One of the great things about Disney World is that the crazy, Disney character themed apparel isn't just for the kids. If you are over 40 years old and want to wear Mickey Crocs and a Goofy tee, you can! Why? Because everyone else is too! 

At Disney, you are given permission to indulge your childlike desires; and one of the most popular crazy things to do at Disney World is to don a Disney hat.

Disney offers a vast variety of different hats themed after characters, films, the parks, special ocassions, and even attractions.

First of all, wearing your own mouse ear hat is an absolute rite of passage for anyone's first trip to Disney. You can choose the classic design if you wish, or you can get more creative with different colors and themes such as wedding mouse ears for newlyweds, Toy Story themed mouse ears, or mouse ears that pay homage to popular Disney snacks such as a Mickey Premium Bar or delicious Disney popcorn.

If you feel even more adventurous, try a Goofy hat with long, floppy ears, a Jack Sparrow hat complete with dreds, or a giant birthday cake hat.
 

You can also pick a native hat from the different countries at Epcot's World Showcase. You can purchase a Viking hat from Norway, a sombrero from Mexico, a fez from Morocco, or this hat that our Disney Dad is wearing from China. I have also heard that there are different mouse ears themed after the different countries at the World Showcase.

So what do you think? Do you wear crazy hats when you visit Disney World?

In today's post, we are going to show you another great souvenir from Walt Disney World that you will still use and enjoy when you get home from your trip.

Today were are featuring postcards that you can find all throughout Disney World. While this may seem like an odd choice, Disney offers a variety of  beautiful and unique postcards that are great little pieces of Disney magic.

You can find postcards featuring your favorite characters, parks, and attractions; but our favorites are those from resorts. They can be found in resort gift shops and are great reminders of our favorite corners of Disney World and our "home away from home." We also like searching the art stores and galleries that can be found throughout the parks and at Downtown Disney. They almost always sell postcards and sometimes feature popular artwork, like Thomas Kinkade's series of Disney paintings. If the artwork for sale is a little to pricey for your taste, these postcards are a way for you to take home what you like without paying a fortune!

Sending a Disney postcard is also a great souvenir for your family and friends that you can add a personal touch to yourself. However, if you choose to keep your postcards, they are fun to display at home as artwork, additions to your scrapbook, or little reminders of your vacation.

Another benefit of these souvenirs is that they are so cheap! There are few things at Disney that you can purchase at such a small price.

We find that the variety of designs, uses, and pleasing price make Disney postcards fantastic souvenirs that you will continue to enjoy after your trip is over.

What you are about to read is valuable information that can make or break your Disney vacation.  On occasion I've heard someone say that they had a horrible time at Disney World. Shocking, isn't it?  My response is, "You didn't do it right!"  Yes, there is a "way" to do Disney!  And, once you know some of these secrets, you'll be hooked, just like us, writing someone else a blog!  

*STAY ON DISNEY PROPERTY-this keeps you in the Disney magic throughout your entire trip!  We find that our resort is half the fun.

*ADVANCE DINING RESERVATIONS (ADR's)-these little gems will keep you and your family "royally happy!"  This means you'll avoid long wait times or being turned away because the restaurant is booked.  You will know that you have a table waiting for you where you can cool off and have a wonderful family meal without  stress.

*HAVE A PLAN-We are not talking about walking around with a clip board!  But, do have a plan in mind of where you want to go and prioritize the must-sees and priority items there.  It will maximize your time so you can enjoy more with greater ease, and will enable you to see the  best of what Disney has to offer.

*KNOW HOW TO WORK THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM-Disney transortation can be overwhelming and confusing so do your homework!  Research our site and others and youl will find Disney transportation has everything from monorails to boats to alternate foot paths,etc...Getting "there" can be quite fun and a way to see more of "the world" than you thought possible!

*GO RESORT HOPPING-Many don't realize that you can visit resorts that you aren't staying at. We really enjoy visiting other Disney resorts, eating at their restaurants and browsing their gift shops and admiring their lobbys and decor.

*PLAN FOR MORE THAN ONE DAY AT MAGIC KINGDOM- This is the centerpiece of Disney World and once is not enough.  Trust us!  You'll see why.

*USE FAST PASSES-These are a great tool to ride your favorites and to "pass" through crowds just like a VIP entrance.  It's like having an exclusive reservation for the ride. There are a necessity during busy seasons.

*TAKE A BREAK-Don't hesitate to get off your feet!  Take a train ride, visit a resort food court, or sip an iced tea on the front porch at Trails End restaurant in a comfy rocking chair. Your vacation won't be fun if you are tired and stressed, especially if you are traveling with kids.

*DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THESE- Bring 2 pairs of comfy shoes. (Often one pair will get wet and it's very nice to have a fresh, dry pair.) You will be walking A LOT so pick comfort over style. Also, don't bring heavy, cumbersome bags or purses that aren't waterproof and that may get stained. We suggest light weight, athletic, water proof knapsacks. Also bring sunglasses, sunscreen, rain ponchos, and bottled water. Water can be more expensive than a soda at the parks.  We suggest you bring a case from home or use the Brita bottles that filter tap water.  These are a great space saver as well.

*TAKE TIME TO ENJOY THE MAGIC-Many people feel the urge to schedule every minute at Disney and rush from here to there. While there is much to see and do, we highly suggest you take time to just enjoy the scenery, quality, and details Disney has to offer. Some of our best memories have come from simply being spontaneous, appreciating the little things, and enjoying time with our family. Don't stress and keep things in perspective. Disney magic and memories comes from being in the most magical place on earth with those you love, not from dragging those who you love through the most magical place.

Back in February of this year, Mickey's Toontown Fair closed as part of the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland expansion. However, many forget that Mickey's Toontown Fair didn't always have that name, nor did it always exist in the Magic Kingdom. Actually, this section of the Magic Kingdom didn't come to be until 1988 when Mickey's Birthdayland opened to celebrate Mickey's 60th birthday. This land was supposed to be temporary, but the public loved it! So in 1990, Mickey's Birthdayland was transformed into Mickey's Starland.

Mickey's Starland celebrated Mickey's stardom and Disney cartoons, featuring a show full of characters from Disney television shows like Goof Troop and Tail Spin, and Mickey himself. There was also a number of facade toon houses and businesses; a petting zoo, and Mickey's Country House which remained through all of the changes this area went through.

Mickey's Starland was then transformed into Mickey's Toontown Fair in 1996.

(Note: After gaining more information on this deal, we have corrected this post)

If you are looking for a way to save money for your Disney vacation, look no further!

The news is out that Sam's Club has $100 Disney Gift Cards for $98.87. There is also a perk! With each $100 card purchased, a $10 Disney store gift card is included. So you will receive $110 for $98.87!

Now there is even better news! If you have a Disney Rewards Visa, you can purchase these cards and receive a $1 for every $100 you spend purchasing them.

Now Sam's Club doesn't take Visa as a form of payment, but Walmart does. So...go to Walmart and have a gift card loaded with the amount of Disney Cards you want to purchase at Sam's; and buy that card with your Disney Visa. This way, you will receive 2 rewards: bonus gift cards and Disney Visa rewards.

For example, if you spend $2400 in these cards, you will receive 24 Disney Visa Reward dollars; and you will only pay $2,372.88 for $2400. Also, with the purchase of 24 cards, with $10 bonuses for each, you will gain $240 free to spend at disneystore.com!

We checked with Disney reservations and they will take multiple gift cards for booking a reservation. They said they do it frequently.

However, you need to be aware of the bonus cards restrictions. They can only be used at disneystore.com, not even at the World of Disney at Disney World's Downtown Disney. Regardless, this is still a great deal because you are given free money to spend on Disney merchandise.

So if you are interested in working this offer to your advantage, check at your local Sam's Club for this great deal!

On a recent trip to Disney, we uncovered a hidden gem at Epcot's France pavilion.

We are huge fans of Beauty and the Beast, and while walking around World Showcase, we stumbled upon these stained glass windows that are straight out of the film! We saw many people just walk by and not even notice these windows, but those who take the time to look will be as delightfully surprised as we were.

The next time you find yourself at the World Showcase, be sure to look for these windows in France. They are truly a hidden Disney gem!

When we visit Disney World, we always like to do new things that we haven’t done before; and with Disney World being so huge, this isn’t hard! We really enjoy dining at Disney and we try to eat somewhere new at least once each trip. During our last trip to Disney in September last year, we ate at Liberty Tree Tavern and Akershus for this time. They are now some of our all-time favorites and really added to our vacation experience!

For our next trip, we already thinking about which restaurants we would like to try. We are frequent users of the Disney Dining Plan and we want to use our dining points carefully, so we have listed some places that were are interested in trying and now we want to hear your opinions! If you have dined at any of restaurants (or all of them), let us know what you think. Is it worth it? How was the service? Was the food worth the visit? What dish was your favorite? Do you have any tips?

We also included a list of our favorites that we want to visit again or do visit at least once per trip. Are these your favorites too?  Let us know!

We want to try…

Tusker House: We would like to visit Tusker House for the character breakfast so that afterwards we can see the animals at the park at their most active. Is this a worthwhile experience?

Ohana: We are interested in dining here for breakfast or dinner. Which is better?

Chefs de France: We recently read their menu online and it all sounds delicious! But is it really?

Artist Point: We are big fans of Wilderness Lodge and the menu here sounds great; however, it is a signature dining location. Is it worth it?

Yachtsmen Steakhouse: We enjoy steak and seafood and are enjoy spending time at the Yacht and Beach Club resort. Will enjoy dining at this location?

Our current favorites…

Le Cellier: The food here is incredible! You just have to try it.

Akershus: We ate here for this time last trip. We enjoyed the variety of princesses, the castle setting, the service, and the food! We were surprised that we order off a menu and snack off of a small buffet offering delicious meats, cheeses, bread, and other offerings. They are all delicious!

Liberty Tree Tavern: We ate here for dinner on our last trip. The décor here is great and we liked that all of the food was brought to our table, no menu needed! When we finished, we stepped outside and took a seat by the curb to watch the Main Street Electrical Parade. Great memories and a great meal!

Trails End: We like to visit here when we need a hearty meal and an escape from the Magic Kingdom crowds. We have ate here at lunch and dinner; but we prefer lunch because the menu is pretty much the same but with fewer crowds. Also the sweet tea here is great!

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater: We have eaten here several times and the design and experience never ceases to amaze! The menu is decent; but you should really come here if you are looking for a unique dining experience! This will be a big hit with kids.

Crystal Palace: It’s a tradition for us to eat here for breakfast. On our last trip, we booked a meal before the park opened; and after our meal, we explored an empty Magic Kingdom. The food, the atmosphere, Winnie the Pooh characters, and the opportunities make this a great dining destination.

1.    If you are paying out of pocket, eat at table service restaurants for lunch. The lunch and dinner menu are similiar and the price is much cheaper!

2.    There is no gum for sale on Disney property! You will find mints and candy; but no gum.

3.    The famous Tonga Toast at Kona Cafe at the is available at Captain Cook's Snack Company. So if you are planning on using Dining Plan credits to taste the Tonga Toast at Kona cafe, save them and visit Captain Cook's instead! This is also the only other place we know of, next to the Magic Kingdom, where you get a Dole Whip!

5.    If you enjoy fine dining, but don't want the price, you can find delicious Creme Brulee at Sunshine Seasons in The Land Pavilion at Epcot, a caramel souffle at Boulangerie Patisserie, and menu items containing lobster at Gasparilla Grill and Games at the Grand Floridian.

6.    Be careful at counter service restaurants if you are one the Disney Dining Plan. We have had Columbia Harbour House charge us for a table service meal at Columbia Harbour House before. When we noticed this, they changed it for us; but still be aware.

7.    Rumor has it that Kona Cafe is home to some of the best coffee on property.

8.    We've have heard that Gasparilla Grill, Grand Floridian's small food court/arcade, is open 24 hrs. Since we haven't stayed at Grand Floridian since the early 90s, we can't confirm this; but if it's true, that's good information for guests hungry after a late night at the parks.

9.    Rainforest Cafe at Animal Kingdom does not require park admission to visit.

10. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, sometimes you can get a Cast Member waiter/waitress to exchange your free dessert for an appetizer. So if you prefer to pass up the sweets for a delcious beginning to your meal, give this a shot! Be be warned, it's not guaranteed.

11.    While we haven't had the chance to test this tip, some guests have claimed that at Epcot you can get take-out from table service dining locations. Definitely interesting and beneficial for those who can't land elusive ADRs.

Today is Magical Blogorail Team Orange's first post! We at A Glass Slipper Vacation are proud to be members of this team.

The Magical Blogorail has different loops represented by a color and they contain a list of several different bloggers. Each color loop is given a date and a Disney topic to write about, while providing links to the other bloggers on their team. It's like riding the Monorail where each blog is a different stop!

The Magical Blogorail is a great way for Disney fans to share their passion for Disney and to learn more about Disney World. To learn more and see all the different loops on the Magical Blogorail, visit Magical Blogorail.com.

Please click our Magical Blogorail tab on the menu bar above to see our post for today!