2010 Holiday Party Dates

Today Disney announced the 2010 holiday party dates for Mickey's Not -So-Scary Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
We have been to both parties and they are so much fun!  
Check out my special events page to learn more about the parties. Guests must purchase separate admission to attend. Walt Disney World limits the number of tickets sold in order to keep the crowds down and many dates sell out in advance. 
Purchase tickets by calling (407) W-DISNEY or purchase online from the Disney World site.

2010 Advance Purchase Price Tickets: Adults $57.46 (tax incl) and Children $51.07 (tax incl) for every night EXCEPT for Oct 8, 22, 28, 29, & 31(MNSSHP) and Dec 7, 10, 12, 17 & 19 (MVMCP)These nights are the full 'day of the party' price no matter when you purchase them. Guess which nights in 2010 will have the largest crowds? 

IF there are any remaining tickets on the day of the party they’ll be $63.85 per adult and $57.46 per child, and only available at the Magic Kingdom. 

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party:
7-Midnight
September 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30
October 1, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29 & 31
November 1

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party:
7-Midnight
November 8, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 28, 30
December 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17,19

Hidden Mickeys

What are Hidden Mickeys?

Here’s the definition of an official Hidden Mickey: a partial or complete impression of Mickey Mouse placed by the Imagineers and artists to blend into the designs of Disney attractions, hotels, restaurants, and other areas.  Sometimes other characters appear as well.
Cale is now at the age where he likes to try and find Hidden Mickeys when we are at the parks. When we go back for our next trip I am sure he will be ready to find more.  Please share if you or your family look for Hidden Mickeys when you are at WDW and where you find them!

Here are some pictures of Hidden Mickeys at WDW parks and resorts.

Polynesian Hotel

 Great Movie Ride at Hollywood Studios - Full Mickey in the Hieroglyphics - look top right

New FantasyLand Plans (Dumbo)

Koi Pond at Japan Pavillion - Epcot

Buzz Lightyear Ride

Customized Disney World Maps

Customizing WDW maps is a great way to plan your theme park days.  The Disney World website allows you to customize each park with rides, entertainment and restaurants.  If you haven't been to WDW in a long time or just want to organize your families day before you get to the parks then this is the way to go.  You can either print them out or have them mailed to your home. The maps are colorful and fun!
 Here is the link. 
WDW Customized Maps

Disney Vacation Planner

I love receiving this planning dvd!.  Each year there are a few things different added to the dvd. This year you can customize your dvd by your areas of interest and either have a link emailed to you with the video or have the video mailed to you.  I personally still like to receive "snail mail".  Best of all it is FREE!  Follow this link and you to can receive a free Disney Vacation Planner DVD.
Disney Vacation Planner

Park Hours

This link will provide you with park hours for all of the Walt Disney World Parks.
Park Hours

Fantasyland Expansion

The Fantasyland expansion has begun!  The anticipated completion date is 2013.  Walls have started to go up as construction gets underway.  I have mixed feelings about it because Toontown is going away and Goofy's The Barnstormer will be rethemed at some point. I know Cale won't always want to visit Toontown but what great memories we have visiting Mickey and Minnie's house as well as riding the "Goofy Rollercoaster" as our family calls it.  The expansion will be geared for all of the princess fans out there.  The biggest-ticket addition will be the Little Mermaid attraction, an enclosed ride that will carry guests through Ariel's underwater realm. The ride system will be similar to that of the Haunted Mansion, and will move through scenes featuring characters and songs from the 1989 movie.  Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella will also be prominently featured in the form of restaurants and meet and greet areas.  Beyond princesses, the plans call for doubling the size of and relocating Dumbo the Flying Elephant to a new "circus grounds" that will include an interactive queue under a big-top tent to entertain children waiting in line. Disney will add a new Pixie Hollow character-greeting area, home to Tinker Bell and other fairies.  The new Dumbo ride will be where Toontown currently is now.  I will keep you posted as more construction occurs.

SB & Me Monograms

This is a great place for all of your monogramming needs.  Check out the links to these cute Disney Appliques'!
Mickey Mouse
Minnie Mouse

WDW Summer Deals

Some of you may be interested in looking at these special pricing offers if you are going to WDW in the near future.
WDW Special Pricing

FASTPASS - The Ultimate Ticket!

Who knew how much a FASTPASS ticket at WDW would be worth in terms of saving time and energy as you visit the parks (if you know the secret).  When our family used a FASTPASS for the first time we stuck to the exact return time on the ticket.  One time at Animal Kingdom we scarfed down our food at RainForest Cafe' which is at the front of the park and RAN all the way to the back of the park just because we thought we had to ride Kilmanjaro Safari before our FASTPASS time expired.  We made it but not without being stressed out while eating at RainForest, telling the waitress we were on a time schedule and really needed our food/check fast and then running with our child in the stroller and husband by my side as fast as we could just so we could get into the FASTPASS line!  While standing in line for the next ride I overheard a family talking and saying how as long as you used the FASTPASS in the same day most cast members accept the tickets even if the time has expired.  I thought to myself EUREKA!!  Let the FASTPASS fun begin:-)  From then on when we acquire FASTPASSES we are not on a strict schedule and we use them when it fits into our Disney schedule :-)  The only thing you can't do is get another FASTPASS before your current FASTPASS says you can.  Some of you may know how to use it this way but if you have always been worried about getting back to a ride because you think your time will expire try this strategy and let me know how it works out for you!

Check Back Frequently!

The main page of the blog will provide new information about the Disney Parks as well as Disney News.  Also feel free to leave comments or ask questions and I will do my best to give you the answers.

Lover of All Things Disney but especially Walt Disney World!

I first visited  Disneyland when I was three.  My family and I lived in California and it was just one of the things that you did in the early 70's in California.  I guess I am telling my age :-) When we moved back to Georgia I went to Walt Disney World in Florida many times over my young life.  What great memories I have of the Magic Kingdom!  Fast forward to December 1994.  I married my high school sweetheart and I talked him into spending our honeymoon at where else... Disneyworld!  For whatever reason I didn't plan very well and we ended up on Christmas Day at the Magic Kingdom along with hundreds of thousands of other people.  I think we rode three rides that day and stood in line for what seemed like an eternity.  My husband assured me that he would not be returning to Disney World anytime soon and I hate to say it but I somewhat agreed with him.  I agreed with him until our son was four and I decided what a wonderful experience we could share with our son.  This time was different I did my research and found out about staying onsite at a Disney resort as well as what all of the parks had to offer and the best time to go.  I created a "presentation" if you will to my husband and he agreed to go back.  In November 2007 we spent four days at Walt Disney World and due to the planning what a great experience we all had.  I created this blog so I could provide information for families so they can get the best bang for their buck and get the most out of their Disney Vacation.  I have been labeled a Disney Fanatic but I don't mind because there is something magical about DisneyWorld and all things Disney.