Adventures and Mousecapades: A Podcast About Disney

It’s our last retroactive trip report! This episode we look back at our 16-day trip to Disney World in August of 2021. The parks were still in pandemic mode and we had a LOT of DVC points to spend or lose. Our 3-bedroom suites at Animal Kingdom and Bay Lake Tower, and a 2-bedroom suite at Riviera, were great escapes from the heat and humidity! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

Sara Ward from Magical Adventures with Sara is back this week, and introduces her kids to Disney World for the first time. These Disneyland vets visited did some resort hopping at Port Orleans Riverside and Yacht Club, and spent time in all the parks. Sara also gives a great overview of the Disney Dining Plan and how great of a value that can be for you - the numbers really do add up! If you want to find Sara online, she’s at… Sara@axistravelgroup.com Links to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more at https://linktr.ee/MagicalAdventureswithSara ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

This week we’re joined by Chris, aka DCL Cruising Dad, to talk about the Magic that is Disney Cruise Line. No, literally, he recently went on the Magic for the first time in a long time and was excited to share all about it. She may be the oldest ship in the Disney fleet, but she still offers an amazing vacation to her guests, and this cruise featured a stop a DCL’s newest destination - Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

Evidently, in spooky season VIP tours turn into RIP tours at Universal Studios theme parks. This week, in honor of the holiday this week, we’re talking about Alicea’s evening at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights where she, Sterling, Kaitlyn, and a good friend Sanae enjoyed the RIP Tour. They got quick access to all the haunted houses, a meal and snacks, some special tour-only surprises, and generally had a frighteningly good time. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

After hours parties at Disneyland can be frighteningly fun, especially when your host is none other than Oogie Boogie himself! Alicea and Sterling recently enjoyed the spooky season spectacular Oogie Boogie Bash, stayed at the reimagined Pixar Place Hotel, and even got a special visit with Mickey and Minnie at Club 33, which was decked out for the Haunted Mansion’s 55th anniversary. There’s a special bonus at the end of this episode too - enjoy! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

What Disney franchise should be the next Broadway musical? Who’s the best Disney couple? Which Disney movie would you want to live in? These hard-hitting questions and more as we turn the mics on our kids this week to find out their Disney favorites. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

Sometimes your vacations don’t go exactly as planned. Sometimes the plan is completely thrown out the window, which is what happened to us in March of 2020 on the Disney Wonder’s west-bound Panama Canal cruise. BUT if you think that sounds like a disaster, you couldn’t be farther from the truth. Listen in to hear why this was the best cruise ever, and why we compare every other vacation against it. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

What happens when your family is all grown up? Is a trip to Disneyland still fun when the kids are in their 30s? ABSOLUTELY! This week we’ve got Darryl on to recap her recent family trip to Disneyland. Fun rides, magical moments with cast members, a family portrait 50 years in the making, and Dole Whips - they packed a LOT into just 3 days! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, or MNSSHP if you’re in the know, is a fun event during the spooky season in Florida. But because it’s in Florida, that means it doesn’t always go as planned. We had tickets to this special-ticketed event at Magic Kingdom a week or so ago and, while we did have fun, it was a reminder that Florida weather can and most likely will impact your park plans. Just remember to go with the flow and you’ll still have a frighteningly good time. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

Turnabout is fair play, so the saying goes, and last week we put that to the test. We flew from Seattle to Orlando to surprise our amazing friends with a visit and to crash Bill’s 50th birthday party weekend. It was Nathan’s birthday weekend too, so needless to say shenanigans ensued - plus visits to all 4 Disney World parks. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

Rachel (from HR) is back, and this time we’re talking about her Disney career. She’s a former cast member, with three College Program stints under her belt plus a bunch of time as a full-time resort HR staffer. Rachel (and Bill) were married at Disney World, and she regales us with what it’s like being a princess for a day. Plus, she and our friend Heather just spent a whirlwind 4 days in Disneyland. This is a FUN episode that we know you’ll love. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

This week we bring you on a whirlwind tour around the Disneyland Resort to sample the amazing food and beverages to be found. From Mickey waffles to multi-course extravaganzas with a few rum drinks and old fashioneds in between, Disneyland has whatever your tastebuds desire. We hope you’re taking notes, Disney World, because you have some catching up to do! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

We attended our very first D23 Disney Fan Expo this year. It was an incredible experience and we got to meet and talk to so many incredible people. We also got some Disneyland park time in before and after the show, and those days did not disappoint either. Join us as we recap all the fun, and some lessons learned, from D23 2024. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

This week we’re joined by one of the preeminent voices in the Disney news arena, Scott Gustin. Scott has been working in the news industry for over 17 years and was a fellow attendee at this year’s D23 Expo in Anaheim last weekend. Join us as we recap all that was announced by Disney Parks and get a seasoned perspective on what we heard and saw. You can follow Scott over on Twitter @‌scottgustin (https://x.com/scottgustin). If you want to hear a Disney Cruise Line-focused review of D23 check out the live episode of DCL Duo that we were on. You can find that at dclduo.com or YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/live/9makz-idF4E?si=H2Zzp9DqckmVI9ff. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

We’re continuing our occasional series looking at Disney Vacation Club resorts with an overview of the original DVC location - Disney’s Old Key West Resort. This sprawling campus has over 500 rooms across 50+ buildings, and offers some of the biggest rooms available to DVC guests. Olivia’s Cafe is worth a visit even if you aren’t staying on property, and Disney Springs is just a short boat ride away. ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

We’ve got Sara Ward on this week from Axis Travel Group. She’s an old friend of ours who embarked nearly a year ago on a brand-new adventure as a travel agent. We wanted to know what that journey is like and get the inside perspective on the world of Disney travel. Sara has lots of cruising experience and has traveled all over the world, and it’s clear she has a passion for helping others do the same. If you want to find Sara online, she’s at… Sara@axistravelgroup.com Links to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more at https://linktr.ee/MagicalAdventureswithSara ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

We’re taking a look ahead at the upcoming D23 convention and making a few predictions on what we might hear about when we’re there. Disney has committed to spending a LOT of money on Parks and Experiences over the next decade, and we’re making some educated guesses on what they might talk about. We’ve got hopes; we’ve got dreams; we’ve got opinions. What are yours? We’d love to hear! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

This week we dial the time machine back to our last Disney visit in the before times, a road trip to Disneyland in June of 2019. We took the scenic route down the Pacific coast and made it in time for our very first Club 33 visit and the grand opening period of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland. Will Alicea ever let Nathan plan a road trip vacation again? Give a listen to find out! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

There was a LOT of news that came out of the House of Mouse over the last 3 months, and it’s time once again for our Quarterly Disney Report to recap all the big stuff. From Donald’s no-pants-90th birthday to surprise cruise ship announcements, there’s a lot to cover! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com

This week we’re talking to Mike, one of Nathan’s coworkers, who recently enjoyed an evening at Victoria & Albert’s with his family. V&A’s is one of the ultimate dining experiences you can have anywhere, not just Disney World, racking up numerous awards including a coveted Michelin Star. Lots of surprises in this one, including a 13 year old requesting albino caviar and a small peek behind the curtain of the exclusive Club 33 at Disney World! ---- Adventures & Mousecapades is a passion project from Alicea & Nathan Novak - two Seattleites addicted to The Mouse. We are not affiliated with Disney, nor are we travel agents. Opinions are our own. Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Twitter: @ourmousecapades OurMousecapades.com podcast@ourmousecapades.com