This week we get to list our favorite parade and fireworks.
However, before we get to that task I do want to comment on last weeks blog. 50’s Prime Time was on most everyone’s list and loved for both the theming and the food. On the other hand, it seems that people either loved or hated Sci-Fi Dine-In. I must admit I was surprised as to how many people did like that restaurant. There really wasn’t a clear top choice for counter service locations. However, most agreed that counter service and kiosk locations are very good in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
OK, on to my favorite parades and fireworks. I’m really interested in hearing what everyone’s choices are. Please note that it’s OK to list a parade or fireworks that has been retired or those only run on special occasions.
So, here’s my list:
Favorite Parades:
1) Christmas Parade – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (Magic Kingdom)
2) Night time electric parade: Main Street Electric Parade and Spectro Magic (Magic Kingdom)
3) Block Party Bash (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes (All versions) (Magic Kingdom)
2) Illuminations (Epcot)
3) Fantasmic (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
OK, now that I have told you my top three, what’s yours? I’d love to know. Also, you can add whatever comments you want to help us appreciate your choices.
Speaking of comments, here’s some of my thoughts. I absolutely love Walt Disney World at Christmas time. So, it should not come as a surprise that I chose the Christmas Parade as my top choice. Nothing puts me into the Christmas spirit more than watching that parade. I just LOVE it! Also, I love all the energy and the music associated with the Block Party Bash. I don’t know how those young men and woman can do that during the summer months. As for fireworks, nothing beats watching the fireworks go off over Cinderella Castle. Just breathtaking! Illuminations come in a close second. It’s such a beautiful display and fantastic music. Speaking of music, Promise is the song played as you leave Epcot after Illuminations. It is my favorite of all the Disney Theme Parks songs. If you haven’t stopped and listened to it you should do so on your next visit.
Post your favorites and you could win an AllEars® baseball cap. I will take all the names of those who post a comment (see below) with your list, I will put them in a hat and randomly draw the name of the lucky winner. The only rules are that you must reside in the US, be 18 years old or older and you must provide your email address so I can contact you should you win.
All comments must be posted no later than Sunday, July, 4th, 2010 in order to be eligible to win the AllEars® baseball cap. Note, you can still post comments after that date, you just won’t be eligible to win a prize. The winner of the AllEars® baseball cap will be announced the following Sunday.
To make things a bit easier for you can just copy and paste the following into the Post A Comment section below and add your information:
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Favorite Parades:
1)
2)
3)
Favorite Fireworks:
1)
2)
3)
Your comments:
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In the coming weeks I will blog on my favorite my favorite theme park entertainment. Also, let me know if you have any suggestions as to other things you would like to see “top lists” of. I’m open to any and all suggestions. So far readers have suggested I blog on Favorite Disney Hotels, Favorite Resort Food, Non-Theme Park Disney Thing To Do and Favorite Magical Moment. Great ideas! What do you think? Based on the number of comments, I think you all agree that these are fun to do.
And the winner is: the winner of the AllEars baseball cap for commenting on my Top Places to Eat in the Animal Kingdom blog is Rebecca Balber, from Illinois. Congratulations to Rebecca and “thank you” to everyone who took the time to share their Top Places to Eat in Epcot with me and all the AllEars readers!
Did you know AllEars® has a huge area called Rate and Review where you can share your dining reviews with fellow readers? Check it out!
Finally, be one of the first people to hear when my newest blogs go live on AllEars.net by joining “DisneyMike’s World” Facebook group.
Well, that’s all for now. As my good friend says “see ya real soon”…DizneyMike
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Favorite Parades:
1) Once Upon a Christmastime Parade – Magic Kingdom
2) Tapestry of Dreams Parade – Epcot (retired)
3) Spectromagic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Illuminations
3) Fantasmic
Your comments: Nothing beats the Christmas parade at the Magic Kingdom, but drinking a liter of Becks in Germany watching the Tapestry of Dreams Parade was a close second.
Favorite Parades:
1) Boo To You
2) SpectroMagic
3) Block Party Bash
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Hallowishes
2) Wishes
3) Illuminations
Your comments: We absolutely LOVE everything about the MNSSHP. To us the parade alone is worth the extra cost. We will be attending MVMCP for the first time in November so our list may change. We did take one of the Illuminations cruises June 2009 and it was awesome and I recommend it to anyone.
wohoo!! a topic that I can comment!!
Favorite Parades:
1) Mickey’s Very Christmas Parade
2) Mickey Mania Parade (1996)
3) Spectromagic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Illuminations
2) Magic Kingdom New Year’s Fireworks
3) Wishes (Regular & Christmas)
Your comments:
I love all the parades!! Specially the Magic Kingdom ones…I have seen two differents MVCP, and I just love both (2005 & 2009)…the music, the magic wow!!
Mickey Mania maybe is not the most amaizing parade, but was the running parade on my first trip to WDW…my first parade and was all about Mickey, was just WOW!!!
Spectromagic…well is Spectromagic! It doesn’t matter how many times do you see it, is always special!
About fireworks…Illuminations was, is and will be my number one! Is my lullaby song 😛 and when I hear it I always remember the wind in my face and the “oh” and “ah” of the people.
Wishes is always amaizing, and as you said, the Castle as background…just wow…but New Year’s fireworks just leave speachless.
By the way…it doesn’t matter the firework, I always cry LOL
Next list?? Resorts, favorite characters, favorite spots for a picture!!
Favorite Parades:
1) Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade
2) Mickey’s Boo To You Parade
3) Spectromagic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Happy Hallowishes
2) Illuminations: Reflections of Earth
3) Fantasmic
Your comments:
My absolute favourite Disney parade is actually at Disneyland Paris – their Once Upon A Dream afternoon parade is fantastic and the floats are just wonderful. Would really love to see Walt Disney World adopt something more akin to this for their 3pm parade – Share/Celebrate/Disney Dreams Come True is starting to get a bit out-dated.
DISNEY PARADES AND FIREWORKS NEVER DISAPPOINT
Favorite Parades:
1) Spectro Magic
2) Block Party Bash
3) Ahh I dont know the name but it had a huge Hercules float and it ran at the DHS when I was little
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Illuminations
3) Fantasmic
Your comments:
Wishes is my all time favorite fireworks show. I have been going to Disney World since I was 6 and now being 18 it just keeps getting better. However, when I was there with my choir in March I had convinced some of my friends who have never been to Disney before that I was the girl singing the Wishes song and that is why I have to go to Disney each year. It was a great joke that lasted for about 10 minutes.
Favorite Parades:
1) Boo to You
2) Main Street Electrical Parade
3) Tapestry of Nations
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Fantasmic
3)
Your comments:
Boo to You is one of the best parades I’ve ever seen. I especially love the grave-diggers and dancing dead. I have wonderful memories of watching the MSEP when I was very little so it has a soft spot in my heart. Same with Tapestry. I remember dancing with one of the stilt walkers when I was a teenager and just having the time of my life.
As far as Wishes, there’s just something about the music and the show that knock my socks off everytime. I cry evertime I hear just an inkling of the music (particularly when the children sing). And Fantasmic always has me standing and cheering at the end no matter how often I’ve seen it. I really don’t have a third favorite fireworks show, however. I’m not really a fan of the specialty fireworks at MK and don’t care for Illuminations and, while I have a vague recollection of watching Sorcery in the Sky, I can’t remember it well enough to add it on to my list.
I love your “favourite” blogs. How about your favourite free things to do at Disney – or favourite Disney thing to do in WDW which is NOT in a park? I bet there are lots of things that people didn’t even know existed beyond the parks!
Favorite Parades:
1) Boo to You
2) Christmas party
3) Spectromagic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Hallowishes
3) Fantasmic
Your comments:
I absolutely LOVE the Boo to You parade – We are going in October this year even though my husband is going to miss a football game just so I can see it after several years of going in November!
Favorite Parades:
1) Once Upon a Christmastime Parade- Magic Kingdom
2) Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade
3) Spectromagic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Holiday Wishes
2) Wishes (regular)
3) Illuminations
Your comments: The Once Upon a Christmastime Parade was the perfect ending to our night at MVMCP last December. I also love the Jammin’ Jungle Parade including the Christmas version. Spectro won’t be going on when we’re there in 19 days so I’ll be sad to miss it but excited to see the MSEP. Again, Holiday Wishes was amazing and so was seeing it from the lagoon on the boat (Magical Moment, we didn’t plan or pay for it!). I’m very excited to see the new MK fireworks show this summer as well.
Hey Mike, could you blog on your favorite character interactions? Maybe one list of dining experiences and one list of non-dining experiences. It’s hard to predict how a certain character will act at any given time, but some of them have great places to meet the characters, nicer places to take pictures, waiting areas in air conditioning, shorter wait times, etc.
DizneyMike replies: Meredith, great idea! I will do a blog on that. Thanks for the idea….Mike
Favorite Parades:
1)SpectroMagic
2) Boo To You!
3) Main Street Electrical Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1)Pirates & Princess Party Fireworks! Awesome!
2) Hallowishes (Mickey’s not so scarey Halloween Party)
3) Wishes
Your comments: It would be really nice to see them bring back the Tapestry of Nations parade at EPCOT as well as change the illuminations back to featuring the Countries with the buildings lit as they did years ago, that was truly magical.
Favorite Parades:
1) Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Parade
2) Share a Dream Come True Parade
(the giant sno globes)
3) Stars and Motor Cars Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Fantasmic
3) Illuminations
Your comments: I know some of my parades don’t happen in WDW any longer but I still have my memories.
Favorite Parades:
1) Halloween Parade
2) Christmas Parade
3)Move It Shake It
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Illuminations
2) Hallowishes
3)Wishes
Your comments: I have to say that the Christmas fireworks come in a close 4th. Disney at Christmas is amazing and the Christmas version of Illuminations is my favorite. I haven’t seen many of the special fireworks–July 4th or New Years–too crowded!
Favorite Parades:
1) Electric Light Parade
2) Christmas parade at any park
3) Disney’s Stars and Motorcars at DHS (loved that one…especially the Toy Story float with Andy’s bed)
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Illuminations, current and previous
3) Fantasmic
Your comments: Love all of Disney’s fireworks and parades! I never get tired of fireworks!
Favorite Parades:
1)Christmas parade
2)Boo to You parade
3)SpectroMagic
Favorite Fireworks:
1)Wishes
2)Christmas Wishes
3)Illuminations
Your comments:I really love all of the parades and nighttime shows that Disney offers. I definitely plan our days around these shows to make sure we catch them all each trip!
Favorite Parades:
1) Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween
2) Christmas Parade
3)Spectro Magic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Pirate and Princess
2)
3)
Your comments:
I love the Boo to You song that the cast members sing during the Halloween parade, along with the Haunted Mansion float and characters.
Favorite Parade:
1) Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween
2) Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas
3) Pirate and Princess
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween
2) Wishes
3) Illuminations
Favorite Parades:
1)Boo To You Parade (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party)
2)Christmas Parade
3)Main Street Electrical Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1)Hallo-Wishes (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party)
2)Chistmas Wishes
3) Illuminations
I LOVE WDW during the months of Sept & Oct because of all of the Halloween decorations.
Favorite Parade
-SpectroMagic
-Boo to You
-Electrical Light Parade
Favorite Fireworks
-New Years Eve @ Epcot!!!!!!!!!
-Epcot “Peace on Earth” Finale
-IllumiNations
Favorite Parades:
1) Spectro Magic
2) Electric Light Parade
3) Make a Dream Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Hallowishes
3) Illuninations
I really liked Illuninations when they used to light up the countries and play music from the country like they use to play the Can Can in France. Spectro Magic is my fav parade there is something about the music that gets me. Hallowishes was very cool-the fire works were shooting off from all around you. I like when Disney does that with their fire works. Love these posts!!
Favorite Parades:
1) Main Street Electric Parade
2) Spectro Magic
3) Celebrate a Dream Come True Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Fantasmic!
2) Wishes
3) Illuminations
Your comments:
For me, the Magic Kingdom has the only parades I ever really want to see. The afternoon parades are always fun (especially so during the Year of a Million Dreams) because you get to see the honorary “grand marshall” and how much fun they are having. It was always cool to see who was going to get to spend a night in Cinderella Castle! I differentiate “spectro magic” and “Main street electric parade” because they are distinctly different to me. I love them both nearly equally, but “Main Street” edges out because of the Nostalgia factor for me from remembering seeing that thing when I was little.
I have a hard time imagining anything topping “Fantasmic!” in terms of a nighttime spectacular. It really has it all – characters (a LOT of characters) fireworks, fire (without the works), water effects…you don’t get much better than that!
Parades:
Too many crowds and dirty curbs and floor; electrical and spectromagic didn’t seem worth it. I prefer to use that time on rides.
Fireworks:
1. Wishes
2. Illuminations
3. Fantasmic (but I refuse to go anymore due to wait times)
Favorite Parades:
1) SpectroMagic (make me cry EVERY TIME)
2) Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Magic, Music, Mayhem in the Sky (from Pirate and Princess Party)
3) Illuminations
Favorite Parades:
1) Spectromagic
2) Celebrate a Dream Come True
3) Star and Motor Car Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Fantasmic
3) Illimunation
Your comments:
If you are just talking about the firework portion of Fantasmic then yes I rank that as my second favorite firework display but if you are considering the whole fantasmic expererience then I think I would rank that as number one. There was an old laser light show that played in Epcot when they first opened that I loved not sure if many people remembered that but that is one of my favorite. I am not sure if they still do the star and motocar parade but I love seeing the cars.
Favorite Parades:
1) Halloween Parade – Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (Magic Kingdom)- love the gravediggers!
2) Christmas Parade – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (Magic Kingdom)
3) Tapestry of Dreams parade at Epcot’s World Showcase (not there anymore but I agree with Mike Scopa…I would love to see it return!)
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Halloween Party Fireworks (Magic Kingdom)
2) Illuminations (Epcot)
3) Christmas Party Fireworks (Magic Kingdom)
Comments: I wish I could be there this summer to see the special fireworks (thank goodness we have Jack Spence’s video) and to see the Main Street Electrical Parade again. That might change my ranking…who knows.
Wendy
Favorite Parades:
1) Electric Water Pagent
2) Main Street Electric Parade
3) Main Street Parade (day) Any version
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Illuminations
3) Fantasmic
Your comments: Seeing any of the parades means I am in my happy place, but the Electric Water Pagent hasn’t changed over the years, so it holds a special place in my heart! I turn into a little kid as soon as I hear the music!
Favorite Parades:
1) Main Street Electric Parade
2) Christmas Parade
3)
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Illuminations-reflections of Earth
2) Wishes
3) Fantasmic
Your comments: We love the parades but they are the best times to go to rides with typical long lines when everyone else is watching.
Illuminations is the best I get so excited when they start with the fires around the lake being “blown out”. There are also alot of very good locations to view up close and not have to sit an hour ahead like Fantasmic.
Aww… Lumping MSEP and SpectroMagic together is a cop-out. Make the choice!
The ones I’ve seen:
Wishes
SpectroMagic
Fantasmic!
Block Party Bash
Jammin’ Jungle Parade (Well… bits and pieces.)
I prefer Wishes to Fantasmic a lot. I don’t like how Fantasmic takes place in a massive ampitheater so removed from the park, and it seemed to me like too much of just watching clips on mist screens. I love how Wishes actually ends the park’s day. I’ve watched it from the Grand Floridian dock and from behind the Castle (in Fantasyland.)
I love the soundtrack for SpectroMagic, and it’s a beautiful parade. However, it gets a little dry in some parts and starts to drag on.
Block Party Bash is cute. The floats are very cool.
Jammin’ Jungle Parade really doesn’t seem very special to me and it blocks up Discovery Island. It’s fun, but it’s nothing that stands out.
I really wish that parades would come back to Epcot, and that Animal Kingdom and DHS would get new nighttime spectaculars.
Favorite Parades:
1)Nighttime electrical parades (Magic Kingdom)
2)Electrical water parade viewed from Grand Floridian
3)Halloween parade at Magic Kingdom
Favorite Fireworks:
1)Fantasmic!!!!!!!!
2)Illuminations
3)Wishes
Your comments:
_______________________
Favorite Parades:
1)Electrical Parades (Spectro and Main Street – Magic Kingdom)
2)Vintage cars parade (Hollywood Studios)
3)Boo to You (Magic Kingdom – Mickey’s Not So Scarry Halloween Party)
Favorite Fireworks:
1)WISHES!!!! (Magic Kingdom)
2)Illuminations
3)Fantasmic
Your comments:
The “vintage cars parade” was one of the best parades around. I understand why they discontinued it, but I miss it. I can’t comment on the Christmas parade cause when we went, it rained and there was no parade. I have high hopes for this year! I also enjoyed the “snow globe” parade they had at Magic Kingdom several years ago. I’m really great with remembering parade names. . . I love Wishes, I think because it always makes me misty-eyed. That whole idea that wishes and dreams come true, the great music, it’s all so awesome.
Favorite Parades:
1) Block Party Bash
2) Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade
3) Spectro Magic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Illuminations
3) Fantasmic
Your comments:
Wishes will always be my favorite, standing in front of the castle watching, listening, and taking it all in for the very first time, nothing can beat that!
Favorite Parades:
1) Christmas Parade
2) Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parade
3) Electro Magic
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Illuminations
2) Wishes
3) Wishes/Christmas
Your comments:
Illuminations is so beautiful that it makes your heart happy. I especially like all the Christmas parades and fireworks!
Favorite Parades:
1) Spectro magic
2) Main Street Electric
3)
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Wishes
3) Fantasmic
Favorite Parades:
1) Tapestry of Dreams (EPCOT)
2) Spectromagic/Electric Light Parade (MK)
3) Stars and Motorcars and Star Wars Motorcade (both Hollywood Studios)
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Pirate and Princess Fireworks (MK)
2) Illuminations (EPCOT)
3) Fantasmic (HS)
Your comments: These are my favorites and my 12 year old daughter’s favs. We still love listening to the music for Tapestry of Dreams and really wish they would bring back that parade. We don’t like parades that “stop” along the route, as we have never been lucky enough to be in the correct location when it stopped.
_________________________
Favorite Parades:
1) Main Street Electric Parade
2) Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parade
3) Spectromagic
Favorite Fireworks:
1)Illuminations
2) Wishes
3) Fantasmic
Favorite Parades:
1) Christmas Parade – Magic Kingdom
2) Nightime Electric Parade – Magic Kingdom
3) Tapestry of Nations (not sure if I have the name correct) – retired from Epcot
***Have to give a “runners up” to the Aladdin parade that was retired from Hollywood Studios
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Illuminations – Epcot
2) Wishes – Magic Kingdom
3) Fantasmic – Hollywood Studios
Your comments:
I’ve heard that the Halloween Parade at the Magic Kingdom is wonderful as well, but have not had the opportunity to see it yet (however, we are coming down in October this year).
Favorite Parades:
1) Share a Dream Come True (MK)
2) Halloween Parade (MK)
3) Jammin Jungle parade (AK)
Favorite Fireworks:
1) WISHES!!!
2) Fantasmic
3) Illuminations
Your comments: I always loved the snowglobe theme in the Share a Dream Come True parade. The Halloween parade was awesome – the headless horseman was so cool to see, and the Haunted Mansion graveidggers, with the shovels making sparks on the street – amazing! Wishes is my favorite fireworks show, hands down. The fireworks, the music, the castle – I get teary eyed every single time!
Favorite Parades:
1) Spectromagic
2) Magic Kingdom Christmas Parade
3) Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Wishes
2) Illuminations: Reflections of Earth
3) Fantasmic
Your comments:
I have never seen the Main Street Electric Parade or Summer Nightastic Fireworks, but I have a feeling if I had they would be on these lists. I absolutely love Wishes. My husband proposed to me in the Rose Garden at the Magic Kingdom during Wishes in the summer of 2006 (wow that seems so long ago). It was beyond magical. I will admit if it were not for that special place in my heart for Wishes, Illuminations would absolutely top this list for me. I LOVE Illuminations. We always try to get reservations at the Rose and Crown outside around 8:30 and then watch Illuminations. It is our tradition.
Favorite Parades:
1)Magic Kingdom Christmas
2)Epcots old Tapestry of dreams
3)Spectro Magic – MK
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Illuminations Christmas/New years edition
2) any Illuminations
3) the old Sorcery in the Sky -DHS
Your comments:
OK – I am nostalgic but what could be better than the Christmas parade that goes on during the holiday at MK? I still love thinking about the Tapestry of Nations/Dreams parade at Epcot (The only thing I still cringe at is remembering how hard it was to make it around the lake to a dinner res. when the parade was going on). This parade was way different and fun. I loved the old Sorcery in the Sky at DHS and one thing I still remmeber at Epcot was the Daytime firework/ flying people mororized machines/gliders that were only there for a short time.
I think it is time for a new Illuminations – again country specific to remind people why they are in the world showcase part of Eocot.
Parades:
Boo to you
Spectro-Magic
Block Party Bash
Fireworks:
Fantastmic
Wishes
Illuminations
I only really have one favorite parade and fireworks show….
My favorite parade (which no longer exists, so I don’t know if this counts) was the Time Keeper parade (I think that’s what it was) that appeared in Epcot at the Millenium celebrations. It was right before Illuminations started. Loved the music and the visuals! Beautiful and unique.
My favorite fireworks will ALWAYS be Illuminations. I cna’t tell you how many times I have seen it, and it still makes me cry. I listen to the music in my car, and it makes me cry and smile. My favorite thing to do is to take people new to Disney (or just new to Illuminations) to experience this amazing show. Every single one of them always walks away in awe of what they witnessed. It is truly Disney at its most original and inspired and brings a tear of joy to me right now as I am thinking about it!
Favorite Parades:
1) SpectroMagic
2) Tapestry of Nations
3) Main Street Electrical Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) IllumiNations: ROE
2) Fantasy in the Sky (the old MK show with no narration)
3) Christmas Wishes
Your comments: I really, really miss Tapestry . . . still listen to the music at least once a month!
Favorite Parades:
1)Boo To You Parade (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party)
2)Spectromagic
3)Main Street Electrical Parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1)Illuminations
2)Hallo-Wishes (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party)
3)Wishes
Your comments: As a Mouse Junkie, I really love all the parades & fireworks at the World. It still amazes me after all these years that you can end your day/night with a wonderful fireworks presentation pretty much night after night…WDW does a great job with all their parades & fireworks, these happen to be just a few of my very favorites.
Favorite Parades:
1) Epcot Parade with puppets (cannot recall name)
2) MK Nighttime
3) AK parade
Favorite Fireworks:
1) Fantasmic
2) Illuminations
3) Wishes
Your comments:
___I really loved the Epcot parade, we would see it 2 or 3 times a trip! My family reallly misses it!!!