Downtown Disney

Disneyland Paris Dooney & Bourke Retro Tote Bag Available Online

9 May 2013 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

A friend online had visited Disneyland Paris over the summer and shared this adorable design, and now it’s available at the
DisneyStore.com. It’s kind of funny that they are using the “retro” design also used at Disneyland here in California and at Walt Disney World, since Disneyland Paris opened in 1991 and that isn’t exactly retro (I mean, I know I’m getting older, but it wasn’t THAT long ago that graduated high school 😉 ) No matter, it’s still a cute design, with bright colors and some favorite attractions at both Disneyland Paris and the Walt Disney Studios next door, in celebration of Disneyland Paris’ 20th Anniversary last month.

Disneyland Paris Retro Dooney & Bourke — Disneyland Paris Tote Bag By Dooney & Bourke – Retro is $349

What do you think? Will you pick up this Disneyland Paris Tote Bag By Dooney & Bourke? I know my rule is I can’t get a location-specific design unless I’ve been there. Which is why I did not get a Disney Cruise Line Dooney until I set sail on the Dream last November (I’d been on the Magic but that was before the Dooney’s existed!) and did not feel like I could get a Disneyland retro design until my first visit to Disneyland back in 2011. (I still didn’t get one, maybe this year will be the year!). How about you? If this design isn’t for you, never fear, there is a return of the Mickey & Minnie black and white Comic design out now too, as an online exclusive. And there’s also the new design coming out this summer! What’s your favorite?

Don’t forget to check DisneyStore.com for sales of select current released Disney Dooney & Bourke purses and Zannaland’s Disney Dooney & Bourke page with ALL handbag photos and info.

*DisneyStore.com links are affiliate links, which means it costs you nothing extra to click or buy and goes directly to the official site, but if you do buy something, I get a small commission. Thanks for reading!

Photos: “Disney Springs” to Revitalize Downtown Disney Area

14 March 2013 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

As an early visitor to Walt Disney World, back in 1983, one of my very favorite parts of our vacation was the Lake Buena Vista Village Marketplace area, or “The Village” as my family called it. Our first visits to WDW included stays at the Lake Buena Vista Vacation Villas, part of a set of villas where Saratoga Springs now resides. Your stay at one of the villas (larger town-home style rooms with bedrooms, a living area and kitchen) included a golf cart, and we would ride over to the Village every day, either for breakfast at the Empress Lilly, dinner at Heidelberg’s Deli, or for stocking up on snacks at the Gourmet Pantry. It was such a truly relaxed, unique area; it became forever engrained in my memories as “Walt Disney World.”

Over time, changes took place at the Village Marketplace, and Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island, and West Side were born. More and more visitors came to Walt Disney World and Disney answered with more shopping and dining experiences. But something was lost along the way: that relaxing, Florida feeling that made such an impression on me as a child. So when I heard the latest announcement regarding Disney Springs, I was thrilled that perhaps this would again be a place for beautiful sites and memories to be born. Hearing the description with emphasis on meandering springs, open-air promenades and waterfront charm gives me hope for this new area to capture the right balance of shopping, dining, and entertainment.

Here is the official announcement from Disney this morning:

Disney Springs will feature an eclectic and contemporary mix from Disney and other noteworthy brands. From boutique shops to unique flagship anchor stores, guests will be able to explore a variety of shopping, dining and entertainment experiences and discover options unlike any other currently available in Central Florida.

Disney Unveils Vision for Disney Springs — Along with an eclectic and contemporary mix from Disney and other noteworthy brands, Disney Springs (as shown in this conceptual rendering) will feature a new gateway with a signature water tower and grand entry.

“Disney Springs will be a timeless, vibrant place where Walt Disney World guests and local residents can relax, shop, dine and be entertained in an imaginative setting where they’ll instantly feel at home,” said Tom Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “Featuring distinctive brands, world-class restaurants and unforgettable entertainment, Disney Springs will be brought to life with the same focus on storytelling and attention to detail that goes into our theme parks, resorts and cruise ships, resulting in a welcoming space that only Disney could create.”

Disney Springs will double the number of shops, restaurants and other venues for guests to explore, resulting in more than 150 establishments. In addition, Staggs noted, Central Florida stands to benefit from the expansion with more jobs, tax revenues and business opportunities.

Disney Unveils Vision for Disney Springs – Marketplace — As part of Disney Springs, the family-friendly Marketplace (as shown in this conceptual rendering) will continue to delight guests of all ages and include new experiences, such as an over-the-water pedestrian causeway.

Drawing inspiration from Florida’s waterfront towns and natural beauty, Disney Springs will include four outdoor neighborhoods interconnected by a flowing spring and vibrant lakefront. In addition to a new gateway with a signature water tower and grand entry, the destination will feature:

The Town Center, which offers a sophisticated mix of shopping and dining along with a promenade where guests can relax, refresh and reconnect.

Disney Unveils Vision for Disney Springs – Town Center and The — With a flowing spring as a centerpiece, Disney Springs will feature four outdoor neighborhoods including the two shown in an artist’s conceptual rendering. The Town Center (lower portion of the image) will offer one-of-a-kind shopping and dining experiences along a promenade while The Landing (upper portion of the image) will include inspired dining and beautiful waterfront views.

A colorful and thriving commercial district called The Landing with inspired dining and beautiful waterfront views.

Disney Unveils Vision for Disney Springs – West Side — Inviting and infused with character, Disney Springs will feature four outdoor neighborhoods including The Landing (as shown in this conceptual rendering) which offers inspired dining, retail and beautiful waterfront views.

The family-friendly Marketplace that will continue to delight guests of all ages by combining new experiences, such as an over-the-water pedestrian causeway, along with classic Disney favorites, including an expanded World of Disney store.
A West Side that provides an exuberant atmosphere with lively entertainment, along with a series of new elevated spaces that provide both shade and an overlook to the activity below.

Collectively, these efforts will not only have an impact within Walt Disney World, but will also have an economic ripple effect on Central Florida. The project will create an estimated 1,200 construction jobs and nearly 4,000 operational roles.

Disney will share more details on specific experiences coming to Disney Springs in the future. Construction is slated to begin next month with new areas opening in phases. Disney Springs is expected to be complete in 2016.

What do you think of this announcement? Are you excited for Disney Springs? Disney has not officially announced the restaurants or shops which will sign on for Disney Springs, but one of the many rumors is Trader Sams, the tiki bar made so popular at the Disneyland Hotel. I’m very excited for the possibilities!

Video: Beautifully Disney Cosmetics Line Debuts at Downtown Disney

3 March 2013 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

For those following along on Instagram, twitter or Facebook, I’ve been teasing the Beautifully Disney line of makeup as it launched unofficially Friday night, and officially Saturday morning. Some local bloggers were treated to a mini-makeover demonstration of the eye shadows and lip glosses from the first collection to be released – Wickedly Beautiful. Two other collections will be released in the coming months, and from what we are told, these will be limited release, so if you see something you like, stock up now!

Wickedly Beautiful features a dual personality – princesses and villains, taking you into a world of good versus evil, where soft and deep lacquer crèmes shimmer with glitter, richly unite to create modern interpretations of Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, Evil Queen, Lady Tremaine, Ursula, and Maleficent. For every princess-themed shade, there is a complementary villains color to go with it. The collection offers 2 eyeshadow palettes with 4 shadows each, 8 lip glosses and 8 nail polishes, each with a little bit of sparkle and fun that works for everyone. The eyeshadow palettes are Enchanted Kiss – the princess shades, and Midnight Hour, the villains shades.

What we learned this morning is that both the shadows and glosses are build-able, meaning you can use a lighter color for daytime/office wear and then build upon that with a darker shade or an additional pop of color for something more dramatic. I will say this – when I saw the lip glosses last night, I wasn’t convinced they would be worth investing in. But seeing them first hand, as well as the shadows, I was truly impressed and excited to add them to my makeup collection. Little tricks like adding the pop of shimmery silver or gold to the center of your lips on top of the colored gloss, makes a huge difference and looks really lovely in person!

Another treat for our little preview this morning was a visit from Isabella – the fashion diva who you may remember from the Disney Dooney & Bourke trunk show from last summer. I interviewed Isabella to get a little more insight into the new makeup line. She had a lot of fun things to share about her favorites:

Big thanks to Nicole from SparklyEverAfter.com for taking and editing this video! #Smoketural!

Here’s a gallery of photos from the today’s event at Tren-D launching the Wickedly Beautiful collection:

Princesses lip glosses plus Wicked Queen

Princesses lip glosses plus Wicked Queen names

The upcoming lines are Unlock the Spell, releasing in Spring/Summer 2013 and Fiery Spirit, releasing in Fall/Winter 2013. Unlock the Spell looks like it has a Belle theme, while Fiery Spirit seems to have Pocahontas as its theme.

Wickedly Beautiful is on sale now at Tren-D and World of Disney in Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney, and Vault 28 at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District. For a limited time, with any $40 purchase of Beautifully Disney, you can purchase the compact mirror for only $10. Current pricing on available Wickedly Beautiful products are as follows:

Lacquer Crème Nail Polish $8.95
Lip Gloss – $14.95
Mirrored Logo Compact – $16.95
Eye Shadow Palettes – $27.95
Cosmetic bags vary from $16.95 and up

Splitsville Luxury Lanes-Bowling Dining & More at Downtown Disney

18 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

There’s a new kingpin in town, Downtown Disney that is! After much anticipation, Splitsville luxury lanes is set to open Wednesday, December 19 in Downtown Disney’s West Side. Splitsville is bowling like you’ve never experienced before (unless you’ve visited one of their other successful locations across the country) – all of the fun of bowling with friends and family, mixed with great food and an even better atmosphere.

Set in the former Virgin Megastore building, Splitsville has completely redesigned the building and it is a marvel to see first hand. The process at Splitsville is a little different; you sign up for a bowling lane and tell them your shoe size and they bring the shoes to you and set you up in a lane. Then you get 1.5 hours of bowling and can enjoy drinks and dining while you bowl. If you’d like to just hang out for the music or food, that’s cool too. The second floor of Splitsville in Downtown Disney is only open to those 21+ after 10pm. Regular hours are from 10am-2am, 7 days a week. Pricing varies based on when you go, but for now it is $20 per person for an hour and a half of bowling, including shoe rental, during the peak hours of 5-10pm. If you’d like to bring your whole family, you are welcome to bowl downstairs where there is no age limit – drinks and food are still available downstairs as well – including a sushi bar!

After experiencing the vibe at Splitsville in Downtown Disney twice now, I am excited for the potential this brand has to invigorate and enliven the Downtown Disney atmosphere. I know there is a great need for things to do at Walt Disney World “after hours” since most things close at midnight or before, so this seems like a natural fit for couples and solo travelers visiting the World, as well as, of course, locals. Whether there will be discounts for locals, cast members and annual passholders remains to be seen, but I am sure Splitsville will be a great fit and personally look forward to the future with possible bowling leagues and fun get-togethers among friends.

Splitsville Orlando — Central Florida mural with local images

The decor and theming in the Downtown Disney Splitsville is just fantastic. They have kept the retro 50’s bowling theme going with shiny red and black vinyl and mid-century modern lighting everywhere, along with adding some touches specific to our location, like Orlando-specific landmarks and nods to our orange grove history. In addition, downstairs is an absolutely amazing mural designed after the 1970’s merchandise bags which Walt Disney World history buffs love so much. It is just a perfect fit and a detail which did not go unnoticed or unappreciated by the many fans who visited the lanes before its official opening. Well done, Splitsville and Disney!

In addition to the nightly bowling, billiards, dancing and dining, Splitsville Orlando will be offering New Year’s Eve 21+ packages, with ($175 per person) or without ($100 per person) bowling which will include food options, drinks and Champagne with a reserved table for 3.5 hours. You can contact [email protected] or call 407-938-PINS for more information and reservations. You can also make lane and special event reservations online for birthdays and more.

Here’s a gallery of more images from Splitsville Orlando:

Disclosure: I visited the Splitsville Downtown Disney location as media during a special dedication event on December 7, and also as a guest of the Disney Parks Blog meet-up, held on December 17. I was provided with free bowling, food and drinks during both visits. My opinions and thoughts are my own and unaffected by this access from Disney. My thanks to Walt Disney World and the Disney Parks Blog for the opportunities. Keep an eye on the official Disney Parks Blog for future meet-ups, as well as the @WaltDisneyWorld twitter account for a hint or two before the meet-ups are announced.

Disney LeSportsac Winter 2012 London Collection

27 November 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

LeSportsac’s collaboration with Disney, using Mary Blair-inspired designs under the “it’s a small world” moniker, is quickly gaining popularity just like the Disney Dooney & Bourke collection has done for the past few years. With the success of the initial summer Disney LeSportsac line, the Fall and Winter line started appearing in Disney parks as well as being available for purchase online.

I was recently in TrenD at Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney Marketplace, and saw many of the new Winter London collection for sale:

Disney LeSportsac Winter 2012 London — Everyday bag with charm – $98

Keep an eye out for more of these cute designs showing up at a Disney park near you!

Festival of the Masters 2012 Photo Tour

11 November 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

John Coulter's artwork for Festival of the Masters — John Coulter’s artwork for Festival of the Masters

The action never stops at Walt Disney World Resort and just when the Halloween events have ended and the International Food and Wine Festival is winding down, the Festival of the Masters shines on the second weekend in November, bringing artists and craftsmen from around the world to Downtown Disney to share their talents. Sponsored by Michaels stores, the Festival of the Masters offers something for everyone, from kids and family crafts, to fine art displays and sales. It is a great way to discover some new favorite artists and see the talent that lies behind Disney’s amazing Cast Members as well.

The Disney art section is always my favorite, with fabulous artists like Will Gay, Noah, Katie Kelly, and so many more, sharing their hard work and interpretation of Disney classics. Be sure to check out the LEGO booths, which offer a chance to create a mosaic tile which becomes part of a larger LEGO mural. There are other interactive stops stretching all across Downtown Disney from the West Side to the Marketplace. Chalk drawings, artist signings and more await. Here are some photo highlights – click any photo to view as a slideshow:

Custom Vinylmation at Festival of the Masters

Patriotic Mickey Festival of the Masters — Patriotic Mickey at Festival of the Masters

Fesitval of the Masters Disney art by Greg Trombo

John Coulter art Festival of the Masters

Katie Kelly's artwork for Festival of the Masters — Katie Kelly’s artwork for Festival of the Masters

Will Gay decks at Festival of the Masters

Will Gay's artwork for Festival of the Masters — Will Gay’s artwork for Festival of the Masters

Festival of the Masters artist signing schedule

Graham Knuttel's sheep sculptures — Graham Knuttel’s sheep sculptures

Graham Knuttel painting at Raglan Road — Graham Knuttel painting sheep at Raglan Road

Festival of the Masters special cupcakes

Ghirardelli craft Festival of the Masters

Lego Mosaic — Gio showing off his Lego mosaic piece

Michaels Duct Tape Craft Festival of the Masters

Michaels frame craft Festival of the Masters

Michaels mosaic Mickey at the Festival of the Masters

Disney’s Festival of the Masters presented by Michaels wraps up today at 5pm, so if you are in the area, stroll on over and get your art on!

VIDEO: Secret of the Wings Skating Rink Opens at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney District

24 October 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

In a fun tie-in with the newest Disney Fairies installment – Secret of the Wings, the Downtown Disney District opened a skating rink themed to the movie. For readers that haven’t ventured out west, the Downtown Disney District is a lively promenade featuring unique shopping and dining, as well as exciting nighttime entertainment. Located just outside the Parks and adjacent to the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort, the Downtown Disney District offers something for everyone from early morning until late at night.

This magical ice skating rink will be located between AMC 12 Theatres and the ESPN Zone, and will invite guests of all ages to glide along to special music and lighting effects. Skates will be available for rent, and helmets will be provided and required for each skater’s safety. Starting November 12, a special holiday village will surround the rink, with themed chalets where guests can purchase seasonal foods and merchandise. Sounds adorable!

Here’s a video with details from the opening ceremony and interviews from the Downtown Disney general manager as well as the Secret of the Wings filmmakers:

Tiny Top Hats Take Over Disney Parks!

7 October 2012 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

Nicole and Suzannah and tiny hats — My friend Nicole and I with our tiny hats!

During my first-ever visit to Disneyland in August of 2011, my friend and I kept seeing people wearing these adorable tiny top hats. We finally stopped someone and asked where they got theirs. The Mad Hatter, we were told. So we headed directly there and purchased matching Tinker Bell tiny hats. And wore them ALL.DAY. It was a wonderful memory and we thought we were being so cool by getting something that only existed in Disneyland. Well, come to find out, thanks to Twitter, Walt Disney World had the same hats. Wah wah. Oh well. We still had so much fun wearing them and all I have to do is look at that hat in my room and smile.

Since then, tiny hats have sort of exploded in Disney Parks. They now compete with Mouse Ear Hats and Mouse Ear Bands as the most popular headpiece to see around the parks. So far I’ve seen our Tinker Bell hat, a Cheshire Cat striped one, a Mad Hatter hat, and now a few more from the Mad T party in Disney California Adventure. Last night at Downtown Disney’s World of Disney here in Walt Disney World, I saw three new hats, all villain-themed. In addition, another kind of hat [I’m sure it has a name, but I am unsure of its official title – a fascinator? cocktail hat?] has appeared in the Parks. I saw the Ariel version, complete with tiny Dinglehopper in California Adventure in September, and again last night. A Mulan style hat was there too, with a tiny fan as its little accessory. Super cute.

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Here are photos from last night:

Cruelle DeVil tiny hat — Cruella DeVil tiny hat

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Villains tiny hats and bags – I love the bags too, sparkly and a good size!

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And also while I was in California in September, I saw these fun and fancy animal print Ear Hats – which I still haven’t seen in Walt Disney World yet. Also pictured is the Haunted Mansion bowler hat which has been around for a month or so and also super cute. (Please forgive my hamming it up, I was just being silly but didn’t get photos of the hats by themselves so there you go :P)

Animal print Mouse Ear Hats and Haunted Mansion bowler hat

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What do you think of these tiny top hats and ear hats? Would you wear them in the Parks (or at home?) 😉

Photo Highlights From Raglan Road Pub’s First “Great Hooley” Celebration

2 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Saturday my daughter and I were invited to experience Raglan Road Pub’s Great Irish Hooley, or celebration. Nestled between Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island and Marketplace, the Great Irish Hooley is central Florida’s first boutique Irish festival, taking place from Friday to Monday this Labor Day weekend.

Raglan Road Pub is always a favorite for my family, featuring great food mixed with authentic Irish musicians and dancers throughout the day and night. The Great Irish Hooley enhanced all of that fun, with more bands, more dancing and lessons, and of course, great food – with no cover charge. It was wonderful to learn the stories behind the Irish dances being demonstrated along with the music and edible delights!

Here are some photo highlights of our experience on Saturday:

Irish Dancers and me — Anyone can dance!

Irish Dancers — Irish dancing demonstration outside Raglan Road for the festival

Raglan Road Beer Flight — One of the Raglan Road beer flights available for tasting

Lobster Club with peas — Lobster Club – Lobster & avocado salad, crispy prosciutto, watercress & citrus herb mayonnaise.

Beef Curry Pie — Beef Murray – Beef curry pie with spinach, potatoes, mushrooms & apple chutney.

Shepard's Pie — Keen eye for the Shepherd’s Pie – my daughter had this and loved it.

Raglan Risotto – Risotto with shiitake mushrooms, garden peas, shaved parmesan & rocket lettuce. You can add chicken or shrimp but I had it without and it was delicious!

Cashel Castle salad — Cashel Castle – Crumbled Cashel blue cheese, carmelized pecans, grape tomatoes, raspberries, prosciutto crisps, crostini’s & raspberry vinaigrette. You can add chicken or shrimp.

Chicken fingers and chips Raglan Road — Chicken fingers and chips – not on the menu, but on the kids menu with 2 fingers, just ask your server!

Appetizer Sampler Raglan Road — An appetizer sampler brought out for our table – Scallop Forest – Georges Bank Scallops in a golden batter served with citrus lime dipping sauce & sweet chili jam. Heaven on Earth – Baby back ribs tossed in a Guinness glaze. Nom Nom Wings – Sweet ‘n spicy wings tossed in a honey, chili flake, soy & ginger sauce. Dalkey Duo – Battered cocktail sausages with a Dalkey mustard dipping sauce

Kiss Before Prawns – Pan seared prawns in a garlic & chili lemon butter sauce with crostinis.

Tart Art goat cheese tart with asparagus and peas – delicious!

Irish Soda Bread with sweet Guinness dipping sauce

Jay'Gail Sangria — Jay’Gail Sangria – A refreshing blend of Magners Cider, Peach Schnapps and Fruit Liqueurs & squeezes.

Inside Raglan Road — I love the stained glass inside Raglan Road!

An Irish dancer on the raised stage in the middle of Raglan Road

And here is a quick video of one of the Irish dancing demonstrations taking place during the Hooley:

The Great Irish Hooley is still going on now through Monday, September 3 – check out performance times at TheGreatIrishHooley.com and more information and menus at RaglanRoad.com. Special thanks again to Raglan Road Pub and Disney for providing lunch for my daughter and I.

Disney Parks Halloween Merchandise for 2012 VIDEO

24 August 2012 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Halloween is right around the corner, so I decided to head over to Downtown Disney Marketplace and check out the new 2012 Halloween merchandise at World of Disney. The Halloween merchandise should be in all the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Parks now, so check it out! Be sure to see the new Haunted Mansion tombstone collectible pieces as well as the new “Goth Goodies” line of candy, including a chocolate rose.

Here’s a video of the merchandise highlights with a little song to get you in the Halloween spirit: