Soarin’ Around The World

We had the opportunity to ride the new “Soarin’ Around The World” at EPCOT.  The original “Soarin’ Over California” was our favorite ride and we tried to do this on every visit, even if it was the only ride for that day.

Entry to Soarin' at EPCOT

Entry to Soarin’ at EPCOT

Soarin’ Over California took you for a birds-eye-view of scenic wonders both natural and man-made, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Monterey Bay, Borrego Springs, Palm Springs, Malibu, downtown Los Angeles and finally up Main Street in Disneyland where you landed in the middle of a fireworks show.  In the 15 years that it was operational, it was a real crowd pleaser.

For the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland, Disney made Continue Reading →

It’s Enormous!

That’s an understatement!  If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World but have never been – and your only reference is Disneyland in California, you are in for a heady challenge.  You will soon realize that you are overwhelmed as you step foot in WDW and try to figure out where to go, what to do, where to stay and how to get there on time.  That last point is critical if you have dining reservations.

Disneyland is measured in acres; originally 160 to be exact. There have been some additions over the years to include more resorts and parking; now Disneyland and California Adventure sit on that original plot.  Today, the entire Disneyland resort is about 500 acres.

The Walt Disney World resort is measured Continue Reading →

Hidden Mickeys

Obvious "hidden" Mickey

Obvious “hidden” Mickey in EPCOT.  This one is about four feet wide!

Believe it or not, there are actually things to do at a Disney Park besides ride the attractions, eat the food or avoid the crowds!  We’ve read blogs and stories complaining about the hurriedness of the park, waiting in the long lines, or that someone in the family needs a slower pace.  In fact, we sometimes find ourselves just wandering around the park and taking in the magic that isn’t part of a ride.

One such activity is searching for those special architectural additions called “Hidden Mickey’s.”  These are special Continue Reading →

TBT the Disney Way

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“Stayin’ Alive Canada” performs at the American Gardens Theater in EPCOT.

What a wild way to celebrate a “Throw Back Thursday.”  We watched a Bee Gees tribute band called “Stayin’ Alive Canada,” (facebook page)   perform at EPCOT in Walt Disney World.  They performed some of the Bee Gees’ most famous songs from the Disco era, including songs from the movie “Saturday Night Fever.”  It was funny to look around and see that most of the audience were our age!

This summer, Disney is hosting various bands that are performing Continue Reading →

The BFG Movie Review

From the mystical mind of Roald Dahl and magic of Steven Spielberg comes Disney’s latest movie, The BFG (Big Friendly Giant).  We had an opportunity to preview this movie, courtesy of Disney’s Official Fan Club, D23.

BFG

The BFG is a somewhat dark film with intense and scary scenes involving a little girl in a world of giants, most of whom want to eat her and are willing to do anything to satiate their appetite for “human beans.”

There are also funny and light-hearted scenes, strange words, and unusual happenings such as water running uphill or bubbles sinking in a glass.  These are similar to what we see in other classics from Roald Dahl such as Continue Reading →