February 2012
5 posts
Hey, I’m sorry I haven’t posted since I’ve been at DCP. Took my roommate a few days to get our Internet online and then I’ve been so busy since. Just finished my last shop training day at Riverside Mill. Just have three days of cashier training left in like, three weeks. No work tomorrow or Wednesday, but I do have class both days. Also going to Magic Kingdom for (most of...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - A Meet And Greet...
Agent P! For some inexplicable reason, Perry the Platypus’ secret agent alter ego isn’t available to meet at the parks. Obviously he shouldn’t meet in the same area as Phineas and Ferb (since canonically they don’t know about his existence) but he should be available somewhere (maybe even Epcot if Kim Possible gets an Agent P overlay). What drives me crazy is that an...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Favorite Place To...
50s Prime Time Cafe! I love everything about this restaurant. Perfectly themed to mid-century kitsch, it’s like being dropped in an episode of The Donna Reed Show (which of course plays on the in-restaurant television sets). Even before you get to your table, you can enjoy the atmosphere and a few drinks at Tune-In Lounge, Prime Time’s waiting area. The decor relies heavily on...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Favorite Disney...
New Year’s Eve at Magic Kingdom! Part of this is because NYE reminds me of my first trip to Walt Disney World. It’s also because Magic Kingdom has the best fireworks show I’ve ever seen. Seriously, they countdown in 360 degrees IN THE SKY. Who cares if Magic Kingdom is packed; that’s all part of the experience. The entire park feels like one huge party all night long....
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite Park...
Dream-Along With Mickey! It’s been a long time since I actually watched this show, but I feel like it is omnipresent in Main Street’s soundscape. It always seems to be playing as we walk through the hub, and I love looking back to catch a glimpse. This used to be one of our must-do attractions, when my cousin was in love with Peter Pan. He makes a featured appearance in the show,...
January 2012
23 posts
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
Drunk pirate with pigs! I don’t have a picture of this myself but luckily I found one on flickr. This is my favorite figure on Pirates of the Caribbean. He looks so absolutely content. The city is burning to the ground around him, and he is just enjoying the company of friends. How could you not be happy surrounded by those pigs? They look like they’re laughing with those big dopey...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
Post-Ultimate Tour! This isn’t a very good picture but it represents a very proud moment for me. I took this just outside the gates at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, exiting the park after my first Ultimate Tour. On August 3, 2011, I completed 30 attractions (every ride/show in the park except Sounds Dangerous, which was closed for “refurbishment”, plus three character...
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Disney Blogroll
Recently a thread was posted on Lines chat about favorite Disney blogs. And since, as a young person in the 21st century, I practically live on the internet, I have a long list of bookmarked Disney sites. I’ve been reading many of them since 2006, when I’d start every morning by checking each site for updates. They don’t all update daily, so I’ve switched to just checking...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite Ride
Pirates of the Caribbean! A day at Magic Kingdom isn’t complete without a ride with the pirates. Maybe multiple rides. I have distinct memories of the attraction from my childhood visits. I was scared of the drop so I didn’t ride for years. I still get butterflies in my stomach as the boat nears the ramp, “dead men tell no tales” echoing in the empty caverns. And suddenly...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite Meet...
Mickey Mouse! It all started with a mouse, and for good reason. Mickey is the quintessential Disney characters, an icon recognized around the world. He doesn’t need to speak to be understood in every language. And he remains as loved today as he was in 1928. I’m always excited to meet Mickey, whether it’s at a character meal or his new Town Square digs. I like to suspend my...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - A Disney Park...
Watching the nighttime shows! There are discussions among frequent Disney parks visitors about which shows you always watch and which ones you usually miss. Some people never seem to catch shows or parades or fireworks. But I like to see them all. I’ve long lost count of how many times I’ve watched Wishes or IllumiNations or Fantasmic. I still enjoy them, and I try my hardest to...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - First Thing You Do...
Check in with social media! There’s a little joke between my friends that they time how long it takes me to check in when we go out. I like letting people know what I’m doing and where I’ve been. It makes me feel connected to a larger community. So as soon as I’ve gone through the turnstiles, I log on to Facebook, check myself in, and start taking pictures!
I checked...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
Mouse ears! A classic must-have souvenir. They make me think of the original Mouseketeers! I only have a small collection, four or five hats. And I usually forget to bring them with me to the parks. But sometimes I’ll wear them around the house to remind me of the Disney magic. I think ear hats are a souvenir every Disney fan should have.
I took this picture in my living room on September...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - The Most Annoying...
Tour groups! They sing, they chant, they get 600 Fastpasses at once. Even when they are well-behaved, you can easily get trapped behind a wall of people, blocking your way. It’s important to be a few steps ahead of tour groups. Luckily they are usually easy to spot, being led by a flag or a closed umbrella. And often wearing matching shirts.
This picture was taken by Scott Smith of...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
December! My birthday is just after Christmas, and as a kid I only wanted to celebrate in one place: Walt Disney World. We would go during other times, but I always associate WDW with holiday (and birthday) celebrations. I love seeing the Disney parks decorated with lights and ribbons and Christmas trees. I’ve never been there on December 25th but we often go to Magic Kingdom on December...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Ideal Job at...
VIP Tour Guide! As a frequent visitor to Walt Disney World, I love sharing my knowledge of the Disney parks with anyone who will listen. I like following the latest news, answering questions, and giving advice. And even though I don’t have quite the expertise of someone like Lou Mongello, I still think I’m way above the average guest. So getting paid to hang out at the Disney parks...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite Cast...
Haunted Mansion butlers and maids! The Haunted Mansion is one attraction that is really affected by the quality of its cast members. Starting with a wry smile and a few witty (but never rude or mean) comebacks, a good butler/maid sets the scene before a guest even enters the queue. As you are ushered into the stretching rooms, Disney’s haunted house transcends its carnival roots and...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Most Romantic...
Kim and Matt’s engagement at Magic Kingdom! Even though I’ve never had a romantic moment at a Disney park, my dear friend Kim experienced one of the most romantic moments ever: her boyfriend proposed to her in front of Cinderella Castle! Of course she called me right away with all the details. Kim and Matt are planning a beautiful wedding in Pittsburgh (Kim’s hometown) and...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Merchandise You...
More extinct attractions merchandise! Since Epcot’s 25th anniversary, when Disney planned nothing and fanboys nearly rioted, it seems like Disney has been selling more merchandise that calls back to WDW history. I have a few t-shirts referencing Epcot’s 1982 opening date, Dreamfinder, and the original Epcot pavilion logos. My aunt bought a Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride shirt last year...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
Scrooge McDuck! I’ve previously discussed my love for Scrooge. I’ve never been lucky enough to meet him or get an autograph. Two years ago, he was appearing for meet & greets at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party but he had a long line and we were rushing past on our way somewhere and so we decided we’d stop on our way back. What I didn’t realize is that...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your First Trip to...
New Year’s Eve 1989! I had just turned two years old and my entire family visited Walt Disney World. I only have one distinct memory of this trip: sitting in my stroller (those metal & blue vinyl ones Disney used to have) eating cookies (they were like the old McDonaldland cookies but shaped like Disney characters) watching the NYE fireworks from Tomorrowland. I love visiting Magic...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
SpectroMagic! Even though I’m old enough (and visited WDW early enough) to have seen the Main Street Electrical Parade’s original run, I really grew up with SpectroMagic. A trip to Magic Kingdom isn’t complete unless I’ve watched the nighttime entertainment; I can’t even count how many times I’ve seen this parade. Spectro does an excellent job of bringing...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
This green dress and leggings! Having grown up in Florida and being used to the heat, I used to tour almost exclusively in jeans and t-shirts. Which is great in fall but a little warm for visiting in the middle of summer. That changed last December when I broke my ankle and couldn’t wear jeans over my cast. Since then I’ve been wearing leggings (knee length for summer, ankle length...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Most Expensive...
Food! Sure, you can pack PB&J sandwiches and never spend a dime on food at WDW. But I think dining at Disney brings the experience to a new level, whether you’re sharing a table with Mickey Mouse, having “Mom” nag you about eating your vegetables, or watching fireworks while you finish your dessert. I like to plan at least one table per day. Favorites include Liberty Tree...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite...
Mickey’s Premium Bar! I always remember eating these ice cream bars when I was a kid, and even now a trip to WDW isn’t complete if I haven’t had a Mickey’s Premium. There’s a very specific way to eat a Mickey’s Premium. First, you bite off all the chocolate coating. Then you can eat the ice cream. I also vaguely remember eating these at home, like from the...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite Land
Tomorrowland! Again with the retro futurism fun. Tomorrowland is one of the few things I remember from my first trip to Walt Disney World, a story that’s coming in a future post. I kinda hate that it’s been taken over by monsters and aliens. I want to kick out Stitch (awful character, awful ride) and Mike Wazowski (great character, cute ride, wrong place) and just keep stuff like...
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30 Day Disney Parks Challenge - Your Favorite Park
Epcot! Even though it’s not what Walt expected, I think Epcot is a fair tribute to his memory and vision for the company. I’ve always been interested in futurism and learning, and now that I’m older I enjoy the park in a completely new light. I’m always hoping for the next big expansion at Epcot, like a new pavilion along World Showcase, or a re-imagined Wonders of Life.
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November 2011
13 posts
Unexpected Hiatus
Sorry I’ve been away. We ended up spending nearly all of last Sunday at Downtown Disney, and I got home super late. Then I had to spend all week preparing for my grandparents’ 50th anniversary party. So I didn’t really have time to write any posts. Things are settled now, and I’ll be able to resume my 30 day Disney challenge soon :)
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30 Day Disney Challenge - Your Favorite Sidekick
While most sidekicks are content to hang around providing comic relief, Timothy Q. Mouse is almost single-handedly responsible for propelling the plot of Dumbo. He always speaks on Dumbo’s behalf, since Dumbo can’t or won’t speak (at any rate, Dumbo has no spoken dialogue). Timothy convinces the sleeping ringmaster to feature Dumbo in the pachyderm pyramid, and convinces Dumbo...
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30 Day Disney Challenge - Your Favorite Animal
This one took some thinking (since most Disney characters are animals), but I finally settled on Robin Hood. Maybe this one is cheating since he’s an anthropomorphic fox, but I’m giving it a thumbs up. Everyone loves a good folk hero, especially one with such honorable intentions. Robin is an outlaw through and through, always looking out for his next jackpot. He’s got a sly,...
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Away for the weekend
I’m actually off to Walt Disney World this weekend! We’re doing Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tonight and the 16th International Food and Wine Festival tomorrow. I’ll be sure to do a full trip report when I return.
I’ve set my 30 Day Disney Challenge entries to post automatically; I hope they work!
30 Day Disney Challenge - Your Favorite Hero
Hercules is basically the definition of a hero, or at least he wants to be. He’s an awkward kid who grew into himself physically but not mentally. Even with adoring fans and lucrative merchandising deals, he’s just trying to get noticed by the people who matter, his father and his crush. It takes a pretty dramatic event to push him to hero status. Seriously, when was the last time...
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30 Day Disney Challenge - Your Favorite Prince
My interest in Prince Phillip is pretty shallow. He is good eye candy. And I feel like he’s got a decent sense of humor, which is always important. Phillip is valiant and gentle, a true romantic.
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Disney Bucket List
Disney bucket lists are a pretty popular topic for pre-DCP vlogs - a bunch of Disney-related stuff you’ve never done but would like to. Even though I’ve been visiting Walt Disney World for over twenty years, there’s plenty I still haven’t tried. Not to mention loads of international and non-park list items. I started working on mine after this episode of the Mouse Chat...
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30 Day Disney Challenge - Your Favorite Heroine
Just being female doesn’t make you a heroine. You need to be powerful, courageous, and willing to put yourself in situations that would make others crumble. Pocahontas stands strong for peace, understanding, and love. She’s curious about everything and doesn’t hesitate to ask questions.
I love that Pocahontas needs time to figure herself out, the internal conflict of a flowing...
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30 Day Disney Challenge - Your Favorite Princess
I always identified with Belle: her love of reading, her desire for adventure, and her stubbornness. Belle usually appears in her big yellow ball gown (you know the one), but I think the blue provincial dress suits her better. She likes playing dress-up but that’s part of the fantasy. Belle needs the fantasy.
Belle reminds me of summer, of sitting in the park under the shade of a big...
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30 Day Disney Challenge - Your Favorite Character
Growing up in the 90s, I watched tons of cartoons. And of course, the Disney Afternoon line-up was my absolute favorite. I could probably still sing you every one of those theme songs. Scrooge McDuck was basically the central character in DuckTales, serving as guardian to his great-nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie. It wasn’t until years later that I learned Scrooge is also wildly popular in...
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Just 93 days left!
The numbers seem more manageable when I count each day. Because February 6 just sounds far away. I think I’m going to start one of those 30 day challenges to pass the time. I’m also busily working on last minute details for our WDW trip next weekend. We’re celebrating my aunt’s 35th birthday with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on Friday and the Food & Wine...
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So even though I know a few people with personal tumblrs, and there are a few accounts I’ve been following for a while, what finally pushed me to sign up is that it seems to be a pretty popular way to document one’s Disney College Program experience. I’m all set for Spring Advantage 2012 at Walt Disney World. Right now the plan is February 6 to August 10 as a Quick Service Food...
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What am I doing here?
I don’t really understand tumblr. Like, at all. I know hipsters like it. And high schoolers. I was always more of a LiveJournal girl, but that’s been over and done with for years. Here goes nothing.