Dealing With Rain at WDW

Photo Courtesy of disneyparkhistory.files.wordpress.com

No one ever wants rain to ruin their vacation especially at WDW. I have been to WDW many many times & this was the first time I ever had to deal with the rain. For most of the week it was okay. We bought ponchos for $11 I believe each. I wanted to see Illuminations really bad & my husband never saw it before so it was my mission to get them. They look like the ones from picture above. I didn't think Illumination was worth the wait but I remember it back in 1999. They changed it since then. :( We were dumb & didn't bring the ponchos to Fantasmic the next night so we had to buy a Planet Hollywood Umbrella.....HAH Fantasmic was SO worth it! It is by far my favorite show at WDW besides MK Fireworks. 

It POURED our last day at WDW. It was pouring so bad my hubby & I were stranded in a bathroom near Norway in Epcot for 30-40 minutes. We had Mickey's Halloween Party to go to that night so shopped at Mouse Gear a bit & went to MK a little early to change into our costumes & what not. Basically you have to be prepared & bring ponchos or love the rain. :) Luckily the rain cleared up as soon as we got to MK & never started again. Maybe the rain was just at Epcot? It POURED the night of our Spirit of Aloha show but they still had it but it was a terrible experience... It was a VERY COLD rain too. I don't wish rain on anyones WDW Vacation! Be smart & go to Dollar Store before your trip for ponchos.

Normally the lines are a lot lighter during the rain. They only shut down outside rides if there is lightning. I wish everyone weather luck on their next trip! We were there in October. Never again! Too hot & humid for me. I will stick to November or December! 

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Drain in Epcot near Mouse Gear 

Disney Room Ideas...

When I got home from my Disney College Program I was SO depressed! I missed all of my friends & Disney. My mom was very sweet & redecorated my room while I was away one day. She did this all herself & by hand. My mom is a great artist & decorator. She gets bored w/ rooms quickly & redecorates here house every few years.

Above is my MICKEY license plate that I now have on my car, Graduation ears, Pooh, Dumbo, & some other Disney stuff I got while I was down there.

My mom painted this cabinet in my room for me as well! I am a bit obsessed with Mickey so I can never say "no" to anything Mickey!

Mickey is saying " That is what I'm Talking about" This was around the same time Seinfeld was popular & my mom said that phrase A LOT. I think it was Seinfeld but maybe it was a different show? HAHA

Whenever we have kids I hope to have my mom paint us Mickey's in that room too! :)

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My parents & I on my wedding day

Disney Four Parks One World CD Review...

I heard A LOT about this CD set on disboards.com so I decided to break down & buy it since I'm a huge Disney Nerd. I ordered this off of Amazon.com from : All Collectionables  and More.

They were SO nice & also sent me a Magic Kingdom Park map, Mickey sticker, Doug trading card, Little Bo Beep Card ,Buzz Lightyear card & baseball card of Kevin Brown of the FL Marlins. It was a nice surprise to get that extra stuff in my package for free. They were quick to deliver & I had no issues with them. 

The CD tracks Include:

Disk 1 All Aboard! (Main Street Station)
Welcome Medley (Main Street)Friend Like Me (Enchanted Tiki Room - Under New Management)Swisskapolka (Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse)Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me) (Pirates of the Caribbean)All Aboard the Mine Train (Frontierland Area Music)Bear Band Serenade (Country Bear Jamboree)Splash Mountain Medley (Splash Mountain)Grim Grinning Ghosts (Haunted Mansion)It's a Small WorldThe Many Adventures of Winnie the PoohSolo Pilot Blues (Mickey's Toontown Fair Area Music)There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (Carousel of Progress)Galactic Anthem (Stitch's Great Escape)Legacy (Epcot Entrance Area Music)Spaceship EarthEnergy Adventure Medley (Ellen's Energy Adventure)Destiny (Mission: SPACE)Test Track Medley (Test Track)

Disc 2 The Seas with Nemo and Friends MedleySoarin'One Little Spark (Journey Into Imagination with Figment)Honey, I Shrunk the Audience ThemeCanada (You're a Lifetime Journey) (O' Canada!)Impressions de FranceGolden Dream (American Adventure)Reflections of China Suite (Reflections of China)Three Caballeros (Grand Fiesta Tour)Hooray for Hollywood (Hollywood Blvd. Area Music)Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ThemeStar ToursPlayhouse Disney Theme (Playhouse Disney Live on Stage)Indiana Jones Stunt SpectacularLights, Motors, ActionsBeauty and the Bees (It's Tough To Be a Bug)It's Tough to be a BugCTX Theme (Dinosaur)

This is a nice mix to get your Disney fix. I LOVE the Splash Mountain songs myself. If you prefer to stream free Disney Park music all day please sign up to www.live365.com. It is a free service. My favorite stations are: Reedy Creek,DLuminations,& Magical Mouse Radio!

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WDW Restaurant Guide for Newbies...

Order PeachTree Punch at the Brown Derby

Tuna Sandwich at Columbia Harbor House

• If you are looking for the best Quick/Counter Service places in the parks I would suggest Columbia Harbor House (near Haunted Mansion) or Casey's Corner (on Main Street) in the Magic Kingdom.

On our last trip at Casey's I had a hot dog & apples which was nice to have a choice for.

Read here for me reviews on both of these great places!

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2012/05/caseys-corner-reviewan-oldie-but-goodie.html

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2013/02/columbia-harbor-house-review.html

Primetime 50's Table

Aunt Liz's Golden Fried Chicken at PrimeTime 50's Diner is excellent but eat your greens!!

• My picks for most unique experience for a sit down table service restaurant would be Primetime 50's or Sci-Fi Drive in. Both of these are at Disney Hollywood Studios. At the Diner they make you spit your gum out & eat your veggies! (Ask for Marnie at Primetime Diner!)Sci-Fi Drive -In is a really cool experience if you've never been to a drive-in before plus the burgers & shakes are great. They play sci-fi short films/cartoons. It isn't scary for small kids so don't worry about that either! 

Here is my Primetime Diner Review:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2012/11/primetime-50s-diner-review.html

• Everyone is always so overwhelmed with all of the Character Dining Choices. I LOVE Chef Mickey's for the breakfast buffet.You get to see the Fab five & the food is great. It was my favorite breakfast all week. Plus after breakfast you should check out the awesome view of Magic Kingdom from the balcony at the Contemporary.

Please read here for my Chef Mickey's Breakfast Review:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2013/01/chef-mickeys-for-adults-review.html

Chef Mickey's Dinner Review:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2012/09/chef-mickeys-review.html

Read here on where the secret viewing spot is at the Contemporary:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2012/11/secret-spot-for-pics-of-castle-space-mt.html

Stuffed French Toast at CRT 

• I would only go to Cinderella's Royal Table once for the experience. We did it last trip for breakfast & had a great time but it was very expensive. Unless you have a lot of princess obsessed kids this is a bucket list kind of a place.

Here is my review for Cinderella's Royal Table:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2013/03/cinderellas-royal-table-breakfast-review.html

• Are the Special Dinner Shows worth it? Disney offers a Luau at the Polynesian or HoopDeeDooRevue at Wilderness Lodge. I have done both & highly recommend HDDR over the Luau. I was VERY disappointed with the Luau. If you are interested in hearing my story & see pictures of that please go to the below link:

    Luau Story & pics:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2012/10/spirit-of-aloha-experience.html

The famous tonga Toast at Kona Cafe 

Tutto Gusto Options The cheese here is AMAZING!!!

• This is my personal opinion on Disney's best underrated restaurants. I think Kona Cafe has an excellent breakfast,lunch,&dinner and it is located at the Polynesian Hotel! Liberty Tree Tavern at Magic Kingdom doesn't get enough love but we had a nice home cooked meal here on our last night. Tutto Gusto Wine bar has a great cheese plate & sandwich options as well. Tutto Gusto is right next to Tutto Italia in Epcot.

If anyone has questions about a particular place I'd love to help you! Just email me or message my FB page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yohoyohobloggerslifeformeblogspotcom/399050306822131#

   

I've Lasted A Year!!!

I cannot believe it has been a year since I started this blog! Time flies. Sadly Monika could not make the time commitment to the blog so had to drop out. I will be visiting her this summer though in NJ! My first NJ Trip ever! ;)

I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who supports my page by reading,liking,&sharing my posts. It really does mean a lot to me! I'm looking to try & branch out more since I'm more established now. I'm currently talking to another Disney blog about doing guest blogging so that will be fun! Stay tuned for that! I will be doing another giveaway as well!

If anyone ever has a question or an idea on a topic I'd love to hear it!

Email me at: sephorachick@gmail.com

TTFN!

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Biergarten at Epcot Review...

I was always afraid to try this place when I was on the Disney College Program. I hate sauerkraut & sausages personally. My husband & one of my best friends were born in Germany so I have been both times with each of them. I was pleasantly surprised how great all of the food was! You first check in at a podium outside of the restaurant. You do have to SHARE a large picnic table style seating area. The first time Monika & I sat with a nice family. The second time I went my hubby & I sat with 2 different groups. One was a family & there was another couple that we chatted with from NYC. We are pretty open & friendly people so it wasn't a big deal for us. If you are wary of those kind of interactions this might not be the best place for you. The show is SO fun & festive! It is like you are at Oktoberfest yourself. The first time I went one of the guys in band was a dead ringer for my brother's doppleganger!;)

The beers here are amazing! My hubby enjoyed a Hovell's while I had Schofferhofer Weizen. Find out how I got Biergarten beers delivered to my house for Xmas!

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-you-can-get-biergarten-beer.html

Hovell's

The food ranges from baked chicken,pork schnitzel(AMAZING!),homemade applesauce,pretzel bread,salmon,mac & cheese etc....My favorite for the dinner section was the applesauce & pork schnitzel along w/ the cauliflower soup. If anyone has the soup recipe please send it to me! I searched high & low & cannot seem to find the recipe anywhere!

This cauliflower soup is AMAZING! 

The desserts were to die for! The vanilla pudding was by far my favorite one. I tried to find this recipe as well with no luck. If anyone has it I would love it! :) The below desserts are: Bavarian cheesecake,Vanilla pudding, & raspberry concoction. I didn't care for the cheesecake personally. The winner was the pudding for sure!

If you love to sing & dance with some great food & beers this is the place for you! If you don't like loud places this isnt a good choice for your party. We will be back for sure!

Everyone always raves about the apple strudel but I wasn't really that impressed? I'm not a huge fried apple sweets person though so that might be why. My hubby was happy to eat the rest of mine & his of course. :)

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DisneyWorld Beginner Tips...

#1 Get a PhotoPass Plus if you plan to take a lot of pictures. The PhotoPass+ card includes all photos for: Character Dining Opportunities, Special events like Halloween Party/Christmas Party, Special Dining options such as Spirit of Aloha/Hoop Dee Doo Revue, & every single ride photo! They have a ton of photographers set up for character meet & greets,in front of castle etc for you to get your money's worth! We used this last trip & will definitely use it for every trip after that! Most of the time if you pre-order it you can save a ton of money! Here is a link that explains the photopass plus:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2013/01/photopass-plus-pre-ordering.html

The famous Beer cheese soup at Le Cellier 

#2 Make Advanced Dining Reservations or as Disney gurus call it ADR's. :) If you are part of the dining plan this will help you a great deal. No matter what time of the year you are visiting you should make an ADR. They are VERY easy to book. You can go to disneyworld.com or call Disney Dining Reservations directly & a cast member can help you. You can update/delete reservation as well online yourself. Anyone can book these online. You don't have to stay on WDW Property to take advantage of this system. You have 180 days before your visit to book them. Don't be discouraged if a restaurant you want to go to is booked when you look. If you are persistent I'm sure you will find an open time slot. It normally takes me a few weeks to get a reservation at Le Cellier but it is worth the effort!

Photo courtesy of mousetalestravel.com

#3 Take advantage of the fireworks cruises and/or behind the scenes tours. They offer an Epcot Illuminations cruise as well as a Magic Kingdom Wishes Cruise but they can have a hefty price tag.It is a little something extra that can make your trip magical & unforgettable. I've heard amazing things about the Keys to the Kingdom Tour. You can see all of theses & more at disneyworld.com

Photo Courtesy of examiner.com

#4 You can get your haircut at the Barber Shop in Magic Kingdom on Main Street BUT you must book an appointment months in advance. They have special glitters & paints for hair to make it a special trip for kids. They take adults too!

#5 You can buy reputable discounted tickes at www.undercovertourist.com I used them last trip & saved around $70 plus I got a free day ticket for me & my hubby which was amazing! Please remember to photocopy the back of your tickets & bring that with you. Just in case you lose your tickets they can look up the information & get you new tickets!

Photo courtesy from flickr.com

#6 You can get pins at city hall for any occasion. For your Honeymoon,birthday, or just because! They are free & you just have to ask! We had Happy Anniversary pins last trip & it was so fun wearing them!

#7 Get FastPass! They are free & anyone can get them. All you need is your park ticket to get a fastpass. Many people think it is extra but nope! You might even be lucky enough to get a Surprise FastPass like we did!

#8 You can take boats to/from different resorts to the parks! You can take a boat from DownTown Disney to Port Orleans. You can also take a boat from certain hotels to Disney HollyWood Studios & to Epcot! If you are staying on property make sure to research that!

#9 Make breakfast reservations in a park before it opens. It is a Once in a lifetime experience. We got some great pictures when we did this at Cinderella's Royal Table. If interested here is my story:

http://yohoyohobloggerslifeforme.blogspot.com/2013/01/getting-in-parks-before-opening.html

I Love Champagne :)

#10 Disney is known for their food low end & high end. Research things you'd like to taste! I always have a huge list of new things to try myself HAHA. So far my favorite treat is the carrot cake cookie you can only find at Disney HollyWood Studios currently. Epcot also hosts a fall Food & Wine Festival every year. I've been twice & it is a great festival. They have special events/concerts/celebrities during this time as well.

Carrot Cake Cookie!

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Vista Way Friends...

It has been 13 years since I worked at WDW but I have still maintained some of the friendships I made down there. It is something you cannot  explain to someone. No one will ever know what it was like except another College Programmer. :) That is why you learn to keep the real friendships you created while on your college program.

In 1999 I met Monika who worked at the Camera Center. She has visited me in WV a few times & we went to WDW together in 2011. I am going to visit her this August to the Jersey Shore! I have never been before so am very excited!

One day the VW bus broke down on the way to the parks. I'm in the blue heart top & Monika is in the pink tank top & Rachel is standing behind me in the sunglasses :)

Me & Monika at Epcot in November 2011

In 1999 I met Rachel who was one of my Vista Way roomates. We were very close & spent most of our days off with each other exploring the parks. It never got old! I went to go visit her when she lived in SLC Utah & we went to Las Vegas together quite a few years ago. I just saw her at WDW in October 2012 when we met up with our husbands. We had such a fun time together! We plans to visit them again in the next few years.

Rachel working Toy Tower in DTD in 1999 ;)

October 2012

I went back to live at Vista Way in Spring 2000. I didn't really click with any of my roommates that year. They are nice girls we just had different work schedules & I didn't hang out with them very much. I spent most of my time with Joe. Joe was a lifeguard at Blizzard Beach.We both had off Monday & Tuesdays so would venture off to the parks together every week.I would always go down to visit Joe & Paul almost every year for a few days if I could from VA. We had a lot of good times on my visits. I went to Joe's wedding a few years ago & was so happy to attend the wedding! They recently had a baby & I'm so happy for them!

Me & Joe at Ariel's Grotto in 2000

Karl lived with Joe & is actually his brother's best friend. Karl was 30 when we did our DCP but was always a good friend to everyone. Karl had the honor of being a monorail pilot on his program as well as one of my roommates. I still talk to him from time to time but he is busy being a NYC cop! It is really hard for him to get off of work but hopefully I'll see him again soon! I got to sit next to him at Joe's wedding & we hung out the next day at Epcot like old times. I really miss those guys!!!

Kate & Karl 2000

Kate & Karl 2009

I love you guys!!!!!

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