Walt Disney World

In Epcot for Valentine’s Day? Get Free Bottle Engraving at Guerlain!

8 February 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

“The Scent of Love is in the Air”
Guerlain Fragrance Event
February 10-14, 2011
La Signature Shoppe, France Pavilion, Epcot®

Complimentary bottle engraving with any Guerlain fragrance purchase on the last two days of this event – February 13 &14 from 1:00pm-7:00pm

The scent of love is in the air… surprise your valentine this year with a fragrance from Guerlain. La Signature Shoppe in the France Pavilion at the World Showcase at Epcot® has a wide variety of gift giving ideas and fragrance gift set solutions that will bring joy and delight to any recipient.

During this special event guests purchasing a Guerlain fragrance February 13 & 14^th, can have their purchase personalized by our bottle engraver.

Complimentary bottle engraving available with any Guerlain fragrance purchase from 1:00pm-7:00pm on February 13 & 14, 2011 only. Available at the La Signature Shoppe in Epcot® at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Theme Park admission is required.

Gowalla and Disney Reveal Passholder Exclusive Virtual Pin

5 February 2011 by Suzannah Otis 5 Comments

If you’ve ever gone anywhere with someone who uses location-based check-in apps like Foursquare, Gowalla, or even Facebook Places, you’ve probably rolled your eyes at the very least or perhaps cautioned us from walking into a fountain as we attempt to check in. Everywhere.

We are easy to spot; we’re the ones constantly looking at our phones, searching for locations to check in to and of course, share with the world (and cursing the lack of cell service to complete our check in!). Who doesn’t want to know that we are getting our morning coffee at Starbucks, buying socks at the mall, or enjoying seeing a movie with friends? As newbies find out quickly, quite a few people not only aren’t interested but actually get annoyed with constant check ins! Hrmph. Never fear, there are actually settings in all services which allow you to keep your check-ins to yourself, only share with friends, or share with twitter, facebook, or both.

While each of us use the apps or services in a different way – some to meet up with friends in the same location, others to keep family informed, others just to chronicle their every move, we’re all in it for the fun, and yes, tiny pixelated rewards we may get for checking in. Disney teamed up with popular service Gowalla a few months back and created official Disney check-ins, virtual pins, trips to complete and items to pick up along the way. With the huge social media army nestled firmly within the Disney fandom, this was a natural and welcomed partnership.

Disney Gowalla places — Some of the most popular Walt Disney World check-in spots on Gowalla. There are Disneyland spots as well.

Fans could now share their Disney visits and experiences as they happened online. Users can take a photo of a location and leave it behind for future visitors to see. Gowalla also uses random items which may be found or dropped along the way and with the Disney partnership, those items now included Mickey Mouse ear hats, Hitchhiking Ghosts, and Walt and Mickey Partners Statues. Disney created their own official “trips” which include checking in to multiple locations, either within one or more parks, the resorts, or a combination of places within Walt Disney property. Committed users will be rewarded by the trip completion and a virtual pin to add to their collection. Another benefit is visitors themselves can make their own trips which guests can also complete, adding to the fun and competitive aspect of checking in.

Disney Gowalla trip pins — Some of the virtual Disney pins from Gowalla for trip completion

Gowalla has now announced a new Walt Disney World Passholder exclusive virtual pin. No details have been given as to whether proof of Passholder must somehow be shown to obtain the virtual pin. Perhaps just not publicizing it anywhere but the Passholder newsletter is the level of “exclusivity” mentioned. If there’s one thing the Disney community does, it spreads news, so I’d imagine many guests will be achieving this particular pin, Passholder or not. I’ll have to report back on it when I complete the challenge myself. One of the spots, Disney Junior – Live on Stage! does not premier until March, but the check-in spot is available currently, so there may be some dishonest checking in among die-hard Gowalla users. Below are the complete set of spots you must check in at to earn the Passholder virtual pin.

Gowalla Disney Passholder Virtual Pin check-ins — Disney Passholder Virtual Pin check-ins

Personally, I love the marriage of Disney and Gowalla and for an obsessive personality like my own (hence my blog), it’s just the thing to keep me excited about the next big thing at Walt Disney World. Much to the dismay of my family, my check-in addition is not going anywhere any time soon. Unlike many other Disney collections (Dooney & Bourke purses, Vinylmation, constantly updating Disney merchandise…) this virtual one is compact, portable, and best of all – free! I no longer fear ending up on an episode of “Disney Hoarders” (that would make an awesome show, btw), my fears now involve a drained battery in my phone. My 12 year old son is following along in my footsteps and we now challenge each other to see who can check in to a spot first. Makes a mother proud…

Gowalla is a free app available for Android, Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Palm devices.

Disney AMC 24 DINE-IN Theatre Fork & Screen Menu & Details!

3 February 2011 by Suzannah Otis 4 Comments

AMC Downtown Disney 24 now open, a new theatre experience with a menu of possibilities –

Our local movie theatre has a dine-in option but it is limited to those 21+. While I do enjoy going on date nights with my husband without kids in the theatre, there have been times I wished we could bring all the kids with us and enjoy the dinner option as well. It’s not like the 21+ makes the theatre kid-free, since we still share a theatre with regular movie-goers, the 21+ area is just in the balcony. AMC seems to have perfected the best of both worlds. Guests must be 18+ or accompanied by a 21+ parent or guardian, so you can’t just drop the kids off for dinner and sneak off to House of Blues. The menu showcases something for everyone from appetizers to drinks and desserts. Let’s check out how it works and the Fork & Screen menu offerings:

Watch the latest movies with seat-side service at AMC Dine-In Theatres™, a new experience that combines the cuisine and cocktail options of a restaurant with the fun and excitement of a movie theatre. AMC® offers two options of Dine-In Theatres. If you’re in the mood for casual dining, check out Fork & Screen® or try Cinema Suites® for an upscale experience. Each option has its own exciting atmosphere and selection of tasty, surprisingly affordable menus. How the AMC Dine-In Theatre Experience Works

1. Select your movie, showtime and reserved seating preference.
2. Price includes your movie ticket, dining is at an additional cost
3. Menus are available at your seat. Press the call button and a server will arrive to take your order.
4. Relax and enjoy the movie while you dine at your seat. If you need anything else, simply press the call button.
5. The server will deliver your check before the end of the film.

Guests of Fork & Screen can enjoy in-theatre dining combined with the most current movies and other exciting events presented in the immersive big-screen viewing environment of an AMC theatre. Guests have to be 18 years old or accompanied by a parent or guardian that is 21 years or older. Adult guests are able to order beer, wine, cocktails and food at MacGuffins. Named after a term coined by famed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, MacGuffins is a warm, relaxing and inviting bar with a spacious lounge. Guests can relax before or after their entertainment at tables and soft-seating areas. Guests 18 years old and over, and minors accompanied by a parent or guardian, are welcome to enjoy MacGuffins.

(Menu updated 5/12 – items and prices subject to change)

New Summer Introductions

New Orleans Lobster Salad Torta | $10.49Chunks of real lobster, seafood, celery, green onions and capers mixed in a light mayonnaise-based remoulade and scooped into a toasted bolillo roll with arugula greens and tomato. Served with a side of fresh fruit.
Sonoma Chicken Salad Torta | $9.99All-white meat chicken, grapes, apples, celery and pecans tossed in a light mayonnaise dressing and scooped into a toasted bolillo roll with arugula greens and tomato. Served with a side of fresh fruit.

Bruschetta Shrimp Pasta | $14.99Pan-seared jumbo shrimp tossed in zesty seasoning with corkscrew pasta and creamy sundried tomato sauce, and sprinkled with fresh tomato and basil bruschetta.
Classic Supreme | $10.99A fully loaded flatbread sprinkled generously with a blend of Italian cheeses and topped with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers and onions.

Appetizers

Buffalo Chicken Wings | $9.99Jumbo chicken wings glazed with our spicy wing sauce. Served with crisp celery and blue cheese dressing to cool the heat.
Wings & Things Sampler | $12.99Our spicy buffalo chicken wings and golden cheese sticks partnered with onion loops and house-made potato chips, with ketchup, blue cheese and marinara sauce for dipping.
Crab Rangoon Dip | $8.99A new recipe with hot white Cheddar, cream cheese and real crab, seasoned with herbs and spices, and served with a plate of fresh wonton chips and Thai coconut sauce.
Veggie Triple Feature | $7.99Icebox carrots, jicama and celery sticks, served with oven-toasted pizzetta strips, hummus and creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing.
Queso Blanco Dip & Chips | $7.49Diced tomato and green chilies in a white Cheddar cheese dip served with fresh tortilla chips.

Breadstick Sampler | $6.99Two soft pretzel Bavarian breadsticks and six cheesy Pizzetta strips with queso blanco and marinara sauces for dipping.
Golden Mozzarella Sticks | $8.49Delicious mozzarella cheese crusted with breadcrumbs and fried to crispy golden perfection. Topped with our Parmesan blend and served with marinara sauce.
Loaded Potato Skins | $8.49Crispy potato skins covered in melted Cheddar and Jack cheese, topped with hickory bacon, sour cream and green onions. Add crab rangoon dip. $2.99
Parmesan Fries | $6.99Deep-fried until crispy and tossed with our seasoned salt, Parmesan cheese blend and Italian flat leaf parsley. Served with ketchup and garlic basil aioli.

Tenders & Fish

Served with classic-cut fries. Substitute onion loops or Parmesan fries for only $0.99.

Crispy Fish and Chips | $12.49Cold-water cod dipped in a beer batter and fried to a delicious crisp. Served with tartar sauce.
Chicken Tenders | $11.99Traditional crispy chicken tenders with your choice of barbecue sauce, ranch or honey mustard for dipping.
Fried Shrimp | $12.99Shrimp hand-dipped in beer batter made with local pale ale, and flash fried to golden perfection. Served with our sweet house-made ponzu sauce.

Thai Coconut Chicken Tenders | $12.49Our beer-battered golden chicken tenders served with a Thai coconut red chili glaze and sweet house-made ponzu sauce for dipping.
Buffalo Chicken Tenders | $12.49Beer-battered, perfectly golden chicken tenders. Spice them up or cool the heat with buffalo and blue cheese dipping sauces.

Burgers

Served with classic-cut fries. Substitute onion loops or Parmesan fries for only $0.99.

Fire Burger | $10.49Smoldering, seasoned ground beef with jalapeños inside, topped with pepper jack cheese, zesty chipotle sauce, lettuce, tomato and crispy, fried jalapeños.
Mushroom Swiss Burger | $10.49Sautéed mushrooms and Swiss cheese top an all-American beef burger with lettuce and tomato on a toasted brioche-style Kaiser roll.
Blue Max Burger | $10.49Our all-American beef burger topped with blue cheese crumbles, lettuce, tomato and creamy blue cheese dressing on a toasted brioche-style Kaiser roll.

Bacon Cheeseburger | $10.99Our classic aged Cheddar cheeseburger dressed with crispy bacon and topped with lettuce and tomato on a brioche-style Kaiser roll.
Classic Cheeseburger | $9.99Our all-American beef burger with Cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce and sliced tomatoes on a toasted brioche-style Kaiser roll.

Sandwiches

Served with house-made potato chips. Substitute classic-cut fries for $0.99, or onion loops or Parmesan fries for only $1.99.

New Orleands Lobster Salad Torta | $10.49Chunks of real lobster, seafood, celery, green onions and capers mixed in a light mayonnaise-based remoulade and scooped into a toasted bolillo roll with arugula greens and tomato. Served with a side of fresh fruit.
Lime Chicken Griller | $9.99Perfectly grilled and seasoned lime chicken with creamy garlic basil aioli, lettuce and tomato on a toasted brioche-style Kaiser roll.
Roast Turkey Club | $10.49Roast turkey with Cheddar, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, crispy bacon and mayonnaise on a toasted brioche-style Kaiser roll.

Sonoma Chicken Salad Torta | $9.99All-white meat chicken, grapes, apples, celery and pecans tossed in a light mayonnaise dressing and scooped into a toasted bolillo roll with arugula greens and tomato. Served with a side of fresh fruit.
Prime Rib Griller | $10.49All-American, slow-roasted, shaved prime rib on a toasted brioche-style Kaiser roll. Served with creamy horseradish sauce.
Southwest Fajita Chicken Wrap | $9.99Melted Cheddar Jack cheese and grilled chicken, fire-roasted red and green bell peppers and diced tomatoes rolled in a flour tortilla. Served with sour cream and salsa.

Quesadillas & Tacos

Thai Bang Shrimp Tacos | $9.99White corn tortillas layered together with southwest sauce and Cheddar Jack cheese, then topped with sweet and sour slaw and crunchy breaded shrimp drizzled with Thai bang sauce. Served with fresh tortilla chips and house-made salsa.
Smoked Brisket Quesadillas | $9.99Grill-toasted flour tortillas stuffed with southwest-seasoned smoked beef brisket and shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.

Fire-Roasted Veggie Quesadillas | $9.49Grill-toasted flour tortillas filled with bell peppers, sweet onions, tomatoes, shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
Classic Chicken Quesadillas | $9.99Southwest seasoned grilled chicken and shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses melted inside grill-toasted flour tortillas.

Flatbread Pizzettas

Served with marinara sauce for dipping

Classic Supreme | $10.99A fully loaded flatbread sprinkled generously with a blend of Italian cheeses and topped with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, peppers and onions.
Tuscan Pepperoni | $9.99Crispy flatbread with mozzarella and provolone cheeses and shaved pepperoni.

Margherita | $9.99Olive oil brushed over flatbread with mozzarella and provolone cheeses, fresh Roma tomato slices and fresh basil.

Pizzinis

Golden toasted flatbread sandwiches served with house-made potato chips. Substitute classic-cut fries for $0.99, or onion loops or Parmesan fries for only $1.99.

Chipotle Chicken and Bacon | $9.99Grilled chicken, smoky chipotle sauce, melted Cheddar Jack cheese and bacon sandwiched between a golden flatbread. Served with chipotle-style mayonnaise.
Sicilian | $9.99This meat lovers’ Pizzini features salami, pepperoni, ham and melted mozzarella with lettuce and tomato sandwiched between a golden flatbread. Served with garlic basil aioli.

Smokehouse Beef and Cheddar | $9.99Smoked beef brisket and melted cheddar topped with sweet and sour slaw and barbecue sauce and sandwiched between a golden flatbread. Served with our Carolina-style barbecue sauce.

Salads

Select salads available as a wrap and served with a seasonal fruit medley.

Asian Chicken Salad | $10.99Grilled chicken on a bed of crisp greens tossed with sweet Asian dressing and topped with crispy wonton strips and toasted almonds. Available as a wrap with a side of seasonal fruit.
Fresh Fruit Salad | $9.99Fresh strawberries, mandarin oranges, pineapple and melon, topped with toasted pecans and a house-made honey, citrus and yogurt drizzle.

Wedge Salad | $9.49Chilled iceberg lettuce with chopped tomatoes, sweet onions, blue cheese crumbles and bacon with house-made creamy blue cheese dressing.
Chicken Caesar Salad | $10.99Crisp romaine lettuce topped with grilled, all-natural chicken breast, house-made Caesar dressing and grated Parmesan cheese. Available as a wrap with a side of seasonal fruit.

Entrees

Tenderloin Tips | $15.99Tenderloin steak tips with sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions in a red wine demi glace. Served with red bliss mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Blackened Salmon | $14.99Our Cajun-spiced salmon served with red bliss mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Country Fried Steak | $11.99Battered, chopped steak served with country gravy, red bliss mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Bruschetta Shrimp Pasta | $14.99Pan-seared jumbo shrimp tossed in zesty seasoning with corkscrew pasta and creamy sundried tomato sauce, and sprinkled with fresh tomato and basil bruschetta.
Bistro Chicken Mac and Cheese | $11.99Sliced chicken breast on top of our corkscrew pasta, blended with a zesty white cheese sauce and sprinkled with buttery toasted breadcrumbs and bacon.
Chicken Alfredo | $12.49Seared chicken breast sliced and served over fresh pappardelle pasta noodles covered in creamy alfredo sauce and topped with fresh house-made bruschetta.

Kid’s Meals

Kid-friendly portions for ages 12 and younger.

Cheese Quesadilla | $6.99Served with apple slices, fries and your choice of a soft drink or 2% milk.
Chicken Quesadilla | $6.99Served with apple slices, fries and your choice of a soft drink or 2% milk.
Chicken Tenders | $6.99Served with apple slices, fries and your choice of a soft drink or 2% milk.

Grilled Cheese | $6.99Served with apple slices, fries and your choice of a soft drink or 2% milk.
Flatbread Pizzetta | $6.99Pepperoni or Cheese. Served with apple slices, fries and your choice of a soft drink or 2% milk.

Desserts

Waffle Sundae | $7.49Two warm Belgium waffles infused with authentic maple flavor, topped off by a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled in luscious caramel and a generous sprinkle of sweet and savory candied bacon.
New York Cheesecake | $6.99Indulgent New York-style cheesecake served with fresh sugar-glazed strawberries.
Chocolate Brownie Sundae | $7.99Moist and fudgy chocolate brownie served warm with a scoop of premium ice cream on top.

Cupcake Duo | $5.99A red velvet cupcake with a chocolate truffle center is perfectly paired with a vanilla bean cupcake stuffed with a vanilla bean-flecked cream.
Epic Chocolate Dream Cake | $6.99This generous slice of cake is so rich and decadent it tastes like a dream. Two layers of milk chocolate pudding are sandwiched between layers of dark chocolate cake and topped with creamy chocolate frosting.

Treats

Popcorn | $8.00With free refill
Plain M&Ms | $4.25
Peanut M&Ms | $4.25
Sour Patch Kids | $4.25
Junior Mints | $4.25
Twizzlers | $4.25
Reese’s Pieces | $4.25
Skittles | $4.25

Welch’s Fruit Snack | $3.50
Sour Patch Watermelon | $3.50
Buncha Crunch | $3.50
Air Head Extreme Sour Belt | $3.50
SunMaid Chocolate Raisins | $3.50
Milk Duds | $3.50

Martinis & Margaritas

Pomegranate MartiniAbsolut Citron Vodka and Cointreau combined with pomegranate liqueur and simple syrup.
Sour Apple MartiniPremium vodka, Sour Apple Pucker and Midori shaken with sours mix to create a deliciously tart cocktail.
CosmopolitanAn absolute classic with Absolut Citron, Cointreau, cranberry juice and a kiss of lime.

Golden MargaritaCuervo Gold and Gran Marnier with sours mix and a splash of lime juice.
Mango MargaritaA fresh and fruity mix of premium tequila, triple-sec and lime juice blended with a mango smoothie.
Strawberry MargaritaPremium tequila, triple sec and lime juice blended with a strawberry smoothie.

Specialty Drinks

Blue LagunaA tropical combination of Tanqueray Gin, Peach Schnapps, cranberry juice and club soda with a splash of Blue Curaçao.
Velvet HammerA luscious mix of white crème de cacao, triple sec and grenadine blended with a vanilla shake.
HurricaneBacardi O and light rum with orange juice, sours mix, a splash of grenadine and Meyer’s Dark Rum for a delicious wave of flavor.
Caribbean CoolerCaptain Morgan and Malibu Rums with orange and pineapple juice and a splash of Blue Curaçao.

Prices are around $7 per ticket extra for Fork & Screen, plus of course the cost of food and drinks. Prices may vary with showtime as well. Watch for updates with Disney AMC pricing as it becomes available. Will you pay for this added experience? Sure beats nachos or a chili dog, in my opinion!

NEW! WDW 40th Anniversary Disney Dooney & Bourke Purses

31 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 16 Comments

It’s time again for another set of new Disney Dooney & Bourke designs! Many thanks to Shelley C. for snapping these pictures today on the first day of the new Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke designs!

Now lets get right to the pictures! (As always, click to enlarge photos)

WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke medium Kristen tote - $270

WDW 49th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke small messenger bag — WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke small messenger bag - $255

WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke small bucket bag - $250

WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke letter carrier - $155

WDW 49th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke wristlets — WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke flap wristlets - $49

WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke design close-up

NEW Wallet photos:

Disney WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney wallet — WDW 40th design checkbook wallet - $175

Disney WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney wallet back — zippered back of wallet

Disney WDW 40th Anniversary Dooney wallet inside — inside the wallet

So what do you think of the new designs? Will you be picking one (or more) up?

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, but if you do, I get a small commission. Thanks for reading!

First Haircut Magic at Harmony Barber Shop

28 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

first haircut magic kingdom — Ready for anything with Mickey stickers!

It’s not news to any regular readers that we go to Walt Disney World…a lot, nor that we have 3 children. My oldest son is about to turn 12 this weekend, my daughter is 10 and my youngest son turned 2 the end of October. While we have visited the barber shop in the Magic Kingdom many times, in both its locations, we had never experienced a “first haircut” there. With our first child, the thought just never occurred to us and we took him to a local kids hair cutting place. With our daughter, well, we just never really cut her hair until she was about 4 anyway! So since we now frequent Disney a lot more than “normal” with the blog and Moms Panel and twitter meet-ups etc. It seemed only natural to experience this rite of passage, well, the right way.

Now what’s changed since our last visit, aside from the new location, is that you can now actually book appointments at the Harmony Barber Shop. Since this is such a popular attraction among those who know the Magic Kingdom, the wait time can get quite long in the shop. Simply calling 407-WDW-DINE will secure you a spot in the barber’s chair. Walk-ins are still available but will be taken when available around those with appointments. Our time was for 11am on a busy Saturday, and despite the line out the door, the wait wasn’t too bad for those without appointments. These dual-skilled cast members/stylists know their stuff and do it efficiently. The “First Haircut” package is $18, a child’s haircut is $15, Adult haircut is $19 and colored hair gel and pixie dust is $7.50

Mickey Chinese New Year Antenna Topper-Year of the Rabbit!

23 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Saw this yesterday in the Magic Kingdom (at Star Traders to be exact) and of course, couldn’t resist adding it to my collection of Disney antenna toppers!

Gung hei fat choi!

The Magic, The Memories and…US!

20 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 8 Comments

I was recently invited to attend the media preview for the Magic Kingdom’s much anticipated “Castle projection show”. The show was announced some months back along with the 2011 campaign – “Let the Memories Begin“. The show and campaign itself received much criticism from cynics, assuming Disney was just using other people’s photos and videos so they didn’t have to come up with something on their own. Many objections to “YouTube videos on the castle” were heard over the interwebs.

Ever the Disney-supporter, I posted on twitter and facebook about how I supported this campaign. Really, I’m the kind of Disney fan that doesn’t think we are “owed” anything, yet many critics compare each year’s promotion to the Year of a Million Dreams or the What Will You Celebrate? campaigns, which were overflowing with extras, freebies and one-of-a-kind experiences. Last year, you still got a free ticket – if you volunteered for it. This year, however, the focus is on families – no matter what that consists of, and the memories created at Disney Parks throughout the world. After all, aren’t the best “extras” the intangibles that you hold in your heart and mind for years to come?

Despite my understanding and excitement about Let the Memories Begin, I still wasn’t sure how the Castle would fit in to this equation. After all, people don’t typically like when Cinderella Castle is messed with. (I happen to be one of the few people in the universe that thought it was cute – but totally understand those that were upset at its appearance for their visits; a year is a long time for bright pink.) Would this be something that most guests couldn’t relate to if their pictures weren’t selected? Would it disrupt the magic of the kingdom? Well, all my fears were assuaged Tuesday night when I experienced “The Magic, The Memories and You” first-hand.

First we were treated to a press conference with Park executives Al Weiss, and Meg Crofton. We were told about the upcoming news at the Parks (Wild Africa Trek, La Hacienda, Via Napoli, Star Tours 2). Alan Bruun, Associate Creative Director Walt Disney World Entertainment then gave us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at how the new castle show was created. The castle was actually graphed with a grid for the 3-D photo imaging required to ensure seamless projections and special effects. We were shown the locations for the 16 projectors used in the show. In addition to videos pulled from the Let The Memories Begin site where guests can submit their family videos, 500 photos taken in-park that day will be hand-picked to appear in the sometimes twice nightly show on the castle. As Bruun was quoted that night, “it’s a heck of a lot more than a slide-show on the castle”. Since seeing is believing, we all headed over to Cinderella Castle to experience the show for ourselves.

Changes to Via Napoli Dessert Menu

4 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Via Napoli almost instantly won my heart as my new favorite place to dine at Epcot. I’m not even a huge pizza fan, but I just loved everything about this place, from the atmosphere and cast members to of course, the food (much more than just pizza). I covered opening day at Via Napoli as well as another trip with my husband. When out of state friends came to visit Walt Disney World, we naturally met up at Via Napoli for dinner. I recommended my favorite dessert to my friend that night and he loved it. So imagine my sadness when I dined there today with my mom and children (who still had never been) and the dessert menu was missing two items!

The Gelato Frizzante (my favorite!) and the Copa Di Brutti Ma Buoni (Good but Ugly Sundae) were completely removed from the list. I fell in love with the Gelato Frizzante when we had little samples of it opening day and ordered it again at each visit. My husband tried and loved the Copa di Brutti ma Buoni on his first visit and also enjoyed it. I asked our server what happened but she just said they were taken off the menu. Could we really be the only people that liked them? Perhaps they were too labor intensive to make? In any case, it makes me sad, but since I was usually too full from the meal to have needed dessert, I guess it’s probably a good thing in my case. I always overdid with the Gelato Frizzante! Here are some pictures of the new dessert menu – no items have been added, simply the two removed items: (click to enlarge the photos)

VIDEO: Epcot’s Candlelight Processional With Corbin Bernsen

22 December 2010 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

I’m embarrassed to say I’d never really sat through an entire Candlelight Processional until last year at Walt Disney World Moms Panel training. We’d walked by before but I’d never thought I or the kids could sit through the whole thing (read: yes, I thought it’d be boring). After being moved to tears last year, it is now among the must-do events of the holiday season at Walt Disney World. I actually thought before seeing the entire performance, that it was all stuffy old hymns and one looong narration of the Christmas story. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The show starts out with a toe-tapping song Shout For Joy and immediately you are filled with spirit and ready to join in! The narration then flows throughout the subsequent songs, weaving the Christmas story in words and music. It is truly beautiful and as I mentioned, moves me to tears.

Here’s a video of some images, songs and narration by Corbin Bernsen, I hope you enjoy it and add the Candlelight Processional to your must-do holiday events too!

VIDEO: Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights With Snow!

21 December 2010 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Without a doubt, the amazing Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season at Walt Disney World. It’s a family tradition and I can’t tell you how many pictures I have of my kids in strollers looking up with their mouths hanging open at the awe inspiring lights before them. This year, I captured the lighting ceremony, the snow and more on video to share here with you. I hope you enjoy it and get a chance to check them out in person at Disney’s Hollywood Studios if you haven’t yet!