Laughing Lindsay

Travel Reviews, Giveaways, & More!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Review

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I just got back from a very busy trip to Orlando on Wednesday. One of the highlights of our trip was visiting Walt Disney World for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! Having attended the party a few times in the past, I feel like I can give a fair review of the event and provide a few tips.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Just in case you don’t know, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is an add-on ticketed event held at the Magic Kingdom after normal park hours to celebrate the holiday season. Typically, it’s held from early/mid-November until right before Christmas. The party includes special character meet and greets, a Christmas parade, holiday stage and fireworks shows, ride overlays, as well as free cookies and drinks!

Party Entertainment

One of the main draws of the party is the unique entertainment options. One key difference between this party and the Not So Scary Halloween Party though is that these shows will eventually be included with the regular park admission as you get closer to Christmas. However, if you are visiting before that time, then you can only experience the holiday parade, stage show, and fireworks show at the Christmas Party. Personally, I absolutely adore seeing the toy soldiers marching down Main Street, USA!

Food

During the Halloween Party, you can trick-or-treat for candy. During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you can go around the park for free cookies and beverages! These treats are only available at the party. However, this year they were pre-packaged Cheryl’s cookies. So, if you want to try them outside the party, you can order some for yourself.

Now that you have an adequate understanding of the party itself, allow me to share some tips with you!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tips

  • Arrive early. The party starts at 7 PM, but your ticket allows you to enter the park at 4! Use this time to eat dinner or get in line for any big characters you want to see.
  • Get a spot for entertainment early. Stake out your spot for the parade early. In previous years, the second parade was less crowded. However, this year it appeared that this advice has been read by everyone and it’s no longer the case. My mom and I sat on Main Street for the first parade and it was less crowded than the second parade! So, just know that if you want a prime spot, you need to get there at least 30-45 minutes early.
  • Pick up an event guide. When you first enter the park, pick up an event guide that features a map with treat locations as well as times guide. I highly recommend picking one up to reference throughout the night.
  • Make a list of must-do’s. You aren’t going to be able to see and do everything at the party. It’s just too short/too crowded. So, do your research and know the things that are priorities for your group.
  • Enjoy the ambiance. You could be annoyed that you have to stake out a spot for the parade so far in advance or that you have to be so close with so many people. You can also choose to enjoy just being in the park while it’s decorated for the holidays and snowing! I truly believe your attitude impacts your experience. Make the best of it and you will enjoy it.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party can be a delightful holiday addition to your Disney World trip. I promise that there’s nothing else like it!

Discovery Cove Review and Tips

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When I went to the SeaWorld Spooktacular last month in Orlando, I also visited Discovery Cove for the first time! My mom and I were able to swim with dolphins and enjoyed our day here. Keep reading to learn my tips for visiting.

Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove

Discovery Cove is a tropical paradise with various marine life to interact with. Admittedly, it is an expensive experience. However, keep an eye out for special deals as they tend to run them frequently. Additionally, the further out you book your day, the cheaper it will be. I also saved money on our passes by using my SeaWorld Orlando passholder discount!

Dolphin Swim

There are a variety of add-on experiences you can do at Discovery Cove. However, the main purpose of our visit here was to do the dolphin swim. In fact, we booked our day here solely because we saw the pictures of it at SeaWorld in February. I guess that marketing worked on us. Ha!

I will say that I’m glad we arrived early (a little after 7 AM). The weather forecast was calling for some afternoon showers prior to the arrival of Hurricane Ian, so we wanted to make sure we got to do what we came for – swim with dolphins! They do have a rainy day guarantee, but we didn’t have extra days in our trip, especially with the approaching hurricane. Thankfully, we got a 8:00 AM swim time and were able to swim right away!

Swimming with dolphins is something I will never forget! My mom and I had so much fun! It was both informative and wildly fun! You learn lots about dolphins while seeing them perform neat tricks. I also realized that each dolphin has their own personality, similar to humans!

Tips

I could write several more hundred words about Discovery Cove. However, I think it would be best to sum everything up with some helpful tips:

  • Arrive early. For starters, this will allow you to get your money’s worth. However, it also ensures you will get an early time slot for any add-on experiences you booked since they assign times on a first come, first serve basis.
  • Buy the photo package. I know that it adds even more to an already expensive day. However, you are going to want those photos. Besides, you aren’t allowed to bring in any devices to the dolphin area to protect the dolphins from eating/swallowing items. Although, I would strongly encourage you to follow the photographer immediately after the swim to pick out the photos. We were told that we didn’t have to and that added some headache to retrieving our pictures later in the day. It was still possible, it just made it more complicated and time-consuming.
  • Come hungry. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are included with your ticket! We actually didn’t get to eat breakfast until after our swim and were really hungry by then. Then, we ate lunch just a short while later. I think a 9:00 AM swim may have been more ideal for timing, but I was relieved to have the swim over since the hurricane was approaching.
  • Walk around. There’s so much to see and do at Discovery Cove. Take a walk around and enjoy the beautiful scenery, if nothing else.
  • Bring half of what you think you need. Seriously, I packed way too much stuff for here. They supply sunscreen, swim vests/wetsuits, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and towels. You really only need a swim suit, hair brush, deodorant, sunglasses/hat/cover up, water shoes, and a change of clothes when you visit here.

I highly recommend a visit to Discovery Cove if you can afford it, especially if you are traveling with a dolphin fan! Have you been? What is your favorite thing to do here? Do you have any other tips?

Post Holiday Clean Up with Shark Rocket Powerhead Vacuum

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If you are looking for some ways to make your post holiday clean up easier, then allow me to introduce you to the new Shark Rocket Powerhead Vacuum!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary vacuum.

Post Holiday Clean Up with Shark Clean

Post Holiday Clean Up

It’s hard to believe that another whirlwind holiday season has come and gone. Sadly, now all that remains are the leftovers and a mess! Post holiday clean up can be a drag. I mean it’s no fun to have to go around the house and pick up stuff. Then, you’ve actually got to clean under the mess (as in the floors).

This summer we moved from an all-carpeted apartment to a two-story townhouse with carpeting upstairs and hard flooring downstairs. I was a little concerned about cleaning the two different types of flooring considering all we had was a regular vacuum. Then, when I went to BlogHer, I was introduced to the handy lightweight Shark Rocket Powerhead! I instantly fell in love and took to Twitter to shout it from the rooftops!

Thankfully, Shark Clean sent me this little vacuum just in time for some post holiday clean up! At just 9 pounds, it’s easy to carry all over the house for cleaning up messes. Plus, my favorite feature is the two brush system! The Rocket Powerhead actually comes with 2 rollbrushes! There’s one for hard floors and one for carpets! That means that I can clean up a mess downstairs with the hard floor brush, then switch brushes (easily I might add) and then cart it upstairs to vacuum the carpets!

Shark Rocket Powerhead Vacuum Cleaner

My fiance and I are both in love with this new vacuum. We used to play rock-paper-scissors over who had to vacuum. Now, both of us enjoy using the Shark Rocket Powerhead! In fact, it’s almost a race to see who gets to use it this time. That’s because the Shark Clean vacuum features a far superior cleaning suction than anything we’ve ever had. It’s actually kind of fun to watch the little vacuum go!

The Shark Rocket Powerhead was made for us. It’s uber easy to use, you simply flip open the top to clean it out. Plus, it’s so lightweight that even I can carry it! Plus, I adore the blue color of the vacuum. This handy vacuum definitely makes the post holiday clean up a little more fun!

Spring Accessories 2015 from Kohl’s

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Have you seen the newest spring accessories 2015 line from Kohl’s yet? If not, I think it’s definitely worth a look.

Disclosure: I received these items for free.

Spring Accessories 2015

Spring Accessories 2015

Ah. It’s finally spring. That means it’s time for brighter colors and fun patterns as the weather warms up a bit. Personally, I prefer to keep my outfits classic with a pop of color here and there. That’s why I absolutely love the spring accessories 2015 line from Kohl’s.

Kohl’s has quickly become one of my favorite places to shop for clothing as they have so much to choose from at reasonable prices. Recently, I was lucky enough to receive a box of the spring accessories 2015 lines from Kohl’s and I was very pleased. In it were the two purses pictured above. On the left is the Apt. 9 Ann Envelope Convertible Clutch in periwinkle and on the right is the Apt. 9 Margo Crossbody Bag in Hot Coral. Both of these Apt. 9 bags have great compartments inside that make them great for practical purposes. The color and design make them hot for spring though. They would definitely brighten up any outfit. In fact, I’m thinking of taking the crossbody bag with me to Europe over the summer, just because it’s so useful and cheery.

2015 Kohls Spring Collection Shoes

In addition to the darling bags, there were 2 pairs of shoes, pictured here. There’s the Juicy Couture Women’s Palm Tree Slip-On Sneakers, which looks beautiful! Just looking at them takes me away for a moment. I think that wearing them all day would make me happier as I would have periodic thoughts of the beach throughout the day. Additionally, there’s the Dana Buchman Olyvia floral heels which look so fun! There are so many colors that can be coordinated with them to make for a perfect spring look.

As you can see the spring accessories 2015 line from Kohl’s is filled with fun prints and colors while being easy to style with things you already own. This year, they are really making it easy for us to add a pop of color to our wardrobes without breaking the bank. Both bags are $39 and the shoes are $59.99. I think that’s pretty reasonable, especially considering how high quality Kohl’s items are.

Have you purchased any new spring accessories yet?

Pigeon Forge Titanic Museum Attraction Christmas Decorations

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Titanic Museum Attraction Christmas Gift Packages Boxes

As you know, I love it when I get to feature the Titanic Museum Attraction. It seems like they are always coming up with something new to display that makes me want to go back and visit. Just in time for holiday season, the Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge has been decorated for Christmas! That’s right, they have put up greenery, lights, and Christmas trees around the museum! I was able to take a tour of the newly decorated attraction a week ago and was very pleased with it.

Titanic Museum Attraction Christmas

For starters, the outside of the ship is decorated. The light poles have ribbon bows and greenery wrapped around them. Then, there are wreaths on the outside of the museum. Additionally, there is the huge pile of gift boxes (pictured above) outside in front of the bow of the ship. It is perfect for taking pictures with. There’s even a little spot for you to sit down and do so. I love that the packages even say “Titanic” on them so you know where you were when you took the picture.

Titanic Museum at Christmas

Christmas Inside the Ship

The inside of the museum is decked-out, too. They have strategically placed decor around the museum so that you are reminded that it’s almost Christmas without it being over the top. For instance, my boyfriend liked that the bags of mail had bows on them. He suggested that kids had written letters to Santa that were being mailed. Additionally, the suites are decorated, too. The second class passenger room had some neat little things while the first class suite had a full size Christmas tree in it.

They also managed to make the grand staircase look even more beautiful. There are two Christmas trees at the bottom of it. Then, there’s pretty greenery and red bows on the staircase. This also means that when you have your picture taken, the background of the grand staircase includes the pretty Christmas scenery. It’s a really nice touch to complete the overall Christmas takeover of the museum.

Vising the museum was the perfect way to kick-off the holiday season. All of the pretty decor definitely helped get me into a more cheery mood. Now, I want to decorate my home for the holidays. So, will you be visiting the Titanic Museum Attraction this holiday season?

Disclosure: I received free passes to the museum. No compensation was received. The opinions expressed are my own.