Some (Most Likely Unintentional) Creepy Things at Disney World

Being the Happiest Place on Earth, you might think there’s nothing creepy about it. But there are a few things!!

Obviously, attractions like The Haunted Mansion and Tower of Terror are intentionally creepy. But even within those rides, there are extra creepy items. I can give myself nightmares if I hear “Hurry Back” at the end of the Haunted Mansion too late at night. After exiting the Tower of Terror, you just might notice this ventriloquist’s dummy.

Disney’s Boardwalk resort has a couple of creepy things that aren’t supposed to be creepy at all. These chairs sit on either side of the Boardwalk lobby’s fireplace. Referred to as “Nanny Chairs,” they were historically found on carousels and gave adults a place to sit while the children rode the horses. I’ll just stand, thanks.

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The other fun but creepy touch at the Boardwalk is the huge clown slide at the pool. I don’t have a clown phobia but this guy looks a bit too much like the clown from It to me. At least it spits you out - if you had to enter the slide through his head, there would probably be a lot fewer kids enjoying this slide!

Here’s something that should give you the creeps. While it is COMPLETELY AGAINST THE RULES, some guests still think it’s okay to sprinkle their deceased relative’s ashes at Disney World. The most common attempts are to sprinkle them outside of their Doom Buggy on the Haunted Mansion or outside of their boat on Pirates of the Caribbean. If caught, the ride must be stopped and cleaned. Don’t ruin it for the rest of us! *Side note - I’d want to be sprinkled in the water surrounding the Castle, but that’s just me…

Speaking of Pirates, it’s not necessarily a creepy ride. With the song that makes me bob my head and sing along, it actually seems pretty cheerful to me. But did you know that one of the skulls is an actual human skull? Yikes!

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And lastly, not many people think of “it’s a small world” in a creepy way. Some find the song annoying but that’s about it. Well, if you’d like to keep it that way, don’t read the novel Kingdom Keepers! It’s a fun book, but the dolls come to life and attack some kids. Think about that the next time you have a delay in the ride and your boat floats in one room for a while…

Want to see all of these things? Of course you do! CONTACT ME! It’s always free to use my services…

Behind-the-scenes Tour at Disney World Shows Holiday Transformation!

Want to see how Walt Disney World Resort is transformed for the holidays? Now you can during this behind-the-scenes tour!

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Explore this winter wonderland—brimming with dazzling displays, delectable treats and pure Disney magic!

During this festive and fun-filled 3-hour tour, you'll see firsthand the incredible artistry and logistics that make Walt Disney World Resort even merrier and brighter at this time of year.

You’ll:

• Discover how the Holiday Services Designers use themes to fashion the distinctive decorations that “deck the halls” throughout the Resort.
• Visit the Floral Department for an up-close look at the special displays created just for the season.
• Join a Disney Springs culinary artist to whip up a mouthwatering seasonal treat of your own.

In addition, each Guest will receive an exclusive holiday keepsake!

This tour is $149 per person. Theme Park admission isn’t required or included. If you are interested, let me know and I’ll get it booked for you!

Food! Food! Food! (From the Stomach of a Picky Eater)...

I hear people all of the time talk about the amazing food at Disney World. I agree with them - it is amazing! But my idea of amazing is pretty much what a kid would want to eat - I’m super picky. Are you a foodie? Apparently you’ll be even happier with the food selection. While I’m no expert on the gourmet options, take a look at the yummy food I had on my last trip.

Want more info on any of this food or any other options? Call me!! I LOVE to chat Disney and my planning/booking services are always FREE!

Disney Acronyms - The List is Here!

Have you ever heard a couple of true Disney nerds have a conversation? It’s filled with plenty of acronyms that the casual guest may not understand. Here’s a list to help you get in on the conversation!

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Some of these vary depending on the nerd of course, but if you’re talking to this nerd in particular, you’ll know the lingo…

ADR – Advance Dining Reservation

AK (or DAK) – Disney’s Animal Kingdom

AKL – Animal Kingdom Lodge

AoA – Disney’s Art of Animation Resort

AP – Annual Pass or Annual Passholder (I WISH THIS WERE ME!!!!)

ASMusic – Disney’s All-Star Music Resort

ASMovies – Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort

ASSports – Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort

BBB – Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

BCR – Beach Club Resort

BLT– Bay Lake Towers at the Contemporary

BOG – Be Our Guest Restaurant

BTMR – Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

BWI – Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

CBJ – Country Bear Jamboree

CBR – Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

CM – Cast Member

Cont – Disney’s Contemporary Resort

CoP – Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress

CRT – Cinderella’s Royal Table

CSR– Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort 

DAK (or AK) – Disney’s Animal Kingdom

DCA – Disney California Adventure

DCL – Disney Cruise Line

DDP – Disney Dining Plan

DHS – Disney’s Hollywood Studios

DL – Disneyland

DLH – Disneyland Hotel

DLR– Disneyland Resort

DME – Disney Magical Express

DS – Disney Springs

EC – Epcot

EMH – Extra Magic Hours

F&G – Epcot Flower and Garden Festival

F&W – Epcot Food & Wine Festival

FEA – Frozen Ever After

FoP – Avatar Flight of Passage

FP – FastPass

FtW – Fort Wilderness

GF – Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

GS – Guest Services

HEA – Happily Ever After Fireworks Show

HoP – The Hall of Presidents

iasw – “it’s a small world”

JC – Jungle Cruise

KJS – Kilimanjaro Safari

LBV – Lake Buena Vista

LWTL – Living with the Land

M&G – Character Meet and Greet

MB – Magic Bands

MDE – My Disney Experience

MK – Magic Kingdom

MNSSHP – Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

MVMCP – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

OKW – Disney’s Old Key West

PH – Park Hopper 

PoC – Pirates of the Caribbean

POFQ – Port Orleans French Quarter

Poly – Disney’s Polynesian Resort

POP – Pop Century Resort

PORS – Port Orleans Riverside

PotC – Pirates of the Caribbean

PP - Peter Pan

QS – Quick Service (dining)

RnR – Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

RoL – Rivers of Light

SDD – Slinky Dog Dash

SDMT (or 7DMT) – Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

SoG – Shades of Green Resort

SSE – Spaceship Earth

SSR – Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort

SWGE – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge

ToT – “The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror”

TS – Table Service (dining)

TSI – Tom Sawyer Island

TSL – Toy Story Land

TSM – Toy Story Mania

TT – Test Track

TTA – Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover

TTC – Transportation and Ticket Center

WDTC – Walt Disney Travel Company

WDW – Walt Disney World Resort

WL – Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort

WoD – Disney’s World of Disney

WWoS – Disney’s Wide World of Sports

YCR – Disney’s Yacht Club Resort

Anything I’ve left off?? Comment and let me know!

When you’re ready to have your “let’s go to Disney” conversation with me, give me a call!! There are never any fees - you pay the same if you book with me or book on your own. Why wouldn’t you get free help?!

Jungle (or Jingle!) Cruise - a Review of this Fan-Favorite Disney Attraction

“Everyone turn around and wave goodbye to the folks back on the dock … they may never see you again. But then again, you probably never saw them before, either.” This is just one of the wonderfully bad jokes you’ll hear on the World Famous Jungle Cruise at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

I have to be honest - up until my recent trip, I had only ridden this once and thought it was a tad on the boring side. It’s a 10-minute ride through a jungle river with animatronics. The “skippers” of the boats keep you entertained with jokes throughout the ride.

That’s where my original problem with the ride happened - the jokes. I must have gotten a skipper that just wasn’t into it that day because I didn’t even chuckle once. But consistently, wait times are high for this ride and I have several clients that put it in their top 3 at Magic Kingdom!

So I decided I’d better give it another shot. I’m so glad I did! I laughed out loud many times and was truly disappointed for the ride to end. I ended up riding it several times one day and laughed each and every time. Although the skippers give the same basic speech on the tour, they ad-lib quite a bit. And yes, it’s corny but in a really fun way.

The lines do get long so I’d definitely recommend FastPass. This attraction is outdoors and the queue, while covered, can get very uncomfortable on a warm day. I wouldn’t use this one as one of your 3 pre-booked FastPasses, but as soon as you use your third one, snag one for this.

At Christmas, the attraction is transformed into the Jingle Cruise. Join the homesick skippers as they set out on a holly, jolly journey packed with shenanigans. The boathouse and beyond are decked out with merry décor that’s been mailed to the skippers or that they've created themselves. They’re even unwrapping a few holiday jokes to help everyone get in the spirit.

The murky water passengers sail through is dyed brown, dark green, or muddy blue. The coloring serves two purposes: It provides a more realistic portrayal of swampy waters, of course, but it also conceals the fact that the cruise ships are on a track in a pool that’s less than four feet deep in most areas.

Legend has it that the Jungle Cruise is what inspired Walt Disney to decide that his parks would never be complete. Walt was strolling through Disneyland when he heard a young boy asking his mom to take him on the Jungle Cruise. The mother replied something to the effect of, “No, we did that last time we were here.” Hearing that, Walt decided he had to keep changing and improving things in order to keep guests coming back.

It’s a 10-minute, 10,000-mile journey that you won't soon forget! Call me and let’s get you headed to the Jungle!! It’s always free to use my trip booking and planning services!!!

A Review of Disney's All-Star Sports Resort

On my recent solo trip to Walt Disney World, I stayed for the first time at one of Disney’s Value resorts - the All-Star Sports Resort. We have been very lucky in the past to score some great deals and have always stayed at Moderate or Deluxe resorts. Going alone and knowing that I would have very little time at the resort (remember my 23.75 hour day?), I decided to go as least expensive as possible.

I have no regrets! All of the Disney resorts are safe, clean and have amazing customer service. The Value resorts don’t have quite the same level of amenities (no table service dining, no slides in the pool, smaller rooms), but not spending time there, I didn’t miss any of that.

I’m not one to do table service dining at the resort - honestly I want every moment to be at the parks. But even if you’re a table service kind of person, don’t knock the quick service until you try it. They have a wonderful perk - mobile ordering at the food court! I was able to place my order for MICKEY WAFFLES in my room and by the time I walked to the food court, it was ready. If that’s not good news, I don’t know what is.

If I were planning to have a resort day or had kids with me that wanted to have a pool day, I would probably lean towards the Moderate at least, but I was sure happy to spend the money I saved on other things!!

All-Star Sports is wonderfully themed - I was in the football section. I meant to get over to the baseball section and grab some pics as that’s my favorite sport but completely ran out of time!

My only complaint is that although it’s highly themed, it’s not highly “Disney” themed. On the bus to the parks, instead of Disney music, they play marching band type songs. Not a huge deal, but if you’re expecting to stay in the Disney bubble, it can be a bit jarring.

Here are a few pics of the resort…

I would definitely stay here again! I’m hoping to hit every resort at some point so it may be a while but I’ll be back!

Want to plan a visit to Disney World? Give me a call! My trip planning services are always free and I can make sure you stay in the resort that is right for your family.

That Time I Went to Magic Kingdom WITH ZERO CROWDS!!!

A couple of trips ago, I missed out on the opportunity to go to a Magic Kingdom After Hours event and have been kicking myself ever since. Thankfully on my most recent trip, the timing worked out and I was there on a night they were doing the After Hours party. Let me tell you, I can’t recommend this enough!! For those of you that love the attractions but hate the crowds, THIS IS FOR YOU!!!

Take a look at the blog post I did originally on the party details by clicking here. There are just a couple of updates from that post. Obviously those dates are in the past so be sure and ask me for the new ones (they are currently only scheduled through Jan 2020). The prices for After Hours at Magic Kingdom are currently $129 per ticket . Animal Kingdom also does an After Hours event for the same price, but honestly I don’t think you’d get nearly as much bang for your buck there. Not as many attractions are open and the animals are mostly asleep!

Check out these photos from my night at Magic Kingdom. I’m not even joking when I say that I really felt alone a good portion of the night. I rarely ran into other Guests. I saw many more Cast Members than Guests throughout the park.

Disney doesn’t publish the number of tickets available for these events, but they are extremely limited and often sell out. You’ll also pay a few dollars more if you purchase the tickets at the gate if they still have any available. So be sure to let me know if you’re interested in this and I’ll get your tickets in advance and attach them to your MyDisneyExperience account.

I just have one word of warning if you’re doing this party - don’t overdo it on the free ice cream/popcorn/soft drinks! I ate a bit too much and felt pretty queasy after the third time in a row on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Totally worth the queasiness but I might spread out the snacks a bit more next time!

Don’t have a trip planned to Disney at the moment? Let’s change that! Give me a call and I’ll plan and book your trip with no hassle and NO FEES! It’s always free to use my trip planning services to any Disney or Universal destination.

The Kiss Goodnight - A Magic Kingdom Magical Moment

If you’re any kind of Disney World fan, you’ve probably seen or at least heard of the Kiss Goodnight. If you haven’t, then enjoy today’s blog post about one of the most Magical moments you can experience at the Magic Kingdom.

Being my favorite park by far, I can find tons of Magical moments in the Kingdom. But the Kiss Goodnight is the top of the list. It’s Disney’s way of saying goodnight to the guests that remain in the park after closing. It’s around 2 minutes long and usually happens every half hour starting 30 minutes after the park officially closes. I saw it twice one night but have heard others that saw it 3 times so if you miss it, try to hang around another half hour and catch the next one. Sadly, they will eventually kick you out (in a very kind Disney way), so try to make a point to catch the first one.

You’ll know it’s starting when Cinderella Castle starts to twinkle as the music from When You Wish Upon a Star begins to play.

It may surprise you to find out that this trip was my first time to see the Kiss Goodnight in person. Since you can get in line for any ride you’d like mere minutes before closing, I usually try to get one last ride on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train or Peter Pan’s Flight. That’s great but timing has never worked out and it’s usually more than 30 minutes before I get back over to the Castle.

This time I made a point of getting back over there and sacrificed my last ride (it helps that it wasn’t my last night in the parks). There’s something about being there after the park closes. There are also very few people who stay to watch this (someone explain that to me) and it feels like you have the Castle to yourself.

Just in case you’ve never seen it, take a look at my video here! Just don’t blame me if you get tears in your eyes…

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Let’s get you to Magic Kingdom as it’s SO much better in person! Give me a call! Remember there are no fees for my services and I can’t wait to help you upgrade the Magic!

How I Got This Sweatshirt at Disney World for FREE!!

On my last trip to Disney, I planned to not buy any souvenirs as this was a work trip and I already felt a little guilty for not taking my kids. But I still came home with this super cute sweatshirt! And it didn’t even cost me anything. How did I do it?

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First of all, even though you can do online checkin weeks in advance at your Disney resort, always go by the front desk when you arrive. It’s never guaranteed but you might get a Cast Member looking for the next awesome family to upgrade. And I always go and reset my PIN for my MagicBand so that I can charge on it.

But even better, you can ask about forgoing Mousekeeping (Disney-speak for housekeeping) while you’re there. I did just that and got a $30 Disney gift card for opting out! (This isn’t a guaranteed perk, but so far everyone that I know that has asked about it has received it)!

Before you go telling me you can’t stay in a dirty hotel room for a week, I bet you can! As much as I try, I don’t get around to cleaning our bathrooms at home more than every 2 weeks so a few days isn’t anything new for us.

Plus you can call the front desk at any time and ask for more towels or linens. They will happily take your dirty ones away also.

The other reason I used to love Mousekeeping is that they brought fresh toiletries and the little bottles of Disney shampoo/conditioner/soap were the best. But now, in an effort to reduce plastic waste, the resorts don’t have the individual bottles anymore. Most of the resorts (if not all at this point) have bottles attached to the wall that you just pump out. At first I was sad to see those little bottles go, but then I remembered my stash of them at home that’s at least 5 years old and I never use them. I’m either a hoarder or just so nostalgic that I can’t stand the thought of not having them, that has caused me not to use them up. (Let’s go with nostalgic).

There was also something nice about knowing that no one would be coming in the room. I always feel like I have to “pick-up” a bit so Mousekeeping doesn’t know what a slob I truly am.

Of course, I wasn’t lucky enough to find this sweatshirt for $30 (I was at Disney World after all), but I had my Disney Visa reward money to make up the difference. Be sure and take advantage of that program too!!

Want more tips about how to save for Disney or earn perks? Please contact me! I’m happy to share my secrets when I plan and book your trip. And guess what… My services are FREE also!

Click this link to contact me and let’s get started on your trip!!