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All new Gourmet Apples at Disney Parks just in time for Halloween!

September 15, 2013

First up is the Skull Apple, in honor of the Unleash the Villains events taking place at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts! Are your taste buds ready? You better prepare them, because Disney fans heading to the Walt Disney World Resort will find a red cherry flavored candy apple covered in green chocolate at Sweet Spells in Beverly Sunset in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Look for a similar version at the Disneyland Resort. This gooey caramel apple delight has been layered with white chocolate to create the skull effect and can be found starting today at Candy Palace in Disneyland park; Trolley Treats in Disney California Adventure park; and Marceline’s Confectionery in the Downtown Disney District.

Other gourmet apples to consider include the Halloween Minnie apple, the Pumpkin Mickey apple and of course a Jack Skellington apple. Next month, Disney will also be bringing back “dirt and worms.” Dare you ask what that means… I guess you will have to wait and see.

2013 ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween Schedule

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 15, 2013

Are you ready for ABC Family to scare up 2013?

ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween celebration, with programming filled with scares and frights as you countdown to Halloween. The popular programming event, now in its 15th year, starting Saturday, October 19th, and ending on Thursday, October 31st, features a brand new episode of “Pretty Little Liars” and the highly anticipated premiere of spin off series “Ravenswood.” The stunt will also include the ABC Family feature film premiere of “Men in Black,” the network premiere of “Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror,” and a ghoulish mix of Halloween-themed programming airing for the 13 nights leading up to Halloween.

Here is a listing of chill-tastic programming taking place October 19th-31st during ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween.

Night One – Saturday, October 19th
The 15th annual 13 NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN launches an all day scarefest with a mini marathon of comedy series “The Middle,” featuring all of the Heck family’s Halloween hijinks (7:00 – 8:30 AM ET/PT). New York’s only hope in the midst of a crime wave is the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (8:30 – 10:30 AM ET/PT). Gotham City is under attack by The Joker in “Batman” at 10:30 AM- 1:30 PM ET/PT, then “Batman Returns” (1:30 – 4:30 PM ET/PT) to thwart The Penguin’s evil plans. “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (4:30 – 6:25 PM ET/PT) kicks off a Tim Burton double feature, with “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” (6:25 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) doubling your frights. Catch the network premiere of “Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror!” (8:00 – 8:30 PM ET/PT), where Buzz, Woody and all your favorite toys must work together to track down their missing friend. Then meet us down on the Scare Floor for “Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.” (8:30 – 10:30 PM ET/PT). We wrap up our night with how Batman came to be in “Batman Begins” at 10:30 PM – 12:30 AM ET/PT.

Night Two – Sunday, October 20th
Spend the day with the master of Halloween entertainment Tim Burton, starting with a trip down the rabbit hole with “Alice in Wonderland” (7:00 – 9:30 AM ET/PT), then collect your golden ticket to the world of Wonka in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM ET/PT). Then visit with “Coraline” (12:00 – 2:00 PM ET/PT), a little girl who realizes an idealized version of her unhappy home comes with its own secrets. Then it’s back to Burton with “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (2:00 – 3:55 PM ET/PT) and the creepiest wedding of the year, followed by a haunting holiday in “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” (3:55 – 5:30 PM ET/PT). Join Mike Wazowski and Sulley for some premium scares in “Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc.” (5:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT), then take another ride on “Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story of Terror!” (7:30 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) if you dare. “The Addams Family” (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT) invites you to spend the evening with them and learn some “Addams Family Values” (10:00 PM – 12:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Three – Monday, October 21st
Watch out for the Red Queen as you revisit the fantastical Wonderland in “Alice in Wonderland” (6:30 – 8:30 PM ET/PT), then it’s the tale of immortal love in “Twilight” (8:30 – 11:00 PM ET/PT). Stay up late for extra chills with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT), where someone is watching, and they know your secret!

Night Four – Tuesday, October 22nd
Relive your favorite moments from this season’s search for Red Coat in a “Pretty Little Liars” marathon (11:00 AM – 8:00 PM ET/PT), featuring 9 back to back episodes filled with creepy text messages and even creepier gifts from “A”. Then break out your Halloween finery as the Liars attend a very unusual costume party on a special brand new Halloween episode of “Pretty Little Liars” at 8:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT. Watch Pretty Little Liars’ Caleb as he steps into a new town where things are stranger than even he’s ever seen in the highly anticipated premiere of new series “Ravenswood” (9:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT). Additionally you can catch encores of the “Ravenswood” premiere at 10:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT and 1:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT, with the “Pretty Little Liars” Halloween episode airing in between at 12:00 -1:00 AM ET/PT.

Night Five – Wednesday, October 23rd
Tag along with the “Pretty Little Liars” (5:30 – 6:30 PM ET/PT) as they search for the truth about Ali, in an encore of the Halloween special, followed by another visit to the supernatural town of “Ravenswood” (6:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT). Harry prepares for his final epic battle with He Who Must Not Be Named in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1” at 7:30 – 11:00 PM ET/PT. The night ends with another teen who discovers her magical powers in “Teen Witch” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Six – Thursday, October 24th
Captain Jack Sparrow leads a quest to find the mystical Fountain of Youth in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” at 6:00 – 9:00 PM, ET/PT. Join the M.I.B. on the search for aliens in the ABC Family premiere of “Men in Black” (9:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT). And end your night with Michael J. Fox’s hairy high school adventures of “Teen Wolf” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Seven – Friday, October 25th
Try not to be neutralized by the “Men in Black” (7:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT) on the search for aliens. Then watch out for Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, “Beetlejuice” at 9:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT. Wrap up with another chance to join Agent J and Agent K of the “Men in Black” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Eight – Saturday, October 26th
It’s back to back supernatural high school hijinks starting with “Teen Wolf Too” (7:30 – 9:30 AM ET/PT), followed by “Teen Wolf” (9:30 – 11:30 AM ET/PT), “Teen Witch” (11:30 AM – 1:30 PM ET/PT), and “The Goonies” (1:30 – 3:30 PM ET/PT). Then it’s another chance to partake in the wacky shenanigans of “Beetlejuice” (4:00 – 6:00 PM ET/PT), and spend some more time with the kookiest, ookiest family on the block in “The Addams Family” (6:00 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) and “Addams Family Values” (8:00 – 10:00 PM ET/PT). It becomes a witchy late night starting with the Sanderson sisters in “Hocus Pocus” (10:00 PM- 12:00 AM ET/PT), followed by four teenage witches in “The Craft” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Nine – Sunday, October 27th
That Grinch doesn’t like any holiday in the ABC Family premiere of “Dr. Seuss’ Halloween is Grinch Night” at 7:00 -7:30 AM ET/PT. Join Gutsy Smurf on a trip to spooky Smurfy Hollow in the ABC Family premiere of “The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow” (7:30 – 8:00 AM ET/PT). Then grab the Scooby snacks for back to back airings of “Scooby Doo” (8:00 – 10:00 AM ET/PT) and “Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET/PT). Trick-or-Treat at “Monster House” (12:00 – 2:00 PM ET/PT) if you dare, then visit with the most charming and magical “Matilda” (2:00 – 4:00 PM ET/PT). Spend some more time with the kookiest, ookiest family on the block in “The Addams Family” (4:00 – 6:00 PM ET/PT) and “Addams Family Values” (6:00 – 8:00 PM ET/PT). Don’t drink these witches’ brew as the Sanderson sisters wreak havoc in “Hocus Pocus” (8:00- 10:00 PM ET/PT)! Then it’s another chance to uncover the mysteries in Rosewood in the “Pretty Little Liars” (10:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT) Halloween special and the premiere episode of “Ravenswood” (11:00 PM – 12:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Ten – Monday, October 28th
It’s back to the scariest house on the block, “Monster House” (5:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT), followed by the creepiest wedding you’ve ever seen in “Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride” (7:30 – 9:25 PM ET/PT). Then join Jack Skellington in Halloweentown in “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” (9:25 – 11:00 PM ET/PT). And finally, revisit “Coraline” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT), a little girl who discovers the world she thought she wanted is more sinister than she thought.

Night Eleven – Tuesday, October 29th
The night kicks off with a bonus airing of the special Halloween episode of “Pretty Little Liars” (6:00 – 7:00 PM ET/PT) and the “Ravenswood” (7:00 – 8:00 PM ET/PT) premiere episode that introduces the unexplained phenomena of this creepy town. “Ravenswood” (8:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT) makes its time period debut with a new episode that finds Caleb trying to explain the supernatural happenings he’s witnessed. Close out your night with the scares and thrills of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (9:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT), then be kept up at night by back to back airings of the first two episodes of chilling series “Ravenswood” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Twelve – Wednesday, October 30th
A day of truly spine-tingling frights starts with Mikey, Chunk and the rest of “The Goonies” (11:00 AM – 1:30 PM ET/PT) where Goonies never say die! Make a deal with the devil in “Death Becomes Her” (1:30 – 3:30 PM ET/PT). Watch the witchy teens of “The Craft” (3:30 – 5:30 PM ET/PT), then the terrorized teens of “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (5:30 – 7:30 PM ET/PT), and stay for the supernatural teens of “Twilight” (7:30 – 10:00 PM ET/PT). And if you haven’t gotten enough terrorizing teen moments, stick around for an encore of the second episode of “Ravenswood” at 10:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT. Your evening of thrills ends with an encore of “Death Becomes Her” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT).

Night Thirteen – Thursday, October 31st
All Hallows Eve is upon us and promises to bring with it a treat bag full of fun, starting with back to back doses of the mutant crime fighters “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET/PT), and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: The Secret of the Ooze” (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET/PT). Stay tuned for those meddling kids of “Scooby Doo” (3:00 – 5:00 PM ET/PT) and “Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” (5:00 – 7:00 PM ET/PT) and watch the Scooby gang defeat evil doers’ dastardly plans. It’s your last chance to hang out with Gomez, Morticia and their kooky crew in “The Addams Family” (7:00 – 9:00 PM ET/PT) and learn some “Addams Family Values” (9:00 -11:00 PM ET/PT) of the frightening kind! The Halloween evening wraps up it’s spooktacularness with the ABC Family premiere of “The Others” (12:00 – 2:00 AM ET/PT), where Nicole Kidman fears she is living with ghosts, and not the friendly kind.

I love Halloween and Halloween shows! Will you be tuning in?

Wishing you Faith. Trust,and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

New Disneyland Area Hotels Coming

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 15, 2013

Anyone who’s visited Disneyland Resort in the past 5 or so years has noticed a number of empty lots and buildings surrounding the resort. Finally, some of these lots will be developed and will add 14 new hotels with a total of 3,770 new rooms to the area around Disneyland Resort. increasing the amount of new hotel rooms 19%.

The hotel room occupancy rate is up 10% in Anaheim. With so many older hotels, it will be nice to see new hotels coming near Disneyland Resort, as well as some refurbishment of other locations. Katella Ave and Harbour Blvd which are the main streets by Disneyland, have already been razed and plans are already started on 2 new hotels with drugstores. Additionally a Marriott Sprinhill Suites will be opening on Ball Road.

We will see the newest hotel opening as early as December of this year, with many more to follow. With so much construction and additions, it may be a bit crazy to get around the perimeter of the Disneyland Resort, but when construction is completed there will be many new hotels. Not only new hotels are breaking ground this year, there’s plans for a new waterpark just down the street from Disneyland Resort in Garden Grove. I can say that I have always been surprised with the lack of water parks open to the public near Disneyland. The only ones available are a distance away. Hopefully the water park will also be on the Anaheim Resort Transit line.

In research for this article, I learned that the lot where Boogie Nightclub and Flakey Jakes are, which have sat empty since 2006, was leased by Disney in 2009. Perhaps plans to add a 4th Disneyland Resort Hotel. No word yet, and no plans have been submitted to the city for building permits. But It would be nice to have another moderate or value Disneyland Resort Hotel.

Now you know that with all these new hotels coming, that it’s time to start planning your next trip to Disneyland, perhaps even planning a stay in the new hotel of your choice. I know just who to help you with this!

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.

30 Day Countdown to Disney World Check List

Chip

September 15, 2013

As our Disney World Vacation gets closer and closer my anxiety level gets higher and higher. Like most people I love counting down the days to our Disney World trip. As the number goes from 90 days down to 60 and then 30 I feel a sense of urgency to make sure I have everything together. That is why I made this Disney World Check List.

One of the biggest helpers to me is my Disney World Spread Sheet. I use my spread sheet with help from Touring Plans and our Guide to Walt Disney World Section (Planning Link at the top of the page) to figure out where we are eating, which park to visit, and any or all special events available.

Here is a blank spreadsheet you can use. Just right click and save it on your computer.

2013 WDW Spreadsheet

Once I have my Spreadsheet ready I like to create a Check List for each trip just so I can mentally check off things to ease my anxiety. Here is my checklist which you are free to use. Depending on how you travel, where your staying, and many other variables you may need to customize yours to suit your needs.

Packing

Suitcases and Luggage Tags (Disney Magical Express)
Diaper Bag and Print out of Baby Care Stations (check our maps page)
Sample Size Shampoo, Conditioner, Soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Detergent, Dryer Sheets, Aloe, Bullfrog Sunscreen, Tylenol, Excedrin, Baby Tylenol, Benedryl, Band-aids, Wipes, Hand Sanitizer, Prescriptions
1 gallon zip lock bags to store everything in
Refillable Water Bottles, Mio Water Enhancers, Snacks or Place order from Garden Grocer
Buy Leapster/Nintento DS Game and a few mobile toys for baby (hide them till we are on our way)
Visit Dollar Tree for small daily gifts for kids
Cell Phone Battery Charger
Camera & Video Camera Bag and Accessories (charger, usb cables, sd card)
Clean up laptop/ipad and check bag
Towels and blankets
Hats & Glasses
Special Event outfits (MNNSHP, MVMCP, ETC)
Order Chip and Co T-Shirts

Quick Tip – What I like to do with my Shampoo and Body Wash is when a bottle gets to be about 1/4 left in there I pull it aside and put it under the sink and save it for our Disney World Vacation. It is easier and cheaper to bring just what you think you will use and then throw away any leftovers at Walt Disney World. Not to mention on your trip home you leave extra room for souvenirs!

Vehicle/Stroller/Flight Info

Oil Change
Air Filter
Wiper Blades
Check Tires
Clean out vehicle & remove old toys and junk
Car Wash
DVD Movies for kiddies
Make Disney Mix Music (CD)
Make sure AAA Membership is current and info is available
Clean out stroller
Get ribbon or something to identify stroller
Print out directions or Save Resort info to GPS
Print out flight info
Print out 100 Disney Food Challenge (Vegetarian / Non Vegetarian)
Pack a bag for the plane (put in toys, snacks, diapers, etc)

Confirmation

Call Disney or My Travel Agent to confirm reservations
Check online to confirm Advanced Dining Reservations
Start checking Long Range Weather outlook (we use Accuweather)
Confirm Stroller Reservation (we use Kingdom Stoller Rentals)
Confirm Flight Info or Check in
Call Alarm Company and make sure info is current
Schedule Mail & Newspaper Pickup

So I think that is about it. You can also check out this list to get more ideas. Her list is geared more towards a week out and is no where near as extensive as mine. Everyone is different. Some people will be a lot more organized than me and others like to wing it and not plan at all.

However you get ready for your Disney World Vacation check back with us as we always try to offer you tips and tricks to make your Disney Vacation enjoyable and stress free.

If you have some more suggestions for me let me know in the comment box below. I would hate to overlook something!

>>Chip

30 Day Countdown to Disney World Check List

Disney Cruise Line Sailings for As Little As $99 Per Person

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 15, 2013

Have you been thinking about taking a Disney Cruise Line vacation? Now is a great time to explore one of their exciting cruises! This fall, you can take advantage of special rates on select Disney Cruise Line sailings. These special rates are starting at $99 per person, per day/$495 total, on select Disney Cruise Line sailings departing from Miami, Florida. These Disney cruises will sail to dazzling destinations in the Western Caribbean! Plus, you can have the opportunity to be among the first to experience the newly re-imagined Disney Magic with new spaces and surprises that will undoubtedly delight, kids, adults, and families! You can also catch one of Disney Cruise Line’s Halloween on the High Seas cruises. These Halloween cruises are sure to be a spook-tacular good time!

Hurry, as this offer won’t last long! You can book this special offer for Disney Cruise Line sailings now through Oct. 20, 2013! Contact Siera, a Disney travel specialist, with Destinations in Florida to receive a free, no obligation for your upcoming Disney cruise!

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 thinking about a Disney vacation? Siera, a Disney travel specialist, would love to help you. Contact her at [email protected] or 734-771-1290!

Disney’s Where’s My Water 2 Now Available

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 15, 2013

Disney Interactive has announced he next exciting adventure with Swampy and the gang in the Where’s My Water? 2. In this free sequel to the very popular puzzler, players get to explore challenging new levels across three brand new locations including the Sewer, the Soap Factory, and the Beach.

Featuring over 100 levels and challenges to solve, players will experience the same cut and swipe mechanics pioneered in Where’s My Water? while being able to use power-ups such as Vacuum, Dropper and Absorber to “tri-duck” faster. In Where’s My Water? 2 players are also introduced to “challenge modes” for explosive level replays and quick-timed “Duck Rush” levels.

Check out the game trailer:

Here are some key Features:

Over 100+ levels and challenges with a brand new look in the Gator universe featuring Swampy, Allie, Cranky, and Mystery Duck.

Introducing ‘Challenge Modes’ to replay the levels in explosive new ways

Players need to dig as fast as they can to get as many duckies as possible in ‘Duck Rush’ levels

Players can now earn and purchase hints to solve puzzles and power-ups to help earn ducks

Complete achievements and earn special themed duckies such as gladiator-duckie, astronaut-duckie, hula-duckie, and many more

Connect through Facebook to beat friends high scores and gift special items

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

New Disney Infinity Toy Box Downloads

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 15, 2013

Have you ever wondered what it would be like race on a spooky track through a haunted castle? You can find out now with the five new custom Disney Infinity Toy Boxes available for download today for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U.

You can download the new Toy Boxes for free by selecting “Toy Box” from the Disney Infinity Main Menu and then select “Toy Box Share” and “Disney’s Toy Boxes.” Once there, they will see a list of all the featured Toy Boxes and can choose one to download. You will be able to come back every week for new Toy Boxes.

Check out the video:

Here are the five free Toy Boxes available now for download:

1. Classic Cruise – Gamers can cruise scenic highways in a classic Autopia Car.

2. Spooky Castle Race – Players can race on a spooky track that twists and turns through a haunted castle.

3. Lava Puzzler – As gamers move the blocks, they will begin to solve this lava-filled puzzle.

4. 3 Little Houses – Players can jump, and charge, and knock these three little houses down.

5. 8 in 1 Arena – Users can choose from eight combat arenas. Trigger an arena and then fly through the super cannon to face off with friends.

Disney Interactive is encouraging Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U players to enter the Racetrack Toy Box Challenge and submit their best Toy Box racetracks.

Players from around the world will be able to submit their creation for consideration for one week and on Thursday, September 26, the racetrack winners will be uploaded to the website. Featured Toy Boxes will be chosen by Disney and available for download on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii U.

Here are the directions to follow when you are ready to submit your Toy Box for consideration:

Bring up the Pause Menu and select “Online/Multiplayer.”

Then select “Toy Box Share” > “Disney’s Toy Boxes” > “Submit to Disney.”

Follow the prompts. You’ll be asked to give your Toy Box an original name and description. Choose carefully – they will be shown to everybody if your Toy Box is featured.

There are some very cool future challenges coming that will include castle building, extreme sports arenas, mazes, and more.

Disney Infinity is available in stores now for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U, Wii and 3DS.

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man’ Moves Up From November to July 2015.

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 14, 2013

Marvel has just showed a very high vote of confidence in their first MCU Phase 3 film, Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man’, as it has just been moved up from it’s November 2015 release date to July 31, 2015. This move makes it look like Marvel sees the film as potentially being an excellent summer blockbuster, and one of the final one’s of the year. This will put the movie releasing just shy of three months after ‘Avengers: The Age of Ultron’ arrives, and just two weeks outside of DC’s new ‘Batman/Superman: World’s Finest’ film. The film was originally slated to go up against ‘Bond 24’.

Seeing the studio making such a big push up makes me very excited, because it speaks volumes of the quality of the film’s script, and just how the studio sees it performing. While there’s still no word on who will play the titular character in the film, it’ll only be a matter of time now until we have official word. The film is set to be directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), who has been working on the movie since Marvel Studio’s inception. Last year, he surprised Comic-Con audiences with test footage for the film that was very fun and exciting, that was part ‘The Matrix’ mixed with what Marvel has done before, plus Wright’s offbeat humor. It definitely made the film look like it would be one of the most interesting in the Marvel filmography.

Are you excited about ‘Ant-Man’? Let me know in the comments below, only here at Chip and Company!

Finding Pascal’s Friends in the Tangled Tower and Village

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 14, 2013

The Tangled area in Fantasyland at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is filled with all kinds of wonderful details. Observant guests can find Rapunzel’s paintings, wanted posters, and even Maximus’ footprints! Pascal’s hidden friends are my favorite of all the fun details in the Tangled area.

Located just past the tables and chairs in the phone charging area, you will find a beautiful garden filled with flowers, greenery, and even a small stream. Ten of Pascal’s chameleon friends have made this garden their new home. They can be seen lounging about on rocks near the stream, in greenery, and even on nearby buildings.

As you would expect, these chameleons do a great job of blending in with the scenery around them! I’m sure I looked right at several of Pascal’s friends before I ever noticed them starring back at me. I won’t spoil all the fun of searching for Pascal’s friends, but here’s a photo of one of his friends hiding under a nearby planter.

Searching for these hidden chameleons was such a fun experience and one I highly recommend. After a few minutes of searching, I was able to find six chameleons hiding in the garden. Next time you’re in Fantasyland, be sure to say hi to Pascal’s friends.

Have you had the chance to search for Pascal’s friends yet? Let us know how many you were able to spot in the comments below!

Famous Holiday Sandwich at Earl of Sandwich in Downtown Disney

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 14, 2013

It is that festive time of year where Mickey Mouse dresses up for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, zombies come out at Universal Studios, and Earl of Sandwich brings out their famous Holiday Special sandwich. This is one of my favorite Disney Dining seasonal flavors. This sandwich is “Thanksgiving in a Sandwich.” Join me from Downtown Disney for this Disney Dining experience.

Learn more about Disney Dining on Chip & Co. Stay tuned each week with Allison from the Disney & Orlando Parks.

Allison has either worked or played at Disney World for the past 35 years. She was a past Cast Member at Typhoon Lagoon and Tower of Terror. She continued her love of Disney by starting Destinations in Florida Travel. Contact Allison at [email protected] or 877-918-8941 if you would like her or her team to book your upcoming Disney & Orlando vacation. Be sure you mention Chip & Co for additional freebies!

‘Castle: The Complete Fifth Season’ DVD Review

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 14, 2013

‘Castle’ is back, and better than ever, in ‘Castle: The Complete Fifth Season’ , which has just landed on DVD. The series follows Crime Novelist Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion), as he works with the NYPD to get close to Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), who is his muse for his Nikki Heat novels. The show has lasted on a great mix of comedy, mystery, and action, and season five is no different. Now Disney has released ‘Castle: The Complete Fifth Season’ on DVD, featuring all 24 episodes of the show’s fifth season, as well as featuring a new set of special features, including Deleted Scenes, a blooper reel, and some new featurettes on the series.

For over four years, we’ve sat back and watched crime novelist Richard Castle and Detective Kate Beckett solve cases, save each other’s lives, and all the while, there was always bubbling feelings between the two underneath. That’s a long time for two people to go back and forth for so long, and eventually something has to give, and someone has to fess up to their feelings. Season Five of ‘Castle’ is the season to take that next step, and explore Castle and Beckett’s relationship as the two come together. It’s a big step for the series, and one that pays off for fans of the series, and works very well without hindering the chemistry and flow of the show. It’s the chemistry between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic that really makes these characters click, and seeing them take that onscreen relationship to the next level also gives them a chance to really delve into new territory with their character’s. It’s a new dynamic for them, and the duo pull it off perfectly. You really feel the connection between the characters, and them moving to this level feels natural, not forced like sometimes happens on shows.

But it’s not just the Castle and Beckett relationship that is important. As always, Castle’s family pays a big part in the series, which makes the two part story over Episodes 15 and 16, ‘Target’ and ‘Hunt’, so interesting and intense. This story arc is my favorite of the season, which sees Castle’s daughter, Alexis (Molly Quinn), kidnapped, which pushes Castle to the edge. When the case begins to slow down, Castle takes matters into his own hand to save his daughter. There’s always something cool about the family dynamic, especially when someone is pushed, and seeing Castle on a vengeance mission to save his daughter is one of the darkest sides of the character we’ve seen. Seeing the hurt and worry thrown into the character, with a spark of vigilantism, really took Fillion’s character to a new heights. This story is not only one of the standouts of the season, but also of the series as a whole. It’s episodes like this that keep me coming back to the series, and I’m glad to see them handle it so well. This season also marks the 100th episode of the series, which is the fantastic episode, ‘The Lives of Others’, which sees Alfred Hitchcock’s classic film, ‘Read Window’, get the ‘Castle’ treatment. It’s such a fun episode, and a perfect way to celebrate the series reaching that milestone.

‘Castle: The Complete Fifth Season’ also comes home featuring a pretty good set of special features. The first, ‘Martha’s Master Class’, is a funny little feature that features Castle’s mother, Martha, as she does a voiceover of her directing her acting class in the 100th episode. It’s a funny, lighthearted addition to the special features that definitely put a smile on my face. There’s also a feature that fans of set design will love, ‘Your Home is Your Castle’, which delves into the design of Castle’s and Beckett’s apartments. It’s a fun feature, which also gives a nice behind the scenes look into the show. The set also comes with four audio commentaries, deleted scenes, and the blooper reel that we’ve come to expect from the series. The best of the audio commentaries comes from the fan favorite episode, ‘The Final Frontier’, which has Nathan Fillion, and ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ alum Jonathan Frakes, who directed the episode, getting their geek on over this episode. It’s such a fun commentary, and fans have to give it a listen.

‘Castle: The Complete Fifth Season’ is a very well put together DVD set that definitely belongs on the shelves of fans of the series, as well as on the shelves of people who love crime and mystery shows. Disney has put together a solid set that features all 24 episodes from the show’s fifth season, a good batch of new special features, and an excellent video and audio transfer. It’s definitely good to have ‘Castle’ coming home once again. Highly recommended.

Disney Offers Free Veterans Institute Workshop – Heroes Work Here

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

September 14, 2013

A complimentary one day seminar at Walt Disney World features veterans’ stories of transitioning to the civilian workforce and the challenges they have had to overcome.

Disney had great with their Heroes Work Here initiative to hire, train and support military veterans. They will host a free Veterans Institute workshop at Walt Disney World Resort on Nov. 14, 2013, to help other companies to employ veterans transitioning to the private sector.

The event will feature experts from Disney’s Heroes Work Here, government officials, veterans, and non-profit veterans service organizations, who will share their experiences, and tips for making a successful and easy transition from the military to the civilian workforce.

“We’re incredibly proud of the veterans who work at Disney, and we fully recognize the value, experience and skills they bring to our company,” said Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company. “Our Heroes Work Here program not only helps us find and hire highly qualified veterans, it also supports veterans and their families as they transition out of the military. We’re happy to share what we’ve learned with other organizations so that more of these modern-day heroes have the tools and opportunities to build meaningful careers in the private sector.”

Highlights of the Veterans Institute workshop will include: an inside look at Heroes Work Here; renowned keynote speakers, panelists, Disney on-air talent and personalities; customized Disney Institute courses; advice and insights from experts and veterans support organizations.

Featured speakers are:

Robert A. Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company

Rosye Cloud, Senior Advisor on Veteran Employment, Department of Veterans Affairs

Dr. Susan S. Kelley, Director, Transition to Veteran Program Office, Department of Defense

Rich Morales, Colonel, U.S. Army and Executive Director, Joining Forces

Teresa Gerton, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Department of Labor

A little background about Disney’s Heroes Work Here:

Supporting the U.S. Armed Forces has been a Disney tradition, and Disney’s Heroes Work Here continues that legacy with a large initiative to hire, train and support military veterans. Disney introduced the program in March, 2012 with a commitment to hire at least 1,000 veterans by 2015. They exceeded that goal in the first year, with 1,300 veterans hired, they announced in March, 2013 that they would create opportunities for an additional 1,000 former service members over the next two years.

Isn’t this just one of the many reasons why we love Disney?

Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

Sunshine

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