Mousekingdom Blog

It has been a little while since I last added one of these pictures although I have tons of pictures left. But with Disney’s  waiving their right to purchase the new Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas contract I wanted, I thought it’s a good idea to share my happy moment by showing another picture from my last trip. To show the magic of the Disney Vacation Club resorts I wanted to share one of the Old Key West Pictures I took. (Until I can go to Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas for the first time, bringing pictures from there). It wasn’t easy to choose one pictures as I took a whole collection from Old Key West. Doesn’t it look peaceful? Well, that’s because it is.

Old Key West is a great resort, very quiet and peaceful with lots of open space. The room was very specious and I can’t wait to go back. I love the resort.

Would like to see some more Old Key West Pictures visit the following Picture Album on ClickMagique PicParade.

What better way to end a specific Shareholders meeting trip with some free time in the parks! Lucky for me I did have some free time (I admit, it was a well planned extra 1 and ½ day for the parks I added to my trip). So what’s up with the title you say… The trip is all about ghosts and Ghouls as you will see.

Phantom Manor is my favorite ride so it is no surprise that this was the first ride I enjoyed after the meeting. I admit, I was at the studios first and was anxious to ride the Tower of Terror, but a 45 minute waiting line… not my cup of thee and as the fast passes where all gone I risked waiting for a ride on the next day. So over to the Disneyland park to ride Phantom Manor.

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After a good night rest it was time for the General Shareholders Meeting. Now, there where a lot of numbers they talked about. Especially those that gone up; more visitors, more rooms booked, more spending per person, more cash flow, and so on. Only during the Questions and Answer session did we get to hear some other things and issue that some shareholders had. Will shareholders ever get dividends, what will happen when Euro Disney S.C.A. Has to start paying back its Hughes depths in 2011 but Karl Holz always had an answer ready, even if this answer was always the same, that they made a big positive result, that they are on the right track and that this is the track Disney management is going to follow for the future.

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On February 21st Euro Disney S.C.A. Held its annual shareholders meeting. Just like the last couple of years I went to Disneyland Resort Paris with big interest and hope to hear beautiful news of plans for the future. But before I’ll get into dept on what has been said at the meeting, let me first take you to the previous day, the day I arrived and checked in at the New York hotel.

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The new Expedition Everest attraction at Animal Kingdom was the ride I was looking forwards too the most. The new Disney experience everybody was talking about and most people raved on about! Because of that my expectations where very high, but once I experienced it I was left with a little disappointment.

No, it isn’t a bad ride, it is a great ride, a good coaster, but I expected something else I guess. This might be the danger of looking at all the onride videos and forum topics from people who loved it.

One of the disappointments was the Yeti. Sure it looked impressive, but it didn’t work once on any of my visits during my stay.

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Aahh… the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. I can’t help it but this is one of my favorite rides in the Magic Kingdom. It is also the ride I did the most on my last trip. Sure, it can’t compete against The Haunted Mansion, but I am sure it would pretty much be in my Magic Kingdom Attraction top 3.

Why? I don’t know? I guess it is relaxing, enjoyable and just fun to do. I love the view you get when riding it, I love the displays you get to see and for some reason I love it when it goes through the Space Mountain building. I took a whole collection of pictures from the attraction and while riding the attraction this being my favorite one. I know, it’s not a piece of art, but it just reminds me  how I enjoy the ride and the great views you get…

When visiting a Disney park you can see many guests running from one attraction to another, trying to do as many rides before they have to leave the park and while doing that they forget about the other great stuff that makes the magic. They forget to look around and enjoy the many details and hidden treasures.

I know, I said this before and I am sure I’ll say it again in the future, but that’s the difference between a Disney park and any other park out there; the details that add to the magic…

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What would a trip be without out beloved Disney Characters. Now, as an adult I hesitate going to pose with them, even if I am tempted, but I can’t be stopped taking pictures of them. It isn’t easy to get a shot whit out a kid(s) hanging around them (or even some adults who do go up to them), but I try my best to get some pictures from characters in their natural habitat. I know, that was a cheesy joke)

Pictures from characters during a show are easy, no “outsiders” around. But it’s the close ups from the characters walking around in the theme parks I like the most. This is my favorite one from this trip; Pluto, a shot taken between his regular “with kids” photo shoots.

Most of us Disney fanatics love the fact that the wand is gone from Epcot’s Spaceship Earth, (see my previous photo book entry) and many of us would also love to see that big sorcerers hat in MGM – Hollywood – Studios disappear. While you can still get some good pictures out of it I would love to see the theater behind it from far away. Taking a picture from the theater isn’t that easy. Let’s hope one day the hat will go and we will get to see the view as it supposed to be.

One Cast Member, working inside the hat selling pins, did say that the rumor was that the hat was going to go. (What are the odds I overheard that one when I was there). Sure, the rumor has been there before, and rumors are what they are… nothing set! They could be wrong, to could get come true, I guess we will have to wait and say. Until that time enjoy my hat picture for now.

While I had to miss the updated Spaceship Earth ride, although not even being a favorite of mine, I was very happy to see the big ball standing without the wand. It does look s much nicer without it and I guess this was the reason why I took so many pictures of this Icon. It looks so much better and you could take pictures from every angle or location without the wand.

Now, I was happy about it but some people did have another opinion. I overheard (no, I was not eavesdropping) a guest talking to a Cast Member how the big ball looked so much better with the wand still attached to it. She did admit this is how she saw it the very first time and somehow got used to that view. Still, I think she will be among the minority…

I hope you enjoy my favorite picture. It was hard to choose as I made so many. Sure, it’s not a professional picture, but still it is my favorite…

My love for Halloween is no big secret. I love both the creepy and evil side as well as the fun part of it. (although in my eyes it is all about fun). So it is to nobodies surprise that all my visits so far have been during Halloween. Mickey’s not so Scary Halloween Party is an absolute must do for me and although I love the evil Halloween stuff, when it comes to Halloween night itself I’ll choose the Magic Kingdom.

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Walt Disney World has some fine dining experiences. Being on the dining plan we visited a couple of the best places. One such places, although for lunch, was the The Hollywood Brown Derby at the MGM Studios. While most trip reports might include some information about the food, I would rather talk about the amazing Cast Member and their service and dedication.

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The first picture I picked (from many to come) is the Christmas tree outside of the MGM Studios. On the last day of my trip (as you can see the picture will come in no particular order) I was lucky enough to get a glance of the Christmas season that will take over the Walt Disney World resort. While I choose to visit the world during Halloween, being my preferred holiday, it is always nice to be able to get a little Christmas added to the trip. As I left on the 1st November I didn’t think I would get to see any Christmas spirit. I was wrong and therefor able to get this shot the day before returning home. Maybe a future Christmas visit should be put on my list.

After 10 days of Orlando holidays I have returned home and it’s time to start on the trip report and the updates your used to. However, this time around I’ll pass on the usual trip report but will invite you all on a Walt Disney World trip picture book.

Soon I’ll be adding some picture of the trip, each with its story added to it, avoiding the regular “been there, done that” trip report… It was a great trip (it was at WDW how could it be otherwise) and I do have some great stories so make sure to come back on your regular visit to the blog and enjoy.

Well, by the time you read this I’ll have boarded an airplane to Orlando for a nice 10 day visit at Walt Disney World. We have a full program booked, including a viewing of the space shuttle take off, Halloween Horror Night visit and a Bush Garden visit. The rest of the time it will be Disney, Disney, Disney….

Obviously this will reflect my presence on the blog. No regular news and gossip, no rumors or stories from me…

I will not make any promises but do come to the blog to see if I found a little time to say hi from the best place in the world. You can expect a lot of Disney Magic after my return. Trip reports and Walt Disney World magic and more…

As you might guess, seeing this entry, we are back from our holiday, including the Disneyland Resort Paris stop over. It was an evening and a full day, but enough for some extra magic before a relaxing sea side holiday. As we arrived late we didn’t do any rides but just enjoyed ourselves in the shops. Didn’t really buy a lot this time; just 1 limited pin for me and 1 limited pin for my son. I guess I never spend so little on Disney stuff as I did on this trip. But I didn’t see a lot of new stuff.

The second day was a lot of fun. First of all early to the studios to ride Crush. My son loved the new coaster while my wife screamed for most of the ride. After leaving the ride she said she would never ride it again…. Cars was next, and here my son said he would not ride it again but for whole other reasons. I think Cars is a nice ride, but I guess my son is at the age that it has to be thrill rides.

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So, dear friends. Time to say “Ta Ta For Now”. No, I am not leaving forever, but I’ll be taking a little holiday. Me and my family will be visiting Saint Laurent du Var, a town in France between Nice and Cannes and not to far away from Monte Carlo. It might get a little quiet from my side on the blog, but make sure to check back here for the other bloggers and my return in two weeks. Although I must admit, I cannot help myself and I will be taking my laptop with me, so I might be on here for some of the days…

You might be thinking, “a Disney fanatic, and going on a non-Disney holiday”. Well… not completely of course as I will pass by Disneyland Resort Paris for a 2 nights stay.

Countdown can begin, the trip is coming closer and plans can be made. Although I am not a big fan of full itineraries, when it comes to visiting Walt Disney World some things need to be planned in advance. Obviously you need a hotel for the (short) nights and little rest that doesn’t really fit in my planning when it comes to going to a Disney park. A Walt Disney World trip isn’t a regular reoccurring thing, so I don’t want to waste my limited time on sleeping.

With my Disney Vacation Club points a stay at Old Key West was a no brain-er, but as I don’t have enough points (yet) an extra 4 nights at the Disney Wilderness Lodge was added. I am really looking forwards to explore both these Disney resorts. I also am a little envy; Dirk, who will be visiting WDW with me, is staying an extra couple of days in this resort. I already wish I could extend my stay too…

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Last week Monday I didn’t know I was going to be at Disneyland Resort Paris, 2 days later, on Wednesday, I had everything planned and ready to visit the Press event of the new Toon Studios area at the Walt Disney Studios. As I have been ‘recruited’ to be the principal research assistant for Simon and Susan Veness ‘A Brit’s Guide to Disneyland Resort Paris’ book, I was able to attend the big opening special event party. It would be wrong calling this a working weekend as it was way too much fun for that, but I did already send back my full report to Simon, showing my dedication to the job. I can only imagine how much work it is to write and publish a guide, so I am even more thankful that I got to do the fun part.

So how did the weekend go? Here some of the highlights of the trip, the event and of course the rides and the Toon Studios itself.

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Did you notice that I didn’t talk about any rides so far on this trip report? I said it before and I’ll say it again; it is not all about rides, a Disney park is so much more. Sure we did rides! It is always fun to do Big Thunder Mountain a couple of times, Phantom Manor is a must do (being my favorite ride experience) and getting 739000 points on Buzz did add to the fun. But there is so much more. Even my 7 year old son doesn’t mind exploring the other things Disney has to offer besides rides. I think this was a trip where he did less rides then he ever did in any previous visit, still never was he bored once!

With the celebration being the main interest of this trip we got our attention to the Parade, and made sure that we visited each and every shop to see all the new 15th anniversary stuff. Also some good dinner arrangements and visiting some shows (like the Lion King and another visit to see the awesome stunt show) took over most of the time we spend in Disneyland Resort Paris this time around.

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