WDW Guide: Disney's Hollywood Studios

The next in my series of WDW park guides

So this may just be my favourite park. Although Magic Kingdom is the mother of all disney parks, Hollywood Studio's doesn't fall far behind in my opinion.

There has always been something about the Hollywood theming that intrigues me and genuinely excites me.

As soon as you pass through the turnstiles, walking down fake Hollywood boulevard brings me the same excitement in my stomach that walking down Main Street USA does when you first see the castle.

The array of attractions, shops, restaurants and shows are what makes this park. I could easily spend a whole day here although many people say it can be done in half a day.

I think to appreciate the true beauty and effort that went into the making of this park, you need to spend a day where you can look at the incredible theming of the merchandise shops, the street actors, the themed restaurants, even down to the queuing areas of the attractions.

Some of the big name attractions are here, including Rock 'n' Rollercaster, which is a high speed upside down coaster that cruises to the soundtrack of Aerosmith.

Then there's The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, where you plunge up and down in a haunted elevator.

There's more for the kids, including the ever so popular Toy Story Midway Mania.
These top 3 I thoroughly recommend getting fastpasses for, as the queues can be long. I queued two hours for Toy Story! Luckily, it was worth it.

There are lots of little attractions that celebrate animation and Walt's creations, as well as famous movies and the big film franchise of Star Wars. These can offer a welcome break inside AC and away from the heat.

Another must-do of this park are the shows. Much like Animal Kingdom, these rival broadway musicals.

The best is Beauty and the Beast! It is so beautiful and captivating that I could see it over a hundred times and never get bored. Similarly there is Voyage of the Little Mermaid which retells the classic story.

For the more masculine side, there is the Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show featuring high speed car chases and stunts, as well as the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. This was the first time seeing it for me and I was completely surprised at how funny and clever it was! Make sure you see this.

Indiana Jones

Parade wise, it changes so do check the schedule for when you visit, but whilst I was there it was all about Frozen. Seriously, there were Frozen themed parades, fireworks, dance parties, drinks, cupcakes, the list goes on!

Frozen fever!

Frozen Dance Party

Olaf Cupcake

After all the excitement of the attractions and shows, eating is easy here as there are so many quick service outlets that provide a variety of food for all types, and there are some unique table service meals perfect for a break from all that walking.

I tried the 50s Prime Time Cafe which offers great food as well as incredible service from the waiters and waitresses.
Basically, it transports you back to the home-cooked meal days where you would sit at a table each evening with the rest of your family, be told off for not eating your vegetables or having your elbows on the table, and they even give you homework to do while you are waiting for the food. This was such an amazing experience and really makes the time you are waiting for you food go by quickly.

I had the delicious salmon entree with warm apple crisp for desert which reminded me of my mum's home cooked apple crumble!

To end the day in this fantastic park, there is only one night time show to see, and that is Fantasmic. You will be blown away by this, not as good as Wishes, but just as mind-blowing and great for all the family.

Make sure you arrive in good time to get a good seat.

My only decent photo of Fantastic

My Travel Essentials

As we roll into the new year my attention always turns to which destination I will be travelling to next.

It seems I'm not the only one thinking the same as seen from the amount of adverts on TV selling holidays. It does nothing to help those January blues but once you've got something booked up then the anticipation of going on holiday begins!

Whether it's a week spent lying on the beach, or a long weekend exploring the city sights, there are some things that I cannot leave without packing in my suitcase.

Obviously due to baggage limits, we want to take as little as possible, and also so we have enough weight allowance for all the souvenirs we will buy!

So here are my top tips on what to pack when travelling that I never leave behind...

Dry Shampoo

A lot of time and effort is saved using this and it will always rescue my hair in those times when it's too difficult or not possible to have a shower. You can get travel versions but the normal size offers better value for money and will last. This is perfect for a long haul flight and spruces up dull hair in a second, just make sure you get the under 100ml version. Plus, if you forget shampoo and conditioner then this covers your back, and I buy shampoo out there to save space.

Lipbalm

My lips get super dry and flying doesn't do anything to help this, so I make sure it is always in my carry on luggage.

Spray Deodorant

Travelling can be stressful and can make you sweat! To avoid smelling like I've just ran the marathon, a little can of spray deodorant is always helpful to keep you smelling decent no matter where or how you are travelling.

Travel Wallet

A couple of years ago I stumbled upon this travel wallet from Paperchase, and I don't know how I coped without it. This wallet holds my passport, boarding tickets, insurance documents, ID cards, money, a pen and so much more. Having everything in one place is amazing and its a decent size as well.

Currency Card

Nowadays most places had chip and pin devices, or a nearby ATM machine, so to avoid carrying around huge amounts of cash, I simply use Fair ex's currency card. You use it just like a debit card and can pay for meals, souvenirs and attractions using the card. All you have to do it preload money from your account on to it. Withdrawing from an ATM will charge, so I tend to use it directly on a chip and pin machine. You can even download the app to top up and check your balance from your phone. Very handy and comes in euros/dollars.

Make-up Essentials

I don't always pack my entire make-up bag, so there are a few items I always take with me. These are mascara, concealer and powder foundation.
The concealer is for covering up any blemishes and dark circles, the powder is for taking away the oily shine I get from wearing make up for too long, and the mascara is a must for me because I think it can brighten up your eyes and can add a hint of glamour. I don't take anything else, just my staple items.

Water

This is my number one essential that I never travel without. After security if you are at an airport, or whenever I can I always buy a bottle of water. Not only is it important for hydration and good for your skin, but it gives me a sense of security knowing I have a drink if something were to happen, for example being stranded somewhere. I couldn't think of anything worse than feeling thirsty when there are no shops around.

Depending on the type of trip, there will be other items, but these will always be in my bag. Feel free to share some of yours!

2015 in Pictures

To build on my previous post, I thought it would be nice to summarise my year in pictures I have taken.

Here are my top pictures of 2015:

Starting off January with one of the best emails ever!

Driving in snow!

Enjoying a bright slushy with a view like that in Barcelona

Exploring the streets of Barcelona where the Cheetah Girls 2 was filmed- Life = made.

Witnessing a beautiful sky like this in the UK

Baking the perfect batch of Hot Cross Buns for Easter

Taking one last photo before the dip dye was chopped off

Buying this sweater, which pretty much summed me up

Saying goodbye to revision notes and year two university exams was such a relief

Taking silly photos with Charlotte on our way to Birmingham

Blowing out the candles of my Birthday and Leaving cupcakes, of course whilst wearing Minnie ears!

Landing in New York to see this this!

Getting to Times Square early because of jet lag and taking this picture!

Arriving in Hilton Head Island and seeing this view whilst cycling across this bridge everyday

Trying my first Mickey waffle

Receiving the badge of honour!

Getting up at 6am to see this everyday before work

Going to the beach whenever I wanted

Slicing my finger on a tomato slicer and having to get stitches 

Trying my first Chick-fil-a

Doing a ghost tour of Savannah in a hearse

Walking down Main Street and seeing this for the first time in over 5 years

Being inspired by Wishes for the first time ever

Witnessing another beautiful sunset

Seeing a shark in the ocean!

Exploring the beauty of Charleston

Another beautiful sunset

Feeling lucky to be able to have spent 3 months on this beautiful island

Taking a selfie of my last ever shift at work

Getting my first tattoo

Saying goodbye to this view

Fro-yo!

My welcome home!

Finding this photo from an asda shop which I had accidentally taken

Watching One Direction before they take a break

Seeing the natural beauty from many walks

Falling in love with London

Getting festive

Watching christmas carrolers 

Whilst sipping on a festive drink

Going back to Disneyland Paris after ages and being blown away by the Christmas lights

Seeing this view!

Baking Mince Pies which were delicious

And there we are. As another year draws to a close, take a look back on your pictures from the year and you can see just how much you have achieved. Memories are precious, so taking photos are a great way of preserving them.

I wish you all a happy new year full of health and prosperity!

x

That New Year Post...

I know that every blogger does a new years post of some sort, but I like doing them as a personal reflection on 2015 and things to look forward to in 2016.

2015 has without a doubt been one of the most adventurous and life changing years.

I am definitely not the same person I was this time last year. I feel that I have done a lot of growing up.

My perspectives on life have also changed a lot.

Throughout the year, I have discovered who I really am and have become so much more independent. I let go of fear preventing me from taking chances, and ventured to America practically on my own for 3 months to live and work there.

Along the way I have met some incredible people, and also learnt that sometimes it is better to have a small amount of close people around you rather than a huge amount of friends who don't really know or care about you.

As deep as it sounds, I really have felt like my eyes have been opened and I am seeing life for what it really is.
Of course I am still young and still have many more lessons to learn, but this year has been a real turning point in my life.

I look forward to 2016 where big changes will happen.

For starters, I will graduate university hopefully, and embark on my career path in London.
I also plan to travel more, hopefully around the west coast of America. I realised that family has become a big importance in my life, and I hope to spend more time with them.

Around this time last year I wrote a post of my new years resolutions. Looking back on it, I have actually managed to achieve most of the points on there. These include:

- Travelling: I have been lucky enough to see Barcelona, New York, Savannah, Hilton Head Island, Charleston, Florida, Liverpool, Birmingham, Disneyland Paris and various places in the UK. Not too Bad!

- Seeing my favourite artists in concert: I definitely did go see One Direction's last tour for a while, and really enjoyed it!

- Become Healthier: Mentally I have become healthier, however I am still aiming to get there physically. I've learnt a lot about my body this year and had a bit of a health scare, so looking after my body next year is a priority.

- Grabbing more opportunties: I've definitely fulfilled this one. I have driven in the USA for the first time, flown to NYC by myself for the first time, managed to secure an internship for 2016, finally got a tattoo, accepted a job working at Disney in the summer and many other small things like trying different foods, that can really make a big difference.

- Regularly updating this blog: So there was a little pause during summer because I was so busy but overall, I've not done too bad.

- Learn a new language: Ok so I didn't manage this one, but to be fair I haven't had the time.

- Finally, Spend my hard earned money from last year: I definitely accomplished this one!

To summarise this post, my advice to anyone out there is take the motto 'life's too short' seriously and grab every opportunity you can.

This may not necessarily mean saying yes to everyone or thing because of this 'FOMO' thing. It's more about choosing which opportunities you are really gonna benefit from and most importantly, enjoy.

The only way we can learn who we truly are is if we gain life experiences that develop us as people. I think taking the time to evaluate what you want in life, rather than what other people want from you in life is something all of us can benefit from.

On that note, I wish you all a healthy and happy new year!