IM SORRY!

Hey everyone I am so sorry that I haven't updated in a while... not that anyone is really reading this blog... BUT after December 14th I plan on posting every couple days. November and into December is a terrible time for university students and it has been horrible for me. So after my exams are done I plan on posting so much that you won't be able to read it all. ha ha!

Now is everyone excited for Tangled?! I know I am. It's Disney's 50th animated film and I do want to go and see it, but knowing my friends that wont happen. So I'll have to wait till it comes out. 

Also Disney is having a black friday sale on Disney Parks merchandise. So get on disneyparks.com/store and eat it up! I really want a Dooney and Burke cosmetic bag for 15, but we'll see. Shipping costs a lot to have it shipped to Canada. But we shall see!

So have a great November and December until I get back to you. I do want to get done tons of ride reviews  and some special items I have planned after my exams. So check back soon!

Natalie! xo. 

Cinderella Castle during the Christmas holidays at Walt Disney World. 

Picture is not taken by me. 

I wish it was. 

Fantasmic!

Hollywood Studios is a theme park full of shows and in my opinion, Fantasmic is one of the best. It is a 25 minute show that originally debuted at Walt Disney World in 1998. Since then, it is still one of the most popular shows. It is about Mickey`s dream which turns into a nightmare and he has to defeat villians. By the end, Mickey with his friends defeat the villians and turn it into a good dream. The show uses fireworks, fire and water to tell the tale.

This is the mountain Mickey and the characters climb around in the daylight. This show is outside and near water. My mom and I found that in May there were a lot of bugs around, but because it only takes place at night, the heat died down. Because it is so popular, you have to get there kind of early. Seating beings 90 minutes before the performance, so be aware of that. It is also only performed or select nights through the week. Check the calendar for times or ask the Moms Panel. Because it is outside, it gets very dark and the lights do stay off during the whole show. Some people also might say that some parts are scary for little kids, but I think the good outweighs the bad. There are stands inside the theatre where you can get food and other merchandise. You can bring in food from other places if you like.

The best seats are in the middle of the theatre and a little higher back. If you sit too close, you will get wet from the spray of the water features that come up during the show. In the middle, you do get to experience everything, but there isn`t really a bad seat in the theatre. There are usually two shows and the theatre seats 5,000 so if you can do it, go to the later show. It is usually more older kids and adults and you get to experience the park a little longer during the first show.

One option concerning Fantasmic is the Fantasmic dining experience. You get to choose lunch or dinner at The Hollywood Brown Derby or Mama Melrose's Ristorante Italiano, or dinner at Hollywood & Vine and then get a special pass for Fantasmic. This pass lets you be seated in a specific area in the theatre that is only for people who do this experience. I haven`t done this but apparently the seats are at the far side so that is something to consider if you do this. This dining experience can be used by people on the Disney dining plan as well.

No matter how many times I see this show I still think it is one of the best. It is an amazing experience and is a must-do at Disney. I am always amazed during the show, the whole experience is great. I could go on about how much I love it, but I won`t for your sakes. Trust me when I say to see this.

May Trip Part 2

Mother and I got into Orlando airport then took the Magical Express to the hotel. We were able to check into our room and got ready to go out to Hollywood Studios.

It was the perfect first day. We did not want to do any big rides today since we had been up since 5, but we did go to Fantasmic! which is always amazing. We went to Sci-Fi for dinner and the atmosphere it great! I would recommend it.

We filled up the rest of the week with the other theme parks and going to Downtown Disney. These are the places we had our sit-down meals at: Crystal Palace for lunch (Magic Kingdom), Wolfgang Puck for dinner (Downtown Disney), Chefs de France for lunch (Epcot - France), Mama Melrose for dinner (Hollywood Studios), Sci-fi for dinner (Hollywood Studios), San Angel Inn for dinner (Epcot - Mexico), Tony's Town Square for lunch (Magic Kingdom). I was surprised how much I liked each one. I had never been to most of them except for Mama Melrose, which I knew was good. Each one was good in their own respects and I was proud of my reservations. I did these reservations like a week before we went. I did not get some of the ones I wanted like Le Cellier and Chef Mickey's were gone, but the ones I picked were very good. I had heard after that Sci-fi wasn't that good, but I liked it.

Also Crystal Palace which is a charcter dining with Pooh, Tiger, Piglet, and Eeyore. I loved it. Having never done a character dining before, it was so much fun! I waited for the characters to come around and it was cool having one-on-one time with them. 

I would reccomend the dining plan to everyone who stays in Disney. It makes everything so much easier. You do have to pay the tip but Mom and I both agree it was better.

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is great. It has such an atmosphere of being friendly, inviting and just happy all the time. Spectromagic is beautiful. There is no other way to describe it. I don't ever remember seeing the Electrial Parade, but I was very impressed with Spectromagic. The lights changing from white to colour looks amazing. We had gotten amazing seats by the castle just where it moves to go onto the bridge towards the Haunted Mansion. We had perfect seats. I was kind of awkward because I was blocking some kids view but we had gotten there first and I wanted to see it.

Epcot

I had not been around the world showcase in a very long time. We usually went to Canada to get beavertails (which are not there anymore!) and to see the movie. I always feel at home in the Canada pavillion even though it is very stereotypical. We have gotten into chats with the cast members working there, becasue some are usually from Toronto. I will never do Mission to Mars again. I originally rode the ride in 2008 with my dad but I would not make my mother go through the same experience I did. I bought a perfume from Italy, Prada and I love it. The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival so it was cool to see some of the gardens all done up. For Illuminations, we didn't get very good seats because we had been walking around before. I also had a very bad experience at this point. We were sitting down, resting before the show started and I felt something on my leg. I tried to shake it off, then I felt it on my skirt. I tried to shake it off again. Before finally it was on my arm and pushed it off of me before realizing it was a cockroach. I was disgusted. The ladies beside us tried to calm me down, but I was almost in tears. I have never been so... ughhhh! I have no words for this. I was disgusted and felt dirty afterwards.

Animal Kingdom

Because I work in a zoo, I love animals. And Animal Kingdom is one of the best places for me. You get to see animals so up close and personal it's almost like your right beside them. Again I had another terrifying experience. On the Kilimanjaro Safari ride, animals can walk beside the jeep or really to where ever you are. Its really neat to look and have a giraffe right beside you.

An ostrich came right beside the jeep. I guess it thought that we had gotten to close to the females eggs. It was hissing and running beside me. I thought I was going to be attacked.

Hollywood Studios

This is my favourite theme park. It has a lot of different rides and characters so it plays to everyone`s favourite. There`s something about the park that makes me feel very Disney, if that makes any sense. We saw the Pixar Block Bash for the first time at Hollywood Studios, but it will soon be replaced with a new Pixar parade which includes the cast of Up and Remy and Emile.

This trip was one of the best and one I will remember forever. It was so nice to have some time with my Mom and I believe that we got even closer because of it. I would never trade it for the world. I am so blessed to have people around me that are willing to put up with me and my love for Disney.