Course by Course, One by One...

Hello there rabid readers of [most magical place on earth]! To switch things up here we go with another top ten. So, it's no secret that I enjoy food. I was reading the Disney Parks Blog and came up with my top ten most excited about eating at restaurants.

10. BIG RIVER GRILLE & BREWING WORKS - DISNEY'S BOARDWALK

09. 50'S PRIME TIME CAFE - ECHO LAKE, DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

There's just something about watching old black and white television with people yelling at me to clean my plate before I can have dessert that intrigues me...

08. CORAL REEF RESTAURANT - THE LIVING SEAS, EPCOT

07. SCI-FI DINE-IN THEATER RESTAURANT - ECHO LAKE, DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

Can't beat a gold ol' sci-fi movie that is so ridiculously impossible that it's laughable... that and the fact that their 7 bean beef chili with a chocolate milkshake sounds amazing!

06. KIMONO'S SUSHI BAR - WALT DISNEY WORLD SWAN

05. CHEF MICKEY'S CONTEMPORARY RESORT

I've never been here, and when I do, it will be for breakfast. Buffet + Characters = one heck of a time! Especially with Mickey waffles.. yum!

04. KONA CAFE - POLYNESIAN RESORT

03. CALIFORNIA GRILL - CONTEMPORARY RESORT

This is the only place I'd buy a $22 California Roll... and I've heard it's to die for! Not to mention they have Valrhona Chocolate Cake: warm chocolate cake w/ molten center, cappuccino caramel crunch ice cream, sweet whipped cream, and coffee caramel sauce. Say WHAT?!

02. SANAA - ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE

01. JIKO--THE COOKING PLACE - ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE

OMG. This is the FIRST place I want to eat when I get down there! When I was looking at the menus on Allears.net, when I reached Jiko my mouth was watering at the dee-liteful options, mainly the Oak-grilled Filet Mignon served with macaroni and cheese and red wine sauce. Or, what about the Swahili Curry Shrimp: served with East African curry sauce, artichokes, and coconut rice? I know what I'm getting for an appetizer-- Pokanoket Farm Seared Ostrich Filet or the Barbecue Chicken Flatbread... or both.

Ohhhh my stomach is growling due to the hungry it's enduring. I long to eat at all of these places for sure during my fall program! Anyways, on to today's Follow Friday!

Today's is The Disney Food Blog!

This blog has all things food, so it was only fitting that with my top ten restaurants, the follow friday should have to do with food! From Disneyland's Food & Wine Festival to Epcot's Food & Wine Festival to Dining plans and everything in between, the Disney Food Blog has got you covered!

Have a Magical Day!

You Are the Music in Me

Disney movies have this uncanny power to make me want to dance. All of the time. The tunes are always so catchy, the lyrics-- so meaningful. I mean, how do they do it? Well, however they do it, they've got me hooked. This a list of my top ten movies with best score. For me, the music these movies have play a large part on why I like the movie. Sure, you have a kick-ass villain and a great plot. But seriously, it's those Disney jams that keep me watching these movies over and over! This is kinda along the lines of what awesome Josh did on his blog, so enjoy!

Ten. Oliver & Company

I love this movie. Once Upon a Time in New York City and Perfect Isn't Easy are very well-placed in the storyline, but it's Why Should I Worry that allows Oliver & Co. to clench the last spot on this list.

Nine. Beauty and the Beast

Belle, Gaston, Beauty and the Beast, Something There... even the sad music in the beginning stain glass window scenes are all great. It's really Be Out Guest that has won me over though.

Eight. High School Musical 2

I'm embarrassed to even have this movie on my list, but I just can't help how amazingly catch every song on this soundtrack is! Bet On It, Work This Out, Gotta Go My Own Way, and All For One are the jams of this movie. You Are the Music In Me and I Don't Dance aren't half bad either. I know the entire 'routine' to Bet On It, half of the moves to All For One and I'm hoping I can get down the dance to Work This Out. Yes I'm weird.

Seven. The Brave Little Toaster

I rock out to these songs DAILY. Everyone says this movie is so unappreciated because it lacks the amazing music that Disney classics have. Well, the heck with those nay sayers! It's a B-Movie, Worthless, City of Light, and The Cutting Edge are all GREAT. "I worked on a reservation- Who would believe they would love me and leave on a bus back to Old Santa Fe?"

Six. Aladdin/The Return of Jafar/Aladdin & the King of Thieves

I couldn't separate these since I like all of the music from here equally. Obviously the first one has the greats: A Whole New World, Prince Ali, Friend Like Me, and One Jump Ahead-- but Forget About Love, Out of Thin Air, Party Here in Agrabah, and Jafar's You're Only Second Rate are awesome too.

Five. Pocahontas

I sing Pocahontas randomly 24/7. Colors of the Wind, Just Around the River Bend, Steady As the Beating Drum, and Listen With Your Heart are great songs; my favorites are If I Never Knew You and Savages. "I thought our love would be so beautiful, some how we'd make the whole world bright..."

Four. Hercules

I love me some powerful black vocals! (: The Gospel Truth (I, II, and III), I Won't Say I'm in Love, and Zero to Hero are written amazingly. A Star Is Born, Go the Distance, and One Last Hope round out the movie nicely! "Who put the glad in gladiator? HERCULEEEESSSSS!" Hercules just has those songs that make you happy when you're in a funk!

Three. The Little Mermaid

Seriously I have no idea where I'd be without this movie's songs. Under the Sea has got to be one of my all-time favorites. I even have a dance to it. Who doesn't love Part of Your World? Les Poissons and Daughters of Triton crack me up. Kiss the Girl and Poor Unfortunate Souls have to be in my top as well. The background music is beautiful!

Two. The Lion King/The Lion King II: Simba's Pride

Everyone knows The Lion King is awesome but part II is so forgotten about. He Lives In You and Not One of Us are PHENOMENAL. Upendi and Love Will Find a Way aren't bad either. Every song on the original Lion King is good... except that newly added "Morning Report"... yeah that could go. The background music for this is just as powerful as the lead songs, especially the music playing at the end roar when Simba reclaims his throne!

One. The Goofy Movie

Eye to Eye is honestly the best song ever made. No joke. Stand Out, On the Open Road, and After Today are great-- heck, even Lester's Possum Park theme song is great! My least favorite would have to be Nobody Else But You but Eye to Eye's awesomeness cancels that out. "Baby we're seeing it... Eye to Eye... for the first tiiiiiiimmmeeeeee!" Powerline rules. End of story.

Have a Magical Day!

Wanna Be On Top?

I love Disney villains... almost more than I love the good guys. You can't have a great Disney movie without the triumph of good over evil--a story that has no complicated conflict between protagonist/antagonist isn't exciting. So, I decided to make a list of my top 20 Disney villains.

1. Jafar

2. Scar

3. Ursula

4. Ratigan

5. Hades

6. Hopper

7. Shere Khan

8. Cruella De Vil

9. Oogie Boogie

10. Gov. Radcliffe

11. Gaston

12. Lady Tremaine

13. Maleficent

14. Madame Medusa

15. Dr. Facilier

16. Syndrome

17. Frollo

18. Yzma

19. Sid Phillips

20. Captain Hook

My last top list of the day-- my under-appreciated Disney movie top 10. It's so sad to see the best of Disney's work become overshadowed by the Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, and Disney Princesses. There is so much more to it's past!

1. The Great Mouse Detective

2. James and the Giant Peach

3. The Goofy Movie

4. Meet the Robinsons

5. The Santa Clause

6. The Brave Little Toaster

7. Hercules

8. Ratatouille

9. The Emperor's New Groove

10. George of the Jungle

Honorable Mentions: Hocus Pocus, The Fox and the Hound, The Rescuers, Oliver & Company, and The Black Cauldron

These lists are just my personal opinion, so I hope that no one takes offense! That's it for now, it's getting late and I want to attempt to get on a normal sleeping schedule, so...

Have a Magical Day!

Islands of Adventure

As we inch towards my arrival at the "Happiest Place on Earth," I will be posting many informational blogs on the DCP, WDW, and other interests just so everyone can get a feeling of what to expect to see and do when they head down to Florida. Today's 12:30a blog is about Universal Studios Florida. It's a nice alternative to a Disney day when you are looking for a little more thrill than Space Mountain. I'm specifically going to focus on Islands of Adventure.

Marvel Super Hero Island

It is inspired by Marvel comic books. Although technically Disney owns the rights to Marvel Entertainment, Universal announced that Marvel's new ownership would not affect Marvel Super Hero Island, & Disney CEO Robert Iger acknowledged that Disney would continue to honor any contracts that Marvel currently has with Disney competitors. For those of you who aren't comic savvy and are wondering what "heroes" are apart of Marvel, expect to see Wolverine, Captain America, Spider-Man, & the Incredible Hulk running around this area.

Toon Lagoon

This place reminds me of comics in a newspaper and is actually a pretty random land. Best way to describe it is Popeye mixed with Blondie. See what I mean? Can't even describe it. It's pretty awesome though and is home to some really fun water rides--an excellent way to cool off in the Florida heat!

Jurassic Park

I wish they had gone a little more all-out on this land, since Jurassic Park is one of my favorite movies, but the Jurassic Park River Adventure ride is pretty awesome. This land is pretty much self-explanatory--it's going to be a mini version of the park in the movie, with the exception of bloodthirsty dinosaurs.

The Lost Continent

Another random land that wasn't really thought out well by the planners. It had a weird combination of ancient Arabia, Greece, and Medieval Times. It's obvious Universal didn't have the best park layout unlike Disney. Anyways, a part of this section (pretty much the medieval part) has been removed and transformed into another land which I'm pretty excited about and I'll talk later.

Seuss Landing

Okay, as awful as the layout has been so far, I have to give credit where credit is due and Seuss Landing is the most legit land ever. The atmosphere is amazing and I absolutely love it, although I may be biased since I'm a big fan of Dr. Seuss. It is specially geared towards small children and is based on the works of author Dr. Seuss (obviously) BUT anyone who's a fan of the Seuss will love this place. They even have a Grinch Who Stole Christmas show! One of the unique characteristics of this area is, like in the books, there is not a single straight line anywhere. Palm trees, curved by the winds of Hurricane Andrew, were even installed in the area to continue this theming. Pretty awesome, eh?

da.. da da da da da da da da da da da da da da DAAAA!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!!!

Although this land isn't open yet, it will feature attractions, shops and restaurants set inside such locations as the Forbidden Forest, Hogsmeade Village and the iconic Hogwarts castle. This is what I am most excited about! You'll be able to ride a hippogriff, drink butterbeer, be apart of the first task in the Triwizard Tournament, shop in Hogsmeade, visit the Forbidden Forest, take a tour of Hogwarts, and be chosen by a wand ("The wand chooses the wizard Mr. Potter") at Ollivander's shop. I can already tell this is going to be LEGIT.

Here's my top 10 attractions list for IoA.

1. Incredible Hulk Coaster

2. Popeye & Bluto's Blige-Rat Barges

3. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

4. The Cat in the Hat

5. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

6. Dragon Challenge

7. The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride

8. Jurassic Park River Adventure

9. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls

10. One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish

As for dining, Universal isn't as hardcore as Disney and the menus are pretty generic, so you'd be pretty safe eating anywhere. However, I know where I will be quenching my thirst and refueling for snackage-- Honeydukes, The Three Broomsticks, or the Hogs Head! But Green Eggs and Ham Cafe and Circus McGurkus restaurant in Seuss Landing are pretty awesome as well.

In my opinion, IoA is way better than it's counterpart Universal Studios, but I recommend you check out both. Can't wait to see you guys down there... particularly in the WWoHP!

Have a Magical Day!