2018: A Year in Review
Where has the year gone? Seriously, the older I get the quicker the months seem to go. 2018 was a big year for myself and my family! Although every moment wasn’t amazing, I’m thankful for the memories and opportunities that were brought my way this year. 2018 was my second year of blogging consistently on Kait Around The Kingdom, posting twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays! This year my blog reached over 300 posts and I also had the opportunity to start writing for a few Orlando-based websites — a job I never knew I’d be able to do from Louisiana! (You can peep my articles for Best of Orlando here and my articles for Orlando Fun Tickets here.)
Much like last year’s end of the year post, I’m looking forward to what 2019 has in store. 2018 brought many new friends, opportunities, and adventures! (Not to mention the more Disney trips than I could’ve ever imagined!) Let’s take a trip down memory lane with some of my favorite posts of 2018!
January
Disney Eats: The Wave – On my last trip of 2017 we dined at The Wave of American Flavors in Disney’s Contemporary Resort and it quickly became a family favorite for breakfast! (I’d be lying if we weren’t planning a reservation here for our Mardi Gras trip in March.)
Disneyland Snickerdoodle Cookies – I tried my hand at my favorite type of cookie inspired by a magical recipe! This is perfect for a little Disney Withdrawals pick me up.
The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for Disney Lovers – I love a good gift guide! I had a blast putting together some of my favorite Disney-inspired gifts into such a magical blog post.
Five Fast Facts About Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – Who else loves Tower of Terror? It’s one of my absolute favorite attractions so I had so much fun sharing some pretty cool facts about it!
View all of my January posts here!
February
Off To Neverland – Peter Pan will always hold a special place in my heart, so for the film’s 65th anniversary I shared a Tinkerbell-inspired look on the blog! (Featuring an absolutely adorable bag!!)
Why We Spend Mardi Gras at Disney – For as long as I can remember our family has been Orlando-bound each Mardi Gras season. While the tourists play, Louisiana runs away (to Disney, of course)!
Disney Must Do: Festival of the Arts – Since Mardi Gras fell early this year, I was able to experience Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts for the very first time. It was so much fun for me to experience this Disney first with my family and best friend!
Violet Lemonade – Flower and Garden Festival goers know how delicious that famous Violet Lemonade is! To help with Disney blues, I shared a recipe for how to make your own at home. (Spoiler alert — it’s delicious!)
View all of my February posts here!
March
Mickey in Sin City – In February Nick and I visited Las Vegas for the very first time and you know I found Disney magic there when I could! This simplistic Disney Style look made me feel right at home at the castle-inspired Excalibur hotel.
The All-New Mickey Mouse Club – March 2018 was the start of my monthly Disney Throwback posts! These blogs are a passion of mine since I have such a love for all things Disney History. In this post I talked all about the MMC from back in the day!
Four Things You Must Do At Flower and Garden Festival – My favorite festival of the year started in March and 2018 was a great year for Flower and Garden. From the adorable topiaries to the fun and festive AP magnets, there was so much to get excited about! (I visited 4 times this year, no biggie.)
French Quarter Feels – If you haven’t had the chance to explore Disney’s Port Orleans Resorts, you need to take the time to do so. As a Louisiana native, I have so much love for the theming and detail put into both of them! In this post I showed off a look inspired by Disney’s Port Orleans French Quarter.
View all of my March posts here!
April
A Stay in the Royal Guest Room at Port Orleans Riverside – Did I mention I love Disney’s Port Orleans Resort?! All jokes aside, this stay experience was truly a magical one, complete with all the princess touches. If you’re looking for a fun stay for the family, I can’t recommend this room enough!
Think Orange Thoughts – I decided to Disneybound as the iconic Orange Bird in honor of his presence at Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival this year! This look was super simplistic which I loved and it gave me an excuse to learn more about this bird that was such a big part of Walt Disney World’s rich history.
Wonders of Life – As a kid one of my favorite pavilions to visit in Epcot was always Wonders of Life. In this Disney Throwback post I shared this history of this since abandoned pavilion that’s tucked away right across from Test Track!
Mini Churro Bites – Who doesn’t love a good Disney churro? In this blog I shared a easy DIY recipe to make mini churros right at home! I also spilled this history of how this Disney Parks treat first got its start at Disneyland.
View all of my April posts here!
May
Berry Whip – Dole Whip lovers, rejoice! There’s another refreshing flavored whip to try right at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort. I’m sharing all the deets on why it’s worth the ferry ride over!
How To Keep Your Phone Charged In The Disney Parks – Between photos in the parks and glances at the My Disney Experience app, your phone battery can drain fast at Walt Disney World! I shared my top tips for how to stay charged all day in the parks.
Pineapple Pinup – This spring I got to experience my very first Dapper Day! My outfit for the event was inspired by one of my favorite park snacks and I even shared a brief history on how the event got started.
Seven Must Reads for the Disney Obsessed – Whether you’re a coffee table stacker like me or just someone who really enjoys reading up on all things Disney, this list is for you! I shared seven of my favorite Disney books along with links to each in case you’re ready to expand your collection.
View all of my May posts here!
June
The Ultimate Disney Springs Bucket List – My love for Disney Springs has grown so much over the past year. Don’t miss out on any fun at Disney’s shopping and dining district thanks to this extensive list!
Incredibles 2 Movie Mix – The month of June was pretty incredible thanks to Disney-Pixar’s latest sequel releasing in theaters! To celebrate I created this fun and easy movie mix to munch on.
Pidge in the Park – Lady and the Tramp turned 63 this month so I celebrated with a sassy Lady-inspired Disney bound! I had such a fun time finding these pieces and bringing this look to life.
The United States of Pixar – Which Pixar film ranked #1 in your state? I shared a map from Cabletv.com that was able to show you!
View all of my June posts here!
July
Behind The Seeds – This summer I was able to check a big Disney bucket list item off of my list! I finally got to experience the Behind the Seeds Tour in Epcot and it was everything I imagined and more. Learn all about this must do tour on this post!
All About Toy Story Land – Right before July I got to experience Opening Day at Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. This was such an amazing memory that I will always cherish because there’s nothing like being some of the first Disney fans to experience new magic!
Beach Bound – Life is the bubbles! This Disney Style look was inspired by one of my favorite princesses — Ariel and featured a fun tank from one of my favorite Disney small shops. Also there’s a pretty cool video created by my talented hubby!
Pleasure Island – Although I never got to experience Pleasure Island for myself, I thought a Disney Throwback post all about it was necessary. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of theming and back story that Disney’s Imagineers add into every aspect!
View all of my July posts here!
August
All About Hidden Mickey Hunting – Looking for the ultimate guide to hunting for Hidden Mickeys? I’ve got you covered!
Poolside Pineapple Paradise – While in Destin for my family vacation Disney was never far from my summer style! The towel featured in this post was one of my favorites from Target’s Mickey collection this summer.
Year of a Million Dreams – This Disney Throwback post was all about my favorite Disney promotion as a child — the Year of A Million Dreams! Researching this post helped me to get excited to Walt Disney World’s upcoming 50th anniversary and what magic that milestone will bring.
Decades of Disney Animation – Disney Animation has come a long way and each decade is worth learning about. In this post I shared a map that reveals each state’s favorite Disney classic and a history of each era of Disney Animation.
View all of my August posts here!
September
How To Join D23: The Official Disney Fan Club – In September I finally joined D23 and purchased my tickets to the D23 Expo 2019! Thinking about joining? Learn all about it in this informative post!
River Country – Did you know Walt Disney World is home to a waterpark that’s been abandoned for almost two decades? I shared the spooky history of this forgotten piece of Disney’s past!
Detour to Neverland – I got to appear as a guest on the Detour to Neverland Podcast! In this post I share all about my experience as well as links of where you can go to check it out for yourself.
Nice Ascot – Nick and I attended our very first Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as Barbie and Ken and it was one memorable evening! I shared all the details of our costumes as well as some pretty fun photos we took around Disney’s All Star Movies Resort.
View all of my September posts here!
October
47 Facts About The Most Magical Place On Earth – Walt Disney World celebrated its 47th anniversary this year. I shared over forty facts about my favorite place on the planet!
A Stay at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn – Nick and I stayed at the picturesque BoardWalk Inn in September and it’s quickly jumped to the top of our Disney Resort list! I shared all about our experience and why you should book a stay here at least once.
Candy Corn Mickey Cupcakes – These cupcakes were almost to sweet to eat! If you’re looking for a fun and easy Halloween treat to make at home, this Mickey-inspired cupcake is the perfect one.
Hats Off To Harambe Market – One of my favorite Animal Kingdom looks to date! Also where I first found my love for skirts in my Disney park style.
View all of my October posts here!
November
Remy’s Ratatouille Hide and Squeak – This year at Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival I found fun in this cute little scavenger hunt around World Showcase! If you’ll be visiting for the 2019 festival, don’t pass up this festival must do.
Mickey’s 90th Birthday Weekend – I was able to spend Mickey’s 90th Birthday at Walt Disney World, and it was a pretty fun-filled weekend! I shared all of my adventures in this sweet life update.
Smiling From Ear To Ear – My first Fall Dapper Day was a success! My look was inspired by the Disney Style Queen herself, Minnie Mouse. I went Vintage Minnie Style and found the perfect photo spot in Magic Kingdom’s Storybook Circus!
Your State’s Favorite Disney Princess – The fun maps continue, this time featuring favorite Disney princesses by state! My state shared the same Disney princess favorite as me, which was pretty awesome.
View all of my November posts here!
December
All About Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – Behold, the ultimate guide to the most merriest event of the year! This year was my very first and I can’t wait to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party again next year.
Galactic Greetings – My Disney Style for the holidays was inspired by the LGM’s in Toy Story Land and this was honestly one of my favorite looks of 2018! The festive flannel just gives me life.
The Most Merriest Holiday Gift Guide For Disney Lovers – It’s not the holiday season without a gift guide, amiright?! Here were some of my favorite finds for this gift giving season!
Let It Snoap – This Lost Bros tee was a favorite of mine this season! I shared all the details of this Disney parks look along with my love of Disney’s magical snoap.
View all of my December posts here!
I can’t believe 2018 has finally come to an end, but I’m so excited to see what’s in store for this brand new year in front of us! This was such a sweet trip down memory lane and I hope you enjoyed following along. Here’s to an amazing new year!
If you want to check out my review of 2017, you can check that out here!