… And we’re starting to emerge!
Ready for a meet and greet? Next Thursday (8/27) at about 5:00pm EST we’ll be at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World with these little gems, for a ride with another couple!
On that day, be sure to be watching our Twitter, Facebook and our Periscope- we’ll give you clues throughout the afternoon as to where we’ll be…
Now as they say, ‘look alive’….
The rain has subsided and the flood has begun to recede, and already the crowds are flocking again to the now-sunny World of Disney in humid mid-Florida. It’s hard to believe that summer is quickly ending, and we’re almost a week into August. In the hottest months of Florida, it’s a good thing to remember that Fall is just around the corner. And with Fall, we have some really exciting things happening in Disney World.
Those who are frequenters of Disney know of Dapper Day, the semi-annual event. For those of you who don’t know what this is, here’s some info to throw your way. This is an event that occurs both in Spring and Fall. Spring Dapper Day usually is centered at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, and Fall Dapper Day is at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s an informal meet, where all are invited to dress in their nicest “Sunday Best”, usually having a vintage flair. Some dress with a Disney character in mind, others just wear nice vintage-esque clothing. It’s costs nothing more than a normal admission, and if you are a passholder, it is included as well. It’s a fun but “free” event. (Keep an eye for the Mister and I as Mary Poppins and Bert, in the chimney sweep style.) This year’s Fall Dapper Day will be taking place Saturday, October 3, all day, at Hollywood Studios.
The big shindig this year will be Epcot’s 20th anniversary of the Food & Wine Festival! Recently, Disney released some pictures of merchandise for this silver anniversary (look for a blog from Mr. TFM for some more info about the merchandise), and it appears that again Stitch will be a featured character, but so will Figment and Remy from Ratatouille. There’s a whole list of incoming countries for this celebration, including some returning ones like Australia, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Greece, Hawaii, Ireland, New Zealand, and Scotland. But there are some noticeable new ones on the list, such as Africa, Brazil, Patagonia, Poland, and South Korea. And then there’s the ever-popular stand that’s lining up to return with the twist on the favorite snack from Magic Kingdom: the adults Dole Whip. The fruity coconut rum over the top of that amazing pineapple soft serve, is delightful, but if you’re looking for a totally out of this world experience- get the macadamia nut rum. You won’t regret it! It’s definitely on the top of the list of favorites. It’s not a huge portion for what you pay, but this is one of those times that size really doesn’t matter.
As we’re moving quickly towards this time of year, be on the lookout for more posts about these specific events. We promise to keep you in the loop with tips on trick on how not to blow the bank account while having fun at these awesome events!
Under the Sea check (3xs)
Space Mountain check
Haunted Mansion check (2xs)
Seven Dwarves 180 minute wait?? … Pass
River Boat check
Thunder Mountain. check
Peter Pan 90 minute wait with no air circulation… Pass
So what now? If you’ve frequented Disney World you have been in a similar position before. There’s only so many times you can ride It’s a Small World in a month (or year) before the little “children” in the ride inexplicably go from sweet to sinister. Buzz Lightyear starts becoming monotonous once you’ve figured out the high-scoring spots. And a 180 minute wait for anything? Yeah right. So… What do you do next? Have you done it all?
If this is a repeat visit to Disney or you’re going for more than four days, you will have seen the majority of the sights. But there’s so much more! We’re going to focus on Magic Kingdom in this post, but be on the look out for the other parks that make up Walt Disney World soon.
–WANTED–
It’s on the big sign strung up over the firehouse on Main Street USA. Inside they’re recruiting people to help “save” the Magic Kingdom! The game is a mixture of a trading card game/scavenger hunt/video game and they’ve named it “Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom”. This is a free game to participate in. It’s free to join, and you get free cards, at the least amount, daily. And if you beat the villains of the day, you get yet another pack of free cards. Did I mention that this activity is completely free?? In a park that sometimes makes you feel like it charges you to breathe in the air, it’s refreshing to find an extracurricular activity that doesn’t cost. Don’t mistake me- there are ways that this can cost. For instance, there are certain cards you can only get if you buy a pack, which will be the only way to get them all. And they release certain cards for special events like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and the Very Merry Christmas Party, which you do have to pay to come to. They don’t give you the card unless you do. (We tried once, we really did.) There’s merchandise like card-holders and T-shirts and the like, but none are requires to for playing. We personally have never bought anything from Disney for this game, since we have card holders from our card trading days (ah, childhood) that were bought significantly cheaper.
This is a good middle-of-the-day kind of fun. A good portion of the hidden “portals” are in shade, or are in buildings, and they’ve made the cameras associated with the game a little more sensitive, and adult-height friendly, so you’re not fussing and cussing (which isn’t so kid-friendly) at the portal in the heat.
A-hoy Mateys!
It’s a non-description building on the walk way from Adventureland to Frontierland. Usually there’s one cast member hanging around out front and a long empty queue. One afternoon, Mr. TFM and I were curious and asked the cast member what this was. Here, we met the most realistic cast member yet. (Which is another whole subject for yet another whole post.) Between the frank conversation about spoiled children (there were no kids about), this guy explained that this little building hosts the Pirate’s Adventure- Treasures of the 7 Seas. This is an Adventureland based scavenger hunt. Then he told us a vital tid-bit. This game is fun, but even better at night. He was so right! Again, this is another FREE thing to do and great for those few hours before either the Electrical Parade, (or during it) or the fireworks (nobody wants to skip those). Things light up, smoke, move, talk, shoot, emerge, and even… Well, I’ll let you be surprised by that one. This is probably one of, if not my absolute favorite thing to do outside of rides and pin trading. The hunts are different every time, so they’re never boring. The only thing is that rain may affect which effects are being used. Some of the more grandiose ones are not used when the rain starts. However, no matter what the weather, this is a blast to do in the dark.
So before you get bored of the Magic Kingdom, be sure to try these things- they’re a great time, and I guarantee you’ll have fun without spending more money then you want!
Did you see it!?!
Our freshly designed logo has been added to the site and across our social media outlets.
Now, as they say, look alive.
Mr. TFM
When you walk through the front gates of a Disney theme park, no doubt you have noticed other guests wearing lanyards filled to the gills with pins. These guests, with an eagle eye, and a rabid desire, go from cast member to cast member, asking to see their pins and handing over their own in trade. You, like multitudes of others, probably wonder how much money these people spend on little shards of colored metal, and recoil in horror to see them marching in with binder upon binder just as stuffed as their lanyards with pins, large and small.
And then there are those of you who are the binder toting, eagle eye staring, pin trading masses. Guilty as charged on all counts. This post is geared towards both groups though – those who are on the outside looking to break in and those on the inside wanting to share their trade tips. Let’s start with the basics of pin trading and work our way up to the secrets of seasoned pin traders. Two Foolish Mortals will answer the following questions: why do you pin trade, what do I need to know as a new pin trader, and where are the best pin trading locations? We’ll also answer the question, who is Scoop?
Why Trade Pins?
As my wife will tell you, Mr. TFM loves to pin trade. With an eye for a cast member with a full lanyard, or a pin board lurking behind a register, it’s become an obsession. “But why, isn’t it expensive?” I can hear you asking. The simple answer is that it certainly can be. It’s definitely possible to hit up ebay and buy a lot of pins to take into the park and trade. And I’d be lying if I said we haven’t done that. A word to the wise – be very VERY careful doing this. There are plenty of fakes out there (commonly known as scrappers) that you will not be able to trade. A discerning cast member will be able to spot a fake from a mile away. In future posts we will discuss things to look out for. But, Mr.TFM, you may be saying – you still haven’t answered WHY you trade?
It’s a difficult thing to describe, but the WHY is simple. It’s for the interaction. You might enter a park and deal with cast members often, but to truly interact with them in this medium moves them out of the realm of smiling faces in a queue and into the realm of actual people who enjoy (or sometimes loathe) what they do. Sometimes they are very much into the spirit of pin trading (see the next section for more on this), requiring the person they are pinning with to follow proper etiquette. Sometimes they are interested in hearing about your pin trading experience, and sharing theirs. And sometimes they are all those things and more.
The other reason to pin trade is to carry forward the tradition (we’ll talk more about this in the last section). When a little prince or princess sees a pin they like on your lanyard, there is nothing like kneeling down to their level and seeing their eyes light up when, instead of taking one of their pins in trade, you give them that treasured memento. Mrs. TFM has already made it known that we are actively avoiding having our own children. That doesn’t mean we don’t like them – especially well behaved, mannerly ones. And that also doesn’t mean we always give away our pins. But those rare times when you can make a moment magical – that’s when and why we continue to pin. So…
What Do I Need to Know As A New Pin Trader?
At the top of the list here – etiquette, etiquette, etiquette! Running up to an unsuspecting cast member and screaming “I WANT THAT!” is definitely not how to pin trade. Often you will see (and probably already noticed me use) the phrase “carrying forward the tradition”. Heck, you’ll see it on pins. What does that mean? Simply this – pin trading is a way for guests to get to know, not only the cast members they interact with, but each other as well. It offers traders the opportunity to display good manners, using phrases like “May I trade pins with you?”, “please”, “thank you” and the like. Being friendly and introducing yourself also goes a long way. Some cast members have been groomed to require this kind of interaction before they will trade with you. Mr. and Mrs. TFM appreciate these kind of encounters!
Taken straight from the Mouse himself, the following is also true:
•The main criteria to judge whether a pin is tradable or not is that it must be a metal pin bearing a “©Disney”mark on the back that represents a Disney Event, Place or Location, Character or Icon.
•Pins should be in good, undamaged, tradable condition.
•For a safe trading experience, please trade one pin at a time, hand to hand with pin backs attached.
•Guests may trade a maximum of two (2) pins per Cast Member, per day.
•Please refrain from touching a Cast Member’s or Guest’s pins or lanyard. If you need a closer look, kindly ask the Cast Member or Guest wearing the lanyard if she or he can bring it into clearer view for you.
•Monies, gifts or receipts may not be exchanged or used in trade for a pin.
•When trading with a Cast Member, Guests should offer a pin that is not currently displayed on the Cast Member’s lanyard.
Got it? Good… now where should you start looking for pins?
Where Are the Best Pin Trading Locations?
One day we will make a more comprehensive post about great locations to find those hard to find pins you are scouring the parks for, but for now here are our top 3.
3. Transportation and Ticketing Center, Magic Kingdom. First off, whenever you hit the Magic Kingdom make sure to ride in the back of the tram and chat up the cast member that makes the announcements. More often than not they are friendly, have been sitting back there all by themselves basically ignored, and generally in need of a good laugh. Now, once you depart the tram (are you in Heroes or Villains lot?) head to the right, for the general store. Inside the store is a pin board that is generally full of pins that rarely get picked over.
2. Frontier Trading Post, Frontierland, Magic Kingdom. Captain Ham-erica awaits you. This little porker is covered in pins and looking to trade. Ok, so he might not have the best pins ever, but the cast member all have lanyards and are happy to chat about what pins they have seen come through that day. Its also a great spot to catch the Main Street Electrical Parade, and very close to our favorite Dole Whip location, Sunshine Tree Terrace – although they have moved the home of the Dole Whip to Aloha Isle as of March 2015. Go see the Enchanted Tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki Room while you are there.
1. Scoop Sanderson. Who!?!
Who is Scoop?
Scoop is a character, not a cast member, that appears on Mainstreet USA on certain days and times. Best to check here to find out exactly when and where he will appear. Generally speaking he shows up Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, usually around 9 and Noon. Ok, that being said, BE AWARE – Scoop is very VERY special.
Scoop embodies the spirit of pin trading. The more he see’s you, the closer he will get to you – right down to knowing your name, what pins you are collecting, or who is your favorite character, and whether or not he has awarded you a “Continuing the Tradition” pin. This pin is not one you can trade for – you can only receive it from Scoop and he bestows it only on those that he feels do just that, carry forward the tradition.
So get out there and start trading! And beware of hitchhiking ghosts!
Mr. TFM
Florida weather is like us Floridians. A mxed bag of nuts. A day of 0% chance of rain, may be cloudy by noon and pouring by 3pm. And even when it’s scheduled to rain, it may rain on one side of the street and be bone dry on the other (don’t think I’m exaggerating. I’ve literally seen that occur more than once). Our summer heat is different than the West- we may be about 10-15 degrees cooler- but our humidity in summer is about 60-80% most days. Even if you’re from Florida, but live on the coasts, don’t think you’re safe in winter or summer. Our weather in Tampa can be 5-10 degrees cooler during summer and 5-10 degrees warmer during winter. If you noticed, I haven’t mentioned spring or fall. That’s because those are literally two weeks each year. If you could live at Disney for that time, it would be perfect.
As you can tell, when you walk out the door of your house/apartment/condo/rental/hotel, you have no idea what you’re walking into. So be prepared! (Totally quoting Lion King, there) And we’re going to prepare on the tightest budget we can!
Clothing
By this point in time, you should know that if you’re wearing jeans in direct sun during summer, you might try to find a dull butter knife to hack away at them by noon. If you’re from Florida- In winter, expect Disney World to be cooler than most places. Especially in Magic Kingdom and Epcot, since the wind is stronger in both parks. If you’re not from from Florida- cotton and linen is fabric of choice- with how humid it becomes, nylon, polyester, synthetic materials and the like become stifling.
Shoes
Flip flops? Bad idea. Unless you have worn them on long walks, and have not received blisters or foot pain, they are not for you. Especially do not wear them if you’re going for multiple days. I tried that once- foot cramps are no fun throughout a day. Let alone blowing one of those shoes out. Solid sneakers like converse or designer sneakers are a no-no too. After one of those Florida downpours, they’ll be squishy for days on end. What has seemed to work decently well for many of us- either sandals meant for hiking or good walking/running shoes that breathe. This means they’ll dry quickly without killing your feet. The only other caveat my hubby and I have found is if we’re driving, to bring flip flops and wear sneakers. That way if you’re feet are soaked, you can change out of them either on your ride home or to the hotel/other park.
When, not if, it rains.
Long before you leave for Disney World, know that this will be an eventuality. So instead of forking over $17 per poncho to get a flimsy plastic bag with Mickey Mouse on the back of it, that may or may not last another usage, buy a decent one from a Walmart or something like it. Ours have lasted a full year now, and they’re heavy duty and we paid about $5 a piece and once they were dried out, they fit into little zippered pouches that came with them. They fit perfectly in our Disney go-bag. (See pic- More on that later.)
Accessories
So it doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter, it’s always sunny. Those sunglasses and baseball cap will never go amiss. If you have a smartphone (who doesn’t anymore?) make sure to have the Disney app on there. When it rains, have a plan on which indoor ride to go on – the ones further back in the park usually have smaller lines- but use that app to help make that decision rather than get there, find out it’s a 70 minute wait and you don’t want to wait that long, and have to venture back out into the rain to head to the next one.
Heat stroke
This is a real issue here. It’s one of the main reasons for serious injury in Florida during the summer. A mild case will knock you out for a day. A major case can knock you out of the game for a week. Straight from the CDC, there were over 1,400 deaths from heat stroke last year in the south. There are many times more that have had cases of heat exhaustion or stroke that go undiagnosed. Again straight from the Mayo Clinic, symptoms to look out for are:
If you start to get any of these, get in the shade and drink lots of water. Disney is a prime spot for this to occur at- not only have I seen it, I’ve experienced it myself. You don’t want to stop moving, and yeah it’s hot, but not that hot, you rationalize. But it’s not cool when you pass out on family or friends. For you or them. Just saying. For more information, this site on mayoclinic.org is very informative and helpful.
To avoid all of this, know when to take a rest in the shade, and drink as much water as you can. Not soda, not alcohol, not juice. Water. If you down a bottle of water, and don’t have to use the bathroom within an hour, you’re still dehydrated. Drink more. The hubby and I always have two full bottles of water in our Disney go-bag, and consistently refill it with cold water from quick serves. It’s free and cold. And usually a big cup of ice water.
And with all of that…
A lot of other posts will expand beyond just these basics from us, and when those posts hit the blog, we’ll be sure to cross reference with each other for you. But here are just some of the basics we’ve come across to share with you! Hopefully this’ll make your visit to our temperamental state a little more manageable!
Signing off!
Mrs. TFM
Before we start regaling you about Disney, we wanted to give you some knowledge about us. We’re a Tampa-based couple who’re passholders for Disney for two years, and absolutely love going. There isn’t a thing we don’t like about Disney- from Dole Whip to Pins, from Adventureland to Zazu. We both grew up on the old movies (Herbie the Love Bug was Mr. TFM’s favorite, Mary Poppins was Mrs. TFM’s), but neither of our folks were able to afford going often. So it wasn’t until we both were adults that we began frequenting the most magical place on earth. Long before our pass-holding days, Disney was an annual trip, and now it’s a monthly one (at least). After our first few visits, we had seen all the “major” sights, but after watching and looking and reading and pinteresting…. We found there was so much more to Disney! Thus became our endeavor- find all the nooks and crannies, see all the hidden references, talk to all the cast members, and take random selfies with costumed characters (the toy soldiers are the best- more on that later). But we also are completely broke. We’re a young couple who lives paycheck to paycheck, so we can’t afford lavish dinners or expensive souvenirs. A special occasion might one day (finally) enable us to go eat at Be Our Guest or Ohana, but it hasn’t happened yet. Until then, it’s Disney on a shoestring.
On the first year anniversary of our wedding, we got ourselves these passes… And also discovered pinning. And Scoop. And lanyards, proper etiquette, best pin boards, and how to see what a cast member has on their lanyard from across a crowded walkway. We as well have had some amazing and happy stories doing this pin trading that keep the spirit going. We’ll regale you on those later too.
We don’t have any children, and not planning for one anytime soon. So if you’re on here looking for things for your kids, we probably won’t be a big help. But if you’re a big kid who can legally drink, then hopefully this site may give you some new things to see and look for. We love Disney, and all that is involved with it. And most importantly, we love to talk about it and share it with others. We’ll keep you informed of news as we hear it, and tell you of things as we find them. We’ll give you hints, ideas, and insider information for a cheap visit to the land of Mickey Mouse.
And most importantly- have a good time while doing it!
Signing off!
Mr. & Mrs. TFM
Welcome to the new blog home for Two Foolish Mortals. In the days, weeks, months and hopefully years to come we will provide you with our unique take on the wonderful world of Disney. As a husband a wife duo (Our motto has been “No babies!”), we will pin, periscope, and post the things that we as adults find interesting about this wonderland built for kids.
Stay tuned for blog updates, and links to our social media endeavors!
Two Foolish Mortals 