Christmas Shopping At Downtown Disney Marketplace

December 4, 2009 by

Holiday shopping at Disney's downtown marketplace shops

If your looking for a very unique Disney World gift this Christmas holiday season, the best place to go is the Disney Downtown Marketplace. Located right in the east end of the downtown Disney area. This Disney entertainment and shopping area is filled with shows, great places to eat and lots of Disney shopping. For this article I’m talking about just the shopping stores.

As everywhere on Disney property, the Downtown Disney marketplace is alive with Christmas holiday decorations and lights right now. With plenty of free parking, this Disney shopping area has over 30 shops, all unique and wonderful. It features the largest Disney character store in the world among other things. You can find every Disney character toy, costume, accessory and more here.
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Walt Disney World Christmas lighting show at Magic Kingdom

November 23, 2009 by

Very soon Walt Disney World will start having their Christmas lighting ceremonies. Nothing is prettier than the Christmas lights at night at the Magic Kingdom, especially Cinderella’s castle! It’s amazing how they can make that castle glow with different colors.

Then of course you have the special Disney Christmas night parades, which are also very colorful and pretty. Add the fireworks and it’s a fantastic place to be! Here’s a youtube video of a past Disney Magic Kingdom Christmas lighting ceremony. Enjoy!

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Walt Disney World’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

November 21, 2009 by

Mickey's very merry Christmas party
Image by Walt Disney World

The article below is for 2009. To read about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party for 2010, CLICK HERE and see what changes have been made for this year.

This year at Walt Disney World they have decked out the resort and theme parks early with their Christmas decorations and lights. Normally they put up all Christmas lights and trinkets the night after Thanksgiving. But this year Disney has transformed the resort into a Christmas winter wonderland already!

Because of that they are having more nights for their special Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, held at the Magic Kingdom theme park here in Orlando. This is a special Christmas party held between 7:00 PM to midnight nightly on selected nights.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is an amazing display of Disney magic, with several shows, parades and special entertainment. For starters you can see all the Christmas lights and decorations throughout the Magic Kingdom park. Disney really knows how to transform the park into a spectacular, magical sight with fantastic Christmas lights and holiday displays.
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Walt Disney World Thanksgiving events and parades

November 8, 2009 by

walt disney world thanksgiving events and parades

Well in just a few weeks it will be Thanksgiving. Those of you who are going to take an Orlando vacation and go to Walt Disney World at Thanksgiving time might be wondering what is going on. One thing I can tell you is, all the Disney theme parks will be packed!

In fact every one of the Disney parks should fill to capacity in the early afternoon. So if you want to take in a Disney park on Thanksgiving day, go early and prepare for crowds. Don’t even think of park hopping on Thanksgiving day. Plan on going to one Disney park and staying there for the day.

Now as to what you can expect to see that is new on Thanksgiving day, the answer is not that much really. Disney will put up all their Christmas decorations and lights that night, but not on Thanksgiving day. So you will not see any special Christmas sets or displays.
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Walt Disney World’s Festival Of The Masters 2009

October 29, 2009 by

walt disney world festival of the masters 2009

For those who don’t know, Walt Disney World is holding their 34th annual Festival Of The Masters at downtown Disney on Nov. 13 to 15th. So just what is the Festival Of The Masters? It’s an art show, featuring top artist from all over. The types of arts you can see here is a wide range of items. Pottery, glass blowing, paintings, photograph, wood working, jewelry and all types of custom made crafts.

This year there will be nearly 150 artist showcasing their unique arts and crafts. Some of the things you see here are amazing and you can’t find anywhere else. I loved the guy who made life-like bust of women and men, they looked ready to talk to you!

Whatever type of arts and crafts you like your sure to find something here you love. The artist will put up booths all over the downtown Disney area. Besides the artist, there will be live entertainment, art shows for kids, a chalk artist display and much more.

Over at Cirque du Soleil La Nouba in the downtown Disney area you can meet the performers and have your kids enjoy face painting and balloons. Also if your a Disney pin lover check out the pin traders location, the biggest Disney pin trading and swapping store in the Disney resort.

Then of course you can go shopping at the dozens of Disney stores at downtown Disney, and eat at several restaurants and food shops. Disney’s Festival Of The Masters 2009 is an art lovers dream and one you don’t want to miss!

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Walt Disney World verses Universal Studios Orlando, what one?

October 15, 2009 by

Walt Disney World's Snow Whitemarvels spiderman

Living right here in Orlando, I’m always surprised at some things people ask me. But then I realize that not everyone deals with theme parks every week! I often get asked if Disney is part of Universal Studios. No, they are not, in fact they are big competitors of each other. So then I get asked the next question, which is, which one do I recommend?

Ouch! That’s a really loaded question, and it depends on so many things. So let me try to explain the fundamental differences between the two theme parks, and then you can decide for yourself. The biggest difference I think is the characters of the parks. Walt Disney World has all of the favorite characters of the Disney movies.

Snow White, Cinderella, Mickey and Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Daffy Duck, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan and Tinker Bell and all the other Disney stars are at,,,, Disney of course. Universal Studios has Marvel comics characters and Universal movie stars.
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Fall season best time for Orlando vacation theme parks visit

October 9, 2009 by

best time for a Orlando vacation is in the fall for Disney and Universal

Ok so my attempt at using one of my Vermont fall pictures and Tinkerbell is not so hot! I’ll do better next time. Now that fall is here I wanted to say something I’ve said before and I’ll say again; the fall season is the BEST time, in my opinion, for your Orlando vacation to see Disney, Universal Studios, Sea World and the others.

The reason for this is many, and I’ll explain them all here. The summertime is actually the busiest time of the year for all the theme parks in Orlando. So, what happens when any area is at it’s peak for tourist? The prices for everything is the highest it will be all year long. Also, the crowds are the fullest, and the Florida sun is at it’s hottest. To me summer is the WORST time to come to Orlando!

But now that it’s fall, the summer crowds are gone. That means the prices for hotels, rental cars, airlines and so many other things are down. Or at least on their way down right now. It’s not as hot in the fall, yet still plenty warm. Most people underestimate how hot it gets here in Orlando in the summer. Also the afternoon thunderstorms are gone, or at least much fewer.
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Disneys Halloween events, Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party

October 2, 2009 by

Disney's Halloween events, Mickey's not so scary halloween party

Below is my article on Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party for 2009. For my new article on this years party, please check out Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party 2010 for the most up to date information about this great Disney event!

Well once again I am late with a Holiday event schedule, sorry about that! Now that it’s October many want to know what is going on at Walt Disney World for Halloween events. Because Disney is so big there are dozens of Halloween events, parties, trick or treat nights and so on throughout the Disney parks and resorts.

However the biggest and most popular Disney Halloween event is Mickey’s not-so-scary-Halloween-party. It is held at the Magic Kingdom on selected nights. Those nights are Sept. 4, 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29th. October: 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31st and Nov. 1st. Hours are from 7:00 p.m. to midnight, with a Halloween Parade at 8:15 and 10:30, plus Fireworks at 9:30.

Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party is, as the name suggest, a party very low in the scary department, suitable for all kids including very young ones. Normal park tickets are NOT valid for this event, you have to buy separate Halloween party tickets, which you can find here in the WDW Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party website.

There is many different Halloween events going on inside the magic kingdom park at Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party. Below are just a few highlights:

Trick or treating:
Guest are given trick or treat bags with a map that shows candy stations located throughout the park. You can go back to the same stations as many times as you want all night, yum yum!

Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade:
An amazing Halloween themed parade with your favorite Disney characters in Halloween costumes plus elaborate lit up floats. It’s very eye catching and a must see. Times are 8:15 and 10:30.

Villian’s Mix & Mingle:
All the infamous Disney villains put on a show, then pose for pictures later. 7:45, 9:00, 10;05 and 11:15 p.m.

Halloween Dance Parties:
Two locations inside the Magic Kingdom park will host dances where your little ones can dance with their favorite Disney characters in Halloween outfits. I’m going to try to get a dance with Cinderella!

Happy HalloWishes Fireworks:
One of the best firework shows Disney puts on! Amazing fireworks of all kinds set to music. 9:30 PM.

This is a good round-up of what you can expect at Disney’s Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party. The parade and fireworks are one of a kind and not to be missed. Your kids will have a blast trick or treating and meeting the Disney characters in Halloween costumes. So check it out and have fun at Mickey’s not so scary Halloween party at the magic kingdom!

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Walt Disney World making new fantasyland at Magic Kingdom

September 16, 2009 by


Click here to see full size picture

Exciting news is going on at Walt Disney World here in Orlando! It seems as though Disney is finally making a new fantasyland at the magic kingdom. Where fantasyland is now, behind Cinderella’s castle, will be done over into a bigger and better fantasyland, complete with a new little mermaid ride. There also will be more interaction areas with Disney’s princesses and more.

They seem to be making it more about the Disney Princesses, like dancing with Cinderella, or playing a role with Belle from Beauty and the Beast. In fact a castle from that story will be made. Plus lots more from Tinkerbell to Dumbo, which will have that ride moved and upgraded. Mickey’s Toontown fair will be removed, with Mickey and Minnie getting new homes at the front of the park.

The picture above is the current plan, click it for a bigger view. Kids will walk through a fairy tale forest and much more to get to the attractions and new shops and restaurants, all based on the popular Disney Princesses. However it will all take time. The current time table for it to be done and open is,,, sometime in 2012!

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Walt Disney World buys Marvel Comics rights

September 6, 2009 by

Walt Disney World buys Marvel Comics rights, bad news for Universal

Well in case you have not heard, Walt Disney World has bought the rights to Marvel Comics, at least in some ways. It’s a complex deal with many twist and turns. The biggest and most awkward part of it is the relationship with Disney’s competitor, Universal Studios. You see, Universal already had a contract with Marvel Comics to build theme park rides and market merchandise from the characters of Marvel Comics.

At Universal Studios Islands Of Adventure they have a whole section called Marvel Super Hero Island. It features the Incredible Hulk roller coaster, The Spider Man ride, Dr. Dooms free fall ride and Storm’s Force Accelatron ride. They also have The X men characters running around in costume. Those are all characters from Marvel Comics.

So how is that going to affect Universal Studios? Will they have to shut down their Marvel rides? Well for now the answer is,,, no. It seems that Universal Studio retains some rights from their earlier contract. One of them is that Universal can continue using the Marvel trademarks for as long as the attractions are in operation. It also ensures that no other theme park east of the Mississippi River — including Walt Disney World — can develop attractions based on the same characters.

So if your afraid of your favorite theme park rides at Universal Studios getting shut down by Disney, you can relax. They will stay open and everything will go on as usual. Walt Disney cannot make new rides in their Florida theme parks based on Marvel Comics characters. However they can, and I’m sure they will, at Disneyland in California.

However it is a very interesting deal, with Disney holding rights to some aspects of what Universal Studios can do. I’m sure they don’t like it one bit! Die hard Marvel Comics fans are upset that Disney will come out with movies based on the Marvel Comics characters as more “sissy” than Universal would make them, seeing as Disney is family friendly.

I guess all we can do is wait and see what happens. In the meantime nothing will change much at Disney World or Universal Studios here in Orlando Florida. So all the rides will still be going at Universal, and no new Marvel Comics rides will be going up at Disney. We just have to wait and see if a new movie will be coming out called The Hulk verses Pirates Of The Caribbean!

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Orlando Theme park ride height requirements

September 2, 2009 by

Orlando theme park ride height requirements

One of the most frustrating things to experience at a theme park is getting to a ride your kid has been talking about forever, only to find that he or she is not tall enough to ride it. The temper tantrums I have seen those poor kids throw, oh boy! So it’s a good idea to check first and make sure your child is tall enough to ride the ride before getting to it.

First let me explain just why they have height limits. Each ride is made with what they figure is an “average” size of the person who will be riding it. Rides for little kids of course are made for child size. Bigger rides are made for a happy medium between kids heights and full, tall adults. The restraints that hold you in are made to fit MOST sizes, but there is a limit as to how much difference they can hold.

Mild rides that don’t turn upside down or throw you around too much have a smaller height limit because there is less chance your going to get thrown out even if the restraints are loose on you. More extreme rides that do loops and throw you around must hold you in your seat very tightly. So you must be taller so the shoulder harness can securely lock you in place.
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Disney World Expedition Everest roller coaster youtube video

January 6, 2009 by


Well everyone, I’ve had a long day today. So, I’m going to make this a quickie post! That means I’m going to show you a youtube video. This one is a cool one about Walt Disney Worlds animal kingdom roller coaster called Expedition Everest. It’s suppose to be themed that your going up mount Everest, and you get attacked by the Yeti, an ape-like creature.

At first the ride goes a bit slow, and you start to think “is that all”? But it has some surprises, and saves the high speed twist and turns for the last part of the ride. It goes into several dark tunnels, and even goes uphill backward in some spots! It’s at the Animal Kingdom at Disney World, and one of the best rides at that park. So enjoy this youtube video of Expedition Everest roller coaster at Animal Kingdom!

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