Author Archives: Cody Woodbrey
25 Fun Facts About the Disney Magic
- Maiden Voyage: July 30, 1998 – 4 Night Bahamian Cruise
- Passenger Capacity: 2,400
- Gross Tonnage: 84,000 Tons
- Length: 964 ft, Beam: 106 ft, Draft: 25.3 ft
- Speed: Cruising Speed 21.5 Knots – Max Speed 24 Knots
- Crew: 950 Cast Members on board at all times
- Godmother of the ship is Patricia Disney, Former wife of Roy E. Disney
- Goofy is painting the back of the ship – Each ship has a different character
- The Magic is longer than Main Street U.S.A at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World
- There are 877 Staterooms – Inside: 256, Oceanview: 259 and Verandah 362
- The ship horn whistles “When You Wish Upon a Star”
- Lobby Statue is Helmsman Mickey Mouse
- On an average 7-Night cruise, over 71,500 eggs and are consumed
- The ship can make 1,200 tons of fresh water from seawater each day
- The ship has 11 decks
- One anchor alone weighs 28,200 pounds
- On arrival day, cast members will transport approximately 10,000 suitcases
- The Disney Magic was built in two halves about 100 miles apart
- The Magic was the first cruise ship to ever have split bathrooms for guests
- The Disney Magic was just recently renovated in October of 2013. Some of the new highlights include; The AquaDunk water slide, new Brazilian-themed restaurant, a new kid’s club, new splash zone water play areas and new adult nightclubs.
- Wood is used throughout the whole ship, which is rare for newer ships
- On average there are over 86 nationalities of cast members
- 70% of staterooms have a view of the Ocean and 60% of them have a private verandah
- All pools are filled with freshwater and are heated to 75 Degrees
- The Walt Disney Theatre can seat 977 guests and expands three decks
– Cody Woodbrey
25 Fun Facts About the Disney Fantasy
- Maiden Voyage: March 31, 2012
- Passenger Capacity: 4,000
- Gross Tonnage: 130,000 Tons
- Length: 1,115 ft, Beam: 136 ft, Draft: 26 ft
- Cruising Speed: 23.5 Knots
- Crew: 1,450 Cast Members on board at all times
- Ship Cost: $900 Million
- Dumbo & Timothy are located on the stern of the ship, weighing over 2,300 pounds. Dumbo is just over eight feet tall and has a wingspan of seven feet. Timothy is a little smaller with the height of 2’6″.
- It took 747 days or 17,928 hours to build the Disney Fantasy
- Godmother of the Fantasy is Mariah Carey
- Mademoiselle Minnie Mouse is the featured statue in the main atrium. She is dressed in vintage fashion with a parasol and streamer luggage at her side.
- Ship Builder was Meyer Werft (Papenburg, Germany)
- There are 1,250 Staterooms – Inside: 150, Oceanview: 199 and Verandah 901
- The ship horn whistles 7 different musical tunes; “When you Wish Upon a Star”, “makes no difference who you are”, “Yo Ho”, “It’s a Small World”, “Be Our Guest”, “Hi Diddle Dee Dee” and “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes.”
- There are over 5,336 beds on board
- In 1 month, over 15,776 cans of Coca-Cola will be consumed
-
The Fantasy’s Art Nouveau-inspired chandelier cascades downward from a massive, illuminated stained-glass flourish on the ceiling in vibrant hues of greens and blues. The chandelier itself is more than 10 feet in diameter, a one-of-a-kind work of art evoking a peacock in stained glass and more than 60,000 clear Swarovski crystal beads.
- The adult nightlife district Europa features five clubs and lounges that treat the senses to a taste of Ireland, England, France and Italy plus stunning skylines and signature cocktails inspired by Russia, Greece, Hungary and Spain.
- Muppet Pepe the King of Prawn is the star of the ship’s new Midship Detective Agency game, and has his very own stateroom. Located down the hall from the Oceaneers lab, the door to stateroom 5148 ½ is decked out with Pepe’s activity schedule, photos of his Muppet friends and notes from guests.
- Staterooms are 25% larger than the current industry average
- The AquaDuck is raised so to create more space on the upper-deck to party and relax.
- The Aqualab is the newest addition to the Disney Cruise Line. This 1,800-square-foot get wet area on Deck 12 is filled with pop jets, geysers and bubblers.
- Disney is the only Cruise Line that shows first run movies
- Each of the main restaurants on board can hold up to 696 guests; Enchanted Garden – Deck 2, Animator’s Palate – Deck 3 and Royal Palace – Deck 3
- Disney was the first cruise line to be granted special permission from the U.S. Coast Guard to have their lifeboats painted yellow, instead of the traditional orange. Disney made this request in order to keep the color theming of the ship consistent.
– Cody Woodbrey
Villains Sinister Soirée – Review
When Disney announced the Villains’ Sinister Soiree dessert party, I had mixed feelings about it. I was excited for this unique experience but was a little worried it wouldn’t be worth the additional price of $99 per person on top of the admission to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. I absolutely love Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party so giving up part of the party for another event was huge for me. However, after experiencing this unique event and all the extras Disney added in, I would definitely say it is worth the extra charge.
The night’s event started with getting preferred viewing for the first parade of Mickey’s Boo-To-You Parade and Hallowishes. Here we received our VIP lanyards, seating card for the dessert party, and some much needed water. One of the things I was a little worried about with the parade was that we were all going to be squished together with just an okay view of the parade. I was completely wrong. We had a great view of the parade located on the front side of the castle hub with plenty of room for everyone to stretch out and have their own spot to take pictures and see the parade. This location was also the preferred viewing area for the fireworks. For the fireworks, this was just an okay location. Most of the fireworks were hidden behind Cinderella’s Castle because we were too close. I would recommend maybe not using this portion of your VIP experience and instead standing in the middle of the street right between Casey’s Corner and the hub for optimal fireworks viewing. The benefits of staying in the preferred viewing are is that you have plenty of room between everyone with no one pushing you or touching you with their sweaty bodies to see the fireworks. I guess its kind of toss up between getting a better view and not being packed with everyone.
The dessert party portion of the event was held at two different times. The first took place at 10:15 pm and the other at 11:45 pm. I recommend doing the later one because the party officially ends at 12:00 and the dessert party is an hour long. Therefore with the later one you get about 45 more minutes to enjoy the Halloween party. When we first walked into the castle we were greeted by three of Disney’s finest villains: the Queen of Hearts, Drizella and Anastasia. We were given an ample amount of time to take pictures and socialize with all three of these characters.
Soon after our first experience with the villains in the lobby, we made our way up the stairs to the banquet hall and again, were greeted by two more characters: Captain Hook and Judge Frollo. At this time we didn’t stop to greet them but were instead escorted to our seats where we had all kinds of goodies and gifts. These included: a Maleficent dragon cup with candy, a Maleficent drink stirrer, poison apple glow-cube, commemorative menu and an autograph card with the villain’s signatures on it. As everyone made their way into the hall, Captain Hook and Judge Frollo made their way around to a few of the tables for pictures, but not all. If you wanted pictures with them, you had to approach them yourself. We were misinformed when we came in so we missed Judge Frollo, but it wasn’t too big of a deal because everyone else came around later on.
Once everyone was seated, Lady Tremaine opened the event with a special musical number and introduced the remaining villains who would be joining us for the evening. These villains included: the Evil Queen, Maleficent, Cruella De Ville, Dr. Facilier, Drizella and Anastasia. After their introduction, they spread themselves throughout the hall and started visiting each table.
I have to say this has been my favorite character “dining” experience I have ever done. The villains were absolutely amazing! They were quick-witted, respectful and spent plenty of time with each family. We actually had several of them stop by twice. This has been the most time I have ever really spent with any Disney character, especially with a villain. The villain experience alone makes this event worth every penny. They even took their time in helping calm a young boy down who at first was extremely scared, but in turn became very excited to visit with each one of them. These villains have been doing this for a very long time. They were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING and made this event truly unique and special.
I was amazed at how hard the dining staff and chefs worked on making our dining experience top notch as well. We had in our party a guest who had food allergies and couldn’t eat some of the food from the cheese and meats planner along with some of the desserts. The chef personally came out and talked with the guest and made their dessert to order. To our surprise the dessert came out at the same time as ours did. Our servers were constantly stopping by to make sure we had all the refills we wanted of Captain’s Not-So-Poisoned Potion drink and dessert/food we wanted. Five-star dining staff for sure!
Soon after we finished our cheese and meats planter four of the villains presented their own dessert selections to us (each dessert was a full size dessert). The desserts were: The Queen’s Bleeding Heart Apple (a white wine poached apple), Maleficent’s Dragon-Toasted Confection (pistachio mousse with crisp meringue), Dr. Facilier’s Chocolate Tarot Card (dark chocolate covered pecan praline with chocolate torte), and Cruella De Vil’s Spotted Chocolate Mousse Cake (101 layers of white chocolate and dark chocolate mousse with a hint of raspberry). The Queen’s Bleeding Heart Apple was interesting to say the least. I’m still not sure if I liked it or not but the rest of the desserts were pretty good.
I only see a few minor drawbacks about doing this event. Mainly this is because of the time constraints and not having as much flexibility to enjoy the party throughout the night. You will miss some of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party but as stated, if you do the later seating, you don’t have to miss much of the party.
Overall, the Villains’ Sinister Soiree is worth the extra $99 in addition to the cost of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The entire time we felt like we were the VIPs of the night and were given the best service possible. We got to experience one of the most unique experiences Disney Events has to offer. The desserts were delicious, the entertainment was awesome, and the highlight of the night being able to interact and mingle with Disney’s top villains was truly AWESOME! We had the most Villainous night we could have wished for!
– Cody Woodbrey
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – Full Event Details
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is one of my favorite events to attend. This event is filled with all kinds of spooktacular entertainment and is one of the most anticipated special events of the year. Your family, like mine, will love the special Villainous Fireworks show, “Happy HalloWishes”, Unlimited Trick or Treating, Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade, the Villains Castle Show and of course all the different character meet and greets. Here you will find some of your favorite Disney Villains, along with Mickey Mouse and his friends, all dressed in their Halloween costumes! Costumes are not required for this event but definitely encouraged. Dressing up for this event for our family really has added to the magic and excitement of the event.
Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Trails – Treats include apple slices, carrots, raisins, dried fruit, and of course, a variety of chocolates and other candies. Trust me when I say you will leave the party with several pounds of candy. The Trick-or-Treat trails are all over the park, and cast members hand out handfuls of treats. You can go back to the same locations for treats all you want.
Villains Mix and Mingle Live on Stage – Watch seven of your favorite Disney villains put on a frightful celebration in front of Cinderella’s castle. The villainous castle shows three times during the party, at 7:45 p.m., 8:55 p.m., and 10:00 p.m. This is a show you don’t want to miss, especially if you love villains.
Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade – Each Halloween party has two parades, the first one starting at 8:15 p.m. and the second one starting at 10:30 p.m. I highly recommend going to the second parade because more guests watch the first parade, making it a lot more crowded. Ralph and Venelope from Wreck-it Ralph start the parade off with a pre parade to get things exciting and fun. Soon after the pre parade the Headless Horseman takes off through the streets to get the parade started, which is awesome to see! Shortly afterwards you will see amazing floats decorated in all things Halloween, such as Characters dressed in costumes, grave diggers dragging their shovels, villains being bad, pirates playing with their loot, and many more fun and exciting things.
Celebrate The Magic – Each night Cinderella’s Royal Castle comes to life as Disney Imagineers create a new way of storytelling. They use Cinderella’s beautiful castle as the canvas of telling the stories of some of your favorite Disney movies. Celebrate the Magic is a great preshow to the fireworks. It’s an exciting show the whole family will enjoy and I highly recommend watching it. The show plays nightly right before and after the fireworks spectacular.
Happy HalloWishes – These fireworks start at 9:30 p.m. in front of Cinderella’s castle. None other than your ghost host from the Haunted Mansion hosts this “Happy HalloWishes” Fireworks Spooktacular show. Flames, fireworks and a remix of your favorite Disney villain’s theme music all come together to make this a don’t-miss firework show. These fireworks, which are different than the regular fireworks done during the week, are absolutely amazing and are my favorite to watch!
“Celebrate The Magic” & “Happy HalloWishes” Fireworks Tips – For the best view of Celebrate The Magic, stand between the Refreshment Corner on Main Street and the main hub in front of the castle (the circular area where Walt Disney’s statue is). I would not stand between the hub and the castle because the castle will partially block your view of the fireworks. The closer you get to Casey’s Corner, the better your view will be. Main Street U.S.A. is also a good spot to view the shows.
Face Painting – Disney provides free face painting during the parties. The lines to get your face painted can get long really quick. The face painting is done between Space Mountain and the Dance stage in Tomorrowland.
The Cadaver Dans – Head over to Frontierland and listen to a deadly group of cowboys singing songs in the style of the Dapper Dans.
Specialty Food – Halloween party exclusive treats are sold throughout the park. Goodies available include spiced Pumpkin Waffle Sundae at Sleepy Hallow, Specialty Cupcakes and cookies at the Main Street Bakery, Ghost Cupcakes at Gaston’s Tavern, Candy Corn Soft-serve ice Cream at Storybook Treats, and Candy Corn Cotton Candy at several of the outdoor carts. These treats really are pretty good. You have to try at least one of them if not several of them.
Exclusive Merchandise – Disney sells exclusive merchandise during the parties such as t-shirts, Disney trading pins, new Magic bands and more. The Emporium and Mickey’s Star Traders are the only two places that sell the exclusive merchandise. You can buy other Disney Halloween-themed merchandise during the day as well.
Character Dance Parties – These dance parties are a great way to take a load off and dance the night away with some of your favorite Monstrous and Villainous Disney characters. Select Disney Characters come out and dance with everyone; however, they usually don’t stop and take pictures and don’t sign autographs at the dance parties.
The Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball Dance Party takes place in Frontierland in the Diamond Horseshoe. Lead by some of your favorite villains, this party is all about being bad and showing your villainous side. This is truly one of the best places to see a variety of villains. Cruella de Vil, Dr. Facilier, Frollo, Lady Tremaine and her two daughters Drusilla & Anastasia are found at this dance party.
Club Villain Dance Party takes place in Frontierland in the Diamond Horseshoe. Lead by some of your favorite villains this party is all about being bad and showing your villainous side. This is truly one of the best places to see a variety of villains. Cruella de Vil, Dr. Facilier, Frollo, Lady Tremaine and her to daughters Drusilla & Anastasia are found at this dance party.
Character Meet and Greets
There are 39 possible characters that do meet and greets, and there are 11 characters at the Dance parties, which totals 50 characters that you will be able to visit in some way. Below is a list of the meet and greet characters for the party.
Costumed Characters – Keep your eyes open, because you never know whom you’ll see–but will you recognize them? Your beloved Disney Characters will be dressed up in their best costumes, and Disney Villains will be out in full force. It was fun to see them all in their different costumes. Just make sure you don’t forget your camera!
Extremely Popular Characters
Jack Skellington & Sally – Located in Main Street, U.S.A. next to City Hall; Greeting Tip: The line to meet them starts forming about 5:30 p.m. If you wait until the party starts you could spend up to 2 ½ hours waiting to see them, which will take up half of the party.
Seven Dwarfs – Located in Fantasyland next to the great walls in Fantasyland beyond the Carousel; Greeting Tip: The line to meet the Seven Dwarf’s starts about 6:15 p.m. The line can extend up to 2 hours. If you want to see both Jack & Sally and the Seven Dwarfs, wait to do the meet and greet for the dwarfs later in the evening; however, don’t wait too long, because they will cut off the line early.
Captain Jack Sparrow – Located in Adventureland across the pathway from Pirates of Caribbean attraction; Greeting Tip: The line to meet Jack starts about 6:15 p.m. The line will extend up to about 2 hours. Great time to meet Jack is during the parade. I would skip the first parade and meet Jack and go to the second parade, which usually has the smaller crowds.
Princess Anna & Queen Elsa – Located in Fantasyland at Princess Fairytale Hall; They do meet and greets here all day. If you want to meet them I would do it during the day before the party starts. Their line will be at least 2 hours long.
Moderately Popular Characters
Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet & Eeyore – Located next to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction; They typically don’t start meeting guests until about a half hour after the party starts. These characters are dressed up in their Halloween costumes. Only Winnie the Pooh and Tigger do meet and greets during the day, and they are not dressed up at that time.
Tarzan, Jane & Terk – Located in Adventureland just past the bridge on the right side on the Verandah; Tarzan & Jane are not out with each other the whole time. For every hour there is about 15 minutes they are not together. Terk is out for the entire time.
Aladdin, Jasmine, Abu & the Genie – Located in Adventureland in the building across the path from the Swiss Family Tree house; Aladdin & Abu come out together, and Jasmine and the Genie come out together. They switch off with each other. They do have about 5 minutes where you will get all four at once, but it is hard to time it just right.
Mad Hatter, Alice, the White Rabbit & the Queen of Hearts – Located in Fantasyland near the Tea cups; The Wonderland characters switch with each other throughout the party. Alice & the White Rabbit do meet and greets earlier in the day.
The Witch or Hag – Located in Fantasyland near the bridge by the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Jafar – Located in Adventureland across from the Flying Carpets
Lotso-Huggin Bear & Buzzlight Year – Located in Tomorrowland between the Carousel of progress and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin; Buzz meets during the day, but Lotso only comes out for the party
Easier To Meet Characters
Mickey Mouse – Located in Main Street, U.S.A in the Town Square Theatre; Mickey meets here regularly, but during the Halloween Party he dresses in his Halloween costume
Minnie Mouse – Located in Fantasyland near the entrance of the circus; Minnie Mouse is dressed in her Halloween costume for the party
Goofy – Located in Fantasyland near the entrance of the circus; Goofy is dressed in his Halloween costume for the party
Donald & Daisy – Located in Fantasyland near the entrance of the circus; Both are dressed in their Halloween costume for the party
Gaston – Located in Fantasyland near Gaston’s Tavern; Meets guests during the regular day here
Cinderella & Rapunzel – Located in Fantasyland at Princess Fairytale Hall; Meets guests during the regular day here
Snow White & Aurora – Located in Fantasyland next to the great walls in Fantasyland beyond the Carousel; Meets guests during the regular day in Town Square
Princess Tiana- Located in Liberty Square behind the Christmas Shop; Meets guests during the regular day here
Tinker Bell – Located in Main Street, U.S.A in the Town Square Theatre; Meets guests during the regular day here
Ariel – Located in Fantasyland next to Ariel’s Grotto; Meets guests during the regular day
Merida – Located in Fantasyland at the Fairytale Garden; Meets guests during the regular day
Additional Meet and Greet Tips – I would meet the characters that are out during the day before the party starts and get the rare characters during the party. There really isn’t enough time during the party to see all the characters. Your tickets get you into the park starting at 4:00 p.m., which gives you an extra 3 hours in the parks. Remember to get into line early for those really popular characters so you don’t waste your whole party waiting for only a couple of characters.
Villains’ Sinister Soiree: A Wicked Takeover of Cinderella’s Castle
New this year to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom Park is the devilish dessert party that will be taking place in Cinderella’s Castle. Lady Tremaine and her villainous friends have taken over Cinderella’s Castle and are having a delicious dessert party with wickedly fun entertainment and villainous character meet and greets.
The event will take place in the great halls of Cinderella’s Royal Table, which has been transformed into an upscale villainous room. Here guests will enjoy live music, which includes being serenaded with solos from Lady Tremaine herself. You’ll also enjoy an array of delectable desserts and specialty non-alcoholic beverages. Upon leaving the dessert party guests will receive an autograph card and a souvenir Maleficent dragon cup! As an added bonus to the dessert party, guests will have reserved seating for Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade and a reserved viewing area for HalloWishes, the nighttime spectacular.
For those Disney Villain Character fans there will be several of your favorite villains attending the dessert party. Those attending will be Lady Tremaine, The Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook, Frollo, Maleficent, Cruella, Facillier and the Evil Queen. An additional fee of $99 per person plus tax is required for this dessert party.
There you have it one of the best events Walt Disney World puts on each year. This event is worth the extra cost and I highly recommend going. If you want more information on the event or want to plan a trip to Walt Disney World, please contact me.
– Cody Woodbrey
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is coming to Disney California Adventure
Starting on September 14, 2014, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit will be meeting guests at Disney California Adventure Park. This will be his first appearance at the Disneyland Resort. His meet and greet area will be along Buena Vista Street. Oswald was one of Walt Disney’s first animated characters. “Trolley Troubles” was the first film he appeared in on September 5, 1927.
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more great information on all things Disney Characters & Disney Travel.
– Cody Woodbrey
Villains’ Sinister Soiree: A Wicked Takeover of Cinderella’s Castle
New this year to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom Park is the devilish dessert party that will be taking place in Cinderella’s Castle. Lady Tremaine and her villainous friends have taken over Cinderella’s Castle and are having a delicious dessert party with wickedly fun entertainment and villainous character meet and greets.
The event will take place in the great halls of Cinderella’s Royal Table, which has been transformed into an upscale villainous room. Here guests will enjoy live music, which includes being serenaded with solos from Lady Tremaine herself. You’ll also enjoy an array of delectable desserts and specialty non-alcoholic beverages. Upon leaving the dessert party guests will receive an autograph card and a souvenir Maleficent dragon cup! As an added bonus to the dessert party, guests will have reserved seating for Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade and a reserved viewing area for HalloWishes, the nighttime spectacular.
For those Disney Villain Character fans there will be several of your favorite villains attending the dessert party. Those attending will be Lady Tremaine, The Queen of Hearts, Captain Hook, Frollo, Maleficent, Cruella, Facillier and the Evil Queen. Most of these characters will not be doing meet and greets during the Halloween Party. This may be your only chance to see them.
Admission to the Villains’ Sinister Soiree: A Wicked Takeover of Cinderella Castle is available for $99 per person, plus tax (gratuity included). Guests are required to have already purchased admission to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Reservations can only be booked by calling in. To make a reservation, please call (407) 939-5262. Reservation are expected to go quickly, so don’t wait until the event to make a reservation.
The Dessert Soiree at Cinderella’s Royal Table, taking place at both 10:15 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. on September 1, 9 and 12, 2014; and at 10:15 p.m. only on September 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28 and October 2, 3, 5, 9, 10, 13, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31, 2014.
To check in for the event, you will visit the main will call booth outside the main entrance of the Magic Kingdom park from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm. Starting at 7:30 pm. you can check-in at the parade and fireworks viewing area in the central plaza by the Castle Forecourt State. It is recommended you check in at will call for saving time and for convenience. Once you have checked in, you’ll receive a wristband, which must be presented to enter the preferred viewing areas and Cinderella’s Royal Table. You can also check in at Cinderella’s Royal Table if you don’t want to participate in the preferred seating extras for both the parade or fireworks.
For more information or to buy tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party, please contact me at cody@woodbreyfamilytravel.com. I also book and plan trips to Disneyland and to the Disney Cruise Line.
– Cody Woodbrey
Characters From Disney’s “Big Hero 6” are Coming to Disney Parks
For those who know me, you know that I have a huge passion for all things Disney Characters. To go along with that, I love blogging about them too. For all things Disney Characters, I’m your man! My most popular blog post about characters is “Meeting Disney Characters 101”. This blog post walks you through the steps in having the best possible experience meeting your favorite characters.
There are some fantastic character experiences coming to the Disney parks and you can count on me to provide you with the most up-to-date information.
Hiro Hanada & his friend robot Baymax from Disney’s newest film “Big Hero 6″ will be making their first appearance at Disneyland and Walt Disney World this fall. Locations and exact dates for this meet and greet experience have not been released yet. More information will be released soon.”Big Hero 6” will be in theaters November 7, 2014.
If you are planning a trip to Disneyland or Walt Disney World this fall, please contact me and I’ll help book an amazing trip for you. cody@woodbreyfamilytravel.com
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more great information on all things Disney Characters.
– Cody Woodbrey
Villains Unleashed Event Full Details
The Disney Parks blog has announced the full lineup of events of the ‘Villains Unleashed’ that will take place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on 23rd of August. They also announced Captain Gantu and Dr. Jacques von Hämsterviel from the Lilo and Stitch series will be doing meet-n-greets on the Streets of America during the party!
Lineup of Events:
Hades Hangout
The party kicks off at 8 p.m. at the main event stage, where hosts Hades, Megara, Pain and Panic are killing ‘em with comedy. They’re joined throughout the night by the Underworld Dancers, DJ Igg Nite, live music from Bernie Briquette and Brimstone, and a rogues gallery of roaming rottens, from the Queen of Hearts and Sheriff of Nottingham to the Big Bad Wolf and Captain Hook.
Villains Dominion
For this one special night, the Streets of America area of the park will be swarming with baddies. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to meet favorites like Cruella De Vil, Jafar, Dr. Facilier and Gaston, along with more rarely seen baddies such as Shan Yu from “Mulan,” Bowler Hat Guy from “Meet the Robinson,” or Captain Gantu and Dr. Hämsterviel from “Lil & Stitch: The Series.” In addition to these dedicated villain encounters, you may spot even more wandering evildoers in the area. Look for Judge Claude Frollo, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, Drizella, and more!
The Dark Side
During “Villains Unleashed,” the area around Star Tours – The Adventures Continues becomes a wretched hive of scum and villainy, the place to find nefarious bounty hunter Boba Fett, Sith apprentice Darth Maul, and the ultimate villain – Darth Vader! And that’s not all! Wandering the area, you’ll stumble upon more malcontents from that galaxy far, far away: Zam Wessel, Aurra Sing, Asajj Ventress, Jango Fett, Greedo, Jawas, and others.
Villainous Encounters
Visit Stage 4 (where The Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow attraction is seen during the day), and you can “Parlay” with the one and only Hector Barbossa. And just around the corner in the Animation Courtyard is where you’ll discover a bit of the Moors, where you can have an audience with the mistress of all evil, Maleficent!
Oogie Boogie’s Freaky Funhouse Show
Over on Sunset Boulevard, Theater of the Stars presents a production of extreme performances, hosted by the original master of scare-monies, Oogie Boogie. It’s an all-new show that’s sure to thrill!
Fantasmic!
Strolling up Sunset Boulevard, a gang of villainous henchmen, known as the Night Crawlers, tempt you to join them for a special pre-show to the evening’s performance of Fantasmic!, itself a celebration of the power and intrigue of some of the greatest Disney villains.
“Villainy in the Sky” Fireworks
Ultimately, Hades summons Maleficent to the main event stage to close things out with a devilishly dazzling display of pyrotechnics!
I’ve said this before, this is one of the most anticipated events of the year! This event is going to be absolutely amazing!
– Cody Woodbrey
Shorter Lines to See Anna & Elsa at Walt Disney World
The Magic Kingdom is fixing the ever-so-long lines to see Anna & Elsa. At times the wait time to see these two is as long as 4 hours, causing guests to get upset as they waste most of their time in the park waiting in line to do just one thing. This week the Magic Kingdom is running a new test with the sisters that would shorten the line to about half an hour. At the beginning of the day, cast members will allow the line to build up to about a 30-minute wait and then cut it off. Any guests beyond that point, or who show up after they have cut the line off, will receive a timed-return ticket, allowing the guest to come back at a later time for their meet and greet. Here is what the return tickets look like, given by WDW Press.
Each hour of the day approximately 80 tickets will be given to guests. This is the number of guests the princesses can see in 1 hour and keep the half-hour wait times. This new process will allow guests to enjoy more of the park during their visit. It is in the testing phase for now but could easily become part of the daily operations.
If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World, please contact me for more information.
– Cody Woodbrey
Disney’s Villains Unleashed Event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Full Character List
Earlier this summer Disney Events announced their newest event, “Villains Unleashed”. Where over 50 Disney Villains will be running wild throughout Disney’s Hollywood Studios causing mischief and mayhem. Below is the full list of Villains attending this event. Keep in mind characters are subject to change.
Click on the link for more information on the event – Disney’s Villains Unleashed Event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
List of Disney Villains Attending
- Maleficent – Sleeping Beauty
- Jafar – Aladdin
- Evil Queen – Snow White
- The Hag (Evil Queen transformed) – Snow White
- Shenzi – Hyenas from the Lion King
- Banzai – Hyenas from the Lion King
- Ed – Hyenas from the Lion King
- Sheriff of Nottingham – Robin Hood
- Prince John – Robin Hood
- Queen of Hearts – Alice in Wonderland
- Cheshire Cat – Alice in Wonderland
- Gaston – Beauty and the Beast
- Dr. Facilier – Princess and the Frog
- Oogie Boogie – Nightmare before Christmas
- Captain Hook – Peter Pan
- Mr. Smee – Peter Pan
- Hades – Hercules
- Meg – Hercules
- Pain – Hercules
- Panic – Hercules
- Br’re Bear – Song of the South
- Br’re Fox – Song of the South
- Barbosa – Pirates of the Caribbean
- Shan Yu – Mulan
- Lady Tramaine – Cinderella
- Anastasia – Cinderella
- Drizella – Cinderella
- Big Bad Wolf – The Three Little Pigs
- Foulfellow – Pinocchio
- Gideon – Pinocchio
- Stromboli – Pinocchio
- Yzma – Emperors New Groove
- Kronk – Emperors New Groove
- Cruella De Vil – 101 Datamations
- Horace – 101 Datamations
- Jasper- 101 Datamations
- Gov. Radcliffe – Pocahontas
- Frollo – The Hunchback of Notre Dame
- Bowler Hat Guy – Meet the Robisons
- Darth Vader – Star Wars
- Stormtroopers – Star Wars
- Emperor Palpatine – Star Wars
- Imperial Guard – Star Wars
- Jango Fett – Star Wars
- Boba Fett – Star Wars
- Darth Maul – Star Wars
- Zam Wensel – Star Wars
- Tusken Raider – Star Wars
- Guarian Guard – Star Wars
- Asajj Venturess – Star Wars
- Aurra Sing – Star Wars
- Jawa – Star Wars
This is one of the most anticipated events of the year and tickets are expected to sell out fairly quickly. Don’t be caught without a ticket! May your night be full of Villainous activities!
– Cody Woodbrey
“Frozen Summer Fun” Premium Package Now Available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The popular Disney animated film “Frozen” is coming to life like never before with all-new, immersive experiences at Disney’s Hollywood Studios during “Frozen Summer Fun!”
And, now through Sept. 1, 2014 (with the exception of Aug. 23), you can reserve viewing for three of the park’s most anticipated new experiences with the “Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package.”
The fun begins during Anna and Elsa’s Royal Welcome, a procession down Hollywood Boulevard welcoming the visiting royalty to the kingdom of Hollywoodland. Then, you can cool down inside Premiere Theatre during For the First Time in Forever: A “Frozen” Sing-Along Celebration, featuring the music from the film’s chart-topping soundtrack. And, to wrap up the day’s festivities, you will enjoy an exclusive dessert party in a reserved area for a viewing of the “Frozen” Fireworks Spectacular.
The “Frozen Summer Fun Premium Package” costs $59 for adults and $34 for children (including tax and gratuity). Discounts do not apply. Park admission is required. Subject to restrictions and change without notice. The number of packages available each day is limited.
– Cody Woodbrey
If you like my blog, please click on the follow button at the top of the page. Thank you!
Photo Credits: Tyler Mower, Cami Grudzinski & Disney
Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland Park
This event is filled with all kinds of spooktacular entertainment and is one of the most anticipated special events of the year. Join your family with a Villainous Fireworks show, popular seasonal attractions, such as the transformation of the Haunted Mansion into the beloved Nightmare Before Christmas Haunted Mansion Holiday, and Space Mountain into Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. Here you will find some of your favorite Disney Villains, along with Mickey Mouse and his friends all dressed in their Halloween costumes! Costumes are not required for this event but definitely encouraged. Dressing up for this event for our family really has added to the magic and excitement of the event.
Main Street Pumpkin Festival
In the center of Town Square you’ll find a 12-foot high Mickey ‘jack-o’-lantern’, complete with pumpkin ears. As you make your way down Main Street U.S.A., you will see over 300 different carved pumpkins on display in the shop windows.
Haunted Mansion Holiday
The bakers at the Disneyland Resort come together each year to create an original gingerbread house for the ballroom scene. Last year’s gingerbread house was perched on a tall and spindly mountain featuring a flying Zero and a ghost train. At 9 feet tall, it was one of the tallest they’ve ever built. The Haunted Mansion will also be transformed into a Tim Burton ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ theme.
Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy
As always this year, Space Mountain will be transformed into “Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy!” Move through space and experience surprises around every corner. Typically, it is best to do the attractions during the day. This will allow you to have more time seeing all the extras of the party and to see more cool and rare characters. If you only have tickets for the party, you will still be able to get into the park at 4:00 p.m., which will allow you to do the attractions before the party starts.
Toontown Treat Pre-Party starts 1 hour before the Party Starts
Event guests may enjoy some spooky fun in Mickey’s Towntoon, even before the party starts. Where early Trick-or-Treating Witches & Wizards will greet guests. Line up for the pre-party 30-45-minutes before it starts. This will help you get through the lines a lot quicker, you’ll get more candy, and you’ll have time to see all the characters. The characters you will see for the pre-party are Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck, Chip n’ Dale, Clarabelle Cow, and Roger Rabbit. Roger Rabbit and Clarabelle Cow only come out for this pre-party. This was so much fun, and it definitely kicked off the night on a high note. We saw so many characters and got loads of treats before the party even started.
Mickey’s Halloween Parade runs twice nightly
Join Mickey and his friends all dressed up for the holiday in this haunted musical Cavalcade down Main Street. Floats will celebrate the “fun of dressing up,” including a Haunted Castle Float decorated by Mickey with bats, ghosts, spider webs, pumpkins and skulls. This is not the same parade as done during the day.
A Villainous Surprise in the Skies Fireworks’ runs nightly at 9:30 p.m
This “Halloween Screams” Fireworks Spooktacular show is hosted by none other than Jack Skellington. Flames, fireworks and great music all come together to make this a don’t-miss firework show. These fireworks, which are different than the regular fireworks done during the week, are absolutely amazing and are my favorite to watch!
Mickey’s Tick-or-Treat Trails
Treats include apple slices, carrots, raisins, dried fruit, and of course, a variety of chocolates and other candies. Trust me when I say you will leave the party with several pounds of candy. The Trick-or-Treat trails are all over the park, and cast members hand out handfuls of treats.
Halloween Treats
Halloween party treats are sold throughout the park, with exclusive Haunted Mansion treats at The French Market and Café Orleans! Goodies available include Silly Halloween Caramel Apples, Pumpkin Muffins topped with Cream, Mickey Halloween Cookies, Hot Caramel Apple Cider, and Pumpkin Cheesecake!
Costumed Characters
Keep your eyes open, because you never know whom you’ll see–but will you recognize them? Your beloved Disney Characters will be dressed up in their best costumes, and Disney Villains will be out in full force. During our last visit we saw Mickey and his friends dressed up in four different costumes from 4:00 p.m. to the end of the party. It was fun to see all of their different costumes. Just make sure you don’t forget your camera!
Dance Party
Take a load off and dance the night away with some of your favorite Disney characters at the night’s dance party event in Tomorrowland. Select Disney Characters come out and dance with everyone; however, they will not stop and take pictures or sign autographs at the dance party.
If you are planning a trip to Disneyland, please contact me for more information and deals.
Cody Woodbrey
Mickey’s Halloween Party Tickets Go on Sale for Disneyland on July 16
The Disneyland Resort is about to get a little bit spookier this fall. Halloween Time starts at the Disneyland Resort on September 12th and runs through October 31st. Mickey’s Halloween Party will run on select nights for 14 nights at the Disneyland Park.
Halloween Time features the popular seasonal attractions such as the transformation of the Haunted Mansion to the loved Night Before Christmas Holiday Mansion, and Space Mountain to Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy. There will also be some of your favorite Disney Villains. Mickey Mouse and his friends will all be dressed in their Halloween costumes during the party!
Mickey’s Halloween Party tickets go on sale:
- July 16 – For Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders, Disney Rewards Visa Cardholders, and Disney Vacation Club Members
- July 30 – General public
- Tickets can be purchased through Wish Upon a Star with Cody.
Mickey’s Halloween Party 2014 dates:
Friday, September 26; Tuesday, September 30; Friday, October 3; Monday, October 6; Wednesday, October 8; Friday, October 10; Tuesday, October 14; Friday, October 17; Monday, October 20; Wednesday, October 22; Friday, October 24; Monday, October 27; Wednesday, October 29; and Friday, October 31.
Return back to Wish Upon a Blog with Cody later this week for more information on Mickey’s Halloween Party.
If you are planning a trip to Disneyland, please contact me for more information and deals.
– Cody Woodbrey
If you like my blog, please click on the follow button at the top of the page. Thank you!
Top 15 Snacks and Desserts at Walt Disney World
There are a lot of different types of snacks and desserts found at the Walt Disney World Resort properties. Here is a list of the top 15 choices from my guests’ favorite snacks and desserts while they visit Walt Disney World… Try not to get too hungry reading blog!
1. Dole Whip Ice Cream or Dole Whip Float – Location: Aloha Isle In Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom and at Capt. Cook’s in Disney’s Polynesian Resort
2. Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar – Location: In all parks
3. Funnel Cake – Location: Sleepy Hollow at the Magic Kingdom and at the Funnel Cake stand near the American Pavilion in Epcot
4. Churro – Location: Mexico Pavilion in Epcot
5. Frozen Lemonade – Location: In all parks
6. Carrot Cake Cookie – Location: Writer’s Shop in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
7. Mickey Mouse Shaped Pretzels- Location: In all parks
8. Fish & Chips (Fries) – Location: Rose and Crown Rub in Epcot
9. Turkey Leg – Location: Toluca Legs Turkey Co. in Disney’s Hollywood Studios
10. Popcorn & Pickles – Location: In all parks
11. Strawberry Tart- Location: Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisseries in Epcot
12. Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundae – Location: Ghirardelli Soda fountain shop at Downtown Disney
13. The Grey Stuff – Location: Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom
14. LeFou’s Brew- Location: Gastons’s Tavern at the Magic Kingdom
15. The Kitchen Sink (The Biggest Ice Cream Sundae You Can Imagine)- Location: Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Beach Club Resort (Along the Boardwalk)
Again, there are a lot of great snacks even beyond these 15 choices. Feel free to comment and share some of your favorite desserts below.
– Cody Woodbrey
Disney’s Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay is Disney’s 1,000-acre private island in paradise. You will find many activities for the whole family to enjoy, such as swimming, snorkeling boating, parasailing and of course sunbathing.
Along the shoreline at Castaway Cay’s Family Beach you will find several activities for everyone to enjoy. Some of the activities you will find here will be swimming; snorkeling, kayaking, volleyball, or relaxing under the sun. The Games Pavilion is another great place for family members to have fun. The pavilion provides great games such as table tennis, foosball, billiards, chess and basketball.
One of the reasons why my family love snorkeling at Castaway Cay is all the fun things you get so see. While snorkeling you will find treasures like: hidden Mickeys, sunken ships, old submarines, and of course you will see some amazing tropical fish. Tip: Each one of the big treasures are marked by a buoy you can either bring your own snorkel gear or you can rent them at the beach rental shack ($29.00 per person). You can also rent inner tubes here ($10.00 per day).
Pelican Plunge is a must do for your visit to Castaway Cay. This 2,400 square-food floating platform sits a short swimming distance from the beach. Here you find two fun and exciting slides, a giant bucket that dumps hundreds of gallons below and water cannons for shooting targets a short distance away.
Castaway Cay also has some great port adventures you can book such as, stingray interactions, parasailing, fishing, glass-bottom boat tours or even jet skiing. Some of my guests’ favorites are the stingray interactions and parasailing.
Like on the ship, the food here is completely complimentary. Cookie’s BBQ is a great buffet to get food at the family beach area. Some of the foods you will find here are barbeque, burgers, fresh salads, island spiced rotisserie chicken, grilled fish, flat breads, ice cream and soda.
For those adults who want to get away from the family beach, they can head over to Serenity Bay Beach. This beach is the adult only area on the island. Here adults can relax enjoy the cool breeze of the ocean without large crowds and noises. The food here is bit nicer than that of the family beach eating areas.
Beach Cabanas – If you want a little extra piece of paradise, you can rent out 1 of 20 premium rental cabanas. These cabanas proved you private and luxury retreat. The cabanas are furnished with cushioned chairs, luxuries chaise lounges, stylish side tables and a dining table, refrigerator, lockable storage unit and your own fresh water shower. The Cabanas are located just off the Castaway Family Beach and on Serenity bay.
There you have it, Disney’s little piece of Paradise!
If you are planning on taking a Disney Cruise in the future, please contact me for more information and deals.
– Cody Woodbrey
Woodbrey Family Travel Blog 