The A-Z of Characters - The Letter J!

J is for...

Jack Skellington was on my character bucket list. I was so happy that we got to meet him at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party! He was so funny, he asked if it hurt when we sewn on our sequin ears. When I said it didn't, he told us that we should add nettles and maggots next time to make sure it itches and stings! I asked him for his best Christmas pose and he said his favourite is to pretend he's dead!

Jasmine I have met quite a lot of times varying from aged 3 at Disneyland Paris, up to last year in Disney World! She was actually one of the first characters I ever met!

Jessie the cowgirl was a favourite of mine when I got to meet her in 2000 at Disney World. Toy Story 2 had just come out and she was a real hit. Me and Lucy also met her in Disneyland Paris last year (2016.) She was a real hoot when my mum's camera didn't work and we took this hilarious selfie!

Joy came in a package with Sadness at Epcot. She was one of my favourite meets, the two as a pair were hilarious and very sweet! We asked if we could fill in for Anger, Disgust and Fear, and the photo outcome was brilliant.

The A=Z Of Character Meet and Greets! - The Letter A

I love meeting characters at theme parks, obviously mostly Disney parks, however I also love Universal Studios and a couple of others that do character meets.I figured it would be a fabulous idea to record all of my character meet and greets here on my blog. I am hoping to keep adding to it as I meet more characters. So in an alphabetised format, as Peter Pan would say:Heeeeeere weeeee gooooo!

A is for....

Ariel. I have met Ariel three times now, all in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The first time I met her I was 6 and had so much fun entering her grotto. I then met her again in 2016 with my friends in her newer version of her grotto. Then again in 2017, we met her in Akershus in Epcot at the breakfast character dining, which was superb. Each time she was very interactive and one of my favourites to meet.

Aurora. I was excited to meet Aurora at Akershus as she is a princess I quite often portray in my job and she has since become one of my favourites. She also said she loved my phone case which was the Vogue cover of Aurora!

Anastasia. She was a very funny character to meet! I got to meet her at the 1900 Park Fare Cinderella Dinner. She commented on our ears and interrupted us at the table to ask if we were discussing cheese! She taught me how to pose "proper" as she called it!

Aladdin is another character who I have met a few times, ranging from Disney World to Disneyland Paris, and at all different ages. He was actually probably one of the first characters I met when I was 3 in DLP. He kissed my hand and I thought he was amazing!

Alice is one of my all-time favourite characters so I was excited to get to meet her at 1900 Park Fare for breakfast. It is my dream to get to play Alice.

Anna was very funny. She loved my ears and even did a special little message for my friend Meryn, which i thought was really sweet. She was one of my favourite characters to chat to!

Underrated Attractions of Epcot

Following on from last week's post about underrated attractions. Today we visit Epcot where a lot of attractions have come and gone. Some have managed to withstand the force of time, but are just too educational for the likings of some people.

1. Living with the Land

Living with the Land is an educational boat ride in the Land Pavilion. The slow moving boat moves through a giant greenhouse that houses fruit and vegetables which are then used in the restaurants within Epcot. It very rarely has a wait, but I personally love it! I find it very interesting looking at all of their innovative techniques that I have never seen anyone else. The 9lb lemons are always a crowd pleaser.

2. Innoventions

Okay, so my favourite section of Innoventions has recently closed, however what still stands is still worth checking out. The most popular attraction there is The Sum of All Thrills, where guests build and then ride a simulation of their own rollercoaster. However, the 2 other attractions are often overlooked. The newest, Colortopia, is a virtual colour experience where guests can actually paint the walls with light. But the least noticed attraction is called StormStruck. This is a 4D experience that tells you about the best way to keep your house standing in a hurricane. It is also interactive as you have to answer questions on your opinions. Living in England, this is something I'd never really thought about before, and I learned a lot!

3. Impressions de France

Impressions de France is an 18-minute widescreen film shown in the France pavilion at Epcot and features the music of classical French composers. It is beautifully put together and shows a real insight into the country. It is often overlooked as it is out the way in the back of the French pavilion. It is worth seeing at least once.

4. O Canada!

Despite the fact that I love Martin Short, this 18-minute film is a must do at Epcot. It is a 360 degree cinema experience that shows Canada's cities and natural features. It puts Canada in a breathtaking light.

5. Reflections of China

Like the 2 above, Reflections of China is a cinematic film about the country it represents. You get to see everything from the Great Wall of China to the Forbidden City. The colours are divine! It is often overlooked as it is situated inside the temple.

Cinco De Mayo!

As it is Cinco de Mayo, I thought I would take the time to talk about my favourite pavilion in Epcot: Mexico!

The Mexican Pavilion at Epcot is the only pavilion that has an inside section that looks like the outside. It is truly breath-taking to see it for the first time. You feel like you have stepped right onto the streets of Mexico...at night! As you step into the Mesoamerican pyramid, you are first met by a traditional Mexican marketplace with stalls selling everything from piñatas to sombreros. The San Angel Inn restaurant is all aglow by candlelight, as the boat ride passes by a volcano. 

The best part, in my eyes, is the Gran Fiesta Tour ride. it features the Three Caballeros (a very underrated Disney classic movie.) The Three Caballeros are : Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles. Jose and Panchito need your help to locate Donald, as he has wandered off somewhere in Mexico. The ride itself is a slow moving boat ride, which interacts with television screens which tell the story. It is a lovely relaxing ride and very rarely has a queue. The ride used to be named El Rio Del Tiempo, and though a similar concept, the Caballeros were not featured whatsoever. 

If you are lucky enough, you may get to meet Caballero Donald Duck outside of the pyramid! The Cantina de San Angel does amazing churros too! You should definitely stop by at the Mexico pavilion and take in the culture. If like me, you have never visited Mexico it is amazing to get even the smallest taste of what it may be like.