Author Archives: jennypersons

Disney Aulani Pools

First, before I get into my thoughts and reviews of the pools at Aulani, I MUST recommend purchasing one of these Waterproof phone pouches. We have taken these to Great Wold Lodge, Disneyworld, the beach, numerous pools and every time we go somewhere, everyone asks where we got them. Easy- Amazon. Buy it for your phones before you go anywhere you will be swimming often. Worth EVERY cent. You can take pictures with your phone in the water – even underwater! It is big enough to hold my iPhone in an otter box, plus my room key, gift cards, and cash. My Husband carries his Samsung Galaxy in his with no problems! You will see them around our necks in most pictures 🙂

If you were to ask my kids what their favorite part about Hawaii was, they would say “The pools!!” followed then by the beach 🙂 The above picture is the view we had of the pools when we got off the elevator on the 10th floor in the Ewa tower (where we were staying). Our room was Ocean View, so this is the bird’s eye view we got of the lazy river, and the kids play area (also you can see the restaurant where the Character Meal takes place) from our floor viewing area.

I am pretty sure I could just live on the lazy river, also called Waikolohe stream, for my whole vacation. There are a few spots, where you could get wet, and my older kids LOVED pushing each other into those, but you can easily avoid them if needed. There were always plenty of tubes, including double tubes, even during the busier times. My biggest complaint with the water parks in Disneyworld, is not having enough tubes/double tubes when trying to get into the lazy river. It is not too long, and it doesn’t take long to make the loop, but it is relaxing and fun for the entire family! I am pretty sure I went round it at least 30 times in our week there!

Then there is the Menehune bridge, also visible in the above photo. You will hear alot about the Menehune at your stay at Aulani!! This is a fun splash area for kids 48 inches and smaller. There are 2 waterslides, that my 4-year-old really enjoyed. There are lots of places to splash and get wet, with plenty of places and jets that give you the opportunity to get water poured on you! My biggest complaint is that parent’s can’t go up on the bridge with their small children. My almost 2-year-old did not want to go on it without me, so he missed out. My 4-year-old would play on it for awhile, but then want to go do something else or play with his older siblings, who could not go on it either. I know they want to keep it exclusively for small children, but they really should allow the parent to accompany their children, if they desire. So we actually did not play on here that often. Not to mention it opened later than the other pools and closed the earliest (by 5:00 when we were there).

Menehune bridge waterslide. As you can see there is water spraying/falling EVERYWHERE!

A corner at the bottom of the Menehune Bridge my son likes to hide in. You can see the other waterslide on the left hand side.

Lazy river, and you can see the Menehune bridge off to the left and top of their heads

To be able to use the pools/waterslides, you had to get a daily wristband. You would get this at the same place you can pick up your towels and life jackets. I am assuming this is to be sure only guests swim in the pools and take advantage of the amenities. I am not sure how the “hotel” side of the resort does it, but we had to show our room key, which they would scan, then we would get our wristbands for the day. You can get more and as many towels as you need at these stations throughout the day. There are also many Water stations throughout the pool area for you to get a cup of ice cold water. This way you won’t get dehydrated through your day! To get a life jacket, they will take down your name and room number, to be sure you returned it by the time they close in the evening.

My son kept his bracelets on the whole week – 7 total

You can see all the different bracelets on my daughter better – she kept all hers on as well. They wished we had gotten bracelets from the first day we were there (we got in late), but we didn’t think about it 😛

In order to keep people from hoarding pool chairs, they would come around every hour, and if the chair was unoccupied, they would fold a towel at the top of the chair. The next hour, if you were still not in the chair, they will remove your belongings, where you could retrieve them from the same place you get your wristbands and towels. To reset your time, you simply remove the folded towel from the top of the chair. You’re good for another hour then. So you can have a chair all day, but you must keep using it, or you’ll lose it.

In Rainbow Reef, you can snorkel with lots of different ocean fish. There are windows for you to view the fish, if you don’t want to snorkel or your children are too small to go in (no height requirements, just must be a strong swimmer). Now I assumed my older kids would want to do this, but once we got there, they were not that interested in doing it. They could see all the fish through the windows and didn’t have a desire to try it out. My husband and I did not have the best experience snorkeling at Typhoon Lagoon in August, so since our kids weren’t interested, we decided to skip it as well. The price wasn’t too bad, and I planned to do the “length of stay” option… Maybe next time?!?!

Keiki Cove is another fun place for little ones. It is a splash area for them to play in. There is an octopus in the ground (laid out by tiles) with different types of jets shooting out of the ground. My almost 2-year-old enjoyed Keiki Cove more than the Menehune bridge.

Keiki Cove splash area

Around the corner from Keiki Cove, is the infinity pool or the Ka Maka Grotto. This pool makes for some beautiful pictures overlooking the beach/ocean! However, when we got in the pool, it was COLD compared to the other pools. Therefore, my kids didn’t want to go in it often. However, on the last day, my husband got in the pool, and said it wasn’t as cold, so maybe it was a fluke? Still, it is a fun and beautiful pool! It is also open later in the evening, like the Waikolohe Pool.

Infinity pool

Infinity Pool Aulani

Infinity Pool Aulani – inside the grotto

Grotto at the Infinity Pool

Grotto at the Infinity Pool

We never went into the adult pool or infinity adult spa during our stay, as we always had kids with us, so I can’t give you a review of them!

There are 4 Whirlpool spas in the pool area. My daughter, who has no fat on her body and gets cold easily, would often get in one to warm up! I found them to be fairly full most of the time. We had a Jacuzzi tub in the Villa, so I didn’t have much of a desire to go in one, but my older kids and husband all did at least once (my daughter many times!)

Last, but not least, the pool we spent the most time in, the Waikolohe pool. This is the largest pool, and where all the action takes place!

Both waterslides are located in the mountain, Pu‘u Kilo, at the Waikolohe Pool. (see attached videos!) Be sure to take a close look at the Pu‘u Kilo mountain for hidden animals! It is fun to see them as you travel around the lazy river, or wait in line for the waterslides!

There is a body slide, Volcanic Vertical, that ends up in the Waikolohe Pool. It is enclosed and completely dark the whole time. It is a fun slide, but my kids preferred the tube slide more. I actually got stuck half way down – I was wearing fabric shorts and had too much friction on the slide (I am not THAT big of a person, I wasn’t “stuck” in that way!) and I just kind of stopped. So I had to use my legs to propel myself and get started again. It was fun, but my husband and I also enjoyed the tube slide more!

The tube slide, Tubestone Curl, was everyone’s favorite. We would try and get on the slide FIRST thing in the morning, when there was NO wait, because as the day progresses, the line can get long! (like 5-10 minutes). You can slide on your own, or with someone else in a double tube! My 4-year-old rode this waterslide the most – he simply LOVED this waterslide. The end of the waterslide puts you into the lazy river, or Waikolohe stream, where you have the option to go around the river, or exit and go again 😉

The Waikolohe Pool is where all the Pool Parties happen! My kids love a good pool party! Unfortunately, my husband had issues with the SD card in his phone, and we don’t have any pictures of the parties 🙁 But Mickey, Donald, Minnie, and Goofy will show up for songs and games, and all around fun for the whole family! Goofy even wears water shoes and can wade into the water! Fun! Check your Daily IWA for times, but they were usually at 2:00 in the afternoon.

We spent ALOT of time in the Waikolohe Pool. Just swimming around and having fun! It is big, so we never had problems with it being too full. It is also open the latest (until 8, when we were there – along with the Infinity pool), and was pretty empty the first few hours and the last few hours of the day! Before 9:30 and after 6:30, the pool is practically abandoned 🙂

There are plenty of pool options at Aulani for the entire family! We were there a whole week, and were not bored – there is something for everyone. We spent MANY hours per day at all the different pool options. This is probably one of the BIGGEST draws for the Aulani resort – they really did the whole area well!

Don’t forget to have your poolside Shaved Ice or Dole Whip to make your day even more perfect! 🙂

Playing in the Waikolohe Pool

One of my FAVORITE pictures of the trip! My 4 year old jumping into the Waikolohe Pool!

Meeting Goofy at the Waikolohe stream

Playing in the “cave” area of the Waikolohe Pool

Poolside Dole Whips!

The end of the Volcanic Vertical in the Waikolohe Pool

Family selfie in the Waikolohe pool

Pu‘u Kilo and Ewa Tower from the Waikolohe Pool Disney Aulani

Pu‘u Kilo and Ewa Tower from the Waikolohe Pool! (stairs for the waterslides are on the opposite side of the mountain)

Disneyland 60th Birthday Celebration

More information was released about the Disneyland 60th Birthday Celebration. I wish more info had been given, but we are at least getting a look at what is shaping up for the celebration!

We know the celebration will begin on May 22nd and there are new shows and parades that will debut. Sleeping Beauty’s castle and Carthay Circle theater will be transformed for the celebration. World of Color, the Parade, and the fireworks show will all be new and special for the celebration.

Here is what the Disney Parks Blog had to say about it:

The iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland park and Carthay Circle Theatre in Disney California Adventure park will glisten and gleam, each with its own diamond medallion featuring the letter “D.” The entire resort will sparkle with Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration décor and festive banners in shades of Disneyland blue.

Disney California Adventure park will present a special edition of the popular “World of Color” show. In “World of Color – Celebrate! The Wonderful World of Walt Disney,” Mickey Mouse will take guests on a fun-filled and inspirational journey through the unparalleled imagination of Walt Disney, exploring his decades-long legacy of memorable animated moments and the dream of Disneyland park.

At Disneyland park, the new “Paint the Night” parade will bring some of the most innovative floats, vibrant costumes, dazzling special effects, unforgettable music and energetic performances ever presented at theDisneyland Resort. This new, state-of-the-art nighttime parade floods Main Street, U.S.A., with stunning color, fun surprises and more than 1.5 million brilliant LED lights.

Also at Disneyland park, the new “Disneyland Forever” fireworks spectacular will be a sky-high celebration featuring sparkling pyrotechnics, immersive projections, and other effects that transform Disneyland park right before your eyes. “Disneyland Forever” envelops you in an enthralling, breathtaking journey like never before, leveraging the largest installation of projection mapping technology in a Disney park and surprising special effects. The new show will feature two original songs, the theme “Live the Magic” and the inspiring closing song “Kiss Goodnight,” written by Disney Legend Richard Sherman.

They’ve promised that there is more to come. We shall see. There seems to be quite a few rides and even lands down for refurbishment, so I am not sure this is the time (meaning RIGHT now) I would choose to visit Disneyland. I am sure they will all be back open and ready for the celebration in May though!!

I am particularly excited about the “Paint the Night” Parade. Sounds similar to the electrical parade, and that is my all time favorite parade that Disney has offered! (still my favorite at Disneyworld and VERY happy they have it there, but I can remember it at Disneyland, and When they had it at California Adventures before World Of Color!)

When asked how long the celebration will last, the response was “It will be a loooong celebration!” I REALLY hope that is the case. With our happily, unexpected trip to Aulani this year, and going to visit my family in Washington DC/NYC, I don’t see this fitting into our plans this year (unfortunately 🙁 ), like I had once hoped. But Aulani was a once in a lifetime opportunity we had to take, so it will just put Disneyland on the backburner for a little bit… and since these “celebrations” often run 15-18 months, I am VERY hopeful it will still be running, by the time we are able to make it there. I was glad we were able to attend the 50th celebration, so I am still hopeful for the 60th! Anyone want to pay for a wonderful family of 6 to attend?? 😉

Aulani food and snack options

We were lucky enough to have a Villa while we were staying at Aulani, so we didn’t eat at the restaurants on-site much. We did have a few meals and snacks while we were there though!

I wrote an entire post about Aunty’s Breakfast Celebration – the Character Meal on-site at Aulani. A MUST do while at Aulani, if you ask me (for the delicious food alone)

Since we did that our last day, and knowing how good the food was, I am certain the other restaurants on site have delicious food as well. Our cousin, who is local in Oahu, said the night buffet at Makahiki is excellent as well, and after the breakfast buffet, I would assume the night buffet was just as delicious!

With 4 kids, we couldn’t afford the $40-50 a plate meal at ‘Ama’Ama. However, if you are looking to splurge, it always smelled delicious and the views can not be beat! Lunch is much cheaper than dinner, so that may be a good compromise if you are looking to save some money, but still eat at the restaurant. Kid meals are only $8.50 at lunch or $13 at dinner (and dessert or appetizer is included)

To save money, we stopped at the Costco only 3 miles from Aulani. We bought items for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Since we had a kitchen, we were able to make most of our meals in our room. This is a HUGE money saver!

If you don’t have a Costco membership, there is also a Target right down the street from the Costco. Another great option of a place to stop and stock up on food and snacks on your way to Aulani!

Aulani also offers BBQ’s for guests to use! So you could easily BBQ yourself some dinner. I saw the Cast Members cleaning the BBQ’s, so they are clean and well maintained!

Off the Hook was probably the most popular dining option with people on site. We saw many people doing poolside dining through them. Plus the steam baskets that they serve everything in are really cute! We thought it was an Asian dining restaurant, and then saw they served everything, even burgers, in the cool baskets!

We grabbed a pizza on our last night there, since that is what my daughter wanted for her birthday dinner. Originally, I was going to go to the pizza place across the street, but then I noticed that they sold whole pizza’s in the Ulu cafe, which was like a small quick service restaurant. It was cheaper than the place across the street, so I thought we’d give it a try. This pizza was actually REALLY good! We were shocked at how good this pizza actually was. To be honest, my expectations were not very high, but the pizza was very good and worth the money, especially since you could just go in and get it without leaving the resort!

The Ulu cafe is the closest thing you get to a quick service restaurant at Aulani. They only have a few hot entree options, plus whole pizza’s in the evening (pizza = YUM!), plus many grab and go food options for you to choose from.

Now snacks… my favorite part!

We got Shaved Ice, several times, at Papalua Shaved Ice. So.Freaking.Good!!! It was my husband’s favorite treat. He likes it with the cream on it. Coconut, lychee, and guava were our favorite flavors 🙂 The Shaved Ice’s are HUGE – between the 6 of us, we could barely finish off 2 of them each time. They are definitely big enough to share!

Papalua Shaved Ice

Now the Lava Shack was my kids favorite. They sell lots of snacks, and other pool items (sunblock, toys, etc.) but the best part?? SELF SERVE DOLE WHIPS!!! Oh yeah! You can make it as BIG as you want. They have vanilla, swirl, and pineapple/dole whip. You grab a bowl, fill it up as much as you want (just don’t make it so big it falls!) and then pay $4 for your ice cream. My kids decided the swirl was the best. Coming from a Dole Whip purest, I actually really liked the swirl too 🙂 The Convenience store across the street also offered the self-serve Dole Whips!

Lava Shack – Dole Whips!

Now if you can’t get to Costco or Target, and don’t want to rely solely on the food at Aulani, there is a small grocery store across the street. However, half of the store is dedicated to alcohol 😛 They do have many pre-made items and a deli with sandwiches. They even have their own Self-serve Dole whip machine (I NEED one of these for my house!). It is not cheap however! The prices are about what you would pay at Aulani. In fact, the 5lb bag of rice at the store, was MORE expensive than in the gift shop at Aulani! So depending on what you are looking for, the gift shop at Aulani, does carry a few grocery items, that are cheaper than the store across the street. There were also several restaurants across the street as well. I am sure they change often, but when we were there, an ice cream shop, Hawaiian food, Sushi/Asian, and Pizza restaurants were all available in the center.

Shopping across the street from Aulani

There is also Mama’s snack stop and Little Opihi that offer things like hot dogs, chicken fingers, nachos, and fries. You know, the healthy stuff 😉 Mama’s is next to the Shaved Ice, and Little Opihi is down on the beach, so you can eat and get sand in it at the same time! (Ha! Just kidding)

I didn’t think to take pictures until night time, so the quality is not the best and they are already closed 🙁 Many of the snack places close at 5 or 6… Which in my opinion, is really early!

Papalua Shaved Ice

Aunty’s Breakfast Celebration

For my Daughters 12th Birthday, we decided to treat her with the Disney Character Breakfast at Makahiki, which they call Aunties Breakfast Celebration.

We have done most of the Character Meals at both Disneyland and Disneyworld. Food wise – this meal BLOWS all the other ones away!! Oh.My. The food was so good! I am still dreaming of the sweet bread french toast and bread pudding drizzled with caramel. Island ham and pineapple. Smoked Salmon. Omelettes. Aulani Potatoes. Eggs Benedict. Hawaiian Pork Hash. Sausages. Bacon. Fresh fruit and yogurt. Muffins, Breads, and Pastries. And the list goes on and on. The selection and variety is huge. So. freaking. GOOD! There is of course Mickey waffles and stitch waffles (which I hadn’t seen before!). They have a Keiki (child) buffet area. Here is a sample of their menu.

I think my husband ate his weight in smoked salmon and me in the sweet bread french toast. My boys loved the fruits and waffles! My daughter is a moderate and had some of everything! I tried as many different things as I could – all were TERRIFIC. I am actually wishing I could go back and have some more – RIGHT NOW!

This is far and way the BEST Character Meal buffet we have ever had. It tasted like real restaurant food by a chef – not just something made in a cafeteria.

Oh and there are characters too. The food was so delicious, that I almost forgot about them! When you arrive, they send you to get pictures taken with Mickey, before you get seated at your table.

Once you are at the table, they will take your drink orders. Guava and Pineapple juices are one of the many choices. YUM! I had some of each!

They were playing games and singing songs when we got to our table, so my older 3 jumped right in. They did a fish song. A Coconut Shell song. They did a conga line at some point during our meal. Minnie plays along in the games. They did a Happy Birthday song for all the birthday’s being celebrated, so my daughter got in on that one. It was alot of fun for the kids

Character-wise, it was light on Characters. Only Minnie and Goofy circulate in the dining room. I thought Donald would be there too. If there had been one more Character, I think it would have pushed this meal to the top of my Character Meal list forever. The Food puts it at the top of my list, but unfortunately, it is a bit light on the “character” side of the meal. My only complaint about the meal would be that they could have used one or two more characters.

Minnie and Goofy stopped by more than once, because it was not too busy when we were there. My husband’s cousin (who lives on Oahu) joined us with her son. Our boys started playing Minecraft together, Goofy came over, and stood there with them watching. It was funny!

His cousin told us the dinner buffet at the same restaurant was OUSTANDING as well! We didn’t get a chance to do the dinner, unfortunately 🙁 She said it is great for adults, but probably not worth the cost for the kids. So drop your kids off at Aunties, and enjoy the dinner as a couple (not an option for us, since the baby is too little for Aunties)

When we make our way to Aulani again, we will be FOR SURE coming back here – maybe more than once! I was almost sad we waited until the end of our trip to go, because I probably would have gone again (except that it is really expensive :P)

Seriously, this is a MUST for your visit to Aulani! Mmm…. I am wishing I was eating there right now! (I don’t think I can rave about this place enough!!)

When we were there Adults and kids 10+ are $32 and kids 3-9 were $18 (so not cheap – especially w/ 4 kids!! The baby was free, but it was the oldest’s 12th birthday, so she is an adult price, even though she eats like a bird 😛 Plus tax and we had gratuity automatically added to our bill as well). So not cheap, but when you compare to other Hawaiian prices, not outrageous – especially considering how delicious the food is!! (the Burger King at the airport charged $3.50 for a Whopper Jr!). There was plenty of room in the restaurant, so I don’t think it is difficult to get reservations.

Don’t hesitate to eat at the Aunty’s Breakfast Celebration at your trip to Aulani. You won’t regret it and it is a great addition to your trip to paradise!

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Goofy Watching Minecraft – universal boy language!

Song with Coconut Shells

Song with Fish puppets

The Awesome light fixture above us!

Aulani

We are back from a Wonderful, fun filled week at Disney’s Aulani resort. Since we just got back, I have many things to get caught up on, but I wanted to write down some of my initial thoughts for you, and then I will be writing some in-depth posts to help you plan your trip to Aulani!

The food at Aulani is fantastic! It is not theme park food. It is really good, fine dining, restaurant food. The Character Breakfast buffet was one of the best buffets we’ve ever had and by far the best Character Meal buffet we’ve ever had! Even the Pizza’s you get at the quick service are gourmet!

The resort is not that big. I mean, it is really tall, but overall, it is not a huge resort.

Aulani needs to get more sand toys, boogie boards, etc. Seriously, they don’t cost that much, they offer them for free to guests, but they do not even have close to enough to meet demand.

They need to leave the restaurants, lazy river, and waterslides open longer! The kids splash area closes at 5, waterslides and lazy river at 6. The snack places close at 5 or 6. I think this is really early. We spent the majority of our trip just at the resort, and we would have enjoyed having them open a little later.

Go to the waterslides FIRST thing in the morning, especially the tube slide. The line can get a bit long (by long, I mean about 5-8 min.), but first thing in the morning, there is no line and you can get right on… and if you’re like my kids, go over and over.

Early bird gets the worm! If your kids want to do anything at Aunties, you must get there early in the morning to sign up. Be in line about 7:30am. Then you can get in line for the waterslides, and enjoy a quiet morning at the resort!

Oh! I have so much more to write about! Many tips and tricks and learn from our trial and error. I shall have many posts coming up about it! Once I get the house back in order, kids back on schedule, bags unpacked, I shall be writing several posts and share many pictures about our terrific stay!

Off to Aulani

Wow! The time has come! We are leaving for the airport tonight. We always stay at a hotel the night before a trip, so we don’t have to get up as early, and we have a place to park our car! Then bright and EARLY tomorrow morning, we are off to Oahu to enjoy an entire week in a Villa at Aulani. We are thrilled and excited to see this place and enjoy some warm Hawaiian sun – escape from the winter here in Oregon!

Seriously – can’t wait! Not sure if I will have time to live blog while we are there, but expect MANY posts with tips and advice when we get back!! And pictures – lots of pictures!

Eek! So excited! I honestly never thought we’d be able to afford to take our family of 6 here, but somehow, I managed to make it happen – feeling very blessed. Can’t wait to share the place with you and all the tips and tricks that we will learn on our trip there!

Top 5 Snacks at Epcot

One of my favorite things to do at Epcot is eat snacks at different places. They are all soooo good! But I do have my favorites, they are a must do for each trip to DisneyWorld! Here are my top picks – what are yours?

1. Croissant Doughnut at the Refreshment Port

If you are heading into the World Showcase from Future World, the Refreshment port is to your right, before you get to Canada. If you are in Canada (either that pavilion or the country) you’ve gone too far! These were new on our last trip and OH.MY!!!! It is by far one of my favorite treats – EVER (and from anywhere). It is so good! It beat out my previous favorite, School Bread in Norway. They offer it with Ice cream, but I don’t think it needs it. Since we were staying at the Boardwalk Villas, it was hard not to walk into Epcot every day (or 4 times a day) and get one of these babies. Don’t miss out!

2. School Bread at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway

I have an addiction to the School bread at this bakery. I’ve tried making it here at home, but it is just not as good! I always tell anyone going to Disneyworld to stop in Norway and have one of these delicious treats. They are big enough to spilt and cheap! Inexpensive, big, and DELICIOUS! Win! There are many tasty treats in the Bakery here, but this is my favorite (but try other items as well – all good!). These used to be my favorite treat in all of Epcot (perhaps all of Disneyworld), but it was pushed from my #1 spot by the Croissant Donut. If the donut proves to be a short term addition, this will reclaim its #1 spot!

3. Croissant Jambon Fromage (Ham & Cheese) at Boulangerie Patisserie Les Halles in France

To be honest, everything I have tried at the Boulangerie Patisserie Les Halles in France is delicious. All the treats and yummy confections are great- try the Napolean for the sweet treat!! But for this snack, I thought I’d pick something savory. Not only is the Croissant Jambon Fromage delicious, but it is the price of a snack, but enough to be a light lunch! (A light, quick lunch while you eat all the other treats around Epcot!) We picked up one for each of us on our way over to Fantasia Gardens to Mini-Golf! Great treat/lunch/snack. Make sure to try the other confections in the patisserie as well!

4. Caramel at Karamell-Kuche in Germany

Karamell-Kuche was brand new 2 visits to Disneyworld ago, and it is still a favorite of ours. Fresh Caramel – need I say more?? I have an addiction to homemade caramel and caramel corn, so this place is right up my alley! Pretty much anything in their goodie case is delicious. Their fresh Caramel Corn and Salted Caramel are always big hits – but really you can’t go wrong with anything that is made with fresh caramel!

5. Chinese BBQ Pork Buns at Joy Of Tea in China (plus some CLOSE runners-up!)

The #5 spot was a HARD one for me. It was between Gelato in Italy, Kakigori in Japan, Paletas or Churritos w/dipping sauce in Mexico, or the BBQ Pork Buns in China. All of these are seriously delicious and I recommend eating all of them 🙂 The only reason I went with the Pork buns is I LOVE pork buns. I make steam buns here at home all the time – they are just one of my favorite treats/snacks. After eating some School Bread in Norway, it is nice to pick up a little savory treat 🙂 YUM! But if you have the chance, or are just there on a hot day and would rather have a cool treat, try one of the other options I listed for #5 – they are all a terrific and tasty treat in the World Showcase!

What are your Favorite Treats in Epcot? Did I forget one that you simply LOVE? I am always on the lookout for a new favorite treat!

Gaston Push-up Contest

I saw this video and it cracked me up! That Gaston is really into character and obviously works out! I am really impressed! One handed push-ups?!?! I do not think the guy was expecting that! (I mean, who would expect it??) I wonder how often people are going to challenge Gaston to push-up contests now?? They’ll probably have to make a rule against it before too long 😛 Go Gaston! (and that Cast Member deserves a raise for being so good at his character!)

Disneyworld Gingerbread Display’s

Gingerbread House at Grand Floridian

Disney at Christmas Time is BY FAR my favorite time of the year! DisneyWorld and Disneyland are simply AMAZING this time of the year. We have been blessed to have been to both parks, several times, during this time of the year (I have been to Disneyland almost every season/month, but at Christmas time the most!). Today I will focus on the AMAZING Gingerbread display’s that the Disneyworld Deluxe Resorts design during this time of the year.

They are amazing to see. I am so happy that we took the time to do a tour of all the Gingerbread display’s on our last Christmas time trip to Disneyworld. By the way, the first 2 weeks of December are my favorite 2 weeks of the year to visit either Disneyland or Disneyworld. (unfortunately, with all our kids in school, it is not as easy to take a 2 week vacation then anymore 🙁 )

If you find yourself at Disneyworld during the Christmas Season, take the time to go and see all the Gingerbread Display’s!! You won’t regret the time it takes to see these beautiful pieces of Art!

Gingerbread Tree at the Contemporary Resort

The Gingerbread Tree at the Contemporary Resort. This was HUGE and quite impressive!

Gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian

The Gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian is the Centerpiece of all the Gingerbread display’s. If you only have time to see one of them, make it this one! It is HUGE! Big enough to be a store… In fact, it is a store! On the other side of the house, they sell gingerbread items, like ornaments and gingerbread houses!! It is impressive and not to be missed during the Christmas Season

Gingerbread Carousel at Beach Club

Gingerbread Carousel Horse at Disney’s Beach Club Resort

The Gingerbread Carousel at the Beach club was Awesome! I love carousels, so this was probably my favorite. I also loved the little castle and Chip and Dale house next to the Carousel! Somehow, I couldn’t find a picture of the village display at the Yacht club….

Gingerbread Chip and Dale house at the Beach Club Resort

ingredients of the Gingerbread Carousel

Gingerbread Castle at the Beach Club

Gingerbread Gazebo at the Boardwalk Resort

Gingerbread Gazebo at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort

The Gingerbread Gazebo at the Boardwalk was just cute. The details were amazing! So much attention to every little piece and part of the display. Disney doing what Disney does BEST!

Make sure to check out all the Gingerbread Display’s when headed to Disneyworld at Christmas time!

Frozen at Disneyland & California Adventures

I’ve been meaning to write about this for a few days, but to say I’ve been busy would be an understatement!

It was only a matter of time. Frozen is invading California Adventures and Disneyland!

Here are some of the Highlights: (read the entire release over here)

“For the First Time in Forever – A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration” – The Muppet*Vision 3D theater in Hollywood Land has been transformed for this event into the beautiful Crown Jewel Theatre from Arendelle. You’re invited to step inside and join the Arendelle Historians – along with special appearances by Anna,Elsa and Kristoff – for a fun and comedic retelling of the unique history of their kingdom, filled with delightful, sing-along moments from “Frozen.”
“Olaf’s Snow Fest” – Stage 17 in Hollywood Land plays host to an immersive winter wonderland straight out of the Kingdom of Arendelle, complete with a giant snow play area and musical performances by The Frolicking Fjords and The Tubadors. You can glide down a snow slide, build a snowman of your own and visit everyone’s favorite snowy pal, Olaf, and give him a warm hug. “Olaf’s Snow Fest” has so much to offer, from beautiful photo opportunities to scrumptious treats and special “Frozen” souvenirs. It’ll be a great spot for making memories that’ll warm your heart.
Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post – Head back outside, and nearby you’ll find Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post, where you can pick up the latest “Frozen”-inspired apparel, plush, toys, mugs and more.
“Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome” – Anna and Elsa, the beloved sisters from “Frozen,” move from Fantasyland to an elegant new location inside the Disney Animation attraction at Disney California Adventure park, where you can meet them as part of a special royal greeting. The colorful and varied display in the Animation Courtyard will also now include scenes and music from Disney’s Academy Award-winning blockbuster hit, “Frozen,” and at Animation Academy, a Disney artist asks, “Do You Want to Draw a Snowman?” It’s a unique opportunity to learn how to draw your very own sketch of Olaf or Marshmallow.
“Freeze the Night! A Family Dance Party” – Each evening, you’re invited to “chill out” in Hollywood Land with music, dancing, interactive fun and more in this new, family-friendly experience. You’ll arrive at the party through an icy archway to find wintry décor, dazzling lighting effects, cool photo spots, yummy treats and frosty beverages for all ages. Throughout the night, a giant thermometer registers the drop in temperature, as things get so cool they ultimately reach the freezing point when everyone lets it go in a spectacular “Frozen Fun” crescendo!
Storybook Land Canal Boats – there will be a new addition to this charming and beloved Fantasyland attraction, with excursions through the world of “Frozen” offering views of the fjord-side village of Arendelle, including the stately castle where Anna and Elsa grew up, Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post, and Elsa’s mountaintop ice palace.
Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink (continuing through February 22, 2015) and the new Anna & Elsa’s Boutique, both open now at Downtown Disney District.

It sounds VERY similar to what we saw at the “Frozen Summer Celebration” At Hollywood Studios at Disneyworld. Wondering Oaken’s, Olaf’s snow fest sounds exactly like what we saw during out recent Disneyworld trip, but now being brought to Disneyland. The Sing a Long Celebration, I will assume, is the same one we saw at Hollywood Studios. I wish they didn’t use the Muppets space for it though. We LOVE the Muppets – it is one of my kids favorite shows (even though we’ve seen it at least 25 times!), so I am hopeful this is not permanent. They should put it in the theater in Tomorrowland – I mean there is nothing of importance in there now. Of course, I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see them bring “Mickey’s Philharmagic” to that spot in Disneyland! Seriously, that is one of my favorite shows I’ve seen, and I really wish they would bring it to Disneyland! (and they have the space in that underutilized theater in Tomorrowland!)

What do you think? Too much Frozen or can’t get enough?? My kids can’t get enough of it, and it is always nice to see changing and new exhibits (especially when they use empty space!)… Just as long as Muppets comes back 🙂

Disney Parks Addict

Mother of 6 with a "slight" addiction to Disney!

Author Archives: jennypersons

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