Disney Time Again!

After many years away from Walt Disney World we've just returned from the most amazing time away fully immersed inside the Disney bubble.

So let me fill you in.

Back in 2020 things started to align that meant a visit to Walt Disney World was on the cards...but then we all know what happened that year! Our plans and dreams were once again put on an indefinite hold while we waited for the world to get back to some semblance of normal. Fast forward to September of 2023 when in an attempt to get a little Disney fix we embarked on our first Disney cruise (and first cruise ever!) aboard the Disney Dream. Not only did this give us that Disney magic we'd been looking for but it also gave us a whole new way of 'doing' Disney, which we fell in love with! So much so that we made new friends while aboard and were booked for the following year (dragging the kids with us!) almost as soon as our feet touched land!

So after our second cruise in September of 2024, and with Simon joining me in retirement nine months earlier, our thoughts turned once more towards Walt Disney World. When our new friends from our cruise in 2023 mentioned that they too were hoping to visit WDW in early 2025 we vowed to meet up and set about coordinating diaries. As soon as dates were confirmed we were able to sort flights, hotels, tickets and more.

Our itinerary ultimately involved a couple of nights staying at Disney's Coronado Springs resort, followed by a 3 night Disney cruise aboard the Disney Wish, returning to Walt Disney World for a 19 night stay at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter resort, with a 14 day park ticket to experience all that the parks had to offer!

Suffice to say we had the best time and have lots to tell...so stay tuned as I try over the course of the next few posts to recount our travels.

Disney you say...

So how did my love (some may call it obsession) of Disney come about?

When I think back Disney has always just 'been there' in my life. I remember as a child growing up in the UK we would watch 'Disney Time' a movie clip compilation show that would appear on the TV at special times of the year. 

I have a vague memory of one of my very first trips to the cinema being to watch 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks', although I can't be sure this was during its initial cinematic release as I would have only been about 4 years old. But growing up in the 1970's and 1980's Disney was simply a part of the pop culture we were exposed to.

I very recently re-discovered an album that I still own to this day and which was probably bought for me as a child, it's dated 1975.

Then in November of 1990 during a trip to London we made a point of visiting the then brand new Disney Store on Regent Street; it had only opened that month and was the first Disney Store outside of the US. I have this photo of me wearing the Mickey ears that we had bought. I remember them being of a very hard, shiny plastic and that they dug into my head so hard it meant wearing them for anymore than a few minutes just wasn't doable! Oh how times, and ears, have changed!

Then in 1991 Simon and I made our first trip to Orlando, Florida which was kind of by accident. We had originally intended to go on vacation with my parents who were planning a trip to Austria but I'd gotten the dates mixed up and had booked the wrong weeks off from work. It was also the time of the Gulf war and the rumours were that flights to the US were 'going cheap' so we decided to take advantage and book a Florida vacation. However, when we came to make the booking we soon found out that the rumours of cheap flights were just that, rumours! But as we had chosen where we wanted to go we decided to book the vacation anyway staying in a hotel on International Drive.

On 30th July 1991 we made our way to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World for the very first time and stepping onto Main Street USA I just knew I was 'home'.

Taken 30th July 1991, waiting for the fireworks.

Since then there have been numerous trips to Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris, one trip to Disneyland, one Disney cruise and Simon has been lucky enough during work trips to visit Tokyo Disney Resort. I have lots of books and memorabilia, handbags, clothes and just the odd one or two Disney themed tattoos! Oh and I co-host a Disney theme parks podcast with my very good friend Michelle, called the Disney Dream Girls.

So yes Disney plays a big part in my life and I think it always will. 

There is something in the ethos of Walt Disney and the company that he created that draws you in. But it is still hard to explain what it is exactly that drives this love of all things Disney and the indiscernible magic that it creates. It's in the story telling, the attention to detail, the characters, the customer service, the ability to leave the real world behind for a little while and for everyone no matter what age or background to enjoy something together. 

Some will look at Disney and the theme parks and assume it's 'just for kids' but it is so much more than that. And to use a quote attributed to Walt himself from the opening of Disneyland in 1955, and then immortalised in plaques at both Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom...'here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy'...oh and remember 'adults are only kids grown up anyways'!

Day 516...Monday...

Day 516...

The start of the working week for some but the last day of Simon's holiday for us.

First thing this morning we had a local landscape gardener pay us a visit to provide a quote for laying some artificial grass. We had their quote by early afternoon but have another couple of companies lined up to provide quotes before we decide whether it's something we want to do and whether the price is right!

We then headed off for a wander around Nottingham and explored a little more of the Arboretum. We'd only really discovered the Arboretum a couple of weeks ago and so decided to head back there today to walk around where we've not yet been. A coffee was then needed and we popped into a Starbucks...not our usual choice and although I have nothing against the coffee I don't think we will be frequenting this branch again. It was noisy, doors banging constantly, sticky tables, crumbs on the floor and it felt like we were sitting in the middle of a busy bus station rather than a calm cafe. Not really the experience I would have expected, nor wanted, and considering the number of staff working, there really was no excuse for the state of the place. Suffice to say we will avoid this particular store in the future and stick to our usual coffee stops.

Back home and we had an afternoon of Simon completing more digital art and me scanning yet more photos. I'm working my way through our holiday photos from Orlando in 1991 and as I came across some from the Magic Kingdom fireworks and Main Street Electrical Parade I wanted to check what time these would have occurred. I was going to google the question but then I had a thought and went on a search...

...and found these park guide maps and show times from 1991 which provided the answer I needed.

And I just love these photos...

...a rare photo of us both together on this holiday and I am guessing this was taken between the fireworks and then the parade...

...this photo has me with a rose...while waiting for the parade Simon bought me a 'light-up' rose. I still have this rose, and it still works, and is one of my most prized Disney souvenirs.

Our day was rounded out with Molly driving us over to her Monday night kickboxing class and sparring session.

And there we have a Monday, see you tomorrow.
xx

Disney Inked

One of the ways that I keep my love of Disney going, as well as expressing how much Disney means to me, is through my tattoos.

Every tattoo that I have has a bit of Disney thrown in somewhere...some more obvious than others!

It all started a fair few years ago when Simon & I became intrigued with the world of tattoos after watching a number of 'ink' related TV programs. We loved the artistry involved and the stories behind the tattoos and soon we were talking about getting our own and what we would have done and why.

My reasoning was very simple - it had to combine the loves in life (family and Disney) as well as be designed by Simon.  The thought of having a piece of his art on my body was a no-brainer as far as I was concerned.

So the first tattoo I ever had was at the base of my spine. It spans across my lower back with a tri-circle Mickey at the centre; this was designed by Simon, and tattooed by Gray Silva at Rampant Ink Tattoo Studio. It also incorporates Simon’s initials and those of our two children (if you know where to look!)

Photo taken at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Dinoland USA after riding Primeval Whirl, 2008

My next tattoo carried on the Disney theme and once again incorporated the classic tri-circle Mickey at it's centre.  This was designed by Simon along with input from tattooist, Rachel Huntington who also worked at Rampant Ink Tattoo Studio.

Photo taken at Disneyland, Sleeping Beauty's Castle, 2010

My third tattoo is around my ankle and foot and has flowers with tri-circle Mickeys at their centres flowing off an abstract tri-circle Mickey.  This time I took Rachel some designs of tri-circle Mickey’s that I had come across on our previous visit to Disneyland, explained where I wanted the tattoo and that I wanted cherry blossom type flowers as well.  I told her all about ‘hidden Mickey’s’ and love the fact that she was able to get so many into one tattoo; between the main ‘Mickey’, the flower centres and tiny hidden ‘dots’ there are 11 hidden Mickey’s!  I also love the fact that those in the know see the 'Disney' element straight away but for others I have to point it out, and when they realise they are completely awestruck!

Photo taken at the Magic Kingdom, Main Street USA, 2011

My next tattoo was based on a drawing that Simon completed as part of his 365 Mickeys Project; the drawing celebrated the day I got my original foot/ankle tattoo!

Simon's 365 Mickeys Project drawing for 8th July 2011

The tattoo version is almost the same but with an extra flower and a total of seven hidden Mickeys. This tattoo has since had a small star added to represent my mum who recently passed away.

Freshly inked Tattoo by Rachel Huntington - May 2014

So what to do next....well it's true what they say that you can never stop at just one tattoo and the idea that started bubbling away in my head was that of a full sleeve...a full Disney sleeve of course.

So in February this year the first part of my sleeve was begun. Now this sleeve is still a 'work-in-progress' and will contain a mixture of images of all different kinds that help to signify what Disney is all about for me personally; favourite movies, characters as well as representing my Disney home - Walt Disney World. The tattoo was started initially by Rachel while she was working at Rampant Ink. We started with Cinderella's castle (to represent the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World) and then the rose and bell jar from Beauty & The Beast as well as Scrump from Lilo & Stitch...

...next came some words, colour and a classic Disney blue bird...

...this was followed by more words, tinkerbell and some fairy dust...

 ...oh and the genie's lamp from Aladdin.

Now this is where I had a change of artists as Rachel decided to take a break from tattooing. Luckily for me Rampant Ink also employs the amazingly talented Simon 'Saint' Heywood who agreed to take on the rest of my sleeve for me. My first 6 hour session with Simon included lanterns from Tangled...

 ...colour and enhancements to the rose and bell jar as well as filling in around some of the words...

 ....there was also the apple from Snow White along with Cinderella's glass slipper...

...and then moving onto my lower arm...

 ...a movie clapper board to represent Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.

I have now had my second 6 hour session with Simon which has resulted in seven new pieces to my sleeve. So continuing on my lower arm...

...on the front I have Figment, the purple dinosaur from the attraction Journey Into Imagination which represents Epcot. I then have the Simba cave drawing from the movie The Lion King which represents the Animal Kingdom. So that's all four main parks at Walt Disney World represented!

On the back of my lower arm there is...

 ...Mrs Potts, from Beauty & The Beast, and of course that means that...

...Chip had to be included too! Also on my lower arm there is...

...a classic Disney butterfly as seen in the likes of Bambi. Moving back onto my upper arm there were a couple of smaller pieces added...

...a silhouette of Mary Poppins and a couple of 'Mickey' balloons which are synonymous with any visit to the Magic Kingdom!

But I still have plenty of space left to fill and plenty of ideas of what I'd like to fill those spaces with...but I won't spoil the surprise and will leave the reveal to another post after my next inking session later this year!

WDW Summer 2013 - Day 14

Well here we are on our last full, proper day at Walt Disney World...always a bitter sweet day as we try to make the most of those final hours whilst knowing that we will be going home very soon and not knowing when we will get the chance to return.

So this morning we took the boat and headed over to the Contemporary Resort...



...where we had breakfast at the Contempo Cafe.  As we finished breakfast the kids went off to the arcade to use up their credits which gave me some time for a little shopping!

Bay View Gifts

Well to be fair it was a necessity as my sunglasses had broke the day before so I couldn't survive without a pair of shades now could I?!!

Trying on shades...this is the pair I bought

When it came time to make our way over to the Magic Kingdom...my must do park for our first and last days of our vacation...the kids wanted to jump aboard the monorail but we decided to make them walk!! Honestly you'd have thought we were making them walk miles when in fact the walk from the Contemporary to the Magic Kingdom is only a few minutes and a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the monorail.

 Leaving the Contemporary Resort.

Some views along the way...we had it all to ourselves!











We obviously needed refreshment after such a long walk and headed straight to The Main Street Bakery (otherwise now known as Starbucks!)

Although we did take the time to admire all the Halloween decorations...I shall post some more photos at a later date.

We then headed over to Big Thunder Mountain where the kids went off for a ride by themselves.  We then had a little Disney Magic as a family gave us some of their unused Fastpasses for Big Thunder, and as there was more than we needed we decided to pass on the magic and gave the extras to another family.

Kids on Big Thunder Mountain...honestly they are on there!

We had a late lunch at the Columbia Harbour House (one of my favourites) before jumping on It's A Small World (has to be done on the last day!).  We also managed to see The Hall of Presidents and The Enchanted Tiki Room before the kids had a go at playing 'A Pirates Adventure - Treasures of the Seven Seas' in Adventureland.  This was another interactive game which we all loved getting involved with;

Molly activating something in the basket!!!

We also had chance to play some more of Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom...

The kids dragged us onto the Tomorrowland Speedway (their choice not mine!) before we dropped in to see Mr Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe while we had a bite to eat.

Me with Sonny!!

As the day began to draw in we headed back over to Big Thunder Mountain for a ride in the dark...

before heading over to the hub to watch Celebrate the Magic for the last time, followed by Wishes...there was not a dry eye tonight :(

Goodbyes are hard to say

But we had time for one last selfie on Main Street;