Mickey Mouse has been a prominent feature in the Walt Disney company’s Orlando theme parks since they first opened in the 1970s. Here are some of our favourite Mouse facts.
Walt Disney famously commented, “I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.”
Today, Walt Disney World is the most visited vacation resort in the world, with average annual attendance of more than 52 million.
There are now 4 parks at the Lake Buena Vista site: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
A Star is Born
Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in the cartoon “Steamboat Willie”. This short film debuted on November 18th 1928.
Fifty years later, on November 18th 1978, Mickey became the first cartoon character to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star was awarded to celebrate Mickey’s 50th birthday.
You can see Mickey’s star at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard.
Steamboat Willie
Although Steamboat Willie was the first Mickey Mouse film to receive a cinema release, it was actually the third Mickey Mouse film to be created.
It was preceded by “Plane Crazy” and “The Gallopin’ Gaucho”.
These two earlier films initially failed to find distributors. Later, they were picked up and released.
Mickey’s first feature film was released in 1940. In “Fantasia” Mickey starred as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
It Could Have Been So Different…
Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse after he lost the rights to an earlier character he had created, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
Walt Disney originally planned to call his mouse “Mortimer Mouse”.
Walt changed the name to Mickey when his wife Lillian suggested the name of Mortimer sounded too pompous.
Lillian suggested Mickey because she felt the name better evoked the characteristics of fun and humility.
The Talkies
The first film in which Mickey spoke was his ninth release. “The Karnival Kid” was released in July 1929 and Mickey’s first words were “Hot dog!”
Walt Disney wasn’t happy with the first few actors chosen to provide a voice for Mickey – so he did the job himself.
Walt Disney continued to be the voice of Mickey Mouse until 1947.
The two people who then became the voices of Mickey and Minnie were married in real life.
Mickey’s most famous phrases include: “Oh boy!”, “That sure is swell!” and “See ya soon!”.
Now you know the Mouse facts, book your visit!
Check out our vacation homes near Disney World Orlando:
Talk to our ticket partner for the best deal on tickets – guaranteed!
Read our best-ever hacks for Disney World:
There are so many reasons for choosing to stay at your own vacation home instead of an expensive resort hotel… here are some of our favourites!
The pool doesn’t close
No need to rush back from the park… the pool isn’t going to close.
We don’t have a dress code
Whatever you’re up to, you can relax in comfort! Read the story of our guests who ran ToughMudder here.
So much space
There’s room for the whole family to relax.View this home.
The kids won’t be bored
Many of our homes have fantastic games rooms. View this home.
Dine out by the pool
Kick back and relax in comfort without having to dress for dinner! View this home.
You aren’t tied to eating at expensive resort restaurants
When you rent a vacation home you can eat in when you fancy it. Pick up pizza on your way back from the parks or rustle up something on the BBQ. Save money and enjoy more flexibility in all this space. View this home.
You have your own master bedroom
Relax and enjoy! View this home.
And the kids have theirs!
No more tiptoe-ing around the hotel room at night so you don’t wake the kids! No more sharing a bathroom with the kids! View this home.
https://www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/Allamanda/
Enjoy a down day by the pool
The theme parks can be tiring. When you rent a vacation home, you can choose to spend a day by the pool every now and then so don’t get jaded. You’ll enjoy your park days more – and may even save on attraction tickets because you visit the parks on fewer days. View this home.
https://www.ellisexclusivevillas.com/Bella-Vista/
If you aren’t sure which home is right for you, please give us a call. Our friendly team are only too happy to help and offer advice.
November is usually a quiet month for us in Orlando.
Yet it can be a wonderful month to visit. Depending which end of November you visit, you could catch the tail end of Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival or the very start of the parks’ Christmas festivities.
Either way, temperatures in the 70s are very pleasant for exploring beyond the parks and the opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping in Orlando’s malls make November a great month to visit.
Here’s the Ellis Exclusive Villas guide to getting the most out of your Orlando vacation when you stay with us in November.
The Theme Parks
Epcot’s fantastic annual event, its International Food and Wine festival, continues for the first half of the month, so during this period the crowds at Epcot may be a little busy.
However, the Halloween festivities have finished and most of the parks are quiet, making preparations for their Christmas events; the majority of which will start towards the end of November.
The first to open is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, which opens on November 11 and runs until December 22.
Epcot opens its doors to visitors at Holidays Around the World at Epcot on November 25 at the Epcot Center, Disney World and it runs until December 31, Epcot Center, Disney World.
Towards the end of the month, the parks will start getting busy again as the Holidays events start drawing in the crowds, particularly around Thanksgiving weekend.
If you are visiting around Thanksgiving weekend then be prepared for long lines and large crowds. The usual strategies for dealing with crowds apply: get to the parks early, keep a close eye on children, invest in FastPasses and, if it is your first time to the parks it is well worth thinking about using the services of a tour guide.
You can book Orlando theme park tickets through Ellis Exclusive Villas. We guarantee you won’t get a better price.
Get some advice from our professional ticket partner to make sure you get the best prices on all your excursion and park tickets. As well as guaranteeing you won’t find tickets cheaper (and offering a money-back guarantee), their advice can also help you to work out what the best deal will be and the best days to go.
The Weather
In Orlando during November you can expect high temperatures of 78°F (25˚C) with lows reaching 57°F (14˚C) – so it is still very pleasant and warm. For Brits, and others from similarly cold climes, this definitely counts as winter sun!
What’s more, the humidity also drops around time of year so you can enjoy getting out and about a bit and exploring without getting too hot. For example, the weather during our Fall trip to Mount Dora (just north of Orlando) was very pleasant, whereas it can be very hot and sticky there in the summer months.
You can expect a pleasant eight hours of sunshine per day in November.
And, while there may always the possibility of rain in Florida, the chances of it are at their lowest in November. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pack a lightweight poncho or raincoat into your daypack anyway just in case – these will come in handy on rides like Splash Mountain anyway!
Wider Central Florida
Many other attractions outside the park will begin their holiday festivities around the middle of November/ Thanksgiving weekend. One highlight is Orlando Museum of Art’s annual Festival of Trees which runs mid-month.
Check out our events list for some more ideas of things to do in the Orlando area.
Since we’re rapidly approaching Christmas, you might find the urge to visit a shopping mall or two and Orlando is well blessed for shopping malls. Whether you are into bargain hunting or designer labels, a visit to one of Orlando’s numerous shopping malls can make a really diverting excursion.
With the still warm but slightly lower temperatures, reduced humidity (and fewer bugs!) November is also a great time to explore a bit of the wider Central Florida area. It is the perfect weather for enjoying a round or two of golf at some of Orlando’s many championship golf courses.
And, if you can schedule a few days of your vacation to experience “wild Florida”, this state’s beautiful natural parks and waterways are well worth exploring. Our ticket partner, Kissimmee Guest Services, can help you with tickets for airboat rides, hot air ballooning, or off-roading trips – for slightly more unusual ways to see the State.
Your vacation home
If you are staying at an Ellis Exclusive Villas in November and you want to use its private pool you will need to book and pay for pool heat.
Let us know before you go so that the pool is warm from the beginning of your stay. It can take a few days to heat up – so don’t leave it until you get there. Please be aware that pool heat won’t heat the swimming pool (or the integrated spa pool, if you have one) up to the temperature of a warm bath. However, what it will do is take the chill off the water.
If you have paid for pool heat and your home has a pool blanket, we strongly recommend you use it for keeping the warmth in overnight. The standard pool heaters that are fitted in most of our vacation homes are only designed to run eight hours a day – so the pool blanket does help significantly in retaining some of the heat you’ve paid for.
By November we are reaching the tail end of the stormy season so you shouldn’t experience too much rain; the average rainfall for the month is considerably lower than the UK.
However, if you do experience an occasional downpour, it can sometimes affect the Wi-Fi and cable services to your vacation home. If your vacation home’s internet service is disrupted following a storm, please refer to the house manual where you will find instructions for resetting the Wi-Fi router.
Finally, if you have any questions then please contact us on the usual numbers. And, most of all, enjoy your vacation!