My Top 5 Magic Kingdom Traditions

By

-

March 25, 2012

My Top 5 Magic Kingdom Traditions

If you have been bitten by the Disney bug, then chances are you try to visit Walt Disney World as often as you can. If so, then you probably have some traditions that you must embrace each time you visit to make your trip complete. I have some Magic Kingdom traditions that I would like to share with you, and they just might be some of your traditions too!

5. Ride Pirates of the Caribbean first-When my family and I visit the Magic Kingdom on our first day, it’s tradition for us to head straight to Adventureland and hop aboard Pirates of the Caribbean. We know we’re at Disney when we walk through that dim, cool queue, hear that familiar soundtrack, and feel that blend that adventure and humor.

4. A Dole Whip-This sweet and fruity snack is cool, refreshing, and tastes just like fresh pineapple! Seriously, you will never be the same after sampling this Magic Kingdom staple snack. During a visit to the Magic Kingdom, I always have a Dole Whip float at Aloha Isle in Adventureland; and it’s just not a complete Disney trip without one!

3. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover in the rain-This easygoing Tomorrowland attraction is a favorite among Disney regulars: and when a summer shower visits the Magic Kingdom, this where I retreat to! On this attraction, I’m not trapped inside but out and about while still totally dry!

2. Having lunch at Columbia Harbor House-This counter service restaurant is located in Liberty Square; and is one of my favorite spots to grab a quick, and delicious, meal! It’s a Magic Kingdom tradition to buy a cup of Columbia Harbor House’s incredible Clam Chowder and to head upstairs to it’s second level to enjoy it in this quiet, cool hideaway.

1. Breakfast at the Crystal Palace-One of my oldest Magic Kingdom traditions is to visit the Magic Kingdom’s Crystal Palace for breakfast and a visit with Winnie the Pooh and the gang. This bright and elegant restaurant truly captures what a morning at the Magic Kingdom should feel like; and there’s nothing like consuming a plate of Mickey waffles in view of Cinderella Castle! After enjoying a truly magical breakfast here, it’s hard not to pay a visit each trip!

Now it’s your turn! I want to hear your own Magic Kingdom traditions so be sure to leave a comment and share them with us!

Citrus Swirl is Back in the Magic Kingdom (disneyfoodblog.com)
Top 10 Things To Do at Night in the Magic Kingdom (chipandco.com)
Planning: Crowded Corners of WDW Part 2 (aglassslippervacation.com)

Unforgettable Disney Easter Memory at Walt Disney World Resort

By

Chip

-

March 25, 2012

Creating magical memories that you and your children will remember forever is the best part of any holiday. And this year, Disney has some amazing ideas to help you create those memories. You’re not going to believe the magical Easter surprises Disney Floral and Gifts has for your little ones.

If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel this Easter season, you can order Mickey’s Grand Easter Surprise 2012 or Minnie’s Grand Easter Surprise 2012 and have it delivered right to your room.

Can you imagine your little ones’ faces when they wake up and discover Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse visited their room? This over-the-top gifting experience is so adorable and easy, too. It includes the Easter basket, and oodles of Easter surprises, as well as everything you need to help you “step” into the story and to provide proof the “big cheese” was there and delivered their baskets for the Easter Bunny.

You can now order just Mickey and Minnie’s Easter Visit Kit, which comes with everything you need to give your little one the very special memory that Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse visited your resort room Easter morning.

And, for those of you who are not able to come to Walt Disney World Resort, we thought of you too. One of my favorite Easter memories as a kid is decorating eggs. I used to love cutting out the egg holders and setting my newly designed Easter creations in them while they dried. So this year, I thought it would be fun to create some Easter fun for you and your kids so you can make memorable experiences at home.

To begin creating your 2012 Easter memory, all you have to do is click the images above and download the .pdf file. Then decorate, tape the ends together and voilà!

If you want to learn more about all the magical Easter gifts from Disney Floral and Gifts this year, visit the Disney “Easter” page at Disneyflorist.com or call a Disney Floral & Gifts Dream Maker at 407-WDW-GIFT. And I’d love to hear back about how you and your little ones decorated these Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse egg holders.

Sneak Peak: 30th Anniversary of Epcot Merchandise at Walt Disney World Resort (chipandco.com)
Disney World Quick Tips – Affordable Disney Pin Collecting Tricks (chipandco.com)

Unforgettable Disney Easter Memory at Walt Disney World Resort

Splitsville is coming to Downtown Disney

By

Chip

-

March 25, 2012

Starting this fall, Splitsville, located in Downtown Disney West Side, will reinvent bowling for America with 45,000 square feet of fun and 30 lanes on two floors.

Guests will come for the bowling but stay for the food. Between strikes and spares, guests can feast on menu items including hand-tossed pizza, fresh-rolled sushi and hand-cut filet sliders served right at the lane.

Beyond a great hangout for friends and families, the all-new day-and-nightime venue also will be available for birthday parties and corporate events.

Walt Disney World Resort Looking Forward to Changes in 2012 (chipandco.com)
Activities: Is Disney’s PhotoPass Worth It? (aglassslippervacation.com)

Splitsville is coming to Downtown Disney

New Fairy Friend Debuts at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

By

Chip

-

March 24, 2012

Walt Disney Studios announced the new straight-to-DVD film “Secret of the Wings,” starring Tinker Bell.

This film follows Tink’s adventure into the forbidden Winter Woods. While the DVD won’t be released until Oct. 23, fans can get a sneak peek at one of the new characters from the movie at this year’s Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival. This new character is the sparkling winter fairy, Periwinkle. A topiary of her can be found in the fairies display near the Test Track walkway.

Sneak Peak: 30th Anniversary of Epcot Merchandise at Walt Disney World Resort (chipandco.com)
When is the Best Time to Visit Walt Disney World? (chipandco.com)

New Fairy Friend Debuts at the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival

Disney World Quick Tips – Affordable Disney Pin Collecting Tricks

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

-

March 24, 2012

Disney World Quick Tips - Affordable Disney Pin Collecting Tricks

There are a number of things to keep track of when it comes to spending on your Disney vacation: accommodations, travel, food and park tickets are the 4 biggies and the ones that have the most written about them. But souvenirs often become the biggest budget buster, as many of us don’t really “plan” what we are going to buy until we get there….and then emotions take over, which is a sure sign of spending more than you want to! We’ve all been there, and it’s pretty frustrating, after having budgeted oh-so-carefully before your trip, to return home with a pair of Mickey crocs that you spent too much on and, really are you going to ever wear again?

However, when we discovered pin collecting, we discovered a great way of keeping that souvenir budget under control. Because pins are now our souvenir of choice, we are better able to plan our souvenir purchases and stick to a planned budget. We don’t get sidetracked, and don’t suffer “buyer’s remorse” when we get home either.

Is pin collecting for you? Well, if you are like my family, and find all those little pins just crazy addictive…then yes, this post is for you. So with that in mind, here are 5 tips on how to make Pin Collecting an affordable Disney souvenir strategy for your family:

Decide on your Pin Strategy: collect for fun, collect to trade, or collect seriously. If you have kids who are going to trade everything away, you don’t want to spend a lot on them, or especially worry about what they look like. If you are going to primarily “pin trade” then buy cheap ones that you don’t like as much, and trade them for more “valuable” ones. (Of course everyone defines “value” here differently. For some, it is ones that are literally worth more. For others, it is merely ones that they like better.) Point is: don’t buy pins you want to keep. Seems obvious, but it took us a bit to actually figure this out. Now on the other hand, if you want to make this a serious collection, you can purchase only Limited Editions, for example, to increase the value of your collection. If this appeals to you, there are some great books that can give you more information and help you make informed decisions.
Buy low, trade high: If trading pins is your main focus, then arrive at Disney with a dozen or so cheap pins for your kids to trade with. You can find some on eBay, on sale at DisneyStore.com, and even Amazon. The idea here is to trade these for others your kids will like more.
Set a limit …and then stick to it. At this point, with hundreds of pins, we limit ourselves to 2-3 pins per trip. Because yes, this CAN be an expensive hobby if you are not careful! While the cost of pins can start as low as maybe $6-8 each, they can go up to $20+ for some very elaborate limited editions. It is easy once you start looking at them, to get carried away, so keep to that budget!
Pick a theme, any theme: It is easier for many folks to keep to a pin budget, by collecting with a theme in mind. Maybe the resorts, or characters, or villains, or princesses. You name it Disney’s got a pin for it. Seriously. For us, we now pretty much buy our pins around dated events, as they are a great reminder of when we went and when we got the pin: for example New Years Eve 2005.
Preserve your collection: Think about how you are going to keep them when you get home. Don’t go to all this trouble to buy all these pins and just keep them in a shoebox! Some people frame the lanyards and pins. Some put their pins in a shadow box. Some keep them in a display portfolio or binder. Whatever you choose to do, keep them in a way that will preserve your investment, and allow you to enjoy them.

Good luck with your pin collecting! If you are like us, you will find that it is an affordable and fun hobby, as well as a great way to relive your wonderful Disney vacation memories!

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

Beginners Guide to Disney Pin Trading (chipandco.com)
Top 5 Places Disney World to shop for Disney Pins (chipandco.com)

Disney World Quick Tips - Affordable Disney Pin Collecting Tricks

Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule for April 2012

By

Chip

-

March 24, 2012

If your heading to Disneyland soon be sure to check out the Refurb/Closure list below. Refurbishment information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior to visiting. Updated information is available on the Disneyland website.

Current

Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor (Disneyland) closed until Spring 2012 for renovation.
Candy Palace (Disneyland) closed until Spring 2012 for renovation.
Pacific Wharf-Ghiradelli (DCA) closed through 6/1/12 for refurbishment.
Matterhorn Bobsleds (Disneyland) closed through 6/14/12 for refurbishment.
Blue Ribbon Bakery (Disneyland) closed through 7/13/12 for refurbishments.
Carnation Cafe (Disneyland) closed until Summer 2012 for renovation/expansion.

Upcoming

Ariel’s Grotto-Cove Bar (DCA) closed 4/9/12-5/30/12 for refurbishment.
Goofy’s Sky School (DCA) closed 4/9/12-6/1/12 for refurbishment.
Ariel’s Grotto-Restaurant (DCA) closed 4/30/12-5/3/12 for refurbishment.
Frontierland Shooting Exposition (Disneyland) closed 4/30/12-5/25/12 for refurbishment.
Enchanted Tiki Room (Disneyland) closed 5/7/12-5/10/12 for refurbishment.
Disney California Adventure will be closed 6/14/12 to make final preparations for the grand opening of Cars Land and Buena Vista Street.

Source Mousesavers Newsletter

Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule March 2012 (chipandco.com)
Behind the Tarps: Matterhorn Bobsled Refurbishment (chipandco.com)

Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule for April 2012

Disney World Refurbishment Schedule for April 2012

By

Chip

-

March 24, 2012

Here is the Refurb and Closure Schedule for Walt Disney World for March 2012 and beyond. Refurbishment/closure information is subject to change without notice and should be confirmed just prior to visiting. Updated information is available at the Disney World Website.

Current

Bay Cove Pool Slide (Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort) closed through 3/16/12 for refurbishment. The pool will remain open.

Typhoon Lagoon closed through 3/17/12 for annual refurbishment.
Piano Pool (All-Star Music Resort) closed through 3/23/12 for refurbishment. The Calypso Pool will remain open.
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (Magic Kingdom) closed through 3/27/12 for refurbishment.
Feature Pool Slide (Contemporary Resort) closed through 3/30/12 for refurbishment. The pool will remain open.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Magic Kingdom) closed through 3/31/12 for refurbishment.
Nanea Volcano Pool Slide (Polynesian Resort) closed through 4/1/12 for refurbishment. The pool will remain open.
Tutto Italia Restaurant (Epcot) closed through 4/27/12 for refurbishment.
Liberty Square Riverboat (Magic Kingdom) closed through 5/20/12 for refurbishment.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Magic Kingdom) closed through 5/27/12 for refurbishment.
Innoventions: House of Innoventions exhibit closed through late April 2012 for refurbishment.
Grand Floridian Spa (Grand Floridian Resort) closed through mid-2013 due to construction at the resort. The Grand Floridian Fitness Center will remain open and guests may use The Spa at Saratoga Springs Resort.

Upcoming

Boardwalk Inn leisure pool closed 3/19/12-3/22/12 for refurbishment. The feature pool and villas leisure pools will remain open.
Test Track (Epcot) closed April 2012-September 2012 for transformation to the Chevrolet Design Center.
Stormalong Bay Pool (Yacht & Beach Club Resorts) and slide closed 4/9/12-4/23/12 for refurbishment. Only a portion of the pool will be closed. Guests may use the open parts of the pool and the pool and slide at BoardWalk Inn Resort.
Liberty Square Riverboat (Magic Kingdom) closed 4/16/12-5/20/12 for refurbishment.
Lights! Motors! Action! Extreme Stunt Show (Hollywood Studios) closed 4/29/12-5/2/12 for refurbishment.
Lake Buena Vista Golf Course closed 5/7/12-5/17/12 for refurbishment.
Magnolia Golf Course closed 5/14/12-5/23/12 for refurbishment.
Palm Golf Course closed 5/29/12-6/8/12 for refurbishment.
Oak Trail Golf Course closed 5/29/12-9/28/12 for refurbishment.
Cape May Cafe (Yacht & Beach Club Resorts) closed 7/9/12-8/3/12 for refurbishment.
Hoop Dee Doo Review closed 8/5/12-12/31/12 for refurbishment.
Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht & Beach Club Resorts) closed 8/27/12-9/14/12 for refurbishment.

Source Mousesavers Newsletter

Disney World Refurbishment Schedule March 2012 (chipandco.com)
Disney Confidential – Magic Kingdom Monorail Loop Closing (chipandco.com)

Disney World Refurbishment Schedule for April 2012

Disney Interactive Media Announces ‘Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two’

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

-

March 24, 2012

Disney Interactive Media Announces 'Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two'

One of the most popular games of the last few years was Disney’s ‘Epic Mickey’, which followed Mickey on his quest through the Cartoon Wasteland to save his friends, and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, from the villainous clutches of a Mad Doctor and an evil Shadow Blot. Players of all ages enjoyed the sprawling story, and getting to control Mickey with his paint brush, as they saved his world from ruin. Since it’s release, fans have been clamoring for a sequel to the 2010 hit, and Disney has answered you. Disney has announced ‘Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two’ will be released the fall of this year. And this time, it’s across all platforms! Hit the jump for the full press release and a few screen shots from the game.

Continue

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Releases Earlier Opening Dates

By

Chip

-

March 24, 2012

The wings dedicated to the popular films featured at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will now be opening than sooner than expected after the resort hotel’s grand opening May 31.

“We are excited that the Cars, The Lion King, and The Little Mermaid wings at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will all open earlier than we originally planned, bringing more permanent resort jobs to Central Florida sooner,” said Kevin Myers, vice president of resort operations for Walt Disney World Resort. “Demand for family suites exists in the marketplace today and the new opening dates reflect how optimistic we are about tourism in Central Florida.”

The Finding Nemo wings of the resort will open May 31; Cars will now open June 18 instead of July 31; The Lion King will open August 10 instead of September 30. The value rooms at The Little Mermaid wings on September 15 instead of at the end of this year.

In size and scope the construction of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is a major project at Walt Disney World Resort. The project has created 800 construction jobs and once open later this year, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort will create 750 permanent resort hotel jobs.

The Lion King, Cars and Finding Nemo buildings will be entirely family suites, with 1,120 suites between them. The Little Mermaid buildings will feature 864 rooms in the “value” room category.

The construction of family suites at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is an innovative approach to a changing marketplace. Today more and more multi-generational families are traveling together for various celebrations, including family reunions. These families not only want to play together, they want to stay together, which has created tremendous demand for family suites.

Disney also unveiled the look of new Cast Member costumes at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort.
Each front desk Cast Member will wear a unique splattered-ink vest representing an animator’s unique creative process as part of their costume.

Also, as Guests move from the check-in area to Merchandise and Food & Beverage locations, Cast Members in those locations will be wearing colorful costumes that represent the color being added to animation.

Disney World’s Art of Animation Resort Fun Facts (chipandco.com)
Opening Dates for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (chipandco.com)

Disney’s Art of Animation Resort Releases Earlier Opening Dates

Disney World’s Art of Animation Resort Fun Facts

By

Chip

-

March 23, 2012

Walt Disney World Resort will open the doors to its newest resort hotel with Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, a value property consisting primarily of family suites that immerse guests into the magical worlds of classic Disney and Disney•Pixar films. The Finding Nemo wings of the resort will open May 31; Cars will open June 18, and The Lion King will open August 10. The value rooms at The Little Mermaid wings will open on September 15.

Here are some fun facts about the Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World.

More than 800 construction jobs were created, and at full operation it will create 750 resort hotel jobs
The Nemo pool has 310,000 gallons and is the largest pool on Disney property, not counting water parks
If you combined all the swimming pools, you could park 125 cars inside the pools
Its 27 acres of landscaping and irrigation is the equivalent of twenty football fields.
With 227,000 lineal feet of carpet could stretch from downtown Orlando to Kennedy Space Center.
There are over 529,000 square feet of ceramic tiles on the project, enough to cover a standard two-lane road four miles long
If you stacked up all the doors at the resort, they would be as tall as the Empire State Building
There’s enough metal railing to wrap around the new Amway Center eight times
The project used 23,000 gallons of paint, which is enough to fill a typical backyard swimming pool
There are over 2,300 parking spaces within the project, which is approximately the number of players in the NFL

image003 640×286

IMG 5745 640×426

Playground 640×426

Sketches 640×426

Opening Dates for Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (chipandco.com)
All New Disney’s Art Of Animation Resort Details (chipandco.com)

Disney World's Art of Animation Resort Fun Facts

Disney World Quick Tips – How to get Pin Codes

By

Chip

-

March 23, 2012

One of the most sought after Disney Discounts is the elusive Disney Pin Code. While Disney releases great Discounts to the Parks that are available to everyone there are a few discounts Mickey hides up his sleeves.

While there is no sure-fire way to get a Disney Pin code I am going to offer up a few tricks I have done that has nabbed me several Disney Pin codes in my email & snail mail box every few months. Remember these Pin Codes are non transferable and is linked to you and your address so sharing is not allowed.

Head over to the Disney World or Disneyland site and create an account. My suggestion would be create and account for yourself and then one for your spouse, partner, kids, etc. Just so long as you can get to the email account. I did one for my work email @chipandco.com and one for my gmail account.
Order a Disney Planning DVD. If you goto the links about you will see a graphic where you can order one. I do this every year. It’s free and doesn’t cost you a thing. When you get it make up some popcorn and have a fun Disney Family Night watching it.
Play around on the Disney sites. Create a vacation and save it. Browse deals and offers. Just make sure your logged in. Disney monitors all the things you do on their site so believe they are watching you.
Register for Giveaways. I post a lot of the Disney Giveaways on the Chip and Company site so be sure to enter them and again make sure you are logged in. Just bookmark this link and you can enter ours or any other Disney Giveaway I find on the net.
Book your vacation through Disney. In the past I booked our vacation online on the Disney World website myself. While I love Disney Travel Agents sometimes I try to mix things up and do it myself. Not sure if this works but I would imagine you would be in their database somewhere.
Photopass. Make sure you have an account there as well. I highly recommend using this free service at the parks and make sure you use a valid email address for your account. You know the Disney Marketing Machine has to share emails between its other departments.
Be patient. While you may not get one right away just keep plugging away. Eventually you might get one.

I know for me it has taken several years to get one but now they come in pretty regular. We were debating on using our Free Dining for our upcoming trip. If you have any Disney Pin Code Tips or Tricks let us know in the comment box below.

Walt Disney World Pin Codes-The Mystery Explained (thepracticalplanner.blogspot.com)
Beginners Guide to Disney Pin Trading (chipandco.com)

Disney World Quick Tips - How to get Pin Codes

Photo Tour of the All New Disney Fantasy

By

Chip

-

March 23, 2012

My writer Chris from Everything WDW is on the main voyage of the all new Disney Fantasy! She was able to share some photos with us before they disembark. The ship looks beautiful! Check out more photos below.

Please come back as I will be updating more pictures as she sends them.

1

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Chris wanted me to mention she is available to book your Disney Fantasy Vacation if you email her at [email protected]. She is offering some great deals on Disney Cruises and WDW Vacations.

Disney’s Story Rooms Invite Disney World Resort Guests to Magical Worlds of Film and Fantasy (chipandco.com)

Photo Tour of the All New Disney Fantasy

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles