Tuesday 29 December 2015

My Top 10 Disney Songs

Recently on TV there have been a lot of top 10 Disney song things on and to be honest I haven't really agreed with any of them so I thought I would put together my own top 10 :)


Honorable mention, Dig a Little Deeper - The Princess & the Frog



 This song didn't make my top 10, however I love the message of this song and the fact that this film brought Disney back into another era of good animated films after around a decade of questionable choices.

10) Frozen - Let it go



So this song had to make it up here, it's the biggest Disney song with children around the globe after being around for 2 years it's not lost it's impact.
The soundtrack to this film is amazing and though over hyped I can't help but sing along whenever the songs come on, especially in the Disney Parks, when this song comes on the whole audience joins in and I think that's a great thing.
I love Idina and her voice is just perfect for this and definitely makes all the difference, that note at the end is such a hard note to belt, I have nothing but admiration for her :)


9) Out There - Hunchback of Notre Dame



This film used to scare me to death when I was younger and to be honest that's not surprising when you consider the subject matter, however I think the soundtrack for this Disney film is one of the best, not particularly uplifting, however the music throughout the soundtrack is broadway ready with great chorus numbers as well as solos and I would love to see this on stage.
I love a number of the songs from this film, god help the outcasts is such a lovely song, however this is the song that makes my hair stand on end.

8) I Won't Say (I'm in Love) - Hercules



This is another film with what I would call an unappreciated soundtrack, there isn't a song in the movie I can think of that I don't love, and this is by far my favourite.
The film itself is really clever and funny and Meg is one of my favourite female characters in a Disney film.
I remember being younger and pretending to be meg dancing around singing this song while hopping over imaginary rocks and singing with imaginary muses. It's just one of those songs that I've always appreciated on some level, whether for the tune or for the lyrics or for the character singing it.

7) Part of Your World - Little Mermaid & I See the Light - Tangled


Okay so I just figured out I still have 8 songs left on my list so joint 7th place it is for these 2 as I couldn't just cut one out!!!


Part of your world is just one of those songs you can't help but sing along to, it just makes you feel like a mermaid who brushes her hair with a fork and what could be better than that I ask you?!


I love Tangled, it's my joint favourite Disney animated film, I love the story, I love the characters, I love that it was the first proper Disney musical in what felt like forever (I'm sorry but princess and the frog was just a film with songs it's not the same), I love that Alan Menken came back and wrote the music for it and I love the lantern scene more than any other scene in any other Disney film.
This song is just perfect for that moment, and this duet between the two main love interests is also perfect.



6) Circle of Life - The Lion King



Is anyone's Disney top 10 complete without a song from Lion King, this song is the most iconic movie opening song that I can think of, it just completely sets the scene and feel for the whole movie.
Elton John did an amazing job with the music for these songs and the Lyrics by Tim Rice are perfect.
To be honest I do prefer the musical version of this song to the film version as I just think it's a lot more powerful but both are great pieces of music.

5) When You Wish Upon a Star - Pinocchio



No song feels more like Disney than this song, from the opening of every film when I was younger those few bars would come on and you knew it was time to watch a great film.
Now that I am older this song has even more meaning to me, it reminds me of my time working in Walt Disney World as this song is the basis for Wishes which is my favourite nighttime spectacular at any Disney park I've visited.

4) Friend Like Me - Aladdin



For me this movie was made by Robin Williams, without his Genie I truly don't think this movie would have been as brilliant as it is. I love the characterization in this song and think it brings the soundtrack to life.
I think the soundtrack of the whole film is really good and I can't wait to see the musical version when it opens in the west end in 2016 :)

3) Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - Mary Poppins



 Mary Poppins is one of those films that is loved by so many and for good reason the songs are amazing and the story speaks to all ages. There are so many songs to choose from but this is my favourite from them all, it's so fun to sing along to and to say :)

2) Colors of the Wind - Pocahontas



 Pocahontas is my favourite Disney film of all time, I've loved it since I first saw it in the cinema when I was 2 years old! (over 20 years ago)
I love this song, I love the meaning behind it and the lyrics and the tune and the animation. It's just beautiful :)

1) I'll Make a Man Out of You - Mulan



I just love this song, it's so fun to sing along to, it's fun to do all the voices, it's just fun and that is why it tops my list :)



What are your favourite Disney songs? Do you agree with my top 10?

Sunday 1 November 2015

Rachel's West Coast Adventure

It's been nearly 2 months since I got home from my trip and I still haven't done a single blog post or video about it. It's been a super busy time at home with work and study and trying to find time for a social life that I've not had the time to sit and do it until now!
So here is my first post which is a link to my video montage of the holiday, I will be reviewing the Disneyland portion of my holiday in a separate blog post, along with our attempt at another 24 hour challenge and I will probably do a post about my other travels too :)

 To view the video click here! (I still can't work out how to embed a video without it messing up my home page on my blog :[, if you know how please help! haha)

Monday 24 August 2015

How to Maximise Your Fastpass+ Choices

So you're off to Walt Disney World and you've heard about fastpass+ but you're not 100% sure about how it works, well let me share with you my fastpass+ tips.


1. Book as soon as possible! If you're staying on site you can book fastpasses 60 days in advance, if you're staying elsewhere then you can book 30 days in advance. Make sure you take advantage of this especially if you're aiming for the more in demand fastpasses.

 2. Plan your days ahead of time, for fastpass+ to work effectively you need to know which parks you're planning to visit on which days of your trip and also if you're planning to visit in the morning or afternoon or all day long. My way of choosing this mainly goes off EMH (if I'm staying on site) and where I've made my dining reservations (I generally do Dining in line with EMH unless I know EMH isn't worth the crowds).

 3. Don't waste them, If you want to get the most out of fastpass+ avoid using them for night-time spectaculars and parades as this will severely limit the amount of fastpasses you can get in a day.

 4. Don't just choose your favourite attractions, think strategically. Some rides although they may be your favourite, will never have a queue line long enough to justify fastpass+.

 5. Know the park layout, try to organise fastpass+ in an order that makes sense, or incorporates other attractions between, this will ensure you aren't going back and forth all over the park just for your fastpass.
My Recommendations

 Magic Kingdom
There is no tier system in Magic, so it depends on your priorities the most popular choices are Anna & Elsa, Seven Dwarves Mine Train and Peter Pans Flight, and the queues for these are guaranteed to be long so if you want these you will need to be on the ball, especially for Anna & Elsa!

If these aren't your top 3 choices then I would advise picking any of the following:

  • Big Thunder Mountain
  • Space Mountain
  • Splash Mountain
  • Tomorrowland Speedway
  • Enchanted Tales with Belle
Any of the others I would say have a small enough queue at other points in the day for it not to be worth it.

Epcot
Epcot does have a tiering system, so you can choose one from Tier A and 2 from Tier B.

Tier A
  • Soarin'
  • Test Track
  • Illuminations
  • Living with the Land
Tier B
  • Mission Space
  • Captain EO
  • Journey into Imagination
  • Turtle Talk
  • Spaceship Earth
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends
  • Character Spot
For my recommendations I would suggest Soarin' or Test Track, in terms of the others I would choose Mission Space and then not get another, then once I'd used those I would try to get one for whichever of the first two I didn't pick (if they were still available).

Hollywood Studios
As with Epcot, Hollywood Studios has a tier system, so again 1 choice from tier A and 2 choices from tier B.

 Tier A

  • Toy Story Midway Mania
  • Great Movie Ride
  • Rock n Rollercoaster
  • Fantasmic!
  • Beauty and the Beast
Tier B
  • Star Tours
  • Tower of Terror
  • Voyage of the Little Mermaid
  • Disney Jnr
  • Indiana Jones
  • Lights Motor Action
  • Frozen Sing Along
For Hollywood studios I would generally go for Toy Story from tier A and then Star tours and tower of terror (or frozen) from tier B, but again this will depend on the situation, if you are with young children then you are more likely to want to use it for Beauty and the Beast, Disney Jnr and Frozen (or something along those lines).
I wouldn't waste a fastpass on Great Movie Ride or any of the shows (except frozen) as you can easily see these without a fastpass and the queue will die down for great movie ride at certain points during the day.

Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom doesn't have a tier system, I would recommend using your fastpass+ choices on Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids and Kilimanjaro Safari. Again with the shows you can see them easily without a fastpass and the other rides will die down at certain points of the day :)

Monday 3 August 2015

Disneyland Trip!!

So with less than a month to go until my trip to Disneyland, I thought I would share with you my Disneyland to do list :)
  • Watch Soundsational


I love Soundsational, I still love it more than Festival of Fantasy, although that could be because I haven't seen it since seeing FOF... so I'm excited to live up to my memories of it.
  • Watch World of Color



Again I love World of Color, and I'm really excited to see what they have done with the show for the Diamond Celebration :)
  • Watch Paint the Night


I'm so excited to see this new parade, it looks so colourful and fun :D
  • Watch Disneyland Forever


Fireworks are my favourite thing about the Disney parks, and a combination between them and projections sounds great, I'm also excited to see it from different points around the park to see how the experience varies.
  • Ride the Matterhorn
Last time I went to Disneyland they were refurbishing Matterhorn so I never got to ride it, so it is a definite must do this time.
  • Watch Aladdin


I love this mini musical, it's so well put together and as I still haven't got around to seeing the actual broadway production (fingers crossed it will make it's way to the West End soon) so this is a pretty good substitute.
  • Ride Big Thunder Mountain
Again this is another ride that was down for refurbishment on my last visit, I want to see how it differs from the versions at WDW and DLP.
  • Go on Soarin'


With the new HD show and the area around being re-themed I'm excited to see all the changes.
  • Ride Radiator Springs Racers


I love this ride, the theming of it is amazing and even though it's slower than it's Epcot counterpart, I think it's much better.
  • Visit Trader Sams
Last time I visited Disneyland I was only 20, so I wasn't old enough to go and experience the cocktails but this time I am and I'm excited to try them :)
  • Character breakfast at Storytellers Cafe
I love a good character breakfast, and from what I can tell this place will offer some rare characters to meet.
  • Walk in Walt's Footsteps
This is by far the thing I'm most excited for, visiting the apartment where Walt stayed during the construction of Disneyland will probably bring a few tears to my eye.

 Oh and of course we will be doing a 24 hour challenge when we're out there with a mix of old challenges with new challenges for Disneyland :)

 Is there anything else you think I need to do when I visit? Any hints or tips for navigating the parks?

Monday 15 June 2015

Where to cool off at Walt Disney World

With summer pretty much here and the temperature rising in Florida, where are the best places to cool off at Walt Disney World (and also escape from the dreaded downpours).
Here are my favourite places to escape the heat, click here to view the video.


Friday 12 June 2015

My Favourite Places to Eat in... Epcot



Now if there's one thing Epcot is not short of it's places to eat, but where's the best place to grab a bite when you've got the whole world to choose from, here are my favourite places to eat.

 Breakfast
Now I have to be honest, I've only eaten breakfast at Epcot once but it was a very nice experience. It was at Akershus in Norway, as with Magic kingdom there are reservations available before the park opens, so this is a great way to see a very quiet Epcot. The buffet itself is very different to the other buffet breakfasts available at WDW, there is a lot more of a European continental feel, which being Norway makes sense. It's also a great experience for young and old princess' alike, you get to meet 5 princess' in total, which is well worth the time saved queuing to meet them, plus you get a free photo included in your meal price with Belle :)











Lunch
Now I don't really do lunch at Epcot either, I'd rather have some snacks from around the world, but there are a few quick service places I would recommend for a quick bite.

 UK Pavillion
The chip shop in the UK pavillion is a great shout for quick service, especially if you're craving some proper chips not fries, the seating area outside looks over the lagoon and it a lovely place to sit and relax for a while.

USA
The quick service in America is another great place to eat for quick service with sandwiches and general lunchtime food.

 Japan
Katsura grill in the Japanese pavillion is a nice stop off around the world, I love teriyaki chicken, and it's good for something a little bit different.
Snacks
The best part of a day in Epcot is definitely the snacks my top place to head is Germany to Karamell Kuche I have loved Werthers sweets as long as I can remember and this is caramel heaven :)

Some of my favourite picks are the brownie, cookie and the chocolate pretzel sticks :)

 Another great place to stop off is the France Pavillion and L'Artisan des Glaces, the ice cream is amazing :)

If you're happy venturing outside the park then you should take a quick trip to the beach club and visit beaches and cream, home of the kitchen sink. Now I'm not sure we can technically class this as a snack, but ice cream isn't really a meal so... snack it is.



8 of us couldn't finish it, so... good luck :']

 Dinner
My favourite place for dinner in Epcot is Coral Reef, the food is really nice but the location is what makes it my fave. Located next to the seas, one wall of the restaurant is a giant fish tank, so while you're eating you can watch sharks and giant turtles swimming around. One of the best food items is the coconut-mango chiffon cake, it is delicious and light too which is great after a big meal :)



Another good place to eat, although a little pricey, is Le Cellier in the Canadian Pavillion. Le Cellier is a steakhouse and serves up many different cuts served in different ways, when I went we ordered the largest steak, which I remember being about $64, although I have just looked on the menu on the website and can no longer see it :( It was huge, I ended up leaving a fillet steak size piece because I couldn't finish it. Another great thing about this restaurant is the bread :'], you get pretzel bread and it is delicious!



So there we have it, my favourite places to eat in Epcot, I've not eaten too many meals at this park, but the few that I have had were all great and I can't wait to explore more of the dining options on my next visit to Walt Disney World.
Where are your favourite places to eat in and around Epcot??

Sunday 10 May 2015

How to Maximise Your Trip to Walt Disney World

Click here to watch the video



Today I'm talking about my top tips to help you to maximise your trip to Walt Disney World.

Sunday 3 May 2015

The Disney Tag

Click here to watch the video.


1. A scene in any Disney movie you wish you could experience.

 2. An unforgettable experience/moment you've had at the parks.

 3. What none Disney song/s bring back memories of Disney and/or the Parks?

 4. When was the first time you went to a Disney Park?

 5. If you could choose any of the characters to be your best friend who would you choose?

 6. Who are your favourite Disney Princess'?

 7. Name a scene/moment in any Disney movie that never fails to make you cry.

 8. What is the first Disney movie that you remember seeing?

 9. What is your favourite Disney movie?

Tuesday 21 April 2015

My Favourite Places to Eat in... Magic Kingdom



You've just been on Space Mountain, and are thinking of heading over to Frontierland for a cool down on Splash Mountain, but first you need to refuel, where should you eat?
Well today I'm talking about my favourite places to eat in the Magic Kingdom! (& the monorail resorts, cause they're pretty close)

 Breakfast

 The most important meal of the day but where to eat it?
Well that all depends on what you're after, do you want to eat on the go or do you want a relaxed start to the day.
My favourite on the go place for breakfast is definitely the Main Street Bakery, sure it's now a Starbucks, but it's location is what makes it so handy, plus who doesn't love a good Starbucks. Picking up a Frappuccino and a bacon sandwich and eating it in front of the castle is a lovely start to the day, or if you're in even more of a rush then you can just take it along with you to whichever land you choose, though be aware most attractions won't let you take open drinks in with you (closed bottles are allowed of course).

If you're looking for a more slow paced start to the day, then there are plenty of good choices.
Crystal Palace do a character breakfast, if you book an early time before park open, then you can get into the park early, get some pictures on main street before the crowds enter the park, and if you're quick, have finished breakfast before the park is even open. The characters are Winnie the Pooh and friends, including Piglet & Eeyore who you rarely meet anywhere else. Food wise nearly all character breakfasts have the same buffets, or at least the one's I have been to, cooked breakfast, pastries, cereals and usually some dessert foods as well, plenty to fill up before a busy day, and normally enough to keep you going until late afternoon. 




Other options for character breakfasts lie outside of the park itself but still close by enough for a day in MK, Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary is a short walk or monorail ride from the park, it has similar food to Crystal Palace, but you'll be meeting with Mickey & friends and it a great way to meet these classic characters without the queues.


Another resort based option, which just so happens to be my favourite character breakfast is 1900 Park Fayre at the Grand Floridian, again you can get to this resort by monorail or by boat for MK, the food again is the same as the other restaurants mentioned, however the setting for this breakfast is my favourite, I love the Grand Floridian and the restaurant is beautiful and you get to meet Mary Poppins, Alice, Mad Hatter, Winnie the Pooh & Tigger (how very British).





Lunch

Halfway through the day when energy levels are falling you need a good pick me up, now personally I only ever get quick service for lunch as I'd rather have a table service for breakfast or dinner.
One of my favourite spots for lunch is Pinocchio Village Haus located in Fantasyland just before the main entrance to New Fantasyland. With plenty of seating both inside and out, and views overlooking It's a Small World.
The Caprese flatbread is my go to order, big enough to fill you up, but not too heavy that you feel bloated or lethargic for the rest of the afternoon. 

Another great spot for lunch is Be our Guest, sure the lines can get a little long, but it's a great way to experience the restaurant without trying to get a reservation in the evening. Plus they serve the exact same desserts at lunchtime as they do at dinnertime and you still get your meal served to you via cart :'] When I went for lunch I ordered the roast beef sandwich and the lemon meringue cupcake, the food was delicious and the restaurant is beautiful, everyone should get to experience it for one meal of the day :)





Another great place for lunch is Cosmic Ray's over in Tomorrowland, purely because of the amount of choice available, the queues are generally manageable and I've always managed to find a table pretty quickly. They serve hot dogs, burgers and sandwiches, it's standard quick service food, no frills nothing special, but if that's all you're after then here you can get any of the generic lunch time meals you can get at the other quick service establishments. And if you sit outside there's pretty good views of the castle and the hub :)

Snacks

 Now sometimes a full on lunch wouldn't be necessary, especially if you've eaten a massive breakfast (though if you can handle both, then power to you). But you still need something to keep you going, a Disney snack could be just the thing.
My favourite snack has got to be Dole Whip, Pineapple-Vanilla swirl is an amazing invention and a refreshing cool down in the Florida humidity.

Another great option is any of the many snack carts around MK, Turkey legs, Churros, Mickey Bars & Popcorn are all staple snacks in the Magic Kingdom. But lets not forget the not quite so portable funnel cake, a stop at sleepy hollow for a funnel cake dusted with cinnamon = yummy.


 Dinner

 My absolute favourite place to have dinner around MK is Ohana's at the Polynesian, just a short monorail ride away. The Polynesian is a beautiful resort and the beach is a great place to chill out with a cocktail before your meal. The meal is a sit down buffet, where you get brought dishes of food to share and skewers of meat to choose from :)
The food is amazing and the views out over the lagoon are great, and if you time it right then you can watch wishes while eating your meal, they even play the music into the restaurant.


If you don't want to venture out of MK then my favourite place is Be Our Guest, the food is nice and the atmosphere, as I said about lunch, is great. Plus in the evening you get to meet your host, the Beast, a character you'll be hard to find anywhere else so it's great for character hunters like myself :)






So there we have it, my favourite places to eat in and around Magic Kingdom. I haven't eaten everywhere so there may be a few jems missing from my list, where are your favourite places to eat?


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