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 at [email protected]. I will be posting new material often so subscribe for free to get the newest Goofy information in your box. Happiness squared.

A Goofy Word: Weenie

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

One of the things I love to do is introduce people to new ideas. So when I visit Walt Disney World I have a Disney word that I teach my group each day. It is a word they can use throughout their visit and is a great way to get to know the parks better. They realize that what they see was carefully thought out, and yes, given a name.

Today’s Goofy Word is: Weenie

According to The Imagineering Field Guide series a weenie is “Walt’s playful term for a visual element that could be used to draw people into and around a space. A weenie is big enough to be seen from a distance and interesting enough to make you want to take a closer look, like Cinderella Castle at the end of Main Street, U.S.A., or the Astro Orbiter in Tomorrowland. Weenies are critical to our efforts at laying out a sequence of story points in an organized fashion.”

Can you figure out some of the weenies in other parks? Try to guess before you look at the answer. No peeking.

The answer:

EPCOT – Spaceship Earth

Disney’s Hollywood Studios – The Sorcerer’s Hat

Disney’s Animal Kingdom – The Tree of Life

I’m sure you got them right. The next time you are in the parks find yourself a weenie. Happiness Squared.

Goofy Tip #39 Want a fun way to teach everyone what a weenie is? Stand in the middle of Main Street U.S.A., point at the castle, and say “That’s a weenie!” Say it loud enough so lots of Guests can hear you. Your friends and family will look at you like you’ve lost your mind. (Mine looks at me that way all the time.) You can then explain what a weenie is. I promise you they will never forget. And they may tell everyone they meet what a weenie is. What fun is that?

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Make Your Own T-Shirt

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

I like to buy T-shirts as souvenirs. They don’t take up a lot of space, I don’t have to dust them, and every time I wear one I am filled with wonderful memories. Sometimes though I can’t find the perfect T-shirt. I visited Walt Disney World a few years back and it seemed like every shirt had a dwarf on it. I like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but I didn’t want a shirt with Grumpy on it. So I settled for nothing.

Since then I have discovered Disney’s Design-A-Tee at Downtown Disney at Walt Disney World. Here you can design a T-shirt that is perfect for you. You start by picking a T-shirt style, color, and size. On one of the kiosks you choose a picture, and if you want, you add words beneath it. There are hundred of characters to look through and many fonts for your phrase. The hardest part is choosing.

My friend and I were running the Princess Half Marathon so I decided to get a T-shirt that would commemorate that event. My favorite princess is Sleeping Beauty so I put her on my shirt. I then chose a scroll font and put the name of the half marathon and the date under the picture. We came back in an hour to pick up our shirts. The Cast Member presented them to us, but was not happy with mine. He thought there were smudge marks that shouldn’t be there. He insisted that they redo it so it would be perfect for me. What service. We stopped by again and picked up my shirt. They give it to you in a velveteen bag so you feel like you are getting the crown jewels. But you are getting something better. You are getting happiness squared.

Goofy Tip #38 The shirts can be oddly sized. My friend had to go a size smaller then she normally wears, but my shirt, which was the size I normally wear, was a tad snug. (One more reason to lose weight.) They have shirts in the store you can see so I would hold one up before picking the size.

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Start Packing Early

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

If someone offered me a trip to Walt Disney World and told me I was leaving next week I would grab the opportunity, throw everything in a bag, and be off. Most of us, though, plan a trip to the Disney parks months in advance. We choose our park tickets, make hotel reservations, buy plane tickets, and organize the trip with lots of time to spare. One thing you might not think to do early is pack. But what you bring with you can add a lot of happiness to your trip or make life miserable.

There are two ways to pack early. One way is to pull out the suitcase you are going to use and leave it in an out-of-the-way place. The other is to use a virtual suitcase i.e., a small notebook, an app that you can take notes on, or a recording device. As you think of things you need to pack you either dump them in the suitcase, or write down the item in your virtual suitcase.

It may seem silly to pack months in advance and I am not suggesting that you get all your clothes ready to go. But there are lots of items that we don’t use every day that are great to have in the parks, if we remember to bring them. Perhaps you are reading a Disney blog (like mine!) and it recommends that you bring a cardboard tube to hold the drawing you made at the Animator’s Academy (see Goofy Tip #35). If your trip is still a couple months away you will probably forget about this great tip. But if you can add it to your suitcase or virtual suitcase immediately then you won’t forget anything.

At the parks with everything I need!

Good ideas are everywhere. Grab them and pack. It will free your brain from trying to remember everything and you’ll be ready to have a fun time in the parks. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip #37  I use a lot of folders to hold information for all sorts of projects, but my Disney information goes in one with Mickey Mouse on the cover. I never have to wonder where the various bits of information are lurking and I can grab it right away.

 

 

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Following in Great Footsteps

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

“May Walt Disney World bring joy and inspiration and new knowledge to all who come to this happy place … a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn together.”

Roy O. Disney, Walt’s brother, said those words at the opening of Walt Disney World on Oct. 1, 1971. Magic Kingdom was the only park finished at the time, but Roy knew that all the parks would bring happiness to those who visited.

This is my vision for this website. I hope to follow in Walt  and Roy’s footsteps and help all who visit the Disney Parks have the happiest time possible. And I can’t do it without you, so thank you for reading A Goofy Idea and passing on its happy message.

Goofy Tip #36: Knowledge is happiness. Before you leave read books on the parks you are visiting. (Check out the side bar for suggestions.) While you are at the parks, pick up a book that you might not find elsewhere. The more you learn about Disney the more you will want to know. The magic doesn’t dim when you know the secrets; it increases because now you know what the details mean. Happiness squared is in the details.

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You Can be a Disney Animator!

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

I would be the first to tell you that I can’t draw. I make rotten stick figures. So the first time I tried to draw Mickey Mouse with the help of an animator I didn’t expect it to look anything like Mickey. If I was lucky it might look like Picasso was drawing Mickey Mouse. So imagine my surprise when it looked fairly close to the famous mouse. I was hooked. I came back for the next session and drew an okay Winnie-the-Pooh. I never wanted to leave. I believe in the magic of Disney. They helped me, a total non-drawer, find the artist within.

And the coolest part of this is anyone can try their hand at animating just by visiting the parks. Both California Adventure at the Disneyland Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studio at Walt Disney World have this attraction. At California Adventure visit the Animation Academy in the Disney Animation Building. At Disney’s Hollywood Studio visit The Magic of Disney Animation in the Animation Courtyard.

The introduction to the drawing class is different at each park, but the animating part is the same. On the hour and the half hour Guests can learn to draw from a Disney animator. Disney provides you with a piece of paper, a sketching pencil (no eraser!), and  lap board or desk to hold your paper. The animator walks you through how to sketch a Disney character. When you are done they have you sign it and then you can take it home. What a great souvenir. It is cool to see how everyone in your group did. Anyone who can hold a pencil can participate. It is so much fun that I would sit and sketch all day if I could. Pick me up when the park closes.

Goofy Tip#35 If this sounds like an attraction you want to check out, bring a small mailing tube or a couple of empty paper towel tubes with you on the day your are visiting these parks. You are going to have a large piece of paper to deal with when you are done sketching. It would be a shame to crease or crumble your masterpiece, so drop the rolled paper in the tube and protect your artwork.

Posted in Disneyland, Goofy Tips, Mind over Madness, Things to see, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Excuse Me, Is there a Lawnmower in that Tree?

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

There are lots of great things to see around the resorts that cost nothing. Sometimes you will stumble upon them as you wander, but I like to know about them ahead of time and then make sure that everyone in my group gets to enjoy the magic. One of these magical finds is the lawnmower tree at the campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

If you type in lawnmower tree into Google you’ll get lots of pictures and descriptions. I am not going to provide any of that here. When I learned about the lawnmower tree I had my family go on a hunt around the grassy area heading to the docks. I wanted them to have the surprise of finding this bit of metal encased in a tree (now a stump, since the tree is dead). Everyone had a good time looking for it and took lots of proud pictures when they found it.

So all I will tell you is if you are staying at the campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort or having dinner at the Settlement see if you can find the Lawnmower tree. It is on that end of the campground. And don’t ask a castmember unless you really have to. Searching is half the fun.

Goofy Joke #12 (Because what’s funnier than a lawnmower tree? Not this groaner.)

Q: What insect was the king of the wild frontier?

A: Davey Cricket

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Start a Collection: Pressed pennies

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

Have you ever smashed a penny? When I was a kid I used to place a penny on train tracks hoping that a train would come and run it over. That was an unreliable way to smash pennies since the train rarely arrived before I had to leave. Now I can smash pennies whenever I want. And even better they have designs on them. The trains never did that!

If you are look for a collection that is unique, inexpensive, and takes up little space in your house then smashed pennies is for you (collectors call them pressed pennies). Each penny pressed cost 50 cents. Can you think of anything else you can buy for 51 cents total. And there is no tax to pay. The best part for any collector is that there are so many penny pressing machines to choose from. The Disney parks are covered with them; there is one at almost every ride and even more in the stores. And each machine makes several different designs so you can get different ones each time you visit. Once you have a collection of pressed pennies you can put them in a special Disney pressed penny collecting book. Then you can admire them any time and show them off to your friends.

There are two types of penny pressing machines, electric and manual. I like the manual ones because when you start cranking it gets harder and harder to turn the handle. You really have to put some muscle into it. Suddenly the handle spins free and your pressed penny drops out. Too fun.

There are also quarter pressing machines, but that is too rich for my budget. I’ll stick to pennies. At least now I don’t have to wait for a train.

If you want to learn more about pressing pennies, visit the official collector’s website at http://pennycollector.com/.

Goofy Tip #34 Start collecting shiny pennies and quarters before you leave on your trip. Put them in film canisters (if you have any) or any small container. Make sure you have two quarters for each penny. Then when you find a machine in the parks you won’t have to waste any time making change since you brought your container of coins. Happiness squared.

Posted in Disneyland, Goofy Tips, Money, Things to see, Timesavers, Walt Disney World | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Happy Halloween!!! (All Treats, No Tricks)

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

My Disney treat to you is three great Halloween cartoons, courtesy of You Tube. The first one is my favorite. Skeleton Dance was animated in 1929 and is the first Silly Symphony cartoon that Walt Disney ever created. Mickey Mouse cartoons were very popular in the theaters, but everyone told Walt that no one wanted to see a cartoon that was all music without any plot or dialogue. Walt proved them wrong with Skeleton Dance and the seventy-five Silly Symphony cartoons that followed. To this day, people enjoy Skeleton Dance for its spooky dance tune, creepy cemetery setting, and well choreographed skeletons. Enjoy!

Skeleton Dance

When I was a kid there was a Halloween Special on the Disney Channel and they always played this next cartoon. It was originally released in theaters on October 10, 1952. According to Wikipedia it was the first time trick-or-treating was shown on the big screen. My favorite character is Witch Hazel who causes Donald no end of trouble after he plays a trick on his nephews instead of giving them a treat. I also like the theme song. It is very catchy. Trick or Treat!!!

Trick Or Treat on You Tube

This last cartoon I have seen dozens of times and enjoy it a lot. It has Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in it and if the animation didn’t give its age away Mickey’s eyes would. It came out in 1937. As a child I had a a Fisher Price Movie Viewer and this was one of several Disney cartoons that I could watch on it. It didn’t make any sound, but since I had to crank the player to watch the cartoon so I could make it go as fast or slow as I wanted. Great fun.

Lonesome Ghosts

I hope you enjoy these three classics. It is a small treat for all of us who can’t get to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Goofy Tip #33 If you happen to be at Walt Disney World on Halloween and either have been or don’t want to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, head over to the Fort Wilderness Campground where they have spooky events at the campfire amphitheater. When I was there they were showing Halloween shorts, including Skeleton Dance and the Adventures of Ichabod Crane. Disney characters made an appearance at the event, too. With the trees closing in on you and the campfire casting eery shadows it is the perfect place to be on Halloween.

 

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5 Reasons to Arrive to the Parks Early

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

(To everyone who just groaned, don’t worry, I’m going to do a post about arriving late also.)

Disney rewards Guests who wake up early and grab a bus or ferry to arrive at the parks before opening. Along with the chance to see the parks at its best, when they are clean and fresh, here are five more reasons to set your alarm.

  • Different parks have different opening ceremonies, but they are all great photo opportunities.
  • Some parks (like Disneyland) pick a family of the day and if you are there early it could be you.
  • You can get on the best rides before anyone else.
  • You can enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee once inside and watch all the excited people hurry by. Their enthusiasm can be contagious
  • You can be first in line for special events like signing up for the Star Wars: Jedi Training Academy at Disney Hollywood Studios or getting a haircut at the Harmony Barbershop at the Magic Kingdom.

One more thought on arriving early. Sometimes the best parks to visit at opening are not the parks having Extra Magic Hours in the morning. All of the resort Guests will head to those parks. You can sleep in for an hour and enjoy the non EMH parks before the resort people switch over to them in the afternoon.

The one time I did this with great success was when I was visiting Animal Kingdom. We arrived a few minutes before opening and were welcomed by a busload of Disney characters. The music got us grooving and dancing. Once the rope dropped we headed directly to Asia. It seemed like most of the Guests headed to Africa. We got our fast passes for Kali River Rapids and then rode on Expedition Everest, which only had a five minute wait. We then got right on Kali River Rapids and had the rest of the day left to explore the animals. By the time we got on Kilimanjaro Safaris the animals were awake and so were we. It was a great day and was much more enjoyable because we arrived early.

Goofy Tip #32 If you want to get to the parks early and still want time to sleep don’t eat a sitdown breakfast before leaving for the parks. Have some fruit in your resort and take some granola bars to snack on in the parks. Plan on having an early lunch or get a snack midmorning and enjoy a late lunch. Just remember to feed people sooner than later or all the joy of an early day will be lost when hungry stomachs take over happy hearts.

Posted in Disney Food, Disneyland, Goofy Tips, Mind over Madness, Things to see, Timesavers, Uncategorized, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment

A Website is Born!

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Jennifer Vandenberg

Today I am unveiling the official website of A Goofy Idea. Here you will find all my tips, jokes, trivia and free stuff that will make your trip to the Disney parks the happiest ever. Like most newborns this site will grow and hopefully become invaluable to anyone wanting to have a great trip to the Disney parks.  So check back from time to time and see what is new. And if you have any ideas that would improve the site write me at [email protected] and I’ll see if I can incorporate it into the site. This site is only as good as its readers so spread the word and tell everyone to come check out www.agoofyidea.com.

Goofy Thanks #1 This website would not be possible without the help of Joe C. at Hostgator.com. He spent hours on the phone with me, teaching me what I needed to know. He was patient and kind. I’m sure most people would say he was just doing his job, but I would like to see more people  display that type of customer service. So thank you, Joe. I’m sure I’ll be calling you again.

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