Rachel Booth sure knows how to make an entrance. Her first race at Walt Disney World Resort was one for the record books.
Booth of Mandeville, La., led from start to finish Sunday to win Disney’s Princess Half Marathon in record time (1:18:11). On top of that, Booth, the first woman across the finish line at the Disneyland Half Marathon the past two years in Anaheim, Ca., became the first runner to win titles at runDisney events on both coasts.
“This was a lot of fun to have my two children there to enjoy the whole experience and just to see mommy cross the finish line with Minnie and Mickey,” Booth said. “To do it at both Disneyland and Disney World, it really distinguishes it from other races. It definitely has a little bit of a special place in my heart.”
Booth, 31, started fast and steadily pulled away from the pack, finishing well ahead of Brittney Christianson of Burlington, ND, who was second (1:22:13), and Heather Sipsma of West Hartford, CT, who was third (1:23:10). Booth’s winning time of 1:18:11 eclipsed the previous record of 1:18:18 set by Liza Galvan in 2009, but it was a tad slower than Booth’s winning times at Disneyland in 2011 (1:18:01) and in 2010 (1:15:19). “I just wanted to go out with the rest of the girls, and that first mile I felt really good,” said Booth, who attended graduate school at Florida State University. “The weather was perfect and it felt like a good morning run.”
Booth led the field of more than 19,000 runners who ran the 13.1-mile course that went through Epcot and Magic Kingdom, including through Cinderella Castle. In all, more than 27,000 runners competed in various events during the weekend, the largest weekend total in the race’s four-year history. Among the notable half marathon finishers was three-time US Olympian Suzy Favor-Hamilton, who finished with a time of 1:38:21, and ESPN SportsCenter anchor Sage Steele who ran her first half marathon in 2:16:00 with the support of espnW, ESPN’s first platform for female athletes and fans.
Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend included the Disney Tangled Royal Family 5K and Royal Family Kids’ Races and the Disney Fit for a Princess Expo in addition to Disney’s Princess Half Marathon. The Expo, held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, featured the latest running apparel and equipment, plus a speaker series involving running experts such as runDisney’s official training consultant Jeff Galloway and Favor-Hamilton.
Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend is one of six annual runDisney events and the second women-focused event. The other is the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, which takes place in January at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA. Both events are designed to celebrate and promote women’s empowerment, women’s health and an active lifestyle. And both are among the nation’s largest endurance race weekends geared towards women.
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Here are just a few of the benefits of this Guide:
Over 150 pages of snacks with photos!
Special bonus items, like six themed Epcot snack crawls that come free with the e-Book.
Convenience! Instantly download the e-Book and transfer it to your iPad or smartphone for easy access on your vacation!
100% money-back guarantee for 30 days. We all know that your vacation time (and budget) are limited, and we want you to get the most out of your visit!
This mini-guide will help you better plan your snacks and treats in Epcot — in my humble opinion, snacking is just as important as Soarin’!
Enter Disney Store’s 25th Anniversary Sweepstakes for your chance to win a trip to Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii including a $2,000 spending spree and more. In addition, 25 first-prize winners will each receive a $100 shopping spree at the Disney Store.
Eligibility:
USA and Canada Start Date:
February 15, 2012 End Date:
April 02, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. PT Entry Frequency:
One time per person/household. Sweepstakes Prizes:
Grand Prize: A 6-day trip for four to Honolulu, HI including airfare, a stay at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa in Ko Olina Hawai’i, a mid-sized rental vehicle with unlimited mileage, ground transportation, $2,000 spending money, and a $250 Disney Gift Card.
1st Prizes (25): A $100 Disney Store Gift Card. (ARV: $100)
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Mark your calendars and be prepared to take over the Tri State area!
Disney’s hugely popular duck-billed, beaver-tailed, teal-colored character Perry the Platypus, as seen on “Phineas and Ferb,” the #1 animated series for kids and tweens, will be the main attraction on Platypus Day, SATURDAY, MARCH 3. The celebration includes the introduction of “The Platypus Walk,” a catchy spy-surf-rock song and dance designed to encourage fun physical activity as part of Disney’s commitment to inspire kids and families to lead active lifestyles.
The day also includes 11 hours of “Phineas and Ferb” programming including two new Perry-focused episodes on Disney Channel and Disney XD, an interactive website dedicated to Perry the Platypus, a fun giveaway and special Platypus Takeover at all Disney Stores in the U.S. & Canada and events via local Radio Disney stations across the nation.
“The Platypus Walk” song will debut today, Wednesday,February 8, when Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (creators/executive producers, “Phineas and Ferb”) join Radio Disney’s Ernie D on air (4:00-5:00 p.m., PT) as Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Major Monogram. Also beginning today, viewers can visit www.DisneyChannel.com/PlatypusDay to learn the steps to “The Platypus Walk” dance. Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Major Monogram will also co-host the Top 30 Countdown on Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4.
“The Platypus Walk” music video debuts Saturday, March 3 on Disney Channel and Disney XD. The dance, choreographed by Rosero McCoy (“Shake It Up” and “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam”), will be demonstrated by Friends of Perry (FOP) and fan favorites: Bridgit Mendler, Bradley Steven Perry, Jason Dolley, Mia Talerico, Leigh-Allyn Baker and Eric Allan Kramer (“Good Luck Charlie”), Bella Thorne and Zendaya, Davis Cleveland, Roshon Fegan, Adam Irigoyen, Kenton Duty and Caroline Sunshine (“Shake It Up”), Debby Ryan, Kevin Chamberlin, Skai Jackson, Karan Brar, Cameron Boyce and Peyton List (“Jessie”), Billy Unger, Kelli Berglund, Spencer Boldman and Tyrel Jackson Williams (“Lab Rats”), Jason Earles, Leo Howard, Mateo Arias, Dylan Riley Snyder, Olivia Holt and Alex Christian Jones (“Kickin’ It”), and Ross Lynch, Laura Marano, Raini Rodriguez and Calum Worthy (“Austin & Ally”).
All Friends of Perry (FOP) are invited to visit www.DisneyChannel.com/PlatypusDay to learn the dance moves from Rosero McCoy, download a printable certificate and iron on decal, play Perry games and become a fan of Agent P.
In anticipation of Perry’s big day, the weekend celebration begins with a new Perry-centric “Phineas and Ferb” episode, “Mom’s in the House,” on Friday, March 2 (8:00 p.m. ET/PT) followed by an 11-hour marathon, Saturday, March 39:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. Disney XD’s 12-hour “Phineas and Ferb” marathon begins with the premiere of another new episode, “Perry the Actorpus,” on Saturday, March 3 (8:00 a.m., ET/PT).
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I am leaving for Walt Disney World early tomorrow morning! Yay! Each trip we take we drive since we only live about 10 hours away. But for my little one that is still a really long drive (for us too!), so I always try to find new things for her to play with and do on the drive down. She LOVES to play on my iPhone and has several games dedicated to Walt Disney World, including a trivia game that she rocks at! So today I downloaded a new app for her called “Where in Walt Disney World.”
“Where in Walt Disney World”, is an interactive game for iPhones that cost $0.99. For only having it a short amount of time I can tell you that I have already gotten my money out of it! It is so fun! There are several categories to choose from, but what happens is you get an up close picture of a ride or restaurant or a thing at Walt Disney World and you have to choose where it is located!
So say I choose the category Magic Kingdom(not shown above, but it is an option I swear!). It will give me a zoomed in picture of something there and first you have to choose which land it is located in from the drop down menu. Next the drop down menu gives you several options of what it could be and you need to choose the right answer! Seriously, this thing can you you busy for hours! It is so much fun!
I think this app is great for kids and adults of all ages. My daughter is 4 and cannot read so I had to read her the option but she got several of them right without any help! The faster you answer the questions the more points you are awarded. It is fun to have competitions with my husband to see who can get the most points!
If you are looking for a fun app to keep you or your kids occupied I would really give this a try! My family has really enjoyed it!
Great News! Disney is reporting the first elements of Storybook Circus will open by late March, marking the first in a series of progressive openings for the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom Park history.
Among the first experiences to open will be one carousel of Dumbo the Flying Elephant, a re-themed Barnstormer starring the Great Goofini and the Fantasyland Station of the Walt Disney World Railroad.
In designing Storybook Circus, Imagineers were inspired by Disney’s animated film, “Dumbo.” When complete later this year, the area will be filled with multicolored circus tents and other nods to the film. The section will also feature Casey Jr., the famous locomotive from the movie, who has rolled into town, bringing the circus with him.
Beyond Storybook Circus and as they mentioned in a previous post on the Disney Parks Blog, the Disney Princesses will be getting a new home at the location where Snow White’s Scary Adventures is today. The last day of operation for this attraction will be Thursday, May 31.
For the sixth year in a row, The James Beard Foundation has named Chef Scott Hunnel of Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa as a finalist on its annual list of top chefs in the country.
Nominated for the prestigious “Best Chef: South” award, Chef Hunnel is familiar with earning recognition as one of the nation’s best. He also received nominations from the Foundation in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
“The amazing creativity of Chef Scott Hunnel helps make Victoria & Albert’s restaurant in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa an unparalleled experience for our Guests,” said Norm Noble, general manager of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. “For 12 consecutive years, Victoria & Albert’s has been the recipient of the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award, celebrated the world over thanks to Chef Hunnel’s exquisite culinary creations. Scott’s nomination in the prestigious James Beard Awards for ‘Best Chef: South’ is well deserved.”
Chef Hunnel finds great joy in delivering a ”wow” factor with his culinary creations. He enjoys taking gastronomic journeys around the world for inspiration and ideas. In recent years, his search has taken him to the kitchen of George V in Paris, truffle hunting in Italy, and to markets and restaurants in Hong Kong, Bangkok and London.
“To me, the James Beard recognition is such an honor because the nomination comes from your peers,” said Hunnel. “There are so many talented chefs out there and to be nominated by them is very special.”
Chef Hunnel takes a refreshingly contemporary approach in the kitchen, with a straightforward cooking philosophy: fresh, seasonal ingredients from around the globe with a focus on local markets including seaports in Florida and area farms.
The James Beard Foundation Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and emphasize the Foundation’s mission – celebrate, preserve, and nurture America’s culinary heritage and diversity. Each year, the Foundation holds an online open call for entries beginning in mid-October.
This year, more than 57,000 entries were received. Semifinalists in 19 awards categories are determined by a governing committee and placed on a nominating ballot sent to more than 550 judges across the country.
Winners will be announced in May during a gala in New York City.
Source Article from http://wdwnews.com/releases/2012/02/24/victoria-alberts-chef-earns-high-honors-as-best-in-the-south-finalist/
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Walt Disney World presents visitors with a breathtaking range of options. From theme parks to dining to resorts, there’s something for every taste and almost every budget. But all those choices can be more than a little overwhelming. You’ve decided you want to stay on property, but looking at the long list of Disney resorts, how do you decide which one is best for your family and offers your perfect vacation?
Yacht & Beach Club
Before you even start looking at the wide range of choices offered to you by Disney resorts, you need to think about two things.
First, whatare your expectations of your resort? Do you need just want a hotel on property with bus transportation, do you want to be coddled and treated like royalty, do you want to spend every moment of your vacation with rich Disney theming? Part of choosing the right place for your family is knowing what you want out of your experience.
Second, how much can you spend? You may want to be coddled and treated like royalty, but if you can’t afford it, you can always rest assured that Disney’s customer service treats all its guests as if they’re special. Disney tries to offer resorts targeted at a wide range of budgets, and you need to know where your affordability range lies.
Once you’ve determined those two things, you can start narrowing down your options. Disney groups its resorts into value, moderate, and deluxe categories, and villa resorts (part of the Disney Vacation Club) can also sometimes be rented if they are not full of DVC guests. All of the Disney resorts offer transportation to the parks and Downtown Disney, and all of them offer Disney quality service and amenities. But there are deep differences in the resorts, and once you know your expectations and your budget, you can choose the place that will be the best home for you and yours.
How much time will you spend there? Consider the way that you and your family vacation. Are you pavement-pounders? Do you stay at a park from open to close? Or do you like to take an afternoon break or spend time resting in the room? Many park guests view a hotel room as no more than a place to sleep, but Disney resorts are not just hotels. They’re resorts. They offer a variety of options for rest and recreation away from the parks. Are you planning on taking advantage of those things? If so, you might want to consider investing a little more in your resort.
Pool at Coronado Springs
Take, for example, Coronado Springs (a moderate resort). The resort boasts a spectacular pool area centered around a water fall pyramid, and cast members provide games and activities for poolgoers on most afternoons. Or consider Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge (deluxe resorts) where historical tours, food tastings, storytelling, and craft making sessions are offered free of charge to resort guests. And, of course, many resorts offer free evening movies at the pool or on the beach. One of the things that makes Disney a repeat vacation destination is the variety of experiences offered. If you’re planning on taking a break from the parks and doing more than sleeping in your room, think about the kind of place you want to spend your time.
How much space do you need? If you view your resort as more than just a place to sleep, as your Disney home, you should consider your family’s space needs. Regardless of your budget, take the time to look around the internet for square footage and room floor plans at different resorts. Do you need the 520 foot family suite at the All Star Music Resort (value)? Did you know that Old Key West Resort offers the most living space for your dollar among the deluxe/villa resorts? Is it important to you that there is little difference between the 314 square foot rooms at the Coronado Springs Resort (moderate) and the 340 square foot rooms at Animal Kingdom Lodge (deluxe)?
Renovated Old Key West room
Go back to what you expect out of your home-away-from-home. Do you want room to unpack and spread out? Are your kids going to want space to play with their newly acquired Disney toys? Do you want a balcony to relax on, or are you going to be focused on the bed, desk, and television when you’re in the room? Don’t just consider the listed number of people who can fit into the room – look at how well they’re going to fit, and how the space suits your needs.
Do you want easy access to particular park(s)? If you’ve visited Walt Disney World, you probably have a favorite park. And, if you’ve invested in the Park Hopper option, you may find yourself returning to your favorite location for that one last ride on Space Mountain…or the Tower of Terror…or Soarin’…or a final safari. If you’ve got a favorite place to visit, you might want to take a good look at a map of Walt Disney World property and see which resorts are closest to your chosen destination. Yes, all Disney resorts offer park transportation…but transportation to different locations on property is far from equal. If you love the Magic Kingdom, the Polynesian Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and Contemporary offer quick monorail delivery to the front gate, skipping the boat/monorail crowds from the parking lot. The Wilderness lodge offers a quick, pleasant boat ride to the same location. If you love Epcot, the Beach Club, Yacht club, and Boardwalk offer a quick walk to World Showcase as well as boat transportation to Hollywood Studios (and Epcot). Animal Kingdom Lodge is not only close to its namesake park, but its savannahs make guests feel as if they are almost in the park, and Coronado Springs provides quick access to Animal Kingdom as well.
Remember, Disney bus service may far outstrip your local city’s public transportation, but getting to a park (or back to your resort from one) may be a 30 to 40 minute journey…and if you’re leaving a park after a night time show, it may be an overcrowded, harrowing journey at that. If you want quick, repeated access to a particular location, include that in your decision making.
What theme/resort layout do you prefer? One of the most remarkable things about Disney resorts is their theming. Like most other things on property, Disney resorts are dedicated to creating an environment and experience. From the
Lobby of Animal Kingdom Lodge
ability to sit on your hotel room balcony and watch eland, zebra, and giraffe at Animal Kingdom Lodge to the newly themed “Royal Rooms” coming to the new Art of Animation Resort (value, opening 2012), Disney resorts offer an immersion in the signature “magic” that guests can find few other places.
But what kind of magic are you looking for? Do a few internet image searches for the resorts you’re considering. Look at the resort maps. What does your family’s dream environment look like? Disney resorts have personality. For some guests, the sprawl of buildings clustered around the lake at Coronado springs or the sprinkling of resort rooms across Bayou trails at Port Orleans provides a sense of place and privacy. For others, the strongly centralized soaring lobbies of the Wilderness or Animal Kingdom lodges creates a warmth and drama that seems like home. Do you like the Victorian elegance and luxury of the Grand Floridian, or do all those flowers and starched aprons make you feel uncomfortable?
Theming and environment may be an intangible element, but it’s an important one. The “world” in Walt Disney World is more than just semantics; visiting the World is intended to be a break from everyday life, and choosing to stay on property is partially a choice to immerse yourself in that world. Take the time to think about what environment is going to make your family most happy. If you could be home anywhere…where would it be? The pacific northwest? The south seas? A world of Pop culture?
So choose your adventure. Take the time to think about your resort options, and then select where you’re going to be most content. A Disney vacation is a precious memory in the making – be sure that your chosen home away from home makes that experience even better!
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Disney is the one place where planning is non-negotiable. The people who have a miserable time at Disney World are the ones who just show up and wander around, or stupidly stand in hour + lines at Splash Mountain. People who “never want to go back to Disney World” most likely committed one of the 7 deadly sins of WDW vacationing:
Those sins are: Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy & Gluttony.
Wrath – People who hate WDW spend a large amount of time yelling at (or being yelled at by) their families & friends. They don’t listen to the Disney Diva and take mid-day naps, nor do they take the steps to head off WDW Melt-Downs before they happen(* READ TIPS HERE*). They are exhausted, broke, disillusioned and overstimulated. They don’t see Disney World as a vacation so much as as a giant, never-ending checklist of rides they must ride, foods they must eat, and things they must see before they can be considered a “good parent”.
There are three tips to avoiding committing these sins: 1) Plan in advance (and include your kids in planning (read How your kids can SAVE you money at Disney World HERE), 2) know your way around the park. and 3) Set realistic goals and take mid-day naps.
Greed – People who hate WDW spend too much money unnecessarily. They don’t really think ahead about how much room they need, or how close they need to be to a park(get help on this Planning your WDW post). They don’t make good choices on what they should pack both in their suitcases (Packing Checklists) or in their day backpack (Perfect WDW backpack) which forces them to have to spend money in-park on essentials such as suntan-lotion or sweatshirts. They don’t set impulse-buy budgets for themselves or their children so they come home to an astronomical credit card bill and a glazed over look while exclaiming how to everyone “expensive everything at Disney World is”.
How do you avoid this sin?
PLAN PLAN PLAN. Set budgets for yourself and your family. Think about if its really worth the additional to be on the monorail loop or could you tolerate a longer bus ride? Too many people take the position of “this is a once in a lifetime trip, lets spend every dime we’ve got”. Don’t do it. Stuff for the sake of stuff just ends up in a yard-sale in a year or two. Spend more on creating memories and less on stuff.
Sloth – Sleeping in…Sleeping in makes me beyond furious. You absolutely must not… MUST NOT sleep in!! People who hate WDW stroll into a park at about 10:00 or 11:00 in the morning, right when lines are starting to get long. Then they have the nerve to complain about how all the lines are insanely long. They don’t think its important to be there for park opening. Sleeping in is a no no at WDW.
So how do you avoid this sin?
Sleep during mid-day naps, lines are shortest at the beginning and the ending of the day, which means THAT’S when you should be in the parks.
Pride – People who hate WDW don’t allow their plans to change. They have their Pride and are unwilling to change things around even when everybody has said their tired, or they hate this park. On days when they finish a park a lot faster than they planned they still require people to return to the park as scheduled. They don’t allow the flexibility for an unplanned parade dance-along or get a last minute dining reservation.
How to avoid?
Don’t be a WDW Nazi! Have some flexibility!
Lust – The only way I can think to tie in Lust is to talk about people worrying about how they look while they’re at WDW. Remember Disney World is NOT a fashion show. People who are worried about how they look make stupid mistakes like not wearing clothes that are comfortable and breathe (its really humid at Disney World). They wear skirts, and high heels and spend large amounts of time doing their hair and make-up which will turn into a frizzy/cakey/runny mess by the end of hour one in the park.
How to avoid this sin?
Realize Disney’s not a fashion show. You MUST be comfortable or you will be miserable. Pack smart!! and wear appropriate footwear! You can read all about it at my post about Hoofing it Around Disney World.
Envy – People who don’t use Fast Passes correctly experience large amounts of envy at Disney World! People who fall into huge Disney World Time Pitfalls experience even more. There are few things worse than standing in a queue line and watching, literally, hundreds of people get to ride the ride before you. Fast Pass Envy, its FIERCE and worse than most green-eyed monsters can be.
So how to avoid this sin?
LEARN HOW TO USE FAST PASSES!! For Pete’s sake. Man it can really save you a ton of time and read that article on Avoiding Disney Time Pitfalls, it may be the best thing I’ve ever written.
Gluttony – If you are what you eat that you can turn into one fatty mess at Disney World! Be careful about eating too much fast food at Disney, too many sodas or stuffing yourself at one of the buffets (Buffets are staples at most of the Character Meals). You can really get run-down quickly without enough water and fiber in your diet. Don’t be tricked into thinking that the bazillion of miles you are walking are somehow how working off the calories you’re rapidly in-taking.
How to avoid glutton?
Sit down and really plan out your meals and make sure you’re picking out some good places to get good for you foods and don’t shy away from the fruit stands.
Ok, so now you know about the 7 deadly sins!!! Don’t go committing them!!
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Tipping is a personal choice, based upon both the practice of an individual and the quality of service provided. Since tipping refers to paying a gratuity for services rendered, and no one concentrates more on providing great service than Disney, you might consider this when preparing your budget. I am often asked for advice about tipping at Disney so I thought I would pass along my own practices. Because of the wide variety of services provided, I have addressed each one below. Of course, the choice is yours!
Disney’s Magical Express
Disney has contracted with Mears Transportation Group to provide this free transportation service to and from the airport. The bus drivers are not Walt Disney World employees so tipping is permitted. I would typically give the driver a couple of dollars, unless he has assisted me with my carry-on luggage, in which case I would add another dollar to it.
Bell Service
If we carry our own bags to the resort room then there is obviously no need for bell service. If we have our bags delivered to the room, however, we pay $1 per bag to the bell hop. Some people tip more, some less, but a tip is appropriate if you use bell service.
Mousekeeping
I know people who never tip housekeeping staff no matter where they vacation. Because this position often does not pay very much, I always tip mousekeeping. Some people tip each day of their stay and some wait until the day of checkout and leave a tip for the entire visit. I personally leave the tip daily because I have no way of knowing whether the staff on checkout day will be the same that I have had during each day of my stay.
As a personal rule, I tip $1 per person staying in my room. So, for my family of 5, I tip $5 per day. One of my family members tips $1 per bed each day; so a room with two queen beds would be $2 per day in that instance. As I have said, this is a personal preference.
Disney Transportation Drivers
No matter what type of transportation you use around the Walt Disney World Resort: bus, monorail, tram, ferryboat or friendship boat, the drivers are employed by Disney and, thus, are not allowed to accept tips. Since tipping is not necessary but service is sometimes outstanding, we offer cast member thank yous to our favorite drivers.
Food Servers
No tipping is required at Quick Service restaurants. At these counter-service establishments, you serve yourself. At table service restaurants, however, it is customary to tip. In fact, you will notice that there is a place at the bottom of the ticket where they have listed the appropriate tip at 18% and at 20% of your bill. This is for your convenience only since most of us do not carry calculators or even pen and paper into the parks. It does not mean you have to tip 18 or 20%. If you normally tip 15% and your service was not exemplary, it is perfectly acceptable to leave 15%. If your normal rate is a certain amount, feel free to do the same that you would at any restaurant at home.
I have usually found my service to be exemplary at these restaurants but the tip amount should be service-appropriate.
A couple of things to note: 1) If you have a party of 6 or more, there is an automatic 18% gratuity charged to your bill; and 2) For Tables in Wonderland, there is an automatic gratuity of 18% added to your bill, no matter the party size.
Concierge
Concierge service usually warrants a tip of $2 to $20 depending upon the type of services requested. The most being if reservations for restaurants, tours, etc. were taken care of for you.
I hope you have found these “tips” helpful (I couldn’t resist). Most of all, I hope you will have a fantastic time on your trip. The service I have received at Disney has been exceptional on many occasions. As a matter of fact, I have spent years trying to figure out how I can get on Sal’s bus again! So far I haven’t found him, but I have checked and he is still around!
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In an MLS Eastern Conference rematch, Houston Dynamo and Sporting KC face-off at 6 p.m. to open the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. It is the first time the two teams have competed since last season’s playoffs.
The opening game of the pre-season tournament will be followed by Montreal Impact versus Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 8 p.m. Pool play continues Saturday as reigning USL Champion Orlando City Soccer takes on Toronto FC at 6 p.m. Then defending Pro Soccer Classic champion FC Dallas will battle Sweden’s B.K. Hacken at 8 p.m.
Toronto FC will be playing for the third straight year at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which is the team’s official pre-season home. The team comes in to the tournament with an edge as the only team to train at the facility for nearly two weeks prior to its first match.
Pool play continues through March 1. The top four teams will advance to consolation and championship games March 3.
Single session tickets for the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic, which include entry into two games, are on sale for $15.50 through Ticketmaster (800/745-3000 and ticketmaster.com) and at the sports complex box office. All-tournament passes are $69.
2012 Disney Pro Soccer Classic Schedule
Date
Home
Away
Time
Pool
Feb. 24
Sporting KC
Houston Dynamo
6 p.m.
1
Feb. 24
Montreal Impact
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
8 p.m.
1
Feb. 25
Orlando City Soccer
Toronto FC
6 p.m.
2
Feb. 25
B.K. Hacken
FC Dallas
8 p.m.
2
Feb. 26
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Houston Dynamo
1 p.m.
1
Feb. 26
Sporting KC
Montreal Impact
3 p.m.
1
Feb. 28
Toronto FC
B.K. Hacken
6 p.m.
2
Feb. 28
Orlando City Soccer
FC Dallas
8 p.m.
2
Feb. 29
Sporting KC
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
6 p.m.
1
Feb. 29
Houston Dynamo
Montreal Impact
8 p.m.
1
March 1
Toronto FC
FC Dallas
6 p.m.
2
March 1
Orlando City Soccer
B.K. Hacken
8 p.m.
2
March 3
TBD
TBD
6 p.m.
Consolation Game
March 3
TBD
TBD
8 p.m.
Championship Game
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The First Race of the 2012 Princess Half Marathon has finished and we are eagerly anticipating the start of the kids races and the Princess Half tomorrow morning. I’m so excited to be covering it for my site www.tipsfromthedisneydiva.com, Chip and Company AND doing live updates for Sorcerer Radio. You can also follow my photo updates on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tipsfromthedisneydiva or Twitter @wdwdisneydiva
The race started, as always, WITH A BANG!
We just happened to be in a GREAT SPOT as all the runners were coming PAST us! So I was holding up this sign as 5000 runners came past! And there were a ton of them! All in great costumes and many pushing strollers.
This year’s race was hosted by Rapunzel and Flynn Rider and, my husband tells me, began with Flynn riding MAXIMUS! Very cool!
Along the race route characters are stationed for runners to take pictures with and my husband tells me this year had Shang and Mulan together as well as other “sweethearts”.
As we waited at the finish line for the first finisher to cross 1000s of friends and family members cheered from the stands and the announcers kept us posted on where the lead runners were in the park.
Finally we had our winner, a male, finishing in 17:14.
I kind of felt sorry for him to be honest because the weekend is so heavily women-centered the announcers almost seemed irritated that it was a male and not a female crossing the line first. Especially when he was a full minute faster than the second place runner.
But I did think it was interesting that they noted that the first finisher and the last finisher ALL get the same race medal.
Not long after we had our first female to cross the finish line and they made a celebration of it!
She WAS fast! And look, not a hair out of place. That’s how we Princesses roll!
Both the second and third place females also got a big round of applause
secondthird
We even made a big deal about the first woman to cross in a tu-tu!And, of course, the finishers just kept on coming. Can you find someone you know in these shots?
nd then….
As I was taking a random picture of people crossing the finish like I realize.
THAT’S MY SON!!
This is made even more amazing by the fact that it is STILL UNDER THE 30 MINUTE MARK!!!!
AND that means he is running sub-10 minute miles in a huge crowd. Pretty impressive for a 9 year old. Wouldn’t you say?
And then I got REALLY EXCITED because they announced about 30 seconds LATER that JEFF GALLOWAY, official run Disney marathon training consultant, was just crossing the finish line.
Which means HE
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I faster than HIM
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Which pretty much MAKES MY LIFE COMPLETE!!
Oh and by the way he SMOKED his papa (dad) by as much as 4 minutes!
So a good time was had by all! The race was a huge success and I’m loving doing coverage for my site, Chip & Co and Sorcerer Radio. Tune in to Sorcerer Radio online to get live updates from all the races from me! http://srsounds.com/joom_15/
Wish me luck as I run the Princess Half Marathon Tomorrow! Wish you were here!!
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Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend Celebrates Women’s Health, Active Lifestyle in February 2012 (chipandco.com)
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