Wordless Wednesdays

Photo credit to huffmans, Matt Pasant, and andycastro

Tuesday Tips

Useful Tips at the Disneyland Resort

• Snow White Adventure in Fantasyland -- if you touch the brass apple that is at the entrance to the attraction there will be a loud clap of thunder and the witch will cackle with laughter.
• Snow White Wishing Well - such a romantic spot. Every 15-20 minutes or so, the song "I'm Wishing" plays and the well echoes the song -- such a pretty spot. It's off to the right side of the castle if you're coming from Main Street.
• Downtown Disney - Jazz Kitchen is a great spot to have dinner in the evenings. If you eat downstairs, you can watch the jazz band perform - no extra charge.
• There is a rental car agency at Downtown Disney for guests who want to get away for a day and would like their own transportation.
• Here's a good spot to watch the fireworks on a crowded night. Go up on the train station platform and stand behind the preferred seating benches. The people there have to sit, & you'll have a panoramic view of the fireworks show. (Plan on staking your spot early.)
• Mark Twain Steamboat - Ask the captain if you can help steer the ship – If you do you’ll get a souvenir certificate
• For the Aladdin show – sit in the back section of the Orchestra seating -- first row right on the aisle. You get a fantastic view of the show, and the Prince Ali parade passes right in front of you. It's great.
• Jedi Academy -- children who wear something that’s eye-catching or who make a small sign are more likely to get picked.
• Guests can use their FastPass anytime after the return time, so don't get rid of them if you’re running late.
• The rooftop pool at Paradise Pier Hotel offers a nice spot for guests to watch the fireworks, and they pipe the music in.
• Take some time to sit for a while in Downtown Disney and ‘people watch’. The different restaurants sometimes offer samples of a few of their menu items around 4 - 4:30pm on different days.
• There is a great ‘hidden’ area at the Grand Californian Resort. It’s outdoors, has a fire pit and is a great place to relax and escape the craziness of the parks. The fire place in the lobby is also a nice spot, particularly when there’s live piano music in the background.

Tips courtesy of wdwinfo

Sunday Spotlight

There are three little things that aren't widely known that you can do to make your visit to Disneyland even more magical!

1) Disney buttons. Stop by City Hall for a 1st Visit, Anniversary, Birthday, or I'm Celebrating! button. You'll get recognized all day, especially by the cast members. It's sure to make anyone feel special!

2) Disney Character Calls. Who wouldn't want a call from a favorite Disney character? Click here to set up a call from Mickey & Minnie, Buzz & Woody, Sebastian & Ariel, or Mickey & Goofy. Click here to set up a call from one of the princesses, Mickey, or someone from the Hundred Acre Woods. This is good for surprising someone the day before the trip, or even as something to wake up to before going into the parks for the first time!

3) Free autographed photo of a favorite character. That's right! You can get a free autographed photo of your favorite character! If you're staying onsite, you can call in advanced and talk to concierge about having it waiting in your room for that special surprise for someone special! You can also write a letter to your favorite character in exchange for a photo by sending a letter to:

Walt Disney Company

Attn: Fan Mail Department

500 South Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

Photo credit to shWEness

Disney Animated Movies (Updated!)

About a year ago, my mission was to watch all of the Disney movies (mainly animated since there is so many, but I will try and fit in others) before I got down to Florida to start the Disney College Program in August. Here is an updated listed of what I've seen/bought up-to-date.

[ X ] Seen it \ [ _ ] Haven't finished.

FAVORITES \ OWN IT \ HATED IT \ WHY WAS THIS MADE?

ANIMATED CLASSICS, SEQUELS, & SPIN-OFFS

[ X ] Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

[ X ] Pinocchio (1940)

[ X ] Fantasia (1940)

[ X ] Dumbo (1941)

[ X ] Bambi (1942)

>> [ X ] Bambi II (2006)

[ X ] Cinderella (1950)

>> [ X ] Cinderella II: Dreams Come True (2002)*

>> [ X ] Cinderella III: a Twist in Time (2007)*

[ X ] Alice in Wonderland (1951)

[ ] The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

[ X ] Peter Pan (1953)

>> [ X ] Return to Never Land (2002)

>> [ X ] Tinker Bell (2008)*

>> [ ] Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (2009)*

>> [ X ] Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (2010)*

>> [ ] Tinker Bell: A Winter Story (2011)*

[ X ] Lady & the Tramp (1955)

>> [ X ] Lady & the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001)*

[ X ] Sleeping Beauty (1959)

[ X ] 101 Dalmations (1961)

>> [ ] 101 Dalmations II: Patch's London Adventure (2003)*

[ ] the Sword in the Stone (1961)

[ X ] the Jungle Book (1967)

>> [ X ] the Jungle Book 2 (2003)

[ X ] the Aristocats (1970)

[ X ] Robin Hood (1973)

[ ] the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

>> [ ] Pooh's Grand Adventure: the Search for Christopher Robin (1997)*

>> [ ] Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (1999)*

>> [ ] the Tigger Movie (2000)

>> [ ] Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year (2002)*

>> [ ] Piglet's Big Movie (2003)

>> [ ] Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo (2004)*

>> [ ] Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2005)

>> [ ] Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie (2005)*

>> [ ] Winnie the Pooh (2011)

[ X ] the Rescuers (1977)

>> [ X ] the Rescuers Down Under (1990)

[ X ] the Fox & the Hound (1981)

>> [ X ] the Fox & the Hound 2 (2006)*

[ _ ] the Black Cauldron (1985)

[ X ] the Great Mouse Detective (1986)

[ X ] the Brave Little Toaster (1987)*

>> [ X ] the Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998)*

>> [ X ] the Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1999)*

[ X ] Oliver & Company (1988)

[ X ] the Little Mermaid (1989)

>> [ X ] the Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)*

>> [ X ] the Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning (2008)

[ X ] Beauty & the Beast (1991)

>> [ X ] Belle's Magical World (1998)*

[ X ] Aladdin (1992)

>> [ X ] the Return of Jafar (1994)*

>> [ X ] Aladdin & the King of Thieves (1996)*

[ X ] the Lion King (1994)

>> [ X ] the Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)*

>> [ X ] the Lion King 1 1/2 (2004)

[ X ] Pocahontas (1995)

>> [ X ] Pochahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)*

[ X ] the Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

>> [ X ] the Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002)*

[ X ] Hercules (1997)

[ X ] Mulan (1998)

>> [ X ] Mulan II (2005)*

[ X ] Tarzan (1999)

>> [ ] Tarzan & Jane (2002)*

>> [ _ ] Tarzan II (2005)

[ _ ] Fantasia 2000 (2000)

[ _ ] Dinosaur (2000)

[ X ] the Emperor's New Groove (2000)

>> [ X ] Kronk's New Groove*

[ X ] Atlantis: the Lost Empire (2001)

>> [ X ] Atlantis: Milo's Return (2003)*

[ X ] Lilo & Sitch (2002)

>> [ ] Stitch! The Movie (2003)*

>> [ ] Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch has a Glitch (2005)*

>> [ ] Leroy & Stitch (2006)

[ X ] Treasure Planet (2002)

[ X ] Brother Bear (2003)

>> [ ] Brother Bear 2 (2006)*

[ ] Home on the Range (2004)

[ X ] Chicken Little (2005)

[ X ] Meet the Robinsons (2007)

[ X ] Bolt (2008)

[ X ] the Princess & the Frog (2009)

[ X ] Tangled (2010)

[ ] Reboot Ralph (2012)

[ ] King of the Elves (2013)

OTHER ANIMATED DISNEY FEATURES (TOON DISNEY STUDIOS)

[ ] DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990)

[ X ] A Goofy Movie (1995)

[ X ] An Extremely Goofy Movie (2000)

[ ] Doug's 1st Movie (1999)

[ ] Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (1999)*

[ ] Recess: School's Out (2001)

[ X ] Fun and Fancy Free (1947)

[ ] Teacher's Pet (2004)

[ ] Mickey, Donald, Goofy: the Three Musketeers (2004)*

[ ] Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2004)*

[ ] Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams (2007)*

PIXAR / DISNEY-PIXAR

[ X ] Toy Story (1995)

>> [ X ] Toy Story 2 (1999)

>> [ X ] Toy Story 3 (2010)

[ X ] A Bug's Life (1998)

[ X ] Monster's Inc (2001)

>> [ ] Monsters University (2013)

[ X ] Finding Nemo (2003)

[ X ] the Incredibles (2004)

[ X ] Cars (2006)

>> [ ] Cars 2 (2011)

[ X ] Ratatouille (2007)

[ X ] WALL-E (2008)

[ X ] UP (2009)

[ ] Brave (2012)

* Straight to video release.

Friday Favorites

The Court of Angels in New Orleans Square has got to be one of the most beautiful areas in Disneyland. During the day you can sometimes catch Tiana and Naveen here. It's a romantic spot that not many people know of, but as you can see, it's definitely a fine piece of Disney Imagineering.

Photo credit to Disney Dan

Wordless Wednesdays

*if any of these are your photos, feel free to let me know so I can give you credit!

Photo credit to PeterPanFan1953 and Corsey21

Tuesday Tips

Using FASTPASS

FASTPASS is available for several of Disneyland's more popular attractions, and is basically an advance reservation system which gives you a ticket to ride an attraction at a specific time. For example, you show up at Splash Mountain and obtain a paper FASTPASS ticket to come back during a one hour window later that day. The time of your ride "window" is printed on the FASTPASS itself, and may begin 35 minutes to several hours after you obtained the FASTPASS, depending on the crowds on the specific date of your visit. When you return at the specified time and present your FASTPASS ticket to the Disney personnel staffing the attraction, you will be allowed to enter a special line reserved for FASTPASS holders which allows you to board the attraction with minimal waiting.

There is no cost for FASTPASS, but in order to obtain one you have to walk to the attraction you wish to ride and insert the park admission ticket for each member of your group into the FASTPASS machine. At this point the machine will issue you the FASTPASS ticket(s). The system is set up so that you can normally only have one FASTPASS active at a time, unless the "return window" is more than two hours away. For example, you wouldn't be able to go to Splash Mountain and obtain a FASTPASS there, then immediately run to Space Mountain and obtain one there too. You would either need to wait until the "ride window" had begun at Splash Mountain before you could obtain the Space Mountain FASTPASS, or until two hours after you received your Splash Mountain FASTPASS, whichever comes first.

Note that you don't need to actually use the first FASTPASS before you obtain the second one. The "ride window" for the first FASTPASS just needs to have arrived, or two hours need to have passed, before you can obtain the second FASTPASS. Despite this rule, one "quirk" in the FASTPASS allows you to obtain a FASTPASS for one specific attraction even if you already hold an "active" FASTPASS elsewhere. This "FASTPASS-favored" attraction is Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin at Disneyland. Due to this quirk, you would be allowed to obtain a FASTPASS for Indiana Jones, for example, and then immediately obtain another one for Roger Rabbit.

The other important thing to note is that the FASTPASS systems between Disneyland and DCA are "disconnected" from one another. This allows you to obtain a FASTPASS at Disneyland, for example, and then walk over to DCA and immediately obtain another one there as well. Disney rarely, if ever, enforces the ending time printed on the FASTPASS. This allows you to use the FASTPASS at anytime after the printed beginning time as long as it's the same day.

Photo credit to partyhare