Fun Fact Friday! #158

As some of you may know, I recently went to Walt Disney World and thoroughly enjoyed a solo vacation. It was interesting, a lot of fun, and I plan on going every year… that is, if I can afford it.

That’s leads me to fact #158: Did you know that on opening day of Walt Disney World, admission tickets were a meager $3.50?

Hello, if I’m feeling fancy whilst stumbling into a Starbucks, I could drop $5 on a cup. If the prices were still that way, you bet your bootie I’d be going to WDW once a year. No, scratch that, I would make it my job to be there every day. Do I hear a new blog idea for 2016: 365 consecutive Disney Days?

I wonder if my boss would support a 12-month sabbatical?

Well, someone’s gotta win!

      

I’m not a gambling (wo)man, but it didn’t take much convincing to get me to throw my name in the hat for this! A winner will be chosen every day this month for a trip to stay at Cinderella’s castle.

That’s 31 chances to win!

Why they didn’t publish this until yesterday is beyond me, but anyways click here and enter yourself! Remember, if you win, it was this Diva who told you about it, and for the purpose of good karma, you’ll have to take me along: 😉

Good luck!

So long to the Sorcerer’s Hat.

Yesterday marked the beginning of the end for the iconic Sorcerer’s Hat, famously located at Hollywood Studios. The Hat has been a part of the park since 2001. It’s speculated to have been built due to copyright issues in respect to Grumman’s Chinese theater. I’m not sure what will be going in its place, but I do know that the news of this flooded the Disney-waves and yesterday was a sad day for most.

But I’m not so sure that I really care about losing the Sorcerer’s Hat. While I understand it’s iconic, it isn’t Cinderella’s-Castle-Iconic. That would be a big issue. The Hat is really a large pin trading store, used for the backdrops of millions of photo-ops, I understand, but it doesn’t feel like a big loss. Perhaps if I went there more often, I would be joining those who are mourning the loss during this construction.

I was recently at WDW back in September, so I did get to see the hat one last time. Had I know at the time that the plans were to remove it, I may have taken some more pictures of it, or gone inside the store at least! Oh well. Hopefully they replace the Hat with something super cool. Hollywood Studios is a lot of fun, but it’s definitely due for some new material.

What do you think? Will you miss the Sorcerer’s Hat? What would you like to see it replaced with?

So long, fair Hat! It’s been fun! ❤

 

Happy Christmas Eve!

Looks like Mickey and the crew are trimming the tree for Santa! Have fun tonight, and don’t forget to tune in to ABC tomorrow at 10:00am to watch the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade!

Fun Fact Friday! #156

Can you believe that at this time next week, all this hustling and bustling in preparation for Christmas will be over? We all have our own ways of preparing for the special holiday. For example, every year I spend about 3 hours, at least, perfecting my Christmas Village. And on Christmas Eve, we host our family with dinner. While my siblings and I are all in our 20’s now, we still spend Christmas Eve together, sleeping at our parents house.

❤

There are also some special Christmas traditions at Walt Disney World. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios. Epcot’s Candlelight Procession. And of course, the building of the ginormous, 16-foot tall Gingerbread House located at the Grand Floridian.

But here are some astounding numbers that sum up part of what makes it a Winter Wonderland at Walt Disney World:

•  It takes 150 semi-trailer truckloads full of decorations to decorate 24 resorts, 4 theme parks, Downtown Disney and other Disney ® locations.
• There are an astonishing 1,300 decorated trees throughout property.
• The 70-foot-tall tree in Disney’s Contemporary Resort entrance lobby features nearly 35,800 white LED lights

• 15 miles of garland strung and 1,314 wreaths hung throughout the World Disney World ®.
• There are 300,000 yards of ribbon and bows hung on Christmas trees throughout the property.
• 10 miles of twinkling rope lights go into the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios ®.

• A total of 8.5 million lights light up Walt Disney World Resort ®.
• Magic Kingdom ® proudly displays a Christmas tree with a base 26 feet wide.

Santa, maybe next year you can grant me an early Christmas wish, and help me get down to the “World” to celebrate! 

Source

 

Vacation is over :'(

After another unexpected break, I am back! I was off planning, and attending, my own Disney World vacation! And this time, I went by myself. A solo trip to immerse myself, and my obsession, without judging eyes (ha!). It. Was. Awesome.

I’ve learned a few things, found a few cool tricks, and ate a ton of good food at the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.

Going back to the Motherland was just the kick I needed to snap into gear and take control of the many turning wheels in my life. There is literally nothing more therapeutic than breathing in that Florida air while standing at the foot of Cinderella’s castle.

Check back for my vacation essay at the end of the week!