"Toy Story 2" Movie & Snack Night

As it turns out, counting down the 100 Days To Disney is a very busy and tasty undertaking! Recently, we decided to add one of Disney's most successful movie franchises into the mix. The sequels in this series are so fantastic, actually, that we didn't even watch the original as a part of our Movie and Snack Night but, rather, the second movie in the series - simply because we wanted to see more than just the first set of characters. Okay, enough beating around the bush, let's talk about:

Toy Story 2

This is the first movie on our list that is not part of Disney's official Animated Feature collection. That's because the Toy Story movies are actually Pixar Animation Studios films. While Pixar is now owned by the Walt Disney Company (they weren't at the time to Toy Story 2's release), they continue to keep their animation studios relatively separate, though they are both run by Chief Creative Officer, John Lasseter. Toy Story 2 was released in 1999, and continues the story of Andy's toys - Buzz, Woody, and the gang. This sequel introduces us to new friends, Jessie the cowgirl and her horse (technically Woody's horse, I suppose), Bullseye.

Posing with Buzz & Woody
at Hollywood Studios

Toy Story characters and attractions can be found all around the Disney Parks, making this movie  a great one to watch before a trip to Disney World! In the Magic Kingdom, Woody and Jessie love meeting with guests next to the Splash Mountain queue in Fronteirland. And, when I say "next to the queue," I totally mean it. You're not going to be able to find the line for this meet without going underneath the overpass that separates the Splash Mountain line area from the rest of the park. It's the one that also has a small playground for little ones under there. Just head through and look to your left - you'll find it! Buzz Lightyear meets with his loyal fans in Tomorrowland, right next to his own ride - Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. This attraction gives you the chance to blast away at the Evil Emperor Zurg and his minions! The Toy Story fun doesn't stop when you leave Magic Kingdom. At Hollywood Studios, you can enjoy the ever-popular ride, Toy Story Midway Mania. This attraction is a carnival-themed, 3D, interactive adventure for the whole family. Just across the way from this one is a great opportunity to meet best friends, Buzz and Woody, together in front of a super fun, Andy's Bed backdrop. There are also some fantastic photo opportunities along the line for this meet, so that's a good time, too! Looking for a place to rest your head that is also Toy Story themed? Disney's All-Star Movies Resort has a whole section featuring many many larger than life statues of the lots of our Toy Story favs, including Green Army Men, Buzz, Woody, Bo Peep, and more!

Since we picked Toy Story 2, we had to go with a snack right out of the movie itself: Cheese Puffs! If Toy Story series too, after all! If you remember, Al, from Al's Toy Barn, can be seen with his orange cheese-coated hand dangling over a upside-down bowl and a minefield of cheese puffs all over the floor, below, as he sleeps on the couch with Woody's torn arm in his pocket. If you've ever had cheese puffs,  you know that they can make you awfully thirsty. And, so, we added some lemonade to tonight's snack. To keep with our theming, we dropped some food coloring in, to turn the lemonade green, and taped on some alien eyes for good measure. The three-eyed, green aliens are some of the heroes of the series and it was nice to give credit where credit is due!

Tweet

"The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh" Movie & Snack Night

As we make our way further along our 100 Days To Disney countdown, we decided to pair a classic movie with a delicious snack, borrowed straight from Walt Disney World itself! You'll see which tasty treat and understand why it goes so well once we talk about the movie and why it's a great one to prepare your family for Disney:

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The 22nd Animated Feature for the Walt Disney Company, this 1977 film is actually a compilation of many different adventures starring Winnie the Pooh. Hence the title, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The three animated shorts (all based on the original Winnie the Pooh stories, written by A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard) are Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (in which Pooh attempts to get honey from a tree inhabited by bees, and featuring the sequence in which Pooh gets stuck in Rabbit's front door), Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (in which a storm floods the Hundred Acre Wood and Piglet must be rescued), and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too! (in which Rabbit tries to un-bounce Tigger).

This is such a perfect movie to watch before a trip to Disney World because Pooh and Friends can be found in all sorts of places at the Walt Disney World Resort. The most obvious, perhaps, is on the ride, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. This ride became a part of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom in 1999, when it took the place of the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride attraction. Winnie the Pooh is a slow moving ride that takes you on a trip through scenes from the Pooh Bear movie, while riding in a honeypot. It also features a super fun, interactive queue, to keep little ones busy while they're waiting in line. Just outside of the Pooh ride, you can actually meet Winnie the Pooh and Tigger (other friends, such as Piglet and Rabbit, also appear from time to time), take pictures, and all of that good stuff. The Hundred Acre Wood Friends are also available for a Character Dining experience at the Crystal Palace, also located in the Magic Kingdom. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this one isn't just Pooh and Tigger. Piglet and Eeyore are also on hand. And, in our many experiences here, the characters happen to be super fun at this location - possibly the most fun of all the Character Dinings on the Disney property. They are just overall fun, sill, and goofy... the last time that we were there, Tigger grabbed our autograph book and started having a conversation with us by writing his end of it down on the pages. Talk about feeling like the characters make time for you! Pooh and Tigger have another dining that they like to participate in. This one is over at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian Resort - the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast, also featuring fellow United Kingdom friends, Alice in Wonderland; the Mad Hatter; and Mary Poppins. Winnie the Pooh (and Tigger too!) are also available to meet with you at Epcot's World Showcase, in the United Kingdom.

Everyone knows that bears love honey and no bear loves honey more than Pooh Bear. That's why this movie's snack absolutely had to feature something with honey. And, where better to look for something that will remind us of our Hundred Acre Wood Friends then in Disney's wooded Resort, Fort Wilderness? The Trail's End restaurant at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground serves a delicious Sticky Bun Sundae that we decided to replicate for our Winnie the Pooh snack. Since the sundae's at Trail's End are served in mason jars, we decided to go ahead and use mason jars for ours, as well. 16 oz. jars were the perfect size for our family. Here's how we put them together, from bottom to top:

• Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
• Caramel Syrup
• Little Debbie's Honey Bun (warmed up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds)
• Another scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
• Whipped Cream
• Some more Caramel Syrup on top

Technically, Trail's End adds some chopped pecans on top of the sundae, but my family opted to skip them. With nuts or without, they are the perfect fix for a rumbly in your tumbly!

Tweet

"Alice In Wonderland" Movie & Snack Night

Still counting down the days until my family heads to Disney World and, this week, to pass the time, it wasn't the movie that the kids were begging for as much as the snack. When I tell you what the snack was, you'll probably find it really silly - there's nothing to it. But, let's start with the movie:

Alice in Wonderland

Disney's 13th Animated Feature,  Alice in Wonderland was based on the books, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," and "Through The Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There" written by Lewis Carroll in 1865 and 1871 respectively. The books, and the movie alike, follow the story of a girl named Alice and the many characters whom she encounters along her travels there - the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter & the Dormouse, and Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum, just to name just a few. A curious girl, always looking for an adventure, Alice shrinks, grows, has conversations with flowers, and escapes from a deck of playing cards - all while hunting down the mysterious White Rabbit who seems to be "late for a very important date."

Alice - or, more properly put, the Mad Hatter - has a ride of her own, right along the outside edge of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. The Mad Tea Party is inspired by the the scene of the same name in Alice in Wonderland, and has guests sit in oversized tea cups that go spinning around and around. A wheel in the center of each teacup allows guests to spin their individual cups even faster. And, right in the center of the attraction, you'll find the sleepy old dormouse, popping up and down out of a teapot. There's also a really cool topiary of Alice, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter in that area, as well. Just outside of the ride, next to the topiary, is your opportunity to meet Alice, often along with the White Rabbit, at the Magic Kingdom. If you are lucky enough to be one of the first guests of the day to enjoy the Mad Tea Party, you might even get to ride with the two characters! If you ask me, Alice is one of the most fun characters to meet at Disney World. She is just so silly and nonsensical, she is aways good for a laugh or two... or more! And, most people must agree with me because, for a non-Princess and a non-Fab 5 member, she is really available to talk, take pictures, and sign autographs in quite a few places. In addition to her Magic Kingdom location, Alice also heads over to the United Kingdom in Epcot's World Showcase to meet with guests. Want to meet and eat? You can join Alice at the Grand Floridian Resort's 1900 Park Fare restaurant for the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast. Here, Alice is joined by the Mad Hatter, as well as Mary Poppins, Winnie the Pooh, and Tigger too! The Wonderland Tea Party is also available at the Grand Floridian. Kids, ages 4-10, are invited to this hour long party, hosted by Alice and her Wonderland Friends. Kiddos get to make cupcakes and then eat them, along with some delicious tea that tastes suspiciously like juice. They will also get to listen to a story as well as make flower bouquets.

So, what was that snack that had my own children begging my wife and I to pick Alice in Wonderland for our movie night? It was a tea party of our own, with Graham Crackers and Nutella to eat and Iced Tea to drink. Before our Disney World trip last year, no one in my house had ever tried Nutella and I wasn't sure that they would like it at all. But, needless to say it was a big hit and a favorite snack of theirs now. This repeat tea party was the best one yet!

Tweet

Top 10 Movies To (re)Watch Before You Visit The Magic Kingdom

When my family is 100 Days away from our vacation to the Most Magical Place on Earth, we like to brush up on our Disney. Of course, we watch all sorts of Disney movies and tv shows all year long, but no matter how much we have seen, it always seems like there at least a few movies that we haven't had a chance to check out in a long time. And, with some of our kids being relatively young, they sometimes forget. In the Disney Parks, we have found that the more fresh our kiddos' memories of where they have seen a particular character or movie scene before, the more they enjoy a particular in-park experience. Here is our Top 10 list of movies that you're going to want to make sure that your kiddos are familiar with before heading to the Magic Kingdom.

10. Mickey Mouse Cartoon Shorts
I know - not technically a movie. But, Mickey and the Gang are all over the Magic Kingdom in the form of rides, shows, meet and greets, and then some. So, you'll definitely want to make sure that your kiddos are ready for all the fun! The attraction where you'll be able to find Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy is Mickey's PhilharMagic, though it is predominantly focused on Donald. The Barnstormer is a roller-coaster for Guests 35" and taller, starring none other than The Great Goofini. It's a very chill ride for kids who are just starting to work up their roller coaster nerve - a great "starter-coaster" without big bumps, drops, turns, etc. Mickey and Friends can also be found in all of the parks parades, the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party, and the Dream Along with Mickey Castle Show. And, of course, there are opportunities throughout the Magic Kingdom to meet Mickey, Minnie, Daisy, Donald, Goofy, and Pluto - and Mickey will actually speak to you at his location, so that is a meet and greet that you won't want to miss! You can find the Cartoon Shorts on this Mickey Video app. You can also check out the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show on Disney Junior. As for that "not technically a movie" thing, you can actually find  Donald in Disney Animated Classics such as Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Fun and Fancy Free, and Melody Time. Mickey and Goofy are in Fun and Fancy Free, as well. Mickey, himself, is also in the Sorcerer's Apprentice segment of Fantasia and Fantasia 2000.

9. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / Sleeping Beauty
If your kiddos are 38" or taller, then Snow White is the movie to check out here. The reason being that  the Magic Kingdom's newest attraction, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, just opened this past spring, completing the New Fantasyland expansion. It's a family-friendly roller coaster that is placed right between The Barnstormer and Big Thunder Mountain in terms of thrill level, and it's designed especially for Guests who are, you guessed it, at least 38" tall. The cool part about this ride is that, in addition to being a roller coaster, it also has several sections during which the ride slows down to take you through famous scenes from the film with super high tech animatronics. Snow White is available to meet with Guests on Main Street, USA . You can also experience Snow and her friends during the parades and the Wishes! fireworks show.

Not yet 38" tall? Then, perhaps, Sleeping Beauty is the flick to watch. Magic Kingdom's newest parade, The Festival of Fantasy, features Maleficent in enormous fire breathing dragon form, with Prince Philip on hand to fight her as well as her Raven dancers. Princess Aurora's fairy friends, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, are in the parade, as well. Aurora is also available to meet with Guests, right by Main Street's City Hall.

8. Aladdin
Aladdin and Jasmine are some of the most charismatic characters around, though they couldn't have done it without the help of their friend, the Magic Carpet. You and your little ones can hop aboard your own carpet in the Adventureland ride, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, flying up, down and around in a fun-for-all-ages attraction. Aladdin and Jasmine meet with Guests right behind their ride. The two also make an appearance in Mickey's PhilharMagic, and a certain blue genie can been found in the Movie It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party as well as in the Wishes! fireworks show.

7. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
A classic movie, based on a classic book, there is always good reason to watch The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and follow the fun that a "bear of very little brain" who always has "a rumbly in [his] tumbly" can have. When at the Magic Kingdom, you can follow those adventures in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride. Guests ride, in honeypots, through scenes from the movie, bouncing with Tigger, watching Pooh fall asleep and begin to dream about heffalumps and woozles, etc. This attraction actually took the place of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in 1999 and features an interactive queue, with plenty of fun activities to keep kiddos busy while they wait in line. Want to meet with Pooh and Tigger (and occasionally other Hundred Acre Wood friends)? You can do just that, right next to the ride queue. Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore are also available in a fantastic Character Dining, located in the Magic Kingdom's Crystal Palace.

6. Toy Story
This is the movie that confirmed what we already knew - that our toys totally do come alive when we are out of the room! The trilogy of Toy Story movies is Disney•Pixar storytelling at its best, creating a world of characters that we simple adore and are always willing to find out more about. You can meet some of the stars of the movie at Magic Kingdom - Woody and Jessie, near the Splash Mountain queue and Buzz, near his ride. Buzz' ride, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, has Guests take aim at the minions of evil emperor Zurg, riding along in a space ship that they can rotate up to 360º while blasting "Zs" with their ion blasters and racking up a higher and higher score. Woody and Jessie also dance with Guests in the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party.

5. Dumbo
The classic story of the elephant that can fly is also a classic ride at Disney World. And, it was the first completed New Fantasyland attraction. Now, it stands in the Storybook Circus section of Fantasyland as two identical rides - one for Guests using FastPass and one for those using the Standby queue. This ride is super unique because the queue features a circus-themed, indoor play area. Guests are given a pager and encouraged to go play until that pager lights up and vibrates, signaling that it's their turn to ride! Just past the Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride is the Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station - a small water play area, where kids can get soaked by the famous circus train from Dumbo. Dumbo is also represented in Magic Kingdom's parades.

4. Peter Pan
The boy who never wanted to grow up and taught us how to fly happens to be one of the most fun characters to meet at Disney World and he, along with Wendy, are available to chat, take pictures, and sign autographs right next to his ride. You can even ask if you can "crow" along with him - he's always up for some hootin' and hollerin'! His ride, Peter Pan's Flight, is similar in structure to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and will take you through the story of Peter Pan, though not in a honeypot, but in a flying pirate ship! Making an special, guest appearance in this attraction is a certain Little Mermaid that I'll be mentioning in #3. Peter also makes a brief appearance in Mickey's PhilharMagic, is front and center for a portion of the Dream Along with Mickey Castle Show, and shows up in the Magic Kingdom parades. His fairy friend, Tinkerbell, is also available to meet Guests and she even kicks off the nighttime fireworks by flying through the air over the Magic Kingdom!

3. The Little Mermaid
What can I say? This movie holds a special place in my heart, since it was the first that I was allowed to see in the movie theater, without my parents (they dropped my brother and I off and picked us up when it was over). In addition to Ariel's musical appearance in Mickey's PhilharMagic and Sebastian's cameo in the Street Party, there is now an entire section of New Fantasyland dedicated to The Little Mermaid, thanks to the recent expansion.  You can journey past a wrecked ship and into Price Eric's Castle, heading under the sea, to ride through scenes from the movie in the new Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid attraction. Ariel, in mermaid form, is also happy to chat and take pictures with you in her secret grotto. Plus, if you're hungry, Price Eric's Village Market has some delicious and nutritious snack options!

2. Beauty and the Beast
Hands down, the Beauty and the Beast portion of New Fantasyland is my favorite! You can meet Gaston, just outside his tavern - one of the most fun characters to meet, for sure. Then, go ahead inside the pub and grab yourself an enormous cinnamon roll and some delicious LeFou's Brew! Hungry for more than just a snack? High atop a craggy cliff sits The Beast's Castle, and you can actually head inside for a quick service lunch or a table service dinner. Guests can dine in the Ballroom or The West Wing for both lunch and dinner. The Rose Room is also opened for lunch (it serves as a food staging area at dinner time). Dinner guests can meet The Beast himself after their meal. While I love eating in castle, my favorite part of this new area, and probably the entire Magic Kingdom, is the Enchanted Tales with Belle experience. Guests head into Maurice's (Belle papa) cottage, where Cast Members will direct them to a Magical Mirror, given to Belle by The Beast. That mirror will magically transport you up to Belle's library in The Beast's Castle, where Belle will be on hand to act out her story, along with audience members' help! And, of course, Belle and her friends makes several other appearances around the park - Lumiere is in Mickey's PhilharMagic and the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It! Street Party, while Belle rides along with her princess friends during the all new Festival of Fantasy Parade.

And, the Number 1 movie to make sure that you and/or your kiddos remember before visiting the Magic Kingdom is...

1. Cinderella
I mean, how can it not be!? Cinderella Castle is one of the most photographed spots in the entire world, and it is truly amazing! Plus, did you know that you can make reservations to meet Cinderella and eat upstairs in the castle, along with some of her other princess friends, like Aurora, Ariel and Jasmine? Not to worry, though; Cinderella is also available to chat with Guests without a dining reservation at Princess Fairytale Hall. The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is a fabulous location where Guests can get made up with sparkles, makeup, hairstyles, dresses, and then some - just in case they find themselves running late for their own ball. Prince Charming's Regal Carrousel is also smack dab in the middle of Fantasyland and, although it is just a carrousel, there is definitely something special about it - especially early in the morning, when Cinderella's step-sisters like to ride. After their trip on the horses, Anastasia and Drizella meet up with Cinderella's step-mother, Lady Tremaine, for pictures, autographs, and (un)pleasant conversation with Guests. You can even meet the Fairy Godmother at the Magic Kingdom! Cinderella can also be found in the park's parades and the Dream Along with Mickey castle show.

Tweet

"The Three Caballeros" Movie & Snack Night

As we count down the days until our Disney Vacation, starting at Day 100, my family enjoys watching a weekly Disney movie that we haven't seen in a while - one that is also represented in some way at Disney World. We have found that keeping the movies fresh in our minds adds even more to the Disney fun on vacation. Along with the movie, it's always a great time to include a themed snack - nothing too fancy... we do have 4 kids and, suffice it to say, we often find ourselves a little limited for time, money, and, well, energy! This week's movie was one of my daughter's favorites:

The Three Caballeros

Released in 1944, The Three Caballeros was The Walt Disney Company's 7th Animated Feature. The movie stars Donald Duck, who happens to be celebrating his birthday, and receives three gifts from his friends in Latin America. The opening of each gift leads to several short segments, featuring tons of information (as well as plenty of humor) about the many beautiful areas of Central and South America and their cultures. We are also introduced to an old friend of Donald's, José Carioca, and are on hand when Donald makes a new friend in Panchito. Together, Donald, José, and Panchito form The Three Cabelleros and enjoy singing, dancing, games, and good times with one another.

The Three Caballeros can be found at several locations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. They are a water squirting statue in the center of the Calypso Pool at Disney's All-Star Music Resort; Disney's Coronado Springs Resort gift shop, Panchito's Gifts and Sundries, is designed with a Three Caballeros theme; And, most famously perhaps, The Three Caballeros can also be found at Epcot's World Showcase, in the Mexico Pavilion, starring in their own attraction: The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. This boat ride follows José Carioca and Panchito as they search for Donald throughout the streets and landscapes of Mexico, hoping to reunite with him before the concert that they are schedule to perform that evening. Donald Duck, dressed in his Mexican best, is also available to meet, just outside the Mexico Pavilion.

And, so, when it came time to watch the movie, we thought that we'd stick with the Latin American theme and decided to enjoy The Three Caballeros with some delicious and crispy Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips, with Salsa and Sour Cream for dipping! A fun night for sure, and one fun day closer to Disney World.

Tweet

100 Days To Disney Countdown Chain

When it comes to a Disney vacation, sometimes all of the planning and the counting down of the days can be just as fun as the trip itself. Okay, maybe not just as fun, but pretty darn fun! This year, my family started a new tradition and it was an immediate hit. When we made it to the 100 days before our vacation mark, we created a paper chain with 100 different links. Each link had a picture of one of our favorite Disney characters. We strung the chain over the door to our backyard and, each night, before the kids went to bed, they took turns cutting rings off. It was so much fun to watch the chain get shorter and shorter with each passing day!

I would love for you to have the chance to join in the fun! Feel free to download the chain that I created for my family. And if there are any characters that you would like me to add, just let me know in the Comments or email me.

Get Your

100 Days To Disney Chain!

And then, in the comments, be sure to let me know some of the great ways that you have found to pass the time before your vacation!

Tweet