Job Opening – Food & Beverage and Merchandise Director: Disney Aulani

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July 8, 2010

Anyone looking for a job and wouldn’t mind the working in Hawaii? See the link below for other job openings at Aulani!

Disney is legendary for making dreams come true for our Guests from all over the world, while focusing on enhancing our celebrated tradition with the place that is about tradition. Our newest resort in Hawaii , “Aulani” will give our Guests another way to enjoy the magic of a Disney vacation through telling the story of deep tradition, culture and heritage of the Hawaiian people in a way that only Disney can do it.

Aulani will be located on the western side of O‘ahu at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development on 21 acres of oceanfront property. Scheduled to open in 2011, Aulani will overlook a breath-taking crystal blue lagoon and vast white sandy beaches. The resort will include 350 hotel rooms and 480 Disney Vacation Club timeshare villas as well as an 18,000-square-foot spa, a children’s club, romantic wedding lawn and an elaborate pool with a thrilling water play area.

Wherever the Guest experience takes place around the world, we remain dedicated to the promise that our Cast Members turn the ordinary into the extraordinary and make Disney dreams come true.

Food & Beverage and Merchandise Director

Disney Parks & Resorts has an immediate opportunity for a Food & Beverage and Merchandise Director located in Oahu , HI . The Food & Beverage and Merchandise Director will provide strategic and operational leadership for Food & Beverage and Merchandise employees, as well as be an active participant on the Executive Leadership Team and the Disney Parks and Resorts Food & Beverage and Merchandise Line of Business Teams. They will provide vision, leadership and direction for achieving Guest, Cast and financial objectives, develop strategies with key partners that will ensure success in these areas and support global initiatives and product development efforts while acting as a leader, mentor and coach for the overall development of salaried and non-salaried employees. Additionally, the Food & Beverage and Merchandise Director must be a passionate, committed champion of high quality, immersive and innovative experiences.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: (These are the minimum qualifications you need to be considered for the job.)

Current status role as Food and Beverage Director or Assistant Food and Beverage Director of a Luxury brand resort
Current or previous Food and Beverage experience in Hawaii
Bachelor’s degree in a Hospitality Program, Retail, Business or equivalent
Minimum 10 years’ Food & Beverage industry experience in progressive leadership roles, including the areas of quick service, table service and catering/conventions
Minimum 5 years’ Merchandise and Retail industry experience
Minimum business volume responsibility of $30 million in multiple locations

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Master’s degree or equivalent
Proven varied Food & Beverage industry experience
Proven experience in retail management
Proven bilingual skills

http://careers.disneyparks.jobs/honolulu/aulani/food-﹠-beverage-and-merchandise-director-jobs

For more Aulani jobs click here.

Celebrating Culinary Adventures at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

By

Chip

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July 8, 2010

Celebrating Culinary Adventures from October 1, 2010 — November 14, 2010

The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is an autumn special event that transforms Epcot Theme Park into a food and wine lover’s paradise with specialty food items, culinary events, sophisticated parties and live musical entertainment.

Epcot always features a remarkable collection of international dining opportunities and tempting spirits, but during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival there is even more to sample, sip and love.

Try delicious cuisine from around the world at special food booths set up along World Showcase Promenade. Explore specialty marketplaces featuring regional foods, wines and beers. Learn from renowned chefs and winemakers at special programs and demonstrations, and sample the finest cuisine from around the globe at spectacular culinary events.

Plus, there is more to do than just enjoying great food and beverage. Enjoy the Eat to the Beat concert series and unwind with a stellar lineup of celebrated musical acts.

When you arrive at Epcot, visit the Festival Welcome Center to plan your day. You’ll also find the Festival Wine Shop and the Wonders Bar—where you can purchase champagne and wine or attend official book signings with celebrity chefs and authors. The Stockpot shop offers marvelous merchandise, including the collectable marketplace cookbook.

Epcot Theme Park admission is required. Some Epcot International Food & Wine Festival events require ticket fees in addition to admission to Epcot. Availability is limited for some events. Events may be rescheduled or cancelled at any time.

Download the Festival Map

You can even pick up a Food & Wine themed Disney Gift Card — a fast, easy and secure way to carry your money on your wrist, and simply the best way to experience the Festival. Just load or reload the card with any amount you desire, swipe — and you’re spared the trouble of getting out your credit card or cash any time you want to pay for food, merchandise and more. Get it throughout Epcot at ticket booths, Guest Relations, the Festival Welcome Center and a variety of locations in the theme park where food and merchandise are sold.

The thrills at the ultimate dining, drinking and music event don’t stop. Discover the many taste adventures that await:

Marketplaces & Promenade
More than 25 international marketplace kiosks are serving up tapas-sized portions of regional specialties. Explore countries on 6 continents through their most mouthwatering foods and beverages!

Eat to the Beat! Concert Series
Musical entertainment pairs perfectly with culinary fun during the nightly Eat to the Beat! Concert Series. Enjoy a varied lineup of classic rock, soul, R&B, jazz and funk hit-makers, from Boyz II Men to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy!

Schedule:
9/25–9/27 — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
9/28–9/29 — Richard Marx (NEW!)
9/30–10/3 — Starship starring Mickey Thomas
10/4–10/6 — En Vogue
10/7–10/8 — Better Than Ezra (NEW!)
10/9–10/11 — Sister Hazel
10/12–10/13 — Kool & The Gang
10/14–10/16 — Spyro Gyra
10/17–10/18 — Jon Secada
10/19–10/20 — Sister Sledge
10/21–10/22 — Vanessa Carlton (NEW!)
10/23–10/25 — Taylor Dayne
10/26–10/28 — Boyz II Men
10/29–10/31 — John Waite (NEW!)
11/1–11/2 — Taylor Hicks (NEW!)
11/3–11/5 — Billy Ocean (NEW!)
11/6–11/8 — Los Lobos

Seminars and Demonstrations
Learn from the masters with the Festival’s exciting schedule of seminars and demonstrations featuring the fresh ingredients and secret techniques that go into some of the world’s most extraordinary dishes and drinks.

Special Festival Experiences
A special series of programs and experiences brings you renowned winemakers, guest chefs and speakers. Wine and beer tastings let you sip from the best in the world while delicious experiences such as the Party for the Senses dish up unforgettable tastes.

Festival Welcome Center
The Festival Welcome Center hosts wine seminars and book signings and offers sparkling champagnes and wines at the Wonder Bar. It’s also the place to pick up Festival keepsakes, including limited edition Festival pins and cookbooks. And while you’re there, be sure to check out the lists of famous personalities who will be appearing plus the times of their scheduled signings.

Visiting Guests and Sponsors
An impressive and diverse list of breweries, wineries, chefs, speakers and industry professionals are participating in and sponsoring this year’s Festival. Discover the guests and partners who help make the event possible.

Festival Shopping
Before and after the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, you can find merchandise that celebrates the 14th annual Food & Wine Festival. While you’re in the park, visit the Festival Welcome Center, which offers commemorative gifts, specialty kitchen items, a book shop and a wine bar. You can also visit the shops located around World Showcase Promenade for additional Festival merchandise offerings and artisans.

Disney’s Race for the Taste 10K & 3K
Experience the sights and sounds of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival as you race to the finish through the Walt Disney World Resort. Afterword, enjoy incredible tastes from around the world. With Kids’ Races and the new 3K distance, the whole family can get in on the fun.

Source

Celebrating the Great American Pastime

By

Chip

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July 8, 2010

Next Tuesday, the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game comes to Anaheim. With the Midsummer Classic here in our own backyard, there couldn’t be a more perfect All-Star Game parade route than one that begins in the Anaheim Resort Area and concludes on Main Street, U.S.A. in Disneyland park, allowing our guests to join in the celebration.

I thought it would be fun to look back at some of our pictures celebrating special moments with some of the greats of the game.

In this 1966 photo, Walt Disney attends the California Angels first regular season home game at their new home in Anaheim.

Shown here with Angels manager, Bill Rigney, Walt couldn’t have imagined the role his company would play so many years later in helping ensure that the team remained an exciting part of the Anaheim community.

Cardinals legend Stan Musial visited Disneyland park in the summer of 1965.

Pictured here, Stan “The Man” and his family take a ride on the Jungle Cruise.

Joe DiMaggio was already a baseball legend when Disneyland park opened in 1955. In fact, that same year, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Celebrating the Great American Pastime

And 21 years later, the Yankee Clipper was photographed outside City Hall with Mickey.

In 1994, DiMaggio’s Yankees teammate (for one season – 1951), Mickey Mantle, also came to meet the other “MM.”

The last time the All-Star Game came to Anaheim was in 1989, and that’s when Willie Mays met Mickey Mouse.

Celebrating the Great American Pastime

I imagine here the “Say Hey Kid” is telling Mickey how he hit the very first homerun in Anaheim Stadium, in 1966.

In July, 2001, Cal Ripken, Jr., made a special visit to Disney California Adventure park during his last trip to Anaheim as a professional baseball player. To mark the occasion, the park was actually renamed Disney’s “CAL” Adventure to honor the Orioles legend.

Shown here riding Grizzly River Run with his family, Ripken said at the time, “Disneyland has always been a favorite place for my family and me, and I thank them for this tremendous honor.”

Of course, the Anaheim Angels’ 2002 World Series victory parade down Main Street, U.S.A. was one celebration I personally will never forget!

In addition to parades through Anaheim and Disneyland park, the players also made a special appearance at Disney California Adventure park to celebrate their championship.

Check back here next week for all-new photos of today’s biggest baseball stars as they make their way down Disney Parks’ own “Canyon of Heroes;” Main Street, U.S.A.

Disney.com Invites Budding Artists to Express Their Inner Mickey

By

Chip

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July 8, 2010

Disney.com’s popular Create portal, which offers a unique set of creativity tools for designing original artwork to share online, announced today the launch of a new Group Wall feature (www.Disney.com/Create). The Group Wall allows thousands of fans to create and share original pieces of art in the form of an online mosaic. Unlike other mosaics, guests will be able to watch as the Group Wall evolves, adding more artwork every minute, hour and day in a dynamic online environment. To commemorate the launch of this feature, the first ever Group Wall will be a new portrait of Mickey Mouse.

The Mickey Mouse theme of the current Group Wall coincides with the launch of the new all things Mickey Mouse site at Disney.com/mickeymouse. Future Group Walls will feature other popular Disney characters and stars.

“Create has quickly become one of the most popular areas of Disney.com, giving kids a place to express themselves and interact with Disney characters and stories in a completely new and engaging way,” stated Paul Yanover, executive vice president and managing director, Disney Online. “The Group Wall takes Create to the next level, adding a layer of community and collaboration, all built around iconic characters like Mickey.”

Since its launch in August 2009, nearly 1.5 million original pieces of content have been created in Disney.com Create. Original artwork is featured in galleries on the site, where guests can search by artist or character and make comments.

In addition to the Group Wall, Disney.com Create offers an award-winning suite of creativity tools, including:

— Comic Creator – Craft a comic book using favorite Disney characters. Guests lay out pages using fun and wacky graphics, text and images to create their own rich narrative.

— Digital Painter – Paint like a master artist, right in your browser, using tools, textures, and fun pens.

— Animods – Illustrate an animated online pet that can be individually styled and customized. Guests choose from a number of different animals, each with its own collection of animations and accessories.

— Photo Mashup – Combine photos of favorite Disney stars with hip stickers and cool gear to create personalized images for use on a computer desktop, phone, or inside a school locker.

— Music Slideshow – Guests create their own music videos using photos of Disney stars and a choice of songs from artists such as Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers.

— Scrapbook – Create an online art portfolio to share with friends, filling it with creations from all of the Create activities — digital paintings, comic books, slideshows and more

The Mickey Mouse theme of the current Group Wall coincides with the launch of the new all things Mickey Mouse site at Disney.com/mickeymouse. Future Group Walls will feature other popular Disney characters and stars.

Ask a Disney Question: Paying for Tips on the Disney Dining Plan.

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

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July 8, 2010

Ask a Disney Question: Paying for Tips on the Disney Dining Plan.

This question comes from Jansen, who asks: “We have used the Disney Dining Plan before but always wrote in a tip according to what they suggested on the receipts. Can you use cash or a charged debit card instead of charging it to your room key?”

Jansen, thanks for reading the site and for your question. This is no problem at all. You can use cash or a credit card to pay for tips and other items you order that are not on the dining plan. Many people don’t use their room keys for whatever reason so Disney is used to people paying this way. Personally, I find that if I use the room key it can quickly get out of control, so I don’t tend not to use it.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

Have a Disney question? We have answers! Write us at Chip and Co. We answer every question.

Via Napoli Opens Next Month at Epcot – Menu First Look

By

Chip

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July 8, 2010

First look at the Via Napoli menu thanks to Pam Brandon at the Disney Parks Blog. As an added bonus the Pizzeria will be opening next month ahead of schedule!

Pastas, wood-fired pizzas, scoops of sweet gelato – here’s a first look at the menu for the new Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria at the Epcot Italy Pavilion. Opening next month the 300-seat restaurant expands dining choices (our favorite Tutto Italia stays). Created by the Patina Restaurant Group’s CEO Nick Valenti, the menu is based on his travels in Southern Italy and his time developing and overseeing the successful Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria in New York. Valenti spent time in Naples studying the art of dough, crust, sauce and oven temperatures at the famous pizzerias Da Michele and Trianon. A feature at Via Napoli is its wood-burning ovens, cleverly named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli.

Appetizers: Sicilian eggplant with olives and raisins; salad of lettuce, fagiolini (string beans), fennel and tomatoes; arancini (fried saffron risotto balls) with meat ragù, mozzarella and pomodoro sauce; corn-crusted fried calamari; and minestrone with basil pesto. Or share a plate of arancini, mozzarella, calamari, portobella mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes).

Main course salads: Manzo (filet of beef) with greens, red onion, gorgonzola, apple and cucumber with a red wine-mustard vinaigrette; chopped salad with lemon chicken, greens, cantaloupe, cucumber, red pepper, green beans, onions, almonds and pasta crisps with honey-citrus vinaigrette; calamari with arugula, carrots and fennel with orange vinaigrette.

Pastas: candele (long, tube-shaped pasta) with sausage ragù; linguine with seafood; malfadine (ribbon pasta) with guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon) and pomodoro sauce; lasagna verde.

Piatti alla Parmigiana: (dishes topped with Parmesan and mozzarella gratinée): veal, chicken and eggplant.

Wood-fired pizzas: made with caputo flour imported from Southern Italy, San Marzano tomatoes, handmade mozzarella and water from a local spring just like in Italy’s Campania region – 10-inch, 20-inch or 1/2 meter to share: a dozen choices, from a simple pizza Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil to carciofi with artichoke, potato, pecorino cheese, prosciutto and cantaloupe.

Sweets: tiramisù, zeppole di ricotta (ricotta cheese-fried dough, whipped cream and chocolate sauce); apple cake with almond sorbetti; gelatie; and vanilla gelato with almond cookies and amarena cherries.

You could win $10,000 toward your life goal

By

Chip

-

July 8, 2010

Is there an area of your life you’d like to change?

GetHatched is giving one lucky winner $10,000 to make that change. You could earn your degree, travel the world, or become the next great chef.

Click the picture above for more information and to enter.

Via Napoli Opens Next Month at Epcot

By

Chip

-

July 8, 2010

Pizzeria at Epcot’s Italy Pavilion
Pastas, wood-fired pizzas, scoops of sweet gelato – here’s a first look at the menu for the new Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria at the Epcot Italy Pavilion. Opening next month the 300-seat restaurant expands dining choices (our favorite Tutto Italia stays). Created by the Patina Restaurant Group’s CEO Nick Valenti, the menu is based on his travels in Southern Italy and his time developing and overseeing the successful Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria in New York. Valenti spent time in Naples studying the art of dough, crust, sauce and oven temperatures at the famous pizzerias Da Michele and Trianon. A feature at Via Napoli is its wood-burning ovens, cleverly named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli.

Appetizers: Sicilian eggplant with olives and raisins; salad of lettuce, fagiolini (string beans), fennel and tomatoes; arancini (fried saffron risotto balls) with meat ragù, mozzarella and pomodoro sauce; corn-crusted fried calamari; and minestrone with basil pesto. Or share a plate of arancini, mozzarella, calamari, portobella mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini and carciofi (artichokes).

Main course salads: Manzo (filet of beef) with greens, red onion, gorgonzola, apple and cucumber with a red wine-mustard vinaigrette; chopped salad with lemon chicken, greens, cantaloupe, cucumber, red pepper, green beans, onions, almonds and pasta crisps with honey-citrus vinaigrette; calamari with arugula, carrots and fennel with orange vinaigrette.

Pastas: candele (long, tube-shaped pasta) with sausage ragù; linguine with seafood; malfadine (ribbon pasta) with guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon) and pomodoro sauce; lasagna verde.

Piatti alla Parmigiana: (dishes topped with Parmesan and mozzarella gratinée): veal, chicken and eggplant.

Wood-fired pizzas: made with caputo flour imported from Southern Italy, San Marzano tomatoes, handmade mozzarella and water from a local spring just like in Italy’s Campania region – 10-inch, 20-inch or 1/2 meter to share: a dozen choices, from a simple pizza Margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil to carciofi with artichoke, potato, pecorino cheese, prosciutto and cantaloupe.

Sweets: tiramisù, zeppole di ricotta (ricotta cheese-fried dough, whipped cream and chocolate sauce); apple cake with almond sorbetti; gelatie; and vanilla gelato with almond cookies and amarena cherries.

Phineas & Ferb meet and greet at the newly designed Disney Store

By

Chip

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July 8, 2010

WHO: Phineas, Ferb and Agent P are coming to meet and greet fans and celebrate the opening of newly

designed Disney Store at The Shops at Montebello.

WHAT: The Phineas & Ferb meet and greet will take place in Center Court of the mall to ensure as many fans as possible have an opportunity to meet the characters. Guests should arrive early as characters are scheduled to appear for a limited time only. This is one of the first times the Phineas & Ferb characters will be available to meet fans so don’t forget to bring your camera for this unique photo opportunity! For more details visit the events page at facebook.com/DisneyStore or go to http://bit.ly/d9CuN0.

*The characters will not be signing autographs and photos are limited to one per family. Characters are subject to change without notice.

WHEN: Saturday, July 10, 2010 from 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.:

11:30 a.m. Phineas and Ferb will appear together at Center Court to take photos with fans
12:00 p.m. Agent P will appear in Center Court to take photos with fans
Characters will then alternate every 30 minutes

WHERE: The Shops at Montebello in Center Court

Disney Store

Shops at Montebello

2134 Montebello Twn Ctr., Space #AU16

Montebello, CA

(323) 720-1055

Disney California Adventure to remake Mulholland Madness with Goofy theme

By

Chip

-

July 8, 2010

This article comes to us from the LA Times:

Goofy’s Sky School will add a new look to an old ride when the re-themed roller coaster replaces the unimaginative Mulholland Madness that earned Disney California Adventure its on-the-cheap reputation.

Making its debut in 2011, the complete makeover will mark the third ride in three years that Disney California Adventure has retooled in an effort to add more classic Disney characters to the under-performing Anaheim theme park.

The “Disneyfication” strategy has worked wonders on Mickey’s Fun Wheel and Silly Symphony Swings, which now blend seamlessly with the surrounding 1920s and ’30s seaside amusement park motif and Victorian and Craftsman architecture of the re-imagined Paradise Pier.

The Goofy overlay removes the giant foldout map of Southern California that always seemed like a futile attempt to hide the fact that Mulholland Madness was nothing more than an off-the-shelf wild mouse ride found at any freeway entertainment center. Gone too is the Magic Mountain-esque, slapdash, Caltrans maintenance-yard theme involving little more than a plastering of roadwork signs.

Inspired by the 1940 cartoon short “Goofy’s Glider,” the ride’s new flying academy back story follows the clumsy anthropomorphic dog’s attempts to teach a group of novice pilots how to fly. Naturally, things go awry.

Click here to keep reading.

D23’s Great Disney Scavenger Hunt at the Disneyland Resort

By

Chip

-

July 8, 2010

The Hunt is on!

Get ready for the most incredible scavenger hunt in Disney history as D23 hosts the Great Disney Scavenger Hunt at the Disneyland Resort! Teams will take off across the Resort in search of the answers to some challenging — but fun! — questions. Think you know your way around Disneyland? This will be the ultimate test as you and your team race against the clock to gather as many points as possible. The top 10 teams will win fantastic prizes, including goodies and collectibles from our friends at Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Records, the Walt Disney Collectors Society, Walt Disney Publishing and the Walt Disney Archives.

Get a good night’s sleep because registration starts at 7 a.m. in the Exposition Hall of the Disneyland Hotel. And at 8:45 a.m., it’s off you go… You and your team will scour the entire Disneyland Resort — from Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Resort Hotels to Disney California Adventure and, of course, Disneyland — for answers to our quizzical queries.

You’ll have just over five hours to gather as many answers as possible before returning to the Exposition Hall for judging. And don’t be late — points are taken off for every precious minute! Comfortable shoes and attire are recommended!

Once we’re done tallying the totals, we’ll announce the winners — and the top teams can collect their bounties! Think you’re up to the challenge? We can’t wait to find out!

DATE
Sunday, September 26, 2010

LOCATION
Exposition Hall, Disneyland Hotel
Anaheim, California

TICKETS
On Sale Monday, July 12, 2010 at 10 a.m. PST. Check back here for link to order tickets.

COST
$50 per team for D23 Members (up to four people); $75 per team for non-members (up to four people).

SCHEDULE
Registration begins at 7 a.m.; Hunt kicks off at 8:45 a.m.

Rules:

Park admission for the Hunt is NOT included. Teams are responsible for their own entry into the parks. Special convention-rate tickets will be available for purchase.
The Hunt will take place in Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and throughout the Disneyland Resort Hotels.
The person who registers his or her team for the Hunt will be considered by D23 to be the Team Leader.
Each team must consist of no fewer than two (2) players and no more than four (4) players.
Each member of the team must fill out a waiver before registering at the event.
The Team Leader will be responsible for checking the team in. The entire team does not need to stand in line. However, the entire team must be present at the start of the Hunt in order to participate.
Inside the registration packet will be a “runner’s bib” (similar to what runners wear in a marathon) with the team number and safety pins with which to attach the number. ALL team members must wear their bibs on the front of their shirts at all times.
Team members must be together at ALL times. (In the case of bathroom breaks, team members may wait outside the restroom.)
No running at any point. Any team seen running by D23 Scavenger Hunt representatives or Disneyland Security may be disqualified.
No cheating, obviously.
No impeding the success of other teams (e.g., trying to cover or remove answers to clues).
No asking Disney cast members for help.
D23 Scavenger Hunt representatives in the Resort may, at any time, check a team to make sure it has the appropriate number of members. Teams that do not remain together will be disqualified with no appeals.
All teams must have at least one digital camera to document certain moments on the Hunt. The team is responsible for having a working camera. Should a camera not function properly, it is the responsibility of the team to correct the problem.
Any questions or issues will be decided by a panel of D23 judges at the Hunt. These decisions will be binding and final.
All written answers must be legible. No points will be awarded if judges are not able to read the answer.
In the event of a tie, there will be a lightning round of questions between one representative from each of the tying teams. The round will be overseen by one of the D23 judges. All decisions are binding and final.

NOTE: Contestants may book for a team of two to four people. No solo teams permitted. The person who registers for the Hunt will be designated the Team Leader. Only the person who registers needs to be a D23 Member in order to utilize the D23 Member rate. You must secure your spot in advance to participate; if space remains, additional spots will be filled the morning of the event at a higher price. Park entry is not included with the price of the Scavenger Hunt and will be required if teams wish to answer questions inside Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure. There are a limited number of team slots available. D23 Members will be required to provide their membership number when reserving tickets in order to secure the special D23 Member price.

Click here for more information.

Plan Now for Magical Disney Dining in December

By

Chip and Co Past Writers and Friends

-

July 8, 2010

Plan Now for Magical Disney Dining in December

While summer is in full swing here in the US, if you will be visiting Disney World over the Christmas holidays, I have an important question for you? What are your dining plans? Have you made those Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) yet?

When making your dining plans….and yes, you should make dining plans….you need to realize that, if you are visiting during the week between Christmas and New Years, you will be at Walt Disney World during the busiest time of the year. There will be more people than you have probably ever seen.

Now if your plans to visit Disney are to go before Dec. 24, there will be less people. In fact, historically from the week after Thanksgiving until the week or so before Christmas, crowds are usually lighter, and so it can be a delightful way to experience all that the holidays have to offer at Disney World. But at the same time, many Disney veterans travel during these weeks, and these folks typically have made dining plans far in advance of their trip.

So either way, make your Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) before you get to Disney World. And if you are going during Christmas week….Make. Them. Now.

I can’t stress this enough. The 180-190 day window to book ADRs opened for Christmas week a couple of weeks ago. The popular times and restaurants fill quickly, especially on the big days of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. We have visited during this week several times, and it always makes me sad to see the many folks who are turned away from restaurants because they did not make plans in advance. Understandably, they are frustrated and unhappy about it. So if table service is something you want to do, don’t delay on this.

If for whatever reason, you can’t get ADRs for any of the restaurants you want, don’t worry though, as there are still some good options. Consider some of the lovely and lesser-known restaurants at the hotels: many are wonderful, and it is a great way to see some of the fantastic Holiday decorations at the resorts. They are a little off-the-beaten path, but it can be nice sometimes, during all the hustle and bustle, to have a little peace and quiet.

Also consider eating meals at “off” times. Try having your main, table service meal for lunch instead of dinner. Or eat early…lunch at 11, dinner at 4…or late…lunch at 2, dinner at 8. You may find crowds to be a little lighter during these times.

Taking the time now to plan your dining at Disney World for your December vacation will insure that you eat where and when you want and minimize the frustration in the process.

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.