Disney Dining Quick Tip – Read the Menus Before You Leave Home

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December 12, 2013

Making Disney Dining reservations is something I look forward to. There is always my “go to” favorites for character dining, such as Akerhaus and Chef Mickey’s. Then there are the new restaurants I’d like to try while on my trip. After visiting Walt Disney World a multitude of times, I can pretty much tell you what is on the menu at the majority of the restaurants, or what you can expect from some of the dining experiences. But there’s more to eating at Walt Disney World than meets the eye. You should read the menus before you leave home.

Reading the menus assures you variety. If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, you have a lot of options to spend those dining credits. One complaint we hear from people is that the Quick Service restaurants all serve the “same thing”. That is why it’s handy to read the menus before leaving home. I like to make sure we aren’t just eating hamburgers and chicken tenders while on the DDP. Reading the menus and having a list of restaurants and what they serve is helpful while we are deciding what to eat in the parks.

Reading the menus will help you prepare your children for their dining experience. Do you have a picky eater? My two boys always want to know what’s on the menu no matter where we are. We read the menus with them, while making our ADRs, so they know what to expect. Knowing they prefer breakfast foods to some dinner foods, I know that we’ll all have a more enjoyable experience if I make reservations for a character breakfast vs. a lunch or dinner.

Reading the menus beforehand will give you an idea of healthy eating options. Disney is trying hard to create menus and items that allow you to make healthy choices. It’s a good idea to be responsible, and check out the menus before you go. This will give you the chance to decide what to splurge on, and where you’ll want to watch your calories.

Do you read the menus before visiting Walt Disney World? If so, how do you find that to be helpful?

Contact me today to get your 2014 Disney Parks trip booked, and enjoy up to a $35 resort credit just for being a reader of Chip and Co.! I’m always ready to walk alongside of you to create magical vacation memories for you and your family! Email me at [email protected] for more details.

Disney is the Most “Checked In” Theme Park for 2013

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 12, 2013

Disney parks are always some of the most popular attractions in the world. Of course they are, I mean is there any other place to go?

These stats come to us from a new list released this week by Facebook. It shows the Top Check-Ins in 2013 in the U.S.A.
Disneyland Resort in California takes the top spot followed by Epcot in the Disney World Resort in Florida, which is at number 3.

Here are the top check-Ins in the U.S.A.

1) Disneyland & California Adventure

2) Times Square

3) Epcot – Walt Disney World

4) Dodger Stadium

5) AT&T Park

6) Rangers Ballpark

7) Universal Studios Hollywood

8) Fenway Park

9) MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

10) Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Wishing you Faith, Trust,and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Disney’s “The Lone Ranger” Blu-Ray Review

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 12, 2013

I have to be honest, I was a bit hesitant to watch and review “The Lone Ranger.” I heard so many bad things about the movie and I just didn’t want to believe that Johnny Depp made a bad movie. Boy am I glad I ignored all the critics and watched the movie to decide for myself. My husband and I loved the movie. I mean it was a Jerry Bruckheimer film, so how could it possibly be anything but great?

I grew up watching The Lone Ranger reruns in black and white with my grandpa, so I was familiar with the story, but didn’t exactly know how the story started, that is, until I watched the movie and then did my research. Disney did a really good job at keeping the storyline similar to the original Lone Ranger it seems, but of course, spiced it up with the inclusion of the comedic Johnny Depp and the action packed stunts and special effects that a Jerry Bruckheimer film always includes.

I wasn’t too familiar with Armie Hammer’s previous work, but he made for an excellent “Lone Ranger” character. I only wish that Johnny Depp had a more active role in the movie. He had very little speaking lines in comparison to Hammer, but if you like him in Pirates of the Caribbean, you’ll find that he takes on a similar persona in this movie.

Now on to the bonus features that are included in the Blu-Ray + DVD version of the movie. I’m not someone who usually sits there and watches all the bonus content, as it’s sometimes dull, but I found myself enjoying the bonus content included in The Lone Ranger. I was a bit disappointed that Depp only contributed a few words to the bonus content, but that aside, you really should watch the bonus content, especially if you’re a history buff like myself or like seeing the beauty of the US.

Armies’s Western Road Trip – This was my favorite bonus feature of any movie I’ve ever seen and I almost enjoyed it more than the movie itself! Hammer takes you on a tour of the scenic locations the production shot in and boy is the US beautiful – makes me want to give up a trip to WDW next year just to visit the American Southwest. But that’s not why I enjoyed this part so much. You see, I’m a member of a Native American tribe here in North Carolina and I minored in American Indian Studies at UNC-CH, so I’m very knowledgeable about Native Americans and always pay close attention to how movies portray us as a people. I honestly had tears in my eyes as I watched this segment. I love that Armie embraced the tribal leaders and people he encountered on his filming journey and I love that he found himself wanting to spend more time with them to experience their culture and learn more about the tribe. I also love the fact that my fellow Native Americans embraced the cast and crew, taught them more about our people and treated them like family during the filming. The movie did not portray Native Americans as savages (as a lot of movies have in the past), but rather showed that we are a kind people who had our world turned upside down by things like westward expansion. The producers even took the time to allow the Comanche 2 months to build the teepees used in the movie so that they would be as historically accurate as possible – now that is a sign of respect and that’s why I love this movie – they allowed respect to take precedent over money and time. So please don’t miss watching this bonus content to see what really went into making this film. And kudos to the entire crew! And as side note, my husband is not Native American and he loved the movie as well and thought it portrayed things accurately.

Blooper Reel – Bloopers are always fun to watch and this was no different. Seriously, be sure to watch these! They’re hilarious.

Deleted Scene – There were only two that were included, so not a lot to see, but it’s neat to see what didn’t make it into the movie. I can see why the first one didn’t…

Riding The Rails of The Lone Ranger – I find it fascinating to see how they actually created the train and train chase scenes in the movie. For example, they built a five mile oval track and they hand-built the engine cars used in the movie, outfitting them with different ‘personalities.’ You’ll often find that they use miniature models in many movies, so it was nice to see that they actually built full-size train cars from scratch.

Becoming a Cowboy – A lot of the actors did their own stunts (Hammer included) and went through extra training to learn how to shoot a gun properly, ride horses or lasso objects for example – training that took place in their very own “Cowboy Boot Camp.” I love that they went through all this to make it seem more realistic and to learn what it really was like back in the Old West days.

The movie releases on Tuesday, December 17^th, so be sure to go pick up your copy!

Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Disney World

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 12, 2013

After having spent several New Year’s Eves at Disney World and looking forward to another in a few weeks, I can assure you it is a celebration unlike any other! With exciting events throughout the resort, you are sure to find the right one to fit your ideal way to ring in the new year! You can choose from lunches, dinners, brunches, dessert buffets, fireworks, and nighttime shows to make your New Year’s Eve at Disney World complete. Check out some the events planned for December 31, 2013:

Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom will feature not one, but two nights of fireworks to ring in the coming New Year. On both December 30 and 31, Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season nighttime spectacular will display at 9 p.m. with a special presentation of Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks lighting the night at 11:50 p.m. On December 31, Tomorrowland Terrace will feature a special ticket New Year’s Eve fireworks dinner and dessert party.

Epcot
At Epcot World Showcase, Biergarten Restaurant in the Germany pavilion is offering both lunch and dinner celebrations; La Hacienda de San Angel in the Mexico pavilion is hosting a special dinner; Le Cellier Steakhouse in the Canada pavilion has three holiday seatings, and Monsieur Paul in the France pavilion starts celebrating at noon with seatings throughout the day and evening. A buffet dining experience will take place at World ShowPlace, with reservations available from 4:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

World Showcase also will host a rockin’ party with a variety of DJs located at select pavilions. The lineup includes DJ Scooter (Top 40) at the Future World Fountain Stage, DJ Mark Sanchez (European Techno/Pop) on the Italy Stage, DJ Carlos Carrion (Latin Dance/Top 40) in the America Gardens Theatre and DJ David Griffiths (British Revolution Style) on the United Kingdom Stage, amongst others. There also will be two showings of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth with a holiday finale at 6:30 p.m. and New Year’s countdown at 11:40 p.m.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can rock in the New Year with Mulch, Sweat and Shears, the resident landscaping rock and roll band. The Mulch, Sweat and Shears New Years’ Eve Spectacular will feature sets of classic rock and roll, special effects, a DJ spinning dance tracks and an unforgettable fireworks display. The party starts a 6 p.m. on December 31!

Downtown Disney
The Downtown Disney area will be alive with entertainment to welcome the coming New Year. With a variety of performers ranging from a DJ at the Cirque du Soleil Stage to Keith Park’s Living Statues, there will be no shortage of sights and sounds adding to the festive atmosphere. Special New Year’s Eve celebrations also will take place at House of Blues, Bongo’s Cuban Café, Paradiso 37 and Raglan Road.

In addition, DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive Theme Park is hosting a special ticket New Year’s Eve event. The evening will be filled with fun, food, games, music and dancing and includes access to all DisneyQuest attractions and video games. There also will be special experiences such as meet-and-greets with some of your favorite Disney characters and a New Year’s Eve countdown, complete with confetti drop to kick off the New Year.

Resorts
At the Walt Disney World Resort hotels, special dining for ringing in the New Year is planned at Flying Fish Café at Disney’s BoardWalk; Cítricos, Victoria & Albert’s and Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; California Grill and Chef Mickey’s (New Year’s Day brunch) at Disney’s Contemporary Resort; and Boma – Flavors of Africa (New Year’s Day breakfast) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Have you ever spent New Year’s Eve at Disney World? How was your experience?

It’s not too early to start planning your New Year’s Eve 2014 celebration!

Would you like to plan a Disney World vacation? Contact Siera today at [email protected] or 734-771-1290. Be sure to let her know Chip and Co. sent you!

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

Take a Behind the Scenes Look at “Saving Mr. Banks”

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 11, 2013

Walt Disney Studios announces the release of Saving Mr. Banks: The Official Multi-touch Book, based on Disney’s highly anticipated film “Saving Mr. Banks,” in theaters December 20, 2013. Exploring the previously untold story of how Walt Disney worked his magic on author P.L. Travers to secure the rights to her book, “Mary Poppins,” the book includes a foreword by Academy Award-winning composer Richard Sherman; never-before-seen correspondence between Walt Disney and P.L. Travers; rare storyboards and scripts from the Disney archives; an interactive timeline of historic Walt Disney Studios milestones; original recordings of the Sherman Brothers, performing their “Mary Poppins” hit songs; facts and profiles on the key characters in “Saving Mr. Banks”—all created by Apple’s digital book creation app, iBooks Author.

The “Saving Mr. Banks” book is available for free, exclusively on iBooks at www.iTunes.com/SavingMrBanks.

Using Apple’s iBooks Author, the UK digital agency, Brandwidth was able to include video, audio and multi-touch interaction to create a robust storytelling experience. Readers can watch interviews featuring the cast and filmmakers, browse extensive photo galleries and explore the original storyboards and concept art—all in full retina detail. ‘Mary Popovers’ deliver fascinating facts throughout the book.

Two-time Academy Award winner Emma Thompson and fellow double Oscar winner Tom Hanks topline Disney’s “Saving Mr. Banks,” inspired by the extraordinary, untold backstory of how Disney’s classic “Mary Poppins” made it to the screen.

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

Disney presents “Saving Mr. Banks,” directed by John Lee Hancock, produced by Alison Owen, Ian Collie and Philip Steuer, and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. Executive producers are Paul Trijbits, Christine Langan, Andrew Mason and Troy Lum.

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Chemo Friends are Going to Disney World Together thanks to Make a Wish!

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 11, 2013

This story is sad yet cute all at the same time.

Dorothy is 4 and Bryce is 5 years old, they met in the hospital where they were both receiving chemo treatments for Leukemia. Dorothy found her way into Bryce’s room after one of her treatments and they instantly became friends. Their moms say that the friendship has helped them through their illness and treatments.

Bryce asked the Make a Wish Foundation if him and his new friend could go to Disney World together, so of course they agreed.

They are both currently in the maintenance phase of their Cancer.

Photo Credit: americanownews.com

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Disney’s Beaches & Cream Now Accepting Advanced Dining Reservations

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 11, 2013

Great news! Beaches & Cream at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort is now accepting Advanced Dining Reservations. They are now accepting phone and online reservations for December 18th and beyond. However if you call now you can make a reservation before that date.

If you have ever dined here you know that the way can sometimes take up to an hour if you have a party larger than 4. I am sure these reservations will go really fast once the word spreads around.

I have always wanted to go to Beaches & Cream but never made it. I had plans of going on my vacation but when I heard they were taking reservations I was not that happy because I am not a reservation kind of person. I like to just show up when I feel like it.

What do you think?

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade Airs December 25th on ABC

By

Chip

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December 11, 2013

Award-winning actors Neil Patrick Harris and Nick Cannon will join television anchor Lara Spencer in the holly jolly spotlight Dec. 25, 2013, to host the “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” television special. Harris, star of stage and screen, will host the telecast from Walt Disney World Resort in Florida while Cannon, who hosted last year’s “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade”, will head to “The Happiest Place on Earth” at Disneyland Resort. Spencer, a lifestyle journalist and co-anchor of ABC’s “Good Morning America,” will be the show’s special correspondent.

The 30th annual holiday special will air nationwide Christmas morning at 10 a.m. EST and 9 a.m. CST, MST and PST on ABC-TV. The show also will air in Canada on CBC Network and across the globe on the American Forces Network.

(see below for pictures)

The festivities at Disneyland Resort in California feature Mary J. Blige singing yuletide carols from her new album, “A Mary Christmas,” a duet by “American Idol” Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks and Jason Derulo, as well as special performances by Demi Lovato, the cast of “Teen Beach Movie” and Dove Cameron. Season’s greetings will be had by all at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida with a gleeful rendition of “Let Me Love You” by Grammy Award-winning R&B artist Ne-Yo, along with star-studded sounds by English-Irish boy band The Wanted, Italian vocal trio Il Volo, “American Idol” Season 12 champion Candice Glover and more.

Guests are encouraged to visit disney.com/christmasparade for details on the telecast, local broadcast times and talent updates. Guests also can join the conversation online with the hashtag #DisneyParade.

A Morning of Merriment and Magic

Christmas spirit comes to life as Mickey and the gang help celebrate this pixie-dusted season with holiday friends. Classic Disney and Pixar characters spread joy and cheer from festive floats and merry marches at Disneyland Park in California and the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida.

*characters/floats subject to change

Mickey and Minnie welcome the season aboard the Christmas tree float with their pal, Duffy the Disney Bear;
Elsa and Anna, from Disney’s hit animated film “Frozen,” make their holiday debut as they join a royal court down Main Street, U.S.A.;
Belle and Beast join in the regal procession in a holiday tale as old as time along with Princesses Cinderella, Tiana, Aurora, Ariel, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Merida, Snow White and Mulan accompanied by Prince Naveen, Prince Phillip, Prince Charming, Prince Eric, Flynn Rider and Aladdin;
It’s a winter wonderland with the Disney ducks! Everyone’s favorite nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie, arrive on a Ski Shoppe Float followed by Mr. Bah Humbug himself, Scrooge McDuck;
Donald and Daisy celebrate in style aboard a chalet trailed by a sprinkling of holiday magic from dazzling ice skaters;
A classic Disney holiday parade wouldn’t be complete without Goofy, Pluto, and their furry woodland friends, Chip and Dale;
Pixie dust and Christmas magic will join Tinker Bell, Peter Pan and Wendy as they “think of the happiest things” this season;
“Toy Story” stars Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, Bullseye and Mr. Potato Head take the season to infinity and beyond;
Celebrate time off from school with Monster University students Sully, Mike, Terry, Squishy, Art and Roz, then cruise down the lane with “Cars” stars Lightning McQueen, Mater and more;
Santa Claus is coming to town! Hearts of young and old will be overjoyed when they see the jolly man in the famous red suit coming down the happiest street in America – Main Street, U.S.A.

Tune In to the Season’s Greetings!

The 30th Annual “Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade” airs Christmas Day on ABC-TV. The show also will air in Canada on CBC Network, and across the globe on the American Forces Network. For viewing times, please reference your local listings or visit disney.com/christmasparade.

*Airtime varies per city/time zone–please check local listings

Eastern Time Zone: 10 a.m.
Central Time Zone: 9 a.m.
Mountain Time Zone: 9 a.m.
Pacific Time Zone: 9 a.m.

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Jake and the Neverland Pirates back for a new season!

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 11, 2013

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Season three of Disney Junior’s Emmy-nominated animated series “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” will premiere Friday, January 3 on Disney Channel (8:30 a.m. ET/PT) and Disney Junior (7:50 p.m. ET/PT). The new season introduces rival characters including pirate ghosts, mummies and robots, and incorporates special super powers and spectacular gadgets for Jake and his crew, including Jake’s Mega-Mecha Sword, a robot suit and an invisibility ring that will help the gang outwit their new adversaries. The season will also include action-packed extended length episodes and a revamped rock and roll-style theme song performed by Sharky and Bones of The Never Land Pirate Band.

Celebrity guest stars include Jack McBrayer as a pirate mummy, Mark Hamill as chilling pirate Shiverjack, Carl Reiner as ghost pirate Captain Treasure Tooth, Rico Rodriguez as Snow-Foot, Estelle Harris as Peg-Leg Peg and Jo Frost as Nanny Nell, Captain Hook’s no-nonsense nanny.

New episodes of “Jake and the Never Land Pirates” will air every Friday throughout January and February, culminating with the premiere of a special extended episode on Friday, February 28, featuring three 11-minute stories that pit Jake against Hook in an ultimate showdown. All featured episodes will be simulcast for verified users on WATCH Disney Junior in conjunction with the television premieres and will become available the following day on WATCH Disney Junior, Disney Junior on Demand, iTunes, Xbox and Amazon.

Beginning Friday, January 31, DisneyJunior.com/Jake will debut the new game, “Jake and the Never Land Pirates: The Super Pirate,” where players can take on the role of Jake as he attempts to retrieve the Mega-Mecha Sword that Captain Hook has stolen. Each Friday, through February 28, kids are invited to unlock a new game level.

Stay tuned for more Jake and the Neverland Pirates!

Top 10 Free Things to do Outside the Disney World Theme Parks

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 11, 2013

The sad reality is that a trip to Disney World can be expensive. BUT there are also many things that you can do outside the Disney World Theme Parks that won’t cost a penny and oftentimes these things are our favorite part of the trip. It’s a great way to take a break from the parks and relax.

So check out my Top 10 list of free things to do outside the Disney World Theme Parks.

BoardWalk – Disney’s BoardWalk area is alive with entertainment starting at 7PM each evening and it is free for everyone to enjoy. This is an especially romantic area for couples to visit and enjoy a date night. The area has street performers, gorgeous lighting, many places to eat and a lot more entertainment. The Atlantic Dance Hall has no cover charge and is a great place to burn off those extra calories and have fun while doing so.

View “Wishes” fireworks from the Polynesian – No one does fireworks better than Disney! Once you see a Disney fireworks show, every other fireworks show will look pathetic to you. You can avoid the crowds and save yourself the cost of purchasing a ticket to Magic Kingdom to view these fireworks by viewing them from the Polynesian (or Grand Floridian) resort instead. Once you get to the resort(s), just walk on out to the beach, grab a hammock or spot on the beach and simply wait for the show to start. They pipe the music in, so you’ll get to experience the entire show without the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

Campfire Sing-a-long with Chip & Dale – For a couple years I didn’t know this existed and we’ve yet to take part in the campfire sing-a-long with Chip & Dale, but it’s definitely on our to-do list for a future trip. It takes place every night at the Ft. Wilderness Campgrounds. You can even bring your own smores kits (or you can purchase them at the sing-a-long for pretty cheap). After the sing-a-long, they show a movie on the big screen under the stars. Tip: most resorts also show movies in the evenings, so be sure to check the resort schedule when you check-in to see which movies are playing.

Electrical Water Pageant – You may have seen this boat light parade floating by Magic Kingdom before at night and wondered what it is. Well, that’s the Electrical Water Pageant that starts around 9PM each night. You can view it from the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge and Ft. Wilderness as it slowly makes it way past all the resorts.

Downtown Disney – There is so much to do and see at Downtown Disney and you don’t have to spend any money – although that’s harder that it sounds for sure. There are many amazing stores and boutiques for you to window shop, you’ll find nightly entertainment at Pleasure Island and your kids can enjoy playing with the LEGO’s at the LEGO store. If it’s hot outside, there are also a couple fountains that kids can play in – but prepare to have a change of clothes with you.

Monorail resort tour – This is probably our favorite thing to do outside of the parks. The monorail resorts (Polynesian, Grand Floridian, and Contemporary) are absolutely gorgeous in their own ways. I love the smell of the Polynesian, the grandeur of the Grand Floridian, and watching the monorail pass through the Contemporary. There are several free things to do at these resorts as well, such as taking hula lessons or relaxing while you listen to the big band perform. During the Christmas holiday, these resorts are even more breathtaking and are can’t miss places to visit.

Animal Kingdom Lodge Wildlife Preserve – You don’t have to visit Animal Kingdom to see giraffe’s or zebras. Just visit our favorite resort, Animal Kingdom Lodge, walk through the beautiful lobby and head outdoors to view the animals that are out on the preserve. This is a great treat for those with kids who perhaps don’t want to visit Animal Kingdom or don’t have a zoo nearby.

Take a boat ride – We love to ride the boats around Disney World. Our favorite boat ride is the one from Downtown Disney to Port Orleans. While at Port Orleans, you can catch a jazz band/ musician at Port Orleans French Quarter in the evening (and be sure to eat some beignets while you’re there) or you can continue on to Port Orleans Riverside Wednesday through Saturday evenings and head over to the River Roost Lounge to catch crowd-pleasing YeeHa Bob – one of the most well-known entertainers at Disney World. We had the pleasure of catching Bob last week and boy, he had us laughing. Another favorite boat ride of ours is the ride from Hollywood Studios to the BoardWalk or Epcot. It’s very relaxing mid-morning and gives us a break from the parks so that we can go grab a yummy sweet from the BoardWalk Bakery.

Take a dip in the pool – Regardless of whether you stay in a Disney resort or off-property, your resort/hotel probably has a pool. This is a great way to take a break from the parks mid-day and just chill or let your kids get out all their energy so that they sleep well during naptime and before you head back to the parks for the evenings. Now, unless you’re a DVC member, you can’t pool hop, so please only visit the pool at the resort you’re staying at – you also can’t just go swimming at a resort on property if you’re staying off-resort. And that will be even harder to do soon once they get the fences up around all the pools.

Find Hidden Mickey’s – This was always a fun activity that we liked to do as a family the first few trips. We still discover Hidden Mickey’s each trip even though we’ve been 15 times in the last few years. Our favorite book to reference is the “Hidden Mickeys: A Field Guide to Walt Disney World’s Best Kept Secrets” book by Steven Barrett – I’m sure you’ve seen this book with the yellow cover before. It’s a great way to waste some time and take a break from the parks and kids will love this type of scavenger hunt.

Well there you have it – you don’t have to spend money on park tickets to enjoy what Disney has to offer, so be sure to take advantage of some of these free items the next time you make a visit to Walt Disney World. What are some other activities that you like to do that are free outside the parks?

Disneyland’s Sweet Spot

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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December 10, 2013

Were you expecting a picture of some candy or chocolate here? I realized after I put the title up that perhaps Disneyland’s Sweet Spot, might make people come to read about chocolate, candy and more. Sorry about that, but stick around, I still have some fun information for you to help plan your next Disneyland Trip!

When I refer to ‘Sweet Spot’ I’m talking about the perfect time of year to visit Disneyland. This time of year truly combines the best of peak and off-peak times. Say for instance you want the weather to be great, well you’ll go in the summer and run into a lot of crowds. What if you want less crowds, well you may get rained on, right? What if you could go when the chance of rain is a lot less and the crowds are low too? Yup, there is such a time and it really is called the Sweet Spot!

The time that I’m referring to is beginning of March (about 2nd week in) through the end of May. The weather will still be nice, but not too hot, the crowds will be a little lower. Most refurbishments will be completed (although perhaps not all), hotel rates and tickets will still be in the off-peak pricing. Now remember this all holds true for this time frame, with one small exception… Spring Break… That 2nd and 3rd week of April can be a little busier, but nothing like the summer time.

While this time of year is generally one of my favorite times to visit Disneyland, it’s still a good idea to plan for weather that doesn’t cooperate. Make sure to have a light poncho packed or something similar to ward off any heavy rains that may interrupt the day.

That’s my helpful tip for today.

To book a Spring Getaway Vacation of your own, contact Daniel with Chip and Co’s exclusive Travel Agency, Destinations In Florida.

When Daniel isn’t sharing Planning Tips about Disneyland, Aulani, and other Destinations, he can be found either wishing he was at Disneyland or planning his and other’s Disney Vacations. Contact him or Request a Quote on the right side of the ChipandCo Page.

Is the Sorcerer Mickey Hat being taken down?

By

Anonymouse

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December 10, 2013

Hi guys and gals, Anonymouse here. Boy, do I have some gossip for you today! Today’s gossip comes to you from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Since 2009, rumors have been circulating around the Sorcerer Mickey Hat.

In 2009, during Disney’s Hollywood Studios 20th birthday event, guests heard from Imagineer Bob Weis. He was one of the key imagineers who created Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Mr. Weis showed the guests a photo looking along Hollywood Blvd towards the Chinese Theater prior to the Sorcerer Mickey Hat installation. He also commented that while guests can not see this view now, they may be able to again in the future.

It’s been about 4 and half years since Bob Weis’ speech and nothing has changed. However, my sources now tell me the 2014 Disney Merchandise does not include the Sorcerer Mickey Hat. The Mickey Water Tower has replaced this iconic symbol. Does this mean 2014 is the year the Sorcerer Mickey Hat will be removed? Will we finally get to look down Hollywood Blvd and see the Chinese Theater once again?

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.