Home Blog Page 4386

Tinkerbell Half Marathon Weekend Opens for Early Registration

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
MG 1188 640x568
MG 1188 640x568

tb

Pixie dust, Fairies and a magical run through Neverland await you at the 2015 Tinkerbell Half MarathonWeekend. Registration opened up this morning at 9 am Pacific time  for AP holders and DVC members. The all new Pixie Dust Challenge sold out in less than 20 minutes for the early registration. General public will have a chance on August 12th, at Noon Eastern. At the time of this writing the Tinkerbell 10k is at 50% for early registration.

This is a great chance to put on your imaginary wings and join the Disney fairies, along with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys for a weekend  of memory – filled fun at Disneyland. Including a nighttime pasta party, amazing runs, spectacular surprises and a chance to earn your “real” wings in a story book finish straight out of a fairytale.

The Tinkerbell Half Marathon weekend is a fun filled weekend being held at Disneyland May 7th- 10th and is one chance to earn a coveted Coast to Coast medal. On top of the race events for the weekend, runners that participate in a half marathon or marathon at Walt Disney World and run in the Tinkerbell Half Marathon, they are eligible for the Coast to Coast medal. New this year, a pink C2C medal available for runners that competed in the Princess Half Marathon and the Tinkerbell Half Marathon.

You Can Run…You Can Run…You Can Run

*Tinker Bell Half Marathon

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Start Time: 5:30 a.m.

Start/Finish: Disneyland® Resort

It’s the stuff dreams are made of – sprinkled with a whimsical dose of pixie dust! The Tinker Bell Half Marathon, hosted by Never Land’s very own pixie, Tinker Bell, and Peter Pan, is 13.1 miles of amazing sights, sounds, and experiences. You can run, you can run, you can run, to “earn” your wings on this extraordinary adventure that takes you through Never Land and the spectacular Disneyland® Resort and continues along the historic and colorful streets of Anaheim. Then get set for an incredible storybook finish and your very own Tinker Bell inspired finisher medal. 

Want to double your fun? Run with a partner as a 2-Person Team! Team registration is a great way to compete in the Tinker Bell Half Marathon with added perks for both team members.** 

Each team member must sign up for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon individually. Once you are both registered, you can then sign up as a team.

*Pixie Dust Challenge

Saturday, May 9, 2015 Start Time: 5:30 a.m.

Sunday, May 10, 2015 Start Time: 5:30 a.m.

Start/Finish: Disneyland® Resort

Get set for the Ultimate Pixie Adventure – the Inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge!

It’s the all-new Pixie Dust Challenge! Two days of spectacular runs in the ultimate pixie adventure that combines the 13.1-mile Tinker Bell Half Marathon PLUS the 6.2-mile Tinker Bell 10K.  Peter Pan, the Lost Boys and Fairies will cheer you on all weekend long as you make your runs through Neverland and the amazing Disneyland® Resort and along the historic and charming streets of Anaheim in this two-day, memory-filled adventure chock full of pixie dust, Disney entertainment, and plenty of excitement.  Complete both races within the pacing requirements and you’ll earn the Inaugural Pixie Dust Challenge Medal in addition to your Tinker Bell Half Marathon and Tinker Bell 10K medals. Registration for the Pixie Dust Challenge is required to receive the Pixie Dust Challenge Medal.

*Tinker Bell 10K

Saturday, May 9, 2015

Start Time: 5:30 a.m.

Start/Finish: Disneyland® Resort

Discover your inner pixie and run in the newly created Tinker Bell 10K. This 6.2 mile course will take you on a magical journey throughout the Disneyland® Resort.

*Coast to Coast Medal

 Special Edition of the Coast to Coast Race Challenge Medal

In 2015, any participant who completes both the Disney Princess Half Marathon in February at Walt Disney World® Resort and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon in May at Disneyland® Resort will earn a special pink version of the runDisney Coast to Coast Race Challenge Medal.*

*Never Land 5K

Friday, May 8, 2015

Start Time: 5:00 a.m.

Start/Finish: Disneyland® Resort

Follow the second star to the right and straight on till morning!


Join Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, and the Lost Boys for the kick off of the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend! The excitement begins with the popular Never Land 5K for runners of all ages – kids, tweens, teens, and adults. It’s your chance to share the magic and run together as a family or with your friends. Just follow the “second star to the right and straight on till morning” for the Never Land 5K – a magical course through Never Land and continuing throughout the Disneyland®Resort. It’s great fun on a great run and a perfect warm up for Sunday’s Half Marathon.

*runDisney Kids Races

Saturday, May 9, 2015
Start Time: 9:00 a.m.

Location: Simba Parking Lot near Downtown Disney® District


Every kid’s a winner if you just “believe!” 

Every child 8 and younger who participates in the runDisney Kids Races goes home a winner with a finisher medallion designed for the tiniest of runners. Encourage your child to join the excitement and sign up for any of the Kids Dashes during this fun-filled weekend. There’s even a Diaper Dash for crawlers! Space is limited.

Parents are allowed to run with their children. The event will follow a rolling start beginning with the 100m dash followed by the 200m, 400m and Diaper Dash.

*Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend Pasta Party

Friday, May 8, 2015

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Location: Stage 17 inside Disney California Adventure® Park


Delicious buffet dinner PLUS photos and autographs with Disney characters!

Enjoy a scrumptious buffet dinner and have your photos taken with your favorite Disney characters during the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend Pasta Party! It’s a great way to add a magical touch to your Half Marathon weekend. Festivities include a scrumptious buffet dinner, special Disney character appearances throughout the evening, plus autograph and photo opportunities with the Disney characters. Space is limited, so reserve your spot now!

 

*runDisney Health & Fitness Expo

Thursday, May 7, 2015 – Noon – 7:00 p.m.

Friday, May 8, 2015 – 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 9, 2015 – 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location: Disneyland® Hotel Exhibit Hall

One-stop headquarters for all your Race Weekend needs!

Headquarters for everything you need to prepare for race weekend is at the Expo. All runners must attend the Expo for race number, shirt & gEAR bag pick up. During the Expo celebration, you’ll be able to check out the latest in Official runDisney Race Weekend Merchandise, and get a sneak peek at the latest in fitness apparel, footwear, sunglasses, high tech gadgets, and nutritional products. The Expo will also showcase a Speaker Series that includes appearances by celebrity runner and seminars on training, running, and nutrition featuring speakers and panelists from the running industry.

*Information courtesy of the runDisney website. 

Want to keep up with all the latest news, VIPS perks, training and discounts? Join us at our Chip and Co. Run Disney Addicts Facebook Page 

We also have discounted rooms for the Tower of Terror 10 Miler, Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend, Walt Disney World Marathon, and the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend and our event at the Princess Half Marathon Weekend.

Email me ([email protected])  and I will help you earn your wings at the Tinkerbell Half Marathon. Once you book with me, you are done ! All you have to do is train, cross the finish line and have a Royally Good Time ! 

What To Do On Departure Day At Walt Disney World

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
me 2
me 2

DME

Departure day is always the saddest day of a Disney vacation. I never want to leave Walt Disney World, but sadly every Disney vacation does come to an end. But that certainly doesn’t mean the fun has to stop just because it’s departure day.

My family has a tradition of going to a character breakfast at one of the resorts on the last day of our vacation. While we don’t have time to go to a park before heading to the airport, we can experience the Disney magic by dining in a themed restaurant with some of our favorite Disney characters. On our past several trips, we have enjoyed dining with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey, and Pluto at the Polynesian’s ‘Ohana on departure day. Other character breakfast options at the Disney resorts include 1900 Park Faire at the Grand Floridian, Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary, and Cape May Cafe at the Beach Club.

Visiting Downtown Disney is another great way to enjoy the last day of your Disney vacation. Even if you visited these stores previously during your trip, it’s still fun to look at all the Disney merchandise again. If you saw something in the parks earlier in your trip and later decide you would like to purchase it, chances are you will be able to find it at one of the stores in Downtown Disney. The Downtown Disney area also has great food, including my favorite – the Mickey ice cream bars. There’s even a train for little ones to ride at the Marketplace.

Even if you don’t have time to spend time in the parks on departure day, you can see one last view of Magic Kingdom and Epcot with a couple of monorail rides. The monorail is considered to be its own attraction by many Disney guests. So take a ride past the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, and the Magic Kingdom on the Magic Kingdom monorail. When you arrive at Magic Kingdom, head over to the Epcot monorail for  a ride through Future World.

What is your favorite way to add a little Disney magic to your departure day? Let us know in the comments below!

Transitions Feast Your Eyes Sweepstakes Could get you to The Epcot Food & Wine Festival

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
Epcot Food and Wine Chase
Epcot Food and Wine Chase

Epcot food and Wine chase

Transitions is sponsoring a contest that could get you to the Epcot Food & Wine Festival.

Here are the details:

The Grand Prize:

  • Round trip airfare for 4
  • Hotel accommodations at the Walt Disney World Resort
  • Admission to the Parks
  • $1,00 to spend food and fun!

It starts July 8, 2014 and ends Sept 8, 2014 at 11:59 pm ET

You must be a legal resident on the U.S.

You must be at least 21 years old

Click here to enter! Good luck!

Wishing you Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Void in PR

 

A Must do List for Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
MNSSHP Disneyland
MNSSHP Disneyland

MNSSHP Disneyland

I know it’s still summer but it’s a perfect time to plan ahead for Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland. Here are the top five things you should be sure not to miss at Mickey’s Halloween Party.

  • Mickey’s Costume Party Cavalcade – this is for Mickey’s Halloween Party guests only.
  • Disney Villains make special appearances at Mickey’s Halloween Party in a series of must-see moments in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A.

MNSSHP Disneyland

  • Trick-or-treat stations are located throughout Disneyland park. They have healthy treats and not so healthy treats.
  • Halloween Screams, fireworks spectacular – Also just for guests of Mickey’s Halloween Party.
  • Monsters U Dance Party at Tomorrowland Terrace, featuring Mike & Sulley and the Monster Scare-Off.

What is your must do at Micky’s Halloween Party?

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

 

The Hundred Foot Journey World Premiere in New York.

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
Screen Shot 2014 08 04 at 9.59.17 PM
Screen Shot 2014 08 04 at 9.59.17 PM

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 9.59.17 PM

The Hundred Foot Journey World Premiere was held Monday night in New York at the Ziegfeld Theatre.  Dreamworks Pictures shared pictures of the premiere which included many of the cast and crew.   Dreamworks newest film will be released in theatres on August 8, 2014.   Starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon, The Hundred Foot Journey is directed by Lasse Hallstrom and produced by Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Juliet Blake .

The Hundred Foot Journey is the story of a family from India, the Kadams who relocate to France after a family tragedy and open an Indian restaurant 100 feet across the road from a famous Michelin-starred French restaurant owned by Madame Mallory, played by Helen Mirren.   What starts as a feud between Madame Mallory and Papa Kadam turns into a heartwarming story of love and friendships.

Don’t miss The Hundred Foot Journey in theatres, August 8, 2014.

My name is Loretta Garcia and I am the Entertainment Writer for Chip and Co.  Follow me on Facebook for news, promotions and more!

 

Screen Shot 2014-08-04 at 10.00.54 PM F7243972-815D-4718-8156-B1AF828E06A6 100FootJourney539b2906cfd776A4842AE-4D2F-4F40-9011-62265B3BA9FA

 

 

 

New Coffee Flavors Inspired by Disney Parks & Resorts Made By Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
New Joffreys coffee flavors
New Joffreys coffee flavors

 New Joffrey's coffee flavors

Do you love your coffee? I know I do too. I love Joffrey’s Coffee so I was excited when I heard they are coming out with 9 new flavors. It is the  Disney Parks and Resorts Specialty Coffee Collection. It is a collaboration effort with Joffrey’s head roastmaster and some of the top Disney chefs. Does it get any better than that?

The packaging is beautiful but we know it’s what’s on the inside that counts, so the new brews are made from 100 percent Specialty Grade Arabica coffee.

The new coffee flavors at the Disney World Resort are:

  • Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
  • The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
  • The Wave … of American Flavors and California Grill at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
  • Cítricos and Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
  • Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.

Check out the beautiful packaging:

Joffreys Coffee 1
Joffreys Coffee
Joffreys Disneyland Coffee 2
Joffreys Disneyland Coffee 1
Joffreys Disneyland Coffee

The new coffee flavors at Disneyland Resort are:

  • Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel
  • Steakhouse 55 at the Disneyland Hotel

If you won’t be at the parks anytime soon you can order online at www.joffreys.com/DisneyParksandResorts.

What do you think?

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

New Posters for Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
Alexander536d08d1a65f8
Alexander536d08d1a65f8

Alexander536d08d1a65f8

 

Walt Disney Pictures just released new posters from their upcoming new movie, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  Based on Judith Viorst, and one of my favorites books, it is the story of 11 year old Alexander (played by Ed Oxenbould).   Alexander is having one of those days – in fact he is  having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day that starts with waking up with gum stuck in his hair.  From there the day is filled with one bad thing after another.   Sharing his catastrophic day with his family, gets no sympathy from them since Mom (Jennifer Garner, Dad (Steve Carell), and siblings (Dylan Minnette and Kerris Dorsey) are all having horrible days of their own.

Directed by Miguel Arteta with a screenplay by Rob Lieber, don’t miss Alexander and his family’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad adventure in theatres, October 10, 2014.

My name is Loretta Garcia and I am the Entertainment Writer for Chip and Co.  Follow me on Facebook for news, promotions and updates.

Alexander53dffdde35fa6 Alexander53dffe1119810

 

Everything You Need to Know About 2015 Disney Dining Plans

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
foodie
foodie
What kind of Disney Addict are you?
What kind of Disney Addict are you?

Along with the release of 2015 Disney vacation packages, Disney has released 2015 dining plans! The same five dining plan options are available: Quick Service Dining Plan, Disney Dining Plan, Deluxe Dining Plan, Premium Plan, and Platinum Plan.

Although the dining plans have been confirmed and a list of participating locations is included, there are still more to be added. Many Downtown Disney and Epcot locations are not owned by Disney and will be added to the dining plans at a later date.

As in years past, the meals included with each plan have remained consistent:

  • Quick Service Dining includes two quick service meals and one snack per person per night
  • Disney Dining Plan includes one table service meal, one quick service meal, and one snack per person per night
  • Deluxe Dining Plan includes three meals and two snacks per person per night
  • Premium Plan includes the Deluxe Dining Plan along with other great perks
  • Platinum Plan includes the Deluxe Dining Plan along with many other great perks

Plus, all guests on a dining plan will still receive a resort-refillable drink mug for the length of their stay.

You can view the official Disney Dining Plan brochures below:

Does your family purchase a dining plan with your stay? Which plan works best for you?

Are you ready to start planning your family’s 2015 Disney World vacation? Contact Siera today to get started and receive free Mickey ears for your kids!

When Siera isn’t helping plan Disney vacations or sharing the latest Disney news, you can find her spreading magic on Facebook and Twitter. Are you planning a Disney vacation? Siera, a travel agent with Destinations in Florida, would love to help you! Contact her at [email protected] or 734-771-1290!

Disney on Ice Frozen In Summer Sweepstakes

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
66c5cc06.frozen top logo
66c5cc06.frozen top logo

Frozen

This contest is sponsored by Disney on Ice. You could win a trip to Orlando to see a show or a weekly prize.

Here are the details:

  • To be eligible you must live in the Contiguous US (-HI, AK), and be above the age of majority
  • The start date is July 15, 2014 and it ends August 15, 2014 at 11:59 pm ET.
  • You can enter 1 time per week per person/email.

The prizes are as follows:

Grand Prize:

  • Is a trip for 2 to Orlando, Florida which includes VIP tickets to Disney on Ice Presents Frozen at the Amway Center in Orlando.
  • Airfare
  • A 2 night hotel stay
  • Merchandise from the show
  • A $500 Visa gift card.

The grand prize has a retail value of about $4,560

Weekly Prizes:

There will be 1 prize per week for 4 weeks. The prizes will be Disney on Ice merchandise. The weekly prizes have a retail value of  $100

Click here to enter! Good Luck!!

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

 

Walt Disney World FAQ

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
P1080798
P1080798

wdw

Here is our Disney World FAQ. It has everything from Planning Tips, Places to Rent Strollers, and even Disney World Resort Phone Numbers. We will be updating this as we get more information.

How To Get to Walt Disney World

Benefit of purchasing Disney gift cards at target.

Photopass and Photopass + 

Magicbands

Fastpass +

Tipping mousekeeping and tipping in general

Dining Plan vs. Deluxe Dining and how DVC or AP Holders can get discounted dining

  • AP and DVC holders can add dining, but not discounted dining

 Stroller/Wheelchair/EVC rental & delivery, grocery delivery.

Using Kingdom Strollers

Traveling Disney in a Wheelchair

Getting Groceries delivered to your resort with Garden Grocer

Guest Assistance card

Disney Music

Sorcerer Radio, Live 365, disradio.com, reedycreek, mouse world, pandora, itunes radio, intercot radio,

Where and how you may and may not use the refillable mugs

Be Our Guest Fast Pass Link

Why use Touring Plans

Disney Phone & Internet support

  • Description, link, phone 407-939-7765
  •  DTD info – 407-824-4321

Magic Kingdom Resort Area

4401 Floridian Way

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8451
(407) 824-3000
1600 Seven Seas Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8423
(407) 824-2000
4600 North World Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8413
(407) 824-1000
4600 North World Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8413
(407) 824-1000
901 Timberline Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8426
(407) 824-3200
4510 North Fort Wilderness Trail

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8415
Epcot Resort Area
900 Cayman Way

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8411
(407) 934-3400
1800 Epcot Resorts Boulevard

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8443
(407) 934-8000
1700 Epcot Resorts Boulevard

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8407
(407) 934-7000
2101 North Epcot Resorts Boulevard

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8442
(407) 939-6200
Animal Kingdom Resort Area
1701 West Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8401
(407) 939-5000
1801 West Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8436
(407) 939-6000
1901 West Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8412
(407) 939-7000
3701 Osceola Parkway

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8445
(407) 938-7400
2901 Osceola Parkway

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8410
(407) 938-3000
1000 West Buena Vista Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8403
(407) 939-1000
Downtown Disney Resort Area
1251 Riverside Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8514
(407) 934-6000
2201 Orleans Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8424
(407) 934-5000
1510 North Cove Road

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8421
(407) 827-7700
1960 Broadway

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8446
(407) 827-1100
Hollywood Studios Resort Area
1050 Century Drive

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8433
(407) 938-4000
1850 Animation Way

Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830-8400
(407) 938-7000

 

Disney Complaints and Comments: Walt Disney World Guest Communications P.O. Box 10,040 Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040 [email protected]

 

Top Ten Budget-Friendly Romantic Dates at Walt Disney World

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
wdw20132514675958 6847186372
wdw20132514675958 6847186372

date night disney

If you are a local, or if you get a chance to spend some alone time together at Walt Disney World with your significant other, romance and fun dates are sure to be a hit when they take place at the Happiest Place on Earth! Here are our top ten ideas for a romantic date at WDW:

10. If your passes include a water park option, you can head to Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach and spend a romantic day floating in a double tube down the lazy river. For those seeking a little more adventure, you can also double-ride on many of the water slides in the water parks. Relax together with a cool, refreshing drink or ice cream treat under a shade tree in lounge chairs. Hold on to each other and ride the waves in the wave pool. Don’t forget to massage each other with plenty of sunscreen throughout the day!

9. Character Hunt Challenge! Head to your favorite park. Grab a times guide and make a plan for visiting as many characters as possible in the amount of time you have. For each character you visit, take a photo of you both kissing and see what the character does! Most CMs at charater meet and greets will snap photos with your camera or phone, as well as Photo Pass photos if you have purchased the Memory Maker package. Make an album with all your kissy pics after your trip!

8. Hollywood Studios is a great park for snuggling. The viewing areas for all of the stage shows allow you to be as close as you want. You can cuddle on Great Movie Ride and in the Muppets 3D theater. Hold hands during Tower of Terror. Hold hands during the Backlot Tour. Grab some popcorn and drinks and snuggle while watching Fantasmic! The cuddling possibilities at Hollywood Studios are endless!

7. Head to Animal Kingdom Lodge for an evening by the fire pit. Storytellers weave fascinating tales of African folklore while you rock in wooden rocking chairs next to a huge fire pit. Grab a drink and some Zebra Domes from the Mara food court before settling in for an evening by the fire. Animal Kingdom Lodge also has night-vision goggles for you to use to view the wildlife on the savannas.

6. Go for a stroll along the boardwalk at the Boardwalk Resort. Try your hand at winning your sweetheart a stuffed animal prize at the midway carnival games. Stop to enjoy some of the boardwalk performers. Arrive at Jelly Rolls slightly before 7pm (to ensure you get a table) and spend the evening listening to dueling pianos while sipping on cocktails.

5. Before your trip, plan a subtle (or obvious) pirate Disney Bounding outfit for each of you. Nothing elaborate is necessary, just some accessories to suggest a pirate attire. For your Disney Date head to Magic Kingdom and go to Adventureland. There are several areas around Pirates of the Caribbean to pose for photos where your pirate look will be highlighted. Watch the Pirate Tutorial. Ride Pirates of the Caribbean. Explore the Pirates Bazaar gift shop (excellent photo opportunities with pirate gear in there!), and ride the jungle cruise. Hand-in-hand you can explore the Swiss Family Tree House, or snuggle close in the Enchanted Tiki Room. Don’t forget to enjoy a Dole Whip while braving Adventureland together!

4. Pack a light blanket in a backpack. Take the monorail or boat from the Ticket and Transportation Center or Magic Kingdom to the Polynesian Resort about an hour before the Electric Water Pageant is scheduled to pass by that resort. Once you get to the Polynesian, go to Captain Cook’s and get two Dole Whips. Proceed to find the beach viewing area (taking in the beautiful ambiance of the Polynesian all along the way)  and set up your blanket. Enjoy your cool tropical treats during the show and relax on the beach for a quiet, relaxing evening in an exotic, romantic setting. You can even get a good glimpse of Wishes from this spot!

3. This one is perhaps the most obvious…When you pack your suitcases to travel to WDW, be sure to include some battery-operated candles. Set them up in your hotel room. Use your cell phone to play a romantic set of music (there are some instrumental Disney remixes available on popular music download sites) and enjoy some private, quiet alone time in your room. You can begin with a soak in the pool or hot tub first, and of course add some wine or sweet treats from the hotel gift shop, too.

2. Pack a light blanket in a backpack along with a cell phone that has internet capabilities. Head to Epcot about 2 hours before IllumiNations is scheduled to begin. Upon arrival, walk to the entrance of World Showcase and take the friendship boat to the right across to the France pavilion area. You can both then proceed to purchase the evening’s libations and snack, or one person go into the France pavilion (back to Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles) and get a couple of baguettes and a cheese plate. The other person can go get two Grand Marnier orange slush drinks at the kiosk along the water in front of France. Once reunited, head to the bridge between France and United Kingdom and set up your blanket along the side, careful not to obstruct pedestrian traffic. While enjoying your drinks and snack, use the internet to look up random and interesting facts about France, the United Kingdom, and other World Showcase countries as you wait for IllumiNations to begin. Use the cell phone to also capture a photo of you during your romantic evening in Epcot.

1. Pack a light blanket, two bottles of water or soda, a Disney card game or board game, and two plastic swirley straws in a backpack. Don’t forget your camera or cell phone. Head to Magic Kingdom a couple of hours before Celebrate the Magic and Wishes are scheduled to begin. Upon arrival, go to Liberty Square and purchase a Nutella and Fruit Waffle Sandwich from Sleepy Hollow. Take this delectable treat to the front of Cinderella’s Castle and set your blanket on the paved area so you will be right in the front of it for viewing the nighttime shows. Sit on the blanket and enjoy your waffle, waters/soda with swirley straws, and board/card game while waiting for the shows to begin. Snuggle closer once the projection show begins. Take a selfie of yourselves in front of the castle during the show or fireworks to capture a memory of your evening at the castle.

Frozen1Main

Do you have ideas for budget-friendly romance at Walt Disney World? Share them in the comments or on Facebook!

Disney makes it Magical….

By
Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends
-
wishes1lg
wishes1lg

wishes1lg

You’re probably going to think…”what in the world does one have to do with the other?”, but you’ll see.

I’m a stay at home mom of 4 kids. Currently, I’m raising them alone since dad is overseas with his work full time. It’s not easy, especially when 3 of them are all boys 10 and older, all on the spectrum of Autism and 1 little princess who is now 2 and Disney crazy to boot. We’re Florida residents so naturally everyone thinks “YOU’RE SO LUCKY TO BE NEAR DISNEY!” Well, if a 6 hour drive alone with 4 kids is your ideal, then sure I’m the luckiest women in the world…Well, actually, I am because I have the kids I do have so OK I’ll agree, but yes we do visit Orlando quite often, but not because of Disney.

My daughter is a beauty queen and Orlando as anyone can tell you is PAGEANT CENTRAL for Florida. It’s not always easy with 3 boys trying to keep them happy when they spend an entire weekend waiting while Mommy stands about talking and rushing around with dresses, hair and make-up for their sister just for her to go up on stage for about a minute then rush off to do it all over again another event in 2 hours. Most boys would go crazy, but not mine and I have Disney to thank for it.

When my princess first began beauty pageants at 6 months old, I wanted to thank the boys for being so supportive. So I started planning how to thank them right away while were in Orlando. We always stay at the location of the pageant and for this one it’s always the Orlando World Center Marriott Resort.

The Marriott is literally just off Disney property. In fact, depending on the room you get, you can wake up to a morning view of Downtown Disney, Epcot Icon Sphere/Ride as clear as day and Tower of Terror is a bit further off. On a clear morning, you can even see as far out as the Contemporary Resort in the distance.

At night, you relax with dinner on the balcony watching Epcot’s fireworks and even better views of all the Disney property from other rooms. We always ask for a certain room number just so the boys can see these views for the weekend, including the Star Wars Symphony fireworks for Star Wars Weekends.

The view is only a small part though, it’s wonderful that you can go eat at any of the restaurants. I always call and try and get into one of the hotels if we don’t have our passes that year or eat in the park even when we do. It’s actually a family tradition to eat or visit somewhere on the Disney property.

This last visit, we just rode the monorail around Epcot and Magic Kingdom just so my daughter could see Cinderella’s Castle. She’s been raving about for months since she’s learn to talk in sentences. Our tradition began during that first pageant, after the final day of competition had ended and crowning was the next day.

I wanted it to be a great surprise to the boys so I took them to the California Grill for dinner but didn’t tell them the surprise, we didn’t have a reservation but they have a first come first area, or at least they did before the reservation, though I was told they still do, but double check before you go.

At the stroke of 9:50 pm, the announcement was made and everyone did as any of us who have eaten there knows…we all headed out for “Wishes”. There we were high above the Magic Kingdom boys in awe to see a completely new view of the highly anticipated show everyone knows so well and waits all day to see without the big crowds. With Big smiles, one scared child, (only because it is so high) and a happy bouncing baby girl, who we all were hoping would win Queen the next day, we ventured onto the balcony. It made the whole day of rushing about fade away. The boys raved all the way home how cool it was we didn’t have to go into the park to see the amazing site. The next day, we had a new Queen crowned in the family.

To think, we could have just stayed at the Hotel and swam instead of gotten all dressed up and headed out, but now when I think back to that time and look at the crown and trophy it’s not just her 1st win and sparkling tiara with a tall 6 ft purple and golden award collecting dust in the corner….it’s remembering the high five fives and the kids bouncing on the hotel balcony at the sight from our room, a quiet moment with key lime pie on a Friday night watching fireworks with the kids all in bed early at the same time seeing the Disney Hot Air balloon hovering in the sky, 3 boys leaning over a rail high above the Magic Kingdom going WOAH this is high while the fireworks shook the balcony which they thought was awesome like an earthquake.

It’s the next day of shopping happily carrying a beautiful baby girl in her sash and crown while we picked out her first princess dolls with Disney staff congratulating us all through the stores, then later returning to celebrate her 1st birthday with a real trip at Disney with Cinderella’s Stepmother and sisters raving and pouting in awe of the crown as they saw us walking through the park with it and her as they were passing by to their greeting spot for pictures then stopping to gather us up arms linked together and took us along with them as they finished the walk so they could see her a bit longer and try to “keep” the crown and gave us the first pictures for the greet time. If you are a Beauty Queen, watch out for those three 😉 The princesses all love to see them too especially at the Character Dining experiences.

Winning the crown each weekend is the goal and I knew back then it would be amazing. Each time since competition has been wonderful just because it’s fun and she has done so well each but they mean so much more to us…why..because even when not staying there on property….. Disney makes it Magical.

Story Contribution: Christina Craddock

1...4,3854,3864,387...5,495Page 4,386 of 5,495