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Disney
Hollywood Studios
May 20, 2019
Guess who's back! It's been a busy five months for sure, but my lack of posts really just means I have plenty of content to catch the internet up on!
This past weekend, my friend and I went to ~finally~ explore the Toy Story expansion at Hollywood Studios at WDW Orlando. I haven't been to Studios since they ruthlessly killed the Osborne Family Lights Spectacular, but I sacrificed my pain to explore the new area!
The highlights of the new Pixar area definitely include all of the detail they've worked into the park. From the little Jack-Jacks running around the Incredibles area (not forgetting to mention the "Num-Num cookies") to the detail of price stickers from Al's Toy Barn, Disney didn't skip out on the references baked into the area!
And of course, we had to stop by and visit Olaf for some warm hugs. Olaf asked if I could find a way for him to also be in stripes, I told him we'll work on that for the third movie.
Despite the heat and crowds, we had an epic Disney day! Here's to the next park day :)
Top Places for Photos at Disney
October 29, 2018 Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, FL 32830, USA
As someone who’s grown up going to Disney, I often get the question: “How on earth are you not sick of the parks yet?” To most people, a day at Disney consists of rope-drop-to-fireworks nonstop, go go go activities, but for most locals and APs, we have the luxury of not having to rush because hey, we’ll just come back another day!
Recently, my most favorite thing to do at the parks is take photos. I’ve always loved photography, and combining that love with Disney has been some of the most fun ever. To wander MK or Epcot and just snap photos and laugh with friends, well, it’s my favorite!
Here are my top five places to take photos across the parks!
The Bubblegum Wall is one of the iconic “Walls of Disney.” Located just outside the entrance of Spaceship Earth, this adorable pink, magenta, and mint wall is perfect for some photos. This wall even has its own Instagram account, because what else would be more fitting for the futuristic Epcot center than walls with social media accounts?
2. The Purple Wall ~ Magic Kingdom
Now more widely known as the “Galactic Purple Wall,” this next iconic WoD lives in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom. Just like the BG Wall, this wall has its own Instagram and is known to repost some of the best pictures people take against its adorable lilac backdrop.
3. Castle Bridge & The Wishing Well ~ Magic Kingdom
One of my ultimate favorite places to take photos at MK is the bridge leading toward the Madhatter’s Teacups. This less common location tends to get skipped, as most people are content with photos right in front of the castle. This one ends up on the list because it’s less crowded, it’s a unique angle of the castle, and the wishing well has a certain element of that Disney magic to it. If you don’t believe me, trust the fact that I’ve seen not one, but THREE proposals on this bridge!
4. World Showcase ~ Epcot
I know saying “World Showcase” seems INCREDIBLY all encompassing of most of Epcot, but basically everywhere in WS is a prime photo opportunity. Whether your snapping pictures of your food and wine in front of each pavilion’s most iconic landmark or taking selfies, it’s never a dull day traveling around the world. My personal favorite locations in WS are the Moroccan fountain and the phone booths in the UK.
5. Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups ~ Magic Kingdom
Last in this post but first in my heart, my absolute FAVORITE place to take photos is the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups. These pictures always turn out to be the cutest, because it’s hard to not capture genuine laughing candids whilst spinning at top speeds. This photo has become a tradition for me whenever I visit MK, and as I continue to visit the parks it will continue to be a part of that magic!
Now there are PLENTY of other spots that are great for photos, both in the parks and at the resorts, so stay tuned for a part 2 of this post, but for now go get snapping!
Bestie Disney Date! ~ July 2015
July 17, 2015 Lake Buena Vista Stolport (DWS), Orlando, FL 32836, USA
Long post alert! As an Orlando baby, I've grown up with frequent visits to Walt Disney World with family and friends, so visiting the parks has a very special place in my heart. WDW might be my favorite place on Earth (so far) and spending the day with my equally Disney-crazed bestie makes for unforgettable memories!
Last week, we got ready to go and headed out for a day of Princesses, yummy food, and fantastic rides. We arrived around 11, and headed to our favorite lunch spot, Columbia Harbour House near the Haunted Mansion. I opted for the fish and chips, while Bri picked a sandwich (for the fancy chips!) Nestled in our favorite spot in the walk over, we settled in for our meal and caught up on our stories from work that week!
After lunch, we headed to Haunted Mansion and Thunder Mountain. After these two rides, we were beginning to feel the heat just a tad, so we undertook a very important mission: locate some kind of cold drink! We wandered Fantasyland, stopping in Gaston's Tavern and the shop in Belle's village, as well as stopping by the outpost near Ariel's castle, before heading on over towards Tomorrowland. We finally found smoothies in Auntie Gravity's (haha get it, like anti-gravity) and found some air conditioning to hide out in for a break.
While we were waiting, we realized our fastpasses for Space Mountain weren't for another hour, and we were at quite a loss for what to do to avoid the heat while killing time. Naturally, we decided to shop! We went from shop to shop, exploring all the best things Main Street USA has to offer! After a few shops, the Festival of Fantasy parade began and we managed to watch a bit of it from inside the AC, and since it was my first time watching the parade, I was quite amazed!
We finished our shop run and headed back to Space Mountain for some excitement and thrill! After, we had a full on selfie shoot in front of Cinderella's Castle and browsed everything the shops behind it had to offer.
To finish off our time at MK, we headed to Princess Fairy Tale Hall for a royal visit with Cinderella and Rapunzel! We chatted about our favorite colors, princes, and if we'd seen Tinker Bell or the Fairy Godmother around anywhere. Cinderella had stunning elegance, and Punzie's enthusiasm and spirit is always a treat:)
Last week, we got ready to go and headed out for a day of Princesses, yummy food, and fantastic rides. We arrived around 11, and headed to our favorite lunch spot, Columbia Harbour House near the Haunted Mansion. I opted for the fish and chips, while Bri picked a sandwich (for the fancy chips!) Nestled in our favorite spot in the walk over, we settled in for our meal and caught up on our stories from work that week!
After lunch, we headed to Haunted Mansion and Thunder Mountain. After these two rides, we were beginning to feel the heat just a tad, so we undertook a very important mission: locate some kind of cold drink! We wandered Fantasyland, stopping in Gaston's Tavern and the shop in Belle's village, as well as stopping by the outpost near Ariel's castle, before heading on over towards Tomorrowland. We finally found smoothies in Auntie Gravity's (haha get it, like anti-gravity) and found some air conditioning to hide out in for a break.
While we were waiting, we realized our fastpasses for Space Mountain weren't for another hour, and we were at quite a loss for what to do to avoid the heat while killing time. Naturally, we decided to shop! We went from shop to shop, exploring all the best things Main Street USA has to offer! After a few shops, the Festival of Fantasy parade began and we managed to watch a bit of it from inside the AC, and since it was my first time watching the parade, I was quite amazed!
We finished our shop run and headed back to Space Mountain for some excitement and thrill! After, we had a full on selfie shoot in front of Cinderella's Castle and browsed everything the shops behind it had to offer.
To finish off our time at MK, we headed to Princess Fairy Tale Hall for a royal visit with Cinderella and Rapunzel! We chatted about our favorite colors, princes, and if we'd seen Tinker Bell or the Fairy Godmother around anywhere. Cinderella had stunning elegance, and Punzie's enthusiasm and spirit is always a treat:)
We said our goodbyes to the Castle and headed off (by the oh-so wonderful Highway in the Sky) to EPCOT for the rest of the day! A quick and refreshing stop by the Fountainview Starbucks left us prepared for the heat of the afternoon as we began our trip around the World Showcase. We stopped off in Mexico, traveling the river on the Gran Fiesta Tour with Los Tres Caballeros before continuing on in the showcase.
Passing the Norway construction sparked our issues with the development of the new Frozen aspects of Epcot, as even though we do love the movie, EPCOT just isn't the place for Arendelle for us (which also sparked our concern for the future of Avatar in AK, but that's another story!) We lasted in the heat until Japan, where we flocked inside for a break from the evening heat and explored the cute items inside the store.
We took a moment in Italy for some pictures on the bridge and then headed on to drool over the gorgeous makeup and fragrances in the shops of the France pavilion and drag ourselves over to the UK pavilion and debated finding a soccer team to support!
Now came the most important debate of the evening: where to eat for dinner! It came down to a coin toss between the Rose and Crown and the Chefs de France, and France it was! I had never eaten there, but oh my lord have I found my new favorite place to dine at WDW! The inside was gorgeous, and I felt like I was in a real Parisian restaurant. Our waiter was an adorable man named Harold, and he kindly gave us all the water in the world (he could probably tell we were parched from the heat!) We both decided on the Macaroni, which was THE BEST in the world. I think gruyere is my new favorite thing in the world.
To finish the day, we decided to splurge and treat ourselves to dessert! We picked Macaron Ice Cream sandwiches and ate along the canal, laughing and planning our dream trip to Paris, before heading into Impressions de France for our final activity of the day. On our way out, we picked up matching Paris keychains to celebrate how much fun the day had been and to promise ourselves we'll end up in Paris together eventually!
Overall, I think this was one of my most favorite times at WDW. I spent the day laughing, chatting, and having adventures with my bestie, and there's nothing better in life than friendship, food, and Walt Disney World!
x Jessie x
Summer Style ~ The Aristocats
June 4, 2015
To kick off the series, I went to Netflix in search of a Disney movie I didn't own, and consequently haven't seen in years. Since I've recently fallen in love with Paris, I decided to indulge my fantasies and start with the films set in Paris. Leading to, drum-roll please, our first post: The Aristocats!
I honestly didn't remember how charming the film is; from its upbeat songs to the adorable little kittens, I found myself giggling and singing along just like I was a little kid again. Plus, I'm a sucker for the classic animation style.
And, of course, to the project inspired by the film! I decided to go for a manicure inspired by little Marie, as her sass, her spirit, and her little bow were adorable and a perfect inspiration for a summer nail look!
I honestly didn't remember how charming the film is; from its upbeat songs to the adorable little kittens, I found myself giggling and singing along just like I was a little kid again. Plus, I'm a sucker for the classic animation style.
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| "Ladies don't start fights, but they can finish them!" |
Now I'm certainly not the best at nails, but this manicure was easy enough to do! I used Alpine Snow from OPI as my white, Pizazz from LA Colors as my pink, and added just a touch of sparkle using Disco Ball from Sally Hansen.
I'd definitely create looks based on Toulouse and Berlioz, but I felt the colors for Marie suited the summer much better! Plus, this would be such a nice touch to add to a Marie-inspired Disneybound for a day out at the parks or for going out with friends.
-Jessie
Disney Trip ~ June 21, 2014
June 26, 2014
Since June 21st has the most hours of daylight in the year, I had to find some way to take advantage of all that sun, and with some friends down visiting us the stars were aligned perfectly! What better way to celebrate the summer solstice than with good friends and good fun at Disney World? We all loaded up and headed out, and we were there in time for the opening ceremony (my second time watching it this month, woo) and before the park got too crazy.
Now, I've been going to Disney for a long time, pretty much all seventeen years of my existence on this planet, and I've seen some pretty crowded days and some pretty empty days, but for a beautiful day in June, Magic Kingdom was almost disappointingly not crowded. Not that I'm complaining, I got to ride everything I wanted to without being barraged with strollers and stray balloons.
We finished off the day with a quick monorail ride over to EPCOT, where we walked around and did a bit of shopping. I really wanted to visit the UK part of the World Showcase, just because it's my favorite and I love to marvel over the jewelry, gardens, and Doctor Who merchandise. Overall, it was a great day with great people, and I can't wait for them to visit again!
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| I finally got to meet Rapunzel, and it was fantastic and the face character was adorable. (As a seventeen year old I probably shouldn't get so excited over this but shh it's Disney!) |
We started off the day with some Fantasyland adventures, moving on to Frontierland and finishing the day in Tomorrowland. It was a pretty fun filled day, with every other cast member addressing me as "Batgirl," yay for t-shirt references! Even the barista at the Mainstreet Bakery and Starbucks decided to get in on the fun, adding some little annotations to my drink.
Disney: How to Prepare for the Best Day Ever!
March 18, 2014
Welcome, Spring Break! A week of no school, sleeping late, and my favorite thing of all, visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando. No matter if you're going with family, friends, or just yourself, Disney always delivers a magical experience. Now, here are my top five ways to prepare yourself for a day at the "Happiest place on Earth!"
1. Do the Practical Stuff
Now, this is for your parent, legal guardian, or qualified trip planner for the day. This step involves buying tickets, making reservations, and developing a plan of attack for the day. I'd recommend checking out Disney's "My Disney Experience" app and website to organize your day. Check park hours, park hopping transportation, and parade/character appearance schedules. If your stay lines up with any of the special festivals, check out all they have to offer.
2. Be Preparrrreeedd!
After all of the planning stuff, pack your bags. Whether your visiting for a day or for a week, some important things to remember are snacks, tissues, ponchos (this is Florida we're talking about), extra clothes, and money. ALWAYS REMEMBER A WATER BOTTLE, this will save you three dollars and hey, water fountains are free! If you want the full Disney experience, remember your camera, pens, and autograph pad for all of those character meetups.
3. Yay, music!
Yes, this is completely necessary. Pick your favorite songs or soundtracks from Disney films and put yourself together a playlist. This will get you in the mood, and who can object to a little "Be our Guest" being sung to them? My personal favorites include anything from Tarzan, Lion King, or the Princess films. If you'd like to be lazy and make this step even easier, just find a Pandora station based on your favorite movie!
4. What to wear?
Before you plan to wear your brand new, most favorite dress ever, check the weather. Florida is notorious for rain and heat, so plan around the daily forecast. Shorts and a t-shirt are the easiest outfit, as well as a casual dress or jeans and a shirt. I've seen some crazy outfits, from six-inch heels to full on princess costumes, so as long as you're comfortable you'll be fine! If you want to really get into it, check out Disneybound, a fashion blog devoted to bringing Disney styles into the real world.
5. Get excited!
Now that everything is planned, and prepared, and all ready to go, relax and be excited! Disney brings out the magic in anyone. I've probably walked down Mainstreet USA at least a hundred times in my life, and every time I'm amazed that I still feel like I'm walking into another world. Plan a movie marathon, listen to all of the Disney music, check that Disney tag on tumblr, or do any Disney related activity. Anything to bring out your Disney side will get you ready for any experience the park can offer. Just think: you can go from seeing Cinderella in the movie to getting her autograph in the matter of a few days!
1. Do the Practical Stuff
Now, this is for your parent, legal guardian, or qualified trip planner for the day. This step involves buying tickets, making reservations, and developing a plan of attack for the day. I'd recommend checking out Disney's "My Disney Experience" app and website to organize your day. Check park hours, park hopping transportation, and parade/character appearance schedules. If your stay lines up with any of the special festivals, check out all they have to offer.
|
| https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/plan/ |
2. Be Preparrrreeedd!
After all of the planning stuff, pack your bags. Whether your visiting for a day or for a week, some important things to remember are snacks, tissues, ponchos (this is Florida we're talking about), extra clothes, and money. ALWAYS REMEMBER A WATER BOTTLE, this will save you three dollars and hey, water fountains are free! If you want the full Disney experience, remember your camera, pens, and autograph pad for all of those character meetups.
3. Yay, music!
Yes, this is completely necessary. Pick your favorite songs or soundtracks from Disney films and put yourself together a playlist. This will get you in the mood, and who can object to a little "Be our Guest" being sung to them? My personal favorites include anything from Tarzan, Lion King, or the Princess films. If you'd like to be lazy and make this step even easier, just find a Pandora station based on your favorite movie!
4. What to wear?
Before you plan to wear your brand new, most favorite dress ever, check the weather. Florida is notorious for rain and heat, so plan around the daily forecast. Shorts and a t-shirt are the easiest outfit, as well as a casual dress or jeans and a shirt. I've seen some crazy outfits, from six-inch heels to full on princess costumes, so as long as you're comfortable you'll be fine! If you want to really get into it, check out Disneybound, a fashion blog devoted to bringing Disney styles into the real world.
 |
| http://disneybound.tumblr.com/ |
5. Get excited!
Now that everything is planned, and prepared, and all ready to go, relax and be excited! Disney brings out the magic in anyone. I've probably walked down Mainstreet USA at least a hundred times in my life, and every time I'm amazed that I still feel like I'm walking into another world. Plan a movie marathon, listen to all of the Disney music, check that Disney tag on tumblr, or do any Disney related activity. Anything to bring out your Disney side will get you ready for any experience the park can offer. Just think: you can go from seeing Cinderella in the movie to getting her autograph in the matter of a few days!
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