Flea Market Find: Disney World Millennium Ornament

By: Nick Maglio

I spotted this great Walt Disney World glass ornament from the Millennial Celebration at the flea market the other day for $3.00, and snatched it right up.

I really find it interesting, and appreciate, that Spaceship Earth is the focal point instead of Cinderella Castle.


Another great flea market find!

Skeleton Crew, Pirates of the Caribbean Figures

By Nick

In my last post I shared a few Disney Parks Pirates of the Caribbean Action Figures. I have one more to share from that line, and some more skeletal pirates in Vinylmation form.

To me, one of the most memorable portions of Pirates of the Caribbean, the Walt Disney World version, (yes, there is a difference between the WDW and Disneyland versions) is the Helmsman.

The Helsman’s accessories include an anchor, a cutlass, a lantern and a knife.

I really love the detailing on these figures.

 

He stands 7 inches, or 17.78 centimeters, tall.

 

Vinylmation Parks #5 Series also has a Pirates Helmsman.

 

I don’t really think it resembles the figure above, very much. Or at all.

By Maria Clapsis.

The ever popular Helmsman makes a return appearance once again in the Pirates of the Caribbean Vinylmation Series, this time with some mates.

Left to right, we have the Skeleton Helmsman, the Skeleton Captain, and the Blue Bandana Skeleton.

 

This series is by Casey Jones.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your look at the pirates, me mateys, please come back aboard soon!

More Than Just a Fashion Statement; The Rain Poncho

By Lisa Green 

 

Nothing says Walt Disney World vacation like a rain poncho with Mickey Mouse on it.  The fact that we’re willing to pay $8 (technically $7.51) for a big piece of plastic and some snaps says a lot about how important it is for us to sport such stylish rainwear.  We all know it would save a big bunch of cash for a family of four to buy generic ponchos at the local dollar store.  Okay, okay – maybe we sometimes buy those pricey Disney ponchos out of necessity…I mean those unexpected afternoon “showers” can be extreme torrential downpours and maybe we left our cheapo ponchos back at the resort.  However I come by it, I wear my Disney poncho with pride – it adds a certain panache to my vacation wardrobe that cannot be underappreciated.  It also has other practical uses.  You didn’t know?  Well….I’ll be glad to enlighten you!  We need to get our $8-worth out of those puppies!!!



The Many Uses of a Disney Rain Poncho:
Protection from the elements – Using the poncho for its intended purpose.  When last we were at WDW, it didn’t just rain, it didn’t just pour – it HAILED!  We were huddled inside our ponchos in a tiny alcove outside the entrance to Tower of Terror waiting for our FastPasses to “mature” with about five minutes to go when a storm of biblical proportions struck.  Catch the video here.  Check out the poor guy who let his little one use his poncho (by the strollers) – he was soaked!

As a means to stay dry on water rides – No way would I ride Kali River Rapids without a poncho.  Getting soaked from head to toe would completely ruin my day.  I’m not a fan of shoes that squish when I walk.  But I want to ride Kali, so I don my trusty poncho and let the river take me where it will.

As a seat cushion – a. k. a. Posterior Preserver – Have you ever decided to sit on the curb, in a sunny spot, in Magic Kingdom to stake out a favored parade viewing area?  That concrete can be scorching hot!  Like sitting-on-the-surface-of-the-sun hot.  Just slide that folded-up poncho under your buns and you are golden!  See?  Rain or shine, the poncho ROCKS!

Protect your gear – Say you want to go on Splash Mountain or even Pirates of the Caribbean and there’s a chance your camera, cell phone, or bag will get wet.  Wrap your poncho around your gear to make sure everything comes out safe and sound…oh, and dry, too.

Salon smock – You think I’m kidding?  Oh, I assure you I am not.  Tuck in the hood, add a towel around the neckline, secure the poncho tight with a clothes pin – and snip away.  Home or away, you can keep hair trimmings well away from a body with a Walt Disney World poncho!

Do you buy Disney rain ponchos?  Are there any uses that I’ve missed?

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!  

Summer Wardrobe Suggestions for a Disney Vacation

Cool Clothing and Sunglasses at Walt Disney World

By Lisa Green

Summer Wardrobe for a Disney Vacation – This post is part 2 of my Summer Sun Survival Tips.  Link to Part 1.

Here’s an important lesson my wise (and much older) sister taught me as I was growing up. (Thanks, Sandy!)  Always start the day looking the way you will at the end of the day – take into account any factors that may adversely affect your appearance and plan accordingly.

This advice is extremely applicable when visiting Walt Disney World in the summer months.  We (maybe I’m kinda mostly talking about women here) want to look super-cute on vacation (I’m sure some of you guys do too, right?).  We shop for cute vacation wardrobes and plan out adorable outfits for every possible vacation contingency.  I’m here to tell you…some forms of cute vacation outfits, in the summer at Walt Disney World, are potentially fraught with peril.

The best clothing tip I can give you for a summer Disney vacation is to take my sister’s advice:  Start the day looking pretty much the same as you’ll end up.  Confused?  Let me explain.  It’s HOT at the World during the summer.  And incredibly HUMID!  The combo of the two can be brutal!  Everything is damp, your favorite tried-and-true hair products will totally fail you, makeup melts off completely – you may start the day looking super cute and fresh only to end up a sticky, wilted mess!  Start the day looking perhaps a little less fabulous than originally planned with the idea that you will never look “less” than you do right then.

One of us (me) is NOT following this article’s tips!

Here’s my head-to-toe plan:
First things first:  Don’t try to style your hair – caps, hats, ponytail, braid – you pick what works for you, ’cause if you think your perfectly coiffed ‘do will hold up against the Florida sun and humidity (or worse, those two in the morning and a torrential downpour in the afternoon) – you’ll be so sorry you didn’t listen to me.  Start the day with well-subdued hair, liberally applied sunscreen, very little makeup, and a good lip balm.  Don a hat and sunglasses and voila!  You’ll end the day looking just the way you started – which is a LOT better than starting out like a movie star and ending up a caked-up, raccoon-eyed sweat-ball.

Headed in at the end of the day – not looking TOO bad!

Wear cool comfortable clothing that breathes well and allows you to move freely (for getting on and off attractions).  If you’re planning to ride attractions where you may get wet or the weather person has predicted rain, be sure to choose clothing that will dry quickly.  I prefer cotton (or performance/athletic-wear fabric) tees and tanks paired with cotton shorts or running shorts.  Shoes should be well broken in – vary shoes day-to-day to reduce the potential for blisters and raw spots.  You could try comfy sandals one day, sneakers/trainers/running shoes the next and so on.  Switch up the shoes!

Finally, I hate to bring this up, but if this post is going to be of value, I’m going to have to mention something a bit delicate.  Shhhhh, come closer so I can whisper it…chafing.  There.  Now it’s out.  For many summer Walt Disney World guests, chafing is a very real risk.  You might not be prepared for so much walking – in the heat and humidity – which results potentially in unprecedented sweating – which, in turn, results in “hot spots” where wet clothing rubs against tender skin.  Distance runners and cyclists (of which I’m both) are unfortunately well-acquainted with the horrors of chafing and I’m happy to report there’s an easy preventive measure that can be taken.  Cover areas which may chafe with a smoothing substance made specifically for this purpose.  One brand I’m familiar with and have used before is Body Glide – but I’m sure there are others on the market that will work just as well.  The product comes in a convenient solid (like antiperspirant)  – you just apply it wherever you think you may need it.

There you go!  Take my advice and you’ll be golden.  While you’re touring comfortably – look around at some of the other WDW guests – the limping ones are the easiest to spot – they didn’t do their homework.  Adopt the Boy Scout motto and Be Prepared!

For more on protecting yourself from and treating chafing and blisters, there’s a good article here.
 
What did I leave out?  Do you have any tips for comfortably dealing with the summer conditions at Walt Disney World?

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!

Summer Sun Survival at Disney Parks

Everyone in this picture is slightly sunburned!

By Lisa Green

The last day of school is right around the corner and for those of you counting down to a summer vacation at Walt Disney World…YIPEE!  I’m right there with you!  So excited!  ADRs and FastPass+ all squared away!  Packing early!  Prepping for sun survival!  You’re doing all that too, right?  Especially that last part – don’t forget to pack your sunscreen and be prepared to use it – early and often – to make sure no member of your travelling party has their vacation made uncomfortable by a nasty sunburn.

We live in Louisiana where the heat and humidity are pretty extreme in the summer – when I say extreme, I’m not kidding!  We have very similar highs and lows to Orlando (average highs in June, July, and August around 90-degrees), but less rainfall.  Even though we’re used to it, we still prepare especially for a Walt Disney World vacation, because if we were at home, we wouldn’t be spending as much time outdoors as we do on vacation.

Here’s what I know about the sun in Orlando – it’s not only HOT, but it can produce a serious sunburn in record time.  Thankfully, I don’t know this from personal experience, but from watching countless fellow Walt Disney World guests suffer from the effects of a bad burn.  There’s no reason for this to happen to you.

Hats make excellent sun protection!

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are a few basic sun protection guidelines everyone should follow.  These include:

• Apply sunscreen to everyone!  Including toddlers and infants 6 months and over.
• Use broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection), water-resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 30.
• Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or as often as the product label recommends.
• Dermatologists say that a one-ounce “serving” of sunscreen is approximately enough to fill the exposed areas on an adult body – this is enough sunscreen to fill a shot glass!

Utilize hats with large brims, sunglasses, and long-sleeved shirts for extra protection.  I will often tie a plain white linen button-up, long-sleeved shirt around my waist – if I have to spend too long in direct sunlight, I put it on over my clothes.  White reflects the sunlight and linen isn’t too hot/unbearable for a short time as extra sun-protection.

Cool Fact:  The FDA requires that all sunscreens retain their original strength for at least 3-years.

When applying sunscreen, don’t forget ears, the back of your neck, the tops of your feet, bald spots, all around sleeves and straps (that’s what gets me every time!), the backs of your legs, lips, and eye area.  Important:  Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure.

 

My two cents:  I like “Max Block” sunscreen – and I’ve tested it for this post during the past two weekends.  It works very well for me – is indeed (for me) very water and sweat resistant, as the label claims.  It absorbs well, is non-greasy, and has a very pleasant, mildly tropical scent.  I bought and paid for this product and these opinions and tests are nonclinical, unofficial – the results are my own experience only.

Watch for more Sun Survival Tips coming soon!

What are your best sun-survival tips for Walt Disney World vacations?

Find complete information on selecting sunscreen from the American Academy of Dermatology here.

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!

Disney Christmas Decorating: 2014 Edition

By Nick

Each year, I try to switch up our Christmas decorating. We have reached the point where it is impossible, space wise, to put out every ornament and random decoration we have. I have, however, made an effort to put out all of our ever expanding Disney ornament collection.

In the past I have hung them on a 7 foot tree that I put on a rotating base. I switched it up this year by using a garland, 2 smaller 3 foot trees, as well as a small wall hanging tree in one of our bathrooms. Yes, a tree in the bathroom.

The garland has Disney ball ornaments, primarily from the Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line, as well as ornaments from the Disney Store and a few random gifts and acquisitions. I decided to go with some old school large bulbs, where usually I use small white lights.

The 2 trees are mostly Hallmark ornaments, with a few Walt Disney Classic Collection and a few miscellaneous pieces.

I put our Grolier ornaments in the bathroom, keeping them together as they are stylistically similar. The Robin Hood and Maid Marian are early Christmas gifts this year from Barbie.

Do you have a Disney Christmas collection?

Disney: No Pets Allowed

By Beth Skarp

Have you had the pleasure of seeing a Service Animal or Guide Dog working while touring in the Parks? We have seen them a time or two. These animals are always well behaved, and so fun to see. My daughter even had the pleasure once of being allowed to pet a working Service Animal who was in training. Such a treat. 

Disney has a very strict policy about allowing your personal family pet into the parks or hotel rooms on Property. With that being the case, why is it that I almost always seem to run into another guests personal pet? What pet you ask? 

Well, surely you have all met him or her while touring in the parks. The pet almost always has the exact same name. It is called......PEEVE.

OK, so it was a bad lead in and a horrid pun. Having said that much, I do have several things that not only annoy me, I manage to experience them just about every time we visit the parks. In no particular order, here are seven “pets” I've personally encountered who go by the name of PEEVE. 

1. Thinking that because something is offered at the condiment bar, it is “free” for the taking. I get that you might want some creamer for your coffee, syrup for your Mickey waffles or Tobasco sauce or A-1 Sauce for your meal, or toppings for the burger you had made just to your liking. Taking enough for your meal is fine, but taking and literally dumping the entire contents into your tote bag, swiping a bottle or two of these condiments from the shelf and “forgetting” to return them but dropping them into your tote bag instead, bringing a container to make a FREE to-go salad is just plain wrong no matter how you look at it. Don't get me wrong....I have been known to take a few extra packets of creamer back to our resort room for our early morning coffee. Taking more “just because it is after all FREE and I paid for it” is just not right.

2. Sneezing or coughing while standing in line without covering your face. Deciding to odorize your spot in line “ranks” right up there as well. I can't tell you the number of times I have been subjected to these, um, showers of blessings. So nasty.

3. I know that we all want to take home those wonderful Mickey head shampoos and soaps. I have a good-sized stash as well. Taking the ones you don't use or even asking Mouskeeping for more is well and good (yes, we do this). Might I suggest that you use one or two of them to actually clean up with before you leave the resort room for the day. Splashing on some cologne or using extra deodorant really doesn't help matters, especially when we need to “cozy up” in line or on Disney transportation. 

4. There are trash cans located all over Disney property. Is it really that difficult to walk say 30 feet to put your trash in the appropriate receptacles. The same goes for busing your table at a quick service venue. Yes, there are probably a CM or two in the area who are “assigned” to do this task. However, when the place is busy, even they have a hard time keeping up with the demands. Would you leave this mess sitting on your own kitchen or dining room table? I highly doubt it. Disney is after all our “Home” away from our normal home. Treat it with the same respect you would your own personal home.

5. Tuning out in such a manner that you are “blissfully unaware” of your surroundings. Being so tuned out as you're listening to your various electronic devices or busily working your thumbs to pretend that you don't see a parent who is juggling small children while attempting to stand in a crowded bus. We are all tired and our feet hurt. If you are physically capable of standing, please offer up your seat to someone who is obviously older, has difficulty walking or standing, is pregnant, or has small children. Additionally, small children belong on an adult's lap during peak traveling times, freeing up a seat for an adult to sit.

6. Placing your various shopping bags, the diaper bag or your tote bags on the seat next to you on Disney transportation in hopes that you have more personal space. Disney transportation gets crowded, especially during peak travel times. Placing your shopping bags or tote bags at your feet allows for more guests to board. 

7. "No flash photography" is there for a reason. Not only do you blind those who are seated around you, most times the flash literally washes out the picture you were attempting to take. Ghosts are frightfully sensitive to bright lights after all. In this same venue, continuing to snap flash pictures in the dark on the rivers boats that run from Port Orleans to Downtown Disney not only blind your fellow guests, they can also blind the boat pilots as well. 

These are my “pets” called PEEVE. They don't belong in the parks. Let's leave these so called “pets” home next time.

For many of us, our four legged animals want to travel with us as well. If you wish to bring your fur baby with you on vacation, Disney guests can use a wonderful service called Best Friends Pet Care. Check them out at www.bestfriendspetcare.com. Seriously, the only pets I want to see at the Disney Parks are the ones that belong to true Disney Characters. I always enjoy seeing Pluto or Marie in the Parks, don't you?       

The "S" Word at Disney Parks

Editors Note:  
Neither Barbie or I are smokers, and we, along with the writer of this article, do not wish to promote or encourage smoking in any way, but feel this is a good service announcement, and deserves to be read.-Nick

By: Tamara

Disney parks are squeaky clean and a family-friendly atmosphere. But there are a few of us who are on the dark side. And I don't mean Darth Vader and Company. I am talking about smoking.

I am one of them. The politically incorrect, the current scourge of society. Like it or hate it, we are currently still permitted to smoke on Disney property. Of course we have to follow the rules and only smoke in designated smoking areas. And we do comply with these rules.
At least most of us do, I hope.

Disney doesn't allow us to smoke in our resort rooms. This is for very good reason. If you smoke in your room, and are discovered, you WILL be billed for a cleaning charge. This deterrent is enough for me to seek out designated smoking areas at my resort as well as in the parks.

I recently spoke to a fellow guest who seemed rather perturbed that she wasn't permitted to smoke inside her car while it was parked on Disney property. In fact, Disney security informed her that she was only permitted to smoke in the proper smoking areas. She wasn't happy, and felt it was an invasion of her privacy. But is it really? It is their property, and their rules. As a caring guest, I understand and choose to abide by these rules.

We smokers have to consider the other guests and respect their rights to enjoy a clean safe Disney experience. And this means, curbing that urge to smoke anywhere, properly disposing of our cigarette butts, and be good Disney guests.

Our days as smokers are numbered, I am afraid. With the popularity of the ecigarettes, we may be experiencing new rules come into play. We may even see a day where all smoking is banned from the parks, resorts and all Disney property in general.

Until Disney goes totally smoke-free, I ask my fellow smokers to be as polite, and as unoffensive as possible.  Take note of the smoking areas.  Use them.   Leave behind no evidence of your habit.  After all, Disney banned the selling of chewing gum for good reason, and we probably will see the day when smoking is banned altogether. 

Epcot Dessert Party

By: Laurie

We recently attended the new Epcot Dessert Party.

It is held in the old Odyssey restaurant next to Mexico in World Showcase.  As it had been raining off/on all day, the night no different.  This is a prepaid ticket event. We checked in at 8:00 pm and received a really cool Mickey head sticker to identify us as members of the party.

The offerings were amazing.. shortbread cookies, donuts, tiramisu, Disney parks ice cream treats..oh my!

The Italian champagne was wonderful.  There was also coffee, water, lemonade...I stuck with the champagne!

I tried all the offerings except the ice cream bars.

We sat around a table with other foodies enjoying the snacks and met some lovely people.

At 8:45 pm...they walk everyone over to special standing area to watch Illuminations.

 
This was a wonderful experience and one I look forward to doing again!