Jun 27 2014

Friday Favorites – Best Family Photo Spot in Epcot

For today’s Friday Favorites, I would like to share with you my pick for the best family photo spot in Epcot. There are so many beautiful locations to use as backdrops for your family photos throughout all of Disney World it can be hard to pick a favorite. For my family one of the places that we love the most and take photos at on every trip is the garden area in the Canada Pavilion at World Showcase in Epcot. During every season, the flowers in this garden, created to replicate Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC, are breathtaking. Amazing photos can be taken from the walkways on both sides of the garden and if you time it just right, you will usually be able to take photos with only your family and no other people in the picture. Here are some of our photographs throughout the years!

So there you have it! My pick for best family photo spot in Epcot. I hope you enjoyed the photos!

What about you? Do you have a favorite Epcot family photo location? Please leave a comment!

Jun 6 2014

Friday Favorites – Best Ways To Tour Epcot’s World Showcase With Kids

For today’s Friday favorites, I would like to share with you my picks for the best ways to tour Epcot’s World Showcase with young children. The World Showcase pavilions are one of my family’s favorite places to visit in all of Disney World. We love all of the elaborate detail and diversity that we find in each country. To make the visit even more interesting for our kids, we like to incorporate a special element into our touring. Here are our favorite ways to tour Epcot’s World Showcase with kids.

Kidcot Stops In each of the different countries, kids can stop at the Kidcot station and color a Duffy Bear or Perry from Phineas and Ferb. The cast member at the stop will stamp your creation and will even write your name in their country’s native language. You can continue moving around the World Showcase having your artwork signed and stamped in each country.
World Showcase Passport My boys loved doing these! You can purchase a World Showcase Passport kit at several different shops at Epcot for about $10, and they can usually be found by the cash registers. The kit includes a high-quality passport that looks very much like a real one, a button and some stickers. You children can fill out the passports, put the stickers on and take them from country to country around the World Showcase having them stamped at the Kidcot stops. For more information, please check out this link.
Candy Crawl This is a great option for kids and adults alike! Try sampling a small piece of candy or other treat from each of the pavilions along the way. Some great ones are caramel from Germany, Pocky from Japan and shortbread cookies from the United Kingdom. My kids always like trying new varieties and deciding which one is their favorite!
Scavenger Hunt Create your own simple kid-friendly scavenger hunt. Even if you have never been before, you can list items that you have seen in pictures of Epcot or items typically found in theme parks. Some easy items to find in the World Showcase are things like a clock, a map, candy, flowers, a fountain, etc.
Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure This is an exciting interactive game that is included with your theme park admission. Sign up at one of the many kiosks around the World Showcase and receive a small cell phone-like device. Then set off on your mission to help Perry from the Phineas and Ferb TV show. Each mission takes about 30 minutes and you can do it as you explore the World Showcase. As you work your way through your adventure, you find clues and solve puzzles enjoying lots of Disney flare along the way. For more information, please check out this link.

So there you have it…the best ways to tour Epcot’s World Showcase with kids!

Do you have a favorite way to tour World Showcase with your kids? Please leave a comment!

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!

So there you have it…my picks for best Disney World Nighttime activities!

Do you have a favorite Disney World nighttime activity? Please leave a comment!

May 16 2014

Friday Favorites – Best Disney World Events

For today’s Friday Favorites, I would like to share with you my picks for the best Disney World events. Throughout the year, Disney World offers several fun-filled events that your entire family will enjoy. So here are my favorites in chronological order.

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival This event is held annually at Epcot from the beginning of March until mid May. There is so much to see and do at this event including beautiful flowers, topiaries, outdoor kitchens, demonstrations by HGTV designers and music concerts. For more information, check out this link.
Star Wars Weekends This is event is held annually at Disney’s Hollywood Studios from mid May until Mid June. This celebration of Star Wars offers special dining opportunities, limited edition merchandise, celebrity and character interactions and unique entertainment. For more information, check out this link.
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival This event is held annually at Epcot from mid September until mid November. This incredible festival includes nearly 30 food and beverage marketplaces scattered around World Showcase, signature dining experiences, food and beverage demonstrations and music concerts. For more information, check out this link.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party This event is held annually at the Magic Kingdom on select dates in September and October. This is a family friendly Halloween celebration that includes special parades, exciting dance parties, stunning fireworks and tons of trick-or-treating stations filled with candy for everyone! For more information, check out this link.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party This event is held annually at the Magic Kingdom on select dates in November and December. This a festive party that includes a special holiday parade, entertaining shows, spectacular fireworks, hot chocolate and cookies, character dance parties and even snow on Main Street! For more information, check out this link.