If you are planning a Disney World vacation you may be asking yourself: “So what is this Photopass thing?”

The answer is both simple and complicated.

Simply photopass is a photography service set up by Disney throughout the parks as well as at some resorts where you can have a Disney photographer take pictures with a professional camera which are than uploaded to a “cloud” and scanned onto your Photopass card (a free credit card sized card with a bar code and unique number sequence on the back).  You can have the card scanned multiple times and purchase pictures from your trip at Disney and off the computer once you get home by using the scanned card.

More complicated is factoring in the price- is it WORTH it to order your photopass CD or buy pictures? That is where it comes down to preference.  What is great about the Photopass photogs is that if you let them take your pictures and scan your card they will almost always take one with your personal handheld camera as well.  They are also at the best photo spots in the parks.  Personally, I find that I NEVER regret pre-purchasing the CD.  It saves you $50 off of the usual price of $150 and you can come home, add signatures and borders, and then create as many different variations of images as possible.  In a four day trip my husband and I came home with over 300 pictures not counting the duplicates I created with borders!

Some rides (like Test Track) and on certain tours (like Animal Kingdom’s new Wild Africa Trek) you will have a photographer with you or be able to scan your card to add your picture to your account.  Each park also has a “special” picture or two where you will be posed in a certain way and have animated friends added to your images when you look at them later (we’ve gotten Tinkerbell, Stitch, Simba, Mickey & Donald hang gliding, and a bunch of balloons carrying us away).

Here are examples of classic shots from each of the parks (I used Picnik to turn the 4 pictures into a strip and make them have a vintage look):

When push comes to shove the bottom line is that you know your family best and how you take pictures so think about what you would gain and how you would use those images later before you make your final call!

Related articles

• Disney’s PhotoPass helps Guests capture even more WDW memories (chipandco.com)
• Disney World Quick Tips – Don’t Visit Walt Disney World Through A Viewfinder (chipandco.com)

The Disneyland Resort Paris has undergone its traditional Christmas makeover, with millions of lights, dozens of Christmas trees and a smattering of fake snow being employed to generate a festive atmosphere. The resort’s holiday celebrations are closer to those of Walt Disney World than the Disneyland Resort, with few of the holiday overlays for major attractions seen at the California park. However, a number of special shows, meet-and-greets and parades are laid on as part of the Enchanted Christmas events.

The Christmas celebrations are very much focused on Disneyland Park, with sister park Walt Disney Studios receiving only a few token decorations. The entrance to Disneyland Paris, which sees guests pass underneath the Disneyland Hotel, offers some clues as to what is in store. However, it is not until they reach the Town Square that the full effect of the holiday additions can be seen.

The area is dominated by an enormous Christmas tree, surrounded by oversized toys and presents. These offer visitors the chance to snap some impressive photographs, before they set off up Main Street USA towards Sleeping Beauty Castle.

For once, the view back down the street towards the entrance is almost as impressive as the one towards the hub of the park. A Christmas tree lighting ceremony later in the day attracts a large audience, and is worth the wait.

Sleeping Beauty Castle itself, though, is still by far the most beautiful element of a visually-stunning park. In addition to its usual surroundings of pretty waterfalls and novelty-shaped trees, during the Enchanted Christmas events a layer of “snow” adds to the appeal.

The castle is lit up at night during a ceremony hosted by Princess Aurora, which sees her godmothers illuminate it in three different colors. The ceremony itself is forgettable (and thankfully quite short), but the 400,000 lights look stunning. They are joined by 4 powerful searchlights, just in case anyone has failed to notice the spectacular display in front of them.

No Disney Christmas event would be complete without a visit from Santa himself, and Disneyland Paris has done a reasonable job of transforming the Woody’s Round-up area into Santa’s Village. Kids can queue up to make their Christmas requests surrounded by friendly snowmen, and joined occasionally by characters including Pluto and Winnie the Pooh.

Hosted in the nearby Chaparral Theatre is the Mickey’s Winter Wonderland show, a bizarre combination of an ice skating display, sing-along and western-style hoe-down. Adults may find the limited plot and over-the-top acting a little painful, but it’s difficult to resist tapping along to the festive tunes.

Another addition during the Christmas season at Disneyland Paris is Belle’s Christmas Village, located towards the rear of the sprawling Fantasyland. Although largely made up of stalls selling merchandise that can be found elsewhere in the park, it does add a holiday-themed element to a land that is otherwise left largely untouched during the holidays.

Disneyland Paris doesn’t offer a full Christmas parade, but it does tack on a couple of extra floats to the standard Disney’s Once Upon a Dream parade. These are barely worth the wait, but watching Santa’s sleigh pass in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle is admittedly a pretty sight.

Over at Walt Disney Studios, the celebrations are much more stilted. There are no special holiday events or shows, and none of the attractions feature holiday overlays. This year, the resort has given up entirely on decorating the interior of the park, instead focusing on making the entrance area look the part.

There is at least one great photo opportunity in the park itself, with Walt and Mickey welcoming guests as they exit Studio 1. Overall, though, Walt Disney Studios remains the inferior partner to Disneyland Park in almost every sense.

While it would be nice to see a few more holiday additions to Disneyland Paris (such as an overlay for the Phantom Manor), it is a great place to get into the Christmas spirit. Hopefully next year will see additional efforts made at Walt Disney Studios, as well as announcements of new attractions to bring the resort’s second gate up to the same standard as its magnificent neighbor.

Nick Sim is a lifelong Disney fan based in Suffolk, England. When he’s not daydreaming about a new dark ride for Disneyland Paris, he’s writing news and reviews for Theme Park Tourist.

Nick Sim
Lead Editor
Theme Park Tourist
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My husband and I are both BIG on taking pictures, and on our recent Disney vacation we took over 2000 pictures on 5 different cameras. So, when I heard about Disney’s PhotoPass, I wasn’t too interested, I knew we loved taking our own pictures and didn’t think it would be of much use to us

We were at Epcot last week, at the Epcot Character Spot (which is awesome by the way, a super smart thing Disney is doing – giving certain characters semi-permanent homes for people to come and meet them, and you can even get Fastpasses for it!), and as it was our turn to meet the fab five (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, and Goofy!), the Cast Member handed us a PhotoPass, and we went through and had our pictures taken and each time, they scanned the PhotoPass and that was it, it was simple, easy, and I was hooked.

So a quick overview on how it works, you can get a (free!) PhotoPass card from any PhotoPass Photographer (they are all over all the parks, they are the Cast Members carrying the huge cameras), and you hand them the card, pose for a few pictures in front of the castle/Tower of Terror/and tons of other photo op areas, then they scan the pictures to the card and you are on your way. After your trip (or during, if you’re like me and can’t wait), you can go to the website DisneyPhotoPass.com, register the code on your card (or cards, in case you end up with multiple), and voila, your images are all there to view and purchase online (they even have a mobile version of the website the smartphone users out there!)

If you decide you want to order any prints, it can get pricey really fast…2 4×6 prints are $14.95, and an 8×10 is $16.95. They have some cool Photo Products to chose from on the website, from photo books (starting at $79.95), to photo stickers ($9.95 a sheet), to mugs, mousepads, greeting cards and more. If you have a lot of PhotoPass photos taken on your trip, it might be worth the splurge to order the Photo CD, a compact disc of all your photo pass photos. They photos come in high quality jpeg format, and you also receive a license to be able to reprint the photos as you choose. The price for the CD is $149.95, with additional copies at $19.95 each. If you are doing a big family trip or it’s your first trip, this could be a great souvenir for you to relive all those Disney memories.

The best part about it, in my opinion, is that they will take pictures with your camera too, so in case you aren’t thrilled about Disney’s PhotoPass prices, you can have something similar for free. The downside is, the PhotoPass pictures really are nicer, the camera they use is high end, and the ones at night in particular come out much better when the pros do it.

So for those of you who love having your picture taken (like me!) and want a way to capture even more Disney fun, try the PhotoPass next time you at Walt Disney World. It’s free, easy, and a great way to get that perfect family photo for next year’s Christmas card!

Related articles

• Capturing Disney in Pictures: 8th Day of Christmas Riding the WDW Monorail (chipandco.com)
• Interview with Hidden Mickeys Author Steven M. Barrett (chipandco.com)

Flag Ceremony at the Magic Kingdom

Every photo has a story.

Picture this…there are 8.5 million lights decorating the resorts, theme parks and down towns of Walt Disney World.  If you purchase a ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, there is a 100% chance of Disney created snow flurries.  If you’ve braved the holiday crowds to make it to the Magic Kingdom, it’s hard to miss the epic-sized Christmas tree in Town Square. Every day at 5:00 p.m., there is a Flag Ceremony in the square at the entrance to Main Street.  For visitors and armed forces Veterans alike, this is a touching ceremony that is accentuated by the lights and decorations of the Christmas season.

During the Flag Ceremony, the flag is taken down for the night.  If you are a Veteran, you can inquire about participating in the ceremony.  Daily participants include Walt Disney World Security Officers and the Main Street Philharmonic marching band.  The Dapper Dans barbershop quartet sing “God Bless America”, and announcements are made by The Mayor of Main Street.  A veteran chosen at random carries the folded flag while the Philharmonic band plays John Philip Souza’s “The Liberty Bell” on the march down Main Street.

Disney vacationers report that the daily Flag Ceremony is an emotional event any time of year.  However, with thousands of holiday lights and the Town Square Christmas tree in the background, this may become a new annual tradition for your family.  God bless all who have, are , or will serve our great nation.

Thanks for stopping by for a photographical Disney ride!

Do you have any fabulous Disney vacation pictures you’d like to share? Drop by and share your photos on facebook at Mouze Kateerz. Take a virtual Disney vacation twice a day in photographs. Or shoot me an email of your favorite Disney location at mouzekateerz@chipandco.com.

Every photo has a story.

People enjoy being scared for fun, and what better place than a haunted house?  Studies show up to 40% of Americans believe in house-haunting. So nearly one in two people believe, more than they believe in any other paranormal actitity, that spirits haunt houses.  Your buddy standing next to you right now?  He probably believes.  He’s listening for rattling chains.

So of course Walt Disney incorporated a haunted house into plans for his new theme park. His initial concept for the Haunted Mansion was a retirement home for ghosts. Disneyland’s original 1969 Haunted Mansion was installed in an antebellum plantation house located in Frontierland. This building, built years prior to the ghost’s inhabitance, is detailed with a columned portico and ornate filigree railings. Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion appears to have lept straight out of “Song of the South.”

But for Disney’s second shot at spooky residential scares, Imagineering’s John Hench dreamed up a much darker-themed design for Walt Disney World’s Florida version of the Haunted Mansion. The end product, a gothic manse made of stone and brick located in Liberty Square, appears straight out of an old horror movie. Ghosts grim or grinning, I’d still move in this mansion, since there’s always room for one more. But I’d need some cleaning supplies.

Picture this… five pound bags of theatrical dust, called “Fuller’s Earth,” are used to decorate the 200 props at the Haunted Mansion. Pound for pound, that’s likely enough dust to have buried the Mansion completely by now.  With your Doom Buggie, officially known as a 160 OmniMover, plugging along a 1.4 mph, there seems little chance of a Doom Buggie draft disturbing the dust.  This OmniMover technology was first used by Disneyland in the 1967 attraction Adventure Thru Inner Space.

The Haunted Mansion offers fun entertainment for adults, and you’ll leave with one of the most memorable Disney songs of all time ringing in your ears.  But some young children can be frightened.  This attractions isn’t a Disney-cute ride like you would have expected to see in the now-deceased Toon Town. Hanging corpses, coffins, axes, spooky portraits, loud shreiks, and DARK rooms abound, and that’s once you make it past the tombstones by the side door. Not to mention those Cast Members perfectly in character… it’s time to take small children by the hand and enjoy a good Disney scare.

Either way, California’s antebellium plantation or Florida’s gothic mansion, “Beware of Hitchhiking ghosts!”

Thanks for stopping by for a photographical Disney ride!

Do you have any fabulous Disney vacation pictures you’d like to share? Drop by and share your photos on facebook at Mouze Kateerz. Take a virtual Disney vacation twice a day in photographs. Or shoot me an email of your favorite Disney location at mouzekateerz@chipandco.com

Pluto topiary at Epcot Center

Every photo has a story.

The holiday season is a beautiful time to pay a visit to Epcot.  This topiary, one of the many artistic floral decorations on display,  provides an excellent photo opportunity.  You’ll find a wide variety of photographic possibilities throughout Walt Disney World before the New Year arrives.

Picture this…eleven countries will be decorated for Holidays Around the World at Epcot Showcase.  As you make your way from country to country, you may see some of Disney’s 1,300 decorated trees spread throughout all of Disney World.  Now is a great time to pick up a holiday ornament in one of these eleven pavilions to display on your own tree for years to come.

Looking for a memorable family event when you finish your holiday ornament shopping??

Over at the America Gardens Theatre Stage at Epcot, you can hear music of the holiday season during the Candlelight Processional. Highlighted by a celebrity narrator, the Nativity story is backed by fanfare trumpets, a 52-member orchestra, and a 350-voice choir made up of high school students, local choirs and Cast Members. By using different conductors, singers, and narrators for many of the performances, this creates an ever-so-slightly different theatrical version when you experience a new show. Disney guests return year after year for an exciting  musical. Delighting holiday crowds at Epcot for nearly two decades, the Candlelight Processional will be a memorable experience for you’ll cherish for years to come.

Be sure to check the viewing times for the night of your visit, but there are Candlelight Processional shows at 5:00, 6:45, and 8:15 most nights through December 30.

Thanks for stopping by for a photographical Disney ride!

Do you have any fabulous Disney vacation pictures you’d like to share? Drop by and share your photos on facebook at Mouze Kateerz. Take a virtual Disney vacation twice a day in photographs. Or shoot me an email of your favorite Disney location at
mouzekateerz@chipandco.com.

Every photo has a story.

If you’ve ever been to Walt Disney World, you’re thankful for something.  It would be easy to give thanks for my upcoming WDW vacation that starts in a mere 30 days.  I’m so thankful for the chance to return to Orlando, I am nearly jumping up and down. Oh, the food!  I’m thankful for the Black Forest Cupcake I can practically taste right now.  I am thankful that my three kids will ride the monorail beside me late at night, and that my husband will roam the gift shops, uncomplaining, with me for hours.  If you’re there right now, you’re probably giving thanks.

I am thankful to Chip & Co. for my new opportunity to share my Walt Disney World photos, stories, and tid-bits.  Without that chance, I could never tell you that I am thankful today for my brother’s life.

My earliest memory of the People Mover was around 8-years-old.  While I jumped in first, my 3-year-old brother Brian sat in the middle, and 5-year-old brother Randy piled in last.  We loved the People Mover just as much as any of the roller coasters.  No Lines!  No waiting!  I remember putting my arm around Brian.  Only three, his feet didn’t touch the floor.  I wanted to make certain he didn’t slide off the seat.

My brother Brian was 13 when I moved away to college.  He soon left for his own university, joined the Army, got married, and had a son.  He re-joined the Army just two years ago as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal specialist.  He was going to dismantle bombs; how could I not worry about him?  Those memories with him on The Peoplemover and If You Had Wings are a central part of my happiest childhood memories.  He’ll always be a little kid to me, sitting beside me in the Tiki Room, falling asleep in the stroller I pushed to the Magic Kingdom tram.

When my mom called last week, just five days after Veteran’s Day, to say two Army trucks were attacked in Afghanistan, I thought she was calling to say he was dead.  I just knew he was dead.  But he wasn’t, just injured.  He lost his foot, but not his life.  I am thankful for the Army doctors and surgeons taking care of him.  I am thankful he will recover.  I am thankful Brian will one day walk down Main Street, on a new Bionic foot, with his own son and his wife.

I am thankful for my childhood opportunities. I am thankful for my family, both then and now.

Today though, I am most thankful for my brother Brian’s life.

Do you have any fabulous Disney vacation pictures you’d like to share?  Drop by and share your photos on facebook at Mouze Kateerz.  Take a virtual Disney vacation twice a day in photographs.

Related articles

• Disney in Pictures: Victorian Gingerbread House at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa (chipandco.com)
• The 10 Commandments of Walt Disney World Trips (chipandco.com)

Magical Mouse Schoolhouse, where Disney IS school!

MAGICAL MOUSE SCHOOLHOUSE is a unique blog that plusses the homeschool experience and prompts home educators to think outside the textbook. Our bi-weekly posts expose teachable moments in Walt Disney entertainment, from the history of Walter Elias Disney to Audio-animatronics, from theme park attractions to Disney conservation efforts. Each article leaves readers creative ways to learn while they play when Disney IS school.

Here’s a sampling of what you might find:

• Watch Dumbo and learn about aviation. Build a paper airplane with an elephant’s proportions. Discuss fuselage size and shape. Ask students if large wings (or ears) help or hinder flight.
• Ride Disneyland’s Mad Tea Party. Stop the math frustration spinning in your child’s head and have a Mad Math Fractions Tea Party!
• Observe Tinker Bell’s flight from a castle turret during Wishes Nighttime Spectacular fireworks at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in person or by Youtube video. Following instructions at the Science Buddies website, measure the intensity and duration of light produced by glow sticks.

Non-homeschoolers are welcome too! Supplement children’s schoolwork to keep kids from stagnating during summer break or holidays. Classroom teachers, enhance lesson plans or offer additional course work.

Stretch the boundaries of your home classroom!

Tiggerific Tuesday! Blog Hop...or Bounce!

MAGICAL MOUSE SCHOOLHOUSE hosts the weekly blog hop, Tiggerific Tuesday, a linky social to network with fellow bloggers. We also run GIVEAWAYS on the 2^nd and 4^th Wednesdays of the month, and we hop aboard the Magical Blogorail Yellow Line every 1^st Friday.

For an additional learning experience and educational incentives, sign up for the monthly Earn Your E.A.R.S. (Enriching Academic Reward Series). Registration opens October 1, 2011. Click the link to learn more.

It’s that time again…for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party! The parks will begin putting up the decorations on August 29th in preparation for the first Halloween party, which will be September 13th.

If you have purchased (or are considering purchasing) tickets for a special event such as the Halloween party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you need to be prepared! After you finish complaining about having to purchase separate admission to the park you should focus that energy on getting the most bang for your buck. There’s a reason they charge special admission and it’s not so you can laugh at everyone who has to exit the park at 7pm. Here are a few things you should look for:

1. Special event merchandise-No event goes un-commemorated at Walt Disney World. Look for special event merchandise, the Emporium usually has the best selection; but ask about other locations with event merchandise.

NOTE: Special event merchandise is for the folks attending the special event, so if you don’t have a ticket don’t expect to purchase event merchandise. The merchandise is kept in storage until the party time when it’s brought out for display and purchase.

2. The Parade-Yes, we have Moved it, Shake-d it, Celebrate-d it, and we know that Dreams Come True, but if Grim Grinning Ghosts are more your style DO NOT miss the parade! Listen for the hoofed sounds of the headless horseman to start the ghoulish parade. There are usually 2 parades and of course the second is always less crowded. Check your event map when you enter the park to be sure!

3. Happy HalloWishes-If a Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, then HalloWishes will take your breath away. You think you’ve seen fireworks at the Magic Kingdom…but I promise you, you’ve never seen them like this! They can be seen from various locations in the park; but for this one I’d recommend being in front of the castle! This show is so spectacular it’s normally only shown once, check your event times guide when you enter the park and be sure to adjust your touring plans accordingly.

4. Special appearances-There’s magic all over the park but you’ll be left in mystery until you arrive. I can tell you I have personally experienced unique Halloween themed PhotoPass opportunities (particularly by the Haunted Mansion…who doesn’t want a picture with the hitch-hiking ghosts?!) and have seen rare characters out and about (Snow White and ALL the Seven Dwarfs, etc.) so if you are a character hunter, have your eyes peeled! Look for characters at the dance parties throughout the parks and check the character location icons on your event map so you know where to hunt.

5. Trick-or-Treat-A Halloween celebration wouldn’t be complete without trick-or-treating. Grab your treat bag when you enter the Magic Kingdom and look for the treat stations set up throughout the park. There are one way lines and the treats are all similar at the various locations. Don’t forget your manners while you are in line!

*TIP*-The Pirates League and Bibbidy Bobbity Boutique are incredibly popular on Halloween party nights so if you’re interested in a pirate or princess transformation BOOK EARLY!

Common questions:
Q: “Do people dress up for the Halloween party?”
A: YES! Adults and children are allowed (and encouraged) to dress up for the Halloween party; although Disney does ask you use common sense and dress appropriately (ok…they say it in a much nicer and more politically correct way; I paraphrased)

Q: “Besides candy is there anything to eat in the park during the party?”
A: YES! Look at the sign outside of City Hall, or your event map, it will tell you what restaurants are offering quick service and table service dining throughout the night. Note that not all locations may be open for the duration of the party, so check the times and plan accordingly!

Q: “How much are the tickets?”
A: Click Here

Q: “Is it worth it?”
A: There’s only one way to find out…

Epcot UK Phone Booths, photo courtesy Disney Dispatch

Epcot’s United Kingdom Pavilion compresses time and style into a brilliant rural/city/town progression and tour across the British Isles, sampling settings from the 1500s to the 1800s. As with other World Showcase stops, Walt Disney Imagineers spared no detail here. Stroll down cobblestone streets, venture through a knee-high hedge maze, laugh with comedic improv, or answer the telephone.

Answer the phone? Sure! The bright red kiosks on the north side of the Pavilion are not only some of the most photographed items at Epcot’s World Showcase, but are also real, working telephones styled after the ones designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and found throughout the streets of Great Britain.

These bright red structures call out to Guests—literally—to pick up the receiver and pose for a picture. If one happens to ring, don’t shy away. Grab it and give a grand, “Cheerio!” It very well could be me calling or perhaps someone who really is “across the pond.”

Not at the Parks right now? Dial up a red box and see who is. If you get a busy signal, someone’s probably got the receiver off the hook for a photo op. I take that as a hint that someone’s nearby, though, so I call right back. If no one picks up after about six rings, it goes to a fax machine type of noise.

U.K. Phone Booths

• Right Booth: 407 827-9861
• Left Booth: 407 827-9862
• Center Booth: 407 827-9863

Canada Phone Booth

407-827-9884

Quick Tip –  To be sure the World Showcase is open when you call, check the Disney Parks website for operating hours.

Good luck and happy phoning!

It has been a pretty quiet month for character news on Character Central but I am sure as we move into the fall and get closer to Halloween (Mickey’s No So Scary Halloween Party) and Christmas (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) we will be hearing more!

Walt Disney World

• Tink and her fairy friends have moved to their new home in the Adventureland Veranda which is now named Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook. Currently two fairies at a time are meeting and it normally consists of Tink + either Vidia or Rosetta. Hopefully the other fairies will make occasional appearances as well.
• The Magic Kingdom day parade is occurring twice a day during the summer. Due to this some of the regular Magic Kingdom characters may be in slightly different locations. This includes Goofy appearing near Pirates and Peter Pan sometimes making appearances near the entrance to Adventureland.
• On a sad note, WDW has decided to stop having characters appear during EMH… hopefully they will return some day
• Onto rumors, we are continuing to hear rumors about changes to MNSSHP. As of now it sounds like at least Gaston and Lotso will be joining the list of villains you can meet at the parties. We also know that there will be some changes to the popular Boo to You parade but don’t know all the specifics yet.
• Last month we reported the Flynn and Naveen had stopped making regular appearances in the parks. We have heard that they should return for MNSSHP and/or MVMCP… so if you missed them you should still have a chance to meet them if you go to the parties.

Disneyland

• Phineas and Ferb started making appearances in the form of a show called Phineas and Ferb’s Rockin’ Rollin’ Dance Party. Unfortunately they are not appearing for meet and greets but hopefully they will in the future!
• Tickets are now on sale for the Disneyland Mickey’s Halloween Treat Parties. These parties are similar to but smaller in scale to WDW’s MNSSHP but feature extra characters not normally seen in Disneyland

Disneyland Paris

• Darth Vader and Chewbacca are appearing in Discoveryland for the summer season
• Also, recently (probably because of it being peak summer season) there have been more random characters appearing around the parks including the elusive Seven Dwarfs

Tokyo

• The main change in Tokyo has been the premiere of changes to Dreamlights including new Aladdin, Tinker Bell and Toy Story units. They look spectacular!

That is all the character news for this month. Be sure to visit Disney Character Central for all the latest character news and rumors! Also this month on our site we have tons of new pictures from our most recent trip to Disneyland Paris and Disneyland where we saw tons of rare characters (many of which are new to the site) including the Robinsons and many of Stitch’s friends and cousins! We also just returned from our first trip to Hong Kong Disneyland and have started adding that resort to the site!

Related articles

• Disney Character News and Rumors for July 2011 (chipandco.com)
• Explore Tinker Bell’s Magical Nook at Magic Kingdom Park (chipandco.com)

Many times we get home from Disney World and wish we would have eaten at a specific restaurant just one more time. Or we find ourselves craving certain foods from our favorite WDW eateries.

As our Disney World vacation gets closer I have been craving Tonga Toast and POG Juice.  So having spent most of the morning looking around the internet I was able to locate a the best Tonga Toast and POG Juice recipes. I attempted to make Tonga Toast in the past without much success unlike POG juice that was quite easy and made up a large batch that lasts all week long.

Quick Tip – Did you know you can get Tonga Toast at Capt Cooks Quick Service Restaurant in the Polynesian Resort for a fraction of the cost of Kona Cafe?

If you have made Tonga Toast that has been close to the original please let me know what you did in the comment box below.

Here is the recipe:

Tonga Toast

Ingredients:

2 slices sourdough bread, cut 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick (Softer the bread the better)
1 banana
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
oil or shortening for frying
whipped butter and/or syrup

Method:

Cut a 1-inch pocket in one side of each bread slice. Cut banana in half crosswise, then split each piece lengthwise. Remove peel and stuff two pieces of fruit in each pocket of bread; set aside. Mix sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Mix together well the egg, milk and vanilla.

Heat about 4 inches of oil in a pan to 350º F. Dip stuffed bread into egg/milk mixture and let it soak a few seconds to let penetrate bread. Fry bread on both sides in hot oil until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels or wire rack. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve.

POG Juice

If you lived in Hawaii you could drive down to the corner store and pick up some POG juice, but here is the recipe I was able to find around the interwebs so you can make it at home.

Basically it is Passion Fruit Juice, Guava Pineapple, and Orange juice mixed together.

Ratios say 1/3 each but I am sure with some trial and error you could get to to your taste.

Let us know some of the foods you crave in the comment box below.

Related articles

• The 7 Places you Must Eat at Walt Disney World (couponingtodisney.com)
• Disney Dining Options Ever-Changing at Walt Disney World Resort (chipandco.com)

Great news for all those PhotoPass fans like myself!

Well, summer is officially upon us as evidenced by our skyrocketing temperatures here in Orlando! Which makes it the perfect time for a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort Water Parks.

Whether you are chillin’ at Blizzard Beach or relaxing at Typhoon Lagoon, Disney’s PhotoPass photographers are back in full force to capture your most splash-tastic memories. Check out Disney’s newest photo location at Blizzard’s Teamboat Springs. Word has it that there is a hidden Mickey, but I have yet to find it.

Source Disney Parks Blog

Related articles

• Disney Parks Ticketing Increase (chipandco.com)
• Top 5 Ways to Beat the Heat at Disney World (chipandco.com)

There are many Disney blogs I read daily like Chip and Co, but there’s one I always look forward in my RSS Reader called Tours Departing Daily, which is different than many Disney sites, because it’s a photography blog focusing on Disneyland Resort (my second home).

The three photographers- Kevin Crone, Michaela Hansen and Matthew Hansen use a technique called High Dynamic Range or HDR.  This means there are multiple shots put together to give the picture more range of color similar to what the human eye sees rather than just the typical camera.

Can you recognize where their website name came from?

I love my daily Disneyland picture- each one brings up a memory or thought about a trip there and also gets me excited about my next trip (under 200 days!).  They also do trivia and giveaway contests on their Facebook page.  I haven’t won any of their prints yet, but I really want one!

Even before I understood what HDR was, I knew these pictures had a different quality about them and I don’t think I can even begin to appreciate the extra time they spend editing each photo so they have more of a realistic look to feel like I’m there.

They did a big project back at Christmas that is still enjoyable to watch any time of year- a time lapse video to music of Disneyland at Christmas!

Hope you enjoy this one as much as I do!

Picture with permission from Tours Departing Daily.

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As you walk around the parks you’ve probably noticed cast members in safari type khaki vests and blue shorts; although they look like they’ve escaped from the Animal Kingdom, I assure you, they are where they belong. Who are these people and what are they doing roaming the streets of Mainstreet U.S.A.? They are PhotoPass Photographers.

For those of you not familiar with the purpose of PhotoPass, take a look at your family photos from your past vacations…you probably notice that one of the family members is always missing (someone has to take the picture!) Disney’s PhotoPass eliminates that missing family member and gives you family photos in front of your favorite Disney landmarks, with everyone included, you can even have them “magically” enhanced.

There are many opinions on the value of PhotoPass and of course there are perks and pitfalls to the PhotoPass service. The perks:

Everyone wants that perfect family photo in front of your favorite Disney landmark, a PhotoPass photographer may be your best bet at getting that to happen.

PhotoPass services are free, you don’t have to pay a photographer to take your photo, they will even take one with your personal camera as well.

You can get more than a basic print when you choose the PhotoPass option. You can choose to have your photo “magically” enhanced with some fun Disney characters and special effects. In addition to enhanced photos you can turn your pictures into luggage tags, magnets, coffee mugs and more!

You can view and share your photos with family and friends online through the Disney PhotoPass website. You will have access to your photos for 30 days.

When you purchase the PhotoPass CD you get access to “the gallery” which has professional prints of each park, fireworks, characters and attractions from which you can purchase prints.

There are also PhotoPass portrait sessions available, visit a PhotoPass kiosk at your Disney resort for pricing and availability.

Those are just a few of the perks that PhotoPass has to offer; now let’s take a look at their corresponding pitfalls.

The Pitfalls:
Your dream photo could take a healthy chunk of change out of your budget. A single 5×7 print is $12.95, an 8×10 is $16.95.

You might end up loving the PhotoPass photo (and its options) and then you’ll incur the cost associated with purchasing the prints or package that you desire.

Yet again the cost of these memorable items might be outside of your budget.

You have to keep track of all of your PhotoPass cards, which each have a unique alpha numeric code. Each code must be entered online to access your photo (you will receive a PhotoPass card when your first picture is taken, try to use the same card for all of your photos, if you end up with multiple cards, go to a PhotoPass kiosk and ask them to consolidate your cards into one).

There are many things to love about PhotoPass, it’s convenient and creative and you can capture those magical moments with your entire family. For some folks the costs associated with bringing their dream photos home isn’t worth it, and some purchase multiple prints before even leaving the parks.

Tips for PhotoPass: If you know you are going to utilize the PhotoPass system, pre-purchase the CD online before your trip. The pre-purchase cost is $99.95 (regular cost $149.95), if you are unsure if the CD is a good value for you consider this: if you purchased (7) 5×7 prints, the CD would have paid for itself.

If you decide to use PhotoPass then USE it, A LOT. Look for all the locations of the PhotoPass photographers and take advantage of it, there is no limit to the number of photos you can have on your CD. If you have more than 300 photos, you’ll receive multiple CD’s but you won’t incur additional costs.

Remember that quality photography is not an absolute, so don’t trust that just because a PhotoPass photographer took your family photo it’s going to be perfect. Ask to view the photo on their camera and if you aren’t happy with it, take another. It might also be a good idea to have them take a photo with your camera as well, it doesn’t cost a penny and on occasion we’ve had our personal photos turn out better than the one’s taken on the PhotoPass camera.

The last tip, if you are attending a special event (Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) look for the special event PhotoPass opportunities, you can even be photographed with the hitch-hinking ghosts from the Haunted Mansion! Guests at these special ticket events will also receive a special event PhotoPass card and a 40% off savings from any photo product ordered from that card, on that night. If you are interested in your prints, get to exposition hall plenty early before closing, it gets very crowded later in the night!

Whatever you decide about Disney’s PhotoPass service, we hope your trip is picture perfect! Now smile…and say MICKEY!

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There are alot of great Disney Sites out there, catering to just about every Disney niche imaginable. Normally if I find a great site I will share it on Facebook or write up a quick Twitter link. For me to sit down and write up and article should show you how I especially love Tours Departing Daily.

Michaela Hansen, Matthew Hansen, Kevin Crone are three very close friends who enjoy hanging out at Disneyland and taking photos.

They take the most incredible photographs using a technology called HDR.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range.  Our eyes are capable of seeing a huge range of light and color, moving from bright sunlight to deep shade.  A single picture is incapable of portraying such a range.  HDR photography combines multiple shots so that the final product more closely resembles what we see in person and our experience of being there.

If you want to see some of the most brilliant photos of Disneyland you have ever seen in your life please visit their website. You will find that you are speechless as some of the shots they post.

Rarely do I use the word breathtaking but their pictures truly are breathtaking.

Check them out today.

>>Chip

P.S – Guys of you are reading this when are you going to Walt Disney World????

As of this Friday, February 11th, Mickey’s Toontown Fair will officially be closed for business.  While Toontown originally opened as Mickey’s Birthdayland in 1988, celebrating the 60th birthday of our favorite mouse, it was renamed Mickey’s Starland first, then switched to Toontown as we know it in 1996.

Yet, now, after 15 years, Mickey’s Toontown Fair is now another part of Walt Disney World’s Fantasyland Expansion.

We know the Barnstormer will be renamed The Great Goofini, but essentially, the ride will still be the same.  Everything else, however, is history.

Mickey and Minnie’s Country Houses are now a thing of the past.  Their adorable country homes, including Minnie’s “working” microwave, painting room, and flower pots are gone.  Mickey’s mouse checkers, Pluto’s dog bed, and Mouse-eared antenna tv will all be gone, probably stored in the Utilidors somewhere underneath the Magic Kingdom, along with other pieces of Disney past.

I think Mickey’s Toontown Fair may have been one of the most overlooked places in the Magic Kingdom, which is truly a shame.  The details never cease to amaze me.  For example, in Mickey’s house, his front table had a stack of mail, letters to him addressed from Peter Pan, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, and Ariel. There are several books between the two houses, all with great reads, including Famous Mice in History at Minnie’s house.  Almost anything you can think of is mouse-shaped, from mailboxes to mirrors, keys to ping pong paddles.

Mickey’s Toontown Fair was a gem of Imagineering creativity and will truly be missed.

Jenn resides with her husband, 1 year old son, and 2 bratty dogs in a suburb of Washington, D.C. She also hosts her own blog, the Disney Babies Blog, where she shares her experiences, tips, and ramblings about traveling the parks with a baby. In her non-Disney life, Jenn is often found running, practicing yoga, or playing the clarinet in the military.

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In a dramatic new projection show filled with special effects and magic, Cinderella Castle will transform into a shimmering canvas for images of Walt Disney World guests and the memories they made that day at Magic Kingdom.

In the nighttime spectacle, photos of guests captured that very day in the park will be projected larger-than-life among the spires and turrets of Cinderella Castle.  In similar fashion, guest images will be projected onto “it’s a small world” on select nights at Disneyland Park in California, beginning Jan. 27.

The ten-minute experience – called “The Magic, The Memories, and You!” – will dazzle park guests on both coasts in ways never before experienced, themed to beloved Disney stories and with playful animated sequences that seem to defy the architecture of the buildings.  The spectacle is scheduled most nights with up to two shows per night depending on theme park operating hours and other special ticketed events.

As many as 500 images shot that day will project onto the castle each night the show is presented, producers estimate.  Disney PhotoPass photographers will capture guests creating new memories as they “smile for the castle.”

“Disney parks create family vacation memories to last a lifetime,” said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort.  “What better canvas for those memories than Cinderella Castle, one of the most photographed icons in the world.”

After the sun goes down, 16 high-powered state-of-the-art projectors will bring the castle to life as that day’s photos (and videos taken from Disney’s “Let the Memories Begin” online hub) seem to dance about the famous facade, explained Alan Bruun, associate creative director, Walt Disney World Entertainment.

As classic Disney music weaves in and out of the new “Let the Memories Begin” theme song,turrets spin while the castle shimmers and magically transforms itself in playful and exciting ways to accompany the guests’ memories of fun, adventure and family experiences.

“The images dance to the music and culminate in a spectacular finale punctuated by animated and actual fireworks,” Bruun said.

As Disney Parks encourages families to “Let the Memories Begin,” guests have been celebrating their only-at-Disney memories by sharing their stories and by uploading photos and videos online at DisneyParks.com/memories.

Vacation memories hold a special place in the hearts of families, too, according to a recent survey of Americans and Canadians conducted by Ypartnership, a leading research firm that tracks consumer insights and trends in travel.

Nine out of 10 parents polled said they plan their vacations with the express hope of creating a lasting family memory.  And most memories don’t fade with the passage of time.  Nearly three-quarters of those surveyed said they think back “often” or “very often” on their most cherished vacation memories.

• Height of Cinderella Castle: 189 feet
• Number of shows: up to two per night (select evenings)
• Length of each show: ten minutes (approx.)
• Projectors: 16
• Same-day guest photos per show: up to 500
• Total number of images projected per show: more than 5,000

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The “Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season” fireworks, the boldest and brightest pyrotechnics show at Magic Kingdom, takes place at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. The grand finale “Fantasy in the Sky” fireworks begin at 11:50 p.m. On Dec. 31, the park is open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.

This article comes to us from Kristin Ford at the Orlando Sentinel‘s Daily Disney Column.

It’s December so of course Santa Claus and his elves are extremely busy. Still, The Big Man always finds time to visit Walt Disney World, so make sure your little one is ready for a heart-to-heart, or at least a photo.

Here are some places you’re likely to find Santa on Disney property, though if he’s called back to the North Pole, his schedule could change:

** Magic Kingdom: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (intermittently) daily in Town Square next to City Hall. The Jolly Old Elf also makes an appearance in Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights.

** Epcot: 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., 4:10 p.m. to 6:10 p.m. and 6:50 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. daily at The American Adventure. Each country in the World Showcase also features storytellers who describe local holiday traditions. In many countries, the storyteller is a representation of Santa, such as Pere Noel in France and Father Christmas in England.

** Downtown Disney Marketplace: noon to 10 p.m. daily at Santa’s Chalet in front of World of Disney. (Santa Paws for Pets is not offered this year.)

Click here to keep reading.

(Photo by Kristin Ford/Orlando Sentinel)

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