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Places to Stay

The World Showcase Dancers

28 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

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wsdme

Anyone remember the World Showcase Dancers? They were a favorite for my family, since my mom was a professional ballerina. I was very shy, but my mom pushed me up to dance with that guy when they came around looking for volunteers. All I remember is how sweaty he was. And those blue socks I’m wearing. And that I wish I could still get away with wearing matching short/tank top sets.

I have a couple of other pictures I’m saving for an upcoming blog entry on the World Showcase Dancers. Great memories.

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Attractions, Disney Past Tagged With: Disney, Epcot, Fun Friday, memories, Pictures, Walt Disney World, World Showcase

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Disney’s Sanaa Shines

27 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

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antelope as seen from our table

Antelope, Giraffes and Zebra, that’s who! And that is just a few of the many animals you can see right from the windows of Sanaa (pronounced Sah-NAH) the newest restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Sanaa is located in the Kidani Village section of Animal Kingdom Lodge, a new area built for Disney’s Vacation Club members. Kidani Village contains studio, 1 or 2 bedroom villa suites. This area has its own lobby and check-in area, its own pool and recreation area and its own savanna, viewable from many of the villas as well as Sanaa itself.

While the lobby area is not as breathtaking as Jambo House (the original Animal Kingdom Lodge section) it is still quite beautiful. It is more cozy. However, you will still be in awe as you walk down the spiral staircase to Sanaa and get your first glimpse of the savanna. The staircase itself is beautiful, and the thatched roof above this area is amazing. After you check in for your reservations at Sanaa, feel free to explore the hallway directly behind you. It is beautiful on its own and you can see the animals from all the windows. There is a viewing area outside, where you can walk out and see the animals closer without glass to get in the way. There are cast members out there to ask questions and a firepit for late night story-telling.

As we were brought to our table, we were told that Sanaa was meant to represent a marketplace – the decor is to look like the trees of a village and a colorful marketplace within it. We were lucky enough to be seated right at a window. Our server welcomed us and carefully explained how the menu at Sanaa worked, with its special entrees and drinks. We instantly felt special and taken care of with the patience and attention we received. I would add that this was because we were celebrating a birthday there, but I was actually quick to notice that all the tables around us, with the same and different servers, received this same incredible

Decor in Sanaa - Can you find the Hidden Mickey?
Decor in Sanaa - Can you find the Hidden Mickey?
and attention. Our server brought over a covered cup with a glowing ice cube in it for the baby, to keep him entertained. The server next to us knelt down to explain to the 4 year-old at the next table which animals were out there and what they liked to eat. Our server later explained to my son the process of making naan bread, and how his pizza was made from that bread. “That must be why it was so good!” he replied to her. That is just part of what made Sanaa stand out as a truly “Disney” experience.

We ordered the Indian Bread Sampler, where you pick 3 types of breads and 3 accompaniments. The bread choices are Naan, Roti, Paratha, Paneer Paratha. We chose all but the Roti. The accompaniments to choose from are: Mint and Onion Raita, Cucumber naan Raita, Coriander Chutney, Mango Chutney, Garlic-Ginger Pickle, Mango-Lime Pickle, Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus, Tamarind Chutney. Your server can explain better than I the differences between all of these choices, but we went with the Cucumber Raita, Hummus, and Garlic-Ginger Pickle. We loved them all. I highly recommend this sampler, because there will be something for everyone and at the very least, you can share plain naan with your picky eaters.

We also ordered the Mustard Seed Crusted Scallops with a coconut cream sauce. I am a sucker for all things coconut, but even if you are not a fan, it’s not an overpowering coconut flavor. These scallops were perhaps the best I’ve ever eaten. They were Delicious scallops at Sanaa perfection on a plate. I would go back and order 2 orders for an entree, they were that good! I definitely want to try the Samosas next time though, because I’m sure they are delicious too.

For an entree, I ordered the Tandoori Chicken. I have had Tandoor chicken many times before, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong with it. To my surprise, it came already off the bone and in fork-sized pieces. Perfect! It came with your choice of Basmati rice or 5-grain Pilaf. “From the Tandoor Ovens” also has a shrimp or lamb chop option rather than the chicken. Tandoor Chicken at Sanaa

Other menu options include slow-cooked meats, or a vegetarian option as well, including chicken or shrimp curry, paneer cheese and spinach, or beef short ribs. Also available are African Cooking with Indian Flavors, which feature Cornish Game Hen, Strip Steak, Dum Biryani and a Sustainable Fish, which changes nightly.

Our meals were just fantastic, and though were worried about my picky 10 year-old, as you read, he loved his naan pizza. My daughter enjoyed her Meaty Macaroni made with ground turkey as well. The problem with dinner was that we were so full from the delicious appetizers and entrees that we had no room for dessert, which, if you know me and my family at all, is shocking.

Animals viewed from our table at Sanaa As we dined, various animals strolled past, stopping to eat some strategically placed hay, or hanging out by the trees further back. We loved watching the Antelope *right* outside our window. Soon many friends joined and later the far-off Giraffes came by to say hello. In the distance we could see Wildebeests, Zebras, and the long-horned Ankole Cattle. We saw Ostriches off to the side and Red Crown Cranes came up closer than any other creature, since they could fly around the little unobtrusive barriers set up so you don’t end up having Wildebeest for dessert. Even the server remarked that there was an unusually large turn-out of animals that night. More animals seen from our table at Sanaa

While we were enjoying the view, we started to hear drums from the front of the restaurant. I thought they must just do a musical presentation, but as we continued to watch, the drummers paraded through the restaurant and over to a table where they sang a Sanaa version of Happy Birthday. I thought that was really impressive, but then they came over to our table for my mom’s birthday. They sang the song again and it was SO moving! Way different than a plain ol’ Happy Birthday by weary servers that you usually see in restaurants. Everyone was clapping along to the beat and looked genuinely excited for your celebration. After the song, a hostess handed my mom the Disney birthday card that you usually get, signed by various characters. However – this card was signed by every member of the front of the house staff, with wishes in their native language. I just thought that was the coolest thing ever. As a result, I *highly* recommend Sanaa for a birthday celebration. I know that’s where I’m headed for MY birthday this year.

Happy Birthday Celebration at Sanaa

All in all, our experience with Sanna was a marvelous one. I have been singing its praises ever since to anyone that’ll stand still. I loved it there, and so did the whole family. It is not just a place to eat…it is an experience – one which you’ll likely treasure for years to come. If you are planning a trip to Disney World, include Sanaa in those plans. If you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Oh! I almost forgot – on our way out we stopped at the restroom. I’m not sure I’ve ever said this about a restroom or not, but it was GORGEOUS. Beautiful dark wood and stone…just beautiful. Make sure you make a stop there before you go! 😉

All photos are ©Zanna DiMarzio under Creative Commons license – more photos available at Flickr.

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Filed Under: Disney Dining, Disney Planning, Disney Resorts, Reviews Tagged With: Animal Kingdom, birthdays, Disney, Disney Dining, Disney Resorts, Pictures, Reviews

Mickey’s Moms Club Party!

24 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 7 Comments

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mmcLogo
I had the distinct pleasure and honor to be able to attend the first-ever Mickey Moms Club Party, put together by the wonderful Disney Moms Panel and the PR Team from Disney World. With the upcoming 2010 Disney Moms Panel search, it was a lovely surprise to see this invitation in my email a few weeks ago. The Mickey Moms Club comprises applicants of past Disney Moms Panel searches that did not make the cut but were still given a special place online to gather, share tips, get the latest news and use some great tools and downloads of park maps, recipes and more! Every registered member of the MMC was invited to gather on Sunday, August 23, 2009 for a special viewing of Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at Epcot, enjoy some refreshments and meet other MMC members! Best of all, we were allowed up to 5 guests, so it wasn’t something where we had to leave our families at home while we had all the fun.

I will admit, as excited as I am and as hopeful as I remain to some day make the cut for the Disney Moms Panel, I clicked “RSVP yes” before I even fully read the invite, I just KNEW I had to be there! As luck would have it, it coincided when we were already going to be in Orlando, celebrating my mom and daughter’s birthdays. Even if we hadn’t, driving up from Tampa would not have been too difficult. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’ve gotten to know many Disney Moms Panel members via Twitter, as well as two of the very special PR people, Laura Spencer (@LauraSpencerOne) and Leanne J (@LeanneJ), so I was very excited to potentially meet some of my ‘idols’ and hopefully get to know even more MMC members. I knew not all the Disney Mom’s Panelists would be there, but it was exciting nonetheless.

We checked in and were told due to weather issues (it had been raining on and off all week) the refreshments had been moved indoors. Yay! We were told to head to the World ShowPlace building, and as the cast member tried to describe it, I said, “The old Millennium Village building, right?” She said, “Yes! You’re the first person that knew what that was!” I remember viewing the Millennium Village ages ago, I guess it was about 9 years! We filled out our name tags – I wrote “ZANNA” in big letters on mine hoping to connect with anyone I knew from Twitter, and headed over to wait for the doors to open.

My ZANNA name tag
My ZANNA name tag

Once we entered the World Showplace building, I was in awe. It was beautifully lit and there seemed to be endless tables of goodies! Tables with pretzels and popcorn, tables with huge cookies & rice crispie treats, tables with sodas, juices, water bottles and plain and chocolate milk, AND! freezers with Mickey Premium bars, Mickey cookie ice cream sandwiches and other frozen goodies. Amazing!!! In addition, there were pub tables set up with candles glowing inside beautiful colored glass holders for us to enjoy our goodies and mingle. It went on forever too!

I was there for about 5 minutes when a mom came up and remarked on my diaper bag. We had a long conversation about the pros and cons of designer diaper bags and I think I converted her to my bag’s brand 😉 (Ju-Ju Be in Purple Paisley for the record :P) My husband told me I should’ve gotten her name and given her one of my cards, but in my excitement I forgot. Anyway, nice talking to you!

Mickey Mom's Club Illuminations Party
Mickey Moms Club Illuminations Party

I kept looking at people’s name tags hoping to find someone I knew…I saw Disney Mom Cathy (@DisneyMomCathy) and Disney Mom Anna(@BeautyGirlsMom), Disney Mom Jackie (DisneyMomJackie) and Disney Mom Joanne (@JoJoey – who I did not follow on twitter but I do now!). Also there was Disney’s Leanne J. and another Disney PR person, Annette (not sure if she has a twitter account!). I tweeted about my location within the party, because I knew of at least 3 friends from twitter that were there but I hadn’t seen yet. Suddenly, someone came up to me and said, “You’re…ZANNA!” I said, “Yes, I am!!” 😀 That person was Kristen (@KristenWDW) on twitter and her lovely family from Massachusetts. Obviously we had tons to talk about since we had the Massachusetts connection. I looked down after two minutes and my daughter and her oldest daughter were playing on the floor together already. They became instant friends. Her younger little girl was adorable as well and her husband was great too. We had fun talking until it was time to head over to Illuminations.

The location for viewing was right between the two World Showcase Plaza shops. I must say, viewing Illuminations from there is almost like a completely different show! The fireworks seem to go up even higher into the sky and it was simply beautiful. After the show, Kristen suggested we walk around and look for Laura since she had tweeted she was watching Illuminations too (see how valuable twitter is? 😉 ) so we did and sure enough we found her at the exit of our little viewing area. I introduced myself and we talked about twitter and I thanked her for the wonderful evening. Leanne was there too so we let her know how much fun we all had and how grateful we were for the experience. Laura said that she and Leanne had been talking and realized how fun it would be to get everyone together like this, and that the name tags were such a great idea so we’d all know who we were meeting. She also said it would be the first of hopefully many future get-togethers like that. We hope to be a part of any future parties for sure! We also got some fun MMC and Disney Moms Panel swag on the way out – unexpected fun, just like Disney is famous for!

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at the Mickey Mom's Club party
Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at the Mickey Moms Club party

All in all it was a magical evening and I am so grateful the stars aligned to let our family be a part of it. Everyone wishing my daughter a happy birthday was just the icing on the delicious cake that night! My fingers and toes are crossed and I am showering daily in pixie dust, in hopes that next year at this time, I’ll be one of the Disney Moms Panel moms in a pink polo, but if not, I’m happy just to be a part of the magic.

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Filed Under: Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney, Disney Special Events, Epcot, mickey moms club

Gearing Up for Some Dining with the Mouse

18 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 5 Comments

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Those of you following me on Twitter are aware that tomorrow we leave for 5 days in Disney World. It’s been a while since we stayed that long there, and I am SO looking forward to this getaway. We were there briefly in June visiting with friends from California but before that it was back in December, when the baby was only 10 weeks old and quite the handful. I’m pretty sure back then we had not yet upgraded our Seasonal Passes to Annual ones, so we were blacked out anyway, but just went to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Anyway, this will be crowded and hot, but fun.

I’ve mentioned before how my mother is our Cruise Director for trip planning. She sets up all the Advanced Dining Reservations and all that good stuff. I’m excited because we are straying from our usual Japan Teppan Edo and Boma for dinner.

Spaceship Earth awaits!
Spaceship Earth awaits!

  • We arrive on Wednesday and will be heading to lunch at the T-Rex Experience in Downtown Disney. A friend of mine has raved about the Cotton-Tini (Martini poured into a glass full of cotton candy!) so I’m hoping I can try that. We’ve been there about 3 times already, but I do enjoy it. I think the food is actually better than RainForest Cafe, despite the same ownership. Overpriced and loud? Sure. Welcome to Orlando! 😉 Dinner that night is being played by ear, which is always fun to do too.
  • Thursday we’ll be heading to ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Resort for breakfast. They have a delicious all-you-can-eat breakfast, sort of like a buffet you don’t have to get up for. They bring it to you in a skillet. The kids always love dancing around the restaurant there too – we’ll see if they are officially ‘too cool’ for that now. That night we’ll be trying out the all-new Sanaa restaurant over in the recently opened Kidani Village section of the Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas. I’ve heard nothing but good reviews for it, so I can’t wait.
  • Friday we’ll be heading to Maya Grill for breakfast. That place is sort of our little secret (well not anymore)…it offers a delicious breakfast buffet but is usually never crowded (there are no characters, which is probably why). The scenery is always beautiful over at Coronado Springs Resort as well. For dinner we’ll be heading to the Garden Grill in Epcot, which we have fond memories of. If you saw the last entry on birthdays, you can see our daughter enjoying some time with Dale there. A friend of the family is a server there as well so we like to say hello if we catch him working.
  • Saturday will bring us to The Crystal Palace at Magic Kingdom for breakfast, another wonderful buffet, and Pooh characters. I can’t wait for the baby to meet them. We’ll be trying out the new Paradiso 37 for lunch that day – from what I’ve seen it looks fabulous. That night we’ll be headed a few towns north to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday with all her friends. Should be a blast.
  • Sunday we’ll be checking out, but not before Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort for breakfast and Liberty Tree Tavern in the Magic Kingdom for lunch. Can you believe in all our years and hundreds of visits we have never eaten at the Liberty Tree Tavern?? I guess being from New England it just seemed like Sunday dinner so we never needed to check it out, but we are going to finally get to see for ourselves.

We had planned to head home after lunch on Sunday, but Disney has thrown us for a loop by inviting all the Mickey’s Mom’s Club members to an Illuminations party that night. If you had applied to the Disney Mom’s Panel in the past, you were given an invite to join the MMC website and invitations were extended to those members. I’m very excited to meet my fellow MMC members, as well as some of the Disney Mom’s Panel which I’ve been getting to know on Twitter for the past several months. Can’t wait!

I will try to update while we are gone with at least some picture posts, and there will definitely be a full trip report upon my return. You can also keep track of my updates and cell phone pics by following me on Twitter (click on the bird to your right). Wishing you all some end-of-summer Pixie Dust while I’m gone!

Mickey is everywhere
Mickey is everywhere!

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Filed Under: Disney Dining, Disney Planning, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney, Disney Dining, Disney Resorts, Downtown Disney, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World

Celebrate Your Birthday with Disney’s Special Treatment

17 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

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One of our family’s traditions since living in the backyard of Walt Disney World is celebrating birthdays in the parks. We also have a tradition of spending Mother’s Day at the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, and of course enjoying the holiday decorations in December. However there is little that can compete with the magic of being at Disney for your birthday. Our upcoming trip will combine celebrations for my mother – turning 70 this week (and I don’t worry about sharing her age because she doesn’t look a day over 55!) and my daughter will be turning 9 on the last day of our vacation.

There are several things you can do to make your birthday more special at Disney, including ordering gift baskets, flowers or balloons to your Disney resort, or special ordering a small cake ($21) to be delivered (with song of course!) as you dine in a Disney restaurant. In addition, there is one very important, completely FREE thing which you should do first and foremost upon arriving on Disney property: Tell EVERYONE it’s your birthday!! Tell the front desk when you check in at your resort, tell them at the ticket sales booth, guest relations or City Hall at the parks, and tell them at every Disney restaurant at which you dine.

The birthday button is your key to special Disney attention
The birthday button is your key to special Disney attention

When you tell them at the ticket booth or guest relations of a park, you will be given a free button proclaiming to the world that it is your birthday. A cast member will write your name on the button and once you put it on, the magic begins. Cast members will pass you by and say, “Happy Birthday!” Perfect strangers walking past or waiting in line with you will say, “Happy Birthday!”. Your server at a Disney table-service restaurant will even bring you a special Disney cupcake with a candle and sing to you!

Citrico's special birthday treatment
Citrico's special birthday treatment
a celebration cake may be purchased for a fee, cupcakes are free
a celebration cake may be purchased for a fee, cupcakes are free
a special Kona Cafe creme puff on my birthday
a special Kona Cafe creme puff on my birthday

We told the front desk at Disney’s Beach Club Resort it was our daughter’s birthday and she was greeted with a nice surprise one day as we were relaxing in the room. This is not guaranteed, but worth a try, tell everyone!!

you never know what your Disney resort might bring on your birthday
you never know what your Disney resort might bring on your birthday

balloons & an autographed Tink doll at the Beach Club
balloons & an autographed Tink doll at the Beach Club

If you are getting a special Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique make-over on your birthday, you will receive a special “Birthday Princess” sash. I’m not sure what is available at the new Pirate League in Magic Kingdom, but I’m sure they do something special as well. Part of the fun is finding out the little surprises and treats Disney has in store for birthday boys and girls (no age limit to that title! 😉 )

of course princesses get special birthday treatment
of course princesses get special birthday treatment

Of course this year is the Free Admission on Your Birthday promotion at the Disney Parks, which is a wonderful way to celebrate! And if you have annual passes or admission tickets already, there are other options that ensure you receive some Disney magic on your special day. Whether or not you make visiting Disney on your birthday an annual tradition, don’t be shy and enjoy celebrating YOU in the Happiest Place on Earth!

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Filed Under: Disney Planning, Disney Resorts, Walt Disney World Tagged With: birthdays, celebrations, Disney, Disney Dining, Disney Resorts, Disney World, traditions

Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Villas-a Blast From the Past

13 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 34 Comments

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I mentioned in my Disney Resorts entry how our first foray into “on property” resorts was Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Vacation Villas. I found a few pictures that I scanned in and thought I’d share here.

 

Disney's Vacation Villas in 1984
Disney's Vacation Villas in 1984

As I described before, there were 4 different types of Lake Buena Vista Villas: Club Lake Villas were, if I recall correctly, more luxurious than the Vacation Villas. The Fairway Villas were smaller and on the golf course. The Vacation Villas were the attached townhouse style and the Tree House Villas were the really cool two-story tree house style homes nestled in the forest. The only remnants of this era of Disney resorts are the Tree House Villas, now refurbished after being used for years as homes for College Program International Cast Members. You can view the Tree House Villas from the boat that sails from Port Orleans and Old Key West Resorts to Downtown Disney. I always loved riding the Disney resort buses from the parks to the Vacation Villas, because we had to go through the Tree House Villas first and you never knew what you’d see on those dark roads; raccoons, bunnies, deer…it was great fun.

 

My mom and I posing as my dad took the picture from the loft above.
My mom and I posing as my dad took the picture from the loft above.

The layout for the Vacation Villas we stayed in was a typical condo layout downstairs: small kitchen with pass-thru and bar stools at the counter, dining area, bathroom, and family room with a sleeper sofa, tv, etc. The fun was upstairs, where the master bedroom was actually an open loft design. You have no idea how cool this was to an 8 year-old. The master bedroom had a king bed and a tv, then a bathroom too as I remember, but the wall that the tv was on was completely open to the family room downstairs. It was so exciting to me. There was another bedroom upstairs with two twin beds and a bathroom. The family room downstairs had sliding glass doors leading to a patio with chairs. There were several options for views, but we always requested and received an Empress Lily view.

 

This was me, before heading to dinner at the Empress Lily Room. Pre Pleasure Island too!
This was me, before heading to dinner at the Empress Lily Room. Pre Pleasure Island too!

Another great part of staying at the Lake Buena Vista Villas was you were able to rent a golf cart for the length of your stay. You could then get anywhere you needed to go in that area with the golf cart. We drove to breakfast at the Buena Vista Club restaurant. (This was the Club attached to the golf course). We explored the other villas…if my dad had been a golfer obviously he could’ve used it for that too! The best part was driving to the Lake Buena Vista Village Marketplace. You may know it now as Downtown Disney.

We could drive our golf cart over the bridge in the area that now houses the bus stops for Downtown Disney. From there we could park over where Downtown Disney Guest Relations now is, plug in the golf cart and explore the shops and restaurants. I think there were only a few at the time Cap’n Jack’s was one, and Chef Mickeys, which stood where Rain Forest Cafe now exists. It was a quaint, little place then. Dark wood decor, windows overlooking the lake and the Empress Lily. It had a separate lounge where you could wait and have a drink while you waited for your table. Back then, if you ordered one of a few specific drinks, you could get a souvenir plastic mug to keep. I remember getting a drink similar to a Shirley Temple, with rock candy swizzle sticks. A lot. I have quite a few of those red mugs with Chef Mickey’s image on them. I had to stop using them because the dishwasher was wearing off the design.

 

Souvenir mugs from the *original* Chef Mickey's Village Restaurant
Souvenir mugs from the *original* Chef Mickey

I think the only other restaurant was Heidelberg’s deli where Earl of Sandwich is now. Mickey’s Pantry was there, a jewelry store called 24-K and a few other shops. Can you imagine a Marketplace without World of Disney, Once Upon a Toy, the Lego Store or even Pleasure Island?? That’s how it once was. The Marketplace truly was a rainy day excursion and not an attraction unto itself like it is now.

Sadly, Disney decided to discontinue operations of the Villas. They used some of the buildings during the Disney Institute years, but then demolished all of the original villas (apart from the Tree House Villas) and built the Saratoga Springs Resort as part of the Disney Vacation Club program. Saratoga Springs now offers some of those same gorgeous views of the Empress Lily that we once enjoyed, even though it’s now called Fulton’s Crab House.

Another thing I found in my search for old pictures was this coupon for the arcade at the Lake Buena Vista Villa Center. Think they’ll still honor it? 😉

 

Arcade Coupon good for 1 game at the Lake Buena Vista Center
Arcade Coupon good for 1 game at the Lake Buena Vista Center

 

I welcome any information, links or pictures from this time period at Walt Disney World!!

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Filed Under: Commentary Land, Disney Past, Disney Resorts, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney past, Disney Resorts, Downtown Disney, Walt Disney World

Which Disney Resort is Best for Me? Disney Resorts Overview:

5 August 2009 by Suzannah Otis 14 Comments

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As a child, my family discovered the wonder of Disney Resort properties after our 2nd or 3rd visit. I was still young enough at the time to be in complete awe when we arrived from the Orlando airport at the Lake Buena Vista check-in building (now the Amateur Athletics Association building near Downtown Disney) and were given the royal treatment. It’s no surprise, given Disney’s reputation, that 20 years later I still remember the kindness and attention we received from the cast member who’s name I’ve long since forgotten. That’s the Disney experience for you.

We stayed on two different occasions in the 1980’s at Disney’s Vacation Villas. These were townhouse-style villas over by the “new” Disney Marketplace. There were 3 different types of villas – The Club Lake Villas, the Fairway Villas, Vacation Villas and the Treehouse Villas. In the 1990’s, these resorts were turned into accommodations for the Disney Institute. When that didn’t quite take off as planned, Disney decided to completely tear down and rebuild the villas (except for the Treehouse Villas!) and created the Saratoga Springs Resort, part of the Disney Vacation Club ownership program.

Disney's Beach Club Resort pool: Stormalong Bay
Disney

Our experiences there were so wonderful that after that, we were hooked and became Disney Resort regulars. It’s kind of hard to go back to a motel off property once you’ve been spoiled by Disney. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter quite a bit, then moved on to Wilderness Lodge and Beach Club. When we stayed at Beach Club, we knew we’d found our home. We would also enjoy the wondrous Animal Kingdom Lodge, Boardwalk, the All-Star and Pop Century properties and Port Orleans Riverside. But like I said, we found our home at Beach Club. If you try out a few Disney resorts, you will find your home too, trust me. There will be one setting that just stands out and each time you walk in the front doors, you take a deep breath, relax, and think – we’re home. This is the type of guest experience that other hotels only dream of achieving.

So where should you start? The choices seem endless don’t they? Monorail access? Boat access? Close to which park? What about budget? Which is best for families with kids or those without? As explained in Disney Planning 101, there are countless places to find out in-depth information about Disney resort options. All Ears Net is my favorite – they have pictures and maps of every resort so you can even request which building you’d like to try to be in. You should start with that Disney Vacation Planning dvd you ordered (right?) and then check back with DisneyWorld.com to look at the different amenities and options that will best suit your family’s needs. You can even ask a specific question to the Disney Moms Panel (or call 407-W-Disney and as a Disney Reservation Specialist as well. What I will do here is explain the differences among the resorts and some things to think about when you are choosing your resort.

Disney divides its resort experiences into categories:

    Disney Deluxe Villas
    This category includes all the Disney Vacation Club properties, studio, one or two-bedroom home-away-from-home type accommodations. They also feature all the same amenities as Disney’s Deluxe resorts.

    Disney Deluxe Resort Hotels
    For these resorts you will be treated to the finest rooms Disney has to offer. Extra amenities, such as full-service dining and pool features, room details like in-room hair dryers and luxurious comforts await you here. These properties also feature valet parking for a fee.

    Disney Moderate Resort Hotels
    This category is a step up from the value resorts, offering more amenities and space without a huge jump in price. Here you will find pools with waterslides, more activities and most have full-service dining as well.

    Disney Value Resort Hotels
    For the budget conscious, these resorts feature typical motel room function with added Disney flair and fun. Food courts, huge pools, everything is bigger in this category, except the price.

    Disney Campgrounds

    Here you can pitch a tent under the stars, park your RV, or relax in a Disney-built wilderness cabin, all while enjoying the wonderful activities that Fort Wilderness has to offer.

    Disney Accommodations for 5 or more guests
    If you have a family that doesn’t fit in a typical one-room hotel, but don’t want to spread out into two separate hotel rooms, you can find what you need here.

Once you decide which resort category best fits your family, you can move on to the next option – location! Do you find yourself spending most of your time at the Magic Kingdom? Epcot? There’s no doubt a resort to keep you close-by your favorite park.

Disney's Wilderness Lodge breathtaking lobby area
Disney

Magic Kingdom area Resorts:

Of course the most well-known are the “Big 3” of The Contemporary Resort and now the Bay Lake Tower villas at the Contemporary, The Polynesian Resort and The Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. All three of these are on the monorail loop leading to both the Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center, so you need only step out to the monorail platform to get to the magic. If you want to head to Epcot, a trip to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) will let you switch to the Epcot Monorail. From there you could take a boat from Epcot’s World Showcase to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or get a bus directly there from the TTC. There are also buses directly from each resort to all the theme parks, water parks and Downtown Disney.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Wilderness Lodge Villas are also in the Magic Kingdom resort area, though not on the monorail loop. You can, however take a boat directly to the Magic Kingdom from the Wilderness Lodge property. If you want to head to the other parks and Downtown Disney, buses will take you there. Fort Wilderness Campground is also part of the Magic Kingdom resort area, with boat access directly to Magic Kingdom. Bus service is available to all other theme parks, as well as the TTC.

Epcot area Resorts:

Located a short walk (or boat ride) from the International Gateway entrance to Epcot’s World Showcase, are Disney’s Yacht Club and Disney’s Beach Club Resorts, Beach Club Villas, as well as Disney’s Boardwalk Inn and Boardwalk Villas. Also accessible here are the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels, run by Sheraton. These resorts also offer the same boat service directly to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Pop Century and Caribbean Beach Resorts are also part of the Epcot resort area, though not accessible by boat or walking, only by bus.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (photo courtesy of wdw answer guide via flickr)
Disney

Animal Kingdom area Resorts:

There is not direct boat or monorail service to Animal Kingdom, but there are still resorts very close to this park, including of course Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and the Jambo House and Kidani Village Villas. Also in this area are the All-Star Sports, All-Star Music and All-Star Movies resorts and Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center. All of these resorts feature direct buses to the parks and Downtown Disney.


Downtown Disney area Resorts:

This area features the resorts of Old Key West, the original Disney Vacation Club property, Port Orleans French Quarter and Riverside (Riverside is formerly known as Dixie Landings), Saratoga Springs and the newly refurbished Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs. All of these properties feature boat access directly to Downtown Disney and bus service to the parks.

Those are the two main criteria when choosing which Disney Resort will fit you best. Once you decide your budget and the location you’d like to stay in, you can narrow the choices down based on which amenities will best fit your family. Things like which pool would you enjoy the most, which resort has water or other sports activities, full-service restaurants, which resort theming would you or your family enjoy the most.

Disney's All-Star Movies larger-than-life Buzz Lightyear
Disney

It’s hard to recommend a specific resort here, because each family is different – which is precisely why Disney World has SO many options to stay in! A family with small children might love the larger-than-life decorations at an All-Star property or Pop Century, but they might be equally as entertained by seeing animals out their window in a savannah view room at Animal Kingdom Lodge. The choice is up to you! When I asked my Twitter followers to name their favorite resort, there were almost no two answers that were the same. Everyone has their favorite, for different reasons. Even among families, each person may have their own favorite resort – and that may even change over time. It’s great to resort-hop and check out what else is out there for a return visit.

In the coming weeks, I will be featuring blogs on individual resorts, to give you more of an idea of what each property has to offer. Enjoy the decision process – it’s quite exciting! I hope you find your ‘home’ at Disney World – I’d love to hear about your favorite resort, comment and tell me all about it.

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Filed Under: Disney Planning, Disney Resorts Tagged With: Animal Kingdom, Disney, Disney Resorts, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Downtown Disney, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, vacation planning

Disney Vacation Planning 101

28 July 2009 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

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My parents, like most couples, were complete opposites. My mom is a Type A planner, list-maker and agenda-keeper. Even before she settled into her 3rd career of selling cruises, I used to call her our family Cruise Director. My dad, on the other hand, was as laid back as they come. Typical Southern gentleman, he relied on spur-of-the-moment plans and taking things as they came. He eventually rubbed off on his prepared-for-anything Yankee wife.

A perfect example of how they combined their styles was when we were moving from Florida to Virginia. I’m hazy on the details, but all I know is that we ended up in the spot we did because after driving through several central Virginia towns, my mom found a Catholic school in the yellow pages and declared, “this is it!” Luckily, I ended up loving that school and the people I met there. My point is, sometimes you plan every detail to ensure the maximum worth and enjoyment possible, while other times, you pick a name out of a phone book and hope for the best. Really, this is the very essence of traveling: be prepared, but be willing to explore something new as well.

So that is the background from which I come (in addition to being a travel agent and former cast member in a past life). I’ve gone on vacations there where every second is timed to perfection for maximum ride, food, and entertainment enjoyment. I’ve gone on vacations where I decided the day-of that we were spending the weekend there, no reservations, no advance dining booked. Both types of trips were wonderful in their own right. It all comes down to what you are looking for in a family vacation.

If you are a planner – if you have budgeted and saved and marked the calendar and want the very most for every penny you intend to invest in a Disney vacation, then preparation is your key to victory. Now currently, there are about as many ways to research Disney vacation planning, as there are hotel rooms in the metro Orlando area. (that’s quite a lot!) So which books do you read? Which websites do you check out? How can you be sure you know everything you need to know? Overwhelming, isn’t it? That’s why I’m writing to you right now.

On the contrary, if you are a laid back, spontaneous, stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of planner, if the main goal of your Disney vacation is to see the look on your little one’s face as they spy Cinderella Castle for the first time, or get a hug from their favorite Princess or Mickey himself – if squeezing in every attraction, show and meal Disney has to offer is not your cup of tea – then there is still a way to plan for you as well. Let’s see if we can’t unite the best of both aspects to create a magical vacation for all the personalities in your home!

The Basics -(or Pre-planning Planning)

1. Head to DisneyWorld.com and order a Vacation Planning DVD. Look around the site if you want, it is beautiful and almost makes me cry with the swells of music and images, but then I am quite an emotional Disney person! Don’t get too weighed down with all the site has to offer, wait until the DVD comes so you can sit down and learn enough about each section to decide which areas you want to look into more.
Disney Vacation Planning DVD
2. Check out a few guidebooks. There are of course, many to choose from, but two of my favorites for the most unbiased information are
The Unofficial Guide Walt Disney World 2009 (Unofficial Guides) and
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Walt Disney World, 2009 Edition. These will give you the inside scoop about what time of year has the least amount of crowds, what each attraction and restaurant has to offer and more. Read these at your leisure, and don’t treat them as a bible for what you HAVE to accomplish on your first visit.

3. Check out some of the more in-depth websites devoted to the Disney experience. Of these, the mother of all sites is AllEars.net. This site grew out of an online discussion group, became a monthly newsletter and spawned perhaps the most comprehensive listing of each attraction, restaurant, hotel and event at the Walt Disney World Resort. One of the best parts of this site is its Dining section. Each and every menu – with prices – for every dining location within Disney property is listed on this site and frequently updated. The same goes for resorts: maps, best building locations, room amenities – it’s all there. As if that weren’t enough, there are also reviews from park-goers for pretty much every possible experience at the Parks. There is still a newsletter you can sign up to receive in your inbox, which keeps you apprised of special events or experiences you may not try your first visit, but will definitely want to come back again and again to try.

4. If you decide to book with a travel agent, one thing to ensure is that you are booking with a Disney Certified/Authorized Agent or Agency. If you have already completed steps 1-3 and go down to your local travel agent and they have no Disney Certified agents on staff, you are probably more knowledgeable than they are about all that Disney has to offer. You want to go into the booking portion with someone experienced and able to get you not only the best deals, but also make sure you aren’t missing out on any of the magic. You can also book directly with Walt Disney World online or through 1-407-W-Disney. It’s really just where your comfort level lies regarding booking vacations.
disney_authorized
5. Once you’ve accomplished all of the above, it’s a great time to seek out other Disney fans and further connect and prepare for your upcoming vacation of a lifetime. There are countless websites devoted to Disney World (*waves* hi, thanks for finding me!) in one way or another. This is really just the tip of the magical Disney iceberg. There are forums and discussion boards to ask questions – like the wonderfully popular Disney Moms Panel, now in its second year. These magical moms and dads are not employed by Disney(therefore unbiased!), but are educated to be able to answer any Disney related question under the sun. I’ve had a chance to meet many of them via Twitter, and they are the nicest experts around! I will explore more of these online Disney options in future entries in this Planning series. I don’t want to overwhelm anyone right now.

Those are the basics to get you started. Please stay tuned as my next topic in the series will be Disney Resorts – what each has to offer and if it really is worth it to stay on property. In the coming weeks will be Disney Vacation Planning 201, for the next level of planning and researching a Disney Vacation. There will also be special topics on what not to miss, what you can save for a second visit, Disney dining, and much, much more! Feel free to ask any questions in the meantime and I’ll be happy to cover the answer in a future entry or personally as a response.

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Filed Under: Disney Planning Tagged With: Disney, vacation planning

The Most Delicious Time of the Year?

22 July 2009 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

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Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival
Well that has to be Epcot’s 14th Annual International Food & Wine Festival, which runs from September 25-November 8, 2009 this year at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Whether you have been to Epcot enough times to rattle off the location of each hidden Mickey in the park, or you are planning your very first visit – the World Showcase’s reputation for great food is well known. Roaming from the Margaritas in Mexico’s San Angel Inn to the steaks cooked to perfection in Canada’s Le Cellier, to the pastries in France’s Boulangerie, you will not go hungry in Epcot. However, if you want even more scrumptious treats, wines, and beers from countries that are not normally represented at Epcot, then you won’t want to miss the Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival .

My daughter enjoying some champagne sorbet-shhh!
My daughter enjoying some champagne sorbet-shhh!

As soon as you enter the World Showcase section of Epcot with your theme park admission, the delicious smells of delicacies from across the globe waft around you, making your stomach growl in anticipation. Oh, did I mention to come hungry? That’s a must. No filling up on a character breakfast buffet before visiting the Food & Wine Festival – you will thank me later! Most likely, you’ll have a hard time deciding which of the tapas-style food creations (priced between $2-$7 a plate) to try. The unique wine and beer pairings simply add to the experience.

This year the festival, which always features a different annual theme (although many favorite dishes return each year), is focusing on “foodie” cities from around the world. There are more than 25 kiosks serving food and wine around the World Showcase promenade – highlights of which include Bologna, Italy; Bangkok, Thailand; Wellington, New Zealand; Santiago, Chile; Marrakesh, Morocco; Shanghai, China; with New Orleans going to bat for the United States.

Be sure you pick up a guide map at the park entrance, so you can follow along with all the great selections and decide which food and drink stations you can’t miss. While I could say to just try them all, even the most competitive eaters might not be able to pull off trying ever offering in one day. One way to go would be make one trip around to try all the new foods as you walk around and enjoy the sites and sounds of World Showcase, then take a break in Future World as you digest, and make another trip around for some of the wonderful desserts featured at the pavilions.

My son eating escargot. Yes, ESCARGOT.
My son eating escargot. Yes, ESCARGOT.

On a personal note, this festival has always been a ‘must-see’ for our family. We were here when it began in 1995, because we were cast members at the time. The 2nd year, my husband and I were getting married during the festival’s run, and showing our relatives and friends the amazing offerings in the days before we had our reception at the Walt Disney World Dolphin.

eating SEAWEED salad!
eating SEAWEED salad!

Years later our children look forward to it each year as well. Would you believe my son’s favorite part is eating the escargot from France each year?? Yes, you read that right – snails! It’s a great way to get kids excited about trying new foods and learning about new countries and traditions in the process.

Here are some of our favorite kiosks, taken from the Disney Food & Wine Festival page:

Athens, Greece

Location: Canada Pavilion

* • Greek Salad with Pita Bread
* • Spanakopita (Savory Spinach and Cheese Pastry)
* • Chicken Souvlaki with Tzatziki
* • Baklava
* • Beverage Selection: Boutari Moschofilero, Boutari Santorini, Kourtaki Mavrodaphne of Patras, Tsantali Rapsani

Greece is one of the most popular kiosks along with Canada (cheddar soup anyone?) so be prepared for a wait, with good cause!

Paris, France

Location: France Pavilion

* • Escargot Persillade en Brioche
* • Cabernet Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes
* • Chocolate Milk Creme Brûlée
* • Beverage Selection : Chardonnay (Bouchard Ainee & Fils, 2007), Merlot (Chateau Mezain, Bordeaux, 2007), Sparking Pomegranate Kir, Parisien Cosmo Slush

As mentioned, my son LOVES escargot. It is a tradition he looks forward to each year. My daughter has taken to trying the French dessert each year, a girl after my own heart, she knows quality! Ooh, and I may have to try that Cosmo Slush!

Melbourne, Australia

Location: Africa Outpost

* • Seared Barramundi with Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, Arugula and Lemon Oil
* • Grilled Lamb Chop, Red Wine Sauce, Murray River Sea Salt
* • Lamington
* • Beverage Selection: Rosemount Traminer Riesling, Rosemount Pinot Noir, Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet, Penfolds Bin 2

I am not a big lamb person myself, but my husband and mother actually save room for this lamb chop every festival. It’s just that good so I’m told.

There are many more kiosks, including new offerings from Bangkok, Thailand and Rio de Janiero, Brazil. As if that wasn’t enough, there is also a new “Desserts and Champagne” kiosk which I think will be a must-visit for me this year!

Desserts & Champagne — NEW

Location: Showcase Plaza

* • Austrian Gugelhupf (Austrian Bundt Cake)
* • Strawberry Shortcake
* • Frozen Grand Marnier Parfait, Orange Coulis
* • Champagne
* • Beverage Selection: Moët & Chandon Wines: Impérial, Rosé Impérial, Nectar Impérial, Nectar Impérial Rosé

While you may come for the food, there is much more than just eating and drinking happening around the promenade. There are culinary demonstrations, beer and wine tastings from around the world, and Signature Dining Series for the true gourmands, featuring guest speakers and chefs serving up delectable lunches and dinners, for a separate fee. In addition to all the edible enjoyment, you can Eat to the Beat with some wonderful musicians that keep things rocking while you enjoy the tastes of the world.

There are the 17 scheduled performers for this year’s Eat to the Beat concert series which is included with Epcot admission and begin at 5:15, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m. daily. The lineup (subject to change) includes:

Eat to the Beat concert series schedule:*
Sept. 25-27 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (“You & Me & The Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)”)
Sept. 28-29 Richard Marx (“Hold On to the Nights”)
Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Starship starring Mickey Thomas (“We Built This City”)
Oct. 4-6 En Vogue (“Free Your Mind”)
Oct. 7-8 Better Than Ezra (“Good”)
Oct. 9-11 Sister Hazel (“All for You”)
Oct. 12-13 Kool & The Gang (“Celebration”)
Oct. 14-16 Spyro Gyra (“Morning Dance”)
Oct. 17-18 Jon Secada (“Just Another Day”)
Oct. 19-20 Sister Sledge (“We Are Family”)
Oct. 21-22 Vanessa Carlton (“A Thousand Miles”)
Oct. 23-25 Taylor Dayne (“Tell It to My Heart”)
Oct. 26-28 Boyz II Men (“Motownphilly”)
Oct. 29-31 John Waite (“Missing You”)
Nov. 1-2 Night Ranger (“Sister Christian”)
Nov. 3-5 Billy Ocean (“Caribbean Queen”)
Nov. 6-8 Los Lobos (“La Bamba”)

Don’t forget to grab an extra dessert, drink and a spot for viewing Illuminations: Reflections of Earth – Epcot’s mesmerizing nighttime fireworks show, featuring awe-inspiring fireworks, fountains, lasers and music – the perfect nightcap to a delicious Disney day.

Additional Information may be found at Disney World’s Food & Wine Festival page.
*Entertainment subject to change

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Filed Under: Disney Dining, Disney Planning, Reviews, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Disney, Disney Special Events, Epcot, Reviews

Keeping the Magic Alive…When it Lives in Your Backyard

20 July 2009 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

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As I discussed in my history of Disney obsession, I came to love Walt Disney World the way most kids do, on a family vacation.

Display of plush at Magic Kingdom
Display of plush at Magic Kingdom

Part of what makes it so magical is that you are leaving your comfortable surroundings; you are venturing into another world, and when it’s over, you go home and pine away for a time when you can do it all over again. But what happens when you are raised in an environment where you can go to Disney World every weekend, or if you really felt like it (and gas prices didn’t cost an appendage or two), every day? Does it become less magical? Do you become spoiled by what is no longer in a kingdom far far away, but happens as often as “we’re going to the mall, kids“?

After we all retired our Cast Member name tags, we purchased annual passes and still went pretty much every weekend. Sometimes we’d just go for lunch or dinner and not even go on a single ride. When my first son was born in 1999, we had been living in the Orlando area and been park regulars for the past 4 years. It seemed only natural to head to the opening of the Asia section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom when he was 3 weeks old. We got several stink-eye looks from wizened old grannies that always have advice to offer new parents “He needs a hat!” “He needs booties!” “He needs more blankets!” (yes, even in Florida, you get told to add layers!). Many asked “How OLD is he?!” and when I answered “3 weeks” I did so with the disclaimer, “Oh, we just live down the street, it’s not like we’re here for a 10 day vacation.” That seemed to satisfy them a bit, although I’m not sure why I cared to explain myself – we were at Tower of Terror one time when a mother was getting quite irate with Cast Members for not being allowed to bring her six week old infant on the ride. Yes, really.

So our firstborn grew up getting wheeled around Disney World until we sold our house and moved back to Massachusetts (a long story, but basically, we had a child and both exclaimed – “We can’t possibly raise a child in FLORIDA! We must return to Boston, to history and culture!” – We were back in FL within 6 months). At that time, I was pregnant with our daughter. She was born in Massachusetts, and we did indeed return to Florida 6 months later. She too, was wheeled around Disney World like her brother had been. Of course at 2 years old and 6 months old, they were too young to remember what they experienced anyway, but we had fun. Cue a few more moves, and we didn’t really return to Florida to live until 2003.

Before that, back in 2002 we had one wonderful, crazed visit where my husband’s parents, brother and his girlfriend, and the 4 of us in our mini-van all drove down to Orlando from Boston. The kids were then 3 and almost-2 at the time. Just the right age to enjoy most everything and be get that wonderful look of awe on their faces that Disney inspires. Of course they were also amazed by South of the Border on the trip back home, but…we’ll let that slide. It was the perfect little vacation so we could all experience what it was like to be a tourist at Disney again, rather than a local. The crazed part came with the super-cold front that rolled in, forcing us to seek out sweatpants and sweatshirts for the kids. My father-in-law got sick so their group went home a day early, and our son got sick as well – he decided to create a whole new appetizer at Canada’s Le Cellier while we waited to order. Ew. Just because that needed to be topped, I got the brilliant idea to adopt a pair of kittens from someone I had met online, so we met them in a Super Wal-Mart parking lot, picked up 2 tiny mewing kittens, supplies for them, and proceeded to drive back home in the now renamed Bodily Function Central mini-van. Despite those setbacks, it was nice to make a whole journey out of the trip and enjoy lots of things we’d missed for years by taking quick day trips.

Fast forward to 2003 when we took up residence again, we went back to weekend visits and trying out new lunch or dinner spots. The kids did not, in fact, lose their wonderment of the Happiest Place on Earth. They both got into pin collecting, and we got excited about what had become our family traditions – Mother’s Day at the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival, October at the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party followed by http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/epcot/special-events/epcot-international-food-and-wine-festival/, ending with of course the amazing decorations for the holidays,

the kids exiting the Wedway People Mover (TTA) in December of 2005
the kids exiting the Wedway People Mover (TTA) in December of 2005

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party with its snow on Main Street, USA, the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights (which make me cry each time), and the gorgeous trees in the resorts. We just shared our traditions with several hundred thousand other visitors to The World.

When we moved outside of Tampa in 2005, we visited a little less frequently. It certainly wasn’t every weekend, but we kept the family traditions alive. There was always something new to see, some refurbished ride or restaurant or resort to explore – it never got old. Then last year, I had our 2nd son, our 3rd child.

the newest Disney baby, December 2008
the newest Disney baby, December 2008

We waited a whole 10 weeks before bringing him to Disney for the first time, for the holiday celebrations mentioned above. He did pretty well at the Very Merry Christmas Party, it was me that was pretty much over breastfeeding with throngs of people getting their free hot chocolate and cookies around the park (but I still had fun!). He made it through the special nighttime Christmas parade, and we walked out as the Wishes fireworks were going on.

Since then, we’ve visited a lot more frequently, but I realized something when we had our good friends visiting from California. We had become dependent on the phrase “don’t worry, we can come back anytime”. Any time there was more than a 20 minute wait, or we didn’t want to deal with the baby getting in and out of the stroller, we said “catch ya next time” to a LOT of attractions. We, as parents, were still having fun people watching and having a Disney-quality lunch or dinner somewhere, but as parents know there’s only so much “walking around” kids can do (especially as they approach that fun tween age) before they start to formulate plans for mutiny involving the release of the Sword in the Stone from its imprisonment, on the back of a Disney World napkin as we stop for lunch.

My oldest son is also getting to the point (10 ½) where he doesn’t want to go on ANY rides. Don’t get me wrong, he still loves Disney and loves even more when we take mini-vacations and stay in a condo for a couple of nights. He seems to love the experience of the park, but just doesn’t want to bother going on the rides right now. I’m not worried, I know this too shall pass. I went through a phase when I was that age where I was completely PETRIFIED of the Haunted Mansion. I’d been on it a billion times, I knew it wasn’t “scary” but I still did NOT want to go on that ride and no amount of begging could convince me. Pirates wasn’t much better with all the skeletons. I’m not sure if he’s inherited a bit of that or not, but he’s a kid that begs to see every new horror film that comes out, so I’m thinking no. That is another part of living slow close to the parks – you can, but don’t have to go all the time. I’m sure with a break, he’ll be extra excited to ride all his old favorites.

During that visit with our Californian friends, I made a promise to my daughter that we would go on Splash Mountain next time we came to Disney no matter what. That next time was when we saw the Hall of Presidents preview. We were lucky enough to be gifted some Fast Passes when we were waiting in line, so we walked right on. It was her first time, and she LOVED it. So I decided then and there that we were going to have a Girls Day Out at Disney World. When we got home, I got out our customized Disney maps I’d ordered a year ago when we stayed at Dixie Landings (oops, I mean Port Orleans Riverside), and told her to make a list of all the rides she wanted to go on when we went. She was quite excited about that. Our itinerary is going to involve 3 parks. We’re starting out in Animal Kingdom, heading to Epcot and ending up in Magic Kingdom to go on all the rides there at night. It’ll just be us so there won’t be anyone complaining that they don’t want to go on this ride or that, and the baby will be at home so it’ll be that much easier to get around.

S. at Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique for her birthday, August 2006
S. at Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique for her birthday, August 2006

I think that proves that after all these years and after countless visits, my kids still get excited for the magic that exists only within Walt’s World. Sure, my oldest may be more interested in X-box 360 right now, but I have no doubt he’ll want to get back to Disney soon enough. Living here as given us the opportunities to truly experience all The World has to offer, that we might not otherwise be able to squeeze into a traditional vacation. We’ve been able to see Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba, the boys have rented the watercraft at Downtown Disney while our princess was turned into a princess at Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique. We’ve been able to stroll around Downtown Disney and see the ins and outs of each shop, try new restaurants when they open, go to both miniature golf courses, resort hop and look in the shops or try the restaurants, and do tours at Magic Kingdom. Disney has become like a second home for my children, as it is for the adults in the family as well. Sure, I’d love to be able to take a 10 day vacation on property with the dining plan, but I love being able to pop over for special events or just because I’m in the mood for Dole Whip. That, is magic.

Peter and Wendy playing with our kids on the Magic Kingdom Family Magic Tour, 2006
Peter and Wendy playing with our kids on the Magic Kingdom Family Magic Tour, 2006

And despite the loud parties many nights, I have to say Disney is a pretty good neighbor. Can’t really complain too much. They’re clean, always keep their lawn mowed, and they do have the best fireworks on the block.

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Filed Under: Disney Past, Walt Disney World Tagged With: Animal Kingdom, babies, Disney, Disney Resorts, Disney Special Events, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Downtown Disney, Epcot, kids, Magic Kingdom, memories, parenting, traditions

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