Boma, at Animal Kingdom Lodge, where I first realized I had lost my license Walt Disney World may be the Most Magical Place on Earth, but that doesn’t mean that when you’re there, you’re immune from bad things happening. I experienced this first hand, years ago, when I lost my driver’s license there. Orlando International…
Author: Kristina Valcarce
My first Walt Disney World vacation was in 1976, and my first Disneyland experience was in 1995, when I moved to Los Angeles. I am a bi-coastal Disney nerd and proud of it!
Why I’ll miss a bug’s land
I’ll miss you, Flik’s Flyers! Walt Disney once said that Disneyland would never be completed as long as there was imagination left in the world. And Marty Sklar famously reminded us that it’s not a museum. It’s natural that changes will come to the Happiest Place on Earth, and while I always look forward to…
Best Places to People Watch – Walt Disney World
The lobby at the Polynesian Village Resort If you visit The Mouse for Less on Facebook, you’ll notice that first time Walt Disney World goers often ask for advice on the perfect vacation. Among all the advice given by seasoned WDW veterans, one statement pops up over and over again: don’t forget to slow down!…
Best Places to People Watch – Disneyland Edition
View from the terrazzo at Naples Ristorante Seasoned Disney-goers know that racing from attraction to attraction, trying to jam in as much as possible in as short a time as possible, is not sustainable for a long vacation. Sure, you want to get your money’s worth, but sometimes what you need is a nice, relaxing…
Disneyland Attractions You Should Experience at Night
Pixar Pier at California Adventure Disneyland is brilliant and beautiful during the bright sunlit hours. The buildings on Main Street, U.S.A. gleam, and the rock formations of Radiator Springs look so real that it’s hard to imagine they’re not. But there are certain attractions at Disneyland that take on a special magic after dark. Here…
Where to Escape Bad Weather – Walt Disney World Edition
I thought Central Florida was supposed to be warm! Has this ever happened to you? You plan for a Walt Disney World vacation a year in advance. You study the historical weather patterns so that you know what to expect. But then, the unexpected happens. In a season when it’s supposed to be cool, temperatures soar…
Moonlight Magic at Disneyland
Vibrant projections on it’s a small world during the event On Thursday, January 31st, the Disney Vacation Club held an event for its members at Disneyland Park called Moonlight Magic. The event ran from 9:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m., and only Disney Vacation Club members who had previously reserved free tickets were able to attend….
Where to Escape Bad Weather: Disneyland Edition
Yes, it sometimes rains in Southern California! Raise your hand if this has happened to you. You plan for a year in advance and choose a time of year to visit Disneyland when the weather is supposed to be beautiful. And there is a freak heat wave and it’s in the triple digits by the…
Grandma’s Favorite Rides at Disneyland
My sister, my daughter, and my mother enjoying Disneyland Park together! Recently I wrote a blog post about which Disneyland attractions are especially good for toddlers. When my mother read it, she asked why I didn’t do a post about the best rides for grandparents! So I interviewed her to get her thoughts. Here are Grandma’s…
Four Things Disneyland Does Better Than Walt Disney World
There are some things Disneyland does better! Not too long ago, I wrote about four things that Walt Disney World does better than Disneyland. Now it’s the West Coast’s turn to shine. Even though Disneyland is decades older than Walt Disney World, there are a handful of things they do better. Here are four examples….
Throwback Thursday: Walt Disney World – 2014
Just the three of us! In 2014, my family and I took a new kind of Walt Disney World vacation. When I was a kid, my parents took my sister and me. But now, I was the parent! And my husband, my daughter and I took our first Walt Disney World vacation where it was…
Naples Ristorante e Bar at the Disneyland Resort
The new exterior of Naples Ristorante e Bar Naples Ristorante e Bar, at Downtown Disney in the Disneyland Resort, just had their grand reveal after a renovation. I was lucky enough to be at the media event and got to take a good look at the changes. There are three major areas to this restaurant,…