The Temp.

So we missed the grand opening of the new Lego Imagination Center shop in Downtown Disney Marketplace by a few weeks. While down there, the temporary Lego store was up, running, and serving all your Lego needs. We got a sneak peak of some of the new sculptures and they're pretty cool. From the current photos I've seen of the renovated shop, it's really awesome what they've created and built. Sock Monkey tried to blend in like the other Lego men on the tent, but he couldn't stack it.

Make a wish.

Another wishing well is spotted in the Disney Parks. This one is located inside the Magic Kingdom in our favorite less traveled area, the walkway by Cinderella’s Castle and Tomorrowland. Sock Monkey tossed in a few coins and made a wish. What’s special about this place is that according to the signage on the bottom, the money collected here is donated to children’s charities. Dreams do come true!

The Queen.

For someone who decided to go to Walt Disney World for her birthday, what would you get a girl who has everything? (Feel a song coming on... Little Mermaid) We thought long and hard, as she got a glass slipper, a tiara, Disney Dollars, and a host of other Disney paraphernalia for her birthday. So being the spoiled brat she was already (it's meant with love), what better way to celebrate her qualities than to seek out a Disney character whom she shares similar personality traits with. We came up with The "Evil" Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She is beautiful, vain, and powerful, but one trait our birthday girl possess that is opposite of The Queen, nobility. Sock Monkey is pictured here at the Crystal Arts shop on Main Street, USA picking up an Arribas Brothers' goblet to get her name engraved on it. We gave it to our birthday girl and she absolutely loved it! She totally understood the gift and the meaning of it. What Disney character do you see yourself as?

Zip-A-Dee.

“Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay. My oh my what a wonderful day! Plenty of sunshine heading my way. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, Zip-a-dee-ay!” Br’er Rabbit survived and outsmarted Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear.  Here we are at Splash Mountain after the big drop. This is the welcome back scene with the Zip-A-Dee Ladies on the riverboat.  Also in this scene, when you’re there, try to find the hidden Mickey in the sky. Sock Monkey was singing right along with them and really did feel “my oh my what a wonderful day!”

Blue & White.

We are entering into one of the final rooms of the It's a Small World attraction. You know the room, where everything looks so bright and is colored blue & white. It seems very uniform as the dolls look united as one wearing similar colors, but yet still in their cultural garb. Sock Monkey tried to figure out why this room is colored this way. He thinks it's a tribute to him, but from the little info we could find it has been referenced that they were the colors of the original ride from the 1964 World's Fair. The other theory such as mine, is that it represents the purity and innocence of all the children of the world. Sounds cheesy, but I'm sticking with it. What do you think?

Star Gazing.

Astrology, Zodiac, or Celebrity. Maybe it's all of the above. In Downtown Disney West Side, you can make a stop here at Planet Hollywood where you'll see memorabilia from movie stars and celebrities of today and yesteryear all while dining under the planetarium-like ceiling. And most iconic of all at this Planet Hollywood location is the infamous rotating Gator? Dinosaur? Dragon? or Croc? The debate continues. You decide. Sock Monkey wanted to visit this landmark, but didn't want to get too close to the creature. He wanted to feel like he was Godzilla compared to this Planet Hollywood monster.

Enter the Dragon.

It is the Lunar New Year 4709 and according to the Chinese Zodiac it is the Year of the Dragon. Sock Monkey didn't get a chance to take a photo with the Dragon himself, who is bold, fearless, and strong, a symbol of success and happiness, but he did take one with the other legendary creature, Panda. The Giant Panda is noble and loving, and always eating bamboo. Sock Monkey is in the company of his best friend Panda at the China Pavilion in Epcot. Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Hei Fat Choy!!!

Big Blue!

Another blurry photo of Sock Monkey, this time he's at the Seas with Nemo and Friends. He's about to take a ride on the EAC with Crush and the gang. What an exciting trip it's been, down to the last minute. Can't wait till the end of the attraction when we get to sing our favorite catchy tune, "In a BIG BLUE World!" Go big blue!!!

Waterfalls.

As promised the waterfall. While thinking about this waterfall, I thought about the other waterfalls located throughout Disney World. The first that came to mind, only because its spoken about on the attraction, the ever famous backside of water on the Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom. Then the other I had thought of, also at MK, is of course the most popular waterfall of all, which you actually get to fall down one on this attraction, none other than Splash Mountain and Slippin' Falls. But this one pictured here is not so popular or special. It's just the waterfall that's in Living with the Land at Epcot. Sock Monkey wanted to make it seem like he went somewhere exotic and this backdrop is what he had in mind. But unfortunately we were on a moving vehicle which resulted with a blurry photo. Can you think of other waterfalls in Walt Disney World?

Hall of President.

We will get to the flowing waterfall I mentioned in the last post, but first a more important matter at hand. Today, in an effort to boost tourism in the United States, the President, Barack Obama, gave a speech in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. What better way to do it than in the happiest place on earth at Walt Disney World inside the Magic Kingdom on Main Street, USA. As our support to his brief visit, we give our Sock Monkey Hall of Presidents seal of approval in promoting Disney as a must see, as if it wasn't on the list of must see already. The President even made a joke about another world leader having bigger ears than his. (Hint... Mickey Mouse). Another factoid about Presidents and Disney, Ronald Reagan, before he was president, co-hosted Disneyland's special opening day telecast back in 1955. That's pretty cool! Ending on a more adoring note, President Obama affectionately referred my second favorite Disney theme park as Epcot Center.

Blur in time.

A series of Sock Monkey's not so flattering pictures. The next few post will be miscellaneous photos of Sock Monkey that aren't quite award winning but honorable mentions. Here we are people watching in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom. It seems almost ghostly as we try to capture the neon lights in this nighttime scene. We're sitting by Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Stitch's Great Escape, and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover. It was worth it to get the bright colors to shine through in the photo, but in the future an investment in a tripod may be necessary for a steady hand and shot. Next up, a moving waterfall.

200+

Ready for a good long story. During our 2009 trip to Walt Disney World we stumbled upon the cutest craze ever, Vinylmation! We tried our very best not to give in and I tried my best to pretend I didn't want one. On the last day of our trip we were walking around the shops at Coronado Springs and I caved. So naturally, I had to get one and the boys felt like they wanted one too. We decided just one for each of us and that's it. I got Cheeseburger, the hubby got Puzzle, and the son got Red Gears. (Urban Series #3 was the collection we were picking from.) Then I decided I wanted to get the beach one for a friend of mine who loves the shore. So we take our chances and pick up one more. Who is it? Steampunk. What do we do with that one, she won't like it. We like it, but that's not the point, yet. Then the young lady behind the counter tells us we can trade. My eyes lit up. I'm like great, but I need Palm Trees. Do you have one? And even though she's not supposed to say, she points us in the right direction anyways. Voila! We got Palm Trees. Yes! Mission accomplished. But wait, do we really want to give up Steampunk? Sure, why not, I guess we can part with him. Okay... It was heartbreaking. I couldn't get over that we gave up such a cool figurine and we talked about it anytime we talked Disney. So to make a long story short, about six months pass after our trip, and one day I come home to a Steampunk Vinylmation. The husband bought it online and now he sits atop a shelf where he brings joy to us each time we look at it. If we could, we'd buy the entire series. They're so addictive. Here is Sock Monkey in Downtown Disney at the D Street Shop trying his best to blend in with the rest of the collection. How many Vinylmations can you count?

Behind the scenes.

Sock Monkey was tired of walking around Disney's Hollywood Studios and rested on one of our strollers. He did want someone to push him and take him to the 35-minute Studio Backlot Tour. He wanted to see the battleships fight it out in the open water, the props and costumes getting made, and of course the highlight of the tour, Catastrophe Canyon where it's action packed with tremors, explosions, and floods. But the rest of the group was just as beat and people watched the folks getting out of the attraction. Maybe next time.

Silver screen.

Say cheese, its picture time! Were you caught with your mouth open looking stunned, or perhaps your hair or a loose item flying in the air? Then you think for a moment was I defying gravity and lifted off my seat? Impossible, but yet possible. Where else could you picture such an experience except at Disney's Hollywood Studios where everyone is a star! Sock Monkey did such things, he took a ride on a haunted freight elevator, went up the shaft, and was dropped down over and over again. We almost lost him midair because he wasn't fasten down, but no worries, he made it out, barely. Welcome to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, where you are the star of the show.

Rope drop.

It's 8 AM. Do you know where your children are? Ours is at the rope drop at Disney's Hollywood Studios. He's with Sock Monkey getting ready to run and head to Toy Story Mania. Making it to rope drop is a process. From getting up early and taking the bus to the park, to waiting at the entrance, this builds up anticipation that makes the Disney experience even more memorable. This morning I can't tell who looks cooler, the kid with the sunglasses or the hanging monkey. Which ride do you head to first when you're at Hollywood Studios?

Just one stitch away.

"What's the point in prolonging the inevitable? We're all just one stitch away from here... to there." Wheezy says to Woody when they're up on the shelf in Toy Story 2. Wheezy is referencing the yard sale that's getting set up by Andy's mom. Sock Monkey is sitting with Wheezy in a shelf at the Once Upon a Toy store. This time they're not getting sold off at a yard sale, Wheezy will be sold squeaky new and picked up first hand. He's feeling swell and Sock Monkey's keeping him company until then. Sing it Wheezy, "You've got a friend in me."

Assembly line.

After taking a ride on the wild side and going over 60 mph in the outdoor on Test Track, Sock Monkey was fascinated to see what makes the car go fast and how easy and quick it was to build a car. As you go through the queue on the ride from beginning to end, you'll notice that parts are passing through on the conveyor belt or hanging above ready for assembly. Sock Monkey wanted to jump through the fence and build a car for himself. Silly monkey, cars are for real drivers.

Peek-a-boo.

Behind every door you can find a little bit of Disney magic. Here is Sock Monkey seeking out new discoveries at the Germany Pavilion in Epcot. He was ready to explore the clock tower, the statue of St. George and the Dragon, Der Teddybar, and the Biergarten Restaurant.What will you find when you peek behind the doors at Walt Disney World. Seek and you shall find.

Diet.

After all the holiday food and New Year celebrating, it's time to get back on track. Sock Monkey is on his banana diet and no more sweets and treats. Back at Living with the Land in Epcot he snacks on a few green ones. Try not to slip on the banana peels. It's also time to go to the gym and hit the monkey bars.

Ice sculpture.

Brrrrrrrr!!! It's been so frigid and cold the past few days in Orlando, Florida that the water parks have been closed. Having experienced a Disney vacation in these temperatures I wouldn't want to be down there now. On my first trip with the husband, then boyfriend, the temperatures got as low as the 20s and I recall all chipmunk fur and Goofy ear related hats being worn around the parks. What sticks out in my memory most is all those Mickey Mouse gloves being sold out because park guest used them to keep their hands warm during the cold front. Reading about those freezing temperatures brings back fond memories. The glacier statue of Goofy at Goofy's Candy Co at Downtown Disney Market place is my tribute to the cold weather in Walt Disney World. Can you find Sock Monkey frozen in the ice?

Magic feather.

Until you've taken a ride on Dumbo The Flying Elephant, you can't officially say you've been to Magic Kingdom. This should be a must ride for every kid or, on that matter, every person that visits the park. Besides the castle, Dumbo is that special picture you see in every family album. As a matter of proof, here is a free standing Dumbo to make memories with in case you didn't get that perfect shot while in the air. This one is a family classic. We've captured our loved ones growing up through the years and yet Dumbo remains timeless. It's almost time to fly Dumbo. Are you ready with your magic sock monkey? Oh wait, you don't need Sock Monkey, it's been in you this whole time to be able to fly on your own. "Dumbo, the ninth wonder of the universe."

New Day.

Happy New Year and Hello 2012!!! Are you ready to start the new year? Sock Monkey is excited to see what it'll bring. "Let the Memories Begin!"