tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24268217438017380662024-03-05T01:18:16.142-08:00Magical Mouse TalesViewing the world through a Disney enthusiast's eyes...MN Real Estate Update Teri Eckholm Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12007351852061863568noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-46008677944063273512012-01-11T15:39:00.000-08:002012-01-11T15:48:11.355-08:00Wordless Wednesday (Almost)--Hidden Mickey at Epcot's Spaceship Earth!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWqY2-6xkqD5-GqLEKdW4_qZOWedBPHolqp3KJzC5kMLdFC-pNVh87QWVlrHyZf-xp8rTeqkiiYRnkaxnqecj-XsktTKocsxK-TyeKPGJlCGP3zH1bLwx0Im-23qsSBDJw6S2hHY5Fkxj/s1600/EpcotSpaceshpEarthHIddenMickMMT.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696523571053257266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWqY2-6xkqD5-GqLEKdW4_qZOWedBPHolqp3KJzC5kMLdFC-pNVh87QWVlrHyZf-xp8rTeqkiiYRnkaxnqecj-XsktTKocsxK-TyeKPGJlCGP3zH1bLwx0Im-23qsSBDJw6S2hHY5Fkxj/s640/EpcotSpaceshpEarthHIddenMickMMT.jpg" style="display: block; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Can you see it? </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Hidden Mickey is a set of mouse ears incorporated into the 3 in the mural just as you enter Spaceship Earth in Epcot! Finding Hidden Mickeys is an adventure and fun visual sport. Capturing a photo while the line moves forward can be quite an adventure in itself!</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Copyright 2012 Magical Mouse Tales</div><br />
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1887140921&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1605500631&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1887140891&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-17697789542535043622011-12-11T15:55:00.000-08:002011-12-11T16:39:45.375-08:00Walt Disney World Vacation with Dining Plan in YOUR Future--Plan ahead for Best Results<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2FgmT2tCTX8EtgX-5sR7LRxSlj7z2qIjiFMwxzR28efKZwNUg7g3NrBRi3qTjweVLR8eiX71lSEIjAsqLf78rbZ1rgyS_CsGctECwP5JiZ-yRgJAHxvnvFeAN_TVkMJlvbMKuwMNJKCp/s1600/EpcotJapneseMMT.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii2FgmT2tCTX8EtgX-5sR7LRxSlj7z2qIjiFMwxzR28efKZwNUg7g3NrBRi3qTjweVLR8eiX71lSEIjAsqLf78rbZ1rgyS_CsGctECwP5JiZ-yRgJAHxvnvFeAN_TVkMJlvbMKuwMNJKCp/s400/EpcotJapneseMMT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685033397280936562" border="0" /></a><br />Okay...I have to admit, the first time we did the Disney Dining Plan, we flew by the seat of our pants. Yes, that means <span style="font-weight: bold;">we didn't schedule any ADR's </span>(Advanced Dining Reservations). You read that right...zero, zip, nada. We didn't know any better. But fortunately for us, it was well in advance of the FREE dining plans that are now a regular perk with an onsite Disney vacation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How did we manage?</span> Did we have to resort to all quick dining meals? Not at all. We called the Disney Dining phone line a few minutes prior to when we wanted to eat and asked what restaurants in the park or at a nearby resort that had immediate availability. The upside of this lack of scheduling was that the dining reservation Cast Members were very knowledgeable of the restaurants and we were introduced to some now favorite restaurants like Ohana and Garden Grill. The downside was that we were disappointed that we couldn't get in to the Prime Time Cafe as it was completely booked. To avoid disappointment and frustration I was prepared called ahead before the next trip.<br /><br />Yes,<span style="font-weight: bold;"> it does seem we</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Y3ZbYA0mukEb-rJAans5X4R0QSsMuBHYGKCx8Z_WJuV3lfwTtfwEEV-crE0Gck-Ozzy7HR9jUtBV38_xDGAPrUTURo-bSumLONxCv1ZR6d-psQy94ShcPLgSSx8KAUPu6l2J73yisEsu/s1600/EpcotJapneseOnionMMT.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Y3ZbYA0mukEb-rJAans5X4R0QSsMuBHYGKCx8Z_WJuV3lfwTtfwEEV-crE0Gck-Ozzy7HR9jUtBV38_xDGAPrUTURo-bSumLONxCv1ZR6d-psQy94ShcPLgSSx8KAUPu6l2J73yisEsu/s320/EpcotJapneseOnionMMT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685033479618528898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">ird to be making dining plans 6 months ahead of time</span> but that is what is necessary to get into some of the most popular restaurants in the world like Teppan Edo at the Japan pavilion. Be ready when you call too because you will get a confirmation number for every ADR you make. This number can save you if your reservation gets lost in the system. But keeping track of those ADRs can be confusing. If you make your reservations online, the system does keep a list of your ADRs but if you make them over the phone, they do not tie in with the ones online until after you check in. Your only record is what you write down so listen carefully and jot down those confirmation numbers.<br /><br />So for our upcoming 8 day trip, we have about 14-17 confirmation numbers for everything from our Segway tour to the Candlelight Processional and Fantasmic as well as a dozen or so restaurants. In the past, I kept all my handwritten notes with all the numbers until I received a print out from the concierge at check-in. For this trip, <span style="font-weight: bold;">I made a excel spread sheet to keep track of the reservations </span>complete with the date, time, location and confirmation number. It took about 30 minutes to set the whole thing up but it is in one place and makes an easy reference if one of my sons asks when we will be eating at Chef Mickey's or seeing the Hoop de Doo Review!<br /><br />Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=160952022X&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1453640398&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0762760400&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-37411017285624244272011-12-07T12:46:00.000-08:002011-12-07T13:28:42.971-08:00Disneyworld on a Shoestring--Awesome Disney Souvenir Under $20<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJghxF8s026kvqgl-V4GP8iWRrSJDoOfxgKJxVejP-CmNgMJ5BEp-10NIEXe5NBBae4lFTZP1CAMVqk9iXku4EFodxSMVhU22rWdWhiUPT8t5-AajC8wXTehwlOd0Hx67ZZlG0OhXbPEDk/s1600/SquishedPennyDisneyFolder.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683496172846893170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJghxF8s026kvqgl-V4GP8iWRrSJDoOfxgKJxVejP-CmNgMJ5BEp-10NIEXe5NBBae4lFTZP1CAMVqk9iXku4EFodxSMVhU22rWdWhiUPT8t5-AajC8wXTehwlOd0Hx67ZZlG0OhXbPEDk/s200/SquishedPennyDisneyFolder.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="185" /></a>Okay, you've saved for the trip of a lifetime to Walt Disney World in Orlando but no one fully prepared you for the constant barrage of Disney souvenirs and keepsakes your kids would ask for. Around every corner there is a new kiosk with stuffed Mickeys and Minnies, colorful printed t-shirts, blinking Buzz Lightyear toys, sparkling princess tiaras and hundreds of <a href="http://magicalmousetales.blogspot.com/2008/11/disney-pin-tradingits-not-just-hobbyits.html" target="_blank">Disney trading pins</a>. It is tough to continually say no but you do have a budget.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK3VKQVyNoqJ6_7mxswvFMvd4i_hmEG3RfZrWo7-KpGtNOLeaz0CJrzBEzx-car4ia7cv4RDoPQMK9Bk6jbYbeF99dUFMUEJbiiVb4PJJ2p0GkAl3oGfAx0EblB7WFvY8us0z7E2Nl6vI/s1600/SquishedPenniesDisney.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683496939472924626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK3VKQVyNoqJ6_7mxswvFMvd4i_hmEG3RfZrWo7-KpGtNOLeaz0CJrzBEzx-car4ia7cv4RDoPQMK9Bk6jbYbeF99dUFMUEJbiiVb4PJJ2p0GkAl3oGfAx0EblB7WFvY8us0z7E2Nl6vI/s320/SquishedPenniesDisney.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="320" /></a>I remember feeling overwhelmed by requests from my little ones during our first visit. <i><b>We made two purchases right away. An autograph book and a Penny Collection folder. </b></i>The autograph book was to keep track of all the characters we met over the 10 days we spent at the world. But the penny collection folder was a wonderful, dare I say, cheap find! For a few bucks our boys had a place to store their collection of squished pennies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5Q0psjBPYyxF4ePxq2T0RMRBL5VAT7MmhGeJg_6Hz0NOzn2ySy8sF44DKKOCa43lEbGW2cUdf8aFpNkInTuId1I7ldB7cuTD2WjS2a4GcUglEu4LOl4HRdAoMpMBwmLiL2QSqfGdKG9T/s1600/SquishedPennyBuzz.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683496271846555650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5Q0psjBPYyxF4ePxq2T0RMRBL5VAT7MmhGeJg_6Hz0NOzn2ySy8sF44DKKOCa43lEbGW2cUdf8aFpNkInTuId1I7ldB7cuTD2WjS2a4GcUglEu4LOl4HRdAoMpMBwmLiL2QSqfGdKG9T/s200/SquishedPennyBuzz.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="121" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDsK9X2bwtfylcNwFIbX-CghkKQf37_sw-SO4Hc3fsrWlTyBMbf1M0meA7GE9sKOwIpVo4vlcOPD-IxirmgayUQ57PxMscJv6lRGrqYZLlBppbGe43zi6Yb1CeD2s6ietRn400gv9GpCo/s1600/SqQuartersRocknRollerCoastr.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="156" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5683497017097592306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJDsK9X2bwtfylcNwFIbX-CghkKQf37_sw-SO4Hc3fsrWlTyBMbf1M0meA7GE9sKOwIpVo4vlcOPD-IxirmgayUQ57PxMscJv6lRGrqYZLlBppbGe43zi6Yb1CeD2s6ietRn400gv9GpCo/s200/SqQuartersRocknRollerCoastr.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="200" /></a><i><b>Not familiar with a squished penny?</b></i> They are machines that for 51 cents turn your penny into a souvenir. Disneyworld is loaded with the machines and even if you completely fill 36 penny slots, your investment is less than if you purchased 3-4 pins, a shirt or a stuffed animal. There are 6 large slots for holding squished quarters too...these are a bit bigger investment as it takes 5 quarters to get one squished keepsake. But usually the dies for the quarters are limited to one year of use so they are more collectible too.<br />
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My kids found that searching for the penny flattening machines was part of the fun and adventure. Pressed penny machines are located all over in the parks and resorts throughout Disneyworld. Similar to the trading pins, there are fun characters like Buzz, Dopey and Mickey as well as designs that commemorate a visit to a park, like Epcot or Magic Kingdom, a resort, like All Star Sports or Animal Kingdom Lodge, or an attraction like the Rockin' Roller Coaster or Test Track. And at 51 cents mom and dad can say yes over and over without breaking the bank!<br />
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Just one additional piece of advice...<b>start saving the shiny new pennies </b>for a few weeks before the trip as the new shiny cents make the best imprints!<br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1453891420&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0977005046&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-88019918689878524682011-11-07T13:09:00.000-08:002011-12-11T15:54:47.784-08:00Playing with Fire--Spirit of Aloha at Disney Polynesian Resort<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKZOF9Z-ExIs5uR1ClgqDVA7NKdKBti0jK4lBRCd8fM8-nwdrlcyUD96QpSn57DPQGdkkSukHpNLdTWqfrvKeLVekzvQmbcwye4F0Io421cuccefS78t_IO5TBjOR9ltFZcrZ5kjuuo_v/s1600/AlohaFireMMT.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672370224571020450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOKZOF9Z-ExIs5uR1ClgqDVA7NKdKBti0jK4lBRCd8fM8-nwdrlcyUD96QpSn57DPQGdkkSukHpNLdTWqfrvKeLVekzvQmbcwye4F0Io421cuccefS78t_IO5TBjOR9ltFZcrZ5kjuuo_v/s400/AlohaFireMMT.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="266" /></a><br />
Saying there are options when vacationing at Walt <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Disneyworld</span> in Orlando, FL is a serious understatement. There are plethora of choices throughout the parks including parades, characters, exhibits and fireworks.<br />
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But one person's "Disney must-see" can be inadvertently overlooked by another. For years our family opted to go to the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/hoop-de-doo-musical-revue/">Hoop-De-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Doo</span> Musical Review</a> as a special treat. Dinner and a show...fabulous dinner at that with Ribs, Chicken, Corn on the Cob...all you can eat family favorites and a very entertaining family venue in <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34515-d84899-Reviews-Disney_s_Fort_Wilderness_Resort_and_Campground-Orlando_Florida.html">Disney's Fort Wilderness & Campgrounds</a>.<br />
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It is a fun filled night but after seeing it a few times, we thought we would venture outside of the Polynesian to see that dinner show instead. For several trips our favorite Polynesian Resort restaurant was inside at Ohana but once we tried the Spirit of Aloha we were hooked. While the dancing is fun to watch and the food is not just tasty, it is awesome, the big thrill of the show is the fire dancers. They want everyone to remain seated during these performances and for good reason. They are playing with fire! Amazing tricks that I would expect to see only at a luau in Hawaii.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22hqYMonGbdbwsEXzRk1ujsOx4KT6ND1M8FtxkxRcnO1EKlHRWcnko0YYfLHfYJemNCKM5e_nRnQrWCtYtx_veZ8-RGHpr0rj87Iva-MwKLVqCBAti_31GCsETYIDv-2xy1nn2zioYPfE/s1600/AlohaFire2MMT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="238" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672370368350040178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22hqYMonGbdbwsEXzRk1ujsOx4KT6ND1M8FtxkxRcnO1EKlHRWcnko0YYfLHfYJemNCKM5e_nRnQrWCtYtx_veZ8-RGHpr0rj87Iva-MwKLVqCBAti_31GCsETYIDv-2xy1nn2zioYPfE/s320/AlohaFire2MMT.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt;" width="320" /></a></div>If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, you are in luck! The Spirit of Aloha show is an option on the plan if you use 2 table services. The dinner and show are included and as a bonus, your tip is included as well! This is only one of a very few restaurants where you will not have to tip separately on the Disney Dining plan. And if you think you might work up a thirst watching the dancing, enjoy a beer or glass of wine as that is also included in the price of the ticket.<br />
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The food is as good as Hoop de Doo...we still have awesome chicken and ribs but the pineapple bread fantastic! Be careful not to fill up on the bread appetizer or you won't have room for the chocolate volcano dessert! Yum!<br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1423138627&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=111801233X&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-81468186076117854622011-11-04T14:05:00.000-07:002011-11-04T14:34:25.333-07:00Splurge a Little and Stay at the Beach Club Resort!We have had the opportunity to go as a family to Walt Disney World several times. Our family of four fit very nicely in the children and budget friendly value resorts, the All Star Movies and All Star Sports on our first visits to Orlando. By staying onsite we were able to take advantage of perks like the extra magic hours and <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/disney-dining-plan/">Disney's dining plan</a>. However, once they opened <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/pop-century-resort/">Pop Century</a>, that became our family favorite place to stay! But as our kids hit their teens, we found it impossible to cram 4 people into the rooms...and so on one trip we opted for two rooms and discovered there was no way to guarantee adjoining rooms! Not an ideal situation as we pack to share many supplies like shampoo and toothpaste.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9o-rBdmbD4jFj90uqpb9hlY9mJ5_zDkdKutTOMK1kbr-7_LFhyV-Clm2XCNmG214J9zC_PbJc0nnubmpn6Jftn2IGWM86Cgrm995wBC1PfW9Lic2ba7BxmOvLzCZ6QNqQMOBb5_iScZS/s1600/BalconyFW2MMT.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="417" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671250072580048098" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9o-rBdmbD4jFj90uqpb9hlY9mJ5_zDkdKutTOMK1kbr-7_LFhyV-Clm2XCNmG214J9zC_PbJc0nnubmpn6Jftn2IGWM86Cgrm995wBC1PfW9Lic2ba7BxmOvLzCZ6QNqQMOBb5_iScZS/s640/BalconyFW2MMT.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="640" /></a><br />
So we were forced to upgrade...and found our new family favorite: <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/beach-club-resort/" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Disney's Beach Club Resort</a><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">! </span>About a month before our trip, I received a promo key code to upgrade our reservations to the concierge floor! Boy were we spoiled. The view of Epcot from our room's balcony was epic! I was able to get shots of the fireworks from right outside the sliding glass door!<br />
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So now thoroughly spoiled our family is planning our next Orlando trip. We are going to give <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/animal-kingdom-lodge/" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Animal Kingdom Lodge</a> a try as the bunk beds might be a better option than the wooden day bed that left a few bruises on my 6 foot plus teens. No concierge this time since it was overkill for food and treats considering we were on the Deluxe Dining Plan. We will miss the proximity to the parks...It's awesome to walk into Epcot from the Beach Club.<br />
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The thing is, every Disney resort has it's perks and drawbacks. It takes a bit of trial & error to discover which will work best for your family. And what a fun idea it will be to "TRY" by visiting over and over again!<br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0762760400&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-84402365822809151752011-11-02T16:07:00.000-07:002011-11-02T16:50:21.064-07:00Help! I'm Addicted to Disney Pins and Need a GREAT Trading Pin Source!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4aPVUh1Qd43BXdz3JAIK73uj8SQ9ygx1k6wf9Hm0gD5GD3IfXB2cXw2juEIuMFGekowCZtnr-fPzgUH6XJiCCfA2isa0NPMDCs04UxXKbSOkjxvS6Jezb2XrvBwRuS9y6P5uc0EaNnVI/s1600/poohPin2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 340px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4aPVUh1Qd43BXdz3JAIK73uj8SQ9ygx1k6wf9Hm0gD5GD3IfXB2cXw2juEIuMFGekowCZtnr-fPzgUH6XJiCCfA2isa0NPMDCs04UxXKbSOkjxvS6Jezb2XrvBwRuS9y6P5uc0EaNnVI/s400/poohPin2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5670548624286081458" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">There is nothing as exciting for a Disney Pin Collector than getting a new fabulous trading pin. This is an easy thing to accomplish if you are at Walt Disney World as there seems to be a pin seller around every corner. If you are a trader, there are dozens of cast members wandering through the park, so it won't take long to find a treasure, if you keep your eyes open. You don't even have to enter the parks in Florida as their is a wonderfully, overstocked pin store right in Downtown Disney. Heck now you can stop in a the Orlando Airport and pick out a favorite Disney character or two before your flight takes off!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">But for the Disney pin collector that lives outside the Orlando, a good pin can be hard to find. Living in the Midwest, it is truly a treasure hunt when looking for bargain Disney pins. I have been able to get some affordable pins that are not scrappers.<br /><br />Here are a few of my favorite Disney Trading Pin resources:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">1. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;" >Craigslist</span><span style="font-family:arial;">--I search the local listings to find others wanting to sell their Disney collectibles and place posts that I will pay cash for Disney pins.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">2. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;" >Thrift Stores</span><span style="font-family:arial;">--Every so often, I find a donated pin for sale at a great price. Most of the ones I have found have been older too. So it is quite a "SCORE" to get a sold out limited edition for a buck.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">3. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;" >The Disney Store</span><span style="font-family:arial;">--Occasionally, I can snag a bargain on pins sets that are on sale online. I buy several when I find a good deal for traders!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">4. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;" >Amazon & Ebay</span><span style="font-family:arial;">--Like thrift stores, there are bargains on Amazon & Ebay from time to time. But read the ads carefully to avoid scrappers.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">5. </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;" >Promotional Pins</span><span style="font-family:arial;">--Every so often a large company will partner up with Disney and create a pin; Kodak and Smuckers have both participated in past promotions . When they do, I make sure to get at least one or two as these are usually sought after once the promotion is over.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales</span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1466314370&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0914293621&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-16667416790465481582011-10-31T14:31:00.000-07:002011-10-31T14:41:26.117-07:00A Tiggeriffic Halloween Pic--With a Bit of Disney Magic!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZslX7Fq_OF5-43bk5pxXSdX6gIHafSrfoEXXTvzVb3vppK6z3SibPrLkdex9_oUs2saiVYiN_w7Yg4QNn0MNRqMX3c_R6U4NCHWIISfdeH00s6v0Jil2NLCRO7D0zgcRODHpDwTiVOfD/s1600/GlowingTigger.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669774430537557682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZslX7Fq_OF5-43bk5pxXSdX6gIHafSrfoEXXTvzVb3vppK6z3SibPrLkdex9_oUs2saiVYiN_w7Yg4QNn0MNRqMX3c_R6U4NCHWIISfdeH00s6v0Jil2NLCRO7D0zgcRODHpDwTiVOfD/s640/GlowingTigger.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="499" /></a><br />
Okay so the software I used to trick out the picture isn't from Disney but Vampire Tigger looks a bit more awesome but not a bit frightening with his new look.<br />
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Have a Magically Fun Filled Halloween!<br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00422MQGS&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0002Y9SYI&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1423108744&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-77455061585093744642011-10-30T09:38:00.000-07:002011-10-30T09:57:21.340-07:00Speechless Sunday (Almost)--Drawing Jack Skellington and Zero at Disneyworld<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1sF-bJ3EEki2tY4ve8Q_oAp9rX9hSKu5B-P9hp9z7Zmd1tgW-Fc4UX0HM5sq20WGTEr9v2CDRvIJH94mKh32U3QVLsfuP8PQfDlJrRtuFKiMDJ4FgHmQnu6I_i1A1fVH-XTMTUH_rTgO/s1600/Jack%2526Zero.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="379" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5669326374041810882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1sF-bJ3EEki2tY4ve8Q_oAp9rX9hSKu5B-P9hp9z7Zmd1tgW-Fc4UX0HM5sq20WGTEr9v2CDRvIJH94mKh32U3QVLsfuP8PQfDlJrRtuFKiMDJ4FgHmQnu6I_i1A1fVH-XTMTUH_rTgO/s640/Jack%2526Zero.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a>A couple of years ago we were fortuante enough to visit Walt Disneyworld in Orlando, FL in October. Not just because we were able to enjoy <a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/epcot/events/">Epcot's Food and Wine Festival</a> or attend a Not-So-Scary Halloween Party; because we were able to learn to draw Jack Skellington and Zero at Disney's Hollywood Studio's Animation exhibit. On any given visit you can stop by and attend a 30 minute class and learn to draw a Disney character. But only when it is a few days before Halloween will the artist instructors give a lesson on drawing the infamous characters from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nightmare_Before_Christmas">Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas</a>. It was a real treat...no tricks involved. My drawing turned out quite nice too! Happy Halloween from Magical Mouse Tales!<br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1600581447&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=142312541X&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=6303122647&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-11493699649554301012011-10-26T08:17:00.000-07:002011-10-26T08:57:10.512-07:00Disney Quiz--Is YOUR Family Totally Disney-fied?<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbektPLwTGfMlZobQ0dHj4PTjPg6dSqtMMIzDwskOeQAYLZkNMHt6e36CKUlL29ejxKblZWuWqAcOpXZ74_vGYgOu4dqDUb4YY7m0BauQ_8GbcHVhXVlyBjg-BmDOY1WLzF_JzYV3tBs/s1600/MickeyLeaningMMT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbektPLwTGfMlZobQ0dHj4PTjPg6dSqtMMIzDwskOeQAYLZkNMHt6e36CKUlL29ejxKblZWuWqAcOpXZ74_vGYgOu4dqDUb4YY7m0BauQ_8GbcHVhXVlyBjg-BmDOY1WLzF_JzYV3tBs/s200/MickeyLeaningMMT.jpg" width="155" /></a>Our family was “Disney-fied” from the get-go. When my husband and I were dating, one of my first gifts to him was the video of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too! Back in the 80's it was an odd gift for a male college student...but perfect for my <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Tigger-loving</span> guy. We watched the tape over and over with my nieces and could pretty much quote the entire show. We also used our nieces as reasons to go to Disney movies as pre-<a href="http://www.pixar.com/" target="_blank">Pixar</a>, it didn’t seem too cool for 20-somethings to go alone.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Naturally, when we got married, we honeymooned at Walt Disney World. Unfortunately, it was before destination weddings were a big thing so <a href="http://disneyweddings.disney.go.com/weddings" target="_blank">being a Disney brid</a><a href="http://disneyweddings.disney.go.com/weddings" target="_blank">e</a> wasn’t an option. However, we did meet and have our picture taken with Mickey Mouse after standing in line with a couple dozen kids to commemorate the occasion.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">As Disney-fied parents, we let <a href="http://magicalmousetales.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-mickey-helped-teach-my-child-to.html" target="_blank">Mickey help teach our boys to read</a> using our collection of Disney’s Sing-A-Long Song videos as well as reading from our library of Disney Classics. Dumbo was a favorite of my oldest son and from 9 months old he would sit on my lap as I read about Casey Junior, Dumbo and Timothy the Mouse.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC__oIt1ONFKq94m6ECOpzOMWlSk2y89QxDmQfQrtGNjd8L-QsciZVFOYETaON_eY3WQxdeOydkSv_7kY76ycJG7YMjHLyCaCGTCChLCt5tyH4-KSIDaYEaS-TWrBgxcsEDIxpNVJ3SHOY/s1600/OneMansDreamMMT.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667824460076770754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC__oIt1ONFKq94m6ECOpzOMWlSk2y89QxDmQfQrtGNjd8L-QsciZVFOYETaON_eY3WQxdeOydkSv_7kY76ycJG7YMjHLyCaCGTCChLCt5tyH4-KSIDaYEaS-TWrBgxcsEDIxpNVJ3SHOY/s640/OneMansDreamMMT.jpg" style="float: right; height: 300px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 400px;" width="640" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">So is YOUR family Disney-fied? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Wondering how Disney-fied your family is? Take this quick quiz</div><ol><li>Do all your holiday decorations have a Disney theme?</li>
<li>Do Disney Movie Quotes Pop into your head constantly?</li>
<li>Can you name the Seven Dwarfs? Have you met them?</li>
<li>Is Disneyworld the only place your family wants to vacation?</li>
<li>Do you point out hidden Mickeys wherever you go?</li>
<li>When you say goodbye to someone, do you wish them a Magical Day?</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal">If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, your family has also been immersed in the culture and magic of Disney. You are as Disney-fied as we are!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales</div><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0009X75W4&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00005KARK&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=6303929338&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-35033077889413777202011-10-20T12:33:00.000-07:002011-10-20T13:13:33.596-07:00Can't Miss DisneyWorld Family Favorite Restaurants (And a Few to Skip Next Trip!)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtNU6lwFIkCnBe4YlHAn4DCbhVcYWAZDMvwc_N1w4nK_IMS5osg-VFXIUZIUm3JY2n63RACI50HwGvuNvW-iuR9gvvzrXrGyPoIjppIuws3V8jgH3v-7-4T2F_tq04CEY8jwjA_btojIp/s1600/EpcotJapnese3.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665667947636248850" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDtNU6lwFIkCnBe4YlHAn4DCbhVcYWAZDMvwc_N1w4nK_IMS5osg-VFXIUZIUm3JY2n63RACI50HwGvuNvW-iuR9gvvzrXrGyPoIjppIuws3V8jgH3v-7-4T2F_tq04CEY8jwjA_btojIp/s400/EpcotJapnese3.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">We are well into the midst of planning for our seventh family vacation to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and of course that means making reservations for our favorite, can't miss WDW restaurants. After reviewing my earlier Can't Miss Disneyworld Restaurant article, I knew it was time for an update.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">As noted in previous posts, we are big fans of the Disney Dining Plan. Often we upgrade to the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/vacation-packages/2012/deluxe-dining/">Deluxe Dining Plan </a>so we have three meal credits ever</span><span style="font-family: arial;">y day. This way we can go to the Aloha show AND Hoop De Doo without having to choose between the ribs and the pineapple bread. It is perfect because we don’t have to worry about the bill no matter which restaurant or menu items we select. If someone, or everyone, chooses to eat steak at Le Cellier, we don’t have to be concerned about living on bologna sandwiches and chips for the rest of our vacation<br />
. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">At Disney World there are lots of great places to eat but only a few make our family's "must go to" list year after year. Here are the ones that make the cut and a few that didn't measure up.<br />
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<b>Our Family's THREE Can’t Miss Disneyworld Restaurants:</b></span><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Teppan Edo</b>/Japan Pavilion Epcot</i> (Entertaining Chef and AWESOME food!)</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>The Garden Grill</b>/Epcot</i> (The catfish is great and the characters make it FUN!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>50’s Prime Time Café</b>/Hollywood Studios</i> (Great food but clean your plate or it could be fed to you!)<br />
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Aloha Dinner Show/</b>Polynesian Resort</i> (Fire dancers are astounding and the pineapple bread was a treat!)</span></li>
</ol><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
Also worth noting:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rPl6zmYOD6XS4ZCf9Hps7aK06wS_qsLnakzmtF97yRKd3P0xko0E0lahw60pTl5v0mBJgrdrcZ2VPTyui9QyAgz4CXvgCXQL3SrkCnYLv4Urlm3eHZVJip3B4owdVifRJKg6od9CtWU/s1600-h/Moosemousse.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="295" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276019157756556066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rPl6zmYOD6XS4ZCf9Hps7aK06wS_qsLnakzmtF97yRKd3P0xko0E0lahw60pTl5v0mBJgrdrcZ2VPTyui9QyAgz4CXvgCXQL3SrkCnYLv4Urlm3eHZVJip3B4owdVifRJKg6od9CtWU/s400/Moosemousse.jpg" style="float: right; height: 295px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" width="400" /></a></span></b><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Hoop de doo Revue/</b>Fort Wilderness Campground</i> (Great food and awesome show!)</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Tony's Town Square/</b>Magic Kingdom</i> (Best Italian food at WDW!)</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Le Cellier/</b>Epcot</i> (Great place to have lunch but not worth 2 dinner credits in our book. We love the moose mousse dessert!)</span></li>
</ul><ul></ul><br />
<b><span style="font-family: arial;">Skipping next trip:</span></b><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Chef Mickey’s/</b>Contemporary Resort</i> (Fun for kids, but our family remains unimpressed with the food and atmosphere.)</span><br />
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Mama Melrose’s/</b>Hollywood Studios</i> (Service and food were just okay...worth going if you get <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/entertainment/fantasmic/">Fantasmic</a> Priority seats.)</span><br />
</li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Tusker House/</b>Animal Kingdom</i> (We used to love this buffet for breakfast but found that the Cape May buffet at the Beach Club Resort was MUCH better!)</span> </li>
</ol><span style="font-family: arial;">Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1423138635&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=111801233X&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-58081809446438007552011-10-14T12:04:00.000-07:002011-10-14T12:45:31.700-07:00Why October is the Best Time of Year to Visit Disney World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylaN8bHaGOxulxvv-cMO9jAumy_WkRhVQ0vYlnOzx71iNHjyt373vaJxAMTsvZZeTWzvNUV10jUDiutHzgMdVnd904nRoe2UhN7-yLeNNrbIvT4X79A9JhM7aFOq6GZVekRr6QEHm47Y/s1600/NotSoScaryTrainStationMMT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylaN8bHaGOxulxvv-cMO9jAumy_WkRhVQ0vYlnOzx71iNHjyt373vaJxAMTsvZZeTWzvNUV10jUDiutHzgMdVnd904nRoe2UhN7-yLeNNrbIvT4X79A9JhM7aFOq6GZVekRr6QEHm47Y/s400/NotSoScaryTrainStationMMT.jpg" width="400" /></a>I will be honest here. Of all our family trips to Orlando, only two trips have not been in October so maybe we are a bit biased. But we believe October is the best time to visit Disneyworld and not just because of the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/special-events/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party/">Not So Scary Halloween Party</a> either.<br />
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We did go one year in at the very end of August and it was way too hot. Another visit we tried a trip in February and like Goldilocks found Momma Bear's porridge, Florida was way too cold! So we decided to stick with the time of year when the temperature is perfect. October is an awesome time to visit our favorite vacation destination!<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are our top 5 reasons we love going to WDW in October</span><br />
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<ol><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Less crowded</span>--Most kids are in school so the parks are not as crowded.</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Great Discounts</span>--We always seem to be able to take advantage of the FREE Disney Dining plan promotion.<br />
</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not so Hot & Humid</span>--Sure there will be days approaching 90+ but most of the weather is in the 80's. Perfect for waterparks but not so hot we cannot enjoy a full day at each park.</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dining Options</span>--We always set our dining reservations as soon as we book our vacation and have never not gotten into all of our favorite restaurants.</li>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Decor</span>--Not So Scary and other seasonal decorations make the parks even more special during the fall season.</li>
</ol>Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002LRZ7XU&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0615356567&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002C4K0ZC&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe> <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0009HLT9U&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-20076105898974286122011-10-12T13:36:00.000-07:002011-10-12T14:03:18.501-07:00Wordless Wednesday (Almost)--Animal Kingdom Bats are Not So Scary AND Not to be MISSED Either!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YVF62FNVvMw-e9qPcY8x4K1Hve-dXKeMMdIHe_XEcCr98vBbe2VQoSoxTMGF056C2uouWlyxp8_VRs2KR_j-HZWYV1HwczcTHJNZMdWxILMrQxPlzBIPSLfkiJ0QQQChqkmrE6AXriyA/s1600/AnKingdmBAT.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="474" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5662707842382453282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4YVF62FNVvMw-e9qPcY8x4K1Hve-dXKeMMdIHe_XEcCr98vBbe2VQoSoxTMGF056C2uouWlyxp8_VRs2KR_j-HZWYV1HwczcTHJNZMdWxILMrQxPlzBIPSLfkiJ0QQQChqkmrE6AXriyA/s640/AnKingdmBAT.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></a><br />
We have been to Walt Disney World many times and our most favorite time to go is October. We love the Not So Scary Halloween party and cooler fall temperatures....At least it is cooler than the heat of the summer season!<br />
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But whenever we vacation at Disney World in Orlando, FL we visit all four parks and Downtown Disney too! Animal Kingdom often gets a bad rap as the "boring" park because it has more things to see than things to ride. If you are only going for the thrill rides, you'd better have a park hopper pass so you can head somewhere else after enjoying <a href="http://themeparks.about.com/od/disneyridereviews/tp/wdwSTUDIOSthrills.htm">Exhibition Everest, Dinosaur and Kali River Rapids</a>. However, if you have a family that really enjoys exploring and loves animals, plan on spending the entire day.<br />
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The photo above is a perfect "not so scary" image from Animal Kingdom. These huge bats reminded us of the much loved picture book, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Stellaluna</span>, the story of a fruit bat raised by birds. Seeing the giant fruit bats is only one of the many hidden treasures to put on your <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">MUST DO LIST</span> when you visit the <a href="http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/AK.htm">Animal Kingdom park</a> in Walt Disney World. It is amazing what you will see when you take the time to explore all of the trails!<br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Our first visit to WDW in the early 1990’s, we were on our honeymoon and we didn’t think ahead to what we might want to eat during our trip. We stayed offsite in a hotel with a fridge and a continental breakfast that consisted of a donut & glass of cheap (not fresh) OJ. Yeah, kind of disappointing since we were paying over $100/night and visiting Florida...the state full of sunshine and fresh oranges! To add insult to injury, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">we were bombarded with fabulous food choices all around the world </span>from Magic Kingdom to Epcot; but oh, those prices. We just didn’t plan ahead.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">When we took our boys for their first trip to see Mickey Mouse, we weren’t about to make the same mistake again. We stayed on site at the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/all-star-sports-resort/" target="_blank">All Star Sports Resort</a> and had a package that included 3 meals and 2 snacks for each of us in the family everyday. <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">We economized on the hotel and splurged on the dining plan.</span> It was fabulous! We were able to take our boys to several character breakfasts, lunches and/or dinners. We experienced FRESH squeezed orange juice on several occasions. There were even credits leftover at the end of the trip that we were able to use for souvenirs. Sadly, the souvenir option has been discontinued but after a decade of using the dining plan, our family remains sold!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">In fact, we ofte<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-TvxXGDrcw6iZbzCrM6LaR0klLOsBkGKv21mQoIYARcYWBl0doVbUovF6VAuHdOnWeKWZxDBwT37ZYCLIg3eKZlBYwiLf34j1xGS35t21il3dcoqslXsIVFJApFydKubTza58tSHLJda/s1600/AlohaDancers2Copyright.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5661207945289909202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-TvxXGDrcw6iZbzCrM6LaR0klLOsBkGKv21mQoIYARcYWBl0doVbUovF6VAuHdOnWeKWZxDBwT37ZYCLIg3eKZlBYwiLf34j1xGS35t21il3dcoqslXsIVFJApFydKubTza58tSHLJda/s400/AlohaDancers2Copyright.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 297px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 400px;" /></a>n upgrade to the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/disney-dining-plan/" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Disney Deluxe Dining Plan</a> so we can use two table services for the<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>fabulous dinner theater shows; <span style="font-weight: bold;">Hoop de Doo Review </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">Spirit of Aloha Lu</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">au</span>. Last year, our family experienced dining in Cinderella’s Castle at the Royal Table with all the princesses…and even though my kids are teenaged boys they enjoyed both the food and atmosphere (i.e. beautiful princesses).</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">It works for us because<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> we don’t have to say “no” to a Mickey-shaped ice cream</span> treat or chance to eat dinner at Chef Mickey’s. Yes, it is a bit of “food overload” at times. We always seem to have a few extra dining credits at the end of our vacation, which do expire at the end of the trip. Yet, we still come out<span style="font-weight: bold;"> several hundreds of dollars ahead </span>on the food.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">The key is planning ahead…6 months ahead to be exact. It is much easier now with the <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/reservations/dining/" target="_blank">online reservation option</a>…but I still call in as <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">t</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">alking one-on-one with a cast member can give insight </span>into the best dining options. Have your dining reservations in place well in advance is essential to get the most from the Disney Dining Plan as the best dining venues in WDW fill quickly!</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Copyright 2011 MagicalMouseTales</div><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0762727039&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0786880163&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=160952022X&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-53460951150347150812011-09-23T13:55:00.000-07:002011-09-23T14:01:35.646-07:00Making the First Day at Walt Disney World Magical!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCj6qpXa3sHHgZ7dih2zFmFhR3XscwifjsiaEtjEXjcUGCdK7oxVYunQag4gyunhyphenhyphenj4zISRQCdcF1vDIBkPp8SFi3zH3TdjZKsTuuwlBA_qXE0ho84kfZABCmLIss5N1pBps0B9WuAGE/s1600/BacklotTopiary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCj6qpXa3sHHgZ7dih2zFmFhR3XscwifjsiaEtjEXjcUGCdK7oxVYunQag4gyunhyphenhyphenj4zISRQCdcF1vDIBkPp8SFi3zH3TdjZKsTuuwlBA_qXE0ho84kfZABCmLIss5N1pBps0B9WuAGE/s400/BacklotTopiary.jpg" border="0" height="291" width="400" /></a><br />Whether you are planning a weekend trip or 2 week adventure, the first day at Walt Disney World is an exciting time. For some first time visitors, it can be overwhelming. There are literally thousands of things to do! If you are on a park hopper pass and staying at a WDW hotel, there could be Extra Magic Hours. If you have the dining plan, maybe a character dinner could get the vacation started on a high note. If you had a long day traveling, maybe a night by the pool is the perfect way to rest up for an early start the next day. There is no one perfect way to start a Disney vacation. But here are a few of my families favorite options:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BEST FIRST DAY at Walt Disney World FUN!</span><br /><ol><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Character Dinner at Garden Grill.</span> We don't understand why this character dining experience is rated lower than others. It is our my family's "Can't Miss" list!</li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Disney Quest</span> When my boys were pre-teens this was our first stop. Fun interactive activities for the whole family. </li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Pin Trading at Downtown Disney. </span>This gets everyone into the Disney spirit without going to a park.</li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ordering Pizza by the Pool. </span>We stay onsite at a WDW hotel where all the pools are pretty unique. This is a low stress way to get started on the vacation after a day of airport and shuttle drama.</li><br /><li><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Extra Magic Hours.</span> We always check the disney website prior to the trip to see if any parks will be open late. Our park hopper passes and onsite hotels mean we can spend a fun evening at the parks as long as we have the energy!</li></ol>Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br /><br /><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1605500631&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1453640398&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-45643813620163686072011-09-11T07:14:00.001-07:002011-09-11T08:17:58.533-07:00Speechless Sunday (Almost)--Not So Scary is Great Family FUN for ALL Ages!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36svg2xQV3BS1Bj9YOjE15VZeBVZS59LcFaM74EP4gDxZkuTB8Lx5lS3CQi1LbqJj-KGS9smJoJ_9zvNnCg4UiW1HFdSX6UfJvJaszyE9tfZKL5iCpogDAV5SU4AwyRVgxA_SXFmTg8N-/s1600/NotSoScaryPumpkin.jpg"></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP9hBmbdbJkYZ-GOulPWbSczIsH1OtbPrsSEwy9C_EXeQIhMcRAyT1qLdaIsyUAy0ra2BXOTzfK1XuFY9EW9HXuvl0BiEgtEWPhysjl_SO0h2yGqWmaczGr-blRnYtFgnJY2Sy36r4btU/s1600/NotSoScaryPumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><img alt="" border="0" height="531" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651105282816845906" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36svg2xQV3BS1Bj9YOjE15VZeBVZS59LcFaM74EP4gDxZkuTB8Lx5lS3CQi1LbqJj-KGS9smJoJ_9zvNnCg4UiW1HFdSX6UfJvJaszyE9tfZKL5iCpogDAV5SU4AwyRVgxA_SXFmTg8N-/s640/NotSoScaryPumpkin.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In our opinion, one of the best times to visit Disneyworld is in October. Not only has the temperatures cooled a bit from Orlando's warm humid summer heat, hurricane season is in it's final stages. But the real reason we love to go in October is </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It really is fun for all ages! My kids are now in their late teens and a bit to old to dress up and trick-or-treat in our neighborhood but not at the WDW Halloween party. We love that most of our favorite rides are open and the lines are very short. Even though we always stay on site with a 7 or 10 day park hopper pass, we pay the extra for this hard-ticket event. It is well worth it for the parade, fun and fireworks. If your family is planning a visit to Walt Disney World in the fall, The </span><a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/magic-kingdom/special-events/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party/" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not-So-Scary-Halloween Party</a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> should be on your MUST-DO list!</span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B004LWUEAY&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00009MRFD&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-53139190566949565412011-09-01T06:43:00.000-07:002011-09-01T07:16:00.960-07:00Hunting Hidden Mickeys at Walt Disney World<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHugaKAMp0uNe630Fp-8_5eLc3eg5qVj9JopYG0DxsRQrlQE6RMdDGOYLu81T74sFDuyCZtaVClzDTGRdlr1fwN9N7elslhYi1iQmsQyjftSpBuBavhxURWQqOT6d9TL9vpZNcpaBwILI5/s1600/HiddenMickey.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="458" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647387650348625010" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHugaKAMp0uNe630Fp-8_5eLc3eg5qVj9JopYG0DxsRQrlQE6RMdDGOYLu81T74sFDuyCZtaVClzDTGRdlr1fwN9N7elslhYi1iQmsQyjftSpBuBavhxURWQqOT6d9TL9vpZNcpaBwILI5/s640/HiddenMickey.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;">Mickey Mouse is not too hard to find in Walt Disney World. Throughout the Orlando, Florida theme park there are obvious and not so obvious replicas of the famous cartoon mouse. My family enjoys finding and photographing the not-so-easy-to-see "Hidden Mickey's". <b> It is a great FREE way to pass the time at the parks</b>...and always exciting when someone spots a new one.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">This one was spotted on the Backlot Tour of Hollywood Studios. It was fun to capture the image during the water affect, which is a high point of the tour.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">This is a great activity for young and old whether it is your first visit to the world or 100th! Searching for Hidden Mickey's never gets boring. I will share other fun finds from other parks in future posts. Keep on the look out...hidden Mickey's are rumored to be everywhere in WDW!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales</span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1887140921&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> <iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1449527175&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span> Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-10372791232015967062011-08-31T07:59:00.000-07:002011-10-08T19:10:30.619-07:00Happy 40th Disneyworld!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLlhVONMAItshQ0UnhKSRl_ai1CIDEdnLTmVDpYBl0L-31vcAONCx5tiO2GBPDALr4-qx2NJfEMJ8REd-Nq87hob8vrKctLRONRRxui98FWfXDC6cnw-lPCMCj_SFC8CugmJ1Hol4Vel1/s1600/OneMansDreamCastleSmall.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="480" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647030650516319682" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDLlhVONMAItshQ0UnhKSRl_ai1CIDEdnLTmVDpYBl0L-31vcAONCx5tiO2GBPDALr4-qx2NJfEMJ8REd-Nq87hob8vrKctLRONRRxui98FWfXDC6cnw-lPCMCj_SFC8CugmJ1Hol4Vel1/s640/OneMansDreamCastleSmall.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="640" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Back in the summer of 1971, as a 9 year old Minnesota kid, I remember reading a magazine article about the <b><i>NEW</i> Walt Disney World theme park</b>. I was extremely excited when I read that the Grand Opening would be October 18th! I thought it was a sign, certainly my parents would want me to be there on opening day for my 10th birthday. Of course, my mom's reaction was not so positive. Guess I should have known as our family of seven had never taken a road trip longer than 2 hours to a Wisconsin lake cabin. Disappointed yes...but one can dream right? </span><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9LnVaGDS21ZIWGNGDdRWOiel1IbwZ6BK9jYuGAmedxOnOPOo8AIBjiHr8JtmjOtZDdEpwti6W0lbK1RG2oDD9fc-M4JKqdVKqcz2xQxE1-LLgYQC5pFgN86r0FvADXBuZTYnVKMOkw34/s1600/OneMansDreamJungCruiseSM.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="265" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647030789143441282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9LnVaGDS21ZIWGNGDdRWOiel1IbwZ6BK9jYuGAmedxOnOPOo8AIBjiHr8JtmjOtZDdEpwti6W0lbK1RG2oDD9fc-M4JKqdVKqcz2xQxE1-LLgYQC5pFgN86r0FvADXBuZTYnVKMOkw34/s400/OneMansDreamJungCruiseSM.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="400" /></a>Fast forward 40 years. We are planning our 7th family vacation to Walt's magical world of the mouse in Orlando Florida! (There was also a honeymoon in Florida and a work trip to Disneyland over the years.) We have become Disney-Junkies and we have to visit this year as I turn 50 and <b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyinsider/insider/article/20110830?cmp=dcom_EMC_ins_disney_insider_110830_MA-ReadMore__Extl" target="_blank">WDW turns 40</a></span>!</b> Yes, my family<a href="http://magicalmousetales.blogspot.com/2008/11/disney-pin-tradingits-not-just-hobbyits.html" target="_blank"> collects and trades pins</a>. We stay at the WDW resorts and travel using the food plan so we can visit all the best Disneyworld restaurants. Every trip is an adventure that we anticipate for months and get teary-eyed when it comes to an end. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of our favorite places to spend time at<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney%27s_Hollywood_Studios" target="_blank"> Disney’s Hollywood Studios</a> is the often overlooked, <b>One Man's Dream </b>exhibit. (It is tucked in on the way past the big sorcerer's hat on the way to the Toy Story ride. ) It recounts the journey of Walt Disney's life in pictures, videos and displays. Several of the actual models of the parks and rides are on display in the building. There is also a short biographical movie about Walt. If you have never visited, One Man's Dream, I encourage you to take the time to do so this year. It is the perfect way to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of this Disney destination! </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B004VFEQTQ&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0041OSGMK&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=olddogpaws-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1587710900&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-47897954775375885372011-08-28T09:27:00.000-07:002011-08-28T09:58:53.337-07:00Speechless Sunday (Almost)--Fast Hands at Teppan Edo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYLcmuBvznuKDcIcnF8vlL6Cj_PdJJENCRQfS-ycNx6st80VRGmOskVt_lXCOzPXaQrS1sbIuRLfr5Qy_6dKgpcrEXsmc5ONYhNghzkXtkAcW6gNT7uI73AXtxl651wYTSK8-9DKb1CFmW/s1600/EpcotJapnese3.jpg"> <br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q6xxgk2JAbPg6AeOa5OKhH69s6lpszzS-AK9zBnBtaCJqUrv-VBleYJxUBCRp8IrNr3LOhwzvNmzbnR8vU2BIKdDH-WEAM11dOxZ76wSHcJizsNQwPo0x2HHTkkemvSNVByWgraR5tc7/s1600/EpcotJapnese3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645948478055020946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Q6xxgk2JAbPg6AeOa5OKhH69s6lpszzS-AK9zBnBtaCJqUrv-VBleYJxUBCRp8IrNr3LOhwzvNmzbnR8vU2BIKdDH-WEAM11dOxZ76wSHcJizsNQwPo0x2HHTkkemvSNVByWgraR5tc7/s640/EpcotJapnese3.jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px;" width="480" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fast hands of the teppan-yaki style chef are quite a sight, aren't they?</span> <br />
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A few years ago when I started this blog, I wrote about the<a href="http://magicalmousetales.blogspot.com/2008/12/cant-miss-disneyworld-restaurants-and.html" target="_blank"> Can’t Miss Disneyworld Restaurants and a few to skip on the next trip too!</a> Though some of my opinions have not changed, a couple of them have. There are many more restaurants that my family has enjoyed as our kids grew up and became more adventurous. <br />
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Our family visited<a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/teppan-edo-restaurant/" target="_blank"> Teppan Edo</a> for the first time on our 2009 trip and it has become a MUST DO for our next! As you can see the chef puts on quite a show and kept the entire group entertained while we waited for our dinners. It is better if you have a group of 8 because the tables are arranged in such a way that 8 people surround the chef. We were paired with another family of four and though awkward at first, it was a pleasant dinner. Definitely Teppan Edo in the Japanese Pavilion of Epcot is a wonderful addition to any Disney World vacation. We will be back...the food and show were fabulous! <br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1423138627&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>Magical Mouse Taleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06621792430350544730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-2979452281993765752011-08-27T17:58:00.000-07:002011-08-28T09:27:34.329-07:00Hidden Disneyworld Freebies--Learn to Draw Mickey Mouse!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_Cm5eqDx0m5LIvvNpXpwSRPjr-7p021mrhl53_W7JrJ0BxNbWJx5nZgEtZissQw5WpFvAIyjbYpphTP2M5kwyPbcvfN-mcJMVystdwfmjari24W5uV9YNvI0IrQwzmJXO7zGvk8ebI4/s1600/MickeyFaces.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_Cm5eqDx0m5LIvvNpXpwSRPjr-7p021mrhl53_W7JrJ0BxNbWJx5nZgEtZissQw5WpFvAIyjbYpphTP2M5kwyPbcvfN-mcJMVystdwfmjari24W5uV9YNvI0IrQwzmJXO7zGvk8ebI4/s400/MickeyFaces.JPG" border="0" height="380" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
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<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Have you ever wished to be a Disney animator? </span>
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<br />If you are planning an upcoming trip, be sure to take the time to visit the </span><a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/attractions/magic-of-disney-animation/" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" target="_blank">Animation Building in Disney’s Hollywood Studios</a><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. This is my family’s favorite places during our bi-annual treks to Orlando, FL. Now, I know I shouldn't but I still call this park MGM Studios, but that is just me. After the animation tour don't rush out the exit too quickly. Take advantage of the area where you (and 30 or so other would-be illustrators) can go for a </span><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>half hour class with a Disney artist</i></b><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. It is located off to the side and under a screen where various Disney characters are being drawn. There is usually a 10-15 minute wait for the next </span><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">FREE </b><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">class but with </span><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><b style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>step-by-step instructions on how to draw </i></b><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><i>Mickey </i></b>, Goofy, Pluto, Stitch or another beloved Disney character, it is worth the wait. </span>
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<br /><span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I should mention,<b> talent is not a prerequisite.</b> At the end of the session, everyone leaves with a drawing that somewhat resembles the character that is up on the screen.</span> <span style="font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My husband is first to admit his skills at drawing are very limited but he always comes out with something to be proud of.</span>
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<br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As soon as we finish the tutorial, we always compare our drawings. Here are examples of my family’s drawings from one class on a previous trip. At the time my sons were in grade school yet every drawing was a success All of our drawings are a pretty fair representation of Walt’s buddy, Mickey Mouse, but <b><i>none are identical to each other</i></b>. Maybe with a little more practice we can be as good as the instructors...At least we can dream right?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Don't miss this awesome Disney Freebie! Everyone who can hold a pencil and follow simple instructions can learn to draw from a great Disney artist and take home a magical memory & free souvenir. We have taken several classes and drawn character after character; everyone from Daisy Duck to Jack Skellington! Drawing at the Animation Studio is always on our "MUST Not Miss at Disneyworld List" on every trip!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br />Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
<br /><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1600581447&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;" align="left" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1605500631&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;" align="left" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>
<br /></div>MN Real Estate Update Teri Eckholm Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12007351852061863568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-49436768049747600452008-12-04T11:02:00.000-08:002011-08-27T18:02:05.620-07:00Can’t Miss Disneyworld Restaurants (And the ones we will skip next trip)<span style="font-family: arial;">We enjoyed our fifth trip to WDW this past summer and although that might not seem like many to those who live in the southeast, for a Minnesotan it is more unusual. We love Disney vacations! We always stay on-site (well one time there was a side trip to Universal/Hardrock Hotel). And use the Disney Dining Plan! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNhCq2slsDDKPPtjaYSNJWMHeuR_kUJLNHEoBOW0W84zRV_DMDH_WH1H5z2jV1auhG7OmUQFJy5AYKkvYPI45YOr2oV_vhq6skQ7Yz_3RRw4DNwU7It9uWgP_KO1j01IcAskyx8K26Gw/s1600-h/PrimetimeChicken.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276019301962563650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNhCq2slsDDKPPtjaYSNJWMHeuR_kUJLNHEoBOW0W84zRV_DMDH_WH1H5z2jV1auhG7OmUQFJy5AYKkvYPI45YOr2oV_vhq6skQ7Yz_3RRw4DNwU7It9uWgP_KO1j01IcAskyx8K26Gw/s400/PrimetimeChicken.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 296px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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It is perfect because we don’t have to worry about the bill no matter which restaurant we eat at! If the kids want a steak at the Coral Reef, we don’t have to be concerned about living on P&J for the rest of the trip. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">At Disney World there are lots of great places to eat but only a few make the "must go" list when it comes to ride and event fun over restaurant time. Here are the ones that make the cut and a few that didn't measure up.<br />
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<b>Our 3 Can’t Miss Disneyworld Restaurants are:</b></span> <br />
<ol><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Coral Reef</b>/Epcot</i> (Those steaks are awesome!)</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>The Garden Grill</b>/Epcot</i> (Love that fried fresh catfish!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>50’s Prime Time Café</b>/Hollywood Studios</i> (Fun servers and great food but eat all your food or it could be fed to you!) </span><br />
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</ol><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Also worth noting:</span></b><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Tusker House/</b>Animal Kingdom</i> (Wonderful Breakfast Buffet…When we have time to eat breakfast!)</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Hoop de doo Revue/</b>Fort Wilderness Campground</i> (Great food and awesome show!)</span> </li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Aloha Dinner Show/</b>Polynesian Resort</i> (Fire dancers are astounding and the pineapple bread was a treat!)</span></li>
</ul><b><span style="font-family: arial;">Skipping next trip:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rPl6zmYOD6XS4ZCf9Hps7aK06wS_qsLnakzmtF97yRKd3P0xko0E0lahw60pTl5v0mBJgrdrcZ2VPTyui9QyAgz4CXvgCXQL3SrkCnYLv4Urlm3eHZVJip3B4owdVifRJKg6od9CtWU/s1600-h/Moosemousse.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276019157756556066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rPl6zmYOD6XS4ZCf9Hps7aK06wS_qsLnakzmtF97yRKd3P0xko0E0lahw60pTl5v0mBJgrdrcZ2VPTyui9QyAgz4CXvgCXQL3SrkCnYLv4Urlm3eHZVJip3B4owdVifRJKg6od9CtWU/s400/Moosemousse.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 295px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a></span></b><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Chef Mickey’s/</b>Contemporary Resort</i> (Fun for kids, but food as good as at other restaurants.)</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Mama Melrose’s/</b>Hollywood Studios</i> (Service and food just okay...worth going if you get Fantasmic Priority seats.)</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><i><b>Le Cellier/</b>Epcot</i> (I know this is on many others, 'don’t miss' lists but we just weren’t impressed…The moose mousse was cute though!)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: arial;">Copyright 2008 Magical Mouse Tales</span><br />
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MN Real Estate Update Teri Eckholm Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12007351852061863568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-37953758437984475702008-11-17T07:23:00.000-08:002011-08-27T18:06:03.820-07:00Disney Pin Trading—It’s Not Just a Hobby…It’s an Addiction!<div><span style="font-family: arial;">It started innocently enough. A trip to Walt Disney World booked through Disney Travel gave each of us a free pin to keep or trade.It was the infamous <a href="http://brokehoedown.wordpress.com/category/disney-ribbon-dancer-millenium-pin/" target="_blank">2000 Ribbon Dancer Pin</a>. My husband and I gave our sons our pins so they could keep one and trade the other. The dancers were traded and after many more pin purchases, our family was hooked. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvACb9ZfjcoLFu3ZR9AnZmeesNjs6IXpwhJUGuk3R8wUFi5c0qGvxl4KxAuSdE5fbi_nIlbpsWtDTH3kkE1B40VyE5Ua9g0zkYKK8lrFw_mA2L6UdFxuebQmWRnF1cQ5iKJyvTr4Ewy6A/s1600-h/pintrader.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269654514961251186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvACb9ZfjcoLFu3ZR9AnZmeesNjs6IXpwhJUGuk3R8wUFi5c0qGvxl4KxAuSdE5fbi_nIlbpsWtDTH3kkE1B40VyE5Ua9g0zkYKK8lrFw_mA2L6UdFxuebQmWRnF1cQ5iKJyvTr4Ewy6A/s400/pintrader.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 395px;" /></a><br />
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By our next trip my kids were official <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_pin_trading" target="_blank">Disney pin traders</a> and armed with a dozen or so pins purchased on sale at the Mall of America Disney Store. They loved trading with WDW cast members and had all of the pre-bought pins traded away by the end of the first day. After that we were back to the pin stands and spend a bundle on new pins for their collections.<br />
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By our next pin trading…I mean vacation, I had about two dozen pins for them each to trade bought from online sales at Disneyshopping.com and a dozen extras for the boys to trade for me. Again, most pins were traded within the first few days but we had discovered Hidden Mickey pins. So the kids were searching for specific pins on the cast member lanyards. This took more time and made the vacation a hunt. We did have to buy a few souvenir pins but not as many as on previous trips to the world.<br />
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Last summer we had another Disney adventure and the boys (and Mom) were well stocked with about 35-40 pins each. Again, they scoured the park to complete Hidden Mickey sets and add to their collections. Even though they had enough to last the trip, they think maybe 50 each is a good number for next time.<br />
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Pin trading adds to the fun and anticipation of a family vacation but heed this warning: It is very addicting!</span><br />
</div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales</span><br />
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</div>MN Real Estate Update Teri Eckholm Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12007351852061863568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-45401175235899110312008-11-14T06:11:00.000-08:002011-08-27T18:16:10.774-07:00Which of Winnie the Pooh's Pals has the Perfect Home in the Hundred Acre Wood?<span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine you were going to buy a home in the Hundred Acre Wood. Let's pretend that for a minute that Pooh and all his friends have their homes up for sale. Whose home would you choose?<br />
</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRwwt7hNrTOoY-cGMuKRbpMnVvOxakDioXge9Ri3_X8lipEInqj6JeaihroDRbnOGtLV6mbonj3mrkgB_cZTfwbUNPzb4LoTgCOhaI8YzsGbli41M4N-0yQMeZXw0z08uc9yChHq6bhI/s1600-h/EeyorePin2.jpg"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268517515005050882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGRwwt7hNrTOoY-cGMuKRbpMnVvOxakDioXge9Ri3_X8lipEInqj6JeaihroDRbnOGtLV6mbonj3mrkgB_cZTfwbUNPzb4LoTgCOhaI8YzsGbli41M4N-0yQMeZXw0z08uc9yChHq6bhI/s320/EeyorePin2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 232px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></span></a><br />
<div><ul><li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Eeyore's?</b> Not a chance. An A-Frame built of sticks without a proper foundation that a butterfly could knock down in a second isn't worth consideration.<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Gopher's?</b> Though Gopher's actual home is never shown, it would appear to be underground. Underground, earth berm homes lack the curb appeal necessary for most buyers.<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Owl's?</b> The tree Owl's house is built in doesn't seem to support the weight of the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">home. On a very blustery day, the whole thing could be blown down.<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Pooh's?</b> Now at first glance, Pooh's place looks sturdy but I'd question the upkeep of a home maintained by a bear of very little brain. When a homeowner cannot even take down the name plaque of the previous owner, Mr. Saunders, it is doubtful that he would have the ability to do the upkeep on the interior. Besides when the rain, rain, rain came down, down, down, much of it was inside Pooh's house.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIFalHWfP8jlbqbIHQEdfJSJwqfAtavHdeU3PBXwNq1JmupSOziOetIFgfsiGUmot5SXNDcUl3P4DgFj8mCwOifXEBJZxWok8Ih3qED-kZHUHwmGr0nxENaCDaHNRqUw-Gqn_k8uKfEQ/s1600-h/poohPin2.jpg"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268518045428713058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVIFalHWfP8jlbqbIHQEdfJSJwqfAtavHdeU3PBXwNq1JmupSOziOetIFgfsiGUmot5SXNDcUl3P4DgFj8mCwOifXEBJZxWok8Ih3qED-kZHUHwmGr0nxENaCDaHNRqUw-Gqn_k8uKfEQ/s320/poohPin2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 272px;" /></span></a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Rabbit's?</b> Now this is a character that cares for his property! Rabbit always seems to have a rake or broom in his hand. His garden is fenced and laid out perfectly, but he does seem to have a egress problem with his door. If a guest cannot have dinner, or several pots of honey, without getting </span><span style="font-family: arial;">stuck on the way out, there is a problem.<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Tigger's?</b> It seems that Tigger may be the homeless resident of the Hundred Acre Wood as he is always bouncing up to his neighbor's homes but never appears to be at his own.<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Christopher Robin's?</b> Though probably the best choice of a home as it is currently being occupied by humans, Christopher Robin's home is not located in the Hundred Acre Woods and so it does not meet your buyer criteria.<br />
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<li><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Kanga's?</b> Given this specific buying criteria, I would choose Kanga's home. She seems to have a lovely, well maintained rambler with a covered front porch. We know it is a two bedroom because Roo has his own bedroom. All other homes appear to be one room efficiency dwellings. To me, Kanga's two bedroom gem appears to be a perfect little cabin in the woods. </span></li>
</ul><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The question above is whimsical and not unlike what an actual buyer might go through when considering homes for sale currently listed in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Multiple Listing Service (MLS).<br />
</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I have shown a few foreclosures this past year that were not much better tha<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_G0zaY_3k7hc7jlCsB5MYKep0hNYzCuhUVT4hB-IwPb20RJ9rOjjbz1oT8sdSdHBJIe5gVSveIBrFRPmd5s7gAot9ELnzKevP2CYR2yjYf53tNbMZDcf-ddkN48L0iqrVYzUutwn-KQ/s1600-h/RabbitPin2.jpg"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5268518147765110818" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_G0zaY_3k7hc7jlCsB5MYKep0hNYzCuhUVT4hB-IwPb20RJ9rOjjbz1oT8sdSdHBJIe5gVSveIBrFRPmd5s7gAot9ELnzKevP2CYR2yjYf53tNbMZDcf-ddkN48L0iqrVYzUutwn-KQ/s320/RabbitPin2.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 313px;" /></span></a>n Eeyore's pile of sticks. This is especially true of a few unmaintained decks. Several are so rickety, clients and I avoid being on at the same time if at all.</span></div><div><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">There have also been homes with narrow hallways and doorways. Though, I only recall one home where a full grown person could have gotten stuck in the floor opening of a spiral stairway, there were several others where I had to recommend that buyers consider how furniture would get in and out due to tight corners and narrow spaces.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">And maintenance, or lack there of, by people whose heads seem to be a little "stuffed with fluff" is a common occurrence. I have seen homes where repairs were quite literally made with duct tape rather than a proper replacement.</span></div><div><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Most home buyers strive to find the well maintained gem similar to Kanga's house.</i></b> Buyer's dream homes usually are properties where all repairs and replacements have been made to code with proper materials. It is a house that is usable and accessible to everyone in the family without ducking their heads or turning sideways to squeeze through a doorway. Sometimes a buyer will even choose to look outside their original location parameters and consider a home on the edge of the preferred community to buy the exceptional home of their dreams.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Finding and buying the perfect home takes time but the process is made much easier when working with a knowledgeable REALTOR® that can tell an Eeyore pile of sticks from a comfortable cabin like Kanga's.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: arial;">*Note All Character Photos were shots of Disney® Pins in a personal collection.</span><br />
<div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><i>Are you searching for a perfect little Minnesota home and need help from a professional REALTOR ® to tell Kanga's Gem from Eeyore's A-frame?</i></b> Give me a call or visit my website for a FREE Relocation Packet. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.</span></div><br />
<div><span style="font-family: arial;">Copyright 2011 Teri Eckholm </span><a href="http://www.terieckholm.com/"><span style="font-family: arial;">http://www.terieckholm.com/</span></a><br />
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<div><span style="font-family: arial;">As a slightly neurotic first time mom, I knew from all of the parenting books and magazines that reading aloud was one of the best ways to get a child off to a good start with language. And it was said that it was never too early to start.<br />
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So starting at the time he was three or four months of age, I read books to my son. By nine months old, his favorite story was the <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1570821909?ie=UTF8&tag=olddogpaws-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1570821909" target="new">Mouse Works Disney Classic, Dumbo</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=olddogpaws-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1570821909" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></i></b>. Not the abridged version either; this was the 96 page full story with the large colorful pages. He loved the Dumbo movie but I didn't want him to watch too many videos.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />
Against the advice of some of the experts, I did allow my young son to watch educational television and videos. He had three favorite video tapes: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too, Sesame Street Letters and Sesame Street Numbers. After awhile these got old and a relative passed on Heigh-Ho, an old </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Sing_Along_Songs" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial;">Disney Sing a Long Song Tape</span></a><span style="font-family: arial;">. Now, this was something that I could watch over and over too. The music was fun and best of all; the words came up on the screen to “sing-a-long” with. We soon acquired the entire collection of tapes as they were a great educational tool, in my book anyway.<br />
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By the age of two, my son was reading words. And by kindergarten, he was reading chapter books. It wasn’t just a fluke either as my younger son was also an early reader.<br />
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It is important to note that I didn’t stop reading aloud to my children. We bought a few sets of Disney books that were offered one per week at our local grocery store. Ever book was read cover to cover along with that complete library of Mouse Works Classics. The kids loved the stories as much as I did. And I think the magic of the mouse helped turned my kids into early readers.<br />
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Copyright 2011 Magical Mouse Tales</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&tag=widgetsamazon-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&search-alias=aps&field-keywords=teach%20baby%20to%20read" target="_blank"><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=1412015545&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></a></span><br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=widgetsamazon-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B00008432O&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></div>MN Real Estate Update Teri Eckholm Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12007351852061863568noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2426821743801738066.post-77794454118891907172008-11-12T08:46:00.001-08:002008-11-12T14:08:26.418-08:00Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah…Making it a Magical Day!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9A_fBf9v9kgpThiDaQCMDx9j1hxCDWYeRWAmxbDUDa0JJ_9o8IDYv9iN40-WfYuhKxByQr3jlKNFte6vTWuie9F6t0nSv2r_cdHzl50xJX8lAVGIU7v51tpql4AEt9dtUjquFpC6Tdp4/s1600-h/MickeyHead.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267813615953836498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 272px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9A_fBf9v9kgpThiDaQCMDx9j1hxCDWYeRWAmxbDUDa0JJ_9o8IDYv9iN40-WfYuhKxByQr3jlKNFte6vTWuie9F6t0nSv2r_cdHzl50xJX8lAVGIU7v51tpql4AEt9dtUjquFpC6Tdp4/s400/MickeyHead.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Last year, Disney had a contest to pick out ten moms full of Disney knowledge to help them with their new blog. I thought, I like to write and blog…What a fun opportunity to share my Disney knowledge and insight with others. There were thousands of entries and the moms ( and one dad) were selected for the prestigious </span><a href="http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:arial;">Disney Mom’s Panel</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;">, but sadly I was not chosen. (Gotta admit here, I don’t think I even entered the contest.) Funny, when I heard of the outpouring of entries for the unpaid position, I was astounded that I wasn’t the only Disneyaniac ready to jump onboard for a chance to blog my heart out about our love of everything Disney. Go figure.<br /><br />So as I wandered around the World with my family this past summer, I decided, why not blog about Disney anyway? Sure, I won’t have hundreds of thousands of people reading my posts, but I won’t have to answer any canned questions either. Going solo, will give me the opportunity to write my own Disney memories, traditions and thoughts. I can go off on a tangent and muse whether Pluto or Donald is Mickey’s best pal. I can review my family's experiences at favorite spots and tastes at WDW and tell my readers why I like and more importantly, don’t like them. Irrelevant things like the Mickey Shaped ice cream tastes just like a Dove bar…And the giant frosted rice crispy treats always seem to be stale! And, I can directly answer any and all questions from first time Disneyworld travellers that are asked...very quickly too!<br /><br />Okay, I guess it isn’t as prestigious as being on the Mom’s Panel, but I am betting it will be just as fun. So come along for the ride as I share my Magical Mouse Tales and make it a magical day!</span></div>MN Real Estate Update Teri Eckholm Realtorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12007351852061863568noreply@blogger.com0