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Taking Teens and Young Adults on a Disney World Vacation

We have a different experience from many when traveling to Disney World these days: our Disney vacations now include 3 adults, since our daughter is nearly 20 and in college. Our first family visit came when she was 7, so she has been visiting Disney for most of her life…and she still loves it as much as she did back then! The magic is still there for her and for us, and we all continue to look forward to our Disney trips as much as ever.

Still, we do plan and tour differently these days. Visiting Walt Disney World with teens and young adults is certainly not like it is with little ones! As she has grown and changed, so have our Disney vacations.

Since most of what is written centers on the Disney experience with small children, I thought I’d share with you some thoughts on Disney for teens and young adults. If this is not yet where your family is, well then take some notes, because your kids will be this age before you know it!

Basically, everything you need to know about a Disney vacation with teens/young adults can be summarized in the following three tips:

Remember that they’re not kids anymore

It may seem kind of obvious, but when you’re used to doing Disney World a certain way (“but we ALWAYS ride It’s a Small World first!”) it can come as quite a shock when your children no longer want to do things quite the same way. They grow up and change, and so do their likes and dislikes. And they just may not like doing things the *way* you do. But be open to suggestions and make sure you find out what THEY want to do: don’t assume it’s what they’ve always done. I will say that in some ways, it’s harder letting go of the fact that they’re not kids anymore when you’re at Disney World than almost any other place. Try though…. They’ll really appreciate it.

Give them time/space of their own

Small hotel rooms may not be the best thing any more. Everyone needs a little space of their own, and once your adult child goes off to college and begins to do things *their* way….well again, their way may not be your way. If you can’t arrange for them to have their own room, encourage everyone to at least have time for themselves on a daily basis. See the next tip for how this may work out without you even trying.  And remember: Time alone can be good for the soul….and for everyone’s patience.

Realize that they won’t be up at the crack of dawn.

This goes back to things being different from when they were kids. As a personal example: then, it was easy for me to get everyone up, dressed, fed and out the door before 8 a.m. Now? Not so much. If you don’t have teens yet, but have heard things about how their internal clock changes….well, believe me it’s true. So just as you work your Disney vacation around a toddler’s nap time in order to avoid unhappiness and distinctly un-magical feelings…..you also need to expect that your teen/young adult is probably going to be sleeping later than you: so don’t force them to get up and go when you do. They can meet you at the parks when they’re ready.

We all know that Disney is fun no matter what age you are. This is just as true for teens and college students, as it is for toddlers. And it’s kind of fun seeing Disney World through the eyes of your no-longer little child. So what about you? Have you traveled to Disney World with a teenager? What tips would you give?

Nancy, her husband and college-age daughter live in the Baltimore MD area, but consider Walt Disney World their second “home”. She started her site, The Affordable Mouse, as a way to share ideas about how to plan affordable Disney vacations. Her favorite things at Disney World (in no particular order) are Soarin’, most of the food in World Showcase, Illuminations…and that “Disney magic”.

You Can Now Link Your Disney World Ride Photos to your MagicBands

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Did you know you can now link your Disney World Ride photos to your Magic Bands? It is pretty easy… You will need to have a Memory Maker Package and Magicbands linked to your My Disney Experience account, in order to have your attraction/ride photos show up on your account.

There is no need to scan your Magic Band at the counter after you leave the ride. Your Magic Bands will be read by a long range RFID reader which will then link your photos to your account. How easy is that?

You can use this feature at select locations:

Magic Kingdom

Epcot

Hollywood Studios

Animal Kingdom

What do you think about this exciting news? Do purchase Disney’s Memory Maker? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Coming to DVD Blu-Ray September 2014

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Coming September 9th, 2014 you can relive all 22 episodes of the thrilling Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., plus you’ll be able to gain level 7 access to De-classified bonus features available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

The epic saga that began in Marvel’s the Avengers continues in ABC’s action-packed series, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. — The Complete First Season.

In the wake of The Battle of New York, the world has changed forever. An extraordinary landscape of wonders has been revealed! In response, mysteriously resurrected Agent Phil Coulson assembles an elite team of skilled agents and operatives: Melinda May, Grant Ward, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons and new recruit/computer hacker Skye. Together, they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary. But every answer unearths even more tantalizing questions that reverberate across the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe: Who is “The Clairvoyant”? What is Hydra’s sinister master plan; what dark secret lies behind Skye’s puzzling origins, and most importantly of all, who can be trusted?

“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”  Stars Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, Chloe Bennet as Skye, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Agent Grant Ward, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz and Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons.

coulson

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is an intriguing layer of story added to Marvel’s Hit Avengers Blockbusters. The story holds its own while still running parallel to the events taking place in movies like Thor and Captain America. The first few episodes have a seemingly slow start, only to explode into an on the edge of your seat excitement that leaves you craving more. There are so many unexpected twists you never know who or what is coming next. While this series focuses on Agent Coulson and his team tackling missions and protecting the planet on their supped up plane, we still get some great surprise cameos from the Marvel’s Avengers movies. The cast has an amazing chemistry with one another that makes their emotions and actions feel intensely real. I for one was relieved to have Agent Coulson back in action. There’s an emotional journey to follow with Coulson as he discovers what really happened to him in the wake of The Avengers and how everything ties together. Agent’s of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fun watch for all, filled with lots action packed scenes and great mysteries to keep you hooked long after you’ve finished watching.

Level 7 access bonus features included are:

Journey Into S.D.C.C.Hop on the bus and share the thrill of a lifetime as the series makes its first ever appearance at San Diego Comic-Con, where the cast is welcomed with open arms by a sea of enthusiastic fans

Marvel Studios:  Assembling A Universe TV Special                                                                               

5 Behind-The-Scenes Field Reports – Get exclusive access to the show’s classified sets for the making of some of your favorite episodes

  • “The Malibu Jump”
  • “The Bridge”
  • “Asgardian Bar Fight”
  • “Classified”
  • “Cello Duet”                                                   

VFX Breakdowns – Explore the layers of effects in sequences with split-frame comparisons to the final version

Audio Commentaries with Filmmakers & Cast      

Gag Reel 

Deleted Scenes

Writers:                             Varies by Episodes

Executive Producers:               Joss Whedon (“Marvel’s The Avengers”, “Buffy The Vampire Slayer”), Maurissa                                                                             Tancharoen (“Dollhouse”, “Spartacus”, “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog”), Jed Whedon                                                                 (“Dollhouse”, Spartacus”, “Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog”), Jeffrey Bell (“Angel”, “X-                                                   Files”, “Alias”) and Jeph Loeb (“Heroes”, “Lost”, “Smallville”)

Release Date:                 September 9, 2014

Rating:                                               TV PG

Run Time:                        Approx. 946 minutes; 22 episodes

Aspect Ratio:                 1.78:1, 16×9 Widescreen

Audio:                                 Blu-ray:  5.1 DTS-HDMA, DVD:  5.1 Dolby Digital

Languages:                      English Audio

Subtitles:                          English SDH, Spanish, French

 

 

Epcot’s Garden Grill No Longer Rotating!

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Hiya! It’s me again Anonymouse! I know you have missed me, I totally understand! Well I am back with some more juicy gossip for you, this time about, a guest favorite, the Garden Grill. You know Chiperoo loves his food so he is always pressuring me for some restaurant gossip.

It has been brought to my attention that the Garden Grill has stopped rotating a little while ago. However Disney does not want to fix it because they say it is to expensive. Really Disney? That is crazy!!

There is no word on how they will handle people wanting to cancel their reservations due to this change.

Have you noticed this? Is it a deal breaker for you? Or you just excited to eat the tasty food and see the Disney Characters?

Update as of 6/15/2014: My sources tell me that that Garden Grill is now rotating again! I knew Disney would fix it!

Anywho, that is all the Disney gossip I have right now. For my past gossip articles be sure to check them out here. Got any good gossip/rumors please email me at [email protected] or on my facebook page

 

Disney XD orders Gaming Show In My Parents Garage to Series!

Disney XD Logo
Disney XD Logo

Disney XD Logo

Disney XD has commissioned a 10-episode order of its recently piloted series Gaming Show (In My Parents’ Garage) for the 2014/2015 television season. From innovative format creators at Banger Films’ and their newly formed kids division B-Minors, the half-hour series follows host Jesse Sukunda as he, along with his friends, dive into the virtual world of video games. Slated for broadcast in late fall, production on the series gets underway in Toronto later this summer.

 “We’re always trying to find new ways to connect with our audience and the Gaming Show is an inventive way for us to continue that pursuit. After talking to our target audience of boys 6-11, we found Disney XD viewers are passionate about gaming and we knew it was critical to develop a weekly cross-platform series that spoke to kids’ desire to learn more about gaming culture,” said Michael Goldsmith, Director, Original Programming, Disney XD. “Our production partners at Banger Films and B-Minors have stepped up to the plate by developing a versatile program that delves into the inner workings of leading game developers while keeping the comedic elements that boys love. This specific series adds a new dimension to Disney XD’s already diversified programming slate while setting up new growth opportunities for its multiplatform offering.”

“We’re excited to build a show that really connects with kids’ interests and forms a portal between the massive world of the internet and gaming to TV,” said Scot McFadyen, Co-Founder of Banger Films and B-Minors. “We’re also happy to be collaborating again with all the people at Disney XD. They have been very supportive in allowing us to take chances and try something new with kids TV.”

Gaming Show (In My Parents’ Garage) follows Jesse; an avid gamer with an inquisitive mind who, along with his friends Julia and Ian, operates a DIY web series devoted to gaming and kid culture. Using Jesse’s parents’ garage as their “ultimate mega gaming paradise,” the wacky trio hangs out, tests the latest video games and checks in with expert correspondents as they shoot witty weekly news segments. The pilot saw the gang visit Ubisoft’s motion capture suite for a visually simulated swordfight; build their own environment for XBOX’s innovative new game, Project Spark; and pick up tricks of the gaming trade for Minecraft from correspondent and YouTube sensation, Fin of MineTime. Plus, Amir Johnson of the Toronto Raptors made a special appearance to promote Nintendo’s NBA2K 2013.

 

Stay tuned for more!

New “Lion King” T.V. Series and Movie Coming to Disney Junior

New Lion King series
New Lion King series

New Lion King series

Disney has started production on “The Lion Guard,” an animated television movie and series that continues the story introduced 20 years ago in the acclaimed Disney animated film “The Lion King.” It is geared towards kids age 2-7 and their families, “The Lion Guard” television movie will premiere in Fall 2015, and the subsequent series will debut in early 2016 on Disney Junior and Disney Channel.

The wildlife education experts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park will serve as consultants on “The Lion Guard” stories, which will incorporate themes of conservation, family and community while also highlighting problem-solving, creative thinking and diversity. Author and Swahili expert Sarah Mirza is the language and cultural advisor.

Nancy Kanter, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide, said, “The story of ‘The Lion King’ has deeply touched families around the world since its original theatrical release 20 years ago. We look forward to introducing a whole new generation of kids to both the Disney legacy characters and to new friends and heroes.”

“The Lion Guard” begins as Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, assumes the role of leader of the Lion Guard, a group of the bravest and brightest tasked with preserving the Pride Lands. Instead of assembling a team of young lions to serve with him, Kion challenges tradition by calling upon friends he believes are the best choices – Bunga, a fearless honey badger; Fuli, a confident cheetah; Beshte, a happy-go-lucky hippo; and Ono, an intellectual egret. Stories will include special appearances by Mufasa, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu and Kion’s older sister, Kiara, the future Queen of the Pride Lands.

Originally released in June 1994, the Academy Award-winning animated film “The Lion King” is a Disney story with long-lasting appeal.

Did you know, the lifetime global box office total for “The Lion King” is $987.4 million; its 2011 3D re-release was #1 for its first two weeks. 

Marking the animated film’s 20th anniversary, a special edition of the soundtrack exploring the stories behind the songs will be released June 24 as part of Walt Disney Records’ Legacy Collection.

Sounds cute! Will you watch?

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

 

Unique Offer Codes for Universal, Sea World and More

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universal logo

universal-logo

Beyond Walt Disney World, in the Orlando area there are many other things that to do on vacation and with Unique Offer Codes for Universal being mailed out to some it’s that much easier. Even if you don’t get a PIN code to enjoy Cabana Bay Beach Resort, there are still lots of discounts available to make visiting Orlando a lot lighter on the wallet.

Universal Orlando Resort Discounts

  • New! Cabana Bay Unique Offer Codes: Universal Orlando has sent out Unique Offer Codes for Cabana Bay Beach Resort June 16-August 16. This offer includes 20% off 3 nights or more plus free breakfast for 2. This offer can only be booked if you received a Unique Offer Code from Universal Orlando. It is not open to the general public, so watch your email for this offer. Book by June 22.
  • Wizarding World of Harry Potter Package Announced: After June 29, you can book a new package for those Harry Potter fans! This package includes breakfast at both Three Broomsticks and Leaky Cauldron, along with a lot of extra freebies. This exclusive package is available from June 29-December 31, 2014.
  • Cabana Bay Beach Resort Florida Resident Deal: Are you ready to experience the spectacular new Cabana Bay Beach Resort? Florida Residents can be the first to experience this new hotel at special prices, just for you. Rates start from just $99 per night plus tax. This deal is good from Sunday-Thursday through August 16.
  • Universal 1-Day or 2-Day Pass with Shuttle Transportation for 2014: Take a day away from the Disney World Parks to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Book a 1-Day or 2-Day Pass to Universal Studios with shuttle transportation included in the ticket. This special ticket is only available with select companies including Destinations in Florida.
  • “Take 2” Transfer: If you do not want to rent a car during your Orlando vacation, take advantage of the new “Take 2” Transfer ticket for only $39 per person. This transfer includes transportation from a Disney Resort hotel to Universal Orlando Resort for a Universal Studios vacation. After your Universal vacation, the transportation takes you back to the Orlando International Airport.
  • Cabana Bay Preview Period: Experience Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort with special rates during the preview period of March 31-June 14. Book by June 14.

Sea World Discounts

  • Eat for Free During Your Vacation: Book a Sea World Package at one of the partner hotels and get the All Day Dining Deal for FREE!
  • Kids Free at Sea World: Book your Sea World Package and kids play for free. You will receive one free child ticket (ages 3-9) for every paid adult.

Other Orlando Discounts

  • Shop Til You Drop: Do you love shopping? How about a day of shopping around Orlando? You will make stops at the Walmart (with tons of Disney & Universal merchandise), Orlando Premium Outlets (with some of the best outlet shopping in Orlando) and then ending at the Florida Mall (Orlando’s largest mall.) Lunch is even included and transportation from your resort to these shopping destinations.

 

 Book your family memories today with your favorite

Destinations in Florida / Destinations to Explore travel agent!

Don’t plan on traveling yourself, but know someone that will, don’t forget about our referral program.

At DIF we offer  personalized travel planning, lots of extras and fun just for you! Call me at 832-233-4468,check out my page, here, or email me at [email protected] and we can get started on making me your personal travel assistant for free!

New MagicBands Coming to Star Wars Weekends

Star Wars Magicbands
Star Wars Magicbands

 

Star Wars magicbands

Everyone has been talking about when Disney will come out with some non-plain MagicBands, well the time has come! For the first time there will be 2 limited edition  MagicBands with pre-printed images (2,500 each). As you can see in the picture above, there will be a green MagicBand featuring Yoda and a red MagicBand featuring Darth Vader. Each  MagicBand will come in a Star Wars Weekends box (you can use the free Aurasma app on your mobile device to make the box image come to life).

Did you notice that the colors match their light saber colors?

There will be other Star Wars Weekends merchandise, like T-Shirts and Mugs, which will be sold at Darth’s Mall. Which is located between Toy Story Midway Mania and the Studio Backlot Tour.

Update:  According to wdwmagic.com, the new Star Wars Magicbands will play sounds as you go through the Fastpass+ touch-points. They will play a customized sound to match your Magicband. For the Darth Vader MagicBand, you hear the famous Darth Vader breathing sound. For the Yoda MagicBand, you get to hear Yoda tell you his infamous words of wisdom.

We also were able to get confirmation on the pricing for the Star Wars Magicbands, they will set you back $29.95 each. Compared to the $12.95 for the regular plain Magicbands.

I am not a Star Wars fan but that sounds pretty cool!

If you would like to check out the other merchandise go over to Disney Parks Blog.

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

 

Get a Disney Dining Discount on Merchandise when you eat at a Quick Service Location

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According to wdwmagic.com from now until July 15, 2014, when you eat at one of the quick service locations listed below you will get a coupon on the bottom of your receipt. This coupon gets you 20% off. It is only valid from the time the store opens until 1:00pm.

Here are the locations:

Animal Kingdom

Quick Service Restaurants

  • Flame Tree Barbecue
  • Kusifari Bakery
  • Pizzafari
  • Restaurantosaurus
  • Tamu Tamu

Shops

  • Island Mercantile
  • Disney Outfitters

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Quick Service Restaurants

  • ABC Commissary
  • Backlot Express
  • Catalina Eddies
  • Fairfax Fare
  • Pizza Planet
  • Rosie’s Red Hots
  • Starring Rolls
  • Studio Catering Company

Shops

  • Mickey’s of Hollywood
  • Keystone Clothiers

Epcot

Quick Service Restaurants

  • Electric Umbrella
  • Fountain View
  • Liberty Inn
  • Sunshine Season’s Food Fare
  • Yorkshire County Fish Shop

Shops

  • Mouse Gear

Magic Kingdom

Quick Service Restaurants

  • Casey’s Corner
  • Columbia Harbour House
  • Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
  • Main Street Bakery
  • Pecos Bill’s Café
  • Pinocchio Village Haus
  • Pecos Bill’s Café
  • Tomorrowland Terrace

Shops

  • Emporium

Downtown Disney

Shops

  • World of Disney

 

They had me at Discount!

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Is Indiana Jones making a come back to the big screen?

indiana jones disney
indiana jones disney

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Hello there Disney Fans…. Anonymouse here with more rumors from cyber world.

So the news is fluttering around everywhere that Disney will reboot the Indiana Jones franchise. What you say? Could this be true? Well, the word is that a very handsome, young, “Twilight” vampire might be playing the lead role as Indie himself. Yup! Robert Pattinson is at the top of the list as being considered for the leading role.

Robert Pattinson - Indiana Jones

After Disney acquired control to the franchise as part of the Lucasfilm deal, there has been talk of them bringing back the Indiana Jones franchise as a long term option. They feel that the series has huge potential on many levels starting with films, spin-offs and games.

So what are your thoughts? Would you go see another Indian Jones movie?

Anywho, that is all the Disney gossip I have right now. For my past gossip articles be sure to check them out here. Got any good gossip/rumors please email me at [email protected] or on my facebook page

R5 Rocks That Rock with Ring Pop!

R5 Pic1 Corrected6
R5 Pic1 Corrected6

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Ring Pop and R5 were jamming at Gramercy Theatre yesterday at the party for the world premiere of R5’s #RockThatRock music video. For the past two months Ring Pop and breakout pop/rock band R5 asked devotees to share photos and videos of themselves on social media, suing the hashtag #RockThatRock, showcasing how they “rock” their edible bling. A selection of fans that uploaded footage and photos are featured in the video! Check it out here!

This was part of a very special Ring Pop and Ring Pop Gummies year-long partnership witih R5 to create a one of a kind music video for the new song “Rock That Rock.”

Stay tuned for more R5!

Having fun with Disney Movie Night – Pixar’s ‘UP’

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I think one of the hardest things about loving Disney World so much is living far away from the happiest place on Earth. My daughter and I start planning our next trip the day we get home. Planning the next trip always seemed to be the only thing that kept us from falling into a Disney-deprived depression. I have tried to find ways to make the withdrawal easier on both of us.

We visit the Disney website, go to our local Disney store, we play Disney games…but the most fun and effective method for curing the Disney blues for us has been our weekly Disney movie nights! Every week we alternate picking one of our favorite Disney movies and we create an entire night out of the theme. Sometimes we make an entire meal and sometimes it’s just snacks.

My daughter is in charge of creating cool decorations to make us feel like we are immersed in the movie. This allows her not only to have a big part in the fun but also gives her a reason to use her amazing imagination. Since we do this every week it also gives us something to look forward to and plan…which in turn takes away from the extremely long countdown to our next trip. And as each week passes we get closer and closer to going back “home”.

You don’t have to be super creative to prepare these Disney movie nights at home, and you definitely don’t have to be an experienced cake decorator like me to make these treats. In fact, I will show you how to do a simple and fun theme that won’t kill your budget or give you a creative breakdown induced headache!

On one of our most recent Disney movie nights we chose to watch Disney Pixar’s “Up”. This is one of my personal favorites and we had a blast putting it together. My daughter made tons of balloons and decorated the whole living room with them. There were so many I started to think we might float away with Carl and Russell! I made a dinner that consisted of hot dogs (or Dug’s Dogs as I called them) along with two very yummy desserts: Sky Jello (recipe below), and Carl’s Sugar Cookie Balloons. We ALWAYS make sure to have popcorn (we make it in a pot with olive oil for a healthier snack option). And I always name it…this time it was Kevin’s Poppin Corn!

If you try this theme out please let me know what you think in the comments below! And look out for more Disney (and non-Disney) movie night themes in the future!

Sky Jello (makes 4 servings):

  • Two packages berry blue Instant Jell-O
  • One tub of Cool Whip
  • Make jello according to package directions (prepare the day before if possible to allow time to firm, If making same day be sure to add ice to the cold water to speed firming)
  • Use a fork to “break up” the jello after it has firmed.
  • Place a thin uneven layer of jello on the bottom of each glass. Place a scoop of cool whip on one side in the shape of a cloud (be sure it is up against the side of the glass.
  • Keep alternating jello and cool whip to get desired effect.
  • Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Contributed by Bianca Medina – Sugar Sweet Single Mom