THANKS FOR A GREAT 1ST YEAR!

Your Favorite Posts of 2010

FEBRUARY 2010, OUR 1ST MONTH

The Seas with Nemo and Friends:The Seas with Nemo and Friends in Epcot’s Future World boasts the second largest saltwater aquarium in the world. Today’s Takeaway explored the underwater tours available at Epcot and offered non-Park related activities as well.

Clean the World: Walt Disney World Resort has joined forces with Clean the World, an organization that partners with entities in the hospitality industry to recycle partially used soap and shampoo guests leave behind. We recycled our own soap in Today’s Takeaway.

Dumbo: In October of 1941, Walt Disney Productions delivered what would become one of the most beloved movies of all time. We experimented with aviation in Today’s Takeaway.

MARCH 2010

Once a Cast Member, Always a Cast Member:We interviewed a very special Guest, former Disneyland Cast Member Peg Rose. And what a treat it was! We made masks pretended to be Characters and communicated without words for Today’s Takeaway.

Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival:Topiary Donald Duck and pals camped out at Epcot’s front entrance to celebrate the 17th annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.  Today’s Takeaway offered a variety of horticultural opportunities.

Alice in Wonderland:In 1951, Walt Disney produced the animated feature film, Alice in Wonderland, based on the 1865 Lewis Carroll book by the same title. For those whose heads spin at the thought of doing math, Today’s Takeaway hosted a “Mad Math Fractions Tea Party.”

APRIL 2010 A Talk with Carol Beth Scott:

Carol Beth Scott is the founder of 3D Travel Company and creator of the Ultimate Field Trip (UFT—a week at Walt Disney World in Florida designed for homeschoolers to learn while they play). She is also my partner in fun here at the Magical Mouse Schoolhouse as my sponsor, creative inspiration, and provider of many takeaways. Today’s Takeaway thanked Cast Members.

Tinker Bell:Tinker Bell, Peter Pan’s mischievous pixie, fluttered off the screen of the 1953 animated feature, Peter Pan, and into the hearts of children and their parents to become one of Disney’s most beloved characters. We studied phosphorescence in Today’s Takeaway.

DACS: Digital Animation Control Systems:Audio-Animatronics three-dimensional animated human and animal figures perform in a number of attractions at Walt Disney theme parks. The lifelike robotics are not merely visuals, they are the Characters. With parental supervision, build a robot in Today’s Takeaway.

MAY 2010 Star Tours:

“Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away…” in the creative imagination of a man named George Lucas, a new mythology was created. He called it Star Wars, and Walt Disney World Resort built the Star Tours attraction to model it. We learned internet skills with a Star Wars internet scavenger hunt in Today’s Takeaway.

Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream:Do your children realize Walt Disney was a real man? Or do they think Walt Disney is just a company name? One exhibit at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was created to place a face on the magic of Disney entertainment. We charted our own dreams in Today’s Takeaway.

Playhouse Disney Live Onstage!:Traveling to Walt Disney World with preschoolers? Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ Playhouse Disney—Live on Stage! is the perfect place for them. Today’s Takeaway shared several homemade bubble recipes.

JUNE 2010 Tree of Life:

The canopy of the Tree of Life at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom rises 145 feet in the air and spreads 160 feet across. This natural-looking Park wienie is one of the World’s most exquisite architectural and artistic features. Today’s Takeaway followed a four-unit high school study program from the Jane Goodall Institute.

A Natural Habitat:Pathways through dense vegetation place Guests in close proximity to some fascinating inhabitants and introduce visitors to various settings they’ll experience throughout Animal Kingdom Park. Create a natural habitat for the animal of your choice in Today’s Takeaway.

The Lion King:In 1994, the 32nd full-length animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Pictures, The Lion King, debuted in theaters. Three animals form an unlikely herd in the film. However, in real life, meerkats are insectivores, warthogs are herbivores, and lions are carnivores, and none of the three would coexist peaceably in such a group. Today’s Takeaway investigates each of the three meal plans.

JULY 2010 The Canada Pavilion:

The Canada Pavilion at Epcot’s World Showcase gives Guests a glimpse at the splendor that lies North of America’s border. Today’s Takeaway was provided by a very special Guest, Stephanie Reed, author of historic fiction for teens, Across the Wide River and The Light Across the River and explores the Underground Railroad and Canada’s involvement.

The American Adventure Pavilion:The American Adventure Pavilion at Epcot provides a brilliant exhibition hall for the history of the United States of America. We made an American flag to adorn our homes in Today’s Takeaway.

Disney Cruise Line:Two decked out ships make up the Disney Cruise Line and provide Guests a travel experience that cannot be matched: the Magic, which set sail in 1998, and the Wonder, that launched a year later. Launching next month is the third member of the fleet, the Dream. Today’s Takeaway offered a unit study on pirates.

AUGUST 2010

Earn Your E.A.R.S.:This month we launched the Enriching Academic Reward Series, or E.A.R.S., an achievement program designed to encourage kids to continually reach for academic success. More than 200 students signed up and have now completed four assignments! Way to go, kids!

Phineas and Ferb:Phineas and Ferb is one of the Disney Channel’s hottest shows. It’s perfect for this blog, because it’s obviously educational…it is, isn’t it? Alright, well, sort of! “I know what we’re going to do today”: create a simple contraption!

The Japan Pavilion:The Japan Pavilion blends nature and architecture into an equally exquisite experience. In Today’s Takeaway, we learned the Japanese art of origami.

SEPTEMBER 2010 Walt Disney World Transportation Sy

stem:There’s one aspect of a Walt Disney World vacation that just can’t be beat: the transportation system. From Magical Express to the ferry boats to the monorail, the Resort transit really saves the feet! Today’s Takeaway studied modes of human transportation, and we built model cars.

Disney College Program:Do your kids dream of working at a Disney Park? Well, college students can be Cast Members and earn school credit at the same time! Recruiters are now visiting colleges across the country. Only 10-15% of all applicants are accepted annually. Perhaps this year, it will be your son or daughter!

Splash Mountain & Song of the South:Splash Mountain is such a fan favorite at Walt Disney World that the attraction received the 2004 Disney Magazine Reader's Choice Award for Favorite Attraction at the Magic Kingdom Park. The storyline of Splash Mountain is of Uncle Remus’ fables about Br'er Rabbit from the 1946 Disney animated/live action combination feature film, Song of the South. Study Aesop’s fables in Today’s Takeaway.

OCTOBER 2010 Adventures by Disney:

Adventures by Disney are professionally planned and guided international family vacations ranging in length from six to thirteen days. In honor of Guest interviewee, Denise's favorite memories from her Viva Italia trip, let's make pasta for Today’s Takeaway!

What We’re About:MAGICAL MOUSE SCHOOLHOUSE is excited to have so many visitors! For those new to the site and for those stopping by from the Dismarks Disney Blog Carnival, we took a moment to let you know what we're all about.

Walt Disney’s European Travels:Walt Disney first traveled to Europe at the age of sixteen after joining the Red Cross with a forged birth certificate at the end of World War I. He later vacationed annually with his family in Europe. After a 1935 trip, he was quoted as saying, “I found that all over the world people want to laugh.” So we studied laughter in Today’s Takeaway.

NOVEMBER 2010 Deck the Halls:

The Christmas and holiday decorations went up at Walt Disney World Resort, transforming the Vacation Kingdom into a winter wonderland. No doubt this is a special time of year! We made a ribbon craft tree for Today’s Takeaway.

An Animal Kingdom Holiday:The Tree of Life is not the only grand plant at Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom during the holiday season. A 65-foot-tall Christmas tree welcomes Guests at the Park gate, while nearby carolers greet with good tidings and good cheer spreads to the young and young at heart. Today’s Takeaway included a recipe for adorable reindeer cookies.

Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney Studios Fire Departments:Disneyland Resort in California has its own dedicated fire department, and no, I’m not talking about the vintage turn-of-the-twentieth-century engine housed beneath Walt’s apartment on Main Street, U.S.A. Burbank’s Walt Disney Studios also houses its own department. Today’s Takeaway lists pointers for fire safety in the home.

DECEMBER 2010 Merry Christmas from Disneyland:

Disneyland Resort transforms into the Merriest Place on Earth during the Christmas holidays, where Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle sets the stage for unforgettable tannenbaum traditions. Today’s Takeaway included a special Disneyland video greeting from my family to yours.

Toys for Tots:On November 15, 2010, the United States Marine Corps went on special assignment: launch the annual Walt Disney World Resort Toys for Tots drive! Make a donation to Toys for Tots and/or volunteer your time and talent to assist with collection and distribution as part of Today’s Takeaway.

Downtown Disney Festival of Seasons:The Parks are not the only places to find a holly, jolly atmosphere. Downtown Disney celebrates year-round! Holiday merchandise is available 365 days a year at Disney’s Days of Christmas, but from November 19th through January 3rd, the rest of Downtown Disney is adorned with decorations galore. For Today’s Takeaway, kids emailed letters to Santa!