Hi guys! By the time you read this, I’ll be eating my final breakfast in Anaheim and getting ready to drive home.
I haven’t been to Disneyland in 5 years, but my favorite rides certainly have not changed!
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Indiana Jones
Matterhorn Bobsleds
Pirates of the Caribbean
So tell me, have you ridden any of these? If you have, tell me which rides are your favorites!
Castle in the Air
Release Date: July 23rd 2015
Summary from Amazon:
The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas has been called “America’s Most Haunted Hotel” largely because of the events of the 1930s when Dr. Norman Baker ran a “cancer treatment hospital” which he called his “Castle in the Air.”
Follow the fictionalized story of Clara, the young, unwed pregnant niece of Dr. Baker who comes to help at the cancer center in exchange for room and board and finds things aren’t quite what they appear to be. Caring for an ill young boy at the center she feels her maternal instincts kick in – something is definitely not right at her uncle’s hospital. But what? Will she be able to piece together the clues in time to save herself and the boy? Or will be forever be doomed to reside in the Castle in the Air, where once you check in…you never leave.
8 Tidbits about “America’s Most Haunted Hotel” – The Crescent Hotel
After several years of writing and editing for producers and other screenwriters her curiosity led her into writing novels. As a huge fan of Young Adult and New Adult literature this is where her pen tends to lead her. However, she does have plans to release a few middle grade fiction and adult novels in the future.
Jennifer attributes her love of reading and writing to her mother who always reminded her of the power of literacy. Besides telling her and her siblings that they could do anything they wanted if they knew how to read and write, she said, “You can go anywhere in a book. You can be anyone.”
Hello everyone and welcome to my post here on Disney Week! I am super excited to be here and talk to you guys all things Disney! Now being a California native, I’ve been to Disneyland and California Adventure quite a few times. I am going to tell you guys my top 5 favorite rides along with some of the food I get at Disney! Hope you guys enjoy! 🙂
Top 5 Favorite Rides
1. California Scream. This was my first roller coaster with a loop and I still enjoy riding this coaster to this day. I am pretty afraid of heights so the drops on this ride scare me so much. Plus, the loop on this ride isn’t that bad so I enjoy this one. The speed of this thing is intense as well.
2. The Twilight Zone. I remember my first time on this ride and how much it scared the crap out of me. The drop is just so fast and so deep down that I scream every time I go on this ride. Of course, the first time is always the worst. The more you go on it the better it get’s!
3. Splash Mountain. Again with the height and drops. This ride still intimidates me despite the fact that I’ve been on it multiple times. The thing with this ride is that it really depends on where you’re sitting when it comes to how wet you get. Front will always be the wettest, middle is okay wet, and the end is the least wet. The end however is just as scary as the front. If you really aren’t scared of drops and heights, definitely take the front for the best experience.
4. Space Mountain. One thing I have got to say about this ride is I suggest you only go once in a row. This one time I went twice in a row and it really made me sick, and I barely get motion sickness. Other than that this ride is super fun to go on. It’s fast and kind of like a mini roller coaster, which I love.
5. Stars Tour. Okay so this one isn’t much of a ride but I still love going on it. I really enjoyed the Star Wars movies and this ride is super fun. The line sometimes get’s a bit long but if you ever get lucky, definitely try it out.
Food
1. Beignets. I loove these things, It’s basically a donut thing with powdered sugar and sometimes there may be a filling inside. Legit so good. My cousins and I always go to Downtown Disney and get Beignets from The Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen and ughhh they’re so good. If you want some inside of Disneyland I know Cafe Orleans has them, and their Mickey Mouse shaped! 😀
2. Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue. THIS PLACE. It’s ridiculous, trust me. If you ever go to Disney in a huge group and everyone eats a lot definitely try this place out. It’s super country to the point where they serve drinks in Mason jars and have corn bread and stuff. It’s all you can eat as well. But wait, that’s not even the best part. THEY SERVE YOU BUCKETS OF MEAT. If you’re vegetarian, I’m sorry this place exists but if you eat meat…OHHH BOYY. I went to this place one time in Disneyland with my cousins and we ate so much. Buckets on buckets of meat and tons of drink refills. It was great really. If you’re up to all you can eat buckets of meat, definitely try this place out.
3. Dole Whip. I dislike pineapples, I just think they’re too sweet and taste weird but I will have Dole Whip. This stuff is pretty good. You can find it near the Indiana Jones ride I believe. Definitely try it out.
Thanks for reading this post and I hope you learned something new! Let me know if you try and of the rides of food out. If you’ve never been to Disneyland, I do hope you go one day. It’s a great experience. 😀
Alright folks! Disney talking time!
Before I get started, hope you have a great time in Disneyland Alexia! Take pictures with everybody you can, particularly the good looking guys ;D
Moving on, I’ve got a lot of Disney stuff to talk about…being a self-proclaimed Disnerd, I know a lot and I usually have a lot of discussion topics. I can poke holes in several of the fan theories, and if you start to hate on Disney…well, don’t get me started!
Anyway, for me I want to talk about one of my favorite princesses: Jasmine!
I feel like Jasmine never gets enough love and she’s my favorite! Plus, Aladdin is getting ready to come out on Blu-Ray and I’m amazingly excited about this. I’m seriously considering ordering a copy even though I have the 2-disc special edition from when it came out on DVD several years ago.
Anyway, seriously on the Jasmine love though! She doesn’t get enough. Don’t get me wrong, the other princesses are great, but usually, unless it’s something that’s all the princesses, Jasmine’s not included. Sometimes, she’s still excluded.
(And don’t get me started on this whole “redesign” thing) See what I mean? You’ve got pretty much every princess except for Jasmine! Where’s the fairness in that? This would be why I was oh so very excited to get this shirt:
I mean, not only is it really cute, but it’s JASMINE! And it’s only Jasmine. When I was a kid, I had a shirt that had all the princesses (well, all the princesses up to Pocahontas. The others hadn’t been inducted into the group yet; Mulan had only just come out…) Jasmine alone almost never happens. I did have a cup that was Jasmine for a short while, but it either broke in the dishwasher or was the victim of one of my brothers. I even had a set of sheets that were Jasmine-themed. The first time we went to Disneyland, I tried to convince my parents to let me buy a new set of Jasmine sheets, but they ended up not having any sets anyways.
Now don’t get me wrong, I like all the Disney princesses (I even include the “forgotten ones” i.e. Kida, Eilonwy, etc) and I’ve had a couple people tell me I should be Belle for Halloween, but I think Jasmine needs some more love! Anyone else agree with me?
Author Bio: I love reading, music and movies/tv. I’m a total bookworm (see my Goodreads page if you want an example) and I always have a book with me. I also really love Disney. I’m slowly working on getting copies of all the movies which is why I’m excited that they’re coming out with all the special editions/Blu-Ray copies, especially of some of the older movies. Right now I work as a Customer Service representative for a furniture store, but I have an A.S. in Computer Science and I’m working on finding a job in my field.
Hi guys! It’s me, Alexia. By the time you’re reading this, I am probably in line at Disneyland for the Matterhorn. Or I’ve finished with the Matterhorn and am off to Space Mountain.
Anyway, I thought it’d be fun if I shared with you some of my favorite things to eat at Disneyland. So here it goes!
Monte Cristco sandwich from Cafe Orleans
Guys, this sandwich is hands down the most delectable food I’ve ever eaten. I usually cannot even finish all 4 pieces. I always get this at least once while I’m there.
Eggs Benedict from Carnation Cafe
Now, I don’t normally do breakfast. Usually I’m good with a cup of coffee in the morning and that’s it. When I’m at Disneyland, I make sure to have this at least once. It is so, so yummy. I just make sure I go on some tame rides after that, for at least an hour because it does fill you up.
Pommes Frites from Cafe Orleans.
I normally get these with my Monte Cristo sandwich. They are garlic parmesan yummyness. I don’t generally dip them in the sauce, but my mom does and she loves the sauce with the fries.
Tigger Tails from Pooh’s Corner.
These things are the best things in the WORLD. Marshmallow covered in sugar, drizzled with chocolate.They do give you a massive sugar high, followed by an epic sugar crash, but man, they are so worth it.
Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl at Pacific Wharf Cafe (California Adventure)
Guys, clam chowder is my weakness. Clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl is probably one of my favorite things of all time. I cannot WAIT to get some of this while I’m there.
So, have any of you tried any of the foods I mentioned?
I’ve always been a Disney girl. Some of my earliest memories are of my parents renting Disney movies for me on a regular basis, and my dad taking me to the theatre to see new releases. I loved the action and the music and the romance and the magic. As I got older, I never stopped watching Disney movies. A friend and I talked recently about watching and loving animated movies, and we said we couldn’t understand adults who claim animated movies are ‘just for kids’. I would hate to lose that childlike wonder I still feel whenever I watch one of my childhood favourite movies or discover new ones.
The 5 Movies That Started My Love Affair With Disney
Robin Hood – Robin Hood – yes, the cartoon fox – was one of my first-ever crushes. He’s so swoony! He’s brave and chivalrous and funny…plus his accent is super sexy. 😉 I loved all the action in Robin Hood, the music, the highs and the lows within the story, and the romance between Robin and Maid Marian. It took some coaxing to get my nephews to watch this one, but they both love it and it gives me an excuse to watch it on a regular basis…not that I really need an excuse!
Sword in the Stone – Just as the Disney version of Robin Hood started my love of the Robin Hood legends, Sword in the Stone started my love of the King Arthur legends. It’s such a fun movie – all the magic and music and action. Wart, Merlin, and Archimedes are absolutely hilarious, plus there are some important life lessons thrown in there, too.
Pocahontas – This movie came out almost exactly a year after my dad died, and it was the first movie my mum ever took me to see in the theatre (theatre trips were always a daddy-daughter thing). It has a special place in my heart for that reason alone, but it’s also a fantastic movie. I love Pocahontas’s free spirit, the nature aspects, the portrayal of the settlers vs the Natives, and the music. Colours of the Wind is still one of my favourite songs ever.
Beauty and the Beast – Out of all the Disney princesses, I feel I’m most like Belle, so I always connected to this movie. I love how sweet and smart and loyal she is, but that she can also be fiery and fierce when she needs to be. And, like the other movies on my list, the music is another big draw for me with this movie. Plus, seriously, I’d be locked away with the Beast if I could have his library!
Aladdin – I watched this one so much that I knew it by heart…literally. My aunt, uncle, and cousin came to visit once and I convinced them to watch Aladdin. I didn’t even know I was reciting all the dialogue until I realized they were all staring at me. I loved the adventure and the music (again!) and the romance, and I adored Genie.
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Marie is a Canadian Young Adult and New Adult author who writes happily ever afters while dreaming about the day she’ll have her own epic love story to tell. Most days you can find her writing, reading, blogging at Ramblings of a Daydreamer, fantasizing about traveling the world, listening to U2, or watching copious amounts of TV on DVD.
This feature is hosted by Tynga’s Review. It’s a way to show our readers what books we’ve added to our shelves.
This week, I bought a book, I got a book from Edelweiss and I picked up a book from the library. A nice small haul for the second week in a row.
Go forth and see what I added to my shelves.
Bought
Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone
Received for Review
-Edelweiss-
An Inheritance of Ashes by Leah Bobet
Library
Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu
I hope you all have a fabulous week! I’ll be out of town all week, but the blog will be active with Disney related guest posts. Be sure to leave links to your haul posts so I can check them out when I get back home.
First, I would like to thank Alexia for allowing me to take part in her Disney event. I hope she has a wonderful time at Disneyland, a place I’ve never visited, but hope to someday. Now, you’ll have to forgive me if I start to ramble. I am not much of a writer, but I LOVE anything Disney and have since I was a kid so once I get started…well, you know…
From the time I heard the words “Disney World“, I knew I must visit this magical land where dreams supposedly came true. Even as a child I begged and pleaded with my parents to take me to “see Mickey.” I still remember being a heartbroken 2-year-old crying her eyes out as my grandparents took BOTH my older brother and older sister to Disney World with promises to me that when I was older they would take me as well.
Well, I waited…and waited…and waited…and sadly, as I got older (at least in my eyes…and the rest of the world‘s), I tragically and unexpectedly lost my grandfather, and dreams of going to Disney World were put on a shelf reserved for “Maybe Someday” items.
Then one day my sister and her husband were planning a trip to take my nieces to Disney World and invited my parents and me to go along and FINALLY at the age of 26, I was going to Walt Disney World! (I guess I still hadn’t gotten “old enough” in my grandmother’s eyes to go with her.)
So we packed up for our magical trip to visit the four parks that make up Disney World (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios), and drove for hours. I could hardly sit still as excitement ran through my veins…I was like a kid again. I was finally going to “see Mickey.”
We finally arrived…and it rained…EVERY SINGLE DAY. And I don’t mean, small showers…we are talking monsoon-like storms with flooding, lightning, thunder, tornado warnings. I saw more Disney ponchos than you can even imagine. In addition to that, I also got sick and spent one entire day sleeping in the hotel room while my family enjoyed the magic without me.
But despite all of that, I had still made it to Disney World. I was with my family and I was happy. That was all that mattered to me. Since that first, very soggy trip I have gone with my sister and sometimes my parents at least once a year. My grandmother even went with us one year! And each trip we start out with that same excitement and joy at going to such a magical place and leave exhausted, hot and wondering why we put ourselves through it every year, but deep inside we know it is worth it.
And these rides are a few of the things that make it worth it to me and are my must rides at each park (if they are open)…
Magic Kingdom
– Haunted Mansion
This ride is a favorite for me and the rest of my family despite that fact that we once got stuck on it for 20 minutes and had to listen to a ghost lady tell us over and over and over, “Hurry Back. Be Sure to Bring Your Death Certificates…” There is just something about the Grim Grinning Ghosts we can’t pass by.
– Splash Mountain
I love to ride this one on a hot day. I enjoy listening and watching the story of Brer Rabbit and other characters you see as you calmly ride along in your log raft before plunging down the waterfall. And even though it doesn’t scare me, I still haven’t figured out how NOT to make my face look terrified in EVERY picture we get taken on this ride (including the one my sister has framed on her bookcase for everyone to see).
-Space Mountain
This is probably my favorite ride at Magic Kingdom. I think we rode it at least 6 or 7 times this last trip. I love roller coasters and enjoy how you can’t really see where you are going on this one because of the darkness of the ride. You never know what to expect. It also seems like you get a different experience depending on which seat you get in the “shuttles.”
EPCOT
-Test Track
This ride is a lot different now than it was when I first went to the park in 2009. Back then they just put your car through a series of tests that automobiles go through. Now you get to design a car and it gets scored on the tests, which turns it into more of a competition.
-Spaceship Earth
As most kids (and adults) say, this is the “big golf ball.” Yes, this one can be long and boring, but every time I ride it, I give thanks to the inventors of all the means of communication (paper, alphabet, books, computer, etc.) because without them you wouldn’t be reading this and we wouldn’t be able to enjoy many of the things we love today.
Animal Kingdom
-Kilimanjaro Safaris
This is definitely my favorite ride of any of the parks! Every year we each pick a ride that we have to ride no matter what and this is the one I ALWAYS pick. It is the only ride that is different every single time you ride it. You never know what animals you’ll be able to see or what they’ll be doing. For example, it took 3 or 4 visits to ever see the lion and we once had to stop for about 10 minutes because a giraffe was in the middle of the road. This last trip we saw several baby animals. I love this ride and the animals so much. I would definitely recommend it…but be sure you have your camera ready.
-Kali River Rapids
Warning! You will more than likely get SOAKED on this ride. I speak from multiple years of experience. Also, do not wear a white t-shirt unless you want to put on a show. I did that my first time and after spending the hot, muggy day wearing my mom’s jacket to avoid winning a wet t-shirt contest, I learned my lesson. Otherwise, this one is a lot of fun.
Hollywood Studios
-Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith
The lines are usually long for this one and the ride is very quick…like blink and you miss it quick, but despite that, I really enjoy this one. The year my grandmother went with us, she went off on her own and when she showed back up at the hotel she kept talking about “some rock and roll thing.” She said she saw a line, didn’t know what it was for, but knew it was for something so she got in line…it was this ride…my 70-something grandmother rode this by herself (she did the same thing with Tower of Terror). I was sad I missed seeing her reaction because she wouldn’t ride it again.
-Star Tours
So this Star Wars-themed ride has gone through MAJOR changes since I first rode it. The first time I rode it, it was dated…very dated. Since then it has undergone major renovations giving you more ride experience options so you never know which to expect. I like the updated ride a lot better than the older version and it has become one I can ride multiple times whereas the old one was a one ride and I was done type of ride.
So I only picked a few rides at each park. I could go on and on, but I am not sure Alexia really wanted me to ramble on this long nor do I think you guys want to read anymore (if you even made it this far). There are many more rides to check out if you are ever at one of the Disney World parks including several in the new Fantasyland section of Magic Kingdom (Seven Dwarves Mine Train, The Little Mermaid, etc).
I hope that if you haven’t gotten to experience the joy of a Disney park, that you do someday and that you enjoy yourself. And if you have, I hope it was a pleasant and magical experience filled with happy and funny memories.
So, have any of you been Disney World or Disneyland? Any favorite rides or experiences? If you haven’t been, what rides would you like to ride?
Book Title: Unleashed
Author: Sophie Jordan
Published Date: February 24th, 2015
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Series: Book 2 in Uninvited duology
Book Link: Goodreads
Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository
Synopsis from Goodreads
Unleashed, the romantic, high-stakes sequel to New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan’s Uninvited, is perfect for fans of James Patterson’s Confessions of a Murder Suspect.
Davy has spent the last few months trying to come to terms with the fact that she tested positive for the kill gene HTS (also known as Homicidal Tendency Syndrome). She swore she would not let it change her, and that her DNA did not define her . . . but then she killed a man.
Now on the run, Davy must decide whether she’ll be ruled by the kill gene or if she’ll follow her heart and fight for her right to live free. But with her own potential for violence lying right beneath the surface, Davy doesn’t even know if she can trust herself.
Disclaimer: I borrowed this book from a fellow blogger.
Review
I really loved the first book in this duology, Uninvited. It was unique and captivating and I enjoyed all of the characters. So I was excited to see where book 2 would go.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more disappointed in the end of a series. Even Allegiant by Veronica Roth didn’t bug me this badly. It felt like I was starting a whole new series or even like it was a trilogy and I had skipped book 2.
I liked Davy and Sean a lot, so when we pick up the book and they are already emotionally distant from each other, I was confused. I wondered what the heck was going on. It was weird. Like I said, it felt like a whole different series.
I liked seeing Sabine and Gil again and that was one of the reasons, I was annoyed when I kept reading and they were barely in the rest of the book. It was infuriating. I really wanted more of them and it was annoying realizing that it was probably not going to happen. These people were there for her when she was feeling so much like an outcast. They were supposed to be her “family” and yet, she ditched them.
The majority of the book was all about her falling in love with Caden. Snooze-fast. That was a major case of insta-love and I never really warmed up to Caden. She pretty much forgot about Sean, Gil and Sabine because of Caden. God, I hate that story arc. I also hate what that says to young girls. It basically says that they should forget all about their friends because a hot, mysterious boy showed them attention.
I hated the ending of the book. I was hoping for something different, a better resolution. Something that would change me from feeling indifferent to feeling excited and happy about the book. But that didn’t happen. I was hoping for some kind of reunion with her whole family. This series duology was near perfect with only one book. It should have stayed a standalone. I am giving it 2 stars. It was really disappointing to me and I had to force myself to keep reading it.
Earlier this week, there was a biphobic article circulating around the blogosphere. I skimmed the article, getting madder and madder as I kept reading it. I finally had to stop reading it before my blood pressure skyrocketed.
I was eighteen when I first realized that I was attracted to both men and women. I had never considered the possibility that I was anything but straight. So it was a real eye-opener. I struggled with being bisexual for 5 years. I struggled mostly with what I thought I was rather than what I actually was.
I was 23 before I could even form the word “Bisexual”
I credit the Psychology of Sexual Orientation class I took in the fall of 2008. That class helped me immensely. By the time I was finished with that class. I was so much more comfortable with who I was. I was comfortable being out as a bisexual woman. I felt so much better about myself. It may sound crazy, but I’m not sure I’d be out of the closet if I hadn’t taken that class. I was already out to a few members of my family before I took the class, but afterwards, I came out to everyone else.
It took me 5 years to be able to label myself.. No labels aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, but I’m happy that I can call myself bisexual.
Bisexuality exists. I exist. The way I choose to identify myself is valid.
When I first came out, distant relatives and acquaintances told me that I couldn’t be bisexual because I’d never been with a woman.
I…Um…WHAT?
By that logic, virgins should be asexual.
It took me a really long time to be happy and comfortable with who I am. I refuse to let anyone try to make me feel invalid again.
Adventures in Reading 