FastPass+ Planning, and That Elusive Be Our Guest FastPass!

It's so fun to plan a Disney vacation.  You get stuff like this:

It's a magnet, and it has all my personalized "important dates" to help me plan!  One of the dates was June 24.  On that date, I would be able to begin selecting my "FastPass+" experiences!  I spent some time talking to my boyfriend (who's never been!) asking what he wants to do while we're there, and together we selected a few "experiences" we'd like to book.  I received a second reminder a week before that date:

So I stayed up till midnight the night before to make my selections (since this is so new, I didn't know if they "ran out" or "got booked").  But when I signed into "My Disney Experience," they said I couldn't start booking my FastPass+ selections until August 23, the date of our arrival in Disney!!  I shot off a polite-but-honest-about-my-feelings e-mail (since their online chat services run from 7AM-11PM).  I tried again in the morning at 7 before leaving for work and was able to use it!  I wonder if everything on their site operates within those hours, too, 7-11?  (They did reply to my e-mail very politely and saying they could see I was able to book, yadda yadda, did I have any further questions.)

After snagging FP+s for everything I wanted (I didn't even plan all 5 days yet--I just wanted to make sure we had FP+s for Toy Story Mania!), I remembered hearing about Be Our Guest quick-service lunch FastPasses.  I googled it and found some weird, secretive-looking sign-in to a website that gives you the FP!  You need to enter your first & last names and an ID number.  Hmmmm.  I tried my booking confirmation number, but it had a mix of letters and numbers, and the letters just didn't show up!  

I read a Disney blog that said if you are staying at a Disney resort, you receive this FastPass to Be Our Guest, and they said that after you "check-in" you will get an e-mail invitation to it.  I checked in online (which you can do starting 60 days before your vacation begins) and waited.  No e-mail.  

I used the online chat service for probably the 3rd or 4th time since beginning planning this trip, and asked a very helpful cast member about it!  She said that we will indeed be receiving this FP, and that we will get it when we "finish" checking in, when we're physically at the hotel.  

So there you have it, folks, if you will be staying at a Disney resort hotel, you are given a FP to quick-service lunch at Be Our Guest Restaurant!!  You even get to pick your meal before you go!  How wonderful!  I was worried we wouldn't be able to see the restaurant (I want to take pictures even though I've pretty much seen them all on blogs already)--I didn't want to waste any time waiting in line especially since we already have a Character Breakfast booked at Magic Kingdom (Crystal Palace).  But now we're going, and I can't wait!!  Hope you can enjoy this perk, too!

Happy Birthday, Donald!

Donald Duck turns 80 today, and he's looking divine!!  Here is a small collection of Donald memorabilia I wrangled up when I found out!  The gold one is from a charm bracelet I had as a kid (I have more pictures of it in an earlier post) that I got in the parks!  The other is a more recent one… And the rubbery one is from a line that was at Toys R Us a couple years ago (that I don't think lasted).  The vinyl is from a parks collection that came with Pluto in a sorcerer hat :)  Super pumped for my trip in August!!

Mrs. Potts Cookies!

For those of you who don't know, I actually have 2 blogs on blogspot!  This one and a cupcake one.  Sometimes they collide.  For instance, I made Brave, Wreck it Ralph and Muppet cupcakes.  You can see them all on my cupcake blog, Easy There, Cupcake!  My most recent post was Mrs. Potts cookies (one of very few deviations from cupcakes)!

I used a couple souvenirs to make them: Mickey measuring cups from Disney (from my parents):

and teapot cookie cutters from London (from my friend Katherine):

So… I kind of HAD to make these!

To read and see more, click here!  

Remember a couple months ago (May 1) when Hollywood Studios was celebrating its 25th anniversary?  The Disney Parks Blog posted the recipe for this exclusive cupcake that would only be sold that one day in that one park!  That is my next venture.  Stay tuned!!

Disney Nails 2

These are the latest Disney nails I've tried:  Minnie Mouse!  I saw these on multiple instagram posts and couldn't wait to try them myself!!

They look great on my Minnie phone handset!  I used ORLY french manicure strips for the red, and a dotting tool for the dots & Mickey!  (Unfortunately they chipped off immediately the next day--I think I need to find a new topcoat polish!)

I was in a pink mood before that, so I made these Cheshire Cat nails.  I'm not the biggest Alice in Wonderland fan, but I do love the art!  I had a lot of time on my hands for these (Spring Break from my TA job--also, no pun intended!!) so I made each nail different.  The cat's face is on my thumb, then stripes, dots, and 2-tone with a gold tape stripe in the middle!  I just bought 2 rolls of nail tape in silver & gold and I just love them!  (Also need a top coat for that, otherwise it pops right off!)

Then I ran into this dude in the Times Square Disney Store!

Before my cat nails I'd watched Up for the zillionth time and man I just love that movie.  I'd also seen these nails on Instagram before, and wanted to try them for myself:

I did the house with a regular polish brush, and the details with a dotting tool.  I used the dotting tool for the balloons & clouds, too!  (The white is Wite-Out because I'd thrown out the other white polish I had--it'd started to get goopy and gross.)

And I'll leave you with these nails I did for that wonderful gift my boyfriend got me for Christmas--tickets to Aladdin on Broadway!!   It was a fanTAStic show which I cannot recommend highly enough!!  I chose a Jasmine-y teal and dotted on some gold glitter for the tips!  I loved these nails!  And I was lucky enough to get this adorable Abu vinylmation keychain on my first try!  (You never know with those vinyls!  Sometimes you win the lotto, sometimes you get the only one you didn't want!)

Can't wait to do some more Disney nails!!  Any suggestions?

Little Updates!

Ohh okay, I see.  WDW's Facebook page says the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opens May 28th!  Plenty of time for it to not be such a bum-rush when I'm there in August!  The main thing I really want to see this time is Toy Story Mania!  I've gone 2 times since it's been open and the lines have been too long and/or the fastpass was for much later than I'd planned to stay.  Guess who's going to do a bit of her own bum-rushing this trip!!

New Fantasyland was also incomplete during my last trip (October 2012).  I was hoping the Little Mermaid ride would be open then but no such luck!  It's open now and I can't wait!!  I also hope to have lunch or at least stick my head in at Beast's castle (dinner reservations for August are LONG GONE)!

I also have to figure out this magicband situation.  Is it cool?  Is it worth it?  (I think it's free, so, probably worth it!)

Disney Trip Planning 2014!!!

Hey.  Haven't seen you in a while.  I just booked a trip to Walt Disney World for this August!!!  Let the planning begin!!

First of all, I'm sure you've all seen that the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is open (or at least had opened in previews and was all instagram'd out on May 1)!  I'm not one for roller coasters, but I do want to try this one!  (But it looks scary!!  The rocking seats??  Yeesh!)

Second, and what reminded me to post again in this blog already, is that Hot Topic is carrying a TON of Disney merchandise!  So get on it!!  Today I bought a Buzz Lightyear bow (and wore it today with my spaceship earrings and green sweater, Disneybounding at the mall):

and Minnie Mouse stockings (her image is on the front of the legs, split between the right and left legs, so it looks like it's tattoo'd almost):

They also had stockings of the Disney princesses and Alice, a Woody-inspired hair bow,  jewelry with sayings on them ("To Infinity and Beyond," "Kiss the Girl"), necklaces and earrings of various characters, bundles of socks with Disney AND Pixar characters (Nemo, Toy Story, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Villains!!), T-shirts, dresses, underwear, even RECORDS.  Records each with a big colorful scene from its movie on it, like The Little Mermaid and The Lion King.  I had to leave before I spent more than I had come in with!  Definitely check it out!!

I'll be updating the blog as I make plans for August!  See ya real soon!!

Duffy's Adventures

On my February 2012 visit to Disney, I picked up little Duffy.  He's Mickey's bear, made by Minnie to go on all his travels and keep him from feeling lonely.  She designed Duffy with Mickey's head shape on his face.  Originally introduced in Tokyo Disney, you can now meet Duffy at various locations in the parks here in America.  My Duffy is small with magnets in his paws and the back of his head.  Larger Duffy's are sold and have a ton of different outfits available.  Here are some of the adventures my Duffy has been on!

Newport Folk Festival 2013:

Easton Beach, Rhode Island:

PEZ Distribution Center, Connecticut:

Serendipity III, NYC

A new friend at the arts camp I taught at this summer:

A Brooklyn Cyclones game:

The beach in Manasquan, NJ: