Wishes at Walt Disney Worlds's Magic Kingdom

Cinderella's Castle at The Magic Kingdom

Walt Disney World

The Disney Wonder - Surprise Encounters

You never know who you will brush shoulders with on The Disney Wonder! Our first surprise encounter with Disney Characters was when we were walking to dinner one night. Coming down the hallway were Mickey and Minnie Mouse! They were all dressed up in their finery for the Golden Mickey's Night. 

Another night we were walking down the hallway and there was Cinderella! Do you think she was on her way to meet Prince Charming? :) I like to think so!

I learned to always have your camera ready as you just never know when an opportunity will crop up for a close encounter with a Disney Character aboard The Disney Wonder! 

Sights At Cabo San Lucas - Wordless Wednesday

Sights at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Disney Cruise Line - Mexican Rivera Cruise

 

Goofy's Candy Company at Downtown Disney

Candy, fudge, caramel apples, cookies, chocolate covered marshmallows...what do they all have in common? You can find them here at Goofy's Candy Company in Downtown Disney!

This is one yummy store let me tell you! The smell of caramel and chocolate greet you as you walk in the door. In fact, you are surrounded by yummy goodness everywhere you look!  There is candy that you can buy by the pound, fudge, cookies, and chocolate covered marshmallows just to name a few. Just look at this display case of sweet goodness!

The different kinds of caramel and chocolate covered apples are so much fun!  It is hard to decide just which one to try.

And if choosing a yummy treat wasn't hard enough, they will even let you customize your own!  All you have to do is let them know if you want your apple, marshmallows, pretzel rods or other treats dipped into milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate. Then, do you want them dipped into toppings such as sprinkles, mini M&M's, mini chocolate chips, assorted nuts...and oh the the list goes on here too! Just when you think you have figured out you have to decide if you want it drizzled with even more chocolate! You know, it is a hard decision, but someone has to do it so it might as well be you! :) Here is a cast member making a chocolate covered apple here. I wonder what else she was going to put on it!

I also saw these giant Minnie and Mickey Mouse Rice Krispie Treat Cakes just waiting for someone to buy. Wouldn't this make an ideal birthday cake? I think so!

How about a lolly pop that is as big as your head (or almost)? 

Goofy's Candy Company is always on my list of places that I have to go to in Downtown Disney. How about you?

Sights At Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival - Wordless Wednesday

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival

Disney's Animation Academy at Disney's Hollywood Studios

One of my favorite things to do while visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios is to visit the Animation Academy in the Magic of Disney Animation.  It is an experience that many pass by because they don't realize what it is all about.

At the Animation Academy you can get a glimpse of what it takes to draw a Disney Character, and you get to try your hand at it too!

It is like a private drawing lesson with a real, live Disney Animator/Artist.  You may be thinking, I don't know how to draw! Or, I can't even draw a stick figure let alone and Disney Character! No worries! You are supplied a piece of paper and a pencil. The pencil has no eraser by the way, but don't worry, this is a sketching process and you really won't need one! Really! The fact that the paper fits over pegs on a Mickey Mouse shaped drawing board only adds to the fun.

The  Animator's drawing is projected up on a screen in the middle of the room. You usually start out with a lightly drawn circle, put some guide lines in it and you go on from there. The Animator will draw the Disney Character shape by shape, explaining the process as you go along. Often they will tell you a little background information about the Character that you are drawing or talk about something interesting that they have seen or done.  Before you know it, you have a Disney Character on your own piece of paper!

I wish I could say this is my drawing, but I can't. This was the Disney Animator's drawing. She was kind enough to allow me to photograph it after the class. I will admit to peeking at the other class member's drawings and you know what...everyone had a recognizable Mickey Mouse on their paper! Sure, some were better then others but everyone had a smile on their face because they enjoyed the class, and that is what matters after all. The class took about 20 minutes to complete. Much to my delight the Cast Members do not mind if you go back and get in line again right after your class for the next one. Yes, I did that very thing, but I was careful. I kept an eye out for anyone walking up to join the class after I got in line. I was more then willing to allow someone who had not drawn a character yet to take my place. I was not willing to deny anyone the chance of drawing a character just because I enjoyed the experience so much!

Let The Magic Begin - Wordless Wednesday

"Let The Magic Begin" show on The Disney Wonder

The Disney Wonder And Mr. Toad's Wild Race

I was strolling through the Atrium one day aboard the Disney Wonder and I heard a lot of noise down on the lower level.  There was cheering and voices yelling, "Go! Go!" Well, of course I had to look down....way down into the Atrium.  A race was going on. It was Mr. Toad's Wild Race to be exact.

I decided that this was worth checking out since so many families seemed to be enjoying themselves.  There were two Crew Members who were dressed like they were going to the horse races, long ropes with colorful toads attached, and children at the end of the ropes. Yes, this was worth checking out!.

The children would pull and lift the rope in order to make the toad hop along. The child that had their toad cross the finish line first would be the winner. The boy in the yellow hat was impatient. He would pull hard and lift the rope high.  When the toad would get stuck the Crew Member would patiently lean down to adjust the toad and the boy would start pulling and tugging again.  He really wanted to beat the girl who was racing against him. I wonder if that was his sister?

The families cheered, the children tugged and pulled....guess who won?  Much to the disappointment of the boy in the yellow hat it was the girl who won.  Are you wondering why I didn't get a photo of the toad crossing the finish line?  Well, I was too busy having fun and cheering them on!

The Disney Cruise Line provides many fun filled activities to keep children and adults busy and happy during their cruises. They know how to treat their cruisers well!