My Favorites! August 2023 Exercise Challenge

[Oneanne]

I've been contemplating going to MNSSHP when I'm at WDW next month, but haven't made up my mind yet.

+60 minutes for yesterday... walking and arms. I did not want to go for a walk after work yesterday but I'm so glad I made myself do it, it was a beautiful evening to be hanging out at the beach.

550/1395... 39%

 

[Raya]

I've been contemplating going to MNSSHP when I'm at WDW next month, but haven't made up my mind yet.

Let me convince you: You get to trick-or-treat as a grown up. You get to wear a costume and see all the costumes. There's a parade with Haunted Mansion butlers with sparks! and it's kicked off by the actual headless horseman on a real horse!!!!

 

[Oneanne]

Let me convince you: You get to trick-or-treat as a grown up. You get to wear a costume and see all the costumes. There's a parade with Haunted Mansion butlers with sparks! and it's kicked off by the actual headless horseman on a real horse!!!!

The HM Butlers are a favorite for sure... and the Cadaver Dan's and of course my soul mates the Sanderson Sisters. OK, I'm booked for 9.8... now to obsess about something to wear.

 

[Raya]

The HM Butlers are a favorite for sure... and the Cadaver Dan's and of course my soul mates the Sanderson Sisters. OK, I'm booked for 9.8... now to obsess about something to wear.

I'll be there the week before you. Too bad we don't overlap - I'd bring you something from Salem (there's plenty of Sanderson Sisters stuff all over the place here).

 

[Oneanne]

I'll be there the week before you. Too bad we don't overlap - I'd bring you something from Salem (there's plenty of Sanderson Sisters stuff all over the place here).

I have ancestral family connections to Salem thru Thomas Fiske and the Rebecca Nurse trial.

edited to add: I've never actually been a witch for Halloween, so I just ordered myself a hat and will build from there.

 

[sophy1996]

+30

520/1200

 

[sophy1996]

+70

590/1200

 

[Oneanne]

+130 for Fri/Sat/Sun

695/1395... 50%

 

[sophy1996]

+35

625/1200

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I have 45 new minutes to add since my last update. 15 minutes of exercise bike yesterday and 30 minutes of growwithjo today. Sorry I've been kind of MIA. We split the drive back home over Friday and Saturday and I was just so exhausted on Sunday. I'm back and ready to talk about myself some more.
But first! We have to celebrate sophy1996 and Oneanne for reaching Parks Purple!

My favorite park is probably MK in WDW, though Disneyland is better in many ways. But I feel like MK is kind of a given, so my favorite park outside of the Magic Kingdom is definitely Animal Kingdom! I love the theming, the animals, the atmosphere!
P1010197 by Elizabeth Smith, on Flickr

My favorite Nighttime Spectacular is Fantasmic! (which you may have been able to guess, since I mentioned the finale theme as my favorite park song). Mickey defeats evil with the power of his imagination. How great is that?

My favorite parks party was actually the Animal Kingdom after hours event, I think? I loved MVMCP, but there was just something really cool about walking through an almost empty park and having basically private rides on Flight of Passage. A cast member actually gave us a tour of the stand-by line so I could see the cool floating Avatar guy.
20190116_215546 by Elizabeth Smith, on Flickr

My favorite Park-exclusive character is Orange Bird. He's just too cute!

This plush is apparently orange-scented. I might need to add him to my Christmas list...

And my final favorite for the day is my favorite gift shop: Momento Mori, outside of Haunted Mansion. I've never really liked the merchandise, but I liked the vibes.

What is your favorite park, nighttime spectacular, party, parks character, and gift shop?

 

[Raya]

+36 minutes. I've been really struggling with what to eat lately. Nothing appeals to me, and I need to eat a healthy balance to fuel my runs. It's so much easier to eat healthy when I'm sitting in a Disney restaurant and everything looks delicious!

Favorite park: Magic Kingdom Florida, so many happy memories!

Favorite nighttime spectacular: Happily Ever After - I love that song, I love the message, I love watching it and the smell of the fireworks, and just...everything. I did love Hallowishes dearly but Happily Ever After speaks to my soul.

Parks character: Orange bird. He's the best and he brings along the best snack ever: the citrus swirl

Gift shop: Momento Mori, hand down. It's small, it's cramped but it has special effects (look for the ghost in the mirror) and all the best Haunted Mansion stuff!


Raya: 234/440 - 53%
week 1: 121/110
week 2: 77/110
week 3: 36/110

 

[BleuB]

+ 153 mins (8/10 - 8/14)

My favorite park is Epcot. Whenever I went to Disney previously it was with pretty hardcore Disney people/FL residents and I felt like I was rushed around HS and MK to their favorites rides so I haven't really discovered much on my own except Epcot. I'm hoping to change that on future trips and be able to find my own thing at the other parks!

I love the Orange Bird because...sunshine!

I'll be going to MNSSHP in October so that will be my first and I'm sure I'll love it!

423/935

 

[PollyannaMom]

Catching up a bit as I've been forgetting to post:

Mon-8/7 - 25
Tue-8/8 - 15
Wed-8/9 - 15
Thu-8/10 (skip)
Fri-8/11 - 25
Sat-8/12 (skip)
Sun-8/13 - 25
Mon-8/14 - 30
-------------------
total new minutes = 135
new cumulative total = 220/600


Favorite song from a Disney movie:
Oh my gosh, this one is almost impossible! I love so many!!

I think I'll go with an obscure one - Brazzle Dazzle Day, from Pete's Dragon:

Favorite Disney Ride and/or Rollercoaster:
Flight of Passage

Favorite park:
Whatever one I'm in that day!

Favorite nighttime spectacular:
MK Fireworks!

Favorite of the holiday parties:
I've actually never been to any of them. But I would probably want to go to the Christmas one.

Favorite parks character:
Miko (the racoon from Pochahontas) - because of a fun interaction memory from years ago.

Favorite gift shop:
Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe at MK - I always buy a Christmas tree ornament on our trips.
(Honorable mention to the resort gift shops because I love shopping at a slower pace.)

 

[Oneanne]

Ugh... only +45 minutes for the past three days. It's been hot here and my old house just soaks up the heat, so I've been exhausted by the end of the work day and haven't gotten out for evening walks, even tho outside at that time of day is definitely cooler than inside.

740/1395... 53%

Favorite park... EPCOT. Way back in the pre-internet days I used to get the Birnbaum Disney World book before each trip and I think that's where I saw the recommendation to go to EPCOT first because its big, spread out and not overwhelming, so makes a good transition into the madness to follow. For the first 20 or so trips that's what I faithfully did and walking up to Spaceship Earth is my biggest "I'm really here" trigger.

Favorite nighttime event... I'm not really big on the nighttime stuff, and actually have a pretty strong dislike for fireworks. But one year I did an AllEars Holiday party where we had catering and a section to ourselves to view Illuminations, which was great in and of itself, but then the holiday add-on started and for some reason it made me weepy. So I'll say Illuminations.

Favorite Characters... Chip and Dale because they are so spicy and naughty.

Favorite gift shop... I'm not a big Disney shopper, but one trip I had the thought to sit close up in Hall of Presidents and was mesmerized by the movements you don't necessarily see further back. After the show I went thru the attached gift shop (which I don't even think is there any longer) and ended up buying the book "To the Best of my Ability" which is a series of essays and background facts for the presidents. I was feeling pretty smart about myself until I had to lug that big heavy book around for another 6 hours (the last Pres in it was Bush 2 so that was a very long time ago.) So I'll say the now defunct Hall of Presidents shop.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

395 minutes since last check in - horses and running

1255/2000

More Favorites:

Disney Ride - Under the Sea at MK - - I don't know why, but this ride brings me joy - - and I love that it rarely has a long wait time

Roller Coaster - Slinky Dog Dash (honorable mentions to Expedition Everest and Rock N Roller Coaster)

Park - Agree with PollyannaMom - whichever one I am in at the moment. They are all great!

Nighttime Spectacular - Happily Ever After (used to be Illuminations)

Parks Party - Frozen Dessert Party that they no longer have in Epcot; also really love MVMCP, and two no longer existing parties in HS: Jingle Bell Jingle Bam Dessert Party and Star Wars Dessert Party. It's clear I have a dessert problem, and it's probably best these three have not returned.

Parks Character - Chewbacca in HS

Gift Shop - Discovery Trading Company at AK - I would have said the Emporium but it's always so crowded. This gift shop at AK has a lot of the same stuff from the Emporium but also allows for much more personal space plus has unique to AK items. I also love the AKL gift shop because they have usually have really nice home decor pieces - looking at you, Barefoot Dreams throw and BFD scarf that I really should have bought last trip. (Please still be there in January)

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

+30 minutes on the exercise bike for the evening.
Raya and Twilight Sparkle have reached Parks Purple! And so has the TEAM!

A lot of people have already kind of answered this, but the next category is going to be favorite Meet and Greet!
For me, it's gotta be Chip and Dale! Like Oneanne mentioned, they're just so spunky! At the AK after hours party, I got to have an all but private dance party with them (while they were in their adorable dino costumes!)
IMG_1343 by Elizabeth Smith, on Flickr

The next question is a little harder. What is your favorite Disney Parks "Scenery" or Location? There are a lot of really cute photo-ops, but somewhere that feels tranquil and peaceful to me is New Orleans Square in Disneyland, specifically the cafe tables near the riverfront. It's fun to watch the canoes and the riverboat sail by while enjoying a Mint Julep or a Dole Whip carried over from Adventureland.

Also, even though I don't really care for the Cars franchise, Cars Land is incredibly well done! I love the scenery around this area!
2022-06-17 - Disney California Adventure Park - Cars Land_8 by Jacob Smith, on Flickr

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

110 minutes - horses

1365/2000

Favorite Meet and Greet - Kylo Ren at HS when he used to meet in Launch Bay

Favorite Location or Scenery - Tangled Bathroom area at MK

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

+15 minutes for the evening. I did a Chloe Ting exercise and a little bit on the exercise bike. I bought some new exercise clothes today that fit me a little better, so I'm going to try to use that as motivation to work a little harder going forward!

Today I'm going to answer a big question: What is your favorite Disney Animated Movie?

I'm going to go with Tangled!
Tangled Bathrooms by Elizabeth Smith, on Flickr

Shout outs to The Emperor's New Groove, which is absolutely hilarious, and to Monster's Inc., which is probably my favorite Disney Pixar movie.

 

[Elizabeth Smith]

I'm adding 20 minutes tonight from my exercise bike. That takes me to 225/450, and Parks Purple! Yay!

Today's question: What's your favorite festival? I've never had the privilege of properly attending any of the Epcot festivals (except maybe Festival of the Holidays? But I think I missed it by a day, actually). But, based off what I've seen, I'd be most interested in the Festival of the Arts! I like art; I enjoy making it and viewing it. Festival of the arts has some really cool food booths, too.

 

[sophy1996]

+130

755/1200

My favorite character meet 'n greet was Emperor Palpatine during Star Wars Weekends at DHS. My DH had fashioned a Darth Vader necklace from a giant Darth Vader Pez, and the Emperor really liked it!



Favorite land - Galaxy's Edge

Favorite festival - Flower & Garden at Epcot (though we sorely miss Star Wars Weekends)

Favorite holiday party - Oogie Boogie Bash (with honorable mention to Mickey's No So Scary) and Disney After Dark: Star Wars Night at DLR. Apparently we just like dressing up!