Day 1644: Change is Hard

Since Disney made more than one announcement concerning the future of more than one Disney Parks attraction the other day, the internet has been buzzing with controversy. As a Disney Blogger and YouTuber, among other things, it can sometimes be difficult to stay quiet when there's such continuous conversation abut the future of the parks - about what's right and what's wrong and what Walt would or wouldn't have wanted. But if I've learned anything in almost five years of blogging, it's that you should probably stay quiet until you've had enough time to truly come to a conclusion about how you feel, and then you should probably reexamine that feeling more than a few times over. For some, this might only take a few minutes, but I prefer to take a bit more time to sort out my thoughts, and I think I finally have.

We'll start with the first announcement, concerning the attractions currently sponsored by Siemens: Spaceship Earth, IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, and it's a small world. So many seemed shocked by this development, but for me, it was just a few weeks ago that I scoffed at an article that suggested the company would obviously renew their sponsorship with Disney. It hasn't been a question in my mind for almost a year actually; Siemens wasn't going to renew and I was prepared for it.

Given the track record of sponsored attractions in the Disney Parks, the fact that these attractions have kept sponsors on board as long as they have is sort of astonishing. It wasn't until January of 2016 when I stood in the Test Track Chevrolet Lounge gazing out at the Universe of Energy that I truly realized just how important sponsors are for these attractions. There I was, standing tall and pretty in a brilliantly decorated and designed lounge at Test Track when just across the courtyard was Ellen's Energy Adventure, an attraction I've come to love and adore over the years, slowly decaying. The cast member who brought us up to the lounge caught me looking at it and began to explain the sad story of how, because it has no sponsor, the Universe of Energy is only maintained to the point where it can continuing running. They'd make those minor repairs, just enough to keep it going, but it quickly became obvious that not everything at Walt Disney World is meant to stay the same, and sometimes for more reasons than one.

Does that mean I'm terrified for the future of not only my favorite attraction, but also my favorite nighttime show? Of course. I'm always terrified for an attraction that loses a sponsor, because I've seen what they've done to attractions in the past, Maelstrom at the forefront of that list. It's not a matter of Frozen Ever After being bad, because it's not. It's more about the fact that, at some point, every single one of these attractions becomes a part of the staple, normal Disney experience. We welcome new attractions into the Disney Parks family, and we say goodbye to them too, and even after all this time, I still feel for those that have lost their favorite attraction. Sometimes I even fear of it happening to me too.

Which brings us to the second announcement from Disney Parks and Resorts: the changes to the Auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean. To say I wasn't shocked about this announcement, unlike the sponsorship from Siemens, would be a lie. I couldn't have predicted this one in a million years, and for me, it seemed so out of the blue that I initially found myself angry. How could they take out such an iconic scene and completely change it? It seemed unnecessary, regardless of the fact that I completely and 100% agree with the reasoning for changing it.

It frustrated me, then, that I was so upset about something that I knew I shouldn't be upset about. I watched as Twitter exploded with arguments on both sides of the discussion, some calling it a necessary change, praising Disney for finally working its way out of the gutters of sex slavery and human trafficking, and others petitioning to put a stop to the changes altogether. It felt odd, to sit on the sidelines and watch as so many argued about the fate of an attraction that, for the most part, will stay the same when the fate of my own favorite attractions hangs in the balance.

So I stayed quiet, until I happened across a tweet that made a reference to the future of IllumiNations. What will happen when they likely announce the replacement for my favorite nighttime show at the D23 Expo later this month? Am I not supposed to be sad? Am I supposed to walk around praising Disney for getting rid of something that literally means the world to me simply because others can do without it and it's in need of a change anyway? Am I supposed to ignore those feelings simply because what follows IllumiNations might be better or more politically correct or in tune with the world we live in today?

Simply, the answer is no, and that's what's important here. It's ok to be sad about change, even the changes coming to Pirates of the Caribbean. Yes, Walt always intended for the parks to be continuously changing, but sometimes change comes with a forced hand, oftentimes after the departure of a long-time sponsor or a change in the social climate. Yes, it's incredible that Disney has waited until now to update the Auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean when it should have been done years ago. And yes, perhaps if you're arguing that there's nothing wrong with the scene itself, you might want to reexamine your views.

But because these attractions, whether it be experiences as a whole or specific scenes, become a part of our Disney experience, we grow attached to them. There's something special about sailing on Pirates of the Caribbean and hearing "We wants the Redhead!" because it's something we've done for a very long time. I know it was incredibly difficult for me when they removed the smoke and distinct smell of the burning of Rome on Spaceship Earth, and while that was a much smaller change than what's coming to Pirates, it still affected me. It affected a lot of us, just as these new changes will.

And as hard as it might seem, it is time to move ahead. I'm incredibly excited about the New Auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean, because it's obvious that Disney has already put a lot of time and thought into creating a better message while preserving some of the history and nostalgia from the attraction we grew up with. If that's what we're truly getting and that's how Disney is going to move ahead with whatever is coming next, whether it be for Pirates or Spaceship Earth, IllumiNations or the Universe of Energy, what else could we ask for?

Have a magical day!

Day 1309: Use and Abuse

I've been waiting for the day you can make additional fastpass reservations from your phone since the initial introduction of Fastpass+. It's one of the things I loved about the old system - the ability to have a fastpass for more than a few attractions if you planned your day right. Of course, the new system has greater benefits: the ability to schedule your day prior to entering the park, securing a morning fastpass instead of getting to the park at 9 only to have a fastpass for 8 that night, and my personal favorite, the ability to change your fastpass time at any point in the day, actually making everything more flexible than I thought it might be. 

But what was missing was the ability to make additional fastpasses, which we now can, finally, do. I tend to have a rough idea of how my day is going to go, but I also love to plan on the spot, and from the second I realized I could have additional fastpasses, I went to town...or rather, all across Magic Kingdom...using and abusing the new system. 

Since the park was open until midnight the night I was there, I spent most of the afternoon hours at The Grand Floridian for Afternoon Tea, which allowed me to get out of the heat and take a much needed break. But by the time I got back to Magic Kingdom, I was ready to go. Now, the way the system works is that if you use all three of your fastpasses earlier in the day, you can make additional fastpass selections at any point for any attraction in any park. Often times, you can snatch up a fastpass for only minutes out from the current time, which means you could be outside Pirates of the Caribbean and could probably get a fastpass to skip that half hour or 40 minute line right then and there, and the second you scan your magic band at the fastpass line entrance, you can make another fastpass selection from the app. 

And you can keep doing this for as long as there are fastpasses available. 

Once I figured all of this out, I just started making new fastpass selections while in line for the attraction I had the previous fastpass for. So I began at Pirates, and while in line I made a fastpass for another attraction, which I believe was for Big Thunder. While waiting for the fastpass, which started soon after, I took the train to Fantasyland and walked the rest of the way to Tomorrowland, where I got a phone case for a friend and headed on the PeopleMover. Then it was all the way back to Big Thunder, where I made a fastpass for the Barnstormer. While waiting for the Barnstormer I made a fastpass for Dumbo, and while waiting there I made one for Winnie the Pooh. As I waited for Winnie the Pooh I made a fastpass for the Tomorrowland Speedway, and from there I secured one for Buzz Lightyear, and then Peter Pan, and finally Splash Mountain. It brought me to a total of 12 fastpasses in one day, which I didn't think was humanly possible...but apparently is. I also had a chance to head on the Teacups, the Carrousel, Astro Orbiter and then Pirates one more time at the end, so I guess you could say that it was a wild five hours after my Afternoon Tea. 

As for how many fastpasses you could get in one day, I'm sure 12 isn't the highest you could get, and I look forward to attempting to visit all the Magic Kingdom attractions in one day in the future, even if I have to really abuse the system to get there...but for now we'll say I'm utilizing the system, because really, that's what I'm doing! I'm just utilizing it to it's fullest potential...which may be a bit more than what Disney intended. 

Next time, I estimate 16 or 17 fastpasses...but who knows how many are possible! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1143: All the Tsum Tsums

It's been about a year now since I got my very first Tsum Tsums, which I bought as a reward for nailing an on campus job that I never expected to get. The fact that I got my very first paycheck seemed like a good enough reason to make an addition to my Disney Collection, and Tsum Tsums seemed like the way to go. Because they're so inexpensive, they make a great gift and their size makes them an adorable way to decorate, but it also means that they're really addicting...especially when every new Tsum Tsum release seems better than the last! 

It all started again when I became rather Twitterpated...with these Bambi Tsum Tsums of course. You just can't deny the adorableness that is this little collection (although really...we need a Flower). 

Just when you thought that maybe you don't need all the Tsum Tsums, this collection came around. Disney has definitely been spilling over into the parks for inspiration for new characters, and I'm pretty positive that this batch has us all yelling out "We wants the redhead!" 

The theme here seems to be "if you collect one, you collect them all," and with the wide array of Zootopia Tsum Tsums out there, I think we might be spending more than anticipated. To be fair though, if you didn't want to buy all of the characters in the Zootopia collection, you could always just stick with Nick, Judy, and...yep, Flash. Or you could buy them all. 

From what I can understand, stacking up Tsum Tsums in giant towers is a part of the fun...which means that the Tangled Collection is definitely a perfect fit. So if you're asking "When will my Tsum Tsum Collection begin?" I think we've found the answer. 

We all need more Star Wars. Enough said. 

It's not well known, but Tsum Tsums do more than just look adorable sitting wherever you've placed them in your room...they also help protect you while you sleep! When it comes to protecting, the Avengers and other various characters from the Marvel Universe seem like the perfect Tsum Tsums for the job! 

Now we have a problem though...which ones to we buy? 

Have a magical day! 

Day 1122: Frontierland

The sense of smell can be pretty powerful, and I find that when I happen to relate it to Disney, it gains even stronger. In fact, I think this is certainly something we all end up doing, since I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who talked about the distinct scent that is the "Burning of Rome" or the flavorful aroma you get right before taking your first bite of a beloved Dole Whip. Even things like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion have very distinctive smells that seem to only exist in those locations.

Apparently, Frontierland is another of those locations.

When I moved about a week and a half ago, it meant walking into a brand new building for the first time...again. And of course, this place was supposed to be my new home. When I moved into the Townhouses, I continuously had the feeling that I was at Old Key West or, even more so, Saratoga Springs, but that was more about the setup than the smell. Now, living in a dorm called Riverside, I walked into the building and instantly felt at home because the hallway had the most distinctive "Frontierland" smell I've ever found outside of Walt Disney World.

I figured the smell would disappear over time or I would get used to it, but nope. Even a couple of weeks later the hallway still reminds me of Frontierland, and honestly, it's sort of a nice relief to come home to Riverside after a long day and have it smell like home.

What smells like home to you?

Have a magical day!

Day 961: Bigger and Better

It's awfully difficult trying to explain the differences between Walt Disney World in Florida and the Disneyland Resort in California. On a surface level it's fairly easy. After all, Disneyland was first, is the only park Walt actually stepped foot in, and is much, much smaller than it's Florida counterpart. Walt Disney World, on the other hand, is huge, made up of four parks instead of just two, and is definitely more of a tourist destination than the loyal annual passholder, local following Disneyland has.

Things really start to get confusing, however, when you try to explain distinct, specific differences. For instance, Pirates of the Caribbean is much nicer in California. It's longer, has additional scenes, an extra drop, and is overall just, better. The Autopia on the other side of the park is sort of similar when you compare it with the Tomorrowland Speedway in Florida. The Autopia is definitely longer, adds in an extra "off-road" section, and is just a fair bit more interesting than the shortened, little Tomorrowland Speedway. Even it's a small world is nicer out in California, and let's not forget the attractions we all wish we had in Florida but don't, like the Matterhorn or Indiana Jones.

But as I tried to explain all of this to my friends back home, they kept getting confused. Disneyland is smaller, right? It's true, Disneyland Park is only made up of 160 acres, with the entirety of the Disneyland Resort consisting of a mere 510 acres. Meanwhile, Epcot is a huge 305 acres and Animal Kingdom is 500 if yu include the parking lots. That means that all of Disneyland could virtually fit into Animal Kingdom. As a whole, the Walt Disney World Resort is 25,000 acres. To give you a bit of a better representation, that means that the Disneyland Resort could almost fit into the Walt Disney World Resort 50 times over. Think about that for a second. Of course, much of Walt Disney World is undeveloped, but it's still an odd thing to think about. But as I adventured through Disneyland Park and DCA, I told my friends time and time again how much bigger or longer or better all of these attractions are.

Smaller Park = Less Space = Bigger Attractions?

Something doesn't equal here, and to be completely honest I'm still not sure how it works out. How can all of these attractions be so much more awesome than their Disney World counterparts but somehow exist in much less space?

The answer is the distance between them. At Walt Disney World, Walt always said they had something in Florida they never had in California, The Blessing of Size. It takes you a solid ten minutes to walk all the way across Epcot, if not more, but somehow in California I made it from Indiana Jones all the way to the Paradise Pier hotel in about that same amount of time. Granted, I was half running, but the point is that everything is just closer together. It's more compact, and somehow, it works.

Disneyland and Walt Disney World are vastly difference places, that's to be certain, and I can't help but miss them both for very different reasons. Disney World is home to me. It's where I grew up and where I learned to embrace the magic. But Disneyland is the original, and it's loyal to it's regulars in that respect. There are people there who have been there since the opening, people who wouldn't even think of leaving. And that's amazing. Disney World is the popular tourist spot, and I wouldn't trade it for anything...except for maybe another Matterhorn Macaroon.

Just kidding.

Have a magical day!

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

Day 859: Hatbox Ghost! Hatbox Ghost!

Due to finals week and multiple other factors, this blog post is long overdue (both date wise and topic wise), meaning that I'm fairly certain I'm just about the last person to jump on the Hatbox Ghost train. However, that doesn't mean it's not worthy of a special place on Everday Disney.

If you're like my roommates and about 99% of the people I actually talk to on a daily basis, you've probably got no idea what I'm talking about when I mention the Hatbox Ghost, and to be completely honest, a few months ago I would have been right along with you. Once and a while you see one of those Disney Urban Legend videos claiming they have a ghost on record in a Disney park, and yeah, I've watched them too, but if there are two things in the Disney Parks that legitimately make me beleive in something like the residents of Haunted Mansion, it's the Hatbox Ghost and the story of George, the ghost that's said to reside in Pirates of the Caribbean at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park.

We'll start with George since he's the actual reason I sort of actually believe in ghosts. The legend tells of a welder named George, who allegidly died when Pirates of the Caribbean was initially under construction in the 1970s. The cause of his death is technically unknown, especially since there's no real record of anyone dying during the construction of the attraction, much less a man named George. Technically he too is an Urban Legend, but those of us who know the story are always sure to say a quick Good Morning or Night George, whether or not in fear of the chance of the attraction unexplainably breaking down at somepoint during the day. Better be safe than sorry, right? You can actually see it in my Disney vlogs, where we often film our Good Morning or Evening to the ghost, just to make it clear that we said it. What really makes me believe in George though? He has a door, situated behind the dog in the jail cell scene, and if it's open you'd better brace yourself. However, this one time we were on the attraction when we suddenly got stopped, us and about three other boats, in that scene, right by the door, despite the fact that there weren't any boats currently unloading just around the corner. We sat there for a minute or two before moving, but since that say, I've been sure to recognize the presense that is our friend George.

But the Hatbox Ghost is another story. It's obvious that I'm not a frequent visitor to Disneyland. In fact, I've only been there once, and while I'm thrilled to be going back this August, trips out to California are few and far between, which is probably why I didn't actually hear the entire legend of the Hatbox Ghost until recently.

Disney Parks Blog

As the tale goes, the Hatbox Ghost appeared originally in The Haunted Mansion at Disneyland but was removed soon after due to a failed effect, which was supposed to be the disappearance of the Ghost's head from his body and reapperance in the hatbox he carries. The strange part? The pieces and most of the concept art disappeared as well, just as the ghost did from the attraction. Now in reality he really was just taken out of the attraction due to the technically difficulties, but his disappearance has caused rumors for years, and he's become one of the Mansion's most famous Haunts, despite the lack of his presence on the attraction itself.

But now? Now the Hatbox Ghost has returned, and if you're really itching to see him, there's plenty of video evidence out there now that he does indeed reside in Disneyland's Haunted Mansion once again. As for me, I've seen the videos, and I'm thrilled that I'll get to see the Hatbox Ghost for myself when I head to Disneyland in August, and I do hope he moves to Walt Disney World soon as well!

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 23 due to finals).

Day 855: Canoes

The things you stumble across at college can often times be absolutely out of the ordinary, and yet somehow they often times relate right back to Disney. To be completely honest, the story of how this blog post topic came about is something I'm not even totally sure of, but it happened, and therefore I needed to share!

A week or so ago, Megan showed me a video of a Freestyle Canoeing Routine that she watched in one of her classes, and we had a good time watching it. I was actually simulatneously impressed, confused and set into a fit of hysterics, but that's mostly because of the fact that finals have been upon us and that makes us all go a little insane. Regardless, we watched a few more videos, and eventually stumbled on this one:

This video was way better than the first one we watched, for sure, although it might have something to do with the Pirate element of this. I greatly appreciate the fact that he dressed as a pirate for this routine, and the tricks he did were way cooler than any of the others we've seen. Then again, I know absolutely nothing about professional freestyle canoeing so....

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on May 14 due to Finals).

Day 799: In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room

That title has a lot of Tiki in it and yes I had to sing the song to make sure I had the right number.

It's funny how sometimes the strangest little things that involve Disney work their way into your life, and it's not always how you expect them to. Midterms, in college, are a very real thing, and that means that my roommates and I have spent a lot of our time over the past couple of weeks studying for tests and writing papers and doing homework, but that didn't stop the Tiki Room from getting stuck in our heads.

I'm not even sure how it started anymore, but by the time we got back from our daily lunch, my roommates and I were all humming the song, and that led to it being played a motivation for us to continue working. It's not a long song, but it definitely gets stuck in our head, and like Pirates of the Caribbean, it's just the one part that gets stuck, meaning you end up singing "In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" over and over and over until it's more annoying than "it's a small world."

So, since this was a pretty short post, here's the song for you to listen to as well. I must share the wealth, right?

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on March 16 due to Midterms).

Day 624: Urban Legends

The definition of Urban Legend is "a story about an unusual event or occurrence that many people believe is true but that is not true." Sounds pretty self-explanatory, right? It's something that people believe to be true but isn't. There are tons of them out there, TONS of them, although some are nothing more than scary ghost stories told around the campfire at Halloween.

But I do enjoy going and looking through those from Disney from time to time. On Facebook recently, a friend posted a link to a few creepy Disney Urban Legends and of course I read it because DISNEY. To be honest, there are a lot of Disney Urban Legends, and some are more popular than others. Some of it is the haters trying to bring Disney down, others just trying to find spooky stuff to scare people away from the most magical place on earth (or happiest!) and some of them are just there to be funny. After all, in a world surrounded by so much entertainment, that's what it's all about: entertainment.

HERE is the article my friend posted, and you can go through them for yourself. To be honest, I don't really believe any of these. Photographs can be very misleading, after all, and I honestly didn't see anything in the Tower of Terror one. Plus, I've been on the Haunted Mansion more times than I can count and have never seen anything, nor have I ever heard of that one previous to today.

There's the urban legend that Walt Disney is frozen underneath Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland...false. There's the one about how no one can be declared dead while on Disney property...also false. Sadly various people have been declared dead on property. Oh and that time Finland banned Donald Duck because he doesn't wear pants. Good news for Donald because he's not banned at all.

There are, however, a few Disney Urban Legends that have been proven true, like the Matterhorn basketball court. There really IS a basketball court within the mountain. The original story tells of there being a problem with ordinances and that's why it's there but that actually has nothing to do with it. It was just one way for cast members to enjoy themselves while on breaks!

However, of all the ghost stories at Disney, there is ONE that I do believe. There's the story of George on Pirates of the Caribbean, and as I totally almost got stranded on that attraction once, right next to the door deemed as "George's Door." Yep, that one I'll believe, and I hope I never have to work at Pirates of the Caribbean because I don't really wish to come face to face with a ghost. Thanks very much.

So the question here is this: do you believe any of these urban legends? Or are they just that: urban legends?

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on September 17).

Day 472: Wonderful Dreams Part 2

Yesterday we talked about how sometimes we just have these really really good dreams. Like insanely good dreams, such as the ones I talked about yesterday. But as I finished that blog post, I got an answer from my roommate as to whether or not I could blog about the awesome dream that she had, and she said I could. Or rather "YES YES YES." Our Twitter Conversations can get pretty entertaining.

Anyways, you may or may not remember that my roommate LOVES Newsies. Like, really loves Newsies, to the point where the songs are playing our room and now I like Newsies. It's a fun process. Granted, singing in our room just seems to be a given these days. We have a good time. Either way, the other morning I woke up and she was just like "Lizzie...are you up?" and I of course answered that I was, to which she just goes "Good, cause I have to tell you about my dream." Apparently it was a really good one, about how she was a part of the Newsies cast and she was singing the one song and she knew all the words AND, to top it all off, she was dating one of the cast members. 

Gosh, I'm eating hamburgers with Colin O'Donoghue and my roommate is dating Newsies cast members. Our dream lives are way better than our broke college student lives.

But let's continue to hang in this weird dreamland that seems to be better, or at least more interesting that the one that actually is in front of us. I wouldn't call this next dream good, but just...strange I suppose. It's been a couple years since I had it, so I'm a bit fuzzy on some of the details, but I remember enough of it to make it a bit of a story. Basically, I was in my high school, and I was Elizabeth Swann (from Pirates of the Caribbean), and for some reason Jack Sparrow insisted that I hide in one of the lockers (That happened to be the hallway my locker was in at the time...only I wasn't hiding in my locker). So I did, but eventually I got sick of waiting and left the locker and went out this set of doors that's a little ways away from where those lockers are. I go out them, and apparently my high school was a cruise ship, because that's where I was. Ultimately I ended up jumping overboard for some reason or another. The dream skipped around a little bit before eventually I was in this bedroom and Jack was sleeping on the floor? I have no clue, it was a strange dream, as I said.

The only other recent Disney dream I've had is one where I was at the Boardwalk Resort, but there was a cruise ship also involved in this one. Like we went on a cruise and then it docked at the Boardwalk, which makes no sense, and my brother and I were trying to figure out how to get back on the ship, so we're just walking all along the boardwalk, and then for some reason I remember being really sad. This was moreso just a confusing dream than anything else though. I really don't know what happened. But it must have been nice because I woke up in a great mood. 

Dreams are interesting things, that's for sure. I'll probably have more in the future, and if I have a really interesting one I promise to share. But you know how these things work, good dreams come and go, and you don't have one every night, so who knows what will happen!?!

All I can say is hopefully I'll share more hamburgers with Colin...or you could throw Harrison Ford in there. Or maybe a coffee date with Jennifer Morrison where we just talk about hair and braids for a few hours. Yeah, those all sound like great options.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on April 22 due to Easter).

Day 413: Jack Sparrow

While working on my secret project the other day, I decided that since Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl is on Netflix, that I would watch it. I haven't watched them all in a while, so it worked out pretty well. I mean, it's kind of hard to watch a movie anywhere around here without getting interrupted, but it works out ok. So then tonight I ended up watching the second one: Dead Man's Chest. I think of the four this is the one I've watched the most though...funny since I think it's my least favorite.

So let's talk for a second about some of my favorite moments from Pirates of the Caribbean. I actually like the third one the best, so this will be kind of interesting, but we'll see.

I mean, first off, I think just the fact that it's Pirates of the Caribbean. It can't get much cooler than that. I actually said to Megan that if it weren't for my motion sickness, Pirate ships seem like a pretty cool place. I mean, they probably are really gross and disgusting, but that's ok. It still looks fun!

Secondly, Jack Sparrow is seriously great. Hilarious just all over the place.

Third...there is TOTALLY a parallel between Will & Elizabeth and Emma & Hook. In the first one, Elizabeth injures her hand, and Will helps her take care of it in a way VERY SIMILAR to how Hook helps Emma in Tallahassee. It's the same hand and everything. Parallel #1 for CaptainSwan. Woot woot!

Fourth, I LOVE how they threw in little hints to the attraction. I mean, whenever they sing Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me) I basically freak out. I know that in the third one there's some audio that is totally direct from the attraction that says "Dead Men Tell No Tales." And then how the attraction has little things inspired by the movie now. Like the mermaids from the fourth film. I LOVE THOSE THINGS. Like one of my favorite parts of the attraction  just because it makes me smile. =)

Other than that, I can't think of much off the top of my head. Catching up on blog posts (when you're sick) can be a difficult thing sometimes!

Have a magical day!

Day 376: The Science Fair

Since my parents are still gone to Florida, I ended up having to take my brother to a local science fair. I dragged a friend along too, so I suppose the six hours spent sitting there weren't all THAT bad, but they certainly weren't good either. So we had to amuse ourselves somehow. In the end we spent at least an hour on Pinterest, but there was one thing that I felt should really be commented on here, just because it actually made me think (and feel a little bit like a failure haha).

Now, if you're a huge Disney fan like I am, feel free to try and do this, and let me know how it works out for you. I easily got the first one, Walt Disney World, but the second one really tripped me up. It stands for Shades of Green, which I guess makes sense, but I feel isn't really fair because I have never stayed there and probably never will because it's not open to everyone. I mean, really, why couldn't they put BLT or something? That I would have known! (Bay Lake Tower, just FYI). Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party I figured out right away, POTC was easy, Pirates of the Caribbean, as was FP (Fastpass). HDDR got me too though, as I have only seen the Hoop De Doo Review once, so it wasn't in the forefront of my mind. So I got them over half right, that counts, right? I mean, I know what TTAP and TTC and SSE and MK and stuff stands for, so I'm not totally out of the loop! 

My other thought from the science fair is how it was in this expo hall and all I could think about half the time walking through it was that it reminded me of D23 from a couple years back...just with a lot less Blue and a TON less Disney. It was also probably a third of the size...but it still reminded me of it! Gosh I can't wait to go back to the D23 Expo and Disneyland in 2015. I want to like start counting down the days right now. 

In case you were wondering, my brother and his friend made this for their exhibit: Wind Chill. It means that they were in my kitchen heating up strange things for like a week, including some awful smelling apple cider vinegar. Don't heat that up in an open pan and then blow a fan on it people...just don't. They did get a gold medal though! 

Have a magical day!

Day 262: Talk like a Pirate!

Arr my mateys, today be talk like a pirate day!

Now, if you're wonderin', this entire post is, indeed, in piarte. I found an online translator that turns this entire blog post from our common English into pirate. Now, if any o' this will make sense in t' end I have no idea, but we'll try. I mean, it be talk like a pirate day, after all!

I love talk like a pirate day! I mean, it's a whole day basically dedicated t' Pirates, and thar be a lot o' pirate thin's that I love. Growin' up, I did always love Pirates o' t' Caribbean, and although for some reason I don't really remember it as well from when I was younger than when I was a bit older, I still love the attraction. I think I really got into t' entire attraction not long after t' first Pirates movie came out, and now I certainly count it as a must see attraction (I mean, it be in every way a must see because it has a special connection t' Walt Disney).

But Disney be really gettin' into t' Tal like a Pirate day thin' too. I heard that they're doin' some Limited Time Magic with it too, and online thar was some awesome stuff. Like this from Oh My Disney:

And you know who else be a pirate and be awesome? You guessed it! Captain Hook! But obviously not t' Captain Hook from t' Disney Peter Pan, I'm talkin' Captain Hook from Once Upona  Time. So, t' continue celebratin' Talk Like a Pirate Day, here's some Captain Hook pictures (or Captain Swan, it's hard t' decide). Also, check out that sneak peak released today for Once Season 3!

You can watch t' sneak peak here, and you should watch it, trust me!

That last one though. It just never gets old. 

Thar's also this: 

And so, happy talk like a pirate day! Remember, thar's only 10 days port until t' season 3 premiere o' Once Upon a Time, and I, for one, can't wait! 

Today's Frumpstagram post was "ears," and we all know that me favorite pair o' ears be on Mickey Mouse. I mean, they're just so perfectly round and awesome. Plus I feel like it'd be weird and totally beside t' point t' pick t' ears o' anyone else. This be a Disney thin', after all.

And here's today's Disney History (Not in Pirate): 1966: Walt Disney gives what will turn out to be his last press conference. He speaks about the development of the Mineral King Ski Resort in Southern California. It will feature skiing, an alpine village, skating rink, hotels, dormitories for young people and restaurants. Disney's plans will quickly be put to a stop when critics and environmentalists feel the untouched land will be desecrated. 

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 152: Disney Memes

I follow a lot of different blogs, but one of my personal favorites is Oh My Disney, which is an official Disney blog that is pretty much tailored to the younger generation...my generation. Either way, it's a pretty great thing, and today they put out a post of Disney Memes...some of which I felt were pretty entertaining. So here are my favorites:

I just felt like those might make you smile, as they certainly brought a smile to my face! That's really what Everyday Disney is about too, isn't it? How Disney impacts my everyday life...and this did, so there you go! 

To see the rest of the set, click here!

Here's today's Disney History: 1937: Actor Morgan Freeman, the new narrator of Disney World's updated The Hall of Presidents, is born in Memphis, Tennessee. 

Have a magical day!

This post was written on June 3, since I was unable to write due to finals and graduation.

Day 33: FBLA

Today was my regional FBLA competition. I know I talked briefly about it the other day, but since today was the actual competition and it largely involved Disney for me, I figured I'd talk about it a little more.

I participate in Public Speaking II, which means I write a speech, memorize it and then present it to a group of judges. This is my third and final year in FBLA, and I'm more determined to go to nationals than ever. Why? Because it's in a little city called Anaheim, California...which just happens to be the location of Disneyland. I have been excited about it for quite a while...and I really want to make it to nationals. At the moment though, I really want to focus on state and getting to finals. One step at a time. One step at a time. 

But anyway, we don't have a lot of guidelines for writing this speech, other than it needs to include an FBLA goal and be centered on Business. This year, since it is my final year, I decided to do a speech on just how much FBLA has impacted me. I don't want to talk too much about the content here though, just in case someone out there is reading...but it does center largely around how FBLA has changed me as a person and has helped me in my decision to become an Imagineer. Of course, it's a challenging occupation  but basically because of FBLA I am prepared to do whatever it takes to reach that goal. 

And so, I ended up recieving first place, and that means I'm going to state competition. I won first place the last two years as well at the regional level, once in Public Speaking I and once in Public Speaking II, and at state I got 1st in public speaking I and 5th in Public speaking II. Overall pretty successful I think. I'm exciting to be headed to state for my third year, and I can't wait to continue work on my speech and make it the best it can be. 

Here's today's Disney History: 2006: Disney announces that the Disneyland and Disney World Pirates of the Caribbean attractions will be undergoing a 3-4 month makeover to work in character and plot elements from the movie series that took its inspiration from the original attraction. (The attraction now features Jack Sparrow, Mermaids and several other elements of the film series).

Have a magical day!