Blog Take Over Post Three: Katy's Disney Art!

Looky looky I found Hooky...just kidding it's me Katy and I'm back again for my final Disney post this week! I've so enjoyed sharing all my "knowledge" with you and I really hope you learned something from it. 

Today I'm going to show you guys my body...ok, my tattoos...my Disney tattoos! I've been getting "inked" for 11 years now and I'm lucky enough that my brother is an amazing tattoo artist, so he helps fuel my addiction. I have over 30 tattoos and 9 of those are Disney related. I'm able to express my self through my tattoos and I can honestly say I regret none of them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. 

Snow White.
She was the first Disney princess and one of my favorites so I felt she deserved to be front and center...after all she did start it all. 

Rafiki.
He's my newest tattoo. Rafiki is the reason I fell in love with Disney so it felt right to have him on my hand

Disneyland sign.
This is probably my favorite tattoo. I love the colors I love the style...I'm obsessed. This is also probably my most admired tattoo from my fellow "Disnerds".

"Think Happy Thoughts".
 This is a quote from Peter Pan. If you read my first post here I talked about having an anxiety disorder. I got this as a reminder to think good things when I'm in those moments of panic...and also because it's Peter Pan...duh.
&
Genie's lamp. 

Main Street coordinates.
I got this matching tattoo with my cousin who I go to Disney with every year. 

Kissing Mickey & Minnie. 



Sleeping Beauty's castle. 

Peter Pan shadows. 

This November I'm lucky enough to get tattooed by Miss Mae La Roux. If you don't know who she is I highly suggest going to her Instagram. She specializes in Disney tattoos and she is mind blowing. This will be my longest, biggest and most expensive piece. It's going to be insane and I'm definitely counting down the days.

Thank you guys so much for following along this week with me as I spewed Disney all over Brittney's blog...and of course a special thanks to Brittney! This has been so much fun and I've enjoyed sharing my love for Disney with you all. Remember to always have courage and be kind.

If you want to keep up with my Disney filled life head on 

over to my Instagram: MainStMuse. Let's be friends! 

Blog Take Over Post Two: Food, Rides and More with Katy

Hello again, it's me Katy with another Disney filled post for you. I hope you all enjoyed my first post here on Brittneys blog. Today I'm going to go over some of my favorite things to do when I get to the parks and a few tips I have for you as well. Enjoy!

-My number one tip I tell everyone is...use the fastpass system!! This is so important! Always keep on top of your fast passes. Know when your allowed to use your current fast pass and when you're able to get your next one! I typically grab my next fast pass on my way to use my current pass...I hope that makes sense...and I'm sorry for the excessive use of the word "pass" in this paragraph. Keep in mind that they've recently changed their system at Disneyland. All your tickets are now loaded onto your park ticket and you get to keep those little time reminders as souvenirs...which I personally really appreciate! Fast passes will make your day go by so much smoother and you will get the most out of your trip! As of late July they've also released a fastpass system called the MaxPass...this allows you to access fastpasses to both parks on your phone. This does cost an extra $10 a day and you have to be in one of the parks to use it. I've yet to try it but I hear it's pretty amazing!

-Ok, let's talk about food. This may or may not be one of my most favorite parts about Disney. I highly recommend splitting meals when you get to the parks. It's pretty expensive and the portions are usually pretty large. Disneyland is filled with so many snack options which I love more than the actual meals...so I like to stick to a small lunch/dinner, that way I can enjoy the snacks! My number one place to eat is the Plaza Inn. Not only was this Walt's favorite place to eat when he came to the park but it has the worlds best fried chicken in my opinion. I also really love the French Market Restaurant, it's quick dining with tasty/large options. Many times I will head out of the parks for meals to save money. I'll either drive to some place like In N Out or I'll head to Downtown Disney. My favorite option in DTD is hands down Earl of Sandwhich. They have a holiday sandwhich there year round that tastes like thanksgiving...it's amazing and affordable. You can walk to Downtown Disney in between the parks or for quick access, hop on the tram. If you want food but don't want an entire meal then head over to the Bengal BBQ across from Indiana Jones. They sell meat and vegetable skewers for under $5 and they are delicious. As far as snacks go there are honestly way to many to list but I'll give you a few of my favorites. The most obvious is churros. You can find them all over the parks, but I personally love the ones at downtown Disney, why?! Because they have seasonal flavors that are constantly being switched AND you can dip them in Nutella. If you head on down main street towards the castle and to your left you'll find the Jolly Holiday Cafe. They not only have great food options but they have the insanely delicious Matterhorn Macaroon... this white chocolate dipped coconut mountain treat will only put you back a couple dollars and leave you with a happy stomach! If coconut is not your thing I HIGHLY suggest making your way to the Mint Julep bar, where you can find the infamous Mickey shaped Beignets. Don't forget to shake your bag to cover every inch of dough! Honestly I could go on and on about the food at Disneyland but this paragraph is already getting long...but trust me when I say you won't be sad about anything you eat here! Also keep in mind food is constantly being added or changed in the parks. Whether it's for an event or a holiday, there's always something exciting and 

new! 

-Let's talk about rides shall we? We'll start with some of the most popular rides that aren't the easiest to get on. Peter Pan...oh how I wish you'd get a fastpass. Unfortunately PP does not have a FP so if you don't want to wait 40 mins I suggest walking very fast to this ride at rope drop. Radiator Springs Racers is one that you also want to head to right away. If you want to ride with your group I suggest getting to DCA before rope drop and once it drops get to the fastpass line because they go fairly quickly. The newest ride at DCA is Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. This line will be long for awhile since it is new and everyone's talking about it. The fastpasses to Mission Breakout go extremely fast and the line is almost always a minimum of 60 mins...so head there first thing in the morning if this is on your list. I highly recommend taking advantage of the single rider lines. If you're not traveling with toddlers than you can get on rides fairly quick using this line. I'm talking hopping on Radiator Springs Racers sometimes in 5 minutes. You won't get to ride with your group but you won't have to wait in line forever. A lot of rides offer the option of single rider, so definitely use it! My personal favorite ride? I can't choose one...so, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or Pirates...or Racers...ok that's three. Oops.

-One of my most recent finds at Disneyland is their walls...I know...this sounds crazy...but this is a real thing. It's all over Instagram and YouTube. All the parks have certain walls that make for great photographs. If you run a Disney Instagram or just love selfies than I highly suggest googling the most loved Disney walls! A couple of my favorites are the Small World wall and basically any wall/door in Toon Town. 

-As far as clothing in Disneyland goes I always suggest comfort over cute! Now I know we all want that adorable castle photo but your feet will regret it later. I've made the mistake of wearing cute new vans with Disney Princesses to the park only to be in awful pain by the time I reached the gate. They got thrown in a locker before I entered the park and I ended up in Old Navy flip flops for 3 days...I wasn't too smart that trip, but hey you live and learn. I personally bring a worn in pair of Nikes or Adidas as well as a pair of yoga flip flops in my backpack. Sanuk brand are my favorite, you can find them on Amazon or at the Sanuk store in downtown Disney! Also, don't forget a coat for the night time, it gets cold year round as the sun goes down when you're in Disneyland! 

-Merchandise...oh Disney Merchandise...how I love thee...but my wallet, not so much. The parks are filled with amazing souvenirs which can be a problem for me. I have a bit of a mug obsession and ok let's face it an anything Disney obsession. This can really put a dent in your wallet and make it a pain to pack for your trip home. Most of the stuff at the resorts is sold on the Disney Parks App or Disneystore.com. They have discount codes a lot of the time and Friends & Family a couple times of year so I personally suggest waiting. I know that can be hard if you travel with kids so what I like to do is head to the Target on Harbor Blvd. They have tons of Disney clothes, souvenirs, toys and even some ears...this will save you a pretty penny...and tears from your kids who want everything! You can pick up your autograph books for the kiddos here too!

Well folks I could go on for hours about Disneyland but I'll leave you with that for now! I hope you all have a magical day. 

Blog Take Over Post One: Meet Katy

Hi I'm Katy and I'm a Disney-holic. It's nice to meet all of you! Brittney asked me to share my love for Disney with all you guys this week and I very quickly said yes! I was born and raised in the PNW in the very green and very rainy state of Oregon...I've been a Disnerd since I was a wee-one.

My first memory of Disney goes back to 1994, I was a 6 year old little girl, sitting in a movie theatre watching The Lion King. The moment comes where Rafiki is standing on top of Pride Rock, as he begins to lift Simba in the air

I suddenly get out of my chair in the middle of the theatre and raise up both my arms...mimicking the wise monkey I was watching on the screen. It's safe to say this is where it all began for me. 

To a large majority of people Disney is just a company who makes cartoon movies or they think of it as an overpriced place to go where you stand in long lines waiting to ride childish rides...but for me it's more than that, much more. As someone who has lived with anxiety/panic/depression for 10+ years, it's been an escape for me. It's transported me out of my mind in times I've needed it the most. Disney has become a vacation from myself and my thoughts and well, we all need a good vacation sometimes...I apologize if that just got really deep. Now, I absolutely adore Disney movies, but there's nothing more magical to me then visiting a Disney park. From the warm cinnamon sugar churros to the smell of the water in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride to the cast members calling me Princess...it all makes my heart skip a beat.

Unfortunately the nearest park is a state away

 so I don't get to go as often as I'd like (everyday)...but thankfully I get to go at least once a year. Today I'm going to share my top tips on Disney travel to make your planning and your trip go as smoothly and as "cheap" as possible. I hope you all get some useful tips and happy planning! 

1.My all time number one tip for planning a Disney trip is...gift cards! If you've ever noticed those Disney cards by the check stands at Target, Wal Mart or your local grocery store, those little babies aren't just good for the Disney store...they are for some much more! I pick one or two of those up a month, or I'll grab one when I get a little extra cash. They all add up by the time you go on your next trip. Gift cards work towards everything in Disney. I'm talking tickets into the park, food or merch...if it's in Disneyland then those sweet little gift cards will cover it all. After you've collected all your cards head on over to https://disneygiftcard.com and load them all onto one card so you aren't lugging around 15 at a time...gotta save room in your bag for all that stuff you're going to want to buy in the parks!

2.If you have to fly to get to Disneyland/world...or overseas if you're one of those lucky Disney folk...then I highly suggest downloading the Hopper app. It allows you to plug in whatever flights you need for whatever dates you want and it will keep you notified when your flights go up or down in price. It's amazing and saves you from checking prices everyday...or multiple times a day if you're like me. 

3.As far as hotels go I highly HIGHLY recommend going through hotels.com. Most hotels through the site allow you to pay when you get to your destination which is perfect for when you're trying to save for your Disney vacation. My favorite part about hotels.com is their rewards program. You get a free night after every 10 you stay using their site! Make sure you make an account and sign up to collect your nights. 

4.Speaking of hotels let's talk about WHERE you should stay. Now I personally have never stayed at a Disney hotel. It's honestly never been in my budget and I'm ok with that. I don't go to Disney to sit in a hotel. My favorite places to stay are on Harbor Blvd. There are several amazing hotels for 1/3 of the price of staying on property. My personal favorite is Hyatt House on Harbor. It's right above a Walgreens and all the rooms have a pull out couch/sitting area and kitchen. They also a full buffet hot breakfast...this saves a ton especially if you're traveling with kids! I also really enjoy Grand Legacy at the park. It's right across from the park entrance...the rooms are smaller than the Hyatt and parking there is a pain. BUT they have an awesome roof top restaurant where you can watch the fireworks and they play the music that goes along with the show. It's really magical!

5.If you're debating on what time of year to go to the parks I suggest looking at crowd calendars. There are several online that show you the best time to go and how busy it will be once you get there. I've been for Halloween, Christmas, summer and during the off season. Christmas was absolutely magical and beyond beautiful but it was the busiest time in the parks, I'm talking back to back people at all times. Halloween was probably my favorite, it wasn't as busy as Christmas, the decor was amazing and you can pay extra to stay for the Halloween party...I'm talking trick or treating at Disneyland! Summer is always pretty busy and hot but in my opinion doable. I went in late February/early March and it was the least busiest time I've been to the parks and the weather was perfect! So when you're planning your vacation to the parks keep in mind that some times are much more intense crowd wise than others. 

Well folks that's all I have for today. As far as tickets go unfortunately there's not a lot of options for discounts. Sometimes they'll have lower rates for California residence or military...but for folks like me...we're out of luck.

I'll be back later this week to give you some more of my Dis-knowledge. Have a magical day!