Minnie Moms: Must-Do Attractions

Our Minnie Moms are back from summer vacation and it's time to discuss 'Must-Do' attractions as we gear up for fall visits to Walt Disney World.  

Janine: My 'Must Do' attraction is a selfish one, because it is MY favourite ride. I absolutely love The Tower of Terror and have been lucky enough to ride it at least once on every visit I've made to WDW bar one (when I was pregnant) and even at Disneyland Paris. Last year I even rode it alone as Tink was too small to ride so daddy waited outside with her while mama got to enjoy herself. I know that not everyone is into thrill rides, and although this isn't a super-fast roller coaster, the fact is is up very high and has several drops and parts are in the dark, means that it is not everyone's cup of tea, but for me, those are the things I most like about it. I also relish in the fact that there is now the random drop sequence so every time you ride really is not the same. Another point which makes this, for me, my 'Must Do' is that the ride also changes dependent on where you sit and what time of day it is. Riding on the front row in the day and the back row at night are 2 completely different experiences, and I just LOVE riding at night and being able to see the lights from the park below.

If you haven't been brave enough to try it up until now - go on, I dare you!!! And I might just see you there!

A shot of Disney's Hollywood Studios I took at the top of the Tower of Terror in 2007. ~Amy 

Hollywood Tower Hotel taken by Ridge

Corby: Obviously, I have lots of favorite attractions in each of the four Disney parks. Sometimes I'll have to miss some attractions due to the kids or time constraints, however. There are a few attractions though that I just cannot think about going to the park and not riding. It just wouldn't be the same. At Magic Kingdom it's, and I know this sounds crazy but...It's a Small World. I have to ride that attraction every single visit. It is a Walt Disney classic! There's just something about getting in the boat, waving to the controller and hearing the song over and over and over again. Makes me warm and fuzzy. Ironically, it's the one attraction my husband skips every single visit but I love it! At Epcot, I can't imagine visiting and not riding Spaceship Earth or Living with the Land. That would be a crime. My whole family enjoys the two attractions and we typically ride them over and over again when time allows. Does anyone else love the waterfall scene smell as much as I do? If I could bottle it up I would! At Hollywood Studios, it's Toy Story Mania hands down and at Animal Kingdom it's definitely Kilamanjaro Safaris. If I had to pick one out of all of them, I'm going with “The Happiest Cruise that Ever Sailed,” It's a Small World.

Natalie: Vacations to Disney are hectic. My family loves to go all different times of the year. In fact, this year, we have gone for New Year’s, Spring Break, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. As you might imagine, many of these times to visit Disney were extremely crowded. The visit on New Year’s was, at times, so crowded I wondered if we could even walk across Main Street must less get to an attraction!

My favorite attraction in the Magic Kingdom has long been a variety. I know. I am supposed to write about my absolute favorite but who can really say! See if you agree with my line of thought. During certain times of the year, such as Halloween, I most love riding the Haunted Mansion. I love attempting to figure out all of the special effects and details of the storyline found within the attraction. I also love feeling a bit scared by the eerie attraction! Other times of the year, I most love Pirates of the Caribbean. Who doesn’t appreciate the fun boat ride as it moves through the intriguing story line which includes animatronics of Johnny Depp!

However, my longstanding favorite is the Peter Pan attraction in Fantasyland. I cannot say why I love this attraction so. I believe it is the thought that you can fly and stay a child forever. Or it may instead be the use of beautiful pastels throughout the ride and the hide and seek with other famous Disney characters (such as Pocahontas). This is one of the few attractions I remember riding as a child. I remember loving the use of the speed ramps and how the Cast Members could use “pixie dust” to close the safety bar on the ride vehicle! However, the long standing problem with this attraction is that the lines are often times extreme. To get on, you really need a fast pass or to head to the attraction as soon as the park opens or right before it closes. If you are not able to do any of these, you will find that you are standing in line for over 45 minutes to catch your flight.

In the end, I believe I would narrow down my favorite “Must-Do” attraction to all those attractions found within the Magic Kingdom! Each is special to me and my family in some way. Yep, all of the Magic Kingdom.


Beth: Our family's must do attraction each trip is the Mad Tea Party. My kids absolutely love this attraction, and it always tops their own personal "touring plans." This has a very personal meaning to me far beyond the big smiles of my children as they try to spin my husband and I as fast as they can. This attraction was my very first Disney ride back in 1986. Though that was almost 30 years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. Being able to now share that same feeling with my children, makes it quite magical to say the least. If I were to ask each of my children individually what tops their must do list, Emily (5 years old) would say Prince Charming's Regal Carousel, though she used to call the "horse go round." Hayley (7 years old) would choose It's a Small World. She has loved this ride since her first trip and dances the entire boat ride. Joey would say the Tomorrowland Speedway, which is now tall enough (well almost) to drive himself - quite a change from his first experience at the age of 3.5 years old! Each of these three attractions are experienced at least two to three times each trip. Clearly, I have raised three children who love Disney as much as I do. Our must do list is actually quite long for our trips, and I can imagine as they get older, it will continue to grow!


Amy: My must-do attractions have evolved over the years.  As a teen, I wouldn't have missed Space Mountain for anything, my history major self loves American Adventure, and as a mom, we always ride Small World and Living with the Land.  But the one attraction that has always been a favorite and I never miss is Pirates of the Caribbean.  1. It's a great break from Florida heat.   2. Love that song.  3. Audio-animatronics, especially ones with hairy legs, make my inner Disney nerd happy.

Many thanks to Janine, Natalie, Corby and Beth for sharing their must-do attractions!   Please check out our Minnie Moms page for past articles and more information about this terrific team. 

Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken - The Disney Songbook at D23 Expo

 

Do you just love the music of Mary Poppins?  Can you sing the words to "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?" Or maybe like Walt Disney do you love "Feed the Birds"?

Or does your tastes in Disney songs go towards songs like The Little Mermaid's "Kiss the Girl"?  Or (forgive me for this) have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head that won't go away for sometimes days like (please feel free to sing along) "It's a Small World after all?"

These wonderful songs and many many others have been brought to you by Richard M. Sherman (along with his late brother Robert Sherman) and Alan Menken. Together they have won 10 Academy awards for their work with Disney.  They have composed music and songs for more than three dozen Disney feature films, over two dozen Disney Park attractions, and half a dozen Disney musicals on Broadway.  At Disney's recent D23 Expo (8/9/2013 to 8/11/2013) in Anaheim, California  they performed a once-in-a-lifetime concert titled: "Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken: The Disney Songbook" where they performed some of their favorite songs they have written for Disney and talked about their work there.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013 I had the honor of representing GrowingUpDisney.com on a media only teleconference with Richard M. Sherman and Alan Menken.  It was a question and answer session first with Alan Menken, then joined by Richard Sherman the two talked and answered questions about their work. The teleconference ended with Richard Sherman having his question and answer session.

Alan Menken said "its fun" to play for Disney fans and that it is a "pleasant ego trip" in the way that Disney fans react to his music.  When asked about the "process of writing for Disney movies" Mr. Menken said that you have to "cherish the audience" as you write the songs.  He said he is involved with the writers from the beginning as "music will drive the story".

When Richard Sherman joined Alan Menken they were asked about the song set for the D23 Expo.  Mr. Sherman, when asked of his favorite songs, described them as "which one of his children" he liked the best. And that the song set would be a "sampling" of various songs from over the years.

The two men discussed some of their songs they were surprised became a hit in their movies.  Mr. Sherman was surprised "Chim Chim Cher-ee" from Mary Poppins became as big as it did.  Mr. Menken said the song "Part of your World" almost did not make it into "The Little Mermaid".  The songs "Kiss the Girl" and "Under the Sea" surprised him with their popularity.

When asked about working for Walt Disney, Mr. Sherman said that "Walt set high marks to work toward" in writing songs for Disney movies.  He talked about how Walt Disney would have them come in and sing "Feed the Birds" for him as it was his favorite song.  When asked what song was most challenging to write, Mr. Sherman said "anytime you have a blank page, it is challenging".  He went on to talk about writing one song for Mary Poppins.  The inspiration came from one of their children talking about taking the polio vaccine on a sugar cube, and from that simple comment came "A Spoon Full of Sugar".

Mr. Sherman described himself as "exeuberated" about the D23 performance.  In discussing his song writing he said "I have a good time" and "I never feel like I am working" as he would be happy to write "without getting money".  "I have a great time".

Mr Sherman, now at 85, sounded like he was still a little kid in describing his work at Disney and looking forward to performing with his good friend Alan Menken for the Disney fan family at D23.

I came away from the call wishing I could attend the concert.  I'm sure it was a blast to hear these two "Disney Legends" perform their songs.

--DisneyDad

Sorry for getting you stuck with "It's a Small World" in your head.  I got the idea for the beginning of this article early in the day while at work.  I dashed out the first lines so I would remember the idea.  Later in the day as I left work, I found my self whistling as I walked to my car.  What was I whistling?  "It's a Small World". :-)  Mr. Sherman's and Mr. Menken's songs have a way of sticking with you.

Team Post: Favorite WDW Attraction EVER

What is your favorite attraction EVER at WDW whether it is still there or not?

DisneyDad: Thinking of my favorite attraction at Walt Disney World is difficult. There is so much I have enjoyed there over the years. The first thing that comes to mind that I still miss is the Mickey Mouse Revue. I enjoyed watching Mickey conducting that orchestra.

Next is the Haunted Mansion. Riding through a haunted house with your “ghost host” has always been fun… and at the end you hear a request to “come back” and “be sure to bring your death certificate” so you can join the 999 happy haunts.

One of my favorite “attractions” is still there, sort-of. I use to love to go to Cinderella’s Royal Table inside Cinderella Castle when it was King Stephan’s Banquet Hall. Of course the question was always “why would Sleeping Beauty’s father have a restaurant in Cinderella Castle?” I miss the pewter plates and water goblets they used back then. I love it because it was a restaurant of character, not a restaurant with characters. I loved the King’s Cut Prime Rib too. I believe it had already changed its name, but not its atmosphere, when my wife celebrated our 25th Anniversary there. Our daughter surprised my wife by coming to dinner with us to celebrate. After dinner the waitress brought out a gift I had purchased for my wife as well as presenting us with beautiful restaurant logo champagne glasses with lots of Pixie Dust (Mickey head confetti) on the table.

My absolute favorite attraction is the feeling I get when I walk down Main Street, hand-in-hand with my wife and remember. I remember coming with my parents when the park first opened. I remember our first trip on our honeymoon. I remember sitting on the curb watching the 3 o’clock parade with my daughter in my lap. I remember the wonder on my son’s face the first time he saw Cinderella Castle. I remember bringing my in-laws and my mother-in-law fun at getting on the first bus that came by just to see where it takes you. I remember my daughter’s wedding at the Wedding Pavilion and a Glass Slipper. I remember fireworks as Amy told us she was expecting. I remember walking hand-in-hand with Tink as she took her first steps on Main Street. I remember dinner at Olivia’s. And soon I hope to take Tink’s little brother or sister on a walk down Main Street so one day they can remember.

Ridge: Most of the attractions I started with are still intact but I would have to say I am a coaster fan. I love all the mountains: Space, Splash, Thunder, Everest, as well as Rockin' Roller Coaster and the awesome Tower of Terror.

Amy: My favorite attraction ever is American Adventure. This show combines the ultimate in my history nerd-dom and my Disney geekery. Dad and I took a tour once about architheming (Disney loves to create their own words. Can you imagine the buzzwords that must be commonplace in their corporate meetings?) The building is an excellent example of forced perspective. To accommodate the show inside, it needed to be about five stories tall however that would be too large for the colonial architecture. Stop and take a look next time you are in World Showcase. They’ve done a really convincing job of making the building appear to be three stories on the exterior. Once inside, the rotunda is beautiful and the acoustics are wonderful for the groups that perform there. Voices of Liberty is the group you’ll see most often there and American Vybe used to appear semi-regularly. (Geek moment: I once was thrilled to see Jennifer from MMC in American Vybe.) About the show itself, I love watching this brief (and relatively cheerful) telling of the history of our country. The audio-animatronics are impressive. Chris and I have been known to sit on the front row to get a better view of the figures. I was so proud that Tink sat still and watched the whole show during this fall’s trip. The montage at the end always gets me.

Other than American Adventure, I love the classics: Haunted Mansion and Small World and Disney’s newer attractions that have done a great job with theming: Kilamajaro Safaris and Expedition: Everest.

I've enjoyed the attractions that are no longer with us, but Walt Disney World will always be a place that is always changing.  And this is how Walt wanted it.  While I may miss the old, it's fun to see what the Imagineers will create for us next.

Tink's First Birthday Trip Part 1

I have been meaning to share my own trip report from our April vacation for a while now.  There's no time like the present, so here it is.  This was written while we were at Walt Disney World and appeared in Audrey's personal blog that we use to keep family updated.
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On Sunday, we got up super early and headed to the airport. Audrey did well on the flight to Houston, but it is difficult to hold a curious, active, social little girl in your lap for an extended period of time. She napped in her stroller in the Houston airport while we pushed her up and down the terminal. The airline seat fairies smiled upon us for the flight to Orlando and we managed to have an empty seat in our row which allowed the little one to squirm with more freedom. Granddaddy picked us up at the airport in his new Mercedes (we've all had fun with the new car.) We splurged on DVC points this time and got a Grand Villa at Old Key West. It's two-stories, 3 bedrooms, 4 baths and fabulous. After dinner, Audrey got to dig in to a Mickey Mouse smash cake made by her grandparents. We all had fun watching her make a huge mess with the cake.

Monday morning, Chris, Andy, Audrey and I bought park tickets and then took the ferry to the Magic Kingdom. Audrey's first time in the park was a quick one. We took a few pictures in front of the castle and left for brunch. Granny and Granddaddy were waiting on us at 1900 Park Fare at the Grand Floridian. It was chaos for the first little while, but overall we enjoyed our meal with Pooh, Tigger, Mary Poppins, Alice, and the Mad Hatter. We all wondered how Audrey would react to characters. Of course, she liked Mary Poppins and Alice and their pretty dresses. Thankfully she was also happy with Pooh and Tigger. The Mad Hatter was a different story and I was so glad he was last. He, just as a part of the character, is cantankerous and made Audrey cry. A monorail ride later and we were back at the Magic Kingdom. We took some cute photos on Main Street including some great ones with Audrey walking down the street with Granddaddy. Her first ride was "it's a small world." She seemed really interested in all of the dolls but poor thing was so tired that she was asleep by the end. Audrey tried pineapple Dole Whip but preferred the vanilla ice cream. That evening, Andy and I went to Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful meal.

Tuesday was full of firsts. Audrey's first trip to Epcot, first french fry, first lemonade, first time to really use a regular straw, first time to color and play with crayons. When we arrived at Epcot, it was about nap time so Andy and I strolled Audrey around World Showcase. We enjoyed the walk while she slept. We met the whole gang at Rose and Crown for lunch. Audrey didn't want to sit still so Granddaddy and I took turns walking with her. She had great fun trying fish and chips and feeding some to Granddaddy and Granny. Uncle Chris took the lead on a project to have a birthday card card signed for Audrey in all the languages of World Showcase. Almost all the signatures ended up coming from pretty girls...imagine that. The card turned out really cool and we had fun exploring the pavillions. Granny and Granddaddy took Audrey to dinner at Olivia's at Old Key West and she had the whole restaurant wrapped around her very small little finger. She makes people light up--her red hair and big smile always attract attention. Andy, Chris and I came back to the villa with Mickey ice cream bars for everyone. Audrey shared mine and ate it like she'd done that dozens of times. The little one went right to sleep after her big day.

Tomorrow is the big first birthday!
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The next part of the adventure is coming soon.

Minnie Moms: First Attractions

Amy: Tink's first attraction had to be "it's a small world."  I love that ride and yes, even the song that you just can't get out of your head.  I sing it to her occasionally at naptime.  This attraction is classic Disney and what little girl wouldn't love room after room full of dolls?  My husband, Dad, Chris, Audrey, and I rode "it's a small world" together after a late breakfast at 1900 Park Fare.  I guess the combination of a full tummy, being comfy in Daddy's arms, and the gentle boat ride was the perfect set-up for a nap.  She saw about 75% of it before falling asleep.  I really appreciated Audrey's Entourage on this trip.  When we emerged from the ride into the bright sunlight, Uncle Chris had retrieved the stroller and Granddaddy took her off for a nap behind the Christmas shop while the rest of us headed off for Haunted Mansion.

Disney.com has some great history on "it's a small world."

Corby: We took our son to Disney World for the first time in September 2007. He had recently turned 4 years old. In one word the thing that stands out most to me about this particular trip is…characters!!!!! I should have known since he had a love for all things plush that seeing real live stuffed animal looking characters would be his dream come true! The other word that comes to my mind that trip is…hot! It was in the middle of September and I’m pretty sure it was at least 120 degrees! He and I waited in line after line to meet the characters. We bought an autograph book and had each character sign it and I took a picture as well. He absolutely loved it! I’m pretty sure we met every character that trip from Mickey to Horace and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! We invested in the Disney fan that sprays water and drank many frozen drinks that trip. Seeing the joy on his face was absolutely priceless and worth every moment, no matter how hot and sweaty those moments were!

Heather: Our first family trip to Disney was last November around Veterans Day. We took our then 3 year-old after much planning and debating how to get the most out of 5 day trip via train from Raleigh, NC. The first night we arrived at we wanted to do Magic Kingdom and let Ben see the castle before any rides. Luckily we got there in time for the early showing of the SpectroMagic parade. We found our spot along the parade route and watched his eyes light up with joy at seeing all the characters he recognized from multiple viewings of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He is partial to Daisy Duck so when she appeared in an array of light and waving to the crowd, his heart melted. My husband have both done Disney as kids and again as a married couple but this was a very special trip to be able to see Disney through the eyes of a preschooler. We are returning with our now 4 year old and 4 month old baby in late October in time for the Food and Wine festival as well as Mickey’s Halloween party. Our 4 year-old will be sporting a pink Daisy Duck lanyard for some pin trading with Dad.  We are excited for our family to experience the magic of Disney again.

Janine: What am I most looking forward to showing Felicity (F) at WDW? Well it’s a tough choice between visiting the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique (BBB) at the Magic Kingdom (MK) or taking her on the Haunted Mansion (HM). I can’t even watch a video of BBB on YouTube without filling up with tears. Just the thought of my little Tink being made into a full-fledged princess for the day warms my heart beyond imagination. But I also can't wait to take her on Haunted Mansion as not only is it my favourite ride at MK (and of course MK has to be her first park), it was also my first ride. Thankfully Ddaddy’s first ride no longer exists (ExtraTerrorestrial) as there’s no way I would take her on that!

So it’s a choice between taking her into the castle to meet her fairy godmother and be made up to look even more beautiful than she already is (and making both mommy and daddy weep with joy) or riding though the HM with our ghost host hoping not to join the 999 spectres!

You may be thinking HM would be a little scary for a tot but you see I doubt we’ll be going to WDW until F is 4 and I think by then, being our kiddo, she’ll be more than ready. We love Halloween so she’ll have already seen a few ghouls and ghosties! I love the thought of sitting with her in the doom buggy and singing along as we make our way through the house. Id love to see her face when she realises we’ve picked up an extra passenger at the end!

But … no, the BBB has to win as the thing I am MOST looking forward to doing with her. Just the sight of F all dressed up with glitter in her hair and waving a wand … sniff, the keyboard is going to get damp in a minute as I sit here thinking about it! Her nursery is already decorated with princess and it will be the theme of her first birthday party. So although it isn’t actually a ride or attraction this is the thing I dream about doing with F when we get to WDW, except for her first steps on Main Street of course … but that’s a whole other story.

Kelly: My son Shawn’s first attraction was Buzz Lightyear at the Magic Kingdom. He was 5 the first time we brought him to the House of Mouse for a two week vacation and we had a blast. My son already loved Buzz Lightyear the character so it was not to hard to get him on the ride, add in that he could shoot things and that was all he needed to hear. We must have ridden that ride a million times over the course of the next two weeks but it was worth it! As I think back and remember it now he had this silly look on his face and was so happy to go on it over and over. At the time he was an only child and was loving all the attention but little did he know his brother was on the way. I hate to admit it but even back then he beat me a few times and now that he is 11 he beats me even more. It has become a competitive sport with my sons and husband, with my husband usually winning. I pulled out my Disney Picture Album from that vacation and pulled out a couple of my favorite pics to share and I as went through them it brought back such fond memories for me.

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