Then, life happened…I moved away and back and away and had my own children. I have been given the gift of 3 healthy children and I understand even more, as a mom, just how valuable Give Kids the World is for children that need it.

For those unfamiliar with Give Kids the World, here is a bit more about them from their site:

A child with a life-threatening illness between the ages of 3 and 18, whose one wish is to visit any of Central Florida’s best loved attractions, may have their dream vacation come true by first being identified by a doctor as a child with a life-threatening illness. The child is then teamed up with one of over 250 partnering wish-granting organizations from
around the world, who then refer the eligible Wish Child and their family to GKTW Village. Once a Wish has been approved and recommended by the Wish Child’s local wish-granting organization, the Give Kids The World Wish includes:

• Accommodations on-site in one of 140 villas
• Donated tickets to all three major theme-park resorts (SeaWorld Orlando, Universal
• Orlando and Walt Disney World)
• Transportation
• Meals in our Gingerbread House Restaurant and Katie’s Kitchen; and ice cream all day in
• the Ice Cream Palace
• Many other fun surprises

Everything is entirely cost-free to the family!

In the course of the past year, I became close to a group of people that raised money for Give Kids the World, and am happily now able to help do that again. Our group of 43 friends are organizing a fundraiser for Give Kids the World from now until October. I thought the best way I could help would be to raise awareness with all of my wonderful readers. Before I tell you more about how to give, I wanted to let two of my friends share their personal stories of how amazing Give Kids the World is. Please give them a moment of your time as their tell their stories…

From John Saccheri -

Remembering Matthew

The year was 1990. Matthew was 12 years old and I was 19. While it doesn’t seem like 7 years is a huge difference, it certainly is in terms of life experience at that age. Even though we were cousins, and because of the age difference he called me Uncle, we were like brothers. I was always, and still am a big kid at heart and Disney fanatic. Matthew had never been to Disney and it was my tales and pictures of Walt Disney World that kept him fascinated.

The most memorable, crazy thing I came up with that Matthew loved was listening to the Electrical Parade music in pitch blackness with a strobe light. You know how movements look weird in a strobe light? Doing this with the Baroque Hoedown never got old for him.

a card made by John's cousin Matthew

So, I was his big brother and made time for him whenever I could between work and school. Matthew was my number one fan. He was my audience. Entertaining him made me feel special and I knew I was planting Disney memories that would last him a lifetime. I just didn’t appreciate the definition of lifetime. I bet most 19 year-olds don’t. And that is why this story is very important…

Matthew’s mom started to notice many bruises on him and how easily he would get a black & blue compared to other children. He was diagnosed with Leukemia. I remember being in complete denial of what this could ultimately mean and went on with life as usual. As the medications changed Matthew’s physical appearance and he became sicker, requiring the use of a wheelchair, there was no denying life had dealt our family a terrible tragedy. We prayed day and night. He was told that he might not survive without a bone marrow transplant. I remember him telling me that he might die. It was the first time in my life that I was unable to respond. I had no words. A 12 year old was telling me he had no life ahead of him while I was looking forward to mine. I accompanied Matthew and his family to the hospital often. I appreciated life every time I walked into the Schneider Children’s Hospital and was confronted with moms and dads not knowing how many more weeks or days their children had. The next time you have a fight about something in your home, think how trivial it is compared to what some people must face everyday.

Matthew received his bone marrow transplant from a relative and it appeared to be a success. They had confirmation that this new bone marrow was being accepted and was producing the proper cells. We were all ecstatic.

A few days later, we got word that he was being flown home, from the hospital in Seattle, back to New York. However, he wasn’t being sent home for a good reason. The marrow showed a complete rejection and he was being sent home to die. Literally, the doctors in Seattle had some sort of culture to tell the hard truth, even to their youngest patients. I am sure they had to have the parents consent. Whether you agree with it or not, they told him he was going to die shortly after arriving back home. He called me to tell me this news. All I could do was remain strong, tell him they had no idea what they were saying, hang up the phone and sob uncontrollably.

I had not realized the hospital was in touch with Give Kids The World and the Make A Wish foundation. I received a call from them asking for my name and personal information. When I inquired why, they informed me I was a part of his wish. He wanted to go to Disney World, but it was made very clear that he wanted to go with his Uncle John. It is hard to type this right now. I felt so special. It wasn’t just a common wish to go to Disney World, but to go with me.

It was the weirdest emotional concoction you could imagine. I was going to Disney World, I should be happy. I need to smile and be happy for Matthew. But make no mistake about it, we all knew the underlying problem.

We entered the Give Kids The World Village. These people are living saints. From the accommodations to the food, the place was fantastic. The problem was, it was full of people almost certainly enjoying their last hoorah. I hate to be literal about it, but I hope by doing so we all realize what we have and put things into perspective. Matthew,  his parents and I spent a full week enjoying Disney World. At a time when we owed over a hundred thousand in medical bills, this was a welcome respite. Video cameras were never used so much to catch special moments. I watched as Matthew and his Dad went fishing in the village. I just filmed their backs for a whole hour, thinking, one day his Dad might need this.

Matthew needed special attention because he was in a wheelchair and had something called a mediport installed into his chest for easy blood access. The room they gave us had everything we needed to get him around, including a special shower and area to keep his mediport clean. It appeared no expense was spared. I remember thinking that if I ever give to a charity when I grow up, this would be it because they obviously spend the money correctly.

Disney turned out to be a great time. When a child wears a Give Kids The World button, you can bet the characters see it and give them attention like you’ve never seen. I cried as Matthew had a semi-private 10 minute conversation with Snow White about the Dwarfs. He was smart enough to realize they were talking bologna, but that’s what made it so special. He was escaping the reality, even for a few minutes and loving every second.

We returned home and Disney was all he could talk about. As I suspected, he told me the Haunted Mansion was his favorite but I wondered if he told me that because he knew it was my favorite.

I was awoken 2 mornings later to my stepfather uttering these words that will stick with me forever, “He’s gone.“

Just like that, “He’s gone”…I just fell back into bed with an empty feeling of loss.
Really? Just like that. It was as if life gave me a hard slap and said, “Welcome to reality.”

Fast forward 20 years to the present. I’ll be 39 in a few months and Matthew’s story, although always with me, recently crept up in an unusual way. I came across a card Matthew wrote me while cleaning up my home office. I hadn’t seen it in 20 years. All the emotions came rushing back and I felt this NEED to write about it. I contacted Suzannah and asked if she’d be interested in a Blog post and as fate would have it, some sort of fundraiser was already in the works.
God? Coincidence? Whatever you believe, all I hope is this. If you give anything to a charity this year or whenever, please consider Give Kids The World and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. They make a huge difference at a time people really need it. If you do it in memory of Matthew, I thank you and know I wrote this for a reason.

I love you, Matthew DeSantis,

Uncle John

…

And from my friend Kaylene J, who also has some Give Kids the World experiences to share, and will explain our fund-raising efforts:

“The most magical sound in the world is that of a child’s laughter.”

“Give Kids The World Village is a storybook 70-acre, non-profit resort located near Central Florida’s most beloved attractions that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. GKTW provides accommodations at its whimsical resort, donated attractions tickets, meals and more for a week-long, cost-free fantasy vacation. To date, Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 90,000 families from all 50 states and over 65 countries.”

I’m a member of a group of 43 Moms and Dads, who have come together to help raise money for Give Kids the World. I’m excited about the opportunity to help make a wish come true for a child with a life-threatening illness, and to be a part of helping his or her family make priceless memories together.

I’ve been blessed with 5 healthy children, and yet I know other people who bravely face life-threatening illnesses with their sweet children every day. Two precious friends of mine have been on “Wish Trips” to Give Kids the World with their children. One of them lost their daughter several years ago to the illness that she was fighting. She recently shared her experience at the Village with me. While it was essentially “indescribable” she touched on a few highlights with me.

Naturally, she cherishes the memories of that trip, and what an incredibly special place it is. She talked about the 24 hour Ice Cream Shop and how at all hours of the night you would see children there. Some were recovering from a chemo treatment, had lost their hair and felt ill, so their Mommy or Daddy would bring them downstairs for some ice-cream. Watching them tugged at her heartstrings. As a Mom whose daughter had health issues too, she could relate all too well to what they were going through.

She talked of how each night they’d return to their room to find treasures waiting for the kids…giant stuffed Mickey’s and more…and the smiles that brought to her daughter’s face. She spoke of the “happy music” that they played at the Village and how everywhere she looked, she would see children grinning…and how it brought tears to her eyes. She said she had the opportunity to meet Henri Landwirth, the founder of Give Kids the World. He walked up to her daughter, held her hand and told her how special she was.  She cherishes each and every one of these memories, just like so many other families that have visited Give Kids the World Village in Florida. Another friend of mine received a miracle for her son, and they celebrate his post-transplant health today.

On Friday, October 1, 2010 our group of special friends will visit the Give Kids the World Village for a tour.  Some of us will bring our children with us, as we feel it will give them such meaningful insight. They will be able to see firsthand the struggles that other children have, and to in turn count their own blessings of health.  It will help them to open their hearts even more to others. Our group will also make a donation to the Village. We plan to raise money through neighborhood “Ice-Cream Socials” this summer and by collecting donations as well. Many of the children who visit Give Kids the World spend day after day taking medicine and visiting doctors.  We invite you to help bring a smile to their faces.

If you would like to make a donation, please visit our Fundraising Page at: http://www.firstgiving.com/wdwmoms Donating through this site is simple, fast, and totally secure. Thank you for your support.

…

Thank you, John and Kaylene for sharing your stories with us. I hope everyone reading this can find it in their hearts to send something to this amazing and beneficial organization. Every donation we receive at the above link will go directly to Give Kids the World. If you decide to give, I’d love if, in the comments section of the donation page, mention zannaland – as I know John and Kaylene (and all of us joining together in October!) would love to know that their stories made a difference and helped the cause.

If you are unable to give financially but would like to do something else to help out the Village, check out the various volunteer options available at the Give Kids the World site. Be sure to explore the site and all the amazing pictures, quotes, stories and more. Thank you for taking the time to make a difference!

Snap, Share & Win! Rayovac Summer Photo Contest:

The Snap, Share & Win! Rayovac Summer Photo Contest will begin August 2, 2010 and will conclude on August 29, 2010.  Each week will feature a different photo theme.  Eligible contestants will be able to complete the entry form on Rayovac’s facebook page, upload a photo and specify the theme.  Contestants may upload 1 photo each week for a maximum of 3 photos.  Once photos are posted, viewers can vote for 1 photo a day and add an unlimited number of comments.  Contestants and viewers can share the contest with their friends (eighteen years old or older) utilizing the “Invite Friends” button or by sending an email.  The photos receiving the most votes for each theme will win prizes.  Rayovac Powers Fun, have fun and be creative with your photo entries! All levels of photography welcome!

PRIZES
For each of the three themes there will be:
Grand Prize - a Digital Camera Package, complete with a Photo Printer and Rayovac Rechargeables and a Digital Photo Frame for three of the Grand Prize Winner’s friends.
Second Place Prize - Photo Printer
Runner Up Prize - Digital Photo Frame Keychain.

Phase One: Submit photo entry August 2, 2010- August 22, 2010.
(Week 1: Fun with Water Photo. Week 2: Fun Pet Photo. Week 3: Summer Fun Photo)
Phase Two: Public Vote August 2, 2010- August 29, 2010.
Phase Three: Winners Announced September 8, 2010.

Be sure to check out and “like” Rayovac on Facebook too! http://www.facebook.com/Rayovac

Good luck!

It’s no secret that ZannaLand has changed since its inception. In fact, when it first started there was nary a mention of Mickey and his Florida home. Originally this was a place where I sold a zine I wrote, entitled, “Zanna, Do!” all about my life as a slacker and how I was still searching for my dream job. That was in 2004, right after the sudden death of my father, after I had just turned 30 a couple of months prior. It had been my dream to be a writer since I could first put sentences together. I still have some very funny stories I wrote in grade school, summer camp, and high school which, while embarrassing to read now, bring me back to a time when I wasn’t afraid of failure or rejection. I just wrote. Then I got to college and decided to major in Creative Writing for Children and was suddenly hit with this daunting fear of “What if I fail?”. For a long time, that’s all I thought about, and decided if I didn’t try, I couldn’t fail. I then moved on to Travel & Tourism Management and living in Florida: briefly working for Disney and moving up from travel agent to manager of an Orlando area agency. I got married, had two of my children, and my dream of writing faded even further into the distance. Suddenly I was a mom first and any other ambitions went out with the diaper genie trash.

As I mentioned above, I turned 30, and two months later, my father was gone. Suddenly the little voice I’d tried to silence for so long in the back of my head was screaming at me – “Do something!”. So I wrote that zine. It seemed like a failure-free way to start out. I was publishing it myself, mailing it out to people online that wanted to read it, and even getting some independent book store distributors to sell it. It led to me writing an essay for a book that was published in 2005 entitled “If Women Ruled the World.” My piece was very fluffy and tongue-in-cheek and published alongside serious commentary on women in the world. It was exciting nonetheless. Anyway, life took over and I once again left my writing behind to carry on as a mom first and foremost. A few years passed and we relocated to Tampa, I had our third child, and as you most likely are aware, discovered twitter.

My story from that point on is well known; embracing my dreams of writing and being involved with Disney has been the best risk I ever took. Truly, I could not have been as ambitious as I was without the almost-instant support of everyone I came in contact with online. Rather than hearing “Don’t bother, there are a million and one Disney blogs out there…” I heard “Go for it, you can do it!”. Rather than hearing “The odds are against you getting on the WDW Moms Panel…” I heard, “You’d be perfect! Good luck!” And yes, my application experience was a little different because I thought I didn’t make it to the 2nd round but then I did – but sometimes technology is unreliable. Even Laura Spencer herself thought she didn’t make it to the phone interviews until right before they happened.

There will always be those that say I was picked because I was so vocal about my dreams on twitter and my blog – and yes, I was obsessed. I don’t recommend it to anyone because it truly was a 1 in 20,000 chance that I would get chosen and the odds were against me. I thought I hadn’t  made it and yes, I was crushed. I learned during those few days that it’s great to have goals, but you have to be able to adjust them if they aren’t within your power to achieve. I couldn’t *make* Disney pick me, no matter how bad I “wanted it”. I had done my best and had just gotten to the point where I was able to move on (great thanks to everyone that I leaned upon during that time, I will never forget how you all tried to lift my spirits), when I got the 2nd email telling me there was a mistake. It wasn’t a 2nd chance – it was a mistake. Obviously, my emotions were all over the place at that point and I truly can’t say how I wouldn’t handled it if I made I then didn’t make it to round 3 or the finals. But fate had different plans and I did make it to round 3, on to the phone interviews and (obviously) the panel.

As thankful and grateful as I was after getting off that phone call, a part of me never really stopped to realize what an accomplishment it actually was and to soak that in. Part of me always had my own sense of self-doubt that I had ‘bugged’ my way onto the panel. Logically though, even I can see how ridiculous that is. Why would a multi-billion dollar company choose me out of tens of thousands of entries just to ‘shut me up’? The simple answer is, they wouldn’t. The team behind the Walt Disney World Moms Panel application process doesn’t enter lightly into their choices. And while I’m never going to be the one to say, “yeah, I’m pretty awesome” the fact that Disney thought I was worthy enough to be welcomed onto this panel, is an honor to be celebrated. It has, in fact, been an amazing journey and the friends I’ve made along the way have made it all the sweeter.

Now lets get back to the blog! Once I made the panel, I was kind of in a place of limbo with the blog. Will writing it interfere with my role on the Moms Panel? Should I step away from Disney topics and attempt to be a “mom blogger”? I chose the latter and soon found out it wasn’t for me. I have great respect for mom bloggers and the real-life topics they share with all of us trying to be successful parents. I have even greater respect for those that can be completely real, dirty laundry and all, all with amazing wit and wisdom thrown in. I tried to be involved in networks and ‘get myself out there’ as much as I could. However, I soon found that blogging the same giveaways 100 other moms were posting was not for me. I had built my community of readers up by sharing my experiences and love of Disney, and now I was trying to tell them about this exciting new product. I felt like I wasn’t being true to myself. So I again returned to Disney-centric posting.

Then a funny thing happened, my adorable little baby that was crawling around suddenly started walking and talking and running and wanting to get into everything all.the.time. My older kids had a lot going on at school too and my time to blog was suddenly reduced to maybe two hours a day…and in those same two hours I had to take a shower, keep up with laundry, clean the house and once April came around, answer questions on the Moms Panel. I know thousands of women do all this and more daily, but I just couldn’t keep up and actually get any writing done. There were (and are) multiple days in a row when I just can’t update the site. Then, of course, I get anxious. “OMG everyone’s going to delete my site from their feed, stop reading, move on, and forget about me!” And yes, I am admitting that I fear that. I am not making any money from this site and I’m not in it for ‘fame’ or ‘celebrity’ in fact it makes me cringe when I see pictures or video of myself, even though I love the opportunities that take place to hang out with the other people in those pictures and videos. What I was and am in it for is to fulfill my dream of writing. I’ve made some strides there and have been incredibly grateful for the breaks I’ve been given to be a guest author and now a contributing author at Whoa, Momma! Being on the Moms Panel has also been amazing and every time I log on to answer questions, I get a smile on my face.

So, where does that leave me? Well, I’ve never been an “information only” blog. I will share news or reviews but 99% of the time I still throw my personal spin on it. The thing about blogging is you want to share your stories with others. You want people to read and connect and interact. And once you get a little of that, it does become a little addictive. It’s hard not to think, how can I reach more people? How can I get more readers? And as noted, I do have down days where I want to give it all up. This blog will always be a personal blog for better or for worse. There are 100′s or even 1000′s of blogs and sites that will tell you the latest and greatest Disney news – and they are wonderful. ZannaLand will never be one of those sites.

What I will do is tell you how walking down Main Street, USA looking up at Cinderella Castle at night still gives me chills. I’ll tell you about my interactions with Dreamfinder in 1983 and how he and Figment wanted to connect the dots on my freckles. I’ll tell you about my when my two oldest children were little and their faces lit up at the ‘snow’ and lights at the Studios or how my youngest ran to the window of Animal Kingdom Lodge and yelled out “RAFFE!” as he saw his first live giraffe through the windows. In between, I’ll share some tips and other experiences that may make your vacation more enjoyable. Maybe I’ll give some things away. Maybe I’ll share some other bloggers with you, or other travel destinations I think you may enjoy. My point is, you’ll get me, my personal experiences and then some. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Hopefully, you’ll find something you can identify with and share back with me, because we’re just getting started.

Thank you for reading.

I was curious as to how we’d be seated for the night, since I knew Raglan Road did not have a closed-off area and the event was for 63 people. For those who’ve not yet been, throughout the restaurant you will find antique furnishings, grand fixtures, marble adornments, leaded glass, and ornate detailing.  The entire pub was built in Ireland then shipped to Orlando. As we arrived, the Irish band was just taking the stage.

Raglan Road is pleasing to the eye and ear from the moment you step inside.

We were taken to the Raglan Room to the left of the stage and bar. This oak-paneled room was built using original woods from an old Georgian mansion in Dublin. It was nicely intimate while still enjoying the ambiance of the rest of the venue.When we were seated, we found some nice items waiting for us.

At each place setting was a rose, a souvenir menu, and an autographed copy of Chef Kevin Dundon's most recent cookbook.

There were both large and small tables throughout the room. We were seated at a table for six. Like most group seating at Disney, there is usually an instant topic of conversation because of course, we are all fans of Disney. In this case, added to that was the fact that we were all lovers of food and wine and looking forward to the evenings selections. Soon our first choices were offered – wine and appetizers.

We were given a choice of 14 Hands Merlot, 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon, or Terrazas Torrontes. My husband chose the Merlot and enjoyed it while I had the Torrontes and proved yet again that I do indeed like good wine. Our next choice was between an appetizer of Goat Cheese Salad with Orange and Caramelized Walnuts served on a bed of Organic greens or Crispy Filet of Fresh Atlantic Salmon served in a Saffron Broth with Stewed Grape Tomatoes. I chose the former and my husband chose the latter.

Goat Cheese Salad with Orange & Caramelized Walnuts Served on a bed of Organic Greens. Delicious.

I cannot adequately put into words how well the components of this salad worked together. Individually, they were all wonderful, but when you combined the goat cheese with an orange, it burst with flavor. With the caramelized walnuts, it was a whole new taste and with the little peppered Parmesan cheese crust, another completely different and delicious combination. Pretty much perfection in a salad!

Crispy Fresh Atlantic Salmon in Saffron Broth with basil and stewed grape tomatoes

Here I have to admit that I am not a salmon person. I have tried it so many times and I just don’t enjoy it. However, my husband insisted I had to try this, and he was right. It really was wonderful. Even the tomatoes (which I also do not usually like) just melted in your mouth.

Next up, the soup that both of us were so looking forward to – Delicate Lobster Bisque garnished with Crème Fraiche and Lobster Meat. I don’t think any of the diners were prepared for the amazing presentation of this dish:

A bowl was brought out to each diner, with some fresh lobster meat and a dollop of crème fraiche...

Soon, the waitstaff came around with pots of the lobster bisque broth and added it to each bowl...

Instantly, the crème fraiche began melting into the bisque...

Resulting in a simply beautiful bowl of Lobster Bisque - not too heavy, perfectly seasoned and delectable.

Now I have to say, I could’ve gone home at this point completely satisfied, everything was so wonderful. The entrees were soon on their way and we had another choice here: Roast Loin of Lamb with Dauphinoise Potatoes and miniature Lamb Pie or Oven-roasted Turbot with Crispy Potato Scales and Caper Vinaigrette served on a Leek Fondue. My husband chose the lamb and I the turbot.

As you can see, the presentation was impeccable. The shot glass full of lamb pie was adorable and my husband thought every item was superb.

My Oven-roasted Turbot was wonderful. A Perfect combination of flavors and textures.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, dessert was individual mugs of Baked Chocolate Fondant (very similar to a chocolate souffle to my non-expert palate) with Stout-flavored ice cream. Again, presentation was all part of the experience here:

The cups of Baked Chocolate Fondue...

The stout-flavored ice cream melting into the fondue. Wonderful!

After desserts were served, we were all brought an Irish coffee which was a nice nightcap to the evening. Plates of hand-made Irish truffles were then also brought out to each table.

Our Irish Coffee to end the meal.

Hand-made Irish Truffles and Chocolates

After the final desserts, Chef Kevin Dundon came out and spoke to each person at every table. He was extremely personable and open to discussing the dishes and his work. It was a nice treat to meet the chef behind the creations we’d just enjoyed and Raglan Road Pub’s menu as well.

Chef Dundon speaking to our table-mates.

Of course I couldn't pass up a picture with Chef Dundon after we chatted. He loves Boston by the way.

All in all, it was a simply spectacular evening. I was so happy to be able to enjoy it with my husband. It has been a long time since we’ve experienced such a gourmet meal alone together. I would like to personally thank Chef Dundon and the staff at Raglan Road for the impeccable service we received. This night differed from the previous Tables in Wonderland event I’d been to in that it was a little larger and more focused on overall flavor combinations versus the one or two ingredients that the prior event featured. I’m really glad I was able to experience both and that’s just part of the benefit to being a Tables in Wonderland member!

I would have had this review posted sooner, but I had been trying in vain to get an interview from the exceptionally busy Chef Dundon. Finally I decided to just share the experience with you all and hopefully I’ll be able to post the interview sometime in the future (maybe even with a signed cookbook giveaway too!). Be sure to let the Raglan Road twitter account you’d love to read Chef Dundon’s interview on ZannaLand. UPDATE: The fine folks at the Raglan Road Pub twitter account informed me this morning that a response had been sent and to check my spam folder. I did and low and behold, there were the answers. Color me embarrassed! Stay tuned for Chef Kevin Dundon’s interview and a book giveaway next week! Interview or not, look for more unique items like those featured here when you visit Raglan Road at Downtown Disney and more events like this from Tables in Wonderland!

In celebration of the opening of Star Wars Weekends at Disney's Hollywood Studios ©Ron Riccio

Unlike me, Ryan grew up as a child of Fort Wilderness, so of course Tom Sawyer Island across the river from Frontierland was like another backyard to him during those years. When I mentioned on twitter that I’d never been, he was astounded at such a fact and wanted to remedy it. As I admitted there, I can thank Steve Birnbaum for instilling a fear of actually running into Injun Joe on the island. That was enough to keep 7-12 year old me away…okay, maybe 20 year-old me too. What can I say, I don’t like horror movies and I grew up hearing about places like Spooky World (formerly) in Berlin, Mass, where people jumped out at you so I wasn’t taking any chances even in the Magic Kingdom. I guess with three kids under my belt, I suddenly became fearless even if Injun Joe was waiting for me. (Which Ryan assured me was not the case.)

Anyway. I do not have the history or memories of this place that Ryan has and shares on his site, but it was still a marvelous place to explore and I definitely enjoyed the company along the way. As I’ve mentioned many times, one of my favorite parts about Walt Disney World is the immersion into the story. From the very basic understanding that there is only one Mickey all the way up to Mom and the cousins in the 50′s Prime Time Cafe thinking you’re using a walkie-talkie when you take out your cell phone, the whole point is to make you a part of the show. Tom Sawyer Island is a perfect example of that. The real world is already long gone, but now you leave even the fantasy land of rides and shows behind and enter another time, where you are exploring right along with Tom and Huck. While I have no doubt that the island has lost some of its original splendor and attention to detail, there are still many committed to the spirit which embodies this magical place.

As always, click the photos to enlarge.

Tom Sawyer Island "Welcum" sign from Tom himself (with some edits by Huck)

Your view as you look back to Frontierland from your raft

Potter's Mill as you approach the island

Injun Joe's Cave! We decided to brave this part first...will we survive?

Inside the cave, it is very dark, winding, and bumpy. You hear bats flying around you and wonder what lies around the next curve...

What's this? An eerie face within the cave?? EEK!

Whew! We made it out alive!!

As you travel throughout the island, be sure to stop and enjoy your surroundings

You never know was interesting sights you might see...these people look as though they headed to a funeral!

Next, we come upon a play area with tiny adventurers in mind

A nice place for kids to run around...

According to Ryan, the playground used to be much more elaborate.

Still, the theming is fun and it feels as though Huck and Tom could show up any moment

A boat serves as a useful roof

A tube slide and a tiny porthole

Across the way, there is an open area to rest and recoup before continuing your adventure.

Back by Potter's Mill, you can take a Little Crooked Bridge...

Or venture inside the mill!

And get rewarded with a bird's eye view at the top of the mill

Then we traverse a suspension bridge - where will it lead??

You’ll have to stay tuned for part two later this week to see. I hope you enjoyed the views so far. I have to say I really loved my visit and short of having a stroller, I think any aged child would have fun being able to explore the wilderness in a contained way like this. Even without kids, it’s a wonderful place to just relax, walk around and engage in some great conversation, which is exactly what I did. Thanks to Ryan P. Wilson of the Main St. Gazette again for the guided tour. More to come!

Mickey Gnome from Epcot's International Flower and Garden Festival ©Vanessa Guzan

The Walt Disney World Moms Panel {image ©Disney}

When I first began posting on twitter and started this blog, one of the first Disney Moms I discovered on twitter was @mefries. I soon discovered that she was the life of the Moms Panel party. In fact, it was Margaret’s tweets about meeting up with her “Moms Panel BFF’s” and all the fun they had together that really made me more obsessed with becoming part of the panel. So there you have it, this is all Margaret’s fault. Now that I’ve met Margaret and spoken with her in person and on the phone, I can see why she is so beloved among Moms panelists and Disney fans alike. She is just SO fun and full of life, she has such a great sense of humor and love of Disney – it’s contagious. I’m so happy and honored to have Margaret here to share some more about herself with all of us –

How did you first get interested in the Disney parks?

When I was a little girl, I recall wanting to visit Disney World so much, but our family vacations were always spent visiting out of state friends and family. Growing up, I watched all of the Disney classics over and over and was thrilled when a girlfriend moved to Tampa my freshman year of college. She invited me to spend my spring break with her, and we drove back and forth from her house to Disney World a number of times that week. I still remember the feeling as we drove to Magic Kingdom that first day, and I could barely contain my excitement as we entered the park and headed down Main Street. My first view of Cinderella Castle was a memory I will never forget. I was immediately hooked and made a number of trips down to visit my girlfriend and the parks. Luckily I met someone a few years later who enjoyed the Disney parks almost as much as me and had vacationed there many times as a boy. We knew Disney World was a place very special to both of us and a place we wanted to share once we had children.

Besides Disney, what are you most passionate about?

Certainly my family and friends. I am blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life starting with my husband and my boys, and I could never tell them enough how much their love and friendship mean to me.

The other passion in my life is sports. I am a sports nut! Unfortunately athletic ability was not something I was blessed with, so I make up for my shortcomings with my passion as a fan. I love most sports but especially baseball. I am a Die-hard Cubs fan, with Cubbie blue running through my veins. I also coach a number of my sons’ teams and love working with the kids to teach them the love of the sport.

Diane C. and Margaret plant a tree during the Disney Social Media Moms event

Tell us about your family – are they Disney fans too? What are some of your most memorable family experiences?

My husband Mark, and I have been married for 16 ½ years. We have three crazy, loud, adventurous boys. My oldest, Zachary, will be 14 in a couple of months and entering high school in the fall (eeks). Jacob just turned 10 and my youngest, Matthew was 8 just a few days ago (although I still consider him my baby). Luckily my husband was a Disney World fan when I met him, and the love of Disney was something that came naturally in our children. The boys have been visiting since they were babies and it is has come to be an escape from the craziness in our daily lives. My oldest son’s first trip was when he was ten months old and we have visited over forty times as a family since then. We are Disney Vacation Club members and there is never a week that goes by that we are not laughing at a past Disney World memory or anxiously finding a way to get back there again

Like any Disney family, I have so many incredible family memories but a few favorites pop to mind:

After enjoying a late breakfast at Cape May Café, I exited the restaurant to find my two youngest boys, about 4 and 2 at the time, laying flat on their stomachs in the resort lobby hallway. Lying right next to them, also on their stomachs, were Chip and Dale. The boys were playing with small matchbox cars and Chip and Dale were having a great time playing cars right along with them. They all laid there for some time with no thought of where they were, happy in their own little world. It was so funny to see Chip and Dale kicking their feet in the air right along with Jake and Matt

I am very close with my maternal grandmother, who is rather young and active still to have three great grandsons. She had never been to Disney World so we took her for her 75th birthday. It was such an amazing week with the boys so excited to show her around and share the Disney parks with her. One of the greatest things was to see the boys’ smiles and her tears of joy when Pooh and Eeyore helped lead the guests at Crystal Palace in singing Happy Birthday to her at dinner.

Recently my favorite memory has come from the boys’ fascination with Hidden Mickeys. Given that we travel to Disney often, the boys quickly picked up on the habit of searching for Hidden Mickeys throughout the parks and resorts. This has become such an interest for them that they have each bought their own set of Steve Barrett’s Hidden Mickey books. They get so excited when they find a new one and will actually stand and wait to point it out to other guests. We have spent many afternoons riding and re-riding the same attraction until we spot the last Mickey that we haven’t crossed off yet.

What is your dream job (you can answer at Disney, not Disney, both or neither!)

First and foremost it would be a job simply at Disney. While serving as a Mom Panelist, I have been able to experience a little taste of what it is like to “work” with such an amazing group of Cast Members and I would love to be a part of that family in general. However, if I could pick one specific role it would be an Imagineer. Now the frightening part is I am not sure I have even a tenth of the imagination that this talented group does, but to be in a position to dream and design ways to share the Disney magic would be a dream come true for sure!

What is your favorite Disney restaurant and why?

Crystal Palace is our family’s favorite Disney World restaurant. The boys love the buffet choices and I could eat the flan there all day long. The main reason it is our favorite however has nothing to do with the food. This restaurant holds so many memories of wonderful times together from character meals for my sons’ first trips to my grandmother’s birthday dinner, that it means a great deal to us as a family.

Clockwise from left: Margaret, me, Kathie F and Diane C at breakfast during Disney's Social Media Moms

What is the first thing you do when you arrive at Disney visit? What is your MUST DO during each visit?

Actually the first thing we do as a family has changed during the last few years. We typically stay at the Boardwalk or Beach Club resort, so we use to walk to Epcot once we arrived and head straight to the Land pavilion. Our first stop (and last before heading home) use to be Food Rocks. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Soarin‘ but for nostalgic reasons, I really miss Food Rocks. The boys loved the funky singing food and cheesy remade songs and I think we loved that there was little line and we could get them into an attraction and make them happy almost immediately. Since Food Rocks has disappeared, we often begin our trip by heading to Magic Kingdom and the required stop at Aloha Isle before heading over for our first of many spins on Pirates of the Caribbean.

We definitely must see Wishes and Illuminations during our stay and I refuse to leave Disney World without at least three or four trips on Pirates of the Caribbean and just as many Dole Whip floats in my belly. Every trip has to include a round or two of miniature golf and a stop at the lego play area. Even if we are not staying there, we must hang out on the Boardwalk at least one night and enjoy the free entertainment. My kids love the comedians and magicians that perform there. We have seen them so many times that they know most of them by name, and all of their shows but we still must sit and watch every performance. My middle son will not leave until he has rode all the various forms of Disney transportation and we have often spent an afternoon using monorails, boats and buses just moving around property to make him happy.

What do you wish there were more of at Disney? Less?

I really think there is a perfect balance at Disney World. This balance is what makes it a perfect vacation destination for all as there is something there to please everyone. I do wish there was an easier way to move from one resort to another. We love to resort hop but rarely have a car with us, so it does become an exhausting process to take multiple forms of transportation to get from one Disney resort to another.

I would love for there to be shorter lines, or more hours in the day to enjoy while there but I’m not thinking either one is possible. Ah wait, I do know one thing…I wish there was more of Captain Will Turner there. {I’m on board for that! ~Z}

What type of music are you into?

I would like to say I enjoy most music but as I think of the various types I notice there are a number I don’t care for as much. I typically stay away from rap, blues, jazz, techno. I have to turn all of that off. I enjoy country, as it is what I grew up listening to since my family is from the south. Now days I would consider myself a top 40, classic rock gal. My absolute favorite artist is Billy Joel and my favorite band would be REO Speedwagon, but I have spent plenty of money and time at concerts ranging from Amy Grant and the Beach Boys to Rush, Metallica, the Police and Bon Jovi. I also have plenty of Radio Disney selections in my car like Jonas Brothers and Mitchel Musso and we listen to Disney movie collections quite frequently.

What’s the last book you read that you really enjoyed?

The last two books I read were actually Ridley Pearson books (who I was lucky enough to just meet and chat with and he is awesome). I read Kingdom Keepers III Disney in Shadow and can’t wait for the next book in the series. Then knowing I was going to have a chance to chat with Ridley, I purchased the first book in the Peter and the Star Catcher series. The boys and I enjoyed Peter’s adventures so much that I just went and purchased the next two books in the series. I like to read numerous books at the same time so I also just finished Nicholas Sparks’ book, The Last Song, and yes I cried.

Describe YOUR perfect Disney vacation (could be solo, with family, friends anything, no limitations).

I actually have a three favorite Disney vacations:

Certainly the first is with my family and extended family. Especially now that the boys are old enough to help plan the trips and give their input it makes it wonderful to know the vacation is something that they helped create.

I took my first solo trip a few years ago and while I was concerned that I would look odd alone at Disney, I quickly discovered how it is a perfect place to travel alone. There are so many incredible tours you can take and exhibits and shows that you can wander through. I loved having the chance to actually take my time and look at all the details and special touches that go into Walt’s dream and this incredible place.

The last favorite Disney trip has become one with my fellow Disney Moms Panelists. We have become such a close group of friends and I miss them all so much since we are spread out everywhere, so to have the chance to spend time with them, in my favorite place, is a perfect combination.

Feel free to share your little “interesting tid-bit” from training or some other surprising fact about you. (that you don’t mind the internet knowing!)

Hmm not sure that I have anything interesting about me to share. First and foremost I love people and I love to talk. I love meeting new people and consider myself outgoing and friendly. I tend to be a bit obsessive, meaning there is no halfway with me. I love the saying go hard or go home meaning take everything you do, and do it full steam ahead. Of course this obsessive behavior leads to things like me watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies over 400 times due to a slight infatuation with Will Turner aka Orlando Bloom. Yes I know it is an illness J I am a Disney trivia/history nut. I love to learn about why things are where they are or the story behind every prop or attraction and will peek behind every curtain and chat with every Cast Member if given the chance. Oh and contrary to the belief of my fellow Moms, I do sleep, I just don’t sleep very much.

I have recently begun co-hosting a Disney podcast called Mr. Frank’s Wild Ride which is broadcast on the WDWNT network and can be found at www.mrfrankswildride.com.

When I was a teenager I use to spend all my extra money and time to go to Cubs games hoping to talk to now, Hall of Famer, Ryne Sandberg. I once waited over four hours for a chance to have my picture taken with him and for my 16th birthday all I wanted was a ticket to the Cubs Care charity dinner so I would have the chance to meet him. (which I did, yeah!)

I was chosen as a Presidential Classroom scholar while in high school and spent a week in Washington DC as a guest of the government and during college was a delegate with the Mock United Nations representing the Ukraine.

Pretty cool! Thank you so much Margaret for sharing a bit more about you and your family! Remember to look for Margaret at the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, where you can ask her all of your Disney World vacation planning questions. You can also keep up with Margaret on twitter @mefries and listen in to the Mr. Frank’s Wild Ride podcast too! And just maybe you’ll see her closing down the parks next time you visit Walt Disney World, too!

This way to the water park!

After sharing news of the opening of CoCo Key Water Resort‘s Orlando location,  I wanted to provide a more in-depth review of the resort and its amenities. Thanks to the resort and their Orlando representative Vicki Johnson, I was able to spend Mother’s Day weekend there with my family and do just that.

We checked in at around 2pm, even though the official check-in time is 4pm as they had a ‘family suite’ available for us. The front desk hostess asked us what configuration of beds we’d like and after I said a king room and a room with two queen beds would be perfect, she found exactly what we were looking for. We received our wristbands for the water park and she told us we’d be in building 6, the tallest building at the resort. We discovered upon parking and finding the elevator to our rooms on the fourth floor that it really doesn’t matter which side of the building you park on; it was easily accessible on both sides with the elevator in the middle.

I have to say I was hoping to get a room right in front of the water park section, but building 6 was a perfect choice: centrally located between the water park and quiet pool area, right next to the grab ‘n go store and close to the restaurants and arcade. If you were coming to the resort and not planning to take advantage of the water park, I’d recommend buildings 1-5, which are closest to the lobby and quiet pool. Keep in mind that the restaurants are located in the water park area, though.

The theming and redesign of the hotel did not end in the rooms or the lobby, the hallways and areas in front of the elevator are all nicely decorated. Our adjoining rooms 6427 and 6429, side by side. The rooms we were shown on the ground floor in front of the water park were actually adjoined front to back. I’m not sure if the rooms in this building are bigger, but they seemed it. In any event, we had more than enough room and if we were the kind of family that could have a grandmother, two parents, two kids 9 and 11, and a baby in one room, there would’ve been more than enough room if we’d gotten the configuration with two double beds and a sleep sofa. We are not, however, that family, so the adjoining rooms worked out well.

One issue that we noted was with the electrical outlets within the room. There were two nice little pop-up outlets in the vanity area as you walked into the room, but we discovered that those outlets were only active when the light to that vanity was on. Not really good for charging phones or iPods overnight. We then began a quest for working outlets, only to discover one of the bedside lamps actually wasn’t plugged in at all. This was also the case for the lamp on the desk area and a standing lamp, because there were just no outlets by the lamps. Again, this might be an opening-month kink that will right itself as they figure out the needs in each room. We had enough outlets, but I’m sure it wasn’t the goal to have 3 non-working lamps in the room. There were still plenty of working lamps and we weren’t bothered by it at all.

The view we had was actually really interesting because it overlooked the water park and even though one section is covered, there’s an opening below the roof so you could see in to all the fun. The AC units on top of the roofs of those buildings weren’t all that attractive, but I know it comes with the territory. Beyond that, we could see I-4, but it was not at all loud. Once inside the room you could not hear any hallway noise from other rooms either. The water park actually closes at 7pm and does not open until 11am, but we were told at the front desk hours may increase as we head into summer.

Our king room at CoCo Key Water Resort

Everything in the room from the sofa to the chair to the king sized bed was extremely comfortable. The room and bathroom just had a more deluxe feel than anything you are typically used to at this price range on International Drive, or even the value resorts at Walt Disney World. I mean, my kids love Pop Century and I love the theming, but the beds definitely leave something to be desired. That was not the case here. The granite shower surround and counters in the bathroom, the dark wood throughout, and the flat screen tv also led to a more luxurious feel. Oh, and did I mention FREE Wi-Fi?? That was a godsend!

We wasted no time and headed right down to the water park that looked so exciting during the grand opening. It lived up to its expectations as well.  It was nicely crowded as would be expected on a Saturday afternoon but not overly so. There were a lot of day visitors checking in at the counter, which at $14.99 for a Florida resident rate and $19.99 for non-residents, I can see why. There are staff to check your wristbands at the entrance to the water park area. Apparently if you are a guest of the hotel, you are to keep your wristband on for the length of your stay for entrance to the water park. To me, this is not the most convenient method. We had removed our bands after visiting the water park, before heading over to Downtown Disney. We had not been told at check-in to keep them on. When we called to check what we needed to do for the next day’s visit to the park, we were told we were supposed to keep them on, and if we wanted new ones, we had to hand in our old bands first. Luckily we hadn’t thrown them out yet. When we did get new bands, they were a slightly different color, which made me wonder if we were supposed to get new ones anyway? I’d imagine that might be confusing for the check-in to the park. This may just be an issue that will get smoothed out over time though.

I remember thinking at the grand opening that they were bringing out more life guards than usual for the event, but there were the same amount if not more last weekend. They were all very alert and communicated well with each other to track when a guest had exited a slide or keeping guard on on swimmers in the pool. With the amount of kids everywhere, I’d have thought for sure running or horsing around would be an issue, but this was not so. The other thing I quickly realized is that even with what seemed like a big crowd, there was never more than a few minutes wait for even the most popular slides. There was also no shortage of chairs to sit down in or stow your towels. This is the main difference in deciding to check out a smaller water park like this even if you are not staying at the hotel. You give up larger spaces for things like wave pools and lazy rivers, but you are pretty much always in eye-site of your child and they are able to go on slides over and over within minutes.

Parrot's Perch provides endless splashing!

The 18 month-old had a great time too. We let him splash around the Minnows Lagoon area but he also loved walking around the Parrot’s Perch area, which had lots of little fountains and splashing water everywhere. The big kids had endless fun going from the teen pool with its tube slide to the Parrot’s Perch area, to the big Adventure Slides. They loved the views of Disney World from the top of the tower. Even my more cautious 11 year-old took a turn on the big orange and blue covered slide. And maybe this old mom even had a couple of turns on the  slides in the Parrot’s Perch area. Shhh. (I definitely wasn’t the only parent having fun on the slides either)

My mom also enjoyed  the bar service where the waiter came right over to the table and took her order. It was nice having a water waiting when we got out of the pool too. The kids wanted to explore the huge arcade but we still had reservations back at Disney to get to so we didn’t get there this time. I definitely want to next time though, and I’m sure there will be a next time because CoCo Key Water Resort was a big hit with all three kids.

CoCo Key Orlando is about ten minutes from the Disney area and easily accessible off I-4 at the Sandlake Rd. exit, or you can just take I-Drive east all the way. What I liked most about CoCo Key is the fact that it lived up to its name as a resort. You could stay there and never leave the property, which I will admit, is a benefit that I have become spoiled with, thanks to Disney resorts. I can’t imagine staying at just any hotel on I-Drive as a resident, but with CoCo Key, I could comfortably stay there and still head over to the Disney Parks, or Universal too. If you are the exploring type, CoCo Key is located right next to a Dunkin Donuts, across from Chuckie Cheese, CiCi’s Pizza and withing walking distance of Denny’s and iHop, and countless other restaurants and shops. Ooh, I almost forgot, the staff in every area of the resort from check-in to lifeguards to the custodian that stopped to talk to my little guy, were wonderfully pleasant and accommodating. Th definitely makes a difference for overall experience and the desire to return.

Thank you again to CoCo Key Resort Orlando and Vicki Johnson Communications for providing my family with two rooms for one night with two days of water park access. This generous offer did not influence my review in any way.

I could probably fill a million blog entries with the memories and emotions I feel about being a mother. It is, quite simply, the one thing I knew I was destined for before I was even married. Believe it or not (ok, so it’s probably pretty easy to believe if you are a frequent reader) a lot of how I knew I wanted to be a mom is tied to Disney. I would cry at Disney movies knowing I wanted to share the love I saw on screen with my own children some day. I’d watch other people’s children dance around at the end of the Festival of the Lion King show in Animal Kingdom and be a crying fool thinking of how sweet they were…hoping to someday share memories like that.

I never babysat as a child, in fact, I never even changed a diaper until my first son’s 11 years ago. It wasn’t that I had this need to ‘mother’ or that I felt I would somehow be great at it, it was more about the memories I knew would be there. I had such a wonderful childhood and I wanted to be able to give that experience to my own children. I wanted to treasure my children as much as my mom treasured me. I don’t think I’ve measured up to the bar she set, but I keep trying.

Children represent innocence and pure joy and it is reflecting upon that which brings a tear to my eye. I don’t think any mom will argue that some of the best moments of motherhood are sneaking a peak at a sweetly sleeping baby, or hearing them squeal in laughter. And all they ask in return is love – they could care less if they are dirty or don’t live in a mansion, or have the latest designer baby clothes. Love. That’s all. I think that’s a pretty good deal, don’t you? The benefits are certainly in our favor. We get to watch a miracle be born and grow and thrive and succeed in life. That’s better than any pay check or Mother’s Day bouquet if you ask me.

I’ll stop with the mush here, but leave you with my Mother’s Day gift to you – two of my favorite Disney songs about motherhood, in all its various forms. Dumbo’s mother did what any of us would do if our child were in danger, and the complete despair she felt, put aside by Dumbo needing her, is so expertly captured here. I have sung this song to all my babies, from the moment they were born, through the depths of post-partum blues, to when they were too big to carry any longer. They will all always be my ‘baby mine’.

Tarzan is one of my favorite films. It came out the year my first son was born, so I was pretty much a jiggly puddle of emotions that whole year anyway. The different kinds of love portrayed here, the fact that all a family needs is love, not rules of how things should be, combined with the music just make me tear up every time. Always. Always and all ways. I’ll be there. So true.

Followed by a link to a trailer of the new movie Babies, opening on Mother’s Day. When I saw this preview a couple of months back, I was completely blown away by the images. Again, it doesn’t matter if you are raising your child in an advanced city, or in the savanna, LOVE is what matters – and it’s what you get back ten thousand-fold as a mother.

I wish all reading this a blessed Mother’s Day. To my own mother, words cannot properly convey the thanks I have for your years of unconditional love, wisdom and guidance. To the 42 new (to me) moms (& dads) I’ve had the privilege of meeting this past year, thank you for your gifts of friendship and desire to be a better mom myself. To my children, thank you for bestowing on my the greatest gift I could ever hope for. ♥

Please have tissues ready before clicking play on any of these videos.

click to get to the trailer page and other info on the movie.

Happy Mother’s Day ♥