Adventures and Mousecapades: A Disney Podcast

We’ve finally completed our “full house” tour of all 5 Disney Cruise Line ships with our recent 4-night cruise aboard the stunning Disney Dream. We’ve been on the Fantasy many times before, so we knew what to expect from her sister ship. Or so we thought. Could we have a new favorite ship in the Disney fleet? You’ll have to 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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

One of the reasons we started this podcast was we already found ourselves having frequent conversations Disney, so why not share some of that with all of you? This week we’re recorded a bunch of little conversations. Who’s the best Disney villain? What Disney movie has the best music? What should a 5th theme park at Disney World be? We had fun with this one.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

This is the first in an occasional series we’ll be doing to look at Disney Vacation Club resorts. First up: Bay Lake Tower. While this is a nice resort, connected to the Contemporary resort, its best features are summed up in three words: location, location, location.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

It’s time once again for our Quarterly Disney Review, taking a look at the goings on from the House of Mouse for the first three months of 2024. This time we’re trying out Microsoft Copilot to see if it can help us organize our various notes. Does it help? You be the judge!----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

We would NEVER pass up the opportunity to take a trip to Disney World, especially if half of our travel and lodging costs are paid for! This week we’re remembering an amazing time back in October 2018 when Alicea was in town for a conference with several coworkers, and Nathan tagged along “for research purposes.” Some of our character dining experiences on this trip are our gold standard that we compare all others against - you don’t want to miss why that is!Putting this show together also brought back memories of our dear friend Mona, who sadly succumbed to cancer just a few months after this trip. Love you and miss you, Mona!----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Welcome aboard the inaugural Sydney to Honolulu Disney Cruise through the South Pacific! Our amazing friends Rachel and Meredith are back to share all about this first-ever DCL experience, including stops in New Caledonia, Fiji, American Samoa, and Maui. Plus, they got to live the same day twice after crossing the International Date Line and became Shellbacks after crossing the equator at sea! You’ll want to hear all about this once in a lifetime experience!----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Have you ever tapped your Magic Band to enter a Disney park? Have you ever watched fireworks on a Disney Cruise Line ship? Have you ever enjoyed a trip around Carousel of Progress. Well you’ve done all that thanks to amazingly talented folks like this week’s guest Jon, who’s a CNC Machinist for Disney. He may not be visible on stage all that often, but he’s part of the army of folks helping make the magic happen on your Disney vacation.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Alicea and Sterling headed down to Disneyland during school’s mid-winter break a couple weeks ago and had an absolute blast. Spending some time in the happiest place on earth was just what the doctor ordered. Sterling got to show off some hidden hockey skills and was in charge of their daily itinerary. What did he decide to do? Listen in 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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Welcome to a bicoastal Disney recording, with Nathan at Disney World and Alicea (and Sterling) in Anaheim at Disneyland. We’ve been up to a lot in the last week: first time visits to popular Epcot restaurants, 500 pound cats with hairballs, churros, snacks, fireworks, and even special carpet samples. Give this episode a listen to hear all about 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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

We’ve been to numerous Disney Parks After Hours events, DVC Moonlight Magic, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. One common theme over the last several years has been that they’re simply TOO busy. With Alicea in Florida for the last couple weeks house/doggie sitting, she’s had the opportunity to hit After Hours Events at both Epcot and Magic Kingdom … and boy have things changed for the better!----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

It seems like everybody these days has a bag with them in the Disney parks. Some are huge, some are tiny. What essentials do we keep in our bags? Let’s 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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Jon Armstrong is an incredibly talented magician who grew up in the Disney universe. He’s been on TV, played the famous Magic Castle in LA, and headlined in Vegas, but one of his favorite gigs is aboard a Disney Cruise. Kids, tweens, teens, and adults alike love his shows, and so do we! Jon was on our infamous March 2020 Panama Canal cruise and ended up performing over a dozen shows throughout the voyage. We know you’ll enjoy his stories just as much as we did!You can find Jon at cardjon.com.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

As we continue to deal with damage to our house from a burst pipe, we look forward to better times ahead - and of course those better times are Disney trips! After hours events, bi-costal castle visits, side-to-side cruises… and that’s just the next few months!----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Sometimes your peaceful evening watching Fantasia on your home theater is interrupted. In our case Mickey’s adventure with the brooms and buckets came to life and we suddenly had 1500 gallons of water in our house’s second story. Needless to say, this week’s adventure is a little different than our normal fare, but it’s still a good story. Stay dry … and maybe bring a mop.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

We were on the Disney Fantasy for a week-long Western Caribbean cruise right before Christmas, and while it was great to see a Disney ship all dressed up for the holidays and spend time with family, there were a few issues and frustrations encountered on our 14th DCL voyage. Would we do it again? You’ll just have to listen in 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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

We did something we swore we’d never do - visit the parks at this height of Christmas. December 24th was spent at Epcot, and we rope dropped Magic Kingdom on Christmas day. How did we do it? Was it worth it? Listen in 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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

We bid 2023 a fond farewell and with a look back at all the Disney news that happened over the last 3 months of the year. “Wall-cot” is moving closer to turning back into Epcot; new Frozen and Zootopia lands opened internationally, and Disney finally announced anytime park hopping returns in early January! And there’s lots more where that came from.This week is also our 2 year Podcastaversary. Thanks to listening in  - we're truly humbled how far this little project has gone and can't wait to see where it goes in year 3!----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Disney World is a magical place for the holidays, and even more so when you get your whole family together. We got tickets for all 3 generations of our family to enjoy Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and it was an absolutely fabulous evening for young and old alike. From special character interactions, to thrilling rides, to special parades and castle stage shows, this was an amazing evening that we won’t soon forget.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

Our holiday trip just so happened to coincide with another chance to do a DVC Moonlight Magic event at Animal Kingdom! This time instead of Nathan, it’s Alicea, Kaitlyn, and Sterling hanging out with Rachel and Mer. Snacks, rides, and the Merry Menagerie.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com

The Disney Parks make magical memories any time of year, but there’s some special pixie dust applied to some rides during the holidays at the end of each year. This week we look at which rides you don’t want to miss if you’re going to be in the parks to capture an extra special dose of holiday spirit … or spirits, as the case may be.----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: @ourmousecapadesOurMousecapades.compodcast@ourmousecapades.com