Dressing for a Look at Magic Kingdom's New Hub + Shopping for our Disney Cruise + D23 Cinderella Screening

Despite the sunny Sunday, Monday dawned grey and foggy, but warm. I had planned to head to Magic Kingdom to take some pictures of the new Hub, and with the fog, I was excited to get pictures of Cinderella Castle. 

Here's a tram engine, just trammin' along the main drive. 

When I arrived at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), the line for the Express monorail was reeeeeaaaaaly long. So, I hopped on to the Resort Monorail loop. Usually this takes longer, because it stops at the resorts, but this time I ended up beating the 'Express' monorail in. Plus, it was monorail black, which is one of the ones with the new wall carpet! It's the little things that excite us Disnerds. 

Behold, Cindy's castle, fifty shades of grey. 

Even in the bleak coloring, the new Hub looks nice. I for one really like it. It adds some depth and charm to the area, and though it would be nice to have some benches for seating (which I totally get why there's not, since it's firework viewing) and real grass (that's astroturf), it makes nice use of the space. It's very European park-like. 

This is the West side, in front of Casey's Corner. 

Here's looking at the East side, toward Tomorrowland. 

I took this facing back toward Main Street to give an idea of how well it 'fits' with the themeing. 

The fountains add a nice kinetic energy, and the sound of trickling water is always pleasant, especially mixed in with the Main Street background music. 

Who's got the sweetest disposition? One duck, that's who. 

The new Hub even reflects nicely. 

Here's a short video of the space, complete with background music. 

Wandering through Adventureland, I was finally able to get a shot I've tried for time and time again. No, not this one...

THIS one! A people-less (almost) shot of Adventureland through the archway, labeled 'Adventureland.' I'll try it again when it's a nice, bright sunny day. 

The sun started to break through as I was standing in the Haunted Mansion queue. 

I've never noticed these tombstones up to the left of the queue. I think they're labeled after the Hitchhiking Ghosts, who I know are Ezra, Phineas, and Gus. I see Phineas and Ezra up there, but no Gus... not sure where Cousin Algernon comes in. Anyone know? A Google search turns up these results; Cousin Algernon and Phineas Pock are two of the five singing busts in the graveyard. But then where does Ezra come in? Disney mysteries. Ok, now I Googled all three names, and came up with this. I could be here all day; no wonder it takes me so long to write these things. 

Alright, so after the Haunted Mansion, I walked over to Pirates to browse the gift shop. I wanted to look into things for me and John to use on Pirate Night on our Disney cruise. How appropriate is this ball and chain-- since it'll be our Honeymoon cruise?! The ol' ball and chain. 

Lilly Pulitzer Asher Top (got this during the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale for a steal) // J.Crew Reid Code Denim Jeans (currently on sale; I combined mine with coupons and a cardholder discount and got them for around $40)

After that, I headed out and took a boat over to the Polynesian. From there, I walked to the Grand Floridian. This is such a nice little walk, very easy, about five minutes, and quite picturesque. I didn't see one other person the entire time. It'd be a sweet romantic stroll after dinner at the Grand in the evening, or a great place to jog. 

I popped into Summer Lace to check the Lilly inventory (sadly dwindling each time I visit). I liked this Vineyard Vines top. It'd be cute with white shorts in the summer, but I can't justify the $128 price tag. I'll keep watching to see if it goes on sale anywhere.

Vineyard Vines Chambray Emroidered Top

I did like this dress, and ended up buying it for the cruise. It's so nice that you can use your Annual Pass discount, even on Lilly! 

Lilly Pulitzer Briella Fit and Flare Cap Sleeve Dress

Last night, John and I went to Downtown Disney to see an Early Screening of Cinderella. Here's one place we love having a Tables in Wonderland card. Parking at DTD is a notorious cluster f*&$ at the moment. Valet parking costs $10-20 dollars, depending on length of stay. If you use your TIW card anywhere it's accepted, valet parking is validated--free! This goes for any place that has valet- Deluxe resorts and all. Usually we eat dinner somewhere and use that receipt to validate, but tonight we were eating at the Food Trucks and seeing a movie, neither of which take TIW. So, we bought a bottle of water at Wolfgang Puck Cafe on the way out, and viola, $20 valet validated for $2.50. 

The valet is located down on the West Side, by Cirque Du Soliel, so if your destination is at the Marketplace, it can be a bit of a hike. But walking's good for you! And trust me, I'd rather do the 10 minute walk than fight the parking madness. PLUS I have a Fitbit, so I'm all about those 10,000 steps. 

Remember when I said I repeat outfits if I've only worn them a short time? Exhibit A. Again, that's what Febreeze is for!

At the Food Truck park, I ordered Butter Chicken and John got a corn dog. 

I know this looks like baby poop or vomit, but it tasted good. And don't you just love the ju-ju's I got from Disneyland last August?! The best way to dress up a Longchamp, I tell ya. 

John waited, no joke, 10 minutes for this bad boy. Apparently they dip them one at a time. So plan accordingly. I had finished by chicken before he got his food.

Finally it was time to make our way to the theater. This was my first time ever seeing an early screening or special viewing of a film, so I didn't quite know how literally they would enforce the 'no camera' rule. I didn't bring any of my real cameras (hence the iPhone quality photos in this post), but I didn't see how they could enforce a no phone rule. Whelp, they can and they do. As we walked in, they had us put our phones in ziplock bags, and traded us for a numbered ticket. We'd exchange that ticket at the end for our phones back. I get it, they don't want recordings of the movie. But what if you missed an emergency call, or there was an emergency in the theater, etc? That said, it was kind of nice being 'unplugged.' Everyone seemed a bit more chatty and friendly, since they couldn't bury their nose in their device. And anyway, it was a room full of Disnerds, so of course it was awesome. I was telling John how you could yell out something obscure like "Museum of the Weird!" or "Discovery Bay!" and the room would erupt in cheers and applause. I love it. I tried to get a 'T Bax! T Bax!' cheer started, but John said no. ;)

****SPOILER ALERT. STOP READING HERE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOVIE**** 

(It's the end of the blog post anyway, so nbd.) 

You know, I liked the movie more than I thought I would. The scenery is beautiful, the costumes are absolutely stunning, and it was fun seeing Rose and Daisy from Downton Abby together in something else besides the tv show. The plot moved a bit slow at times, but maybe that's because I knew what was going to happen ;). I liked the overall message behind it ('Have courage, be kind'). It had a few touching moments. And the score was really lovely. John asked why they didn't have any of the songs from the animated version; you'll have to stay through the ending credits for those. 

My main beef, and I've stated it before here, was the Fairy Godmother (hello, Bellatrix Lestrange from Harry Potter). She's goofy, clumsy, and kind of a space cadet. Not at all like the poised little lady from the classic. Cate Blanchett was a bitch of a step mother, just cruel. The stepsisters weren't as goofy as they are in the classic (or portrayed in the parks). And poor Cindy saw a lot of loss in her lifetime, poor girl. 

I would recommend seeing it in the theater, if for nothing else to see those beautiful sets and costumes on the big screen. Oh, and Frozen Fever, the short before the film, was pretty cute. I like Frozen, I do, I just don't like the over saturation and $$$marketing$$$ that is infiltrating all things Disney right now. I actually like Elsa's dress better in this one.    

Ok, that's all for now. I'll be back with some scenes from opening day of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, in the next few days. My parents are coming to town, and we're going to Disney it up! 

TTFN. 

Weekend Wear-abouts: Epcot Flower and Garden Preview + Booking our Honeymoon Disney Cruise +Universal Studios (and a small rant)

Aloha!

Let me start by saying that our weather hasn't looked like the above picture in quite a few days. We were slogged in with rain, cold weather, and overcast skies for a good four to five days. While I know I can't complain about the weather here in Florida to those who are going through a rough winter up north, we Floridians sure do get used to seeing the sun every day. So this, up there? That was a welcomed sight on Monday morning.

On Friday, I ventured out to Epcot to check out what had been set up so far for the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival. Like I said, it was overcast and chilly; I don't think it got out of the 50's that day. So, these pictures aren't as vivid as they could be; guess I'll just have to go back on a sunny day, darn.

I spied some Lilly lovin' ladies on my way in.

Cold, grey skies. And lots of birds.

You may remember my affinity for succulents from this post. So you can imagine my excitement to see them being used in displays around the park.

Funny story here. As I was walking up by Spaceship Earth, I heard a marching band. Odd. I caught them right as they were passing by the Fountain of Nations and tried to catch up. Man, they were moving fast. I did some speed walking and was able to follow them toward Journey Into Imagination and snapped a pic right before they disappeared backstage. Not sure why they were there, but it was a first for me. Then I heard this podcast by the guys over at Retro Disney World, and it made me chuckle when they talked about Ronald Reagan's Presidential procession at Epcot in 1985, complete with marching bands. 

Thanks to the Disney Hipsters of tipping me off to these guys, the Paul McKenna band. Catch them in the UK- they're so, so good.

Mexico had some beautiful flowers. Along with succulents, I also love air plants. They showcased them in a really unique way here.

One of my favorite Flower & Garden details was back in full bloom (see what I did there?!) again this year. They line the wheelchair ramp/walkway leading up to the Mexico pavilion with trees full of orchids. Catch these early in the festival, because they begin to peter out mid-festival. They're so beautiful though. 

So Saturday it rained. And it rained. And it rained. (The Living Seas, anyone?!) 

John and I stayed in all day and didn't do much, aside from finishing our Harry Potter marathon. Oh, and WE BOOKED OUR HONEYMOON CRUISE ABOARD THE DISNEY FANTASY! That's right, we're going on a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise with stops in St. Maarten, St. Thomas/St. John, and of course, Castaway Cay. We're staying in a verandah room.  

This will only be my second cruise ever, and my first Disney cruise. If you've got any tips or advice about this boat, or our ports of call, please fill me in. I've been doing tons of research by reading trip reports, some of my favorites being by Kelly aka sweetpea_1993 over on the WDW Magic forum. In fact, she's the one who put the bug in my ear about Disney cruises, when I stumbled upon her TR's a few years ago. We also booked through Tammy at Storybook Destinations based on her recommendation. Tammy's been great, I'd recommend her in a heartbeat. 

So, Saturday was spent reading about our cruise. We'll be eating at Palo twice, Remy once, partaking in Pirate Night, scuba diving off of St. Maarten, touring St. John, and doing  whole lotta nothing in Castaway Cay (well, snorkeling and bike riding, thanks again Disney Hipsters for that rec.)

You know I'll be filling the blog with my clothing purchases and packing list leading up to the trip, so stay tuned. 

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The sun returned on Sunday (fitting), and John and I headed to Universal. We have Annual Passes here, but don't go nearly as often as we go to Disney. It's a bit farther away, and as much as I try to go in with an open mind, I just end up being disappointed and constantly compare it to Disney while I'm there. I like the thrill rides, and there is some neat stuff, but I don't know. The professionalism, cleanliness, pride of the 'cast members', nostalgia, layout, whimsy...is just lacking, with the exception of all things Harry Potter. Again, in my opinion.  

I'll give you a few examples. (Feel free to scroll on down and skip this little rant altogether)

We stopped at Moe's in Citywalk on the way in to Universal. John hadn't eaten all day (this was around 2 pm) and was hangry. You know what I'm talking about, and I can so relate because when I get super hungry, I become an angry bear. Watch out. 

We're in line at Moe's and John orders nachos. The lady behind the counter asks him what kind of meat he wants. He says something like, "Hmm, what are my options..." while obviously looking around to see where they are listed. The lady just stands there looking at us. A good 20 seconds goes by (which doesn't sound long, but is in the moment) with John still looking, and the lady still is not offering up any help. I'm sure she could rattle off the meat options in her sleep. I finally found it on the menu and told him. I know, it sounds so trivial, but come on lady. Work with us here. 

Our Annual Passes allow us Express Pass entrance to most attractions after 4pm. We were walking in to the Mummy ride and approached the employee, who apparently needed to scan our passes. (This is why we wear the stylish lanyards around our neck while there. Oh, and there's a reason why John is sporting a fanny pack too, see below.) So we walk up and she just stands there, holding her little scan gun. We look at her. She looks at us. Instead of saying something along the lines of, "May I scan your ticket please?" she just holds up her gun. We paused for a few seconds, and she waves the gun around in front of her face in a 'come on already' gesture. Again, little things, but things that really stick out to me as unwelcoming and unprofessional. 

Speaking of unwelcoming...

Below is the Krusty burger from the Simpsons area. It tasted as bad as it looks. But curly fries are always good!

Krusty burped in my face during the Meet & Greet. I told him I just ate some of his burger and felt the same way. 

One area that's really nice is the little 'Central Park' spot that goes by the water. I like the shaded trails, birds, and foliage. If only there were more benches in the shade, this would be one of my go-to spots for sitting and people watching.

J.Crew Factory denim shorts (old, similar here) // Gap tank top (old, similar here) // J.Crew linen cardigan (old, similar here) //  Havaianas flip flops

I wear rubber flip flops, like Havaianas, when I think it might rain. As much as I love Rainbows, they're horrible when they get wet. They stay damp, stain the bottom of your feet, and can be really slick. 

Also, above is a perfect example of what I wear during these Spring months when the weather doesn't know what it wants to do. A light sleeve for layering, a tank for when you're in the hot sun, and shorts. The outer layer can also be used to cover your head in case it decides to rain. In the summer, you know the rain is coming, so pack a rain jacket, poncho, or umbrella.  

I'm not a fan of Spongebob, but I am a fan of puns.

My fiancé is such a cutie.

Lacoste t-shirt // J.Crew shorts // Quicksilver hip pack (it's not dorky, if you call it a 'hip pack')

John uses this when we tour Universal because they don't allow any bags or loose items on most rides. Sunglasses? Get a locker. Cell phone in your pocket? Get a locker. My Dooney wristlet that I loop through my belt loops and wear like a make-shift fanny pack? Get a locker. Granted, the lockers are next to each attraction that mandates this, and are free for an amount of time, but it's still a pain. And forget about taking a camera on any ride. I heard an employee yell at someone on the Cat and the Hat ride to "PUT AWAY THE CELL PHONE! NO PICTURES! NO CAMERAS!" once. Cat and the Hat is akin to the Winnie the Pooh ride, for comparison sake. Pretty tame. Plan accordingly. 

So! We were really excited to get back to Diagon Alley after finally finishing the Harry Potter series. It all makes so much more sense now!

This ride. THIS. RIDE. It's intense. But so, so fun. I feel my age when I ride it though, and can only do it once per visit. They videotape your ride, and you can pull it up on kiosks and watch it after. Do it, it's hilarious. 

Sidenote: There's an entrance/exit to Universal Studios back by Rip Roarin' Rocket. It opens an hour or so after the park opens, but is a nice, uncrowded area, and cuts off quite a bit of time if you're walking between the Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Come back tomorrow for a look at the new Magic Kingdom hub and Cinderella Castle shrouded in fog. That was a first for me. I'll also be showing you a Lilly dress I already bought for the cruise, a gem of a walkway between two deluxe resorts, and will fill you in on our D23 Early Screening of  Cinderella. John and I are going tonight-- yay!