Wordless Wednesday: Celebrate Your Country

This week's theme on the Wordless Wednesday Disney Blog Hop:
 "Celebrate Your Country"...

Do you know where on WDW property these can be found?

_____________________________________________________________


Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting 
the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...

Disney Social Media Moms Celebration Takes to the Streets- #DisneyOnTheRoad !

The Disney Social Media Moms Celebration, which I previously wrote about here, is the highly anticipated, invitation-only conference/celebration for members of a wide cross-section of the blogging and social media communities. This year's DSMMC was held in early May.

Building on the success of that event, Disney is taking the show on the road, hosting abbreviated versions of this social media celebration in four cities throughout the late spring/early summer: New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, and Seattle. These "On the Road" celebrations are invitation only, just like the annual event. 

 I was thrilled to discover this in my inbox a few days ago:

You're Invited!

The event will feature dynamic speakers sharing their expertise in a variety of business and social media platforms, including blogging, marketing, publishing, and entrepreneurship- along with a heaping dose of Disney magic.

I am beyond excited to participate! This will be my first social media event/conference/celebration, and my first time attending an event hosted by Disney. In addition to the amazing program, I'll also get to meet several of the friends and colleagues that I've come to know through various blogging, twitter, and Disney fan communities. I'll be tweeting the experience, so please follow along with me. I also plan on a full blog report the week after the event.

Those interested in getting the inside scoop can also follow the official twitter feed at twitter.com/DisneySMMoms, and follow the hashtag #DisneySMMoms.

Have you been part of this exciting event in the past? Are you hoping for an invitation this year? Tell us about it in the comments…

Wordless Wednesday: Character Movie Stars

Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop...

This week's theme: Character Movie Stars

Remember when characters would meander around through the crowd?

_____________________________________________________________


Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting 
the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...

Attention to Detail: Trash Cans

Nobody does detail like Disney.

In our first Attention to Detail post, we took a look at lamp posts. The next subject up for review on detail:  trash cans!

To most people, it doesn't get more mundane than trash. Not many places put much thought into it, since trash cans are ubiquitous and are usually designed for utility, not for style. Disney, of course, does things differently. Thematic details are everywhere in the parks and resorts. But did you know that the theming is carried right down to where you dispose of those churro wrappers and Mickey ice cream sticks? The variety you'll find in these resplendent rubbish receptacles is impressive.

A bit of old Disney lore says that trash cans are always placed every 30 feet or so- supposedly because back in the day, Walt watched park guests and found that 30 feet was the average distance people were willing to carry trash before they decided to drop it on the ground. I'm not sure if that story is true, but one thing is certain: Disney thinks about trash.

I starting taking some photos of the designs and cans during a recent visit. I soon discovered a charming blog dedicated to the subject: Magical Trash. Check it out! And check out a few of the themed trash cans and designs I discovered on a recent visit.

Can you figure out where each was found? Some are easy, others may be a bit more tricky.

A gallery of trash:

click through to see the gallery and leave a comment!

Wordless Wednesday: The Letter K

Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop...

This week's theme: The Letter K

_____________________________________________________________


Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting 
the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...

Happy Mother's Day, Mom...

Adventureland, 1977: 

My mother and me. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my mother for bringing me on this trip so many years ago. It was a very big deal to go on a vacation to Walt Disney World back then- and it's a pretty safe bet that I didn't appreciate the enormity of it at the time. She struggled and sacrificed a tremendous amount, and I can't imagine how long it must have taken her to save up for this trip. She laid the groundwork for my love of this place, and I am very grateful- grateful for having the experience, and grateful for having her.

I'd love to visit the parks again with her one day. It would be a whole different kind of visit for me, though, and would take quite a bit of adjusting my typical park strategies. She will not be running for FastPasses, nor will she be clocking 10+ miles walking each day. She will not be riding Space Mountain or Tower of Terror, there will be no Expedition Everest or even Test Track.  But that's okay. Just spending a relaxing, slow-paced trip, filled with more people-watching than thrill rides, would be a welcome experience.

She would love the Boardwalk area, and she might even give Soarin' a try. She'd relish the view from California Grill, and she'd love to stroll the World Showcase. There are so many ways to enjoy the parks and resorts at a leisurely pace- ways I often miss out on when I'm racing from place to place. I'd love to do a slow trip. I'd love to make some of these memories with her.

I hope we can do it, one day soon...

Wordless Wednesday: Resorts & Relaxation

Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop...

This week's theme: Resorts & Relaxation

_____________________________________________________________

Thanks to Deb @ Focused on the Magic  for hosting the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop! 

If you hopped  over, I invite you to check out my other posts, and please consider joining the blog or following on twitter.

Check out all the other Wordless Wednesday links, and remember to share some comment love...

Disney Debuts a New Way to Play...

How does Disney plus the experience of working your way around the parks? By debuting a fun new game to accompany your touring! Released this week, BINGO cards feature characters, attractions, and dining experiences to find throughout each park.

One of the things I like best about these cards is they let you interpret and adapt the game however works best for you. For younger children, perhaps just seeing the features listed is enough to mark them off; for the older set, maybe each attraction has to be completed before earning a mark. It can be approached as a group effort, or as a bit of friendly competition. How about turning it into a photo challenge? Or perhaps you ask a Cast Member to initial your squares before they count. Maybe you find representation of each feature in a gift shop! The possibilities are endless. The rules are up to you!

I love games, and I love a little friendly competition- so I can't wait to try this during my next visit!

What do think of these? Would they add to your experience? (And if you get a chance to play, come back and tell us about it!)