Howdy! Today was a beautiful day in the Magic Kingdom. It is that time of year when the weather is nearly perfect. Even though it’s only September, Disney has released some new Christmas ornaments and decor. As a Christmas person, I’m so excited.

Good Morning from Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort

The lobby refurbishment at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is chugging along. I love the direction the refurbishment has taken so far, and I hope Disney continues to stay true to the original design of the Grand while brightening up the space.

The new wallpaper in the elevator foyers is stunning. I love the airy feel it has with the light blue and the branches of the trees. I especially love the matching mirror frames with the resort’s initials at the top.

With all that being said, I am still sad about the Christmas Gingerbread House being missing this year. I will miss the chaos and smell of gingerbread that consumes this lobby each holiday season.

Let me know how you feel about the refurbishment so far in the comments below.

Monorail to Magic Kingdom

The longer I report from the parks, the more I am convinced that the monorail is the most efficient form of transportation to exist, and I wish they were installed in more metro areas. I would gladly take public transport if it were as efficient as the average monorail ride.

Good Morning from Magic Kingdom

I won’t lie. I was caught off guard this morning by the crowd. I wasn’t expecting it to be so busy today with schools being back in session and the Halloween season not really starting for the rest of the world until October. Maybe there was a secret deal on tickets that I missed, because the park was popping at open this morning.

Dapper Dan Moment

There is no better way to start your Magic Kingdom day than with the iconic Dapper Dans. Please enjoy this short clip of the always talented Dapper Dans. I think I’m torn between their Fall and Spring costumes. I think I may like the Fall ones more, but I will likely change my mind tomorrow. Let me know if you have a favorite Dapper Dan costume or song in the comments below.

Park Pothole

I usually don’t report these tiny cracks or imperfections in the walkways around the parks, but this one caught my eye at Magic Kingdom. Not because it’s any different from other cracks, but I watched three different strollers get caught in this hole. That just feels like a lot in the span of 15 minutes.

I suspect we will see some patchwork in this spot soon.

Space Snails at Star Traders

Okay, perhaps they are just your standard snails, but in Tomorrowland, they have to be space snails. I was surprised to see well over two dozen snails scaling the wall of Star Traders. I thought they were calling me in for some good deals, but there wasn’t anything new in the shop.

All those tiny specs are little snails. Wild. Welcome to Florida. Even in the future, we have snails.

Peoplemover Party

When I was riding the Peoplemover today, I noticed that the Salon had reopened and the astronauts in Space Mountain were still well-lit.

My new soapbox is the former Cool Ship kiosk. I know that Coca-Cola likely had to okay the design of the kiosk, but I don’t think they ever considered it being viewed from a second story at all angles, because from the side, it definitely looks like a Pepsi symbol.

Let me know if you agree or disagree with me in the comments below. I’m collecting votes to prove I’m not crazy this time.

The Circus Gives and the Circus Taketh Away

When I first arrived at Storybook Circus, I was excited to see our favorite pup, Pluto! The joy was quickly sucked out of the tents when I realized the Blue Powerade slushy was gone. Now it’s all Fanta flavors, Minute Made, and Coca-Cola. Not that I have a problem with those, but when I’m running around these parks, a slushy Powerade is a gift.

Gaston’s Fountain

The Gaston Fountain remains damaged, despite undergoing a refurbishment and months of waiting. The Stein on Lafou’s foot still has a giant crack on the front, and Lafou’s foot still has a hole in the bottom. I suppose this isn’t an easy fix, considering it was not repaired during the refurbishment a few weeks ago.

King Triton Refurb Wanted!

At this point, I don’t even want to look at this guy. It just makes me angry on so many levels. Why can’t people behave and respect what’s not theirs? Why can’t Disney send someone to touch up his hand? I have so many questions.

Tangled Tower Waterfall Haults Flow

The Tangled Tower near the restrooms usually features a picturesque waterfall flowing down the side, but the waterfall hasn’t been operational for a few weeks now. I hope that this is a temporary thing while construction kicks up on Rivers of America. As always, be sure to stay tuned to our website for any updates. Until then, the river and the waterfall run dry.

HUGE Assortment of New Ornaments

In the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square, there are dozens of new ornaments featuring a few of our favorite animated Disney movies. There are even a few celebratory anniversary ornaments. Did you know that Tangled turns 15 years old, Toy Story turns 30, and The Rescuers Down Under turns 35 this year? I hope you feel as old as I do.

My favorite ornament in the release is the light-up Aristocats ornament. Let me know which one catches your eye in the comments below.

Rivers of America

When I was walking by what was Rivers of America, I noticed that the giant concrete blocks had been shuffled closer to the scaffolding. There were even some blocks already strapped to the scaffolding closer to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. It would appear that the process of blocking the guest view of Rivers has begun. I would venture to guess we will lose this view in the next few days.

Be sure to visit our website often for updates and information about this ongoing project.

Glass PIRATE Christmas Tree – $59

At La Princesa de Cristal, near Pirates of the Caribbean, there is a glass Pirate tree now available for $59. The glass tree comes pre-decorated with miniature bobbles featuring Red and the Barker Bird! Hopefully, Disney World will be getting the Villain Tree that Disneyland got earlier this month too.

Shop like a VIP

The VIP Tours offer exclusive merchandise to those on the tour in Magic Kingdom. Typically, you could catch those lucky guests making their selections from the trunk at the back of Curtain Call, where guests exit when meeting Mickey Mouse at the Town Square Theater. Now, it would appear there is some sort of closet being set up for merchandising purposes. It is hard to say without knowing, but that would be my most educated guess. Let me know in the comments below if you have any better theories.

I hope you enjoyed our day in the Magic Kingdom. I also hope you are looking forward to the Christmas holiday like I am. Let me know in the comments below if you are more of a Halloween or Christmas decor person. The older I get, the more I prefer Christmas.

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