Mickey

All posts tagged Mickey

Top 5 Special Things To Do At Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015

Published November 14, 2015 by ltdjosh

christmascastleupclosejosh

 

We’ve all seen pictures and video of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom done up for the holidays…the sights, the sounds, the merriment. But, sometimes the holidays can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re a first time visitor. So here are my top 5 special things to do at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom. These are in no particular order, but I hope they help you to get the most out of your Christmas Party trip.

  1. Special Character Interactions – Most of us know that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party are special times for character interactions, and this year is no different. In addition to all 7 dwarfs (whom you will only see during parties) and the princes with their princesses, you also will have the chance to see Sandy Claws, Reindeer & Elf, and even the jolly man himself, Santa! Obviously these characters are never guaranteed, but it’s a good chance to try to catch them in between parades. You can also catch special character interactions at the Totally Tomorrowland Christmas party at Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland and the Character Dance Party at Club Tinsel (Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland). You can also join in the fun at Celebrate The Season – a special holiday stage show held three times an evening in front of Cinderella Castle.
  2. Complimentary Holiday Treats – Don’t say Disney never gives anything away for free! At several locations throughout the Magic Kingdom, you can stop in for complimentary hot cocoa and cookies (there are healthy options available too). These treats make for an extra magical time, especially if you stand on Main Street and enjoy them during the parade (it will snow during parts of the parade to add even more magic).
  3. Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade – this holiday favorite is back and better than ever this year. Join Mickey and Minnie and all the gang as they welcome the holidays in a super festive and fun parade. This is another chance to see some of the more rare characters, such as Clarabelle Cow and Horace. The parade ends, like any good holiday parade, with a special appearance by the man of the hour, Santa Claus!
  4. A Frozen Holiday Wish – Join Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf as they bring in the holidays with a little bit of twinkling ice on Cinderella Castle. Held twice an evening, this special castle lighting ceremony is NOT to be missed.
  5. Celebrate The Magic & Holiday Wishes – Be amazed as Cinderella Castle is transformed into a dazzling display of color and magic, showcasing breath-taking lighting effects and a brilliant musical score incorporating some of your most beloved Disney tunes. Then stick around as the skies above Cinderella Castle come to life with the most magical holiday fireworks presentation ever. You might even catch a glimpse of Jolly Old St. Nicholas and his team of reindeer as they fly high over Magic Kingdom.
  6. BONUS – VoicePlay – new to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year is VoicePlay – an amazing and astounding acoustic marvel. Bringing together beautiful harmonies and classic Christmas songs, this a cappella holiday concert is sure to delight guests of all ages.

These are just a few of the many things that you can enjoy during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year. For more information, check out the following park maps, which will tell you all of the locations for everything during the party.

mvmcp-map-2016-front

mvmcp-map-2016-back


 

10277448_10152220823381036_4050401386084466142_nJoshua Snyder is an avid Disney fanatic. He recently moved back to Indiana after spending 2 years living his dream in Orlando, FL. When Josh isn’t dreaming about the parks, he’s helping people plan their dream vacations. As a Dream Designer with My Mickey Vacation, Josh loves helping people make their Disney dreams come true. He is also the senior writer and head of the writing team at Living The Dream Podcast. Josh can be reached at joshua.snyder@mymickeyvacation.com for travel agent inquiries, or at joshua.livingthedreampodcast@gmail.com for all other inquiries.

MagicBands in Colors and Characters ~ An Awesome Photo and Video Tour

Published October 15, 2015 by ltdjosh

Here it is – your fully comprehensive guide to Disney World MagicBands from the past and present!

If you are following along here on Disneyways, you have definitely heard about MagicBands. We published a sneak peek for you back in 2013! These convenient little bands are your everything inside the resort: your room key (if staying on property), your park tickets, your payment method (if you have a credit card on file to charge to your room), your dining plan holder, etc. Since rolling out the original MagicBands a couple of years ago, the Walt Disney company has added some unique and limited edition MagicBands among Disney Parks guests. As these became more and more popular, Disney decided to start making Limited Edition MagicBands for special events and such. The last year saw an increase in the number of limited edition MagicBands, especially during Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I’ve included a good portion of the Limited Edition MagicBands that have been produced by Disney this year. Since we are still a few months away from Food & Wine Festival, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015, I’ve included pictures and videos of the bands from previous years. Hopefully Disney will delight us with even better bands this year for all of these events. If something you were looking for is no longer in stock – or if you require something even MORE customized – be sure to check out out friends at MagicYourBand.com and MyFantasyBands.com. I hope you enjoy our little tour of the Disney Parks Limited Edition MagicBands. Special thanks goes out to Disneyways reader Brandon Wolgast for providing so many wonderful photos!

To start our tour, I’ll choose the first big event of the year, EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival. Held each spring, the Flower & Garden Festival really brings EPCOT to life in breathtaking beauty. The theme this year was, of course, Frozen and the MagicBands matched the frozen theme. The band has a picture of Anna & Elsa on one side and a nice floral pattern on the other. This was a limited edition of 5,000.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what the band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next up we have the MagicBands from the Frozen Summer Fun event held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios last year. I have not seen or heard of any from this year, but that could be a mistake of my own. These bands sold out fairly fast and were very cute. These had a picture of Olaf on one side with the words “Chilling in the sunshine” above him and “Frozen” on the the other side. Limited edition of 5,000 as well.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next we have a generic Olaf MagicBand that, suprisingly, is still in circulation and available in the parks (as of a month ago – found in Animal Kingdom for sale). These MagicBands aren’t for any particular celebration other than celebrating the awesomeness that is Olaf. On one side they have a picture of Olaf in a Santa hat and on the other side it has snowflakes. This is a limited edition of 4,000.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next comes the magic that is Star Wars Weekends. As the force descends upon Disney’s Hollywood Studios for weekends throughout May, MagicBands of all sorts and star systems show up. This year had a fairly impressive line-up, including Mickey, Donald and a couple of lightsabers for Galactic Gathering guests. First up is the Donald MagicBand. On one side you have Donald holding a purple lightsaber (I thought only Mace Windu had a purple saber, but that’s me). On the other side, you have the Star Wars Weekends logo. These were a limited edition of only 2,500 and sold out very quickly.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next we have the Jedi Mickey band. This band has Jedi Mickey on one side holding a non-impressive (in my opinion) light blue lightsaber. On the other side there is the Star Wars Weekends logo. These were also a limited edition of 2,500 and sold out quickly as well.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next up you have the two most limited edition bands found in the park this year: the red lightsaber and green lightsaber from the Galactic Gathering. These were only available to Galactic Gathering guests and were an extremely limited edition of only 350 for the red and 330 for the green. These awesome bands look like a lightsaber from one side to the other. I only have pictures available of the green, but they are identical in everything but the color.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what the red band (first video) and green band (second video) does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next up we have the bands from last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. These bands have the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party logo on one side and a cool Halloween themed design on the other. These were a limited edition of 5,000 and were originally only available during the Halloween Party. However, they did not sell out so they were later released as general sale items.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Finally, we have the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party bands. These are candy cane colored and have the party logo on one side and Mickey & Minnie on the other. These were again a limited edition of 5,000 and originally only sold during the Christmas party, but never sold out at the party so were released later.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

I hope you enjoy our little tour through the MagicBands. This is in no way a comprehensive list of every available MagicBand (that would take a very long time to compile and would be out of date as soon as it was posted) but a list for you to enjoy and know about. Have a happy day and we’ll see you with your MagicBand very soon! AND for great ways to spruce up your ordinary MagicBands, visit our friends at MagicYourBand.com and MyFantasyBands.com.

Meet Tanya: Your Official Jamberry Consultant for Disneyways

Published September 6, 2014 by Disneyways.com

We’ve found yet another way to take the Disney magic with you wherever you are! We are super excited to introduce you to Jamberry nail wraps – with designs inspired by Disney! Jamberry is an awesome alternative to nail polish and gel nails – they last longer without chipping, have less scary chemicals, and require no UV rays!

tanya

Tanya is my eldest niece, an extremely successful business woman in her own right, a wife, a new mommy and…WOW… the Jamberry company is super lucky to have her as one of their Independent Consultants. I am very proud to announce that she is also the official Jamberry consultant for Disneyways. Like all Disney related businesses we endorse – hers has met extremely high standards of quality and integrity.  Tanya will be doing a series of guest posts for us here – the next one being all about how to apply your Jamberry nails and why they are PERFECT for your Disney vacation – so be sure to stay tuned for that! I can’t wait to see more of Tanya’s Disney inspired Jamberry nail wrap designs, how about you?  Without further delay, let the Jamberry nail wrap fun (with designs inspired by Disney) begin!!

Why Jamberry Nail Wraps Are Perfect For Disney Fans ~ Written by Tanya: Your Official Jamberry Consultant for Disneyways

Hi, I’m Tanya, and I am so excited to introduce myself as your OFFICIAL Jamberry Consultant for Disneyways!! Jamberry is an amazing product for your nails that takes the place of nail polish, acrylic nails, and other salon products. It is non-toxic and has a unique application process that includes NO DRYING TIME! Jamberry lasts for up to 2 weeks on fingers and 4 weeks on toes – so much better than those expensive manicures that chip after a day or two!

One of the reasons I think Jamberry is such a great product for Disney fans is because of my ability as a Jamberry consultant to create custom nail wrap designs. I’ve been working on designing nail wraps inspired by a few of our favorite Disney characters and would love to find out what you all think!

Stay tuned for more info on why Jamberry is PERFECT for Disney vacations and for more Disney-inspired designs! You can contact me on my Jamberry Facebook page HERE with any questions or to get info on how to order these special Disney-inspired nail wrap. Find out more about Jamberry on my Independent Consultant site HERE.MickeyMinnie

Donald

Disney Inspired Jewelry at a NEW Discount for Christmas

Published December 7, 2013 by Disneyways.com

I got a note from Julie this week and have posted it for you over on this page! Be sure to check it out if you are looking for something special this Christmas for that Disney lover in your life! Have a magical weekend!

Julie

On This Day in Disney History: November 18th

Published November 18, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Nov18

On November 18th Actor Owen Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas. The year was 1968. Owen is the voice of Lightning McQueen in the movies Cars and Cars 2.
Actor Delroy Lindo is born in 1952 in London, England. He is the voice of Beta, a Rottweiler and member of Muntz’s pack of talking dogs in Disney-Pixar’s UP.

Actress Elizabeth Perkins, the voice of Coral in Disney’s 2003 Finding Nemo, is born in Queens, New York in 1960.

November 18, 1978:

This is the first year Mickey has an official birthday! We interviewed Jim Korkis for the Disney Parks Podcast recently. Jim is an amazing wealth of knowledge on all things historic with the Disney company. You can take a look at some of the books he has written all about Disney history HERE. You will definitely want to add them all to your collection if you haven’t already. During the podcast recording, Jim shared with us how there is controversy about what the actual date of Mickey’s birth truly is. However, as a general rule, Disney Archivist Dave Smith has declared that November 18, 1928, was the first general public appearance of Mickey Mouse … thus creating an “official” birth date. Have a magical day!!

A First Look at the Disney Collection by Vera Bradley “Where’s Mickey?” Design

Published October 15, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Today Disney released a first look at the brand new Disney by Vera Bradley collection called “Where’s Mickey?” If you recall, back in August we predicted more Vera by Disney patterns would be released.

wm1

Photo credit Disney

wm2

Photo credit Disney

I am happy to announce that Steven Miller of the Disney Parks Blog informed us that the new “Where’s Mickey” pattern was release at the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney Marketplace on Tuesday, October 29th! I have seen photos on social networks of the bags in the stores already. No information yet on when the new pattern will be available to purchase on the Disney Store Online. It will be featured on several familiar and popular styles such as the hipster, backpack, large duffel, Smartphone wristlet and more. In addition to a future release at the World of Disney Store in Florida, the “Where’s Mickey?” color will also be available on Disney Parks online store and at select Disneyland Resort locations in the coming months.

Depending on what style you choose, most likely, measurements will be the same as the previous line . You can click either of the pictures below to see those numbers.

Vera Vera

In other exciting news, you can visit DisneyStore.com/VeraBradley starting October 21, 2013, to get the “Just Mousing Around” and “Midnight With Mickey” colors online!

Disney by Vera Bradley: New Details Revealed – Don’t You Just Love Being Right?

Published September 19, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Congratulations! If you read Disneyways back on August 31st 2013 you already knew the measurements, pricing and styles of the highly anticipated Disney By Vera Bradley collection! You get to tell your friends and family you were right! Today we got official word from Disney on these numbers, and here they are! Photo credit Disney Parks Blog.

VERABRADLEY

In addition we got a reminder about the patterns! They melt my heart! Aren’t they adorable?!

Verapatterns

We got some new information today too! Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, Vera Bradley Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, will also be attending the September 21 release party. Barbara will be meeting with fans that morning from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. A limited number of wristbands to meet Barbara will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis to guests who make purchases that morning.

BVD181713LARGE

We love you Barbara! Not to outshine you though…there is more BIG news everyone has been waiting for!! It’s almost like an early black Friday! Are you ready for this?

If you are planning on attending the event on Saturday, Disney would like to make you aware that parking for Downtown Disney Marketplace will begin at 3:00 a.m. YES – you read that right. That is 3 o’clock in the morning eastern time!

Getting up before the birdies helps guarantee you a place in line.

There will be a designated queue outside World of Disney starting at 4:00 a.m. Wristbands will be given to guests in line to “ensure an enjoyable shopping experience for everyone”.
There will be purchase limits in place at the World of Disney in Florida on September 21-22, 2013.

vera2

Guests can get (1) of each style of Vera Bradley bags in the “Just Mousing Around” collection (8 styles total) and one (1) of each style of Vera Bradley bags in the “Midnight with Mickey” collection (8 styles total). You can get your bags only while supplies last. Disney reserves the right to change any of these rules without notice.

Being a huge fan of Vera Bradley bags, especially in for use the parks, I think I would get in line in the middle of the night if I could. (I am in love with the Midnight with Mickey Hipster and Smartphone Wristlet!)

Vera

Don’t feel sorry for me though…I have invested in a ticket to Florida Blog Con – a currently sold-out blogger conference being held here in Orlando on the very same day. I have been looking forward to his conference since tickets first went on sale months ago. Last year was amazing and this year is expected to be just as wonderful! I am super excited and I just can’t wait!

Besides…if I am a good little girl maybe Santa will leave one of these gorgeous Vera Bradley bags under my Christmas tree this year. Do you think Santa reads Disney blogs?

OK so what are your thoughts? Are you going to get involved in all this excitement? What patterns and styles will you be wishing for – or perhaps buying? Please leave me a comment and tell me all about it! Have a magical day!

Podcast Meetup – News, Free Dining, Least Crowded Christmas Party Dates and More!

Published July 11, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Click here to learn more about our relationship with the Disney Parks Podcast!

monorial3

Disney Parks Podcast Meetup

Monorail Crawl

Location: Magic Kingdom Resorts

Date: July 20, 2013

Beginning at 5:00 PM

We want to meet you! Drinking alcohol is totally optional. Come get a soft drink or just hang out and chat!

Join us for some or all of the monorail stops!

Here is the agenda:

Outer Rim lounge – Contemporary Resort 5:00 to 6:00PM
Tambu Lounge – Polynesian Resort 6:30 to 7:30
Mizner’s Lounge – Grand Floridian Resort 8:00 to 9:00

dpp-show-58

Tune in this week to hear some great news and information – including:

RunDisney Announces the Tinker Bell 10K at the Disneyland Resort

  •  New Menu at Everything POP Shopping & Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort

  • FREE DINING

  • Touring Plans recommendations for the least crowded dates to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Click here to go to this episode and listen in! 

disney parks podcast

 

Least crowded dates for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2013

Published July 8, 2013 by Disneyways.com

christmaspicfont

It’s like Christmas in July!

Tickets have been on sale for quite some time for the 2013 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and I know some of you out there are already making plans to come celebrate your holiday here in Walt Disney World! If you prefer wide open spaces to walk and shorter lines for attractions, you may be wondering what some of the best dates are to come and party. In researching the best date for the Disney Parks Podcast team to get our holiday on – I stumbled on some great information from TouringPlans.com that I wanted to share with you today.

According to the site –  last year’s crowds indicate that Tuesday Christmas parties are less crowded on average than parties held on any other day of the week. Friday is the next-best day to attend a Very Merry Christmas Party.  We can enjoy lower crowds for the Christmas parties right between the Thanksgiving and Christmas busy periods. Four of the five parties between December 3 and 10, 2013, are among the TouringPlans.com top 7 least-busy parties – but they expect Sunday, December 8th to be a bit busier. While there are no Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties during Thanksgiving week, the parties just prior to and just after that break are traditionally busy. Thursday and Sunday are the busiest days – and many November dates rank among the most crowded. You may also want to avoid the last few parties before Christmas, because they are also quite crowded.

parade

In general the wait times during the Christmas parties are quite low, averaging only about 9 minutes. The Christmas parties may be your best bet to enjoy some of your favorite attractions.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for the least crowded, best day to visit Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in 2013…

welcome

Touring Plans says to circle Tuesday, December 10, 2013 on your calendar.

That Christmas Party, on a Tuesday in early December, was the least-crowded event in 2012’s schedule. If that date doesn’t work for you – just refer to the recommendations above for help. Don’t forget – Epcot and Hollywood Studios have SO much to offer as well during this time of year.  I hope you’ll consider coming “home” for Christmas – and we will see soon!

Limited Time Magic July 8 to July 14, 2013 Experience Mickey’s America Streetbeat

Published July 5, 2013 by Disneyways.com

mickeys-streetbeat-thumb

July 8 to July 14, 2013

Soak up the sounds of a little Limited Time Magic as America Gardens Theatre comes alive at Epcot, thanks to the musical performances of “Mickey’s America Streetbeat.” For a limited time, join Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald as they come together with an energetic troupe of young performers—watch the fun unfold as they take part in an over-the-top display of hip hop, percussion and acrobatics. From the rhythm and tunes to the tap-dancing of their shoes, it’s set to be one incredible jam you won’t want to miss!

For tips on how to get great photos with characters – click here!

%d bloggers like this: