Wordless Wednesday, October 10, 2012 ~ Halloween Spooktacular
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Wordless Wednesday – Halloween Spooktacular
Flirting with Gators at Gatorland!
I am a lucky girl because I tend to get a LOT of visitors now that I live here in Florida, and I hardly ever have to brave the epic cold of New Hampshire! My parents visit at least once a year and we always look for new and fun things to do when they do visit. While we usually have a day at Disney and we have also gone to Sea World, but this year I decided to take my parents to Gatorland! I have not been since I was a wee little mocha princess and figured my parents would get a kick out of it! Especially my father who is TOTALLY AFRAID of Alligators!
If you take a peak at the Gatorland Website this is what you see
Gatorland is so much more than just alligators at a price that doesn’t put a strain on your vacation experience!
At 110- acres, Gatorland provides affordable-priced family fun with thousands of alligators & crocodiles to see, an aviary, breeding marsh with observation tower, petting zoo, nature walk, award-winning gift shop and one-of-a-kind reptilian shows including the Gator Wrestlin’ Show, Gator Jumparoo and the Up-close Encounters Show.
Take a ride on the Gatorland Express train and then head on over to Gator Gully Splash Park where kids of all ages can enjoy a good ol’ fashion squirtfest!
Don’t miss the new rare white alligators on display for a limited engagement at Gatorland’s newest exhibit, White Gator Swamp. Featuring four of the world’s largest white leucistic alligators known to roam the planet, these giant Ivory colored reptiles are each ten to twelve feet in length and weigh over 800 pounds. Their piercing blue eyes are believed to have the ability to command good fortune to those lucky enough to make eye contact with the blue eyed beauties.
So after a great family Breakfast at Cape May Cafe at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, it was time to head down Orange Blossom Trail to Gatorland!
We were right on time for the Gator Jumparoo Show. This was a total riot! We saw Rednecks throwing raw meat at Gators trying to get them to jump out of the water… what was there not to like?
We then got to feed the HUGE Turtles a snack. I am beyond amazed that I got to feed a thousand pound turtle some carrots! Dean was one of the most gentle creatures I have ever met but BOY was he strong! In fact, the whole family got to feed him and that was a total highlight!
We went down the walking path and saw the little habitats that had small rattler snakes, cobras, and other kinds of snakes. We were sad to learn that while we walked past the Bird Aviary was closed (side note: I was NOT sad.. I HATE BIRDS, they scare the bananas out of me) so we trucked along to see the white alligators THESE THINGS CREEP ME OUT! They are all white/yellow skinned and have bright blue eyes… totally creepy. They are from Louisiana and as far as I am concerned, they can stay there!
All over the property they have habitats housing some HUGE Gators that have come from all over the USA to live at Gatorland. With names like Toxic and their bios stating that they come from neighborhoods where they were known for eating lots of dogs, I can understand why they were housed in their own sections. These Gators are NO joke!!!!
Before we went into the Gator Trail, we stopped by the cart to buy our Gator Food (which was really hot dogs) so we could feed some gators!!!! When you start walking around the river you see a few gators here and there, but when you feed the first one that they all come out of the woodwork. These HUGE gators move so fast for just a piece of hot dog. I don’t doubt that they are well fed, but they LOVE them some hot dogs! Watching these 8 and 9 foot gators come across the pond quite fast and seeing them snap and bite about 5 feet down, if it was even that far, for a piece of hot dog….. it was almost like being on Survivor. My dad was a tosser of the pieces and I was more of a throw down at them, because they they would react and snap at each other and make noise 🙂 So awesome!
After feeding the Gators we took the train around the property towards the Gatorland Wrestlin’ show! We were lucky to catch the last show of the day, We saw the guy pin a gator down, hold im with just his chin 10 different ways and put a gator to sleep with the slightest touch! The best part was the end of the show when they asked if anyone in the audience wanted to sit on a gator and get their picture taken! My Husband James Threw up 10 bucks for my father to do it! The same Father who is deathly afraid of gators. My Dad did the big kid thing and went down and got in line. To listen to him tell the story he “Wrassled that 35 foot gator to the ground who weighted at LEAST 4500 pounds and held him down with his brute strength” In all actuality, he knelt over a 7 foot alligator whose mouth was taped shut and smiled for a camera. I am still proud of him!
After the show ended we walked towards the exit looking at all the pools of baby gators and some of their turtle friends while still being really sad that the bird habitat had closed for the day 😉 This was a THOROUGHLY enjoyable day at Gatorland and we didn’t even take advantage of everything Gatorland had to offer. We didn’t go to the petting zoo or the bird aviary or the splash park or the Zip Line Adventure. I would recommend a day at Gatorland to ANYONE who hasn’t been! Kids and Adults both will love it! Please check out their website www.Gatorland.com to take a look at their offerings and map. They also offer all sorts of education packages and even Birthday Parties!
A BIG HUGE Thanks to my Friend Stacey who treated my family and I to a day at Gatorland! We had a blast and will TOTALLY visit again!
Orlando Solar Bears Fall to Everblades 5-1
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Bears return to Estero to take on the Everblades in their inaugural ECHL game on Friday, October 12.
Orlando Solar Bears Drop First Preseason Game 6-3
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Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go October 1-5, 2012
Weekly Review – Our Week On The Go October 1-5, 2012
Weekly Review time!!! This past week here at On the Go has been crazy busy, but a total blast!!!
Now it’s time to look back at all that happened October 1st – 5th!!!
Let’s Go!
Happy 30th Birthday EPCOT!!! I took a look back at my first visit to EPCOT Center in 1986 with some quality Fisher Price Camera Pictures of some of my favorite rides!
It’s after midnight, and Cinderella Diamond Edition is out on BluRay! I review this stunning and chocked full of Extras DVD Release. Even if you already own Cinderella, I would run out and get Cinderella Diamond Edition!!!
The Orlando Home Show was this weekend, and it was full of great ideas for your home and the fabulous Mark Brunetz was there, too!!!
Disney Interactive has launched a Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth App! Fans of Popular Newsy Web Series Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth Can Now Get Their Daily Cup of News and Laughter to Go with the Daily Shot App!
Wordless Wednesday took us to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the Lobby of the Tower Hotel.
LEGOLAND Florida is Celebrating their First Birthday with tons of great savings and prizes for Florida Residents on October 15th!
Aurora and I had the unique opportunity to see another side of Titanic: The Experience, and it was a ghostly good time!
Betsy took us along for another look at the Art of Animation Resort, because since all of the sections of the Resort have opened she has some new favorite details!
Heather Thomson, from the hit Bravo show the Real Housewives of New York, will be speaking on October 21st during the Women for Israel Breakfast at the Hilton Orlando to benefit the Jewish National Fund.
And we ended the week with some news that made this WWE FanGirl get excited, WWE NXT is going to be at Full Sail Live! On October 11th!
Thanks for joining us this week at On the Go, and we can’t wait to bring you even more posts next week!!! We’ll be looking at some fun activities at SeaWorld Orlando, the Richard Petty Experience, some Food and Wine Festival Fun, and more!
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WWE NXT Coming To Full Sail University With Tag Team Champions Kane And Daniel Bryan
WWE NXT Coming to Full Sail Live on October 11, 2012!
WWE Tag Team Champions Kane and Daniel Bryan, will continue their unique form of therapy in the ring during the October 11, 2012 WWE NXT event at Full Sail Live! The stunning WWE Divas will be on hand, and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross will call all of the in-ring action!
WWE Tickets:
FREE to students, 2 tickets maximum, w/Full Sail I.D. (Limited Supply)
$5.00 for Full Sail Staff w/Full Sail I.D.
$10.00 for General Admission tickets
WWE / NXT Live Event
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Full Sail Live at Full Sail Studios
141 University Park Dr., Winter Park, FL 32792
Doors 5:45 p.m.
Event 6:30 p.m.
WWE and Full Sail University will be videotaping this event.
During the WWE NXT event, a selection of local area specialty food trucks will be on site, so come hungry, as the Food Truck service begins at 5:00pm.
Future Event Tickets:
Tickets for the next scheduled WWE/NXT live event will go on sale immediately following the conclusion of this event.
Event specific WWE / NXT T-Shirts will be available at each event. Proceeds from ticket and t-shirt contributions benefit the Full Sail / WWE Scholarship Fund
Follow us for more updates: Heather Thomson, Real Housewife of NY, to speak at Orlando Breakfast for Jewish National Fund
Heather Thomson, THE REAL HOUSEWIFE: MAKING A SEASON OF THE SHOW AND A BUSINESS SUCCESSFUL
Heather Thomson, a fashion designer, celebrity stylist, philanthropist and newest cast member of the successful Real Housewives of New York franchise, is the woman behind the successful Yummie by Heather Thomson brand.
Heather will be speaking at the Hilton Orlando on October 21, 2012, at the Women for Israel Breakfast to benefit the Jewish National Fund
ZUQIM: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND A VISION FOR TOMORROW
NOA ZER heads Resource Development for the Central Arava Regional Council. She is married to a second generation farmer from Paran and both of them are starting their second agricultural season as pepper growers on Moshav Paran in the Central Arava.
WOMEN FOR ISRAEL BREAKFAST – Jewish National Fund
Sunday, October 21, 2012 • 8:00-9:15 am
Hilton Orlando
6001 Destination Parkway Orlando, FL 32819
This event is in conjunction with JNF’s National Conference. You are invited to stay for the Opening Plenary at 9:30 am. For more information about the conference, visit jnf.org/nc.
Dietary laws observed • Please RSVP by October 5, 2012 to Rosalie Brinbaum at rsvpfl@jnf.org or 561.447.9733
Art of Animation Resort – New Favorite Details
Art of Animation Resort – New Favorite Details
This past weekend I had the pleasure to stay at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort for the second time and enjoy some of the amazing details. I thought I’d share some of my favorite new things since I was able to explore the Lion King and Little Mermaid sections for the first time. I cannot wait to go back and stay in each of these new sections of the resort! This is now cemented as my favorite of the Value Resorts at Walt Disney World. The theming is absolutely incredible! In case you missed them, go back and take a look at our previous posts about the Finding Nemo, Cars section and Landscape of Flavors.
If you aren’t familiar with the Art of Animation Resort it is amazingly designed, and the more you return to the Art of Animation Resort the more details you’ll notice and love!, it is divided into four themes. Finding Nemo, Cars, and the Lion King make up seven of the resort’s ten accommodations buildings with family suites. I had previously stayed in the Finding Nemo section back in May and visited the Cars section before it was officially opened several weeks later. The Lion King section opened in July, but I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to visit. Standard rooms make up the other three buildings in the Little Mermaid section.
Since I was staying there I thought I would take half an hour or so to explore the resort to see some of the magic the Imagineers created at this awesome new resort. Here, I’d like to highlight just a few of my favorite pictures from the other day.
I love how well each of the character’s personalities were captured in the sculptures. The landscaping is immaculate and perfectly suits the theme of each section of the resort. You feel immersed in the jungle while walking through the winding paths of the Lion King. The palm trees sway, almost as if moved by an underwater current in the Little Mermaid area. I know I’ve said it before, but this is my favorite of the value resorts. The amount of time and energy the Imagineers must have put into this resort is mindboggling.
One of the best things is how the Art of Animation Resort is amazingly designed, and the more you return to the Art of Animation Resort the more details you’ll notice and love! really is the focus of the resort. You can see the beauty in things like the larger than life characters featured above. Also, great detail is put into little things like signs around the resort. The Cars section, where I was staying this trip, is my favorite to visit at night. The neon around Route 66, the Cozy Cone and the Wheel Well Motel just bring this area to life with retro Americana goodness. I especially love the nods to the Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, etc. with the Cars parodies. Also, if you get a chance, check out all the bumper stickers on my favorite character Fillmore. Lot’s of great inside jokes can be found all around him.
I highly recommend that anyone who has an extra hour or two on a day they don’t necessarily want to go to the parks that they go explore Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. There are so many details to explore throughout the resort’s common areas, plus it offers one of, if not the best counter service locations at a resort. I hope you all get the opportunity to stay here, or at least visit someday. If you’ve been, what are some of your favorite details?
Follow us for more updates: LEGOLAND Florida Birthday Celebration
LEGOLAND® FLORIDA CELEBRATES ITS FIRST BIRTHDAY
Celebrate October 15 with 50% single day admission, Special Prizes and Free Cupcakes
Put on your party hat because LEGOLAND Florida Birthday Celebration will be on October 15th in honor of their first Birthday! Guests will feel like it’s their birthday with 50% off single day admission to enjoy the park on Oct. 15, a prize patrol with hundreds of gifts to give away and free cupcakes for the first 5,000.
Guests can experience the more than 50 rides, shows and attractions with 50% off single day admission to come and celebrate on October 15 (only $37.50 – adults, $32.50 – children/seniors). This amazing discount will go on-sale online beginning Oct. 3 at http://florida.legoland.com/FirstBirthday. Tickets must be purchased online and redeemed on Oct. 15. Only while supplies last. Offer limited to maximum of 5,000 tickets with a limit of 6 tickets per purchase.
LEGOLAND Florida’s Prize Patrol is a team armed with hundreds of gifts and will sporadically surprise guests throughout the day during the LEGOLAND Florida Birthday Celebration. Gifts include such amazing prizes as:
- · Meet & Greet with a Master Model Builder
- · Tours of the Model Shop
- · Free Food Vouchers
- · Free Hero Passes for front-of-the-line access to rides
- · Free Single Day Admission Tickets to LEGOLAND Florida
- · Free Standard Annual Passes which includes unlimited 12 month access to LEGOLAND Florida
- · Free Merlin Annual Passes USA which includes unlimited 12 month access to LEGOLAND Florida, LEGOLAND Water Park and all Merlin US attractions throughout the USA, free parking and more
Purchase your tickets today so you don’t miss your chance to join in on the birthday celebration. Park operating hours are 10am-5pm so arrive early and stay the whole day for the most fun.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.legoland.com.
Follow us for more updates: Titanic The Experience Ghost Tour
When Shelley and I got invited to go back to Titanic the Experience and take part in one of their new Ghost tours we JUMPED at the chance. We had such an amazing time on the first tour that we knew we wanted to go back for another experience and we of course had to drag Shalon with us.
The Ghost Tour is different from the Experience Tour because while you go through the rooms and learn the history of the artifacts, the guides Joe Zimmer and Jac LeDoux delve a bit more into the folk lore of the pieces. The word of mouth rumors about premonitions and deaths that happened prior and things of that nature. They also talked about experiences that the guides themselves have had while working there. Before Titanic got their remodel they were housed over on the other side of International Drive in an area called The Mercado which has since been tore down. The Mercado was a very old set of buildings that was turned into shopping and dining and entertainment area. It has since been torn down but the guides all have memories and experiences to share.
So much of the Ghost Tour is a personal experience.You still get the boarding pass of an actual Titanic passenger but this time the stories they tell about the people have a much more superstitious feel to them then the regular tour. It is all about how you feel when you look at the artifacts and if you feel as though there is a presence around you. We were told about a young girl named Katie who was one of the resident spirits in the exhibit. She likes to move artifacts and play around with the Tour Guides. And they also like to play with her. She has a doll that has been found all over the tour rooms and exhibit. She has been known to move mirrors and small items as such. Some of the guides will not play with her but some of them have just as much fun as they can with it. Hiding her doll in tall or obscure places, taunting her with toys and food and even asking her to move things for them to see if she will do it. It is a well known fact that she will play along with certain tour guides but not all of them.
While we were on our tour, we were lucky enough to have some Paranormal Experts with us experiencing the exhibit. One of them had a meter of sorts that read magnetic activity and when we were in certain rooms it would be going crazy and all the lights would be blowing up. One of the guides took a group of us back to the telegraph room and that is where they decided to try and talk to the spirits. Asking yes or no questions to the spirits green on the meter meaning yes and red on the meter meaning no. While I totally am a believer in spirits, I totally understand people who aren’t. Seeing the meter respond and feeling the chill in the air in spots and seeing artifacts that were enclosed in cases or units move, totally blew my mind. This isn’t magic, this isn’t a 3 cent show. This is the type of thing that really gets you to thinking and believing.
Titanic was a real event. With real people and real emotions. Seeing and hearing the stories and watching how the tour guides react totally make this a one of a kind experience. Seeing the other people on the tour react is another aspect of this tour.
Daily Shot App Web Series Now Available On The Go In The App Store
DISNEY INTERACTIVE LAUNCHES DAILY SHOT ON THE APP STORE
Daily Shot App Web Series Now Available On The Go
Fans of Popular Newsy Web Series Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth Can Now Get Their Daily Cup of News and Laughter to Go!
Disney Interactive has launched Daily Shot on the App Store, a new app that delivers episodes of the popular newsy web show Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth right to fans’ iPhones and iPads. With the Daily Shot app, fans can also access past episodes of the show and easily share their favorite videos with friends via email, Twitter and Facebook. You will even be able to connect directly with Ali Wentworth through her Twitter account@AliEWentworth!
On Daily Shot with Ali Wentworth, the funny comedienne, actress, best-selling author and mother of two, shares her irreverent take on the latest news and current events, along with her producer and co-host John Carhart. The 3-7 minute episodes are filmed at her kitchen table and on location around New York City, and provide busy parents a daily dose of news, celebrity gossip, sports headlines, and more.
I have really enjoyed the episodes that I have seen, because it reminds of when I was little and heard my Mom talking around the table with her friends over a cup of coffee. And while the episodes are only a few minutes, the time doesn’t pas by too quickly and it doesn’t seem so compacted that it seems rushed or forced.
Daily Shot airs across the Yahoo! network, including Yahoo! Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com) and Shine (http://shine.yahoo.com) and on Disney’s leading online parenting platform, Babble.com, where she also has a personal blog titled Ali in Wonderland.
Ali Wentworth was co-creator, star and co-executive producer of the television series, Head Case on the Starz Network. She has appeared in numerous television shows including, The Oprah Winfrey Show as an on-air correspondent, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Hard Ball, In Living Color and Seinfeld, among others. Her movie appearances include “It’s Complicated,” “Jerry Maguire,” “Trial and Error” and “The Real Blonde.” Earlier this year, Ms. Wentworth released a new book, Ali in Wonderland, a collection of funny stories about her life, which quickly became a New York Times best seller. She has also authored The WASP Cookbook, a collection of family recipes spiced up with a humorous commentary on life.
If you have a few minutes, make sure to check the Daily Shot out!!!
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Wordless Wednesday – Creepy Lobby
Orlando Home Show Giveaway!
Save $3 off to Orlando Home Show AND Win free tickets and VIP seats to see Mark Brunetz, Emmy® award-winning co-host of Style Network’s Clean House
The Orlando Home Show will be here soon, returning to the Orange County Convention Center October 5-7, in the North Concourse, Hall North B facing I-Drive. From the front door to the back yard, you’ll find the area’s largest selection of the latest products and services for the home, all under one roof.
Inspiration will start the minute guests step into the 2012 Orlando Home Show, the only place to find smart ideas and fresh advice for gardening, home improvement, decorating and more from hundreds of experts, all under one roof. Orlando’s original and largest consumer home show returns October 5-7 to Hall North B in the Orange County Convention Center’s North/South complex off Universal Boulevard, and features local, regional and national experts, instructional how-to seminars, contests, giveaways and much more. The home improvement extravaganza will spotlight Featured Products and Services and exhibitors who are participating in the fall show for the very first time.
Special features include appearances by Mark Brunetz of Style Network’s Clean House; a Design Showcase and free design consultations by AP Interiors; a tech gadget-filled Smart House constructed by Universal Contracting; and daily seminars by home improvement experts on the Fresh Ideas Home Stage.
Consumers can also find answers to their DIY and home improvement, landscaping and home décor questions from more than 300 experts around the show floor and on the main stage throughout the weekend. Popular green thumb and Orlando Sentinel columnist Tom MacCubbin and nationally-syndicated home design columnist Marni Jameson are among the presenters (visitwww.OrlandoHomeShow.com for a complete listing of presentation times).
Show hours are Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m, and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, and are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors (60+; this discount is ONLY valid at the door and no other discounts apply), $5 for students 13-18 (ID required, only valid at the door), and free for children 12 years and younger. Advance tickets can be purchased online for a $3 discount off full-price $10 admission at www.OrlandoHomeShow.com. Convenient on-site parking is available adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center off Universal Boulevard, and is $8 per car with valid Florida ID.
You can also Save $3 off full-price adult admission when purchasing online at www.OrlandoHomeShow.com.
But wait, there’s more! Here’s your chance to win a four-pack of tickets to the show, good for admission any time during show hours!
All you need to do is leave a comment about your favorite clutter busting tip on this post by midnight on October 3rd!!!! Winners of the four-pack of tickets will also be entered to win a grand prize – VIP front row seats to see Mark Brunetz!
Reclaim your living space and get organized with valuable tips from Mark Brunetz, co-host of Style Network’s Clean House, Mark Brunetz. Tackling the emotional reasons why people unnecessarily hang on to possessions, Mark will offer valuable tips to help you to clear the clutter, get organized, and make way for a more efficient, nicer place in which to live. He will be presenting at the Orlando Home Show on Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at noon, and 5p.m.; and Sunday at 3 p.m.
For more information, visit www.OrlandoHomeShow.com, or call 1-877-871-SHOW (7469). The Central Florida Home & Garden Show, and its springtime sister show, the Central Florida Home & Garden Show (March 22-24, 2013) are both produced by Marketplace Events.
Get celebrity tips, home trends, exhibitor discounts, opportunities to win tickets and more by connecting with the show on Facebookand Twitter @FloridaHomeShow.
I was compensated with tickets to the Orlando Home Show in exchange for posting this contest and discount ticket opportunity.
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Cinderella Diamond Edition Available In Stores Today!
Cinderella Diamond Edition Available In Stores Today!
Bibbidi Bobbidi Blu!
“A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,” and at the stroke of midnight, October 2, 2012, dreams around the globe really will come true when The Walt Disney Studios opens its prestigious vault to release one of Walt Disney’s most timeless and beloved masterpieces of all time, Cinderella, in the highly anticipated Blu-ray™ Diamond Edition Collection.
Cinderella is by far my favorite Princess! I love everything about Cinderella, and how she never gives up or becomes cruel in the face of adversity. And to have the opportunity to review Cinderella: Diamond Edition was a complete pleasure, because I was floored by the beauty of the animation when I was watching it on BluRay. It was amazing to watch this classic become as vivid as it is in my memories, and to hear the crispness of the sound. I will admit that I have asked Zoe if we could watch it over and over again!!!
The “Cinderella: Diamond Edition,” with its spellbinding storyline, memorable music, unforgettable characters and spectacular animation, sparkles like never before with a wide-array of bonus features that extend the viewing experience for the whole family to enjoy including never-before-seen material, family-friendly interactive activities, games and more.
There are soooo many bonus features on Cinderella: Diamond Edition!!! From the opportunity to watch Cinderella with an introduction from Diane Disney Miller, to a new Tangled Ever After animated short, a never before seen alternate opening sequence, and Behind The Magic: A New Disney Princess Fantasyland which is a look at New Fantasyland opening soon!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du9A-A_9OT0&feature=share&list=PLF5D8C9F3347E661F
Cinderella will join the company’s prestigious line-up of Blu-ray Diamond Collection titles this Fall which is currently comprised of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, Bambi, Lady and the Tramp, and The Lion King. Disney’s Blu-ray Diamond Collection represents The Walt Disney Studios’ most prestigious and treasured animated classics. Diamond Edition titles boast the highest level of picture and sound; feature groundbreaking, state-of-the-art immersive bonus content; and include unprecedented levels of interactivity, personalization and customization, made possible because of Blu-ray technology.
Cinderella Diamond Edition is an absolute must own for anyone who appreciates Disney animation at its finest! The film itself is beautiful, but the amount and quality of bonus features really make it an amazing value!
Make sure that you keep up to date with the latest Disney Picture, Disney Movie, and Cinderella Diamond Edition news!
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EPCOT30 – Happy 30th Birthday EPCOT CENTER!
EPCOT30 – Happy 30th Birthday EPCOT CENTER!
EPCOT 30 is really here, and I thought that I would take another look back at my first trip to EPCOT Center!
In 1986 my life changed forever, I was introduced to a place called EPCOT Center. I know that may sound a bit dramatic, but the happenings of this trip seem to have influenced and affected me for quite some time.
My family was by no means well off, and when it came time to make our family trip to Walt Disney World my parents were serious about making sure we made the most of our time here.
My parents have always been huge fans of Walt Disney World, and since they had already been to the Magic Kingdom they decided that our first park to visit would be the new EPCOT Center.
I had never been to a theme park, so armed with my Fisher Price camera (I was a bit of a rebel. No flash photography…I didn’t hear that…sorry) I was ready to make the most of my time here! I wish I could have found all of the pictures, but I am glad that I found these!!!
But pictures or no pictures, I wanted to share a few of my favorite and cherished moments.
In World of Motion, my brother’s favorite ride, my fondest memories are frantically pointing to all of the scenes and trying to find all of the funny details. The screens were full of fun background images, while the animatronics depicted scenes that were easy to identify with and fun to deconstruct.
In Horizons, I remember the optimism that we all felt for the future. I know that everyone who got the opportunity to experience Horizons has a fond memory of the smell of oranges. And while the orange smell on Soarin’ is a nice nod to this extinct attraction, it just isn’t the same to me. Here is my EPCOT30 confession, I was once meditating during a Yoga class, and we were encouraged to think of a happy memory and before the image could fully form I was hit by the Horizons orange smell and it instantly made me happy.
Journey into Imagination was the only ride, according got my Mom, where I was silent and in complete awe of what was surrounding me. Plus this one and only one ride cemented my life-long love of the Royal Purple Pigment Figment! Our trip was also right before Captain EO opened, and I remember begging to stay until we could see it unsuccessfully, So when EO returned to Epcot, I was absolutely beside myself because I was going to have the opportunity to see the movie I couldn’t see before. And as I was sitting in the theater before the movie started with Zoe, I couldn’t help but wiggle with the excitement and dance out at the end with her. I know it’s cheesy, but getting the chance to relive these memories with Zoe make me giddy!
As we walked around World Showcase on this first trip, we spent a lot of time in Mexico since it was my Dad’s favorite pavilion. I remember how badly we all wanted to eat ‘inside the pyramid’, as I called it, but my Dad protested saying it was too expensive. However in 2008, we were fortunate enough to take Mom and Dad to Walt Disney World with us for Zoe’s first trip to Walt Disney World and much like my family’s first trip Epcot was our first stop. But on this trip we skipped running to ride attractions, to go directly to Mexico to have our first meal of the trip at the San Angel Inn. The wait staff must have thought I was crazy, because as I sat down I started crying realizing I was making a 12 year old wish come true!
The newest pavilion at EPCOT Center was The Living Seas, and it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. Our trip to Sea Base Alpha was the most moving and wonderful thing that I had ever done! The Hydrolators, our seacab journey, the interactive displays, and marine life were almost too much to take in. I kept asking if it was real!
And finally, there is my beloved Spaceship Earth. We all have that one attraction that speaks to us, and for me that attraction was Spaceship Earth. I loved, and still do, this slow moving journey through time. Communication is something we all do, and the history of communication fascinated me. Coming off of our first ride I must have asked a million questions prompting us to ride it 2 more times. Spaceship Earth will always be my most favorite ride, and I often think of how inspired I was as I walked off that first time and how much I am always searching for that same feeling of inspiration and curiosity in my life.
I hope that you enjoyed my reminiscing about my first trip to EPCOT Center on EPCOT30. What were your first memories about EPCOT Center?
