Category Archives: Travel Reports

INNER MOUSE 10 – NOT SO SCARY INNER MOUSE PARTY

The Disney Driven Life brings you the tenth episode of inner mouse. In this week’s show, Nicole, Scott, John, and JL discuss Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, a Halloween celebration held in Disney Parks. Come hear team inner mouse’s opinion on the parade, shows, and other events that Disney puts out for this annual party.

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BOO TO YOU PARADE 2010

Contributed by: Marc L. (NDD#40).  Marc is a member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel.

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INNER MOUSE 8 – WILL RUN FOR WINE

The Disney Driven Life brings you the eighth episode of inner mouse.  In this week’s show, Nicole, Scott, John, and JL discuss the Inaugural Wine and Dine Marathon weekend and the role that it played in the lives of the Disney fans that participated.  Nicole was our featured host for the week, allowing us to share in her knowledge and experience as a runner in the races.  While John shares his point of view as a spectator of the races, JL briefly talks about all the other events that took place during the weekend aside from the races.  Scott announces the new email addresses for team inner mouse, and Bush Chick is born.  Watch it.  Your life will be enriched.

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DINING WITH CHARACTER – 1900 PARK FARE

There have been recent announcements about free dining for dates from 10/2010 to 9/2011! (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/special-offers/)  What great fun dining is in Walt Disney World, and when it is free, it is even better!

One of my favorite dining experiences was during a breakfast at 1900 Park Fare.  This restaurant is located in the Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, one of Disney World’s monorail resorts.  The ability to use the monorail makes visiting this restaurant more accessible to more guests.  Assuming that the guest is using Disney transportation, they simply need to travel from their resort to the Magic Kingdom, and then take the monorail to the Grand Floridian.  If the guest is instead traveling by car, the Grand Floridian is located in the Magic Kingdom resort area per the Walt Disney World signage.

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IT’S OK TO SPLURGE


I don’t like to go into debt to feed my Disney World addiction.  I like to plan my trips with a good budget and stay within that budget.  But this past trip, on our last day in the Magic Kingdom, I threw the budget out the window and don’t regret it a bit.

My daughter is 15 and as is typical for that age, thinks her mom and I are exceedingly stupid and at times embarrassing.  When I ask how her day has been at school, I get a one-word answer – either “Good,” or “Awful.”  When she wakes up in the morning, my “Good morning” is answered with “Unnhh.”  She would much rather spend her time with her friends, either in person or over the cell phone, than with her family.

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INNER MOUSE 6 – EAT, DRINK, AND BE DISNEY

Here is the sixth episode of The Disney Driven Life’s broadcast, Inner Mouse.  In this week’s show, Scott, John, and JL announce that Nicole has become a permanent member of Team Inner Mouse.  Together they discuss Disney’s Food and Wine event as well as how to incorporate the Disney brand into cooking at home.  Hilarity ensues when they hit on people with moxie, grandmothers’ dogs and chicken “that is so there.”

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2010 DISNEY MOMS PANEL TRAINING

This video was sent in to us by our very own Disney Mom’s Panelist, Marc L. (NDD#40).  As the 2011 WDW Moms Panel selection process is underway, he wanted to share with the DDL community his memories of making the panel and training.  Thank you, Marc, for giving us this glimpse “behind the curtain” as well as something to dream about as we wait to find out who will make the panel this year.

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MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN

One of the events I’ve always wanted to attend at Walt Disney World is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party not just to see the special events but to get my hands on all that delicious Disney candy. Unfortunately for me this will not be the year I finally get to attend one.

The name of the party tells you the theme for this separate admission event. It’s a friendly fright fest where guests are allowed to dress up in costume and join the Halloween havoc. There are candy stations set up throughout the Magic Kingdom awaiting guests who are out to trick or treat.

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KNOW YOUR WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT AREA

During my recent stay to Disney’s Pop Century Resort, I was visiting in my own vehicle rather by my normal mode of transportation from the airport, the Magical Express.  Now I have been to the Walt Disney World Resort area many, many times, but typically by way of Magical Express, so I had never really paid attention to how we even got to the resort!  (I was all too familiar, though, that when standing on the bus from the Magic Kingdom to the Pop Century, you were in it for the long haul!)  I had observed that when driving close to a park area, all of the resorts that were located in that park area were noted on a Disney sign.

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MONEY SAVING TRIP REPORT


We just returned from our annual family vacation to the Happiest Place on Earth, so I thought I’d share some budget-minded thoughts and lessons learned from the trip.

After a trip, I always like to compare our actual expenses with what we budgeted.  Since my budget is based on prices we’ve paid in previous years, it’s usually pretty accurate.  This year, though, I underestimated how much our hotels for the trip down and back would cost.  On the other hand, I overestimated how much gas was going to cost, so everything pretty much evened out.

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INNER MOUSE 2 – FAMILY STORIES

Here is the second beta episode of The Disney Driven Life’s new LIVE show, Inner Mouse. In this week’s show Scott, John, and JL work out the bugs of their new venture while sharing their heartfelt stories and explaining the reasons that they have chosen to lead Disney Driven Lives.

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PARK TRASH PEEVE

It’s always a thrill for me to visit Walt Disney World and my last trip was no exception. My entire family had a great time sharing new experiences and making new magical memories that will not only last until our next visit but will last a lifetime. Unfortunately, I also experienced guests behaving badly.

As perfect a place as Disney World is sometimes guests can make it not so perfect. I contemplated long and hard whether or not to write about this because I know I am preaching to the choir. However, this bothered me enough that I had to get it off my chest.

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MEETING THE HIDDEN MICKEY GUY

Most of us are familiar with hidden Mickeys and whether or not you avidly search for them I’m sure you have spotted one or two every time you visit Disney property.

Started by Imagineers, a hidden Mickey is an image of Mickey Mouse found in many different forms that have been discreetly placed throughout Disney locations most notably their theme parks. The most frequently used hidden Mickey is three circles representing a head and two ears. Other variations of Mickey can be more difficult to spot and one must have a keen eye to find them. No one has a keener eye than renowned Dr. Steven M. Barrett celebrated author of “Hidden Mickeys A Field Guide To Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets” now in its 4th edition.

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IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DRIVE IT

Many consider the moment they step on Disney property the start of their vacation but it really starts months earlier when you begin your preparations for your trip and continues from the moment you leave your home to travel to the place where dreams come true. This is my family’s story from the day we left our home to the day we arrived at Walt Disney World.

What started out as a normal work day for both me and my wife Michele ended up as anything but. We were already packed for our long anticipated Disney World vacation. My son Bret (17) was out and about in his brand new used car and my daughter Haley (14) was at a friend’s house. I worked half a day and went home to wait for my wife to pick up our car rental for the trip.

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DISNEY’S FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL

My husband and I are total foodies. We enjoy food and wine to an ultimate level. One of my favorite parts of visiting WDW is for the cuisine. We do try to go to our favorite restaurants as well as trying new places each visit. I am so happy that we get to experience the Food & Wine festival again this year. For those of you who don’t know what that is, allow me to take you on a gastronomic journey.

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A MAGICAL KNOPPORTUNITY

Going to Walt Disney World isn’t just about riding the attractions. It’s also about seeing old friends and making new ones. It’s a place where friends meet everyday to share a magical journey.

On my most recent Disney family vacation we had the pleasure to spend our first day in the parks at the Magic Kingdom with JL Knopp, the creator and founder of the Neurotic Disney People, and her three amazing and beautiful children Margeaux, Miller, and Ellie. Although my son, Bret, and daughter, Haley, are much older than JL’s children, they all seemed to hit it off and had a great time touring the park. My wife, Michele, and JL also got along very well. It’s too bad JL’s husband, Joel, could not join us because he just started a new job and had to work.

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RULES FOR LETTING KIDS PACK FOR DISNEY

The first rule is never let your kids pack for a Disney trip.

The second rule is never let them know you won’t let them pack for a Disney trip.

I’m sure there are some kids that won’t ever open a dresser drawer or their closet to help pack for a vacation, while others are so excited to go to Disney they would pack their bedroom furniture if it would fit in their suitcase!

If you have little ones to children approximately age 10, here’s my advice. Let them pack what ever they want any way they want. Don’t argue with them, don’t fight over anything they want to bring, and don’t say a word to them. Once the kids are asleep, go through the suitcase, pull out what they won’t need and pack the items they will need. Make sure you close the suitcase and keep it a safe distance from their room. Also, keep the items removed in a safe place where your child won’t find them. If your child comes to you with something they forgot but don’t need to bring tell them you’ll take care of it and then place it with the other items you removed from the suitcase. Depending on your children, you may want to keep their suitcase locked to avoid any unnecessary tantrums. My suggestion once you get to Disney and your children discover the missing items is to tell them Tinker Bell came at night and re-packed the suitcase. When that excuse doesn’t work, try bribing them with a Mickey bar or some other Disney snack. Usually kids are so excited to be at Disney they won’t remember (or care) what’s not in their suitcase.

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ARE YOU A MAGIC MAKER?

Why do you go to Walt Disney World?

For most of us ND types, we could write volumes about why we choose to spend our money (or other peoples’ money) at the Walt Disney World Resort. But there is one reason I want to particularly focus on today.

Recently, I was able to spend five nights at Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter Resort. I had heard so many people talk about it and blog about it that I thought I would give it a try. From the iron railings, brick inlayed streets, horse-drawn carriages and that ever present Dixieland jazz band music, you are transported directly to Bourbon Street . . . without the smell of urine and the sound of party goers until the wee hours of the morning.

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CAST MEMBERS = MAGIC MAKERS

Everyday Walt Disney World guests feel the magic being in the parks and on property. Whether it’s guests selected to lead a parade, a princess giving your child a great big hug, or a resort front desk person providing friendly and courteous information, there is no other place on earth that will make you feel more welcome and special than Disney.

One of the things I love about Disney is that no matter who you are, and no matter how young or old you are, everyone is treated like a V.I.P. It’s something that separates a Disney vacation from any other. At Disney, you’re not made to feel like you’re just part of a crowd, you’re made to feel like a very special individual amongst other very special people.

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A GENTLE PUSH

Strolling down the path that leads to Tomorrowland, I see the very thing to beckon Elle to my side . . . a mobile trash can.  Although this is the first time I have ever laid eyes on the traveling waste receptacle, I immediately recognize it as PUSH.  Reports on the internet of PUSH have frequently intrigued me, and I feel a rush of excitement over finally spotting it.

“Elle,” I call out in wild enthusiasm, “Quickly come here!”  Elle’s eyes widen at my antics.    She knows that I have made a magical discovery and rushes to me.  “Look,” I direct, “Do you see that trash can?”  She nods.  “It’s a walking trash can,” I explain.  Elle giggles while she watches PUSH zig-zag across the path ahead of us.  I continue, “Its name is PUSH.  It is a real, functioning trash can.  Do you know why it is called PUSH?  You can push its door to throw trash inside,” I elaborate.  “Can I try?” my eager waste manager inquires.  I respond with a crisp, “Sure!”

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