Blog Posts by Nancy Wideman

The Animation Experience at the Conservation Station-Disney’s Animal Kingdom

3/20/2020 • Walt Disney World • Our love for Disney started with animation, and the first Disney films we enjoyed as a family, so it’s no wonder that animation classes at Disney parks have been “our thing” for years! Although Disney has closed the Animation Academy at Hollywood Studios, you can now draw with a Disney animator at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. It’s an experience that artists of all ages can enjoy! Your adventure begins when you board a train headed for the Conservation Station. It’s a fun ride to get you to a remote area of the park to explore. You can choose to walk around and look at the conservation and educational stations set up, venture into the petting zoo, or enter the main building where you can try your hand at drawing a popular Disney animal character! As with all Disney animation classes, you are provided with a board, paper, and a pencil. They […]

Discovering Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland

12/3/2019 • Disneyland • Hiding at the back of Disneyland Park, tucked behind the impressive facade of "it’s a small world," is a little gem that will delight all the littles in your family! Mickey’s Toontown is a colorful area brimming with whimsy and interactive play. The ever-spinning welcome sign as it “counts” guests entering the park gives you a glimpse of what to expect as you walk through and find yourself in a cartoon land with Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway center-stage. Attractions in this area include: Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway (Hitch a ride on Engineer Goofy's train and be ready for some crazy antics!) Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin (a playful twist on the classic dark ride) Chip 'N' Dale's GADGETcoaster (35” height requirement to ride this family-friendly roller coaster) Donald’s Duck Pond(interactive) Goofy’s How-to-Play Yard (interactive) CenTOONial Park (interactive) Minnie’s House Mickey's House and Meet Mickey Be sure to wander […]

Surviving Walt Disney World with Toddlers!

5/17/2019 • Tips, Walt Disney World • If you’re like me, you can’t wait to take your little one (toddler) to Disney and experience it for the first time through your child’s eyes. The castle, the characters, a Mickey bar, and yes…the rides!   Here are some helpful tips and tricks that I’ve learned as a mom taking my young children to visit Mickey! Averting a meltdown: Rest Walt Disney World is huge and walking around just one park can add up those steps very quickly. Bring or rent a comfortable stroller to give tired feet a rest. Plan for a rest either back at the resort or in the stroller. Just some down time to close tired little eyes and get a second wind will help you all continue the fun. Planning for half days is a great way to check off your most important experiences while allowing yourselves some quiet time and it also gives […]

SURPRISE! We’re Going to Disney!

3/29/2019 • Tips, Walt Disney World • Many parents envision surprising their kids with news of a vacation to Disney with lots of smiles, excited screams, and perhaps, even some happy tears! Here are some fun ways to surprise your children with a trip to visit Mickey! Simply….don’t tell them until you are on your way there! It takes stealth and sneakiness to plan a trip without little ears overhearing, not to mention getting everyone’s suitcase packed but it’s a lot of fun too especially if you have younger kids who haven’t yet grasped the concept of time. You might also save a bit of your sanity by eliminating the “is it time yet?” component that might otherwise linger for the months leading up to the big event. Depending on your mode of transportation, you might not tell them until you arrive at the airport or when you are pulling into the parking areas. For older children, […]

It’s Not Just Food When It’s This Good! Food for the Soul at Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming

3/13/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • From the moment I read the menu for Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming restaurant, I knew this would be at the top of my Disney dining bucket list! This is down-home cooking at its best. Arrive hungry. You do not want to miss an opportunity to sample the foods if you aren’t prepared to fill your belly. 2) As a party of two, I knew our eyes were too big for our stomachs, but the selections are that good that we didn’t want to pass anything up! My best recommendation would be to go with a group of at least four people so you can select several things from the menu and share them. Between the two of us, we ordered a couple appetizers: the Church Lady Deviled Eggs and the Ham and Jam Biscuits. With the deviled eggs, aside from the fact that they are delicious, the presentation is fabulous! […]

Big Box Stores vs Travel Planners Who Specialize in Disney

3/11/2024 • Tips, Walt Disney World • You are planning a trip for your family to a Disney theme park and are looking for a great deal, but where do you start? You can do the hours upon hours of research yourself and book directly with Disney, book with a Big Box Store like Costco, visit your local AAA office, or book with a travel planner who specializes in Disney destinations. -If you enjoy planning and know exactly what you want, booking directly with Disney is an easy decision. -If you have a Costco membership and want to see what they can do for you, Costco Travel can book your vacation for you. -AAA agents can also help book your family vacation if you are an AAA member. What next, though? -Well, if you book with Disney, you will handle all the details – payments, keeping track of planning dates, booking advanced dining reservations and special activities, […]

Top 6 Walt Disney World Patriotic Experiences for the Heart of America

5/2/2018 • Holidays & Events, Walt Disney World • The name "Disney" is as American as apple pie. Perhaps that is because the company Walt and Roy Disney created was deeply rooted in the values of the American Dream. Here are some of my favorites areas of Walt Disney World where the heart of America shines brightly. American Pavilion, Epcot American Adventure - Narrated by audio-animatronic figures of Ben Franklin and Mark Twain, guests experience various depictions of American life during key moments in American history, including the Revolutionary War and the Great Depression. Voices of America – Save time to enjoy the sounds of these a capella singers in the rotunda of the American Pavilion as they sing American standards (“America the Beautiful) as well as modern Disney classics (“Let It Go”). Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom Liberty Tree Tavern serves up traditional American fare (imagine a full Thanksgiving feast) family-style. After your meal, take note of the six prominent […]

Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! The Disneyland Resort – Disney’s California Adventure – Anaheim, California

1/15/2018 • Disneyland, Reviews • Continuing the success of the Marvel films (and my personal favorite), Guardians of the Galaxy  - Mission: Breakout! is a fantastic thrill ride that has been re-imagined in the former Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction. The Guardians of the Galaxy have been kidnapped and it’s up to you to save them! Enter the fortress of Taneleer Tivan (otherwise known as the Collector) where he is currently exhibiting some of his finest pieces. Take some time to explore the cases and discover amazing relics – a warlock’s eye, Atlantis artifacts, Loki’s shackles, Figment (from Epcot’s Journey’s Into Imagination with Figment), and Cosmo the Spacedog. The newest possessions on display are none other than the Guardians of the Galaxy: Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and Drax. You will find yourself in the Collector’s office where Rocket has escaped his cage and is now requiring your assistance to break the remaining Guardians out of […]

A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps: Disneyland Through Walt’s Eyes

10/13/2017 • Disneyland, Holidays & Events • Please note: A Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour is currently not available at the Disneyland Resort, however, you can find other great tours here! It all started with … a mouse? Well, yes, but it also started with a family visit to a local carousel in Griffith Park, California. Sitting on a park bench, Walt imagined a special place a whole family could visit and enjoy together. A Walk in Walt’s Footsteps takes you step by step with a very hands-on Walt Disney as he envisioned and created a very magical new world, Disneyland. Meeting up at the guided tour booth at the entrance to Main Street, U.S.A., you are greeted by your guide and welcomed into a small group of fellow guests. Groups are generally less than twenty people so you can stay tight and stick together as your guide walks you through some of Walt’s favorite areas. Everyone […]

Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs

3/12/2024 • Reviews, Walt Disney World • When I first heard Chef Morimoto was opening a restaurant in Disney Springs, I knew immediately that this dining reservation was on the top of my list! The influence of Japanese, Chinese and Korean flavors on the menu pretty much guaranteed Morimoto Asia was sure to become a favorite of mine! This restaurant is located at the Landing in Disney Springs. (It shares an area with Raglan Road that allows you to enjoy the outside entertainment across the way while you wait for your table.) This beautiful restaurant has an amazing menu that anyone should be able to find something they would love. They also have a children’s menu, and there were plenty of families with young ones who all seemed happy. Morimoto has many traditional flavors, House sake, a pretty extensive sushi menu, and several specialty drinks. You’ll need to take some time with the menu. Be sure to […]