Things to Do

Edible Art – Grand Floridian Easter Egg Display AND Shop!

8 April 2019 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

The Walt Disney World chefs never disappoint when it comes to edible holiday decor. The Grand Floridian takes the cake (or egg) with edible art showpieces, from life-sized gingerbread houses to giant Easter egg displays, they have become a tradition at Walt Disney World Resort, and this year is no exception. This may be the most eggs yet!

This year, the Grand Floridian added a new feature, a shop at the former Bell Services counter, where you can buy Easter treats from chocolates to traditional hot cross buns. Scroll down to see the themes for 2019’s display – some old favorites, some new – can you name the inspiration for each one? (click to enlarge)

The eggs above greet you as you enter the Grand Floridian, but they are not the only ones you’ll find. Be sure to stroll around the entire lobby, even wandering into the Grand Floridian Cafe to see another egg on display!

Do you recognize past eggs? Here’s a brand new one, one of two eggs to celebrate the new Dumbo movie.

Lastly, here is the new shop set up to sell Easter goodies:

Will you be able to visit this majestic display? Which egg is your favorite? It’s hard to pick just one isn’t it? There are so many amazing works of art!

Thanks for visiting, be sure to follow @zannaland on instagram for any other resort Easter egg displays we come across!

REVIEW: Burton’s Dumbo Soars Higher than Ever

26 March 2019 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

There’s no question that the original 1941 release of Dumbo is a landmark animation release. It’s truly a triumph of the techniques of the time that come together to cement a piece of Disney history unlike any other.

Respecting a classic…

For one reason or another, I was not very excited for the 2019 remake of Dumbo. It could’ve been because I personally was not a fan of the original for a handful of reasons. Or maybe it was because (despite him being one of my favorite directors) the recent work of Tim Burton has been rather sub-par. Either way, I didn’t know what to expect. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. From the first scene of the film, where a familiar score introduces itself while we see a newer, updated Casey Jr., I knew everything was going to be okay.

WHEN I SEE AN ELEPHANT FLY — In Tim Burton’s all-new, live-action reimagining of “Dumbo,” former circus star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children (Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins) find themselves caring—and advocating—for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. Directed by Burton and produced by Katterli Frauenfelder, Derek Frey, Ehren Kruger and Justin Springer, “Dumbo” flies into theaters on March 29, 2019. © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

And yes, you heard that right, I was not a fan of the original. This isn’t a review of that film, so I won’t get into it, but to sum it up, I think the original release of Dumbo is very outdated today. Comparing the runtime of the two films alone – 112 minutes to the original’s 64 – it’s clear that Burton has a much larger story to tell.

Where I find faults in the original, I find nothing but success in this retelling. But that isn’t to say that Burton completely erases any memory of the original. I think this remake pays homage to the original by respecting its legacy, and building upon it to tell a new story. You don’t need to have seen the original at all to understand this new film, but there are certainly a few nods to it that those classic fans will pick up.

…and bringing it to life.

For the past 5 years, we’ve been subject to a new kind of Disney film – the remake. It’s become something of a joke that Disney just keeps remaking their classic movies, creating an endless cycle of profitability. I personally have not been very kind to these remakes. At the base level, I don’t understand the point of remaking a classic movie as they have been doing.

2015’s Cinderella, 2017’s Beauty and the Beast, and (from the look of it) 2019’s The Lion King – just to name a few – all tell the exact same story as the original film they’re based on. The remake simply updates the graphics, or makes it “live action”, or adds a few new songs to the soundtrack, and doesn’t make any attempt at doing something radically different with the story. I don’t like these films because they seem like a waste of time. Yes, I would love to see Childish Gambino as Simba the lion, but I’d like even more to see him doing something I’ve never seen before, not exactly what I saw Matthew Broderick do 25 years ago.

I appreciated Maleficent for this reason. It wasn’t a remake of Sleeping Beauty, it was a retelling from a different perspective. Ultimately, I didn’t like that movie as a whole, but it’s the only “remake” that I felt actually justified its existence. That is, until Tim Burton’s Dumbo.

Dumbo (2019) takes the simple concept of the original movie, ‘a flying elephant in a circus’, and runs away with it. Burton’s movie does feature some of the same events as the original, but builds upon them in a way that is wholly unique and more powerful than the original was.

DREAMING BIG — In Tim Burton’s all-new, live-action reimagining of “Dumbo,” persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton) decides that a young elephant from a struggling circus belongs in his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland. Directed by Burton and produced by Katterli Frauenfelder, Derek Frey, Ehren Kruger and Justin Springer, “Dumbo” flies into theaters on March 29, 2019. © 2018 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Burton was clearly the best choice to tell this story. Don’t go into this movie expecting his typical gothic atmosphere, but do expect his ability to turn a dark story or dark events into a bright and vibrant world. This movie feels very similar to his remake of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. From the soundtrack to the over-the-top visuals, they both respect the classic and truly bring it to life.

I’ll leave it at this – this is the movie we thought we were watching when we saw the original Dumbo. You can go back and watch the original and still respect it for its legacy, still honor the achievement it made, and still love the story it told. But watching Burton’s new take on the film brings back all of the wonder and amazement of truly seeing it for the first time. It’s the movie that made me a Dumbo fan.

GOTTA FLY – Visionary filmmaker Tim Burton helms the live-action reimagining of Disney’s 1941 animated classic “Dumbo.” “’Dumbo’ was always one of my favorite Disney films,” said Burton. “We’re trying to give it the same heart, feeling and emotion that we all loved about the original.” Starring Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, Nico Parker and Finley Hobbins, “Dumbo” is currently in production in England. © 2017 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved..

Dumbo opens Friday, March 29, 2019 in theatres everywhere. You can read Zannaland’s original Dumbo animated feature review here.

NEW: Toy Story 4 Full Trailer -But…Do We Need THIS Toy Story?

19 March 2019 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

DisneyPixar just released the newest trailer for Toy Story 4, and unlike our previous short glimpses at new characters, this full trailer reveals the storyline and plot of the fourth Toy Story movie. If you haven’t seen it yet, here it is:

So, what did you think? My initial viewing left me scratching my head. I mean, I love most all of the Pixar films, even Cars 2 (for its visuals) which most people did not rave about. I appreciate a good cry, despite knowing Pixar is manipulating my heartstrings and leaving me a blubbering mess.

When former Disney Animation Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter spoke about Toy Story 4 at the D23 Expo in 2015, he mentioned that it was going to be Woody and Bo Peep’s love story. I was cautiously optimistic about that, even tho, Toy Story 3 had wrapped the toys’ lives up so neatly, I figured there would be a backstory/prequel aspect to Woody and Bo Peep, and perhaps they’d be reunited. Well, a LOT has happened since that D23 Expo, and obviously, whatever tale John Lasseter may have planned to tell, probably got changed a bit if not completely. Just as we no longer have “Gigantic” to look forward to (which I must admit I am thankful for, after learning a bit about it at the same 2015 D23 Expo), ideas change, directors change, and sometimes things get shelved altogether. I’m not sure why Pixar felt like this was a story they needed to tell, especially after Toy Story 3 left everyone with such warm fuzzy feelings (at least that’s what I was left with after sobbing uncontrollably for about 20 mins).

Let’s go through my initial reactions as I watched, and see if you agree…Ok, Bonnie makes “Forky” and Woody gloms onto him (having learned not to be threatened by new toys way back in the original Toy Story) and proclaims Forky to be the most important toy to Bonnie right now, and as such must be protected at all costs. Now this is where they lost me right off the bat. Maybe if this movie came out in 1999, I might relate better to this concept. That’s when I had my first child, and sure, if there was something that he created and loved more than anything, I could see myself going to extreme lengths to make sure this toy was always there. However, this is a spork with googly eyes and pipe cleaners attached. A craft project, that – and this is the joy of arts and crafts – you could create again and again. If my son made a spork guy and that spork got stepped on and cracked, or his eyes fell off, or he simply got lost, we’d make a new one. I understand that Woody may not know or understand this concept, but the majority of the audience watching should.

So while I can see what they were trying to do here with Woody “doing the right thing” and saving the spork, it just doesn’t hold as much weight as losing Buzz, or Slinky Dog, or even Bo Peep, who he seemed resigned to forget about in Toy Story 3. Additionally, if the message they are trying to send is “every friend a child ‘creates’ is special and must be preserved at all costs…” that’s not a very realistic parenting message.

Life is about growth; growing up, making changes, some harder than others, and yes, some things get left behind. A spork made in school simply does not equate to a childhood dog, or friend, or toy that never left your side. But as a parent of 3 children, if any of them did lose a special toy, and nothing could be done to find it or bring it back, we would move on and that toy would become a cherished memory. Because as much as we, as parents, may grow attached to certain things our children once loved or played with or even wore, chances are more than likely they will cast them aside as they grow up and move on to bigger and better things. (Which I am knee-deep in as my youngest, now 10, is finally cleaning out his room and donating some toys that he’s either had from birth, inherited from his older brother and sister, or were once beloved and now collecting dust.)

And THAT is the lesson that Pixar made so clear in Toy Story 3. After ripping our hearts out with “When Somebody Loved Me,” the song woven throughout Jessie’s backstory, we all felt incredible guilt for donating toys we once loved. Toy Story 3 wiped that guilt clean with the acknowledgement that toys can be passed on to new generations of children who will love and care for them, creating new everlasting memories.

So whether Woody represents a parenting mentality in this tale, not wanting to upset Bonnie, or one of a friend not wanting to leave another friend behind, it seems like a very weak storyline to build an entire movie on, even if it’s only a stepping off point to get to finding Bo Peep. And the spork doesn’t even want to be alive! So let him go. There are so many other sporks available to stick googly eyes on. But it’s happening. This is the path Pixar has chosen. Woody flies out after Forky, and their journey to get back to ~~Andy~~ Bonnie, now begins.

Next up, Woody spies Bo’s old lamp in an antique shop, and has to go in to see if she’s there. As is the case with Toy Story 2 (Stinky Pete) and Toy Story 3 (Lotso) there are “bad toys” (in this case ventriloquist dummy dolls under the command of a creepy talking doll) in the antique shop, which try to attack and capture Woody and Forky. I mean…is this the best they could do? I appreciate the nod to the original ventriloquist concept that Woody was once going to be before the first Toy Story was completed, but apart from that, it’s getting a bit repetitive here, no? And this time instead of Jessie coming to the rescue as she did in the Toy Story of Terror short, it’s Bo Peep who rescues Woody. From what we can see, Bo has become a strong, independent woman while she’s been away from Andy’s room.

At this point in the trailer, we also see Buzz has jumped out of the moving RV where all the toys began with Bonnie, and stumbles into a pretty permanent-looking carnival set up. Bo Peep also gestures to this same carnival, asking Woody if he wouldn’t rather live there than a kid’s room. Forky seems to have been converted to the cult of being a kid’s toy, and asks if they are going back to Bonnie. So the same hijinx will now ensue, with Woody and Buzz separated, both of them separated from their kid, Bonnie in this case, and new toys who either hinder or help them along their journey back to where they belong.

The whole thing just left me with a very “meh” reaction. It doesn’t seem like anything new will be learned here, it’s the same old story with a new location, and the same ending looks likely. I’m sure I could be mistaken, and I welcome being proven wrong and loving this movie. For now, though, it seems like Pixar is just trying to rewrite the same story (and I’m not sure who they are trying to appeal to). Maybe they are hoping a whole new generation of fans will just jump on the Woody bandwagon. But as mentioned before, they ended things so perfectly with Toy Story 3, it would’ve taken an exceptional story or backstory to top that.

So long, partner.

So what do you think? Did we need this new story? Do you like how the plot looks in the trailer? Do you think there’s a lot still missing that may make this a new Toy Story favorite? Share your thoughts below or with me on social media!

REVIEW: Captain Marvel; or Living with Marvel Fatigue

5 March 2019 by Chris Ryan Leave a Comment

Over the course of 10 years, we have all slowly been indoctrinated into the cult of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We have simply come to accept that seeing a Marvel movie is part of the yearly routine – or as of late, part of the seasonal routine. I accept it willingly, myself. Even at their worst, the MCU has been able to produce 21 movies that are quite entertaining. Some are great, some are Thor: The Dark World. Regardless, Groot, Thanos, and Doctor Strange have all become household names thanks to the MCU.

The beauty of these films is that they can be very rewarding for the fans of the original comics, who gasp at the sight of a character they never thought they’d see on a movie screen, who they recognize immediately from their childhood. And they’re able to do this without it being a turn-off for the general audience who don’t make those immediate connections, and who may have never heard of the characters.

Having watched all of these movies upon release, and then multiple times after, I have become inundated with the knowledge of things I didn’t think I would care about. But ever since Avengers: Age of Ultron, something has been lurking in my mind that I like to call ‘Marvel Fatigue’ (noun): Extreme tiredness caused by an excessive amount of Marvel movies, over, and over, and over.

So let’s discuss Captain Marvel.

Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL..Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) ..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2019

For those who manage to not stay into the know of every happening within the making of all of these movies, Captain Marvel takes place in the 90s. And if you didn’t know this before going into the movie, you’ll definitely know it by the end.

Don’t get me wrong, stylistically/culturally, the 90s is one of my favorite eras, so I’m ready for all the Nirvana and frosted tips you can give me. But I legitimately lost count of how many times the audience laughed at this movie for simply saying “Hey remember the 90’s? That was weird, huh!” It’s a minor gripe, sure, because it doesn’t really have much to do with the story, but it happened so many times it started to drive me crazy. I’m talking Blockbuster, Nine Inch Nails, Radio Shack, Payphones, Pagers, etc. all within the first act. To be fair, one could point out that the Guardians of the Galaxy films center on very late 70s and 80s culture. The difference is that Guardians is funny.

This feeling of being overcome with the same joke over and over again is how I feel with the MCU as whole. As of Marvel, I have seen 21 movies that all tie together with all of these very different characters. But the feeling of seeing new characters tie into a universe we already know things about can only last so long. The routine grows old eventually. Captain Marvel, to me, never seemed to find its place amongst these self-love reveals and the groan-worthy amount of 90s references.

Sure, I already mentioned people laughed, so obviously people managed to find it entertaining. That’s the point of all of the references. But it makes for lazy writing. Yeah, you can have a movie that just feeds off of audience members reacting positively to things they recognize, but if it needs all those references to survive, what will the lasting impact of the movie itself be? This was truly the Emoji Movie (or the Ralph Breaks the Internet) of the MCU: story aside, it thrived solely off of people recognizing the pieces of pop culture which it seemed to toss together into a collage of empty nostalgia.

Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL..L to R: Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) and Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) ..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2019

Another glaring issue I had with Captain Marvel, was that it looks like it tried to be a ‘female empowerment’ movie. Whether or not this is what it actually was going for is something I may never know, but it’s certainly the impression I got from the trailers. Some parts of the movie still tried to be like this too, with random throwaway lines about how women can do anything. Which they can. But it definitely felt very very forced in this movie.

The Captain Marvel comics were not about female empowerment at all, at least from what the little research I have done after seeing the movie seems to indicate. Originally Mar-Vell is a man, and when, in 2012, the character of Carol Danvers (who we follow in the Marvel movie) takes over the role of Captain Marvel, it still is not about female empowerment. She simply takes over the mantle when Mar-Vell dies, because Captain America believes it’s what he would want.

My problem with this is that when 2016’s Wonder Woman came out, there was a sort of rallying cry around the empowerment aspects of it, because it was truly well done. While I still had other problems with Wonder Woman, I thought that arc they tried to convey really payed off. I think it’s pretty common knowledge that in the original comics, Wonder Woman is rubber-banded between being almost laughably stereotypical and being far superior to the men who hold her down. When the movie completely shatters all of those previous tropes, it comes across a lot stronger because it has a meaning behind it, and the story is almost directly linked to this point specifically.

When Captain Marvel attempts this, it feels as if executives saw the success of Wonder Woman, remembered they had a movie with a female lead in the works, and decided to try to replicate it when there wasn’t really anything there.

The last thing I’ll say about this issue was that in the end, shoe-horned in or not, the empowerment they tried to achieve wasn’t good at all. While I could easily say “Hey get yer darn feminist views out of my cool superhero movies!!”, the arc that was in the movie wasn’t even ‘feminist’ in any sense of the word. If Captain Marvel was played by a guy in this movie, the story could actually be exactly the same, because Danvers never battles any overpowering male force holding her back. In a way, it’s a human empowering story. She realizes that as a human, she can still be great, even if she thought she was something more.

I think it’s very okay to just have an ‘empowering’ movie. Not specifically female empowering, not specifically minority empowering. Both of those are obviously great, and super important. But I also think that a movie can just be empowering, and give anyone hope or a purpose or a voice or a way to see themselves on screen when they feel like they’re alone. Captain Marvel does a great job at this. But it does so after selling itself as something it is definitely not.

Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL..Goose ..Photo: Film Frame..©Marvel Studios 2019

So where do we stand? From what I’ve already written, it’s clear I didn’t like some major aspects of the story the way it was told – but did I like the movie or not? The answer is I really don’t know.

I think I appreciate what the movie tried to do; it tried to rewrite the book on how origin stories are told, by telling it How I Met Your Mother style. (She already has her powers, but where did they come from?) It tried to fill in what tiny gaps are left in the Avengers story we already know. It tried to serve as a lasting memorial to it’s infamous creator Stan Lee. But while I think it certainly did do some of those things, I also think that they alone did not justify it being a successful movie.

In a word, Captain Marvel was unmemorable – perhaps the worst fate for a movie that carries such importance. The 21st in a saga; the final film before a climactic ending 11 years in the making. And it was just forgettable. Captain Marvel was certainly an entertaining way to spend 2 hours. What $150+ million movie wouldn’t be? Visually it rivaled Guardians at some points. The performances were good, and Samuel L Jackson in particular was great as always. There were definitely some moments where I thought it was funny, or cool, or interesting, but not the whole thing. I could name any scene in Infinity War, or Ragnarok, or Doctor Strange, but walking out of Marvel – and still while writing this – I didn’t remember every character’s name.

So why? Why are those movies good and this one bad? Other than the issues with the story that I already pointed out – which already left a bad taste in my mouth, this one just felt bland. In a world where we already have an Infinity War, and even a Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, it’s hard for a Captain Marvel to truly leave a mark. If this was released before either of those, I think I would’ve let it slide as much as I let Ant-Man slide. But the release date of this turned it into the film-equivalent to eating dessert before dinner.

It should be noted that Marvel is not the first film in the MCU to leave this poor of a taste in my mouth. I think both Ant Man’s are boring, and I already joked about Thor earlier. It’s easy for a movie to just not be interesting at all when its sole purpose is to fit as a tiny piece into a much larger puzzle. Marvel Studios or Disney doesn’t need this movie to even be good because they know everyone is going to see it anyway. We have to do our homework and sit through the Marvels of the world so we get to enjoy the Avengers’. A film like Captain Marvel can often worsen the effects of Marvel Fatigue. The doctor recommendation is instead a healthy dose of Infinity War or Spiderverse.

Backstage Magic Tour – for the Disney Fan Who’s Seen it All

25 February 2019 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

As a former cast member now married to a cast member of almost 30 years, we have between us amassed quite a bit of parks knowledge and history. I’ve been backstage at Walt Disney World more times than I can count, as a cast member, a guest of one, or during special events and tours. As excited as I was for the backstage tour I was about to experience, I was also a little jaded that it was probably “stuff I already knew.”

NOT JUST ANOTHER TOUR…

Within minutes of starting the Backstage Magic Tour, all of that (and any potential internal feelings of superiority) was thrown out the window. I took careful steps down the cement stairs, protective eye wear on my face, and looked to my right to see Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin sitting together, mere inches from where I stood. I assure you, my safety glasses were not rose-colored!

Yes, I was now standing backstage at the American Adventure, something 8 year-old me would’ve sold her entire Barbie collection to experience. I even began to tear up a little thinking of my original, beloved EPCOT Center. I told one of our guides, Amber, that I thought I might cry. Without hesitation, she said “go ahead and cry, we understand, it’s really cool!” And it was then that I knew, I was going to love this tour. And I did.

Many of you may know that my day job is working at MEI & Mouse Fan Travel. I’ve been there for over 6 years, and along with many other fun hats I get to wear, I occasionally get to experience some amazing events. It’s a fun crossover from my blogging life where I’ve been sharing adventures like this for the past 10 years. This week I did just that as our agency got an invite to enjoy the 7 hour Backstage Magic Tour at Walt Disney World.

You’ve no doubt heard of the Keys to the Kingdom Tour at the Magic Kingdom, which is another 7 hour tour, but based solely within the Magic Kingdom. Keys to the Kingdom does go backstage but the Backstage Magic Tour is entirely facilitated by the Adventures by Disney team, and takes you out of the parks. You book the tour the same way, thru 407-WDW-TOUR (or having your Mouse Fan Travel agent book it for you when you book your next vacation package!).

In addition to walking through the famed Utilidor, the Backstage Magic Tour provides unprecedented access to areas of the Walt Disney World Resort usually reserved for Cast Members only.

Here are the highlights of the Backstage Magic Tour:

Epcot
Explore the inner workings of The American Adventure as we reveal the feats of engineering and artistry behind this inspiring Audio-Animatronics stage show.
Magic Kingdom Park
Become immersed in the story that started with Walt himself on Main Street, U.S.A.—navigate the “utilidor” tunnels, a network of underground passageways constructed beneath the theme park so Disney Cast Members and delivery vehicles can move around undetected.
Creative Costuming
Observe the talented professionals who design costumes for Character, show and parade performers.
Central Shops
Get up close with the artisans whose skill and craftsmanship make dreams come true all around the park—from the tiniest details to elaborate stage sets.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Settle in for a delicious family-style barbeque lunch at Whispering Canyon Café—included with your tour.
Textile Services
Unfold an experience like no other within one of the world’s largest laundry facilities—complete with a unique photo opportunity!

TOUR DETAILS:

Disney was kind enough to invite MEI & Mouse Fan Travel out to experience this tour first hand. Not to sound dramatic, but it was life-changing. The 1970’s technology used to run the American Adventure show has aged well in its 37 years. In fact, they still use the same computers to run the show. I don’t want to give away too much of the process, since it was so impressive to me. I hope everyone can have that same jaw-dropping experience. Suffice it to say, the entire American Adventure portion of the tour was full of fun facts and history that any EPCOT Center fan will appreciate. Even I learned a new fact or two!

CREATIVE COSTUMING:

I thought the American Adventure section was my favorite, but then we arrived at Creative Costuming. I was again blown away by what goes on while we are riding rides and eating popcorn down the road. This location creates and updates costumes for all 12 Disney parks, Disney’s Aulani Resort, and Disney Cruise Line. We saw the entire costuming process from sketch and CAD design, to pattern, to construction and embellishment.

There are quite a few surprises within the Costuming building too. I’ll just say fans of the Great Movie Ride and the original Red Head will be very happy. There is so much history there – you’ll see a lot of old favorites and new designs. Creative Costuming did not disappoint.

TEXTILE SERVICES:

Another surprise winner on the tour was the Textile Services building. One of four on property, they are the 4 largest facilities of their kind in the nation. You might be thinking, “what could possibly be exciting about laundry?!” but just you wait…

When you see the largest track system in any theme park (think a laundry bag roller coaster) – machines washing 150lbs and drying 300lbs at a time – other machines pressing and folding. The end result of which is 2.5 million pounds of laundry washed and folded a week – you may change your mind! It is an impressive and efficient assembly line. You may not think about it, but it’s an extremely important part of the Walt Disney World Resort experience!

CENTRAL SHOPS:

The next part of our tour took us to Central Shops; the favorite of many guides for a reason. You just never know what you’re going to see when you step inside! Here at this backstage location is where ride vehicles, animatronics, props, and even trash cans receive maintenance, updates and refreshing. Sometimes it’s a quick fix or a coat of paint, but everything undergoes “cyclical maintenance” at certain intervals of time. This is when each ride vehicle, animatronic, etc, gets stripped down to its frame. Hardware is replaced, new paint or skins are applied. Whatever is required to appear as fresh as when it first appeared in the park, happens here.

Our guides shared (and we got to touch!) the different types of animatronic skins:

realistic silicone, which was really realistic feeling!
hot melt molds (which you see in older animatronics)
tougher plastisol – for animatronics exposed to harsh Florida weather conditions (blazing sun, daily rain, even hurricanes). Think Jungle Cruise animals.

We also saw several ride vehicles and parks items in various stages of maintenance, including:

Expedition Everest
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Space Mountain
Primeval Whirl
Pandora’s Flight of Passage “banshees”
Several animals from Jungle Cruise

Quite an eye-opening portion of the tour! Before we left, we were treated to an epic photo-op. The now-retired giant polar bear from the Maelstrom attraction in Epcot’s Norway pavilion was pretty exciting for this Maelstrom fangirl.

THE UTILIDOR:

We ended our day with a tour of parts of the underground (well, it’s at ground-level really) Utilidor beneath the streets of the Magic Kingdom. As a former Main Street, U.S.A. cast member, this was like going back home for me. It’s always exciting to see the bustling activity and efficiency under the kingdom. There have definitely been improvements since I walked to work this way back in 1995!

WHAT ABOUT FOOD?!

The halfway point of the tour is marked by lunch at Whispering Canyon Cafe. We enjoyed an all you care to eat skillet (any food allergies or special dietary needs are met as well). Lunch is a nice break, and a great way to get to know your fellow tour members and guides a little better. Snacks and water are available on the coach as you travel to each destination.

IS IT WORTH IT??

Our fabulous Adventures By Disney guides share stories, trivia, and tales of Walt Disney World history throughout the tour. Amber (mentioned at the start of this post) felt like an old friend by the time our tour was over. Part of the charm and enjoyment of this tour is hearing accurate stories of Disney past and present. Hearing the stories from cast members who clearly love their roles, and embody the ideals Walt would be proud of. It is a very full 7 hours, but the content makes the time fly by.

Unlike Keys to the Kingdom tour, guests aged 12 and up can experience Backstage Magic with a guardian 18+present. So if you have a budding Imagineer or Cast Member, you’ll be able to enjoy this tour with them too! I know when my youngest turns 12 in 2 years, we’ll definitely be going on this tour again.

Photos are not allowed backstage, but as you can see above, the guides take several fun photos along the way. You have instant access to download these photos at the end of the tour. You can then share your amazing experiences with your friends and family as soon as you get home!

TOUR UPDATE NEWS:

At the end of our tour, we were given some insider info, which Disney will be announcing this week. Starting June 1, the Backstage Magic Tour will experience two new changes! Lunch will now no longer be at Whispering Canyon, but rather Tiffins restaurant inside Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. Tiffins will make more sense, since the Textile Services tour will be replaced by a Rivers of Light backstage experience! We love the Rivers of Light show, so this is an exciting update! Now you have a choice! Book this tour in the next 3 months to see the mind-boggling Textile Services building (which will be inaccessible after June 1)…Or wait and experience the new parts of the tour? A tough choice – maybe both?!

HOW TO BOOK:

Contact your MEI & Mouse Fan Travel directly, to book the amazing Backstage Magic Tour with your next vacation package. Or, call 407-WDW-TOUR to book directly with Disney. The cost is $275 per person, but in my opinion, worth every cent! In addition to the 5-days-a-week Backstage Magic Tour, three more ABD-run tours are available to book:

Gardens of the World – during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, in partnership with the Epcot Horticultural Department.
Yuletide Fantasy – behind the scenes of all it takes to create and display the holidays at Walt Disney World
Holiday D-Lights – an enchanting evening reveals some of the secrets behind the most special traditions at Walt Disney World

Have you experienced an Adventures by Disney or any Disney parks tour? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Disclaimer: Disney invited MEI-Travel to experience this tour at no cost, but my thoughts and opinions are our own.

REVIEW: Mary Poppins Returns to Warm Our Hearts

19 December 2018 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

If you’d like my review in very shortened form, it is this – Mary Poppins Returns was a visual delight, I cried several times, and left the theater full of hope, joy, and love. Now, let’s dive in to the long version…

I have a problem. I love (most) all things Disney, but at the same time, I can be pretty critical (not necessarily publicly) about choices they may make either with the parks or movies etc. but it’s still Disney, it’s still a theme park, it’s still a movie. And I love those things. So I was a little worried about Mary Poppins Returns, because I LOVE Mary Poppins (and yes, I realize I am not unique in that love, it’s pretty universally well-loved and adored) and was worried about tampering with that practical-perfection. But as already stated, I loved it.

I am not going to post huge spoilers in my review below, but I am going to cover the already-revealed-in-trailers portions of the film, and a few other topics, and the movie’s out now, so go see it and then come back and discuss with me! Now, let’s begin!

A Love Letter to the Original Story

What I love about Mary Poppins, the original film, is that in 2018, it is not just a classic family movie. It is a time capsule of Walt Disney Company history. We hardcore Disney fans know all about the history of making that movie. The involvement and disapproval of P.L. Travers, Walt’s personal connection to the books with his daughters, and the fact that it was made during the golden age of the Walt Disney Studios, with some of the best players and names of the time. So when I watch Mary Poppins, I don’t just watch that story and hear those songs, I think about the Sherman Brothers composing the theme songs to our lives. I think about how people didn’t think Dick Van Dyke could do a Cockney accent, but he became one of the most beloved names in Disney history because of this film. I think about Walt strolling through the studio and watching it all unfold and adding his own touches to the story. I think about how I sang these songs to my children when they were babies, and how I have friends that do the same.

Adding to this story would be like saying, I know It’s a Wonderful Life ended perfectly, but what if we went back 20 years later when George and Mary Bailey were both dead and their kids are not doing so well…It definitely would be a story, but should it be told? That’s what I was worried about with Mary Poppins Returns. And honestly, I’m still not sure it needed to been done, but we could say that about most things these days. The way I came to terms with it is: you just have to know that the original existed, and leave it at the door. Mary Poppins Returns, while technically a sequel, is really more of an homage to the original, a love letter, a beautifully hand-written thank you card.

From the very first scene to the last, we are treated to an updated tribute to the original Mary Poppins. Both movies open with Bert/Jack setting the scene, followed in the original by Peter Ellenshaw matte paintings, and in Mary Poppins Returns, Ellenshaw-esque paintings to accompany the overture, giving us a hint as to what we are about to enjoy. The similarities don’t end there, with each song or story point almost mirroring the original, sometimes expanding and updating our Mary and how she would act.

Not My Mary!

At first I took some issue with this, as I thought “Mary Poppins would never sing about someone being “on the sauce” or dance that way!” But then I had time to reflect on it and came to this conclusion (whether it lines up with the intent is up to Rob Marshall I guess!): Mary Poppins is timeless, ageless. She’s always been elegant, yet could hang with the chimney sweeps as if they were kings. So when she returns, 20-some years later in the middle of “The Great Slump” or Great Depression, she isn’t the same Mary that appeared in Michael and Jane Banks’ nursery. She is a modern nanny equipped with modern clothes, mannerisms, and a catalog of songs and dances in keeping with the timeline in which she appears. So of course she is going to a music hall and able to sing in a variety act-like comedic-song-and-dance. It all made sense to me when I thought of it that way.

In addition, something that struck me the second time I saw the film before finishing up this review was how Mary Poppins herself was acutely aware of the passage of time, nostalgia, and how things may disappear, but are never really gone.

During the song “The Place Where Lost Things Go,” there were several times when Mary looked around the nursery or touched an original toy from when Jane and Michael slept there, and looked wistfully as if she realized that this song she was singing to comfort the children at the loss of their mother, was also a comfort to her, at the loss of the original Banks’ children being children. She has this look many other times throughout the film, when Michael says something particularly adult-like, or sounds like his father, seemingly missing or wishing he would remember the lessons she taught so long ago.

Emily Blunt is a marvelous Mary, and she could tell a story of a thousand words with just one look – I loved her. She sang beautifully as well, making repeat listens of the soundtrack something that will definitely happen.

Speaking of Music…

I really loved almost all of the songs from the movie. I found Michael’s melancholy song in the beginning to be one of the sweetest and most emotional, and of course when the children sang the Lost Things song back to him, it was a definite tear-jerker. One of the best decisions however, is how the orchestral parts in between scenes or songs are nods back to the original score and the Sherman Brothers classics we all know and love. Make sure you take note of that while watching, it really is lovely.

Again, when I first saw it, my initial reaction to some songs were, “oh, they’re just trying to make this be the ‘Step in Time’ of the movie!” and later, when I had my moments of realization and it all made sense, I thought, “Oh! They’re making this be the ‘Step in Time’ of the movie!” and I appreciated it all the more.

The only song I wasn’t super into is the only scene I wasn’t super into, which was the Meryl Streep/Cousin Topsy “Turning Turtle” song. I get that that was the “Ed Wynn” moment of the film, but it just seemed out of place and forced a bit. But they all learned a lesson, so that was good at least.

The over-the-top numbers were all perfectly over the top as they should be and grand and fun to watch and listen to. The slower songs served their purpose too and overall everything flowed together nicely (except “Turning Turtle“ :P)

It’s Today or Never, I Always Say

Much like the original Mary Poppins, this movie is chock-full of Mary-isms that will have you smiling and remembering what’s truly important in life; having fun, using your imagination, remembering that everything is possible, and to sit up straight because we are not sacks of flour!

I love the dynamic of Mary and the children in this film, because much like the original Banks children felt they didn’t need a nanny, these three have proven that they don’t, as you see right from the start they’ve been taking care of themselves and the family. But as Mary reminds them, they are children, they can have fun and still help the family.

One of the things even my 10 year old noticed when we saw the preview screening back in November, was that there are villains in this movie. And while we could say that in the original, the bank and even to an extent Father was a villain, in Mary Poppins Returns, there is a scene where the children are literally in danger from the villains of the film. Of course we are then left to wonder if it was real or just a dream, but the villains are there nonetheless. I think, much like Mary growing with the times, the storyline itself grew with it as well. Times were tough during The Great Slump, and it affected the Banks family in more ways than one. Their biggest problem wasn’t cleaning their rooms, but the fact that they lost their mother and were about to lose their house. Not exactly kids stuff. But Mary guides them through (the older Banks children too), and of course they are all the better for it.

I’m sure there are a million things I’m forgetting to say that I wanted to discuss, but that’s what edit buttons are for, right? Overall, I loved this film, even more the second time I saw it, as I thought I might. It is truly a feast for the eyes, ears and heart. I cried many times, but not because it was all sad (it was in places), but mostly because of the great nostalgia it stirred within me. I wasn’t born when Mary Poppins came out, and I don’t even remember when I first saw it, but over the years, it became a well-loved favorite and as mentioned at the start, a huge part of Walt Disney company history. Just seeing Dick Van Dyke on screen filled me with joy, as did Angela Lansbury. Ms. Lansbury was not in the original Mary Poppins of course, but was in Bedknobs and Broomsticks with David Tomlinson, and she is a Disney Legend. Seeing these two icons on screen was truly a gift to us all, as is Mary Poppins Returns.

Mary Poppins Returns is now open in theaters everywhere – go see it! I was invited to a pre-screening by the Walt Disney Company, but as always, my opinions and thoughts are my own.

Have you seen Mary Poppins Returns? What did you think? What was your favorite part and your favorite song?

Disney After Hours: Worth It?

7 December 2018 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

You may have noticed that Walt Disney World has been experimenting over the past few years with various “add-on” events. Whether it’s a dessert party that comes with fireworks viewing, or a dinner package for a nighttime event, or realizing that they can close down a park early and re-open it for a separate ticket and people will love it, Disney has been pretty successful with this. But are these extra additions, like Disney After Hours, worth the price? We’ll discuss that below and let you decide. But first, a little backstory…

It’s no secret that Walt Disney World Resort is more crowded than ever and it’s not slowing down any time soon. It wasn’t too long ago that there were blissful “slow times” at WDW. Those were the times that locals waited for, and during which smart planners booked their vacations. Times when the lines were down, the weather was better, and it made all the difference. Disney noticed these times too, and thought “Hey, we should make a reason for people to come down and visit when our numbers are down….maybe a….festival or something? And the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival was born.

Way back in 1994, Epcot would create fun springtime topiaries, and thought turning it into a festival was a natural answer to the slower time between Mother’s Day and the start of summer. The next year, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival began, during the usually slow time in the early Fall when school was back up but before the holidays started.

Over many successful years, these festivals filled in the gap of less crowds, leaving only one major time when the park had noticeably less guests. A new experiment, the Epcot International Festival of the Arts filled in that gap. This festival was born of the former “Festival of the Masters” that took place at Downtown Disney, before it was rejuvenated as Disney Springs. Now, I cannot even fathom having a festival at Disney Springs on a weekend, the crowds would make it impossible to even move. The festival takes place in the weeks between January and February before February vacation and then Spring Break begin. It is the favorite time for many a local. The weather is usually cold, or at least cooler and not humid (though nothing is a guarantee in central Florida), and because of the time period, less families are taking off and going on vacation. It is glorious. Or it was.

Nowadays, there aren’t many times when you can find a Disney park or Disney Springs “less crowded.” There are events, either festivals or races or seasonal parties filling in pretty much every day of the year. Sure, going during the week, when school is in session will be slightly more manageable, but long gone are the days when you didn’t have to plan ahead and could just roll up, expect to walk on a ride or walk in to a table service restaurant and expect to be seated. It is a different time, one of FastPasses, ADR’s (neither of which guarantee a quick wait) and constant crowds. But I’m not here to comment on the changing times and yell at you kids to get off my lawn. I’m just giving some background as to how these events have been creeping up over time. What once was a display of flowers and topiaries has turned into a mini food and wine festival itself. What was once a festival to try some new international dishes, sample some wines and beers and see demonstrations from chefs around the world, has turned into Drinking Around the World with t-shirts to match (that’s another post on its own from me :P) And the latest addition to these free (minus attendance and cost of food/drinks of course) events, has been dessert parties and the like.

Don’t want to worry about where to stand for the perfect fireworks or parade view? There’s an add-on package for you. Getting “free” candy or cookies and treats during the already separate ticketed event of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party not enough? There’s a dessert party add-on for you too! But the truth is, in the last few years, the hard-ticketed parties are more crowded than they’ve ever been, and while yes, wait times are reduced compared to a typical day, there are still a LOT of guests there, especially during the fireworks and parade times. So what’s the answer for those that want to enjoy a bit of the old reduced-crowd Disney parks experience? The answer is – Disney After Hours.

Yes, this event is very limited to specific dates over the course of the year, and yes, it is $129 per person – adult or child. BUT – it IS worth it – in most cases. Let’s figure out why.

First, I understand that many people reading this may not be locals or passholders, but guests who plan for years and need accommodations and park hopper passes and a host of other items locals don’t normally have to worry about. So while it may seem flippant for me to say “it’s worth the extra $130!” I promise, I am taking vacationers into account.

What I am suggesting is that, if you are able to work an After Hours event into your existing vacation dates, that you could perhaps do it on a day where you visited a water park or Disney Springs during the day, enjoy a dinner there, at a resort, or even off-property, saving a day of your Park Hoppers. Then return to the After Hours park and enjoy multiple (and I do mean multiple) rides on the available attractions of your choice, which are traditionally either impossible to get FastPasses for or easily have over 100 minute waits daily, no matter the time of year. In addition, you get unlimited ice cream novelties and select bottled beverages during the event! Other locations are open during the event to purchase food and drink items (and merchandise) too. It would also make planning the rest of your days easier. If you know you’ll be able to ride your favorites After Hours, you could take the time to enjoy attractions or places that you put off seeing during a normal visit when everything is action-packed and scheduled to the minute.

I have now experienced two parks at After Hours events, the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom and I was truly worried I would not think it was worth it. But the lack of stress while in a Disney park; no worrying about waiting in line, having time to see it all, making sure everyone gets to ride their favorites, is quite simply, heavenly. It reminded me of a time gone by, when you could stroll the parks and drink in all the details and still enjoy attractions as well. The fact that it’s at night and everything looks extra magical and lit up is just a bonus in my opinion.

EDIT: I have now experienced all 3 parks Disney After Hours events (I don’t think Epcot could ever offer this because it’s just SO big, maybe if they did Future World only, but then there would only be 2 real attraction draws, although the same could be said for Animal Kingdom I suppose?). I worried at first that Disney’s Hollywood Studios would be more crowded because there are quite a few attractions that have a huge wait or are difficult to get FastPasses for. However, I was surprised to see that because the popular areas of the park are spread out, it wasn’t really an issue. We went to Slinky Dog Dash first, and the wait time was 10 minutes, and it truly was 10 minutes. But as the night went on, it was down even lower to the usual 5. And that’s for the newest attraction in any park. Rock ‘n Roller Coaster was a walk-on, as was Tower of Terror and every other open attraction.

I think Hollywood Studios was my favorite for this event, because it’s always been one of my favorite parks to just stroll and enjoy the details, but add Christmas decorations which DHS has really bumped up in the last 2 years, and the fact that the projections on Tower of Terror, now with snow and lasers were going on all night, and it was truly a magical experience.

So is it worth it for everyone? Does the cost make sense for the value (amount of hours, attractions you can ride in those hours, free snacks)? Well, the answer may be different for every guest, depending on your vacation style or if you’re vacationing at all. I think for the price and experience, if you are a single or couple visitor, the benefits are a no-brainer. If you have many little kids that may not take advantage of the attractions available, it might be a great time to try out the on-site kids clubs. 😉 I think it was a great time and love the atmosphere and feeling like you truly have the parks to yourselves. Click photos below to scroll through the gallery:

Free snacks at Magic Kingdom!
Almost empty walkways in Magic Kingdom
Info for Magic Kingdom After Hours
An almost-empty Magic Kingdom
No one in the queue – the longest wait was just walking through it!
Flight of Passage 5 minute wait time!
Expedition Everest 5 minute wait time
There was a special area set up for the walkway to Pandora for all the free snacks at Animal Kingdom
Free ice cream (and non-ice cream) bars at Animal Kingdom
Free popcorn at Animal Kingdom
They originally gave out lanyards, which are super cute, but now they do wristbands
Toy Story Mania with 5 min waits!
No one around to Walk This Way…;)
Free Snacks!
10 minutes for Slinky Dog
Woody’s Lunch Box was still open to purchase treats
Such fun to see!

Here are the Disney After Hours Facts:

Admission to Disney After Hours can be purchased in advance for $125 per adult or child, plus tax—or purchased on the day of the event for $129 per adult or child, plus tax. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can take advantage of specially priced tickets for just $95 per adult or child, plus tax. – So very similar to passholder rates for the seasonal parties.

Magic Kingdom dates and info:

Guests with Disney After Hours tickets can enter the park at 7:00 PM every event night.

The event takes place from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM:

Monday, November 26, 2018
Monday, December 3, 2018
Monday, December 10, 2018
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Thursday, April 4, 2019
Thursday, April 11, 2019

And 9:00 PM to midnight:

Thursday, February 14, 2019
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Thursday, March 7, 2019

And 8:00 PM to 11:00PM:

Monday, January 7, 2019
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Thursday, January 24, 2019
Monday, January 28, 2019
Thursday, February 7, 2019
Thursday, February 28, 2019

Magic Kingdom Attractions:

Astro Orbiter
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Disney Princess Greetings at Princess Fairytale Hall
Haunted Mansion
“it’s a small world”
Jungle Cruise
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Peter Pan’s Flight*
Pirates of the Caribbean
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
And much, much more!
*Please be aware that Peter Pan’s Flight will be closed on January 7, January 17 and January 24 in 2019.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios dates and info:

The event takes place from 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM:

Saturday, December 8, 2018
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Saturday, March 9, 2019

And 9:00 PM to midnight:

Saturday, March 16, 2019
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Saturday, April 13, 2019

Studios Attractions:

Slinky Dog Dash
Alien Swirling Saucers
Toy Story Mania!
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror^TM
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
Star Wars Launch Bay
Character Greetings with Toy Story Land Pals, Mickey, Minnie and Olaf

*All attractions and entertainment are subject to change without notice.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Dates and Info:

The event takes place from 8:30 PM to 11:30 PM:

Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
Tuesday, January 22, 2019
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Animal Kingdom Attractions:

Avatar Flight of Passage
Na’vi River Journey
Pandora Drummers – Swotu Wayä
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
DINOSAUR
Rivers of Light
Tree of Life Awakenings
It’s Tough to be a Bug!
TriceraTop Spin
And more!

Disclaimer: I was invited by Disney to experience Disney After Hours as a hosted guest. My opinions and thoughts are, as always, my own.

I will be experiencing Disney After Hours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios tomorrow (12/8) and will add to this post any further notes. Be sure to follow along on my instagram story throughout the night to see what it’s like!

Are you planning to experience Disney After Hours? I’d love to know your thoughts below!

A Disney Local Perspective: Holiday Traditions Old and New

6 December 2018 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

There’s a special magic to blinking open your eyes from a long sleep and realizing it’s somehow both still dark and very bright out that morning – only to discover the reason for that is the windows and all outside are covered in snow. Tiny frozen stars etched onto the glass, snow glistening as it drapes over each tree branch and coats each pine needle. It was only yesterday you were stomping around in that very grass, crunching the fallen leaves under your feet releasing that earthy smell, combined with the crisp air that could only mean snow was on its way. There is nothing quite as magical as the blanket of freshly fallen snow, except maybe on Christmas morning…These are some of my fondest memories from growing up, along with, of course, the entire Christmas season and all it promised each year.

Being a December baby, it was always a time of surprises and never-ending wonder at the beautiful sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the season. My family would always wait to get our tree (real of course) till the weekend before my birthday, which is two weeks before Christmas every year. Decorating that tree was such a special tradition. Every ornament had a story, and we all had our favorites. Of course my mother had already been baking for weeks by that point, every family member, friend, and neighbor got a carefully packaged container of her famous Christmas cookies, wrapped in clear plastic and tied up with a red ribbon. She would store the dozens of them between sheets of wax paper in white 5 gallon tubs from the restaurant where my father was a M’aitre D’. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sneak quite a few back in the day. The Russian Tea cookies have always been my downfall (and my favorite).

Another favorite tradition was driving through the neighborhoods to see Christmas lights. For some reason, growing up, both my grandparents and our house only ever did white candles in our window at Christmastime. (I think my grandmother thought colored outdoor lights looked “tacky”?) We had colored lights on the tree, candles in the window and a wreath on the door. No colorful C6 bulbs stapled to our rooftop or wrapped around our bushes. But what that austere decor made me do was appreciate everyone else’s lights all the more. Many towns in New England have a town square or green with big old trees, which are usually covered in lights, sometimes twinkling, sometimes not, including Watertown Square, which we would pass on the way to my grandparents house. The Boston Common in downtown Boston also did this with many of their trees, and we’d sometimes take a drive to the city just to see them, ending at the big tree outside the Prudential Center. I can still feel the cold vinyl of the backseat in the family car, as the dark winter night was suddenly lit with thousands of lights before my eyes.

Of course I have other memories too; taking part in the Christmas pageant at school where I got to be an angel, the smell of the incense during holiday mass, and the opposite of extremes, watching all the holiday specials on tv, usually with a mug of hot cocoa and some of those famous Christmas cookies I mentioned above. Snow days off of school, walking up to the hill on the other side of our own town square and sledding down all day with friends till my socks were soaked and my toes and nose were frozen from cold. And I’m sure I’m not alone with these memories, and they probably still exist today for kids in New England towns or anywhere up north that gets snow. I know I’m not unique in that regard. By stark contrast to my current location, I never once visited Walt Disney World during the holidays as a child. Even when we moved to Ocala in 1985 and became annual passholders I did not experience a Disney Christmas, since we drove back up to Massachusetts to have the holidays with my grandparents. After college, I moved back to Florida from Massachusetts in 1995 to work at Walt Disney World, and finally experienced the holidays in the parks first hand, as a cast member on Main Street. U.S.A.

Which brings me to the purpose of my post today. If you asked any of my children to write about their holiday memories, they would have a very different answer, and not just because 25+ years separate our childhoods. Some parts would be similar; we still make cookies, we still watch those holiday specials (although I may be the only one that appreciates their vintage charm), I have managed to break the “only candles in the window” decorating rule, and of course we still drive around and look at lights, it’s just that our neighbors do a bit more decorating down here. In fact, there’s a castle down the street that really goes all out. All of my past memories and traditions are why, if I let myself pause long enough, seeing those icicle lights on Cinderella Castle brings me to tears. Because as many years of memories as I have riding in the backseat and looking at lights through the car window, I now have many more of myself and my children walking down Main St. U.S.A. and seeing the Castle lights for the first time, or images in my head of my oldest two side by side in a double stroller, looking up with eyes wide, mouths agape, and hands outstretched to catch the “snow” as we strolled through the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. And later, my youngest, now 10, dancing in the Streets of America to Feliz Navidad as a tiny 5 year old, laughing and spinning around, as I captured it on video. I’m tearing up just thinking about it. Don’t even get me started on Candlelight Processional and how I’m moved to tears every year as the songs swell and the voices sing out and you realize all the things you are truly, truly grateful for on this earth.

These are the holiday traditions and memories my children grew up with. And I know they wouldn’t trade them for the world. We are extremely blessed to be so close to all of these amazing holiday experiences, and to have been able to attend them for so many years so that they have become traditions, not just holiday happenings, but part of the ever-growing tapestry of our family story. One could say that these new traditions couldn’t possibly mean as much, since they take place at the globally dominant headquarters of capitalization and money-hungry corporate messages of “buy this!” abound. And you would be right, and wrong. Yes, Disney parks are corporate wizards at marketing their way into your wallets and making you think you need more and you need it now. But if you sift past the mind-numbing amounts of instagrammable offerings thrown at you, you can experience the holiday spirit in its refined, concentrated form. Christmas lights, traditional holiday storytelling, holiday treats from around the world, parades, cookies, holiday music and trees and decorations everywhere. Gingerbread houses, caroling, Santa and Mrs. Claus, the story of Christmas….These are the takeaways and the memories created at the Place Where Dreams Come True (and the Happiest Place on Earth because we’ve been to Disneyland during the holidays too and they are pretty darn magical over there as well), which will carry my children into adulthood as they create their own traditions with whatever and whomever the future holds for them.

My holiday story has gone from one where you never know who would show up at the front door for some coffee and Christmas cookies, to walking through a Disney park and never knowing which friends and neighbors you’d bump into. My oldest children drove right around the Magic Kingdom every day on their way to and from high school. And now they walk into a park and see friends working as Cast Members, or work there themselves, sharing the magic that they grew up enjoying with thousands of guests each day. I know they realize how “magical” their lives are as far as our connection to Disney and Orlando in general, and it amazes me to see how grounded and inspired they are by those connections that have become their backstory. And as happy as my memories are of waking up to new fallen snow and the promise of a day of sledding, theirs are just as happy of celebrating birthdays and milestones at favorite Disney restaurants or riding through Fort Wilderness to see the holiday decorations or attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party each year. Times change, the backdrop may change, even family shrinks and grows over the years, but the holiday memories still abound, no matter where you may find them.

Have your holiday traditions changed over the years? What are some of your favorites? I’d love to hear them.

REVIEW: Ralph Breaks The Internet…And A Lot of Other Stuff

19 November 2018 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

Let me preface this by saying I don’t think of this as a review that I’m writing. I usually say in my movie review posts that I’m no movie critic, so take all of this with a giant grain of salt. That said, I do like to think of myself as a critical thinker, sometimes…and thinking critically about Disney movies is about as scholarly as I get at this point in my life. Think of this more as a discussion of the movie, if we saw it together and talked about it on the way home from the theatre (because this is pretty much the conversation my husband and I had on the way home). I will also say, because I’m just going to discuss things, there probably will be spoilers. But really, there’s no “King Candy was Vanellope’s dad!” (he wasn’t – he was Turbo, remember?!) level of spoilers here, it’s pretty much the movie it portends to be in commercials, except for one part of the end, so be forewarned. If you want the kind of review that will say “It was great, go see it!” then you should probably head on over to some other blog now, I will not be offended.

I’ll just jump right in and say, I’m not really sure what I was expecting. I saw the preview at the D23 Expo in 2017, with the Disney Princesses scene, and the fact that Disney as a company allowed itself to be poked fun of in that way was refreshing. Honestly, that was my favorite part of the movie too. The problem I had with it, is that it just kind of went all over the place, with no real coherent story, or “moral” as the first movie had. I feel like the take away with Wreck it Ralph was that life is what you make of it, you can change your circumstances, it’s good to be bad, and winning is everything. Hmm, wait, I may be getting some of those wrong, but anyway…This new storyline, 6 years later (which they mention a LOT for some reason), has a very vague take away. Don’t be insecure? Don’t smother your friends? It’s okay to leave friends and responsibilities behind if you get bored in life. I dunno. I feel like my review is now also all over the place, but the point I’m trying to make is that the avenues they decided to go down in a movie that is supposed to be discovering and sharing all or parts of the internet today, could’ve been done a lot better. Or at least made more sense.

They touch briefly on the phenomenon that is “trending” and “getting likes” and how that is currency in today’s world. Then we momentarily learn about comments and how comments online are bad and you shouldn’t read them. I just felt that in today’s day and age when online bullying is still a thing and places like instagram are virtual breeding grounds for creating, fostering, and magnifying insecurities, fomo, and feeling “less than,” they fell short of actually making a statement about how bad that is and how it’s not reality. I have luckily not had my children affected by online bullying (that I know of), but I have seen a good mood turn into one of feeling like crap when my daughter just scrolls through instagram. I’ve certainly felt that myself. That’s a hard message to learn, as a child or an adult, that what you see online isn’t all there is to life – that joy doesn’t come from the likes you receive, the views you get, or the followers you have. On a personal level, I’ve definitely seen that what it takes to be “successful” in this online world is creating a brand and being that non-stop forever until you don’t really know where that ends and you begin. Sure, some have been able to balance it, but it is a harsh reality that some people may never find a way out of. Certainly I didn’t expect or need an animated documentary on the pitfalls of the internet in 2018 and how to combat them. I just thought more care could’ve been taken with a platform as large as this, about the downside of instant internet fame of today. That said, I guess the Disney synergy of countless online presences might prevent that message, since they want you to buy the things and wear the styles and eat the cute foods (or take photos of them anyway).

One of the other subplots was the concept of a virus; how a virus exposes an insecurity in a system and can destroy it from there. A very interesting way to explain that and make it have “real world” consequences. (And really, viruses are one of the easiest and most preventable dark sides of the internet – I mean, get virus software and don’t click on links you don’t know, ya know?) Translating it into a literal “insecurity” and showing the effects of insecurity on friendship and self-worth was a strange way to go, in my opinion. I guess the overarching message was, it’s okay to have friends with different interests, and just because they have other interests/friends, doesn’t mean they don’t like you. And that makes sense, that’s great. But it took a lonnnng time to get there, with a lot of random winding roads along the way (which I guess could be a metaphor for the never-ending distracting nature of the internet itself, but that would be a stretch…). At the end of the day, it had a lot of overlap from “Haha this is just characters from a game discovering new things” to “Wait, is this reality? Did a video game character just buy something on ebay? And did another video game character just leave her game never to return, cause she was bored?” I should know, however, from dealing with the Cars universe and Pixar, not to over-analyze things or read too much into things, or try to make logical sense out of an animated film primarily made for children.

Which brings me to my next point, I really don’t know if young kids will find this entertaining. There is quite a bit of waxing philosophical from the main characters and while I guess young kids could miss that and just think “haha that guy has big eyeballs and a funny name” or something, it just didn’t have the same entertainment value in my mind, and most kids aren’t going to make the connection from computer insecurity to human insecurity. I will definitely be interested to hear what my 10 year old thinks when he sees it.

Again, the Princesses part was funny, as a commentary on Disney characters as well as I guess a dig at millennials, when all the princesses get new “costumes.” Maybe just I saw it as a dig at all the “Disney instragram uniforms” you see in stylized photos with carefully placed branding. I am reaching the “get off my lawn” age of internet usage, so it could be that. I’d love to see Disney turn that scene into a series of shorts like they’ve done with the new Mickey Mouse cartoons. Any time a giant corporate entity can see the smart humor to be found within its own walls, that’s a good thing.

I also really enjoyed the post-credit scene as well, so stay tuned for that. It was cute (but I also expected it to end sooner than it did and really leave us hanging).

Overall, it was a fun but very very generic glossed-over look at the internet. Many internet horrors were of course not mentioned, as I wouldn’t expect in a family film, but I don’t know, maybe more of a warning about how you shouldn’t actually try to make a ton of money doing stupid things on video, and how that hard truth isn’t necessarily a good thing would’ve been wise to add. The fun innocence of the first film definitely lost its luster, which again, could be a metaphor for the real internet. I’m not sure it would be a multiple-viewing title in our house, which is our usual mark of success.

I’d love to know what you think! If you have seen Ralph Breaks the Internet, did you love it or agree with anything above? Let’s discuss!

Disclaimer: I attended a complimentary screening, but my opinions are (obviously) my own.

Halloween On the High Seas – Worth It?

1 November 2018 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Ok yes, I know, Halloween is SO 24 hours ago…but if you’re reading this, you probably know that planning a Disney cruise isn’t really a last minute thing, and something you should plan in advance and prepare for…unless you’re me and my family of course. I’d say about 75% of the Disney cruises I’ve been on have been booked within a couple of months of cruising, which, I’m not recommending. I’m just a spontaneous kind of gal, and when my daughter says in August, “Ahhh, a Halloween cruise would be so funnn!” I think, “yes, yes it would. Let me look into that.” And here we are. I don’t recommend this, because with Disney especially, prices usually go UP the longer you wait, not go down. It’s very rare that Disney Cruise Line is thinking, “gee, I sure wish we could fill these empty staterooms…” It happens, but not on a 3-night Halloween on the High Seas cruise, ya know? So my first piece of advice, is plan ahead. I personally recommend MouseFanTravel.com* for all your travel planning needs!

Now let’s get to the point of this article – IS IT WORTH IT?! Well, let me digress here a bit and say that I am a little biased in that I do love Disney Cruise Line. It’s who I’ve cruised the most with, and who my children (2 of which aren’t children anymore I guess at 18 and 20) have cruised the most with, and we are all therefore extremely spoiled by the impeccable service but down to earth fun, and just overall experience of a Disney Cruise. We as a family tend to cruise for the ship, not the itinerary. [Unless it’s somewhere new that we haven’t been, we don’t even get off the ship until Castaway Cay. [We always stay onboard in Nassau (it’s the best time to visit Senses Spa!), and don’t really disembark in the Mexico ports either. In fact, last time we went on a Western Caribbean itinerary to Grand Cayman, I couldn’t convince them to get off the ship then either, and I actually love Grand Cayman. I of course love traveling to new places, but I feel like most cruise ports, especially in the Caribbean are extremely homogenized to the tourist experience: duty free shops that are the same in every port, locals trying to make a quick buck, and even dining that isn’t really authentic. I know there are places to find real experiences, and with research or talking to locals, you can then explore like a local, but that hasn’t really been a priority for us as a family up to this point.] For us, we have traditions that we love to continue on the ship. The familiarity of the dining rotation, the Cabana’s buffet, the pizza-or-ice-cream-whenever-you-want-it…ok I just realized these are all food related but what can I say…we also enjoy killing it at Disney Trivia every single time we sail (Trivia Winners 4 cruises running :P).

Anyway, my point is, we like the experience of a Disney Cruise. What better way to enjoy a Disney Cruise that much more, than a themed cruise? Here’s what I thought of Halloween on the High Seas:

First, we went on a 3-night cruise on the Disney Dream. Due to Disney cruises being more expensive to begin with, our last minute booking, and the fact that we had pretty much just come back from summer vacation when I booked it, I thought this would be a good quick getaway with minimal time away from work/school. A 3-night is my least favorite cruise to take, we always feel like we just got on board and then have to get back off again. Now add to that Halloween activities, and it felt even more rushed. But a cruise is a cruise, we had fun. Let’s run down all the Halloween extras on board.

Characters:

We aren’t usually into waiting in line for characters, we can do that down the street any time, but for those that are into that, the lines were long but moved pretty quickly, and there are many, many opportunities to meet various characters in regular and Halloween attire. Keep in mind there are some character greetings on Disney Cruise Line where you can make a reservation to receive a ticket to meet with them. You can find more about reserving Disney character meetings here. You can also see the characters in their Halloween costumes during the smaller shows on board your sailing.

Halloween Decor:

This is what I was most excited about, just because it was new to us. I loved the Pumpkin Tree, which apparently used to “grow” jack-o-lanterns overnight on HotHS sailings, but either they don’t do this any more, or don’t do it on 3-night cruises because when we got on board, the pumpkins were all fully grown. It’s still super fun to see, and we did enjoy the Pumpkin Tree show that happened the first night, with the Caretaker narrating and kids chanting to bring the tree to life. You can see the full video of the Pumpkin Tree Lighting on the Disney Dream below!

Click to see more Disney Dream Halloween decor:

I also got the Halloween decor package (along with the Birthday package) for the cabin for extra festiveness

Door magnets that came with the packages

A special trick-or-treating bag that came with the Halloween package

It was a fun obstacle course to walk in the cabin!

Halloween Activities:

There were plenty! Crafts for kids in the Oceaneer’s Club and Lab, The Pumpkin Tree show above, Trick-or-Treating, Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party, Nightmare Before Christmas Sing and Scream-along movie showing, and even adults-only Halloween events and a costume contest. I honestly thought there was a family costume contest which is part of why we went with a group costume and were dressing up, but since we had gone to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom in costume, we were okay with just dressing up and letting my 10 year old trick-or-treat. I can definitely see how having a family costume contest with THAT many kids involved would be a subjective and “let me speak to your manager”-nightmare with some parents. We couldn’t compete in the contest without our Bert, so we chose not to leave him behind and go to the adult events.

Click to see more of our costume night!

A silly game Scott played with Gio during the party

Halloween Food Items:

Honestly, I didn’t realize there were specialty food items until I took the Disney Cruise Line survey that arrived in my email this week. Ooops. I did see a fun Pumpkin cupcake in Vanellope’s, my youngest son, who was celebrating his birthday early on board, was given a special spider dessert, and I noticed the Oogie Boogie and Cauldron popcorn buckets and Poison Apple cup for sale at the Walt Disney Theatre, but I totally missed the themed drinks or anything else. That said, I really wasn’t looking anyway. If that’s your thing, you’ll find plenty of ways to spend your money and get an instagram-worthy photo!

Halloween Merchandise:

I have a confession. I did not buy one piece of merchandise on this cruise. I know. I know. Who even AM I? I’ll tell you who I am, a crazed mother of 3, on a 3-night sailing with so much going on, I never even had the TIME to go to the shops. I walked through a few times after the shows, and said “Oh, I’ll come back when it’s less crowded.” But we had late dining, and were so tired after, we usually just went to the cabin. Then on the last night, “I said I have to go!” but that was also the night for Disney Trivia, at 10:45, and while it was only 15 minutes long, with the stores closing at 11pm, that was just enough time to not be able to go. At all. I could stare through the closed gates, cry my invisible tears, and wonder if I knew anyone going on a HotHS cruise in the next few weeks. I always get a t-shirt, and usually one for my son or husband or mom too. I always get a Christmas ornament. I was really debating getting a giant Tervis Tumbler themed to the cruise. ARGHHH. It really took me a moment to get over it. But at the end of the day, it was the universe saying “you spent enough….you have 4329 t-shirts….” but the tumblerrrrrr. Ok, I’m over it, I swear. I’ll just have to go back. I know there’s ebay, but with a cast member husband getting 35% off, I cringe at paying not only sticker price, but MORE because it’s on ebay. I’ll survive. Anyway, there is a ton of themed merchandise, make sure you go before 11pm when you are in international waters! 😉

••••

Sooo, that was mostly a list of what there is to do or eat or buy, but what did I really think? Well, I’m glad we did it. It was a fun family adventure. And let’s be honest, they could have a Superstar Limo on the High Seas sailing, and we’d have fun. It’s a Disney Cruise. What I will say is that it’s a LOT of stuff going on for 3 nights. Things are already action-packed without adding in additional, this-sailing-only activities and events, and it’s hard to do it all. The Halloween Mouse-Querade and trick-or-treating happens the same night as Pirate Night on the 3-night, so there was a lot of hemming and hawing about wanting to be in costume or pirate attire for dinner that night and the show before dinner too. There are of course, no wrong answers about what to wear or participate in (except forgetting to go shopping), it’s all fun, you’re going to have a great time, whether you are in full costume participating, or just watching it all around you. We did a little of both and it was a great mix. It did feel rushed, but if we were on a longer sailing, I’m sure that wouldn’t be an issue.

My final ruling would be, definitely go, but maybe not as a first time Disney Cruise Line experience. I think there are sometimes too many things going on for the theme and it felt like you constantly had to make sure you didn’t miss something. But again, a longer sailing probably wouldn’t have that problem. If it is your first sailing, try to go for a longer cruise so you can experience the best of both worlds.

Things to Consider:

Costume Storage: We had quite a few articles of clothing and accessories for our group ensemble. A penguin suit, 2 full suits, 3 hats, dresses, a petticoat, high heels, dress shoes, and accessories (and that was with leaving Bert’s cane in the car by accident). SO, keep in mind you may need more luggage than normal. I also had shark onesies for my older two for Pirate Night, so we had a whole huge suitcase just for those items. We also are locals, so it wasn’t a big deal in any way to have one extra suitcase for us. If you’re flying in, it’s definitely something to organize and plan for ahead of time.

What’s Most Important to Everyone: Back when I was on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, this was my main piece of advice for people overwhelmed by their first visit. It’s impossible to do it all. So make sure each member of your party figures out what they don’t want to miss, and try to plan those things into your schedule. If you want to take photos with characters, do some of that. If you want to see all the special shows, or play BINGO, figure out when to do those things. The best way to make sure you don’t miss anything is to download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. It has all of the info from the paper Navigators placed in your cabin each night, organized in your phone. You can set up notifications, and favorite items to get notified before they are about to start. You can also easily text everyone in your party, with nary a wi-fi package charged to your stateroom. Also make sure to plan in some down time. It is a cruise, it’s supposed to be a relaxing way to unplug from the real world. Don’t forget to actually do that, despite using your phone for the Navigator app, it’s so freeing to have no emails piling up in your notifications.

It Will Be Crowded: There were definitely more small children than I’ve noticed on our other sailings. The Pumpkin Tree lighting and the Mouse-Querade Party were swarming with tiny princesses and Captain Americas and Jedis and various Disney Channel characters in miniature form. All Disney Cruise Line sailings will have a lot of kids, but it seems this is amplified with the Halloween theme. I’ve sailed the Merrytime Cruise as well and didn’t find that to be the case here. The draw of costumes and candy are too great. Here are the dates Halloween on the High Seas sailings will be next year:

2019 Sail Dates

Disney Magic

September 25, 2019 – October 27, 2019

Disney Wonder

October 4, 2019 – October 27, 2019

Disney Dream

September 9, 2019 – October 28, 2019

Disney Fantasy

September 7, 2019 – October 27, 2019

All in all, it was yet another wonderful time on Disney Cruise Line. This sailing was especially memorable as it was my oldest two children’s first time sailing as adults. They got to experience Palo brunch for the first time, and the Senses Spa as we enjoyed the Rainforest during the Nassau day in port. It was a wonderful day with them and I’m sure the first of many times they stuff themselves at Palo and sweat it all out in the sauna!

What about you? Have you been on a Halloween on the High Seas sailing on Disney Cruise Line? What did you think? What was your most and least favorite part?

*I also work for MEI & Mouse Fan Travel but I paid full price for my cruise and my opinions are my own. ☺️