Disney

As we’re all stuck inside during this time of the pandemic, my daughter and I wanted to experience some Disney magic from our family room. We’re still hoping to visit the parks in October but in the meantime, we wanted to have some fun with a Magic Kingdom Movie Marathon!

I pulled out our Magic Kingdom map (because…of course, I have one) and we went through each land to see which rides had a movie associated with it. It was fun going through the map and having her remember various aspects of the rides.

She is only 6 so even though she’s been on some of the rides 3 times, she has a hard time remembering them. Thankfully, there are tons of ride videos on YouTube so we were able to watch the rides and star the ones she wants to go on during our next trip!

With Disney+ having SO many of their movies available, almost every one of these movies listed is on that platform. My suggestion is to preview a few of the older movies if you haven’t watched them since you were a child. They now have warnings at the beginnings of select movies on Disney+ for their racist undertones. I’m happy they’ve kept the movies available so we can talk to our children about these issues.

Let’s take a virtual walk through the Magic Kingdom and see what magic we can find!

Magic Kingdom Movie Marathon

Tomorrowland

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

There is a lot of content to watch to go along with this galactic space battle ride! Toystory 1, 2, 3, and 4 are all on Disney+ but my suggestion is Toystory 4. Forky cracks our family up. We also love the shorts on Disney+ like Partysaurus Rex and Forky Asks a Question. Because of our love for Forky, we chose these super easy Forky cupcakes by Cupcake Diaries.

Monster’s, Inc. Laugh Floor

I’ve never been to the Magic Kingdom without going in for a laugh at Monster’s, Inc. Laugh Floor. Sully and Mike crack me up and I love both Monster’s, Inc. and Monster’s University. These colorful dipped pretzels from Food Folks and Fun are a great treat to make with all ages of kids. You can’t mess them up!

Fantasyland

Cinderella Castle & Prince Charming Royal Carousel

There are two Cinderella themed attractions at the Magic Kingdom. Cinderella’s Castle and Prince Charming Regal Carrousel! There are also two really awesome versions of Cinderella!

The original 1950’s animated version as well as the newer live-action version that came out in 2015. We chose these sweet magic wand rice crispy treats by Mom Endeavors to have for our Cinderella marathon.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

Dumbo is one of Disney’s movies I just CAN’T watch. I have yet to see the live-action version because the animated version makes me cry too much. That being said, I LOVE the ride! I think it’s so fun that they added the playground for the wait queue.

Crafting Chicks made a fun circus-inspired munchy snack that we thought would go great with a Dumbo marathon. Just don’t forget the tissues!

Mad Tea Party

I’m very partial to this ride. It was my favorite ride as a child visiting the parks. It was also the ride I worked while in the College Program. I go on it at least 3 times when it’s daylight and a few more once it’s dark. Can’t get enough of this spinny ride!

I also really enjoy both the animated and live-action versions of Alice in Wonderland. I think the book is phenomenal and the movies bring that whimsy to life beautifully. Magical Treats recreated a park favorite Cheshire Cat Tails that we can’t wait to try!

Enchanted Tales with Belle

Fun Fact: Jeffrey and I were selected to go view Enchanted Tales with Belle early before it opened because we were being friendly with a cast member. IMO, talking to cast members is an attraction in itself at WDW. You learn SO much about the parks and their jobs (and often get perks because of it!)

I couldn’t do this post without sharing a doup of The Grey Stuff from Be Our Guest Restaurant. Mama Cheaps has an exact copy of what you can find at the restaurant. Again, both Beauty and the Beast the animated original and live-action versions are wonderful.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was another ride attraction I worked while in Disney and I can still hear the loading area speech by Tigger. This was my favorite ride to work because I could talk with the guests if I filled the line queue quickly. Talking with guests was my favorite part of working at Disney. For our snack, we wanted to try a snack mix by Jamonkey that would be right up Pooh’s alley.

Peter Pan’s Flight

Peter Pan’s Flight is one of those rides that always has a MASSIVE line. I know a lot of people like their interactive queue but I’ve never ridden it without an FP+? I am really excited to make this Neverland pirate map pizza by Alison’s Wonderland Recipes though! The 1953 movie Peter Pan is a classic but I also have been liking the Tinkerbell movies on Disney+. This shocked me because I’m not a huge fan of the character in the original movie.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Here is something that will blow your mind. SDMT (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train) is the ONLY attraction in all of Disney World that I’ve never done.

I’ve never been able to get a FP+ and never wanted to wait in line so I have YET to ride one of MK’s most popular rides! I should also give a shout out to Snow White’s Scary Adventure (RIP) because it was the other ride I worked during my program. It was super scary riding it alone at night when we were closing it down though…

For our Snow White movie night we’re going to try our hand at these candied apples we found on Olivia’s Cuisine. I’ve never had a candied apple so maybe 2020 is my year to check both of these things off my bucket list.

Under the Sea

Although this is a ride I can go without visiting, I do like meeting Ariel in her grotto when we visit MK. She seems to spend extra time with kids and I think her grotto is a cool backdrop for the photos! The Little Mermaid was my favorite movie growing up and up until Tangled, Ariel was my favorite Disney Princess.

I loved her adventurous spirit and the music in the movie. Sophia thought this mermaid bark by Momdot was beautiful so we’re going to make our first bark and watch The Little Mermaid together.

Liberty Square

Haunted Mansion

I can remember going to The Haunted Mansion as a kid and being terrified but still going on each visit. It’s a staple for us when we visit but I can’t say the same for The Haunted Mansion movie. I think that ride has such a great story and they could make a better movie around that attraction. Until they make that new movie though, you can make these adorable ghost cookies by Fun365.

Frontierland

Tom Sawyer Island

Just thinking about Tom and Huck and visiting Tom Sawyer Island makes me nostalgic. We LOVE visiting Tom Sawyer Island to get away from the stimulation. Playing checkers or exploring through the trees on the bouncy bridge is a great way to take a mental breather.

As a huge JTT fan, Tom and Huck was one of my favorite movies as a tween. We recently re-watched it and it’s still pretty cute. Even cuter though is this dirt worm mix we found by Fake Ginger. Can’t wait to pair the two for a movie night!

Adventureland

Jungle Cruise

Jungle Cruise is coming out in July 2020 and looks pretty cute. I’ve got high hopes for it as it is attached to such an iconic ride. This is another ride I can’t visit without going on. For this movie, we’re going to make our first freak shake before heading out to the theaters! My Name is Snickerdoodle did a great job on her shake with this Disney themed challenge.

The Magic Carpets of Aladdin

I’m usually more focused on getting my Dole Whip when I go to this area but Soph loves riding The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Aladdin is one of my all-time favorite Disney movies and I think they did a pretty good job on the live-action version that came out in 2019. For this movie, Sophia can make this jello dessert by Suburban Wife City Life all on her own.

Pirates of the Caribbean

Just thinking about this ride puts smells of my childhood in my head! Did you know they make candles of the water in this ride?! I think all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are great and the music is even better! We’re not to the age where we can watch this for our Magic Kingdom movie marathon but my husband and I can still make this pirate popcorn munch by my friend Kimberly at A Night Owl.

Swiss Family Treehouse

Last, and possibly least? Swiss Family Treehouse. This is an attraction that I remember going on as a kid and have tried a few times walking through on my own or with my family and it just hasn’t stood the test of time. I’m also not a fan of the movie Swiss Family Robinson BUT I wanted to include every movie that has a corresponding attraction so here it is.

Although I don’t love the attraction or the movie, these pineapple coconut squares by An Italian in My Kitchen are what I’d most be looking forward to making! You can’t go wrong with pineapple and coconut!

I wish I could have you all over for a Magic Kingdom movie marathon and chat about our memories of these rides. I have so many separate memories of these attractions and experiencing them with different people. It’s fun to reminisce about the impact these rides have had while making these treats.

Tell me, what rides are your favorites? Which movies have you watched 100 times?

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Right now it is 7 months out from our family trip to Disney World. This will be our first trip with both girls and Lilly’s first trip to see The Mouse. To some, it seems incredibly early to start planning a trip. But when you do Disney, the earlier, the better. I’m going to narrow down the bare minimum of what you need to plan before going to Disney World.

Growing up, we had a Disney Binder which held maps and schedules and all kinds of information for our week-long trip to Disney World. Now, everything can be done online. There have been two times in my life that I have gone to Disney without a plan. Once, when my husband surprised me with a trip. And when I went on my solo trip in October.

I’m not saying you can’t have a magical time at Disney World without having a plan but there are some things that will improve the magic if you take care of them before your visit.

Here are the 9 Essential Steps before going on your next WDW trip (in the order I recommend).

Book Your Resort

Booking your resort should be the first thing you do when planning your vacation. Even if the hotel is not a priority on your list. The resorts fill up fast. Go into your booking with a couple in mind within your budget.

For example, you might be able to find a room with no special view at a DVC rental at Boardwalk that is the same price as a standard room at Art of Animation. With the DVC rental, you could have the bonus of a kitchenette and nicer furnishings. With DVC rentals you can book 11 months out for the ‘home resort’ and 7 months out for all others. Ali has a great post on the basics of renting a DVC room.

Pick out magic bands (if staying on-site)

When booking a resort stay on Disney property you’re automatically gifted a free Magic Band which acts as your room key and holds all the information for your trip. Previously, you were given a choice of colors but now they’ve offered the option of upgrading to a specialty Magic Band. These specialty bands are only $10 as opposed to the (up to) $30 price tag in the parks.

When I went on my solo trip I did not stay on property and forgot to bring my Magic Band from a previous trip. I was given an admission card but was annoyed with getting it out for each FP+ ride. I bought an adorable It’s a Small World Magic Band that was $25 in the Animal Kingdom.

It is now $7.50 on ShopDisney.

Buy Park Tickets

Disney often has ticket discounts when you buy them in a package. Right now they’re running a promotion for a 4-Day ticket at $89/day (a huge savings from the normal base ticket). Other options for buying your park tickets: Costco or Undercover Tourist. Undercover Tourist is Disney affiliated. Disney knows that they’re selling their tickets at a discounted price so you don’t need to worry something shady might happen.

Create an account and link everything on MDE

MDE stands for My Disney Experience and is an app in your app store. In MDE you can do all of your planning from dining reservations to FP+ and lots more. Once you’ve created an account, it’ll be your account for every future trip. You link your confirmation numbers for everything within the app and it keeps track of everything.

Study the Once Upon a Planner Insiders Guide

Aside from going to the parks daily while I worked there for a semester, I have been to WDW 11 times. I’m knowledgable on the parks, the food, the transportation etc. but am always searching for a way to save time and money. The Insiders Guide on Once Upon a Planner has been the most bang for my buck 10 times over. The hacks guide tells you how to get lost of FP+ after your initial 3 that you book before your trip. There is so much info on the site from Planning Guides to cost analysis posts and tips on saving money.

When I went on my solo trip, I scored 18 FP+ in one day. I’m not guaranteeing you can get that many but a lot of people have gotten way more than that! I HIGHLY recommend taking a look at their site if you want to maximize your ride time at the parks. You can use my affiliate code if you’d like to help support our next trip to Disney.

schedule Magical Express

Once you book your flight you can schedule a Magical Express reservation. Link your flight in the My Disney Experience portal and make sure to click how many bags you’ll be checking. The Magical Express takes you on a bus from the airport to your resort and they also take care of your luggage. It will magically be sitting in your room when your room is available!

Plan Your Dining EXperiences

180 days out from your trip you’re allowed to start booking for sit down restaurants. They call these reservations ADRs or advanced dining reservations. If you have no clue where to start, you could ask a Travel Agent to help make a good decision on where/when to eat for your family. Otherwise, I suggest looking into Disney Food Blog Guide or WDW Radio to hear about all the wonderful options at the Walt Disney World Resort (includes the parks, Disney Springs and the resorts).

30 or 60 day FP+ booking

When you book a stay at a Disney resort you are allowed to book FP+ passes 60 days prior to your vacation. When staying off-site you’re allowed 30 days prior. If you have a strong opinion on rides, I definitely recommend waking up and ready to book these as soon as the window opens (7am).

TIP: Start with your final park day of your trip. You’ll be more likely to score the ones you want because other people start with the beginning of their trip.

Book any extras: dessert party, tours, after hours, bippity boppity Boutique

Your final step, after planning for all the others is to book your extras. In my case, I knew I wanted to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party while we’re there in October. The ticket prices are lower right now since the dates were just released so I bought those ASAP. I have yet to buy my park tickets or flight because I’m waiting to see if there’s a better deal. In some cases, you can book your extras as soon as you have your dates set (I usually base this on when my room reservations are set).

You can check this post from Disney Tourist Blog to see some of the different options Disney offers for extra magical experiences. These are just opinions. You can go to Disney’s site to get the full details.

I hope I didn’t overwhelm you with everything there is to do before your next trip to Walt Disney World. In reality, you only need to book a flight or set aside time from work to take your vacation. You could have a lovely trip without any planning. You WILL wait in lots of lines and be frustrated that you can’t eat at certain places. If you want to save some time and money, use these steps as the bare minimum of what you need to plan before going to Disney World.

Let me know in the comments when your next trip is! What do you get most stressed about when planning for your trip?

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When in the happiest place on Earth, it’s likely you’ll want to keep your phone in your backpack so you can stay in the moment. Soaking up every bit of Disney magic and the wonder on your kid’s faces is priceless. I am a big believer in focusing on the present to stay grounded but there are definitely times when using your smartphone in the parks is going to save you lots of time. Disney is leaning more towards making things more digital and some things (Rise of Resistance) are only accessible through your phone. Here are 8 reasons you’ll need your phone in Disney World.

My Disney Experience App

The My Disney Experience App has replaced the giant binder we used to use for planning 10 years ago. You can now use MDE (My Disney Experience) for your FastPass+ reservations, restaurant reservations, park merchandise locations, ride wait times, bus schedules and even unlocking the door to your resort room!

This is the main reason I always bring a portable charger to the park (or even a brick so both my husband and I can charge throughout the day). The app sucks up a ton of battery and in the Florida sun, you’ll need your brightness all the way up.

Mobile Ordering At Quick Service Restaurants

Mobile Ordering is becoming more prevalent throughout the parks and I’m here for it. There’s something to be said about a character meal or fine dining experience at Disney but when you just need to get food in the kids so everyone stops crying, mobile ordering is your savior. You can order food at a nearby quick-service restaurant, while you’re in the queue for a ride, and go straight to the pick-up counter after the ride, avoiding all frustration of waiting in a long line. It’s lovely. If for no other reason, you’ll need your phone in Disney for this one.

Checking In At Your Resort

After an early 2:30am wake up time to catch the first flight out of Indy, my vacation doesn’t start once I get to the parks but once I get on the Magical Express! I’m officially giddy once I am checking into our hotel. With a background in hospitality, I love talking to the receptionist about the property and gaining all those special tips about the resort. At the same time, I love that Disney makes it possible for those who hate waiting in line to be able to quickly and easily check into their room via the MDE app.

If you’re getting there before check-in time your room may not be ready but the app will alert you with a text on where your room is with a digital map of the property and your luggage will be in the room when you get there. You can even use the MDE app to get into your room if you don’t have your magic band. PRO TIP: Use the MDE App to unlock the closest door to your room during after hours when they’re typically locked. You can go directly from the airport to the parks or Disney Springs without dealing with the hassle of checking in at the resort!

Accessing Your Photos

I’ve been getting more into taking videos on our trips but I don’t feel comfortable taking my professional camera around the parks. Our phones have great quality photo and video options that will help us remember our trip for years to come. You’ll also need your phone if you’re utilizing Disney’s PhotoPass or Memory Maker to look at your photos.

This year will be our first trip as a family of four and instead of being stressed by trying to get great photos we’re utilizing the Memory Maker. I will still have my phone for quick shots and video but I’m excited to have all access to all of the wonderful photos from the PhotoPass locations and ride photos.

Restaurant Waitlist

The days of holding onto the buzzer while you wait for your table is long gone in Disney World. If you have a reservation to a sit-down restaurant you’ll likely only need to wait a few minutes before your name is called. If you’re getting your name on the waitlist because you didn’t make a reservation ahead of time or they don’t take reservations (ahem, Skipper Canteen) you’ll be notified via your phone. You’ll have 10-15 minutes to get to the restaurant so don’t wander far.

Transportation Around Walt Disney World Resort

Disney gives us several different options for getting around their resort. From buses (supposedly every 20 minutes) to monorails to gondolas to ferries. You can use your phone to check the bus schedules in MDE or use it to order a Minnie Van. It’s a Lyft service with guaranteed car seats (we’ve had lots of trouble with Ubers not having car seats). Sometimes it’s just worth getting an Uber back to your resort when the parks are closing during peak season.

Fun In The Queues

I’m a big believer in utilizing FastPass+ to its full potential but if you’re more of a go-with-the-flow type person there is a lot of fun to be had while waiting in line. There is a newish app called Disney Play that lets you enhance your experience of the parks while in the ride lines. They’ve incorporated special features within Galaxy’s Edge like translating languages and being able to help the resistance. You can also test your knowledge of Disney trivia and achieve a special pin by visiting certain rides.

Another fun app to play while waiting is Heads Up. There is a new Disney themed deck you can play while in the parks!

Updates From Disney

The MDE app has been designed to notify you when there is some interruption in your plans. The most common notification that I have received is when there is a ride disruption that interferes with your FastPass+ due to weather or a 101 (ride not operating). Generally, you will be allowed to use your FastPass+ for that ride whenever the ride opens again, or, if it is down for the rest of the day, you can use a FastPass+ on any ride in that park.

The app is also able to notify you of park closures because of capacity or when certain areas of the park are busy so you can head to an emptier area. Disney really is trying to make things easier for our special trips to the parks.

So, next time you think about unplugging for your Disney vacation, think twice because having your phone handy could really enhance your trip!

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If you know me, you know I’m a huge fan of Disney movies. I am frequently quoting them during conversation.

That being said, saying Frozen 2 is my new favorite Disney movie is HUGE!

We had the chance to preview Frozen 2 before it is being released on November 11/22 through The Owens Group. We took the day to have a full girls day out with lunch, a stop at the book store and a Frozen pedicure before going to see the movie. Of course, Sophia wore her Elsa dress and crown the entire day and felt like the princess she is with all of the compliments she received!

Why Frozen 2 is My Favorite Movie

I will preface this by saying there are zero spoilers in this review. I will also say that the day after seeing it in theaters I booked more tickets for opening night because we NEEDED to share this experience with my husband.

As I sit here, listening to the Frozen 2 soundtrack, I’m reminded of the rollercoaster the movie took us on. I’m a huge fan of the original Frozen film and am happy to watch it sans kids. I love the music, artistry, storyline and comedic relief throughout the movie.

Frozen 2, for me, is all of that times 10.

There is a song that Anna sings called The Next Right Thing that is powerful beyond the movie. The song’s message is what ultimately made Frozen 2 my favorite movie. Anna sings about how things can get difficult but all you can do is the next right thing, one step at a time. I love that message.

The Funniest Frozen

I also love how funny this movie is. Olaf was funny in the first movie but he’s absolutely hysterical in this second movie! My six-year-old and I, along with the entire theater, were belly laughing throughout the entire movie.

Like most Disney movies these days, I do suggest watching the movie first before taking little kids if they’re sensitive to intense movies. It is darker than the first movie. Their goal was to grow with the age of the children who grew up watching Frozen so it’s a bit more mature than the first.

To say ‘this will be the top movie to see over Thanksgiving break’ is an understatement. It’ll likely still be the top movie to see over Christmas. It’s that good. Let me know what you think after you see it! Until then, I’ll be belting Into the Unknown!

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