Tag Archives: Walt Disney World

Disney Celebration Buttons

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I can’t think of a more exciting place to celebrate just about anything than at Walt Disney World.  Raymond has been at Walt Disney World on his birthday several times and celebrate we did indeed.  Megan’s friend Ashli celebrated her graduation from nursing school on a trip with us in 2012.  Raymond and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary at Disney World last year.RM-Enjoying-Magic-Kingdom

You can celebrate with a special meal or fancy dessert.  You can bring along decorations for your room or buy special pin to mark the occasion.  One of the best things you can do to celebrate at Disney World is wear a celebration button!  The buttons even give you another reason to celebrate – they are absolutely free of charge!RM-Disney-Birthday-Celebration-Raymond

When you wear a Disney celebration button, you feel like a celebrity!  You certainly won’t need to throw a me-party.  Lots of Cast Members and other guests will offer well-wishes and celebrate right along with you.  You will most definitely feel special!  You’ll be wished “Happy *Insert celebratory event here*” everywhere you go.  With our anniversary buttons on, Raymond and I weren’t just offered congratulations, lots of people wanted to know our secret for staying married for 25 years.  (If we had a secret, we’d sell it and make enough money for a house at Golden Oak!)RM-Disney-Anniversary-Celebration-Button

You can let Walt Disney World know in advance that your visit will include a celebration and they’ll make a note on your reservation.  You can also wait until you arrive to let the Cast Member at your resort know you have a special occasion OR you can stop at any of the parks’ Guest Services counter and pick up a Disney Celebration Button.

For a complete list of ALL the ways Walt Disney World can help you celebrate, visit this page.

What have YOU celebrated at Walt Disney World?

Magic Kingdom – Wait Here Not There

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IMG_3279The opinions expressed here are my own (as if you didn’t already know that).  I’m crazy about Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and it’s probably my favorite park, followed closely by Animal Kingdom.  Don’t get me wrong – there’s plenty of fun to be had in Epcot and what’s currently left of the Studios, but Magic Kingdom holds the most happy memories and has so much entertainment to offer me when I’m there.  When I daydream about being at Walt Disney World, I’m almost always in Magic Kingdom.

It won’t be long before we’ll be selecting FastPasses for our next visit to the World and that got me thinking about how I’ll be weighing the pros and cons of different attractions – including the entertainment value of specific ride queues.  This is just me now, but I’m much more willing to wait in some queues than I am in others solely based on the quality of the wait.  If we start in Adventureland and work our way around the park, land by land, here are my recommendations for:

Magic Kingdom – Wait Here Not There

RM-Adventureland-Magic-KingdomAdventureland – Wait for Pirates of the Caribbean not Jungle Cruise.  Yes, if we are strictly speaking Adventureland attractions, I’d much rather FastPass Jungle Cruise and wait for Pirates.  The queue for Pirates is cool and dark with excellent mood-setting elements – it’s actually an excellent place to cool off on a hot day and let your face rest from the pressure of your sunglasses on your nose.  WDW Jungle CruiseThe wait for Jungle Cruise is hot and has less to enjoy.  Personally, I find it somewhat frustrating although I do enjoy the announcements.

Frontierland – Wait for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad not Splash Mountain.  Big Thunder’s queue is interesting with loads of interactive elements to enjoy – in fact, I enjoy it so much, I sometimes wish the line were moving a tiny bit slower.Interactive Queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Interactive elements for Big Thunder Mountain QueueSplash Mountain’s queue, while possessing some cute features (like the adorable bird houses) is not nearly as interesting.

Liberty Square – Save your FastPasses!  Haunted Mansion is the only attraction that will ever have a significant wait and the queue (unless the day is super hot and humid) is great! Check out all the interactive components, search for the Bride’s Ring on the ground (embedded in the pavement) as you move along.  RM-Liberty-Belle-Haunted-Mansion-ViewPay attention to the excellent (and plentiful) Disney details.  If heat and humidity are factors – cool off in the Hall of Presidents during the day and save Haunted Mansion for after the sun goes down.

Fantasyland – Hmmmm…This is the toughest one!  Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is going to have the longest wait – maybe for the entire park.  Seven Dwarfs Mine Train SignThat being said, it also has an excellent, highly entertaining and interactive queue.  Peter Pan’s queue has just been “plussed” and is worth waiting for.IMG_2542If you have little ones, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has a very kid-pleasing wait.  IMG_0899Personally, I’d burn a FastPass on Dumbo if it’s a must-ride attraction.  I hate the wait for Dumbo so much, I’ve never made it to the ride.  (You can read the story here.)  Based solely on time-savings, excluding Dumbo, the FastPass would have to go to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Tomorrowland – Remember that FastPass I told you NOT to use in Liberty Square?  I’d use it here for Space Mountain.  While the queue is dark and cool, it’s also a snooze-fest.  Even though it was one of the first attractions I can remember that got a few interactive parts added to the queue, they’re not all that interesting.  RM-Space-Mountain-SignOnce you reach the top of the upward climb to the boarding area, the queue reverts to old school back and forth, metal-partitioned, waiting.  And waiting….and….you get the idea.

Your turn to weigh in!  Where would you select FastPasses in Magic Kingdom – and where would you stand in line?

5 MORE Ways to be Irritating at WDW

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Belle and GastonDisclaimer:  I’m joking.  This post is for entertainment purposes only and should in no way be misinterpreted as containing advice I’d actually like you to take.  This information is directed at the rude, uncouth, coarse, and inconsiderate among the general population – none of those people read this blog.

Many of you will remember this post where I helped readers here at Living a Disney Life learn how to be irritating at Walt Disney World.  So well received and, based on my last couple of visits to the World, well heeded.  You were listening and you are beasts at being annoying!  So proud of you.  You deserve a little something special.  After mastering the first set of annoyances, I will unlock for you the next steps necessary for you to master the program and reach your full irritation potential!  Today I give to you…

5 MORE Ways to be Irritating at WDW

1.  Sit in the Middle.  You won’t be sorry!  It is SO annoying!  Have your camera ready to capture the wide variety of dirty looks you will receive.  RM-Mickey's-PhilharMagicAfter those Cast Members in Mickey’s PhilharMagic (or any and all other movies and shows) tell you to move all the way to the end of the row before sitting down, stop in the middle – the best seats are right there and you paid the same as everyone else to be there.  You deserve the best seats in the house!  If anyone dares to say something to you or suggest that you get up and move, respond with complete silence.  Pretend you don’t speak English!  Sitting in the middle of ride queues, on railings, on stairs…it’s all good.  And irritating.  Do it!

2. Feed the Birds.  I’ll let you in on a little secret – the birds at Walt Disney World are no where near aggressive enough!  The really – I’m talking seriously dangerous – aggressive birds are at Sea World.  Those winged devils will dive-bomb your head and smash into you to make you drop the fish you just paid a fortune for (not for you to eat, but to feed to the sea critters) and then they’ll actually laugh as they gobble your expensive fish up off the ground.  Disney birds are tame!  DSCN3907They love people and merely want to make friends – Like Snow White and her band of helpful woodland creatures, go ahead and be buddies with your new feathered friends.  Especially in Epcot’s Mexico pavilion at the Cantina de San Angel…those birds are the best!

3. Get that Perfect Picture – No Matter What!  Everyone understands how crucial your Disney vacation photos are and you’ve paid big bucks to be here – make the most of it!  Line your little ones up for that perfect shot in front of Cinderella Castle – who cares if it’s in the middle of the walkway or how long it takes – everyone else will either stop or go around.  No worries!  These are your vacation pictures!  Make sure every single person in your party of 15 gets an individual photo with every character!

4. Never EVER Walk in a Straight Line.  You are on vacation!  Mosey, meander, zig, zag, and don’t neglect the ever-important diagonal walking!  Didn’t they tell you to pay close attention to all those Disney details?  While you’re getting from points A to B, look up, look right and left – for sure, look down at your cell phone – that My Disney Experience app needs your attention!  At all times.Walt Disney World Summer Crowd

5. Personal Space?  Nah!  Look around you – Disney World is one über-crowded place full of happy people having fun!  This is not the time or the place to worry about getting too close to your neighbor.  If you leave too much space between you and another guest, someone else might slip in there and cut in line!  Go ahead, we’re all friends in a Disney park, move on in there and aggressively guard your place in every queue.  Or for parade viewing. Or during a character meet-and-greet.  ‘S okay!  ‘Cause I said so.IMG_2614

Bonus suggestion:  You’re going to be hot and sweaty at Walt Disney World during most months of the year.  Here’s a great way to save time and money while being incredibly irritating at the same time – forego personal hygiene until you get home!  (Oh, and don’t forget #5!)

 

Overthinking Your Disney World Vacation

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Checking-the-Disney-World-ScheduleMore and more lately I hear people despair (rather than rejoice) over their upcoming Walt Disney World vacation – especially if they’re planning their first trip.  “It’s overwhelming! There’s too much to plan!  We don’t how to choose a place to stay, where to eat, what to ride!”  I’m totally sympathetic – it IS overwhelming.  With dozens (hundreds?) of planning websites offering advice, not to mention Pinterest, Facebook, rumors, false information, a bajillion details to worry about – I can see why it might seem a lot easier (and cheaper!) to just head to the beach!

Part of the problem, caused by information overload, is spending too much time worrying about what you don’t know and what to do with the overwhelming, often contradictory, information you DO know.  This will cause a bad case of…

Overthinking Your Disney World Vacation

For todays Friday Five, I’d like to offer (yet again) more sage (I have reached a pretty ripe old age, I think I qualify for “sage”) advice.  Today’s words of wisdom, according to me (because I’m guilty of several) – five ways to avoid the frustration brought about by the aforementioned overthinking.  Here you go:DSCN2615

1.  Yes, you have to plan, but perhaps not as much as you think.  You should book at least a couple of ADRs (Advance Dining Reservations) in advance.  Six months ahead of your vacation for the most popular restaurants/character dining experiences.  If you have the opportunity to book FastPasses, you should do that (especially during Spring Break, summer, and the holiday season) – plan to ride what you think you’ll enjoy!  Try to avoid the mindset of “It’s SO expensive, I must plan to get my money’s worth!”  Be mindful of height requirements, but other than that, take the reviews and ratings of others with a grain of salt.  I loathe Stitch’s Great Escape, but plenty of people love it.  (Joseph’s not a fan of It’s a Small World, but he’ll always take one for the team.)IMG_1227_face0

2.  When you overthink, you often cause undue pressure – you imagine exactly how your day(s) in Magic Kingdom will be, how everything will happen just as it appears on TV, how you and your children will be blissfully happy, how you’ll see and do everything you watched on YouTube.  This creates unrealistic expectations and leads to disappointment.  When things don’t meet your expectations, your vacation enjoyment is diminished.  It’s best to be open-minded – everyone’s experience is different!  Because we are individuals, what we each find joy in will be unique.  Your 5-year-old may care much less about rides and attractions than they do about the pool at your resort – such was the case with our Megan back in 1996.IMG_2139

3. Under-promise and Over-deliver.  Where your kids are concerned, share vacation details in broad generalizations.  Do NOT promise that they will ride certain rides or meet certain characters.  Even if you have FastPasses booked for Anna and Elsa, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, talking Mickey Mouse, or Splash Mountain – unforeseen factors can spring up at any minute.  Rides break down, crazy summer storms (complete with hail!) spring up, the Florida heat takes a toll, meltdowns (of all types) occur.  You WILL see and do some incredible, magical things – that’s what you should focus on.  Last year, we were in Magic Kingdom when some computer glitch caused many rides to be down at once – we could hear people talking about how they’d promised their family they would ride The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh on their ONE day at Magic Kingdom.  This computer problem was RUINING their vacation.  Do not be those people.1900 Park Fare / Drizella and Anastasia

4.  Over-planning often costs you magical moments.  Does that sound wrong?  Think about it – you’ve thought out every moment, every contingency, every possible situation – You’ve brought matching tee-shirts, snacks, rain ponchos, Band-Aids, antacid, sunscreen, toys, games, stickers, and so on.  You’ve scheduled meals, rides, attractions, and even photo opportunities – trust me, I know what this is like!  I’m a reformed compulsive over-planner.  WDW Park Touring NecessitiesMost of our happiest vacation memories happened during the UN-planned moments.  Build in time to waste, time to wander, time to experience some things on the spur of the moment – you won’t be disappointed!Volunteering for the Studios Backlot Tour

5.  Use a Travel Agent.  There are excellent Disney travel experts out there and there is absolutely NO cost to you for taking advantage of their expertise.  You can still plan as much (or as little) as you want to, but having someone “in the know” about what resorts and restaurants are really like, what their previous clients’ actual, recent experiences were, what room locations at each resort will best meet your family’s needs, where money savings opportunities exist, and so on, is a tremendous help to avoid overthinking.  I am not a travel agent, but I’ve used one before (and I’m friends with a great one, if you need a recommendation).  As much as I love to plan, it helped having someone to answer my questions, book things for me when I didn’t have time to waste waiting on hold, and help me stay within my budget.

Are you guilty of overthinking a Disney vacation?  Feel free to confess, you’re among friends here.