Disney Food Confession – Portobello Mushroom Soup

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July 27, 2011

Portobello Soup Artist Point — The best soup you'll ever eat

What it’s called: Smoky Portobello Mushroom Soup

Where to find it –Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

What is it? – Umm…heaven in a bowl? It’s a creamy, rich soup based around the earthy taste of portobello mushrooms and topped with chive oil and roasted bits of portobello that somehow, miraculously, taste just like bacon. No, really.

Why you want it – It’s one of the richest, creamiest soups you’ll ever taste. And no, it doesn’t matter if you’re not a mushroom fan (I’m not either). The rich taste of the soup will leave you scraping the bottom of the bowl and dreaming of it on cool, wintry evenings. It’s worth every calorie, trust me.

Top 10 Must-Do Disney Foods. (everythingwdisneyworld.com)
Dining: Artist Point (aglassslippervacation.com)

Disney Food Confession - Portobello Mushroom Soup

Around the “Disney” World: Epcot Norway Pavilion

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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July 27, 2011

Norwegian architects and historians worked closely with Walt Disney Imagineers to intertwine the natural environment into the design of Epcot’s Norway Pavilion. Aged stone, stucco and wood surfaces enhance the rustic, earthy facades and create an authentic Guest experience. The plaza’s cobbled walkways and grass-covered roofs, like those of Alesund, Bergen, Oslo and the Setesdal Valley, center around a Stave church—or Stavkirke—a pagan building of worship once found in almost every Norwegian town and village. The twenty-eight still standing today are some of the oldest wooden structures in the world. Epcot’s version is a faithful reproduction of Hallingdal’s Gol Stave Church, right down to the use of dovetail joints and lack of iron nails that would rust in maritime air.

And of course, there’s the regal Akershus, modeled after the medieval castle by the same name located in Oslo. Built in 1299, the original castle was renovated in the mid-17^th century, acquiring its present appearance. Epcot’s Akershus houses a Character dining experience, serving fine Norwegian fare to the Park’s young Princes and Princesses and their parents.

The nation’s seafaring heritage resonates throughout the Norway Pavilion. Guarding the north entry stands wreckage of a dragon-headed Norse ship (formerly a children’s play area) tucked into foliage. The vessel itself mimics the ones Guests board to ride the Maelstrom, one of only two rides on World Showcase. (Mexico hosts the other.) The Maelstrom boat ride through Norway’s folklore and culture is almost as exciting as the name suggests, boasting a backward drop over a waterfall, which was a unique feature at its debut, and a three-headed troll who protects the forest.

Trolls, very common in Scandinavian myths and tales, are hidden throughout the Pavilion. Do you like to find hidden Mickeys? Well, try finding the hidden trolls in Norway! According to Norwegian tradition, trolls vary in size and form. Some can have up to 9 heads! They are generally unpleasing to the eye, often big, hairy and slow. Any courageous and quick-witted human, they say, could easily outwit a troll. Trolls often live in mountains, under bridges or at the bottom of lakes. At one time, the Norway Pavilion was said to be inhabited by more than 20 trolls who hid well and often changed locales. Not to worry, though! All of Epcot’s trolls are friendly, and those that might be feisty turn to stone when exposed to sunlight.

Kids can take the magic home and create a troll pencil topper like this one using sculpting clay, beads and feathers. Simply insert a pencil eraser into a ball of softened sculpting clay and shape troll to your liking. Make him as cute or as ugly as you want by adding beads, feathers or other decorations. Remove from the pencil and set out to dry completely (follow directions on sculpting clay package). When the clay is set, replace on pencil to keep classmates from peeking at your homework!

*Author’s note: Our thoughts are with the people of Norway after the tragedies that have occurred there this week.*

Osceola County Sheriffs Arrest 10 Vendors on Charges of Reselling Disney Tickets

By

Chip

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July 27, 2011

Osceola County deputy sheriffs arrested 10 vendors Thursday and Friday on charges of re-selling tickets to Orlando-area theme parks.

The Sheriff’s Office conducts several joint undercover operations each year with investigators from Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios to stop vendors from selling cut-rate passes to tourists, records show.

Re-selling multi-day theme park passes has been illegal since 1988, when Disney asked Orlando-area legislators to make it a misdemeanor crime.

Ticket vendors along West U.S. Highway 192 in Osceola County openly advertise that they will buy unused portions of multi-day theme park passes from tourists heading home. Paying a few cents per dollar value on the passes, vendors then sell them at a profit to tourists willing to violate the law by buying the cut-rate tickets and try to fool theme parks’ fingerprint scanners.

Click here to keep reading.

Disney Training: Water Parks Fun & More Option vs One Day Waterparks Ticket (couponingtodisney.com)
Man accused of taking Disney trip on nonprofit’s credit card (chipandco.com)

Osceola County Sheriffs Arrest 10 Vendors on Charges of Reselling Disney Tickets

Wednesday with Walt: The Cowboy Life

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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July 27, 2011

As I mentioned in last week’s Wednesday with Walt, Walt really enjoyed the quiet life in Palm Springs at Smoke Tree Ranch. He loved that easy, cowboy kind of life and since it was only a 20-minute plane ride from Los Angeles, he and his family visited their Palm Springs home often.

Even before they purchased their first home there, Walt visited the area many times. He loved being outdoors and he loved horseback riding. According to Frank Bogert, the former mayor of Palm Springs, it was Walt the horseman that drew him to the area in the first place. In an article in Palm Springs Life (Dec ‘97), Mr. Bogert said that “in 1936, he and Walt rode with the Rancheros, a riding group embarking on an annual mounted journey.” For 3 years, he and Walt were in the same camp during the horseback odyssey. He said, “when you camp with a guy, you really get to know him. Walt was the best.”

When Walt and Lily decided to buy a home there in 1948 some of the neighbors worried about what the arrival of the Beverly Hills famous would do to the landscape of their peaceful desert community, where nature was at its best and small animals scurried around in the rocks and cactus. They were surprised at how “normal” Walt was for being such a famous celebrity, and they really liked his friendly and unassuming manner.

Walt enjoyed a certain anonymity in Palm Springs. Everyone knew the name Walt Disney, but it wasn’t until he started appearing on television that people would begin to recognize his face. He was happy to live that way. From all I have ever read about Walt, he did not carry his celebrity status around with him like he was different from anyone else, he was just a regular guy.

Horseback riding wasn’t Walt’s only favorite past-time in Palm Springs. He also loved lawn bowling, a sport started in 1938. In fact, Walt was influential in getting the Smoke Tree Ranch bowling green started. Walt was hooked on playing and even entered local tournaments. According to his Palm Spring friend, Marjorie Merwin, he was as proud of those local trophies as he was of the army of Oscars he had won.

Even though he so enjoyed his Smoke Tree home, Walt would soon sell it to invest in Disneyland. In 1957, two years after Disneyland opened, Walt and Lily purchased their second Smoke Tree Ranch home. Walt had a sign-up sheet placed on the bulletin board at the Disney Studios, where employees could sign-up to use the Smoke Tree Ranch home whenever the Disney family wasn’t using it. He was happy to share this beautiful place with them.

Walt was so fond of his property at the Smoke Tree Ranch that he had the ranch’s brand embroidered on all of his neckties. When you are at Disneyland or Walt Disney World next time, get an up close and personal view of his neck tie on “The Partners” (the bronze sculpture of Walt standing next to Mickey Mouse which I have shown here) and you will clearly see the brand on Walt’s tie.

As fond as he was of Smoke Tree Ranch, the colonists were equally fond of him. In fact, Disney Hall still stands at Smoke Tree Ranch right next to the pool, facing the mountains and not far from the bowling green Walt helped to establish.

Wednesday with Walt: At the Ripe Young Age of 47 (chipandco.com)
Wednesday with Walt: The Gift That Keeps Giving (chipandco.com)

Mickey’s ‘Spooktacular’ In-Room Celebration Returns to the Walt Disney World Resort

By

Chip

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July 26, 2011

Last fall, guests at the Walt Disney World Resort chose Mickey’s “Spooktacular” In-Room Celebration as one of their favorite offerings from Disney Floral & Gifts. This experience begins when guests return to their resort room to find that Mickey Mouse has surprised them by placing a sash with Halloween accents and cobwebs on their room’s door. Once inside, they find a not-so-scary personalized Halloween celebration waiting for them.

This over-the-top celebration was so popular last year that it sold out before Halloween. Many guests said they enjoyed it because there was something in the experience that appealed to family members of all ages. They also felt like Mickey and Minnie had come to their room for a personalized “spooktacular” surprise just for them.

If you’re coming to Walt Disney World this fall, now’s the time to book this exclusive experience. It costs $375 and can be set up in any Walt Disney World resort room. You can book your Mickey’s Spooktacular Celebration here or call a Dream Maker at 407-WDW-GIFT.

Source Disney Parks Blog

3 Disney World Cinema Movies Coming to DVD July 26th

By

Chip

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July 26, 2011

The Walt Disney Studios is proud to announce the North American release of three films from India, Do Dooni Chaar, Once Upon A Warrior and Zokkomon, releasing on July 26. The movies will be released simultaneously on DVD, video-on-demand, and digital download and will be featured on iTunes – all on the same day.

Designed to expand the entertainment options of diverse cultural groups in North America, the movies feature some of the most recognizable local talent from each country of origin. The films are produced in local languages and will be subtitled in English.

DO DOONI CHAAR

DO DOONI CHAAR is a heart-warming comedy about the dreams and challenges of a middle-class family who take a chaotic journey to fulfill their dream of owning a car and discover the true meaning of family along the way. The film was written and directed by Habib Faisal (co-writer of “Salaam Namaste”) and features Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor, Aditi Vasudev, Archit Krishna, Akhilendra Mishra, Natasha Rastogi, Supriya Shukla, Mohit Chaddha and Avtar Sahni.

Format: DVD, Movie Download & On-Demand
Suggested Retail Price: 1-Disc DVD = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
HD Movie Download = $39.99 U.S/$44.99

SD Movie Download = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada

On-Demand = please check with a local digital retailer

Run Time: 111 minutes
Languages: Hindi (subtitled in English)

ONCE UPON A WARRIOR

As the first ever Disney Telugu fantasy adventure, ONCE UPON A WARRIOR is about a swashbuckling warrior on an epic quest to save a mystical young girl from a wicked Queen in the ultimate battle between good and evil. In the tradition of “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Prince of Persia,” the film features an all-star cast including Siddharth, Shruti Haasan and Lakshmi Manchu. The background score is from Salim-Sulaiman and the Music Directors are Koti, Mickey J. Mayer, Salim-Sulaiman and M.M. Keeravani. The film is produced by Prasad Devinini, Prakash Kovelamudi and Written & Directed by Prakash Kovelamudi. K. Raghavendra Rao who has over 100 Telugu films among his credits, is also a producer.

Format: DVD, Movie Download & On-Demand
Suggested Retail Price: 1-Disc DVD = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
HD Movie Download = $39.99 U.S/$44.99

SD Movie Download = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada

On-Demand = please check with a local digital retailer

Run Time: 133 minutes
Languages: Telugu (subtitled in English)

ZOKKOMON
Zokkomon is a thrilling Hindi action adventure film about an ordinary boy who overcomesextraordinary challenges to become a magical hero. The film had its World Premiere at the Indian Film Festival in Los Angeles and a limited theatrical release. Featuring well-known Indian stars Darsheel Safary and Anupam Kher (“Bend it Like Beckham”) the film features music by India’s most popular trio, Shankar Ehsaan Loy.
Format: DVD, Movie Download & On-Demand
Suggested Retail Price: 1-Disc DVD = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada
HD Movie Download = $39.99 U.S/$44.99

SD Movie Download = $29.99 U.S./$35.99 Canada

On-Demand = please check with a local digital retailer

Run Time: 108 minutes
Languages: Hindi (subtitled in English)
Release Date: July 26, 2011

Disney’s MARS NEEDS MOMS Coming to Earth on Blu-ray Combo on August 9, 2011 (chipandco.com)
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on 3D Blu-ray & DVD Announcement and New Bonus Clip (chipandco.com)

3 Disney World Cinema Movies Coming to DVD July 26th

Disney Food Confessions – Mickey Mouse Waffles

By

Chip

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July 26, 2011

Where is it? All over Walt Disney World Resort. Most places that have an all you can eat breakfast has Mickey Mouse Waffles!

What is it? Waffle in the shape of our beloved Mickey Mouse!

Why you want it? Light and Fluffy Waffle sometimes dusted with Powdered Sugar or Coated with Maple Syrup.

Photo Credit: dolcedanielle via flickr

If you have a Disney Food Confession email [email protected]. Submit your photo with a ‘Where’, ‘What’, and ‘Why’

The Wonderful World of Mickey Waffles (disneyfoodblog.com)
10 Signs you have a Disney Addiction (couponingtodisney.com)

Disney Food Confessions - Mickey Mouse Waffles

Author Laura Schaefer Releases Children’s E-Book Guide to Walt Disney World

By

Chip

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July 26, 2011

Laura Schaefer, author of The Teashop Girls (Simon & Schuster 2009) and The Secret Ingredient (Simon & Schuster 2011) has a new series of e-books for kids called Planet Explorers. Her first title, Planet Explorers Walt Disney World, is a guidebook to the parks for readers aged 8-12. With fun facts, tips, and active hyperlinks for kids who want to dig a little deeper into everything Disney, the e-books are designed to be read on smart phones, Kindles, Nooks, or iPads. They are competitively priced at $2.99 per copy at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com.

“I wanted to give kids an easy way to become Walt Disney World experts without having to carrying around an actual book,” explains Schaefer. “The Planet Explorers guides live right on a phone, which most ‘tweens would have with them during a day at the parks anyway.” More exciting, explains Schaefer, is the fact that e-book technology allows readers to jump from information about the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction to a website about notorious real-life pirates such as Blackbeard. “The e-book format is perfect for young readers,” she says. “A kid can quickly check out the height requirement for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and then read a little bit about classic Twilight Zone episodes while they wait in line. It’s all there, linked and ready to go. Writing Planet Explorers Walt Disney World was a blast.”

Schaefer’s family has been visiting WDW for decades. “I think my first trip to Magic Kingdom was in utero,” she explains. “We’re DVC members, and I visit Disney at least twice a year. My brother and sister-in-law, who live in Celebration, were also a big help as I was writing. They’re natural fact-checkers.”

Planet Explorers Walt Disney World is the first in a series of travel guidebooks for kids. Planet Explorers Chicago is also available online. Next up? Planet Explorers New York City, followed by Planet Explorers Disneyland. “I loved traveling as a kid,” says Schaefer. “I want to empower my readers to be part of planning vacations with their parents. That way, it’s more fun for the whole family.”

Review: Planet Explorers Walt Disney World 2011 (chipandco.com)

Author Laura Schaefer Releases Children’s E-Book Guide to Walt Disney World

Around the “Disney” World – Canada

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

-

July 26, 2011

When I think of Epcot’s World Showcase, there are a few things that spring to mind immediately: The Voices of Liberty over at The American Adventure; eating dinner at Biergarten in Germany; and watching O Canada! in the Canada Pavilion.

Canada is a wonderful pavilion, full of a lot of things to see, do, eat, and experience; I could easily spend a couple of hours exploring all of the areas that Canada has to offer, so let’s take a look at the things that you can enjoy when you travel to Canada!

When it comes to Canada, people usually think of one of two things: eating at Le Cellier, or taking in the movie O Canada! I’ll tell you what, O Canada! is probably my favorite show to see at Epcot. I’ve never eaten at Le Cellier, but a lot of people have, and I have heard that it is incredible! One year I will make a reservation to eat there, but until then, I’ll dream about it!

However, there is much more to discover at Canada. For starters, you can enjoy the music of Off Kilter, a celtic rock band that plays in front of the pavilion. We heard them a couple of years ago, and they were quite good! Additionally, you can look for great Canadian souvenirs by heading over to the Northwest Mercantile, and you can check out the Victoria Gardens, which are modeled after the famous Butchart Gardens in British Columbia.

The Disney Imagineers have done a wonderful job capturing the beauty of Canada, in my opinion, so if you haven’t been to Canada lately, you might want to schedule some time to check it out when you are next at Epcot!

Time is running out..ABC Family Prize Pack Giveaway

By

Chip

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July 26, 2011

It has been a busy month here in Chip and Co! I can’t remember when we have had so many Giveaways! I still have a whole box of things to giveaway and it looks like I will be extending out giveaways past the month of July!

Today’s giveaway is for a ABC Family Prize pack! Our good friends at ABC Family really came through for us and is giving us a whole bunch of books and DVD’s to giveaway to one lucky Chip and Co fan!

Here is what is in this prize pack:

Secret Life of the American Teenager Prize Pack:

One Secret Life of the American Teenager Complete First Season DVD
One Secret Life of the American Teenager Complete Second Season DVD
One Secret Life of the American Teenager Complete Third Season DVD
One The Secret Diary of Ashley Juergens book
One Secret Life of the American Teenager Journal

As an added bonus:

10 Things I Hate About You: Volume One DVD
Make It Or Break It: Volume One DVD

This is the perfect way to get caught up on the Secret Life of the American Teenager so you can jump in on Monday Nights at 8pm! Check out this link to see all the great programming on ABC Family.

Before you enter you must:

You must be a fan of Chip and Co on Facebook. You can click here to Like us or you can use the box on the right side of this page.
You must be a fan of ABC Family on Facebook.

Once you met the requirements then you can enter:

Comment on any of our ABC Family articles located here.. You might be surprised on all the great shows and interviews we have done with our partner Sorcerer Radio. Check them out and leave a comment.
Comment on this Giveaway below. Tell us your favorite program on ABC Family.
Each comment counts as 1 entry. So the more you comment the better your chances to win.

Please note:

Spamming the same word or comment over and over does not count as an entry and I will disqualify you.

For additional entries share this article via:

Twitter, Facebook, Google +1, Etc (1 share = 1 entry)
Like Sorcerer Radio on Facebook. Then Comment on how you love Sorcerer Radio & Chip and Co on their page. Do we go together like Chip and Dale? Tell Aljon and all the other DJ’s how much you love this Dynamic Duo!

Contest ends Wednesday July 27th at 11am EST. I will pick one lucky person and notify them that they won on Facebook. That person will have 24 hours to respond back or I will pick another. So please use a valid way for me to contact you.

Good Luck

P.S. Always keep an eye out on our Facebook Page as you never know when I am going to giveaway something

Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule August 2011

By

Chip

-

July 25, 2011

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

Matterhorn Bobsleds (Disneyland) closed through 9/1/11 for refurbishment.
Magic Tower (Disneyland Hotel) under renovation through 9/8/11.
Never Land Pool (Disneyland Hotel) closed until summer 2012 for refurbishment. The new pool and Monorail slide are open and available for guests.

Upcoming

All towers at Disneyland Hotel under construction 7/18/11-8/26/11, Mon-Fri, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Crews will replace rim lights along the perimeter of each tower’s roof line.
Haunted Mansion (Disneyland) closed 8/29/11-9/15/11 for installation of holiday decor.
Indiana Jones Adventure (Disneyland) closed 9/6/11-9/7/11 for refurbishment.
California Screamin’ (DCA) closed 9/6/11-10/14/11 for refurbishment.
Blue Bayou Restaurant (Disneyland) closed 9/7/11-11/23/11 for refurbishment.
Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland) closed 9/7/11-11/23/11 for refurbishment.
Big Thunder Ranch Petting Farm (Disneyland) closed 9/12/11-9/15/11 for installation of Halloween decor.
Space Mountain (Disneyland) closed 9/12/11-9/15/11 for installation of Halloween decor.
Mark Twain Riverboat (Disneyland) not operating 9/26/11-9/28/11 due to refurbishment.

Source Mousesavers Newsletter

Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule July 2011 (chipandco.com)

Disneyland Refurbishment Schedule August 2011

Disney’s Cancels ESPN The Weekend

By

Chip

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July 25, 2011

One thing that’s always struck me is our commitment to regularly reviewing the experiences we provide to our guests and challenging ourselves to bring new opportunities to life. Occasionally, this results in something coming to an end, as is the case with what I’m sharing today. In order to focus our efforts on ESPN’s growing year-round presence at Walt Disney World Resort, we have decided to no longer host ESPN The Weekend.

As you may know, the event was first created in 2004 in support of ESPN’s 25th anniversary and, along with ESPN Club, served as ESPN’s first significant presence here. While the event has continued for seven more successful years, our relationship with ESPN has evolved significantly and positively. This has resulted in new branding for the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, new opportunities for millions of athletes, coaches and fans, and hundreds of hours of ESPN programming, making our guests part of the show. In addition, the sports complex has become home to the ESPN Innovation Lab, which is the official development hub for ESPN’s 3D network.

Moving forward, our focus will be on creating events like the new ESPN RISE Girls Showcase and the ESPN RISE Games, which provide a stage for tens of thousands of athletes from around the country, and providing opportunities for guests to be part of events they’ve only before watched on television, such as the Home Depot College Football Awards and the Old Spice Classic.

We have just scratched the surface of what Walt Disney World and ESPN can do together and look forward to sharing information about new projects as they progress.

Source Disney Parks Blog

Coming to Disney World Fall of 2011 (chipandco.com)
Events and Attractions coming to Disney World – July & August 2011 (chipandco.com)

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