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INFO: Oogie Boogie Bash is BACK!

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Welcome to the West Coast and The Disneyland Resort!

Halloween is just around the corner for us over here at Disneyland as the festivities will kick off this Friday September 3rd with the return of some of the Disneyland Resort exclusive attractions and decorations including the Haunted Mansion Holiday and all of the decorations for Radiator Springs Honkin’ Halloween Festivities. The real tricks and treats will happen on September 9th as Oogie Boogie and his band of Villains take over select evenings at Disney California Adventure.

On select nights beginning Sept. 9, through October 31, 2021, this after-park hours event “Oogie Boogie Bash: A Disney Halloween Party” will add to the spooky fun during Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort. This separate ticket and limited-capacity event at Disney California Adventure Park starts at 6pm but guests can enter into the park at 3pm with this ticket. It will feature exclusive entertainment, character sightings, food and beverage and more! Guests of all ages can enjoy wearing their favorite Halloween outfit while taking in all the sights and the trick-or-treating experiences. One of these special areas of the park is the Villains Grove which takes over the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in the Grizzly Peak area.

The Villains Grove is a walk-though open air experience where sections of the trail are dedicated to different villains. This area will feature such classic villains as The Queen of Hearts section with light up roses (pictured above) as well as projections of the Cheshire Cat, Tarot Cards from Dr. Facilier, as well as other surprises. As you walk through this trail you may see something you didn’t see the last time you were walking through. There may not be candy on this trail but you will find plenty to see and look at!

After visiting the trail – let’s go get some CANDY! There are multiple treat trails which may seem very similar to the Boo Bash experience at Magic Kingdom however here at Oogie Boogie Bash, each trail for candy has a dedicated live villain. In 2019 we were able to see Dr. Facilier, The Evil Queen, Maleficent, The Mad Hatter, and of course Oogie Boogie. NEW this year for 2021, Disney has announced 3 new villains including Sid from Toy Story, Cruella from the newest live action film, as well as Agatha Harkness from WandaVision! We can not wait to see these new additions with all of our returning favorites.

Dr. Facilier is getting ready to greet guests!

The last highlight of the party is the Frightfully Fun Parade which runs two times each night. This parade premiered originally at the Mickey’s Halloween Party in Disneyland Park a few years ago but was extended slightly when the Halloween party moved to Disney California Adventure. The whole parade lasts about 13 minutes with plenty of villains as well as some of the more fun (not so scary) costumes on Mickey, Minnie, and other friends. My favorite part is seeing the Mayor car ride by along with the Vampires from the Nightmare Before Christmas movie! I also love hearing the scrapes of the shovels from the Gravediggers and the Haunted Mansion trio of ghosts. This parade ends with so many villains you will run away screaming in delight!

Are you looking forward to Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort? Stay tuned for more updates and leave us a comment on your favorite villain below! Oogie Boogie Bash: A Disney Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure is sold out as of right now but dates may open up so make sure you ask your Destinations to Travel Agent to keep their eyes out for an opening!

If you would like more information contact me on Facebook at Destinations to Travel with Patrick O’Connor

EDU-TAINMENT! Exploring Animal Kingdom With Families

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Animal Kingdom – One of the most intricately themed of all 4 WDW Parks. Along with over 50 species of Animals you’ll see more than 4 million trees, plants, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, grasses and ground-coverings from every continent on Earth (except Antartica)! Let’s add in one of the best “Mountains” to ride – Expedition Everest – and the land of Pandora, and amazing shows, you have a full day ahead of you. But why is it so amazing for families? If you have school age children, there is so much to learn and they won’t even know it!

 

~Conservation Station~

Hop On the Train To Conservation Station

After your journey through the Kilimanjaro Safari, hop on the train and head to the Conservation Station. Here you will find the vetrinary and conservation headquarters. You can meet wildlife experts, observe ongoing projects and learn a little about what goes on behind the scenes at the park. This area also serves as a rehabilitation center and nursery. Stop by the Affection Section to pet and play with some of the animals, participate in some of the interactive activities, and view the terrariums of some reptiles, invertibrates and amphibians.

 

~Tree Of Life~

The Iconic Symbolof the Park: The Tree Of Life

 

Ten artists and three Imagineers worked full-time for 18 months to create the 325 animal carvings on The Tree of Life. It is topped with more than 103,000 transparent, five-shades-of-green leaves that actually blow in the wind. Take a walk underneath this incredible structure and enjoy a break from the heat to watch “It’s Tough To Be A Bug”. For a little family friendly competion, have everyone see how many different animals they can find engraved into the tree (and whoever finds the least buys the next round of Dole Whips!)

 

~Rides, Shows, And More~

Expedition Everest : One of the Mountains to Conquer!

It’s not all just walking trails and animals! Try to escape the Yeti on Expedition Everest (Fun Fact – Disney Imagineers went to great lengths to create an attraction rich in storytelling, authenticity and detail – even traveling to Nepal to research the region’s architecture and culture!) Be sure to take a break from the heat and watch “The Celebration of the Festival of The Lion King” show. Take a trip back in time on “Dinosaur”, or stop by and play traditional carnival Midway games in DinoLand USA – another great opportunity to learn about our prehistoric past.

 

Many don’t give this misunderstood park enough credit. If your are traveling during the school year with children, this park is an excellent tool for reports, and Mom and Dad can learn things too! Adults can stroll through and enjoy the beauty that this stunning park offers us. If you’re looking for help on how to best plan your WDW Vacation and make the most of your day at Animal Kingdom Park, reach out to our friends at Destinations To Travel!

 

Tell Us what YOUR favorite part of this park is!

If you are looking for assitance in planning your next Disney or Universal Studios vacation, I would love to be your planning partner!

Email me at : christinasmith@d2travel.com .

Looking for more Disney in your life? Come join us on Facebook at Living The Magical Life and Destinations To Travel with Christina Smith or on Instagram.

 

INFO: Top 5 Walt Disney World Resorts for the Holidays

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Courtesy of Disney

Christmas is Almost Here!

Walt Disney World recently announced the coming of the most anticipated holiday celebration of the year – Christmas! Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours will take to the streets of Magic Kingdom Park this year! We cannot wait to see the parade, fireworks, the snowfall on Main Street, and, of course, Santa Clause! 

Since we’re in the booking season for a holiday getaway (even for 2022), I’d like to share with you my Top 5 Walt Disney World Resorts for a stay during the holidays.

#5 Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Though not as decked to the halls as deluxe resorts, this is one special, value resort where you can get a taste of Christmas at a reasonable price. By taste, I’m referring to EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays, which is easily accessible from this Skyliner hotel. Yet, there’s more to the Pop than meets the eye – it has the most awesome retro holiday décor that brings us all back to those old Polaroid pictures around grandma’s silver Christmas tree.

#4 Disney’s Port Orleans Riverside Resort. As a moderate resort, the Riverside offers a budget-friendly stay at Walt Disney World for the holidays. The setting recalls the pleasantries of a Southern comfort, country holiday. If you want to see Christmas a tad more jazzed up, you can just walk on over to the French Quarter. Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts are just a ferry ride away from Disney Springs- home of endless holiday shopping, entertainment, and the ever popular Christmas Tree Stroll – making it an even more ideal choice for the holidays.

#3 & #2 Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. These sister resorts equally deserve a spot on the list, and, since they are attached, I have paired them together. Though connected to each other, the two resorts elicit a very different feel of Christmas, with the Yacht Club starring as the most unique. At the Yacht Club, a Christmas railway diorama takes center stage with a Disney Christmas Village and beloved characters getting ready for the holidays around the tracks. Equally impressive are the model ships and boats that deck the trees throughout the resort. The Beach Club implores your sense of both sight and smell, as the scent of gingerbread wafts the halls, leading you to the stunning Gingerbread Carousel which changes in theming every year! What’s more, both resorts are a stroll away from EPCOT’s World Showcase where you can experience the holidays celebrated around the Lagoon.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Lobby by Melissa Reed

#1 Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. This is, beyond any doubt, the quintessential holiday resort at Walt Disney World. It’s cozy, rustic, woodsy – a typical winter getaway. I know I could stay in the grand lobby all day, looking up at the magnificent 60ft tree, and rock the night away on a rocking chair by the crackling, warm fire. You will feel worlds away from everything, yet it’s only a short ferry ride to the festivities at Magic Kingdom Park. One especially festive touch found only at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and the nearby Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, are the horse-drawn holiday sleigh rides! Board a festive, decorated sleigh for a ride through scenic trails in the secluded woodlands of Fort Wilderness  – no other resort can top that for the holidays, right?

 

Keep in mind, resort hopping is a holiday tradition that allows you to see all the wonderful decorations that each of the resorts display during this most wonderful time of year. That said, no matter where you stay, you can always set aside a day to take in all the sights, sounds, and scents of the holidays at Walt Disney World!

 

Which Walt Disney World Resort hotel do you prefer for your stay during the holiday season?

 Thinking about booking your next Disney Destination Vacation?
I can help you in the planning and the making of a magical getaway! Send me an email adrianabonetti@d2travel.com
                                                                                                                        Find me on Facebook Destinations To Travel With Adriana Bonetti and Instagram @D2TravelAdriana.
Special thanks to fellow travel agents, Mike Beyer, Emilee Biegel, and Melissa Reed. You can find them on Facebook:
  Destinations To Travel – Mike Beyer;  Destinations To Travel with Emilee Jaworowski-Biegel; Destinations To Travel with Melissa Reed.