Why should I pin trade? It's a good souvenir idea. My favorite pins are the ones that have a memory behind them. My Animal Kingdom pin I bought because I worked there, my mushroom pin I found after playing Fantasia mini golf with my friends, the matching "I'll be your Minnie/I'll be your Mickey" pins my boyfriend and I wore on Dapper Day, and the Disneyland Diamond pins my friend bought for me after she went to Disneyland. Furthermore, it will help children build social skills. Plenty of parents teach their kids to say "may I see your pins, please?" and "thank you" when pin trading. It can help some kids overcome shyness because they have to go up and talk to people in order to trade.  BEWARE: Pin trading is addicting! HOW TO PIN TRADE 1. Starting out I recommend either a Starter Pack (Lanyard with pins) or a big mystery pin pack. This way you can keep the ones you like and trade away the ones you don't like. TIP: The point is ...

SPOILER ALERT There is always skepticism when it comes to movie sequels, especially that of Disney movie sequels. Walt himself never believed in making sequels, so there were never any produced during his time. And people realized he was right after Disney Animation Studios released The Rescuers Down Under in 1990. The Rescuers was the most successful movie produced after Disney's death in the 60s, so it was a likely candidate for a sequel. However, the sequel ended up being the worst preforming Disney movie of the 1990s. From then on out, all sequels were produced and released by Disney Toon Studios. They had low budgets, and most were released straight to DVD. Pixar even received bad reviews on one of its sequels, Cars 2 . So a lot of moviegoers were skeptical when it came to Finding Dory . But Pixar also made some really great sequels, such as Monsters University, Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 3 (you're lying if you say you didn't cry at TS3). Finding Nemo is al...

Are you planning your first trip to Walt Disney World? If you're looking for a fun-filled and magical escape, then Walt Disney World is the perfect destination for you! With four theme parks, two water parks, and countless attractions, there is something for everyone to enjoy.  Much like life, planning a trip to this magical destination is a trial-and-error process. Lots of people make mistakes or have regrets planning their first visit. Here are some tips to avoid rookie mistakes.  1. Prioritize when planning Walt Disney World is HUGE. It's the size of San Francisco and there are hundred of things you can do. Attractions, shows, games, dining, characters, pictures, tours, activities, movies, festivals, shopping, fishing, biking, spa treatments, sports... the list goes on and on. Having spent the better half of 7 months in the parks, I haven't even experienced everything the Walt Disney World Resort has to offer.  When making a schedule, it is important to know that ...

The parks are made to transport you into the movies, which is why it is important to see the movies before going to the parks. I suggest watching these movies a few months or weeks leading up to your vacation. You could even bring a portable DVD player in the car ride there. A Disney movie marathon is great way to get excited about your upcoming trip! 1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Snow White meet and greets in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Character dining at Cinderella's Royal Table or Akershus See Snow White dance with her prince in Fantasmic See Snow White dance in the Festival of Fantasy Parade Ride the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland 2. Pinocchio See Pinocchio in the Festival of Fantasy Parade Eat at Pinocchio's Village Haus in Fantasyland 3. Fantasia Fantasia mini golf See Sorcerer Mickey and scenes from Fantasia in Fantasmic! The Sorcerer's Apprentice scene in Mickey's Philharmagic 4. Dumbo Storybook Circus in Fantasyland - an entire ar...

Before coming up with the idea of Disneyland, Walt wanted to have tours throughout his animation studios. This way people could learn about the movie-making process. He even wanted to add rides, like a small theme park. However, his idea kept growing - too big to fit into his actual studios. The Hollywood Studios park is what Walt's original idea of a studio backlot tour might have looked like. At the same time Disney was planning their Hollywood theme park, Universal was also planning on establishing a Hollywood theme park in Orlando. The two had very similar attraction ideas. They parks were racing against each other to be the first one to open. Disney, of course, was the first to open on May 1, 1988. A lot of people view Hollywood Studios as a half-day park. And Disney imagineers originally intended for Studios to be a half-day park. However, more was added to the park after its unpredicted popularity. Some additions are Sunset Boulevard, which feature Rock 'n' Ro...

These are some of my favorite resorts to hit up on resort hopping days. See if you can include these hotels on your resort hopping day! Art of Animation - fun photo ops, and a great food court Grand Floridian - the most beautiful of all the resorts. I usually stop in the Basin gift shop. Polynesian - eat at Ohana with Lilo and Stitch and watch MK fireworks from the beach with a Dole Whip in hand Wilderness Lodge - ride bikes or play tetherball on the beach Animal Kingdom Lodge - see animals without the crowds in the parks Coronado - beautiful setting. Relax in a hammock! Port Orleans - love the theming. Some of the buildings look like mansions! Beach Club/Yacht Club - Walk around the beautiful beach, watch Illuminations at night, and dine at Cape May's buffet for dinner or Beaches and Cream for dessert. 

I love listening to Disney music when I study. Some songs are very relaxing, some songs motivate me, and some songs give me an extra burst of energy when I need it!  I have complied a playlist of Disney songs that will hopefully motivate you to whistle while you work. I'll  Make A Man Out Of You - Mulan Whistle While You Work - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Go The Distance - Hercules Hakuna Matata - The Lion King Son of Man - Tarzan Why Should I Worry - Oliver and Company One Jump Ahead - Aladdin Be Prepared - The Lion King Almost There - The Princess and the Frog When Will My Life Begin - Tangeld A Spoonfull of Sugar - Mary Poppins Heigh Ho - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride - Lilo and Stitch Bear Necessities - The Jungle Book Steady As The Beating Drum - Pocahontas Zero To Hero - Hercules I'm On My Way - Brother Bear One Last Hope - Hercules Some people find the musical numbers too distracting to study to. So, I have also comp...

EPCOT is one of Walt Disney World's four theme parks. Even though it opened to the public in 1982, Epcot's history starts long before then. Read on to discover some fun facts about this futuristic park.  History EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. And that's what it was intended to be. Walt Disney wanted to build a city that utilized the technology of tomorrow. Walt said that the city would " never be completed, but will always be introducing, and testing, and demonstrating new materials and new systems."  The city was set up in a "wagon wheel" style, just like Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. The center of the city would feature businesses, schools and community centers. A transportation system would spoke outwards to neighborhoods along the perimeter.  Original Plans for EPCOT The driving force of the city would be it's advanced transportation system. The People Mover would transport people around neighborhoods,...

MK Tony's (Such cute theming. Melts my heart) Be Our Guest (lunch). (Try the Gray Stuff cupcake! It's delicious.) Cosmic Rays (when you just want a cheeseburger) Pecos Bill's (get a rice bowl and head to the topping bar) Gaston's Tavern (The cinnamon rolls are amazing) Colombia Harbor House (Fish and Chicken) Storybook Treats (grab a swirl ice cream cone, sit on a nearby bench and people watch) EPCOT Le Cellier (Cheese soup, steak, and chocolate mouse) Yorkshire (fish and chips) DAK Yak and Yeti Quick Service (The honey chicken is amazing. Beware of bees, though) Flame Tree Barbecue (Try both kinds of barbecue sauce they have) Tamu Tamu (for an alcoholic Dole Whip) Trillo-Bites (buffalo chicken waffles) Studios Starbucks (yes, I know that there's one in every park, and it's not exclusive to Disney. But this is the best themed Starbucks in all the parks) Starring Rolls (try the chocolate peanut butter cupcake. Your stomach will ...