WDW Daily News

I have been asked many times if I will miss four seasons in Florida. There are many ways I can answer that question. First and foremost, I will not miss scraping ice from my car, slipping at the door and bundling up so that I waddle; wait maybe that is why I slipped!

I would also caution that while Florida weather is mostly two seasons based on precipitation rather than temperature, they are different seasons, one hot and humid and one mild and dry. I would call the hot and humid season spring/summer and the mild and dry season fall/winter. The state boasts more sunny days than most places but it experiences its share of rain too. In the fall/winter 70% of the yearly rain total typically falls. And in the spring/summer the drier conditions create a tinder box, with brush fires prevalent. And did I mention the lightning? As you can see, the seasons are quite distinct.

I think Walt Disney World can help remind me of the seasons as well. Anyone who travels frequently to WDW, especially DVC Members, know there are seasons that define room rates. They are Adventure, Choice, Dream, Magic and Premier. Vacation Points required vary each season as do actual rates charged for rooms. For the most part Adventure and Choice are the least expensive. The seasons overlap depending on the year’s holidays. These seasons, while important, are not the only seasons of Walt Disney World.

The festivities of a year at Walt Disney World with all the decorations and finery are a magical way to experience the seasons. Let’s see, there is the Flower and Garden Festival to herald spring with flowers in bloom and gardening tips. The Sounds of Summer Concert Series take place during the summer with concerts worthy of a picnic in the park. The Food and Wine Festival and the Not So Scary Party announce fall with all the pumpkin décor and food from around the World. Of course all the holiday happenings proclaim winter, there is even snow on Main Street and the Streets of America. I have had the opportunity to visit during each of these seasons and love all the details and magic. During each festive season the Parks are decorated with the finery of that time of the year, enough to help any transplant feel at home or any Guest have a party.

Be sure to check out https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ to see what is in season when you visit.

When the Magic Kingdom is far, far away, and you cannot seem to stop pining for the smell of freshly made popcorn or just one more ride on the Peoplemover or the Haunted Mansion, there are some activities that can give you that Disney fix, even if you are hundreds of miles away from Florida.

First, you can look through your DVDs and choose a classic Disney animated feature to view. This activity won’t transport you back to the parks, but it will help to dull the sting of having to leave all of the magic. Next, you could start compiling a list of Disney trivia questions to quiz yourself or your family on car rides or walks around the neighborhood. You could also read Disney blogs or follow fellow Disneyphiles on twitter. Many people post pictures of their vacations, and you could live vicariously through them while they are on their trips. You could also listen to Disney podcasts. These types of broadcasts usually contain Disney news or history or just some Disney related chatting that will help put you in a zip-a-dee-do-dah spirit. Before we moved to Florida, we really enjoyed re-watching Disney planning DVDs that you can order for free from www.disneyworld.com. The Travel Channel also has some fantastic specials about the Disney Parks that can help you deal with a lack of pixie dust.

If you like to cook, you could make some of the recipes that appear in Disney cookbooks that can be purchased online or in the parks. You can also ask for a recipe at any Disney restaurant. We enjoyed the rice at the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, so we asked for the recipe. We were given the recipe on a piece of cardstock that we could take home. If you are not a master of the culinary arts, you could create a countdown chart until it is time for your next Disney vacation. You could staple links of paper together to do this or simply use a whiteboard; you could even make a tear off calendar for your Disney countdown chart. This would be a fun activity for the whole family, and you would feel the accomplishment of making it yet another day closer to your next trip.

For crafty folks out there, you could create a scrapbook of a previous trip by using maps, pictures, or any other paper products from the parks. You could also organize Disney pins or Vinylmation if you are a collector of either of these items. I enjoy setting up corkboards to display pins or organizing pins onto different lanyards. If you enjoy writing, you could start your own blog chronicling your love for Disney or just as a way to share photos or pass the time until your next vacation.

All of these options are sure to help stave off the Disney blues until it is time for you to make your way down to the happiest place on earth again for another magical escape! Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

I had the honor this past week to see my sister debut as an actor in The Little Mermaid Junior. Our Local Middle school was putting it on and invited her to be one of the members of Scuttle’s gang. I have previously seen the Broadway production of The Little Mermaid, and boy are their so much that’s different between the musicals and the movie. For one, there’s quite a few songs that debuted in the musical versions. “She’s in Love.” Is a sorta love anthem belted out by none other than Flounder, yes the little blue and yellow fish who’s Ariel’s sidekick. Flounder, in the musical, seems to have aged a bit, because he seems to have a bit of a crush on Ariel, when he is upset about her being happy to have found a man. Overall, the musical was amazing, even though it was put on my middle schoolers. And if you are at all a fan of the movie, I suggest you listen to the original Broadway soundtrack, their rendition of Under The Sea is to die for.

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.”
– Walt Disney

This quote from Walt Disney is inspiring and occasionally bittersweet to me. Walt may no longer be with us, but the Disney company continues to live up to this standard through attractions, events and movies. I’m frequently asked, “Don’t you ever get tired of going to the parks?” I can always say no because of this promise from Walt. Now, I also said this quote can be bittersweet. That’s because sometimes growth means changing other things, and that’s what I want to talk about this week, how Disney has changed as I have grown up.

Walt Disney World has announced the closure of several attractions in, what I consider, a short span of time. So far this year the doors have already closed on The American Idol Experience. Now, Malestorm and The Back Lot Tour aren’t far behind. I’m going to miss these attractions, but look forward to seeing what kind of magic Disney is whipping up as replacements. Another attraction gone but not forgotten is Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. It was replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh in 1999. Sometimes attractions just go through changes… and sometimes these changes don’t inspire happiness in me. My two examples of that are The Enchanted Tiki Room. It was under “new management” with Iago (which I enjoyed) and now it isn’t. Another change I was sad to see is the elimination of the poacher chase in Kilimanjaro Safaris. I enjoyed the exciting ending paired with the educational ride. However, these losses are small when looking at the whole magical picture that is Walt Disney World.

Technology improves by the day. This is especially evident in the movies. Computer animation and special effects are outstanding today, but sometimes I miss the hand drawn cartoons. “Beauty and the Beast” was my first Disney movie in a theatre. I love it just as much now as I did then. The same goes for “The Lion King”, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”, “Hercules”, etc. However, a lot of children today aren’t that impressed with these classics. These cartoons are outdated and not as entertaining as newer movies like oh shall we say… “Frozen”? It took a while for me to understand the “Frozen” hype. It’s a good movie, but I didn’t see anything special. It was a Disney princess movie with quotable lines, songs you can’t get out of your head, and lovable characters. Then, I realized this is the first princess movie with the old school formula AND done in the latest technology. Don’t get me wrong, I love “The Princess and the Frog” and “Tangled” (more than “Frozen” if we’re being completely honest), but their soundtracks just weren’t as memorable as the movies I grew up with. This realization made me a little sad. The current generation of Disney kids won’t appreciate the classics like I do. Then again, maybe this generation will feel the same thing as technology continues to grown.

If I’m going to talk about movies I may as well touch on the Disney Channel. As a small child, I had the pleasure of watching shows like “Goof Troop”, “Darkwing Duck”, and “DuckTales”. Then the shows turned into things like “Kim Possible”, “Phil of the Future”, and “Hannah Montana”. Now a dog has a blog? I’m just going to leave it at that…

Disney will continue to change and grow in the people’s interest, because that’s what Walt would have wanted. Sometimes I’mS not always a fan of the changes (I’m looking at you Malestorm), but I appreciate that I have been able to experience some things that no longer exist. I will always remember the Aladdin restaurant in MGM studios as a childhood favorite, and being in awe of the “Tapestry of Nations” parade in Epcot. These memories are precious, and I can’t wait to make more with whatever Disney creates next.
Do you have an old attraction or show you miss? I’d love to hear from you on Twitter @hoodie_life.

Halloween has been my favorite holiday growing up! The weird thing is that I really despise scary movies and ALL things frightening. Why is it my favorite you ask? Well for starters, candy. Also, you get movies like Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus and you get to carve pumpkins and play in the leaves and make s’mores! Pretty much all things amazing happen in the fall! I never fit in when friends would ask me to go to haunted houses and to have a scary movie marathon. I’d simply say “No thanks, I think i’ll sit this one out!” While on my Disney College Program in Walt Disney World I got to experience all types of seasons and events going on down there which was amazing! I guess you could say I’m biased because Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party brought me right back to my childhood! Last year was the first year that I’ve ever been and I even went twice! Why was it so amazing you ask? Well I have a few great reasons why.

One thing I loved was Trick or Treating! A 20 year walking around receiving candy and not being judged because EVERY ONE is doing it?! Count me in! I shamelessly can say that I hit every trick or treating spot as well. Special maps are awaiting for guests at the gate that are strictly for the Halloween Party so make sure you pick one up while on your adventures! They make a great FREE souvenir/memory too! Oh and I guess they are pretty good so you don’t get lost too. My first time at the party I was absolutely blown away. I dressed up as Alice and had a great time doing so.

The decorations, music and atmosphere brought me extreme nostalgia. I was obsessing over the decor hung about the confectionary and the park themed scarecrows at the park entrance.

I also went a second time as Raunzel and had an amazing time as well! You can always go more than once if you ever get so lucky!

Disney has a way of making every event special and they certainly make their firework especially over the top for this event. HalloWishes! was absolutely stunning! I’m 100% a fan of the musical score they put behind the display and they definitely get you into the Halloween spirit. The castle show was amazing as well and I could watch it repeatidly. Especially when Dr. Facillie came out, I was absolutely stunned!

To the left is a photo of Michael and I meeting our favorite villain! The saddest part of the night had to be leaving the park exit and having to read the pumpkins lined up saying “see ya real soon!” Even though I was lucky enough to say, “Yes, you will be seeing me real soon!” Well, until next time folks! Tweet me @lauraweyand and tell me your favorite part about Halloween! See Ya Real Soon!
Laura

The museum is set up in chronological order, each room representing a different era in the life of Walt Disney. It begins with his birth on December 5, 1901 and goes on to highlight his childhood in Marceline, Missouri, his teen years spent in Chicago, and his time served in Italy during WWI. You can see some early examples of his experimentation with film, including the Alice Comedies, and travel West with him on the Santa Fe Railroad. In the room detailing the early creation of Mickey Mouse, Kirsten and Michael found us. They gave me a beautiful book about the museum and asked us if we would be interested in touring the exhibit that they were currently working on, Water to Paper, Paint to Sky: The Art of Tyrus Wong. Of course, we said yes! I felt like such a VIP, especially when we went through security to get into the Tyrus Wong exhibit building. When the tour was finished, we thanked them and they took us back to where we had left off at the museum.

From there, we experienced the emergence of the Walt Disney Studios, Walt’s first animated features, and later films like Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. There was a special emphasis on Walt’s love of nature and animals, and we even got to see the real Carolwood Pacific, Walt’s personal miniature train. All of the cast members were so friendly and knowledgeable, and they said that they had been looking forward to meeting me! Apparently, Diane had been so thrilled to get my letter and told everyone about me. I felt so special!
When we got to the last room, I was shocked to see that we had been at the museum for more than four hours – Kirsten had told us that the average visit was about 45 minutes! We met up with Kirsten one last time and thanked her for everything. It was such an incredible experience, and I would definitely recommend the museum to anybody that loves Disney.

We left San Francisco that night and started toward Anaheim. On the way, we stopped at Sequoia National Park, which has some of the largest trees in the country! We arrived in Anaheim on August 3 and spent the afternoon exploring Downtown Disney and the Anaheim GardenWalk. For a girl that’s used to WDW’s huge Downtown Disney, Disneyland’s seemed like a miniature version of the real thing! We also went back to Downtown that night, and I enjoyed it more then. It was very surreal to be in Disney, but not the Disney I knew!
The next morning we drove to one of the park’s parking garages and took the tram to the parks. I was astonished to see that the only thing separating California Adventure and Disneyland Park was a relatively small stretch of pavement! Following Diane’s instructions, we went to the guest relations window and told the cast member that we had tickets waiting for us. She knew exactly who we were and told us that we had two days of tickets for each of us, which we were excited about.

That day, we visited California Adventure, and the next day we went to Disneyland Park. I loved the intimate feel of the park, and I could easily imagine Walt walking down Main Street. It was amazing to know that he had actually been there. I loved spotting all of the tiny details that I had read and heard about so often, especially in New Orleans Square. Even more special was the fact that we had been “sent” there by his own daughter. It was an amazing experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

We started back east after our two-and-a-half days in Anaheim, hitting other key points on the map: the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, the Petrified Forest, and Pikes Peak. We arrived home late at night on August 10. As soon as I had time, I wrote another long thank-you letter to Diane, telling her all about our trip and how much her gifts meant to me. I never heard back from her, and on November 20, 2013 I was stunned to hear that she passed away. Even though we never got to meet, I felt like we had a special connection that I will never forget. One of the things I wrote in my last letter to her was that she was her father’s daughter, and I think that I was right about that.

As all Walt Disney World fans know, there is absolutely no way to “see it all” in one trip- or even 10 trips- to the World. However, all of us frequent visitors inevitably get the question, “Aren’t you bored? Haven’t you already DONE everything?” The answer, of course, is always NO. Sure, we may have experienced all of the major attractions, but there are so many details in Walt Disney World to explore! As a repeat Walt Disney World traveler, I like to keep an ever-changing Disney Bucket List to force me to expand my Walt Disney World repertoire and really uncover all of the miraculous experiences that Walt Disney World has to offer. Creating the list also helps me to keep the magic alive between trips and gives me a perfect way to pass the always-too-long wait until my next trip “home”! Here are some tips for creating the perfect Walt Disney World Bucket List:

Think BIG.. and small
When putting together your Disney Bucket List, try to think of large ticket items, like staying at every hotel on property, eating at every restaurant in the World Showcase, or experiencing all the “mountains” on the same day, while also adding smaller details to the list. This may be trying a popular snack that you haven’t had a chance to try or wearing a silly set of ears for a family photo on Main Street. Sure, go ahead and add a RunDisney event to you list, but try to balance it with an activity with a lesser price tag and time commitment, like meeting a character that you have been dying to see.

Variety is the Spice of…
your Disney bucket list. Make sure to mix it up! Have a variety of differently priced items on the list; of course add that pricey parasail or fireworks cruise experience to the list but also add free experiences, like a boat ride down the Sassagoula River for a night stroll at Downtown Disney or a visit to Tri-Circle D Ranch at Fort Wilderness Resort. Special events and tours are great additions to any Disney Bucket List, but ideas like sitting in a rocking chair on Aunt Polly’s porch to watch the Liberty Belle float by or watching a parade from a new location are just as important. Push yourself a bit by adding extreme touring challenges to the list and then add lower-paced activities, like enjoying a whole day in a park without doing any rides.

Think Outside the Box
It is easy to brainstorm the biggies, like trying out Seven Dwarves Mine Train for the first time or catching a new popular parade. To round out your list, spend some time dreaming up some unique ideas. On a recent trip, I make it my mission to try out as many “best of” snacks and treats as seen on the Disney Food Blog
(www. Disneyfoodblog.com). Experiencing a show like Hoop De Doo Revue would be a nice addition, but also add in a walk on the wooded path from Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness or a nighttime tour of the Christmas lights strung around guests’ campsites. The smaller, more unique ideas on your list can be the most rewarding! I realized about 2 years ago that I had never see the Goodnight Kiss in the Magic Kingdom and quickly added to the list. Sitting on a bench near the Partners statue as all the other guests hurried to the bus has become one of my most cherished Walt Disney World memories.

List within a List
Sometimes, the enthusiastic Disney fan’s Disney Bucket List can get a little unwieldy. Try breaking your list into subgroups! How about a bucket sub-list of restaurants, specific foods to try, resort activities, tours/special events, seasonal experiences, or “free” extras? I like to have a list of coveted or elusive photographs that I want to capture.

Never Finished
The best aspect of a Disney Bucket List is that it can be an ever-changing document, since there are always new attractions and shows added to the Walt Disney World theme parks. Even though I cross a few items off of my bucket list each visit, I definitely add even more to the list! These additions may be new attractions/restaurants or just a new simple experience that I had never heard of before. Although I have visited Walt Disney World countless times, I am continually finding new experiences to make me love Walt Disney World even more. My Disney Bucket List is one way that this Disney addict stays connected between visits and in developing my list, I continue to push myself to squeeze every single drop of magic out of my coveted Walt Disney World experiences!

I had full intentions of writing about my experiences at the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, but with the announcement of yet another attraction at Walt Disney World closing I thought I would write about my thoughts on the big changes happening at my favorite Disney theme park. I will be very honest the latest closing announcement- The Backlot Tour- hasn’t stirred any type of emotion in me at all. I’ve ridden it once in all of my trips to Walt Disney World and it wasn’t the most spectacular thing I have ever experienced, but it was fun. I really enjoyed the part at the end because at the time it had costumes from the film Oz showing and I loved getting to see the all the outfits up close and personal. Outside of that…weather it is there or not doesn’t actually bother me too much. My reaction was very much the same when the announcement of The American Idol Experience closing was made. I never actually visited that attraction. I quit watching the show a long time ago, and I didn’t really understand why it was still an attraction in the parks to be perfectly honest- so for me personally I wasn’t sad to see it go either.

Of the latest closings this year the one that bothered me the most was The Maelstrom. I only discovered the ride last year, but I loved it all the same. Truthfully weather the ride was in Norway or not wouldn’t effect if enjoyed the pavilion or now, what bothers me about this change is that it is being turned into a Frozen themed ride rather than a ride that will continue to educated guests about the history of Norway- which is the purpose of the World Showcase. I’m not sure if those making the decisions remember that the World Showcase is there to honor and educated guests about the different countries represented. Last I checked Arendelle, Anna, Elsa, and Olaf were all fictional and if we needed to know anymore about them we could go watch the special features on the Frozen blu-ray, but I digress.

Even though all the changes coming don’t make me especially happy to a degree in the back of my head there is one thing keeps me hopeful- “Keep Moving Forward”. It is my favorite quote by Walt Disney. I don’t think anyone can truly know if Walt Disney would be turning in his grave, or doing cartwheels of excitement over the changes being made at Walt Disney World, but I believe that he would be pleased that park has continued to grow and change. Change is NECESSARY. If that weren’t the case Walt Disney World would consist of only the Magic Kingdom. It wouldn’t have grown into the beast of a theme park it is today, and people would spend their entire lifetimes saving to visit. Are all the changes being made great? No not in my opinion, but they are happening and they will continue to happen. So while we may all each be upset about different things happening, in the midst of your upset please keep this in the back of your head- Walt Disney World has to keep evolving and changing. It might not be a homerun every time, but they can learn from their mistakes and try again later. I just think we get so caught up in being upset we forget that progress doesn’t come without mistakes and sometimes you have to try several times before you succeed.

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious…and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” –Walt Disney

Change is in the air! Fall colors are popping up. Attractions are closing, being modified or replaced. And my personal life is beginning a new chapter. One which will find me living in Florida after I retire! Contrary to popular belief, Walt Disney World is not the only reason we are relocating. The weather and escaping the cold is the number one reason, being Mickey Mouse’s neighbor is probably number two!

As I look forward to becoming a Floridian (albeit a transplant), I have been creating a sort of Bucket List of things I was to see and experience there. Of course many of the things are Disney related but my husband and I are looking forward to exploring other things around our new home. Here are a few of things on my list, in no particular order:

1. Take the Back Scenes Safari or Wild Africa Trek tour at Animal Kingdom
2. Visit the Holy Land theme park in Orlando
3. Stay at the DVC Vero Beach Resort
4. See a lighthouse, maybe the one on Sanibel Island
5. Visit the parks in Celebration
6. Explore downtown Clermont
7. Pick oranges
8. Using the monorail, visit the Magic Kingdom Resorts during the holidays
9. See a sporting event at ESPN Wide World of Sports
10. Go to an NFL game
11. See turtles hatching
12. Plant a lantana in my yard (they are seasonal where I am from)
13. Visit Sea World
14. Work Part Time or Seasonally for WDW
15. Visit Cape Canaveral
16. Hike
17. Play golf

As you can see from this list, there are many things to do in Florida in addition to a visit to Walt Disney World. While I love a day at the Park and the notion of being able to just get up and decide to go, there are so many other things I would like to explore. I am looking forward to making this new chapter magical!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work at Disney World? I’m sure we all have at one time or another and finding the answer to that is pretty easy. Ask any friendly cast member or simply read about their many experiences on line. But how did they get there? What is the process of becoming a Disney cast member? For me it all started on the Disney Career Website.

I was browsing around the internet one day and just out of curiosity I decided to pull up the Disney jobs board to see what positions they generally posted and what the application process was. It’s rather simple, actually. You select a particular department you would be interested in working and fill out the application, attach a resume and hit send.

Thoughts of moving to Florida had been going through my mind at the time, and my friend kept begging me to relocate, so for nothing more than that pure curiosity I filled out the application and sent it to the casting office. Much to my surprise they called me 2 days later and wanted to schedule an interview. An interview! I hadn’t been on an interview in years! And wouldn’t you know it, I just so happened to have a trip planned for the next month and even more coincidental I was staying two blocks from casting.

I arrived a few minutes early, parked my rental car and made my way to the front doors of the casting building. What was beyond those doors was nothing what I expected. You enter the front of the building and just inside you are in a circular room with unmarked doors around the perimeter. There is no reception desk, no one to tell you where to go. The floor is black and white marble and the entire set up is very much like the room Alice lands in after falling down the rabbit hole.

To the left there is a long ramp/hallway that runs the length of the building and ascends to the second floor. As you make your way up this ramp, you see rows of office doors on either side as you reach the second level. Ahead of you there is a small, round reception area where they take your name and ask you to wait for your interviewer just beyond them in a sitting lounge.

*Note, if you do not have a scheduled interview, they will send you home to fill out an online application and go through the same process that I did. They do not take walk in applications, or at least they were not at the time of my visit.

The furniture is funky, colorful and shaped all strange as you would expect from Disney. Animated classics played on monitors throughout the room and a bank of computer terminals was to one side of the area with applicants busily clicking away taking tests or something.

My interviewer, Mike came to get me and we walked back towards the entrance to his small office. He asked me the standard interview questions as well as a battery of questions related to the department of which I had expressed interest. It was at this time I had to come clean and tell him I was here more on a fact finding mission rather than actually considering an immediate career change to come work for Disney. I told him I was very interested in coming on board in the future when I “slowed down”.

I thought I’d get thrown out of the place mouse ears and all, but Mike was very understanding and told me that there are hundreds of applicants that come through for the same reason. They want to get the lay of the land and see what opportunities there are working for “the Mouse”.

Actually, he did make a couple of calls in my presence and spoke to some higher ups, explained my salary situation and they DID offer me a quite a bit more than the “going rate” for this particular department. Ah, something to consider! Take a bit of a pay cut, move to sunny Orlando and get to work and play at the same time??

From his office I was then sent downstairs again. Off to the left of the entrance, and tucked away in a corner beside that long ramp way is a hall that leads to the security office. A few more questions, fingerprinting and consent to a federal background and credit check were in store there. And I might mention not too “Disney” in this space!

I left soon after to return to my hotel and get ready for the day’s park adventures. Later that same day I got a call from Laura in the security office, apparently I had forgotten to sign something and asked if I could return before the end of my vacation to take care of it. I did.

A few days later I got the call. I was more or less offered an assistant to the apprentice to the subordinate of the trainee of the assistant of the leader. I’m all about working my way up but at this stage in my career, I thought it best to stay put and remain a faithful guest. Besides, I have my sights on that monorail pilot’s seat when I retire to the Sunshine State! (If the monorail system still has pilots by then.)