Nighttime Spectacular Showdown

Image from AllEars.net

Inspired by episode 790 of WDW Today, I've been listening to music from various fireworks shows all night.  And they've gotten me to thinking about all the amazing fireworks in Walt Disney World.  Between Wishes, IllumiNations, and Fantasmic, you can hardly go anywhere without seeing fireworks at night (well, except Animal Kingdom, but I get it, animal safety), and fireworks have become such a huge part of the Walt Disney World experience.

First there's IllumiNations.  This is my favorite of the three "nighttime spectaculars."  The music is epic, the fireworks are epic, it's just an all around epic show.  And I truly believe that it has the most repeat value.  I can watch IllumiNations every night and never get bored of it.  It's always amazing.  This was the second Disney fireworks show James had ever seen on our trip in 2009, and after seeing Wishes the night before, he was blown away by IllumiNations.  I mean Wishes is good, but for a big fireworks fan like him, IllumiNations is awesome.  Plus the boats go on fire!  Plus the IllumiNations dance party preshow music!  Seriously, you can't go wrong here.

Next there's Fantasmic.  Fantasmic and Wishes may be tied as second favorite because I both like them for such different reasons.  It's really hard to compare.  Plus Fantasmic loses some points because it's so hard to get in to see it.  This past August was my first time ever seeing Fantasmic.  I had tried so hard the year before, but it rained out.  Honestly, this year it was worth the hour long wait in the heat, even if I was way closer than I ever wanted to be to 5000 of my closest friends.  When it ended, all James could say was "that was awesome!"  But personally it probably doesn't have the repeat value that IllumiNations has for me.  Even if I could walk right in and get a perfect seat, I'm not sure I would want to see it every night.  One awesome thing about IllumiNations is that you can watch it from all around World Showcase lagoon.  For Fantasmic, you have you purposefully walk alllll the way down to the theater.  And even though the show is epic, the story is epic, and Mickey, of course, is epic, it just doesn't match up to my classic favorite of IllumiNations.

And finally, Wishes.  There's something so quintessentially Disney about Wishes that I just can't truly rank it below Fantasmic.  IllumiNations has the fireworks, Fantasmic has the story, but Wishes really has the Disney factor.  It feels so magical, and it gives me the chills even just listening to the music.  The fireworks are absolutely spectacular, but there's something about ending your night in front of the castle that makes you truly believe all your wishes will come true.  And that fact is why I, as well as so many other people, love Wishes.

What are your favorites of the three fireworks shows?  Do you agree or disagree with my opinions?  Let me know what you think in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!
 

Food Spotlight: Hummus

There's hummus in the different platters at Tangierine Cafe

I recently became rather obsessed with hummus, and I couldn't get enough of it when we went to Walt Disney World.  Luckily, I came across it no less than three times in various settings, so if you're a hummus lover like me, here's where to look...

First, we had dinner at the Tangierine Cafe one night, since I'd heard great things about it.  There's a review on this counter service location coming some time in the future, but almost all of the platters (excluding the wraps) contain hummus.  Plus fresh Moroccan bread.  Can you say yum?  And since it's counter service, this is a great place to get hummus when you don't want to sit down for a table service meal.

A few days later, we had an ADR for Boma.  I did a full review of this table service buffet last week, but one of the highlights of the buffet for me was the hummus.  There were three different types, and there were many types of breads to sample as well.  I went back for the hummus at least three times while we were there!  Unfortunately I'm having a hard time remembering the types of hummus, but if I'm not mistaken, one was a black olive hummus.  They were all very good, at least from a hummus lover's perspective!

Finally, on the last night of our trip, we ate at Jiko.  A review for Jiko is coming in the very, very near future, and although we didn't have the best experience at the restaurant, I loved the hummus!  We decided to order the Taste of Africa appetizer, which is described as a "trio of dips with assorted breads and house-made naan."  Luckily for me, one of the dips was hummus!  I believe the hummus served was one of the same types I had tried at Boma earlier in the week, but that wasn't a bad thing!  I honestly can't seem to remember the other two dips (I really have to start taking notes on this stuff!), but they were all delicious!  And the bread was great also!  The appetizer was $9 well spent for us!

Overall, there are more places than you may expect to get hummus at Walt Disney World.  These are just three I came across in one week at the World, perhaps there are more!  Are you a hummus fan?  Where do you get hummus in the parks or at the resorts?  Have you tried the hummus at any of the places I mentioned?  Let me know in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!
 

Disney's Boardwalk: A College Student's Perspective

Image (c) James

I had known for a while that Disney had a Boardwalk area at the Boardwalk Resort, but I had never been there until our August trip.  I have been to the real Atlantic City Boardwalk many times, and though I knew that's what Disney's was based off of, I also knew that Disney's Boardwalk was a pre-casino rendition of Atlantic City's, which I had never seen.  I was sort of clueless about Disney's Boardwalk, so I did what any podcast loving Disney fan would do when they had a question: I emailed WDW Today.

I asked the guys of WDW Today how long they thought two college students, too young to drink, would probably spend on the Boardwalk and what they would do.  The guys said we could spend a few hours at most, and we would mostly just walk around, enjoy the sights, and that's about it.  And that was pretty accurate.  I'm not sure what I was expecting, maybe something more like Downtown Disney, but Disney's Boardwalk was just what it said it was - a boardwalk.  There were some street entertainers that were quite interesting, but none took very much of our time.  We strolled in and out of some of the stores and such, but that didn't take much time either.  And we took lots of pictures and enjoyed the atmosphere.  It really was beautiful and very romantic as it started to get dark, but it certainly wasn't a huge attraction in itself.

Overall, I think Disney's Boardwalk is a nice area, especially if you're staying at one of the Epcot resorts.  It's nice to visit, to take pictures, and to enjoy the atmosphere.  It's not somewhere you can spend copious amounts of time, however, if you're looking for something very stimulating.  It's sort of relaxing, and I can certainly see staying for quite a while if you were having dinner or spending time at Jelly Rolls or the Atlantic Dance Hall, but the guys of WDW Today were right.  We spent about an hour on the Boardwalk, and then we moved on to Hollywood Studios.  It was a nice experience, but it wasn't super exciting.

What do you think of Disney's Boardwalk?  Do you make it a point to visit every trip or just if you have a reason to be in the Epcot resort area?  Do you spend a lot of time there, or do you just spend an hour or two taking in the sights like James and I did?  Or have you never been to the Boardwalk area at all?  Let me know what you think in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!

This post is part of the 13th DisMarks.com Disney Blog Carnival!  Click the link to see more great Disney articles!
 

Review: Boma

The only decent picture I took at Boma - boo!

I had very mixed feelings about Boma going in.  On one hand, I was excited because many people rave about Boma.  On the other hand, I was nervous because I can tend to be a picky eater.  That's one thing I like about buffets, though.  Even picky eaters can find things they like.  Plus they can feel free to try new things without having to order an entire entree.

We were a little late to Boma because of the whole Disney transportation doesn't go from resort to resort thing.  Plus it was raining.  But despite all that, we finally made it to Animal Kingdom Lodge, which I had never stepped foot in before that day.  All I can say is that we'd hardly entered the lobby when I gasped, "We have to stay here one day."  The resort is absolutely beautiful, and I'd say it's worth a trip even if you don't have an ADR.  Honestly, the resort is an attraction in itself.  It's breathtaking, and the savannah outside is just perfect.  Full of giraffes - my favorite animal!

Anyway, back to the food, we arrived at Boma a bit late, but we were taken in roughly 10 or 15 minutes.  We were seated at around the same time as a mom and young girl at the table next to us, so our server came up to both of us at the same time.  They had been to Boma before, but we hadn't, so he explained a little about the different stations and such.  Apparently Boma is the biggest buffet in any Disney park around the world, and there really is a huge selection.  Tons of different types of meats, soups, sides - anything you can think of!  There were three different types of hummus with different types of bread to go with it, and I visited that station several times.  Yum!  And then there was a fairly huge dessert station in case you weren't already stuffed.  This included the famous Zebra Domes, some passion fruit and/or mango domes that James simply loved, and some delicious apple cobbler type food.  For kids or less adventurous eaters, there's also a station with foods like mac and cheese and chicken fingers.  There's really something for everyone here!

Boma really was quite good, and as I said before, I loved that I could try one bite of this and one bite of that.  One of the reasons I usually don't try new things is that I don't want to waste a whole meal if I don't like it.  But you don't have to worry about that at a buffet!  If you're considering Boma, I'd say it's definitely worth a try if you can afford it (it is rather expensive at $30.88 per adult and $14.99 per child for dinner).  As for me, I do hope to return in the near future, though there are some restaurants I'd like to try for a first time before I head back to Boma.

Have you ever been to Boma?  What was your opinion on the restaurant or why have you shied away?  What were your favorite items in the buffet?  Let me know what you think in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook.
 

Check it out: Disney Tweetwatches

I'm not going to lie and say the Disney community doesn't amaze me on a regular basis because it does.  But one of the newest amazing things I've learned about recently is Disney tweetwatches.  You see, everyone gets together, watches a movie at the same time, and chats (or tweets) about it!  I just attended my first tweetwatch on Monday, and it was a blast!

Disney tweetwatches are run by Ryan from the Disney Film Project.  His blog is about watching all of the short and feature length films from the Walt Disney Company, and sometimes he shares the actual watching with his readers and friends.  He has tons of interesting knowledge about the different films, and he shares his facts during the tweetwatches!

The tweetwatch process is really very simple.  First, you are encouraged to "count yourself in" to the tweetwatch on Plancast (that link is for the next tweetwatch: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad).  Then you make sure you have the movie.  If you don't, you can either buy it, rent it, or watch it on Netflix if it is available.  Before the specified time (the next one is October 25 at 8:30 pm), head over to the tweetwatch Friendfeed room or get yourself set up on Twitter.  Then Ryan will say go, and everyone starts their movies!  And talks about them!  And has a great time!

Disney tweetwatches are an awesome time, and I highly encourage people to join in!  To get full information about the tweetwatches, follow Ryan on Twitter, follow the Disney Film Project blog, and for information on the Ichabod and Mr. Toad tweetwatch, head over to this page.  Then tune in and enjoy!

Have you participated in a tweetwatch?  Do you want to?  Which tweetwatches have your participated in?  Let me know your thoughts in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!
 

Food Spotlight: Kaki-gori

Image (c) James

While on our August trip to Walt Disney World, someone asked me if my visit was different now that I had entered the Disney community.  It was, and one of the biggest ways was that I was informed of things I never would have thought twice about otherwise.  I never would have tried Tangierine Cafe or Beaches and Cream if I hadn't been a part of the Disney community.  I never would have been encouraged to ride Splash Mountain for the first time.  And, possibly most important of all, I never would have tried kaki-gori.

Kaki-gori may be essentially a snow cone, but it is literally the most delicious frozen treats I have ever enjoyed in my life.  I swear, I dream about kaki-gori!  My favorite is the cherry flavor, and I have a goal to buy a kaki-gori every time I pass the stand on my next trip.  The kaki-gori is located at its own little stand by the big pagoda in the Japan pavilion in Epcot.  According to allears.net, it is $3.28, and it is also a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan, though, deceivingly, it didn't say that on the sign when we were there.

The kaki-gori stand is extremely easy to walk past without a thought.  I wonder how many times in my life I did just that, even though the line can get very long on hot days.  But it definitely shouldn't be missed.  It is not your every day snow cone.  And it's pretty big, so you may want to share with a friend or family member!  Enjoy!

Have you ever had kaki-gori at Epcot?  Do you love it as much as I do?  What's your favorite flavor?  Let me know your thoughts on this delicious treat in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!

 

Review: Via Napoli

Margherita Pizza - Yum!

I've been so excited to write this review, and I'm so glad I'm getting to it!  Via Napoli was one of our favorite meals this trip.  Probably second only to Le Cellier.  For those who are unaware, Via Napoli is the new table service restaurant in Epcot's Italy Pavilion.  They specialize in pizza (possibly the first really good pizza in Walt Disney World?), but they also serve many other Italian dishes.  Though we were on the Disney Dining Plan on our last trip, we chose to pay out of pocket for this meal, so we stuck with only entrees (pizzas!) and sodas.  Perhaps next time we'll need to try some appetizers and desserts, but what we had was absolutely delicious!

I should probably begin this post with the fact that I had very low expectations for Via Napoli.  In fact, I wasn't sure if I wanted to visit the restaurant at all.  All our dining credits already had ADRs, so we would be paying out of pocket.  And as New Yorkers, we were used to good pizza and not used to paying so much for it.  $16 for an individual pie seemed ridiculous, but a friend told us that the pizza was excellent and the servers were easy on the eyes.  So we decided to give it a try on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

Quattro formaggi!  Four cheese!

At the time, Via Napoli was only accepting walk-ups, and at 1 pm, we waited only about ten minutes for a table.  I'm curious how walk-ups are going now that they are accepting ADRs.  Once we were seated, we looked over our menus, and I decided on the Margherita Pizza.  James chose the quattro formaggi, based on the many rave reviews I'd told him about.  Both of us were beyond pleased with our meals.  We had planned on sharing the two pizzas, but I didn't want to give up mine, and he didn't want to give up his!  We did end up trying each other's meals, but we largely stuck with our own.  The pizzas were phenomenal.  Nothing like New York pizza, but I didn't expect Margherita pizza to be like that anyway.  This was a true, traditional Italian pizza.  The quattro formaggi was also delicious - four cheeses with no tomato sauce.  It was a fantastic meal!

Once we were really there, the price really didn't bother us.  Honestly, where else in Walt Disney World can you get a delicious, sit down meal for $16 per person?  Not many places!  What I had initially thought would be a rip-off turned out to be a great value!  Via Napoli was definitely a place I want to visit again, and I hope you all get a chance to try it! It was molto bene!  Check out the menu here!

Have you been to Via Napoli?  If so, what did you order, and how did you like it?  If not, are you going to try to visit in the future?  Let me know what you think about this new restaurant in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!

Update: Our second trip to Via Napoli was, unfortunately, not as great as the first.  I would still recommend it, but beware of inconsistency.
 

Check it Out: Lines

One of the things I was most excited to try on our recent August trip was Lines.  Lines is a mobile wait time application that you can access on your iPhone, Android phone, BlackBerry, Palm Pre, WinMo phone, etc.  It's produced by Touring Plans, and it is likely one of your biggest assets on a trip to Walt Disney World, second only to the touring plans themselves.

To access Lines, you can download the app for free in Apple's App Store or Android's Market.  On other smartphones, you can access the app at m.touringplans.com.  Though the app itself is free, features are limited without a paid account to touringplans.com.  The subscription to the site is totally worth it, though, giving you access to the awesome crowd calendar and tons of touring plans, in addition to full Lines access.  And you get a 50% discount on the already inexpensive membership if you own a current version of the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.  (I swear Touring Plans isn't paying me; I just seriously love all their products.)

Once you sign up and sign in, you can truly see all of Lines' awesomeness.  The two most important things being that you can see the estimated wait times for every ride in all four theme parks (including FastPass info), and you can see estimated future wait times.  In Animal Kingdom and wondering if Magic Kingdom will be crowded later?  Just pull out your phones and check Lines.  You can also submit wait times, get badges, and post them to Twitter.  It's like Foursquare for Walt Disney World!  Other functions of Lines include the next ten days of the crowd calendar right on your phone (though remember, you get the full 365 day calendar online with your Touring Plans subscription) and an awesome chat with other Lines users!

Lines is seriously an amazing app, and it seriously helped us in the parks!  We could check if the lines were long on the opposite side of a park or in another park completely to decide if it was worth it to head over or not.  Now Lines even has show times right in the app, so you don't even need a times guide!  With Lines in one hand and a touring plan in the other, you'd better bet you'll be touring efficiently and breezing through queues without waiting.

Have you used Lines?  What do you think of it?  What are your favorite features?  Let me know in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!

 This post was featured in the twelfth DisMarks.com Disney Blog Carnival!  Click the link for more great Disney articles!
 

Food Spotlight: Dole Whip

My first Dole Whip float!

Back in April, the month of this blog's birth, I made a confession:  I had never had a Dole Whip.  I had heard all about them, yet I had never actually tried one myself.  For those who are unaware, Dole Whips are practically famous for their deliciousness in the Disney community.  A Dole Whip is pineapple soft serve ice cream that can only be found in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Hawaii (or so I'm told).  At Walt Disney World, they can only be found in two places: Aloha Isle in the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland, where they are served in pineapple, orange, and vanilla flavors, and can be floated on top of pineapple juice (called a Dole Whip float), and at the Polynesian Resort's counter service restaurant, Captain Cook's.

Most people get their Dole Whips at Aloha Isle because it is much more accessible for the average park guest than Captain Cook's.  I was lucky enough to have a Dole Whip Float at Aloha Isle and a Dole Whip at Captain Cook's on our recent August trip.  I must say, the hype is definitely true!  They were absolutely delicious... a must-try for anyone who likes pineapple!  I preferred the Dole Whip without the pineapple juice, but the juice was good as well, especially on a hot day.  In fact, the only downside to getting a Dole Whip at Aloha Isle is having to eat it outside, where the ice cream tends to melt instantly.  The Dole Whip was much more filling than I had expected, and both times I actually had to throw it out partially eaten because I was full before I finished it!

A regular Dole Whip is $2.89, and a float is $3.99.  Both are one snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan, and you can get a regular Dole Whip as your dessert with a quick service credit meal at Captain Cook's.  As I said, you must try a Dole Whip if you're at the Magic Kingdom or the Polynesian.  You won't regret it!

Have you had a Dole Whip?  What do you think of them?  Do you get the classic, pineapple version?  Do you prefer the regular Dole Whip or the Dole Whip float?  Let me know in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!
 

Review: Akershus

Akershus was James' and my first character meal since we were kids, so we (or at least I) were very excited to dine with princesses!  Once we checked in to the restaurant (a bit late, due to a bus issue), we were taken in immediately to a nook inside where Belle stood, waiting for us.  We took a picture with her and were then escorted to our table.  If there's one thing that I'm not a huge fan of at Akershus, it's that Belle's the one that you take your required picture with.  I wish she'd come around to the tables for more interaction!  She is my favorite, you know!

Anyway, Akershus does a family style breakfast with a buffet element.  To start, you are encouraged to visit the cold buffet that features pastries, cold meats, fresh fruit, and Lingonberry muffins (yum!).  The muffins are amazing, and I enjoyed having some of the meats as well.  Once you've satisfied your cold buffet cravings, a hot plate is brought out to your table, as seen in the picture to the left.  It contains bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, and some kind of home fry/hash brown thing.  The plate is to share with your party, although I assume larger parties would get more than one plate, and I'm sure there are seconds for those that desire them.  Plus you can always go back up to the cold buffet for more Lingonberry muffins (seriously, delicious!).

The hot food at Akershus was your average Disney breakfast food... nothing special there.  The buffet, however, is where you get your diversity.  The cold meats include some fish, salami, and other types of meats.  The pastries included some danishes, breads, and of course, the muffins!  If you're looking for real diversity, you'd be better off visiting Akershus for lunch or dinner.  On the other hand, if, like us, you want a princess meal without being nervous about the Norwegian food, breakfast is where it's at.

And the princesses are the main event, of course!  We were very lucky to be able to meet Ariel, Snow White, Aurora, and Cinderella!  If you include meeting Belle during our entrance, we got the fab five of princesses!  Each princess came over, signed my autograph book, got pictures with us, and commented on how James better be a good prince.  So cute!  Plus, Belle "gave us a gift" of an awesome photo package, featuring the photo from our entrance.  The package included four 4x6 photos and an 8x10 in a cardboard frame!  Honestly, this may beat Cinderella's Royal Table.  For breakfast, we got a buffet/family style meal, a pretty extensive photo package, and five awesome princesses for $28.99 or one table service credit per adult.  Can you say worth it?

Akershus was an amazing character meal, and it was an amazing chance to meet some characters that you're not super likely to find in the parks without hunting them down.  I mean how often do you get to see Belle in her golden dress without waiting on line?  We got autographs and pictures, and although we were on the dining plan, I believe it's worth the cash as well.  You can find the menus for Akershus breakfast, lunch, and dinner at allears.net, and even the least adventurous eaters will have a blast at the breakfast.  Now we can't wait for our next character meal:  Crystal Palace in January!

Have you ever been to Akershus?  What did you think of it?  Was it worth the money to you?  Let me know your opinions in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!
 

Christmas in January?

Our next trip to Walt Disney World will be at the very beginning of January, but it falls at the very end of the "Christmas season."  We will be missing Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and the Candlelight Processional, but many decorations will likely still be up, including the Osborne Lights.  Also, Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade will be playing during the first two days of our trip.  Which makes me ask the question, how can I best see the remaining Christmas things before they are taken down?  This will definitely require prioritizing, since I will likely have only a day or two to see all the Christmas decorations before they start becoming fewer and fewer.  But what do I prioritize?

The Osborne Lights are a definite.  I've heard that they are awesome, and I definitely want to see them.  We'll likely do that on our first night at Walt Disney World.  As for the other things, I'm sort of unfamiliar.  I've never been to Disney during the holiday season, and since I have to prioritize, as well as fit two birthdays into the (already busy!) trip, I'm not sure what to do.

As for Magic Kingdom, the castle lights will likely still be up for the first few days of our trip  Since I plan on being at the Magic Kingdom at least one night for sure, I'm not worried about seeing that.  At Epcot, I know there is a Christmas tag to the end of IllumiNations, but I'm not sure if that will still be going on in January.  (Do any of you know?)  Hollywood Studios has the Osborne Lights, and Animal Kingdom has Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade.  This parade is really throwing me for a loop.  I know the seasonal parades tend to be awesome (Boo to You anyone?), but I'm not sure I want to take time out of my birthday to go over to the Animal Kingdom just to see this parade.  My birthday, however, is the only possible day to see this parade on our trip...

Then there are the resorts.  We'd likely be checking out the Beach and Yacht Club as well as the Boardwalk on our first day, regardless of whether or not there were decorations.  Luckily, these resorts will hopefully have great decorations.  Additionally, I've heard that many other resorts have great decorations as well, but it's hard to clear out time so early in our busy schedules for resort hopping just for decorations.  Is it really worth the time to see the decorations at various resorts?

This blog post is all over the place because my thoughts on this topic are all over the place.  There are so many Christmas-y things to fit into just a few, already busily planned, birthday filled days.  Which are the most important to see?  Is Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade really worth the trip over?  Will IllumiNations still have the Christmas tag in early January?  Are there any absolute must-see resort decorations?  I really do need your help with these questions, so please let me know in a comment, on Twitter (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!

Main Street Electrical Parade vs. SpectroMagic

Image from DisneyWorld.com

In honor of my appearance on today's episode of the Be Our Guest Podcast, I'd like to discuss and explain something we talked about on the episode: my opinions on the Main Street Electrical Parade (MSEP) vs. SpectroMagic.

2009 was the first time I ever saw any nighttime parade at Magic Kingdom (well, really at any park), and it was SpectroMagic.  It being my first time seeing something like that, I was absolutely enthralled.  I love Spectro, and I was actually a little sad that I wouldn't be seeing it on our recent trip in August.  But I was willing to try a new parade, and we saw the Main Street Electrical Parade for the first (and second) time.  I really liked it, but I have to say... I like Spectro better.

I believe that there are two main reasons that I like Spectro more than MSEP.  First of all, I don't have the nostalgia factor that a lot of people associate with MSEP.  I had never seen it before August, so I had no emotional connection to it.  Unlike many people who saw MSEP as a kid and want to share it with their family and friends, I have more of a nostalgic connection with Spectro, since it was the first light parade I ever saw.  I really loved Spectro, and I still do.

The two parades are very different, and I like them for different reasons.  On one hand, MSEP is really fun, and it makes you want to clap and dance and be happy.  The music is great, and it gets stuck in your head for days.  Spectro, on the other hand, is more magical, to me at least.  And that's the second reason I love Spectro so much.  To me, Disney is all about the magic, and I really feel like Spectro brings this out to its fullest.  From the white lights changing to color to the soundtrack, Spectro is more magical than fun, and I'll take the trade-off.  I mean, it's not like Spectro's not fun too!  It amazed me the first time I saw it, and I hope that it comes back to Walt Disney World soon.  I miss it!

What do you think about the Magic Kingdom nighttime parades?  Do you prefer the Main Street Electrical Parade or SpectroMagic?  Do you prefer any of the other special parades?  (Boo to You has been in my head all weekend even though I've never seen it in person.)  Let me know your thoughts in a comment, a tweet (@discollegeblog), or on Facebook!  And listen to me talking with Mike and Rikki on episode 269 of the Be Our Guest Podcast!

This post is part of the eleventh DisMarks.com Disney Blog Carnival.  Click the link to see more great Disney articles!