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Category Archives: Food
Epcot’s World Showcase Best Kept Secrets – France
After a nice, leisurely stroll through the gardens or some fish and chip at Rose and Crown Pub we continue our tour around the World Showcase looking for hidden gems in France.
- The footbridge leading you from UK to France is a representation of the Seine waterfront, complete with flower carts and even streetside artists and the bridge is inspired by Pont des Arts.
- The Tower is 1/10th the size of the actual tower and was built following the blueprints of the Gustave Eiffel.
The Eiffel tower is the only thing in the World Showcase that can’t be reached by the general public.
- Be on the lookout for street performers, they are very enlighting and show up through out the day.
It makes for a good break in the day to sit back with a nice glass of champagne (or french wine) and fresh croissant from the amazing bakery and enjoy the street performers.
- Want to share in a tale “as old as time” Belle and her furry prince can often be seen greeting guests in the garden (check map for times)
Other characters of a french descent are known to appear here as well including Marie from the Aristocrats, characters from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and sometimes even Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty has been known to appear.
- While perusing the shops you may come across Belle’s Library, make sure you spend a few minutes enjoying the decor. There are many references to classic Disney tales, shelves lined with favorite stories, knickknacks like gargoyles from Hunchback and even the rose from Beauty and the Beast.
You can also see a beautiful stained glass mosaic representing the beginning of the movie Beauty and the Beast here.
- They have a really good “adult” slushie that is made with Grey Goose Vodka and Grand Marnier at the wine kiosk if you are looking for something cold to cool you off.
- As you complete your romantic tour of France and head toward Morocco you might notice the pavement between the two changes. This is to symbolize the Straits of Gibralter.
Have you ever had a chance to meet Belle and her prince here? Did you happen to catch any of the other characters or the street shows? What did you think of them? Join us next time as we explore Morocco and find all the hidden secrets there.
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Do you want to Eat with Mickey Mouse?
What’s so special about Character Dining at Walt Disney World? Why would you spend extra money to see the characters while dining, when the characters are in the park for free? I’ll tell you why…time savings!
We love to go to Disney World in the summer. Epcot has a great Character Spot, where you can see all of Disney’s main characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto and others) all at one time. The drawback? Unless you’re willing to forego Soarin’ and Test Track first thing, the lines in the afternoon and evening can be 60-90 minutes! If you have breakfast at Chef Mickey’s (at the Contemporary), you can have the characters all come to your table WHILE you are eating and save tons of time! More time to have fun in the parks! You have to eat anyway, right?
Shanghai Disneyland Castle Unveiled
Earlier this week at The Walt Disney Company Annual Meeting of Shareholders, Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger unveiled the first image of a model of Shanghai Disneyland Park that we just knew you’d want to see.
The image shows a portion of the Shanghai Disneyland model and its beautiful 11-acre green space at the center of the park. You also get a closer look at the unique design and scale of Enchanted Storybook Castle, the iconic central attraction of the theme park.
During today’s meeting, Bob said the one-of-a-kind destination will be authentically Disney and distinctly Chinese. “We believe this will be one of the most spectacular Disney experiences yet – and an important part of our future,” he said. “We look forward to opening the gates at the end of 2015 and welcoming the first of the millions of guests who will enjoy Shanghai Disneyland for generations to come.”
On opening day, Shanghai Disney Resort will include Shanghai Disneyland, two themed hotels, a dining and entertainment venue, recreational facilities, a lake and associated parking and transportation hubs.
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- How to take in the sights and sounds of Disneyland (chipandco.com)
- What’s the Right Age to visit Disneyland? (chipandco.com)
Disney-Inspired Handbags and Accessories by Vera Bradley
I’m excited to announce that new Disney-inspired handbags and accessories by Vera Bradley will bloom this fall at Disney Parks. Known for their stylish quilted cotton luggage, handbags and accessories, Vera Bradley has been infusing color into all aspects of women’s lives for more than 30 years. Disney Theme Park Merchandise worked closely with Vera Bradley to develop two new patterns that will appear on items this fall. Disney spoke with Cathy Dawson, merchandiser for accessories at Disney Parks, about these colorful additions.
“We are thrilled to introduce Vera Bradley to our accessories assortment,” exclaimed Cathy. “In recent years, we’ve seen several guests in our parks and resorts sporting fun, colorful bags by Vera Bradley. Even our Disney Cruise Line team recently added some items by Vera Bradley to the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. We thought it would be wonderful to add a splash of Disney to these popular and colorful accessory items.”
The new Disney-inspired patterns have names, which is something Vera Bradley does for all of their patterns. Cathy said the black pattern is called “Midnight with Mickey,” while the pink pattern is named “Just Mousing Around.” These patterns will be seen on duffel bags, totes, cosmetic bags and more.
When released this fall, guests will find these items at select locations in Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. They will also be sold via the Disney Parks online store at a future date.
If you plan on visiting the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, please stop by the Festival Center, located between Mission: Space and Universe of Energy: Ellen’s Energy Adventure in Future World, to get a first look at these bags on display. The festival runs from March 6 through May 19, 2013.
Wishing you Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust
Sunshine
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- Disney Introduces Beautifully Disney Cosmetics for Disney Parks (chipandco.com)
- ‘Limited Time Magic’ Gets Wickedly Beautiful with Beautifully Disney (chipandco.com)
WDW Deluxe Resorts – Why They’re Worth The Cost
There are a ton of amazing Walt Disney World Resorts to choose from, so many that Disney had to divide them into categories, with Value Resorts being the cheapest with the smallest rooms and fewest ameneties, and the Moderate Resorts have larger rooms and more on site ameneties, and then there’s the Deluxe Resorts, which are the largest, fanciest Resorts with – you guessed it – the largest price tag too. So why would you pick a Deluxe Resort over WDW’s cheaper Resorts?
Well, here are some reasons:
More Space: The rooms at WDW Deluxe Resorts are biggest and most luxurious on WDW property – some of them are so beautiful that you may never want to leave (which would be ok, because room service and concierge service is also available at several of these resorts). All standard Deluxe rooms come with two queen or 1 king size bed, and ample sink and bathroom space for you and your family to spread out. Plus, there are plenty of different room choices as many Resorts offer Garden or Water views with balconies, and some also have suites available. If you’re traveling with your family, the larger rooms and suite options that the Deluxe Resorts offer would be perfect for you.
