Enter for a chance to win a Dance Party in their home town hosted by a Radio Disney DJ & Alyson Stoner from Camp Rock 2 to be there in person to teach some Rockin Dance Moves.
Click the picture above to enter or for more information.
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek Offers Special Values for Summer Visitors to Disney
No matter what the reason for visiting Orlando this summer, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek has an option for everybody, with standard summer rates starting at $139 per night.
Nestled within a nature preserve and surrounded on three sides by Walt Disney World® resort grounds, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek combines with neighboring Waldorf Astoria Orlando to form Orlando’s newest resort experience. In fact, Fodors.com calls the Disney-area complex “a pristine, über-resort that is the most ambitious luxury resort to come to Orlando … (in) half a dozen years.”
A visit to Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek offers a perfect way to enjoy the summer, including its unprecedented Disney-area “insider” location, resort amenities and special seasonal activities, like nightly Dive-In Movies at the pool. To add to the fun, several new Orlando theme park attractions have recently debuted, including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter® at Islands of Adventure®, a 20-acre area inspired by J.K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters; Sum of All Thrills at Epcot®, a simulator ride that allows guests to design their own thrill ride; Manta at SeaWorld®, a heads-first, face-down “flying” roller coaster thrill; and Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit at Universal Studios®, a music-enhanced roller coaster experience.
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Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is comprised of 1,001 elegantly appointed rooms, six restaurants and lounges, a two-acre lagoon-style and zero-entry resort pool, and retail space. Adjacent, the Waldorf Astoria® Orlando transcends the resort experience with exclusive signature dining opportunities available for the first time outside New York City. Resort guests also have access to the Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain® and the 7,108-yard Rees Jones designed 18-hole championship golf course at the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club.
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is minutes away from most Orlando sites with convenient access to Epcot Drive, Interstate 4 and Osceola Parkway. The property is 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and five miles from private jet preferred Kissimmee Gateway Airport. Walt Disney World attractions are minutes away, and Orlando attractions like Universal® Studios and SeaWorld® are within 15 minutes of the property.
All 1,000 elegantly appointed rooms and suites feature the signature Hilton Serenity Bed, HD television, wireless Internet service, coffee maker and spacious bathroom with Crabtree & Evelyn La Source® bath amenities.
Resort dining options include: La Luce, featuring signature Chef Donna Scala, this modern Italian country kitchen serves dinner and features thin crust pizzas, family style pastas, Mediterranean-inspired cocktails and a Trattoria-style wine program; Harvest Bistro, a family-friendly, high energy American bistro offering a “Farm to Fork” menu featuring seasonal and local products available for breakfast, lunch and dinner; MUSE, open early morning through late night, serving coffee and fine chocolates as well as pastries, parfaits, paninis and salads; and Beech, a casual poolside eatery open mid-morning through sunset featuring hamburgers, salads and appetizers to share; Sena Bar and Lounge, known as the hotel’s “family room,” the relaxed and contemporary lobby bar and lounge offers a small plate menu, seasonally inspired cocktails and beer selections; and Zeta™ Bar, a sophisticated lounge features a chic cocktail menu.
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek guests also have convenient access to the restaurants of the adjacent Waldorf Astoria Orlando, which bring some of New York’s most famed restaurants to Central Florida. They include Peacock Alley, Bull & Bear Prime Steakhouse®, Oscar’s® and the legendary Sir Harry’s® lounge.
For more information on the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, please call (407)597-3600 or visit HiltonBonnetCreek.com.
Why My Family was Sold on the Disney Vacation Club
My family’s decision to become Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members was a long one, six years in the making in fact. We first took a DVC tour (Disney makes it incredibly easy) in 2001. We liked what we heard. We love Walt Disney World. We didn’t purchase. Why? Finances and uncertainty about our future vacation plans. We weren’t sure we could justify a large outlay of cash for the DVC when we were saving for a down payment for our first home. And then there was the question of “Will we really be going to Disney for the next thirty years or so?”
Fast forward five years. We bought our first home and had a one-year old. Oh, and by the way, we had been visiting Disney at least once a year since our first DVC tour so the question of whether we would still vacation at Disney was answered. In fact, we were vacationing at Disney while my mom watched the baby (don’t think I didn’t initially have guilt over that!) and weren’t really thinking of the DVC. That is until we sat with another family at the Biergarten and they practically sold the DVC themselves. We decided to take another look…and we became members.
Having a young family is what actually sealed the deal and turned us from lookers into buyers. So, why do I think the DVC is so great for families with small kids?
DVC Grows With You
With the DVC Vacation Club, you purchase points at a “Home Resort,” which gives you advantages in booking at that particular resort. The best part is you’re not locked into staying at a single DVC Resort. You can stay at any DVC resort and you’ll have a choice of a Studio, one-, two-, or three-bedroom vacation home. Each day of the year costs a certain number of points based on the resort you select, the size of your accommodations, and sometimes the view. You decide how to spend your points. Oh, and you have the flexibility to “borrow” points from a future year if you’re planning a big trip or “bank” points if you cannot swing a trip one year.
Not being locked into a certain week of the year or a certain number of bedrooms, as you are with traditional timeshares, makes perfect sense to me and was a deciding factor in our decision to purchase. As our kids grow, our vacations will change and we need our timeshare to grow with us. Before the kids are in school, we may travel in early November to avoid the crowds but during the school years, a vacation in the summer may be the way to go. One year I may bring grandma and grandpa and need a two-bedroom while another year we may take a family vacation in a one-bedroom and my husband and I may plan a long weekend in a Studio.
The possibilities are almost endless.
Space
Once our son was born and we knew many family Disney World trips would be in our not-too-distant future, I couldn’t help but think back to my own childhood trips. Five people crammed into a Holiday Inn room didn’t exactly foster family harmony and meant a bit too much togetherness.
Since we’re not theme park commandos and spend most afternoons back at our resort, the DVC gives us a priceless commodity – space – while still staying on Disney property. (For more space without purchasing a DVC membership, look into the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, the Family Suites at the All-Star Music Resort, and in 2012, the Art of Animation Resort). With a one-bedroom vacation home that has a separate living area, there’s no more having to sit in the dark without the television until the kids fall asleep.
Convenience
If you have small kids, chances are much of your time is spent either doing laundry or preparing snacks. A selling point for my family was the washer/dryer in the one-, two-, and three-bedroom vacation homes. I don’t plan on doing laundry on the trip but inevitably the need arises every time. It’s nice having laundry facilities right in our room. Even more convenient are the kitchenette in the Studio and the full kitchen in the larger accommodations. We save money by preparing simple meals in the room (usually breakfast and lunch) not to mention that sitting for three restaurant meals a day is too much for our children. Better still, I can have their restaurant leftovers wrapped for lunch the next day.
Choices
What if by some unnatural twist of fate our kids don’t like Disney World? Will we be dragging them to Orlando because by gosh, we paid for it? Nope. Lucky for them, Disney Vacation Club points can be used on the Disney Cruise Line, the Adventures by Disney collection, or at over 400 locations through the RCI exchange.
For our young family, the Disney Vacation Club offers a lot of benefits that make our Walt Disney World vacations even more magical. To help decide if the Disney Vacation Club is right for your family, read this great article by Chip and Company’s own Nancy. And, if you do decide to purchase a DVC membership, I wouldn’t complain if you said Lisa sent you. 😉
Lisa M. Battista is the author of Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers When she’s not chasing after her little ones, you can most likely find her at the beach or in the kitchen trying her hand at a new recipe. You call follow her on Twitter @DisneyExplorer.
This article was featured on this months edition of the Disney Blog Carnival. For more great Disney Articles check out the link here.
Disney Animal Expert Discovers Tiny Primate at Risk of Extinction
A tiny Colombian primate known for its distinctive punk-rock hairstyle is in imminent danger of extinction, according to new research done by an animal expert at Walt Disney World Resort. The findings paint the clearest picture yet of a dwindling population at risk.
The endangered cotton-top tamarin is found in a small area of northwest Colombia. According to the research featured in the journal Nature Communication, there are now just 7,000 of the species left in the wild.
“Everything we do at Disney’s Animal Kingdom revolves around caring for wildlife and wild places,” said Dr. Ann Savage, senior conservation biologist at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. “Our research project is an example of the leading edge work our animal experts are doing around the world. At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, all of us are committed to using new technologies and new techniques to study animals.”
Cotton-top tamarins are threatened by habitat destruction, where natural forest is converted to cattle pasture, and trees are used for housing and fuel. They are also captured as part of an illegal wildlife trade.
Averaging about ten inches long, cotton-tops are tiny in size and hard to see since they live high up in the forest canopies and flee at the first sign of people. Before the study, there was no reliable estimate of how many of these animals are left in the wild and no feasible method of counting them.
However, Dr. Savage knew that cotton-tops tamarins were attracted to the sound of tamarin vocalizations. That proved to be the key to surveying the shy animal. So Dr. Savage, working with Dr. Len Thomas of St. Andrews University in Scotland, developed a technique of playing recordings of cotton-top tamarin calls and counting the animals that came to find the source of the vocalization. Because of the work of Dr. Savage and Dr. Thomas, cotton-top tamarins are now on the list of the world’s 25 most endangered primates.
Guests at Disney’s Animal Kingdom can spot the cotton-top tamarin shortly after stepping off the train at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, where they can also learn what’s being done to protect the species.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Training – Make the Right Choice
THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE Interactive Training: Make the right choice to throw the plasma bolt.
THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE coming to theaters July 14th, 2010. Become a fan on Facebook at http://facebook.com/SorcerersApprentice
Apply for the coolest job ever at http://nku.me/SorcererSweepstakes
Dave (Jay Baruchel) is just an average college student, or so it appears, until the sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) recruits him as his reluctant protégé and gives him a crash course in the art and science of magic. As he prepares for a battle against the forces of darkness in modern-day Manhattan, Dave finds it is going to take all of the courage he can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE.
Star Wars Celebration V will feature a full lineup no fan will want to miss
Exciting news comes to us from Attractions Magazine!
The biggest Star Wars fan event of all time is coming to Orlando and it’s just about a month away. Star Wars Celebration V will be held at the Orange County Convention Center from Aug. 12 to 15, 2010.
This year’s event will commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back, and the ongoing, weekly adventures of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Featuring celebrities, costumes, live entertainment, screenings, autographs, collectibles, panels and more, Star Wars Celebration V is the official Lucasfilm convention.
The main event will be when The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart interviews Director George Lucas in an hour-long, candid conversation. A self-proclaimed lover of Lucas’ “galaxy far, far away,” Stewart aims to focus on areas of interest to the many diverse and devoted groups that have helped Star Wars endure for more than 30 years. In addition, fan questions can be submitted through the official Star Wars Celebration V website at starwarscelebration.com.
Click here to keep reading.
Disneyland’s ‘Star Tours’ is closing and D23 members get the last ride
Interesting news comes to us from LA Times
Disneyland will shutter the popular “Star Tours” attraction this month to make way for a major overhaul of the Reagan-era ride — but D23 members will be given one last, special opportunity to say goodbye to the vintage “Star Wars” adventure.
On July 14, members of D23 (which is the prestige, dues-membership fan club launched by Disney last year) will be offered a free and final ride on “Star Tours” before the doors get locked. The first 160 members who sign up that morning will get spots on the last run of the “Star Tours” starspeeders, which will be after-hours on the night of July 26.
The way it will work: The lucky D23 members will meet at Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney between 10 p.m. and midnight for check-in. After the park closes at midnight, D23 staffers will escort the contingent into Disneyland proper, where they will join the always-hapless Captain Rex for the last flight to Endor aboard his Starspeeder 3000 vehicle.
The group is 160 because that is the capacity of the ride — there are four starspeeders that hold 40 people each. Check the D23 website on Wednesday for more details and the official announcement.
‘Millionaire’ may cost Disney Millions
A jury is set to continue deliberations this week over a suit from the game show’s creator seeking $395 million in damages. A decision for Celador International could be a setback for media mergers.
To use a phrase from “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” the game show handed ABC a lifeline.
Now the network could be on the hook.
The Walt Disney Co.-owned network had been trailing in the ratings in the summer of 1999 when “Millionaire” premiered, offering a $1-million prize for the contestant who could answer increasingly challenging questions. “Millionaire” was an overnight sensation — and would become ABC’s first top-rated prime-time show in more than a decade. Former Disney Chief Executive Michael D. Eisner proclaimed it “the most important thing to happen to ABC since I don’t know when.”
As big a hit as “Millionaire” was for ABC — the network at one point slapped it on the air five nights a week — the one thing the British import didn’t do was make a profit for its creator, according to a lawsuit and trial now underway in Riverside County that is seeking up to $395 million in damages.
Click here to keep reading this article from LA Times.
Mo’Nique visits “Captain EO” Grand “Re-Premiere”
Comedienne and Academy Award-winning actress Mo’Nique poses July 2, 2010 with a pair of 3-D glasses and one Mickey Mouse glove — a la Michael Jackson — as she prepares to visit “Captain EO” on the film’s grand re-opening day at Epcot in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The musical 3-D film, which stars Michael Jackson, was presented at Epcot from 1986-1994. After a long hiatus, the space adventure film re-opened July 2 at the Walt Disney World Resort theme park. Mo’Nique, who received an Academy Award for her role in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” also was among the 135 artists, performers and executives invited on June 25, 2010 to join the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Gene Duncan, photographer
Classic Disney – Morris The Midget Moose
Here is a classic Disney Video all the way from 1950. It’s about an elder beetle who tells two younger bugs feeling bad about their size about Morris, an undersized moose who teams up with a small-antlered moose to stand up against local leader Thunderclap.
WDW Free Dining Promotion extended until Dec 21
FREE Dining has been extended!
This package is limited and in the past has sold out very quickly. So call or
email PixieVacations.com today if you are interested. 678-815-1584
Buy this Walt Disney World Resort vacation package with hotel and Theme Park
tickets and get a Disney Dining Plan FREE!
Are you hungry for some fun? At this affordable price, you can enjoy meals
included for every night of your visit! What a delicious way to enjoy their
Walt Disney World® Resort vacation.
Offer Details:
When you purchase a 5-night, 6-day Walt Disney package that includes
accommodations for five nights at a select Disney Moderate Resort and a 6-day
Magic Your Way Base Ticket, they’ll get the Disney Dining Plan free**.
Those who purchase a 5-night, 6-day Magic Your Way Package with accommodations
at a select Disney Value Resort get a free Disney Quick-Service Dining Plan.
Booking and Travel Window EXTENDED:
* Booking Window: May 3 – Aug. 14, 2010
* Travel Window: Valid for stays most nights Aug. 15 – Oct. 7, 2010, Oct. 22
– Oct. 28, 2010, Nov. 12 – Nov. 18, 2010, Nov. 27 – Dec. 2, 2010 and Dec. 10
– Dec. 21, 2010
Sample Pricing:
$1,843 for a family of four*, staying in a standard room at a select
Disney Moderate Resort. That’s like paying $77 per person, per day!
$1,440 for a family of four*, staying in a standard room at a select
Disney Value Resort. That’s like paying $60 per person, per day!
Ask about packages for other lengths of stay and accommodations at other select
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels.
Booking Information:
When calling or email Pixie Vacations, please ask for package code WG7 for FREE
Dine or NF3 for FREE Quick Dine.
* Price based on 2 Adults, 1 Junior and 1 Child. The number of packages
available at these rates is limited. Savings based on the non-discounted price
for the same package. Tickets are for 1 theme park per day and must be used
within 14 days of first use. No group rates or other discounts apply. Offer is
nontransferable. Advance reservations required.
** Excludes gratuities and alcoholic beverages. Children ages 3-9 must order
from the children’s menu if available. Some table-service restaurants may have
limited or no availability at time of package purchase.
Special Thanks to Pixie Vacations for this information.
To Book Contact:
Pixie Vacations
www.PixieVacations.com
email: [email protected]
phone: 678-815-1584
Registration Opens for Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend
Registration for one of Disney’s most popular races is officially open! Be sure to sign up for Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by Lady Foot Locker, set for February 25-27, 2011.
The women-focused event invites runners of all types to come enjoy Kids’ Races, a Family 5K, health and fitness expo and half marathon, all Princess themed, of course.
Click here to see costumes from last years event in a very cool Quicktime picture viewer.