Jul 5 2014

Daily Dose Of Disney – World Of Disney Store

Did you know that the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World is the largest Disney store in the world?

Jun 21 2014

Daily Dose Of Disney – Characters In Flight

Did you know that the Characters in Flight balloon at Downtown Disney is actually filled with helium instead of hot air? Did you also know that all of the operators are certified balloon pilots and are able to fly and land the balloon in the unlikely event that it would break free from the tethers? Good to know!

May 30 2014

Friday Favorites – Best Ways To Beat The Heat In Disney World

For today’s Friday favorites, I would like to share with you my picks for the best ways to beat the heat in Disney World. It’s that time of year again when kids are getting out of school for summer break and the temperatures and crowds are beginning to rise. By midday, you might be overwhelmed by the heat and wondering what you should do to escape. Here are my favorite ways to beat the heat at Disney World!

Take A Nap This option is especially great for families with little ones. Head back to your hotel room for a cool shower and a peaceful nap. You’ll be refreshed and ready to go for the night.
Go To The Pool Another terrific choice is to head for your resort pool during those scorching afternoon hours. Grab yourself a cool drink from the pool bar and take a relaxing dip!
See The Shows This works well when you want to stay in the parks, but you still need a little break. Make your way to the large capacity air-conditioned theatres in the afternoon. Great choices are the Enchanted Tiki Room, Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, Mickey’s Philharmagic, Carousel of Progress and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor at the Magic Kingdom, Ellen’s Energy Adventure, Impressions de France, O Canada, Reflections of China and American Adventure in Epcot, Muppet*Vision 3D at Hollywood Studios and It’s Tough to be a Bug at Animal Kingdom. Even during the busiest times, you can usually get into these shows quickly.
Head To The Resorts Another wonderful possibility is to explore some of the resort hotels. If you are at the Magic Kingdom, hop on the monorail and check out the resorts on the loop. Have a cool beverage, do some shopping and play some games at one of the arcades. If you are at Epcot or Hollywood Studios, hop on the boat. Enjoy the cool breeze on your ride to the Crescent Lake resorts. Once there, explore the area and cool off with some ice cream from Beaches & Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort.
Go To Downtown Disney You can also escape to Downtown Disney to get a break from the heat. There are lots of exciting air-conditioned places for entertainment. You can bowl a few games at Splitsville, see a movie at AMC Dine In Theatre, buy souvenirs at World of Disney, enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants or play games at DisneyQuest.

So there you have it…my favorite ways to beat the heat in Disney World!

Do you have a favorite way to escape the heat while in Disney World? Please leave a comment!

May 23 2014

Friday Favorites – Best Disney World Nighttime Activities

For today’s Friday Favorites, I would like to share with you my picks for best Disney World nighttime activities. I love the ambience that Disney World has at night in the theme parks and beyond. Nighttime at Disney World is my favorite time of all! So without further ado, here are my picks for best nighttime activities in no particular order.

Fireworks, Parades, Shows This one is a no brainer! Of course, one of the top nighttime activities has to be all of the stunning fireworks, parades and shows that the theme parks offer. At Magic Kingdom, you have Celebrate the Magic, the Main Street Electrical Parade and Wishes. At Epcot, you have Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. And at Hollywood Studios, you have Fantasmic! All of these nighttime spectaculars are amazing!
Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland My favorite part of Magic Kingdom at night is Tomorrowland. Something about all of those neon lights calls to me! My family and I love spending an entire night just soaking up the atmosphere of Tomorrowland. Our favorite nighttime ride is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover. It is rarely crowded and it offers beautiful views of the Magic Kingdom after dark.
Epcot’s World Showcase This is my favorite part of Epcot at night. I think it has a lot to do with the special lighting throughout the countries and the exhilarating feel that the World Showcase has at night. My family and I spend several nights of our trip touring this part of Epcot enjoying the shows, shops and snacks as we go.
Downtown Disney If you are ready for a little break from the parks, Downtown Disney is a fun place to go at night. You have so many options here including dinner and a movie, shopping, drinks, bowling, video games and live entertainment. We love visiting Downtown Disney on the night we arrive in Disney World, when we are too tired from traveling to head into a park, but we are eager to get our vacation started!
Arcade & Ice Cream This is a fun option when you are traveling with kids. My boys love video games so we always enjoy heading to Disney’s Beach Club Resort for some yummy ice cream at Beaches & Cream and then video games at the resort arcade.
Mini Golf & Cupcakes Another entertaining option that is wonderful for the whole family! My family and I love mini golf, but it usually too hot for us to play during the day. We love spending one evening playing a round or two at Fantasia Gardens and Fairways near the Walt Disney World Swan Hotel and then walking over to the Boardwalk Bakery for a delicious cupcake!
Monorail Resort Hotels This is a very relaxing evening option especially for the adults in your group. We have a great time hopping on the monorail and going from resort to resort exploring, shopping and hitting up the lounges. If you time it right, you can even watch the Electrical Water Pageant from one of the resort’s beaches!
Pizza & Games And if you are just too exhausted to go anymore, all of the resort hotels offer pizza delivery to your room. Get yourselves a couple Disney-themed games (we have Uno and Monopoly) at one of the shops and have an exciting family game night in your room!