Disney's Baby Care Centers

I've toured the parks many times with babies.  My two boys are thirteen months apart and perhaps the greatest tip I can share with anyone about to take their little one to Disney World are the Baby Care Centers.

The Baby Care Centers are wonderful.  Everyone knows that they are good for feeding or changing, but they also provide a place to escape the madness of the parks.

When you need a break, there's no easier place to relax than the Baby Care Centers.  In each, there is a play room with a Disney movie showing.  It's air conditioned and it gives little ones a chance to play freely while giving their parents a chance to sit freely.

Without a doubt, the nicest Baby Care Center is the one at the Animal Kingdom.  It's large and strollers are allowed inside and the play room is carpeted and spacious.

The next time you're in the parks with a baby or toddler and everyone needs a break, consider stopping by the Baby Care Center. 

The Enchanted Tiki Room Under Old Management

I've never seen the original Enchanted Tiki Room.  When I was a child, we always skipped the Tiki Room.  We never actually saw the show until I was in high school.

I liked the atmosphere in the Tiki Room, but found the new management a bit overbearing.  I guess it made sense, back in the nineties, to include Zazu and Iago, two of the most popular Disney birds.

But even the inclusion of Iago and Zazu failed to do what Disney was trying to do- increase the popularity of the Tiki Room.

Today, August 15th, 2011, the Enchanted Tiki Room has officially reopened as a version reminiscent of the original show.  I haven't yet been fortunate enough to check it out, but I can't wait to see it.

If any of you has seen the new show, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it!

Pin Lanyard Memories

 I was cleaning out my closet today and I came across my pin lanyards.  It was great to see them again.  I haven't been using them for the last couple trips, since pin lanyards and babies don't always mix well.

Both of my pin lanyards have strong memories attached and are very special to me.  For many pin traders, lanyards are full of reminders of past Disney times.

My first pin lanyard is very sentimental.  I got it back in high school, when I first started to become interested in pin trading.

The pin at the bottom of the lanyard is Stitch dressed like Elvis and playing a guitar.  It was my first pin.  I was at Disney World with my mom and dad and we were waiting for Spectromagic to start.  We hadn't eaten dinner yet, so my dad went to Casey's to bring back hot dogs.

He showed up with a big tray of hot dogs and fries, and sitting right on top of my foil-wrapped hot dog was my Stitch pin.  I loved it.  It's probably still my favorite pin.

My second pin lanyard came to me with a dash of pixie dust.  I was with my husband and my dad watching the pre-show for Tower of Terror during the Year of a Million Dreams.

To our surprise, when the lights came back on, there was a Dream CM there, handing out special Year of a Million Dreams pin lanyards.

Naturally, I had to keep both lanyards.  It wasn't a very big problem, having two lanyards, because by that time, I had plenty of pins for both.

What memories are behind your favorite pins and lanyards?

Magical Beginings

It all started when I was five.  My grandparents took my brother and I to Disney World for the first time.

I was a beautiful little princess and the Magic Kingdom indulged my fairy tale fantasies perfectly.  

I loved the majestic Cinderella Castle and could easily imagine having sleepovers with Cinderella and Snow White.

I had my first taste of a Mickey bar and it was good.  I got chocolate all over my face and on my Minnie Mouse shirt, but it didn't matter.  Not at the Magic Kingdom.

After dark, we rode Cinderella's Carousel and I'll never forget the splendor of the carousel, all aglow with tons of little lights.  To this day, I can still remember which horse was mine.

We were leaving the park as the fireworks show started. I rode down Main Street on my grandpa's shoulders, having walked my little legs off during the day.  I had had the best day ever and I already couldn't wait to return to this magical place.

 

The Secret Society of the Extremely Disney People

We're all around you.  We may look normal and blend in with everyone else, but once you learn how to spot us, we're everywhere.

So what gives it away?  Perhaps it is the Disney Dooney & Burke bag or the unusual number of Disney movies in our collection.  Or maybe it's the constant "Florida" vacations.  

Disney World beckons to us and we return over and over, as often as we can.  We feel happiest while at Disney World, but we are also happy planning future Disney trips or doing Disney things at home, dreaming of the day when we can start to plan the next trip.

We are experts at experiencing every last drop of Disney magic and come up with some interesting ways to rekindle some Disney magic at home. 

There are more of us than you think.   Welcome.