Suzannah Otis

Must Eats: New Signature Mini Indulgences at Seasons 52

29 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I remember when Seasons 52 opened here in the Orlando area, I was excited about their concept of no butter, no frying, and all meals under a certain number of calories, along with seasonal menus for constant updating and freshness. But then life got in the way and I never did try it out. Boy am I sorry I didn’t try it sooner. Seasons 52 invited me out to try their new additions to their Signature Mini Indulgences desserts, and I am now a convert! If you don’t follow me on twitter or instagram or facebook, let me fully extol the virtues of these desserts – just read on!

First, Seasons 52 was smart, and had a whole set up for the tasting, we got to pick one of their popular flatbreads, then all the desserts were brought out and paired with three different wines to complement the different flavors in each dessert. Brilliant. Since we had never been there before, I was so glad we got to try some of the food too. We chose the Grilled Garlic Pesto Chicken, which is made with roasted red peppers, balsamic onions, mozzarella, arugula and a pesto caesar dressing. It was delicious. Just the right size to share (we actually could’ve shared with more than the two of us, but since we didn’t eat lunch, it was perfect. The pesto was so flavorful and everything tasted so fresh and just the right amount of crunch with the flatbread. I will definitely be ordering this again, or trying one of the other flavors.

Next, they brought out the desserts, and we got to try all NINE kinds, which again, was brilliant because there is no way I could’ve decided which to try on my own.

Seasons 52 Signature Mini Desserts — Seasons 52 Tasting Menu

Seasons 52 Wine — Wine selections: Port, Reisling, and Malbec

The newest flavors added to the menu starting today are:

The decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte begins with chocolate cake baked in-house. The rich cake is layered with chocolate sauce, peanut butter mousse and chocolate peanut crunch, then garnished with a tuile – a housemade peanut crisp.
The Belgian Chocolate S’More is Seasons 52’s take on the classic campfire treat. This new Mini Indulgence features chocolate cake layered with chocolate mousse and chocolate chips, then topped with a toasted marshmallow and a chocolate dipped graham cracker.
The new Fresh Blueberries & Lemon Curd mini features vibrant, creamy lemon curd slow-cooked in-house at Seasons 52. The curd is mixed with blueberries, topped with whipped cream, and finished with a sprig of Chervil.

Also appearing seasonally and are:

Butterscotch Budino with Salted Caramel – a rich butterscotch custard topped with caramel, finished with Hawaiian black sea salt and a dollop of sour cream (currently available)
Toasted Almond Amaretto Crunch – almond cake soaked in Amaretto DiSaronno, layered with glazed Marcona almonds, vanilla mousse and a pipette of amaretto
Bing Cherry Crème Brulee – Bing cherry compote topped with housemade vanilla custard cream and a bruleed crisp sugar top

And the favorites that are remaining on the menu:

Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bean Mousse and a cinnamon honey-glazed pecan
Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Honey with cream cheese icing and a candied carrot garnish
Key Lime Pie with toasted meringue and a double layered graham cracker crust.
Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cannoli with a cinnamon cannoli shell
Mocha macchiato with chocolate cake, caramel sauce and whipped cream.

It was SO hard to choose a favorite. The ones I loved most were the Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte, because unlike many peanut butter desserts, this was not too sweet and fake-tasting. The peanuts on top were just the perfect crunch. I also loved the Pecan Pie, again, not too sweet. And of course, the S’mores, it’s hard not to like chocolate! If you’re looking for a light and refreshing option, the Fresh Blueberries and Lemon Curd is for you. The blueberries were perfectly in season, plump and juicy. I also really loved teh Butterscotch Budino. This is like your old favorite butterscotch pudding all grown up. The Hawaiian black sea salt was ridiculous. It brought out all of the butterscotch and caramel flavors and made your taste buds dance. I need to plan my next visit just writing about this now!

I really was pleasantly surprised by Seasons 52 and must go back and give it a try for a full meal. Again, kicking myself for not trying it all these years! If you weren’t aware, all the menu items are under 457 calories and as mentioned above, no butter, no frying. They also have a variety of special dietary needs menus, including dairy free, vegan, and gluten free. The menu changes seasonally, with an additional seasonal specials section added each week and also boast an international selection of 100 wines.

Special thanks to Seasons 52 for inviting us out to try their menu. The tasting menu was complimentary but my reactions and opinions are my own. You can visit www.Seasons52.com, like them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Seasons52 or follow @Seasons52 on Twitter – and call your closest location to make reservations or also book through OpenTable.com. Now go get some dessert!

Walt Disney World’s Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Preview

28 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s off to the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train we go! The long-anticipated final jewel (pun intended) in the New Fantasyland crown is about to be complete. Local, national and international media and travel professionals will be descending on the Walt Disney World Resort in just a few days, to learn all they can about this new family roller coaster, as well as other news and updates from around the resort. Some of the other topics we may hear about include the latest updates to the My Magic+ system and Magic Bands plus what’s coming up this summer at WDW.

I’ve made a choice not to share too much of the attraction as it has been revealed. I know I will be wowed when I ride for the first time, and want you all to have that same experience first hand. With all of the whirlwind of activities coming up starting this Wednesday night, I thought it would be a good idea to have a landing page where you can find all of the updates from the events, and where to follow along with me. Feel free to add me at the following outlets if you don’t already:

Twitter: @zannaland – here is where my main updating will happen. It’s easiest for me to tweet news and tidbits, retweet other folks who are at the event or official accounts, and it’s also where all of my instagrams will be shared.

Instagram: @zannaland – this is the easiest (and most fun) way for me to share photos and short videos with you all. All instagrams will be shared to twitter and my facebook page as well.

facebook: zannaland – as above, all of my instagrams will be shared here, as well as future blog posts and videos from the events.

YouTube: zannaland – Any videos from the opening will be posted here

Check back here for updates, photos and more – and feel free to share, RT, like, or otherwise share the love that you see here! ♥

See you in the Mine!

First Look: Disney Animation’s Next Short – “Feast”

24 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

The tradition of opening an animated feature film with a short, adopted from the Pixar films, is continuing with the next full-length animated film – Big Hero 6, opening on November 7, 2014. The newest short will be called “Feast” and comes to us from first-time director Patrick Osborne, who was the head of animation in the now beloved, “Paperman” and Walt Disney Animation Studios. “Feast” tells the story of one man’s love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend, his dog Winston. The story we share is shown to us bite by bite through the meals they share together. “Feast” will make its world premier at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 10, 2014.

Here is the first image from the short, revealed today:

We’ll bring you more images, info and trailers on Feast and Big Hero 6 as they become available!

Amazing Disney Bento Boxes – Art You Can Eat!

18 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

OMGiri Disney Bento — Orange Bird Bento!!

I certainly don’t have to tell any of you that the internet is an amazing place. Sometimes you stumble across something that just makes you happy and amazed and inspired all at once. Recently, someone added me on Instagram and their little avatar stood out to me so I clicked on their profile. Adorableness ensued and I knew I had to share their creations with you!

OMGiri (a play on onigiri or Japanese rice balls) aka Mike has made some edible works of art that some may say look TOO good to eat. I have always been fascinated by this art, but my creative ways do not extend to food art, so I just watched in wonder as I saw bento box art gain popularity over the years. Seeing this combination of Disney characters and bento boxes, seemed like the perfect mix.

Mike was kind enough to share photos of his work here today, and also the interesting story of how he got started making Disney character bento boxes and some background on the art itself. I thought it was best to let Mike speak in his own words:

My interest in food art in general took root after a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland. I was amazed by the adorable and creative food both resorts served. It was springtime and Tokyo Disney had sandwiches shaped like Donald Duck’s feet, melon buns shaped like Mike Wazowski, and sweet mochi chicks in Mickey egg cups. At Hong Kong Disneyland we ate at the Crystal Lotus, which is home to the most amazing character-shaped dining experience. They offer dim sum shaped like characters, including the Three Little Pigs, Chicken Little, Duffy the Bear, and the Little Green Men from Toy Story.

While in Japan I bought a couple bento boxes to motivate me to take my lunch to work. I had a bad habit of eating out of the vending machine, or worse, skipping lunch all together. A while later, I found a bento instruction book at a Japanese book store which contained a Stitch bento. I ended up buying the book and decided to try making a bento.

The first bento I ever tried to make was a Oswald. It was fun to make the bento, but what really got me hooked was how fun it was to have the character bento for lunch. In the beginning I just made whatever came to mind. I’d make all sorts of characters. I’d share them around our offices and on Facebook. Eventually I found other bento makers, or as I call them “bento boxers”, on Instagram and really started becoming part of a community. Over time my interest in Disney took over and now I find myself doing all Disney characters. The character bentos are also referred to as kyaraben or charaben. Funny, but I have made only one item out of the bento instruction book so far. And it wasn’t even the Stitch bento!

While in Japan we also became obsessed with onigiri. Onigiri are normally triangle or round “rice ball” filled with fish or pickled ginger. They sell them in convenience stores like they sell sandwiches in the US. We ended up eating onigiri almost everyday for a quick snack on the go. The characters in my bentos are onigiri. They are balled up rice with a filling. I’ve changed it up a bit, avoiding raw fish. Instead I fill them with cooked tuna or salmon mixed with a little mayo and spice. My favorite filling is a crab and cream cheese. I also use leftovers for filling. Left over curries make perfect filling!>What I found was that I really needed a creative outlet in my life. I work in an IT office, which just wasn’t fulfilling my creative side. Bentos are giving me a chance to activate my creative side before I go into the office each morning. Plus, it helps with my insatiable need for Disney in my life!

I am horrible at planning, so most of my bentos start with me looking up a picture of the character online. I normally start from a photo or two of the character. Then I just sort of play around. Some bento boxers sketch out their bentos ahead, but I truly just make it up as I go along.

As far as ideas, I like to work around themes. In the past I’ve done tied theme weeks to upcoming holidays, new movie releases, Star Wars May the 4th celebrations, and Disney events. Sometimes the idea comes from a post I saw the previous day. I also am really inspired by Disney artists like Jerrod Maruyama. I’ve made quite a few bentos based on his cute take on Disney characters. I love finding older Disney characters and forgotten friends, like Humphrey the Bear. I’m also lucky that Disney now includes Marvel and Star Wars, which opens up so many more characters for me to do. I’ve been a little neglectful of Pixar, but I hope to remedy that this summer. Lately, I started a series based on the Walt Disney Studios Animated release catalog I’ve dubbed “Movie Monday“. A friend and I have started watching all the films in the order of their original release. I will be doing a bento for each film. I also take requests. It a lot of fun to have someone request a character.

My favorites to make are always the characters with a lot of expression. I enjoy making fun facial expressions, like Olaf grabbing at his tiny carrot nose or the serious, disgruntled Maximus. The expressions tend to be extremely challenging, but when it works out they are the most interesting to look at. Villains are also a joy to do, because they have such interesting designs. And of course, any of the ones that are just super cute I love to do. If I had to pick my favorites to make, I loved creating Humphrey the Bear, DisNerd Minnie, Jafar, and the AquaDuck Donald the most.

I really enjoyed reading Mike’s story – and it’s even better to know that he’s making these all for his own lunch, that’s pretty amazing. I wonder if Mike would make a Figment bento box for me? {oops, looks like he’s already made Figment…well maybe he can add a Zanna toon to the mix hahaha 😉 } I love the detail, and the fact that he reaches beyond the most well-known characters to feature Panchito, Orange Bird, and even Humprey the Bear (my favorites along with AquaDuck Donald too!)

Here are some of his masterpieces – Click to enlarge – all photos ©OMGiri, used with permission:

You can find more of these wonderful edible creations at OMGiri’s Instagram and Facebook page. Stop by and let him know Zannaland sent you!

Think you’ll try your hand at these for your lunch?

Disneynature Bears: A Must-See Visual Treasure

17 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

I make it no secret that I am not a fan of animal movies. That’s not to say I don’t love movies with animals or nature in them, rather, I am not a fan of watching the “circle of life” in action. I can barely handle eliminating the errant spider that may enter my abode, much less watch a fierce lion take down a gazelle or a chimpanzee mom abandon her baby (no clue if that’s a plot line of Chimpanzee, I still never saw it!). My tender heart just can’t take that much pulling on its strings. Call me a softy, call me a dreamer that can’t handle reality, but I kind of just like happy bunnies and rainbows in my animal films. So I managed to avoid each Disneynature film thus far, which I know, sounds like a crime as both a Disney and, well, nature fan. I can assure you, I love nature, I love the outdoors, beautiful scenery, the mysterious beauty that is the animal kingdom and all its inhabitants. I just can’t handle them getting eaten or abandoned. I made it through, I think, 2 episodes of Meerkat Manor before I wanted to fly to wherever that was happening and hug them all. I once saw a special on Japanese Snow Monkeys and their babies that pretty much traumatized me for life. Anyway, you get my drift, I don’t want to see animals in peril.

Cut to Disneynature Bears. For some reason, I really wanted to see it. As I watched the previews, the bears kind of spoke to me, even more than chimps, who we are supposed to be so close to genetically, and cats, who I love as a rule. Bears seemed, somehow, like us. Maybe it’s the eyes, or the eyebrows, or maybe I could relate to the volumes they seemed to speak, without saying a word. Plus, baby bears are pretty darn cute.

In addition, this particular film has a portion of the proceeds going to support our National Parks, a cause with which I feel a great kinship. Even before dating a man who is capital O Obsessed with National Parks, I always had a great love for them. Growing up, I had calendars of some of these beautiful locations. I did not grow up close to any National Parks, and in fact, I’ve only visited one, Acadia, briefly. However, I have always felt connected to nature, instantly rejuvenated by it, and consider it, in a way, my church. How better to get close to God than to be in a place inexplicable and ungoverned by man, where things grow and live and thrive and survive – or don’t – whether we are paying attention or not. So, to put my silly avoidance of the reality of animals lives in the wilderness aside, and to support our National Parks, and in turn, the great work that Disneynature does, it seemed like a simple decision. One which I am very glad I made.

Bears is a wonderful film, simply put. Taking place along the mountain ranges and coast of the Alaskan peninsula, the beauty of the surroundings is just breathtaking. Add to that the wonderful insider’s view at just what these bears go through over the course of a year, and it’s a powerful combination. We follow a mother bear, Sky, and her two cubs, Amber and Scout. Of course, giving names to the animals in Disneynature films instantly gives you a connection and a bond with them. You aren’t just watching a bear on a screen, you’re watching Sky, as she struggles to figure out motherhood, solely on her own, amid the countless perils which lurk in the Alaskan wilderness.

The story was quite interesting, as I really had no idea of bear’s habits, nor the dangers they faced. To see them emerge from hibernation, trek across frozen, snow-covered mountains, through avalanche areas, just to wait for salmon season, is mind-boggling. When you add two newly-born cubs on that same journey, it’s even more amazing. I won’t give everything away, but I will say that I only cried once. So I consider that a victory as far as me and nature films go.

I did have a couple of issues with the movie, but more the narration and ‘story’ than anything else. I get that the filmmakers want these films to be accessible to everyone (and in fact, at my screening, there were more than a few small children in attendance). I also get that they want there to be a story and not just random footage of bears. But, I wasn’t a huge fan of the narration trying to turn the bear family into a very human one, with talk of “mother-daughter sushi lunches’ and other silliness like that. That could just be me though. I just thought the story of the bears themselves and certainly their surroundings stood tall on their own, without the need of making it ‘cute’ for us as the audience.

There was an implied story with a raven, which sort of led the bears we were watching to various locations. I’m not sure if this was coincidence, or genuinely how things happened, or contrived by the filmmakers. I actually did enjoy that element, but me wondering if it was ‘real’ or not took away from my appreciation of it. If it was real, though, it’s pretty amazing how animals work together like that. One of my favorite scenes was toward the end, right before the salmon began to spawn. There were at one point 13 bears on the screen, all standing, staring at the water below them. It was visually stunning to see these immense creatures, all seemingly frozen in place, waiting for the culmination of their year-long journey. Quite awe-inspiring to see.

Together, the scenery, the music, and the bears themselves lend to a cinematically beautiful film, which I am very happy to have seen, and recommend. I left knowing more, and wanting to learn more about animals and visit more of our great country.

Bears opens tomorrow, April 18. For every ticket sold in the opening week, Disneynature will make a donation to the National Park Foundation, so please go this week and help keep America’s Greatest Idea well cared for. Here’s more about the movie’s conservation efforts:

You can share your thoughts on Disneynature Bears on social media with the hashtags #MeetTheCubs and #DisneynatureBears, “Like” Disneynature on Facebook: Facebook.com/Disneynature and follow Disneynature on Twitter: Twitter.com/Disneynature.

Disclosure: I attended a free media screening of Disneynature Bears but my review and my opinions are my own. Go see it! 🙂

Resort Review: Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress

15 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Exterior Pond Front at Hyatt Regency GrandCypress MEDIUM

There have been so many changes in the Orlando area in the past few decades, many hotels and resorts have come and gone. Some in the Walt Disney World Resort area have completely changed, upgrading their 80’s roots to more modern styles and accommodations. Amid all of the resort choices, one stands out as an established, luxury choice for those wanting all of what central Florida offers. That resort, is the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress.

Celebrating 30 years of exceptional service, Orlando’s original luxury resort, Hyatt Regency GrandCypress, offers guests 1,500 acres of timeless fun just minutes from Central Florida’s most popular attractions. The Grand Cypress has really managed to combine the “old Florida” feel with state-of-the-art guest rooms and amenities.

I was recently given a chance to experience the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and after driving by it for the past 30 years, was pleasantly surprised with all they had to offer. I fell in love with the look and feel of the resort, the wonderful, luxurious rooms and the amenities that really made me say, “theme parks? what theme parks?” It is amazing how a place a mile away from Walt Disney World Resort can feel so private and secluded and away from the hustle and bustle of tourist life. I really didn’t want to leave.

Grand Cypress offers families luxury amenities surrounded by a tropical oasis that features the resort’s signature lagoon pool. Inspired by contemporary design, the lagoon pool offers a tranquil escape coupled with vibrant activities for children of all ages. The 800,000 gallon, half acre, free-flowing pool boasts 12 waterfalls, heated and non-heated zones, two whirlpools, a rope bridge, walking paths, and expansive, wrap-around sundecks. The secluded grotto areas with padded, ridiculously comfy lounge chairs were in a word: heaven. You could lay back and watch the world go by, or jump in and enjoy the fun in the sun.

Lagoon Pool Deck at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress 2013 SMALL

Guests can also enjoy the new Water Slide Tower Pavilion, new Water Jet Splash Zone, and new children’s Rock Climbing Stations complement the resort’s numerous recreation activities including the family favorite S’mores pit, beach volleyball, tether ball, hammocks, watersports and marked jogging, walking, and biking trails. Additionally, Grand Cypress guests have easy access to 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf and the award-winning Tennis and Racquet Club. I was really blown away with how many recreation activities the resort offers, all included in your resort fee. Did you see the S’mores pit part?? The trails were great too, I love being reminded that there is more to Florida than just attractions.

Family at Firepit at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress 2014 SMALL

From the lobby atrium and check-in with champagne, to the beautiful rooms, with stunning views, the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress truly has it all. I loved having access to the Regency Club too – it was the perfect place to grab a quick breakfast or snack throughout the day, and the seating and views were wonderful – a great spot for seeing Disney fireworks too!

We enjoyed dinner at Cascade American Bistro, whose motto is: “Thoughtfully Sourced…Carefully Served” This translates to all the food which is offered in the restaurant is locally sourced and always fresh. I loved the table-side herb garden that they brought over, and the main courses and desserts were a delight. Worth visiting even if you aren’t staying as a guest.

Visit Hyatt Regency GrandCypress for their always great offers and Florida Resident Rates.

If all of the above still hasn’t convinced you, give the video below a look, you’ll be making reservations in no time!

Muppetational New Scavenger Hunt at Epcot for Muppets Most Wanted

9 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

Over the weekend, I saw a friend on instagram post a photo of a new Muppets Most Wanted-themed scavenger hunt taking place around Epcot’s World Showcase. I grabbed the family and headed over to check it out, because if there’s one thing I love, it’s scavenger hunts, and the Muppets. Oh wait, that’s two things. Actually, there are hundreds of Muppets…so…if there are hundreds of things I love, they’re scavenger hunts and the Muppets! Anyway, I was excited to experience it in person.

We entered through the International Gateway to World Showcase, so I asked at the Agent P. kiosk where to find this Muppet adventure. We were told to head over almost to Mexico, so we did, with some pauses along the way for bunny-checks in Canada’s Victoria Gardens area (we couldn’t find any, so decided they were all inside the tiny cottage) , drooling over the Cronut counter (we were stuffed from Sanaa), and saying hello to Duffy. It’s quite easy to get happily distracted in World Showcase, especially with a 5 year-old in tow. Then we came upon a sign proclaiming it was the MBI – Muppet Bureau of Investigation, and we knew we were in the right place.

Muppet Bureau of Investigation — The sign-up area is located right next to the hydroponics booth for the Flower and Garden Festival, before the bridge to Mexico.

I decided to take photos to chronicle our entire Muppet mission – If you don’t want to read below, let me sum this attraction up for you in a few bullet points:

Easy to sign up for and get started (no waiting for a return time)
Two options for missions so you can choose a side of the World Showcase to cover (same end result)
Only takes about 20 minutes per side (3 country visits per side both ending in America)
Keeps the attention-span of small ones (pre-school through elementary would be perfect)
Perfect amount of interaction with a sense of accomplishment at the end
Muppets!

If you want to be surprised by the clues and the results of our quests, you may want to end your reading now…you’ve been warned! And now, There be spoilers (and evil frogs) ahead!

Okay, now the fun stuff. I LOVED this experience. Unlike the Agent P. adventures, there was not TOO much to do – it is the perfect amount of walking, activity and attention-span capturing for little ones and above. For older kids, sure, they may think it’s kind of easy, but it definitely looks like this temporary quest was some sort of testing to see how it goes. I think it is a great success and hope for more in the future. It is definitely less intrusive as far as beeping, talking cell phones in Agent P’s adventure go. It’s also fun that you have to interact with cast members for this adventure (not sure they appreciate that part, but it’s fun to have to go out of your way to speak to international cast members that you may not have interacted with otherwise).

We started in Germany. You know up front when signing up that your choices are Germany, Italy and America, or the United Kingdom, France, and America. I love that you have the option and that it’s short enough that your whole day isn’t taken over by this adventure.

You look at your MBI booklet and it tells you to look for the world’s oldest and most expensive cuckoo clock. So we headed into the cuckoo clock store and looked around. Soon we discovered the subtle but fun clue. It definitely doesn’t overpower the store taking away from the regular experience of the German pavilion. Once we saw it was a note from Constantine, we opted to read it in his accent (which we have taken to doing around the house anyway, much to the dismay of my 13 year-old daughter). I’m sure the German cast member standing next to me appreciated my excellent Constantine impression.

Muppet Epcot Mission — Go ahead, read it in Constantine’s accent…you know you wanna

We got our sticker and it told us to head to Italy and that we were getting there by train 301. This was important. Our Italy page told us to look for a Gonzo mask in Il Bel Cristalo store. Again, this was subtly done and did not take away from the rest of the store. Italy also had some fun Muppet details. I’m now wondering if we missed any in Germany! There is also now a train schedule posted right next to the Muppet Topiary display between Germany and Italy, showing another reminder of train 301, which you’ll need in Italy.

Now our next clue took us to the American pavilion and the end of our mission, so I’m going to show the other two countries of the U.K. and France before ending in America. (We actually worked backwards from France just to see if we could figure out the clues and get the stickers out of order. Thanks to a helpful cast member in France, we were able to do just that.) But I’ll put the details in the proper order below.

So we went back to France (not really we started there, shhh) to the perfume shop. I spotted the diamond, cleverly shaped like an actual carrot, a very Muppet-like joke. We are then prompted to enter our code again, this time asking how many carats the diamond is.

The cast member in France then told us we had to go to a very scary place – America! We didn’t head back since we already experienced the conclusion of the mission. But here’s how it ends:

The booklet has visual clues like Lady Liberty and hot dogs (Liberty Inn!) but the map shows the check-in point is actually to the right of the American Adventure entrance. There is a kiosk there, where you receive a final sticker, a certificate of completion, making you an official MBI agent, and you are allowed to go behind some landscaping to see…

And that’s that! We had a wonderful time, and even though there weren’t actual Muppets at every turn, it was, I think, perfectly themed and really well done. It will be interesting to see if Gio asks to do the missions again or if it’s a ‘one and done’ kind of experience for him. The MBI Muppet scavenger hunt adventure will be active during the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, through May 18. I’ll update as I get more information. I kept some of the visuals a surprise so you can experience the stickers, the booklet itself, and other details yourself.

I’d love to hear if you’ve experienced this yourself and what you thought. What was your favorite part?

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel Will Light It Up Blue Tonight

2 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

April is Autism Awareness Month and April 2 is World Autism Day. The Light It Up Blue program was started as a unique global campaign which helps raise awareness about the disorder. In honor of this historic day, thousands of iconic landmarks, buildings, hotels, bridges and retail stores are among the hundreds of thousands of homes and communities around the globe that illuminate blue to spread autism awareness.

Tonight, April 2, 2014, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel will be joining other iconic buildings around the world — including the Empire State Building in New York City and the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia – and lighting up blue.

In addition, one of the hotel’s signature restaurants, Todd English’s bluezoo has created a specialty blue cocktail, named blue sparkler, in honor of Autism Awareness Month. Through April 30^th proceeds from sales of the drink will be donated to the Princeton House Charter School, an Orlando area school for children with autism.

The blue sparkler is a mixture of pavan liqueur, Florida 4 orange vodka, sparkling wine with orange and vanilla syrup. Todd English’s bluezoo is located in the lobby of the Dolphin and can be reached at 407-934-1111 or www.thebluezoo.com. For more information on Princeton House Charter School visit www.princeton-house.org.

…

In other Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin news, guests at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel will experience Easter magic during PEEPtastic Easter April 16 to 23, a celebration sweetened by thousands of free PEEPS® brand marshmallow samples, PEEPS®-inspired menu items, PEEPS® décor and Easter-themed activities for families to enjoy. This sounds SO fun, and I think I need to head over and check this out in person. Giant Peeps? Glow-in-the-Dark Easter egg hunt? Peeps milkshake? Sounds so fun!

During the week, guests will be treated to complimentary PEEPS® marshmallow chicks upon check-in, during special appearances by the Easter Bunny and at other surprise moments. For some sweet eats, PEEPS®-inspired menu items will be featured at several of the hotel’s restaurants. Menu items will include s’mores made using PEEPS®, a PEEPS® inspired milkshake and chocolate-dipped PEEPS®.

The Epcot Resort Area hotel’s annual glow-in-the-dark Easter egg hunt – a favorite for kids – headlines a full schedule of Easter-themed activities at the hotel, including traditional Easter egg hunts, Easter egg races, a bunny hop relay, arts and crafts, and meet-and-greets with the Easter Bunny. (Activities are all complimentary for guests, except for a small fee for various crafts. Please check the event website for pricing.)

For an added magical Easter morning experience, guests can order an Easter Basket, featuring a variety of candy, a solid milk chocolate bunny and a plush toy, delivered by the Easter Bunny himself to their guestroom. (Additional costs apply.)

Larger-than-life PEEPS® will be found across property, as the iconic chick-shaped marshmallow will serve as inspiration for several approximately 3-foot, 50-pound white chocolate sculptures.

Other special features during the week will include a special Easter dinner buffet at Garden Grove restaurant, featuring Disney character appearances on Sunday, April 20, at 5 p.m., a campfire, glow-in-the-dark volleyball, family game night and a poolside showing of the movie HOP.

For more details about PEEPtastic Easter at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotel, including a full schedule of activities, visitwww.swandolphin.com/easter. To make room reservations, call 1-800-227-1500 and mention “PEEPS.” Overnight rates start at $189 per night.

Mickey Edition Nintendo 3DS and Magic of Disney Game Out April 11

1 April 2014 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Disney Interactive and Nintendo will be launching Disney Magical World for the Nintendo 3DS on April 11 – basically Animal Crossing for Disney fans but here’s the official description:

In Disney Magical World, players pick from a selection of characters and can customize with Disney-themed outfits and accessories. The personalized character explores the world by managing a café, planting crops, and collecting Disney character cards in a new magical world. Favorite Disney characters also join in the fun to find missing items and solve problems.

To coincide and celebrate this release, Disney is also releasing a special “Mickey Edition” Nintendo 3DS XL, and it sure is pretty! Covered with golden Mickey heads, it will be released exclusively at WalMart, on the 11th. Look:

Disney 3DS — G Hannelius, currently starring in the Disney Channel sitcom Dog With A Blog , films a promo for the new Disney Magical World game with actor Cole Pendery. Photo courtesy Nintendo USA

Will any of you Disney Gamers be picking this up? Early Easter Bunny gift, perhaps?

From Arrrr to Zarina, The Pirate Fairy Is Packed With Pixie Dust!

31 March 2014 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

I first heard about The Pirate Fairy at Disney’s D23 Expo back in August, and was treated to an appearance by stars Tom Hiddleston and Christina Hendricks. I really liked the premise, and looked forward to seeing it. So I was very excited to receive this dvd/BluRay to review. It did not let me down, and my family and I loved this film, perhaps best of all the Disney Fairy movies.

The backstory is really interesting, and we learn about a Dust Keeper, Zarina (Christina Hendricks), who is always looking for new ways of using pixie dust and figuring out how to harness its power. Unfortunately, Fairy Gary, the keeper of the dust, does not approve of these experiments, which leads Zarina to try things on her own and that in turn has some disastrous consequences. Zarina is ousted and a year passes. A fairy celebration takes place and we learn that Zarina is now a pirate with sinister intent…

What follows next is a fun, colorful series of events which will leave you singing and cheering. The amount of pixie dust and sparkles and colorful visuals in this movie is almost overwhelming – it’s just so pretty! And cute – we get to see a baby Tic Toc Crock, and of course, cabin boy James (Tom Hiddleston) turns out to be a young Captain Hook. Here are some of my favorite parts of the movie, plus the full trailer:

Experimenting – The Pirate Fairy on Disney Video

Baby Croc – The Pirate Fairy – Scene on Disney Video

Trailer – The Pirate Fairy on Disney Video It’s definitely a new favorite around here, with the whole family. During one part of the movie, Zarina mixes up the fairies talents, causing them to have new outfits. As soon as that happened, I thought – they will probably have
dolls with those new outfits – and they do!

Disney Fairies Doll Set - The Pirate Fairy

Also, they have an irresistible Baby Croc Plush which I am definitely picking up…for my 5 year-old…yeah, that’s it.

They also have a 14″ Zarina Doll which I am totally getting – she’s a redheaded pirate who’s name starts with a Z – I have to! “The Pirate Fairy” sets sail April 1, 2014 – hopefully you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!

*Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary dvd to review, but my opinions are my own. Product links are affiliate links, taking you to the same websites, but if you make a purchase, a small portion goes back to help with the costs of running zannaland.com. Thank you for your support!