Archives for August 2012

BREAKING: New Fantasyland Opening Date of December 6 Announced!

7 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Maurice's Cottage — Maurice’s cottage in New Fantasyland, where Enchanted Tales with Belle will take place. Image ©Disney

The Disney Parks Blog just announced the news we’ve all been waiting for, the date for the next phase of the New Fantasyland expansion to open to guests!

With Storybook Circus quickly becoming a favorite part of the new Fantasyland, the Parks Blog today shared details of the next area of Storybook Circus to open, Pete’s Silly Sideshow. There guests can meet their favorite characters in their Storybook Circus-themed finest: Minnie Magnifique (Minnie Mouse as a circus star), Madame Daisy Fortuna (Daisy Duck as a fortuneteller), The Great Goofini (Goofy as a daredevil stunt pilot), and The Astounding Donaldo (Donald Duck as a snake charmer).

Locals and far-off visitors alike have been cheering the attention to detail we’ve seen in Storybook Circus, and have been anxiously awaiting the walls to come down so we may see more of that Imagineering magic in the Enchanted Forest.

We now know that opening on December 6 will be the highly anticipated Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction, Ariel’s Grotto meet and greet location, the Be Our Guest Restaurant, Gaston’s Tavern and Enchanted Tales with Belle character interaction experience as well as Bonjour! Village Gifts.

Previews of these attractions will begin November 19.

I know I am not alone in being ridiculously excited for these new attractions and experiences. I was lucky enough to step “behind the wall” a few of months back and it looks like it will live up to expectations and be a magical place to stroll through and explore.

Prince Eric’s Castle at Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid. Image ©Disney

Chandelier from Be Our Guest Restaurant — Gorgeous chandelier from the Be Our Guest Restaurant. Image ©Disney

The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster and Princess Fairytale Hall Meet and Greet location will be opening at later dates, so watch for future announcements. What are you most looking forward to when Enchanted Forest officially opens?

Raglan Road Hosts Central Florida’s First Boutique Irish Festival: ‘Great Irish Hooley’

7 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

It is no secret that Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant is one of my favorite spots at Downtown Disney here in Orlando. I’ve always been a fan of their amazing Chef Kevin Dundon‘s creations as well as the great live music and atmosphere the location offers. Having grown up outside of Boston, the granddaughter of Irish immigrants, I’ve also always had a great love in my heart for Irish music and dancing. Many high school friends took part in Irish step-dancing and I was always amazed by their syncopated movements and talent. Now Raglan Road brings some great Irish culture to all of us here in Central Florida, with their first ever boutique Irish festival called “The Great Irish Hooley” taking place from August 31-September 3 at Downtown Disney.

Here is all the official information about what exactly a Hooley is and what to expect there:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Labor Day weekend guests at Downtown Disney Pleasure Island can eat, drink, dance and celebrate during Central Florida’s first boutique Irish festival — The Great Irish Hooley — August 31 through Sept. 3.

A traditional Irish social celebration, the “Hooley” combines music ranging from traditional to rock tunes with entertainment and interactive fun for the whole family. Raglan Road’s Great Irish Hooley will make the long weekend memorable with a mix of great Irish bands, Irish Dance Workshops for anyone in the family, structured set dancing known as the Ceili (pronounced kay-lee), Celtic face-painting Saturday through Monday and authentic food and beverages for all.

“At last, Orlando has its own boutique Irish festival like those found back home in Ireland and in certain other U.S. cities,” says John Cooke, a founding partner of Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant. “This unique Irish festival will be jam packed with the best of Irish music and entertainment outside of Ireland.”

The four-day party kicks off Friday, August 31 at 5 p.m. and continues through midnight Monday, Sept 3. The Great Irish Hooley entertainment lineup includes six top Irish bands and a troupe of acclaimed dancers:

o Full Set, a popular Irish band that released its successful debut album last year. The band plays the festival Friday through Monday to begin a U.S. tour that includes the Milwaukee Irish Fest.

Raglan Road Great Irish Hooley 'Full Set 2 — This Irish band begins its U.S. tour at the Hooley — they recently released their hit debut album

o Elevation, the U2 Tribute Band. Elevation will play the pub stage Saturday and a full show under the Florida sky on the patio stage Sunday evening.

o Creel, Raglan Road’s popular house band, will play all weekend.

o The Raglan Rogues, here from Dublin with their energetic expression of Irish folk and traditional tunes, will play Thursday through Monday.

o Danny Burns brings his unique blend of Irish ballads and contemporary Irish music to Raglan Friday through Monday.

o Johnny “Snaggs” Norton is a renowned Dublin entertainer in the tradition of the great Irish folk and ballad groups who has toured worldwide with Riverdance. His performances Saturday through Monday include sing-along songs from the great Traditional Irish Songbook.

o The Raglan Road Irish Dancers, the resident six-strong troupe of champion Irish dancers plucked from the stages of the most famed Irish dance shows, perform throughout the weekend.

Raglan Road Dancers — Guests can watch this amazing troupe of award-winner dancers almost every evening at Raglan Road. They’ll be part of the Irish Dance Workshops with Ronan McCormack

On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, guests can participate in Irish Dance Workshops — “From Our Roots to Riverdance” — with renowned Irish dancer and choreographer Ronan McCormack of the original Riverdance cast and the Raglan Road Dancers.Ronan will chart and demonstrate the origins and traditional styles of Irish Dance through to the contemporary styles of dance made famous by Riverdance. And on each of those three afternoons, guests can step up for a two-hour Ceili (kay-lee) – a traditional music and structured set-dancing event that was the precursor to today’s popular country line dancing.

Throughout the Hooley, guests can belly up to one of Raglan Road’s 130-year-old imported-from-Ireland bars or grab a table for authentic fare by Irish celebrity chef Kevin Dundon. The restaurant, a Diners’ Choice 2012 award winner, is known for its beer-battered fish and chips, as well as its Shepherd’s pie with a contemporary twist, delectable seafood, Kevin’s Heavenly Ham and other popular entrees. Desserts like the Bread & Butter Pudding and the decadently chocolate Dunbrody Kiss are just as popular. Raglan Road also offers gluten-free items including scallops, fish and chips, calamari, onion rings and pasta dishes.

Owned and operated by Irish partners and celebrity chef Kevin Dundon – famous for his five-star hotel and cookery school in Ireland – Raglan Road features traditional Irish dishes and new creations with a Celtic twist. The restaurant’s warm interior of aged walnut and mahogany woods from old Irish bars and churches was built in Ireland and shipped to Orlando. Live entertainment nightly includes Irish house band Creel (Monday through Saturday) and Irish duo Johnny and Justin (Sundays) plus The Raglan Road Irish Dancers perform seven nights a week. Lunch is served 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Dinner 3-11 p.m.; Bar menu 11 p.m.-late. Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant is located on Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney in the Walt Disney World Resort, 1640 E. Buena Vista Dr., Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Visit RaglanRoad.com or call 407/938-0300.

Special “Odd Life of Timothy Green” Online Q&A Session With Jennifer Garner

6 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

From her first reading of the script, Jennifer Garner knew this was a film she wanted to be involved with. She was taken not only by the storytelling, but also by the characters of Cindy and Jim Green who wish themselves a boy at a time when they thought all bets were off on having a child. “This is the most relatable film I have ever worked on,” says Garner, “because I am a parent, but also because I am a sister, a daughter, a child.”

Now you are invited to a special online Q&A with actress Jennifer Garner for Disney’s The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Register for the free event at constellation.tv and on August 14 at 2:45 PM EST, watch an online sneak peek followed by an interactive Q&A with Jennifer Garner joining live via webcam to answer audience questions. See more details here at www.constellation.tv/event/oddlifelive . Check out instructions below to take part:

More Marvel Tokidoki Shirts Bring on the Super+Cute!

6 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

It was just about a year ago that I first strolled into Downtown Disney’s West Side shop, D-Street and saw these adorable Marvel Tokidoki crossover t-shirts. Last night I was browsing again and found even more adorable new Marvel Tokidoki shirts. This time, Thor and unicorns are involved. I couldn’t ask for anything better. See the new designs below:

Marvel Tokidoki Spiderman hat — Marvel Tokidoki Spiderman baseball cap

Marvel Tokidoki Storm — Storm gets a Tokidoki makeover too!

Marvel Tokidoki Spiderman vs. Hulk — Hulk vs. Spiderman

Marvel Tokidoki Spiderman hoodie — Back of the Spiderman date hoodie

Marvel Tokidoki Hulk hoodie — Hulk is smashing through your hoodie!

Marvel Tokidoki — Iron Man and the X-Men

Marvel Tokidoki Captain America — Cap is lookin’ serious!

Marvel Tokidoki Iron Man Captain America and Thor — Iron Man, Cap and Thor are in a rockin’ band!

Marvel Tokidoki Thor — Thor, riding a Tokidoki unicorn. Must have.

As mentioned above, I found these at D-Street, but I’m sure they are available in other shops on Disney property as well. I just love this crossover!

REVIEW: The Odd Life of Timothy Green – A Heartwarming Instant Classic

5 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

I was almost reluctant to attend a media screening of Disney’s The Odd Life of Timothy Green, simply because I knew it would be a tear-jerker. Since I cry at the drop of a hat (just watching or listening to other people’s kids at Walt Disney World makes me tear up all the time, in addition to, of course, my own), I knew I was in for it when the premise was a couple who dreamt up the perfect child and he appeared in the garden one night. That said, I still wanted to see exactly what happened and where the story took us.

The tale unfolds in fictional Stanleyville, the “Pencil Capital of the World.” Filmed in Georgia, the town represents “Anywhere, U.S.A.,” bringing us back to a simpler time and place. The couple, Jim and Cindy Green, played by Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Garner, work in the small town’s pencil factory and pencil museum respectively. They live in an adorable farmhouse, and seem to want for nothing – except for the fact that despite trying everything they could, they were unable to conceive a child they so desperately wanted. Cindy handles her grief by wanting to just move on and put the pain behind them, while Jim decides that they need to write down qualities that they’d want their dream child to have. They laugh and cry together as they create this perfect little person on paper, then put the papers in a box and bury it in the garden. That night a crazy storm arrives and with it, Timothy – an 11-ish year old boy who appears with leaves on his legs, wanting to call the Greens “Mom and Dad.”

Click to watch the trailer.Once the shock wears off and they realize that this is, in fact, the child they dreamed of, the real parenting begins. The film then brings us on a journey of life lessons, laughter, and heart, as we all fall in love with Timothy. Of course, Timothy Green is no ordinary child. In addition to the leaves, which his parents hide with socks, warning him that not everyone will understand, he also stands with arms raised when the sun shines, seeming to soak in its rays and be rejuvenated by them. In this way, I was reminded of the movie Powder, where someone so different arrived on the scene and everyone was able to learn from his differences. Timothy’s odd behavior attracts the attention of a girl who also feels different, and the two form a lovely relationship full of friendship, love and beauty.

The overall tone of the movie reminded me of classics like Big, a film which I love watching because of the feeling of “home” you get and the lessons the characters learn along the way. Timothy Green is no exception, leaving us fondly remembering childhoods and family, and giving us messages of hope and love. The performances within the film are wonderful as well, CJ Adams as Timothy is just captivating and will own your heart. We can all identify with the various characters portrayed, from annoying bosses to competitive siblings to parents we don’t want to emulate, making the film relateable to all.

There are some details I won’t give away here, but I can definitely see The Odd Life of Timothy Green becoming a family classic. We are left remembering what’s truly important in this life, and, parent or not, how we treat others becomes how we live our lives. I definitely recommend watching it with family and friends, and hugging when it’s all over.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green opens August 15 in theatres everywhere. You can “Like” The Odd Life of Timothy Green on Facebook or Follow The Odd Life of Timothy Green on Twitter.

Locals and Visitors-Win $50 To Use At Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores

3 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

August is now upon us and back to school sales are filling up the local stores. A great place to get some shopping done for the school year is right around the corner from Walt Disney World – the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores. I remember when I was little, I always loved going to the outlets up in New England for back to school clothes, shoes, and backpacks. Not surprisingly, consumers recently surveyed by the National Retail Federation noted that shopping smarter and stretching their budget will be a priority. Now, whether you’re a local or a visitor to our fine state, you could win a $50 gift certificate to use at any of the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores, one of Central Florida’s best-kept shopping secrets where you’ll find savings up to 75% off at select stores.

The village-style center offers a customer-friendly shopping experience and 50 spacious outlet shops with convenient store-front parking, including favorites: Aeropostale, American Swimwear, Carter’s, Converse Shoes, Dressbarn, Eddie Bauer Outlet, Fossil, G by GUESS, Gap Outlet, Izod, Levi’s® Outlet Store, Loft Outlet, NikeFactoryStore, Old Navy Outlet and featuring outlet exclusives; OshKosh, Reebok, Samsonite, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger, Travelpro, Wilsons Leather Outlet and many more!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tax-free days are now through midnight on Sunday but deals will still be happening throughout the month. Even if you don’t win the giveaway, you can still get in on the savings by downloading a coupon from the Center’s website, then bringing it to Travelpro at the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores to receive a coupon booklet valued up to $400 in savings. The Center is located at 15657 S Apopka Vineland Rd (SR 535), Orlando, FL 32821.

Shop happy!

Russell Brand as Captain Hook?!

1 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

For years now, I have enjoyed the Annie Leibovitz Disney Dream Portraits and am thrilled to see a sneak peek at two new photos on the Disney Parks Blog today. When I saw that the first portrait was one of my favorites, Russell Brand, I was even more excited. Check out the two images below:

Russell Brand as Captain Hook – The caption: “Where every moment leaves you hungry for more.” – Image ©Disney and Annie Leibovitz

Jack Black, Will Ferrell, and Jason Segel as the Hitchhiking Ghosts – The caption reads: “Where you can go on the ride of your afterlife.” – Image ©Disney and Annie Leibovitz

The above images and more from Annie Leibovitz will be featured as inserts in fall issues of GQ, O – The Oprah Magazine, People, People En Español, Vanity Fair, Real Simple, Essence, and InStyle. Which is your favorite so far??