Does your child ever ask you if they can write a letter to their favorite Disney character? It happens a lot, especially after you have just been on a Disney vacation.
Letters From Disney Characters
Monthly Archives: January 2015
Weekly Tip #14
It’s fun to get autographs while you are visiting any of the Disney Parks. Both kids and adults like visiting the characters and getting pictures and autographs to remember their vacation. But have you ever tried to bring something other than an autograph book to get signed?
A lot of people do this. I have not brought anything except the autograph books for the kids, but I definitely want to have fun with this next time. It seems that the most common thing to try, other than an autograph book, is a picture frame mat (white) and you frame a picture of the whole family that was taken during your trip. Your picture will be surrounded by all the autographs you collected on your trip. That’s a pretty cool souvenir!
Since the picture frame mats have become a popular item to have signed, I say get creative! It’s my understanding that as long as you are not wearing it the characters will most likely sign it. So why not come up with a few different ideas for autographs? The items can be accents around the house instead of sitting on a bookshelf or in a box in the closet and they are good conversation starters.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Shoes – Yep, I have seen people do this. Just get a pair of white canvas shoes and the characters with sign them (as long as you are not wearing them). You will have to coat them with a protective substance, so the weather does not ruin them.
- Tote Bags – This is another instance where you will want to use a protective coat on the autographs. I have seen some pretty fun totes covered in Disney character signatures. Now that’s a conversation starter!
- Pillow Cases – The signed pillow cases are a nice addition on the bed and the kids will love looking at the signatures and reliving their trip. Plus, pillowcases are usually pretty big, so you will be able to fit a lot of signatures!
- T-Shirt – If you bring a basic white T-Shirt for the characters to sign, you will be able to fit a lot of signatures. This is nice because it will give them all plenty of space to sign and you will have a unique piece of clothing when it’s done! Remember, they will not sign the shirt if you are wearing it. So bring it in you backpack. Speaking of backpacks…
- Backpacks – If your child has a favorite backpack you can bring it and have the characters sign it. Think how much they will love bringing their backpack to school!
There are some ideas to get you started. You can make a game out of it, see who can come up with the most creative ideas of things for the characters to sign. You probably don’t want to bring anything too big (like a blanket or big canvas), unless you are not planning on riding any attractions that day. If the the item is too big, you won’t be able to go on any of the rides with it.
Don’t get me wrong, the autograph books are great and my daughter loves looking at hers! I just keep thinking about how many autograph books we are going to collect over the years and I like the idea of bringing something new for autographs next time. Whatever we come up with for the next trip, you can be sure there will be pictures and a post about it so you guys can see what we decided on. Likewise, if you come up with a fun idea for autographs, feel free to post pictures in the comments or on the Facebook Group and Facebook Page. It’s fun to see everyone’s creative ideas!
Thanks for reading!
*Liz*
Cooking the Disney Way: Pollo a las Rajas
It has been a while since I have made one of the recipes from our Disney cookbook. So, I thought it was time to crack open the cookbook again. My husband and I both looked it over and we agreed on the Pollo a las Rajas from San Angel Inn Restaurante in the Mexico pavilion in Epcot.
On our next trip we are staying at the Boardwalk Villas, so we will be within walking distance of Epcot and all the wonderful dining experiences in the World Showcase. Cooking this recipe gave us a sample of what San Angel Inn Restaurante has on their menu and we we not disappointed.
For legal reasons, I cannot actually post the recipe (it being copyrighted material and all), but I can give you a review of the recipe. If it sounds good to you then you can always look for the book the next time you are in Disney. I’m not sure if you can order it directly from Disney, but it cannot hurt to call and ask. I found a Guest Services number on disneystore.com, 1-800-328-0368. The name of the cookbook is ‘Cooking with Mickey and the Disney Chefs’ by Pam Brandon and I purchased it from the gift shop at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
The copyright info from the book. I know some people do not pay attention to this, but I do not want to be on the receiving end of Disney’s legal team.
The front cover of the book, in case you would like to buy it.
Now for the recipe review. We loved it! Well, my husband and I did. Our kids are still young and sometimes it is hard to get them to try something that “looks different.” All in good time. If you like Mexican food then you will love this. It is a nice step away from the usually burritos and quesadillas. The vegetables are in a type of cream sauce, but there is a little kick to it, so it is a perfect topper for the chicken.
Cooking up the veggies!
This mixture tastes so good! 
The chicken topped with the mixture.
All of the flavors worked so well together with this recipe. So, again, if you are a fan of Mexican food chances are you will love this dish. We have decided to put San Angel Inn on the list of restaurants to try next time. I have heard good things, so we are excited to try more dishes from this restaurant.
I have tried quite a few recipes from this book and we have yet to come across a bad one. There may be some that not everyone likes, but there is always at least one person who will enjoy it. For example, for his birthday I made my husband the Coconut Curried Chicken Stew from Boma–Flavors of Africa. He loved it, but I am not that big on curry. I told him the soup was all his and I don’t think he was disappointed about that. That’s why I recommend this book. There is something for everyone. Plus, it’s fun to cook the Disney recipes and add a little Disney to your meal! Happy cooking!
Thanks for reading!
Liz ⁰o⁰
Weekly Tip #13
I have talked about planning in past posts and how helpful it is to a Disney World trip. Once you have planned your trip and you have everything set, you can start planning your days in Disney. I know it may seem like a bit much to plan all your days out, but it does help.
If you do not want to plan your whole day, then I would concentrate on which attractions you do not want to miss. Some parks, like Magic Kingdom, have more rides than say Hollywood Studios, but it is still helpful to have a plan of action before you visit each park.
My traveling party learned this on our last trip. Our first park day was at Hollywood Studios and we had not planned anything. We didn’t even look at a map before we went. So it felt like we were just going in circles all day, because I was the only one that had been there and the others didn’t really know what was there to see. We had two wasted days at Hollywood Studios (didn’t plan the second day either).
After the Hollywood Studios fiasco, the adults decided to plan out the next day at whatever park we were visiting. Once we started planning which attractions we wanted to see and looking at the maps, we had a better handle on how to plan out the day. Granted, things always happen to throw you off your plan, but being flexible helps. For instance, we had FastPasses (FPs) for Enchanted Tales with Belle, but it was down when it was our time to go. We were told we could come back when it opened and still use the FPs or we could get FPs for another attraction. We held out for awhile and decided to see the other attractions on our list. After checking My Disney Experience multiple times on our phones we saw that Belle was back up and running. So we headed over and had a great time!
Things happen. Attractions break down and need to be fixed. It is good to have an idea of what everyone wants to see and where everything is located in the park. That way if you do have a hiccup in your day, you know where you can head to next and you are not left standing there staring at a map and scratching your head. This is especially helpful for Magic Kingdom. There are over 40 attractions just in Magic Kingdom park. Unless you are a park commando, you will need at least two days to see everything Magic Kingdom has to offer.
If you do not mind getting up early, I would recommend getting to Magic Kingdom for rope drop. It is good to be at each of the parks before they open, but this is especially true for Magic Kingdom. You will be able to fit in so many of the attractions on your list within the first couple of hours, because the park won’t start getting busy until later in the morning into the afternoon. Plus, you get to see the opening ceremony!
It can seem a little daunting to have to plan out each day the night before, but we actually had a lot of fun with it! We would put the kids to bed, throw some laundry in, and break out the maps. We were like kids on Christmas Eve! Planning out the next day got everyone excited for the fun we were going to have the next day in the parks.
If you are staying in Disney World for over a week, it can be a little easier to have a relaxed plan of action. As I said earlier, two days at Magic Kingdom and Epcot can be very helpful when you want to see a majority of the attractions. So, the longer you are there, the more you can break up the days. I know this isn’t an option for a lot of people, due to Disney’s ever rising prices. So if you are there for a week or less, just pick the attractions that you really do not want to miss.
There is a lot of planning that goes into a Disney World vacation, because there is so much to do. When you think about the cost of a Disney vacation, planning out your days will give you a better chance at seeing everything you want to see. Have fun with it! Mix up some drinks and have a little planning party with all the adults in the traveling party. Relax, enjoy, and get excited for your next fun day in Disney World! Happy planning!
Thanks for reading!
Liz ⁰o⁰
Getting Fit for My Disney Trip
Let me preface this post by saying that I am not a fitness expert. I have no certifications in nutrition or fitness, nor did I go to school for either. This post is based on my opinions and what is working for me. There are plenty of experts in those fields that can help you, if that is what you are looking for. I am just a Disney fan determined to lose some weight before the next trip!
I have set a goal for myself for the next Disney trip. I want to lose enough weight to feel comfortable when we go to the resort pool. I did not feel totally comfortable on the last trip and I decided that it is time to lose the weight. I am still carrying weight I gained from my pregnancy with my first child…who is now almost four. It is definitely time!
There was a time when I was able to go to the gym. I used to go five days a week for at least an hour. That was when I had a part on a morning radio show, so I was done with work by 10 a.m., 11 a.m. at the latest. It was great. I lost so much weight and I have never felt better. My problem is getting myself motivated to do some sort of workout. The gym was perfect, because once I was at the gym, there was nothing else to do but workout. So I had to find a way that works with my life as it is now…crazy busy with two very active kids under the age of 5.
Then one of our friends, who is also one of our Disney traveling buddies, started to lose all this weight. That is when I first learned what a Fitbit is. He said it worked well for him, because he had to get all five dots on the Fitbit lit each day. Getting all the dots lit means that you hit your step goal for the day. He also told us how you can connect with other people on the Fitbit app and compete with them to see who can get the most steps. So he would compete with his sister and if he saw she was ahead of him during the day, then he would get up and start walking around the office. Being competitive myself, I thought this would be a good fit for me.
The Dots on the Fitbit
I was given a purple (my favorite color) Fitbit for Christmas. It took me a couple of days to really get into it, but I am now hitting my step goal everyday (usually going over the goal) and I have lost a few pounds! I am very excited about this and it is a good motivator to keep going. My husband has the app too and we can challenge each other, which we have been doing, of course. We are both competitive so it is working out well for us. In the middle of writing this post I got a notification on my phone that my husband had pushed past me with his number of steps and was now in the lead, so I put the post on hold and got up to regain my lead. Seriously.
My Purple Fitbit
I am not doing any crazy workouts or anything. I am literally doing laps in my house to get the steps in. My neighbors must think I am crazy, because I am just walking in circles in my house! It works though! I use things around the house to help me. For instance, if I have the gate up because my one year old is playing in the family room, I use the gate as an obstacle in the walk and it feels like I’m doing a little extra every time I step over it.
A Screenshot of Part of the App
I have also taken things out of my diet, such as soda and foods with lots of sugar. I have tea throughout the day now, in addition to water, and have been eating more fruits and vegetables. I have to say, it hasn’t been long that I have been doing this, but I already feel better. It really is amazing how soon you feel the change in energy once you start moving and eating healthier foods. Don’t get me wrong. I will still have my sweets and by sweets I mean cookies, cupcakes, and pretty much anything from a bakery (yum!). I am not delusional, I know I will eat those again. I am just looking at the sweets as an occasional treat now, they have always been my downfall. So I definitely have to keep myself motivated.
The competition is motivation, but I also keep thinking about our Disney trip and how much better I am going to feel on the next trip. It is actually pretty exciting. Plus, I think about all the fun new Disney gear I can buy when I lose some weight…any excuse to buy Disney stuff! In addition to feeling healthier, Disney is a great motivation for weight loss!
I will be posting more updates about the weight loss and how everything is going, so follow along! If you want to lose weight before your next Disney trip feel free to comment or email. It doesn’t matter if your next trip is next month, next year, or undecided. It’s always a bonus to have support and people you can talk to who are going through the same thing!
I have to go walk now, my husband just took the lead. Can’t let that happen!
Thanks for reading!
Liz ⁰o⁰
My Disney Diary: Planning After Booking
We finally have a room booked! Initially we had been trying to get a room at the Beach Club, but it is a very popular resort and there were a lot of people waiting in the queue with us for rooms. So, because we were afraid of things booking up, we decided to switch our request to the Boardwalk Villas and we are so excited! The resort looks so nice, the kids are not afraid of the clown slide, and we are still within walking distance to Epcot for Food and Wine Festival! We just received our info packet (no flash drive or magnet though), so it feels real! Now comes the fun part…planning our dining and activities!
Usually, once the room has been booked the first thing we start to plan are our dining reservations. I had a planning session with one of our friends we are traveling with and we started making lists. These lists included any dining, attraction, or extra activities that we may want to experience while in Disney. It really does help to make lists and plan things out. Especially for a place as big as Disney World.
For our next planning session we will probably concentrate on the dining reservation list, since those are the next reservations we can make. We don’t do the dining plan (it never seems to make financial sense for us), but because of the dining plan popular restaurants, like Be Our Guest (BOG), tend to book up really fast. So, since we can book at 180 days out, we will probably try to get reservations for the more popular places early. It’s kind of a pain, but that’s what the dining plan has done to dining in Disney World.
Here is what we have planned so far:
- Boma – Flavors of Africa (Dinner) – We have had breakfast here a few times and loved it, so we are hoping dinner is just as good.
- California Grill – We had dinner here last time and loved it. Between the view while you dine, the delicious food, and the awesome view of the fireworks, we definitely had to have it on the list for this trip. Check out my review here.
- Be Our Guest – I doubt we will get reservations at the 180 days out. So, I will be checking everyday for reservations (crazy Disney fanatic right here!).
- Crystal Palace (Breakfast) – This has been on the list before, but something has always been in the way of us eating here. Hopefully we will be able to this time. Plus, I think having a picture taken in front of the castle before the park opens is something everyone should experience.
- Kona Cafe (Breakfast) – We had breakfast here on our last trip and I loved the Tonga Toast. I don’t think the rest of the group was as impressed with their meals though. One of our friends didn’t get to try it (she was running the marathon when we ate there), so I’m thinking a girls only breakfast at Kona is a must for the next trip. Bring on the Tonga Toast!
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – Since we will be within walking distance of Epcot and traveling with two little girls who love princesses, how could we not make reservations here?
- Cinderella’s Royal Table – Dining in the castle? Sold.
- T-Rex – The kids will love all the animatronic dinosaurs. Plus, we can take them to Build-a-Dino after we are done eating. Fun!
- 1900 Park Fare (Dinner) – I have heard that even though the food is delicious, the real reason to go for dinner is to see the stepsisters. Everyone says they are hysterical!
This list is no where near complete. There are so many dining options all over Disney! It’s fun to look at all the restaurants, read reviews, and look at pictures. Tripadvisor is great for seeing a lot of pictures of the different restaurants.
Since we are within walking distance to the Boardwalk and Epcot, there are so many dining options available. We are so excited to be in planning mode! After all, planning is half the fun!
Thanks for reading!
Liz ⁰o⁰
