What are Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World?

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July 6, 2012

What are Extra Magic Hours at Walt Disney World?

Extra Magic Hours (EMH) are exactly that- extra hours of magic in the parks for guests staying on Walt Disney World property. On certain days, one park opens early or stays open late for resort guests to enjoy extra time in the parks with smaller crowds on specific attractions. During EMH, not all attractions will be open. You can get a park guide for the EMH attractions when you enter. If you choose morning EMH, the park is open 1 hour before regular park opening. If you choose evening EMH the select park will be open up to three hours after regular park closing. During summer months, the water parks may participate in EMH too.

There are two trains of thoughts about EMH:

Go to the park offering EMH
Don’t go to the park offering EMH!

Some guests believe that the EMH parks are busier on those days because everyone staying at the resort goes to that particular park. I have not found that to be the case during my vacations. But, if you have park hopper passes, you can hop to the park with morning EMH, hop to another park during the day for lower crowds, then hop to another park with evening EMH! Play the system, if you like, and take FULL advantage of your park hopper option!

I particularly like the morning EMH because a lot of people sleep in on vacation and aren’t willing to get up that early and it tends to be cooler in the mornings. Plus, you can participate in “rope drop” prior to EMH. But, I also like the evening EMH for the same reason! The sun is down, so it’s not as hot. Towards the end of the evening EMH the park has cleared out quite a bit since people are worn out from the long day at the parks and are ready to hit the sack to prepare for the next day.

Which do you prefer? Morning or Evening Extra Magic Hours?

Disney Confidential – Spectro Magic to return to WDW next spring

By

Anonymouse

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July 6, 2012

Hey there guys and gals Anonymouse here.

I have some interesting Gossip today. No I am not talking about Fall 2012 Free Dining Deals coming next Thursday, or how 2013 Packages can be booked on July 11th. I am talking Parades. My favorite shirt at Disney World is the one that says “What time is the 3 o’clock parade.” Hilarious!

This gossip comes from a very reliable source and I have it on good authority it is not Chip. It seems Main Street Electrical Parade has worn out its welcome at Walt Disney World. Come next April it will be getting the boot for good ‘ol Spectro Magic.

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5 Reasons to LOVE Garden Grocer Delivery Service

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Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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July 6, 2012

What is a Garden Grocer and why are we so in love with it? Garden Grocer is a local supermarket outside the Disney World properties in Orlando. There are many grocery stores in the area that will make your deliveries but Garden Grocer does the best job by far!

5 Reasons why we love Garden Grocer:

Online ordering. It’s so much easier to peruse the selections online than try to explain something over the phone. Their system is very user-friendly and their selection complete. Coming from “up North” some of the brands were unfamiliar, but they had everything I was looking for.
Delivery. Right to your Disney Resort or place off property. With a delivery to our Disney Resort we didn’t even need to be in our room. Your groceries are left with luggage/bell services and the cold items in refrigerated storage. At most of the moderate or deluxe grade resorts you may have the groceries then delivered by bell services upon your return. Otherwise you can pick them up at the luggage rooms. Check with your resort ahead of time if you think there may be an issue.
Selection. Garden Grocer has a huge selection of products. They have baby items, snacks and even alcoholic beverages. The online ordering section is divided into “aisles” just like your grocery store at home. My favorite section…”Park Essentials”.
Savings. Buying these same items are a fortune at Disney’s gift shops. If all you want is a half-gallon of milk you can go into any Disney gift shop and get one. We even found we were able to use snack credits for boxes of crackers and cookies. However, if you are looking to save on snacks to bring to the park or have breakfast items on hand you will not save any money by going to the food courts.
Time. We don’t rent a car while at Disney. If we did, the LAST thing we would want to do is running to the grocery store. We would rather be relaxing by our resort pool or enjoying the parks. You are on vacation, for a small delivery fee and a little planning ahead you really can enjoy it!

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HGTV Summer Memories Sweepstakes

By

Chip

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July 6, 2012

Enter HGTV’s Summer Memories Sweepstakes and you could win an amazing trip for four to your choice of Disneyland or Walt Disney World.

You might be 21 or older and a resident of the United State to enter. Contest ends July 16, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. ET. You can enter once daily per person/email.

Grand Prize: Winner’s choice of a trip for four to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida or the Disneyland Resort in California including lots of extra activities and goodies. (ARV: $6,704.13 for Disney World or $6,471.96 for Disneyland)

Sweepstakes: Enter daily for a chance to win a trip to Disney (couponingtodisney.com)
Southwest Airlines – Soar to the Magic Sweepstakes (chipandco.com)

Tony Horton’s Fitness Weekend Offers Training in the Middle of the Magic

By

Chip

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July 6, 2012

Exercise lovers are invited to “Bring it!” to Disney for a weekend of training and fitness challenges with celebrity fitness guru Tony Horton. The Tony Horton Fitness Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 6-9 at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.

Participants will have the opportunity to train with Horton and special guest instructors over the course of the four days through a series of five VIP group workouts across the resort. Training will take place in areas such as Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, and the weekend concludes with a celebratory closing banquet at Epcot.

For more information or to register for the event, visit: www.espnwwos.disney.go.com/events/more/tony-horton-fitness-weekend/

About Tony Horton:

Horton is the master behind the best-selling fitness program P90X® and the author of two books, “Bring It” and “Crush It.” In addition to personal training, he hosts numerous fitness camps each year and travels throughout the world sharing his health, fitness and lifestyle tips.

Events and Attractions coming to Disney World Fall 2012 (chipandco.com)
Disney Phineas & Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure (pics.chipandco.com)

Tony Horton’s Fitness Weekend Offers Training in the Middle of the Magic

First Poster for ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ Has Arrived

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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July 5, 2012

Disney has unveiled the first teaser poster for Sam Raimi’s new ‘Wizard of Oz’ prequel, ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’. This is one of my most anticipated films of next year. I’m a big fan of Raimi, and the cast he has gotten so far is great. The film stars James Franco as a man named Oscar Diggs, a circus magician who is a bit of a con artist. But one day, Oscar is taken from Kansas to Oz. The story will follow Oscar as he begins his work to begin become the great Oz that Dorthy will eventually find in ‘The Wizard of Oz. I’m a big fan of the Oz, and I think the time is right to revisit the land once again, and I’m very glad to see it isn’t a remake, but a new tale set in Oz. I can’t wait to see the first trailer for the movie, which I’m hoping will be here soon. Hit the jump for the official synopsis from Disney and a larger version of the poster.

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Make your own Disney’s Magic, Memories, and You Show

By

Chip

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July 5, 2012

Now you can create your own personalized Disney World Magic, Memories, and You Castle Show. Just click this link and give Disney access to your Facebook so it can pair up your pictures. Then watch Goofy share the fun!

I still think its a work in progress as many of my pictures were not centered on a persons face. Still its very cool and fun to play around with.

What do you think?

Disney World Vacation Souvenirs for the Budget Conscious (chipandco.com)
The 10 Commandments of Walt Disney World (chipandco.com)

Make your own Disney's Magic, Memories, and You Show

Kids and Families Pull the Ultimate Prank in Disney’s Code 9 TV Show

By

Chip

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July 5, 2012

A hidden camera, a sense of humor and the help of Hollywood’s top special effects artists are all kids and their families need to pull the ultimate good-natured prank on their unsuspecting mom or dad in “Code: 9,” a new hidden camera reality series that’s comedy for the whole family, premiering THURSDAY, JULY 26 (8:00 – 8:30 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel.

Hosted by Wes Dening (“The Stafford Brothers”), the unscripted comedy series pairs kids with a parent to help create, plan and cast the entire prank. In every episode, one family member goes deep undercover with special prosthetic make-up and costumes and goes face-to-face with their unsuspecting parent as one of the actors who helps pull off the big surprise. The signal “code 9”, indicates the start of the prank when the target is walking in and everyone needs to be in their places and ready.

In the premiere episode, the Tribble family wants to prank dad who they think loves golf and his clubs a little too much. With the help of “Code: 9” host, Wes, and a Hollywood special effects and design team, mom and the kids plan it out then sit back and watch as dad takes the heat for a golf cart mishap that involves his clubs.

“Code: 9” is executive-produced by Mark Herwick (“Launch My Line,” “Kitchen Nightmares”), Douglas Ross (“Big Brother”), Gregory Stewart, Kathleen French and Alex Baskin and was created and directed by Herwick. The reality series is a production of Evolution Media (“The Real Housewives of Orange County”). It carries a TV-G parental guideline.

Disney’s Shake It Up Summer Sweepstakes (chipandco.com)
Events and Attractions coming to Disney World Fall 2012 (chipandco.com)

Kids and Families Pull the Ultimate Prank in Disney's Code 9 TV Show

Walt Disney Records Celebrates Opening of D23 Presents Treasures of The Walt Disney Archives With Official Soundtrack

By

Chip

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July 5, 2012

From 1928’s Steamboat Willie to such 21st-century hits as Alice in Wonderland and Tron: Legacy, Walt Disney Records celebrates more than eight decades of Disney with A Musical Tour: Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives at the Reagan Library, the official soundtrack to the extraordinary new exhibit presented by D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. The digital album will be available for $9.99 on July 3 exclusively at Amazon.com.

A Musical Tour: Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives at the Reagan Library offers 23 specially selected song and instrumental tracks that are featured in the biggest exhibit ever assembled by the Walt Disney Archives. The songs in A Musical Tour: Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives at the Reagan Library were chosen by Disney experts and D23: The Official Disney Fan Club to guide guests through the more than 500 items in 12,000 square feet of exhibit space.

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Walt Disney Studios Unveils The Ultimate, Modern-day Cinderella Slipper Inspired by Christian Louboutin

By

Chip

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July 5, 2012

Yesterday, the fabled Cinderella slipper which has captured the hearts and imagination of generations of women around the world, came to life as The Walt Disney Studios and world-renowned shoe designer Christian Louboutin unveiled the ultimate, modern day Cinderella-inspired slipper in Paris, timed during Haute Couture week July 2-5.

“Cinderella is not only an iconic character when it comes to beauty, grace and fairytale love, but also shoes,” explains designer Christian Louboutin. For Louboutin, the worlds of fantasy and shoe-making collided in perfect harmony when he was invited by Disney to re-imagine Cinderella’s famous slipper in honor of Disney’s global release of the classic masterpiece “Cinderella” Diamond Edition on Blu-ray™ this Fall.

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Top 5 Differences Between Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Jambo House and Kidani Village

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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July 5, 2012

Animal Kingdom Lodge offers a unique experience, a luxurious stay while immersed in African culture and surrounded by live African wildlife. This resort is also unique in that it has two separate sections: Jambo House and Kidani Village!

Jambo House is home to the resort’s main lobby, the Uzima Pool, Zwadi Marketplace gift shop, villas and standard rooms, and a majority of the resort’s restaurants.

Kidani Village is different in that it offers only DVC Villas, as well as its own lobby, the Johari Treasures gift shop, the popular Sanaa restaurant, and its own pool and splash area for kids.

Despite the fact that these two sections make up on resort, they are different and offer different experiences; and today, I’m listing the top 5 differences between Jambo House and Kidani Village!

5. Privacy-Kidani Village offers only DVC Villas, and villas cater to families who really want to live like they are at home while on vacation. As a result, the lobby and atmosphere of Kidani Village is quieter and more private.

4. Pools-Jambo House has one of the most popular pools at Disney World, the large, zero-entry Uzima pool; but Kidani Village has its own pool, Samawati Springs, with a fun splash area for kids!

3. Variety-Jambo House tends to offer more variety in comparison to Kidani Village. For example, there is more variety in the shopping and dining; but there is also more variety in the room choices as some DVC Villa options are offered, as well as standard rooms. Meanwhile, at Kidani Village, there are only DVC Villas available, all though there are several sizes to choose from. Check out a view inside of one here!

2. Lobby-Kidani Village has a small, intimate lobby offering a view of the savanna; but since Jambo House is home to Animal Kingdom Lodge’s main lobby, this section of the resort has the biggest lobby and it is one of the most spectacular in all in Walt Disney World! Jambo House’s lobby has high ceilings, a thatched roof, chandeliers that resemble tribal shields, and a massive window that opens up to the savanna and its wildlife!

1. Dining-When it comes to a good meal, Kidani Village offers only Sanaa, a popular table service restaurant. Since DVC Villas have a kitchen, or at least a kitchenette, many guests have the means to cook for themselves and some groceries are available at the gift shop. However, Jambo House offers more dining opportunities, such as two table service restaurants, Boma and Jiko. Also, Jambo House has The Mara, a counter service restaurant that is similiar to a cafeteria.

What differences have you noticed between Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Jambo House and Kidani Village during your stay? Which one do you prefer?

Related Articles:

Is the Disney Vacation Club Right For Your Family?
Resorts: Pros and Cons of Kidani Village (aglassslippervacation.com)

Calling the Phones Booths in Epcot-Having Fun Around the World!

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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July 5, 2012

If you, like me, enjoy strolling around the World Showcase on your Disney World vacations then this article is for you!

Have you seen these red phone booths in Epcot’s UK Pavilion of the World Showcase? Did you know that they are actually working phones with INCOMING lines that you can call?

We recently discovered this on our vacation and had so much fun calling from across the way and watching individuals race over to pick up the phone. When they answered we would ask them if they would like a Disney joke or Disney trivia question. It was hysterical watching their reactions and witnessing the joy on their faces as they listened to the joke or engaged with us in Disney trivia.

When our Disney vacations are over and we are longing for a little Disney magic we will get the phone numbers out and make some calls, having fun bringing some Disney Magic to the vacations of others while they are in our Happiest Place on Earth.

So, get ready to have some fun, here are those numbers for ya:

407-827-9861 Right Booth
407-827-9862 Left Booth
407-827-9863 Center Booth

If you use these numbers and someone answers, leave a comment and let us know how it goes!!!

Lesley is a travel agent with Pixie Vacations. If you are interested in booking a Disney vacation email her at [email protected] or check her out at www.destinationmagic.com . Lesley offers Disneygift card booking incentives and free personalized Disney tote bags (which you have seen featured on Chip and Co) as well as dining reservations and personalized itinerary planning for free as a part of her service to you.

Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure Debuts in Epcot (chipandco.com)
Disney World Quick Tips – What to do when it rains at WDW (chipandco.com)

Calling the Phones Booths in Epcot-Having Fun Around the World!

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