RunDisney Events – What to Wear

Personally, I prefer my Disney race wear to pay tribute to something Disney (character or attraction, for example) rather than be a full-blown costume.  Disney has recently updated their costume policy, so it pays to take a peek at the do’s and don’ts.  I’m all about comfort. The last thing I want to worry about is fancy accessories and trimmings or any sort of prop.  What I do enjoy, honestly, is seeing people who go all out!  Just because at my (sort of) advanced age I’m more into comfort than runDisney fashion, I totally appreciate the time, effort, and creativity that is required for the fancier, more elaborate outfits donned for those awesome Disney race courses.  Here are some of the best costumes I saw during the Glass Slipper Challenge in 2015:Princess-Half-Princesses Princess-Half-Frozen-Friends

Last year for Princess Half Marathon Weekend I wore outfits that paid homage to Minnie, Donald, and the Evil Queen – all three ensembles were easy to assemble!  I planned them out many months in advance and  I was completely comfortable while running.  Most importantly, I felt like I was truly participating in each event to the fullest extent possible.RM-Enchanted-10K-Minnie-Outfit RM-Donald-costumePrincess-Half-Waiting-Selfie

This year I’m not running the 5K so I only had to worry about what to wear for the Enchanted 10K and the Princess Half Marathon.  This trip snuck up on me!  I didn’t really think about what I could wear until early January and then I had to act fast since I wanted to order several items online.  Before I reveal the chosen themes, I should explain that I pretty much always wear a cap or visor when I run.  When I’m running, sunglasses bother me so I rely on the bill of a cap to shade my eyes.  After 18 years of running, this has evolved into some weird lucky superstitious quirk.  Gotta have a visor!Enchanted-10K-Costume-Daisy

First up is my homage to Daisy outfit!  I found the fabulous Daisy-themed ears on Etsy and already had the skirt, socks, and visor from last year.  I picked up three different pink shirts from the after-Christmas-super-sale at our local sporting-goods store – tank, short-sleeved, and long-sleeved versions to cover any weather conditions possible.

For the half-marathon, I’m going with a tribute to that most iconic Disney attractions, Haunted Mansion!  The Hatbox Ghost ears are again from Etsy, the mansion wallpaper tights from an online store, and the shirt from the Disney store.  I added a black running skirt and the mandatory visor and ta-dah!  I’m pretty happy with the final look.  I’ll try to find a Haunted Mansion pin to add to the visor if I have time.Princess-Half-Haunted-Mansion-OutfitNot too fancy, didn’t have to sew anything, and I’ll be comfortable yet stylish.  I’m ready!  Our plane leaves tomorrow morning at 6:00 am…Glass Slipper Challenge, here I come!

Have you participated in a runDisney event?  I’d love to see your costume pictures!!!  Feel free to post them on our Facebook Page.

 

 

Star Wars Dine at Hollywood and Vine with Jedi Mickey

Posted on by

Last year, Nick and a couple of buddies went to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to for Star Wars Weekends – They had no way of knowing they were enjoying the LAST Star Wars Weekends ever.  The guys had an excellent trip and were making plans for a repeat in 2016 until the announcement was made that due to the Star Wars expansion coming to the Studios (after which all manner of special Star Wars attractions, shops, dining, etc. would be offered all the time) – Star Wars Weekends were over.  This made us very sad!  Let’s take a look at one of the special events Nick and friends attended last year…hopefully the new Star Wars experiences coming in the future will be just as fun!

Star Wars Dine at Hollywood and Vine with Jedi Mickey

By Nick

On a recent trip with 2 friends to Walt Disney World, we went to Jedi Mickey’s Star Wars Dine at Hollywood and Vine, which is in Disney’s Hollywood Studios through June 14th.

We started off this galactic dining experience getting photos with Jedi Mickey himself!

 Me, Mickey, Joe and Josh

As we were being brought to our table, we were handed our Lightsabers. Okay, they were pieces of paper that we rolled up, choosing either the blue side for the good guys or red for the bad, and securing this with provided rubber bands.

This is a buffet, and like the normal buffet at Hollywood and Vine, which my wife and I visited in January and enjoyed very much, there is a wide range of interesting choices mixed in with more standard fair. Several of the items are named in honor of Star Wars characters, such as the salad greens below, renamed “Greedos Fresh Green Mix.”

Continuing down the buffet, we get other items, such as Yoda’s Edamame Salad, Obi-Wan Insalata Caprese and, seriously, my favorite dish from the entire meal, R2-D2s Cantaloupe Salad, which had, obviously, Cantaloupe, pancetta, greens, and, I believe, a vinaigrette. I really need to contact Disney and try to get the recipe, it was terrific.

Moving along we get to entree items like Princess Leia’s Sweet and Sour Pork (a bit dry), and Ahsoka’s Orange Chicken (very tasty).

There is a carving station that served Kessel Run Roasted Strip Loin and Dexter Jettster’s (Obi’s diner owning friend from Episode 2) Herb Roasted Turkey.

The“Padawan Kid’s Buffet” serves Kanans Corn Dogs, Chewbaccas Chicken Tenders and other kid friendly foods.

As you dine, favorite Disney characters come around dressed like favorite Star Wars characters, like Chip and Dale as Ewoks.

If you miss one, don’t fear, they come around frequently, and a Cast Member will make sure you’ve seen everyone, like Darth Goofy…

…and Stormtrooper Donald!

On to what many consider the most important part of any meal, dessert! One of the best were the
Darth Vadar Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake.

I didn’t try the tarts as I was saving room for the cupcakes.

My favorite dessert was Aunt Beru’s Blue Milk Ice Cream. It tasted like cotton candy!

We opted for the Fantasmic package, which gave us guaranteed seats for the show, and cost $63.99 for adults, and $38.99 for children aged 3-9.

I highly recommend this experience. True, it is not cheap, but it’s a lot of fun, and the food is really very good. It’s 3 of my favorite things in one. Disney, Star Wars, and food! May The Force be with you!

Princess Leia Minnie and me

Want to read more about Nick’s Disney adventures?  Visit the Disney Musings Blog and follow Nick on Twitter, on Facebook, on Instagram, and on Pinterest.  You can also listen to Nick, our friend Dave, and me on The Disney Exchange Podcast where we talk about….well, I bet you can guess.

Disney Dining Review – Whispering Canyon Cafe

Posted on by

Whispering-Canyon-CafeNeed a Magic Kingdom park-break? Craving a terrific meal in a great setting?  Got a hungry group or family to please?  Have I got a restaurant for you!

Whispering Canyon Cafe, located in Disney’s beautiful and majestic Wilderness Lodge, offers guests a unique, and delicious dining option just a quick boat-ride away from the Magic Kingdom or a bus-ride from the other three parks.  Didn’t I make that sound wonderful?  The real deal is that Whispering Canyon is plain old fun!  Worth the trip no matter how you get there.  The theme is western, the food American, and the service will be either hilariously ridiculous or the usual service of the excellent Disney variety – you get to decide if you are ready to be part of the action or if you just want to watch and enjoy some tasty comfort food.Whispering-Canyon-SignWhispering-Canyon-Indicator-NO-FUNWhispering-Canyon-Indicator-FUN

Raymond and I booked lunch at Whispering Canyon based on reviews we’d read and recommendations from Disney World food fans like us.  Having had poor luck with meals in the past at Artist Point, we were hoping Whispering Canyon would become our go-to dining choice at Wilderness Lodge – a resort we love to visit!  We booked for lunch on a Magic Kingdom day and the break could not have been more perfect.  The weather was gorgeous and our FastPasses were spaced just right to have enough time to get to Wilderness Lodge, enjoy a leisurely lunch, and get back to rides and attractions.Whispering-Canyon-Table

Our first impressions were great!  We gave our name at the podium and were seated immediately.  The décor is adorable!  We were seated near the middle of the room which gave us an excellent vantage point from which to view the action.  If you’ve been to 50’s Prime Time Café at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Whispering Canyon’s experience is a bit like that one, but (to me) better.  I don’t want to spoil it for you, but if you have a good sense of humor and don’t mind being picked on a little, you’ll enjoy Whispering Canyon.  (If you’re on the Disney Dining Plan, you’ll use one table service credit to eat there.)  The crowd during our lunch was mostly made up of families and groups of friends who were there to embrace all that this special place has to offer.Whispering-Canyon-Detail Whispering-Canyon-Shelves Whispering-Canyon-Lighting

After a quick glance at the menu, we decided to split the Slow-smoked Pulled Pork Spring Rolls with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce for $12.49.  These were absolutely fantastic!Whispering-Canyon-Cafe-Menu Whispering-Canyon-Pulled-Pork-Spring-RollsWe each ordered a different beer to try (both brews were new to us) and Raymond decided to go with a burger and sweet potato fries (Bacon-Cheese Angus Burger -Thick-cut Praline Bacon, Sharp White Cheddar, and House Ketchup with your choice of House-made Idaho Potato Chips, French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, or Cucumber Salad -$17.49).  Whispering-Canyon-Cafe-Beer Whispering-Canyon-BurgerI thought a basic tuna melt sounded exactly right (Tuna Melt on Sourdough Bread with Vine-ripened Tomatoes, Sharp White Cheddar, Arugula, and Herb-Olive Oil – $14.49).  Whispering-Canyon-Tuna-MeltWe were very happy with our choices and before we knew it, our bellies were too full for dessert and we could hear our FastPasses for Space Mountain calling to us.  We headed to the boat dock and enjoyed the scenery on our way back to Magic Kingdom.Wilderness-Lodge-Dock

Absolutely we will be making a return visit to Whispering Canyon at the earliest opportunity!  Our expectations were high and we were not disappointed.  Good food, fun atmosphere, excellent service…all in gorgeous Wilderness Lodge.

Have you eaten at Whispering Canyon?  How’d you like it?