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. There’s a DJ spinning top 40 hits, and it’s being broadcast throughout the park. Everyone on Main Street is dancing, blowing their horns, wishing each other a Happy New Year. And if you make it past the midnight fireworks, it completely empties out and even the E-tickets are walk-ons. It’s the best night of the year!

This picture was taken by Tom Bricker of http://www.disneytouristblog.com/

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, along with Captain Hook, my uncle’s favorite Disney character. Also featured are Disney Princesses Aurora, Cinderella, and Snow White (with princes!). The whole show is a little hokey and totally corny, but it makes me smile to hear everyone chanting “Dreams come true!”

This picture is from the Disney parks website.

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 grins. I think this scene is often overlooked by the average guest, who is usually looking up at the hairy-legged pirate dangling over the bridge.

This picture was taken by flickr user Swantho.

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 once or twice a week. Now I use Lines chat and twitter to keep up with breaking news. So here is my Disney blogroll, in no particular order.

Disney Blogroll

• Disney Parks Blog - The official blog for Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line
• The Daily Disney - OrlandoSentinel.com
• The Disney Blog | Disney News and Information — by fans, for fans
• the disney food blog
• Home Page of MousePlanet.com, your resource for all things Disney
• LaughingPlace.com: Walt Disney World, Disneyland and All of Disney 
• Inside the Magic | Covering Disney news, theme park events and beyond!
• WDW Radio | Disney podcast, Disney news, trivia, history, games, shopping & more from Lou Mongello, Disney Expert & Disney Author 
• STORYBOARD: The Walt Disney Family Museum’s Blog - the blog 
• Entertainment News from Disney, Universal and More - Jim Hill Media
• Disney Dispatch | Daily Disney Columns, Commentary, and Community
• 2719 HYPERION 
• Blue Sky Disney
• Passport to Dreams Old & New
• Imagineering Disney
• Imaginerding: Disney Books, links and more!
• Parkeology
• Disney History
• Photos from the Parks
• Davelandblog
• GORILLAS DON’T BLOG 
• Designing Disney
• Disney at Work Blog
• Disney Tourist Blog - By Sarah & Tom Bricker 
• The Epcot Explorer’s Encyclopedia | A Guide to the flora, fauna, and fun of the world’s greatest theme park!
• Progress City, U.S.A.
• Re-Imagineering
• Save Pleasure Island

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 you are rushed right into the middle of the action. I think it was Imagineer Marc Davis who said Pirates of the Caribbean wasn’t about actual pirates, even though they existed in history and Disney considered basing the rides on real individuals. The ride was about the idea of pirates, focused on telling a story. Not a narrative story, but a fully immersive experience from beginning to end.

This concept art for Pirates of the Caribbean was created by Imagineer Marc Davis.

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 disbelief because OMG it’s Mickey Mouse and he’s totally signing MY autograph book and taking a picture with ME and I can’t believe such a huge celebrity is just so humble and nice to his fans!!! It’s a little bit of a freakout every time.

A Photopass Photographer took this photo for me at Magic Kingdom’s Town Square Theater on August 28, 2011.

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 catch whatever is playing in the parks when I visit. I think Disney’s nighttime spectaculars are really, well…spectacular! For a brief moment in time, I can focus completely on the lights and characters and music. For a brief moment, I can be transported right into the Disney magic.

I took this picture at Magic Kingdom on October 1, 2011.

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 into Magic Kingdom using Facebook for iPhone.

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 http://disneyhumanelement.blogspot.com/

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 and show guests around sounds like a dream come true. I’d love to move into Guest Relations when I’m done with my QSFB program.

This picture is from the Disney parks website.