Disney Bucket List- Fall 2014

This is our second trip to Disney World in 2014 and the shortest trip we have made as a family.  We will be at the parks for just FOUR days.  I used to think that four days was the perfect amount of time... 4 days/4 parks it should be plenty of time boy was I WRONG.  We plan to pack a ton of stuff into our four days before heading off for a 5 night Disney cruise.  Just as the rest of my Disney bucket lists this is not a Disney "must do" list, this is a list of new things that our family plans to enjoy while we are there.  I don't stress over the list and I have yet to complete everything on one of my lists.  As a Disney Vacation Club owner I plan to visit often and eventually I will cross them all off.  I choose my list by selecting a mix of items that are there for a limited time, the resort that we are staying at, and new things for us to try.

1. Festival of the Fantasy Parade- Earlier this year Disney World started a new afternoon parade called Festival of the Fantasy.  The parade celebrates many of the Fantasy Land characters such as Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Flynn Ryder, Rapunzel, Ariel, Cinderella, Bella, Minnie, Mickey, and many others.

2.  Attend Hollywood Studios FROZEN Summer- I was excited to hear that this limited time only event had been extended that included dates of our vacation.  It includes special events such as a Frozen Sing-a-long, ice skating, treats, parade, and an evening fireworks spectacular.

3.  Bay Lake Tower-  This is our "home" DVC resort, but we have never stayed there as a family.  I stayed there with the kiddos a few years ago and I am excited for all of us to stay.  The proximity to Magic Kingdom make it one of my top places to stay.  Something about being able to walk there makes everything so much easier.

4.  Moma Melrose's Ristaurante Italiano -  I like to try at least one new (to us) table service restaurant while visiting the parks.  This restaurant is located in Hollywood Studios so we have decided to to the Fantasmic Lunch package to guarantee a see for the show with out using a fastpass for it.  Italian food is one that that my kids will definitely eat so it is a perfect choice for my family.

5.  Enchanted Stories with Belle-  Since I have two boys you are probably wondering why I have included this on my list.  I am taking a recommendation from a friend.  She said that it is very interactive and her children LOVED it.  I hear it represents the magic of Disney to the fullest and I want to know more!

6.  Seven Dwarfs Mine Train-  This is the newest ride addition to Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland.  It is a rollercoaster designed for everyone over 38 inches tall that is themed around the beloved Snow White.  It is extremely popular right now since it just opened in the spring so make sure you schedule a fastpass.

7.  Silhouettes of Kids- I am always looking for the perfect souvenir to take home from WDW.  My go to items are a Christmas ornament and lots of great pictures.  This time I plan to have the kids sit for a few minutes at Magic Kingdom to get this keepsake completed.  I am not sure of the price but from what I have read it should be less than $30 for both kids.  I will be sure to update with details like price and location when we return.

8.  Go on a Disney Cruise-  This has been on my BIG bucket list for A LONG TIME!  We actually booked this cruise 18 months ago and the fact that it is so close is giving me butterflies in my stomach.  We chose to do 4 days in the parks and then take a relaxing cruise after.  I am prepared to be WOWed!

9.  Family Picture on the Monorail-  We love all forms of Disney transportation because it means that we are in our happy place, however, the Monorail holds the top spot.  It is a ride all in itself.  I have pictures of my kids on the Monorail but none of the whole family.  Believe it or not, this might be the toughest item on my list.

10.  Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party-  This is a special ticket event that is held select dates in September and October.  It is a Halloween party complete with costumes, trick-or-treating, special character appearances, parades, dance parties, and fireworks.  We are currently working on our costumes and I will share them later.

11.  Mickey Kitchen Sink- Last year we tackled the challenge of the Kitchen Sink at Beaches and Cream at the Boardwalk resort.  This version of the kitchen sink is available at the Magic Kingdom and is is slightly smaller so maybe just maybe we will be able to finish it!

12.  Country Bear Jamboree- There are still 15 of the original attractions from opening day at Walt Disney World.  The Country Bear Jamboree is the last one of the 15 that our family has to do to have completed all of them.  Technically I saw the animatronic show as a kid, but I plan to officially check it off the list with my family.  It is an any height attraction that is one of the last attractions that was actually developed by Walt himself.

13.  Dole Whip-  Many people have a long list of their favorite snacks at WDW.  I bet most lists include this delicious treat.  I have tasted fellow Magical Mom Sherrie's Dole Whip, but this time I plan to enjoy my own.  It has even been suggested to me that I add some rum.  Shhh... don't tell.

I know that this list may seem long and ambitious for a short trip, but I plan to try my best.  I will update you when I return from the world!

Our Magic Bands Were Delivered! (unboxing video)

I am so excited that our family was selected to use the new Magic Bands at Disney World for our upcoming November trip.  My husband is a technology junkie and part of his daily job involves making unboxing videos for products so of course he wanted to do one for this!  It was fun to work together with him on this.  I am sure that he will convince me to make other videos for the blog so stay tuned!  This was my first video so please don't be too harsh:)
There is lots of hype about the Magic Bands and I can see why... from the packaging to the technology and functionality the are sleek and SUPER cool!.  I just might wear it as an accessory before the trip... lol.

Now you can watch the video and see exactly what comes in the box!

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Kids' Party Invitations

We have several kids party invitations on our Etsy shop. Click on the below images to be taken to each listing.

MONSTER HIGH TICKET INVITATION

LEGO INVITATION

CHEVRON FIRST BIRTHDAY INVITATION (MORE COLORS AVAILABLE)

DOC MCSTUFFINS INVITATION

MICKEY MOUSE INVITE

DORA AND DIEGO INVITE

SOFIA THE FIRST INVITATION

DINOSAUR INVITATION

DORA INVITATION

Mickey Mouse Birdhouse

My boys are not always up for crafting with mommy.  I am not sure if that is because they are just boys or if it is because they don't share the love of crafting with me.  Either way I was pleasantly surprised by their attitudes when I got out the supplies to make these bird houses.  I think the combination of the Mickey theme (they LOVE Disney almost as much as me!) and the fact that they were able to get there hands a little messy (paint/dirt- It's all the same to them).  

Supplies

• Wooden Birdhouse
• Wood Circles
• White Buttons
• Red, Black, and Yellow Acrylic Paint
• Paint Brushes
• Newspaper (to line the counter)
• Paper plate (for paint pallet)
• Painters Tape
• Hot Glue Gun
• Scissors
• Clear Coat Sealer (if you want to put it outside)

I purchased most of the supplies at my local craft store A.C.Moore.  I bought two bird houses, 6-pack of wood circles, 4 buttons, and 3 bottles of acrylic paint for  less than $5.  I had the rest on hand already.  

I started by taping off the bird house so that everything but the red could be painted. Taping it off made it very easy for my kids to paint this by themselves.  

Nathan hard at work

Evan painting the roof

While the kids were painting the house, I cut a small part off of the wood circle to make a flat part to sit flush with the birdhouse roof.  Then I had the kids paint them black as well.  This project was a two day project because of drying time and other activities in between.

Then we let that dry and removed the tape.  Before you remove the tape you could add a second coat if needed.  When my husband saw them at this stage he was very concerned that we were making Pittsburgh Steeler birdhouses.  We are from Ohio, of course we were not making anything from Pittsburgh!

Then I taped off the black and yellow and let the kids paint the red.  So far so GOOD!

Once the red was dry (with optional second coat) use the hot glue gun to adhere the wood ears and buttons.  

Overall this was a very easy project and the kids can't wait to paint again!!!

Disney's 50's Prime Time Cafe Pot Roast

In our multiple trips to Disney World we have discovered some great places to eat.  The 50's Prime Time Cafe is located inside of Disney's Hollywood Studios.  This table service restaurant is a great place to get a good comfort food meal.  I did a little research online and found the recipe to my favorite dish, the pot roast,  at allears.net.  I changed it slightly- I don't add the garlic.  The original recipe can be found here.  I have made this recipe several times to bring to friends who have just had a baby or feeling under the weather.  I often make two at a time because it freezes very well.  

Ingredients:

• 4-5 lb Top or Bottom Round Roast
• 1/2 Onion
• 5-6 Cups Beef Broth (I use Better than Bouillon Beef Base and followed directions on jar)
• 6-8 Carrots
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Celery

Preheat oven to 350.  Heat Olive Oil in skillet.  Brown roast on all sides and place meat in roasting pan.

.

Add veggies and lightly saute.  Pour veggies on top of roast

Use the Bouillon to make a broth.

                                      

Pour beef broth over veggies and meat.  

                                      

• Bake for about 35 minutes per pound
  
  I serve this with mashed potatoes.  Sometimes I even make gravy with the juices left in the roaster.  To make the gravy I take 2 cups of the juices and heat in small sauce pan on stove.  I whisk in about a tablespoon of cornstarch and bring to a simmer to thicken.  
  
  
  This recipe was featured on our 30 Days of Dinners June Menu, Make sure to check out all of the other great recipes on this month's menu!

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge- Kidani Village Review

Our most recent trip to Walt Disney World we stayed in a 2-bedroom villa at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas. This resort is in the deluxe villa category, although it is part of the same complex as the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge has two separate buildings called Jambo House and Kidani Village. Jambo House is the original structure and while some of the rooms in this building are the villa type, the majority are standard Disney hotel rooms. Kidani Village is all villas. The Disney Deluxe Villa resorts are primarily for Disney Vacation Club members but you can still reserve these rooms directly through Disney as you would any other room, but they come with a hefty price tag if you do it that way. Disney Vacation Club is essentially a timeshare that allows members to purchase a yearly point allotment and then they can choose when to visit and what accommodations and resort they wish to stay at within their point allowance. Tracy, the other magical mom, and her husband Scott are DVC members and I plan on purchasing myself in the next few years. If you plan on going to Disney at least every 3 years, this is really the most economical way to do Disney vacations.

Before I get to the actual review I would like to point out that you can "rent" points from DVC owners and this enables you to get heavily discounted prices on Disney's nicest rooms and resorts. While I suggest you spend some time researching this, you can rent through David's Vacation Rentals and he will find you a legitimate person to rent from with a rental contract to protect your agreement. One of the best perks of the DVC villas are the larger spaces and full kitchens. And by renting points, not only are you saving almost 50% of the rack rate on the room, you also save by being able to prepare/pack your own food and avoid paying the high price of eating out at Disney.

So now onto the actual review...

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is incredibly convenient to get to if you're coming in from the west side of Orlando. When we pulled up, we circled the minivan right up to the front door of Kidani Village and, like every Disney deluxe resort, bell services came right up to us and started to unload our luggage onto several luggage carts. They took our name and let us know they would hold it while we checked in. We had done online check in (which you can do 10 days in advance on Disney's website so we headed right to the counter and only had to answer a few questions and before you knew it we had our "Welcome Home" folder and our Key to the World cards (room keys). Unfortunately our room wasn't ready yet, but they were able to take our cell phone number and said they would text when it was ready.

It wasn't long before it was ready and when we did get into our room, I have to say we were quite impressed! The kids loved it and ran through all of the rooms exclaiming about how awesome they thought it was all the while. We have stayed at many Disney resorts, including Art of Animation, Bay Lake Tower, Boardwalk and Saratoga Springs, and this was by far my favorite room..


The 2 bedroom villas have 3 full bathrooms, so there is plenty of space for everyone when it comes to taking care of their business. And the bathroom in the master is wonderful! The bathtub is almost as large as the kitchen! (maybe not, but it is large) Below is a picture of the floorplan so you can see just how much room there is.

The master bathroom was HUGE!  It had double sinks and a separate tub and glass shower.  The toilet had a separate door which was very nice when we were all trying to get ready at the same time.  In the bathroom was also a fairly large closet.







The finishing touches in this room really make it special























There is a nicely themed living room and open kitchen with granite counter tops, full size refrigerator, sink, stove with oven and dishwasher. There is also a big enough sized table with banquette seating on one side and chairs on the other.


Now this room sleeps 9 but there is not really enough room for 9 people to comfortably sit at the table and eat a meal. But honestly we didn't really eat full meals in the room and when we did, the adults ate in the living room.

Here is the master bedroom.  Along the opposite wall, it had plenty of dresser space and the bed was pretty tall so you could stash suitcases under the bed.  The master bedroom also has a sliding door to the balcony.



And the other bedroom with 2 queen beds,



We did not pay the extra for the savannah view, but many people say it is worth it. Especially if you think you would enjoy having a cup of coffee on your balcony while watching the animals. The view from our balcony was really just a view of bell services.  We were very happy with our choice because there are so many other places to view all of the animals.  In addition to checking out the animals from the various look out stations, make sure you look out the windows as you get on the elevator.  You will see something different every time since the animals roam as they please in the savannah.  We saw this giant turtle one time.

 Giraffes rarely lay down so this was cool to see too!

Even without a savannah view, there are plenty of areas in the resort to animal watch, and they usually have super comfy rocking chairs for you to just lounge in while taking in the beautiful theme of this resort.
Here are a few pictures from various observation places

All Disney deluxe villa resorts have a Community Hall where kids can go to play games and make crafts. We visited Kidani Village's Community Hall once during our trip and found that it was quite uncrowded and had lots of activities for the kids. There is also an animal viewing balcony here where you can sit in previously mentioned rocking chair while the kids color inside.

We also found that we loved the pool at Kidani. It has a zero entry pool and same kind of water slide you'd expect at a Disney deluxe resort.  Even the adults enjoyed the water slide!  It also has a great kids water play area and playground with water slides and jungle gym type playground. There is a much smaller wading pool in this section which is great for the very young (even acceptable for babies who are not even walking yet).

If there are any downsides to Animal Kingdom, it is that it is one of the most remote resorts which means a longer bus rides to all of the parks except Animal Kingdom. However it doesn't share bus service with other resorts, so it's probably a wash. Kidani Village does not have a quick service restaurant which means you have to walk or take the bus over to Jambo House to eat at a counter service restaurant. If you're spending a lot of time eating at the resort this could be quite inconvenient, but we ate most of our meals at the park quick service restaurants. Kidani does have a table service restaurant called Sanaa, but we did not eat there this trip so I can't give you a review for it. We did eat at The Mara, the quick service at Jambo, and we really enjoyed it. It is themed to be African but even my picky children had plenty to choose from. I also had the best hummus I've ever had here.

Overall, I give Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge a 9.8 out of 10. The fact I can't walk to a park is really the only thing that keeps it from being a 10. It has my favorite theming, atmosphere and rooms. I rate it just behind Bay Lake Tower and that is only because nothing can make up for the fact you can walk to Magic Kingdom from Bay Lake Tower.

I hope you and you're family get the opportunity to stay at the incredible resort during one of your trips to Walt Disney World.  Have a magical vacation!

Kahlua Pork Tostadas (and Gluten Free)

This recipe is inspired by a dish we had at Disney's Polynesian resort. Captain Cook's is a quick service restaurant that we ate at while hanging out at the volcano pool at this resort back in 2011. My husband got these pork nachos and they were amazing! By no means is my recipe a duplicate of the one they use there, that's why I call it "Disney inspired." Their nachos had a delicious and tender pork and pineapple salsa, which is what inspired me to make my own version. I however am serving this on a tostado to cut back on some of the calories from the chips. For the pork, I am basically using my recipe for the Best Darn Pork BBQ and just substituting pineapple juice instead of orange juice to make a Polynesian BBQ sauce. Then I took my Mango Tango Salsa recipe and just omitted the mangos to get a pineapple salsa. I love using my tried and true recipes and changing an ingredient or two to create an entirely new meal! The best part is that you can use the leftover pork and make the Best Darn Pork BBQ for another meal during the week!

This recipe is about 275 calories for one serving, which is one tostada, pork, BBQ, salsa, low fat cheese and fat free sour cream. I get all my nutritional info from My Fitness Pal. Have you tried this app? It lets you enter a recipe and all the ingredients and it calculates all the nutritional info for the recipe! I love it! I have to admit I ate two though, so I'm a little over 500 calories for dinner, which isn't so bad. If I keep breakfast and lunch under 300 calories, then my snacks to 100 calories, then have this for dinner I'm still only a little over 1200 calories.

Here are the ingredients for the pork roast:

• 2-3 lbs. pork roast
• 1 tbsp. dry mustard
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder
• 1 tbsp. sea salt
• 1 tbsp. black pepper
• 1/4 cup liquid smoke

I'm going to be honest and say I never measure out those spices. I just rub them all over the meat until it looks well coated in the spice rub. Use however much you think is appropriate for your taste. After you rub the spices on the pork, place in slow cooker and pour in liquid smoke. Cook on low for at least 12 hours.

Pineapple Salsa:

• 1 cup diced pineapple
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• 3 Tbsp. diced red onion
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro 
• Dash lime juice
• Sea salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together and store in fridge until ready to serve.

Polynesian BBQ sauce

• 1 cup ketchup (Heinz for gluten free)
• 2 tbsp.  Pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce (Lea and Perrins or Kroger for gluten free)
• Dashes of liquid smoke, cayenne pepper and dry mustard

For the Tostados:

• Oil
• Corn tortillas
• Low fat or fat free cheese and sour cream*

To make the tostados, you'll need corn tortillas and a little bit of oil. You need the oil to crisp up the tortillas. Heat the oil in a skillet and add tortillas. Cook until they start to brown and get crispy. You can finish crimping them in the oven at 450 degrees.

When the pork is fully cooked and shreddable, remove from slow cooker and place in a bowl and shred. Place about a tablespoon or two of the pork on the cooked tortilla. drizzle with BBQ sauce and top with low fat cheese. put back in oven until cheese is melted and starts to brown. remove from oven and top with pineapple salsa and fat free sour cream. Enjoy!

Top 5 Tips to Keep Your Disney Vacation Magical

If you have friends or family that have gone to Disney World before, I'm sure you have at least a few of them that had not so magical reviews. But others that absolutely loved it... so what was the difference?

The biggest difference was they allowed themselves to get CRANKY. And cranky guests cannot keep it magical. What you need to think about, is what makes you cranky, and then avoid it. Easier said than done:)

Well let's think about the most common reasons full grown adults and children get cranky- tired, crowds, hungry, long lines. Those at least are my biggest reason for getiing cranky. If you are over-tired, forced to walk in huge crowds with people constatnly knocking into you and your kids, have to wait forever to get food, or have to wait in long lines, all of us will get cranky. So here are my top tips and secrets to avoid getting cranking and keep it magical:

1. Don't overestimate the amount of time you can physically spend in a park and still enjoy yourself. Many people literally think they can stay in the same park all day- for like 10-12 hours. Even if your kids are teenagers, it is just not possible to spend that long in one park without getting a bit cranky. So don't plan on it. If you have small children, plan on 4-5 hours MAX. If your kids are older or it is just adults, plan on 5-7 hours MAX.

2. How do you get everything in if you are only there for 4 hours? BE THERE BEFORE THE PARK OPENS. Please trust me on this. If you get to the park around lunchtime, you will have to wait 2 or 3 times longer for almost every ride (at least the popular ones) and you will be waiting in long lines and will not get to do everything you want. You will be much more rested if you get to the park 20-30 minutes before the "rope drop" and then you can speed through the lines for Space Mountain, Dumbo, Splash Mountain, Peter Pan's Flight, Soarin, Rock-n-roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Toy Story Midway Mania, Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safaris. These are all attractions that are virtually impossible to get on later in the day without a wait. And I consider anything over 15 minutes a wait. So get to the park before it opens, get to your priority attractions and get fastpasses and be done before or after lunch.

3. Take a break every afternoon even if you don't have small kids. Then hang out at the pool or just relax. You can get back into the parks in the evening. Take this time to relax and recharge so you do not get cranky.

4. Use the evenings to see the shows, plan character dinners or dinner shows, and just focus on keeping it magical. I don't recommend trying to get in rides during the evening. As I stated in #2, the lines are atrocious for most attractions from lunchtime to closing. If you are going to a park, it needs to be to see a show like Fantasmic or to see a parade and fireworks. And you need to go knowing that IT WILL BE CROWDED. Believe it or not, just knowing this makes you a lot more relaxed. And no matter what, be at the park entrance at least 1 1/2 hours before the show/parade/fireworks you are planning to see. If possible, find your viewing location and stake out your territory. Have a group go get food/snacks and bring back so that you have something to do while waiting on the main event. You can take the kids to rides with minimal lines as long as you stress they need to be back 20 minutes before the show. Another word of advice, pay attention to parade and fireworks times if you are planning dinner reservations. For example, if Wishes fireworks are at 8:00, you will have a hard time getting to Cinderella's Royal Table anywhere between 7:30 and 8:45. But don't plan on doing these EVERY evening, take a few off.

5. Avoid Extra Magic Hours. I know it sounds contradictory, but trust me. Extra Magic Hours are like a BIG ARROW pointing all Disney resort guests to the same park on the same day. Even if the EMH are from 8-11 pm, that park will be the busiest of all parks that day even at 12:00 in the afternoon. The only exception is if you are going in the evening for a show/parade/fireworks. Remember, you have already prepared yourself that it is going to be crowded and you are not planning on hitting any big rides where you will have to wait in those long lines, right? Also, be sure to read my advice on how to decide which park which day. I go into more detail there.

And that is it, 5 rules to keep it magical. Don't break them and you will have a magical trip. However, please visit my other pages to learn more tips and secrets- the more you know, the more magic you'll create!  Let the Memories Begin!

Disney Trip- FREE Digital Scrapbook Kit

What a great freebie for anyone traveling to Disney World anytime soon! Below are FREE Disney Trip Scrapbooking files. Because of copyright laws, I didn't want to use any of the actual characters, but these items would make a great addition to any purchased scrapbook kit. These files can be printed onto cardstock from your computer, or used for digital scrapbooking.

Includes: 
3 Photo Mats (I suggest printing as a 5x7)
2 Blank Note Pages (print any size, but wallet or 4x6 works best)
3 Journaling Pages
Disney Quote and Castle Card
Meeting Mickey and Meeting Minnie Tags
3 Page Titles

All files are below. Just right click on the image and save as picture. You can then print from home or insert into your digital scrapbook project. Enjoy!

Maui Scalloped Potatoes From Disney's Ohana Restaurant

On our last trip to Walt Disney World we had the pleasure of dinning at Ohana located inside the Polynesian Resort.  All of the food was delicious.  Shortly after returning home from our vacation I researched how to make the Maui Scalloped Potatoes.  Be sure to check out Allears.net.  They have lots of Disney recipes to allow you to serve up a little Disney Magic at your dinner table!
Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 lb. Russett Potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced Sweet Onion
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Begin by washing the potatoes thoroughly, then thinly slice them.  I usually leave the peels on.

Combine all ingredients in greased baking dish and bake for 1 hour.

 Let stand for about five minutes before serving.

I served them tonight with Honey I Ate the Pork- Pork Tenderloin and steamed broccoli.

This recipe was featured on the Magical Moms' July Menu.  Be sure to check out all of our monthly menus


Lots of AMAZING recipes on the Magical Moms' June Menu, Marvelous May Menu, Appetizing April Menu, and March Madness Menu.