Priorities

Good morning gang!

I know that I have been super absent from posting for the summer, but it has been one heck of a ride that has been filled with a lot of personal loss, great gains, change, and growth.

One thing that I realized along the way was that my priorities were WAYYYYY out of whack. While I started this blog to talk about my adventures and observations, I got caught up in the game. The events that I got invited to had gotten to be more important than the people that I was with and the experience itself.

I absolutely have enjoyed and cherished my experiences thus far, but as I look back on my almost first full year in Florida it is time to make some changes around here. It is time to get back to going to the parks, looking at the details that make me smile like a kid, and being in the moment.

Will I still go to events and do reviews? Sure, but it will be with a more discerning eye and lighter heart. Living in Celebration and having the opportunity to visit Walt Disney World so often is truly a blessing, and I don’t want to forget that for one moment.

Thank you so much for letting me share my feeling with you this morning. I hope that you will continue to join me on my adventures and continue to share yours with me!

 

 

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Rides with Friends – Monina takes a spin on the CoP

Today Monina Wagner a new member to the WDW Mom’s Panel and awesome gal takes us on a spin on her favorite ride…The Carousel of Progress!!!

It is one of my faves, and I am absolutely looking forward to riding and singing with her soon!!!

Also, a super huge thanks and hugs to Betsy for the use of her pictures!!!

Until then, Enjoy!!

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The Magic Kingdom has evolved through the years – new attractions, restaurants, and shows. But one attraction that has remained a staple inside Tomorrowland is the Carousel of Progress.

But it’s an attraction that’s often overlooked.

Just not for my family. We ride the Carousel of Progress as much as we can when we visit.

It’s a Small World is quintessential Disney. Nearly every guest flocks to the attraction at some point during their visit. The bringing together of many cultures under one roof in an attraction that can be enjoyed by every single family member. That’s Disney.

But to me, Carousel of Progress is quintessential Walt.

This attraction literally has Walt’s hand print on it. He was the ultimate Imagineer. Initially built for the a pavilion in the 1964 World’s Fair, Walt introduced the entire animatronic family to the world. It was a hit – and I question how it could it not be! With a fabulous storyteller in “Father” and a huggable dog in Rover, you instantly become immersed in the story. I don’t need flashy lights or a vertical drop to be entertained.

And its catchy tune doesn’t hurt.

“It’s a great, big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day…”

Although I’d like to know what the Norwegian hoochie-koochie is. Ohh la la!

Sure, the fourth scene needs some extra love. In the days when we can no longer keep up with our iPhones and bluetooth technologies, the virtual reality games and talking ovens no longer seem futuristic. But the Carousel of Progress offers a glimpse into our history that other attractions cannot.

I still remember my parents taking me on the Carousel of Progress as a child. And while there are other attractions that I know my daughter loves, I want her to appreciate the CoP. Why? Because it really exemplifies the history of Disney. And of Walt.

So you’ll hear the theme song on my daughter’s iPod. And during our next trip to Disney, you can find my family circling the generations. Why? Because “tomorrow’s just a dream away!”


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Daddy’s Movie Day – Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Great Outdoors

As long as I can remember, my little princess has been in love with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so we were definitely excited when Mickey Mouse Clubhouse:  Mickey’s Great Outdoors came in the mail.  Just as we expected it did not disappoint.  We go hours of entertainment and enjoyment out of the set and the new interactive remote.  Zoe was excited to be able to use the remote to interact with episodes and the bonus feature.

Both of us would highly recommend this great set to any Disney fans with little ones to entertain and educate.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse:  Mickey’s Great Outdoors

For the first time with Digital Copy, this Mickey Mouse Clubhouse DVD is ready for the summer fun and on-the-go adventure!  Available on May 24th, Mickey Mouse and his famous pals (Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Goofy and Daisy) join efforts to inspire preschoolers around the country to enjoy the outdoors by camping, fishing and exploring nature in Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s latest DVD release, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Great Outdoors.

As a great value for parents and a fun, portable play set for kids, Disney has packaged Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Great Outdoors to include a DVD, a Digital Copy and a Mickey Mote –making this the ultimate Play Set. The Mickey Mote (a child-friendly handheld remote control) provides hours of interactive fun that allows kids to engage with their favorite Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters while watching Mickey’s Great Outdoors.  And the Digital Copy allows parents to download all the episodes onto a secondary device for easy, portable on-the-go access. Just in time to kick off the summer, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Great Outdoors features four episodes from the “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” TV show plus one all-new, never-before-seen “Mickey’s Fish Story” episode and comes packaged as a special DVD Play Set (DVD + Digital Copy + Mickey Mote) that will retail nationwide for the suggested price of $29.99 U.S. / $35.99 Canada.

The never before seen episodes are fun for the whole family!

MICKEY’S GREAT OUTDOOR EPISODES:

All-New, Never-Before-Seen Bonus Episode:

  • Mickey’s Fish Story – Daisy wants to find a fishy-friend for her goldfish Goldy – and we help her find other goldfish in the Jungle where we’re aided by the mysterious conga drummin’ Jungle-Pete!  Boom-boom-bap-boom!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiQCm15Ewco&feature=player_profilepage]

Episodes From “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” TV Show:

  • Mickey’s Camp Out – Today Mickey and his friends are going to earn Clubhouse “Camp Out Badges” by completing two tasks – setting up camp and fishing for Gummy Fish.  Everyone’s planning to camp with a “Tent Buddy”, but Donald decides to camp by himself – and he soon learns that camping with friends is much more fun than camping by yourself.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgkNPjFLY-U]
  • Mickey and Minnie’s Jungle Safari – Minnie is determined to snap a photo of the rare Hula Hibiscus that only blooms once a year.  So the sensational gang go off on a jungle safari and explore new territory to find this legendary flower.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mljTi2OpoSQ]
  • Daisy in the Sky – On Balloon Day, Daisy grabs a large batch of balloons and gets literally carried away along with Minnie and Pluto, who couldn’t hold her down. Mickey, Donald and Goofy kick into high gear to save their friends: they use a Giant Candy Cane (to rescue Pluto), a Party Horn (to warn animals out of the way), a Piggy Bank (to weigh down one side of an elevator so that Mickey can reach the top of the lighthouse), and a Toy Hammer (to fix the Ferris wheel).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYkaCxeDDbg]
  • Daisy’s Grasshopper – Daisy has a new pet grasshopper named Wilbur, but the playful hoppin’ fella hops away – and we help all our Clubhouse friends hop after him and find him before the end of the day.  Boing-boing!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8pypxZB9hg]

About Disney’s Mickey Mote

The Mickey Mote works with any Disney Preschool DVD that includes Discovery Mode(tm), the interactive “Watch & Play” feature on the DVD!  All parents have to do is program the remote control – there’s an easy and quick set-up guide in each DVD- and select the Discovery Mode feature on the menu screen.  Within minutes, kids will be easily responding to questions, throughout the story, about scenes they just watched (such as “What color is Goofy’s hat?”) by pressing one of four color-coded buttons on the device — a yellow star, green circle, orange triangle or blue square – to click in their responses.  Discovery Mode features include two levels of play, which provides more challenging questions as the child grows.

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Daddy’s Movie Day – The Avengers Volume 1 and 2

Being the parent of a 4 year old princess, my movie collection is generally filled with all things pink and princess.  However every now and again, I am able to persuade my little lady to watch something out of her normal genre.  When we received The Avengers Volume 1 “Heroes Assemble”, and Volume 2 “Captain America Reborn” cartoons (available now on DVD), I knew watching would be an uphill battle since most of my available movie time coincides with my Zoe time.  To my delight, Zoe looked at the covers and immediately wanted to pop them in the DVD player.

Five hours and 13 episodes later we were still wanting more.  Being a bit of a comic book collector in my youth, I was already a big fan of the Avengers, so keeping my attention wasn’t hard.  However, all 13 episodes kept Zoe glued to the screen well past her bed time.   The mix of quality story lines, well developed characters, and fantastic audio and video quality make this DVD series one of the best I have seen in a long time.  It is a show that can entertain both young and old fans of the superhero genre.

Zoe and I definitely give it two big thumbs up!!!

Note:  Series does contain mild cartoon violence, and might not be suitable for younger children.

The Avengers Volume 1 “Heroes Assemble”

Join the best of the Marvel Universe for the first seven episodes from season one of the electrifying new animated series, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Get ready for nonstop action as Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, Ant-Man, The Wasp, Hawkeye and The Black Panther join forces to battle a legion of villains bent on the total destruction of humanity.

Experience The Avengers at their very best in this spectacular collection, complete with an exclusive sneak peek at the secrets of season two. It’s a must-have for Marvel fans of all ages!

EPISODE1:  Iron Man is Born!
EPISODE3:  Thor the Mighty
EPISODE3:  Hulk Versus the World
EPISODE4:  Meet Captain America
EPISODE5:  The Man in the Ant Hill
EPISODE6:  Breakout, Part 1
EPISODE7:  Breakout, Part 2
The Avengers Volume 2 “Captain America Reborn”

Get ready for more action-packed adventure with The Avenders: Earths Mightiest Heros!, Volume 2.  The excitement reaches new heights as the best of the Marvel Universe stand together to battle Klaw, Baron Zemo, The Enchantress, and a horde of the Leader’s Gamma-Mutated Monsters.

Bring hime six sensational episodes from Season One of Marvel’s newest animated series.  With an exclusive bonus feature – a sneak peak at the secrets of Season Two – for every fan of thrills and adventure.

EPISODE8:  Some Assembly Required
EPISODE9:  Living Legend
EPISODE10:  Everything Is Wonderful
EPISODE11:  Panther’s Quest
EPISODE12:  Gamma World Part 1
EPISODE13: Gamma World Part 2

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A Walk Through the America the Bountiful Garden in EPCOT

The America the Bountiful Garden is a whimsical look at gardening with a focus on the 3 R’s (Reuse, Reduce, and Recycle) located to the right of the American Adventure in Epcot and only here during the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which continues until May 15th.

Goofy, Donald, and Pluto welcome us into the America the Bountiful Garden!
I loved these vertical planters!!! Some had flowers, while others had strawberries and herbs.
A Close up of the sign.
Goofy on the go!!!!

I loved these flowers in the kiddie pool!
Spare bale of hay???
Or a spare tire laying around? Try using them as an innovative planter!
Who says scarecrows have to be stuffed?
Or that they can't be cool dudes?

Donald is my fave!!!!
But Pluto is sooooo cute....
These buckets o' flowers really were a great touch!!!
I was so close to having a Bon Jovi moment here!!! 🙂
Believe it or not, there is a bathtub underneath all those flowers!
You cant forget the sink!!!
Just outside the Garden, Mickey & Minnie are waiting with arms wide open!

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BYOC…Bring Your Own Cast

So the other day, we got the dreaded news that Zoe had fractured her arm and needed a cast.

Having never had a cast, I of course was super nervous…But then I had a big idea. What if we went to the Magic Kingdom and had all her favorite characters sign it for her.

So we boarded the Monorail on a quest to get some signatures!

Riding the Monorail to the Magic Kingdom!

Our first stop was City Hall. What are we Celebrating???

Then it was on to Toontown to see the Princesses!!!

The waiting is the hardest part!!!
Aurora was the first to sign!!!
Cinderella was next up to sign!
And finally, it was Belle's turn!

Then it was time to head over to the Judge’s Tent to get Mickey and Minnie to add their signatures to the collection.

Hey guess what happened at Preschool???
Minnie signing...

And then we were off to find Zoe’s favorite…Peter Pan!!! I was so worried that he would be in Neverland, but he had just finished playing tag with the Lost Boys and Tinkerbell…

Zoe's main man!!!

She had such a great time getting all of them to sign her cast, and she had a great evening showing it off to everyone! It was the perfect way to end a not so good day! 🙂

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Another Week, Another Look

I ventured back to the Magic Kingdom to take a peek at all the action in the Magic Kingdom!

I’ll take a look at

  • Main Street USA
  • El Pirata y El Perico Restaurant
  • The Haunted Mansion
  • Fantasyland Expansion and Refurbs (I rode my orange Dumbo again! WOOT!)
  • Tomorrowland
  • Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder Meet and Greet

I hope that you enjoy these pictures!!!

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