Wordless Wednesday – Princess Fairytale Hall

Wordless Wednesday

September 18, 2013

Wordless Wednesday Princess Fairytale Hall

This week’s Wordless Wednesday takes us to Princess Fairytale Hall which opens today at Walt Disney World in love Magic Kingdom! We have posted even more pictures from our visit to Princess Fairytale Hall on our Facebook Page!

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Wordless Wednesday – Eric’s Waterfall

Wordless Wednesday – January 30,2013

Wordless Wednesday
This week’s Wordless Wednesday takes us to New Fantasyland to Under the Sea ~ The Journey of the Little Mermaid which has an absolutely beautiful queue.

 

 

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Disney Parks Blog Be Our Guest Meet Up

Entering New Fantasyland for the Disney Parks Blog Meet Up
Entering New Fantasyland for the Disney Parks Blog Meet Up

Recently we were fortunate enough to be one of the lucky few to successfully register for the Disney Parks Blog meet at the Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. Those of us in attendance were treated to a grand evening in Disney’s newest counter/table service restaurant. Shalon and I had a great time at this exclusive opportunity. If you look closely, you can spot Shalon and me in the pictures and video on the Disney Parks Blog post about the night here.

We were greeted outside the Magic Kingdom at the registration table by Cast Members welcoming us to the event who gave us each complimentary tickets to the park good for that day or the next. They also told us that we were randomly selected to get autographed posters signed by the artist at the party. In addition to these we received Fast Passes to be able to experience the new attraction Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid.

As we entered the New Fantasyland area of the park, we were guided to queue up before the bridge to the Be Our Guest Restaurant. We met up with our friend Vickie, wife and social media director of Steve Barrett, the Hidden Mickey Guy, and invited her to join us. We were ushered in and were promptly seated at a table right in front of the stage.

Entering Be Our Guest
Entering Be Our Guest
Rose Napkin
Rose Napkin
Disney Parks Blog meetup agenda
Disney Parks Blog meetup agenda
Disney Parks Blog Meet Up menu
Disney Parks Blog Meet Up menu

Before the speakers started, we were greeted with excellent service from our server Melissa. I was thoroughly impressed with the presentation and quality of the food. During the meal we heard Thomas Smith from the Disney Parks Blog, Imagineer Chris Beatty and Executive Chef Mike. After dinner they we were all available for meet and greets along with other Imagineers in the West Wing.

L'amour Vrai
L’amour Vrai
Thomas Smith
Thomas Smith
Chris Beatty
Chris Beatty
Executive Chef Mike
Executive Chef Mike

The highlight of the evening for me was the amazing meal to which we were treated. It started with the beautiful light up goblets serving L’amour Vrai: all natural fruit juice punch with wild berry extract and lemon lime foam. Fresh warm rolls and butter started the meal off right. For an appetizer I had the potato leek soup and Shalon had the french onion soup. Both were fantastic! I love this soup just as much as at Rose and Crown where it is my favorite appetizer there. My entree was the incredible pan-seared salmon on leek fondue with creamy saffron crushed potatoes and Shalon ordered the thyme-scented pork rack chop with au gratin macaroni, seasonal vegetables and red wine jus. I don’t even like pork chops and I tried some of Shalon’s and loved it. The meat was so juicy and tender and my salmon was cooked to perfection.

Potato leek soup
Potato leek soup
French onion soup
French onion soup
Salmon
Salmon
Pork chop
Pork chop

Dessert was a thing of sheer brilliance, especially on Shalon’s part. Having just come off of a Disney Cruise, she was accustomed to being able to order multiple desserts and figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask here. Melissa was very nice and accommodated our request, so we each had two desserts. I started with the strawberry cream cheese cupcake with vanilla sponge cake, strawberry mousse filling and cream cheese icing, then tried the gluten-free, no sugar added lemon-raspberry cream puff filled with lemon custard. I actually preferred the latter to my surprise! Shalon had the chocolate cream puff filled with chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream and then her favorite the triple chocolate cupcake with chocolate sponge cake, chocolate mousse filling and chocolate ganache. We even got to try the grey stuff.

Dessert cart
Dessert cart
Strawberry cream cheese cupcake and lemon raspberry cream puff
Strawberry cream cheese cupcake and lemon raspberry cream puff
Chocolate cream puff
Chocolate cream puff
Triple chocolate cupcake
Triple chocolate cupcake
The Grey Stuff
The Grey Stuff
Lemon meringue cupcake
Lemon meringue cupcake
The Grey Stuff by goblet light
The Grey Stuff by goblet light
Be Our Guest ballroom
Be Our Guest ballroom

Once the meal concluded, we were free to roam about the restaurant and take pictures and meet with the Imagineers and chef to ask any questions. Also, to our surprise, we were also given the opportunity to have our pictures taken with the Beast in the library. Shalon and I won signed copies of the poster all guests received at the Disney Parks Blog meetup and were able to meet the artist, Jeff Maurer, to get them personalized. On the way out we were given our choice of cupcakes to go so I got the triple chocolate cupcake which was the best dessert I had.

The Beast in his castle
The Beast in his castle
Beauty and the Beast music box
Beauty and the Beast music box
Artist Jeff Maurer
Artist Jeff Maurer
Me and the Beast
Me and the Beast

The evening was absolutely amazing from the atmosphere to the food to the service. From previous experience at the restaurant in dress rehearsal mode, I was very impressed with the level of the presentation of service we received. I cannot wait to go back and try some of the other items on the menu like the sauteed shrimp and scallops and mussels provencal. This was yet another magnificent production put on by the crew at the Disney Parks Blog and I look forward to future events they host. I hope you all get a chance to experience this great addition to New Fantasyland!

Gaston's Tavern
Gaston’s Tavern
Prince Eric's Castle
Prince Eric’s Castle
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Light Fixtures of New Fantasyland

I am a sucker for details and New Fantasyland doesn’t disappoint with the amazing new light fixtures throughout this section of the park! While I’ve said from the get go the thing I’ve most been looking forward to was Be Our Guest Restaurant, these architectural nuances are incredible. I will highlight some of my favorites here, but will also include the video montage of all 113 pictures I captured during my recent tour.

One of the things that most impressed me was how many different styles of light fixtures appeared in New Fantasyland and how each individual one seemed to perfectly reflect the theme of that particular location. For instance, the lights on the bridge to Be Our Guest restaurant, which is set in the Beast’s castle, are strong and masculine looking. They present a foreboding aura that both beckon you in with their light, but also warn you of the potential danger ahead.

Be Our Guest light fixture
Be Our Guest light
Be Our Guest bridge light
Beast’s Castle
Be Our Guest chandelier light fixtures
Be Our Guest chandeliers

The light fixtures in and around Maurice’s cottage, where the Enchanted Tales with Belle attraction is housed, are full of whimsy and innovation, much like the man himself. Outside the cottage and in his workshop are some of the most creative uses of lighting to be found in New Fantasyland so far. Then, once you are transported to the Beast’s castle, the ornate details are showcased in the beautiful chandeliers, and of course with Lumiere.

Enchanted Tales with Belle queue light
Maurice’s Cottage light
Maurice’s Cottage lamp
Inside Maurice’s Cottage
Maurice’s Workshop light
Enchanted Tales with Belle wrought iron
Enchanted Tales with Belle chandelier
Lumiere

Belle’s village and Gaston’s Tavern in particular provide more flair in their choices of light fixtures. To no one’s surprise, antlers are used in Gaston’s decorations throughout his tavern with several different styles of lighting, including a large chandelier, complete with coonskin cap. One of my favorite lights was actually found in the restroom in the village. It was a gorgeous orange hue and fit in with much of the wrought iron work in the surrounding area.

Gaston’s chandelier
Gaston's Tavern light fixtures
Gaston’s Tavern
Light outside Gaston’s
Light in Belle’s Village restroom

I think the area that I was most entranced with was Prince Eric’s castle and the queue for Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid. This is where my absolute favorite light fixtures were found. Everything is so incredibly well tied in with the nautical theme. Having lived twenty plus years of my life within ten minutes of either the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico, I’ve been constantly drawn to the water. The lights appear to have been kissed by either the bright orange of the sun or the soft blues and greens of the sea. I can appreciate so many elements that were incorporated in this attraction’s exterior and queue.

Prince Eric’s castle
My favorite light in the Little Mermaid queue
Favorite light again from below
The Little Mermaid queue lights
Nautical lights with interactive crabs
Bucket light
Little Mermaid queue lights
Construction wall light

Overall, I think the Imagineers have hit a home run with all of these intricate details. This is what Disney does best, sell the story in the details. There are even semi-permanent light fixtures sitting atop the construction walls that separate New Fantasyland from the work being done on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster. I am absolutely in love with these details. Is this area of the park directed at me? No. Will I be spending a great amount of time here? Not necessarily. However, I can appreciate it all in the grand scheme of things and will continue to see where this transformation takes one of my favorite parks. In the meantime though, I will be happy exploring the amazing expansion that we have been given at the Magic Kingdom.

 

httpv://youtu.be/OdEAMkdpSzs

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My Storybook Circus Day In Pictures

So I have a new obsession, and that is visiting Storybook Circus!

I have been almost everyday since it opened, and Betsy and I have take a ton of pictures which you can find on the On the Go in MCO Facebook page.

But I thought that I would post a few pictures I took yesterday since I got to talk about my obsession on Magic Mornings on Magic 24.7 Radio!

I hope that you enjoy these and make sure that you follow @onthegoinmco for daily pictures and updates from the parks!!!

 

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