Exposition Hall

Located on Main Street Exposition Hall is a place to take funny photos with character cutouts, really nice photos as a princess or sit inside the quiet comfortable theatre and watch classic Mickey films. Every time we are at Magic Kingdom we stop in and Exposition Hall and wonder back to the theatre. It is a nice place to get out of the rain, heat or crowds. Plus there are a bunch of exhibits up to browse. Take a look at these old cameras and photographs…



And if you are feeling like you want to be silly just stick your head through any of the numerous cutouts and have someone snap a shot of you. Here is one that allows you to become a part of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves…



Well I hope that some of your favorites made it on my Magic Kingdom Favorites list this week if not tell us about them! Have a magical weekend!

Tomorrowland Transit Authority

Call me crazy but I like Transit Authority. I like to ride around and get great views of the park and go through the top of Space Mountain (because that is as close as this ride chicken will get). It is nice to get up there in the air and take a leisurely ride around and see Tomorrowland and Cinderella’s Castle, especially when the park is busy. I feel like it is just Norwood and I (most of the time we have our own car) way above the park and it is because of that, that I mark this as one of my favorite things in Magic Kingdom. Here are some of the photos from our last trip on the Transit Authority…

Mickey’s PhilharMagic

We saw this neat 3D movie for the first time this year but we absolutely love it. This show really feels like Disney with Goofy, Donald, Mickey and Minnie putting on their symphony. I love the sound effects like when Goofy is running around before the show starts to find Donald and then later open the curtain. Or when you can hear little Minnie and her high heels clicking around back stage. Not only are the sound effects really neat in this show the 3D movie is amazing. When little Donald reaches out to grab onto something when the instruments become mad I always reach out my hands for him. My favorite movie scene of the show is when Donald ends up at the table in Beauty and the Beast, oh the smell of apple pie! And the end of the show! I laugh out loud every time I see little Donald in the back wall. Plus you get to wear the cool opera glasses! This show is one of my favorite things in Magic Kingdom tomorrow I will tell you more about my favorite Magic Kingdom rides. If you want to see more of my Magic Kingdom photos head on over to my Magic Kingdom Slideshow.

The End to the Perfect Day

We did so much during our perfect day at Magic Kingdom I could not even write all about this week. One of Monica’s favorite things during the day was the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular at the end of the evening. Not only was it Monica’s first time seeing Disney fireworks but it was also me and Norwood’s first time seeing the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular. It was really amazing and quite different from other fireworks at Disney. Jimney Cricket is your host for the fireworks show and several of the characters talk about their dreams and wishes. There was even a special appearance by Tinkerbelle! Also for those who have not yet seen Wishes Nighttime Spectacular I have a little tip… watch the smoke clouds after the fireworks, you might just see some hidden Mickey’s. Here are a few shots of the End to our perfect Magic Kingdom day…







If you would like to see more of the Wishes Nighttime Spectacular check out my flickr set or slide show.

The Perfect Magic Kingdom Day Part II

Yesterday I started off the week by telling you about the wonderful weather and the great boat ride over to the Magic Kingdom. As I left you yesterday I was telling you about the happiness that was in the air at the gates. In the past when we arrived at Magic Kingdom there have been families that look tired and kids that are cranky. Not that afternoon. Everyone was in such a fantastic mood and who could blame them the park looked so cheery with all the Halloween decorations. Here are a couple of shots of what was in the park…





Happy pumpkins were everywhere! Main Street was decked out with all the "Not so Scary" Halloween decorations. This was the first time that Norwood and I were able to be at the Magic Kingdom during the Halloween season. We had been at Magic Kingdom in 2003 for the Christmas season, which I really look forward to this year, but never during Halloween. We both loved the decorations and took lots of pictures of them.

After admiring the decorations on Main Street we headed over to the train station to catch the train into Frontierland to begin planning our ride schedule to make sure that my sister Monica, who had never been to the Magic Kingdom before was able to see all the big highlights. Norwood and I thought that if we were lucky we might be able to get four rides in that day. Just as we were walking up to board the train we heard the last call. We thought, “Darn we missed it!” But the conductor waited for us all to board. We made it in just in time!

After arriving at Frontierland we walked over to Splash Mountain where we thought there might at least be a half hour wait. Guess what the wait was….5 minutes! We walked right on. And as we were preparing to get into our log a nice woman and her son offered Monica and I the front since it was her first time on the ride. We were soaked!

The day just kept getting better. I will have to tell you more tomorrow about the rides, food and live entertainment that we enjoyed during our perfect day at Magic Kingdom. If you would like to see more of the Magic Kingdom in the meantime check out my Magic Kingdom flickr set which has brand new photos! Or if you like you can check out the Magic Kingdom slideshow. Also if you would like to see more pictures of the Halloween decorations at Magic Kingdom check out my flickr set or slideshow.

Tom Sawyer Island

Well we have come to the end of Frontierland feature week and to end the week I decided that we would take a leisurely stroll around Tom Sawyer Island. Tom Sawyer Island is located just across from Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. You board a raft and slowly float across the rivers of America and land at Aunt Polly’s Dockside Inn. On the island are several things to see and experience. From Harper’s Mill to Barrel Bridge the lush island is a hike you will want to make sure to take. Like all the theme park attractions there are so many details on Tom Sawyer Island. Some of my favorite little details are the signs that Tom left for his visitors. Here is the one you see when you enter the Island…



The character of Tom Sawyer is so prevalent in the signs and the little details around the Island. Make sure you see Tom Sawyer Island on your next visit to Magic Kingdom.

To see more of Tom Sawyer Island head on over to my flickr set.

Country Bears Jamboree

I love the Country Bears Jamboree! This is by far one of favorite things to do at Magic Kingdom. The first time I went to the Country Bears in 2000 I thought it was the funniest thing I ever saw. Before the show you are directed into a waiting area where you can see painting of the Country Bears and a kid favorite, the coin presser. Kids of all ages gather around the little machine and watch as they get penny souvenirs. When the doors open to the show you are directed to the bleacher seats in the Country Bears theater. The lights dim and the show begins when Henry comes onto stage and introduces the program. One of my favorite parts of the show are the three spectators on the wall and how they interrupt to make comments and jokes (especially when Trixie comes out).

It is also great to see all the little kids singing along, clapping and stomping their feet to the music. Disney has it posted on their site that the Country Bears Jamboree will be closed September 28, 2008 until October 31, 2008 for refurbishment.

More pictures of the Country Bears Jamboree can be found in my flickr set.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is another Frontierland favorite. This rickety old train zooms around and through Big Thunder Mountain. For three minutes you are transported to the mining days. Even the smell of sulfur is in the air as you twist and turn around the mountain. Norwood and I both enjoy this ride although I have to admit when it comes around some of those curves I hold on just a little tighter. My favorite thing about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is the Kodak Picture Spot located just outside the exit. There are some great views of the mountain there (you know just in case you had your eyes closed while you riding the train yourself).



This fantastic picture spot allows you to take photos of yourself in front of the mountain and if you are lucky and fast enough to catch some of the trains as they come around the corner and through the tunnel.

If you want to see more of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad check out my flickr set or see my Frontierland set.

Splash Mountain

Welcome to the first day of Frontierland feature week! All week long the Mouse Beat blog will feature Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland. To start of the week I thought that we would talk about something I had not seen before in my previous trip to the Magic Kingdom…



No it is not Splash Mountain in general. I have seen it and ridden it many times. Of course like many my favorite part of this ride is the very end when we take the plunge into the Briar Patch! It is always one of the first things we ride when we get to the Magic Kingdom (and that is not because the Walt Disney Railroad lets you off right at it’s Fast Pass door step… well not entirely anyway). What I have not seen before in my previous trips to Magic Kingdom was this…



Above is Splash Mountain. Notice anything unusual about it? Yep that is Splash Mountain dry. I realize that rides are closed from time to time for maintenance and repairs but until last week (before Fay arrived) I did not know that Splash Mountain was on the list of rides that closed. It was only down for about an hour and I actually found it really interesting. If you stood at the bridge you could actually hear the workers inside and hear them testing the different logs and tracks. By the time we were done with the Country Bears it was back up and you could hear the screams of joy as people tumbled over that final waterfall.

For more pictures of Splash Mountain head on over to my flickr Splash Mountain set.

If you want to see more pictures of Frontierland, our feature this week you can head on over to the Frontierland Set and stay tuned all this week for more of Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland.