All About Disney

Nat took this photo on our Spring 2015 trip

If you've been paying attention (at all) here on the blog, you'll know that we're DisneyGeeks. Or Disnerds, if you'd like.  It started with Nat booking a trip with our then 2 year old daughter.  And has blossomed into a full-fledged forum-reading, podcast-listening, trip-planning family juggernaut.
As you can see from the velocity of the posting, my fandom has only increased.  I've written more about Disney in 2015 than all the past years combined.  And I didn't slow down in 2016.

In 2021, I have posted 25 Disney-related posts.  10 alone in January.  Thus, I was able to match last year's total in *just* January of 2021.

In 2020, I posted 10 Disney-related posts.  Thanks, COVID.

In 2019, I posted 31 Disney-related posts.  A slight recovery from 2018.
In 2018, I posted just 28 Disney-related posts.  A dip from recent years.
In 2017, I posted 76 Disney-related posts.  A new high.
In 2016, I posted 55 Disney-related posts.
In 2015, I posted 52 Disney-related posts.

One of the recent highlights was our oldest daughter being asked to pilot a Jungle Cruise boat on our Fall trip:

March 2016 Spring Trip About To Take Off on Dumbo

Here's some of the posts I've written about Disney  (You can find them *all* here on the /Disney tag):

2021

• We had our Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend cut short (Thanks, COVID.)  Our cute Magicbands barely had a chance.  
• If you find yourself at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, go find the lounge on the 2nd floor.  Cool buffalo painting worth checking out.
• We saw a few of the WDW 50th Anniversary Golden Statues in the parks - but photographed just one:  Piglet and Pooh Bear.  One of our girl's favorite.
• In early Fall, our Disneyland Roses were still blooming.  Strongly. 
• A pair of Juniper trees from Disney Springs are some inspiration for our backyard garden.
• By late Summer, our Mickey Mouse (standing) topiary with Creeping Fig Vine is filling in.
• Under the train station on MainStreet USA in Disneyland, you'll find a lovely Belgian Fence espalier up against the wall. 
• By July, it was time to move our Standing Mickey Mouse Fig vine topiary outside.  
• I added a new coaster to the collection from Bar Riva at Disney's Riviera Resort.  
• I added a couple of coasters from Oga's Cantina in Disneyland to my online collection.
• Nat brought home some "Disney Parks 2020" merchandise from the outlet that didn't sell due to COVID shutting the parks down for most of the year. 
• We finally did. it. Bought the Mickey Mouse (standing) topiary that is available at the Epcot Flower and Garden show.  I assembled it and wired it up. 
• Love how the Imagineers have brought back the original Epcot pavilion logos.  I traded for a World Showcase logo pin. 
• Thanks to some Disney World historians, I figured out that my family was in The Mad Hatter in Fantasy Land back when I was a kid.  
• My Sister Vic shared a vintage photo from 1982(ish) of the two of us with my older sister Sharon and my Mom on an early trip to Walt Disney World.  
• I found a pair of pins that each feature a pair of mittens.  One from the Contemporary.  And one from the Polynesian that only reads "Polynesian Resort" and not the new(er) name of "Polynesian Village Resort".
• Maybe my favorite festival to attend in Orlando is Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival.  We went in 2016 and I picked up a pin.
• We attended the final year of Disney's Hollywood Studios Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights and I grabbed a pin to mark the visit. 
• Part of the discovered closet stash was this 2015 Christmas Disney pin with Captain Hook and Mr. Smee with a little ribbon bow on it. 
• In cleaning out my office closet, I found a stash of un-opened, un-documented Disney pins from 2015 and 2016.
• Disney Parks trading pins jigsaw puzzle total build time:  Two Weeks.
• I was able to get a bunch of the Disney Parks Pins puzzle done during Christmas break.
• We were only able to get three of the McDonald's Happy Meal Disney Parks ride vehicle toys before they were recalled.
• Added a new bucket list restaurant visit:  the Tam O'Shanter.
• What's better to do during lockdown?  A Disney Parks Pins puzzle.  

2020

• Took us a couple of years.  But, we finished the Walt Disney World Lego Castle.
• A status check on the Lego Castle build in December.
• We got back to building the LEGO WDW Cinderella castle once the pandemic hit.  
• I built a prototype for the WDW twinkle lights using a train transformer.
• I found the bulbs (I think) that are the right bulbs for the DIY project of Twinkle lights.
• I decided to DIY some twinkle lights like they have at Downtown Disney and used to have in the Hub at WDW.  
• My Mom saved this vintage Epcot pennant that is now in the KotBT's room.
• Aulani had a little pop-up experience at Chicago's Union Station.  Turns out, it was RIGHT.BEFORE.COVID.
• Disney Imagineering hosts an annual competition and this year there was a local connection.
• We lost a bag from the giant Lego Disney's Cinderella Castle from WDW.

2019

• ANA (a Japanese Airline) launched a couple of plans with Star Wars livery that I spotted at ORD.
• Who wants to live at the intersection of Christmas blowmolds and Disney and Menards.  *This guy*
• We added an Aulani-themed Duffy the Bear pin to our Pin Board.
• Menards is heavy'ing up on Nightmare Before Christmas stuff including Jack, Sally and Oogie Boogie pumpkins.  
• Disney Ephemera:  Life Magazine from 1971 showing the opening of Walt Disney World.
• I have posted repeatedly about horticulture at Disneyland including these cube-shaped trees.
• These IASWAF garbage cans are well-themed, aren't they?
• These crazy trees that Imagineering used at Phantom Manor in Disneyland Paris are really working.
• The same "welcome sign" at Disney parks is tweaked at Disneyland Park in Paris. 
• Here are the park maps from Disneyland Paris two parks from the Summer of 2019. 
• Duffy the Bear was having a celebration at Tokyo DisneySea during my Spring visit.  
• And Tokyo Disneyland still had their Redhead in Pirates. 
• During my three visits to the Tokyo Parks, I always struggle to find the kids gifts that say "Tokyo Disneyland" on them.  
• Imagineering isn't quite what I was thinking for this vape advertisement. 
• I took a ride on the Tokyo Disneyland Resort Monorail.  It is adorable.  
• Added the 35th Birthday-edition Parks Map for Tokyo Disneyland to the collection. 
• And bought the companion Disney Pin for the celebration. 
• Cute bathroom signs at Tokyo DisneySea.  
• An appreciation post for the Mediterranean Harbor at Tokyo DisneySea.  
• The Aulani Character breakfast has banana dolphins.  And is...umm...bananas!
• New DVC kioski Mickey Mouse stickers to mark his 90th birthday.
• On a morning coffee run, I saw some of the Aulani Resort cats. 
• Disney does nostalgia at the parks better than anyone. 
• Duffy's buddy O'lu the turtle has a pin, too.  One of the kids selected this for the pin board. 
• I wrote a 'summary list' of all the Disney Parks horticulture posts on the blog. 
• We added a Disney Aulani coaster to the [collection].
• At Aulani in January, they had some "last year" Christmas pins on clearance.  Had to buy one, of course.  
• We met the (unofficial) Mayor of Buena Vista Street - Donna Linn De Larria.
• Blue Sky Cellars had a display with a really cute vintage Disneyland tray. 
• While we were waiting for Soarin' to open at California Adventure, someone sweeping up gave out these "pilot" stickers to the kids.  
• New Disney Ephemera: Lightning McQueen and Stanley park buttons. 
• We now have the matching set: Autopia Drivers License from Disneyland to match the one we picked up from WDW. 

2018

• It be gold I'm after Goofy pin traded for and added to our board. 
• And a Tigger pin (outline version), too. 
• Added two (more) Star Wars Easter-egg-shaped pins. 
• We bought this vintage Walt Disney Comic book featuring Donald on the cover. 
• Disneyland Viewmaster vintage ad as found in the back of the comic book. 
• The Contemporary Resort has their own coasters.  Added to the collection. 
• I applied, and was rejected for the Disney Mom's Panel.  Again. 
• Who knew that Donald Duck had a full Family Tree??
• I bought this vintage Disneyland pennant at an Estate Sale.  
• We grabbed a WDW Passholder magnet from the Flower and Garden festival.  
• We hung the first of our pin boards in the garage.  And quickly filled it up. 
• Then hung board number two.  
• At an antique mall, I saw a cute, vintage Disney tray.  I passed on it.  
• Same with this Mickey Mouse disco vinyl record.  
• The kids and I started the Lego Cinderella Castle on Summer break.  
• We saw "Jack Diamond" at Hollywood Studios.  
• I took a #purplewall photo on Spring Break.  So Basic - as they say, right?  
• What can you catch in Bay Lake?  Bass, Bluegill, Catfish and Sunfish.  
• We went to the very *edge* of Hollywood Studios and looked at the art for the upcoming Galaxy's Edge land.  
• One of the kids traded for this 'outlined' version of Pooh Bear.  
• Another Disney restaurant.  Another coaster to the collection.  This one is from Enzo's Hideaway in Disney Springs. 
• We traded for this "Walt Disney World Magic Music Days" pin.
• And...someone brought back this "WDW Spring Break 2001" pin 17 years later.  AND TRADED IT AWAY?!?! 
• A couple of pins including one of Pumba and one of Stitch.  
• On New Year's Day, I posted about the Electric Water Pageant Transportation card that we picked up from one of the boat captains.  
• Here's a Transportation Card of one of the Cruiser boats (Disney Ephemera).

2017

• Documenting my 'top score' on Buzz Lightyear ride in Tomorrowland.  
• Rode a WDW Monorail car all to ourselves.  Weird.  But awesome. 
• I went on the Tower of Terror.  First time.  During a RunDisney event.  
• Boyfriends of Instagram Disney Parks-edition.  
• Walt Disney quote on a construction sign - "another world".
• Another Walt Disney quote sign - about delight.  
• Another Walt Disney quote sign - about working hard.
• There were these little tiny Annual Passholder buttons at Food and Wine in Epcot. 
• And we grabbed this 'tweeting' button from @WDWToday. 
• Disney Ephemera:  Minnie Mouse circle sticker.  
• We watched Mickey's Not-So-Scary Party Hallowishes Fireworks show from the Grand Floridian.
• And picked up the party map.
• Have been to the Polynesian dozens of time, but saw this giant Tiki for the first time.
• Went to the Abracadabar with just Nat.  And added the coaster to the [collection].
• We bought this Mary-Blair-inspired Small World pin.  
• Beach Club has vintage decor down pat.  Including this sea shore pageant photo.  
• Peeking at the prep area of Via Napoli reveals that they use three cheeses.  
• My kids got me the best.pin.ever.  #1 Dad.  Take that Mandelbaums.  
• The oldest girl bought this Jungle Cruise Skipper badge/pin.
• And traded for this Buzz Lightyear Mickey-head pin. 
• And this Pirate Pete one, too. 
• And this Lady and the Tramp one was too cute to pass up on. 
• These two safety pin themed pins are now on our board.  
• So is this Macaroon chase pin.  
• A giant Tinkerbell pin was on a pin board.  Glommed on, of course. 
• Pete's Dragon has pins.  We grabbed it.  
• The Falcon - in pin format was traded for by one of the kids.  
• New discovery:  Nando's Peri Peri has Dole Whips.  
• My mother-in-law gave us another Disneyland Rose.  
• The Germany train in Epcot had a bad day when we visited.  
• The Lego Store at Disney Springs has a Loch Ness Monster.  
• We were given these Monorail 'pilot' stickers.  Awesome.  
• And these "honorary custodian" stickers, too.  
• WDW resort upgraded (or downgraded) their coasters.  
• We received some transportation cards including this Friendship Boat around Epcot.  
• A Walt Disney quote construction sign:  I'm just very curious.  
• Another one:  Everyone needs deadlines.
• May the 4th - Jedi Training with the kids.    
• Tokyo Disneyland pin added to our collection.  
• And one from DisneySea, too.  
• Happy Easter from Tokyo Disneyland Resort!
• Tokyo Disneyland Electric Light Parade.  How much fun to see this in Japan.  
• I did some Easter shopping for the kids at Tokyo Disneyland.  
• And looked on to the Caravan Carousel in DisneySea. 
• When you do Jedi Training - you get this "Trials of the Temple" pin badge.  
• Horse-drawn carriage on MainStreet USA.  Kinetic Energy.  
• We picked up an official "drivers license" from Tomorrowland Speedway.
• First time ever seeing these "Disney College Program" pins.  Scrappers, I think.  But cool, still.
• Not just a keeper, but a 'wearer'.  This Mickey Mouse/USA flag pin.  
• This Yacht Club pin marked our stay at the resort.  
• And this Contemporary Resort pin did the same thing.  
• And here's a Stormtrooper in Easter egg format.  
• We stayed to the end credits of Beauty and the Beast - to see someone we know!
• Our race was cancelled.  But we did get a cool 'medal' pin from the Half Marathon.  
• We stayed, and loved, POR.  Picked up a pin to mark the occasion.  
• The POR Princess room headboards are different, but just as cool as the ones at the Disneyland Hotel
• We met Bea, the chair of the theatre group, on MainStreet USA.  
• The Boardwalk Resort has vintage photos - including these beauty queens.  
• The gingerbread carousel at the Beach Club is pretty amazing.  It spins!
• Spotted a cute light fixture made of insulators at a burger place in Disney Springs.  
• The Bird danced and we all ate and had a great time at Raglan Road in Disney Springs.  Also added the coaster to the collection.  
• We met the Choir Director on MainStreet USA.  
• The Live Oak at POR is pretty incredible.  They built the resort AROUND the tree.  
• My review of PizzaRizzo in DHS. Love the place.  Don't love the pies.  
• I added a coaster from the Flying Fish at the Boardwalk Inn to the collection.  
• We met the owner of the Emporium on MainStreet USA.  She was a lot of fun.  
• There's hidden Mickey's in the balusters of the luggage cart at Disney's Port Orleans Riverside.  Inspiration for our house?  
• I might tear up looking at this photo of Dole Whips like I do whenever I watch the movie Rudy.
• This might be a 'duh' kind of statement.  But...if you have a chance, spend NYE at the Poly in one of their club-level theme park view rooms.  Seriously.  
• We met Elena of Avalon at the backdoor/international gateway at Epcot.  She was delightful.
• I fell in love a bit with the tile in PizzaRizzo at DHS.  
• One of the girls traded for this Toy Story Midway Mania DLR opening day pin.  
• We found ourselves in the parks (Epcot, I think) on Mickey's birthday.  They gave out these pins to mark the occasion.  
• Elsa on a 'limited edition' MVMCP pin?  Sold.  
• Hard to pass up the 'limited' nature of these MVMCP pins, right?  
• We picked up some 'passholder exclusive' pins at the Mickey's Very Merry party right before X-mas this year.  

2016

• I had Magic Band covers that featured Mary Poppins and Bert earlier this year.
• We were able to catch the new Muppets show in Liberty Square.  Sam Eagle FTW.
• The Wilderness Lodge had a similar holiday pin this year. 
• The Boardwalk Inn went wreath for their pin, too.  
• We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge, which was under construction and they gifted us with this pin set to make up for the noise.  
• We finally scored some WDW transportation cards from a really nice boat captain.
• This year, the Animal Kingdom Lodge Christmas pin was bought by one of the girls. 
• The 2016 holiday pins from the resorts all look the same.  This one is from Fort Wilderness.
• Lionel issued a Pluto 'Walking Brakeman' O-Gauge car this year.  
• We saw the "March of the First Order" right when we walked into Hollywood Studios.  
• Check out the Diet of a Disney Horse from the Ranch at Fort Wilderness.
• It snows on Hollywood Boulevard at DHS during the holiday season.  Neat stuff.  
• There are a few train cars from Walt Disney's Carolwood Pacific Line from his backyard at the Villas at the Wilderness Lodge.  
• I participated in the 2016 Disney Reddit Gift Exchange.  Gave a woman some pins and an ornament.  
• And we had the best.Santa.ever for our part of the Reddit Disney Gift Exchange.  The girls got hooked up! 
• Lionel issued a special 50th Anniversary Pooh Bear boxcar this year.   And a 75th Anniversary Dumbo car.  
• September 2016 Pixar calendar features Ratatouille.  
• I found a vintage Winnie the Pooh Golden Book at a local garage sale.  It is from 1980.
• We started collecting the Disney Lego Minifigs that come in blind bags.  I'm hooked.  And so are the girls!?!
• The August page of the annual Pixar Wall Calendar features Toy Story 2.  Yep.  #2.  
• Peter Pan Lego Minifig is awfully cute.  
• Stumbled upon a familiar font while in Cortona Italy.  Mister Fantasy? 
• Another adorable Disney's Polynesian Village/Tiki Room print that's available at BouTiki
• Stopped to take in the art in the elevator lobby at the Poly on our recent trip
• A cool Tink pin with some dangling pixie dust
• Can't get enough Orange Bird.  Added the 2016 year pin to the collection featuring him.
• Here you leave today and enter the world of...
• Some awesome cross-stitch Disney pins.  Set includes Mickey, Dumbo, Pooh Bear and of course....Stitch!
• We updated our collection of silhouettes from Main Street with the addition of one of 'the boy'.
• A WDW Passholder exclusive pin with Figment and a gold crest on it as picked up on our 2016 Spring trip.
• A vintage attraction poster from under the train station showing Carousel of Progress from back in the day.
• I received a WDW Imagineering survey about the future of resort bathrooms.  
• The medicinal garden at the Epcot Flower and Garden Show has thorns in the Milk Thistle!
• My two girls all doll'd up in their Rey costumes from The Force Awakens
• The WDW Monorail is wrapped in a Zootopia theme this Spring
• We went to the new Jungle Cruise Skipper Cantina and I added a coaster to my online collection.  
• They serve a delicious pink Strawberry-lime Cider at the Oasis pool at the Polynesian Village 
• I went with a monorail sticker on my Magic Band from MyFantasyBands.com for our Spring Trip
• We picked up some limited edition pins from the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
• The Haunted Mansion Ghosts appeared on a Disney Christmas pin.  We couldn't *not* buy it, right?
• The March Pixar Wall Calendar features Up.
• Miles from Tomorrowland was the Bird's favorite pin pick!
• A quick look at some of our old Magic Band covers from MyFantasybands.com.
• Chip and Dale at the Polynesian saying "Mele Kalikimaka" at Christmastime on a pin.  
• February wall calendar from Pixar features 'Finding Nemo'.
• Yoda Valentines "Be mine, will you" Disney Pin from Disneyland this Spring.
• Disneyland Hotel animated headboard with music and video.
• Disneyland Hotel Telephone Guide featuring Walt Disney himself. 
• "Dad...I wanna be on the Dark Side."  My daughter meets Darth Vader.   
• A Disneyland Hotel and a Walt Disney World Resort coasters added to my online collection.  
• Walt Disney and the Enchanted Tiki Room birds at the Tangaroa Terrace
• Spotted and documented the entrance to Club 33 at the Disneyland Resort
• Get a Mickey Mouse Waffle Maker for Christmas? Let's make Mickey Waffles!
• Added a Pixar wall calendar to the mix this year instead of the D23 one from 2015
• Introducing 28 & Main - Disney Gear For Dudes

2015

• The Babe traded for a Minnie Mouse as Mary Poppins pin.  Best.Pin.Ever???
• My New Disney hat.  For all our trips.  Replacing my Late Show one.  Tradition, FTW.
• Enchanted Tiki Room Print by Joey Chou.  #DisneyCreep in our House is Real.
• D23 November Calendar Features 75th Anniversary of Fantasia
• Video of our Sprit Photos from Memento Mori at the Haunted Mansion.  Girls look creepy/awesome.  
• Nordstrom is rockin' a vintage Mickey Mouse Clubhouse lunchbox in the kids section
• In October, the D23 wall calendar featured the original Mickey Mouse Club
• We picked up some limited edition "Mickey's Not So Scary" Halloween Party Pins
• I got shot down for the Disney Mom's Panel.  Again.  
• We scored a few Star Wars Halloween pins that were Disney World exclusives
• We met Scoop Sanderson and Fire Chief Smokey Miller on MainStreet USA!
• Looking for a #NotSoScary souvenir? Look no further than this pumpkin ornament.  
• #BooToYou and our Halloween Disney Pins that we packed for the #NotSoScary Party
• My daughter was lucky enough to be a Jungle Cruise Skipper!
• The 40th Anniversary of the opening of Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom
• D23 wall calendar turned to September featuring Space Mountain
• Now that Disney owns Lucas Film and Star Wars, *this* is a Disney Post!  Wookie!
• The Lure of Jessica Rabbit Disney Pins...
• Disney Parks Moms Panel Submission: Complete
• Thanks, Disney! Star Wars App Available on Android in Google Play Store
• Disney isn't doing us any favors with the iOS only apps.  Gimme some Android, please!
• 60 Years Ago Today: Casey Jr Circus Train Opens At Disneyland
• Nat got me a new "limited edition" Disneyland 60th Jungle Cruise T-Shirt and I took a selfie
• Of course we found the Mickey Mouse at US Cellular Field at the White Sox game
• The D23 2015 Wall Calendar celebrates Disneyland's 60th in July
• I found the original Main Street Electrical Parade out 'in the wild'.  It is called "Baroque Hoedown"
• Adding A Little Sadness (From Inside Out) to our Family
• Disney Reddit Gift Exchange Part 1 (Gift Sent)
• Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Lady and the Tramp with D23's #D23Fanniversary
• A nursery selling plants at Costco is using the Disney font
• There's a Reddit Disney Secret Santa Exchange and I signed up!
• WDW Table Finder is Magical
• Disneyland is using Bob Dylan's 'Forever Young' for their 60th Anniversary
• A couple of pins including Orange Bird from our recent trip to WDW
• We had some custom shirts printed up for our trip in March to WDW
• A look at two limited edition pins from our trip including one from the Flower/Garden show
• Best topiary at Flower and Garden Show?  Mater.
• We met the Mayor of Main Street USA and we have his card to prove it!
• Disney's "Direct to Room" checkin notifications worked beautifully
• Our 2015 Magic Bands.  All eight of them
• Trade pins in the parks?  Do yourself a favor and upgrade your pin backs
• Get your Dole Whip fix in Glen Ellyn
• It doesn't matter that Disney is raising 1 day park ticket prices.  Nobody buys one day passes!
• Getting after it with our Fastpass+ selections
• We got sucked into the Vinylmation collection.  It was Cinderella that I blame.
• Hung my D23 calendar on the wall in my office downtown
• Pixar-branded toys?  Those are a thing?
• We scored this vintage Pooh Bear Sears political glass up in Michigan
• On being a card-carrying member of D23
• Scrapper Disney Pins 
• The time I became a paid D23 Member.  Officially. 
• Our first Vinylmations.  Let's not get started.  Please!?!?

The girls dressed up in the Rey costume from The Force Awakens on our Spring 2016 trip to the Polynesian.

A few photos from our trip to Disneyland Resort to celebrate the Diamond (60th) Anniversary:

Chewy!

The force is strong in these two.

Just three dudes.

Really love California Adventure.  Gets better at night.

Can't ride in the front of the monorail in Orlando!?!?!  

Me at the 2015 American food booth at the Flower and Garden Festival in Epcot

2014

• Take a girl to Big Hero Six.  And she draws fan art for days.
• Our Magic Bands - just the four of us.  

I made videos of 'each day' of our trip from 2014.  Here's day 1 below.  The rest can be found at the very bottom of this post.

2013

• The girls stay up late when there's a Main Street Electrical Parade to watch

2012

• Our first trip to the Disney Boardwalk

Can't tell who is happier?  Our 2015 stop at the MK.

The whole 2015 crew at Chef Mickey's.

Me and #1 at the 2015 Flower/Garden Festival in Epcot.

We met the talking Mickey on MainStreet in the Magic Kingdom with the whole crew in 2015.  Pretty awesome.

Those smiles are PRICELESS!

The Bambino meeting the Big Guy for the first time

2015 Flower and Garden Show.  All five of us!

Our family trip in 2014.  The Bird wasn't quite two.

One of my princesses in 2013 out at the 'park that Walt built'.

Day two of our 2014 trip summary video:

Day three of our 2014 trip summary video: Here's some photos from one of our first visits to Disneyland in the fall of 2011 when the Babe was just a little thing.  She wasn't quite two and was *in love* with Cinderella at the time!