While at D-Street at Downtown Disney’s West Side, I heard a man chuckling in front of some shirts. When he stepped away, I looked at them and did the same thing–
Love these! What do you think?
Magical Adventures & Memories
This weekend I was serendipitously treated to not one but two Epcot VIP Lounge experiences. A few months back my husband and I were able to enjoy the Wonders of Life VIP Lounge thanks to previewing the 15th Annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival for the DisneyFoodBlog through Tables in Wonderland, which was an amazing time.
Last Saturday my fellow Walt Disney World Moms panelists and I had lunch in the Living Seas VIP lounge (post forthcoming!). Then finally on Monday, as fate would have it, I met up with friend and fellow Disney blogger Amanda Tinney and our friend (and HP employee) Lynne Ronemous who was visiting for the weekend. Since Lynne works for HP, her handy dandy HP id card grants her access to the HP lounge situated on the second floor of Epcot’s Mission: Space ride building.
Now I’d never even stepped foot on Mission: Space’s grounds – a combination of being too chicken to ride and staging a silent protest in honor of Horizons 😉 so this was all new to me. I was quite impressed with all the lounge has to offer! You can check out Amanda Tinney’s post with detailed photos and information on the lounge, but I thought I’d share something fun too…
At the post-show area of Mission: Space, you are able to send a “Postcard from Space” via email. It’s a fun little animated postcard with different scenes to choose from inserting you into an animated outer space background. Within the HP lounge is a private little room complete with greenscreen background to send a postcard or two while you enjoy the lounge’s facilities. Of course Amanda, Lynne and I could not pass up such an opportunity, so click here find our postcard from space for your amusement. Enjoy!
Now if any GM employees would like to let me tour the Test Track lounge, I’d be ever so grateful! 😉
Last night local media and cast members were treated to a special opening preview of Epcot’s newest dining spots – La Hacienda de San Angel and La Cantina de San Angel. Completely new in design and construction, the two restaurants will replace the former counter service-only Cantina de San Angel. The new space will now accommodate both counter service during the day, using the outdoor tables as well as the air-conditioned comfort within La Hacienda, until 2:30pm, when La Hacienda will prepare for its dinner-only table service dining. Extending out onto World Showcase lagoon, the new construction is simply beautiful and fits right into the existing architecture and theme of the Mexico pavilion. While I will be sharing a more in-depth review after we’ve gone back and dined there as regular guests, I thought I’d share some of the highlights from last night and what you can expect from these two new choices.
[Read more…] about ¡Bienvenidos a la Familia! La Hacienda de San Angel Opens in Epcot
Many of you may have heard about the Last Tour to Endor party associated with the Star Wars Celebration V that took place at the Orange County Convention Center last month. I know I was disappointed that we couldn’t get it to work out logistically, so when I saw the D23 event for the Last Flight to Endor (which was an essentially free event save for the $5 per ticket processing fee), I was all over it! What’s more, this free event was going to take place on the actual last night of Star Tours operation before it closed for refurbishment and would be limited to the number of guests that could fill the speeders in the attraction for the actual last flight. It was too cool to pass up. I am so glad I didn’t.
{I apologize in advance for the photo quality. I was using my cell all night – convenient, but not so great at night and when you are pretty much constantly moving. Hopefully the spirit of the evening comes across in the pictures, despite the blurriness! }
I make no claims to know all there is about Star Wars, but I know enough to make obscure references or movie lines when needed and get suitably excited when our escorts for the evening turned out to be some of the 501st Legion‘s finest Stormtroopers (even though my first response upon seeing one of them was “Aren’t you a little short to be a Stormtrooper?”). It was great to see so many excited fans and fellow bloggers/Disney media people there as well as meeting some twitter friends. We all checked in and were given a commemorative boarding pass and FastPass for the evening, and the first 100 guests received a limited edition Star Wars coin set as well. Soon the Stormtroopers arrived and we were on the march to our destination: Star Tours.
[Read more…] about Farewell to Captain Rex – D23’s Last Flight to Endor Celebration
It’s not news that devoted pet owners will do just about anything for their “fur children”, including luxury accommodations which are gaining popularity across the country. I have a friend who’s been putting her dog in a similar pet hotel for years, allowing her to watch her pets on a webcam while she’s away. After all, if you’re enjoying the place “Where Dreams Come True”, why not let your beloved pets experience some magic as well?
I was really impressed with the facilities at the Best Friends Pet Care, which opened this week. Situated across from Port Orleans Riverside on Bonnet Creek Parkway, the newly built Best Friends Pet Care replaces all other Disney kennels throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. With facilities for over 300 pets, this one new location will be able to comfortably accommodate all of Disney’s four-legged visitors. Whether you are just dropping your pet off for a day visit, or an overnight stay, they will be given as much attention as if they were a human guest at one of Disney’s deluxe resorts.
[Read more…] about Pets Get a Dose of Pixie Dust at Disney’s Best Friends Pet Care
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.
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:
[Read more…] about Disney Dooney and Bourke Princess Handbag Designs
I’ve always loved surprises. Back in the 80’s when I collected stickers, I can’t tell you how many “goodie bags” my mom bought me in the local sticker shop just because not knowing what was in there made it that much more exciting and enticing for me. I can’t say I’ve changed much since then – I still love mysteries where you get a prize in the end. So of course I love special things like the Pick a Pearl station in Japan’s Mitsukoshi store in Epcot. I still have the first pearl I got at a similar set-up in Silver Springs with my sister. I finally decided my kids should get to experience the fun so a little while back they got to pick their own pearls and see what awaited them inside.
Here’s how it works:
[Read more…] about A Surprise in Every Shell – Pick A Pearl in Epcot’s Japan Pavilion
In part one and part two of our Tom Sawyer Island pictorial review, we saw caves, mines, a fort and even a play area chock full of adventure. Today we conclude that adventure by visiting the final spots on the island.
When we left off, we were about to cross this barrel bridge to parts unknown, yes? As always, click to enlarge photos.
[Read more…] about The Secrets of Walt Disney World’s Tom Sawyer Island-Part 3 of 3
Apparently I had missed this bit of news, but was quite excited to see these new designs thanks to my good friend Charles (who was nice enough to buy one for his lovely wife’s birthday!) You read the title right, the original “Cindy Sketch” print (without Minnie Mouse from the second edition of the print) is now out in new COLORS! The print is actually slightly re-worked, with the first edition Disney World/Disneyland banner, the Dooney & Bourke leather tag, less balloons, and no Minnie. Available in a letter carrier style and the wristlet – the designs come in hot pink, bright purple, sky blue, sun yellow, and grass green – the perfect accessory for summer!
Let’s just get right to the pictures, shall we? Don’t forget you can click to enlarge.
[Read more…] about Disney Dooney and Bourke Cindy Sketch Design in NEW Colors and Styles!