How are you doing during this quarantine?
Have a magical, Disney day,
Amanda
Celebrating Cinderella’s 70th Anniversary
As a life-long Cinderella fan, I’m sad I couldn’t go to the Disney parks to experience some of the fun things they had in store for her 70th anniversary this year. I missed the original air date by an entire month but I still wanted to share some really neat facts with you about this beloved princess. Did you know any of these facts?
Who’s Prince Charming?
Cinderella’s prince was never called Charming in the movie. However, he was called handsome but any other references were never made.
Famous Feline
Lucifer is famous for his role as the nasty cat in Cinderella. Animator, Ward Kimball, had troubles with the design, but when Walt met Ward’s cat Feetsy, he realized that this cat was perfect for the design. “Walt came out to the house here one day,” Ward recalled. “And our six-toed cat we called Feetsy was rubbing up against Walt’s leg, and he said ‘For gosh sakes Kimball, there’s your cat! What are you worried about?’ And that’s what led to my conception of the cat.”
Cinderella’s Transformation
It doesn’t take much to realize that the art direction for Cinderella is beautiful and romantic in its own way. Thanks to the genius of Mary Blair, Cinderella is transformed into not only a masterpiece in animation – but one in art design as well. She mastered joining colors that are not normally paired together which gave each film its own unique quality. You may recognize similar artistic themes in Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland as well.
Princess Model
All of Disney’s characters are based on real-life models to ensure realistic movements, expressions, and figures. Helene Stanley was the model for Cinderella as well as Aurora and Anita Radcliffe.
Walt’s Favorites
Walt’s favorite animations came from Cinderella. It is said that he loved the scene where the Fairy Godmother turns Cinderella’s rags to a beautiful ballgown.
Cinderella has been and always will my favorite princess. She’s graceful, elegant, positive, kind, and forgiving. What are your favorite qualities of Cinderella? Feel free to check out Disney’s blog to see what types of desserts they are offering for this 70th-anniversary celebration. Hopefully, the quarantine will end soon so that we can all enjoy Disney once again.
Stay positive everyone!
Have a magical day,
Amanda
Resources: Disney Addicts
Famous Disney Recipes
Okay, my Disney fanatics! If you are a true Walt Disney World connoisseur, you’ll recognize these two popular food items. I have to be honest with you…the Trail’s End cornbread is pretty darn fantastic. Also, the Jungle Juice from Boma reminds me of Costa Rica when we were able to have fresh juice every morning.
I hope you enjoy these recipes! I’ll be sharing more throughout the year.
Jungle Juice – Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
Ingredients:
- 1 part pineapple juice
- 1 part mango juice
- 2 parts orange juice
- 2 parts lemonade.
Directions:
- Blend until fully incorporated and enjoy!
Cornbread – Trail’s End (Fort Wilderness)
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
Directions:
- Blend flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and sugar in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, blend milk, eggs, and oil with a mixer.
- Using that same mixer, slowly add the blended liquid to the dry ingredients prepared in step 1, mixing just enough to incorporate the wet and dry ingredients.
- Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick food spray and pour the batter into the pan, spreading evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes. or until golden brown. Cool and enjoy!
What is your favorite Disney food item you’d like to recreate?
Have a magical, Disney day!
Amanda
“All our dreams can come true,
if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney
Part of pursuing my dreams in February meant a short break from the blog. Did you miss me? Not to worry, I have many fun new posts coming your way this March! Keep checking back for updates.
Have a magical, Disney day,
Amanda
“How do you spell love?” – Piglet
“You don’t spell love, you feel it.” – Pooh
We hope that you feel surrounded by love this Valentine’s Day and every day.
Love,
Amanda, Joshua, Julia, and Adam
Disney Parks Bucket List – Hollywood Studios
Though not my favorite of the four Walt Disney World parks, Hollywood Studios still deserves a spotlight for our final bucket list. I’m not going to go into the California parks because I’ve never been there, but I think I might share my ultimate Disneyland bucket list with you at another time. Without further ado, here is the Howard family’s Hollywood Studio bucket list.
#1 Interact with the Citizens of Hollywood and take a picture with them.
#2Check out the movie props in the Planet Hollywood store.
#3 Pull the rope outside of Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular before going in to watch the show.
#4 Go for milkshakes and burgers at the 50’s Prime Time Cafe.
#5 Enjoy Muppet Vision 3D
#6 Beat the high score of the day on Toy Story Mania.
#7 Walk through Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream to see how Disney got its start.
#8 Watch Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage.
#9 Watch out for Andy’s footprint in Toy Story Land.
#10 Stay for Fantasmic and watch Mickey defeat the villains.
Have I missed anything?
Have a magical, Disney day,
Amanda
Favorite Disney Vloggers
Remember when I posted about my favorite Disney Instagrammers? Well, I’m back with some other great people to check out except this time we’re going for vloggers. You probably already know that our family tried this back when we had our annual pass, however, they didn’t really turn out the greatest, we didn’t have a definitive plan, and a lot of the videos never even made it on YouTube.
Oh well! Anyway, we might have failed as vloggers, but these people are great at it! I have found, which you will see in my choices, that DCP (Disney College Program) vloggers are oftentimes my favorites for tips.
Chase Russell
If you’re interested in the DCP or if you like really great insider tips, Chase Russell’s channel is perfect for you.
Janie Schlie
Another DCP attendee, Janie Schlie is also a great resource for “insider information” regarding all of the parks.
Life is the Bubbles
Yet another DCP student who vlogs her experience going through the program as well as much more. She is adorable and resembles a favorite Disney princess! Her name is even the same.
Part of Brooke’s World
This lovely Canadian posts regular vlogs of her trips to Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and more!
Ferdalump
This little girl is super adorable. You can follow along on her adventures through the various Disney parks.
Mousesteps
Though not really a vlogger, this channel is a great resource for all of your Disney vacation planning needs.
Amanda Wrate
Not only does she share my name, she vlogs her Disney trips and also does a lot of other videos including hauls, tips, and more.
Nicole Caputo
Nicole is a Disney vlogger as well as a travel photographer. Not only does she look like a Disney princess, but the aesthetic of her social media portrays this as well.
Why We’re Not Home
And, of course, you can also follow me and my siblings around as we explore the parks and sometimes the hidden places you didn’t know about.
Who are your favorite Disney vloggers?
Have a magical, Disney day!
Amanda
Disney Parks Bucket List – Magic Kingdom
We’re back for another fun, Disney bucket list! This week, I’m sharing some of our family’s favorite things to do in the Magic Kingdom; other than the rides and character meet-and-greets. Let me know in the comments below if there’s something I missed.
Photo by Zichuan Han on Pexels.com
#1 Ride the Walt Disney World Railroad.
#2 Take a break on the Hub Grass and take some cute pictures.
#3 Watch the Main Street Trolley performers. When you get your schedule at the front of the park, double-check the times on all of the shows along Main Street so that you can catch them in time and get the perfect spot.
#4 Try to avoid the camel spit on The Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Or, you can do what our Dad does and try to hit the rest of the people in your carpet with the spit.
#5 Enjoy some famous Dole Whip or Citrus Swirl. It really is worth trying at least once. The Citrus Swirl is delicious because it tastes like a creamsicle.
#6 Check out Cinderella’s Fountain off to the right of the castle.
#7 See how many times you can ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. If you can or have beat our score of 10x in a row, let me know!
#8 Hike around Tom Sawyer’s Island and bring a picnic lunch. You also have to visit the caves! Sometimes, we like to hide amongst the alcoves and scare the rest of our family members.
#9 Take a ride on the steamboat, Liberty Belle.
#10 Watch the muppet show outside of the Hall of Presidents and then go in to learn all about our presidents, past and present.
#11 Take photos at the Tangled rest area. There is also art inside the restrooms so keep your eyes open.
#12 Keep an eye out for night-time photopass opportunities such as the lantern photo opportunity in the Tangled rest area. This usually happens close to dusk but you should get in line early. Feel free to ask a cast member about it.
#13 Try the Grey Stuff at Be Our Guest. There’s a Grey Stuff cupcake that is absolutely delicious!
#14 Meet Ariel in her Grotto and make fish faces.
#15 Ride the Seven Dwarves Mine Train at night. It’s way better when it’s dark.
#16 Watch the Festival of Fantasy parade. My favorite viewing area in on Main Street, right outside of the Confectionary. It’s the perfect vantage point for seeing Flynn Rider but you have to wait in your spot for at least 20-30 minutes.
#17 Experience the Astro Orbitor. If you really want a thrill, try it at night.
#18 Relax on the Peoplemover.
#19 Watch the Happily Ever After fireworks show. It’s great to watch these by the Walt and Mickey statue but, again, you have to stay in your place for at least 30 minutes.
Did I miss anything?
Have a magical, Disney day!
Amanda
New Things Coming to Walt Disney World
I’ll be honest…I’m not thrilled about all of the changes that are coming to all of the Disney parks. The changes to Epcot was the last straw for me. I can’t believe that they got rid of the fountain and everything that I’ve come to know since my very first trip. However, there are some interesting changes coming in the new year.
What are you most excited about in 2020?
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (Hollywood Studios; Spring 2020)
I still don’t quite understand the point of this new ride. I, personally, liked the Great Movie Ridge a lot better. Guests will be able to experience a 3D “toon” experience as you join Mickey and Minnie on their out-of-control adventure.
Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant (Hollywood Studios)
This new sit-down restaurant will be located in Toy Story Land where guests will dine with a “kaleidoscope of toys, games, and playsets.”
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (Epcot; Summer 2020)
This is probably the only thing I’m super excited about. This ride is in Disneyland Paris and it’s finally coming to Walt Disney World in Florida. Put on your 3D glasses and shrink down to the size of a rat to cause trouble in Gustav’s kitchen.
La Crêperie de Paris (Epcot; Summer 2020)
This new restaurant will offer both table and quick-service meals by the celebrity chef, Jérôme Bocuse.
Beauty & the Beast Sing-Along (Epcot; January 2020)
This show will take place in the France pavilion. I was super nervous when I heard about this because my absolute favorite show is Impressions de France. However, I’m happy to report that both shows will run alternately throughout the day.
HarmonioUS (Epcot; Autumn 2020)
I’m still upset about the fact that Illuminations is gone but this replacement show should be interesting.
“HarmonioUS” will debut as the largest nighttime spectacular ever created for a Disney park. It will celebrate how the music of Disney inspires people the world over, carrying them away harmoniously on a stream of familiar Disney tunes reinterpreted by a diverse group of artists from around the globe. “HarmonioUS” will feature massive floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, lasers and more.
D23
Cirque du Soleil (Disney Springs; Spring 2020)
Set your imagination in motion and get ready for an enlivening collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering, iconic memory makers.
Cirque du Soleil transports you into an inspiring world where Disney animation can be experienced like never before.
Leap into a live acrobatic journey where an animator’s desk becomes the stage and drawings come to life. This love letter to the art of Disney animation is a celebration of life and all of its deliberate and unanticipated movements.Cirque du Soleil
Have a magical, Disney day!
Amanda
Disney Parks Bucket List – Animal Kingdom
If you read my last Disney Parks Bucket List post, you would know that one of my favorite things to do in preparation for our Disney vacations is to create bucket lists for each park. If you didn’t see my last post about Epcot, you can view it here.
There are so many things to do in each park that sometimes we forget or miss some very fun, often hidden, attractions. To continue the series, I’m sharing my bucket list for Animal Kingdom.
#1 Take the time to explore that various trails. There are so many animals that you can see and they add new ones every so often. If you’d like, here is a list of all (or almost all) of the animals throughout the park.
#2 Become a Wilderness Explorer. Even if you don’t have kids, this could be a fun way to learn a little bit and have some fun throughout the park.
#3 Try out the Kilimanjaro Safari a couple of times and at different times during the day. The morning is perfect for seeing the early-risers, the afternoon is great for seeing the lions resting in the open, and the evening is perfect for catching some of the nocturnal animals just waking up.
#4 Take the time to see the performances throughout the park including Bollywood Beats in Asia, Pandora Drummers, Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe in Africa, Winged Encounters – The Kingdom Takes Flight on Discovery Island, Burudika in Africa, and Viva Gaia Street Band on Discovery Island.
#5 See Festival of the Lion King. It is probably one of my very favorite shows of all time and it’s something I HAVE to see every time we go to Animal Kingdom.
#6 See Up! A Great Bird Adventure. Though I liked the old show a lot better, this bird show is truly mesmerizing. Having fantastically colored birds flying over your head is incredible.
#7 Try some of the cultural foods. Two of our favorites include Harambe Market and Satu’li Canteen.
Is there anything that I forgot?
Have a magical Disney day,
Amanda
Lights, Camera, Disney! 