What I did Last night

Well Yesterday I was able to go to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.. I was SO MUCH FUN.. They start letting people in at 4:30pm and the party is over at midnight. Most of the rides are open and towards the end of the evening there are hardly anyone on the rides.. We were able to ride Big Thunder Mountain 2 times without even having to get off and even then there were no one in line.. The parade was awsome. My favorite part was the Haunted Mansion section with the ballroom dancers and the hitch hicking ghosts.. LOTS OF FUN.. The fireworks were amazing.. I had never seen anything like them before as a Wishes... They were fantastic.. Another cool thing was the fact that you were able to see characters that you are not usually able to see otherwise like the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts.. So I would personally suggest that if you are able to go and enjoy it cause it is very nice..

Money Saving Tips

Now a days with the economy the way it is, people are always looking for ways to save some money on vacation.. So here are some helpful tips ....

Dining:

With as many wonderful Meal Plans that Disney offers, why not get one.. They are amazing savings... There are 3..

1)Quick Service (less then 30.00 per night for guests 10 and over and less then 9.00 for guests 3-9) This plan allows for 2 Quick Service meals,2 snacks as well as a resort refillable mug.. This is a great value especially for families who like to eat on the run or have little children who they don't' want to have to sit through a long dinner..

2) Standard Dining ( less then 40.00 per night for guests 10 and over and less then 11.00 for guests 3-9) This plan has 1 table service, 1 Quick service and 1 snack per person per night. Now this one does not have the refillable mug.. That is really the only downfall on this one..

3) Deluxe Dining( less then 70.00 per night for guests 10 and over and less then 30.00 for guests 3-9) This plan has 3 service (table or counter) 2 snacks and a refillable resort mug. This one is awesome for everyone but especially those that are wanting to dine in the Castle, dinner shows or some of our Signature Dining like California Grill in the Contemporary or Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge since most of those take 2 services you still have one and 2 snacks left over)

These plans will save you about 30-40% off what you would pay at the park.. Just as a breakdown... Dinner at Bomas is 25.00 plus drink and tax so your total per adult would be able 30-35.00 then you have the counter service.. A desert is 4.00 and a combo meal is 9.00 and then a drink is 2.50 s that is another 15.00... Then you want a Mickey Bar as your snack.. So you pay less then 40.00 for all of this and in the end you are not even paying more then your sit down and snack.. And think about 15.00 or more per day for a couple so that is 30.00 a day for 2 adults and then they are staying for 10 days. So in the end that at least a 300.00 savings.. And that is a GREAT Savings..

Also there are sometimes during the year that they offer FREE dining.. ( I don't really know with the Quick Service Plan how it is going to work next time.) Also, if you just don't feel that any of these plans are for you or you think that one plan might have to much and you would rather not over pay, you are allowed to bring food into the parks with you.. This comes in handy especially with smaller children who might be more involved with characters and other things going on then eating.

Resorts:
There are a number of ways to save money in this department.

1) Make sure to keep an eye out for any offers that might be happening. But go ahead and book your package.. Some people wait for a sale to come out but now that up until 45days prior to arrival you can make changes to your booking with not fees and after that there is a $50.00 change fee.. At some times when you are saving a couple of hundred dollars then it is very worth it to pay that change fee..

2) Also make sure that you put tickets with your room.. It doesn't matter if you wait until you get to the parks or not but Disney has the right to change ticket prices an time they wish so if you don't already have that old rate in then you are out of luck..

3) Look at when you are going to be traveling.. During Spring Break or Summer isn't the best times for those that are trying to save money.. Try or a fall break or Think about giving the little ones a vacation from school to save some major dough.. Also some teachers will be more then happy to help your child make up the work as well as love the extra learning tools with some video of the Land (Science) or World Show care(Socal Studies)

Tickets
There are so may options with the Different tickets I hope that his helps to choose..

1) Do the add ons.. If you think that you might want to do ONE hopper day add it.. It is going to make it easier to do dinning as well... You want to make sure that you have all the flexibility as you would like and need in a vacation..

2) DO NOT BUY WATER PARK TICKETS DIRECTLY.. Please do the add on.. PLEASE... On a one day ticket you get 2 trips to the water parks so the big picture you could go to MK or your favorite park one day and then go the other days to the water parks for $50.00.. And Think about it if you have a 7 day ticket.. That is 7 trips to the water parks, Disney Quest and the walking golf course ( and currently PI) and it ONLY $50.00 When you look at the fact that it is $40.00 for one day at the water parks and 30 something for the DQ and 22.00 to go to PI and I know that it is about 40.00 to hgo to the gold course you are saving alot.. just think about you visit each thing once you could be saving about 150.00 a person if not more..

3) Get the length of stay ticket.. By doing that you have full run of the parks while you are there so if your little one says on a resort day that they would like to go see Mickey you don't have the hastle of having to try to add that extra day onto your pass..

Anywho, I hope that these tips will help you save a little money on your next Disney Vacation...

Until Later

Disney Travel Tips By Carrie

Hi everyone in Cyberland... I thought that since I know some of you out there are going to be traveling to Walt Disney World Resorts soon that you would like some helpful tips and suggests so here they are...

1)Never be afraid to ask the Photopass people to take your photo with your camera as well as the professional ones.. This really is not uncommon. I do it all the time. Also if you are trying to get a photo of most of your family and someone comes up and asks if you would like them to take it for you, it is ok.. Most are there with famlies and loved ones so no need to worry about the snach and run.. The worse you are going to have to do is return the favor and finally have photo were someone isn't missing..

2)If staying on site take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours.. They are the best value ever thought of at Disney.. JMO.. I have been able to stay once as a castmember and the lines are almost nothing and you can also ride something muliple times.. This will also give you time to do some shopping on the way out with out a million other people trying to do the same thing.. My suggestion would also be, go back to your resort and relax in the afternoon and then return for EMH.. It is always nice to be able to go for a swim when the pool is not as crowed and everyone else is at the parks or if you have little ones this is a great nap time oportunity wih out losing much park time..

3) Have a plan.. I know that it is sometimes really hard to plan a trip and fit everything in but to try to tell a 5 year old that there isn't time to meet Cinderella well I don't want to be there for that conversation.. Make sure that you leave your time open but yet planed.. Know what park you are going to each day and make a list of attractions and characters that you would like to meet in the order that you want to do them. That way if you love the Haunted Mansion but don't like It's a Small World as much it will be an easy time Manager to cut out IASW if you need to..

4) Make sue to make all you dining reservations 180 days in advance.. This one is HUGE now with the meal plans more and more people are wanting to make their money strech as far as possible and to get the best value.. .This means that some of the more popular resterants as well as the dinner shows are booking up almost the day that it goes on sale.. Cinderella's Royal Table in the castle sells out in only 10mins on any given morning .. Also make sure that if you want the castle dining that you start calling about 645-650am EST so that your call can get into the Que.

5) Please remember where you parked.. I find this one funny with as many digitl cameras and such but everytime I go to a park there they are, the family that has indeed lost their car.. But if they would have just slowed down and taken a photo of the row and lot name at the end of their row befor getting on the tram with that wonderful digital camera.. They would have known where they parked... That is a huge one for me.. If you take a photo of that information at the end of the row that you are at as the first photo on your digital camera then it is just a touch of a button and you know exactly where you are parked..

6) Use fastpass... This is a huge timesaver.. It will also help you to be able to go on your favorite rides without the lines.. I am a huge one on this.. I use then all the time to get on Toy Story Mania and the first time that I rode the Peter Pan ride was via a fastpass.. So use them, take advantage of them.

Well that is all I have for right now but I sure hope that it help and that you are able to take away soem great tips..

My addiction

I have heard that the first step of any addiction is admit that you have a problem.. So here is it.. I have a problem.. I have a TSM (Toy Story Mania) Addiction.. I can't get enough.. When is it enough... I don't even like to get up at 9am for my job at 1:30 but I will get up on my day off at 7:30 am to be at Hollywood Studios so that I don't have to wait in line to play that wonderful game..And those days that I just can't drag myself out of bed, I'll wait in line for up 90mins to shoot at those 3D targets.. I have never really been a ride person and if you would have asked me in April if in July I would be sitting in Orlando going to the parks 2 days a week while working for the Happiest Place on Earth, I would have started laughing as I headed out the door for my deadend job.. So here I am currently addicted to TSM.. If you have never ridden it before, you have no idea but for those that have, I know that you know where I am coming from.. There is just something about wanting to kick that person next to you's behind and get to brag all day of being the best.. Having a sore arm from pulling that little string so hard and fast at the end to get all those points that you can.. And being able to experience a one of a kind ride that only the creators at Disney could have thought up.. So the next time that you visit WDW.. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE visit this amazing ride.. It really is worth every minuet waiting in line.. I promise..

Mickey's Goodnight

www.youtube.com/nascarangel382041

I promised that I would load this video for you all to enjoy of Mickey's Goodnight at MK.. It will not load so please visit the link above I hope that you enjoy it.. It is about 1/2 way through the entire video to get to it since I didn't want to miss any of it.. ENJOY..

Pixie Dust

Have you ever had a really bad day and as soon as you turn on your radio you favorite song comes on. Or you just don't feel well and you arrive home to find that your other half has made a wonderful dinner.. This is what I call Pixie Dust.. When most people think of Pixie Dust you think of Tinker Bell.. I like to think of things falling in place and something nice to get me in a right frame of mind.. Just like today, I went to Magic Kingdom and was waiting around for Mickey to tell us goodnight and for the castle to go dark when a couple and their son walked up. This was their first time to Disney and they just wanted to take some photos and had no idea that Mickey said goodnight.. That was their Pixie dust.. It put a smile on their face and gave them something to remember from their trip that they might not have never know about before last night.. So as we waslked out we talked about meal plans and some of the onsite dinning options. And to me that was my Pixie Dust, I was able to give them knowlege of things that they had no idea they could do.. Places to see Mickey, Eating in the Castle, eating the food grown in the Land at the Garden Grill.. They had no idea of these things and me being able to give them that information was amazing. So the next time that you are having a bad day, take a second to think of you pixie dust moment.

Hidden Mickeys

From Wikipedia- A Hidden Mickey is a subtle formation of a silhouette of the head of Mickey Mouse and his two ears, a more complete representation of Mickey Mouse (such as Mickey mixed in with a crowd or in the background), or a representation of another character (such as the huge hidden Jafar at the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail in Africa in the Animal Kingdom). Mickeys may be painted, made up of objects (such as rocks, or three plates on a table), or be references such as someone wearing Mickey Mouse Club ears in a painting.
When the shape of Mickey Mouse is used as an obvious part of the design, such as Mickey ears on the top of lampposts, it is considered decorative. A true Hidden Mickey is one that is not obviously meant to be seen, such as when a Disney artist places the shape of Mickey in a context that would normally not contain Mickey Mouse.
Hidden Mickeys are slipped into animation cels in nearly all Disney animated classics, hidden in architecture and attractions in Disney parks and resorts and studio buildings and many other Disney related features.

Hidden Mickeys are part of a Magical day at Walt Disney World. If you look closely they are there.. In the Mexico ride at Epcot all the way to the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom.. And here is just where you might see a few of the more popular one on you next visit.. Also they can be found in more places then just the theme parks.. Some Disney movies also have hidden Mickeys.. Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen , The Nightmare Before Christmas,and The Incredibles all include Hidden mickeys in the movie... But if you are looking for them at the parks here are a few that you might enjoy..


HIDDEN MICKEYS IN THE MAGIC KINGDOM
ADVENTURELAND - Jungle Cruise.
In the Temple that the boat passes through, there are three plates arranged to form Mickey head silhouette.

FANTASYLAND - Its a Small World.
In the African scene look for the string of "purple flowers on a vine" along the elephant's left ear.

FANTASYLAND - Snow White's Adventure.
Check out the three stones on the chimney of the Dwarf's cottage.

FRONTIERLAND - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Three rusty gears laying on the grass just before you re-enter the loading and unloading area.

FRONTIERLAND - The Haunted Mansion.
The Ballroom scene - arrangement of three plates in the lower left-hand corner of the table.

FRONTIERLAND - Splash Mountain.
The "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" scene (first scene after the "big drop") on the right side wall - image of Mickey lying on his back in the pink clouds.


EPCOT
FUTUREWORLD - Soarin'.
The silhouette of Mickey appears on the golf ball as it comes toward you. There is another hidden Mickey formed in the thrid set of fireworks at the end of the ride.

FUTUREWORLD - Living With the Land.
Three circles on the wall across from the loading area form the silhouette of Mickey.

FUTUREWORLD: Figment into you Imagination: In Figment's bathroom look up and his bathmats and his toliet make a mickey

WORLD SHOWCASE - Norway - The Maelstrom ride.
Check out one of the "Vikings" on the left side of the mural across from the loading area.

WORLD SHOWCASE - Mexico - El Rio del Tiempo ride.
Look at the Viva Donald boat where the fireworks are towards the bottome

DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
THE GREAT MOVIE RIDEWhen you enter the "Gangster" scene, look at the lower left-hand corner of the big billboard on the left. Yep, those are Mickey's shoes and a bit of his tail.

THE GREAT MOVIE RIDEIn the "Well of Souls" scene, with Indiana Jones and his friend lifting the Arc from its resting place, look at the left wall. Behind the large black statue - third panel up - you will see Mickey and Donald dressed as Egyptians.

THE GREAT MOVIE RIDE: In the Wizard of Oz room the blue flowers on the left on the bottom as well as the peach ones in the corner..

THE TWILIGHT ZONE TOWER OF TERRORAs you watch the TV set in the pre-show, check out the doll that the little girl is carrying into the elevator.

STAR TOURSThe first "worker robot called G2 is wearing a Mickey watch.Keep your eyes open and see how many more you can find as you toddle around the Studios.

There are many many more so have fun finding them the next time you are at Disneyworld..

Why oh why am I a castmember

Someone asked me this question so I thought that I would go ahead and answer it.. I know that most of you know this but Once upon a time far far away in a small town in Missouri there lived a small girl ( well not really small but it is a fairy tale) named Carrie.. She lived in an area where there were not many jobs for Ms Carrie and although she loved her beloved state she feared that she might have to move onto somewhere else.. So she filled out applications and posted her resume on lots of websites and got a few offers for some jobs but most were for insurance sales job.. But Carrie kept searching for that one true perfect job.. The one that she had always dreamed of ... Well one day the jobmother came to visit Ms Carrie and granted her one wish.. Carrie's one wish was to have to most perfect, magical job in ALL the land.. So the jobmother picked up her wand taped Carrie twice and she ended up in a traiing room at the Disney Reservation Center.. She was so happy.. She got to start all the Disney magic with those little world.. "Thank you for calling Disney Travel Company HOW may I help you" The End

Welcome to My World

Hello.. I hope that everyone is having a wonderful 4th.. I just wanted to introduce myself.. My name is Carrie Castmember.. I work for the man himself.. MICKEY.. I'm in the reservation department and loving every second.. Now that you know a little about me, I want to tell you more about my blog.. I am hoping to be able to bring you the most in information on special event all the way to just the regualar everyday happening at this place I call home.. I will load photos, videos and more informaiton then you will ever need.. If you ever have a subject or a special park that you would like for me to cover, please let me know I am more then happy to cover anything you would like.. Well, before I go I would like to share a story. Yesterday my friend Jen, her husband and I all went to the Whispering Canyon Cafe at the Wilderness Lodge.. I have heard quite a bit about it but wanted to try it out myself.. Well we checked in like at most places and got our little beeper thing and waited, finally got a table.. Now if you have ever been to the lodge, it is located by Magic Kindgom and is themed like a old lodge that you might find at a National Park like Yellowstone.. Well this resterant is themed just about like it with stick horse races for the children and a family style All-you-care-to-eat meal as well as menu items.. So anyways, we sit down and our server comes and takes our drink orders and my friend Jen wants Tea and asks for more equal.. Anywhere else that would have been fine.. But no.. Our server screams "attention if you have a little sugar box on your table, please bring one package of the blue kind to this lady's table please.." Omg... Someone from every table starts briging packets of Equal over.. THEN our sever brought out an entire box of equal to her when he brought out the drinks.. It was so funny.. If you asked for Katchup you got about 15 bottles that we passed from table to table.. I would recommend that if you want a good time and a great atmosphere.. Definatly go to Whispering Canyon for a meal..