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Springtime Travel Advice from an Industry Expert

noreply@blogger.com (The DWTickets Team) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:26:00 +0000

Maureen Russell has been a travel industry expert for almost two decades, sending her clients and their families all over the world by plane, train and automobile. With Spring Break and Summer travel seasons getting ready to take off, airports can be the most crowded and confusing places to be. Many travelers get frustrated and feel like they are wasting valuable time. With a little planning and some inside advice, however, you can make your air travel experience easier, so you can spend more time concentrating on the fun!

What are the three traveling mistakes and how can they be avoided?

a) Not being on time. This is the worst thing a traveler can do. No the airline will not hold the plane for you, this is not your mother's travel industry anymore. The airline will start giving away your seat 1/2hr before the flight departs if you are not checked in.

b) Don't assume. Ask questions. Do you need a passport, visa, shots. A recent story came out that a couple booked their honeymoon to Russia on Orbitz, they were never advised that they needed a visa to visit Russia and were de-boarded in Germany.

c) Take the time to reconfirm your flights and check in online. It saves on headaches and avoids many issues.

What, if anything, can or should someone do in the event of a long flight delay or a cancellation?

It depends on if it is a weather or airline issue such as 'mechanical difficulties'. Each airline varies, you can ask for a meal voucher and or hotel voucher. If you know that there will be issues such as a major storm heading your way and you are flexible call your airline, they often love it when you are proactive and will change your flights with no fee and possibly an upgrade.

Don't ever be afraid to ask for a voucher or an upgrade. Also, utilize the Internet, go to the airline website, see what their policies are and then ask the gate agent or the agent on the phone 'What can you do for me?'.

While you are on that long line at the airport, check via your iPhone what the next flight is on any carrier. Often an airline can get you on another carrier if their next flight is oversold they just don't want to do the voucher.

What about tips on packing and planning?

Do you really need 4 pairs of shoes? No. Then don't pack them. Remember you're paying for this now, the weight limit per bag checked is 50lbs. Check your bag online and pay less. I always use the sky caps rather than traipse through an airport alone dragging a bag behind me, and you don't have to wait on those long lines. (on my last trip my bag was too heavy, instead of charging me the sky cap said 'oh honey, just reach in there and pull out something to make it light') Oh and yes, you should always tip the sky cap -- it's worth the service!

What about advice for carry-on bags?

For women carry on luggage is the hardest decisions to make. The airlines allow one carry on and one 'purse or laptop bag' If you can leave your coat behind do so! It just takes up space and that is a valuable commodity. Medicines should be clearly labeled and in a separate clear baggie. Don't over stuff your carry on, you will want to get that book that fell to the bottom of the bag!

My mother told me that once I was dressed and ready to go out to look at myself in a mirror and take one thing off. That is how you should pack.

Check with your individual airlines for their carry-on policy too and make sure you adhere to those restrictions. Also, remember to always check TSA guidelines for what can and can't be carried on; www.tsa.gov is your best course of information.

What about when you arrive at your destination? Any hotel advice?

At the hotel, ASK, always. Is there an upgrade available? The worst thing they can say is no. Always be firm and friendly. Remember the person behind that hotel counter may be at the end of a 12hr shift.

In this electronic age utilize the web. Sign up for all the hotel and airline frequent flyer programs. Find out who their partners are. Did you know that you can link some [grocery store rewards] cards with your Continental miles? Check out your credit cards [and reward memberships] to see where you can accumulate miles and perks.

In this economy everyone is looking for and giving out a bargain. It's just a matter of doing your homework!

What are your best travel tips and tricks? Be sure to leave a comment and share them!

Up, Up and Oscar! Disney and Pixar Strike Again!

noreply@blogger.com (The DWTickets Team) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:18:00 +0000

Congratulations to Disney and Pixar for their big Oscar win on Sunday, March 7, 2010 -- Up took home the golden statuette for Best Animated Film. But this was hardly the Mouse's first Academy Award. In fact, Walt himself holds the record for most Oscar nominations and the most awards. In his lifetime, he receved 59 nominations and took home 26, including four special awards -- 1932 Honorary Award for the creation of Mickey Mouse, 1939 honorary award for "significant screen innovation' of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, 1941 Honorary Award for "outstanding contribution to the advancement of the use of sound in motion pictures through the production of Fantasia," and the Irving J. Thalberg Memorial Award.

Needless to say, the Disney Corporation has been the Academy Awards king when it comes to animated films. For a fun way to celebrate those achievements during your visit to Orlando and the Walt Disney World Resort, try a family scavengar hunt using the list of nominations and wins below--the first person to find something from all the movies on the list wins! It can be a picture, a character, a toy, a ride, whatever you decide counts as a find. Here's the complete list--be sure to comment in the blog when you have your hunt and tell us how everyone did!

Scavenger Hunt Movie List

1940: Pinocchio -- Winner, Best Original Score and Best Song "When You Wish Upon a Star"
1941: Dumbo -- Winner, Best Original Score; Nominated, Best Song "Baby Mine"
1942: Bambi -- Nominated, Best Song "Love Is A Song"
1943: Saludos Amigos -- Nominated, Best Original Score, Best Song, and Best Sound
1947: Song of the South -- Winner, Best Song "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"
1950: Cinderella -- Nominated for Best Sound, Original Music Score and Best Song "Bibbi Bobbidi Boo".
1964: Mary Poppins -- the most nomiated film in Disney's history! 13 nominations and 5 wins. Winner for Best Actress, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score, Best Visual Effects, and Best Song "Chim Chim Cher-ee"
1967: The Jungle Book -- Nominated, Best Song "The Bare Necessities"
1971: Bedknobs and Broomsticks -- Nominated, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Original Music Score and Best Song (The Age of Not Believing0; Winner, Best Visual Effects
1973: Robin Hood -- Nominated, Best Song "Love"
1977: The Rescuers -- Nominated, Best Song "Someone's Waiting for You"
Pete's Dragon -- Nominated, Original Song Score and Best Song "Candle on the Water"
1989: The Little Mermaid -- Nominated, Original Music Score and Best Song "Kiss the Girl"; Winner, Best Song "Under the Sea" (that's right -- the songs competed against each other!
1991: Beauty and the Beast -- Nominated, Best Sound, Best Picture (the first animated film ever to compete in this category), Best Song "Belle"; Best Song "Be Our Guest"; Winner, Best Music and Best Song "Beauty and the Beast" (again, Disney competed against itself for best song, this time with three songs)
1992: Aladdin -- Nominated, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound, Best Song "Friend Like Me"; Winner, Best Song "A Whole New World"
1994: The Lion King -- Nominated, Best Song "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata"; Winner, Best Original Score and Best Song, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight"
1995: Pocahontas -- Winner, Best Original Score and Best Song "Colors of the Wind"
Toy Story -- Nominated, Best Original Score, Best Screenplay, Best Song "You'ev Got A Friend"; Winner, Special Achievement (for being the first full-length computer-animated film)
1997: Hercules -- Nominated, Best Song "Go the Distance"
1999: Tarzan -- Winner, Best Song "You'll Be In My Heart"
2000: Toy Story 2 -- Nominated, Best Song "When She Loved Me"
The Emperor's New Groove -- Nominated, Best Song "My Funny Friend and Me"
2001: Monsters, Inc. -- Nominated, Best Animated Feature, Best Sound Editing, Best Original Score; Winner, Best Song "If I Didn't Have You"
2002: Lilo and Stitch -- Nominated, Best Animated Feature
Treasure Planet -- Nominated, Best Animated Feature
2003: Brother Bear -- Nominated, Best Animated Film
Finding Nemo -- Nominated, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Original Screenplay; Winner, Best Animated Feature
2004: The Incredibles -- Nominated, Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Screenplay; Winner, Best Sound Editing and Best Animated Feature
2006: Cars -- Nominated Best Animated Feature and Best Song "Our Town"
2007: Ratatouille -- Nominated, Best Original Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing; Winner, Best Animated Feature
Enchanted -- Nominated, Best Song "Happy Workign Song," "So Close," and "That's How You Know"
2008: Bolt -- Nominated, Best Animated Feature
Wall-E: Nominated, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Song "Down To Earth", Winner, Best Animated Feature
2009: The Princess and the Frog -- Nominated, Best Animated Feature, Best Song "Almost There" and "Down in New Orleans"
Up -- Nominated, Best Picture, Best Sound Editing, Best Original Screenplay; Winner, Best Original Score and Best Animated Feature

Victoria and Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

noreply@blogger.com (The DWTickets Team) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:40:00 +0000

Hello all! I'm Dawn and I will be your new DW Tickets blogger. I'm a long-time visitor and former resident of Orlando, so I have a whole lot of love for the place, and all its many forms and functions and fantasy. I'll be blogging about all things Orlando, from the theme parks and big news events to smaller travel secrets and places and things you might not know about without my help. I hope you'll use my tips and enjoy my suggestions on your next visit to Orlando, whether you're hardcore for the Mouse or not.

The first piece of news I'd like to share is about a truly once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. Victoria and Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has been considered a culinary treasure since its opening. The restaurant has been awarded the the prestigious AAA Five-Diamond Award for 10 consecutive years, the most of any restaurant in the state. For a long time now, V&A's has served two menus, both prix fixe, both changing daily, and both at over $100 per person: the 6-course menu in the main dining room and the 7-course Chef's Tasting Menu in the kitchen itself. These experiences last 2 to 3 hours, on average, and are worth every penny if you love food and exquisite preparation. It's not for everyone, certainly; the price point and the dress code--jackets for gentlemen and pants ensembles or dresses for ladies--do scare some away. But if you can do it, it's worth doing. I've been lucky enough to try it a few times and I can't wait for more.

Well, now there is more--more food, more experience and, yes, more money. V&A's recently announced a third dining experience. It is their most amazing and their most exclusive yet -Queen Victoria's Room. The room has only 4 tables with one seating time each night. It features French gueridon service, where a rolling cart travels from table to table, offering the most superb cuisine with incredible touches (like a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt, mined from the mountains themselves, or perhaps a plate of exceptional cheese from all over the world). The experience lasts four hours and features TEN courses of Chef Scott Hunnel's most creative offering, such as "perfectly seared Kurobuta pork tenderloin and belly, or butter-poached lobster with bisque and lobster roe foam." And if that's not enough, why not have the sommelier pair wine to each course? Or choose your own bottle from V&A's well-respected and very impressive wine list. The experience will set you back $200/person for the food, plus $95 for the optional wine pairings--the bottle of your choosing could most a lot less or a lot more than that, depending on your personal taste. And if you have children, you'll also need to pay for a sitter--V&A's does not serve children under 10 years of age. It's an intimate, adult dining experience, an evening worth savoring and enjoying, worth lingering over as long as possible. You'll head home from any of the three dining options with a personalized menu and a rose for the ladies. You'll also remember the meal for a long time, like a perfect mental souvenir you'll ttreasure for years to come. Especially if you opt for the Kona chocolate souffle at desert time, which you definitely should. Save a bite for me, too.

National Cheerleading Competition at ESPN Wide World of Sports

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:17:00 +0000

Cheerleaders are a part of nearly every major sport in the US. Even baseball and hockey teams have cheerleaders now. In the Midwest high school scene (as well as in the South) high school sports are a huge deal—especially in smaller towns that don’t have access to national league sports. Every year, the best cheerleading squads from across the nation gather to compete in the National High School Cheerleading Championship, put on by the Universal Cheerleaders Association. Over 400 teams from 32 states will be competing in this 30 year old tournament. One of those squads, the team from Kentucky’s Greenup High School, has participated in the competition since its inception.

“Our 30th Anniversary Championship is a testament to the popularity and growth of cheerleading across the U.S.” said Jeff Webb, founder and CEO of Varsity, parent organization of UCA. “We are proud to celebrate this milestone with the more than 8,000 talented cheerleaders representing teams from all over the country. We feel privileged to give these amazing athletes a proper showcase for their talents.”

The cheerleading competition, or NHSCC for short, will take place at various spots within the Disney theme parks and the ESPN Wide World of Sports. You can expect to see cheerleading performances over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular Show Stage as well as at the Josten’s theatre and the ESPN Wide World of Sports. You will be able to view the 30th Annual National High School Cheerleading Championship on both ESPN and ESPN2 and then later on in the Varsity Channels.

If you’re a fan of competitive cheerleading then you definitely need to plan your trip to the Walt Disney World Resort and check out this traditional competition. Ever since the opening of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Disney has pulled out all the stops to bring amazing sports events to their brand new state-of-the-art complex. Considering we just passed the Super Bowl and this cheerleading competition is coming up, the ESPN Wide World of Sports is getting plenty of good use and we’re sure there will be more events to come.

Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:53:00 +0000

The game of soccer and all of its supporters has been trying to become a dominant force in the world of United States sports for many years now. The LA Galaxy even signed Brit soccer (or football, as they say across the pond) superstar David Beckham to help draw more attention to the sport here in the States. While some may argue it has helped bring soccer a bit closer to the limelight, it can’t compare to football, baseball, or even UFC—not yet. But if the Walt Disney World has anything to do with it soccer will be bigger and better very soon.

The Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic is coming up soon. The ESPN Wide World of Sports, formerly the Walt Disney World Wide World of Sports, will be hosting four Major League Soccer (MLS) teams in a tournament to bring awareness to the sport and to award a championship to one of the teams.

“Bringing four Major League Soccer teams to Central Florida to play in the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic is very exciting and a big win for all of our local soccer players, fans, parents and spectators,” said Disney Sports Area Manager Patrick Dicks. “ESPN The Weekend is serving as a major platform for these teams to prepare for the upcoming season and we are proud to have them be a part of this re-branding weekend.”

The tournament will officially launch the re-branding of Disney’s sports complex into the ESPN Wide World of Sports, which hosts pro and amateur sports of all kinds featuring players of all ages. There will be a new ESPN café for visitors of the complex to grab a bite to eat and all kinds of HD technology including brand new TV’s, cameras and Jumbotrons. ESPN The Weekend will bring the hottest sports stars to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the brand new ESPN Wide World of Sports so fans can take pictures with their favorite athletes and get autographs. Checking out the brand new ESPN Wide World of Sports could be a great way to get interested in sports, fitness, and getting active. This high-tech complex is great for the sports lover in everyone.

Legoland Coming to Florida

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:20:00 +0000

The word is officially out regarding the newest addition to the Orlando theme parks coming in 2011. Merllin Entertainment recently announced Central Florida will get the biggest Legoland theme park in the world. Legoland Florida will be built where Cypress Gardens used to be while keeping most of the gardens intact to stay environmentally friendly. This will be the second Legoland location in the USA, the first being in California. Legoland also has parks in Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom. It’s great that this creative park is coming to the Central Florida area, since we already have the Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort.

Legoland is aimed at kids and kids at heart a bit more than Walt Disney World is. All of the attractions feature creatures, animals, and structures built out of Legos. It’s really an architectural wonder considering how much of what you see was constructed by millions of little Lego blocks, the same ones you probably played with as a kid! Legoland in California has over 50 rides and attractions, many of them without a height restriction. This has to make Legoland one of the friendlier parks for the really little ones in the family. When you want to shop you can go to The Big Shop which is 8,000 square feet large and features every Lego toy and set you can imagine! When you’re hungry you can check out The Market for some delicious baked goods, coffees, and sodas.

We can expect restaurants and gift shops at Legoland, Florida, but also much more. It’s going to be the largest park in the world and we’re sure it can fit way more than 50 rides and attractions. It’s going to be great to see what the engineers and architects come up with as they build the park here in Central Florida. While Legoland is known for being kid friendly, it will definitely need some coasters to compete with Universal Studios and Walt Disney World, so maybe Florida’s Legoland gets an extra bit of attention! We’ll have to wait until 2011 to see. Story developing…

Tables in Wonderland

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:47:00 +0000

Part of what’s fun about going to the Disney theme parks is getting to enjoy all of the great restaurants located within. It’s not just about park food—there is much more to the Walt Disney World Resort than turkey legs and pop corn! Plenty of the parks have amazing restaurants like Teppan Edo in Epcot or The Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As always, Disney finds a way to make the park experiences extra special for the most loyal Disney fans. One example is with Tables in Wonderland, formerly the Disney Dining Experience.

Tables in Wonderland is a members-only program that allows Disney fanatics to experience amazing dining adventures within the parks. Whether it involves having special dinners with top chefs, attending private functions, or getting other great Disney privileges, this program will not disappoint. Just recently, Tables in Wonderland held an event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios where Tables in Wonderland members got to dine in The Great Movie Ride! This classic ride takes you through a tour of Hollywood’s most famous movies, from Casablanca to Alien, and Tables in Wonderland members recently got a chance to have an amazing themed dinner there!

The dinner was set up in the Mobster and Wizard of Oz sections of the ride, with table décor following the appropriate themes. The Wizard of Oz tables had lollipops and ruby slipper party favors while the gangster movie section included actors dressed like 1920’s mobsters. They got to dine on great food like miniature calzones, house cured salmon with caviar and arancini with spicy Italian sausage. Also on the menu were great creations featuring gorgonzola and hazelnut along with white bean and eggplant dishes.

If you’re a Florida Resident it costs $155 to join the Tables in Wonderland program and annual pass holders usually get a bit of a discount. You also have access to complimentary resort parking, reimbursement for eating in the theme parks along with 20% discounts on food and beverages within the parks kiosks. Overall if you’re a Disney fanatic Tables in Wonderland would be an amazing club to join!

Up Wins Golden Globes

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:06:00 +0000

The awards season is here and already Disney movies are getting some amazing recognition! While the buzz about Avatar and movies like The Blindside continue to fill up the papers, here in Orlando we’re all rooting for our favorite Disney films to be recognized for how great they really are. It was great to see both The Princess and the Frog and Up nominated alongside other animated movies as great as Coraline. The Disney theme parks all have plenty of merchandise available from both The Princess and the Frog and Up. Last year, the Magic Kingdom had a special parade for Princess Tiana called Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee, which made use of the beautiful steamboat near Tom Sawyer’s island. Over at Downtown Disney, you can take a hot air balloon ride and experience your own balloon adventure much like in Up!

The heartfelt story of a journey to fulfill a promise captivated audiences and brought in plenty of money at the box office for Up, making it yet another huge success to add to Pixar’s list of huge movies. Let’s not forget, Toy Story 3 is coming up soon along with Rapunzel; which will continue to make the Pixar/Disney team up almost unstoppable. They were certainly unstoppable at the Golden Globes and already people are looking towards the Oscars!

At the Golden Globes, where the decisions are made by the Hollywood Foreign Press, Up won in two categories. The most important award of all was the Best Animated Feature, where it defeated Coraline and its own company with The Princess and the Frog! The other category Up! won in was for Best Original Score. In a way, this win was also tied to Disney! Michael Giacchino, the hottest new composer in Hollywood, created the score for Up along with the blockbuster Star Trek and ABC’s LOST—and Disney owns ABC! So far the House of Mouse is scoring big with all of these awards shows. Will some Oscars be next for Up? What about The Princess and the Frog? Sure it got some nominations, but Disney’s return to hand-drawn animation definitely deserves an award of its own! We’ll just have to wait and see.

Polar Plunge for the Special Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:01:00 +0000

All of Central Florida is in a giving mood, including the Orlando theme parks. A variety of them have been coming up with different ways to get guests to sign up for volunteering programs or donate whatever they could to various charities in the New Year. One theme park joining in on the fun is SeaWorld’s Aquatica. The beautiful water park, which draws its character themes and color schemes from Australian and New Zealand cultures, has quickly become one of the top water parks in the theme park area.

Now Aquatica will be teaming up with the Special Olympics to host their own version of a “Polar Plunge” to raise money for the charity that deals with disabled athletes. The Polar Plunge is a popular event held throughout the country where people raise money on the promise they will jump into a pool of freezing (or at least, really cold) water. It seems like perfect timing for a Polar Plunge, considering Florida has been going through one of the longest, and coldest, cold weather spells in history!

“We’re turning the heaters off in one of wave pools,” says Rick Beddow, Aquatica vice president. “We’re expecting it’s probably going to get somewhere between 65 and 68 degrees. It really depends on the ambient air temperature as to how cold it will get.”

Considering Orlando has seen temperatures in the low 20’s, they might not want to turn the pool down too much! Participants of the Polar Plunge at Aquatica receive a day at the park, a commemorative t-shirt and of course a dip (or swim) in the pool if they raise $50 or more. There are other great goodies for those that raise even more money for the Special Olympics. You can win all day food passes, passes to Aquatica for a later date, Publix gift cards and even hotel stays.
Of course, not everyone would want to jump into the cold water, so you can register online and fundraise as a “Virtual Plunger.” The minimum age to register is 15. If you’re heading to the park, no diving is allowed, but you can certainly go for a swim if you’re ready to brave the cold for a good cause.

Muppets at the Magic Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:44:00 +0000

2010 is the year of volunteering in the world of Disney and The Muppets are here to usher in Disney’s Give a Day Get a Day program in a very special way. The Muppets are the creation of genius Jim Henson who is also behind television and movie greats like Sesame Street, The Dark Crystal, and Return of the Jedi. Loved by many, the cute characters of Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog and Sweetums (the friendly monster) are all coming together to get the world to volunteer and they’re using both the Magic Kingdom and viral videos to get everyone involved!

If you do a quick internet search you will find a video of Fozzie and Kermit encouraging people to volunteer. The great thing about this is that you can insert your name, website or even blog and they will show up on the white cards Fozzie and Kermit use in the video. If you go to the Disney theme parks you will be able to enjoy a special “pre-parade” that will feature special floats and vehicles dedicated to volunteerism and people that have dedicated themselves to the craft. It was reported that in the New Year, around 59% of Americans considered volunteering as one of their New Year’s Resolutions. So if you’re one of those in the 59% category, what are you waiting for?

“Volunteering is incredibly easy, and it’s never been as easy as it is now with this new partnership between Disney Parks and HandsOn Network,” said Maggic Jones Patton, with the Youth HandsOn Network. “It’s really about finding a match that you can be passionate about,” Patton said. “There’s opportunities ranging from education, the environment, the economy -- it can be as simple as packing care packages to send to our troops that are serving abroad.”

The Muppets promotion might just be for a limited time only, but don’t forget you can get your puppet laughs at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Muppetvision 3-D Experience! This 3-D adventure is fun for the whole family and involves classic Muppets comedy along with music and an adorable story—definitely a Hollywood Studios classic! Lend a hand this year for the Give a Day Get a Day program and enjoy both your free theme park ticket and the Muppets!

Disney Marathon Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:24:00 +0000

Do you have a New Year’s resolution? It seems like everybody gets motivated to get healthy at the beginning of the year. After all, it’s a fresh start and a second chance—right? The gyms are packed and the Internet comes alive with diet and exercise articles geared toward everyone looking for a health fix. If you’re a beginner, running a marathon isn’t something you should consider. But for those of you health nuts out there looking for a way to shake up your New Year’s fitness goals, you should think of attending the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend.

The Disney theme parks are known for being massive and requiring plenty of walking, but during marathon weekends everyone from competitive runners to families with children have a chance to run through the beautiful Epcot park and the Disney Wide World of Sports Complex. Last year’s Marathon Weekend featured 45,000 runners, and that’s not the end of Disney’s marathon events! There’s also the Princess Half Marathon Weekend and the Wine & Dine Marathon Weekend. Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World have marathon events that give participants goody bags, medals, treats, t-shirts and personalized bibs for contestants that sign up on time.

Disney is considering 2010 the year of giving, and there’s no better gift than the gift of health. Training for the great fun of a Disney marathon will keep you motivated to stay healthy, and what’s cooler than getting a medal from the House of Mouse? For those of you that are marathon die-hards, there is a special medal for those runners that complete both the Disney World and Disneyland full marathons in one year. Are you up for it? As for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, there are a number of great races to sign up for. If you’re interested, we recommend signing up quickly because they fill up fast! The categories are: Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Goofy’s Race and a Half, Disney/Pixar UP & Away Family Run 5k, and Mickey’s Marathon Fest. So if you and your family are ready to start the New Year with a healthy twist, head to Walt Disney World for their Marathon Weekend!

Be Couture with Disney Merchandise

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:27:00 +0000

As an adult it’s hard to fully indulge in all of the merchandise available at the Disney theme parks sometimes. The products, whether they are sweaters, t-shirts or even jewelry, can sometimes be too childish. Or, sometimes they are brightly colored and don’t fit the style of some of the park guests. Then there are those that might be too shy to admit their love of Disney (or teenagers don’t want to lose their cool factor) and don’t want mouse ears and princesses plastered all over their clothing and accessories.

For those of you that go to the Orlando theme parks ready to shop for merchandise you can only find in the parks while visiting the House of Mouse, you might want to head down to Downtown Disney and check out one of the newest stores in the shopping and dining complex. Vault 28 is a new accessory and apparel store that is carrying Disney’s line of “couture” products. Scarves, bags, jewelry, apparel and more are all designed with subtle Disney themes in mind. Both celebrities and noted fashion designers have come together to work on Disney Couture.

Kidada Jones, an actress and model, designed accessories for Disney Couture based off of the newest princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. For those of you that can’t wait to see Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, designer Tom Binnes created an entire line of scarves, bags and other apparel that focuses on the upcoming Burton adaptation of the Disney classic.

The jewelry line at Vault 28 will be especially popular. According to Sr. Designer Jina Kim, "The looks are right on-trend with what's happening in jewelry -- especially patina finishes and bib necklaces. Our Tinker Bell line is a modern take on vintage with a touch of found trinkets … a very important part of Tink's world." The couture line plans to expand into hosiery, watches and eyewear. You can find the line at Vault 28 in Downtown Disney, online and upscale boutiques across the nation. If you have any holiday money or gift cards left over, browse through the Disney Couture line!

Want to Omaka Rocka?

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 13:55:00 +0000

You might be wondering what in the world an Omaka Rocka is. Well next year you’ll be able to find out when you head to SeaWorld’s water-themed sister park Aquatica. All of the Orlando theme parks are planning massive expansions to keep things new and exciting for returning and new guests, so we’ll have a lot to talk about next year!

While Universal Orlando Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort’s plans have overshadowed some of the other parks’ new attractions, that doesn’t mean DWTickets.com will leave it out of the picture. If you love water slides and enjoy a day in the sun at the beautiful Aquatica water park, you’ll be happy to know they will be expanding the park with a brand new slide called Omaka Rocka, meaning “rocky river.”

This new water slide will allow people of all ages to ride as long as they follow the rules—no height restrictions here! What you will find with Omaka Rocka is 2 slides with 3 funnels each. These funnels will feature 2-seater tubes that will send riders zooming through colorful fiberglass tubes. Some will be translucent and others will keep riders in the dark for an exciting experience! Even those who are waiting in line will be able to see Omaka Rocka riders zooming overhead in the colorful tubes.

"They're going to slide up one side and get a sensation of near weightlessness. They'll come down that side and back up the other. They'll probably be going backwards, but most definitely going to be screaming," Aquatice VP Rick Beddow told the Orlando Sentinel. "It's going to be a taste of a half-pipe — near vertical thrills experienced only by skateboarders or snowboarders."

The Omaka Rocka will share a tower with Whanau Way and be similar in ride style to both Whanau Way and the Tassie’s Twisters. This will be Aquatica’s first new attraction since it first opened two years ago. While the Omaka Rocka is scheduled to open in 2010 we don’t have a specific date yet. Considering it’s a bit chilly in Orlando right now, springtime seems perfect, and March is the rumored month of completion.

Go See The Princess and the Frog!

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:27:00 +0000

If you are looking for something to do indoors this holiday season but don’t want to go to the mall and can’t make it to the Disney theme parks, we highly recommend you head to the movies. We know there’s a lot of buzz about James Cameron’s Avatar, but you can’t call yourself a true Disney fan unless you head out and see The Princess and the Frog. We finally got a chance to go see the movie and we have to agree it was a fantastic feeling to see the work of Disney animators back on the screen again. After years of Pixar flicks like Up! and Toy Story we finally get to see the magic of hand-drawn animation back on the big screen with this lovely tale set in New Orleans.

Like other Disney films that borrow from classic stories (The Little Mermaid, Snow White) The Princess and the Frog is an interpretation of the old story where, instead of the frog becoming a prince after a princess’s kiss, a hard-working New Orleans girl becomes a frog after kissing a frog (formerly a prince!) The movie’s twist is sure to be a hit with the kids as Tiana and Naveen head off on an adventure through the Bayou in their frog forms. They meet Louis, an alligator that wants to play in a jazz band with humans, and Ray, a Cajun firefly in love with a star he calls Evangeline.

When the crew meets Mama Odie, the good Voodoo priestess, we get to hear one of the best, if not the best song of the movie “Dig a Little Deeper” which is catchy and full of gospel influence. The song, along with the rest of the movie’s plot, teaches you that what is most important is who you are inside! Unlike the classic Disney films, Tiana isn’t waiting on her prince to achieve her dreams. She saves up money to open up her own restaurant by working hard. While in the end love conquers all, the viewer will be delighted with the beautiful animation and wonderful story that is a trademark of the Disney name. We only hope The Princess and the Frog is only the beginning of Disney’s return to hand-drawn animation!

Walt Disney Month

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:50:00 +0000

Did you know December is officially Walt Disney month? Here at DWTickets.com we thought it would be neat to do a recap of the major Disney-related events that happened this month. Aside from commemorating Walt Disney’s birthday December 5th, December is usually the month where plenty of Disney events occur. This year marked the return to classic animation with The Princess and the Frog and Disney’s first black princess, Princess Tiana. This year also marked the 72nd anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with its release on Disney BluRay and DVD.

The Disney theme parks had their fair share of new events as well. Space Mountain finally re-opened, now being darker and scarier than ever. Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee has a limited run over at the Magic Kingdom to get everyone into the spirit of New Orleans jazz and The Princess and the Frog. Holiday decorations were everywhere to get people into the holiday spirit and the special event Disney fans wait for every year, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, recently wrapped up another successful party!

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios the Osborn Family Spectacle of Lights delighted millions of guests with its music and Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah-themed displays. Epcot featured their wonderful Candlelight Processional, where celebrities came to the parks to read The Christmas Story to guests from around the world all while a gospel choir sings in the background. It has been a great December for the Walt Disney Company and we know next year will only be better. More rides are getting refurbished to bring you great, updated experiences, and we know the Disney animation studios are hard at work on new features coming soon to a theatre near you. There’s Rapunzel, Winnie the Pooh, and Toy Story 3, not to mention plenty of rumors about Disney working on their own version of The Snow Queen! While 2009 has been tough for every one of us, Disney has pulled through and is preparing for a full recovery in 2010. We know there are great events and even better deals waiting in 2010, so keep up with our blog for all the latest news.

Teen Pop Sensation Visits WDW!!

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:37:00 +0000

The Orlando theme parks are popular with kids and teens, but the Disney theme parks have one major draw that other parks don’t when it comes to teens and tweens: the Disney pop machine! Just think, there’s Hannah Montana, The Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and much more. You can find the faces of these stars right next to merchandise of High School Musical which launched the careers of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. The Jonas Brothers were recently in town to tape their performance for the Disney Christmas Parade and just this weekend another teen sensation was in Disney world to take part in the fun at the Magic Kingdom along with some recent radio contest winners.

Justin Bieber, who was first discovered on YouTube after his mother would upload Justin’s performances for his scattered family to see, came to Orlando to hang out at the Magic Kingdom with a young girl that won a local radio contest to meet Bieber. If you aren’t familiar with the now 15 year old Bieber’s music, you soon will be. He began his career covering popular hip hop, pop, and r&b songs. He was able to generate enough buzz to catch the attention of Justin Timberlake, Usher and more. The Ontario, Canada native has quickly climbed the Billboard charts, becoming the first artist in Billboard history to have four singles from a debut album in the Top 40 before the album came out! His singles like “One Time”, “One Less Lonely Girl”, and “Favorite Girl” quickly captured the hearts of teenage girls across the US and Canada. When it came time to sign to a record label, Justin Bieber chose to sign with Usher’s label over Timberlake’s, which has been a great success for him.

Bieber was photographed riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and with the Genie from Aladdin. Though he was the biggest teen star in Orlando over the weekend, he wasn’t the only star. Over at Epcot, the very popular Candlelight Processional continues to delight guests from around the world. Whoopi Goldberg was photographed with Minnie Mouse after her reading at the Candlelight Processional. Teen actress Abigail Breslin was also one of the readers at the processional and coming up next we have veteran actor and star of Battlestar Galactica Edward James Olmos. Whether you like the teen scene or talent of all kinds, you can find it all at the Walt Disney World!

In Memoriam: Roy E. Disney

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:42:00 +0000

This week the Disney world lost Roy E. Disney, the nephew of Walt Disney and the only son of Roy O. Disney. He was a shy man who mostly kept away from the public eye while he kept an iron grasp on the inner workings of the Walt Disney Company. Born into one of the most legendary families in the world, Roy grew up visiting the Disney studios and screening featurettes and cartoons before other people did. The animators would use him as a “test subject” to see if, as a young boy, he found the animations funny. At night, many newspapers that wrote about Disney’s passing mentioned how Walt would always tell him amazing bed time stories, never shying away from the creativity all of the Disneys seemed to have in their blood.

As an adult he oversaw many of the executive aspects of the Walt Disney Company and willingly put his shyness aside when he saw company ideals and beliefs at risk of being compromised. During the mid-to late 80’s, Roy didn’t hesitate to fire the head honchos of the time, namely Ron Miller, who was then replaced by Michael Eisner. Eisner would fall out of Roy’s good graces later on in his career after Roy felt Eisner was thinking only of money and sacrificing the quality of the Disney parks and product. See, despite being involved in the financial aspects of Disney, Roy was all about the creativity. He was much more like his Uncle Walt, who dealt with the creative aspects, than his father Roy, who was all about the business side.

"I really credit Roy Disney completely with the renaissance of Disney animation, beginning with 'Little Mermaid' and all the way through that great amazing series of classic Disney films," said John Lasseter, chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

One could argue that without Roy, Disney animation would have never survived the 80’s. The so-called “Disney Renaissance,” which began with The Little Mermaid and ended with The Lion King, can be credited to Roy’s drive to keep with the ideals of his uncle. We’re sure the Disney theme parks will be honoring Roy, who bore a striking resemblance to his uncle, in some way. There is a statue of Walt at the Magic Kingdom and you can see other tributes to the man that started it all in Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Like his uncle, Roy Disney died due to cancer. He was 79 years old, and died the day after the anniversary of Walt Disney’s death, on December 16th, 2009. Roy E. Disney will be missed, but his contribution to the salvation of the animated feature will never be forgotten.

Lines at Disney a Thing of the Past?

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:28:00 +0000

Going to the Disney theme parks is always fun no matter what time of year you go. There are so many great activities, parades, fireworks shows and special attractions during holidays like Christmas and Halloween. The Magic Kingdom is one of the most popular parks in the Walt Disney World Resort and there are always changes being made to improve the park for guests year after year.

You might have heard about the enormous Fantasyland expansion coming in 2011 and 2012 over at the Magic Kingdom. Fans of the Disney princesses will love all of the new features. You’ll be able to help plan Sleeping Beauty’s birthday party, learn to ballroom dance with Cinderella, read a story with Belle and even enjoy a ride through the journey of Ariel. For fans of Pixie Hollow, a giant sized replica of the fairy land will be built to make you feel like you’re Tinkerbell’s size yourself.

For fans of Dumbo there will be a new circus-themed area that will do away with the concept of lines. Yes, that’s right. Instead of waiting in line you will be able to play various games to keep yourself entertained in the meantime. It’s all part of Disney’s plan to make your experience at the parks better for you, and they’ve already begun to test it out!

Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios you can enjoy a musical roller coaster adventure like no other with Aerosmith’s Rock N Roller Coaster ride. Recently, the coaster has begun to test a “deli style” waiting system, where you are given a ticket and made part of a group. For example, if you’re group A, you’ll be told to return in 5 minutes and other groups at other times. Disney has set up games like Guitar Hero, benches, even DJ’s and other forms of entertainment outside of the ride for the various groups waiting to come back for their turn on the ride to enjoy (much like Dumbo will be doing). This “queue-less” system is receiving mixed reviews but it’s still in its very early testing stages. Once Disney fine tunes it, a queue-less ride seems like a great addition to the parks and much more fun than standing in a long line for hours and hours! We can’t wait to see what the parks work out.

Chris Isaak Part of Universal Holiday Concert Series

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 14:26:00 +0000

The Orlando theme parks are pulling all the stops for the holidays and the Universal Orlando Resort is doing it with amazing music, a great parade and the always popular Grinchmas! For their Holiday Concert Series, Universal Orlando is converting their Universal Music Plaza into a holiday wonderland lit up with holiday lights perfect for their concert series which began December 5th and will run until January 1st. Manheim Steamroller kicked off the series with their Christmas songs and singer Natalie Cole will close it off, but this weekend we have crooner Chris Isaak performing his hit songs “Wicked Game,” “Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing” and a number of hits from his Christmas album, of course. It’s just one of the many great holiday activities you can do at the Universal Orlando Resort! Make sure you check the dates of the Holiday Concert Series to see of any of your favorite artists are coming to perform soon!

Another great thing you can do at Universal Studios is check out their own version of the Macy’s Holiday Parade. After all, it’s hard to catch the one in New York live, so why not see the next best thing here in Florida? Plus you don’t have to worry about extreme weather or massive crowds—you can watch the parade from the safety of the park! If you’re a kid at heart or have kids with you, you can head over to Islands of Adventure and enjoy Grinchmas!

This even is a must for any Dr. Seuss fan. The entire Seussland area of Islands of Adventure is turned into Grinchmass land. Guests can visit the Whoville Wonky Tree Lot, meet and take pictures with The Grinch, or even enjoy a character breakfast with the Grinch and Friends. All of Seussland is decorated with beautiful holiday decorations that are bright and colorful just like the pictures and art from the books of Dr. Seuss. Grinchmas and the Holiday Concert Series is a great way to enjoy the holidays at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Make sure you go!

LOST in Hollywood Studios

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:32:00 +0000

What do the Disney theme parks and the hit television series LOST have in common? A lot more than you think! LOST is an ABC show, and ABC is owned by Disney, meaning that opens up a world of possibilities for hints of the mystery show to pop up all over the Walt Disney World Resort. With the release of Season 5 on DVD and Blu Ray this week and the upcoming final season starting February 2, 2010, we wanted to let LOST fans know you can still get your island fix at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Once you head over to the Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror’s gift shop, you might be surprised to find yourself looking at LOST merchandise like DVD’s, action figures, books, and t-shirts. We think that attraction is the perfect place for all of the LOST merchandise to be held, considering the mysterious and spooky nature The Twilight Zone television show was famous for. Any LOST fan with knowledge of the Rod Serling classic could quickly point out references to the sci-fi classic on the current mystery island show. The Blogster has purchased quite a few items at the Tower of Terror gift shop, including a t-shirt with the infamous numbers running across it. If you remember the Disney D23 Expo, there was an entire section devoted to memorabilia from the show there as well. It’s a pretty cool thing for a Disney and LOST fan to explore two things they love at a convention like that.

While you’ve seen the merchandise at the store, many fans have been wondering if LOST will ever come into play as an attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s certainly a rumor that has been around for quite some time, but unfortunately, one we don’t think will happen anytime soon. As much as the LOST fans at DWTickets.com would love an attraction for the show, we’ll just have to settle for DVD marathons for now. Don’t forget to tune in to the final season of LOST this February 2, 2010. The premiere is going to be 2 hours long with a 1 hour “catch-up” show before that. Here’s hoping LOST lives on at the Walt Disney World Resort!

Are You Ready for Princess Tiana?

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:40:00 +0000

After many months and many blogs hyping up the movie, the United States will finally be able to see The Princess and the Frog this Friday! While the film is already out in New York and Los Angeles, Friday will be the first time the rest of the country gets to watch Disney history as they return to hand-drawn animation with what’s being hailed as “the best Disney movie since The Lion King.” It’s truly an exciting time for the Disney Company and for Disney fans everywhere. The Disney theme parks have already been in Princess Tiana mode with tons of merchandise and Tiana’s Showboat Jubilee at the Magic Kingdom. Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Princess Tiana, was recently at Epcot’s Candlelight Vigil to tell the story of Christmas to thousands of Disney fans—it’s only the beginning of Tiana mania!

Any newspaper article you read is talking about the importance of this film both socially and historically for Disney. If you know anything about Disney history, their movie Song of the South was locked away in a vault for being racially insensitive and it’s banned in America. Now Disney is taking their films into modern times and showing Tiana, Disney’s first African-American princess, as a heroine for African-American girls and girls of all backgrounds. She isn’t waiting for any prince to come and sweep her off her feet, she takes her life into her own hands and follows her dream of owning her very own restaurant.

Set in the Jazz Age of New Orleans, the film is also being well received by the city which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. They feel the movie has brought back the magic Katrina took away and will hopefully renew the world’s interest in the beautiful city loaded with history. This Friday is going to be big for Disney fans of all ages and backgrounds, it could mean the return of hand-drawn animation to the Disney lineup and the return of the Disney Princess…something we haven’t seen since Mulan back in 1998! Here at DWTickets.com we will definitely be catching The Princess and the Frog on the big screen and we hope you will too!

WDW Names Twin Town

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:17:00 +0000

After a long search the Walt Disney World Resort has finally decided on the British city it will be calling its Twin Town! Disney was looking for partnership with a city in the UK because the British make up the highest percentage of foreign visitors to the Magic Kingdom and other Disney theme parks. Always thinking about the spirit of friendship, Disney held a contest asking fans from the UK to send in their videos explaining why their particular town should be the Twin Town of the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom.

20 year old Rebecca Warren, a mortgage advisor from Swindon, Wiltshire, won over the Disney judges with her video comparing her town of Swindon to the Magic Kingdom. She argued that both towns had a love of steam trains, an amazing team spirit and a strong sense of unity. Swindon is friendly and the people mimic the shining spirit of the Walt Disney World community. After impressing judges Angellica Bell and Disney Imagineer Patrick Brennan, Warren’s video won the town of Swindon the honor of being the Walt Disney World’s first ever Twin Town!

“I still cannot believe that my entry has been selected - it’s fantastic!" Warren told the Telegraph. ”What a great opportunity for Swindon, we’ll definitely welcome the Disney magic. It will be so exciting to see Swindon’s name alongside Walt Disney World on the sign in Florida. My wish was always to be Cinderella with a beautiful ball gown, so I’m really looking forward to dressing the part for the twinning ceremony in January!”

Not only will Mickey, Donald, and Goofy fly to Swindon to present the town with a bit of Disney magic, but Warren and her niece and nephew Amy and Aaron will come down for a special celebration in their honor and Swindon’s honor. In January the Magic Kingdom will unveil the official plaque declaring Swindon as their Twin Town. This should be great for strengthening Disney relations with tourists from the UK and open up a whole new world of possibilities for the guests. Congratulations to Swindon and to Rebecca Warren!

Happy Birthday Uncle Walt

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

This week is very special in Disney history and in the history of animation in general. On December 5th we will be commemorating the birth of Walter Elias Disney, the man responsible for bringing us the wonderful world of Disney Animation. The native Chicagoan began his industry in Kansas City where he began with small animated shorts that became so popular within the city that he earned enough money to create his own studio. From there he hired animators that would soon earn the name of the “9 Old Men,” animators that would help Walt create some of the animated classics that would make him a legend.

Walt first began his career with the Alice Comedies (not Wonderland Alice) and the animated cartoon of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. But it wasn’t until Disney lost the rights to Oswald and had to come up with a brand new character that a very familiar character we all know and love was born. Walt used to own a pet mouse as a child, and one of his animators drew inspiration from that to create Mortimer Mouse. But Walt’s wife Lily suggested Mickey was a much friendlier name, and thus Mickey Mouse was born.

Now seen all over the Disney theme parks and considered a classic American icon, Mickey Mouse made his first appearance in a musical cartoon in the black and white Steamboat Willie. Mickey Mouse soon took off, and with the addition of Snow White, Disney’s first princess, the Disney Animation Studio became a staple in American animation and movie making. Though there were set backs throughout the years regarding the animated films the Disney studio, we have the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland and all of the other parks of the Walt Disney World Resort to prove that the Disney Company overcame all of their adversity to become perhaps the most recognized name in the world.

There is so much that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for “Uncle Walt” paving the way that a simple blog couldn’t capture all of it. But we do know that we have the theme parks, the movies, and an entire legion of loyal Disney fans that above all remember the main message of the Disney ideal; that hard work does make dreams come true. The next time you visit the Disney parks, just remember, it was all started because of a mouse. Happy Birthday, Uncle Walt!

Holiday Sweets at the Disney Resorts

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Everyone loves to eat during the holidays. Why do you think gym memberships soar in January? After Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and other parties people usually find their pants a bit tighter than they would like. But we’re still in 2009 and there is plenty of holiday fun to be had, especially here at the Orlando theme parks. We’ve been blogging about the various holiday events going on at the parks, but in this post we’re going to let you in on some of the sweet treats you can see if you visit some of the hotels in the Walt Disney World Resort.

Over at the Contemporary, one of the hotels closest to the Magic Kingdom, you can see a holiday tree inspired by Disney Legend Mary Blair. The tree is located on the 4th floor of the hotel and measures in at 17 feet high, made completely with gingerbread shingles. Disney has plenty of traditional sweet sculptures during the holiday season, and one of them is celebrating its 10th anniversary! Over at the Beach Club Resort, the life-size edible carousel is celebrating 10 years of pleasing guests from all over the world. The carousel is made of gingerbread, chocolate, and sugar paste. You can buy your own gingerbread house from the marketplace to take home with you. If you’re a fan of Hidden Mickeys, we hear the carousel has 10 of them.

For you Disney pin traders, make sure you head over to the Board Walk for their walk-through Holiday Gazebo. It also has Hidden Mickeys, but you can also purchase a limited edition Stitch pin featuring the gingerbread display. But the most popular sweet sculpture in the Disney resort world is housed at the beautiful Grand Floridian. Here you will find their enormous gingerbread house created from a traditional Austrian recipe. This house has been featured on a variety of travel show specials and is a highlight of the Grand Floridian hotel during the holiday season. It takes 400 chefs to bake everything needed for the house and 160 hours to assemble it. Make sure you explore some of these great edible sculptures during your visit to Walt Disney World.

VoluntEars Spread Holiday Cheer

noreply@blogger.com (The Blogster) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:12:00 +0000

The Walt Disney Company has always been one to participate in charities and help those that are less fortunate. When you’re visiting the Orlando theme parks you see the smiling faces of cast members and realize Walt Disney World really is the happiest place on Earth. There are a lot of fortunate people that get to go to the Disney theme parks throughout the year, but there are people that never get to travel, let alone have a safe place they can call their own.

Homelessness is affecting the United States like never before, especially with the economic recession that we have been undergoing. People have lost their jobs and even their homes because of layoffs and other reasons—but the Walt Disney Company would never ignore the less fortunate. Over Thanksgiving, chefs from various Disney resorts came together with the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida to prepare meals for over 600 people. These people, which includes families, women, children and men, were all fed a traditional Thanksgiving dinner prepared by Disney chefs. Chef Tony Marotta oversaw the entire project.

Monthly, the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida prepares about 750 meals for the homeless in the area, but for the special Thanksgiving day feast, the chefs had to start two days in advance. It was a lot of hard work, but important work, as Disney firmly believes in the idea of VoluntEars and helping the community.

“When you see homelessness in the media, you are moved to humility and compassion, but when you see homelessness in person, you are moved to action,” said Trevor Larsen, WDW vice president of engineering services and manufacturing, who serves on the Coalition board. “There are plenty of ways people can help. Come meet these adults and children in need and get involved.”

If you want to get into the giving spirit, you can always volunteer at a homeless shelter or other charity foundation yourself. Don’t forget Disney is doing the Give a Day Get a Day program! If you volunteer and sign up on the website, all you need is proof of your day of service to get a free admission into the Magic Kingdom or any other Disney theme park!