Day 1033: GIF World

Since I've been so into using GIFs lately, it occurred to me that while I have some really priceless Colin O'Donoghue and Harrison Ford GIFs, as well as a few reactions from other things, but nothing that's just plain Disney in regards to, say, the parks. So I went looking for Disney World GIFs, not because I wanted to use them for anything specific, but because I thought it might be fun and calming.

I don't know what it is about watching this GIF of Splash Mountain over and over again, but it makes everything else in life seem unimportant. 

I feel like watching this Space Mountain one for too long would cause some medical issues though...

What's more beautiful than a GIF of World of Color? Other than THIS: 

And, of course, did you really expect this to go on without anything Spaceship Earth related? 

I could watch these for hours...and just because we all need a laugh every once and a while, here's a bonus featuring our favorite Sith: 

Now I feel like I want to make GIFs of every Disney attraction. Maybe that'll have to be a New Years Resolution or something: learn how to make GIFs and then GIF every Disney World attraction. I act as though I have way too much time on my hands haha. 

Have a magical day! 

(Note: This blog post was written on December 31).

Day 967: I'll Stay

It's been a long process for me in decided whether I'll head to the East or West coast after finishing my undergrad schooling in only a couple of years. In fact, in just about a year and a half I'll be applying for the Disney College Program, and that alone is a terrifying, but exciting, thought. I've spent so much of my life at Walt Disney World that it seems almost natural to apply there. I know the ins and outs of pretty much everything On-Stage, and I'd be delighted to learn the same backstage. Over the past few years, I've compiled a list of locations on property I can just see myself working, right up to the possibility of walking that ever-moving walkway on Spaceship Earth (Yes, I know I need to watch my step. I've probably heard it almost as many times as you've said it).

However, as I've grown and made my way through schooling, I've also realized that I definitely don't want to spend the rest of my life in Florida. It's hot, it's sticky, and it's far away from the disciplines within the Disney company that I'm actually going to school for. So instead I've set my sights on California, and that means Disneyland. I've thought about this trip for a long time as a way to sort of "feel-out" the West Coast and if I can see myself there for what very well could be the rest of my life. It's a big commitment, and with all the talk you hear around here about California, it doesn't exactly sound like the nicest place to live. No offense to my California friends, but with the way one of my Professors went on this morning about the cost of living out there you'd never want to go there either. Plus, if I had a penny for every time someone commented on either a). earthquakes, b). mudslides, c). wildfires, or d). California breaking off the lower 48, I might just be able to afford that cost of living.

There was, or is, rather, a lyric in one of the closing songs after World of Color Celebrate! that got me thinking though. Following Forever Young, there's a song that narratives "And when I get to Disneyland, I'll Stay." Up until recognizing that lyric the first time while out in California, I hadn't really thought about the fact that in two short years, I could be living out on the West Coast. Disneyland could become an everyday thing for me, and that's a crazy thought. For someone who lives so far away from both parks to have the chance to go every single day is a very magical thought, and while it has very little to do with the reason I want to ultimately work for Disney, it's certainly a huge benefit.

But "I'll Stay" also says a lot about what I want to do with my life in general. Everything I work for will hopefully lead to, well, "Disneyland." Every late night paper writing session, every frustrated saxophone lesson, every stressed out day, every technical difficulty, and everything in between has been my own adventure to Disneyland, because I just have to get there, and when I do, I'm most certainly going to stay.

I'm sure that's a feeling a lot of us have, whether it be the literal idea of going to Disneyland just for a visit, because if you don't know Disney Parks fans, I'll tell you a little secret: we'll do just about anything to get back home. Even if it's for a weekend or a day, we make it work, and it's always worth it. Or maybe you're like me, slowly building your life for a career with Disney where you hope to stay forever. I know I can't imagine myself anywhere else in the world and no matter how many people back at home say I'll never make it, it only fuels me to go further.

After all, when I get to Disneyland, I'll stay.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on September 15 due to a tight schedule).

Day 962: Remember

Since returning from Disneyland and heading back to college, I've fallen into the routine of listening to Disneyland Forever daily. And I mean daily. In fact, it's what I listen to as I get ready for class every morning, and I have it both timed out perfectly and I know all the words so I can sing along as I do my hair and makeup. I only got to see Disneyland Forever once from in the parks while out in California, but after listening to the lyrics over and over again, I realized that there's one line in particular that really sums up how Disneyland felt for me, one early on in the show, but about halfway through my trip I tweeted while waiting for the second showing of World of Color one night that "In short, this trip to DL & D23 has reminded me of why Disney is so important not only to me, but to all of us. It's emotional. It's magic."

And it's very true. Disney is magic and it's emotion and it's friendship and hope and trust and faith and plenty of pixie dust and everything in between. But sometimes, between writing a blog about Disney and making Disney YouTube videos and planning my next trip, not to mention my real life, I think I personally forget about some of that. I think we all do, and for the first time in a few years, much of what I was able to experience at Disneyland was a reminder of just how important it all is. In only a few days I was able to meet some of my favorite Disney YouTubers, meet one of my friends I've made through Twitter, experience a whole new world, see Radiator Springs, spend pretty much all my money, see what's next for Disney, and most importantly, be myself.

Laura said to me while we were waiting for T that one of the best things about me being there was the fact that we could go off and enjoy Disney together. We both loved it just as much as the other. She took me on the carrousel, something I rarely do in Florida, we saw Mickey and the Magical Map and fangirled over Rapunzel, we watched Soundsational and blew kisses to our favorites, had magical moments with Alice and the Hatter and Crew at Mad T, and rounded out the day watching Paint the Night while laying on the ground on Main Street. For that one day, I was completely myself. When I saw Captain Hook meeting guests as we got off the carrousel, she told me to go and live my dream, and I did. When we were singing and dancing along at Mad T, everyone around us was doing the same.

I never thought I'd say this, but it was actually Let It Go that provided a lot of the Disney side of me to come out. While watching World of Color from the Grand Californian the night I sent that tweet, it occurred to me that Disney fans go through a lot, and when I put two and two together, I realized that Let It Go is for all of us too. It's for the Disney fans that secretly hide just how much they love Cinderella and Snow White because their friends might find them childish. It's for the Disney Geek who can't contain their excitement over the new Star Wars Land coming to Disney Parks, but somehow manages to keep their cool when they read about it during their lunch break on a Tuesday. It's for the Once Upon A Time fan who quickly throws a cardboard cutout of Captain Hook under their bed before someone comes to visit. It's for the ambitious Disney Employees who get side eyes and weird looks when they say they want to work for Disney. It's for all of us, because sometimes we just have to let it go and be our Disney-Loving selves and Step Into the Magic, because as Walt assured us, it's never going to end.

My brother tried to argue with me part way through our trip that Disneyland Forever wasn't as good as Wishes because it didn't have a story, but somehow it was blantantly obvious to me. Disneyland Forever, and the entire Diamond Celebration as a whole, isn't about the characters or wishing upon a star or the creation of the world. It's about coming home. That lyric I mentioned earlier was one I didn't pick up on until about the tenth time I listened to the soundtrack for the show, but now it brings a smile to my face every time. The first lines of Step Into the Magic narrate "It's a world where you belong, where you can dream aloud, your heart will follow," and I don't think there's ever been words so true to what Disney Parks are. We belong there more than we might belong anywhere else, and as Neil Patrick Harris says in World of Color Celebrate! we can't even possibly imagine our lives without Disney.

So regardless of whether we head to Disneyland or Disney World, with our family, friends or all by ourselves, going to Disney is coming home, and we always need to remember that.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on September 8 due to the Disney Trip and College).

Day 951: For Research

Now I'm REALLY close to my Disneyland vacation, and that means that it's the exact right time to continue listening to soundtracks from the parks!

While I still refuse to listen to the World of Color Celebrate! soundtrack to keep it all as a surprise, I've been listening to Paint the Night on repeat for weeks, among other things, and I'm pretty sure I know the entire thing almost as well as Festival of Fantasy now. Ok, maybe not quite as well as Festival of Fantasy, but I still have it pretty downpacked. Then again, what else is to be expected when it's based on "When Can I See You Again" from Wreck-It Ralph, which just so happens to be recorded by one of my favorite artists, Owl City!

Then, also today, for research purposes, I checked out a recording of Disneyland Forever! In fact, I'm about to watch it right now (which means this entire paragraph will be my live reactions). The recording I found included the projections on Main Street, and already I'm totally in love with this show. And boy, I'm only like 30 seconds in. Watching this in public probably wasn't a good idea actually. If I'm almost crying here I'm never gonna make it through the whole thing there. Woah...the Disneyland Tinkerbell is wayyyyyy cooler than the Disney World one. THERE'S A TANGLED SECTION! I'm not crying. You're crying. One of the things I love about Disneyland is it's filled with the rare stuff. Like at Disney World it's just Frozen everything, but at Disneyland we have Mary Poppins and Winnie the Pooh and Tangled and I'm barely halfway through! OH MY GOSH THE LION KING PART. I'M DONE. They have inflatables for the Little Mermaid. What even is this? FINDING. NEMO. So when can we get this at Disney World? Because Fire. And Nemo. I spoke too soon on the Frozen thing, didn't I? Yep. I did. Ok but this is pretty great I'm not gonna lie. The fireworks work so well with Let It Go. Keep it Together Lizzie. Keep it Together.

So now I'm incredibly excited for all of the nighttime shows at Disneyland and I'm trying to figure out a way to see them all as many times as humanly possible. Also I need the ending song of Disneyland Forever to loop for eternity in my life. 

Have a magical day!

Day 946: A Whole New Level

After almost 300 days of waiting, the trip I've been looking forward to is almost here. Disneyland.

As if it's not obvious, I've been to Walt Disney World my own fair share, but when it comes to Disneyland, I've got a lot to look forward to. When I went in 2011 I honestly had no idea what to expect, but since that trip I've lived with vivid images and memories of the parks that I can't wait to explore once more. Unlike Disney World, I don't have things down like the back of my hand, but I think that's all part of the charm of a trip to Disneyland, and now I'm more ready than ever to go exploring and see as much of it as I can.

In particular, however, there are a few things I'm VERY excited to go see. Some of them were there when I visited four years ago, and some are new since then, but either way, I guess you could say they're my must see list for this trip!

1. The Matterhorn

If I had Everyday Disney back in 2011, you probably would have been treated to a very long rant about this one. You see, when we decided to go on that trip, I mentioned that the one thing I was most excited for was the Matterhorn. We don't have this mountain at Disney World, and to me I think it feels like the ultimate piece of Disney Parks history, even if I'm not sure why. It's something completely different from anything we have in Florida, so you can imagine how crushed and frustrated I was when it went down for refurb the entire time we were there. This time, however, it's up and running, and I definitely plan on facing it once...or twice...or maybe five times.

2. Mad T Party 

One of my friends (who I'm very excited to see when I head out to Disneyland) has introduced me to the Mad T Party, which I have yet to actually experience but am already completely addicted to. Do I listen to the Mad T Party playlist she made every time I'm driving to and from college? Yes. Do I listen to it when I'm cleaning or making food? Yes. Do I basically listen to it all the time so I know all the words to all the songs when I finally get there? You guess it, the answer is yes.

3. The Grand Californian Hotel

I stayed at the Grand Floridian once, when I was really little, and I don't really remember most of it, so the prospect of staying at the West Coast's fanciest sounds like an excellent plan. On our trip in 2011 we stayed at Paradise Pier, which was basically the greatest thing ever because we ended up getting a park view room on one of the top levels (maybe it was the top level...I don't even remember), which led to me watching World of Color every single night. This trip we're staying for a week of the Californian and then moving back over to a park view room at Paradise Pier for the last few days, and I couldn't be more excited.

4. it's a small world

I'm oddly excited to head back on the Disneyland version of this attraction. Maybe it's because of the differences from the Disney World version that just make this one better? Maybe it's the awesome outdoor loading dock that just sounds super warm and comofortable to me at the moment because I'm freezing? Or maybe it's because I'll have my Tomorrowland pin at the ready? Who really can say?

5. Carsland

This is about what Carsland looked like when we visited in 2011. Walking past it all the time was a real struggle, especially after seeing some of the awesome stuff on display at the D23 EXPO. Thankfully, Carsland was finished not long after we visited, and now I'm more than ready to explore a land made up from one of my all time favorite Pixar movies. I can't even imagine the number of pictures I'm going to take guys.

6. Food

My list of food I want to eat might actually be a mile long. So I've got boxes upon boxes of lactade ready to go, a list of food I for sure want to try and money ready to spend on delicious treats. Like that bacon wrapped asparagus you see up there. I've never really been a fan of asparagus, but my Disneyland friends swear by this one, so I think it's definitely worth my time.

7. World of Color (And all the others)

If you know me, you know I love Illuminations, and in my 20 years of life, nothing has ever come close to topping it on my list of favorite things at Disney (aside from the usual #1, Spaceship Earth, of course)...that is, until I experienced World of Color for the first time in 2011 and absolutely FELL. IN. LOVE. World of Color is one of those things that brought tears to my eyes faster than anything else ever has, other than maybe anything relating to the Disney trip with my high school band. And that would be why I'm planning on seeing it as often as possible. I will find a way. Plus, now Disneyland has a whole slew of awesome nightime entertainment, and having listened to the soundtrack for Paint the Night about 50 million times, I'm 100% ready to see everything.

Now I just need to decide where to stand for Disneyland Forever.

Have a magical day!

Day 224: A Few of My Favorite Things V2

Originally I was going to wait a while before doing another volume of my Favorite Things post, but considering the topic, it just felt right. You see, exactly two years ago I was vacationing at Disneyland for the very first time, and I can't wait to go back, even if it will probably be another two years before I get to return (I'm hoping my family will go back for the next D23 Expo in 2015). So much was going on, and as you already heard I went to the D23 Expo in 2011. But that doesn't mean I didn't have time to explore the parks!

Since I'm not really sure what categories I'm all going to have in the My Favorite Things Series, I'll just go with the basics. You know, Attraction in each of the two parks, Nighttime Activity, Mode of Transportation and, of course, Restaurant. Plus I'll showcase one thing that's my absolute favorite part about Disneyland, as well as my favorite version when comparing something to Walt Disney World! So let's get to it then!

Favorite Attractions: 

Disneyland Winner: 

Now, as much as I love the stunt show at WDW, having an entire ride just of Indiana Jones was AMAZING. I only got on it like twice because I didn't really realize how much I loved it until after I was gone. Like, I was always a fan of Indy as a kid but didn't rewatch it until AFTER I went to Disneyland. Still, I remember going on it the first time and just screaming "INDY!" like half of it because, I mean, why wouldn't you? It's one of the only times where it's totally appropriate to yell that! And I chose the poster for it because in the Poster Art of the Disney Parks Book I remember reading that the artist of this poster was working on it and realized that he just couldn't do it without Harrison Ford's likeness. So what does he do? Just casually calls Harrison Ford and asks him if he can use his likeness. Just CASUALLY CALLS HIM. How does one do that?!?

Disneyland Honorable Mention: Pirates of the Caribbean 

Disney California Adventure Winner: 

You know, as much as I feel that Aladdin is one of the most overrated Disney movies ever (sorry, I'm just not a fan), I REALLY loved this Musical version, and I can't wait to see it on Broadway sometime in the future. I actually saw it twice while at Disneyland, but I think I liked it more the first time. Genie was my favorite, of course, although The Carpet was pretty darn great too. And how Aladdin comes in on that Elephant!?! Amazing!

California Adventure Honorable Mention: Soarin' 

Favorite Nighttime Activity:

I think this is probably my absolute favorite thing I found at Disneyland. Like, I haven't loved something so much since Spaceship Earth and Illuminations. We were staying at Paradise Pier, and as you know if you read my other post, we were able to stay in a room with a Park View because of a Room Mix Up. So I got to watch World of Color every night, twice a night, even after our tickets were expired and we were just spending our time at D23. I'm pretty sure I cried watching it a bunch of times too. The entire show is just absolute Disney magic, and is for sure on my list of the most spectacular Disney attractions or shows ever created. 

Favorite Mode of Transportation: 

I feel like this must be kind of obvious because there's like...two modes of Transportation in all of Disneyland other than walking (God did my feet hurt after that week). But still, the monorail is still worth mentioning! It's not quite the same as the WDW Monorail, but you know what, I don't care! You can still sit in the front of this monorail, which is a luxury that we had to forgo at Disney World, so being able to do that is just really awesome! Plus, unlike Disney World with it's 12 monorail trains, there's only three at Disneyland. We only saw two of them though, the blue one above being one of them! Plus, I'll give it some credit for actually going in and out of the park! 

Favorite Restaurant: 

This one was such an easy choice...I think. Honestly we ate at so many places that I don't really remember them all so clearly. It was two years ago, after all! But I do remember that one of my absolute favorites was the Blue Bayou in New Orleans Square. It doesn't get much cooler than eating IN an attraction (and I'll talk more about that in a minute), but that's not all! It's literally right next door to Club 33, the exclusive dining area for Walt Disney and his guests, and how only Club 33 members (which always pay a really pretty penny to be a member...after sitting on a waiting list for a really long time). Not many get to eat in Club 33, even though it's the dream of all of us, but Blue Bayou certainly has amazing food, and hey, it's like the same kitchen, right? 

It's Better at Disneyland: 

Speaking of Pirates of the Caribbean and Blue Bayou, it also holds the record for my favorite comparison attraction to Walt Disney World. Honestly, the WDW version of this just doesn't have a chance against this one. Like, you're always disappointed when you go on the WDW version after you've been on this one a few times. You start in the restaurant, and then there's an extra drop and a whole number of extra scenes before you get to the stuff you already see at Disney World. Plus, there's no ghost. That's ALWAYS a plus. 

Overall Favorite Thing:

Now, I feel it's worth mentioning that one of my overall reasons I love Disneyland, and one of the places it beats Disney World, is in the small town atmosphere. Like, the characters can walk around without handlers, and everyone is just a lot more friendly. Disney World is made up of theme parks, although they are one of a kind in every way, but Disneyland is just more quaint. You can really take your time strolling and seeing the magic that Walt saw in it when he was alive. It's Walt's dream, and while Disney World was too, this was the one he saw to completion. This is where he walked and lived, and where I think he still lives today. It's almost like you can feel his watching eye over the entire thing, and I think he'd be pretty proud of it all. 

So that concludes the second Volume of My Favorite Things. Since we had two posts pretty close together there might not be another one for a while, but we'll see! There's so much that will be going on in the next month that I have no clue when anything is going to be! 

Here's today's Disney History: 1958: Disney's stunning True-Life Adventure White Wilderness- directed and written by James Algar - is released. The 72-minute film, narrated by Disney producer-writer Winston Hibler, tells the story of the animal inhabitants of Canada's subarctic and Alaska's arctic wilds. 

Have a magical day!

Day 39: California Adventure

Oddly enough, my day was so busy I really didn't have a lot of Disney to look into today. But, of course, Disney still found me as I turned on my computer upon returning home and found that it was indeed a very big Disney Birthday!

Yes, back in 2001, 12 years ago, California Adventure opened. It's not every day that there's a Disney Park birthday, so it's always something to talk about.

While I've only been to the park once, I do know a little bit about it. When I was really little I remember seeing the ads for the park on TV and on the videos...and quite honestly I remember thinking that it was the strangest looking thing ever. I just couldn't understand why Buzz Lightyear was going on a missing to a park with a giant dog mountain and riding a Roller Coaster while everyone else was freaking out back at Disneyland. Granted, I wouldn't travel to Disneyland to understand what everything looked like for another 10 years, but the park was still something very new to me. And it's true...it's the newest Disney park in the U.S.

I went during the renovation period...so I saw construction on CarsLand and on Buena Vista Street and that's about it. Paradise Pier was finished thankfully, so I spent a lot of time over in that section of the park, but otherwise the park was just a lot of walls and loud noises. Still, I enjoyed my trip very much...especially World of Color. It's one of about two or three things I wish we had at Disney World (the others are Indiana Jones and the Pirates of the Caribbean version they have there).

And so, I'd like to wish Disney's California Adventure a happy 12th birthday. May you have many more!

Here's Today's Disney History: 1960: Walt Disney receives two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for television and one for movies. The TV star is located on the North side of the 6700 block of Hollywood Boulevard, while the Movie star is at the North side of the 7000 block of Hollywood Boulevard.

Have a magical day!