Disney Photo of the Day #12: Port Orleans Riverside

I've only gotten to spend one night at Port Orleans Riverside, but the resort is beautiful! It was pretty cloudy and rainy, but my sister and I risked getting all wet before dinner (and the safety of my Nikon) to walk around when we checked in and also some more the next morning. The land is absolutely gorgeous- I had myself a little photoshoot of all the buildings and decor, so trust me, there will definitely be more pictures. It's basically like a little park, and everything is so New Orleans-esque; you really do feel like you're there. If you stay here, take time to explore the resort.

Disney Photo of the Day #11: Fort Wilderness Resort Cabin

At Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, you can stay in a cabin or camp on your own! I definitely would recommend the cabins (I can't speak for the campgrounds)- they're a typical Disney resort room on the inside, but with a warm wilderness theme. Nothing dirty or too "outdoorsy" for those of you who absolutely refuse to spend a night in a tent in the woods. You may want to rent a golf cart if you'll be going around the resort to do activities like boating, horseback riding, biking, and shopping- the resort is huge. The bus system is really convenient, it just takes some getting used to as there are bus systems that stay within the grounds and just go around the loop from stop to stop. One of the best perks? Boats to the Magic Kingdom! The food is also excellent- if you're in the mood for some homemade country cooking, stop by Trail's End Buffeteria or the Hoop Dee Doo Revue, which is a dinner show. During your stay, keep your eyes peeled; you know what they say- there's an alligator in every body of water in Florida.

Disney Photo of the Day #9: Part of Your World

Journey Under the Sea with the Little Mermaid is a) a freakishly long name that could use shortening or some sort of cool acronym and b) such an adorable dark ride. Although, I am currently holding a grudge against it because we were there mid/late May, right before the Seven Dwarves Mine Train was scheduled to open. They were running tests with guests to determine how the line moves, how many people they can get through, etc., and so we stopped by every time we were anywhere near New Fantasyland to check. One particular time, we stopped by and asked about tests and were told that no guest tests were going on, and that if they were, it would be more towards the late afternoon. It was probably about 10 am by now. So, we waited around a little bit just to make sure and then decided to go ride JUTSWTLM (an acronym, if you will). Lo and behold, we exited the ride and ran to the Mine Train upon seeing crowds of people enter the queue and asked the Cast Members once again. Quite literally the minute we had walked away, they had started letting park guests in to test the ride, and we had missed the end of the testing window by about 30 seconds. So, I guess you could say Ariel and I are not on speaking terms at the moment.

Fun fact: Did you know in the song "Part of Your World", Ariel never actually sings "part of your world"? Every time, it's "part of that world."

Disney Photo of the Day #8: Prince Charming's Regal Carousel

Fun fact: Prince Charming's Regal Carousel is literally a straightshot down Main Street, USA, and through the Cinderella Castle. In the original building plans, it was unintentionally slightly off center, and this had to be fixed so that guests could have a better, more magical view of it upon entering Fantasyland for the first time.

The carousel, while one of the simpler rides at WDW, has such a sense of magic and nostalgia that you can't skip it. This particular carousel was built in 1917- that's around the time of World War I. Due to it's time period, the horses were adorned in patriotic gear. The carousel was basically stripped and new horses were put in, but it's still the same carousel from 1917, thus making it the oldest ride in Magic Kingdom. And, of course, everyone says that it all started with a mouse, or even a man, but as far as Walt Disney World goes, it all started with a carousel. Walt would take his daughters out every Saturday to spend quality time as a family. Often, they'd ask to go to a small, shabby little local amusement park where they could ride the carousel. Walt would sit on a bench, watching as his kids played, thinking how badly we needed a place where people of all ages could be kids at heart. So, even if you're rushed on your way to Frontierland because you have a FastPass+ for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, don't pass up a ride on the carousel. There's more to it than you might think.

Disney Photo of the Day #7: Beast's Castle

Ahh, New Fantasyland at sunset. I'm in love with NF because of how immersed you are. I love how as opposed to Fantasyland, where there is a blend of many different movies all under the same medieval/European theme, each movie has a larger themed area. Like Beauty and the Beast- it has the village, Belle's cottage, and the castle is off in the distance. I could spend hours just sitting around taking in the scenery here. And drinking one too many Lefou's Brews, of course.

Fun fact: The Beast's castle is quite small actually. The Imagineers are using forced perspective here to make it appear as if it's off in the distance, so a) when you're hanging around in the town village the castle isn't looming right in front of you, since that would be inaccurate to the movie, and b) it doesn't compete with the Cinderella Castle for your attention.

Disney Photo of the Day #6: Popcorn

Hungry? Apparently I was when I felt the urge to snap this in the Confectionery.

Fun fact: The smells that pretty much floor you when you walk into the parks? Those are pumped out onto Main Street by machines hidden underground in the Utilidors.

Disney Photo of the Day #5: Dumbo the Flying Elephant

"Let's fly high, buddy!" If you don't know where that quote is from, you haven't spent enough time in a Disney resort hotel room- IT'S STACEY. But anyway, Storybook Circus is the perfect home for Dumbo, relocated from Fantasyland. You're so much more immersed in the setting of the movie here.

Fun fact: If you've been on the Magic Flying Carpets of Aladdin over in Adventureland, you know that there's a pool of water below the carpets (and spitting camels, too). Did you know when Dumbo the Flying Elephant was in Fantasyland they had to get rid of the water in the bottom because it would leak down into the Utilidors, specifically the women's dressing room? It was dry for it's last few years before being relocated, but now the water is back, and thankfully, staying above ground.