My Dreams of Disney

Exploring Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond!

Disney Bucket List: Celebrating Christmas at WDW!

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Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Orange Loop. Today we are sharing our Disney Bucket Lists and what you should add to yours.

celebrating Christmas

Image courtesy and ©WDW Shutterbug

When it comes to bucket lists, especially Disney bucket lists, it seems like everyone has at least one.  For me, I probably have a 100 or so bucket lists, each one different from the last.  However, at the top of my bucket list — my ultimate Disney bucket list — is celebrating Christmas at Walt Disney World!

When you start talking about things to do at Walt Disney World for Christmas, there are five main things that I want to tackle when I’m able to go with my family.  This list is in no particular order of importance to me, I want to experience all of these.

Magic Kingdom

First and foremost, I want to experience the splendor that is Main Street, U.S.A. in it’s Christmas finest.  Seeing the exquisite building lit up and decorated, catching the magical feeling that you have on Main Street, and hearing the songs from the performers, I can only imagine what it is like.  Additionally, I want to experience the different changes that the Cast Members employ on the various attractions.  An example of this is the Jingle Cruise.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Another thing that I want to experience when I’m celebrating Christmas is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  This party is something that I absolutely want to do one time.  From what I understand, most people feel like experiencing it once is all you need, because this separate ticket experience is kind of pricey.  But for someone who’s never been there before, I definitely feel like it is something we need to experience.

Epcot’s Candlelight Processional

celebrating Christmas

Image ©Disney

Every year at the Epcot theme park, Walt Disney World unveils the incredible Candlelight Processional.  Located at the amphitheater outside of the American Adventure Pavilion, the Candlelight Processional is a special event that involves a guest narrator and special musical performers to tell the story of Jesus’ birth.  For this reason alone, I absolutely have it in my list of things I need to experience at Walt Disney World.

Holidays around the World

Coupled with the Candlelight Processional is the Holidays around the World exhibits at each of the Pavilions.  These special festivals tell the holiday traditions that you can encounter at each country.  Unique and charming, I believe that hearing these different variations on Christmas will leave a lasting impression with me, and would you also.

Resort Hopping

celebrating Christmas

Wilderness Lodge images courtesy and ©WDW Shutterbug

One of the last things I want to experience at Christmas is an in-depth look at how the different resorts get setup for Christmas.  Pictured above, the Wilderness Lodge Christmas Tree is a striking example that I really want to see in person.  Additionally, taking a look at the Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian and the Carousel at the Beach and Yacht Clubs really catches my attention.

The little things at Walt Disney World are what make it the premier vacation destination in the World in my opinion.  Tell me, how did I do on my list?  What have I left off that should be included?  Please let me know in the comments, and thanks for following along on one of our dreams!

For more Disney bucket list ideas,
check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Orange | Disney Bucket Lists Loop:

Delicious Dining at ‘Ohana with Lilo & Stitch!

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Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Green Loop. Today we are sharing some of the best breakfast spots at Disney.

On the opposite side of the Seven Seas Lagoon, almost directly across from the Magic Kingdom, is Disney’s Polynesian Resort.  This resort is the home of many things, but one thing that stands out for us almost as brightly as the resort is the delicious dining experience we have had at ‘Ohana for their Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo & Stitch.

When most people think of the delicious dining at ‘Ohana, they think of the wonderful cuisine they encounter for their dinner menu.  For me, though, I’ve always been a fan of character dining — I am to this day — so when we ate here, we scheduled a late breakfast so that we could enjoy a hearty breakfast, along with some fantastic character interactions!

Most Walt Disney World character breakfasts are the same — Mickey Waffles, eggs, fruit, potatoes, etc — and in some regards, ‘Ohana is very similar.  But what sets this delicious dining experience apart, in my opinion, were the Pua’a (Pork) and the Uala Kahiki (Fried Potatoes).  I even had some of the Hua Paka, and if you ask my wife, you’ll learn that I am not a big fan of eggs!  The sausage was served as links, and they were sweet and savory, and just a hint of spice to them.  The bacon is, as always, good, because everything’s better with bacon, you know, and the fried potatoes, well, they were incredible, to say the least.

In addition to the good food, of course, were the character interactions.  Along with Lilo and Stitch, we were also met by Mickey and Pluto, and some of the interactions between them and Sophie are among my favorite memories from Walt Disney World.

Delicious Dining

Stitch Startles Sophie

Delicious Dining

Delicious Dining

Eyes for Mickey

Pluto leans in for a picture!

Delicious Dining

Sophie enjoyed her breakfast!

When considering where to take your kids for some great character interactions, give ‘Ohana a lot of consideration.  I think you will enjoy it as much as we did!  Have you eaten at ‘Ohana for breakfast?  If so, what did you think?  Let us know in the comments, and thanks for stopping by!  Make sure you check out some of the other great places to eat by my Blogorail teammates!

 

 

For more great breakfast spots at Disney,
check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Green | Best Breakfast Spots in Disney Loop:

45 Years of Magic Kingdom = $45 Disney Gift Cards!

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45 Years

45 Years of the Magic Kingdom is turning into a unique opportunity for you!  This month only, October 1-31, 2016, I’ve got a special offer just for you!

Normally when I book a vacation package for one of my awesome clients, if they are traveling with their kids, I’ll include a small Disney Gift Card to help them celebrate, as my way of thanking them for choosing me to help them with their trip!  But for the month of October, in celebration and honor of the 45th Birthday of the Magic Kingdom, I am offering a $45 Disney Gift Card for any of my clients that books a trip with me and pays their deposit during the month of October.  A few stipulations:

  1. This offer is for new bookings only, existing bookings are not eligible.
  2. This offer is for Walt Disney World vacation packages.  A package consists of lodging at the Walt Disney World Resort and tickets.  The Disney Dining Plan is optional.
  3. The amount of the new package must be $3,000 or greater. Your gift card will be included in your travel documents that you will receive from Pixie Vacations prior to your check-in.
  4. The travel must be for 2016 or 2017 Walt Disney World trips.

If you are interested in getting a quote for your next Walt Disney World vacation, reach out to me!  There are many ways to do so:

  1. You can submit a vacation quote request online.
  2. You can email me at Mike@PixieVacations.com.
  3. You can call or text me at 919-606-6725.
  4. You can send me a message on my Facebook Page.
  5. You can send me a tweet on Twitter.

My family was fortunate enough to be able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Magic Kingdom, and while we aren’t able to be there for the 45th birthday, we want you to be able to celebrate for us! That’s why we are offering up our 45 Years of the Magic Kingdom special offer! This won’t last long, though, so make your plans now to take advantage of this offer!  Once November is here, this offer is gone!

Coronado Springs: Our First On-Site Disney Property

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Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Orange Loop. Today we are sharing our reviews of the moderate resorts at Walt Disney World.

Coronado Springs

In 2007, my wife and I were planning our first trip to Walt Disney World where we would stay on property at one of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels.  This was exciting for us, as we had only stayed off property before, but the question was, which resort should we stay at? Originally we were looking at staying at one of the All Star resorts, but we ultimately decided that we would elect to stay at a Moderate category resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  It was a decision we would never look back on with regret!

We actually stayed at Coronado Springs for two years in a row, 2007, and 2008.  The first year, we had a great room that was located right by the bus terminal, easily within just a few minutes from our location.  That section of Coronado Springs is called the Cabanas, and our room was located in the building closest to El Centro, so it was a very convenient location for us.

Coronado Springs has an incredible layout, as you can see from the map of the resort:

Coronado Springs
For Dining options, Pepper Market is considered a quick service eatery, but we really enjoyed it.  Located throughout that establishment was great options for everyone, and it really did feel like you were in a Mexican style market setting.  For table service locations, Maya Grill is available for dinner only, while Las Ventanas is open for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  Other options include Cafe Rix and Siestas Cantina for quick service options, and the Laguna Bar and Rix Lounge for unwinding.

In addition to being a Disney resort, Coronado Springs also serves as one of the Convention Resorts for Walt Disney World.  As a result, the property is huge, with a combined 1,921 rooms and suites available.  In our two years of staying at Coronado Springs, we never had a situation where we were staying while a convention was going on.

Coronado Springs

The entire resort has a walking path that makes for some great walking excursions to the different areas of the resort, but perhaps the best part of the resort is the main pool, affectionately known as “The Dig Site.”

Coronado Springs

In my opinion, the Dig Site is near the top of my list for pools at Walt Disney World.  I obviously haven’t experienced all the pools, but this one is cool, features a Mayan style pyramid, a water slide, and is huge!

To me, it seems that Coronado Springs gets a bit of a bad reputation because of the Convention Center; don’t let that discourage you, give it a shot, you might find your new Disney Destination!

For more Walt Disney World moderate resort reviews,
check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Orange | WDW Moderate Resort Reviews Loop:

5 Reasons to visit Walt Disney World in the Fall

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IMG_6820

Visiting Walt Disney World in the fall is, in my opinion, one of the best times of the year to visit.  Here’s 5 reasons why we enjoy visiting Walt Disney World in the fall!

1) Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Depending on the time of the season you visit, you may be able to experience the Food & Wine Festival.  This yearly event is held each year in Epcot, and features incredible kiosks of different types of food and wine not normally found at Epcot.  In addition, it also features special presentations from all sorts of celebrity guests.  For 2016, the event runs from September 14 – November 14, almost a full 2 weeks longer than it has ever been, so if you can make it to Walt Disney World to visit, that’s a great time to go.

2) Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Over at the Magic Kingdom, this year Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will be held on 29 nights, running from September 2, 2016, through October 31, 2016.  If you are interested in going and dressing up in costume, check out this post from the Disney Parks Blog, it goes into detail some of the changes this year for costumes. Prices vary depending on how close it is to Halloween, so plan accordingly; also, some dates may already be sold out due to the popularity of this event, but I’m certain that there are dates on the schedule that will not be sellouts, but look into it today to help in your planning.

3) Lower Crowds

School is back in session for most kids in September and October, so if you can go during this time, you’re going to find that the crowds are much less than during the summer months or other peak season times. Even October 1, 2016, also known as the 45th Anniversary of Walt Disney World (and Magic Kingdom) is only at a crowd level of 6 out of 10 for the whole resort, and 7 out of 10 for the Magic Kingdom, according to Touring Plans.

4) Great Weather (usually)

Although September and October is still in the heart of the Hurricane Season, generally speaking, the weather at Walt Disney World during these days is absolutely incredible.  This year, the first half of September is looking at temperatures in the high 80s, and mid 70s for the lows; of course, it isn’t Florida without the forecast being Scattered Thunderstorms, but that’s the same during the other months of the year as well, so just be prepared.

5) Fall Decor

The Mickey Pumpkin Lamp post!

The Mickey Pumpkin Lamp post!

I’ve heard of changes to some of the fall decor, but to me, regardless of what the decorations are, I think that they are going to be great!

So, in conclusion, I’d say that if you can make it to Walt Disney World during the fall season, I’d say do it!  You will enjoy it very much, and you might just find a new favorite time of the year to go to Disney!  What other reasons do you have that I don’t have for visiting Walt Disney World in the fall? Please let us know in the comments, and thanks!

Your #DisneyMemory of Spaceship Earth

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Spaceship Earth

Over at Epcot, today we are taking a look at what I believe is one of the most recognizable structures in the entire world — the giant “golf ball” known as Spaceship Earth.  This structure, which has stood front and center over Epcot since the park opened in 1982, is an incredible engineering feat, and includes an attraction by the same name.

Spaceship Earth is a slow-moving dark ride that takes us back in time to look at the incredible advances that have been made in communications.  The ride is one of my favorite things to do in all of Epcot, and for today, we are going to take a look at my favorite #DisneyMemory from this great attraction, as well as share some of our pictures we’ve taken over the years of the ride.

Spaceship Earth

At the very front of the entrance to the building is this picture, giving you a tease about some of the things you might encounter on the ride.

Spaceship Earth

Communication has been adapting for eons, as you can see in these two photos.

Spaceship Earth

I think my favorite #DisneyMemory of Spaceship Earth has to do with my daughter Sophie, and the joy that she finds in this ride.  It’s a fun time for us, especially with the new changes that they made a few years back in being able to help plot out our future using the interactive screens on the ride vehicles.  We love Spaceship Earth, and it’s a must ride several times throughout our trip!

Do you like Spaceship Earth, and do you have a favorite #DisneyMemory from this ride?  If so, let us know in the comments, and thanks for stopping by today!

Your #DisneyMemory of Soarin’

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Soarin'

Soarin’ is one of the most popular attractions at Epcot, in fact, in all of Walt Disney World.  The attraction has a huge stand by line, and wait times exceed 60 or 90 minutes and even longer, so a FastPass+ selection is imperative if you want to ride later in the day.

For the longest time, I was extremely tentative when it came to riding Soarin’ — the movie is so realistic, it really does feel to me like I’m hundreds of feet up in the air when I ride, and for whatever reason, it kind of freaked me out.  However, I did myself a favor and I was seated at the end of a row, and I looked down during the ride and saw that it wasn’t as far as I was afraid it was, so I figured it would be okay.  I know it sounds like a crazy kind of logic, but that’s the way my mind worked.

Now, though, I love to ride Soarin’.  I’ve been fortunate to ride it both at Walt Disney World and at Disney’s California Adventure Park, and while the ride was the same, the line at the time for DCA was much shorter it seemed to me.  Of course, Soarin’ has been redone — instead of Soarin’ Over California, it is now called Soarin’ Over the World, and as a result, the change in the movie has led to insanely long lines — as much as 300 minutes or longer at times!  So far I haven’t seen the ride in person, having not been at any of the parks, but I look forward to the date that changes!

I guess when it comes to Soarin’ I don’t think I have a favorite #DisneyMemory.  However, I do like that I’ve been able to enjoy the ride, and ride it from the very top section.  That adds a thrill to the ride because it is so high up.  Soarin’, though, is at the very top of my wife’s list of favorite attractions, and I’m glad that I am able to ride it with her when we go.  It’s a lot of fun, and that simple #DisneyMemory is just being able to enjoy Disney with my family when we do go.

So please tell me, what is your favorite #DisneyMemory from Soarin’? Please let us know in the comments below, and thanks for stopping by!

Discover Future World: Mission SPACE

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Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Green Loop. Today we are taking a closer look at the fun you can find in Future World at Epcot.

Mission SPACE

Image ©mydisneypage.com

On the second part of our journey in the Magical Blogorail’s look at the Epcot Future World pavilions, we are taking a look at Mission SPACE, a unique pavilion at Epcot that features a green side and an orange side to experience the attraction.  Mission SPACE is one of those pavilions at Epcot where the attraction is what makes up the majority of the pavilion.  Certainly there are other things you can do at the Mission SPACE pavilion — there is a children’s play area, for example — but for the majority of people, they come to Mission SPACE to take a simulated trip to Mars.

Before our trip to Disney in 2012, Mission SPACE was simply a part of Epcot that we did not visit.  It wasn’t because we didn’t like the look of the pavilion.  Simply put, we had heard way too many stories of people getting sick after riding the attraction, and we didn’t want to risk it.  However, when our friends Neal and Kerry and their two children rode the Green side of the attraction — and then raved to us how much fun it was — well, we just had to experience it for ourselves.

Let me tell you, when a child no older than 4 or 5 tells you how much fun a ride is — well, when that happens, you suck it up and face your supposed fears…and that’s exactly what I did when my young friend River told me all about Mission SPACE.

Mission SPACE

Image ©Disney

The best story I have from this attraction comes from the lips of my friend River.  So Neal, River, Sophie, Cindy, and myself were riding together, and I happened to be seated next to River and Neal.  As we were experiencing the ride, and executing the “commands” that would keep us headed correctly to Mars, someone else was not punching the right button — someone from a different group.  River noticed this, and whispered to her dad Neal “He’s not doing it right. We’re going to crash!”  I thought it was so sweet, the childlike innocence that we all hope to recapture when we visit Walt Disney World.  Of course Neal made a point to tell her that it would be okay, and obviously it was since I’m here to write about it, but that story has stuck with me for four years now — and now I share it with you, intrepid traveler of the galaxy.

Do you like to ride Mission: SPACE? If so, which side, the easier green side or the more intense orange side? Let me know in the comments, and thanks for stopping by today!

For more about Future World,
check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Green | Discover Future World Loop:

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My Dreams of Disney is a Disney Fan Blog, and is not in any way affiliated with Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney, or the Walt Disney Company. In it's purest form, My Dreams of Disney is a site showcasing the love I and my family have for Walt Disney's creative genius and the legacy he has left behind. If it weren't for Walt Disney, Disneyland, Walt Disney World, the other Disney parks spread across the world, and this site would not exist. Click to view our Privacy Policy.

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