Starbucks at Disney

If you're anything like us, next to your Disney trip planning stuff right now is a cup of coffee.  Coffee makes the world go 'round.  From Ethiopia to France to Orlando, coffee is everywhere.

And until just recently, drinking coffee in the Disney Parks wasn't as enjoyable as it should be.  Because, let's face it: Disney doesn't have great coffee.

So let us together thank heaven that Starbucks are opening inside the parks.

But where exactly?  Below are the answers you seek.

The Downtown Disney District on the Florida side has been experiencing quite the bit of remodeling as Imagineers turn it into Disney Springs.  Among the many new additions are not one, but two new Starbucks!  One is near the largest Disney store in the world: The World of Disney.  The other Starbucks is in the West Side part of Downtown Disney.  And it has two floors!

In Magic Kingdom, you will find the Starbucks cleverly designed to blend into the rest of turn-of-the-century Main Street, USA.  It's on the right in the Main Street Bakery.

Epcot's Starbucks is located in Future World across from the Fountain of Nations, next to Club Cool in Fountain View.  So you can sip your latte and send the kids next door to sample (for free) Coca Cola products from around the world.  We were pleasantly surprised to find how much we liked Zimbabwe's version of a cherry soda!

More Starbucks are planned to open in Disney's Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.

Above is one of us taking a five-second break from running the Disney Princess Half Marathon to take a selfie with the Fountain View Starbucks cast members.

Park Hoppers

One of the most common questions we are asked here at the Pixie Dust Posse is "Is the park hopper option worth it?"  And the answer isn't always simple.  It really depends on your family and what you are looking for in your vacation.

It currently costs $60.00 to add the park hopper option to any park ticket (adult or child) of 4 days or more in length.  For a family of 5, with four day park tickets, this will cost you an additional $300, or $75 per day.

To be honest, our family rarely purchases the hopper option.

Why?  Well, park hopping is not very time efficient.  Exiting a park, taking resort transportation (or even getting in your vehicle and driving to a second park), and then entering another park (including going through security) can be quite time consuming.  You should allow at least an hour.  That's an hour that could've been spent riding Space Mountain for the fifth time, watching Mickey's Philharmagic, or meeting talking Mickey in Town Square.

You're already on your feet a lot in the parks, but add on walking to the car in the gigantic WDW parking lot - again?  Park hopping is exhausting.  If you're staying on-property, you can take the Disney buses which skips parking lot hunting altogether, but it takes more time.  Overall, as you can see, we don't find Park Hopping worth the extra $500+ it would cost our family of 8.

But that's just us.

If you enjoy spontaneity - and the hopper option is in your budget - it is definitely nice to have the option.  Want to have lunch at the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom and dinner at the Brown Derby in Disney's Hollywood Studios?  You're going to need a park hopper.  Crowds too much for you at Epcot today and you want to head over to Magic Kingdom?  The park hopper is a must.  Animal Kingdom closed at 5pm today, but you've still got several hours of magic left in you?  Park hopper is the way to go.

Do you add on the park hoppers?  Why or why not?  Tell us in the comments!

*Photo from Disney PhotoPass+ Gallery Disc

The Pizza Planet Truck

The Pizza Planet Truck made its first appearance in Toy Story and has been in every Pixar movie since (with one exception - The Incredibles).  But the real question is, where is this famous "Easter-egg" in each film?  The Pixie Dust Posse would like to answer that for you right now...

Toy Story (1995)

The Pizza Planet truck makes its debut at the Dinoco gas station when Woody and Buzz first leave Andy.  They proceed to ride it to Pizza Planet in an attempt to reunite with Andy.  You know what happens next.  (If not, go watch it now.)

A Bug's Life (1998)

The truck makes its second appearance beside the trailer which sits next to the bug-city Flick travels to.

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Stinky Pete reveals himself to be the "bad guy". He forces Woody, Bullseye, and Jessie into the briefcases on their way to the airport for Japan. Andy's gang needs a mode of transportation to rescue them.  And our Buzz chose none other than the Pizza Planet Truck.

Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Recognize this trailer?  These people must love pizza (Don't worry, we don't judge. We could eat pizza everyday, too.).  We see this trailer - and the Pizza Planet truck next to it - toward the end of the film when Sully and Mike send Randall through one of the doors and then drop it, so Randall can't come back.  Where did the door send Randal?  You got it.

Finding Nemo (2003)

This is Gill's imagination when he first shares his latest plan of getting into the ocean with the tank gang.  In this shot specifically, they're rolling their bags out the dentist's window and into the street, which is why the image appears blurry.

Cars (2006)

This is at the Piston Cup tie-breaker toward the end of the movie.  See our truck on the left?  We also just want to send a shout out to the crazy excited blue car on the bottom left.  He looks like us when we walk down Main Street and see Cinderella's Castle.

Ratatouille (2007)

It's very, very hard to see.  The truck on the left, driving across the bridge.  This is during the scene where Remy takes the papers proving Linguini's heritage, and Chef Skinner chases him throughout Paris to stop him from sharing.

WALL-E (2008)

We see the truck here as Eve is searching through the junk.  She may have not found what she was looking for.  But we did. :)

Up (2009)

Here we are at the closing scene of the movie. Carl, Russell, and Dug are sitting at the curb in front of the ice cream shop (that's Charles Muntz's former zeppelin above them).  You can find the truck sitting in the far left of the parking lot.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Chuckles the clown is telling Woody the story of Lotso as we see it play out on-screen.  Daisy's family accidentally leaves Lotso, Chuckles, and Big Baby behind, so the toys hitch a ride on the back of the Pizza Planet Truck.

Cars 2 (2011)

The Pizza Planet Truck actually makes a couple of appearances in Cars 2.  Here's our truck getting interviewed on TV (notice the screen above the bar).

And here he is watching the race in Radiator Springs at the end of the movie.

Brave (2012)

Where do you place a truck in a movie that takes place in the tenth century Europe?  You put it in as a wood carving by the witch, of course.

Monsters University (2013)

Mike is riding Archie the scare pig past the fraternity JOX house. The Pizza Planet Truck is parked on the left.

There you have it!  But don't worry, our Easter egg hunt isn't over.  We'll be back with more!

*We apologize for the low-quality.  Some of our Pixar movies are in VHS-form. :)

**Photo of the Pizza Planet Truck in WALL-E from disneypixar.tumblr.com/post/35998897828/the-pizza-planet-truck-walloe-2008

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 30

Day 30- Favorite happy ending

And our agonizing, unfair, yet really really FUN Disney challenge has come to an end.  Favorite happy ending?  All happy endings are our favorite, but the most classic is this scene pictured above from Cinderella (1950).  Prince Charming and Cinderella's story is a sweet one, but really, this scene is only the beginning for them.  Onto their new life together... to live happily ever after.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 29

Day 29- Most magical moment

"Mmmm... it gonna be good!"  Mama Odie (Mama Whoodie?) exclaims as Tiana and Naveen turn from frogs back into humans.  It's so perfect.  They had accepted the fact that they may stay amphibians forever.  Yet, once Tiana married Prince Naveen, well, let's just say true love is a very powerful thing. <3

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 28

Day 28- Scariest moment

This picture says it all.  Mordu from Brave (2012) is everything scary wrapped up in one being.  However, the challenge requires us to pick one moment, so we'd have to say it's when Merida first sees the broken stone and Mordu sneaks up and scares the pee out of everybody in the theater.  Not to mention that the Pixie Dust Posse had front row seats.  So without further ado, have pleasant dreams tonight.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 27

Day 27- Funniest moment

That time when Tarzan was a kid in Tarzan II (2005) having an identity crisis and Terk comes on up to impersonate what Tarzan's parents, Kala and Kerchack would do.  And, of course, Terk was spot-on.  "Oooh, I can just hear Kerchack: You almost killed someone. (acting as Kala now) He's only a child, he'll learn. (Back to Kerchack) He'll never survive in the jungle.  He can't run, he can't climb, he's a danger to us all. Now, I think I'll grunt impressively. Hrgm."  We all need a friend like Terk to lift our spirits.  Who's your "Terk"?

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 26

Day 26- Saddest moment

Pretty much the entire first half-hour of Up (2009) is the saddest "moment" in any Disney or Pixar film ever made.  Oh sure, Mufasa's death, Jessie's rejection song, and Toy Story 3 made Kleenex rich, but those don't compare to poor Carl's story.  There were happy moments, but they made the sad ones all the more sadder. We cry because it was the end of an adventure, but really, it was the beginning of a new one.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 25

Day 25- Favorite parent(s)

Nemo's dad, Marlin, from Finding Nemo (2003) loves his son to the ends of the earth, almost literally.  Though he really, really doesn't like the unknown and dangerous, Marlin shows true courage when Nemo is taken.  Facing sharks, vast ocean, sea turtles, and whales, nothing will stop Marlin from being united with his son.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 24

Day 24- Favorite eyes

Disney has many characters with big eyes, but Ariel's eyes are our favorite.  Her eyes are as blue as the ocean and as big as her dreams.  Ariel can show many different expressions and feelings with nothing but her eyes.  We can see why Eric fell for her. ;)

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 23

Day 23- Favorite quote

"Ohana means family.  And family means nobody get left behind or forgotten."  This quote from Lilo & Stitch (2002) means a lot to us, the Pixie Dust Posse.  Family isn't necessarily blood or who looks alike, it's who you love and care for.  And once they're family, they're never left behind or forgotten. Nani and Lilo learned that for sure, and so did we.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 22

Day 22- Favorite non-romantic duo

Mike and Sully from Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Monsters University (2013) make the perfect team.  They got off to a rocky start in college, but they each learned their lesson and made amends.  Together they started at the bottom (in the mail room, to be exact), and together they made their way on top, scarers.  Even when Boo came in, their friendship remained (but it was close!).  Sully and Mike are truly an example of a great friendship.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 21

Day 21- Favorite castle

Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom is straight from a fairytale, yet it's right before our eyes.  No castle has stirred so such emotion in us.  We cry when we see it for the first time on Main Street.  We may cry some more seeing the fireworks go off behind it during Wishes.  And then we cry again when it's time to leave.  Cinderella Castle beckons us to a world where dreams come true.  And that's where we left our hearts.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 20

Day 20- Favorite pet

Pascal from Tangled (2010) is the perfect pet for any situation.  The Pixie Dust Posse has had many different pets: hermit crabs, goldfish, frogs, even a kitty.  However, none of them have stood still for us to sew a dress for them.  None of our pets have played hide-and-seek with us.  None of them have traveled with us on an adventure to see the floating lights.  We wish we had a pet like Pascal, don't you?

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 19

Day 19- Favorite sidekick/henchman

When Mulan (1998) leaves home to take her father's place in the war, the ancestors deem she needs a guardian.  None other than Mushu is up for the job (especially now since the supposed "great stone dragon" is in pieces).  As Mushu said himself, he's travel-sized for Mulan's convenience.  He's helpful to Mulan in many ways.  For one, his fire power lit the cannon that brought the avalanche down upon the huns.  Also, he ties the fireworks to himself on the roof of the palace when Mulan is fighting Shan Yu.  Mushu is the perfect companion for Mulan, even though the ancestors didn't think so.

Disclaimer: Despite his lizard-like appearance on the picture above, he's a DRA-GON.  He doesn't do that tongue thing. :)

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 18

Day 18- Favorite villain

Mother Gothel from Tangled (2010) is downright selfish.  Her motivation?  Herself.  Her goal? Herself.  Mother Gothel just wants to be young forever - and she'll do whatever it takes to do it.  Hide the magic golden flower from the world even though it's the queen's only hope?  Pshhhh... of course!  Steal the princess and raise her secretly away from any other human contact?  Duh.  Act like she loves the child when the only love she has is for herself?  Oh yes.  Mother Gothel will cross any line and break any rule to keep herself young forever.  And that's what makes her our favorite villain.  And the villain song.  That too.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 17

Favorite heroine

Bianca from The Rescuers (1970) and The Rescuers Down Under (1990) may be small, but she is the ideal choice as a rescuer for Penny and Cody.  She is brave, prissy, and a perfect match for her partner Bernard.  Bianca herself is certainly a statement that no matter how small and insignificant you may seem in others' eyes, you can still do BIG things.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 16

Day 16- Favorite hero

Simba from The Lion King (1994) wasn't always a hero.  He ran away as a kid, grew up, and then tried to ignore his past.  However, thanks to Rafiki and Nala, he decides to step up and become who he's destined to be.  Some movie heroes appear to be perfect (when we all know he's not) and some heroes continue to be jerks (and somehow save the day anyway), but Simba learns his lesson and acts on it.  He is an example to follow, even though he's not the same species as us.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 15

Day 15- Favorite dance scene

The final scene of Beauty and the Beast (1991) when Belle and the Prince (formerly the Beast) dance in the newly un-enchanted castle is our favorite dance scene.  This isn't just the happy ever after for the couple, but also for Mrs. Potts, Chip, Lumiere, and the rest of the castle residents.  This is what they have all been waiting for, and this scene ties our hearts in with theirs.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 14

Day 14- Favorite lyrics

"Let it Go" from Frozen (2013) is one of our favorite songs (it almost got yesterday's article).  "Let it Go" not only fits Elsa's journey, but many people today can relate to it in their own way.  Every lyric of the song has a double meaning, which leads us to our bottom-line favorite lyric from the second verse of Demi Lovato's version: "I know I left a life behind, but I'm too relieved to grieve".  What's your favorite "Let it Go" lyric?

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 13

Day 13- Favorite song overall

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from Mary Poppins (1964) has been known and sung all over the world for decades now - it has certainly stood the test of time.  Mary Poppins and Bert make us feel all jumpy and happy inside every time we hear it.  We can't sing it without smiling (we've tried), the song just too, well, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 12

Day 12- Favorite love song

We smile with delight whenever Rapunzel offers the satchel to Eugene (formerly known as Flynn Rider) and Eugene, rather than taking it and running, sings beautifully with his new dream.  Cue happy sigh and possibly a box of tissues. "I See the Light" from Tangled (2010) is so beautiful.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 11

Day 11- Favorite villain song

A good villain song requires 3 things: A showcase of evil, an overall creepy factor, a an evil laugh.  Scar's "Be Prepared" in The Lion King (1994) has it all.  The entire eerie green color scheme alone is a showcase of Scar's evil heart and downright creepy.  Scar's evil laugh at the end sends a chill down our spine.  Every. Single. Time.  Don't worry, Scar, we'll be prepared.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 10

Day 10- Favorite outfit

Disney movies do not disappoint when it comes to fashion.  There are the epic capes, gorgeous ballgowns, and simply splendid everyday clothes.  No movie ties all three of those together though so flawlessly like Enchanted (2007).  Giselle of Andalasia has many fabulous outfit changes.  However, our favorite is the first dress Giselle makes out of Robert's curtains.  It's fairytale style but much more practical than the wedding dress from the previous day.  It has flowers, pink, and bows without any being over-bearing.  Next time we're in a clothing pickle, we know where to turn to: curtains.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 9

Day 9- Favorite hair-do

Princess Anna's coronation day hair-do in Frozen (2013) takes first place.  It's fancy yet comfortable, braidy but not overkill.  The green ribbons in the back that match her dress (and eyes) are a nice touch.  On the inevitable day we're invited to a queen's coronation (or become queen ourselves) we'll be sure to go with this 'do.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 8

Day 8- Favorite couple

Mr. and Mrs. Incredible (or Elastigirl), aka Bob and Helen Parr from The Incredibles (2004), have seen it together through thick and thin.  While some may consider trying save the world a good test for marriage, nothing tests love like having kids - three of them, for that matter.  Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, not only for saving us from Syndrome, but also for being an example of true love.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 7

Day 7- Favorite prince

Oh, Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid (1989) with his dreamy blue eyes and dazzling smile.  He's a just a little bit, no, a chunk, of perfect-ness from heaven.  Eric's relationship with Max is adorable.  His face when Ariel takes the reins of the carriage is priceless.  And then when he saves the entire ocean from the evil sea witch... oh... Eric is just perfect.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 6

Day 6- Favorite "official" princess

We love all 11 current Disney princesses (rumor has it more will be added!), but our favorite is Rapunzel Fitzherbert from Tangled (2010).  She dreams big, and then follows those dreams.  We admire that.  Rapunzel also maximizes her mornings by being super-productive - having her chores done by 7:15?  Come on!  She has the most adorable of the Disney princesses' animal friends in Pascal the chameleon.  In short, we love Rapunzel because she inspires us to follow our dreams.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 5

Day 5- Favorite underrated/forgotten film

Robin Hood (1973) is a Disney classic, being a fairytale legend with talking animals, songs, and a hero & princess to root for.  Robin Hood was a cool fox before foxes were cool.  Characters like the gentle Little John, kind Maid Marian, and mischievous Prince John keep the story close to our hearts.  Oo-De-Lally, we love us some Robin Hood!

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 4

Day 4- Favorite live action film

The attraction inspired the movie and then the movie inspired the attraction!  From the first time we heard young Elizabeth Swan sing "Yo, ho, yo ho", we loved Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).  Seeing the attraction we'd ridden over and over again appear so real on-screen is pretty much the coolest thing ever.  And each time we watch it, we learn something new about the characters we thought we knew and love.  A pirate's life is definitely for us!

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 3

Day 3- Favorite sequel/prequel

The toys came back yet again with a third movie which made its way to the prime spot of our favorite sequel.  We all know the usual drill:  The hit movie creates a yearning in viewers for more of their favorite characters and movie makers want more bang for their buck.  The solution of a sequel almost always fails... unless it's Pixar.  Pixar takes the characters we fell in love with back in 1995 and 1999 and brings them to life better than any of us could have ever imagined.  Toy Story 3 (2010) has the perfect combination of old and new friends coupled with a creative story and tear-jerking ending.  We've got a friend in you, Toy Story 3.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 2

Day 2- Favorite Pixar film

Monsters, Inc. (2001) is the 4th of the 14 Pixar movies to choose from.  We love them all, but Monsters, Inc. is our choice for today.  The question we have all asked since we were young - Why are there monsters in my closet? - is answered in a creative and hilarious way right at the start of the film.  The friendship between Mike and Sully is either what we have or desire.  The betrayals and twists toward the end are nail-biters.  The power shortage solution to use laughter, rather than screams, puts a smile on anyone's face. Happy tears roll when Mike fixes Boo's door at the end every time we watch it.  We wonder what our lives would be like if "We Didn't Have You", Monsters, Inc.

Disney 30 Day Challenge, Day 1

Day 1- Favorite Walt Disney Animated Studios Film

Narrowing down 53 great animated movies to one favorite is a very hard thing to do, especially when the entire team must agree upon it.  Eventually, we picked Tangled (2010).  It's a classic princess story- with a couple twists and turns, adorable sidekicks, frying pans, and singing thugs.  The soundtrack is wonderful with "When Will My Life Begin?" and "I've Got a Dream" among our favorite songs.  Tangled isn't just a great movie the first time, but each time after we fall in love with it even more.  Tangled may just be the best. movie. EVER!

Disney 30 Day Challenge

Our two-month break is over, and to kick it off, The Pixie Dust Posse will be taking the Disney 30 Day Challenge.  Each day from tomorrow until July 30th, we will post about our team's agreed choice for each day.  We encourage you to comment on this post or pin (via Pinterest) your own choices!

*We take no credit for the photos we use each day.

Staying On-Property at WDW

We've done WDW both ways.  We've stayed on-property and we've stayed off-property.  If you're considering a trip to the most magical place on earth, but don't know which direction to go accommodations-wise, we hope this article can help.  This post is about the on-property resorts, but come back soon for a post about staying off-property.

WDW has over 30 official on-property resorts to choose from.  Extra Magic Hours (EMH) are only available for on-property guests.  EMH is one park each day opening an hour early, or staying open three hours late.  All property hotels have free Disney transportation to anywhere else on property, though you may have to make a transfer at the Transportation and Ticket Center.  Other perks to staying on-property include transportation to and from the Orlando airport, souvenir delivery & pick-up from the parks, and free Wi-fi.  And, of course, the obvious benefit of never having to leave the magic!  Property resorts are divided into 3 main categories: Value, moderate, and deluxe resorts.

Value resorts are the cheapest, but they're infamous for having small rooms.  A few of them have family suites, which are bigger, sleeping 6.  Four members of your family will be on "convertible" beds (a sofa and chairs that convert into beds).  The suites have 2 full bathrooms.  For our large family of 8, we have to get 2 standard connecting rooms.  Value resorts have food courts, pools, and in-your-face decor (which we love).

Moderate resorts are the next level up, raising the price and service.  The decor and theme is more sophisticated.  Like value resorts, they have pools and food courts.  If you have kids, the pools are way cooler with slides and fountains.  Some have themed rooms available, but you have to request them when you make your reservation.  We personally enjoyed our ship beds and barrel mini-fridges in our pirate-themed Caribbean Beach Resort room.

Deluxe resorts are next.  But for our family, they're out of the question.  Since we already have to get two rooms, the price just isn't worth it for us.  The Magic Kingdom area Deluxe resorts are on the monorail track.  They each have sit down restaurants available, some have child care areas, too.  The style is sophisticated, and the service is top-notch.

Fort Wilderness campground also should be considered when staying on-property.  Since it's a campground, it doesn't really fit in any of the above categories.  Tent and RV sites are the cheapest way to stay on-property.  However, being a campsite, restrooms can be a good walk.  The cabins are very nice (considered a moderate level) and they sleep 6. The pools are fine, but plain. For kids (or kids at heart), Fort Wilderness has a Chip n' Dale sing-a-long and campfire most nights and afterward, an outdoor Disney movie plays, as well as other amenities.  Our family has taken our pop-up camper, and we have stayed in the cabins.  Both were great experiences.

Disney property resorts are also divided by location.  Below we listed all the resorts (except Disney Vacation Club) by location.

Magic Kingdom Area
Deluxe-       Polynesian Resort
                   Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
                   Wilderness Lodge
                   Contemporary Resort (shown below)

Epcot Area
Deluxe-       Beach Club Resort
                   Yacht Club Resort
                   BoardWalk Inn
Moderate-  Caribbean Beach

Animal Kingdom Area
Deluxe-       Animal Kingdom Lodge
Moderate-  Coronado Springs
Value-        All-Star Movies
                  All-Star Sports
                  All-Star Music

ESPN Wide World of Sports Area
Value-        Pop Century Resort
                  Art of Animation Resort (new)

Downtown Disney Area
Moderate-  Port Orleans Resort - Riverside
                  Port Orleans Resort - French Quarter

We love the perks of staying on-property,but staying elsewhere can have its perks too.  "See ya real soon" with a post about staying off-property.

Photo from Disney PhotoPass+ Gallery Disc

The Fab Five Trivia Quiz

Disney's "Fab Five" consists of Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, & Pluto.  Test your knowledge on these classic characters with the eight quiz questions below.

1. Donald Duck made his debut in 1934 in which of the following shorts?
a. Donald Duck and the Gorilla
b. The Silly Symphony The Wise Little Hen
c. Self Control
d. The Silly Symphony Quacking Park Rangers

2. From 1937 to 1951, Pluto had how many of his own cartoons?
a. 27
b. 48
c. 63
d. 15

3. What was Goofy's original name?
a. Silly Dog
b. Max
c. Dippy Dawg
d. Goofimus the Great

4. Walt Disney originally provided Mickey's voice, but in 1946, the job was given to whom?
a. Bret Iwan
b. Wayne Allwine
c. Ronald Miller
d. Jim Macdonald

5. What is Donald's middle name?
a. Fauntleroy
b. Lawrence
c. David
d. Napoleon

6. What are Minnie's nieces' names?
a. Chelsea & Chandra
b. May & June
c. Millie & Melody
d. Minnie doesn't have any nieces.

7. Which Fab Five member has the highest total, 128, of his/her own shorts?
a. Mickey Mouse
b. Minnie Mouse
c. Donald Duck
d. Goofy

8. What were Mickey's first words (from the short, The Karnival Kid, 1929)?
a. Hot Dog!
b. C'mon Minnie!
c. Hi ya pal!
d. See ya real soon!

Are you ready?

Here are the answers!

1. b. The Silly Symphony The Wise Little Hen. Donald Duck and the Gorilla was released in 1944, Self Control in 1938, and Quacking Park Rangers does not exist.

2. b. 48

3. c. Dippy Dawg

4. d. Jim Macdonald. About 30 years later Jim retired and the job was given to Wayne Allwine and then Bret Iwan.  Ronald Miller is a Disney Legend, but he never voiced Mickey.

5. a. Fauntleroy

6. c. Millie and Melody.  They appeared once in a 1962 comic. May & June (along with April) are Daisy's nieces.

7. c. Donald Duck. Mickey had 120.  Minnie never had her own shorts, though she was in 73 of Mickey's. Goofy had 49.

8. a. Hot Dog!

How'd you score?  We hope you enjoyed this quiz and maybe even learned a thing or two. Now you can stump YOUR friends!

WDW Cast Member Poll Video

On our last trip to the most magical place on earth, we interviewed cast members from all four theme parks asking them this one question: What is your favorite Magic Kingdom mountain?  Here is the link to the video which reveals how we did it and the results: Walt Disney World Cast Member Poll

Epic Mickey, Part 1: Overview

"Epic" truly describes this Wii game.  Coming out in 2010, the game now runs for about $19.99 at most retailers.  Also available are Epic Mickey 2: the Power of Two and Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion (for 3DS only), however, this article will only concentrate on the original.

The story goes that the wizard Yen Sid has created a land for old and forgotten Disney characters such as Horace Horsecollar, Big Bad Pete, and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.  Mickey travels through a "looking-glass" (like in Lewis Carroll's novel) and discovers Yen Sid's work.  Like in the Sorcerer's Apprentice scene from Fantasia, Mickey tries to take things into his own hands when Yen Sid isn't looking.  In doing so, Mickey creates "the Blot", who goes into Wasteland.  Trying to avoid being caught by Yen Sid, Mickey leaves back through the mirror and into his own world again.  Time passes, and Mickey becomes a superstar, the world's most well-known cartoon character of all time.  However, also during this time, the Blot grows.  Eventually the Blot grows big enough to travel out of Wasteland for a moment to capture its creator and takes him back to Wasteland.

That's the journey:  Mickey escaping Wasteland.  But there's so much more to the journey that you'll have to find out on your own.  Would the Pixie Dust Posse recommend this game?  Short answer: Yes.  Longer answer: This game, despite starring a cartoon character, is not for young children.  Many scenes may appear scary, especially when you're playing in it! The controls can be complicated for those new at playing Wii. The game is not only the simple jump and fight bad guys to win.  There are different puzzles to solve and riddles to understand. We recommend it for ages 10+ or possibly younger, if you know they're mature enough for it.

The game is only single-player.   It also requires a nunchuck.  Make sure you're okay with this before purchasing.  The story in itself is highly entertaining and sometimes astonishing all on its own, but what makes this game unique is the fact that YOU choose parts of the story.  Your choices with thinner and paint, the way you interact with other characters, and finding hidden objects changes your outcome along the way.  When we first played, a couple of us sold a "pin" to a gremlin and ended up having to fight many splatters as a result (or you could say as "punishment").  That's only one example of the many mistakes we made!  Since the game can change depending on what you choose, Epic Mickey does have some replay value.

We hope this article helps you judge whether or not this game is a good fit for your family.  Stay tuned for more articles regarding the Epic Mickey games!

Concept Art unlocked during gameplay