Throwback Thursday: Walt Disney World - October 2009 - Part 4

By Nick 

Back in the day, my social media outlet was the DVC News Forums. I would write trip reports for each of our visits to Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and I'm sharing them here.

Some trip reports were more in depth than others, and this one is on the more descriptive side. 

Also, as this was a "live" trip report, I jump back in forth in time, making live comments and then going on to describe activities earlier in the day.

Any commentary I make will be in italics.

Part Four: Monday 10/05/09 
Part Three can be found here.

Day 4 - 10/5 - 9AM

We are watching the Disney cartoon channel at the moment. These are the classics from
the 30s and 40s featuring the Fab 5. the classic Goofy cartoon "How to Ride a Horse" just came on.
I was up at 630AM. Sat outside catching up on other forum posts.
Took a walk down to the resort store. I got the refillable mug, and got a coffee for me, and a grapefruit juice for Barbie. Okay, and I got a cannoli. It was pretty good too!
I need to go on a major diet after this trip.
When I got back I watched a bunch of turtles swimming in the canal. Not as exciting as what we've enjoyed the last few days, but at least it's wildlife! The only wildlife I see outside back home are my dogs barking at the neighbor's dogs.

Off to Downtown Disney to shop, and have lunch.

Kathy and Ron had 2 counter service credits left, and were generous enough to give them to us.
We are blessed to have met such a wonderful and generous group of people, all through this forum!

Thanks DVC News!

Day 4 - 10/5 - 525PM

Currently it's raining here.
This Disney cartoon loop station is great, but it is on a very short loop.
With the extensive cartoon library Disney has, they should have it on a much longer rotation.
Anyway, off the soapbox, and on with the report.

We got to Downtown Disney around 10AM. Went to the design your own t shirt place, but nothing caught our eye.
Walked through Art of Disney. Lots caught my eye, but we left empty handed. Bought 2009 Christmas ornament at the Christmas Store.
Around 11, we met Kathy, Ron and Tom in front of Wolfgang Puck Express.





Lunch was very good. I had the Beef BarBQ, Barbie the spinach salad. For dessert we both had the Creme Brulee.
Everything was delicious.
After the gang left to fly home, we went to World of Disney. We picked up a few items, for friends and family, and got a really great rolling duffel bag for $18 with a $50 purchase.
We caught the bus back to BC. We got back around 2.
About 3, we went to Stormalong Bay. The water slide here is a blast.
Very long and fast.





Around 430 we had a burger and shared banana split at Beaches and Cream. That thing didn't stand a chance, but Barbie went into sugar shock.





As we came out of the back of the Beach Club and walked towards the Villas, it started sprinkling.
We plan on going to the Disney Studios for Extra Magic Hours. Breaking out the ponchos.

Day 4 - 10/5 - 10PM

We didn't need the ponchos. The rain stopped by the time we left for the Studios. We took the boat over.
Went to the Tower of Terror, and walked on 4 times in a row. We rode every car, er, elevator, right to left.



I feel the 2nd from the right is best, Barbie prefers the far left.
After that we walked back to Toy Story Mania to check the wait. It was 30 minutes, and it had started to sprinkle lightly, so we skipped that and instead went through some stores.
We decided to head back about 830, as it had stopped spritzing, and, as we had just missed a boat, we walked.
Man, it's humid out tonight.
We cut through the Boardwalk area, to see what was going on, and saw a bunch of scaffolding on the back, facing the pool.





We stopped to watch the finale of Illuminations.




I was soaked by the time we got back.
We then cut through the Yacht club.
Well, that is a fancy lobby. And I looked like a street person, dripping sweat. The looks I got!
We joked about the uppity folks all the way back to the room.
"Did you see the riffraff they allow in here?! Why I never! Perhaps we should notify security."

Okay, time for a shower and bed.

Please stop by next week for part 5!

Throwback Thursday: Walt Disney World-May 2009 - Part 2

By Nick

Part One of this Walt Disney World trip report from May of 2009 that I wrote for the DVC News Forums can be found here.  Any commentary I make will be in italics.

Who: My wife, Barbie, my friends Todd and Meghan, and their baby, our Godson, Flynn who was 16 months old, and me.

Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

Rain. Pretty much non stop rain.
We went to Disney's Hollywood Studios and made rope drop. Rode Toy Story Midway Mania.



Barbie and Meghan's ride vehicle didn't work. They offered to give them another ride, but Meghan decided not to make Flynn wait.

Then headed over and rode Tower of Terror. Had a Mickey premium bar.

Got fastpasses (yep, paper FastPasses, remember those?) for Rockin' Rollercoaster, and went to see Muppetvision 3D. Flynn was scared by some of the louder scenes, otherwise, he was okay. He didn't like wearing the 3D glasses at all.

By this time, it was 11:15AM, so we just hung around the area and waited for our 12 noon Mama Melrose reservation.

I had the Spaghetti with Clams and Mussels, Barbie had the anti pasta. We all enjoyed our meals.
This is the only restaurant we've eaten at each trip that has been consistently good.

After lunch, we decided to skip RRC and head back for a nap. We gave our FPs away to some kids waiting to eat,and headed back to POFQ (Port Orleans French Quarter).

Got up around 4PM and got ready for our 5PM ressies at Fulton's Crab House.
It was, of course, pouring. We walked the short distance from our building to the POFQ dock, and took the boat to Downtown Disney.



Our boat captain told us that the water was so high that there was no boat service to OKW
because the bridge clearance was too low, and that we would be getting lots more rain over the next couple of days.

Great.

Got to Fulton's just as it really starting raining. With the wind blowing, you'd have thought a hurricane had blown in.

Had a very good meal. Barbie and I had the lobster and crab bisque, the mussels and clams, and the crab cakes.



Our server, Wayne, was fantastic, very personable, and I would ask for him again if we ever return.
The place was very pricey, but Flynn was paying, so what the heck.

We walked over to World of Disney afterwards, where, after shopping and playing with Flynn for awhile, we went to check out, and I discovered I'd lost my credit card!
I called and put it on hold immediately, and hoped that lost and found would turn up with it within the next 24 hours,or it would be canceled.

Oh, well. That and the rain didn't stop us from having ice cream at Ghiardellis.

Then, back to the room, where we had a couple of cocktails. Got to sleep around 10.

Please stop back next Thursday for part 3!

Downtown Disney Friends

by Gaylin

I love going to Downtown Disney for more than just shopping, of course there is lots of good food as well and an amazing amount of theming as well. These are some of my favourite places to pose.

Can you find me? I am the one NOT made of Lego.

And here I am acting all goofy . . . get it? Goofy!

Just enjoying some sunshine with my friends.

Can't get in the photo with this guy, he is too high up. Wonder if he got a good photo of me?

Super Hero Headquarters in Walt Disney World

By Nick

I've mentioned it in the past, I grew up loving Disney, Star Wars, and Marvel comics. The fact that they are all under one roof so to speak is amazing to me.

When Marvel was acquired by Disney in 2009, I wondered how they would incorporate them into the park, since Universal Studios has had the theme park rights to many of the most popular Marvel characters since the 1990s, and, from what I've read, this contract is pretty ironclad.

Even Marvel merchandise is hard to find within the parks. But fear not true believer,
Super Hero Headquarters recently opened in Downtown Disney’s Westside in Walt Disney World to serve your need for Marvel Tee Shirts, toys, costumes, art, graphic novels, books, and buttons, among other super items! Excelsior!

Having Fun on Rainy Days at Walt Disney World

Embracing the Rainy Day at Walt Disney World

By: Lisa Green

I’m going to be a little bossy here for a second (imagine that!):  Do NOT go home from your Walt Disney World vacation whining about the weather.  Do. Not. Complain.  In the summer, it rains in Florida.  A lot.  If you don’t realize that going into the trip, you’re going to be surprised and disappointed!  Plan for rain – during certain times of the year, you’ll need to plan for daily rain.  That’s right – it rains every afternoon sometimes – a quick shower that comes and goes, but may be a torrential downpour for a while.  The average monthly rainfall is over 7 inches for June, July and August.  It’s HOT in Florida, too – but I’ll save being bossy on that topic for another day.

Back to the rain. You have two choices when it rains.  Tough it out or pack it in.  Here are my suggestions for embracing the rain – no matter which choice you go with.

1. Make like a good Boy Scout and bring a rain poncho to the parks during the rainy season.  Shoes that are water resistant or will dry quickly are helpful, too.  Flip-flops can become hazardous, near deadly instruments of torture in a downpour as they become very slippery on both the bottom and the foot bed….beware!

2. Hang in there.  Try to stay as dry as possible and wait it out.  Go for an indoor attraction like Mickey’s PhilharMagic or Hall of President’s in the Magic Kingdom, a movie in Epcot’s World Showcase (in Canada, China, or France), wait in the LONG (but dry) line for Soarin’ in Epcot’s Future World, check out the Great Movie Ride or MuppetVision 3D in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  In Animal Kingdom, you can see It’s Tough to be a Bug.  If it’s not raining hard, grab a snack and a seat and people-watch for a few minutes.  Wait and see if the clouds clear up.

3. Shop.  There is no shortage of shops in Walt Disney World!  Take the time to browse – if you’re usually rushing from thrill ride to thrill ride, you’ll find an undiscovered treasure trove of unbelievable Disney items for wearing, decorating, eating, and collecting.  Find souvenirs and gifts for everyone including your dog.  Just the number of different hats is staggering.

4. Head on over to Downtown Disney for bowling or a movie or both.  We wouldn’t normally spare the time for an activity we can experience at home, but rainy days may call for some adjustments and accommodation. Splitsville, the new bowling hotspot in Downtown Disney and an AMC Theater (complete with dine-in options) are side by side in the Westside district.

5. When the going gets wet, the wet get going.  Pack it in, people – sometimes the rain just won’t let up – everybody’s wet, cold and cranky.  This is the time to head on back the resort and order a pizza, watch some TV and rest up for better weather…which should come around unless you happen to be in Orlando during a hurricane.  Then you have my permission – encouragement even – to dismiss my bossy directive at the beginning of this post and complain away.  Whine til the cows come home.  If your entire vacation has been wiped out by a hurricane (it’d probably have an oddly mild name like Dudley), you deserve sympathy and a do-over.  I hope this hasn’t ever happened to any of you and hope it never does.

What are your Walt Disney World rainy day tips?

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog.
She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at @life_of_green

Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!

The Disney Exchange- Episode 11 Show Notes: Things To Do On Walt Disney World Property, Outside The Parks

By Nick

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

-Main Topic- Things to Do On Walt Disney World Property, Outside the Parks
-The Disney Exchange is Lisa Green, David Hodges, and me, Nicholas Maglio
-I'd like to apologize to one of our biggest fans, allegedly, the lovely and talented Fran Drescher.
-Lisa tells of her unplanned extended vacation as well as that souvenir that keeps on giving.
-I start us off on our main topic, and go right to Fort Wilderness, where I have trouble just picking one awesome thing to do, as there are many, but settle on riding on a large mammal, also known as horseback riding.



And even though I am supposed to limit it to one thing, I sneak in carriage rides as well.
-Lisa keeps us at Fort Wilderness, and describes the 2 hour Wilderness Back Trail Adventure Segway Tour she took on her recent trip.

 
 Photo: Lisa Green

We show off our math skills.
-Dave cools things down by taking us for a swim and relaxation in the resort's pools, his favorite being at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House. We discuss other pools and the intricacies of pool hopping.

 
Photo: David Hodges

-I decide it's time to head to Downtown Disney to bowl and have a bite to eat at Splitsville.
Please stop back to The Disney Exchange Blog later this week for a more in depth article on Splitsville.



-Lisa follows me to Downtown Disney, and goes shopping while I bowl. David and Lisa discuss recent acquisitions and the shops they most enjoy.

-Dave talks about the free Disney Boardwalk tour, and I mention The Wilderness Lodge's free tour.



-The Wheel of Distiny topic this week: Our favorite movie released prior to the year of our birth. Yes, they made talkies before Lisa and I were born.
-Dave : Escape From Witch Mountain
-Me: Bambi. This causes an argument. Yes. An argument about BAMBI.
-Lisa: Mary Poppins

Thank you as always for listening to The Disney Exchange! (Especially you, Fran.)

TheDisneyExchange.com
twitter.com/disneyexchange
facebook.com/thedisneyexchange
instagram.com/thedisneyexchange

All Things Sparkly: Arribas Brothers

By: Gaylin 

If you have been to the Arribas Brothers store at Downtown Disney or the Main Street store, you know that it is a wonderful, sparkly place to visit. Especially when the glass blowers are hard at work on Main Street, amazing what they can make from glass.

This little fellow is one of my prize possessions, he is small but very sturdy, I have even carefully washed him when he has gotten too dusty.

Front view, his chest and face are ceramic, the stripes are enamel and the rest is Swarovski crystal.

Look at that grin!

Lots of sparkling in the sunshine.

Looks like he is getting ready to bounce.

If you ever decide to buy something from Arribas, don’t worry about transporting it home. Each item comes in a fitted box that travels well.

The white, larger box is what holds the crystal base and the blue box is for Tigger.

I love all things sparkly, as much as I love Tigger. The two of them together: Irresistible!

Story Behind the Photo-Dragon Encounter

by Gaylin

I have always loved the Lego Store at Downtown Disney and all the Lego statues that are both inside and outside the store.

A few trips ago I asked for this photo to be taken, I wanted the Lego dragon to be eating my head . . . it almost works!

DIY Mickey Mouse Christmas Ornaments - Part 1

By Lisa Green

Christmas 2012

I love Christmas time.  Even in an empty nest – Christmas is exciting.  I start gearing up for the big day pretty early.  I have a nine-foot-tall artificial tree that takes some wrangling to assemble and then all those darn branches need to be fluffed…really makes me miss my
free labordarling children.  I’ve got to work in stages and although time consuming, it’s totally worth the effort.  What do I love best about my big brute of a tree?  It’s a Disney Tree!
Raymond and I started collecting Disney ornaments when we first got married.  Then, children tend to choose Disney ornaments (if you’re raising them right) when ornament buying opportunities present themselves.  I guess I should have known our tree would end up 100% Disney on a visit to Disney World a few years back….

Beginning Flashback Sequence…..
We took the bus to Downtown Disney.  As I leaped from the bus and started skipping along to my most favorite store of all…okay, there may have not been actual leaping and skipping, but that’s what I was doing in my mind…I felt a hand on my arm.  Turning to Raymond with a questioning look in my eye (that’s how married people communicate after a while), he looked at me very seriously and said, “Just have them ship it all home, okay?”  What? – Needed a sec to digest the implication – OKAY!  Yes, Dear, I will certainly do that.  You can count on me!  And off I skipped to Disney’s Days of Christmas.

So now we have a few Disney ornaments.  Enough to fill a 9-foot tree.  You think I’d be happy with that, but no, I still add ornaments every year.  This year I have two new ones I bought while cruising in the Mediterranean on the Disney Magic.  Enough?  Nope.  I like to make my own Disney ornaments too.  They’re easy and fun to make; plus you can save a bunch of money making them yourself – like maybe if you have to replace some broken ones or something.



I made this ornament last weekend.  I’ve made this type before, but used sold black ornaments that were not shatter-proof – they turned out GREAT but now there aren’t many left (I’m not blaming anyone or naming names).  This year I was going for a little more sparkle (must have been thinking of Megan) when I hit the “50% off all Christmas decorations” sale at my favorite craft store.  Please, promise me, if you make these ornaments you will not pay full price.  Wait for a sale or download a coupon – you can always find a discount if you try.

 










Do this:

• Use shatter-proof ornaments if you can.  Buy two sizes in any color you like that will work well together for the right effect.  I loved the sparkly red and was super thrilled that they had strings for hanging (instead of built-in plastic hook holders) that could easily be removed.

• Cut off the string right down at the very bottom.
•  Fire up the glue gun and find the seam that runs around the big ornament you’re using for Mickey’s head – you want to glue the ears onto that seam.
• No need to measure, just eyeball the ears (Ha!  EYEball the EARS!  Hahahhaha)…okay, I’m back.  Put the glue on in a donut shape right were the string used to be and glue those ears on, one at a time.  For best result, make the glue donut and wait 15 seconds (or so) for the glue to cool off a tiny bit before you stick the ears on.

That’s it.  Ta-Dah!  Easiest (and cutest) DIY Disney ornaments in the world.  Go.  Shop.  Make Some.

“…And call me when you get back, darling, I do enjoy our visits.”- Edna Mode, The Incredibles

This article was originally posted on the Living a Disney Life blog.