With ticket in-hand, we started the 1-hour drive to Boston, giddy as can be. Kevin and I went with my parents, and the whole drive up my mom kept asking if we were excited, then when we said “YES!” she would say, “No you aren’t, because I’m more excited!” My parents are big Disney fans, too, so I guess it runs in the family.

On with the event!

We arrived a bit early, which was fine. The event was being held in a theater at a”fancy” hotel, the Revere Hotel. I didn’t really know what to expect, but assumed there would be a lot of booths and places to buy merchandise, like an Expo, but there wasn’t anything except a waiting room. We walked in and reassuringly saw a Disney banner with Genie letting us

know we were in the right place. Two friendly and cheery cast members welcomed us and gave us our pins, a flip book with 2 scenes from Frankenweenie (one of my favorite movies), and 2 movie art promo books, called “For Your Considerations” for Brave and Wreck it Ralph! Already, I thought, “I would pay more than $35 for all of this, even without the rest of the night’s event!”

The cast members really made me feel like I was in WDW. I wish I would have gotten a picture with them or asked them what they usually do for Disney, but I was way too excited for the event to start! I was quite surprised and extremely happy to hear a familiar voice call out my name! It was Betty and Dave from The Box! You may know them from their screen names: DaveBell and BettyMercier. I met them in person at the WDWRadio Dream Cruise 2.0 this past November and it was so great to see them again! That’s what I love so much about this community, we are all already friends, whether we’ve met yet, or not!

We entered the theater when it was time, and the second unexpected thing was realized: there were a lot less people than I expected! I saw that the event was sold out online before we left, but the theater was small and intimate. It was a plus, in my opinion. Yes, it would have been nice if more people could have the opportunity to buy tickets, but having fewer people there made me feel more special. It was as if the show was just for me, and I would be learning this secret information that no one else knew yet!

The show was introduced and we were reminded that we couldn’t take any photos, videos, or audio recordings once it started. Our show hosts then came out: Billy Stanek, D23.com editor, and Justin Arthur, Archives Collections Specialist at The Walt Disney Studios. They started out the show with a shout-out from anyone who tweeted that they would be at the show. I was 1 of the 3 people they shouted out to, of course, and I embarrassingly said “Woo!” when they called my name. And as with the beginning of all Disney attractions, an announcement came over the loud speaker telling us the theater would be moving backwards (into Disney history) and made a joke about pin lanyards.

Throughout the show, Billy and Justin went back and forth introducing different anniversaries, working from 1923, the start of the Walt Disney Company which is at it’s 90th Anniversary this year, all the way to the start of Animal Kingdom, Disney Cruise Line, and Mulan, from 1998, making this year their 15th Anniversary! Between each introduction from this duo, we saw pictures, audio clips, and film from what they were talking about. Most of it was footage rarely seen or heard!

Here are some notable points and facts from the presentation:

• This year marks Mickey’s 85th Birthday
• Disney Legend, Ub Iwerks would produce roughly 700 drawings per day! The average animator today produces about 82 a week!
• John Hench was the official portrait artist of Mickey Mouse for his Birthday portraits. We watched a clip of him speaking about the birthday portraits and he said that he painted this portrait (to the right) of Mickey with long pants instead of his usual shorts because, “he should have long pants by now.” The whole theater laughed at that, and we all sighed at the end of his interview when he got teary eyed and told Mickey Mouse, “I learned to love you a lot.”
• We watched a commercial called “The Collector,” which reminded me a lot of all of us. It was of a man who collected everything Disney, from an alarm clock, to Mickey ears on the top of his car!
• We watched rare footage depicting how Walt, Frank Churchill, and crew came up with the song “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?”
• True Life Adventures brought on some interesting video segments, including “Scorpion Dance,” (watch it on YouTube, if you can) which was… weird… If you haven’t seen it, the clip is footage of 2 scorpions edited to look like they are doing a barn dance. We also watched a clip of a duck sliding on ice into a group of other ducks. The scene cut out right before the duck fully crashed into the rest of the others. Seeing this, Walt kept asking the film makers where the rest of the footage was. They explained over and over that they shut off the camera before it happened and the footage didn’t exist. Walt wasn’t impressed and told them to find the rest of the footage. After an exhausted attempt with no luck on finding the non-existent footage, the film makers made a trip up to Minnesota and filmed ducks there. Knowing that this opportunity wouldn’t naturally happen again, the film makers literally picked up ducks and slid them into the other ducks! When Walt saw the footage, he said, “I knew you had it.” Hah!
• Peter Pan‘s 60th Anniversary was introduced with the help of the Magic Mirror, which lead into a segment with a 3D depiction of a spinning Tinkerbell, by Marc Davis, which might not seem impressive until you realize it was drawn, frame by frame, without the aid of computer graphics.
• Ben and Me (60th Anniversary) and Hocus Pocus (20th Anniversary) had ties to Massachusetts! This was a great shout-out for our Boston-crowd!
• It was the 55th Anniversary for the Columbia ship replica, which used to sail around the Rivers of America, is now used in Disneyland’s Fantasmic as Captain Hook’s  ship!
• With the 50th Anniversary of Summer’s Magic, they showed a poster of the movie which displayed Richard and Robert Sherman’s names. It was a great opportunity to talk about them, but they didn’t. I had high hopes though, because next they talked about the 50th Anniversary of the Tiki Room, and I thought for sure we would hear about our guest from the Dream Cruise, but no luck. It was finally when they mentioned Meet the World, that our dear friend was finally mentioned!
• Tony Baxter spoke of the 30th Anniverary of the original New Fantasyland in Disneyland. He said it was scary because when they dismantled the old Fantasyland, the Fantasyland Theater was laying on the ground with the lights that were supposed to hang up around it laying around in the dirt. The timer for the lights was activated and all of a sudden, all of the lights were on. He said to the others working on the project (and of course, I am always paraphrasing here), “This is the heart of Disneyland!… What have we done!?” In this interview, he said that all the love and attention that they originally put into Storybookland is what they think the original Imagineers would have wanted to do full scale if they had the budget to do it at the time and that what they were doing with the New Fantasyland would be fulfilling that wish.
• We watched a promo for Horizons. I know all of you Horizons fans would have loved it! I was never able to experience it, though.
• We were showed a Maelstrom promo photo and our hosts pointed out that the actors were staring in amazement at a wall, which anyone who actually rode it could discover… hah!
• Tim Burton worked on a project called Hansel and Gretel which only aired once because it freaked the executives out a little too much!
• We saw Disney’s Animal Kingdom‘s original carousel idea, which you might remember from this past blog post. The idea was ex-ed because it was too glitzy to fit into AK’s conservation message.
• It was great to learn about the animator’s 3 week trip to China to do research for Mulan!
• And of course, Disney Cruise Line was mentioned since this year marks the 15th Anniversary! It’s a special place for our WDWRadio family!

Highlights of the show (for me, anyway):

• We saw a Tokyo Disneyland Commercial from 1983. It may have been one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. It includes Mickey Mouse in a line with a small group of men and woman, doing such ridiculous choreographed, synchronized dance moves. That wasn’t even the best part. They were singing “I’m Walking Right Down the Middle of Main St. USA,” in Japanese, in an empty theme park. I guess you probably had to see it to think it was funny, though, but the whole theater was cracking up in their seats!
• The Alice in Wonderland Attraction dedication video topped the hilarity of the Tokyo Disneyland video, but for a different reason. Have you ever seen what the 1958 version of Mickey Mouse in the theme parks looked like? Sorry if I am about to scar you for life, but here it is:I didn’t want to have to show you that, but it was necessary for you to understand that we watched that face ride with “Alice” and Walt in a 2 minute-or-so video. To top it off, the bunny character with them had a mask that didn’t cover the back of his head, so a full head of hair and bare neck was poking out, and that key Walt is taking from Alice… well only one side is painted and it was flopping all over the place. Hilarious commentary during the clip was done by our hosts Billy and Justin, such as, “The next clip we are about to see is funny… well, more like.. creepy,” “That kind of looks like the rabbit from Donnie Darko,” and, (in reference to the rabbit) “His roots are showing.”
• Welcome to Pooh Corner was mentioned because of the 30th Anniversary of the Disney Channel. This was one of my favorite shows growing up!
• During the Nightmare Before Christmas portion of the show, Disney Archives Specialist Justin Arthur slipped on a pair of white gloves and uncovered what was hiding under a black sheet. From under it he pulled out an original prop from the movie! It was a jack-o-lantern! I was super excited! There was a hole underneath to put in a light to light it up when necessary, and it was made of foam and rubber. We were able to take a picture of it after the show!

• During the pumpkin reveal, he also pulled out the gaucho doll that Walt was given as a gift during his trip to South America! It was made from felt, with a tag on the arm that said “To: Walt Disney” and it was still in great condition. I wasn’t able to get a picture of this, but here is one I found from D23′s website! Does the doll look like Walt? Because it is supposed to be a caricature of him!

If there are still tickets available to an upcoming D23 Fanniversary in your city, you MUST go! You’ll be happy you did!

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in southeastern MA with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she is currently training to become a professional dog trainer.  Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help! Angie is also an artist, and you can see her work at www.angiecarreiro.com!

The post 2013 D23 FaNNIVERSARY, Boston appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Here are some great Disney finds I’ve purchased over the past couple years:

………..

PLANE CRAZY 1928 Lamp

$10- used

I found this lamp with no lamp shade at a flea market. It’s missing a few things, Mickey’s arms and part of the plane propellor, to be specific, but I figure I can craft some replacements out of clay when I feel motivated, though I probably could have haggled the price down if I wanted to. It’s in perfect working condition, and just needed a little cleaning up when I bought it. I found the lamp shade for $3 at the Christmas Tree Shop and added my unimpressive pin collection to jazz it up a bit. I don’t actually collect pins, these are just a few I’ve acquired for different reasons.

Mickey and Minnie Tapestry Woven Throw (dog not included, hehe)

$4.99 – slightly used condition

Of course, I washed this sucker about 5 times with double the detergent before I laid it out on the couch. When I spotted this beauty, I just HAD to have it! It features Mickey and Minnie sitting on a bench in front of Cinderella’s castle. The scene is extra special to me, because this is the spot my boyfriend and I always sit in to admire the castle with our popcorn or cups of Tofutti Ice Cream from the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor.  I already have another Mickey and Minnie woven throw with a different design that my boyfriend’s parents lovingly purchased for me for Christmas, so now I’m building a collection! If you noticed the dog in the picture, don’t wonder, “Why couldn’t Angie take a minute to get her dog out of the way to take a picture!” Instead, be impressed, “Wow, Angie was able to juggle and balance taking a picture by getting 3 of her 4 dogs out of the picture before she took it!”

Figment Decorative Plate

$2.99 – new condition!

This little gem was waiting for me. I know this because it wasn’t out on the thrift store shelves when I first arrived, but ended up being put there by an employee right as I was leaving. The back of the plate reads:

“Walt Disney World EPCOT Center

Figment, the playful purple dragon who appears throughout Journey into Imagination, doesn’t use pigments and brushes. Instead, he brings a pale landscape to life with the rich hues of the rainbow.

Made Exclusively For EPCOT Center (encircling an original Epcot Center logo)

Copyright 1982 Walt Disney Productions” 

I went to Christmas Tree Shop a few days after I purchased this and found a little dark brown wooden plate stand for less than $1!

………..

I have some more great Disney Thrift Store finds coming up for another post, (but a couple are presents and I don’t want to spoil the surprise too early!)

What are some 2nd hand Disney treasures you have found at a flea market, thrift store, yard sale, etc? Leave your answers in the comments below!

The post Second Hand Disney appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Have your family members ever rolled their eyes at your vacation spreadsheets…. and cried?

Did you do a “happy dance” when Disney announced that MyMagic+ will allow you to reserve your Fastpasses in advance?

When someone asks about your vacation, can you relate, in minute-by-minute play-by-play, how you maximized every minute of the magic?

Are you waiting by your computer at 11:59PM awaiting the exact second you can make ADR’s at the 180 day mark?

Do your family members ever wander 10 feet or more ahead of you, as if to deny being associated with your Goofy-hat wearing, guide-book toting, spreadsheet-inspired Disney existence???

Do you carry a stopwatch and a whistle on vacation?

If any of these descriptions sound like you…. have no fear….

You have a friend.  A comrade. An Advocate.  An ally…… in Fred Farkle.

Who IS Fred Farkle???  Fred is like any other good dad–he works hard, loves his family, and wants nothing more than to get as much magic as possible out of a Disney vacation.  Who would condemn someone for that???

Well, if you are poor Fred Farkle, it’s your VERY OWN FAMILY.  That’s who! The very family who you love and adore. For whom you have worked… for whom you have meticulously accounted for EVERY SINGLE minute of magic in Disney….  I mean, THAT is devotion, right?  THAT shows your love… your utter commitment to this amazing family… you want to spare them from waiting more than 3 minutes for Toy Story Mania….  So what if that means rising at 4 am and wearing combat gear to get a FastPass?  THIS IS LOVE, PEOPLE!

<<Taking a breath…>>  Anyway….  Fred Farkle NEEDS us.  He is actually being put ON TRIAL for OVER PLANNING his family’s Disney trips!!!  Over-planning?!?!?  Is that even possible???? <<A gasp rises from the audience!!>>  Yes, you read that right!!

As blog writer Richard Bernato will cleverly and humorously detail in his blog series, a little of Fred Farkle resides in any true-blooded Disney fan.

Next week, we are going to begin re-telling the story of this devoted Disney fan who has been condemned for doing what many of us glory in… revel in… celebrate, in fact: the planning of a Disney vacation!!!

It will be a great series, and when it is over, YOU will be asked to make a verdict…. which may be easier said than done, since a little of Fred, I believe, is in all of our hearts.

So, let there be order in the court… and prepare, my friends, for the EPIC trial… of Farkle v. Farkle!

Farkle v. Farkle will be a WEEKLY series that appears every Thursday!  Stay tuned, as you won’t want to miss a minute of the action (and introspection!) that accompanies this humorous look at the Disney planner in us all!   The opening statements of Fred’s trial will be featured next week!

The post Are You ‘Guilty’ of OVER-Planning a Disney Vacation? appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Angie Carreiro: “Disney World means so much to me. Before I visited ‘the World,’ I grew up with the movies that came out during my childhood, and I lived with them in my own fantasy world. Aladdin, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid came to LIFE once I first visited in 1996, I was 8 years old. I couldn’t believe that they were there, right in front of me! WDW became my true home because I could visit the characters I knew so well. I could be where I belonged. It felt like it was there just for me. Disney was all about me back then and that’s why I loved it.

Though I still feel like I am returning home when I visit WDW, I now feel like I’m doing with with the people I love. Every experience I have there is a memory formed with my parents, or my brother, or my boyfriend, Kevin. It is so much more to me now that I can build on past memories and experience new ones with them! This also allows me to appreciate new things, because before I was always go, go, go, with my own agenda on my mind, but by sharing what my family likes to do,  I’ve learned that sitting on a park bench can turn the parks into a whole new world for me! Instead of it being all about me, it’s all about us now. Now, I love Disney because it brings me closer to my family!”

Blake Taylor: “The biggest difference I’ve noticed in growing up with loving Disney is my perception of the magic. There inevitably comes an age where the illusion is shattered, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real anymore, and that’s something I didn’t quite understand for a while. When I visited WDW as a young child, everything was awe-inspiring and amazing, and today it still is, but for a different reason. Now I recognize that the magic doesn’t just ‘happen,’ but that there are hard-working Imagineers and Cast Members behind each and every aspect of what we experience in the parks. That makes me awed and amazed even more, and causes me to be intentional about how I take in the magic—observing the details in the atmosphere, getting creative with character interactions, and simply having fun in the world’s biggest playground that we all love so much.”

Caitlin Corsello: “When visiting Walt Disney World as a child, there was only one thing on my mind: meeting characters. Back in the early nineties, characters used to be much more abundant throughout the park and also would roam freely encouraging more chance encounters as you went about your day. I would force my family to wait on lines to see pretty much any character no matter how long it took to score a coveted picture and autograph. To this day I still have several autograph books filled with signatures from characters ranging from Minnie to Dreamfinder and Figment. I even remember meeting Barbie and her friends after the Magical World of Barbie Show that used to occur in Epcot in the early nineties! Looking back, I love seeing all of the great costumes that the characters used to wear (including the special World Showcase ones like in my picture here!) As I began to get a little older, I still loved meeting the characters, but I started developing a love for exploring the parks and learning about all of the small but wonderful details that make Disney the special place that it is. I find now that I am a twenty-something that I spend the majority of my time in WDW experiencing the attractions and taking in the ambiance and details as opposed to waiting on line to meet the characters. Perhaps the biggest thing that I miss about the characters from when I was younger is how they would roam the parks. Nothing was more special than turning a corner and basically bumping into Donald! I think that if the characters still roamed and I could have chance encounters that I would still love taking pictures and collecting autographs today. But since the majority of character meets happen now in designated areas with usually large wait times, I tend to skip over the lines in favor of exploring. Even though I don’t get to meet as many characters as I did when I was a child in Disney, I’ll always have the great memories of a little girl having her churro stolen (and dropped!) by Big Al in Frontierland.”

Makena Wolcott: “Disney has changed a lot over the past few years.  For me, being only 14, it seems like there have been changes with each visit.  My first trips to Disney were filled with adventure.  I loved seeing Belle in her librarian dress because I thought she loved to read as much as I did.  Playhouse Disney (NOT Disney Junior) Live on Stage was one of my favorite Disney things ever.  Where else could you sing and dance with Winnie the Pooh, Rolie Polie Olie, Stanley and Bear in the Big Blue House – now kids don’t even know who they are!  I loved going to the parks dressed as a princess, interacting with the characters, getting high fives and waves during the parades and riding The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh over and over.

Gone are the days when the characters greet me during the parades and I definitely can’t get away with dressing in a princess costume any more.  Although I miss a few things from my childhood, growing up has had some advantages, too.  New attractions came into our hearts as some older ones disappeared, and new characters joined the Disney family.  Now I can reach the height requirements and ride whatever I want!  My ride of choice has gone from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh to the Haunted Mansion.  I get more variety ordering from the adult menu and I can roam the parks on my own.  As I’ve matured, I’ve come to love the backstories and history as much as Walt Disney World, itself.  It’s where I call “home” and where I always want to be.  I think the attractions and technology have grown along with me, and I think that we are both moving on for the better.”

Lindsay Diamond: “This is the first time I’ve ever really considered what I loved about Disney when I was a child compared to what I love now because I recently turned 18, and this childhood retrospective idea is new to me. A lot of the things I loved when I was younger are still the same, like it’s a small world, Disney food, Illuminations, World Showcase, Animal Kingdom, and Fantasmic. But one big difference is how I like to spend my days at Walt Disney World. When I was younger, a day in the theme parks was like a mission. We had to go on every favorite ride of mine (which was basically all of them except thrill rides), every parade, and the evening fireworks. Nap time was not an option. I stayed awake until after eating a Mickey Mouse shortbread cookie and taking the car or bus ride home. Today, however, is basically the opposite. We go on a few rides each day, and some times we go back to our resort midday for some nap and pool time. Dining reservations matter more than Fastpass times, and no one cries if we only catch a glimpse of the parade in passing. It’s not that anything has lost its magic or that I love the parks any less. It’s just that I love it differently, at a relaxed pace, with a larger appreciation for each moment.”

Brian Vasil: “When I was younger, my love for Disney centered around what I could DO.  Eat popcorn on Main Street, battle pirates from the boat, brave the darkness of space… the possibilities were endless.  I remember the loooong drive (3 hours) from my house… holding the guidemap in my hand… circling the “must-do” attractions and talking to my parents incessantly about what my brother and I would do every minute of the trip.  My kid trips were all about experiences… actions… souvenirs, and being at the park from rope drop to ‘kiss goodnight’ from the fireworks.

Now that I’m grown, my love for the parks centers around who I’m WITH.  Sure, the rides are still a blast, the food is still an attraction all in itself, and the end of Wishes still makes me teary… But the real joy for me now is the hands I hold while I’m there.  Watching my wife sing to the background music playing in Fantasyland… or seeing my daughter seek out Alice in Wonderland because she’s dressed just like her… those are the true loves and have created some of the longest lasting memories I’ll ever make.   As I’ve grown a little older, I realize that activities are wonderful… but the true joy in life is who’s in the memories with you…  I’m grateful to Disney for providing a place where my childhood love of adventure and my grown-up love for my family can co-exist in my heart and mind forever.”

Kendall Foreman: “For me, my best loved childhood Walt Disney World memories are not so different from the adult ones.  I know that my least loved memory is the same for every excursion—the leaving for home part.  It is smiling while fighting back tears as we look back and watch the Earful Tower disappear from sight.  Nevertheless, those few unloved ticks in time cannot taint the reality that we crammed in as many rides as possible, dined at character breakfasts, swam in awesome pools, purchased prized souvenirs, and consumed favorite Disney food fare.  While my appreciation for those wonderful activities has not diminished with the passage of time, as an adult, I have come to love some of the quieter, simpler, slower-paced experiences every bit as much.  I genuinely look forward to sleepily swaying in a hammock on the beach, leisurely shopping all around the ‘World’, accidentally spotting or intentionally seeking out Imagineering details, taking spontaneous and deliberate photographs, and blissfully lingering over fine cuisine or even just a Dole Whip.  Though I have many past and present WDW loves, the greatest one is a unifying thread linking the two, the boundless treasury of enduring memories I share with those I love.  When I reflect on the life I have shared with my dad, mom, sister, and husband, my thoughts quickly turn to times spent together at Disney World.  Moments that did not necessarily have anything to do with rides, characters, swimming, souvenirs, or food; yet, they are inextricably and indelibly linked to Walt Disney World.  My every thought of WDW includes my husband, my parents, and my sister…and I love that most of all.”

Christy Viszoki: “I was 12 for my first trip to Walt Disney World.  There was only the Magic Kingdom, and I was there with my two little sisters.  Being the middle schooler that I was, I had to exude a certain air of detachment about Disney, in order to maintain my ‘cool adolescent’ card.  Avoiding pictures (the one of me with my sister on Dumbo is one of few I have from that trip) was just one of my ways of acting like Disney was for little kids.  One way I reacted was to become very bookish (less kind people would call it nerdy) about Disney and focus on learning the stories behind the attractions–somehow THAT made me cool (don’t ask me how….)   When I outgrew my adolescent stubbornness, I was happy to share my excitement about growing up WITH Disney, experiencing EPCOT Center, Disney-MGM Studios, and the Animal Kingdom all in their first years.

I feel now that I have children–all of whom have double digit numbers of trips under their belt at their tender ages–I am reversing the Disney experience and NOW becoming obsessed by pictures with characters, eating that first Mickey pop, and dressing like a princess (well, not me… but my girls.)  I enjoy trying to re-live the childhood Disney experiences that I missed (or refused to allow myself to fully enjoy).  It is a wonderful journey of growth and memories!  (And I just had to get my daughter back on Dumbo–just like her mom!)

How is your love of Disney different now from when you were a child?  Share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Sharing Our LOVE of Disney… The Blog Team Wishes You a Happy Valentine’s Day appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

I am going to Disney on Thursday Dec 20^th. Like, only a few days away.  The anticipation is SO INTENSE! Christmas at Disney!! I can’t wait!

If you get impatient before a trip to Disney, I know five things you can do to help.

1. This one is obvious… listen to Lou! He is definitely your best Disney information “go to.” Enjoy his talks on back stories, tips and favorites. He will help make your trip so much better.
2. Watch TONS of videos! Videos on YouTube that talk about Disney will help get you hyped up about your trip and learn about thing that are happening. This may get you a little more impatient. But hey, as they say, the journey is better than the destination!
3. Make a mascot. Use Legos, Polly Pockets, or other fun toys make your own personal mascot that represents you. Take it around the parks and take pictures of it with the rest of your family’s mascots.
4. Make a flag. This one can also be good for a Disney Cruise as well. Take things old or new around your house and turn them into your family flag. Hang this on the outside of your door to show that this is yours room and your room only. In short, it adds your family’s touch.
5. The best thing for my family is to plan. Plan what you will take, where you will go, what you will do, etc. One of the best ways is to make a list of what you want to do in each park. Then think about lines and make a schedule.

I hope this will help! Have a Disney day!

What do you do to deal with the anticipation of a Disney trip?  Post your family’s ideas in the comments below!

Maggie is ten years old and was born into a “Disney family.” She has been to Walt Disney World and/or Disney Cruise Line every year of her life.  She hopes one day to be an actress.

The post How to Handle Disney Trip Anticipation appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Topics in this week’s Disney news include:

- Monsieur Paul Restaurant Debuts At Epcot World Showcase France Pavilion
- “The Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special” is returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World
- Tables in Wonderland
- Netflix and Disney
- New Free WDW Radio Disney podcast app now available
- And more!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK – If you could spend New Year’s Eve in Walt Disney World, where and how would you spend it? – Leave your comments below

Join us every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at http://WDWRadioLIVE.com for a LIVE interactive video news show covering Walt Disney World. Be a part of the broadcast and discussion and discuss the news real-time in the chat room.

Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

- Lou Mongello

The post WDW Radio LIVE – Dec. 12, 2012 – Monsieur Paul Restaurant, Comedy Warehouse Holiday Special, Tables in Wonderland, Netflix and Disney appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

• Disney acquires Lucasfilm
• Star Wars in Walt Disney World
• And more!

QUESTION OF THE WEEK – What do you think of the Disney/Lucasfilm deal? What future opportunities are you most excited about? – Leave your thoughts in the comments below

Join us every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET at http://WDWRadioLIVE.com for a LIVE interactive video news show covering Walt Disney World. Be a part of the broadcast and discussion and discuss the news real-time in the chat room.

Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

- Lou Mongello

The post WDW NewsCast – October 31, 2012 – Disney Lucasfilm Discussion and Star Wars in Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

On June 15, Disney had a grand reopening celebration for Disney California Adventure, and introduced two new lands – CarsLand, featuring an immersive experience in the world of the Cars films, including Radiator Springs Racers, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, Luigi’s Flying Tires, Flo’s V8 Cafe, the Cozy Cone Motel and much more!

Guests now enter Disney California Adventure through another lively and richly detailed land, Buena Vista Street, which celebrates the life and legacy of Walt Disney in a locale reminiscent of Los Angeles in the 1920s.

The Trolley Treats shop allows guests to watch candy makers through the window and enjoy the amazing sweet treats inside. Lou Mongello from WDW Radio had a chance to visit the shop and try his hands at making one of their famous handmade temptations.

For more videos, subscribe to our WDW Radio channel on YouTube or the show in iTunes

Stay tuned for much more from CarsLand and Buena Vista Street coming soon! And be sure to listen to our full recap and review, recorded LIVE from CarsLand on WDW Radio Show # 279 

The post Video: Making Candy at Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

Hello and welcome to The WDW Radio Show – Your Walt Disney World Information Station. I am your host, Lou Mongello, and this is show #279 for the week of June 17, 2012.

This week, I’m coming to you live from the cutest little town in Carburetor County – Radiator Springs, as the town from Disney-Pixar’s Cars has literally been brought to life at CarsLand at Disney California Adventure Park. I had a chance to visit CarsLand and Buena Vista Street for a special sneak preview of the lands that opened on June 15, and will bring you a full review, recorded live from CarsLand. We’ll discuss the two lands, their history (both literal and according to Disney backstory), details, attractions, shops, restaurants and so much more. We have a lot to cover from an experience that had me happier than a tornado in a trailer park!

I’ll then have the answer and winner for last week’s Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week, and pose a new Cars-themed question for your chance to win a special CarsLand prize package!

Be sure and stay for the announcements, including information about the next WDW Radio Meet of the Month in Walt Disney World, as well as some of your voicemails at the end of the show. So sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of the WDW Radio Show.

Thanks for listening! Be sure to tune in next week!

Information and Links from This Week’s Show:

Question for YOU: What part of CarsLand or Buena Vista Street are you looking forward to seeing (eating?) most?? Leave your answer in the comments section below

Stay tuned for more videos, interviews, photos and more from CarsLand and Buena Vista Street coming SOON!

• Listen to this week’s episode for the Walt Disney World Trivia Question of the Week for a chance to win a Disney prize package!
• Private Tours of Walt Disney World with Lou Mongello
• Disney Meets and WDW Radio Meets of the Month in Walt Disney World – Get dates and locations on our Events page
• Watch & chat during our LIVE WDW NewsCast Wednesdays at 7:30pm ET at WDWRadioLIVE.com
• WDW Radio on YouTube – Watch past episodes, subscribe to the show and comment on the WDWRadio YouTube Channel
• Get Celebrations Magazine on your iPad/iPhone in iTunes App Store
  

The post Show # 279 – June 17, 2012 appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

They discuss her new line of Star Wars chick geek at HerUniverse.com, Star Wars Weekends, Princess Leia’s special request, her fans, charity work and much more!

View Ashley’s other interview with Lou here

Thanks for watching! Be sure to tune in next week!

The post Ashley Eckstein Interview from Star Wars: The Clone Wars at Star Wars Weekends 2012 in Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.