The True Disney Fan

Princess Half Weekend Itinerary

2012-01-27T13:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I have roughly planned out what I will be doing for the Princess Half Marathon weekend and thought I would share my plan. Naturally, this is all subject to change as potential meet-ups are planned, but I am going to be sticking relatively close to this, so if you will be down at the same time and are looking for something to do, here is where I will be:

Friday 2/24

Fly in late evening

Sleep

Saturday into Sunday 2/25 and 26

Run the Princess 5k

5k After party

Back to the room and nap til around 4

Magic Kingdom

Dinner at the Plaza Restaurant

MK Close at 1

Relax at a MK resort until Cheering times are open at Magic Kingdom

Find Cheering spot for Half Marathon

Cheer on the marathoners

Sunday 2/26

Sleep in

Hollywood Studios

(Specifics not planned yet, any one who will be here also and would like to give suggestions for reservations, please let me know)

Monday 2/27

Epcot (Same as above, no specifics yet, if you have ideas, let me know)

Tuesday 2/28

Animal Kingdom Morning

Lunch and afternoon @Downtown Disney

Fly home around 6pm

That crazyness that is the Marathon day and a half I have actually made a plancast event for, it's the 5k to MK to ChEAR Squad event. If you want to join any part of that crazyness with me, just join the event here: http://plancast.com/p/9l10/5k-mk-chear-squad

The Return of Blogging

2012-01-25T22:06:00.001-05:00

"10,000 Years will give ya such a crick in the neck!"

Wow has it been forever since I have blogged!!....Ok, a little more than a month and a half, but to me it feels like forever!! I have missed this!

So if I have missed it, why haven't I been blogging? Several reasons really all pointing back to an extreme lack of time:

- I have been given a larger role in Celebrations Magazine which now includes organizing the mailing list, sending out notices and answering emails, all of which takes up several hours a week.

- My day job, teaching, has been beyond complicated over the last couple months. Classroom switches, meetings, new students, new schedule have consumed both my thoughts and frustrations. Without getting further upset, I cannot say more on this topic. Ask me personally if you have any specific questions about this.

- An abundance of vacations has also consumed my time! Going to Orlando twice in December, once for Reunion and once for New Years. I never thought I would be able to go so frequently. There is also another trip coming up a month from today that begins my year of Disney running, but I will blog specifically about that soon.

- Health has been all over the charts...feels like every weekend for the last month or so I have been sick for some reason....hoping that will be coming to an end soon.

So these are just a few of the things in my life right now. I have promised myself though that I will start making more time for myself and coming back to blogging more often. I have a few new ideas for blog posts as well, including my Disney Bucket List and Mission to the Mouse....you will find out about those soon enough.

Mickey Mouse Band-Aids

2011-12-04T16:15:00.001-05:00

Everyone gets those little cuts and scrapes inlife, so why not cover those up in style, Disney style!

Johnson and Johnson’s BAND-AID brand makes thecoolest Band-Aids with Mickey Mouse pictures on them. Not only do they lookcool, they work quite well, just as you would expect from BAND-AID. I had oneon for an entire day at work and it survived through several hand washings,writing with chalk, and other teacher duties.

They come in two sizes in the box, 5/8 inch by 2 ¼inch and ¾ inch by 3 inch. There is a warning on the wrappers about Latex beingused, so if you or anyone in your family has a latex allergy, I would avoidthese Band-Aids.

As if Band-Aids with Mickey weren’t cool enough,the collector’s edition container that they come in makes it even more awesome!It’s a tin that is about 4 inches tall, 2 inches wide and an inch deep. It isnot the sturdiest container in the world as I could bend it with my fingerswhen it was open, but it is very cute and could be used to hold little candiesor gum or even just be used as a display item by us Disney collectors.

I have found the tins selling on Amazon.com forabout $8 but I have also seen them sold in Target stores, so if you are interestedin this unique set of Band-Aids, check those stores.

Disney Driven Life Post

2011-11-16T22:28:00.001-05:00

Yes, I know, been a long time since I wrote....especially for DDL, but here it is, the newest new, out today! What's the plans for D23 this year?? I know I am excited, will you be?? Check out my article and find out!

The Wonderful World of Color

2011-10-30T16:01:00.001-04:00

This show gets its own special post because I think it is that amazing! I had heard this show was something to see and made sure it was on my "Must Do" list for my trip to California. I was certainly not disappointed, this show blew me away with its technical aspects, the clarity of the pictures, the gorgeous soundtrack and the overall presence of the show. It is just mind-blowing and while the videos of it on Youtube are great, nothing can compare to seeing it in person. And I Mean Nothing!!! Tears came to my eyes on a few occasions, so be warned!

I was lucky enough to see this show from 2 angles; from a basic front row seat and from the balcony of a Grand Villa in Disney's Grand Californian. Below are the two videos for you to enjoy! Please let me know which you enjoy more!

My new coping strategy

2011-10-26T19:26:00.000-04:00

I don't know if this is just Delaware of if is the whole country, but teachers have this weekly team meeting called a PLC to go to. We talk about standards and what we are teaching and curriculum and lots of other teachery things, I won't bore the non-teachers with the details. Anyway, during these meetings, at the beginning, we try to come up with a Celebration from the past week. This is something that happened, no matter how small or big, that was a good. I realized that I haven't really had much to say at these because I'm so focused on what has to be done and what is required of us and what I have to do as a first year teacher and how I am going to get the support I need for this kid and that kid......the list goes on....

So, in order to keep me from burning out in my first 3 months of teaching, I have decided to make quality time for myself, even if it is 5 minutes, and think about a Celebration each day. Something that happened that was good that day. I am hoping this will keep me focused on the good side of this job and help me through the rough patches.

And, for myself and my Disney friends who read this, I will do some reading related to Disney every day and have something I've learned about Disney along with my Celebration. Hey, maybe my fact can be from Celebrations Magazine!! (yea, I know, shameless plug, what can I say)

So, today's Celebration: I have 3 of my 4 IEPs in the next 2 months scheduled! And, they will all be done before I go to WDW on Dec 9! (more info on that coming soon)

My Disney fact of the day comes from the newest Celebrations actually, just worked out that way...Captain Jack Sparrow sailed on 15 ships as either the captain or the crew, and this does include the little dingy that he sailed off in at the end of "At World's End".

Mouse Meals: Ariel's Grotto

2011-10-24T13:31:00.000-04:00

This week on Mouse Meals, I gave my review of Ariel's Grotto in California Adventure. My experience was very pleasant and I highly recommend this restaurant! To hear my full review, tune into Mouse Meals on Magic 24.7 at 12pm Pacific (3pm Eastern) at VacationSuperstation.com

Here are some pictures from my trip:

The awesome bread with the ranch, butter and pesto sauce for dipping

How cool is this design?!

Our Menu...I think our whole group tried everything on this menu!

The Epic Dessert Plate!!

LOVED this White Chocolate Film Strip

My World of Color Fastpass

World of Color was going on during our Dessert and while we were leaving the restaurant...soo cool looking!

Here is my video of World of Color from our fastpass viewing! You can distinctly hear the couple times we get wet...I am protective of my camera!

This Week's It Came from Disney!

2011-10-12T22:36:00.000-04:00

This week on the Disney Dispatch, I wrote about a necklace that was given to me by two great guys that I met at the D23 Expo! The name: PoMo. Ya know you wanna check it out! Read my review here and check out the site at pomogalaxy.com today!

Today's Mouse Meals

2011-10-10T14:29:00.000-04:00

On Today's Mouse Meals, I will be talking about my first Disney recipe, William Penn Pasta. Here's the recipe, from AllEars.net:

Recipe
William Penn Pasta
Liberty Tree Tavern
Magic Kingdom

12 oz. rigatoni pasta
32 oz. Pink Sauce (recipe below)
2 oz fresh spinach
4 oz. smoked bacon (diced)
4 to 6 oz. chicken breast

Render bacon in saute pan. Add pasta, pink sauce and spinach to pan. Toss and place in pasta bowl. Grill chicken and place on top of the pasta.

William Penn Chicken Marinade
4 to 6 oz. Chicken Breast
1 ounce Basil
1/2 ounce Thyme
1/2 cup Canola oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Mix together until the chicken is evenly coated with herbs and oil.

Pink Sauce
1 qt. Tomato Sauce
2 qt. Heavy Cream
3 oz. Fresh Garlic (chopped)
To Taste Kosher Salt & Pepper

Put tomato sauce in pot. Add garlic and heat up. When marinara sauce comes to a boil add heavy cream, salt and pepper.

For more Disney recipes, visit the WDW Recipe page on AllEars.net.

AVATAR Watch Postponed to 10/8

2011-10-06T20:23:00.000-04:00

Due to the NLDS Game 5 Phillies vs Cardinals (GO PHILLIES), the AVATAR watch has been postponed to Saturday at 8pm. I hope everyone is still interested and able to attend! Remember, set up the movie on your TV, come into the Friend Feed room at friendfeed.com/the-true-disney-fan and we will hit play together so we can watch and chat about the movie together! Hope to see you there!

Avatar Group Watch: Friday Oct 7 @ 8pm

2011-10-05T08:03:00.001-04:00

So, as promised, I am planning an online group watch for Avatar for those of us who haven't seen it yet and/or just want to watch it together and discuss the possibilities for the new "Avatar Land" in Animal Kingdom. The plan is for this Friday at 8:00 pm Eastern. I have created a Friend Feed at Friendfeed.com/the-true-disney-fan and at 8 on Friday, just meet in there with your movies ready to play and once we are all settled, we hit play at the same time and begin to discuss. I will post reminders on Twitter and Facebook as well as have a Plancast event for those interested.

I know that Ryan Kilpatrick, owner of Disney Film Project, is planning on doing a watch for this as well at some point, though it has not been announced yet on his website. I am doing this now just to further my understanding of Disney's choice to add this film to the park, but I strongly encourage you to join Ryan for his as well when it happens as he will give trivia and great information regarding the film as you watch. I will post the date for his official Tweetwatch when he has posted it on his site.

I hope you will join me to watch the film, I am excited to watch and discuss this movie with all of you!

Lou's Video, as promised.

2011-09-22T20:30:00.000-04:00

As I talked about in my AVATAR opinion post, Lou Mongello had a few good points in his newscast video, so I thought I would share it with those who have not watched his newscast before. Make sure to check out all of Lou's videos and mass amounts of information on his site, www.wdwradio.com.

Disney Driven Life News Post

2011-09-22T09:48:00.000-04:00

The news article for this week on the Disney Driven Life is about, you guessed it, AVATAR! Get the scoop here. Make sure to check the site as well whenever news breaks about the new "Avatar Land" or any other Disney news.

My Say on "Avatar Land"

2011-09-21T23:19:00.000-04:00

I've had people ask, so here it is, my opinion on yesterday's big announcment:

......................................

Yes, that's right, I don't have an opinion as of right now. Why you might ask? Well, for starters, I have never seen the movie Avatar! (Yea, I know, cone of shame and all that jazz) I just never found it over the top appealing or had a need to watch it. This announcement has certainly given me the motivation to watch it, and I plan to, hopefully as a group, but I will get to that later.

For those of you who are upset, I pose a question to you.....why?? It is not like groaning about it is going to change anything, Disney is going to do what they want and what they feel will be best overall for their park and company. A few griping guests is not going to change their mind. And besides, even if you decide to never set foot on "Avatar Land", it's not like you will stop giving them money in other ways.

The addition of this land to Animal Kingdom completes the original plans of the park. Creatures of the past, present and fantasy were to be represented within the park and, while many have said they would have rather seen the originally planned Beastly Kingdom, "Avatar Land" does fit the bill for this category.

Ok, before I continue, I do have to give my one actual beef with the whole announcement. I am really, REALLY hoping that "Avatar Land" is a working title for the project and not what it will actually be called, because it's kinda lame and WDI can do better than that.

Ok, moving on...

For those griping about Disney pulling ideas from outside sources, Lou Mongello pointed out that Disney has been doing this FOREVER! Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, it's not like those are original stories from the mind of Walt, he just put his spin on the classic story. Disney has found a story they believe will stand the test of time and have come up with ways to incorporate the story into the parks. Lou also made the point that Cameron, like the people at Disney, is a story teller and will do what he can to stand by a story. We must remember, this is not just some ho-hum director getting with a mediocre theme park, this is James Cameron and his imagination getting with the talents and imaginations of the Disney imagineers, the guys who get paid to imagine! Combining these elements and getting a ho-hum result just seems illogical. Once Lou gets this week's newscast up, I will post it here for you to enjoy and hopefully to help some see the pros and optimistic side of this endeavor.

A practical reason for putting this update in Animal Kingdom? It needs it BADLY! This park is considered by many to be merely a half-day park with very few E-ticket attractions. Guests have been calling for an addition to this park for a long time now it has finally come to be! This could even open the opportunity for extended park hours in Animal Kingdom, especially if the plans for the land call for some kind of glowing forest! They could close the safari earlier so that the animals will be taken care of, but leave the rest of the park open later for more experience. Plus, the opening of this area will give the E-ticket potential and distraction needed to put Expedition Everest under refurb and allow for the much needed fix for the Disco Yeti problem! (For those unaware, the short of it is that the Yeti in the attraction was way cool until his foundation broke causing him not to be able to function properly and the only way to remedy the situation is to shut the entire ride down for months in order to break through the main foundations to the Yeti foundation, repair it and fix the other foundations again.)

Why was this not announced at the D23 Expo last month? This is all merely speculation by the way, but my first idea was that they did not want to cause major outrage at the Expo like what was seen at the announcement and through social media. I don't think they were prepared for a riot at the Expo. Another thought, and one I actually stand by moreso, they were going to announce it, but pulled it out of the show at the last second. They were prepared to announce it during the Parks and Resorts event, but there were negotiations going on still, so when the Expo came up ad they negotiations were not finished, they pulled the announcement. This would explain the sudden cut of the Parks and Resorts program by a half an hour days before the Expo.

I know there is a lot here, I am just trying to help people see what could be the positives of this announcement, even if they are not fans of the movie. As soon as change is announced, people tend to immediately get upset about it, but we really have nothing to get upset about right now. There are no plans, we have no idea what they are going to start building since they wont be moving any dirt until 2013, so there is plenty of time to be calm and think about the possibilities before having to freak out. Remember Magic, Memories and You; people freaked when that was announced, talking about how dumb it was and being negative, but now it is really a beloved feature of the parks and a great show of technology.

The biggest realization of this whole thing: This is Disney we are talking about!! Haven't they earned our trust by now? Yes, the Pepto-Bismol castle, Stitch's SuperSonic Celebration and the second iteration of Journey into Imagination were a few dark spots, but I think they're positive decisions FAR outweigh the negative ones. For now, I am putting my trust in Disney to plan something spectacular.

This Week's It Came from Disney

2011-09-21T22:27:00.003-04:00

My article this week for DisneyDispatch.com is all about a great Disney wallet from a surprisingly non-Disney source! What am I talking about? Find out in my article! Don't forget to check out the other great articles on the Disney Dispatch, including stories from Disney Legends Rolly Crump, Tom Nabbe and Charlie Ridgway!

This week's Mouse Meals

2011-09-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

This week on Mouse Meals, I talked about my experience at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland! Here are some of my pictures from my dinner there! To hear about my experience, tune into Mouse Meals on Magic 24.7 at 12 pm Pacific (3 pm Eastern). Visit VacationSuperstation.com for information.

Such an elegant area

The view from my seat, we were right by the door

The lamps add for a great atmosphere

Part of the Bayou area where Pirates of the Caribbean begins

The water with one of the POTC boats

Into the restaurant

Salad that came with my meal

Filet Minion

My First Time Visitor Mousse!

Lion King 3D Review

2011-09-18T14:25:00.000-04:00

The line for The Lion King 3D was incredibly long and I believe it maxed out at the D23 Expo, so my only chance to see it was in the theaters these next two weeks.

The film is the original version show in theaters in 1996, so the new song "Morning Report" was not included. For me this was a moot point; if they included it, awesome, if not, not a huge loss. The film itself is quite clear because of the switch to digital for the sake of the 3D. The usage of 3D is strictly for depth, though there are a couple places where objects or faces do pop out at you, like Zazu's tail feathers, but this seems strictly coincidental. The friend I went with said that he noticed a couple parts in the movie where the picture seemed a little distorted from being in 3D, but I honestly did not notice these times and it did not take away from the movie.

I didn't realize until I got home, but the really cool themed 3D glasses I picked up to use were technically for children, though they did fit me fine. They have a little Simba on the front and one of the arms says "The Lion King 3D". I thought they were really cool!

My total opinion: It was cool to see The Lion King on the big screen again; when it came out in 1996 it was the 2nd movie I had ever seen in theaters and my sister's first. The 3D was a unique way to see the film, but it did little for me honestly. If you are a big Lion King fan or just want to see the film on the big screen again, I say go for it. Otherwise, I would say put the $13 a ticket towards something else, like buying Lion King on Blu-Ray to get all the awesome features that comes with that, or put it towards your next Walt Disney World vacation and see the Festival of the Lion King show.

Books, Art and Everyone's Favorite Catchy Tune!

2011-09-16T08:00:00.000-04:00

I heard about this event and just had to share! The upcoming release of the new Disney Press children's book "It's a Small World" is being celebrated in style at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra, California.

Starting Saturday the 17th, artwork will be displayed throughout the gallery all with the theme of global peace to celebrate the release of Disney Press' "It's a Small World", a children's book made using the Sherman Brothers' famous lyrics and illustrated by artist Joey Chou. The exhibit features artwork from 45 artists, including Chou, all taking their inspiration from the Disney Parks attraction.

The Opening Reception is Saturday the 17th from 7pm to 10pm and will not only have some of the artists present, but will feature a book signing with Joey Chou as well as a raffle with one of the prizes being a signed copy of "It's a Small World". Admission is free and refreshment will be served. Click Here to see the event page and to pre-order your copy of the book.

What a great theme for an art exhibit with some Disney flair! If it wasn't on the other side of the country, I would so be there. I told someone at the gallery this and they let me know that a preview of some of the artwork that would be at the show was available on their website! I looked at the pieces and was amazed at how much they reminded me of sitting on that boat in that classic attraction! The colors and the faces of the children featured in some of the pieces brought a smile to my face. Check out the preview by clicking this link. Let me know what you think about the pieces as well! Do you get the same familiar feeling as I do?

If you are in the Alhambra, California area, I would definitely urge you to stop by this exhibit. After the opening on Saturday night, the exhibit is available to view every day until October 3rd. Visit www.gallerynucleus.com for directions and other information regarding the gallery.

unKNOWN Actors: Bill Thompson

2011-09-15T17:49:00.000-04:00

For our unKnown actor this week, we have a man of many voices and accents. He has been featured in many different Disney films over a span of 20 years playing several characters that Disney fans have grown to love. This man is Bill Thompson, born July 8, 1913 in Indiana and died July 15, 1971 in Los Angeles. Besides his Disney roles, Bill is also known for providing the lovable monotone voice for Droopy the dog in all of his cartoons throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

Bill’s bit with Disney started in 1951 with Alice in Wonderland. He voiced the frantic White Rabbit and the know-it-all Dodo.

The same year, he was in the Walt Disney Christmas Show, which was a TV movie, as the character Willoughby.

1953 was Bill’s next voice stint, bringing the gullible yet lovable Mr. Smee to life in Peter Pan. He also voiced a few of the other pirates as needed, though he was not credited for them.

In the 1953 short Ben and Me, Bill gave his voice to some of the background characters and to Governor Keith.

Lady and the Tramp (1955) would not be the same without Bill’s voice talents because he did a handful of the characters in that film! His main character was the scotty dog Jock, but he also voiced Bull the Bull Terrier, the Policeman at the Zoo, Dachsie and Joe.

Four years later, we hear him in Sleeping Beauty, giving a voice to Prince Phillip’s father, King Hubert.

There was a long break before his next Disney film, which came as a short film in 1967. He voiced Scrooge McDuck in Scrooge McDuck and Money.

There were two characters that Bill brought to Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color throughout its broadcast. Those characters were Ranger J Audubon Woodlore and an Ajax Employment Agency Proprietor.

Bill’s last Disney film came the year before his death, in 1970, where he had a short yet memorable voice part as Uncle Waldo in The Aristocats. It was a small part, but I know that is one that my sister and I laugh at every time we watch it! "Neighbourhood!!"

I hope you are enjoying reading about all of the different actors throughout Disney history and how they shared their many talents with us and future generations!

Why I am Not Applying for Mom's Panel

2011-09-12T16:30:00.000-04:00

Yes, you read that right, I am not applying for the Mom's Panel this year. I enjoyed the application experience for the most part last year, outside of the waiting period and anxiety associated with it, but I have decided to skip it for this year. No, I am not being a quitter, and I am not scared of not being accepted. I am not applying this year because I am focusing on applying to Disney in another way....a more permanent way.

My ultimate dream is to work in the parks, to be a cast member, and I realized that if I applied for the Mom's Panel, I really wouldn't be able to focus on my ultimate goal as much. Where would I like to work in the parks? Well, I would be happy just about anywhere really, but what I am working to apply for is the Disney Youth Programs. I feel that my Education degree will really shine working with one of these programs (plus, it won't make my family feel as bad for paying for me to get a degree for me to "just work at Disney").

This process of applying could take a while, but I am willing to stick it out because I know it is what I want to do and every day of experience I get will get me closer to that dream job. Just thought I would head off any questions by answering it in the blog post now. I would like to wish a BIG Good Luck and send some pixie dust to anyone who is applying for Mom's Panel, Disney would benefit from all of your input and wisdom!

Mouse Meals, Episode 1

2011-09-12T14:00:00.000-04:00

Today at 12pm Pacific (3pm Eastern), the first episode of my new show, Mouse Meals, will debut on Magic 24.7!

For those of you who haven't heard of this station yet, its a new Disney internet station that focuses a lot on Disneyland music, with a little of the World thrown in. You can get more information by going to www.VacationSuperstation.com.

My show, Mouse Meals, is all about the food of Disney. From restaurants to recipe reviews and great Disney music, Mouse Meals has everything for the Disney fan with an appetite!

On this week's show, I talked about my first meal ever in Disneyland, a corn dog. Here are some pictures from this surprisingly large meal.

The corn dog stand is to the right near the end of Main Street, but before the Hub. (P.S., thats the trash can that Marc Lorenzo and I ate on.)

You can get chips or apples with your meal. Tell me that the corn dog does not look like a turkey leg sitting there! Its Huge!

Ground Zero, One Year Later

2011-09-11T10:41:00.000-04:00

Finally was able to find the pictures I was talking about. During 8th grade, we went on an overnight field trip to New York City and one of the stops on our tour was a visit to Ground Zero. Here are a few pictures that my mother or I took of the area. These pictures were taken a few days before Christmas in 2002.

These last couple pictures are from a trip later on in the school year to Washington DC. These couple artifacts were in a museum, though I am not sure which museum.

We Will Always Remember

2011-09-11T09:14:00.000-04:00

Taking a brief step away from the Disneyness of this blog to talk about what today is all about, remembrance.

Where was I ten years ago? I was in my second week of 7th grade. I was in a new middle school building and was still trying to figure out where everything was. My morning had been normal, went to my first few classes. I remember hearing only one or two people talking about a building being blown up, but I didn't know what the building was, just knew that it was in New York. It quite honestly didn't sound like a big deal to me, I didn't understand that terrorists were involved, I just thought some kind of accident had happened in the building. I really thought nothing of it.

I had my band class over lunch that day, which meant I had the last lunch, the 3rd one. I loved those days because it meant a full hour of band, my favorite. Near the beginning of class, a couple students were called out for an early dismissal. Seemed pretty normal, didn't really think about it. About ten minutes later, four more students had dismissal, and then a few minutes later, a group of three or four more. Every five minutes or so groups of people were being called for early dismissal. This is where I started to get confused; there was no way that many people had doctor appointments and would be pulled out at the same time. This is when the rumors started swirling.

Being in the band class, you had students from all over the building in the same room, so while none of my teachers had the televisions on in the morning, others had and some of the students had seen some of the news footage. There was talk about planes blowing up, buildings blowing up, the Pentagon being blown up, I remember even people talking about the White House and Capitol. Everyone kept saying "blown up" because we hadn't known how the planes were involved, they kept seeing buildings with smoke so they figured explosions.

After band we went to the cafeteria for lunch, where rumors continued to swirl. About five minutes into lunch, my principal walks in and gets us all to stop talking. He tells us that the school was to have early dismissal and the natural reaction from a group of 12 and 13 year olds is to cheer, as some students did. Remember, we really had no idea what was going on. The principal freaked out at this reaction, telling us that something terrible was happening to the country and we were to go directly home to be safe. This sent a hush over the room, we finally knew that something serious had happened, though we still really didn't know what. We were given a few minutes to finish eating and were told to go to our homerooms to await dismissal instruction.

Walking in the halls to our rooms was surreal. I saw teachers and students in groups, some crying. We got our bags from the locker and waited for the announcements. I remember hearing people talking about schools being threatened, which was why we were told to go home. I had a Columbine type situation pictured in my head, which didn't seem to make sense with the other news I had heard. I remember emptying my locker and taking all of my books home even though I didn't have much homework by that point; since I wasn't sure what was going on, I figured that if I had everything with me I would be prepared.

Everyone was dismissed and people started getting on their buses to go home. I was a car rider, carpooled with a friend of mine, so we met up and stood outside. We didn't have cell phones so we were hoping that my mother or her aunt knew to come get us. We figured it would be her aunt because I knew my mother would be taking care of my little sister first because she was only in third grade. After waiting a few minutes, we went inside to ask the office if we could call one of them to make sure they were getting us. They told us that cell phones weren't working because towers were down, so there was no use in calling. We walked back outside and sat on the steps, a little nervous. All the students were gone at this point except for us and while we sat there we saw teachers starting to rush to their cars and leave, none of them really paying much mind to the two of us sitting on the steps.

It was at this point that I started to believe that this was the end of the world. Buildings blowing up, schools being threatened, communication down, to a 13 year old the end of the world seemed like a logical explanation. I felt completely cut off from everyone and everything and I really could not figure out any other way to explain it.

After talking it out, my friend and I decided that the most logical thing to do, since we could not get a hold of anyone, was to start walking to her aunts house. It was a good 5 mile walk and would have taken us a few hours, but since we didn't know what was going on or what to do and almost the entire school was emptied, we decided to take matters into our own hands. We started walking along the path to her house, walking along the road where her aunt or my mother would have seen us if they did end up driving to get us. I think it was at this point, while we were walking and everything was so quiet that I started wondering if anyone was left on Earth. We didn't see a car or anyone else walking along the sidewalk and I remember specifically looking at the sky and not seeing any planes either, which would be a normal thing to see and hear being only about 20 minutes from the Philadelphia airport.

We were only walking a few minutes when my friend's aunt came down the road. Wow was she upset with us for starting to walk, telling us how unsafe it was, but she calmed down quickly when we explained to her why we did it. She drove towards my house, telling me that my mom and sister were already there (my mom had went to pick my sister up from school as I had suspected and had woken my friend's aunt to come get us) and then proceeded to fill us in on what was really going on.

The rest of the day is a blur to me, I don't even remember getting home. I just remember images of me sitting with my mom and sister crying while we watched the television. The images that we all associate with that day flashed on the television over and over again and I tried to understand what was happening. While I knew the hard facts, I could not understand why.

So much has changed in the last ten years, but I think I always will be wondering why, just as I did on that day.

I had seen both Ground Zero and the Pentagon a little over a year later and, if I can find them, I will post the images later for you. If you would like to share your story with me, I would love to hear it. Feel free to post any comments below or, if you would rather share privately, send me an email at lady_aurora_yensid@hotmail.com.

Magic, Memories and You: DL vs WDW

2011-09-05T18:55:00.000-04:00

I have been to both of the US Disney parks now and have developed a deep love for both parks. While they are different and some people may like one over the other, I have a huge appreciation for both and embrace them for their differences. There are some things that Walt Disney World has that far exceeds Disneyland, but the same holds true for some of Disneyland's attractions and experiences. I hope to go through some of these similarities and differences and, after I give my opinion, I hope you will be intrigued enough to want to journey to each park and discover them for yourself.

My first comparison: the celebration show this year, Magic, Memories and You. This show in general is a feat of technology, no matter which park it is seen in and the score always brings a smile to my face. In Walt Disney World, the show is projected on the castle while in Disneyland it is projected on the facade of 'it's a small world'.

Being projected on surfaces of two very different sizes and shapes gives different perspectives to the shows, even though they are relatively the same show. The part of the show where 'it's a small world' plays and the dolls come marching across the building visually makes more sense on the 'small world' facade (naturally) while the scene with the rocket blasting off looks so much cooler on the castle as a tower launching off of the castle.

If you are set on looking for your picture to be in the show, you will have a better chance at that if you are watching the show in Disneyland. The closeness and size of the 'it's a small world' building makes it much easier to spot the pictures, unlike on the castle where the pictures tend to be smaller and harder to see.

So, which one is better? I honestly could not decide. They are both beautiful and have their own highlights. So, I am leaving it up to you to decide. Here are the two videos I took of each show, watch them and leave me a comment letting me know what you think! I would love to hear your thoughts!

DDL News Post

2011-08-27T12:49:00.000-04:00

Find out about what went down at the D23 Expo by going to my article on theDisneyDrivenLife.com now! More detailed posts about my experiences as well as pictures and videos will be up on this blog in the future.

My Californian Adventure

2011-08-16T13:13:00.000-04:00

Two years ago this September, for four days, I was glued to my computer as Lou Mongello and some people who I recognized from their twitter names told me about what was said and done at the first ever D23 Expo.

This time tomorrow, I will be on a plane heading to Anaheim, California to meet Lou Mongello and Tim Foster there, among many of my very good friends who I have met because of twitter, to be at the Second D23 Expo.

Wow how things do change in two years!!!

That's right, instead of just writing posts about what happens, I will be tweeting live from the D23 Expo as major announcements occur! I will be there, in the Convention Center for all three days of Expo, covering events and the happenings within the Collector's Forum from the most happening booth there, the MEI/Mousefan, WDW Radio and Celebrations Magazine booth!

Besides all of that excitement, I will also be visiting the Disneyland Resort for the first time in my life! I will tweet pictures and my reactions to the parks as well as collect lots of video to be edited for Youtube viewing in the (hopefully) near future!

Want to follow my California shenanigans? Follow me on twitter at twitter.com/lady_aurora as well as my tweets from the Celebrations Magazine twitter at twitter.com/celebrationsmag. Celebrations is also on facebook at facebook.com/celebrationsmag.

Mickey Birthday Party Ideas

2011-08-14T14:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the birthday party for my best friend's nephew and his mom had the awesome idea of having a Mickey birthday party! Her ideas were so awesome that I just had to share it with you guys!

A handprint on each side of the table was a cute touch

These cute utensil wraps have a mickey that was punched out by a standard Mickey scrapbook hole punch

Why yes, that is Mickey on the curtains!

No detail would be overlooked!

These were hand traced and put on the buffet table

Toodles has pictures of the birthday boy in it!

A second table with all the special treats on it

This Mickey cake was hand made by a friend of the birthday boy's mom and it's incredible!

Lollypop Mickey is simple, just put the lollypops in circular Styrofoam

Treat boxes

A view down the table

Love the sign on the bathroom door!

Cutest little reminder too!

Bags from the local craft store with the hole punched Mickeys on them

Yes, the cupcakes were homemade as well, and quite delicious!

Buffet table laid out and ready to go

Lollypop Tree! Styrofoam once again for this adorable project

This took them forever but it was so cute! Stickers with different sayings on the bottom of all the Hershey Kisses

There was about a half dozen sayings!

And to cap it all off, Mickey showed up!! Pretty good looking Mickey too in my opinion!

I don't know how his mom is gonna top this next year, it was an awesome party!! If you have any questions for her about what she did, just let me know and I will get the answers from her for you!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-08-10T15:44:00.000-04:00

Since I've been gone these last few weeks, there have still be articles of mine going up at the Disney Dispatch, talking about some of the great Disney merchandise that I own! Here are a few of the articles:

Spinning Disney's World by Charlie Ridgway
4 Parks One World Snowglobe
Disney Trivia Game on the Go CD
On the Road with Disney Trivia Game

How Disney Married Us...Unofficially

2011-08-04T16:41:00.000-04:00

Had to throw that unofficially in there before I gave anyone a heart attack. No, Chris and I are not engaged or married, unless you ask a couple Magic Kingdom cast members who seem to think otherwise.

It all began right before our trip; my cousin is getting married and was thinking about going to Walt Disney World for her honeymoon. She wanted me to pick up some information for her while I was there, if there was any. I didn’t mind at all, but I was not sure where to look. The couple times I went to Franck’s it was closed and when I asked at the concierge at Wilderness Lodge, all they did was hand me a piece of paper that basically said “Call this number”. So Chris and I thought that maybe the City Hall in Magic Kingdom would be a good place to check.

We walked into Magic Kingdom one night after our dinner at Ohana’s and walked over to City Hall. After waiting a minute or so, a woman came up to us and asked what we needed. I asked “Do you have any information on honeymoons?”, what I thought to be a simple, non-implied question. She thinks for a second and says she is not sure, goes behind the desk and calls us up to it. She asks how long we would be still in the parks to which we replied just one more day, as it was near the end of our trip. She looks through a few things and speaks with her fellow cast member standing next to her, though we cannot hear what they are saying until he says “Can you do that?” and she replies “I don’t know, but I am going to try” and walks to the back room.

The male cast member behind the desk makes small talk with Chris and I, asking if we have seen the Main Street Electrical Parade or Fantasmic yet, to which we replied that we had seen everything expect Fantasmic, which we were seeing tomorrow, on our last day.

The woman walks back and forth a few more times between the back room and then comes out to us, saying that she cannot get ahold of the manager at Hollywood Studios, so we would have to do this the long way. She has me fill out a slip with my name, address and phone number on it and then begins plugging things into the computer. Up to this point, Chris and I thought she was merely arranging for us to pick up information at the studios tomorrow.

The cast member then pulls out a booklet and begins writing on a carbon copied sheet, rips out two of them and hands us these yellow slips of paper. “This one is for a free ice cream for each of you and this one is for a free soda or water, both to be used in the Magic Kingdom tonight” she says and we, through shocked faces, thanked her very much for them. I did not know what this had to do with my question, Chris and I assumed they were giving this to us because we stumped them with a question and they had no information on honeymoons. She then pulls out this other slip of paper; “If you guys take this number to Guest Relations tomorrow at Hollywood Studios, they will give you free Fast Passes for rides of your choice”. Chris and I were in full shock now! We thanked her very much and realized we must have really stumped her…until her next statement…

“We don’t have any information on honeymoons, but we love helping you guys out” and with this, she pulled out two “Just Married” pins and handed them to us.

……………..

Yea, that’s about all we could say….we must have stared at her for a good five seconds…What made her assume that we were married? All I asked for was honeymoon information, if I was on my honeymoon, why would I need the information??

We took the pins, thanked her again and walked out onto Main Street. Chris could barely contain his laughter! He turns to me and explains that she must have thought we wanted information on what we could do during our honeymoon now or if there was any special things for honeymooners to do.

So that is how Chris and I got unofficially married by Disney. In the end, it is a good tip for those who are on their honeymoon; Get those “Just Married” pins, they will get you sooo much free stuff! No, we did not wear the pins, we did not feel it was right to lie to people like that, but you can guarantee that when we do get married someday, we will have those pins for sure!

Wonderful trip with wonderful memories...and more on the way!

2011-07-31T15:31:00.000-04:00

All good things must sadly come to an end, as all of us who have ever gone on a Walt Disney World vacation know. My family and I are home from WDW and Chris is back in Canada, but we have Lots of pictures and stories to share! Besides being on a couple podcasts to share out stories (which will be listed on here when they come out) I also have a few stores I am going to write up, including the big story that we teased while we were still away. There are also some amazing pictures that Chris took that I will post and I have lots of video that I will be working on also. Lots and lots of stuff on the way...so look for it all coming very soon!

In other news, it is also about 17 days until I will be making my way to California for the D23 Expo! I still cannot believe that I am going! I will be working with Lou Mongello from wdwradio.com and getting lots of information from the Expo and from Disneyland, as it will be my first time out to the mother of all Disney parks. Look for information on my trip coming soon and if you have any tips for me for going to California and Disneyland, I would so appreciate it, so comment below or send me an email!

And if all this is not enough to keep the brain turning, I also am waiting to hear from an interview I had two weeks ago for a dream teaching position!! I will not be hearing until some time next week, so please keep your fingers crossed for me! I will write a post either way as soon as I find out. Thank you all for being so supportive of me, you are amazing!!

unKNOWN Actors: Jeremy Irons

2011-07-23T10:39:00.000-04:00

Jeremy Irons, Born September 19, 1948 in Isle of Wight, England, is a very serious actor, known for serious roles and having a deep and lovely accented voice. This is an actor that you would not expect to have a Disney resume entry, but alas, he certainly does! He has a few actually, most of them being within the Disney theme parks!

Let us first talk about his one movie debut, which was in 1994. Irons voiced one of the most evil villains in Disney history, Scar in The Lion King. It was his portrayal of Scar that is also used in the Hollywood Studios show, Fantasmic!
His other well-known Disney contribution was heard in Epcot from 1994 to 2007 as the narrator for Spaceship Earth. His narration is the longest used to date, being replaced after 13 years by Dame Judi Dench, who is currently used.

There are a couple more places in the parks where you used to hear Irons’ voice. He gave a voice to H.G. Wells in the Tomorrowland attraction The Timekeeper, which was open from 1994 until 2006. This attraction was also in Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland.

In Disneyland Paris, he narrated the English version of the Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic.

Jeremy Irons is an actor with an awesome voice that can be heard around the world not only in movies but in several of the parks over the year. We will have to see if Irons will be featured in any other Disney projects in his lifetime.

Do you have an actor you would like me to research? Let me know by commenting below or sending me an email at lady_aurora_yensid@hotmail.com.

Counting to the Magic: 0 Days!!!!!

2011-07-18T07:45:00.001-04:00

That is right, as this is being posted on the site, my family and I are driving to Walt Disney World!! We are on our way!!! How far are we right now?? Check my twitter account; I am posting updates as often as possible to my site! Follow me at twitter.com/lady_aurora where I will have pictures throughout my trip!

I hope you have enjoyed my countdown and that you enjoy my twitter feed throughout the trip!

Disney or Bust!!!

Counting to the Magic: 1 Day!!!!!!

2011-07-17T08:03:00.003-04:00

I Cant Believe it!!!! This time tomorrow the family and I will be driving down to Walt Disney World!!!! We are leaving in the middle of the night tonight, around midnight or a little after, whenever my Dad gets home from work. He will sleep in the car, along with my sister and her boyfriend and my Mom and I will be starting the drive down. We will be driving straight to Orlando where a hotel is waiting for us!

What am I looking forward to today?? HECK, what am I NOT looking forward to?! I'm going to Walt Disney World Tomorrow!!! The anticipation will just be growing the whole drive down! We will be listening to Disney music starting about half way through the trip (Don't want to drive my parents too crazy too early). It will be great to see the highway signs that say Walt Disney World on them. The biggest excitement will be when I am on property on Tuesday and we see the signs and buses and hotels....it is all going to be so magical!

As far as pictures or anything for this post....you will just have to wait til tomorrow!

Counting to the Magic: 2 Days

2011-07-16T08:00:00.002-04:00

On previous family trips, my family has had this terrible habit of planning our last day in Epcot and our last event as seeing IllumiNations, which is my favorite fireworks show. This combo of fireworks, music and the last day of vacation always prompts me to bawl my eyes out. Happily, this has been avoided on this trip as Chris and I are seeing it our first night!! I am sooo excited for this!!! I am just a few short days away from my absolute favorite fireworks show in all of Walt Disney World!!

Here are a couple pictures I took of this gorgeous show last year:

Counting to the Magic: 3 Days

2011-07-15T08:02:00.003-04:00

3 Days to go....So Close, I can almost taste the Dole Whip Float!!!

Sadly, the food is one thing that I cannot share with you, my blog and twitter friends while I am on my trip. I can though send you updates and pictures to try to bring the experience to you! I also enjoy interacting during a popular twitter game called Spaceship Earth Roulette. Haunted Mansion Roulette is not as well known, but I do play this as well. The rules for SSE and HM Roulette are this: I announce when we are going on the attraction and you place your "bets" on which room our car will stop in! These two attractions are omnimovers, a type of car that is in constant motion to accommodate a steady pace and more visitors. This steady movement is occasionally interrupted when someone who needs extra assistance getting on a car is getting on the ride. Because of the frequency of this at times, this game was invented to see when you would slow down or stop in the attraction. It is a fun way to get your friends online involved in your vacation!

Splash Mountain Roulette is a more simple game: As you climb the final hill, before the large drop, you hear Brer Fox threaten Brer Rabbit with some kind of death, right before Brer Rabbit convinces him to throw him into the briar patch. There are four threats that Fox can say and you have to guess which one he will say on your ride.

Here are the choices for each game so that you can play along when I call the game on twitter! Don't follow me on twitter, give me a follow at twitter.com/lady_aurora for all my trip updates!

Spaceship Earth Roulette: Vortex (Climbing up), Cave Men, Egyptians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Rome Empire, Rome Burning, Jewish Scholars (Backup system and sleeping monk), Printing Press, Renaissance, Sistine Chapel, Civil War Paper Boy, Telegraph, Telephones, Movie Theater and Radio, Moon Landing, Large Computer room, Computer Garage guy, Globe Room, Descent (backwards)

Haunted Mansion Roulette: Picture Hallway, Library, Eyes on the Wall, Noisy Hallway and Coffin, Madame Leota's Room, Ballroom, Attic, Descending out of the Attic, Graveyard, Hitchhiking Ghosts

Splash Mountain Roulette: Cook Ya, Skin Ya, Roast Ya, Hang Ya

Counting to the Magic: 4 Days

2011-07-14T08:00:00.002-04:00

"Por Favor Mantengase Alejado De Las Puertas"

Even if you do not speak Spanish, just hearing this saying puts a smile on your face because you know you are traveling on one of the best forms of transportation offered in Walt Disney World: The Monorail! It's sleek, smooth and probably my favorite way to travel in Walt Disney World! We are not on the monorail loop, but staying at Wilderness Lodge makes us close enough to it that we will be traveling on it at least a few times throughout the trip!

Here are a couple videos of Monorail rides: Both are from 2007 and both are taken from the cockpit of the monorail, a seat that is no longer allowed due to the unfortunate July 2009 crash that killed a cast member. The first video is of the Express Monorail to Magic Kingdom and the second video is of the monorail from Epcot to the Transportation and Ticket Center.

Counting to the Magic: 5 Days

2011-07-13T08:05:00.001-04:00

Don't get me wrong, Chris and I love each other very much, but when it comes to competitive games, it is on like Donkey Kong! We had an ongoing competition on both Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and Toy Story Mania last year and you can bet that it will continue on this trip! Last year, Chris was able to beat me on Toy Story Mania and I kicked his butt on Buzz Lightyear, so we will have to see if that changes (aka, me kicking his butt on both!!) :)

Maybe I will try to help Chris out a little....here are a couple pages with some tips for each ride, give him a little hope ;)

Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin
Toy Story Mania

Counting to the Magic: 6 Days

2011-07-12T08:01:00.002-04:00

I had said before that one of my favorite 3D shows is Muppetvision 3D, but that is tied with one that is in Magic Kingdom....Ok, maybe the Magic Kingdom thing gave it away, as there is only one 3D show in Magic Kingdom, Yes, it is PhilharMagic! It is such a fun show and I love the smells and things that pop out of you in the film, I always get a laugh and a smile out of it!

Here's a video of it for you to see, you can even see some of the 3D aspects in it!

Counting to the Magic: 7 Days

2011-07-11T08:08:00.014-04:00

This time next week, we will be on our way, driving to Walt Disney World!!!! The excitement is going through the roof right now!!

In some parks, it may be weird for adults to get pictures with characters, but not in Disney!! It doesn't matter how old you are, you always love a picture with Mickey Mouse or another favorite character! I know Chris loves to get pictures with face characters because he enjoys the interaction! This will be something very fun to do throughout the trip!

Here are a couple pictures of Chris and I with some characters!

DDL News Post

2011-07-10T14:08:00.000-04:00

News has come out about changes being made to the monorail system and to the parades in Magic Kingdom. Read more about it in my Disney Driven Life article.

Counting to the Magic: 8 Days

2011-07-10T08:05:00.002-04:00

When I go to WDW, at least my last two visits, I tweet.....A LOT!!!!! I love having my technology on my vacation, being able to connect with friends and share my experiences with others. I recently got a brand new technology toy and I can't wait to use it in WDW, a new Sony Handycam!! My parents have this camera and have loved it, so they bought it for me as a graduation present! This video camera is so smooth, I loved the video it took in Florida last year and how easy the video was to download and edit! I am looking forward to using this to capture our vacation in a whole new way!

Here is a video shot with a similar camera that my parent's got last year

Counting to the Magic: 9 Days

2011-07-09T08:04:00.000-04:00

*DOES THE SINGLE DIGIT DANCE*

Yea, thats right, its single digit dance time and WOOO is the excitement building!!

One thing that I regretted about my last couple trips is that we didn't get to spend much time in the resort pool. Chris and I went for a swim once or twice, but I know he loves to swim and we could have done it more often. So one of my goals is to get more swimming time in the pools. The Wilderness Lodge has an amazing pool plus, since we are staying in the Villas, we get access to a quiet pool as well!

Here are a couple pictures of the awesome WL main pool:

Counting to the Magic: 10 Days

2011-07-08T08:06:00.012-04:00

I am not a typical thrill rider and do not ride coasters at other amusement parks, but for some reason, I can handle and even enjoy the roller coasters and thrill rides in Walt Disney World. This is why I am excited to "scale" the Disney Mountain Range. Of course, these would be Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain in Magic Kingdom and Expedition Everest in Animal Kingdom.

This commercial is for Disneyland, but I thought it was so cool the way it highlighted the three mountains in Magic Kingdom!

This one is a commercial for Expedition Everest and just watching it gets me so pumped to ride it!!

Counting to the Magic: 11 Days

2011-07-07T08:06:00.000-04:00

As I am sure you have noticed throughout these almost 40 days that I like to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere of everywhere in Walt Disney World. Downtown Disney is no exception! There are two evenings where we will be wandering around Downtown Disney and I am excited for the shopping and to see what is going on in what was once Pleasure Island!

Haven't heard much about the new "Waterfront District" yet? Check out the article on it from the Disney Parks Blog: DPB Article

DDL News Post

2011-07-06T14:44:00.000-04:00

It was announced yesterday that there are shifts in the Disney Company that involve Meg Crofton and that many fans are not excited about. To find out more, check out the news article at the Disney Driven Life.

Counting to the Magic: 12 Days

2011-07-06T08:01:00.004-04:00

On my last two trips, I have missed seeing this guy and I am going to search him out this time around! Yes, I am talking about the lovable trash can and mayor of Tomorrowland, Push!

Here are a couple great videos of Push, he has some great interactions with families and this first video proves it!

This is his video from when he was running for mayor!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-07-05T20:45:00.000-04:00

In case you haven't been following my blog over the last 40 or so days, I am going to Walt Disney World in 2 weeks!! To prep for this, I have been searching the Disney Store website, anticipating what I want to buy and stumbled upon the most awesome Mickey Ears cap EVER!!! To see what I'm talking about, just read my lasted Disney Dispatch article!

Counting to the Magic: 13 Days

2011-07-05T07:57:00.001-04:00

The seats are cold, the smell is weird and sometimes just bad, but you still know you love them!!

Yes!! Disney Buses!!! Every time you first get on property and you see your first bus, you know that you smile, knowing that is what is taking you to see the magic you are dying to see!! Today, that is what I am looking forward to, that first sight of a Disney bus! It's only 13 days away!!

Counting to the Magic: 14 Days

2011-07-04T08:05:00.018-04:00

First off, a very happy 4th of July to all of my American readers and a Happy Birthday to America!

Not only is today the 4th of July, its also the 2 week mark until my WDW vacation!! To celebrate this and this American holiday, what I am excited for today are the parades! Jammin' Jungle Parade and Main Street Electrical Parade are two of my favorites! Which parade is your favorite?

Here are a few pictures from these parades:

Counting to the Magic: 15 Days

2011-07-03T08:01:00.001-04:00

When I was down last June, Chris and I missed the opening of Captain EO by mere weeks and when I went in August, my family had no desire to see the show with me. This is a show I am excited to see this time around, if for no other reason to say that I have seen this classic.

Want to see it for yourself? Here is the youtube versions of this attraction, though not in 3D of course:

Counting to the Magic: 16 Days

2011-07-02T08:05:00.002-04:00

Going with the family and Chris is something that I am really excited for, especially because there will now be 4 of us to get pictures with on thrill rides! Chris, my sister, her boyfriend and myself will all be going on Expedition Everest and Splash Mountain and all of those great thrill rides and I am so looking forward to getting the pictures at the end of those rides with all of us in them!

From Chris' and my trip in June of last year, here are a few photos from attractions we were on together for the first time:

My first ride on the Tower of Terror

My First Ride on Splash Mountain with our friends Ray and his son Josh in front of us...I was SOAKED

Chris and my ride on the new Space Mountain

Counting to the Magic: 17 Days

2011-07-01T08:03:00.005-04:00

Who out there has ever been to 'Ohana at the Polynesian? I was going to ask you raise your hand, but I'm not going to see them anyway, must be the teacher in me. Anyway, I went for the first time last June and WOW is it amazing!!!!! Not only was the food and atmosphere awesome but there was soooo much food!! My suggestion: do not eat for about a day before going here so you have a huge appetite! The bring you bread and salad, followed by wings and pot stickers as an appetizer, then noodles and vegetables and, as if that wasn't enough, they bring out the main course, four skewers fulled with beef, shrimp, chicken and pork and they just pile as much as you want on your plate! After all of this, there is still a dessert to bring out! Its just incredible and it all tastes soooooo good!!!!

Want to explore 'Ohana for yourself? Here's the full Menu and if you aren't going to make it to WDW any time soon, here are a couple recpies to have an 'Ohana meal at home: Honey Coriander Wing Sauce, Stir Fried Noodles, and Pineapple bread! Here are a few pictures too:

Chris loves his Lapu Lapu

A view from our seats

Counting to the Magic: 18 Days

2011-06-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite rides in Magic Kingdom is Pirates of the Caribbean and I am so excited to be riding it again! It is so much fun and the new Blackbeard part is going to be cool to see! What is your favorite classic attraction in WDW??

Wan to relive the ride like I have been doing? Just check out this great ride-through video!

Counting to the Magic: 19 Days

2011-06-29T08:09:00.016-04:00

With only 19 days to go, I can just smell some of those great Disney treats that are waiting for me! While before I talked about the treats that I want to try that I never had before, I also am looking forward to those classic treats that are almost a must on ever trip. These include Dole Whips, turkey legs, school bread, cream cheese pretzel and more! (Tip: Do not eat the cream cheese pretzel before going on Space Mountain...baaaaaad idea!)

Here are a couple of pictures from last June of Chris and I devouring a turkey leg...yum!!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-06-28T18:56:00.000-04:00

This week on the Disney Dispatch I talk about one of my new Teacher items, a Mickey Desk Calendar. Let me tell you though, the caption that Bob gave the article made me burst out laughing! You just gotta read it, so check it out!

Counting to the Magic: 20 Days

2011-06-28T08:03:00.002-04:00

Being the shopping review writer for the Disney Dispatch, I am always scouting out new items to purchase. This is something I am looking forward to doing in Walt Disney World! Going to buy some new shirts and pins and bags...boy do I hope I have a job this fall to pay for all this!!

Want to check out some of the merchandise I will be looking at? Then visit the Disney Store Theme Park section! I absolutely love some of the 40th Anniversary products!

Counting to the Magic: 21 Days

2011-06-27T07:58:00.001-04:00

Woo Hoo!!! Yes!!! 3 weeks from today I will be hopefully somewhere in Virginia, or North Carolina if we are lucky, on our way to Walt Disney World!!! I am so excited!! I am going to ride, eat and take pictures!!! In case you couldn't guess from the last 28 or so posts, I am a HUGE picture taker, especially in Walt Disney World! I was down for 6 days on my last trip, took almost 1700 pictures....yea, I'm kinda crazy.

I'm really into landscapes and catching unique angles or any angle that just catches my eye. Here are some of my favorite pictures from my last trip in August:

Perfect timing for the rainbow

A close up on the castle that is not normally available

Interesting perspective, taken from a moving Dumbo

A side of BTMRR that is not normally seen, taken from Fort Langhorn

Storm clouds over Space Mountain, taken from Astro Orbiter (Yes, it was moving also)

Love the reflection angle on this

Again with the reflection

A rare shot in the middle of the day in Epcot, no people!

The balance on this photo is something that I thought was unique

Odd looking cloud in here...can you spot it?

I love how the two "globes" balance each other in this photo

Counting to the Magic: 22 Days

2011-06-26T08:04:00.001-04:00

Last June, I experienced both water parks for the first time and, I will be honest, I found Blizzard Beach to be nicer and more appealing to me. There was also more stuff there that I would do, which was nice. Looking forward to spending some time relaxing there on this vacation.

Here are some shots from my visits to Blizzard Beach:

Why Yes, that is Chris doing Summit Plummet...I plan on getting video of it this year!

2 Years of........

2011-06-25T12:19:00.038-04:00

Mayhem........Mystery........Insanity........Hilarity........Fun.......

How would you describe the last two years of this blog?? Yes, today, 2 years ago, The True Disney Fan came to be and WOW has it grown!! I have been able to write about tons of pieces of information and my writing on here has even led me to write for other websites, like the Disney Dispatch, The Disney Driven Life and even the Philadelphia Examiner!

As much fun as I am having writing this blog, it is really the feedback I get from my friends that keeps me going! Everyone who reads this and shares a story with me or even just says hello really makes me want to continue writing. I am inspired by what I see and hear throughout the Disney community and I hope that I have been inspiring to someone too!

All I want to say is Thank You for reading and going on this crazy journey with me and you know as long as I can find something crazy to write about, this blog will be here this time next year and, hopefully, for many years to come!

Thank you and Much Love,
Jess (Lady_Aurora)

Counting to the Magic: 23 Days

2011-06-25T07:56:00.002-04:00

The last time that my family and I saw Fantasmic!, we had this giant pole in the way of some of the great shots...for instance, the pole looks like it is shooting sparks in the video because it is blocking Mickey who is shooting them out of his hands.

This will not be a problem this trip; we are dining with the Fantasmic package, which not only give you great seats for the show, but is connected to a great dining experience at your choice of Mama Melrose, Hollywood and Vine or Hollywood Brown Derby. We chose Hollywood and Vine, it is a favorite buffet of ours. Plus, if you are on the Dining plan like we are, it is only one table service credit!! Find out more info on the package here! And please, if you have experienced this before, feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you thought!

Counting to the Magic: 24 Days

2011-06-24T08:02:00.001-04:00

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day (Ok, besides dessert), so naturally a special breakfast in Disney is gonna be exciting for me! This is exactly why I am so excited for breakfast at Kona Cafe! Before Chris and I have an entire day in Magic Kingdom, we are starting it with a sunrise breakfast at Kona Cafe. We have been told that they have great coffee and their Tonga Toast is a legend in itself!

Never been either? Check out the menu, courtesy of AllEars.net and see if that is somewhere you would like to try on your next vacation!

Counting to the Magic: 25 Days

2011-06-23T08:03:00.000-04:00

Before when I went to Florida, it was all about RushRushRush, Gotta Go, run to all the rides cuz who knows when we will be here again. After my trip last June with Chris, I had this wonderful experience that I never knew could exist in Disney...relaxing in Disney! I highly recommend this on your next Disney vacation, it really is something memorable and fun!

Chris and I have relaxing time scheduled in different parts of the trip, including one afternoon where we are just wandering the monorail loop together, snacking and exploring the resort areas! I know that this time will be just as memorable as riding attractions!

Here is an image that just screams serenity to me...the view from where Chris and I sat in Germany...one of my favorite memories of that vacation!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-06-22T16:43:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to announce that I, Jessica Clawson, have beat Epic Mickey!!! Ok, I know, I'm a bit slow at it, but I did it and I was so excited, I wrote an article about it! Hear about Mickey's gaming adventures and read a few of my gaming tips in my article on the DisneyDispatch.com!

DDL Post Update

2011-06-22T16:40:00.000-04:00

I have begun a new way of writing for Disney Driven Life; I have the ability now to write more articles and get them out quicker, so the news you need to know related to Disney comes out when you need to know it!

This is proven in my latest article, hot of the Disney presses! Al Weiss, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts president, has announced his retirement. To read more about this, check out my article here!

If you hear Disney news that you feel needs to be reported, feel free to send me an email at lady_aurora_yensid@hotmail.com or send me a tweet!

Counting to the Magic: 26 Days

2011-06-22T08:05:00.000-04:00

Magic Kingdom is my favorite park just because of the magic and all that is at that park. After that though, in a very VERY close second place is Epcot with its beautiful buildings and views and the lovely walk around the world. In fact walking around that World Showcase is what I am looking forward to doing today!

Here are some pictures of World Showcase, its one of my favorite photographing sites!

Counting to the Magic: 27 Days

2011-06-21T08:11:00.001-04:00

I know people have been hesitant about this year's Magic, Memories and You celebration, but after seeing images and previews for it, I am just gushing with excitement! Just the technology alone that it takes to make this show come to life blows my mind and I cannot wait to see it in person!

If you have not seen this castle show yet, give it a look in this video and please leave me your feedback and let me know what you think of it if you have seen it in person!

Counting to the Magic: 28 Days

2011-06-20T07:58:00.017-04:00

Since the invention of the Park Hopper Pass, is it very normal for people to be in two, possibly even three parks in one day. While this has given lots more options for your trip to Walt Disney World, I do miss the days like my first vacation, spending the entire day just exploring all there is to be seen in one park. Well, on this vacation, we are going back to basics for one day and spending the entire day, from rope drop to EMH close, in Magic Kingdom!! After a very early breakfast at Kona Cafe, Chris and I are gonna head over to Magic Kingdom, hopefully to see the rope drop and then spend the entire day in the park, snacking, riding, watching and just overall having fun!! It will be even more awesome since the park does not close until 2am! That will be about 17 hours in Magic Kingdom!

Was not sure what kind of cool extra to attach to this post, so how about a couple pictures:

This picture is from our first trip to WDW in 2002, the afternoon of our first day! I was actually taller than my sister!

This is from last June on Chris' birthday, Magic Kingdom was open til 3am! We still look a little wet after our midnight run down Splash Mountain

Born to Run: RIP Clarence Clemons

2011-06-19T09:16:00.000-04:00

My family is a Bruce Springsteen family. My dad was introduced to him by his brothers and saw him in around two dozen concerts, probably more. When my parents started dating, my dad took my mom to a few concerts and when they lived together, those were some of the first albums played in the house. My sister and I were born into a house playing Springsteen (not literally, we were born in a hospital, but you get the picture). I knew the words to Born to Run and Born in the USA when I was around 6 years old. Granted, I didn't know what the songs meant, I just like the rhythms and the drums...and the saxophone. By 8 years old, I could pick out Clarence Clemons in just about any song. His style and technique is so unique, there isn't a soul who can make a saxophone sing like Clarence could. And lets be honest, he wasn't half bad at the tambourine either! When I began playing the saxophone in college, I knew I would never get close to his talents, but it was his music that inspired me to want to play.

Below are a few youtube videos featuring the Big Man, including an epic intro that Bruce gave him in England one time, a great Jungleland solo and, my personal favorite, his Born to Run solos. The Born to Run video is from a live concert and is a little movement-happy, but the views of Clarence is great, plus I love what Bruce did to him in that video.

To quote something that I saw posted on a youtube video: Heaven is having one hell of a jam session right now! Rest in Peace Clarence and thank you for sharing all of your gifts with us.

Counting to the Magic: 29 Days

2011-06-19T08:03:00.002-04:00

Today's Countdown is counting down to the ultimate Disney Countdown!! Ok, maybe that was a little confusing...what I mean is that I am looking forward to seeing the Rope Drops in Walt Disney World! My Goal, to see all 4 Rope Drops this vacation!!

Not sure what Rope Drop is? Then read my article written for the Examiner called Disney Terminology Lesson: Part 2 and/or check out this awesome video of Magic Kingdom's Rope Drop from last August!

unKNOWN Actors: Eva Gabor

2011-06-18T15:39:00.000-04:00

This actress we are featuring has a very recognizable voice and an even more recognizable name, Eva Gabor. Born February 11, 1919 in Hungary and passed away July 4, 1995, Eva is most known for portraying Lisa Douglas on the 1960’s shows Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. Since she is so well known, you are probably wondering why on earth we are going to talk about her on this site. Well, what is not as well known about Eva was that she had a few Disney appearances in her time, which is naturally what I’m going to be talking about.

She first came to work for Disney in 1963 for a TV movie, voicing Contessa Czigoina in Mickey and the Contessa.

Eva must have enjoyed working with Disney because she accepted her first animated movie voice over job in 1970 providing a voice to Duchess in The Aristocats.

1977 is when we hear Eva again. She is heard in The Rescuers as the brave mouse, Miss Bianca. She revived this role thirteen years later in 1990’s The Rescuers Down Under.

While her Disney parts are few, she has her place in Disney history because of them.

Counting to the Magic: 30 Days

2011-06-18T08:08:00.005-04:00

Woo Hoo! 30 days! One Month until Walt Disney World!!!!! (Plus, today is Chris' birthday!) Today is a good day!!

So, what is it that I am looking forward to doing today?? Adding to my pin collection! I do not collect pins like the typical person who usually does it trade or to get really valuable ones; I use mine to tell a story or to help me remember an event from a trip. Every trip to WDW that I go on, I buy a lanyard and on that lanyard, I put pins from that trip that mean something to me and will remind me of that trip. For example, I will buy a pin for my first time going on an attraction or for my first time seeing a new show or parade. The pins are colorful and fun reminders of my vacations.

Here are some pictures and stories of pins I have collected over my trips:

This pin is from 2002, my first trip to WDW and this was the celebration happening when I was down

I got this pin after my first dinner at Chef Mickey's in 2004

This pin is from 2004 also, I got this because this trip was my first time seeing Mickey's Philharmagic

Can you guess why I got this pin in 2005? My first stay at the Boardwalk Resort of course!

I went on Rock 'n' Roller Coaster for the first time in 2005 and got this pin

Counting to the Magic: 31 Days

2011-06-17T08:01:00.000-04:00

There are many first times to experience in Walt Disney World and there are a lot that I will be experiencing on this trip. One of these is staying in a villa, the Wilderness Lodge Villas! I have looked into DVC for years and really want to buy into it someday, so I am very excited to be staying at villa to see how great they really are!

Want to find out about his place like I did? Check out Deb Willis' site, AllEars.net for some great photos!

Counting to the Magic: 32 Days

2011-06-16T08:19:00.000-04:00

I have talked earlier in this countdown about how I am excited to see the new Haunted Mansion queue, so I have to mention the new Winnie the Pooh queue too!! Pooh is one of my favorite characters, so I am naturally excited to see changes made to this!

Here is a video from Disney Parks about the new queue! I really like the Bouncy part!!

Counting to the Magic: 33 Days

2011-06-15T08:19:00.000-04:00

With 33 days to go, what I am so excited for is meeting friends old and new at Chris or Cosmic Reid's meet at Bongo's Cuban Cafe! It is July 21st and begins at 8pm! Chris and I are looking forward to seeing lots of people at the meet, so if you are going to be in the Downtown Disney area that night, RSVP to our meet! You can RSVP by the Cosmic Reid page or by the Plancast event. We hope to see you there!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-06-14T12:29:00.000-04:00

Here is a really cool frame to display your Disney pictures in, reviewed by yours truly on the Disney Dispatch! Check it out and don't forget to let me know if there is anything you would like to see me review!

Counting to the Magic: 34 Days

2011-06-14T08:12:00.001-04:00

Food is always a huge part of a Disney vacation, so yes, there are a few of my countdown items that involve food. Today's is all about a quick service in Animal Kingdom. Chris and I ate there last June and WOW do we love Flame Tree Barbeque's ribs!! They are so tasty and good and....well, the pictures tell it all!

Ok, my mouth is already watering for them, so I better stop since I still have 34 days!!

In case you are hungry for these too, here's the recipe for the sauce and rub!

Tip for Today: Research Links

2011-06-13T12:36:00.000-04:00

Research is key when planning a Disney vacation and there are many books and websites to help you to plan, as I talked about today on Cosmic Reid's All-Request Cafe! Here are some of the site links that I like to go to when looking up information for planning my Disney vacation:

Allears.net- This site has menus, pictures, reviews, everything you could need to plan your Disney vacation to not only Walt Disney World, but Disneyland and the Disney Cruise Line!

WDW News Today - This is the site to go to for updated news and images from the parks and information on refurbishments happening as you are down in the parks.

Touring Plans - This site helps you plan what the crowds will be like in the parks when you are down, how to work the parks for the most success and, with their genius Lines app, you can get up-to-the-minute line times while you are in the parks!

Those are my top 3 sites for researching your Disney trip. Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Counting to the Magic: 35 Days

2011-06-13T07:55:00.006-04:00

There are many different foods in Walt Disney World that are considered classics and must tries! These include Dole whip, cream cheese pretzels, school bread, Mickey Premium Bar, and more! So far, I have tried many of these tasty treats, but there are two that have escaped me. By the end of my trip, I would like to try a carrot cake cookie and the Japanese ice treat Kaki Gori.

I couldn't find a recipe for either of these treats, but I did find a recipe for School Bread and Tonga Toast, so feel free to give them a try!

What snacks do you like or would you like to try in Walt Disney World?

Counting to the Magic: 36 Days

2011-06-12T08:01:00.001-04:00

Riding Dumbo is an experience everyone must have once, no matter how old you are. It is just a classic attraction that is at the heart of a Disney vacation. And if that side of it doesn't appeal to you, how about that this is the only attraction that can give you a decent view over that large fence into the dirt piles of the Fantasyland Expansion?? Maybe that aspect will be more appealing to people, as I know it is appealing to me! Here are a few of the pictures I snapped when my sister and I went on Dumbo in August:

I am so excited to see the progress that has been made in the last year!!!

Counting to the Magic: 37 Days

2011-06-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

While my family is more of the standard tourist in Walt Disney World, I enjoy more of the unique things that Disney has to offer, such as diving into a cuisine that I would not be able to try at home. I am getting the chance to do this with Chris when we eat at Restaurant Marrakesh for dinner! The atmosphere of the restaurant seems so relaxed and unlike most restaurants. I have never had Moroccan food and am very excited to try it. Plus, if I am brave enough, I may try my hand at belly dancing...maybe...

What unique experiences do you like to try when you are in WDW? Or are you more the standard tourist?

Counting to the Magic: 38 Days

2011-06-10T08:01:00.001-04:00

There are different sights, smells and sounds that, no matter where you find them, you are immediately transported to Disney and this sense of happiness flows over you! For me, that feeling comes when I hear Main Street Music. I just cannot get enough of that music! It puts me right on Main Street, staring at the castle, friendly cast members waving, the bakery smell wafting out of the doors....Ok, how much longer til I am in Florida?!

What, whether it is a taste, sounds, smell, sight, anything, what takes you right back to the parks when you are at home? Let me know!! And if one of your comfort sounds is Main Street Music, here are a couple video links that will set the daydream scene for ya!

Main Street Music 2, 3, 4

Counting to the Magic: 39 Days

2011-06-09T08:04:00.001-04:00

When I first started going to WDW, it was for the rides and the shows and the food. I still go every trip to have those experiences, but recently there has been another experience that has made it to the top of my list and that is spending time with my Disney friends! The Disney community online is so strong and friendly and full of amazing and wonderful people! Going down to the parks is a time to meet some of the great people I have gotten to know online in our favorite place! Here are some pictures of just some of the people that I have met while visiting:

Marc Lorenzo - twitter.com/marcmantoo

Cindy Schultz and Family - twitter.com/MomMaven

Steve Barrett - twitter.com/hiddenmickeyguy

Ashlie (Twitter.com/princessash9988) and Allison (twitter.com/allisonmarie28)

Ray Pilgrim and his son Josh - Twitter.com/RayMTT

Counting to the Magic: 40 Days

2011-06-08T08:00:00.002-04:00

You've seen it every time you have driven under it to go to the happiest place on Earth. Your children (and yes, you have too, just admit it) cheer when it is in sight. It is the glorious gate into Walt Disney World and Yes, 40 days from the trip, that is what I cannot wait to see!!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-06-07T18:02:00.000-04:00

Graduations are all over the place right now, so what better item to post on the Disney Dispatch site than a cute and inexpensive graduation gift! Find out what it is here!

Weekly DDL Post

2011-06-07T17:59:00.000-04:00

This week's Disney Driven Life article is all about the Fantasyland Refurbishment! See what kind of updates have been going on by reading the article.

Counting to the Magic: 41 Days

2011-06-07T08:24:00.000-04:00

What am I most looking forward to today? You may be surprised to believe that its Animal Kingdom! After reading some books on Animal Kingdom and doing some research about it, I have discovered a new-found love for this park and am really excited to explore and look more in depth at the great details.

Interested in what it is about Animal Kingdom that makes it so cool?? Interested in learning more about the park and, hopefully, appreciating it more? Then check out my book review of the Imagineering Field Guide to Animal Kingdom, on my book site WaltsWriters.com! After reading this book, you will see Animal Kingdom in a whole new light!!

Counting to the Magic: 42 Days

2011-06-06T08:00:00.001-04:00

While not being in Disney, I hear all these cool things happening in Disney and can't wait to go again! One of these cool things that I am looking forward to is exploring the Haunted Mansion queue. I love the idea of the interactive Queue and can't wait to see how it works!

Here is the preview video that Disney made for it:

Counting to the Magic: 43 Days

2011-06-05T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today, my excitement is aimed towards the roar of a creature, the scaling of a mountain and a high speed adventure only found in Asia! Yes, I am talking about Expedition Everest! I went on this coaster for the first time in June of last year and wow what a thrill! I fell completely in love with it and it is my favorite coaster on property! Plus, it's a great way to cool off on those hot Animal Kingdom summer days!

These are pictures from my first time on the attraction with Chris and Marc Lorenzo from the Mom's Panel:

Taken by Marc

Got front car for my first ride!! Marc took the picture

I was a little nervous

Loved it so much that we went on it again, and Chris loves posing for pictures

The mountain and it's temple...heey, i recognize that shape!

Counting to the Magic: 44 Days

2011-06-04T08:17:00.002-04:00

I've been excited about this for a while, this was Chris' little surprise for me! He booked for us an unDISCOVERed Tour in Epcot! On this Tour, we get to see some of the background of awesome Future World attractions and some backstage areas! So excited to be touring my favorite park!!

Here is the picture that Chris sent me to tell me about the surprise:

Counting to the Magic: 45 Days

2011-06-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

On Today's countdown, my excitement is focused on not sleeping! Before you take me to the doctor to get my head examined, let me explain. One thing I love to do in Magic Kingdom is stay til close, and this is even more fun when the park doesn't close until 2 or 3 in the morning! Magic Kingdom is so peaceful that late at night, it's so much fun and I can't wait to be there again!

Here are a few pictures that Chris and I took when we stayed until 3 in the morning!

Buzz Lightyear all closed up at 3 am

Empty castle as we walked out of the park

Haunted Mansion

Me hiding in Dumbo

The steamboat looks abandoned

I love this shot that Chris took

Walking out of Tomorrowland at 3 am

Counting to the Magic: 46 Days

2011-06-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today's countdown is focused on something new in Hollywood Studios that I am on EDGE to see! That would be the new Star Tours attraction! The Star Wars dork in me just can't help it, I am so excited for this attraction, I mean come on, over 50 combinations!!!! And today I am only 46 days away from being there and experiencing this awesomeness for the first time!

Below are 3 of the combinations captured on film! Enjoy and get psyched!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-06-01T10:14:00.000-04:00

Last week, I had a bad run in with a burger press...this week, find out if the burger press redeemed itself in my article on the Disney Dispatch!

Counting to the Magic: 47 Days

2011-06-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

"It's a 'Salute to All Nations, But Mostly America'. "

"Doesn't it look beautiful?"
"Yea, too bad they are gonna ruin it with a pig"

"It's a glorious 3 hour finale"
"You've got a minute and a half"

If you know where these quotes come from, then you have seen one of my favorite 3D shows in Walt Disney World, MuppetVision 3D! That is what I am excited for today, I just love watching this show!! So how do I get by when I am not in WDW and I want to see the show? I search the internet of course! Youtube is a great way to relive your vacations! Relive MuppetVision 3D's Preshow and the main show with these great videos!

Disney Driven Life Honor

2011-05-31T17:52:00.000-04:00

I was so excited to be contacted about being a Disney Driven Life Blogger of the Month! I have blogged for the site for a year and a half and have loved every minute it! Thank you to JL who runs the site and to Connie, who contacted me and wrote the article. Click here to read the Blogger of the Month article.

Weekly DDL Post

2011-05-31T17:48:00.000-04:00

This week on the Disney Driven Life, I am describing a Fantasy....well, of course I am talking about the Disney Fantasy! The newest ship coming from Disney Cruise Line has some great new features and I tell you all about them on my article, so check it out!

Counting to the Magic: 48 Days

2011-05-31T07:28:00.000-04:00

What am I looking forward to today? I am looking forward to playing mini golf! But not just any mini golf, Fantasia Gardens Mini Golf, a course I haven't played in 6 years! Chris better watch out, it's game on! Here are a few pictures from when my family and I were there in 2005

My sis trying to avoid the water

He eats your ball!

Tip for Today: Walking Straight in Magic Kingdom

2011-05-30T12:00:00.000-04:00

Today on Cosmic Reid's All Request Cafe, I give a tip about how to make the most out of the morning in Magic Kingdom, especially when you have little ones!

After Rope Drop in Magic Kingdom, a majority of the crowd goes left or right, towards the large attractions. I say, be different and go straight! Not only do you get to walk through the castle, which is not available later on during the day when there are shows going on, but you also go to Fantasyland where there are minimal crowds this time of day. When my family and I went, we walked onto Peter Pan and had a small, 5 minute wait for Dumbo! It really is a great time saver!

Here are some pictures that I took when we took this route on our last trip:

Counting to the Magic: 49 Days

2011-05-30T08:00:00.001-04:00

Today, what I am most looking forward to is kinda similar to what I am looking forward to every day, seeing Chris again! Today is 50 days until Chris comes to Disney, as he is leaving the day after us since he is not driving, but flying down. After our first Disney vacation together last June, I can't imagine having a trip to a Disney park without him! He is what really brings out the magic for me!

Here are a few pics from when Chris and I were in Florida last June!

Counting to the Magic: 50 Days

2011-05-29T13:13:00.000-04:00

Today is 50 days until my family and I begin our trip down to Florida for a week and a half in the most magical place on Earth! For the next 50 days, I am going to write a post daily telling you how many days until we are there, what I am looking forward to and I will have pictures or videos or something related to it for you to see.

Today, What I am looking forward to is staying at Wilderness Lodge. This is all of our first time staying at Wilderness Lodge and from our brief walk-through in August, I just know we are going to love it here! Here are some pictures from our August Walk-Through of Wilderness Lodge

Walking from the Bus Stop

So relaxing looking...

Love this Fireplace!

Great Boardwalk to Walk on

The Geyser

Discovery Island

One more Gorgeous Shot of this hotel...

Check back tomorrow to see what I am looking forward to Tomorrow!

This Week's It Came From Disney!

2011-05-26T05:14:00.000-04:00

I had an interesting cooking experience with a new "toy" I received to review. Boy oh boy did it get a review! In fact, the review is so large, it cannot be handled in one week!! To check out part 1 of my 2 part review of the burger press, read my Disney Dispatch article now!

The True Disney Fan

Princess Half Weekend Itinerary

The Return of Blogging

Mickey Mouse Band-Aids

Disney Driven Life Post

The Wonderful World of Color

My new coping strategy

Mouse Meals: Ariel's Grotto

This Week's It Came from Disney!

Today's Mouse Meals

Recipe William Penn Pasta Liberty Tree Tavern Magic Kingdom

AVATAR Watch Postponed to 10/8

Avatar Group Watch: Friday Oct 7 @ 8pm

Lou's Video, as promised.

Disney Driven Life News Post

My Say on "Avatar Land"

This Week's It Came from Disney

This week's Mouse Meals

Lion King 3D Review

Books, Art and Everyone's Favorite Catchy Tune!

unKNOWN Actors: Bill Thompson

Why I am Not Applying for Mom's Panel

Mouse Meals, Episode 1

Ground Zero, One Year Later

We Will Always Remember

Magic, Memories and You: DL vs WDW

DDL News Post

My Californian Adventure

Mickey Birthday Party Ideas

This Week's It Came From Disney!

How Disney Married Us...Unofficially

Wonderful trip with wonderful memories...and more on the way!

unKNOWN Actors: Jeremy Irons

Counting to the Magic: 0 Days!!!!!

Counting to the Magic: 1 Day!!!!!!

Counting to the Magic: 2 Days

Counting to the Magic: 3 Days

Counting to the Magic: 4 Days

Counting to the Magic: 5 Days

Counting to the Magic: 6 Days

Counting to the Magic: 7 Days

DDL News Post

Counting to the Magic: 8 Days

Counting to the Magic: 9 Days

Counting to the Magic: 10 Days

Counting to the Magic: 11 Days

DDL News Post

Counting to the Magic: 12 Days

This Week's It Came From Disney!

Counting to the Magic: 13 Days

Counting to the Magic: 14 Days

Counting to the Magic: 15 Days

Counting to the Magic: 16 Days

Counting to the Magic: 17 Days

Counting to the Magic: 18 Days

Counting to the Magic: 19 Days

This Week's It Came From Disney!

Counting to the Magic: 20 Days

Counting to the Magic: 21 Days

Counting to the Magic: 22 Days

2 Years of........

Counting to the Magic: 23 Days

Counting to the Magic: 24 Days

Counting to the Magic: 25 Days

This Week's It Came From Disney!

DDL Post Update

Counting to the Magic: 26 Days

Counting to the Magic: 27 Days

Counting to the Magic: 28 Days

Born to Run: RIP Clarence Clemons

Counting to the Magic: 29 Days

unKNOWN Actors: Eva Gabor

Counting to the Magic: 30 Days

Counting to the Magic: 31 Days

Counting to the Magic: 32 Days

Counting to the Magic: 33 Days

This Week's It Came From Disney!

Counting to the Magic: 34 Days

Tip for Today: Research Links

Counting to the Magic: 35 Days

Recipe
William Penn Pasta
Liberty Tree Tavern
Magic Kingdom