Lilo & Stitch: A Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride

I was excited to see the Magical Blogorail's American Tourister giveaway (if you didn't see it the first time check out my American Tourister review) would focus on Disney couples!

Checking out My Disneyside with Magical Blogorail!

Welcome to those of you joining me from Disney Babies Blog and those of you just hopping aboard.

Alice in Wonderland Themed Baby Shower Games!

Welcome to those of you joining me from Return to Disney and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 4th stop on our Magical Blogorail.  I will be exploring the games and activities at this virtual Alice in Wonderland themed baby shower! 

Once Begun is Half Done: Why I love Mary Poppins!

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Peach. Enjoy the ride as we share our tribute to Mary Poppins in anticipation of the release of Disney's Saving Mr. Banks! 

I have always loved me some Mary! My sister and I used to pretend our toys were putting themselves away and we used to sing feed the birds if my mom ever let us throw old stale bread crumbs off our porch. We loved Mary (and Julie for that matter) and as I got older I realized how important some of the lessons I learned in Mary Poppins were... not just about hard work ("in every job that must be done there is an element of fun"), responsibility ("once begun is half done"), socio-economic differences, and the power of a wonderful imagination... but the idea that stuck with me the most is when Bert (also love Dick Van Dyke) said: 

They makes cages in all sizes and shapes, you know. Bank-shaped, some of 'em, carpets and all.

I think this stands out to me more as an adult but I loved all the interactions with Bert and to this day Mary & Bert may be my all time favorite Disney couple.  I see people caged every day it and makes me feel somehow sad but also uncontrollably happy to know how free I am.  If you are one of the caged people out there, whether that is a bank-shaped, cubicle-shaped, credit card-shaped, or even just lonely-shaped cage let today be your day and set yourself free. Reach for the stars! 

As for merry Mary memories.  I cherish my time seeing Mary Poppins on Broadway even more after my grandmother passed away this summer.  I remember how elated she was when we stepped off the train in Manhattan and how she smiled as we walked from Grand Central to the theatre.  My mother, sister, grandmother, and I had the perfect day... after all when Mary is involved how could it not have been practically perfect in every way?

And to wrap things up here is the dialogue from one of my favorite scenes:

Bert: All right, I'll do it myself!

Mary Poppins: Do what?

Bert: Bit o' magic!

Michael: A bit of magic?

Bert: It's easy! Let's see... You think. You wink You do a double blink. You close your eyes... and jump.

Jane: Is something s'posed to happen?

Mary Poppins: Bert, what utter nonsense!

Why do you always complicate things that are really quite simple? Give me your hand please, Michael. Don't slouch. One... two...

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney in Our Blood. If you are looking for more Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs.”

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Picturing Disney (You are here!)

2nd Stop ~ Disney in Our Blood

3rd Stop ~ Can Do It Mom AKA Mouse Fan Diane

4th Stop ~ 400 Miles to Disneyland

My Disney Thank You List :)

Welcome to those of you joining me from 400 Miles to Disneyland and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the final stop on our Magical Blogorail. 

This month the proposed topic was "What, big or small, are you thankful for at Disney?" I knew the answer immediately but I still can't decide whether it is big or small.  What I am most thankful for in my life is magic and love.  It goes without saying that I continue being thankful on vacation- maybe even somehow I feel more grateful for the ability to take trips and have fun with people I love.  How does anyone go to Disney and not feel this? How do you head out to the happiest place on Earth and not have a vacation filled with laughter and joy? 

People sometimes ask me why I keep going back to Disney and its those magical moments.  Like riding Prince Charming's carousel with my husband at 2:30 in the morning during extra magic hours this Spring and laughing and goofing off.  I looked over at my husband and thought "I will be 100 years old and remember *this* moment." The joy was palpable the laughter singing in the air.  I wasn't just celebrating my 30th birthday I was celebrating every happy moment in my life that lead up to that trip and me being the person I am.

When I am counting down to a trip and hit single digits a small bit of excitement begins to grow in the pit of my stomach.  As I pack and start gushing to people it builds and builds.  By the time we hit the airport my smile is plastered on my face and when we reach Orlando International airport the minute that the thick sweet air hits me I feel like I am home.  The excitement is now swollen inside of me to the point my heart feels like it is inflating with love and as we check in and head to a park my happiness and heartbeat pick up.  Then I step onto Main Street USA and here the ring of bells in the music or the futuristic sound of Epcot's entrance music and no word described my feeling more than THANKFUL.  I am thankful to be in Disney, thankful to have a wonderful husband who loves me and loves never growing up with me, and thankful for the adventure on the horizon.  

I guess that is a pretty big thing to be thankful for. 

Thank YOU for joining Magical Blogorail Peach this month. We will be back on December 3rd with an all new theme. If you are looking for more Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ Disney in Our Blood
2nd Stop ~ Can Do It Mom AKA Mouse Fan Diane
3rd Stop ~ 400 Miles to Disneyland
4th Stop ~ Picturing Disney

Best Halloween Memory at Disney

Welcome to those of you joining me from The Disney Kids and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 3rd stop on our Magical Blogorail. Today we are sharing our favorite Halloween memories!

A few years ago my husband and two of our best friends headed down to the world to celebrate Halloween Disney style, enjoy some Food & Wine Festival and just escape for a little while to the Boardwalk! We started our trip by heading into Epcot for some beer and lunch. Then we headed back to our room at Boardwalk Inn to get ready for all of our first visits to the wonderful Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party. I can not recommend this extra-ticketed part event more! I love Disney all times of year but Halloween holds a special place in my heart because of the love cinnamon pumpkin smells wafting through Magic Kingdom and the awesome decorations.

While we did not partake in Disney style trick or treating, we did make sure we hit all the best photo ops, took spins on our fave rides, and obviously enjoyed some burgers and fixins at Pecos Bills! Then we headed on over to watch the fireworks and see the parade (we opted for the second showing of the parade so we could nab seats up at the Main Street Train Station). I think Hallowishes was the most magical part of our evening. Even though we are technically adults all four of us (and by the four of us I mean Hermione Granger, Cinderella after her dress was torn apart, and two New York Giants fans) stood near the castle hub starring up in awe as the end of October sky was lit up with magical dancing 
sparks as the ghostly and fantastical music filled the Florida air.

 

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney in Our Blood.

1st Stop ~ Can Do It Mom AKA Mouse Fan Diane
2nd Stop ~ The Disney Kids
3rd Stop ~ Picturing Disney
4th Stop ~ Disney in Our Blood

Best places for budgeting & splurging on Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner!

Welcome to those of you joining me from 400 Miles to Disneyland and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the 2nd stop on our Magical Blogorail.

I am going to try my best to keep this simple by saying that I think you really need to consider all your Disney meals on property a splurge. I mean, if we put it in perspective even quick service snacks and counter service meals can be pricey for a family! This is why I often opt for the Disney Dining Plan and I think that is my biggest meal-related splurge since I like the idea of pre-purchasing meals and budgeting prior to the trip to pay for my dining.

Breakfast
I can't quite narrow down a specific restaurant but I must say that my favorite breakfast experience to spend extra money on is character dining! O'hana is my favorite character dining which is located at the Polynesian resort and Cape May Cafe a close second at Yacht & Beach Club. and although the breakfasts are usually family-style or buffets they still cost a pretty penny if you are paying out of pocket.

Lunch
I love World Showcase and if we schedule a late dinner and grab an on-the-go breakfast we sometimes book lunches at our favorite Epcot restaurants. In particular we always enjoy our meals at Chefs de France and San Angel Inn. No matter what cuisine you are looking for you can find it in Epcot's World Showcase, and after eating at every restaurant in World Showcase I can honestly say you will enjoy the cuisine here. In most country pavilions you can also stop at a quick service dining location which, although pricey for something called "quick" is very tasty and far from fast food. I particularly like the quick service dining in Mexico, Germany, and Japan.

Dinner

My favorite dinner splurge is a rather large splurge and that is signature dining locations. Most of these are located in Disney World's deluxe resorts but there are some in the parks as well (Epcot's Le Cellier Steakhouse and Magic Kingdom's Cinderella's Royal Table are two notable examples). These pricey meals use two table service credits if you are on the Disney Dining Plan and my favorite so far is Narcoosee's at the Grand Floridian. If you can't eat shellfish I would instead recommend California Grill at the Contemporary.

One of the best things about visiting Walt Disney World is the world class dining and amazing experiences to be had with your meals. I highly recommend checking out the Disney World Guide or purchasing a guide book to help you through researching your meals and books advanced dining reservations! 

Bon Apetit & thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney in Our Blood.

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:

1st Stop ~ 400 Miles to Disneyland
2nd Stop ~ Picturing Disney
3rd Stop ~ Disney in Our Blood
4th Stop ~ Can Do It Mom AKA Mouse Fan Diane

The Disney Attraction I Love to Hate

Welcome to the first stop aboard Magical Blogorail Peach! Enjoy the ride as we share the Disney attraction we love to hate!

I am going to start us off with a ride that I think may just be on most people's "must" list: Space Mountain! I abhor this ride! Each time I have ridden it (a total of 3 times, twice in Disney World and once in Disneyland) I have had an irrational fear that my husband was going to be decapitated by the metal which I felt like was closing in on us surrounding the track. I have just NEVER EVER been able to enjoy the scenic tour through the stars that brings everyone else back here over and over.


However, for a very personal reason I now feel like I can't wait to get back to the park so that I can try it again and try my best to channel my Grandma and ride it fearlessly. My Grandma was one of those magical people who made me smile just coming in a door. She had a sing-songy way of saying "Hello" when she entered a house or a room and we shared a trait of being kids at heart. When my Grandma had a stroke in February I never let myself lose hope and when she lost her battle earlier this month I felt my heart break in a way that I wasn't sure how to put it back together. Day by day I have been reminding myself that she is free of pain and with my Nana Rose and Grandpa Fred now (her parents) shining down on us. Every day I try to remember that if I hold on to memories she will always be with me no matter how much I wish I could see her again. I have taught myself to sew on her sewing machine using her sewing kit and I try to write down special memories when I think of them so I won't ever forget. I have visited my Grandpa with my sister and mom just spending time with him or helping him go through old cabinets and books. The thing I never realized about losing someone so important to you is that its not a process that gets "easier every day" like people say but instead you start to make personal revelations in which you realize that death changes your life because that important person was so much of who you are and that you are a new person after the metamorphosis.

My Grandma and Grandpa bought a condo on Anna Maria Island when I was little. For most of my life I remember them going down to Florida for nearly all of November and on one of their first trips they visited Magic Kingdom. My Grandma always loved when I would send her pictures of me and my husband from our Disney trips and we always tried to bring something back for my grandparents too. We would talk about their trip and even watched my Grandpa's full ride video of It's A Small World (I guess the acorn doesn't fall very far from the tree with all the pictures and vids I have of that ride). One of my favorite stories is how my Grandma really wanted to ride the People Mover. However, she couldn't find the line so they walked along the perimeter where the track was only to come to the Space Mountain line... it was the longest so they determined it would make sense that it was for the cart that takes you all the way around Tomorrowland. Not only did my Grandma wait on the line (which was only 10-15 minutes long according to their story) for Space Mountain but she didn't realize it wasn't the People Mover until she was about to board and at that point figured, "What the hell?" and rode! 

So, yeah, I hate Space Mountain. I have always hated it for every trip we have ever taken and all the times I attempted it. I actually cried on it the first time we rode. BUT, it is a fan favorite and I do love a rollercoaster so I figure I should give it another try. Why? Because: What the hell? Maybe it will turn out to be one of my favorites since it can bring me closer to one of my favorite people in the world who I miss dearly and who hopped right on and rode. ;)

Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Magical Blogorail Loop is Disney in Our Blood.
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop ~ Picturing Disney

2nd Stop ~ Disney in Our Blood

3rd Stop ~ Can Do It Mom AKA Mouse Fan Diane

4th Stop ~ 400 Miles to Disneyland

Stay Cool with Disney Snacks

Welcome to those of you joining me from 400 Miles to Disneyland and those of you just hopping aboard. I am the final stop on our Magical Blogorail.

As my fellow Disney lovers have been discussing, there are a lot of strategies for beating the heat in the Disney Parks (and really in Florida all together).  Being a New Yorker, believe it or not, I don't find the humidity all that different from my home state.  The only difference in the summer humidity is that it actually breaks here in New York after a shower or thunderstorm!  Albeit hot and sweaty I don't mind lathering up in sunscreen and heading into my favorite park in any heat or humidity.  However, there are some days where these bad boys are necessary for my survival:

I love the theming of Disney pools and I love to take a break at my resort hotels so I can freshen up for late summer nights, but grabbing a quick snack is one of the best ways to take a break from the heat.  You can sit in the shade and people watch or dip into a quick stop for some air conditioning reprieve while you enjoy a snack.  My favorite mickey shaped treats can be found throughout all Disney parks in carts that never seem to far away!

There are also great ice cream stops within the parks that you shouldn't miss! My husband love's Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland (I always get Root Beer Floats here) and I love the ice cream choices around world showcase (like the Gelato at the Italy pavilion) but a good ole Mickey Premium Ice Cream bar hits the spot any day!

Thank you for joining Magical Blogorail Peach this month. We will be back on August 6th with an all new theme. If you are looking for more Disney magic, you can make your way over to The Magical Blogorail website to see all our members and their blogs.

1st Stop ~ Disney in Our Blood
2nd Stop ~ Can Do It Mom AKA Mouse Fan Diane
3rd Stop ~ 400 Miles to Disneyland
4th Stop ~ Picturing Disney