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Tinker Bell leaves the Magical Nook to her New home at the Town Square Theater at Walt Disney World

May 21, 2014

Well, Anonymouse was right again. We just got word of this New move for Tinker Bell. After three years that Tinker Bell and her Fairy friends have been meeting and greeting guests over in the Magic Kingdom’s, Adventureland Magical Nook, she will now be calling the Main Street Town Square Theater, Home.

Town Square Theater is currently the Meet and Greet home for Magician “Talking” Mickey but he’s going to have some company now with this famous fairy sprinkling Pixie Dust and creating her own ‘Disney Magic’.

Guests will be led inside a magically decorated area that will be similar to the home Tink leaves behind. Upon entering, guests can yell “Pixie Dust” and twinkling lights will illuminate the walls as the doors open into the new Character spot where Tink, without her other fairies will be to greet her guests. The decor will even include a design from her Main Street Electrical Parade float along with a few Mickey inspired decorations.

Thanks to Dave from WDW Guided Tours we are able to share these great pics with you.

What do you think about Tink’s new move, will you miss seeing her fairy friends?

Your Guide to the Special Entertainment for the “Rock Your Disney Side” Event at the Magic Kingdom

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 21, 2014

Can you believe the 24 hour event is almost here? The Magic Kingdom being open for 24 hours is my dream come true! So there will be some special entertainment along with the usual.

Check it out:

Everything starts off with a special edition of the Welcome Show, as heroes and villains make their way to Magic Kingdom Park.

The “Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It!” Street Party will feature Disney heroes at 10 a.m. and Disney villains at 1:30 p.m. When it comes to the 5:45 p.m. performance, though, exactly who makes an appearance will be determined by your votes throughout the day!

The Magic Kingdom Park parades will each have two performances, with the “Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade” at 12 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade at 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. And don’t forget “Wishes Nighttime Spectacular” fireworks at 9 p.m. and “Celebrate the Magic” at 8:45 p.m., 9:45 p.m., and 11:45 p.m.

Prior to each presentation of Disney’s Main Street Electrical Parade, the Disney villains roll through Magic Kingdom Park in a pre-parade, celebrating how “It’s Good to Be Bad!”

Starting at 11 p.m., half of Princess Fairytale Hall becomes Scary Tale Hall, the perfect place to encounter Maleficent and the Queen from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” (Don’t worry, though. The other side of the hall will still feature favorite royals Anna and Elsa.) This sounds awesome!

Later, around 1:45 a.m., the villains take over the rest of the park’s character greeting locations. Where Aladdin and Jasmine appear in Adventureland during the day, expect to find Jafar instead. Elsewhere, Dr. Facilier takes the place of Princess Tiana, Captain Hook subs for Peter Pan, and more!

In Tomorrowland, the #INCREDIBLESSuperDanceParty rocks the Rockettower Plaza Stage from 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., followed by Incredibles Movie Night with screenings of Disney•Pixar’s “The Incredibles” from 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.

Disney’s “Up All Night” Dance Party at Cinderella Castle and the Frontierland Dance Party on the west side of the park will keep things festive from 2 a.m. – 5:45 a.m. I will definitely be there!

This grand, 24-hour party concludes with a special “Kiss Goodnight” at 5:50 a.m. at the Railroad Station in Town Square on Main Street, U.S.A.

Will you be dressing as a Hero or a Villain? I will be going as Maleficent!

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshien

Disney Cruise Line Announces Exciting New Itineraries for Fall 2015

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 21, 2014

Disney has finally released more 2015 Disney Cruise Line itineraries with sailings to even more exciting destinations such as the Hawaiian Islands! Next fall, Disney Cruise Line will return to some of our favorite destinations and also include additional home ports, but just for a limited time! Disney Cruise Line will be offering two Hawaii cruises, West Coast sailings from San Diego, and a return to Galveston, Texas!

Hawai’i Sailings

The Disney Wonder will explore the Hawaiian Islands with two special 10-night cruises in September. Sailing through breathtaking scenery, you can experience the beauty and natural wonders of this exciting destination.

10-night Hawai’i with two days in Honolulu – Vancouver to Honolulu

Ports: Vancouver; Hilo (Hawai’i Island); Nawilliwili (Kauai); Kahului (Maui) and Honolulu (Oahu)
Departure Date: Sept. 7

10-night Hawai’i with two days in Kahului – Honolulu to Vancouver

Ports: Honolulu (Oahu); Kahului (Maui); Hilo (Hawai’i Island); Nawilliwili (Kauai) and Vancouver
Departure Date: Sept. 17

West Coast Sailings

Starting in October, the Disney Wonder heads to the West Coast for just a few weeks while offering six cruises from San Diego, California stopping at ports in Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Galveston, Texas Sailings

In November, the Disney Wonder returns to Galveston for the holiday season, offering a variety of sailings to The Bahamas and the Western Caribbean.

Disney Cruise Line will also sail from Port Canaveral and Miami, Florida to The Bahamas and Caribbean on a variety of itineraries. All of these cruises will include a stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay.

All of these exciting fall 2015 itineraries will be available to book beginning Wednesday, May 21, 2014 or tomorrow, May 20 for Gold and Platinum Castaway Club Members.

These new sailings will sell out quickly so start planning your cruise today! You will receive the best fares as well as the best stateroom availability.

If you would like more information on a Disney Cruise Line vacation, contact Siera today at [email protected] or at 734-771-1290.

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 Cruise Line or Disney World vacation? Siera, a travel agent with Destinations in Florida, would love to help you! Contact her at [email protected] or 734-771-1290!

Disney Rewards Visa Character Meet ‘N’ Greet

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 21, 2014

One of the perks I have always enjoyed about being a Disney Rewards Visa cardholder is the Character Meet ‘N’ Greet opportunity at Epcot. All you have to do is grab your party which can be up to 6 guests per card member and your Disney Rewards Visa card and head to Innoventions West. Once inside the building, you will find a special area designated for this unique character opportunity. If you can’t seem to locate it, just ask any cast member and they will be happy to direct you.

Once you arrive at the designated area, just get in line. I know, I know, another line. But this one is never very long and it seems to move pretty fast as a whole group goes in at one time. Once you are near the front of the line, the cast member will ask you for your Disney Visa card, just to make sure you are eligible for this special opportunity.

This Character Meet ‘N’ Greet is held daily at 1:00-7:00 p.m. and includes a free 5X7 photo of your choice. So parents, if you are trying to use this picture as your Christmas card, keep those kids clean during lunch! This is also a great opportunity for other great pics like a gender reveal as pictured in this article.

Different characters are in attendance at different times, but their identity is kept a secret until you enter the room behind the mysterious black curtain for your surprise. There are usually two characters in attendance. We have had photos made with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Goofy.

The photographer/cast member will take several photos of your party all together, individually or in any other combination. Another great thing I love is that while you are taking your professional pictures with the characters, you are also allowed to take some with your own camera. Even better, the cast member will actually use your camera to take one with you in it. If you are anything like my hubby, this may be the only proof you were at Disney World at all!

When your session is over, don’t forget the most important part – big hugs for your characters! The CM will give you a voucher with the last four digits of your Visa number on it. You will redeem this voucher later at the Photo Center that’s on your way out of Epcot. Be sure to take a post-it note to stick to your chest as a reminder to pick up your photo once you are winding down from all the day’s events. Once at the Photo Center, you will get to see all the photos you took and choose your favorite for your free 5X7. You can even customize it by adding a border and/or caption of your choice. Of course, any other pictures you can’t pass up can be purchased. Enjoy this opportunity and keepsake and be sure to keep smiling!

Disneyland Fun and Food for the 24 Hour Rock Your Disney Side Party

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 20, 2014

Disneyland Fun and Food for the 24 – Hour Rock Your Disney Side Party is only a few days away. We are all counting the days and hours until Friday, May 23rd when the Disneyland Parks will be open for 24 hours of non stop fun. Here are a few of the fun entertainment you can enjoy.

Disney’s Soundsational Parade will sing and dance its way with an additional trip down Main Street at 12:30 a.m.
Magic Eye Theatre will host an Avengers Super Hero Movie Marathon all day and night.
World of Color is adding a 3:00 a.m. showing
Muppets Theatre will have the Frozen sing-along starting at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

Dance Parties – Mad T-Party runs from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am and the Pacific Wharf Dancy Party from 10:30 pm to 5:00 am.Disneyland Resorts will also have many restaurant and quick service open and with special food options.

Carnation Cafe, Blue Bayou, Plaza Inn, Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, Rancho Zocalo, French Market, Hungry Bear Restaurant, Village Haus Restaurant, Harbour Gallery, Care Orleans and Tomorrowland Terrace all located in Disneyland and Wine Country Trattoria, Lucky Fortune Cookery, Award Wieners, Taste Pilot’s Grill, Cocina Cucamonga, Pacific Wharf Cafe, Flo’s V8 Cafe, Paradise Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta in California Adventure will be open and all have special 24 hour event meals.

Join me at the Disneyland Parks for 24 hours of fun, food and amazing magical adventures!

My name is Loretta Garcia and I am the Entertainment Writer for Chip and Company. I am also a Travel Agent with Destinations in Florida Travel, the preferred agency used by Chip and the Disney Addicts. Email me today at [email protected] to book your next Amazing Magical Adventures to your favorite destinations.

Don’t Forget To Bring Home These Top 5 Adult WDW Souvenirs!

Catie

May 20, 2014

Walt Disney World is full of tons of amazing rides and attractions, shows and parades, restaurants and dining experiences – oh, and in case you didn’t know, there are a TON of stores there too! Seriously, there are souvenir shops, stores and carts about every 3 feet in Walt Disney World – and while that may seem like a lot (and it is) – they sell some really awesome stuff, and you can get some great momentos to bring home with you.

You’ve got your standard T-shirts, stuffed animals, Mickey Ear and other assorted hats, light up toys etc – and those are all well and good, but sometimes you want something just for you, not for your kids or something for the family, but a true adult souvenir. Not sure what to pick? Well then read on for my Top 5 WDW adult souvenirs:

1. “Adult Beverageware” – This includes wine glasses, beer glasses, and shot glasses all featuring your favorite Disney characters! From classy etched Mickey designs to assorted shot glasses featuring Park landmarks and characters, they have all kinds of designs to choose from. We like to bring home a shot glass from each place we go – so we have a bunch from Disney of course, but my personal favorite is this “We’re All Mad Here” Alice In Wonderland Design – it matches my tattoo, so it was the perfect choice!

2. Kitchen Accessories – All the bigger WDW souvenir shops have a kitchen section, and there are even Kitchen only stores (like the one at Downtown Disney!) that offer up plenty of ways to Mickey-fy your kitchen. Some personal favorites? A Mickey cookie cutter is a must have, as well as a Mickey hand oven mitt. Tongs, Serving bowls and plates, cutlery, assorted pot holders and trivets, ice cube trays, mugs…the list goes on (and on and on!). If you’re like me and you like to buy souvenirs that you will actually use in your day to day life, this line of kitchenware is the perfect choice – oh and don’t forget to check out the line of coffee and teas too

3. Tech Accessories – There are a huge assortment of accessories for your electronics to choose from at the Disney Parks – Laptop bags/sleeves, Ipad covers and cases, Phone carriers and covers, headphones, and more! The biggest assortment by far is Iphone cases – it’s the most popular choice among Disney guests apparently – with tons of designs and characters to choose from. You’ll also find Ipod cases as well as some for select android devices

4. Jewelry/watches – If there’s one great thing about being an adult its that you tend to appreciate the finer things in life – especially when those things are beautiful Disney jewelry and watches! Probably the best place to check out the Disney collection is at World of Disney in Downtown Disney – they have a whole room full of jewelry. Men’s and women’s watches in every price range (diamonds optional!), costume jewelry (like dangly earrings and flowing necklaces, and the exclusive Disney Alex and Ani line of bracelets!), and then there’s plenty of high end stuff too – gold, diamonds, silver, platinum – it’s all available in the Parks, and it’s all the perfect souvenir for the jewelry lover in your life!

5. Luggage/Purses/Bags – If you plan on buying a bunch of awesome souvenirs to bring home with you, then you may need to purchase a new bag to stash them all in! There are some really nice hardsided Disney suitcases available at many of the larger Park and Resort stores, and the come in both carry-on and larger sizes. There are assorted tote and canvas bags as well, and then there is a large selection of purses – including the exclusive Disney Dooney and Burke and Disney Vera Bradley line too

An honorable mention has to go out to packaged Disney snacks – like bags of Goofy’s Candy Co candy, popcorn, pretzels, etc – these are great to bring home too (if they can make it home without being munched on while waiting at the airport…)

So there they are – my top five adult souvenir choices – if I could I would buy them all on every trip! – but I would love to know what you think – what is your “must have adult souvenir?”

‘Maleficent’ Merchandise Hits the Shelves at Disney Parks

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 20, 2014

I love Maleficent. I have been saying for years they should do more with the villains, and finally they have. So that means there will be some awesome Maleficent merchandise hitting the store shelves soon.

First here is a little bit of background on the movie, “Maleficent,” explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the animated classic, “Sleeping Beauty,” revealing the events that hardened Maleficent’s heart and drove her to curse Princess Aurora … only to later realize that the child may hold the key to peace in the kingdom.

On May 16th, at Disneyland and Disney World, you will find the T-Shirts ( pictured above) along with accessories, dolls, books, and some cool headwear.

On May 17th, D-Tech will have a Maleficent iPhone 5 and 5S case.

On My 30th, there will be a limited edition opening day pin.

Later this month be sure to look for these horns that actually glow!

Here is where you can find the marvelous new merchandise:

Disneyland Resort

Enchanted Chamber Disneyland park
Elias & Co., Disney California Adventure park
Disney Vault 28 in the Downtown Disney District

Walt Disney World Resort

Emporium, Magic Kingdom Park
Beverly Sunset, Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Check out some of these extras:

“Maleficent” “Awkward Situation” Sneak Peek
Maleficent “Fan of the Week” Sweepstakes –
Download ‘Maleficent Free Fall’ for FREE on your mobile devices!

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

I want all of it. How about you?

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Here is Your Guide to the Special Goodies Available Only At the 24 hour “Show Your Disney Side” Party at the Magic Kingdom

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 20, 2014

I have been on pins and needles waiting for the 24 hour event. Not only because I love the fact that I can spend 24 hours in my most favorite place on earth, the Magic Kingdom. But also for the special food and merchandise. I must admit I am very partial to the Maleficent cupcake. Sadly the special cupcakes etc. will be going away after the event. However, there will only be 2 things from the event that will stick around after the party. Those are the Olaf souvenir beverage and the Mickey’s Kitchen Sink Sundae. So eat up enjoy and have fun! After all calories don’t count at Disney right?

Here is breakdown of where you can find all of the goodies.

Sleepy Hollow

Poisoned Apple Waffle Sundae: waffles with stewed apple topping and whipped cream (pictured above)

The Lunching Pad

Olaf souvenir cup with specialty beverage

Friar’s Nook

Olaf souvenir cup with specialty beverage

Gaston’s Tavern

Princess-themed cupcake

Main Street Bakery

Maleficent Cupcake

Frozen-themed Cupcake

Olaf Carrot Cupcake

Look at these sinfully delicious and beautiful cupcakes:

Maleficent cupcake

Olaf Cupcake

Frozen cupcake

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor and Plaza Restaurant

Mickey’s Kitchen Sink Sundae

Storybook Treats

Poisoned Apple Shortcake Sundae: ice cream, yellow cake, stewed apple topping and whipped cream.

Various Outdoor Food Locations

Pink and blue cotton candy, themed to “Heroes and Villains.”

For breakfast:

Main Street, U.S.A.

Main Street Bakery, Starbucks breakfast sandwiches

Casey’s Corner, breakfast sandwich

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (5/24)

Adventureland

Aloha Isle (5/24)

Sunshine Tree Terrace (5/23)

Fantasyland

Pinocchio Village Haus, breakfast flatbread pizza (5/24)

Friar’s Nook (5/24)

Storybook Treats (5/24)

Cheshire Café (5/23)

Gaston’s Tavern

Frontierland

Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn & Cafe, hot breakfast sandwich (5/24)

Westward Ho

Liberty Square

Columbia Harbour House, French toast sticks and bacon (5/24)

Sleepy Hollow, breakfast waffle sandwich

Liberty Square Market (5/23)

Tomorrowland

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, hot breakfast sandwich (5/24)

Auntie Gravities Galactic Goodies (5/23)

The Lunching Pad, breakfast dog

Don’t forget about the grab ‘n go locations throughout Magic Kingdom where you can find more breakfast food.

It all looks so good. Save me a Maleficent cupcake!

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Save at Disney World, Disneyland and More this week!

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 20, 2014

Everyone is getting ready for Disney’s #rockyourdisneyside 24 hour party at Magic Kingdom, both at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Even if you can’t make it this weekend, there are still lots of discounts to be had at all of the Disney properties to make it easier to visit the remainder of the year. Here is the weekly round up to help you save at Disney.

Walt Disney World^® Resort

Free Dining Package: Are you ready for free food? Disney released the free dining promotion for select dates from August-December 2014. Book a Value Resort and get the Quick Service Dining for free. Book a Moderate or Deluxe Resort and get the Basic Dining for free. Contact us for more details.
RunDisney Group Rates: Are you a runner? Do you want to run a race with Mickey Mouse? Join our VIP runners at Destinations in Florida for some of the favorite races including Tower of Terror, Disney Marathon, and Disney Princess Run. We have fantastic group rates for our runners, including FREE tickets to the Disney Water Parks (with at least a 2-Day Pass). Contact your favorite agent at Destinations in Florida for more details.
Summer Deal for Florida Residents: Book your summer vacation and get a free Memory Maker photo package to remember your fun! Book at least a 2-Night/2-Day Package at special prices, just for you! Plus, get the Memory Maker for FREE! This discount promotion is available from June 3-Aug. 2, 2014.
Affordable Package with Room & Dining: One of the most expensive parts of a Disney vacation are the tickets! Save money and enjoy all of the other fun at the Disney with a Ticketless Package. Book this new package with your hotel and one of the Disney Dining Plans, without the addition of tickets.
Save up to 35% off Disney Resorts: Planning a summer vacation to Disney World? Now is the time to book your trip with savings up to 35% off the Disney Resort hotels. These discounts run June 15-August 28. Hurry, these discounts will sell out quickly!
Free Day to Play at the Disney Theme Parks: Buy 6 or more tickets for your family or friends with the 4-Day, 5-Day, 6-Day, 7-Day, 8-Day, or 9-Day tickets and you will get an extra day free. Imagine another day to ride Splash Mountain or another day to get pictures with Mickey Mouse! If you are visiting together, order your tickets together to save money! Must book by June 14.
Florida Resident & Annual Passholder Rates: Florida Residents and Annual Passholders can take advantage of great rates on rooms at select Disney Resorts hotels for stays through early summer.
Military Discount: Active duty and retired members of the US military can get specially discounted rooms at Disney Resort most nights through September 27^th, 2014. Thank you for serving our country.

Disneyland®Resort

Book a Package for as Little as $91 Per Person/Per Day: Stay right down the road from the Disney Magic at a Good Neighbor Hotel from now through August 12. Book a package with tickets for as little as $91 per person/per day.
3rd, 4th or 5th Night Free at Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotels: Visit Anaheim during select nights through December 2014. Stay at a select Disney Good Neighbor Hotels and enjoy a 3rd night, 4th night or 5th night free. Contact your favorite Destinations in Florida/Destinations to Explore agent for details.

Disney Cruise Line®

Special Rates for Florida Residents and US Military: Take advantage of special deals for Florida Residents and active/retired United States Military.
Last Minute Restricted Deals: If you are flexible about the location of your stateroom and willing to book last minute you may be able to save BIG! Disney offers Restricted Guarantee rooms 15-60 days before departure dates, sometimes just a few days before departure. These are very restricted and with many rules, but if you are not picky you can save up 40%.

Contact me today to take advantage of any of these discounts. 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!

Marvel Studios presents GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY with new trailer

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 19, 2014

Marvel Pictures presents GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Marvel Pictures will be releasing its next movie in the continuing saga of Marvel heroes, on August 1, 2014. GUARDIANS of the GALAXY follows in the footsteps of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the Avengers.

In Guardians of the Galaxy, an epic space adventure full of action, heroes and villains, adventurer Peter Quill steals an orb. Not just any orb, but one full of special powers, that villain, Rowan would kill to get his hands on. The orb has the power Rowan is after to gain control of the entire universe. Quill is being chased by bounty hunters, but once he realizes the potential of the orb, he joins forces with an unlikely team to save the universe from Rowan and total destruction. The team which includes Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer work together and take a last ditch stand against the forces of evil.

Don’t miss GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime Rael and Benicio Del Toro as The Collector.

Directed by James Gunn and written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman, with executive producers Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Guardians of the Galaxy is destined for greatness.

Stop by the Web and Mobile site: marvel.com/guardians to check out all the fun and check out the movie trailer here.

Guardians

guardians concept

My name is Loretta Garcia. I am the Entertainment Writer for Chip and Co., and a Travel Agent with Destinations in Florida. We are the preferred agency for Chip and the Disney Addicts. I am available to help you plan your next Amazing Magical Adventures to your favorite Destinations. Email me at [email protected] and start packing!

Top 10 things to do at Disney World on Rainy Days

Chip

May 19, 2014

Top 10 things to do at Disney World on Rainy Days — We chose to brave the rain and are glad we did!

Rain can really ruin a day, or even a whole vacation. Luckily, when you’re vacationing in Walt Disney World, there are plenty of things to keep you occupied when the Florida weather doesn’t want to cooperate.

Here are some great things to do on a rainy (or any!) day at WDW:

Catch a movie (and a meal!): at AMC Downtown Disney 24, you can catch that movie you forgot to go see (probably because you were so excited and busy getting ready for your WDW trip!). Not only that, but the theater’s new “Dine-In Theater” option allows you to order and enjoy appetizers, entrees, desserts and drinks from the comfort of your movie seat!

Take in the Hoop De Doo Review dinner show: put on twice nightly, this wild west themed show serves up all you can eat ribs and fried chicken….and all you can drink beer and wine! A perfect place to unwind, have some laughs and some good food, and escape the bad weather!

Disney Quest: a one-of-a-kind indoor interactive Theme Park bursting with five floors of games that give “state-of-the-art” new meaning….aka the place to get the perfect “indoor” Disney experience.

Go for the royal (spa) treatment: Get a massage/manicure/pedicure at one of Walt Disney World’s award winning spas (because hey, doesn’t everyone deserve a little me time on vacation?)

Monorail Tour: The monorail travels between the Magic Kingdom and the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary resorts – all beautiful and fun places to explore, shop, and grab a meal or a snack (we plan on doing this one our next trip, the hotels are gorgeous and we can pretend we are staying there if only for a short time ha!)

Everyone’s Gotta Eat: Try a new restaurant or two, if you’re willing to brave a few minutes of rain, the park restaurants are a good choice as they will be less crowded on a rainy day.

Shop til you drop: Again, you have to be slightly willing to dodge a few raindrops for this one, but there are tons of stores (including the HUGE “World of Disney”) in Downtown Disney, and I can think of no better way to while away a rainy afternoon than picking up some souvenirs for me and my loved ones (ok, mostly me!)

Take a nap: Ok, this one may seem lame, but after days of walking around at WDW, it never hurts to catch up on sleep!

Brave the rain: of course if none of the above appeal to you and you’re feeling adventurous, throw on a poncho and head to the parks. It will be much quieter and you will see shorter lines, plus there are plenty of amazing indoor attractions…Pirates of the Caribbean, the Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Rock n roller coaster … Just to name a few!!

Above all, be realistic….it’s probably going to rain at some point during your trip, so be prepared.

Patagonia Marketplace will Debut at the 19th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

May 19, 2014

The flavors of Argentina and Chile will tickle your palate at the new Patagonia Marketplace, which will serve food from Argentina and Chile, when the 19th Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, opens Sept. 19 at Disney World. The 2014 festival starts a week early and goes on for a whopping 53 days, ending Nov. 10.

This year Disney chefs will serve up new Farm Fresh Marketplace offerings and debut new menu items at multiple marketplaces. A dinner showcasing Walt Disney’s culinary predilections, a foodie “Boot Camp Series” and a Friday morning celebrity chef nosh-and-chat cookbook event, “Food for Thought,” will debut.

Festival guests will be able to pair wines and beers with different dishes from more than 25 ethnic and specialty marketplaces as they walk along the World Showcase Promenade. Champagne, cocktails and “mocktails” also will be on festival menus. The iconic Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog returns for a fourth year.

But wait there is more….

The 2014 Festival Event Menu:

New marketplace debuts; favorites return – Flavors of Argentina and Chile will merge at the new Patagonia Marketplace, where sustainable salmon with a kick debuts. At the Farm Fresh Marketplace, which replaces Florida Local Marketplace, guests can taste farm-fresh local flavors of a new “Bacon and Eggs” dish featuring applewood-smoked, pepper-coated bacon, sweet corn, potatoes, Hollandaise and pickled jalapeños. The Brazil Marketplace puts the lime in the coconut with Mocequa de Pescado, a fresh tilapia dish featuring coconut lime sauce and steamed rice.

New Eat to the Beat acts debut; fan favorites return to festival stage – Opening night through Sept. 21, new festival act Jo Dee Messina will rock the house at America Gardens Theatre. Other new beats on tap include Rick Springfield (Sept. 24-25); Fuel (Oct. 9-10); Jim Brickman (Oct. 23-24); Los Lonely Boys (Oct. 25-26); and David Cook (Nov. 6-7). The Pointer Sisters (Sept. 22-23), Christopher Cross (Sept. 26-27) and other fan favorites will return to play the festival stage. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Nov. 8-10) will close the event.

Celebrity chefs cook and dish – Renowned chefs such as Warren Brown, Rock Harper, Jennifer Hill Booker, Erika Davis, Paula DaSilva, Gale Gand, Dana Herbert, Jamie Deen, Jerome Brown, Dean Max, “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, Allen Susser, Duskie Estes and John Stewart will share their talents during culinary demos and premium events.

Don’t forget about the Festival Welcome Center. There is always a lot of complimentary demonstrations going on there.

Other festival highlights include:

More than 270 chefs including Disney chefs and culinary stars from across the country.

Party for the Senses grand tasting events Saturday evenings showcasing tempting bites from eminent chefs, more than 50 wines and beers and live entertainment.

Premium events including the back-by-demand “Parisian Breakfast” on Saturdays; new “Sunday Mornings with…” plated brunch starring an acclaimed pastry chef or baker crafting three favorite desserts for sampling; and new “Boot Camp Series” interactive experience with epicurean challenges to hone your “inner chef.”

Back to Basics series, special book signings, Eat to the Beat concerts, cultural adventures, Marketplace Discovery Passport and all attractions and park entertainment are included with regular Epcot admission.

Festival closes at 10 p.m. each weekend.

The Party for the Senses grand tasting events, signature dinners and other special wine and culinary programs require reservations and separate event admission.

To book a reservation call 407/WDW-FEST (939-3378). Information and reservations for some programs will be at epcotfoodfestival.com.

Sounds yummy!

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

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