Saturday, April 30, 2016

Day 1216: The Perfect Present


In a world of material things, there are certainly plenty of occasions to buy a person a present: Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, Valentine's Day, Anniversaries, and the list goes on. However, one of the most important occasions for the Disney fan is a trip to the parks. You can't necessarily buy everyone something every time you go to Disney, but usually I try to bring at least my closest friends and family something back. The problem is that after a few trips, the best presents for someone start to run out...mostly because you already gifted them...so you have to expand to find the greatest possible presents, and there's more than a few ways to do that. 

Starting with a Disney Movie is always a great way to go. Ask about their favorite Disney movie before you go if you're not already aware - although you probably already are - and then search out various gifts that are based on that film. Some are definitely easier to find, such as Finding Nemo, The Lion King, or Frozen, while others may have less merchandise or require some searching to find: Wreck-It Ralph, The Aristocats, or Tangled. If you know that film, it's absolutely simple to find a gift relating to it, whether it be a creatively-designed mug, a pin, or a plush character, and with the collection of film merchandise available, the limits are pretty much endless. 

Example: The pin I got for my freshman roommate: a pin inspired by her favorite Disney movie: Aladdin

Autographs and Postcards make great gifts too, simply because they come right from the source. A couple of my favorite things to do with character meet and greets is have them sign postcards for friends back home, but also record short videos saying hello (if they're a face character) to your friend, which you can then send immediately to bring a bit of magic to their day back home. Our Disney friends are always more than willing to help you send a shoutout, all you need to do is ask! 

Example: In January of 2015 we sent home postcards signed by our friend's favorite Disney characters. 

Unique Gifts are perhaps my favorite type though. What I mean here is a gift that really captures a specific place. It could be a country around World Showcase, a specific park, or a Disney Resort, and while it usually requires a bit more thought and time to find a gift that captures the uniqueness of both the location and the person it's for, it's always worth it. 

Example: My all time favorite present I've ever gotten for someone fits in this category, and it's a Piston Cup Trophy for my best friend. 



Group Presents can sometimes be fun too, and are sort of a play on Unique Gifts, but are more widespread. If you can't decide exactly what to get a person, and maybe you wish they were there with you, it's super easy to put together a sort of mini-gift basket of "wish you were here" things. That could mean something from every park, a collection of foods, a set of pins, or a "First Visit Survival Pack." 

Example: I've actually done both a "wish you were here" basket and a "First Visit Survival Pack" for each of my friends. The "wish you were here" included one gift from each park, as well as a set of various Star Wars pins, and a candy apple from Magic Kingdom. The "First Visit Survival Pack" was a long time in coming, and included gifts such as a First Visit pin and button, autograph book, Pin Trading starter pack and lanyard, Disney Gift Card, and park maps. 

Free Gifts aren't always the most substantial present, but they can certainly be fun! There's all kinds of free things across the resort if the person you're gifting to doesn't mind a few odds and ends. There's buttons, park maps, autographs, and plenty of odds and ends depending on what park you're in. I'll include pressed pennies in this category too, since they're a relatively low cost item! 

Example: This past January, my Dad said he only wanted us to not spend money, and therefore, added that we didn't need to give him anything. That didn't seem right to us though, so we made a collection of free things that we gathered throughout our trip. I don't remember everything we got, but I know some paper cups and park maps were included, as well as the free gifts we were given during our experience at Splitsville.  

Food is one of the harder, but sometimes most worthwhile additions to presents, and it's one thing I usually always try to add in if I can. If you're driving, the options are pretty much endless to what you could bring home unless you're going to take more than a day or two to get there. If you're flying, I recommend double checking the TSA List of allowed foods, which can tell you where you should keep that food during your travels, or if you can bring it at all. I will say though, we've successfully brought home plenty of candy apples (in our checked luggage), as well as macarons, caramels, bread, rice crispy treats, caramel/candy corn, cookies, and candy. 

Example: Every trip to Disney that my brother isn't on (and often when he is too), I'll pack away his favorite candy apple in my suitcase for the ride home. These sometimes melt a bit if it's during the warmer months, but I haven't had many problems getting them home thus far, and I've repeated this process for several trips. 

As you can see, there are tons of options and chances for you to find that perfect present, and all it takes is a little bit of thought. I recommend that if there's something you see that reminds you of someone though, get it sooner rather than later. I've had several experiences where merchandise will run out before I can get back to get it, so keep an eye out there! 

Have a magical day!


Friday, April 29, 2016

Day 1215: Earful Goodbyes


I think I'm having trouble accepting that I'm going to be a senior again...and I'm having an even harder time accepting that some of my favorite people aren't going to be next to me when I get to the first day of Wind Ensemble in the fall. It's never easy to say goodbye to the people you love, but the closer and closer we get to my own final concert, the more terrified I am of the future, which, I suppose, is typical for most college seniors. 



The truth is though, that these people aren't really leaving my life at all. Yeah, maybe they'll be a little further away and I won't be able to ask them daily questions about how to fix my saxophone or which bow I should wear in my hair, but they'll still be supporting me from afar, even when I move much further away than my apartment at college is from my home. 

And above all else, I heard some great advice this last fall, about how when you feel like you should take a step back, you should take a step forward instead, and I have the feeling that it's that motto that's going to get me through the next year and into my new life after college, wherever that may be. 

But for now, I think I'm going to rejoice a little in the fact that I do have another year with my pals before I move halfway across the country. 

Have a magical day! 

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Day 1214: Disappointment


If you experienced The Little Mermaid attraction in its original form back at Disney California Adventure, you'll remember the above hairstyle. For me, it was just one of the many things I disliked about the attraction, which felt disjointed and sort of boring, despite the fact that it had such potential. The story wasn't there really, and it still isn't, and to top it all off, Ariel's hair looked like an ice cream cone. 

But that version of the attraction, which has now been updated in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World to include more normal looking hair, taught me something. It taught me that being disappointed with an attraction is completely alright, because we're all different, and if we all liked the same things exactly then the Disney Parks would be pretty boring. 

Since then, several attractions have disappointed me with their updates, The Great Movie Ride and Test Track included, and while that doesn't mean they're completely bad, it does remind me that we're not all perfect. Even Imagineers need to have a less than exciting attraction every once and a while to really perfect the great ones. 

After all, it's happened before! Look at the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland, the precursor to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. It wasn't nearly as popular, but if it never existed, we wouldn't have found Big Thunder. The same could be said for Discovery Island. I mean, it inspired an entire park: Animal Kingdom! 

In other words, while there may be a few problems with newer attractions, I suppose we'll just have to put our trust in the Disney Imagineers, because after all, not everything is going to be perfect for us, and even if it's less than perfect for everyone, they'll fix it in time...hopefully. 

Have a magical day!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Day 1213: Stormstruck


I've only seen Stormstruck once.

That one time was more than enough for me.

As long as I can remember, I've been terrified of tornadoes, and really, thunderstorms in general. As a kid I would sleep on the floor in my parents room, surrounded by as many pillows and blankets I could find, as well as usually a pair of noise canceling headphones. When the weather reached severe levels, I would really start to freak out. Where this fear came from I actually have no idea, but my friends and family can back me up in saying that when I freak out during circumstances like that, I freak out.

So as you can imagine, something like Stormstruck isn't exactly where I want to spend my time. I mean really? A 3D simulator that imitates a perfect storm? No thank you.

It's why of all the attractions at Walt Disney World, it's probably the only one I refuse to go on simply because I'm too terrified to even consider it. And just to make sure I'm not making things up and remembering the attraction incorrectly, I watched a recording of the entire show on YouTube, and I was just as afraid this time as I remembered, and here I was just watching it on my computer, much less being in the middle of the storm. I mean, I honestly believe Twister to be the most terrifying movie in the world, so does it surprise you that I wouldn't enjoy Stormstruck?

If you've experienced Stormstruck in Innoventions at Epcot, what did you think?

Have a magical day!


Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Day 1212: Vlogging Up a Storm



While I definitely love and appreciate when you all watch my vlogs, such as the latest one above, there are tons of people out there who inspire me to keep vlogging through Disney vlogs of their own. It's kind of great, because on a certain level we inspire each other to keep going even when the weather gets hot, the crowds get...well, crowded, and the days get long. And then, when we all get back home, we get to experience Disney through each other's eyes. What you see in my vlogs will be entirely different from any other vlogger, and that's one of the best things about this form of blogging. Just as we each have a different writing style, we have various vlogging styles too! 

So, to inspire you, here are a few of my favorite Disney vloggers: 

If you haven't checked out Spokesmayne yet, let me tell you: you're missing out. He takes some of the absolute best quality footage of Walt Disney World and is a natural on the vlogging screen. I consistently find myself eagerly awaiting his next video, and I'm sure you will too! 



While not necessarily your traditional vlog format, danimaroo does some of the most adorable Disney videos on the internet. She puts a ton of work into each of these, and the result is completely worth it!



Also high on my list, OhYeahDisney. I don't remember exactly when I stumbled upon their YouTube channel, but they consistently put out new videos every week and are definitely worth a watch and a subscription!



And finally I must mention some friends of mine over at Wdw Laughin Place. These two have been watching my own vlogs for ages, and now they've started their own successful YouTube channel with all sorts of magical vlogs! I love to watch them while eating my breakfast because it provides the most magical start to my day possible! 


Unfortunately I don't have a ton of time these days to watch every YouTube video, but as far as vlogging specifically goes, you can't beat this group of Disney YouTubers! And like I said, they're all unique, so I'm sure there's something to relate to. But honestly, the best way to find your own favorite Disney Vlogger is to just keep watching. There's all kinds of us out there, and we're quite the bunch, so just hit play! 

Have a magical day! 


Monday, April 25, 2016

Day 1211: So Far


Every so often I have this overwhelming feeling of "Wow, we've been here a long time." It's Day 1211. It's been three and a half years almost. That's insane. I never expected this to last beyond year one, and now we're in Year Four. Just...where did all the time go? And what in the world actually filled up three years of blog posts? So let's take a look back at what we've talked about so far: 

We've talked about our Fears and we've seen Dreams Come True. We talked about our love of PUSH and Morris Mulch before they left us, and discovered that Disney Music is often inspired by other compositions. We went to Disneyland and Disney World alike, and The Muppets did too, and also to the Twin Cities to talk to Colin O'Donoghue and Chicago to see the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives

We saw MusicalsShared our Ears, and even had Waffles with Walt. We touched on some hard hitting topics, like Air CoolingAwkward Thanksgivings, and what we find on a cake, learned about the Hatbox GhostFairy Tales, and took more than a few pictures. You can't forget the time we spent a day like Captain Hook either, or how we lived through New Park Maps and Dorm RoomsLots and Lots of Dorm Rooms. 

With movies, we talked about Silent Star Wars and my love of Han Solo. We watched Non-Disney movies like How to Train Your Dragon and Pearl Harbor and related them back to films like Cinderella. There were DCOMs and Dapper Days and Bathsoaps and Memes. And if that wasn't enough we went to MathMagic Land and Minecraft too! 

So I guess you could say that in 1211 Days, we've done a lot of stuff. But we're just getting started, because with Disney, there will never be enough. 

Have a magical day!

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Day 1210: Three Wishes


My all time favorite episode of Full House is, obviously, two episodes: the ones where they all go to Disney World. Not only is it a hilarious set of episodes, but it's also really awesome to see the differences between the parks then and now. If you're not familiar with the storyline, the entire house heads down to meet the mouse, and Michelle ends up Princess for the Day and recipient of three special wishes, and the rest of the story is focused around those wishes

While Michelle wishes for a tea party and to be at the front of the line before giving the last wish to her sister Steph, it got me thinking. If I had three wishes to spend at Walt Disney World for a day, what would they be? 

First, I'd do the same thing as Michelle for sure: and use my First Wish to never have to wait in line. Can you imagine everything you could do if you didn't have to wait in any lines? And it seems that the rules back then transferred to all the parks, so you could literally probably do everything at Walt Disney World in one day without too much trouble. 

Then things get a big harder. After all, there are so many things to wish for, like being in the parade, or meeting all your favorite characters, or getting to go backstage somewhere. Really though, the options are endless here. I would probably use my Second Wish to go back stage at some of my favorite attractions, such as Spaceship Earth, The Haunted Mansion, or Kilimanjaro Safaris. For real though...feeding the animals sounds like a good way to spend my day. I have been backstage at the American Adventure before, and I know for a fact that that one is really awesome, so that'd have to be on my list as well. 

And then there's my Third Wish, which I honestly don't know what I'd do with. I mean, meeting Flynn Rider could be fun, or any of my favorite characters for that matter, but at the same time I feel like I'd sort of want to do the same thing as Michelle did and pass some of the magic onto someone else. Yep, that sounds like a great way to finish off my wishes, by letting someone else share some of the magic too! 

What would your three wishes be? 

Have a magical day!

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Day 1209: They're Dates!


Did I spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to make the above picture super artsy? Yes.

But that's what you do when you're reminded of Indiana Jones and just can't contain your excitement. This year for the 4-H Food's Review my brother decided on a Moroccan theme, which I really didn't know about until we got there. I knew he was making a banana bread pudding, but that was about as far as I got until I was standing in front of the table helping him set everything up.

And as I soon found out, the whole Moroccan idea was pretty awesome. As you can see below, it ended up being very...colorful...but all in all it turned out really great! And the banana bread pudding (a Disney recipe) was delicious too!Have a magical


The first picture was of his centerpiece though, and it right away brought me back to a classic Indiana Jones scene involving dates. I'd never actually tried dates, which, you know, probably has something to do with "bad dates," or the fact that I've just never had a chance to try them, but I'm happy to say that I really liked them (my allergies did not...but that's beside the point). However, I did probably say "They're dates! Ya eat 'em!" about 20 times in a matter of three hours, which is probably concerning to some. 


Have a magical day! 



Friday, April 22, 2016

Day 1208: Jazz Trippin'


One of the best parts of being a music student is the opportunity you have to travel. In High School, many go on band trips, but jazz trips are pretty popular too. In fact, in my years traveling with the high school band, I went on six trips that allowed me to travel through at least 18 states and to some of the greatest places in the world, Disney included. In college, that changes a bit. Usually, at St. Norbert, we'll go on a large trip every few years with the wind ensemble, but if you really want to travel more often, Jazz band is the way to go.

Once a year the St. Norbert College Jazz Band packs up their instruments and heads to a jazz festival. Typically it's been to the Eau Claire Jazz Festival, just like this year, but from the sound of it we might be exploring some new locations starting next year. Regardless, we headed out early in the morning for Eau Claire, and had quite the day!



It has to be noted that we listened to Disney music for the whole three hour drive out to Eau Clarie, and then, once we got there and finished our performances, we made our way around the campus, exploring their union and library. We also had a chance to catch some professional performances as a part of the festival, and looked at new instruments that we definitely can't afford. Finally, after we left, we stopped in Eau Clarie for a group dinner at a local pizza joint, and let me tell you, there's nothing quite like eating unlimited pizzas with a bunch of jazz musicians. 

And that's just it. As much as traveling places is fun, it's even more fun with your friends, and when you're always doing something you love. I wasn't feel well the entire day, but I definitely still had a great time and am really looking forward to next year's jazz trip too! And here's one more picture, because when you find a beautiful scene like this, you just have to capture it! 


Have a magical day! 

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Day 1207: Disney Parks A to Z


I once did a post on Once Upon A Time A to Z, and figured that maybe it'd be fun to do the same thing with the Disney Parks! After all, with so much to explore, there's got to be something for every letter, right? 

A is for Adventureland, B is for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and C is for Carousel of Progress



D is for the Dumbo, E is for Epcot, and F is for Figment



G is for the Grand Floridian, H is for the Haunted Mansion, and I is for Indiana Jones Adventure



J is for Jungle Cruise, and K is for Kilimanjaro Safaris



L is for the Living Seas, M is for the Matterhorn, and N is for New Orleans Square



O is for One Man's Dream, P is for Paradise Pier, and Q is for Queen of Hearts



R is for River Country, S is for Spaceship Earth, and T is for Tom Sawyer Island



U is for Universe of Energy, V is for Voyage of the Little Mermaid, and W is for the Walt Disney World Railroad



X is for X-Wing, Y is for Ye Olde Christmas Shop, and finally, Z is for Zurg


Not gonna lie, X was really difficult...

Have a magical day!


Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Day 1206: Storytelling


We've been watching a lot of TED Talks in class lately, and I figured that I'd check out a couple of Disney related talks. The problem is, I watched them all rather than doing my homework, leaving very little time to blog. So I think I'll let them do the talking this time! 




Have a magical day! 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Day 1205: Closets


While talking through outfits for an upcoming trip, it occurred to us that my closet seems to be rather...odd. After all, I fill it purposefully with clothes that will be great for trips to Florida, because if they can stand up to the Disney test, obviously they'll stand up to everything else. 

Seriously though, I keep a lot of layers in my closet. Tank Tops that are classy, but still light enough for even the hottest summer days, lighter long sleeve shirts that are the best during late nights in the Magic Kingdom, and plenty of sweaters for during the colder months. For shoes I have a wide collection, from sandals, to tennis shoes, to boots, and back to flats, but my favorite selections are usually canvas shoes such as converse. 

The thing is, other people don't live like this. Most aren't concerned about what's going to work best for trekking across Epcot or participating in a Four Parks, One Day Challenge. So, in other words, my closet is now full of "travel clothes," with oversized sweaters for airplane rides and colored shorts for DisneyBounding.

And it makes it very different from anyone else's closet. Let me know what's in yours! 

Have a magical day! 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Day 1204: One-Sided


Disney fans, unlike the title of this blog post, are very obviously not one sided. I mean, just look at the picture! You don't see that side of me all that often! As in my right side...

Alright, alright, in all seriousness, we're not talking about physical sides of us Disney fans. No, we're talking about the various...fandom sides. I suppose that's what you'd call it since there isn't really a better term for all of the various obsessions we have. And then we have our different moods on top of it, and really, Disney fans become quite difficult to figure out unless you're a fan yourself. 

For instance, there's the Disney Parks Side, which has us all excited to head to Florida. Split that up and you get three areas: Waiting to go to Disney, At Disney, and Leaving Disney. Waiting to go to Disney is how we spend most of our time, constantly wondering if there's anything else can do to plan, making lists of every shape and size, and making countdown crafts. When we're actually at Disney we're usually at our happiest, with Mickey or Minnie ears on our heads and a smile on our faces as we head out into the parks to experience our favorite attractions and foods for the 18 zillionth time. It never gets old for us. Remember that. And then there's the absolute worst part of every Disney fan's life: leaving Disney. We get uncontrollably sad, we may cry, and will also immediately start planning another trip. That's just how it works. And then the cycle repeats. 

Back home, there's the Movie Fan Side of us. The part that's perfectly content to curl up on the couch with some Mickey Waffles and watch every single Disney movie until we can no longer keep our eyes open. It's the side that rushes to the movie theater when a new film comes out, or, likewise, rushes to the store to buy the latest DVD. We end up collecting everything relating to our favorite films, and then proceed to argue with others about which Disney movie is obviously the best. Although, in the end, we all pretty much agree to disagree because they're all awesome. 

There's the Musical Side of every fan, and I don't just mean the Disney Broadway Musicals. No, the part of us that constantly sings along with every recording of every Disney song ever created, because obviously we learned the lyrics to "In a World of my Own" from Alice in Wonderland years ago. We tend to annoy others with this habit, but really they're probably singing along with us. 

There's the Foodie Side, which would give anything to have a Dole Whip during the long months between trips, and longs to go to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival every fall. The Obsessive Side, which refreshes the page every two seconds during the D23 Expo and other fan events, looks up all the possible information about our favorite animators, actors, characters, and films, and memorizes every line in our favorite films. There's the Historical Side, which researches Walt Disney, Disney films, and the parks like our lives depend on it, and the Calm Side, which rarely comes out for a visit.

But most importantly, there's the Dreamer Side, which makes us all believe that anything is possible and that our dreams really can become a reality if we pursue them with hard work, dedication, and a bit of pixie dust. One side alone wouldn't make up a Disney fan, and I'm sure there are plenty of others that I can't even remember to list, but the important part is that every side of a Disney fan helps make up the unique combination of our fandom, and I wouldn't want anything else. 

Have a magical day!

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Day 1203: The Epcot that Once Was


I wasn't around back in the 80's when Epcot first opened, and I barely remember some things from my youngest years in the late 90's, but I do know that the Epcot that once was is very different from the one that sits in Central Florida today. It's a shame really, because the original Epcot was popular, and there's a huge community of fans that would love to see it restored to its former glory. Actually, most people just really want Dreamfinder back, but I don't blame them at all, because, well, me too. And Horizons too!

Pretty much every pavilion at Epcot has undergone major changes, with the exception of World Showcase, which has stayed relatively the same until just recently. Back in Future World, on the other hand, very little of the original park still exists. Spaceship Earth is close, still telling the story of communication through a slow-moving trip through time, but the World of Motion has turned into Test Track, and Horizons was demolished to become Mission SPACE. Even the Seas has changed drastically with the addition of Nemo and his friends, a change that actually brought life back to the pavilion. In Imagination, Captain EO has come and gone multiple times now, and meanwhile, Figment barely holds on without is pal Dreamfinder, and back on the other side The Universe of Energy is quickly becoming both rundown and outdated. Even Innoventions is looking it's age as half of it sits empty, and as the other half is in danger of the same.


And yet, many of us try to keep the memory of the old Epcot Center alive. I see both sides of the story here, really. A good part of me agrees with the fans, wishing to see some of our favorite vintage attractions return because, really, they were so much better than some of what's there now. On the other hand though, I'm not entirely sure that those old attractions would appeal to the general public today. Attention spans are shorter and the appreciation for the dark ride has come and gone. Instead, I really think we should be putting our energy into combining the thrills of modern Epcot and the stories and educational quality of the past. 


Where this theory seems to work already is the Seas, where Nemo has taken over. Some hate the addition of the little fish, but you can't argue with the fact that the pavilion is once again somewhat popular, and that it's at least somewhat nice to have an attraction back in there! Plus, over the past few years I've noticed the educational programs picking up speed, and overall the pavilion seems to be running much like it did years ago, just with a different theme. 


There's some problems with this theory too, since many of the original attractions were outdated by the time they left, and just like with Tomorrowland, it's difficult to keep attractions and areas ahead of the curve continuously without doing major remodeling every few years. It's where we lost Horizons and the end of Spaceship Earth. And current educational programs in the United States are far different from what they were in the 80's and 90's, mostly because we're more opinionated now than we were then, meaning attractions that promote healthy eating and exercise, much like Kitchen Kabaret and Food Rocks did, will no longer be popular with guests. 


In the end, I suppose we'll have to just go with the flow here and force ourselves to keep moving forward. As much as we might want the original Epcot back, even I'm not sure that it would be the right fit for our current society, and while I agree not everything should be about money, I'd rather keep Epcot open and running smoothly than see the sequel to The Carousel of Progress one more time. 

Although bringing Dreamfinder back might be a good compromise. 

Have a magical day! 





Saturday, April 16, 2016

Day 1202: How to Become a Disney Fan


I've been a Disney fan for life, but not everyone has. I'm not kidding though, I've literally pretty much insisted that Disney World is my home since I started to talk, and there's nothing I love more than riding Spaceship Earth. Literally. Nothing.

But if you're not like me and maybe you've never been to a Disney park and haven't seen some of the most popular Disney movies, how do you actually become a Disney fan? I'm not going to lie, it's a pretty awesome community of people to join, as we're definitely some of the most fun and most magical folks around, but you'll also need to know what you're talking about...and what we're talking about for that same matter. Like, do you know what an ADR is? Or a Fastpass? Do you know how many individual strands of hair Rapunzel has on her head?

So, if you want to become a Disney fan, there's really only one thing you can do: jump head first into the fandom and embrace all the magic.

If you're at home, I'd definitely start with some of the classic Disney movies. You have to watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at some point, and when you get a bit bored during the movie, look up some of the early history of the Walt Disney Company and learn about the man Walt Disney himself! From there you could just go straight through the 50+ animated Disney movies that make up much of the fandom, but if you want to skip around that's good too. Some other must watch films include Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, The Lion King, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Tangled, Frozen, Dumbo, Bambi, and probably Lilo & Stitch, and don't forget about the Pixar movies too!

After you have a handle on some of the movies that we all fawn over, it's time to book your first trip to the parks! You may want to find a travel agent to help you the first time, but once you get the hang of things, you'll be fine! Be sure to brush up on some of the Disney Parks lingo, and make sure you head on some of the most classic and popular attractions: Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, The Teacups, The Carrousel, Carousel of Progress, Spaceship Earth, Test Track, The American Adventures, The Great Movie Ride, Tower of Terror, Star Tours, Expedition Everest, It's Tough to be a Bug, Indiana Jones, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and so on and so forth. Really you can't mess this one up.

And then, honestly, you just keep repeating all of this! Head to the Disney Parks more often! Check out some videos on YouTube from Disney YouTubers (like myself), follow Disney fans on social media, watch more Disney movies, and just keep moving forward. You'll get the hang of it eventually.

Have a magical day!