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 1178: Bored Beyond Comprehension

Spring break is a blessing and a curse.

On one hand, having an entire week off to do pretty much whatever your heart desires is great. You could travel to Florida (like everyone and their brother it seems), or to some other far off place. There's time to catch up on the numerous things you're behind on because school literally takes over your life. There's time to plan for Disney vacations, and watch movies, and even be sick (I fought off a cold with everything I had and won). But after a few days of basking in the freedom, you kind of start to miss your friends if you're far away from them and you definitely start to get bored.

Usually, my breaks are so filled with things going on that I hardly notice a break happened. That's how much of J-Term was for me this year, how fall break goes, last spring break, and everything in between. There's always so much to do that a real break hardly seems possible. But now, only half way through my spring break where I have actually very little going on, I'm so absolutely bored that there's no way to describe how much I want it to be next Monday when everyone comes back and we go back to the regular routine.

I got so bored that I actually color coded my box of crayons. That's where I'm at in life.

This is not to say that there aren't other things I should be doing. Unfortunately, because of the snow, my go-to activity of practicing is sort of off the table, and you can only sit in front of your computer screen for so long before blogging and composing and watching Netflix all seems like a terrible idea. Actually, I feel sort of like Baymax, needing a recharge every so often, but there's no in-between here. Either I have a ton of time on my hands to the point where doing the same thing for hours gets tiring or I have no time on my hands and I wish I could find a chance to sit down and write a blog post.

Finding that balance is a key goal in my life right now as I continue to adjust to, quite literally, life-altering events that force me to rethink everything. And maybe, just maybe, I should be looking to what I already do know for sure as a key to how to go forward. This could get really philosophical, like how on Splash Mountain there are a series of drops, and you're always waiting for the big one, but the first time you go on it you never quite know if the drop you're about to go down is the big one or not. Life is like that too, full of big and little drops, but you never quite know how tall they are until you're at the bottom. They can be scary, but they can also be exciting, and they can most certainly get messy. If that's not a metaphor for life, I don't know what is.

And that's just a taste of the weird thoughts that have come to mind amidst hours of boredom.

Have a magical day!

Day 1043: Squirrel!

While procrastinating on some of my work for my English class, I thought it might be fun to write a blog post on procrastinating for that same English class. In an attempt to make my blog different from my peers, I knew I wanted to make graphics for each blog post, and when it came down to it, I realized that there would be no better graphic header for a blog post on procrastinating than procrastinating by photoshopping squirrels into Splash Mountain...

And so, being the squirrel loving person I am, I thought that it might be fun for the squirrel gang to show up in a few other places...

Oh yes, it seems as though the squirrels certainly get around, and something tells me that this isn't the last we'll see of them...after all, photoshopping squirrels into Disney attractions is way more fun than doing real work! 

Have a magical day! 

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

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 843: In the Background

In yet another search for a blog post for a day that was far to busy to be blogging, I found something on Pinterest that got me thinking: iPhone backgrounds. I've shared my background before, although it's changed since then. At the moment, my background is the picture of Peter Pan and I that ended up on BuzzFeed, and while I haven o intention of changing it, at least not at the moment, I figured that it might be a great time to share some of my favorite Disney inspired backgrounds!

I love throwing Disney backgrounds on my phone, on my computer, and on my social media pages. Pretty much everything I have is something Disney, usually from the parks. As far as I've found, it's one of the greatest ways to add a little extra Disney magic to your life without going overboard, especially since 99% of the time, you're the only one looking at your phone!

These first three come from Disney officially, although unfortunately I can't find a direct link! However, they ARE part of the #DisneySide campaign and seriously, who wouldn't want that Haunted Mansion one? Brilliant! 

These next two are part of a collection of 15 Iconic Disney Characters designed by Chris Taylor! I particularly am in love with the Incredibles, but I can never pass up anything Monsters Inc. related! Find the rest of the iconic phone wallpapers HERE! 

And finally, this is a Rapunzel inspired spring design featured as one of the Spring-Themed wallpapers on the Disney Style blog! All of the backgrounds in that set are adorable, but as a Tangled fan, this is absolutely my favorite, and definitely at the top of my list if I ever change my background to something non-Disney Parks related! 

Of course, you can only have one background, unless you have an iPhone, then I suppose you have the separate lock screen. I don't change mine often, whether because I'm just too busy to notice that it hasn't been changed in months or because I just really love what I have now, I don't know, Regardless, which of these backgrounds do you love, or is there another Disney one out there that you think should be added to the list!?!

Have a magical day!

Day 218: Shark Week

I'm going to be honest here. I never saw the greatness in Shark Week. I mean, it's just a week of TV shows about Sharks. Maybe it's funny, and I guess I've heard some stories about these shows that are just hilarious to watch during said week, but at the same time, it seems ridiculous to me that a person who just want to watch a bunch of shows about Sharks for an entire week. Maybe sharks are to the rest of the world what Disney is to me? 

Either way, this blog is not about Sharks, nor will it ever be, but this post does have something to do with them...and it has to do with Disney too. No, I'm not even going with the obvious "It's Shark Week, and there are sharks in the Seas with Nemo and Friends!" That isn't where I'm going at all. In fact, I didn't even have to try very hard to get this blog post. Disney did half the work for me on this one!

There aren't any shows on Disney Channel about sharks, nor would they get rid of all the other shows to make shows about Sharks, especially for a week. There aren't a ton of sharks in the parks (LOL that rhymed!), but you know what? That isn't slowing Disney down either...literally. I mean, look at this! This awesomeness!

And if that's not good enough for you, here's another one: 

That's right. Disney, doing Shark Week right!

Here's today's Disney History: 1999: As of this day, Disneyland's Monorail Cafe, part of the Disneyland Hotel, closes. Open since 1986, it will be removed to make room for areas of the new Downtown Disney, which is part of the large Disneyland Resort Expansion Project. 

Have a magical day!

Day 6: Disney Fears

Today's blog post comes with a connection to my homework. I'm taking a class in psychology at the moment, and currently we're studying learning. While I've been taking notes for the last few hours I've noticed and realized two things.

First, our psychology book has a strange love of using snakes as the example for phobias. It's said it at least 6 or 7 times...an Indy reference if I've ever seen one. Then again, there sadly isn't a picture of Harrison Ford like the following one anywhere in the book...even though I feel like it would be the best example ever.

Second, I have been thinking about my own personal fears. I have a few, and while thankfully I'm not afraid of snakes like Indy is, I am deathly afraid of tornadoes, or severe weather and thunderstorms in particular...as well as loud noises. This of course means that I absolutely can't stand "Stormstruck" at EPCOT (I went on it once...big mistake). I also feel that Twister (and thankfully it's not a Disney movie!) is the most terrifying movie of all time. I'd much rather watch Indy up there.

But I have this one other fear...of Tower of Terror. Yes, this is how this all relates to Disney, other than the Indy thing. When I was little and got to the age to ride Tower of Terror I just refused...of course at the time I was also afraid of  the Haunted Mansion, but what kid isn't for a little while? Then I got my brother afraid of it, but my mom tricked him into going on TOT and that was the end of that. While my brother doesn't particularly enjoy TOT, and generally stays off it with me while the parents go on, my family has still been trying to get me on for years...I still refuse.

Now, I have said that the only way I'm ever going on TOT is one of two scenarios...one is if my band goes and my friends all go on it with me then I would. Two is if someday I have a boyfriend or husband that, for some strange reason, loves TOT and forces me on it (yes...he will then be forced to ride Spaceship Earth many times over). But the question is why won't I ride it?

I guess I have a bad experience and have been "conditioned" (using psych terms!) to dislike the weightless feeling...one largely associated with TOT. It's a feeling present on Splash Mountain and I always hated the drop because I was a pretty small kid (and I'm still not that big) and there wasn't a strap or safety bar until recently. I always felt like I was going to fall out. So I associated the feeling of weightlessness with the idea of falling out, or in any case, something bad happening.

And that's why I'm afraid of TOT. Someday I'm sure I'll be dragged on it...but hopefully that day isn't anytime soon...at least until I ride Splash enough for me to like the weightless feeling a bit more...or in other words, recondition myself to not associate it with danger.

Have a magical day!