Blog Posts by Michelle Browne

What’s in my Disney Loungefly Backpack?

6/2/2023 • Blog, Cruises, Disneyland, Walt Disney World • If you have ever been on a Disney vacation or viewed any pictures of fans at Disney, you’ll see something in common with a large number of guests visiting the property. Guests everywhere – at Walt Disney World, at Disneyland, and on the Disney Cruise Line ships have their Disney themed Loungefly backpacks with them. I’ll admit that when I first saw the Loungefly craze I was a bit skeptical. I had a large, beautiful Vera Bradley backpack with a Minnie Mouse paisley pattern and I could fit everything I ever needed on a Disney vacation inside of it. So why would I purchase this small backpack instead and use it in the parks? Well time and pretty patterns eventually won me over and I bought my first Loungefly backpack. My first day of using my backpack I was blown away by how much I could fit inside my bag. […]

Disney Wish: Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure Review

4/11/2023 • Blog, Cruises • Disney Cruise Line has enhanced their cruise ship dining on the Disney Wish by adding more entertainment to their rotational dining experiences. My favorite of the new options is Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure and let me share my experience from the trip and why this restaurant was my favorite dining experience onboard. Tables are assigned for dining at all of Disney Cruise Line’s rotational restaurants so don’t be concerned if you are running a few minutes late. Those that arrive before the restaurant opens, will wait in the fully decorated entrance hall to the restaurant complete with port windows covered in frosty designs. You’ll be able to view and take pictures with the royal portraits and statue of armor, just as Anna and Elsa experienced growing up in their Arendelle castle. Once you enter the main dining hall, you’ll be seated around the performance stage set in the middle […]

“Avengers, Assemble!” – Visiting Avengers Campus at Disneyland

12/13/2022 • Blog, Disneyland • Disneyland, once again, went above and beyond expectations when on June 4, 2021, Disneyland’s California Adventure opened the Avengers Campus. This is Disney’s newest land and it is a MUST visit vacation for all Marvel fans. Headlining Avengers Campus is the all-new ride “WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure”. This family-friendly ride invites people of all ages to help gather up the rogue Spider-Bots that are continuously replicating and causing havoc in Avengers Campus. Each ride vehicle accommodates four people on each side to cast their webs and for those that are more competitive, the different colored Spider-Bots have different points associated with them so you’ll want to cast your webs for those worth more points. Be aware that this ride is extremely tiring on your arms, so practice casting your webs even before your trip (as fast as you can), to build up those muscles as strong as Spider-Man. WEB […]

9 Tips for Keeping Cool in the Disney Summer Heat

7/12/2022 • Tips, Walt Disney World • With summer upon us, the heat and humidity in Florida can send even the most southern of families screaming for some cooling relief. We know you’ve been eagerly anticipating your Disney World vacation for months and we don’t want you to miss out on any of the fun that Disney has to offer because of the heat. Here are some tips to help you survive the hottest and most humid of Disney days: 1. Take advantage of Disney’s Extra Magic Hours. By staying on property at Disney, you qualify to go early or stay late at Disney’s parks. The extra magic hours are the coolest of times to visit the parks not to mention the least busy times. Not a morning or a late person? Go back to your hotel during the hottest part of the day to rest so that you’ll have the energy for the extra magic hours. […]

Capturing your Senior’s Photos – Disney Style!

6/14/2022 • Blog, Disneyland, Walt Disney World • Having a senior high school student is an exciting time for a family. There’s so much to do and one of those many tasks for many families include booking a photo session for your student to capture their personalities. Have you wanted to have a Disney-themed session but don’t know how to do it? This year I embarked on Disney photos for my own senior. We visited both Disneyland and Walt Disney World and had sessions at each location. Here’s what I tried and learned and how you can have senior photos, Disney style, for your own child. If your family is visiting Disneyland in California, you will need to take the photos yourself. I highly recommend staying at an official Disneyland resort or a hotel nearby the parks so you can head back to change if you are doing evening photographs or to change into your park clothes after […]

Exploring Hogwart’s Castle at Universal Orlando

12/26/2021 • Blog, Universal Studios • For every Harry Potter fan, a visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando is a bucket list item but for true Potterheads. It's the extra Easter Eggs that are hidden that can make the experience truly magical. While magic appears around every corner in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, let’s explore the hidden items in Hogwart’s Castle that you’ll want to take note of on your next vacation. Here are my top 5 hidden items for you to find! 1. Mandrakes- The first hidden item is located outdoors, in the greenhouse. If your visit to Hogsmeade has low crowds, you may miss the Mandrakes, but pause just before you enter the castle and check out these restorative plants located behind a fence so that they cannot be accidentally pulled out of their pots, subjecting you to their screams. 2. Four Founders of Hogwarts: The Hall of […]

Celebrate Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando

12/10/2021 • Blog, Tips, Universal Studios • If Mardi Gras is about music, parades, floats, food, and excitement, then Universal Orlando has a memorable celebration you won’t want to miss. Held each spring during portions of February and March, Universal Studios Florida is set up for a party like none other, and for many guests, the music itself is reason enough to make sure your trip is timed for this great event. Listen to an amazing concert from some of the biggest names in pop, rock, country, R&B, and more at the Music Plaza stage on select nights, all included with your park entry ticket. You’ll be entertained not just by the concerts, but each night Universal hosts their own parade with original and authentic floats designed by Kern Studios who also build the floats for the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade. From these floats, beads will be tossed to you so make sure to line up […]

Shutterbutton’s – Bring Home a Magical Memory of Your Time in Diagon Alley

11/30/2021 • Reviews, Tips, Universal Studios • They say a picture is worth 1000 words but a moving photo from your time spent at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter? There aren’t enough words to express the fun and magic that you experience at Shutterbutton’s. Located in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida, Shutterbutton’s is a wizard photography store that captures both moving and still photographs for wizards to share with their friends, even muggles. Sessions are available for up to 4 people at a time and are recorded in one of two simple photography rooms, each with a green screen and an old-fashioned camera. Props such as robes and wands can be borrowed but if you plan on purchasing either of these as souvenirs, I recommend you purchase them before your appointment so you can have them at your disposal. Ollivander's Wand Shop happens to be located across the road from Shutterbutton’s so you can first […]

Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey and Friends Review

10/4/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews • Located on the first floor of Disney’s Paradise Pier at Disneyland in California is a hidden gem of a dining experience. The only place on the property where you can meet Mickey Mouse while you eat, the Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey and Friends at the PCH Grill, is a treat for young and old. The stars of the show are the characters themselves. Ready for a day at the beach, the characters have stopped by for breakfast before grabbing their surfboards and heading off for a day of fun. While they are there, the characters will stop by your table for pictures, autographs, and the occasional dance party. While Mickey is the official host, some of the characters that might visit your table include Minnie Mouse, Stitch, and Daisy. Pictures with Mickey’s official photographer occur near the entry under the PCH Surf Shack sign. If you wish to have […]

Pixar Pier at Disneyland- Review

9/27/2021 • Disneyland, Reviews • On-property or off-property? For visitors to Disneyland this is a huge decision to be made. Is it worth the extra funds in the budget to stay on property? Are the rooms really nice? What about the amenities and the convenience to the parks? Are early morning magic hours necessary? With the compact nature of Disneyland and off-property resorts right across the entry, staying on property at Disneyland has never been a huge priority for me. I wasn’t convinced that the on-property resorts were going to be worth the extra fee for a long weekend. But this year, I learned how wrong I was as I spent a long weekend at the Pixar Pier resort at Disneyland California. First impressions make a big difference and from the moment I entered the hotel, the cast members were exceedingly helpful and friendly.  As soon as I had my room key, I head up […]