disney – Believe in the Magic Traci Diary

disney, mom, photograph, photographs, walt disney world, Writing Workshop

Deidre Hall (TBT)

Posted on 13 Nov 201913 Nov 2019 by traci

Today I was talking to someone about seeing the cast of Boy Meets World while on the Disney College Program. I’ve been binge watching the last season of the show. Can you believe that the last season was 20 years ago?

I don’t have any photos to prove I really saw them. Just my memories and stories.

Anyway, Mom loved Days of Our Lives. She was super excited because one of her favorite actresses, Deidre Hall, was going to be at Disney-MGM Studios. Luckily, I was off the day she came to the Studios.

I got to watch her speak and put her hands in the cement. She had her youngest son, Sully, with her when she was at the Studios.

Did you know that they would not put all of the cement hand prints out in front of the Chinese Theater at Disney-MGM Studios? I tried to find the hand prints of the cast of Boy Meets World 5 years later. That’s when they informed that they didn’t keep all of them.

Stay kind!

Have a magical day,
Traci

disney, photograph, travel, Writing Workshop

A Magical Birthday – Throwback Thursday

Posted on 10 May 2018 by traci

Around my 39^th birthday, I realized my 40^th birthday was going to be on a Friday. It was at that moment that I began to make a plan to travel to a new destination. I did not want a party.

Hubby and I began to make plans of where we could possibly travel. Disneyland, San Diego, and Seattle were all thrown out as destinations.

Finally, in January of 2015, Hubby made the final decision for where we would travel on my birthday. We were going on a Disney Cruise with stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay.

On the morning of my birthday, we got to the airport at the same time as the TSA agents. I was also the first person to get coffee from the airport Starbucks.

Once we landed in Orlando, it was time to get on the Magical Express so that we could get to Port Canaveral. At Port Canaveral, we checked in and then waited and waited and waited. We were in group 15, I believe, so it was a long wait. Hubby and I decided to help the Cast Member who oversaw crowd control, so she let us go in before our group was called which was magical.

My birthday consisted of eating a delicious lunch, riding down the Aqua Duck while yelling “I’m 40!,” exploring the ship, and getting pixie dusted.

Here are some photos of my fortieth birthday:

With the Donald Duck statue

Sophie – The Crew Member who Pixie Dusted me on my 40^th birthday

Sunset on my birthday

The cool circular bathroom

More birthday sunset

Dressed up for my birthday dinner

The menu from the restaurant where we ate on my 40^th birthday

My dinner – Scallops (I really did not like the scallops.)

My birthday cake

The crab that our blanket was folded into

I took many more photos. I had to be picky about which ones I was going to share today.

Have a magical day,
Traci

disney, photograph, travel, walt disney world

Tips for a Non Park Disney Trip – Monorail Resorts

Posted on 6 Nov 2017 by traci

This is the second part of my series about tips for non park Disney trip. I’m not planning to write anymore unless, it is highly requested for other ideas.

When you get to the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC), you have 3 options. Take a monorail to EPCOT, take a monorail to the Magic Kingdom and monorail resorts, or take a ferry to the Magic Kingdom.

If you decide to take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom and monorail resorts, make sure you are getting on the right monorail. There will be plenty of signs.

Polynesian
The first stop on the monorail after the TTC is the Polynesian. Here are my tips about the Polynesian.
1. Go down to the check in area. Ask for a lei. They will give you a lei.
2. Head to Captain Cook’s, the quick service restaurant on the first floor of the Polynesian. If it breakfast time, Hubby’s suggestion is that you get Tonga Toast. My suggestion for lunch / dinner time is the Hawaiian flatbread. Yum!
  After you order, they’ll give you a pager type thing. One of the quick service hostesses will bring your food to you so head outside to eat your treat.
3. Head to the Pineapple Lanai for Dole Whip. The Dole Whip float is delicious!
4. Check out the decor of the resort.
5. Take a walk on the beach. Swing on the swings on the beach.
The Grand Floridian
There are 3 ways to get to the Grand Floridian from the Polynesian.
1. Walk on the beach – There is a pathway. I highly suggest this way because you will walk past the Wedding Pavilion.
2. Take a ferry.
3. Ride on the monorail.
  1. Enjoy the decor. There is so much to see while you are in the Grand Floridian.
  2. Head over to the Disney Vacation Club building to see the Mary Poppins fountain. Ask a cast member to direct you to the DVC building. It’s a must see.
  3. Listen to the Big Band. There music is fantastic.
  4. If it is Christmas time, the gingerbread house is a must see.
  5. Go outside the front doors. If Richard the door greeter is there, take a photo with him. He is a legend at the Grand Floridian.
The Magic Kingdom Entrance area
There are 3 ways to get to the Magic Kingdom Entrance area.
1. Follow the path – We did not do that.
2. Take a ferry.
3. Ride on the monorail.
  1. You cannot get past security, etc. . . unless you have a ticket so there is not much to do there. You can try to get a photo of the entrance area. If it decorated for Christmas, take photos of the tree.
The Contemporary
You can either walk to the Contemporary or ride the monorail to the Contemporary. My suggestion is walk because you will get to see Space Mountain as you are walking to the Contemporary. It’s totally different walking up to the Contemporary instead of riding the monorail.
1. Once you get there, there is a coffee stand on the first floor. The smoothies they sell there are delicious!
2. Head to the fourth floor. Chef Mickey’s is there and other shopping. Head to the balcony. You will be under the monorail. It is cool to stand there while the monorail is going over your head.
3. While you are at the balcony, cross the bridge to Bay Tower. You will get a wonderful view of Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon. So totally worth it.
4. Go up to the highest non Disney Vacation Club floor. Look down onto the fourth floor and the fifth floor where the monorail station is. So neat.
5. Head back to the first floor. Go outside to find the Mickey Statue. It is a perfect photo opportunity.
Ticket and Transportation Center
Ride back to the Ticket and Transportation Center on the monorail.

Here are my blog posts from the monorail resorts:
Entrance to the Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary, Polynesian, Wedding Chapel and the Grand Floridian

Have a magical day,
Traci

disney, My Top 10

My Top Ten Places I Want to See Before I Die

Posted on 23 Jun 20174 Jun 2017 by traci

I got a new book called “My Top Ten.” It’s a journal with topics such as “My Top 10 Favorite Artists” or “My Top 10 People I Would Have Lunch With.” I bought it to help with possible blog topics.

I’ve decided that every Friday I’m going to share a list from the journal.

Today ‘s Top 10 is My Top 10 Places I want to see before I die. Continue reading “My Top Ten Places I Want to See Before I Die” →