A Few BIG Disney Announcements You May Have Missed

With the excitement of the announcement of the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, a few other BIG announcements from Disney have been missed by a lot of us!

Two New Nighttime Shows

Beginning May 1, the date of the 30th anniversary of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Wonderful World of Animation will make its grand premiere. This excitement-packed projection show will take you on an incredible journey through more than 90 years of Disney and Pixar animation.

Watch in wonder as the façade of the Chinese Theatre is magically transformed—displaying this stirring tribute to animation. Behold spectacular sequences celebrating themes like magic, family, adventure, romance and friendship. Each theme is brought to life through unforgettable moments from beloved films—like Sleeping Beauty, The Incredibles, Coco and many more.

world of animation nighttime show.jpeg

Of course, since we can never lose sight of the fact that it was all started with a mouse, the show fittingly begins and ends with the one-and-only Mickey.

Over at Epcot, a new nighttime spectacular, called “A Celebration of Disney Music,” will show how Disney music inspires people around the globe, and will feature large floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, kites with special effects, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, and lasers. The current Illuminations show will end this summer. Until the new show starts in 2020, there will be a limited-time experience, called “Epcot Forever,” which will debut in fall 2019 and will feature classic Epcot tunes.

Two New (Non-Star Wars) Experiences to Open at Hollywood Studios

 
mcqueen-550x310.jpg

The first new experience is Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy and it officially opened yesterday! In this interactive show, Lightning demonstrates what he’s learned over the years by using his brand-new, state-of-the-art racing simulator and its wraparound screen. Of course, as this seasoned racer has discovered throughout his career, things don’t always go according to plan, and he has to think fast to get back on course.

With Tow Mater, Cruz Ramirez and the gang from Radiator Springs rooting him on, Lightning gears up for the challenge. Will he emerge victorious? Speed on over to find out.

Also opening soon at Hollywood Studios is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway - the attraction replacing The Great Movie Ride inside of the replica of the Chinese Theater. No official opening date has been released yet by Disney, but according to insiders, it’s expected to be some time this summer.

Beauty and the Beast Sing-along to Debut at Epcot’s France Pavilion

A new guest offering will soon debut at the France pavilion at World Showcase (in addition to “Impressions de France”) – a brand new “Beauty and the Beast” sing-along created by Don Hahn, producer of the animated and live-action “Beauty and the Beast” films.

Space-Themed Restaurant at Epcot

A one-of-a-kind, space-themed restaurant is currently planned for Epcot that’ll offer guests amazing meals and a spectacular view – from high above Earth. This restaurant will be built in a newly developed area located between the park’s Mission: SPACE and Test Track attractions.

Epcot-Space-Resturant.jpg

Once completed, the restaurant will invite guests to travel to space for an amazing dining experience in the stars. The new restaurant will be operated by the Patina Restaurant Group, led by Nick Valenti, which operates several other restaurants around Walt Disney World Resort, including Tutto Italia and Via Napoli at Epcot and Morimoto Asia and Maria & Enzo’s Ristorante at Disney Springs.

Disney Skyliner

The new Disney Skyliner gondola system will begin transporting guests in Fall 2019, connecting Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot to four resort hotels: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort, the proposed 15th Disney Vacation Club property. Select gondolas will have Disney characters incorporated into their exterior design. After much speculation, it was confirmed earlier this year that the gondolas won’t have air conditioning.

Disney loves to keep things new and exciting so that guests always have a reason to return!! Keep your eyes on the blog here at Trips by Mouse to keep up with all of the fun! And, of course, if you’re thinking of traveling to the Mouse’s House, give me a call! It’s always free to book with me!








5 Crazy Facts about Disney World's Trash!

Disney World has an average annual attendance of 52 MILLION visitors! So of course, that means a lot of trash is generated. Here are some amazing facts about all of that trash…

trash can fantasyland.jpeg

1 - AVACS - You’ve probably heard that a lot of the behind-the-scenes work at Magic Kingdom takes place below the park itself. It’s built on top of a series of utility corridors or “utilidors” that house many of the operations that keep the park running smoothly.

The AVAC system — Automated Vacuum Assisted Collection System — was imported from Sweden. It’s basically a series of large tubes that hang from the ceiling of the utilidor. It moves trash around the park through pneumatic tubes at 60 miles per hour to a central collection point located behind Splash Mountain where it is processed, compressed or recycled. There are access points all over the park and the garbage is actually “sucked” into the tubes. The vacuum is created by two motors and exhausts and the tubes themselves are 20″ in diameter.

2 - AMOUNT OF WASTE - An average of more than 80,000 pounds of garbage run through the AVACS every day. And that’s just at the Magic Kingdom! According to a report from the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which oversees Disney World operations, more than 110,000 TONS of solid waste were discarded in 2017.

3 - GARBAGE TRUCKS - Who is taking care of all this trash? That falls on the Reedy Creek Improvement District’s 35 solid waste transfer vehicles. In 2017, these vehicles made an average of 191 pick-ups per day. Keep in mind these are full-size garbage trucks that would be full each pick-up. That’s a pick-up every 7.5 minutes on average!

4 - CUSTOM TRASH CANS - Walt Disney World trash cans have become such a crucial part of the Disney experience, that they even sell merchandise designed around them.

Walt himself wanted to make sure the park was clean and tidy. Typical trash cans at the time were simple round, open receptacles that led to foul odor and trash spilling out - far from clean and tidy.

Trash can inspired salt/pepper shakers!

Trash can inspired salt/pepper shakers!

Walt came up with a solution - the covered bin with a swinging lid. This would contain the trash out of sight, and control the smell. Disneyland was the first place to use these trash cans, but Walt never patented the idea because other manufacturers told him they were useless.

The trash cans are themed appropriately to the area of the park they are in. They are part of the decor and actually FUN to look at. This makes you more likely to walk up to a trash can and use it.

5 - PERFECT PLACEMENT - Besides the perfect designs for trash cans, Walt knew they had to be perfectly placed in order for people to use them. He decided to station a trash can every 30 feet.

There are a few different versions of the story of how Walt came up with this exact measurement. The first is that it’s how long it took him to finish his hot dog as he walked from the stand. When he was done, he needed a trash can to dispose of the wrapper. The second is that Walt and his team removed all of the trash cans on Main Street and then handed out candy and snacks to people as they entered the park. They then watched and counted how long people would carry the wrappers and paper before giving up and dropping them, and it was around 30 feet.

Who knew that trash could be so interesting?? Remember that I will plan and book your Disney trip for free and leave you with time on your hands to read about things like garbage!

Five Fun Secrets of the Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion was one of the original rides at Magic Kingdom’s opening day on October 1, 1971. It’s the home of “999 happy haunts” - but of course there’s always room for one more!!

Poor Ryan thought he was going to become the 1000th resident ghost in the Haunted Mansion.

Poor Ryan thought he was going to become the 1000th resident ghost in the Haunted Mansion.

The Imagineers certainly had fun creating this attraction, and snuck in a few fun details. Watch for these on your next trip…

A Missing Engagement Ring

The Imagineers didn’t go overboard in telling the story of the Haunted Mansion - they left it fairly vague which adds to the mystery. The legend you’ll hear most often is of the engagement ring. Supposedly the attic bride threw it off of the balcony after murdering one of her husbands. The reality is that it was a scrap of metal left over from an old gate removal. At one point, the attraction received a refurbishment and the metal was removed. Guests were so furious that when the queue was redone in 2011, the Imagineers added a real engagement ring. Look for it as you weave through the entrance line – it’s in the part of the line where you’ve wrapped around and the “head” statues are on the other side of the fence. It’s tucked in between a wall and a nearby trash can. If you can’t find it just ask a Mansion Maid or Butler. They’re always DYING to help out guests.

Madame Leota’s Tombstone

If you get the feeling you’re being watched while in line, you just might be right. Right before you enter the building, look to the graveyard on your left. Watch Madame Leota’s tombstone for a moment and she might spring to life. And yep, this is the same Madame Leota from the seance room inside the Mansion!

Tombstone.jpg

A Haunted Game Piece

Look up to the rooftop of the Mansion. Notice anything? The cement ornaments on top are chess pieces! Marc Davis, an Imagineer that designed the Mansion was a fan of the game. While working on the attraction design, he often left chess pieces laying around the model and one night left them on top of the model. They must have liked the look of it since they made it onto the actual attraction! Be sure when you leave the attraction to ask the PhotoPass photographer for the “Magic Shot” with the hitchhiking ghost!!

Meet Your Host, Your Ghost Host

Most people love the chilling voice of the Ghost Host (and many will recite the stretch room speech by heart). But guess what? You can actually get a glimpse of the Ghost Host on the ride! His portrait hangs in the Mansion. Look for it after you pass the casket with the hand coming out of it as your doom buggy has turned backwards. It’s hanging on the right just before you swivel back around and see the grandfather clock.

ghost host.jpg

Mr. Toad in the Graveyard

One of the attractions that people miss most from Disney World is Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. I was lucky enough to get to go to Disneyland recently where the attraction still exists and rode it there. Not quite as terrifying as I remember it being when I first rode it at the age of 10, but still fun!! It was replaced at Disney World with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (there’s a nod to Mr. Toad in that ride also). The Haunted Mansion Imagineers included poor Mr. Toad in the special pet cemetery at the graveyard. Look to the left as you’re exiting the attraction (he’s at the far back left).

pet cemetery.jpg

Do you have other attractions you’d love to know the secrets of? Or do you have secrets of your own to share? Put it in the comments!

And one thing to not keep secret - if you let me help you book and plan your Disney vacation, you’ll be getting my expert service FREE OF CHARGE!! Give me a call!

Winter Snow Storm Predicted to Hit Disney World This Week!

Wait, what?? Snow at Disney World? I might be a little confused - although it’s supposed to snow in Oklahoma tomorrow, none is predicted for Orlando. According to rumors, it’s only actually ever snowed at Disney World twice - once in the late 70s and once in the late 80s but not enough to stick either time.

So if you want snow, Orlando is probably not the best option for you. However, with the possibility of snow here, I’m dreaming of Disney World and the warmth of it all - along with a warm hug from Olaf!

IMG_4531.jpeg

Not everyone wants to be quite as toasty warm as I do, though. So if you’re one of the people looking to stay cool on a Disney World trip, here are a few tips for you.

First off - go during cooler weather!! October/November are beautiful and have fewer crowds. January, February and early March (avoiding Marathon weekends and Spring Break) also have fewer crowds but you’ll run into a bit more rain then. Still, that helps keep it cooler.

If you do happen to go in the hotter months, there are plenty of ways to cool off. When we were there a few years ago, they had a Frozen themed “snow” playground. It’s not there anymore but you never know when something like this will pop up!

DSC_3237.jpg

Of course, there of tons of refreshing treats (DOLE WHIP, ANYONE??) to help you beat the heat. And don’t forget about Club Cool in Epcot where you can drink all you want of the complimentary sodas from around the world!

Look for water areas to help your kids cool off. There are misters scattered around and plenty of fountains to run through. And sometimes just the “feeling” of being cold is all you really need - it’s a frame of mind!

I love how almost all of the queues for attractions are indoors or in the shade. Stick to the rides that will keep you out of the sun. A great spot for this is in Norway at Epcot. Even in the summer, you feel like you are in the snowy mountains. Be sure to visit the Frozen Singalong at Hollywood Studios for an indoor snow storm! Or take a trip to visit the Yeti on Mt. Everest! I tend to black out on that ride but based on the shakes I get, I think it cools me off…

You may not always get perfect weather on your trip, but with some advanced planning we can make sure you have the best time possible. Please give me a call if you are thinking about a Disney (or Universal!) trip. I can’t wait to help you have a Magical time!!


Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique - A Review!!

If you’ve been to Disney World or have ever seen someone’s vacation photos from their trip, you’ve probably noticed how some of the little girls look just like their favorite Princesses!! They receive this Magical transformation at an awesome place called Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

As you well know, I have 3 boys so I’ve never had the chance to check out the Boutique. They also have a Knight makeover but I think my boys were afraid they’d actually have to talk to a princess so they never wanted to do it.

Not having been, I’m relying on others’ information here but trust me when I say I have reliable sources!!

Here are the details…

Share the fun as your little one enjoys a resplendently royal head-to-toe transformation. With the wave of a magic wand—plus a few hands-on tricks of the trade—our Fairy Godmothers-in-Training will pamper and primp your child until they’re storybook stunning: ready to dance at the ball or gallop off on epic adventures. It’s all in a day’s work at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, owned by Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother and operated by her skilled apprentices.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique offers head-to-toe pampering packages that include imperial hairstyling, makeup, manicures, costumes and accessories suitable for even the most castle-worthy occasion.

First, select the hairstyle of your choice:

  • Fairytale Princess

  • Disney Diva

  • Color Star

Then select your package:

The Crown Package (starting at $64.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

The Courtyard Package (starting at $109.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

  • Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique T-shirt

  • Trendy tutu

The Castle Package (starting at $199.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess necklace, sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

  • Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included)

  • Additional coordinating accessories

The Deluxe Castle Package (starting at $229.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess necklace, sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

  • Deluxe Disney Princess gown of your choice (shoes not included) - Select from a limited number of Disney Princesses

  • Coordinating boxed accessory set

The Princess Signature Dress Collection (starting at $450.00 plus tax)

  • Disney Princess gown made with heirloom-quality fabrics and intricate design details that tell the story of the princess

  • High-quality crystal tiara with box

  • Organza garment bag and satin hanger

  • Hairstyling

  • Shimmering make-up and face gem

  • Princess sash and cinch sack

  • Nail polish

The Knight Package ($19.95 plus tax)

  • Hairstyling with gel

  • Mighty sword and shield

  • Confetti

The Deluxe Knight Package ($79.95 plus tax)

  • Prince Costume

  • Hairstyling with gel

  • Mighty sword and shield

  • Confetti

Please note: all prices are subject to change without notice and were current at the time of this blog post (Jan 2019).


All Disney PhotoPass photos taken at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are included with the purchase of Memory Maker which is another reason to get the Memory Maker!!

Some tips… makeovers at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique are very popular. Reservations can be made up to 180 days in advance and are highly recommended. To book your appointment with a Fairy Godmother-in-training, just let me know before your 180 day mark. I’d be happy to get your appointment as soon as phone lines open at 6am!

  • A $10 cancellation fee will be applied to credit cards for all no-shows or if a reservation is canceled within 24 hours of scheduled time - so please let me know if your plans change.

  • To participate, Guests must be between 3 and 12 years of age and be accompanied by an adult (18 years of age or older). I WISH IT WERE OLDER!! But if you are interested and you’re not in this age range, let me know. There are other options - not as fun as getting pampered in the castle but the result will be the same!

  • Transformations will take 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the package selected.

  • Costume choices may include Anna, Elsa, Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Cinderella, Tinker Bell, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida.

  • Costume selection and sizing may vary and certain accessories are sold separately.


Have you been to the BBB (as the cool kids call it)? I’d love to see your pictures!!! And as always, it’s my pleasure to book your appointments for you when you book with me. And my services are free!!

My Favorite Disney Christmas Pictures

You know I love Disney. You may also know that I love Christmas. So what could be better than Disney at Christmas?!? Today I want to share my favorite pictures of our Disney Christmas memories. Enjoy and remember that it’s not too early to book your trip for next Christmas! With Star Wars Land opening in the Fall, rooms are going fast. Call me and let’s get to planning!!


Disneyland vs. Disney World - Which One is Better? Part Two...

If you didn’t read last week’s post, be sure and do it here… So in Part Two, I’ll give you the reasons why Disney World is the best.

The most amazing feeling at Disney World is when you first enter the park and see the Castle. It’s one of my favorite views in the world. The Castle at Disneyland is pretty, but it’s quite a bit smaller and just doesn’t have the same impact. Yes, I know in these pics, I’m close to the first castle and farther away from the second. But they are significantly different in size.

Actually, I first should have mentioned the transportation to Disney World from the airport. It’s complimentary for on-site resort guests! Disneyland Express is an extra charge. The Magical Express is one of my favorite things (on the way to Disney anyway - on the way out, it’s super sad!). At Orlando International, you can’t miss the Magical Express and you feel like you are already in the Disney Bubble as soon as you get the to boarding area. Not really the case in L.A. The Disneyland Express bus was convenient but just felt like a plain old bus ride. Magical Express shows Disney videos to get you in the Disney mood!

Another perk that Disney World has which Disneyland doesn’t is the MagicBands. I’ve done a blog post on them before - check it out here for the details… I love the bling of a MagicBand but more importantly I love what it does. I can unlock my room door, get into the parks, redeem FastPasses, charge things to my room and have my PhotoPass pictures put on my account without having to carry around anything but my band! So convenient!

I mentioned on Part One that Disneyland has a couple of Lands that Disney World doesn’t. But to be fair, Disney World has 4 - count them 4 - parks!! Compared to the 2 parks of Disneyland, you’ve got a lot more options there. It’s definitely not as easy to get between the 4 parks as it is to park-hop at Disneyland but it can be done. We did all 4 in one day on our last Disney World trip and it was so much fun.

One day Four parks!

One day Four parks!

Of course, park hopping takes time and energy so consider the people in your party (small kids, elderly peeps?) before embarking on that adventure!

So which rides do I like better at Disney World? Going the time of year that I went to Disneyland, The Haunted Mansion had its holiday overlay which means it’s done in the theme of the Nightmare Before Christmas. If you like that movie, then you might prefer to see it with the overlay. For some reason, I’ve never been a fan of that movie so really didn’t like the overlay. I was sad to not see may favorite ghosts and hear my favorite song! Disney World definitely gets the win on this ride.

The monorail is probably better at Disney World also - it actually provides transportation there where at Disneyland I kind of feel like it’s a filler ride. At Disneyland it takes you from Downtown Disney to Tomorrowland and back. I would much rather go in the main entrance and walk down Main Street so didn’t ride it much. At Disney World, you can get from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot and to 3 resorts - much more useful.

I felt like I would rather ride Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story Mania at Disney World but I honestly think it’s because of the lack of a cute queue.

I prefer pretty much all of the ride queues at Disney World. A lot of them have been redone in recent years and offer hands-on entertainment while you’re waiting. Disneyland queues are just plain old rope lines.

So after all of this… do I have a winner? Honestly if money was no object, I would just go back and forth between the 2 each trip. Sadly since I don’t have unlimited funds, I would pick Disney World any chance I am able to go. There’s just so much more there. I also think people prefer the one that they know better and have an attachment to. I may have gone to Disneyland first (when I was 10), but it was so long ago I didn’t really remember it. Having been to Disney World so many times - and having been with my kids - makes it more of an emotional attachment for me.

Everyone is different and every family has different needs. Call me and let’s figure out which one would be best for you!! My services are FREE!!




Disneyland vs. Disney World - Which One is Better? Part One...

Traveling to Disneyland and Disney World both within the last year, I have found myself constantly comparing the two. So today, I want to tell you what’s the same, what’s different and which one I prefer!

First off, as I heard many times during my recent Disneyland training, picking one over the other is kind of like picking your favorite child. Can’t (or shouldn’t!) really be done. So I’ll have a hard time saying, “if you can only go to one, go here…” But I will tell you which parts of the parks are different in good and bad ways.

Something unique to Disneyland is that Walt Disney himself set foot there. To a Disnerd like myself, that’s pretty incredible. I love the fact that Walt’s apartment has been kept intact above the firehouse on Main Street. You can even go in it if you do the “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” tour. Sadly, I didn’t get to do the tour this time but it’s on my list to do when I return!

The biggie in favor of Disneyland is the transportation. Or really lack thereof. The entire 4 days I was at Disneyland, I never set foot in a bus, car or public transportation. Other than the ride from the airport to Disneyland, I walked. The 3 onsite hotels are literally onsite. Unlike Disney World where you may still be a few miles from the park you want to visit, you are within walking distance to both parks. The nearby Good Neighbor hotels are also within walking distance!

And if you want to park hop, you don’t need to factor in transportation time. It takes literally 30 seconds to walk from the exit of one park to the entrance of the other. And even better, security checkpoints are outside of this area so to go from one park to the other doesn’t require going through security again!

There are a few rides that I think are better at Disneyland:

Space Mountain - It seemed darker and more intense. I don’t tend to get butterflies on the Disney World version but I did at Disneyland! I also like that you can sit side-by-side which is nice if you have a smaller child you want to sit with. Luke was pretty nervous on the Disney World one the first time since he was in a row alone.

it’s a small world - Disneyland puts much more emphasis on this ride. It’s in a stand-alone building here rather than mixed in with the other rides of Fantasyland. And during the holidays, they go all out and overlay it with a holiday theme. So cute and festive!! Beware though - they intersperse Jingle Bells with the Small World theme song throughout and it WILL get stuck in your head!! :)

Autopia (Tomorrowland Speedway at WDW) - This ride is certainly not a thrill ride and you can feel like you’ve gotten whiplash if you let your kid drive. But this version seemed easier to control, was a longer drive and had a lot more to see and do on it. Way better than the Disney World version which we sometimes skip.

Another plus for Disneyland is that they have a couple of lands that Disney World doesn’t. The theming and the rides in Cars Land and Pixar Pier are outstanding. Radiator Springs Racers is up there with my favorite rides ever!

So based on just these few things, can I say which one is my favorite? You know me - of course I can’t! Look for Part 2 next week on the things that I prefer at Disney World. Maybe then I’ll be able to decide…

And of course, call me and let’s chat about which one would be best for you and your family! I would love to plan and book your trip at NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU!!