Suzannah Otis

Back to the Future-Memories of My 1983 Trip to EPCOT

18 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

It’s no secret that I am a proud child of the 80’s. Also no secret that the reason I fell in love with Walt Disney World was my 1983 visit to EPCOT Center, when we stayed at the Lake Buena Vista Vacation Villas. I’m sure part of what made that visit so special is that my parents actually drove us down from Massachusetts. We stopped at historical sites on the way over and back, breaking up the 1300 mile drive, but the ultimate destination was Disney and this all new park we’d read about in Birnbaum’s Official Guide – EPCOT Center. I’ve explained how a little purple dragon and his dream-finding friend are what really sparked (pun intended) my love of Disney but I wanted to go back to the 9 year-old me and see what she thought of things, as they happened.

Since I still can’t locate my flux capacitor, I have the next best thing – my actual travel diary from that 1983 trip. I remember that blank journal so well; my mom had bought it for me in a sticker shop along with my latest Lisa Frank obsessions to add to my sticker books (I still have my sticker album which would be another awesome entry for my fellow 80’s kids). It had a shiny silver cover with a rainbow on the front. The pages were then different colors of the rainbow, so if you looked at it on the side, it was complete rainbow perfection. Sadly, I didn’t save the whole journal for some reason. We’ve moved so many times I probably just thought I’d pull out the pages I wrote on and save them. I know I used it to record our next trip when we flew down with my siblings and also stayed in the Villas, but I do not have those pages any more. What I do have, is just hysterical.

First, it is written in some sort of 9 year-old short hand and most definitely from a 9 year-old’s perspective as to what the important parts of the trip were. Well, let me just show you…

The first page is from the first leg of our drive, from Sharon, Massachusetts to Savannah Georgia. Unfortunately I did not date my entries, but I’m pretty sure it was the end of the summer in 1983, since school started pretty soon afterward and I remember presenting my trip souvenirs (match books, drink stirrers, guide maps…) to my 5th grade class a few weeks later. Everything below is as I wrote it, including the things in parentheses. The things in brackets, however, are my notes today. Most of the pictures are from 1983, but a few are from our trip the next year.

“We arrived at 1:45. It took 7½ hours. Got settled at the Quality Inn. [This was in Washington, DC.] I got a surprise visit to the zoo! [Pandas were really big back then and I wanted nothing more than to see them at the National Zoo!] Then we took a ride to see the memorials and monument, Capitol and White House. We ate at the Inn of the Eight Immortals (a szechuan Chinese food place) [no longer there it seems]. Then we saw the hospital I was born in and the house we lived in then.

-Wednesday-

We got a tour of the Capitol and had lunch at the Senate Dining Room [I have no idea whether or not this was a big deal back then or if it’s the same now, that you are allowed to dine there if they have room. When I was first born, my father worked as the Maitre D’ of the Capitol Hill Club, so I’m not sure if he still knew people there or not]. We went to half of the Smithsonian. Then we swam a little and finally we had dinner at Farrell’s ice cream parlor [this was in Tyson’s Corner and has been closed for a while]. Then we go home and sleep.

dad and me smithsonian — My dad and I outside the Smithsonian – I was caught mid-blink 😛

-Thursday-

We arrived in Georgia about 4:30. We swim for a long time then we eat dinner at the Pirate’s House. That was excellent. I was scared to look at some of the pirate figures they had set up and I almost walked into the boys bathroom! We come back late and read or whatever. Then we finally get to sleep. (Daddy snores all the time.)

[There is then a gigantic arrow letting anyone reading to know to turn the page. :P]

-Friday- [I apologize for the run-on format to follow!]

At 6:00 am we get up and get ready to go. We find a cockroach (gross!) and then start driving to Florida. We have breakfast at McDonald’s. We do every day practically! We came to EPCOT at 10:15! Daddy makes dinner reservations at Germany [I remember this, it was in the original area underneath Spaceship Earth where you could make video reservations with guest relations. That was one of THE coolest things ever.] We call Nana and off to the Land. We see a nature film [Symbiosis] it was SO loud! Then a boat ride with lots of veggies then see dancing veggies – Kitchen Karoba (sp?) [Obviously Kitchen Kabaret made an impact on me haha]. Then my all-time favorite: Journey into Imagination! Awesome. Then we go to the Image Works same place) – Rainbow tunnel, stepping on notes etc. Then awesome 3-D movie [Magic Journeys]. I admit I did grab for some objects coming out! Then home to an awesome motel – 2 bedrooms, fold out sofa – bath, kitchen. [This, my friends, was my 9 year-old impression of the Vacation Villas. Oh well. I appreciate it now!]

lake buena vista villas — My mom and I posing in ultra early 80’s luxury at the Lake Buena Vista Vacation Villas.

We have a snack and off to Germany. First we went on Spaceship Earth – no line. Went straight up and straight down backwards! Then Germany. Show, dancers, singers, horn players, etc. etc. German shops then go to Italy just in time for the Teatro di Bologna – very funny! Then the France movie and Mom and I wait in a line of 500,000 it seemed for yummy pastry. We buy a Figment. [I still have him, broken neck and all…]

journey into imagination 1983 — The original Figment topiary…

-Saturday-

Up at 7am. Coffee for Mummy and Daddy. We walk in the super World of Motion after Daddy makes reservations for Japan, then onto the Universe of Energy. Scary dinosaurs but great moving theater – dull movie at end. [Sorry UoE, I’ll still always love you, even tho I was petrified of the dinosaurs!] Journey into Imagination again. Still awesome. Then the Land for a danish breakfast, back to monorail and a ferry to the Magic Kingdom. Took a fire engine to Cinderella Castle. We walk into Small World then Carousel ride and on to the Magic Kingdom railroad, Haunted house and Pirates of Caribbean [no, I didn’t spell it right back then :P]. A hot dog for lunch and then Tiki Birds, a swirl ice at Orange Bird stand [*cry*] and shops, then take the ferry back to EPCOT and car and motel. [I love how I keep calling it a motel.] Daddy and I take a quick dip in the pool then off to dinner in Japanese Manor [not sure why I called it that?!]. Really good. I learned the trick of chopsticks. Then shops, UK shops and Renaissance play – Romeo and Juliet! The Canada round movie. Back to EPCOT and World of Motion, Imagination again. Time for Image Works and DDD movie [I was so funny har har]. We get popsicles then home to bed.

dad and me outside journey into imagination — My Daddy, cigarette and all, and me. 😉 Look at those cool trees in the background!

-Sunday-

Up at 6:30, coffee and cereal time. Off to Mass at the Polynesian [I spelled it Poloneasayn haha] resort – flowers, birds and buggies. Back to EPCOT on monorail. Then breakfast at Good Turn restaurant. We eat and see Land boat ride as we eat! Off to American stage for World Showcase dancers – great – we talk to a dancer [I remember exactly what she looked like. My mom being a former professional ballerina, she loved this show and loved getting to talk to this dancer] and then Mom and Daddy see French movie. I see marionette show Hansel and Gretel [I have absolutely zero memory of this show OR my parents letting me watch it alone!] Then World dancers again. I dance with one – neat – off to the motel. McD’s for lunch then pool. [ick, McD’s for lunch, really?!] Back to EPCOT for dinner in Mexico. Really neat! It’s like a town square in Mexico. Mom and Daddy ate cactus! I tried a little turnip, interesting! Went on the boat ride – neat. Then Magic Kingdom for Electric parade and fireworks. Great! The Wings of Man [my name for If You Had Wings? Ah hA! Just looked it up – that was Eastern airline’s slogan at the time.], G.E. Carousel of Progress, People Mover then back on monorail for home. We’re pooped!

world showcase dancer and zanna — I guess that’s why I remember what she looked like – we had a picture!

-Monday-

Up for EPCOT, sad day – last day. We ate breakfast in Good Turn, went on rides and started driving for Maryland. Drove and drove and drove. When Mom drove we went 90 miles an hour – no ticket. Later Daddy went 76 and got a ticket! Arrived in MD at a good time, went to D.C. first. Went to a French restaurant [La Nicoise, sadly now closed as well] where the waiters were all on roller skates! Then to Maryland, we went to an absolutely awesome aquarium and to the shops. I get stickers and a painters cap with Suzy written on it. Ate at Phillip’s Crab House then drove home.”

Journey into Imagination 1984 — This is a terrible quality picture, but I had to post it. We took a picture of our family’s picture at the end of Journey into Imagination. I’m the one clinging to my dad’s arm because I don’t want the ride to be over… 🙁

And that’s it. An uneventful end to a journey back to such an amazing time. I think I’ve rambled enough about all that this trip meant to me back then, and I know for a fact I’ll discuss it again, as it is my hope to post my Love Letter to EPCOT sometime soon…so I’ll just end this here. Thank you for reading and letting me indulge a bit of the childhood me. If you’d told the excited little me back then what my love of Disney would turn into today…I just might have believed you. After all, Dreamfinder told me imagination belongs to all of us.

Walt Disney World Moms Panel Search 2011

16 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 39 Comments

It’s that time again! In less than a month – September 13th to be exact – the search will again begin for new members of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. Those of you familiar with the blog may remember my journey last year, which I chronicled here (and on twitter) pretty much to the point of making everyone around me nauseous with my pixie-dusted self. My only defense is that I was, in fact, very excited and determined to succeed in my goal of being on the panel and the blog hadn’t really taken off yet at that point, so I had a bit of time on my hands in order to wax poetic on the Moms Panel. A LOT. I’m still not sure how I was picked from all the amazing applicants. I have never doubted my Disney vacation planning knowledge or passion, but in meeting other panelists, they all seem to have something incredible that sets them apart. So while I’m not sure what it was that set me apart, I am forever grateful for the opportunities I was given and the friends I have made as a result. This past year really has been life-changing and opened my eyes to so many wonderful things.

Now, onto the point of my post. So you say you want to be on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, eh? Well I’m here to explain how it all works. Of course, the actual process of choosing the applicants is top secret and not something we panelists are involved in, but that doesn’t mean I can’t give you a little info on how things go down.

First, the misconceptions – Most people think you have to a) be a mom and b) have kids to be chosen for the panel. This is simply not true. While the panel has the moniker of “Moms” panel it really is not exclusive to moms at all. Each year up until last year, one dad was chosen with each new panel. Last year, six dads joined the team. While there has not been a panelist without children chosen yet, they are still welcome to apply. The questions we receive on the panel range from what time Fantasmic shows on a certain date, how to make a celebration at Walt Disney World special, recommending hotels or restaurants, to which attractions are the most enjoyable for certain guests. There are just as many questions that have nothing to do with being a parent per se, as there are questions about how to handle the parks with kids. Bottom line, Disney is looking for knowledge, passion, and the ability to convey those two things clearly as you help guests plan their vacations. The official qualifications from last year include visiting the WDW resort within the last 12 months along with some other must-haves.

Well, why don’t I let the Pink Princess herself, Walt Disney World Moms Panel and Social Media Manager Laura Spencer share some tips for what they are looking for, in her own words:

The competition is VERY stiff. The Walt Disney World Moms Panel website is based on writing, so poor grammar and typos will probably get you eliminated almost immediately. Proofread your applications.

Things like calling the Magic Kingdom ‘Disney World’ or the monorail the ‘train’ to the parks are subtle hints to reviewers that let them know your knowledge level.

Just be you. It’s not possible to know everything about Disney Parks. Fine dining, Disney architecture and multicultural family travel were my areas of expertise when I applied for the panel, so that’s what I talked about.

If your friends and family cannot help themselves from calling YOU for their Disney trip planning advice, somehow show that passion on the application. You have to literally “jump” off of the page to be picked from applicants that seem to get better each year.

Do your friends and family recommend you to other people to help them plan their Disney Parks vacations? If you cannot answer ‘yes’ to that question, then perhaps the Walt Disney World Moms Panel isn’t for you. Current and former panel members have such a high passion for all things Disney, that everyone in their inner and outer circle knows it. Panelists were usually known as the ‘go-to’ person in their communities for Disney trip planning advice before they ever made it onto the panel.

Great words of wisdom. The first year I applied, I tried to fit in as many things as I could to “prove” what I knew and why I “deserved” to be on the panel. I realized that coming from that frame of mind – “I know it all, I SHOULD be on this panel!” is not the way to go about it. I feel, personally, that you must show your true self in your words and show what you DO with all that knowledge you have. There are thousands of Disney experts out there, but do you want them to help plan your vacation? And do they want to help?

As far as the actual process – the Walt Disney World Moms Panel search page will switch over to a form for writing your essay questions, in 100 words or less, on the date applications begin. If you already have a log-in for WaltDisneyWorld.com, simply use that to log-in and begin writing your answers. If you do not, you’ll be able to register before you start. You will then answer three questions, which could be about you, your family, what makes you a great Disney vacation planner, or other topics to help those reading get to know you a little better.

That email you use to register will be where all future communications from the Moms Panel are sent. You will receive a confirmation email that your application has been received. If you do not receive this email, do not panic. It could be lost in your spam folder, or somewhere in space between Disney and your computer. As long as you received the confirmation page on the site where you applied, your application has been received. While Disney cannot guarantee replying to all the applicants that do not make the cut, in the past emails have been sent out thanking you for your time and efforts and inviting you to the Mickey Moms Club.

One word of warning – do not write your answers in a word processor and copy and paste them into the form. Coding and invisible characters can be pasted in, making your answers virtually impossible to read. The form does note this, but it can be easy to miss in the excitement. You want to make sure all your words come across clearly!

If you move on to the second round, there will be another set of three essay questions to answer, most likely looking for specific examples of how you’ve helped others plan successful Disney vacations. I know many people want to know the questions ahead of time to prepare answers and not have to worry about being under pressure to fit it all in, in 100 words or less, under pressure. My view on this is that it doesn’t help. You are then so focused on trying to find the ‘right’ thing to say, you lose yourself in the process and that will be evident to those reading your responses. Let the real you shine through, spontaneously.

The third round then turns to a phone interview. You’ll be asked a few more questions and if you make it to this point, you’ll probably think your replies were horrible when you get off the phone. Pretty much every single panelist I spoke to last year thought they failed the phone interview miserably (myself included!) and obviously, that was not the case! My advice here is to relax, be yourself and try to speak as if you are just talking to a friend about Disney. That’s easy to do right?

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As I did last year, I will update this page with information when applications open and as each new round starts. I can’t wait to meet the 2011 panel!

Have you applied in the past? Will you again this year? I’d love to hear from you here and have you keep me posted on how the process goes for you. Wishing all of my friends who joined me on this path last year, as well as those reading this now, the best of luck this year. I hope you will get to receive the exciting message I was honored to be given last year. No matter what happens, be confident in your knowledge and passion for our favorite place – Walt Disney World. Pixie dust to all!

Update: From Laura Spencer at the Mickey Moms Club Illuminations Party, the 2011 Walt Disney World Moms Panel search will begin on September 13 and run for 5 days, until September 17. Best of luck!

Make Some Magic With the Wizards of Waverly Place:Spellbound Nintendo DS Game

13 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Disney Interactive Studios announced today the upcoming release of Wizards of Waverly Place: Spellbound for Nintendo DS™. Inspired by the hit Disney Channel TV series, “Wizards of Waverly Place,” the video game will take players through five exciting episodes in a brand new mystery as they play as some of their favorite characters from the show.

In Wizards of Waverly Place: Spellbound, players will take their Wizard skills to the next level to find out what happened to a dress designed by Alex Russo that goes missing just before her big fashion show. Fans can play as their favorite wizards-in-training – Alex, Justin and Max Russo – while interacting with familiar characters and exploring locations from the show, including the Waverly Sub Station, Tribeca Prep and others.

In this fun-filled adventure game, players will complete various puzzles and overcome obstacles by casting spells on objects and characters. Fans will be able to move and freeze objects, turn themselves into a hamster, travel at turbo speed and more. In addition, players can dress Alex in 25 collectible outfits and compete in bonus wizard challenges.

Wizards of Waverly Place: Spellbound will be available this fall for Nintendo DS.

The First and Only Broadcast on Disney Fairytale Weddings Debuts Today

11 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

A new podcast devoted to covering all of Disney’s Fairytale Weddings will debut today. Inside Disney Weddings is hosted by Scott Sheppard and Carrie Hayward will be released weekly each Wednesday and is available via iTunes and is also available at their website – Inside Disney Weddings and on Facebook.

Inside Disney Weddings is the only program dedicated to weddings and honeymoons at the Disney parks and on the Disney Cruise Line. Each week, Scott Sheppard and Carrie Hayward take a look at what’s new and exciting in the world of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings. Topics range from the latest news, planning information and money-saving tips to in-depth interviews and event coverage. The program also features special guests, including industry experts and real Disney brides and grooms, along with caller Q&A, giveaways and contests.

“I’m thrilled that Scott Sheppard and Carrie Hayward have teamed up to bring us the new ‘Inside Disney Weddings’ program,” said The Disney Wedding Blog founder Carly Morgan. “Scott has worked in the Disney wedding industry for years, and Carrie—a past Disney bride and the author of ‘PassPorter’s Disney Weddings & Honeymoons’—has become the expert on all things Disney weddings. I can’t think of a better team!”

Scott Sheppard is the CEO of Inside Media Networks. IMN creates targeted talk programming for creative, B2B and consumer lifestyle markets. Its talented team of broadcast and communication professionals has successfully built desirable niche audiences by leveraging online content-distribution tools, including podcasts, blogs and social networks. IMN also provides consulting services to clients wishing to transition from traditional to new media and establish or expand their own brands. With a background in terrestrial broadcasting and professional radio and television production, IMN is considered the leading technical expert in the fields of new media and podcasting today.

Print and broadcast journalist Carrie Hayward is the author of “PassPorter’s Disney Weddings & Honeymoons,” a guidebook and bridal organizer for weddings, vow renewals, commitment ceremonies and honeymoons at Walt Disney World and on the Disney Cruise Line. She is also the E-Book Editor at PassPorter Travel Press, an independent publisher of best-selling Disney park guidebooks. She was married at Walt Disney World in 2008.

From the site: This week’s show offers an introduction to the four types of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings at Walt Disney World and on the Disney Cruise Line—Escape, Wishes, Couture and Cruise—and sets the stage for an in-depth look at each type of wedding in the coming weeks.

If you’re planning a wedding, honeymoon or renewal, or just love everything about weddings like me, be sure to check out this magical new podcast!

Magic in the Mist

9 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 7 Comments

While visiting Epcot’s World Showcase again last night, the weather was off and on rain showers all day. The temperature was only around 78º but the “feels like” was at 105º due to the humidity. As a result, when we strolled through Japan, we were treated to a special effect from the mist that puffs out of the bamboo area of the zen garden. The fog had started to hang in the air, lingering like a shroud and making us feel as if we were actually in the Japanese countryside for a moment. It was beautiful and serene. Now if only I’d seen Totoro…

Click to see full-sized.

[Read more…] about Magic in the Mist

In Napoli Where Pizza is King…Epcot Welcomes Via Napoli to the Family

6 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 10 Comments

Ok, so Dean Martin said love was king, but he never tried the pizza at Via Napoli now did he? I was among those lucky enough to get a taste yesterday at the Via Napoli grand opening celebration and I can’t wait to return. Of course there has been a lot of buzz about Via Napoli online since it was first announced it would join the World Showcase family of restaurants. Fears swirled that adding a new element to an existing country pavilion would disrupt the look and flow of our beloved Italy, while others felt an expansion was necessary and eagerly awaited its arrival. Me? Well, I am used to Boston pizza, where Dominoes is a 4-letter word and places like Bertucci’s once took the pizza chain restaurant up to date and into the land of the brick oven. Knowing there would now finally be a place to get authentic Neapolitan pizza in Epcot, I was a fan before I even got there.

All images not watermarked are ©Disney

Now I know, everyone just wants to know how good the pizza is, but please indulge me as I discuss what makes Via Napoli such a satisfying experience…First of all, look at the picture above – how beautiful is that? So authentic-looking and inviting, isn’t it? Before we venture inside, lets take a look at the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Epcot Vice President Dan Cockerell, Patina Group CEO Nick Valenti, legendary chef and Patina Group and founder Joachim Splichal and of course, Mickey and Minnie, in their finest Italian couture!

Keeper of the Kingdom:Interview with Author Ridley Pearson

5 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 7 Comments

Maleficent with Ridley Pearson — Everyone's a fan! Photo courtesy of the Ridley Pearson facebook page

A while back I posted my interview with fellow Disney Mom Margaret and she mentioned her love of the Kingdom Keepers series. Imagine my surprise when I received a comment on that entry from none other than the author himself, Ridley Pearson, thanking Margaret for the KK love. I figured I shouldn’t let that bit of providence go to waste, so I emailed Mr. Pearson to ask if he’d be interested in answering a few questions for ZannaLand readers. He responded that he’d be “pleased and honored” to do so. As a fan (of both Ridley’s work and young-adult fiction in general) and a wanna-be-writer, I was a bit excited at the prospect.

What follows are my silly questions and Ridley’s wonderful answers; sharing a bit more about himself, the writing process and his Disney-themed work.

Zanna: What made you first decide to take the leap from a successful adult thriller writer to the young adult genre?

Ridley Pearson: The most obvious change was having children. When my two daughters were little I would tell them a different story every night before bed. Every night. My wife and I would read to them as well, no less than an hour a night. At some point, as a writer, you just start to think: “Why am I not writing for my kids?”

Z: Did you head into The Kingdom Keepers thinking Walt Disney World would be a great setting for a book or did you decide to bring the Disney aspect in after the fact?

RP: Actually, Disney did a remarkably generous thing for me (and for Dave Barry) the result of which was a thank you phone call that ended with me and an editor, Wendy Lefkon, discussing working together. She proposed I use my crime-writing skills to develop a series set inside the Disney theme parks that the Disney “attorneys would approve.” It was a challenge I couldn’t resist.

Z: Had you always been a fan of Disney parks?

RP: I LOVE the Disney parks, but came to it late. (That was the generous gift Disney gave me (and Dave Barry): 3 days with our families as VIP guests in Disney World! It changed my (publishing) life.

Z: Did you anticipate the Disney fandom appreciating how you handled the parks and becoming so passionate about your books (and every detail)?

RP: The reader reaction caught me and my publishing team at Disney TOTALLY by surprise. The first book Disney After Dark sold well, but not phenomenally. Then, after a few months, this groundswell began and tens of thousands of readers (later, hundreds of thousands) “got the bug.” It was a so much fun for me, as a writer, because it meant more books — and then, once those books caught on, they way they did, we set a series length (7 books) and I could create a large “arc” for the entire series. It’s been a very special part of my work. I treasure the KK series and its readers.

Z: As a guitarist in the band of published authors, Rock Bottom Remainders, who are some of your musical inspirations? Do you listen to music while writing?

RP: On my iPhone you’ll find everything from opera to U2. Nickleback to Scott Hamilton. Jazz, rock, soft rock, “oldies” — having played music for years now I take it any way it comes. I love music and sometimes, though certainly not always, play music when I’m writing. If I know the music really intimately I can write with it playing; if not, too much of my attention is taken by admiring the piece.

Z: With so many young adult books in the marketplace now, how do you ensure you’ll capture a reader’s attention? Do you have any advice for aspiring authors to set themselves apart?

RP: I try not to think about all the other books (although I read them! I love Eoin Colfer and Rick Riordan, Carl Hiaasen). I just try to write a compelling, fast-paced story with fun characters (that’s tough enough). I think the key to new writers is “have fun.” If you have fun writing, chances are the reader will too.

Z: Do you have a definite end in sight for The Kingdom Keepers? Will there be a part 4 or beyond? Any hints? (Thanks to my 11 year-old for this question!)

RP: I sure do! See above.

Can’t wait to see what happens next! Huge thanks to Ridley Pearson for taking the time out of his incredibly busy schedule to talk with us today! I know I loved learning a bit more about the process and how Kingdom Keepers began. If you’d like to check out Kingdom Keepers III: Disney in Shadow, his Peter serieswith Dave Barry, as well as all his adult fiction, head over to the Ridley Pearson author page on Amazon or his official website RidleyPearson.com. You can also follow Ridley on twitter @RidleyPearson and “like” him Pearson on facebook, where he updates regularly about his work and appearances.

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This post is part of the Disney Blog Carnival. Head over there to see more great Disney-related posts and articles!

Help Give Kids the World-Where Happiness Inspires Hope

3 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 6 Comments

When I first lived in Orlando, I remember driving around looking at neighborhoods and going down this street where I could see giant red-topped mushroom over a wall. Of course, I instantly thought of Walt Disney World and its whimsical architecture, but saw a sign saying “Give Kids the World“. I did some research and found out it was an organization that accommodated the wishes of chronically ill children and their families. I knew then it was a place I wanted to somehow help with.

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!

Disney Dooney and Bourke Princess Handbag Designs

30 July 2010 by Suzannah Otis 10 Comments

NOTE: If you are looking for the Disney World Princess HALF MARATHON Dooney & Bourkes – click here!

In an interesting turn of events, Disney has decided to release its newest design collaboration with Dooney & Bourke online first. The new Princess designs are at the Disney Store online. The new designs are a Disney Princess twist of the Pop Novelty design at DooneyandBourke.com. Here are the currently available styles:

Disney Dooney Princess tote — Disney Dooney & Bourke Princess Tote - $220 Click to see on DisneyStore.com

Disney Dooney Princeses — Disney Dooney & Bourke Princess Domed Satchel - $220 Click to see on DisneyStore.com