And of course with each festival we have a fun little scavenger hunt for the kids.  This festival we got to look out for Spike the Bee in his Pollen Nation Exploration.  Spike was hiding out in some of the garden displays and the kids always have to scout each area thoroughly so we don't miss him.  The kids got some pretty cool cups as their rewards for find Spike all over the park.

Let us know how we can help make your dream vacation come true!  We'll help you figure it all out and take away some of that stress.

When it's time to plan for Disney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!

You've got to smile when Wheezy breaks into "You've Got a Friend in Me" at the end of the ride. 

Next up is Toy Story Mania!  This a great cart riding shooting game.  You ride through different screens showing animated Midway Fair games and shoot at the screens for points.  Your gun is an old fashioned pull string cannon, my wrist got a nice workout pulling that string rapid fire!

​I loved the animatronic Mr. Potato Head in the cue.  He throws out snarky comments to the crowd as you go by.  He can even pull off his own ear if you ask him the right way.

We got to stop and have our complimentary lunch that comes with our tour before we headed off to meet our next set of animals.  We didn't get to get in the tanks with the bottlenose dolphins, but they were very playful.

Back in our van our guide drove us back over to go and meet an Orca!  The Killer Whales are what Sea World is famous for, so it was good to get to interact with these majestic sea creatures.  We got to toss him some fish and give him some commands.  He waved at us with his tail fin and waggled his huge tongue at us.  It was a fun little interaction, though this one was shared with other groups so it did feel a little rushed by comparison to the other animal experiences.

After meeting with all those animals the kids had to have some souvenirs from their experience.  Each one insisted on having a stuffed sea lion to take home with them.  These were some amazing experiences!  I know my kids will never forget getting to touch and play with all these awesome sea creatures!  It was so worth the experience!

Let us know if you have any questions about the Ultimate Animal Encounter Tour or want any more information on Sea World!  We'll be glad to help you plan your next vacation.  We can book almost any kind of travel, not just DIsney!

​We are here for all your vacation needs:  Mouse O'Clock!

​DO Angie and I are collectors, bordering on hoarders.  We each have those thing that we love.  And some of them are closer to investments.  Loungefly Bags and Minnie Ears come out all the time, and some of the exclusive or limited release versions can actually increase in value.  It's hard to know which ones will be a good investment, but I'm of the opinion that if you LOVE that backpack or pair of ears then it's value is up to you.  Angie wears her ears every trip and she loves to alternate what bag she is using all the time.

For these two I recommend finding a more affordable version before you go.  Throw them in your bag and give them to your child at the appropriate time.  The kids often won't even notice the difference.

You are welcome to spend your money how you see fit.  These are our experiences with souvenirs and your mileage may vary.  I've probably bought way too much Star Wars merchandise at Galaxy's Edge, but that won't stop me from looking around for more.

There are so many fun things to buy and collect.  From cute little picture holders to full on art prints.  Even your magic bands can make a great souvenir.  I know I'll never forget my lightsaber building experience.  Souvenirs are just keepsakes of your memorable trip.

We help you plan it out and make these memories magical.  Ask us for a quote, any time!
When it's time to plan for Disney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!

I recommend sharing with friends and the family so you can spread out the eating.  We made the mistake the first time and were overly full earlier than I would have liked.  The spicy shrimp in China was really good but I couldn't decide on a drink so ended up ordering two different cocktails.  The bacon and onion grilled cheese was simply delicious and paired with a nice tomato soup.  The marzipan cake (pictured above) was a surprise of flavors with it's slightly fruity colored parts and it's outer chocolate covering.

The kids loved the Olaf Scavenger Hunt during the Holiday Festival so they were really excited to find out that there was a Figment Scavenger Hunt this time.  Figment, the lovable imaginary purple dragon, could be found hidden in many countries in the World Showcase.  You buy the map with it's accompanying stickers and off you go.  Figment was hiding in classic pieces of art in most of the major countries.  Once completed the kids turned their map in for a Disney 3D puzzle.  It was pretty neat how they incorporated figment into these classic paintings.

When Disney does an Art Festival they really want you to get INTO the arts!  There were so many unique and fun interactions that you really put you IN the art.  Zoey just loved taking pics with all of the wing pieces around the park.

The chalk art was just cool.  Some pieces, like this Coco one, are designed perspective pieces that you can stand in for the picture.  You get the chance to see many different pieces by many talented artists along your way through the park.

We got to participate in creating a giant mural.  We each got to paint 7 squares in this huge art piece.  We really got to make a piece of art!

One of the coolest parts of IFARTS, I still giggle every time I write that, was the chance to be in SO MANY PAINTINGS.  We just had to jump in to every one we ran across.  Some of these shots are pretty hilarious.

And of course Disney has to give you the opportunity to buy some of this great art to bring home.  The longest wait was at the Star Wars Art booth, because of course everyone loves Star Wars!  I picked up two Star Wars prints and had them shipped home, I didn't want them to get damaged.

Guests will typically go to their favorite or busiest rides first thing.  This is a good way to get a jump on the crowds and avoid long wait times.  Without Fast Passes now you have to find the best time to ride each ride, as wait times can build up.  Granted wait times since COVID have been fairly short, you still don't want to lose over an hour waiting for one ride.

Most other rides at Magic Kingdom will ebb and flow, so it's easy to watch for a good time to ride.  Each of the "mountains" can have a long wait, but their times will still get you in at under an hour (during COVID).

Excluding Rise of the Resistance because of it's virtual cue, there are two other REALLY GOOD rides that can have a substantial wait time.  You'll want to keep an eye on wait times for The Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and for the Slinky Dog Dash Roller Coaster.  Both are great rides that can have a long wait, but they can go up and down a little bit.

Frozen Ever After will have a longer wait time, but their is more to look at while you wait in line.  You are walking through the streets of Arrendale and passing through Wandering Oaken's shop.  Even if you have a little princess who loves Elsa, she'll be more entertained in that line than waiting for Test Track.

We'd love to help you plan out your next Disney Dream vacation!  Ask us for more tips and tricks!

When it's time to plan for Disney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!

Every line has spaces marked along its path to separate guests.  Every line has spots marked for guests to wait from park entry, lines at eateries, and rides.  The ferry boats and buses all had systems in place to keep parties separate and safe.

Extra steps have been taken to try and keep us all safe.  Most locations are operating cashless, so expect to pay with a card or your Magicband.  Many eateries were setup for mobile ordering and all tables were either spaced apart or tables in between were marked as closed to keep parties apart.

There are a few limitations that had to happen.  Parades are shutdown for now but there are periodic character cavalcades that run through the park.  They aren't on a set schedule to prevent people from crowding around.

If you love Disney and can't wait to get back, then of course.  If you've never been and are saving up for the only trip you will ever make to Disney?  Then I'd probably wait for things to return to closer to normal.  There is some of the magic missing from Disney right now with the limitations and closings.

But if you want to go on all the rides and enjoy the treats and sights of Disney., then there is no better time to go than now.  With park capacities limited to (we're guessing) about 30% it's easy to get around the park and hit all of the rides.  Posted ride times are usually less than an hour even for the best rides.  Even the posted ride times aren't very accurate, they are currently 20 minutes faster than posted.  Many rides are walk-on most of the day.  It's usually difficult to go on the premium rides more than once in a day, but currently it's doable.

We love Disney so much, Angie has already planned a short trip to see the parks in their Christmas decorations.  You can't see our smiles, but you know they are there!

If you can't wait to go back to Disney, contact us to see how we can make your wishes come true.

Do you really need the Memory Maker?  No, but if you like to have a lot of family photos from your trip, it could be worth your while.  At Disney World you can buy Memory Maker ahead of time for $169.  This will cover your whole trip.  Every time you get your picture taken, just scan your magicband or ticket to have it uploaded to your account.  In Disneyland you get the Photopass added for free when you upgrade to MaxPass.  Besides getting to do your fastpasses from your phone, you get all your photos for free along with it.  Upgrading does cost $20 a day per person, but is totally worth it for the ease of getting FastPasses plus the photos.

​Let us know how we can help make your trip just a little more magical.

The Villain night gets wrapped up with a great show hosted by Hades himself.  The Villains come out and take over Cinderella's Castle.  Each one of them vies for control of the Castle to take control of the kingdom.  The lighting effects and acting are phenomenal.  You really want to stick around to see this show.  We also get an additional fireworks finale!

If you can squeeze this event around a rest day at the resorts, it can be a great use of your time.  Magic Kingdom often takes two days to fully explore, but the after hours events lets you enjoy all the rides without the wait times.  It could even save you a day at the parks.  You could do Epcot or Animal Kingdom till 6pm and then make your way to Villain Night.  All without having to have park hopper tickets or use an additional day at the parks.

My family loved this experience and I think yours will too!  We did every single ride and even got to ride some of our favorite rides 3 times that night.

​Contact us here at Mouse O'Clock Travel for more information.

This isn't Moss Eisley!  This is Batuu baby! 
Like everything new and wonderful in Galaxy's Edge, the cantina had a line wrapped around the building.  Reservations can be booked in advance and we were fortunate enough to grab our reservations as soon as they opened up.
Once in the cantina, it's an immersive experience.  I had wished for some aliens walking around but alas, just us humanoids.  When you do get in, you are escorted to a space for you to stand.  Yes, stand!  The cantina has very limited space, so there is no sitting around here.
​

Angie order a Fuzzy Tauntaun, which was a tangy citrus drink topped with foam.  The foam has a numbing quality.  It literally numbs the mouth a bit.  I had to have the decorative Endor cup, so I ordered the Yub Nub, which was a nice tropical punch.   The cup set me back 45 credits, but it's very detailed.  I was given a fresh clean cup in a box to take home when I was done.
​Angie order a Rodian Ration, which was not at all what I had expected.  This was more of a jello shot served in a petry dish with mini spoons.  It had quite the kick, while tasting very interesting with popping pearls and something akin to pop rocks...
We also snacked on some Batuu Bits, which were a variety of chips made from unconventional veggies.  They were tasty with the provided salsa while we waited for our libations.