Port Orleans Riverside

In one week my husband, Brian, and I will be adventuring down to Orlando for the first time this year (stay tuned later this year, we will be heading down for our first Disney Cruise on the Dream). We haven't stayed at a lot of the Disney property resorts and I am trying to change that. We have only been to the Caribbean Beach Resort (for 2 years in a row) and Pop Century. To me the only purpose of a room at WDW is to sleep and shower since I am dragging Brian around the entire day.

So this time around we are staying at Port Orleans Riverside. I am really excited about staying on this property because everyone seems to like it. Heck, this past weekend Brian's aunt was gushing on how it was her favorite place to stay. Brian and I have been to New Orleans and are really looking forward to seeing the authenticity of theming. Recently I was on wdwmagic.com and one of the news articles was that that Port Orleans Riverside is going to have 512 rooms themed as Princess Rooms. Here is a little from the article:

"The story behind the Royal Guest Rooms is Princess Tiana from "The Princess and the Frog" invited her royal friends for a vacation getaway. Friends like Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" and Jasmine from "Aladdin" brought along some of their most treasured possessions. Since "The Princess and the Frog" is set in Princess Tiana’s hometown of New Orleans, Disney’s Port Orleans Resort is a natural fit for the story."

I am actually really excited about this concept (below you will find a concept picture)! At the Caribbean Beach Resort there are the Nemo and Pirate themed rooms, but there really isn't anything themed room for a little princess. I am sure that once we have kids we will be staying at a themed room because I find the idea of it really fun!





I will be posting reviews from this upcoming trip in the next couple of months. Be sure to check back!

T-Minus Two Weeks

In two weeks we depart to my favorite place in the world, Walt Disney World! The weird thing is that the excitement hasn’t hit me. Brian and I are making a trip to Detroit this weekend for a birthday party for Brian’s grandpa (80 years young). This Disney trip is going to be great! I just need to be a little more excited about it. Here are the details of what we are doing.

Where we are staying – Port Orleans Riverside for 5 nights, our last night will be with Brian’s parents at Bonnet Creek Resort.

ADRs:

Friday –Le Cellier 12:00pm, dinner will be at the California Grill with some important Disney friends (Melanie (and her husband Eric) and Carrie)

Saturday – Kona Café 12:45pm and The Wave 6:25pm

Sunday – Kona Café (again) 1:05pm

Monday – Lunch with an Imagineer 11:30am, Les Chefs de France 5:50 pm, Tomorrowland Terrace Fireworks Dessert Party 9:00pm)

Tuesday – Crystal Palace 10:10am, La Hacienda de San Angel 8:30pm

We are driving down to Orlando on Thursday May 12^th. Our goal is to get there in time to get a bite to eat before meeting Melanie & Eric at Port Orleans Riverside to see Yehaa Bob http://www.yehaabob.com/ and get some drinks.

Friday is our Epcot day and it is also the start of Pixar Weekend. I am going to try to get there early so that we can take pictures with some characters and see some of the wonderful topiaries. My goal is to be out of there by 2:00pm so we can do some swimming in the pool before we meet with our Disney friends for dinner. Of course after we will head back to Epcot since it is open till midnight for some more fun!

Saturday and Sunday are Destination D days. We will be at the Contemporary hotel for two days learning about the creation of Disney World.

Monday & Tuesday we will be hanging out with Brian’s parents. The only thing we are not doing with them is Dining with an Imagineer. I have scheduled some meals with them and as a “thank you” for letting us stay one night with them we are doing the Wishes Dessert Party. I will be sure to review the whole trip on this site. I probably won’t be doing one on the DIS boards since I am still working on the one from October (I know, I am bad).

Walt Disney World Destination D

Today I purchased tickets for Brian and I to the Destination D event at the Contemporary Hotel on May 14 and 15. I listed below the itinerary for everyone to be jealous of. I am just thrilled to be in the same room as these Disney legends! I almost cried when I read the lineup. I am most excited to hear Richard Sherman perform and to listen to Marty Sklar talk about working with Walt!


SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2011 

Opening Program
9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.
D23 Head Steven Clark welcomes D23 Members with some special guests and a few surprises you won't want to miss! 

Weird Walt Disney World
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Following their laugh-out-loud antics at Destination D: Disneyland '55, Walt Disney Archives directorBecky Cline and Disney historian Paul F. Anderson are at it again — this time taking guests on a fun-filled trip through the strangest and most bizarre parts of Walt Disney World history. A peculiar "lawnmower tree?" A crazy cast of singing fruits and vegetables? Who knows what the duo will unearth as they explore the wonderfully weird and wacky side of the Vacation Kingdom. 

Walt Disney World: The Way We Were
11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Remember the charm of the Orange Bird and the musical delights of the Mickey Mouse Revue? The elegant Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village and backwoods adventures along the Fort Wilderness Railway? Join Walt Disney Archives founder Dave Smith as we explore vintage pictures of Walt Disney World theme parks and resorts, including rare photos of construction and a fond look at some favorite attractions, shops and restaurants of the past. 

Lunch Break
12:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. 

EPCOT: Walt Disney's Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow
2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Walt's vision for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow far transcended the realm of family entertainment and for many years remained shrouded in secrecy. Re-enter the 1960s hallways of WED Enterprises with Archivist Steven Vagnini and Disney expert Paul F. Anderson in this unprecedented look at the inspirations and plans for Walt's EPCOT, and find out the little-known ways that Imagineers brought their late founder's dream to reality throughout the entire Walt Disney World Resort. 

Past Forward: A History of Walt Disney World on Television 
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Like its predecessor, Disneyland, the early success of Walt Disney World Resort can be attributed to the extensive television exposure it received through both Disney broadcast efforts and news media coverage. Be sure to tune in to this nostalgic journey through Walt Disney World Resort history as reflected in the many national network TV specials and nascent offerings from the early years of The Disney Channel. Join Disney Archivist Rob Klein as he takes TV remote in hand to stroll through some of the many highlights of Walt Disney World Resort on television. 

The Walt Disney World That Never Was
4:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.
What do the Western River Expedition, Asian Resort Hotel and Sleeping Beauty dark ride have in common? While these amazing experiences were crafted in the minds of skilled artists at Walt Disney Imagineering, they comprise a different kind of dimension of Walt Disney World history: the grand experiences that never made it off the drawing board or out of the model shop. With an array of rare artwork and photographs, longtime Imagineer Tony Baxter lifts the curtain and takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour through the incredible world of the Walt Disney World that never was. 

Dinner Break
5:45 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

From the Vault: Walt Disney World Resort on Film
8 p.m. - Walt Disney World is not often associated with motion pictures and film, but from before groundbreaking up through the creation of EPCOT Center, Walt Disney World Resort was heavily promoted through such theatrical and internal films as "Project Florida," "The Magic of Walt Disney World," "A Dream Called EPCOT" and "EPCOT 77." Join your hosts Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter and Disney author and historian Tim O'Day as they screen these rare treasures from the Disney film vaults, plus newly discovered and restored documentation footage of the construction and early years of Walt Disney World Resort. 



SUNDAY, MAY 15, 2011
Sunday Morning Surprise with the Walt Disney World Resort Ambassador Team
9:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.
You won't want to miss this very special — and did we mention surprising? — presentation at the start of your day! 

Walt Disney World in Detail
10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Think you know everything there is to know about the Walt Disney World Resort? Find out as we join Disney author and Imagineer Jason Surrell as he uncovers the little-known details and design references that have made ride vehicles, cast member costumes and even unassuming trash cans such treasured parts of the magic. 

Imagineering Walt Disney World: From Yesteryear to Tomorrowland
11 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Join longtime Imagineer Eric Jacobson, who oversees the portfolio for Disney's largest resort in the world. Eric will share insider stories and images of yesteryear, as well as new and exciting surprises of things on the horizon at Walt Disney World. 

Lunch Break
12:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. 

Creating "A Whole New Disney World"
2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
What began as 27,400 acres of quiet Central Florida swampland blossomed into an incredible, one-of-a-kind vacation destination "Where Dreams Come True." From the top-secret acquisition of the land to the Imagineering and entertainment behind the magic, hear the stories of how it all happened in this impressive panel discussion featuring: Debra Browne, Orlando Ferrante, Bob Foster, Bob Gurr, andRon Logan. Hosted by Disney Legend Marty Sklar. 

Making the Magic Happen 
3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Opening and maintaining a resort the size of the city of San Francisco was no easy task and our panel of Disney Legends — Jack Lindquist, Bob Matheison, Tom Nabbe, Charlie Ridgway and Bill Sullivan— will recount what life was like making the magic happen, from opening the Magic Kingdom through the debut of EPCOT Center. It's a story of challenges, misadventures, creativity, and unbridled excitement for the leaders who inherited "A Whole New Disney World" from Uncle Walt and his Imagineers. Hosted by Tim O'Day. 

Quick Break
4:45 p.m. - 5 p.m. 

Autograph Session with Disney Legends and Authors
5 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Please note, there is limit of one item per person to be signed for each guest. Thank you. 

Dinner Break 
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 

Magic Journeys: A Flight of Fancy through 40 Years of Walt Disney World Musical Memories 
8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
As a spectacular conclusion to Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th, Disney Legend and Oscar® winner Richard M. Sherman, who along with his brother Robert has contributed a multitude of tunes to the Disney parks songbook, headlines this unforgettable tribute to the melodies that helped shape the World. 

Micks N' Mingle 
9:30 p.m. - 10:45 p.m.
One last opportunity to meet your fellow D23 Members, the D23 Team behind Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th and some of our special guest participants before we officially bring our extraordinary event to a close. 

Review of Waking Sleeping Beauty

Disney released three documentaries on DVD on November 30th. I recently viewed one them, Waking Sleeping Beauty, this past weekend and I thought that I will share some thoughts. If you are a fan of Disney Animation you should rent/buy this documentary. This film takes a look at Disney animation in the mid 80's when their animated films flopped at the box office. In fact in 1985 when The Black Cauldron was released it was defeated at the box office by The Care Bears Movie. I remember 1985, and I remember seeing The Care Bears Movie, but not The Black Cauldron. 


Shortly after the flops of the mid 80's the animators were kicked out of the Walt Disney Studios and were placed in less than desirable accommodations. The story continues to showcase how Disney, under the newly minted CEO Michael Einser, believed in animation enough to create some of the most memorable animated films such as The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. This film also delves into the management style of the studios and why Jeffery Katzenberg (of Dreamworks) left Disney.


I was very impressed with the amount of video Disney animators took back in the day. I even hope that animators today tape themselves in every day situations for future documentaries to be created. This movie gives a great background of how Disney did a 180 in the late 80's and the quirky way animators create. I recommend this movie for any Disney fan. To watch a preview click on the link below.


http://www.wakingsleepingbeautymovie.com/

Up next I will be reviewing the other documentaries Walt and El Grupo and The Boys, a look at the Sherman Brothers who created some of the most memorable Disney theme music. In the future I will also being reviewing the Wii game Epic Mickey and some the Walt Disney World restaurants. So stay tuned!

Welcome Disney Fans

I am a huge Disney fan and I decided to start a blog where I can talk about my passion. I will also post about my trip to the World in October. I celebrated my 5th anniversary with my husband at the same place where we had our honeymoon, WDW! So stay tuned!