Disney World and other happenings

I have been absent, that I am aware of but unfortunately life has been busy and I unfortunately for the first time in maybe 4 years? Got the flu. Yes THE flu, I spent a week miserable and used almost all my sick time up at work because of how bad it was.

Aside from being a sick mess, I was also largely uninspired due to my sickness so it’s why I have been silent. The last three days I spent dealing with work and catch up, as well as a few contracting projects.

So so here we are October 1, and I’m getting ready to leave for Orlando and yes DAPPER DAY! I have largely unplugged from writing for the next few days but alas can you blame me?

I’ll also be at Food and Wine for the second year as an adult, I’ve been in the park for the last 20 years as an onlooker but last year was my first year actually eating the food. So be on the look out for that post when I get back along with pictures.

I’ll be covering Dapper Day this year with a largely closed park and the new Disney Springs.

While I won’t be on here at all, since I don’t have the app and my computers are staying at home you can follow my adventures on Instagram @DancinginMadrid I’ll be posting there before anywhere else or follow my Twitter @TheAlexWho to see what I have to say.

Aside from that, I’ll see y’all in a week with new posts and I’m thinking of adding some new elements to the blog.

Have a good weekend!

-Alex

Dapper Day Survival Guide

Photo Copyright Dapper Day, no copyright infringement intended.

This is the official last entry in the Dapper Day series, and this is probably the most important post because we’re only a few weeks out from all the events.

Every event is different, and being prepared is the most important thing you can do before heading out for a fun night. So where do we begin in this Survival Guide?

1. Plan for Weather

Last Spring Disneyland saw a chilly rainy event, last fall Hollywood Studios saw a rainy steamy event and no one knew what kind of weather they’d be having till that week.
Now if you’re in Florida, you know the weather here is temperamental we go from rain to sunshine in under 10 mins. So bringing a good umbrella or having a rain plan is a great idea, if there is lightning certain things will shut down in the park so plan for that as well.
California weather is warm during the day, but temperatures do seem to dip down a bit in the evening so its smart to plan for that. Same can be said about Paris which tends to have temps around 60 in mid-september.
Despite what park you plan to attend at, make sure to have the proper clothing as well.
You don’t want to show up in a long sleeve wool dress in Orlando because you’ll probably pass out, but you don’t want to under dress in case the weather does take a turn.
Simply put? Check the weather, and make sure to pack what you think you may not need.

2. Speaking of packing…

My first Dapper Day, I wore heels that were not comfortable. While many gals will wear them, make sure they are comfortable and you can stand to be in them for a few hours. While trying on shoes, consider this “Can I stand in a 60 minute line and then walk?” that’s usually how I pick my shoes.
If you’re like me and you’re an orthopedic’s dream, make sure you do have an extra pair of shoes or insoles in case the shoes you chose turned out to be less than. While ruining a Dapper Day dress or outfits with a shoe change, consider the long term effect on your feet.
What about my actual outfit?
Well always consider what you would need to pull it together, do you need a hat/fascinator? Or flowers? Or maybe a bow tie? Whatever the case may be always bring a few options you would match with that outfit. I wear panty hose usually so I bring an extra pair just in case for the day.
I have learned it’s smart to make a mini kit in your bag in case you need to redo your lipstick or add an extra pin or maybe just put some hairspray in your hair to keep it from falling apart.
All these little things will help make your day just a bit better

3. Water you doing?
Yes water, either bring your own or ask at any quick service location in the park for a cup with ice water. No matter the temperature or what you’re doing staying hydrated is important, especially those of us who plan to drink at the after events.
Spending a whole day without water could spell disaster later on in the evening for you.
So make sure to drink plenty of fluid throughout the day, especially in Orlando.

4. Eat, Obviously
Spending the whole day out, it’s important to make sure you eat and keep yourself from going hungry. Between the walking and the heat, it’s smart to eat something as you roam the park. While park food can be expensive, Disney does not prohibit outside food, so don’t be afraid to pack a few granola bars into your bag before heading out.
If you do choose to eat, stay away from too many sweets and try to eat something that will hold you over. While that churro and ice cream may seem like a good idea in the moment, you’ll probably wish you had gotten a burger later on.

5. Sunscreen
I probably can’t express this one enough, always wear it. Even if you’re wearing make up put some on under your foundation, because the sun can ruin any vacation.

6. HAVE FUN
That’s it. Thank you for joining me and I hope to see you at the park, this fall and next spring.

Dapper Day Inside Out 3

Apparently it is 4 weeks till Disneyland opens it’s doors for Fall Dapper Day, meaning it’s about 5 weeks till Paris does their event and 6 weeks till Orlando kicks off their event.

While I can’t talk too much about Dapper Day in California, since I have never been to the park there I wanted to take today’s post to talk about the little perks you get when you buy through Dapper Day’s official site.

Dapper Day is technically billed as a convention due to their use of the convention space at Disneyland’s Grand Californian Hotel, so they offer things like convention rate tickets and rooms.

This year’s event at Disney World will offer convention rate rooms, and again will provide tickets as well.

So how does this all work?

Through your designated event page on Dapper Day’s website, you will find links how to obtain both rooms and tickets at convention rate prices.

This Fall Walt Disney World is offering rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter and rooms at Wilderness Lodge. While tickets can be purchased online, the rooms must be purchased via phone and calling the reservation line at Walt Disney World and following the prompts.

Though all the information for rooms and hotels can be found online, one of the things I learned this spring was how to use the convention rate tickets.

While my boyfriend and I purchased our passes online, we went with the one park, after 4 option since Magic Kingdom was having Extra Magic Hours and we had an on property room it didn’t matter.

The convention rate tickets are actually pretty fairly priced, and you have a lot of options to pick from for your trip. It’s also cheaper than one day pass through the ticket booth at Disney, this is due to the raised prices at the park as of the start of 2015.

But in order to pick up your tickets you do need to stand at Will Call and wait to speak with a guest relations cast member. It helps if you have the card used to purchase in hand, as well as an ID for them. The good thing about the passes at Walt Disney World is that you can have your passes put on your magic band making it easier for everyone in the party. So that was a nice little perk, since your room and everything else can be done through the bands.

Another thing to remember going in with the tickets is knowing all the policies before purchase and making sure that if you have any questions to contact Disney ahead of the event to ensure no hiccups.

The after events for Walt Disney World at least are normally free, though last fall we met at Atlantic Dance Hall which had a cover charge. This year the event is being held at The Boathouse in Downtown Disney which shouldn’t have a cover charge. While we skipped out on the Spring event for more rides, there are people who meet for other activities throughout property so you aren’t forced into joining any official events.

For Walt Disney World Guests it should be noted that about half of Hollywood Studios is closed currently, due to the expansions being done at the park to accommodate for the new rides and attractions the park has few rides.

The above map from Theme Park insider shows the amount of closures at Hollywood Studios, everything in Green is closed, while the non-highlighted areas are open. 

Though the closures shouldn’t stop anyone from going, many folks will be meeting up and just bringing a group can change the whole experience.

Tomorrow we look at surviving your first Dapper Day what to bring and what to do.

Dapper Day Inside Out 2

Welcome to the second installment of the Dapper Day series, today we’re looking at outfits and where to get them.

While many people at Dapper Day events will sew their own outfits, or get an outfit made for them you don’t have to reach so high for your first step out in style.

My first event was Fall 2014 which was at Hollywood Studios in Orlando, while I chose a dress I had many others had different outfits that ranged from casual to dressy.

Dapper Day has an exclusive partnership with Pinup Girl Clothing, which offers many different styles from full skirts known as swing skirts to wiggle skirts or pencil skirts.

Pinup Girl clothing has created skirts to celebrate legendary Disney artist Mary Blair, along with other exclusive collections.

While Pinup Girl Clothing prices can be on the steep end, many of the designs are excellent and the quality of the clothing is great from what I have been told. For those attending the Disneyland event, they usually set up a booth during the expo.

Lindybop which is a UK based clothing company makes replica dresses and also is starting to sell pants and more skirts.

I recently ordered my Dapper Day dress from there, and for $81.00 I got my dress, my petticoat and my shipping for that one price. Royal Mail was also extremely fast and I had my package in just under 2 weeks from initial order.

The quality of my dress was great, but having to size up I’ll have to take in the front. It’s a good idea to order early from them just in case and always order larger than your measurements because the dresses do run on the small side.

 

Another great way to find vintage or reproduction pieces is through Etsy, last year I got an awesome polka dotted swing skirt I wore out a few times and even used for my halloween costume. Many of the prices can be a bit higher BUT you are getting quality pieces shipped to your home.

Another great thing about Etsy is that many of the sellers can also make you a custom outfit, if you see a swatch of fabric or something you like many will work with you to make you something you love. Etsy is also an awesome place for accessories like handbags, fascinators, hair pieces, etc. You can score some really great stuff searching their pages and checking for deals.

Etsy is great because you also help out small business owners, many of the vintage sites sell stuff they lovingly pick out and many others as I mentioned make stuff so it is their way of gaining income from their work.

Now many of us will choose to keep it cheap and nothing wrong with that, so you’ll shop local.

My second dress was from Kohls from Lauren Conrad’s Disney Line and it looked great for the night and for my Dapperbound (more on that later).

Though if you’re lucky you’ll have some great thrift stores near by and be able to throw together a fabulous outfit for less.

One of my favorite sites for this is The Thrift Shopper, which is a national database for thrift shops, second hand, vintage and consignment. It’ll help you in finding that perfect piece.

A WARNING!

Many times while we are shopping we may see sites like Sammy Dress, aliexpress, or others who make “reproductions” or have at cost outfits. While I am all for a cheap great bargain, these sites alway set off HUGE warning bells for me because usually the quality is much lower, you might get scammed OR worse you may not be able to wear the dress at all and be left with nothing for Dapper Day.

I say this because I have been tempted in the past when I didn’t want to dish out the money OR felt like why not, I mainly say this because most shipping time from Asia is about a month or more and because of the fact that many items may not look as pictured. Many folks have gotten lucky and the items they have received have been great but others have been scammed out of money and much more, so I would rather 80 bucks and know what I am getting.

Aside from that this post should help when you’re on the fashion hunt, one of my favorite things is using the #DapperDay tag on instagram or Tumblr to look for inspiration or to just see what folks are creating. It’s pretty cool to see someone’s design from start to finish and maybe even spot them out at the park when you’re there.

Though I will say the most important rule to remember, don’t worry about anyone else and do what you want and what will be most comfortable for you.

Tomorrow we’re talking hotels and tickets, as well general Disney know how.

Dapper Day Inside and Out 1

It’s that time a year again when leaves turn colors, pumpkin spice lattes come back into our lives and for those of us lucky enough to attend Dapper Day Fall Soiree comes back.

What is Dapper Day?

Dapper Day started at Disneyland when a few interested guests decide to get together and step out in style. Since then the event has grown to include three parks and 20,000 Dapper Dames and Guys.

From there the event in California has grown to include a 3-day Dapper convention that invites local vendors and national brands to showcase and sell items, a Folly event which includes a cocktail hour, and this year brings on a classic car show.

Both the Florida and Paris events include an event schedule that invites groups to ride together and join others in a fun and fashionable style.

While there isn’t a specific time period and many of the California guests wear 1950s dresses due to Disneyland’s opening being in the 1950s, many different styles are seen across the parks.

I’ve attended two Dapper Day events and each one has been different, going onto my third this fall. In those two events, I have learned a lot and have gotten a lot of great tips here and there.

So this is the first post of many in this series, tomorrow we’re talking about clothing and where to find outfits as well as outfit inspiration.