At the first sound of it, this term sounds like a trip to Disney. Disney bounding is typical fashion among Disney parks. You can spot many people dressed similar to well known characters. This fashion came out of some regulations that Disney has in place.

An excellent experience for girls between 3 and 12 is the Bippity Boppity Boutique. This is a “spa” service that transforms girls into their favorite princess. They get a full makeover and can wear the princesses gown for the day! Many adults would also love to receive this service. But unfortunately, Disney doesn’t want multiple characters roaming around the park confusing small children!

Thus came Disney bounding. This is when someone’s outfit looks similar to a character’s but is not exact. I actually really enjoy Disney bounding! Here is what my friends and I did to look like a few princesses!

Magic Kingdom closes the park every night with a fantastic firework show. This 20 minute, life changing firework presentation will bring out all emotions. Recently this show got an upgrade. The projections onto the castle are more magical than ever before.

The show begins with a man’s voice talking about our dreams and all we do to achieve them. We then experience some of the most known characters dance around and sing about! Suddenly the villains take control and “destroy” the castle to the ground. But then, just like any other Disney experience, the heroes reunite to “build” the castle back up.

The firework finale is the greatest, most elaborate firework finale you’ll ever witness. We then hear the man’s voice come back to remind us to never lose sight of our dreams and always keep believing. After spending a day filled with magic you’ll most likely tear up at this incredible show.

Unfortunately, since the park has been closed, no one has experienced this show in weeks. Luckily, Disney shared the whole show on Instagram! We can now watch it every single night!

Disney had a new release on March 6th. Onward is about two elf brothers that go on a huge adventure to find a magical stone. Like any other Disney adventure, these brothers run into many obstacles. But by the end of the movie they have found themselves and know what they hold dear to their hearts. Onward had a few characteristics that really stood out to me (here come the spoilers).

Barley (the older brother) is forced to be the father figure in Ian’s life when their dad passed away right before Ian’s birth. As the boys are on the journey to find the magical stone, Ian makes a list of all the things he would like to do with his dad if given the chance. As Ian and Barley face defeats, Ian begins to cross things off his list in disappointment. Near the end of the movie, Ian goes to cross off an activity from his list. He makes a realization that everything he had previously crossed off, he had a memory of doing it with Barley. Ian realizes that he doesn’t need to have a father to make memories. Barley raised him and taught him everything that Ian thought their father would have done. I think it’s important to talk about families that are not “perfect.” Ian and Barley do not have a dad and they aren’t the only ones.

The second detail that stuck out to me was Ian and Barley’s mother. She is a single mother of two boys, and a widow. She also has a boyfriend. Now I couldn’t tell if this boyfriend lived with them or not. Regardless, there are still scenes with everyone together under one roof. Ian and Barley do not show a great relationship with their mother’s boyfriend. I think this is also important because of how normal it is to have separated parents. Often children have different feelings towards a parent’s significant other that is not their parent. A level of authority is blurred. I think Onward showed this nicely. The boys do not disrespect their mom’s boyfriend but it is clear that they are not best friends with him.

Lastly, I think it was important to note how the father passed. He had an illness and died in the hospital. This is huge. In a movie revolved around a magic world, characters still die of illness. To me, this shows children that sometimes illness wins and sometimes there is nothing we can do about it. Many children lose someone due to illness and this movie showed that life goes on and I think that is important.

Overall, I really enjoyed Onward! I would highly recommend this movie to anyone!

Magic Kingdom is the best place to meet characters! There are so many to see! I am going to try and group the characters together to make this post not too long. But I will start with some important spots to meet and greet!

Here is a list of everyone you can meet in Magic Kingdom:

• Mickey Mouse
• Tinker Bell
• Tiana
• Rapunzel
• Elena
• Cinderella
• Belle
• Gaston
• Ariel
• Buzz Lightyear
• Merida
• Winnie the Pooh
• Tigger
• Aladdin
• Jasmine
• Peter Pan
• Jack Sparrow
• Minnie Mouse
• Goofy
• Donald Duck
• Daisy Duck
• Pluto
• Alice
• Mary Poppins
• Snow White
• Anastasia
• Drizella
• Fairy Godmother
• Country Bears
• Stitch

Entering the park, you can meet Mickey Mouse and Tinker Bell in the Town Square Theater. Fun fact: this is where you can meet Mickey in his Halloween costume during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Tinker Bell is also really fun to meet here. The meeting area is decorated to look like her home in Pixie Hollow.

The next spot is the Princess Fairytale Hall. Here you can meet Tiana, Rapunzel, Elena, and Cinderella. This area is divided in two. You stand in one separate line to meet two of the princesses. Tiana and Rapunzel are usually paired while the other line is for Cinderella and Elena.

Gaston is located in the same area as the Enchanted Tales with Belle. This story telling attraction is based inside Belle’s castle. You can spot Gaston showing off his muscles outside. After story time with Belle, you can have your picture taken with her. Her she is dressed in her yellow ballgown.

Ariel has a very magical spot! You get to meet her in her very own grotto! This whole wait area makes you feel like you are under water! Here she is met as a mermaid so she is sitting but still very fun to meet!

Occasionally you will be able to meet Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrow Land.

Merida is one of my favorite meet and greets in Magic Kingdom. Her area is sort of tucked away. You could easily walk by without noticing! She is such a fun character to meet! Her attitude is always so bubbly and warming!

A very popular ride is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Outside this ride you can occasionally meet Pooh Bear and Tigger.

Aladdin and Jasmine are also spotted here in Magic Kingdom. You can find them together in Adventure Land.

Peter Pan is spotted next to his ride (also very popular) in Fantasy Land. The best time to catch him is right after the afternoon parade.

Jack Sparrow is often spotted roaming Adventure Land. He doesn’t have a particular spot to meet and greet but he is still fun to interact with!

Storybook Circus is the spot to meet many well known characters. Here you will meet Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, and Pluto. All of these characters are dressed in “circus” themed clothing. They are very fun and interactive!

Alice, Mary Poppins, and Snow White are all available to meet in Magic Kingdom. There is a better chance of meeting these three ladies in Epcot. But it is still always fun no matter where!

A very funny meet and greet is Anastasia and Drizella! For those of you who don’t know, they are the evil step sisters in Cinderella. If your’e lucky you’ll even be able to meet the Fairy Godmother here too!

Among Frontierland you’ll see the Country Bears roaming about. These are not not meet and greet characters as they don’t have a dedicated spot.

Stitch has his own spot to meet and greet in Tomorrowland. This area is the former location of Stitch’s Great Escape.

I think Hollywood Studios has the most diverse characters to meet. The two biggest attractions to Hollywood Studios is Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge. Both have great opportunities to meet characters. Hollywood Studios also has a great area for younger children to meet some of their favorite TV show characters.

In Galaxy’s Edge you will see many Star Wars characters roaming. Stormtroopers are always walking around patrolling. You can even spot them on top of buildings to get a topical view of the crowd. Kylo Ren also roams the area with Stormtroopers. Ren and Chewbacca are also known to walk around. These characters are not “meet and greet.” You can’t wait in line to get an autograph with them. If you would like to experience the “meet and greet” with Star Wars characters you can find Darth Vader, Chewbacca, and BB-8 at the Launch Bay theater!

Toy Story Land is my favorite spot in Hollywood Studios to meet the characters! Woody and BoPeep are paired together and are very fun to interact with. Jesse is further back but is also super fun and interactive! Buzz Lightyear can also be spotted (typically with a very long line) closer to the entrance of Toy Story Land. You’ll even be able to see Green Army men march in with drums to perform a show! Another fun tip: if you get a picture with the photographer at the Toy Story Land entrance, ask them for “extra magic!”

Mickey and Minnie can also be met in Hollywood Studios. They are located at Red Carpet Dreams. Minnie is dressed in a nice gown with a big pink bow! Mickey is decked out in his sorcerer’s robes. This outfit is most popular from his debut in Fantasa.

Mike Wazowski and Sully can also be found in Hollywood Studios. They are in the Walt Disney Presents building right before entering Toy Story Land.

As I mentioned earlier, Hollywood Studios has a great opportunity for young kids to meet their favorite TV characters. There is a section of the park entirely dedicated to Disney Junior meet and greets. Here you can meet Pluto, Fancy Nancy, Vampirina, and Doc McStuffins. Each character has their own little set up that is decorated to look like a scene from their show. These characters can be fun to meet at any age though, especially Goofy.

Olaf is super fun to meet! He is located right outside the Frozen Sing-A-Long show. His waiting line is all covered which can be a nice break from the beating sun. He is a really goofy character and will try to make you laugh!

If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to either meet Chip and Dale or Donald and Daisy at Sid’s Porch as you enter the park.

Hollywood Studios also has a great spot dedicated to the Cars movies. Here you can see Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. This is also a fun, inside show to get you out of the sun for about 30 minutes. Outside of this show you can have your picture taken with Cruz Ramirez and DJ from the Cars movies.

The latest meet and greet that has been added to Hollywood Studios is Edna Mode from Incredible’s. She is not a daily character yet, but hopefully soon!

I really enjoyed talking about the princesses in Epcot last week so for the next couple posts I will share about the characters you can meet in the remaining parks!

Animal Kingdom has a ton of characters to meet! I will “walk” you around the park and tell you all about the characters you’ll run into along the way.

As you enter Discovery Island you will quickly spot Dug and Russel from the movie Up! These two are so much fun to meet! They are always interactive and try to make guests laugh. If you’re lucky you’ll even see Kevin roaming around this area!

Right around the corner is Adventure Outpost. Here you can meet Minnie and Mickey in their safari outfits! This is a fun way to get out of the sun. While you wait to meet the iconic duo you are inside out of the direct sun.

DinoLand U.S.A. is such a fun character spot! First off, you can meet Donald and Daisy Duck! They are also in their safari attire. Some of Donald’s family members are there too. Launchpad McQuack and Scrooge McDuck are also in DinoLand for you to meet. On top of these four characters, Chip, Dale, and Goofy are also in this area. Last, but not least, occasionally Pluto is in DinoLand to meet! (Pretty much, DinoLand U.S.A. is the place to be if you’re meeting characters.)

The last three characters also have their own meeting place but they are a little harder to find. Timon and Rafiki from Lion King have their own character landing spot. They are easier to spot because of the long line that usually accumulates by the meeting area. Our last character is hidden very well! Pocahontas is located on Discovery Island but tucked down a trail. Typically you will be able to see the photographer first before spotting Pocahontas so keep your eyes peeled!

Epcot has 11 countries located around the World Showcase lake. Many princesses are located in their home countries. Meeting the princesses in their home country is a different experience compared to meeting them in Magic Kingdom. They are often in more “casual” attire when found in Epcot. Magic Kingdom is where you’ll see the princesses in their ball gowns. Also, some princesses can only be found in Epcot and not at Magic Kingdom.

My personal preference is to walk the countries counter-clockwise starting with Canada. Now there are no princesses or even characters in Canada but once you hit the United Kingdom you can meet 3 characters. Although these are not technically princesses they are still exciting! Alice, Mary Poppins, and Winnie the Pooh are all located in the United Kingdom. I have some of the best memories meeting Alice here! Winnie the Pooh and Mary Poppins can be met in Magic Kingdom but this is the only place to see Alice.

Next stop is France. Here you can meet Aurora and Belle. Belle is often reading by the water waiting to meet guests. Aurora is located under a gazebo (this is a nice character to meet in the summer months because the line is normally under shade). These princesses can be met in Magic Kingdom occasionally, but not always.

The next country you visit is Morocco. Princess Jasmine is tucked away down the alley behind all of the shops. She is also a great princess to meet in the summer because of the shaded line area and you meet her inside! Jasmine can be found in Magic Kingdom with Aladdin.

Japan, America, and Italy do not have princesses or even characters but they do offer great food!

Germany is the home of Snow White. Known for their Oktoberfest, Germany offers great beer which you can see many parents enjoying while waiting to meet Snow White! She is in Magic Kingdom, but not every day.

After walking through the outpost that is jungle themed, you enter China, home of Mulan. If you’re lucky, she is a very fun princess to meet. She loves to see how tough the young children are and is very interactive with them! Mulan is not seen in Magic Kingdom.

Norway has had some new additions over the past 5 years. Since the release of Frozen, you can now find Elsa and Anna in their own little building right before leaving Norway. They also have their own boat ride in Norway that is very exciting! Elsa and Anna don’t make an appearance in Magic Kingdom .

Lastly Donald Duck is in Mexico! He is dressed in a fun colored poncho and sombrero. Although he can be met in almost all of the parks, this is the only spot where you will see Donald Duck wearing this outfit.

It is finally Mickey’s time to shine on a ride! On Wednesday, a brand new ride opened in Disney World’s Hollywood Studios. Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is the first ride featuring Mickey Mouse! This is the perfect park for the ride for a few reasons. Hollywood Studios is home to the Chinese Theater. Back in the ’30’s and ’40’s, Mickey cartoons made their debut in this theater. The Chinese Theater is the first thing you see when you enter the park. What better character than Mickey himself?

The theme of this ride also makes it a great fit for Hollywood Studios. It feels like you are entering a Mickey and Minnie short film. You enter under a neon-lit marquee. This ride feels right at home at the end of Hollywood Boulevard. And like most “cheesy” rides at Disney, this one plays a song that’ll be stuck in your head for the rest of your stay! It fits right in to the old Hollywood style that is displayed around Hollywood Studios.

I cannot wait to actually go experience this ride for myself! Although Hollywood Studios is not my favorite park, I love the nostalgic feeling that it has all around. I think that this ride has found the right home and I am glad that the Imagineers have waited so long to include it.

We all have heard about the Impossible Whopper at Burger King. Well Disney announced on Tuesday the 25th that they will now be pairing with Impossible Foods to offer more plant-based meal options. As of right now we will only see Impossible Foods at Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney Cruises.

I LOVE this news! I am not a vegan but I have many friends who follow vegan diets due to personal choice and allergies. It can be tough to find food in the parks that cater to dietary needs. I have no problem stopping by the closest fast service food spot for some chicken fingers and fries. Some people don’t have that option. Now it can be!

Disney will be trying this new product during the Food Festival in Disneyland starting on Friday the 28th. The three featured items will be a Petite Impossible Burger with guacamole and pepper jack cheese, Impossible Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese, and an Impossible Meatball Submarine.

I am now interested to go back to Disney and try these new products!

The Descendants movies came out in 2015. There are a total of 3 movies. The third just came out this past summer. The main characters are the children of the original Disney characters we all know and love. This even includes the villains.

Belle and the Beast have a son named Ben and they are the royal family of the land of Aurodan. Before Ben was born, Belle and the Beast ban all villains to the Isle of the Lost. Maleficent, like always, is the one who rules the Isle. She has a daughter Mal who is just like her and is pretty much in charge of all the villain children.

Ben is the king in the making and makes a big decision for Aurodan and the Isle. He decides that four lucky villain kids get to go to school at Aurodan Prep. These four kids are Mal (Maleficent’s daughter), Evie (the Evil Queen’s daughter), Carlos (Cruella de Vil’s son), and Jay (Jafar’s son). By the end of the first movie Ben and Mal fall in love.

In the second movie, Ursula’s daughter, Uma, puts Ben under a love potion so she can take Mal’s spot and become the future queen of Aurodan. Her plan ultimately fails and Mal saves Ben from the spell and all is well.

In the third movie Ben and Mal are now engaged. Mal has a lot more say in what happens to the Isle kids. The plan was to take four new villain kids to Aurodan Prep each year. When the next four leave the Isle, Hades tries to break through the magical barrier. Mal stops him (because she can turn into a dragon like her mother) and then she decides to stop taking kids from the Isle all together.

I really enjoyed this series but there is one outstanding fact that made me question all three movies. Here is the major spoiler alert! Hades turns out to be Mal’s father. That means Hades and Maleficent had a daughter together. This is the only villain cross over in the whole series. This just doesn’t settle well with me. I wish that they hadn’t crossed villains like that.