Walt Disney World – The Relocated Tourist

Festival of the Arts at Epcot on 1.21.2021

January 22, 2021March 16, 2021Amy Joy

I have been so busy getting ready for my big online garage sale, that I haven’t had much time to hit the Parks in the last couple of weeks. Normally I get in 3x a week, stream and share as I go, but prepping and preparing items for sale takes a lot of my time these days oh AND planning a years long journey across the U.S.A. No biggie right? So I was MORE than happy today to get into Epcot finally for a little me time and a little work as well- enjoy!

First off, let me say that today was the quietest day yet for me at Epcot in many, many years. I could have walked right on to Soarin, and still walked right on to Frozen an hour later. I don’t think I walked past more than a couple hundred people in total, and I walked the entire thing. The advantage of being in the Parks during the day is getting the quiet time, PLUS enjoying many areas without any people even around yet. Even walking World Showcase after the lunch hour, I found it very peaceful and few people.

I was pleasantly surprised that the “Ratatouille” area was partially open, albeit the Restrooms, but still a cool preview and a great shot of the Skyliner going overhead. Check out my LIVE video of it on my Facebook page at The Relocated Tourist and MANY more I share every week!

As far as the Festival went, it had some of the same photo opps as years past, and many of the butterfly wings were back, with some new ones to boot! I loved seeing the adult and child version of “Figment” photo opps, always a great use of the construction walls that hide the graveyard of Epcot past.

One of my favorite things to check out every year is the “Chalk Art.” Fantastic artists making amazing, beautiful works of art from the use of chalk reside on the walkway to and from the World Showcase. Up and down the right and left sides, the artwork changes many times over the Festival Season, with always a cornerstone piece on the end of some type of 3-D image that you can take your picture in.

The food…this year I decided to shake things up. I made the decision that I would not only try something different, but also something out of my comfort zone. That I would treat myself on occasion, and that it would have to fit the confines of my Disney gift card (every penny from now until June is invested into the blog and trip). So thank you to those who have gifted me the chance to eat without stressing about the money part of it- MUCH appreciated! Today I dined near the Germany area, at the kiosk which celebrated “Braised dishes inspired by classic art of the 18^th and 19^th Centuries.” I read the menu and actually said out loud “I’m going to TREAT MYSELF” and said to the Cast Member, “one of each please.” The ribs were divine….moist, delicious. The chicken was new to me, a delicacy that I had heard of and did try -it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t the ribs LOL. And that Opera cake…..I begged the Phantom to sing to me with each bite…yeah, no, I wish, but it was REALLY good! The light piece of chocolate that laid upon the cake was absolutely sinful…maybe it sang to my soul? Is that why it’s called “Opera Cake?” The World may never know….. with a bottle of water with my purchased lot of a lunch, the total was around $22.

The merch….how do I put this nicely, I was not a fan of the color scheme or the Figment print. (And I LOVE that little guy!) I was pretty happy I didn’t like it because as most of you know, I am working on selling a lot of my stuff, and with how much work this has been to get ready for, I had ZERO desire to buy a single thing. So, win, win.

The artwork and artists are ALWAYS a joy to meet, talk to, and drool over their amazing talents. If you are looking for any type of artwork, not just Disney, this is a perfect place to stroll the Countries, have a bite to eat, and maybe take a piece or two home to remember your Disney vacation. This Festival is 5 years old now and it has been a journey to watch it morph into what it is in it’s present form. I was happy to see that the exhibits stretched to the Test Track area as well.

A delight for the eyes, a delicacy for your taste buds, and the amazing feeling that you supported an Artist makes this a Festival not to be missed!

Thank you for your kindness.

I LOVE sharing the joy of Disney, Adventure, and Travel! Every dollar you support me with goes right back into my mission for equipment, gas, and essentials. But most importantly, when you support me financially it tells me you BELIEVE in me, and that means more to me than ANYTHING! So THANK YOU for YOU!!

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The Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom

January 20, 2021March 16, 2021Amy Joy

It’s funny what we always gravitate too as a routine of sorts when most of us hit the Disney Parks. I always seem to go left in MK, right in Epcot, left in AK, and left in Studios. I like what I like, and so it’s easy to ride the same stuff or see the same shows, forgetting there is a lot more to the Parks when you just stop and look up. So we had a rough day(NOT sarcasm) in our Nation a couple weeks ago, and I was feeling incredibly sad and melancholy. And sure enough, I found myself stopping in front of “HOP” Hall of Presidents. Do I go in? Do I poke the bear during such a sensitive week? And what I mean by that is that I feel MANY feel how I do – damned if you feel anything, damned if you say anything. I don’t think that’s fair. So I went in.

I forgot how cool this lobby is….the Presidential seal in the center with all the great Presidential artwork on the walls. They actually have real items from past Presidents in glass cases here, and the Museum nerd in me had a moment when I saw one of Lincolns drawing desks! (I did an entire Lincoln series last year). Walt Disney looked up to Abraham Lincoln, so much that he created “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” with the first ever Audio Animatronic ever made (he still resides in the Hall today).

I talked to several of the Cast Members who were very on edge and I thanked them for working this attraction during these times. I am sad to say they have an Officer who stands outside the Attraction, and during the show there were two of them in the theater. I know why, you know why, and it hurts to see them.

I think all of 20 of us were in that particular show, everyone spread across for the sake of Covid safety and honestly space. No one was looking down at phones or recording, taking pics. It was the silence of a church service…it was almost a somber silence with a heap load of respect.

As I watched, it filled me with hope. Hope for our Country to heal one day, and for people to come together instead of so much hate. And then Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address….and the tears just fell…and they kept falling. I thought about everyone who passed this year from Covid, about all of the anger I have seen on the news and online, and I thought about all the great leaders that as I child I looked up too and wondered what little kids are thinking of these times now. It is a beautiful show, whether you like who is on the stage or not.

Everyone clapped at the end, and I walked out feeling better. I hope we all feel better soon, and I highly encourage you all to check it out.

Thank you for your kindness and support!

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My Top Ten Favorite Disney Snacks

January 12, 2021March 16, 2021Amy Joy

Upon moving here back in 2011, I knew that I would enjoy every Disney treat I could get my hands on, hence why my weight is all over the place these days. Nothing would put a bigger smile on my face then being handed one of the below snacks and taking a stroll with them, or finding a quiet corner enjoying them while working on my phone. Here are my favorites….enjoy!

*Citrus Swirl….Orange soda and ice cream, the perfect duo!

*Mickey Waffles with anything- ice cream preferably

*Raspberry Dole Whip…bascially pineapple juice and any kind of ice cream makes this so delicious!

*Egg Rolls from Yak and Yeti….they are just yummy!

*Popcorn from any Disney Park….it’s the perfect walk and snack…pre-covid anyways.

*The Night Blossom at Pandora….I just LOVE those Boba balls!

*The Mickey Bar…..a classic, this is not up for debate.

*Cinnamon Roll at Gaston’s….there’s a reason the line is ALWAYS long here!

*Chewabacca Cookie….Chewy you say?

*School Bread in Norway… is it bread? Is it a donut? We don’t know, we don’t care- it’s delicious!

Thank you for your support!!

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The Proper Steps for the Most Perfect Partaking of Disney

January 10, 2021March 16, 2021Amy Joy

You MUST wear some type of attire which sports the Mouse, preferably a pair of Magical ears.

You MUST try the spirits on Pandora, a delight of Avatar proportions.

You MUST ride something that creates courage from fear.

You MUST have a Whip of Dole, any flavor is perfection.

You MUST dine with the Lords and Ladies of the Land, anything less would be unthinkable.

You MUST take flight on eagles wings, over the river and through the woods.

You MUST stay on beds that turn like storybook pages.

You MUST be treated like a rock star with your own photo shoot.

You MUST enjoy every delicious bite of Disney delectables.

You MUST love the company you keep and the magic made with them.

Thank you for your support!

Going from “What If? to “Why Not” is my life motto and I work hard at living that every day. I share everything from moving to Florida to live near Disney World to road trips across the States. I love the cool, quirky, and crazy stuff that I can find on my Adventures, and every dollar you donate helps support my efforts and hard work. Thank you to ALL who support me!

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Some of My Favorite Photopass Pictures Taken

January 5, 2021March 16, 2021Amy Joy

Since the conception of Photopass at Disney World, it has been a fun scavenger hunt for many of us to find that special spot or magic shot for our collection of memories. I have SO MANY that I’d have to say this is my favorites of the ones I could actually find. Are you like me where you have changed different computers, memory cards stacking up, etc? Half my stuff on this computer, half on the other…I could spend weeks just organizing the pics I have taken. So we are going with my favorites I could find thus far….and I will share more as I dig deeper into other sources.

I’m going to kick it off with one of THE funniest Photopass pics I have ever taken…not for what “I” am doing in the picture, but what the experience came down too. Wendy and I were hanging out at Studios, something we did often over the years, and decided to make it a “Character Evening” and see how many we could hit in one night. So we mosey on over to the Star Wars Bay and see if Kylo is home and wants to come out and play. Sort of speak. It’s our turn, and he was just awkward. We didn’t know how to pose, how to react, it was this script he had (recorded possibly) that made the entire experience this ODDEST one I have ever had at Disney. Hence, this pic among MANY shows the confusion with Wendy and I and it deserved to be here.

The next one comes to you from Star Wars weekends. During the summer, Studios would host these weekends in celebration of everything Star Wars. The best part were the Celebs who you could meet and get pics with, on top of some really fun photo opps. This particular year they had the Rancor from “Return of the Jedi” and we all lost our minds! So my friends and I did this funny pose with it, thus the Rancor photo was born.

This next picture really needs no introduction….you can read all about my nightmare HERE when I rode Everest for the first time. Yep, I was terrified, was pretty surprised I made it off the ride with dry shorts honestly. Pretty much why this picture is gold….it’s the only time I will ever be on this ride and thus the forever evidence stands.

Another Wendy moment of the same evening, but it’s HER that makes this such a fun picture. We were chatting it up with Woody and Buzz and just shooting the breeze…not sure what was said here anymore for her to make this moment or why I am laughing so hard. But it just makes me smile everytime I see it because of the moment caught.

Emily and Kyra, my daughters, wanted my hubby, Craig and I, to ride “Slinky Dog” with them for the first time. I agreed, but it IS an open air coaster, which makes this heights girl VERY nervous and scared. Thankfully we rode it in the dark, and I didn’t think it was too scary, but Craig’s face tells a completely different story. (The girls were in a section behind us, not shown)

For my 45th Birthday, I decided to get pics with 45 Disney Characters (or more) in all 4 Parks total. There were so many wonderful ones, but my favorite wasn’t even with a Character. This one was taken by Photopass but I had edited and cropped it, hence why it looks different than the others. If you didn’t know, you can ask to hold the balloons for a GREAT pic!

I have a lot like the one below…so I picked this one just because it was the year they had brought Scrooge McDuck to Animal Kingdom. I love that Photopass catches these moments of pure joy, it’s the finest example of what a hug brings people….oh, the magic!

It would be an insanely early morning in 2019 that Kymie Walker and I met up to tour Galaxy’s Edge on its OPENING DAY!! We had so much fun that day that I will FOREVER remember it with just one glance at this picture- May the Force Be With You!

In 2019, our family dressed up for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. One of the photo opps were with all of the Three Hitchhiking Ghosts from “Haunted Mansion.” I was SOOOO excited to get this one- I am Ellie from UP and Kyra is Nani from Lilo and Stitch.

This last one of one of my favorites because it was on a good year where Craig and I were working on our health and feeling really good about ourselves. I love our smiles in it!

I hope you have loved this collection, I know I will be sharing more in the future! Thanks for stopping by and I will see YOU in the Parks.

Thank you for your support!

I LOVE sharing the joy of Adventure, and Travel! Every dollar you support me with goes right back into my mission for equipment, gas, and essentials. But most importantly, when you support me financially it tells me you BELIEVE in me, and that means more to me than ANYTHING! So THANK YOU for YOU!!

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Meeting a Disney Legend…. Marty Sklar

January 4, 2021March 16, 2021Amy Joy

Back in the day, there used to be the cutest little book shop at Disney’s Hollywood Studios called “The Writer’s Stop.” Known for its cozy chairs, the smell of coffee, and the carrot cake cookie (The BEST baked good on Disney property!) – you could snuggle right in here and shut out the Park crowds for a while. The perfect stage setting for a Disney legend showcasing his latest book, and I wasn’t about to miss it!

Open to the Disney public, and what I mean by that is that if you were lucky enough to be here, living here, vacation, whatever, and you had access to Studios that day, you could get in line for the Meet and Greet of a lifetime!

And if you dare ask WHO is Marty Sklar, well he was the Imagineer of Imagineers. If you’re looking at something at Magic Kingdom, he had hand in it. From the construction to the writing, this man had magic on his fingertips. The imagination in his brain must have been something amazing- just seeing a portion of it when I ride “Pirates of the Caribbean” or walking by Cinderella’s Castle is mind blowing.

It was a hot day when I got in line, but I didn’t care about the sweat pouring down the back of my legs…I was about to meet a legend! It took about and hour, meeting some readers of mine while I waited. It was finally my turn and I was SO NERVOUS. This man created so many wonderful things! He was so kind and so sweet, I enjoyed the entire experience of getting his autograph. (It was to be a Christmas present for my husband- which he FREAKED over!)

Opportunity like this one was why I moved to Florida…so I could take advantage of those “pop up” moments that come up out of nowhere and give you like a day or sometimes even hours to get your keester over to the event ASAP. (Referring to also the Stars of “Harry Potter” showing up to Walmart on a whim for a signing of the new DVD out- check it out HERE).

He was a great man, and sadly we lost him in 2017. But his magic, and legend, will live on forever…thanks Marty for the memories!

Thank you for your support!

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Finding a Comfort Meal with all the Fixings…this is “Liberty Tree Tavern”

January 2, 2021March 16, 2021Amy Joy

While Kim was in town this past January of 2020, we wanted to book meals where we could sit and unwind from the day, exhaustion and all. Some of the table services can feel a bit “packed” but we were IN LOVE with the quiet corner they put us in, albeit near the mouth of the kitchen.

Located at Magic Kingdom, it’s central location between Frontierland and Fantasyland, make it ideal for a nice, sit down dinner without the crowds and noise of the day. Announced like you have just walked into the Square, our names were shouted out to have dining that fine day.

Home of the brave, this place offers 6 rooms to commemorate 6 important figures in our history: Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross, and George Washington. It’s so heart warming when you walk into the Restaurant with it’s wood floors and roaring fire place, it invites your soul for some good comfort food and some great ambience.

Like many of the Restaurants in Disney, Liberty Tree charges a flat fee for the family style meal. And to note, it is ALL you can eat! This is vitally important to know when you have been pushing strollers all day and barely grabbed a bite of the Mickey pretzel your toddler gummed to death, you can now let that precious one eat their fill and finally get YOURS! Or, like Kim and I, we snacked all day so we could enjoy the sit and eat, with also some delicious drinks on the side!

The meal consists of what you would have at a traditional Thanksgiving meal- turkey, pot roast, chicken, stuffing, potatoes, etc… And of course, there is always room for desert- toffee cake and ice cream. The menu is tweaked now and then, so ALWAYS check for the up to date menus on the official Disney Parks app.

This meal is not cheap, at the time I wrote this it was in the range of $39.99. Lunch and dinner prices do vary, so pay attention to that when booking your plans. Is it worth it? It’s really high if you aren’t planning to eat a lot- so come with an appetite so that you get your moneys worth. It is HIGHLY recommended to make reservations here as they book up quickly, but you can always check daily if you don’t get it right away.

We thoroughly enjoyed our corner of serenity with drinks in hand and tea on our tongues. A vlog later, we rolled out of there full, happy, and ready for the next. A great place, try it out!

Thank you for supporting my writing!

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Some of my Favorite Disney Pics I took in 2020

December 28, 2020Amy Joy

Here are shots of Disney World, from the start of the year to the end. It’s been a wild ride, but I still found the magic in the quiet corners and sweet spots. Enjoy!