My Disney Bucket List

My Disney Bucket List- by Shendl 

Photos: Disney

I am sure each and every Disney Fan has a Wish List or as I call it a Bucket List of things that they want to do or achieve on their Disney Vacations.

Some are Realistic and some are Fantasy. Today I am going to let you in on my current Disney Bucket List for my Next Vacation in 2017.

•    Eat at Be Our Guest.  This restaurant had just opened when we went to WDW in 2013, so we were unable to get a reservation and we didn’t want to stand in the really long Lines for lunch. This next trip in 2017, we will be booking a Dinner and Lunch/Breakfast depending on what we can get!  

•    Ride the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. The Mine Train was just being completed on our last vacation and I just Have to ride it and go through the interactive queue that I have heard so much about!

•    The Keys to the Kingdom Tour. One of my dreams has always been to see the Utilidors at Magic Kingdom (ever since I saw and Oprah episode where she took her whole audience to WDW), so we want to splurge a little next time!

  
•    The new Ferrytale Dessert and Wishes Cruise. This is a new addition to my List (its only just been released and it is a little pricey.) We want to treat ourselves for our Wedding Anniversary instead of buying each other a gift. This Cruise sounds like fun and the Desserts sounds amazing as well as the souvenir items you get.

     
•    Resort Hop. In my Four Vacations to WDW, I have never Resort Hopped!! This time we will be making sure that we have a day set aside just to visit as many resorts as we can and have  a snack or drink and get an item that says the resort name for our collection
   

•    Ride Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster. I have promised myself and my husband, Dieter, that I will ride these two rides next time. I chickened out the last time and I really wish I had done them. So no chickening out this time!!

•    Buy a Disney Dooney and Burke handbag. I really, really love the Dooney and Burke Handbags that I see my friends in the USA buying and I have vowed to buy something that is a Dooney and Burke even if it’s the smallest one I can find…..as long as it fits into the budget!!

•    Get my face painted. I really wanted to get my face painted when I was at WDW the last time and for some reason I felt that I would look silly with it done. I have since seen friends of mine have it done on their vacations and HAVE to do it!!!
   
•    Eat a Dole Whip. I have NEVER done this!! I hear you Gasp as you read this……I will rectify this in 2017 for sure!!
   

•    Pick a Pearl in Japan at Epcot or at Disney Springs. This is another thing I wanted to do last time and didn’t for reason’s unknown to me. I see such gorgeous things that friends have had made with their pearl picks and I think it will be such a lovely souvenir to bring some magic home!

This is my Bucket List – the one I plan to complete on my next vacation in Sept 2017. I have a fantasy one as well but that I will share with you another time!

Looking forward to seeing your Disney Bucket Lists!!

The Disney Exchange Podcast, Episode 40 ; Counter Service for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Epcot

By Nick

Podcast: Play in new window | Download
  
The Disney Exchange Podcast, Episode 40 ; Counter Service for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Epcot.  

The Disney Exchange is David Hodges, Lisa Green, and me, Nicholas Maglio.

If you would like to watch Lisa, Dave and me doing the show, please check us out on Blab!

We start off short one co-host, and Dave and I go on to discuss a rumor that I am NOT at all a fan off, which is the ending of Star Wars Weekends, which anyone who listens to the show will know is my favorite time of the year!

I heavily promote Dogfish Head beer. Please note Dogfish Head, we are looking for a sponsor.

We discuss Star Wars Launch Bay and Dave vamps.

A confirmed closure is also talked about, The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights will be closing after this year and I talk up dessert parties, or at least the opportunity for alcoholic beverage consumption.

I have to let my dog out and Lisa finally joins us. This is a professional podcast!

We finally get into the actual topic of the show:  Counter Service for Breakfast, Lunch, a snack, and Dinner at Epcot, where we each choice the quick service establishment where we would have...well, you get the picture!

We apologize to all of of our French listeners. And our Italian listeners. And the entire United Kingdom.

The Wheel of Distiny: If you only had one attraction to choose to ride at Epcot, what would it be?

Thank you for listening to and maybe even watching The Disney Exchange Podcast.

Please check us out on social media for updates on when we will be recording the show on Blab:

Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/thedisneyexchange

Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneyexchange

Or email us at: info@thedisneyexchange 

Starring Rolls in Disney's Hollywood Studios

By Lisa Green  

 

One of the most fun things to do while on vacation at Walt Disney World is eat!  There are so many choices, so many foods!  Snack food kiosks, counter service restaurants, sit-down table service dining, dinner shows…this list goes on and on!  If you visit Walt Disney World, it’s hard not to fall in love with certain foods and eateries that you’ll want to visit again and again.  One of those special places for our family is the Starring Rolls Café in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  I know!  You’re thinking – that’s just a little bakery, there are so many WAY better places to eat than that.  I’d have to disagree.

The reason we love Starring Rolls so much is that it fills a very specific niche in our dining lineup.  It’s the one place I can think of where we will eat two or three times in a single WDW vacation.  Here’s why:  We love to hit Hollywood Studios early in the morning and get right to our favorite rides and attractions.  I’ve mentioned before that we bring packaged breakfast foods from home so we don’t have to make time to eat while we get an early start on a busy park day.  We get up and GO!  So, at the Studios, once we’ve hit Toy Story Midway Mania, Tower of Terror, and Rock’n’ Roller Coaster, we can sort of slow down a bit before moving on.  We usually realize that our portable breakfast has long worn off by then and we need a little something to tide us over until lunch – THAT is what makes Starring Rolls perfect!  Centrally located at the beginning of Sunset Blvd., this little bakery/café offers us just exactly what we need – when and where we want it!

Bagels (and cream cheese), Danish, cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, sushi, fruit, cheese, yogurt, cupcakes – Starring Rolls is like a bakery and deli combined.  Big snack, small meal, breakfast, brunch, lunch, dessert – this place has got what you’re looking for and the food is very good!  Coffee, juice, water, tea, wine and soft drinks are all available to accompany your treat of choice.  The cafe’s outdoor seating area offers plenty of shade.  The cupcakes at Starring Rolls are a very popular treat for good reason.  One of the most popular is the Butterfinger Cupcake, but the Red Velvet is also excellent!  During the Studios’ Star Wars Weekends, the Yoda and Darth Vader cupcakes are a big hit!

To me, great counter service restaurants are not the Studios’ strong point.  Starring Rolls allows our family to catch a tasty and filling brunch (or Second Breakfast if you’re a Hobbit fan) while saving room for a more substantial dining experience later in the day.

Are you a Starring Rolls fan?  What’s your favorite thing to order there?

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 check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on the Disney Exchange Podcast! -Nick

Walt Disney World's 20th Anniversary Press Kit

By: Nick   

I don't know where I got this Walt Disney World 20th Anniversary Press Kit. I also don't remember what I paid for it.
What I do know is, it's a fascinating look at a very exciting time in Walt Disney World history.

Let's turn the handle and see what pops up.

Roger Rabbit! A character now sadly absent at Walt Disney World.


Inside is a packet of information, and a small calendar covering park hours for the 3 gates at that time, The Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, and Disney-MGM Studio from October 1991 to January 1992.



The information included would make anyone interested in Disney park history, drool.

• An overview of some of the new surprises awaiting guests, such as "Spectromagic" and "Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3-D".
• 20 reasons to visit Walt Disney World, such as "Surprise in the Skies" a daytime extravaganza above and around Epcot's World Showcase, and "Sorcery in the Sky", a fireworks display at Disney-MGM Studios.
• 2 pages of Milestones, Attendance Marks, and Attraction Opening dates.
• Park statistics and employment info. 33,000 employees at that time!
• Pricing. A one day ticket? $33. 4 day pass? $111. Annual Pass? $190!
• Personalities available for interviews, such as Michael Eisner, Frank Wells, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Roy E. Disney.
• A list of the celebrities that would be in the "Parade of Stars" in the 20 Year Homecoming Celebration at Disney-MGM Studios. Stars such as, Sally Struthers, Art Linkletter, and Eva Gabor!
• Golf Course info
• Information about a new concept in family vacationing called the Disney Vacation Club.

And if that wasn't enough, there is a plethora of 8x10 glossy photographs, with information on the back.

The 20th Anniversary "Surprise" Celebration Parade.



Dinosaurs, I confess, I never ever watched.



Before it was Old Key West, it was the Disney Vacation Club Resort.



Muppets!



I miss Spectromagic!



I had the great fortune to see most of the attractions described and shown here, and I must say, a lot of it is missed. The "Surprise" parade in the Magic Kingdom was amazing, and "Surprise in the Skies" at Epcot was also spectacular. And while I know "Fantasmic" is incredibly popular, I am not a fan of the crowds, and preferred "Sorcery in the Sky" at the Studios.

Also included is a Vacation Guide.



The back cover of the folder.




I hope you enjoyed this trip with me down memory lane.

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

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 Two : Saturday 10/3/09
Part One can be found here.

Day 2 - 10/3 - 7AM

I am sold on this place. (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
Right now, there are 5 Ankole Cattle, 4 giraffes, 2 wildebeest just walked up, and a couple ostrich.



This is awesome.
I hear a clicking, and wonder what it is. A large animal walks on the savannah, and I look at the handy Wildlife Field Guide provided in the room, and see it as an Eland. The guide has behavior tips, and this tells me the Eland's knee tendons click when it walks!

2 giraffes were just rubbing necks, and an adult was pulling down a branch for a smaller one.

Just headed over to the savannah seating area. No animals.
Came back, and most of the animals were gone, except for a few zebra.
The feeding pens are being opened by CMs. I wonder if this room is considered standard for DVC rooms also, because I would absolutely request it.
Okay, off to Animal Kingdom!

Day 2 - 10/3 - 1PM

In the room, going to take a nap.

We went to the AK for a couple of hours. Made rope drop and had a slow walk over to
Everest. Then rode Dinosaur, and watched It's Tough to Be a Bug.



We hopped a bus back to AKL, and got off at Kidani Village. Very nice. Small lobby, but nicely decorated.



Not nearly as grand as Jambo House. We had 1250PM ressies for Sanaa, but at 1130, we walked up to the counter and were seated 5 minutes later.
We had a table on the savannah, looking across at the very feeding/ care area we see from our room!



We had the bread service, Naan, Roti and Paneer Paratha breads with the Cucumber Raita, Red Pepper Hummus, and Tamarind Chutney. All very good, we really enjoyed that. For the main course I had the sustainable fish which an Alaskan Halibut with veggies in a light curry broth. Wow, that was delicious.
DW had the Tomato and Paneer soup, with a side of basmati rice. She loved that as well.
We then walked back to Jambo. I had gotten info that the walk was from 3 miles to just about a mile, and anywhere 10 minutes to 30 minutes. It was a little over a quarter mile and took 6 minutes.

Day 2 - 10/3 - 345PM

Napped till 3. Looked out, no animals. Took a shower.
Came out an found DW (Disney Wife) watching nature's wonderland.





I am now thinking if we didn't get this room, or section, that we'd not be seeing nearly as much.
Tonight we are going to have dinner at Kona (at the Polynesian) with friends Pam, Tom, Kathy and Ron.

Day 2 - 10/3 - 1135PM

Back at the room.
DW and I went to the MK about 430. We went to the Exposition Hall to look for the mural of all the characters I've heard about.
Well, it is in what must be a CM only area, despite there not being any signs indicating this.
We walked through a queue of curtains, and came upon it. (This is now where the Mickey Mouse and Tinkerbell greet guests.)
I took a couple picks and we got out of there.



We then walked up to a CM and asked to see their pins. The CM said he had a special surprise for us, and told my DW to close her eyes.
He then motioned for me to get on my knees in front of her, and act like I was proposing. He put down a Lady and a Tramp stuffed animals in front, told DW to open her eyes, and took our picture with my camera. We also got pictures of him and another CM who was involved.





He also gave us Anniversary Buttons, and said it was surely the anniversary of something, which it is. 11 years ago, I asked Barbie, my DW, out for the 1st time.
After that we watched the Flag Retreat. If you haven't seen it, it is very moving. They lower the flag daily at 5.



We took the monorail over to the Poly, and walked around for a bit until the group arrived. We all talked in the lobby until it was time to check in at Kona.

Barbie, Ron, me, Pam, Kathy and Tom

Dinner was very good. I had the Pomegranate Pork Chop, Barbie the Shrimp and Scallops. I loved my meal, the fingerling potatoes and swiss chard were great.
After dinner, we caught most of Wishes from the pool area, then sat and talked for a couple hours longer.
We were going to get a cab back to the Lodge, but Pam and Tom insisted on driving us. They had a Volvo station wagon, and Ron hopped in the cargo area!



It was a great evening with great friends, and we will be seeing them again tomorrow.

Please stop back next week for part 3.