Sweet Disney Dreams: Surprise! We're Going to Disney World!

"Good morning, Sweetie Pie!  Did you have sweet dreams?  I dreamt you and I were on the Pirates of the Caribbean..."  

This was my morning greeting to my daughter every day leading up to our second trip to Walt Disney World.  We were keeping that trip a surprise, but I still wanted to get her excited and remind her of the rides and shows she loved on our first trip, almost two years before.

So, every morning, I would tell her I dreamt about me and her on a ride, at a show, or at a restaurant which I knew she had enjoyed the first time around. She loved this morning ritual, and it always made for great breakfast conversation.

I loved watching her excitement each morning, and I couldn't wait for the day when we could finally wake her up and tell her we were going to Disney World!

I'm not going to lie - it was really hard keeping our trip a secret, but this morning ritual definitely helped to get me through it.

Finally, the big day arrived.  We were up at 4 a.m. (we've always taken the first flight out), and we knew it was going to be hard to get her out of bed.  So, there we were - my husband with the camcorder to make sure we captured that special moment and me trying not to get taped onscreen in my pajamas (come on, ladies, you know how it is - especially at 4 a.m.!!!).

Just as I had hoped for all of those long, long months, as soon as I told her we were going to Disney World, she jumped out of bed and was incredibly happy and ready to go!  It had been worth the long, long wait.

Needless to say, it was a wonderful trip.

Well, our morning ritual was so enjoyable that it's continued to this day.  Every morning, when she comes down to breakfast, I tell her, "Good morning, Sweetie Pie!  Did you have sweet dreams?  I dreamt that you and me were running down Main Street (or whatever else pops into my mind at the time)."

In between trips to the World, every day in our house starts out with a little bit of Disney magic - just another little way we keep the Mouse in our house...
I hope you'll share how you've surprised your kids with a trip to Disney World and how you managed to keep it a secret.

Until next time, remember to keep the Mouse in your house!

Monica

      

The Haunted Mansion

♫ "When the crypt goes creak, And the tombstones quake.  Spooks come out for a swinging wake.  Happy haunts materialize, And begin to vocalize.  Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize..."♫

My absolute favorite ride in all of Walt Disney World, the Haunted Mansion is a combination of spooky and fun, full of special effects and, of course, the "999 happy haunts".

Spoiler Alert:  If you're expecting to be thoroughly scared, you're going to be just a little bit disappointed... this ride isn't terrifying in the least.  After all, it's still Walt Disney World!

Upon entering the portrait hall, we meet our "Ghost Host", who welcomes us and invites us to determine whether the ceiling is rising or the floor is dropping...

Note:  There is a moment of complete darkness at this point, so warn your kids ahead of time and hold them close so they're not startled.

Our daughter rode this for the first time when she was three years old.  I explained what was going to happen before we went in, I held her close when the lights went out, and then let her know that we were going to see some funny ghosts.  The first time we rode, she held onto my arm tightly while taking everything in.  And ever since, it's been one of her favorite rides, although she still hates when the lights go at in the portrait hall (I'll admit that I do too!).  We constantly talk about wanting to ride it again.

Once you leave the portrait hall, you begin your journey through the mansion in your "Doom Buggy", and the fun begins.  There is so much to see that I find something new each time.  The ride tells the story of a Black Widow bride and the many husbands she's lost.... just when you think it's the last dead husband, you discover she she got remarried...again....and again....

Make sure you don't miss the waltzing ghosts in the grand ballroom.

Your journey continues through a cemetery full of ghosts happily singing the contagious tune "Grim Grinning Ghosts".

At the end of your journey, beware - three hitchhiking ghosts await to follow you home...and don't forget - even though there are already 999 happy haunts at the Mansion, "there's always room for one more...."

There is absolutely so much to see, you'll want to ride this one over and over again.

Until next time, remember to keep the Mouse in your house!

Monica

Dining at Be Our Guest Restaurant

The Be Our Guest Restaurant is a beautiful dining venue at the foot of Beast's Castle in the new Fantasyland section of the Magic Kingdom. When you pass through the gateway and walk across the stone bridge and through wrought-iron gates, you enter the restaurant, which is the inside of Beast's Castle.

My family and I ate here on our last trip in August 2013 - for both lunch and dinner. Both times the food was delicious.

We had dinner reservations on our first night at the World, and were very, very impressed with the design and decor, and my daughter was thrilled to be in Beast's Castle.  She loves Beauty and the Beast, and being in the castle was like being in the movie.  There are three dining areas - the grand ballroom where we were seated, the rose gallery, and the west wing.  Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to see the rose gallery or the west wing.

My husband and I both ordered the grilled strip steak with garlic-herb butter and french fries for dinner, which was delicious - very tender and cooked to perfection.  I was particularly pleased, since I was put on a gluten free/dairy free diet by my doctor just three days prior to our trip. After letting our waiter know that I had a special needs diet, the chef came out to speak with me about what I could eat, which was pretty much every entree on the menu.  I didn't mention my dairy restriction - I cheated for a couple of days... what?  I was at Disney!... I wanted to enjoy it!

Our daughter had the grilled steak with fries, which she said was delicious. Nope - no hamburgers at this place.  Their children's menu was awesome and not the usual children's meals.  Kids' options include baked macaroni & cheese, chicken, grilled cheese and tomato soup, grilled fish, grilled steak, and meatloaf - much healthier options than some other table service restaurants.

Desserts offered a choice of various cupcakes and cream puffs (including a GF cream puff) which were delicious.

Some guests have reported being able to get the "grey stuff" as a special celebration dessert, but I'm hearing it is now available to everyone as a cupcake.  

What's the grey stuff, you ask?  As fans of Beauty and the Beast will recall, Lumiere and the dishes serenade Belle, suggesting that she:

♫ "Try the grey stuff, it's delicious.  Don't believe me?  Ask the dishes!" ♫

It just wouldn't be right to not have the grey stuff for dessert in Beast's Castle!!!

After dinner, we were told that Beast was waiting for us in his study.  Our daughter got a thrill out of meeting him in his formal wear.  He couldn't sign her autograph book (his paws are too big), but he did pose for pictures with her.  She loved it!

By the way, if you're eating in the grand ballroom, take a look out the windows for a nice surprise.

Lunch is no less fabulous.  Imagine having a counter service lunch in such an elegant setting.

When we entered the castle on the last day of our trip, we were directed to a cast member or kiosk to place our order.  The options for lunch are incredible.  

My husband ordered the roast beef sandwich and said it was delicious, as was my carved turkey sandwich (the gluten free version).  If you didn't know it was gluten free, you just wouldn't have guessed!  Our daughter had the Mrs. Potts' Platter, and she loved it.

Desserts once again consisted of yummy cupcakes and cream puffs.

It was a wonderful dining experience each time and by far the best counter service meal we had.

I always recommend to family and friends that they have dinner there.  Or lunch.  Or better yet - both!!!

I hope you've found this restaurant review to be helpful and that you get a chance to enjoy a meal there in the future.

Until next time, don't forget to keep the Mouse in your house.

Monica

Our Blog Gets Its Own Website!!!

It's official!!! 

The Mouse In Our House now has its own website. 

Please go over and take a peek at www.themouseinourhouse.com. 

I'd love to know what you think!

Until next time, remember to keep the Mouse in your house.

Monica


www.themouseinourhouse.com

* Helpful Hint - Waking Up With Olaf!

Hi, there!

I'm currently hearing that, if you're staying on property, you can schedule wake up calls from Olaf, the lovable snowman from the movie "Frozen".  Just hit the speaker button, and your kids will wake up quickly and happily looking forward to the rest of their day!

Let me know of any helpful hints you'd like to share!

Monica

GETTING YOUR FAMILY (EVEN MORE) EXCITED FOR YOUR DISNEY TRIP!

So, your family's excited for your upcoming Disney trip!



But.... it's still months away.

How do you keep the momentum going while you wait for the BIG day?

Here are a few ideas for your first trip:

Watch some Disney movies!  Get the kids excited to learn about the different Disney characters and their stories.  As our first trip neared, I made sure my daughter watched as much Disney as possible - the Disney Channel, Disney Jr., every movie I could get my hands on so that she could identify the different characters and know which ones she liked best.  Before every trip, I still make sure she watches some Disney movies - especially ones she hasn't watched before. My husband and I enjoy watching with her.  And it makes it more exciting for her when she decides which characters she wants to meet and greet and have sign her autograph book.

Get your trading pins ready to go (more on this on a later post).  Make sure you leave any special pins you don't want to trade at home to avoid trading any of those by mistake.

We take multiple trips to our local Disney Store to see if any of the character shirts are on sale (much, much cheaper than at the parks).  That way, we can wear our new Disney shirts on the plane.  My daughter loves when we all wear Disney shirts on our way down to the World.

Make your free customized Disney maps.  Yes - free!!!  Go to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com and click Customize Maps at the bottom of the page.  WDW will mail them to you before your trip as a free memento.  Or you can use them at the parks.  Your choice.

Call a family meeting and decide together what advanced dining reservations (ADRs) you want to make.  Look up restaurant menus online at www.allears.net and www.wdwinfo.com and decide together where you want to eat.

Last, order your free vacation planning video from the Disney website (web address above).  You'll get a glimpse of the different rides, restaurants, and characters you'll enjoy on your trip.


If this isn't your first trip, here are some ideas for you:

Make some popcorn and get the family together to watch some home movies of your past trip(s).  It'll bring back some wonderful memories and get the family hyped for your upcoming trip.

Bring out your Mickey Ears!  Of course you're going to take them with you and wear them at some time doing your trip!  Right???

Bring out the old autograph books.  Nostalgia will take over as you see how your kids have grown and changed over time.  Make sure you have some tissues on hand.

Look through your photo albums - it will remind you of your favorite rides or spots at the parks and all the fun you had.... and are about to have again!

What are some of your favorite things to do in getting your family excited for your upcoming trip?

Make sure to go over to our Facebook page - The Mouse In Our House and share your ideas with everyone.

Until next time, remember to keep the Mouse in your house!

Monica

*** Helpful Tip

Here's a helpful tip to go with a previous post.

When packing that carry-on bag, don't forget to throw in a tube of sunblock - you'll need it for your first day in the parks (in case your luggage doesn't make it to your room before you want to take off for the parks).  It's sometimes difficult to find a tube that corresponds to the 3-oz. limit set by the TSA.

Neutrogena makes a 3-oz. tube that's perfect to comply with TSA regulations.  I found it at CVS.

Just throw it in your carry-on and be on your way.

Until next time, be sure to keep the Mouse in your house.

Monica