The Happiest Unofficial Disney Website on Earth

Welcome to my blog. Here you will find lots of great tips on how to have the happiest Disney vacation ever. Explore the side listings to find different topics, free downloadable brochures for you to use in the parks, and great recommendations for websites and other useful items. I am looking for guest bloggers and questions I can answer so feel free to contact me using the above tab. I will be posting new material often so subscribe for free to get the newest Goofy information in your box. Happiness squared.

Mickey and Minnie bring Adventure to Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg
Image from Disney Parks Blog

Image from Disney Parks Blog

One of my favorite memories from my last trip to Disneyland was meeting Mickey Mouse at his house in Mickey’s Toontown. We had entered the park early and were in Mickey’s Toontown just as the park opened for the general public. Mickey was standing on his porch waving at Guests. There was no line and we got a lot of great pictures. It was a magical way to start the day.

I had not had my picture taken with Mickey Mouse for many years because I didn’t want to stand in line. I mean there are other characters around, right? Well, yes and no. There are other characters who might have a shorter line, but here is only one Mickey Mouse. I look forward to visiting him again.

Mickey and Minnie have a fun new spot to greet Guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. At the Adventurers Outpost you can get your picture with both of them against a postcard backdrop. This sounds like a great memory making opportunity. The line and the meet and greet are all inside so you can be cool while you wait. There are fun items to look at in line, plus there is a Fastpass option if you want to skip the line. And last it sounds like you get to spend time with the famous duo before your picture is taken. That is how great memories are made.

My favorite part of this new meet and greet is that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a slower park so I won’t mind taking the time to see Mickey and Minnie. I can’t wait to visit and add more great pictures to my scrapbook. Happiness squared.

Goofy Joke:

Q: How did Mickey feel when he first saw Minnie?

A: It was glove at first sight.

 

Posted in Disney's Animal Kingdom, Goofy Jokes, Mind over Madness, Photography, Things to see, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Two RunDisney Resouces

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg
Judy and Jennifer at the 2009 Princess Half Marathon

Judy and Jennifer at the 2009 Princess Half Marathon

On Sunday I am running the Marine Corp Historic Half Marathon in Fredericksburg, VA. My brother gave me this race and trip as a present for my 40th birthday coming up in October. What a brother!

I plan to run a half marathon in every state in my lifetime. That should not be that hard to do if I don’t repeat states too often. And there lies my temptation. I love to do races in the Disney parks. I’ve already run three times in Florida and once in California and I will be doing more. That really cuts into the number of new states I can finish in a year.

Now that I think about it runDisney races should be separate from my 50 state goal. Instead I will try to do all of the runDisney races that I can. I have to qualify this goal because they add and drop races all the time. Still, I think I will like meeting this goal since every runDisney race includes a trip to a Disney park. Awesome.

Between races I like to listen to running podcasts and read running books (I train occasionally, too.) Recently I have found some runDisney resources that are fun to listen to and to read. I hope you someday complete a runDisney race. There is something for everyone. If you are not sure what is involved than check out the Mickey Miles Podcast. This is a low key podcast with a load of great information. They answer lots of questions and have plenty of advice for beginners.

If you want the complete scoop on Disney races than I would get a copy of Magical Miles: The Runner’s Guide to Walt Disney World. This book tells you all you need to know to run a race at Walt Disney World and have a fun vacation at the same time. Running at Walt Disney World involves more planning than running at Disneyland and this book can give you the confidence that you won’t miss anything.

I hope to run my fastest time this Sunday with my brother pacing me. If I need musical motivation I’ll listen to the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse soundtrack. I always run faster to the Hot Dog Song. I guess every race I run is a Disney race in my mind. Happiness squared.

Goofy Quote: (Jeff Galloway is an official runDisney training consultant. I follow his run/walk/run program. I like this quote and think it is just as true for half marathons.)

“The marathon is one of those experiences that people tell me allows them the confidence to be able to do a lot of other things in their life that they thought they could never do.” Jeff Galloway

 

Posted in Disneyland, Goofy Quote, RunDisney, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fun Games to Print and Play

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg
Image from www.spoonful.com

Image from www.spoonful.com

Have you heard? Spring is here. Boy, it has taken its own sweet time arriving and in some places it is still more of a wish than a reality. So what is a kid to do on rainy, snowy, or windy days when going outside is a miserable idea? Thanks to spoonful.com the answer is…play a game!

In this article there are 14 different games to choose from and they all feature fun Disney characters. Some of them work best with a group. Anyone want to pin the tail on Bullseye? Others are perfect for one or two people. Mickey Mouse chess or checkers perhaps? My two favorites are Mater’s Highway Bingo and the Disneyland Scavenger Hunt. Any day is a perfect day to visit a Disney park and a scavenger hunt can make a magical day that much more special.

So don’t sit around hoping the sun comes out soon, have fun indoors with games you make yourself. I find that a game is more fun when I make it first and then play it. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Want even more fun when you are in the parks or back home? Download the new Disney Memories HD app and turn plain photos into Disney photos. There are lots of Disney decorations you can use on your photos like stickers and frames, and you can get a photo of the day. This app allows you to customize your photos the same way the Photopass photographers do. Awesome.

Posted in Disney, Disney Crafts, Disneyland, Goofy Tips, Photography | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Make a Mickey Mouse Goal

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg

clipmickheadI love to make goals and I love to read books about goals, but sometimes the process of making a goal is harder than the goal itself. How many push-ups am I supposed to do? What food can I eat? I am always looking for the simple solution. One could even say I’m looking for a Mickey Mouse solution.

Saying something is Mickey Mouse has not always been a complement. It has been thought of as cheap, or shoddy, or small in importance. When I think of Mickey Mouse I think optimistic, dream catcher, and go-getter. As Walt Disney said, “…it was all started with a mouse.” Could my goal planning start with a mouse, too?

I was reading a great book on self-motivation called 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself by Steve Chandler. Sometimes a book with 100 ideas only has 2 or 3 really useful ones, but this book has almost 100 great ideas that are easy to use. Number 67 introduces the circle game, a way to plan a goal in 4 minutes. I have modified it into the Mickey Mouse goal game. Here is how it works.

Draw a simple Mickey Mouse face. We all know how to do this. Draw one large circle for his face and two smaller (not too small) circles for his ears. They don’t have to be perfect. Just make sure you have three circles.

Above the left ear write, “This year.” Above the right ear write, “This month.” Below the face write, “Today.” Okay, now you have your Mickey Mouse goal planner. You may want a calculator also. Let’s have some fun.

Pick a goal you are working on. It could be weight loss, or saving money, or paying a debt. Just pick one thing. My goal is to go to Disneyland this year. I need to save $1200 to do that. So my goal is “Save $1200 for Disneyland trip.” I write that in the left ear labeled “This year.”

Wow, that sounds hard to do. How am I ever going to save $1200? Well, if I want to go to Disneyland in December then I have six months (May through November) to save $1200. So I divide $1200 by 6 and I get $200. That sounds better. I write that number in the right ear labeled “This month.”

$200 is still a chunk of change. Let’s divide it again. When I divide $200 by 30 days I get $6.66 a day. I write that number in the face circle above “Today.” Wow. All I have to do is save $6.66 each day and I will be able to go to Disneyland in December? I can do that. That is a Mickey Mouse goal. Plus, it is fool proof. If I meet my daily Mickey Mouse goal I am guaranteed to meet my monthly goal and if I meet my monthly goal I am guaranteed to meet my yearly goal. Disneyland here I come!

Try this out yourself. Below I provide a few more examples. Some goals may be multi-year goals, like paying off a mortgage or student loan. Decide what you want to do in 2013 and worry about the rest later. The beauty of this goal planner is it focuses on what you can do today and usually it is very doable. You don’t have to wonder about next month or next year. Just reach your daily Mickey Mouse goal, mark it off your list, and get on with your day. Happiness squared.

5 Mickey Mouse Goals

1) Read the unread books on my shelf. 30 books  a year, 4.2 books a month, 1/6 a book each day

2) Pay off a $600 debt to a friend. $600 a year, $86 a month, save $3 a day

3) Lose 30 pounds. 30 pounds a year, 4.2 pounds a month, 1/6 pound a day or a deficit of 600 calories a day

4) Write a 300 page book. 300 pages a year, 43 pages a month, 1.5 pages a day

5) Complete 5 scrapbooks (each scrapbook has 40 pages.) 200 pages a year, 28 pages a month, 1 page a day

Goofy Quote: (I love this quote. I think it goes great with Mickey Mouse goal planning. Perhaps you could write it below your face to remind yourself to focus on the “Today” circle, and not worry about the month or the year.)

“Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.” Walt Disney

 

 

 

 

Posted in Disney, Goofy Quote, Mind over Madness, Money, Timesavers, Walt Disney | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg

Two great moms - My mom, and my best friend, Rhonda

Two great moms – My mom, and my best friend, Rhonda

Your Mother And Mine from Peter Pan

Well, a mother, a
real mother
Is the most wonderful person in the world
She’s the angel
voice that bids you good night
Kisses your cheek, whispers, “Sleep tight”

Your mother and mine
Your mother and mine

The helping hand
that guides you along
Whether you’re right, whether you’re wrong

Your mother and mine
Your mother and mine

What makes mothers
all that they are
Might as well ask, “What makes a star?”
Ask your heart
to tell you her worth
Your heart will say, “Heaven on earth”
Another
word for divine
Your mother and mine

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s, grandmas, aunts, and friends who are important in any child’s life. Mother’s come in all shapes, sizes, and relationships, and I wish each of you a wonderful day. Happiness squared.
Goofy Tip: When you are taking pictures in the parks make a point to get fun pictures of each person in groups, pairs, and by themselves. You never know when you’ll want a certain grouping for a gift or any other reason. One way to get a memorable shot is to have each person pose in front of their favorite ride. Or have each person pose in front of the same object (I once used the Liberty Bell in Magic Kingdom as a fun backdrop.) Either of these themes would make a fun picture collage.
Posted in Celebrations, Goofy Tips, Holidays | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

24 Hours of Monstrous Fun

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg

Limited Time Magic: I love the Glow with the Show Mickey ears that light up when you watch World of Color at Disney California Adventure or Fantasmic! at Disneyland. For a limited time your ears will now light up at Magical! the night time spectacular at Disneyland. On May 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19 there will be special places to stand on Main Street, U.S.A. to experience the magic. For more information click here.

Monsters are coming to the Disney parks.

Monsters are coming to the Disney parks.

On Leap Day 2012 Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom were open for 24 hours. Everyone wondered if this wild and crazy event would ever happen again. Would we have to wait another four years? I am happy to say that the wait is over. With Monster University, the new Pixar movie starring the heroes from Monster’s Inc., coming out this summer Disney is celebrating with a Monstrous Summer event. To start this promotion with a bang three of the parks will be open 24 hours once again.

Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and the Magic Kingdom will all be open from 6 a.m. on May 24 to 6 a.m. on May 25. For complete information click here. This event was wildly popular when it happened in February. I expect it to be even more popular since this the start of Memorial Day weekend. Below are some ideas on how to have a good time and not go crazy or lose your cool among the crowds.

5 ways to enjoy 24 hours in the parks.

1) Arrive early. One of the biggest problems is going to be parking. Avoid that headache by arriving very early, or staying at a resort the night before. You won’t be in a good mood if you have to fight to find a parking space.

2) Pace yourself. You have 24 hours to enjoy everything. There will be lines and lots of crowds. Don’t feel that you need to see everything in the first few hours. Use Fastpass. Eat often and remember that you will be walking for miles. It should be a stroll, not a race.

3) Take a break. Since the parks will be open for 24 hours the special times will be early in the morning and late at night. That is when you will be experiencing the park at a time you never have before. There is nothing special about 2 p.m. If you are staying at a Disney resort than take a break in the afternoon and come back once it is dark. You’ll have more fun if you are rested.

4) Plan something special. You have so much more time to see everything that this is the perfect day to do something special. Make reservations for a fancy restaurant. Get in place early for the shows. Stand in line for that special character meet and greet. Many one-of-a-kind events will be happening to celebrate Monsters University. Take the time to wait and you will enjoy unique memories.

5) Ride outdoor attractions at night. Big Thunder Mountain is always fun but it is a very different ride at night. You can ride dark rides like Pirates of the Caribbean any time but make sure to ride the outdoor attractions when they may be at their best. It is a way to make one more great memory.

24 hours at a Disney park can be a dream come true or your worst nightmare. One way to keep it from being a nightmare is to keep your group fed. People quickly turn from happy to grumpy when they are hungry and by the time you realize the problem it may be too late. So enjoy a Dole Whip or a churro and keep everyone smiling. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: How do you decide which attraction to go on next? Why not make it a game? With a Magic Kingdom Bingo Card you can try to fill in rows or columns. Why not make up teams and see who can fill the card first? This card is so versatile that you can use it any way you want as long as you have fun.

 

 

Posted in Disney's California Adventure, Disneyland, Goofy Tips, Limited Time Magic, Magic Kingdom, Main Street U.S.A., Mind over Madness, Things to see, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Fun Disney Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg

Limited Time Magic: From May 5 to May 11, 2013 the Mexican Pavilion at Epcot will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo. There will be special meet and greets, great musical performances, and special food for purchase. For more information check out touringplans.com.

Image from www.spoonful.com

Image from www.spoonful.com

A mother loves anything she gets from her children or grandchildren because she is a mother, so why not have some fun when picking out her gift. A homemade frame, a lovely dessert, or a photo card are all great ways to say “I love you.” Add a dash of Disney whimsy and a nice gift becomes a present sure to make your mom smile.

There are so many fun Mother’s Day ideas from spoonful.com that they put out two articles. If you are looking for cards, crafts and other fun printables click here. I gave my mom a Sleeping Beauty card that colored myself (I love to color). She loved it and showed everyone the unique card she received.

If you are looking for a fun recipe or craft idea then click here for some tasty gifts. I love the Mommyland coupon book, frames that hold a special photo, and the strawberry rosebuds. Why not give your mom all three.

The nice part about these ideas is that a lot of them can be used for a birthday or just because. I’m sure Mom would appreciate a special gift any time of the year. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: You are going to be at Walt Disney World with your Mom on Mother’s Day and you want to do something magical for her then contact Disney Floral and Gifts. They have several Mother’s Day packages guaranteed to make your mom feel like a queen for a day. Check out the Disney Parks Blog for examples.

 

 

 

Posted in Disney Food, EPCOT, Goofy Tips, Holidays, Limited Time Magic, Things to see, Timesavers, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Goofy Idea Review: Iron Man 3

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg

photo (6)First, the disclaimer – I love Iron Man. I have seen the second movie dozens of times. I have seen Marvel Avengers dozens of times. I have been looking forward to Iron Man 3 for months. I have followed the buzz on this movie more than any movie I’ve ever seen. I haven’t been this excited about a movie since Willow.

I never see movies on opening night, but I bought my tickets early for Iron Man 3. That being said my review will be honest and unbiased and I will keep the gushing to a minimum (unless it truly deserves it.) Okay, on with the review.

Well, I think I am so numb that I won’t be gushing a lot. Maybe after I have thought about it for a month. This movie was…I think I am speechless. I am trying to describe this movie without spoiling it and I find I don’t know what to say.

I guess the first question would be, “Is it worth watching?” Oh yeah. It is a roller coaster of a movie, but well worth seeing in the theater. I am so glad I made the effort to see it opening night. That was cool. Iron Man 3 is a great action film full of twists and turns. Some of the smaller characters have bigger roles which is great and the overall story keeps you on the edge of your seat. I spent a lot of time with my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out in surprise or shock. (I even cried for a moment.)

It would seem I do know what to say. This is a great movie. If I could describe the unease I feel I would say that it lacked that comic book feel. It was one more “fight the terrorist” film. My husband said he loved that part of it. I always feel that superhero action films should be a chance to escape from everyday evil. Give me aliens, bad gods, or mad scientists gone wrong.

Now I know that most people are going to disagree with me. That’s cool. I still think this is an awesome movie and I recommend watching it. I just personally would have liked the bad guy to have had different motivation behind his actions. It left me feeling numb when I would have preferred to leave the theater feeling uplifted. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Disney and other film companies have been doing this for so long that I thought all movie goers knew about it, but a few people still left as soon as the movie ended so I want to let everyone in on the secret. Don’t rush out of the theater at the beginning of the credits. Stay until the very end and you will be rewarded with an extra bit of film. I won’t tell you what happens after the credits in Iron Man 3, all I can say is it is well worth it. Stay calm and watch on.

 

Posted in Goofy Review | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

There’s a Little Jedi in All of Us

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg
Image from Disney Parks on Facebook

Image from Disney Parks on Facebook

Star Wars and Disney goes together like chicken and waffles. They are each one of a kind, but I rarely think of one without thinking of the other. For Star Wars and Disney this is because Star Tours has been one of my favorite rides since I was a teenager. So I am never surprised to hear about special Star Wars events happening at the Disney parks. However, this newest one has me as excited as a trip to the Endor moon.

This Saturday is May 4 and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be hosting “May the Fourth Be With You”, a special Star Wars themed event. On this day only adults can fulfill their dream and join their children in the Jedi Training Academy. I bet a lot of dads will be dragging their children through the park yelling, “Go faster, I want to sign up before it fills up!” I love watching the Jedi Training Academy shows and I’m sure it will be even funnier with the parents trying to battle Darth Vader, the nemesis of their childhood.

If you like to ride Star Tours (me! me!) then you don’t want to miss it during May the Fourth Be With You. On Saturday Star Wars characters will be riding along with you. You may be sitting next to Chewbacca, or Boba Fett. Better fasten your seat belts.

If you miss the characters at Star Tours you can still catch them throughout the park. They will be around for meet and greets which I think is amazing. I would love to have my picture taken with any of the Star Wars characters.

For a full list of everything happening on Saturday check out the blog post at touringplans.com.

This Limited Time Magic Event will be galactic fun, with everything from cool merchandise to evening Star Wars-themed fireworks. As always I wish I lived closer to the parks. Here is my advice for those who are going. Expect crowds. Arrive early. Don’t plan to ride every ride. Instead, slow down and enjoy the special events and may the fourth be with you. Happiness Squared.

Goofy Tip: Disneyland is also celebrating “May the Fourth Be With You,” but on a much smaller scale. I have noticed that many of this year’s special events are happening on both coasts. So if you hear about an event check with your nearest park or touringplans.com to see if anything is happening at near you.

Posted in Celebrations, Disney Hollywood Studios, Disneyland, Goofy Tips, Limited Time Magic, Things to see, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Princesses Run, Too!

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Jennifer Vandenberg

Special-Coast-to-Coast-Medal-CUI love to run races at the Disney parks. Besides the fun of running a race, the medals are amazing, the support is thorough, and I get to spend lots of time in the parks before and after the race. Perfect. I hope that someday everyone will try a Disney race. They are adding more short runs so anyone can earn a cool medal and have lots of bragging rights. This week I am thrilled to share some exciting news about new challenges coming to RunDisney.

I already told you about the Dumbo Double Dare happening at Disneyland on Labor Day 2013. A new race has come to Walt Disney World and along with it two new challenges. A 10k has been added to the Princess Half Marathon weekend in February 2014. If you run both the 10K on Saturday and the half on Sunday then you will earn the Disney Glass Slipper medal along with the medal from each race. Awesome!!!

As if that wasn’t enough, starting in 2014, if you run the Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland in January and the Princess half marathon in February 2014 then you receive a special Coast t0 Coast medal. It looks like the traditional one but the ring is pink instead of blue. Super awesome!!!

If you are interested in earning these new medals plan to sign up as soon as registration opens in June. These races are going to fill up fast. Since I will be doing the Dumbo Double Dare in 2014 I am planning to do these new challenges in 2015. Who wants to join me? Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: When you sign up for a RunDisney event you save a lot of money on your resort rooms and park tickets. This savings can be used for anyone in your group, whether they are runners or not, so a race weekend is a great time to invite lots of friends and family to play in the parks with you.

 

 

Posted in Disneyland, RunDisney, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment