2016: A Year In Disney

As 2016 is coming to a close, I'd like to look at the amazing feat Disney managed to pull off this year across the board. It was an absolutely brilliant year for the world's happiest company. The company slayed at the box office, television was on point, and the parks are improving. Things are certainly on the up and up for this wonderful organization. Before 2016 closes though, let's look at how historic this year really was.

Back in June, I posted a little piece about the 4 home runs to date in 2016. That bit was written before the Dory movie came out, before Doctor Strange, before Moana, and before the latest Star Wars film. Needless to say, it has gotten even more promising since that post. In order to not sound redundant, I will just say that those 4 home runs were amazing and I recommend them strongly. The 4 were the Lion Guard, Zootopia, Captain America: Civil War, and the Jungle Book. 

Before moving on to the second half of the year, I would like to go a bit further on how obsessed my children are with the Lion Guard. My kids love the show. This is especially true for our 4 year old son, Noland Jr. He has about 1/4 of the stuff he owns currently as Lion Guard related. The kid adores the show and the characters. Jr. is constantly trying to acquire new Lion Guard materials. It is a cool show for us too, because it is a bridge from the classic movie of our childhood, the Lion King. Just a brilliantly done show that hasn't lost any traction in our household.

Now onto the newer stuff...

Finding Dory was another smash hit for Disney and I too enjoyed the movie. I did not enjoy it as much as some people, but it was a great movie. The movie had really strong new characters and is certainly something Disney will continue to cash in on. It was not a failure by any stretch of the imagination and helped to grow the brand overall. Like I said, I enjoyed the movie and most enjoyed it even more than I did.

To me, perhaps the biggest hit and certainly the biggest surprise of the year was Moana. Now, I thought Moana would be really good, but it surpassed every expectation I had of the movie. After seeing Zootopia, I thought there was no way an animated movie could top that in the same year, but Moana was right up there. This movie was darn close to flawless and you must see it if you have not already. It will be interesting to see how the hype around this movie proceeds as time moves on.

Admittedly, I have not seen Doctor Strange or the latest Star Wars yet, but they have been hits. I have also heard terrific things from all that have seen those titles.

2016 also was the year we once again had Disney passes and there are some exciting things going on at the parks. Nothing at Disney World is as exciting as the additional hours at my favorite park, Animal Kingdom. Although I hear next year will be even bigger for this park and Disney World in general. Before we get to next year though, let's talk about one more thing for 2016.

Each year, we do a Disney countdown for characters and this year I decided to include more family. We had 11 family members each submit their top 50 solely Disney characters, and top 50 pixar characters as well. 50 points were awarded for #1 and 1 point for #50 for each list. Here are the top finishers after the vote and who the 4 in my immediate family voted for as their 5 favorites (for Eli we scattered toys and pictures and took them away after he chose somebody).

Overall Disney
#1 Simba
#2 Mickey Mouse
#3 Donald Duck
#4 Pooh
#5 Jiminy Cricket

Robinson Top 5 1-5
Me: Jiminy Cricket, Baloo, Pooh, Pumba, Donald Duck
Jenna: Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Aladdin, Rapunzel, Simba
Jr: Kion, Mickey Mouse, Bunga, Donald Duck, Nick Wilde
Eli: Mickey Mouse, Tigger, Pooh, Piglet, Kion

Overall Pixar
#1 Nemo
#2 Dory
#3 Woody
#4 Crush
#5 Squirt

Robinson Top 5 1-5
Me: Buzz, Crush, Rex, Bullseye, Marlin
Jenna: Woody, Buzz, Lightning McQueen, Marlin, Rex
Jr.: Buzz, Lightning McQueen, Mater, Woody, Rex
Eli: Buzz,Woody, Crush, Lightning McQueen, Squirt

As you can see sometimes the slam dunk winner in the house loses out overall. This was most true with Pixar as Buzz finished 1st for all 3 boys, and 2nd for Jenna. However, my brother and his kids didn't include Buzz and he finished outside the top 5. Crazy!!!!

I sure will have fun comparing the lists as they come out each year. It was a cool project that resulted in a fun coloring book for the kids.

This year in Disney was awesome! I have a feeling that next year could be even better! You will be able to follow our Disney adventures for 2017 right here.

Until next time, see you real soon!!!!

-Noland

Autographs @ Disney World & Tips On How To Get Certain Characters

If you have been following this blog, or even if you have a pulse, you realize that Disney World is a magical place. It is a place where adults can feel like children and children can feel like royalty. The park just seems to be a cut above. Everything about the park and the experience involved with it is special. Part of that special experience for children often involves character interactions and autographs. Getting the characters to acknowledge them is magical for the children. The character taking time to sign is incredibly spectacular for the kids.

I was not sure my oldest son would be able to appreciate autographs yet, so we were planning on holding off on them. Boy was I wrong. We started an allowance system with him shortly before we got passes again. The 1st thing that he bought with his own $$$$ was.....a character autograph book. He loves that book and adores getting signatures. He also has/had a very specific pattern he wanted to get their signatures in Mickey Mouse, then Goofy, and so on....we try to cross a few off each time so that he can enjoy these interactions and make it a point of emphasis before we go. So I thought we wouldshare some of those tips with our readers......

Tips for autographs and where characters currently are in the parks

Aladdin

Aladdin meets @ Frontier Land in Magic Kingdom and in Morocco @ Epcot
I have never been to either meet as my children aren't that into Aladdin, but maybe someday soon. I have not seen long lines for Aladdin during any visit. I know that Aladdin meets with Abu during the Not So Scary Halloween Party and Very Merry Christmas Parties. If we do one of those, we might try to meet Aladdin.

Alice

Alice meets @ Mad Tea Party Early in the Morning
By noon Alice is gone so go in the morning to meet her. She also meets @ 1900 Park Fare Character Breakfast. Haven't meet Alice yet, but we will be doing the character breakfast in the next year and can give an update at that point.

Anna and Elsa

Meet @ The Frozen Section in the Norway Pavilion @ Epcot
Lines will be extremely long. Book Fastpass+ if available.

Army Men

Meet Outside Toy Story Mania! @ Hollywood Studios
Expect Little to No Wait!

Baloo

Meets @ Upcountry Landing @ Animal Kingdom
Expect a wait between 5-20 min. One of our favorite meet and greets

Bolt
Meets near the Great Movie Ride @ Hollywood Studios
This is a newer meet and greet, but lines aren't too bad. Not sure why Bolt is meeting of all characters, seems like a waste of a meet to me....

Baymax
Meets @ Character Spot West in Epcot
Does not Sign

Buzz Lightyear
Meets next to Buzz Lightyear Ride in Tomorrowland of Magic Kingdom
Great meet with waits typically under 20 min.
Also Meets w/ Woody Across From Toy Story Mania!
A meet that is always packed and I haven't seen less than 30 min
Note: Buzz Lightyear stamps and does not sign

Chewbacca
Meets @ Star Wars Launch Bay @ Hollywood Studios
I have typically seen wait times around 20 minutes when I have been

Chip n' Dale

Meet in all 4 parks
In Tomorrow @ MK
At Rafiki Planet Watch @ AK
Great Movie Ride @ HS
Land Pavilion @ Epcot
Also Features in Several Character Breakfasts
None of the lines are too long
I personally prefer the Animal Kingdom meet and the Magic Kingdom meet
We had no wait @ Magic Kingdom last time!

Daisy Duck
Meets in all 4 Parks
Meets @ AK Character Breakfast
Character Landing @ AK
Pete's Silly Sideshow @ MK
World Showcase Pavilion @ Epcot
Great Movie Ride CY @ HS

Doc McStuffins
Meets in Disney Jr. Courtyard @ Hollywood Studios
Lines are not long

Donald Duck
Meets in All 4 Parks
Pete's Silly Sideshow @ MK
Cretaceous Trail @ AK
Great Movie Ride @ HS
Mexico Pavilion @ Epcot
Also Meets @ Several Character Breakfasts
Some of the lines get long, but nothing too bad typically.
We prefer the Mexican Pavilion or a character breakfast.

Doug and Russell
Meet in Animal Kingdom
We don't like Up so we skip this meet and are unsure of lines.

Eeyore
Only available for meet @ Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom.
Also available @ Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Very Merry Christmas Party

Flik
Started this year meeting across from Discovery Trail in Animal Kingdom
We have yet to participate in this meet, but will at some point in the future. Lines aren't long.

Gaston
Meets near Gaston's Tavern in Magic Kingdom
Lines vary throughout the day. However, they have gotten long and we have been turned away before because they are too long.

Goofy
Meets in All 4 Parks
Dinoland USA @ AK
Pete's Silly Sideshow @ MK
Movie Ride CY @ HS
Character Spot @ Epcot
Character Spot is longest wait time, but is short early in morning. Others are not bad waits.
Also meets @ Several Character Breakfasts

Jack Skellington
Meets @ Halloween & Christmas Parties
This is one of the most popular meets @ those parties

Jake
Meets in Disney Jr. Courtyard @ Hollywood Studios
Lines are not long
Also appears @ Hollywood and Vine Character Dining

Jasmine
Jasmine meets @ Frontier Land in Magic Kingdom and in Morocco @ Epcot
I have never been to either meet as my children aren't that into Aladdin, but maybe someday soon. I have not seen long lines for Jasmine during any visit. I know that Jasmine meets with Genie during the Not So Scary Halloween Party and Very Merry Christmas Parties. If we do one of those, we might try to meet Aladdin and/or Jasmine.
Jasmine also appears at Cinderella's Royal Table Character Dining and Akershus Character Dining

Jessie
Appears w/ Woody in Frontierland in Magic Kingdom
Lines can get long best to arrive just before 10am when their 1st set starts

Jiminy Cricket
Appears @  Animal Kingdom for Earth Day

Joy and Sadness
The Inside Out characters meet @ Character Spot West near Baymax
Lines can get long, but are short early in the day

King Louie
Meets @ Upcountry Landing @ Animal Kingdom
Expect a wait between 5-20 min. One of our favorite meet and greets
King Louie does not sign autographs, but there are rumors that Baloo does sign

Kylo Ren
Meets @ Star Wars Launch Bay in Hollywood Studios
Personally not a fan of this character, but the times I have seen posted are <30 min

Lilo
Meets @ The Great Movie Ride CY in Hollywood Studios
Also Meets @ Ohana Character Breakfast
Both meets are fantastic and I'd recommend them. I would assume the HS meet is short term, but Ohana will likely stay.

Mad Hatter

Mad Hatter meets @ Mad Tea Party Early in the Morning
By noon Mad Hatter is gone so go in the morning to meet him. He also meets @ 1900 Park Fare Character Breakfast. Haven't meet Hatter yet, but we will be doing the character breakfast in the next year and can give an update at that point.

Mary Poppins
Meets @ Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Plaza

Also Appears @ 1900 Park Fare Character Breakfast
Again with boys typically skip this

Max

Not a regular meet, but often seen @ Hollywood Studios in the Summer Time

Mickey Mouse
Meets @ All 4 Parks with Fastpass+ Available for most
I'd recommend getting the Fastpass for most meets. Talking MM appears only @ Magic Kingdom. However, he does not always talk. Still, I'd recommend possibly meeting him @ Magic or Epcot depending on line. Hollywood Studios is the only park that does not offer Fastpass to meet Mickey, but the line is typically pretty short. Epcot is a short wait in the morning and Goofy and Minnie are right next to him at this meet.
Also appears at many character breakfasts.

Minnie Mouse
Meets @ All 4 Parks
I'd recommend Epcot meet, but Magic Kingdom meet has a short line
Mickey and Minnie are also typically available at the Disney Visa Special Meet @ Epcot.
Character Breakfast Opportunities also available.
The most chances to meet any characters are the mouses and Pluto.
Here my son is w/ main four @ Epcot. This is where he got these 4 to sign!

Olaf
Meets in Hollywood Studios
I'd assume the lines are long, but he started meeting this summer and we haven't been

Peter Pan

Meets in Magic Kingdom by his ride
Lines are long!!!!

Piglet
Appears @ Crystal Palace Character Breakfast
Occasionally appears @ 1900 Park Fare
Occasionally Appears @ Pooh's Thotful Spot

Pluto
Meets @ All 4 Parks
Longest wait is Main Street Flagpole in Magic Kingdom. Shortest Wait is typically Dinoland  USA in Animal Kingdom with Goofy.
Also appears at just about every character breakfast.
Pro Tip: Pluto cant see past his nose and has to sign close up to his eyes. Be careful when handing him the pen/marker. He marked up a page in Jr.'s book accidently.

Pocahontas
Appears @ Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom
Typically a fairly short wait

Princesses

There are two princess character dining experiences, Cinderella's Royal Table in Magic Kingdom and Akersaus in the Norway Pavilion @ Epcot
There is also a Princess Fairytale Hall meet with Fastpass+ in Magic Kingdom

Rafiki
Jr.'s favorite person to meet thus far
Meets @ Rafiki's Planet Watch in Animal Kingdom
Meets in Frontierland in Magic Kingdom
Expect short lines in Magic Kingdom

 Hugs

 More Hugs

 w/ Rafiki

 Posing

The Autograph

Scrooge McDuck

Uncle Scrooge appears with Donald @ the Christmas Party

Stitch

Appears @ Magic Kingdom Flag Pole (Long Wait)
Appears in Great Movie Ride CY (Unknown Wait, Temp Spot)
Appears @ Ohana Character Breakfast (Great Opportunity)

Tarzan

Meets in Animal Kingdom

Tigger

Meets @ Pooh's Thotful Spot (lines can get long)
Meets @ Crystal Palace Character Dining
Meets @ 1900 Park Fare Character Dining

Tigger w/ mommy and Eli

Winnie the Pooh

Meets @ Pooh's Thotful Spot (lines can get long)
Meets @ Crystal Palace Character Dining
Meets @ 1900 Park Fare Character Dining

Eli meeting his favorite w/ mommy

Woody
Meets w/ Jessie in Frontierland @ Magic Kingdom
Meets w/ Buzz @ Hollywood Studios Across from Toy Story Mania!
Lines can get long for both meets. Especially @ Hollywood Studios. I hope they offer Fastpass+ for the HS meet soon!

More Opportunities
There are random character meets at Hollywood Studios (called Character Palooza) and Epcot (called Training Meets). Locations and times are unknown, but hopefully you can run into these. They are super neat.

-Noland

Disney's Assault on Fatherhood

My first mistake was reading comments online. The mistake was made though and I caught myself reading the statement which seemed to get endless support...

"Disney always makes the dad look like the buffoon, Disney is assaulting fatherhood and the role of the father. We need to boycott Disney."

Despite, my ideas about boycotting and my love of pretty much everything Disney, I really wanted to explore the idea, just to see if it held any merit and to see if I have been looking at the company through pixie-dust covered glasses.

Here is what I found and began to think.....

Every Disney movie does have a story and a theme. Certainly, the same is true about the shows, and the THEME Parks. These themes though rarely have to do with the family unit as the central theme. I would argue though that Disney is a company for families and that the park was built for any type of family. However, we are not there yet, let's break it down piece by piece and see any place that this notion could have come from. I really wanted to see if there was any merit and either help debunk or prove the seemingly popular statement.

First, let's start with the movies as that is some people's first and only exposure to the world of Disney. Through my looking back, I noticed that dads in Disney movies are typically treated as better than they are in pop culture. Throughout pop culture, dads are treated as useless buffoons often, but in many Disney movies it seems to be the exact opposite.

Marlin in Finding Nemo is actually the star of the movie. He tracks across the entire ocean in order to find his son. Despite being worried about something happening to Nemo due to a baraccuda killing his family, Marlin protects Nemo and when Nemo is taken, Marlin does whatever he can to get Nemo back. Marlin is the hero of the tale. This clownfish shows courage and has many ideal qualities of what it means to be a dad and the protector of your family unit.

Another one of my favorite movies with a dad character is Pinocchio. During that movie, Gepetto did not have any children, but he kept wishing and praying for one. Eventually, he got Pinocchio as his little boy. He was so joyful, happy, and thankful for having this boy brought into his life. When Pinocchio went missing, just like Marlin did, Gepetto stopped at nothing to find Pinocchio. This movie showed a dad that truly cared for his son. Its central themes were to follow your conscience and dream big. Do the right thing and dream big is what the movie focused on. Seems to me this would be a fantastic movie to show your kids.

Finally, let's look at the Lion King and everything that is involved with that franchise. The wise dad here was Mufasa. Simba's dad taught him all the important things in life and always looked out for him. He eventually died trying to save his son. However, his spirit and memory lived on as he continued to give advice to Simba and help Simba reach his destiny. Now, he occasionally gives Kion advice in the Lion Guard series. Mufasa could be said to be the wisest of all the characters. Despite, not being around anymore, Disney has kept an important role for him. Mufasa is one of the best known characters in all of Disney and nobody thinks of him as a buffoon. Everyone thinks of Mufasa as Simba's wise father.

There are other examples in movies. More fathers and father figures, but after the three I focused on, I realized that it was not even close to true that Disney made dads to look like fools in all movies, but could I find any examples....

The closest I got to finding a dad that was a fool in these movies were The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. Those are three of Disney's big movies, and the dads were somewhat foolish in each. The Little Mermaid though involved the dad having incredible power and keeping his teenage daughter away from a cruel world. King Triton was not really foolish in that he understood the world being far different and he wanted to protect his daughter that was not legal. He even lets her chase her love at the end of the movie and helps save his daughter from the evil Ursula.

The saltan was Jasmine's dad in the movie Aladdin. He was made to be more of a foolish character, but it was one movie and even here, he was hypnotized by Jafar's staff for a large portion of the movie. That hypnotism added to the perceived foolishness of his character.

Finally, Beauty and the Beast. Belle's dad was deemed a fool largely in part because he told of a Beast off in the forest. Belle proved her father right when she showed the people of the Beast. Dad was an inventor in this and some of the inventions worked pretty well. This all is not to mention that like the two other dads (Saltan and King Triton) he was a single dad that raised a strong independent woman on his own. There is something to be said for them not raising trainwrecks as just the dad. Many popular media outlets would not give that message, that Disney seemed to invoke.

So if not in movies, then what about in television?

Disney owns ABC, so I sure that there are cases of the dad being a buffoon on ABC, just as there are on any channel. My suggestion with this is that if the show is trash, don't watch it. I don't watch any shows that I think are complete filth. I encourage you to do the same. I do not have any specific examples of the dad being a buffoon in these shows because as I said a minute ago, I don't watch shows that are garbage. I don't watch shows that send awful messages like that, at least that I can think of off the top of my head. The only two shows on ABC that I do watch are The Middle and Last Man Standing. I really enjoy the dads in those shows. Those dads are the best TV dads since the Home Improvement days.

Finally, what about Disney Parks?
Well, I feel I am always treated very well at Disney World. I rarely have a poor experience. This resort has the best customer service in the world. As a dad, I am treated just as magically as anybody else. The people are helpful and they do anything they can to help my family routinely. They make the experience magical for my whole family. Making reservations is a piece of cake. Making plans is easy as pie. This place allows me to plan ahead so that I can help make my kids memories to last a lifetime. Disney World makes it easy to be a dad that is even more loved and even more appreciated.

My family with my favorite Jiminy Cricket

My family with Minnie @ Character Breakfast

My 3 year old gets to meet lots of characters

 We get to meet Eeyore

And look around every corner for something special

My kids love Disney World. My kids love Disney period. I will not boycott Disney because of a few buffoons who spew hate on the internet. Boycotting is typically stupid anyways. Disney does not have an assault on fatherhood. Some people just are unable to see the big picture. The big picture that Disney is a wonderful company that does a lot of good and encourages kids to dream. I like the world that they provide. I am sorry that some are not able to love and appreciate it. However, I do appreciate living in a free country where people can have different opinions and perspectives. I also appreciate that my family does Disney.

-Noland

Disney's 4 Home Runs of 2016

We just opened up our 6th month of the current year and Disney is on pace to make it their best ever. Box office numbers are through the roof for this company and another blockbuster is around the corner with Finding Dory. That movie isn't even out yet, more movies are in the works, and you can already guarantee an incredibly successful year for Disney media. Even if those movies tank, this will still be a banner year. They won't tank by the way...Here is a look at what made Disney so successful this year and why the movies/shows were such smash hits.

It all started at the box office in March with Zootopia. To date, the movie had made over a billion at the box office. That it comes off a budget of 150 million shows it was a massive hit. The success at the box office only scratches the surface though. To me, this was the best animated Disney movie since at least Wreck-It-Ralph and quite possibly the Lion King. It was absolutely phenomenal. I loved every single minute of this movie and it was not as predictable as many by this great company. It was so good that it received a 98% on rotten tomatoes. This movie was absolutely brilliant and really got Disney started off towards a great year. I can't wait for these characters to really start making their presence known at the parks. Nick and Judy can be seen in the Move It, Shake it dance party @ Magic Kingdom now!

The next month, in April, came the live-action version of The Jungle Book. This was brilliant just in the fact that it connected a new generation of fans with the original classic. Add-in that it was one of the greatest movies I have ever seen and that it was a massive hit and it just is icing on the cake. I loved every second about this and every bit of what it represented. It is just another way for my family to enjoy this classic. Another way for my kids to enjoy one of the greatest Disney characters in Baloo. Anything that makes people love this story and that character are fantastic in my opinion. Then you actually break down the movie and it gets better...

The Jungle Book has 2 outstanding villain characters that add to the movie a great deal. Shere Khan has always been my personal favorite Disney villain and he was great in the animated classic. However, this movie, takes his character to a whole different galaxy in terms of violence and cruelty. The movie adds layers to that character that make everyone see how brilliant the character truly is. Then you add in the switch with King Louie into making him more dark and scary and the movie was absolutely phenomenal with those two villains. It did a great job with Kaa as well, but I would have liked a bit more from him. Maybe in the upcoming sequel we will get more from Louie or Kaa as the villain.

Regardless of my opinions though, the box office determines if the movie is a hit. This movie has made 877.6 million so far (as of 6/4) on a 175 million budget. Another smash hit that will likely pass the billion dollar range at some point. It received a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and was not quite as loved as Zootopia. The Jungle Book was beloved by all though and was slightly better than  in my opinion.

Finally, last month, came the most anticipated movie in quite some time, Captain America: Civil War. This movie has been an incredible smash hit already smashing through the billion dollar mark at the box office. Critics and fans alike have been raving about the movie. It is hard to top this movie for me personally. I have it as the 4th best movie in the Marvel Universe and I am pretty obsessed with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In case you were wondering my top 5 are Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy, Iron Man 1, Civil War, and Avengers 1. The other 4 I own and we will own Civil War at some point. The layers of complexity of the story and the details of that story make this a must see. If you are a fan of the MCU and haven't seen it, go see it today. Captain America is the coolest hero and he teamed up with more awesome heroes to take on Iron Man's crew, how could you not want to go? This movie made Ant-Man look even cooler, fixed Spider-Man in movies, and introduced the thrilling Black Panther among many other things. Can I just say also that Team Cap had much cooler heroes than team Iron Man. My family is always #TeamCap

All these movies don't even mention the greatest success that Disney Media has had this year. That greatest success has been the new Disney Jr. series The Lion Guard. That show has been a smash hit and is beloved everywhere by all young kids. My 3 year old son's class absolutely adores this show. That adoration comes most obviously by our stinker who says it is his favorite show. He has also mentioned a possible Lion Guard birthday party and Lion Guard costume. Our money is being dropped into Lion Guard merchandise more than anything besides car, house, daycare, electricity, water, and church it seems. He has lion guard shoes, backpack, lunch box, deluxe kion figure, small character playset and more already. Not to mention the lion guard adventure we went on at Animal Kingdom. He loves all the characters, but Kion is definitely his favorite. My favorite is Bunga and I have been Bunga playing at home with Kion many a times already. This show is something our older son truly loves and I am happy that he does. It connects Lion King to the younger generation in a brilliant way. It expands on an already fantastic story. It is enjoyable to watch. I don't have to worry about my son getting weird messages. It is just a fantastic show.

 Doing the Lion Guard Adventure @ Animal Kingdom (Found Fuli)

And Kion (his favorite)

Expect much more success from Disney in the media realm in 2016 and moving forward. Tune in here next week for a zoo review of the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm. Have a blessed week everybody!

- Noland

Use of Disney Characters in the Theme Parks

As much as I love Walt Disney World, I must admit that the park could do a better job of incorporating its characters. Having never been to Disneyland I don't know exactly if that is the same case, but I hear it often. It says a lot that many people's favorite thing to do at Walt Disney World (including mine) was to see those more rare characters @ Character Palooza @ Hollywood Studios. The demand and desire from this event became so popular that Disney ended up cancelling character palooza last month.

First, let me say booo to that decision. I do understand Disney trying to protect this magical experience and moving it around. However, it should tell Disney that it is in high demand and that guests want to meet more characters. They can move it around and spread it around, but make it more frequent. Nobody wants to roam the park all day wondering when, where, and if character palooza is going to happen. They just want to meet their favorite characters. If my favorite movie is Pinocchio and I want to meet the title character, then I should be able to know where he might be. I shouldn't have to wonder around the whole park looking. This is my one gripe with Disney in that they don't incorporate their characters in the best way possible.

Here are 10 changes I'd immediately do if I was in charge!

1) Make sure you could meet each of the following in every park, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Chip, Dale, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Jiminy Cricket

2) Add more character dining (Details of which to be released in a future entry)

3) Rotate some rare characters through the parks every other hour and have the selection of characters change weekly.

4) Replace the meet and greet at town square with characters from the movie that most recently released from the vault

5) Animal Kingdom Entrance you can meet the Three Little Pigs

6) Hollywood Studios Entrance you can meet Handy Manny and Bullseye

7) EPCOT Entrance you can meet Lewis and Wilbur Robinson (these can rotate to other characters after about a year)

8) Outside of Mexico guests can also meet Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles with Donald Duck

9) In Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom add a meet and greet spot to permanently have Abu and the Genie.

10) Instead of meeting Dug and Russell, you should be able to meet two animal characters in ANIMAL KINGDOM. My choices would be Jiminy Cricket and Flik since it is right outside of the Bug's Life area.

Bonus: I'd also put into action a new park which I'll describe in a later entry.

Here is the list of characters that Disney has a costume for that are virtually unable to meet (non-face)

Abby Mallard

Abu

Agent Oso

Annie

Atta

Big Bad Wolf

Bolt
Bowler Hat Guy

Brer Rabbit

Bullseye

Captain Hook

Carl Fredrickson

Chicken Little

Clara Cluck

Clarabelle Cow

Clarice

Darkwing Duck

Emile

Fiddler Pig

Fifer Pig

Flik

Foulfellow

Friar Tuck

Judge Frollo

Genie

George Sanderson

Gepetto

Gideon

Goliath

Gov. Ratcliffe

Gypsy Moth

Hades

Handy Manny

Horace Horsecollar

Jiminy Cricket

JoJo

Jose Carioca

June

Kenai

Koda

Launchpad McQuack

Leo

Lewis Robinson
Lotso
Louis the Alligator
Lucky the Dinosaur
Ludwig Von Drake
Lumiere
Miss Bunny
Mittens
Mr.Potatohead
Mushu
Needleman
Oogie Boogie
Panchito Pistoles
Perla
Pinocchio
Practical Pig
Prince John
Queen of Hearts
Quincy
Rabbit
Remy
Rhino
Robin Hood
Roger Rabbit
Roxie
Sebastian
Shaker
Shan Yu
Sherif of Nottingham
Slim
Smitty
Terk
Thumper
Timon
TRex
Tweedles
WallE
Wendell
Wilbur Robinson

That is quite the impressive list and I am sure that people would love to meet the majority of the characters on it.

Next week I will start an updated countdown of the Disney characters. Have a great weekend!

-Noland

10 Best Toddler Attractions @ Walt Disney World

What are the best things to do at Disney for me? This is what everyone at the park is thinking based on their current situations. We now consider ourselves experts having been passholders and want to help you out with tips for navigating the parks. From time to time we post those thoughts here. Today, we will go over the ten best attractions for toddlers. Disney can be a blast for you alone, but with kids, it is taken to a whole different level.

We will focus on the boy toddler, but most of these are great for girls as well. The focus is on the boy toddler is because we have a boy, but most of these are awesome for girls too. Additionally, the focus will be on freebies and not on add-ons you can purchase (character dining etc.).  Before we start the list, let's start with an honorable mention and that being the Boneyard in Disney's Animal Kingdom (pictured above). This attraction is an honorable mention because as cool as it is, it is a playground and not a ride at the end of the day. So with that in mind, here is the list......

10. Disney Jr. Live on Stage (Hollywood Studios)

This is a fun attraction that managed to make the list and would be higher for some. They have a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse part, a Doc MsStuffins part, a Sofia the 1st part, and Noland's favorite, a Jake part. This is an awesome little show that they do throughout the day at Hollywood Studios. It is pretty neat and I recommend checking it out whether you have boys or girls. It would be higher on the list, but it has the most uncomfortable seating arrangements at Disney. Not a fan of sitting on the floor at 6'3.

09. Mad Tea Party (Magic Kingdom)

This ride should probably be even higher because it fills my son with pure joy. Everytime we ride it, he has the biggest smile on his face. He absolutely loves riding this amazing attraction. I mean just look at him, he is absolutely thrilled on this ride. He loves the spinning teacups. It is probably the most iconic ride in the park too other than maybe Dumbo. They always show this one in the commercials and it is one that everybody knows. The best thing though about Mad Tea Party is that it usually has a wait time of less than 30 minutes.

08. Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin (Magic Kingdom)

This ride is awesome for boys and girls, but especially boys. They get in a spinning ride and they get to shoot stuff. Each boy also gets in a ride with a character from Toy Story that is most likely their favorite. Our little guy loves Buzz and Rex and I think most boys are very similar. Not to mention that when he hears that drum in line, he dances everytime. Another great feature is that Buzz is able to be met right outside of this ride with a very short line usually. Love It!

07. The Three Caballeros (Epcot)

No picture for this one, but it is easily my favorite thing to do at Epcot with the little guy. The country of Mexico is easily my favorite in the World Showcase as well. The whole atmosphere is awesome! We love this ride because of the characters throughout and the singing during the ride. It is just an awesome experience. Of course it does not hurt that Donald Duck is the star of the attraction.

06. Finding Nemo the Musical (Animal Kingdom)

Not as cool as the other musical at Animal Kingdom, but just awesome. This is a really great show that you just must do. Jenna and I find ourselves singing the songs everytime we watch Nemo and they aren't even in the movie. In fact, we just sing them randomly sometimes. Jr. wasn't as into this as some other things so it is only 6 on this list, but he was a huge fan. His favorite part (like most of us) was when Crush entered the musical. Just Go with the Flow.....

05. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Magic Kingdom)

Toddlers love Pooh. If you are a parent of a toddler and your toddler doesn't know Winnie, you are doing it wrong. Now, this one might be controversial because it replaced Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (which I loved), but Pooh is more marketable and our family does like Pooh better. It has all the characters from the original Pooh movie including a lot of stuff on Gopher. My son's favorite Disney character is Pooh so obviously this ride is usually at the top of our list. Outside, you can meet Pooh and Tigger @ a Thotful Spot. Sometimes as was the case in the photo below, Eeyore and Piglet are there as well.

04. Peter Pan's Flight (Magic Kingdom)

This ride routinely has a line that is about an hour long or more. Peter Pan is one of the most popular rides in Disney. It is something that usually either needs to be a Fastpass+ selection or hit really early before the park gets busy. There is a reason for this. The popularity is because this ride is awesome. It is simple, but it is awesome. Each person gets to ride a pirate ship. Any boy that loves Peter Pan, Jake, or just pirates will love this ride. If your boy is like mine and loves all three, then you are in for a real treat. This is definitely a Disney must do.

03. Festival of the Lion King (Animal Kingdom)

Who has a boy that says their favorite movie is The Lion King? I do, I do! This is easily his favorite show in the park. It has the main songs from his favorite movie, the three main characters of the movie and a lot of animal effects. This is just the perfect show and the actors are AMAZING! I can't believe that I did not do this show before last year. See it soon are you are missing out!

02. Toy Story Mania (Hollywood Studios)

This is the most popular ride in Walt Disney World. Don't you want to see why it is the most popular ride at this wonderful resort? This is just such a fun and interactive ride. It is fairly new and they are going to be doubling the size of it due to popular demand. Seriously, this ride cannot get much better. It has most of the characters from the Toy Story movies and is just a great time all around. You do not want to miss this thrilling attraction.

01. Kilimanjaro Safaris (Animal Kingdom)

The best ride at Disney though is Kilimanjaro Safaris. It is our favorite, always will be our favorite, and the whole family loves it. This is the closest you can get to a real African safari without leaving the country. I have heard it on numerous occasions and it is free with park admission. Try getting closer to a hippo than you get on this ride, it just doesn't really happen. Now, try all the thrills you normally get on this ride added with a boy that loves animals. A boy that is learning to talk and gets excited by every new thing he sees. You try riding this ride with that boy like I did, and you will never want to get off. That right there is the Magic of Walt Disney World Resort. That magic is summed up in this one experience that you will never want to end.

Hope you enjoyed this list and that you get to enjoy all the wonderful attractions at the fantastic Walt Disney World resort. As always have a wonderful weekend and stay tuned next week for more awesome tips.

-Noland

Jiminy Cricket Character Dining

One of my favorite characters in the Disney Universe is Jiminy Cricket. My son and I both love him and he was dying to meet him when we had our passes last year. This kid has watched Pinocchio about 10 times in a row and can't get enough of the cricket. Unfortunately, Jiminy Cricket is always MIA at the Disney Parks. He cannot be found anywhere and that is a shame. This is one of the most important characters in the Disney Universe after all...It's time Disney did something about that and let the people meet Jiminy Cricket.

The easiest way and most fun way to do this is to make a character dining experience with Jiminy Cricket. The great thing about character dining is that you can meet the character without waiting in a huge line and they get to spend some quality time with your family. Here are my Top 10 character dining ideas to include Jiminy Cricket. They can do these ideas at any of the parks, resorts, or the re-imagined Disney Springs. Just bring us the cricket. These ideas are numbered 10 to 1 with 10 being the idea I would least likely pay for to 1 being the idea I want to sign up for today!!! I would pay for any of these dining experiences though.

Honorable Mention: House of Mouse Dining Experience (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Jiminy Cricket)
This dining experience would tie into the popular series house of mouse which just so happened to be a restaurant. While Jiminy Cricket was a valuable member of that show I am not so sure that he would make the cut this time. Of course, I wouldn't really want it without him.

10. Mickey's Christmas Carol (Jiminy Cricket, Scrooge McDuck, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse)
While they might not be the characters that play them and might actually be the character in the movie, it would be neat to have some experience surrounded on the Christmas Carol. Of course, Scrooge's longtime worker Bob Cratchit was played by Mickey while the ghost of Christmas past was played by good ol' Jiminy Cricket. People would love to see Scrooge and Jiminy both in a character dining experience.

09. A Bug's Life (Dot, Flik, Jiminy Cricket, Hopper)
While this would be more centered on the Bug's Life Movie, this would be a great experience for people and a fine way to work Jiminy Cricket into the parks. It is unlikely that there would be more Bug's Life influence in the parks though as they already got a mini show experience at the Animal Kingdom. I think this would be perfect for Animal Kingdom lodge though.

08. Pinocchio Theme (Foulfellow, Gepetto, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio)
This would be the easiest dining experience to do. They could even do it in the Pinocchio Village Haus that already exists and turn that from a quick service place to a character dining hall of awesomeness. Imagine riding small World and not only seeing the people waving at you, but seeing the different characters from Pinocchio.

07. Jiminy Cricket's Christmas (Jiminy Cricket, Donald Duck, Chip, Dale)
Most people don't realize this, but there was a Jiminy Cricket holiday special at one time. They should put this up as a dining experience around the holidays in my opinion. I think there would be many people who would love it. The other characters included are the main characters in the special.

06. Theme Song Characters (Gaston, Jiminy Cricket, Tigger, Thomas O'Malley)
This is a fun to me. Characters that have sung their own theme song getting included. There are numerous choices, but I chose the 4 that best fit the description. Well the three that best fit the description and Jiminy Cricket who sung the theme song for Disney as a whole. Don't forget that it was Jiminy Cricket who sung "When You Wish Upon A Star." Tigger and Gaston are already fan favorites and you can't meet Thomas O'Malley anywhere making this a fantastic meet and greet. I would love to replace O'Malley or Gaston with Darkwing Duck though for personal preference here.

05. Fun  Singing Characters (Baloo, Jiminy Cricket, Lumiere, Sebastian)
For this meet and greet experience you take the four characters that sung perhaps the most fun songs in Disney. Those songs being Bare Necessities, When You Wish Upon A Star, Be Our Guest, and Under the Sea. Besides who wouldn't want to meet this group of four that is rarely featured. The only one of the four you can meet is Baloo and there is massive fan appeal for all four of the characters.

04. Most Magical Non-Mickey Characters (Genie, Jiminy Cricket, Mushu, Olaf)
Now, this would be the most popular of the meet and greets because it would satisfy the Olaf crew. It is almost a no-brainer to do something like this and pump up the other movies. These characters are very magical and either have powers or are given extra life/attributes through magic. Tinkerbell, Pinocchio, and/or Peter Pan could easily replace one of these characters in this experience.

03. Small Characters (Chip, Dale, Jiminy Cricket, Sebastian)
This is the less strong option of characters from the concept of taking very small characters and putting them into a larger than life dining experience. There are several options to go with Jiminy this is the weaker 3 to go along. There are several more characters that I wouldn't pay for, but I'd pay for this. Chip and Dale aren't as appealing to me, but are very popular, but Sebastian is a big draw. Lumiere is a bigger draw than the Chipmunks for me, but I realize that this is a more likely group if they did go with this theme. The toys would also be likely candidates.

or better option same concept...
Small Characters (Abu, Jiminy Cricket, Mushu, Timon)
I haven't seen any of these characters for a meet and greet in about 5 years. Getting all of them in this experience would be awesome.

02. Wise Characters (Jiminy Cricket, Owl, Rafiki, Sebastian)
I love this theme and would absolutely book this dining experience. My son has been begging me over and over to meet Owl and I have never seen him at Disney. Not at a parade, not at anything! You cannot see Owl on Disney property. This dining experience where you can meet Owl and Jiminy Cricket would be awesome especially when you throw in the other two. All of these characters gave a great deal of advice during their roles in the Disney Universe. It just makes too much sense not to have this dining experience. Get on it Disney.

01. Disney Throwback (Jiminy Cricket, J. Thaddeus Toad, LaunchPad McQuack, Oswald)
With throwbacks and sentimentality becoming so popular, it could be a fantastic idea, no the best idea to have a throwback character dining experience. The two no brainers for this would be Jiminy Cricket and Mr. Toad from the departed Mr. Toad's Wild Road, but who else would join them? Oswald would be another easy choice as he came before even Mickey Mouse. Using these characters that are not used as much anymore would be something that Disney fans would really enjoy. For the last character in this experience I went with Launchpad because he was so big in the 90s and is unused today. He was the sidekick in the DuckTales cartoon and in Darkwing Duck and Disney fans loved him. This experience would sell out constantly. Disney can go ahead and get on this one (I won't even charge them for my idea).

Timothy Q. Mouse would be great in either of the last two themes as well. Stay tuned next week for some more random thoughts.

-Noland

Most Fun Thing To Do In Each State (Part 1)

I live in Florida which has some of the coolest attractions in the United States. However it doesn't have every cool attraction in the country. There are some things that I would really like to see elsewhere. Heck, there are even a lot of attractions in Florida that I have not gotten the chance to check out yet. Since there are so many things I would like to do, I decided to prioritize them by state. Then, I decided to add in what my favorite thing I have done so far is so that I could share on this blog. I have listed all 50 states in the country alphabetically and will tell you why I want to visit that attraction in that state. These will be the actual attractions themselves and not based on travel like a concert. They will also not be dependent on who you go with as that can also be a factor on how much you enjoy yourself.

I will start with the District of Columbia since it is usually considered its own entity and then get into the 50 states. For this edition Washington DC is covered along with states A-M. Next week will be the 2nd half of the list. Hopefully it gives some ideas for planning vacations, or if you have been to one of my desired locations you can give me some feedback on how it was. Enjoy the list!

Washington D.C.

I grew up just south of DC and went there often with my family/and or friends. I have done many things in this great city.
Best Attraction Visited: The Verizon Center to see a Wizards game.
Now, the Wizards are my favorite NBA team which influences this choice a great deal, but this was a very easy selection for me. Going to a basketball game here has always been a great experience and I have done it many times.
Most Desired Location To Visit: The White House
It was very difficult to think of a place I had not been inside since I have been to DC so many times. Then I realized that I have never actually been inside the White House. That would be a cool thing to go to when I get the chance.

Alabama

I have never been to Alabama. We have, however had a guest post on the Montgomery Zoo which seems nice.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Montgomery Zoo (Montgomery, AL)
This zoo seems like a very cool zoo. It is recommended by our friends and it has animals from all over the world. It is a place that we would really like to visit and probably will soon.

Alaska

I have never been to Alaska.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Alaska Zoo (Anchorage, AK)
Alaska is freezing and further than most other states. Not sure how likely it is that I will get up there, but I do love the wildlife that lives there. It would be fun to just go out and look at the fun animals. Seeing a Humpback in the wild is just awesome. As far as a tourist attraction, I picked the Alaska Zoo because it has most of this Alaskan wildlife where you can see it up close.

Arizona

Best Attraction Visited in Arizona: Slide Rock State Park (Sedona, AZ)
Slide Rock State Park was an absolute blast. It is an all natural waterpark basically and one of the coolest things I have ever done. I rarely get out west, but will certainly be visiting this attraction again with the kids one day. In fact, will probably take a big vacation with cousins when we go to do this state park. It will be a blast.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium, & Safari Park (Litchfield Park, AZ)
This seems like the coolest thing to do in Arizona that I have not already done. With three separate categories in the zoo that alone makes it appealing. A zoo, an aquarium, and a safari park. It has the whole package. This zoo also has a very wide variety of species and looks absolutely amazing.

Arkansas

I have never been to Arkansas.
Most Desired Location to Visit: Little Rock Zoo (Little Rock, AR)
This zoo has some of the big names like lions, giraffes, and rhinos and also has some more rare species like servals and gorillas. It looks like a pretty neat zoo, but Arkansas isn't that high on my list of states to visit.

California

I have never been to California
Most Desired Location to Visit: Disneyland (Anaheim, CA)
For comparison purposes alone the answer has to be Disneyland. We are Disney fanatics and want to see the other Disney park in the United States. While I heard it is much smaller than Disney World it still seems awesome. It also seems to have some of the best attractions from 3 of the Disney World parks. This is a trip that will eventually happen. Actually a few California trips are in the future for my family.

Colorado

I have personally never been to Colorado, but Jenna has and she visited the Royal Gorge. We would like to visit together some day.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Rockies Game @ Coors Field
I would eventually like to get to all 30 MLB Stadiums and of course Coors Field is on that list. I also really want to see what the thin air does to the baseball live. It just seems like an all around great experience for me.

Connecticut

I have never been to any touristy attractions in Conn. I did visit some family in the state when I was little though.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Beardsley Zoo
This zoo is a very famous zoo that has some awesome animals. The animals include a pronghorn which I have never seen. They also have Tigers which makes this an interesting location to visit. I wouldn't mind seeing this one.

Delaware

Best Attraction I've Visited: Eastern Shore
While I have been to the Maryland and Virginia sides of the Eastern Shore more, I have been to the shore in Delaware as well and visited beaches in the area. It has always been a good time.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Brandywine Zoo (Wilmington, DE)
This zoo is very small, but it has a very diverse set of wildlife. They have tigers and red pandas among the many other animals that you are able to see at this little zoo.

Florida

Best Attractions: FSU (Tallahassee, FL) & Disney World Resort (Kissimmee, FL)
I am a Florida resident currently and love the tremendous amount of things that you can do in Florida. As a Seminole alum I have to say that my #1 attraction is Florida State University in general. My favorite place at FSU is Doak Campbell Stadium where they hold football games. However, I cannot forget any of the other places especially Dick Howser Stadium their baseball facility. As a Disney fanatic I have to put Walt Disney World up there as well because of the pure joy it brings people. Then there is Busch Gardens and oh so much more. If it wasn't for friends and family in different locations, I'd be okay with never leaving Florida. There is so much to do here.
Most Desired Location to Visit:  Lion Country Safari (Loxahatchee, FL)
While there are so many fun attractions I have done in Florida, I have not come close to doing them all. At the top of my list is this zoo located just north of Miami. It is a drive through safari, and a walk through safari, there is also a safari boat ride, and even a miniature golf course. This place really seems to have it all and is seemingly as close to an actual safari as you can get!

Georgia

Best Attraction I've Visited: Zoo Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
This zoo is the best one that we have visited so far. The review can be found here. It was just simply amazing and we will definitely be doing this again.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta, GA)
This aquarium is a location where you actually get to see whale sharks. They also have beluga whales!!!! I can't wait to go! Our Atlanta trip with this zoo and Zoo Atlanta should be happening in the next year.

Hawaii

I have been to Hawaii once and I was only 1 when we visited. Needless to say, I do not remember anything about that trip. I want to go again at some point.
Most Desired Location To Visit: Pro Bowl (Honolulu, HI)
Assuming they ever move the Pro Bowl back to Hawaii I would love to go and see the game there. It was always near the top of my bucket list.

Idaho

I have never been to Idaho.
Most Desired Location to Visit: Silverwood Theme Park (Athol, ID)
Who knew that Idaho had a theme park? Not me until I looked for what the heck people do in Idaho. This park actually looks fantastic and is a place that I would love to visit one day.

Illinois

Best Attraction I've Visited: Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL)
I don't really remember this trip well because I have only been once and it was when I was in middle school, but I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo. At this zoo they have a really awesome diversity in the wildlife at the zoo. I would love to go again to see the bushbabies and more.
Most Desired Location to Visit: Chicago Cubs Game @ Wrigley Field
As a baseball fan, this pretty much has to be on my bucket list. One of the most famous stadiums, with one of the most famous teams. We just got to see a day game at Wrigley.

Indiana

I have never been to Indiana.
Most Desired Location to Visit: Notre Dame University (South Bend, IN)
As a Catholic it would just be cool to visit Notre Dame. It would be neat to see a football game there to visit the campus and experience the atmosphere. This is a trip that will eventually be made by us.

Iowa

I have never been to Iowa.
Most Desired Location to Visit: Blank Park Zoo (Des Moines, IA)
The Blank Park Zoo is the highest rated zoo in Iowa and it seems like a cool place to visit. There is actually a surprising list of attractions in Iowa, but the coolest one for my family would be this zoo. It has Giraffes, Leopards, Lions, Rhinos, Tigers and much, much, more..

Kansas

I have never been to Kansas
Most Desired Location to Visit: Kansas Jayhawks Basketball Game (Lawrence, KS)
As much as I love basketball there are few times that I would rather see basketball than baseball or football. This is one of those time. The history of Kansas basketball is astonishing. The inventor of the game was once a Kansas basketball coach and the founder of the NBA went through the Kansas program. This team has so much history and it has to be quite the event going to a game there.

Kentucky

I have never been to Kentucky
Most Desired Location to Visit: Louisville Zoo (Louisville, KY)
The animal species that are available to view at the Louisville Zoo are incredibly diverse and awesome. This is definitely near the top of my list of zoos to visit. They have addax, bongos, komodo dragons, penguins, polar bears, rhinos, snow leopards, tigers, and so much more. The only animal attractions I haven't visited that I want to see more are the Columbus Zoo, the GA Aquarium, the Monterrey Beach Aquarium, and the San Diego Zoo.

Louisiana

I have never been to Louisiana
Most Desired Location to Visit: Audobon Nature Institute (New Orleans, LA)
This is a full experience with a zoo, an aquarium, an IMAX theatre, and a butterfly garden. They have a full zoo (which includes a dinosaur section), a full aquarium, and more. You can do one part or all of it and I would choose to do all of it as it looks simply amazing. This one definitely has found its way onto the bucket list.

Maine

I have never been to Maine
Most Desired Location to Visit: York's Wild Kingdom (York Beach, ME)
This is New England's only amusement park making it the easy choice here. They also have several animals including Lions and Tigers. The amusement park has 22 rides to enjoy and the park also has a butterfly garden. This place seems like a lot of fun.

Maryland

Best Attraction I've Visted: Camden Yards for Orioles Game (Baltimore, MD)
I've been an Orioles fan since birth and I am a huge baseball fan in general. Seeing this stadium which is the best I have seen to date and getting to enjoy a game there was priceless. I have been to this location many many times and have typically gone every single year. The most fun games I have been to are FSU vs. Maryland at College Park though. However, as I said earlier, my choices won't be opponent based or based on who you go with. That matchup is entirely based on both factors so the Orioles win.
Most Desired Location to Visit: Catoctin Wildlife Preserve &  Zoo (Thurmont, MD)
This zoo has animals from all around the world. They are from 6/7 continents with only Antartica being left out. You rarely see animals from Europe so that is pretty neat. I really look forward to visiting this one and will eventually.

Massachusetts

I have never been to Massachusetts
Most Desired Location to Visit: Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, MA)
This zoo has several exotic species from all around the world. These animals include the anteater, giraffe, kangaroo, hyena, lion, red panda, warthog, and so much more. This would be a cool trip. It could go great with Fenway Park too.

Michigan

I have never been to Michigan
Most Desired Location to Visit: Children's Zoo @ Celebration Square (Saginaw, MI)
This zoo is catered to kids which is awesome for a family like mine. It has a train ride for them, awesome animals that kids can get close to, a fossil find, a garden, and even an underwater viewing cave. The animals include a bald eagle.

Minnesota

I have never been to Minnesota
Most Desired Location to Visit: Mall of America (Bloomington, MN)
Normally I wouldn't be excited about shopping or going to the mall, but the Mall of America is different. This mall is an experience. It has something for everyone. They have roller coasters, themes, and even an aquarium inside the biggest mall in the entire country. There is even a theme park inside called the Nickelodeon Universe. This is some place that we will be going as a family someday.

Mississippi

I have never been to Mississippi
Most Desired Location to Visit: St. Mary's Basilica (Natchez, MS)
This church is recognized as one of the most beautiful in the country. It is considered a masterpiece and one of the finest Catholic Churches in the entire south. Many consider it to be the most beautiful Catholic Church in the country. It would be great to go to mass at that church as a Catholic.

Missouri

I have never been to Missouri
Most Desired Location to Visit: Cardinals Game @ Busch Stadium (St.Louis, MO)
I have long been told that the Cardinals have the best fans in baseball. I have also been told that this stadium is one of the best in baseball. Naturally I want to find out and have long held this location high on my bucket list. St. Louis is on my top 5 cities to visit and we will be going in the not to distant future.

Montana

I have never been to Montana
Most Desired Location to Visit: Zoo Montana (Billings, MT)
This seems like a really neat little zoo. I must admit that Montana isn't high on my states to visit list, but this is a trip I wouldn't mind. This zoo has a red panda, bighorn sheep, a bald eagle, a grizzly bear, and more.

This post is also a bridge post for ZooZoo Review. With all of our stuff getting packed up and ready to move we are unable to load pictures until we move in June. There will not be any zoo review on here until the move. However, once we are moved and go through and load the pictures we have several zoo reviews that will be ready to go this year. We will also document our awesome adventures all over as always. Hopefully, several of the places on this list today we will visit in the near future. Those reviews that are definitely coming are...

Brevard Zoo

Central Florida Zoo
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
Zoo World (Panama City, FL)

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week. Stay tuned next week for the list of States N-Z.

-Noland

Mastering Disney's Fastpass+ System

I know that some people think Disney's Fastpass+ System is lame, but my family thinks it is excellent. Sure there can be tweaks made, but it guarantees you three rides with little wait everytime you go to DisneyWorld and that is huge. You just have to learn how to master the system. Jenna and I never waited in a line of more than 30 minutes during our entire year of passes and we went to Disney every weekend! Check out our tips!

Tip #1: Schedule Your Fastpasses the Day you are able!
The biggest key is to schedule your fastpasses ASAP. You want to schedule your fastpasses 60 days out if you are going to a resort. Scheduling this early  will allow you to see headline attractions like Toy Story Mania, Meet and Greet with the Frozen sisters, or the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. It will be difficult to schedule any of those attractions if you wait too long. If you are not staying at a resort, you can schedule your fastpass+ selections 30 days. Scheduling 30 days out may take away the headliners mentioned above, but not always. It gives you a chance to get on those rides and you can schedule other headliners such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Space Mountain.

Tip #2: Don't Waste Your Fastpasses
Do not use fastpass+ selections on attractions that do not need a fastpass+. Mickey's PhilarMagic will have a 10 minute wait 90% of the time and doesn't need a fastpass+. Unless the park is incredibly busy, the Mad Tea Party and Dumbo typically have less than a 1/2 hour wait. Same with Aladdin's Magic Carpets. Now, if these are the only fastpass+ selections available, then yes still use them because they save time, but they are best used on more popular attractions.

Tip #3: Schedule Your Fastpasses for Peak Times
We have often blogged about the benefit to arriving early. Arriving early is huge and let's you ride a bunch of rides with little to no wait. If you are already waiting very little time, it is pointless to schedule fastpasses before 10am. That is unless you are trying to ride the Mine Train or Meet Anna and Elsa. Those two attractions are always busy. I recommend using your fastpasses between 11-3. If the first one is scheduled for 1030-1130 that is fine, but I would visit closer to 1130. You want to use your fastpass+ selections when the park is the busiest.

Tip #4: Use Your Extra Fastpasses Wisely
Some people obsess over the extra Fastpass+ selections. This can be a difficult process and I recommend you don't stress to hard over them. Often the lines in the park to get a Fastpass+ is longer than lines to some rides. You can feel like you need a Fastpass+ to get through the Fastpass+ line. If this is the case, don't worry about these Fastpass+ selections. However, once you use your original 3 Fastpass selections, you can get a new one every time you run out of selections. If there is a short line for Fastpass+ or the line is shorter than ride lines, then go for it. Just don't be disappointed when the good rides are gone, because there are a limited number of Fastpasses available. They have to keep them fast after all.

Tip #5: Use Them on the Best Attractions Possible
I will break this down to my favorite rides and what I would use the Fastpass+ selections for.

Magic Kingdom

(Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain) easily sub Mine Train if that is your preference, but I like the other rides better.

Magic Kingdom w/toddler

(Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan) Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, or Pirates can be subbed

Animal Kingdom

(Kilimanjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest)

Animal Kingdom w/ toddler

(Kilimanjaro Safaris, Meet Mickey, the other one will be wasted unless you do rider exchange)

Hollywood Studios

(Toy Story Mania, Tower of Terror, Disney Jr. live on Stage)
Side Note: Hollywood Studios does a tiered system where the more popular rides are on a higher tier. You can only pick one of Toy Story, Aerosmith coaster, or Fantasmic! The one positive to this is that Tower of Terror is on the lower tier. I recommend Toy Story, but you can sub it for the coaster. If you don't have little kids there are other selections besides Disney Jr. on stage as well.

Epcot

(Test Track, The Seas w/ Nemo, Living With the Land)
Side Note: Epcot also uses a tiered system. You must choose Test Track or Soarin'. I believe the character spot was on that upper tier as well. The best ride at Epcot doesn't need a fastpass+. The ride in Mexico is always less than a 20 minute wait and it is awesome! For a family with a toddler you would sub Test Track for that meet and greet.

Bonus Tip: Don't Wait Until You Get in The Park
As I said before the lines for Fastpass+ can get excruciatingly long. Do them on your phone before you get to the park. Waiting until you get to the park is a waste of your precious Disney time. This is one line at Disney you can easily avoid.

Stay tuned next week for more life tips!

-Noland

Disney Movies: To See or Not To See

This week I watched Into the Woods mostly because Jenna wanted to see it and because it was a movie by Disney. Not surprisingly, I found out that Jenna wanted to see the movie solely because it was Disney. We are Disney fanatics and want to see everything that the company produces. However, on this occasion, it worked out to our disadvantage. We hated this movie and how scattered it was. It was in our opinion the worst Disney movie EVER by a substantial margin. I wondered to myself and posted on Facebook about it, to see if anyone else had made the mistake of watching it. Additionally, I was recalling in my head each of the Disney movies that I treasured and each of the movies that I did not like so much. Then I decided to rank these movies and separate them into categories to inform the good people out there of the movies we recommend and the ones we don't. I also wanted to list the ones I haven't seen or don't remember so the good people can either recommend them or not. I scratch your back and you scratch mine if you will.

Note: Only theatrical films and films released under the official Disney banner are listed. No Marvel, Touchstone, etc. on the list or straight to DVD movies (although I strongly recommend Lion King 1 1/2.) I put the movies my family owns in bold. Jenna loves Hocus Pocus, but its just okay to me...

The first category is full of movies that you have to see in my opinion. These movies are absolutely fantastic and will be ranked in order of best to worst. Animated movies are not the only movies on this list as all Disney Movies will be included. The movies will include the movie title and the year the movie was released.
Remember the Titans (2000)
The Jungle Book (1967)
The Lion King (1994)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
Pinocchio (1940)
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Glory Road (2005)
Toy Story (1995)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Dumbo (1941)
Tangled (2010)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Tarzan (1999)
Mulan (1998)
Miracle (2004)
Finding Nemo (2003)
Aladdin (1992)
Brother Bear (2003)
The Three Cabelleros (1945)
Saludos Amigos (1943)
Meet the Robinsons (2007)
The Tigger Movie (2000)
The Little Mermaid (1989)
Toy Story 2 (1999)
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Hercules (1997)
Lilo & Stitch (2002)
Big Hero 6 (2014)
The Mighty Ducks (1992)
D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994)
D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996)
Invincible (2006)
Angels in the Outfield (1994)
Cool Runnings (1993)
The Aristocats (1970)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (2005)
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)
Peter Pan (1953)
The Santa Clause (1994)
Monsters Inc. (2001)
The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad (1949)
Frozen (2014)
Robin Hood (1973)
The Incredibles (2004)
The Princess and the Frog (2009)

The second category is full of movies that were pretty good that I would definitely watch again.
Enchanted (2007)
Blank Check (1994)
Inspector Gadget (1999)
The Fox and the Hound (1981)
A Bug's Life (1998)
Honey I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
Heavyweights (1995)
National Treasure (2004)
National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014)
The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
The Rookie (2002)
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
The Three Musketeers (1993)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Rescuers (1977)
The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
Jungle Book 2 (2003)
Holes (2003)
Piglet's Big Movie (2003)
Pooh's Huffalump Movie (2005)
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
101 Dalmations (1961)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Fantasia (1940)
Chicken Little (2005)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
The Sword and the Stone (1963)
Tom and Huck (1995)
George of the Jungle (1997)
101 Dalmations (1996)
Monsters University (2013)

The third category is full of movies that were just okay that I probably won't see again unless others want me to.
Ducktales the Movie (1990)
Hocus Pocus (1993)
The Game Plan (2007)
Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
Dinosaur (2000)
Operation Dumbo Drop (1995)
The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
The Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007)
The Pacifier (2005)
Bambi (1942)
Cinderella (1950)
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Ratatouille (2007)
Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Planes (2013)
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Flubber (1997)
I'll Be Home For Christmas (1998)
A Goofy Movie (1995)
The Big Green (1995)
First Kid (1996)

The forth category is full of movies that I disliked and don't plan on seeing again, but they were tolerable.
McFarland USA (2015)
Tron (1982)
Tron: Legacy (2010)
Alice in Wondeland (1950)
Pocahontas (1995)
Homeward Bound 2 (1996)
The Parent Trap (1998)
Freaky Friday (2003)
Air Bud (1997)
Mighty Joe Young (1998)
Cars (2006)
White Fang (1991)
White Fang 2 (1994)
The Emperor's New Grove (2000)
102 Dalmatians (2000)
Atlantis (2001)
The Princess Diaries (2001)
Secretariat (2010)

The fifth category is full of movies that are unwatchable IMO and I cannot believe I sat through.
Cars 2 (2011)
The Black Cauldron (1985)
Iron Will (1994)
A Kid in King Arthur's Court (1995)
James and the Giant Peach (1996)
Air Bud: The Golden Receiver (1998)
The Haunted Mansion (2003)
Sky High (2005)
Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005)
Home on the Range (2004)
8 Below (2006)
The Shaggy Dog (2006)
WALL-E (2008)
Up (2009)
A Christmas Carol (2009)
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
The Muppets (2011)
Brave (2012)
Bolt (2008)
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)
Oz: Great and Powerful (2013)
The Reluctant Dragon (1941)
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
The Country Bears (2002)
Into the Woods (2014)

Finally, here are the movies that I either have not seen or do not remember.
Victory Through Air Power (1944)
Make Mine Music (1946)
Song of the South (1946)
Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
Melody Time (1948)
So Dear To My Heart (1948)
Treasure Island (1950)
The Sword and the Rose (1953)
The Living Desert (1953)
Rob Roy The Highland Rogue (1954)
The Vanishing Prairie (1954)
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
Davy Crockett (1955)
Old Yeller (1957)
Tonka (1958)
The Shaggy Dog (1959)
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
Parent Trap (1961)
The Incredible Journey (1963)
Mary Poppins (1964)
The Happiest Millionaire (1967)
The Wild Country (1970)
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
The World's Greatest Athlete (1973)
One Little Indian (1973)
Pete's Dragon (1977)
Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
Never Cry Wolf (1983)
Oliver & Company (1988)
The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993)
Man of the House (1995)
Tall Tale (1995)
Rocket Man (1997)
Mr. Magoo (1997)
Doug's 1st Movie (1999)
Disney's The Kid (2000)
Recess: School's Out (2001)
Max Keeble's Big Move (2001)
Snow Dogs (2002)
Return to Neverland (2002)
Spirited Away (2002)
Tuck Everlasting (2002)
Treasure Planet (2002)
The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003)
Princess Diaries 2 (2004)
Ice Princess (2005)
Valiant (2005)
Roving Mars (2006)
The Wild (2006)
Bridge to Terabitha (2007)
Underdog (2007)
College Road Trip (2008)
Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)
High School Musical 3 (2008)
The Crimson Wing (2008)
Bedtime Stories (2008)
Earth (2009)
Waking Sleeping Beauty (2010)
Prince of Persia (2010)
Oceans (2010)
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)
Mars Needs Moms (2011)
Wings of Life (2011)
African Cats (2011)
John Carter (2012)
Chimpanzee (2012)
The Lone Ranger (2013)
Bears (2014)
Million Dollar Arm (2014)
Cinderella (2015)

Side Note: The worst day of my marriage was when Jenna made me watch A Kid in King Arthur's Court, well until we watched  Into the Woods. Other than that it has been sunshine and rainbows.

I hope you enjoyed this countdown and that you can give my family some feedback on these movies that we haven't seen or don't remember because we hadn't seen them since we were young kids. I did not include all of the Disney movies as I realized there were some I never heard of. If I hadn't heard of it or couldn't find it available anywhere it was not included on the list at all. Man! Disney made a lot of movies!

-Noland