Disney: Recommendation: Enchanted Tales with Belle

We love New Fantasyland.  We love Beast's Castle, Little Mermaid, the circus complete with Casey, Jr.  and you can even see footprints of various Disney horses.  One of the neatest experiences we have come to love is Enchanted Tales with Belle

Park: Magic Kingdom

Area: Fantasyland

Fastpass+ available

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This is such a fun experience.  First tip - get a Fastpass for it.  We've done it twice and it's much easier to get a fastpass, otherwise it's an hour wait.  You are taken through Maurice and Belle's cottage to a magical picture that opens up and takes you into Beast's castle.  They tell you they're going that Belle is coming and they want to surprise her with a retelling of how she and the Beast met and fell in love.  Then they pass out parts.  There are all kinds of parts!  For as many kids want to be involved is how many can be apart. They have ways to stretching the characters.  As far as getting picked for the role you want - be loud and be up front.  Make noise, get noticed.  Since there is no way of getting separated from your child so we've let Cupcake be in the front and we hang back.  Cupcake has scored two pretty big roles - the very first time we went in February 2013 she was the Beast.  She loved it and you actually get to spend a bit more time with Belle.  The second time she was Maurice.  She enjoyed getting to act in both roles.  You can see pictures below.  This has always been a great experience and we highly recommend it.  Even dads get in on the act - they get chosen as the Knights in Armor.  Superman got picked the time when Cupcake was Beast.  Whatever you do, make sure you hit this at least once in your Disney life. 

Waiting to go in and get started - Knight and Beast

That's where he had to stand the whole time

Getting ready to make her big entrance

And what an entrance she made

They got to pose with Belle

It all ends with Belle dancing with the Beast

Cupcake as Maurice

Disney: Recommendation: Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial

So you're at Disney World and you want to be a pirate? Well, there's only one thing for you to do and that's go to Captain Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial.

Park: Magic Kingdom

Area: Adventureland

*To the left of Pirates of the Caribbean Ride*

We did this experience back in 2013 and it was a lot of fun.  You can find it running several times a day in Adventureland right outside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.  Captain Jack comes out with his first mate and starts to survey the crowd looking to train some new crew members.  For the training part he only picks out 4 kids but at the end everyone can take the pirate oath and be initiated in. Cupcake was determined to get picked and as luck would have it, Captain Jack picked her that day.  She was the only girl to join his crew and he kept saying he didn't trust her because he couldn't see the whites of her eyes (she was wearing sunglasses).  It was a funny show that had enough adult humor to keep all ages interested for the entire 25 minute show.  The actors did a great job - the first mate was the right amount of bumbling and Jack was spot on. I wasn't sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it was. They get adults involved too as one of the distractions they teach them is to yell, "Look it's Blackbeard's Daughter!"  I got to be Blackbeard's daughter throughout the entire show.  It was rather hilarious and I couldn't stop laughing.  It was fun to watch, fun to participate in so we recommend going to try it out.  Here are some pictures from the show.