Day 1150: The GIF Button

GIFs, which we still apparently can't agree on the pronunciation of, are quickly taking over the internet, although if you're like me and you've been around for a number of years, you absolutely already know of our obsession with the moving pictures. And of course, for a very long time, we had to save the GIFs to our phones and computers and then organize them carefully so we'd be able to find the GIF we want to post as a reaction to something. 

And then the world woke up and realized that this was an incredibly slow process and wouldn't it just be great if we had pretty much every GIF imaginable at our fingertips?

Twitter, like Facebook, now has a GIF button, and it's actually the greatest thing ever. Want a Disney GIF of Sadness to express how much you miss Dole Whips (which, as you can see, also have a GIF)? No problem! Just search for it. And because we obviously all need to clap along to a song like Snow White does (she's flawless, isn't she?), there's a GIF of that to share too. There's GIFs of everything, and it's amazing. Why? Because we all know there's no better way to express happiness than through a GIF of Flash: 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1125: The Newest and Indyiest

Back in 2014, I blogged about a Facebook tradition I have: only changing my profile picture and cover photo after a Disney trip, and I'm happy to say that even now, the tradition continues! You can read the original blog post on Day 609, but since I've had four Disney trips since then, I figured it might be fun to do a bit of an update, especially since I just changed my profile picture and cover photo the other day!

This time we'll work backwards though, mostly since the combination you see above is the one currently on my Facebook page, and it'll stay there until whenever I next head to a Disney Park (most likely either July or October). As I went through pictures from my trip this January (more of which you'll see in a later blog post), I fell in love with the picture of me as an extra at Indiana Jones, so it wasn't even a competition for which picture would end up being my latest cover photo! As for the profile picture, I didn't think there was a picture that described happiness better than my picture with Chewbacca, so there wasn't really any competition there either.

Previous to this January's trip to Walt Disney World, I of course headed to Disneyland back in August, which means that for the past 5 months or so, Leo and I have graced my Facebook Profile Picture, and since World of Color is one of my absolute favorite things at Disneyland, I figured it would make a brilliant cover photo to go along with it! 

Before Disneyland there was a brief two month interlude of Disney World after my trip in June, which featured two of my favorite fandoms: Once Upon A Time and Star Wars! Seeing Mr. Gold's Pawnshop with all the props from OUAT was simply spectacular, and when I found that my Dad had taken a number of wonderful photographs of said props, it was an instant upload for my cover photo. Like my most recent encounter with Chewie, he made my cover photo as well, especially since meeting him in June was an absolute dream come true! 

And finally, after last January's trip to Walt Disney World I went with a pink and blue sort of color scheme that featured my new favorite hat (and one of the last pictures I took that trip) and Wishes, because who doesn't love Wishes! I will say that this trip took a long while to decide on though because there were simply so many amazing options for profile pictures and cover photos. Regardless, I narrowed it down and these pictures graced my profile from January until June! 

Which brings us back to June 2014, the last profile picture and cover photo set I shared with Everyday Disney! Updating my profile picture and cover photo after each trip has become a tradition, habit, and super exciting moment, although the thought and pressure of picking a combination I might keep for months on end is sometimes daunting. I will say, however, that I went back through my pictures and it occurred to me that I've been on seven Disney trips in the last three years. When I was a kid I went on, maybe, one a year (so three...or two) in that same time span. Gosh, if only 5 year old Lizzie could see the future. 

Have a magical day! 

Day 764: Tumblr

Now that I'm back at SNC, it means that I can be logged into all my social media on all my devices all the time. It's actually a serious relief, because when I'm at home, I can't sit on Tumblr all day and then I feel distant from all of my tumblr friends. Plus...if you're not on Tumblr, why not? If you're a college student like me, it's a spectacular way to waste time and procrastinate on your homework (and blog writing).

But I have indeed hit a road block.

I actually have three different tumblr blogs. One is my personal, another is my Everyday Disney blog and the third is a secret. I can't tell you much more about that last one...but maybe sometime in the future (hint hint, wink wink, nod nod). Regardless, these three blogs are all about different things...sort of. Well, at least two of them are about different things, and my personal one just overlaps, which leaves me with a serious problem.

Where do I blog certain things to?

That's not the only question though. For instance, if it applies to more than one blog, do I reblog it twice...once to each? Do I tag things all the time or should I go the lazy route and not tag everything? And so on and so forth.

This really is a problem though, as I'm really trying to be better about updating all my social media (which is a solid half hour a day effort when you get down to it). I mean, I have my personal social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Pinterest; My Everyday Disney accounts: Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr; And then the conjoined ones: YouTube and Google+. This is all on top of keeping the blog itself updated, and after a while you just have to throw little bits and pieces of time in wherever you can find it.

For instance, I generally end up checking my twitter constantly, but Tumblr I might only go on if there's big news or if I've got a solid ten minutes between classes or right before bed. Facebook happens maybe once a day...and that's sometimes pushing it (sort of a paradox since I literally JUST checked my Facebook on my phone). Instagram I check regularly, probably just as much as twitter, and as you all know, I have at least one picture on there a day as part of the #EverydayDisneyChallenge.

As you can see, social media really is an extra part of the job...then again, maybe that's why companies literally employ people to work their social media accounts. I'm pretty sure I would rock that job...

You can, of course, follow my social media whenever you like! I'm working on getting links to the Everyday Disney official accounts up, but my personal ones are all listed at the side. You can find the official Everyday Disney twitter @everydaydis and on Tumblr at everydaydisneyblog.tumblr.com!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on February 19).

Day 742: A Better Person

While at Disney, in line for the Jungle Cruise specifically, a blog post occurred to me. Sometimes that happens, where I'll be somewhere doing something and a perfect topic will just pop into my head, and this time it happened to be about Social Media.

I tweeted once this summer that social media is a funny thing, and really, it kind of is. That tweet started out actually as a subtweet, mostly because at that point I was dealing with a lot of weird stuff on Facebook and Twitter. There was a lot of drama that somehow included me for no particular reason other than people, at that point, wanted to make my life a living hell, but now, only months later, I find that I've changed.

It occurred to me while in Florida that I type, delete, retype, delete and repeat that same process over and over again these days. I'll write out a tweet or a Facebook post and then delete it. On my Timehop you can sense a different version of myself than in my Facebook posts these days. And you know why? It's because of my blog and the way I want to hold myself on social media.

I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by great role models when it comes to internet usage. The entire cast of OUAT does a great job of dealing with hate and crazed fans such as myself, and I realize that as weird as my tweets sometimes are to the cast members, I never tweet or post something on the internet these days that I would be ashamed for one of those cast members to see. I keep myself in a professional manner these days, far more often than I used to, and I think it's because now I see Everyday Disney and social media as a part of my own little job than I ever did before.

It's no secret that I gain absolutely nothing from this blog, as least money wise. I'm not paid for the time I spend writing here, or for the time it takes for me to go through the thousands of pictures that will eventually end up on my Instagram, or for the days of work I put into things like the Band Trip Video, but it's still my job. This is what I spend my time doing, and while I, currently, have been sitting in my college library for almost 8 hours, working continuously, in the end it's all kind of worth it.

And you know what? I think that might just be a secret to the tweets I get back from the cast members and other famous people. It's because I hold myself with a sense of respect, sort of like I'm combining multiple sayings into one, such as "Dress everyday as though you'd meet your favorite actor," "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all," and "The work you do while you procrastinate is probably the work you should be doing for the rest of your life."

All three of these quotes have really meant more and more to me over the past year, and now that I can look back and see myself come from one solidified point to another, it means all the more. So my advice to you is to be unique, be kind and make every single post, tweet or status something you'd want your favorite actor to hit "like" on.

Have a magical day!

Day 607: The Facebook Tradition

Just as I realized I've never blogged about my phone, I realized I've never actually blogged about the fact that I have this weird tradition on Facebook. I honestly don't even know how it started or why I keep doing it, but maybe it's just because I like to think it keeps the magic alive in between trips.

Hold on though, let's get to the tradition itself.

It started off after my trip in July of 2013, when I posted these two photos to my Instagram:

Both pictures were taken on the same day, and both were at Hollywood Studios (the one of my hand is my hand on Harrison Ford's handprint at Hollywood Studios, and the right one is taken on the Streets of America). The handprint was my cover photo and the other my profile picture and they just looked so good together that I kept them until my next trip in March. 

Then we had those two pictures, again taken on the same day and, oddly enough, in Hollywood Studios. Once again they just seemed to fit together perfectly, and I decided that they would stay until June when I headed to Walt Disney World again. Oh, and just as a comment, that left picture, taken at sunset at Echo Lake, is one of my all time favorite pictures I've taken at WDW. Just a fun fact. 

Which brings us here, to my current profile picture and cover photo. The cover photo is of my high school band marching down Main Street U.S.A, and despite the fact that I'm not even technically in the picture and it's looking away from the castle, it's probably my favorite of all the ones taken of us that day. The profile picture isn't from Disney, technically, but was taken soon after the trip in my High School Band room with the Golden Mickey we brought home after marching. The entire experience meant so much to me that I couldn't think of a better combination of pictures. 

And if you haven't figured it out yet, the tradition is this, specifically. My profile picture and cover photo always have something to do with Disney, and they don't change in between trips. They can, and often do, change while I'm on the trip itself, but beyond that they stay the same. It's sort of like my life stops when I return to Wisconsin and resumes when I head back home to Disney. It's weird, I know. 

What the pictures will change to in January, I have no clue, but I have a pretty good feeling that they'll include my brother and friends. After all, I'm super excited about that trip to begin with! 

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on September 30).

Day 523: Keeping It Alive

Day 26 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of the way you keep Disney alive when you're not at the park. 

Blast from the Past: 

Hmm, this is another kind of difficult one. But I guess the way I do this is through my daily countdown until our next vacation. My Dad hates this, because he's always got so much work to get done before we leave, and he doesn't enjoy being reminded just how little time he has to do it, but my brother and I love it!!!

When I got my iPod touch back in January of 2011, one of the first apps (probably the first actually) I bought was my Disney countdown app. I use it all the time (and not just for Disney! I used it to count down to the band trip too!). Currently it's set for my next vacation, which at the moment is in November of 2012. 

I also very much enjoy watching old Disney vacation videos...both the official ones and the ones from my family. 

Back to the Future: 

This one is easy!

I blog!

Starting Everyday Disney a year and a half ago was a challenge to myself, but also most certainly a way to keep the Disney Magic going all year long. When I started it, I actually had no plans for a trip in 2013, meaning that the entire year of blogging would go without a trip to Walt Disney World or Disneyland. Of course, I ended up taking one anyways in July, but that's beside the point.

I'm working so hard to catch up on the blog because it IS a way for Disney to be a part of my daily life, even when I get really busy with college or have a super lack of internet. Of course, this isn't the ONLY way I keep the magic alive. My profile picture on Facebook, as well as cover photo, is only changed when I go to Disney, meaning I always have a Disney picture. It's a bit different on my other social media, but you can bet that there's plenty of Disney there too. In addition, I have Disney pictures as my lock screen and background on my phone, post Disney pictures on my Instagram all the time and, as always, am counting down to my next Disney vacation.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 21).

Day 480: The Disney Photo Challenge

Updating Everyday Disney takes an eternity, especially when there's an entire summer and then some to make up. I swear to God I'm never going to get this far behind again because this is just obnoxious. I'm going to be writing all day long! Things are actually going well though. I have topics for about half of the posts I still need to make up (as of August 19), and then as I sat awake last night because of a thunderstorm, a thought occurred to me.

Like many of you, I'm sure, I have the TimeHop app on my phone. I love going back to see what I was doing two or three years ago, because on one hand it makes everything seem so long ago, and yet like it was just yesterday. Over the past few days especially though, there's been a lot on my TimeHop feed, and there's a very good reason for that.

Two years ago, exactly, I was in the middle of the Disney Photo Challenge on Facebook. You know, kind of like the 100 Day Photo Challenge that none of us ever finished that asked us really specific questions and stuff? Yeah, that one. Well I did that Photo Challenge, and I did a Star Wars one too, but that's something for a different day. Maybe once we get a bit closer to the new movie.

So while looking at the blog posts I still needed topics for, I realized that I have a perfect way to come up with a bunch of them and still have it perfectly themed to Disney! The Photo Challenge!

I went through my original challenge this morning to set this idea in stone, and it ended up as hard as concrete. A lot can change in only two years, and nothing says that more than the different answers I would give to those same questions now than what I did then. So I'm going to do the Disney Photo Challenge, again...only instead of on Facebook, this time I'm going to do it right here on my blog.

The Questions/Days are as follow:

Day 1: A picture of you at Disney with 10 reasons you're a Disney lover.
Day 2: A picture of the character you're most like.
Day 3: A picture of your favorite Disney memory.
Day 4: A picture of the way you know you're at a Disney Park.
Day 5: A picture of your least favorite ride or attraction.
Day 6: A picture of something you've never ridden/seen in the parks.
Day 7: A picture of your favorite in-park character.
Day 8: A picture of the ride you miss the most.
Day 9: A picture of your favorite restaurant.
Day 10: A picture of your favorite ride/attraction.
Day 11: A picture of the thing you wish you could change about the parks.
Day 12: A picture of your favorite Disney food item.
Day 13: A picture of your favorite "home" resort.
Day 14: A picture of your favorite night time activity (Existing or past) on Disney property.
Day 15: A picture of what you do when it rains in the park.
Day 16: A picture of your favorite place to shop.
Day 17: A picture of your favorite Disney character.
Day 18: A picture of your favorite guilty Disney pleasure.
Day 19: A picture of something in the park that deserves more attention.
Day 20: A picture of the best way to beat the heat at Disney.
Day 21: The best place to take a picture at Disney.
Day 22: A picture from your favorite Disney movie.
Day 23: A picture of the character you dislike the most.
Day 24: A picture of your favorite Disney-related possession or souvenir.
Day 25: A picture of your favorite childhood Disney memory.
Day 26: A picture of the way you keep Disney alive when you're not at the parks.
Day 27: A picture of the person you most love sharing Disney with.
Day 28: A picture of your favorite place to hide from the crowds.
Day 29: A picture of something you dream about happening to you at a Disney park.
Day 30: A picture that always makes you think of Disney.

Because there are a few posts that ARE written in the next month of blog posts, the entire challenge won't be one after the other, although I'll be sure to make which posts are specifically posts that go along with this challenge, so don't worry! And when they're all up and finished, I'll come back here and link the days to this blog post so there's an easy way to find them all! In addition, I'll share what I said two years ago, and then my current answer, just to see how much things have changed in the last couple of years, both with me and with Disney!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 19).

Day 443: Warmer Weather

I'm not gonna lie, one of the best things about Disney in March is the weather. Here in Wisconsin it's still very much winter, although the calendar tells us that it's finally spring. Yeah, it is most certainly not spring around here. It just isn't. But in Florida...yes, there it is spring.

Which means that, now I'm back in Wisconsin, I am a very unhappy person. It was so absolutely wonderful to be able to wear shorts for a couple of days when here you still need a winter coat! It's ridiculous!

In all honesty, I've realized that I can add "dislike of the cold" to the list of reasons I am similar to Jennifer Morrison. Now people are always like "You're just making that up cause she's your favorite," but I kid you not...the list is long. Either way, she doesn't like the cold, and I thought that I was ok with it...until I went to Disney and realized that 80 degrees is very much shorts weather and I miss that kind of weather. I JUST WANT TO GO BACK!

On the second day of our trip, however, we went to Disney's Hollywood Studios. I also made a bit of a side trip over to Epcot, and we ended the day at Downtown Disney...so let's just say that 7 buses is a lot to ride in one day. Although I also don't suggest walking all the way from Epcot to Hollywood Studios. I mean you can do it, and it's not all that hard...but if you do, really, seriously, don't walk the long way over to the Beach & Yacht Club and THEN over to Hollywood Studios. Please...cut through the Boardwalk. I mean, I was maybe going to take the boat from the Beach & Yacht, and that's why I walked that way, but when the boat wasn't anywhere near there yet when I got there I figured I'd just keep walking.

Bad idea.

When I DID finally get to Hollywood Studios, I then spent over an hour filming for band stuff. I mean, it was kind of fun, and I did meet some really cool people, including a cast member at the Great Movie Ride who is also a YouTuber. It was a good time.

And then I got lots of really awesome pictures from the park, including my new profile picture and cover photo on Facebook and Twitter. I haven't changed my one on Facebook since July when I was there the last time. The irony of the whole thing? All four pictures (the two from July and the two new ones now) are taken in Hollywood Studios, and they'll stay like that until June when I go again. It's just comforting to have Disney pictures there on my social media all the time. Why ironic? Because if you've been reading my blog for a significant amount of time, you might remember when I talked about how I used to hate Hollywood Studios, back in the day. It was for various reasons, and I don't really hate it anymore.

Plus, I got to take pictures "with" my heroes, Walt Disney and Harrison Ford...so that's always fun. And the whole park reminded me why I can't wait to show my friends everything Disney has...or at least everything we can fit into a few hours in each park. But still, I'm excited. Also...the sunset was super pretty that night. Just saying.

Pictures from Day 2:

Have a magical day!

(Note: This Blog post was written on March 26 due to Midterms & Travel)

Day 198: What's Next?

Well, after I finish with the last week, which I'll be working on over the next week, I will be hopefully launching some new stuff. I can't wait for my next trip to Disney, and it seems like lightyear's away, but I guess there's plenty I can do until then, and I mean plenty. I have a lot of projects that I can't wait to share, and I didn't say it in any of the previous posts, but I'll be making a "Haul Video" as soon as the remainder of my purchases gets here from being shipped home. I can't wait to show you all what I all got, since there really was too much to just make a blog post about it. Plus, one of my new goals is to make more Youtube videos.

Also, soon you will see an addition to the websites on the side of the page, and in fact I may be updating all of them (since some of those social networks really do look different now!). I hope to be launching the Everyday Disney Facebook page soon, both to get the word out about my blog and for another way for people to follow. I'm not totally sure what I'll all have on there, but I can say that it will be appearing soon. I actually just created the page today and will be working on the graphics for it ASAP.

And finally, I am really debating starting a Disney Instagram of my own. Obviously I have enough pictures, and while several of those posted recently will then appear on that Instagram, it will be used solely for Disney while my epcotexpert account will still be my personal account. It would be under the title of Everyday Disney, so be sure to watch the sidebar for that addition to the Everyday Disney family too.

In general, I'm really excited about the future of Everyday Disney, and I can't wait to get started. =)

Here's today's Disney History: 1955: Television crews, Walt Disney, Art Linkletter, Ronald Reagan, Bob Cummings, The Mouseketeers, Thurl Ravenscroft, California Governor Goodwin J. Knight and over 28,000 guests witness the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Broadcast on ABC, it is the biggest live telecast to date.

Have a magical day!

Day 121: Indy & Diet Coke

Pretty interesting title there, huh?

Well, honestly, it's quite literal, because I wanted to share this video with you! My best friend's brother posted this on my Facebook wall recently, like he is prone to do (And I thank him for all of the amazingness he seems to find that relates to Disney, Star Wars and Indy). It really made my day, but first, I'll let you watch it yourself.

When I first saw the title, I thought a lot like you were probably thinking upon seeing the title of this blog post. Indiana Jones and Diet Coke? In what Galaxy is that relavant? But then I watched the video, and it totally made my day. I loved it, although I have two quick comments. 

That is not Harrison Ford, which dissapoints me somewhat. Granted, he's still in the commercial...but the Indy figure is not him. And two, the woman's husband is watching AN Indy movie, correct? WRONG! I don't know how long she was in that kitchen, but somehow she left during the first Indy film (Raiders of the Lost Ark) and returned at the end of the last Indy Film (The Last Crusade). Did anyone else notice that? Because I obviously did. 

But either way, I thought the ad was still great, and I just totally loved it. Why don't they make ads like this anymore? Oh that's right...they do...just not with Indy...

Ok, so maybe it's not anywhere near as awesome as the Indy commercial...but the point still stands!

Oh, and go see Iron Man 3 when it comes out this weekend!!!

Here's today's Disney History: 1947: The rights to use Donald Duck as the official mascot and insignia of the University of Oregon is granted by Walt Disney Productions. Following Disney's death in 1966, it will become apparent that a formal contract does not exist to allow the school the rights to Donald's image. but in 1973, a written contract will be signed between Oregon's athletic department and Walt Disney Productions, allowing the continued use of the famous cartoon character. 

Have a magical day!!!

Day 109: Counting

I first saw this on Pinterest, and when I was looking back through my recent Pins to find inspiration for today's post (there's only so much to write about when it's 10 in the morning), I decided to write today's post on this.

Sadly, there wasn't a link via Pinterest to the whole set, so I had to search on Google...only to find out they were on a Facebook page, which I can't access while at School. So I went on my phone and searched through Google there, only to find out that the pictures come directly from the official Walt Disney World Facebook page...and that there was a whole set of them! I went in through my Facebook app to the official page and got the pictures so I could put a few of them on this post. Either way, a lot of work went into finding these...but it was time well spent!

The backgrounds start off with the number of months until Disney...and I'd be in about the 3 month range at the moment with 80 days left before Disney. And you can bet that when I get my new laptop (hopefully today or early next week!) I'll have the third month as my background (which is a set of Mickey Ears I believe).

Then we transfer to days, and I couldn't help putting the monorail "1 Sleep Until Walt Disney World" on here. I'm a big fan of the monorail (I believe it was actually in one of my very first posts on this blog!), and seeing it in art like this is just awesome. It will most certainly be on my computer when we get down to one day!

And finally we have "Today I'm Going to Walt Disney World." That's right, at midnight, of the day I'm to leave for WDW, this will be on my computer. No doubt about that. It WILL happen. 

I haven't talked much about my Disney Countdown App that I look at just about every day of my life...but that will probably make a blog post soon too, because everyone should have a countdown to their Disney trip. It's too exciting not to!

Here's today's Disney History: 1961: Dr. Glenn C. Franklin of San Diego, California, becomes the 25-millionth Disneyland guest. Along with his wife, Helen, their three children, and his mother, the luck Franklin family receive a private guided tour of the Park, a table of honor at a luncheon and unlimited use of attractions all day long. 

Have a magical day!