The trailer for the newest Thor movie has been released and now I can’t wait for this movie. Click here to see the trailer thanks to The Disney Blog. I was talking about Thor with a friend who knows ten thousand time more stuff about Marvel than I do and he said this movie was going to be successful because it was about one bad guy trying to destroy the universe. Because it has such a straightforward plot more time can be spend on character development and amazingly witty dialogue. If the trailer is any hint, the dialogue is going to be the best part of this movie. If you saw The Avengers you know what I mean.

So take a break this Friday and check out the trailer for Thor: The Dark World. Then go watch the first Thor movie and The Avengers so you are caught up on the plot. Or do it because they are fun movies and it’s a great way to spend the weekend. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: There is some debate as to whether the Marvel characters should come to the Disney Parks. I don’t think I want them walking down Main Street, U.S.A., but it would be cool to have them in Disney California Adventure or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Of course Iron Man has infiltrated Disneyland’s Tomorrowland and that worked out well. Now you can see Captain America on the cruise ship the Disney Magic. I think this is a great idea although I would worry that some supervillian would be visiting the ship, too. Nothing good ever happens in the movies when that happens.

Unlike Disneyland it is easy to find lots of adult activities at Disney California Adventure. Unlike Disneyland you can even enjoy an alcoholic beverage at Disney California Adventure. I recommend you visit this park at opening for the foreseeable future because everyone is going to head over to Cars Land. If animated characters are not your thing than you can enjoy the rest of the park without huge crowds.

There are lots of adult activities at Disney California Adventure but I am just going to name five. These are not necessarily the top five, but they are a great way to see the park and maintain your adult status.

5 fun activities that adults can enjoy at Disney California Adventure:

1) Shop Buena Vista Street. Buena Vista Street is sort of like Main Street, U.S.A. but for Disney California Adventure. Instead of walking through turn-of-the-century middle America you are exploring Hollywood in the 1920s. There are lots of great stores filled with vintage items. It is fun to browse through merchandise that you don’t see anywhere else.

2) Dine at the Carthay Circle Restaurant. There are many great restaurants at Disney California Adventure. If you head over to Pacific Wharf you can have your pick of many enthicities. But if you want a very special meal in a very special setting than I would made reservations for Carthay Circle Restaurant. This is fine dining at its best. I was serious about the reservation. Despite its high price this is a very popular restaurant because the food and the ambiance are superb.

3) Stay away from “a bug’s land” and Cars Land. Both of these areas are fun and bring the movies to life, but they are also the most popular areas for young children. The attractions in “a bug’s land” especially are designed for children under six years old. Most of the attractions outside these areas are perfect for teenagers and adults and many of them have height restrictions so young children can not ride them.

4) Take the Bakery Tour, hosted by Boudin Bakery. When I was in San Francisco I had a great time learning how sourdough bread was made. You can have the same fun at Disney California Adventure by taking the Bakery Tour. During the tour you’ll get to see bread being made on site and then sample some at the end. Sampling is always my favorite part. This is a great idea for hot summer days since it keeps you indoors and out of the sun.

5) Enjoy Soarin’ Over California. There are lots of rides that adults will enjoy at Disney California Adventure, but Soarin’ is unique. With your seat high off the ground you will feel like you are flying over the beautiful scenery of California. This multi-sensory ride is perfect for any adult. And when you are done you can enjoy a beer at the Taste Pilots’ Grill next door.

As I said there are many more grown-up activities at Disney California Adventure that will please any Guest trying to avoid the mouse. The vintage Hollywood vibe can take you back to yesteryear, when the men all wore hats and the women all wore skirts and trolley cars kept the city moving. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you are looking for the ultimate adult area at the Disney parks head over to Downtown Disney. This free area has lots of great shops, restaurants, and entertainment. It is a great place to hang out after a day in the parks or to go to when you want some enjoy a great meal and music with your friends.

You will get wet!

The typical checklist for a trip to the Disney parks includes your camera, autograph book, tickets, and money. These are must-haves. But I have discovered a few other items that make a Disney vacation more stress free. The great thing about these items is they are very small and can fit inside a small bag. If you keep this small bag always packed you can drop it into your bag when you head to the parks. You may not use these items every time, but you’ll save time, money, and sanity if you do need them.

Five useful items to bring to the parks:

1) Ziploc bags. I like the sandwich or quart size, but whatever size you happen to have, these are immensely useful. You can use one as a doggie bag and it is much easier to carry around than a to-go box. You can put wet items in them. You can put half-licked all-day suckers in them. I always put my guide books in baggies before I go on Splash Mountain.The uses are endless and they are so small that you can pack quite a few in many different sizes.

2) Aspirin. Or Tylenol. Or Advil. Any pain pill that you like to use at home should be in your sanity bag. When you have muscle soreness or a headache due to too much noise, the last thing you want to do is hunt for medicine. At the minimum you’ll have to walk a long ways to the first-aid station and if you decide to buy some you’ll pay a lot. Been there, done that. Save your sanity and have some with you.

3) Small towel or bandana. Wet benches. Sticky faces. Soaked skin from Splash Mountain. There are lots of reasons to bring a towel. I like the washcloth size, but a bandana can work, also. When it is damp just tie it to the outside of your pack and it will dry quickly. Or put it in the baggies you also packed.

4) Carabineer. These are the clips that climbers use, but nowadays you can find them everywhere. They are very handy if you want to attach items to your pack so your hands are empty. Or if you broke down and bought your child a sword, a carabineer is a useful item for attaching the sword to their belt loop so they are not waving it all over and hitting everyone.

5) Band-aids. Like the pain pills, these are an item that you won’t think about until you need one. Instead of interrupting your trip when your child scrapes their knee running around on Tom Sawyer’s Island, just put a Band-Aid on it and they are off again. If you buy Disney themed Band-Aids then it is almost like a badge of honor.

You may have more items to put in your sanity bag but these five I have found extremely useful. Just make sure whatever you bring is small. If it weighs you down you may not pack it and then you won’t be saving your sanity. Any vacation can become insane. Planning ahead can make the insanity fun instead of annoying. Fun is better. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: I don’t mind walking around in wet clothes because they will dry fairly quickly, but I hate having wet shoes. They never seem to dry and they make my feet feel gross. My sanity solution is to bring a pair of flip-flops with me. Flip-flops don’t take up much room and before you go on Splash Mountain or Grizzly River Run you can switch shoes. After the ride dry your feet off with the small towel you brought, put your damp flip-flops into a gallon baggie, and put your shoes back on. Your feet will be happy and that will make you happy.

However, seeing World of Color takes some planning. There is room for lots of Guests to view the show, but not every spot is a good spot. Everyone has to stand and it is possible you may be behind a pole or a really tall person which could effect your viewing pleasure. With the help of Disney Parks Blog and my own experience I have some tips to help you have the best experience possible when viewing World of Color.

5 tips for having the best experience at World of Color:

1) Get Fastpass tickets. As you enter the park in the morning (during regular operating hours) have one member of your party hurry over to Grizzly River Run with everyone’s tickets. There you can get Fastpasses to World of Color on a first come first serve basis. Even though you have show Fastpasses you can still get ride Fastpasses throughout the day. Show your Fastpass tickets to the Cast Member at World of Color and they will put you in special areas that have pretty good views. Unless you are taking option #2 I would definitely get Fastpasses.

2) Reserve World of Color Dining. If you don’t plan to be in the park first thing in the morning and you would like to have a special dinner at Disney California Adventure then consider making a dining reservation to eat at certain restaurants and get reserved spots for World of Color. I have heard that the spots are not better or worse than other viewing areas so you have to decide it this option is worth the cost. Check out this post by Disney Parks Blog for more information.

3) Arrive early. Whether you have Fastpasses or not I would arrive early. The view gets better the closer you get to the water. Be warned…you may get wet. I enjoyed watching the park get dark and the lights change on California Screamin’. It was like a colorful pre-show. How early should you arrive? We had Fastpasses and we still found our spot about an hour before the show. (No, we were not the first people there.)

4) Find a spot along the fence. The viewing area for World of Color is a terraced cement hillside with fenced-in flowerbeds between the terraces. If at all possible get a spot with the fence in front of you. That way there will be no people directly blocking you and you will have a good view of the show, no matter how far back you are. I saw the show with three other women and we each stand about 5 feet tall. By standing with the fence in front of us we were able to see the show with no obstructions.

5) Be slow to leave. Depending on when you see the show it may happen after the park closes. Unless you are way in the back of the viewing area you are going to be following a ton of people out of the park. I would just relax. Everyone gets out eventually. Why do you want to join the hords trying to get through the gates? Instead, have a seat, browse through some stores, or just slowly wander back. Disney California Adventure looks very different at night. Take time to notice more than just the person shuffling in front of you.

World of Color should not be missed and with these tips you will have a memorable time from beginning to end. My last tip is to pick up a pair of Glow in the Show ears for everyone in your party. They are a little pricy, but being part of the show is awesome, and they work at Fantasmic and the evening fireworks  so you get your money’s worth. I don’t know about you but I always want to be part of the show. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If you are going to arrive early to get a good spot for World of Color, consider bringing a snack. To my mind the perfect snack for standing comes from the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land. You have nowhere to set anything down so popcorn in a cone, or any of the other tasty cone shaped treats would be ideal.

I am going to use a one-day one-park ticket to Disneyland as an example. An adult pays $92 for a one-day visit. Hours vary at the park, but I for my example I am saying that the park opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. so you can visit for 12 hours. You would be paying $7.66 for each hour you visit. Does that sound better? Let’s compare it to other ways you can spend your fun money.

To go to  a2D  non-matinee movie at Regal Cinemas is $10.50. If an average movie is 2 hours long you pay $5.25/hour. A better value than Disneyland, but which gives you more lasting memories?

To see the Book of Mormon in New York City, a 2 1/2 hour play, you pay between $168 – $312 or $56 - $104/hour. I would think this would be a memorable event and I hope it is worth the price. Interestingly, at Disneyland you can also see plays that are pretty amazing and they are included in the price.

To see Carrie Underwood in concert costs an average of $59.83 a ticket for around a 4- hour concert. This event costs you $14.95/hour. This might be very memorable for you, but you can also see live bands at Disneyland, again as part of that one price.

Now, you might consider going to see the Dodgers. Prices range (not counting really expensive box seats) from $6 to $90. An average game may last 4 hours so this is a bargain at $1.50 – $22.50/hour. A $6 ticket cannot be beat, but your seats may be so high up that you’d be better off watching the game at home. Trust me, I have sat in these seats. I hope you’re not afraid of heights.

Obviously, I have a bias. I would rather go to Disneyland than just about anywhere else. And I know you have to pay for travel, parking, food, and souvenirs, but you are going to do that at any of the events I listed.

I tried to compare events that were similar in entertainment style and costs. I love to go hiking and that doesn’t cost hardly anything, but I don’t think a visit to the forest is the same type of entertainment as a trip to Disneyland so I didn’t make that comparison.

I guess my point is that even with the prices going up Disneyland still give you a good deal for your entertainment dollar. You get thrilling rides, great live shows, wonderful music, face time with characters you love, fantastic photos, and a day that you will not forget anytime soon in a park known for its cleanliness and family values. Is that worth it to you? It is to me. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: My best suggestion for saving money on tickets is to not go for just one day. The more days you visit the more money you save. A 5-day park hopper is $300. If you still figure 12 hours day for 5 days than the average price goes down to $5/hr. That is a pretty good price, and you have lots of time to see everything at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney. (And did I mention that Downtown Disney is always free to visit!) Become an annual passholder and the price can drop even more depending on how often you visit (and some levels include free parking, another savings.) Do a runDisney event and you get discounts, too. It isn’t hard to save money on tickets, it just takes research, and maybe a little pixie dust.

Image from www.spoonful.com

I don’t know what the weather is like where you are, but here in Washington it is raining. Not only that but it has been raining for over a week. I like the rain, but summer is supposed to be here. I want to go outside and have fun, not sit inside and wonder when it is going to stop raining.

There are four things I like to do to beat boredom and cabin fever. I like to read, watch movies, bake something, and do crafts. I am always looking for new recipes and new craft ideas on the Internet and I often turn to spoonful.com.

I must have been in a crazy mood today because I think these 25 Muppet crafts and recipes are just what I need to beat the rainy days blues. From amazing cake pops to fun jewelry, I found some great ideas to help turn a gray weekend into a wacky weekend. There are even invitations if you would like to throw a Muppet party. Make some treats, invite everyone to make a craft, and watch one of the various Muppet movies that have been made over the years. I am fond of The Great Muppet Caper.

So have a great weekend and be sure to do something wacky. If I was really wacky I would be at Disneyland (where it isn’t raining), but I’ll settle for some fun times with the Muppets. Happiness squared.

Goofy Joke: (Everyone loves Statler and Waldorf, the old guys in the box seats. They are really funny in the attraction Muppet*Vision 3D at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure. It’s hard to find things funny out of context, but this made me laugh and I hope it makes you laugh, too.)

WALDORF: What’s all the commotion about?
STATLER: Waldorf, the bunny ran away!
WALDORF: Well, you know what that makes him -
BOTH: Smarter than us!

Image from Disney Parks Blog

Have you ever done something for 24 hours in a row? In high school I stayed up for 24 hours to raise money for band trips. It was really hard. Today tens of thousands of people will be visiting Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and the Magic Kingdom from 6 a.m. today to 6 a.m. tomorrow. 24 hours of Disney. I wish I was there.

Since I cannot be there I decided to celebrate with a list of 24 things we can do 24 different ways today, May 24. Do all 24 or just do one, but whatever you do have a monstrous good time.

24 things to do during the 24 hours of May 24:

1) Bake 24 cupcakes or muffins

2) Watch the TV show “24″

3) Do 24 crunches, push-ups, jumping jacks, squats, and/or lunges

4) Complement 24 people

5) Recycle, donate, or trash 24 items

6) Read 24 1-minute mysteries

7) Learn to say 24 in 24 different languages

8) Write a 24 line poem

9) Take 24 pictures of 24 different but similar items

10) Listen to 24 songs

11) Make a quilt with 24 squares

12) Play on 24 items at a playground

13) Make 24 deviled eggs

14) Take a 24 minute nap

15) Make 24 goals

16) Read 24 pages of a new book

17) Talk to a friend for 24 minutes

18) Take a 24 minute walk

19) Plant 24 flowers

20) Learn to count to 24 in a different language

21) Clean 24 items

22) Explore 24 websites

23) Listen to 24 songs

24) Visit a Disney park for 24 hours!!!

24 hours is a long time to do something, but if that something was a Disney park I think I could handle it (with a nap in the middle). Have fun today doing any of these 24 items. They take a lot less time than 24 hours. (You can even take a nap if you want.) Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: If I were at a Disney park today I would commemorate my time there by collecting 24 special items, like pins or pressed pennies. I would try to collect one each hour. This idea works for other special days, too. Why not celebrate someone’s birthday by giving them a small gift each hour? It could be a single flower or a crisp dollar bill, anything that tells the person they are thought of often.

]]> http://agoofyidea.com/celebrate-24-hours-of-disney/feed/ 0 http://agoofyidea.com/24-hours-of-monstrous-fun/ http://agoofyidea.com/24-hours-of-monstrous-fun/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 13:00:32 +0000 http://agoofyidea.com/?p=3439 Continue reading →]]> 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.

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.

But behind a beautiful facade there are a lot of numbers. Amounts of materials, miles covered in a year, and the details of each ride. I love knowing the behind-the-scenes trivia so today I’ll share some amazing facts with you.

5 fun facts about Cars Land (These numbers came the Disney Parks Blog):

1) 4,000 tons of steel were used to construct the Ornament Valley range and Radiator Springs Racers.

2) There are 6,714 air vents at Luigi’s Flying Tires keeping the tires afloat. (This is a fun ride. I laughed like a loon the whole time)

3) The Radiator Springs Racers vehicles were travel 36,000 miles each year.

4) There are 70 species of native plants in Cars Land (including more than 450 trees and cactus). Keep your eyes open for them because the first thing I saw were rocks.

5) The tallest peak in the Ornament Valley range is 125 feet tall. In comparison the Matterhorn at Disneyland is 146 feet tall.

Now that I know these numbers I want to go back to Cars Land and see it again. It would be fun to count how many plants I can find. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Visiting Cars Land first thing in the morning may be smart to avoid the long ride lines, but if you want to enjoy the land itself than I would come back in late afternoon. The hills look amazing with the sun setting on them and there are lots of photo opportunities without huge lines.  Grab a snack from the Cozy Cone Motel and get your kicks on Route 66.

Happy New Year!!! Did you know that 2013 is a very special year? It is the first year since 1987 that all four numbers in the year are different. It doesn’t mean anything, but it is fun to know. And now you do.

How did I do on my 2012 resolutions for A Goofy Idea? (You can read about them in this post.) I didn’t complete any of them. So why am I not crying in my Pear of Dice Soda? Because I know I can complete them in 2013. If you have not finished your 2012 resolutions (or if you haven’t even started them) just consider them multi-year projects. You have not failed; you just aren’t done yet. Maybe you were waiting to see if the world was going to end. Since we are all still here I guess it is time to buckle down and get to work. I hope 2013 is the year when all you projects move forward. Happiness squared.

Goofy Tip: Jennifer, what is this Pear of Dice Soda you speak of? Besides being something I wouldn’t want to cry in it is one of the amazing new drinks you can get at the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure. I had a hard time deciding what to order, but a cast member encouraged me to try this drink, so I took a chance. It is made of Sprite, mojito mix, and prickly pear syrup. The taste is dy-no-mite!!! I want to go back to Cars Land just to have another. They have other inventive drinks like Pomogranate Limeade and Apple Freeze, but I know what I’ll be ordering.