Oh I'm late, I'm late for a very important date! Last night I fell asleep in the singing flower garden and when I awoke, Absolem was blowing smoke rings in my face. I then remembered I completely forgot to do our Weekly Wednesday Wonderland Wrapup! I am starting to think the Hatter is putting something other than sugar in my tea since I've been more fatigued than usual. Now allow me to curtsy (and think while doing so to save time of course) to you as I offer my sincerest apologies for my absence. It seems as if TweedleDee and TweedleDum have run off with my thoughts again. Pardon me for a moment whilst I look for them.
Ah yes here's where I want to begin. I wanted to let you all know where Prince Richard and I were with the planning of our most magical journey. Thankfully Prince Richard paid off his balance we owed to Mr. Mouse on August 26 so now we are OFFICIALLY BOOKED!!!! As of today, we have 100 days left until we set foot on the Happiest Place on Earth's property. I cannot even express how excited we are as the days go on, and to think we are almost into the double digits! Time seems to be flying before our trip which is awesome, but I hope time slows down once we get there! There is nothing worse then being so excited for a trip then realize it went by way to fast. With so much to do in so little time, we are still figuring out how exactly we are going to cram in all we want to see.
One way we are tackling our dilemma of so little time and so much to do is by switching some of our dining reservations. As my loyal tea party guests, you will all remember the party we had about planning where to eat in order to see fireworks and such (and if you don't I suggest you lay off the Forgetful Fudge!) As of right now, we've changed a total of 3 of our reservations to better maximize our time in the parks. Our first change came about because we felt like we were shortchanging ourselves with days at MGM. Even though MGM is one of the smaller parks, there is still so much to do there. So the day we had originally booked for Boma, we will now be dining at the 50's Prime Time. I liked the idea of switching to this restaurant because 1) we can remain in MGM and not have to worry about leaving and then coming back, and 2) The 50's theme will only enhance the magic of being in MGM. Our next change was also made to allow more time in the park. On 12/13 We were already going to be in MK all day and night (MVMCP), and were planning on eating at Crystal Palace at 6:40. Since the party officially starts at 7, we felt like we may be missing out, so we moved our dinner to 3:50. Finally, our Breakfast with Chef Mickey was also moved to an earlier reservation (7am!) on our departure day so we can get plenty of time in a park before our magic ends.
As you know, many fairies have visited our mailbox lately, and the latest one brought something very special. Our custom maps have finally arrived! We are so excited! The quality is phenomenal! The maps came in an amazing old journal looking envelope and included a personalized letter. We have maps of all 4 theme parks and also a map of the entire WDW property which will more than likely be framed and hung up to bring some magic into our apartment! If you've never ordered them, I highly recommend you do, however you may want to wait a bit until they update them with the new fantasy land.
In addition to celebrating our personal triumphs with planning our trip, we would also like to celebrate all the new directions our Tea Parties have gone in. I am very happy that we've added 3 new segments (including this one) that HOPEFULLY will be featured weekly at our parties. On Tuesdays, all of my guests will now get a chance to take a peek in to my oven to see what's cooking for our Tea Time Treats segment. Wednesdays will feature our Weekly Wednesday Wonderland Wrapups which will update all of you on any and all news happening in Wonderland for each particular week. Finally, our Most Valuable Tea Party Guest interview segment will be featured on Fridays, just in time for the weekend!
So much is happening in Wonderland at once it's hard to keep track of where we are going and when we are going there. Again, Welcome to the Wacky World that is Wonderland! If you expect the unexpected, you shall never be disappointed or surprised when we miss a party or have multiple parties in one day! Here in Wonderland, we work like the wind. Sometimes we're not all there, sometimes we're blowing sugar all over the table. You never quite know what you are walking into. With all this being said, be happy is isn't your watch that is 2 days slow! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 21
What a Wonderful Wednesday here in Wonderland! I do hope your week has been going well. Just think, we're halfway through the work week! Today's an excellent day to be in Wonderland because not only are we continuing our Disney Challenge, but we are also featuring a Wednesday Wonderland Wrapup! Instead of featuring small updates daily about Prince Rich and I planning our journey into the Magic, I would like to try to tie all our updates into one post a week. I'm thinking of this as a way to somewhat organize the mess that we call Wonderland. Blasphemy I know, but sometimes my mind is to scattered and I love track of what I've told you all. So many new segments, so little time. To prevent our watches from getting 2 days slow, let's dive into the Disney Challenge!
Today's challenge question was an extremely easy one which I welcome with open arms! I was asked to share my favorite sequel with my distinguished guests. Sometimes (ok MOST times) when people hear about Disney sequels, they think of films that go straight to DVD such ad Lion King 2 an1 1/2. However, some of the most treasured films are in fact sequels. For example, The Rescuers Down Under is a much beloved film with fantastic characters and a great storyline. To make a great Disney sequel, filmmakers must take into account several factors. For one, they must make sure that they maintain the presence and familiarity of its main characters. For example, what would The Rescuers Down Under be without the dynamic duo of Bernard and Miss Bianca. They also must make sure that the story line follows an easy chronological pattern. Sometimes making a sequel actually be a "prequel" can confuse younger viewers and take away from the original story. Finally, when making a sequel, you MUST make sure new characters blend well with the original cast of characters. There is nothing worse then wondering a characters purpose in a movie.
Today's two films I would like to feature are sequels to a much loved Disney/Pixar film. I cannot mention the sequels without first talking about the amazing original classic! Buzz and Woody first jumped out of Andy's toy box in 1995 creating the beloved tale we know as Toy Story. In the original film, we discover the much imagined world of what happens to our toys when we aren't there with them. Woody and Buzz begin their relationship with a powerful rivalry as to who exactly boasts the much coveted title of "The Favorite Toy". After much battle ensues and the dust settles in the toy galaxy, these two realize they make better partners then foes and open the door for many more toy adventures.
In 1999 our favorite toys jumped out of the toy box yet again, but this time it wasn't to play. In Toy Story 2 Woody gets "Toynapped" by an evil collector determined to complete his set of toys from the popular TV show "Woody's Round-Up". Buzz, Rex, Ham, and all the other friends in the Toy box work together to venture to Al's Toy Barn to save their friend from being shipped to Japan. I love this movie because not only does it have a "Human" villain, it also has a Toy Villain in the form of "The Prospector" who has a bitter attitude from never being bought and "loved". It is in Toy Story 2 that we also meet a few great characters including two great characters, Jessie the cowgirl and Bullseye the horse, that especially add to the dynamic of the original cast.
Toy Story 3 is by far my favorite sequel in this series. Debuting in 2010, loyal Toy Story Fans who have grown up themselves finally get a chance to see what Andy and his friends have been up to for all these years. Andy is heading off to college and as most kids that age have to do, he must decide what to keep from his childhood and what to toss away. After not being played with for many years, our friends in the Toy box are hoping to catch the attention of Andy so he can remember the memories they made with him when he was little so he can take them to college with him. After mistakenly thinking that Andy was throwing them out (He was actually putting them in the attic), the toys decide to take a chance and jump in the box headed for a local daycare. Our friends meet some of the Daycare inhabitants and at first have hope of finally being played with. However, things change quickly when they realize that the "Daycare play" is DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT than the kind of play they are used to. When Woody is taken to a little girl's house, he gets the scoop on the Villainous toys they met at the Daycare. I love this movie because we get to see Woody saving his friends from the terrors of Sunnyside and reunite with Andy one last time before they embark on another adventure with a new little girl, Bonnie. I feel like this sequel really brought the series full circle and made us all feel a little nostalgic and remember that "You got a friend in me."
With an announcement of a possible Toy Story 4, I am very excited to see how our friends are making out with their new friend Bonnie and her toys. I do hope the Disney/Pixar team can keep the magic together and don't let this next endeavor fall into the cracks as a straight to DVD movie. How about all of you? What do you think about a new Toy Story movie? I'll let you think about it while you finish your tea and get on with your work day. I do hope you will all stop by for our Wednesday Wonderland Wrapup later on. Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Today's challenge question was an extremely easy one which I welcome with open arms! I was asked to share my favorite sequel with my distinguished guests. Sometimes (ok MOST times) when people hear about Disney sequels, they think of films that go straight to DVD such ad Lion King 2 an1 1/2. However, some of the most treasured films are in fact sequels. For example, The Rescuers Down Under is a much beloved film with fantastic characters and a great storyline. To make a great Disney sequel, filmmakers must take into account several factors. For one, they must make sure that they maintain the presence and familiarity of its main characters. For example, what would The Rescuers Down Under be without the dynamic duo of Bernard and Miss Bianca. They also must make sure that the story line follows an easy chronological pattern. Sometimes making a sequel actually be a "prequel" can confuse younger viewers and take away from the original story. Finally, when making a sequel, you MUST make sure new characters blend well with the original cast of characters. There is nothing worse then wondering a characters purpose in a movie.
Today's two films I would like to feature are sequels to a much loved Disney/Pixar film. I cannot mention the sequels without first talking about the amazing original classic! Buzz and Woody first jumped out of Andy's toy box in 1995 creating the beloved tale we know as Toy Story. In the original film, we discover the much imagined world of what happens to our toys when we aren't there with them. Woody and Buzz begin their relationship with a powerful rivalry as to who exactly boasts the much coveted title of "The Favorite Toy". After much battle ensues and the dust settles in the toy galaxy, these two realize they make better partners then foes and open the door for many more toy adventures.
In 1999 our favorite toys jumped out of the toy box yet again, but this time it wasn't to play. In Toy Story 2 Woody gets "Toynapped" by an evil collector determined to complete his set of toys from the popular TV show "Woody's Round-Up". Buzz, Rex, Ham, and all the other friends in the Toy box work together to venture to Al's Toy Barn to save their friend from being shipped to Japan. I love this movie because not only does it have a "Human" villain, it also has a Toy Villain in the form of "The Prospector" who has a bitter attitude from never being bought and "loved". It is in Toy Story 2 that we also meet a few great characters including two great characters, Jessie the cowgirl and Bullseye the horse, that especially add to the dynamic of the original cast.
Toy Story 3 is by far my favorite sequel in this series. Debuting in 2010, loyal Toy Story Fans who have grown up themselves finally get a chance to see what Andy and his friends have been up to for all these years. Andy is heading off to college and as most kids that age have to do, he must decide what to keep from his childhood and what to toss away. After not being played with for many years, our friends in the Toy box are hoping to catch the attention of Andy so he can remember the memories they made with him when he was little so he can take them to college with him. After mistakenly thinking that Andy was throwing them out (He was actually putting them in the attic), the toys decide to take a chance and jump in the box headed for a local daycare. Our friends meet some of the Daycare inhabitants and at first have hope of finally being played with. However, things change quickly when they realize that the "Daycare play" is DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT than the kind of play they are used to. When Woody is taken to a little girl's house, he gets the scoop on the Villainous toys they met at the Daycare. I love this movie because we get to see Woody saving his friends from the terrors of Sunnyside and reunite with Andy one last time before they embark on another adventure with a new little girl, Bonnie. I feel like this sequel really brought the series full circle and made us all feel a little nostalgic and remember that "You got a friend in me."
With an announcement of a possible Toy Story 4, I am very excited to see how our friends are making out with their new friend Bonnie and her toys. I do hope the Disney/Pixar team can keep the magic together and don't let this next endeavor fall into the cracks as a straight to DVD movie. How about all of you? What do you think about a new Toy Story movie? I'll let you think about it while you finish your tea and get on with your work day. I do hope you will all stop by for our Wednesday Wonderland Wrapup later on. Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 20 and Tea Time Treats
A Terrific Tuesday Tea here in Wonderland today guests! I do hope you are all well. Did anyone have a Pixar marathon last night? Sadly I didn't, but plans are definitely in the works for one! We are definitely in need of some Pixie Dust here in my neck of the woods today. I'm expecting Eeyore to walk in my office any minute now since the weather is just so gloomy. I have a little treat for you all on this most gloomy of days. I'm sure your bellies remember our new Tea Time Treats segment. Last time I baked Fluffernutter Brownie Cones to share with all of you. This week, I must admit, I didn't bake these sweet treats myself, but once you see them AND try them, I'm sure you will find it in your heart of hearts to forgive me! But before we fill our bellies, how about we enjoy a little Disney Challenge?
Today's Challenge is another Pixar related challenge that asks me to share my least favorite Pixar film. Now, had this not been asked by Challenge, I would say that I LOVE every Pixar Movie. But alas, this IS challenge so I must choose. The movie I would say I enjoy the least would be A Bugs Life. Now I don't want to say it's a terrible movie, because it most certainly isn't. However, I would say I don't remember it being that "captivating" like the other Pixar movies are. I do enjoy the underdog story of it, and the circus performers were quite the comedy troupe, but there is one thing I don't like about it. All the "main" characters are ANTS and other BUGS! Bleh! I can usually deal with bugs no problem, but ANTS, no way!
I do have to give credit where it is due though. The main (ant) character, Flik, is the kind of guy that only wants to help others, even though sometimes it backfires. In the case of this movie, his latest "helpful" task knocks over the entire food offering for the evil grasshoppers, putting his entire colony in jeopardy. Instead of cowering away in shame, he does the right thing and goes looking for other bugs to help him fight the grasshoppers off. His interaction with other bugs through out the movie is where the comedy lies. With a stellar cast of voice over big shots, the one liners keep flying flawlessly throughout the film.
Enough about my "least favorite" things and let's move on to one of my "Most favorite" desserts! For this week's Tea Time Treats segment, I wanted to feature a familiar dessert that is currently a "fad" but has always been a favorite of mine. This week, Prince Rich and I took a trip to my favorite Cupcake shop down in Plymouth called Cupcake Charlies. This little cupcake shop serves up some of the most delicious cupcakes I've ever had. They have the classics such as Vanilla and Chocolate along with some more unique flavors such as chocolate chip, "Hostess", and usually a flavor of the day. These cupcakes are delicious by themselves but can be enjoyed more thoroughly with a delicious cup of your favorite tea. During this trip, I was definitely craving some sweetness, and bought a half dozen to get me through the week! If you've never been, I HIGHLY suggest you take the trip down. I promise you, you won't be disappointed. Here's some of the highlights of the deliciousness I brought home!
From top left to right Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Raspberry, Red Velvet
Bottom left to right Oreo, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and another Red Velvet
Close up of Red Velvet
Cross Section of the deliciousness
Whether you are in Plymouth, or at the Happiest Place on Earth, there's always room for some Tea Time Treats. I do hope you've enjoyed today's challenge and I bet your tummy is rumbling now! Hopefully you are having a delicious dinner! Have a magical evening and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Today's Challenge is another Pixar related challenge that asks me to share my least favorite Pixar film. Now, had this not been asked by Challenge, I would say that I LOVE every Pixar Movie. But alas, this IS challenge so I must choose. The movie I would say I enjoy the least would be A Bugs Life. Now I don't want to say it's a terrible movie, because it most certainly isn't. However, I would say I don't remember it being that "captivating" like the other Pixar movies are. I do enjoy the underdog story of it, and the circus performers were quite the comedy troupe, but there is one thing I don't like about it. All the "main" characters are ANTS and other BUGS! Bleh! I can usually deal with bugs no problem, but ANTS, no way!
I do have to give credit where it is due though. The main (ant) character, Flik, is the kind of guy that only wants to help others, even though sometimes it backfires. In the case of this movie, his latest "helpful" task knocks over the entire food offering for the evil grasshoppers, putting his entire colony in jeopardy. Instead of cowering away in shame, he does the right thing and goes looking for other bugs to help him fight the grasshoppers off. His interaction with other bugs through out the movie is where the comedy lies. With a stellar cast of voice over big shots, the one liners keep flying flawlessly throughout the film.
Enough about my "least favorite" things and let's move on to one of my "Most favorite" desserts! For this week's Tea Time Treats segment, I wanted to feature a familiar dessert that is currently a "fad" but has always been a favorite of mine. This week, Prince Rich and I took a trip to my favorite Cupcake shop down in Plymouth called Cupcake Charlies. This little cupcake shop serves up some of the most delicious cupcakes I've ever had. They have the classics such as Vanilla and Chocolate along with some more unique flavors such as chocolate chip, "Hostess", and usually a flavor of the day. These cupcakes are delicious by themselves but can be enjoyed more thoroughly with a delicious cup of your favorite tea. During this trip, I was definitely craving some sweetness, and bought a half dozen to get me through the week! If you've never been, I HIGHLY suggest you take the trip down. I promise you, you won't be disappointed. Here's some of the highlights of the deliciousness I brought home!
From top left to right Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Raspberry, Red Velvet
Bottom left to right Oreo, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and another Red Velvet
Close up of Red Velvet
Cross Section of the deliciousness
Monday, August 27, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 19
Day 19 Fav Pixar Monsters inc/Wall-e
Merry Monday to you all! I hope you were all able to keep your heads about you this weekend and didn't get into too much trouble. Prince Rich and I along with our friend Jamie visited our favorite bar yesterday and had some delicious Shipyard Pumpkin Ale, or "Tea of Fall" as I like to call it. I do hope you all found your way to Wonderland earlier this morning for the official announcement of our new party segment! I must say I am extremely excited about hearing from YOU! Now I know Monday's are hard enough, so I know we must keep this party short and sweet so you can get back to work!
Today's Challenge asks me to share with you my favorite Pixar Film. The partnership between Disney and Pixar has brought to life so many memorable characters and movies. Honestly, each time Disney/Pixar releases a movie, I fall more in love. From fish under the sea to robots in space, Pixar creates stories that everyone will love, both child and adult alike! When asked to pick just one film I love, I absolutely cannot, but I would like to share with you the two that most frequent my DVD player.
For our first film, we dive into a world quite like our own. Tall buildings, a big city, monsters, best friends, terrible bosses...wait, Monsters? Yes! Monsters Inc is one of my favorite movies because of just that, Monsters in a world mirroring our own! Sulley and Mike are two best friends who work at the "power plant" and are just trying to get through each day working on the "scare floor". Everything is going smoothly until Sulley's competitive co-worker, Randall, leaves a door open on the floor after hours that throws a wrench into everything! Well that wrench, a little girl named "Boo" completely steals the spotlight in the film. With her big eyes and adorable voice, she is hard not to love! This movie has so many hilarious scenes and the music of course is great, so naturally it is a must have for any Disney/Pixar lover.
Our second film also is a play on events of the present, but it slingshots us far into the future aboard the galaxy cruising Axiom. When the global corporation Buy N Large expanded too fast, the earth became covered with trash. Earth was so dirty that Buy N Large sponsored a space vacation cruise to get the population off the planet while they "rejuvenated" it with waste collecting robots. As it turns out, earth was too dirty, the mission was abandoned, and the project was shut down, leaving the population in space with them never knowing about Earth. All but one trash collecting robot was shut down. Cue in our adorable Wall-e and his love for his job and collecting things along the way. He eventually meets another robot, Eve, and the two fall in love. I love Wall-E because even though the robots can't talk except for their names and some other phrases, you can still feel and see the love between them. Eve and Wall-E team up and must save the population of Earth before they are lost in space forever!
Although we've only talked about two Pixar films, every one of them is fantastic. I strongly encourage all of you to brew your favorite tea tonight and sit down and have a Pixar marathon! Certainly sounds like a plan to me. I'm sure by now you've finished your morning Tea Time and must return to work. I hope to see you again at our next party! Please do not forget about our new segment either! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Merry Monday to you all! I hope you were all able to keep your heads about you this weekend and didn't get into too much trouble. Prince Rich and I along with our friend Jamie visited our favorite bar yesterday and had some delicious Shipyard Pumpkin Ale, or "Tea of Fall" as I like to call it. I do hope you all found your way to Wonderland earlier this morning for the official announcement of our new party segment! I must say I am extremely excited about hearing from YOU! Now I know Monday's are hard enough, so I know we must keep this party short and sweet so you can get back to work!
Today's Challenge asks me to share with you my favorite Pixar Film. The partnership between Disney and Pixar has brought to life so many memorable characters and movies. Honestly, each time Disney/Pixar releases a movie, I fall more in love. From fish under the sea to robots in space, Pixar creates stories that everyone will love, both child and adult alike! When asked to pick just one film I love, I absolutely cannot, but I would like to share with you the two that most frequent my DVD player.
For our first film, we dive into a world quite like our own. Tall buildings, a big city, monsters, best friends, terrible bosses...wait, Monsters? Yes! Monsters Inc is one of my favorite movies because of just that, Monsters in a world mirroring our own! Sulley and Mike are two best friends who work at the "power plant" and are just trying to get through each day working on the "scare floor". Everything is going smoothly until Sulley's competitive co-worker, Randall, leaves a door open on the floor after hours that throws a wrench into everything! Well that wrench, a little girl named "Boo" completely steals the spotlight in the film. With her big eyes and adorable voice, she is hard not to love! This movie has so many hilarious scenes and the music of course is great, so naturally it is a must have for any Disney/Pixar lover.
Our second film also is a play on events of the present, but it slingshots us far into the future aboard the galaxy cruising Axiom. When the global corporation Buy N Large expanded too fast, the earth became covered with trash. Earth was so dirty that Buy N Large sponsored a space vacation cruise to get the population off the planet while they "rejuvenated" it with waste collecting robots. As it turns out, earth was too dirty, the mission was abandoned, and the project was shut down, leaving the population in space with them never knowing about Earth. All but one trash collecting robot was shut down. Cue in our adorable Wall-e and his love for his job and collecting things along the way. He eventually meets another robot, Eve, and the two fall in love. I love Wall-E because even though the robots can't talk except for their names and some other phrases, you can still feel and see the love between them. Eve and Wall-E team up and must save the population of Earth before they are lost in space forever!
Although we've only talked about two Pixar films, every one of them is fantastic. I strongly encourage all of you to brew your favorite tea tonight and sit down and have a Pixar marathon! Certainly sounds like a plan to me. I'm sure by now you've finished your morning Tea Time and must return to work. I hope to see you again at our next party! Please do not forget about our new segment either! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Most Valuable Tea Party Hostess
About the Resorts in
general
Do you prefer staying off or on Disney property?
While staying off Disney property is very relaxing and may offer more privacy, I really enjoy staying on site for the perks
What resorts have you stayed at?
I've stayed at All Star Music, Movies, Beach Club, and Boardwalk I believe (I feel like I am missing one)
Fav/least fav resort and why?
I haven't stayed at many of the resorts, but of the ones that I have stayed at, I really love the All Star Movies. I love the Giant Buzz and Woody and all the themed pools. There are a lot of excellent places to take pictures there, along with all the other All Star Resorts. I think my least favorite would be the Boardwalk. I'm not saying it was a bad place to stay, but I was a kid when I was there and I don't remember it being very exciting
About the Parks in general
Inside the parks
How many times have you been to WDW/DL?
I've never been to DL but have been to WDW 4 times, and will be returning for trip number 5 in December
I've never been to DL but have been to WDW 4 times, and will be returning for trip number 5 in December
Are you a driver or a flyer?
I've never been one for long car rides and much prefer taking a magic carpet ride down to WDW
I've never been one for long car rides and much prefer taking a magic carpet ride down to WDW
Do you prefer staying off or on Disney property?
While staying off Disney property is very relaxing and may offer more privacy, I really enjoy staying on site for the perks
What resorts have you stayed at?
I've stayed at All Star Music, Movies, Beach Club, and Boardwalk I believe (I feel like I am missing one)
Fav/least fav resort and why?
I haven't stayed at many of the resorts, but of the ones that I have stayed at, I really love the All Star Movies. I love the Giant Buzz and Woody and all the themed pools. There are a lot of excellent places to take pictures there, along with all the other All Star Resorts. I think my least favorite would be the Boardwalk. I'm not saying it was a bad place to stay, but I was a kid when I was there and I don't remember it being very exciting
What do you look for when picking a resort?
Since this December's trip is the first trip I have planned by myself, I was looking for a few key things. When I go to WDW, I like to be in the parks for as long as possible and will take full advantage of any night time EMH. We will pretty much only be sleeping at the hotel, so we didn't need a lot of amenities. All we wanted was somewhere cheap, well themed, and had the ability to have a refrigerator. The All-Stars are always a home run!
Since this December's trip is the first trip I have planned by myself, I was looking for a few key things. When I go to WDW, I like to be in the parks for as long as possible and will take full advantage of any night time EMH. We will pretty much only be sleeping at the hotel, so we didn't need a lot of amenities. All we wanted was somewhere cheap, well themed, and had the ability to have a refrigerator. The All-Stars are always a home run!
What kind or resorts do you prefer (value-deluxe) and why?
I am more drawn to the value resorts because they appeal to a wide variety of customers. For kids, these offer great themes. For adults on the go, these resorts give you exactly what you need (someplace to sleep) at a low price
I am more drawn to the value resorts because they appeal to a wide variety of customers. For kids, these offer great themes. For adults on the go, these resorts give you exactly what you need (someplace to sleep) at a low price
When is your favorite time of year to go?
Typically my trips down to WDW have been in summer/fall. However, I'm very excited to be going in December to get to experience Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I think this will be a great time to go because all the Christmas Decor will be in full swing and crowds are projected to be low. If I had to suggest a time for anyone, I would definitely recommend fall/winter.
Typically my trips down to WDW have been in summer/fall. However, I'm very excited to be going in December to get to experience Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. I think this will be a great time to go because all the Christmas Decor will be in full swing and crowds are projected to be low. If I had to suggest a time for anyone, I would definitely recommend fall/winter.
Do you take advantage of Dining Plans? Which one do you prefer and why?
I absolutely love the Disney Dining plans because they can save you so much money. I personally think the Magic your Way Plus Dining (Standard plan) is the way to go. Although the QS plan also gives you 3 meals, you often don't get to fully experience the "Disney Magic" that the TS restaurants offer. The plans above standard, in my opinion, seem to take too much time away from the actual parks and focus too much on food. If I wanted to focus my vacation on food, I would just stay home. By having the standard plan, our time in the parks is maximized and we still are able to have relaxing time at TS restaurants.
I absolutely love the Disney Dining plans because they can save you so much money. I personally think the Magic your Way Plus Dining (Standard plan) is the way to go. Although the QS plan also gives you 3 meals, you often don't get to fully experience the "Disney Magic" that the TS restaurants offer. The plans above standard, in my opinion, seem to take too much time away from the actual parks and focus too much on food. If I wanted to focus my vacation on food, I would just stay home. By having the standard plan, our time in the parks is maximized and we still are able to have relaxing time at TS restaurants.
About the Parks in general
What is your favorite park/least favorite theme park and
why?
My most favorite park would have to be MK. I love the excellent themes of each of the lands, and all the different parades and fireworks displays they have. My least favorite is AK. Although this is still an amazing park, I feel as though it always gets crowded extremely fast. Also, with the shortest hours offered, you almost have to have a "game plan" when going to this resort so you don't miss anything
My most favorite park would have to be MK. I love the excellent themes of each of the lands, and all the different parades and fireworks displays they have. My least favorite is AK. Although this is still an amazing park, I feel as though it always gets crowded extremely fast. Also, with the shortest hours offered, you almost have to have a "game plan" when going to this resort so you don't miss anything
Do you take time to spend at waterparks? If yes, preference?
I haven't been to a water park since I was little, but from what I remember Blizzard Beach was my favorite. I loved this water park because they had the the Toboggan Races which was always a favorite of me and my dads.
I haven't been to a water park since I was little, but from what I remember Blizzard Beach was my favorite. I loved this water park because they had the the Toboggan Races which was always a favorite of me and my dads.
Favorite mode of transportation (monorail, boat, bus,
personal car)?
The one thing I can say about staying off property was having a car was very helpful. We could hit the store for some quick groceries and do what we needed. However, while staying on Disney property, having a car is a bit of a waste I think (unless you drive your own personal car down there which I don't think I will do again). Disney offers so many FREE modes of on property transportation, there is really no need to PAY to have a rental. I love the monorail because it is truly a unique mode of transportation, and just adds to your Disney experience!
The one thing I can say about staying off property was having a car was very helpful. We could hit the store for some quick groceries and do what we needed. However, while staying on Disney property, having a car is a bit of a waste I think (unless you drive your own personal car down there which I don't think I will do again). Disney offers so many FREE modes of on property transportation, there is really no need to PAY to have a rental. I love the monorail because it is truly a unique mode of transportation, and just adds to your Disney experience!
Do you take advantage of EMH? If yes, do you prefer AM or PM EMH?
One reason I love staying on site is that you have access to EMH! Crowds are typically lower during PM EMH because families with young kids don't tend to stay out as late as those without. PM EMH all the way!
One reason I love staying on site is that you have access to EMH! Crowds are typically lower during PM EMH because families with young kids don't tend to stay out as late as those without. PM EMH all the way!
Ideally, how many days do you think gives you enough time to
see/do everything you want to at the parks?
When I planned our trip, I planned each day to maximize out time in each park. However, after thinking about all the parks have to offer, I wish we were spending more than 7 days 6 nights. I think the ideal trip would be at least 2 days in each park with a day for DTD and an "extra" day, leading me to think 10 days is in fact ideal
When I planned our trip, I planned each day to maximize out time in each park. However, after thinking about all the parks have to offer, I wish we were spending more than 7 days 6 nights. I think the ideal trip would be at least 2 days in each park with a day for DTD and an "extra" day, leading me to think 10 days is in fact ideal
Inside the parks
If you could only ride one ride in each park what would you
ride?
This is a hard question because there are so many great rides, but I do have my favorites. In Epcot, I run for Spaceship Earth. In MGM the Great Movie Ride is always a must do. MK is a beeline for the Haunted Mansion. Finally in AK Kali River Rapids is a soaking good time!
This is a hard question because there are so many great rides, but I do have my favorites. In Epcot, I run for Spaceship Earth. In MGM the Great Movie Ride is always a must do. MK is a beeline for the Haunted Mansion. Finally in AK Kali River Rapids is a soaking good time!
Do you visit the characters?
Most Definitely! What's the point of visiting the parks if you aren't there to say hello to those who live there!
Most Definitely! What's the point of visiting the parks if you aren't there to say hello to those who live there!
Do you buy photos from the attractions (or any pics taken by
Disney Photographers)/take advantage of Disney’s Photopass(+)?
In the past my family has bought the picture from Chef Mickey's and numerous ride photos. This year I'm trying out the new PhotoPass+ to save some money on our memories!
In the past my family has bought the picture from Chef Mickey's and numerous ride photos. This year I'm trying out the new PhotoPass+ to save some money on our memories!
Do you have a “system” when choosing which rides to ride and
when?
I'd like to think I do. I love heading right for one "Big Ticket" ride as soon as I get into the park to cut down on wait time later. After that ride I grab a fast pass for another then ride some rides that I love that don't have fast passes. The best time to hit the more popular rides is during parades (think about the crowds tied up watching them) and during evening EMH when crowds are limited to only Disney guests
I'd like to think I do. I love heading right for one "Big Ticket" ride as soon as I get into the park to cut down on wait time later. After that ride I grab a fast pass for another then ride some rides that I love that don't have fast passes. The best time to hit the more popular rides is during parades (think about the crowds tied up watching them) and during evening EMH when crowds are limited to only Disney guests
What is your favorite fireworks display and why?
I think there is nothing more magical than Wishes at MK. Although I've only seen the standard Wishes in person, I've seen the Christmas and Halloween Wishes via podcast and I have to say, for romance, pick standard Wishes. For fun and excitement, choose Halloween. Christmas wishes will be a sight to behold during the holiday season!
I think there is nothing more magical than Wishes at MK. Although I've only seen the standard Wishes in person, I've seen the Christmas and Halloween Wishes via podcast and I have to say, for romance, pick standard Wishes. For fun and excitement, choose Halloween. Christmas wishes will be a sight to behold during the holiday season!
Do you like watching the live stage shows such as Beauty and
the Beast?
Definitely! I like them because not only are they breathtaking to watch, they also offer a break from all the walking in the parks and typically hold a lot of people. The arenas are also set up so usually no seat is labelled a "bad" seat
Definitely! I like them because not only are they breathtaking to watch, they also offer a break from all the walking in the parks and typically hold a lot of people. The arenas are also set up so usually no seat is labelled a "bad" seat
Do collect anything from the parks (Pins, pressed pennies,
etc)?
Oh most definitely! I love my Disney pins as you all know already. Pressed Pennies are always a nostalgic thing to get also, but I am more prone to lose those in the wash unfortunately. This year I want to start a Disney Christmas Ornament Collection!
Oh most definitely! I love my Disney pins as you all know already. Pressed Pennies are always a nostalgic thing to get also, but I am more prone to lose those in the wash unfortunately. This year I want to start a Disney Christmas Ornament Collection!
Dining
Do you have a preference of the type of Dining you like
(quick vs table)?
I personally like table service better because they are all uniquely themed and offer your feet a break from the constant walking, and help you beat the Florida heat!
I personally like table service better because they are all uniquely themed and offer your feet a break from the constant walking, and help you beat the Florida heat!
Where do you dine most (Resort vs Park)?
I think for quick service, I dine more at the resort before I head out to the parks for the day. Table Service usually is more magical (IMO) in the parks, although there are some great resort based Table Service restaurants also!
I think for quick service, I dine more at the resort before I head out to the parks for the day. Table Service usually is more magical (IMO) in the parks, although there are some great resort based Table Service restaurants also!
Favorite Restaurants and why?
I personally don't think a trip is complete without Cape May Buffet or Sci-Fi Drive in (based on those I remember going to thus far)
I personally don't think a trip is complete without Cape May Buffet or Sci-Fi Drive in (based on those I remember going to thus far)
Which do you prefer more-buffets or standard meal?
Honestly, I think it depends on the day and what kind of mood I am in. I have to say though that I do tend to lean more towards buffets because I like the option to try new foods that I typically wouldn't
Honestly, I think it depends on the day and what kind of mood I am in. I have to say though that I do tend to lean more towards buffets because I like the option to try new foods that I typically wouldn't
In your opinion, which is the better meal-Breakfast or
Lunch/Dinner?
Again, I think this depends. I'm not really a breakfast, but rather more of a brunch girl. However, a big breakfast is crucial on the day of checkout because typically you need the fuel at the beginning of the day to race through the park to get last minute things done/seen before you go home. On any other day, I like a nice sit down dinner.
Again, I think this depends. I'm not really a breakfast, but rather more of a brunch girl. However, a big breakfast is crucial on the day of checkout because typically you need the fuel at the beginning of the day to race through the park to get last minute things done/seen before you go home. On any other day, I like a nice sit down dinner.
Do you like Character Dining?
I absolutely adore character Dining, and I think it is a must do for all ages!
I absolutely adore character Dining, and I think it is a must do for all ages!
Do you prefer quiet intimate dining or busy loud dining?
Although a quite, intimate dinner is nice, I sort of like the chaos of busier Disney Dining such as the character dining options. I find they add an element of "madness" to the trip
Although a quite, intimate dinner is nice, I sort of like the chaos of busier Disney Dining such as the character dining options. I find they add an element of "madness" to the trip
What draws you into try a new restaurant (theme, food,
price, etc)?
Since I am a fan of the Dining Plans, price really doesn't matter since it is already covered with the plan (however, I think that places that require 2 credits seem wasteful). When picking the restaurants for our trip this year, we looked at both food and theme. We wanted to have the unique Disney Dining experiences, but be able to eat food we liked/wanted to try.
Since I am a fan of the Dining Plans, price really doesn't matter since it is already covered with the plan (however, I think that places that require 2 credits seem wasteful). When picking the restaurants for our trip this year, we looked at both food and theme. We wanted to have the unique Disney Dining experiences, but be able to eat food we liked/wanted to try.
Do you have a specific favorite food you MUST get every time
you go?
I have 2 words for you...TURKEY LEGS! These things are absolutely barbaric yet ridiculously delicious. An absolute must have!
I have 2 words for you...TURKEY LEGS! These things are absolutely barbaric yet ridiculously delicious. An absolute must have!
New Segment Announcement!
Why hello there Tea Party Guests! Today I have a special treat for all of you. As I mentioned at our previous party, I am in the mood for trying out new segments. For this new section, I want to get to know each one of my Tea Party Guests a bit better. This segment came to my mind because I believe that all of us should share our Disney experiences with one another to become a tighter knit group. I've designed a simple questionnaire that will ask all of you different questions ranging from dining to rides. I've decided to call this section "Most Valuable Tea Party Guest" and ideally would like to feature a new interview at least once a week or whenever you all decide you want to share with the rest of us.
Today, I would like to kick off our new segment and share my Disney experiences with all of you, my Most Valuable Tea Party Guests! I hope by seeing my answers you all will be eager to share with us all! So happy reading friends! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 18
Ah there you are, have a seat here quickly! The pastries are growing stale and the tea is losing it's heat! I see someone had a little rowdy night last night and decided to sleep in, eh? Oh no need to apologize, it's quite alright, it's just Sunday Tea after all. You're quite lucky the Queen of hearts had an important croquet match with the king this morning and couldn't make it or she would be yelling "OFF WITH YOUR HEAD" at you. Thank goodness she isn't here, I don't think that my ears could take that abuse at this hour. Come now, gather your goodies and let's settle into today's Challenge.
Today is a rather odd Challenge day, as I am asked to share with you my least favorite Classic. The problem I have with this is that the Disney Classics are just that...Classics! They are all magical, full of wonderful characters, and often teach/remind the audience of important life lessons. To pick a "least favorite" just seems sort of wrong in my Disney loving eyes. But alas, this is Challenge and we must follow the rules. From my childhood, I can say that Bambi didn't often get replayed in my VCR.
It's not that I didn't fall in love with the characters, it's just that at a young age, I think it was just too much to handle. Bambi and his cute friends Thumper the Rabbit and Flower the Skunk romp around until winter time comes and then BOOM Bambi's mother is shot by a hunter! Fun's over folks! We then watch Bambi mourn her death, and yes eventually things lighten up and he falls in love then another terrible thing happens: A huge fire takes over the forest. I know it's just a movie but ever since that movie, I have no desire to eat any animal that was in that movie. I know it's weird. I mean, I'm not a meat person that much anyways, but all I can think of when Prince Rich or anyone else mentions hunting is what happened to Bambi's mother. It just makes me feel horrible. Am I missing out in life? I don't think so.
Oh this Challenge put me in a sour mood. I think I will go take a shower and sing like I'm Ariel to get back in the Disney Spirit. Oh and before I forget, I have an announcement for you all tomorrow! Make sure you stay tuned for it! Here, take a travel mug of tea with you, you look like you need it more than I do. Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Today is a rather odd Challenge day, as I am asked to share with you my least favorite Classic. The problem I have with this is that the Disney Classics are just that...Classics! They are all magical, full of wonderful characters, and often teach/remind the audience of important life lessons. To pick a "least favorite" just seems sort of wrong in my Disney loving eyes. But alas, this is Challenge and we must follow the rules. From my childhood, I can say that Bambi didn't often get replayed in my VCR.
It's not that I didn't fall in love with the characters, it's just that at a young age, I think it was just too much to handle. Bambi and his cute friends Thumper the Rabbit and Flower the Skunk romp around until winter time comes and then BOOM Bambi's mother is shot by a hunter! Fun's over folks! We then watch Bambi mourn her death, and yes eventually things lighten up and he falls in love then another terrible thing happens: A huge fire takes over the forest. I know it's just a movie but ever since that movie, I have no desire to eat any animal that was in that movie. I know it's weird. I mean, I'm not a meat person that much anyways, but all I can think of when Prince Rich or anyone else mentions hunting is what happened to Bambi's mother. It just makes me feel horrible. Am I missing out in life? I don't think so.
Oh this Challenge put me in a sour mood. I think I will go take a shower and sing like I'm Ariel to get back in the Disney Spirit. Oh and before I forget, I have an announcement for you all tomorrow! Make sure you stay tuned for it! Here, take a travel mug of tea with you, you look like you need it more than I do. Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 17
Welcome, friends, to another Sensational Saturday Morning here in Wonderland! I hope you have plenty of adventures planned out for this weekend! Before we get to today' Disney Challenge, I would like to give my dear friend Lindsey a sincere congratulations on her nuptials today to her husband Chris. May your marriage be blessed with peace, trust, and pixie dust! Without further adieu my guests, let's get today's challenge rolling!
Today is day 17 of Disney Challenge and it seems that this challenge gets harder as we go along. For this specific task, I am asked to share with you my favorite Disney Classic. With so many great films, it is extremely hard to pick out just 1, so I would like to share with you my top 4. Tied for the number one spot are two films we have discussed many times here in Wonderland which are Sleeping Beauty and of course Alice in Wonderland. I don't know how these two films survived the wear and tear of constant watching on VHS and DVD. For my third favorite, I really love the Rescuers. Finally, The Great Mouse Detective wraps up my top 4.
Since I've previously discussed 3 out 4 of these films at previous parties, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss The Rescuers. First released in 1977, this film carried a very important message throughout the ages: No matter how small you are, you can still make a difference. To start this film, the audience gets a very special opportunity to sit in on an emergency meeting of the Rescue Aide Society.
It is at this meeting that two small mice named Miss Bianca and Bernard take up a very important mission to save a little girl in need. Going on nothing but a vague letter in a bottle asking for help and the address of a local orphanage, these two brave mice head out on a journey to fulfill their society's motto "Through storm and rain and dark of night, never fail to do what's right." Throughout this movie, Miss Bianca and Bernard team up with some other favorite animal friends to save a little girl named Penny from the evil clutches of Madam Medusa and Mr. Snoops and their two menacing alligators Brutus and Nero.
I love this movie because the dynamic between Miss Bianca and Bernard is just perfect. Although she seems a bit upper class and delicate compared to janitor Bernard, she has no fear of anything and pushes him to live life on the edge all in the name of saving people. This movie sometimes gets under appreciated, but never in my house!
As always, thank you to my most beloved guests for joining me today for another round of Disney Challenge. I hope you take the time this weekend at some point to sit down and watch some Disney movies to relax and remember that life doesn't always have to be so serious. Before we depart today, let's have one more toast to the newlyweds Lindsey and Chris! Hip-Hip-HOORAY! Congratulations! Friends, have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Today is day 17 of Disney Challenge and it seems that this challenge gets harder as we go along. For this specific task, I am asked to share with you my favorite Disney Classic. With so many great films, it is extremely hard to pick out just 1, so I would like to share with you my top 4. Tied for the number one spot are two films we have discussed many times here in Wonderland which are Sleeping Beauty and of course Alice in Wonderland. I don't know how these two films survived the wear and tear of constant watching on VHS and DVD. For my third favorite, I really love the Rescuers. Finally, The Great Mouse Detective wraps up my top 4.
Since I've previously discussed 3 out 4 of these films at previous parties, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss The Rescuers. First released in 1977, this film carried a very important message throughout the ages: No matter how small you are, you can still make a difference. To start this film, the audience gets a very special opportunity to sit in on an emergency meeting of the Rescue Aide Society.
It is at this meeting that two small mice named Miss Bianca and Bernard take up a very important mission to save a little girl in need. Going on nothing but a vague letter in a bottle asking for help and the address of a local orphanage, these two brave mice head out on a journey to fulfill their society's motto "Through storm and rain and dark of night, never fail to do what's right." Throughout this movie, Miss Bianca and Bernard team up with some other favorite animal friends to save a little girl named Penny from the evil clutches of Madam Medusa and Mr. Snoops and their two menacing alligators Brutus and Nero.
I love this movie because the dynamic between Miss Bianca and Bernard is just perfect. Although she seems a bit upper class and delicate compared to janitor Bernard, she has no fear of anything and pushes him to live life on the edge all in the name of saving people. This movie sometimes gets under appreciated, but never in my house!
As always, thank you to my most beloved guests for joining me today for another round of Disney Challenge. I hope you take the time this weekend at some point to sit down and watch some Disney movies to relax and remember that life doesn't always have to be so serious. Before we depart today, let's have one more toast to the newlyweds Lindsey and Chris! Hip-Hip-HOORAY! Congratulations! Friends, have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Friday, August 24, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 16
The sun is shining, the flowers are singing, it's the beginnings of another Fabulous Friday here in Wonderland! I hope all of you had a very romantic Disney evening with the ones you love! Prince Richard and I had a very romantic evening with great company of Lady Layla of course! When he came home from a long day at the mine, I mean a long day at work, we made a delicious dinner of BLTs and Jalepeno Poppers. After dinner we snuggled up on a fat mushroom and watched one of my favorite Disney Classic's The Rescuers while snacking on leftover Fluffernutter Brownie Cones. Overall it was a great night without all the hustle and bustle that seems to be our lives sometimes. Before we get to today's challenge I wanted to ask for a little help from you, all of my friends! In addition to our newest segment featuring our Tea Time Sweet Eats, I have written the outline for the interview segment I want to play around with. I know that Disney Challenge is a great way for you to get to know "me" in a sense of Disney Movies, but I want to get to know all of you in a sense for your adventures within the Disney Parks. I do hope my guests are not shy and jump at the chance to be featured as a "Most Valued Tea Party Guest" at a party specifically in their honor. Now enough about updates and whatnot, let's get on with the show!
Day 16 of Disney Challenge asks me to share with you the First Disney Movie I saw. Now, I've seen many, many Disney movies since I was small up until now. Even though I do not remember exactly what the first Disney movie I saw was, I do remember the first movie I saw with my dad. It is a true romance movie that first made me realize that I too could be a Disney princess! From the songs to the animation, everything about this movie was absolutely amazing and will stay in my mind forever. I think that no one could do an introduction for my first Disney movie than my good friend Lumiere, take it away!
"Ma chère mademoiselle. It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite to relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents"... Ally's first Disney movie, Beauty and the beast!
Belle's dress, the Beast's transformation, the Enchanted Rose, and all the palace inhabitants will forever have a special place in my heart. Keep a lookout for our new interview segment! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Day 16 of Disney Challenge asks me to share with you the First Disney Movie I saw. Now, I've seen many, many Disney movies since I was small up until now. Even though I do not remember exactly what the first Disney movie I saw was, I do remember the first movie I saw with my dad. It is a true romance movie that first made me realize that I too could be a Disney princess! From the songs to the animation, everything about this movie was absolutely amazing and will stay in my mind forever. I think that no one could do an introduction for my first Disney movie than my good friend Lumiere, take it away!
"Ma chère mademoiselle. It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite to relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents"... Ally's first Disney movie, Beauty and the beast!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 15
A very merry unbirthday morning to all of you! I do hope you enjoyed our party last night as much as I did. I don't know about you, but I could definitely fall asleep in the singing flower garden today. Last night's festivities certainly did a number on me, and I had to get up early this morning to boot! I do hope the morning wasn't too harsh on you. Today's post will be brief since you probably are still sipping your extra caffeinated tea this morning.
Today's Disney Challenge has a special place in my heart. Being a hopeless romantic, this Challenge was a fun one to pic. Disney movies are filled with laughs, tears, new hope, and love. Disney love is always the most romantic love because they really play up the innocence of the two characters who are in love. Picking out a "Favorite Kiss" was sort of easy, but I don't want to discredit all the other Disney Kisses because each and every one is magical. Watching Disney characters share a tender moment with each other draws a little tear of joy when I see it. Before we get to my favorite pick, let's take a minute to celebrate some Disney Romance. Although this video says top 25, there are many many many more that still make me and I'm sure all of you swoon!
And now, Ladies and Gentleman, may I present to you, my favorite Disney Kiss! This kiss is so classic and innocent, and mixed with candlelight, dinner, and Tony's serenade, who wouldn't fall in love. The honor of my favorite Disney Kiss goes to Lady and the Tramp!
There you have it, a perfect celebration of love and enchantment. That day your prince (or princess) finally comes to you and you call desperately into each others arms is what Disney Magic is all about. I hope tonight after all your chores are done you can settle down with the one you love and snuggle up under a blanket and watch a Disney Classic. I know Prince Rich and I have a much needed date tonight! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Today's Disney Challenge has a special place in my heart. Being a hopeless romantic, this Challenge was a fun one to pic. Disney movies are filled with laughs, tears, new hope, and love. Disney love is always the most romantic love because they really play up the innocence of the two characters who are in love. Picking out a "Favorite Kiss" was sort of easy, but I don't want to discredit all the other Disney Kisses because each and every one is magical. Watching Disney characters share a tender moment with each other draws a little tear of joy when I see it. Before we get to my favorite pick, let's take a minute to celebrate some Disney Romance. Although this video says top 25, there are many many many more that still make me and I'm sure all of you swoon!
And now, Ladies and Gentleman, may I present to you, my favorite Disney Kiss! This kiss is so classic and innocent, and mixed with candlelight, dinner, and Tony's serenade, who wouldn't fall in love. The honor of my favorite Disney Kiss goes to Lady and the Tramp!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
"Then It doesn't much matter which way you go...so long as you get somewhere" or What else to do While Walking through Walt Disney World
A Warm Welcome on this Wonderful Wednesday in Wonderland! Please do come in and have a seat at our Great Tea Table! I hope you've come with an open mind and empty tea cups because we will be filling them for quite some time tonight! Since our last Great Tea, much has happened! Prince Richard and I have been quite busy planning out things for our incredible journey. We recently received our PhotoPass+ package in the mail. It came with the voucher just taped to the outside of the box (which I thought was odd) and the cd with the stock photos on it inside. Although I was excited for this delivery, I (along with lady Layla and Prince Richard) was much more excited for the two other packages we received. These packages were the reason I postponed our Great Tea because I wanted to show you what they were. We have so much to talk about today but so little time, so let's take another trip down the rabbit hole and have some fun!
Just as Wonderland is bustling with the Queen's croquet matches and battles with the Jabberwock, Walt Disney World is bustling with different activities also. Everyone knows about the amazing attractions such as Splash Mountain, and the live action stage shows such as Indiana Jones, but not as many people know about the SIDE attractions WDW has to offer. Walt Disney World does a great job making sure there is an activity for everyone to enjoy during their visit by catering to many kinds of personalities. Today I would like to share with you three activities that will take you out of the long lines of the rides to give you a chance to interact a little more with the Disney Parks and Cast Members themselves.
One of my most loved activities about going to Disney is an activity called Pin Trading. I've been Pin Trading for a long time, but this will be Prince Rich's first time with his own lanyard. Ever since I was a little kid, I have been fascinated with Disney Pin Trading. Disney pins come in all shapes, and have a variety of characters, attractions, and other fun styles on them. I remember going on a family trip and buying matching fisherman's hats in AK with my dad that had like 5 or 6 AK themed pins on it. Nothing made me happier than sharing this with my dad and brother. I also remember picking pins off Cast members lanyards in exchange for ones I had and surprising them with the names of little known characters (rocking-horse flies, bread-and-butterflies anyone?). I love pin trading because it's an easy activity that you can do ALL DAY AT ANY PARK while waiting in lines, having a snack, or just walking around. This is also an "all ages" activity meaning that young kids (I would say 5-6 year-olds are a good age to start their own lanyard) and adults alike can have fun while doing it. Pin Trading is also very user friendly. All you do is purchase Disney Pins while you are at the parks (although I prefer the massive savings of buying lots on eBay for far cheaper, just watch the details and make sure they are authentic) and a lanyard, or other pin holding device (book, fanny pack, etc, but a lanyard is better to let people see your pins). When trading pins, you can either trade with another park guest or with a Cast Member. Cast members typically wear either a black lanyard with pins on it for all ages and/or a green one that is just for kids. According to official pin trading rules, you are permitted to trade up to 2 pins per cast member per day which doesn't really limit you because almost EVERY cast member wears at least one lanyard. The great thing about trading with cast members is that as long as you offer them official Disney pins to trade for some of theirs, they CANNOT reject your trade! Cast members lanyards allow you to dump the pins you don't want to keep easily, and also are home to exclusive cast member issued pins (very nice pins to have). When trading with other park guests however, they have the right to REFUSE your trade. A warning about trading with other park guests is that some people are VERY SERIOUS about pin trading, and will want you to trade two or more of your pins (depending on what you have) for one of their more rare pins. I go by the motto a pin for a pin 99.9% of the time. I won't say 100% because I never found a pin I wanted to trade more than one of mine for. Here's some pictures of the huge haul I just bought for our trip. Even Lady Layla got in the Pin Trading mood!
We bought 75 pins and were allowed to pick 15 between the 2 of us to keep and not trade. Here are the pictures of the pins we kept. My selection has the gold castle from the Little Mermaid in it.
Although I have only participated in Pin Trading, Walt Disney World is always working on new ways to engage it's guests. The next two activities are ones that I have not tried personally, but have heard good things about them. I do plan on giving the first activity a shot because it looks pretty fun and I'm hoping to be able to do it with no problem in MK since we are going at a low crowd time. Keeping up with the "collectible" aspect of Disney Pins, Disney has recently created an interactive card game called The Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. The idea behind this game is that the MK has been overtaken by Disney Villains and Merlin needs your help gathering pieces of his magic Crystal to help banish them. When you arrive at MK, head on over to the fire station where you will see a "Sorcerers Wanted" sign. Here, you will be given a card with a key on it, and a pack of "spell cards" to help you on your journey. After you receive your first pack of cards, each day you go back to MK, head back over to the firehouse and a Cast Member will scan the key card they gave you and give you another pack of spell cards. You are only allowed one pack per day however. When you are given your cards, you will be given a special map of the MK where you can find "portals" for your journey to find the crystal. There are quests in different "lands" of the MK and each one is different, so there is always a lot to find. I've read mixed reviews about this activity, but it looks pretty fun to me. I'm planning on at least giving it a shot when we go down there. Here is a video of one player's "journey" against Maleficent!
For our final activity, Disney has created a way for young kids to gain interest in the World Showcase at Epcot. Epcot has a bad reputation for not being the most "kid friendly" park of the 4 theme parks which I think is kind of silly because Epcot was one of my favorites as a kid. In order to make this park more "kid-friendly", Disney Imagineers cashed in on the uber popularity of Phineas and Ferb and created Agent P's World Showcase Adventure. During this adventure your child becomes a sidekick to Agent P in his quest "Around the world" to put a stop to Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz's evil plan. Using their F.O.N.E's to get missions in each country, kid's get to explore the nooks and crannies each country has to offer. This is more of a "calm the kids down after being in lines all day" kind of activity. It looks fun, but we've no children yet so I don't think this will be on our agenda for this round. If you do have have children however, here is a video of one of the missions.
Wow what an adventure! With all of these fun activities you will be sure to find something to do to pass the time in between rides. After hearing about all these things to do, I'm quite sure you've worked up quite the appetite! Ladies and gentleman I would like to introduce you to a new portion of our parties! I've whipped up a batch of treats to satisfy your sweet teeth! May I present to you, Fluffernutter brownie cones!
Warm Gooey Chocolate Fudge Brownies with peanut butter chips baked into cake cones. Once out, marshmallow ice cream topping put in the centers. Chocolate Funfetti Frosting and each topped with a mini ice cream cone marshmallow. These go great with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of TEA! Perfect way to end our most Grand of Tea's! I hope you enjoy your treats I've made for all of you. I plan on sharing some of my cooking creations with you all to enjoy while we sip our tea. I most graciously thank you for being such loyal guests and value your friendship. The time has come for me to sweep the crumbs off the table before the Dormouse shows up with his friends. I do hope to find an exciting topic for our next Grand Tea. Have a magical evening and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Just as Wonderland is bustling with the Queen's croquet matches and battles with the Jabberwock, Walt Disney World is bustling with different activities also. Everyone knows about the amazing attractions such as Splash Mountain, and the live action stage shows such as Indiana Jones, but not as many people know about the SIDE attractions WDW has to offer. Walt Disney World does a great job making sure there is an activity for everyone to enjoy during their visit by catering to many kinds of personalities. Today I would like to share with you three activities that will take you out of the long lines of the rides to give you a chance to interact a little more with the Disney Parks and Cast Members themselves.
One of my most loved activities about going to Disney is an activity called Pin Trading. I've been Pin Trading for a long time, but this will be Prince Rich's first time with his own lanyard. Ever since I was a little kid, I have been fascinated with Disney Pin Trading. Disney pins come in all shapes, and have a variety of characters, attractions, and other fun styles on them. I remember going on a family trip and buying matching fisherman's hats in AK with my dad that had like 5 or 6 AK themed pins on it. Nothing made me happier than sharing this with my dad and brother. I also remember picking pins off Cast members lanyards in exchange for ones I had and surprising them with the names of little known characters (rocking-horse flies, bread-and-butterflies anyone?). I love pin trading because it's an easy activity that you can do ALL DAY AT ANY PARK while waiting in lines, having a snack, or just walking around. This is also an "all ages" activity meaning that young kids (I would say 5-6 year-olds are a good age to start their own lanyard) and adults alike can have fun while doing it. Pin Trading is also very user friendly. All you do is purchase Disney Pins while you are at the parks (although I prefer the massive savings of buying lots on eBay for far cheaper, just watch the details and make sure they are authentic) and a lanyard, or other pin holding device (book, fanny pack, etc, but a lanyard is better to let people see your pins). When trading pins, you can either trade with another park guest or with a Cast Member. Cast members typically wear either a black lanyard with pins on it for all ages and/or a green one that is just for kids. According to official pin trading rules, you are permitted to trade up to 2 pins per cast member per day which doesn't really limit you because almost EVERY cast member wears at least one lanyard. The great thing about trading with cast members is that as long as you offer them official Disney pins to trade for some of theirs, they CANNOT reject your trade! Cast members lanyards allow you to dump the pins you don't want to keep easily, and also are home to exclusive cast member issued pins (very nice pins to have). When trading with other park guests however, they have the right to REFUSE your trade. A warning about trading with other park guests is that some people are VERY SERIOUS about pin trading, and will want you to trade two or more of your pins (depending on what you have) for one of their more rare pins. I go by the motto a pin for a pin 99.9% of the time. I won't say 100% because I never found a pin I wanted to trade more than one of mine for. Here's some pictures of the huge haul I just bought for our trip. Even Lady Layla got in the Pin Trading mood!
We bought 75 pins and were allowed to pick 15 between the 2 of us to keep and not trade. Here are the pictures of the pins we kept. My selection has the gold castle from the Little Mermaid in it.
Although I have only participated in Pin Trading, Walt Disney World is always working on new ways to engage it's guests. The next two activities are ones that I have not tried personally, but have heard good things about them. I do plan on giving the first activity a shot because it looks pretty fun and I'm hoping to be able to do it with no problem in MK since we are going at a low crowd time. Keeping up with the "collectible" aspect of Disney Pins, Disney has recently created an interactive card game called The Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom. The idea behind this game is that the MK has been overtaken by Disney Villains and Merlin needs your help gathering pieces of his magic Crystal to help banish them. When you arrive at MK, head on over to the fire station where you will see a "Sorcerers Wanted" sign. Here, you will be given a card with a key on it, and a pack of "spell cards" to help you on your journey. After you receive your first pack of cards, each day you go back to MK, head back over to the firehouse and a Cast Member will scan the key card they gave you and give you another pack of spell cards. You are only allowed one pack per day however. When you are given your cards, you will be given a special map of the MK where you can find "portals" for your journey to find the crystal. There are quests in different "lands" of the MK and each one is different, so there is always a lot to find. I've read mixed reviews about this activity, but it looks pretty fun to me. I'm planning on at least giving it a shot when we go down there. Here is a video of one player's "journey" against Maleficent!
For our final activity, Disney has created a way for young kids to gain interest in the World Showcase at Epcot. Epcot has a bad reputation for not being the most "kid friendly" park of the 4 theme parks which I think is kind of silly because Epcot was one of my favorites as a kid. In order to make this park more "kid-friendly", Disney Imagineers cashed in on the uber popularity of Phineas and Ferb and created Agent P's World Showcase Adventure. During this adventure your child becomes a sidekick to Agent P in his quest "Around the world" to put a stop to Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz's evil plan. Using their F.O.N.E's to get missions in each country, kid's get to explore the nooks and crannies each country has to offer. This is more of a "calm the kids down after being in lines all day" kind of activity. It looks fun, but we've no children yet so I don't think this will be on our agenda for this round. If you do have have children however, here is a video of one of the missions.
Wow what an adventure! With all of these fun activities you will be sure to find something to do to pass the time in between rides. After hearing about all these things to do, I'm quite sure you've worked up quite the appetite! Ladies and gentleman I would like to introduce you to a new portion of our parties! I've whipped up a batch of treats to satisfy your sweet teeth! May I present to you, Fluffernutter brownie cones!
Disney Challenge Days 13 and 14
Many pleasant greetings to all of my most loyal guests! Welcome to another day of Disney Challenge. This isn't just any Challenge day, however. Today our challenge have a dual role. First, as usual, it will serve as a fun way to learn about me (and you!). Second, it will be today's introduction into our GRAND TEA! That's right friends, today is the day of our much anticipated Grand Tea! I cannot wait to share all sorts of Disney Magic with you all at our most magical party yet! Enough of my blabbering on, it's time for Challenge!
Yesterday was a bit of a busy day here in Wonderland, so again, my most sincere of apologies go out to all of you, but today's events much make up for my absence. For my first part of Disney Challenge, I would like to share with you my all time Favorite Villain Song. The Disney Villains take pride in their ability to make people shudder just at the sound of their name. Each Villain has their own set of wicked ways in which they try to sabotage our favorite Disney Characters. For my favorite Disney Villain song, I chose "We are Siamese" sung by the two vile Siamese cats named Si and Am from Lady and the Tramp. I like this song in particular because when you listen to the lyrics, you see how terrible they are. From killing fish to stealing milk from newborns, these two cats have no fear of anything.
For Day 14's Challenge, it requests I share my least favorite song. This is definitely no problem for me, but even thinking about it, I realize how much I absolutely detest it. This song doesn't come from a Disney movie, but rather from an attraction at Walt Disney World. If you haven't guessed what it is, prepare to have this tune in your head FOREVER! I know it's supposed to be such a happy and sweet song, but honestly, it goes right through me. For my absolute least favorite Disney song, I pick "It's a small world" from the attraction of the same name.
I hope you've worked up your appetite for more Disney magic because there is much more in store today as the time has finally come for our Grand Tea! Now if you would like to take a wonderful walk within the walls of Wonderland while I dust off the chairs and polish the silverware, our most special of parties yet will commence soon! As for attire, dress code calls for something comfortable, but unpredictable, but at the same time screams "I'M MAD AS A HATTER.". Bring your favorite tea for brewing and your ears ready for listening. This event will surely be one you do not want to miss out on. I won't completely say goodbye now, because we will be most definitely seeing each other later today. So for now, may the rest of your day be magical, and do remember to return later for a most Wonderful Wednesday in Wonderland!
Yesterday was a bit of a busy day here in Wonderland, so again, my most sincere of apologies go out to all of you, but today's events much make up for my absence. For my first part of Disney Challenge, I would like to share with you my all time Favorite Villain Song. The Disney Villains take pride in their ability to make people shudder just at the sound of their name. Each Villain has their own set of wicked ways in which they try to sabotage our favorite Disney Characters. For my favorite Disney Villain song, I chose "We are Siamese" sung by the two vile Siamese cats named Si and Am from Lady and the Tramp. I like this song in particular because when you listen to the lyrics, you see how terrible they are. From killing fish to stealing milk from newborns, these two cats have no fear of anything.
For Day 14's Challenge, it requests I share my least favorite song. This is definitely no problem for me, but even thinking about it, I realize how much I absolutely detest it. This song doesn't come from a Disney movie, but rather from an attraction at Walt Disney World. If you haven't guessed what it is, prepare to have this tune in your head FOREVER! I know it's supposed to be such a happy and sweet song, but honestly, it goes right through me. For my absolute least favorite Disney song, I pick "It's a small world" from the attraction of the same name.
I hope you've worked up your appetite for more Disney magic because there is much more in store today as the time has finally come for our Grand Tea! Now if you would like to take a wonderful walk within the walls of Wonderland while I dust off the chairs and polish the silverware, our most special of parties yet will commence soon! As for attire, dress code calls for something comfortable, but unpredictable, but at the same time screams "I'M MAD AS A HATTER.". Bring your favorite tea for brewing and your ears ready for listening. This event will surely be one you do not want to miss out on. I won't completely say goodbye now, because we will be most definitely seeing each other later today. So for now, may the rest of your day be magical, and do remember to return later for a most Wonderful Wednesday in Wonderland!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Days 10, 11, and 12 of Disney Challenge
Why hello again friends! I do hope you came with your tea cups ready for endless refills because we have another great day of challenge today! As usual, another very quick update. Our Great Tea is almost all prepared. There is even going to be yet ANOTHER surprise at our Great Tea. I want to try out a segment with you all, based off my adventures this weekend. Hopefully when we have our next Great Gathering you will leave with minds AND stomachs full!
Today, like most Mondays will feature 3 challenge days in 1 post, because as you know, things in Wonderland are very unpredictable. As usual, I had a hard time picking just one for each topic, so some of the topics I want to share with you will have a few items. For our first item of business, I would like to share my favorite original character. This one was a little tricky because growing up with Disney, I learned to love every original character. However, one of ma favorite Disney Memories is reading a book called The Mystery of the Missing Peanuts starring another "mad" friend. Detective Donald Duck uses his special puzzle solving skills to figure out which animal is stealing peanuts. I love Donald both as a super sleuth and his often unpredictable, rather hot headed self! I mean, how cool can you be when you can go without pants and get away with it!
My next story I would like to share with you is a tale as old as time. My Favorite Disney Song is without a doubt "Beauty and the Beast". The first movie my Dad took me to in the movie theaters was Beauty and the Beast so this song will always hold a special place in my heart. This film is so special to me that when it was re-released in 3D a few months back, I surprised my Dad and took him with me to go see it! We even got the special edition 3D glasses! I even intend on having this song play at my wedding!
As for picking out my favorite Disney Love Song, this was my greatest challenge yet! There are so many amazing and romantic songs out there! It is next to impossible to pick just one, especially when Disney even has love song soundtracks! However, for the sake of challenge, I managed to pick my top 3! My first is "Beauty and the Beast" which we just discussed, and my second is "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. This song is so beautiful, not only the lyrics, but also two strangers falling in love with each others song in the woods. Imagine dreaming your whole life about your "prince" and finally finding him and sharing your innocent love with each other for the first time!
Rounding out my top 3 is another Disney Classic. The thing I like about a lot of the Disney Songs is that they usually begin with casual conversation then BAM a full fledged musical number. Case in point, "Can you feel the love tonight" from the Lion King. Timon and Pumbaa find their friend falling in love very quickly and they realize that they will no longer be the trio they once were. Things will change forever between the three of them, but another great relationship will be born between Simba and Nala. Of course in the end, all remain friends and all is right with Simba standing on Pride Rock.
Talking about all these Disney songs has got me in quite the musical mood! I hope the rest of your day proves to be a Zip-a-dee-doo-da day! Thank you for stopping by and celebrating some Disney Classics with me! Tomorrow will continue our celebration in song! Let's hope some Disney Fairies sprinkle some Pixie Dust on the mailbox today! Until next time my friends! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Day dream away!
Today, like most Mondays will feature 3 challenge days in 1 post, because as you know, things in Wonderland are very unpredictable. As usual, I had a hard time picking just one for each topic, so some of the topics I want to share with you will have a few items. For our first item of business, I would like to share my favorite original character. This one was a little tricky because growing up with Disney, I learned to love every original character. However, one of ma favorite Disney Memories is reading a book called The Mystery of the Missing Peanuts starring another "mad" friend. Detective Donald Duck uses his special puzzle solving skills to figure out which animal is stealing peanuts. I love Donald both as a super sleuth and his often unpredictable, rather hot headed self! I mean, how cool can you be when you can go without pants and get away with it!
My next story I would like to share with you is a tale as old as time. My Favorite Disney Song is without a doubt "Beauty and the Beast". The first movie my Dad took me to in the movie theaters was Beauty and the Beast so this song will always hold a special place in my heart. This film is so special to me that when it was re-released in 3D a few months back, I surprised my Dad and took him with me to go see it! We even got the special edition 3D glasses! I even intend on having this song play at my wedding!
As for picking out my favorite Disney Love Song, this was my greatest challenge yet! There are so many amazing and romantic songs out there! It is next to impossible to pick just one, especially when Disney even has love song soundtracks! However, for the sake of challenge, I managed to pick my top 3! My first is "Beauty and the Beast" which we just discussed, and my second is "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. This song is so beautiful, not only the lyrics, but also two strangers falling in love with each others song in the woods. Imagine dreaming your whole life about your "prince" and finally finding him and sharing your innocent love with each other for the first time!
Rounding out my top 3 is another Disney Classic. The thing I like about a lot of the Disney Songs is that they usually begin with casual conversation then BAM a full fledged musical number. Case in point, "Can you feel the love tonight" from the Lion King. Timon and Pumbaa find their friend falling in love very quickly and they realize that they will no longer be the trio they once were. Things will change forever between the three of them, but another great relationship will be born between Simba and Nala. Of course in the end, all remain friends and all is right with Simba standing on Pride Rock.
Talking about all these Disney songs has got me in quite the musical mood! I hope the rest of your day proves to be a Zip-a-dee-doo-da day! Thank you for stopping by and celebrating some Disney Classics with me! Tomorrow will continue our celebration in song! Let's hope some Disney Fairies sprinkle some Pixie Dust on the mailbox today! Until next time my friends! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Day dream away!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Days 8 and 9 of Disney Challenge
Welcome back, my dear guests, to our most magical tea party. I do hope you're sitting pretty on a nice fat mushroom with your favorite tea time beverage in hand. Before we dive into our fun for the day, I would like to share a little update with you all. Just a few days ago, Prince Richard and I had a very Disney oriented evening. We've cancelled our reservation at Boma for a more "unique" dining experience at the 50's Prime Time Cafe, and we've also bumped our breakfast at Chef Mickey's from 8:40 to 7:00am to provide us with more park hours.We purchased our PhotoPass+ to capture all of our fabulous memories TOGETHER! No more trying to hunt down people to take our picture and no more pictures with one of us at a time in it. I've never purchased this package before, but I've heard nothing but good things about it. As of right now, it is currently making it's magical journey to our mailbox! Once we receive it in the mail, I will most definitely share its contents with all of you. Something else that is making its magical journey to our mailbox is our package of the 4 custom maps we designed together. Walt Disney World has a unique feature unlike any other theme park that allows you to "highlight" the attractions that you would like to see/ones that are your all time favorites on the park map. After you highlight your attractions, you then get to pick out your custom border for your map. These maps make me very excited because not only were they fun to make, but they were also FREE! I'm sure many of you follow my motto of "If it's free it's for me!" Now for a final update! One more thing is making its way to our mailbox, but you will have to wait until our next grand tea to see it! I know, such a tease, but it will all be worth it, I promise!
Now then, onto what we're here for: Yet another round of Disney Challenge! In typical White Rabbit fashion, I'm late once again for yesterday's entry so today will be a double day again. I really do apologize, but this is Wonderland after all so I don't need any excuse to be a little mad and scatterbrained and neither do any of you! We're all mad here! I would now like to take the time to introduce a favorite person of mine who can sometimes be seen as mad herself, but in the other sense of the word. Ladies and gentleman, may I introduce you to a Wicked Woman, my favorite Disney Villain, Maleficent!
"A forest of thorns shall be his tomb! Borne through the skies on a fog of doom! Now go with the curse, and serve me well! 'Round Stefan's Castle, CAST MY SPELL!"-Maleficent
Oh do be careful not to cross her my dear guests! She sounds rather angry. I wonder what's got her so worked up. Oh that's right, Prince Phillip is trying to save the fair Princess Aurora! Maleficent's quest for domination and quick ability to cast powerful spells makes her my all time favorite Disney Villain! Maleficent has not only been seen in Sleeping Beauty, but she also has been seen in Disney's video game Kingdom Hearts and it's sequels. She makes quite the impression during Fantasmic! and during Walt Disney World's Villain Dance Mix and Mingle. Maleficent has fascinated such a wide audience that she has recently been honored in a huge way. A Miss Angelina Jolie will be portraying her in the 2014 movie appropriately titled "Maleficent". Words cannot express how excited I am to see how the all too familiar story of Sleeping Beauty will be told from this most powerful woman's point of view.
Since it is probably already known that my all time favorite couple would be Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip, I would like to take this time to explore another Disney couple. I wanted to explore a couple who showcased the fun, spicy, and romantic side of being a Disney couple in love. I wanted a couple who enjoyed a little candlelight and a passionate kiss behind a curtain. This couple had to have some kind of Disney magic about them also. After thinking about all the variables, I found one couple who fit the bill perfectly. Ladies and Gentleman, may I proudly present to you, one of my favorite Disney couples, Lumiere and Babette from Beauty and the Beast!
This Disney couple showed off the fun, carefree, lustful side of love. They were a spicy couple as both humans and enchanted household items.
Such charismatic beings! I really do love sharing with you all and getting to explore some of the most beloved (and not so beloved) Disney Characters. I cannot wait to see some of them at the Happiest Place on Earth! Unfortunately, it has come time for me to say goodbye to all of my lovely guests. Today has been very special as always. I love being able to share and laugh with all of you. I do hope my magical packages make their way to our mailbox with speed because the anticipation of our next Great Tea is killing me! I do hope the rest of the day treats you kindly and a little pixie dust is sent over your way! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Now then, onto what we're here for: Yet another round of Disney Challenge! In typical White Rabbit fashion, I'm late once again for yesterday's entry so today will be a double day again. I really do apologize, but this is Wonderland after all so I don't need any excuse to be a little mad and scatterbrained and neither do any of you! We're all mad here! I would now like to take the time to introduce a favorite person of mine who can sometimes be seen as mad herself, but in the other sense of the word. Ladies and gentleman, may I introduce you to a Wicked Woman, my favorite Disney Villain, Maleficent!
"A forest of thorns shall be his tomb! Borne through the skies on a fog of doom! Now go with the curse, and serve me well! 'Round Stefan's Castle, CAST MY SPELL!"-Maleficent
Oh do be careful not to cross her my dear guests! She sounds rather angry. I wonder what's got her so worked up. Oh that's right, Prince Phillip is trying to save the fair Princess Aurora! Maleficent's quest for domination and quick ability to cast powerful spells makes her my all time favorite Disney Villain! Maleficent has not only been seen in Sleeping Beauty, but she also has been seen in Disney's video game Kingdom Hearts and it's sequels. She makes quite the impression during Fantasmic! and during Walt Disney World's Villain Dance Mix and Mingle. Maleficent has fascinated such a wide audience that she has recently been honored in a huge way. A Miss Angelina Jolie will be portraying her in the 2014 movie appropriately titled "Maleficent". Words cannot express how excited I am to see how the all too familiar story of Sleeping Beauty will be told from this most powerful woman's point of view.
Since it is probably already known that my all time favorite couple would be Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip, I would like to take this time to explore another Disney couple. I wanted to explore a couple who showcased the fun, spicy, and romantic side of being a Disney couple in love. I wanted a couple who enjoyed a little candlelight and a passionate kiss behind a curtain. This couple had to have some kind of Disney magic about them also. After thinking about all the variables, I found one couple who fit the bill perfectly. Ladies and Gentleman, may I proudly present to you, one of my favorite Disney couples, Lumiere and Babette from Beauty and the Beast!
This Disney couple showed off the fun, carefree, lustful side of love. They were a spicy couple as both humans and enchanted household items.
Such charismatic beings! I really do love sharing with you all and getting to explore some of the most beloved (and not so beloved) Disney Characters. I cannot wait to see some of them at the Happiest Place on Earth! Unfortunately, it has come time for me to say goodbye to all of my lovely guests. Today has been very special as always. I love being able to share and laugh with all of you. I do hope my magical packages make their way to our mailbox with speed because the anticipation of our next Great Tea is killing me! I do hope the rest of the day treats you kindly and a little pixie dust is sent over your way! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a Daydream away!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Challenge Days 6 and 7
"But then, shall I never get any older than I am now? That'll be a
comfort, one way -- never to be an old woman -- but then -- always to
have lessons to learn!"-Alice
Good Day to you friends! I do hope you have been having the most delightful of days. I have very good news for you! Today I am planning on writing out the guest list for our next Grand Tea! Since you already know the topic for next time, I will be sure to plan an extra special menu just for the occasion. I am quite sure you are wondering why I have chosen this particular quote from our idol for today's post. If you aren't aware, the past week or so I've been sharing my Disney favorites with you, my most memorable of guests. This quote reminds us that although we all want to remain young, with life comes lessons that we all learn and grow from. So this next post is for all of those who are young, and who are young at heart and wise in mind.
Today I would like to share with you the topics of next 2 days of Disney Challenge. My first "favorite" I want to share is my favorite animal. Our friend Jenn explained this topic very well over at her blog. How can we classify our favorite "animal" when a lot of the Disney Characters are in fact, ANIMALS? When thinking about this, I decided to mozy on down to the 100 acre wood and had a seat on my "thotful spot".
It was here that I decided that for my favorite Disney animal, I would definitely pick a fan favorite. Although most people would think of Pooh, I'm really more of a fan of Eeyore! Eeyore is my ultimate favorite because although he is constantly the victim of bad luck, he maintains a depressed yet somehow optimistic attitude. Eeyore is also a character that I believe his coloring reflects his moods. Eeyore is classified as a Donkey and can be seen in usually 3 main colors, those being gray, blue, and even sometimes purple. These colors can be sometimes seen as "gloomy", but the great thing about Eeyore is, he looks WONDERFUL all dressed up for different occasions! He looks especially nice all dressed up in nurses gear! Three cheers for my favorite Disney Animal, Eeyore!
Now to share with you my second "favorite" which would be my favorite Disney sidekick! This, along with many topics, is quite a hard one to pick. Almost every movie I remember, there is a sidekick of sorts. After thinking for a long time about it, I decided that I had to narrow it down to a group and a couple. My favorite "group" that would be classified as a sidekick, would definitely have to be the 7 dwarfs. Although I'm still a little shady as to if they are "sidekicks", I sort of feel like they were represented as such. I mean, the movie is called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Although they did end up playing a major role, typically when I see "and the" I think background/sidekick. What I love about the seven dwarfs is that their names are representative of their character. Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, and my all time favorite DOPEY. These seven guys were a little apprehensive when they first met Snow White, but they all eventually grew to be a big, happy family. Without their help, the evil queen would have won, and there would be no "happy ending".
My favorite "couple" of sidekicks is hands down Timon and Pumbaa. Honestly, The Lion King would never be the same without "Hakuna Matata". All the fun songs they sang, and the guidance they gave to their new friend Simba allowed him to take back his proper place on Pride Rock. These quick witted characters also taught young girls (at least me at least) that bugs aren't so icky after all.
As you can see, I'm pretty passionate about my favorites. When you visit dear Jenn's blog, take some time to browse through her entries. Her challenge favorites are really interesting and her blog entries are always very fun and informative. This week she is also focusing on Disney Engagements! So if you are looking for some romance, or just a good read in general, hop on over. Well the time has come to wrap up this soiree. I hope you find some magic in your day. Hope to see you around real soon! Have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a day dream away!
Good Day to you friends! I do hope you have been having the most delightful of days. I have very good news for you! Today I am planning on writing out the guest list for our next Grand Tea! Since you already know the topic for next time, I will be sure to plan an extra special menu just for the occasion. I am quite sure you are wondering why I have chosen this particular quote from our idol for today's post. If you aren't aware, the past week or so I've been sharing my Disney favorites with you, my most memorable of guests. This quote reminds us that although we all want to remain young, with life comes lessons that we all learn and grow from. So this next post is for all of those who are young, and who are young at heart and wise in mind.
Today I would like to share with you the topics of next 2 days of Disney Challenge. My first "favorite" I want to share is my favorite animal. Our friend Jenn explained this topic very well over at her blog. How can we classify our favorite "animal" when a lot of the Disney Characters are in fact, ANIMALS? When thinking about this, I decided to mozy on down to the 100 acre wood and had a seat on my "thotful spot".
It was here that I decided that for my favorite Disney animal, I would definitely pick a fan favorite. Although most people would think of Pooh, I'm really more of a fan of Eeyore! Eeyore is my ultimate favorite because although he is constantly the victim of bad luck, he maintains a depressed yet somehow optimistic attitude. Eeyore is also a character that I believe his coloring reflects his moods. Eeyore is classified as a Donkey and can be seen in usually 3 main colors, those being gray, blue, and even sometimes purple. These colors can be sometimes seen as "gloomy", but the great thing about Eeyore is, he looks WONDERFUL all dressed up for different occasions! He looks especially nice all dressed up in nurses gear! Three cheers for my favorite Disney Animal, Eeyore!
Now to share with you my second "favorite" which would be my favorite Disney sidekick! This, along with many topics, is quite a hard one to pick. Almost every movie I remember, there is a sidekick of sorts. After thinking for a long time about it, I decided that I had to narrow it down to a group and a couple. My favorite "group" that would be classified as a sidekick, would definitely have to be the 7 dwarfs. Although I'm still a little shady as to if they are "sidekicks", I sort of feel like they were represented as such. I mean, the movie is called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Although they did end up playing a major role, typically when I see "and the" I think background/sidekick. What I love about the seven dwarfs is that their names are representative of their character. Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Sneezy, Bashful, and my all time favorite DOPEY. These seven guys were a little apprehensive when they first met Snow White, but they all eventually grew to be a big, happy family. Without their help, the evil queen would have won, and there would be no "happy ending".
My favorite "couple" of sidekicks is hands down Timon and Pumbaa. Honestly, The Lion King would never be the same without "Hakuna Matata". All the fun songs they sang, and the guidance they gave to their new friend Simba allowed him to take back his proper place on Pride Rock. These quick witted characters also taught young girls (at least me at least) that bugs aren't so icky after all.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Disney Challenge Day 3, 4, and 5
My oh my how late I am! I do apologize for taking a little weekend break from our Disney Challenge posts, very busy weekend. To make up for absence, instead of covering 1 topic per post, this is going to be a JUMBO post and combine days 3, 4, and 5 of the Disney Challenge :)
To get the ball rolling, let's start with Day 3 of the challenge which is the Favorite Disney Heroine. Over the years, Disney has done a great job of utilizing both male and female lead characters in their films to capture the attention of viewers both young and old. As for the female leads, they often have to over come some kind of obstacle in life for a variety of reasons, whether it is to preserve a family's honor, or protecting a loved one, to "succeed". After thinking about all the heroic things the Disney Women have done, I think the one that really outdoes them all is Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Belle is a woman who has grown up in life with a creative father who has always pushed her to learn and expand her mind. Belle's courage to take on the unknown is her "calling card" that eventually helps her to save herself, the Beast, and her father. When Belle's father is taken prisoner by the Beast, Belle doesn't even have to think twice, and sacrifices herself to remain prisoner in his place. When Belle's father leaves the castle, Belle manages to build a relationship with the Beast, and eventually even grows to love him. When the Beast share's the looking glass with Belle, she looks at her father and realizes he needs her desperately, Belle rushes to the aid of her father. Belle's constant protection of her father keeps him safe, and her love for the Beast breaks the spell cast by the enchantress and the rest is Disney history!
Moving right along to Day 4 of our Challenge, I would now like to share with you my favorite Disney Prince. If you remember from Day 2, I revealed to you that my favorite Disney Princess was Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, so it is only fitting that my favorite Prince be her suitor. Prince Phillip is my all time favorite Disney Prince. Phillip was betrothed to Aurora from the day she was born (at the time, he was but a young boy and thought the baby was "gross" lol). While Aurora is under the alias of Briar Rose in the forest, Phillip comes across her and falls in love with her "Once Upon a Dream". Unfortunately, the three fairies seem to ruin Briar Rose's chance at love when they tell her she is indeed Princess Aurora and they bring her back to the castle never to see her forest lover again. After Aurora is left unattended, Maleficent (an evil, but awesome being), hypnotizes her and makes her prick her finger on a spindle, sending her into a deep sleep. After Aurora is sleeping, the whole city is put to sleep with the exception of Phillip who, with the help of the three fairies, will put his life on the line to save Princess Aurora. Any man who will fight through a Briar patch and kill a dragon just to kiss his lady to wake up is A-ok in my book! That is why Prince Phillip is my all time favorite Disney Prince.
As I said before, Disney does an amazing job at creating lead characters that pull at our heart strings. To wrap up our Disney challenge marathon of make up posts, I would like to share with you Day 5's challenge of Favorite Disney Hero. With so many characters to choose from, I decided to take a different approach to this question. Since there are so many Disney movies with all kinds of different situations in them requiring a hero of some kind, I wanted to share with you my TWO favorite sometimes forgotten heroes. Our first hero is Basil of Baker Street from The Great Mouse Detective. Basil is a fun interpretation of the famous Sherlock Holmes and ends up partnering with his would be Professor Watson, Dr. Dawson. These two partner up to find a lost girl's toymaker father who has been kidnapped by the evil, but oh so stylish Professor Ratigan. Their wild journey takes them on many side journeys and makes them adopt many different aliases to find the young girl's father and save the Queen of England from a would be assassination. Basil's ability to utilize his keen sense of puzzle solving makes him one of my all time favorite heroes.
My next favorite hero is a character who, along with his fairy sidekick, is a well known character in the Disney universe. If you hadn't guessed, my second hero is Peter Pan, the Boy who Never grows up, Hero of Neverland. Peter is a young boy who flies through Neverland, hangs out with his friends "The Lost Boys", and has never ending encounters with his nemesis, Captain Hook. In the original 1953 movie, Peter brings Wendy and her brothers to Neverland with him to share in his many adventures. During their visit to Neverland, Peter proves himself to be a hero multiple times. Some examples of his heroism are when he saves the Indian Princess Tiger Lily, and also when he saves Wendy and her brothers from the clutches of Captain Hook and his crew (with the help of a familiar ticking crocodile). Peter saves his friends, and also saves the idea of "youth" by reminding believers that all you need is Peace, Love, and Pixie Dust.
I do hope you accept my most humble of apologies and have enjoyed sharing with me today. Hopefully I can get things arranged quickly so we can have the most delightful disarranged tea party next time! I will be visiting a far away land today called Narnia that is sometimes mistaken for my closet to find some items to share with you next time (if I find them)! Do have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a day dream away!
To get the ball rolling, let's start with Day 3 of the challenge which is the Favorite Disney Heroine. Over the years, Disney has done a great job of utilizing both male and female lead characters in their films to capture the attention of viewers both young and old. As for the female leads, they often have to over come some kind of obstacle in life for a variety of reasons, whether it is to preserve a family's honor, or protecting a loved one, to "succeed". After thinking about all the heroic things the Disney Women have done, I think the one that really outdoes them all is Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Belle is a woman who has grown up in life with a creative father who has always pushed her to learn and expand her mind. Belle's courage to take on the unknown is her "calling card" that eventually helps her to save herself, the Beast, and her father. When Belle's father is taken prisoner by the Beast, Belle doesn't even have to think twice, and sacrifices herself to remain prisoner in his place. When Belle's father leaves the castle, Belle manages to build a relationship with the Beast, and eventually even grows to love him. When the Beast share's the looking glass with Belle, she looks at her father and realizes he needs her desperately, Belle rushes to the aid of her father. Belle's constant protection of her father keeps him safe, and her love for the Beast breaks the spell cast by the enchantress and the rest is Disney history!
Moving right along to Day 4 of our Challenge, I would now like to share with you my favorite Disney Prince. If you remember from Day 2, I revealed to you that my favorite Disney Princess was Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty, so it is only fitting that my favorite Prince be her suitor. Prince Phillip is my all time favorite Disney Prince. Phillip was betrothed to Aurora from the day she was born (at the time, he was but a young boy and thought the baby was "gross" lol). While Aurora is under the alias of Briar Rose in the forest, Phillip comes across her and falls in love with her "Once Upon a Dream". Unfortunately, the three fairies seem to ruin Briar Rose's chance at love when they tell her she is indeed Princess Aurora and they bring her back to the castle never to see her forest lover again. After Aurora is left unattended, Maleficent (an evil, but awesome being), hypnotizes her and makes her prick her finger on a spindle, sending her into a deep sleep. After Aurora is sleeping, the whole city is put to sleep with the exception of Phillip who, with the help of the three fairies, will put his life on the line to save Princess Aurora. Any man who will fight through a Briar patch and kill a dragon just to kiss his lady to wake up is A-ok in my book! That is why Prince Phillip is my all time favorite Disney Prince.
As I said before, Disney does an amazing job at creating lead characters that pull at our heart strings. To wrap up our Disney challenge marathon of make up posts, I would like to share with you Day 5's challenge of Favorite Disney Hero. With so many characters to choose from, I decided to take a different approach to this question. Since there are so many Disney movies with all kinds of different situations in them requiring a hero of some kind, I wanted to share with you my TWO favorite sometimes forgotten heroes. Our first hero is Basil of Baker Street from The Great Mouse Detective. Basil is a fun interpretation of the famous Sherlock Holmes and ends up partnering with his would be Professor Watson, Dr. Dawson. These two partner up to find a lost girl's toymaker father who has been kidnapped by the evil, but oh so stylish Professor Ratigan. Their wild journey takes them on many side journeys and makes them adopt many different aliases to find the young girl's father and save the Queen of England from a would be assassination. Basil's ability to utilize his keen sense of puzzle solving makes him one of my all time favorite heroes.
My next favorite hero is a character who, along with his fairy sidekick, is a well known character in the Disney universe. If you hadn't guessed, my second hero is Peter Pan, the Boy who Never grows up, Hero of Neverland. Peter is a young boy who flies through Neverland, hangs out with his friends "The Lost Boys", and has never ending encounters with his nemesis, Captain Hook. In the original 1953 movie, Peter brings Wendy and her brothers to Neverland with him to share in his many adventures. During their visit to Neverland, Peter proves himself to be a hero multiple times. Some examples of his heroism are when he saves the Indian Princess Tiger Lily, and also when he saves Wendy and her brothers from the clutches of Captain Hook and his crew (with the help of a familiar ticking crocodile). Peter saves his friends, and also saves the idea of "youth" by reminding believers that all you need is Peace, Love, and Pixie Dust.
I do hope you accept my most humble of apologies and have enjoyed sharing with me today. Hopefully I can get things arranged quickly so we can have the most delightful disarranged tea party next time! I will be visiting a far away land today called Narnia that is sometimes mistaken for my closet to find some items to share with you next time (if I find them)! Do have a magical day and remember, Wonderland is but a day dream away!
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