Miranda's Top Must-Do's for the Little Ones

So many of my friends are planning their kids' very first Disney World visit this year, and I'm so excited for them! Many have been asking me what's great for the younger kids to do in the parks, so I thought I'd give all you moms and dads a quick list of my top "must-do's" for the little ones at each theme park. There are plenty more great attractions for the kids than just the ones I'm listing, but my inner 2-year old is writing this post and these were always her favorites :). Enjoy!

Magic Kingdom

1. Peter Pan's Flight (in Fantasyland) -- This has been my all-time favorite attraction at Disney World since I was 2. The kids will LOVE it! This is one of Disney's classic "dark rides" which uses black lights (super cool if you wear white!) and audio-animatronics to take you through the story of Peter Pan. You hop aboard a flying pirate ship and journey from the Darling's nursery to Neverland, soaring over London along the way. You'll see the mermaids, the Indians, and Peter's epic battle with Captain Hook. Here's a tip: Although the ride only lasts about 3 minutes, it is very popular and the line is almost always long. If you're going at a crowded time of year, you might want to grab a Fast Pass for this one.
2. The Country Bear Jamboree (in Frontierland)-- Yes, it's a little corny, but when you're a little kid there's nothing much cooler than a bunch of singing, dancing, talking bears. The Jamboree is one of those attractions that often gets overlooked, but is still a wonderful piece of Disney storytelling. You take a seat in a saloon-style, old-time theater, sit back and enjoy some great songs and entertainment from the Country Bears. This is the attraction that inspired the 2002 movie "The Country Bears."
3. It's a Small World (in Fantasyland)-- Ok, so this isn't usually the parents' favorite, but I promise the kids will love it! There is so much to look at and so many wonderful colors in this ride that you can ride it over and over and see something new (trust me, I made my parents do it! LOL). I'm sorry, but the song probably will be stuck in your head :). At least there is almost never a wait time, and it is a great way to relax and cool off in the park.
4. Dumbo (in Fantasyland)-- Everyone's favorite flying elephant gives little ones the chance to soar up high in the sky... or at least it seems like it. Dumbo is a simple ride of up and down and round and round, but it's a winner with kids. And now that it's reopened in it's new location as part of the Fantasyland expansion (see my previous post about the expansion for more info), it's twice the fun with a new interactive que and extra riding capacity.
5. Under the Sea (the Little Mermaid ride in Fantasyland)-- This attraction in the New Fantasyland tells the story of the Little Mermaid in a not-at-all scary dark ride. You hop aboard a clam shell as Scuttle begins to tell the story. A ride backwards downhill makes you feel like you are diving beneath the ocean surface and into Ariel's world.
6. Enchanted Tales with Belle (Fantasyland)-- The other new attraction in Fantasyland is from Beauty and the Beast. This attraction is completely based on interaction with the children in the audience. You travel via magic mirror from Maurice's cottage to the library of the Beast's castle where Belle is waiting for storytime. Children are chosen to become different characters from the movie, such as Lumiere, Cogsworth, Chip, and Mrs. Potts. They help Belle tell the story. It's a great to way to meet-and-greet with characters!

Epcot

1. The Seas with Nemo and Friends (in Future World)-- This is probably Epcot's best attraction for the kids. It's another classic dark ride that takes you through the ocean in a "clammobile" as you search for... yep, Nemo :). Nemo, Dory, Marlin and friends swim around the aquarium with the real fish (still trying to figure out how they do that) and sing great songs you didn't hear in the movie.
2. Turtle Talk with Crush (in Future World)-- Next door to the Nemo ride is Turtle Talk with Crush. This is another amazing technological wonder from Disney. Your kids can actually talk to Crush, ask him questions, and he will answer them! Pretty cool, huh?
3. Journey into Imagination with Figment (in Future World)-- This ride has changed a lot from when I was little, but it is still a hit with younger kids. You're on a tour of the Imagination Institute, exploring the five senses, but Figment keeps interrupting and causing big laughs. It's cute and quirky, with a great interactive area at the ride exit.

Disney's Hollywood Studios

1. Toy Story Mania (in Pixar Place)-- Without a doubt, the most popular ride in the park. Get there early and get a Fast Pass! This ride is awesome for the whole family. Your ride vehicle comes equipped with a pull cannon, which you use to play various carnvial style games hosted by the Toy Story characters. It's all in 3-D and makes for lots of laughs. Plus it's great when you earn braggin rights for having the high score :).
2. Disney Junior - Live on Stage! (in Animation Courtyard)-- Your kids' favorite Disney Junior shows come to life on stage. Kids are encouraged to sing and dance and clap along with their favorite characters. There are a limited number of shows each day, so be sure to consult your guide map when you get to the park. (There are also other great stage shows like Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage).
3. "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" Movie Set Adventure (in the Backlot)-- Oh-em-gee!! You couldn't get me out of here when I was little! This is an awesome playground for the kids. They get to climb a spiderweb, slide down a roll of flim, and even ride an ant. It makes you feel like you're right on the movie set of "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids." Awesome!

Animal Kingdom

1. Affection Section & Conservation Station (in Rafiki's Planet Watch)-- This is the place where the kids can pet and interact with real animals like goats, llamas, sheep, and more. They can also see how the animals are cared for and talk to their trainers.
2. The Boneyard (in Dinoland)-- This playground gives kids the chance to dig up dinosaur bones, play music, go through mazes, slides, and more.
3. Festival of the Lion King (in Camp Minnie-Mickey)-- This is my favorite show at Disney World. It's a wonderful telling of the story of the Lion King featuring amazing acrobatics, singing, dancing, and even a fire-breather. For the last song, kids are invited to come down and be part of the show. It's great fun for the whole family! (Also be sure to check out Finding Nemo The Musical in Dinoland).
4. Finding Nemo, the Musical (between Dinoland and Asia)-- This bright and brilliant show tells the story of Nemo that we all know and love, but this time with amazing effects, new songs, and gorgeous animated characters. It is unique among Disney stage shows in that most of the cast are puppets, but I promise this isn't like any puppet show you've ever seen.
5. Kilimanjaro Safari (in Africa)-- The safari is one of the park's top two attractions and is a must-do for the whole family. You'll hop aboard a safari truck driven by a guide who takes you from the jungle to the Savannah, pointing out and teaching you about all the animals you spot along the way. Unlike seeing them in a zoo, these animals are right up close and personal, sometimes blocking traffic as they cross the road in front of your truck. You can see animals all throughout the day, but you will often spot the most either in the morning just after park open, or on one of the last trucks in the afternoon. The ride closes before dark.

I can explain!

Wow. It's been 5 months since my last post. I bet you're thinking I totally forgot I even had this blog.  LOL I promise, I didn't! Life has just been, well, amazing-crazy-beautiful! As most of you know, our Disney trip in February was sort of my way of celebrating something really big in my life. As of February 1, 2012, I became a full-time professional photographer! For the past 4 years I have been trying to build my photography business up to a point where it could be my one and only job. I'm so proud to say that I finally reached that point, and business has been wonderful! Just as Disney taught me, I am making my dreams come true, and I love every moment of it!
So now that you know why you haven't been hearing from me lately, I think it's time I get back in the groove around here. When I first started this blog, I had planned out these detailed tours of each WDW park spanning several separate posts. Needless to say, I've deviated from that quite a bit! So from now on there is no plan. I'm just posting whatever wanders into my mind. If you're friends with me on Facebook (and if you're reading this, I bet you are!), you know from all my Disney related posts and re-posts that even though my feet are in Alabama, my heart is most definitely in Florida :).
Well, I've got a lot of posts to make up for, so let's get going! New Disney tips coming shortly!

Miranda

P.S. If you haven't seen it yet, check out my new photography website!
www.imaginationphotog.com
You can see some of my favorite Disney photos in the Featured section of the site, plus see how I put a little Disney magic into my work in a behind-the-scenes peek on the Imagination Photography blog.

Disney in February = LOVE!!!

Hi gang! We're back from our trip (although against my will ;) and let me just say that February is an AWESOME time to visit! Our weather was perfect; the crowds were light; and we only missed one attraction due to refurbishment. I took about 2,000 photos. Needless to say, I'm still going through and working on them, but you can see them all as I post them on my Flickr photostream.
For now, I thought I give you my review of traveling during the "value season" at Walt Disney World. Overall, I was very impressed. All the great things I had heard and read proved true, and some of the not-so-good things turned out to be wrong (at least for us). Let me break it down into the most notable pros and cons:

Pros
*Weather - We had absolutely PERFECT weather! It was about 80 during the day and about 65 to 70 at night. It wasn't miserable hot or freezing cold either. On our third day, it was overcast which made for a really comfortable day. This was also the first time I've ever been when it didn't rain at all during our stay. For Florida that's a rare occurance indeed!

*Crowds - This is probably what I was most impressed by. We arrived at Magic Kingdom around mid-morning on our first day. Usually by then Main St. is so packed you can't move. I was pleasantly surprise to find it fairly empty! We took our time taking photos without worry of getting run over. Then we headed to Peter Pan's Flight, where I'm used to wait times of an hour or more. We only waited about 10 minutes! The next day we went to Animal Kingdom and rode Expedition Everest twice in less than 30 minutes. Our longest wait time was for Space Mountain, where we waited about 30 minutes (I've waited an hour and a half before). I also noticed a big difference when it came to the firework shows. We had spectacular spots for both Epcot and Magic Kingdom without getting there super early.

Characters - I'm not sure why, but apparently this time of year is a great time to meet some rare characters. We met Pocahontas, the Evil Queen, Mary Poppins, Thumper, Chip and Dale, Pluto, Phineas and Ferb, Tinkerbell, Goofy and Max, Pooh, Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters, Woody, Buzz, Mickey, Minnie, and my favorite: Peter Pan! We also saw several other characters that I had never seen do meet-and-greets before. The lines were also fairly short, so it was easy to meet several of them quickly. Sometimes we didn't even have to stand in line at all.

Cons
Refurbishment - When doing research, this was just about the only con that kept popping up, although for us, it wasn't much of one. There was a lot of refurbishing on Main Street, with several of the buildings being covered in construction wrap, but all the main attractions were still open. The only thing that was closed that we wanted to do was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, so the whole refurb thing didn't affect us much.

Seasonal show and parade cancellations - While refurbisment wasn't an issue, this was. Fantasmic does not show this time of year, and for the week that we were there, Main St. Electrical Parade wasn't showing either. This really bummed me out, as they are two of my favorite things. On the bright side, we were able to get in bed a little earlier on a couple of nights.

So there you have it. Would I plan another trip for February? You bet! Other than October, it's probably my new favorite time to visit. The pros definitely outweigh the cons (and did I mention it's cheaper too!). Until next time, I'll leave you with one of my favorite shots from Wishes. See ya real soon!

Miranda

Tickets? Check. Hotel? Check. Tootbrush?...Uhhh...

Eeeeppp!!! Just one week until I'm back, zooming across Space Mountain, dodging the yeti on Everest, and speeding around Test Track. Wow, those 100 days went by fast! Now we're getting down to crunch time. This is the part of planning where you "dot your i's and cross your t's." Everyone has their own way of doing things, but here's my "Week Before" checklist. 

#1. Vouchers and Reservation Information

About a month or so before your vacation, you will receive a packet in the mail of maps, brochures, vouchers and details about your reservation (see my "Magical Mail" post). Be sure you hang on to this packet, especially your voucher book. If you flip through it, you'll see that one of the very first vouchers is for your hotel room. You'll need to bring this with you when you check in. You can use the other vouchers throughout your visit. It's also not a bad idea to hold onto your reservation confirmation number. Although I've never had an occasion come up where I needed it, I always like to have it on hand just in case.

#2. Double-Check the Park Calendars

It's always a good idea to take another look at the park calendars on the website as your vacation date approaches. Disney has been known to move things around a bit. For example, I had planned on us watching the Main Street Electrical parade on our last night. But last week when I went to confirm the start time on the calendar, I noticed that the showing for that night had been canceled, as were all the showings for that week. Needless to say, I was totally bummed, but now I can adjust our schedule to allow time for other attractions.

#3. Check the Extended Weather Forecast

This probably won't surprise you, but I am one of those silly people who gets so anxious that I'm packed a week in advance. LOL All that effort would probably go to waste though, if not for that ever-helpful extended weather forecast. As soon as it's available, I check the weather for Lake Buena Vista, Florida during the dates of our trip. (FYI: Disney World is not actually in Orlando. It's just a few miles outside the city in beautiful Lake Buena Vista :). This time I was happy to see highs were all in the upper 70s and lows were in the upper 50s/low 60s. AWESOME Disney weather!

#4. Don't Forget the Snack Bag!

This one is another tip I learned from my super-resourceful Mom. Snacks and drinks in the park are expensive! Just one bottle of Coke can cost you nearly five bucks. If you don't purchase the dining plan (and we didn't), then it's never a bad idea to pack a cooler of drinks and easy snacks. Feeding the whole family inside the parks for three meals a day can be very pricey, so we usually opt for a parking lot picnic in the back of the car. My mom always packs a cooler full of drinks and sandwich meats for lunch and a snack bag of cereal bars and muffins for breakfast. That way, the only meal we had to worrying about buying was supper. Trust me, it saves a LOT of money, and it gives you a little break from the crowds without having to go all the way back your resort. 

And of course, don't forget your toothbrush! LOL But if you do, don't worry, Disney's got ya covered ;).

See ya real, real soon!

Miranda

Magical Mail

There's nothing like going to the mailbox to find Mickey's face smiling back at you. I call it "magical mail." No matter how horrible my day has been, opening mail from Disney always makes me smile. But when that mail is concerning my very soon-to-be visit back, that grin gets even bigger.
When I got home yesterday from a nearly 6-hour photo shoot, I found two such envelopes waiting for me. My sister-in-law, Kayla (who is also my ever-handy photo assistant) and I both squealed with delight. What we had received was the first "welcome" package from Disney. Guests receive it shortly after booking their vacation, usually in about a month. I've mentioned this packet in one of my earliest posts, but in case you missed it, here's a look at what kinds of goodies you get.

• In the first envelope (top of the picture), you'll find park maps and a personalized booklet filled with details about your resort, dining plan options and special tips for your family. The last page also has a ready-made note card to record all your reservation information.
• The second envelope (bottom right) contains all of the vouchers you receive when you book your stay at a Disney World Resort hotel. These vouchers include everything from a free round of mini-golf, to restaurant discounts, jetski rentals, arcade points, spa services and merchandise discounts. But the most important voucher is the very first one which details your hotel reservations. This is the first voucher you'll use. When you check in at your resort hotel, be sure to tear it out and take it with you.
• Also included in the second envelope are luggage tags (bottom left) for everyone in your party. They change the look of these every year, but they are always so adorable. It adds that little touch of magic to even the most boring old suitcases.
• One other piece of magical mail I received (not pictured) is something kind of new that Disney has started doing. Now when you book a vacation, you'll receive a card in the mail with a personal URL. Type the URL into your browser and you'll find custom tips and suggestions for your vacation. You can also keep track of all your reservation information on this page. It's pretty neat to have your space on Disney's piece of the web.

See ya soon!
Miranda

A little note from the heart...

As I sit here less than a month away from my 15^th visit to Walt Disney World, I feel all kinds of sentimental nostalgia toward my favorite place on earth. The closer it gets, the more I think about it, the more I talk about it, and the more I reminisce about every happy moment I’ve spent there throughout my life.

Some people just don’t get it. They can’t understand how a 24-year-old could still be so much in love with something that most people lose interest in by the age of 10. Why do I love Disney so much? It’s something that’s kind of hard to explain, but today I’ve decided to try.

First of all I have to say, I think it’s different for me than it is for most people I know. Most of them didn’t grow up with it the same way I did, visiting the parks every Spring for the better part of their childhood. I know I am extremely blessed to have been able to do that. My children probably won’t get to do that, although I will do everything I can to take them as often as possible. I love my mom and dad to pieces for everything they did to give me unforgettable childhood memories.

Now on to a few of the reasons why I am, and will always be, a Disney kid.

#1: Magic is real.

You can’t see the face of a three-year-old as they meet Mickey Mouse or Cinderella for the first time and say that magic doesn’t exist. If there is one thing I’ve learned from my Disney adventures, it’s that magic lives inside all of us. It’s not something that can be seen or touched. It’s something you feel in your heart, and it will be there as long as you believe in it. To a child, Mickey isn’t a cartoon character, he’s a real friend; Cinderella really does live in the highest room of the highest tower of the castle; and “happily ever after” is not a dream, but an everyday reality. Children can feel the magic no matter where they are, but at Disney World, they can really live in it.

#2: Every day is an adventure.

While most kids were sharing stories about their trip to the beach or the mountains over Spring break, I would tell about zooming into outer space or riding on a runaway mine train or traveling all over the world in less than an hour. It sounded crazy, but I wasn’t exaggerating because it really felt that way. The difference between a Disney park and any other theme park is the incredible attention to detail that Disney puts into every attraction. When you step onto a pirate ship on Peter Pan’s Flight you really feel like you’re flying over Neverland. When you hop on the train at Expedition Everest, you really feel like you’re running from a yeti. When you eat lunch under the Eiffel Tower at the French pavilion, you really feel like you’ve been to France. You can do things on a Disney vacation that you can’t do on any other kind of vacation. But then again, it’s not really a vacation… It’s an adventure you never forget.

#3: That feeling.

There’s something that happens to you the first time you walk through the gates at Magic Kingdom. It’s something unexplainable, a feeling that you can only get at that moment. It’s different for everyone. For some, it’s pure excitement; for others, it’s like being a kid again. But for me, it’s like coming home. For someone who’s never really fit in anywhere, those streets and passageways are like a sanctuary. At Disney World, everyone is welcomed with open arms; everyone belongs. Cast members go out of their way to make each guest feel special and appreciated. Everyone is given the opportunity to shine, no matter who you are. Of all the places I’ve ever been, Disney World is the only place where I seem to truly relax and be happy. Once I’m on Disney property the rest of the world melts away. I’m not worried about work or bills or any other part of everyday life. I just get that feeling, and I’m home.

See ya real soon!
Miranda

A little Disney magic makes Christmas even better :)

Hi gang! Sorry I've been M.I.A. for the past couple months, but it's been that time of year and well, you know how it is. Even has hectic and crazy as the season can be, this year I couldn't resist taking the time to make it extra magical for my sisters-in-law. For their Christmas gifts, I knew I wanted to get them something for our trip, but everything I thought of just didn't seem quite special enough for that first time visit. Then it hit me: Why not put together a pack of Disney World essentials? A Disney Survival Kit sprinkled with love and advice from an older sister and WDW veteran :). Inspired by all the tiny, extra magical Disney touches, the gift became a piece of art. I think I had as much fun making it as they had opening it.
So if you're looking for some creative ways to get your kids even more excited for a Disney trip, or if you just want the magic to start right away, maybe this will give you some ideas. It was definitately a big hit with Kayla and Ashley. I think they are still wearing their Minnie Mouse boggins!


I decided to use a Neverland theme to tie all the parts of the gift together. I found a treasure chest at Hobby Lobby big enough to hold everything and painted the outside and inside of the lid. I also attached tags to each item inside, with a poem explaining why it was in the box.

When the girls opened the chest, the first item they pulled out was an envelope filled with customized maps of all four theme parks. You can order them from the Disney World website personalized with your favorite attractions lists. And best of all: they're FREE! Once you've ordered them, Disney will mail them to you in about 3 weeks.

Next, they found two Mickey ear pens (one of my favorite souvenirs) and an autograph book, as well as two disposable cameras.

 

Since we're going in Feburary, I wanted to get them something cute to keep warm with. I found adorable Minnie Mouse boggins at Wal-Mart and paired them with some plain black gloves.

The last surpise took me almost a month to complete. I had seen some "I'm going to the Walt Disney World Resort" T-shirts on the Disney Store website and loved them for a gift idea, but I really didn't like the ones from the store, so I made my own :). I bought two plain shirts at Hobby Lobby and a special paint medium to make my acrylic paints suitable for fabric. (You can also use ready-made fabrice paint, but I wanted more control over my colors and I have TONS of acrylics already.) For the front of the shirt, I painted an artsy version of Cinderella Castle on a background of paint-splatter fireworks, based on my own "Wishes" painting. On the back, I painted Mickey ears and "Disney Bound!"

The best part was seeing their faces when they first opened it. It's that look of magical anticipation, and I can't wait to see it again the first time they walk down Main St. at the Magic Kingdom. If it's possible, I think they are even more excited now! Seeing them excited makes me excited. I'm so glad I could bring a little Disney magic to their Christmas morning.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Miranda